#also. making him suffer

[egginfroggin]

Hey who wants to see the first chapter of an old time loop submas fic I started back in 2022

Great, here you go:

(No warnings that I can think of; please inform me if I should tag or mark anything)

Celebi had been summoned many times in its long life, called to the Ilex Forest by countless people as Time dragged on and on in an endless march marked by monotone ticking. Whether or not those calls and summons were heeded was entirely up to Celebi itself, and what, precisely, motivated it to appear to one person over the next was known only to itself.

Perhaps it was a sense of mercy.

Perhaps it was curiosity.

Perhaps Celebi could see into the hearts of those who called for it and judged from there whether or not a person was worthy of a wish.

Perhaps it was none of these things, perhaps it was all of them, perhaps it was nothing at all.

Celebi hovered there in the Ilex Forest, crystalline wings fluttering on its back as it appeared in a flicker of light and a flurry of sparkles like the fairy it was. Power thrummed in the air around it as the tiny creature’s lips curled in an ever-present smile, eyes fluttering open to peer down at its summoner.

Goodness, it could see this man’s very soul, and what a sight it was – Time had not been kind to him at all, exacerbating the symptoms of heartbreak instead of healing them. Cracks ran through his very core, fissures of stress and anguish and desperation, and Celebi’s own heart throbbed for this poor man, sympathy running alongside curiosity and unnameable emotions as it looked over every tearstained bit of his flagging heart.

Celebi tilted its head, smiling patiently.

“What is your wish, human?”

He’d gone rigid with its appearance, disbelief and shock showing in his eyes like he hadn’t expected it to really appear. Celebi’s smile was reflected in a twisted manner on his face, more of a grimace, but at the sound of its bell-like voice asking for his request, the disbelief and tension melted away to make way for tentative euphoria. He choked in a gasp of air, tightly-clenched fists releasing for a moment, and he straightened his spine, lifting his chin despite the tremors Celebi saw rattling his form.

“I am Emmet,” he said, clear and monotone yet so very, very exhausted, “and I –”

He faltered for an instant, his voice hitching, and Celebi could feel, almost see his pain become tangible as feelings of pain, loss, need, separation shuddered through his soul.

“My brother and I have been decoupled,” he said, swallowing hard. “For a verrrrry long time.”

Years, he didn’t say, but Celebi knew nonetheless, years ago, five, almost six.

“I want him back.” His fists tightened, tight enough to draw blood if not for his gloves. “How things were before. I never wanted to lose him. I do not want to lose him. I do not want us to ever be separated again.”

Twins, the same age, together from conception, individuals but two sides of the same coin.

He licked his lips, drawing in a breath, silver eyes never leaving Celebi’s softly glowing form.

“I wish to never be separated from my brother ever again – for it to have never happened, and to never happen. That is my wish.”

Grant it, please, please have enough power, he didn’t say.

Celebi tilted its head the other way, wings fluttering softly, blue eyes wide and scouring.

After a moment, it blinked.

Then, Celebi smiled at the torn-up, determined man before it, inclining its head with a glint in its irises.

“As you wish, Emmet.”

Time ground to a halt, splitting, tearing, reversing, reforming – Dialga would have a fit at it later, for sure, but a wish was a wish, and Celebi had heeded this one – Time looped back on itself countless times over, veering around the will of Celebi and the will of fate itself.

Ilex Forest was washed in blinding, pure white light, and when it faded, only Celebi remained, hovering over the dish of offerings, a gentle, sad smile on its lips.

---------

Emmet felt the ground fall out from beneath his feet, the pull of gravity yanking him down as light flooded his vision, bright and all-consuming and blinding, searing his retinas with burning, cold white.

It faded into black, thick as tar yet easily breathable as he sank into it.

His fall slowed and up was down, left was right, light was shadow and cold was hot, everything reversed, its own inversion, and for a single, petrifying moment, his lungs seized as his head throbbed with enough pain that it felt like it would split open.

Emmet blinked, and a feeling of weightlessness came over him as a loud voice echoed in his ears, distracting him from the pain in his temples.

Train no. 1 will leave the station momentarily. Thank you for your continued patience.

“What?”

His own voice was clear as water, but staccato, a single burst of sound, unlike the ringing voice that surrounded him like an announcement over the P.A. system at Gear Station back home.

We will now be leaving the station. Best of luck on your travels. Have a good day.

Emmet once again fell, his yell of utter confusion left behind as he tumbled down, down, down, into the endless abyss as the announcement repeated itself one more time.

[batcavescolony]

Katniss is such an unreliable narrator. She says "Then something unexpected happens. At least, I don't expect it because I don't think of District 12 as a place that cares about me" girl you deliver strawberries to the Mayor, you hunt and trade for the district, when you fell at Prim being chosen someone caught you, when you went to Prim people parted for you, when you volunteered EVERYONE stopped. Idk how to tell you but I think you're a pillar of the community.

[mugentakeda]

I feel like modern au zuko can drive, is very good at it, has his license, and will get you where you need to go but like. with very dangerous efficiency. he drives like Evel Knievel. he drives like a bat out of hell. he whips the wheel hard as fuck and you will see Jesus even if the drive is from your house to the corner store. his car is used and like 10 years old but she is strong and loyal just like her master and wont break down for anything. she'll tear over anything in her path. zuko has given iroh so many mini heart attacks while driving him around (<- because iroh does NOT have his license). worst of all is that zuko does NOT talk or road rage ever when he drives he's DEAD SILENT and simply blasts the radio. and its always either terrifying Chinese opera or crazy shit like Free Bird by Lynyrd Skynyrd

[ruporas]

need to exist in your warmth (id in alt)

[incoherentchanting]

this shit is so funny

[inkskinned]

"don't make it political!" .... what proportion of death and suffering must occur before politics are involved. if this isn't political, what is even the point of any politics, ever. of democracy. the words are "by the people for the people." if i am going to be left alone by my elected representatives to "figure it out" - to undergo damage, hardship, fear. what the fuck did i elect them for. what was their job. the entire point is that they handle this shit. this is why we were supposed to be electing leaders.

poverty is political. misogyny is political. gun control is political. climate change is political. how much aid a community gets is political. what the fuck are you talking about. it's been political this whole fucking time.

[teh-inggris]

pvp civ nation...... this aint much but pls take my contribution for this series bc im going insane i love hate this man so much get him out of my head

[kimtaegis]

Destination: your heart Estimated Time of Arrival: whenever you need him ➤ for @jung-koook ♡

[aesthetic-uni]

Miles “Who’s Morales” vs Gwen “Gwwwwanda” vs Pavtir “You seem like a nice young woman I do not know” FIGHT

[thefrsers]

How in god's name are you alive?

[satsuha]

in khura'in...

[rystiel]

that annoying moment when getting left for dead in the trunk of a car in your 20s comes back to haunt you 40 years later (take a shot every time ford says “stanley”)

[dykedvonte]

I think depictions of Anya being cruel to Curly or drawing out his suffering are artful and chilling but completely miss the point of the story and her character.

I'm not saying she doesn't deserve to have that "I told you so" moment with him but not in something callous or cold. Even if that is how it happened, she'd immediately feel guilty cause at that point she's not tormenting her tormenter or even the person truly at fault. She's doing something cathartic, similar to how Jimmy likely hits Curly to release rage he can't against the rest of the crew. She'd see herself as no different when she'd come back from the moment and see Curly cowering at her. She wants someone to take responsibility but how does being cruel to the defenseless help? Why would she want the power Jimmy has over her over Curly?

The idea of her extending someone else's pain is just so against the struggles she already faces and how she can't even bring herself to cause someone pain even to help them. Her very desire is to release herself from her own suffering and I doubt she'd even fine some sort of guilty release in being cruel to another.

[edwinisms]

george rexstrew deserves awards for many things but i have to say. edwin’s bloodcurdling scream as niko gets killed deserves a whole award unto itself. like. that scream did not feel at all like a tv show scream. to a somewhat jarring degree. and i can’t express how much I respect that

[maulfucker]

canon mlm rep is like "i like a boy..but im!?!? also a boy!? >-<??" meanwhile queerbaiting is like "you think you know me? it was I who languished for years thinking of nothing but you‚ nothing but this moment. and now... the perfect tool for my vengeance is in front of us. I never planned on killing you, but I will make you share my pain, Kenobi"

[befuddled-calico-whump]

thinking about a whumpee on a forced march through rough terrain

hands tied in front of them, on foot while their captors are mounted, sleeping out in the open, forced to beg for adequate food and water

maybe they're barefoot, a captured royal in silken robes

maybe they're in a torn suit or soldier's uniform

maybe they were stripped at the start, increasing the exposure to the elements, the humiliation

are they a terrified mess from the beginning, or do they try to endure with dignity? how long before they're stumbling, barely putting one foot in front of the other? how long before they fall?