#The Fortunes of Jaded Woman

[geekpopnews]

Livro de Caroline Huyhn será adaptado para a TV

Caroline Huyhn é escritora e conhecida por abordar a cultura vietnamita-americana e a imigração. Seu livro de estreia "The Fortunes of Jaded Woman" ( não traduzido para o português), será adaptada para a TV. #CarolineHuyhn #TheFortunesofJadedWomen

O livro de estreia da escritora e vietnamita-americana Caroline Huyhn vai ganhar uma série. A Heyday Television, em parceria com a Universal Television, adquiriu os direitos de “The Fortunes Of Jaded Women”, publicado em 2022. No Brasil, o livro ainda não tem um título e não ganhou uma tradução para o português. No entanto, a obra tem conquistado boa parte do público, não apenas nos Estados…

[vxnuslogy]

— a reason. ft aventurine

— warnings: slight cursing and violence and spoilers for the new hsr quest

— author's note: this is very long and very much a giant word vomit. first work in hsr is aventurine, i fear favoritism is real.

‘everything happens for a reason.’

aventurine has never felt so sick and tired of that phrase. something about it makes his fists clench from beneath the table and stomach flip and twist uncomfortably from within.

if everything happens for a reason, then what was the reason behind his clan’s massacre? what was the reason for the stirring in his guts whenever he looked in the mirror? what was the reason behind all of his fortune now turned to misfortune?

aventurine hated not knowing the reason.

“and this pretty thing,” jade motioned towards you by her side. standing motionless, back straight and all. “is [name]. be sure to play nice, aventurine.”

what was the reason behind your new recruitment? better yet, why were you placed as his new assistant? the last time aventurine checked, he was doing perfectly fine. steadily climbing up his rank with his risky gambles and bargaining skills. he couldn't wrap his head around it so he just sighed and accepted it.

“thank you for always looking after me, jade.” his voice carried evident sarcasm but the woman only smiled and pushed you towards his direction. he had to physically stop himself from recoiling from the action and gave you a smile.

“it's a pleasure to meet you, [name].” he held his hand out for you to take. you were hesitating, aventurine noticed. but after a few seconds you slowly slid your hand into his and gave it a firm shake. “the pleasure is all mine, mr. aventurine.”

the blonde man held onto your hand for a moment longer before slipping it away and tucking it behind his back. he surveyed your form making you want to squirm under such a gaze, and he noticed.

“let's be good friends.”

—

working with aventurine was strange, not that you didn't expect it. you spent the past six months running around the IPC from one office to another carrying mountains of papers and constantly picking up calls from the communication device in your ear. other times, you'll be out and about trailing aventurine like a lost duckling when you need to accompany him to missions that require him to be physically present.

honestly, working for the stoneheart will eventually give you an early death from a heart attack. not only is his risky gambling habits very concerning, his way of speaking wasn't exactly everyone's cup of tea. more often than not you’re needed to play as a peacemaker, the middle ground of negotiations to prevent any physical fights from starting.

but it wasn't as bad as you'd assume. you clock in around 9 in the morning and clock out at 5 in the afternoon. sometimes if certain tasks require you for overtime, you'll clock out at around 8 or 9 at night max. all the work aventurine assigns to you aren't all that difficult to handle as well. just simple reports that need to be proofread so he won't have to read over them multiple times, scheduling interviews, picking up calls and informing him of his new missions, and if the situation calls for it, you play as a spy to gather information.

overall aventurine was a good boss.

today was like any other tuesday morning. you clock in just before 9, get your coffee and another cup for your boss, pick up the last reports from the strategic investment department, and then make your way into aventurine’s office to brief him on his schedule.

his office was on the fancier ends, no surprise there as he was one of the ten stonehearts. your shoes clicking when they met the marbled floors, your eyes skimmed through the reports, trying to guess which proposal will be approved or disapproved. when you reached a familiar door, you fixed your hair and readjusted the insignia pinned to your vest. an aventurine stone, just like your boss.

you knock thrice -short, short and long- before you hear a muffled voice tell you to come in.

“good morning, mr. aventurine.” you greet with a slight bow as normal. “as punctual as ever, [name].” raising your head you nod towards topaz’s direction in acknowledgment before making your way to his desk. “here are all the reports from the last mission. i’ve read through all of them and made sure everything is in order.” placing the papers on the table, he dropped the ones in his current hand before taking the new ones, all the while, you place down his coffee which he gladly took.

“you aren't overworking them, have you, aventurine?” topaz inquired, crossing both her arms over her chest. “what kind of boss do you take me for friend? a bad one? i can assure you my assistant is in good hands.” the blonde man chipped in, his fingers flipping from one page to another as you busied yourself trying to organize the scattered reports on his table. feeling topaz's gaze, you give her a slight smile and nod, confirming that aventurine is in fact, was a good boss.

she just sighed and shook her head. motioning for you to come over, you look to aventurine who gave you a nod in turn. you walked towards topaz -feeling the searing stare of aventurine burn through the back of your head- as she took out a flash drive and handed it to you.

“this is the recording of the last meeting in regards to the mission you're tasked with. since you were still in pier port, we started without you.”

“how cruel of you, to start such an important meeting without even waiting for me.”

ah yes, the pier port incident. you smiled wearily as your shoulder slumped when you remembered what happened. you shake your head in amusement of the memory.

“thank you topaz,” you break the silence, like you always do. “i’ll be sure to look over it today.” she smiled at you in appreciation before turning her back on you and waving goodbye.

“well, that was all i came for. catch you two later.”

once the door clicked shut and the sounds of footsteps getting fainter and fainter, you took it as a sign to turn back to your boss who was already looking at you.

“is something the matter, sir?” you ask. he took off his glasses with a hum and turned his attention back to the papers he was reading. “be sure to give me a summarized report of the meeting before you go home.” you nod and take a seat on the couch in his office and boot up the laptop on the coffee table. you've always wondered when it suddenly appeared in his office, you were 98% sure it wasn't there when you first started working but aventurine always said that's it been there the entire time.

you shake the thought out of your mind and shift into work mode. hours seem to pass by in the blink of an eye before you heard aventurine call out to you. “i’m sorry mr. aventurine, i'm afraid i didn't hear you.” you heard him sigh and repeat his question. “i said, why did you join the IPC? actually, no, that's not what i want to know.”

when you looked up from the laptop in front of you, your boss had taken a seat across from you. you felt your heart thumping in nervousness.

“what exactly did you do to pique jade’s interest?”

frozen. you felt frozen on your spot. fingers stopping midway from pressing onto the keys. those beautiful eyes you've slowly grown accustomed to seeing unfiltered from his glasses, they make your heart and pulse beat in an unfamiliar rhythm.

“i come from a well-off family.” you start, suddenly feeling conscious of your background. “my parents have worked closely with the stonehearts, i suppose miss jade wanted to continue the diplomatic relationship between my family and the IPC.”

“is that the reason why you're here now?”

you simply nod even though you weren't so sure if that really was the reason.

“let me ask you another question.”

letting out a startled noise when the laptop in your lap suddenly close with a gloved hand sitting on top of it, you stare at aventurine's purple eyes that had rings of teal, something so uniquely him that you couldn't help but get lost in them. he took the laptop from your grasp and set it on the coffee table as he leaned both his arms on his legs.

“do you like working under me?”

the question caught you off guard and it showed with how the corner of aventurine’s mouth twitched up into a smirk. hiding behind a closed fist and clearing your throat, you pray that your voice wouldn't waver as you answer.

“i do.” you peaked towards his directions and he didn't seem satisfied with your answer so you list out all the reasons why you like working with him. “despite your… questionable habits, i’ve come to grow used to them as time goes on.” a fond smile made its way to your lips when you dug around your mind trying to find your memories that had aventurine in them, only to realize that he was in all of them.

“i’ve come to enjoy all your little shenanigans in missions.”

“i'll have you know, calling your boss’ plans “shenanigans” could lead to your bonus being cut by a few percent.” he huffed like a child as he decided to just sit back and cross his arms over his chest and raise his chin at you. you chuckle at the action and continue.

“ever since i was a child, i have always wanted to travel the cosmos. but since i’m the only child to my mother and father, my childhood, teenage years, and now adulthood is centered around business and trade. going out on missions with you to different planets, they heal that little part of me that wished to travel.”

“but sometimes, i truly believe that you want me to die from a heart attack.” you hear him snicker from under his breath as he fixes the watch on his wrist. “i know that as a gambler taking risks is just a part of it but aeons, do they scare me to death sometimes.”

“if i knew you cared about me so much, maybe i would tone it down a bit!” there was a playful undertone to his voice as he talked to you. you let out a laugh and shake your head. “no offense sir, but i sincerely doubt that.”

“you wouldn't be the boss i've grown accustomed to if you didn't do your risky gambles.”

something flickered in aventurine's eyes, you were sure of it. but before you could find out what it was he suddenly stood up, putting on his usual glasses and giving you a closed eyed smile.

“well, that was all what i wanted to ask you.” you wanted to ask something in return, but you never had the chance to even get a word out when he was already halfway out the door. “be sure to finish that summary before the day ends. leave it at my desk as usual.”

and just like that, the office door clicked shut.

—

“if i told you the reason, that'd be the same as revealing a trade secret.”

aventurine remembered jade's word. how could he not when they repeated in his mind like a broken record.

after he left his office, it felt like he suddenly went back in time. it just had been roughly a month after you were given the position as his assistant and aventurine wasted no moment at the end of that friday afternoon to dash in jade's office and ask her the question: why were you his assistant.

aventurine scoffed at jade's response while she only smiled. clicking his tongue in annoyance as the woman led him in circles when he kept asking. what was the reason? was it that hard to answer?

the next few days weren't necessarily the best. he was like a walking ticking time bomb, ready to blow up at any second. everyone in the IPC kept their distance from him -not like they didn't keep their distance to begin with, some started whispering among the hallways about his potential termination after a very big gamble he almost, almost, lost. what ticked him off the most, was you.

he felt so frustrated at you because why were you so damn perceptive. those past few days, the papers that were messily and hastily thrown on the giant table in his office were suddenly organized into neat piles, all held together with different colored paperclips and a sticky note of when each pile was due to be submitted. how every morning you wouldn't fail to knock thrice at his door -short, short and long- at exactly 3 minutes before 9 in the morning with two cups of coffee in your hands. or the times where you would take one good look at him and start lighting up the candles in his office that you started buying for him because you noticed he'd be slightly less stressed when the room didn't smell like fear and insecurity.

what he hated the most was even after his little temper tantrum the past few days began to subdue, you still continued your almost doting actions towards him.

when did he start anticipating your methodical knocks 3 minutes before 9? when did he suddenly grow disappointed whenever someone knocked on his door and it wasn't you? topaz had suddenly grown confused when he suddenly came into the meeting room with a cup of coffee in his hand and when she asked about it he would simply say, “well, my darling assistant bought it for me!”. the multiple scented candles in his office that burned too quickly so at the end of every month he'd have you go out and buy some more.

when did he start using his left hand -the hand he left bare from rings, the same hand that shook in fear of losing- to guide the small of your back away from the crowd whenever you would accompany him to missions?

when did he start taking off the glasses that hid the eyes he wanted to sell to someone else?

it was so confusing yet so simple at the same time. aventurine had grown fond of his little assistant. he has grown fond of you. and that was all there is to it. after all, why would he go out of his way to get that customized brooch that you wear every single day when you come to work if he hadn't. how his chest would swell with pride whenever you spoke with higher positioned officers in the IPC and how they would avert their gaze because of the pin on your vest.

and he knows that you know of his sudden change in demeanor. you just never say a word for his sake. how he went from being a distant and acquainted boss to a friend. an actual friend. and that was supposed to be it. he did say in your first meeting that you should be good friends, but how was he supposed to keep his words after the little stunt you pulled at pier port?

it was a simple mission, negotiate and get the upper hand, nothing more and certainly nothing less. like any other mission, he was accompanied by you and some other people under the IPC. everything was going smoothly until one of them just had to open their mouth and talk shit about his already dreadful past just because he had forgotten to put on his glasses. he truly has grown a bit too comfortable with you around, and he didn't like it.

“what's a sigonian scum like you doing in the IPC? why don't you crawl back into the hole you came from?”

he just sighed. shaking his head, hiding his left hand behind his back, shielding it away from everyone's gaze as it shook with anger, disgust, and the tantalizing question of why.

why did he have to go through this?

and then you did something out of the ordinary.

the sweet assistant of aventurine suddenly pulled out the gun situated on your hip and pointed it directly to the man’s forehead, a deathly glimmer shining in your eyes as your index threateningly ghosted over the trigger.

“if you do not take back what you said just now, i won't hesitate to put a bullet or two in that empty skull of yours.”

then you started walking, and he started backing up. you didn't stop until the man was standing on the edge of the port, one simple push and he'd be drowned in the vast icy oceans. that is, if he wasn't already drowning in the fury of your eyes.

aventurine felt his body move in instinct. his left hand holding your wrist and slowly putting it down at your side. he gave a half assed apology about your behavior and ushered you to your original destination. this time, he kept his hand on your back, specifically near the gun on your hips to make sure you didn't point it at someone else.

“do they always speak to you that way?” you ask barely above whisper. eyes strained one the road you were walking one while his bore into your very being. “i’ve grown used to it. be sure to not point that gun of yours to any potential partners, m’kay?” to prove his point, he tapped the gun on your hips with his finger and you just sighed. a simple yes stumbling past your lips before being enveloped by silence.

aventurine was sure. he was very, very, sure that was the last nail in the coffin, and the answer to the question he's been asking.

the entire day, you stuck by his side. glued to the fucking hip and no one dared to utter a single word about him. the meeting went smoothly and when everyone was preparing to go home, he called you over and said:

“that stunt you pulled earlier, stays between us, alright, friend?”

and you simply nod in understanding.

you carry your bags onto the ship to take you back home only to be taken aback when aventurine comes to steal it away from your hands. “take it as thanks for earlier.” he remembered that look of shock before it turned into something else -what it was he didn't know because you turned away before he could even fathom what of it made his stomach do flips.

even when he came to drop off your things at your personal room, he found himself lingering by the door. watching you unpack your things as he stood idly. you would eventually turn to him and ask if he needed anything more, and out of curiosity he asked: “why did you point your gun at that man?” he will never forget the look of puzzlement on your face when he asked.

“because he said something unpleasant to you. as your assistant, i can't allow others to simply trample on your name.”

he spent the night staring up at the ceiling while laying on his bed. your words mingling in with jade's in his mind, trying to fit the two like puzzle pieces to ease the racing of his heart and uneasiness of his mind. he didn't like assuming things. a conjecture such as this would cost him too much, but tonight he indulged himself in the thought.

picking up his phone and messaging jade, he laid his forearm over his eyes and sighed.

“this room smells horrible…” he muttered. the strong scent of chlorine made his mind spin. making him miss the scented candles you had slowly but surely placed inside his office. he'd grown so fond of them that he'd bought some of his own to place around his home. “ah… i think i'm screwed.”

—

it has been approximately 3 system hours since you arrived in penacony, and roughly a few system hours before aventurine's eventual demise.

topaz had just finished speaking with the trailblazer and their companions. when they had left you stood next to her and stared at the giant prison turned hotel.

“you… don't seem too worried.” topaz said, you felt her gaze but you didn't turn to look at her, instead you just gazed into nothing. “it would be a lie if i said i wasn't worried.” you were most definitely worried, terrified even. no matter how many times aventurine does his high risk gambles, you will never get used to it, not when it causes ghostly hands to squeeze at your heart at the sheer thought of him losing. the thought of losing him.

“but i trust miss jade's judgment. i trust aventurine.”

roughly a day before his departure to penacony, curiosity got the best of you and you stuck around the meeting room in secret when aventurine stayed behind.

“what can i do for you, aventurine?” jade's voice slightly echoed in the empty room. your hands slightly shook in fear of being caught, but you were just so curious about what has been going on with your boss that you couldn't fight the urge to eavesdrop a bit. “oh nothing much. i take it you received my message?” you assumed the woman nodded because aventurine continued. “i must admit, your little plan worked. but is it really necessary?”

jade stood up from her seat, her heels clicked on the marble floor and aventurine followed her until they were by the door.

“well, it's better to stay safe than sorry. and besides, this doesn't count as a complaint, right?”

you heard him chuckle. somehow, even though you hid behind a pillar you felt his stare bore into your being. you could almost imagine those purple eyes that had rings of teal in them that made you weak in the knees.

“no, not necessarily. i could never consider it as a complaint.” he took a moment before asking another question. “but i want to hear it from you, friend. why did you assign [name] as my assistant?”

“it's rather simple really,” jade replied. “you need a reason to leave penacony alive, no? i simply made it easier for you.”

you? the reason for aventurine's will to live? it seemed rather silly. how you, a simple assistant, be so much of importance to someone like aventurine, but with how topaz came to hold the hand that gripped the brooch he had given you, you thought otherwise.

this half a year you've been working with him, you like to think that you've gotten to know him very well.

how when you stood beside him as he sat himself in another gamble, he would always lay his left hand on his lap, fingers curled into fists so tight you were afraid his palms were bleeding.

how he always hid his “weaker” hand behind his back in dire situations to hide his fear.

or when he would always take off his glasses in his office whenever you were there. and that laptop you were 98% sure wasn't there when you started working? aventurine apparently got it specifically for you so you could work in his office.

but what you were most sure of was:

“aventurine doesn't make deals he knows he won't benefit from. he'll win, he always does. he'll come back, i know it.”

© vxnuslogy 2024. please do not copy, repost, or translate any of my works.

[quotergirl19]

Random thoughts on Colin & Portia:

I loved watching how the “neighbor boy,” Portia Featherington assumed was a typical rakish gentleman, out of reach and unrealistic for Penelope to like:

Declared his love for her daughter assuredly, fervently and loudly to make sure nobody dared question that he wanted to marry her.

Defended Penelope fiercely even against her own mother to make clear that mistreating or disrespecting his woman would not be tolerated.

Discovered Penelope was Lady Whistledown (after he himself said no one would ever marry LW because she would bring ruin on her family) but not only did he not end the engagement despite being upset with Penelope about it, he married her anyway and his vows were undeniably heartfelt and sincere, he gave her a wedding ring which was not necessary or common practice at the time apparently (Daphne just got the one ring from Simon), and he danced with her in broad daylight at their wedding breakfast (rather romantically).

He was immediately furious the second he heard that someone would dare blackmail his wife, and not only would he not stand for it, he immediately acted (however misguidedly he did so) intending to protect Penelope and when the situation escalated, he was willing to lie to his family and pay a fortune to keep her safe.

And much to Portia’s surprise, he took accountability for his part in making things worse when he could have blamed everything on Penelope.

Then Colin supported Penelope’s choice about how to handle the LW situation and when she revealed herself to the ton.

When Penelope offered him an annulment to free himself of association with Lady Whistledown, he insisted he was lucky just to be with her because he loved her.

Then Colin danced with Penelope, clearly sending the message to the ton that he loved and supported his wife. Lady Whistledown did not trap him nor would he be turning his back on her. This was our first glimpse of Colin “My Wife” Bridgerton.

Colin gave Penelope a son, and the Featherington estate the heir they so desperately needed, and Colin will no doubt raise her grandson to be a man of honor, elevating the formerly mocked and disrespected Featherington family to a level of respectability on par with the Bridgertons.

As if that weren’t enough, Colin continues to support Penelope as a wife and mother, encouraging her passion for writing/working.

That Bridgerton neighbor boy single-handedly made his mother-in-law, a justifiably jaded cynic, believe in love.

I cannot wait to see their relationship in future seasons.

[deezee112]

Concept twst AU Squid Game

( Before you guys read this, let me tell you that English is not my first language. If I type something wrong, you can tell me and I will fix it. )

P.S. MC is clearly written as a woman, height, history, and personality, but does not specify physical appearance.

GN!MC

First of all, this AU takes place in a timeline before MC enters the twst world, so I think it would be interesting that before MC meets them in the twst world, MC meets them in the real world first.

And another interesting thing for me is that in the world of twst, they are rich, have a good status, and have a stable job. But in the real world, they have a lot of debt and are poor. (ruggie is still as poor as ever)

I think when MC came to play this game, it was because of the debt he had, maybe from his family or whatever he wanted.

But I think MC has some history similar to 120 (I can't remember her name) that she used to be a special forces soldier So I think she might be several times taller than the average woman, maybe over 180, and might have a figure similar to a man.

And in this AU, Grim and ortho are humans, so I guess they also have debts.

I think this game timeline can be viewed in two ways as part 1 or part 2. So you can imagine that you are in part 1 or part 2.

And of course as I said MC is number 456.

And here are the debts they probably have ( me and my friend discussed this And I randomize the numbers so most of the numbers I randomize.).

Riddle Rosehearts

Player : 101

Debt : Financial ruin after trying to uphold impossible standards as a perfectionist lawyer.

Trey Clover

Player : 277

Debt : Financial ruin after trying to uphold impossible standards as a perfectionist lawyer.

Cater Diamond

Player : 345

Debt : Overspending on his fake social media persona left him bankrupt.

Ace Trappola

Player : 089

Debt : Lost everything gambling after being scammed by friends.

Deuce Spade

Player : 112

Debt : His desire to help his struggling family led him to loan sharks.

Leona Kingscholar

Player : 150

Debt : Reckless spending and failed investments drained his family’s fortune.

Ruggie Bucchi

Player : 223

Debt : Grew up in poverty and borrowed money to support his family but fell deeper into debt.

Jack Howl

Player : 309

Debt : Took on debts to pay for college but was unable to keep up with payments.

Azul Ashengrotto

Player : 175

Debt : His once-successful luxury food business collapsed under competition, leaving him with unpaid loans.

Jade Leech

Player : 051

Debt : Co-signed Azul’s loans and got dragged into the fallout.

Floyd Leech

Player : 052

Debt : Recklessly spent money on gambling and lost big.

Kalim Al-Asim

Player : 304

Debt : His once-wealthy family was conned out of their fortune, leaving him penniless.

Jamil Viper

Player : 174

Debt : Took on Kalim’s debts to protect him but is bitter about the situation.

Vil Schoenheit

Player : 091

Debt : Fell from fame due to scandals and lawsuits, losing everything.

Epel Felmier

Player : 333

Debt : Family farm went bankrupt, and he took on loans to try saving it.

Rook Hunt

Player : 404

Debt : Spent exorbitant amounts pursuing his artistic hobbies, leading to financial ruin.

Idia Shroud

Player : 012

Debt : Crippling gambling addiction tied to his love of online games.

Ortho Shroud (Human)

Player : 102

Debt : Ortho’s debt stems from medical bills, failed technological projects, and personal loans that he took out to try and keep his family business alive after their passing. These debts were exacerbated by his desperation

Malleus Draconia

Player : 065

Debt : Lost his family fortune due to mysterious circumstances, now a recluse.

Lilia Vanrouge

Player : 184

Debt : Took on debts trying to help others but was betrayed

Silver

Player : 217

Debt : Inherited debt from his family, despite trying to live modestly.

Sebek zigvolt

Player : 324

Debt : He owes a large sum of money to a powerful group that used his debts to manipulate and control him.

y/n

Player : 456

Debt : No personal debt but Need money to pay off family debts

Grim (Human)

Player : 067

Debt : Gambling addiction left him deeply in debt after losing his family’s inheritance

Che'nya

Player : 297

Debt : A combination of gambling debts and reckless investments in travel and lifestyle.

Neige LeBlanche

Player : 209

Debt : His extravagant lifestyle, including luxury purchases and costly beauty treatments, left him in crippling debt after his fame faded.

Rollo Flamme

Player : 315

Debt : Lost his fortune after an unsuccessful business venture in the entertainment industry, now trying to regain his family’s lost wealth.

Ernesto Foulworth

Player : 234

Debt : A high-stakes gambler with an obsession with luxury cars and expensive hobbies. His addiction led to his financial downfall.

Skully J Graves

Player : 103

Debt : A failed actor with mountains of debt after gambling away his small inheritance. His pursuit of fame turned into an obsession with keeping up appearances.

Imagine MC playing Six-Legged Pentathlon with Azul.

[chaeyoei]

Could I request jing yuan x fem_zhongli!reader? I think it would be fun to incorporate how much older she is and maybe spar with jing yuan and yanqing teaching them new moves? You could also add a bit of angst if you want with the fact that zhongli has admitted that with time, his memories do start to erode.

This is actually fuelling my brainrot. I'll incorporate the dragon part too. And other requests are coming out soon.

I kept her as a friend because the age gap bothered me alot. Warning: bad writing.

The situation was dire, the Denizens were wreaking havoc upon the ship. The Cloud Knights who remained strong, felt fear for the first time. What kind of tragedy would this bring?

All they could do was hold faith in their General and keep fighting with hopes high. Jing Yuan could the hope entrusted upon him by his subordinates but all seemed to be in vain. He was gravelly injured and his life was draining out of his body.

But with unknown fortune, appeared a figure that launched ginormous spears accompanied by meteors all raining on the enemy finishing it quickly.

Relief and suspicion overshadowed all his former emotions. Who was this figure? Most importantly, the motive behind their help. However he saw this same silhouette fall. He rushed forward to catch this unknown saviour, as he inched closer, he saw it was a woman who seemed to be half conscious. He held out his hands in time to catch this mysterious lady.

————

"She's fine." The Dragon Lady assured, her doe eyes darting from the unconscious woman on the bed to the General infront. "But, she's also a dragon and similar but different from us. I believe she's a sicon of Qilopoth(Preservation) as we are Long's(Premembrance) Sicons."

"A sicon of Preservation?" He titled his head. From what he witnessed in the battlefield, it looked more like you followed the path of the Hunt or Destruction rather than Preservation. But protecting also serves a form of Preservation.

A grumble came from the lady's mouth drawing both of their attention. "Looks like she's waking up, I'll leave you both to talk, General." Bailu took her leave.

"Where?" The lady mummered getting up. "You're in the Alchemy commision." Jing Yuan answered.

"I'm here to question you." He added.

"First question, what is your name?"

"Zhongli."

"Where do you hail from?"

"From Liyue."

That response made him speechless. Liyue as in the place where the Xianzhou Empire's origin were.

"Explain."

"Huh? I hail from Liyue.. that's it."

"How old are you?"

The lady fell silent. "600.."

"Don't lie. Liyue is a place where the Xianzhou Empire arrived and that was 5000 years ago. The planet of Teyvat was abandoned." He narrowed his and his tone only got stern.

"..6000."

"hmm.." He wasn't questioning the age but it felt like you were hiding something.

But all would come to light because you'd still have to attend the trail between the alliance and take responsibility. Your deeds may be good but they still need to know your intentions. A person who can showcase such power can also stab them in the back.

"That concludes as what the suspect had told." Jing Yuan finished his report.

"Very well. Lady Zhongli.. You admit that your home place is the Loufu. If you're as old as you admit, would mind telling the ruler of that period?" Marshal Hua started her questioning.

"Jade lady, Ningguang." You answered calmly.

"I believe you know what happened in that timeline as well?"

"Yes, the lord of Geo, Morax died in that period." You hoped she wouldn't catch you.

"Are you perhaps a descendant or successor of Morax?

"..Yes." You knew well that your lie would be caught soon enough.

"Let me revise history, the lord Morax, had no descendants or successors. It was later found that his death was just a masquerade as he stepped down from his position. What statment can you give to prove that you're him?" The Marshal's statement may sound rash but she wasn't wrong in the slightest. History states that Morax can change forms.

"..I have nothing to say in regard to that."

"Tell me your age again."

"11,000.."

And with some other questions, you were revealed to be the Ancient lord of money, Morax. But Mora really didn't have a value in this economy of credits.

"That concludes are trial. You are free to go."

————

"Phew." You could handle intense questioning very well but your age caught up to loads of time.

However, instead of a foreign traveler's recognition, you were given citizenship. You know the Alliance was making use of you but you always had the option to leave. Coming to basic needs, you'd be living in the Cloud Knights Quaters.

————

"hmmh.." The kid grumbled not being able to get his stance right.

"Your footing is wrong, you need to have a firm balance on the ground to get your strike correct." You fixed the young man's position.

"Do you also work the Cloud Knights?" The kid was interested in knowing your identity.

"So not only are you excelled in ancient literature but also weapon handling, though that doesn't come as a surprise, you did invent the methods of swordsmanship and pole arm handling that are used till this day." Jing Yuan appeared randomly.

"General!, You mean this lady?" The kid turned to you. "Greetings lord.. Lady of Geo." The kid bowed formally.

"You don't have to bow kid, I've long stepped down from that position."

"And humble as well."

This small interaction really sparked Yanqing's curiosity. He could ask as much questions as why even the trivial things mattered. As for Jing Yuan, his moves only got more perfect with your guidance. If Jingliu would've been here, she would've taken a liking to you even Dan Feng..

He sighed, these thoughts would never be possible. He looked at you who was looking at his weapon, commenting on it's quality and full of details quality.

"General! a mara wave is coming through." A knight informed.

"Advise the civilians to stay in their homes and form a stance around the creatures, don't let them escape." Jing Yuan ordered quickly.

A blade came through the formation, it's aim to lodge into the General's chest but it disseminated into the area when it met with impenetrable shield.

"General are you okay?" You asked.

Now he understood why you were form the path of preservation. "Yes."

You were old.. Ancient would be a better them. But your stories where better that those pesky writers in the Alying Sanctum.

You could be considered a role model and a person to go to. You had advice, were calm and just had that social butterfly effect.

But being old has it's downsides often. As your age increases, erosion casts it's effect. You forget trivial things and even names unless they were in your daily interactions.

"..." You groaned walking through the corridors.

"Do you need help, lady of Geo?" A passing Cloud Knight asked.

"..Do you remember where my room is?"

".. It's on the east wing close to the General's chamber. You're in the west wing."

"..oh. where is the east wing again?"

"Let me guide you."

Although the situation of you forgetting your wallet was funny, as it was also saddening that you would succumbed to life where you would forget everyone and everything.

In the Xianzhou terms, Mara wouldn't have an effect on you but at the cost that you would be forgetting bits of yourself and there's nothing you can do about it.

I tried my best to crossover elements from both games and something has happened to my english. Thos fancy words don't come out anymore. And it's so short...

[heliosunny]

would you do something with jade from hsr or is this a Yandere male x fem reader only blog?

MYSTERY PLANT

Yandere!Jade x Reader

The little plant had been an impulse buy. Something about its dark green leaves and faintly glowing veins had caught your eye at the market stall. The vendor had given you a knowing smile, murmuring something about it being "a rare find" before you left with it in your arms.

For weeks, you nurtured it. Watered it. Whispered to it absentmindedly, mostly about your day, your grievances, your stress. You didn’t expect much, but the plant seemed to thrive under your care. It grew faster than expected, twisting into intricate patterns, its leaves shimmering in the moonlight. Then, one morning, you awoke to something entirely different.

A woman. A breathtakingly elegant woman stood where the plant had been. She was tall, with fair skin, long wavy pink hair cascading down her back, and pastel blue eyes with snake-like slitted pupils. She was adorned in outfit with intricate embroidery reminiscent of the vines that once grew in her place. And she was watching you.

“Good morning, my dear gardener” she purred, tilting her head. “You’ve taken such good care of me… I thought it was time to repay the favor.”

Jade, that was the name she insisted upon, integrated into your life effortlessly. You barely had time to process her arrival before she had already taken control of things. Your home was spotless, meals prepared before you could even think about cooking, your clothes arranged to fit your schedule. She anticipated your needs before you spoke them aloud. It was unnerving, but undeniably… helpful.

Then you came home from work one evening to find her seated at your desk, your laptop open in front of her. The sight alone sent a chill down your spine.

“I took the liberty of handling your deadlines” she said without looking up, fingers gliding across the keyboard with eerie precision. “Your company’s security is laughably weak. It was simple to access everything.”

You blanched. “Jade, that’s illegal—”

She stood, approaching you slowly, her fingers brushing along your wrist as she smiled. “What’s illegal is them overworking you. But don’t worry, my dear… You won’t have to lift a finger anymore.”

“Jade…”

You stared at her, surprised by everything she had done for you, but that was enough. You insisted on handling things yourself and promised you would ask for her help when things got tough. Seeing no room for argument, she relented—though the glint in her eyes told you she would still keep a watchful gaze over your affairs.

As a gesture of goodwill, you decided to treat her to a meal. The two of you shared a pleasant dinner, the tension between you easing ever so slightly. As the night stretched on, the warmth of the alcohol made you both a little looser, your laughter coming more easily.

Walking home together, the cool night air sobering you slightly, you found yourself stopping in front of a small vendor stall. A fortune teller sat behind a velvet-draped table, beckoning with a knowing smile.

Jade glanced at you, amusement flickering in her pastel blue eyes. “Shall we see what fate has in store for us?”

You agreed.

And you both went in.

The interior of the tent was dimly lit, the air thick with the scent of incense. Shadows flickered against the fabric walls as a hooded figure sat before a small, circular table. Their face was obscured, but their presence was palpable.

“No cards” the figure spoke. “No crystal ball. No illusions.” They gestured toward the empty tabletop. “Only truth.”

Jade remained silent beside you, her eyes gleaming with intrigue. You swallowed, unsure whether to sit or run.

The figure continued. “You seek answers, yet you walk a path where certainty is a curse.” Their fingers traced a slow circle on the table’s surface. “Know this: What is given cannot be taken. What is lost will not return the same.”

Jade’s gaze never wavered. “And what of choice?” she asked, voice deceptively light.

The figure chuckled. “Choice is an illusion for those who believe they have it.”

As you stepped out of the tent, the night air felt colder, the streets less familiar. A subtle shift had taken place, though you couldn’t name what had changed. Jade’s hand found yours, fingers cool and steady. “Are you afraid?” she asked.

You weren’t sure how to answer.

But as the days passed, the weight of the fortune teller’s words settled into your reality. Small, inexplicable things began to shift—meetings canceled before you arrived, messages deleted before you read them.

Jade, however, watched it all unfold with a knowing smile.

The night after your company party, you stumbled into your home, the scent of alcohol lingering on your breath. Jade was already waiting, her eyes immediately locking onto you with a mixture of curiosity and concern.

“You’re drunk,” she observed, standing gracefully from her seat. “Did something happen?”

You slumped onto the couch, letting out a bitter chuckle. “Oh, you wouldn’t believe it, Jade.” You hiccupped, running a hand through your disheveled hair. “They… they dumped all their work on me again. I stayed late trying to finish it, but that wasn’t enough for them. And you know what else?”

Jade knelt beside you, her delicate fingers brushing against your wrist, as if grounding you. “Tell me” she urged, her voice softer now, controlled yet deadly calm.

You swallowed, your throat tight with frustration. “Some jerk—ugh, one of those self-important bastards—he poured water all over my computer. On purpose.” Your voice cracked. “I had to do everything all over again. Everything. And they laughed, Jade. They laughed at me.”

Her grip on your wrist tightened ever so slightly. “They… laughed at you?” Her voice dropped to an eerily low whisper, her usually composed face betraying a flash of something dark.

You nodded, pressing your hands over your face. “I—I don’t even know why I put up with it. Maybe I should just quit. Just… let them win.”

Jade’s fingers trailed up to cup your cheek, forcing you to meet her gaze. There was something different in her expression now—her usual poised demeanor cracked just enough for you to see the fury simmering beneath.

“You should never have to suffer like this.” she murmured, her thumb brushing gently over your cheekbone. “They have no right to treat you this way.”

You laughed again, but this time it was hollow. “That’s just how it is.”

Jade’s eyes narrowed, her grip turning just firm enough to keep your attention. “No. It isn’t.” A cold finality settled in her tone, something that sent an odd shiver down your spine. “No one hurts what belongs to me.”

You were too tired, too inebriated to fully process her words. Instead, you let your head rest against her shoulder, sighing. “You always say the weirdest things…”

She didn’t respond immediately. Instead, her fingers gently traced down your arm, her touch lingering with quiet intensity.

“Sleep,” she finally whispered, a softness returning to her tone. “Rest now. I’ll take care of everything.”

Somewhere in the haze of exhaustion and alcohol, you swore you heard her murmur something else.

“They’ll regret it.”

You woke up with a pounding headache, the aftereffects of last night’s drinking weighing heavily on your body. Blinking at the harsh morning light, you groggily reached for your phone—only to realize something was off.

You were late.

Panic surged through you as you shot up from the bed, only to freeze. Jade was nowhere to be seen. Instead, a neatly folded note sat on your nightstand.

You picked it up, your fingers trembling slightly as you unfolded the paper.

Rest, my dear. I’ll handle everything.

Jade had your company access card.

Across town, "you" walked into the office with an eerie grace, a knowing smirk playing at the edges of "your" lips. Colleagues barely looked up at first, expecting the same exhausted, overworked figure they had grown used to tormenting. But something was different today.

"You" moved with absolute confidence, eyes sharp, calculating. The first target: the one who had poured water over the laptop.

Jade—wearing your face—strode to their desk and loomed over them, forcing them to look up. "Good morning" she said, voice deceptively even.

"Oh, hey, you finally—"

Before they could finish, Jade picked up their coffee and tipped it over their desk. The liquid seeped into their keyboard, short-circuiting the machine instantly.

A gasp. A choking sound of disbelief.

"Oops," Jade murmured, tilting her head as if genuinely puzzled. "Careless of me, isn’t it?"

She leaned down, voice dropping to a whisper only they could hear. "Imagine losing all your work because of something so trivial. Must be frustrating."

The blood drained from their face.

Jade didn’t stop there. Slipping into the secluded office of your superior, she shifted—her form twisting seamlessly, posture straightening, voice deepening. Within seconds, she was no longer you.

She was your boss.

She called in every single employee who had wronged you, one by one, her expression unreadable, her voice laced with disappointment and authority.

“Do you think incompetence like this is acceptable?” she asked coolly, watching them squirm in their seats.

“B-but—”

“No excuses.”

With a wave of her hand, termination notices were signed, security was called, and within the hour, the office was noticeably emptier.

By the time the day ended, whispers filled the office.

Something had changed.

And "you" had never looked more terrifying.

When the door to your apartment finally opened, you turned, expecting Jade. But when she stepped inside, the sight of her still sent a jolt through you.

Her expression was calm, serene even, as if she had merely run errands. She approached you, the same graceful, poised presence she always had.

“Welcome home” you murmured, uncertain.

She smiled, reaching up to brush her fingers against your cheek. “Everything is taken care of.”

You didn’t know how.

You didn’t know what, exactly, she had done.

But you knew the lengths she would go for you.

Swallowing, you hesitated before speaking. "Is there... anything I can do for you?"

Jade’s smile widened just slightly. She tilted her head, considering your words before brushing a strand of hair behind your ear.

“You’re already doing enough” she murmured. “Just stay by my side.”

[cosmicquilt]

Luck, risk, and godhood.

Stories under the cut.

---------- AVENTURINE KAKAVASHA -------------------

Kakavasha was said to be a young boy whose birth brought rain and fortune to his family and to the Avgins. However, all of the Avgins were murdered by the Katicans, leaving only Kakavasha alive, a side effect of his luck. He wandered Sigonia looking for any solace from the grief and pain that would always follow him. His presence brought relief, rain, and riches, and yet the boy himself seemed never to revel in his wealth and luck. One day, he disappeared off of the face of the planet. The assumed conclusion by many Sigonians is that he, tired of wandering, settled down in one place to sleep, crying until he lost consciousness. The rain he brought settled over his head like a halo, and the water flooded all around him. He drowned.

Aventurine was said to be a young boy whose birth brought fortune to his clan. However, they were all murdered by the Katicans, and the IPC rescued him from his fate as a slave. He was brought to Jade, whom he made a gamble with, betting that he could find a way to make her give him the gift of immortality. No one knows what happened in that room, but he emerged from that room a god, and was granted the name "Aventurine", indicating his newfound status as one of the economic gods. He's known for making clever deals based entirely off of gambles as a way of gaining information and progressing the goals of the Stonehearts.

--------------- QINGQUE-------------

Qingque was a clever and dedicated girl born to a very average family on the outskirts of one of the Xianzhou ships. Unfortunately for everyone else, she was only dedicated to games that combined luck and strategy; tiles, xiangqi, go, etc. She was obsessed, with her dream being to move into the city and to open up a games parlor. The people in her village sighed. "Why couldn't she be this dedicated to finances or economics," they said. Strangely enough, her dedication to these types of games was what led to her ascension. One day, when she was roping children into games of xiangqi at a restaurant, she saw a stranger; someone who was most certainly not from the village. He saw her and her games, and he challenged her to a round. The first round, he lost. The second round, he lost. The third round, he lost. And so it went, up until the eighth round, which he won. Upon seeing the results of their matches, the man laughed a laugh that sounded like thunder was tearing apart the skies, and his mortal form fell away to reveal that he was Jing Yuan, one of the generals of the Jade Emperor. He found Qingque's combination of luck, dedication, and strategy endearing and offered her immortality, which she accepted. She was placed under the eye of Fu Xuan, goddess of foresight, due to her simultaneously logical and improbable nature. She's known to disguise herself as an unassuming mortal woman who walks into game parlors and plays against the patrons, chatting with them about how the mortal world is doing, only to be dragged back up to the heavens by her pigtails whenever Fu Xuan realizes that she's slacking off.

[reallypleasanttree]

Playing around with a potential backstory for the Iguro Clan

The comb’s teeth bit into his scalp. He tried his best not to wince in front of his mother. The comb ran through his dark hair. She would do it until his hair shone under the candlelight. His mother made sure he was presentable at all times. 

She paused and set the jade comb down and brushed her hand through his hair searching for any imperfections. Obanai closed his eyes, it was relaxing to have his hair played with. Her hands found no snags and he could sense her satisfaction.

“My darling boy,” his mother praised him and leaned forward to kiss the back of his head. “It’s nearly your birthday. Do you know what that means?”

He shook his head and turned to face her. Everyone in the Iguro clan looked the same. Dark hair, teal blue eyes, and a wide, sweet smile. His mother was no different. He was the odd one with his golden right eye. 

“What does that mean?” Obanai asked, hiding his hands under his long sleeves. 

“You will meet our lady. She’s been waiting for you for years,” she said, all her teeth shone. There was something unnerving that he could not place. It was the same way his heart quickened at night when he heard something moving around the floorboards. 

“Nearly 400 years for a child like you,” she added. He heard of their lady before, but he did not have the honor of meeting her yet. She was quite busy, protecting their family from the terrors of the world and ensuring their future happiness. It was part of the reason they kept him here. For his safety. He glanced at the wooden frame around him. Obanai had lived here ever since he could remember. 

“Like me?” He repeated quietly. She placed her hand under his chin, lifting his face to hers. 

“Yes, a child who resembled her,” she said, her thumb brushing against his right temple. “She has the same golden eyes you have. You are a special child, Obanai.” His mother, aunts, grandmother, and cousins all called him special. She dropped her hand. 

“I think it’s about time you learned about our clan’s history,” his mother said. ��Our lady was born over 400 years ago. Her name was Tanaka Niko. She was the daughter of a high lord from the mainland. She was well read and took a special interest in medicine. She was an apothecary and specialized in toxins. At her betrothal ceremony, she met her future husband, a man from the Iguro clan. Iguro Masashi was quite handsome, dark hair and eyes the color of the sea.” His mother pointed to her own. 

“They married and were happy for many years. Their passions were well matched and their ambition for wealth, knowledge, and fortune. Masashi even indulged his beloved wife. He allowed Niko to continue studying and working as an apothecary. In return, she gave him eight girls, each one had his sea colored eyes. He was a good father and provider, but with each girl, he grew frustrated. He needed an heir to carry on the Iguro name-”

“But, we are still here. If-” Obanai interrupted. His mother shook her head and pinched his chin.

“What did I tell you about interrupting others?” She asked, pinching harder. He began to open his mouth again, but paused. If he spoke again, she would scold him. Obanai pursed his lips in a thin line. “That’s my sweet boy. Always following the rules.” She looked up briefly, trying to recall where she left off. 

“Niko took all types of tonics, wore talismans, and other ways to conceive a boy. She desperately wanted to give her husband a boy. She fell pregnant again and the babe was stillborn. It had been a boy with her golden eyes. The treasured boy lost before he could take a breath. It was the final straw for Masashi. 

He took a concubine to produce the boy he needed to carry on his name. Yuri was a woman of lower social standing, but she was quite beautiful and young compared to Niko. She had nine pregnancies in eighteen years. It took a toll on her body and appearance. 

Her husband stopped coming to her bed in favor of Yuri, who soon gave birth to the treasured boy. Masashi made the boy his heir immediately, setting aside Niko’s daughters. Niko was outraged by the decision though she never showed it. When she saw Masashi hold the boy and walk beside Yuri, she knew the love Masashi once had for her was gone. 

Her husband betrayed Niko and she would make him pay for putting her and their daughters aside. Secretly, Niko purchased a tawny-gold snake. In the middle of the night, she took the snake meaning to place it in the boy’s crib. However, a maid saw her and alerted the lord’s guard. She was arrested before the snake could harm the boy. 

He placed her in a cell along with their daughters. Niko begged for mercy, but Masashi could not be swayed. Niko and his daughters meant little to him now. 

The night after, an immortal appeared before Niko. Long black hair and red eyes. He promised to help her if she agreed to work for him as an apothecary and the search for the blue spider lily. She took his offer and ascended to another existence. She became faster and stronger. With her new body, she was able to take her revenge on Masashi, Yuri, and their boy.” His mother stopped, contemplating how and if she should continue. 

“The rest of the story will have to wait until you meet our lady,” she said. Obanai bowed his head and she left. 

If he asked her to finish the story, she would discipline him. His eyes widened recalling how she bruised his arm last week when he asked to be let out of the cage. And then, he recalled the words she used. 

“No, you must remain safe inside. You are our treasured boy.”

Her words chilled him to the bone. 

[pullthehilt]

carrot at the end of a stick

Desc.: meet cute… but is it really

Characters: IMPLIDED RELATIONSHIP Jade Leech, Floyd Leech, Azul Ashengrotto

Reader: not explicitly yuu

t/w: implied non-descriptive cannibalism

why is it all in bullet points? idk :> one day i will flesh this idea out, but i just really wanted to get this out before my dreams for the next few days is just this lol.

"And… let's talk about your love life."

It was a quiet afternoon on the pier; a summer buzz blanketing the residences of the shore as the rumble of the rollercoaster in the distance groaned. One such man had taken shelter from the sweltering heat in the cloth-covered stall of the fortune teller.

The guy in front of him was… shady to say the least; the man was in a pressed suit in the middle of summer, gloves and jacket and all.

He was sceptical, but he was also incredibly bored. So, agreeing, he splayed his hand palm-side up.

He peered over his glasses frame. "It'll be extra for that."

Tsk.

"Aha, dear customer. It seems you'll be having an encounter that'll change your life very, very, soon."

“A man, oh it kinda looks more like a woman-- well the encounter will definitely be with a person. Hmm, well it seems to be on the shoreline. Perhaps heading north-- in the evening…” blah blah blah

Well he's killing time at least and it’s not the worst place to be rotting his summer away in.

Exiting the tent he revels in the sticky, salty air and heads down the steps towards the shoreline.

He'd like to dip his toes in the water, kill the heat some more.

And then he sees them.

He sees you.

You're certainly a sight for sore eyes. Flushed from the sun, digging your feet in the sand. You sway gently with the waves, rhythmically matching the seas tune. The sun behind you douses you in liquid gold. It's like your clothing is just artistically draped onto you, white silk against your skin. There are shells piled into your arms, cradled as you continue to collect, bend and gently poke into the ground.

He's a long ways from you but it's like the world around him silences-- enraptured. He can no longer hear the sound of mechanical enjoyment, the rollercoasters and man-ran stalls. No sounds of children crying or couples bickering. Just the sounds of the waves accenting you.

And you're getting further and further away, shyly toeing towards the half-submerged tide pools.

He has half a mind to not bother you. It's a bit weird to trail after you, isn't it? You hadn't even noticed him as you were minding your own business.

But the words come back to him, the same way the water laps at his shoes.

"An encounter��"

At first he's only walking towards where you've disappeared over the horizon. The leisurely pace he treads, a product of hyping himself up for conversing with you, if you're still in the area. But then he hears a short yell and his heart staccatos.

Chasing after you is easy, sand being flicked up with every gallop towards your direction.

There's butterflies in his stomach from how your voice was carried in the wind-- is that what you sounded like when you were hurt? Or was it a yelp of surprise? Even scared, you sound so...

He scolds himself for even thinking of the other sounds you'd make.

When he reaches you, you're drenched and sat on a sloped rock.

The tide pool itself is shaped like a crescent, the open mouth leading directly to the sea-- and the waves are really working up a storm, as the tide has gotten inches higher from where it was just a few hours ago. At the centre of the crescent shape from where you're sat is a small rock pathway.

Your face is contorted, eyebrows furrowed and mouth pressed to a thin line. Slumped over your leg, you clutch at the leaking wound at the side of your shin.

"Oh god, are you alright?" He calls out to you, body leaning in your direction. It's cute how you jolt to attention, dishevelled.

At first it looks like you're analysing him, and so he tries, "I'm not here to harm you." Palms facing up, showing that he had nothing of a potential threat on his person. "I… I just heard a shout-- a scream. I thought someone needed help and you…"

"I scraped my leg… But… Uh, I'll be alright."

Your voice is light, fluffy even. He soaks it into his system like a sponge and wishes you'd talk more-- god he'd do anything to make you talk more--

"Do you need help?" Dumbass, he thinks to himself, of course you need help. He'd reprimand himself further if his mind hadn't frozen at the way your lips curved to a smile.

"It'd be nice if you could help me," calling out to him you kind of beckon him with your hand. "Come. Come help me." Stumbling to the edge, he prepares to step.

"What's your name?" He's afraid of coming off a bit too strong, but he needs to know. He can feel the water seeping into the canvas of his sneakers, pooling at his toes, but he only steps closer with one foot on the first stone of the pathways towards you.

The shape of your name casts into your lips, but the waves at the moment steal your voice. What? What did you say? He can't hear you, and he says so.

Carefully, he commits his weight to the first stone before moving to the next.

It's a short way to you, but he's slow to make his way as the water spits and crashes against the pathway. Torn between you and the stone he’s stood on, his eyes flicker between the two. Your hand is still stretched, as still as a marble statue. Waiting for him. A heat filters to pool in his ears the closer he gets to you. There's a flicker of hope tickling his spine as he imagines the words he'd say when he gets you off this rock-- he'd ask further if you were alright and if maybe you wanted him to accompany you to the lifeguard's tower to get you patched up. You'd say yes and then he'd follow up with shy conversation leading to the eventual exchanging of numbers. Then he'd for sure ask you on a date, maybe visit the small restaurant overlooking the cliffside a short walk away. Circle back to the pier, win you a couple of prizes from the vendors there… Visit the fortune teller and give him an extra tip.

He's so close to you now. Balancing on the next rock is hard, and he focuses to where his foot nearly slips. It would be terrible to embarrass himself by falling into the water-- troublesome too from how his shoes would be waterlogged and maybe tangled in the seaweed he could see dancing below.

The next stone is even smaller and he gets why you could've slipped here because, he's swinging his arms to regain his balance. But he sees your hand just in front of him and he clasps his to yours, fingers tightening.

Your smile is so bright, stretching to your eyes as your cheeks squish and mould into something Cheshire like.

He winces, your grip firm.

"Thank you." And he's tumbling as you yank sideways.

Water fills his lungs, salt attacking his tastebuds and stinging his eyes.

No one hears you when you're drowning, especially in the sea. The water crashing against the rocks is already loud in itself, and the fact that you have to fight between sputtering out water and kicking your legs to stay afloat and shouting is a battle in itself.

He screams to you, help him god-damn it. Fucking wench, why did you do that-- he'll actually drown at this rate. You're a bastard for tricking him like that-- a whore.

But your eyes are vacant and unfocused. You don’t see him, but you’re looking at his direction.

And then he feels something squeezing his leg. He's kicking harder now, has the thought to untangle the kelp or something he probably accidentally tangled into—

When he looks down, he doesn't see a clump of black wrung around him. Instead, there is a pair of half-moon eyes peering from beyond the water, coloured a sandy brown and warning sign yellow.

-

The water starts to turn a beautiful pink reminiscent to the colour of the coral and anemones dotting around your home. He, the man, is quick to have been pulled under with a trail of bubbles popping to the surface; at first it stays in once place, before the shape of him thrusts forward-- he rushes through the water like a bullet, tearing to circle the rock you sit upon.

 A warm sensation spreads across your stinging wound. When you look down there are a set of eyes fluttering back at you.

"Jade, stop that..." His tongue slips back into his mouth.

He parts from your calf, propping his head by your thigh, smiling. Floyd surfaces for a minute, eyes peeking back at the two of you. There's little disturbance as he moves almost jerking back and forth before his head fully floats above the water with a satisfied sigh.

"Was that all of him?"

"Dunno,” he burps out. “Definitely not all of him though.”

“Can you check?”

“Will I get a prize for doing it?” Glaring, you flick droplets at him with your free foot. He splashes back, waving an arm at you.

Clasping the foot, Jade cradles it to his chest. "Then… what part did you eat?"

"Dunno. An arm?”

“Floyd.”

“Hmph.” He dives back down, body folding to flicker into the deeper waters. After a moment, he resurfaces carrying something by the way he sways a bit more unevenly. “It was an arm.”

[ohai-there]

scumplane narut for the ask game!

@croutonconfidential Sorry for the delay! I got cooked!

Including this post and this post!

"Regarding the criminal you're pursuing," Minato says, grabbing the report scroll his ANBU had presented to him this morning, "a large explosion of chakra was felt to the west of the village and once we sent in teams to investigate, they reported a large crater in the forest. We've also received reports about the man sharing the description given wandering through some of our rural towns, injured. I've had a team follow him from a distance, since."

Shen Qingqiu raises a perfectly sculpted brow, "straight into business, hm?" and Shang Qinghua elbows him in the ribs and gets a sharp slap of fan over the head for it, "Martial Elder Brother Shen, they have different customs from us. You can't expect them to go for a gift-giving ceremony."

Minato pauses, was he supposed to be giving gifts to the Guests??? But Shen Qingqiu just snorts, his face as smooth as jade as he flicks an arm out and just says, "Ming Fan."

One of the disciples, the one who had knocked on the carriage door, steps forward and clasps his hands together, the back of his palms facing Minato, "Hokage-sama," he says, bows lightly, and slips one hand into his long, long sleeve.

Minato can feel his ANBU tensing, preparing for a weapon to be drawn, but Minato keeps his body relaxed as a show of trust.

Ming Fan pulls out a large, gold-gilded wooden box from within his sleeves, was he carrying that with him this entire time??? and no one noticed????? and he presents it with both hands and a shallow bow.

"For your hospitality," Shen Qingqiu says disdainfully, "to show our appreciation for your assistance."

"Ah," Shang Qinghua says, "right. Disciple One, my gift as well."

One of the women steps forward, her own heavy wooden box in her hands. It's inlaid with blue gemstones of all colours and silver detailing and Minato can feel the wealth radiating from the box itself.

"Of course," Shang Qinghua introduces, "gold. We weren't sure if spirit stones would be in circulation here, beyond the barrier, so gold is always a safe option. A tea set, made from the master who lives atop of the Great Eastern Mountain bordering the Demonic Realm, made with the volcanic ash of the mountain pressed into the porcelain that enhances the taste of tea steeped within."

The woman opens the box, allowing Minato to peek in and see a shining, smooth teapot and four teacups within - there's golden tree branches and fluttering leaves painted into them, and when the light shifts he swears he can see them sway - below the teaset tray, he catches a glimpse of golden bars and his stomach aches.

Then, she reaches to the front and slides open a front drawer, one that had seamlessly blended into the outside of the box and sitting on velvet is a chunk of wood.

"Incense," Shang Qinghua says cheerfully, "from a hundred-year old spiritual sandalwood tree, it's said to bring good fortune and prosperity for those who burn it. It also smells really good. Undertones of soap!"

The woman slides all of the compartments closed, the wood clicking back into place softly, and Minato almost reaches out to take it but hesitates, because neither Shen Qingqiu nor Shang Qinghua have held, much less touched, the boxes.

"Boar," he says and ANBU Boar flickers down, understanding Minato's silent command easily, and takes the box, standing behind him openly and stiffly, not unaffected by the value of the box in his hands.

"I have brought," Shen Qingqiu says, voice silk and commanding attention, "a brush set; each bristle is the very tip fiber of the flight feathers from the Venomous Six-Tailed Goose and the ink is made by Master Wu of the Western Sun Estate - the same master who creates all of the ink sets for my own Scholarly Peak."

Distantly, Minato hears Shang Qinghua mumble something that sounds like, "my budget," but his attention is taken by Ming Fan displaying the stationary within the box easily and Minato has to keep his face from twitching at seeing even more gold in the box beneath the tray. Beside it is another, smaller wooden box, and Shen Qingqiu seems to notice Minato's curiousity because he smirks in a way that makes Minato want to curl up on the ground in humiliation or perhaps get on his knees to beg to see it again.

"Apt observation," his fan comes out, fwip, and flutters lightly before Shen Qingqiu's smug expression, "Tea from our sect's Flower Peak."

"What." Shang Qinghua says, seeming to freeze in laser focus at his fellow Peak Lord, "what do you mean Tea from our Flower Peak."

Shen Qingqiu ignores him, directly addressing Minato, "This is the seventh-grade five-hundred-year tea, planted and raised by our very own Martial Younger Brother Li."

"ARE YOU CRAZY?!" Shang Qinghua shrieks, his hands waving around comically, "ARE YOU TRYING TO GET US KILLED? ARE YOU TRYING TO GET HOKAGE-SAMA KILLED?!"

What.

Shan Qingqiu sniffs, "hardly. Martial Younger Brother Li owes me after I went hunting for the instructional methods of raising the All-Devouring Demonic Succulents through multiple libraries."

"SO YOU'RE TRYING TO GET ME KILLED!? HE'S BEEN CARING FOR THOSE TEA LEAVES FOR FIVE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY TWO YEARS! HE TALKS TO THEM EVERY MORNING AND NIGHT!!!! DID YOU EVEN ASK BEFORE TAKIN- oh heavens above, he doesn't even know you took them, does he? Does he?"

"Cease your flailing," Shen Qingqiu brushes off where Shang Qinghua had clung to his robes in his panic, "Hokage-sama, please ignore this foolish idiot's words. The tea will bring no harm to you, Yingying," Minato watches as the only other woman in the procession bounces forward, taking the small box out to display it proudly to Minato, who hesitantly leans forward to peek at the green leaves.

A soft, delicate, yet heady scent floats into his nose and Minato wonders faintly if he's going to be poisoned.

"No harm? No harm? People have been assassinated over this tea -let me see it- YOU'RE GIVING HIM SO MUCH!?" Shang Qinghua splutters and there's a sharp smack as Shen Qingqiu hits his fellow Peak Lord over the head, "really, it's only enough to extend his youth for about a hundred years, especially since these people have such lacking spiritual compatibility. It's hardly anything to get worked up about."

"A HUNDRED YEARS IS A LONG TIME FOR MORTALS!!!!! PEOPLE HAVE BEEN KILLED OVER OUR SHITTY SECOND GRADE TEA THAT ONLY GIVES LIKE!!! TEN YEARS OF YOUTH!!!! SEVENTH GRADE!!!!! WHAT IF THE EMPEROR WANTS TO BUY OUR TEA AGAIN? WE'RE NOT GIVING HIM EIGHTH GRADE! HE CAN'T AFFORD THAT! "

Shang Qinghua has his head in his hands, pulling at his scalp in distress, and Minato feels about half of his despair. A hundred years is a long time, Konoha had been founded a hundred years ago. Minato never really thought he'd make it to forty, much less any longer, and to be at peak physical health for a hundred years, the thought makes him dizzy.

"As grating as Martial Younger Brother Shang is, he does bring up a good point, Hokage-sama. I would highly recommend consuming all of the tea as soon as possible, lest others find you in the way of their own quests to immortality." A wave of Shen Qingqiu's hand has Yingying putting the box of tea back into the larger box, and Ming Fan closing it fully. Shang Qinghua groans, "I could've sold it for a palace."

Minato stares at him, a bit uncomprehending, as his mind tries to make sense of the absurd situation before him. He needs - he needs to take the gift, take the tea, but with the sheer value of the leaves he needs someone he can trust, entirely, to take care of it.

"Hound," he says, watching as Hounds small frame flits from the rafters to the ground, head bowed low. Minato hears the two women squeal and titter as Hound takes the box, it looks comically large in the slight teenager's hands. Shang Qinghua moans out something like, "my palace."

"Very well," Shen Qingqiu says, his fan slips closed and into his sleeve, "with all our formalities out of the way, lets get down to business."

[whumpspicelatte]

A Boy Named Juno: Terry in "King's Counsel"

Terry's POV to @echo-goes-mmm's Birthday Present

Juno belongs to @echo-goes-aaa / @echo-goes-mmm

Warnings: power imbalance, slavery, references to physical and sexual abuse, implied dubcon

This would be the third birthday to pass since the sudden assassination of Queen Catherine and King Ambrose, only a matter of months after the loss of their crown prince in the wake of the Gojuyeon civil war, when his wife, Princess Chaewon, was made to take the throne. A birthday Terrance had grown to dread.   

His head swam with the crowds of people filling the ballroom, corset drawn so tight he could barely get in a breath even with the frail mess of a body he hid beneath the silks dragging heavy down his shoulders. His skirts pooled around his feet where he sat on display in the ornate throne set up for him. 

Spectacle. Terrance had never been the Desrosiers son who did well with spectacle. 

The deceptively light crown resting upon his brow, sapphires dripping down his forehead, should have never touched his head. 

Fresh welts and bruising over the backs of his thighs and his ass ached with the weight of his own body pressing them into the cushioning of the throne. What was meant to be a reminder as to what was at stake should he screw up left his head spinning within the prison of his body. 

As he kept his gaze focused on General Adamantidis, long-time Oikophorean ambassador and vaunted retired military commander, as the older woman presented to him perfumes and foreign fruit trees and beautifully woven bolts of dyed linens of the highest quality for the summer months, just one of each gift worth enough to keep one of the servants who brought him his morning meal fed for a decade if sold to the right bidder, his thoughts strayed to the distinct, irrationally despairing anxiety that someone would be able to sense the ghost of his naval advisor’s seed curdling in his stomach from early this morning.

Nobody would be able to tell. Everyone had made sure of it, from his breakfast of fresh fruit afterwards to the meticulous morning cleansing to the light rose perfumes and the heavy silks hiding the truth from the world. Yet still his fingers curled in his lap in a subtle display of nerves. 

He played his role. Kept his composure. Said the right words. Didn’t let slip just how hollowed out he’d been left. 

General Adamantidis bowed, gifts taken aside with everything else, and left to join the crowds, replaced within moments by the current Timorsian representative. Beside him sat a covered crate, atop which laid rolls of fine lace and a jewelry set Terrance already knew he’d have to wear the next time he had any Timorsian nobility or royalty as guests. At least such visits would be rare indeed. 

At least the set should be on the understated side. Hopefully. 

“Your Majesty,” the representative announced himself. “I bring gifts from Timorsia, to celebrate your birth.” A loud, clear voice for such a wiry frame, soot-black curls over the scalp and around the jaw, silver-blue eyes glinting from narrowed eyes. Skin tanned copper-gold from the sun. 

Terrance was, fortunately or not, not expected expected to know this man’s name. Not with the frosty tensions lingering between his kingdom and their empire. 

The man opened the jewelry set to reveal a gleaming set of Timorsian jade pearls, each gleaming as if carved from the water of oceanside tropics. Ironic, considering their freezing cold origin, deep in watery depths near the capital of the empire. Simple. Understated. Even rather elegantly styled, rather than the grandiose overwrought monstrosity he’d been given on the year of his coronation. Hair ornaments, rings, earrings, brooches, strands to wrap around his wrists and neck. “A full set of seafoam green pearls, courtesy of His Grace, King Jason the Fifth. Collected from Timorsia Bay.”

It almost felt more appropriate for something to add to one of his nieces’ dowries than to accept for himself. 

From the half-appreciative murmur that ran through the crowd, he knew there would be rumours of the king sending over at least some of his daughters or younger female relatives with the next representative once Terrance eventually opened himself to marriage within the week. 

Just what he needed. 

Next, the extremely valuable rolls of lace where displayed, jewelry set handed off to the servants charged with the gifts. “Seven bolts of silk lace, from Lady Farthens.” She did have an uncommon habit of sending over beautiful gifts and actually sticking to the boundaries and limits of proper decorum. “Handmade.”

These were received better. Extremely valuable, but not presumptuous. Bolts of fabric were a favourite for a reason. 

Quietly, he wondered how much he’d be able to get away with regifting to his nieces and nephews. Some should be given to Jules, at the very least. She’d enjoy admiring and reverse-engineering the craftsmanship in her spare time. 

And then only the cloth-covered crate remained. The fabric flowed with air, slightly, revealing hints of bars about the bottom. Something live rested in there. Some kind of animal, perhaps. Some kind of beast. 

A quiet beast. Nothing so large as a steed. A well-trained hound or two, perhaps?

The representative whipped the cloth away, and the room went silent. Terrance’s own vocal cords withered in his throat. He binked at its contents. Focused on his icy composure. 

That was no beast in the crate. 

“A slave from Middle Timorsia, from Lord Aspen.”

A boy. 

Pale skin covered in jagged scars, dark hair cropped short. Clean-shaven beneath a brutish muzzle. Dressed only in a plain shift. Terrance couldn’t see the boy well from here, couldn’t even tell if the boy really were a boy or a young man, if not older. Not shadowed in the dark as he was, kneeling behind those bars. Looking down at his knees. 

“He responds to Juno,” the representative continued, “and is trained to utter obedience. He is mute, and guaranteed not to distract you from your work, Your Grace.”

As if distracting him from his work could ever be what might cross his mind right now.

The representative unlatched the door, and hissed something too quietly to hear; clearly at the boy- the man?- within that kennel. The boy being made- being made a gift. 

And it was a boy, Terrance could see in the light. Young. Achingly so; he could only be a bit older than Terrance’s own nieces and nephews at best.

The boy didn’t walk to Terrance. He crawled. 

The boy crawled on red and swollen knees and palms, dragged against the polished sheen of the marble floors. Terrance resisted the urge to leave his throne and go to the boy instead. He was shivering, the boy. No wonder; the castle marble was cold. Like ice. 

Juno- that was his name, Juno- came close. Closer than anyone but his guards and advisors had all night. Terrance watched those thighs and arms quiver. Watched one of those arms buckle beneath him. 

Watched the boy hide his little stumble by resting his cheek against the king’s thigh. 

Heat seeped through the layers of fine fabric, into Terrance’s skin. 

He hid his shiver at the quiet, unassuming warmth. 

His fingers ran through Juno’s hair. The boy’s hair was soft. Freshly washed. 

Only to still as the boy stiffened. Sniffled. Grimaced. 

Braced himself for a blow. 

Something in Terrance’s lungs ached. 

This wasn’t a gift that Terrance could refuse, not with how cold relations between Rhodantheia and Tismoria, even though, if he did, it would not be Terrance who would suffer. No, it would be the boy. 

The whip scars peeking out from under that shift…

“Timorsia has been as generous as ever,” he let his voice ring out, as cold and sharp and distant as ever. A slight edge to his tone that had the Timorsian representative wincing. “Please let our gratitude be known to His Grace and Her Ladyship.”

He said nothing of the lord who had sent a slave as a birthday present to a Rhodantheian king. He didn’t need to. 

The representative bowed and excused himself, but despite watching Pellinore, the Mirei diplomat, meekly present the gifts from Mire with a lingering anxiety that Terrance couldn’t help but sympathize with, all he could genuinely focus on was the warmth of the boy curling up against his legs, soft puffs of breath against his thigh. 

When the celebration moved on Terrance receiving his own piece of cake, the music was too loud for anyone but him to hear the empty gurgling of Juno’s stomach. He could barely stomach more the rich chocolate on his tongue. 

Nobody noticed anything amiss at Terrance proving unable to finish his slice. 

[...]

Terrance’s private study was too far from the great hall for him to feel comfortable taking Juno there just yet, especially as the boy remained on his knees. Instead he settled for a small, private room; one of the small parlours dotting the palace. Anais opened the door for them as they made their way inside, and he gave her a small nod as the door closed behind him and his new responsibility. 

She’d done well; a small, sparse tea service awaited them with crackers and cheese, the scent of honey ginger tea rising from the teapot. Beside the teapot and tray sat a small plate of cake. 

A good, rich slice, larger than the one Terrance had struggled to eat; hopefully Juno was not so starved as to make eating it uncomfortable, or worse. 

He sat down gingerly on one of the two plush seats, strangling a groan before it could escape his throat. His eyes fluttered shut. 

Much better than that throne he’d been perched on like a doll for hours on end, for all it made his tender backside sting. 

When he opened his eyes, Juno knelt on the floor, a few feet away from him. Hm. Yes, he should have expected this. His older brother had liked to torment him with horror stories of how the Tismorian aristocracy would treat their slaves back when they were young. Exaggerations, likely, but…

“Come here, Juno,” he murmured. If he let the cold edge to his voice melt completely, well, there was only him and this mute boy here to know. 

Juno crawled miserably up to him, lashes fluttering in a familiar way that had his stomach sinking. Terrance resisted the urge to pick the boy up off the floor, as if he were one of his nephews instead of- of- 

Whatever he was now, here with Terrance. 

Terrance reached forward, tapping the rough wire of the muzzle on the boy’s face. “If I take this off, will you promise not to bite?” He’d take it off either way; he just had to check his bases first. Figure out if he would need to hide injuries from his advisors. 

Juno’s head nodded vigorously. If he didn’t know any better, he might fear the boy’s skull would slip right off his head. He reached forward, unbuckled the leather straps and eased the metal wires off the boy’s face. Terrance’s stomach churned at the sight of friction burns framing Juno’s nose and jaw. 

The boy opened his mouth stretching his undoubtedly aching jaw, letting out a soft moan of relief. Then the boy looked up at him. 

Blue. 

Blue eyes, just a few shades darker than the cornflower shade that haunted Terrance’s nightmares. His own breath hitched. 

They were beautiful, of course. Large and vibrant with the same glow as expertly cut tanzanite. Especially framed by long, dark lashes. Altogether, if not for the scars cutting into the boy’s skin, he’d look almost like a doll. 

Iohannes’s eyes were beautiful too. 

So was the ocean that Terrance had drowned in, the summer before Iohannes had shoved him down a whole flight of stairs. 

He locked his expression down before he could let any hint of unease slip free. 

Juno’s stomach had grumbled, during the celebrations. He needed to eat. But Terrance never had much appetite after deeply stressful situations; would Juno? 

“Are you hungry?”

Apparently, Terrance just stuck his foot in his mouth, because that had Juno’s eyes swimming with tears. The look of desperation on his face- that whimper-

Terrance tore his gaze away to pour a cup of tea for the boy. He gripped the porcelain tight, to better steady his hands. The inside of his throat swelled.  

“Sit,” he murmured, waving his hand towards the opposing seat. Some comfort had to do the boy some good. 

Juno blinked up at him, radiating confusion. 

Only his own long years of conscious control over the minute muscles of his face kept his brows from furrowing. “Wouldn’t you like to sit on a chair rather than the floor?”

The boy shook his head. Terrance only recognized the helpless puff of air escaping his lungs at the sight of Juno’s expression dropping into dread. Of his face screwing up. 

Tears dribbled down those pale, hollow cheeks, clearly in spite of his best efforts, and a sickening sense of peering into a reflection flickered irrationally through the king’s mind. 

Damn it. Only a few hours into their…acquaintanceship, and Terrance was already making him cry. What should he-

He grabbed the plate of cake off the table and practically shoved it into the boy’s hands. 

“Eat.” Somehow, his panic didn’t leak into his voice. 

Distracting a toddler from tears with something they liked always worked when his nieces and nephews were little. Somehow, the same principle seemed to work here. 

Juno blinked down at the cake in his hands in disbelief. 

Terrance grabbed a fork, setting it on the boy’s plate. Would the boy like cake? He hoped so; he hadn’t prepared anything else. Maybe tea would work instead as a stopgap while sending out for something else for the boy if not.  “Go on.”

That was all that he seemed to have to do before Juno was gingerly picking up the fork and sliding a tiny piece of the cake into his mouth. For a moment, he froze. 

Tears dribbled down his cheeks. 

Were it not for the boy immediately beginning to work diligently on the slice of cake, taking his time to savour every bite, Terrance would have thought he’d just screwed up yet again. 

Terrance sat back in his chair, sipping at the cup of tea he’d just poured, and let himself relax. 

Juno liked chocolate cake. 

He’d have to remember that. 

[shirotaangel]

࿔‧ ֶָ֢˚˖𐦍˖˚ֶָ֢ ‧࿔ Magdalena: Black Dragons

- SCENE I, ACT III

- SYNOPSIS : Koko, with his viper eyes and clever mind, finally finds his bite on you.

- PREVIOUS: Scene II

tw : nudity, menstrual blood, stalking, everyone is a perv.

╰┈➤THE BROTHEL WAS SOMEWHERE in the fortunate side of Kyoto, built somewhere in the Meiji period when Western civilization started seducing Japan with trade. Kokonoi was surprised he didn't hate the walk as much as he thought he would.

He was about to pull up behind Inupi but the Brothel Madame suggested he should take in the wonderful air of Kyoto, fill it with its redness, replace all the toxins Tokyo put in him.

But what surprised Kokonoi more was that he actually tried the suggestion. With his gloved hands at his back, he looked around, occasionally leaning over at the stalls of the street vendors.

The moon was up, but Kyoto didn't need its light anymore. It had its own red glow from shops and lanterns.

He thought about you, the Oiran, wondering if you ever walked the same streets as him on those precious little feet of yours.

He remembered your interesting habits - how your right foot would dangle your open-toed sandal when you're leaning back, how you'd tilt your head in intrigue, the way your brows rise.

Your charming little movements all done to tie your strings around a man's heart. He didn't fall, not exactly, but it did amuse him as it amused you.

All in an hour. Was he stupid to invest so much trust in an hour? But he dealt with many negotiations before, some even sealed in a time as short as thirteen minutes.

Kokonoi stopped, staring at a Fuji apple at one of the crates of the fruit sellers. He laughed. What a bad investor he is, isn't he? He expected all beautiful women are the same breed, sharing the same miseries as the other.

Now he sees it. How you basks in your misery, kissing it in the mouth with tongue. You sleep in bed with your misery, fucks it there, tells it: I want you.

He laughs, nodding. You're an interesting woman.

Kokonoi, more at ease now, strolled lightly to the direction of the brothel, humming a little tune to himself. When he arrived, three smoking prostitutes were gossiping by the entrances.

"Is the Oiran awake?" He asked.

"Maybe," one of them giggled, "you should go up in Mamma's office."

"Your madame's there already?" That fast?

"No," the prostitute shook her head, "but she wants you to be."

Kokonoi walked past them through the door strung with long strings of white shells in the shape of coffee beans. It smelled like dust inside and Avon perfumes.

Koko went to the second floor, asking another prostitute to the office of their madame. She pointed towards to a corridor to a shoji screen painted with scenes of mountainsides.

He didn't knock, finding it useless to use courtesy in a place of indecency.

The office was a bit bigger than the one by the pawnshop, but this one was littered with incense standing in gravel-filled cups with a small Buddha sitting on a red plate filled with fake gold coins. Koko raised his brow.

On the desk was a Sony Triton TV and three jade bracelets, which Koko turned around in inspection. Huh. The Madame isn't that cheap, after all.

Kokonoi glanced at the TV, shocked at what he's seeing.

It was the live footage of the Oiran's white-draped room, the camera view set somewhere from the ceiling. It was high quality, and had audios.

You, Koko saw, was sitting on your bed in the center of the room wearing a silk nightgown. He can only see your back, how your flow of thick, combed hair rolled down to your ass.

Two children, five year old twins, were fanning the hundred candles in the room out, reaching after to slide open the windows.

Moonlight hit your side, illuminating your arm and your thighs. Koko noticed you backed away from it.

"What do you want to wear today, Nee-san?" One of the twins piped up.

Koko was impressed at how keenly the Madame has her greatest asset under guard. He imagines the old bitch sitting here, listening, anticipating for an army of men marching to steal you away.

"It's hot, isn't it?" You asked, "you can leave for now."

Kokonoi narrowed his eyes. It's as if it was the first time he heard your sea-calm voice.

"But we haven't helped you yet, Nee-san," the little girl reasoned, "Mamma will be angry."

"She won't," you stood up slowly, padding to a drawer under the linen-covered tables to give the twins, what Koko could see, money, "go buy yourselves those tanghulu you like."

The girls gasped and kissed your cheek, happily running out the screen doors.

Kokonoi saw you didn't do anything for moments after that, standing on your spot by the drawers, staring solemnly at the door.

Then something began to leak down your legs, staining her silk nightgown in dark streaks. Kokonoi leaned towards the screen but instantly drew back when he realized what it was.

You slid the delicate straps of your nightgown off your perfect shoulders, the rest of it falling elegantly around your well-shaped ankles. Koko, for a quick second, averted his eyes.

He realized though that decency means nothing to him. Certainly, it means nothing to you. So he watched without shame.

Is this why you made the girls go? Didn't want them to see blood? Kokonoi chuckled. An irony.

Your breasts, perky and full, drooped down when you bent to wipe the blood off your thighs with the nightgown.

Kokonoi admired the science - how you're cleaning your blood and still be beautiful, faultless, perfect.

He wanted you more because of that. Black Dragons is a sea of blood and having you stand there ankle-deep might justify all of it.

Kokonoi just watched you. He didn't do anything. He didn't have to do anything. While you in your white room did nothing at all. You just sat naked staring at nothing.

He wonders what's going on in that head of yours. It's an interesting question - what is the most beautiful woman in the world thinking?

You didn't reveal much. Maybe you're thinking about nothing at all.

A few moments later, you stood up and wore a long camisole that reached your thighs and a girdle with a pad on, slowly clipping the girdle's straps to nude stockings.

You moved slow, Koko noticed, as if your perfect limbs were drenched in heavy tar.

From the covers of the bed, you drew something out. What's that, a child? You held it loosely in you arms as you slowly twirled around, swaying your hips.

Then he watched you put it gently on the table among the candles. It was a statue, he realized, of the Virgin Taiju worshipped.

Hm. You're religious?

The twins arrived while the Oiran was brushing your hair, just finished their tanghulus.

"Can I pick your cheongsam, Nee-san?" The twin gushed in excitement, jumping on little toes.

You nodded, "go on."

The girl with her twin ran out the door. Koko's spies informed him you have a whole thirty square-meter room for your cheongsams, all from Shanghai.

He would have to send both his and Inupi's division to pick all of them up, store them in one of the warehouses.

The twins return with a mannequin wearing a sleeveless piece of purple cheongsam, sewn with intricate patterns of yellow orchids and butterflies as far as Koko can see.

You, with contemplating fingers, took it off the mannequin. The fit of it was like water around you, rippling wonderfully at each movement, taking the shape of your body.

"You're so pretty, Nee-san!" A twin adored, "I wish I can have your face. Not everyone has it."

The other twin nodded, "Mother says one of us has chance to be you, Nee-san! Some day when Ichigo and I turn to seventeen!"

Koko saw you were silent.

The twin gasped, "oh, how about you read our palms, Nee-san?"

You sat back on the bed, "would you like that?"

All at once the girls spread out their chubby, dimpled palms in front of you.

"Come, Miki," you beckoned, "you can sit on my lap while waiting."

Kokonoi himself had sat on the desktop, a hand mindlessly scratching his neck. He didn't notice the heat anymore.

"You'll have a long life," you whispered, turning the child's hand in yours, "you'll . . . You'll be a healthy girl. Your features will be pretty. Look."

"Really?" The girl gasped.

"Yes," you agreed softly, "you'll be famous, too."

"So . . . " The girl in your lap trailed off, "so Ichigo will be like you, Nee-san?"

"Will I, will I?" The girl asked impatiently, smiling.

Kokonoi narrowed his sharp black eyes at your hesitation, looking closely at how you stared into the twin's palm. You were like that for moments. Frozen. Unmoving.

"Nee-San?"

The girl's eyes were big and large, innocent.

At that, Koko's own eyes widened, blasted wide. He smiled.

"Buy yourselves some apples," you dropped the palm, "go now."

copyright belongs to @shirotaangel

[tangledbea]

My Tangled/Bridgerton AU ideas that no one asked for

Rapunzel and Madame Gothel

The daughter of an extremely successful merchant (yes, she's getting a downgrade, can't just have princesses running around everywhere), Rapunzel's mother died in childbirth, and her father died of a broken heart shortly thereafter. Fortunately, the woman who was hired to be her nanny and governess was there to step in immediately, caring for the girl like she was her own.

Rapunzel is raised by Madame Gothel, who she calls Mamá, and is hidden from society for the majority of her life and carefully cultivated to be the Diamond of society upon her debut, which will raise her own status on the ton when they all see how flawless her “daughter” is. Rapunzel is beautiful, demure, regal, elegant, talented… everything a man could want as a prize. Now, if only Gothel could wed her off to royalty and secure her own status forever…

Before her debut, Rapunzel was rarely seen in public, though she could often be glimpsed in her window on the top floor of her house. When she was allowed out in public, she was made to wear wide-brimmed hats, keep her head down, and carry a parasol. Gothel wanted to prove she had a daughter while cultivating mystery about her, so that her debut would be a big reveal to the ton and the world. Because of this, Rapunzel was raised alone, without friends, though she spent a lot of her time in the window watching the people below. When they weren’t in London, they were at their country estate, Der Sonne Manor, with sprawling grounds and little staff, who were under severe threat to never speak of the girl when they happened to catch sight of her.

Though Rapunzel is barely interested in most of the men whose eye she catches, she knows her job is to catch a husband. Against Gothel’s desires, she wishes to find someone interested in her, and not just her beauty and status. She hates suppressing her entire personality and hiding her quirkier interests, but she does what she’s told, lest she risk her mother’s wrath.

Unbeknownst to Rapunzel, Gothel murdered her father when she was an infant after securing that she would have access to Rapunzel's inheritance in order to raise her properly. She took advantage of his broken heart, manipulating him to sign legal documentation before killing him. Though the exact cause of his death is not confirmed, there are those who speculate that Gothel had something to do with it.

Eugene Fitzherbert and King Edmund of Umbra

There was treachery afoot in Umbra when Eugene (Prince Horace) was but a baby. King Edmund sent his only child away for his own protection, but the trusted maid he sent him with was killed en route to a safe location. Suspecting she was being tracked down, she left the baby on a stoop. The people who lived there were unable to care for him, and so took him to the local orphanage, where he grew up under the name Eugene Fitzherbert, and never knowing his lineage.

Growing up poor, Eugene longed for a life of wealth and adventure, envious of the nobles who dallied in the richer parts of town. Knowing that there was little to no future for an orphan, he took to stealing and conning to give himself even a fraction of the life he wanted.

He became jaded over time, convinced that the world was hard and cruel, and that he'd never know anything else. And yet, when he was 25, he was abruptly rediscovered by his birth father, who announced his lineage and brought him back home to be the Crown Prince.

Eugene (who refuses to go by Horace) is at something of a loss. This is the life he has always wanted, and yet he has no idea how to actually live it.

Lance Strongbow

Lance grew up in the orphanage with Eugene, and they were best friends, learning to steal and con together. However, their paths diverged in their late teens, and while Lance didn't know what became of his friend, he set his own sights on being such a convincing conman that even the nobles wouldn't know the difference.

He slowly and gradually worked his way up in subtle ways, until he hatched his major plan. The Baron of Vardaros is a man who has not made a public appearance for decades. The last Lance heard, he'd made his way to America and was never coming back. And so, Lance took his name and title, and has begun passing himself off as the current Baron of Vardaros.

He is a rake, spending his time at the club with other men and enjoying the marriage season because he gets much attention from fawning young ladies who are hoping to catch a rich, titled husband. In truth, he gets a huge thrill out of knowing that he is a fraud, and that no one around him is any the wiser.

Little does he know, the true Baron of Vardaros is soon to catch wind of his identity theft, and will want his revenge.

[asexxxualerotica]

OC Muse List

~Dungeons & Dragons Muses~

Asterion Labrynthia: Minotaur prince in banishment from his kingdom. Quiet and gentle despite the great power and strength he wields. On a path of vengeance to avenge his killed parents.

Branwen Black: Ranger from the far north, raised and taught by an elite squad of mercenaries and huntsmen known as the Blackguard. Has a strangely innate connection to ravens and wolves.

Clover Brandyburke: Lagomore knight in service to a powerful archfey. On a quest to avenge his honor after his fiance left him on the altar. Serious and severe, and also naive to the mortal world.

Dariax Dendarrow: Goliath former bandit chief, abandoned after a disgraceful defeat to a young adventurer. Seeking to grow stronger to challenge the young adventurer again and defeat him.

The Devils of Emon: Based out of the Exandrian city of Emon, a band of adventurers named such for the surprisingly high number of tieflings in their crew.

Aquamarine: Tiefling rogue with ambitions to be the best thief in the region. Came to Emon and was immediately arrested for pickpocketing. Has an affinity for gems and trinkets.

Gamora Great-Bear: Orc warrior woman on a mission to find love, but just finding powerful monsters to defeat. Was similarly arrested, this time for exhibitionism, which she will do again.

Jeanne Ironwood: Woman driven by losses in her childhood to dragons. Trained by Percy DeRolo as an expert gunslinger and markswoman, and known for her cold and calculating demeanor.

Kyrie Targana: Tiefling performer who lost her arms to an abusive slaver. Was previously in a circus troupe with Omega and Thorne, and is now in a romantic relationship with Scourge.

Omega: Tiefling magician in a heated relationship with his succubus patron. Younger brother of Thorne. Definitely the most problem-attracting member of the crew.

Captain Scourge Maelstrom: Tiefling pirate captain and champion of the seas. Unofficial leader of the Devils, and the founding member. Captain of The Sea Devil, and tends to stay on his ship.

Thorne: Tiefling brawler known for getting drunk and getting into fights. Older brother of Omega. The most bristly member of the crew, often gets into fights with Jeanne late into the night.

Varris Alwyn: Tiefling warrior in loyal service to the Everlight. Seemingly ageless, and has a constant bet in the background by the rest of the Devils over whether he's really a dragon or an angel.

Verdant Wilde: Tiefling huntsman trained personally by Vex'ahlia DeRolo. Sent to Emon to keep an eye on things in Greystone Keep. Ended up forming a new adventuring crew alongside Jeanne.

Galatea the Golden-Scaled: Gladiatrix known for her gleaming golden battlekini. Left her life in the arena after repelling a raid on the city, seeing she could set out and do good elsewhere.

Jade Higurashi: Tiefling monk who was previously training to become a powerful sage for a local temple. After being thrown out, she turned to drinking and fighting to fill the gap they left.

Jaerik Aldraeyds: Changeling on a mission to find her true father in the Feywild. Unfortunately, her own naturally high libido and trend for falling to her enemy's lusts has delayed her quest incredibly.

Khadamori the Unbroken: Ulitharid warrior who was held in bondage by his own kin for most of his life. Eventually broke free and became a liberation leader, fighting to free slaves throughout the Underdark.

Korrin Vasailiis: Elven sorceress who made a deal with a demon to survive a horrible fate, and became a vampire in the process. Now on a quest to find new purpose, as her life is even longer than expected.

Lorelei Astolas: Tiefling lady of the night based out of Emon, a long-time rival and long-distance friend of the Ruby of the Sea. Known similarly as the Lady of Pearls for her pearlescent skintone.

Onyx the Shadowhand: Black Dragonborn rogue whose talents for theft and throwing down with thugs has been turned to aid and protect the less fortunate. Has a soft spot for children.

Peregrine Weis: Tiefling warrior woman who was once a faithful weapon for a zealous church, but left when they murdered her wife. Now trying to make up for her loss, and find who she is without faith.

Riot Doomthighs: Goblin bard with a love for heavy metal music and a wild devotion to the death god Xyrnyxrys. Also known for wearing very suggestive (but still protective) armors during her performances.

Serena Clyffe: Former noble lady who fled her home after accidentally frying her would-be betrothed with lightning. Now on the run from the law, and experiencing the world for the first time. Absolutely loves storm chasing.

Terra Verdell: Wood elven druid who has never lived in high society and wants to experience all that she can of it. Left her home in the forests to seek fun. Has found plenty by way of encounters with monsters along the way.

Twilight Obsidia: Tiefling from the Shadowfell who left her abusive family to seek a better life. Currently trying to live her life as a witch in the woods, doing good for the locals and farmers.

Variax Frosthollow: White dragonborn warrior, strongest in his clan, with a destiny to become a true dragon. Was the son of a dragon himself, but was only a dragonborn rather than his true heir.

Velvetina Gingersnaps: Lagomore witch from the Feywild with a desire to see the world. Also with a desire to avoid all of the felonies and fines waiting for her in the Feywild for her past antics.

Wilder Evergreen: Tiefling-orc huntsman with a bone to pick with an archfey. Grew up in woods that neighbored the Feywild, and his sisters were taken when wandering in them. Out for blood.

Willow Wellmeadow: Lagomore druid settled in the mortal plane. Protector of the dense woodlands and warden of a portal to the Feywild. Tends to be kind and welcoming to visitors.

Xakos Duskwalker: Half-orc gunslinger and gunmaker. Studied in ancient artificing and restoration of mythical mechanisms. Had his research stolen and spread out, and is out to take it back.

Yora Vor'ziira: Dark elf rogue who was kept as a slave by her own kind and forced to fight in bloody combats. Was eventually helped free by a human slave, and now wanders the surface world seeking a home.

Zhekhar O'Shevaqt: Efreet lord, master of slaves and of coin in the City of Brass. Known for being incredibly charismatic and devilishly handsome. Also known for spoiling his toys utterly rotten.

Zurrak Hellbellows: Red Dragon, often in a human guise. Considered the King of Dragons, and reigns from a long-dormant volcano he has fashioned into a castle. Intent on conquest, and claiming more wealth.

[cienie-isengardu]

Bi-Han and Shang Tsung seen through the various "timelines", p.1

Or: Cienie collects data about how Shang Tsung and Bi-Han's relationship looked in different source material through the years. And by "Bi-Han" I mean all incarnations of Sub-Zero that took part in the tenth Tournament or were Shang Tsung's hired assassin around that time.

>> MORTAL KOMBAT (1992)

Sub-Zero’s Ending:

"After receiving the title of Grand Champion, Sub-Zero disappears back into the shadows from which he came. His only goal in the tournament was...the assassination of Shang Tsung. He was paid a large sum of money by one of Tsung's wealthy enemies. With his mission accomplished, Sub-Zero will collect his fortune and retire from his dangerous profession."

>> MORTAL KOMBAT: BLOOD AND THUNDER (1994)

Issue #0

"It is true that there are those who would thwart my plans. Their mission is only common bond they have. Save for the exceptional fighting prowess [...] I'm uncertain of Sub-Zero's background, but based on the markings of his uniform, he probably belongs to the Lin Kuei, a legendary clan of Chinese ninjas. [...] Each of them has his own agenda, but they all wish to stop me. To do so, they must fight their way through my personal guards and they must do the impossible and defeat mighty Goro. And then... should they somehow accomplished all of that... they would have to deal with Shang Tsung himself.

Issue #2

"Representing the Outworld province of Katala... this is Grum. And battling for the Lin Kuei clan... Sub-Zero.

Sub-Zero: Where are you taking me? Goro: We're going to escort you to special "quarters" to await your next match. Do not be so jumpy, my friend. There is nothing to worry about.

Sonya: Look! I want to know what's going on here! I demand to speak to Shang Tsung! Sub-Zero: Is it not obvious, woman? There is no end to Tsung's treachery.

Issue #6

Sub-Zero: I came to the Island of Shang Tsung to claim the title of Grand Master of Mortal Kombat. The time has come for the Lin Kuei clan to rise to its place of power.

>> MORTAL KOMBAT BATTLEWAVE (199-?)

*This comic book is followed by "A cold day in Hell" in which at the end we met younger Sub-Zero, which is why I count Battlewave as the source for "Bi-Han". There is not much direct information of Shang Tsung & Bi-Han's interaction, but the elder Sub-Zero helps Kitana who opposes Shao Kahn, so by default they are enemies.

Issue #6

Shao Kahn: The CHallenge has been issued and it may not be refused. Two teams shall do battle, seeking a goal of my choosing. Shang Tsung will lead the forces of Shao Kahn, battling for Outworld and Rayden shall lead the forces of Light, representing Earth and those sympathetic to his goals.

Team Outworld: Shang Tsung, Goro, Kintaro, Scorpion, Reptile, Kano, Mileena, Smoke, Jade, Siang.

Team Earthrealm & allies: Rayden, Liu Kang, Sonya Blade, Johnny Cage, Kitana, Sub-Zero, Jax, Kung Lao, Baraka, Bo.

>> MORTAL KOMBAT: TOURNAMENT EDITION - "A COLD DAY IN HELL" (1995)

Some of them are from Earth realm. Others are from here on Outworld. They have been separated by the whims of the Dark Emperor... into two teams lead by opposing personalities.

>> MORTAL KOMBAT CARD GAME (1995)

Sub-Zero is a member of the Lin Kuei and one of the deadliest assassins alive. He joins the tournament as one of Shang Tsung's hired mercenaries in exchange for the secrets of Tsung's arcane magic.

>> MORTAL KOMBAT MOVIE (1995)

Shang Tsung (to Sonya, Johnny and Liu Kang): "Scorpion and Sub-Zero. Deadliest of enemies. But slaves under my power."

Shang Tsung (after Sub-Zero's demonstrated his ice powers and killed a man): Flawless victory.

>> MORTAL KOMBAT (novelization of the 1995 film) by MARTIN DELRIO (1995)

“You!” Shang said. “What are you doing here, old one? This is my domain. Here the emperor pronounces the law.” “Indeed.” “Then tell me, Rayden, god without miracles, why do you come? To see your fighters destroyed, your realm lost, and you yourself humiliated? Is it really worth the price you must pay to come here, to see those things?” “I have reason to expect a slightly different outcome,” Rayden said mildly. “Tell me, if you are so confident of the results of the tournament, why do you go even now to visit Prince Goro?” “I pay my respects to Outworld’s greatest champion,” Shang Tsung said. “What is so odd about that?” “Nothing, if you did not travel with your ninjas,” Rayden said. “Did you think I would not recognize Sub-Zero and Scorpion? If you go to visit a friend and ally, you have no need of those two.”

Shang paced in, Sub-Zero and Scorpion at his side, never breaking stride.

Another gong sounded. Shang Tsung stepped forward, a line of monks pacing him on either side. Sub-Zero and Scorpion, the two ninjas, kept their usual pace just behind him.

>> MORTAL KOMBAT NOVEL by JEFF ROVIN (1995)

“You may be right,” Shang Tsung said. “Tell me again why Kano was the best man for this job – why we couldn’t get the man I wanted.” Goro reached into the smaller of two bamboo cages set before him, pulled out a small struggling horny toad, and put its head in his mouth. He bit down. “Because the man you wanted, Sub-Zero of the Lin Kuei ninjas, was not available.” “I know that,” Shang Tsung said, his reedy voice impatient. “Why wasn’t he available?” Goro used a thick finger to push the rest of the horny toad into his mouth, and after shaking the cage to see what else was in there, he dug through a wriggling layer of garter snakes to pull out a newt. “Because he killed an assassin by the name of Scorpion, and went into hiding. No one knows where in China he is, not even other members of the Lin Kuei.”

The wizard’s fingers curled into a tight ball, and he rattled it at the circle of ooze-covered powder on the floor of the shrine. “I haven’t come this far to be stopped by a mortal… even a mortal who is aided by a deity!” “Then you must act… against Liu.” Shang Tsung nodded. He would love to find a way to act against Rayden himself, but he dared not step into the circle to consult with Shao Kahn. He didn’t want to face the god’s ire now that they knew the blundering idiot Kano was being followed – and by three members of the White Lotus Society no less – men, women, and even children who were masters of the martial and ninja arts. Even if he were to send Goro out to intercept them, that was no guarantee of victory. The giant Shokanite might have no trouble stopping one of the White Lotus members, but three? For that, Shang Tsung would need special assistance. Help that was sly and moved like the hornet, quietly and unseen. “Where is he, Ruthay? Where is the only one who can help me?” There was a long pause. “I… am looking.” Then, the disembodied voice said, “I see him… Shang Tsung. He is hiding.” “Where?” “In a cave… in a cliff… north of Wenzhou.” “That’s just like him,” Shang Tsung said. “With the fees he charges, he could live in splendor. Yet he chooses a life of hardship and study.” “And death!” Ruthay said. “Yes, death,” Shang Tsung admitted. “Don’t be too harsh on him, Ruthay. Some people deserve to die. I will summon him–” “Wait! Be warned, Shang Tsung. He is cursed!” “Cursed? By whom?” Ruthay wailed, “By the immortal Yu.” Shang Tsung felt cold spiders crawl up his spine. “The demigod Yu?” “Yes… he who is said to dwell in the underground caverns of Horse  Ear Mountain… which is sacred to the goddess Kuan Lin. He who protects the canals… and the tunnels… and looks after all who use them, human and animal.” “What did our brash friend do to Yu?” “He… killed a man,” said Ruthay. “What man?” “A toll-taker… one who had given up a life of crime… one who had been a partner of the man… you… seek.” “And how did that crime come to the attention of the spirit of Yu?” Shang Tsung asked. “The man was killed… slowly disemboweled with a sword… while accomplices forced his wife and his son to look on! After his murder… the man’s remains… were dumped into a canal!” Shang Tsung raised an eyebrow. “Is that all? I was expecting something truly terrible!” “It was!” Ruthay shrieked. “When he disposed of the body… in that way … he profaned one of the sacred waterways… of Yu!” Shang Tsung smiled now. “Then he is definitely the man I want,” he said. “Anyone who is impudent enough to insult a demigod won’t be afraid to attack a member of the White Lotus Society, or the gods who watch after them. I will send Hamachi, Ruthay. When he nears his goal, see through his eyes and guide him!”

Opening the door, the wizard pushed past the two hooded souls that were attending to the many birds in the palace aviary. The bulk of the collection of birds from around the world, and their ornate cages of balsa and steel, of bamboo and ivory, of twigs and even string, was for Shang Tsung’s own enjoyment. He luxuriated in the specimens, which ranged from the common nightingale to the imposing pine grosbeak, from the rufous-sided towhee to the glorious yellow warbler, from the black vulture to the red-tailed hawk. But some of the birds were kept more for practical purposes. His falcons were trained to fly to the mainland and kill with claws of poison, while his beautiful white pigeons were trained to carry messages to spots all across eastern China. Going to a small writing table tucked in a corner of the stone chamber, Shang Tsung lit a candle, dipped a fountain pen in red ink, and wrote in small, tight characters on a slip of rice paper: LIU KANG AND TWO OTHER MEMBERS OF THE WHITE LOTUS SOCIETY ARE CAMPED TO THE WEST OF WUHU, HEADED EAST TO INTERCEPT A BAND OF BLACK DRAGONS. THESE INTERLOPERS MUST BE STOPPED. YOU ARE MY LAST HOPE. RETURN THE BIRD WITH A TOKEN SO I WILL KNOW THAT YOU HAVE GONE AFTER THEM. SHANG TSUNG After finishing the message, the sorcerer went over to one of the cages, carefully removed a pigeon, rolled the paper around its right leg, and fixed it there with a length of red string. Holding the bird in both hands, he made his way under and around the many cages to the window. The black shutters of the window were closed, and one of the hooded servants scuttled over, released the catch, and threw it open. Shang Tsung bent close to the bird and said softly, “I know you won’t fail me as my fellow humans have, devoted Hamachi. Fly true and take my urgent message to the region you know so well. Ruthay will see through your eyes and guide you from there. Then return to me, my delicate servant. Come back safely and soon, and I will offer up a human sacrifice to you.” With a last look into the black-pearl eyes of his precious messenger, Shang Tsung threw the pigeon out the window and watched the bird bat its white wings until it was swallowed by the starlit sky. “Fly, my precious. Fly! You who do not need the waterways, the tunnels, or the favor of the arrogant Yu to accomplish your mission!”

He dwelt in a cave two hundred feet up the face of a cliff by the sea. The mouth of his home was barely wide enough to accommodate a slender adult, and was accessible only by climbing the sheer wall of rock, a feat that was impossible for most adults and daunting even to the few arachnids and marsupials that tried it. Maybe some of them were even sent by Yu, he thought with a smirk, little assassins who would chastise me for having spilled blood in his precious canal. The smirk faded as he thought back to the murder. The blood of a traitor… one who took the oath and then turned his back on us. One it had taken two decades to find. The traitor Yong Park had committed the ultimate crime: even if Yu himself crawled into the cave, he would find the killer unrepentant and willing to kill the former ninja again. The cave was located two hundred miles south of Shimura  Island, though it was still hours before dawn when the pigeon reached it. Landing in the narrow mouth, the bird cooed once then stood still, as it had been trained to do. The ninja was awake and beside it in an instant, crouched beneath a ceiling that didn’t allow for him to stand. Dressed only in a white loincloth, despite the cold floor and chill air in the cave. He was reading the message by moonlight a moment later. A smile crossed his lips, lips so pale and claylike that they appeared dead. His small, very narrow eyes looked from the message to the bird to the moonlight that lit just the entrance of his dark abode. He ran the back of an index finger up and down the bird’s breast. “Good Hamachi. Return to your master so he will know that I have received his message and am on my way to do his bidding. For a price, of course,” he said. He glanced at the several pyramid-shaped stacks of scrolls in the rear of his cave. His fee was another manuscript from Shang Tsung’s library, one of the many scrolls that were centuries old, dating back to the dawn of the days of the first ninjitsu and containing arcane secrets of the league of assassins to which he belonged, the widely-feared Lin Kuei.

>> MYTHOLOGIES: SUB-ZERO (1997)

Story mode:

Sub-Zero: I vow to serve and obey the Lin Kuei. Grandmaster: Welcome back, my warrior. I have a new undertaking for you. It seems your recent exploits have caught the eye of yet another sorcerer. I'd like you to meet the retainer of your services. His name is Shang Tsung. He would like you to compete in a small tournament... called Mortal Kombat.

>> MORTAL KOMBAT 9 (2011)

Chapter 2: Sonya

Shang Tsung (to Sonya): You will face Sub-Zero, of the Lin Kuei clan of assassins.

Chapter 3: Scorpion (Bi-Han's death)

Chapter 7: Smoke

Smoke: Tell me what you know of Sub-Zero's death. Shang Tsung: *shapeshifts into Bi-Han* Smoke: What-? Shang Tsung: Despite his failure at my tournament, I'll wager he was more powerful than you, Lin Kuei.

>> MORTAL KOMBAT 11 + AFTERMATH (2019-2020)

Shang Tsung's Official Gameplay Trailer

Story Mode: Fujin's chapter

Shang Tsung & Noob / Bi-Han using similar looking attack in the same chapter:

Intro dialogues: Shang Tsung vs Noob Saibot

Shang Tsung: No more haunting my island's shadows. Noob Saibot: Your island is Kronika's property. Shang Tsung: So she is your master now?

Shang Tsung: It's astounding you survived a Soulnado. Noob Saibot: My darkness is immutable and unkillable. Shang Tsung: But is it transferable, Bi-Han?

Noob Saibot: Take your place in the Netherrealm. Shang Tsung: I would rather raise Onaga. Noob Saibot: That would be most unwise.

Noob Saibot: I have no soul to steal. Shang Tsung: I'll kill you, just to be sure. Noob Saibot: You may try, Shang Tsung.

Intro dialogues: Shang Tsung vs Sub-Zero (Kuai Liang)

Shang Tsung: You lack your brother's efficacy. Sub-Zero: Because I maintain my integrity. Shang Tsung: Integrity is no weapon, Kuai Liang.

Sub-Zero: My brother paid a high price serving you. Shang Tsung: He knew the rules of Mortal Kombat. Sub-Zero: But then you rigged the tournament.

[glorious-sunset]

Reflections on Ep. 5 of LBFAD on rewatch

Arbiter Hall, Day 4: DongFang QingCang (DFQC), after a torturous morning collecting dew drop by drop for Xiao Lanhua (XLH), finds her and the plant spirits gleefully celebrating his departure!! He has many enemies who scheme behind his back and want to kill him, is aware of Shiyuntian’s unflattering propaganda around him, and never gave these insults a second thought. But when XLH says that “even the air becomes clearer” without him around, it is like a sharp stab to his gut. When even the thoughts of the mightiest kings don’t bother him, why should the words of an inconsequential little flower?

XLH’s relief at his disappearance soon turns to sadness and worry. She misses Da Qiang terribly, and wonders if he is back at Haotian Tower. She knows he had been imprisoned for tens of thousands of years – how much longer would he have to stay if he went back? He is a good man and doesn’t deserve it. The plant spirits go to sleep and she feels bereft – until DFQC presents her with her morning dew! He looks more breathtakingly handsome than ever in a new set of robes and smells intoxicating from his fragranced bath.

DFQC tries hard to be patient with her requests to make the dew more palatable. When he blows on it to cool it down, it reminds her of her master Siming blowing on her porridge when she is sick. Since Siming left, nobody ever lifted a finger to care for her until now. Da Qiang promises to collect dew for her every day from now on – but how can she accept his kindness? Her heart belongs to Changheng (CH) doesn’t it? She is torn.

DFQC overdoes everything that the Xilan scroll suggests in his attempts to heal XLH! The amount of dew he collects is several times the amount she would normally drink, his efforts to keep her warm take him to the volcanic magma of Cangyan Sea, and only the best place will do to see the sunrise – the home of his enemy! :D It would be easier if he took her back to Cangyan Sea, let his medics attend to her, and retrieved his Jade Ring to block her emotions. He could then coerce her to fix the destiny leaf without emotional fallout. But the scroll said that the roots of the Xilan holy plant should not be moved except on particular days.

Yunzhong Water Pavillion: Yunzhong admonishes CH for ignoring his arranged marriage to the Goddess and for keeping another woman’s handkerchief. CH is dutifully shamed, discarding the Immortal Pill that he had poured his spirit’s vitality into creating over the last three days for XLH. If only he knew that XLH was actually his fiancée! :D Too funny.

Arbiter Hall: DFQC has been away all day and XLH, worried for his safety, has stayed up long past her usual bedtime to wait for him. When he returns and approaches her in her bedroom late at night, she retreats nervously. His proximity feels dangerous and exciting. He offers her the spark of Eternal Flame from the magma of Cangyan Sea, and is pleased when she recognises it from her books. But how could he have entered such a dangerous and distant place just to keep her warm – what if he had lost his life?!

Fountain Palace: CH reminisces about the momentous day he spent with XLH 500 years ago, which he then wiped from her memory without her consent!! There are many striking parallels between his history with XLH and DFQC’s continuing story with her. XLH did not know the true identity of either CH nor DFQC, but showed kindness to them both simply because of her caring nature. To CH, aggrieved by the attentions of simpering fairies chasing him for his fortune and status, this was the purest form of kindness he ever knew. XLH cured both men with her Xilan magic – for CH, this involved healing his physical wounds. CH appeared to have been mortally wounded and it is possible that she saved his life. For DFQC, she healed the damage to his Tree of Emotions, and mended his relationships with his father and brother. XLH is also the first person to try to protect either of these men, who everyone else relied on to protect them but were never offered care and protection themselves. In ep. 8 she protectively wraps DFQC in her arms in her attempt to save him from CH and his troops. What a woman! CH and DFQC never stood a chance. Also, CH, you are an idiot :D

Arbiter Hall, Day 5: It’s still dark when DFQC enters XLH’s room to take her to see the sunrise. Of course she’s reluctant to get up, lazy creature that she is, but the first rays of the sun are vital to her recuperation. Let’s see, she can’t go dressed in her nightclothes. He creates a soft and feminine lavender gown for her in keeping with her preference for light-coloured clothes, and gorgeous pastel hair accessories to match. Amazing!! We’ve seen him magically change his own clothes in ep. 2 and he does the same for her now. The next thing she knows, they are flying up, up, up, faster than she has ever travelled before and it is scary but exhilarating! Her arms encircle DFQC tightly and she feels safe in his embrace.

The lavender gown that DFQC created is the most beautiful out of all of XLH’s Fairy Realm outfits. The sleeves fall in soft, translucent frills, the bodice is lavender and the skirt is a collage of multiple pastel hues. His impeccable taste in fashion isn’t limited to his own wardrobe! (you can be my fairy godmother any time DFQC! :D ) This dress becomes XLH’s favourite; she wears it for the fairies’ examination in ep. 6 for good luck, and is seen wearing it in two scenes in the LBFAD end credits :D

Yunzhong Water Pavillion: DFQC watches with wicked amusement as XLH, not realising they are concealed by his invisibility cloak, panics at the sight of the heavenly soldiers approaching. They are now physically very comfortable with each other, and she grabs his waist, his arm, his wrist, as she tries to hide behind him and persuade him to leave before even more powerful high celestials arrive and capture them!

DFQC has to admit that the home of his arch-enemy is beautiful. But this reminds him that the Shuiyuntian dictators greedily hoard the best locations for themselves; they determine the class of others based solely on the status they were born into, and not on their personal merits. In Cangyan Sea, anyone can rise in status if they work hard enough and show potential. Shuiyuntian oppresses any member of the Moon Tribe simply because they are labelled as Moon Tribe – no other crime is necessary. In the lead up to the Battle of Two Tribes, Shuiyuntian had been cruelly and unnecessarily using their spirit-vanishing arrow formation (mentioned by his father in ep. 16) against the Moon Tribe, which meant that those they destroyed could never reincarnate and their spirits would never be at peace. The Moon Tribe had had no counter to their genocidal attacks until DFQC learned to control Hellfire.

They teleport to a romantic private balcony bordered with flowers just in time to catch the first rays of the rising sun. It’s the first sunrise XLH has ever seen! She can’t believe how beautiful the view is from the highest point in Shiyuntian! Not even high gods are allowed up here without being summoned by Yunzhong. To her enormous excitement, Cloud Whale, whom she has regularly spoken to over the past thousand years but never seen in person, makes an appearance!! Da Qiang made this possible for her, and she can’t help but love him for it.

Her radiant smile and soft, tender gaze upon him captivates him. From this moment, he is unable to take his eyes off her, and a smile tugs at the corner of his mouth! :D Even the flowers on the balcony bloom in response to XLH’s happiness. Unknowingly, the two of them are by now completely enchanted by each other.

Arbiter Hall: XLH takes the Universe Pill that Jieli gave her, and both she, and DFQC in response, experience excruciating stomach pains (shame on you Jieli! :P ). While DFQC dispels fire energy from her stomach, she tells him that despite being a grouch, he is not a bad person. “Within the three realms, nobody is worse than me!” he declares, followed soon after by “if you feel sad, I feel sad too” :D He roughly pulls a blanket over her on his way out – this small but very significant gesture is not born from the necessity to heal her, but from a new desire within him to care for her. He was trained to be ruthless, nobody taught him how to be kind, but from this point on he is slowly learning how. In ep. 8, he roughly brushes a tear from her cheek, and his small gestures of kindness only continue to become smoother and gentler.

Unfortunately, XLH continues to be sad while missing Siming and the hundred flower soup she used to make for her and DFQC can no longer stand it! His face keeps crying and it is distracting him from his reading!! How hard can it be to make soup? He is not familiar with the kitchen equipment but has some experience with cooking over a campfire. So, he uses his hellfire to create a campfire on the rooftop. Bad idea, as smoke goes everywhere and flowers burn in the cooking pot :D But, XLH is overjoyed at his thoughtful efforts to cheer her up, which are well outside his comfort zone! He reminds her more and more of her master Siming, who was the dearest and most important person to her. All of the flowers in the greenhouse now bloom in response to her joy and affection (only two flowers bloomed for CH, in ep. 1 :P )

Here is a link to my episode 6 review (contains spoilers). All of my LBFAD articles and episode reviews can be viewed with the tag #lbfad reflections (hyperlinked) and the table of contents to these is here.