#also he just likes power which fair more power to him

[qqueenofhades]

I don’t have any words right now for what’s happened. Where in the fuck do we go from here?

I don't know. I really, truly don't know. We can't sugarcoat how bad things are going to get, and we can't pre-emptively give into it anyway. This is going to be an unprecedented time in American history (if, sadly, not world history) and the forces conspiring to make you obey will gain much of their power from you doing so in advance, without a struggle. It seems fair to say that America as it has always been historically constituted is over, and may not return in our lifetimes, but we also do not know that for a fact. If nothing else, the fascists will find it very hard to cancel competitive elections, and we cannot sit back, throw up our hands, conclude that voting is clearly meaningless, and let them do that. There are a lot of other things that we need to do, but that's one.

There are various postmortems to be written and nits to pick, but Harris was thrown into an impossible situation and did the best she could in 100 days. Even her critics agree she ran a pretty much flawless campaign. But this country simply decided that a well-qualified black woman could not be preferred over the most manifestly and flagrantly unfit degenerate to ever occupy the office. They decided this for many reasons, not least because large swathes of the country now live in curated misinformation bubbles that, under Government Czar Musk, will only get much, much worse. They were helped by the cowardice and complicity of the "mainstream media" that could have ended Trump's career exactly like they did to Biden after the first debate, but chose to preserve the profits of their billionaire oligarch owners and did not do so, giving Trump the benefit of the doubt and normalization at every turn. They also hounded Biden relentlessly over the four years of his presidency, never reported on the good things he did, and drove him to the historically bad approval ratings lows for a president who was by any metric, quite successful (and will quite possibly be our last ordinary American president for a very long time). Along with the searingly ingrained racism and misogyny and misinformation, Harris could not overcome that.

Democrats clearly had a messaging problem, but it's also true that the country, quite simply, does not care about "democracy" when the economy is perceived to be at stake. Not to over-egg the Hitler parallels, but yeah. This is how Hitler returned to power in 1933 -- on the backs of widespread economic collapse of the Weimar Republic; voters decided they just didn't care about the overtly fascist stuff, which he then proceeded to you know, do with genocidal vigor. Except the American economy in this case was actually doing well, which makes it even more baffling and indefensible. Enough people simply memory-holed Trump's crimes (aided at every turn by SCOTUS, Mitch McConnell not convicting him after January 6, Merrick Garland being far too slow and timid, the corporate media), liked the racist fascist behavior or felt that it wasn't a dealbreaker, and decided that in this election, he was the "change" candidate. It's insane by any metric, but that's what happened.

The country is deeply sick. We do not know what will happen. It's going to get bad. Barring a miracle, we will not have federalized abortion rights again in my lifetime, and there will be widespread attacks on public health, women's rights, immigrants, transgender people, and other vulnerable people. Even and especially the ones who voted for Trump. Never Thought Leopard Would Eat My Face, etc. Alito and Thomas will swiftly step down and allow their seats to be replaced by 40-year old wingnuts hand-selected from the worst the Federalist Society has to offer. SCOTUS is gone for the next generation at least. There is very little prospect of it being ever fixed in the foreseeable future.

Trump will never face a scintilla of consequences for his previous crimes; all the open federal cases will be closed as soon as he takes office and fires Jack Smith. The best we can hope for is that he dies in office, but then we get Vance and the cadre of alt-right techno billionaires ruled directly from the Kremlin. Putin is celebrating this morning and with good reason; he's gotten everything he wants. Trump will egg on Netanyahu in Gaza and abandon Ukraine. Democracy across the world will remain even more fragile and badly under threat. Authoritarians will be empowered and American withdrawal from international systems will percolate in very dangerous ways that cannot and will not be fixed in the short run. I really hope all the leftists who celebrate this as the "defeat of the genocide candidate" will enjoy all the genocide and suffering that's about to come. And yes, I do think the Israel-Palestine war fucked us in a large way. Jewish voters perceived the Democrats as insufficiently pro-Israel due to the presence of far-left antisemitism, even as the far left attacked the Democrats relentlessly and never targeted the Republicans. Arab voters abandoned them, possibly deservedly. What would have happened without the war? We don't know. You get the historical period that you get. Netanyahu and Trump can now do anything they want. Hope it was worth it.

As I said, I can't sugarcoat it. We are going to be paying for this in some form for the next decade, and probably longer. I'm not as absolutely shattered as I was in 2016, but I am much, much angrier. We all thought, we all hoped, America was better than this. It isn't. That, however, is something that has also happened before. What we decide to do next will shape how the next chapter unfolds.

This would be a great time to stock up on needed medicines, renew your passport online, and anything else you need to do in preparation for next year. Many of us simply do not have the wherewithal, whether financial or otherwise, to leave the country. I don't know what will happen with me. I don't know what will happen to any of us. This was utterly avoidable and yet, America didn't want to avoid it. At some point, there's nothing else you can do. You can point to media cronyism, Russian influence, etc etc., but the fact that two of the most qualified presidential candidates who happened to be women have now lost to Trump twice makes it unavoidable. The virulent rightward shift of young men (of all races) in particular paints a grim picture as to how the reactionary misogyny of the 21st century is going to essentially undo most of the progress for social and gender equality in the 20th. The patriarchy has been a problem for most of human history. Doesn't really seem like it's going to change.

The end result of this, however grim: we're still here. We are still living within our communities. If (and this is a big if) Democrats can retake the House, they can put some checks on the process for the next two years. At this point, we are in full-out buying-time, trying-to-prevent-the worst mode. We could have continued fixing things, but we won't be doing that. We will only be trying to preserve ourselves and our friends and our smaller spheres of influence. It sounds very trite to say that we have to have courage, but we do. There's not much else.

It's going to be an awful winter. We have two and a half months to see this coming and know how bad it's going to be, and... yeah. I don't know how soon the buyer's remorse will inevitably set in, but it will. Tough luck, people. You voted for him. You get the country that you decide to have. But the rest of us are also here, and what Gandalf says is still true. We wish the Ring had never come to us, we wish none of this had happened, but we still have to decide what to do with the time that is given to us.

I don't have a lot more. I'll probably be logging off for a while. I don't need to look at the internet for.... yeah, a long time. (Will I do it anyway? Probably.) I don't know what else to leave you with, aside from again:

Do not obey in advance. Do not act as if everything is foreordained and set in stone. Fascist regimes end. They always do. We are going to have to figure out how, and it will suck shit, but the alternative is worse.

Take care of yourselves. I love you.

[666writingcafe]

Wrath

A Text Conversation Between Satan and MC

Satan: You don't have to worry about my transition affecting you. As it turns out, the bulk of it occurred before you were even introduced to us.

Satan: Part of why this is even happening is because the others were once angels, so it's taking their bodies longer to adjust to their new form.

Satan: Meanwhile, this is all I've ever been, so it's a bit easier for me to accept who I am.

MC: I appreciate you telling me this. I sure could use the break from experiencing everyone's sin.

Satan: I bet. You must be exhausted.

MC: *nodding crow sticker*

MC: Can I ask you a personal question?

Satan: As long as you're prepared for the fact that I may not answer.

MC: Fair enough.

MC: What was your biggest fear?

Satan: During that time?

MC: *nodding crow sticker*

Satan: Being reduced to a mere shadow of Lucifer. I started as a feeling inside him. The more he felt it, the stronger I became. The war and consequent fall caused me to separate from him.

Satan: For the longest time, my mind was a wasteland. I had to separate my identity from Lucifer's, which was quite frustrating, to say the least. I know there will always be similarities between us, but it's taken me a while to find any substantial differences. I've had to force some to form in order to gain some semblance of self.

MC: How did you overcome it?

Satan: By listening to you.

Satan: When you summoned that ball of light, it was the first time I've truly been calm. The longer I held the light in my hands, the more I could discern its whispering. It was your voice comforting me. It was soothing.

Satan: But it also felt familiar.

Satan: Which brings me to my next point.

Satan: I know who you really are, MC.

MC: *eek sticker*

MC: *eek sticker*

MC: *eek sticker*

Satan: It's okay. I'm not upset. I understand why you had to keep your true identity a secret. I wouldn't have even found out if it wasn't for Lord Diavolo and Barbatos.

MC: WHAT????

Satan: Don't worry; they didn't tell me outright. I just happened to be in the castle library when they walked in and began talking about you. If they knew I was in the room with them, I doubt they would have said anything about it until I left, but I was tucked in a corner behind a couple bookshelves, so they couldn't have seen me without purposely looking for me.

MC: *face-palming crow sticker*

MC: You REALLY weren't supposed to find out, but it's not like I can do anything to change it.

MC: So, tell me what you overheard them say about me.

Satan: I know you come from a future timeline. The prince apparently had told Barbatos to try to find your version of the butler and get some answers from him about why all this has been happening to you. They've really been worried about you and want to do everything in their power to help you.

MC: I imagine my Barbatos was selective about what he shared.

Satan: *nodding crow sticker*

Satan: He mentioned that back home, you're a human that managed to form pacts with all seven of us and that a large part of your power became tied to your emotions as a result.

Satan: He also seems to believe you were sent here to experience each of our transformations firsthand so that you can help someone go through their own.

Satan: Obviously, he didn't reveal who that person was, but both my Diavolo and Barbatos felt like that would have been unnecessary information, for they've observed someone begin acting differently during your stay here.

MC: Oh?

Satan: Apparently, he trapped you in a closet at some point?

MC: Shit.

Satan: So it IS him, then?

MC: Yes.

Satan: The only memories I have of him prior to him visiting us for the founding ceremony are hazy and through Lucifer's eyes, but I've always gotten the sense he's not been particularly happy about where he's at.

Satan: I just didn't think he'd have the guts to do anything to wildly change his circumstances. He seems too devoted to the little one to just pack his things and leave it all behind.

MC: I don't think he did when we first met.

Satan: Are you able to tell me what changed, or would that be revealing too much information?

MC: I can give you the simple answer and let you fill in the blanks.

Satan: *thumbs up emoji*

MC: He developed strong feelings for me.

Satan: But you're a human.

MC: Yes.

Satan: And he's an angel.

MC: At the time, yes.

Satan: Wait a damn minute.

Satan: Did he seriously FALL for you?!

MC: Not quite. He was still an angel when I left, but he'd made some choices beforehand that pretty much sealed his fate. I just don't know what exactly he'll be when I return.

Satan: Well, judging by the way they're saying he's currently acting here, I'd say he's gearing up to be YOURS.

Satan: And I'm not trying to be sappy. I'm being completely serious.

MC: I don't doubt it.

Satan: When he believed everyone was out of the room when you and Asmo were passed out, he was right by your side, watching over you.

Satan: According to Barbatos, he even held your hand and kissed you on the forehead before he eventually got up and left.

Satan: Angels don't typically act that way towards demons. Even with Diavolo's efforts to make peace with the Celestial Realm, they tend to act rather hostile whenever they're around us for more than a few seconds.

MC: I know.

Satan: I'll let you get some rest. You'll need it

Satan: And don't worry; your secret is safe with me.

Taglist: @lost-in-time-wanderer, @fuzztacular, @dianedancer18, @sweetbrier2908, @flare-love, @completelyshatteredbrokenmschf, @thunderlightning351, @l3v1chan, @anxious-chick, @5mary5, @expressionless-fr, @tenkobitch, @budbuddnbuddy

[skeletinmoss]

The curse of the dark Phoenix

Chapter 16: Flames of Reunion

First chapter | Previous

Roman saw red.

He let out a guttural scream of rage and attacked the high mage. Not caring that he was terribly outmatched. He’d felt the shock and the brief feeling of betrayal.

He knew, rationally, that Virgil would be fine. But he didn’t care about that. How could he!?

“You backstabbing, bastard!” Roman bellowed as Remus caught his spear.

“Oh man. Is that sky cleaver? He never even let me touch it!” he grinned. Completely ignoring what this was about. The bastard!

“That’s what’s got your attention? After all the worry, the heartache, the guilt he felt the past few days rushing to come to you. Only resting because he had to for our sakes. And you just kill him and whine about not getting to touch one of his toys!? What kind of worthless excuse for a friend are you!? Betraying his trust like that!?” Roman growled. Very tempted to bring up the gem incident. Hoping Virgil had been right and that it really was still a sore subject for the idiot however many years later. He needed him to hurt. To give a damn.

“Roman!” Patton called out. Roman ignored him and charged in for another attack, which again was easily caught.

“Booohooo so I cut off dream Virgil’s head. Big deal. I didn’t get to fry the cultjerks this time around so it’s only fair,” Remus countered.

What in the… “You think this is a dream?” Roman verified.

“Duh, I have this one every night. I like the sexy ones the best but I wasn’t feeling it this time so I cut of his head instead,” Remus reasoned, making a double swipe motion with his blades that Roman barely dodged. “Are there often new characters in those dreams?” Roman pointed out. That made Remus hesitate and gave Roman an opening.

“Roman!” That wasn’t one of his friends talking now…

Roman turned around, feeling beyond relieved. Virgil was back. Rubbing his neck, petting Star who was sitting happily wagging his tail besides him and feeling a bit annoyed as well as concerned, but that didn’t matter he was fine!

The irrational bit of him that had not fully processed that Virgil would simply press reset and be fine, felt overcome with relief that he wasn’t actually dead.

But then he felt a sharp pain cut through his shoulder, down to his sternum.

“Oops,” his opponent said sheepishly.

“Roman!” Patton shrieked. Roman’s eyes found Virgil’s as he felt a cold sensation spread from the spot that was in pain. As soon as he focused on Virgil though he felt a sense of comfort and smiled. And then he felt embraced with warmth and life and power and… He was alright. His shoulder still hurt, but not as bad. And he wasn’t cold anymore.

He ran his fingers along the spot where he’d felt the cold pain before. Nothing. His clothes weren’t even damaged… Had he imagined it?

“Roman, are you alright?” Virgil asked.

“Yeah… Not sure what just happened. I was in pain and then… Not so much?” he admitted. Had he cast a spell?

“How dare you!?” Patton’s voice demanded. Roman looked back and saw Patton in a wolf-human hybrid form, pressing his staff against Remus’ throat. Apparently he’d knocked Remus onto his back while Roman was overwhelmed by that feeling of power.

Remus just looked up at him stunned. “… Hi there,” he greeted a little breathlessly. Though not entirely from getting the wind knocked out of him.

“Patton, Roman is fine,” Virgil promised, though he was also upset.

“What… What exactly happened?” Roman asked, more than a little confused.

“He… I don’t think he realized what he did,” Logan concluded, sounding both relieved and annoyed.

“I’ll let you get up. But the scissors stay on the ground until I say otherwise, got it?” Patton growled.

“Yes, daddy,” Remus allowed teasingly.

Patton got off him and undid his partial transformation, watching to make sure that the blades indeed stayed where they were as Remus got up before rushing over to Roman and fussing over him, confused that there was no visible damage.

“You fucking dick. Decapitating me is one thing but you don’t even know him!” Virgil chided his friend. So much for a touching reunion.

Remus cocked his head confused. “You are mad with me?” he asked.

“Yes I’m mad with you! I wanted to kill him first!” Um… What?

“What!?” Roman’s friends exclaimed in horror. Virgil didn’t pay it any mind.

“The first time is special. I had picked out a good poison that wouldn’t give him too much discomfort afterwards. I was going to make it into a tea, we’d drink it together. It was going to be a whole thing!” Virgil rambled. That was sweet. But did that mean…

“You’re never mad in my dreams,” Remus wondered, still puzzled. Virgil let out an exasperated sigh, marched towards his friend and punched him in the nose so hard that Roman could almost feel the bone break under his own hand.

“Does it feel like a dream you jackass!?” Virgil demanded.

“That hurt!… It hurts!!!?” Remus realized, blood dripping down.

“Take your time it’ll come to you,” Virgil huffed.

“With that clarified, I believe we can call this mission a success. Our objective was accomplished with minimal casualties even among the cultists,” Logan surmised, wanting to cut through the chaos.

Roman’s eye was drawn towards the water. Remembering that one of the minimal casualties was his Gollum. He felt bad for the guy. He’d just wanted to help…

Suddenly he saw something break through the water. It was Gollum! He tossed a limp form onto the shore and scared the living daylights out of the knights and cultists alike.

“Bad guy,” Roman could hear him say. “Did good?” he wondered.

“Hey! Buddy! Over here!!!” Roman called.

Gollum… No he was calling him Buddy. Buddy turned and wandered over to the five of them.

“Did good?” he asked again.

“Yes! You did excellent! Better than I hoped! Did you like protecting others?” Roman wondered.

“Keep good guys safe. Good job,” Buddy nodded slowly.

“Well, then we’ll see about giving you something to protect,” Roman offered before turning back to the group. “So… About me dying?” he asked.

Virgil looked at him fondly. But also with a touch of frustration. “Roman… What did you think happened when Remus tried to burn you?” Virgil wondered.

“Well, I was trying to copy Buddy’s thing where he absorbed the flames?” he explained, pointing towards the giant stone man behind him.

“Roman, you ascended,” Virgil stated.

… “Oh… Oh!!!! I did!? I’m a… I’m a high mage? But I didn’t even study up! Isn’t there like some kind of mental preparation you have to do?” He asked. He’d been sure that he’d at least have to take some conscious steps to ascend, though he knew it was possible to do it spontaneously… Virgil had been preparing before he ascended.

But it did make sense… He felt like he had a deeper understanding of his inner flame right now than he did before. He’d just thought that that was a consequence of not using magic with a blindfold on to use Virgil’s original metaphor.

He'd thought that all Virgil’s lesson’s had finally clicked.

“You embraced the essence of your guide. You put your faith in their… talons I suppose.” Virgil gestured to the water. “Have a look,” he insisted.

Roman got a look at his reflection, which took a moment as the water was still settling from Buddy’s arrival. When he did see it though he realized that his breviously dark brown eyes were now a bright amber collor. “Congratulations. You got extremely lucky,” Virgil chided though he was also a bit proud of him. Roman looked up and grinned proudly. He ascended!

“Very cute…” Remus muttered as he adjusted his nose and turned to the lake himself.

“I’m really out of there?” he asked, baffled by the idea.

“Yes. Really,” Virgil promised.

Remus let out a loud cackle and put Virgil in a headlock, ruffling his hair. “What the hell took you so long?” he asked. “Or wasn’t it as long as I thought it was?” he wondered.

“No. It’s been fifty years. I was kept in a box that kept me from being reborn,” Virgil explained. “Can you let me go now?” he huffed.

Remus ruffled his hair again and then let go.

“Okay,” Roman said. “I get that you wanted to test if this was real somehow. But beheading him is a bit much don't you think?” he pointed out.

Remus turned to Virgil. “You didn't tell them?” he asked amused.

Virgil rolled his eyes. “Remus' preferred form of greeting me is killing me. He says it will force me to go to bed at a decent hour, but I think he just loves watching the gory aftermath before I am reborn,” he informed them before turning back to his friend.

“I had thought that under the circumstances, maybe just this once. I’d get a hug or something more civilized than losing a limb,” he pointed out.

Remus grinned and picked Virgil up in a bearhug. “Like this? Feeling the love now pipsqueak?” he wondered.

“Too late you asshat. The moment is gone and I’m still mad at you!” Virgil insisted, though Roman knew that he was more happy than upset now.

Star started running circles around the duo demanding some attention.

“You wanna wrestle Star? Yeah! Yeah!?” Remus wondered as he put Virgil down and got immediately tackled by the cosmic wolf.

“How did you not realized that he nearly cut you in half?” Logan asked as they watched the two play wrestle on the ground. He was a bit miffed.

“I was hyped on adrenaline and distracted when I realized Virgil was alright,” Roman shrugged.

“And um… If you still want to kill me. I’m okay with that. I didn’t really, get what was going on earlier,” he admitted. Was it weird that he wanted this weird deadly tea date?

Virgil smiled at him, a small touch of excitement breaking through.

“Where is Jayman?” Remus wondered as he sat up after Star successfully subdued him and gave the wolf some scratches as a reward.

“That’s what we’ll find out as soon as we have gotten some rest,” Virgil informed him.

Remus frowned. “Did… Did they get all of us?” he asked, sounding actually disturbed by the notion.

Virgil pointed to Roman. “The first high mage in the past fifty years.” Then to Logan. “The first to receive the title of great wizard in fifty years,” he added.

Roman pointed to Patton. “He was the first Great mage in Fifty years. Me and Lo followed right after, but he was first,” he pointed out.

“Damn…” Remus mused.

“Yes, we should probably talk to the soldiers and see if we can get information from the cult leader before proceeding,” Logan offered, gesturing for Roman and Patton to follow. “It will be best to keep you both a bit out of sight as we cannot explain your not quite human appearance,” Logan continued. Remus frowned and looked down at himself. “Cool!” he grinned as he studied his body and touched his hair. Virgil rolled his eyes. “I’ll keep an eye on him,” he promised. And with that the trio returned to the soldiers who were no doubt hoping for a more in depth explanation of what they were dealing with.

“Great mage Roman, Great mage Logan, and Great mage Patton, correct?” the leader of the group guessed. Good they’d already been introduced.

“Affirmative. I am Logan,” Logan clarified as he shook the captain’s hand.

“We discovered the existence of this cult while on a mission for the king and considering they had captives, we felt it was a priority to dismantle them before they could do more damage,” Logan explained, gesturing to Remus and Virgil farther back.

“The stone giant?” the captain wondered. Roman was relieved that he didn’t mention anything about monsters or magical birds. He must not have seen them transform then.

“My doing,” Roman announced. “The cult members seemed to have enhanced bodies. Combined with their larger numbers I felt we could use some extra backup. He is harmless though. His purpose is to protect,” he promised.

The captain looked at Buddy just sitting there on the shore for a long moment.

Then he looked at the cult leader. “What happened to him?” he wondered indicating the unnatural black blotches.

“He did some serious dark magic,” Roman explained.

Logan approached him. “Who delivered your captive to you?” he demanded.

The leader looked up. “No idea. They wore a different face every time they visited,” he admitted.

Well, that wasn’t helpful.

“When did you last see them?” Logan pressed.

“Fifty years ago, though they might have visited since without us realizing,” he stated.

Also not helpful.

Roman turned to the captain. “Do you want Buddy to help guard this group until they are all locked up?” he wondered. “There is no telling how long the effects of whatever they did to themselves will last and a stone giant might dissuade them from getting violent,” he pointed out.

The captain looked to the giant who seemed to have become fascinated by his own reflection.

“Hm, can he follow orders?” he asked.

“Nothing too complicated and he’ll follow mine over yours if they conflict. But yes,” Roman nodded.

“Very well. We will accept the escort. Then I can leave some men to guard the area instead of waiting for reinforcements,” he agreed.

Roman smiled and turned towards the lake. “Buddy!” he called.

Buddy looked up and got up, lumbering towards them.

“Buddy is here,” he announced when he reached them.

"Great,” Roman smiled proudly. “These people," he gestured to the captain and his men. "are going to bring the bad guys somewhere where they can't hurt anyone ever again. Make sure they all get there safely for me, okay?" he asked.

"Bring home, safe," Buddy nodded weightily. Roman felt his chest swell with pride. He laid his hand where the Golem’s heart should be. "I know you'll do well," he assured his creation. To his amazement, glowing fissures appeared in the stone of his chest, forming a phoenix with a sun behind it. Ok, that looked really cool.

"Make you proud," Buddy promised. It had Roman a bit emotional. Though that could be a side effect of having died and being really tired.

"I am," he promised. Before turning to the captain. "Be nice to him. He's only an hour old," he offered. The captain nodded, looking at the giant creature. "I have never before met something that is both terrifying and endearing," he admitted.

"Good guy. No, be afraid," Buddy promised.

The captain smiled a little and turned to his men.

"Alright! We will be taking the prisoners to the capitol. The great phoenix mage has provided us with a guardian to help keep them in line. Anyone who is uncomfortable with that, return to your post now!" He declared. The soldiers straightened themselves, no one leaving.

"We'll be returning to our mission," Logan offered. The trio bowed as the soldiers saluted and thanked them.

And so they rejoined Virgil and Remus as the knights left.

"Where's the big guy going?" Remus wondered. He and Virgil were sitting on the ground petting a very happy Stardust together.

"He'll make sure the soldiers and the cultists all get to the castle," Roman promised as he and his friends joined them.

"You can operate him that far away?" Remus asked, impressed.

"Operate? I gave him instructions, and he'll follow them," Roman shrugged, a bit confused by Virgil's smug pride.

Remus' eyes went wide.

"He does it all by himself? Like make decisions?" He screeched in disbelief.

"Yes." Roman said simply.

"I was very impressed when he had a little one figure out how best to get him a book. And it got creative too," Virgil pointed out.

"Ugh. I know that tone. You didn't waste time finding a protege," Remus teased. Virgil just smirked.

"Ahem, perhaps we should decide on our next course of action?" Logan suggested.

"Yeah, we don't know where your other friend is yet, do we?" Patton pointed out.

"Nope. But we'll find him. He was looking for me so he won't be that far away," Remus pointed out.

"First, we should get to the nearest town and get some rest. Then ask around. See if any old allies are still around," Virgil surmised.

"And contact the kiddies," Remus added. Virgil rolled his eyes. "He means Remy and Emile," he clarified. "But yes. We should let them know that you are safe," he agreed.

"Rest and food first though," he added. "Some of us died for no good reason today," he added, a bit miffed.

"I said I was sorry! That one," he pointed to Roman. "Wasn't even on purpose!" He insisted.

"Oh... we never made introductions!" Patton realized. "Hi. I'm Patton. Great Jackalope mage. That is Logan." Logan nodded in acknowledgment. "Great unicorn wizard mage of the forgotten path. And that is Roman. Great... oh no. High phoenix mage of... eh..." he trailed off.

"Father of the sun guardian," Virgil offered. Roman's chest swelled with pride.

"After we finish up with Janus, we'll start with teaching you about your guide form," Virgil assured him.

Roman smiled in appreciation. "Perhaps we can talk about it over some tea?" He suggested. Virgil smiled. "Perhaps," he allowed.

"Oh. It's gonna be one of those huh?" Remus complained. That annoyed Roman.

"I believe you owe us a thank you actually," he pointed out accusingly.

"What for?" Remus asked carelessly.

"For risking our lives down there to save your ungrateful, irresponsible ass," Roman huffed.

"Oh, please. You did it to help out V," Remus pointed out.

Roman gasped, feeling insulted. "As if I'd let someone be chained up and tormented if I could help them!" He protested.

"So you want praise for doing the right thing?"

That callous... "I want you not to treat us as an inconvenience!"

"Hihi, they're like brothers," Patton giggled all of a sudden.

"What!?" Roman and Remus chorused.

Virgil cocked his head... "I mean, it's not easy to tell with the curse. But still. Now that I see you two next to each other... yeah. You could be related," he agreed.

Roman made a displeased face. Begging Virgil to say that he was joking. Instead, he was dragged up from the ground in a crushing hug.

"Oh, my sweet nephew. Come give your uncie Remus a hug!" Remus wailed.

"I said ‘could’ Remus. It's not like any of us kept track of your brother's bloodline," Virgil pointed out.

"Exactly. So put me down!" Roman insisted.

To his relief. Remus did. "I have so much to teach you!" He exclaimed.

"I'll stick to Virgil's lessons, thank you," Roman huffed as he straightened out his clothes and noted that the dirt had already fallen off on its own.

"Pshhhh. He can teach you tons of magic stuff. Sure. But I can teach you to have fun with it," Remus countered.

Roman rolled his eyes. "I think I'll manage. Considering your sort of fun involves being known as the terror of the mountains and killing your friend on the regular just for the fun of it. You do realize it still hurts just as bad as if you genuinely killed him, right?" Roman scolded while pulling Virgil to his feet and then moving on to Logan.

"Not if he sees it coming. He's really good at it. Hi again, cutie. Next time, you can stab me if I've been bad," Remus offered Patton as he helped him up, pulling him close to his bare chest. Causing their martial crafts mage to go bright red.

"Oh, well, uh..." he stammered flustered.

"Can I pick up my blades now? I pinkie promise not to cut, stab, or slice anyone," Remus coed. Roman picked up his spear and smacked at Remus' hands with the blunt end.

"Owch!" Remus complained.

"Hands off unless you are invited to touch dick head," Roman growled. Remus pouted but didn't object.

He looked at Patton pleadingly. Waiting for permission.

"Ahm... yeah you can get your swords," Patton allowed deftly.

"Hot and cute. I like it," Remus grinned as he picked up his blades and strapped them to his side.

"Now." He said as he faced them once again.

"I heard something about food?"

[fictional-apologistt]

let’s talk about One Direction

ONE DIRECTION RANT!!

(this is just my opinion, let me know yours in the comments!) ♥︎

—————————————————

One Direction was, and still is, one of the most popular boy bands in history. There’s a reason for that: a group of talented, charismatic young men who could sing remarkably well and release hit after hit. For many people, myself included, One Direction was an essential part of our childhoods. We grew up with their music, their personalities, and the excitement of each new album, tour, and interview. It’s an experience that shaped a generation—something the newer generation might not fully understand or ever get to experience in the same way.

As fans, it’s natural to have a favorite member or two. We connect with each band member in different ways and might think one has a stronger voice or a unique style. This is true in any group, whether it’s a band, a cast of a TV show, or a sports team—we have favorites. That doesn’t mean we dislike the others or think they lack talent. The same goes for One Direction. Fans might lean towards Harry, Louis, Zayn, Niall, or Liam for different reasons, but it’s the combination of all five that made the band special in the first place.

Over the years, there’s been plenty of debate about who has the “best” voice or is the most talented. While some members may have a vocal range or style that stands out in certain songs, it doesn’t make one better than the others. Each member—Zayn, Louis, Harry, Niall, and Liam—brought something unique to every song. Whether it was Zayn’s high notes, Louis’ emotional tone, Harry’s powerful vocals, Niall’s warm voice, or Liam’s versatility, each voice was crucial to the band’s sound.

Today, Harry is undeniably the most commercially successful and widely recognized member, with a solo career that has propelled him to incredible heights. He currently has the highest number of Spotify monthly listeners at around 48.5 million, followed by Zayn at 27.6 million, Niall at 15.1 million, Liam at 11.7 million, and Louis at 3.1 million. While Harry’s success is well-deserved, it’s unfortunate that his achievements sometimes overshadow the others. All of them are incredibly talented and have made their own mark, both as solo artists and as members of One Direction.

It’s okay to have a favourite. But it’s also important to recognise that One Direction wouldn’t have been the global phenomenon it became without each of them—Louis, Niall, Liam, Zayn, and Harry. Each member played an irreplaceable role in creating the songs and experiences we loved.

A lot of the fans were and are girls. The media’s focus on Harry, especially during their time together, did play a part in making him more visible, calling him a womaniser at 16 years old, which is absolutely disgusting and young Harry never deserved that label.

This attention wasn’t always fair to him, and it took attention away from the contributions of the other members.

Additionally, when you listen to a lot of One Direction’s songs, you’ll notice that Harry’s voice often stands out during the choruses. This isn’t because he’s trying to outshine the others—far from it. It’s likely an artistic or production choice made to make the song sound cohesive. The slightly louder presence of Harry’s voice, especially in the chorus, might unconsciously draw people to his vocals. Over time, this likely contributed to his increased popularity and set the stage for his successful solo career.

However, it’s unfortunate that the voices of the other members were sometimes overlooked because of this approach. I have observed that in many of their songs, it was more common to hear Harry, leading to a perception that some voices were “better” than others. Yet each member’s voice had something unique to offer, and every fan could connect to different qualities of their singing. Take, for example, the song No Control from their FOUR (Deluxe) album. In this track, you can clearly hear Louis’ vocals during the chorus, and it makes the song distinct. His voice brings a raw, emotional quality that many fans love. Another clip that has resurfaced is Liam hitting the You and I high note, and doing it well. This shows how much potential the other members had when given the chance to shine.

Unfortunately, One Direction’s management reportedly played a big role in these decisions. There are documented moments where certain members’ microphones were turned down or even turned off. One infamous clip shows Niall’s mic being turned off by management during a live performance, which prevented him from singing certain parts. Myself have noticed that without Niall’s or Louis’ voices, the songs lacked a certain balance and harmony that made the band special. Similarly, there’s a clip of Louis’ microphone cutting out mid-performance, and the song doesn’t sound quite right without his vocal input. These moments highlight the importance of each member’s voice to the overall sound of the band.

In live shows, it’s evident how much each member’s vocals contribute when they sing together. The tech crew and management likely had to adjust microphone levels to highlight certain voices at different times, which is common in the music industry to enhance the overall performance. However, these choices sometimes led to Niall, Louis, Liam and even Zayn being overshadowed by Harry’s vocals. This wasn’t a reflection of anyone’s individual talent; it was simply how management or producers chose to structure the songs.

It’s also worth noting that choosing who sings which part is a normal part of the music production process. In any band, it’s common for certain members to be assigned particular parts that best suit their vocal strengths, just as actors are cast in roles that align with their talents. For One Direction, this often meant that Harry, with his powerful voice and broad appeal, sang prominent parts, while Louis’ unique tone and Niall’s warm vocals added essential layers in other sections. This doesn’t diminish the other members’ contributions; rather, it reflects the decisions made to create a cohesive final product.

In the end, One Direction was a blend of five unique voices and personalities, each member bringing a special touch that made the band unforgettable. They weren’t just background singers for one standout star. Every voice was essential, and the magic of One Direction came from the harmony of their combined talents.

At the end of the day, One Direction was a band, a collective experience that connected us as fans and changed music history. The band’s magic was in its mix of voices, personalities, and the bond between them. And no matter where each member’s path takes them, fans will always remember that One Direction was truly something extraordinary because of all five members together.

PART 2 COMING

[atanx]

i just had a silly little scenario in my head but like imagine instead of nishiki having his little villain arc due to literally no one giving a shit about him and always comparing him to kiryu, nishiki quits being a yakuza (though he prolly wouldnt canonically lol), gets a new stable job and life, and then when kiryu gets outta jail nishiki immediately comes to see him just to give him the biggest, well-needed hug 😔 i may or may not sound delusional but this is the ending i need, i just want a happy ending PLEAAAAAASE

i feel u so hard we need a good ending for our koi boi </3

honestly i feel this could happen in a nishiki gets very horribly drunk, has a mental breakdown at a bar, gets therapy-talked / pep-talked by an equally drunk stranger and wakes up the next morning having resigned by the yakuza by insulting kazama's drip until kazama was too tired to deal with his shit XD

this is a very crack-y promise, but angst can ensue! :D nishiki being confronted with the fact that he has neither money nor qualifications for acquiring a job! maybe working as a host until he's saved up enough to be able to do other shit.

since this would have to be inbetween yuko dying so that he can still lose it and attempting suicide / murdering matsushige, he hasn't gotten revenge on the doctor yet, so that could be a motivating factor in what field he wants to work in.

he'd probably do well at working in the nightlife industry, as a host or manager of a cabaret / host club. keep some underground ties, maybe contribute to this whole honest living thing by helping yakuza get a proper job (i think i read that he did stuff like that at some point on his wiki article but im no longer sure)

oor the popular idea of nishiki going into fashion. which i don't know nearly enough about fashion to comment on any of that but nishiki does have drip (potential) especially if he's not at 2005-box-suit level yet.

ooooor the idea of nishiki working as an independant investigative journalist with the primary goal of making the doctor's life a living hell. somehow he ends up involved in scandal after scandal and people soon fear him for how thoroughly he exposes corrupt businesses / politicians / whatever. his reporting has steadily been getting very good and he delights in the political power his articles and the populace's favour have gotten him. he is also very hard to get rid of because HE WAS IN THE YAKUZA AND HE CAN FIGHT.

i'd also honestly live for nishiki just not knowing what to do and attending university and finding a good friend group and getting the love he fucking deserves.

i'm actually now really into the investigative journalist idea asdfghjkmjnbvcfgt i blame the judge eyes series because this idea of investigative journalism i have has an overlap with detective work and DAMN JUDGEMENT IS SO GOOD.

anyway so because in this world, nishiki isn't plotting to murder kazama, he has a clear conscience and goes to pick up kiryu when he's released and reacclimate him into society. (also nishiki totally knows everything about what's going with yumi and jingu etc and can relay that to kiryu)

yo sorry for rambling so much the plot bunny population in my brain just starts increasing exponentially whenever i get to ramble about stuff <3

[critter-wizard]

ep 43 had me tearing up in a fucking shopping centre ‼️‼️

b+w alt version that I truly couldn't decide if I liked it more . Also I included a lot of thoughts in the tags but they're somewhat incoherent<3

[biblicalhorror]

Yeah honestly I didn't mind the ratfish even though I disagreed with 90% of his takes, I just wish we could have had some payoff of seeing the cast react to him and I kinda don't get why they didn't do that. It felt like a weird choice

[velvetjune]

the chapter songs in Alan Wake 2,, flawless

[puppyeared]

Atla live action 😐

[vaguely-concerned]

just going about my day idly contemplating how some of the ways hawke can interact with a romanced anders are not at all unlike how they interact with leandra (and a bit of carver too, especially with a purple hawke), and then thought about my hawke in the timeline where he romances anders and was hit straight in the face with 'was he ever actually in love, or was he just desperately trying to renegotiate with his mother's ghost in any way he could' and now i need to lie down. this is the power of dragon age 2

[chloecherrysip]

Just Beyond My Reach, There's Someone Reaching Back For Me (speculative mario movie fic, mario & luigi centric, around 3600 words.)

[OK SO i literally could not stop thinking about this post in the mario movie tag from last week, which turned into me trying to write out my thoughts about how the scenario could unfold, which then turned into me writing a full-fledged fanfic that's over 3,000 words long??? I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED. I've truly lost my common sense, but I just felt like I HAD to get this out before the movie arrives and their reunion is nothing like this in any way whatsoever.

This is a speculative fic of just one possible scenario out of millions, no actual spoilers; i'm working off info we've seen in the trailers/TV spots/promotions/etc, and all the characterization is based off those too, so it might ultimately be off-base. Please don't @ me after the movie comes out and get on my case about details being wrong! I AM IN THE PAST (and jealous of you in the future for having already seen it).

I present to you: A Version Of Mario & Luigi's Reunion in the Mario Movie That Would Cause Me Irreparable Psychic Damage.]

----

Mario hears him first. He would know that panicked yelp anywhere. 

By that point, he’s lost count of how many of Bowser’s minions he’s tried to interrogate as he fights his way through the airship. There’s so much shouting and clanging all around him, and his voice hurts from yelling loud enough to be heard over it, but he can’t stop. “Where do you keep prisoners? Have you seen someone who looks like me — but tall, skinny, and green? If you take me to him, I’ll go easy on ya, I swear—” 

it’s hard to tell if they’re just refusing to answer him, genuinely don’t know any useful information, or can’t actually communicate in a way he understands — probably some in each column. But he’s about to grab another angry Koopa by the shell and try again when there’s a commotion far off in the distance. The yell that echoes out to him is faint, but it tugs hard at Mario like a rope tied around his middle. Something from his memories, the nightmares he’s been having this whole adventure that he hasn’t told Peach and Toad about. Something instantly, certainly familiar to him in a way that few things are. 

His heart is suddenly lodged in his throat. He barrels his way past the troops and the Kongs fighting them, moving fast towards it.

The area of the airship he’s in starts to slope down further ahead, surrounding a huge open space that, judging by the flickering embers in the air and heavy heat that’s got him sweating through his shirt already, has a whole bunch of lava simmering at the bottom. On the other side of the chasm, there are a whole group of what look like angry blue penguins beating down some feisty stacks of Goombas with their bare flippers. There’s also what impossibly looks like a star, with a face and everything, beaming bright and doing twirling cartwheels in the air, giggling at the carnage underneath. And behind all that, he can see—

Mario reacts without having to think. He jolts forward against the railing, reaches a hand out, and yells as loud as he can. “LUIGI!” 

He can only see glimpses of his overalls and green hat at first amidst all the other chaos, but then pieces of the ongoing fight tumble further to either side, giving a clear view. Mario watches wide-eyed as his brother frantically swats away Goombas, shrieking and flailing his arm furiously when one snags some teeth through his sleeve until it comes loose. He looks terrified and a little queasy, but also very determined, even jumping in to help when one of the penguins gets pinned down. They seem to be working together. 

Luigi is here. He’s really here, alive and fighting and still in one piece. Mario isn’t too late. It feels like a 20 pound weight’s suddenly gone from his back that he hadn't even realized he was carrying around.

His yell is half-drowned out by the chaos, but Luigi’s head still snaps up, eyes wide and stricken and bright with recognition. “Mario?” He cries out, his voice cracking badly. He kicks another Goomba away and then starts spinning, searching the surrounding area with increasing desperation. “Mario!?” 

“Over here!” Mario wishes he had another raccoon powerup so he could just fly across the gap and reach him right then and there. He has to settle for taking off his cap and waving it in the air like a flag. “Luigi! Over here!” 

Finally, their eyes meet across the gorge. It’s not necessary at that point, but Luigi still tears off his own hat and starts flailing it around too overhead, as if just to make absolutely sure his brother knows where he is. “MARIO!” He shouts, his tired face instantly transforming into a relieved, overjoyed smile. 

“Are you okay!?” 

“Y-Yeah! I mean, define “okay,” but I, I'm not hurt or anything like — wait, how did you get here!? We’re way up in the air!”

Mario’s face already hurts from how wide he’s grinning. “Not anymore! And whaddya mean? What do ya think I’ve been doing all this time? Looking for you! You don’t think I could find you wherever you are, even if it’s a million miles in the air? Give your big bro some credit, eh?” 

A laugh bursts out of Luigi, surprised and shaky. Mario has missed that sound so much. “Right, right. I did think…I mean, I hoped, or…” His brother shakes his head, his voice failing him. He lets out a deep breath, so deep that it’s almost like he’s been holding it in ever since they were separated, still smiling like the sun. “I knew you would. Mario, you — look out!” 

Mario turns just as a hammer goes whizzing past his ear, tumbling down into the lava pit. He dodges the next one more capably and then catches the third one that comes his way. In one smooth, lightning-quick motion, he throws it back at the attacking Hammer Bro, nailing him in the face and knocking him out cold.

“Whoa!” He turns back to see Luigi staring with his mouth agape. “When did you learn how to do that?”

“It's kinda a long story!” There will be plenty of time to get into all the details about his adventure when he’s gotten Luigi safely out of an active warzone.  “What about you? I thought you were a prisoner here!” 

“I am! Or I was, I guess! We — me, and the penguins, and Lumalee,” he gestures wearily up overhead, where the blue star-thing is idly playing with a pinwheel that it somehow conjured out of thin air, “and the others — we broke out! We, ah, we’ve been trying to find a way outta here ever since, but this place is a maze and we need some kind of hot air balloon or one of those floating clown-car thingies to even get away in the first place, and—”

“Spinies at four o’clock!” One of the penguins shouts, at the same time that Mario yells “Luigi, on your left!”

Luigi jolts at the sight of the three spiky, spinning shells approaching fast. He jumps high enough to leapfrog right over them all, causing them to ricochet off the wall unexpectedly and careen off the side straight into the deep pit. 

“Nice, Weegie!” Mario cheers. “You always were the better jumper.” 

“Keep your head in the fight, soldier!” One specific penguin calls out to Luigi. He’s wearing a very fancy gold crown — probably their king? “We’re not done here yet!” 

“I know, I know, but look!” Luigi gestures excitedly across the chasm. “My brother’s here! He made it!”

“Good show! If he’s as brave as you said, he can help us beat back these dastardly troops once and for all! We’ll all see the light of day again soon!”

The rest of the penguins cheer, thrusting their flippers victoriously into the air, and then let out a wave of new, guttural battle cries. The Penguin King smiles over at Mario and salutes him before rejoining the fray. There are more of Bowser’s minions crowding the walkways on both sides, Mario realizes with a newfound wave of worry. He needs to get to Luigi now. 

“Stay right there!” He calls, starting to run alongside the railing. “Don’t move! I’m coming!”

“Are you kidding!? Wait!” Luigi starts running too, mirroring Mario. “I can meet you faster this way!” 

Mario laughs. “If you can keep up with me!” 

“You’re on!”

The road ahead of him is pure chaos, filled with attacking enemies and whooping Kongs and weapons flying every which way, but Mario runs. He runs until his heart burns, dodging and weaving, almost tripping here and there because he can’t stop looking over the gap to make sure Luigi’s still there on the other side, stumbling his way through his own gauntlet. The two areas are winding closer together, slowly but surely. They must meet somewhere. He’ll find it. He has to.

“Hey, Luigi!” He yells, breathless and happy. “Remember when we were fixing Mrs. McGrady’s sink a couple weeks ago and talking about the future? Did you imagine it’d be anything like this?” 

“Whaddya think!?” Luigi shouts back jokingly. “I-I mean, I imagined people being mad at us, but those were customers. There was definitely a lot less lava, and magic, and crazy green pipes that send you to places from your literal nightmares!” He laughs, which swiftly turns into a yelp when he has to dodge away from a red Koopa. The next words come out thicker, almost strained. “Mario, you, you’re really here, you — I missed you, I…”

Even with the distance and the distracting noise and the heavy breathing, Mario can hear the familiar tearing in his brother’s voice, and it pushes him to run faster. Luigi is so much braver than many people in their life have given him credit for, but he has a breaking point, and Mario can recognize it like the back of his own hand. Heck, he could use a good cry right about now too. They're so close. Just a little further.

He’s never been the biggest hugger — that title belongs squarely to Luigi, who always holds on a little too long, especially when Mario protests, swinging him up into the air until Mario has to grab him in a headlock and wrestle him down, both of them laughing by then — but he genuinely doesn’t know how he’s ever going to let go of his brother again once he’s within arm’s reach. 

“I missed you too! Every day!” He calls out, and if his voice cracks, well, that’s okay. “Hold on! It’s gotta be just up ahead!” There’s a solid wall coming up where they won’t be able to see each other across the way any longer, but the sharp curve of it looks extremely promising. “I’ll meet you on the other side!” 

“Okay!” 

The wall comes between them. Mario's finally in the clear, having left all the attackers in the dust. His legs and chest hurt, but it doesn’t matter. He's about to get his brother back. He feels invincible, unstoppable.

“I told you, bro!” He can’t hear Luigi at all any longer, but he shouts anyway, hoping the words reach him.  “Even if it didn’t turn out like we thought, it’s all gonna be okay! This is crazy stuff, but as long as we're—” 

Mario turns the corner and skids to a sharp stop. The words die in his throat, turning to ash.

Bowser is in front of him. 

The King of the Koopas nearly fills the entire space wall-to-wall, hulking and monstrous, even bigger than what Mario imagined. He breathes out an angry, deep growl that prickles at Mario’s skin, star-bright embers scattering in the air, the smell of burning getting stronger and stronger. But none of that is what Mario is focusing on. He’s frozen in place at the sight of Luigi, wriggling in one of Bowser’s gripped hands. A thick, scaly finger is coiled tight over his brother’s mouth too, keeping him from making any noise besides a variety of muffled, panicked sounds. 

“Thought you didn’t know him, Greenie,” Bowser says in a low voice to Luigi. “Wasn’t that what you said? Boy, you wouldn’t like what I usually do to liars. It involves fire — a lot of it.” His rows of sharp teeth part, just enough for a big exhale, tinged with molten heat. Luigi cringes, turning his head away as far as he can manage. He’s trembling. “But lucky for you, turns out you’re not entirely useless.”

It takes a moment for Mario to come back into his body, remember how to move and think. But slowly, his hands ball into fists. A voice erupts out of him that barely sounds like his own, grave and angry, angrier than he’s ever been in his life. 

“I’m only gonna say this once, ya overgrown turtle,” he says, shifting his footing into a fighting stance. “Let my brother go now.” 

Bowser looks down at him with a derisive sort of amusement for a long moment before laughing outright. "Give me a break, shortie! You’re even punier in person — 50 of you couldn't stop me. But that hasn’t stopped you from trying, has it? You and your little friends  — your pathetic excuse for an “army,” if that’s what you want to call it. But that all ends now.” 

As if on cue, Mario hears DK and a few other Kongs turn the corner, whooping and hollering, only to pause too at the sight of Bowser. “Let’s get ‘em! He can't take us all at once!” Someone says, and there’s a rush of new movement behind Mario. Bowser turns Luigi in his hand, holding him out a little closer to Mario with a shake of the wrist — a taunt. One of his claws pulls up just a little from the rest, the sharp tip arched and pressed lightly to his brother’s neck. The implication is clear. 

“Stop!” Mario shouts, half-strangled. He must sound serious enough that DK yells “hang on, hang on!” to his brethren, grabbing them with both arms and holding them back from attacking. On Bowser's other side, Mario can see the penguins watching what’s unfolding too with wide eyes. Even all the minions in the area have gone still, weapons lowered, waiting to see what Bowser does before making their next move. The space is suddenly quiet. 

The claw finally relaxes again. Luigi’s eyes are very wide, and there are tears on his face as he stares at Mario. He tries to say something, the sound of it hopelessly muffled against Bowser’s hand — an apology, or a plea, or simply Mario’s name. 

Mario is shaking. He grits his teeth hard, desperately tries to hold himself steady again. He hopes Bowser can’t see it — but there’s a gleam in the King’s eyes, and it couldn’t be any clearer that he does. 

“Do you know how long I worked on this plan?” Bowser says, his tone softer, more thoughtful all of a sudden.  “Orchestrating these invasions, gathering forces far and wide to serve me, taking the almighty power star for myself. I’ve wanted this for years!” His wide mouth curves up, plainly wicked and self-satisfied. “And now here I am, about to rule the world like I deserve, and a couple of useless, pipsqueak plumbers from who-knows-where think they’re just gonna waltz right in and ruin it for me.” Bowser chuckles to himself. It’s a dangerous, sharp-edged sound, echoing on and on. “Ain’t that a laugh, Mario?” 

Mario doesn’t say anything. He doesn’t even know if he’s breathing any longer. All he can do is glare.

Bowser shrugs. The large fingers on his occupied hand flex ever so slightly, a slow, malicious ripple of movement, all the scales glinting in a wave. “You’re less fun than I thought you’d be,” he says gruffly. "What does the princess even see in you? A tiny little killjoy who loves ruining things for others. Guess it’s only fair I ruin something of yours to make us even."

There’s no further warning or fanfare. In one brutal motion, Bowser crushes his grip tighter around Luigi. His brother’s mouth is still covered, but the way he cries out is starkly, unmistakably pained. 

Mario’s vision floods with red. Something inside of him, the patient, careful part that was still desperately clinging to one last scrap of self-control, snaps cleanly in two. He runs at Bowser full-speed, fist cocked back, teeth bared. 

“I said LET HIM GO!” 

He doesn’t make it there. Bowser, grinning outright, moves so much faster than Mario would have ever guessed he could. He spins, and his tail comes out of nowhere. The impact is like an oncoming train, catapulting Mario into the nearby wall with a sickening crack.

There’s a horrible ringing sound in his ears. His head hurts. He hears Bowser laugh, followed by a roar and a burst of fire breath, awful-smelling and close enough to singe. There’s a lot of shouting, and panic, and thunderous footsteps, moving in a hurry. He can’t think any longer. Why can’t he think? All that comes to mind is—

(They’re fifteen, hiding in their bedroom with some smuggled bandages and antibiotics from the medicine cabinet because if their mom finds out Mario punched out a kid behind the school, she will LITERALLY murder him. Luigi wraps each bruised knuckle carefully as Mario winces and complains about the stinging ointment. His brother looks angrier than he’s ever seen him before, though, and that makes him quiet again in a hurry.)

“You want him so bad?” Bowser is much further away, his voice a distant rumble over the flickering flames. Get up, Mario tells himself. He’s gasping, struggling to push himself back up with useless, trembling hands. His legs feel numb. Get up! “Then come and get ‘em already!”

(“You never stop and THINK first, y’know?” Luigi shakes his head, badly trying to hide the tears budding under his eyes. “And now you’re hurt, and it’s all my fault, and — and I don’t need you to do stuff like that for me! I can handle it, e-even if you think I can’t!”) 

“Mario!” That’s Luigi, terrified and wheezing, finally able to talk again. An intentional decision by Bowser, no doubt, just to be cruel. Mario can barely hear his brother at all, and the sound of his voice keeps growing fainter. “No! Let go! MARIO!” 

(“What are you even saying? That’s not why I did it at all!” Mario insists, using his uninjured hand to flick Luigi’s nose with a few fingers. His affronted expression at that makes Mario laugh, and the motion quickly turns into them trying to be the first one to swat each other in the face without getting blocked. At least the tears are forgotten, which is what he wanted from the start. “Don’t ya get it? I know you can take care of yourself. But if anyone wants to hurt you, they’re gonna have to go through me first. I’M the big bro, and that’s just how it is forever.”) 

Luigi! 

He’s standing again, even as his body protests every pull and push of the way, even as he’s still struggling to open his eyes. Someone strong and furry offers some extra support on his right side. 

“You okay, man?” Donkey Kong asks. “Geez, that looked like it hurt. Hey, anyone have an extra mushroom?” 

Stars are flashing across his vision, but finally they fade away. There’s a line of fire in front of them like a makeshift barrier, slowly but steadily dying out. Sure enough, Bowser and Luigi are gone. Mario’s heart lurches hard against his ribs.

“Setting a devious trap for sure,” The Penguin King grouses from further away. “Using one’s own flesh and blood! Does that dastardly Koopa’s depravity know no limits?” 

“I’m fine. Never better,” Mario groans. He points past the fire. “He went that way, right?” 

DK blinks, looking a little uneasy. “Uh, yeah, but we should probably regroup first and — hey! Wait a second, you idiot!”

Mario’s already charged full-speed ahead, jumping over the flames. Others yell after him too, saying it's too dangerous, but he’s running anyway, chasing the smell of molten heat, the faint, far-off echoes of yelling that feel like pinpricks in his lungs. 

He knows it’s a trap. He knows. He just doesn’t care.

He already let Luigi literally slip through his hands once before. Heck, he isn’t sure if he’ll ever be able to forgive himself for that alone. No matter where he has to go, who he has to fight, how much abuse he has to take, he's getting Luigi back right now, and he's gonna pound that overgrown bully's face until he regrets every life decision that led to him daring to hurt Mario's little brother.

It can't be too late. He can't have screwed this up again. He'll do anything. Even if...

The feeling of something on his cap startles him out of the thought — the softest boop-boop-boop, like someone very small is bouncing on it. He assumes he’s just imagining things until the blue star-thing (Lumalee?) floats down further, easily keeping up with his top speed, humming what sounds like a lullaby. Mario gawks in its direction. 

“The biggest sacrifices are often the ones that burn the brightest, out in space,” it says, bright and sing-song. “Did you know that?”

“What are you even talking about!?” Mario yells. “Sorry, but I’m a little busy here!” 

It’s unbothered by that, twirling close enough to give his mustache a little, playful poke. “Not existing any longer is natural, inevitable. We all go into the light someday.” The way it’s staring at Mario is unnerving, as though this little, creepy star knows exactly what he was just thinking about. “You look scared of that. Are you?” 

Mario swallows thickly. 

“No,” he says. “If that’s the only way, then…” His eyes are burning at the edges, just a little. “If the people I love are safe, then it doesn’t matter what happens to me.”

Lumalee smiles a dreamy, thoughtful smile.

“Oh,” it sighs, little more than a breath. “This is going to be so much fun.” 

And then it floats away. 

Mario doesn’t have time to stop and wonder what that was all about. He throws himself deeper and deeper into the airship, even when a heavy metal gate slams down behind him to separate him from the others, even when the slabs of rock under his feet sink down into the lava from the weight and don’t resurface, erasing any way out. Mario thinks of his training, of Princess Peach and Toad cheering him on, of the exhilaration and hope he felt looking out over the Rainbow Road, of Luigi smiling in the warp zone right before they were ripped apart. He steels himself for what’s coming next.

Further ahead, he hears his brother call out for him.

Mario runs.

[pocketramblr]

Upon seeing the post about second as iida my first thought was and third can be uraraka then I noticed you had the same idea in the tags

Great minds think alike I just think that's what she deserves,,,trio holders to the original trio babeyyy

[orcelito]

Watching the Obito Reveal in naruto and while I still want to punch this guy in the face, I'm rly enjoying seeing how emotional Kakashi is getting AND how supportive Guy is being to him. Like Fuck You, obito, guy is here and he's better than you in every fucking way. Up to and including giving kakashi the support he deserves ❤️

[raeathnos]

.

[bigbuffjoonie]

SCREAMS

Okay now that I’m more normal, this fic was so thrilling! Going through the mountain pass I was holding my breath too! The feeling of dread just building up until The Splashes just -chef kiss-!! Loved everything about this and I cannot wait to see pt 2! 💕

The Obsidian Pearl (I)

— pairing: mermaid seokjin x (f) reader — word count: 7.2k — warnings: yandere, descriptions of death/blood/violence — summary: Sailing through The Dead Man’s Passage is a death sentence and the whole crew knows it. But with the ship’s stocks dwindling fast, your captain is left with no other choice. When a haunting melody makes the crew jump ship one by one, you find yourself alone with the demon lurking in the murky red water. As the creature beckons you to jump into the icy ocean – “come to me, pet” – you find that you can’t do anything but obey.

“Captain, this is a bad idea.”

A hush falls over the deck, a few whispers being passed back and forth between the crew as they watch you challenge the captain’s decision. There’s an audible gulp somewhere behind you as the captain pins you with a hard gaze, his jaw clenched tight with annoyance.

He taps the map that’s spread out in front of him, voice leaving no room for argument as he says, “This is the fastest route.”

“That may be, Captain, but it’s not worth the risk. Haven’t you heard the stories? The numerous crews that have gone missing after sailing in this area? There’s a reason it’s called The Dead Man’s passage!”

Keep reading

[envy-of-the-apple]

Fun Sized

Dark!Fairy!Gojo Satoru x reader

Word Count: 2k

Synopsis: You save a tiny fairy. Gojo Satoru decides that you and him belong together, regardless of how little he is and how little you think of him. 

(Warnings: Yandere, not many warnings in this one ngl)

The fae are a dangerous bunch. You've heard more than enough stories to be spooked. Sirens will sing beautiful songs before dragging you into the depths. Dragons will burn you to a crisp before a second's thought. Nagas would make sure you were alive until the very end as they feast on your organs. Centaurs would use their powerful legs to stomp yours to mere twigs. Driders would suck your blood until there's nothing left but a husk of your body. 

You've never heard anything about fairies. They didn't live in your region. Their lands were high in the mountains, where humans rarely traveled. Also, they were so tiny, according to the books. The biggest seemed to be barely the size of your hand. They were harmless, you concluded. Harmless to humans. Harmless to you. 

He had been harmless. At first, you thought it was a cluster of leaves in the stream, but as the current drew it closer, you noticed tiny arms and a tiny face. He was unconscious; you didn't even know if the poor thing was alive. 

The Fae are a dangerous bunch, but saving one tiny fairy couldn't hurt, right? 

Your guest quickly proved to be a bigger hassle than you initially thought. 

When you brought him to your cottage, he laid in a basket of warm linen, asleep for hours near the warm fireplace. The blueberry pie was still hot when you turned around and caught him staring at you. 

It was silent for a while, and then you said: 

"Do you like sweets?" 

That's how your tentative friendship with the other kind started. Gojo Satoru (you later learned his name) was a boisterous thing. He did in fact like sweets, which helped bribe his friendship. You're surprised that he ate so much despite his stature. Did all faires have black holes for stomachs? 

He healed up rather quickly. At first, you were afraid that his wings had crumbled due to the prolonged exposure to water. But after stuffing himself full of the blueberry syrup, he smiled widely before flitting out your window. 

You thought that would be the end of it, but then he just came coming back. 

Apparently, your baking skills left an impact on the small creature. He didn't visit often, but when he did, you would always make sure you had something. Whether it be cookies, brownies, or that blueberry pie he was so fond of. Anything was good enough for Gojo's taste palette. 

"In the fae lands," Gojo said when you prodded, "sweets are too sweet. Yours is just enough."  You weren't too sure what he meant by that, but you took it as a compliment. You were sure the fae wasn't something who'd give praises so easily. 

It's not like you were upset at providing food for your tiny friend. Quite the contrary. You loved it when Gojo visited. You found him fascinating, the way he could fly miles and miles above your head. How tiny he was. The amount of times you had to hold yourself back from squishing him between your fingers because of how cute he was scared you. 

And you hoped you were fascinating enough to entertain Gojo. You had to be; you don't know why else he'd keep coming back. Even after gobbling down your cooking, he'd lounge around your home, entertaining you with his stories. You learned of the other magical creatures he was in contact with, the students he taught, and how fond he was of them. You don't know why he was so open about sharing his personal life with you, in the stories fae hated humanity, but you would never complain. 

It doesn't click as to why Gojo's so invested in you until he comes out and says it himself. 

"Instead of me coming back and forth like this, why don't you just come live with me?" He says, "I would cut down my flying time by a lot." 

You stare at him in amusement, sure he's joking. "I'm not sure how I'd fit in your house." You tease. "I'd probably crush all your furniture." 

"I can make my house bigger." He announces. "Don't worry 'bout it, just say yes." 

You stare at him, slowly realizing that he isn't as amused. He's still smiling, but there's no joke. 

"No," you finally say, "I'm not doing that." 

He cocks his head surprised as though he's never had someone reject him before. 

"What?" He asks, "Why not?"

"Well." You clear your throat. "For one, I'm human, and you're a fairie. I don't think Fae would appreciate a human wandering around in their lands." 

"Who cares about all that?" Gojo waves his hands around. "You'll be with me, anyways. It'd be fine." 

"I don't get why you're so fixated on the human realm." His mouth turns into a sneer. "It's all so boring. Nothing ever happens. And our magic is much more advanced than yours." It's true. You can't disagree with that. Satoru didn't wear clothes made out of leaves or vines, unlike the common fairy stereotype. His clothing looked much more advanced compared to your loose cotton dresses. A black shirt with intricate buttons and long sleeves. Along with black trousers. You wonder what material could make his suit so shiny. 

You laugh at his disgust. At that time, you saw Gojo as a tiny child clutching their mother's skirts, a cute puppy. You hadn't yet taken Gojo Satoru as the threat he was. 

"It's because I am human." You say, not offended by his remarks. "So I like being near other humans." 

He groans as though your logic makes no sense. "Yuji and the others ask about you all the time, though. They've been dying to meet you." 

"You talk to your students about the giant that cooks for you? I'm flattered." 

"You're dodging," he warns. You roll your eyes. 

"Satoru, I'm not coming to live with you. It'd be too much of a hassle." You finally say. "Besides, you're not my type." 

"I'm everyone's type." He argues. 

"Not mine." You smile, and then you make your first blunder. 

"I like my men a little taller." 

He stiffens, and you know you said the wrong thing. Your smile fades as does the cheery energy in your cottage. He says nothing, but he's zipping out your window before you can apologize. 

He doesn't return for the longest time. You count the weeks. Guilt weighs on your shoulders, heavy and burdensome. Every day you bake something even tastier than the day before. Not even that is enough to coax him back. 

You think you've lost him forever, when he returns on one sweltering summer evening. 

"Hi." You blink. He's watching you, sitting idly on the window, kicking his tiny feet. 

"Hi." He smiles. 

You're happy enough to grab him with one fist and hugging him to your chest, but as always, you stop yourself. Instead, a shy smile rests on your face. 

"I'm sorry," you say, "I really am...will you accept an apology pie?" 

He grins wider, and you relax. 

He eats, and you're grateful. Something you once cherished in your life has finally come back to you. You might not return Gojo's feelings, but you still care for him. You'd rather die than ever hurt him again. 

"No, you're right." Gojo surprisingly concedes when you apologize for the third time. "We're too different. It'd never work out. Not as the way you are, right now." 

You nod, grateful he's so understanding. "Exactly." 

He's finishing up when he announces he brought you a gift. 

"I've been working on it for the past few weeks," he cheerily says. "It took a while, but it's finally safe for human consumption." 

He takes out a tiny glass bottle filled with something swirling and blue. When he asks you to bring a glass of water, you acquiesce. To your astonishment, when the elixer is poured, the entire water becomes a swirling mass of a color comparable to none other than galaxies. You're so mesmerized by the color, it's enough to stump your voice. 

"For you!" He declares. "You've always been cooking for me; thought I might return the favor, just this once." 

"What is it?" You ask, amazed by the color. You admire the glance, unaware of the glint in Gojo's eye. 

"It's kinda like the wine you have in the mortal realms, but a little less poignant." He gives when you glance at him. "Go on, tell me what you think?" 

You're too trusting, and so you make your second blunder. 

Once you start, you can't seem to stop. The taste is otherworldly, addicting. You drink and drink, not wasting a single drop. You're breathing heavily once the cup detaches from your lips. 

"Amazing." You say before looking at him. His eyes are too wide, but you're too distracted by the taste still on your tongue. "Seriously, what was that? Can I make it here?" 

He scratches the back of his head. "Not really, the ingredients are pretty hard to find." He shrugs. "Besides, it's supposed to be a one-time use." 

Your eyebrows twist, and then the world sinks. 

You're falling. You think you are. You don't really know. Everything feels like it's stretching. The walls of your tiny little cottage get higher and higher and higher. The floor gets more and more warped. You're sinking, sinking through the air. When you scream, nothing comes out. You feel like you're choking because you can't breathe, and then your vision grows black. 

The next time you open your eyes. It's still dark, and to your horror, you realize you're buried underneath something. 

You panic, clawing and tearing your way out. The material gives away easily. It's fabric. Cotton. But there was so much, an undying ocean of fabric. You lift yourself up from the pile and that's when you realize you're completely naked. 

The mountain of cotton you just climbed to the top of was your old dress. 

Everything was gigantic—the table, the chairs. The windows seemed endless. The ceiling looked miles above you, and you know what happened, but your brain can't formulate it because it can't be—it just can't be.

There's a flutter of wings. You always thought he was so quiet before. Now, he's all you can hear. Immediately, you wrap your body with the cloth. It's hard to keep still; your body is buzzing with nerves and you still can't understand. You have to force yourself to look at him.

You don't know why you expected shock, guilt, something other than the pure manic glee on his face. Satoru towers above you, head tilted. He bends down, cupping your trembling face in his hand because he's big enough to do that now. 

"Just when I thought you couldn't get any more adorable." He coos. 

You can see him now. His skin isn't pale, it's borderline translucent. His canines are sharp and pointy. And his eyes. Oh God you've never seen eyes so terrifying before—an endless mass of blue, threatening to swallow you whole. 

He wasn't a cute little fairy. He was anything but that. 

"Gojo..." You start, heart squeezing. "What did you do.." 

You know. He knows. That's why he ignores your question entirely. 

"I'm surprised it worked." He says, mainly talking to himself. "Shoko said it might be a dud, and she was so sure of it, that I mostly believed her." 

"But now look at you!" He roughly pinches your cheek. "You're the perfect size now." 

"Stop." You blubber, pushing his hand off of you. "Don't touch me. Change me back. Change me back." 

He frowns. "Why would I do that? You being human-sized was always such a hassle. Lumbering around. Way too loud. Don't get me wrong, I adore you either way." He proclaims like it's something benevolent. "But this has its charm."

He leans forward, and you scuddle backward in fear. His grin widens. 

"So, am I tall enough for you, now?"