#also I am so curious about Opal

[astrophyta]

sugilite accusing aventurine of going over the top not for the mission's sake but for his own thrill when bro has an entire long table of food that appears to be all for himself.....he is going to be Fun.

[inconmess]

Now that I have some time to collect my thoughts after the exam, here are some of the thoughts that have been running through my head.

Ashton is straight up not giving any shit about Liliana

Orym tries but it is really hard for him and I loved watching the two of them snap and not cut corners today.

Other than that, I loved Imogen's stance on Liliana on a technical standpoint, not trusting her but at the same time cooperating enough to try keep her on your side as an inside man? Genius.

Liliana is in too deep on the other hand, maybe not about the motives of the Vanguard but on the release of Predathos in itself. Like Ashton pointed out correctly, she is self delusional and if she doesn't remove those tinted glasses, she's gonna lose her daughter.

Also, what the fuck is wrong with her??? Leaving them all in the state they are in at a very likely active warzone and vanishing? Yeah, I suppose it took some power but she could at least ensure their safety??

Orym with Otohan's sword and storming off *chefs kiss*

Finally some emotional check-ins going on, clearning the air out. Though I am curious about Laudna and her comparing them all to being creations. I mean, in a sense, it is true I suppose...

Imogen is "destined" to release Predathos as it is a part of her.

Chetney was turned into a werewolf

FCG was literally built

Fearne was specifically made to be born on one of the Ruidian flares. And Fearne taking up the Shard also, I suppose.

Ashton was in a ritual which made them Earth Genasi and then later on were literally patchworked by Milo

Laudna was merged with Delailah and is technically kind of her vessel of sorts

I think Orym isn't the only one who wouldn't fit under the "creation of destiny" or "has been created" thing unless I am missing something...

Orym and Imogen's convo and how the two of them talk about family and his partial breakdown at the situation (I miss FCG too 😭)

And finally the sending and Orym's cry for help 😭😭😭😭🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺 Someone give that man a hug?!!!

Speaking of Dorian, I love how the episode cut to the Crown Keepers after the sending and personally, it made sense for it to come at that particular point.

Listen, I would've loved to have some more time with the Bells Hells and their grieving but. But.

Orym, in his last message to Dorian (which he had received and is headed to Zephrah as a response btw) asked him to meet Keyleth, so chances are, at the time the Hells came back, Dorian is at least halfway, if not having reached Keyleth.

If that were to be the case, there is a high possibility that the Crown Keepers are with Keyleth when the Hells are meeting up with her. and narratively, there is some shit going on with the Crown Keepers that are still unaddressed and just can't be brushed off lightly.

Maybe, maybe Matt had been planning on introducing them much later in the episode. But Orym's sending also gave a perfect opening because Matt (or Robbie) cannot send a reply as Dorian without knowing the outcome of whatever is going down with the Crown Keepers, as seen in this episode.

Therefore, the sudden cutback to the Crown Keepers made total sense in a narrative manner because at this point, if Dorian is going to be actively involved henceforth, the Crown Keepers are dragging along. Opal and the Spider Queen influence what will happen in the future quite a lot more than I think many may expect because

a) Opal has personal ties with Orym and Fearne and

b) the way the Spider Queen is going about the fight, if something bad happens and if someone is hurt super bad, Orym and Fearne have to know too, just like Dorian needs to know about FCG.

and c) Well, most of the Crown Keepers are involved with the Gods. Fy'ra with the Wildmother, Morri with the Duskmaven and Dariax with the Observer.

And with the recent lore bomb pointing towards Aeor, I am pretty sure the hells are going to follow up on that just for FCG's sake (maybe even call in F.R.I.D.A for the ride, please call in F.R.I.D.A!)

I am pretty sure I am spiralling at this point but at the end... all I want to say is, I love the way the episode went and ended. I cannot wait to see more! If it airs on Tuesday or Thursday alongside the Crimson Mirror finale or the Thursday after that? I can wait patiently for that arc of the Crown Keepers to end cuz I am pretty sure at the end of it, at least 2 of the Keepers are going to join with the Hells and one is going to be Dorian. Mostly.

Apart from that, I am just gushing about how the battle went between Opal, Ted and Spider Queen vs the rest of the CK!

The crystal shard memories that are liable to corrupt or shatter? Opal being related to the Luxon shit? The sheer memories and the Spider Queen's insistence on Opal leaving or killing her friends and forcing her to make an option? So much drama! So much fun!

I might have to catch the 2nd rebroadcast to truly appreciated the second half but. But *chefs kiss* loved it today

I got introduced to C3 with the Crown Keepers and hell if I don't love those babies.

[4pplec0re]

hey!!!!!! where'd you get the middle names from for the choir?? and do they have any specific meaning?? am curious :3

thank you for asking about this i would love to share

i came up with mischa's middle name weeks ago, actually. my friend had tweeted something like "lets make rtcsonas except they're just us as our favs," so i drew mischa as me; i was thinking about what i might call him a few days afterward and i thought about a name i used to go by, alex, so i looked up ukrainian name equivalents to it, and found oleksandr. i'd like anything involving me to start with an a, so it wouldn't have worked for my 'rtcsona' and i instead gave it to my mischa! UPDATE: now it's oleksandrovych! someone told me ukrainian middle names are actually patronymic so instead i suppose his dad was named oleksandr. bro named him that and then dipped

today was when i came up with the rest of them. for all of them, i scrolled through my massive list of names and selected ones i thought would fit: i chose oscar for noel because i thought about what his mother might have named him while she was pregnant. i selected from a bunch of different boy names:

i landed on oscar because it rolled off the tongue the best, and i also thought it would be funny if he just really hated his middle name, which i do not think he likes oscar very much, LOL

i chose katherine for constance while i was scrolling through the list to find names for noel. i spotted it and instantly thought of her. my constance is trans, so i like to think when she came out she asked her parents what they would have named her if she was a girl.

next, i gave ocean piper. i thought of unique names/names a hippie might name their daughter. i chose from this list:

at first, i was unsure about it; it was good, it fit her, but i wasnt sure if it sounded good as a middle name. but a couple of the people in my rtc rp server thought it was good, so i settled on it.

then, i looked for a name for ricky. again, i thought about names his parents might name him. here was his list:

i landed on bailey because me and those same server members thought it flowed the best. though, he was almost ricky oliver!

finally, i did penny's. i saved her for last, because i hadn't thought about what her parents are like, but i based my list off of the vibes that the name penny gave:

originally, i actually crossed out ophelia, instead opting for lily, violet, or opal, because i wasn't sure if i liked how it sounded; but then the chat loved how penny ophelia lamb sounded, so i decided to go with it!

[genderlesssinner]

Bells hells Episode 110! Ooookay

Oh. Oh no. Samuel. Why

Oh it's worse. Oh boy. Kitten!Dani loving on Marisha is precious though, and I believe Sam's kids as well? Adorable but terrible

(I missed Marisha's ad bc internet panic)

Ooohhh I want all of the novelllssss aaaaahhh

Okay okay let's gooo

That Raven Queen lore drop last ep thoooo

Black and white and red all over 😂

Fair point Liev'tel, fair point

Makes sense. Dorian saw Opal in the Hell Catch, I wonder if Aimee will make an appearance at some point

What would graffiti in Vasselheim even look like?

I do think there would be some panic or something if that memory had already been broadcast though

"For the hell of it" MATTHEW

KIKIIIII SHES GETTING THE GANG BACK TOGETHER I AM EXCITED

SAMUEL I SAW THAT FACE. I wonder where the little bastard is though

Ooooohh good idea (I think?) Ash

Bells hells gonna go vibe with the Ashari??? Fuck yeah let's go yall.

I wonder what the Ashari in general would think of the titan shard holders, and Fearne being all fiery in general (wildfire druid)

I mean valid Dorian, yall have talked to 3 gods and gotten 3 very different answers. But yeah she's also my favorite but the Wildmother comes close

Man. No matter how this goes the leylines are fucked up something major. Magical storms?? Yikes

Oh no, hopefully Ludinus is not catching on to Liliana

Xandis!!!! Oh man I didn't even recognize who they were at first

🤣

Keybane?? Oooo Kiki gave them a title, sweet

I just live the way Xandis speaks it's so fun

"it sounds like a euphemism. It isn't."

Awwwuuhh Xandis remembered Letters 🥺

"Smiley day to you too" 😭

It makes sense to want opinions from all sides of the board, Fearnie, but yeah no Betrayers in the city. I would definitely be curious to see what Asmodeus or any of the others would say, after what he said to Braius last time

Also very interested with Braius wanting to go to the Platinum Dragon, instead of Asmodeus

Ashton is making some good points though I only kind of agree about the nature of the Betrayers and stuff.

Oh boy, Orym is right though. I mean, this isn't the time to leave things unsaid either

(looking at you, Orym,,, Dorian,,,)

You can be optimistic but also realistic - Hope we win (whatever the fuck that even means) and also know that this could be the end of you or your friends

"no I'll drag you it'll be fun" guuuuuyyyysssss

I was so expecting Sam to not have the fucking spell and just neigh at the damn horse 🤣

Oh well shit okay yeah he's probably like a celestial not a beast huh

They sent spies to the moon. I wonder who

Oh boy the Hells will be traveling with the Nein for a bit? That should be interesting

I'm so worried about Orym. Well, all of them, but especially him. He's keeping so much to himself and I know first hand how bad that can be.

Chet. I cannot. He has a little bit of a point but like. Don't be such a greedy little shit.

Ooooohh let's get Fearnie to talk to Cerkonos yesss

Travis is being such a little shit

Oooo Doriiiaaaaaan

Okay Robbie,,, oh my god

I love shopping trips for the little peeks we get into the day to day of the place

I'm not sure if I like the vibes I'm getting from this guy. It's amusing he's just sus af and that's before we knew he had forgery stuff

More whispersss damn yall

Oh no guys no don't fuck with the fusaka

I can't

That totally wasn't his shop they convinced me

Awwwww Dorian that's so sweet. He's so selfless

I love him so much

Hmm I wonder if they're gonna learn anything from the titan. Interesting

Break! I have a Duoling lesson to do, lol see yall after!

[alexanderlightweight]

Can we get more of 'in his wake petals fall' for writing wendsday? I do love Alec with his flower crowns!

yes! especially because i love this verse but not going to lie, I got distracted writing this by researching local botanical gardens as well and going ‘am I close enough for a day trip’ and also finding out which places allow nightshade (and I found one close enough!)

i hope you enjoy!

lumine

—

“Is this really necessary?” Alexander asks as Magnus portals him blindfolded away from the loft.

“Yes.” Magnus assures him, keeping him stable as he guides him through the portal to the little alcove hidden for warlocks in the gardens, he’s brought them too. It’s with a kiss and a flourish of magic that he unveils the setting to Alexander, disintegrating the blindfold with a little flare that goes unnoticed or appreciated.

“Oh fuck.” Alexander stares wide-eyed and he turns in a slow circle, his hand finding Magnus’ and squeezing harshly, his delight too strong to be contained. “Where are we?”

“Singapore’s Botanical Gardens.” Magnus tells him with relish, and he delights in the awe on Alexander’s face as he looks at the various plants. “It’s the nicest and one of the oldest mundane gardens. I’ll take you to the seelie ones soon enough.” And here Magnus pulls Alexander out onto the path, “now come along darling, we have places to go and plants to see.”

—

It’s not often that Alexander gets to enjoy and appreciate the mundane world, but he does when it comes to plants and Magnus watches with amusement as Alexander carefully avoids the mundane children running around them. His tall shadowhunter is used to people parting for him in the downworld but even here, unglamoured, he acts like they can’t see him. The fluidity of his motion catches attention and Alexander himself only has eyes for Magnus, and the plants of course.

Alexander shrugs and then hesitantly explains, “I’m not sure how delicate mundane children are. Seelie, nephilim and warlock kids are all pretty sturdy from what I know. I’m not sure about werewolves and well, there are very few vampire children.”

Magnus shares a look at him with that, because born vampires are rare and powerful and definitely not delicate, they’re also created in ritual rather than in birth.

“Valid.” Magnus allows and he pulls Alexander close for a quick kiss that his magic will blur.  There’s never a need to introduce Alexander to mundane homophobia and while Magnus is incredibly out and proud, he’s not going to subject an unprepared and vulnerable Alexander to the disdain of mundanes.

Especially when Alexander is more likely to just swat any aggressive mundanes away — like a fly — and Magnus is still trying to figure out how to avoid those kinds of situations. So he hides away their kisses from their worlds and while they hold hands, Magnus ensures that there is a discreet magic placed on them, to discourage curious gazes.

It’s the safest way to curate their experiences in unfamiliar places and while Magnus hates it’s necessary, he can’t say that he minds hiding away Alexander’s intimacies from the world. There’s something almost sacred, about adoring and worshipful hazel eyes watching Magnus with the kind of devotion offered to gods and angels and even demons.

Alexander acts like Magnus is his god, his angel, his reason for existence and it makes Magnus wants to destroy and remake the world, so that it better suits his boy’s taste.  Instead, Magnus leans in for another quick kiss and then pulls away, reaching up to use magic and gently create a crown of the opal peonies Alexander recently planted on their roof. The image of Alexander, crowned in peonies against a backdrop of rich green foliage and Magnus has to remind himself that he can just create a pocket dimension for his boy, he doesn’t have to destroy the world to make him happy.

Even if it is tempting.

[legaltrashgoblin]

It's over.

I've finished The Raven Cycle.

Without the excitement of the impossible possibilities presented to the Gangsey, and the shock at turns in the story and the grief over dead boys and resurrected boys and dying boys and lonesome boys and the absolute joy I felt reading about these whacky teenagers, I feel positively empty.

Music no longer feels like music. Just a jumble of strange words and sounds that used to make sense but no longer do.

Light no longer feels like a beacon. Just a hopeless, annoying shine in my eyes.

Coming home to sit on the bench seat outside with a cup of tea and a Mars Bar no longer feels possible, because I have no longer got anything to long for.

It honestly feels like grief. It's as if I had absorbed these boys and these psychics and these angry tree girls and these magical forests into my soul, and now that it's over I feel I've lost a giant part of myself.

And yes, this may seem very melodramatic, but I am melodramatic. This is a big thing for me. I cannot stay in one universe forever. I have to move on. And books are the only way of experiencing the feeling of life for me. And these books are by far my favourite things ever. Each character was relatable in so many ways, and each felt and saw and heard and did so many things I wish I could.

I'm gonna pull a Gansey move, and instead of saying "What do you know about dead Welsh king's?" I shall ask "Do you read?" I have to make everyone I ever become friends with experience The Raven Cycle.

Also, to make light of everything, I'm so glad my copy of The Raven King had Opal in it, because I absolutely adore Opal, I absolutely adore her way of thinking. I love her curiosity, her love for Adam and Ronan, and the way she loves things.

But one of the highlights of the little story was the fact that OPAL. WATCHES. ADAM. AND. RONAN. DO YOU KNOW WHAT IN THE LAUNDRY AND THE CAR AND STUFF ABOUT BELT BUCKLES AND KISSING AND SKIN AND RIBS AND HIPS BECAUSE SHE'S A CURIOUS LITTLE SHIT

She's such a mood.

Anyways... I'm going to go mourn my lost bone marrow books and my lost soul chunk books. And mourn Noah. Noah was the greatest. And I'll also order Greywaren, because I don't think I'm gonna be posting anymore if I don't get my hands on it. If I come up with more stuff about The Raven Cycle, I'll post about it.

Excelsior,

Squash One, Squash Two,

Me.

[sincerely-sofie]

I am really liking the direction Opal's character is being taken. The way she shows comfort around people that Twig and Ark are cautious around, if not outright dislike, and improving their relationships as a result. She strikes me as someone who is able to see past the opinions of other people and really see someone for who they are or can become. Which can also tie into her power of basically becoming a mini version of whoever she's around, which I imagine would give her a deeper understanding of who someone is, rather than what she could gather from conversing with them.

What are your thoughts?

Opal spends a lot of time sitting quietly and observing things around her. She picks up on a lot of stuff as a result— like how Twig really, really doesn't like it when most people touch her, and how Skuntank is a very physical person who punches shoulders, slaps backs, and gets into people's personal space all the time... except with Twig. He seems very interesting and she wants to figure him out. With Cresselia, she recognized her as a complementary presence to Darkrai— and if this strange lady's aura feels a lot like Dad's, and he's nearby in case something bad happens, she wants to be picked up by her so she can learn why she's just like Ark.

Her transformations don't really give her a deeper understanding of the people she transforms into, but she's a very clever baby who pays attention to her surroundings and is curious about the people around her :>

[astralleywright]

okay i thought you hated dorian for some reason so dorian. now im curious

oh no not at all!! I-well, lets talk about it!

First impression

i'll be real, i too thought he was a spoiled soft clown. Ashton clocked both me and themself with that one. i enjoyed watching him a lot because Robbie Daymond is perhaps the most likeable person on the planet, but Dorian's concept as a runaway prince and the broad socially awkward niceness that was the broad strokes of his personality were simply Not My Thing, especially in a campaign that appealed to me because of all the characters being NPC-types and also sucking. Maybe this is where the idea that I hated him came from?

Impression now

Like Ashton I have realized Dorian is not a spoiled soft clown, and like Ashton i am also sorry. Robbie's gotten more of a chance to stretch his rp muscles than he did in the first 14 of C3 (and I've gotten more of a chance to witness it), and he's so fucking good, and it would be literally impossible for me not to love Dorian because of it. And tbh the power differential he had with the other hells that bugged me from a thematic perspective is now a boon, because it acts as a good contrast that shows how even more privileged mortals can still become the playthings of the gods! yay Dorian!

Favorite moment

I mean, yeah, his speech during Spin the Bottle a few episodes ago is up there at the top, but I think it will always be the confrontation he had with Orym and Fy'ra over the crown To Me.

Idea for a story

Dorian you gotta save your girl Opal right. we're doing that right

Unpopular opinion

I mean I feel like i've already expressed some lmao. here's another; I have always found Dor/ym pretty uninteresting until the last few eps, where I now find it interesting and also dislike it 😭 Dorian PLEASE find yourself a man who will not dismiss your feelings like that and talk to you like he's your dad. I feel like that's gonna be a one off moment that's forgotten in the grand scheme of things but I'll know. I'll remember

Favorite relationship

Oh I was gonna say Double Ds and Fy'ra and Laudna and Ashton and Braius but it's Chetney. It's obviously Chetney.

Favorite headcanon

I love the interpretation of him as Native-coded (and I mean elements of that are already canon with things such as his flute)! I'm super curious to see what the Silken Squall is like

[townofcadence]

⭐i am so excited with artair and mortem but i am also curious af to hear your other thoughts

Send a ⭐ for Muse Combinations!

Okay well to start off, I AGREE!! I love Artair and Mortem's dynamic from what we've talked about, and I adore Mortem as a character in general! Artair has as lot going on and I definitely see them connecting in ways that are going to be meaningful in their own way, and I am jazzed for it :D

BUT! On to others!

Personally, I think Jace and Mortem could be fun. I think Jace has some weirdness given his dead state but not realizing it yet, and how he has an ability to warp reality that's very empowered. At the very least I think it could be interesting, how much he clearly has a love and thirst for life given what he is, and how he believes himself to be alive with so much conviction that he breaks how things work around himself to account for what he believes. I don't know what would happen with the two, but i could see her think it's at least neat since he is oblivious xD

Opal i think could be fun, but i think mostly because i think they'd have some flirtatious banter with one another potentially, and opal likes taking down people who deserve it. If mortem found someone she felt had no potential who was basically a rich jackass, opal would totally be down for the two of them being a curse to befall them xD

Saffron--- would probably not be necessarily an extensive interaction, but Saffron is so terrified of the supernatural stuff, that i think it'd be at least a little funny if at least once Mortem scared him just for the lols. Two other muses have done this and he's the kind to be like 'nope' and run with a little cloud behind him so i think it could at least be a little silly one off thing at the very least. But also, as an apothecary, his access to plants and what he has could be really helpful and they could potentially connect in some way (even if she still scares him shitless because he's a weenie lol)

Mortem is more than allowed to meet trimst if she wants, though trimst is mainly just a little mischievous eldritch cat thing xD

Alyx i think could be interesting, if only because i think his ability to chronicle the future could be at least interesting for her to take note of, though i don't know how they'd get along in person so far xD

Atlas might be interesting, because of them being a fae but likely not like any Mortem has seen. They are a physical being and she is also not like what little i know of Mortem's patron, so it could be neat. Micah would be in a similar vein, but also because of his own survival of hardship and his harshness in some situations and protective ferocity could affect what she sees in them, and he has a connection to Atlas so they could appear together at some point

Dr. Salem Conner could be interesting because he has almost complete control over the body and all components in it. He's always seeking knowledge, so there is capacity for them to engage out of interest to the ways she's changed herself.

Maneki and her might have a strange interaction because of maneki's power over luck and mortem's over potential. they're not the same but in the same vein they kind of play into each other in a sense, so it could be interesting lol

With as often less than human as Mortem has the capacity to be as a witch, I think she would be given the chance to partake of weaver's carnival. I think it would be interesting, though it's difficult since weaver is a lower activity muse who is .... definitely on the villainous side. IT might not end well for the ringmaster xD

Alistaire could be interesting , due to the fact he is trying to learn magic and how to cleave a soul. As a magic user, that could definitely intersect with Mortem :D

They are low activity, but Nimbus, Eden, and Alistair/Aria could be interesting! they're like artair but they are true embodiments. These three are related to artair actually, but i think given the similarities between witches and the ethereals (name subject to change) there could be an interesting interaction there at some point in the future :D

[sunfudge]

can you tell me about 2.3 leaks? I'm actually so curious right now

Hii omg thank you for giving me the opportunity to lose my goddamn fucking mind. The person that leaked it seems to have leaked Jiaoqiu aopearence. So just for first basis, this is the only leak I've seen of this leaker that was correct:

But they ARE new and this is one of the only things they've leaked. They leaked that Yunli was a kid girl too, so they've been right about that also

So ANYWAYS

HSR potential 2.3 leaks under the cut

SO

My Stellaron Hunter Sunday dreams mIGHT BE TRUE I am fucking losing it I am going crazy I am biting the walls the floor the doors the windows, I am fusvsisbdjdhdjs I'm running in circles I'm

Imprisoned by The Family? Released by Jade?

SHE TELLS HIM TO JOIN THE STELLARON HUNTERS?

Also THE STONEHEARTS? OPAL?

BOOTHILL AND AVENTURINE?

Okay I'm trying to be chill until we get confirmation that's beyond any doubt but just know I'm freaking

[fizzycereal]

for OC ask game

4- any oc

5- any oc

6- any OC

8- uhhh id ask this for Ash ig

9- London

10- Tyler 😈😈😈

13- Opal

17,18,19,20,21- anyone for these

25- literally anyone or everyone

signed, your overly curious bestie, Bgay 😛

4- really depends on what oc lol London, I would say warm greens to oranges. Ash blues, greens, and other shit. But really depends :3

5- ash, rats ofc like wtf else would it be, Atlas a dog, uhhh idk about the rest really lol

6- hmmmmm.... Hard question don't know flowers so uh yeah? But ig roses for the "trio" (lmao not specifying which one 😎)

8- ooooo good question, him being determined, being both a curse and a blessing at times. However another flaw that his insecurities can influence his decisions. They cause him to be a bit greedy and envious (also having a small God complex-)

9- to be happy-/hj (not answering that yet since it plays a big part)

10- yesnt? He does in fact have a father and a mother, and a older sister named Ashley. His family plays a pretty big part so this question will be left a bit unanswered. But he does in fact have a cousin that is only mentioned.

13- uhhhhh me forogr... Uhhh originally they would have rich ass parents so I would say yes? Idk

17- if I remember correctly I think it's only Ash... However I am planning to give some of the salt cast more pets.

18- failure probably some more but most failure. (like me 😨)

19- yes, the Canadians (salt) are all pretty good friends

20- aros, tennis and playing some puzzle games.

21- all you need to know is that piss is involved. (Also many of them are spoilers so yippie!)

25- first off, Atlas, name that was for my first og dnd character but then since I wasn't able to play them, I gave it to a fucking bowl of cereal. London? Baby name website. Ash? Idk. Todd? Idk he just looked like a Todd.

11- again really depends good only one I can think off on top of my head is Jeremy from BMC as Ash. (Come on, it's obvious that I inspired ash off of Jeremy 😔)

[realityescapee01]

Opals and Rubies (part 3)

part 1 here | part 2 here

Ominis Gaunt x Garreth Weasley

Garreth is obsessed. Obsessed with his experiments with potions and on getting ingredients for them.

But there is another thing he is obsessed about: opals.

Care of the Slytherin student: Ominis Gaunt's eyes.

Garreth went back to his dorm room. Remembering how Ominis touched him. On his chest.

Garreth gulped as he thought dirty thoughts. About Ominis. Warm, hot, steamy, moist, wet, hard thoughts.

Those hands, sliding from his chest to his waist and into a hug holding onto his lower back.

Or could also be those hands wrapped around his neck. Or on his head, his hair, gripping and pulling.

Or on his back, nails dragging down on it. Or could be down on his belly, towards between his legs and...

Garreth slapped himself with both his hands and shook himself to stop thinking about it.

He willed himself to stand and go do other things. Like continue working on his version of Fizz Beer.

The next day, Garreth was late. He stayed up very late brewing versions of his fizz beer, just to keep himself from thinking dirty thoughts about Ominis.

Professor Sharp scolded him again and made him stay to clean the other tables, on top of deducting points from Gryffindor.

After class, before leaving, Ominis walked by Garreth and greeted him.

"What might have you done last night to be late to your favorite class?"

Oh, nothing much, just thought sinful things about you.

But of course Garreth couldn't say that...

"Oh! Well, I worked on my Fizz Beer." -he said instead.

"Did you know, my sister experimented on potions too while she was here. But she made rather scandalous ones."

"Really? Like what?" -Garreth got curious.

It's not everyday he hears stories about the Gaunts.

"Well..." -Ominis leaned in closer to Garreth. "She made a potion that made her boyfriend taste like chocolate all over."

"A-All over???" -Garreth's mind is heading thousands of directions.

And Ominis was more than willing to guide him to a certain direction.

"Yes, including his... cum."

"Wo-Woah?!? W-What?" -Garreth blushed and staggered. Fumbling and scattering the things on the desk that he had just tidied up.

Ominis let out a little laugh before walking out. Feeling a little satisfied that he made Garreth flustered and heart beat quicker.

Garreth was distracted the whole day. All he could think of is Ominis and chocolates.

Garreth was feeling on edge the whole day so he decided to head in early to his dorm room. On his way back, Garreth saw Ominis on the same spot as the previous time. By the staircase.

And again, looking very upset at the 5th year who had just walked away.

"Ominis?"

"Garreth? You always find me in this... peculiar situations." -Ominis still sounded upset.

"Sebastian again? Or the 5th year? Did he do something to you?" -Garreth was ready to throw hands with the 5th year.

"No. It's Sebastian." -Ominis started walking away from the Undercroft entrance.

Garreth walked with him. "Do you wanna talk about it with me?"

"...Ugh! Sebastian told and showed the 5th year about our... secret area in Hogwarts." -Ominis divulged.

"Oh... secret area? Sounds intriguing."

"I am not telling you, Garreth." -Ominis was quick and back to his usual snarky self.

"Okay, okay. If it will make you feel better. I have a secret room too."

"...You do?" -Now it was Ominis who was intrigued.

"And I am willing to show you. Do you want me to?"

Ominis just nodded and readied his wand to go around. Garreth let out a little excited laugh at that.

"Alright, Ominis Gaunt. Follow me."

Garreth started traversing towards the One-Eyed Witch statue.

"It's the passage to Honeydukes. Isn't exactly a secret." -Ominis sounded disappointed.

"Wait. Let us just walk a bit more."

Garreth led Ominis into a room in the middle of the passageway. The path to it is quite hidden. And Garreth enchanted it to only open if you made 5 droplets of the wiggenweld potion on the stone door.

"I didn't know you could do enchantments like that." -Ominis was in awe as he heard the droplets and the door open.

"It's our secret." -Garreth was feeling playful. "So, here is my secret area. Nothing much here really."

The room is quite small but tidy. With just a lone couch and potion station in the middle. And a little cracks on the ceiling where light could seep through.

This is where Garreth spends most of his time on his experimental potions.

"Why did you show me this, Garreth?"

"So, if you need me, you know where to find me."

Ominis smiled.

The moonlight shone through the cracks on the ceiling and hits Ominis just right.

The light shone on Ominis' face perfectly. Highlighting his features. And making his eyes look like they're glowing.

Ominis just looks so...

You're so beautiful, Ominis.

Garreth wished he could say it out loud.

"Well, I feel tired already. I wanna go back to my dorm room." -Ominis

"Oh, alright. Let's head back."

Garreth walked Ominis to the Slytherin dorm. They were standing right in front of the entrance.

"It was a good evening, Garreth." -Ominis bid him goodbye for the day.

"Uh, yeah. Well then, goodnight, Ominis."

Ominis smiled and then headed inside.

Garreth really wished he said it out loud.

-+-+-

Ominis listened to Sebastian's ramblings about his researches on how to possibly cure Anne's curse.

Ominis was settled onto a barrel. Swaying his feet.

"So, yeah. That was the latest. Hopefully that 5th year discovers something too." -Sebastian ended his speech.

"Sebastian?"

"Yes, Ominis?"

"You know Garreth Weasley, right?"

"Yes. What about hi- Did he do something to you?!? Did he subject you to his silly potions?!!" -Sebastian was very protective.

"Calm down, Sebastian! He didn't do such things to me."

"Alright then... What about him?"

"Is he... good?"

"Well, he is fun. He makes potions class bearable with his silly potion antics... You two got quite close to each other lately, isn't it? Do you like him?"

"He is alright."

"I mean, not just as a friend, Ominis. Do you like him?" -Sebastian emphasizing the like word.

"I'm still getting to know him. What does he look like?"

Sebastian scoffed. "I look better than him."

"I think I'd be the judge of that."

Sebastian laughed. "Well, he is a Weasley, and as all of them, he has reddish hair. His is a bit redder than his other relatives though. He also has freckles all over his face."

Ominis was nodding.

"So, you've not yet... you know, felt his face? Like you did me before?"

"Not yet."

"Hmn. Alright. You're gonna tell me if you two ended up dating, right?"

"Why would I? So you would torment Garreth?"

"No! So that I could give him advice. You could be quite difficult at times. I'm not quite sure if Garreth could handle you." -Sebastian teased.

"Oh really?!?"

Sebastian was laughing by then. He kept laughing as Ominis tried to hit him with a normal wand attack.

Sebastian kept avoiding the hits and laughing. Running onto barrels at times. Ominis would laugh at that.

-+-+-+-

The days passed peacefully after that. But Sebastian's obsession with the dark arts grew. Even more so when he learned about Salazar Slytherin's scriptorium.

Once again, hounding Ominis about it. And Ominis gave in, with the help of the 5th year.

Ultimately ending with them having to use the Crucio spell.

Which brought bad memories for Ominis. He was barely keeping it together. He has trauma with the curses. Specially the Crucio one.

Ominis almost didn't make it through. Hearing the 5th year exclaim in pain as Sebastian casted the Crucio on the 5th year, for them to get into the scriptorium.

And they did. Sebastian and the 5th year explored while Ominis just followed behind, wanting to get out of there as soon as possible.

The Crucio spell brought back bad memories. And feelings. How he felt the curse. Casted on him by his own family nonetheless. When he refused to cast it on muggles for sport.

He bid goodbye to Sebastian and the 5th year. He wanted to get out of there asap.

The trauma is becoming too much. As if he feels the pain again. He hurried out of there. Going to his dorm room.

Crashing onto Garreth on his way there.

"Woah! Ominis. There you are! I was looking for you. I restocked on those choco-Ominis?" -Garreth just noticed Ominis was...

...crying.

"Ominis?!? What's the matter?" -Garreth held him by his shoulders.

"Garreth." -Ominis heaved.

"What th- okay. Okay, let's get out of here."

Garreth hurried themselves to his secret room in the honeydukes passage.

Garreth kept asking Ominis what was wrong but the Slytherin never answered.

"Ominis? Please. Are you alright? What can I do to make you feel better?"

Ominis just shook his head and sat on the stone floor.

"Please. Ominis." my love. Garreth wanted to add but never did.

"Garreth just... I just wanted to lie down."

"Alright."

Garreth looked around for something for Ominis to lay down on. But he has nothing but the mongrel furs he stocked there for his potions.

"I'm sorry. This is all I have."

Garreth placed the furs down on the floor. Ominis didn't care. He sniffed and heaved and cried as he lied down on the furs.

Garreth stayed there with Ominis. Waiting for the Gaunt to wake up and hopefully feel better.

-+-+-+-

Ominis woke up almost an hour later. Hearing Garreth still in the room.

"Garreth?"

"Hey. How are you feeling now?" -Garreth was beside him immediately.

"Better now." -Ominis stood.

"What happened? Were you hurt? Is it Sebastian again?"

"I'm not hurt. It's... I'm sorry, Garreth. I couldn't talk about it."

"Okay... but... please. If Sebastian kept hurting you like this. I think it's okay to distance yourself."

"I... I wanna head back." -Ominis started walking back to Hogwarts.

"Wait!"

Garreth placed the chocolates in Ominis coat pocket.

"Thank you, Garreth."

Garreth walked with Ominis to the Slytherin dorm again. And kept waiting there even after Ominis headed in.

Ominis was crying! Merlin's beard! He had enough. He waited for Sebastian to talk to him.

Sebastian arrived with the 5th year a few moments later.

"Sallow! Hey. Can we talk for a minute?"

"Okay... You go ahead then." -Sebastian hurried the 5th year ahead. "Weasley. What's it about?"

"Sallow... Ominis is always upset. He seemed so hurt tonight. What did you do?!?"

Sebastian was quite impressed that Garreth was confronting him. "Woah! Calm down. It's something you couldn't know and understand."

"Whatever it is, stop it!"

"I will talk to Ominis... But I have my reason to not stop what I'm doing."

"Stop hurting him, Sallow."

"Believe me. I'm trying. I really am."

Garreth looked at Sebastian one last time, very seriously, before walking out of the Slytherin dungeon.

Sebastian watched Garreth leave. He was in awe actually. The Gryffindor must really like Ominis a lot. To come here and confront him.

Garreth isn't one to participate in fights or arguments. He never heard him get mad or upset in all the years he had him as a classmate.

Garreth was always smiling and laughing. He was never confrontational.

But not tonight.

Sebastian let out a deep breath. And thought about Ominis. How he would start talking to him and how he could make it up to him.

-+-+-+-

The days went on, and some are good. Some are bad. And Ominis seemed more stressed as the days went by.

Garreth wanted to approach Ominis but he was always in a hurry to get to some place. He would catch him for a few minutes. They'd greet each other and that's it. Ominis is off to somewhere again.

Garreth kept himself busy with his potions. And he was able to make a special beer for Ominis. He can't wait for Ominis to try it.

And so, he followed him one day. Out to Hogsmeade. And then he lost track of him. Garreth walked around Hogsmeade and looked at every shop for Ominis.

He even explored outside of Hogsmeade. But to no avail. He was afraid that Ominis might have decided to use floo flames to get to another place.

All Garreth could do was wait. But the night fell and Garreth knew he wouldn't see Ominis tonight.

He made his slow walk back to Hogwarts. And was pleasantly greeted by Ominis who had just used a floo flame to the south exit of the castle.

"O-Ominis! Hey there."

"Oh, Garreth. Have you been there long?"

"No. Just now... uhm, where have you been?"

"Oh... just... some place." -Ominis faked a smile.

He is too tired for a conversation right now.

Not right after Sebastian has gone deeper and deeper down the dark path. He knows him and the 5th year have now used Crucio and Imperio.

And Garreth sensed it.

"Alright. Seems like you're too tired to talk."

"Yes, I am."

"Well then. Let me treat you. Come with me. To our secret lair."

Ominis followed Garreth to his secret area again.

"I made a beer." -Garreth proudly announced.

"The fizz beer?"

"No no no. Something you like."

"Just get to it."

"I call it the Ominis Special." -Garreth handed a sample of the drink he made. Just half a bottle to Ominis.

"Ugh, you should change the name." -Ominis took it and smelled it.

It smelled like chocolate.

"Garreth. Do you swear I won't turn into a different species or wither away after drinking this?"

"I am sure! I tried it myself."

"...Fine."

Ominis took a sip...

...

...and he was delighted. It tastes good. It is beer. But chocolate. The taste is chocolate with a little hint of bitterness from the beer.

"Wow! This is delicious, Garreth."

Ominis took another sip. And another. Until he finished it.

"Woah hey! Slow down. That is still beer."

"This is really good... I'm glad I came here with you." -Ominis smiled. A genuine smile directed at Garreth. Looking all beautiful again with the help of the moonlight.

"Y-Yeah, I'm happy that I made you smile." -Garreth was thankful right now that Ominis can't see him.

Because he is blushing so hard right now. Ominis looked so...

"Ominis, you look so beautiful." -Garreth said it this time.

"G-Garreth..." -Ominis was surprised by that.

And when Garreth thought Ominis couldn't look even more beautiful; Ominis blushed after he said it. Looking all cute and pretty.

Garreth was just standing there. Smiling. Speechless.

They stayed quiet for a while. Ominis broke the silence first.

"Thank you, Garreth. But I am really tired. I would like to head to sleep."

"Alright. I'll walk you back."

And Garreth did. He has become familiar and comfortable going to the Slytherin dungeon.

"One more thing, keep its name." -Ominis stopped before heading in.

"Of course!"

"Also..." -Ominis walked closer to Garreth.

He reached out and got hold of Garreth's arm, he slid his hand upwards to the shoulder, and based on that, got a vague idea of where Garreth's ear is.

"...No one gets to drink that but me." -Ominis whispered.

Garreth blushed, again. And gulped. "Y-Yes. I promise, Ominis. Only you."

"Good." -Ominis then headed inside the dorm.

He doesn't know why, but he likes making Garreth panic a little bit. He likes to make him nervous and squirm. He likes teasing him.

He likes him.

Maybe he would do something about it.

Starting with...

"Garreth." -Ominis called the Gryffindor's attention after their herbology class the next day.

"Hey." -Garreth stopped everything he was doing.

"I wanna touch you."

"T-Touch?!?" -Garreth was thinking of so many things. Mostly sinful ones.

"Your face, actually. I just wanna have a vague idea of your appearance."

"Oh. Oh! Of course, you can."

Ominis held his hand out slowly. Garreth caught them and guided them a little higher because he was a little taller than Ominis.

And Ominis took note of that discovery. He likes it that Garreth is a tad bit taller.

He gently laid his palm on Garreth's face. Starting from the forehead, then down to the eyebrows, nose, and then cheeks. Rubbing his thumb ever so gently on the skin. Then to the lips and the chin.

And then started feeling Garreth's hair. Ominis brushed his fingers through the reddish locks and did not expect there was a lot.

"Oh, long and curly." -Ominis confirmed.

"Yes. Do you not like it?"

"I don't mind... Also, red? Sebastian told me most Weasleys have them."

"Ah, yes." -Garreth laughed.

Ominis kept twirling Garreth's hair between his fingers. Making Garreth blush and his heart race.

Ominis continued a few seconds more before letting go.

"So... uhm, I hope you aren't disappointed." -Garreth threw a few laughs and giggles to cover his nervousness.

Ominis laughed. "No. I'm not. But then again, the only other boy I did this to is Sebastian."

"Oh, Sebastian is good-looking."

"You're not too bad yourself, Garreth."

"That's great to hear."

"Well... we should head to the next class."

"Of course."

Ominis started walking away. He noticed that Garreth was walking with him.

"Garreth, you don't have to walk me to my next class."

"I'm sorry. But I insist."

"Well... do whatever you want then."

They continued walking in silence but with a smile creeping on each other's face. When they reached the classroom, Sebastian was in the process of walking out.

"Ominis."

"Sebastian? Are you... leaving?"

"Yeah. I need to... do something."

"What is it this time?" -Ominis' voice was a mix of frustration and suspicion.

Sebastian looked at Garreth and cleared his throat.

Garreth wasn't getting the hint.

"I would gladly discuss it with you if we were alone."

And finally Garreth got it.

"Oh! Yeah. Well, have a great rest of the day, Ominis." -Garreth lightly tapped Ominis' lower back before walking away. He hoped this doesn't turn out hurting Ominis. Again.

Once Garreth was out of earshot, Sebastian and Ominis talked. Something about discovering what the relic was for. Sebastian wanted to test it out. And he was headed out to the catacombs.

And Ominis couldn't do anything. He knows once Sebastian was set on something, there is no stopping him.

Ominis watched as Sebastian sneaked out of their class. He headed inside and continued the schoolday.

At the end of the school day, Ominis received an owl from Anne, asking him to come immediately. And Ominis did. Seeing what Sebastian has done with the relic.

Ominis called the 5th year for help. And at the end of it all, the worst happened.

Sebastian used avada kedavra on his uncle.

Anne blasted him away and burned the book. He looked at Sebastian with hate and then disappeared.

Ominis couldn't believe it. Him and the 5th year didn't know what to do. Ominis hated his family but he was willing to use their name to get Sebastian out of this trouble.

But they are still shocked and doesn't know what to do as of the moment.

He headed back to the school ahead of the 5th year. As the 5th year stayed with Sebastian. Until they figured out what to do.

Back at Hogwarts, Ominis was torn up. He doesn't know what to do. He knows Sebastian must pay for what he did, but also, he knows Sebastian is the only one left for Anne now.

Ominis was thinking of a lot of things as he walked and walked aimlessly into the Hogwarts castle. And found himself in front of the One Eyed Witch statue.

He hoped Garreth is still in his secret room.

"Garreth?" -Ominis called out right outside the secret door.

Moments later, the door opened and out came Garreth.

"Ominis. Hey, how are-"

"Oh, Garreth!"

Ominis stepped into the room and started pacing, obviously distraught. Garreth kept asking what is it? What happened? But Ominis didn't answer. And just sat on the stone floor.

"Ominis, please, you can tell me." -Garreth sat in front of Ominis. Reached out for Ominis' hand and held them oh so dearly; thumbs brushing over it for comfort.

"I-I can't... right now, I can't."

"Something you can't tell me again?"

"I'm really sorry. It is still being figured out."

"Alright. I won't press any further. I'll stay here with you."

Ominis began having teary eyes. He lunged forward, throwing himself on to Garreth, who caught him into an embrace. And then he let out a heavy breath. Everything weighing on him.

And then the tears started flowing.

"Oh, Ominis!" -Garreth pulled Ominis into a tighter hug and rubbed his hand up and down Ominis' back to soothe him.

Garreth let Ominis sleep for hours. It's already dawn when he woke. Garreth walked Ominis back to the Slytherin dorm. He thought what could've happened.

On his way out of there, he bumped into Sebastian.

"S-Sallow?!?"

"Garreth... have you talked to Ominis?"

"Not really 'talk' but-bloody hell! I told you! Stop hurting him!"

"Garreth, listen to me. I know you like Ominis. A lot. And I can see you mean well... Please, continue being there for him. I messed up."

"Messed up? How? What did you mess up?"

"You'll know soon enough. Garreth Weasley, I don't usually like anyone else. To be close friends with, and specially with Ominis. But I can see you're different when it comes to Ominis. So, I am telling you, stay with him."

"Of course. Until he wants me there with him."

Sebastian looked burdened and consumed with something Garreth could never fathom, or ever know unless Ominis tells him.

And then he smiled. As if something, at least one, of the things consuming him got solved. He patted Garreth on his way into the Slytherin dorm.

-+-+-+-

Ominis didn't attend any classes the next day. And the next. Same with Sebastian. He sent owls to Ominis but the Slytherin did not reply.

Garreth couldn't handle it anymore. He walked to where he always sees Ominis, behind that one particular staircase.

He walked towards the back and there was nothing there. Just some odd looking clock.

He then went to his secret room, thinking Ominis was there to find him. On his way, he saw Ominis, Sebastian, and the Professor Black. He followed them and waited at the foot of the headmaster's tower. Pretending to be busy in the artifacts area. Until he saw wizards come up to the headmaster's room.

They don't look like ordinary wizards. They look like definitely from the ministry. A few minutes later, Ominis came down from the headmaster's room.

"Ominis! Hey."

"G-Garreth?" -Ominis wiped his tears away.

"What happened?!?"

"Sebastian... he... just follow me."

They walked out of there with Ominis leading the way. To behind that one staircase again.

Ominis faced the odd clock, waved his wand and it opened.

"I didn't know this is here the whole time." -Garreth was in awe as he walked into the Undercroft.

"This is our secret place, Sebastian, Anne and I. And recently, the 5th year. But now... I'm the only one left of the original trio. Anne is never going back here. And Sebastian is on his way to Azkaban!"

"W-What?!? Azkaban???"

And that is when Ominis told him everything. From the beginning of Anne being cursed and Sebastian looking for answers to cure her. And ultimately, up to the events of Sebastian killing his uncle.

Garreth could not believe what he just heard. They're just 5th years! And Ominis and Sebastian gone through a lot. On their own. With the 5th year there in some of the events.

"Oh! Ominis. The things you all went through. And Sebastian... Azkaban... Godric's Heart!"

Garreth could never imagine what Ominis could be feeling right now. He could only offer him an embrace, hoping it offers comfort somehow.

Also, Sebastian... Garreth feels sorry for him. He meant well, but things escalated and now Azkaban, no one as young as them should be there. But there is a price for the thing he has done.

Now he understands Sebastian when they talked last that night.

"I can't imagine Hogwarts without Sebastian." -Ominis said, his voice breaking.

"Ominis... I could never, and I have no intention of, replacing Sebastian because he is a precious friend to you. But I promise you, I will be here for you. Forever. That is if you'd want to."

"I would love that, Garreth."

Garreth looked at Ominis in those opal eyes he loves so much. And he leaned in.

And kisses Ominis. A light, gentle, touch of lips. Ominis hugged him tight again.

Garreth wrapped his arms around Ominis, swearing to himself that he would protect Ominis from everything. And that he would love him with all he's got. Always and forever. Opals and rubies.

-+-+-+ (complete)+-+-+-

thank you. more on my master list here

I also have an AO3 account

my art/design shop here (for fanart and other things I do)

Like the gifs used here? See source under them. Reblog, do not repost. Thank you all gif creators here ♥️

[0pallangel]

Opal’s Dreams

My craziest dream (well there are crazier ones but this one is my favorite)

*

*

*

The dreams starts, I’m in a cold, dark, stone room. I’m barefoot? I was really confused about that. Suddenly a small ember was lit in the corner of the room. Like any curious person, I obviously went over to the flame to investigate. Next to the flame there was a small little pastry on a fancy little plate and there was a note under the plate. The note read “eat me, pretty please.” I wasn’t hungry before, but after I read the note my stomach growled. Any sane person would NOT eat it.

…

I ate the pastry because like what would happen? I’m in a dream (somehow im always aware that im in a dream). I eat the pastry (it was a cake) to reveal the fancy little plate. But the plate had a little message under the excess frosting. I wipe away the frosting to read what the plate said…

“Get poisoned lol”

I start panicking, my head started hurting (my cat was making biscuits on my head). I “pass out” and when I wake up I was the size of the small little ember. Behind the ember I could see a door. “Oooh, thats why the cake wanted me to eat it, this is some Alice in Wonderland type shit.” I speak, literally to myself because I’m by myself. I open the door to walk into a room filled with crazy and historical tapestries. I see one of the tapestries moving so obviously I rip it off the the wall to reveal a window.

I break the window by wrapping the tapestry around my body and smashing into it. I was finally outside. But I was somewhere different, somewhere I didn’t recognize. There were french bulldogs walking around on their hind legs, they all whore blue suits and monocles, they also had a huge ass cigar in their mouths. I take one step and they all turn to me and scream.

“MEXICAN!”

Hell breaks out. All the french bulldogs are running around in terror creating chaos. All I see next are these tall doberman dogs dressed in those British guard uniforms grabbing me by the arms and carrying me away. Obviously I start screaming and retaliate. But they had strong grip.

“Quiet calupoh!” The guard screamed.

.

.

.

I was a dog? Specifically a calupoh? (If you don’t know what that is then google it)

Anyways, they took me to the front entrance of Buckingham palace. The only thought going through my brain was, “what am I doing in Wales?”

I was knocked out of my thoughts because those dumb dobermen ordered me to “behave for the queen” what queen? Isn’t she dead?

We enter the throne room to find the queen (who is a corgi) sitting down in her luxurious throne.

The queen looks at me in disgust and anger

“OFF WITH HER HEAD!”

.

.

.

I wake up to see my sister telling me to get up and get ready for something.

[words-writ-in-starlight]

what's DFZ?

DFZ! DFZ! DFZ!

Okay, so, the DFZ series(es?) is kind of a catchall name for a couple of series by Rachel Aaron that take place in the same urban fantasy universe, the DFZ books and the Heartstriker books.  Urban cyberfantasy?  You could throw a lot of adjectives into that descriptor if you wanted to.

The general premise is that once upon a time Earth had magic.  A lot of magic.  Absolutely god-creating levels of magic.  And then, mysteriously, it all drained away some thousand years ago, leaving humanity to forget all about it while the creatures who needed it to live either withered away completely (spirits, gods, etc) or went into hiding and hibernation (also some spirits, dragons, etc).  And then, like a switch being flipped, it all came back at once in 2035, and suddenly humanity had a lot of magic to throw around and no idea what was going on.  That was a few decades ago at the start of the Heartstriker books, which are a couple decades before the DFZ books.

(Incidentally, I really like that choice.  It would have been very easy to write a novel about humanity getting magic back and running around like chickens with our heads cut off, and don’t get me wrong I would have read and adored that book, but setting things a little later means that magic is just Part Of The Deal and it’s so much goddamn cooler.)

Which brings us to the DFZ proper, also known as the Detroit Free Zone. ��When magic came back, a lot of shit woke up really fast, chief among them A, dragons, and, B, Spirits of the Land.  Like the Lady of the Great Lakes, Algonquin, who was really, really not having it with every city in a hundred mile radius dumping pollutants into her water by the metric ton.  So she wiped most of the Great Lakes states off the map, and took over the ruins of Detroit to make the Detroit Free Zone, where the only laws worth mentioning are:

No murder

No dragons

No polluting the water

Anything else is pretty much free game.  So you can imagine that the DFZ gets to be a pretty interesting place pretty goddamn fast--the most magical city in the world, where anyone can do anything without fear of the law coming down on them, under the iron hand of a goddess who doesn’t much care for humans.

Anyway, if that sounds cool and you like any of the following, you should actually just trust me and go read these books without bothering with the rest of this post:

Immaculately well-constructed magical worldbuilding--the entire second book of the DFZ trilogy is basically “how to out-litigate a curse and the consequences of doing just that”

Humans Are Special trope, but in the “if you could all just slow down on the innovation we’d all be a lot safer” kind of way, which is a personal favorite

Dragons!  Lots and lots of dragons from all over the world!  This is an absolutely spectacular series for dragons, despite Algonquin’s best efforts!

Sentient cities!  The DFZ takes a while to get moving (magic takes time and big magic takes big time) but once she does, oh boy do I ever love her so goddamn much, get wrekt Algonquin

Magic Is Normal tropes coming out your goddamn ears, mixed with a healthy dose of Technology Is Magic (AIs can project stuff straight into your brain by hooking into your natural magical field and y’all...I’d kill for it...that’s so cool)

Really genuinely likable characters--Julius, Marci, Opal, and Nik are all completely fantastic and I would get drinks with any of them, and also the main romances actually enjoy each others’ company in non-romantic contexts, which is remarkably refreshing

Seers, and the finicky game of making the future jump the way you want it to jump while someone else who can also see the future is trying to make it jump the other way

Doesn’t that sound rad?  Yes, it does, I’m telling you that these books are amazing, the first DFZ book is called Minimum Wage Magic, and the first Heartstriker is called Nice Dragons Finish Last, go forth and read.  Either series is a great starting point, I actually liked reading the Heartstriker books after the DFZ books because I loved seeing Opal meet Julius, Main Character Boy for the Heartstrikers, as a competent and universally respected adult, and then getting insight into his brain which is just that one gif from Community with the pizza and the fire, all the time.

As per usual, more details under the cut.

So, magic comes back and Algonquin wreaks destruction and the DFZ happens.  Smash cut sixty years into the future for the Heartstriker books, starring Julius Heartstriker, the youngest and most regrettably tenderhearted dragon in the massive Heartstriker clan.  Julius’ primary problem in life is that he does not enjoy lying, scheming, manipulating, threatening, murdering, or power tripping, which means that his entire family pretty much takes carte blanche to kick him around like a soccer ball.  This comes to a head when his mother, Bethesda Heartstriker, puts a curse on him so that he can’t access his draconic form and dumps him unceremoniously into the DFZ, where dragons are executed on sight, with strict orders to find something to impress her, or else die quietly out of the way.

Julius, to his credit, throws himself into trying to become a Real Dragon as best he can, but he’s just so goddamn nice, he goes out and saves lives and makes bargains and enforced democracy instead of unilateral dynastic rule and falls in love with a human (hi Marci) and makes a name for himself as “the dragon you go to when all your other options would kill you or laugh in your face.”  It’s absolutely delightful to watch.  He’s doing such a good job.

Basically, the Heartstriker books go like this: Julius doesn’t like the way his world works!  And fuck you for telling him that he needs to be less kind in order to work in the world!  He’s not changing himself, he’s going to change the world instead, and because he’s very, very nice, he’ll even let you live there once he’s done!

Next up, the DFZ books, twenty years later, star Opal Yong-ae, who moved to the DFZ from Korea for reasons that become apparent later but mostly boil down to “freedom.”  Since Julius’ first arrival in the DFZ, a lot’s changed--Algonquin is gone, the Spirit of the DFZ is a sovereign entity who has her own motives and desires, and what was once a no-dragon zone is now a neutral territory governed by the Peacemaker, who you might remember as a twenty-four-year-old baby desperately out of his depth and is now a straight up force to be reckoned with, feared and respected around the world.  (I’m so proud of my son.)

Opal’s problems are that she’s a mage who hits like a tank when she’s desperate but can’t handle even the most basic tasks, and she’s scrambling to pay off a massive debt to her father in order to prove that she should be allowed to remain in the DFZ.  These are both old news.  The dead body she finds in an abandoned apartment that she’s been hired to clean out and get ready for renting, on the other hand, that’s a new, kicky, fresh kind of problem, especially once someone starts shooting at her about it.  

She joins up with another Cleaner named Nikola Kos, who she mostly knows as “that scary guy in black” and is an absolute tank who is also secretly very soft.  Their dynamic is so much fun, very intensely “Small Chaotic Drags Big Exhausted Into Drama” with the added bonus that Nik is a very cool cyborg fighter type.  Opal is so determined that it verges on being completely unhinged and I would read 15 books about her.  Also, the third book is out, so that brutal cliffhanger at the end of Half Price Gods is a problem for Eight Months Ago Me, rather than Present Day You.

[vinlynce]

I noticed that in my last ask you mentioned/vaguely suggested something about Emmet being visibly corrupted from Necrozma. Could we get a bit more info about that if I'm not taking wordplay too far? I'm really curious as to how it may work— does it have anything to do with the level of self-destruction / state of desperation that Emmet is in?

That being said, I also love love love the designs and artwork for this AU! You managed to blend together Emmet and Necrozma incredibly well; I just adore how well Necrozma's features fit in with his jacket. And also the heels. Emmet rocks heels and it's a crime more people haven't noticed.

Oh you aren't looking too much into it! I am a simple woman, I think sometimes people should get Funky Traits :tm . . . The au and stuff takes place over multiple months and stuff doesn't show up for the most part... But, over time, such large amounts of exposure to being fused with something as well as just how much wormhole travel is done leaves its (thankfully mostly temporary) effects. So... Funny space opal stuff :0 it's mainly focused around the ends of his limbs and eyes ! Also glow in the dark eyes. Heh heh headlights . . .

[swashbucklery]

OK I’ve slept and had some coffee and now here you go internet my Sunday afternoon Critical Role feelings. Spoilers up to the end of ep 29 which is where I’m at today:

1) I want to start a Laudna Book Club where we just talk about Laudna for like. . .two hours a week. I’m fascinated by all of the choices but also by the character design and I just like. In some ways am excited to get to the Death Arc bc i think it confirms a lot of the thoughts I currently have but in other ways I wish it wasn’t happening because I really like just like. Turning characters over and over to see the different facets and theorizing on how they tick and I do think that a literal magical mystery tour of Laudna’s Trauma Stuff is going to suck some of the fun out of it BUT ALAS.

2) Also I have a lot of quiet Orym feelings I don’t know why he’s getting me so good but I love a good gay soldier with a dead gay husband in this universe apparently and this is doing it for me.

(Actually this is a lie I know exactly what it is because Gay Revenge Quest always hits me so much harder, like the concept that he’s just quietly oh yes I just wish to help the Ashari I’m just curious about the secrets of the moon who can say why with this quiet exterior? But then deep down he’s like fuckin. I’ll do a million pushups a day because all three feet of me is going to find the person who murdered my husband and BEAT THEM TO DEATH WITH MY SHREDDED ABS. Catnip. Delicious. Yes please. This does nothing for me when the wife is in the fridge but make it queer and I’m all over it.) 

3) ALSO I keep thinking about Imogen and Laudna and what I really keep thinking about is Imogen and Laudna separately but also Dusk there and like. The layers of love but also the layers of selfishness and like. I don’t want to write a coffee shop AU I want to write fic about just how messy they both are I know the internet is frothing over this as a slowburn where they love each other but they’re dumb but I’d argue that like. It’s not about them realizing their love it’s about each of them needing to grow because they’re both, right now, too messy and too raw to really love each other in the way that either of them needs. And so they can love each other but they can’t be in love, you know, and it’s - that’s where the stories are and it’s DELICIOUS.

4) Look I know I haven’t finished watching the full Ruidus Lore Drop bc there’s more in ep30 but also like. This isn’t not Calamity 2, yes? Calamity 2? Yes?

(Like, my vision for Calamity 2 was somehow related to Betrayer Gods + Opal bc I am still pining for a batshit bonkers EXU/C3 crossover arc but WHATEVER MATTHEW)

Bc like. The characters don’t know this but we the viewers know that Calamity was basically: attempt to move the leylines to travel between planes + attempt to breach the barrier between Betrayers and Prime Material Plains + apogee solstice = Oops Gods Everywhere.

And IF there are secret gods on the moon and the moon is secret and the moon is maybe already traveling between planes and we know that the Feywild is full of pre-Calamity tech because they Fey went there to wait out the Calamity like. Who’s to say that the Unseelie aren’t building a version of an Astral Leywright and who’s to say that it won’t a) melt together the Feywild and Prime Material Plane and/or b) release the Secret Moon Gods.

(Who’s to say that the Secret Moon Gods haven’t already been released and are being worshipped in the Feywild bc we know that being believed in is what gives gods their power)

(I WANT TO SHAKE THIS UNTIL THE PUZZLE SOLUTION FALLS OUT UGH.)