#The Blonde Grimm Fan looks WONDERFUL ON HER~

[mimpinightmare]

*CHEF KISSES, ALL AROUND ✨💜💛✨*

[evenmorefatallyobsessed]

Prof. Nikos AU Concept

To be clear this isn't the only Au/ comic I'll put the model in but it is the one that comes to mind for me most often.

Pyrrha is born into the previous generation to RWBY's main characters like Jaune was in my Prof. Arc AU, also like him she became Glynda's partner.

There weren't any problems to their partnership, in fact Pyrrha would even say it was a pleasant one. But, not a ideal one... Between Glynda's intimidating nature and stern attitude and her fame she merely found a compatriot on the pedestal instead of making many friends with life long bonds.

Sure there were Summer and Tai... Nit Qrow though, he was spiritually taxing and Raven was worse.

But slowly she found herself drifting from them as well. After all her and Glynda did have examples to set. And even after their teammates quit that only meant they had to work that much harder.

Which lead her to now, her being a celebrity, renowned huntress and the most popular teacher in Beacon...

But also a maiden though that secret was to be held under wraps indefinitely.

Of course she never was able to quite find her way off her pedestal. Everyone just avoided her through school, intimidated or worse... They were obsessed.

When she said she was the most popular teacher in Beacon that was hardly a exclusively good thing...

Many students, fellow teachers during Vytal or even council members had tried to involve themselves with her. Some with honest if not unreciprocated feelings for her. Others having ulterior or more carnal goals in mimd.

At times like that she was glad that she could at the very least believe in Glynda. Even this year she expected little different, already a few boys had been unashamedly gawking at her. At least they weren't as blatant as miss Adel had been the year previous. Though they failed compared to miss Schnee who she could sense was going to be particularly insistent fan of her's.

Honestly it was at times like this that she was thankful for that silly rumor about her and Glynda being more then just partners were so rampant through the school.

They helped dissuade the more gullible or naive students, if only they didn't incite the more passionate fans. It was at times like this that she missed Velvet.

The girl had been a wonderful experience to have, but that relationship was over and she had reality to face.

And Reality as it turned out was a blonde boy, one rather plain at first glance. admittedly unimpressive physically compared to the other possible students.

And she realized it when that Ravenette Weiss look alike abducted the flying boy straight out of the air.

He had a scratch from a tree branch, one that bled... That didn't heal, he didn't have aura. She moved to intercept but Ozpin was quicker and with a annoyingly good point. That boy, Jaune Arc stayed even after seeing other be launched into the forest. He heard his words and knew the risk.

So she stood and watched, watched him and his foul mouthed partner walk through the forest, the color swapped looking Schnee obsessing over him. She watched them stumble into that cave, she knew she should've cleared the Deathstalker out of it!

But she hadn't and now he was paying the price, at the very least they'd secured the Relic. And then it happened, they'd met up with four girls Ozpin had noted interest in and two others.

Forming teams, but also drawing in two rather dangerous Grimm. They made the right call, choosing to retreat from the threats. And the blonde could've, but his partner and another boy sadly couldn't make it across the bridge before the Deathstalker had them. Honestly she was suprised when he let turned back to help them, well let the redhead girl launch him towards them.

For most it wouldn't be all that impressive, a dime action a hunter would be expected to take. But Pyrrha saw more to it then that, the boy hadn't had aura for even a hour yet.

He still should've had his morals and thoughts firmly within what civilians would consider commonsense. And what he was doing was very much not that. She saw it, the way he tended, the tremble in his legs.

He was scared, very scared, to him who didn't fully understand what aura was it must've felt suicidal to face a Grimm like that. And yet there he was, fighting, giving orders and exceeding what she could've ever expected of someone with the clear lack of formal training he demonstrated.

It was completely fascinating and admirable. It was why she approached him during the first years entrance celebration after party.

Ignoring team RWBY (Especially Weiss), CRDL and just about everyone else. She could see it in his posture, Jaune wasn't enjoying his position as leader or the attention it got him as other students seemed quick to criticize.

She understood their logic to a extent, Valkyrie and miss Gelé were clearly stronger and Lie Ren more skilled.

Bit that line of thinking was heavily flawed in her opinion. And so she spoke to him, amd was suprised, he, he was utterly ignorant of most things relating to Huntsman!

It sent her through a loop, maybe it was because of how pitiful he looked then, or perhaps how much determination she could gleam in his gaze when he spoke of his dream to be a Huntsman... And also maybe, possibly because he seemed utterly ignorant to who she was. Regardless she spoke then and there. Informing Jaune that she'd be training him as one of his electives (Classes)

He made one small comment about her thinking he wasn't good enough, but she quickly nipped that in the bud. Everyone had to start somewhere and she was a bit more stubborn herself compared to her Beacon days.

-0-0-0-

Glynda couldn't help but feel Pyrrha was putting too much interest into Arc. Did she hate the boy, no.

But Pyrrha shouldn't be putting all her free time into spending her time with a schoolboy... No she was not jealous no matter what Qrow said! She was just concerned about her partner's reputation.

And besides that Jaune Arc had shown to be dreadfully unprepared for this school given his Proformance during Initiation. She'd even go as far as to say that if it hadn't been for miss Gelé's unsettlingly strong interest in him that there was a good chance he would've perished during the exam.

If Pyrrha intended to truly invest time in training him she couldn't help but feel it'd a rather significant amount of effort for her part...

Pyrrha had enough on her plate, surely she didn't need to add training a underwhelming student on top of that.

And... Yes, perhaps there was a fraction of truth to the drunkards word... After all, Pyrrha and her were the only two given such high expectations. She was the only person who could understand her.

Of course she valued their friendship more then anything in the world. But the heart simply wanted what the heart wanted. She only hoped she could be professional and not let it effect her teachings.

Though given how far behind Arc was perhaps she could afford to be a bit more... strict

-0-0-0-

Pyrrha had to admit, Jaune was a breath of fresh air, while still severely lacking in skill and training she felt that could be rectified and firmly believed in him. Honestly she was afraid this year would be a dull one but with him things were looking up.

She actually fell asleep rather peacefully that night... And had a dream.

Well... Oh dear.

[madzigness]

Somehow Taurus has returned

If you want to skip the purple text the fun is after it, the purple text is just my ramblings relating to an AU I imagined for this specific scenario.

Yes the title is a star wars reference, yes I'm not proud of it. This technically would deserve a bumblebee ship tag, but I ain't ready for all the death threats I'd get if I included it and if you are wondering if Blake doesn't appear in this post for the same reason, the answer is no, because if that was my reason for excluding her I would have also left out Yang as her fans are bound to hate this and me, but I didn't. For the people wondering how Adam would return in this AU that I have come up with for this one song, I am actually working on another post with a different song that gives context to it I will give some spoilers it will involve the daughter or son unsure with which I'll chose of Yang and Blake being dissatisfied with how the treatment of faunus continues to fail to improve so he or she will start to look into all the figures ever involved with fighting for the faunus rights and get fixated on Adam as all the surrounding people will not allow her to learn about that person, this already lets you guess what song I'm going to use. Rubys name is colored with orange because Adam was my choice for red and I didn't want two characters to have red names. Well that's probably all I wanted to ramble about on to the show.

Steven Universe - Other friends.

We start of looking over a city with many streets of it on fire and grimm running around, as three older woman one wearing mostly white, other red and black, the third Yellow and brown fight of the black ink monsters. On a building overlooking the specific street all three of the women where on walks out a man with red hair and one bull horn and another one grimm like bone larger than the other horn, the crackling of flames car alarms, shouts of humans all those sounds are overpowered when he starts to speak deafening all the girls of all other sound to only hear him.

(Adam) ��Well, well, well, well, well!

Lemme get a look at the menagerie!”

He holds out his hands like a filmmaker imitating a camera with his arms, the horned man firstly focuses on the red girl.

(Adam) “You must be Ruby”

Then his arms move to the white one.

(Adam) “You must be Weiss”

Then the angriest smile possible forms on his lips as he jumps down the building landing on a car caving in its roof he motions with his hand energetically at the last woman.

(Adam) “And Belladonnas spouse, wow, she took you with her, isn't that just swell?”

The part grimm faunus jumps of the cars side turns to look at the lilac-colored eye girl and slashes at the car’s doors with his grimm hand, it’s fangs cleaving though metal like it was butter.

(Yang) ”It can't be!”

Fear crosses the blonds face as she fully recognizes who stand before her.

(Adam) “Oh, but it can be!

And it is!

I got a new style and a few new toys that are gonna put an end to your happily ever after, once and for all!”

He draws his sword out with his faunus hand while throwing of the coat covering his body revealing how much of him is grimm.

(Ruby) “Whoa, whoa! This has gotta be a misunderstanding, in case you haven't heard, I've established peace across the-“

The devil man cuts her off with laughter that last for a few seconds till he finally speaks.

(Adam) “Yeah, yeah, I've heard. I've had your little message to Remnant on LOOP! I just love that part, where Salem spends the rest of her days on this nowhere island with a bunch of nobodies!”

He runs at them with such speed that they only see a red and black blur.

(Adam) “That's right I heard the story over and over again”

Ruby barely dodges a slash by his sword.

(Adam) “Gee, it's swell to finally meet her other friends”

He bats away an attempted stab by the Schnee’s rapier delivering a sword handle to the stomach that launched her. Yang jumps in attempting to punch him as he easily sidesteps and dodges all her punches while singing.

(Adam) “That's right I heard the story, don't really like how it ends

Gee, it's swell to finally meet her other friends

What did she say about me? What did she say?

What did you do without me? What did you do?

Did you play games without me? What did you play?

Did you think all this time that I wouldn't find out about you?”

Ruby jumps back into the fray trying to hit him with her scythe but the man only widens his smile as he continues to dodge the assault of both Yang and Ruby effortlessly.

(Adam) “That's right I heard the story over and over again

Gee, it's swell to finally meet her other friends”

A red wave of energy throws both Yang and Ruby away they land next to recovering Weiss, black and red clones of his split of him and start running in a wide circle around the girls who struggle to find the real him.

(Weiss) “He's running circles around us!”

Ruby transforms her scythe to gun mode and fire several shots that all miss, Weiss deadpans at Ruby.

(Ruby) “I'm rusty, give me a break!”

(Yang) “It really is him, but he can't be alive!’

(Ruby) “You know him, Yang? Can you tell us who he is?”

Adam seems to appear out of the shadows themselves behind Ruby while grabbing her by the throat and lifting her up making her drop her weapon.

(Adam) “Who am I? Who am I? What are you even saying?

I'm the loser of the game you didn't know you were playing!”

Ruby tries to speak but fails, both Yang and Weiss attack him with the intention to free Ruby making Adam grin widely, while Ruby does all she can to free herself kicking and scratching at him.

(Adam) “Let's play another game this time I get to win

Lives on the line”

After dodging a fist by Yang, he looks straight into her eyes while angling his sword at Ruby.

(Adam) “Winner takes all

Ready or not

Let's begin!”

He begins to plunge the sword into Ruby, but a white light from Rubys silver eyes encompasses the vicinity, the sound of Ruby falling and hitting the ground could be heard. When the light cleared and sight returned to the three woman relief from the belief that this defeated the grimmified man was on full display on their tired faces, but it was instantly replaced by fear as they saw that the faunus still was there not encased in stone or turning to dust, rather his grimm parts where releasing ink like substance running like water or blood, the faunus part of his face and uncovered blue eye seemed to twitch and his voice grew more erratic as he swung his grimm arm black ink dissipating to dust as soon as it hit the ground he started to sing repeating himself.

(Adam) “Oh, that's right I heard the story over and over again

Gee, it's swell to finally beat her other friends

Oh, that's right I heard the story, don't really like how it ends

Gee, it's swell to finally beat her other

Other

Other friends”

He walked towards the horrified woman while raising a hand to point at his left fully whited over eye.

(Adam) “Maybe you want to try again with those eyes of yours see how well they work.”

Dark guttural chuckle is the sound he makes after finishing his speech as the world seemed to fade out to black.

[dontmindmyshadowhunting]

When Clary meets Ash (Fan Fic)

Hey :) this is how I imagine Clary and Ash's reunion (after the events of TDA) in the fic I am currently writing.

It's Chapter 5 of "The new Shadowhunter Academy" (Ao3 link to the full fic is here but don't click or skip Chapter 4 if you are not in for Kitty sexy times).

Thanks to @amchara for providing beta work and to @blaidr for letting me bounce my ideas off him.

To give you context, Ash met Dru in Faerie and they exchanged their numbers. Clary seized the opportunity to obtain Ash's number from Dru and write him the following text message:

“Hey, Ash. Dru gave me your number and please don’t be angry with her, I am very strong headed and there was absolutely no way she could have refused. I am Clary. You may have heard of me. I am your late father’s sister. That’s right, your aunt. You can call me whatever you like. Emma told me what you did in Thule, how you saved her. How you saved everyone. That was very brave of you. In a way, both of us were faced with a very difficult choice and made the same. Doing what we thought was right. I would love to meet you and tell you about my mother – your grandmother – or just talk about anything. It can be things totally unrelated to the Shadow world. Hobbies, movies, books and games we like. You can pick the time and place. Neutral territory. Hope to see you soon. Clary.”

This is what happens following the text:

*****

Clary wrapped her oversized woolen coat tighter around herself, as she made her way through the crowded streets of Manhattan. The route was familiar. She took it almost every week to meet up with her parabatai and have what they called their “mundane hour”. They talked about everything, from Clary’s art to the latest TV shows they had binge watched. No topic was off the table, save for anything related to Shadowhunter duties, and the Shadow world in general. As co-head of the New York Institute and since recently, artist owning her own gallery, her weeks were very busy so she looked forward to those rare and precious moments when she could escape with Simon. Her heart rate seemed to accelerate with each of her steps, and it didn’t help that she also had the strange feeling she was being observed. When she reached her destination, she took a deep breath and opened the double glass doors leading her inside the coffee shop. She and Simon had their regular routine there, and her gaze went automatically to their usual spot, near the large windows.

A broad-shouldered jock with a baseball jacket was already sitting there, speaking loudly to his cheerleader girlfriend. Two of his friends were standing next to him, mock punching his muscular arms. It made her realize that Ash probably never had this. High school friends and romance. Ash. She was still struggling to figure out why he had asked her to meet up at this place, at the exact time she usually got there with Simon. Was it him being considerate, a clumsy way to make her feel comfortable in familiar surroundings? Or was it a warning? I know your habits, and precisely where you take your coffee, when and with whom.

Her gaze swept over the crowded room - her heart seemed to have moved up her throat, the frantic pulse almost choking her - and zeroed on a tall, white blond haired boy ordering coffee at the counter, standing with his back to Clary. She sucked in a breath. Ash. He was fully clothed in black - Dru had told her that was his usual style - and huge headphones were covering his ears. She slowly and cautiously approached him and when she was close enough, put a tentative hand on his elbow. “Ash,” she whispered. The boy glanced over his shoulder, his blue eyes quizzical and… it was not Ash.

She mumbled an apology.

“Clary,” said a voice coming from behind, and she froze. It was not a boy’s but a man’s voice, the sound beautiful and ethereal. She just stood there for a few seconds before she slowly turned.

What had she expected? Merely a taller version of the young boy with pointy ears and a sour expression that she had met three years before, dressed in the same refined velvet clothing threaded with gold that identified him as fey royalty?

If so, she had clearly been mistaken.

She blinked a few times to make sure her mind wasn’t playing tricks. He was tall, as she had anticipated (Sebastian had been after all). At least two heads taller than her and probably taller than Jace. But he was also very different from the Ash of her memories, from the sketches she had drawn of him after they had crossed paths. He had amazingly grown into his features, his face now the best combination of the Seelie Queen and Sebastian’s. As if he had picked the most alluring colours of the palette. And the result was… Stunning. Clary’s hand twitched, aching for a pencil.

He was not dressed in black, but in plain blue jeans and he had stuffed his hands in a very elegant, long pale gray cashmere coat. His white blond hair and pointy ears were concealed under a deep green beanie, the same colour as the scarf around his neck.

He arched a silvery eyebrow at Clary, his expression bemused, and she realized she was staring.

“Clary, seriously?” he said, his gently scolding tone at odds with his enchanting voice. “This guy isn't even half as good looking as me." He glanced pointedly at the patron in question, who was gaping at him, and shrugged. "No offense, dude,” Ash added as an afterthought.

He turned his attention to the barista. She was beautiful, dark skinned with long braided hair and pouty lips. “Hello, gorgeous. We’ll have a double espresso with oat milk and a dash of cinnamon for the lady and a plain black coffee for me.”

Clary stifled a gasp and tried to hide her discomfort. He knew exactly how she took her coffee, and she didn’t know how she felt about this.

The pretty barista nodded eagerly, her cheeks red and her big dark eyes dreamy as she stared at Ash. “Why don’t you… Go sit at your table and I’ll bring you your beverages when they are ready?” the girl offered enthusiastically. The long line of patrons that had formed behind Clary and Ash would probably disagree but she didn’t seem to care.

“That would be lovely,” Ash said in his euphonious voice. “And so are you.” He winked at her, and Clary wondered if she would need to catch her while she swooned. He paid before Clary even had a chance to reach for her purse.

“Come,” he said in a commanding tone, as he made his way to Clary and Simon's usual table. This was unnerving.

The jock seated there paused in the middle of his conversation with his girlfriend when he saw Ash stand casually next to him. Clary braced herself for a heated exchange, but she should have known better.

“You want to sit somewhere else,” Ash said evenly, one hand inside the pocket of his designer coat and the other stretched out in front of him as he studied his fingernails.

“I want to sit somewhere else,” the jock repeated in a monotonous voice, his gaze blank. He stood, as if in a trance, and his girlfriend and friends followed him, puzzled, to an empty table at the far end of the room.

Ash drew a chair for Clary and she sat. He did the same, opposite her. He pulled off his beanie, and shook his silvery hair, like a crown of liquid white gold. He wasn’t dressed for the part but he had never looked more like a prince.

“Ash… please don’t do that.”

“Do what?”

“Your mind tricks.”

He cocked his head and observed her, his face unreadable, for what seemed like an endless minute.

“You’ve been my aunt for what? Five minutes? And you’re already trying to boss me around?”

“I am not trying to boss you around, Ash. Simply asking you not to abuse your powers.”

A shadow flickered across his green eyes.

“I’ll let you in on a secret, Clary. I spend much more time and energy holding back than using my powers. If I did let go, trust me, you would know.”

Clary opened her mouth to reply but was cut short as the barista popped in front of them and placed the mugs on the table. She slid a paper napkin to Ash, her phone number scribbled on it. Clary tried not to roll her eyes, as Ash flashed his dazzling smile at the girl, who almost tripped on her own feet as she returned to the counter.

Clary lifted her cup to her lips and paused, as she caught sight of the cinnamon powder floating on the surface. She put it down.

“What about this?" She pointed at her coffee mug and waved around them. “ What is it, if not a show of power? What are you trying to tell me? That you know everything about me? That you’ve been spying on me?”

Ash pulled on a fake shocked expression, mouth open and green eyes wide in mock innocence. “Spying on you? What are you talking about?”

“Come on, Ash. The evidence is right here.” She lifted her cup abruptly, and hot liquid splashed out of it. “You know exactly how I like it. When I take it, where I take it.”

Ash’s mouth twitched. “Where did you pick up these lines? From the script of some lame X-rated movie?”

“Adult movies have storylines?” Clary asked, arching her eyebrows.

“Of course they do. Where do you think the Grimm Brothers took their inspiration from?”

He grabbed the paper napkin and started mopping the coffee she had spilled on the table. The blue ink faded and the barista’s phone number vanished.

“You lost that girl’s number,” Clary noted.

Ash shrugged. “I have a girlfriend now.”

Right. Drusilla Blackthorn. From the moment she had met her, Clary had known that the smart and quiet turquoise-eyed girl would someday turn heads.

Clary knew that Dru hadn’t really confirmed their relationship status yet, but it was neither the time nor place to broach the subject with Ash. She was, after all, on a mission to win over her nephew and had not been doing a very good job so far.

A young lanky boy with pink hair and piercings covering his skin walked by and dropped a glossy flyer of the upcoming Mortal Instruments concert on the table between them. Clary hid a smile. It reminded her...

“I have something for you.” She said as she fumbled inside her bag and took out the drawing she had made of Jocelyn, Luke and herself, in front of Luke’s upstate farm (before it was turned into the new Shadowhunter Academy) and laid it on the table.

Ash looked at it hesitantly, like a kid who really wanted to grab the candy but was afraid there was a mouse trap under it. He hunched his shoulders forward and clasped his hands under the table, as if to keep himself from temptation.

“I recognize your art. I like it. I also appreciate Julian Blackthorn’s but I may not be as objective where… one of the subjects of his drawings is concerned.”

“You’ve seen my art?”

He leaned back on his chair, crossing his long arms behind his head. Somehow, he managed to make it look graceful.

“Which Shadowhunter hasn’t? I noticed that you often drew Jace with angel wings.”

“Yes. That’s how he used to appear to me. In recurring dreams.”

“Was it?”

“Was it what?”

“Jace. In your dreams.”

“Who else would it be?”

“Someone who looks like him, but who actually has wings.”

“You mean Kit.”

Ash shrugged. “It would make more sense.” His gaze flickered back to the drawing, which still lay on the table, untouched. “You look a lot like your mom.”

“So do you”, Clary blurted before she could take it back.

Ash shot her an unfathomable look.

“How is she?” She asked.

“You mean, the Seelie Queen? You tell me. You must see her more often than I do.”

“Well, not really. I am not that involved in politics, even though Alec is Consul. Julian Blackthorn is the one who deals with her most of the time. She appears to have... a fondness for him.”

“Who doesn’t?”

Clary’s mouth quirked up.

“I am glad you are getting along with the Blackthorns. They are such an incredibly strong and talented family.”

“They are.” He turned his face away, but not before she could see the expression of longing plain on his delicate features.

She swallowed. She was painfully reminded that Ash never had a shot at a happy family. Born of a political union, and dragged here and there, though interdimensional portals, by people more interested in his powers than anything else he had to offer as a person. And judging by how Dru talked about Ash, he had a lot to offer.

“I imagine it must have been awful living in Thule… But what you did for Emma and Julian back there... if it hadn’t been for you…”

“I don’t want to talk about Thule,” he interrupted her. “Can I borrow this?” He asked, his long fingers brushing the Mortal Instruments concert flyer.

“Sure.”

She watched as he started folding the paper, realizing with a jolt of surprise that he was making an origami and wondering what shape would come out of it. It was odd seeing him doing such an innocuous thing, as if he was not a faerie prince with a heavy heritage and a giant target on his back, but an ordinary boy. She remembered what Emma had told her of her encounter with Ash in a nightclub in Thule. The way he had shown no interest, playing a video game in a corner of the room, while Sebastian was committing atrocities. Had he really been as indifferent as he looked?

“Ash, we don’t need to talk about Thule if you don’t want to, but if I can help you… If there is anything I can do-”

“Why?” He looked up sharply. “Are you able to create a rune that could undo the things I saw?” His tone was even, but his delicate fingers had started slightly shaking and he suddenly dropped the paper - his work unfinished - to fold his hands under the table to hide it. From that moment, she knew.

“No…” Clary said, drawing the word out. “But trust me, coming from someone whose memory has been tampered with... it’s not a solution.”

“I said undo. Not forget.” He snapped. “I am not such a coward that I would choose blissful ignorance over knowledge.”

He caught himself, blinking, then clenched his jaw and looked away. As if he was ashamed he had allowed himself to show any emotion at all. But Clary had managed to catch a glimpse of what lay underneath the mask and wanted nothing more than to see the rest of it.

“I don’t think you are a coward,” she said.

He looked over at her, a silver eyebrow raised. “I let it all happen, didn’t I? I didn’t lift a finger.”

“Because you couldn’t. Sebastian would have killed you. And you, Ash, are just like me. A survivor.”

He snorted and crossed his arms in front of him, leaning back on his chair. He had stretched out his long legs and Clary realized that he was tapping a foot nervously next to hers.

“Wrong. I could have. I chose not to. Because I am selfish. I don’t care about other people’s fate.”

His face split into a lazy, wicked grin. Clary could see Sebastian’s influence in his leer, but she wouldn't let it deceive her. Just as she wasn't fooled by his laid-back demeanor.

“I think it’s the opposite, actually. I think it’s because you care too much. It’s not death you are afraid of. The thing is, you have such a tender heart, you need to protect it from an affliction far greater than any physical pain you could endure. So you’d rather lie to yourself and pretend you feel nothing.”

From the long conversations she had with Tessa about her ancestors, Clary knew of a Fairchild boy who had been too compassionate for his own good. And he had been surrounded by loyal friends and loving parents, even though he had shut himself, putting on a facade while burying his grief in alcohol. Ash never had that kind of support. Throughout his life, he was left to figure things out on his own. If he was as empathetic as Clary thought he was, Ash probably had no other choice but to deal with his sensitivity alone. It was a miracle he had turned out the way he did.

“You have a lot of imagination,” he said after a moment. The ghost of a smile was still playing on his lips but something had passed across his eyes. “Then again, you are an artist. You seek beauty in the ugly. You find colors on a blank page. I admire your faith, but in this case, there is nothing to see.”

Clary jutted her chin stubbornly and they held each other’s gaze - his green eyes glittering in amusement and hers dead serious - in a staring contest.

“Still,” he said when he finally broke, first. “I shouldn’t have lashed out at you. I am sorry.”

Clary softened. “Don’t be. I am glad you are finally showing your true self. You don’t need to wear your mask around me, Ash.”

He chuckled. “Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth.”

“It’s funny that you would quote Oscar Wilde.”

“And why is that?”

She shrugged. “Just another thing you share in common with a Fairchild I heard stories about.”

“Clary,” he said in a gently reproving tone. Her name sounded like a caress in his melodious voice. “Are you being purposefully cryptic to arouse my curiosity?”

She moved closer, so she was sitting at the edge of her chair, and leaned forward, hands folded over the table.

“If you show me yours, I’ll show you mine,” she whispered. “Let me in. Shed all pretense.”

“I can’t promise you that,” he whispered back in confidence, leaning closer still so that their faces were inches from each other. “It’s like fabric that burns and melts into skin. If you peel it off, the skin goes with it.” He grimaced, reclining on his chair. “It won’t be a pretty sight. I don’t think even my level of hotness could sustain it.”

“Ash…” Clary said, sensing that she finally had an opening to say what she had been brooding over ever since she had learnt of Ash’s return from that forsaken land. “I wanted to tell you… I am sorry.”

Ash’s green eyes widened.

“Sorry for what?”

“I should have looked for you. I should not have given up on you.”

Ash’s jaw clenched and he looked away. “Don’t,” he said through gritted teeth. “You don’t owe me anything.”

“I do. Seb-...Ash, we...”

“What did you just call me?” He snarled. His eyes snapped back to her, suddenly cold as ice.

“Sorry, Ash. What I meant to say is… we are family."

“I already have a family.”

“I know that you care about Janus…”

“I don’t want to talk about him,” he cut her off.

“And we don’t need to. I just wanted you to know… I understand that he’s been like a father to you, and I don’t plan on moving against him, unless he strikes first or makes it impossible for me to overlook his actions.”

“Because of me?”

“Of course, because of you.”

“Why are you telling me this?”

“Ash… You are my nephew, my blood. You may not feel the same way about me, but that’s how I feel about you. I want you to know that, if things go wrong, for any reason, you can always turn to me. My home is your home.”

“What you are actually telling me is, Ash, if I kill the one person who has ever really cared about you - and it might definitely come to that - you can always grab my hand, still sticky and warm from his blood. Well, how nice of you. To quote Oscar Wilde again, true friends stab you in the front.”

“That’s not what I am-”

“Clary,” Ash interrupted as he stood. “Do not make me choose between you and him. Because…” Looking down at her, he swallowed hard, as if the words pained him. “Because you will lose.”

She knew exactly what he was telling her. Because they were the same in that way. Ruthless, even with their own blood, when it came to protecting their loved ones. If I had to choose between killing him and you, I would not hesitate. I would end you. Yet, despite his cold statement, despite his sharp and resolved tone, his eyes seemed to carry a deep regret.

“Ash, I understand what you're saying and I swear I am not trying to make you pick a side”, Clary said, suddenly desperate, as she mirrored him and stood. “Please don’t go. I am sorry I brought it up. We will stop talking about him. Starting now.”

“This was a bad idea. Never try to contact me again.” He drew his green beanie from the pocket of his coat and put it back on. He turned and strode toward the exit. She grabbed the family drawing that still lay on the table, stuffed it in her bag and followed him, half-running, as he was quickly losing here with his long legs.

“Ash! Please. Give me another chance. I am so sorry.”

He paused right outside the coffee shop, closed his eyes and sighed. “Don’t be. It didn’t change what I had planned to tell you anyway. I don’t want to know anything about you or your mother. I don’t want to have anything to do with either of you.”

“I don’t think that’s true,” she said, and he whipped his head around to look at her in surprise. “I know you were under house arrest. You probably had to break out of whichever place they were holding you in to come here. You wouldn’t have done that unless you wanted something. Something from me. Tell me, Ash. Tell me what it is.”

He turned his face away so she could not see his expression. A full minute passed and she had almost given up on receiving an answer, when he finally spoke.

“My fa… Sebastian. How different do you think he would have been if not for the demon blood?”

“Oh. Ash.” she whispered. She brought her knuckle against her sternum instinctively, as if to cover the gaping whole in her chest. “I saw him, you know. The brother I should have had. The father that should have raised you. If only for a few minutes.” She paused to bite back tears. “In those few minutes, he told us how to get rid of the Endarkened and said he was sorry. It’s not much to go for, but… that’s not all. I have recurring dreams of the green eyed boy that was robbed from us. And I know in my heart he would have been the best brother a sister could ever dream of.”

He was still looking away and she could see the sharp line, the stubborn set of his jaw. She wanted to hug him, to tell him she would not fail him again. That they could mourn her brother, his father, together. That he didn’t need to bear the anger at everything that was wasted alone.

He finally turned to look at her. A tear had escaped to run freely down his cheek. He had completely shed off his mask, and what Clary saw was like a stab in her gut. She shivered. Wordlessly, he reached for his deep green scarf and tied it gingerly around her neck. The way Sebastian had when they had walked down the streets of Paris. Ash looked nothing like her brother had then. His green eyes held an infinite sadness that spoke of a grief deeper, older than the short years of his life.

“It doesn’t change anything.” He said - she hadn’t imagined his beautiful voice could sound so hollow - and turned to leave.

“Ash, wait.” She grabbed him by the elbow and he froze. His eyes widened as his gaze zeroed on the fingers covering his coat, as if he couldn’t quite believe what he was seeing. She realized she had never touched him before.

“Clary, what do you want from me?” He asked in a tired voice.

“I just want to get to know you.”

“Trust me, you don’t. I am not the brother who was stolen from you. I cannot replace him. If anything, I am just like Sebastian was before me... my father’s broken toy. There is no way to fix me.”

“I don’t believe it for a second,” she said, almost frantic. “And I don’t want to find my brother's replacement, I want to get to know you! Ash. The real Ash.”

“I already told you. That’s not happening. Don’t ever try to contact me again. I am serious.”

“So that’s it?” She tried not to sound too whiny but panic was eating away at her stomach and she thought she would throw up. “You went through all this trouble spying on me, learning how I take my coffee to simply disappear from my life from one moment to the next?”

He gazed at her for a moment, his expression unfathomable. It seemed like an eternity before he finally spoke.

“I was not spying on you, Clary. I was merely following your stalker.”

“What? You were… protecting me?”

“Take care of yourself, Clary.”

He said as he stepped away from her and vanished into the crowd.

****

Clary threw herself in Jace’s arms as soon as he opened the door to their bedroom at the New York Institute. He froze, then started stroking her hair in a soothing gesture.

“Clary, what happened? Is everything okay?”

“No,” she said, her voice muffled against his chest.

“Tell me, Clary. What is it?”

She pulled away and wiped tears with the back of her hand. Jace’s face was a mask of shock. Clary couldn’t blame him. She almost never cried.

“I messed up.”

“What did you mess up?”

She walked to the bed and sat on the mattress. She took a deep breath, bracing herself for his reaction. “Ash. I met up with him earlier today.”

Jace tensed and his hands clenched into fists. “WHAT- Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Because you would have insisted on coming.”

“Damn right, I would have. And I would have been right, too. Look at you, you look miserable.”

“It’s my fault,” she said in a small voice. “I pushed him too far.”

Jace sighed and came to sit next to her, putting a comforting arm around her shoulder. “I am sure you did nothing wrong, Clary.”

“I thought- When I showed him the drawing… the way he looked at it, Jace. He is not indifferent. He cares.”

“What drawing?”

“The one I made of the family,” she said absently, as she grabbed her bag and started fumbling inside.

She sucked in a sharp breath. The drawing wasn’t there. Peeking out in its stead, and folded out of the flyer of the Mortal Instruments concert, were origami faerie wings. The Fairchild family symbol.

[hopeaterart]

Evil Ozpin AU: Dinner with a bird

Context: Ozpin and Salem more or less swap place, it's a bit complicated. This fic is here to explain how it happened by way of Ozpin monologuing to a (still on Salem's side at the time) Qrow. There's some hints of Ozqrow in there. Like, you're definitely supposed get Vibes. For those unaware: here's my Evil/Swap!Ozpin.

"So... You're Salem's latest pawn." Qrow scowled, eyes narrowing at the monster sitting from across him. How he'd ended up sitting at the same table as Ozpin, also widely known as 'the Wizard', was a blur in his memory, and granted, not that great a story.

Went on a mission for Salem to find his base of operation, with the only info being that it was somewhere in the forests of Sanus. Had to go alone because Tai and Raven had their hands full with Yang and a pregnant Summer. Got caught by Ozpin's latest apprentice- a blond woman about his age with the ironic name of 'Goodwitch'. Letting himself be captured in order to get taken to Ozpin.

One trip to an old monastery latter, he was now separated from Harbringer, had Aura-suppressing manacles on his wrists (thankfully with no chains), and was sitting in front of the Wizard himself. They were on some kind of balcony with only a small table between themselves, and there was a plate on the table with bread on it that neither were touching.

"And you're the guy who's trying to burn down Remnant." He bit back. Ozpin sighed, silver eyelashes fluttering as he narrowed his eyes.

"Is that what my traitorous ex-wife told you?" Ozpin asks, smiling like a predator about to eat it's prey when Qrow's eyes widened in confusion. "I mean- she's not wrong, but Salem isn't exactly the hero of our tale."

"Wh- your ex-wife!?" Qrow exclaimed, before gritting his teeth. "You're lying." He accused Ozpin, who didn't even flinch at the accusation.

"So she didn't tell you." He observed. "Oh, what am I talking about? Of course she'd keep that hidden, that self-righteous hag." Ozpin hissed as he took one of the small bread. "Doesn't want to acknowledge me being a thing is her fault, after all." He opened his mouth, momentarily exposing too-sharp canines as he bit the bread in half. He stared in Qrow's eyes as he chewed, before swallowing. "It's garlic bread. An entrée before the main dish, if you will. I'm not going to poison you, erm... Qrow Branwen, is it?"

Qrow grit his teeth. "And I should believe you, because?"

"Sheer pragmatism on my part, really. We're eating the same food, and I am not interested in poisoning myself." Ozpin explained, shrugging as he finished eating the bread he had in hand. "'Poison damage' is not really the kind of pain I like."

Qrow raised an eyebrow at that. He'd heard stories of Ozpin letting anything and everything hurt him with ecstasy written all over his face, but hearing what seemed like confirmation was a bit... much. "Uh... so what's the deal? Why are you having me eat here with you instead of- oh, I dunno, locking me in some kind of torture dungeon?"

"Wouldn't you like to know, pretty bird?" Qrow averts his eyes at that, his gaze landing on the plate of bread as his cheeks warm up. He hesitantly took one of the bread, shoving it in his mouth and chewing quickly.

He took another one, eating slower and actually savoring it this time as Ozpin turns to look at the scenery. The forest stretches beyond the horizon, any traces of Grimm hidden from sight. Qrow's not fooled, he knows the monastery probably hides a few nasty surprises. The marble-skinned weirdo in front of him is proof enough.

Credit where credit is due, whoever cooked this is a damn good cook. "Who made this?" He asks as he takes another bread. "Didn't expect you to have a five-star chief."

It was Ozpin's turn to be caught off-guard. "I'm... glad you like my cooking." What. Qrow stared at his third half-eaten bread. "Oh, don't be a baby. I have literal centuries of experience behind me, and my cycle of immortality is different from Salem's. Since I need sustenance, might as well be good at it."

"Still not entirely convinced you're not poisoning me." Qrow noted.

Ozpin groaned in exasperation. "If I wanted to kill you, there's a myriad of ways that would be easier and less-headache inducing than this." Ozpin snapped as he got up and started walking away. Qrow turned to look at him as he went behind his chair, before going rigid as cold fingers dug into his shoulders. "Stay there. I'm getting the side and main courses."

Ozpin left the balcony in a puff of smoke, and Qrow let out a breath he didn't knew he was holding. He reached inside his jacket, relieved to see his Scroll was still there. Only for his mood to immediately crash when he realized that this part of Vale didn't get reception.

"Trying to call for help, are you?" Qrow whirled around, scowling when he saw Goodwitch. "I'm telling you now, it's not gonna work. Ozpin has taken precautions."

"What, precautions against modern tech!?" Qrow snapped, getting up as his chair rattled. He didn't care if Goodwitch had one of the most powerful Semblances he'd ever seen while he couldn't even activate his Aura right now. He brought misfortune wherever he went, made sense his shit Semblance would turn against him one day. "Does the guy think we still live in the Dark Ages?"

Goodwitch bristled. "Why, you insufferable- Ozpin is trying to offer you a chance to redeem yourself from working with Salem, and you're squandering it for-"

"Glynda." Both stilled as Ozpin came into view. There was a disappointed frown on his face. "That's no way to treat guests."

"But sir-"

"No buts, young lady." Ozpin reprimanded, waving his fingers as floating plates, glasses and a bottle of something came into view. "Help me with putting on the table, will you?" He asked Glynda, who nodded and took the two plates with food on them to put on the table. "Sit back down, Qrow."

"Don't call me that." The huntsman hissed even as he sat back down. He glared at his plate, which had fish and some kind of salad and... something else in it. He raised his head slightly as the bottle landed on the table, Ozpin dismissing Glynda with a 'thank you' before sitting back down. He pointed at the weird stuff. "What is that?"

"Oysters." Ozpin told him. "I opened them earlier, they're all good. Do you know how to eat them?" Qrow shook his head. "Alright, so first you need to loosen them up..." Qrow followed Ozpin's instructions, pulling a face after eating his first one. Ozpin frowned. "Don't like it?"

"Texture's weird." Ozpin hummed, before taking the bottle and popping the cork off and pouring Qrow a glass.

"It's champagne. Laurent-Poirier. Goes well with oysters, use it to wash them down." Qrow nodded, taking the flute and taking a small sip. "Not a fan of alcohol?"

"Opposite, actually." He started, remembering how his father got after too many bears. "Runs in the family." Ozpin thankfully didn't push the subject, simply turning toward his own plate and taking a bite of his salad.

The two ate in silence for a while. Ozpin opened his mouth again as Qrow tried his second oyster. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Does it matter if I say no?"

"No, but you don't have to answer it." Qrow nodded. "How did you end up working for Salem? I thought the Branwen were a bandit tribe from Mistral?"

Qrow hissed in between his teeth. "I... me and Raven, we... Our parents, they- urgh. Look, all that matters is: we're not going back, and we're never going back."

"Raven..." Ozpin seemed deep in thoughts, as if he was trying to remember something. "That's your sister, right?"

"Yeah." Something occurred to Qrow. "Say, the whole reincarnating wizard thing. You used to be, like, a regular, not-Grimm person, right?"

"That's one way of putting it, but yes." Ozpin answered. "I used to be mortal."

"Did you have siblings? Before the whole..." Qrow made a vague gesture in the other's general direction. Ozpin stilled at that, a faraway look on his face.

"No, none by blood. I grew up in the mountains with only my parents before obtaining my powers." He answered. "I... did have someone I considered my sister, but I was already well into becoming what I am now when I met her." The look on Ozpin's face was absolutely miserable. "Salem killing her pushed me over the edge."

"... Ah." Qrow took a sip of his champagne. "That sucks. Sorry for your loss."

Ozpin waved a hand. "I- it's fine. You're not the one who blasted her with magic for the crime of trying to help me stay me." He quickly ate an oyster, seemingly cheering up. "Anyway, my turn to ask you a question!"

Qrow snorted despite himself. "What is this, 21 questions?"

"My crush is no one, if you're wondering." Ozpin joked, before straightening in his chair. "What did Salem tell you about me?"

Qrow shrugged as he cut some of his fish. "You want to burn down Remnant. You can do magic. Whoever you reincarnate in dies the moment you come into the picture. You started the whole thing with Salem. And she doesn't know how to stop your cycle."

Ozpin hummed. "I see. Your turn."

"How... much of what I told you do you agree with?" Between the ex-wife comment and the very real grief he had when talking about his sister, it was clear had a different version of the events. Besides, the monster Salem had described to him wouldn't simply sit him down to talk.

Ozpin hummed, a piece of fish on his fork as he waved it in the air. "I do want to do some burning, but it's more 'everything Salem ever worked for' than Remnant. Come on, Qrow, I live here. And I'm stuck here." He ate his fish. "If I really wanted to destroy Remnant, I'd simply use the Relics."

He hummed. "Yeah, that's fair- wait. You know where the Relics are!?" The amount of people that were on wild goose chases to find them... And this whole time, Salem's sworn enemy could get to them the moment he decided to stop playing around.

"Of course I know where they are. I'm the one who hid them in the first place." Ozpin noted. "Can't have Salem blowing up my body with the Sword again... urgh, retrieving it and the Lamp was such a pain!" Qrow numbly nodded. "Anyway, you wanted to know about my magic?"

"Uh-" Ozpin snapped his fingers, whisps of green and gold rising from them as pitch black eyes burst into green flames. Like a Maiden's. "Oh shit!"

Ozpin smiled as the magic faded, Qrow numbly realizing there were brown irises somewhere in those pools of tar. "I can. And unlike Salem, I'm willing to share."

"You- you're the guy who created the Maidens!?" The fairytale explaining their origin spoke of an old, cruel magician, who took four sisters under his wing and taught them how to use magic.

"Ah, yes." Ozpin spoke with fondness. "The first Maidens. They reminded me of the first daughters I had, and they were so very loyal to me... loyalty deserves to be rewarded, don't you think?"

Qrow frowned. "Is that why they keep turning against Salem when she finds them first? Something to do with your magic?"

"What- no!" Ozpin exclaimed, clearly offended. He then frowned in confusion. "I think. If it is a thing, then it wasn't intentional." A pause as Ozpin downs his flute, before pouring himself more champagne. "Anyway, my reincarnations..."

Qrow raised an eyebrow as Ozpin downed more champagne. "Sensitive point?"

"More angry about Salem being right on this one. Or..." He chuckled. "Was right. I proved her wrong, in this life. Ozma isn't in control anymore."

"There's literally nothing in what you just said that's reassuring." Qrow noted, Ozpin smiling at him as he finished his salad. "Who's Ozma?"

"The name of the first soul in the cycle." Ozpin told him. "He used to absorb whoever he reincarnated in into himself the moment he was in their bodies, but his soul weakened over time, and it took more and more time and efforts to absorb them. By the time he reached me, it him almost twenty years for our souls to fuse, and then..."

"... you're the one who absorbed him." Qrow finished. He frowned. If Ozma's soul was driven by anger at being betrayed by the woman he loved, then... "Holy shit, what did Salem do for you to hate her that much!?"

"What would you do," Ozpin started. "If you wanted to live, but someone wanted you dead? Because you know of something you couldn't care less about that could destroy her life? What would you think if someone thought of you as nothing less than the latest stain on her self-inflated ego? Proof that she's just human, if not worse than that?"

Qrow frowned at that. Was that how Ozpin saw the conflict? But nevertheless, he knew the answer to that question. It wasn't one he was happy with, but... "I'd kill her before she killed me."

"Good answer. And the answer to who started our conflict: as far as I'm concerned, it's all. Her. Fault." The two finished their plates in silence after that, Ozpin first and spending the next few minutes watching Qrow.

They stared at each other for a while. "Uh. All that fancy stuff, and no dessert?" Qrow joked. The tiniest bit of relief struck him as the corners of Ozpin's eyes crinkled.

"Now, you're speaking my language!" The pale-skinned man clapped his hand, and Qrow nearly jumped out of his skin when a Grimm came out of the shadows.

It was unlike any Qrow had seen before. A glossy sphere with bone shards on it's lower half, floating with an array of thin tentacles trailing under it. There was an ominous light coming from into the sphere, even if it wasn't really visible in this light.

It was also green instead of red, which meant Ozpin had created the fucking thing. Black smoke rose up from under the plates at a wave of the Wizard's hands, handing them to the Grimm. "Bring these to the kitchen, and bring back the dessert. It's on the pastry cart." The Grimm simply took the pile of plates and floated back in the darkness of the inside.

Qrow inhaled sharply. "What the fuck was that-"

"Seer Grimm. I've put enchantments all over the place so we don't end up getting detected by the CCT, but I need a way to communicate with my followers when they're away." Ozpin explained with a shrug of his shoulders as he poured himself yet another glass of champagne. Qrow stared at him. "Oh, don't look at me like that. I'm pretty sure most of my bodily fluids have been replaced by Grimm sludge, it takes an insane amount of alcohol for me to get drunk."

"Yikes." That word alone could describe at least half of what Qrow had learned about Ozpin today.

"Want a refill?" Qrow looked at what Ozpin was pointing at. His own flute, now empty. He nodded, letting the wizard pour him a second glass. Ozpin got up from the table after that, his glass in hand as he leaned on the balcony, back to the Huntsman. "Anyway, there's still one part of your question I haven't answered yet."

Qrow frowned, before remembering. "Is there a way to stop your cycle of reincarnation?"

If he had seen the manic smile on Ozpin's face, Qrow would've been scared for life. "Nope~. There was, but Salem would've had to die, and she was unwilling to. And now, the only way to get rid of me has been made useless."

"What do you mean by that...?"

Before Qrow could get his answer, the Seer Grimm was back, pushing a tray with a plate that had a mountain of what looked like chocolate truffles on it. Ozpin turned around, snapping his fingers as he did so. The Seer rotated, floating toward Ozpin as the wizard reached a hand out, caressing the smooth surface. He looked at the Grimm warmly, before turning those same eyes on Qrow, making something in his chest flutter. "Slit my throat open."

One of the Grimm's tentacle morphed into a blade, and faster than Qrow could see, Ozpin's throat was opened with a gush of tar-like blood. Ozpin gurgled, more of the black sludge coming out of his mouth as he took a few steps back, before falling backwards over the edge of the balcony. Qrow's better nature took the better of him as he rushed out of his chair, rushing to try and catch the wizard. "OZPIN!"

... Only for the man to raise into the air, eyes ablaze as a gentle breeze carried him. Ozpin laughed awkwardly as the other man stared at him in shock. "Were you scared for me?" Qrow took a step back as what he realized was a nothing less than a living god touched down on the balustrade. "Don't worry, there's no need to! I know it's always a bit scary when I take risks like that, but I assure you: there's no need to, since I-"

"Can't die." Qrow finished, realization hitting him like a ton of bricks. "You can't die."

Ozpin frowned sympathetically at him as he sat down on the balustrade, looking up at Qrow. "She didn't tell you, did she?"

His answer came in the way Qrow crumpled to the ground, breathing harshly as if he was trying to refrain himself from crying. "No one wanted me-" He started in between gasps, Ozpin frowning as he came to kneel down next to him. "I gave my life to her because she gave me a place where- where I belonged-" He continued, letting the other man manhandle him into a hug. "I thought I was finally- finally-"

"Doing some good?" Ozpin finished for him. That opened the floodgates, Qrow burying his face in Ozpin's chest as he sobbed. Ozpin gently carded a hand through his hair, resting is lips on the top of his head. "You poor thing..." He muttered. "I'm afraid meeting Salem was the worst luck of your life."

Qrow continued crying, not noticing Ozpin manhandling him further until he was sitting in Ozpin's former chair. The wizard had his back turned to him, taking the plate with the truffles. "What are you...?"

Ozpin turned toward him, a kind smile on his face. "After everything you learned today, you must be exhausted. I just want to make you feel a bit better, is all." He came to sit on the table, plate next to him. He picked the truffle at the top, bringing it to Qrow's mouth. "Open."

Qrow nodded, opening his mouth and letting Ozpin handfeed him sweets, the wizard occasionally cradling his face or petting his hair. Ozpin smiled, picking up Qrow's discarded glass of champagne and sipping on it as the other leaned in his hand.

I win this time, dear~

[princess-peregrine]

Hi! So I always like the requests you've sent my way so I'm yeeting one back to you. Lark and Piper sleepover? If you're still looking for promts for writing and want too.

@grimm-the-6th Thanks for the first (and only) prompt (so far) I would have this done sooner and finished but there was an issue, I've never been to a slumber party or a sleepover. I wont be finishing it as I also had no ideas at any point during it. My mind was a complete blank. I also don't know how to like, format on tumblr.

Anyone, feel free to send me Storm Hawks prompts, I'll try to get at least 500 words out of it.

Lark and Piper sleepover, 1.5K words, sfw, and heavy on references

“Master Cyclonis, are you sure you don't need to take anyone with you?” Commander Ravess asked the young girl getting onto her sky bike.

“For the last time, No.” Cyclonis spat. “I am simply doing something that requires my personal attention. If you need something to do I'm sure the Dark Ace would be happy to have a training partner.” She said, making Ravess salute and ramble off platitudes of disagreement. Cyclonis unhooked her cape and handed it off to a night crawler before heading off. The wheels making a satisfying purr as they left the ground. After making sure that she was far off enough and wasn't being followed, she took out her shielding crystal. After donning her Lark disguise and changing the appearance of her bike, she changed course for a little shop. She hoped it would still be there, the map she had was a little outdated.

After only around an hour of flying Cyclonis had reached her destination. As she landed she was surprised by how small the terra was. And more surprised someone would want to build a shop here in the first place. She kicked off her bike and double checked her disguise before she walked inside.

“You made it!” Piper shouted from inside. There was no reason to, the only other person in the store was the clerk behind the counter. “Come on, come on.”

Cyclonis gave herself one more reminder that she's allowed to smile in this disguise and have fun, and made her way to the counter. “I'm here already, what's the rush?” she said, maneuvering her leg over the stool before sitting down.

“In case you forgot, I signed you up to buy the dessert.” Piper said as she leaned against the counter. “I ordered the stuff and it's all here. All you have to do is pay for it.”

“Hey I didn't ask before but,” The clerk said from behind the counter, eying the cart stacked three layers high of frozen yogurt and ice cream. “What's all this stuff for?” He asked in a heavy accent neither of them could place.

“We're going to a sleepover.” Lark answered.

“A sleepover?” The clerk said perplexed. “Ain't you two's a little old for sleepovers?”

“True.” Piper answered. “But a friend of mine arranged it, there are supposed to be quite a few people showing up. Hence the large order.” Piper and Lark received a look from the clerk before being given a satisfied gruff and their order. Lark exchanged the gold and paper, doing her best not to touch the clerks hand during the hand off. Received a complimentary 'Have a nice day' and was off.

Piper had brought along one of the other Storm Hawks bikes, modified to carry the load under them. The ride wasn't long, to Lark surprise. The ship they were headed for was already coming towards them. A large orange ship, clearly meant for civilian flights, probably a moving ship. Everyone else had arrived earlier than the host expected and had decided to come pick up Piper from the store.

“Piper!” A voice called out from the crowd of people in the bridge, Lark assumed it was the host. A light skinned girl with large brown hair that seemed to sphere off in different directions wearing a very large green shirt came out of the crowd. With the smile on her face as she approached Lark could tell she was the host. Especially to know all these people and invite them one had to have a smile like that. “I'm so glad you could make it!” She gave Piper a firm hug and immediately moved over to Lark. “And who's you're friend?”

“Uh,” Lark started. She was distracted by the shirt the girl was wearing. She hadn't ever been to a gathering that wasn't formal attire only and was put off by the dress code. The hem of the girls shirt went past her waist but just barely below anything important. She wondered if the girl had anything on under.

“Don't stare.” Piper chastised before turning to the girl. “Rhondie, this is Lark. Lark, Rhondie.”

“Well it's nice to meet you Lark.” Rhondie said giving her hand a shake. Just as soon as the handshake started it was over as the girl turned back to the crowd of other girls and started over. “I'm still making sure everyones getting along. Why don't you two put that stuff” She pointed towards the desserts they brought, “and put it in the freezer for later. I'll get bowls out when it's time.” She said before making her way back to the larger group.

“Boo!” A slight push on the shoulders just to startle her got the effect the person wanted. Lark turned around clutching at her necklace. “Ooh, a jumpy one. She didn't tell you where the freezer is did she?” The girl was dressed just like Rhondie only this time in a purple shirt. Her hair was much more simpler and far less physics defying as her solid black hair just fell below her shoulders. “Name's Tish, come one I'll show you where it is.”

Piper and Lark followed the girl and unloaded the desserts into an ice room not far from where everyone else was. When they finished the girl giggled and grabbed both Piper and Lark by the wrists. “Work's done now get dressed, you two look like you're going into a fight.” And shoved them into a bathroom together.

After only a few seconds of stunned awkward silence Piper started to get undressed. Lark, doing her best not to stare started messing with her shielding crystal as her clothes started to change.

“Seriously?” Piper asked. “Do you really plan on wearing armor under that the whole night?” Piper had stripped by now, only wearing boxers she supposedly was already wearing. She took a blue Tee from a pouch from her armor and threw it on, it made for a very comfortable look Lark could not deny.

“I plan on always wearing my armor no matter what.” Lark said. “What if we're attacked and I need to get away so you can fend for yourselves.”

“Okay sure, but what if someone pats you on the back and wonder why you feel like metal?”

“Accident when I was younger, metal in my back.” Lark answered with a nod. She had settled on her new clothes. A sleeveless Tee with purple sweats. “How do I look?”

“Ready for a fight.” Piper groaned. “Let's go.”

they left the bathroom and started to mingle. Everyone else already had a few hours head start on getting to know each other, leaving Piper and Lark the odd ones out. After a while the group became much smaller as most of them moved to a higher room. Tish grabbed Lark away to help make snacks as Piper went upstiars.

“Having fun?” Tish asked as lark watched the popcorn spin in the microwave. Unsure if she was doing this right, doing her best not to claim this was beneath her. How tough, the life of a royal, Lark lamented to herself.

“Yuh-huh.” Lark answered, squinting at the bag that slowly began to pop and grow with pressure. She started to wonder if she could use a similar principle with people on ships, perhaps one where a party was going on.

“You already pushed popcorn, staring isn't going to help.” Tish hip checked Lark out of the way as she passed. “Why don't you get a bowl of pretzels ready?” Lark walked aimlessly around the kitchen in a rather dull search for the snacks before. “Top shelf of the closet!”

“Why am I helping with this anyway?” Lark said as she popped the bag open.

“Well you didn't look like you were doing too well in a crowd.” Tish answered, she had been making bowls of frozen yogurt for everyone. Pre made bowls so everyone could just grab whatever flavor off the table. Lark had a feeling that wouldn't last and the girl would be taking orders pretty quick. “You and Piper came together right?”

“We did.” Lark answered.

“I saw you two were both wearing some nice looking necklaces. Anything going on between you two?” Lark was about to answer before a loud beep went off and a strong scent reached both their noses. “Popcorns done. Why don't you take that on up. I'll finish down here.”

Lark took the bowl of popcorn up the stairs and quickly found Piper. She was talking to a girl in a red onsie with long blonde hair. “Oh Lark, this is Ameil. Ameil, Lark. Her sisters a guitar player and singer, Finns a huge fan.”

“Oh he's a fan alright.” Ameil said, seemingly just including Lark within the conversation as soon as she arrived. Not even slowing down to introduce herself. “There was this one time, oh we were like what, eight? He came over and tried to give her flowers and ask her on a date. I remember it was so funny, she had to explain that she was too old for him.”

“He didn't tell me that part.” Piper giggled. “How are you doing Lark. Feel like any imminent attacks are about to happen?”

“Ha-Ha.” Lark mocked. “If one does happen it'll be egg on your face.”

“Attacks?” Ameil asked. “Rhondie said she was flying us well behind atmosian lines.”

“Oh no,” Piper said. “Lark doesn't get out much, she's a bit paranoid.”

“I'm only paranoid until we get attacked. Then I'm right, and prepared.” Lark answered smugly.

Piper thought for a few seconds before laughing. “Too bad Storks not here, you two would have a great time talking about that stuff.”

“I once thought the same thing about my friend Peggie.” Ameil said. “She sleeps with a dagger under her pillow just in case of a break in. Told her she was insane. But a few months ago someone broke into my place so I know where she's coming from.”

“I do the same thing.” Piper said.

“Well that's different. You're a Sky Knight, you have to have weapons around. Peggie's just a seamstress.”

[wu-sisyphus-gang]

Motion Sickness Chapter 7 Snippet

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I’d like to say that I’d been perfectly on guard and ready for the attack. I mean, I‘d told Ruby how the bandits were doing what they were doing. Setting lures and manipulating the Grimm. We hadn’t been subtle either, though.

Ruby playing ping-pong in the sky didn’t detract at all from our presence. She literally flew around, and we’d made no attempt to hide our attempt to save the village. We couldn’t. That made us obvious targets.

All that aside my semblance glows in the dark, and I’d been consciously trying to activate it while riding. We were just taking a mellow pace to try and get back to civilization, so I wasn’t doing much more than steering and thinking.

It suddenly worked and I just sort of lit up in the dark. Georgia jerked Ruby awake before I could do anything. “Huh- whats-“

My semblance is anti-stealth. If camouflage could collide with something and destroy itself and become pure energy, it would be my semblance.

She made out the blue blur that must have been me and woke up quick, “is something bad or good happening?”

“I-“

Then I got shot.

I was falling off the horse which was taking off someway. I was going to land flat on my back and my chest stung, too. The Titania plating was more than tough enough to take the bullet through my aura without fear of breaking, but not enough to not hurt.

Whoever fired had a friend that also tried to shoot Ruby, but she just burst into petals with a flare of aura and took cover behind a tree. Georgia, pre-spooked, may or may not have taken off in the direction of Indiana.

I’m not sure. My head cracked against a rock hard; hard enough to concuss or kill a normal person, even. I just rolled with it and found a tree to hide behind. I swept my sword from my back and stood with the sword tip down and my body hidden behind the tree.

“Are you hurt?” She wondered. “It wasn’t high power, or MA based.”

I shook my head. Twelve percent. Maybe ten, based on the discomfort. I peeked my blind and the tree lost a lot of itself in a small explosion of wood. I might have lost a few percent, too. If I wanted to use my semblance, then I’d need to use it before the power faded. Peeking out into the dark again, I saw nothing, however.

“How fast did your semblance activate that time?” She wondered. I guess we were the only ones in danger, so she felt confident enough to chat.

I shook my head. “I think I can charge it.”

“Oh, really? That’s useful.”

“Huh?” I was checking my chest to make sure I really was all good. Sometimes Aura was hard to believe. I glanced over.

“Oh, I just thought you were trying to keep me asleep again?”

“In a gunfight?”

She raised an eyebrow at me. “Ready?” She was waiting on my mark. Poised with Crescent Rose ready to snap into place.

I folded my weapon, slipping my left arm into the shield and drawing the sword free. I swept out from cover with Ruby, perfectly synchronized. Humans and animals usually responded to audible stimuli faster than visual ones, even still I didn’t say anything as I leapt out of cover. Ruby was in perfect harmony with me regardless and she was already prepared to use me as cover to fire out.

We gazed out into the dark in a shower of petals and I held my sword up to extend a soft blue glow. We received no fire and perceived no targets in the dark trees. Therefore...

We were already mid ambush on this position.

I whipped around in time to be thoroughly jabbed at by three quick stabs of a small and fast dagger. The girl behind it wore a simple tunic and dark olive skin with some visible even darker tattoos.

She slashed at me and I stepped back, trying to make some space. I heard Ruby call out behind me, likely engaging my opponent's friend.

I leveraged my shield between us, but she jumped off it and backflipped above me. I watched the eighteen-centimeter blade in her hands fold inwards like a fan or accordion. She let it roll across her fingers like she was reversing a butterfly knife and its form became that of a jagged pistol.

She shot me twice more as she twirled over me. A confident grin like she'd killed a thousand idiots like me roaring on her face, which may be the case.

I turned around, grabbed Crocea Mors with both hands over my head and whipped it at her. It caught her at the pinnacle of her leap in the center of the blade and it slammed her into the ground nearly ten meters away.

It was immensely satisfying to watch a deep green crackle come over her. It was hard to fake that. I'd done something to another hunter.

I didn't get to soak it in, because it became clear why Ruby was being kept busy while I was keeping up. We were outnumbered.

Ruby shouted out again, something very helpful that I couldn't interpret without our connection. With it, I was able to spin around and meet the butt of a spear. The man behind it knocked me back and reversed the weapon.

It was shorter than the longest reach of Crescent Rose. He was also shorter than me by nearly ten centimeters. Maybe more. He was also at least ninety pounds lighter and much less broad across.

I was able to avoid his attack but all it did was force me back into the range of the girl with the green aura in purple. Her light blonde hair was held back into a tight ponytail. To keep it out of her eyes, I imagine.

She had the glow to her that all people with aura had that made them stand out. The hue of her eyes. The shine of the hair. How she backflipped and kicked me in the face before burying her blade at my collar bone.

It bounced off my aura and armor and I heard Ruby call out and the last opponent, a girl in mostly white and brown with pale skin and red hair, flew by. She slammed into a tree next to me hard enough to shake it.

She slumped down with blue aura pouring over her and she lay without moving.

The dude turned around only to eat lead from Ruby's gunfire before she was on him. The purple girl shouted the dude's name and I dashed towards her while she was distracted. I got my shield between us before she could rip any more of my aura out.

She tried to regain her advantage, but it was already lost. She rushed me but I'd had practice with similar ranges of weapons with Ren and even some other people back at Beacon not worth mentioning.

I was ready for her to go low and I predicted her movement with my shield. I slammed it into her face. I took my sword in both hands once she was air-born and lashed out in two hits. The first one knocking her up, the next bashing her out with both hands. I ended it with a shout.

She landed on her back and pushed herself away from me. I watched her land back next to her friend with black hair.

I glanced back. Ruby was dancing circles around the poor guy, out-speeding and out-ranging him. Slowly picking his aura off in large tan chunks.

I rolled my wrist with my weapon over the one with my shield and the two clicked together into the massive broadsword. I pointed it down at the two girls. The girl with the purple tattoos didn't get the memo and was fumbling for her friend’s sword but she only looked up to meet the lowered business end of Crocea Mors.

I clicked my tongue. She met my eyes and must have known I wasn't kidding because after just a moment of consideration, she dropped it.

"Jaune!" I whipped around. Ruby's enemy had left the fight. He abandoned it and ran straight at me, some desperate jailbreak but…

I stepped forward and swung. My semblance… I didn't realize I'd gained it.

"Don't-" Ruby finished her eyes wide.

I stepped threw him and across the other side. I turned around.

I watched as the boy fell apart.

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Killing someone was something new for me. The cold Titania edge glided through first aura then muscle and bone as I swung in a tremendous cross slash. I stumbled with it. I expected to meet resistance, instead I just went through.

I imagined it was cold. I couldn't feel it beyond the padded wrapped handle. The cold night air was constantly drawing warmth from my fingers like a giant heat sink. I actually felt that lessen, as the weapon moved through him. I had so much time to think.

I stumbled through the falling puddle of person. The spine and ribs were splintered and crushed. His upper body rolled around trembling in the gravelly mud and soft grass. His legs twitched behind me on the ground while he shuddered and gasped one horrific choking last.

I was hardly looking at him, I was staring at Ruby and she was gaping down at the body. I flinched, feeling scorched just being so close to the target of her dread. The sheer frost against my soul wilted me in a way that not even my mother's harshest glares could. I wanted to destroy it, but I was the source of it. The cold was me. I turned back to his compatriots.

I knew far better than to underestimate them. Unarmed or not. Woman or man. I'd gotten my ass kicked before.

They panicked when I stepped towards them, which was expected. Big dude, bloody sword, evidently homicidal. Yep.

I took two steps and halted at the sight of the terror on their faces. My emotions were ablaze, roaring in my chest, but my mind was stunned and muted.

Ruby was beside me in a scattering of petals, her hand on my chest. A gentle crimson touch. Her lips were tight but her eyebrows were wide. Bright eyes pleading with me, something desperate in them.

My indignancy over their reaction faded slightly, I mean, they did shoot me. My face, I realized, was twisted into something awful. My skull roared in a way I wasn't super comfortable with, clashing with the feeling of victory I deserved and the rush in veins. My heartbeat hammered in my ears for a terrible moment and I thought the sum of it all would drive me mad if I wasn't already.

My indignancy didn't fade entirely.

Ruby's gaze was so full of concern that I could barely hold myself together. I swept a hand through my hair, rubbing the whole of my face hard. The motion broke our eye contact and I felt her recede in the direction of our prisoners.

How dare Ruby empathize with a dog like me, honestly? As though something like her could empathize with something like me. The sheer audacity brimming in those eyes made me want to lash out, but against what?

I always meant to kill them; whoever was responsible, that is, but I hadn't wanted to get my hands dirty for real. It was inevitable upon retrospect. I'd need to kill again, too. Probably here soon. That wasn't really what scared me.

I… wanted to, too.

Ruby would understand what had just happened. Any sane person would. However, even the gore and the trauma of shredding a mortal coil with my own two hands didn't actually shrink my rage towards Cinder one iota.

I wanted to do it again.

I wanted to guide Crocea Mors through Cinder Fall's body. I wanted to watch her life fade. I wanted to feel it in my hands when I unwound her. I was hungry for it in a way that kept me up at night with an empty stomach.

That desire to make someone end felt gross. As gross as any of the bodies I had seen or… or made myself, I guess.

The sight of the guy with his staff was far, far easier than having to gaze at Ruby again. If I really felt so bad and gross, then why was I doing it anyway? How could I face her? Could I look at her and say this was an accident and then… then when I made my move, whatever that meant, what could I say?

I wanted to talk to her about it, too. I wanted to tell her how I felt. I wanted to tell her that every single day it ate me a little more.

Surely only she could save me, least I sink, though if she saw what I really was, would she still rescue me?

"Jaune," her soft voice returned me. "Jaune, I need you." I woke up from my stupor.

Ruby and the music were waiting for me to face them. She was right. This was no time to lose focus. Who was to say this trio was alone? They almost certainly weren't.

I focused my disgust and self hatred on the problem at hand. I felt like an ocean that was as still as a lake.

"Look you have no idea who you just killed, alright." The girl with the dark tattoos began.

I blinked, "well yeah. You shot me in the dark."

Silence reigned.

"Well Khagan Branwen isn't the sort to forgive people killing her people."

"Branwen…" I murmured, absently, trying to think.

"What did you just say?" Ruby spun her scythe off her back. The edge, a razor to the waking girl's neck. "What was that name? Branwen who?"

"Branwen, Branwen." The girl insisted. "Raven Branwen."

Ruby's face twisted into something awful. Something like disgust filled her as her nose twisted and she glared downwards. She put a round in the chamber.

"Khagan?" Ruby wondered.

"Branwen as in…" I struggled. "Qrow Branwen?"

Skepticism turned sideways in the kneeling girl's eyes. They flicked from Ruby's weapon up at me. "You know the Khagan's brother?"

"I thought she was Khatun Branwen," Ruby refocused.

"No, not anymore, not since the black-out. Maybe before."

"Jaune, uh, a little pow-wow?"

I bent down and grabbed the bandit's pistol. Her eyes followed it, as I collapsed it and slid it into a belt. It was actually well-made. Not Ruby Rose(TM) quality but the way it folded couldn't be cheap.

We stepped back, I matched Ruby's distance away from the prisoner. "Aunt Branwen?" I wondered. She glanced behind me at the captive.

"No. Not Aunt Branwen. She was-ugh- I wanted to..." She squeezed her hands tight at her side. "She was Dad's first wife."

"Oh."

"She abandoned us after Yang was born. She went here and started a horde of bandits." She snarled. She just spat the words out.

"Um." I just blinked.

"What do I do Jaune?" She reached out and grabbed my shirt.

How in the fuck could I possibly know?

I opened my mouth and stopped. Ruby looked up at me. I felt the tip of something press against my head.

When I got off the ground my head was ringing. I wasn't in a lot of pain. Well scratch that. The inside of my head pounded like an entire xylophone being struck at once over and over.

The girl with the gun… her weapon had a twin.

I realized, dazed. It was a sort of black flash when it happened. The point blank shot immediately dropped my aura to red and activated my semblance at the same time. It threw me forward and made me splay against the ground.

I lost sight of Ruby as the force tossed me but I am fairly certain I heard her gun fire again accompanied by the girl's arm twice more. One final crack of Crescent Rose, then there was silence.

I picked myself off the dirt with a groan, but I pulled my weapon into my hands and stood up. "Ruby?" I whipped myself around. I blinked a few times fast. My vision wasn't clearing.

At all.

I rubbed the back of my head, that would leave a bruise. Right above the occipital lobe, too. I really liked that hemisphere, two.

Vague grey shapes I distinguished using aura rather than with any means of light. I felt beyond myself in the ways Ren had showed me. I wasn't one half as good as him. I barely made out colored blurs before me. Mostly red and fading green on the ground but… no distant blue?

I expected a distant blue by the vaguish tree, there was nothing, though. "Jaune? Are you alright?"

"That's a hard maybe?" I gave, squinting. "The prisoner?"

"She's alive. Probably stable." Ruby judged for me.

"The other girl?"

I felt as much as saw the blur turn around. "Gone. A semblance, maybe?"

I nodded. I watched my own power fade, my aura turned to its usual dull grey and yellow, the charge wilted. There was nothing to spend it on and so it left. It took my breath with it as my gauge fell to empty. I felt exhausted and swayed on my feet.

Ruby caught me. My vision completely going. "Ouch," I confessed. "The horses?"

"They'll find us, you goof." She shushed. "I'll set up camp and secure her. Rest for a bit, alright?" I didn't have much choice. My head in her lap and her fingers against my forehead and through my hair and in my scalp was like a narcotic. I couldn't even try.

She cooed, running my hair through her fingers as darkness descended over even those details my eyes made out. "I'm sorry Jaune." She whispered, hands cupping my cheek.

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If you're enjoying these snippets give my fanfic Motion Sickness a chance.

-WG

[shellku]

Film Challenge

Okay guys. Finally did it. As requested.

Have you ever left a theater before the movie was over?

Yes. Only once.

If you ever left a theater what was playing: Savages

Craziest (Random) movie you’ve ever seen:

The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy.

“And thanks for all the fish” -Dolphins

Most disturbing film you’ve ever watched:

Crimson Peak

A film you only watched because (Tom Hiddleston ) was in it: Crimson Peak

A minor role (or movie) with a major actor you greatly enjoyed: Sebastian Stan as Jefferson/The Mad Hatter in Once Upon A Time.

A minor role (or movie) with a major actress you greatly enjoyed: Emma Watson as Pauline Fossil in Ballet Shoes

A movie everyone should see at least once: The Princess Bride

A movie you thought everyone has seen but apparently not: Who framed Roger Rabbit?

A movie you’ve tried multiple times to watch but never get through it: Silence if the Lambs

A movie that legitimately surprised you:

Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back. While it came out in 1980 I didn’t see it until much later obviously. I wasn’t even ten when I watched it the first time, I and was genuinely shocked.

Movie that you enjoy, that surprises people you enjoy: Scream (1996)

A movie you associated with Religion and it turns out that tracks: The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe

A movie you watched a lot as a kid but your not sure why exactly you watched it so much:

Hook. (And) The Sandlot.

My first movie that made me question my sexualité: The Priâtes of the Caribbean.

Sections

Anime

First Anime: Fruits Basket. Vampire Knight.

Anime I watched with my (brother): Full Metal Alchemist

Anime I tried to get into and couldn’t: D Gray Man

Anime I was surprised I enjoyed: The Neverland Promise. (And) Soul Eater

Anime I always liked (even when it confused people): Black Butler

Anime that makes me cry: Your lie in April

Anime that I love but now makes me sad too: Sword Art Online

Anime I’m just not into: One Piece

One that was recommended that I enjoyed:

Blue Exorcist

One that was recommended that I was ehh on and did not finish: Attack on Titian

One I probably should watch: Pandora Hearts

One I watched Randomly : Castlevania

One that I did not watch until (college) that everyone seems to have watched: Sailor Moon

Cartoons

Cartoons Everyone should see:

- The Peanuts.

- Garfield.

- Scooby Doo.

- Tom and Jerry.

- Pink Panther.

Cartoon I never liked: Spongebob

Cartoon I hate now: Kiayu? Idk. The one with the bald kid that whines a lot. Ugh.

Cartoon I can make myself ‘watch’ with the (niece/nephews): Paw Patrol

Films you would Recommend:

80s: The Breakfast Club

Book Adaption 80s: The Outsiders

Murder Mystery:Murder on the Oriental Express

Jim Henson pick: Labyrinth

(Suicide) Satire:Heathers

Romance: Titanic

‘Horror’ Movie: The Lost boys

Horror Movie: The Nightmare on Elm Street

Spy Flick: Saint (1997)

Mind trips: The Sixth Sense.(1999) Donnie Darko.

Stephen King: The Dark Tower

Stephen King Miniseries: Rose Red

Studio Ghibli: Howls Moving Castle. Or. Kiki’s Delivery Service.

Action Comedy: Miss Congeniality

Adventure Comedy: Jumanji

‘Dark’ Comedy: The Addams Family

Romantic Comedy: Legally Blonde

Tim Burton

Tim Burton Animated: The Nightmare Before Christmas

Tim Burton Live Action: Edward Scissorhand

Tim Burton Musical: Sweeney Todd

Dreamworks

Favorite Dreamwork’s Film:

Rise of the Guardians (and) How to Train your Dragon

Disney:

Unpopular Recommendations:

The Black Cauldron (and) The Great Mouse Detective

One that is still rather disturbing: Pinocchio

Best Soundtrack (Golden Age): Fantasia

Best Soundtrack (Modern): IDk?!

Classics (Golden) everyone should see at least once: Snow White (and) Bambi.

Wartime Era Pic: The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr.Toad

Silver Age or Bronze Age: Both!!!

Disney Renaissance or Post Renaissance: Both! If I absolutely had to choose though, Renaissance.

Moana or Lilo and Stitch: Lilo and Stitch

Frozen or Tangled: Both

Soul or Monsters Inc: Monsters Inc

Toy Story I and 2/ or/ 3 and 4? Toy Story I and 2.

Underrated: Candleshoe

Disney Holiday:

Live Action Halloween - Hocus Pocus

Live Action Halloween Series- Halloweentown

Animated Halloween- Frakenweenie

Live Action Christmas- Miracle on 34th Street (and) Eloise

Animated Christmas- Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmas, Mickey’s Twice Upon a Christmas, (and) Winnie the Pooh: A very merry Pooh year.

New: The Nutcracker and the Four Realms. (2018)

Disney Reimagined/Live Action:

First that made you rethink the story: Maleficent

Favorite ‘Princess’ Story: Beauty and the Beast

The Surprise: Cruella

The one you worried about but we’re happy with in the end: Lady and the Tramp

The one you worried about but ending up enjoying anyway: Aladdin

The one that was good but you could have done without: The Lion King (which really surprised me!!!I like it but I didn’t love it. Which for me was so strange since I’m a fan of the original and the play.)

The one you had high hopes for and had a mixed reaction too: Mulan. (Ended up really liking it, but I miss Mushu. )

‘Modern’ Shakespeare Adaption:

10 Thing I hate About You (The Taming of the Shrew)

Clueless (Emma)

and

The Lion King Series. (Kid appropriate)

The Lion King: Hamlet

The Lion King 1 1/2: Rosencrantz and Guildenstein

The Lion King 2: Romeo and Juliet

Vampire Pictures:

90s: Interview with a Vampire

2000+: Twilight Series

Tv Series: Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Vampire Action Series: Underworld

Classic: Bram Stoker’s Dracula

Dracula with a Twist: Dracula Untold (2014)

Fun Supernatural Flicks :

Witches: The Craft

Male Witches: The Covenant

Fairytale: Red Riding Hood (2011)

Ghost Hunters: Ghostbusters

Multiple Supernatural: Van Helsing (2014)

Werewolf Romance: Blood and Chocolate

Kid Friendly Live Action: Casper

Kid Friendly Animated: Hotel Transylvania

Supernatural Series:

Multi: Supernatural

Animated: Sabrina The Teenage Witch. (And) Scooby Doo.

Witches: Charmed

Fairytale: Once Upon a Time

Darker Fairytale: Grimm

‘Superhero’ Movies:

90s: Batman. (And) The Crow.

Series: Marvel’s Cinematic Universe

Classic Animated: Batman the animated series

Modern Animated: Harley Quinn

Girl Power: Wonder Woman. (and) Birds of Prey.

Something Different: Deadpool

Younger Audiences/Nostalgia: Teen Titans (animated)

Harry Potter

Favorite Film: Idk. Can’t choose honestly.

Least favorite character portrayal: .. Ginny Weasley?

Someone you loved: (so many..) McGonagall

Someone you loved hating: Bellatrix LeStrange

Someone you just hate: Dolores Umbridge

First time you cried: I cried for Sirius and Remus in Prisoner of Azkaban.

First time you jumped: Snakes or Basilisk. Chamber of Secrets. (I think I was 12?)

Someone who was so spot in acting on you can’t see them as anyone else now: Luna Lovegood

Someone who was so good even if the look wasn’t perfect: Emma Granger as Hermione OR Alan Rickman as Severus Snape.

Someone who’s injury hit you harder than the books: Colin Creevy.

Someone who’s death hit you harder than in the books: None. They hit but not as much as the books.

A scene you found just breathtakingly pretty: Christmas at Hogwarts

A scene you found creepy (even when you knew it was coming): Nagini uses a corpse as a mask.

For any Potter heads. Some things that bothered you about the Harry Potter films:

- Where is Charlie Weasley?

- Where is Peeves?

- Where are Neville’s parents?

- The green/blue/brown eye thing. (This is not against Radcliffe. Some special effects could have fixed this easily)

- HarrY DiD YOu PuT YoUR NaMe IN tHe GoBlET of FIRE?! 🔥

- In Sorcerers Stone, Why did you change the snake at the zoos breed??

- “Voldemort” versus “Voldemor”. The silent t.

- Hermione’s. Yule. Ball. Dress. Color. Blue. Not pink. She specifically changed the color.

- Fluffy. Hagrid’s adorable Cerberus was originally bought from a Greek man. Why change it to Irish? I like Ireland but it was a Greek man due to where Cerberus’s initially came from right???

- Harry’s first Weasley sweater color

- Why does Harry only see his parents in the Mirror of Eirsed? Where’s the rest of the family?

- The Underage magic rules aren’t well explained in the movies making the 3rd year summons even more bonkers sounding

- The Patil Twins Yule Ball Outfits. They could have been soooo beautiful. Like this is the Yule Ball! The Twins would have (in my opinion) much more elaborate traditional Indian styled dress robes?? Idk.

- Love Movie Hermione! But some moments take away from Ron. Like when Ron defended her in the Chamber of Secrets. Hermione didn’t know what the slur “Mudblood” meant in the books. Ron had to explain it.

- Dobby needed more screen time. Some stuff Dobby did went to Neville because so many Neville scenes were cut.

- Where’s all the secrecy from the books when communicating with Sirius- “Snuffles”? Something Harry’s godfather insisted on to keep him safe.

- Snape’s title of “The half-blood Prince” is not explained. Neither is it made clear that Severus was also abused horribly at home throughout his childhood. Also that like Harry Dumbledore did nothing to help Severus when he was a student. (Or maybe Tom Riddle when he grew up in an orphanage. I’m sensing a pattern)

- Dumbledore should have still spelled Harry during Dumbledore death scene. No way would Harry just stand there if given the choice.

- Ron was not quite as ‘dumb’ in the books and a lot of his funny moments were cut from the movie. Which makes his jealousy moments all the more unbecoming. He also comes off a bit more arrogant in the movies. (This is not against R Grint. Who is awesome) The movies gave Ron the short end of the stick.

- Weasley/Malfoy Fued. Who else wanted to see Arthur and Lucius have a fist fight in a bookstore? Exactly.

- Albus Dumbledore isn’t all Sunshine and Daisys. He does some really messed up stuff yet no one ever seems to question this.

- Remus was the last Marauder. Yet his and his wife, Tonk’s, deaths are barley acknowledged.

- Also Teddy. Harry’s Godson.

- Harry’s and Ginnys relationship is not built on. It’s just there. Ugh. Heck Movie Ginny isn’t that great. You don’t know much about her except: She’s the only girl in Ron’s family. She’s the youngest Weasley. She’s obsessed with Harry. She’s a good Quidditch player. She has a temper. She was possessed by Riddle’s Dairy when she was eleven. She’s obsessed with Harry.

- Draco is essentially Harry’s antithesis. Where is he in some critical scenes in the movies?

- Where’s the Luna love???? Harry’s pretty rude to her in some scenes.

- There is no S.P.E.W. And Hermione’s more ruthless side is gone.

- The guys hair in The Goblet of Fire. Get a hair cut. Please.

- Some of Molly’s less than Stellar Moments. (Ex. When she believed rumors about Hermione and so treated he coldly. How horrible she was to Fleur. Ect)

- Fleur. Fleur and Bill still get married but the objections to the wedding aren’t as presented in the movies. Not is Molly’s and Ginny’s extreme dislike of Fleur. Or when Arthur apologizes to Fleur. Or really any of Fleurs best moments. The whole courting process is skipped.

- House Elves. The House Elves of Hogwarts.

- Percy Weasley. The ‘betrayal’. The returned Weasley sweater. Him turning to protect his family and fight for Hogwarts at the last minute. All gone. Which involves being forgiven by the Weasley Twins not an hour before Fred dies.

- The connection of the Black sisters. Specifically Adromeda - mother of Tonks. Who is Sirius cousin. Who married Remus Lupin. Tonks and Remus the parents of Teddy.

- Dean Thomas is pretty much gone.

- Rita Skeeter. Illegal Animagus. Hermione kept her in a jar.

- The movies didn’t allow Radcliffe to be sassy and sarcastic enough. Harry Potter is one of the sassiest boys to ever walk through the halls of Hogwarts!

- Harry didn’t fix his wand in the last movie.

- The history of the Marauders.

- The history explaining why Snape could never be comfortable around and trust Remus Lupin.

[aspenflower17]

Wrath is The Cat

Hey everyone! This is my first completed fan fiction. It is very long, but I want to make sure I don’t leave you guys hanging with an unfinished fic. It is for Obey Me! and I had fun writing it. Know that I have finished Lesson Twenty regular and Lesson 15 Hard, so there might be spoilers. It also talk about Fruits Basket in this fic, though I don’t think there’s any major spoilers for that (also, if you haven’t read it or watched the new anime, you should!).

I am posting this at midnight, so I apologize if there’s formatting problems or such. Please comment or DM me with anything major you see and I will attempt to fix :)

Satan / Reader

Word Count:  3960

[some angst at the end]

“Are you reading that again?” Satan asked, eyeing the newest volume of My Hero Academia Mc had.

“Technically,  this is the first time I’ve read this volume, but yes, I am reading My Hero Academia.“

"Why?”

“Huh?”

“Why would you read that when you could read real literature?”

“Hold on just a minute,” Mc said, fully shutting the volume so she could face him, “What did you say?”

“Come on. You can’t tell me you find that more compelling and as well written as A Portrait of Dorian Grey.”

“I never said one was superior to the other. Just because on is good does not invalidate the other. By that mode of thinking, no one should make new literature because it would never be as good as the classics, which is, simply put, a stupid idea.”

“Well, what about the issue of the art itself. These over idealized figures that couldn’t actually look the way they do in real life. ”

“Says one of the prettiest men I’ve ever met,” Mc muttered under her breath.

“Hmmm… what was that?”

“Are you talking about uber-boobs and uber-muscles?” Mc asked, hoping he honestly hadn’t heard her.

“Among other things, yes,” Satan said, though she could feel him trying to figure out what she’d actually said.

“Not all manga and comics are like that! It’s a trope in both genres. Before I started reading them, it’s something I thought too,” Mc said, not realizing that her voice had gotten very loud and fervent. Satan sat there, looking as if he was deciding whether to continue the conversation. Mc took a deep breath, her inner fan girl needing to quiet down in order to get through to him, “Have you read any?”

“Yes… Well, I tried once. Levi begged me to read one, so I conceded. Long story short, it was not to my liking.”

“Which one?”

“I believe it was called, That Time I Accidentally Fist Fought A Monster.”

Mc pinched the bridge of her nose, a habit she’d subconsciously picked up from Satan. He smiled softly as he recognized the imitation. That was a terrible anime or manga to start someone off on. It had a pretty good story, but it had far too many silly anime tropes for someone like Satan.

“That… That is not the one I would’ve started you out on.”

“And just which one would you have started me out on?”

Mc stopped, and started to think. Most of the anime and manga she liked were romance, and she wasn’t sure if those would be a good fit for him, especially since most of them didn’t have much of a story line besides the relationship. Although, there was one she had been able to get her brother into…

“My first instinct would be Fruits Basket. I’m not sure how much you'd like it at first, but I think if you give it a real chance and read until… the third volume, probably… I think you’d really end up enjoying it.”

“What do you think I’d like about it?”

“Hmmm… You’d probably really appreciate the dynamics between Kyo and Yuki. I also think you’ll appreciate the character depth and development. There’s also a lot of plot intricacies and plot twists. I also agree with a lot of people online that it’s a good introduction to anime and manga.”

“I’ll try it then.”

“Wait… What?”

“I have a feeling you’ve had more success introducing people to new things, especially since you have specific elements you think I would enjoy. So, I will try out your suggestion.”

“Are you sure you’re okay with my impulse reaction? I probably know of one’s you’ll enjoy more,” Mc asked, suddenly feeling a little vulnerable. Fruits Basket was one of the first anime she’s found on her own, and it still stood as one of her favorites. If Satan, who’s opinion she really valued, ended up hating it…

“I find I can trust your intuition most of the time. We also have similar tastes in regards to literature.”

“Oh… Well, I do have a copy of the first volume in my room if you want.”

“You have a copy here in the Devildom?”

“Mmmhmm. I ordered the whole set off of Akuzon after I found out Levi hadn’t read it.”

“I see. In that case, sure.”

“Okay. I’ll be right back.”

Mc smiled to herself the whole way back to her room. Though she was still a bit nervous, but after hearing Satan praise her tastes in literature, she was feeling more confident, “If I can at least get him to acknowledge it’s worth, I’ll feel accomplished.”

After grabbing the first volume, she thought for a second and grabbed the second. She put them in her book bag, and started on the familiar route to his room. All the brothers had a defined smell to their room, though Satan’s had always been the easiest for her to find. The smell of books started the moment you turned down the hallway his room was on. Standing in front of his dark wood door, she took a deep breath, knocked, then entered.

Satan was not where she had left him, which was kind of odd to her. Carefully avoiding a stack of books she had knocked over on a previous occasion, she started looking around, “Satan?”

There was some shuffling, and then his voice came from above, “You’re back quicker than I thought you would be. Come on up.”

Wait… What? Up the spiral staircase? For real? Everyone knew how rare it was to be allowed up to the second story of Satan’s room. No one went up without express permission. Even Mammon stayed out after being hexed so many times he’d lost feeling on the side of his big toe. Mc had only been up there once, and that was because Satan had wanted to show off his newest rare book. She had only been allowed to sit in the single armchair he had up theorem and she couldn’t touch anything, and for good reason. Satan kept his oldest, rarest, and most important books up there. He had even put a spell on every book up there to preserve them, and, if rumor was correct, a barrier that stopped him from going up there was he was upset. Aside from the few grimories and numerous magic books he had up there were rare human finds as well, all originals or first editions. One of Shakespeare’s folios. DaVinci’s Codex of Leicester. The Babylonian Talmud as well as an exemplified copy of the Magna Carter, both copies that the rest of the world didn’t know existed. A Gutenberg Bible, though his brother’s had no idea he had it. A collection of Grimm’s Fairy Tales. Even an original copy of the Kama Sutra, which Asmo had given to him as a birthday present.

Getting to the top of the stairs, Mc stopped, not wanting to get too close to any of the books. Looking around, she couldn’t repress the sigh that emerged unbidden to her lips. Soft lighting that was perfect for reading with the spines of all the ancient books facing the world. Scrolls rested in their holders on the far wall. And there was the fourth eldest, crouched near one of the shelves, hand to his mouth and a furrow in his brow, thinking hard about something. His blonde hair had an almost golden hue in the light and his green eyes sparkled.

At the sigh, he looked up and smiled, “Go ahead and have a seat.”

Mc nodded and started over towards the chair she’d sat in the one other time she’d been allowed up here, but stopped halfway. The chair she sat on last time was still there, but now there was another chair. They looked fairly similar, being big reading chairs, but the new addition was much less worn and was more feminine in design. Having found the book he was looking for, Satan walked past Mc, and sat in the larger of the two chairs, effectively showing Mc which chair to take. After sitting down, she had to take a moment. It was by far, the most comfortable chair she’s ever sat in.

“I take it you like the chair then. Good, I’m glad,” he smiled, “I made sure it was large enough that you can curl your feet up on the seat like you do when you’re reading.”

“Wait… This is for me?”

“Of course. You need your own place to sit and read when you’re up here.”

Mc was at a loss for words, the gesture speaking volumes, “I don’t know what to say.”

“Just promise you’ll keep coming over for our reading nights; that’s all I ask.”

“That’s the easiest promise in the world to keep! Of course I will!”

Satan smiled again, one of the real smiles she’d been gifted with more and more frequently, “That’s what I was hoping you’d say. Now, where’s this book you were talking about?”

“Yes, hold on,” Mc turned and grabbed it from her bag, “So, these are collector’s editions, so I’m sure I don’t have to tell you to be careful, but…”

“No problem,” Satan replied, taking the book, “If you’d indulge me, I also have a story I want you to read,” and he grabbed the book he had gotten from the shelf, “Do you remember the mystery author I told you about?”

“Yeah. Isn’t his name A. Cohen?”

“That’s the one. Well, I was wondering if you’d read his books while I read yours? I know mystery isn’t necessarily your favorite genre, but -” Satan cut off, looking down at Mc’s hand on his arm.

“I’d be more than happy to,” Mc beamed.

Satan smiled, “Glad to hear it. Now, these books are hard to come by in the Devildom. Please be careful with them. I happened to find a box set of his complete works, so replacing it would be pretty hard. The first one is Blind Intrigue.”

“Got it. Not that I wouldn’t be uber careful with anything you have up here.”

Satan laughed, “Well, I appreciate that,” and he opened the manga volume.

“Oh, did anyone tell you the way to read manga?”

“You read it right to left, correct?”

“Yes, including the speech bubbles. So, you’d read a page like this,” and Mc proceeded to show the way a page should be read.

“Ah. That would have been helpful last time. Thank you.”

“No problem,” and with that, they both started reading. Mc found Blind Intrigue very intriguing, enjoying that it wasn’t just another run-of-the-mill murder mystery. As she got further into the book, she subconsciously slipped off her shoes, and curled her feet up next to her. She almost forgot about the demon next to her. A sudden shift next to her brought her back to reality.

“I finished it.”

“Ah… W… What do you think?”

“It is much better than Levi’s suggestion. I am interested in continuing the series.”

“… If you want, I did bring the second volume with me…”

“You did?”

“Mmmhmm. I was hoping you’d like it enough to want the second volume…”

“Well, you did ask that I read until the third volume, so sure.”

“Mc beamed as she grabbed for the second volume, after safely tucking the mystery novel between the chair and her legs.

“So, are you enjoying Blind Intrigue?”

“Yes! It is really good. I like that it’s an actual mystery novel, a lot like the Sherlock Holmes stories. Most mystery novels revolve around a murder, but since this one dpesn’t, I like it more.”

“Very good,” Satan said while handing her the first volume back, “So, who’s your favorite character?”

“Huh? In Blind Intrigue or Fruits Basket?”

“Fruits Basket.”

“Ah, Momiji.”

“He reminds me too much of Mammon.”

“I… Guess? Just… give him some time. He’s really great.”

“So… who’s your second favorite?”

“Well, Momiji is my favorite favorite. Kyo is my main character favorite.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. I have a feeling you’ll really end up liking him.”

“Ah, well, good to know,” Satan said, as Mc handed him the second volume.

There was silence for awhile until Satan burst out laughing. Mc looked up expecting him to share, but he kept reading; a sign he really liked the story. Pretending to go back to reading, Mc snuck a glance at Satan. He had a content smile on his face, and was even further along in the book than she had thought he would be. She smiled, feeling satisfied and a little vindicated in her choice.

Mc was about halfway through Blind Intrigue when she heard Satan shift on his chair. She looked over to find him sitting with the second volume closed and eyes on her. She in turn closed his book, waiting for him to speak.

“If the rest of the series is this high of quality, I definitely want to finish it.”

Satan helped Mc transport the rest of the volumes to his room that day. Though he really loved the series, he would only read it when Mc was around. As she now had a chair upstairs, Satan suggested they read up there, and he began sharing all the amazing books he had up there with her. It was nice for Mc, especially since none of the other brothers knew she was allowed up there. Satan finished Fruits Basket fairly quickly, not quite gushing about how much he loved the characters and story, asking Mc if she had any other manga recommendations. She was more than happy to oblige. Soon, Satan was reading manga whenever Mc was in his room, but only when she was in his room.

He didn’t like manga that were all trope and no substance, but he would try anything Mc brought him since she usually brought “good manga”. One of his favorites was Jo Jo’s Bizarre Adventures. It came as a surprise to him when, one day he declared a series to be his second favorite, after Fruits Basket, and Mc told him it was a series that Levi had gotten her into.

“You know, I’m sure he’d love discussing it with you…”

“Wait. You think I should go waltzing into his room and say, ‘Hey Levi, I really enjoy The Watchman’s Spell and am all caught up on it. We should talk about it’?”

“Well, yeah, basically. I’ll be there to referee, so I can help if needed. I almost never see you two hanging out together, and I actually think you two have more in common than you realize.”

“He just gets so long winded about… whatever. He also acts childish at times.”

“I do those too.”

“You will apologize though. He will not,” Satan paused a second, and then continued quieter, “Plus, it’s different when you do it.”

“Have you ever considered that he doesn’t back down or stop because he feels like no one cares what he thinks or what his interests are?”

Satan stopped, his retort lost. Was that really why? He considered again, and then turned to Mc, “Okay, I’ll do it, but he’s not invited to our reading nights.”

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

Levi didn’t take the news the way Mc would’ve liked.

“Wha… Mc, w-w-what are you t-talking about?”

“I’ve been showing Satan some manga and he’s liked some of them. I think you should show him some too since you know waaaaaaay more than I do. He really loved Watchman’s Spell.”

Levi seemed scared but also irritated, “You had him read Watchman’s Spell?! Why?!”

“I… I thought he’d appreciate it and when he did, I thought you’d be excited to have someone new to talk to about it…”

“I have the entire internet to talk to about it, plus you. Why would I want-” Levi broke off, scowling as he turned away, but then rounded back on Mc, “Are you doing this to make fun of me? Are you tired of me, and so you’re trying to pawn me off on someone else? What, are you using your pact to make Satan act like he’s interested in talking to me?”

“No, Levi, listen to-”

“Glad to hear it, because you’re not getting rid of me, ya normie! You’re the one that wanted to make a pact, so you’re stuck with me! We’re also best friends so you better-”

“Levi!” Mc grabbed his face with both hands, worried as she saw his tail appear. She had expected some jealousy, but nothing this bad.

Levi stopped. Having Mc this close to his face made his mind go completely blank.

“Just because I expanded Satan’s literary horizons does not change the fact we’ve already discussed our wifeoo’s. It doesn’t erase all the time we’ve spent watching and discussing TSL. All the raids we’ve gone on, owning all the noobs… Though I’m kind of a noob… The point is, Lord of Shadows, your Henry is trying to get the Lord of Masks and you to become friends, just like with the Lord of Fools.”

Levi screwed up his face, bringing up his hand to hide behind. Mc let go, feeling the tension leave the room.

After turning and composing himself a bit (Did Mc just hold my face?!?!?!?), Levi turned, lifting his eyes to Satan, who was simply watching him, “Who’s your favorite character?”

“Zeke.”

“He’s actually my second favorite.”

“Who is your favorite then?”

“Brielle.”

“Ah, that makes sense.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Just that she seems like the type of character you’d enjoy. She’s not bad. In fact, I enjoy the dynamic she brings to the tower.”

“Well, she became my favorite when she stopped the entire colony from starting an uprising against Charles when they thought he was keeping them from going home.”

“That was chapter 5 right?”

“Y-yes, actually!” Levi smiled, his eyes lighting up like a Christmas tree, as he started discussing the plot and fan theories with his brother. Satan responded to all his prompts or listened quietly, occasionally adding his own thoughts. He was being more patient than Mc had ever seen him be with Levi, and even seemed to be enjoying himself.

Good, Mc thought, watching the two bond, They both needed someone to get them out of their own head. At least I know I can leave these two without too many regrets.

Mc hadn’t brought up the fact her year was almost up to any of the brothers. She didn’t know if any of them had realized how close it was. She was not looking forward to leaving, but she knew she couldn’t let them just revert back to the way they had been, especially Satan. They had all come too far.

“Mc has an interesting thought on this subject actually. Mc, what are you doing over there? Come over here!”

“Coming!”

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

Satan traced his fingers along Mc’s chair. Of course he’d gotten the chair for her so she could be more comfortable, but also to have a piece of her after she’d left. He hadn’t realized how much it would come to mean to him.

He pulled out his DDD, starting to flip through all the photos he’d snuck of her. Her, next to him. Her being so careful with his books. Her, sleeping in his bed, hair splayed across the pillow. He couldn’t count the number of times her scent had kept him from going after one of his brothers since she’d left.

He knew he was being reclusive, and she wouldn’t have liked that. But, weren’t they all being reclusive?

He sat down, head sinking into his hands, DDD put on the arm of the chair. Why did she have to leave? She had been such a breath of fresh air, so willing to discuss anything and everything with him. He had been able to open up to her, and she’d accepted him just as he was. No strings attached. For the first time in his life, he’d felt unique. Wanted. Needed. No longer alone.

He knew she’d been that way with all of them, but… It felt like she’d specifically picked him. He hadn’t been particularly interested in the human living with them, other than to see what she was doing to his brothers. She had been the one to approach him about books. She had been the one to pick his brain. She had read almost every book he’d suggested. He was special… Right?

He hadn’t noticed the tears until he opened his eyes and only saw a blurry floor, “If I’m special, why didn’t she…”

Mc had given each brother a gift when she left. When it was his turn, she’d whispered something in his ear, but she’d been crying so her words had caught. He couldn’t make out the words then, and even though he’d run them through his head more times than he could count, he couldn’t figure out what she’d said. She’d been so beautiful standing there, fresh tears ready to fall. And then… she was gone.

He had isolated himself for a week afterwards. He hadn’t been in the House of Lamentation though. Too many memories. In some small shack in the middle of nowhere. Somewhere he could release all his feelings and hurt no one.

As he was about to get up, a white blur caught his eye. Blinking, he bent over and picked it up. It was a letter. He turned it over, his heart jumping when he recognized Mc’s handwriting. He traced the letters of his name, hands shaking. He then carefully opened the letter and started reading,

My Dear Satan,

Seems you were able to hear what I said when I left. Good. I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to get it out.

Anyways, I hope you don’t mind that I didn’t give you your gift in front of everyone else. Not only is it too heavy, but you’re too special to me for them to be part of the gift.

I wish I could tell you everything in my heart right now, but I don’t want to cheapen anything. I will return to you so please be patient and wait until then.

If you would, please go check on Levi for me. I can tell you right now, he’s not okay right now. He gets so lost in his own head and I worry about him. I leave him in your stead until I get back.

Satan, always remember: You are important. You deserve every ounce of love you can get. You also have the right to feel whatever you are feeling. You are not your brother, and I never want you comparing yourself to him, because you are an individual. I may not always be there with you, but never forget: you may not have had control over your birth, but that is not what defines you. You are so much more than a word.

Love,

Mc

P.S. I just realized you never told me. Who is your favorite Fruits Basket character?

Satan had never moved so fast down his staircase. Why had he chosen a spiral staircase? He was so eager, he almost knocked over the book pile he was looking for. When he saw what was behind it, he sank to his knees and gathered every Fruits Basket volume in his arms.

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

Levi was moping around his room when there was a knock on the door. For a second he thought it was Mc, but then realized she was gone, making himself sad all over again. He shuffled over to the door, and opened it.

There stood Satan with… manga… and, puffy eyes?

“Hey, can we hang out?” Satan asked.

“Sure. I’d like that.”

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

Update: I now have a part two to this story and here’s the link

[yukippe]

stand and face me

raven signs the book. she doesn’t sign her soul away. ao3.

1. 

It’s Legacy Day. It’s Legacy Day and your name is Raven Queen and this is the day that’s haunted your life. 

The sun has risen when you wake up, and Apple’s smiling at you. She’s smiling at you and all you can think about is the way your chest hurts when you think about her. You don’t love her. You like her now, you know that. You know that she wants nothing more from you than to play your part in her story. And you think, maybe you will. Maybe this is what it all leads to. Maybe all you have to do is fulfill your part and you will have her friendship. Her hand to hold. 

“Oh Raven!” She says, her voice like bells. “We should get ready together, I can do your makeup and-”

It’s a nice thought. It’s interrupted thought, by a knock on the door. You go to answer it and it’s like destiny is calling. A goblin stands at the door, staring up at you as if he can see a future you try not to imagine. You smile at him, politely. “Raven Queen,” he says. “Your heirloom dress awaits in the cauldron room.”

This is the way destiny works? Is this your fate, you think fleetingly. That even the moments you have with Apple before you sign are not allowed to last. You take one last look at her, you smile apologetically and you follow the goblin to the depths of the school. You're doing this for her. You're doing this for her.  

Why are you doing this for her? It haunts you. You don’t love her. You haven’t known her long enough. You think of how she held your hand and went through every hoop you were jumping through, trying to find another way. If there had been one, she would’ve let you take it. You think of her smile, her blonde hair, her red framed glasses she doesn’t let anyone see. You look up at the coffin where your mother’s weapon of a dress is waiting. This is what she asks of you. You don’t love her. You don’t even know if you could, even if you tried. She spied on you and decorated your half of the room like a tomb and has always viewed you as something you're not. 

You think of her smile again. And then you shuffle into the dress. It fits perfectly. You don’t like the way it looks. You look into the mirror and you see. You see the Evil Queen. You can’t see Raven Queen in the mirror. You let your hair down, you do your makeup. You put on your crown. You put your head in your hands so the goblins in the room can’t see your tears. You wipe your face, reapply your makeup. You walk out of the room. 

They follow you, the creatures of the shadows. The creatures of your childhood. Goblins caused you trouble once, on the mountains. You know, now, no goblin will question your word ever again if you wear a crown like this. You feel powerful. 

Then-as you walk Maddie’s there somehow. You turn and your friend is holding your hand and. And, you know that the friendship you have with Cedar and Maddie won’t fit into a world of castles on craggy cliffs, and bone rat infested dungeons, and hordes of evil minions. But, Maddie is holding your hand. You think of how no matter what she’s always done the impossible. So you ask her a question, in the hall. “Maddie?” You ask her, your voice quiet. You don’t want anyone else to hear you. 

Maddie, Maddie with her curly hair and tall hats and puffy skirt lets out a laugh, “Yes, Raven-dear?”

“Maddie,” you breathe. “Maddie, if I sign the book. If I sign the book who will my friends be?”

Maddie’s face turns confused, she grabs your other hand and she looks into your eyes and says, “Raven you silly-billy, You and me and Cedar and all of us, we’re best friends forever after. What in teatime do you think forever after means?”

It’s the last promise you needed to hear. The hallways lights flicker over you, a part of you seems to understand this is what your life will be. The few students left in the hallway are cowering, trying to edge their way out from around you and the followers behind you. If you take this there’s a promise of evil. But, if Maddie’s promising best friends forever after you think you can take it and hold it to your heart for as long as you need. You remember Apple’s smile. You want to keep it there for as long as you can. You smile back at Maddie, “Best friends forever after, you promise?”

Maddie nods, as serious as she can manage, “I swear on my second best hat and third favourite tea.”

You nod and smile at her. Then the two of you walk to Legacy Day. 

2. 

When you stand in line, in your dress that could cut, and your cape that trails behind you and your crown that weighs heavy on your head you look around and you see smiles. You see smiles on all the faces you’d expect. Cedar is next to you and her face is alight and you tell her you can’t wait to see her become the girl she’s always wanted to be, and she smiles at you and she tells you that she believes in you. You let the moment sit in your chest and it rests there. This is what Cedar wants. This is what Apple wants. A fairytale can be safe. 

You look in front of you and-it looks like Ashlynn’s crying. For a moment you almost reach out, you think you know why she’s crying. You see Hunter near her frowning at the sight. You look behind you and you see Cerise, quiet, athletic Cerise you’ve always wanted to be friends with. She looks like she’s trying to hide into her cloak and hood. You pause. You step away from Cedar and Maddie to smile at her, as gently as you can. She looks up and catches your eye and she seems to try to smile back. You reach for her hand and squeeze it, you slide closer to her and you whisper, “I’m here if you need anything.” She looks at you as if she wants to say something, but she pauses.

Cedar is racing up the stairs as you look to Cerise. Cedar is signing the book and Cerise opens her mouth and she says, “Raven, how do we know that signing the book will actually bind us to anything?” 

Your heart leaps sudden, soft. Your mouth quirks up into a smile, a real one. “It’s what Headmaster Grimm says.” You hear Ashlynn pledge her destiny. You think of Giles Grimm in the Vault of Lost Tales, telling you the Storybook of Legends has no power. You bite your lip and you lean closer to Cerise, “But it’s not what his brother says.”

Cerise stares you down. She squeezes your hand. She says, “Find me after this.” You don’t know why, but you say yes. Maddie slides in between the two of you then, Cedar on her arm the both of them smiling. Apple signs her name, you know you’re next. You let out a breath. You turn to the stairs. You worry about tripping over your train and that makes you want to laugh. You find your place in front of the book and look at the crowd. 

There. Apple’s smile. She’s smiling up at you. Your chest tightens. You can’t do this for her. You think of Cerise, of Giles Grimm. Of Bella Sister. Of Ashlynn and Hunter. “I am Raven Queen.” You pause. “And I am ready to pledge a destiny.” 

No one seems to notice the change. Except for Headmaster Grimm, he looks at you with his eyebrows furrowed. A key appears. It doesn’t look like the key of an Evil Queen. It’s golden and there’s a dragon’s eye at the end. You slide it into the lock and it opens to your story. No one else can see the story but you. You think. You think that this story might be different if you were not so sure. You think you might see a nightmare on the pages if you weren’t so sure. But, it's almost as if it’s reassuring you. 

The page is a mirror. It shows you your face and nothing more. You sign that destiny with a grin. 

3. 

Apple hugs you when you walk down the steps and for a moment you feel bad, you aren’t living her story with her. That’s not what you signed up for. But, you sink into the hug for just a moment anyway. Then, you leave her arms. It doesn’t feel right. Hunter signs after you and - did he notice, you wonder. Did he realize you changed the words?

Because he’s changed them too. “I, Hunter Huntsman, son of the Huntsman who saves Snow White and Little Red Riding Hood, am ready to pledge a destiny.” 

You watch as Duchess follows the right script, and Cerise’s eyes twinkle as she doesn’t. Cedar grabs at your hand when Maddie rambles on for several moments, but doesn’t actually say whether or not she’s going to follow her destiny. A key still appears for her and Maddie’s eyes go wide when she sees her page. She signs with a quill she pulls from her hair. Cedar looks at you and you smile back, bright. 

4. 

Apple tries to pull you along with her to the ball and a part of you wants to follow her, but you think of what Cerise told you before you signed. “Find me after this.” Apple smiles at you and it still makes your chest tighten, but you knew when you started this farce that you couldn’t stay near here. You tell her you will see her later. You don’t mean it. 

5. 

Cerise finds you. You’re just stepping out of the closet Hunter shoved you into to ask about destiny. Cerise pushes you back in and your heart skips a beat. 

“Hey,” she says. Her voice is soft, as if she knows you’re a little lost. You both should be on your way to the Legacy Ball now, but you don’t know if you really want to go and celebrate a lie. You’re sure Maddie and Cedar will probably hunt you down anyways to drag you down soon. Cerise tugs on her cloak, “Raven, the book’s not supposed to do that.”

You nod, “I didn’t think so.” Cerise lets out a little laugh. You pause at the sound, but then you refocus. “Cerise, you said that...you sounded like you knew something earlier.”

She nods, there are no lights in the closet but you can make out her eyes somehow. You think back at all the times Cerise was…

“Raven,” she says. Her voice is serious. “Raven, my mother is Little Red Riding Hood. And my father….Well you know him too.”

“He’s Mr. Badwolf,” you say. She nods. 

“Raven, my parents have told me all about their legacy days. Neither of them were huge fans of signing their souls away, but they saw it unfold. And Raven? It didn’t unfold for them the way it showed them in the book. My mother didn’t see past the Huntsman arriving, and she never saw my father the way he appeared in reality. My father saw himself escaping, but not the way it happened.”

“The book lies,” you say. How do we know signing the book will actually bind us to anything. Cerise’s parents told a story they never saw. Your mother waged a war that never existed before. 

A class of budding fairytales signed nonsense pledges. Your mirror phone buzzes in your bra. Your legacy dress was beyond compare, but your mother never saw fit to sew in pockets. You’ll change that, you think, if you ever need to wear it again. Cerise blinks at the sound, and when you squint you can see big ears all the better to hear with, hiding under her hood. It buzzes again and you ignore it. 

You breathe. Once. Twice. Your name is Raven Queen and Milton Grimm is hiding something. Cerise tilts her head at you and you think you could lose yourself in her eyes. You don’t think you’d ever want to be found. But, Cerise isn’t the type to lose her way, you think she’d help you come back if you were ever gone. 

She reaches for your wrist and pulls it closer to her. Her fingernails are long and they remind you of Mr. Badwolf’s claws when he wears his wolf form to scare the younger students. You stop breathing, just for a moment, and you wish you knew what she was thinking. 

Bzz. Cerise drops your hand and crouches over, the way she’s always shrunk in on herself. You know why now, all your suspicions confirmed. “Are you going to check that?” Cerise asks you. “Someone really wants to reach you.”

It could be Maddie or Cedar. Or Hunter, maybe. Really, you know it’s Apple before you even look. You pull out your phone, it’s warm from being stuck to your skin. You look at the hexts asking where you are and you remember the feel of Cerise’s hand on your wrist, the way you burn under Apple’s eyes even when Apple’s seeing a lie. 

“The Legacy Ball,” you say. Cerise nods and you wish for the look on her face from moments ago to return. You had almost decided not to go. But, you think of Milton Grimm. He's not expecting anything yet, you know. He underestimates almost everyone. You don’t respond to Apple’s messages, and you try to get Cerise to meet your gaze. “Come with me?” You ask. “It’d be weird if we didn’t go.”

Cerise gives you a half smile and you wonder how much worse it would feel to see it at full force. You think of her white teeth, you wonder how sharp they are underneath her lips. You want to touch in a way you know you shouldn’t. You think of your mother’s sharp words and your father's wing separate from hers. Your mother never gave a lesson on anything like this, but neither did your father. Good and Evil didn’t know how to teach this and you wonder what that means. She doesn’t take your hand as you both slip out of the closet and you wish she would. You think of Apple and the way it felt to be near her when you wandered through the marshes and the mountains and down the lake. You can’t quite remember if it felt like this. You know it was, though you’d never say it out loud. 

Cerise walks beside you as you both make your way down to the boats. There will be one waiting for you, you know. You might have lost the creatures that followed you to your Legacy Day, but you know that they won’t leave you for good. And they haven’t. Maddie, Cedar, Hunter, and Ginger are all standing in the centre of them. Maddie’s making conversation and Hunter seems to be trying to take her example. Cerise barks out a laugh beside you and you do your best to play the sound again in your head, trying to make the memory of it stick as soon as it’s finished. She smiles at you and pulls you down by your wrist as fast, making you run in your weapon of long skirts and metallic train. As you climb onto the only boat left, though still a respectable one, you think about what it means to be first. 

[lilacmoon83]

Finding You Always

Also on Fanfiction.net and A03

Chapter 236: Fireflies

The fire could be seen reflecting in Jekyll's eyes, as he was just a few feet from escape, but he lurched and looked down to find Charming's blade protruding from his chest. He landed on his feet, just at the edge and turned around, looking at him in shock. He saw the blackness slowly spider webbing from his wound and started to see the ash flaking from his body.

"No...this can't be! You can't defeat me!" Jekyll cried, as he lurched again and the blade returned to David's hand.

"I just did," the Prince stated.

"You're done...and you're never going to hurt my wife again, let alone haunt her," David assured him.

"The Chalice absorbed the Olympian crystal long ago. No Underworld, no afterlife, nothing...you just stop existing and we rest easy, knowing that not even your soul can cause harm to anyone ever again," he continued. Jekyll tried to charge at the Prince again, but the white fire from the Chalice sword consumed him in a brilliant flash. He screamed briefly, as he was destroyed and his cries were swiftly squelched, as was his existence.

"And that is the end of the video that has more than fifty million views, worldwide. That tiny clip alone has double that, worldwide. It's action packed, it gets the heart racing, in more ways than one, and people seem enthralled by it to the point of obsession," Goldie said into her mic, as she conducted her latest live podcast. They had spent a pretty penny in the last year on the best equipment, including a high end VPN, to hide their location. They weren't wanted in the Land Without Magic, per say, but it was no secret that they were and they knew some idiot fans would only be too happy to make a citizen arrest if they might get the attention of the Charming family, who had gone mostly dark since the namesake of their family had killed the insane monster known as Dr. Jekyll.

On her show though, she was not playing the clip to celebrate it. But instead, she was playing it to continue to push her fear narrative. Her numbers were significant, as some out there did see the danger of a family with so much power.

"But if this one man, combined with his wife, has this much power...how can any of us truly ever feel safe? He could wipe us out even more easily than he did Dr. Jekyll. And he has sired five children that are potentially even stronger than him," she continued.

"Five children that can control the weather...and lay waste to an entire city with one conjured storm," she added.

"And I'm sure some might argue that the beloved Charmings would never do that...because they're good. But most of those same people have read the book and know that Snow and Charming have gone dark before. What is preventing that from happening again? Or preventing one of their kids from turning evil as well?" she said.

"If tragedy struck any one of them...what would stop them from lashing out with vengeance in their pain? If you've read the book...then you know that's what happened to the Evil Queen. She didn't just wake up and decide to be evil. She lost the man she loved and thousands died for it," she continued.

"What would stop Charming from doing the same if he lost his beloved Snow or Snow if she lost her Charming?" she asked, as she read the chat and smirked.

"I see many agree with me...but none of us know what exactly we can do about it. However, you'll be happy to know that there are those out there that are trying to see to our safety," she said.

"They are trying to develop a solution to this problem, but can only do so with the help of the people. And it's being done with your donations. With your donations, we can fight this fight," Goldie said.

"So donate today, share this podcast far and wide, and know that you're doing something to secure our future. Until next time," she said, ending the stream and taking off her headphones.

While it was true that they had spent most of what they had to get set up and lived the first few weeks in a crappy motel, it wasn't long before they were approached by an investor.

Amelia Blaine, owner of several billion dollar retail chains nation and worldwide, offered to fund them if they continued to push their fear narrative, with the stipulation that there was a solution. A vague, yet plausible one and help them build a citizen militia, without the citizens even realizing they were being radicalized. It was a common military tactic, so they weren't too surprised to learn that Ms. Blaine answered to a man named General Mendoza. They hadn't met him yet, but knew he was the man that Major Patricia Donovan had once worked for and then betrayed in favor of the Charmings.

Mendoza had gone almost as dark as the Charmings had in the last year and was working on ways to bring them down. This one was just one plan and Ms. Blaine even let it slip that they were working on ways to combat or even destroy magic. Goldie didn't know if that was possible, but she and Grimm were all in and used her podcast and his blog as a megaphone to put fear into people about the Charmings, the United Realms, and magic in general. In return, they were paid incredibly well and their equipment was upgraded to state of the art. They now lived in an expensive New York penthouse apartment and enjoyed all the luxuries.

"You really think General Mendoza and his team can find a way to destroy magic?" Grimm asked. She smirked.

"I don't know...but if they can, I'm going to enjoy watching the United Realms burn and the Charmings suffering," she replied. He smirked back.

"I'd bring marshmallows to that bonfire," he agreed.

"How are the numbers tonight?" she asked.

"About four thousand live on the biggest platform. Less, but significant on the smaller ones and we always get good numbers on replays," he replied.

"And the Truest podcast?" she asked, knowing that Eva Charming had streamed earlier that night.

"Let's not do that to ourselves," he replied.

"I want to know her numbers," Goldie demanded. He winced.

"On the largest platform...she had twenty-thousand live and her replay numbers are already climbing past our live count," he revealed, ready for the coming tirade, as Goldie let out a frustrated yell.

"Why!? Why is everyone so enamored with that prissy little upstart!?" she raged.

"She's not even a real journalist!" Goldie complained.

"Yeah...but she's their daughter. You shouldn't be surprised," he said.

"We have to get our numbers up…" Goldie said.

"I agree," Amelia Blaine said, as she arrived with her bodyguards.

"You can't just barge in here whenever you want," Goldie said.

"Oh, but I can since I pay the mortgage on this place," Amelia replied.

"Your live numbers tonight are dismal, at best," she added.

"What do you expect? Most people salivate over that damned family. Not many want to tune in and hear us talk crap about them," Grimm reminded her.

"I'm aware, Mr. Grimm. Even less people read your pitiful blog," she said. He glared at her, but was silent.

"What do you want us to do?" Goldie asked in frustration.

"You're hyper focused on the parents. Start going after the kids. Stoke fear about the children," she suggested.

"Snow and Charming are ignoring you. They're seasoned at this and don't care what people say or think about them. The children on the other hand will elicit a reaction and one we might be able to exploit if done right," she said. Goldie smirked.

"That I can do...and I'll enjoy it," the blonde agreed.

"Let's hope you do well...the General isn't impressed by your numbers at all. If you don't improve, this posh little lifestyle goes away and you're on the street," Amelia warned, as she left with her goons.

"So...who are you going to focus on first?" Grimm asked. Goldie smirked.

"Who else? Emma has interacted in this world more than any of their kids. She's got plenty to exploit and it will drive mommy and daddy Charming crazy," she said. He smirked.

"Indeed it will," he agreed.

"But we won't stop there. The twins will be next, then the youngest ones. By the end, Mama Snow will be at our door ready to rip my head off and I'll get it all on tape,"

"And the General will be ready to trap them both when they come," he agreed.

~*~

Rose and Fandral turned on the inter realm communication system that Sif had provided for them. Rose and Sif actually communicated on a regular basis, but it had been a while and she hadn't seen the twins yet.

"Good morning Sif," Rose greeted. She smiled.

"Good morning to both of you...I apologize for being out of communication for a while, but much has happened here recently," she said.

"Really?" Fandral asked. She nodded.

"It's a lot though and there have been many developments. Thor is leaving Earth soon...but not before the funeral," she replied.

"Funeral? Who has passed?" Rose asked.

"Well, I'm afraid Natasha is gone...but so is Mr. Stark," she replied, stunning them.

"Like I said, much has happened, though some of it is very good. Natasha and Tony are the reason that much of it is wonderful news. But I would rather explain everything in person," she said.

"Things are safe here now. I was hoping you could visit and so was Thor...before he leaves," she added. Rose smiled.

"Things are quiet here...I don't see why not and the kids would love it," she said. Fandral smiled and nodded.

"We'll contact Hermes and make all the necessary arrangements to be away. Zorro can more than handle things around here for a few days," Fandral said. Sif smiled.

"That's wonderful...and I can't wait to meet these two in person," she replied, as she spotted the twin babies in their arms.

"And Astrid and Gunnar can't wait to meet their Aunty Sif and Uncle Thor either," Rose replied.

"Strong Asgardian names...I will see you all soon," Sif said, as the transmission winked out.

"Poor Natasha…" Rose said sadly.

"I know...she helped us much when Seth banished us. I am glad we are going to honor her," Fandral replied. She nodded.

"Well, we should go tell the kids and pack. We have a lot to do in just a couple hours," she replied. He nodded, as they took the babies back upstairs to prepare.

~*~

Bobby closed his locker and slung his backpack over his shoulder, before meandering toward the direction of his first class of the day. Being normal definitely had its advantages and being back in school on a regular basis was nice. He would never be normal, even in a place like Storybrooke, but he had plenty of friends and was definitely enjoying the peace.

"Morning Bobby," Zia said, as she and Olivia rounded the corner to meet him.

"Morning," he said, as he joined hands with the dark haired girl. He was aware that both had a crush on him, shortly after he resumed his freshman year last year, but any romantic feelings he had were for Zia. Olivia understood and she was still good friends with them both. He saw the banner being hung up for Winter Formal that weekend and looked at her. Olivia smiled at them and went into the classroom.

"I'll make myself scarce," the blonde said.

"Well...that was subtle," Zia mentioned. He chuckled.

"I'm not sure I could be subtle myself even...tact is not something Charmings are known for, so you wanna go to the dance?" he asked. She smiled and nodded.

"I'd love to," she agreed.

"Okay...but I have to warn you that my Mom is going to go all out and take like a gazillion photos, so just prepare for being blinded by camera flashes," he joked. She giggled.

"I love your Mom and I'm prepared for our upcoming photo shoot," she teased back, as they went into the classroom and the bell rang.

~*~

After morning training with James and his father, David did a quick patrol around Storybrooke since Emma had taken the morning off and then stopped at Granny's for takeout. He arrived at Snow's office and nodded politely to her receptionist, who still got a little awestruck and blushed every time she saw him. He winced though, as he heard his wife raise her voice through the door.

"Meeting with the heads of state?" he asked. Chloe, the receptionist, nodded.

"Midas insists on arguing with her...I don't know why, because he never wins," she replied. He smirked.

"Because he's no match," David said, as he quietly went in and closed the door, waiting off to the side. Hyde and Hiram had unveiled a host of new inventions in the last year that they had rolled out. One was the hologram system of communication, allowing the heads of state to meet from their own castles or offices on most occasions. They got together in person from time to time, but this eliminated the need for neutral locations and saved a lot of time most days. It was probably the only reason Midas was still alive too, because by the look on his wife's face, he could tell she was ready to put an arrow in his eye.

"King Midas...we are only days away from the grand opening of the Pleasure Island resort. Our teams and crews have worked tirelessly to transform a once haven of crime and filth into a luxurious vacation resort for all ages and classes to enjoy," Snow said in a measured tone.

"I agreed to let you have the Casino wing, as I agreed that adults are free to make their own decisions on what to do with their money...but I draw the line at any kind of unsavory club as you're suggesting. I want this to be a family friendly place and not become an eyesore like Iago's," Snow said.

"Queen Snow...there is nothing wrong with the addition of a gentleman's club. There will be security and an age requirement, of course," Midas replied.

"No…" Snow refuted.

"This has to be put to a vote!" Midas insisted.

"Normally yes and most of the time, I would be reluctant to do anything without diplomacy, but this is one time I am going to use my executive powers. And gentleman's club is putting this nicely," she said, as she held up a folder that had his proposal in it.

"This is nothing more than a strip club and a brothel and I won't have it. Your motion is denied by executive decision," she said.

"You can't do that, your prissy little wench!" Midas said, as his anger exploded. David clenched his fist and rooted his feet into the floor. It was taking him every ounce of control he could muster not to tell him off himself, but he knew Snow could handle him.

"King Midas...if you're going to continue this kind of behavior, then you will be removed from this project. Am I clear?" Snow snapped. He shrank back a little.

"Very well, Your Majesty," he spat.

"It's clear we all need some time to cool off, some of us more than others. We'll take a long lunch and reconvene in two hours," she said, as she pressed a button on her computer and their holograms disappeared.

"It must have taken you every ounce of control you have not to intervene and rip his head off," she mused. He smirked.

"I know you can handle it, but you're right...I'd like to make him smack himself and turn himself into a gold statue," he replied. She giggled.

"I think we would all enjoy that, a little too much," she said, as he set the food down on her desk and then took her in his arms.

"So...long lunch?" he asked. She smirked.

"Mmm…I could definitely use it," she replied.

"And here I thought I was going to have to be quick," he mused, as they swayed together. She bit her bottom lip.

"Well, at the risk of inflating your ego...you're never quick," she said. He smirked.

"Good to know," he replied, as she looked in the sack, finding all her favorites.

"Two different kinds of dessert?" she asked. He shrugged.

"I figured we'd work it off," he replied. She bit her bottom lip again, as they moved to the sofa in her office. Maybe she should have made it a three hour lunch…

~*~

Leo hopped off Pegasus and petted his mane, before leading him to the trough for a drink and something to eat. He and Pegasus, along with Firestorm, also did an aerial patrol of the reserve in the morning and checked on all the animals. He and Elsa had hired staff that they trusted and vetted to help run the reserve to help out. Everything was running smoothly and Firestorm cawed, as he sat on his perch and watched Leo.

"I didn't forget you, buddy," he promised, as he grabbed a handful of seeds and held out his hand so the Phoenix could eat too. After he finished, Leo ruffled his feathers affectionately and checked over the inventory of food and supplies that had just been delivered.

"Leo...I think that mother Unicorn is about to give birth!" one of his young workers said, as he rushed in.

"Okay...did you call the equestrian vet?" Leo asked.

"That's the thing...he's in surgery. I guess one of the horse's at the stables needed emergency surgery this morning," the kid said, as he was nearly panicked.

"Okay...relax, I've gone this before and so has my sister," he said, as he dialed Eva.

"Hey...the vet is unavailable and we have a unicorn ready to give birth. Can you pop over here?" he asked, as he listened.

"Thanks Eva," he said, as he hung up.

"She's on her way," he said, as he started gathering some supplies.

"Need some help?" Kristoff asked, as he arrived with Sven. Kristoff and Sven were frequent visitors and helpers at the reserve too.

"Yeah, the vet is busy and we have a mama unicorn ready to go. Eva's on her way," Leo said.

"Okay...baby Unicorn time. Looks like Hope might get that Unicorn for her birthday," he teased.

"Yeah…Emma keeps telling my parents not to, but you know they're going to," Leo said, as they headed out to the stables, just as Eva arrived to help with the birthing.

"Thanks for coming," he said. She smiled.

"You know that I love this and it's a pretty slow day at the hospital. Plus, my audience will love hearing about the birth of a baby unicorn," she replied.

"You know...I wasn't sure your podcast was a good idea at first, but you're really good at it," Kristoff said.

"Thanks," she replied.

"Yeah...and it helps that you make Goldie's podcast look like a joke," Leo added.

"That is a bonus...I wouldn't usually wish misfortune on anyone, but she's the exception," she agreed, as they arrived at the stables.

~*~

Summer concentrated, as she went through her dance routine for the school's upcoming recital. Upon returning to dance, her instructor expressed a suggestion that Summer would excel in rhythmic gymnastics. Summer loved both dance and gymnastics and it seemed like the perfect blend of both. So she had begun training and her instructor had been right about it being her niche. She finished her routine with an impressive backflip and caught her baton, as her music ended. Her instructor gave her a hug.

"You are going to be the star of the recital," she assured. Summer blushed slightly.

"Thanks…" she said.

"Your parents must be bursting at the seams with pride," she mentioned. She grinned.

"My Dad was just showing me the new camera he bought last night for the recital and Mom has already bought new albums. It's a little embarrassing," she joked.

"I think it's sweet," she said, as then pointed off to the side.

"And you have another admirer," she said, as Summer spotted JJ watching and waiting for her, still in his uniform from working as a paramedic. She grabbed her towel and her bag, before hurrying over to greet him.

"Hey...you busy for lunch?" he asked.

"Not at all...Granny's?" she asked.

"They do have the best crinkle cut fries," he replied, with a smile.

"Definitely...it's a date," she agreed, as they joined hands and headed out to his car.

"How was work?" she asked.

"Slow day...but I guess that's good when you're a paramedic," he replied. They had been dating a little over a year now and things were getting serious between them. She hadn't told him that she loved him yet and he hadn't said it either...but she knew what she was feeling and was wondering if he felt the same. She thought about talking to Emma about it to see if she should tell him before he said it to her. She loved her Mom, but since her parents fell in love fighting trolls and her mom lost her memory, and her dad nearly died multiple times, and her mother was cursed before they could be together, Summer felt that her mother's experience in this matter was so different than the norm that Emma might be the better advisor in this aspect.

Her parents had this true, all encompassing love that was amazing, but could be intimidating at the same time. JJ was from the Land Without Magic, so she didn't want to scare him with all these expectations that she had about love. Emma had experience in his world as well and probably would have the best advice in this respect.

After an enjoyable lunch, they exited the diner, hand in hand and he looked over at her.

"You look like you have something to say," she mentioned. He smiled.

"Yeah…I'm just not sure how to say it," he replied.

"You can tell me anything," she assured him.

"So…I want to take you somewhere special tonight, for our date. But then I realized that I have no idea where," he said.

"Why don't we just take a walk? There's a lot of trails in the woods down by the Toll bridge," she replied. He smiled.

"Okay…I'll pick you up at seven," he said, as he leaned in and kissed her tenderly. Her heart fluttered, as she watched him go and then she turned to hurry in the other direction.

"Whoa...where the fire?" Emma asked.

"Emma...thank God, I have to talk to you," Summer replied. The blonde smirked.

"Okay...you can talk while I eat through these onion rings," she said, as they found an outdoor table at Granny's.

"So…JJ said he wanted to go somewhere special tonight and he didn't know where and stupid me just suggested that we take a walk on the trails down by the Toll bridge," Summer said. Emma shrugged.

"What's wrong with that?" she asked.

"Emma...it's the Toll bridge! I mean, the Toll bridge, as in the infamous Troll bridge where the greatest love story of all time was freaking born!" she replied.

"What if JJ thinks I have some expectations from him and he bails?" she fretted. Emma smirked.

"What if he doesn't and slaps the big L on you?" the blonde asked, enjoying her baby sister's tiny little freak out. Summer sat there, thinking that over for a minute.

"This stuff is so...hard!" she complained, making her older sister chuckle.

"Oh I know...believe me," she said.

"Maybe Mom and Dad have it right. Maybe fighting trolls and dodging Black Knights was easier than this," Summer said.

"Nah…Mom and Dad are just weird. In the best way, but weird. Love usually doesn't blossom from assault with a rock and entrapment by net," Emma replied, as they shared a chuckle.

"Or fighting smelly trolls," Summer added with a giggle.

"Seriously though...if he's thinking about taking you somewhere special, then he certainly wasn't planning on bailing in the first place, cause he would have already done that," Emma said. Summer nodded.

"Yeah…I guess you're right," she agreed.

"And he's not from here so if he's not running away after everything he's seen...then I don't think he's going to," she said. Summer nodded, instantly feeling better.

"Thanks…I was right to talk to you," Summer said.

"Anytime," Emma said, as they hugged.

"I have to get back to campus...I'll see you later," she called.

"Good luck!" Emma called back, as she finished lunch and headed back to the station.

~*~

Snow kissed him passionately, as they got dressed and he was trying to button his shirt.

"Mmm…I should have called for a three hour lunch," she mewled, as he kissed her intensely.

"I know...but we can always have an encore later tonight," he promised, as he kissed her forehead and finished buttoning his shirt.

"I am going to hold you to that, handsome," she purred, as they held each other close.

"Summer will be out with JJ and Bobby is going over to hang out with Gideon at Belle and Gold's. That leaves us to our own devices," he said. She smiled.

"I can't wait for that then," she replied, as he kissed her again, before leaving her office. She turned back to her desk and pulled up the model of the upcoming resort that was opening imminently on her computer. It was going to be a beautiful vacation spot, but there was still much to do.

"You're late," Regina said, as Snow logged back onto the meeting.

"Sorry…" Snow replied.

"That's okay...we're all late. No one wants to spend another three hours with Midas, even virtually," she said.

"True, but it's better than being in the same room as him and this whole virtual thing solves the problem of finding agreeable neutral locations for our meetings," Snow said, with a sigh.

"Why are all these stuffed shirts so concerned by where we have the meeting?" she complained. Regina smirked.

"Men, especially men stuck in their old ways, tend to be territorial," Jasmine chimed in, as she logged in.

"Midas must be losing his mind since you haven't admitted him to the meeting yet," Phillip said, as he logged on.

"No one can stand the windbag and this is coming from me, who has a windbag for a father-in-law," Eric agreed.

"At least Triton refuses to attend, because he can't be bothered with matters of the "filthy human world," as he puts it," Glinda said.

"Yeah...why hasn't Abigail and Frederick taken over at least some of his duties yet. He's no spring chicken," Zorro said. Usually, it was Rose or Fandral attending, but since they had gone to visit Thor, Zorro was standing in for them.

"That's easy...control issues. My mother was only too happy to hand these duties over to me," Tiana chimed in.

"You know, we could just forget to let him into the meeting," Elsa said.

"I'm with her," Guinevere agreed.

"I'm all for that. Dad warned me plenty about Midas," Thomas said.

"I still can't believe he suggested we allow a strip club," Snow complained. Regina snorted.

"I can," she said. Snow sighed.

"I think we need to utilize the mute button a bit more or I'm going to permanently mute him this time," Aphrodite said, making them chuckle.

"Let's get this over with," she said, as she admitted him to the meeting.

"You are ten minutes late, Queen Snow. Again. If you cannot conduct these meetings on time, then perhaps someone else should organize them," he replied. Snow rolled her eyes.

"Or maybe you shouldn't attend at all," she retorted. He snorted.

"Oh, you would love that, but this is as much my project as it is anyone's and I have many more proposals to be considered. Neverland, after all, is a territory and we agreed that it and Pleasure Island should not be acquisitioned by any one Kingdom," he said.

"You only agreed to that, because we would never let you use military force to take that territory," Phillip said, but Midas ignored him.

"Fine, Your Majesty, you have the floor for a final time. But I warn you, if anything proposed involves the exploitation of young people, it gets an immediate veto," Snow said, as the meeting continued. It was going to be a long afternoon.

~*~

"Yes...that's all of it," Henry said, as he talked to his publisher in the Land Without Magic and listened to him on the other end.

"I know that you're used to a bit more calamity going on around here, but believe me, the rest of us are enjoying the peaceful times. I think my readers can appreciate that," Henry said, rolling his eyes. This guy wanted drama and battle all the time.

"I agree...the politics here are pretty much the same. Believe me, it's my grandmother's least favorite part of her job," Henry said, before listening again.

"Yes, you'll have a detailed exclusive of the resort opening next week. I'll be covering it all," he said, as he listened to his publisher again.

"Thanks," Henry said, as he hung up, just as Ella carried a box into the kitchen.

"Not enough drama in Storybrooke this week for him?" she joked. He snickered.

"Yeah...he didn't say it's been boring lately, but I'm sure he's thinking it," he replied, as he looked at the box.

"What's this?" he asked.

"It was in the closet," she replied.

"Oh yeah...this is the box of manuscripts that Grimm left behind. Great grandpa Xander gave it to me to sort through. Guess I forgot about it," he muttered, as he leafed through the notebooks and wrinkled his nose.

"Yeah...this guy writes some dark stuff," he said.

"Wasn't he writing these so he could get your grandparents blood and use it as ink?" she asked. He nodded.

"Yeah…I think that was their plan," he said, as he tossed it back in the box with disgust.

"And he was pretty intent on torturing my grandparents," he said.

"We should burn these," Ella said.

"You're right…" he agreed, as they took the box into the backyard and emptied the contents into the fire pit. She handed the lighter and he lit the notebooks on fire.

"No gruesome, horrible futures for our family. Only happiness," Henry said, as he put his arm around her. She smiled and they watched the fire together.

~*~

"This was a great place to come...I knew I could count on you to pick the perfect place," JJ said, as they walked along the trail through the woods. They were well past the Toll Bridge now and the winter foliage and dusting of snow was gorgeous.

"I think it's a Charming thing...we all seem to love the woods. Except Emma," she joked. He chuckled.

"Did you have special places you liked to go back in Boston?" she asked.

"A few. There were a couple of nice parks and bike trails. The city is so busy though...it's nothing like here," he said, as he smiled at her.

"In a good way," he added, as they stopped by the babbling stream.

"This place is unique...is that what keeps you here?" she asked. He smiled and brushed her hair away from her face.

"No...you keep me here," he replied and she bit her bottom lip, as she blushed.

"I'm really not good at any of this," Summer confessed. He chuckled.

"You're you...and that's what I love," he confessed, as their eyes met.

"Love?" she squeaked. He smiled.

"Yeah…I love you. I was kind of nervous about how to tell you. I mean, you're the daughter of two people that have this amazing love story and I'm just a normal guy," he replied.

"You're not just normal. Believe me, if you were, my family or this place would have scared you away long ago," she joked. He chuckled.

"Guess so…" he said.

"I love you too, JJ," she replied and they shared a kiss at that. They joined hands then and started back toward town.

~*~

"Well...what do you think?" Natalie asked, as she finished her latest exhibit. Xander held his grandson and smiled.

"I think it looks great...just like what Snow and David described," he said, admiring the Cibola exhibit, particularly the new addition of the tallest tower display. Anyone was allowed to tour Cibola, but it was known now that not everyone was allowed to venture to the top of the tallest tower. They weren't sure what would happen if someone did, but Zia had been clear that the texts she had read forbade the wrong people from going there.

"Thanks," she said, as she stood back to admire her work and he put his hand on her shoulder.

"This combined with the new Northuldra display should draw a few classrooms," she said.

"It will do more than that," Xander said.

"He's right, sweetie," her mother agreed, as Thalia sided up to Xander and smiled, as she took their grandson from him.

"Thanks Mom," Natalie replied.

"Are you considering doing the digital tours?" Thalia asked.

"I am...I mean, this stuff is so amazing and the world should see it all. I just don't want to do anything to endanger our family," Natalie replied.

"And Snow and David seem to think there is no harm in virtual tours. They said that there are good people out there that deserve to see all this and since we can't let them in...virtually is a safe way to do it," Xander said.

"He's right...this is always what you wanted. To present the discoveries and wonders like this to the world," Thalia agreed. She nodded.

"We agree," David said, as he and Snow arrived, hand in hand.

"Yeah, we don't see how sharing the Atlantis museum with the world, at least virtually, will hurt. As much bad as we've seen…" Snow said, as she looked at her husband fondly.

"We know there is more good in the world than bad," she finished. He gently lifted her chin with his hand, as he caressed her cheek.

"There is...even if it doesn't always seem that way," he agreed.

"And the exhibit looks great. You recreated it down to the last detail," he added, as they came closer. Levi cooed and Snow couldn't help herself.

"Come see Aunty Snow," she said, as Thalia handed him to her and she cuddled him.

"Oh...you're getting so big," Snow cooed.

"Yeah...you'll be ready for those wooden swords before we know it, won't you, big guy?" David cooed to him, as he peered down.

"You're really insistent on the sword thing, huh?" Natalie asked.

"Of course...it's a Charming tradition," he replied.

"Well…I was going to ask who wants to babysit tonight so I could get a drink with Diego," she said, calling Zorro by his first name.

"But I sense that I don't need to," she replied.

"Yeah, we'll watch him. I think it's our turn anyway," David said.

"It's not...but sure," Xander replied.

"It is kind of their turn," Natalie told him.

"Okay...well, we get next time," Snow said, as she kissed his head and handed him back to Thalia.

"Okay...well, you have fun with grandma and grandpa, sweetie," Natalie said, as she kissed her son and gathered her stuff.

"Granny's?" Xander asked all of them. Snow and David smiled.

"Yeah, we'll join you," he said.

"Sounds like the perfect evening," Snow agreed.

~*~

King Runeard emerged from the desert that evening and loomed around the Agrabah marketplace. He had found the desert surrounding Agrabah to be ideal in the past year. It was vast and rarely traversed and thanks to his powers, he took shelter in the cave of wonders without incident. Thanks to his unique powers, he went undetected by the magic guarding the treasures inside. He had to be careful where he went, lest he wished to reveal himself. When he was too close to a Charming, the elements seemed to go wild, as if to warn their chosen. It infuriated him. He was being denied his Throne and magic had grown to be a very great nuisance. When he exterminated the Northuldra, this had been his reason for doing so. Magic was a disease and only when it was eliminated could the balance be restored. And he was going to find a way to do that.

He disappeared from the Agrabah marketplace and outside Iago's in the rundown east part of Storybrooke. It seemed to be the only portion of the town that was resistant to the Charmings and refused to be bettered by their interference. The only reason they were probably still allowed to exist was because the Charmings were not dictators. He found it absurd though. It was rot like this that he would be their undoing. They refused to crush their opposition, but that opposition would not hesitate to crush them in return, given the opportunity. He took advantage of this little spot though and walked into the Tavern. No one there would tell anyone if they happened to recognize him and most probably wouldn't anyway. He signaled the bartender and he gave him a skeptical look, before coming over to him.

"Your strongest ale," he requested.

"This ain't that fancy artisan place like they have on the west side. You want something hard in here, you should go with brandy or whiskey," the bartender said.

"Fine then...brandy," he replied. The bartender poured it for him and he took a drink.

"I don't want any trouble. I see one badge or one freaking Charming poke their head in this bar…" Iago said.

"And you'll do what against my power or theirs for that matter?" Runeard challenged. Iago closed his mouth and continued to glare at the man.

"Not to worry, my friend...I am not ready for any confrontation either and they barely patrol this end, am I correct?" Runeard asked.

"Here and there...but generally no. Charming sends someone to check on me once a while to see if he can find any violations or reasons to shut me down...but I'm careful," Iago replied.

"Good man...use their rules of good conduct against them," Runeard complimented.

"Yeah…I miss the days under Seth. Those days were lawless and he had Charming on a leash. He didn't bother me for two years and we were like the Pleasure Island of the Mainland," Iago replied.

"Yes...they have taken quite a bite out of the crime, so to speak, in the last year when they took down the island," Runeard agreed.

"Is that what you and all your patrons do? Lament the good 'ole days when you could thieve and pillage without check?" Runeard asked derisively.

"It's better than what you do...lurking in the shadows and pretending you have real power," Iago spat. Runeard touched the man and he was stricken. He started to turn gray, but Runeard pulled away. He gasped and fell back against the counter, as he looked at the man with wide eyes.

"I am not pretending I have power...I could kill everyone in this town with a simple touch. But as you can imagine, that power is not always feasible or easily weaponized. But when I figure out how to do it...then I will shred all the realms down to nothing and begin anew under my rule!" he said, as he stood up.

"I trust my drink is on the house," he said.

"Whatever...just get out!" Iago stammered. Runeard started to leave when a man at a table he passed called out.

"You might want to contact this man...he may be able to help you find what you need," the burly man said. Runeard looked at him and took the card.

"General Mendoza?" he asked. The man nodded.

"And how can someone from outside the United Realms help me?" Runeard asked.

"He wants to take the Charmings down as much as you and has vast resources, plus information or so he says," the man said.

"And why would he use you to tell me, Mr.?" Runeard asked.

"Rourke...and he hired me, because I'm a mercenary for hire and he pays very well. Do with that information what you will," Rourke replied, as he finished his drink.

"He sent this too, since he figured you wouldn't have one of these," Rourke continued, as he handed him a flip style cell phone.

"You'll have to figure out the rest, but it's what's called a burner phone and can't be traced," he added, before getting up and leaving the bar. Runeard left to and returned to his solace in the desert to contemplate this new development.

[bssaz97]

RWBY Ancestries Chapter 1

*Disclaimer this first skit is inspired heavily on the video by HISHE Empire Strikes back so go check that out to see where this idea originated now onto the skit!*

-In the dark and gloomy Grimmlands; Salem’s Castle-

Watts: *Shown by projection on floating Grimm* My Lady I have something of great importance to report about the group of young hunters aiding the silver eyed girl.

Salem:(slight annoyance) What is it that you have to report Arthur, have they completed the task of obtaining the relics because of so I will be greatly displeased.

Watts: No madam, in fact I’m sure that you will find this information most interesting. (With his usual smirk)

Salem: Information never fails to interest me Arthur it’s arrogance that I find less forgiving (with slight edge of her tone). What do you have to report.

Watts: It appears as though there is one in the group that is more than meets the eye. I had Tyrian obtain a DNA sample from the blonde boy in their group -don’t ask how I’m honestly trying to forget- but after running a test on the boy’s sample it appears that the boy has a form of ancient bloodline. I have never seen anything like this.

Salem: What are you implying Arthur?(She grows more menacing) ‘Is the boy perhaps a spawn from one of Ozpin’s lives? If so then he must be destroyed along with the girl.’ (Pondering)

Watts: Actually mam it is quite fascinating, the boy’s DNA may indicate that he has the ability to regenerate at a extremely high rate and what’s peculiar is that this seems to happen without the need of aura. And there’s also something in there I can’t quite explain it’s almost as if the boy has a adverse reaction to silver eyes, from what Hazel told me what occurred at Haven before. Almost similar to a Grimm.

Salem: ... (Having no expression)

Watts: Um, madam ...is there something I said - (he starts to say thinking he upseted her majesty, but gets quickly cut off by her)

Salem: Arthur I am sending you a DNA signature to your scroll right now I want to you to look at the sample and see if it matches the boy’s.

Watts: Oh! Of course madam. (Looks at the sample, ran a quick test on his scroll and surprisingly it matched, even if the sample appeared to be older than the fresh one taken from the boy’s) My word madam the samples match! Where did you obtain this?

Salem: (Once again takes sometime to be quiet, which was unsettling to Watts until she decided to speak again. Very softly which he has never heard her sound like before) ...it can’t be...

Salem: (Regaining her tone, but appears more urgent) Watts what does this boy look like?

Watts: (Still confused about her sudden change of demeaning again) I’m sorry mam?

Salem: (losing patience) His appearance! What does the boy look like?!

Watts: (Quickly answers out of shock) Um, from what Tyrian says he appears to be blonde by nature having a pale complexion and a cerulean eyes and is quite tall for a boy his age.

Salem: ...Do you you have a picture of him?

Watts: What? Oh! Yes I do in fact, also taken by Tyrian -again, still trying to forget- but I’ll send it to you. (Sends image)

Salem: (Receives image, and appears utterly shacked and wide-eyed. Something no one seen her appear) ... I can’t believe it.

Watts: (Again utterly confused) Madam I’m not trying to pry but where extactly did you obtain that old sample from?

Salem: ... It’s my own.

Watts: W-what?

Salem: (Once again does something that truly terrifies him, she... gains a expression of joy?) I HAVE A GRANDSON! This is WONDERFUL! NEVER IN A MILLION YEARS DID I THINK THIS WAS POSSIBLE!!! I MUST MEET HIM! (She runs out of her throne room leaving the projection of Watts standing there baffled).

Watts: Mam, Madam! Where you going?!

-Outside of her castle-

Salem leaps in joy and runs out of the confines of her castle with a gleeful smile that one would almost find please thank if it wasn’t coming from a lady of darkness.

Salem: (facing a horde of Grimm) EVERYONE HAVE YOU HEARD THE NEWS? I’M A GRANDMOTHER! WOHOO!

Salem: I HAVE A GRANDSON DEATHSTALKER!

Salem: I HAVE GRANDSON GRIFFIN!

Salem: (approaches to a Apathy group) Hey guess what? I have a grandson!

Salem: (Whispers in tiny voice to a newly born Beowulf) I have a grandson little one!

Salem: (on top of a Wyvern about to launch) I HAVE A GRANDSON WYVERNNN- WOOH!

While flying on the top of Grimm Wyvern’s head she contemplates meeting her grandson.

Salem: Oh this so exciting, I feel alive again! Oh I can’t wait to meet him, he’ll be so excited!

The Wyvern continues on its route to Atlas to meet up with the rest of her faction and begin her quest to meet her grandson.

-End of Chapter 1-

* Ok so I plan to due many other chapters for this series. It does follow in line with the fan theory many fans have that Jaune is a descendant of one of Salem and Ozpin’s children. And please I highly advise to watch the original video by HISHE , it’s a great view if you like parody videos and good humor. https://youtu.be/6L8b1zPE0-Y

[jaksfanficsaver]

Just Another Number?

It was another average day, Y/N followed her usual routine and trudged in her rut. First the library, then the coffee shop, maybe after she'd change it up and go draw in the park for a while.

"Hey Laverne," Y/N murmured walking into the library, the scent of old pages and worn leather hitting her as she took a deep content breath.

"Y/n! What's the pick of the week now?" A stout woman inquired from behind her desk. Y/N chuckled and shook her head with a roll of her eyes.

"You're going to laugh," She teased as she wondered down an aisle.

"Try me."

"It's the Bazaar of Bad Dreams... Again." she added the last bit a tad sheepishly

"With all that King you read it's hard to believe that you don't constantly have nightmares." the short woman laughed and rolled her eyes before going back to her filing.

"What, this one is my favorite of his!" she stuck her tongue out in a childish manor as she went about filling out the card, which most spaces on consisted of her name.

"Mhmm, sure." she clacked away at her keyboard "Go flirt with that barista now."

"Oh please." her nose crinkled at the idea "Anthony is definitely not my type, you know that."

"I forgot, you like older mysterious men, Don't you?"

"Laverne!" Her cheeks flared a bright crimson "I'm leaving now, I can't believe you," Y/N laughed as she walked towards the door.

-------

John wondered the library, just close enough to keep an eye on you but not enough to draw attention. His fingers drew across the canvas spines of old books as he listened to the conversation.

"Stephen King, seems like she's a horror fan," Harold's voice came through the ear wick "Bazaar of Bad Dreams, one of his most recent compilation books, it's a nice collection of short stories... Seems like she prefers them to novels, other books she checks out religiously are the Grimm Brother's Collection and a complete collection of Edgar Allen Poe."

"have we got anything else on her?"

"She likes sushi, she's an Art Major a semester away from graduating, she's had maybe three boyfriends in her life and she volunteers at an animal shelter in her free time." the bespectacled man sat back for a moment. "Who on Earth  would want to hurt her?"

"That's what I'm going to find out, Finch." John's eyes trained on the woman through the bookshelves.

"Mhmm, sure." she clacked away at her keyboard "Go flirt with that barista now."

"Oh please." her nose crinkled at the idea "Anthony is definitely not my type, you know that."

"I forgot, you like older mysterious men, Don't you?"

"Laverne!"

A small smirk quirked at the edge of John's lips at the exchange and how the older woman poked fun at Y/N.

"Hear that, Mr. Reese?" there was a smile in Harold's voice "You could use that to get close to her, if you befriend her it could make our job exponentially less difficult." the pepper-haired man let out a soft laugh at the suggestion and shook his head. "She goes to a little coffee shop called 'The Hideaway'. Make sure you don't lose her." John nodded and hung up, deciding to snatch up the leather bound Grimm book just in case.

---

"Um, a medium Irish Creme and a blueberry muffin please?" She ordered politely at the counter, offering a small smile when the man bearing the name tag reading 'Tony' beamed at her.

"Anything else? maybe my phone number? a date?"

She laughed a little nervously and glanced around, catching the tall man who had just walked in she let out a breath she hadn't known she was holding.

"No thanks, Anthony, just the coffee and snack." The light lilt that was usually in her voice had fallen out into a more flat tone at his insistence.

"Oh come one, one of these days you'll say yes like the smart girl you are."

Y/N shivered and couldn't hide the crinkle of her nose at the suggestion

"Just let me pay, please."

"I got it for you, Muffin," He grinned as if proud of himself.

"I'd really prefer if you didn't." She sighed, she was used to his crap, some days he tried harder than others, and honestly it was the stink of desperation that really made her not want to spend outside time with him. The Hideaway was her favorite coffee shop and she wouldn't let a new, somewhat creepy, barista ruin it.

"It'll be like a first date, c'mon, no harm." The blond man insisted all while she shook her head.

"Anthony-"

"Tony. The only person who calls me Anthony is my mother when I'm in trouble." He laughed, his brown eyes still stuck to her face. By this point John had taken up the spot behind her in line to keep an eye on the situation.

"Anthony, I don't want you to pay for me, and I don't want a date with you, please." Y/N's nostrils flared at the young man.

"But-"

"Well maybe I can buy your coffee for you?" John cut in having had seen enough of the man's failing attempts at convincing her to let him get her items. She jumped startled by his sudden appearance and he offered an apologetic (and charming) smile (that also caught her off guard) causing her to flush brightly. Tony openly glared at the older man that seemed to catch her attention.

"Oh, uh, sure, Thank you... "

"John."

"Well then, thank you, John I'd like that." The h/c girl smiled softly up at him to which he nodded and ordered his own before paying, it was then she noticed the book he had tucked under his arm "Is that the Grimm collection?" she inquired with a smile.

"Ah, yes actually it is," he admitted with what was perceived as a sheepish smile as he lifted the object. "I used to read them as a child, I thought I'd check it out once more." He responded with a light shrug.

"Um, would you like to sit with me?" She offered a little awkwardly while she gestured to a booth he assumed was her usual spot.

"Oh, you don-"

"I insist, really." She smiled more confidently this time

"Well, if you're sure."

"Well done, John." Finch spoke in his ear "Stay with her, I think I can get into the laptop in her bag."

"So, is that a common occurrence?" the ex-operative questioned gently as he sat across from her. Y/N was very aware of the set of brown eyes on the two of them as she cut her muffin in half and offered part to her 'savior'.

"Yeah, that's Anthony," Y/N began with a sigh "He started working here a few months ago and has this thing  with me.

"I see why, you're a beautiful young girl," he charmed, not that it wasn't what he actually thought "Are you okay though?"

"I-" she puffed her cheeks out as she registered what he said and she once again rivaled a tomato "... Thank you." Y/N mumbled softly before taking a sip of her coffee. "Tony is harmless, just persistent," she deflated a bit "My biggest problem with him, aside from not knowing the word 'no', is that I can't quite pin down why I don't trust him." John cocked a brow at this. "I know it sounds crazy, but I pride myself on my initial instincts on people, but I can usually tell why I don't like someone." she shook her head "something is off with him and I'm not sure what."

"I think I might know," Harold began "Anthony has a history of being... overbearing.. with women he likes. He's not violent, but his type is definitely the kind that might set off some flags. I don't think he is the one we need to watch out for."

"So you have good judge of character," he nodded "I'd like to think I do as well." he paused "What made you trust me then?" John was genuinely curious with this one, not just trying to buy time for Harold.

"You have honest eyes." She didn't miss a beat "What I mean to say is that I truly believe you wanted to help me out of that awkward situation." she let out a small laugh and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and looked down into her cup. "So, um, is it everything you remembered?" she abruptly asked, pointing to the red leather that sat beside her new companion.

"Oh, yes," he chuckled softly

"Nice save." commented the voice in his ear.

"Tales that don't just end happily, but have a lesson were always a preference of mine," he explained "While the Grimm's didn't write happy stories they wrote ones I believe need to exist."

"Yes!" her eyes sparkled as she listened to his opinion "I always loved Grimm Tales and Aesop's Fables" Her smile was nearly ear to ear "I had a language class where we had to pick a children's book to translate, I was the only one who picked a fable."

"Almost in, she has a pin protected system... good girl." Harold murmured.

"You speak another language?" John inquired with a small tilt of his head as he sipped on his coffee. She beamed and started gesturing around with her hands proudly. It took John a moment but he recognized it as American Sign Language. He took a moment to think about what he was doing before carefully attempting to sign something back

'H-I M-Y N-A-M-E I-S J-O-H-N'

Y/N giggled softly and nodded.

"Close, some of your letters are a little off- may I?" she gently reached for his hands, smiling more when he placed his own in hers "Okay, so you want to make sure you're really clear on your letters if you're going to finger spell," she had such a light touch as she guided his fingers through the motions "And then there's shortcut signs for 'Name' and 'hello', and there are no little connectors" he watched her as she focused on sharing her knowledge "Aaannnd there you go!" she grinned, satisfied that she taught him a good introductory sentence. She pulled back a little too quickly when she had realized she had still been holding John's hands causing the man to chuckle genuinely.

"Oh, he can laugh?" Harold couldn't resist teasing his good friend "I think you two might be flirting, Reese you dog." If the taller man could roll his eyes he would.

"What do I owe you for the lesson then miss.." John tilted his head, pretending that he didn't know her name.

"Oh my god, I never introduced myself, I'm sorry! It's Y/N." an embarrassed flush coated her cheeks "I'd say saving me from my admirer would be payment enough, but I wouldn't argue if you wanted to do it again tomorrow, same time?"

"Then I'll meet you here, Y/N."

------

John kept Y/n in his sights, snapping a few pictures after the two of you left the coffee shop.

"So you have a date tomorrow morning then."This time John did roll his eyes.

"It's not a date, Finch." he grumbled

"You sound a tad disappointed, Mr. Reese." John glared directly into the traffic cam he knew could see him.

"I'm old enough I could be her father."

"Not quite actually, but that's not the point." John could hear Finch typing "So i was able to find that she's part of some conspiracy forums, that and that she covers her webcams when not in use. Our girl may be a bit on the paranoid side."

"The paranoid survive."

"That's true, but i suspect one of her government conspiracies hits too close to home if any of the trojans I found mean anything."

"If shes paranoid I doubt she'd just download things that could infect her system like that."

"Precisely Mr. Reese... She's got a couple of threads on surveillance, they might be scared she'll find the machine, and if that's true we can't leave her alone for a second."

"Harold, I lost her."

[gokinjeespot]

off the rack #1303

Monday, March 2, 2020

 This is a public service announcement. You will be ticketed for parking on the street during a parking ban even though the snow has already been cleared from the roads. We got a ticket parked in front of our house last week because we couldn't get into our driveway after the grader left a big snow bank at the end of it. I hope to spare anyone from being dinged with what I think is an unfair fine.

 Amazing Spider-Man: Daily Bugle #2 - Mat Johnson (writer) Mack Chater (art pages 1-12) Francesco Mobili (art pages 13-20) Dono Sanchez-Almara, Protobunker & Peter Pantazis (colours) VC's Joe Caramagna (letters). I can't read the rest of this 5-issue mini. The art really bothered me this issue. It was hard to tell what was going on the first few pages and then seeing Peter Parker in civvies looking almost exactly like the bad guy confused me further. There are interesting mysteries about Spidey's webbing and a Wilson Fisk involvement with an explosion, but this story probably won't matter in the grand scheme of things, so I don't think I'll miss anything if I bail out here.

 Punisher Soviet #4 - Garth Ennis (writer) Jacen Burrows (pencils) Guillermo Ortego (inks) Nolan Woodard (colours) Rob Steen (letters). Frank and Valery go after Konstantin by kidnapping his trophy wife. She's amenable to divorce by Punisher. Thank Garth for improving my mood.

 Basketful of Heads #5 - Joe Hill (writer) Leomacs (art) Riccardo La Bella (additional pencils) Dave Stewart (colours) Deron Bennett (letters). Everything leading up to this issue has been circumstantial. Now the villain tells the complete story. I'm rooting for June to survive this mess.

 Year of the Villain: Hell Arisen #3 - James Tynion IV (writer) Steve Epting & Javier Fernandez (art) Nick Filardi (colours) Travis Lanham (letters). Heh, it's the Joker who helps Lex beat the Batman Who Laughs. It looks like next issue's pulse pounding conclusion will be Lex and his super villains versus the Batman Who Laughs and his infected super heroes. It's been a while since the Main Man has been in a comic that I've read.

 Avengers #31 - Jason Aaron (writer) Gerardo Zaffino, Geraldo Borges, Szymon Kudranski, Oscar Bazaldua, Robert Gill & Mattia De Iulis (art) Rachelle Rosenberg & Mattia De Iulis (colours) VC's Joe Caramagna (letters). I haven't seen Tony Stark in a while so I assumed he was dead. Nope. He was zapped a million years into the past by the master manipulator Mephisto. The devil tries to get Tony's soul. This is a wonderful full issue of Iron Man and if Jason wrote an Iron Man book, I'd read it.

 Amethyst #1 - Amy Reeder (story & art) Gabriela Downie (letters). I remember reading the original Amethyst book when it hit the racks in 1983 with the Ernie Colon art. It was fun and weird with a plucky heroine. This new Wonder Comics book has the appeal of having art by Amy Reeder who wowed me with her work on Madame Xanadu and Rocket Girl. Here she is writing as well and the art and story is tight and concise. This is a nice substitute for the dearly departed Naomi book.

 Avengers of the Wastelands #2 - Ed Brisson (writer) Jonas Scharf (art) Neeraj Menon (colours) VC's Cory Petit (letters). It's the origin of Captain America of the Wastelands. His name is Grant. I think this is a great way to change tried and true Marvel characters to make them fresh and new. Having them fight an evil Doctor Doom is nice and simple. Four Avengers may become five but they have to contend with a super villain first.

 Suicide Squad #3 - Tom Taylor (writer) Bruno Redondo (art) Adriano Lucas (colours) Wes Abbott (letters). The new Squad's first mission under Lok's leadership does not go according to plan. Neither are these super villains what they seem. This is why I read Tom Taylor books. Forget about any new Crises and DCeased and pick up this most excellent comic book for some straight up action and skulduggery.

 Kill Lock #3 - Livio Ramondelli (story & art) Tom B. Long (letters). I get why the calligraphy font is used in the Wraith's word balloons but man, is it hard to read. This issue explains why The Kid is innocent and shouldn't be branded. The four droids find the one who can lead them to the Kill Lock's off switch but she betrays them. This universe of sentient robots is pretty cool.

 Jessica Jones: Blind Spot #4 - Kelly Thompson (writer) Mattia De Iulis (art) VC's Cory Petit (letters). Each issue has started off with Jessica held captive by the bad guy. The end of this issue reveals who that is and how she was killed and resurrected. I am looking forward to the conclusion to see how she defeats the villain.

 Batman Superman #7 - Joshua Williamson (writer) Nick Derington (art) Dave McCaig (colours) John J. Hill (letters). A new story starts here. Part 1 of "The Kandor Compromise" pits the World's Finest duo against Ra's Al Ghul and General Zod. One of the bad guys is working with the good guys. I got bored of the fight between Superman and Rogol Zaar so what happened to the city of Kandor was a surprise to me. I'm interested to see the final fate of the shrunken city.

 Giant-Size X-Men: Jean Grey and Emma Frost #1 - Jonathan Hickman (writer) Russell Dauterman (art) Matthew Wilson (colours) VC's Clayton Cowles (letters). This mostly wordless $4.99 US one-shot will be a quick read but I read it twice just to soak in the beautiful art. The story starts with the discovery Storm's body and ends with a problem after Ororo is resurrected. This leads into a story where Jean, Emma, Logan and Scott will have to save Storm again.

 Leviathan Dawn #1- Brian Michael Bendis (writer) Alex Maleev (art) Josh Reed (letters). Leviathan succeeded in shutting down every spy agency and the leader has been revealed to be an ex-spy named Mark Shaw. The good guys are still trying to fight back but they're going to need help. Time for Kingsley Jacobs to start up Check Mate again. I like the players he's gathered. I'm looking forward to watching this game unfold.

 Finger Guns #1 - Justin Richards (writer) Val Halvorson (art) Rebecca Nalty (colours) Taylor Esposito (letters). And now for something completely different. This new urban fantasy introduces two teenagers with a weird power. Wes discovers that when he shoots people with his left hand he can make them angry. Sadie can calm people down when she uses her right finger gun. They meet by accident at the mall and try to get a handle on their newfound powers. It's a cool concept and I wonder where these kids are going to end up.

 Fantastic Four: Grimm Noir #1 - Gerry Duggan (writer) Ron Garney (art) Matt Milla (colours) VC's Joe Caramagna (letters). This one's all about Ben's bad dreams. I thought the bad guy was Nightmare but it's another one of those mystical villains that generally mess with Doctor Strange. I expected some sort of Mickey Spillane type story but there's no murder, just a pretty dame needing rescue. It's a nice character study of the ever lovin' blue-eyed Thing.

 Detective Comics #1020 - Peter J. Tomasi (writer) Brad Walker (pencils) Andrew Hennessy (inks) Brad Anderson (colours) Rob Leigh (letters). Two-Face is back and he's more bipolar than ever. This is what I like to see, an old villain presented in a slightly new way. We still have the scarred coin dictating how Harvey acts but there's a new twist with a cult of fanatics and the Church of the Two Strikes. I love how the first page hints at the return of the Court of Owls too.

 Falcon & Winter Soldier #1 - Derek Landy (writer) Federico Vicentini (art) Matt Milla (colours) VC's Joe Caramagna (letters). This 5-issue team-up starts off with a heavily armed and armoured hit squad attacking Bucky Barnes in his home. The Winter Soldier emerges unscathed and hops his motorcycle to find out who sent the killers. Meanwhile Sam Wilson is searching for a missing vet. The two meet at a government agency office where all the staff are dead. Wanting to know who's doing all the killing has got me interested in reading the rest but when a preppy killer shows up and kicks both of the heroes asses I decided to put this mini on my "must read" list. The kid's name is the Natural. Picture a blonde Damian Wayne in a pair of Chuck Taylors.

 The Amazing Spider-Man #40 - Nick Spencer (writer) Iban Coello & Ze Carlos (art) Brian Reber & Peter Pantazis (colours) VC's Joe Caramagna (letters). The fight between Spider-Man and Chance had to do with a bet that Chance could get one of Spidey's web shooters. What bothered me was how easily that was done and Spider-Man's lack of urgency to get it back. There's a couple of foreshadowing scenes that will keep me reading however. One involves the Clairvoyant device and the other is who Norah Winters is working with.

 X-Men #7 - Jonathan Hickman (writer) Leinil Francis Yu (art) Sunny Gho (colours) VC's Clayton Cowles (letters). This issue is dedicated to a new Mutant Ritual called the Crucible. It's a lot shorter than calling it the Arena of Death and Rebirth. It shows how mutants who have lost their powers can get them back. But first we have to endure a deep philosophical discussion between Cyclops and Nightcrawler. It's a real snoozer if you're an action fan.

 Action Comics #1020 - Brian Michael Bendis (writer) John Romita Jr. (pencils) Klaus Janson (inks) Brad Anderson (colours) Dave Sharpe (letters). I wish they would stop with the deceiving covers. It looks like Superman is trying to come between Lex Luthor and Leviathan but what actually happens inside is Superman fighting Lex and the Legion of Doom. If it weren't for Young Justice helping out I would have found this issue boring.

 X-Men/Fantastic Four #2 - Chip Zdarsky (writer) Terry Dodson (pencils) Rachel Dodson, Karl Story & Ransom Getty (inks) Laura Martin (colours) VC's Joe Caramagna (letters). There's a lot of heroes accusing heroes of shenanigans concerning the disappearance of Franklin and Valeria. They are actually guests of Doctor Doom. Victor wants to reverse what Reed did to his son and I want to know why. With the X-Men converging on Doom Island, good old Doc Doom is prepared for an attack.

 X-Force #8 - Benjamin Percy (writer) Bazaldua (art) Guru-eFX (colours) VC's Joe Caramagna (letters). Why did Oscar Bazaldua stop using his first name in the credits? Domino and Colossus attack the flesh factory making assassins using Neena's DNA. The organisation funding the flesh factory has a mysterious benefactor and I'm hanging around to find out who that is. I wish they would change either Sage or Jubilee's costume. I keep getting them confused.

[calliecat93]

RWBY V6 CH5 Review: The Coming Storm

It's been roughly about a month now since Volume 6 started... and ho boy, has this volume has not held back it's punches whatsoever. Within the span of four chapters we got a train wreck, long awaited questions answered, Cinder plotting her vengeance, and Salem reminding us why she is scary as Hell. We've been put through the wringer these past for weeks, and now with Chapter 5 upon us, we are all wondering how this can get anymore intense. Well delving into the horror genre seems to be a pretty good way! What do I mean? Well lets find out!

Overview

Before we check on our heroes though, lets check in on Cinder The good news for her is that Lil' Miss Malachite has gotten the information that she wanted. She informs the Fall Maiden of the good guys heading for Argus, which causes Cinder to conclude that they're heading for Atlas next. She starts to head off... until Lil' Miss refers to her by name. As it turns out, Cinder was quite the interesting figure. So much so that it brought the information broker double the business. How you may ask? Well the camera cuts to above where we see a figure standing on a  beam... and carrying with her a familiar looking parasol That's right my friends, after three volumes and a ton of teasing, Neo has made her return.

Neo wastes no time, attacking Cinder and the two villainesses begin to rumble. It's a pretty awesome hand-to-hand fight too, all as a chilling new Jeff and Casey tune plays. Did I mention that I really want the soundtrack? Between this, Lionized, Miracle, and the opening this soundtrack is gong to be morbidly awesome. Lil' Miss, while clearly enjoying the show, eventually tells the two girls to take their rumble outside. It's at this point that Cinder discovers that the Neo that she's been fighting is one of her illusions... so yeah, Neo can now cast longer, more lifelike illusions. Be afraid people. Be very afraid. But it isn't long before Cinder causes the real Neo to step forward.

Now normally, Neo has a confident, pretty cocky demeanor like her former boss, which her previous illusion also demonstrated. But here? Her clothes are slightly tattered, her expression is serious and vengeful, and most notably she is now wearing a very familiar looking hat. It takes Cinder no time to realize what the deal is: Neo wants to kill her as revenge for Torchwick's death. As they fight however, Cinder points out that they both have the same goal, which is to get revenge on Little Red Ruby. Cinder finally goes into Maiden mode, causing Neo to stop in fear, ad the Fall Maiden convinces her to knock it off and that they can work together to make Ruby pay. Neo agrees to talk... well she can't really talk, which I guess we now have conformation that Neo is indeed a mute. But you get what I mean.

Back with Team RWBY, the storm is growing worst as Ruby is confused by the state of Brunswick Farms. Most places that she's seen that were abandoned were either destroyed or unfinished, but this place is fine. The group breaks into what I assume is the mayor's house and everyone scatters to look around and find supplies. Ruby's attention goes to some portraits, showing a rather happy bunch of people. Blake goes to check on her... when the two hear Weiss scream. The gang goes to find her and Yang in a state of horror... because they just found the corpses of the home owners still int heir beds. WELL... THAT WAS SOMETHING.

A little later, Qrow confirms that all of the town is dead int he same manner. Weiss understandably doesn't want to stay there, but with the storm they have no choice. Qrow goes to see if he can find anything that can transport them out, ordering the others to go nowhere alone. Blake and Yang go to see if they can find anything in the other buildings as Ruby and Weiss look around to see if they can find any food. That leaves Oscar with Maria, who tells him to keep the fire going as she looks for a bedtime story. Did I mention that I love Abuelita Maria? Because Dear God do I love her.

Blake and Yang end up in some kind of barn/shed and look around, also wondering what it could have been that killed everyone. It's pretty clear that Yang is not handling any of the recent events well and Blake is concerned, but the blonde merely says that she's tired and wants to get out of this place. She finds a wagon that looks large enough to hold everyone, but any possible relief is killed when she has a flashback to Adam. She tells Blake of how she still flashes back to that night, her hand trembling as she asks the cat girl if she believes that Adam is still out there. Blake doesn't know, especially since despite knowing that the WF will reject him for his cowardice, he'll likely force his way anyways. She would know after all, he would use force and fear to make her feel beneath him and right into his control. But still, Blake tries to comfort Yang by assuring her that she isn't going anywhere and will be there for her. It seems to help Yang... until Blake says that if Adam comes back, she'll protect her. Yang doesn't take that comment well, heading back while saying that they'll hook the wagon to Bumblebee later. And somewhere, the Bumblebee shippers aren't sure if they should cheer, cry, or both.

Back with Ruby and Weiss, they find what looks like a bar. Ruby isn't happy with this, especially considering Qrow's current mental state, but brushes it aside as she heads for a pantry. Weiss however starts to ask Ruby if they're still heading for Atlas, much to Ruby's confusion. Weiss brings up that Salem can't be killed, so what's the point of going there now? Well that's what she claims anyways. I think that we all know the real reason why she doesn't want to go back. Ruby is clearly upset about this, but Weiss takes it back and just says that she's tired and hates this place... remember this for the review. They find more alcohol and a chained up wine cellar... and some canned shrimp flavored beans! Ugh... why would anyone make those? They take the food and leave and the episode ends with one of the cellar doors opening up...

Review

If anyone was hoping that things would get more cheery.. well sorry, you're going to be waiting awhile! Man, this episode was tense. Heck,t hat's what they should have named it! Tense: The Episode. I'm not complaining though cause man, this chapter was great! The drama continues to keep us at the edge of our sets, we got some payoffs, and plenty of nightmare fuel! Thanks for the Day 5/Until Dawn crossover CRWBY! I'll be having nightmares for weeks now!

So lets talk about the villains first! Neo is back... and I really don't care. I know that Neo is a fan favorite, and it totally baffles me as to why. Her design is cute and all, but... she hasn't done anything. I mean she's.. what? Fought Yang, broke Roman out of prison, and fought Ruby before getting Mary Poppins'd off the airship. That's it. We know nothing about her as a character and her scenes are very minor. She existed to be Roman's flunky because Monty came up with a cool design at the last possible moment. Otherwise, she could have been written out and it would have changed nothing about the series. I need more than a cool character design to care about a character, hence why I wasn't upset when Sienna got killed off, so I really wasn't all that excited to have her show up again,

That being said... this CAN turn out to be a good thing. Because with Torchwick dead, it gives Neo motivation as a character. She clearly cared about her boss and now that he's gone, all that she's left with is the desire for revenge against those who got him killed in the first place. With Cinder now wanted, it made sense to go after her first, plus it was Cinder's planning that got Torchwick put into that situation to begin with. Honestly Torchwick's death may be what allows Neo to get the character that I feel that she is lacking and while I don't expect her partnership with Cinder to stick for long, it'll be interesting to see how she operates now that she has the chance to get back at Ruby.

As for the scene itself, I loved it! The fight scene was great. Fast-paced, but not over bloated. Just a really cool hand-to-hand fight with both Cinder and Neo using their abilities to their advantage. Cinder is still a bitch, but she's showing more of the more smug persona that we're familiar with while actually being logical with her convincing Neo to work with her rather than against her. Considering her current situation and lack of any backup until she redeems herself, it makes sense for Cinder to go this route, even if her mind is still mainly on making Ruby suffer. But hey, she's not screwing up any per-conceived plans to do it this time! Oh, and Lil' Miss Malachite continues to be a delight. I freakin' love this woman.

Now onto our heroes... and boy do I worry for them. God the entire sequence from them breaking into the house to finding the bodies... it was tense. Something felt so off. Poor Weiss just seems traumatized after, and I can't blame her. I'd be traumatized too. So what was it that killed an entire town? Well I think it's pretty clearly a Grimm, but we'll go more into that in a little bit. For now, lets talk about the partner scenes.

Yang and Blake's scene just... made me sad. On the one hand, I freakin' love Blank. She's gone form my least favorite Team RWBY member and not even in my Top 5 to now being a serious contender for my second favorite alongside Weiss. Throughout this chapter, she is supportive and concerned for her teammates. She goes to see what Ruby's thinking about as she stares at the photos, gives Weiss a blanket while she's clearly still reeling from her morbid discovery, and she is trying so hard to be supportive and friendly with Yang. She tries to give Yang the chance to talk about what's bothering her, opens up about how small Adam made her feel, and tries to assure Yang that she's not going anywhere and won't let her get hurt again. It really shows how much that Blake has grown since Volume 4, an I am loving every second of it.

Sadly, Yang isn't doing that great. The recent events, from Adam to everything with her mom to the new revelations to now, have clearly weighed her down. She's downcast, bitter, and frustrated. Her PTSD is still haunting her as she still has flashback and despite being willing to face her fears, those fears still haunt her. And sadly just when it looks like Blake's making a breakthrough, Yang gets upset because Blake said that she'd protect her. It's a very sweet comment, but to Yang it make her feel like she's weak an incapable. She's supposed to be the one protecting people, not the other way around. She hates feeling weak and afraid, so while Blake's comment was nothing but well intentioned, to the blonde it felt like an insult and only reinforced all the negativity brewing inside her. Clearly she needs to let it out and she and Blake need to sort everything out, then she can start to do better. Hopefully, this arc will allow that.

Onto the Ruby and Weiss pair and... man, poor Weiss. The girl is badly shaken from finding the corpses, even as she tries to keep some kind of positive attitude after. But it's clear that both the recent events and the fear of going back to Atlas are haunting her. She's afraid to go home since it means facing her father again and the threat of once more being locked away. No one would want to go back to the place where thy were kept prisoner. But she's also concerned with the recent revelations. Salem can't be killed. Even if they lock away the Relic, all it'll do is slow her down. There seems to be no point, and Weiss is considering calling it quits even if only briefly. It shows how bad of a state shes in emotionally on top of everything else, and I really worry for her.

Then of course there's Ruby. I think that this is the most serious that we've seen her in a good while. She's very much in leader mode, and after how baldy she got the shaft last volume, this is very good to see. She's concerned about the state of the town and trying to piece it together. She tries to comfort Weiss by looking for food. When she finds the bar, she want sot immediately seal it up out of concern that Qrow will get overly drunk. Clearly a lot is weighing on Ruby, yet she still displays a helpful, positive attitude. She's really trying, and it really makes me concerned for her. IDK if all that she's holding in is going to break in this volume, but with how the other three seem ready to break, this might be the right time to do it. I do think that Ruby may have to save them all though, if my current theory about the Grimm is right.

So you may remember that both Weiss and Yang being tired, Yang even showing signs of being delirious. I don't think that's just general dialogue. Remember, they were the two who found the bodies. Bodies that were tucked in bed alongside the rest of the town. It seems that whatever the Grimm is, one that I assume the town locked up until now, it killed them in their sleep There are many different ways to interpret this, but my current thought is that this is some kind of dream walker Grimm. Think of it like Freddy Kruger form Nightmare on Elm Street. Someone who haunts and tortures you in your dreams, to the point that you end up dead in the real world. And this Grimm may cause people to feel tired in order to lull them into it' trap, hence why the entire town ended up dead.

If I had to guess, Weiss, Yang, and Qrow are going to end up asleep and end up victims of the Grimm. Maybe Blake too, but who can say? IDK about Oscar either though I think that Maria will be fine. This will probably means that while everyone is trying to fight through their nightmares. Ruby may have to go into the cellar to find and kill the Grimm, which would lead to the scene in the opening. Heck, for all I know all of them will end up in the nightmares and maybe Ruby's the first to break through or something. I'm not sure. For all I know, I'm talking completely out of my ass. What I do know however is no matter what this Grimm may be or whatever is coming next, with this episode's title being 'The Coming Storm' it's NOT gonna be pretty.

Final Thoughts

Like last week, this episode had me uncomfortable throughout, but in different ways. I am seriously worried about everyone and whatever it is that's about to happen to them. No one is in a good place right now, and that's probably about to reach a breaking point. But hey, we got a cool fight scene and a new song! That was nice of them! But yeah, really enjoyed this episode! It has plenty of character development and plenty of setup for next week. So tune in then as Nightmare Fuel Theater proudly presents RWBY: Day 5 Until Dawn!

[thecultoftill]

Warning. Terrible Rammstein fanfic within.

Thanks to Ich–Will for the idea. Yes it’s terrible. Yes it needs a lot of work, but it’s still a WIP.

I haven’t shared any of my terrible writing before, so please don’t be too harsh.

No real title yet. It’s the first draft of the first part of the hands prompt.

If Richard had always treasured one part of his lover, it was his hands. An odd choice perhaps, their monstrous span and coarse,blunt digits more suited to the task of cracking skulls, and rending flesh from bone than to a weaver of baskets and worlds. There was an odd comfort though, in those broad scarred palms that belied their vulgarity. Hands that reminded Richard of the men that they truly were beneath the seedy glamor of celebrity, and the suffocating expectations of the fans who in their quest for the divine paid no attention to the mere mortals within who lay wounded, crushed beneath their clamouring feet.

The Baker and The Basket Weaver. The city boy and the country boy. That’s what they had been long before the media found excuse to force their protesting forms into other ill fitting frames: Diva, Monster, Perverts, Deviants, Nazis…

Richard had been enchanted from the moment he’d first encountered this strange, shy, country boy, who never seemed truly comfortable with the lumbering bulk of his body. Those soulful green eyes often held the frightened, bewildered look of a small boy who’d gone to bed , brow kissed, and bear in hand, only to find himself awaking in the body of Grimms’ giant.

When Till, after almost an hour of suffocating silence, had hesitatingly told him that he was a basket weaver, Richard scoffed; incredulous that those brutish paws which seemed only capable of destruction could create anything, let alone such fragile objects. He cursed himself for his unintentional cruelty when he saw the older man cringe at the harsh sound of his incredulous laughter, and immediately tried to make amends by telling him that he’d like nothing more than to visit him in his workshop in the tiny village of Wendisch-Rambeau. Till, equally disbelieving, agreed after some hesitation, and made arrangements for Richard to join him there in three days time.

The workshop; cramped and strewn with willow rods, orange peel, candy wrappers, and cigarette ends was utterly unremarkable, but the objects that Till created before his eyes,mmere baskets though they were, seemed to Richard as unreal as gold spun from straw. Somehow this Titan with his peasant’s hands had all the delicacy and grace of a spider weaving her web. Richard had never considered baskets to be beautiful before, but in Till’s paws, even the simplest of his works seemed tinged with a touch of magic.

After that first visit Richard found every excuse he could to leave the infernal heat of the bakery he worked in,behind,exchanging the choking clouds of flour and sugar for the piney, bitter tang of the sawdust that littered the floor of Till’s workshop, for the basket weaver was also a skilled carver, once gifting Richard a delicately carved wooden fox saying it reminded of him, and typically falling into a stubborn silence when pressed for more detail.

One April day Till appeared in the morning chill, with his masterpiece: his newborn daughter Nele. He said little but the shy, proud smile, and the way he held her out as though the most sacred of offerings, said it all for him. Richard admired the tiny girl, with her Cupid’s bow mouth, a tiny,perfect replica of Till’s, and a downy thatch of strawberry blonde hair, but most of all he looked at the hands that held her with such assurance. Those enormous hands cradled the baby and her delicate skull with such tenderness and security. Their size and steadfastness making a silent promise to the child to be there for her, no matter what toils and strife life may thrust upon her. Richard felt a lump in his throat, wondering if his parents had ever held him with such reverence and adoration, but knowing it unlikely. Their hands had only ever been used to rebuke, to wound and rebuff.

He’d learned in Till’s workshop and in his bed that hands could do other things: caress, console, bring pleasure, guide, comfort and steady. It was also in that workshop where he first heard that strange siren’s call that’d come to dominate and determine their lives for the next thirty years.