#a special kind of Black female magic

[yoonia]

Ever A Never After: Act 1

⟶ Chapter Summary | It feels like a dream come true. Prince Charming comes to the rescue, and then he is suddenly proclaiming his love to you. The promise of your happily ever after is suddenly within arm’s reach. Yet sinister ploys are at play, coming in the way of your happy ending just when you are merely a step away from reaching it

⟶ Title | Ever a Never After (adaptation from Enchanted movie) ⟶ Pairings | Jungkook x female reader; Seokjin x female reader ⟶ Genre | Strangers to lovers!au, Fairy tale retelling!au, Rom-com ⟶ Word count | 19,688 words ⟶ Ratings & Warnings | PG-13, +18 / M for future chapters; slow burn, black magic, curses, fantasy beasts/monsters, fantasy violence, fantasy weapons, mentions of (possible) characters death, blood, self inflicted injury (pretty harmless, no weapons are involved in this part), sudden wedding proposals, coercion, hypnotism, betrayal. ⟶ Special thanks to my beta readers, @downbad4yoongi, @theodea

⟶ Story Masterlist: Ever A Never After | next chapter ⇢

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⟶ Special Taglist: Ever A Never After

Once upon a time, in a magical kingdom known as Andalasia…

A place where each story ends with happily ever afters and a dream can become reality with one simple wish. Ruled by the powerful Sorceress Queen Rosalyn, who reigns the kingdom with her iron fist, steel heart, and enchanting spells, the kingdom prospers with riches and an abundance of good fortune. 

Magic exists in this place as the main core that holds the entire kingdom together. 

It protects the people of the kingdom from the evil forces lying in wait within the shadows. Magic also brings light and joy to the people of the kingdom, opulence and prosperity to the land, allowing Andalasia to bloom magnificently for the past century among other magical kingdoms within the realm.

With magic, the people of the kingdom—even those who aren’t mages or sorcerers—are able to have a strong connection with the surrounding nature. The blessings of magic spreads through the land, providing crops and provisions for the people throughout the year. It also spreads through the waters flowing from the mountains and all the way to the open sea, enriching the land, the towns and the vast farmlands within the kingdom’s territories. 

The blessings of magic also allows the humans and the creatures of the wild—the animals and fairies—to speak in the same language. Allowing all part of the kingdom to live in harmony and peace under the same sky. 

But just like two sides of a coin, magic has another face that the people despises the most; dark magic, with its evil spells and curses, which often draws in malicious forces and lures the beasts and monsters that would pose a threat to the kingdom. 

For years, the mighty Sorceress, Queen Rosalyn, has managed to protect the people by using her powers. Yet dark magic has always been powerful. Enough to continue existing in the darkest places of the kingdom, hiding in the shadows, waiting in the crevices of the land for anyone who would be strong enough to wield and harness it. 

There is only one kind of magic in Andalasia that is strong enough to defeat these dark spells. 

Stronger than the magic that the Queen possesses and casts to rule the kingdom and its people. The most powerful magic that everyone holds out their hopes, dreams, and wishes for. The one that everyone most desperately seeks, no matter what risk they would take to find it. Even the animals and wild creatures of the woods would sing praises about it between the breezing wind, while people within the kingdom would write fables to commemorate its existence.

It is the magic mostly known as the true love’s kiss. 

Ever since you were just a little girl, you have heard many stories about it. From the tales that had been written in the books and scribes about the magical moments that are shared by those who have embraced their happily ever afters with their true love’s kiss. 

Once you become old enough to understand all there is to know about the magic made possible with true love’s kiss, you begin to feel a deep sense of yearning growing within you. A desire so profound to find your own happily ever after, and to find someone that you could share your true love’s kiss with. This desire has filled your thoughts and dreams, always keeping you wishing and praying for the opportunity to look out to the world so you can find it for yourself. 

And last night, after a seemingly long wait, fate itself has decided to answer your prayers by sending you a wonderful dream. A dream filled with signs telling you that your wish may soon come true. 

What you saw in your dream was everything that you had always pictured to happen. It got you feeling elated, hopeful, and it had woken you up with the strong desire to immortalise it while you had the chance to. 

The sun was barely up when you first opened your eyes, yet there was no way you could remain idle, no matter how comfortable it would have been to stay in bed. Your energy was already high, pushing you to start working on bringing the key piece of your dream into reality while it is still fresh in your memories. 

An hour or so has passed since, and you have been moving around your quaint bedroom, bringing with you scraps of fabrics, ribbons, and various other raw materials that you managed to gather from the garden before the sky grew bright. The rapid thrum of your heartbeat becomes the music you hum to while you carefully combine the materials, pinning each piece onto the wooden mannequin standing in the center of your bedroom—the same mannequin you would normally use to create your pretty dresses.

Except instead of displaying a dress, the wooden mannequin has been set up to display your newest creation. These beautiful scraps of fabric that you have collected and formed together aren’t meant to be any piece of clothing that you might be wearing later once the season changes, but to bring the object of your dream—the object of your deepest desire—to come alive. 

As your creation is slowly forming into its final shape right before your eyes, you feel a rush of enthusiasm and joy brewing inside your chest. A feeling that you share with your busy little helpers that have been moving in tune with you from every corner of the room. 

Their presence has become another reason why you are so full of energy this morning. They are the true blessing that had come from the forest, lured by the sound of your voice as you were singing the wistful tune of your aspiration the moment you woke up from your deep slumber. 

Each animal now present in the room are either having fun watching and cheering for you, or helping you with all the different tasks that they can handle. You enjoy watching your small friends following your instructions obediently while singing along with the cheerful tune you are humming while you continue to work. 

The wild hummingbirds that are usually shy and diffident are now fluttering around the mannequin, securing the ribbons that you have specifically chosen for your project. The fluffy chinchillas keep running back and forth to bring in more scraps and little accessories from your drawers to add to your creation. 

Once in a while, some more of your fluffy little fellows slip into your room. Always carrying with them the various items that they could find from the forest and the small patch of garden right outside of your cabin in case they would be useful. 

Just like the pair of wild sparrows that are flying in through your window right this moment. The sound of their cheerful chirping fills the room, drawing your attention to their arrival. “Here are some more leaves and fresh straws that you can use for the hair, sweet Blossom.” 

A smile is lifted on your face as they drop some autumn leaves and fresh-smelling straws from their beaks and talons into your open palms. “Why, thank you, sweethearts,” you gratefully say to them, “These should make the hair look all fluffy and soft.” 

Soft flutters rise in your chest as you lean to give each sparrow a light peck on top of their heads. A gesture that you give not only because you are feeling grateful for their help, but also for the way they are calling you with your childhood nickname in such an endearing way. 

Blossom.

Your mother had been the one who gave you the special name when you were born. It was said that the flowers seemed to blossom more beautifully the moment you came into this realm, and the nickname has stuck on you ever since. The name that is interchangeable with your birth name, and one that anyone who is close to you would often choose to call you with. 

You begin humming to yourself again as you drift back to your mannequin, pinning the leaves into the crown of the mannequin’s head. You have yet to get everything done when you hear soft voices calling for you excitedly from below. 

“How about these bronze quartz for the eyes?” A pair of white wild bunnies call out to you as they hop around your ankles. Clapping your hands with joy, you bend down to gracefully accept their gifts. 

“Oh, yes!” you squeal as you lift the pair of bronze quartzes to your eyes, loving how they glow under the bright morning sunlight. 

“How lovely, and they look perfectly similar to the eyes looking back at me in my dreams,” you delightfully exclaim to them as you attach the dark-coloured crystals to the mannequin’s face, giving it a pair of eyes that are glinting beautifully as if they are coming alive. “Those eyes looked as dark as the night sky but were glowing like twilight when I looked deeply into them in my dream, and these pretty quartz are reminding me of them.” 

Ada, the gentle deer, prances over, bumping her head against your calves to draw your attention to her. “Then how about these are some goose feathers I found at the lake this morning? Would these help too?” she gently offers as she drops the delicate feathers by your feet. 

With an astonished gasp, you bend down to your knees to retrieve it. You take a moment to marvel at them as a flutter of delirious giggle rises in your throat. “What beautiful feathers, perfect for a prince. I wonder where I should put this,” you ponder to yourself, tapping your chin as you admire the feathers’ colouring—its golden-brown gradient shade that looks luxurious, like pieces of expensive materials that you can only see adorning the fancy dresses or suits that the nobles wear to the Queen’s royal ball.

With a soft bubbling laughter, you twirl on your feet before pinning the feathers on its upper torso, and you can almost see it shimmer as the sunlight falls on them. 

“Oh, how perfect!” you marvel at the mannequin standing right before you with a sigh. Stepping back from it, you take in the result of your hard work, making sure that you have followed every little detail that has been engraved in your memory. 

“Just what exactly are you making so early in the morning? Keeping everyone busy before you even had your breakfast,” Poppy, the sassy squirrel who is also your most loyal companion, huffs curiously as she climbs over your shoulder, wanting to have a clear look at what you are creating. 

“Oh, Poppy. My dear sweet Poppy.” A dreamy sigh escapes from your lips, which only draws more confusion on your little friend’s face. “I had a dream last night.” 

“A dream?” 

“Oh yes, Poppy. A wonderful dream.” You cannot help but giggle as a giddy feeling fills your chest. You also feel a sense of longing, an odd sensation which has been plaguing you ever since you woke up from this magical dream. 

“Tell us about the dream, Blossom,” your friends chirp and sing from all around you, “Tell us!” 

With a smile, you slowly drop down to the floor cushions at the corner of your bedroom, finding comfort as you begin to share your tale, “I dreamed of a prince. A very handsome, charming, and powerful prince.” 

With your eyes on the wooden mannequin, you gesture your hand at your nearly finished work, “And he looks just like this.” 

The statuette figure that stands before you, shaped by the decorated and fully-dressed wooden mannequin, appears like the prince of your dream. Standing tall enough that you have to lift your chin up to look at it properly even while you were on your feet, the replica of the prince seems to come alive. You may not have been able to see his face as clearly as you would have liked, with how hazy that dream now seems to your mind. Yet as you run your gaze over your creation, you have to admit that you may have come close to getting at least something about him right. 

The upper frame of the mannequin is draped with a made-up attire that looks like a three-piece suit. While it doesn’t look as refined as the suit you pictured in your mind, it still looks intricate enough to resemble the fancy suits made for nobles. 

The jacket, made from a piece of wool which you once used to craft yourself a winter coat, is fitted to show the figure’s broad shoulders and trim waist. You didn’t forget to add a long tail at the back of the jacket, giving it a more sophisticated look—which you can imagine would flow prettily should the ‘prince’ walks across the room to ask you for a dance. The royal blue hue of the fabric allows the suit to stand out under the bright morning sunlight penetrating into the room. You can almost imagine it, the person wearing this jacket shining among the other people in a massive ballroom, drawing everyone’s attention just as you are unable to look away from it now. 

The golden-brown goose feathers that Ada had brought you look like golden embroideries adorning the lapels of the jacket. With a subtle sheen on them, the feathers are able to catch the sunlight perfectly as you try to look at them from different angles. 

Beneath the jacket, a waistcoat made of a matching fabric but in deep brown hugs the mannequin’s torso. Its snug fit creates an illusion of a broad and strong chest that would have filled its form perfectly as a powerful gentleman would. Various stones and crystals that you have pinned at the front of the waistcoat make up to replace the fancy buttons, and they all look almost like polished jewels against the dark backdrop as the sunlight falls on top of them. 

A pair of trousers are set up to cover the lower part of the mannequin. Using a smooth fabric that looks almost like satin, the piece of clothing looks no different than what most royals or nobles would wear in the fancy parties that you had quite a few experiences attending to. The trousers seem to have added an illusion that looks captivating to your eyes; a silhouette of a pair of legs that are long and strong, with toned muscles hidden underneath and a sturdy foundation that would display class and elegance. 

A crisp dress shirt in pristine white completes the entire ensemble. The light ruffles from the collar are peeking out from beneath the jacket, creating the illusion of the figure’s long neck. A silk tie is knotted around the throat, created from your silky scarf that has a spread of tiny blue flowers on a white background which seems like the perfect match to the dress shirt and the intricate looking jacket. 

“Yes, this is all perfect. This is how he looked like in my dreams,” you muse with a contented sigh, grateful that you were able to bring the image of your prince to life only based on the memory of your lovely dream. 

“But what did you see in this dream of yours, Blossom?” you hear the wild doves chittering from the windows, no doubt asking on behalf of your other animal friends who are present here, all silently swooning over your story, “What did you and the Prince do?” 

“Oh,” you stutter as you remember the beautiful moments that you saw in your dream.

“It was so, so romantic. He was fighting this evil beast, a black dragon that was breathing out fire so hot it could burn down the entire magic forest—” you start by sharing the part of the dream that gave you a fright, drawing a collective sound of sharp gasps from everyone in the room as well as you talk about the fierce dragon who was fighting against your Prince from the top of a dark tower. 

“—and then, once he won the battle and peace was reclaimed once more, he came to catch me as I was falling from height. We locked eyes with one another and had our moment, and that was when he chose to stay longer with me, ensuring my safety instead of returning to the castle. We talked for hours, walked through the forest, and he even took me on a ride in his glowing carriage. And when evening came, once the moonlight and the bright stars came to replace the sun, he finally asked me for a dance.” 

A collective sound of dreamy sighs echo through the room, increasing the excitement you feel bubbling inside your chest. And you have yet to reach the best part of it. 

“And then? What happened next, Blossom?” the fluffy and shy badger, Brew, asks you curiously from behind the curtains, where he had been hiding while watching you have fun with his friends. 

With a happy giggle, you lean back against the cushions while keeping your eyes on your made-up Prince. “We danced, and danced, and danced all night, and right at the sound of the clock chiming at midnight, we shared one of the most magical moments ever”—you let out a long, deep sigh as you murmur softly—”with a true love’s kiss.” 

“A true love’s kiss?” everyone gasps and sighs, sharing the elated feeling that is now surging through your chest. 

“But how will you be able to have a true love’s kiss,” Poppy teases as she climbs over the right shoulder of your ‘dream prince.’ She bends and points at the empty space at the bottom of the face as she jokingly asks, “If this prince of yours doesn’t even have a pair of lips?” 

Your eyes follow Poppy’s little fingers and an astonished laugh slips out of you. “Oh, dear me! We forgot the lips!” You quickly cover your mouth before the sound of your laughter reaches outside of your bedroom, realising too late that this is still early in the day. Yet your eyes remain on the mannequin’s expressionless face. “Oh, what should we place there as his lips? Does anyone have any idea?” 

Almost immediately, your little friends begin to chirp and squeal and chitter with each of their own ideas. 

“How about some fresh flower petals?” 

“Red roses don’t bloom as much or as pretty in this time of year!” 

“Berries?” 

“How about red chilli peppers?” 

The last response makes you laugh, joined by your delighted forest friends who seem to be enjoying their time with you, just as much as they seem to be enjoying the look on your face as you are filled with happiness and joy. 

But before you can say anything to respond to their ideas, a gentle voice calls out to you from downstairs.

“________! Sweet Blossom, where are you?” the voice echoes through the small cabin, and your friends scatter to different places to take cover. Some remain, yet they choose to hide in small places, while others jump into safety right out the window. The voice continues, “I know you’re awake. I can hear you singing from all the way down here.” 

“Oh, it’s Grandmother!” With a stifled laughter, you rise to your feet and rush to move. “Quick, help me hide this.”

Grabbing a blanket, you bring it to the mannequin, hoping that you would be able to cover it in case your grandmother ever decides to walk up to your bedroom. While it may not cause you any trouble should your grandmother ever finds out what you have been up to all morning, you know that she would only worry once she sees the ‘dream prince’ standing in your bedroom. 

You don’t even want to try and imagine what your grandmother would say, or what kind of look that she would give you if she ever hears why you are using your working mannequin to create your own Prince Charming. 

“Get your head out of the clouds, dear. We have other important things to worry about and focus on. It’s not good to be dreaming too much when you’re awake.” 

That is what she would always say whenever you talk about your dreams of finding your happily ever after, or whenever you listen to your grandmother’s friends and customers about the most recent gossips and tales from the kingdom. 

“Blossom, quick!” Poppy’s voice snaps you out of it, as she and the rest of your remaining forest friends begin to pull on the other side of the blanket to help you cover the mannequin. 

Once it is perfectly hidden, you pull yourself together and turn away, only making one last glance at the now-covered ‘dream prince’ before making your way downstairs to see your grandmother before she starts calling for you again. 

“I’m coming, Nana!” 

The place that you call home is nothing more but a small wooden cabin located deep in the woods, right at the heart of the Amaranth Forest. Located quite a distance away from the Queen’s castle, your home serves as a place of solitude, away from the bright and bustling life of the kingdom.

This is where your sweet grandmother has raised you all on her own ever since you were a young child. You may have no recollection of your parents, being so young when they were gone. But everything in the cabin serves as the reminder of their existence. From the pictures that are being hanged on the walls and placed on the mantle above the fireplace, to the small trinkets that they left behind, each one holding pieces of their memories for you to remember them by. 

Growing up without them, you barely felt the weight of their absence. To every void formed by the lack of their presence in your life, your grandmother fills it with her overflowing love and beautiful memories. Being under her care allows you to live with happiness and joy, as she continued to make sure that you could live your life to the fullest. She has also taught you to remain grounded, to be able to build your own life without losing your focus or getting lost in your dreams. 

And there are also your friends from the forest, the wild animals that would often come to visit you whenever you are in need of company. They have kept you from feeling lonely, whether during the good days, but more so on your darkest days. The same way they are keeping you company right this moment, as you are trudging along the woods to finish the day’s errands which your grandmother had sent you out to do. 

“I’m making breakfast for both of us before I will have to leave to the shop downtown,” she said once you joined her in the kitchen earlier when she called for you to come downstairs, “But I need help getting some ingredients from the gardens and the groves. I would go myself, but my knees have been bothering me. Will you be a dear and fetch them for me?” 

There was no way you could have refused your grandmother’s request. Not when you saw the look on her face this morning when you first came down from your bedroom. 

The dark pockets under her eyes have been more obvious as of late, so have the lines of age marring her skin. You cannot remember seeing your grandmother so tired and weary as she did today, but she has always known to hide her exhaustion well. Even if it means having to force a smile on her face just to stop you from worrying about her as she continues with her day. 

Still, it doesn’t stop you from wondering if there is something for her to be wary about. The thought follows you as you are gathering all the ingredients needed—the wild mushrooms from the nearby woods and some fresh vegetables from the small patches of gardens that your grandmother has been tending to.

Perhaps your worries have been written so clearly on your face, because the moment you announced your leave after seeing your grandmother, your animal friends immediately insisted to come with you. And you are grateful for their company. Because despite having these worrying thoughts filling your mind, you still find yourself enjoying your time in the open with them around to entertain you.

It is also a blessing that the weather is nice this morning.  

The sun feels warm on your skin, while the canopy of trees above your head are keeping you safe from the rising heat. Small birds are flying between the trees above you while accompanying your walk with their melodic tune. You also have Poppy joining you, as she is perched comfortably on your shoulder when she isn’t jumping around to help you plucking out fresh ingredients from the ground. 

The wild bunnies and Brew the badger are also there, jumping all around you as they follow you through the woods. Even Ada is following you close, as she acts like a guide before she will be making her way to the river to continue her morning stroll. 

After quite some time has passed, and almost all of the ingredients that you needed have been gathered, your friends begin to remind you of your ‘dream prince’ once again when their constant teasing continues. 

“Now that we have everything that your Nana needed, shall we go around to look for the perfect lips to give your dream prince?” Poppy suggests as she places the last piece of the potatoes into your basket.

“Oh, my! I almost forgot!” You gasp, and immediately, all the delightful feeling you had earlier returns to you tenfold as you remember about your Prince Charming. “You’re right! Now that we’ve gotten everything, we should continue with our mission to find the Prince’s lips. We do have some time left before Nana has to go to open the shop for the day.”

After sharing a quick discussion between you and your friends, everyone decides to follow Ada to the nearby river where she always does her morning stroll. Arriving there, she leads you to the thick bushes where the wild berries always grow during the season. The luscious shade of crimson from the fresh berries looks perfect, just the shade that you were searching for, and it makes you feel even more enthusiastic about finishing your creation. 

Seeing the look on your face, Poppy rolls her eyes and makes a tutting sound. “Oh, Blossom, do you think that your dream boy truly exists?” she wonders out loud. 

“Oh, I’m sure of it,” you simply answer, feeling optimistic about it still as you carefully pluck the berries and slip them into your basket. “If he could come into my dreams, then he must be out there somewhere.” 

“Where?” Poppy teasingly asks as she dramatically begins looking around, peering through the woods to find your prince. 

Rolling your eyes back at her, you simply laugh at her antics. “He could be anywhere. He might be somewhere within these woods, getting lost between the thick trees while he is making his way to find me. Or he could be on the other side of the mountains, fighting off dragons and monsters to claim as his prize while proving himself worthy before winning my heart and sweeping me off of my feet.” 

With a sigh, Poppy shakes her head at you. “Oh, _______. I think your grandmother was right when she said that you have your head up in the clouds. Remember to get back to the ground before you fly too high.” 

You can only smile as you recall your grandmother saying the same thing; that you have always been dreaming even when you are awake, and that you always let your imagination run too far, when your mind is filled with all the wishful thinking you have about finding your happily ever after. 

You can understand why she would feel so worried about you, wondering if one day you would find it hard to face reality with how much you keep dreaming about your happiness. Even though it had been your grandmother herself who made you believe in happily ever afters in the first place. 

“Your parents had their happily ever after. That was how you came into this world, and why they are still together now. Wherever they may be,” you heard her speak one time while she was lost in thoughts, soon after she was done telling you all the tales about happy endings and finding true loves. 

It wasn’t often for your grandmother to talk about your parents. Except for the rare occasions where she would tell their stories, about how they met and fell in love, and how their happily ever after made it possible for you to be born. 

She would always wear a look of longing in her eyes whenever she talks about your parents. Although it would always be accompanied by sadness and hurt — the emotions that are constantly written so vividly in her face. It has always made you feel hesitant about bringing up your parents when you talk to her. But there is something in the way your grandmother tells what little tale she has about your parents’ love story and happily ever afters that continues to bring you hope. It makes you wish that the kind of love they had does exist, and that you may one day find it.  

Sighing to yourself, you embrace the blissful feeling that you have each time you recall parts of your dream which makes your heart flutter. The more you think about the dream, the more you refuse to believe that your dream had meant nothing at all. 

Andalasia is a land filled with magic, after all. A place where dreams come true. And you believe that the dream had been a sign telling you that your happily ever after is near. 

“I’m not going to fly off to the clouds just to find him, Poppy. Not when he might be somewhere close by,” you simply tell your friend as you finish up your hunt for the perfect lips that you are giving your made-up Prince.  

Little do you know that your words are merely moments into coming to reality. 

Because just as you are finishing up your errand, when you are ready to turn back home with your basket filled to the brim with fresh assortments, a commotion begins to rise on the other side of the woods. 

Oblivious to the possible danger that is coming towards you, you continue prancing between the trees, enjoying your time with your animal friends playing by your side. You start singing along to the song that they are singing about your dream prince, the true love’s kiss, and your happily ever after, unknowingly luring the incoming peril that is coming to find you as the sweet tune of your voice echoes through the deep forest. 

On the other side of the woods, beyond the steep hills covered in thick clusters of trees, the sound of a deep, feral roar echoes through the vast woodland.

Gone is the peaceful morning, and the entire forest wakes up to a sudden rising turmoil. 

The trees are shaking with the echoing roar while the ground is rumbling violently, sending wild animals around to scamper away to find places to hide. Some have barely made their safe escape when the dense trees are suddenly parted, and a giant troll bursts through the thickets. 

The creature’s massive foot stumbles as he rushes through. Avoiding the trees and boulders that are getting in his way seems like a struggle, yet his speed has yet to falter even when he can barely stay upright in his hasty run. It isn’t so much of the obstacles that appear on his path that are making it hard for him to run across the woods, but more because of the remnants of the broken restraint still dangling around his ankles. 

As the creature continues to scramble to find escape, a white horse appears to be racing not to far behind. The sound of its hoofs hitting the ground in rapid speed adds to the entire commotion. The steed pushes forward, giving its full strength as it runs between the trees to keep up with the troll, while the rider continues to shout his commands, pushing his steed to keep giving a chance. 

Following behind is yet another man in a horse, barely keeping up with the first rider and the relentless creature running before them. 

“Sir Noah! How did you manage to let that creature escape? He’s running even faster than before!” the first rider shouts with a firm voice.

“Forgive me, Your Highness,” the man following the first rider calls out between his heaving breath. He can barely keep his composure while his darker horse seems to be struggling to maintain its speed and trying its best not to get left behind. 

“I was sure that I’ve tied the monster’s hands and feet as strong as I possibly could. I merely step aside to, ugh—” the man gets his breath knocked out of his chest as his steed leaps over a fallen tree, “To rest my old man’s back and all of a sudden, the rope on his hands snaps, and he just rose to his feet and began running.” 

The man stops shouting to catch his breath while trying his hardest to control his loyal horse. Both himself and the horse that he is riding are old and withered, not as young or as strong as the Crown Prince who is riding ahead with his massive white horse. They have all been running and working on the hunt since the break of dawn, yet the horse has yet to show any signs of exhaustion. It doesn’t seem to be losing its strength, just as the Prince’s stamina has yet to falter even when he was the one to fight the creature to its submission less than an hour ago.

“It was the voice!” The man, Sir Noah, manages to scream out once he has his breath steadied. “There was a strong breeze coming while the troll was tied down, and I swear I heard a voice coming with the wind, a voice that sounded so beautiful. Like a birdsong. Perhaps the voice enchanted the troll to gain its strength!”

“Then we must find the source of that voice to stop the troll!” the Prince shouts back, still with vigour that has yet to fade.

“But, Prince—” Sir Noah tries to shout to stop him as the Prince rides ahead, speeding faster away from him. “Prince Jungkook, wait!” 

To Sir Noah’s surprise and disgruntlement, the Prince seems to find joy in this entire predicament as he laughs and shouts to his horse to pick up speed right as the troll stops struggling in his run. “Go, Onyx! Don’t lose him!”

“No, Prince! Your Highness, you need to stop before you hurt yourself,” Sir Noah continues to shout, although his voice is slowly fading as he is beginning to lose his breath once more. 

“No, I won’t. I can do it! I know I can!” Jungkook continues to shout back, almost like he is chanting to himself with pure confidence as he leads his horse to keep its steady pace through the thickets. “I’ve had him before so I can’t give up now.” 

Sir Noah has lost track of time and distance, unaware of how far they have gone since the troll started making his escape. All he can see around him are trees, more trees, a couple of small hills to run over before the land opens up to a small meadow that fades into another part of the forest that is just as dense as where they first started this intense chase. He cannot help but blame himself for his recklessness, even more so as he watches in horror the moment the troll jumps off of a small hill to cut more distance to wherever he is heading to, with the Prince’s horse making a huge leap right after.

“No!” Sir Noah screams out, before his voice turns to a loud screech when his horse follows its younger counterpart to jump off the hill in his shadows. “Lord have mercy!” 

“This is so much fun!” Prince Jungkook shouts with a boastful laugh, completely disregarding Sir Noah’s fright. The excitement that is palpable through his voice only makes Sir Noah’s stomach drop. 

“No, this is not fun, Prince Jungkook!” Sir Noah yells out of frustration before groaning, “Oh dear, the Queen is going to have my head for this.” 

Before he can say more, the previous sound that he heard through the wind is starting to reach him again. He can tell that they are getting close to the source. Close enough for him to listen to the alluring tune that has been calling for the troll more clearly and identify it as a female voice, singing to the animals and the forest, and his fear escalates further. 

Oh yes, there is no doubt that the Queen will have my head for this, Sir Noah wonders to himself as he straightens up and clutches at the horse’s reign tightly to keep it steady. He knows that he is only going to put the Prince in danger, but Sir Noah has no other choice.  

“Your Highness! It’s the voice! The troll is after the one who is singing this melody!” he starts shouting at the Prince, who now has his eyebrows furrowed with deep focus, growing concerned with Sir Noah’s pleading words. 

“Prince Jungkook, you must hurry and stop him before he gets to the singing lady!”

“There you are, sweet little Princess. Such pretty voice. Pretty enough to eat!” 

For a moment, you cannot comprehend what is actually happening. 

One minute, you were walking between the bushes and the flower beds, admiring the wildflowers blooming under the morning sky while humming to the birdsong echoing through the woods. And then, suddenly, the lovely birdsong stopped, the forest fell quiet, and your animal friends became so agitated that their cheerful chirps and giggles faded to whispers. 

The next thing you knew, your peaceful moment with your friends was broken when the ground you were standing on began to quake, the trees up the hill began to shake furiously before they parted, and a giant troll burst through the thickets. He spoke with broken dialect and a menacing tone of voice, followed by an eerie roar coming out of his mouth as he started barrelling his way towards you. 

At first, there is nothing that you can do except to remain frozen. You are too stunned to move, unable to react as you watch this monster running straight towards you. It is also baffling to see that the creature is doing it while screaming and looking so happy about eating you. 

“_______! Snap out of it!!” Poppy suddenly screams, snapping you out of your daze. “We need to run. Now!” 

With a gasp, you hike up your skirt and quickly turn away. “Run, everyone!” you shout at your friends who immediately scatter to find their escape, while you struggle to run the opposite way to confuse the creature. 

Although it doesn’t seem like your effort is needed, because the troll seems to have set his eyes on you and you alone, as none of your fleeing companions catches his eyes and he is still running to get you. “Why is it chasing me?”

“I don’t know, but keep running!” Poppy continues to scream, still perched on your shoulder with her claws sinking into the fabric of your dress as she holds on tightly. 

Normally, you consider yourself quite a runner. There have been times when you would run in the woods, racing against Ada or the wild hares that would often hang out by the lake just for fun. Sometimes you would run with the fairies, even if only to see if you could outrun those who have magic on their side to give them speed. 

Yet for some reason, running seems like a struggle as you try to escape the giant troll that seems so engaged in the thought of grabbing you with its filthy hands. You feel as if there is some weight slowing you down, forgetting the fact that you have a basket filled with assortments hanging in one arm while your long skirt is dragging you back. 

“The basket! Leave it!” Poppy yells at you once she realises that you are struggling and notices the reason why. 

“But it’s for Nana!”

Poppy growls—actually growls—in response. “There’s not even going to be any part of you left to bring them home to Nana if you get freaking eaten by that—that thing!” 

As you take a quick glance over your shoulder, seeing how close the giant beast is getting to you, you realise that Poppy is right. At the corner of your eyes, you see the cluster of narrow trees leading up the hill and aim for it to find your escape, hoping that you can shake him off on a rising terrain. 

It’s going to be a struggle running up the hill, yet your gut feeling tells you that it’s worth the effort. So you make a run for it, clutching the basket tightly to your chest to keep it safe until you can find a place to hide it. 

As you slip between the narrow opening between the trees, you can hear the troll having a hard time following your trail without breaking and getting stumbled by them. You keep running, getting out of breath as you reach the top of the hill, and soon the cluster of trees opens up and grass gives way beneath your feet. 

“We’re running out of trees!” Poppy screams, getting a good grasp of what you have been planning to do. 

“No, we’re not! We’re almost there!” you yell back at her with gasping breath, and with your eyes set on your destination.

Right there. 

Right before your eyes, there stand the twin old elm trees that have grown nearly doubled the height of the hill, with massive branches spreading out to look like two giant canopies of leaves covering the top of the hill. Situated right between them is a massive boulder, firmly standing like the crown of the hill and you have decided — sometime between the hysteria of seeing a troll in this part of the forest and the terror of knowing that he is hunting you — that this place would serve you perfectly in your escape. 

Because that boulder marks the end of the hill, and there is nothing else but a massive drop of cliff with rocky walls and the rough stream waiting below. 

“Hold on, Poppy!” 

Your warning is barely enough to get your friend to tighten her grip on your shoulder when you hop over the boulder, using it to dodge the troll’s hand as he tries to swipe you off the ground. Tossing the basket to the side of the boulder with the hope of keeping it safe until later, you plant your hand on the rock’s surface and swivel around, using it as leverage to switch your direction right before reaching the very edge of the precipice and evade the troll as you roll to the left. 

“Aahhh, Blossom!” 

“Stop running and let Troll catch you!” the troll roars as he fails to grab you, and his voice grows louder, shifting into a pained roar the moment he loses his balance and trips over the boulder. 

Seeing this, a victorious squeal almost escapes your lips. But before you even get the chance to celebrate the success of your escape scheme, you notice too late that your ploy isn’t going as planned. 

“Oh, bollocks!” you cry out when you realise that the troll has fallen a bit too soon. 

Instead of being thrown off the ledge as you had expected he would after tripping over the boulder, the troll is sprawled on top of the rock, with one hand holding on the edge to stop him from falling over. And the troll—although fallen over and is struggling to push himself up—is still determined to grab you. 

Adding salt to your wounded pride, you seem to have also failed to measure the beast’s size. Even sprawled at an odd angle, the troll’s limbs are still long enough to reach you. Sliding back on the slippery rock, you try to put some distance between you, just in time for his massive hand to swipe over the rock, missing the hem of your dress merely inches away. 

In desperate need of escape, Poppy jumps off your shoulder just as you are getting off-balance and nearly falling over the ledge instead. You watch breathlessly as Poppy starts climbing up the tree rapidly in her panic while you feel like you cannot move. 

“Come on, ________!” 

Once again, her voice snaps you out of it, and you begin to follow suit, seeing that there is no escape now with the troll blocking your way back down the hill and the long drop down the cliff walls waiting for you on the other side. Right as you start climbing up the trees, you sense the troll struggling to rise beneath you. Climbing up takes quite an effort when you are in your summer dress, but all the shenanigans you got yourself into growing up may have taught you enough how to climb up quickly. 

From the corner of your eyes, you see the troll rising back up to his feet. Wobbling and swaying around as he tries to find balance over the rocky slip beneath him. But you barely pay attention to the beast when something else is grabbing your attention from not so far away. 

You can hear the sound of hoofs rapidly racing through the trees. You have been hearing this noise for quite some time already, you realise, coming from a distance while you were focused on trying to escape the troll. Maybe it even started at the same time the troll first appeared from that other hill, chasing the beast the best it could even though failing to catch up on time before the troll reached you. 

And now, you can hear it getting closer. And closer. 

You can almost see it, the white horse that is running through the cluster of trees to get to you. Yet your curiosity to know where this stranger is coming from and who might be riding the white horse becomes a distraction, causing you to make another mistake. 

You start to climb over the nearest long branch that looks strong enough to withstand your weight, hoping that it can keep you away from the troll’s reach. Yet you cannot help but keep throwing quick glances over the line of trees, hoping to see this stranger who is racing towards the foray instead of running away from it. 

That is how you miss your footing. 

Within a blink of an eye, instead of perching securely on the branch, you find yourself dangling desperately onto it, your hands barely making it in time to find a firm hold to stop you from falling over. 

“Aaahhh!!” 

“Blossom!” Poppy calls out in panic at the sound of your scream, and she quickly races back down, grabbing onto your wrist as she tries to pull you up. Only that the poor squirrel’s effort seems futile when gravity keeps pulling you down instead of giving in. “Girl, I don’t have enough muscles for this! Pull yourself up!” 

“I’m trying!”

While you and Poppy are panicking and struggling to get you back up on the tree, the troll starts balancing himself on the boulder while humming, “Come here, pretty girl. Come to Troll’s hands!” 

You open your mouth to shout back at the offensive troll with disgust, only to have another voice shouting before you can get your voice out. 

“No! Keep your hands off of her!” 

All heads snap to look at the white horse coming out of the woods. The steed races with full force up the rising terrain. But it is the rider that manages to catch your eyes the most. His eyes look fierce with determination but also a hint of thrill as he focuses on the troll. 

As if he is having so much fun with this hunt and is eager to finish it. 

And he looks captivating as he is doing it. Even more so when he pulls out his sword, wielding it to challenge the beast that barely takes notice, as he is busy trying to grab your ankles. 

But you take notice of him. You also notice the way your heart is racing rapidly for a different reason. 

Unable to process what—or, in this case, who—you are seeing, Poppy speaks first, ”And who in the Fates’ name is that?” 

“That’s—” 

There is no way.  

Your words fail you in your shock and relief. Pure disbelief runs through you, and you almost feel your grip loosening with how astonished you are at what you are witnessing. 

Because there is no possible way for the Prince Charming himself to come and save you. Just like he did in your dream. 

“Hang on! Stay where you are!”

The thrill that Jungkook has been feeling while he was racing across the hills to chase the damn troll is slowly shifting into fright once he gets a clear sight of what is happening. He watches with wide eyes as you desperately dangle from the tree branch, your legs swinging to avoid the troll’s grasp and your hands barely strong enough to hold on. 

He noticed that you stopped trying to pull yourself up for a brief moment, distracted by his arrival. Yet his shout snaps you back to focus, and he is relieved to see you pulling up, trying your best to climb back onto the branch with the help of a—a squirrel? 

Now that he believes that you are going to be safe—even if only for a while—Jungkook focuses on the troll again. This time, he is ready to swing his sword, which reflects the sunlight as Jungkook raises his arm over his head. The strong shine is blinding, and Jungkook uses it to distract the troll and pull his attention away from you. 

“Over here, you damn troll!” he shouts with a wicked laugh that will definitely give Sir Noah another headache. 

With a feral roar, the troll turns to face Jungkook. “You again. Troll don’t want to go with you. Troll want little girl for snacks.” 

A sharp, panicked scream escapes you while Jungkook marches forward with his sword swinging. The troll fights back, bending forward with his arms swinging left and right, back and forth, between trying to grab Jungkook and stopping the sword from reaching his chest—right where he would easily be wounded. 

Yet Jungkook easily evades each swipe of hands, his white horse following his command to escape and slip away while bringing him closer. 

Except while Jungkook manages to avoid the troll’s attacks, you aren’t having as much luck. Because with each swipe of the troll’s hands and each stomp of his feet, the troll causes the tree where you are dangling on to shake and sway along with the force of his movements. And it is making it harder for you to hold on, much less to climb back on top. 

Jungkook waits until the troll is fully facing him before initiating his final attack, making haste about it before you lose your grip and fall over. With a grunt, Jungkook swings his arm back and flings the sword forward, aiming for the troll’s left chest. The sword floats in the air for a brief moment before it strikes its target perfectly. 

The troll roars in pain. His hands reach up to grab the sword—which has lodged deeply into his chest—and he staggers back, losing his balance before he falls over the ledge and starts plummeting down the cliff. 

Unfortunately, the troll refuses to fall alone. Right before his fall, he reaches out, trying to grab onto the elm tree where you are hanging from as if to stop his fall. Yet his grip never takes hold. Only his sharp nails manage to scratch the tree trunk, shaking the giant tree. 

Shaking you, until you finally lose your grip. 

A scream erupts through your lips as you start falling from height. 

You close your eyes shut during your fall, fearing the long drop and the pain that may come after. Except the pain never comes. Instead, you fall right into something that is soft and hard at the same time. 

Warmth engulfs you right away, even before a pair of arms wrap themselves around you. Whatever surface that you have just landed on is beginning to move, rocking back and forth as if it is trying to balance itself under your weight. 

You are not too sure yet if you are safe, so you keep your eyes closed shut. It doesn’t matter if you just witnessed the troll falling off the cliff, you can almost feel the shadow of his presence. As if you still have to avoid his relentless attacks. 

But then a soft voice reassuringly speaks to you, coaxing you to open your eyes, “It’s okay, Princess. I got you.” 

Slowly, your eyes flutter open. And the first thing that you see once your gaze clears out brings those flutters down to your chest. 

A pair of dark-coloured eyes that remind you of the night sky are looking back at you, glowing as if there are a million stars in them. He has a pretty face framed with strands of soft hair that have fallen in a flurry mess, perhaps from racing through the woods on his horse to get to you. 

And that pretty face seems to grow even brighter when the man, your hero, smiles at you. 

It won’t be until later for you to realise that the steady rocking you felt earlier had been the white horse’s movements, as it was struggling to adjust to your weight, while its rider struggled a little to adjust your position on his lap and control his horse until it calmed down. Yet none of it matters now. Not when you are completely entranced with his presence. 

All because it feels like you have just witnessed your creation—the dream prince statue that you worked hard on this morning—coming to life right before your eyes. 

“It’s you. The boy I saw in my dreams.” The words slip out of your lips before you can stop yourself. 

Your voice comes out as nothing more but a whisper, but there is no doubt that he can hear you perfectly. You can see it from the way his smile is growing wider. 

As if it pleases him to see you so stunned, while he takes pride in this moment when he says,

“It’s me. Your Prince Charming.” 

He winks, and your skin flushes with warmth. “I’m Prince Jungkook. But you can call me Jungkook.” 

An incredulous laugh begins to bubble its way up your throat, yet not a sound comes out of your lips as you look at him, stunned, as you are still feeling as if you are caught in a daze which leaves you speechless. It was mere moments ago when you had almost gotten trampled down and then eaten by a giant troll after all, and then he came out of nowhere, rescuing you from said troll right before you ended up getting flattened into the forest’s grounds or deep into his stomach. 

And then you suddenly found yourself falling into your hero’s lap — quite literally. And that hero turns out to be Prince Charming himself, who seems to have pride as massive as the entire kingdom of Andalasia as he speaks about himself while smiling broadly at you. 

It is quite a lot to take in, and you have no idea what to say or how to react. The only thing that you can do is to sit there, perched sideways above his massive horse with his arms holding you to him and keeping you from falling, while your gaze remains locked on the deep eyes that were similar to the ones you vaguely saw in your dreams. 

Unaware of the reason why you are stunned to silence, the Prince, Jungkook, may have misread your loss for words as fear. Because he suddenly begins rubbing your back while speaking gently to you, “It’s okay. You are safe now.”  

“Yes, thank you,” you mutedly whisper, before you finally snap out of it and realise — he did just save your life! “Oh, that’s right! You saved my life.” 

“I guess I did.” There is a hint of relief in the sound of his soft chuckle, making you wonder if he was deeply concerned with you because of your silence. “Do you live anywhere near these woods? Will you be able to return home?” 

Blinking your eyes, you turn and look around to notice how far you have gone. It’s not like you had paid much attention to where you were heading while running away from danger. 

Yet you are quite familiar with this place, recognising the twin elm trees on the top of the hill which have always been visible when you look out the windows of your bedchamber. Except the distance has always made them seem smaller than their actual size, now that you are looking at it from a closer angle. 

You are surprised to realise that you have deviated quite far from your original route, and most obviously, away from home. So surprised that you have no idea what to say to the Prince. 

He asks you again, sounding more concerned this time, even if his smile has yet to fade. “Where do you live? How about I give you a ride home?” 

Before you can answer him, a sharp gasp breaks the moment between you. Followed with a rushed, panicked voice, saying, “N-no, Your Highness. Forgive me, but you should really go back to the castle. I’m sure the lady is going to be fine without—” 

“Forgive me, Sir Noah. But I won’t be much of a gentleman if I don’t take the lady home right away and let her run home on her own after facing such peril,” the Prince says, cutting the other gentleman off before he can say more, without even looking away from you.

You, on the other hand, are shocked that you have failed to notice that there is someone else who has been there with the Prince. Too captivated with your hero’s arrival to realise it. Now, however, as you look over the Prince’s shoulder, you see an older—much older, looking at his partly greying hair and his deep scowl—gentleman on a darker and slightly older horse slowly coming up to the Prince. 

“Go back to the castle and collect some men to retrieve the troll,” the Prince continues as he pulls on the rein, ready to command his horse to start moving again. He only looks briefly over his shoulder to greet his companion with a smirk, “I’ll see you back at the castle.” 

“But wait, my Prince! Your Highness!” the gentleman shouts, yet the Prince has already ordered his horse to set off to leave this place. But not before he expertly guides the horse to leap across the boulder, giving him a chance to snatch the basket full of goods which you tossed away earlier and allowing Poppy to jump onto your lap. 

“Is everyone ready?” he asks, eyeing you as you hold your basket and Poppy securely in your arms. Without waiting for your answer, he nods and shouts an order. The horse takes off, heading downhill at a rapid pace as if it hadn’t been racing across the forest and working hard to help its master defeat the troll. 

The other gentleman, Sir Noah, tries and fails to catch up as the horse begins galloping through the thick woods. The gentleman’s voice quickly fades in the distance as he calls out to Prince Charming desperately to make him come back, “Prince Jungkook! You must not do this!” 

After reaching halfway across the forest, Prince Jungkook orders his horse to slow down, and the journey continues leisurely. It seems like he is giving his dear horse a chance to take it easy while he takes a moment to enjoy this moment of calmness. 

“This is a beautiful forest,” he muses as he looks around. You cannot help but straighten up proudly at his comment. Because you cannot help but agree with him. 

Here, away from the scene of chaos, everything feels right again. The breeze feels calming after the entire ordeal. The sound of rustling leaves above you becomes music to your ears, even though it doesn’t do much to drown the rapid sound of your heartbeat. Even the birdsong has returned. The rustling sounds in the bushes let you know that the little critters have gone out of their hiding places. 

As if peace has been restored, and the upsetting event which disrupted the entire forest has been erased from existence. 

But while the Prince is comfortably taking everything in, you find yourself unable to tear your eyes away from him. 

Feeling your gaze, Prince Jungkook suddenly looks at you. His deep, amused gaze feels so overwhelming that your face immediately starts to flush warmly. You look away when it becomes too much. 

“The other gentleman from before,” you ask with a small voice, “Is it really all right to leave him behind and send him away? He seemed—concerned.” 

Jungkook laughs. There is something wicked and naughty in the way he is smiling when you look at him again. “There is no need to worry about Sir Noah. He gets concerned of almost about everything. Mostly about me, though.” 

“Ah, I see.” 

Falling into a brief pause, you feel the tension slowly being chipped away. You realise only now that Jungkook has been using the hand that is not holding the horse’s rein to hold your waist, keeping you safe against his chest.

“So, um—Prince Jungkook?” you speak again to break the tension between you, “What were you doing in the forest this early in the day?” 

Jungkook’s eyebrows form a deep crease at your question. “The castle received news about a troll that has been going on a rampage—ruining farmers’ properties, stealing crops and livestock from those poor farmers, and threatening to loot nearby villages. Sir Noah and I left the castle before dawn to catch the troll before it could reach another village.” 

He stops with a grimace before looking at your face again. “Perhaps I should apologise. If only I had done a better job at capturing the troll and stopping it from escaping us, you wouldn’t have found yourself in such peril.” 

You wave your hand at him. “Oh, that’s all right. You saved my life, so all is forgiven.” 

The crease between his eyebrows eases when he smiles. “You said you saw me in your dreams?” 

Your eyes grow wide when you recall the way you had blurted out about your silly dream when you had just met him. “Yes, yes I did!” you nervously admit to him, before adding with a whisper, “I—think?” 

Jungkook’s grin widens as he admits, “I may have seen you in mine too, Princess.” 

“Oh, I’m not a princess. I’m just _______,” you say to him with a nervous chuckle, “Although my friends and my grandmother often call me Blossom.” 

“Blossom. Interesting nickname,” he muses, “My mother used to call me ‘her silly little rabbit,’ although I’m not quite sure what that means.” His eyebrows crease again as he thinks deeply about it, making you realise that he looks—adorable, when he isn’t focused on defeating beasts and having fun racing with his horse. 

Yet your admiration fades when you come to a jolt, realising what he meant. “Your mother? The—the Queen?” you ask him and he nods. You have many questions running through your head right now, yet you simply ask him the one thing that seems to have gotten stuck in your mind, “What did you mean that you may have seen me too?” 

With a grin, Jungkook answers you excitedly, “I might have. I don’t always remember my dreams, but I’m sure that I’ve seen you in it.” He seems sure of himself that you don’t feel any need to question it. Any doubt that you may feel disappears anyway when he is looking at you with those eyes of his, and with a smile that makes your heartbeat jump and gallop. Just like his white horse earlier, especially when you hear him say, “That’s why I know that our meeting must have been fated, don’t you agree?” 

You can’t stop yourself from smiling. “Is that so?” 

“I know so,” he confidently says as he pulls you even closer to his chest. “Our dreams have shown us that we are meant to be. That’s why, I think we should get married.” 

You let out a surprised gasp. “M-married?” The sound of your laughter erupts through the woods, drowning the sound of Poppy’s surprised screech. 

“Yes, absolutely. We can get married tomorrow.” 

The flutters that have been growing in your chest start to go wild. “To-tomorrow?!”

“Yes, isn’t that how the story goes?” he says with a wide smile on his face, reminding you of the smile that you wore all morning when you were talking about your dream prince. It seems as if you are still dreaming now, or that you have been brought back to your dream from last night when he recounts what had just transpired, making you think back about your dream. “I saved you from the evil monster who tried to harm you, swept you off your feet, and then we’ll marry in the castle, and then we’ll share our true love’s kiss—” 

Your eyes grow wide. “A true love’s kiss,” you murmur to yourself, to which Poppy turns to look at you with an expression of shock and bewilder. Yet you pay no mind to her, when you are in too much in awe, unable to believe that this is real.  

“—and we’ll live happily ever after,” the Prince continues with a beaming smile. “Isn’t that right? So why wait? What do you say?” 

You can hear your grandmother’s voice in your head, reminding you not to get lost in your dreams and to always think rationally. You can also feel Poppy’s panicked little grip on your dress and the sound of her stuttering, asking you to pay attention to her. 

But every part of your dreams—both from the one you have harboured since you were a young girl and the one you had last night—comes to drown everything to the background. This is it, you wonder to yourself, this is my dream coming true!

With an incredulous laugh slipping out of your lips, you wrap your arms around his neck and say, “Yes, let’s get married. Tomorrow.” 

Prince Jungkook joins you in laughter, neither of you noticing the way Poppy is now shaking her head rapidly in disbelief when he says, “Then I shall send the news to the castle and we will have our magical wedding by noon tomorrow.”

“Yes!” you excitedly say with a cheer, “Oh, I can’t wait.”  

Your chest is filled with joy and a flutter of nerves that it almost feels like you are about to burst. Things are happening so quickly, so suddenly, so soon. You had woken up this morning with joy and hope that came from the dream you had about your prince, believing that it was a sign from the universe. You never expected to have your dream coming into reality when the day has yet to reach past noon. 

But here you are now, looking deep into your prince’s eyes as he is taking you home for the last time, merely a step away from your happily ever after. 

Once Prince Jungkook has succeeded in bringing you safely back home to your anxious grandmother, he immediately races back to the home castle. He wastes no time making his way to the Queen’s sitting room, where he knows he will be able to find his mother enjoying her afternoon downtime. 

“Queen Mother, I have news!” Prince Jungkook calls out as he marches into the den with a wide smile on his face. There is an air of joy and pleasure following him as he comes to greet his mother. 

Queen Rosalyne was in the middle of arranging a flower bouquet when Jungkook rushed in. His excitement bounces against the walls, making her smile as she raises her head to look at her son. “News? What is it now, my Prince?” 

Jungkook is nearly breathless when he stands before the Queen, announcing proudly. “I have good news! I know you’ll be happy.” 

Holding back her soft laughter, the Queen sits back down and urges Jungkook to continue, “Fine. Tell me.” 

“I have found my true love. The one I’ll be sharing my true love’s kiss with,” Jungkook declares proudly with his arms spread wide.  

“Is that so?” Queen Rosalyne asks with her eyebrows raised. Soft laughter escapes her, while Jungkook has to hold back his own laughter when he notices that the Queen is saying the same thing as you did when he brought up the idea earlier. 

“Who is she? From which kingdom did she come?” 

Jungkook is so overwhelmed with bubbling excitement that his entire body is almost shaking. “Her name is ________, and she is from here, Andalasia.” 

“Really?” the Queen asks, though she sounds quite doubtful about it. “And where did you meet this girl?” 

“It’s actually an interesting story,” Jungkook says before he launches into a story time and shares with his mother everything that has happened since he left the castle this morning.

Starting from the reports about the troll and how he decided to depart at dawn to capture it, how he managed to defeat the troll the first time, only for Sir Noah to accidentally let the creature escape. Then Jungkook starts pacing back and forth as he enthusiastically describes how he raced through the forest to catch up with the troll, while the beast was focused on capturing you, and how he had saved you from the creature. 

“It was love at first sight, Queen Mother. Just like the kind that people talk and sing about in their songs. The kind that is celebrated in written stories,” Jungkook concludes his story as he turns to his mother. “It was fate’s work of bringing us together, so it would be right for me to take her hand in marriage, share with her the true love’s kiss, so our love can spread magic all over our mighty kingdom.” 

Silence falls between them. Jungkook feels nervous when the Queen barely shows any reaction. 

“Mother?” he asks, slowly taking the seat next to the Queen. “Did you hear what I just said?” 

“Yes, I hear you. I’m not quite sure that I heard you perfectly.” The Queen looks at Jungkook with a deep gaze, her brows furrowing when she asks him, “Did you say you wanted to—marry this girl?” 

“I did. It would only make sense. That way we can celebrate with everyone else as we share our true love’s kiss.” 

Queen Rosalyne purses her lips. She dislikes any talk about the ‘true love’s kiss,’ and she finds that she doesn’t enjoy it the most when she has to hear it coming from her own son. Yet seeing how excited the thought seems to be making him, as the Prince’s eyes are shining so brightly as he speaks about his possible marriage, and his smile grows wide, genuine, and free—something that the Queen hasn’t been able to see for a long, long time—she finds no reason to deny his wish. 

It seems so wrong to deny him happiness. If any, the Queen feels relieved that she finally gets to send him off into the world and give him a reason to stop chasing beasts and monsters throughout the kingdom. 

“Fine,” Queen Rosalyne says with a light scoff, “Have it your way. But you must deal with it all on your own. Have Sir Noah help you prepare for the feast if you wish to do this entire thing tomorrow.” 

Prince Jungkook is so elated to gain the Queen’s approval that he is practically bouncing on his feet. The Queen holds back a smile, wondering to herself, my silly little rabbit. 

She recalls how frustrated Jungkook made her when he was a child, unable to hold back his energy as he kept hopping and running all over the castle. The Queen had sniffed when she was too exhausted to catch up to him and called him out, “Stop playing like a wild rabbit and calm down,” and the nickname stuck with him—and she has used it to call him with it more endearingly—once he started growing up. 

Lost in her thoughts, the Queen is caught by surprise when Jungkook bows before her and takes her hand to kiss the back of it. “Thank you, Mother. Your Majesty. You are truly a great and wise mother. I could never repay you.” 

Queen Rosalyne is too stunned to speak. She isn’t one to get affected by emotions too easily, but Jungkook’s words seem to have stirred something inside her heart that has grown cold and frozen after so long. She says nothing as Jungkook turns to leave the chamber, leaving her with her running thoughts and the unsettling feeling that has been growing so intensely in her chest since the moment Jungkook mentioned your name. 

At the center of Queen Rosalyne’s sitting chamber, there is a small indoor garden with a small water fountain which is made of black stone. Surrounded by well-trimmed hedges of black blooming roses, patches of green grass and white cobblestones covering the ground, the water fountain becomes the center point of the space which represents serenity and solitude. 

Yet this is also the place where the Queen often practices her magic, using the secret spells that she keeps mostly to herself. She does this only when she is all alone, whether to watch over her kingdom and cast spells to protect the land, or for reasons that have nothing to do with the well-being of her people. 

By the time evening comes, the Queen often uses her spells to fulfil her secret desires. Something that she is planning to do to ease the uneasiness which has been plaguing her ever since the conversation she shared with Jungkook. 

As the day slowly shifts into dusk, and the Queen is quite sure that Jungkook has been gone long enough to be deep in arranging things for tomorrow, Queen Rosalyne summons Sir Noah into her chamber. 

“The Prince has found a maiden to marry,” Sir Noah announces upon his arrival, meeting the Queen directly in the secret garden which he has frequently visited before. 

“Yes, he had come to me this afternoon to announce his intention to marry a girl,” the Queen says, in a most calm, yet dubious tone of voice. “I’m going to assume that you have met this—girl, since I know that you were the one to join the Prince in his excursion today.” 

Swallowing hard to ease his nerves, Sir Noah nods. “I was with the Prince when the maiden, uh—fell into Prince Jungkook’s arms.” 

This has the Queen’s attention. Turning away from the black blooming roses that she has been tending to, Queen Rosalyne regards Sir Noah with her eyebrows raised. “How—romantic,” she murmurs, “And where did this chance encounter happen?” 

Sir Noah clears his throat before answering, “The Amaranth Forest, Your Majesty. It was where Prince Jungkook and I ended up after hunting the giant troll that has been terrorising the people in Sunny Brook Hills.” 

All of a sudden, the Queen’s shoulders grow tense. “Amaranth, you say?” 

The cold tone of the Queen’s voice and the expression she wears on her face draws chill running down Sir Noah’s spine. He has been working in the castle with the Queen for a long, long time. Long enough to know that she is not happy to hear the information that he just gave her.

After processing this, Queen Rosalyne rises to her feet and turns, making her way to the magic water fountain. The Queen merely stands before the fountain when the thing reacts to her presence. Immediately, the air grows cold and heavy, and it becomes even more intense as Queen Rosalyne raises both of her arms over the water fountain. 

The surface of the water ripples as a dark green light emerges from her hands, shining brightly while the Queen enchants her spell. The green light descends into the water, blending with the ripples as the mana shines in dark green. 

The Queen steps aside and gestures at Sir Noah to come closer. “Show me.”

Gulping nervously, Sir Noah comes to the Queen's side and slowly folds the cuff of his sleeve. Offering his hand, the Queen raises her sharp nails and slits the skin of his palm, causing a small wound which is enough to let a few drops of blood taint the water inside the fountain. Once the blood blends into the water, the surface ripples intensely until the green light within starts to stretch out, and images begin to appear on the water, framed by the green mana sparkling under the calm ripples. 

The Queen bends over the fountain as she is shown the series of events that happened within the depths of the Amaranth Forest this morning. Everything seems to unravel just the way Jungkook relayed it to the Queen. 

The giant troll in his escape. The Prince’s relentless chase. And the maiden who was running from the wicked troll before she finally fell into the Prince’s arms. 

The scene in the water changes when the Queen swaps her palm over the surface, turning back time to see your daily life in the small cabin with your grandmother. She can see you singing with your forest friends, and then cooking and laughing with your grandmother. 

Seeing your grandmother, the Queen’s jaw clenches with recognition.

Too nervous to remain silent, as he is unable to read the Queen’s hard expression and lack of words, Sir Noah begins to explain the events that happened this morning, “The troll was lured into the forest by the maiden’s voice, who was singing to the forest’s creatures. And right after the Prince was able to apprehend the troll, he captured her as she—” 

“How uncanny,” Queen Rosalyne murmurs almost to herself, completely disregarding Sir Noah’s rapid blabbering. 

“Y-your Majesty?” 

Straightening up to her full height, the Queen moves her hand over the water to enlarge the image that she is now seeing on the surface of the water. With a glance, Sir Noah can see a close-up of your face as you are riding on the horse with Prince Jungkook, before the image switches back to you working in the gardens with your grandmother. 

“She looks just like her. Exactly like her,” Queen Rosalyne continues to murmur gently, astonished by the sight of you—a commoner girl from the magic forest that even Sir Noah has never met before. 

“The maiden? Who are you referring to that would look like her, Your Majesty?” 

The Queen gives him no answer, and instead waves her palm over the water until the image dissolves, leaving nothing more but the calm, clear water. 

“When will this wedding take place? Has it been decided yet?” 

Sir Noah wrings his hands together with nerves. The tension has risen exponentially within the chamber. The change in the Queen’s attitude makes him wary, and he has no idea what is happening. 

“Prince Jungkook insisted on having it soon. As—as soon as tomorrow, Your Majesty. The entire castle is already in the height of the preparation for the ceremony.” 

The Queen holds back the urge to curse as she turns away, enraged, and she wipes her gardening tools off her work table. The noise and clutters and the flying objects cause Sir Noah to flinch. He has no idea what is currently going on inside the Queen’s mind and chooses to remain silent rather than risk having her unleash her rage on him.

He has witnessed what happened to those who aren’t careful with their words, especially when the Queen is losing her patience like this.

“Call it off,” the Queen suddenly speaks. Her voice has calmed down, yet there is an eerie chill in her tone which makes Sir Noah shudder in fear. 

“My-my Queen? What do you mean?” 

Queen Rosalyne turns to face him and snaps. “I’m talking about the wedding, you fool! Call it off!” 

“But-but Your Majesty, you have given your approval to the wedding,” Sir Noah struggles to speak, “The preparation is already underway. Everything is almost ready, even the Prince has gathered enough—” 

The Queen releases a frustrated snarl. Her energy erupts, and a few potted plants within the garden explode under the power of her rage. 

Deep down, the Queen didn’t think that it would be possible for Jungkook to make things happen within less than a day. The boy has always been hasty, and she has secretly hoped that he would stumble upon obstacles and give up on the idea of having a wedding so suddenly and have it postponed either way. But now—

Now it’s too late. 

When the Queen first gave Jungkook her approval to marry you, she never thought that you would be someone who would be related to her past. She should have been more careful and made sure to find out more about your identity first before she said anything. She had a feeling that something was amiss, and now she is regretting that she hadn’t been listening to her gut. 

How? How could this be?

Holding her head in her hands, the Queen chastises herself for being so reckless. Memories of her past come back to haunt her. Guilt, remorse, and hatred, all mix into one. And in her mind, everything blends together to form the shape of your face. 

The face that she wishes so desperately to forget. 

“Fine. Then I shall do it myself,” the Queen finally says with an eerie calmness in her voice. 

“My Queen? What—what do you mean?” 

Queen Rosalyne looks at her loyal aide once more and raises her chin. “I’ll make sure the wedding never happens. My son can marry, as long as it’s not with her,” she says as she slowly walks closer to Sir Noah, who can only stare at her with his eyes widening in fear. 

“And you are going to help me make it happen, wouldn’t you?” the Queen whispers to him as she gently places the tip of her finger on Sir Noah’s chin, forcing him to only look at her eyes, unable to move or look away. 

Gulping hard, Sir Noah quickly nods his head and faintly whispers, “Yes, my Queen.” 

The steady rocking of the carriage taking you to the castle should have been able to soothe your anxiety. Maybe lull you to sleep, even. 

Yet you have been too anxious that your eyes remain wide. Your hands continue to fidget on your lap and trace along your wedding dress. Not that you have no faith in yourself about the dress. But focusing on making sure that you haven’t missed a seam feels better than looking out the window and focusing on how close you are getting to your destination. 

Soon enough—much sooner than expected—the carriage stops with a jolt. The rough sound of cobblestones cracking under the wheels snaps you back to focus, forcing you to raise your head just as a royal guard opens the door for you.

“Welcome to Castle Andalasia.” 

Clutching the skirt of your wedding dress, you slowly step out of the carriage. Yet you fail to take notice of how tense your body has gotten. Your muscles have grown so stiff that your steps become clumsy, causing you to lose your footing. 

“Oh, my!” 

Barely catching yourself from falling, a nervous giggle escapes you as you straighten yourself up before anyone can step up to help. “I’m fine, so sorry.” 

The royal guard steps away, leaving you alone with your little friends who have decided to keep you company, all jumping out of the carriage to surround you. 

Standing at the castle's threshold, just a few steps away from entering through the main gate, you feel as if you are walking into a dream. There is a giddy feeling rushing through your body that is hard to shake. The urge to pinch yourself is also strong, yet there is nothing that you can do but clutch your skirt tighter until you feel pain in your palms to know that this is real. 

That you are now standing right in front of the castle. 

The castle.

The place where Queen Rosalyne resides with Prince Charming and her loyal aides. And you are not here simply to come for a formal visit like other common people would do to seek an audience with the Queen to confide about their problems. You are here today for the wedding. 

And it will be your wedding. 

It still hasn’t truly sunk in yet that you are to be married to Prince Charming. To marry Prince Jungkook, who is loved by everyone in Andalasia for his heroic actions in defeating all the beasts and monsters posing threats to the kingdom. 

Before proceeding further, you take a moment to turn around, taking one final look at yourself through the reflection you see on the glass window of your carriage. 

Pride blooms within as you look at your wedding dress. The dress is immaculate, handcrafted by your own talented hands since the moment your wedding date was made official and your loving grandmother gave her blessings. Despite her misgivings on your upcoming wedding day, your grandmother stayed up with you, assisting you as you spent all night creating this dress. 

Looking at yourself, you must admit that this dress is your true masterpiece.

The bodice of the dress is made of delicate lacework that hugs your figure perfectly while hiding your flaws. The floral patterns on the bodice represent the beauty of the forest and your lovely garden back home perfectly, intertwining and cascading down your form like fresh vines with wildflowers blooming at every tip. 

The lace, meticulously stitched by your own hands, is filled with every drop of hope and love that you harbour for the happily ever after that you have dreamed about for as long as you can remember. 

From your shoulders, down to your arms, a similar ensemble of delicate lacework covers your skin in a comforting fit, adding modesty and elegance to your dress which seems presentable for your special day at the castle.  

From the waist, the fabric flows down like a river of light, billowing into a skirt that trails down to your ankles, rippling in subtle waves with each step that you take. Layers of soft, finely crafted tulle form the skirt to create an illusion of a cloud, making it seem as if you are floating as you slowly turn and twirl to see yourself in every angle. 

Around your shoulders, a veil made of the finest gossamer falls in a delicate cascade down to your back, instead of acting like a cover to shield your face from view. You have the veil fastened to your hair, which is styled in a fancy yet simple twisted bun. Tiny pearls and crystals in different sizes and shapes are woven into the fabric of the veil, and they sparkle like dewdrops under the soft glow of the bright sunlight. 

Growing even more tense with nerves, your hands continue to clench and unclench around your dress, feeling lost with nothing else to hold on to. You wish that your grandmother had been fit enough to be here so you could hold her hand for support, yet you force that thought away, knowing that she hasn’t been well enough to travel far from home. Much less to walk you down the aisle to give you away to the Prince. 

“Stop that right now before you ruin your dress,” Poppy suddenly scolds you, slapping the back of your hands until you let go from where she is perched on the side of the carriage. 

“Here,” she says, shoving a small bouquet of flowers—filled with a collection of wildflowers, carnations, and baby’s-breath—into one of your hands while Brew, the wild badger, and the white bunnies run around the skirt of your dress as they shove a glowing tiara into your other hand.

“Put this on your head, Blossom,” they sing together cheerfully, forcing you to lean down as you accept their little gift and gently place it on the crown of your head. 

“Thank you, my sweet little angels. I don’t know what I would do without you,” you whisper with a content sigh, feeling your nerves calming down as you look at your little friends.  

Your eyes meet Poppy’s worried gaze as she sighs. “Are you really sure about this, ______?” 

Smiling at your friend, you bend down to match her gaze. You know that Poppy has been feeling unsure about all of this. She may have kept her words to herself when the two of you were on your ride home with Prince Jungkook yesterday, yet you could still sense her concern along the way. She has also voiced her concerns about how quickly everything is unfolding, yet she did nothing to stop you from carrying on with this wedding plans when you showed how hopeful and confident you were with your decision. 

Even your grandmother had been worried when you first came home with the news. Yet the Prince was there with you when he asked for her permission to marry you, which melted her heart a little that she had no other choice but to let you go. 

“I am sure. What are the odds that I was to meet with Prince Charming the morning after I dreamt about him? It was definitely a sign from fate, which I must follow if I want to find my happily ever after. Surely, you’d understand.”

You said the same thing last night, when Poppy was there to help you finish your wedding dress. The same thing you also said to your grandmother once Prince Jungkook left to return to the castle, reassuring her that fate wouldn’t have given you the signs if this wasn’t meant to be.

“I do. I’m happy for you,” Poppy says with a small smile, “But you must promise me that you’ll never leave us behind and forget about us.” 

“Never. The forest will always be my home. I’m sure Prince Jungkook is open to helping me make arrangements so I can still spend time with you,” you gently reassure her, “And for me to visit grandmother too from time to time.” 

Poppy shakes her head and shrugs. “All right, if you say so,” she says, finally giving in, “What are you waiting for, then? It’s time to go.” 

Your other forest friends who have been silent while watching you and Poppy going back and forth about the wedding are now cheering for you to go. “Let’s go, Blossom! Go!” 

Their positive energy quickly rubs on you. It helps build up your excitement. A bubble of laughter comes out of you as you feel every bit of your apprehension being chipped away. 

“All right, I’m ready!” you shout, inciting more cheers from your friends. “Let’s go watch me get married!” 

Hiking up your skirt just enough so you won’t be stepping on the hem, you turn and start to track down the pathway leading to the main gate of the castle, carrying with you a new determination and your little friends shadowing your footsteps.

At the main gate, you are welcomed by a familiar face. Standing right before the gate is Sir Noah, still looking as graceful as how you remember him. Wearing a royal suit in dark plum colours and gold linings, his greying hair neatly combed back instead of falling down his face, he looks just like any royal advisor would. 

A smile grows on his face when he sees you coming near, and you greet him with a curtsy. “It’s so nice to see you again, Sir Noah.” 

“The pleasure is all mine, Miss. Welcome to Castle Andalasia,” he says in return. As you straighten back up, you see him looking around you while looking confused. “Are you, perhaps—on your own? Do you not have anyone with you today?” 

Smiling ruefully, you slowly shake your head. “I no longer have any family other than my grandmother,” you answer with a soft voice. “It’s unfortunate that my grandmother isn’t doing well and she couldn’t travel far in a carriage.” 

Something flashes in Sir Noah’s gaze—surprise, pity, sadness, and an odd look of guilt, although you cannot understand why he would feel so guilty about hearing this—before his expression clears to normal. 

“But, there is nothing to worry about,” you cheerfully add, “because I have my friends here with me to witness this wonderful moment.” 

Sir Noah raises his eyebrows while your friends release a loud cheer. Yet Sir Noah quickly clears his throat and shakes his head. “I see. Unfortunately, I’m afraid your friends will have to enter separately. They are guests, after all, and you might need time to finish preparing.”

While your friends express their displeasure with a series of protesting sounds, you keep a smile on your face to change Sir Noah’s mind. “Oh, but—these friends can help me get ready for the ceremony,” you let out a nervous laugh as you try to convince him, “They were the ones who helped me make this dress too.” 

“And they’ve done a marvellous job,” Sir Noah smoothly says, “But I can assure you that our palace maids will be able to help you, and it will be better for your friends to simply enjoy the ceremony as guests, don’t you agree?” 

Right beside you, Poppy stares at Sir Noah with a scowl on her face. Yet she also sees you getting nervous again because of the sudden change of circumstances. That is why—reluctant as she is to leave you—Poppy masks her emotions and turns to help calm you down. 

“It’s okay, Blossom. I’m sure Prince Jungkook has ordered the palace maids to assist you. We’ll be seeing you later inside, okay?” 

Still feeling unsure, you eventually agree. “Okay,” you murmur to Poppy before turning to Sir Noah, “But Poppy will be the one walking me down the aisle in my grandmother’s place.” 

Sir Noah barely hides his displeasure this time. With his jaw clenched, he releases a sigh and says, ”Fine. That can be arranged. But you really should go now, or else, you’ll be late for your own wedding.” 

“Oh, right! Absolutely.” 

Finally, with a deep sigh of relief, Sir Noah steps aside to let the royal guards open the main gate for you to enter. “Follow this path right here to enter the royal garden, and someone will see you to show you where to go,” Sir Noah instructs you while gesturing towards the long-winded stone-covered pathway leading you towards the maze-like garden. With lines of green hedges on either side of the pathway and a wooden arch-shaped pergola covered in vines waiting for you halfway into the garden. 

“Okay, here we go,” you whisper to yourself, saying it with a clear mind as a self-pep talk before you start walking again. 

With your hands holding your skirt up, your head held high, and a long, deep breath to calm your racing heartbeat, you begin to walk down the pathway towards the center of the garden where the wedding ceremony is about to be held. 

While you keep getting further away from your friends, Poppy cannot find it in her to look away. Call it a gut feeling, but the poor squirrel feels uneasy about letting you go off on your own. But she doesn’t really have a choice now, does she? 

She is no longer in the forest where she gets to call the shots, and this shady old man next to them is the one controlling the situation. 

Poppy throws a side glance at the man who you called as Sir Noah. “So where are we supposed to go?” 

The smile that Sir Noah gives her then brings chill through her tiny body. “Come with me.” 

The group of little animals look at each other before they follow Sir Noah through a separate pathway. Here, the path is covered with a rougher kind of gravel, and the vines and hedges look more unkempt. The further they walk, the closer they huddle together in fear, while Sir Noah barely cares to soothe their worries. 

Even his warm welcome earlier has shifted. He acts more cold with the animals and is even rough when he sends the royal guards away. 

They continue to walk until an iron gate appears down the pathway. It looks a bit rusty, and Poppy has an odd feeling about all of this when she sees Sir Noah pulling out a key from his pocket. 

The iron gate creeks heavily when he opens it, causing all the animals to grimace. “You can enter through this gate,” Sir Noah gestures toward the other side of the gate, and every inch of her muscles fight back to stop Poppy from walking forward.

“Where are you leading us to?” she snaps, and Sir Noah’s expression darkens. 

“Are you insinuating that I’m separating you from the maiden?” 

Brew, now shaking in fear, innocently whispers loud enough for everyone to hear, “But this isn’t the way to the royal garden.” 

Your forest friends may not have had any experience visiting the castle, but they are wild animals from the forest, capable of telling the difference between the well-kept garden and the wild. Beyond the iron gate, the air flows differently. The grasses are thicker, and they can all smell the scent of the muddy lake from all the way here. 

“You are sending us away from the castle,” Poppy growls, absolutely pissed off that the one that you have trusted to take care of your friends is doing this behind your back. 

Sending them away from you, from the wedding, and back out there into the wild. 

“What is going on? Is _____ even safe?” 

“What are you planning to do?” 

Poppy’s little friends begin to protest once they also sense that something is wrong, while the scowl on Sir Noah’s face deepens. “Oh, bollocks. You are too loud,” he snaps. All so suddenly, he lifts a massive shovel that seems to come out of nowhere and starts swinging it towards Poppy and her friends, forcing them to run towards the opened gate before they can get hurt. 

“Now, shoo! Get out of here!” he shouts between each swing. 

Once every single one of your little friends is out the gate, Sir Noah throws the shovel away and closes the iron gate. The sound of the lock being latched back in place pierces through the animals’ chests. 

“Nooooo!” 

“Blossom!” 

Some of them begin snarling and growling, even if they are completely powerless against the tall, elegant, yet evil human before them. 

“What about Blossom?” Brew asks while shaking, both in fear and rage, “What’s going to happen to our friend?” 

Sir Noah leans down, showing his evil smirk as he peeks through from between the iron bars. “Don’t worry about your friend. We’ll make sure that she’s in good hands.” 

With his evil laugh, Sir Noah turns away, leaving your frightened animal friends behind. 

“Where is the Prince? I know that Prince Jungkook will never stand for this!” Poppy shouts in her last effort to threaten Sir Noah, only for the latter to ignore her words, and the sound of his laughter continues to echo further away before he disappears into the royal garden. 

At the depth of the royal garden, you find yourself getting lost. 

It turns out that this place is a maze, confirming your first suspicion when you first laid eyes on the winding pathway disappearing between the tall green hedges. The deeper you walk into the garden, the higher the hedges grow, and the thicker the trees and bushes around you become. The variety of flowers can’t help much to show you where you are, since everything looks the same no matter where you go. 

While worrying about not being able to find your way, you also worry about your friends. You wish you had insisted on having Poppy come with you. Perhaps then, you wouldn’t feel so alone and she could help you find the way by using her sharp senses. 

Will they be alright, you wonder as you think about your furry friends. But knowing that they are in the hands of Sir Noah gives you some peace of mind. Surely, the kind gentleman will be able to help and keep them safe. Right? 

But speaking of Sir Noah—

I thought he said that someone would come to see me and show me the way. But where are they? 

You have been walking for a while, yet there is nobody in sight. Not even a shadow of a person. It seems odd to think that the royal garden will be this empty, especially with a wedding happening this afternoon. 

Turning at a corner, you find yourself at an opening between the maze. A small gazebo is placed at the center with wooden benches inside. Your exhaustion draws you towards it, and with your eyes focused on the benches that seem comfortable for you to sit on, you don’t notice it when a movement suddenly happens from nearby. 

The rustling sound of the bushes is the only warning that you get before someone suddenly emerges from the shadows.

“Aaahh!” you scream in fear, while the figure before you quickly apologises. 

“Oh, dear me. I’m so sorry, dearest,” an old woman’s voice speaks to you, “I didn’t mean to scare you.” 

Eyes still widened in fear, you look at the person before you. Instead of a royal guard or a palace maid, you are met with an old woman wearing a long dress in an earthly colour under a worn-out cloak that hangs to the ground. 

“Oh, that’s okay,” you answer with a nervous chuckle. “It’s a harmless mistake. Are you—are you from around here? I think I’ve gotten lost. I’m supposed to be at the wedding spot by now, but I haven’t seen anyone.” 

The old woman smiles. “Oh, you poor thing. His Highness the Prince should’ve done better to prepare a guard for his bride,” she complains, tsk-ing her tongue and shaking her head with disappointment. “Maybe I can help guide you there? This old hag may not look it, but I do know my way around the castle like the back of my hand.” 

Perhaps, it would have been best if you were wary of an unknown stranger suddenly offering help during dire times. Yet you are quickly reminded of your grandmother waiting back home and think nothing of the old woman who is offering her assistance so kindly. 

“Please, if you may. I don’t want to be late for my own wedding,” you answer her with a relieved sigh. 

“Excellent. Come along, then,” the cloaked woman turns and starts moving towards a different pathway with confident strides. You begin to believe that you are making a good decision then. 

“You look nervous, dear. Is everything okay? I’m sure you're excited about the wedding, aren’t you?” she asks after you walk with her for a moment longer, surprising you that she notices.

Because you are nervous. Only that it has been suppressed under your worries while you were getting lost in the maze earlier. 

“I actually am, if I must admit. Both nervous and excited,” you answer as the flutter in your chest grows wild all of a sudden. “To think that in a matter of minutes, the Prince Charming and I are going to—” your voice falters with nerves, “That we’re going to have our—” Thinking about what is going to happen causes your heartbeat to race, making it hard for you to breathe, to speak, that when you speak next, it almost feels like you are listening to yourself from a far distance away, “We are going to have our true love’s kiss.” 

It feels too surreal to think that it is finally happening. Your dreams are coming true. Even saying it out loud doesn’t seem to make it real. Stunned at how your life is changing so rapidly, you come to a halt. 

“I am most happy for you, my dear. But surely you can’t go into your wedding without going through the old tradition of the castle,” the old woman speaks again with joy—as if she is truly happy for you.

“The old tradition?” you ask, confused. Because you are quite sure that you know everything that you need to know about any kind of wedding tradition within the kingdom, and you are not sure if you are missing anything. 

“Why—to visit the magic fountain, of course,” the woman explains nonchalantly. “All brides would go to the magic fountain and make their final wish, hoping for their happily ever after before they are to wed. The fountain has magic spells, you see, to make sure that your wish is to be granted and for everything to go well until the end.” 

“My—wish?” 

“Yes. Your wish,” she says. The smile that the old woman shows you as she turns to face you brings a shudder to your skin. It is an indescribable feeling. Yet you brush it off, telling yourself that maybe your nerves are acting up again. “Do you have a wish, sweetheart?” 

“I wish,” you find yourself answering, “that we’ll live happily ever after.”

Because that is the only wish that would make sense, after all. Who wouldn’t want to find their happy ever after? While you are so close to having it, deep down, this is what you have been wishing for since you were a little girl and you want nothing to come your way from getting it.

“Then you should pray for your wish to make sure you’ll have it fulfilled, don’t you agree?” the old woman asks you in the most tempting way that you cannot find it in you to say no to. When she sees that you don’t seem convinced enough to follow her, she immediately adds, “It’s not too far from here, and it’ll take only a few seconds, so you won’t be late for your wedding. I promise.”

“You’re right,” you say to her, suddenly feeling hopeful again. “Besides, it would be wrong for me to skip a tradition on my special day.” 

“Good girl,” she says. For a brief moment, you believe that her voice oddly changes. Yet you pay no attention to it as she already begins moving—suspiciously quickly, for an old woman wearing a long, heavy cloak—through the maze again, giving you no other choice but to follow her close behind. 

It doesn’t take long before you emerge into another opening. This time, it seems like you have reached the far end of the garden, and right before your eyes stands the fountain that the kind old woman mentioned earlier. 

“Here it is, the magic wishing fountain,” she says as she steps aside, allowing you to have a good look at the fountain.  

And what you see right in front of your eyes leaves you completely lost for words.

“It’s—beautiful,” you muse softly, admiring the beautiful fountain that you have never once seen before. 

The magic fountain is placed deliberately at what seems to be the heart of the royal garden, right where the sunlight is filtered through a canopy of emerald leaves, giving it a mellow, yet romantic atmosphere. 

Surrounded by cobblestone pathways and vibrant flower beds, the water fountain stands elegantly between the wall of green around you. It is not made in a grand, ostentatious structure, but a modest creation which seems like it was naturally formed between the green hedges and lush trees, almost blending into the solid castle wall that spreads wide through the royal garden. 

The base, crafted from gleaming white marble, frames a pool of crystal-clear water which ripples gently from the center. The intricate design of the marble stone makes it seem like a bed of white flowers emerging from the ground, delicate and sturdy at the same time, instead of a stiff rock which made up the small fountain your grandmother built back home. 

The marble stone frame at the base goes all the way to the back, blending into the contrasting dark wall made of natural stones. You can vines of wild ivy growing from the top of the wall, extending down to the back of the circular pool filled with fresh water. 

The dark wall rises to the very top, where crystal-clear water cascades down from a seemingly mysterious source. To your eyes, it looks like a small replica of the natural waterfall from the heart of the Amaranth Forest, your secret sanctuary that not even your grandmother has ever been to before. 

The fountain's waterfall sparkles in a silver glow that looks ethereal to your eyes, casting a soft, shimmering light as it spills down to the pool of water underneath. The pool water also exudes a silvery luminescence that is almost blinding, yet you find yourself unable to look away. 

There is something about the fountain that keeps drawing you in. A tightness forms in your chest while you are drawn to the mesmerising sight of the water fountain that looks more like it was crafted by nature instead of manmade. It seems to be reminding you of the forest, helping you forget where you are for a brief moment and taking away all of your worries at the same time. 

The soothing sound of the trickling water feels entrancing, calming every nerve-ending, every tension in your body which has grown since you left home. 

Standing this close to it, you can almost feel it, the magic that comes from the spilling water, beckoning you to reach out for it. 

Too immersed in the water fountain and its spellbinding magic, everything around you seems to fade away. Every other sound becomes nothing but white noise, and the presence of the stranger beside you becomes nothing more but a shadow looming close by. You barely notice when she slowly begins to move away. Her voice starts fading in and out through your senses, alluring you in an oddly enchanting way.

Just like a spell would. 

At times like this, Poppy wishes that she has wings instead of these flimsy paws.

She also regrets not having her winged friends—the twin sparrows, the doves, and the little hummingbirds—with them this afternoon so she could ask them for help. But they hadn’t been pleased to make the long trip to the castle, and someone had to stay behind to watch over your sick grandmother and help her around the cabin. 

Yet she pushes aside those thoughts for now, focusing on climbing up the wild vines to reach the top of the outer walls of the castle instead. She is hoping that being high enough from the ground will help her find out where you are, to see if you are safe or if Sir Noah is putting you in harm’s way. Maybe she can also find Prince Jungkook and let him know what had happened.

Poppy has no idea what is going on and why things are turning this way. She can only hope that Prince Jungkook has nothing to do with this. However, she does have a suspicion about a certain someone who might have planned this whole thing up to ruin your and Prince Jungkook’s wedding. 

The only thing that she can’t understand is — Why? Why would anyone do this?

Poppy is out of breath when she is finally at the top of the wall. Now that she is high enough, she can see the outer area where she and her friends had been discarded to — the small lake that is surrounded by trees in various odd shapes, unkempt bushes and grass, with growing wildflowers that are scattered in all visible corners that she can see from up high.

On the other side of the walls, the garden looks like a massive maze, but way more well-maintained and luxurious — except for the small area beyond the locked iron gate that seems to be neglected compared to other parts of the garden. 

Yet Poppy doesn’t waste any more time idling by. She isn’t here to watch the scenery and marvel at it, after all. Once she manages to catch her breath and calm down, she takes one last glance and her other friends who are waiting for her on the ground and launches into a sprint, tracing the top of the wall with a steady run to find a better spot that will allow her to have a better sight of the inner garden. 

It takes a while, but eventually, Poppy can see a glimpse of your wedding dress flashing between the tall hedges. Relieved, she starts cheering to herself. She has been separated from you for long enough that anything could have happened. She keeps going, finding the right spot with the perfect angle where she can draw your attention. 

“_________! Look over here!” she keeps shouting while waving her paws in the air. “Please, Blossom!” 

When she fails to get your attention, Poppy jumps onto the nearest tree, hoping to get higher. The new angle allows her to see what she failed to see earlier. 

“Who is that?” she wonders out loud once she notices that you are not alone. But it isn’t a maid or a guard who is with you, as promised by Sir Noah when he sent you away. 

Instead, all Poppy can see from here is an old woman wearing a cloak that may have seen better days. From this spot, she can also see the hag smiling wickedly while you have your attention on a fountain that looks to be a part of the garden, and you definitely cannot see what the hag is up to when she secretly moves to stand behind you. 

“No! ________!” 

The wall of falling water on the fountain looks so mesmerising that you cannot look away. It seems alluring, enticing you to come closer. 

But you are frozen on the spot. And for a moment, you almost forget why you are here. The thought of your wedding no longer takes the front seat in your mind when you keep feeling like you are being pulled to the fountain. 

“Now, go on then. Make your wish,” you hear the woman coaxing you. Once again, her voice seems to change, no longer sounding like the weak and soft voice that you first heard from her. But then again, it could have been your imagination, because her voice softens again when she speaks, 

“Didn’t you say that you have a wish, my fair maiden? This is your chance to make your wish come true.” 

“Yes,” you hear yourself speak as if you are no longer inside your body. “Yes, I do have a wish.” 

Closing your eyes, you look deeper into your heart and mind, knowing what exactly you want to wish for before taking the next step. Clasping your hands together, you begin to make your wish.

“I wish—that we, Prince Jungkook and I, will live happily ever a—oh!”

All of a sudden, you feel a strong push. You barely open your eyes in shock when you see your entire world being tilted over, and you are suddenly plunged deep into the water. The faux waterfall continues to flow, covering your entire body as you continue to submerge into the bottomless body of water and the world around you fades. 

Up on the surface, the cloaked hag bends over the fountain and releases a wicked laugh. She waves her arms around her and starts chanting a spell on the fountain, and a thick, dark green mist emerges from the ground, surrounding her like a cloud. The moment the mist fades away, the cloaked hag has disappeared, and in her place stands the mighty Sorceress, Queen Rosalyne. 

Her laughter dies down, just as Sir Noah comes out of his hiding. Wringing his hands together, he looks between the fountain that is calming down—the ripples fading as if it hadn’t been disturbed by your entire being—and the smiling Queen who is silently celebrating. 

“If I may ask,” Sir Noah speaks gently, afraid of how the Queen will react to his curiosity, “Where have you sent her, Your Majesty?” 

A soft chuckle slips out of the Queen’s lips as her smile widens once more. “She is now off to the alter-world. To a place far, far away from here. A place where there are no happily ever afters.” 

⟶ Author’s Note | Originally commissioned by @pinkbtsarmy | Thank you for reading!

— © Yoonia, all rights reserved. reposting/modifying of any kind is not allowed. unsolicited translations are not allowed.

[bubbles-for-all-of-us]

Pretty like the wind

a/n Part one! this was born last night after a had a little cry over everything that's been going on lately. Oh, and you are free to listen to black friday by tom odell. ✨

was inspired by a request but I don't want to spoil anything so I won't answer the ask just yet.

warning: past trauma, implied violence.

Next chapter

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Love was one thing Azriel had dreamed about. Longed for. He had longed for it since he was born. He had known his mother's kind hands. Had felt a touch of tenderness, but those memories had been swept away. Buried. Shoved deep within him. Been burned out of him. Azriel had welcomed the mask of steel. Had wanted nothing more than to hide behind the tight, cold shield.

He had grown tired of being the victim. Of being shoved around. He wanted to be the one people ran from. He wanted to possess that power. To be someone people dreaded. To never fall again. To never be the one to yield. So, he welcomed the power the brotherhood with Rhys and Cassian brought him. He found strength in his brothers. They helped him up until Azriel was strong enough to stand on his own two feet.

Azriel had learned to live with the pain. He endured it. Let the scars bleed out. Let them scab over. He knew they would never truly fade. Mother, his hands were enough of a reminder of that. But they had settled enough. Settled enough for Azriel to want to live. He had found purpose in Rhys's court. Rhys had given him that. And Azriel was thankful for that in more than one way.

But the clenched grip of Amarantha had messed it all up. Had put so many things in motion. Had plucked out so many souls. Had woven so many lives. Had brought so much heartbreak. So much trauma and sleepless nights. That same helplessness. Yet it also brought Feyre to Rhys. It had brought Nesta to Cassian. But left Azriel empty-handed.

And the spymaster had observed them all. He had spent countless hours watching the love blossom right in front of him. He had caught onto the ways his brothers looked at their lovers. There was always something special about a gaze like that. It was unmistakable. So loud. Drenched with so many emotions, sometimes unnoticeable for the lovers but so clear for the ones who looked from the side.

That's when Azriel had grown restless. Careless. Desperate. He was ready to step on the values he treasured. The laws he believed in. He went as far as reaching for an already mated female. She was lost. Everyone should have sensed that. The world. The obligations they brought frightened her. And Azriel took advantage of that. He had told himself that this was right. That had to be. Three sisters for three brothers. But even with Elain wrapped up in his arms, the roaring didn't ease. But Azriel refused to let go.

Refused until Rhys stepped in. Until the high lord had done something he vowed to never do, Rhys forced Azriel to his knees with his magic. The spymaster could still hear the roaring tone, "I warned you. This thing you are doing is out of order. Elain is a mated woman, Azriel". Oh, how he had fought. How Azriel had said it over and over, the world he had made himself believe in. Three sisters for three brothers. Just that didn't reach Rhys, and when Azriel woke up in an unknown room, he knew the punishment he was to face was like no other.

Rhys had knocked politely on your mental shield that night. It was way too late. But you cracked the locks open. "Can I winnow to the sanctuary?", it was such a simple question. Yet it left you frowning. The lines on your face only deepened when you saw your high lord, followed by a male who held another unconscious body.

"I apologize for the inconvenience", Rhys stated. He was angry. Tired? You couldn't pinpoint the emotion. Drained - that seemed the most fitting. "What's... Is your soldier in need of healing?", you questioned calmly, already moving to roll up your sleeves. "In some ways...", Rhys breathed, and that's how you came to know the story of the man who had lost himself in search of love. The man who had crumbled under his demons. Male Rhys had sent to the oldest sanctuary in the Velaris Mountains. In hopes of mending the broken pieces.

Azriel did not leave his room after he regained consciousness. He was stripped of his daggers. The gift to winnow was without doubt taken away by Rhys himself. Oh, how much he had cursed his brother in the first days. He roared as he threw furniture around the small room. He growled loudly when they were all replaced by magic right in front of him. Oh, Azriel imagined how much pleasure Rhys was having watching this.

You had chosen to seek him out on his fifth day here. You had come every day, but the sheer sounds of distraction from within made you halt every time. Today, it all seemed a lot quieter. Too quiet, even. You knocked a couple of times. Not surprised when you didn't get the answer. You knew that the sanctuary provided him with food and water, but you didn't want him to feel like a prisoner.

He looked rough. You doubted he had bathed in the days he had been here. The air inside was thick. He had drowned out the light almost completely with his shadows. They swarmed around him frantically. You frowned at the harsh light that threatened to cave in on his darkness. Quickly moving your wrist, you drew back the sharp rays of light. The room dimmed.

"Hey", you breathed out quietly, "I wanted...", but the wave of darkness poured towards you, pushing you against the wall, making you gasp. "Where am I?", Azriel didn't sound human-like. An animal ridden with anger. "You're safe...", you breathed out. "That's not what I asked you!", Azriel roared. His fist shook right in front of you. "What will you do, spymaster, hit me?", you moved to push off the wall slightly. "You might be angry. The hell itself might be burning inside you for all I care", you said, opening your palms and waving threads of light through them. "But you were brought here for a reason, and you can cry like a little boy, but you will not raise a hand against any breathing creature that lives beneath this roof", your wild eyes met his. A battle of power deep-rooted. You weren't too surprised when a roar left Azriel's mouth. Thick clouds of darkness forming. You just worked faster. Suppressing it. Capturing it in the smoothness of warmth. Taking Azriel along with it. Even if that was the last thing you wanted to do,

"You will have to accept my apologies", Rhys had his head in his hands after you had been summoned into his office. He felt guilty; you couldn't mistake that emotion even if you wanted to. "Wipe that thought away", you said quietly, "He picked a fight with me. Your intervening would have caused more damage". Rhys let out a sigh. "I don't recognize him, Y/N.", the high lord shook his head, "I look at him. I look through his head, and... I don't see the same male I knew for centuries".

You made your way towards the window. "Do you remember the night you came to me after you realized that Feyre was your mate?" The question had made the high lord stiffen. He was grateful that you chose the word came instead of crawl. "Your heart was desperate, and your mind was full of roaring demons," you said as you stepped closer to the windowsill. "So time", Rhys muttered. You nodded, "Even the most broken souls find themselves eventually. We can guide them to it". Rhys nodded mostly to himself; he had so many things he still wanted to say to you and ask, but when he lifted his head, you were no longer there.

Azriel had no recollection of how he had gotten into bed. He had no recollection of opening the window ever so slightly. The cold wind soothed him. Easing the throbbing all over his body. His mind dragged out fragments of you. They were scattered and dim. But his skin still bore the feeling of light. He moved to sit up, frowning as a piece of paper fell to the floor. The spymaster reached for it instantly. "I'll forgive you for the outburst last night, but you're on kitchen duties for the rest of the month. I hope I won't have to drag you out myself", it read. Azriel stared at it. Gaped. Let the anger simmer. He crumpled the paper and threw it towards the fire, but one of his shadows caught it in time. Straightening it out before turning it back to Azriel. "You don't get to pick sides", Azriel snarled, but the shadows only waved the white paper stronger. "I could easily just make you vanish, you know?", the spymaster grumbled, but he still reached for the pile of clean clothes. He went as far as washing his face before he stepped out.

Only midway down the corridor did Azriel realize that he had no idea where he was going. And suddenly, a wave of panic washed over him. Was he even allowed to walk freely? Rhys had banished him; Mother only knew to what end. He had no idea where he was. He might as well have been cast to another dimension. The sound of small feet hitting the floor made Azriel twirl around.

Two babies, not older than five, ran towards him. Azriel waited for them to halt. Frighten and run away. But they moved towards him, squealing, clearly lost in whatever game they were playing. They dove under Azriel's wings, moving past him. Sprinting down the hall. Azriel's feet started moving without him even realizing it. He followed the laughter and happy shrieks.

He walked right until he was met with a big open space. The glass dome was right up above it. Stone columns supported it. Azriel moved quietly. He used the dim sides to hide himself. The place looked like a commune area. The sound of singing increased. Rounding the corner, Azriel moved to stand in the arch of two columns. Breath hitched in his throat as he saw Fea and Illyrian children dancing in circles. A handful of females were seated all around. He scanned the room.

His gaze halted. There, in the middle of one of the circles the children formed, stood you. Pieces of last night flashed in front of Azriel's eyes. The way he had leaped at you. The way you brought on the light. How you had wrapped him up in the comfort of it. He watched as you spun around as well. The white dress you wore twirled with you. He was convinced that you were glowing as you smiled at every little happy face that watched you.

You sang with them all, and Azriel found himself leaning against the column. He was oddly captivated by the view in front of him. A handful of tinny wings messily clapped as the younglings kicked off from the ground. Trying to soar into the air. Azriel watched them. Some old, deep wounds throbbed within his chest. He lowered his gaze for the moment, trying to suppress it. To shove it back deeper into himself.

But then an urge to lift his gaze back up struck him. Azriel found the most beautiful set of eyes looking right back at him. He wasn't sure how you had spotted him in the shadows, but you did. He held your gaze firmly. He thought about frowning. Snarling even for a second. But you had smiled up at him. Had smiled so brightly that Azriel felt some slither of warmth trying to spark to life within his chest. You nodded your head slowly at him, and Azriel found himself returning the gesture. Right as a warm feeling settled deep within his cold bones.

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

[mostlysignssomeportents]

Margaret Killjoy’s “The Sapling Cage”

TODAY (Sept 24), I'll be speaking IN PERSON at the BOSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY!

The Sapling Cage is the first book in Margaret Killjoy's new "Daughters of the Empty Throne" trilogy: it's a queer coming-of-age tale in the mode of epic fantasy, and it's very good:

https://firestorm.coop/products/21646-the-sapling-cage.html

Lorel wants to be a witch, but that's the very last of the adventurous trades to be strictly gender-segregated. Boys and girls alike run away to be knights, brigands and sailors, but only girls can become a witch. Indeed, Lorel's best friend, Lane, is promised to the witches, having been born to a witch herself.

Lane doesn't want to be a witch. She wants to be a knight. So she and Lorel swap places, so when the crones come to their little hamlet to collect the girl who was promised to her, it's Lorel who steps forward, wearing the black dress Lane's mother left behind. None of the townsfolk rate Lorel out to the witches, and just like that, she is on the march with the coven, a whelp – the lowest ranking inductee, aspiring to "apprentice" and then, "witch."

What follows is, in some ways, a very expertly executed coming-of-age story. Lane is getting trained up with the coven, among a new cohort of whelps of varying degrees of friendliness and hostility. The world is a richly realized fantasy landscape of monsters and giants, magic and political intrigue.

Lorel has signed up for witching just as the land is turning against witches, thanks to a political plot by a scheming duchess who has scapegoated the witches as part of a plan to annex all the surrounding duchies, re-establishing the long-disintegrated kingdom with herself on the throne. To make things worse (for the witches, if not the duchess), there's a plague of monsters on the land, and the forests are blighted with a magical curse that turns trees to unmelting ice. This all softens up the peasantfolk for anti-witch pogroms.

So Lorel has to learn witching, even as her coven is fighting both monsters and the duchess's knights and the vigilante yokels who've been stirred up with anti-witch xenophobia.

This is a good, sturdy, serviceable plot, and in Killjoy's hands, it is expertly handled. There are lots of reversals and double-crosses, brilliant fight scenes, all the things you could want in an epic fantasy. And of course, it's a coming of age, with Lorel seeing the world and discovering who she is and brushing away the comforting half-truths and lies her elders have cocooned her in.

That's where the fact that Lorel is trans comes in. Lorel is figuring out what that means, but she's also very worried about discovery. After all, she's entered the company of witches, the last all-female cohort in the land, and these are powerful women – what's more, they're anarchists, leaderless and fractious. Who knows what happens if Lorel gets discovered.

So you've got this incredibly well-turned fantasy/coming-of-age story going on, and Killjoy figures out how to work in this gender stuff not just as a way of doing "representation" or "queer joy" or any other value that's orthogonal to the literary merits of this as an adventure tale. Nor does she simply integrate trans-ness as an unremarkable fact of life, another kind of statement (indeed, there's plenty of queer characters in this story who are matter-of-fact in this manner).

No, Killjoy uses the special complications of coming-of-age while transitioning to heighten the stakes and thus fuel the suspense of the novel. In addition to all the normal merits of diverse characters, Killjoy is using gender issues to crank up the story, winding it up to a breakneck pace that makes the pages practically fly past.

Thematically, there's a bunch of chewy stuff Killjoy does with the way that magic transforms bodies, making monsters out of witches who push their powers too hard. The story has all these changing bodies – children coming of age, Lorel coming out as transfemme, the transformation of magic-users into monsters. It's just another layer of depth that supports a zippy, run-and-gun quest tale.

I've followed Killjoy's work for more than a decade, ever since her days publishing the seminal zine Steampunk (motto: "Love the machine, hate the factory"):

https://firestorm.coop/products/2624-steampunk-magazine.html

Years later, I had the pleasure of instructing her at the Clarion West workshop. She's published regularly all that time, and this is by far her most commercial – and, I think her best! – novel (to date).

Today, Tor Books publishes SPILL, a new, free LITTLE BROTHER novella about oil pipelines and indigenous landback!

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/09/24/daughters-of-the-empty-throne/#witchy/a>

[the-broken-truth]

Primal Hunt - [Yandere] [Werewolf Jamil Viper] [Female Yuu]

Summary: It's Halloween in Night Raven College, and everyone is celebrating with parties and festivities. However, Yuu Arisugawa is preoccupied with finding a way to activate the Dark Mirror and return to her world. Unfortunately, she has become the target of a predator who not only wants to prey on her but also has something darker in mind for the magicless female. Will Yuu survive the Night of the Blood Moon, or will she be devoured?

Broken: Welcome to my First Yandere Jamil Viper One-Shot. I know it's not Halloween, but who seriously cares?

[Halloween Night - Ramshackle]

Soft sapphire eyes looked at the pages of the book resting on the desk before the window where the light of the Blood Red Full Moon shined through the rather foggy window. With an exhausted yawn, Yuu ran her hair through her short black hair before using her hand to close the tome before her and pushed it away from her before resting her elbows on the desk and placing her face in the palms of her hands, completely exhausted by the countless hours of searching through countless tomes and writing down information for the one question she's had since arriving in Twisted Wonderland: A way to return to her original world.

Yuu Arisugawa is the Prefect of Ramshackle and is widely known to be the strongest person on campus, even though she has no magical powers. However, she possesses a power that nobody can understand, which makes her equally feared whether she is angry or having a normal day. Yuu commands respect through her actions, not because of her magical abilities or family status, unlike many other students on campus. Despite the Headmaster's duties, she still manages to excel in her studies while assisting students of all dorms and years with their issues. Additionally, she handles all the Overblots, from Riddle Rosehearts to Malleus Draconia and everyone in between. Everyone knows not to anger the Prefect because of her impressive abilities.

No one would say it around Dire Crowley since Yuu asked them not to, but all the other students considered Yuu as the True Headmaster of Night Raven College and would call her that when the Old Crow was not around; Yuu would never admit it, but she liked it when the others called her that. It made her feel like her efforts were being appreciated.

However, the only thing the students didn't like about Yuu was her current mission: Returning from whence she came. Not a single person at Night Raven wanted Yuu to return to her original world; the teachers, the students, the Dorm Wardens and Vice Dorm Wardens, and even Crowley (I'm sure we all know why) wanted Yuu to remain with them, however, the Arisugawa Female was too set on returning home and there was nothing anyone could change her mind; no amount of gifts and pleads would make her stay in Twisted Wonderland.

Tonight was no different.

T'was Halloween Night and all the dorms were celebrating in style, it was more special since the Blood Moon was high in the sky; making everything better for the atmosphere of the parties. Every dorm invited Yuu to their personal events but the Prefect refused since she was going to use the peace and quiet to look through the tomes she had about the Dark Mirror in hopes of triggering it to bring her back home. Grim asked her if it would be okay to go with Ace and Deuce on their Halloween adventures and Yuu agreed; the fact Grim asked her made her laugh since he always called her his 'henchman'. Due to the Blood Moon, The Ghosts of Ramshackle were in some kind of hibernation; Yuu was completely alone in the silent walls of Ramshackle.

Yuu pushed herself away from the desk and rose from her seat before leaving her room to head down the stairs to make herself something small to eat and maybe a cup of tea; all that reading and still the dots were not connecting for her, at least not at the moment.

Upon reaching the kitchen and putting the kettle on to the tea, Yuu placed a frozen pizza in her toaster oven and turned the timer; that was when her phone, a gift from Professor Crewel (Dad Crewel!), binged with a message. She pulled it out of her pocket and opened the message - it was from Ace in the group chat she had with Ace and Deuce.

Ace Trappola❤: Hey, Yuu! Sorry to bother you but we have a problem here.

Yuu: What is the problem, Ace?

Ace Trappola❤: We lost Grim.

Yuu: What do you mean you lost Grim? What happened?

Ace Trappola❤: We were invited to Scarabia Dorm for their party and everything was going good, but when the food came, we noticed that Grim wasn't anywhere around and we both know he loves food. Did he come back to Ramshackle by any chance?

Yuu: No, I am here alone. When was the last time you saw him?

Ace Trappola❤: Last time I saw him, he was talking to Jamil.

Yuu: Jamil? Jamil isn't that fond of Grim. what could they have been talking about?

Just then, a new text appeared from Deuce Spade.

Deuce Spade♠: I found Grim! He was locked in a broom closet and he was passed out!

Yuu: What do you mean? Is he awake now?

Deuce Spade♠: Yeah, but that's not important right now! Yuu, you need to leave Ramshackle right now! Grim wasn't just knocked out, he was Snake Whispered!

That text caused Yuu's eyes to widen in shock: The Snake Whisper was the Unique Magic of Jamil Viper, Scarabia's Vice Dorm Warden who overblotted while attempting to stage a coup but was stopped by Yuu.

Ever since that night, Jamil's attitude and relationship with Kalim and his dorm mates have been better, he integrated himself into Yuu's Friendship Circle, however, he was never really interested in speaking to the others in the group: He only wanted to speak and interact with Yuu. In fact, he seemed as if he wanted to be more to Yuu than 'just a friend', at least, that is what his actions spoke:

During meal times, he would bring food for Yuu along with his own and Kalim's. He always made sure to sit next to her and if there was anyone else occupying the seats next to Yuu, he would demand that they give up their seat for him. During one such occasion, Jamil forcibly removed Ace from his seat when he refused to give it up willingly to the Viper.

Whenever Yuu expressed a need for something, no matter how small it was, Jamil always brought it to her. He brought her school materials and even odd things like newer versions of items. Yuu suspected that Jamil was following her because she had mentioned a Triple Layered Cheesecake with strawberries on top that her mother used to make for her on her birthday. She had kept a copy of the recipe card in her room at Ramshackle. However, on the day of her 17th Birthday Party, Jamil surprised her with the exact same cake, which tasted just like her mother's recipe. Yuu was grateful for the cake, but couldn't understand how Jamil knew the recipe when the recipe card was in her room and no one had access to it. It made her wonder if Jamil had been in her room without her knowledge. The very thought scared her but she refused to show it.

Jamil always found ways to be near Yuu. He would volunteer to work with her on paired projects and assist her with finding books. However, Yuu noticed that whenever she was looking for books related to the Dark Mirror, they were difficult to find when Jamil was around. When she searched without him, she found them easily. Whenever Yuu invited her friends to her place to relax, Jamil would bring ingredients to make delicious desserts for himself, Yuu, and Kalim. However, he would only give cookies to the others so Yuu wouldn't get mad at him.

The most troubling thing about Jamil in Yuu's opinion was that he was very possessive and insistent that Yuu spend time with him; he would grab her forearm and bring her closer to him whenever they were walking with their friends or glare at other students who spoke to her for too long, the longest he lasted before scaring someone off was 2 minutes.

Now, Grim was Snake Whispered and locked in a broom closet in Scarabia? What the hell is going on and why would Jamil do something like this?

That was when the lights went out and Yuu was now standing in utter darkness just as the timer on the Toaster Over went off and the Kettle started steaming. Yuu slightly jumped when the lights went out but soon calmed herself down as she shook her phone to trigger the flashlight before walking out of the kitchen and looking down the hallway; every single light in Ramshackle was out but this was confusing. The weather was perfect for Halloween and Yuu recently got the old wiring in the power box replaced to make sure there were no fires or blackouts.

'Was someone trying to play a trick on me? It was Halloween after all.' Yuu thought as she walked to the front door, opened it, and went out and around Ramshackle to look for the power box, only to find something shocking: The Power Box was damaged...by some kind of creature. 3 large and deep claw marks slashed through the wires and circuit boards, causing the blackout; something or someone did this on purpose...and it was most likely that it was still around.

Yuu turned on her heel and ran back into Ramshackle, slamming the door behind her and locking the door before calming down and heading up the stairs to return to her room, and closed the door behind her before turning to face it with her back to the window. She closed her eyes while taking deep breaths to calm her racing heart. She had to calm down and think; all she had to do was...

*Tap*

*Tap*

*Tap*

Yuu's eyes widened at the sound of tapping on the glass behind her but she was too frozen to move, that's when she noticed something else; the shadow that consumed hers. There was something watching her and it was large.

"My, my, Prefect. All alone on this Halloween night? Why don't you let me in and I shall hold you tight." The voice said. Wait. That voice.

Yuu pushed through her fear and turned around and came face to face with none other than Jamil Viper, but it would seem that the Viper was hiding more than his hatred for Kalim during the Coup.

Jamil was no longer completely human, Yuu could tell that from the large wolf-like ears and the long bushy tail waving side to side slowly with excitement. Red markings rest upon Jamil's cheeks like whispers and a very decorated marking on his forehead. He was dressed in a rather nice outfit like he was at the party, but she knew that was no costume; by the look of his canine-like feet wrapped in black bandages and the claws wrapped in the same material up to his forearms. Yuu could see the obvious: Jamil Viper was a Werewolf.

"Trying to stay calm, Prefect? That is utterly adorable, however, that is not going to fool me. I can hear your heart pounding against your chest. I can see your pupils jumping in those lovely pools of sapphire you call eyes. Also..." Jamil takes a deep inhale before exhaling with a smile on his face as he places his wrapped clawed hands on the surface of the glass, "I can smell your fear, Prefect, and it's delicious; utterly intoxicating."

"You used your Unique Magic on Grim and locked him in a broom closet in Scarabia's Dormitory during the party. Why?" Yuu asked while keeping her distance from the window, the only barrier she had between herself and the Werewolf Vice Warden before her.

Said werewolf chuckling as his tail waved from side to side like a slow-paced pendulum.

"Still trying to act tough? Oh, Prefect, you're too damn cute for your own good; it makes me want to devour you even more now. As for that blasted chimera, I was not going to let him get in my way and ruin the plans I have spent months putting into place." Jamil's silver eyes - which were as black as coal the last time she saw him - seemed to glow with unknown intentions.

"Plans? What plans?" Yuu asked. Jamil's smile grew, displaying his large canines, as his right index finger started tapping the surface of the glass once again. Yuu's body moved on its own and took a few steps back.

"Let me in and I'll explain everything that's gonna happen before this night is over, Prefect." Jamil purred at the girl, who shook her head at him, making his smile grow even wider. "Prefect..."

He reeled his clawed hand back.

"That wasn't a suggestion."

Jamil's hand shot forward and shattered the glass all over the floor and desk of Ramshackle, making Yuu over her face to keep any and all glass from hitting her face. When the sound of large footsteps hit her room floor and the sound of glass shards hitting each other hit her ears, she removed her hands and looked at the tall werewolf standing before her with a wild grin on his face as he stared down at the 5'3 Girl.

"What is wrong with you, Jamil?" Yuu asked. The large male tilted his head at her with his smile still resting on his face.

"You have no idea how long I have been waiting for this, Prefect: The moment I would have you alone and I would take what is rightfully mine." His tongue ran along the surface of his teeth, "Your skin... It shines so deliciously in this crimson lunar light. I can't wait to see how divine you taste, My Dear."

Jamil had taken one step closer to Yuu and the Prefect's Body immediately went into Fight, Flight, or Freeze Mode. She knew that Jamil was stronger than her, so fighting was not an option at the moment. Freezing was also not a good idea as it would have made her an easy prey for a Werewolf Vice Dorm Warden. As much as she hated the idea, she knew she had to run. She quickly gripped her phone and threw it towards Jamil with all her might. The phone hit him directly in the center of his forehead, catching him off guard and causing him to snarl in pain. Jamil took a step back and held his forehead, giving Yuu just enough time to open her room door and run out down the hall. Luckily, she managed to reach the stairs just when Scarabia's Vice Dorm Warden was recovering with a smile on his face.

"Oh... Sweet Prefect. You know exactly what I want and exactly when I want it." Jamil purred before bolting out of the bedroom and chasing after Yuu, who managed to make it down the stairs and to the front door; she swung the door open and started running down the stairs just as Jamil appeared standing in the doorway of Ramshackle.

Yuu made it to the gate and ran out before heading down the path that led to the Hall of Mirrors, but that trip was cut short as Jamil landed in the middle of the path in a perfect crouch; his claws lightly scraping the ground as he looked at Yuu's horrified face.

"Prefect... You know that you are not getting away from me. Just be a good girl for me and let me feast." Jamil purred but Yuu wasn't going for that, she turned to the right and attempted to get into the forest but Jamil lunged at her and grabbed her upper arm in his grip; his claws digging into her skin, making a mark on her body and making her flinch in pain. "Stop fighting me, Prefect; just submit and everything can be less painful for you."

Yuu wasn't having it and punched the werewolf in his chest with her free hand, shocking him and causing him to release his grip on Yuu, he tried to grab her gain but all he managed to do was grab her sleeve and it tore off, leaving a piece of her shirt in Jamil's hand has she disappeared into the forest surrounding Ramshackle. Jamil looked at the piece of cloth in his caws before bringing it to his nose and deeply inhaling the scent soaked in the cloth; a pleasuring moaning exhale escaped his mouth as he placed the cloth in his pocket and chased after the Prefect of Ramshackle.

The Hunt was On.

Yuu ran for what seemed to be at least 20 Minutes, the wound on her arm was slowly bleeding and she knew she needed to deal with that or Jamil was going to sniff her out faster than ever. She went to hide behind a large tree, ripped off some of her pants leg, and tied it around the wound to absorb the blood. She was trying to catch her breath when she heard more footsteps coming, she remained as still as she possibly could and attempted to calm her racing heart as Jamil entered the area, his silver eyes scanning the area before he lifted his head and took a deep inhale of the air around him.

"Oh, Prefect... The fact that you think you can escape me fills me with so much joy; you're making me excited. Once I find you, you're going to take responsibility for this. Keep running. Keep hiding. Make me earn you. Make me worthy of you, Prefect. Please..." Jamil purred and whimpered at the same time before running off in a random direction; allowing Yuu to peek her head out and look in the direction Jamil ran. She knew he was playing with her, he was like a predator and she was the prey he was seeking.

She needed a plan to distract him long enough for her to get to the Hall of Mirrors and to one of the other dorms to seek aid. She thought for a while before she made her move; she needed to do this now and right or she was going to be devoured by a wolf with venom.

The hunt was fun and Jamil loved the rush he was feeling, the thrill of hunting the ultimate prey and ultimate reward made him purr in his throat; he loved working for what he wanted, and claiming his reward at the end made everything worth it, Yuu was giving him the hunt he wanted and she was the reward he was going to claim. He looked up at the crimson moon in the sky - it was lighter than before. The night was ending and he needed to find his prey. He needed to do what he planned before it was too late.

Jamil sniffed around and Yuu's scent hit him hard; she was nearby and she was moving fast. He darted in that direction with wide feral eyes, he was going to capture her and devour her slowly before claiming his ultimate reward. She was right in front of him and he lunged out of the bushes and pounced on the source of Yuu's scent but he was filled with shock and disappointment when he realized that he didn't have Yuu in his grasp, but a small rabbit.

The rabbit was trembling in fear as Jamil looked down at its small body, his eyes locking with the piece of cloth wrapped around the rabbit's body. He yanked it off and looked at it after releasing the small creature; it was a piece of Yuu's Pants Leg, soaked in her blood! She fooled him! She threw him off her real scent!

Her scent hit him again and he was shocked at how far away she was, he turned in that direction and bolted in that direction; he was not going to let her get away. She belonged to him! She needed to realize that.

Yuu's heart was pounding once again as she ran through the forest, her vision blurring as she stopped in a clearing where the moon's light shined. Her lungs were on fire. Her vision was shifting. Something was wrong. Something was horribly wrong. Yuu could feel it in her blood as the wound on her arm burned.

'What's... What's happening?' Yuu thought as she tried to take another step but she was walking like a drunk person; it was like she was under the influence when she never had alcohol before. She tried to shake the dizzy feeling out of her head when she was suddenly tackled to the ground and held down by her arms; her vision focused once again to see the smirking face of Jamil Viper above her. She attempted to struggle and push him off but it was as if the strength in her body was fading.

"Looks like you're all out of energy, Little Rabbit...and all out of strength; not that you need it, I'll take care of you from now on, My Sweet Prefect." Jamil purred before leaning down and burying his nose in her neck before inhaling her scent once again, "You have no idea what your scent does to me; being this close to you... it's not like smelling your sheets and clothes."

"W...What?" Yuu asked in a weak voice.

"Surely you have noticed little things about Ramshackle, Prefect. Things not quite as you left them? A small wrinkle in your sheets that wasn't there? A new food item you don't remember putting in your fridge? Your soft sweaters being moved around? That was me. All of it was me. I would want you but I could not get close enough to you, so I had to settle by inhaling your scent in Ramshackle while you were away, but I couldn't take it anymore, Prefect. I needed more. I wanted more. I wanted you. I needed you. Now? I have you but you are still not mine...not yet." Jamil smiled as a clear substance coated his fangs; it wasn't saliva... Saliva wasn't that cloudy looking.

"I'll never be yours, Viper... I'll stay away from you until I find a way home." Yuu tried to defy him but all he did was lick his lips.

"I know. That's why I never approached you like this until I had everything worked out. I knew you were going to leave me and I can't have that. I am going to make you mine, Prefect, you won't be able to survive without me once I am done with you... And I will start... By severing your connection to your original world." Jamil's words made Yuu freeze as he used his claws to tear away another piece of Yuu's shirt, the area covering her neck and collarbone.

Yuu watched in horror as Jamil opened his mouth while his pupils shined red as if he was using his Unique Magic before he lunged forward and sunk his teeth into Yuu's exposed flesh; the Prefect's screams echoed throughout the forest.

Jamil kept his grip on Yuu's neck until she calmed down and her screams died down, he smiled against her flesh as he felt her body getting warmer; the venom in his fangs was doing its job. Yuu soon fell victim to the pain and venom, causing her to pass out in Jamil's grasp before he removed his fangs from her flesh and licked the blood from his lips as he looked down at the passed-out Prefect of Ramshackle.

He looked at her bleeding wound before leaning down once again and ran his tongue along the wound, cleaning the blood and closing the wound with his saliva. Once the wound was closed and the blood was gone, he pulled away after placing a small kiss on her neck before placing another one on her forehead before looking at her sleeping face while caressing her cheek.

"I know you are going to be confused and afraid when you wake up, but I am going to be there to guide you through your new life just as you have been there to guide me. We - the underappreciated souls of Night Raven -are meant to be together; you might not understand what that means now but I will make you understand, Yuu. Tonight was your last night alone. When you wake up, you shall have a new life....with a mate that truly loves and understands you." Jamil gathered the unconscious girl in his arms before standing up, "Come along, My Diamond. Let's go home."

With that, Jamil turned on his heel and started walking through the forest with his unconscious mate slumbering in his arms as he headed back to Ramshackle; it's only natural for a newly wedded couple to spend time alone after making a lifetime commitment.

[END]

[filletedfennysnake]

Arthurian characters as insects I see on a semi-regular basis

Because if I don't do it, who will?

Part 1: The Orkney-Pendragons (and friends)

Arthur: Monarch butterfly, Danaus plexippus

To be completely honest, I didn't even realize the wordplay aspect here until now. The posterchild butterfly; even people unfamiliar with insects can probably name it. Impressive in terms of mileage (I suppose king arthur's been around for a while. chronologically) and also, under special circumstances, very resistant to death

Guinevere: Western velvety tree ant, Liometopum occidentale

To anyone who thinks guinevere would is a butterfly: you are wrong! ants upon be ye. No but seriously I've been working with this species all summer (images are mine, that's a winged male and a female worker above) and man they're neat! Dominant ant species in the woodland here; they support many other arthropod species via symbiotic relationships and are a major political ecological resource. They're also very pretty as ants go but really really aggressive and bitey. When stressed they release an alarm pheromone that smells very strongly of mint.

Morgan: Arizona mantis, Stagmomantis limbata

Cool. powerful. weird. into sex that humans find freaky. Can be used as a mercenary against flies. Never turns up when or where you expect it. I'm like 58% sure that manteoda consists entirely of fairies anyway and besides that morgan deserves it.

Morgause: Black soldier fly, Hermetia illucens

Very dapper, with an undeniably commanding presence. Looks mean (it has evolved to mimic a wasp) but is actually rather harmless, and has magic powers insanely cool mechanisms that allow it to process yucky polluted waste into useful things like fertilizer and animal feed. The larvae can also produce grease and chitin– economically relevant critters! They remain underrated and probably will stay as such until people recognize the importance of 'uncharismatic' animals (arthurian authors I am begging you write a version Morgause that isn't misogynist or girlbossified pLEASE).

Gawain: Western yellowjacket, Vespula pensylvanica

*points* bitch. No but seriously I can recognize the significance and beauty of these animals while still calling them out as annoying (this is gawaincore. to me). The only thing that stops them from becoming invasive in their OWN NATIVE RANGE is the occasional cold snap and lack of sun in the wintertime. In areas without that they are a serious problem. you want to drink a beverage or eat a burger in peace? No. your food is their food now and they won't hesitate to sting/bite in defense of this divine right. They thirst for carnage but are annoyingly pretty

Gringolet: Western paper wasp, Mischocyttarus flavitarsis

Matching with gawain <3. but seriously seeing one of these babies in person can be a little awe-inspiring if you aren't already expecting them. absolute BEASTS. generalist predators that can and will feed directly on living flesh. Their primary defense strategy is ramming into their opponent at full fucking speed. legends.

Agravaine: Red admiral, Vanessa atalanta

Underrated and pretty butterfly that uses nettles (prickly!) as a host plant. territorial but loses to bigger butterfly species all the time (I've seen it. trust me). Also a bit of a tease, they're notorious for letting people get close to them only to fly away as if personally affronted

Gaheris: Dusky raisin moth, Ephestiodes gilvescentella

not much to say here. It's gaheris. I find these in the pantry all the time, usually because they keep trying to lay eggs in our flour. They're a pain in the ass

Gareth: Western carpenter bee, Xylocopa californica

So very very cute and fuzzy. Not the kind of bee we get honey from, but it could pretend to be and we probably wouldn't mind. Absorbs heat well. Steals nectar from flowers without pollinating them sometimes, the little rascal. Also quite horny; they exhibit a variety of mating behaviors

Mordred: Painted lady, Vanessa cardui

knock off monarch butterfly. lol.

Lot: Torpedo bug, Siphanta acuta

not going to lie this insect is probably too cool looking get assigned to Lot

Kay: Stink beetle, Eleodes sp.

dignified. a bit of a trundler. gets the job done. Mostly harmless, but from a young age we're taught not to provoke them anyways because when threatened they release a truly awful stank

Ywain: Gulf fritillary, Dione vanillae

A gorgeous species that somehow gets overshadowed by the more showy butterflies. just a good-natured guy all round. I like ywain but I don't think he's too complicated :)

[hoshinoyozora]

Tale of the Timeless Couple

🖤 Pairing: Yandere! Malleus Draconia x Female! Reader

💛 Word Count: 1,1k+

❤ Warnings: -

[Edited]

Do not re-upload my writing to another website or use it without my permission. Also, don’t ask for a sequel unless I like the story enough to write one. Please reblog so other people can see my stories!

Youths were known for their naivety, and just like many others, it was the cause of your downfall too.

Beguiled by the promise of happily ever after, as shown in those romantic movies and books, you’d mindlessly agreed to eternal life with your soon-to-be husband, Malleus Draconia. It was especially enforced by the bitter knowledge that Crowley had never intended for you to return, and that you’d have no means of funding yourself after graduation due to the lack of necessary documents. It was either you marry a rich man and become slightly more ‘recognized’ as the proper citizen of Twisted Wonderland, or doomed to work as a maid in someone else’s house. Malleus, of course, saw no error in your judgment, despite the seeming shallowness of it, and swiftly carried out your transformation.

Due to your relationship with him, you’d always been a part of his little family. But only now did you fully integrate into it, into their lifestyle. The Draconia Family. The Royal Family.

It was blissful in the first few years, as many marriages were, burdened only by the new responsibility of being a ruler to both humans and dark creatures. Malleus and Lilia helped you with the Royal affairs, while Silver and Sebek familiarized you with the Draconia knighthood system. Sometimes, Malleus’s grandmother would visit and chat with you, offering either piece of valuable advice or rumors that would aid you in some way. You weren’t really allowed to go anywhere anymore, and definitely not without tight security. But Malleus permitted you to attend your friends’ weddings, just as how he permitted them to attend yours; a visit that excited nearly the guests in there due to it being a Royal one, and thus, exclusive.

Their occasional letters were probably the highlight of your day, and you thanked Malleus for having the bigger heart not to get jealous and cut off the only connection to your past and humanity. Your heart warmed when you saw pictures of their babies, noting all the resemblances in their features, and mused about what kind of face your child would have.

It was serene.

Until it wasn’t anymore.

Perhaps it began when you received Deuce’s letter containing a photo of him and Ace in an overdue reunion at a restaurant. Your eyes, sharper from the transformation, noticed all signs of aging on their faces. Instinctively, you touched yours and felt only the youthful smoothness of the skin. You rushed to the mirror, and your stomach sank once you realized the signs would never appear in you. For some, it might be a blessing. But for you, it only served to remind you of what you lost.

Your humanity, in all its glory. Ugliness and beauty. The smoothness and the wrinkles.

And then, several years went by, until Jack passed away peacefully in his sleep, surrounded by his big family. You mourned in your office whilst clutching the letter Ace sent to you, unable to attend the funeral without messing with everyone’s schedules.

Black was the color of the Draconia family, but that day, it took on a special meaning.

Ace followed, still a mischievous man to his old age with a more tamed pride. Deuce remained as a policeman until a particularly nasty magic incident occurred, leaving Epel as your only living friend. No longer fixated on the idea of a ‘manly man’, he confessed to you that he was actually lonely. His wife had long died, and his children had all grown up and moved out of the house. You wished you could’ve visited and comforted him, but once again, duty was your obstacle.

Until you belatedly found out that Epel had suffered a heart attack after helping with his family’s farm.

“What are you thinking about, my love?”

A pair of arms hugged your swollen stomach from behind, but you remained motionless as you gazed through the window. Malleus rested his chin on your shoulder and stared at your profile.

“Well?”

“Nothing much.”

“You know better than to lie to me, my love.” said he, twirling a lock of your hair with his left finger. “If you have a problem, you can talk to me and we shall find a solution together.”

Malleus wouldn’t understand that the problem you had was beyond repair, and you feared his response should you reveal the truth.

“All of my friends died, Malleus. Except Sebek, but he’s just a guard to me now.”

“Humans have always had short lifespans.”

You flinched, and you wondered why you reacted that way when you were basically near immortal now. Perhaps some human instincts hadn’t fully disappeared yet.

“I miss them.”

Malleus fell quiet, and your heartbeat slowly picked up with each second passed in silence.

“It is a normal reaction,” he drawled as though empathy was something unfamiliar to him. “and you’ll get over it in due time.”

You wetted your lips, preparing yourself to ask the question that had been haunting you.

“What would you do… if I were to go home?”

“You don’t think I’d allow you to do it, do you?”

You stiffened in his embrace.

“… What?”

“Crowley had always been very slow when it comes to finding your way home, but he hadn’t completely stopped until I ordered him otherwise.”

Your stomach dropped.

“Luckily, you learned that it was futile to place any hope on him, so I wouldn’t have to inform you anything.”

“Why…?”

“Why? Because we were meant to be together, of course. The moment you agreed to be my lover is the moment you agreed to be mine forever.” Malleus sighed blissfully, tightening his hold on you. “And it doesn’t really matter whether you accepted my proposal or not, although it does make everything a whole lot easier. I don’t wish to hurt you, after all.”

You were mistaken. You were horribly mistaken. There was no happily ever after in marrying him. Financially, yes, but mentally? Literally?

“What about my friends?”

“I told you, they’re humans. They have terribly shorter lifespans than ours. Therefore, I don’t need to worry about them so much. Not when they’ll die sooner or later.” Malleus hummed, swaying your body in an invisible yet haunting tune. “Although, of course, I still have to supervise all of your correspondence.”

It was understandable, and you should’ve expected it. Some letters might contain threats, however unlikely it was, and Malleus was merely ensuring the safety of everyone involved. But the knowledge that he read everything that you wrote to them – intimate things that you were more comfortable sharing with your friends than your husband – unnerved you.

Maybe it was why he spent more time with you when you complained to Deuce about him being busier nowadays.

“Now, don’t overthink about the past. You’ll upset our baby.”

He caressed the bulge in your stomach, where the long-awaited child resided.

A shame that you couldn’t share baby pictures with your friends, not even the news of your pregnancy.

[illunicae]

More Than the Crown

All your life a window never seemed quite big enough for your dreams and the world always seemed so far away. That is until a flirty thief is chased into your life and everything changes. A tangled retelling fit with ROTTMNT characters. (Ao3)

Pairing: Leo x Reader (Female reader for this story)

TWs: If you've seen Tangled you know Flynn gets stabbed at the end so yeah that's pretty much it, and the manipulation and abuse from Gothel

Words: 29,570

In the middle of the woods a lone wanted poster nailed to a large oak tree flapped lightly with the breeze. The poster depicted a turtle yokai grinning deviously as the sharp letters spelling “Wanted” hung above him; “DEAD or ALIVE” printed in red ink underneath. 

This is the story of how I died. Don't worry, this is actually a very fun story. And the truth is, it isn't even mine. This is the story of a girl, named Y/n. And it starts with the sun. 

Through the thick clouds of nightfall, a single drop of pure light descended toward the ground, landing on a cliff edge overlooking the sea. 

Now, once upon a time, a single drop of sunlight fell from the heavens. And from this small drop of sun, grew a magic, golden, flower. It had the ability to heal the sick, and injured.

The golden flower bloomed with pointed petals and a dark center, glowing a little as it grew. In the shadows of the trees, emerging from the underbrush of the forest, an old woman wearing a maroon hood approached the flower. She set her green lantern on the ground as she reached for the flower, greed reflected in the dark of her iris.

Oh, you know that old woman, over there? You might want to remember her. She's kind of important.

Across the water on an island off the coast of the mainland, a large kingdom began to take shape. A large bridge connected it to the mainland and atop the tallest point of the island a large beautiful castle was built. It was a kingdom filled with vibrant life of all kinds, from humans to yokai, and mystic magic embedded in the very stones. 

Well, centuries passed and a hop skip and a boat ride away there grew a kingdom. The kingdom was ruled by a beloved King and Queen.

The portrait on the wall depicted two figures with kind smiles and crowns on their brows. The man held his wife lovingly within the painting. That same love had him kneeling by her bedside as the queen breathed heavily in pain. Tears glistened on the King’s lower eyelid as he could do little but hold his wife’s hand tightly and watch her suffer.

And the Queen, well she was about to have a baby, and she got sick, really, sick. She was running out of time. And that's when people usually start to look for a miracle. Or in this case, a magic golden flower.

Commoners and palace guards alike poured off the ships onto the mainland, everyone fanning out to look for the fabled golden flower. It was their last hope. Their only hope.

High up on that cliff edge, the same old woman from before knelt before the faux bush she made to conceal the magic flower. She glanced around to make sure she was alone before setting down her lantern and lifting the bush, revealing the flower.

Ahhh, I told you she'd be important. You see, instead of sharing the Sun's gift, this woman, known to many as Big Mama, hoarded its healing power and used it to keep herself young for hundreds of years. And all she had to do was sing a special song.

Big Mama lowered her now black hood, revealing her thin, shapeless gray hair. She held her hands out to the flower as she started to sing, her voice raspy as one would expect from an old woman. 

“Flower gleam and glow, let your power shine. Make the clock reverse, bring back what once was mine, what once was mine~” But as she sang her voice regained its youthful tone. Her frail, wrinkled hands smoothed out to reveal flawless skin with a purple tint. Her thin hair regained its volume and silver shine. Sunken eyes didn’t look so aged as she finished her song with a smile, now looking decades younger.

All right, you get the gist. She sings, she turns young. Creepy, right? 

Hearing approaching voices, Big Mama turned to see the lights of the search party getting closer. She quickly put the bush cover back over the flower to hide it and picked up her lantern to run away. However, in her haste, she failed to notice that her lantern knocked the bush over, keeping the flower out in the open.

Big Mama disappeared just as a guard crested the small hill. The guard’s eyes were drawn to the golden glow of the flower. “We found it!” He shouted and a wave of relief washed through the people: their queen was saved.

From the shadows of the trees, Big Mama watched with narrowed eyes as a pair of guards pulled up the golden flower. 

Inside the castle the bloom of the flower was turned into an elixir for the queen to drink. Weak with pain, the queen could barely purse her lips as the King held her head in one hand and the bowl in the other, helping her drink.

The magic of the golden flower, healed the queen. A healthy baby girl, a princess was born. With beautiful h/c hair that shimmered like the sun. I'll give you a hint. That's Y/n.

The young child giggled as she stared at the slowly spinning mobile with the kingdom’s sun crest on it. Her bright eyes turned towards her parents, who looked down at her with pure love and adoration. 

The queen chuckled as she scooped up the girl, the princess babbling as she grabbed at her mother’s face with her little fingers. Grinning, the queen pressed her forehead to her daughter’s, holding the child close. 

Wide eyes stared at her father as the king placed a beautifully jeweled tiara on top of the child’s head. Being too big, the tiara fell to the side a bit but the young princess just giggled.

To celebrate her birth, the King and Queen launched a flying lantern into the sky. 

The queen held her daughter in one arm while lifting the lantern together with her husband. Below them the people of the kingdom cheered. The king and queen leaned close together as they watched the lantern float high into the sky, joining the sunset.

For that one moment, everything was perfect. And then that moment ended.

Silver light reflected on the sea below as the door to the balcony to the king and queen’s room slowly opened with a soft click. A shadow grew over the cot the young princess slept soundly in and a raspy voice began to sing. 

“Flower, gleam and glow~” In response to the voice, the princess’s h/c hair began glowing a vibrant golden color starting at her roots until her whole head of hair was shining. Big Mama reached out, plucked a strand of hair and held it up with scissors ready to cut. “Let your powers shine, make the clock re–” As she cut the hair she gasped. The strand of hair quickly stopped glowing and returned to its natural color, a duller, diluted version of that color. Big Mama gasped again as her skin, which had smoothed out with her singing, immediately aged and wrinkled again. She stared down at the child, knowing what she had to do.

The shrill cry of a baby woke the king and queen. They sat up in bed only to watch in horror as a cloaked figure clutched their daughter before disappearing over the rail of the balcony.

Big Mama broke into the castle and stole the child. Just like that... gone. The Kingdom searched and searched, but they could not find the Princess. For deep within the forest, in a hidden tower, Big Mama raised the child as her own.

“...save what was lost, bring back what once was mine, what once was mine.~” The young princess sang as Big Mama brushed her glowing golden hair. Magic smoothed out the woman’s skin, returning it to a healthy lilac hue. Big Mama sighed and smiled as she continued brushing the young girl’s hair as it returned to its natural color.

Big Mama had found her new magic flower. But this time she was determined to keep it hidden.

“Why can’t I go outside?” The princess asked.

“The outside world is a dangerous place. Filled with horrible, selfish people. You must stay here, where you're safe. Do you understand, flower?” Big Mama explained.

“Yes, Mommy.” Y/n nodded as she watched the flames dance in the fireplace. 

But the walls of that tower could not hide everything. 

Well into the night, long after the fire had gone out, the little princess tiptoed down the stairs and snuck past Big Mama’s room, taking only a quick peek to make sure the woman was asleep, before rushing to the large window, her hair trailing behind her on the floor. She quietly as possible undid the latches and opened the window, revealing the trail of lanterns in the sky. The princess sighed as she stared at the beautiful sight across the hills.

Each year on her birthday, the King and Queen released thousands of lanterns into the sky in hope that one day, their lost Princess would return.

18 Years Later

The sun shone brightly on the tall tower hidden within an alcove in the woods. Between a crack in the large doors of the entrance window, a small green chameleon scampered along the ledge before hiding behind a flower pot. The chameleon breathed heavily as he changed color to blend in with the pot.

“Ah ha!” You threw open the doors only to see the ledge was empty. With a narrowed glance toward the flower pots you hummed. “Hmm, Well... I guess Mondo's not hiding out here.” Your voice trailed off as you put your hands behind your back and walked away.

Mondo, from where he was hiding behind the pot, laughed softly thinking he had finally outsmarted you. What he didn’t realize was a strand of your incredibly long hair wrapped around his tail and he was quickly yanked out of his hiding spot. 

“Gotcha!” You exclaimed from where you were hanging upside down above the window entrance. Mondo squeaked startled as he started to change back to his normal green color. You flipped down from your spot and lowered Mondo to the ledge, unwrapping the strand from around his tail.

“That's twenty two for me. How about twenty three, out of forty five?” You asked only for your little companion to frown and stare at you completely unimpressed. “Okay, well, what do you want to do?” You asked as you took a seat on the ledge.

Mondo squeaked with joy and turned toward the edge of the ledge, pointing to the world beyond with his tail. You shook your head as you grabbed his tail right before he could take a step off. You lifted Mondo into the air as you swung your legs over to dangle over the edge. 

“Yeah, I don't think so.” Mondo sat on your thigh where you set him as you gestured over your shoulder with your head back into the tower. “I like it in here and so do you.” You said while pointing to the little chameleon. Mondo pouted and stuck out his tongue a little, blowing a raspberry at you. “Oh, come on Mondo, it's not so bad in there.” You shook your head as you scooped him up into your hands before spinning yourself back into the tower. 

As you raced around the tower, your hair dragged an impossible length behind you, seemingly never ending. You were going to prove to your little friend that life in this tower could be just as exciting. But first you needed more light. 

Sure-footed, you climbed the support beams of the tower until you got enough height to easily use your long hair like a lasso and loop it around a lever that opened the skylight at the top of the ceiling. Grinning from ear to ear you leapt off the beam and swung down on your hair like you had done many times before. 

7a.m. the usual morning lineup,

Mondo watched you from his spot on the cuckoo clock. When you reached out to him, he quickly crawled into your palms as you walked off to begin the chores for the day. 

starting the chores I sweep 'til the floors all clean.

You make quick work of the floors with your straw broom, even lifting the part of your hair that sits between you and the dustpan Mondo is so courteously holding for you. However, as you sweep the dust and dirt into the pan a large amount of it gets into Mondo’s face, covering him. He blinks rapidly as he processes what happened.

Polish and wax, do laundry and mop and shine up.

With the floors all swept, you got the polish out and bundled all your hair up on a side table as you used two hand brushes as skates and a mop as a guide as you glided around the floor, cleaning as you went. You chuckled as you saw Mondo spinning out of control a little on his brush. 

Once the floor was dried you started gathering all the laundry into baskets before taking a duster to the various places that needed dusting. Occasionally you’d tickle Mondo with the feathers as he’d laugh. 

You washed the few dishes and swept a few missed spots before glancing at the clock, only to huff as it appears only fifteen minutes have passed.

Sweep again, and by then it's like 7:15.

Deciding to take a break from chores you dashed over to the nearly barren bookshelf, pulling all three of the books off the shelf and taking them to your bed to read.

So I'll read a book, or maybe two or three.

When you finished with that, you noticed a perfect spot on the wall to add a new painting, so with impressive dexterity, you strung yourself up with your hair and painted away while Mondo held the palette.

I'll add a few new paintings to my gallery.

As the day progressed you bounced from activity to activity. Finding an old guitar and giving it a strum. Using nearly all your yarn to make a really really long scarf for Mondo. Realizing you have enough ingredients to make a pie and baking the delicious dessert.

I'll play guitar, and knit, and cook and basically.

While sniffing the heavenly pie fresh from the oven, you quickly get distracted by the strange decorative piece above the fireplace. The space and the curtains appear to be the perfect place for a new painting. You stick your thumb out to measure, and Mondo does the same.

Wonder when will my life, begin.

With a grin you set the pie aside to cool before rushing over to grab your paints. You push aside the decorative piece to reveal the unused wall. Smiling wide, you begin to cover the whole wall with a deep blue color, knowing exactly what you want to paint there. 

Eventually you must let the first coat dry and you take the opportunity to have lunch and engage in a bunch of other activities, some of which you’ve mastered better than others.

Then after lunch, it's puzzles, and darts and baking. Paper-mache , a bit of ballet, and chess. Pottery, and ventriloquy, candle making. Then I'll stretch, maybe sketch. Take a climb, sew a dress,

Ballet is still a challenge with all your hair constantly getting in the way and Mondo makes for an excellent chess opponent. But even with all these activities, eventually you run out of things to keep you occupied. 

and I'll re-read the books. If I have time to spare, I'll paint the walls some more, I'm sure there's room somewhere.

Brush in hand, you stand in front of the mirror and get to work on the task that arguably takes the longest of each day. Brushing every inch of your hair.

And then I'll brush, and brush, and brush, and brush my hair. Stuck in the same place I've always been. 

You sigh as you lean against the support beam, brushing out the end of your hair, finally done after all that time. 

And I'll keep wondering, and wondering, and wondering... Wondering, just when will my life begin?

Standing in the center of the room with your hair spiraling around the floor you stared at the only walls you’ve known for the past 18 years. Maybe you’re trying to convince yourself more than Mondo that you can be happy here. That familiar yearning was back as you wandered toward the window, looking out at the trees and hills, at the world beyond what little you know.

“Tomorrow night, the lights will appear. Just like they do on my birthday, each year.” Mondo climbed up on your shoulder as you stared out the window before your gaze was pulled back inward toward the painting you did earlier of the very lights. “What is it like out there, where they glow?” You grabbed your paints and added one last detail to the painting. You, sitting below the lights with your hair spilling behind you. “Now that I'm older. Mother might just let me go.”

༻✧༺

Across the sea the kingdom was teeming with morning activity as four figures jumped across the castle rooftop. The leading figure was a turtle yokai with light green skin and a blue shell. Yellow stripes decorated his upper arms and thighs and red crescent moons painted his face behind an old blue mask. He had a satchel strung across his body that bumped against his side as he slid down a steep roof and jumped to the next. 

Right behind him were two more yokai, an ogre and a rat. While the ogre yokai with olive green skin and dark blue hair was wearing a ripped blue vest over a black tank top, the tall brown furred rat yokai was sporting a purple pinstripe suit complete with a fedora and all. The two followed quickly behind the turtle, jumping the gap from one rooftop to another as the final figure slid down as well, taking up the rear: a blue-green eel yokai wearing an oversized orange graphic tee.

Deftly the four of them made it around the roof of the castle, seemingly defying gravity as they leapt through the air. Far down below guards partoled, none-the-wiser.

Finally on the right roof, the four stopped. The turtle stepped out around a large decorative structure, hanging on so he didn’t fall as he looked over the edge to make sure there weren’t many guards around. However, he got distracted by the view.

“Wow! I could get used to a view like this.” He said in awe, seemingly forgetting about why he was up there.

“Jitsu, come on!” The rat yokai hissed from where he stood with a rope clutched in his hands while the eel yokai held a panel open and the ogre glared at the turtle.

The turtle dismissed them with a wave of his hands. “Hold on.” He soaked up the view a moment longer. “Yep, I'm used to it.” He placed his hands on his hips as he nodded his head with a grin. “Guys, I want a castle.” 

“We do this job, you can buy your own castle.” The ogre yokai growled as he stalked forward and grabbed the turtle by the lip of his shell behind his neck and yanked him back over to the opening. The turtle gasped as he was pulled back. 

They made quick work of tying the rope around the turtle’s waist before lowering him into the throne room. The turtle held the satchel in one hand as he got closer to the lost princess’s crown, sitting on a cushion in the middle of the room. About ten guards stood by in front of the crown and the thrones, yet none of them noticed the thief lowering towards the precious item. Briefly the turtle wondered what his brother’s would think if they saw him right then, but he shook the thoughts away. His older brother would probably go into shock if he knew. However, the turtle just couldn’t pass up this job, the money he would get from that crown would be enough to set up himself and his family. He just needed to steal the crown, and what his family doesn’t know can’t hurt them.

Up on the roof, the rat and ogre yokai held the rope, slowing it as the turtle got closer to the stand with the crown. With quick hands the thief slipped the crown into the satchel without making any noise.

In front of him one of the guards sneezed and he just couldn’t resist.

“Oh, hay fever?” He asked.

“Yeah.” The guard responded, glancing back briefly to see the thief leaning on the cushion that once held the crown and smiling smugly. A moment passed before the guard jolted and looked back again only for the turtle to be gone. “Huh?” He looked up to see the thief crawling back onto the roof through the opening. “Wait, what? Hey, wait!”

The alarm was sounded and the four figures on the roof quickly made their exit. They dashed through the streets of the kingdom and across the bridge leading to the mainland, hoping to lose the guards in the forest beyond. As they're running, the turtle couldn’t help but make small talk with a grin.

“Can't you picture me in a castle of my own? I mean, I certainly can. Oh, the things we've seen and it's only eight in the morning. Gentlemen, this is a very big day.” The turtle exclaimed triumphantly.

༻✧༺

Your heart was beating rapidly as you carefully put away your paints. “This is it. This is a very big day, Mondo.” Nerves and excitement tickled your veins as your little friend climbed onto your arm and you closed the chest holding your paints. “I'm finally going to do it. I'm going to ask her.” You nodded determinedly.

“Y/n!” You gasped as you heard your mother’s voice from the base of the tower. “Let down your hair.” 

“It's time.” Your smile was bright with hope but you couldn’t help the nerves that danced on the edge. Mondo puffed out his chest a little, a gesture telling you to be brave. As you moved your friend to the wall with the floating lantern painting you laughed. “I know, I know. Come on, don't let her see you.” Closing the curtains over the painting, you quickly jumped off the fireplace to get to the doors.

“Y/n, I'm not getting any younger down here.” Big Mama called as you pulled open the doors.

“Coming, mother.” You responded as you looped your long hair over the hook above the doors. With ease you tossed your hair out the window where it quickly reached the ground for Big Mama to catch the end. Once she created a small loop to stand in, you started to pull her up the tall tower. Your arms burned slightly from the exertion but doing it for years has you pulling her to the top 15 seconds. 

Breath coming in heavy pants, you smiled brightly as Big Mama stepped onto the ledge. “Hi, welcome home, mother.” You greeted as she unhooked your hair.

Big Mama threw off her hood as she exclaimed. “Oh, Y/n.” As she descended the few steps she set down her basket and bag. “How you manage to do that every single day without fail, it looks absolutely exhausting, darling.” She hummed as she caressed your hair before resting her fingers under your chin.

“Oh, it's nothing.” You shrugged with a nervous smile.

Big Mama grinned. “Then I don't know why it takes so long.” She tapped your nose a few times before leaning back with a serious expression. Your own smile fell as you thought you did a decent job. Big Mama laughed. “Oh, darling. I'm just teasing.” She grinned as she walked past you, deeper into the tower.

You laughed nervously along as you turned. “Alright.” Briefly you paused before gathering some courage to follow your mother to the mirror. “so, mother. As you know, tomorrow is a very big day–”

“Y/n look at that mirror.” She cut you off as you approached and wrapped her arm around your back as she pulled you closer. “You know what I see? I see a strong, confident, beautiful young lady.” You relaxed slightly as you looked at the two of you reflected in the mirror; a soft smile curled your lips. “Oh look, you're here too!” Big Mama said and started laughing while your smile fell. “I'm just teasing, stop taking everything so seriously.” She nudged you before she leaned in to further look at herself in the mirror.

She’s just teasing, you reminded yourself and shrugged. “Okay.” You took a breath and begin once again trying to explain. “So mother. As I was saying, tomorrow is..”

However once again Big Mama interrupted you. “Flower, mother's feeling a little run down. Would you sing for me, dear? Then we'll talk.” 

You jumped excited for the promise to finally sit down to talk and eager to do the thing that makes your mother the happiest. “OH! Of course, mother.” You quickly darted away, grabbing her chair and setting it in front of the fireplace exactly where it needed to be, moving it slightly when it wasn’t quite right. Dashing away again you quickly grabbed your own stool and set it down as Big Mama was about to sit in her chair. You pushed her down into the chair a little to get her to sit faster before racing to get your brush. Shoving it in her hand you barely gave her time to react before you placed your hair in her lap and sat down to sing. 

“Flowergleamandglow,Letyourpowershine,Maketheclockreverse,bringbackwhatoncewasmine.Healwhathasbeenhurt,Changethefate'sdesign.Savewhathasbeenlost,Bringbackwhatoncewasmine.”

Singing the song practically in one breath your hair rapidly began to glow and Big Mama’s exclamations for you to slow down went unheard. 

“Y/n!” She huffed as she set down the brush and your hair.

You didn’t respond as you practically threw yourself on the arm of her chair, eager to finally tell her the thing you’ve been trying to say since she got home. “So, mother, earlier I was saying tomorrow’s a pretty big day, and you didn't really respond, So I'm just going to tell you. It's my birthday! TADA!” You chuckled softly as you hugged her arm.

Big Mama slowly removed you and you sat back to give space. “No, no, no can't be. I distinctly remember. Your birthday was last year.” She said.

Thinking she was teasing again, you played along with a nervous chuckle. “That's the funny thing about birthdays. They're kind of an annual thing.” With a sigh you sat back on your stool. “Mother, I'm turning eighteen. And I wanted to ask, what I really want for this birthday.” You glanced away, breaking eye contact as you fiddled with a strand of hair and began mumbling nervously. “Actually, what I’ve wanted for...quite a few birthdays now…”

“Y/n please, stop with the mumbling.” Big Mama cut you off. “You know how I feel about the mumbling.” She raised her hand as she mimicked the mumbling. “Blah, blah, blah,...blah. It's very annoying.” Quick as a switch flip, your mother pinched your cheek with a grin. “I'm just teasing, you're adorable. I love you so much, darling.” She tapped your nose once as she stood, leaving you in silence and walking away.

Losing will, you bite your lip nervously as you watch her leave. Hearing a squeak, you turned and saw Mondo urging you on. You tensed up before releasing it all in one breath as you faced your mother. “I want to see the floating lights!” 

She paused as she was placing apples in a basket and chuckled confused. “What?” 

“Oh,... Well I was hoping you would take me to see the floating lights.” You explained as you stood up on your stool and revealed the painting you made earlier of the floating lights.

Big Mama glanced at it before smiling softly. “Oh, you mean the stars.” She hummed and turned away to continue placing apples into the basket.

You nodded with a smile before you explain. “That's the thing I've charted stars and they're always constant.” Using your hair as a lasso again, you latched onto the handle of a small window and pulled it open to reveal the painted charts of stars along the walls of the tower. “But these, they appear every year on my birthday, Mother. Only on my birthday.” You stated as you gestured to the painting of the floating lights. “And I can't help but feel that they're, They're meant for me. I need see them, Mother. And not just from my window. In person. I have to know what they are.” You sighed.

“You want to go outside?” Big Mama asked amused as she closed the large doors, blocking light from coming in and dimming the tower. “Oh, why Y/n. Look at you, as fragile as a flower.” She approached you and took your hands, spinning slightly. “Still a little sapling, just a sprout.” She patted your head. “You know why we stay up in this tower.”

“I know but…” You tried to say something but she just continued.

“That's right, to keep you safe, and sound, dear.” Big Mama says as she caresses your hair. You sighed. “Guess I always knew this day was coming.” She said slightly dramatically, while closing more curtains to darken the room. “Knew that soon you'd want to leave the nest. Soon, but not yet.” She stopped on the first stair.

Once again you try to interject. “But–”

However Big Mama placed her finger to your lips as she shushed you. “Trust me pet, Mother, knows best.” She grinned as she hit her hip against the wall, causing the skylight lever to flick up again and the whole room be plunged into darkness.

You’re quick to find a match and candle to try to see anything as you still hear your mother’s voice around you. “Mother knows best. Listen to your mother.” You turned only to see her there suddenly with her arms out like a monstrous figure ready to take you away. You shouted as it startled you and jumped back. “It's a scary world out there.” When you looked again she was gone, but you couldn’t search long before something grabbed your hair and started pulling.

“Mother knows best. One way or another. Something will go wrong, I swear.” You dropped your candle to try and pull your hair back only for it to suddenly go slack, causing you to fall back into a spotlight created from one of the smaller skylights. Before you could hit the ground your mother caught you, only holding you for a moment before letting go and disappearing again. “Ruffians, thugs, poison Ivy, quicksand.” As she listed off these dangers, shadows appeared on the floor around you, once again startling you.

“Cannibals, and snakes, the plague.”

“No.” 

“Yes.” She grinned as she disappeared once again. “Also large bugs, yokai with pointy teeth.” Something knocked you over and when you landed on the floor you saw a quick painting of a figure with pointed teeth. “And stop, no more, you'll just upset me.” Big Mama pretended to cry as she sat next to the painting on the floor.

“Mother's right here. Mother will protect you.” Big Mama pulled you to your feet and when you tried to hug her, it turned out to be the mannequin. You jumped back wondering where she went. “Darling here's what I suggest. Skip the drama, stay with Mama.” She stood on the stairs with her cloak on as she addressed you. “MAMA!! Knows best!” She laughed as she spun up the stairs, blowing out all the candles with the movement. 

Tiptoeing down the line you slowly relit each candle. “Mother knows best. Take it from your mumsy. On your own, you won't survive.” Big Mama said as she pinched out each candle, keeping the room in darkness.

You bumped into something and whipped around, only to be startled by your own reflection in the mirror. Big Mama appeared above the mirror and tilted it down to show your bare feet. 

“​​Sloppy underdressed, immature, clumsy, Please, they'll eat you up, alive.” You tried to cover your feet only for the rug to be pulled out from under you. You fell to the floor and your mother swooped by to roll you up in your long hair. “Gullible, nave, positively grubby. Ditzy and a bit, well, hmm vague.” She stood you up and quickly pulled the end of your hair making you spin fast. Dizzy you stumbled around until Big Mama steadied you with a hand under your chin. 

“Plus I believe, getting kinda chubby.” She tapped under your chin a few times as you straightened your posture. “I'm just saying, 'Cause I wuv you.” She grabbed your cheeks and pulled you close. The only light went out and she was gone again. You shouted in panic as you felt around for anything. “Mother understands, Mothers here to help you. All I have is one request.”

A new light came on, revealing Big Mama standing there with her arms out for a hug. Relieved to see her you raced over and threw your arms around her chest. She hugged back tightly and stroked your hair. “Y/n?” She said.

You pulled away and smiled. “Yes?”

“Don't ever ask to leave this tower, again.” She stated sternly.

Disappointed your face fell as you looked at the floor. “Yes, mother.”

Big Mama curled a finger under your chin and lifted your head to look you in your eyes. “Ahh, I love you very much, dear.” 

“I love you more.” You responded.

“I love you most.” She caressed around your hair and kissed the top of your head. “Don't forget it.” She pulled back with a grin and tapped your nose. “You'll regret it. Mother Knows best.” You watched her walk away with dashed dreams. Your frown felt heavy as you watched her get ready to leave again. Robotic were your movements as you handed her the basket and hooked your hair for her to use to get down.

“Ta ta! I'll see you in a bit, my flower.” Big Mama called as she slid down your hair.

“I’ll be here.” You muttered as you unhooked your hair and stared at the world that seemed forever out of your reach. 

༻✧༺

Deep within the woods four thieves dodged logs and limbs as they sprinted away from the palace pursuers. Taking a brief moment to catch their breaths, the four stopped by a large tree, a tree that happened to have two wanted posters on it. 

The turtle with the blue mask leaned against the tree as he breathed heavily. His gaze rose to see the wanted posters and he gasped. “Oh no. No, no no. This is bad, this is very, very bad, This is really bad.” He rambled as the other three glared at him in confusion. The turtle looked up at them distressed and turned the poster around to reveal the smirking portrait with the name Blue Jitsu printed underneath. “They just can’t get my stripes right.” He complained, and true to his word the red stripes that curved like crescent moons on his face, were perfectly straight lines on the poster. 

“Who cares?” The ogre asked.

“Well it's easy for you to say.” Blue pouted and gestured to the second poster: a portrait of the three yokai with the name Mud Dogs printed underneath and not a single detail was wrong. “You guys look amazing.” He frowned.

Blue’s pity fest was interrupted by the sound of thundering hoofbeats. The four glanced up toward the cliff to see their pursuers, the palace guard, hot on their trail. Blue quickly shoved the poster into the satchel at his side as the four of them took off running through the woods again. They raced around a bend only to come face to face with a steep rock wall that curved around them, there was no way around.

Thinking fast Blue looked up the height of the rock wall before turning to the group of three behind him. “All right, okay. Give me a boost, and I'll pull you up.” He proposed.

The Mud Dogs shared an unimpressed glance before the ogre yokai, Leonard, spoke up. “Give us the satchel first.”

Blue gasped, offended. “Wha..? I just... I can't believe, that after all we've been together, you don't trust me.” He did an impression of his younger brother’s hurt puppy dog eyes; however, the other three remained stone faced and unmoved. Blue’s face fell to one of equal distaste as Leonard held his hand out for the satchel. “Ouch.” Blue deadpanned and handed over the satchel reluctantly. 

With that out of the way, the three yokai climbed onto each other’s shoulders making a ladder of sorts with the eel yokai, Micky, on the bottom, then the rat, Danny, next, and finally Leonard at the top. The three grunted as Blue swiftly climbed up. He reached the top and heaved himself over the edge, using Leonard’s face as a boost for good measure. 

“Now help us up, pretty boy.” Leonard said and reached up for Blue. 

“Sorry,” Blue huffed. “My hands are full.” He grinned as he revealed the satchel with the crown before dashing away, leaving the Mud Dogs stranded. 

“What?” He felt around his body and it was true: the satchel was gone. “JITSU!!” Leonard shouted, his voice echoing from the canyon as Blue ran away.  

Blue grimaced as he raced through the forest: that decision totally won’t come back to bite him in the shell later. The thief nearly tripped over his feet when he broke through some trees and saw the guards close by. “Oh boi.” He muttered and quickly ran off, the thudding of galloping hooves following him. 

The guards were led by a woman in golden armor atop a yokai horse that was mostly yellow with blue stripes. “Retrieve that satchel with any force!” The captain of the guard, Cassandra, commanded her men. 

“Yes ma’am!” They all repeated in unison. 

Below her the horse neighed in a similar fashion to the other horses, who all responded with similar enthusiasm. All of the guards lowered their crossbows, taking aim at the fleeing turtle. 

Blue slid under a large downed tree right as the bolts flew. Five bolts embedded within the wood right where Blue would have been. Fear flashed in his eyes as he turned and sprinted away. It felt like he was dancing with death as he weaved around trees just barely missing getting impaled by a bolt as they whistled by. 

He swung around a corner using a smaller tree before jumping through a gap in a larger tree. The tree caused all of the men to get caught on the other side, but Cassandra managed to make it through, still hot on Blue’s trail. 

“We got him now, Mayhem.” Cassandra grinned and Mayhem sped up, gaining on Blue. 

Thinking quickly for a way out, Blue noticed a vine hanging in the middle of the path and a very bad idea came to my, but if he didn’t do anything he’d surely be run down in seconds. Blue jumped onto a rock and launched himself toward the vine grabbing it and kicking off a tree to swing around in a wide arc. “I hate this! I hate this!” He shouted as he swung back around right as Cassandra and Mayhem were passing. He used his momentum to kick the captain off her horse and land in the saddle. 

Blue laughed as he was somehow unarmed now sitting on the saddle of a charging horse. “Heyah!” He grinned, snapping the reins. 

The moment Mayhem noticed it wasn’t the captain on his back he stopped causing Blue to fly forward a bit before righting himself. The turtle shook his head in a daze before glancing at the horse. Mayhem glared at Blue over his shoulder. Sitting up, Blue kicked the horse a little trying to get him to move. “Come on, fleabag, forward.” 

Mayhem spotted the swinging satchel in Blue’s hand and zeroed his attention on it before trying to bite it. Blue moved it out of the way. 

“No.” Blue said, but Mayhem tried to bite it again. “No, stop it.” Mayhem began running again in a circle-like pattern as he tried to get the satchel, eventually grabbing it at one point and creating a game of tug-of-war between him and the turtle. “Give it to me!” Blue shouted, trying to rip the bag out of the horse’s mouth. 

They continued pulling back and forth, fighting over the satchel until it slipped out of one of their grips and sailed through the air. The only thing keeping the satchel and crown from going over the cliff edge was the small branch on the sideways growing tree hanging over the ledge. The satchel dangled precariously over the drop as both boys side eyed each other in surprise. 

Blue elbowed Mayhem as he threw himself off the saddle and sprinted toward the tree. Mayhem quickly followed suit, nearly passing Blue but the turtle was quick to grab the horse’s front leg to trip him. Blue jumped to his feet and tried to run past but Mayhem grabbed the wrap around his leg causing Blue to trip. Mayhem jumped over Blue and landed on the tree, balancing as he crossed. However, the thief was determined and tried to jump over the horse by jumping up onto his back and launching over, only he didn’t quite make it over Mayhem’s head and just kind of held on there. That is until Mayhem threw him off and over the ledge. 

The yokai looked down in surprise at the limbs clinging to the underside of the branch where Blue was holding on for dear life. Said turtle peeked around the tree and stared up at the horse with wide eyes as well. Mayhem huffed and began stomping on the tree trying to crush the turtle’s fingers under his hives, but Blue was fast as he inched his way across, just barely moving his fingers out of the way in time. 

He kept crawling, watching with fear as the satchel began slipping off the branch that held it. Blue grabbed a smaller branch and swung his body closer to the satchel, catching it right before it could fall off the tree.

“HAH!” Blue shouted triumphantly as he held the satchel in front of Mayhem’s face. Said yokai looked beyond unimpressed. The moment was short lived however as the tree they were on cracked. Both jumped in surprise and held their breath.

The tree gave out and snapped. Blue and Mayhem each held tightly to the tree as it plummeted through the air. They glanced at each other a moment before both started screaming. The tree hit a large rock jutting out of the cliff edge and split in two, sending the thief and the palace horse tumbling in opposite directions.

Mayhem rolled down the edge and landed in a heap at the bottom, spitting out leaves as he groaned. He jumped to his feet, his blue mane falling out of the knots it was in previously, and looked around for the thief. Not seeing the turtle anywhere in sight, Mayhem stuck his nose to the ground and began sniffing him out like a bloodhound. 

Blue, who had hid behind a rock after his unceremonial landing, popped up and watched the horse go. He slowly backed away as he put the satchel over his shoulder again and reached for the vines behind him, thinking they’d be a place to hide. He wasn’t expecting his hand to fall right through as there was no wall behind them. The noise attracted the attention of Mayhem and the horse neighed. 

Scrambling to get behind the vines, Blue made it just as the horse came back with a loud snort and began looking around. Blue hugged the satchel close to his chest as he hid from the horse, waiting for the animal to move on. When Mayhem did finally move on, Blue stumbled further into the cave to explore and look for a place to lay low.

He paused in awe when he saw the tall tower with white stone bricks and a purple roof, vines clinging to the sides. A distant neigh cemented the idea to climb the tower in his mind. 

Blue stabbed bolts into the side of the tower as he heaved himself up. His arms burned but if it meant getting away from that crazy horse he’d take it. He huffed as he continued to pull himself up one brick at a time. He was breathing heavily as he threw himself into the tower and slammed the doors behind him. Sighing in relief, Blue took the satchel off his body and opened it to look at the prize inside. 

“Alone at last.” He smiled. 

CLANG! Blue’s face twisted as he was hit over the back of the head with a frying pan. 

༻✧༺

Unconscious, the stranger fell forward, landing on his face as you stood there behind him with a frying pan raised over your head. You yelped and dashed to hide behind your mannequin. Slowly you peeked over the shoulders at the strange turtle yokai who remained still on the floor. The wheels on the mannequin squeaked softly as you ventured closered. Armed with your frying pan you inched closer to the turtle. You poked his head but he didn’t move. When you glanced at Mondo, the little chameleon shrugged. You once again poked the turtle, turning his head to the side a bit. Mondo wandered over to the figure with pointed teeth your mother painted earlier. He sat up, put his fingers in front of his mouth and growled white turning red. 

You looked back at the turtle and used the handle of the pan to lift his lip and reveal not pointed teeth. Your shoulders relaxed slightly as you hummed with confusion. Using the handle once again you flicked the tail of his mask off his face and stared at the slightly handsome face with vibrant curled crescents. Taking in the details of his face you got kind of lost in it. 

Until his eye shot open and he hummed in confusion. Startled, you brought your pan down on his head again, the loud clang echoing in the room. 

Standing still for only a moment you quickly realized you had to stick him somewhere. You made sure the turtle was still knocked out before setting your frying pan aside, but still within reach just in case. Wrapping your hair around the turtle you drag him over to the large wardrobe, the only place here really where you could maybe fit him. He was heavier than he looked as you tried to push him into the closet. 

That didn’t work too well. 

You tried swinging him in with your hair.

Your hair got stuck in the wardrobe as well when the doors shut.

You got him in but he was upside down and his limbs splayed out in a way that the doors wouldn’t shut.

You got him in, right side up and shut the doors with a triumphant laugh.

As you were walking away the doors swung open and the limp figure fell on you, taking you to the ground. 

Trying again, you used a broom to poke him in there and slammed the doors. You winced when you looked up to see his fingers pinched between the doors. You carefully pushed the two fingers back into the closet and ran to get a chair to prop in front of the doors to keep them from opening. 

“Okay, okay, I got a person in the closet.” You muttered as you backed up with your pan in your hands. “I got a person in the closet.” Slowly your gaze drifted toward your reflection in the mirror. “I got a person in my closet!” You exclaimed in realization and laughed. “Too weak to handle myself out there, huh Mother?” You grinned as you swept off invisible dust from the frying pan. “Well, Tell that to my frying pan!” You smirked and spun it around only for it to come up and hit you in the temple. You winced in pain and rubbed the spot.

Moment of triumph ruined, your attention was drawn to something glittering in the bag the stranger brought with him. Setting down your pan, you knelt down and picked the thing out of the bag. It was large and circular, decorated with sparkling stones that were somewhat see-through, the three largest stones forming a sort of lotus shape. You stared at it in curiosity before sticking your hand through it. Perhaps it was worn like this? 

You shrugged toward Mondo who was watching. He shook his head in disagreement. Instead you just peered through the stones at him. He once again shook his head. Still contemplating the strange item you turned toward the mirror as a thought occurred to you. You slowly lifted the crown and placed it on your head where it seemed to belong. However, Mondo shook his head yet again. 

The moment was interrupted by Big Mama calling for you from the base of the tower. “Y/n!” You gasped and quickly pulled the crown off your head and scooped the bag off the floor, tossing both things into a flower pot before dashing toward the doors. “Let down your hair.”

“One moment, Mother.” You responded and hooked your hair up before tossing it down to her. 

“I have a big surprise.” Big Mama called up.

You chuckled slightly, kind of giddy. “Uh, I do too.”

“Oh, I bet my surprise is bigger.” Big Mama grinned.

“I seriously doubt it!” You whispered to yourself as you glanced at the wardrobe holding the mystery yokai.

As Big Mama reached the top she sat on the ledge. “I brought back parsnips. I‘m going to make hazelnut soup for dinner, your favorite. Surprise!” She smiled brightly as she entered the room.

“Well mother, there's something I want to tell you.” You started, wanting to get to your surprise.

But Big Mama interrupted you. “Oh Y/n, you know I hate leaving you after a fight. Especially when I've done absolutely nothing wrong.” She hummed as she strode toward the table to empty the stuff out of her basket. 

“Okay, I've been thinking a lot about what you said, earlier.” You took a slight step back toward the wardrobe, glancing back at it with a grin.

“I hope you're not still talking about the stars.” Big Mama said.

“Floating lights,” You corrected “and, yes I'm leading up to that.”

“Because I really thought we dropped the issue, sweetheart.” She hummed, her voice getting a slight edge to it.

You tried to explain yourself. “No Mother, I'm just saying, you think I'm not strong enough to handle myself out there.” You glanced at the chair holding the wardrobe doors closed and reached for it. 

Big Mama laughed. “Oh darling, I know you're not strong enough to handle yourself out there.” She stated and glanced back at you.

“But if you just…”

“Y/n, we're done talking about this.” Big Mama stated, her smiles turning forced as her voice entered a commanding octave.

“But trust me, I…”

“Y/n.”

“know what I’m…” You grinned as you reached for the chair.

“Y/n—”

“Oh, come on.” You begged your mother you loved to listen just once and she’d see you. She’d see how strong you really were. Instead she blew up.

“ENOUGH WITH THE LIGHTS, Y/N! YOU ARE NOT LEAVING THIS TOWER, EVER!!!!” She shouted. 

You startled into silence, your eyes starting to burn as they welled with tears, your hand still resting on the chair. Slowly you let go as the room was plunged into a heavy silence. 

Big Mama threw herself into her chair with a huff. “Oh, great. Now I'm the bad guy.” 

In silence you looked from the chair holding the closet shut to the painting of you under the floating lights. Never? You were never going to leave the tower? Amidst your dejection the twinkle of an idea floated around in your head. 

Your voice was soft as you broke the silence. “All I was gonna say, mother, is that…” You moved yourself to block the chair from view. “I know what I want for my birthday, now.”

“And what is that?” Big Mama asked while leaning in the chair. 

“New paint.” You stated timidly while hugging yourself. “That paint made from the white shells you once brought me.”

Big Mama shook her head slightly. “Well that is a very long trip, Y/n. Almost three day's time.”

“I just thought it was a better idea than..the stars.” You explained.

Sighing, Big Mama stood from the chair and walked over to you. “You sure you'll be all right, on your own?” She asked, concerned.

You hugged her with a soft smile and she stroked your hair lightly. “I know I'm safe, as long as I'm here.” You stated and she kissed the top of your head.

In a few minutes you helped her pack some food for the journey: some apples, cheese, and bread. You brought the basket to her as she put on her cloak. She took it with a smile and you hooked up your hair for her to climb down on.

“I'll be back in three days time.” She explained. “I love you very much, dear.”

“I love you more.”

“I love you most.”

You watched as she walked away from the tower, turning to wave goodbye which you returned with a soft smile. Only once you could see her no longer did you turn and sprint back into the tower. You armed yourself with your pan and marched toward the wardrobe. The wardrobe groaned a little as you pulled the chair away. 

Taking a deep breath to calm yourself as you hid behind the chair, you nodded in determination and lassoed the handle with some hair, pulling the closet doors open. Nothing happened for a moment, then you watched as the still unconscious yokai tipped forward and fell out of the wardrobe, landing hard on his face. You winced as you watched him slide along the floor as well until he was straightened out. 

Keeping a watchful eye on him you tip toed closer, when he didn’t move you glanced around. “Huh.”

It took a few minutes but eventually you got the yokai into the chair and made sure he couldn’t escape by wrapping your hair around him tightly. Then you closed all the windows except the sky light above and drug him into the spotlight. 

Mondo climbed up onto the turtle’s shoulder with a determined glare and slapped him. The little chameleon backed up, changing color to blend into the turtle’s shoulder. When the yokai didn’t react, Mondo tried slapping him again twice with his tail then poking him. None of that worked and Mondo squinted at the turtle. He faced the turtle and shot his long tongue into the turtle’s ear canal. 

The yokai jolted away, tossing Mondo off his shoulder, and looked around in panic, which turned to confusion as he tried to move and found he couldn’t: he was bound to the chair with hair.

“Wha..? Is this...hair?” He asked no one in particular. He followed the trail of hair up the support beams of the room to see your silhouette hiding within the rafters.

“Struggling...struggling is pointless.” You shouted down.

“Huh?” He squinted confused and watched as you jumped down to the floor, still staying within the shadows.

“I know why you're here. And I'm not afraid of you.” You stated.

The yokai was even more confused. “What?” He tried to get a better look at you through the darkness.

You stood and began making your way toward the light. Stepping into it, you kept your pan raised in case you had to use it again. “Who are you, and how did you find me?” You asked.

“Ah hah.” The turtle just stared seemingly lost in thought.

You raised your pan higher, the threat clear. “Who are you, and how did you find me?” You demanded.

Still staring at you the turtle cleared his throat before speaking. “I know not who you are, nor how I came to find you. But may I just say....” His expression changed to a flirty grin. “Hi.” He raised his non-existent eyebrows toward you. You frowned as you watched him. “How you doing? The name's Blue Jitsu.” Your expression changed to one of confusion as you looked around. “How's your day going, huh?” The turtle, Blue, continued with his flirty tone.

Scoffing, you shook your head and leveled your frying pan at him. “Who else knows my location, Blue Jitsu?” You ask as he leaned away from the pan.

“All right, Chica.” Blue put his hands up as much as he could in a surrender position. 

“Y/n.” You corrected him.

“Gesundheit.” He deadpanned before explaining. “Here's the thing. I was in a situation, Gallivanting through the forest. I came across your tower and…” He paused as panic washed over him and he began looking around frantically. “Ho, ho no, where is my satchel?” 

With a smirk you crossed your arms. “I've hidden it, somewhere you'll never find it.”

Unamused, Blue looked around before his eyes landed on the flower pot. “It's in that pot, isn't it?” He asked. 

Your eyes widened and you smacked him with the pan once again. After hiding the satchel better, Mondo climbed back onto Blue’s shoulder and once again stuck his tongue in Blue’s ear canal.

Blue woke up with less of a start that time, but when he noticed the chameleon on his shoulder he freaked out and rubbed the side of his head against his shoulder after flinging the chameleon away. “Ugh! Would you stop that?!”

“Now it's hidden where you'll never find it.” You nodded with a smirk. Blue narrowed his eyes at you as he hummed. You began circling him, starting the interrogation. “So, what do you want, with my hair? To cut it?”

“What?” Blue asked.

“Sell it?” You point your pan under his chin as he leaned away.

“No! Listen, the only thing I want to do with your hair, is to get out of it. Literally!” He tried to struggle as you continued circling around him.

That made you pause in confusion. “Wait, you don't want my hair?” 

“Why on earth would I want your hair? Look, I was being chased, I saw a tower, I climbed it, end of story.” Blue explained.

With narrowed eyes you pointed your pan at him once again. “You’re telling the truth?” You questioned.

“YES!” Blue exclaimed.

You hummed as you stared at him, searching his face for any hint of deception. Mondo appeared on your shoulder and marched down your arm, over the pan, and squinted at Blue as he leaned away with wide eyes. Mondo looked the turtle up and down before squinting and softly growling as you pulled him away. 

Turning your back to the yokai, you conversed with your only friend really. “I know. I need someone to take me. I think he's telling the truth, too. He doesn't have fangs! But what choice do I have?” Behind you Blue trying to shuffle his chair toward the window, not making it very far before you sighed and faced him once again. “Okay, Blue Jitsu, I'm prepared to offer you a deal.” You stated and walked toward your painting.

“Deal?” Blue asked.

“Look this way.” You said and pulled your hair which caused the chair to spin, eventually making Blue fall flat on his face. You climbed up onto the fireplace and pulled the curtains aside. “Do you know what these are?”

“You mean the lantern thing they do for the princess?” Blue questioned, his voice coming out a little strained because of how his face is pressed into the stone floor.

You glanced at your painting with glee. “Lanterns? I knew they weren't stars.” Shaking your head to get back on track you pointed to Blue with your pan. “Well, tomorrow evening they will light the night sky, with these lanterns. You will act as my guide, Take me to these lanterns, and return me home safely. Then, and only then, will I return your satchel to you. That is my deal.” You proposed.

Blue groaned and pushed himself onto his side. “Yeah, no can do. Unfortunately, the kingdom and I are not exactly, simpatico, at the moment. So I won't be taking you anywhere.” He shook his head.

You glanced to your shoulder at Mondo, who suggested you give the yokai a beat down. You focused on Blue as you jumped off the fireplace and began pulling your hair to get the chair on four legs again. “Something brought you here, Blue Jitsu. Call it what you will, fate, destiny.” Which each word you stepped closer.

“A horse.” Blue deadpanned with a raised eyebrow ridge.

“So I have made the decision to trust you.” You continued.

“A horrible decision, really.” Blue shook his head.

“But trust me, when I tell you this.” You yanked on your hair causing the chair to tip forward, but before it could fall you caught it with one hand and glared down at Blue. “You can tear this tower apart, brick by brick. but without my help, you will never find your precious satchel.” You threatened.

Blue huffed and cleared his throat. “Let me just get this straight. I take you to see the lanterns. Bring you back home. and you'll give me back my satchel?”

“I promise.” You stated.

Blue doesn’t look convinced.

“And when I promise something, I never ever break that promise.” You added. Blue raised an eyebrow. “Ever!” You enunciated. Mondo nodded from his position on your shoulder. 

“All right, listen, I didn't want to have to want to do this, but you leave me no choice. Here comes the 'smolder'.” Blue looked down a moment before looking up at you with pinched brows and pursed lips. When you only tightened your glare, Blue’s “smolder” began to fall apart. “This is kind of an off day for me.This doesn't normally happen.” He admitted. “Fine, I'll take you to see the lanterns.” He relented.

“Really!” In your excitement you let go of the chair causing him to fall forward. He landed harshly on his face once again. “Oops.” You glanced down at him with a wince.

“You broke my 'smolder'.” He groaned from the floor.

Within a few moments you got Blue untied to the chair. He was quick to retrieve his bolts and use them to climb back down the tower. As he’s going he noticed your hesitance at the top.

“You comin, Chica?” He called.

You stepped closer to the ledge, looking down at the world that always seemed just out of reach. “Look at the world, so close and I’m halfway to it. Look at it all, so big do I even dare?” You glanced back into the tower at your painting on the wall. “Look at me, there at last, I just have to do it.” You almost hesitated and stepped back into the tower. “Should I?” But that is quickly dashed by the thought of finally seeing the lanterns. “No. Here I go.” 

On your shoulder Mondo appeared and tied some hair around his waist so he wouldn’t fall. Then he gave you the thumbs up. You chuckled and tossed your hair out the window, watching it billow out toward the ground. 

Blue watched it happen confused and looked back up at you, only to press against the stones to avoid getting knocked off the tower as you swung past on your hair. You laughed as you felt the wind blow past your cheeks. 

But as the ground quickly approached you halted, freezing just inches above the ground, terrified yet thrilled as you stared at the grass. Slowly you lowered your feet to the soft grass and wiggled your toes. A laugh bubbled out as you grinned brightly.

“Just smell the grass, the dirt, just like I dreamed they’d be.” You set down your pan to just lay in the grass, basking in the feeling. “Just feel that summer breeze, the way it’s calling me.” You smiled as the breeze washed over you and you jumped up as it blew some dandelion seeds through the air. With your arm outstretched you chased them. You froze when you stepped in a small stream though, the cool water washing over your feet and ankles. “For like the first time ever, I’m completely free.” You scooped up some water and threw it in the air as you felt the sun shining down. 

You turned toward the exit cave that seemed to be calling your name. Slowly you begin running toward it, picking up speed with every word. “I could go running and racing and dancing and chasing and leaping and bounding, hair flying, heart pounding” You bursted through the curtain of vines with a triumphant grin. “And splashing and reeling and finally feeling that’s when my life begins!” 

Birds flew all around and exited through the treetops. You watched them with a wide grin. “I can't believe I did this.” You exclaimed to yourself. “I can’t believe I did this.” You repeated as a mumble. “I CAN'T BELIEVE I DID THIS!” You excitedly shouted and jumped around. A thought struck you and your smile fell a bit as you hugged yourself. “Mother would be so furious.”

 You’re sitting on a rock in a small lake holding a lotus in your hands, Blue watching behind you. “That's okay though, what she doesn't know won't kill her, right?”

The stone of the cave is cold as you rock back and forth. Blue waited by the entrance. “Oh my gosh, this will kill her.” Your voice echoed around you.

With a bright grin on your face you sprint down the hill kicking a large pile of leaves. “THIS IS SO FUN!” The leaves fell around Blue who shook his head slightly amused as he watched you.

You placed your forehead against the rough bark of a tree, arms hanging limply at your sides. “I am a horrible daughter, I'm going back.”

“I am never going back!” You laughed as you did a cartwheel down a hill which quickly turned to just getting rolled up in your hair as you log rolled down said hill.

Face down in the dirt surrounded by flowers you sobbed. “I am a despicable human being.” Blue looked bored as he sat by your side.

“WAHHOOOOO! Best day, ever!” You shouted as you used your hair like a swing around a large tree. Blue leaned against the trunk of said tree, not really paying much attention.

Face in your hands you cried as you leaned against the large rock by the tree you were just swinging in. Blue approached and cleared his throat as he knelt down by your side.

“You know, I can't help but notice, you seem a little at war with yourself, here.” He stated.

“Really? Where’d you pick that up? The captain’s book on obvious statements.” You snapped through tears as you glanced at him.

Blue shook his head as he stood. “Now, I'm only picking up bits and pieces. Overprotective mother, forbidden road trip. This is serious stuff. But let me ease your conscience. This is part of growing up. A little rebellion, a little adventure. That's good, healthy even.” Mondo crawled up on his shoulder, but Blue wiped him off.

Your expression painted surprise as you stared at him. “You think?”

“I know. You're way over thinking this, trust me. Does your mother deserve it? No Will this break her heart and crush her soul? Of course. But you just got to do it.” Blue stated and crossed his arms.

“Break her heart?” You questioned.

“In half.” Blue plucked a grape off a twig in your hair.

“Crush her soul?” You fiddled with a strand of your hair.

“Like a grape.” Blue crushed the grape between his fingers.

“She would be heartbroken you’re right.” You muttered as you slowly stood, Blue helping you to your feet.

“I am, aren't I? Oh, bother.” He shook his head in mock sadness. “All right, I can't believe I'm saying this, but...I'm letting you out of the deal.” Blue stated as he walked past you.

“What?” You questioned.

“That's right. But don't thank me.” Blue leaned down and picked up both your frying pan and Mondo. “Let's just turn around,and get you home, here's your pan, here's your frog.” He shoved both into your hands as he said it then threw his arm around your shoulder as he began walking you back in the direction of the tower. “I get back my satchel. You get back a mother daughter relationship based on mutual trust and viola! We part ways as unlikely friends.”

You shoved him off you and took a step back, glaring at him. “No, I am seeing those lanterns.”

Blue threw his hands around in anger and groaned. “Oh, come on! What is it going to take to get my satchel back?”

You glared and raised your pan to his face. “I will use this.” You threatened.

The large bush to your left began rustling and you jumped in fear, not knowing what it was. You latched onto Blue’s back, wrapping your arms and legs around him as you tried to aim your pan at the bush. “Is it, ruffians, thugs? Have they come for me?!”

The bush stopped moving and a little brown bunny hopped out. It stared up at you two with big round eyes and a twitching nose.

“Stay calm, it can probably smell fear.” Blue deadpanned.

You chuckled slightly embarrassed as you put your feet back on the ground and stepped away. “Oh, sorry. Guess I’m just a bit jumpy.”

Blue straightened his sash as he looked off in thought. “Probably be best if we avoid ruffians and thugs, though.” He lifted an eyebrow ridge as he glanced at you.

“Yeah, that's probably best.” You admitted and fiddled with your pan. 

“Are you hungry? I know a great place for lunch.” Blue grinned as he turned to you.

You blinked at the sudden tone change and shrugged. “Where?”

“Oh, don't you worry.” Blue smirked as he grabbed your pan and began dragging you in an unknown direction. “You'll know it when you smell it.”

Blue led you through the forest, seemingly choosing directions at random, so much so you were starting to think he didn’t actually have an end destination. You didn’t really mind all that much, just happy to explore the world outside of your tower.

“I know it's around here, somewhere.” Blue hummed as he looked down a fork in the road. He turned to the left and spotted it. “Ah, there it is.” He exclaimed and gestured to the little building nestled against a large tree. Moss grew on the purple shingles and the old wood looked like it needed many fresh coats of paint. A little sign on the road had a painting of a little pink unicorn and under it the words Run of the Mill. Blue grinned as he glanced at you. “Run of the Mill. Don't worry, very quaint place, perfect for you. Don't want you scaring, and giving up on this endeavor now do we?” Blue smirked as he placed his hands on his hips.

“Well, I suppose the unicorn is a good sign.” You shrugged with a smile. 

“Yay!” Blue exclaimed. He led you to the front door and threw it open, causing the chatter inside to come to a halt. “Hueso, your finest table, please.” Blue shouted. 

Taking in the patrons you gasped. This was not the place it appeared to be on the outside, nor what it the snuggly little place Blue painted it as. Men and yokai alike populated the place. The men were decked out with horned hems and various sharp weapons. Some yokai had similar armor pieces and ranged from reptiles to furred beasts, hell even the bartender was a walking skeleton. Said skeleton that shook his head and muttered to himself at the sight of Blue. 

As you glanced around the room you took in more details of the patrons. One man with a scraggly beard and large nose grinned with the many rats on his back. A pair of large crab yokai snapped their pinchers while chuckling. A stout bald man revealed his shining hook for a hand. A large pig yokai wielded what appeared to be a large meat tenderizer as he grinned.

Trying to calm your racing heart you took one step back intending to leave but Blue put his arms around you and led you deeper into the restaurant. Your grip tightened on your pan as you’re walked into the crowd. 

“You smell that? Take a deep breath through the nose.” Blue dramatically inhaled. “Really, let that seep in. What are you getting? Because to me, it's part man smell and the other part is really bad man smell. I don't know why, but overall, it smells like the color brown. Your thoughts?” 

You jolted backward as something grabbed your hair. Gasping you turned around and saw a short man with a domed hemet and thick sideburns holding your hair. You grabbed as much as you could in your arms and quickly back away, pulling it out of his hands. 

“That's a lot of hair.” The thug said in a really deep voice.

“She's growing it out.” Blue shrugged. “Is that blood on your mustache? Chica, look at this, look at all the blood on his mustache. Good sir, that's a lot of blood.” Blue exclaimed. 

You were backing away so you didn’t really see where you were going until you bumped into a large figure. Whipping around you held out your pan as the very large white bear yokai turned toward you and growled. 

“Hey, you don't look so good, Chica. Maybe we should get you home. Call it a day.” Blue said as he approached. He placed his arm around you once again and began leading you back to the door. “Probably better off. This is a five star joint after all. And if you can't handle this place, well maybe you should be back in your tower.” 

Before you could get out the door though, it slammed shut, causing both you and Blue to jump. The large man who closed it wore a wide curved horned helmet and dark furs. His hand was over a wanted poster nailed to the door.

“Is this you?” He glared at Blue. 

Blue glanced at the poster and moved the man’s finger out of the way as it was covering where his crescents would be. The stripes on this poster were really wavy, almost like double S’s. Blue scoffed. “Ugh, now they're just being mean.” 

“Oh, it's him all right.” The stout man with the hook for a hand approached you two from behind. “Greno, go find some guards. That reward is going to buy me a new hook.” The man in the blue shirt nodded and ran off as Hook for a Hand grabbed Blue by the sash across his chest.

A different man pulled Blue away. “I can use the money.” He exclaimed through his bucket-like helmet.

One of the crab yokai grabbed Blue next. “What about us? We’re broke.” He shouted as he and his brother held on to Blue.

The people were quick to descend upon Blue, grabbing whatever limb they could as they fought over him. 

“Please, stop!” You shouted, but your voice was drowned out in the noise.

“We can work this out.” Blue tried to bargain as he felt like he was being pulled apart.

You tried to get into the crowd, but it was too thick. “Hey, leave him alone.”

“Gentlemen, please.” Blue begged only to get punched in the face by the man who first pointed out the wanted poster. 

“Give me back my guide!!” You shouted as you bashed your pan against the back of one of the horned men, though it did little.

The crowd parted slightly as they all held Blue up. The stout man with the hook reeled back ready to punch Blue in the face. Blue tried to wiggle out but the crabs had his right arm, a bunch of men held his feet, the large man with the wide horns held his left arm and shoulder, and the large pig yokai held Blue’s head in place. You watched on with wide eyes before noticing a branch right above the hook man’s head. You lassoed it with your hair and pulled, bending it more and more. 

“Not the face, not the face, not the face!” Blue exclaimed as he struggled. 

Just as the hook man was about to throw his punch, you let go of your hair causing the branch to whip back down and slap the man’s bald head. Everyone froze with slack jaws and wide eyes as they stared at the man with the hook. Behind you at the bar you heard a quiet chuckle come from the skeleton bartender.

“Put him down!” You shouted.

Hook for a Hand turned and glared at you.

You huffed as you tried to explain. “Okay, I don't know where I am,” You reached back and grabbed your pan, gesturing to Blue. “and I need him to take me to see the lanterns, because I've been dreaming about them my entire life. Find your humanity! Haven't any of you ever had a dream?!” You asked.

Pulling his ax off his back, Hook Hand stomped toward you as the large man behind him placed Blue on a hook in the wall. Blue just hung there, staring with slight fear for your safety: this was definitely not his intention. You backed up nervously as the man continued to come closer. You put your pan up in front of you hoping it could be some type of protection. You leaned back against the barrel as Hook Hand towered over you. 

He glanced away as his glare fell. “I had a dream once.” He stated before throwing his ax across the room. It embedded into the wall above a lone jester sitting on a stool. The jester jumped in fear and began playing his accordion while shaking like a leaf. 

Blue looked from the jester to you and Hook Hand utterly confused. 

“I’m malicious, mean, and scary. My sneer could curdle dairy.” The man pointed to his face as he said it. “And violence-wise my hands are not the cleanest.” He stepped back and gestured to the chalk outline on the floor. You narrowed your eyes as you peeked down at the floor. Hook Hand started walking toward a little stage and you followed slightly intrigued. You ducked as he effortlessly tossed another man aside. “But despite my evil look and my temper and my hook.” He showed off his hook as a spotlight shone down on him. “I’ve always dreamed of being a concert pianist.” He began playing the piano really well for using just a hook and your guard fell a little as you connected with the man. 

“Can’t you see me on the stage performing Motzart? Ticklin’ the ivories ‘til they gleam? Yep, I’d rather be called deadly for my killer show tune medley! Thank you ‘cause way down deep inside I’ve got a dream.” He continued playing the piano really well and you found yourself smiling along.

Everyone else in the place began bouncing with the tune as they joined in. “He’s got a dream! He’s got a dream!” Blue just looked around completely lost for words.

You sat down on a stool next to Hook Hand as he grinned. “See I ain’t as cruel and vicious as I seem.” You duck once again as he threw his hands wide, accidentally slapping the same guy he threw earlier. “Though I do like breaking femurs you can count me with the dreamers.” He winked at you and you laughed. “Like everybody else I’ve got a dream.”

The guy that got hit sat up and started next as you turned to him. “I’ve got scars and lumps and bruises. Plus something here that oozes.” He lifted his arm to show it off. “And let’s not even mention my complexion. But despite my extra toes and my goiter and my nose I really wanna make a love connection.” He handed you a flower as he left and you smiled, your eyes darting briefly to Blue who was still just hanging there unable to get down. You toast the flower toward him and laugh before returning your attention to the man.

Blue softened a little as he watched. He was still beyond confused, but he could help to find you fascinating. 

“Can’t you see me with a special little lady?” He sat in a tub of some kind as a little old man opened a small umbrella with a smirk. “Rowin’ in a rowboat down the stream? Though I’m one disgusting blighter I’m a lover not a fighter. ‘Cause way down deep inside I’ve got a dream.” The little old man was put up on a rope and swung around the room as if he were cupid. 

“I’ve got a dream.”

“He’s got a dream.”

“I’ve got a dream.”

“He’s got a dream.”

“And I know one day romance will reign supreme. Though my face leaves people screaming, there’s a child behind it dreaming. Like everybody else I’ve got a dream.” He hugged both you and another patron at the table swaying slightly to the song. 

“Tor would like to quit and be a florist.” One man showed off his skills using skulls, flowers, and a rat. You were genuinely impressed as you clapped.

“Gunther does interior design.” You watch as the man straightened a sad puppy photo.

“Ulf is into mime.” Said yokai dressed up like a mime smiled as they made a rainbow gesture towards Blue.

“Attlia’s cupcakes are sublime.” The man with the bucket-like helmet offers you a tray of cupcakes that frankly look delicious.

“Bruiser knits, Killer sews. Fang does little puppet shows. And Vladimir collects ceramic unicorns.” The large man that pointed out the wanted poster showed you his two little pink unicorns and tapped them together creating a soft chime sound. The smile on his face was rather infectious as you found yourself smiling along. 

“What about you?” Hook Hand asked Blue as everyone turned their attention to him. You looked over as well with a curious glance.

“I’m sorry, me?” Blue questioned.

“What’s your dream?” The lover man demanded as he lifted Blue down off the hook.

“Oh no no, sorry guys. I don’t sing.” Blue stated and crossed his arms.

Everyone in the room pulled their swords out and aimed them at Blue. Now he does sing and he got up on the counter to dance. 

“I have dreams like you, no really. Just much less touchy feely. They mainly happen somewhere warm and sunny.” Blue winked and plucked a unicorn out of Vladimir’s hand. The large man glared at the turtle. Blue placed the unicorn on a tiny hill in the stew. “On an island that we own, tanned and rested with my bros.” Blue was yanked off the bar and held between a lot of people. “Surrounded by enormous piles of money.”

The people cheered and tossed Blue into the air. You climbed up onto a center table. “I’ve got a dream.”

“She’s got a dream.”

“I’ve got a dream.”

“She’s got a dream.”

“I just wanna see the floating lanterns gleam.” The patrons cheered. “And with every passing hour I’m so glad I left my tower!” Through the far window Big Mama watched with surprise and horror at the sight of you standing amidst so many people. “Like all you lovely folks I’ve got a dream.”

“She’s got a dream. He’s got a dream. They’ve got a dream. We’ve got a dream.” Blue was leaning against a barrel exhausted only to jolt at the sight of a strange goat near him. However, before he could do anything he was grabbed once again by the front and thrown onto a plank. “So our differences ain’t really that extreme. We’re one big team.” The polar bear yokai that placed Blue on the plank pointed to Vladimir who stomped on the other end of the plank sending Blue flying through the air landing on a barrel which someone kicked causing it to roll. Blue just barely kept his balance as the barrel rolled through a line of men juggling flames back and forth. 

“Call us brutal, sick, sadistic, and grotesquely optimistic cause way down deep inside we’ve got a dream.”

“I’ve got a dream.”

“I’ve got a dream.”

“I’ve got a dream.”

“I’ve got a dream.”

“I’ve got a dream.”

“I’ve got a dream.”

Blue ducked as a man flew over his head and crashed through a window. 

“Yes way down deep inside I’ve got a dream!” Hook Hand and Lover man lead you to a table and you jumped up as everyone cheered. Suddenly you caught the old man dressed as cupid and stared with wide, bewildered eyes. Where did he even come from? You wondered.

In that moment the door burst open as Greno returned with a grin. “I found the guards!” He exclaimed. 

Everyone froze and Blue dashed toward you, grabbing the arm of the old man you were still holding and pulling you back behind the bar. 

The captain, Cassandra, pushed Greno out of the way as she and four other guards entered the room. “Where’s Jitsu? Where is he?” She shouted. “I know he's in here somewhere. Find him, turn the place upside down if you have to!” She commanded her team and they began searching. 

Blue peeked over the edge at the door hoping it was clear, only to be disappointed as the Mud Dogs were walked in with chains on their wrists. Blue winced as he ducked back down: front door is a no go.

Hueso, the skeleton behind the bar, discreetly got your’s and Blue’s attention. He gestured over to his left and urged you to crawl that way as the guards were fanning out. He made sure no one was watching before he pulled a level, causing a section of the floor with a unicorn painted on it to lower, revealing a secret tunnel.

“Go, live your dream.” He said.

“I will.” Blue smiled with relief. 

Hueso frowned. “You need a better dream, Pepino, I was talking to her.” He stated. Blue scoffed and rolled his eyes as he slid down the ramp into the passage.

“Thanks for everything.” You smiled toward the skeleton and quickly followed Blue into the tunnel. The passage shut behind you with a soft thud and you were submerged in the dark. Blue found an old lantern and got it to work, giving you both some light as you made your way through the tunnel, hoping to get as far away as possible.

After a bit of walking Blue broke the silence. “Well, I've gotta say. Didn't know you had that in you back there, that was pretty...impressive.” He complimented.

You smiled brightly. “I know!” As your voice echoed down the tunnel you toned it down a little, trying to play it cool. “I know.” You smirked.

Blue just smiled and shook his head slightly, amused. 

“Sooo, Blue. Where you from?” You asked as you sped up a little to walk in time with him. 

“Whoa, whoa, sorry hermosa, I don't do back story. However I am becoming very interested in yours. Now I...I know I'm not suppose to mention the hair.” He glanced back at you.

“Nope.”

“Or, the Mother.”

“Nuh uh.” 

“Frankly I'm too scared to ask about the frog.” Blue shrugged.

“Chameleon.” You corrected as Mondo narrowed his eyes at Blue.

“Nuance. Here's my question, though, if you want to see the lanterns so badly, why haven't you gone before?” He asked, pausing to turn to look at you, slightly confused.

“Uhh, heh, well…” You stammered trying to think of a way to explain only for a rock to fall from the ceiling and hit you on the head. You winced and looked down as the ground began to rumble. You glanced back behind you. “Uhh, Blue…?” Down the passage you see the palace guards round the corner all carrying torches and sprinting toward you. “Blue!” You shouted nervously.

“Jitsu!” Cassandra’s voice echoed down the tunnel.

“Run.” Blue said and placed a hand on your shoulder as you scooped up as much of your hair as you could carry. “Run!” You two sprinted down the tunnel, the thunder foot falls of your pursuers seemingly getting louder.

Bright sunlight shone down on you two as you exited the tunnel to see a water mill, dam, and what looked to be a quarry with many tunnels. The ledge you were on didn’t seem to go anywhere. You and Blue raced to the edge and looked over at the broken, rickety ladder that would surely take way too long to climb down. Across the quarry at the bottom there was an open tunnel, all you had to do was get there. 

A blocked off tunnel was broken down to the left of the exit tunnel and the three angry Mud Dogs glared up at you two when they saw you.

“Who’s that?” You asked Blue.

“They don't like me.” Blue pointed down to the trio.

Fast footsteps approached and you both turned to see the royal guard exiting the tunnel. “Who’s that?” You asked again.

“They don't like me either.” Blue admitted sheepishly.

Mayhem neighed loudly as he too bursted from the tunnel, glaring daggers at Blue. You shook your head in disbelief. “Who’s that?!” 

“Lets just assume for the moment, that everyone here doesn't like me.” Blue stated exasperatedly.

You huffed and shook your head. “Yeah I see that. Here!” You tossed down your hair and pushed your pan into Blue’s arms. He exhaled as the pan hit him hard in the plastron. He watched bewildered as you lassoed a broken wooden beam with your hair. Without hesitation you leapt from the edge and swung across the gap to another ledge. Blue’s jaw had dropped a little as he watched, but he couldn’t admire for long as Cassandra chuckled.

Blue whipped around with a gasp as the captain approached, drawing her sword. “I've waited a long time for this.” She grinned. 

“Ho boi.” Blue grimaced and glanced at the pan in his hands. He ducked out of the way as Cassandra swung, and he whipped the pan around, hitting her in the head which knocked her out. Blue blocked an attack from another guard and knocked him out too. Slowly Blue built a rhythm and smirked as he fought off all the guards with the frying pan. “Oh mama, I have got to get me one of these.” Blue exclaimed after all the guards were on the ground.

A sword was aimed at Blue and he grinned as he readied his frying pan. “Hah!” He shouted only to balk in confusion seeing Mayhem there with the sword in his mouth. The horse neighed threateningly and lunged. Blue parried and the two went back and forth, the horse appearing to have more skill than all the men. You watched from your ledge both bewildered and nervous.

“You should know, that this is the strangest thing I've ever done!” Blue called out and Mayhem knocked the pan out of his hand. Both froze and watched the pan fall down off the cliff edge. It hit the bottom with a clang and Blue smiled nervously. “How 'bout two out of three?” Mayhem pointed his sword at Blue’s neck as the turtle put his hands up. 

“Blue!” You shouted and whipped your hair toward the turtle. It wrapped around his hand and upon seeing it Blue smirked, giving a little salute to the horse he let himself fall off the ledge. Mayhem dropped his sword in shock.

You held tight to your hair but out of the corner of your eye you saw the Mud Dogs. “Blue! Look out!” You shouted as he swung right toward them. Blue scrambled to climb up the hair a bit, but wasn’t getting anywhere. You tightened your grip on your hair and pulled, causing Blue to rise a foot and swing right over the thieves below, missing them by an inch.

“HAH!” Blue cackled in amusement. “You should see your faces 'cause you look…” His sentence was cut off as he slammed fully into a wooden beam from the trough. “Ridiculous…” Blue wheezed.

You winced with sympathy at the painful scene. A heavy thudding caught your attention and you glanced over at the other ledge to see, Mayhem attempting to kick down a support beam for the dam as all the guards regained consciousness. The board came free and created a makeshift bridge spanning from the other ledge to your ledge. Mayhem quickly began crossing it.

“Come on, Hermosa!” Blue called and you looked toward him to see him standing in the trough holding the end of your hair. “Jump!” He instructed. 

Trusting Blue, you raced for the edge and jumped just as Mayhem reached your ledge. He just barely missed biting your hair as you swung down. You grinned determined as you reached the bottom and slid along a shallow puddle of water. Glancing over your shoulder you saw the Mud Dogs sprinting toward you and you turned to run toward the exit as Blue let go of your hair.

Up on the trough, Blue used the wooden structure as a water slide of sorts and slid down to catch up with you. When he reached the end though, the old wood began to fall apart as the structure collapsed and he jumped deftly along until he could jump off and land safely on the ground. He picked up the tail end of your hair as he joined you sprinting for the exit. 

The ground rumbled violently as the dam collapsed behind you. You tried not to think of the tons of water barreling toward you as you ran as fast as you could toward the tunnel. Rocks cracked behind you and a shadow loomed as a large pillar could not withstand the force of the water and began tipping over. The shadow grew as the large pillar fell more. You were almost there and pushed your legs to run faster. Just in time you made it to the safety of the tunnel as the rock slammed into the ground, but not before Blue could reach back and grab your pan that he had lost. 

In the dark of the tunnel you could see the water spilling in and you both scrambled to get away only to discover that to your horror the tunnel was a dead end. The water reached your feet quickly as you pressed your back against the stone. Blue looked at you before diving into the water to look for a way out or something. You glanced around at the walls and began bashing your pan against the rock, hoping to find a weak spot. 

Blue came back up and glared at the rock surrounding you. He slammed his shoulder against one side, accomplishing nothing but giving himself a bruise. He moved to the other side and tried to shove against the rock with his hands, only for his left hand to slip and slice his palm open on the edge. Blue gasped in pain and winced, looking down at the large ugly gash. He only paused for a moment though before diving back into the water. You continued your assault against the walls with your pan but nothing was working. The water was up to your waist now.

“It's no use, I can't see anything.” Blue heaved as he came up again and wiped the water out of his eyes. You took some deep breaths as you glared at the water before inhaling and diving in yourself. Blue’s eyes widened in panic and he quickly dived after you to bring you back up. “Hey, there's no point.” He softly removed some strands of hair away from your face. “It's pitch black down there.” He explained.

Your eyes widened in fear as you shook your head and backed against the stone. Your heart beat rapidly, this couldn’t be happening: you were gonna die. “This is all my fault.” You muttered. “She was right, I never should have done this. I'm so…” You sniffed as your eyes burned. “I'm so sorry, Blue.” You sobbed as hopelessness settled heavy on your shoulders.

Blue looked at you with downcast eyes. He sighed. “Leonardo.”

“What?” You sniffed and glanced at him.

“My real name is Leonardo Hamato. Someone might as well know.” He shrugged with a half smile.

You hummed and smiled softly as well. “I have magic hair that glows when I sing.” You admitted.

Leonardo looked bewildered. “What?”

Your eyes widened with realization. “I have... magic hair, that glows when I sing!” You exclaimed only to notice the water is nearly over your neck. “Flower gleam and glow. Let your power shine.” You quickly breathe out before taking a breath and sinking under the water.

Only after a moment in the darkness, your hair slowly began glowing. Leo opened his eyes and nearly shouted under water, almost losing all his air before slamming his mouth shut again. You both watched as the hair lit up all the way to the end and noticed a weak looking area where water seemed to be draining. You both looked at each other before swimming toward it. As your hair dimmed you both began pulling at the rocks, uncovering the exit as your lungs started to burn. 

Eventually Leonardo got his hand all the way through the rocks and managed to push enough rocks for the whole thing to start crumbling and you both tumbled out of the tunnel into a river. 

You threw yourself up onto the river bank and took in ragged gasps of breath. Both of you felt like you were coughing up a lung. Mondo too took a deep breath of relief. 

“We made it.” You sighed.

“Her hair glows.” Leo stated, still bewildered.

“We're alive!” You exclaimed and pulled yourself out of the river. “We're alive!” 

“Didn't see that coming.” Leo muttered, rubbing the top of his head.

“Leonardo…” You called but he wasn’t listening.

“Her hair actually glows.” He exclaimed to Mondo who just smirked.

“Leonardo.” You called again.

“Why does her hair glow?” The turtle demanded an answer from the little chameleon. Mondo flinched away as Leo leaned over him.

“Leonardo!” 

“WHAT?” Leo shouted and looked at you with wide eyes.

“It doesn’t just glow.” You explained as you heaved more of your hair out of the river. Mondo smirked and glanced toward Leo with narrowed eyes. 

“Why is he smiling at me?” Leo whimpered in confusion.

༻✧༺

Deep within the woods where the tunnel lead out, Big Mama waited behind some rocks as she heard coughing. She slowly pulled out her dagger as she inched closer. Except when the door with the unicorn painted on it opened, a soaking wet Leonard stumbled out still coughing up the water. 

Big Mama hid behind the rocks again as she watched the three yokai pull themselves up out of the tunnel. 

“I’ll kill him! I’ll kill that Jitsu!” Leonard shouted.

Hearing this Big Mama grinned.

“Well cut them off at the kingdom.” Danny stated.

“And get back the crown.” Leonard nodded. “Come on.” He gestured as they all started walking through the woods. 

“Bo-oys!...” Big Mama called out and the three froze. They turned and saw the woman standing on the rocks looking down at them. “Perhaps you want to stop acting like wild dogs chasing their tails, and think for a moment.” She produced the satchel and dangled it in front of herself.

Seeing the satchel, the Mud Dogs reached for their weapons and aimed them at Big Mama.

The woman chuckled. “Oh, please there's no need for that.” She tossed the satchel to Leonard, who caught it quickly after dropping his weapon. The boys fought over each other as he opened it and pulled out the crown. They all grinned when they saw it. Seeing it, Big Mama hummed. “Well if that's all you desire, then be on your way! I was going to offer you something worth one thousand crowns, would have made you rich beyond belief. And that wasn't even the best part.” She laughed before turning to walk away. “Oh well, C'est la vie. Enjoy your crown.” She waved.

“What's the best part?” Mickey asked.

Grinning Big Mama turned back to the boys. “It comes with revenge on Blue Jitsu.” She waved the wanted poster in the air.

The Mud Dogs all looked at each other and grinned. 

༻✧༺

As the sun sunk down in the sky, you both gathered up wood for a fire and made a makeshift camp while you let your hair dry. Once it was mostly dry you instructed Leo to sit across from you on the thick root of a nearby tree. You held out your hand for his injured one and he hesitated only slightly as he offered it to you. Holding his hand lightly you began to methodically wrap your hair around it.

“So you're being strangely cryptic as you wrap your magic hair around my injured hand.” He mumbled before wincing in pain.

“Sorry.” You grimaced and sighed. “Just don't...don't freak out.” You requested. Leo didn’t say anything as he stared at you. You took a breath and closed your eyes, starting the incantation. 

“Flower gleam and glow, Let your power shine,” You sang softly and Leonardo watched with wide eyes as your hair once again began glowing. “Make the clock reverse, bring back what once was mine.” As the glow spread past Mondo, the little chameleon grinned toward Leo and held up his hand, pointing to his palm. Leo looked down at his palm as the glowing spread to the hair wrapped around his hand. “Heal what has been hurt, Change the fate's design. Save what has been lost, Bring back what once was mine.” Leonardo looked at you then over at Mondo who just nodded with a smug grin. “What once was mine.”

You opened your eyes and looked at Leo. He slowly raised his hand and unwrapped the hair. Leo breathed heavily as he stared at his palm and turned it to you with a confused look on his face as he glanced between his healed hand and your face.

He gasped and opened his mouth to scream.

“Please don’t freak out!” You quickly requested. 

His stifled scream faded out. “Ahhh'm not freaking out, are you freaking out?” He asked rapidly and placed his hand on his cheek. “No, I'm just very interested in your hair and the magical qualities that it possesses..” He pulled his hand away and looked at it again before shoving his hands under his arms and rocking slightly. “How long has it been doing that, exactly?” He asked with a strained smile. 

You chuckled and shrugged. “Uh. Forever, I guess.” Your smile fell as you began to explain more. “Mother said when I was a baby people tried to cut it. They wanted to take it for themselves.” You pulled some of your hair out of the way to reveal the dull strand of hair a lot shorter than the rest of your hair. “But, once it's cut. It turns dull, and loses its power.” You let go of your hair and began playing with a strand. “A gift like that, it has to be protected. That's why Mother never let me...That's why I...I never left and…” You frowned and sighed while looking away from Leonardo.

“You never left that tower.” He finished for you with a concerned glint in his eyes. “And you're still gonna go back?” He asked.

“No.” You stated, “...yes.” You placed your head in your hands as you sighed. “Ugh. It's complicated.” Mondo leaned against your foot offering you comfort. You stayed like that a moment, Leo watching you with a soft expression. Peeking through your fingers, you saw him staring and blushed slightly. You took a deep breath and sat up, running your hand through your hair. “So…” You glanced at him. “Leonardo Hamato, huh?” 

“Ah yeah, well. I'll spare you the sob story of poor orphan Leonardo Hamato, it's a little bit ah... It's a little bit of a downer.” He shrugged. You smirked and scooted closer to the yokai, interested to hear his story. Leo laughed softly. He was silent a moment before starting. “There was this book. A book my big brother used to read every night to us and all the younger kids. The tales of Lou Jitsu. Bravest ninja master, richest man alive. Not bad with the ladies, either. Not that he'd ever brag about it, of course.” 

You hummed in amusement, enjoying Leo’s storytelling. “Was he a thief too?” You asked.

Leo’s smirk fell. “Ahh, well no.” After a moment he grinned again as he sat up. “Actually, he had enough money to do whatever he wanted to do. He could go wherever he wanted to go.” Leo’s grin fell as he looked away from you, slightly ashamed. “And...and, for a kid, with nothing. I don't know, I... It just seemed like a better option.” He admitted.

You smiled softly as you listened intently.

Leo turned to you. “You can't tell anyone, about this, okay? It could ruin my whole reputation.” 

Grinning, you shrugged. “Ahh, you wouldn't want that.” You nodded along.

“Oh, a fake reputation is all that a man has.” Leo said and you laughed softly. Comfortable silence descended around you both as you glanced at Leo. He was staring at you too, with an expression that could almost be read as admiration. Realizing he was staring, Leo cleared his throat and looked away. “Um, well I should uh…” He stood from his spot and began walking away, pointing over his shoulder as he refused to meet your eye. “I, I should get some more firewood.” He said and began walking into the woods.

“Hey.” You called and he paused, turned around and glanced at you. “For the record, I like Leonardo Hamato much better than, Blue Jitsu.” 

Leonardo shrugged. “Well, then you'd be the first.” He looked down at his healed palm and rubbed his thumb over the spot where the cut once was. “But, thank you.” He looked up at you with a slight grin before turning and heading off into the woods. You watched him go with a fond chuckle.

Big Mama glared at the yokai as he left, standing in the shadows behind you. “Well, I thought he'd never leave.” She stated.

You jumped at the sound of your mother’s voice and turned around with wide eyes, seeing her walking toward you while pulling down her hood. “Mother?” 

“Hello dear.” She grinned.

Mondo camouflage into the wood as you stood up stammering for an explanation you knew you couldn’t really give. “But I, I..I don’t…How did you find me?” You asked as she wrapped her arms around you for a hug you didn’t return.

“Oh, it was easy really.” Big Mama hummed as she stroked your hair. “I just listened to the sound of complete and utter betrayal, and followed that.”

You sighed, ashamed. “Mother…”

She pulled away from you, her hands on your shoulders. “We're going home, Y/n.” She turned, grabbing your wrist to pull you along. “Now.”

You pulled back, not wanting to go and she turned around to look at you. “You...You don't understand. I've been on the most incredible journey. I've seen and learned so much.” You explained with a grin. “I even met someone.” Your voice lowered slightly as you thought of Leo.

“Yes, the wanted thief. I'm so proud.” Big Mama fake grinned. “Come on, Y/n.” She grabbed your wrist again and pulled you harder away from the fire. 

“Mother, wait.” You pulled your wrist out of her grip and she froze. “I think... I think he likes me.” You smiled softly at the ground, your heart doing little flips.

Big Mama turned around with a raised eyebrow. “Likes you? Please, Y/n that’s demented.” She shook her head.

“But mother I–”

“This is why you never should have left.” Big Mama threw her arms out to gesture around. She walked past you and placed her hand on her forehead. “Dear this whole romance that you’ve invented, just proves you’re too naive to be here.” She placed her hands on your shoulders and half hugged you from behind. “Why would he like you? Come on now really?” She said as she circled around you. “Look at you!” She held up some of your really long hair. “You think that he’s impressed?” She dropped the hair and walked toward the woods, gesturing for you to go with her. “Don’t be a dummy. Come with mummy. Mother–”

“No!” You snapped.

Big Mama’s grin fell. “No?” She squinted her eyes at you and raised an eyebrow as a smirk pulled at her lips. “Oh. I see how it is.” You slight glare lessened as you watched her take steps toward you. “Y/n knows best.” She sashayed her hips with one hand on them while gesturing to you with the other. “Y/n’s so mature now. Such a clever grown up miss.” She patted you on the head and you flinched slightly. Her fingers caressed your cheek as she continued. “Y/n knows best.” Big Mama turned away and shrugged. “Fine if you’re so sure now. Go ahead, then give him this!” She pulled the satchel out and dangled it in front of you.

You were at a loss. “How did you–”

Your mother pulled out the crown and thrusted it at you. “This is why he’s here! Don’t let him deceive you!” Big Mama threw the crown at you and you caught it. “Give it to him, watch, you’ll see!”

“I will!” You shouted defiantly.

“Trust me my dear.” Big Mama snapped. “That’s how fast he’ll leave you. I won’t say I told you so!” She threw the satchel around your body and spun you around a bit before letting go with a flourish. “Now Y/n knows best! So if he’s such a dream boat go and put him to the test!” She spat and strode away.

“Mother, wait!” You reached for her but she wasn’t stopping.

“If he’s lying don’t come crying, Mother knows best!” Big Mama spun with her cloak, billowing the mist and disappearing, leaving you standing stunned in the clearing. 

You glanced down at the crown in your hands. Part of you believed that Leo wouldn’t run off if you gave it to him, but another part whispered the words your mother stated moments ago. Is it really all just in your head?

“So.” Leonardo’s distant voice made you jump. You couldn’t give it to him yet. “hey uh, can I ask you something?” Leo came back to the campsite carrying two armfuls of logs. “Is there any chance that I'm going to get super strength in my hand? Because I'm not going to lie - that would be stupendous.” When he noticed your back to him his face fell to slight concern. “Hey, you all right?” He asked.

You turned around and plastered a grin on your face. “Oh, sorry, yes. Just um, lost in thought, I guess.” You explained.

Leonardo nodded with a hum and leaned over to set the logs down with a grin on his face. “I mean because here's the thing. Superhuman good looks, I've always had 'em. Born with it, but superhuman strength? Imagine the possibilities, I'm just…” Leo continued to speak, though truthfully you heard little of it as you glanced back at the log where you’ve hidden the crown. 

Deep in the woods, Big Mama watched from a distance with the Mud Dogs right behind her. Eager for their revenge, Leonard moved to step toward you, but Big Mama held her hand out, halting him. “Patience boys. All good things to those who wait.”

Long after you and Leo fell asleep, the sun rose on a new day. You were bundled up in your hair and Leo was using a rock as a pillow, he actually looked like he was getting decent sleep. A blue butterfly floated past the turtle, and moved out of the way as a drop landed on the yokai’s cheek. A second drop caused the yokai to wake. He blinked and hummed as he looked up to see a drenched Mayhem glaring down at him. 

“Well I hope you’re here to apologize.” Leo stated and snuggled back down onto his rock.

Screaming woke you up and you jolted up right, glancing over at where Leo was being dragged away by the wrap on his foot by the angry horse. “No, no put me down. NO, NO!” Leo scrambled for any sort of purchase among the grass but found none. “No. Stop it!”

You raced after them and grabbed Leo’s wrists, pulling him back toward the campsite. Mayhem whinnied as you played tug-of-war with Leo. “Give me him.” You grunted and glared at the horse. The horse shook his head, trying to pull Leo out of your grip. You held tight though, and eventually went stumbling backward when Leo’s wrap/sock was pulled off.

Mayhem shook the sock and upon realizing he didn’t have Leo, glared at you and jumped up, racing forward. You pushed yourself to your feet and stood between Leonardo and the angry horse yokai. “Whoa! Whoa, whoa-whoa-whoa.” You said as you put your hands out.

He tried to move around you but you kept blocking his path to Leo. Said turtle trying to crawl away from the horse, even though his shell was to a large tree keeping him from actually going anywhere. “Easy boy, easy, calm down. Easy boy. Easy.” You tried to soothe the animal.

Mayhem snorted and froze at the sight of Mondo sitting atop your head. “That’s it!” You praised. Mondo lifted his hands and gestured for Mayhem to calm down. “Now sit.” You instructed. Mayhem resisted. “Sit.” You said again and the horse sat.

“What?” Leo exclaimed from behind you in disbelief.

“Now drop the sock.” You instructed, but Mayhem didn’t listen. “Drop it.” You repeated and pointed to the ground. Mayhem spit out the sock while glaring at you. You smiled and leaned back. “Awe, you are such a good boy.” You praised and began rubbing Mayhem’s nose. The horse yokai leaned into the affection while acting more like a dog with a wagging tail. “Yes you are.” You laughed. “You all tired, chasing the bad turtle all over the place?” You asked with a pout. Mayhem nodded.

“Excuse me?” Leo scoffed behind you.

“Nobody appreciates you, do they?” You hugged the horse. “Do they?” You asked again and he shook his head while nuzzling closer to you. You smirked as you pet the large animal.

“Come one, he's a bad horse.” Leo pouted in disbelief as he gestured to Mayhem.

“Aw, he's nothing but a big sweetheart.” You corrected and pet him again. “Isn't that right?” You trailed off and glanced at the seal on his chest while scratching his chin. You read the name with a smile. “Mayhem.” 

Mayhem basked in all the attention you gave him as Leo crossed his arms. “You've got to be kidding me.” Mayhem stopped and glared at Leo.

You redirected Mayhem’s attention. “ Look, today is kinda the biggest day of my life.” You explained and backed up toward Leo, helping the turtle to his feet. “And the thing is, I need you not to get him arrested.” Mayhem snorted. “Just for twenty four hours,” You amended, “and then, you can chase each other to your heart's content. Okay?” You looked between them. Leo sighed and held out his hand for a shake. Mayhem looked away disinterested. “And it's also my birthday. Just so you know.” You tacked on at the end with a sheepish smile.

Mayhem sighed and turned back to Leo. He raised his hoof and the boys shook on it.

You grinned at the both of them, before your attention was taken by the sound of bells in the distance. Intrigued, you walked through their handshake and toward the noise. Leo watched you go and didn’t notice Mayhem raising his front hoof. Gasping in pain, Leo clutched his plastron where the horse had kicked him and fell over. Mayhem whinnied in amusement. 

Only a short distance through the woods and you came across the bridge to the kingdom. You jumped up and down giddily as excitement flooded your veins. You turned around to Leonardo and exclaimed your excitement before continuing across the bridge. 

Leo was close behind you and smiling as well, but that fell when he saw a wanted poster of himself on the bridge wall. He quickly ripped it off the wall and crumpled it into a ball. He was about to toss it when he saw Mayhem glaring down at him. Leo grinned and shoved the paper into the horse’s mouth. Mayhem spit the poster back out and it stuck to Leo’s face: the image with the poorly done face stripes plastered over his own face. Mayhem laughed at the sight.

Scrambling to get the paper off, Leo tossed it away and shoved Mayhem’s head in anger. The horse hit him back and Leo lunged, grabbing Mayhem’s ear as Mayhem bit Leo’s leg.

A squeaking got the boy’s attention and they looked up to see Mondo glaring at them. The little chameleon pointed a threatening finger at them and the boys released each other with matching scowls. Leo elbowed Mayhem, and Mayhem hit back.

During all that you were in your own little world of awe as you stared at the kingdom around you. Yokai and humans mingled, selling and buying. Strings of flags hung over the road between buildings, each one decorated with the kingdom’s sun symbol, as well as garlands of flowers strung up everywhere. A young child on his father’s shoulders glanced at you as they passed and offered a little wave. You waved back with an excited grin. 

You tried to take a step forward, but nearly got hit by a speeding cart. Gasping you jumped back only to accidentally run into a woman holding a basket, moving out of the way only caused you to stumble through a line of geese, all of which went squawking away. “Sorry. Excuse me.” You ramble off as you bump into two more people. Your head bent back as people stepped on your hair when you tried to walk. “Ow. Ow. Ow.” You winced.

Leo came running over, scooping up your hair with you to get it out of the way. You didn’t know what to do with all your hair, it felt like an impossible task to wander around the kingdom with it dragging behind you. Leonardo looked around in thought. When he caught sight of a small group of girl scouts braiding each other’s hair he grinned and whistled to get their attention.

The little girls looked up and gasped at the sight of all the hair in your arms. They giggled and raced over to help braid it. 

Leaning against a wall, Leo watched with a smirk, ducking to avoid sight when a couple of guards walked by. When he glanced back over at you his expression softened seeing you twirl with your hair braided up so that it wasn’t dragging on the floor.

“Thank you.” You said to the girls as you admired their handy work. 

Mayhem leaned in close to Leo and raised his eyebrows in a suggestive way. Leo scoffed and shoved the horse away, causing Mayhem and Mondo to laugh. 

Now free to move about without having to worry about your hair trailing behind, you grabbed Leo’s hand and wove up the streets, bouncing between every vendor that caught your eye. Leo went along with it, a soft smile on his face. Though his focus was primarily on you, he couldn’t help but keep a watch out of the corner of his eye for guards or even his brothers. He didn’t know which he wanted to face.

You two kept bouncing around stalls, buying cupcakes from one, but having to hide around a corner to eat them when a pair of guards passed by. You and Leo looked at each other and laughed slightly. Leo brought you to the library and showed you maps and more books than you could count. You both spent hours there. 

Making it back outside you continued wandering around, when you noticed a little boy selling flags and trinkets. Leo bought you a small purple flag with the sun crest on it. He smiled as he handed it to you and you grinned brightly as you held it up to compare it to the flags hanging all around. 

Eventually, while waiting in line for a snack your eye caught a glimpse of a large mural of the king and queen holding their little daughter with e/c eyes and long h/c hair. You stepped closer in fascination as you watched a little yokai child place a flower in front of the mural.

“It’s for the lost princess.” The child said. You looked up at the mural again, something tugging at your brain as you looked into the princess’s eyes. Your focus was broken, however, when a small band passed by. 

Intrigued you followed them, nodding your head to the beat of the song. When the three musicians noticed you they grinned and paused to play while you danced to the new lively tune they started. A turtle yokai with bright yellow spots and an orange bandana around his face joined you in the dance. You both grinned widely as music seemed to play louder. 

Having gotten to the front of the line and finally purchased the snacks, Leo turned around only to see you were missing. It didn’t take long for him to notice you dancing in the clearing though. However, his eyes widened when he noticed his youngest brother dancing with you. Not wanting to be noticed by the younger turtle, Leo took a step back, only to bump into the chest of someone a lot taller than him. Leo froze as he glanced over his shoulder and saw his red clad older brother looking down at him with narrowed eyes. Grinning sheepishly, Leonardo offered a small wave. One which Raphael did not return. 

The clearing of a throat drew Leo’s attention to his purple loving twin standing beside Raph with a raised eyebrow. Donnie unrolled the wanted poster in his hand for Leo to see. “Care to explain this, Leon?” He questioned.

Leo opened his mouth to respond, but Raph beat him to it. “Where have you been? What’s going on? You haven’t been home in days and then these start showing up around the kingdom! What did you do?” All of the questions fell out in rapid fire succession as Leo stood under the scrutiny of two of his brothers, the third still dancing with you and the crowd you’re pulling in.  

“I can explain.” Leo mumbled and tried to think up something to say. His brothers waited in silence as Leo fidgetted. He sighed. “Okay, listen, they were just a couple of jobs. We needed the money.” He justified. 

“So you started stealing?” Donnie questioned and crossed his arms, crumpling up the poster in the process.

“It paid the most and made sure we kept a roof over our heads.” Leo explained. “I didn’t mean for it to go this far though.” He admitted.

“This far? Leo what–” Raph froze. “The missing crown.” He hissed. “You did that?!” 

Leo flinched. “Look I get it. I messed up and I’ll fix it, just please not now.” His eyes darted over to the dancing crowd, effortlessly finding you still dancing away. “I’m laying low.”

“Laying low? Nardo, you are in the middle of the kingdom.” Donnie exclaimed. “At any moment you could be seen by the guards.”

“I’m being careful! I just…” Leo sighed. “Let me have today and I’ll answer your questions tomorrow.” Once again his eyes found you in the crowd. This time his brothers looked too and upon seeing you they grew confused. 

“Who’s that?” Raph asked.

Leo quickly looked away, “Just someone I met. I promised I’d show her the lanterns, that's all.” His brothers shared a glance. It was silent for a moment before Leo heard you call his name. He looked up to see you stumbling out of the crowd for a break from dancing and wandered over with Mikey on your heels.

“There you are!” You grinned only to pause when you saw the two other turtles standing next to Leo. You waved in greeting before glancing at Leo; he had a stiff grin on his face and you turned back to the two strangers to introduce yourself. “Hi, I’m Y/n.” You said. 

The tallest turtle with a large spiked shell smiled down at you. “I’m Raphael. You can call me Raph. This is Donnie.” He gestured to the turtle standing next to him that looked about Leo’s height. 

“I’m Mikey.” Your turtle dance partner spoke up. You jumped a little, not realizing he had followed you.

Raph put his hand on Leo’s shoulder and the turtle flinched slightly. “Leo here is our brother.”

“Oh!” You grinned. “It’s lovely to meet you.” You could already tell you were going to get along well with Leo’s brothers as you hit it off talking about anything and everything as you asked them many questions about the kingdom. They gave you a short tour, Mikey bouncing around with excitement as he explained everything that caught your eye. You introduced them to Mondo and they met Mayhem and soon your strange little group was wandering around the streets. 

Seeing some kids drawing with chalk, you gasped excitedly and raced over. Mikey joined you and together you both created a beautiful piece of art depicting the sun crest with people dancing around it. By the end both your hands were covered in purple chalk. But neither of you seemed to care.

Eventually the music beckoned you back to the dancing and you flowed effortlessly back into the crowd. The boys all watched you float among the crowd. As you reached the edge again you gestured for Leo to join you, but he declined. Unhappy with that, Mayhem pushed Leo, causing him to stumble forward and get swept up by a passing dancer. The turtle glared back at the horse unamused as he was forced to join the dancing. Mondo, Mayhem, and his brother’s laughed as he left. 

The music continued and you both switched from partner to partner, dancing along with the crowd. Leo slowly got into the rhythm and began smiling. You both grinned as you were heading toward each other for a dance, but two different partners pulled you away. You laughed softly at the absurdity as you got further apart.

With the sun lowering in the sky some people stepped out of the dancing crowd, though you stayed, and as long as you stayed, Leo stayed, hoping to catch a dance with you. As the song crescendoed, you spun around the center with your eyes closed. Leo took the moment to head toward you and as the last note played across the strings he caught you in his arms. Staring into each other’s eyes you both breathed heavily from all the dancing, soft smiles on your lips.

From the side lines his brothers watched with knowing grins. Mikey had the biggest grin as he bounced on his heels happy for the both of you. 

“To the boats!” Someone in the crowd shouted and people began to disperse for the lantern ceremony. Your eyes widened and you looked around before pulling away from Leo with a slight blush to your cheeks. 

You said goodbye to Leo’s brothers as you made your way to the docks, the boys were gonna watch the lanterns from a different spot: Raph had to convince the other two to let you both have your private moment. 

Leo helped you into the boat and sat down in the back, as he began rowing out to sea he glanced back at Mayhem who was sitting on the dock watching you get farther away. The turtle grinned softly and tossed a bag of apples toward the horse. “Hey Mayhem.” The horse narrowed his eyes as he saw the apples spill from the bag onto the dock. “What? I bought them.” Leo said. 

Satisfied Mayhem began to eat.

“Most of them.” Leo added and Mayhem froze. 

Leo chuckled as you shook your head. “Where are we going?” You asked as you looked back at him. 

“Well, best day of your life. I figured you should have a decent seat.” Leo explained as he helped Mondo off his shoulder and onto the cleat of the boat with the rope tied around it. 

As Leo paddled out to the open water the sky darkened around you. From there you could see the whole kingdom. Your heart hammered with nerves as you sighed. The sound caught Leo’s attention and he glanced at you.

“You okay?” He asked softly.

“I'm terrified.” You admitted, glancing at your reflection in the water.

“Why?”

“I've been looking out the window for eighteen years. Dreaming about what it would feel like when those lights rise in the sky. What if it's not everything that I dreamed it would be?” You voiced your concerns as you stared at the sky.

Leo watched you with a soft expression. “It will be.” He declared.

You exhaled and looked toward him. “And what if it is? What do I do then?” 

 “Well that's the good part, I guess.” Leo looked across the water toward the kingdom. “You get to go find a new dream.” He grinned toward you and you chuckled slightly. Comfortable silence settled around you as you waited for the lanterns to rise.

༻✧༺

Across the water, up in the castle, the queen straightened the metal hanging around the king’s neck. She offered a soft smile but that fell upon seeing her husband’s expression of shame and grief. The queen frowned and placed her hand on his cheek. He leaned into her touch, into her comfort as the grief of the day weighed heavy on his shoulders, on both of their shoulders. 

The tears in his eyes slid down his cheek and the queen raised her other hand to wipe it away. She once again offered a small smile, offering him strength. He sighed and they walked together toward the balcony.

The doors opened silently and a single lit lantern with the sun emblem on it waited for them. They reached it arm in arm with somber expressions. Together they lifted the lantern into the sky watching it float higher as they both silently made the same wish they’ve been dreaming for 18 years.

“Let it guide her home.” The queen whispered under her breath, near inaudible.

༻✧༺

The night was tranquil. You couldn’t quite see the stars behind the clouds but that was okay, you had your heart set on a different sight anyway. You could hear the soft splash of water every time you dropped a delicate flower into the sea. Leonardo sat next to you in the boat. He held more flowers in his palm from helping you pull out a few extra. You knew you had plenty weaved into the large braid of your hair. 

You grabbed a purple flower from his palm with a soft smile and dropped it into the water just like the previous flowers and it drifted out a little, surrounding the reflection of the kingdom. Because you were so focused on the water and reflection, you immediately noticed the small golden fleck rising from the castle. Your eyes widened in realization. 

All those days watching from the windows

You looked up to see the single glowing light drifting higher in the sky. 

All those years outside looking in

As the boat drifted, you scrambled to your feet, needing to get a better view. Leonardo fell back, off balance from the sudden movement; the flowers in his hand went flying into the water. You barely stumbled as you raced to the bow of the boat, throwing your arms around the decorative curl to keep yourself from falling as the boat rocked. 

All that time never even knowing

As you watched the first lantern rise, a ton more began floating from the base of the castle, casting the area in a warm yellow glow. 

Just how blind I've been

You exhaled in disbelief. It was happening. Really happening. You were gonna see the lights you’ve been dreaming about for 18 years. 

Now I'm here, blinking in the starlight 

Even from the larger boats closer to the docks, you saw hundreds of lanterns being let go. Hundreds of lanterns floating up to replace the stars in the sky.

Now I'm here, suddenly I see

From everywhere in the kingdom lanterns floated freely toward the sky. 

Standing here, it's all so clear 

I'm where I'm meant to be

In awe you could only stare as the lanterns drifted up on the night breeze.

And at last I see the light

And it's like the fog has lifted

The lanterns were everywhere, and it was more beautiful than you could ever appreciate from your windowsill in that tower.

And at last I see the light

And it's like the sky is new

With a smile on your lips, and a heart pounding in your chest, you leaned against the curl of the boat, your cheek against your hands as you admired the perfect view. 

And it's warm and real and bright

The lanterns danced around above you, circling each other and surrounding everything. Warm light illuminating the night.

And the world has somehow shifted

A wish that forever felt out of your reach, suddenly sat in your palm. You got your dream. What now? You looked down slightly in thought, watching the reflections in the water. Your heart twisting slightly as you found yourself thinking about a certain thief who made this dream a reality.

All at once everything looks different

Golden light graced the side of your face. A light a lot closer than any of the other lanterns in the sky. Curious, you turned and saw Leonardo holding two lanterns with the softest smile on his face. 

Now that I see you

Your heart skipped a beat and you excitedly moved down from your perch at the bow of the boat to sit across from Leonardo. Humming, you smiled brightly as he offered out the lanterns. Your mind drifted to the satchel you stuck by your spot in the boat. 

“I have something for you too.” You admitted reaching over to the hidden bag. With a grin, you produced it and the crown nestled inside. 

Leonardo looked slightly surprised to see it, but he blinked that away and looked at you.

“I should have given it to you before, but I was just scared.” You glanced off to the side as you explained. “And the thing is…I’m not scared anymore. You know what I mean?” You asked as you glanced back up to meet his gaze.

His gaze was soft as he reached out and lowered the satchel without ever looking at it, his full attention was on you. “I’m starting to.” He said.

You grinned softly, your heart skipping more beats for the turtle that stole your heart. He handed you one of the lanterns, your fingertips brushing as you moved to cup it. Together you both slowly lifted your lanterns, letting them join the massive amount around you. 

All those days chasing down a daydream

You both watched the lanterns for as long as you could as they spun around each other. Until they got lost among the many.

All those years living in a blur

All that time, never truly seeing

Things the way they were

Leo watched the lanterns with awe. Everything around was bathed in golden light. The sea had turned to gold as the light reflected everywhere. It was truly a beautiful sight, but as his gaze dropped his smile settled into a different type of admiration as he stared at the most beautiful woman he ever did see: you. 

Now she's here, shining in the starlight

You were leaning over the edge of the boat taking in the light with the brightest smile, the hundreds of lanterns reflected in your eyes making them glitter light the night sky. 

Now she's here, suddenly I know

He watched as you looked out across the water and noticed something. You gestured for him to see too before you pointed at what you saw: a lantern different from all the rest with a golden sun decorating it.

You reached across the water as the lantern floated closer. It looked like the thing might get wet, but you managed to brush your fingertips along a bottom edge and guide it back up into the sky. Leonardo was hardly looking at the lantern.

If she's here, it's crystal clear

His eyes dart down to your hands resting against the edge of the boat. He made up his mind and reached for your hand with his.

I'm where I'm meant to go

Leonardo gently cups your hand with his. You glanced toward him with wide eyes. Your heart pounding as you scooted slightly closer to him. 

“And at last I see the light.” Both your hands interlocked as the lanterns became backdrop while you stared into each other’s eyes.

“And it's like the fog has lifted.” His voice was melodic.

“And at last I see the light.”

“And it's like the sky is new.”

“And it's warm and real and bright and the world has somehow shifted. All at once, everything is different. Now that I see you.” Leonardo pulled your hands closer to him as you both found yourselves leaning toward each other. His hand let go of one of yours and reached up to brush a few strands of hair out of your face. “Now that I see you.”

His hand came to rest cupping your jaw as his thumb brushed your cheek. His eyes glittered with the golden light and you tilted your head as you both leaned in more. Leonardo seemed to pull you closer. You closed your eyes as you felt his warm breath against your lips. Your heart hammered in your chest and you felt like you were glowing brighter than all the lanterns around you. With bated breath, you waited for him to close the miniscule distance. Oh, how you wanted him to kiss you then.

But he never did.

Leo’s attention was drawn to the three figures on the shore bathed in green light from their lantern: the Mud Dogs. Leonard glared at Leo as the three of them turned and disappeared behind some rocks.

Concerned, you glanced over your shoulder but didn’t see anything. “Everything okay?” You asked Leo, nervous you had misread a sign somewhere.

“Huh? Oh yes.” Leo chuckled nervously as he glanced down at the satchel. “Uh, yes of course. I just…” He frowned as he stared at it before pausing in thought. Leo quickly rowed you to the shore. He jumped out of the boat and pulled it ashore. “I’m sorry everything is fine.” He reassured and picked the satchel up out of the boat. “There's just something I have to take care of.” He explained.

Heart hammering in your chest you glanced from the satchel to his face. Your mother’s words echoing in your mind. “Okay.” You said trying not to sound too nervous.

Leo nodded. “I’ll be right back.” He promised and turned to walk away. 

You watched him walk through the fog. Mondo climbed up on your shoulder and squeaked. “It’s alright Mondo.” You reassured, but it felt like it was directed more toward yourself as you watched Leo disappear into the fog. 

༻✧༺

After a short walk Leo broke through the foliage to see Leonard sitting on rock sharpening a stick. In the water a boat rocked lightly with the waves. Leo put on a grin as he approached. 

“Ahh, there you are.” He chuckled to calm his nerves. “I've been searching everywhere for you guys. Since we got separated. Hey, the mullet’s coming in nice, huh? You gotta be excited about that.” The yokai paused for a moment and gave Leo a rather unimpressed side eye. As the silence hung around them, Leo cleared his throat. “Anyhow, just wanted to say, I shouldn't have split.” He tossed the satchel to Leonard, the crown sliding out as it landed. “The crown is all yours. I'll miss you, but I think it's for the…” Leo turned to leave but ran into Danny, Micky standing beside him, both with matching scowls. “Best.” Leo ended with a nervous breath.

“Holding out on us again? Ey, Jitsu?” Leonard asked with a tilt of his head.

With wide eyes Leo looked back at Leonard. “What?” 

Leonard stood up off the rock, flipping his knife as he did. “We heard you found something.” He threw the knife on the ground where it stabbed into the dirt. “Something much more valuable than a crown.” Leonard stated as he walked closer, kicking the crown as he did so. The three Mud Dogs surrounded Leo, blocking any chance for his escape as Leonard approached. “We want her, instead.” The yokai glared.

Leo’s heart hammered in his chest as he tried to think of a way out of there.

༻✧༺

Back by the boat you waited anxiously, continuously scanning the fog for any sign of Leonardo. You felt like he had been gone too long. You breathed a sigh of relief when you finally saw a figure walking toward you. 

You smiled. “I was starting to think you ran off with the crown and left me.” However, your expression turned to confusion and fear as the single silhouette split into three different figures. 

“He did.” The front figure, an ogre yokai, stated with a grin.

You couldn’t believe it and shook your head. “What? No. He wouldn't.” 

The ogre just shrugged and gestured to the water where a boat was sailing away. “See for yourself.” 

With a narrowed gaze you watched the three yokai out of the corner of your eye as you approached the edge of the water and stared out at the retreating boat. Your heart plummeted as you made out Leo’s figure in the shadows. “Leonardo?” You whispered in disbelief. “Leonardo!” You shouted for him but received no answer nor acknowledgement. 

“Fair trade.” The rat spoke up this time as they circled you. You flinched as you felt the ogre touch your hair. “A crown, for the girl with the magic hair.” Your eyes widened: he had told them about your hair? 

You spun around and took a step back trying to put distance between you and the three thugs. 

“How much do you think someone will pay to stay young and healthy forever?” The ogre asked with a mocking tone as he pulled out a large sack. 

Putting your hands up you backed away. “No, please. Stay back!” You shouted. Thinking fast, you kicked the rat in the shin and used the opening to run away. You heard one of them shout “after her!” and you kept running. You jumped a log only to gasp in pain as your head was pulled back. Your braid had gotten stuck on one of the branches. Trying to break free, you pulled desperately on your hair, fearful that at any moment the thugs would round the corner and catch you. 

Three sharp thuds echoed on the shore followed by grunts of pain. Confused, you paused to listen.

“Y/n!?” Big Mama’s voice shouted from around the corner. 

“Mother?” You whispered in disbelief and quickly untangled your hair before walking back around the bend.

Big Mama stood over the three thugs with a heavy branch in her hands. All three of the yokai were on the ground out cool. When she saw you, Big Mama dropped the branch. “Oh, my precious flower.” 

“Mother.” You sighed and ran to her for a hug. 

She held you tight for a moment before checking you over. “Are you alright? Are you hurt?” You pulled away and she caressed your cheek.

“Mother h-how did you?” 

“I was so worried about you dear. So I followed you.” She explained. “And I saw them attack you.” She pulled you in for another hug. Looking around, Big Mama began pulling you toward the forest. “Let's go, let's go before they come too.”

You paused and glanced back across the water, Leo’s boat having gotten smaller as it sailed away. You couldn’t even see him on it anymore. Tears welled in your eyes as you stared and hoped he’d turn around or something, that this all was just some cruel dream. He never turned around and you were there standing alone on the shore. 

No, not alone.

Glancing over your shoulder you saw your mother standing at the edge of the woods holding a green lantern. She took in your heartbroken expression and set down her lantern. With a sympathetic gaze she opened her arms to you. 

You sobbed and raced into her arms. Big Mama stroked your hair as she held you. “You were right, mother. You were right about everything.” You cried.

“I know darling. I know.” Big Mama whispered as she leaned down to pick up the lantern. She held you close the whole walk back to the tower.

༻✧༺

By the castle docks, Leo’s ship silently floated closer until it ran into the stone. The noise caught the attention of the guards. Peering over the edge, the two guards noticed Leo at the wheel and the crown by his hand. “Look! The crown.” The stolen item seemed to distract them from the ropes tied around Leo’s upper body and hands.

Groggily Leo shook his head as he came too. “Y/n.” He mumbled. Upon noticing his predicament his eyes widened. “Y/n!” He called again and glanced back across the sea but there was nothing for him to see. 

The thudding of fast approaching boots took Leo’s attention to the four guards racing over and jumping onto the boat.

“No! No, no, no. Wait, wait, wait. Guys, guys.” Mayhem, from his spot on the dock, glanced over confused at the panicked tone of Leo’s voice. He watches as the guards haul Leo out of the boat and force him to move. Leo tried to fight it, looking back at the mainland where he knew you were in trouble. “Y/n!” Mayhem too looked across the mist as he felt something was terribly wrong. He had to get help.

Leo didn’t get any rest as he paced around his cell until the sun rose again. His mind was a whirl of concerns for you. He had to think of a way out of there to save you but every plan seemed impossible. He grabbed the bars of his window. They wouldn’t budge, he had tried pulling them off earlier in the night. 

Keys in a lock and a squeaky metal hinge notified Leo of company. He glanced over his shoulder to see the captain of the guard, Cassandra, and two other guards waiting for him. 

“Let's get this over with, Jitsu.” Cassandra hissed.

“Where are we going?” Leo asked as he pulled away from the window. Cassandra’s stare only hardened and Leo understood. He reached for his neck. “Oh.”

༻✧༺

  You hadn’t said anything since returning to the tower. Big Mama brought you up to your room straight away and began pulling the flowers out of your hair. Once she got the last one, she hummed. “There, it never happened.” She stood from the bed, picking up the basket she collected all the flowers in as she did. “Now, wash up for dinner. I'm making hazelnut soup.” She grinned but upon seeing your crestfallen face still staring at the floor she sighed.

“I really did try, Y/n. I tried to warn you, what was out there. The world is dark, and selfish, and cruel. If it finds even the slightest ray of sunshine, It destroys it.” Big Mama closed the curtains as she left. 

You glanced up for a moment then looked back down at your lap. Opening your palms revealed the purple and golden flag Leo had bought you at the festival. The fabric was warm in your grip as you stared at the golden sun in the center. You thought over every moment, wondering where it had all gone so wrong. You never should have left your tower.

At your side Mondo squeaked and turned blue as he leaned against you offering you comfort. You frowned looking back at the flag before holding it to your chest and falling back onto your bed. With a sigh you stared at your ceiling and the many paintings you’ve done over the years.

Something nagged at you as you stared and you narrowed your eyes. Holding up the flag in front of you, you compared it to a silhouette in one of your paintings. As the similarities popped, you sat up. Your gaze darted around various paintings in your room and each one had a sun shape in it. Every single shape seemed to glow golden, brighter and brighter as you stood from your bed. 

Deep within the subconscious of your mind a memory flickered. You had seen the golden sun above you once before. A long, long time ago. The sun was accompanied by some blurry faces that your mind instantly filled in with the mural of the king and queen. The similarities between you and the child in their arms blared in your mind like alarms. A newer memory of you putting on the crown you found in Leo’s bag overlaid the memory of the child in the mural: the crown had fit you perfectly.

All of the realization crashed down on your shoulders and you gasped, struggling for breath as you stumbled back into your vanity. Thousands of questions and thoughts flashed within your mind but one stuck out the most.

Who is that woman downstairs?

༻✧༺

A guard each had an arm around Leo’s as they walked him down the corridor. His hands were cuffed behind his back and his mind was racing. He had to save you. He had to find you. There’s no telling what those Mud Dogs would do to you…

Wait.

Leo glared as he saw said thugs trapped behind bars of their own. He needed answers so Leo slammed into the guard on his left, knocking him down. The second guard tried to punch him, but Leo was quicker and headbutted him before jumping over his cuffs to bring his hands to his front. The turtle dashed to the cell and grabbed Leonard’s shirt through the bars. With a snarl the turtle pulled him forward and the ogre hit his head on the bars.

“How did you know about her?! Tell me, now!” He demanded.

“It wasn't us! It was the old lady!” Leonard stammered.

“Old lady?” Leo muttered confused. Who would–His eyes widened in realization just as the guards regained themselves and grabbed Leo. “Wait, no, wait!” Leo called out as the guards forced him to keep moving. “You don't understand, she's in trouble. Wait!” He begged, but no one would listen.

༻✧༺

“Y/n?” The woman called up from the base of the stairs. “Y/n what’s going on up there?”

Your breath came in ragged pants as you grappled with the realization that 18 years of your life had been a lie. Now you had to confront the only one who knew the truth. You pushed apart your curtains, still breathing heavily, and you saw Big Mama near the top of the stairs. 

“Are you alright?” She asked with concern.

“I’m the lost princess.” You mumbled, voicing the words sent a strange mix of emotions to your brain.

Big Mama scoffed and rolled her eyes. “Please, speak up, Y/n. You know how I hate the mumbling.” She snapped.

“I am the lost princess!” You state loudly. “Aren't I?” You looked at her as her eyes widened. “Did I mumble, Mother?” You asked as you stepped out of your room, the curtains closing behind you. “Or should I even call you that?” You sneered.

Big Mama stood frozen a moment longer before scoffing a laugh and going up the rest of the stairs. “Y/n, do you even hear yourself? Why would you ask such a ridiculous question?” She chuckled and opened her arms for a hug.

You shoved her away. “It was you! It was all you!”

Big Mama’s gaze turned cool and calculating as she looked down at you. “Everything I did, was to protect you.” She responded. Shaking your head, you shoved her aside and marched down the stairs. “Y/n!” She called after you.

“I spent my entire life! Hiding from people who would use me for my power.” 

“Y/n!” Big Mama shouted louder.

When you reached the bottom of the stairs you turned and glared at the woman. “I should have been hiding...from YOU!”

Big Mama narrowed her eyes. “Where will you go?”

༻✧༺

He won’t be there for you.

Leo fought against the guards desperate to get free, but they had strength in numbers.

What did you do to him?

His eyes widened as he passed a window overlooking the gallows, the lone noose waiting for him in the gray light.

That criminal is to be hanged for his crimes.

༻✧༺

You stumbled back and gasped. Leo was going to die? “No.” You whispered, curling in on yourself.

Big Mama circled you. She leaned down as she got in front of you. “Now, now. It's all right. Listen to me.” She soothed. “All of this is as it should be.” She went to pat your head but you intercepted it, grabbing her wrist tight.

“No!” You snapped. “You were wrong about the world!” Big Mama tried to pull her arm out of your grip but couldn’t. “And you were wrong about me! And I will never let you use my hair AGAIN!” 

When she got her arm out of your grip she stumbled back, knocking into the mirror which tipped it and caused it to shatter as it hit the ground. Big Mama breathed heavily as she looked at you. You glared right back before turning and marching toward the exit.

“You want me to be the bad guy?” Big Mama stood and followed you with a dark glint in her eyes. “Fine. Now I'm the bad guy.”

༻✧༺

Leo kept trying to free himself from the guard’s hold but they kept their grip tight and didn’t get close enough for him to hit them with his shoulder as he threw his weight around. Escape at this point seemed like an impossibility as Leo stopped fighting. His gaze was drawn to something shiny in a small alcove and he glanced over to see…a ceramic unicorn? His eyes widened when he recognized it.

In front of Cassandra the door suddenly slammed shut. She startled in confusion as the door to their right and the one behind also slammed shut. “What's this?” She asked and started banging on the door. “Open up!” She demanded.

The window slot opened up to reveal a smug grin. “What’s the password?” Mikey asked and slid the window shut again. 

“What?” Cassandra asked.

Mikey opened the window and chuckled. “Nope.” The window shut again.

“Open this door!” Cassandra shouted.

Mikey frowned as he opened the window. “Not even close.” The window shut again. Leo chuckled softly under his breath.

“You have three seconds.” Cassandra stated. “One.” She began and the guard next to Leo was lifted off his feet by a hook. The second guard gasped as both he and Leo looked at the ceiling. “Two.” Cassandra continued. Leo looked back at the second guard, who was pointing at the ceiling with his mouth open about to say something when the door behind him opened up and a large hand grabbed him by the face, pulling him into the room. His helmet fell off and clattered to the floor. The noise caused Cassandra to turn around. “Three…?” 

Leo offered a small wave with a shit eating grin as he now stood alone in the hall. The door opened behind Cassandra and Attila appeared with a frying pan. He hit her over the back of her head and she fell unconscious. 

“Frying pans. Who knew, right?” Leo grinned. However the moment was short lived as the heavy thudding against the back door drew his attention. Behind him a bunch more guards broke down the door. 

Leo hadn’t even noticed Donnie appeared to remove his cuffs before he was dragged to the right by his twin as Vladimir and Mikey ran the other way. Leo ran behind Donnie and Attila as the guards split up to chase down both groups. 

“Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.” Donnie was muttering over and over as they ran. 

The three of them ran past Ulf who caused the guards to stop in confusion with his mime routine. The guards watched in confusion as the mime acted like there was an invisible wall there before looking off to his right.

Following the guards looked to their left and saw Vladimir charging at them. They dropped their swords and screamed before Vladimir plowed them over. Ulf made a silent surprised face as he looked off in the distance.

Leo was still following Donnie through the halls. “Wouldn’t get caught you said.” Donnie scoffed.

“Hey I was set up.” Leo argued.

“Whatever, dumb dumb.” Donnie rolled his eyes. They turned and entered a courtyard. Leo froze as he saw the swarms of guards approaching. How was he supposed to escape that?! His thought was cut off by large hands grabbing him around the upper arms. Hook Hand placed him on the edge of the wagon.

“Head down.”

“Head down.” Leo repeated the phrase and movement.

“Arms in.”

“Arms in.”

“Knees apart.”

“Knees apart.” Leo paused, confused. “Knees apart?” From up on the balcony Raph jumped off the edge landing on the handles of the wagon. “Why do I need to keep my…” Leo’s question was cut off by a scream as the wagon launched him into the air. Leo keeps his position as he flies through the air, screaming all the while until he lands safely on Mayhem’s saddle.

The horse grinned as he looked up at the turtle.

“Mayhem. You brought them here?” Leo asked as he slowly lowered his arms. Mayhem nodded once. “Thank you.” Mayhem shrugged like it was no big deal. “No really, thank you. Uh, I feel maybe this whole time we've just been misunderstanding one another. And we really just…” Leo paused as Mayhem looked unimpressed. “yeah you're right. We should go.” Leo nodded.

The door behind them was kicked open by a couple of guards and Mayhem whinnied as he took off. The guards shot their crossbows, but none of them hit. More guards came from the other side to cut them off, but Mayhem showed no intention of slowing down as he raced right for the ledge.

“Mayhem?” Leo questioned in concern. “Mayhem!” Mayhem leapt across the gap and Leo screamed all the while. “I hate this! I hate this!” Mayhem slid down another roof and sailed over a young girl who was standing in the road. Mayhem landed, just barely missing a pedestrian and galloped down the road. 

Leo glanced behind him, not seeing any guards he grinned. “Okay Mayhem, let’s see how fast you can run.” Mayhem whinnied and picked up speed as they crossed the bridge. 

They charged through the woods, following a path Mayhem had once chased Leo until they got to the curtain of vines. By the time they reached the hidden gorge, the sun was hidden behind some thick clouds, dulling everything. Mayhem raced right up to the base of the tower and Leo jumped off. 

“Y/n? Y/n! Let down your hair.” When there was no response Leo stepped forward ready to climb the bricks himself. He paused when he heard the door open above. He stepped back as the long hair was thrown from the top of the tower and cascaded all the way down to him. 

With a grin on his face, Leo quickly climbed up the tower using your hair. He hauled himself over the ledge and into the tower. “Y/n I thought I’d never see you again.” He exclaimed happily, but his grin fell at the sight of you bound with chains and a gag over your mouth.

You desperately tried to call out a warning to him as Big Mama got behind him. Leo gasped in pain as the blade slipped into his side. He hissed as he took a knee before falling over on his side.

“LEO!” You screamed, your voice muffled by the gag.

“Now look what you've done, Y/n.” Big Mama scoffed as she gestured down at Leo. She shook her head as she glanced back up at you. “Oh don't worry dear. Our secret will die with him.” She stepped over Leo and walked toward you. 

You kept pulling at the chains, trying to get over to him. Big Mama unhooked the chains. She held on tight and pulled you back. 

“And as for us? We are going where no one will ever find you, again.” She hissed, pulling you toward the open panel in the floor. 

“Leo!” You called again, still fighting with all your strength. Mondo raced over and bit Big Mama’s dress trying to help you. Noticing the little chameleon, Big Mama kicked him away and he hit the wall and landed with a soft wheeze.

“Y/N, REALLY! ENOUGH ALREADY! STOP. FIGHTING ME!” Big Mama shouted as she almost had you above the hole. You managed to throw yourself away from the hole in the floor as the fabric around your mouth fell.

You shook your head. “NO! I won't stop. For every minute of the rest of my life I will fight. I will never stop trying to get away from you.” You took a few deep breaths. “But, if you let me save him... I will go with you.” You bargained. Big Mama loosened her hold a little with interest. 

By the door Leo looked at you through the pain in his eyes. “No. No, Y/n…”

“I'll never run, I'll never try to escape. Just let me heal him. And you and I will be together. Forever, just like you want. Everything will be the way it was. I promise. Just like you want.” When she doesn’t respond you beg. “Just let me heal him.”

Her calculating gaze lifted a little as she thought about it.

She removed the chains from you and slapped them onto Leo’s wrist. “In case you get any ideas about following us.” She sneered and tossed his arm down before walking away.

Leo coughed in pain as he leaned against the staircase railing. “Leonardo!” You shouted as you scrambled to his side. You placed your hands on his cheeks as he tried to sit up, but fell back down in pain. He hissed in pain as he grabbed his side. One of your hands went to his shoulder while the other grabbed his hand and slowly lifted it away from the wound. Blood was pouring out and dripping onto the floor. 

You winced. “Oh, I'm so sorry. Everything is going to be okay, though.” You grabbed a bunch of your hair ready to put it over the wound.

“No, Y/n.” Leonardo wheezed.

“I promise, you have to trust me.” You said and moved to place the hair.

Leo pushed your arms away. “No.” 

“Come on. Just breathe.” You said.

“I can’t let you do this.” Leo said as he looked up at you.

“And I can't let you die.” You felt the tears welling up in your eyes. You needed to save him, you didn’t care the cost.

“But if you do this…” He coughed and you shushed him lightly not wanting him to strain himself. “You will die.”

You smiled softly. “Hey. It's gonna be alright.” You whispered.

Leo’s hand fell away from your arm as he stopped fighting you. You took it as an invitation and layed your hair across his abdomen. “Y/n, wait…” Leo groaned and brushed a lock of hair out of your face. He caressed your head and pulled you in slightly. Leaning in your heart fluttered as you believed him to be going in for a kiss. Instead you felt a weight fall off as he thrusted forward and sliced through your hair with a shard from the mirror.

Exhausted, he fell limp and the glass clattered to the ground. He was gonna die either way and he’d rather die in your arms than at the end of a rope.

“Leo, what?” You gasped in disbelief as you grabbed your now short hair, dulled and void of its previous power. 

“NOOO!” Big Mama shouted out in anguish. You watched as all your hair began quickly dulling. Big Mama scooped up what was still shining, but that too quickly dulled in her arms. “No...NO! What have you done?!” She gasped as her skin wrinkled and grayed in an instant. “WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!” Her hair lost its volume and shine as well while Big Mama stumbled toward the shattered mirror. He single reflection was split into multiple as she stared at her rapidly aging face. “No, no, no, NOOO!” She pulled her hood over her face as she hid from the world, from the truth.

As she backed up toward the window, Mondo took the opportunity to pull on some of your hair, stretching it across the way and causing Big Mama to trip out the open window. You watched in horror as she screamed and fell backwards. 

Before she even reached the ground, Big Mama’s screams stopped and only her cloak spilled against the grass. 

You breathed heavily as you turned away from the window. That was still the woman you’d known as mother your whole life, but that concern quickly washed away when you glanced back at Leo, who was limp on the ground. “No, no, no, no, Leo....” You pulled him into your lap. He coughed weakly but didn’t open his eyes. “Oh, look at me, look at me, I'm right here.” You begged and caressed his face. “Don't go, stay with me, Leo....” You placed his hand on top of your short hair and did the only thing you hoped would work. “Flower gleam and glow let your p-powers shine,” You sobbed out the song. “Make the clock reverse, bring back what once was mine…”

“Y/n…” Leo turned your head toward him.

“What?” You asked softly as your vision swam with tears.

“You were my new dream.” He admitted weakly with a small smile.

You chuckled which turned into a sniffle. “and you were mine.” Leo grinned softly before his expression fell slack and his body limp. He had saved you, he didn’t care the cost.

Tears burned your eyes as you held him in your arms afraid to let go. You brushed the side of his head, your thumb caressing the red moons behind his mask. Grief hung heavy around you. 

“Heal what has been hurt…” You continue softly. “Change the fates' design…Save what has been lost...Bring back what once was mine…” Your voice cracked slightly at the end as you pressed your forehead to his. “What once was mine.” You cried softly and closed your eyes causing a tear to slip down your face and land on Leo’s cheek.

The tear stayed there a moment before it absorbed into Leo’s skin, leaving a bright golden light. The light bloomed and swirled before disappearing. Out of the corner of your eye you saw tendrils of light seeping out of the wound. You gasped with wide eyes as the light grew and grew; it swirled around you and lit up the entire room, chasing away the grief and replacing it with hope. The light bloomed in the shape of a flower before disappearing. 

You checked the area, not even a scar. Brushing your hair out of your face you leaned over Leo. His eyes flicked and slowly opened as he looked at you.

“Y/n?” He whispered. 

You gasped. “Leo.”

“Did I ever tell you I’ve got a thing for short hair?” Leo asked.

You laughed and threw yourself on him, wrapping your arms around his shoulders in a tight hug. “Leonardo!” He was back. He really was back. He hugged you back just as tight, burying his face in the crook of your neck. When you finally pulled away, you laughed some more before you pulled him in by the lip of his plastron and kissed him. You both melted into it as the sun streamed in from the windows. 

༻✧༺

In the castle the queen was reading a book while the king stared out the window. The peace was interrupted as a guard threw open the doors. The royals looked over confused. Not saying anything, the guard just nodded with a wide eyed expression. The queen stood from her chair in disbelief. 

She raced out the room, the king hot on her heels. They raced up the few steps before the doors to the balcony and paused. They hesitated: it had been so long. The queen looked at her husband and they both took a breath. Together they opened the doors. 

You and Leo were standing on the balcony looking out over the kingdom; you turned around when you heard the doors opening. Nervously fiddling with your hands you stepped forward as the king and queen stared at you. Slowly the queen descended the steps and you couldn’t help but notice that she looked a lot like you.

The queen stepped forward until she could cup your cheek. She exhaled softly and smiled with tears in her eyes as she looked at you. Her baby had come home. Your mother pulled you in for a hug and you wrapped your arms around her as well. This felt right. 

You opened your eyes to see the king, your father, looking down with tears in his eyes as well. He chuckled and hugged you as well. You were pressed between your mother and your father, love and comfort pouring out of them as they held tight. Together the three of you slowly sank to your knees as the relief of finally being reunited washed over you. This felt like home. 

Leo watched with a soft smile from where he stood. The queen opened her eyes and offered him her hand. Thinking she was going to shake his hand or something, Leo took it. Only to gasp in surprise as he was yanked into the group hug. 

Well, you could imagine what happened next.

The people danced in the streets as banners were put up and music played loudly. It very much resembled the lantern festival as the people celebrated.

The kingdom rejoiced. The lost Princess had returned. The party lasted an entire week. And, honestly I don't remember much of it.

Hook Hand played the piano beautifully for the party as people around clapped and danced. He grinned as he went to turn the page of music only for his hook to get caught on it. He tried to shake the paper off, while still playing, but instead his hook went flying. 

Dreams came true all over the place. That guy went on to become the most famous concert pianist in the world. If you can believe it.

The hook sailed through the air until it hit the Lover guy in the head, knocking his helmet clean off. He looked around in confusion for his helmet only to turn and see it had landed on the head of a beautiful woman. She grinned softly as she lifted the helmet and looked at him.

And this guy? Well he eventually found true love.

Ulf performed some of his mime routine and a group of people watched on slightly confused as he pretended to walk down some stairs that weren’t there.

As for this guy, well, I assume he's happy. He's never told me otherwise.

Mayhem stomped and the lines of guards in front of him lifted their frying pans as he walked under them with a proud grin.

Thanks to Mayhem, crime in the kingdom disappeared almost over night.

Noticing the gap, Mayhem glared as the late guard rushed over. The guard chuckled sheepishly and offered a green apple. Mayhem side-eyed the rest of the guards as he accepted the apology gift.

As did most of the apples.

The little girls that braided your hair for the festival held different fruits up to Mondo. The little chameleon grabbed a grape and turned purple. They offered him and orange slice and he took that too, turning orange. The little girls giggled.

Mondo, never changed.

The girls offered Mondo back to you and he crawled up onto your shoulder. You chuckled at him, glad to see he was getting along with people. Your mother and father approached pulling you in for a hug. Every time they saw you they’d give you a hug, not that you cared because you were finally home.

At last Y/n was home, and she finally had a real family. She was a Princess worth waiting for.

As you pulled away from your parents you began mingling with the people again. The little yokai child that had placed a flower at your mural earlier stood there with a shy grin as she offered you a purple flower. You smiled and took it from her and tucked it behind her ear.

But above all, she led her kingdom with all the grace and wisdom that her parents did before her.

The child grinned and wrapped her arms around you for a hug, which you returned with a smile. Letting go, the child waved as they moved on to enjoy the festivities. You smiled as you waved as well. You did not notice that your crown was no longer perched atop your head.

And as for me, well. I started going by Leonardo again. Stopped thieving, basically turned it all around.

When you felt something missing you reached up: your crown was gone. Shaking your head with a fond grin you crossed your arms and turned to the turtle behind you. Leo pretended to whistle and act natural as you held out your hand. 

But I know what the big question is; did Y/n and I ever get married?

Leo held the crown above your hand but when you went to grab it he pulled it out of reach. Your eyes widened as you exhaled a laugh. You jumped up for it and Leo once again held it out of your reach. Smirking, you grabbed the lip of his plastron and pulled him in for a dip.

Well I'm pleased to tell you. After years, and years of asking, and asking, and asking.

You chuckled and rolled your eyes as you leaned in and kissed him. Leo placed the crown back on your head as you both melted into the kiss.

I finally said yes.

From within the crowd, Mikey clapped and cheered with the biggest grin on his face. Both Donnie and Raph also looked happy for their brother as they saw you and Leo embrace.

Leonardo…

All right, I asked her.

And we're living happily ever after.

Yes, we are.

[eldritchamy]

We probably won’t see it in great detail in the campaign itself, for a number of reasons (not the least of which is that this is a fade-to-black campaign that has to be Twitch-safe), but I’m just thinking about the symmetry of Laudna and Imogen and what it’s going to be like the first time they have sex (if ever, because it’s very possible for Laudna to be played as ace, which Imogen would of course respect, but just hypothetically and for no self indulgent reasons whatsoever).

They really mirror each other in such beautiful ways. They have a deeply intimate relationship built on years of comfort and trust and the safety that they find in each other. They are each other’s tether, and have the kind of emotional home in each other to have said so before they acknowledged these feelings.

These two women are absolutely reverent for each other.

They’ve been traveling together for at least two years. They went to a red light district together where they thought the tiefling girls and their tassels were pretty. Imogen canonically experiences the thoughts and feelings of the people around her, and experienced that in a red light district. We’ve known that for a year.  In the negative space between the things she said about it, that was all but an admission of Imogen having experienced attraction to the female body. In Laudna’s company. During the time they spent traveling alone together. And meta-character jokes aside, Imogen has expressed pretty clearly that she finds Vex’ahlia beautiful. The woman Matilda Bradbury was chosen to represent for her similar appearance. (I mean we all knew this girl was gay.)

And these are two women who were driven from their homes by traumatic experiences with strange magic. Both of their bodies are marked with the scars of what that magic has done to them, and how that magic has chased them away from the homes they used to have. Laudna by her hanging and resurrection at the Sun Tree, Imogen by the will of some god-devouring monster imprisoned in the Red Moon. They literally have a sun and moon parallel hard coded into their character designs. They found each other on the road and found a kinship that neither of them have known from anyone else, even with the rest of the Hells, though those relationships are significant to them in other ways.

I definitely think their relationship will be healthier for the fact that they HAVE met the rest of these people. Especially for Laudna to have that rock-steady friendship with Ashton, who is such a great source of stability and mutual respect and emotional wisdom for her. Both of them have known acceptance from other people now, but the profundity of that connection they share with each other is still so deeply special, and the rest of the Hells give them that perspective. They both have the potential to trend towards unhealthy codependency, especially in their isolation, if not for these other people around to keep them from falling. The M9 were thought of as a much more chaotic neutral party than Vox Machina and their heroes-of-the-world story. But Laudna and Imogen might be two of the most neutrally-aligned characters we’ve seen so far (except Fearne). Both of them have been burned by the world, and there’s a part of each of them that would let the world burn back if that’s what it took to protect each other. Their moralities could truly fall in any direction with the right circumstances.

They would follow each other into hell as long as they were together, but it’s better that Orym is there to remind Imogen that his family died at the hands of the people she’s not sure she disagrees with. Laudna and Imogen are practically MADE for each other, and everyone they’ve met on the road since has picked up on the force of that connection, but having friends around them will make their relationship better than it would have been if they were still living alone with no one to keep the darker side of each of them in check.

They are, despite the current circumstances, so much better off having their relationship go in this direction NOW, as opposed to during their time together pre-campaign, or without so much intra-party development behind them.

But that is where it all started: when they ran away together and made home after home, protecting each other and that connection above all else, fostering this bond that they have, rooting each other to the earth with pure, unconditional acceptance.

Imogen was the first person who didn’t run away or try to chase Laudna away with pitchforks. Laudna was the first person Imogen could hear as music, a soothing presence in a world of psychic noise. And they found a quiet, private peace in each other that neither of them believed they would ever have again. They ARE each other’s home. They give each other something that neither believed they could ever have.

That connection, that intimacy, brings each of them a kind of comfort and trust that they have never known from anyone else. There’s no one else that could make either of them feel so safe with someone else’s body. One dragged back to life by magic twice, and one so flooded with power that it runs across her skin like inflamed, bruised veins. And yet there’s no judgment either of them will ever have to fear from the other. There’s such a beautiful, comfortable intimacy and safety between them.

And I really think that’s going to translate into something magical.

So many soft, reverent touches. Laudna tracing those scars, Imogen feeling that slow but full heartbeat, hearing only music. Two bodies scarred in different ways by strange magic, finding the safety and comfort of home in each other.

They just fit.

[i-smoke-chapstick]

'DON'T BLAME ME, [PART THREE]

-GOTHAM!JERVIS TETCH X READER-

⋆ 𝐒𝐘𝐍𝐎𝐏𝐒𝐈𝐒 ; You're finally alone with him. He kind of makes you nervous.

⋆ tags/warnings. GOTHAM!jervis x female reader. SLOW BURN!!! Not sure how many chapters this will be yet! LOTS OF PLOT SET-UP!! AGE GAP ROMANCE! (reader is Jim and Barbara's daughter) Jervis and reader are finally alone for the first time. The slow burn is slow burning. She fell first, he fell harder. Readers not sure if she's actually starting to like him, or if she's just intrigued by him. Writing this kind of artistically and as character studies for everyone. Jervis being an obsessive freak, per usual. Jervis is against smoking lmao. I'm taking canon out back and beating it with a stick until it stops twitching.

⋆ tag list (tell me if you want to be removed!) @adalwolfgang @jervis-tetch-my-beloved @honestmrdual @moonlightnyx @all-things-fandomstuck @killingboredom

⋆ 'PART ONE, - 'PART TWO, - 'PART THREE, - ‘PART FOUR, - ‘PART FIVE, - ‘PART SIX, - 'PART SEVEN, - 'PART EIGHT, - 'PART NINE, -'PART TEN, - 'PART ELEVEN, - 'PART TWELVE, - 'PART THIRTEEN, - 'PART FOURTEEN,

♫ “I've been breakin' hearts a long time, and toyin' with them older guys, just playthings for me to use.” Don't Blame Me by Taylor Swift

You'd been having dreams about him, since your second meeting.

The way he spoke; with poise and elegance, as though he was apart of one of Gotham's eldest families. A part of you think he's hiding something. But he didn't have the air of arrogance, nor were any of the old money men going around doing magic shows for clubs.

Every dream was the same. It was cheesy. It felt like a shitty romcom. He would stare deep into your eyes. Tell you the same thing each time, big black orbs looking into your own.

"Look right into my eyes." His voice sounded, echoing through the chamber of your mind. "Not above them, not around them, into them."

You'd try to look away in an attempt in teasing him. Petulant defiance. You got that tactic from your mother.

But each time you looked away- his fingers would brush against your chin, simply pulling you back to him. He'd offer that smug, quiet smirk. Maybe he did have an air of arrogance.

Each time you woke up, you shook it off. It was just a coincidence. You saw him twice. Nothing special about him.

Coming back to the present, you huff. You're outside the club, on the balcony. The air is crisp and the lights of Gotham shine beneath you and further. You can't see the horizon.

You come out here, sometimes, for a smoke break. Tabitha always reprimands you. "Those are bad for you. Hand it over."

You always get Selina to steal you a new pack of Marlboro reds from one of the clubs frequents. You shudder to think what your dad would say if he found out.

Probably try to arrest you. Underage smoking. You joke to yourself and you snicker.

You watch the smoke come out in puffs. It's kind of tragically beautiful. The way the blue light of the club and city fades into it. It mesmerizes you.

A slight knock sounds to the entrance of the balcony doorframe. On instinct, you try to hide the cigarette, wildly brushing away the smoke.

Mr. Tetch, or rather, Jervis, stands in the doorframe. He leans against it, eyes focused on you. That damned smile plays on his face as he watches you desperately try to put out the cigarette on the balconies edge.

You clear your throat.

"What are you doing here?" You put on your best intimidating voice to conceal the nerves his smile sends you. You try to emulate your dads voice as best you can.

He chuckles, softly. He seemingly ignores the question.

"My, my. You look like you're having an interesting time up here." He drawls, eyes drifting down to the cigarette in your hands. You feel heat rise to your cheeks. "May I join you?" He asks, soft.

You give a begrudged nod. "Um. Yeah."

He nods as he comes closer to you, stopping by your side. You avert his gaze from his. "Thank you," he replies.

He sits down next to you, humming a foreign tune as he looks up. He doesn't seem to notice that you seem nervous, just sitting there, observing him. He finally looks at you, staring at your face, still humming.

"Beautiful night, is it not?" He asks, inhaling the air.

You shrug. "Eh. I've lived here forever. All nights in Gotham are kind of the same."

"Is that so?" He raises an eyebrow. "You don't find yourself...mesmerized by the night?" He says it with a chuckle, staring at the sky, lost in thought.

You pause. What an odd thing to ask. You suppose he's a bit of an odd man, though.

"The nights are better than the mornings. At night, you can just be free. No restraints." You find yourself resting your head in your hands on the balcony. The small action makes him stare at you- expression unreadable. Between the haze of the city lights...the tall man over your shoulder...the left-over smoke, it all feels dream-like.

"Indeed. At night...all our problems and worries suddenly vanish. The city lights and the silence of it all, make one feel truly free and calm." He says, like it's poetry. You hang off his every word.

"Shouldn't you be back inside, doing your act in the club right now?" You perk your head up, remembering he does have a job. He works for your mom. What are you doing?

"Oh, yes I should. But alas, the night was much more appealing," He pauses. You hum in understanding.

"...Cigarette?" You offer. He looks at it, then back to you, regaled. He shakes his hand, putting his hand up to stop you.

"No, thank you." He utters. "Aren't you a bit young to be smoking?" He stares at you with an intensity.

"No. Yes. Maybe." You respond, small. He grins.

"How interesting. You must know, it's awfully bad for you." I shrug at his words, thoughts flying back to Tabitha.

"Yeah yeah, I know. Feels good though."

A slow moment of silence overtakes you two as he grabs your arm gently, and you jump at the contact. Looking over your shoulder, you find him staring deep into your eyes. And the ticking of a pocket watch. Oh shit.

"Look right into my eyes." His voice sounds like velvet. "Not above them, not around them, into them." Unlike the dream, you're frozen in place. No room to turn.

"Now, do I have your attention?"

You nod. He hums, delighted.

"You will stop smoking these, or any other narcotics for that matter." A faint sound of concern...or disgust...slips it's way into his voice. You find yourself bemused, but willing to obey.

"Very good. Now throw the cigarettes off the ledge, yes?" Beside yourself, you do exactly as he says. He pats your head in praise, and you're utterly confused.

"You'll have no memory of this. Three...two...one. Awake." He counts down, looking at you. You blink into consciousness, unaware of what just happened. You feel dizzy.

"Mr. Tetch...?" You ask him, eyebrows scrunched together. He gives you an innocent look.

"I should get going, my dear. Wouldn't want to be late for my very own show." He breathes. "Very nice seeing you."

You swear he disappears before your eyes. You realize your jacket feels lighter. Where did your cigarettes go? Huh. Whatever. You've been meaning to quit anyways.

[hazyange1s]

MC: Raegan DesRosiers

Basics

Full name: Raegan Caítríona DesRosiers

Nickname: Rae, Rae Rae, Reggie (don’t call her that she’ll hex you)

Gender: female

Species: witch

Date of birth: November 27, 1874

Nationality: French and Irish

Blood status: half blood

Wand: blackthorn, dragon heartstring, 11 3/4 in, rigid

Appearance

Hair color: dark ginger

Hair style: often worn pulled back in a loose braid or bun, though she starts wearing it down w/ her natural messy waves in sixth year

Eye color: amber

Skin tone: fair

Height: 5’5” (and some change)

Body type: curvy and toned from Quidditch/dueling

Clothing style: dark and warm colors (black, red, brown), likes heavy fabrics such as wool, velvet, and leather, prefers to dress casual in battle-ready clothes but also enjoys dressing up

Accessories:

likes to use her wand to keep her hair up

often wears dragon hide gloves

ring made of goblin metal (given to her in sixth year)

Other distinguishing features:

two old scars through her left eyebrow (no memory of getting them)

longer scar over the same eye (cut by a sword during the final repository battle)

LOTS of freckles

Personality

Traits: confident, hotheaded, proud, rebellious, domineering, persuasive, flirtatious

Likes: summer, history, flying, parties, freedom, traveling, independence

Dislikes: authority, swimming/the rain, silence, wet blankets, seafood

Hobbies: dueling, Quidditch, historical research, dancing, weapon-making

Fears: drowning, being forgotten/insignificant, losing control

MBTI: ESTP-T

Enneagram: 8w7 (873) sx/sp

Zodiac: Sagittarius sun, scorpio moon, leo rising

Temperament: choleric

Archetype: The Rebel

Similar characters: Aelin Galthynius, Ginny Weasley, Damon Salvatore, Bellamy Blake, Jude Duarte, Faith Lehane

Family/Friends

Father: Marcel DesRosiers

Muggle

French diplomat

Left when Raegan was eight

Massive preening asshole who despises magic

Mother: Kassady DesRosiers (Fallon)

Pureblood witch

Dragonologist

Killed when Raegan was 15 (a victim of Jack the Ripper)

Gryffindor alumnus

Sibling: Ronan Sharp (half-brother/twin in utero)

Parents are Kassady DesRosiers and Aesop Sharp

Two months older (born Sept. 21)

Hufflepuff

Pet: Soleil

Phoenix (found in the mountain cave)

Fiercely loyal; as all phoenixes are, known to show up at odd times (whether she’s in trouble or just to harass his mom)

Friends: Diana Blackwine (childhood best friend), Sebastian Sallow, Natsai Onai, Garreth Weasley, Ominis Gaunt, Leander Prewett, Imelda Reyes (frenemies)

Magic

Boggart: her father…until her guilt over the loss of Professor Fig leads him to be her new one

Patronus: tigress

Polyjuice: turns amber and tastes like honey mead

Amortentia: cinnamon, clove, smoke, and sandalwood

Special abilities:

Ancient magic

Dark Arts (wielded “when necessary” which is really just…whenever her instincts say)

Pyromancy - Raegan is an Igneus; a species of witch that is immune to and can conjure fire at will, the trait being passed through her mother’s bloodline

Backstory

Born in Avignon, France, Raegan had a turbulent childhood. While her mother was loving and kind, she often had to travel for her work - as did Raegan’s father, meaning she was often with only one parent for extended periods of time or had to be watched by one of her paternal aunts. When he was around, Marcel was not an affectionate man…in fact, he was often physically and verbally abusive to his wife right in front of Raegan and extended the treatment to her as she got older.

Eventually he discovered that Kassady had had an affair and conceived a son with another man. This coupled with his disdain for witchcraft led him to abandon his wife and daughter. So, the two moved back to Kassady’s hometown of Galway, Ireland.

However, times were tough. Her mother’s career as a dragonologist was no longer lucrative enough in the troubling times, and so they again relocated to London.

It was there that Kassady met a tragic, sudden end at the hands of an unidentified serial killer (who many suspected was actually a wizard). A newly orphaned Raegan, upon hearing the news, burned her house to the ground and wound up killing the officer who reported it accidentally.

The emotion was enough to unlock the ancient magic that had been hidden away inside of her, and just days after her mother’s funeral she received her Hogwarts letter. She now lives with her best friend (Diana)’s aunt in Scotland.

Academics

Best subject: DADA

Favorite subject: Flying and History of Magic

Favorite teacher: Hecat and Sharp

Worst subject: Herbology

Least favorite subject: Herbology and Divination

Least favorite teacher: Binns

Quidditch: Chaser (sixth year) and Quidditch Captain in seventh

As a student:

Rarely late, but she does miss (more than) a few classes in her fifth year

Detention record reads more like a rap sheet

Infamous but still respected; dedicated and intelligent

Future

Career: Auror

Though Raegan notoriously resists authority and despises the incompetence of the Ministry, she sees working for them as an opportunity to change things. Being in on the more secretive matters going on behind the scenes of the Wizarding World (and the chance to deal with them under the protection of their influence) doesn’t hurt, either.

They likely would have fired her on her first day for her insubordination, but they can’t deny the fact that she quickly becomes one of the best they have. Really, it’s a case of mutual loathing maintained through an advantageous truce.

Eventually, she does leave of her own accord, and takes up studying ancient history and magical weapon making.

Spouse: Sebastian Sallow (m. 1898)

(thanks @rypnami for motivating me by association to finally post this months old draft 🤠)

[tbgblr2]

The Life of the Witch (Prologue)

My name is Juliana Dumont and I’m a witch.

I don’t know why I’m writing this down – perhaps a form of therapy? I don’t know.

What the average person doesn’t know is that witches are real. We exist. We’re just very rare. I’ve never met another of my kind since my own mother died – and left me with my powers.

I was born Goodie Smith, child of Constance Smith, in the year 1735. I was 50 years old when my mother passed her gift to me, and I awakened.

I know others are out there – I can feel them. There were seven of us – now there are only five. The seven deadly sins form the basis of our existence. The witch of sloth was killed in her sleep, and the witch of envy was killed in a fight between two love rivals. None of this ‘witch trial’ and burning nonsense. That was simply putting some poor, unfortunate women to their death because the patriarchy at the time could do it with impunity.

I suppose technically I am the witch of lust. And let me tell you, every month I feel that lust with an intensity I simply cannot control.

I should also say that we are immortal in a sense. We do not age, we do not contract diseases. We can be killed by being burned alive, or having our heads separated from our bodies – that's been proven on two occasions now - but otherwise we would be able to eventually heal from even the most grievous of wounds.

This is where procreation becomes difficult. We’re all female, we desire to have children… but the act of having a child is difficult in that child would be mortal as any other, and we would suffer to watch them grow old and die as we sat ageless in front of them. Only the voluntary – or involuntary – death of the mother passes both the magic, and the memories of the mother onto her offspring. I remember my entire family line. I have birthed many babies, I have outlived many babies… and right now my ovaries are screaming that it is my time.

The lady sat back in her chair and snapped her fingers then closed the book she was writing in. In the kitchen behind her, a commotion started to take place – dishes rose from cupboards, cutlery flew from drawers, food piled onto a plate. The plate carrying a sandwich flew through the air to rest, lightly, on the desk in front of her, followed a few moments later by a steaming hot cup of coffee. She smiled. She knew she was blessed, she knew life was easy… but if she has a gift, why waste it not using it.

As she ate her meal, she picked up her phone. “Ahh… 8pm New York… seems like the perfect time” she muttered to herself. A black cat rose its head up from a sleeping position down by her feet.

“Don't be back late, I’ve a fancy for a special meal tonight.” came the voice directly into her head without the cat seemingly moving its lips.

“I won't sweetie… just a little… errand… to run.”

It’s unclear exactly where the pair were at, but it was daylight and it certainly wasn't 8pm that's for certain.

She finished the sandwich and once again clicked her fingers – the cup and plate flew off to a sink which slowly filled with soapy water as the cutlery and crockery washed itself, dried itself and put itself away. She didn't even need to watch it at this point as she strode across the room and into her bedroom.

Another click of her fingers and her clothes fell to the floor, bundled themselves up and folded themselves into a neat little pile. She stood there naked, eyes looking up and down her form. Lust was certainly a factor in her physique. She had a lithe body, but with wide, womanly hips, and a perfect hourglass figure, complemented by large, incredibly pert breasts. She had no need of mechanical support by way of a bra… she had magic on her side to keep things up.

Blowing herself a kiss in the mirror, she clicked her fingers again and her hair bundled itself up into a bun, leaving two strands to hang down either side of her hair. A pair of fashionable glasses appeared on her nose – purely cosmetic of course, and her lips tinged rosy and red.

Finally another click of her fingers and a red, flowing dress swooshed out of her closet, wrapped itself around her and hugged every inch of her body. She couldn't help but grin as the side slit, cut so scandalously high than it had any right to be, refused to move to reveal what she was wearing for underwear even when she stretched her leg out in front of her. Of course, she knew she wasn't wearing any, but always good to keep the men folk guessing.

Finally, with a last glance over her shoulder as she spun in place admiring herself in the mirror, she clicked her fingers once more and with an audible pop, she disappeared.

She appeared in an alleyway, just around the corner from a nightclub which she knew was a hit among the student population of the local university. She saw perfectly even in the low light of the evening, groups of men wandering up to the doorman, being let in. Her eyes not focusing on any particular one, but the heat radiating from between her legs becoming almost unbearable. She had to move, had to act.

This was an upscale neighbourhood, her high-class appearance and expensive appearing clothes would blend in well with the locals. Stepping out she strode toward the doorman, watching his eyes – even behind his dark shades – watch her approach with rapt attention.

“Could you let me in please handsome!” she smiled a wicked smile to the doorman, who pulled open the door for her.

“Here all by yourself?” he asked.

“Hopefully not for long” she cackled.

Following the crowds to the bar area, she swished her hand and two people standing side by side suddenly decided to leave, giving her perfect chance to slip into the front of the crowd and smile at the girl behind the bar.

“Anything you want?” she asked.

“Right now I can think of a few things, but start me off with something alcoholic and fruity.”

“OK coming right up” she nodded as she set to work.

The witch felt a presence slotting into the space she left next to her, so she turned to the side to be greeted by the muscled chest of some sort of jock. Looking up past her eye level, she was relieved to see that the person accompanying that chest wasn’t half bad on the eyes either. Just need to make sure he wasn’t a complete asshole now…

“Let me get that” he bellowed, making sure the girl serving the drink heard. She gave him a thumbs up. “And a whiskey, on the rocks!” A nod from the lady behind the bar.

“Why thank you” purred our witch, her voice sultry. “Were you hoping for anything else?”

“No ma’am… just waiting for my friends to arrive and spied a nice slot at the bar. Then spied a nice bar-mate. I’m Jack.”

“Charmed… you can call me Jill.” She saw no point in giving him her real name and thought the play on words for the nursery rhyme would fit well – she wouldn't ever see him again after this night, but she thought she should have one she could easily remember just in case things got a little hot and heavy.

Of course a little touch of magic, a little bit of flirtation, and he was hers for the next hour. His friends arrived, and seeing him in non-stop discussion with the lady at the bar decided to leave him to it.

3-4 drinks later and they were both merry to the point of touching flirtatiously. He brushed back one of the loose strands of hair framing her face, tucking it behind her ear as she leaned forward and kissed him. Her hand hovered over his drink and rubbed her fingers together as she cast a spell to bolster him.

He picked it up and gulped a mouthful, suddenly feeling his cock spring hard against his trousers.

“Is that for me?” the witch sounded coy but it was all she was focused on. Her knee drifted lazily back and forth over the bump in his trousers. For poor Jack he was bewildered, never having this level of reaction before.

“Lets put it to good use.” with that she stepped back from the bar, holding him by the hand as she lead him towards a hotel next door. He followed obediently, entranced by her magic as she walked into the lobby, past the doorman with a wave, up to the lift and pressed a button for a floor. She leaned back seductively as she arched her shoulders back, her breasts straining against the fabric of her dress as the lift continued to climb.

“Like what you see?” she was playing now, he was under her control, no matter what the poor man honestly thought, he was her property, until she chose to let him go.

With a ding the lift doors opened and the two of them wandered forward down the hallway. She looked left and right looking for a room. Finally settling on a number, she swayed her hand in front of the lock and pushed the door, the warm light of a readied room waiting for their approach.

She wasted no time, pulling him forcefully into the room. She turned around and kneeled in front of him, pulling down his trousers and underwear as she lowered herself. His cock sprung out from its containment and she grinned.

“Is all that for little old me? My, my, I have been a good girl!”

Jack looked down and gasped – his manhood was twice as girthy as he remembered, and a good 3 inches longer. It was massive. He didn't know what was happening, but her hands wrapped around the shaft and teasing the precum out from the tip settled things – he would go with it and worry about it later.

He tugged off his top and leaned forward, running his hands down inside the fabric of her dress. She moaned… and as a result, his cock jumped, it would have slapped her in the face if she hadn't had hold of it.

“I’ve had desert, I want the main course!” she growled, standing up. She pulled forward on the dress, an act that normally would have resulted in it being torn to shreds, but it appeared to peel away from her and settle in a heap on the floor. She was naked and ready to play. As she paced back towards the bed – pulling Jack by his cock to make him follow, the dress folded itself behind their backs.

She spun him around and pushed him onto the bed as she climbed up onto him, letting out a squealing groan as she settled onto his cock, her wetness between her legs apparent.

Jack managed as gasping “condom…” as she slid down the shaft.

“Not tonight sweetie. I want to feel this monster for what it is. Don't you worry your pretty little head, I’m on the pill.” she lied.

He couldn't care less at this point, his head lolled back as she bottomed out on his cock, her own grunt of pain suggesting she had made him perhaps a mite too large. Oh well, it’s good to feel it happen.

She bounced up and down, her hands rubbing up and down his chest. He found her rhythm and bucked his hips as she bounced, resulting in every thrust of his ass prodding her deeply, her wincing, moaning grunts, and short stabs of pain making her lose herself more and more in the moment.

Without warning, she latched her knees into his torso and spun, so she was on the bottom and he was on the top. Her legs crossing behind him to keep him in tight to her. He moaned. She knew he was close, he was twitching inside of her.

“Thats it, cum in me. I want to feel you flood me. Give me your cum.”

Jack suddenly held his breath as his vision clouded and his eyes rolled back, lost in the carnal act of procreation. He let out 3 large spurts of cum, his own perineum quivering as he felt it contract and release over and over.

The witch was left in orgasmic bliss as she felt the semen flood her. She could do nothing but hold on tight and shiver as her body took over. She could actually feel it shoot up past her cervix and into her womb, onto the journey to meet the egg she had released just that morning. She focused on the collection of sperm cells and gave them a boost, willing them on to their target with a tiny bit of magical assistance.

The couple were left a panting mess as she unhooked her leg from behind him and rolled over, eyeing his still engorged cock. Leaning forward she took it in her mouth and sucked, announcing through parted lips “Who knew we tasted this good together.”

She moved her head up his body and kissed him on the lips as she hovered her hand over the pole between his legs and it shrunk back to its original size. She looked down. Still impressive… but she was glad that she could make it more.

Touching his eyes, she felt him sleep, as he slumped back onto the bed. She got up and clicked her fingers, her dress jumping up and forming back around her, dregs of Jack’s semen dribbling down her leg.

She scooped it up and put it in her mouth. “We do taste good.”

She probed his mind, finding out where he lived. Easily picking him up in his still sleeping state, both of them disappeared from the room and suddenly appeared in his bedroom. Tucking him into bed, still naked, his clothes folded up in front of her eyes and dropped onto the floor. She touched his forehead and took away all memories of what happened, instead implanting thoughts that he had too much to drink and went home to sleep it off. With a gentle kiss on the forehead and a whisper of “thanks” she disappeared again.

She appeared a moment later with a grin as she saw her familiar Seline, or more specifically, her ass, wrapped in an apron – that being the only clothes she was wearing. She had the ability to transform between a human and a cat at will, and had become the witch’s confidant, lover, advisor and closest friend over the years. Her natural form was a cat, but she had been granted the ability to transform into a human mainly for the witch’s benefit – she was a surprisingly capable cook considering her origins, and a careful and attentive lover.

“That smells beautiful. What is it?” the witch called out.

“No… you first. You’ve been fucking. I can smell him on you. Cats have a good sense of smell remember. Give me the gossip” came the reply.

“OK, you’ve got me there. I just had a roll in the hay with some gorgeous man who filled me up. Give it a few hours and there may be some insemination action.”

“Shit… you’re finally going through with it. Your own heat finally beat mine.” As a cat, she had all the natural urges that a cat would have, including going into heat every few weeks during the peak times of the year. The witch found her fun to be around when she was clawing the walls trying to relieve that bit of stress, that's for certain.

“I don't know if I'll actually keep the kid, or send her for adoption… don’t think I'm ready for the ultimate journey just yet. Suppose I have 9 months to decide.”

The witch moved forward and wrapped her arms around the belly of Seline, breathing in the smells from the cooking. “So… I asked a question… what is it?”

“Mmmm…” Seline moaned. “If it happens, you won't be able to do that with a big belly in the way. It’s fish by the way. I mean I’m a cat, what did you expect when I said I had a special meal planned.”

The witch laughed, but her mouth was watering at the smells of the food. “I don't think ‘If it happens’ is a good suggestion, but ‘when.’ I used magic to reinforce the sperm, it's basically a guarantee they reach their destination.”

Seline spun around, breaking the witch’s grip around her midsection. “Shit, please don't tell me you did what you just told me you did.” The witch looked confused. “You know the rules. All natural when it comes to babies. Magic can’t interfere. Creating life is sacred.”

“No… not a baby yet… just sperm and an egg, all separate.” She thought back through her ancestral memories, and not one single one of her memories had another witch trying what she had done. “Fuck… what will happen?”

Seline shook her head. “No idea, but there's nothing you can do about it now, let's eat and think about it later.”

[couldawouldashoulda50]

A heart full of regret - Part 2 (William Nylander)

Part 1 is here

A/N - I’m going to start this off with an apology.  I’ve been writing as a female reader insert but did have a specific picture of someone in my mind for the reader herself, in terms of physical traits etc. Looking back, I should have probably made this a William x OC story.  I apologize if the body/hair/facial descriptions have made it difficult in any way to have the reader put some version of themselves into the story.  I’m sort of learning as I go along. 

I had planned to release this around the holidays but true to form, my personal responsibilities derail my escapism 😉

In this next part, there are some musician/song references to the late Shane MacGowan/The Pogues and Sinead O’Connor, as well as their respective funerals.  I have included the lyrics to the chorus of a song entitled Fare Thee Well Love by The Rankin Family (posted in the next blub 2.1) - but it’s passed off as a song written and sung by the reader.   While there are facts used as part of the story (including a couple of links to the reality), all of this is meant to be purely fictional.  

Warnings - overall 18+ themes (various sexual references), angst, alcohol, swearing, cigarettes, brief mention of illness/death - sorry if I missed anything.

Word Count 10K+

Thanks so much as always for dropping by.

Early December, 2023

A wide grin spans your face as the broad man, with salt and pepper hair (more salt than pepper these days), approaches you.

“Hey handsome” you said cheekily followed with a wink, as he embraced you in a friendly hug. “I hope it’s still ok that I call you that….it’s the first thing that comes to mind every time I see you”.

“Best compliment I have had all day, next to my wife’s of course. How ya’ doin, kid?” Sheldon smiles at you as you step back from him.  Sheldon has always called you “kid” despite him only being  just shy of 13 years older than you.  

“Well then, as long as Jackie doesn’t mind that I call you that either”,' you smile as you and Sheldon walk toward the players lounge. “I’m doing well…busy, but good.”

“Ah well, you know my wife - she just laughs and agrees with you…she says you obviously have immaculate taste” Sheldon quips.

You chuckle and give him a little nudge. “Yeah, well, in most cases I do”, you smile.  “Dare I ask how you’re doing? I’m not asking about hockey…I just mean with the regular, normal-ish part of your life, if you even have that.”

“I need more normal these days than what I’ve been getting…but yeah, the kids and Jackie are all doing great. Thank God for them.”

You get the hint. The Leafs have been shaky out of the gate this season with inconsistent outcomes; it’s been like watching a pendulum swinging between pure magic and potential disaster.

You shoot Sheldon a knowing smile.

“Well, thanks for letting me stop by - I didn't like asking…I don’t want to ever be any kind of distraction, but I have something special to give Jake (McCabe) and Gaby wanted me to surprise him here after practice.”

“You gonna let me in on the secret?”

You lift the heavy coffee-table style book that you had been carrying along your side into view and run your hand over the smooth hard cover. Sheldon glances at the black and white photo of you spanning the surface. The photo was taken at one of your band's first sold out shows in Manchester back in 2010; you were just in your 18th year of life. Your long layered hair is tousled around your face; a cigarette dangles from your mouth.

“Yeah, I kinda love this. I’m so happy with how this turned out…the imagery and photography of all the guitars are amazing. We’re selling these books at the exhibit…it chronicles the collection of the guitars on display.”

You flip to a page showing a nickel and steel plated guitar from the 1930’s.

“I met Jake ages ago, back when he was on the Sabres. He and Gaby approached us after an acoustic show that we played. We just hit it off, all of us - Jake and I are both total guitar geeks and over time, he told me his dream was to have one of these nickel plated beauties. I said I had one that was rare which he totally flipped out about it - it’s this one in the picture”, you smile as you recount the conversation.

“Wow…it's really beautiful”, Sheldon leans over to take a closer look.

You continue your story, “So, I’m not sure - have you heard of Shane MacGowan?”

“Oh right, my brother became a huge fan when he moved to Belfast - Adam told me he passed. You knew him?”

“Our band has strong Irish connections with two of our members being from there; we met Shane and some of The Pogues a number of years ago. We managed to stay in touch - I was very fond of Shane, and he was of me. He was almost like a protective older uncle - know what I mean?  He had a rough go with that illness since last year and so after Sinead (O’Connor) passed, I stayed behind after her funeral and spent some time visiting him in the hospital. My heart breaks every time I remember him in that hospital bed - I haven’t been able to get those images out of my mind yet.”

Your emotions were already still pretty raw with your idol-turned-friend passing in July, but with another passing of someone you held so dear just a few days ago, you could feel your throat tighten with sadness and loss.

You took a deep breath. “Anyway, Shane played the same type of guitar in a duet he sang with Sinead back in the ‘90’s. Long story short, he had his wife give me the one he used for that song. As much as I love the one I already owned here, Shane’s means a thousand times more to me. So…I thought I would surprise Jake and give him this one, knowing how much he would treasure it”.

Sheldon continues to leaf through the glossy pages. “Y/N, you are pretty remarkable, you know that?” Sheldon throws his arm around you while discreetly looking at his watch. “I’m sorry, I gotta run but I know Jake will be coming through here any minute so just sit tight and he’ll be out. Oh - and Jackie was talking about having you over for dinner so she’ll be reaching out to you soon. See ya’, kiddo”. Sheldon gives your shoulder a little squeeze and then disappears down the hallway.

Over the years, you have become a welcome sight around the Leafs organization; your presence had essentially reached the point of being more or less commonplace and didn’t warrant the media coverage that it once did. You helped out with various MLSE charities as well, having a preference for more of the hands-on local charity initiatives, whenever time allowed it.

Ultimately, you had established some strong personal connections within the Leafs and their families, so whenever you were in Toronto, it was not an out of place thing to occasionally see you turn up at a practice or out to dinner with a few of the WAGs.

As you waited for Jake, various staff and players stopped by for a quick catch-up before heading home for the day. 

Jake eventually emerged in his Leafs tracksuit, freshly showered with a baseball cap on backward. He spots you and gives you a wide smile, mixed with some confusion, as he approaches you. Gio appears right after Jake and the two circle around you for a hug.

With the book concealed, you make small talk with the handsome veterans. They congratulate you on the gallery exhibit and they assure you they cannot wait to go and see it.

Two dogs suddenly appear out of nowhere; it doesn't take you long to determine they belong to William.

Knowing he would be appearing any second, you try to calm your nerves and focus solely on the dogs as they run towards you, jumping at your feet.

Your heart melts at the sight of them, and you gush “Oh my goodness, is this Pablo and Banksy?”

William hears your voice and stops dead in his tracks. His stomach flips and churns and his heart starts to race.

Oh my God, if that's her…holy shit…

He rounds the corner to see you bending down, allowing the dogs to completely envelop you.

“C'mon, whoa, whoa, whoa….boys - down…”, William chuckles and smiles at you somewhat apologetically.

“I don’t mind one bit…but you better listen to your Dad” you said to Pablo, giving him another scratch and rub as you stood up.

You smile at William who is posturing for an embrace and as his arms pull you in, as you reciprocate the gesture.

“How’s it going, William….” which you say as more of a statement than a question.

“Really good. It’s good to see you again”, William smiles widely, hardly believing you're in front of him now.

Before you melt or explode or however your body is reacting to his touch, you calmly say “you too” with a smile.

Turning back to Jake and Gio, you desperately hope you don’t appear as flustered as you feel.

William comes up on your one side while Jake and Gio, and even a few others have gathered around a countertop in the lounge.

“So, I have a bit of a surprise for Jake - that’s why I’m here. Actually, Jake’s wife is in on the surprise so I’m just going to call her real quick”. 

The men that had gathered look at Jake who appears a little panicked, but in the best way possible.

Gaby answers and you ask Gio if he could hold the phone up, showing her face on the screen, in which he obliges once waving hello to Gaby.

You flip the heavy, hardcover book around; everyone leans in to get a glance at the cover. William catches a glimpse of the photo of you on the cover.  He's not seen many images of you from when your career started, and the photograph captivates him immediately.  Your tousled hair, your eyes that always bore into his soul, and your beautiful mouth that many times had made William almost see God himself.

William discreetly gazes at you.

You had been polluting his thoughts since he saw you at Mitch’s wedding. He wished you could have stayed. He wished he could have talked more with you; maybe could have danced with you…or better still, touched you for the first time in 4 years.

As you begin to explain the details of Jake’s surprise, you try to tame the whirlwind of emotions that circle within you. Between the loss of a dear friend, the anticipation of giving Jake a guitar that he has only dreamt of, and the remnants of feelings that you carry for William, you have to pause a few times while you speak just to regain your composure and keep the tears at bay.

William watches you open the book, and as you flip to the desired page to show Jake his newest possession, pangs of guilt and regret hit William.

William was famous for his confidence; he rarely burdened himself with many heavy thoughts, as he did not waste time dwelling on the past or anything that he could not change. The anointed King of Unbothered. And, as well as that has served him in both his personal and professional life, there were rare moments where something or someone shook him right to his core.

As he studied the side profile of your face, at this moment, you were that very person. Someone he realized that he had carelessly, and foolishly, disposed of. He disposed of your friendship, your companionship, and your love. Four years ago, he cut all ties with you, which was well within his right to do. But, the manner in which he severed those ties, never once affording you the ability to say a word in response, still haunted him to this day. What was worse is that two years later, he reached out to you, seemingly desperate to get a hold of you, and then he ghosted you once you responded. Your head spun with even more confusion and hurt than you had ever felt before and as time went on, it was yet another proverbial nail in the coffin for you and William.

William mused that when he saw you at Mitch’s wedding, you could have behaved any number of ways. You could have gone out of your way to ignore him. You could have been snide and made his entire night hell. You could have berated him for his callousness. He probably deserved all three of these possibilities.

Instead, you greeted him with kindness and friendship, which to William, only further illuminated your ravishing beauty. The way you still managed to smile at him, even though he sensed a deep sorrow behind your beautiful, deep brown eyes, it rocked William’s typical carefree nature.

And now you stood before him and his teammates, gifting Jake a precious guitar simply because you knew how happy it would make him to have it. William’s chest heaved with a mix of deep desire and the stark reality of the mistakes he's made with you.

William’s mind snapped back to the present, smiling at his teammate as Jake reeled and appeared completely flabbergasted.

“I can’t believe you remembered that conversation about this guitar, Y/N…that was ages ago. Jesus - I still played for Buffalo at the time…I cannot believe you’re giving this to me” Jake said, his face flushed as he looked at you and then turned to his wife’s face on the phone “and you knew about this…” he grins at Gaby.

“Can’t wait to hear you play for me, baby”, Gaby said, blowing Jake a kiss.

“Ok, so once the exhibit closes, I’ll get the guitar prepped for you and have it delivered. There are some nuances to how to tune her so I’ll drop by sometime and walk you through it. Oh, and here - the book is for you as well” you smile wryly at Jake “sorry, I think I diminished its value by signing it….but there is a little note for you in there for you too” you chuckle.

“I don’t know what I did to deserve this but thank you so much Y/N. I’m completely stunned.”

After hugs were given and goodbyes were said, the small group dissipated. 

You turned to see William standing off to the side, glancing at his phone while Pablo and Banksy lay at his feet.

“Awh, your boys are tired” you said, unable to contain your smile looking at the two dogs, and then at William. “They’re awesome - it figures you’d have the most fly dogs ever”.

“You ever think about getting one? I guess it’s hard with all your travel but you can take them with you. I take these guys along with me all the time, almost everywhere I go”.

“When COVID started, I was in London…I started fostering from a nearby shelter. I wanted to give the dogs that were constantly overlooked a chance to get out of that environment and see if we could get some viable adoption candidates. I have been doing that here as well - my last girl just got adopted after being in a shelter for over 8 years; I just haven’t had the chance to go see another one to bring home.”

You bring out your phone and lean towards William to show a picture of the last dog in your care, Siba, a nine-year old Asian Shepherd. 

William cheeks flushed pink as he catches the scent of your fragrance; a sudden urge to have his lips graze your skin as he recounts each location on your body where you usually dabbed each drop of perfume has his mind racing and his cock hardening.

Either side of your neck. 

Sometimes behind your ears. 

Your wrists.

Between your breasts.

Sometimes a little swipe across your navel.

“She’s so beautiful…” William said, hoping that you’d get the subtle hint he might be referring to you as well.

You shift uncomfortably for a second; he’s standing so close that you can feel his breath.

No. He didn’t get to do this to you again. The innocent remarks that whisper allusions to his desire for you is what you thought you wanted to hear for the past 4 years.  But, all the sentiment is doing now is creating havoc in your mind.

You swipe the screen to close the photo down and drop the phone back into the pocket of your coat. You turn back to William and smile, now in a little more control of yourself than before.

“Christmas came early this year I guess…for both Siba and Jake.” you said, as you lean down to pet the dogs again and say goodbye.

“Oh - wait…speaking of Christmas…” William hesitates, sensing a slight change in your disposition. “I have been meaning to get in touch with you about that…”

“Oh, right - yeah…no worries…your Mom reached back out to me and said you gave the thumbs up for staying at the house. She mentioned you would reach out but I’m sure you’ve been pretty busy.”

William has an inkling when you’ve mentioned him being “busy”, you’re not referring to his hockey schedule.

“I’ve been working out some details with your parents already…it’s all good.” You tried not to sound too curt but there was a definite chill in your response.

William senses the conversation is quickly derailing.

William’s voice becomes low and soft. “Hey….maybe we could still get together sometime?   Maybe drop by sometime?  I'd kinda like to be involved with the Christmas thing and… it’s just there are some things that we maybe need to talk about.”

Talk. He’s about a million years too late for that, you think to yourself.

“If you feel there’s a need, sure. Let me know when and where…you moved, right?”

William’s expression changed, showing shades of remorse. “I’ll text you the address. I just have practices for now; we don’t play until the 7th so any afternoon is good. Today even, if that works for you”.

“I’m flying out to Ireland again late on the 5th so yeah - maybe today or tomorrow…” 

Thinking back to your conversation at Mitch’s wedding, William joked with a slight smirk “Ireland again? Not another funeral I hope…” 

You quickly looked away, tears threatening to well up in your eyes. 

“It is, actually” you said softly.

Oh my god, you idiot, William berated himself in his mind. ”Fuck…Y/N….I’m so sorry…I shouldn’t have joked”.

“No, I know, Will. It’s ok…I’ll be ok” you smiled, faintly. It seemed like, for the thousandth time that day, you fought to suppress the ache deep within you and had to fight back tears.

William gently reached for your hand and pulled you into his arms. Involuntarily, you gripped onto his hoodie, probably a little too tightly, all in an effort to not completely fall apart in front of him.

You pull away, still trying to hide the anguish on your face with a smile. It broke William a little to see you struggling to maintain your composure. Always putting on a brave face, no matter how cracked or broken you felt, was what you did. It was how you were wired.

“Here…if you’re leaving, I’ll walk you out to your car” William said, searching for his keys in his pocket.

You were tempted to come up with an excuse to avoid spending any additional time alone with William, simply because every molecule in your body was inexplicably drawn to him.

Fresh out of reasons or rationale, your mind was too overwhelmed lately to come up with the excuse needed to flee in the opposite direction. The 4 of you walked down the corridor together in a comfortable silence, and exited into the parking lot.

Pablo and Banksy bolt forward out into the daylight, but do not stray far from their Dad, as they happily jump on each other while nearing your vehicle. William smiled to himself and shook his head. Of course your vehicle of choice wasn’t a super luxury SUV or sports car. You took your key fob out and unlocked the black crew cab 4x4 truck. He could picture it now; you in your tank top and jeans, covered in dirt and dust with your work gloves on, hauling lumber and bags of concrete mix for a mini home project.

You were always a parallel of opposites.

Poised and immaculate at high-profile events and functions versus you at home, decked out in ripped work clothes with sweat and sawdust stuck to every part of your body.

Your ultra-cool and larger than life demeanour on stage as you absorbed the electric energy from the crowd versus your sometimes quiet, humble, and super composed personality off stage.

Your vocabulary and your way with words versus your ability to spout off more profanity than a pissed-off truck-driver.

The innocent and submissive side you showed William while making love on many occasions, when he was between your thighs versus the absolute rocket you became when you flipped the switch and took complete control of his body.

“So….what about today. Do you think you could come by later on…I could order in some food - we could catch up?”

You open the door to your truck and Pablo and Banksy both put their front paws on the running board, their tails wagging furiously.

You look at them and chuckle, and bend down to let them bombard you with affection.

“Yeah, you know what…sure, that sounds good. But if you don’t send me your address and end up ghosting me yet again…William….I just - don’t even….”, shaking your head and chuckling, leaving the sentence unfinished. You hop into the truck and William shoo’s the dogs away from the truck door.

“Awh - Y/N - fuck…” William winces at your sarcasm, rubbing the back of his neck, showing a mix of guilt and acknowledgement that he deserved it. “I’m not going to do that”.

“Uh-huh….famous last words,” you said in a cheeky tone, rolling your eyes as you turned the ignition on. “I guess we’ll see you later…bye boys…”.

William chuckled and watched you drive off towards the exit. Walking back to his SUV with the dogs in tow, he felt an excitement, to the point of giddiness, which he hadn’t felt in ages about anyone. He had no idea how the future would pan out but he could at least look forward to tonight so the two of you could finally clear the air. 

William arrives home and after one last bathroom break for the dogs, he starts his typical routine of making calls while eating whatever he picked up from the chefs at the rink or on the way home. He knows your food preferences and makes a mental note of which restaurant he’ll call for take out from. The last thing he does before his afternoon siesta is a quick home delivery order of red wine and other essentials.

He stretches out on the couch that he recently had deep-cleaned due to his last few

sex-capades, none of which seemed to end well or at least warranted an invite for a return visit. He begins to drift off; his dogs curled up around his feet and legs.

Panic suddenly grips him as he realized he had not sent you his address.

See? no 👻 - 😉 William texts as he sends you the address.

If I had forgotten - what a fuckin disaster William thought before falling into a restful sleep.

A couple of hours later, and at least an hour before William was ready to wake up, his phone began to dance and vibrate on the coffee table. Groaning, he grabs the phone off the table and fumbles with it until he can focus on the caller.

The name “Trina” is illuminated on the display.

“Fuuuuuuck” William grumbles while forcing the call to voicemail. “Should have fucking blocked her”.

Since the last time William and Trina had seen each other, there had been a few harmless texts; mostly Trina following up on William’s health and well-being. 

Despite the rather unappealing outcome of their last meeting, William had started to think perhaps he had been too hasty in judging their first sexual experience together. She was beautiful, eager, and readily accessible; these are the exact qualities William needed for a short term fling. He decided to keep his options open, although he continued to feign being unwell until he was ready to see Trina again.  

This all was, of course, prior to William seeing you again.

A voicemail notification appears on the screen followed by a text message bubble.

Missing you - let me come by and make you feel better 

William rubs his hand over his face, stroking his moustache as he thinks about how to respond. Thanks but I’ll be ok. Just need some more rest. I’ll msg you soon. Good enough, William thinks and sets his phone back on the table. 

He leans back on the couch, and closes his eyes again, when another chime sounds from his cell.

“Jesus - take a fucking hint…” he mutters, grabbing his phone. 

It’s from you:

You sure about the no 👻… you didn’t tell me what time… have you already started 🏃?

William laughs and responds:

I’m not gonna 🏃… too tired.  I might hide tho.  How’s 5?

Dots appear as you type your response:

Ooof 💀. K - see you then.

90 minutes from now. Fuck. I should have told her 4.

William continues to read your text exchange over again as he smiles to himself. You always succeeded in making William laugh, no matter how small the exchange was. Your individual senses of humour seemed to mesh flawlessly - he seemed to get you and your little idiosyncrasies, the same way you understood his.

He looked forward to the possibility of earning your friendship back and maybe even more. William wondered if you had met anyone; he had heard rumblings a while ago about you catching the eyes and interests of a few other NHL’ers but he hadn’t heard anything since. In William’s mind (and he was aware he had no claim on you), he dreaded the idea of you being with anyone, but there was something so much worse if that guy was another hockey player in the league. 

He pushed those thoughts to the side; he would need to establish rumour and fact later, and it made him queasy just thinking about it.

Rather than trying to steal a few more minutes of sleep, William putters around the condo tidying up here and there, but feeling no pressure in having the place look unlived in.

Nerves were starting to build. William seemed to wander aimlessly from one room to the other, serving no other purpose than to kill time. Although he had a shower after practice, William decided on another long shower to help him relax, and to allow him to take some additional care with his grooming regimen.

William steps into the hot water and closes his eyes as the warmth and the steam envelop him. Every quiet moment lately, William has thought about the two of you and your past. Memories that never seem to erode; images that William would often rely on when he needed to drift off to sleep or relieve some built up “tension”.

Streams of water weave their paths down William's broad chest, through his chest hair and down his toned abs, eventually trickling down the veins of his cock, and dripping off the tip. He begins to feel a stirring, an urge with the thoughts of your arrival. William's strong hand gingerly wraps around his shaft and he begins to pump himself with long, methodical strokes.

He remembers the occasions with the two of you in the shower….

….you on your knees before him and encouraging his cock further into your mouth until the tip is rubbing against the back of your throat. With his hand fisting the hair at the back of your head, you allowed him to fuck you deep in your mouth until you tasted the pre-cum seeping onto your tongue. William marvelled with how much your mouth could accommodate as you expertly controlled your gag reflex and breathing.  It seemed with your years of voice and mouth exercises, the benefits were many, beyond simply increasing your vocal range and pitch.  

As William spouted broken sentences of praise for what you were doing to him, you would masterfully take control of his cock with your hands, stroking his girth, alternating between licking and sucking the rounded head as it turned shades of feverish reds and purples. William’s grunts and loud groans never ceased to arouse you as William began climaxing.  You lapped at his balls, gently sucking on them as you continued to pump his shaft.  You ached to hear the warnings before he cums, desperately waiting for him to unload.  Gripping his ass, your mouth engulfs his cock, your head moving back and forth at a frenzied pace.  You force the oozing head towards the entrance of your throat.  William’s hand cradles the back of your neck, allowing you to look up.   Your eyes locked on each other as his seed coated the inside of your mouth. You smile as you enjoy the taste of him, and slowly guide his cock away from your open mouth as strings of your spit mixed with his cum stretch from the head.   Your eyes remain fixed on his; soft smiles and intimate words are lovingly exchanged as you continue to lap, suck and fill your mouth again and again with his generous cock.

William shuddered as he watched you intently overtaking his semi-erect member into your mouth.  With you maintaining his heightened arousal, the urge to spread your thighs apart for him to greedily feast on your pussy took hold. You always claimed to be a better giver than receiver, but William was now hell-bent on respectfully pushing your boundaries. Without fail, each and every time, you had given him the hottest oral of his life, and William was determined to reciprocate until your pussy was properly worshipped.

He pulled you up and pressed you hard against the shower wall with his thick and muscular frame. He scanned your face, focusing his gaze on your lips; he watched as the water washed away the remainder of his cum that had oozed from your mouth.  He used his thumb to slowly guide the fluids back into your mouth, allowing you to suck on the tip of his thumb.  He kissed you; his lips were hungry and eager on your mouth as his tongue manoeuvred around yours. His hands moved skillfully from massaging your tits, down along your sides, and towards the front of your abdomen. You let out a gasp and bit your lip hard as 8 fingertips gently landed with a faint, feather-like touch near your pussy, as he began to lightly graze your wet and ready folds. You begin to shiver at his touch and have the goosebumps to prove it; your pussy is past the point of throbbing and you are almost on the fringes of insanity waiting for William to binge on your core.

He wanted to mark you tonight. His mouth slid down your body, nipping and sucking some of the most pleasurable, albeit discreet, areas of your toned body. As he knelt on the shower floor, he caressed your long leg, leaving love bites at the apex of your slender thigh which he then guided one over his shoulder. His mouth instantly latches onto your folds as he slowly strokes your clitoris with his pointed tongue. You shriek, reacting to William suddenly engaging his jaw muscles to tongue-fuck you in concert with mercilessly licking your clit. William rubbed his facial hair repeatedly over your most sensitive spots, feasting on your swollen pussy as if it was his favourite dessert, moaning with pleasure as your arousal hit his taste buds. He loved hearing you cry out his name, watching you let go of your usual collected composure and allowing him to help release your inner inhibitions.

As an added bonus, he inserted his middle and ring fingers slowly and deeply inside your cunt. He adjusted and moved the ends of his fingers eventually hitting the most desirable spot as he watched you writhe in pure ecstasy. He wanted to see you succumb to the sensation as he continued lapping and stroking your clitoris with his tongue. He began to move his fingers rapidly in and out of your entrance, until your thighs began to shake and quiver involuntarily. William increased his already formidable pace with his fingers and his tongue as you fight not to collapse under the sheer magnitude of your impending orgasm.

And when he brings you to the highest level of pleasure, he vigorously gyrates his fingers deep inside your core, inciting you to cry out as you squirt for him. After he made you spray for him a few more times, he laced his fingers with yours and he stood up, pressing you against the shower wall again. One hand slides back down to your pussy and he gently rubs two fingers against your engorged clit. William’s eyes are locked on yours as he slowly pulls his fingers up to his mouth, and wipes the sheen from your arousal on his pouting lips. He runs his tongue along the shiny trail he made with his fingers, whispering in your ear of how delicious you are.

Back in a lonelier shower, William’s head falls back under the steady stream of hot water that begins to collect in his open mouth as he’s reaching his orgasm. He spits it out and begins to grunt as streams of cum erupt into the flow of water heading to the drain on the shower floor.

He pants for a moment, catching his breath. He needed that. He needed to take the edge off before you arrived.

William steps out of the shower and wraps a towel around his midriff. The steam quickly dissipates as he exits the bathroom into his bedroom, and he takes his time selecting the relaxed and casual attire for the evening. He glances at his phone to check the time. 4:30.

He sighs and smiles slightly; he’s really looking forward to tonight, to just have you there relaxing on his couch, catching up on the past few years.

He checks his messages, making sure there was nothing new from you.  There is, however, another text from Trina.

My friend and I are going to Mademoiselle for Happy Hour and then dinner. Maybe it will do you good to come out - we can all have a little bit of fun?

Knowing the message will show as being read, William sends a short response.

Not tonight, but thanks anyway.

Trina responds with just an emoji showing her disappointment.

William shakes his head and finishes getting ready. Minutes tick on but it feels like hours, and he’s getting impatient.

The ringtone on his phone assigned to building Security begins to chime, startling William for a moment and each of the dogs perk up their ears in response. He answers the call and his stomach flips once the guard announces your arrival.

He can hardly believe how nervous he’s become and silently kicks his own ass in his head for being so ridiculous. But on the other hand, it’s you. The one girl he still finds himself longing for after so many years.

He props the door open wide enough so you can spot him once you get off the elevator; Pablo and Banksy sit at William’s feet anxiously anticipating the arrival of someone new.

Once the elevator reaches William’s floor, he can hear the chime and the doors sliding open. You step into the plush waiting area and then follow the signs pointing to the appropriate suite number.

You round the corner and see him waiting in his doorway. It’s no use to try and conceal your smile when your eyes land on his grinning face. He opens up the door allowing the dogs to fly down the hallway in your direction.

William watches you beam with delight as you bend down to greet the two.

After tummy rubs and a lot of cooing from you, the dogs follow you back towards the condo where you greet William with a friendly embrace.

William takes a moment to gaze at you; your curls are contained by a loose bun, you are dressed in a tan coloured pea coat, black turtleneck with black slacks. You managed to make clothing that were simple and understated look elegant and absolutely fucking sexy. He inhales deeply - your appearance already has William rattled.

He takes your coat and you remove your heeled boots at the entranceway. The dogs follow your every move as you scan his condo. Had it not been December and the days being so short, you could imagine how a sunny day would radiate throughout the place from the large windows and glass balcony doors from the living room.

“This is really beautiful, William. Such a fantastic part of the city too,” you said smiling, your eyes wide and shining.

“It’s small, but I’m on a waitlist for a larger place up on the penthouse floor. It’ll be better when my family comes to visit…so they don’t need to crash at your house at Christmas again” William laughs. 

“Well, yeah…I get it but I have to say, I’m really looking forward to having them stay. It’s far too big for just me, so having some life around will be amazing. At the very least, I’m hoping someone in your family will kick your ass at ping-pong…or at any of the other games, really…” you smirk.

“Ha, yeah…never gonna happen…” William laughs.

“Ah, well…pardon me as I try to squeeze by the giant ego that just arrived” 

“Ouch…hey, I'm just telling it like it is”.

You roll your eyes and scoff. “Ok, King...let’s leave it there.”

The conversation and friendly banter ensues; there are no awkward moments or strained silences. The shared mood is happy and light and soul-warming, much like it had been all those years before. There was a tinge of bashfulness at times as you both would steal glances at each other. It seemed apparent that you both were still very much attracted to one another.

Prior to seeing him, there were moments that you found it annoying to still have these feelings simmering just beneath the surface, given your spirit had been shattered for much of the past four years. Nevertheless, he wasn't to blame for the anguish you shouldered…it's how life was; you caught deeper feelings for him than he did for you. End of story.

At that very moment, it didn’t matter anyway. Or at least, you were going to bury those thoughts way back in the proverbial closet for tonight.

The wine arrives via delivery, followed by dinner. You both opt to sit on the floor and eat at the coffee table in the living room, devouring the variety of sushi and sashimi pieces William had selected.

You filled him in on some of the different music and business ventures you had been a part of since COVID. He asked you about certain gigs and various celebrities, trying to get you to spill some dirt (although tempting, you did not oblige). 

He in turn told you about some of his brother’s exploits with women, and you reminisced about the old days and the unhinged female drama involving Kasperi and his ex-girlfriends that you witnessed firsthand a number of years ago.

Your muscles in your face began to hurt from smiling and laughing; it’s been forever since you’ve been able to truly unwind like this. You realize that the wine is going down far too easily and you felt a little more buzzed than you should, with remnants of jet lag still plaguing you from the previous round trip from Europe.

William had excused himself to the bathroom, and in an effort not to submit to the wave of drowsiness that was creeping in, you got up off the floor and started cleaning up the containers and plates scattered around the table.

William appears from the hallway and tells you to leave everything - he will clean it up later.

“Ha – no, I need to move - I had a brutal travel schedule at the end of November and it nearly killed me. This exhaustion just strikes whenever, so I had to at least stand up…otherwise, you’re going to find me passed out on the floor.  I feel like a narcoleptic lately.  Plus - that wine…is really, really fucking good…I feel a little drunk,” your face flushed as you laugh.

“You can stay here tonight, if you want?”

You hesitated as waves of nostalgia and cautiousness, in equal measure, washed over you. “Are you sure - I wouldn’t want to cramp your style…”

Before you can stop yourself, you blurt out some musings - or misgivings rather - about his current love life that had been bouncing around in your head.

“I’m sure your dance card is pretty full these days…maybe you’ve got a young model-type waiting for you later somewhere?” you try to joke as you rinse off the plates and stack them in the sink. Your fear that he'll see right through your comments as you look for some clarity on his current love life.

William chuckles and shakes his head; he knows this is partly because of what has been stirred up about his personal life during the Sweden trip.

Touch her. Hug her. Kiss her….do something William thinks.

“I’m positive…I really like this…us hanging out, you and me again. And…please - stop cleaning up” he laughs.

William offers you a small towel and helps you dry off your hands. He smiles as he gazes at you.

“It's really been amazing to see you,” William says softly.

You're certain that the surface temperature of your cheeks are reaching five alarm status as he pulls you closer against him as he leans against the kitchen counter. William feels your light touch as your hands gently lay on his chest.

He searches your face. “And we haven’t really talked about the stuff from before - with what happened with you and me. Do you think maybe we should?” William asks quietly.

You can only manage to look directly into his eyes for brief moments; anything longer will make you crumble.

“I think we can shelve it…it’s not going to change anything that happened before. It’s been such a fantastic evening already…I don’t think we should spoil it by dredging everything up from the past.”

You stare at the thick chain around his neck using it as your main focal point.

 “Yeah, ok…you’re right. It doesn’t change anything that went down.”

You nod your head and look up at his face, blushing more heavily as you try to contain your wide smile.  

Your head is swimming but your need to be in control of your emotions takes hold, and you apologetically excuse yourself and head to the washroom.  William just smiles and lets his hands slide down your hips as he releases you from his embrace.  

You try to stabilize your heart rate and your thoughts. Your desires versus your logic are each trying to get the upper hand in your mind. You take your time, willing yourself to sober up a bit before heading back out to William. You drink some water from the tap to try and dilute the effects of the alcohol you’ve consumed. You study your reflection in the mirror and after repositioning a few curls here and there and applying a little more lip gloss, you exit the bathroom.

Suddenly, there’s a knock at the door spurring the dogs to start barking. You hear William pad over to the entrance and pause for a moment before turning the lock and opening the door.

You hear a female’s voice shriek “Willy!! Heeeey….I missed you so much”.

You can hear the sound of bracelets clinking as the woman wraps her arms around William, followed by an audible kiss. It's crystal clear that she currently has something going on with William.

You hear the dogs muffling whines once William gently commands them to quiet down.

You stop dead in your tracks, feeling completely trapped. Part of you wants to return to the bathroom and not hear any of their conversation. The masochistic side, however, wants to hear every word.

Your brain begins to spiral out of control.

How did you manage to misread this situation again? What was that in the kitchen….was it meant to be platonic? Would he invite you here just to tell you about her?

It feels like a literal punch in the stomach, and you instinctively place your hand over your abdomen as though it would help numb the ache coursing through your body. You stand in the hallway, completely motionless as if your feet were concrete blocks.

“Trina, what are you doing…I mean, how'd you even get in?”

“I dunno, the security guy and the other one were dealing with somebody, someone else was leaving, they held the door, so…we just walked in. Oh, this is my best friend, Lara. I told her how fucking amazing our first date was. She's a fan of yours too. We were out for a few drinks and I thought the two of us could come by to help you feel better. You and I haven’t seen each other since the last time….I know you said not tonight but here we are,” Trina giggled, her words slightly slurred from intoxication.

Lara glared at her friend. Trina had said William was ok with them coming over anytime she wanted, and she claimed he would be game for anything they wanted to do.

William’s present demeanour is definitely contradicting Trina’s story.

For years now, Lara, being the pragmatic one of the two, had been suspicious of how much truth was behind Trina’s claims when it came to the men she had met and dated. True, William and Trina had sex; that much was obvious. However, based on the number of times Trina initiated contact versus William, Lara surmised William might be only willing to meet solely on his whim, given the tone of his short and dry text messages that Trina showed her. Trina was too wrapped up in all the media attention William had been receiving lately to even notice the bland tone behind each of his responses.

When Trina and Lara arrived at Mademoiselle that evening, Trina was clearly on a mission, ordering multiple Perfect 10 Martini’s because, in her inebriated words, she was exactly that. Her mission was to make sure William felt that about her too.

When Trina came up with the brilliant idea of dropping by William’s in order for the two ladies to seduce him and coax him into bed, Lara thought there was no way she was being serious. Lara allowed Trina to call the shots just to humour her; she had learned long ago it was better to play along first before pulling the plug straight away on Trina’s antics. If Lara was being honest though, the exciting flipside of this situation is that if she was ever going to have an opportunity for her first threesome (and if he was truly willing), it might as well be with William Nylander.

As Trina continues to ramble about their evening and some explicit ideas she has for the hours that lie ahead, Lara scans the scene in the living room. Her heart drops when she realizes William is not alone. First she spots two wine glasses - William had filled up your glass while you had stepped away to the washroom. She looks over to see your Louboutin stiletto boots placed off to the side. Then your jacket. She glances at William and can’t quite determine what emotion has registered on his face.

“I….I’m sorry William - I didn’t know you told Trina not to come by tonight” Lara interjected. William looked toward Lara and verbally confirmed, he definitely told her not tonight.

“I have a guest so it would be better if you both just head home” William said calmly.

Trina’s eyes suddenly widened. “A guest??” Trina's voice is raised as she emphasizes the last word. “Do you have another girl here tonight? Where is she? So…what - is she fucking HIDING? Come on out, bitch…let’s see you - I guarantee it, you got nothing he wants” Trina yelled into the air as she looked around the space.

“Alright - enough…you need to leave or I’ll fucking calling security…” William's jaw was clenched as he warned Trina and Lara.

“No - please William, I’m so sorry…we’re leaving. I'm so embarrassed - she said we could come by.”

Lara grits her teeth when she looks at Trina. “You…we’re going….NOW…”

Lara grabs a hold of Trina’s trench coat and half guides but partially shoves her as she stumbles down the corridor. Lara’s voice was a low growl as she berates her until the elevator arrives.

William watches the two girls vanish around the corner to the elevator, hearing the chime as it arrives on his floor. He steps out of the doorway into the hall making a call down to security to ensure they have exited the building. Sometime soon, William will have to go down and find out how they got in from the get go.

He stood there, exasperated as he rubbed his forehead as he re-entered the apartment. The dread of facing you now is creeping into his mind. William is genuinely worried that the fallout from tonight’s events is that you won’t want anything to do with him going forward.

Indeed, that was one of the many thoughts going through your mind. You knew you were judging him and his lifestyle, and you knew you had no right to do so. Just because you chose to abstain from casual sex or any kind of relationship for all these years, certainly did not mean he had to do the same.

You’ve known all along that he was super popular with women. He didn’t have to do much to have girls reaching out to him in droves. Through various means, you also knew he took advantage of his popularity, with being spotted out and about with a number of gorgeous girls over the years.

However, acknowledging reality in theory and seeing it first hand was completely different.

As you stood there listening to Trina drunkenly spout off details of what she and William had done previously and the plans she had for him tonight, you wanted to wretch. The worst part about it was you knew your soul that you still wanted him, but William had moved on, many times over. 

You and William may have started as convenient and casual hook-ups but it never was just about sex with you. It was about all of him. No amount of time or distance or how much you pushed it down could cure you of your feelings for William, up to this point anyway.

But now, all you can feel is torment and defeat from that gut punch from the last 5 minutes. The universe had to be telling you something; the first time you spend time together after four years had passed, and within hours, he had two women show up at his door propositioning him for a threesome.

Here you stood, the week before your 31st birthday, a multi-platinum award winning musician, composer. entrepreneur, philanthropist, advocate, model, actress, and the list went on.

Yet, with all of your achievements under your belt, right now, you were just another girl in a veritable ocean of females all vying for William’s affections. If there was ever a chance that something could have transpired tonight between you and William, the moment has now been instantly derailed by some drunk girl who fucked your ex-hook-up….lover…whatever label fit.

At the end of the day, William could fuck whomever he wanted. He could do whatever he pleased with as many girls as he chooses. It’s his life… It was his decision how he wanted to enjoy his downtime and really, it was none of your business anyway.

Your sometimes passive-aggressive nature, mixed with hurt feelings, made you want to see him twist a little. As you appeared from the hallway however, his expression made you think twice about adding to his misery.

He looked completely crushed, embarrassed, and lost. “Are you ok?” you asked, softly.

“It’s more like, are you…” he said. “Y/N, I am so sorry”.

“Well, it doesn’t seem like it’s really your fault, though…I’m assuming you didn’t know she would sneak into your building, hammered …and well, try and…” you nod your head toward the bedroom.

“Well, no…but I sorta led her on. I’m not even sure why I did…she was kind of…I dunno…like…just there” William struggled to come up with the right word.

“Available…”

” “Yeah…something like that” William confided, feeling a little embarrassed.

He pulls you towards him. “So much for the fantastic night…I guess I ruined that” he said into your ear.

Based on the looseness of your embrace, he knows your feelings have shifted. William feels horrible, desperately wishing he could rewrite the past ten minutes.

You took a step back and you could feel your expression soften. You manage a faint smile and tell him that it was mostly fantastic - even amazing - night but you could have done without the plot twist at the end.

“So….I think I’ll grab an Uber or something and head home, if you’re gonna be ok?” You paused.

No, I’m not ok. I want you to stay here, he thinks to himself.

“Maybe you should stay. Seriously, that girl - just in case she gets it into her head to hang around and watch whoever leaves the building” William says gently.

“Shit…do you think she’d stalk you?”.

“Not sure” William smoothed his hand over his beard. The last thing either of you need is to have your names splashed around the social media universe because of a drunken altercation with a girl in a parking lot, who had been recently fucked…and then slighted, by William Nylander.

You consider the options for another moment, and finally agree that it might be for the best to stay. The couch looks pretty comfortable so you offer to sleep in the living room.

William looks hurt. He wants you in his bed. The urge to wrap himself around you is almost too much for him to handle.

Given the circumstances however, he knows how self-serving it will seem asking you to sleep in the same bed as him. Despite you trying so hard to hide it, he knows you are hurt. He’s beginning to feel a sense of hopelessness from the damage that’s been done tonight.

He grabs some dog treats and tells you to just stay and try and relax while he heads out for a walk with the dogs. He wants to drop by the concierge desk and security just to make sure all is clear around the outside of the building before he ventures out with his boys.

After William and the dogs leave, you survey your surroundings and allow a release of the emotions that have been simmering just under the surface all day. Tears well in your eyes as you stare at the wine glass he filled for you earlier. You lower your head in your hands and weep quietly.

Moments pass and a blinding headache begins to form behind your eyes; the pressure making your eyelids feel heavily weighted. Between the wine and William’s unexpected visitors, the unmitigated happiness you felt only 30 minutes ago has completely evaporated. Like a magnet to steel, a force anchors you to the couch, and you can’t help but to lie your head down and close your eyes to try and get some relief. 

Exhaustion eventually takes hold of you, and you fall into a deep sleep within minutes of your head hitting the pillow.

William and the dogs return after spending longer than anticipated on their walk; the one night William really needs Pablo and Banksy to do their business quickly, it took them forever to get it done.

William enters the condo in a hurried pace, only to find you curled up on the couch asleep. His heart expands and breaks all at once as he approaches you, your figure gently rising and falling with each breath.

He considers waking you up to offer his bed anyway, wanting you to have a more comfortable place to sleep but he vetoes his own thoughts, given all that has transpired.

Instead, he grabs a blanket and gently lays it over you.

It feels strange for William to leave you in the living room by yourself. He watches you for another few moments, your face scarcely illuminated by the dim light from the kitchen that he's left on for you. Desire and disappointment grip his stomach as he turns to head to his bedroom.

The next morning , you awake to something cold and wet brushing up against your face. “Pablo….down, buddy” William chuckled.

Opening your eyes, you’re initially disoriented from waking from a deep sleep. You see Pablo sitting in front of you (you swear he’s smiling), waiting for some kind of acknowledgement.

A wide grin spans your face.

“Oh…sweet boy…thank you for the kisses” you softly say, encouraging Pablo to hop up onto the couch. Pablo gladly obliges and lies lengthwise on your torso. You murmur words of affection to Pablo’s face as you rub behind his ears and nuzzle him back with your nose.

Banksy comes bouncing across the room wanting to join in on the love fest.

You smile apologetically at William. “Sorry I passed out before you came back; I wasn’t able to keep my eyes open.”

“I’m glad you stayed…looked like you needed the rest.  The snoring though - you sounded like a freight train” William says with a smirk.

“I’ll take my snoring over you ripping farts all night” you jokingly retorted.

“Hey…I couldn’t help that…it was better out than in. I seem to remember you laughing until you almost wet yourself…you weren’t exactly complaining”, William laughs.

“You held me under the blankets…fucking Dutch Oven - and that wasn’t laughter, that was gasping”.

William starts laughing that trademark laugh.

You roll your eyes as you smile widely at him. “Yeah, keep laughing there, chuckles. Good times”.

Yeah...they were. So many good times together William thought.

You both take a lingering look at one another, and before he notices you blushing, you excuse yourself and head to the washroom.

Every thought in your mind concerning William has shifted. Last night, prior to Trina's arrival that is, you felt a closeness resurfacing with William. The calmness he always seemed to provide to you, just naturally with his presence, had begun to return.

But now, with this new day, there's just uncertainty and uneasiness that has settled in your gut. You realize now that you don't know him like you used to. Maybe it was a stretch to think that you ever did. After all, in the three years you were involved, you only managed to string together a month here, or two months there - and then you would have to leave. Only experiencing the best side of each other; it seemed true that no two people could be more entranced with one another than you and William when you were together.  But everything has changed since then and it’s doubtful that you want the same things from life.

Returning to the living area, William’s about ready to head out with the dogs. Both Pablo and Banksy run over to you, falling over each other for your attention as if you’ve been gone the whole day instead of just 5 minutes.

“I’m not sure if they love me as much as they seem to love you…I feel like a distant second to them now”.

“Awh - boys, you better go see your Dad…he’s feeling a little jealous” you say as you kiss and nuzzle the tops of their heads.

“I was going to ask if you wanted to come with me for their walk but I think it’s pouring out there now. I might just take them to the rink and let them run around there, I guess.”

“I would have but one - it’ll kill me to walk in those things” you nod your head towards the stilettos. “And, two - I better head out…there’s a ton of things I have to get done before I leave. Otherwise, I would have loved to.”

You finished getting ready and within minutes, the 4 of you were descending in the elevator towards the main lobby. William offers to walk you out to the parking lot but you decline. Figuring his car is in the underground lot, there was no need for him to get him and the dogs soaked as the heavy December rain ensued.

“It was good to see you…memorable in the most legendary Nylander way” you say smiling.

Before he could respond, you crouch down to acknowledge the dogs, allowing them to put their front paws on your knees for more wet nose boops and kisses.

As you stood up, you could see his expression had changed. He didn’t look like his normal light hearted self. He looked weary. He looked like he had a million things to say but wasn’t able to utter a single word. Instead, he reached out and pulled you into him, wrapping his arms around you in a firm embrace. You felt his breath on your neck as he lowered his head and rested it against yours.

You pull back slightly and give him a warm smile. “I know you’re travelling too pretty soon - wishing you great games and safe travels, ok?”

“Yeah, you too. Shit - we didn’t get to talk about Christmas - the family coming - or anything like that though…”

“I’m in contact with your parents about everything - someone is bound to fill you in but seriously, there’s nothing for you to worry about. As long as you show up sometime after you fly home from Columbus, you’re golden” you say with a grin.

This time, the silence between you weighed heavily in the air.

“Ok…you better get going there, superstar. Traffic’s going to be shit…I don’t want to hear Sid Seixeiro bitching about you being late on Breakfast Television again.”

William laughed out loud. “Yeah - got a lot of flak for that one…I didn’t know you knew about that”, William says as he sheepishly rubs the back of his neck

“Well, it was pretty much splashed around everywhere at the time. I couldn’t avoid it”, you smirk.

You turn to look out at the steady stream of rain and sigh; half of you wants to go with him and the other half wants to get the hell out of there, downpour be damned.

“Ok then…I’m off. See you later, boys”, you grin at William and the dogs, turning to head across the lobby and out into the miserable and wet December morning.

William heads back into the elevator, hands jammed in his pockets, feeling uneasy about how everything with you was left up in the air.

[dat-town]

curiosity kills

never seen circus masterpost

Characters: ringmaster!Ten & female reader

Setting & genre: magical realism au, circus au

Summary: The circus is hungry for lost souls. The ringmaster intends to devour yours.

Warnings: general creepiness of an eerie circus, ambiguous ending, mentions of blood

Words: 2.3k

Title from the idiom ‘curiosity killed the cat’. Inspiration for Ten’s character came from the NCT2018 photo shoot with the black cat.

@restlessmaknae <3

Once upon a time there was an ordinary witch. She wasn't particularly powerful or anything special. But she had a circus. It was a magical place, created from her own life force which somehow started living on its own as it got bigger and busier. She also got stronger due to the magic concentration within its boundaries. Yet, the brighter the circus shone, the more exhausted she was. She needed to recharge, that's why the circus disappeared from time to time only to appear elsewhere.

The witch knew that it couldn't go on forever, that she needed some other kind of life source to feed to the circus instead of hers if she wanted to live without worrying about her creation killing her. She already couldn't stay in the circus for long, not without the place draining her, taking back what was its to begin with. It was her heritage, her source of youth, yet her demise too. 

Power was a mean little thing, so corrupting, the more she had, the greedier she got. She wanted the power but she didn't want to pay. At first, she tried to trick people into giving away years off their lives for certain wonders the circus could offer but the place was too proud, it didn't accept such sacrifice, so the witch needed a different approach. After trial and error, she figured out that willingness was the key, for the circus to take, the other party had to voluntarily bind their life to the circus. It was a straightforward deal: within the borders of the circus, the donor didn't get older nor hurt, they were pretty much immortal but the moment they left, they would immediately die. There was one more condition though, a far trickier one, the one most donors failed…

A black cat crossed the road. It slipped between openings of tents, behind curtains, under stalls and went unnoticed by most circus visitors. Not by the employees though since they knew it was no ordinary cat. Not as it dared to cross into the farthest territory of the circus before it ducked under a floaty silk material, straight into the rich, exotically scented tent of the ringmaster.

The young man looked up from where he was lounging and smiled, reaching out for the proud cat, patting its head. The cat nuzzled closer, its fluffy ears tickling his palm.

“Here you are,” he cooed, running his fingers through the soft, black fur. He fixed the moon pendant over its collar before he let the cat slip out of his reach, watching as it walked over to the circus’ map laid over the floor.

It was more of a 3D mock-up or a playhouse out of metal than a map but the ringmaster thought of it as one. He liked to watch over his empire, rearrange details when needed, adding and removing tents or attractions. He watched the cat elegantly slide between cracks of miniature buildings, past the siren’s pool and the fortuneteller’s stand until it reached the poison maker’s tent. The black cat put its paws on the gilded metal roof, claws out, and hissed.

The ringmaster grinned proudly at his familiar.

“Good job, Midnight. Let’s get to work.”

Being ‘just’ an empath meant having a low rank among witches but you never had bigger ambitions. You only ever wanted one thing.

When you had been younger, you had wanted nothing more than to visit the never seen circus, so you had made it your mission to find out as much about it as you could. Nobody really knew how the circus started. It was infamous within the witch community though, so you had heard a lot about it, fascinating stories and awful rumours alike. You had wanted to be able to guess where the circus would go next, who was in charge and what made ordinary people forget whatever happened within its borders. You had been crazy about it. You hadn’t gotten far though. You had always been late to hear about where the circus appeared and your guesses about its master – Was he a vampire? A demon? A powerful witch? – led you nowhere. So eventually you had given up on it.

And now, years later, here it was, right in front of you when you had the least expected.

After the poison maker was dealt with for thinking he could do business behind his back, using his circus’ reputation, the ringmaster planned to check on the preparations for tomorrow’s show. However, on his way to the main tent, swirling the keys he didn’t even need around his index finger while whistling joyfully, he abruptly stopped. Midnight froze in its spot too and quickly hid behind its owner’s legs, hissing at the cloaked figure emerging from the shadows.

It was a girl of ageless beauty, her pale skin contrasting her dark hood and pitless black eyes, golden pieces of accessories ringing as she moved. The ringmaster might have not met her before but he immediately knew who she was. She radiated the circus’ energy yet something rotten clinged to her too. She wasn’t supposed to be there though, not anymore.

“What are you doing in my circus?” He asked, standing his guard firmly, keeping eye contact, but he realised his mistake the moment the words left his mouth: this place was no more his than hers, the circus needed both of them to go on.

“Your circus? What happened to Nine?” The older witch scoffed and there was irony in her question. The other gritted his teeth. Nine had warned him that one day she would come back. She couldn’t stay away for too long.

“His time ended,” the ringmaster said because it had already been a decade since he took over the responsibility. The circus was now his whether she liked it or not. But what was a decade to someone who lived as long as the circus lived?

“And how long is yours… Ten?” The girl asked, tilting her head, wicked curiosity burning in her eyes. She didn’t seem too surprised by the turn of events, he wasn’t the first among the new circus owners after all. He was the tenth.

The corner of the ringmaster’s mouth twitched in distaste though.

“I won’t make the same mistake,” he claimed. Promised.

“They all say that in the beginning,” the circus’ creator laughed, so cruel and condescending. Like she already knew what would come. Maybe she did. “You are bound to this circus and its rules. Your own little prison.”

“At least I chose my prison,” Ten retorted, because yes, in a way it could be a prison, binding him in place, keeping him within the boundaries but for some, himself included, it was a sanctuary too. It saved him in more ways than just one.

“We all do,” the other witch whispered quietly yet her voice echoed long in the wind even after she simply dissolved into smoke.

You wandered around in the circus in awe. You knew that it would be a once in a lifetime kind of opportunity, so you took everything in and paid attention to the smallest details, so you could tell your family about it. Finally, after so many years you were finally here. You knew you would be forever teased for accidentally stumbling upon it during a visit back in your hometown despite searching for it for years but you didn’t care. Luck was finally on your side and you wouldn’t waste your chance. Now that you were at the circus, you could finally figure out the age old mystery about the owner: who were they?

“Young lady!” Somebody called after you in an urgent voice and you turned around only to see a wrinkled woman draped in a dark robe reaching after you. You pulled away before she could touch you, scared, although the moment you locked eyes with her, you could tell she meant nothing harmful. Being an empath definitely came in handy when you had to assess whether you got yourself into trouble or a bad situation. “You should leave. It’s dangerous for you here.”

You furrowed your brows. The circus didn’t seem dangerous at all, there were even kids giggling only a few feet away. Why would you have been in danger?

“For me? But why?”

“I cannot tell you but you have to trust me. You have to leave until you can,” the old lady insisted and her warning sent shivers down your back. She sounded genuinely concerned. Was she maybe somebody who saw the future? Or someone with a sixth sense?

“Now, now, isn’t it rude to send away our dear guests, Madame Park?” A sweet voice called but there was something sharp in it, something authoritative even though the guy showing up behind the woman was so much younger than her, merely a few years older than you perhaps. There was something peculiar about him though, something that reminded you of the stars glittering on the pitch black sky.

You had to remind yourself not to stare but the guy moved with such elegance in every step and turn of his that it was hard not to. He wore a violet laced black long coat and his dark eyes shone almost as bright as the earrings dangling from his lobes or the rings on his pianist-like fingers. He had a mysterious aura around him like a well-kept secret you couldn’t figure out but excitement bloomed in your chest like a flower when he looked your way. Your breath was caught in your throat when your gazes met.

“Don’t worry about her. She’s just restless now that it’s been a while since anybody died in the circus,” he said casually, waving absentmindedly in the direction where the old lady scurried off.

It was most likely meant to be reassuring but you blinked as a spike of fear registered in you at his words. He must have noticed too as the smile on his sinister lips widened and a lovely chuckle left his mouth.

“I’m just joking,” he added and yet, you couldn’t tell whether he meant it or not. You should have sensed it and yet your power seemed to abandon you at that very moment. Your hesitance must have been obvious as the guy tried his best to make you feel comfortable.

“My name is Ten, I’m the ringmaster. Welcome to the circus,” he put up his hands as if to demonstrate the colourful tents and tedious amount of sweets and specialties this place could offer. Proudly as if he was about to announce the greatest show you would see in your life.

Ah, the ringmaster. It made sense then, why his whole personality felt like a performance. It made you smile though, his greeting. You introduced yourself too, albeit more gingerly but Ten smiled at you nevertheless with something like a promise in the curl of his lips.

“And what would you like to see the most in the circus, dear?” He asked and the endearment in his question made you blush. It almost made you forget about your initial goal. But not quite.

“Oh! I would like to meet the owner. I have been curious about them since I was a child,” you explained, excited, hoping that this handsome stranger can help you on your forgotten quest.

“Have you, now?” Ten’s mouth quirked up in an amused smile and you were too mesmerised by the beauty of it to notice a cat sneaking up on you.

You yelped at the sudden pain and when you looked down, you saw bloodied scratch marks on the back of your hand and an unapologetic black cat in Ten’s arms.

“Ah, sorry. Midnight doesn’t really like new people. He’s a bit territorial, you see,” the ringmaster explained as he patted the cat and slowly lowered it down the ground. “Here, let me,” he held a hand out for yours.

You hesitated only for a moment before letting him touch you and a quiet hiss left your mouth when his thumb grazed against the still bleeding wound. A moment later there was nothing but a few pale scars in its place.

“Thank you,” you whispered in wonder at which the line of Ten’s mouth hardened. Or maybe you just imagined it because right after he was smiling softly again, making your weak heart flutter.

Silly, silly girl, you have no idea what you started. Nobody can get to know the circus owner and get away with it. Not when the circus is selfish and wants them only for itself.

Ten looked at you and knew none of it was a coincidence: the creator’s visit and her reminder, Madame Park’s warning and you showing up right then and there, looking for him. You were supposed to be his Achilles heel. The one who makes him doubt his place in the world. The one who makes him think of the circus as more of a prison than a sanctuary.

Your blood still tainted his fingertips just like how your smile burned into his eyelid but Ten wouldn’t waver. He wouldn’t give in to this mortal weakness. He wouldn’t make the same mistake as his ancestors had done.

He would show you around, show you magic you had never seen and he would tell you all his secrets, all the ugly truth, and then, when you finally fear him, he would sacrifice you on a gilded altar before the sun comes up, so your blood could bath in the morning glow before the circus disappears again.

He wouldn’t let you live.

Not if it cost him.

[444m777]

15 years ago today…

I was roughly three months fresh of turning 17 years old. I felt indifferent about that number and sort of wished I could stay 16 a little longer but I knew I was getting closer to being considered an ��adult” and in that case it was exciting because I would be moving abroad and living on my own once I graduated from high school. There was nothing really special about that day. I was home alone after school. Took off my shoes and just did what any regular-degular teenager would do, watch TV.

Aside from plotting how I’d ever make it to London without ever traveling that far before I figured one could dream like I always did. Like I had to because I had the kind of parents who did not like the fact that I was (still am) a Michael Jackson fan. They saw it as an obsession and basically it got to a point where I was “banned” from mentioning his name, listening to his music even though I didn’t own any CDs at the time. The only thing I had growing up as a little girl was the Moonwalker VHS tape and I almost destroyed it because I watched it a billion times for years. My parents would always make sure we had a movie night and as soon as they asked for suggestions everyone would butt in before I could get a word out, “WE ARE NOT WATCHING MOONWALKER! Anything but that!”. As a little girl that shit tore me apart.

My parents introduced me to the world of magic that is MJ. They showed me Thriller. And I innocently referred to the female ghoulish monsters as my grandmother (oops…🤪) everyone burst out in laughter. It was cute I was maybe 3-4 years old at the time. But when I turned 5 I was allowed to watch the whole Moonwalker movie and my own mother told me she regrets getting it and showing it to me. I was maybe 9-10 years old when she said that to me out of anger. She read my diaries at the time and saw all the newspaper clippings I had of Michael because they just wouldn’t let me buy any merch/CDs. And in it I wrote how I felt about him and how I wanted to be with him at Neverland Ranch. Mind you this was also the time where it was super uncool to be an MJ fan. Like, you’d get DISOWNED from your friend group, family etc. it was THAT bad. Coming from a Black Caribbean background. I virtually had no one to talk to about Michael. Hence, the diaries.

I, in some way, related to how lonely he felt. In my innocent child’s mind I just felt really close to him and I felt he would understand me better than my own immediate family would. Anyways, I CLINGED to my Moonwalker VHS tape until I somehow broke it from watching it a trillion times too much😅. My world SHATTERED. It was the only MJ thing I had before I got the newspaper clippings because of the allegations. Whenever we went to a music store or an airport that had a music store I wasn’t allowed in the section that had Michael’s music. I’d get dragged away. It was ROUGH for little fangirl me😕 I don’t know how I survived it. And I’m not even trying to sound dramatic but I was a sensitive, PAINFULLY shy, introverted and moved to tears EASILY kinda girl. I had (and still have) very BIG feelings and I had no one to help me navigate them. Maybe I’ll make another post about my journey as an MJ fan on a super tiny island and how I “made it work” but really I want to focus on how as a teenager I found out he passed.

Flipping through channels I came across a news channel that claimed he died. I immediately took it as a hoax and switched to another news channel and they didn’t report anything. So I remember pausing the TV (we had DVR at the time) and went upstairs to shower. I kept telling myself this was all a sick joke. I came back downstairs and pressed play and forwarded to real time and they said he really did die. So I did the one thing I thought was smart and decided that if CNN didn’t report he died then he didn’t and everybody from the smaller news channels were in on some terrible lie to generate views because of his concerts coming up in London. But I finally switched to CNN and it was written so boldly on the screen I wasn’t even sitting but something told me to sit because my body felt weak and I plopped down on the couch. It took a while to register and then I was hysterical. Home alone yet living with people who banned me from talking about him and getting caught listening to his music or writing about him. I had a secret stash of MJ related things. I had a friend who took her mother’s Dangerous cassette tape and borrowed it to me to listen. My sister’s best friend’s dad had the History Album and she gave it to my sister to give it to me. That’s honestly the one thing my sister did for me that felt super profound. Because she was also told not to fuel my “obsession”. She didn’t care for MJ but she wasn’t mean about it either. But we both lived under our parents’ house and rules and as a Black girl with Black Caribbean parents… let’s just say you don’t question or go behind their back if you know what’s good for you. Once just ONCE my dad let me buy the Dangerous dvd. We were at the airport and he was hesitant. I remember it like it was yesterday… “you KNOW your mother doesn’t want you getting anything MJ related! I’m not letting you buy this”. But at the last minute he still let me get it and he said “it’s just the music videos I suppose this is fine…” oh, how it was not. That got taken away too. So you see I had to hide whatever anyone could spare. I was not even allowed to read the newspaper at one point because my mother found I would cut out pictures of him. THE NEWSPAPER Y’ALL!!! If I needed the newspaper for school work I’d get it with pages removed. Or my mom would pull out the pages I needed.

Back to being a total mess on the couch… my parents came home and I wiped my face and tears. I remember opening the door. I figured I’m older now. He passed away. It should be okay to at least say something about it. I remember opening the door and I could barely get the words out. I said “did you hear the news about Michael?” And she responded “yeah… jammer”. I come from a Caribbean island that’s been colonized by the Dutch so we use Dutch words in our creole language, Papiamento. But the way she said jammer (what a shame) was in such a nonchalant I-don’t-really-care way. Her tone was evident. I almost slammed the door shut in her face but I let her hold the door and I ran upstairs and was hysterical again.

I remember my father coming up to check on me but he stood in the door way. I was just curled up in bed crying and he left me there. Both of them left me there. I was a mess for DAYS. WEEKS. I became depressed. And again, I had no one to help me navigate these very BIG feelings. And it pained me. I didn’t have friends who were MJ fans. So I couldn’t talk to them. All I heard at school was “good riddance” or worse. As an adult I realized I just wanted someone to sit with me. Hold space for me. No one helped me through it during 2003 to the 2005 trials. No one helped me through it in 2009. I had to do it on my own and it SUCKED! You’re either met with “but you never met the man!” or “he was XYZ anyways so why does it matter, he’s dead!”. I was a CHILD! No one thought “damn… this is having a huge effect on our highly sensitive daughter and she’s clearly depressed. At the very least let’s hold space for her” NOPE! I learned very young to keep secrets. To never share myself like that with people in fear of being ridiculed. I hid myself, my passions and my thoughts. Despite growing up and excelling in anything that had to do with art (because I wanted to be like Mike lol). I kept it a secret. My grades showed it but anything else I kept it from my family. My friends kinda knew but they didn’t know what or WHO the driving force was. Where the inspiration came from. I always had to come up with some other story or muse. I wouldn’t dare mention Michael in fear my mother would appear out of nowhere and would “discipline me” for saying his name. He was my real life Voldemort and in my tiny kid brain I had to defend him in my mind because there was no way I could go up against anyone else let alone adults. My family but mostly my mother really did a number on me…

I’m writing this to say that what my family did and how the world negatively responded left a stain on my soul. Turned me from introvert and shy to soooo painfully shy I didn’t want to leave my room. Didn’t want to express myself in fear of being asked where the inspiration came from. Ironically as an adult my parents have been asking me why I’m not being creative and for a very long time I wish I could tell them it’s because they snuffed that part me, ever since I was a child, out! They couldn’t nurture that side of me and chose to see my devotion as blind obsession.

But this year and even more so today I had a huge breakdown earlier in the year and I realized I wanted to express myself and my thoughts more and speak freely about Mike. Mind you, I moved out at 18 and lived and studied in The Netherlands, Indonesia and Thailand. Still I kept that part of me which was and is a HUGE part of me, a secret. I brought it up once with a guy I had a date with and like I said, BIG feelings kinda gal, I broke down crying talking to him about Michael. And I apologized profusely and figured he’d never want to see me again. And yet he held me and comforted me. He did the one thing I craved the people who loved me should have done when I was a child. I swore on that day I’d marry that man. I did not… yet. We’re still together 7 years later and today too and every day since he has held space for me. Allowed me to be the fan I always wished I could’ve been even if it was in private with him. He lets me talk about anything MJ like he’s a fan himself (he is not but he has an immense amount of respect for Michael). And he’s always encouraged me to reach out to the MJ community but like I said the trauma, and again, not trying to be dramatic but to be told as a kid up until I left the house that I can’t talk, listen, watch nor dance to Michael was like being told I wasn’t allowed to eat, was DEEP and it made me associate expressing myself as a bad thing, a dirty thing. Because liking Michael was seen as gross. So I never engaged online for fear of my mother somehow finding me on the internet. Yeah… it was that bad😖

But it wasn’t all bad. And I’d like to share more about that in the future😌. I’m done feeling like my mother or anyone else for that matter has a say in how I feel and how I choose to express my love for Michael. That man pulled me through so many things throughout my life. I know this is a very heavy and sad day. It’s really tough for some to see the bright side. Because Michael being alive was the bright side. Even if he chose never to show his face again in public but to just know he was alive, safe and in good health probably would’ve been more than enough for fans to handle than knowing he’s truly gone. Unfortunately, that’s not the case and his life ended tragically.

I still choose to use this day as a reminder to myself of his tireless yet bright FIRE that he had and how he went against the grains of racism and ignorance, and striving to innovate, to push the envelope and go beyond. The sky was never the limit. I, too, want to use that energy and look past my upbringing and connect with other likeminded fans/people and truly engage the way I wish I would’ve years ago after leaving home. No more hiding. No more shaming myself and most certainly no more apologizing for speaking about Michael. I’m doing myself a disservice and I want to honor his memory by keeping on with the force! 🕺🏾

I love you so much Michael and I miss you like crazy and I’m so grateful for your presence and your passion for sharing your gift and life’s work with us. I feel you in the air and especially in the trees and in the animals. You solidified my belief in magic and wonder. I am so damn happy I am breaking free from these chains and really celebrating you OUT IN THE OPEN WHOLEHEARTEDLY. To the fans out there struggling I have you in my thoughts. And if you ever, EVER need someone to talk to because it’s difficult to talk to anyone else out there, you got me. I don’t ever want any of the fans to feel isolated and stuck. Especially the younger fans. You are the generation who will continue to keep Michael’s legacy going. Not only that you are the future in general and young kids/people need to be protected, loved and guided. Not the opposite and especially not made to feel like your feelings are invalid. Your mental health is so important even when you’re a fan of someone whom you’ve never met. And it is equally important to talk freely and openly in a safe space without being made to feel like you’re a criminal.

Anyways… if you read up until here, wow, thanks! Sending you all lots of love, hugs and heehees💫

[jessysapphireblue]

Relaxing Night Luffy x Oc

Nicknames included are Lu and Je, which you can always replace. as always, she is a born magician and a female.

pure fluff + dressing up

The sun was about to set down, the waves calm, the breeze playing with your hair and dancing on your skin, breathing in the fresh ocean air as "I SEE IT!!! THERE THERE!!!", your boyfriend shouted loudly, breaking you away from your daydreaming and leaned a bit over the railing to see the island.

"If that what there stays is true, we can finally relax and enjoy a few days", Nami joined your side, Berry signs in her eyes but also a look of relief.

A few days ago, a bird came and gifted you a map before it flew away. Apparently this was some sort of resort for Pirates all kind but only the most prestige ones were being invited. While the crew cared for some days off, the captain was eager for a new adventure.

The Sun was nearly set as you arrived, a person at the dock showing Jinbe where he could stop the Sunny. "Adventure! Adventure!!", shouted Luffy. "And this time, you come with us to an relaxing spa! No discussion", Nami hugged your shoulders, making you laugh. "Do I need to remind you the bathhouse at the Flower Capital?", you added and Robin chuckled at that. "And for that, you will always be respected", she smiled at you, making you huff.

"Who are you?", asked Luffy. Looking down, you saw a man, dressed like y butler with a black mustache, a friendly smile on his lips and slicked back hair. "Welcome Emperor Luffy, to Notteve Island. A special Island for prestige Pirates known around the New World. My name is Zion, and I personally welcome here. I hope everything will be to your liking", he bowed like a butler did.

"Thanks!", grinned Luffy and wanted to dash away but Zion snipped with his fingers, making a wall appear in front of Luffy. "I apologize, emperor Luffy but I´m afraid I can´t let you enter like that" "Ha?", Luffy tilted his head, confused. "On Notteve Island, there is a dresscode for the fight. Men only in suits, while woman must wear dresses"

Your eyes widen "Do Jumpsuits count?!", you asked him directly as he looked at you, shaking his head. "I´m afraid not, Madam. All Pirates here, as well the citizens, dress up formally at night. Without it, I can´t let you enter", he spoke calm and collected, making you hand your head.

"3 gorgeous woman dressing up! And seeing our Goddess in a dress for the first time, my heart!", Sanji swooned, making you whine, While Nami and Robin smirked at you with smiles, dragging you away.

Nami choose a teal off shoulder mini dress, which hugged her curves to the finest, with long sleeves, you did her hair in a waterfall braid, topped off with some teal flowers in her hair, matching the dress. "Wow! I look stunning! Thank you so much" "I don´t know shit abut getting fancy but braids, that I know", you admitted, making Nami laugh.

Robin choose a amethyst neckholder dress that went to her knees, the ends slightly ruffled, topped off with a Partial Updo hairstyle, made also by you, along with a hairpiece to top it off. "Thank you kindly" "Always. You two look like stars. Queens", you admitted as both looked at you. "Now to you!", smirked Nami. "I stay on the sunny", you said fastly. "I will drag you across the whole island by your hair", Nami smiled threateningly, making you sigh, giving in.

Robin chuckled, knowing your weakness so the three of you went to your room, Nami practical raiding your dresser until she gasped. "THIS! YOU HAVE TO WEAR THIS!", Nami practically threw the dress at you, demanding you to wear this.

Another sigh left your lips as you did it, making Nami gasp, a blush on her cheeks. It was a one shoulder hourglass dress, a slit going up to your tigh, revealing one of your legs, golden feather designs going fron your chest and waist up to the shoulder, from it hanging a long piece of white cloth, you left your hair open, using your magic to real pearls in it, slipping into heels, and you were done.

"I feel so weird", you admitted. "WHAT?! You look like you came from Heaven. Now I see why sanji calls you Goddess" "Nami!", you flushed red, making Robin chuckle yet again. "JE! Are you done?! We want to go!", Luffy whined from outside. "Showtime", smirked Nami and opened your door, stepping out with Nami and Robin. You heard the praises of Sanji, his flirting made you chuckle as you stepped out.

As soon Sanji saw you, he turned into stone, falling over, Zoro´s eye wide open, and Usopp blushing fully. "Wow!", the sniper just said and Chopper looked at you with wide eyes. "Are you a Goddess?", he came to you, asking. "Yohohoho may I see you pan-", Nami knocked brook over as you looked at the boys. "Wow, you look handsome...where is Luffy?" "Is this a cape?", a vice said behind you, making you turn around to see your boyfriend inspecting the cloth, and you blushed.

He wore a simple white dress shirt to his ellbows, over it a red vest plus tie, long black pants and what surprised you most- dress shoes! "You look so good in formal wear", you said out loud, making you flush again.

"Shishishi! Thanks! You look like a ruler of an island! But now, come!", he dashed down to Zion, as he inspected all of you, giving the ok and Luffy was away. "Ah, I forgot to tell him that since you are an emperors crew, everything is all inclusive for you. You don´t need to pay for any drinks or food here" "That Luffy became an emperor is finally looking upon us. Come on!", Nami grabbed your wrist and dragged you with her.

It was now shortly before midnight, as you walked alone around the city. It resemble Tesoro quite a lot, just without the gold, and minus the staff working here. You quickly got separated from Nami and robin due to all kinds of men swarming around you three, making you uncomfortable. You stopped near a bridge, looking down at the big river that flew through Notteve, simply starring at the water and sky.

"Je?", someone said and you turned around to saw your boyfriend, who smiled warmly at you, joining you. "And here I thought you were at an all you can eat buffet" "I was! At 5! Ate them all empty", he admitted, causing you to chuckle.

Luffy looked fondly at you, a bright smile over his lips before he blinked. "Je! Let´s go on a date!", he grabbed your hand. "Now?" "Yes, come!", he smiled, making you nod. "Great! Where do you want to go?" "You know what? I´m craving ice cream" "Uh, yes! Come! Come!"

Time flew by fastly with Luffy. Strolling around, trying different food and drinks, you smiled. "I was expecting you to drag me off somewhere" "Ah, no. Not tonight. I want to have your pace" "Luffy", you were kinda shocked to hear it. "It´s nice! So relaxing with you...and you always join me on my adventure, so....", he looked away.

"Nami called you and gave you an earful, didn´t she?" "She and Sanji, yes", he admitted and breathed out, causing you to burst out into laughter. "Lu! You could´ve told me!", you beamed at him. "But I was having fun with you" "And here I was wondering why you were to gentleman like tonight" "That and I don´t like the shoes", he groaned. "I tell you what. We go back to the sunny and change, take a bit of a nap and when the sun is back up, we go on an adventure you want. How does that sound?"

His eyes began to sparkle. "I love you!", he declared and pulled you in for a tight hug, your head resting on his shoulder, smiling. "We use my rocket!", he declared. "No, we use my gate", you said and opened a gate straight to your room on the sunny, making Luffy dash through it. "Ah! Fluffy bed", he laughed, as you also, went through the gate, a smile on your lips and how much you loved your boyfriend.

[bury-me-in-potatoes]

14 Days of MHA: Day 4—The Ladies

My contribution for day 4 of @pikahlua's 14 Days of MHA challenge is just a bunch of my favourite moments from each of the class A girls and Toga lol. While Horikoshi definitely isn't the best at writing female characters, he does at least manage to make them have distinct personalities and unique designs, and I do really love most of them.

Hagakure Toru

I think this is the moment I started liking Hagakure lmao. Although I do like Aoyama and I sympathized with his situation, Hagakure's got a point. He sat in class with them every day while knowing his actions could potentially lead to their deaths, and I'm glad she called him out on it. Also, she was a badass in this scene lol.

Hagakure's quirk is super cool, actually. I love the whole "light refraction" part of it, since it's otherwise kind of just a generic invisibility power. I also really like how it's implied that she's been waiting for Aoyama to resolve to be a true hero and "shine from deep down within his core", even though she was angry before.

Ashido Mina

She was literally so brave here; her collapsing right after probably means she was terrified the entire time, but she still jumped in to save her friends. I already liked her before, but she probably shot way up on my rankings after this. Something about characters resolving to do something despite being afraid really gets to me, man.

I LOVE HER. I can't believe she really just said "friendship is magic, right?" lmao. I'm glad we got to see more of her, and it's interesting to see that there's a reason for her extroverted behaviour beyond it just being her personality. Mina might not get a ton of focus, but she's honestly one of my favourite students.

Asui Tsuyu

This speech makes me feel a lot of emotions lol. I know Tsuyu kind of faded into the background a little after the beginning, but I do really like it whenever she gets a moment like this. The part where she says that they'll tremble and cry together is just so!!!! Good!!! They're better together instead of apart. 20 quirks is better than 1.

Tsuyu is seriously underrated when it comes to the Togachako arc. I've always really loved it when characters grow to accept that the world isn't as black and white as they'd thought, and this is no exception. Her speech is so earnest and doesn't shy away from admitting that their efforts to understand Toga are arriving late, but she still implores Toga to at least listen.

Jirou Kyouka

It's so refreshing to see someone just. Not give a shit about what AFO's saying lmao. Like, who cares about who's weak and who's special right now? AFO made her friends cry, and that's why she's fighting. Also, the heartbeat monitor effects around the panels in the first picture are super cool, and I love it when Horikoshi plays around with stuff like that.

Jirou's quirk is literally so cool and I love the names of her ultimate moves. Also, it's really funny how the other guy made a huge thing out of being the first to pass the exam and everything, and Jirou just does this lmao. Good stuff.

Yaoyorozu Momo

I THINK ABOUT THIS MOMENT ALL THE TIME I'M SORRY. fdaskl;fjdasfjkl;dfj that smirk. That confidence. THAT GIANT ASS CANNON. She's literally come so far and I love her so much. There's very few ultimate moves that can top pulling a literal cannon out of your body, and I'm so glad she did it one more time in the final battle. Momo, you fucking rock.

Momo canonically being the person people look to in times of need is amazing and I love her. I realize I've said that before but it needs saying again. I like how this moment kind of parallels the final exam where she starts to spiral in the same way, but manages to pull herself together and come up with an amazing plan that does ultimately take down Machia.

Uraraka Ochako

Honestly, I could probably just put the entirety of her final confrontation with Toga here and call it a day lmao. I think about these chapters all the time, and it's crazy how they made me love Ochako so much more in such a short amount of time. I really, really love that Ochako emphasizes that while she doesn't think Toga's actions are okay, and that she can't just wipe her slate clean, but she'll listen anyway. She still wants to understand—to touch the sadness within her. Also, her quirk awakening is long overdue and it definitely delivered. She's basically unstoppable now lmao.

YOU KNOW I HAD TO INCLUDE THIS!!!!!!!! THE CUTEST IN THE WHOLE WORLD!!!!!!! I really love the Togachako fight. I love how empathetic Ochako is the entire time, and keeps fighting to understand Toga's feelings even through her injuries. I love that Ochako acknowledges that there's no replacing the League in Toga's heart, but she can still tell her what she truly thinks. And that hug!!! As they fall through the sky!!!!!! fjkdlsa;fdk anyways this chapter made my day.

Ochako gets three moments because I love her. Throughout the manga, Ochako makes a point of saying that she's putting her feelings away, or that she wants to get rid of them entirely, so seeing her finally fail to do so for once is...kind of a relief?? Her arc kind of has this subplot of shutting your feelings away versus letting them out, so seeing it come to its natural conclusion is satisfying. I like that her grief over Toga is so much, she just can't keep it in anymore, and I'm glad that in chapter 429 she finally gets to break down and let her true emotions spill out.

Toga Himiko

It's hard to choose exactly what panels in chapter 395 I like best, but I narrowed it down to these four. Although Toga's sacrifice definitely is a tearjerker, I think it's a fitting conclusion to her story; instead of taking blood from others, here she's willingly giving up her own to save someone she loves. It also shows that she's learned to express her love selflessly, instead of selfishly. Also, I genuinely think this chapter is one of the prettiest ones in the entire series. If you disagree, just take a look at Toga lmao.

This moment kind of makes me sad, because here, Toga's genuinely trying to connect with Ochako, but she gets shut down completely because Toga's a villain, and Ochako is a hero. Eventually, Ochako reciprocates the desire to understand her, but it's pretty clear that this moment devastates Toga, and solidifies her resolve to destroy everything alongside the League. Honestly, I love that Toga even tried to have this conversation with Ochako, knowing that they're on opposite sides. She's also completely right about the fact that shutting away your feelings only makes it worse, and this is something else that Ochako calls back to in their final fight, because Toga is kind of right about a lot of things, actually! Just not the murder parts.