#a wee bit traumatized

[diamonddrawsstuff]

TW: IMPLIED CHILD ABUSE/SA + TRAFFICKING ‼️

Aki’s backstory

Aki, full name Hino Tadaaki, grew up in a rural planet in the corner of our neighboring galaxy. The planet had been “colonized” by earthlings, and following the colonization, civil war erupted. Aki’s family could no longer support raising him, being forced to sell him into the alien slave trade before the age of 6. While enslaved, he was exposed to a myriad of experimentation, torture, and abuse.

He never saw his family after that.

[smilesrobotlover]

AO3

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Warning, this is a pretty dark one towards the end. A lil spooky if you will

Chapter 5- Something’s in Faron Woods

Zelda was exhausted. With the new problem of disappearances, her workload doubled. She was getting several letters from people claiming that they knew who was causing these disappearances, or people who claimed that they got caught and escaped. She was then dealing with the economy of Hyrule, then their relationship with Labrynna, then schoolwork for her daughter, and then trying to provide for the army. She’d barely gotten any sleep, but she supposed it would be fine. She’s had sleepless nights before, this would be no different.

She was eternally grateful for the resistance’s help, since she couldn’t do much on her own with the disappearances. She sent Ashei and Shad to help Hoz on his investigation, she requested Auru to ask around since he couldn’t do much in his old age, and she sent Rusl and Link to investigate Kakariko, knowing that Link’s wolf abilities would be useful. And she requested this all under her alter ego: Sheik.

She remembers when she first disguised herself as Sheik and went to help the resistance. They were dealing with straggling Bulblins who rebelled against their king. Sheik showed up to assist, and the resistance were rightfully distrusting towards her. It was difficult since Sheik wasn’t exactly a bubbly and kind person, but after a few years with her giving them correct information on situations, they started to trust her more, and she was grateful for that. It was nice doing more for Hyrule that she wouldn’t be able to do as queen, but it had made her twice as busy, and she almost had no time to do anything. Even spending time with her own daughter was severely limited, and even though she wished she could do more with her, she just didn’t have time. And she wasn’t willing to give some of her workload to Edmund.

They’d known each other since they were kids. her father was attempting to have an alliance with Labrynna and they saw each other often. They had a good enough relationship then, Edmund was very polite and kind, and even when they reunited he still was, but she couldn’t bring herself to trust him. He was never outwardly terrible, but she knew that if she gave him even an ounce of power, he would take it all and control Hyrule. She’d seen it with her father, she’d seen it with Zant, and she’d seen it with Ganondorf. All kings taking power from queens, why would Edmund be any different?

Despite her refusal to let him help her, she was exhausted, and sometimes she wished she could get help, but until she found more people she could trust, she would have to make do. Of course, it wasn’t easy to hide how she was feeling from everyone, and when she nearly fell asleep during a boring meeting, they all grew concerned for her well-being.

“My queen?” The representative for the Zora spoke up when she nearly fell over on the table, and she rubbed her face, sitting up straight.

“I’m alright,” she said quickly, and she glanced over at Edmund who stared at her with his brows pinched together.

“Are you sure?”

“I’m fine, just a little tired is all, we all get like that,” she waved their concerns away and looked down at the papers in front of her. She honestly didn’t remember what was being discussed, but she quickly skimmed over the details and caught up as much as she could. As soon as the meeting was over, she got up and left, with Edmund trailing behind her.

“Zelda?” He called out for her, and she groaned, turning around to look at him.

“Yes?”

Edmund let out a huff and put his hands on his hips. “What have you been doing?”

“What do you mean?”

“You know what I mean. You look awful. You’re rarely eating, I hardly ever see you, and you’re never in bed when you’re supposed to be.”

“Maybe I don’t want to sleep with you,” she said coldly, but instantly regretted it. That was an inappropriate thing to say, and a hurt expression flickered across Edmund’s face. He looked away and ran a hand through his hair, frustration apparent in his face.

“Goddesses, Zelda. I— I didn’t want this arranged marriage either, but I’m trying to make it work for our kingdom’s sakes! It’s been ten years, why can’t you do the same?”

Zelda faced him fully and looked down, biting her lip. “I… I apologize for that comment, Edmund. It was rude of me.”

Edmund’s glare softened slightly. “So, what’s going on? Is it the disappearances?”

Zelda pursed her lips. “It’s fine Edmund–”

“No, it’s not fine. You’re clearly overworking yourself.”

Zelda turned away and let out a frustrated sigh, spotting the nobles and representatives getting closer to them. She grabbed Edmund’s arm and led him away to somewhere more private.

“It’s fine Edmund,” she reassured when they were tucked away in a corner, “these disappearances have been a lot of work to deal with, but it will pass. Besides, I have help from friends and Hoz to get to the bottom of this.”

Edmund stared at her for a moment, his brow pinched together. “Ok, so you have help,” he finally said after a moment of contemplation, “why don’t you let me handle the next meeting so you can… I don’t know… get some rest.”

Zelda’s heart spiked and she shook her head. “No, I do not need help.”

“Oh, so you’ll get help from Hoz and friends that I’ve never heard of before, but not from me, your husband?” Edmund’s voice raised a little, and Zelda sucked in a breath.

“It’s not your responsibility—“

“Yes it is! We’re supposed to have a partnership! We’re supposed to work together to keep our kingdom allies! That is why we got married! Why can’t you trust me?”

“Maybe it’s because you have no respect for my kingdom! Maybe it’s because you berate and criticize my people and my army! Why would I let someone who hates my kingdom try to rule it?” Zelda snapped. Edmund stared at her, surprised at her angry tone. She always spoke in a controlled tone, never letting her anger get the best of her since it was improper. Zelda took a deep breath and quickly composed herself, not wanting to escalate the conversation anymore. “Edmund, can we discuss this later? I have a meeting to attend to.”

“That’s what you say everytime I try to talk to you about it,” Edmund scoffed.

“Well I don’t have time.”

Edmund was about to say something, but he glanced up behind Zelda and his glare softened.

“Amber!” He greeted, and Zelda turned around to see her daughter walking towards them.

“Hello, mother and father,” she said when she walked up to them, her hands clasped in front of her. “I finished my studies and I wanted to catch you when the meeting ended!”

Edmund gave Zelda a look and he relaxed his posture. “Well, you caught us in time, my dear.”

Amber grinned at Edmund and gave a small curtsy to Zelda. Zelda nodded her head and forced a smile. The two stared at each other awkwardly, and Zelda looked down.

“I’m glad to see you, Amber,” she finally said, and forced another smile. “I take it your studies are going well?”

“Yes, mother.”

“Right…”

Zelda looked away and Edmund sighed.

“Why don’t you tell your mother what you’ve been studying, Amber?” He encouraged, and Amber’s eyes lit up. Zelda cringed internally, wanting so badly to stay and listen to her daughter, but she simply had no time…

“Well, I’ve been studying the founding of Hyrule, and I find it quite fascinating! I read that Hylians descended from the sky and made land here, creating alliances with the many species already living here. I just can’t imagine living in the sky! I heard that they flew on birds! Big birds that they would ride on and–”

“Amber,” Zelda cut in, forcing another smile, “I think it’s wonderful that you’re interested in history. I have a meeting I must attend, but you continue on with your studies.”

Amber’s expression fell which made Zelda’s heart twist in pain, and she looked down. “Of course, mother, sorry to keep you.”

Zelda couldn’t force another smile, and she simply walked away, trying to ignore the guilt creeping up on her. Goddesses she wanted to stay, she wanted to stay and to talk with her daughter. She wanted to ignore the meetings and to actually rest her eyes. But she couldn’t, there was too much to do, and she didn’t have the time.

Zelda couldn’t help but glance at the two when she turned the corner. Amber was still facing away, but Edmund was staring at her, and where she expected anger, there was nothing but sadness in his eyes.

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

Link watched the field around him carefully, sticking closer to Rusl this time around. Kori was no longer riding with him, and was inside the cart playing with his new toy, meanwhile Colin sat behind him on Epona. Talo was riding his own horse on the other side of the cart, grateful to no longer be alone on the trip back home. Link was also glad that they were with Talo as well, learning more about the strange disappearances have gotten him nervous. Rusl tried to make sense of it all, explaining how the scent probably got messed up, but Link supposed he couldn’t truly understand how bizarre the whole thing was. The scent wasn’t replaced, nor was it lost, it just vanished. The fact that he didn’t know why this was happening, or where to continue looking, chilled him to the bone, and he was anxious to get back to Ordon and out of the open field. Colin picked up on his nervous energy, and he rested his hand on his shoulder.

“Are you alright, Link?” His younger brother asked, and Link shrugged.

“I dunno, I just don’t like the open field,” he answered simply.

“I heard you and pa were investigating some disappearances, anything going on with that?”

Link sighed. “I don’t know, I tried to follow the missing people’s scent and I found nothing.”

“Nothing?”

“Absolutely nothing. The scent just ends. Pa thinks that the scent was replaced or lost but… I honestly don’t think that’s the case,” he ran his fingers through his hair, letting out a breath.

“What do you think the case is?”

“I’m not sure, the only explanation is that the people got taken to… a different world or something,” Link felt the heat creep up to his cheeks as he said it outloud. The idea of different worlds wasn’t far-fetched to him, the temple of time literally took him through time to when the temple stood tall and proud, and the twilight realm was a world he could never forget. But to get to these places were nearly impossible, especially the twilight realm, so the idea that these people somehow getting taken to anywhere like that was ridiculous to him. Colin only hummed.

“You sure they’re not dead?”

“I’m sure Colin, I would’ve smelled it. Once we get home I’m gonna try to look further into it.” By the goddesses he was not going to let something like this continue. He was the hero for Din’s sake, he still had a responsibility to Hyrule. Link glanced over at the carriage to see Kori and Rela poking their heads out from the carriage, smiling at the nature in front of them. A protective feeling surrounded him as he watched them. He was going to make sure that his family, especially Kori, were never going to experience a dangerous Hyrule ever again.

They reached Ordon when the sun began to set, and everyone let out a sigh of relief as they got off their steeds or out of the cart.

“By the goddesses, it’s nice not being attacked every five seconds in the field,” Talo commented, stretching his arms after he got off his horse. Beth and Colin cheered in response as Link led Epona to his home, patting her neck and giving her a treat. Kori ran up to him and patted Epona’s snout.

“Thanks for getting us here, girl!” He said, and Epona lowered her head to nuzzle his chest, which Kori giggled at. Link smiled at the two and left them alone together as he went to help Rusl with unloading the cart. The kids stayed back talking and playing with the horses while Link and Rusl went to their home. When they opened the door, Uli set down her sewing project from the couch and met them at the door in seconds.

“You’re home!” She cheered, and gave Rusl and Link a hug. Rusl chuckled and pecked her on the lips.

“Hello, darlin’,” he said when he pulled away, and the two smiled at each other for a moment.

“How was it? How’s Renado?” She asked as they pulled away to put their stuff down.

“It was fine,” Link answered, plopping down on the couch. “Renado seems pretty overwhelmed, but otherwise it was ok.”

“What did Kori get?”

“A stuffed cat he named Jasper,” Link answered, stretching his arms above his head. Uli tilted her head and crossed her arms.

“A stuffed cat? If I had known that he wanted a stuffed cat, I would’ve made him one!”

“Yeah, kids are weird like that,” Link said with a chuckle, rubbing his eyes. “The moment they see somethin’ they want at the store, they ask for it even though you can make it at home.”

“It’s more special from a shop!” Rusl chimed in, leaning near the fireplace. Uli raised an eyebrow and smirked.

“Are you saying that if I made it, it wouldn’t be special?”

Rusl’s eyes went big and he turned away. “Of course not… that’s… you know what I meant!”

Uli gave a quick laugh. “I know what you meant darlin’, I’m just messing with you.” Rusl glared at her and she simply giggled teasingly at him. She turned to Link and her teasing manner dropped slightly. “Well, I heard you two were investigating some…. Disappearances,” she started, “were you able to find anything?”

Link looked at Rusl and shrugged. “Not really.”

“We didn’t find anything useful at least,” Rusl added quietly. Uli frowned.

“Are you going to continue investigating?”

“Well, I kinda have to. Kori wants everyone to return home safely for his birthday,” Link said with a small smile on his lips. Uli grinned and ruffled his hair.

“He’s a sweet boy. He reminds me of a certain someone.”

Link looked down bashfully and rolled his eyes as Uli began to dote on him. Kori was a sweet boy. So gentle and kind, despite being a little mischievous at times. He couldn’t take all the credit for it of course, or really any of it. Midna raised him by herself for his first two years of life, and even though she's not with them all the time, she’s impacted his life in more ways than one. Goddesses he missed her. He wanted to tell her everything about Kakariko, he wanted her advice, her comments, her support. He just wanted her here…

Uli clasped her hands together and sighed after a moment of silence. “Well, where are the kids?”

“Dealin’ with the horses. I think they’re a little stir crazy.”

Uli smiled and gestured at the fireplace. “I have some soup cooking if you wanna drag our little ones over here?”

The smell of the soup cooking above the fireplace hit his nostrils, and he wiped some drool that suddenly appeared on his chin. Uli let out a hearty laugh and ruffled his hair.

“I’ll go get them ma,” Link chuckled, slightly embarrassed, and jogged out the door to find Colin, Rela, and Kori.

The three were excited for the hot dinner when Link told them, and they quickly put their things away as the sun set behind the horizon. Kori wasted no time showing Jasper the cat to Uli, explaining the complex backstory he gave to the plush, and how it connected to Billy the goat’s backstory. Uli listened intently, and Link let out a laugh. He always talked her ear off, but she always listened. Link wondered if he was the same way when he was younger.

“So, I take it Midna didn’t go with you?” Uli asked when Kori finished his story. Link shook his head.

“No, she had other stuff she needed to do back home.”

“What does she do anyways?” Colin asked, his spoon full of soup inches away from his mouth. Link shrugged.

“Stuff.”

“You always say that,” he said, sipping the soup from the spoon. Link shrugged again.

“Y’all weren’t supposed to know about her existence anyways. If she wants to tell you what she does, then she will. It’s not my business to tell you.”

“Fair ‘nough.”

“Well,” Uli started, standing up, “I already ate, but I can dish up some food for the rest of you.”

“Nah, I got two strong arms, I can do it myself,” Rusl said with a smile, grabbing a bowl and hunching over the pot.

“Nonsense! You’ve been traveling all day,” Uli began to argue, and the couple began to fight over the soup. Colin and Link exchanged a look and smirked as Kori and Rela jogged over to the fireplace, trying to break up the battle for service between the two lovers. When Uli finally admitted defeat, Link got up to the pot to serve himself and Kori, smiling at his ma who returned to her sewing project. But as he began to walk across the room, he stopped, his ears twitching. There was a sound, it was distant, and out in the woods, but as it got closer, the sound became more apparent.

Screaming.

Soon it got loud enough for Uli to hear it too, and they both looked at each other in fear. Kori stared at the two, hearing it as well.

“What is that?” He asked, and the whole family grew quiet, hearing the sudden screaming. Rusl got up, grabbing his sword and gestured for Link to follow him.

“Stay here,” Rusl said to Colin and Uli, who were about to follow him. Uli walked towards the kids while Colin reluctantly stayed by the doorway, and the two swordsmen marched out of the house. As they got closer, Link was able to spot three figures huddled together. He recognized mayor Bo’s large frame next to Jaggle, who was consoling a hysterical Coro. Bo looked up as the two men got closer, and he let out a sigh of relief.

“Thank the spirits,” he said, stepping away. “I was just about to come and get you two.”

“What’s happenin’ here?” Rusl asked, staring at Coro who looked to be a mess. “Why were you screaming?”

Coro raised his head and stared at the two. “S-something’s out in the woods!” His voice shook as he said it, and he was shaking in fear.

Link frowned, feeling dread and fear creep up on him. “What was it?”

“I– I don’t know! I don’t know!”

Rusl rested a hand on Coro’s shoulder and kneeled down. “Take some deep breaths for me, ok? Think about what you saw and try to explain it to us.”

Coro swallowed and took a deep breath. “Ok, you are all gonna think that I’m insane, but I promise I’m not! I know these woods, I’ve seen all sorts of plants and animals! But I was putting my things away f-for the night, and I heard somethin’ behind me and… I saw a black creature staring at me!” Coro wailed and buried his face in his hands, and Rusl gave Link a look. “It tried to kill me! I swear!”

“Did you have a light to see this… black creature?” Jaggle asked skeptically, and Coro gave him a glare.

“I didn’t hallucinate it if that’s what you’re implying! Trill saw it too!”

As if on cue, Coro’s bird, Trill poked out from his hair, staring at the men. Link expected him to begin chatting, but he was uncharacteristically silent as the men observed the bird.

“Can you… Uh… describe the creature again?” Jaggle asked, and Coro let out a frustrated huff.

“I know it sounds ridiculous, but it was a big, black creature with long arms! It almost swiped at me but I didn’t wait around! I thought something was off about the forest, Trill came to me a few days before talking about a bear, so I-I thought that he just got spooked! There hasn’t been a bear in these parts in ages so I assumed he saw a wolf! There’s been wolves around here right? But this wasn’t a bear, I don’t know what it was but it was no bear!”

Rusl, Jaggle, and Link all glanced at each other as Coro continued to ramble, and Rusl scratched the back of his head. “Sounds like you had a scare, Coro. But let’s think about this, it could’ve been a tree or something. They look scary at night, right?”

“Trees don’t try to swipe at you!” Coro yelled.

Jaggle glanced at Rusl and sighed. “You can stay with us if it makes you feel safe, we’ll be sure that the gate is locked extra tight, but–”

“No! You need to find that thing, now!” Coro grabbed Rusl and shook him slightly. “A gate won’t stop it if it found us! It’s too big! Don’t you remember what happened ten years ago? When a green monster burst through the gates and stole all the kids?”

Rusl’s expression grew dark, and Jaggle pulled Coro away.

“Now you need to calm down!” He yelled. “It’s gettin’ late, and it’s too dangerous to go out at night, we’ll hunt down whatever it was you saw tomorrow—“

“Jaggle,” Mayor Bo interrupted him, staring at the entrance, “perhaps we should find whatever Coro saw.”

“What? Bo are you crazy?”

“I don’t want anything attacking us at night when we’re most vulnerable,” Bo explained, his hands raised defensively. “We at least need to be prepared for something!”

Jaggle opened his mouth to say something but Rusl stepped up. “He’s right, it’s not dark yet, me and Link will check it out, the rest of you will make sure nothing happens to Ordon.” Link looked at his father in shock, but he avoided his gaze. “We’ll find whatever scared you, I don’t want anything to attack us at night either.”

Coro looked relieved and nodded. “Thanks, sorry to bother you folks–”

“It’s fine,” Rusl waved his apology away, “me and Link will investigate, Colin, Talon, and Beth will look after the village in the meantime, if it ain’t a bother.”

Jaggle let out a loud sigh and shrugged. “Don’t think Talo would be bothered at all.”

“Good. There’s still some sun left, once it gets too dark, me and Link will return, ok?”

Jaggle seemed more comfortable with that and nodded. Rusl nodded back and turned to head back to the house, with Link reluctantly following.

“Are you sure this is a good idea, pa?” Link asked softly as Bo led Coro to his home. “We don’t have a lot of time before it gets too dark.”

“We’ll be fine, Link. I take it it’s nothin’ serious,” Rusl said, but he didn’t seem too confident in his own words. “Besides, if something is out there, I don’t want– I don’t want another attack on Ordon.” Rusl’s voice grew quiet, but he didn’t turn to look at Link.

Link pursed his lips, but said nothing. When the two reached the house, Rusl quickly explained the situation to Uli and Colin. Uli protested against it while Colin grabbed a sword, determined to protect the village. With enough reassurance that they were going to be ok, the two bid their farewells, collected their swords and torches, and headed into the woods.

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

The forest was quiet save for the rustling of the leaves as they blew through the wind. The moon was full, which thankfully gave him and Rusl more light to work with. The sky was a deep purple, making the forest much darker than what Link would like. Sure there was some sunlight, but it wasn’t enough to investigate. It was uncomfortably silent between Link and Rusl, both listening intently to whatever could be out here. Link’s eyes were darting back and forth, his heart beating against his chest as they got closer to Coro’s house. He’s never liked the dark, but after the twilight invasion, he’s grown to hate it. Anything could be hiding in the shadows, watching him and his father as they walked by. It made his hair stand on its ends. Rusl seemed to be more relaxed than him though, a determined look on his face as he observed the trees illuminated by his torch and moon. When they reached Coro’s house, Link lowered his breathing to hear whatever it was Coro saw. His sword was raised in front of him while Rusl looked around the house. The silence was deafening, and the night air sent a chill up Link’s spine. He studied the ground around the house for a moment before looking at Rusl, who put a hand on his hip and sighed.

“Do you see anything?” He asked, and Link shook his head.

“I haven’t seen anything unusual, but something isn’t right.”

“What makes you say that?”

“I—I don’t know, something in the air isn’t right.” Link pursed his lips as he watched the trees around them. There was a good chance that he was just spooked, but the feeling of dread wouldn’t leave him. Rusl clicked his tongue as his head turned behind him.

“What do you think Coro saw?”

Link shrugged. If it was anyone else he wouldn’t be so worried, but it was Coro that got scared. He wasn’t scared of anything. Even when he saw Link as a wolf he seemed calm, even when monsters were right outside his home he didn’t care much. The only time Link has seen Coro frightened was during the twilight invasion, when shadow insects were crawling all over his home. A sinking feeling rested within his stomach as he thought about the missing people, but he shook his head. There was no way that there was another twilight invasion. The only Twili that were left in the world was Midna, and how she was able to be in this world was a mystery to him. No, it had to be an animal or a tree or something. Coro wasn’t afraid of anything, but everyone gets spooked every now and then.

“He probably saw a bear,” Rusl said softly, his brows pinched together.

“If it was a bear, then we should head back and hunt it tomorrow. It’s too dangerous to be out here at night.” Bears were rare in Ordon, but they showed up occasionally, and Link had heard too many horror stories from Rusl about them that he knew that they were a serious threat. But regardless, the idea of Coro seeing a bear scared Link less than any alternative. Rusl pursed his lips and stared at the ground.

“I’m not seeing any footprints though,” he muttered, kneeling on the ground and tracing his hand across the ground.

Link looked over his shoulder, the sudden feeling of dread overwhelming him as he stared at the darkness. Something was out in Faron woods, something dark and evil.

“Pa, we should go,” he said, trying to keep his voice from quivering. “We can lock the gates and look for it tomorrow, but we’re at a disadvantage here.”

“I know, Link. But it’s not too dark yet.”

“It’s dark enough for this to be dangerous!”

Rusl stared at the ground blankly for a moment, before looking up at Link. “You think he saw something out in these woods?” Rusl asked, and Link tilted his head.

“You don’t believe him?”

“I-I’m not sure. I’m not seein’ any footprints or anything around here. Nothing was by his house, I think he saw the shadow of a tree or something, but… I don’t want to take any chances.”

Link frowned as Rusl went back to staring at the ground. He didn’t want to risk a potentially dangerous monster attacking Ordon either, but Link knew that they wouldn’t last against a black creature at night. He looked behind him at the entrance to Ordon, shifting his feet nervously as he felt eyes on him from all sides. Rusl picked up on his nervous energy, and he stood up, eyeing the house.

“I’m just gonna look around some more, then we’ll head back, ok?”

Link nodded and watched as his father marched to Coro’s home. He lingered near the trees, watching them intently as if something would grab him. It was silent for too long, and he occasionally glanced over his shoulder to check on his pa, who was barely visible from the torch he was carrying. It was getting too dark, his patience was wearing thin, and his anxiety gnawed at his insides. He couldn’t wait out here any longer, they needed to head back now.

A snap of a twig caused Link to jump ten feet in the air, and he had his sword drawn out defensively in front of him as he glared at the darkness in front of him. His heart beat furiously against his chest as he strained his eyes to see what was lurking in the dark.

Was it a monster? A bulblin? A lost traveler? Several possibilities ran through his head as he searched the woods in front of him, fear nearly paralyzing him so much he couldn’t even speak. Another sound was heard, along with rustling, and something dark emerged into the light Link’s lantern emitted. Link jumped, yelling out as soon as he saw it, and when it was fully in the light, Link saw that the creature that spooked him so badly was a fuzzy rabbit, staring at him as its nose twitched. Link stared in shock, his breathing quick and his heart beating a mile a minute.

“Link?” Rusl called out worriedly, and Link heard his pa jogging towards him.

“I—it’s— a r—“ Link let out a sigh of relief as the rabbit hopped away, and he started giggling. Loud.

“Uh, Link?” Rusl sounded much more concerned as Link doubled over laughing.

“I—it’s a rabbit— a rabbit,” Link wheezed out between giggles, and Rusl raised an eyebrow.

“Ok…?” Rusl gave him one more look before returning to the house, his head shaking in confusion. Link let out a breath and stared at the ground lit up by his lantern, feeling slightly more relaxed. He picked up his lantern and stood up, but as he got on his feet, the light moved further into the darkness, and that was when he saw it.

A black hand, clearly human shaped, standing out in the lit up grass. It quickly disappeared into the darkness, but Link was able to see it. He felt his blood run cold as he shot up, his sword shaking in his trembling hands, the relief gone in an instant. Did he imagine that?

The feeling of dread began to overwhelm him, and he spun around to his father.

“Pa—“ he was interrupted by a familiar shriek. A shriek that paralyzed him to the bone. His body trembled as his heart beat so hard against his chest it felt as though it would burst. His senses were clouded, he couldn’t see, he couldn’t hear, he couldn’t feel. All he knew was fear. Until the strong paralysis went away.

Link gasped as he was able to move again. His head felt light, his heart continued to race, but he felt conscious again. He looked around, shocked that he himself was left untouched. His lantern was left on the ground, standing upright, still emitting light enough for Link to see. The sky was black now, the moon emitting barely enough light for Link to see beyond the lantern. He shakily picked it up and looked around him, his heart sinking into his stomach as realization hit him.

Rusl.

The other light that came from Rusl’s torch was put out, and Link’s father was nowhere to be seen.

“P-pa?” Link called out weakly, tears pricking at his eyes when he was met with silence. He ran to Coro’s house and searched the ground, but there was no sign of Rusl, all except his torch which was laying on the ground. Link wasted no time turning into a wolf and sniffing the torch, but he was only met with the eye watering scent of smoke and fire. Goddesses, how could he find him?

Link noticed some scuff marks on the ground, and he saw the footprints. They weren’t human, there were no toes and they were much too small, but he knew that whatever they belonged to, it was what took Rusl. Link took off running, using his wolf senses to see in the dark. The footprints went into the dark caves, and Link plowed through, luckily remembering where to go from traveling through them hundreds of times. He ignored the rats and keese that tried to hurt him, and he emerged from the other side. At the end of the cave, Link spotted something glimmering in the moonlight. Rusl’s sword. Thank the spirits.

With no smoke to cloud his senses, Link was able to pick up on Rusl’s sent. It led deeper into Faron woods, through the thick trees that used to hold poisonous gas. Link sprinted through, the feeling of deja vu of hunting down the missing tailor and Goron making him more and more anxious.

Please don’t be too late.

Link was so focused on running that he barely noticed that he actually passed the scent, and he skidded to a stop, spinning to where the scent stopped. The scent didn’t seem to end abruptly the same way the tailor and goron’s did thankfully, but the feeling of dread kept any feeling of relief shining through. The creature was here, and it was watching him.

Link growled at the darkness in front of him, and he heard something shuffling. A dark mass silhouetted by the moon revealed itself, growing more and more until it stood up straight, and Link felt his heart drop.

It was a shadow beast, but it was different. Its skin was black as the night, blending into the dark trees around it, all except the red Twili mark on its chest. Black tendrils jutted out of its body, mostly from its head. Two arms were laid awkwardly on its back, instead of a mask there was a mouth that snarled at him with yellow teeth, and it was huge. Bigger than any shadow beast Link had seen. How…?

The creature snarled and rested on its two front arms, the arms on its back hanging menacingly. Link’s growl got more low, his fear replaced by fury. This thing did something to Rusl, and he was going to make it pay.

A hand suddenly swiped at his side, and Link was barely able to move before it hit him. He barked and jumped at the beast, biting into its shoulder as hard as he could. The beast shrieked and threw Link off of it, slamming him into a tree. Link sucked in a breath, scrambling to his feet as his back ached from the impact. He shook his head and snarled at the beast. It snarled back. He moved back and forth, trying to figure out where to begin on fighting this thing. If it was similar to a shadow beast, then fighting it shouldn’t be too difficult.

Link charged at it again, sinking his teeth into the shoulder of the beast. It let out a cry, but Link continued biting, ripping it apart with his claws and fangs. Eventually he was thrown off again, but before the beast had time to recover, Link jumped at it again, this time aiming for the stomach. Link went much deeper into the soft flesh of the torso, and he was able to rip a good chunk of it out. The creature shrieked in pain as it slammed its fist down onto Link, but he dodged just in time. The beast hunched over, holding its stomach in pain as black goo fell out. Though this creature was much bigger and stronger than a shadow beast, it was simply too easy to fight.

Link went to charge again but the beast made a strange noise that stopped him in his tracks. It stayed on all fours, hunched over, gagging. Link could only watch as it gagged, his confusion holding him in place. He only came back to reality when the beast began to vomit, and soon he saw a hand flailing around from its mouth. Rusl!

Link quickly turned back into a Hylian, reaching out for the hand. He felt relief when Rusl’s hand quickly gripped to his own, meaning that Rusl was still alive and conscious, and Link pulled with all his might. The beast remained still as Rusl was slowly pulled out, and Link’s father let out a gasp as his face emerged from the mouth.

“Pa!” Link yelled out, and Rusl struggled to pull his other arm free from the throat of the beast. His face was covered in the black goo that poured out of its stomach, covering his eyes and hair. As Link pulled him out more, he noticed the teeth of the beast ripping up his clothes, but he didn’t stop pulling.

Rusl’s other arm was pulled free, and it flailed towards Link’s arm, and he weakly hung on as he was pulled out the rest of the way. But just as he was free, the beast suddenly bit down on Rusl’s leg, and Link gasped as Rusl’s grip went limp and he was pulled away from him.

“PA!” Link screamed as he was dragged away, and the beast snarled at him, leering over Rusl as if he was its prize. It scooped up his pa in one of the hands on its back and it took off running, deeper into the woods. Link cursed under his breath and turned into a wolf again, ignoring the pain that shot through as he transformed. He took off running, following the beast through a gate to where Coro’s bird’s shop was. Link pumped his canine legs, and was able to catch up to the beast and Rusl. When he was close enough, he bit down on its leg, attempting to drag it to the ground. The creature shrieked and spun around, ripping its leg from Link’s mouth. The beast snarled at him as Rusl hung limply in its hand, blood and black goo dripping down his feet and hair. Link barked at him, but he didn’t move. The beast backed away from Link as he tried to wake his pa up, its back arching like an agitated cat as it growled at him.

Link made sure he was merciless this time around. He attacked relentlessly, aiming for the arms resting on its back, trying to get it to drop Rusl, but its grip was tight around his father, so it never let him go no matter how hard Link bit into its arms. The beast smacked Link a few times as he attacked the arms, but he fought through the pain, fiercely biting and scratching the beast. Link had severely underestimated this creature, with it not giving out anytime soon. Shadow beasts normally would die after having their throats ripped out or being clawed to death, but it seemed that this thing was invincible. He didn’t know why, but it was stronger than any Twili creature he’s ever fought.

Link was smacked against a tree again, and he staggered slightly as he got on his feet. He was growing exhausted, he felt like he was doing the same thing over and over again to no avail. Though he’d just ripped part of its stomach out, it didn’t seem to be bothered by it. What was this thing?

The creature snarled at him again, having a more confident pose as it faced Link, and all he could do was growl at the thing. He didn’t care what happened to him, he just needed to make sure Rusl was safe. The beast charged at him, and Link braced himself, but it suddenly stopped, shrinking back into the shadows, making strange noises that sounded like pain. It looked up at the sky and to Link’s surprise, it dropped Rusl and sprinted away, leaving Link alone with his father. He quickly turned back into a Hylian, staggering at the sharp pain in his back, but he stood up, pulling out his sword. He ran to Rusl, standing over his father protectively in case it returned, but it did not.

Why did the thing run away? It was winning, it wouldn’t have dropped Rusl like that. The sun rising in the sky answered Link’s question, and soon the forest was lit up. Relief swept over him as he was able to see, and he knew he was safe. For now at least. It seemed that the—Twili beast— hated the light.

Link relaxed and put his sword away, exhaustion beginning to overwhelm him, but he couldn’t rest, not yet. He looked at his father who was still unconscious, and he turned him over. His entire body was covered in black goo, and some of it mixed in with blood from small cuts on his skin, possibly from the creature’s teeth. His leg looked the worst, with a bite mark circling around his calf and shin. It had stopped bleeding it seemed, but dried blood mixed with black goo made it look much worse. Rusl was breathing, though it was shallow and sounded wrong. Link hoped that his ribs weren’t bruised or broken, he wondered how tight that thing held onto him. Link took a deep breath and shook him gently, brushing his clumpy hair out of his eyes.

“P-pa?” He whispered, shaking him a little harder. Rusl seemed to be reacting to being shaken, so Link tried harder. He needed medical attention, and his mind thought of the spirit springs. He remembered fairies appeared at each one after he faced a trial from the great fairy, he wondered if they were still there. “Pa,” he repeated, a little louder. Rusl’s blue eyes began to flutter open, and he stared at Link confused.

“L-Link?” He croaked.

Link smiled a relieved smile and started to help him to his feet, but Rusl stopped him quickly, hissing in pain as he held his side.

“Somethings wrong,” he rasped, sinking into the ground. Link frowned and looked him over. His ribs must’ve been broken.

“C’mon, pa. We gotta get to the spring. You’ll feel better.”

Rusl stared at him, wheezing and holding his side painfully, but he didn’t stop Link from helping him to his feet. Rusl leaned heavily on Link’s side, and the two slowly walked to the spring. It felt like hours until they finally made it, at some point Link had to pick up his pa to carry him the rest of the way, despite his protests. He set him down in the spring water, immediately feeling comfort in the warm water. Rusl let out a sigh of relief as he rested in the water, but the relief melted into panic as he looked at himself.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” Link asked, calming down his father.

“‘Don’t want to dirty the spring.”

“You’re not gonna dirty the spring, the spirit’s light keeps it clean,” at least he assumed, the water never seemed to get dirty no matter what was put in it. Rusl relaxed again and stared at himself, his brows furrowed. Link began washing the goo and blood off of himself, helping Rusl occasionally. Rusl was uncomfortably silent while the two cleaned themselves off, and Link wanted to bring up what had happened, but he couldn’t bring himself to talk about it either. After Link finished washing out his wounds, he stood up, limping towards the bushes to see if any fairies were hiding. Luckily he found two and he returned with them both, noticing Rusl staring at him with his brows furrowed.

“Some fairies,” Link said, handing them both to him.

Rusl silently opened his palm where one fluttered onto his hand, and it healed up his bleeding leg and bruised ribs. He let out a sigh of relief and stared at Link who still held the other one.

“You need another one, pa,” Link pressed, but Rusl shook his head.

“You’re hurt too.”

“Not as bad as you.”

“I don’t care, my leg is healed, you use it.”

Link was taken aback at his intense tone, but he was too tired to fight back. He held the fairy gently in his hand and it floated around him, healing up his aching back. It rested on his head when it finished healing him, and Link let out a sigh of relief. Fairies were wonderful creatures.

The two sat in silence, staring at the crystal blue water they were in, soaking in the sun as it rose higher and higher in the sky. It didn’t feel like they were gone all night, but with Link’s tired body, he supposed it made sense.

“Link,” Rusl broke the silence, continuing to stare blankly at the water. “We need to tell the resistance about this as soon as possible.” Link stared at him for a moment, and he opened his mouth to say something, but Rusl continued. “That… thing… it has to be responsible for the disappearances. We need to tell them about this.”

Link nodded. “We oughta tell them when we all meet up then—“

“I’m not waiting until the date Sheik set, we need to tell them now.”

Link stared at him for a moment, then nodded. “Yeah, ok, I agree. I’ll send a letter, then we can move out tomorrow.”

“Link—“

“We move out tomorrow, pa. We need rest though, we’ve been up all night. Besides, we gotta tell the folks around Ordon to stay away from Faron at night, ok?”

Rusl glared at him for a moment, but it softened when he had no rebuttal. “Yeah, ok. We need rest.”

Link nodded. He was no stranger to staying up all night, but as he’s gotten older, it’s been much harder to deal with. He stood up, his legs feeling weak as he walked around, and Rusl followed, being careful on his newly healed leg. Link stared at his leg for a moment, then faced him.

“Are… are you alright?”

Rusl stopped walking and looked up at him. “I’m… fine. Thanks to you. Are you ok?”

Link pursed his lips and nodded. “I’ll be fine, pa.”

Rusl’s gaze softened and he wrapped his arm around Link’s shoulder. “Let’s head back then. I bet everyone is worried sick.”

[desultory-novice]

...My muse is fickle and HIGHLY opportunistic and hearing @deepseamuse share their idea for a bad ending to Apologies where Adeleine refuses to leave Noir's side at Shiver Star, we~ll...

:guilty cough:

I-found-myself-writing-my-own-take-on-how-such-a-conversation-between-the-two-of-them-might-fall-before-I-knew-what-was-happening-I'm-so-sorry!

My apologies, Noir Defense Force... Unlike other writers, I have only tragic siblings for you today...

"Snowflakes"

Warning: This story is SO self-indulgent of me 200% pure melancholy, bittersweet Dess (scriptfic) angst

-

:At the gates, Noir sees his sister off with a pained smile: :But she plants her feet, spinning back toward him:

Adeleine: "...I won't go."

:Noir shakes his head, gently chiding:

Noir: "Adeleine. C'mon." Adeleine: "Not without you, Noir!" Noir: "It's...It's not possible, okay? Not on this ride up, at least." Adeleine: "Okay. Then my going is impossible too!" Noir: "Don't be stubborn. Why're you acting like a kid about this?" Adeleine: "I AM a kid. And you're only three years older, Noir!"  "Are you my brother or are you trying to be dad...?"

:Adeleine is beginning to shake, worry taking root in her:

Adeleine: "...Let's just wait till we can go together, please?" Noir: "We're already here. This is the better option. Trust me." "And I'll find you again soon. I swear it." "It'll be so fast you won't notice I wasn't there the whole time!" Adeleine: "...I don't want us to be separated, Noir." "Not for any length of time!" Noir: "It's not..." "Adeleine, that's..."

:Noir grits his teeth hard, the pressure building in him snaps:  :In a moment of weakness, he voices his own fears aloud:

Noir: "We're going to be separated anyway..." Adeleine: "...Noir? What do you mean by that...?"

:He looks away, regretting ever opening his stupid mouth:

Adeleine: "What is it? What's going to happen?" Noir: "...Nothing. It's nothing, okay?" Adeleine: "Noir!" Noir: "Just forget I said anything, all right?!" Adeleine: "Now who's being stubborn?! Talk to me!"

:He tries to turn away from her, she grabs his hand to pull him back:

:He yanks it away quickly, only for his glove to slip off with it: :She sees his withered, blackened hand:

Adeleine: "...Your hand..."

:She looks up at him in shock and finally sees it: :That's not just his turtleneck pulled up extra high: :The decay has extended all the way to his jaw:

Adeleine: "Your neck too...? "...What is that? I-It's all over you..." "Noir...? Are you sick...?"

:Noir balls his fists, unable to face her: :Facing her means telling the truth:

Noir: "Just go... please..." "...I'm begging you." Adeleine: "N-Noir... Noir, I'm scared..."

:Adeleine is shaken, her gaze unfocused: :Noir kneels down next to her, trying to calm both of them:

Noir: "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I messed up, Adeleine... Badly." "And this time... was worse than all the others." Adeleine: "Y-You're gonna be okay though, right?"  "Tell me you're going to be okay?"

:He take a half-hearted shot at faking the worst lie ever:

Noir: "......Yeah. Yeah, I mean, when have I not been fine? It's okay...!"

:But even if she wants to believe this lie too, she can't:

Adeleine: "No... You don't mean it though... Tell me the truth, Noir!" Noir: "The truth is..." "...I can't stop what's happening to me."  "And I don't think I've got long left. That's why you have to go."

:Adeleine shakes her head, panic taking over:

Adeleine: "Mm-mm. Mm-mm. No, no. Noir, no. Nononono..." Noir: "Adeleine..." Adeleine: "Nononononononononono..." Noir: "Get on the ship, Adeleine." Adeleine: "Nononononononononnononono...!" Noir: "Ade-..." Adeleine: "Wa...-Waaaaaahhhh!!"

:She breaks into childlike, inconsolable sobbing: :Noir bites his lip, realizing she won't leave on her own now: :He gets up, shouts at a guard some distance away:

Noir: "You! This girl's a passenger, right?! Get her on board already!" Guard: "I'll need to double-check with-..." Noir: "She's already cleared for passage, dammit!" "Could we have gotten this close to the gates if she wasn't?!" "Get...her...on...the...ship! Now!"

:Noir is as threatening as your average scrawny teenager: :But he is right about passing through all the gates:

Guard: "...All right. Come on, you." "You had time to say your goodbyes." Adeleine: "Noooooooo!"

:Adeleine cries as the guard lifts her up off her feet:

Noir: "Goodbye, Ade-..." "...Gh?!"

:Noir falls to his knees, negativity causing the corruption to spike: :Adeleine kicks and punches to free herself from the guard:

Adeleine: "NOIR!" Guard: "Hey! Stop struggling!" Noir: "...G-guh! ...H-Hgh...!!"

:Bent over, Noir vomits sizzling black goo onto the ground:  :Cloudy, dark particles rise menacingly into the air: :Adeleine slips free as the guard backs away in shock:

Adeleine: "Noir! Noir!" Noir: "S-stay...away..." Guard: "?! The hell is that stuff?! Shit!"  "Security here; I need the bio team on this, stat!" "We got some kind of potential toxin or pathogen or something! "Tell the launch team to seal the shuttle and go!" Noir: "N-No...!" Adeleine: "Noir... Noir..." Noir: "A-Ade...leine..."

:Adeleine clings to Noir, sobbing: :The "bio team" arrives. Fully suited and fully armed:

Team: "You said there was some kind of contaminate?" Guard: "Over there! It's them! It's the children...!" "I think they're carriers for some experimental disease!" Team: "...Sickos. Thinking they can get by us using kids..."

:As the the security guard masks up and flees, the helmeted bio team leader looks impassively at the two huddled children; Adeleine in tears while Noir, still sick, stares daggers at the leader:

Team: "Hate to do this when there are hardly any of you left but..." "...We can't risk anything getting into this sector. My apologies."

:Flamethrowers are aimed at Noir and Adeleine:

Team:"Squad. On my command-!" Noir: "Rgh...! DAMMIT...!!"

:Noir hugs Adeleine in his arms and squeezes his eyes shut; the Dark Matter Blade is summoned before him as he uses his powers to teleport them away in a swirling vortex of darkness:

:They reappear in the familiar back alleys of the shelter district:

Noir: "...Huff... huff..."  "Adeleine?! Are you here...?!" Adeleine: "Yeah..." Noir: "...You're not hurt, are you...?"

:He touches her cheek with a gloved hand to be sure she's there: :He had never teleported with another person and wasn't sure he could:

Adeleine: "No. But, Noir..."

:She's too shaken to finish what she was saying: :He lets go of her and falls back into the cold snow:

Noir: "Heh... I really ruined everything, huh...?" Adeleine: "Nuh-uh... You didn't. Cause you're still here..." 

:Adeleine nestles up as close as she can to him:

Adeleine: "...Stay. We have to stay together, Noir..." "Mom and dad made us promise to watch out for each other." Noir: "...I know. That's how I know...I messed up as bad as I did..." "And it's all thanks to this stupid thing..."

:He yanks at his scarf, revealing the control gear turned collar:

Adeleine: "Is that...the thing that lets you call your sword...?" Noir: "And some other stuff. Like that teleportation trick."

:Adeleine sits up and attempts to take it off him: :She can't even slip her small fingers through to pry at it:

Adeleine: "Ngh! It's...so tight around your neck." "...How does this come off again?" Noir: "It doesn't. Not anymore. Heh... I told you I messed up..."

:He smiles, blocking his eyes with the back of a withered hand: :He is finally confessing all the things he should have earlier:

Noir: "I thought I could protect you with it. Become stronger." "So, I kept on wearing it... Way longer than I should have."  "And...I used it...to do some really awful stuff..." "Raquelle... I'm the reason she's gone..."

:This day has already been so traumatic for Adeleine she doesn't even know how to begin to react to the news of their friend's death:

Adeleine: "Noir..." Noir: "Whatever justifications I thought I had..." "...I wish I hadn't done any of it now." "You and I could have just stayed as we were." "But wearing it connected me...to something dark." "I feel it now, always at the back of my mind."

:He pulls his hand away, his eyes a thousand yards away:

Noir: "It's like a void... But it's teeming too... Constant whispers..." "It's coming for me, soon. It even has a spot lined up special." "There's no escaping it now... When it gets out, e-...I..."

:Adeleine slips back into the crook of his arm, holding onto him:

Adeleine: "...You're not allowed to leave." "You're not allowed to leave, Noir." Noir: "...I don't want to leave you either..."

:His voice cracking, he turns to hug her tight: :They stay snuggled together in the cold snow: :No more painstakingly crafted illusions and lies: :Just two kids facing a cruel fate with aching honesty:

:After a time, Adeleine whispers softly:

Adeleine: "...I just want to lay here until we become snowflakes..." "You and I...would melt together. Then we'd never have to be apart..." Noir: "...Heh. You're so warm, you'd turn us into water in no time..." Adeleine: "I'd still follow you... Wherever you flowed off to..."

Noir: "...Maybe the ocean. We could finally have that beach trip?" "But, Adeleine, you deserve so much more than that." "Not being stuck with me..."

Adeleine: "Don't you deserve anything nice, Noir...?" Noir: "...That's a silly question."

"...I already got something beyond precious."

-

It was a most unusual form of salvation...

People who believe in The Theory of the Four Matters have suggested that the various types can counteract or overpower each other, existing in a cycle of destructive mutual domination. Still others believe that when two forms of matter come into close contact, they are capable of peacefully transmuting into a third.

...Darkness and Soul...

Is it any surprise Dream would emerge from their union? 

Those who saw the sleeping "snowflake" children, whom nothing could wake nor separate, nor could anything harm, had no doubts they were protected by a most powerful form of Dream Matter. All that was left to question is, were their dreams happy ones...? 

Though that too could be answered with a glance at their faces.

-

[Apologies AU Masterpost]

-

Author Notes:

The last part is based around the theory that Soul Matter is related to life (the soul forms being based around a powerful desire to live) and that art in Kirby is often treated as "the giving of life."

So, in this situation, while Noir is a perfect container for an immense amount of Dark Matter (why he is unusually powerful and capable even as a drone) Adeleine is the same for Soul Matter (why she is unusually good at imbuing life into her creations)

After the disastrous, highly traumatizing events at the spaceport, with nothing left but each other, the two privately but simultaneously wished for time to stop and to never have to be separated. It came true as they fell asleep in each other's arms...

"Will this version of them ever be saved?"

^^; Like the text says, it's a most unusual form of salvation, but in a weird way, they kinda are saved? At least from present dangers (Noir's corruption has ceased while they are like this, and both are protected from starvation or freezing. As implied by the last line, they are living better (?) happier lives than they ever got in reality within their everlasting, idealistic dreamscape.)

Even as I was writing it, I realized once the situation rolled out of hand and Adeleine learned Noir's fate, there was no simple way to solve this. He could force Adeleine to leave him or talk to her until he had convinced her leaving was the best choice, but she would never be truly happy knowing what she knows. (And they were never getting that good of a chance to get her off planet again either.)

Meanwhile she could stay with him and try use all the powers at her disposal (drawing magical hacksaws and drillbits XD) but Noir had only been holding on as long as he had to see her off, and in main Apologies, dies soon after she leaves. She has no means of saving him nor freeing him from eternal bondage to Zero. Not alone, that is.

...But if you prefer your Shiver Siblings alive, conscious, and free of the looming specter of death, luckily, Kirby of the Stars is a powerful enough channel for Dream Matter that he could awaken/free them.

At least, XX number of years later when he finally visits Shiver Star in Kirby 64. Plus, Zero would be gone by then! Though 02.... >.>

(I'm betting there's a crystal shard near them also! You probably have to use the very cursed Burn-Spark power combo to melt the snow to get close enough to the two; red + yellow being the puzzle's color "hint," courtesy of Noir's perpetually ugly scarf XD)

-

PS: I'm rather shocked how well my fake game hint above works with the power combos, their colors, and Noir's scarf?! Go, muse~!

[peasmustardblossomseed]

*in sports announcer voice*

Welllllllcome back folks to our second episode this lifetime of near death experiences! Today we have drowning!

We’ve missed you since the last time so I hope you enjoyed! I certainly did not.

[lexlogs]

old trend

2019 vs 2024 design of my main oc

[finnstansonly]

gonna start putting a no discourse banner on finn posts like those steven universe losers used to do bc unless like unless my post is abt burning disney to the ground and hiring an assassin yo kill kathleen and rian and friends perhaps keep the shit on topic to what the post is abt I actually don’t want to hear it on my “I just think he’s neat” posts. only ppl excused are those who also got slurs in their inbox and harassed for years on end bc of the absolute hellscape that is sw fandom everyone else need to hit new post like im so fucking serious

[peonyblossom]

thinking about how ILITW and HSS take place in the same year which means Jamie moved to Cedar Cove and missed the homecoming massacre literally by just a few months

[cicidraws]

my older sibling once made me a gelatinous glob of just random shit we had in the cabinets and microwaved it and called it a cake one time

i ate it

i have lots of speculation which situation caused me to do this in that same year but i think this might be one of the possibilities - i proceeded to projectile urp painfully later

[askmstau]

What are your parents like, Scar? :D

"I- hm... I never really knew my biological mom. Her and my dad got divorced when I was real little, and my dad took custody of the kids. I... he was cool. Pretty lenient on stuff I'd say. He remarried, and I love my step-mom to bits. She's really the only family I still talk to. Um, after... after things went down, I wasn't really doing too hot- wasn't too good of a person, actually, I essentially got disowned by my dad- hah... My- Mom understood, she got it. She knew what I was going through- I mean she's a healer and works as a therapist, she knows these things, but um. Yeah she- she got me. She understood, and stuck with me. She doesn't rope herself in the um- stuff I do, like she's iffy on Hotguy which I totally understand, but she... She loves me as Scar, and that's good enough."

[andrwgarfields]

ok sorry one more thing, just to put across what i find disturbing, i’ve said this many times but PLEASE do not put your everything in a celeb they are not your friends, you don’t know them, they don’t know you! for some of the very young fans making joe (or even anyone) their comfort person, depending on him to make you feel safe, better and just putting so much of your emotional turmoil, baggage and trauma on a 19 year old…really isn’t the way to go!

[un1c4t]

i caved and bought clip studio paint and drew my girl that i torment for fun ::)

[ponikva]

that psych said i should think long and hard about what i've done with myself in the past 10 years like. what that anamnesis do. why didn't you ask about my major depressive episode and how nobody gave a toss and how my only way to survive all that was to shrink myself down to the point of not wanting anything. i had to force myself to start brushing teeth again and i considered that a small victory at the time (maybe i still do). you acknowledge the fact that i have no self confidence and yet you shame me for working a menial job and not being conventionally successful like. why do i always hold my tongue in situations like this. i should've been enraged and yet my go-to mechanism is to shut down and go numb while also nodding my head politely so as not to disturb the "vibes" LOL babe that's why i sought therapy in the first place. i want to be healthier and your shaming me under the guise of challenging me is pathetic. not to mention the last time i saw her she asked me what i've done to improve in the past week and threatened to have me admitted if i don't get better asap 🔨🔨🔨 fuck this shit honestly.

[ridragon]

You ever get the random thought that you want your innocence back, but then realize that ever since you could properly form memories you never *had* innocence. You have no concept of innocence. You have no memory of before being treated as an Outsider. Different. Wrong. You always Knew.

That's. Earth shaking, innit? The last time I was innocent was as an infant.

... WELP GONNA GO PLAY XENOBLADE NOW

[saprophetic]

realized last night that my fascination with cannibalism probably started when I was twelve and went to feed the sugar gliders in the morning and found the dad and the babies eating the mom who had apparently died during the night

[weirdly-specific-but-ok]

pt XVI good omens season 2 (still not traumatic) episode 3 EDINBURGH

HELLO IT'S ME IT'S THE OFFICIAL GOOD OMENS MASCOT WHY DO I STILL KEEP INTRODUCING MYSELF IDK. If you don't know who I am, thank God and Satan for their mercy and flee. Also, the day after I post this, I'll be watching the last three episodes on livestream for the first time so. You know. I'm hyped on the energy of this being my last day not enveloped in tears. Take the summary:

Before the episode starts, someone asks why Crowley said in the last episode that Aziraphale couldn't fall because look at him, all angelic when Crowley looked the same as starmaker. I reply that "Crowley thinks he deserved it, he sees Azi as something beautiful and untouched while he probably sees himself as idk marked in some way so god kicked him down."

I am told that I am learning too fast to weaponise the narrative to induce angst. So then I say oh, I go too fast for you. Tears ensue.

The episode begins! Everyone shrieks about Edinburgh, David Tennant, how it is their favourite episode, and SCOTTISH CROWLEY.

We open with lesbians being gay, and then Muriel enters as Inspector Constable! They are very sweet and very determined to do their job right, and they are adopted by Crowley and Aziraphale just like Jim.

Crowley sits on Aziraphale's chair's arm. The maggots all swoon.

Fine, I also swooned.

Aziraphale gaslight-gatekeep-girlboss-mansplain-manipulate-manwhores his way into getting Crowley to give him the Bentley keys (BOUNDARIES. BOUNDARIES.).

WHAT PLENTY OF USE DO BOTH OF YOU GET OUT OF THE BOOKSHOP?

The really ineffable plan is whatever the fuck was happening in Aziraphale's brain when he somehow went from London to Edinburgh via Loch Ness (check the map) and then proceeded to disguise himself as a detective who pretends to be a journalist.

Crowley slays in sleeve garters and a cardigan keeping house in the bookshop meanwhile, does not sell books, instead cleans with Jimbriel and periodically yeets book stacks into corners when distracted.

Aziraphale reads his old diary entries about Crowley, a (6000+) 13 year old with a crush.

MINISODE MINISODE. They are in Edinburgh during the mid 1800s. Victorian outfits, check. Scottish Crowley, check. Capitalist Karen Aziraphale, che-wait what.

Huh. Well. There's a wee bit of body snatchin' going on, to sell to doctors for medical research because there aren't enough murderers, and to make enough money to survive.

Aziraphale channels his inner capitalist judgemental Karen and ruins that plan, come on Aziraphale you have religious trauma but you're better than this, and long story short, Wee Morag dies after Aziraphale realises his error, her friend Elspeth has to sell her corpse for pennies, and is about to commit suicide with laudanum. Azi, oh god. I'm glad you underwent character development at least.

NOW CROWLEY HERE SLAYS. I KNOW THIS IS AZIRAPHALE'S PERSPECTIVE AND IS BIASED. BUT WITH THIS POV, CROWLEY SLAYS.

He calmly educates Aziraphale about how his whole "the poor have more opportunities and you shouldn't give them money or they'll lose the virtue of poverty" is absolute bullshit, and he does this understanding Aziraphale's situation and not losing his temper.

The framing. The framing of the shot when they see Wee Morag and Elspeth sitting down on a step and explaining their situation. Aziraphale stands above, bustling with righteousness, and judges them. Crowley sits down. He sits down next to them, rather than taking the high ground. He meets them where they are and empathises. It is the fact that he is fallen and damned that makes him behave really divine and sorry I wrote a whole hymn on him have it I'll stop rambling just know I love him.

I think his amusement is a facade so hell won't think he's genuinely being good. I think he's morally grey and incredibly brave and kind.

When Elspeth is bouta kill herself with the laudanum, Crowley grabs it and drinks it himself, and grows tiny and then huge, absolutely high off his head. David Tennant takes the opportunity to travel Scotland from east to west in terms of accent variety.

He gives us the good message of NO DYIN'. NO MORE DYIN'. IT'S NOT ON. And then forces Aziraphale (who doesn't want to ruin her virtuous poverty) to give the girl all the guineas he has in his pocket, and tells her to go off and start a farm or something. BUT NOT JUST PRETENDY GOOD, BE PROPERLY GOOD.

He then gets pulled into hell. To be punished for this. Aziraphale is frightened and heartbroken for him, looking around desperately, and we find out that Crowley didn't meet him for a while after. And later he wanted holy water. To protect himself? He got punished by hell. For how long? The whole month in between the incident and the diary entry? There can't be anyone better at punishment and cruelty than hell.

Sorry I'm just screaming here.

Never mind fuck I started this summary really happy and bouncy and listening to a dance playlist. Dionysus by BTS and Italian pop is still playing and now I'm crying.

Is this the natural progression. Fuck I'm crying. Sorry guys something else happens with Aziraphale politely talking to a phone and Crowley smiling really beautifully while unsuccessfully trying to manipulate two lesbians into a relationship and something about a visit I don't care everyone's being morally dubious as usual and then lovely Scottish music outro I CAN'T FUCKING ELABORATE I'M SITTING HERE CRYING OVER CROWLEY.

right summary done, time to go sob, lmao i thought i wouldn't cry today over good omens HAHAHAHA still not traumatic eh HAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

[romaevelizz]

Bittersweet ˖ ࣪⊹

Younger!Aemond Targaryen x Cousinblk!reader

sum: Her and Aemond have always been close, but the death of Lady Y/ns mother Laena has closed her off, his betrothed not as bright as she once was. More than one loss is made that day and some is gained.

warnings: reader n aemond are aboout 15-16 ish(non cannon age at time but whatever. cannon violence, sneaky kiss ‘ GASP’, Older sister y/n scolding her sisters and nephews, umm if you don’t like they way i write bc i will be making Aemond a wee bit of a victim srry not sorry the mf needs a therapist and a happy crazy wife ‘that’s what princess y/n is!’. not profread- if you come back in a few days i bet thing will be better trust😭

It was strange when he saw her she wasn’t smiling, not even an offer of a small one. His betrothed face was sad and tired, her face slightly puffy from her crying. There was nothing behind her eyes and it hurt him to see her like that. To see her so taken by grief.

A Loss was never easy by any means, and the princess had just suffered a great one. Her mother, Princess Y/n was in all ways her mother's daughter a strong-headed soon-to-be woman-grown, but like her father, she had a mouth that may have gotten her in trouble a mouth her mother's lips twitched upward when she was a girl. Y/n was the Anger and grief, the understanding Leana couldn’t be. Soon saw Y/n as wild, but she was a girl who spoke her mind and put dozens of lords to shame.

Y/n was Leana's girl, Aemond watched the kindness of Leana through herself. through words, acts, and touch. The gentleness Leana displayed to her daughter came through as she tended to Aemond and even his older brother's wound. A snarky smile on her lips as Aegon tried to get on with her only for her words to fight right back playfully as his. The way Leana would kiss her daughter's forehead before the night, Aemond had experienced it. The hand holding the praising words, the jesting and teasing words always a grin upon her dark features.

How the night of his thirteenth name day he came to her visiting chambers. How when he couldn’t get words out of what had happened she shushed him as he sought comfort after his traumatic event. how when he pushed away from her at first she didn’t try to continue close to him but wanted for him, waiting till he fell into her arms his soft sobs discomforting as he told her what had happened.

He had never felt unsafe or unwelcome by her like he did with her sisters and their nephews, How she’d go out of her way to call them off when they picked at him. She always told them “He’s only Human, only one can take abuse and hate like this for so long till something in them snaps. Must believe Nephews when that day comes I won’t step in between you and him.”

She stood by his side loyaly as his betrothed as did he. And nothing could change that, not the respect they had for one another nor the trust they built.

It wasn’t long before he found himself by her side, standing by one’s side they were always told. He did as such. The words were being exchanged as her mother was put to rest the sound of the waves crashing along the cliff side, the wind loud. His eyes glanced over to her his eyes watching her face carefully. The way her lip trembled as she choked back tears her Light eyes reddening as she kept to herself. Then her hand, the coldness of her hands causing him to wince slightly, but never pull away. Her fingers intertwining with his, she shakes against him, the princess's shoulders soon shuttering as she sighs out a small cry. Aemond held her hand tightly letting her know he was here, her face soon falling into his shoulder as she cited softly.

“They took her from me, the gods took my mother from me..” she cried her voice hushed.

Aemond head fell a top of hers in a comforting manner, his sister Helaena comforting her as well with her hand on her arms carefully her head resting on the back of her shoulder.

It angerd her when her father chuckled such a inappropriate time, his wife her mother was being out to rest and he laughed. Her grip on Aemond tightened for a moment, but released he could see it in her eyes that she didn’t have the strength to speak up now. Or even at all..

The night grew late as sympathies were given to her Aemond at her side as she held his arm close her nails digging into his arm. She was over it, being told her mother was a good woman and taken too soon. Aemond bit his lip a moment “We could always retreat to the shore or your chambers take Ser Maliki and Khalil with us..” he whispered down to her. Silently she nodded.

“Ser Maliki, Ser Khalil The prince and I wish to go down to the shore, you are to accompany us,” she spoke softly to her guards.

With one hand holding his arm the other in his hand they went down, the two guards following behind a bit. Aemond didn’t try to talk to her quite yet, he wanted her to talk to him when she was ready, they left because she didn’t want to talk. All he needed to do right now was let his warmth comfort her.

“My grandmothers asked me to stay..” she spoke softly her face pressed against his shoulder.

He looked over at her “Here in Drifftmark?”

“mmhm my sisters may stay but gods know my father's gonna fly off and do something crazy..” she muttered her hands playing with his fingers as they continued to walk.

“What if you came with us?” He asked, “I understand we’re not to be wed for another 3 years but something in me tells me, if you don’t I may not see you till those years are up..”

Her eyes met Aemonds watching his face as his brows frowned “I find that doubtable, Your father would make sure i could come and see you. Your mother would have me live in her chambers all these years if she could.” she spoke her lips twitching as she jest.

He laughed softly as she took a seat on the sand coming next to him leaning her weight onto him “My mother does like you,”

“Her favorite son is actually happy and getting the attention she can’t quite give him as she wished.” Y/n hummed.

“You think of me her Favirote?”

he watched her as she nodded “That women would do anything for you, I watched her bully her else’s after she caught him making cruel jest towards you.”

Aemond smiled lightly hearing that. he felt as she moved her head now laying in his lap, looking down he truly saw how her beautiful features had been ruled against my sadness, she looked discolored not as warm, the bags under her eyes heavy and tired, the small tear marks that dusted her melanin skin. Aemonds fingers gently brushed her silver curls out of her face “Let me see you..” he said in Valyrian his voice not above a whisper.

“I’m a mess, i look and feel disgusting.” her words just as quiet as his.

“Don’t say such a thing, you look beautiful..”

“tierd, but truly gorgeous.”

that what did it his snarky remark put a small smile on her face, he heeled watching as she rolled her eyes. “Wow really, me tired.” she she sat up, her hand on top of his thighs her face close to his a small grin on her face.

Aemond watched as her eyes went form his to the men behind her, “what-“

“they’re turned away..” she whispered, her face closing in her lips softly brushing his.

he closed his eyes backing up a bit, not as if they hadn’t shared a kiss before but, “We’re out in the open, what would they make of if we kissed before our wedding?”

“maybe they’ll marry us sooner.” she answers simply.

Aemond pushed himself up his had holding her face “You’re grieving, i am not a man who takes advantage of one’s vulnerability…”

“Aemond you’re..”

“my Betrothed, we must’int..” he spoke gently, theyer eyes never leaving one another’s.

she nodded in his grasp “Apologies..” she spoke her forehead falling to his, his eyes closing with hers.

“no need..”

he felt her shutter in his hold a small sniffle, “What am I going to do without her Aemond, she supported me through and through her.” she cried softly.

“and she’ll continued to, with the gods. With me, I stand by your side remember? through and through i shall stand by you.” he responded. His words are full of sincerity.

He pulled back his lips meeting her forehead.

“Can i introduce you to an old lady..” she spoke..

he pulled away a questioning look on his face. “What do you mean?”

“i think it’s time you get your dragon. And if she doesn’t try to kill us think of it as a very early wedding gift.” she said standing up, pulling him up with her.

She took him wher Vhagar and Cannibal laid, Two old dragons that always found the company of one another. Two Dragons that rode together with mother and daughter maybe now, Husband and wife.

Aemonds hand held her tightly as they came over the hill Vhagar Sleeping but Cannibal was awake, His attention was quickly brought to them. Y/n put her finger to her mouth to shush him as he grumbled, they walked down to him first Y/n touching the black beast her head falling into his “You should rest sweet boy, there’s no need for you to worry.”

He only huffed but as she pet him he let out a hyena like giggle, it scared Aemond a bit her dragon giggling so menacingly. “He dose that when he’s happy, irritated, or just enjoying himself,” she said looking over to Aemond.

look as if he may piss his pants, a toothy grin came from the princess as she turned back to her dragon “Perhaps the old lady is ready for someone new in her life hm?”

Cannibal sighed lifting his head a louder grumble coming from him awakening Vhagar her letting out and irritates growl. Y/n looked over to Aemond, “Go ahead just as you’ve done before.” she encouraged him.

And so he did after almost getting smoked to ashes Vhagar was his, without a second thought Aemond climbed on top. Stupid yes but she soon followed behind him just incase he fell from her, but at last. The two of them flew in the night sky together. They’d laugh as their dragons danced together, in the night. Aemond had never been so overjoyed, years of trying to claim a dragon, and one of the oldest the queen herself is now his, flying next to her king The dragon eater himself, and his soon-to-be bride.

Their bond grew deeper because of their dragons that day.

But not all good things come free, even to a prince a dragon like that comes at a cost. Y/n had stuck back a little longer to pretty much biker with her old man, the dragon sassing her. but this time back got Aemond cornered. Jace, Luke, Baela and Rhaena, she could hear the echoed screams to the five, her feet started running.

The four now ontop of him beating as him like some ally dog. “Get off!”

“He Claimed Vhagar! she was for me!” Baela screamed as you pulled her off of him.

“For you?! Don’t be so selfish sister Vhagar was never yours to claim!” She spoke to her sister before going to the others.

Jace had pushed her back his elbow connecting with her face, a small cry of pain came from her, Rhaena quickly goin to her as Aemond pushed off the two boys. His anger growing as he saw the blood drip for her face. Pushing Luke of he got to Jace.

“Aemond Enough! Please!” she spoke standing up moving towards them, pulling aemond off him with struggle Luke came out of nowhere.

a dagger in his hand, through Aemonds face, and through her collar as Luce hand came down she had gotten in the way simply. Aemond fell quickly the kings guard yelling as he went to Aemond.

“Princess,-“

“Aemond! Luke what did you do! why did you do that!” she yelled her brows frowned. The only though going through her head was going that he wouldn’t die. She watched at the Lord commander picked the prince up huring him inside.

“Y/n?! Aemond! oh, gods what has happen?!” Alicent demanded as she rushed towards the two of them; Viserys coming slowly behind her.

“Dear girl your blessing yourself.” Viserys spoke.

“it’s nothing dear uncle, Aemond is the one who needs to be seen quickly..” she assured, but in reality she was still bleeding form her nose lightly but still and her collar bled quite well aswell.

the room was filled crowded as the maesters sttiched Aemonds eye the boy crying in bad as it happened his mother by his side holding his hiding him as she whinced. Y/ns Grandmother by her as her collar was stitched closed aswell, a rag up to her nose for the bleeding there. The maester working quickly and efficiently at the both of them, The yells of Viserys demanding what happend for the guards; the Lord Commander; Khalil, Maliki aswell as Ser Cole they stood under strong interrogation as well.

Aemond had lost his eye, but thank the gods he’d heal, Y/na eyes met his screaming around them trining dull as he asked “Are you alright?”

Is she? He lost and eye for gods sake, his mouth mouthing ‘I’m sorry’..

The princess looked at him clueless sorry? Sorry for what he hadn’t done anything wrong to her hunderatanding ‘i’m sorry i could protect you.’

no.. that not. “tis not your fault Aemond; please..” she whispered shaking her head her brows frowned.

She had stayed seated across from Awmond as her father and Rhaenyra entered, her grandparents moving to Baela and Rhaena. Rhyaenys kissing her head before she got up.

“Who did this?” Rhaenyra asked Luke.

“They attacked me!” Aemond yelled sitting up.

“He attacked Baela.”

“pushed her off me” he scoffed, warning a disapproving glare from Y/n from the fact he’d put hand on her sister.

“He stole my mother dragon!”

“Enough,” Viserys demanded, but they continued to argue around him.

“Stole?” Y/n scoffed, “I was the one that lead him to her Baela! He didn’t take her from you! she was never yours to claim and you know that sister!”

Baela glared at her older sister but soon look at the ground.

“He was going to kill Jace!”

“Because he came a me first All of you did! Joined together and bead me like so stray dog in an ally!” Aemond yelled in defense.

“Luke Cut Y/n aswell needing for her to be stitched, and Jace Elbowed her in the face!” Aemond sat up further his mother ushering his to sit back.

aemond other eyes was heavy and he saw yes he was out of it he had lost so much blood the pain he mush be in must be unbearable. “Enough!” Viserys yelled once more.

“He called us -”

“SILENCE!”

The room quickly went quiet. “he called us bastards..”

Rhaenyra stood for a moment stood to put her boy behind her, her eyes meeting y/ns only to quickly look at her father.

“Aemond..” he spoke the echo of his cane being heard, “I will have the truth of what happened… Now.”

A small scoff could be heard from Alicent her hands planing themselves on Y/ns chair “What else is there to hear?” she asked a heavy frown on her face. “Your Son, Your son and niece have been maimed. Her son is responsible for it.” she spoke.

“ Ot was a regrettable accident,” Rhaenyra quickly defended, yet her voice still sounded shaken.

“Accident?” Y/n spoke, “Me yes, i was in the way but Aemond! Cousin your son ment to kill him..!” she voiced in disbelief her voice it’s self shaken yet stern.

“Daughter.” Daemons spoke, letting her know to not interject with her righteousness as he would say.

Alicent looked from Y/n to them angered “You mean to Silence your fighter as she speaks the truth? As she defends her future husband?” Alicent spoke her head falling shaking her head.

“ The Prince Lucerys brought a blade to an ambush. He ment by all means to kill my boy!” she spoke angerly her hands falling to her hair in frustration.

“it was Jaces dagger your grace..” y/n spoke up softly.

“Jaces? Is that right sweet girl?” she asked her tone encouraging her to speak up.

“Don’t sit there and claim my daughter like she’s your own.” Daemon hissed.

“Quiet!” Viserys said to his brother.

Rhaenyra was quick to speak up on her part “Ot was my sons who were attacked and forced to defend themselves.”

“Vile insults were levied against them.”

Viserys looked over and questioned “What insults?”

“The legitimacy of my son’s birth, was loudly to question.”

Y/n groaned that what the defense was? Disrespectful yes; but to draw a dagger at to mean to kill? They continue to go back n forth the king soon questioning those who were there and even she could not lie he had said it. Viserys asking Aemond where he heard such a lie his eyes moving twords his mother yet answers Aegon. Now Aegon was getting yelled at, only for the prince to be a smart ass.

“This is insufficient.” Alicent said hurriedly to her husband, The King turning to her to hear the words she spoke. “Aemond has been damaged,  permanently; my king. ‘Goodwill’ cannot make my boy while once more!” she cried.

“I know, Alicent, but you mush understand i cannot restore his eye.”

She groaned frustratedly “No; Viserys! Because it has been taken from him!”

“What would you have me do?” he growled.

Alicent stood up straight “There is a debt to be paid,” she declared, the room falling still. “I shall have her son’s eye in return.”

The scream of the boys and Rhaenyras voice raising, Alicent getting Cole to move but him being shut down. Alicent being shut down. She wasn’t having it, Y/n thought that if in this moment it was her or one of her sisters who lost an eye her mother would be the same. The rage of a mother was different to mans. Watching as Alicent grabed a dagger heading towards them Rhaenyra swiftly grabbing her.

Hushed words being exchange twords the two.

“Exhausting, wasn’t it?” She spoke up. “Hiding beneath the cloak of your own righteousness.” she whispered.

“But now they see you as you are.”

The room went quiet as Rhaenyra was cut by her grace. The night couldn’t just come to an end could it?

Y/n watched Aemonds face a satisfied smirk on his face as he spoke “Don’t mourn me, Mother.” His eyes moving for her to his mothers, “It was a fair exchange you could say.. I may have lost an eye but i gain a dragon.

“The queen herself,” Y/n interjected. “Vhagar and Cannibal shall ride together once again.” The princess said keeping eye contact with Aemond as he leaned back.

“We shall ride together.” he spoke softly yet confidently.

The princess smiled; as did he. Oh he couldn’t wait till they married, nor could his mother. Because she could see the side you’ve fallen on. You Trusted Alicent as well as respected her, Rhaenyra had snuck away with her father after the death of her own mother. It take a lot to respect her and Daemond again. Saddening isn’t it?

More so a Bittersweet taste in their mouths; no?