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breelandwalker · 7 months ago

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Hunter's Moon - October 17 2024

Grab your masks and candy buckets and trim the twigs on your best besom, witches! It’s time for the Hunter’s Moon!

Hunter’s Moon

The Hunter’s Moon is the name usually given to the full moon which appears in October, provided that the Harvest Moon has occurred in September. (Remember - the Harvest Moon is the full moon closest to the autumnal equinox and that can mean September OR October!) The Hunter’s Moon is next full moon to follow it, so it may occur in October OR November. The Harvest and Hunter’s moons are the only two moons in the calendar which are tied to a specific event in this way, while the others reflect signs of seasonal growth or animal behavior.

Like the Harvest Moon, the Hunter’s Moon rises big, bright, and early, and it may appear to be full for two or three nights in a row. The celestial peak of illumination is at 7:26am EST on October 17th, but the moon may also appear full or nearly-full on the 16th and 18th. This is also the second of this season's series of supermoons!

The name Hunter’s Moon is taken from the traditional timing for the fall hunting season, as the name implies. The fields cleared in previous months and the gradually cooling weather meant that animals fattened up from summer foraging would be roaming in open ground, making prime targets for anyone looking to put some meat in the pantry for winter. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, this may also be the origin of the other common October moniker, the Blood Moon, which has been in use in the British Isles since at least the Middle Ages.

North American indigenous names for the October moon include Falling Leaves Moon (Anishinaabe), Freezing Moon (Ojibwe), Migrating Moon (Cree), and Big Wind Moon (Zuni). In several modern pagan traditions, the October moon is called the Sanguine or Blood Moon due to its’ with the association with the hunt and with alleged sacrifices made ahead of the coming winter. (Keep in mind that any claims about What The Druids Did should be taken with a grain of salt, as they did not keep written records of their ceremonies.)

As you may know, we're also welcoming an additional natural satellite at the moment - a tiny asteroid designated 2024 PT5. This visitor comes from the Arjuna asteroid belt, which is made up of near-Earth objects that orbit the sun at a similar distance to our own cozy little planet. This temporary "mini moon" will be vacationing in and around Earth's orbit until sometime in November, at which point it will continue on its' way through our solar system. Unfortunately, it's too small and too far away to be seen with the naked eye or even with most telescopes, but you may be able to see the peak of the Orionids meteor shower between October 20th and 22nd, depending on where you live. (Check the DarkSky Placefinder to see what will be visible in your area!)

What Does It Mean For Witches?

October is a time to finish our harvests. We gather in the last of what we sowed earlier in the year and reflect on what our work has wrought and what our labor has produced. It is also a time of transition as the weather begins to shift more noticeably toward the chill of winter. Shore up whatever provisions you need for the immediate future and complete whatever preparations you’ve been making for the cold season, both magical and practical. A little weatherproofing goes a long way!

This is also the month when numerous Western cultures remember their honored dead and a time when some believe that contact with various unseen realms is more easily accomplished. If you’re seeking advice or reassurance from the greater beyond, or looking to do some planning or forecasting for the coming year, now might be the optimal time to do it.

What Witchy Things Can We Do?

Celebrate the end of the harvest season with your favorite recipes! Bust out that hearty stew or delicious pie you’ve been dying to make but kept putting off during the hot months. Use local produce to make something special and gather in the last fruits of your garden.

Get your divination game on! Many October party games include fortune-telling aspects for love or marriage or professional prospects. Choose your favorite method and see what it has to tell you about the coming year and where your current path may lead. Remember that the choices we make change the path and therefore the outcome, so try to regard the results as written in sand rather than stone.

Participate in the hunt yourself! Whether it’s an actual seasonal hunt for game (safely and responsibly done, of course) or a bit of foraging or a personal search for something you’ve been needing, this is the perfect time to connect with that drive to seek and gather. Make one more trip for wildcrafted plants before everything turns brown and brittle. Stalk the aisles of your favorite local shops for craft supplies, new decorations, or perhaps that fancy hat you’ve been dreaming of for the upcoming holiday.

Prepare for the cold months! Switch out your wardrobe, heap those blankets on the bed, change the decor to something autumnal, and make sure your home and vehicle are ready for winter. If you do any seasonal crafts or fibre arts, start pulling out your accoutrements.

Shed your metaphorical skin one more time. Examine what you carry in your heart and where your priorities lie. If there is anything left that weighs you down or no longer serves you or disrupts your life unnecessarily, prune it away and let it go. This process is not always comfortable and may leave you feeling raw, but sometimes hard decisions must be made. You are not meant to be in perpetual motion or constant production. Give yourself permission to rest.

Consider also the parts of yourself that you don’t always like. Is there value in the struggle to deny them and push them away? Is there anything that might serve you better if it was embraced rather than denied? So often we speak of letting things go and laying down burdens in order to progress. But there is also power in remembrance, in anger, in spite, in grief, in ambition. Remember that while you should forgive yourself for past mistakes and learn from them, you are not required to do the same for others. Remember also that setting boundaries is healthy and that if they are not respected, you are within your rights to remind others than actions have consequences. Protecting yourself is not always pretty and it is not always polite. And it doesn’t have to be.

Happy Hunter’s Moon, witches! 🌕🏹

Further Reading:

Additional Lunar Calendar posts

Secular Celebrations - Samhain

Hunter’s Moon: Full Supermoon in October, The Old Farmer's Almanac.

Hunters Moon 2024: The Spiritual Meaning of the October Full Moon, The Peculiar Brunette.

Orionid meteor shower 2024: All you need to know, EarthSky, Oct 18 2024.

"Earth will get another moon this month — but not for long!," Space.com, Sept 17 2024.

Everyday Moon Magic: Spells & Rituals for Abundant Living, Dorothy Morrison, Llewellyn Publications, 2004.

Image Credit - Darkfoxelixir on Shutterstock.

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#witchcraft #witchblr #witch community #pagan #baby witch #full moon #moon magic #lunar magic #hunters moon #lunar calendar

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manias-wordcount · 4 months ago

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View of Paradise (Satoru Gojo x Reader) PART SEVENTEEN

[𝘾𝙃𝘼𝙍𝙇𝙄𝙀 𝘼𝙉𝘿 𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝘾𝙃𝙊𝘾𝙊𝙇𝘼𝙏𝙀 𝙁𝘼𝘾𝙏𝙊𝙍𝙔 𝘼𝙐]

𝗔/𝗡: 𝗵𝗶 𝗵𝗶. 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂'𝗿𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗜'𝗺 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲. 𝗶 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝘀𝗼 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗮 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗵 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗵. 𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗟𝗢𝗟 𝗵𝗼𝗽𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗲𝗻𝗷𝗼𝘆 :] 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗽𝘆 (𝗼𝗻𝗲-𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆) 𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗵𝗲𝗵𝗲𝗵

<< 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘃 || 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗺𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁 || 𝗻𝗲𝘅𝘁 >>

𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁: @ky0mybeloved

𝙒𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚? ⇒ 𝙈𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙩

𝙟𝙤𝙞𝙣 𝙢𝙮 𝙙𝙞𝙨𝙘𝙤𝙧𝙙 𝙨𝙚𝙧𝙫𝙚𝙧?

𝙗𝙪𝙮 𝙢𝙚 𝙖 𝙘𝙤𝙛𝙛𝙚𝙚?

It’s magical.

It’s the first couple of words that come to mind as the door swings open and you’re all invited to step inside. What you’re seeing is magical. But it’s also a little something else too.

At first glance, there is a certain specialness to it. You didn’t expect such a little door to open up to such a large room. It’s bigger than your old school’s gymnasium. Probably bigger than the old warehouse your mother once worked at when you were really, really young. Bigger than any room you have ever seen. It makes sense, given the sheer size of the Gojo Candy Factory. But this room is only a small subset of the entire factory. And yet you still have trouble conceptualizing it and its massive size. The walls seem so far away from each other. The ceiling looks so high. The room is massive. It just is. But that’s not all there is to it.

Naturally, you saw the greenery and thought that you had stepped into a garden. And you honestly wouldn’t have minded it. You had never been inside an indoor garden such as this one. And you can only imagine a man as rich as Mr. Gojo would be able to afford all those tools and fertilizers and temperature controls and…other plant-helping stuff that would make it possible for such a room like this to exist inside his factory without anyone ever knowing about it.

As your eyes scanned the room, you fell in love with what you saw. Although the walls and ceilings of the room were sparsely decorated with windows and skylights, there was much to enjoy about your current setting. The lighting was a bit dim and a bit eerie. Peaks of sunlight from the outside seemed to be the main source of light in the room. Though, despite the fact that you know such a pretty place would greatly benefit from all the natural sunlight it possibly gets, the lighting did serve to give the place a bit of mysticism that you couldn’t help but appreciate.

In addition to that, the temperature inside this room wasn’t too hot like the walkway was, nor was it too chilly like what you felt while waiting outside the factory. The vibrant green of the grass below your feet told you that the room regularly received water. The same likely could be said for all the bright, rich, and vibrant colors of all the other plants you saw too.

Bright red mushrooms with white spots and multicolored flowers with long stems and perfect petals had sprouted up from the ground near your feet. Gourds big and small tucked themselves randomly around the rises and falls of the landscape- spanning over what must have been man-made caves and bridges and burrows as the ground took to the sky in funny little patterns and formations. Twisted trees of green and purple and yellow and red grew high in the sky. Their leaves and vines and limbs looked nothing like the trees you’ve ever seen before. And a bunch of the flowers looked unfamiliar too.

It was odd to see, but not completely surprising. In your few years of schooling, you did your best to explore the world of pictures from the storybooks and science textbooks you would have to pull out during class. And when those were over, you ate up what you could see from the various TV screens at the diner (and the very grainy TV you had at home). Though you were always painfully aware of the fact that you were left with little knowledge of all the flora that existed outside of your hometown growing’s condition.

Still, it was odd. But you suppose things that one might find magical can be seen as odd to others. Because you had never heard of trees or flowers or other types of plants looking the way that these things do in front of you. You had never heard of a healthy-looking tree being colored chartreuse from its thick and twisty stump all the way down to its long, nimble, and flexible-looking limps. Limps that cascade down like rain droplets on a slow, foggy morning. You had never heard of trees that were pale purple in color with branches that stood stiff and tall and leaves that were golden in shade and round in shape. Nor have you heard of light green, cacti-like plants growing this tall and with perfectly plump fruit spanning across a rainbow of colors and flowers with petals that look like teacups and gumdrops and many more odd shapes.

But as you stand around with the crowd, you find that no one else seems to notice or mind. No one else has bothered to pick their slackened jaw off from the ground or hold in their gasps. Certainly not the children. And surprisingly, not even the adults either. Even Ms. Mei Mei had an impressed look on her face- something you can imagine being extremely difficult for the average person to accomplish. Though, you did notice that her eyes seemed to be trained on the waterfall on the other side of the building. And you don’t blame her.

The waterfall sits proudly on the other side of the room, gushing from a large, open hole that sits high up in one of the walls. It flows big and strong, and it feeds into the river that wraps all around the room. You can hear it from here- the strength and power of it as the rich, brown water roars and roars with every second it pours itself from the hole in the wall and lands in the river below. Although the sound is faint, it’s very present. And it’s very grand. In fact, the whole thing is. Not just the waterfall, but the greenery and the landscape and-

Wait…? Brown….waterfall…?

“Oh! And I should mention~!”

Mr. Gojo’s interjection through your thoughts is well-timed. Well-timed enough, you realize, as you turn to look at him. Because almost everyone seemed to have the stark look of realization and confusion as they took in the state of the waterfall. But Mr. Gojo doesn’t seem concerned. In fact, he looks prideful from his spot in front of the group. He looks ecstatic, even, as he spreads his arms out nice and wide to gesture to the room with a smile you have grown very familiar with in the short time you’ve spent with him as your escort. Very, very familiar even.

“Every single thing in this room is edible. And feel free to help yourself to anything you’d like. For you see…” Mr. Gojo announces as his mischievous eyes peak over the tips of his sunglasses. Every word that passes through his lips, he pronounces slowly in an attempt to ensure that everyone present can understand the gravity of his words as he speaks them just once. And even then… “...it’s all made of candy.”

…you would argue that it was definitely not enough. Not for you, at least.

“What?” The word leaves your mouth in a sound that hobbles just barely above an alarmed whisper. And while it’s easily drowned out by the gasps and giggles and shouts of surprise by the children as they realize that according to the man who owns this “garden,” everything they see before them is edible, you find that the ever-observant Mr. Gojo had his eyes on your reaction this entire time. And the more you looked confused, the more he looked proud. “H-how…?”

A second later, you see the kids shoot off in different directions, their chaperones following closely after. Momo and Yuki run the fastest, and it almost looks like a bit of a competition between Mr. Kusakabe and Mr. Todo for who’s the best at keeping up with their girl. Ui Ui also managed to be quite quick on his feet as he ran off to immediately go attack a tree- not needing to be told twice. Ms. Mei Mei does end up trailing him, though at a much leisurely paste compared to the two girl dads of the group.

At the same time, you see your little brother pushing ahead in his own direction. Unsurprisingly though, he stops long enough to invite Junpei to come follow him, with the kind smile you’ve always come to expect from your brother. The other boy’s face twists up in a small frown for a moment, but he does cave in easily and quietly as he goes to follow your brother down a small hill. Right behind the two of them is Ms. Nagi, as she gives the boys a fond smile and spares you a knowing, almost smug look as she leaves to go after them.

And suddenly, it’s you. Alone. With Mr. Gojo.

And so many questions.

“Everything?” You ask him as he begins to creep forward, his cane hanging idly by as he hooks it on his arm. A light little laugh pours from his lips at your expense, but you don’t pay it any mind. Instead, you’re too busy darting your eyes around and looking all over the room- seeing this so-called garden with new eyes and a new understanding. A type of understanding that suddenly makes you feel very, very, very overwhelmed. “The grass? The trees? The flowers? The ground?”

You start to press him, pointing at random plants and greenery all over the room. While the child inside of you is smiling and laughing and shouting with glee at being able to witness something so magical and so special, the rational part of you is struggling to wrap your head around what you’re seeing. Sure, all the purple and yellow trees are starting to make more sense now. But the grass beneath your feet? And the dirt beneath that? And all the flowers and the leaves? It’s all edible? It’s all candy? How could one man accomplish such a thing? Sure, he owned a large factory and clearly had the space for it. And sure he must have plenty of money being the top candy producer in all of the world. But no one has seen a worker come in or outside of these walls since…since forever last you heard. And yet the landscape is complex. The trees are tall. And the scenery looks almost unnaturally natural. As it was only cared for by human hands- not created by it.

It’s magical, alright. It’s also…also…you’re not sure how you feel about it. Every couple of seconds, you find yourself instinctively and cautiously pressing down on different parts of your feet. Hoping to see that if you put enough weight on it, you’ll be able to tell the difference. That things will start to make sense. But it doesn’t. The grass beneath your feet right now feels no different than a walk in the woods. It’s magical. But it’s overwhelming and it’s confusing. And above all? It proves once again that there’s always more to be Mr. Gojo than what meets the eye. Still, being promised to see so many wondrous things on this tour did little to prepare you for this.

“Yes, yes, yes, and yes.” He confirms for you, regarding each and everything you point at in your momentary frenzy. His voice and his gaze are gentle as he speaks to you- and it inspires feelings not unlike what you experienced just out of the factory when he offered up his arm to escort you to the door. He’s being patient with you, and you can’t help but be grateful. But all his confirmations don’t exactly make you less overwhelmed at the moment. “Different recipes but, all of it candy.”

“And…the waterfall? That too?” You try your last question carefully, your eyes flickering between the brown-colored waterfall that’s starting to look and seems suspiciously like chocolate and its owner. This is far from the first time you’ve been able to hold his undivided attention- something only you seem to be doing lately, oddly enough. But the intensity of his gaze as he peers over his glasses and down at you starts to make you feel small- and not just because of his ridiculously long legs.

For a moment, you spare a look at your brother, who is very kindly holding out a piece of bright red vine to Junpei and his mother at the moment, and tense up. You feel like you’re supposed to be at your brother’s side right now. You feel like you’re supposed to be playing the role that you’ve always seen parents always take on. Watching him grow up in the world and indulge in his curiosity. Even though you aren’t Yuuta’s mom, Mr. Gojo clearly thought that you were old enough to be here earlier. And you know being by Yuuta’s side would help with the feelings of being adequate enough to play chaperone since it seems like every other chaperone in the building actually feels like an adult with their life together compared to you. But here you are. Standing in front of Mr. Gojo with wide eyes and a stammer as you point and ask questions, too…too overwhelmed with what you see to even feel comfortable running off on your own.

And here he is. Looking all too happy as he indulges your questions and attempts to be of some comfort to you.

“Yes, the waterfall too.” He affirms with another light laugh. Once again, he seems proud of himself. And you suppose you would be too if you successfully managed to stupefy your guest within a minute of taking them to the first stop of the tour. But there’s something undeniably charming about this of his laugh. Something that has your cheeks heating up with embarrassment as you advert your eyes to the life-size candy garden you’re in, trying to take in the view. Unfortunately for you, Mr. Gojo wasn’t exactly keen on letting you go from this conversation just yet. “You know…the secret to creating the finest chocolates in the world is to mix it by waterfall. It really makes all the difference, you see.”

The words only take a second to register in your mind. But the second it does, a shiver overtakes you. Currently, you find yourself thinking about every single piece of chocolate you’ve ever eaten and just how it pales in comparison to anything this man has made. You thought about your first chocolate bar. You thought about how every bite seemed just perfect. How you never thought something could taste this good. Never in a million years would have you thought that the secret to that wonderful taste would involve a chocolate waterfall in a room full of plants and shrubs and hills and trees all made out of candy. But then again, never in a million years would you have ever thought you would have found your way here too.

“All of this…” You gesture vaguely to the river a good couple of yards away from the two of you. “It’s…it’s all going to be made into chocolate? It’s all going to be sold?”

Mr. Gojo’s eyes intently follow the movement of your hands for a moment. Though he momentarily takes his attention off of you to narrow his eyes and frown in the direction of two other members of your party: Ms. Mei Mei and Ui Ui. You’ve noticed in the back of your mind that they have been wandering rather close to the river, and you could only imagine Mr. Gojo's fears of someone falling in and not being able to swim since the area wasn’t fenced in.

But they seem to be keeping a safe enough distance. In fact, you think you could even see Ms. Mei Mei advising Ui Ui where to step as the boy continues to explore the scenery. Though “explore the scenery” might not be the best way of putting it. Because it’s clear to see based on the pile of various pieces of half-eaten leaves and flower petals and vines and a tree branches tucked into Ui Ui’s arms that the boy has already acquainted himself well with his surroundings.

Eventually, Mr. Gojo decides that the two of them are behaving well enough not to need his surveillance. Because soon enough, the man is back to turning his bright blue and intense eyes onto you, a big smile across his lips.

“Only the best.” Comes his promise to you after the prolonged moment of silence- his promise to a customer. Although it’s undeniable at this point. It’s undeniable that you’re more than just a customer based on all of this special attention and the lingering gazes he seems to have no problem bestowing onto you. And it all just makes it even more impossible to ignore what he’s doing right now. Reaching out slowly. Taking your hand in his. And bringing it up to his lips so he could kiss the back of it gently. Once. Twice. Three times. All while his eyes never once leave yours. “I live to please.”

Never.

You can hear your heartbeat in your ear, it’s racing so fast. And you can’t help your nervous swallow. He’s flirting with you. He’s been flirting with you. There’s no denying or lying to yourself any longer. But you don’t know how to handle it. It’s unfortunate that he’s very handsome. It’s even more unfortunate that you like this attention. You like the way he seems to be going out of his way to make you feel special and attended to.

But he’s shameless. And he’s forward. And likely a good bit older than you (though who isn’t immune to the charms of a good silver fox). And most of all, you’re really only used to receiving attention from boys around your age at the diner. Boys who you serve too- never really anyone on the staff and permanent. Boys who don’t really mean anything serious. Boys who do nothing more than write their number on the customer's copy of the receipt or call you practically every single dessert on the menu as you pass by their table. You’re not used to this. You’re not used to butterflies.

“So…everything thing in here really is edible, huh?” You respond weakly, struggling to find your words. Mr. Gojo seemed all too pleased at your reaction and the obviousness of how his affection has thrown you for a loop. Part of you wonders if he gets a kick out of doing this to everyone. He has been the slightest bit overbearing and intense since the moment he first appeared. But then again, you suppose you should have tapered your expectations a little more to better prepare to meet the eccentric, recluse, filthy stinking rich candy maker behind your favorite chocolate bar.

“I promise you, everything.” Mr. Gojo once again confirms for you with a slight nod in your direction. If he was tired of answering all the questions you kept repeating to him, he didn’t show. In fact, the gleam in his eye only seemed to shine a little brighter as he bent a little close to your level and pulled his glasses down his nose. He’s close again. It seems he’s forever forgetting the concept of personal space when it comes to you. And as you peer back into his pretty blue eyes and read his intentions written all across his face, you find that you’re starting to forget that you once liked personal space. Because with him? Closer is starting to feel better and better. Not that you would admit it, though. “Even the people.”

Instantly, his little quip causes you to turn your head away in an attempt to stifle your laugh.

“The people, huh?” You shoot back when you’re finally calm enough to speak between your laughter. Mr. Gojo is letting out a few chuckles of his own, seeming pleased that you’ve been around him for long enough to pick up on the fact that he wasn’t referring to something morbid like cannibalism. But, now that you think about it…the only thing that he could mean right now is…

“There are many ways to enjoy all the sweetness a person has to offer,” Mr. Gojo utters, almost the moment after the realization comes to you. His voice is so quiet and calm and heavy you swear it gives you goosebumps. And whether his words were implying something more innocent or scandalous, you don’t know. But what you do know is that those pretty blue eyes of him look darker than what you’re used to. And he’s been eyeing you very, very carefully in these past few moments. Like a predator drinking in the sight of his next prey. “I’m sure a pretty girl such as yourself would know all about that.”

Your breath catches in your throat.

For a moment, you’re scared you’ve forgotten how to breathe. Because there it is- that shamelessness and forwardness that you find so troublesome. He doesn’t seem sorry for it. In fact, he only seems to be drinking in the way your bottom lip starts to tremble. You…you…you just don’t know. You’re not used to brazen. You’re not used to handsome, powerful men. You’re not used to this. And Mr. Gojo seems happy to take advantage of that little fact. You don’t like the fact that he’s reading you right now. But he’s right. About one thing, at least. You have a feeling that whatever he’s actually referring to, you do know about it. Just a little, at least. But you can’t let him know that. You can’t let him win.

Especially since he’s being incredibly unfair right now.

“I’ve…kept you here for long enough.” You begin slowly, being careful not to give him an answer or a comment that he could further tease you will. Your face is feeling far too warm. And your heart is beating far too loud and fast for you. It’s wholly unfair how powerful this man is. Both in life and in simple conversation. It’s intimidating. “Could I go explore now…?”

So intimidating that you find yourself ultimately asking for permission to put this conversation on pause like he’s your boss. Or like you’re a kid, asking their teacher to go to the bathroom. Though luckily for you, he doesn’t seem to mind you trying to run. In fact, Mr. Gojo was kind enough to take a step back from you and let his smirk morph back into a cheery smile without so much as a word and-

“Only if you take me with you.”

There it is. Oh well. You suppose that letting you off easy would be the boring thing to do. And you know far too well at this point that Mr. Gojo is anything but boring. But you suppose that’s alright. For now, at least. Because boring doesn’t give you anything to look forward to. Boring doesn’t give you butterflies.

And you’re starting to like butterflies.

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designing-witch-forms-4-ur-faves · 10 hours ago

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Wishcraft is in the air? WRONG! CONTRACTS!!

Hi hello you like randomly appeared and you do cool witch designs :3c

Could you do The King from In Stars and Time? I think he'd be a interesting witch, mainly because I'd like to think he'd be able to be seen by people unlike most witches, and he causes a very specific curse that is not a natural-happening tragedy. Plus bro had reason to become a magical.. guy AND reason to break down and become a witch!!!

Also. Obligatory play In Stars and Time recommendation if you haven't played it already, please it's peak :3ccccc

Uuuu was gonna yap about the king but I don't want to spoil you on isat so TLDR of what I'd think happens to The King: Really gets to like vanguard, becomes a magical.guy to protect it. Find a couple things and... remembers. Gets extremely paranoid that something bad will happen to vanguard and goes insane, causing him to become a witch....

might be getting too obsessed about this idea highkey

HHHHAYHAHAYYAYYA FINNALKY I GET TO SEND THIS WOOOO

Hi! Welcome to the blog. I spawned with the sole purpose of making witches. (Kyubey moment)

I’ve heard of in stars and time before, I plan on playing it (or watching someone play it either one works) someday. I have heard nothing but positive things about it and it makes me a bit excited for when I finally get around to experiencing it.

I had a friend suggest a blind reaction let’s play video to in stars and time but with other video ideas that I’m way behind on? I couldn’t. Not now at least.

Or maybe I will if I can get everything done in time but I’m trying to take things slow. I barely recovered from burnout a few weeks? Months? Ago. I don’t know, time is weird. Point being, I don’t want a repeat of that.

Anywho, enough rambling. Here’s the witch!

Alfons : the crenellation witch

#pmmm witches #puella magi madoka magica #pmmm #mahou shoujo madoka magica #madoka magica #in stars and time #isat king

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theabysss · 2 years ago

Text

I love you

pairing: sagau!Zhongli x Reader

summary: Every weekend you and Zhongli have a tea party in a secluded corner of Liyue, in one of these meetings you confess your feelings to him.

content: just fluff

word count: 950

It's time for my exams, so I don't know when I'll write something else, but I'll try to find the time. And for some reason I decided to get sick, very timely yeah. In any case, enjoy reading. (≧◡≦)

Today, for tea drinking, you and Zhongli chose a gazebo on Qingyun Peak. The view from above was simply wonderful, and the cool breeze was pleasantly refreshing on this hot day. You gladly took a sip of Zhongli brewed tea and said to him quite calmly without a drop of excitement.

"I love you."

In the next second, Zhongli opens his eyes in disbelief and fixes his gaze on your face. It couldn't be true, could it? There was not a single chance for this. Surely erosion was to blame for this auditory hallucination. It simply replaced your words with those that in the depths of his heart he most wanted to hear from you.

Zhongli returns the mug of tea to the table with a slightly trembling hand, and it clinks on the saucer.

"Your Grace?" He confusedly calls you by title, trying to hide the trembling in his voice.

"What do you...?" Zhongli falls silent, not daring to speak.

You smile brightly and repeat, "I love you. I love you more than all the sunrises and sunsets that I have seen more than any of my creations."

Zhongli feels like he suddenly ran out of oxygen in his lungs. He looks at you with a helpless expression. His eyes are wide open and his lips are trembling as he tries to find at least some words to answer you.

"Even before the moment I descended into Teyvat in physical form. When I only re-learned this world through the eyes of a traveler, even then I liked you."

You don't give Zhongli time to put in even a word and just keep saying, "I've always enjoyed listening to your speeches through traveler. I liked your character, your voice, your mannerisms. Everything about you fascinated me, I always wanted to know you more, everything about your past, about the pain and joys that you experienced. A month has passed since my arrival in Teyvat and these days were wonderful. This world is beautiful and rich in a variety of treasures - people, nature, the creatures that inhabit it. But for me, the most important treasure of all Teyvat is you."

You lean across the table and gently place your hand on Zhongli's cheek.

"Would you like to receive my love, my precious dragon?"

Cheekbones, cheeks Zhongli are covered with a gently golden hue. It seems to him that he is seeing the most magical and incredible dream of his life. But your hand on his cheek is all too real and he can smell the glaze lilies left on your hands from the flowers he brought to tea tonight. A hot scorching sun ignites inside him and heat disperses through every cell of his body.

Zhongli looks into your eyes and sees love - sweet, tender like silk flower. How could he refuse you, you were his everything and he also loved you. He loved you much more than a simple follower should have, no matter how faithful he was. Every time you looked at him, every word you said to him, made butterflies dance in his stomach.

Zhongli shows courage and puts his hand over yours on his cheek, regretting for a second that he was wearing gloves and couldn't feel the softness of your skin. He looks straight into your eyes and you see tiny golden sparks flashing in his pupils. His gaze burns with unconditional love, warmth, tenderness, hope.

"If you consider me worthy of such an honor as your love Your Grace, let me be impudent and accept this precious gift. I promise you will not regret an ounce of your feelings for me."

In response, you lean towards Zhongli and give him a gentle short kiss, just a touch of your lips. But even this short touch sends a wave of goosebumps all over his body. He wants to close his eyes and enjoy this feeling to capture this moment in his memory, the phantom feeling of your lips on his, but he does not take his eyes off you, does not want to stop watching your gentle smile and how your eyes sparkle.

Pleasure fills him and Zhongli involuntarily makes a short rumbling sound. You giggle at this and smile teasingly.

"So dragons can purr?"

Zhongli feels the heat from his face transfer to his neck and smiles embarrassedly.

"When dragons are happy, they can actually make sounds like purring cats."

"That's it, then later I'll have to definitely check how loud you can purr," You smile teasingly. "And by the way, call me by my name, please, you have every right to do so."

Zhongli hesitates, whether he was really worthy of this honor, but you said that you love him. He felt dizzy just thinking about it. Finally your name escapes his lips. It spreads sweetly over his tongue and sounds like a symphony in his ears.

"Yes, that's right, now always call me by my name. From now until the end of time, you and I are lovers." You smile happily.

"Is this a contract, Your Grace?" Noticing your judgmental look when he says your title, Zhongli quickly corrects himself and pronounces your name.

"What else would one expect from a god of contracts."

You think for a second and prop your chin like Zhongli usually does.

"Yes, this is a contract. A contract of mutual love, a promise to always support each other, share sorrows and joys. Do you agree to such conditions?"

"I accept the terms of this contract and promise to abide by every point for the rest of my life." Zhongli's voice is solemn and determined.

He gently takes your hand and kisses your knuckles, his eyes covered with long fluffy eyelashes are full of love, love so passionate that it would be enough for hundreds of thousands of mortals.

"I love you too."

Reblogs, comments, are always greatly appreciated! ヽ(o^ ^o)ﾉ

#yes I have a headcanon that Zhongli blushes golden instead of the usual red blush why not #kiss this beautiful dragon man #I love him so much I could tell him this every day #genshin sagau #sagau zhongli #zhongli #genshin impact #zhongli x reader #genshin x reader #zhongli x you #genshin impact sagau #sagau zhongli x reader #reader #genshin impact sagau x reader #theabysss writes

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ilguna · 8 days ago

Text

☼ more than you know (Cashmere Ritchson) ☼

summary; there’s nothing you can do to save cashmere from the capitol. it’s too late, they’ve already figured out that she’s a rebel and you care about her. all you can do now is comfort her in the aftermath.

warnings; swearing, prostitution, death, drug mention, torture, scar mention.

wc; 5.8k

The day you met Cashmere was a warm, summer day in the Capitol with the nicest weather you’d seen in your life. At the time it was trendy to wear pastel colors, to keep your natural hair while also participating in hobbies that would make others’ jaw drop—usually it was something you’d find district people doing.

It was your first year mentoring, you were freshly eighteen years-old, and Finnick wanted you to be thrown in the ring to see what magic you could create. You were excited to be there, convinced by the other victors that you could make a difference if you put your heart into it.

You were prepared to. You wanted to pave a new path for District Four, and that year, it seemed like it would be possible. You had a smart pair of tributes with confident personalities, who seemed genuinely ready to fight in the Games. They had their eyes on the title.

You were at the peak of your game, but you made it all of ten hours before your spirit was crushed. A perfect day had turned into your worst nightmare, when you’d been escorted to the President’s Mansion. The only information you were given by the Peacekeepers was that it was an important conversation that couldn’t be had in the open.

It reminded you a lot of Finnick and what he had been saying lately. He was being cryptic when talking about the Capitol and President Snow. Like he was trying to hint at something, but when you’d ask questions, he’d be evasive. He did this for weeks, and by the time you were on the train with your tributes, you were sick of it.

What’s the point in talking to him when he refused to say what he had to say outright. He kept saying something about plans. A change of plans or your future was already planned out for you—you weren't entirely sure what he was trying to get at.

That is until you stepped foot into the office, where Snow was with a younger version of Cashmere, not that you knew that yet. Her long blonde hair was in loose curls, pinned out of her face. She was wearing a modern pink tank top that had been tucked into a long grey skirt.

When she glanced in your direction, there was no smile on her face. If it weren’t for the bags beneath her eyes, you would’ve taken her as a citizen of the Capitol, due to her style. She looked exhausted and disinterested, her attention turned back to Snow on the other side of the desk.

You were confused, and just slightly terrified of what you’d been invited into. Snow started by praising your excellence during the Games. He said you’d displayed a new way to handle the arena with grace and manners. It was an odd compliment, you didn’t know what to say, other than thank him for his attention to detail.

Although, you’d never intended to be graceful. You were just surviving in the only way you knew how. Which was by hanging onto scraps and bartering with people that had what you needed. You’d come across several tributes you could’ve killed, but opted for getting what you needed through convincing them.

Snow then went on to tell you that your reward was the Capitol people, or rather, you were their reward because of how well they took care of you. Since you were so civilized, you deserved to be treated as if you were. If that’s the case, though, wouldn’t all victors strive to win that way?

Finnick’s words began to make sense the more Snow spoke. He was trying to warn you of what was to come. Your future was planned out for you, because it had been planned the same way for the dozens of victors that came before you. You weren’t the first, and you wouldn’t be the last.

Snow put it as simply as he could, not wanting to give you the wrong impression of what he had in mind. You’d be bought and passed around to the elite class in the Capitol. The work would be done at night, and there would be no way to get out of it. You’d have to do this while balancing the mentorship.

He waved his hand to dismiss you, telling you that Cashmere would get you up to speed. The both of you were promptly escorted back to the Tribute Center, where Cashmere tried to split and run without speaking to you. You chased after her, pleading for her to stop because you were so confused.

She didn’t, she had no intention to, so you grabbed her.

She yanked her arm from you, eyes wild with underlying anger. She made it very clear in that moment she didn’t want to help you. She said she had to figure it out on her own, therefore you would have to do the same. She wished you luck and stepped into the elevator.

When you made it back to the apartments, Finnick was there. Just by the look on your face, he could tell he was right. He didn’t want to be, but with the way the people had been talking about you during your Games, he knew it was inevitable. Snow would have you the next year.

Finnick was able to give you a better explanation on what you would have to do, and advice on how to get through it. It wasn't going to be easy, there would be moments where you knew being dead would’ve been a better fate, but you could live with it if you found a way to detach yourself from the situation.

He said you shouldn’t take Cashmere’s reaction personally, because everyone deals with it in a different way. Finnick found a way to make it palatable, and if you tried, you could too.

From then on, every time you did see Cashmere, it was in passing. You’d see her in a hallway, in the betting room, in a restaurant. It was like you couldn’t escape her, as if she was meant to be your friend. When your tributes eventually became allies, she was there to negotiate terms with you.

Even with what Finnick had said, it was hard not to hold what she’d done against her, especially since she was supposed to guide you during something so… Well, you weren’t the only one. Finnick held that grudge harder than you could, because he felt like she had a responsibility to help, just like he did.

He had a few words with her, which you came to learn in time that it was because you were in the same position they were once in. He could understand she didn’t want to help because it might’ve felt as if she was aiding snow, but it wouldn’t help you at the end of the day. They both know how different the boy and girl victors were treated.

One with dignity and respect and the other like a toy they could lay their hands on.

Cashmere apologized on her own time, and you slowly became friends the longer you worked alongside each other. She was dealing with her own troubles at the time, and she couldn’t handle someone else’s problems, not when she was drowning on her own.

You forgave her, and she turned out to be really kind. She genuinely wanted to get to know you as a person. The two of you would go to places for hours on end just to discuss what home is like. You exchanged a lot of details, leading you to discover what she really thought of other districts.

Honestly, you thought it was a myth that the more favored districts believed they were better than the others. It makes no sense, you’re on the same side. Whether they want to see it or not, you’re all getting reaped to play a game that results in your children dying. They aren’t excluded from this, as much as they wish they were.

Unfortunately, that’s the way Cashmere thought for the longest time, just a more tolerable version of it. Over time, you’ve worn on her, and she’s more neutral about the topic now. She doesn’t see one side better than the other, but that’s part of the problem, isn’t it?

Despite your different background and perspectives, the two of you had hidden feelings for each other. You were convinced Cashmere didn’t swing your way, and then one day you were taken by surprise when she asked you on a date. You didn’t think she meant it the way she said it, until she asked you to be her girlfriend at the end of it.

The two of you wanted to keep it quiet and private, but Snow was keeping tabs. It wasn’t long before you two were being called back into his office. He wasted no time telling you how much he disapproved. You were being marketed as different personalities, and once the Capitol realized you were together, popularity dropped off.

It was good news for your relationship.

When Katniss and Peeta won the Seventy-fourth Games, you knew the end of the beginning was coming. Oh, you were so excited. You couldn’t contain it when you saw Finnick, because this is the moment all of you had been waiting for. An outlier from District Twelve had come to save you, and she had no idea of it.

Right before you were shipped home for the year, you were able to say goodbye to Cashmere. She was in a conflicted state, not knowing if she should celebrate or not because rules were broken and surely people would die because of it. Or get the wrong idea about the situation.

You told her there would be a lot of changes in the coming months, most of which you’d probably support. No matter what would happen, you loved her and you’d find your way back to her.

Sure enough, everything got worse on their Victory Tour. You were able to have just a word with Haymitch before you were sent home with a slap on your wrist. He told you they were trying to lay low, but the situation was getting bad due to their missteps on the tour.

When the reading of the card came, you were blindsided. You never thought Snow would pull a move like that. It was bold of him to think he’d be able to swipe you all into his hand at once and crush you. You have no idea what he was thinking when you saw the tribute line up.

Your heart sank when you saw that both Cashmere and Gloss had been picked to represent District One. You knew the Games were going to be difficult, but this amplified it. Besides, you and Gloss have never exactly seen eye-to-eye. He was never supportive of your relationship, he was convinced she could do better. Not to mention, he hated the way you put ideas into his sister's head, claiming they could get her killed.

When you were able to see her during the Tribute Parade, you managed to convince her to trust you. You wouldn’t volunteer into the Games like this if you were going to get killed. You told her that you’d get more information soon, and she’d be one of the first people to know.

Sure enough, Cashmere was quickly recruited into the alliance, with the instructions to keep with the Careers to ensure they don’t go near Katniss and Peeta. The invite had been extended to Gloss, but he wouldn’t budge. He didn’t want anything to do with what you were doing.

Once the plan was solidified in the Capitol, the arena seemed relatively easy. All you had to do was survive and wait for the signal. The worst part was knowing Cashmere was in the jungle somewhere, and you weren’t with her. The thought of her brother being there was comforting, so you were able to relax a little bit.

It got incredibly complicated when the Careers attacked the Cornucopia. Gloss killed Wiress, and before you could stop Katniss, she shot him with an arrow. He died, Cashmere flattened against the rock, hands in the air to surrender. She wasn’t a concern, though, it was Enobaria and Brutus that you had to worry about.

Once Katniss went to chase them, they left, knowing full well that all it would take is an arrow each and they’d be dead. Cashmere joined the main alliance after that, since she wouldn’t be able to go back to the others. It was smooth sailing from there, except for the fact Gloss was dead, because everyone had agreed to try to keep him alive for his sake.

Cashmere was a wreck.

The rescue was to take place at the end of the third day. The girls split from the boys, resulting in chaos when the Two tributes came back for revenge. While you were able to make it back to the tree in time, Cashmere couldn’t, she got stuck in a fight with Brutus while trying to keep Peeta alive.

Your biggest regret is not staying with her, because even if you were in the Capitol, you’d be in the Capitol together.

“Oh, Katniss, don’t wake him.” You tell her, holding her back from shaking Finnick.

He’s taken the situation in Thirteen as badly as you have. Annie got captured in Four so Snow could use her as leverage. The rebels went to get her as soon as they could during the chaos, but she was already gone. There’s no telling what he’s doing to her, you can only imagine after you’ve all seen the damage done to Peeta.

“Maybe he can help.” She says, holding onto your sleeves.

“How?” You ask her.

“I don’t know.” She shakes her head. “I don’t know, but maybe he can.”

How can he help the rebels that have gone to retrieve your loved ones? The hovercraft with the volunteers is already gone. The only thing you can do now is wait to receive the news on whether or not they’ve made it through the Capitol’s defense. And that’s just the first step of many.

You let go of her. Finnick’s wiser than you are, you think Mags taught him to be that way on purpose so you’d always look up to him. He’s like an older brother to you, and Mags was like your tender grandmother. She was yours and Finnick’s mentor during the Quell, and Haymitch had to break the news to you that she died in what was called the victor’s purge.

President Snow ordered all victors to be killed post-Quarter Quell. The only ones that are still alive is because he allowed them to be or he couldn’t get a hold of them. He took dozens of lives without taking a moment to consider they deserved to live.

Finnick is sprawled out on his stomach in the hospital’s bed. There’s a tube connected to one of his arms, a sedative being pumped into his system. His hands are clutching the pillow beneath his head as if he’s trying to strangle someone.

Katniss gently rocks him awake, and at the sight of your faces, he’s incredibly agitated you took away his peace. It isn’t until Katniss has explained the situation, does he begin to light up.

“Don’t you see, this will decide things. One way or the other. By the end of the day, they’ll either be dead or with us. It’s… it’s more than we could hope for!” Finnick seems strangely elated by this.

You open your mouth to speak, but you’re silenced when the curtain is whipped open, revealing Haymitch. “I have a job for you three, if you can pull it together. Cressida still needs post-bombing footage of Thirteen. If we can get it in the next few hours, Beetee can air it leading up to the rescue, and maybe keep the Capitol’s attention elsewhere.”

“Yes, a distraction.” Finnick is sitting up on the bed. “A decoy of sorts.”

“What we really need is something so riveting that even President Snow won’t be able to tear himself away. Got anything like that?” Haymitch asks.

The three of you head to get breakfast before splitting off. Katniss goes to get prepped for the camera, while you head to Control with Finnick. There, they’re getting the cameras ready for filming. When Katniss is ready, all of you head aboveground to see the damaged concrete from the bombing, which is shockingly not as bad as you thought it would be.

Katniss tells the story on the first day she met Peeta, which was a dark day in District Twelve. Katniss was starving and barely scraping by at eleven years-old. She was just weeks out from being able to sign herself up for tessera, and she’d been trying to sell her sister’s clothes.

It began to rain, she accidentally dropped the clothes in a puddle out in front of the Mellark’s bakery, so she stopped to search through their trash while she was there. She was told off by Peeta’s mother, and she decided that it wasn’t worth the energy to continue anymore. While she was sitting in the mud, Peeta burned two loaves of bread. One of which he threw to one of his pigs, the other to Katniss.

If he hadn’t done that, she surely would’ve died, and so would’ve her sister.

While this story seems to dazzle everyone, it’s not what Plutarch wants. You know this as soon as he huddles together with you, Finnick and Haymitch.

“We need something that’ll capture the Capitol.” Plutarch says.

“We know this already.” You tell him. “Katniss has plenty of stories.”

“Not with as much meat as you or Finnick will have.” Plutarch is tilting his head.

“No.” Haymitch interrupts, he’s shaking his head. “No, Plutarch, you will not force them to tell those types of stories.”

“What type?” You ask, looking at Finnick.

He’s confused, too. “What kind of meat?”

Plutarch raises his eyebrows. “You know—what Coriolanus commanded you to do every time you came to the Capitol.”

You straighten up, eyes wide as you stare at Plutarch. Finnick’s tanned skin seems to have paled immensely, realizing what he’s asking of both of you.

“See?” Haymitch motions. “It’s too vulnerable.”

Plutarch looks at him. “I don’t suppose you’d like to take one for the team, then? You have some stories of your own.” Haymitch doesn’t respond to him, only shakes his head. “This will help get Annie and Cashmere back.”

“You’re sure?” You ask, swallowing thickly. “If I go on camera and tell them what I did, it’ll be safer?”

“They’ll be too focused on trying to shut off the propo that they’ll ignore the defense takedown.”

Finnick begins to nod. “Okay, how do we do this?”

“Both of you will take Katniss’s spot. You can take turns.” Plutarch motions before heading off to talk to Cressida.

You follow behind Finnick quietly, eyes on the ground. He stands just in front of the cement block, while you take a seat on it.

“You don’t have to do this.” Haymitch tells you.

“Yes, I do. If it will help her.” Finnick balls up his rope in his hand. He turns to look at you. “I can do it for the both of us.”

“I can’t ask you to sit here by yourself.” You tell him. “So, at the very least, I will sit here with you.”

Finnick gives you a smile, one that reminds you of Mags, before he turns to look at the camera crew. “I’m ready.”

Cressida counts him down.

Finnick lets out a shaky breath. “This is Finnick Odair, winner of the Sixty-fifth Hunger Games. I’m coming to you from District Thirteen, alive and well. We survived an assault from the Capitol, but I’m not here to give you recent news. Instead, I’m here to tell you about the endless nights in the Capitol.”

There’s a pause, and then he continues. “President Snow used to… sell me… my body, that is.” He begins in a detached tone. “I wasn’t the only one.” He nods in your direction. “If a victor is considered desirable, the president gives them as a reward or allows people to buy them for an exorbitant amount of money. If you refuse, he kills someone you love. So you do it.”

Your eyes find Katniss, whose lips have parted. She had no clue, not that you think she would’ve, anyway. Her and Peeta were still new to the Capitol, they never had a chance to mentor or even come close to this threat. They had other things to worry about.

“I wasn’t the only one, but I was the most popular. And perhaps the most defenseless, because the people I loved were so defenseless. To make themselves feel better, my patrons would make presents of money or jewelry, but I found a much more valuable form of payment.”

He presses his lips together, closing his eyes. “Secrets. And this is where you’re going to want to stay tuned, President Snow, because so very many of them were about you. But let’s begin with some of the others.”

You don’t need to speak, because Finnick has this on lock. All you can do is nod along as he tells the camera about strange sexual appetites, betrayals of the heart, endless greed and killer power plays. Secret after secret that had been uttered in the dead of the night.

When he starts listing names, you know it’s over for most of the people in the Capitol, and it gets worse when you finally pitch in with a handful of names of your own. And more, for Cashmere, because she can’t speak them herself.

“And now, on to our good President Coriolanus Snow.” Finnick says, gaining confidence. “Such a young man when he rose to power. Such a clever one to keep it. How, you must ask yourself, did he do it? One word. That’s all you really need to know. Poison.”

It’s extremely satisfying to hear him begin to tear Snow down. He starts in the past and works his way to the present by talking about all the mysterious deaths that seem to surround Snow. The adversaries and allies that died suddenly or over a period of time. The many excuses that had been repeated.

Snow tried to drink from the same poisoned cup to seem inconspicuous, but all it takes is a few curious minds to find out why his breath smells like blood. There are sores in his mouth that will never heal because not all antidotes work. Which is why he wears those roses, to cover up the smell of death.

They say Snow has a list and no one knows who will be next. All they can do is hope they get out of the way fast enough before he decides they’re a threat, too.

When Finnick stops speaking, the attention is turned on you. Cressida asks if you have anything to add, but all you do is shake your head. Finnick took all the words right out of your mouth, including the strange parties that were conducted. Where you weren’t the star of the show, just there to enhance it.

The camera crew runs off to edit the material, Finnick is swept away by Plutarch, and you don’t move from where you sit on the concrete, staring down at the rubble. Haymitch and Katniss come down to stand next to you.

“I’m sorry.” Katniss says.

“We do what we have to in order to survive, right?” You say, looking up to her. “Finnick warned me that I would eventually regret winning the Games because of what Snow would have planned for me, and he was right. The only aspect that made it bearable was Cashmere.”

“Is that what happened to you?” Katniss asks Haymitch.

“No. My mother and younger brother. My girl. They were all dead two weeks after I was crowned victor. Because of that stunt I pulled with the force field.” Haymitch says. “Snow had no one to use against me.”

“I’m surprised he didn’t just kill you.”

“Oh, no. I was the example. The person to hold up to the young Finnicks and Johanna’s and (Y/n)s. Of what could happen to a victor who caused problems. But he knew he had no leverage against me.”

“Until Peeta and I came along.” Katniss murmurs softly.

After this, you’re taken to Special Defense with Katniss and Finnick to wait. Finnick ties his knots, Katniss paces, and you recite songs from District Four. You’re too anxious to eat lunch. You blow things up in the shooting range with Katniss. You’re told you won’t get any news until the job is done due to communication being down.

Late afternoon, you’re pulled into a room full of screens where Beetee is trying to take over the airwaves. He plays some of Katniss’s footage, but a majority of it belongs to Finnick, with you occasionally cutting in when you had something to say. For the next hour, Beetee barely has any pushback from the Capitol, as if they, too, are riveted by what’s being said.

At the end of the hour, Beetee throws his hands up, sweat running down his face. “Let it go! If they’re not out of there by now, they’re all dead.” He turns his chair around to face the three of you. “It was a good plan, though. Did Plutarch show it to you?”

No, he didn’t, because he’s pretty useless. Beetee takes you to the next room where he shows the system that was set in place to help the volunteers get the victors out from the prison. There’s knockout gas via the ventilation system, a power failure, a bomb detonated in a government building, and the broadcast. Beetee’s pretty happy to hear you don’t really understand what’s going on, because it means the Capitol doesn’t, either.

“Like your electricity trap in the arena?” Katniss asks.

“Exactly. And see how well that worked out?”

Yes, it confused everyone and managed to destroy the dome. Nothing went to plan, the rebels in Thirteen only had so much time to rescue the victors. Half of you were left behind.

You station yourselves in Command for as long as you can, but you’re quickly pushed out when war business starts to be discussed. You wind back up in Special Defense, only this time in the hummingbird room, where you won’t be disturbed.

It’s the most agonizing hours of your life, knowing Cashmere is being rescued but not knowing if she’s safe. You spend a lot of time with your arms wrapped around your upper body, rocking back and forth, staring at the floor.

Finnick continues to tie his knots, Katniss paces back and forth. Haymitch comes in to tell you there’s no word yet. Finnick changes what knots he’s tying, Katniss finally sits down. You stop rocking for a small amount of time to cover your face to hide the tears that threaten to slaughter you. Haymitch comes back to offer dinner, which all three of you decline.

Finnick abandons his rope on the seat to sit on the ground, hunched over with his hands over his ears, like he’d done in the arena with the jabberjays. Katniss holds up a miniature noose she’d made out of her own rope. You play with your hands, keeping an eye on Finnick in case he falls off the deep end.

His hands loosen before he has the chance to.

“Did you love Annie right away, Finnick?” Katniss asks.

“No.” He says, and there’s a long couple of minutes before he adds. “She crept up on me.”

Katniss stares at the ground, mulling this over.

It’s late when Haymitch comes back to check in on you three. “They’re back. We’re wanted in the hospital.” You get to your feet, lips parted. “That’s all I know.”

Finnick doesn’t move, frozen on the ground. You grab his rope, pulling him to his feet to get him moving. Haymitch leads the way, back through Special Defense, into the elevator, straight to the hospital wing.

As soon as you step into the hospital, you almost regret being so eager to get here. It’s absolute chaos. There’s shouting between doctors and nurses and volunteers. There's gurneys being pushed from one end of the room to the other.

You come to a sharp stop when a bed almost runs straight into you, a determined man pushing the woman toward a private room. Her head is shaved, skin sunken in, covered in bruises and scabs. Your eyes glance over her, not really paying attention, until it registers that it’s Johanna.

You take a step toward her, but Katniss cuts you off, heading to a room with an open door. You’re only able to get a glimpse of a man with dark hair, stripped to the waist, before a door is slammed in Katniss’s face, shutting her out.

“Finnick!” A voice shouts, you turn to see Annie, running at Finnick. She’s clutching the sheet to her chest, eyes wild with excitement. “Finnick!” She jumps, he catches her, stumbles a step and then his back slams into the wall, where he holds onto her.

You look at Haymitch, shaking your head. “Where’s Cashmere?”

“Maybe Boggs will know.” Haymitch nods behind you.

You turn to see him coming your way, looking fairly exhausted but seemingly uninjured. “We got them all out. Except Enobaria. But since she’s from Two, we doubt she’s being held anyway. Peeta’s at the end of the hall. The effects of the gas are just wearing off. You should be there when he wakes.”

Katniss nods, Haymitch grins at her. “Come on, then.” He says, guiding her off.

You look back at Boggs. “Where’s Cashmere?”

“She’s just down this hall.” He tells you, beginning to start that way. “So far, testing says she’s good. There’s just been a change with her physical appearance.”

Your eyes widen. “What have they done to my girlfriend?”

“It’s not to the extent of the others.” Bogg tells you. He stops in front of a room with the blinds drawn tightly shut. He places his hand on the doorknob. He knocks twice before opening the door.

From just the crack in the door, you can see Cashmere hide her face, giving you an eyeful of her pretty blonde hair. You pass Boggs, heading straight for her. You’ve missed her so much.

“Babe.” You breathe, the door clicks shut behind you. “I’m so glad you’re alive.”

Cashmere turns, letting you see her. For half a second, you’re taken aback by the sheer amount of scars on her face. And then you don’t care, rushing across the room to have her in your arms sooner.

Her lips are trembling. “Don’t look.” She tells you, but makes no move to look away.

You pull her into a tight hug, face buried in her hair. “I’ve missed you so much. I was so worried when they told me the Capitol got you. I thought the rebels would’ve been able to get all of us.”

“I should’ve just stayed with you in the alliance.” She cries, body shaking, fingers digging into your skin. As if she’s afraid you’ll disappear before her eyes. “We could’ve been together. And now—now everything’s changed. Gloss is dead. And they did this to me.”

You pull back from the hug to get a better look at her face, finding grotesque scars that have healed. The big ones are the eye catches from across the room, they’re the ones you noticed first. It isn’t until you get up close do you see the small ones scattered across her face, her neck, her arms…

“You’re still beautiful regardless.”

“You don’t understand, (Y/n), they’re all over my body.”

You gently caress her face. “So who’s going to see besides me?” You give her a small smile. “It doesn’t take anything away from your natural beauty, Cash.”

Her fingers trail the prominent scar on her cheekbone. “It’s ugly.”

“It’s strength.” You tell her.

“It’s permanent.”

“It’s a symbol.”

“Of what?” Cashmere is laughing, but you know it’s simply because she thinks you’re being ridiculous for insisting.

“You rebelled.” You raise your eyebrows. “And you won.”

“I hardly call this a win.”

“Oh, my dear, but you did.” You take a seat on the bed. “You’re still beautiful, scars or not.”

“No one else thinks that.”

“Do I really need to find someone to tell you otherwise?” You ask her. “Have you seen Finnick’s face?”

She laughs. “No.”

“He’s got scars too, and looks just the same as he did.” You smile. “And I have good news.”

“Like what?” She asks.

“Gloss isn’t dead.”

Her face twists, mouth opening to ask what you mean. But as if you’ve planned it, there’s a knock at the door, and then it swings open. You raise off the bed as a puffy-eyed Gloss enters the room. He hadn’t been told about the news of her being rescued because everyone knew he would’ve flipped his shit since he wasn’t given the opportunity to volunteer.

He’s had a hard time adjusting to life in District Thirteen, it’s nothing like home for him. There, everything’s a competition, you have to work hard to earn what you want. Here, it’s different. You’re given everything you need to survive with no strings attached. No man left behind.

“Gloss.” Cashmere sits up on her bed. “Gloss!”

He barrels toward her, hugging her, rocking from side to side. Both of them are crying, relieved to see each other. It wasn’t easy to revive Gloss, but Plutarch somehow managed to do it. As soon as he was pulled out of the arena after the Cornucopia, he was racing against the clock.

You’re grateful Plutarch was able to fulfill one of your requests.

Gloss suddenly reaches back, grabbing your arm, yanking you into their hug. You let out a laugh, holding onto both of them. Laughter quickly dissolves into tears as the seconds tick on.

“I’m so glad you two are alive.” You sniff, holding onto them tightly. “I don’t know what I would’ve done without you.”

“Thank you, (Y/n).” Gloss says, pulling away. “I know we’ve never seen eye to eye, but if it weren’t for you, I’d be dead.”

You wipe the tears from your eyes, shaking your head. “It’s really no problem.” When you look at Cashmere, she’s got her bottom lip jut out. “Don’t cry, please.”

“I love you.” She says, reaching for you.

You go to her, pressing a long kiss against her lips. “I love you.”

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hopeswriting · 4 months ago

Note

Since it's the holiday season, I want to know your thoughts on what the 10th gen would gift each other for Christmas. Also, I hope you had a good Christmas <3

Hi, thank you for the ask!

I don't celebrate christmas, but thank you for thinking of me, i appreciate the sentiment. <3 I hope you had wonderful holidays yourself too!!

Okay so, these questions are always fun to think about, but i've always been just so terrible at them zjeldksks. 😭 Figuring out the little things like these has always eluded me unless i just need to figure them out for a story lol. So i don't know about gifts (sorry, i know that's what your ask is about 😔), but i can totally see them agreeing to do a secret santa.

After celebrating christmas with their respective families, i can see them showing up at tsuna's house the next day to celebrate among themselves too. Or maybe it wasn't planned at all and they all end up showing up anyway because it's just natural by now for them to go "hmmm i have some free time right now. i should totally go see tsuna! If i don't see him every day, i'll forget the world is a beautiful place and that life is worth living, and i can't have that." (They all love tsuna very much, you see.)

Reborn says it'd be fun for all of them to wear christmas sweaters, and tsuna ends up with the ugliest and most embarrassing one. Naturally, it means gokudera also wears one. He couldn't tell you a single damn thing about its design (duh. all that matters is that the tenth and him are matching!), but he still almost manages to convince everyone else they're the peak of fashion in his effort to cheer tsuna up about them. Yams and ryohei wear one too good-naturedly, but that's it, just the four of them. Tsuna is irrationally annoyed reborn doesn't wear one too even if it was his idea and he totally saw it coming.

Haru shows up disguised as santa claus for no goddamn reason. 😭 (I love her so much.) With the round belly and beard and everything too. She loses the belly and the beard at some point, but refuses to break character at any point.

To keep alive the christmas magic for the kids, she says when tsuna asks her about it. And she even brought gifts for them too because of their secret santa! She spends their time together trying to discreetly put them under the christmas tree before it's time for them to open the presents so she can go "Oh, look!!! You've been such good kids this year, santa claus came again!!!" to lambo, i-pin and fuuta. She's everything but discreet in all her attempts, but everyone pretends to not notice it (except gokudera zjdkskdk).

The girls are also dressed in christmas colors and also wear reindeer's ears to compliment haru's disguise, and tsuna's too busy finding kyoko cute and pretty to question haru any further.

The girls are the ones to invite chrome, but mukuro shows up at some point too anyway. Coincidentally, hibari shows up around the same time too. But before they can use tsuna's house as their battlefield, reborn says they ought to go against each other through a snowball fight instead. After all it's christmas and winter and it snowed too and everything.

This time around too, they lose the plot of that snowball fight real quick lmao. Worse than before actually, because this time hibari and mukuro are also playing. It becomes nothing short of a life and death battle during which tsuna IS very much fighting for his life trying to not be hit by the most terrifying snowballs he's ever seen. WHEN snow is involved at all. It isn't nearly enough for what was supposed to be a snowball fight.

Reborn's also disguised as santa claus. He's disguised as the santa claus, in fact, he says. The original one who taught the santa claus everyone knows of how to do his job. Haru takes it in stride and adds that to her santa claus' backstory and acts accordingly from then on.

Reborn says he's there to make sure they were all really deserving of their presents. When they all look at tsuna's christmas tree, all the presents everyone got for christmas are suddenly sitting under it.

"reborn!" Tsuna shouts. "You can't just break into their houses and steal their presents!"

"I'm santa claus," reborn says. "Have you perhaps never heard of me before?"

"wow, santa!" Yams says. "You replicated our presents so well, they look just like the real things! You must have worked really hard on them."

"oooohhh," everyone else but tsuna says, taking it in stride.

Anyway that's how the Vongola's Christmas Family starts. They have to prove they've really been good kids this year to earn their presents back through various events. For one of them they have to build the most impressive snowman, so back to playing with the snow they go.

It goes well and normally for all of about 5 seconds. After that all bets are off, and it becomes more about stopping their opponents from building a decent snowman, and also about stealing snow from each other because there aren't enough around for everyone if they want to build the biggest snowman possible. Which at some point also became everyone's goal just because.

Another event is about decorating a christmas tree in the most aesthetically pleasing way. Surprisingly enough, both haru and kyoko have too much weird girl tastes about it to be at an advantage. Also surprisingly, chrome turns out to be very good at it, so along with Bianchi, they balance it out. I-pin can't fucking see the decorations they're even working with lmao, but she tries her best to help.

On the boys' side, both hibari and gokudera have very peculiar though very different tastes they're hell-bent on. It means they nitpick everything and argue about everything but aren't otherwise any kind of helpful. Lambo also isn't any kind of helpful because he's distracted by all the shiny, pretty decorations. Yams has no sense of aesthetic whatsoever and ryohei doesn't even have an opinion on it, so it falls on mukuro and tsuna to carry their team on their backs, with the help of fuuta's rankings.

Bianchi insists there just has to be a mistletoe event too. After all it's the season of love and everything. Tsuna's the one who ends up standing underneath it even if she was hoping it'd be reborn lol, and the first one to reach him is the one who gets to kiss him.

A very, very fierce and vicious and ugly battle ensues zjdkskks. But before anybody can start dying for real, reborn makes himself the winner. When tsuna goes to gingerly kiss him on the cheek per the rules of the game, even if it should be reborn who initiates the kiss, reborn kicks him in the face.

Wait, is that maybe too mean zhdkjskss?? 😭😂 Okay, let's back up a little. When tsuna goes to gingerly kiss him on the cheek, reborn makes leon kiss him on the mouth instead.

"what does this even have to do with proving we've been good kids?" Tsuna manages to ask at some point.

"are you questioning santa claus right now?" Reborn says. "Would a truly good kid do that?"

By the time they make it back inside for the second time, half of them are halfway through catching a cold. They warm themselves up under the kotatsu and with warm blankets while eating food and drinking warm drinks.

And that's the end of that because tsuna knows when and how to choose his battles lol.

Anyway once reborn has had enough fun at their expense, he declares everyone the winner with some excuse or another and calls it a day.

Things get chaotic again when it's time to open the presents, but they don't get out of hand. Before they do get out of hand again, and mukuro and hibari can leave before anyone else, they manage to all gather together long enough for a group picture.

They all had a really good time together. <3

And then they do it all over again for new year haha!!

#katekyo hitman reborn #khr #khr asks #khr headcanons #vongola tenth gen #sawada tsunayoshi #khr reborn #1002701

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starrieisdelusional · 1 year ago

Text

episode dedicated to banished!merlin and seperated!morgana in s4 from my fix it au

warning: this is LONG

a bit background: there’s a year and a half timeskip between s3 finale and this ep.

merlin had been training, and getting closer to his roots (studying magic, becoming one with nature, etc etc, no he didn’t go back to ealdor) all the while protecting camelot from the shadows (yes arthur had been getting into a few troubles now and then and merlin had always been there, but never really appearing in front of his face, arthur knows but never really comments about it, settles for ignoring him)

meanwhile after a few months after the s3 finale (morgana and morgouse attacked camelot) morgana finally had a huge fight with her sister and they go on their own ways. So now morgana is alone, doesn’t really know what to do since she killed uther, but doesn’t want to obliterated camelot either

So during season 3 aithusa was born and shes been helping merlin and morgana there and then, there’s also mordred. Oh and merlin’s magic is public information at this point

actual ep:

episode starts off with morgana, tending to her cottage. She lives in the middle of the woods, in the middle of no where. She’s trully alone now, after the fight with morgause. She regretted it a little. Maybe her sister is right, maybe bringing camelot to total destruction and crowning her queen is the best course of action.

But morgana didn’t want that. She just wants uther’s reign to end. It’s not her place now to rule camelot, there’s really no benefit in killing everyone either. Although there really is no change, arthur is still banning magic…

Morgana puts down her firewood with a bit too much force. Truth is morgause is right. Magic is still banned in the land, even in Arthur’s reign. And morgana is scared. She isn’t ready to kill her brother, she isn’t ready to kill the girl who’s there for her each night, every time she’s confused of her nightmares, or the citizens that gave her flowers. Morgana remembers uther’s look of despair and confusion, she feels her hand trembles

Morgause: (in a flashback) You’re nothing but a coward Morgana! A coward!

No matter, she’s not part of it anymore, it’s better to leave it alone. Let morgause finish their revenge.

When morgana leaves to wash her cauldron, it feels weird. It felt like she’s being watched. She scanned the woods with her magic, she didn’t feel anything. That’s really strange, morgana must be…

The first thing morgana sees is the stone floor. Her head is splitting, her vision is unfocused. Morgana sits up slowly, trying to regain balance.

The room is dark, she can barely see anything. When she tries to move her hair, she realizes that she’s chained to the wall

Great. She’s kidnapped.

She scowls, trying to free herself from the chains. She tries to draw her magic, but she feels nothing. Whoever kidnapped her knows what they’re dealing with…

She hears a groan from her left and she saw a man. Wearing god knows what. Laying on the floor, chained like she is. She calls for him, trying to wake him up. The more she looks at him, the more she felt like she knew this man.

???: where am i… Morgana: (realize who this is) Merlin??? Merlin: …morgana…?

The man looked at her, no longer the merlin she last seen. He looks like a stray being, as if he’s the spirit of the forest. He is covered in cloth, a cloak on his head. His skin peaks out from where the cloth didn’t touch him, even in the dark, morgana can see the light bouncing off his slender thighs and the faint outline of his….nipple

Morgana: you look like a prostitute… Merlin: that's rich from someone who dress like a beggar Morgana: I’ll have you know this is one of the finest dresses i have- Merlin: Your hair could really do some work Morgana: you don't get to say that when you don't need to maintain your hair every day!!

They bicker back and forth about their fashion choices. Morgana also hates his serving clothes, especially that tattered neckerchief on his neck…And he barely changes everything. It’s a boring to look at every single day. At least Gwen changes her clothes once in a while.

It was so heated they didn’t notice the door opening until they heard footsteps entering the room. They eye their predator carefully, backing themselves to the wall. But the guards only un-cuffs them from the wall, forcing them to stand.

They were bringing into a room, full of people with chains on their hands. Morgana stands close to Merlin, maybe Morgana can kill him when he wasn’t looking, morgana HATES him after all…

The ringleader came into view, told them to fight to the death. Anyone who succeed can go to the second round or something morgana wasn’t really listening. She’s too busy to think of ways of killing Merlin.

They put a bunch of weapon in the middle of the room, probably to aid them or something. Morgana grabs a sword just in case. Merlin didn’t grab anything. What an idiot.

Ringleader: The battle starts….now

It was a blur after that. Morgana remembers slaying people, people who aren’t merlin. Morgana tries to cast a spell towards him every now and then, she saw Merlin doing the same. But it was never strong enough to kill, probably too distracted by the threat in front of them.

It suddenly stops. Only Morgana and a few other people stands unscathed, including Merlin, always Merlin. It makes a lot of sense now why he has a habit of not dying. Morgana remembers when she discovers that he has magic. What a hypocrite.

They were thrown to their prison cells not long after. After a speech that morgana really didn’t bother to listen

(in their cell)

Merlin: You have any idea what they want? (body swelling with blood and bruises) Morgana: we’re stuck in a slavery ring

Morgana seen one back when she was still with morgause. She tracks them down when one crosses her path, a potential army for her. She remembers that one of those rings would pit off prisoners like this, probably to find new slaves

Morgana: I couldn’t wait to see your demise when one of those brutes mortally wound you…” (giggling, imagining Merlin suffering a slow and painful death) Merlin: (shakes his head) look morgana…i’m sorry alright? I didn’t mean to betray you like that, and i… Morgana: i don’t want to hear your excuses you liar! You’re the same as that old fool! (screaming)

morgana wish she can slit his throat right now. Morgana wants to stab her dagger, revenge for every time Gaius told her she doesn’t have magic, for every time merlin stay quiet

Merlin: well i’m sorry for being a liar when i’m constantly threatened to be executed! At least you don’t get to suffer any consequences!! Morgana: you don’t get to say that!! You meddle into things when you don’t need to!!

they scream to each-other faces. Spit and all. It’s a bit disgusting, but Merlin is more disgusting. And every time she hears his excuses it brings something ugly within her. When Morgana was about to throw another insult at his face the door opens harshly

Guard: Quiet before I snap your necks (throwing a piece of bread and then leaving) Morgana: …at least i’m not an idiot in love like you Merlin: what do you mean? Morgana: (snorts) you spent every single day protecting arthur from harm, you took poisons and blows for arthur, you poisoned me because i’m hurting arthur, you hunt a child like a pig because of some wishy-washy prophecy, a child merlin, a child! Merlin: … Morgana: how’s arthur? was he sad that i killed his daddy??

it didn’t go unnoticed that Merlin was silent at the mention of his brother. Which was weird, usually when she brought him up he never shut up about him.

Merlin: (gets the bread, tossing it to Morgana with his bound hand) eat up, tomorrow is going to be a rough day Morgana: I don’t want food from you (tosses it back to him with gnawing stomach) it’s probably poisoned anyways Merlin: (sighs) if i ate it and i didn’t die, would you eat it? Morgana: ….no

merlin shrugs, biting a bit of his bread. When he shows no indication of poisoning, he tosses it back to her

Merlin: See? No poison Morgana: (rolled her eyes, grumpily tossing the bread back to him) i don’t trust you until you finished it

they toss the bread back and forth, biting into it until there’s no more food left to toss. After another stupid remark, Morgana greets him goodnight, and sleep on her side of the cell

It became a routine after that, they were toss at the arena, got toss back in the cell, tossed back at the arena….

Morgana hates it when she spends time with him. She’s sick of Merlin’s wicked humor. When he managed to rung a laugh out of her. For the first time since Morgause she feels like she’s not alone anymore

Merlin: …and then I told him that it was a sidhe, but he didn’t believe me! Morgana: Well he’s stupid, the stupidest man i’ve ever known…

Morgana didn’t enjoy talking to him, she hates it, she’s sick of the joy crawling on her skin

Morgana: What about Gwen? Merlin: Gwen? Oh she’s fine, she’s sad when you’re gone that time, we couldn’t really comfort her, it’s the same with arthur…it’s the same with everyone really…we miss you Merlin: …and what about you? What of you and arthur? Merlin: … Morgana: Oh come on merlin! There must be something that you did right? It’s been what? A year since that kiss? I saw it you know. Surely you already did something?? Are you still Arthur’s manservant? i don’t know how you handle that magic though…are you still keeping secrets from him? Why are you here anyways? Is arthur here with you? Merlin: Arthur banished me Morgana: Sorry? Merlin: I’m banished from camelot...

Morgana didn’t know what to feel. She should be happy, merlin is banished from camelot! That’s what she wanted right? For Merlin to suffer?

Merlin: it’s fine though, I learned a lot, did you know the druids grows the best of fruits? Must be their connection with nature or something. Their grapes are divine-

Morgana couldn’t stop the ire rising from herself when she kicks him. Merlin immediately bends to touch his leg

Merlin: WHAT WAS THAT FOR?! Morgana: YOU’RE AN IDIOT MERLIN SON OF HUNNITH! Wow i know you’re an idiot but i can’t believe you’re THAT BIG of an idiot Merlin: What???? Morgana what are you even- Morgana: Should i chop Arthur’s manhood for what he did to you? Gosh, you’re probably still protecting camelot even in banishment aren’t you??? I know that’s you when morgouse sends the hydra on the castle….are you an IDIOT??? Why are you still chasing this guy?? I can’t even…i get that he’s hot, but really merlin? Why did you get banished anyway? was it the magic?? Or is he hates homosexual relationship? It’s the magic isn’t it…that bastard….

Morgana swears when she gets out, she will kill him, even with her own two hands-

Merlin: stop it morgana, i don’t want you to kill arthur! Morgana: Of course you’re going to say that! you lovesick fool! Merlin: Really? Do you want me to kill gwen because she stabbed you that one time?!

Morgana shuts up, merlin must be referring to that time when gwen is forced to stab her when she reigns the castle with morgause, she doesn’t like thinking about it

Morgana: (huffed) he shouldn’t banish you, not when you’re always by his side, and what do you get?

it’s stuff like this that made her truly hate camelot. Morgana could understand her banishment, but to banish merlin? Why didn’t anyone do anything? It truly made morgana sick to her stomach

Merlin: you know, banishment isn’t that bad…and i made choices…I deserved it

Before morgana can reply a guard enters their room, uncuffing them and dragging them outside their cell. They arrived at a different room, like that of an arena. But smaller this time. But only morgana and merlin stand in the middle of the room. The ringleader stands on a balcony

What happened on the last arena again? Right, only merlin and morgana were left standing, which means…

Ringleader: Merlin and Lady Morgana, once the pride and joy of Camelot, only to be banished by King Arthur himself. What a pity Merlin: If you think that I’m willing to help you to destroy camelot, count me out. My loyalties will always lie on king arthur Ringleader: Oh no no, I don’t want any of that. I don’t know how you ended up together as prison-mates but i did not expect the witch and emrys to be in my doorstep, inside the same cell nonetheless! Morgana: And? You want us to be your slaves? do you really think we’re willing to submit to you? Ringleader: don’t worry, i can think of ways to tame you

Morgana stomach jolted at the implication

Ringleader: Despite your…peerless reputation, you’re both are a headache for me to handle…so i just want one (sat on his make-shift throne) go ahead then, fight to the death! don’t you hate each-other?

Morgana looks at Merlin, and he looks at her. It’s true, Morgana had been wanting to kill Merlin for a long time but…

She doesn’t want to kill another one of her kind. And she doesn’t want to kill her friend

Ringleader: Come on! I’m waiting…

The shackles on their hand cracks, and Morgana felt her magic restored. They stare at each-other, circling. Is Merlin going to kill her now? Morgana saw how Merlin body is poised, ready to strike.

She strike first.

They danced around each-other, exchanging blows. The blow was sometimes deadly, other-times unnecessary spells. But they never land a fatal blow, even if morgana is panting, and merlin is out of breath

Morgana: …what’s wrong Merlin?…scared? Merlin: You wish (strike a spell that tore the fabric of her skirt) Morgana: (gasped) My dress! Merlin: …oops…

Morgana screams, sending a curse towards merlin. Morgana can’t believe it, it actually hits him, and for a moment merlin was confused, because nothing happened

Merlin: well that was anti-climactic (in a girl's voice, realization) morgana change me back right now! Morgana: No

she puts another curse on him, but he dodges it this time. It didn’t take long for merlin to tackle her, she fights back, trying to push him off and they fight like children.

Merlin: Get off me! (shrieking unladylike, his long nose (yes how ironic morgana is a genius) touching the ground) Morgana: You get off! (fights back, hair green. Fingers feels like rubber)

They rolled on each-other back, trying to murder the other until they gave up and just sprawled on the floor, too exhausted to do anything. If Morgana have to fire a spell one more time it feels like she’s going go throw up

Morgana: You’re pathetic Merlin Merlin: You’re even more pathetic Morgana: At least I’m stronger than you, you look like a twig Merlin: Well I’ll let you know that- Ringleader: ENOUGH

(they both look at him)

Ringleader: Just die already! I don’t care who dies! Just kill someone! If you don’t want to do it, then I’m going to kill the both of you! Morgana + Merlin: ….HAHAHAHAHHA Merlin: Did you hear that??? He says he’s going to kill us Morgana: ‘Just die already’ (still laughing even as she felt her hair is being pulled. She felt hands shoving her down, Merlin next to her) Ringleader: Do you have any final words? Morgana: (looks at Merlin) You’re not as worse as I thought Merlin: I’m glad to meet you too Morgana

When the axe about to fall down on their neck, the rooftop shake, and suddenly a dragon is screaming at them. Their assaulters ran, terrified of the beast.

Morgana: Aithusa!!

Merlin laughs beside her, chanting in a foreign language. Aithusa squeal and Morgana paused

Morgana: You’re also a dragonlord Merlin: Yeah not many people know that

Aithusa breathes fire, fending off their attacker

Morgana: merlin if you dare as to so much touches her- Merlin: Morgana, i birthed her Morgana: …??

Morgana had no time to argue when the ringleader is starting to ran to them. She quickly climbed onto her, when Morgana reaches out her hand for Merlin to grab but Merlin fell. Limbs grabbed by the ringleader

Morgana: MERLIN!

Aithusa is shrieking, trying to shield herself and Morgana from the fire. Merlin chants and Morgana felt Aithusa leaving

Morgana: Merlin? MERLIN WHAT ARE YOU DOING? Merlin: Goodbye Morgana Morgana: STOP!!

Morgana tries to reach him, but Aithusa keeps flying, away from the dungeon, away from Merlin

Episode ends

End notes: i rlly didn’t expect it to be this long. Anyways sorry if it didn’t made sense and the pacing is off, i’m really rambling here 😭 but this is how i think morgana merlin interaction should go

season 4:

main post:

To find my other ramblings about this AU, filter with the hashtag #must we really rely on fate?

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tinycheesecakedetective · 24 days ago

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The Tribes of Madras Gorge

Since the establishment of Madras Gorge, many of the spices have founded their own clans and tribes. Each tribe has a role they play to help support the growing nation. This post will be a helpful guide to understand who does what and how they contribute to the "kingdom."

The Nutmeg Tigers: The Offensive Front

The Nutmeg Tigers are known for their ferocity and power, so naturally they act as the tribe's main force of attack. They help keep the tribe safe from hostile forces like predators or unwanted visitors. Their leader, Nutmeg Tiger Cookie, takes pride in ensuring the other tigers are at peak form.

Many of the tigers must prove their worth before being recruited, however, and go through many grueling exercises and training regiments in order to be considered. Duels in the tribe is not only traditional, it's a great way of training new recruits and helps form bonds with other members. Tigers that aren't able to fight aid the tribe in other ways, such as acting as referees for duels or care-taking the cubs while the others are away.

The Pepper Pangolins: The Defensive Front/Escorts

They may be small, but they are mighty. With their mighty scales, the Pepper Pangolins are the perfect tribe to help defend their home. The pangolins work in tandem with the Nutmeg Tigers, defending them from vicious attacks. When they aren't in the heat of battle, these spices will often be recruited to protect important members of the tribe as bodyguards. This tribe is led by Pepper Pangolin Cookie.

Pepper Pangolins pride themselves on their impenetrable scales. As such, they are sure to pay extra attention to it, and often set aside days to deep clean and treat them. The more affluent members of the tribe will often decorate their scales with gold or silver dust, however other colors such as red and green are often used as well.

The Cilantro Cobras: Stealth and Espionage

One of the Cilantro Cobra's greatest strengths is their adaptability and efficiency. Naturally, many of the cobras use their skills for special missions both in and out of the battlefield. Because of this, the Cilantro Cobras aren't seen working with the other tribes as much. However, their absence doesn't equate to inactivity. Cilantro Cobra Cookie will be happy to respond to any requests, after all.

Like real life snakes, cobras will often shed their skin every few months. Another interesting fact about cilantro cobras is that around 10% of the population can produce a venom potent enough to paralyze a healthy adult cookie. Fittingly enough, the cobras are also the only ones to have access to an antivenom. Perfect for ambush missions.

The Turmeric Pigs: The Priests

There are many rituals and practices upheld by the many spices in the gorge, and the Turmeric Pigs help upkeep the many traditions of old. Though their numbers seem to be dwindling, the Elder Turmeric Pig Priest takes pride in their position to usher in the next generation of priests and priestesses.

Much of the turmeric pigs have a knack for sniffing out important roots and plant life. Many of the resources used in their rituals have been found using their noses, and have incredibly high value both within and outside the gorge. Perhaps that's why so many pigs were unable to escape Great Battenia...

The Saffron Buffaloes: The Mages

While many residents of the gorge aren't unfamiliar with magic, the Saffron Buffaloes seem to have a natural affinity for it. From transportation circles to amplification spells, the mages provide a key resource in battle. But the battlefield isn't the only place magic used. Alongside the Kulfi, the buffaloes often use their magic to help with up-keeping and defense; repairing the damages caused by fights or natural disasters. Saffron Buffalo Cookie is the leader of this tribe.

Many of the buffaloes are in-tune with magic, but for those that aren't, they make incredible fighters. Their bodies are 100% muscle, and with the right training, a buffalo mage can also be a tank. the saffron buffaloes also have a tendency to suffer from poorer eyesight, so many of the population wear glasses or have walking canes to help move around.

The Kulfi Monkeys: The Healers

Last but not least, the peaceful Kulfi specialize in studying and practicing healing magic. They're led by the wise Elder Kulfi, and despite their lack of spice, play a vital role in treating and helping the others recover from injury and disease. In addition to assisting the buffaloes, they can also act as advisors, and are often sought out by others for their insight.

The kulfi are also well known for their Lassi Springs, a safe haven for many spices to be able to unwind and let loose after battles. Because the environment doesn't produce the drink naturally, the lassi is often made by hand every morning, and is said to have cooling and healing properties. The perfect way to relax after a long day of patrolling.

~~~~~

Culture and Practices

The Spice Festival Every year, the gorge celebrates its anniversary. Spices from all across the gorge, and even some outsider tribes would come to eat, drink, and battle to their hearts content. The main event would be a tournament style free-for-all, where tribes would send out their strongest warriors to fight for a chance to beat Ghost Spice Cookie in a match. Before every battle, the other members of the tribe would try and hype up their respective fighters with dancing and music, drenching the field in their tribe's respective colors before rounds.

The Hunt Each spice tribe goes outside of the gorge to find and catch the biggest meal they can muster. Using nothing but the clothes on their backs, the tribes rely on their talents and skills to get the biggest meal out of all the tribes. The most successful tribe then receives bragging rights and first dibs on their catch as the other tribes praise them for their success.

Day of Remembrance Once every month, the spices take the day off to remember and honor their ancestors. Many fast for the day while delivering offerings to the temple, in hopes that they may reach the fallen. At the end of the day, all the offerings are burnt as ash covers the night sky.

#exchangedfatesau #cookie run kingdom #crk au #cookie run #their designs are perfect as is

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salixsociety · 10 months ago

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The Problem of the 'Witch's Sabbat'

Why we should stop calling our non-jewish holidays 'Sabbats': a (hopefully) definitive guide.

It is the year of our Gods 2024, and to this day I still enter communities and see the word 'sabbat' as one of the first. It is common practice to refer to any holiday, but especially those as featured in the Wheel of the Year, as sabbat(h)s, and frankly, I am sick of it. So I hope that I can use this post to convince some people on why it is time to remove that word from our vocabulary.

Where Does the Word 'Sabbat' Come From?

The very root of this word is the Hebrew ש־ב־ת (sh-b-t). It is the root word for many words pertaining to rest and not working (or more broadly: 'cessation'). This word evolved into שַׁבָּת (shabát), which translates to Saturday or weekly rest-day, normally. This word, also often spelled Shabbos from Ashkenazi Hebrew, travelled through various antique languages (Ancient Greek -> Latin -> Old French) directly to Middle English, where it became 'Sabat', and later Sabbath. While this word, in its travel through Europe, has influenced some words, you'll notice that it has also stayed one unique word, with a unique meaning: the Jewish Rest Day. The Sabbath, Shabbos, Sabbat, Shabat, et cetera, will always and has for most of its history been the word uniquely reserved for Saturday in Judaism. To those not very well read on Judaism, it may be helpful to know that Judaism is what is considered a closed practice. It is only permissible to practice Jewish religious tradition, and to a large extent, Jewish culture, if you are a Jewish convert. By extension, that should clue you in on the nature of the word and holiday of Shabbat.

Further reading on this topic: Etymology, Jewish Sabbath.

When Did it Become Relevant to Witches?

The first time the words 'sabbat(h)' and 'witch' were uttered in the same breath would likely be around the late Medieval period. The reason why this is, is something not nearly enough people are familiar with: the incredibly deep link between antisemitism and witch-hunting. Before the early Church turned its hateful eye to the concept of 'witches,' it was firmly on Jews. Jews, alongside other heretics and oppressed minorities like the Rroma, were considered utterly worthy of damnation. They were seen as antagonistic to the Church, going against everything the Church stood for, and furthermore as misanthropic, greedy, unreliable enemies. They were the scapegoats for many disasters and indeed frequently accused of practicing magic or poisoncrafting to invoke these disasters on the 'Good Christian Folk'. Furthermore, and this may sound familiar to you, jews were accused of 'consorting with the devil' and murdering children in order to consume their blood to mock the Eucharist, often referred to as blood libel. It was often claimed that this (nonexistent!) practice was done on the Shabbat, alongside other practices twisting and mocking those done in Church on Sunday. The persecution of Jews in Medieval Europe was horrific and seemingly endless, having origins in antiquity and reaching a peak during the Crusades, and another when the Plague ran rampant. Jews were banished, forced to convert to Christianity or brutally murdered, not infrequently by burning or strangulation.

What all of this is meant to illustrate is that the witch stereotype, or the wish to persecute witches in the early modern period, didn't come out of nowhere. There is a reason that caricatures and cartoons of witches feature a short and stocky body, a big and 'ugly' nose, green skin, red or dark hair, buckled shoes, and a conical hat (which before it became associated with witches, was often called a judenhut or jew hat). The roots of the witch stereotype in antisemitic caricatures and stereotypes are well-recorded and easy to see. And, indeed, the crimes most witches were accused of and burned for, directly mirrored the crimes jews were accused of before them. Consuming 'pure' Christian blood, mocking the Eucharist, fornicating with the devil, and all of this at the 'witch's sabbat', a made up gathering that witches would supposedly fly to on their broomsticks.

The idea that witches existed and the wish to eradicate them didn't purely come from antisemitism, of course. Misogyny, xenophobia, religious idealism from the Church, and other factors played incredibly large roles. But let us remain forever aware that the people burned were not in fact people flying on brooms, having sex with the devil and drinking the blood of Christian children. They were jews, they were Romani, they were people of color, they were women accused of stealing milk, they were victims.

So, the word 'sabbat(h)' wasn't just appropriated because somebody else wanted it or didn't understand it, like in many other cases of (mis)appropriation. It was appropriated explicitly to harm and eradicate several already fragile and oppressed, and in the case of Judaism, culturally exclusionary, communities.

The Role of Western Esotericism and Wicca

One could have expected the concept of the witches' sabbath to die out alongside the trials, but there is a secondary evil in this story, and it is Wicca.

In the late 19th century, English anthropologist and folklorist Margaret Alice Murray, one of the few women in her field, was halted in her research about Egypt, and was forced to find a new field of interest. She developed a hypothesis, based in mostly fantasy, that certain 'witch-cults' had survived the "Burning Times" in Europe. They were, according to her, secret societies upholding prehistoric fertility cults. Though most of her work was based in fantasy and speculation, her theory had one passionate follower: Gerald Gardner. But we will get back to him in a moment, because there is someone else pivotal to Gerald Gardner's beliefs: Aleister Crowley. Crowley is perhaps one of the most famous sexual predators, racists, antisemites, and cultural appropriators in the history of western magic. But, he was 'intelligent', well-travelled, privileged, and obsessed with occultism. He joined the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn when Gardner was already there. Both during his time in the Hermetic Order and after, he studied many religious traditions across the continents and wildly appropriated from all of them, most notably for this story, from Kabbalah (Jewish Mysticism). I will not go in depth about him, but he, and his fixation on Kabbalah, were extremely important to Gardner's views. Gardner, amateur anthropologist (with two fake PhDs!) and former devout Christian, used the works of Margaret Murray and Aleister Crowley to justify his claim that an old witch named Dorothy Clutterbuck had initiated him into one of these prehistoric fertility cults, one that survived the witch hunts. This is where Wicca started, and that makes the formation of Wicca entirely impossible to separate from antisemitism - and that is reflected by their language and rituals. From appropriation directly from Kabbalah, a closed practice, to calling their (mis)appropriated holidays 'sabbats', the origins of Wicca and their views on the trials are abundantly clear.

The Harm

I think we are now at the point in this blog where I should no longer have to explain that taking the word 'Sabbath' (or any other spelling of it) outside of its cultural and religious context, and applying it to practitioners of magic, is outrageously antisemitic. It is the propagation and preservation of notions and habits that got thousands of people, jews and not, brutally murdered, displaced, and forcefully converted, and it continues to conflate jews and witches - something that we've had to agree is antisemitic quite a few times, after quite a few genocides.

Another major evil in calling pagan/witchy holidays 'sabbats' is that it misconstrues what the witch trials actually were - it was the persecution of heretics. Witches are heretics, heretics are non-christian, jews are non-christian, therefore jews are heretics, therefore jews must be witches! In both the Old and the New World it was always the different, the other, the unfamiliar that were murdered. Again: people of color, Romani, jews, muslims, scary and ugly women, thieves, disliked women, the disabled, the mentally ill. It was not, and it will never be, privileged white women. In fact, it was generally them assisting in the eradication! I mean this with quite some distaste: if you are one of those people that says 'we are the daughters of the witches you couldn't burn', I know what you are. You are either uneducated or hateful, and I hope you fix that sooner rather than later.

Something else rather distasteful to me is how casually people are willing to dismiss the arguments against the use of 'sabbat' by the pagan/witch community. Antisemitism is not considered as serious, as severe, as relevant, as important, as worth considering. Not as much as other issues. I have had days-long arguments with people providing source on source on source and been met with: "I just don't see the harm." And I hear what you are truly saying. What you are truly saying is: "it's only antisemitism." When it is the appropriation of white sage, when it is the appropriation of Papa Legba, when it is the appropriation of something you don't want all that much, you are willing to stand up. But when it is antisemitism, when it is a word you've used for years, when it seems small and like it would be more convenient to just keep it, you are willing to stand by. And that is performative activism, and that is perpetuating the casual willingness to appropriate from Judaism. And it will be the reason that you and the people in your circle will also feel confident casually appropriating from other cultures.

Intersectionality

Despite the fact that the antisemitic nature of this usage should be enough, there is so much more harm to be done. After all, as was mentioned, it wasn't just jews that died. It was everybody who was not a white, wealthy, able-bodied, heteronormative, Christian man. It was women, so many women. It was schizophrenics. It was slaves, freed and not. It was natives. It was everybody who was different. When you stand by when people call their holidays 'sabbats', you are not just saying yes to antisemitism. You are saying yes to racism. You are saying yes to homophobia. You are saying yes to indigenous hate. You are saying yes to misogyny. You are saying yes to ableism. You are saying yes to ageism. You are saying yes to xenophobia. You are saying yes to hate.

After all, even when it starts with one group being persecuted, the persecution will go on after the extinction of the first group. And when the persecution finally reaches your group, and you have let every other group before you gone extinct, there will be nobody but you to fight for you.