#and I go grrrr I want to shut you up by putting my mouth on your mouth

[number-1-kuaidul-fanboy]

....I fucking hate you so much.

[betterthanyalls]

Characters: GN Y/n, Stelle(HSR)

Prompt: Mail Order Bride/Arranged Marriage

Requested: Kinda(it was for a deal)

I gave Y/n some design choices, deal with it pls

Title:Is Love Bought?

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

There she stood, in all her sassy glory. Her yellow orbs glisten in the sunlight like cat urine or the moon's glow. A few days prior, y/n decided they were done with being a lonely, sad, and miserable fortnite player and discord mod. They went onto the dark web and searched “Order A Bride.com”. Y/n clicked the first one they saw, someone named Stelle. She was beautiful, and y/n couldn’t care less about her personality. Back to the present, y/n stood frozen. It was love at first sight. They couldn’t take their eyes off of Stelle’s orbs.

Y/n cleared their throat. “Ahem, you are my wife?”

Stelle suddenly became very nervous “y-y-y-y-y-y-y-yes I-I-I-I a-a-a-a-a-a-am……..”

“No need to be worried, Kitten. I will take great care of you.” Y/n laughed darkly. “One rule, don’t make me angry. When I get angry, I see red! You don’t want to see my dark side.” Y/n growled like the alpha werewolf they are.

Stelle flinched in fear. Y/n let Stelle into their house. “You sleep here.” Y/n said as they pointed to a dog cage. “W-what?! B-B-But I’m your w-wife! Don’t I s-sleep with y-you?!” Stelle exclaimed in fear.

“Ugh fine. If you’re going to be a jerk about it.” Y/n groaned. They led Stelle to their room. As soon as Stelle stepped into the room, she passed out. The epic gamer discord mod smell flooded the room and knocked her out. Y/n shrugged and went to their computer to start playing fortnite. Then Y/n remembered something. “Oh my giddily goodness! I am no longer single he he he ha! I am no longer cringe!” Y/n cheered as they spun in their Valorant chair.

Then Stelle woke up. “W-what happened?” She asked worriedly. “Nothing Kitten, you are just weak. Now let’s go watch anime together grrrr.” Y/n growled as they dragged Stelle to the living room couch. Y/n decided to put on My Hero Academia. “I just love Tor-door-oh-key! He is so ka-why-ee! Gosh, look at me sharing all this with you. I’m such a baka!”

Stelle sat there confused and terrified. Then suddenly, she was transported to another dimension. “H-hello?” She called out into the darkness of the void she fell into. Then she saw Y/n. With their 3 foot tall frame and golden hair. (if ur bald, use this line: With their 3 foot tall frame and glistening smooth baldness)

Y/n’s blue ocean skyline galaxy rainbow water rainy icy snowy blue orbs shone in the emptiness. “Y-Y/n?” Stelle called out.

“Hello Kitten.” Y/n spoke, their voice booming with power and dominance. “You have not been good.”

“W-What?! I have been amazing!” Stelle yelled.

“You didn’t follow the one rule.” Y/n screamed in anger. “This is my dark side GRRRRR!!!”

“AAAHHHHHH” Stelle screamed as Y/n bit Stelle’s neck. Stelle felt her teeth fall out and be replaced. She had fangs?!

“W-what happened?!” Stelle asked quickly.

“I am no human. I am an alpha werewolf demon angel vampire royal fairy gremlin Shrek Lorax Onceler O’Hare Air Blue Smurf Cat.” Y/n recited perfectly.

“WHAT IN THE FLIPPITY FLOP IS THAT?!” Stelle yelled.

“GRRRRRRR” Y/n punched Stelle in the gut, causing her to shatter the fourth wall. Stelle looked at you, the reader.

“Nah bro help me out. This story has gone on long enough. It is too crazy. Tell the author to fix their brain.” Stelle was shut up by yours truly. Because Stelle can't keep her noisy little mouth shut. Haha she is such a goofy goober lol. Now where were we? Oh yeah, my b I forgor.

Stelle was thrown into a wall that appeared out of nowhere. Then suddenly, she woke up. She was on the couch with Y/n. She looked around, it seemed like her and Y/n fell asleep while watching My Hero Academia. Stelle looked down to see she peed on the couch like the stupid wife she is.

THE END.

[tvitr]

uwu I don’t make the ruwules

(Okay fine, reasons/opinions below the cut but be warned! I won’t be holding back on game or book spoilers. Or rambling. This got longer than I anticipated lol)

BETTER IN THE BOOK

Eis “Fireman Sam” Glover: I don’t know what the game was trying to do with this one. I guess he gets overwhelmed by the fire and loses his composure or gets scared or... something?  Also why did he not bring a hose. Or a mask.  This is why so many reviewers thought Wonderworld was a metaphor for purgatory and all the inhabitants are dead I swear. Who cares, the book handled it a lot better. I wouldn’t say it’s perfect, but there’s definitely a good idea here with some interesting themes. The gist is that he feels ashamed following his captain’s orders to retreat during a serious blaze, which his colleagues disobeyed, and his colleagues are later hailed as heroes by the press.  Is Balan the Book trying to take on toxic masculinity...? How brave. Tl;dr, the book conveyed the story a Hell of lot better than the game. Honestly I’m surprised this is the only one.

BETTER IN THE GAME

Haoyu “Airplane Boi” Chang: So the book tried waaaay too hard to draw a parallel between Haoyu and Fiona (aka, Dolphin Girl) to the point that they both share a similar backstory, in that they had a hobby which led to a near-fatal accident and now they’re too traumatised to resume said hobby. And that’s not a bad thing per se but... “near fatal accident” was already Fiona’s backstory. We didn’t need a duplicate. And this is more personal preference, but I kinda liked Haoyu’s story in the game anyway. His failure at building a functioning aeroplane out of crap he found in his garage is endearingly funny in the game, and the resolution of him taking time out to sit down and study before building anything is a nice spin on the whole “if at first you don’t succeed” theme the chapter wanted. 

Sana “Bird Lady” Hudson: So the book decided they didn’t want to make Cal an angry sore loser so guess what? They made Sana an angry misanthrope. Wonderful. Okay maybe that’s harsh, but she definitely came off as very bitter and unsympathetic in the book. Like there’s a scene at the end where she harasses a firefighter and tries to steal a fire engine because they’re working on a building fire and not supervising her park. That’s not a character you wanna root for. That’s a Karen. The game had a better plot thread and resolution to her story rather than a boring cookie-cutter “humans vs. nature grrrr humans are so evil” story, like the game story here had a bit more depth to it and approached the topic more maturely than the book did. Which is ironic considering how hilariously edgy the book gets sometimes, but I guess throwing a few smashed eggs and frozen bird skeletons into your story doesn’t mean anything if you’re still going to paint such a black-and-white narrative.

Iben “Frozen Elsa” Bia: This story didn’t need dialogue. Like... we don’t need her to justify why she’s upset her parents are dead because we’d already assume that. They’re her parents! Of course we’d assume she’d be upset! They died! Simultaneously! That’s horrible! WE DON’T NEED HER TO EXPLAIN THIS! Also her dialogue in the book was... pretty terrible, not gonna lie. Like if you’re gonna insist on dialogue at least make it gOOD. I’m actually planning on just reviewing her book scene so I can fully articulate just how bad it is anyway, so stay tuned for that mess lol.

FINE IN BOTH

I mean there’s not really too much to say here but anyways:

Jose/”The Farmer” having a family in the book gives him a bit more depth, even if we never hear from them again after his backstory dump.

Fiona/”Dolphin Girl” almost drowns in a slightly different way, with a dolphin straight up pulling her mask off rather than knocking it out of her mouth, and the book also goes more into detail about her love for diving and dolphins. Also the book ships her and Haoyu like. So hard. Like they never shut up about how similar they are or what they other’s doing or if the other’s okay or not. By the end of it I was expecting them to just start making out in front of everyone, they’re that obsessed with each other. And it would be funny if they didn’t use this to wreck Haoyu’s backstory like I mentioned earlier.

Yuri/”Bug Kid”/”Is that a Pokémon reference?” is now being kinda bullied for liking bugs, which yeah gives her more depth and reason to be upset but I also kinda related to her just being that One Kid with interests that nobody else had. But it’s not as bad as some of the other changes, so I can let it slide.

Atillio/Clown and Bruce/Old Man are the same, nothing to say here.

Lucy/”The Artist” is a total drama queen but then again so are Art People so I can let it slide. I did like them changing her problem from “artist’s block” (seriously?) to her feeling too under pressure to create masterpieces, unless that’s what the game was aiming for? Oh who cares.

JUST A BIG MESS

Cass “Dead Cat Girl” Milligan: This is a weird one because the story is the same between the game and book (though the book mentions she witnessed a more severe car accident rather than a speeding car which she assumes kills the cat, and the cat isn’t even her cat, it’s a stray) but the story itself is... flawed. According to the book, they wanted to convey the idea that running away from the accident was irresponsible, and she just needed to look back and she’d see her cat is okay, but the game kind of makes it look more like Balan turned back time to save her cat, and the book mentions a serious car crash which I don’t think anyone would willingly return to. I feel there’s a better way to convey this idea of being responsible for your pets, like say her cat escapes from the house and gets lost, and her resolution is going out and properly looking for it. That’s a more effective (and natural) way to relay that message, especially as they weren’t going to commit to the idea of grieving a lost pet.

I’M CONFLICTED

Cal “Chess Daddy” Suresh: God this was a tough call. On one hand Cal’s game backstory is one of the ones most YouTube players single out as the weakest backstory in the game. He’s just “that guy who lost one game of chess”. Being right before Iben’s level certainly doesn’t help. I could honestly write a separate post about how bad the story placements are in this game but that’s too long for here.  On the other hand, I still... kinda like it? Like I like this idea of him being a sore loser with a bad temper who needs to learn some humility, sure it’s not as serious as “I almost drowned” or “my parents are dead” but one of the few good things about the game is that it balanced “serious” stories with “benign” ones, if that makes sense. HOWEVER His book scene is... probably one of the best written in the whole book. Which isn’t saying much, but it felt like it hit the intended degree of darkness that the rest of the book was trying to hit. One of my main issues with the book is how much it edged up everyone’s backstory, which doesn’t sound bad but when you have 12 characters with edgy backstories to sit through, it starts to feel like a 14 year old's first attempt at writing an angsty fanfiction very quickly. And yes, Cal’s story is dark and angsty but it felt like the perfect balance of dark and angsty. Or as perfect as the book can get. Like even Balan’s annoying rhyming dialogue sounded good for the tone of the scene. Man maybe I should just do a review of both his backstories in a bigger post.  Obviously I could be biased because I’m a sucker for chess aesthetics and dark skinned men with long permed hair so I’m just putting more thought into him but still.

[wagner-fell]

“So then Catra writes on this note ‘hey Adora’ and Adora is like ‘grrrr’ and so they do this whole passive aggressive dance where you could have cut the sexual tension with a knife. Oh, and then-”

“I. Hate. History. Class.” Mari slammed their plastic lunch tray onto the table.

“Oh thank god,” said Kevin. Listening to Mari rant was much preferable to hearing about the Princess Prom episode from Astrid. Again.

Blessica hit Kevin and gave him a pointed look.

“I mean it’s bad enough I have to write essays about fucking colonizers. But now I have to sit next to this white-ass American boy? No thanks.”

“You know,” began Astrid, “if you wanted, I could kill this new guy for you with, oh I don’t know, werewolf po-”

“No!” they all shouted in unison. Astrid was mundane with the gift of the slight but she didn’t think of it like a gift. What was the point of being able to see this fantastical reality if she couldn’t be a part of it? What was the point of having three werewolves as your best friends if they refused to turn you into one?

Blessica tried to tell her that, as a downworlder, she would face a lot of discrimination. But what kinda excuse was that? Astrid was a Korean lesbian who, for most of the time, lived with her single mother. At least this branch of marginalization gave her freakin’ superpowers. The only superpower Astrid currently had at her disposal was not having to date men.

Astrid angrily took a bite of her cinnamon roll and Mari followed suit. Blessica tried to pat her arm but Astrid swatted her away.

“American?” Kevin asked. “I don’t remember any Americans. Is he new?”

Mari nodded through a mouthful of baked goods. She tucked her tie into her black-and-white uniform sweater vest so they didn’t stain it. Normally she wouldn’t have bothered but laundry had been a living nightmare lately. They promptly realized that her sweater vest was also going to get food on it. In removing it, their stomach flashed briefly. She stuffed it in her bag and set an alarm on her phone so they wouldn’t forget to put it back on before the lunch bell rang. Like that time Miss Yang made them jelly doughnuts and she got detention for a week. Mari really hated this school sometimes.

When she looked up to see half the surrounding area staring at them, they looked down at her collared shirt to see if she had gotten fresh cinnamon bun gooeyness on it already.

Astrid laughed. “It’s because you exposed your six-pack.” She moved her fork around in circles, making sure the ranch covered each piece of lettuce in her salad. Astrid loved ranch. She kept a gigantic bottle of it in her bag at all times. “You know, one time this guy asked me if you got them tattooed on. Cause girls can’t have abs and all that bull.”

“And what did you tell him?” asked Mari, amused.

“No.”

“Thank go-”

“I told him the truth. That the only tattoo you have is of Consul Lightwood’s face on your ass.”

“Oh, fuck off.”

“The world deserves to know.”

“You're a hazard to society.”

“Awwwww. Mari! I love you too.”

Astrid smiled and shoved a mouthful of salad into her mouth as Mari rolled their eyes.

“Holy shit,” said Blessica, staring at something over Mari’s shoulder. “That is the second hottest man I have ever seen.”

Kevin glanced in the direction she was looking at then back to her. “What? Who?” he asked at the same time Mari drawled, “second hottest, who’s the first?” with a single eyebrow raised.

Blessica blushed as Kevin continued his search. “M-magnus Bane. Obviously.”

“Riiiiiiiight,” said Astrid, looking between her and Kevin.

Blessica blushed deeper. “Shut up.”

“Wow,” said Kevin. “That him?” He pointed and this time Mari turned around…to face Kit fucking Herondale.

Blessica, still red in the face, nodded.

“Wow indeed,” agreed Astrid.

“Aren’t you a lesbian?” questioned Blessica.

“Blessie, darling, I may rather suck on a cactus than suck on a dick but hotties can admire their fellow hotties. Gender is irrelevant in this scenario.”

Mari slammed their hands down onto the table. “Ladies! We are better than simping, even just hottie wise, over an American, white boy! We have standards! And Kevin! I know that” disgust dripped from her voice, “is your type, but resist!”

He rolled his eyes. “Jesus. You hook up with two blonde nephilim and suddenly it’s your type.”

“Yes,” said Astrid slowly, as if explaining something to a very dim child, “that’s how it works.”

Mari felt like they were missing something. Her three friends began discussing where they wanted to go tomorrow for Blessica’s birthday but they were stuck on Kevin’s statement. Something about it wasn’t quite right. It took her longer than she was proud of to figure it out.

“Wait, hold up, did you say nephilim? Kit is a Shadowhunter?!”

They all exchanged a look. “Uh, yeah. Didn’t you see the Mark on his hand?”

Mari turned back to him again. He was sitting by himself at a few tables, scrolling away. And on the hand holding his water bottle… was a voyance rune, clear as day. How did they miss that? “What is a Shadowhunter doing here anyway?”

Kevin shrugged. “Perhaps he’s here to check out London’s up-coming werewolf. I hear she’s a hazard to society.”

Astrid’s head shot up. “Really?!”

“No, sorry sweetie,” interjected Blessica. Astrid finished her cinnamon bun with an annoyed ‘hmph’.

They chatted more about Blessica’s upcoming sixteenth birthday before Kevin came up with the dumbest idea ever. Which was an extremely difficult title to earn amongst the 11th years at St. Lucy’s Academy.

“We should invite the Shadowhunter.”

Mari scoffed. “The whole pack’s gonna be there! Like hell they would let a Shadowhunter crash it.”

“Oh please. Once they lay their eyes on McDreamy, they’ll all forget about his angel blood.”

Astrid gasped. “Is that a Grey’s Anatomy reference? Are you finally watching it?” They all ignored her.

“I think it might be fun,” said Blessica. “And it’s my party so…” She stood up and walked over to Kit’s table, Kevin right behind her.

Astrid picked up her salad with one hand and her second cinnamon bun with the other. “Come in,” she said. “What’s the worst that can happen. You fall in love?”

“Haha,” said Mari, slinging her bag over their shoulder and joining the others.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ @adoravel-fenomeno @im-not-ruined-im-ruination@thechangeling @thomas-gaypanic-lightwood @sofiatheskeleton @cncnbr @its-taff @ithurielkeepsgettingkidnapped @noah-herondale-lightwood @maxboythedog @arangiajoan @shelvesofgold @illusions-give-reasons-to-live @book-dragon-not-worm @the-blackdale @the-wckd-powers Lmk if you want to b adde/removed from the tag list!

[walpurga-nacht-academy]

Djinn’s Bride! ~A Celebration of Love~

Part 6

[Walpurga Nacht Academy]

[Djinn’s Lamp]

Rosa/Marcia: THIS IS THE WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOORST-

Rosa: OUCH!

Marcia: OOF!

Cass: EEK!

June: SHIT!

Blanche: UGH!

Diana: …

Vita: My~ That was quite a fall, was it not, my dear Agatha?

Agatha: Hehehehe… It… was… scary… but… Big… Sis… always… lands… on… her… feet…

Vita: Certainly~ It would not do otherwise~

Blanche: Di-Dies-senpai?

Vita: Hm~ What it be little hare?

Blanche: Could you and Agatha please get off. We’re all squished undern-

June: HEY, SHITHEAD, GET OFF!

Rosa: OUCHOUCHOUCHOUCHOUCH- THIS HURTS! YOU’RE ALL TOO HEAVY!

Diana: …

Marcia: Aaaah, this is where we meet our end… Goodbye my wonderful future full of riches…

Rosa: THAT’S WAY TOO DEPRESSING! MARCIA STOP SAYING THAT!

June: SHUT YET TRAPS!

Blanche: Ugh!

Vita: My, my, what strength~

Agatha: … Ugh… stupid… big… chowder… sat… up… all… of… a … sudden… and… we… all… feel… off… No… grace…

June: HAAA? YA WANT YER HEAD OFF OR SOMETHING?!

Cass: Uuuummmm…

June: Ya ok ‘here, Cass?

Cass: E-Eh? Ye-Yes! Though for a mo-moment the wind was knocked o-out of me…

Rosa: I thought for sure we were going to die…

Marcia: Haaaa, that would have been better…

Rosa: It really wouldn’t have!! Maybe you’re fine with dying young, but I’m not!! I still have a ton of stuff to do, you know?! Dying like this would be way too inconvenient!

Marcia: Haaaaa…

Rosa: Grrrr! What’s with this attitude anyways?! After making so much trouble for the rest of us by getting that djinn out of the lamp, you decide to stick your head in the sand too?!

June: Tsk. That’s ‘hat happens when yer so fuckin’ greedy.

Marcia: Hm? Why are you looking at me when you’re saying that? I really don’t get it.

Rosa: Weren’t you the one who brought the lamp to the meeting?! Why do you think we’re blaming you?!

Marcia: Now wait just a sec! Yeah, I’m the one who brought the lamp in, but it was senpai who released the djinn inside! If anyone’s to blame, it’s her!

Blanche: That’s a foregone conclusion.

Marcia: Eh? Wh-What’s that supposed to mean?

June: Ya should have expected the shitty ghoul to pull shit like ‘his.

Rosa: That’s right! That’s right! Dies-senpai is a heartless person who only likes to amuse herself by making others miserable! You should have known beforehand she’d take advantage of the situation to make a mess like this! Seriously, Marcia! What were you thinking?!

June: Yeah, ya fuckin’ moron.

Marcia: HAAAAAAAAAAA?! You’re blaming me?! You’re seriously blaming me?! After all that was said?! Your heads seriously are screwed on wrong!

Rosa: Grrr!

June: YA WANNA PICK A FIGHT?!

Marcia: I’LL PICK ONE ALRIGHT! I’m not gonna stand here and let you dump on me like that when there’s only one person at fault!

Vita: Hm~?

Agatha: Don’t… point… your… stupid… finger… at… Big… Sis…

Marcia: Shut it! I’m serious right now! Even if you bite it off I won’t care, you brat!

Agatha: GRRRRRRRRRRR.

Marcia: Senpai!!

Vita: My~ Your furious face certainly adds a certain allure to your visage~ It sends shivers down my spine~

Marcia: Yo-You’re not gonna distract me with your weirdness now! I’m too worked up to think through what you’ve just said! Senpai!! Please explain yourself!

Vita: Oh? Explain myself? Whatever could you mean?

Marcia: You know perfectly well what I’m talking about!! Why did you let the djinn out?!

Vita: Ah. That.

Marcia: Yes! That! You knew there was a magical presence in the lamp and you set him loose on all of us! Please explain your reasoning behind that!

Vita: Hm~? ‘Tis not obvious?

Marcia: Not at all!! I can’t wrap my head around your thinking process at all! It’s like trying to navigate a maze with no exit!

Vita: My~ The compliments are pouring out of your mouth today, are they not?

Marcia: Senpai!!

Vita: Fufu~ But very well. Sweet nothings should be rewarded after all. ‘Tis always been my policy. If an answer you seek, then cease your wandering, my dear~

Marcia: … Wh-What’s that supposed to mean? I don’t get it at all!

Diana: Curiosity is man’s downfall.

Marcia: Eh? Curiosity? Downfall?! What are you talking about now, Diana?!

Blanche: … I’m afraid I understand what she’s talking about.

Rosa: You do?! Just from that?! You’re amazing, Blanche!

Blanche: … Th-That’s… Ahem. I advise you to restrain your enthusiasm, Rosalia. I’m doubtful you’ll be happy with what I’m about to say…

Rosa: I-Is it that scary?!

Blanche: Scary… Perhaps we could look at it that way too… But more importantly, I would say the right word for it is-

Vita: Gratitude~

Blanche: …

Rosa: Gra-Gratitude? For what exactly…

Agatha: The… stupid… amoeba’s… brain… is… so… small… eheheheheheheheh…

Rosa: GRRR!

Vita: Now, now, my darling Agatha~ We must always show patience, remember? ‘Tis not her fault for her deficiency~

Rosa: … I didn’t get that but it was an insult, wasn’t it?! I can tell, you know!

Vita: How perspicacious of you, little rose~

Rosa: Another one! That was another one, wasn’t it?! Is this really the time for that though?! Don’t we have bigger problems?!

Marcia: Give it up, Rosalia.

Rosa: Eh? Marcia?

Marcia: There’s no way you’re going to get through to senpai. Her mind is too warped. Like this issue of gratitude… I think I’ve got a grasp on it…

Vita: Hm~?

Marcia: That gratitude you’re speaking about… is it that you wanted to thank me for bringing such a fun ‘toy’ for you to play around with?

Vita: Correct~

Marcia: AAAAAAAAAH! I WAS AFRAID YOU WERE GOING TO SAY THAT! JUST DOING EVERYTHING AT YOUR OWN PACE WITHOUT CARING ABOUT ANYBODY ELSE. THAT’S RIGHT! THAT’S RIGHT! THAT’S THE WAY OF THE MAD FREE PEOPLE, ISN’T IT?!

Rosa: Ma-Marcia! Calm down! You’re having a breakdown!

Marcia: Right.

Rosa: .... Eh? Th-That was a quick turnaround…

Marcia: After some meditation-

Rosa: Meditation?! What meditation?!

Marcia: I’ve come to a conclusion. SENPAI!

Vita: Hm?

Marcia: I’m returning the lamp to you~

Vita: No need, my dear. Consider it part of your dowry~

Marcia: Eh~? No way~ I couldn’t possibly steal this magnificent item from its rightful owner~

Vita: My~

Marcia: And since you’re the rightful owner~ Because you are~ You should stay here and marry this guy instead~

Vita: Oh~? I simply could not~

Marcia: Are you thinking about my feelings~? How kind~! But you really shouldn’t~ I’m giving you my full support~ So don’t hold back~ Don’t hold back at all~

Rosa: … She’s really trying to skirt her duties.

Marcia: I heard that!!

Rosa: !!!

Marcia: If you think I’m taking the fall for senpai’s blunder, then you’re dreaming!! I’m washing my hands clean of this whole thing!! Ya hear me?!

Rosa: … Just a second before you begged her to give you the lamp.

Marcia: That was when I thought I could make a quick madol with little to no consequences!! Things are different now!! The consequences have come back to bite me in the ass!!

Blanche: She’s so frustrated everything is spilling out.

Diana: Mm.

Marcia: So, senpai!!

Vita: Hm~?

Marcia: Step up and do the right thing!! Take this creepy guy and marry him so we can go back!!

Vita: I refuse~ I despise men with such bland features~

Marcia: WHO CARES ABOUT THAT?! You think I want to marry a guy with such a lame sense of humour?!

Vita: Hm, that would be rather unfortunate~ But his overly excitable attitude is simply revolting. I will concede to you.

Marcia: I DON’T WANT HIM! HE’S REALLY OFF-PUTTING! YOU TAKE THE CREEP!

Vita: No~

Rosa: They’re really annoyingly stubborn!! Seriously, I know that marrying such a weirdo is not the best outcome, but aren’t they going too far? Don’t you think so, Blanche?

Blanche: … Rosalia.

Rosa: Eh? Blanche! But- Huh?! Wait! If you’re on my right, then who’s the one-

Djinn: …

Rosa: AAAAH! SO YOU’VE BEEN HERE ALL ALONG?!

Djinn: ...

Marcia: YOU TAKE HIM! I’D RATHER DIE THAN MARRY HIM!

Vita: ‘Tis a mutual feeling~

Djinn: …

Rosa: YOU MONSTERS! STOP TALKING! THIS SORT OF ABUSE WILL BREAK ANYBODY’S SPIRIT! JUST BECAUSE HE’S UGLY AND LAME DOESN’T MEAN THAT HE SHOULD BE FORCED TO ENDURE THIS!

June: … Yer one to talk.

Djinn: ...ugh..

Rosa: Eh? What was that?

Djinn: ...ough…

Blanche: ?

Djinn: ENOUGH!!

Blanche: !!!

Rosa: MY EARS!!

June: NOT ‘HIS SHIT AG’IN!

Djinn: ‘Monster’ is too light a word for you people!! Even ogres have more compassion! You devils! Don’t you know a young man’s heart is really fragile?!

Rosa: I-It kinda hurts how right he is...

Djinn: That’s it. I’ve decided.

Rosa: Eh? You decided?! What did you decide?!

Djinn: I really wanted a cute wife to come live with me and cheer me up when I am down and share my joys and sorrows! But you girls are much too troublesome and unpleasant!

Rosa: Eeeh?! But I didn’t even do anything?!

Blanche: That’s obviously a lie.

Djinn: So you’re all evicted from here-

Marcia: YAHOO!

Djinn: -except for my master!

Marcia: …

Vita: Fufu~

Marcia: DON’T YOU DARE LAUGH! And you!!

Djinn: Ah, don’t shout like that. I have delicate hearing, you know?

Marcia: Like I care!! More importantly, didn’t you just say you couldn’t stand any of us earlier?! What’s with this sudden switch, huh?!

Djinn: … Well.

Marcia: WELL WHAT?

Djinn: I guess spending eternity with you is still better than being alone.

Marcia: …

Diana: … He must dislike loneliness.

Rosa: Haaaa?! Aren’t you too casual about this?! The way he just spoke was super insulting, actually!!

Blanche: Indeed. But that aside…

Agatha: It… still… means… one… will… have… to… stay… behind… We… should… make… the… stupid… amoeba… do… that… hehehehehehehe…

Rosa: NOOOO! ANYTHING BUT THAT! DON’T LEAVE ME BEHIND! I DON’T WANNA! IT’S MARCIA’S FAULT SO SHE SHOULD STAY!

Marcia: IF ANYONE SHOULD STAY IT’S DIES-SENPAI!

Vita: Fufu, are we to cast votes? Then I believe that the world ought to be spared of violent brutes with barely a sliver of intelligence~

June: …

Cass: Mi-Mi-Miss Himalia?

June: … I... ‘nough…

Cass: Um…

June: I HAD ‘NOUGH OF ‘HIS SHIIIIIIIIIIIIT!

Djinn: !!! E-EH?!

back | next

[qweeby]

Nine Lives To Short Part 2: A Hero Confronts the Hypothetical

♡♡♡♡♡♡♡💔💔

Paring: Hitoshi x Reader

Genre: Angst

Tag @foxypuppy

Plot: You only have 9 days to tell him how you feel....but maybe 9 days just isn't enough

"Please be ok please be ok!" that plea kept replaying in the mind of Histoshi Shinsou as he is sitting in the waiting room of the hospital.

He thinks about your soft touch, your sweet voice and your unforgettable laugh as tears stream down his eyes his voice breaking "please be ok....please..."

The entire room is quiet....tap tap tap tap is the only thing that can be heard and its coming from Shinsou as his left leg is violent shaking.

"Shinsou....?"

The entrance to the waiting room opens it's Kaminari and Mr. Aizawa, Denki rushes to Shinsou then begins to pat him down, patting his face and chest "YOU'RE OK RIGHT NOTHING IS BROKEN RIGHT!"

Shinsou brushes Kaminari off, " I'm fine it's not me you should me worried about....it's y/n she's the one in real pain".

Aizawa puts his hand ontop of Shinsou head rubbing his hair making it messy. "Yeah but that doesn't mean you aren't hurting to kid... it's ok to cry it won't make you any less of a hero.

Shinsou looks down " I just need to see her".

Kaminari sits next to Shinsou asking "How long have you been here, Hitoshi?

"About 5 an hours, after I ran Y/n to her parents and they called the ambulance, we came here and the doctor said that the parents can come with them but friends and other relatives were to stay here".

Suddenly Hitoshi sees your parents walking down are walking down the hall he jumps up quickly and makes his way towards them in a panic.

" Is y/n ok! What happened to her! C-can I see her please!" Hitoshi is frantically blurting out all of the questions that been on his mind of the pass 5 hours until your dad stops him.

"Woah woah calm down there Hitoshi, Y/n is fine she just need rest we actually came out here so we can take you home".

Shinsou tenses up shocked that after all that waiting he's just going home with seeing you.

He was not gonna let that happen.

" Home?...... HOME! THERE NO WAY IM GOING BACK HOME AND I DONT HAVE A CHANCE TO SEE IF Y/N IS DOING OK! I-....I have to see for myself.

Aizawa steps up, " Last time I checked Recovery girl was sent here to help Y/n with her injuries so she should be up"

Kaminari holds up his hand trying to put his two cents in " Plus he's been waiting 5 whole hours".

Your mom hangs her head "Yes that is true but....y/n is gonna need more than just kiss to feel better".

Your father begins to sweat as Shinsou glares him with anger in his eyes, everyone in the room begins the feel Shinsou's uneasiness.

"Let me ask you a question sir".

Your father gulps "Yes, Hitoshi?".

His pupils begin to dilate as Shinsou uses his quirk and asks the question " What's happening with your daughter".

Kaminari quickly grabs Shinsou pulling him back, " Dude! Are you crazy you can go around using your quirk on people!".

" IM NOT GONNA STAND HERE WHY THEY LEAVE ME IN THE DARK! I NEED ANSWERS!"

" Y/n's quirk....is hurting her shmmh-" before your dad can finish his sentence Aizawa stares at Shinsou erasing his quirk while simultaneously your mom covers your dad's mouth.

" Hitoshi! Control yourself Now"

Hitoshi shoves Kaminari back as her runs pass the three adults to y/n's room.

" Wait Toshi! You...don't even know where her room is...".

Aizawa sighs " Leave him Kaminari, right now I'm gonna need you to step outside" he angrily glares at your mother and father "I need to a meeting with some parents".

.

.

.

Meanwhile Hitoshi is running though the hallway is he searching for your room " Where is it..HA! Found it!.

Hitoshi kicks open your the hospital door.

" Y/N!" You jump and scream " AHHHH! What the HELL HITOSHI YOU CAN'T DO THAT WHAT IF YOU BROKE IT".

Right now all Shinsou wants to do is to hug you and hold you and never let you go but...

He just stands there and yells.

"You're such a God Damn lair!"

"...who told you-".

" APPARENTLY NOT YOU! WHEN THE HELL DID YOU GET S QUIRK FROM! HOW LONG HAS IT BEEN HURTING YOU?!"

You sit up and take a beep breath, "My quirk developed last week I didn't know how I was gonna tell you".

" LAST WEEK!? THEN THAT MEANS.....t-that means..."

-Hitoshi thinks back to last week after school when he was training with Aizawa-

" Hey Mr. Aizawa Hey hey" you eagerly jump around the tired teacher circling him. " What is it now kid?"

" Can you use your quirk on me?"

Shinsou spits out his water " ppppfffft why would he do that it literally won't do anything".

You turn to Shinsou pouting " yeahh but sero says when that when you get you quirk erase it's like your soul leaves you body".

Shinsou squints his eyes at you " I think Sero was high when he told you that".

Aizawa rubs his eyes and grunts.

"Ugh! Fine come here kid but after this I don't wanna hear anything come out of you mouth until we are done training".

You nod while standing still as Mr. Aizawa uses his quirk on you but no it looks like nothing happened.

Hitoshi chuckles " See told you it would work" he looks at you and see the look of utter disappointment and defeat. " What's with the face cat?"

" I was just really hoping that something....anything would happen but...oh well".

You smack you face as you give Shinsou a big thumbs up " You gotta ge back to training-mmmpfh-!"

Aizawa wraps you up his his cloth like a mummy and gives you to Present Mic

"Here Hizashi here hold the kid"

" YOU GOT IT SHO!"

Shinsou could help but laugh at the whole situation while you freak out the Mic's arms.

-He then thinks about how you acting at lunch during that same day-

" Hey Y/n you not gonna eat?" Kaminari askes while shoving fish sticks in his mouth.

"Oh umm I'm not really hungry"

"You aren't? But I haven't seen you eat anything all day are you sure?"

"Yeah Hitoshi I'm ok".

Bakugo the reaches across the table to get in your face " HUHHH THE LITTLE KITTY DOSEN'T WANNA EATTTT? I BET IF CAT BOY OVER HERE FED YOU, YOU WOULD EAT IT ALL UP!"

You and Bakugo clash foreheads.

" SHUT UP YOU FERAL POMERANIAN"

"GRRRR....THE FUCK YOU JUST CALL ME YOU QUIRKLESS LOSER!".

Kirishima walks to the table smiling simultaneously as he sits down saying "Man it looks like it's raining cats and dogs over here".

" SHUT YOUR TRAP YOU POINTY TEETH DIMWIT!" You Bakugo scream at Kirishima at the same time then go back to arguing with each other " STOP COPYING ME!".

Shinsou watches as you don't eat anything but shrugs it off as you going on a diet.

Hitoshi falls to his knees shaking, his voice breaking.

" THAT FUCKING QUESTION WASN'T JUST A HYPOTHETICAL WAS IT!"

You get off your bed as you sit in front of him, "No it wasn't ".

"I so fucking stupid Y/n..."

You slow reach your hand to grab Hitoshi "No...don't say that..."

"But it's true! Can't you see!

Shinsou raises his head looking at you his eyes bloodshot red, see him like that startled you , so you back up but then hes says something that made you hate yourself.

"....How can I ever be a hero if I can't even save one person...I'm so weak"

Tears begin to fall down your eyes seeing your best crumble apart by your actions, you jump into Shinsou's arms crying repeatedly saying " I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry".

You feel bad for Shinsou as he may have come across one of the most hardiest trail of being a hero.

How can a hero save someone that doesn't wanna be saved....

You and Hitoshi press forehead's and stare at one other but then...you look at Hitoshi but his face begin so switch between blurry and not until everything is completely blurry in your left eye.

"S-shinsou..."

He sniffs and rubs his nose, " Yeah y/n".

"I....I can't see"....

♡♡♡♡♡♡♡💔💔

Y/n has lost her 2nd life as another day draws near. Jow can Shinsou save the unsaveable? Will y/n ever confess in time and end her suffering.....will y/n's eye sight be the only thing she loses?.... 9 days won't be enough

[onepdumpsterfire]

The Love struck neighbors

Modern life!AU

   "Are you spying on her again?" Asked a voice from right besides me. "Gah! Don't do that, Ace. it isn't funny" I say, trying to slow my racing heart "And I'm not spying, for your information. I'm just looking outside, it's just a coincidence that our neighbor, that lives across from us, is uh... Stretching..."

   "Uhu just a coincidence, like the other times that she happened to be doing yoga in her living room," He walks towards the kitchen; all the while continuing his mocking, "or writing, or cleaning or-"

   "Okay I get it!" I interrupt him. "And, by the way, your drooling," Ace shouts over the clattering of pans. "N-no im not!" I reply, quickly wiping away at my mouth. My face is beet red and it'll probably keep getting redder if we continue this conversation. Time to change the subject.

   Getting up I follow him to our cramped kitchen. "Don't touch the food on the stove; wait till luffy gets here and then we can eat"

   "You should just go talk to her, if you like her so much," grabbing a piece of hot food from the stove, he tosses it into his mouth. "Ah, fuck! That's hot."

   "That's why you should wait till luffy gets here in 20 minutes." I usher him out of there before he decides to eat more food. "But it'll be cold then and I'm hungry nooooow, saboooooo," Ace whines. "It's in low heat so it won't get cold, and we're waiting till luffy gets here." I guide him towards the living room. "By the way you haven't answered. Why don't you talk to her?" Stopping us in front of the linen couch, he turns to face me. "I have but it's just so awkward between us? I wish we could just start over but by now she probably thinks I'm a weirdo." Sitting on the couch, Ace pats the spot next to him. "Nah I doubt it. You only, what? Fallen down the stairs in front of her,"

   Groaning, I remember that embarrassing day. I was trying to be neighborly and greet her, but got...distracted and tripped over the last few steps. At least she helped me up. She smelled so nice that day. "Dropped and broke most of her groceries." Remembering that one actually made me flinch. I'd seen her unloading some groceries when I got home from work. I offered to help, but clumsily dropped most of the bags I was holding. I exploded her soda and most of the plastic plates she bought for a get together she was having. She invited my brothers and I after that. I ended up avoiding her most of the time. Ace, on the other hand, tried to talk to her every chance he got. And luffy....ate just about everything there. "Awkwardly talked about labradors, for some reason. Yeah, no I see your point." I just couldn't shut up that day. Grrrr, I'm pissed off at myself.

   "Are you done listing how much of a loser I am? Thanks, man. real motivational pep talk." He turns on the couch, now facing me, he puts a leg on my lap. "Hey, you know what, luffy might have talked to her recently." Now that's news to me. "What do you mean?"

   "Well remember when luffy set that fire to the apartment a while ago? when we were out." Eugh, just remembering makes me wanna throw up. He tried barbecuing for us on the balcony once, but ended up almost burning the apartment down. AND he still made us eat that vile lunch. It makes me shiver at the thought. "Yep. He's the reason we have no balcony, why?"

   "Well she's a firefighter intern or something right?"

   "I think?" I'm not following...

   "Then she probably came here to help put the fire out. And you know how luffy is. He probably talked to her and mentioned we are neighbors and that she had invited us to her place before." My face pales, I'm following his train of thought now. He's probably gonna invite her over soon. He does that with every person he befriends. Oh no. Oh no no no..... If he did talk to her then he more than likely told her about me looking at her through her patio door. He has no filter! I'll never be able to face her again! "Luffy talks way too much! He probably told her that we've seen her through her balcony-" Ace puts a hand up, stopping me. "Hold up, WE? What's this 'we' you speak of? YOU'RE the one spying on her." He moves his arm to the small stand next to the couch, grabbing the controller. "And besides, if he did, she hasn't closed her curtains yet; she probably has a thing for you too."

   If she does I'd probably just about faint.  Considering how awkward things are between us. Man, I hope she does. It would be a big help. My panic subsides and the sounds of the TV provide a nice background noise while I drift off into a daydream about how it would be like to be with her. Being able to hear her voice all the time, see her smile everyday. To BE the reason she smiles every day. She makes my insides feel all warm and fuzzy. Gross, it's like I'm a school girl or something. I'm usually not like this, but she just seems to make my brain go mush. I sigh contently, probably smiling like a fool as I continue to daydream.

   I practically forget why I was panicking before. Then the day dreaming is cut short when I hear voices and the jingle of keys at the door. "Really, it's fine. You don't have to invite me over. It'll probably be awkward."  The door is opened in the middle of the first person's sentence. "No! It's no big deal! Honest, it's a thanks for helping put out the fire that time." Came the other voice.

   That second voice I recognize, it's luffy. But the first..... A girl.... Putting out fires... Oh no. My mind goes blank as the the two walk in through the door. Well, more like luffy walked in and y/n was dragged in by him. Oh god I'm not dressed. Is what I'm wearing fine, Shorts and a t-shirt?Will she like the food? I mean luffy did invite her over so we gotta offer her to stay for a while, right? Right? I hope she likes spaghetti and meatballs. Ace, help me, please.

   As if to answer my silent prayers, Ace mutes the TV and greets the two. "Hey, guys. What's up?"

   "I saw y/n get out of her car, and invited her over for dinner!" Luffy chimes. "That so? Well since Sabo seems to be frozen, I'll serve the plates." Stammering y/n tries to object. "Oh no. You don't have to. I wouldn't wanna impose. I'll just be going now." She turned to walk out, but Ace stops her. "Don't be silly. Stay for dinner, it'll be nice. Plus my brother, over there, made it. He's a pretty good cook, husband material." He winks at her and all the color returns to me once more. I shoot up from my spot, dragging Ace to the kitchen by the ear. "Ow. Ow. Ow. Dude stop." I let go of him, looking mad. I try to glare him down, but that's hard to do with my face being as red as it is. "Oh come on, you were just sitting there, frozen. I had to do something to help my bro get his boo." My cheeks sting from how much blood flow they're getting today. "Don't say it like that!" I whisper yell at him. "Oh calm down. It's hard to take you seriously when you look at me like that. It's adorable." Ace dramatically puts an arm over his forehead. Why, this asshole wants to get punched today. I'm about to blow a fuse when luffy walks in. "Hey guys what's up? Is it not okay to bring her over?"

   "No, no, it's fine. It's not that I uh..." I can't seem to find the right words... "Sabo, just can't handle it right now. His crush is getting him all flustered." Ace answers in a mocking tone. O-hoho I'm gonna kick his ass later. I glare at him walking out of the kitchen. "Just set the table."

   Back to the living room, y/n is standing awkwardly by the door way. "Come on in, the food is being served." She looks at me, god, her eyes. "I understand if you weren't expecting company. I can just go, it's oka-"

   "No! I uh... mean uh.. no no everything's okay, don't feel bad about this. It's nice to have company over for a change." I awkwardly trail off, cheeks still beet red. Swear to god, I'm about to spontaneously combust. "The uh.. Dining area is this way." I wave her over. I'm being awkward, oh god. 'Dining area' who even says that. This is an apartment; he can see it from where she's standing. God fucking djfjfhfuej...

  My head is swarming with thoughts. I can't do this. What do we talk about. Not labradors, please brain, something else. As I plead with myself, y/n takes a seat next to luffy.

  Hold up.... Do I sit next to her? Across? If I don't even go near her, will she be offended?? I must have looked stressed out because Ace ends up putting my plate next to hers. Pushing me into a seat. He sits across from her. Boxing me into a seat. If I move now, next to ace or luffy, it'll look rude. I have no choice, but to sit here.

  As awkwardly fantastic this would be, being next to her and all. I can't help but notice we boxed her in too. She must be feeling uncomfortable by now. Even more than before. Oh geez. Ice breaker. Ice breaker. Something to start a conversation. "S-so uh," my voice fills the, otherwise, quiet area. It caught me off guard, I didn't think this through. What do I say???

  "You helped put out the fire, right?" Ace saves me once again. "Yeah, I'm just an intern so I didn't do much, really" she has her hands in her lap, awkwardly, almost as if she's scared to get closer to the table. "Stop being weird, guys," luffy cuts in, "hey, y/n, is being a firefighter cool? Do you ride in the fire truck? Can you drive it? Have you-"

  "Stop bombarding her with questions, Lu. Giver her time to answer, at least." I stop him before he can drown her in his questions. He's too curious. Chuckling I relax a bit. "So, firefighter, what got you interested in the job?" Y/n turns to me, sending butterflies to my stomach. "Uh... Well," she tucks her hair behind her ear, nervous habit? "I just liked the idea of helping people, and really liked fire trucks I guess?" She forms her response like a question, laughs nervously. "O-oh um.. I don't know what you guys do? It's okay if I ask, you don't have to answer if you don't want to." she waves her hands in front of her.

  "Hahah It's fine. I'm working to be a paramedic. I'm about to graduate, actually" Ace smoothes over her awkwardness. "Oh! That's great, congrats!" Bashfully she congratulates his almost accomplishment. It's cute how flustered she can get. "I'm still in between majors. "I say, swirling some spaghetti onto my fork. "I thought I wanted to be a computer science major, but now I'm not so sure." 

   "I didn't wanna go to college." Luffy chimes next to her, spaghetti sauce on his lips, "more school after school? Boring! I'm working as a mechanic with franky!" He shoves the last pit of his pasta into his mouth. "Mm-sabo more!" 

  "Don't talk with your mouth full luffy. There's more in the kitchen" before I finish he's up and out of his seat. "Franky?" Y/n questions, going back to the previous conversation. "He's owns the shop luffy works at." I fill her in, "he comes by here once in a while. Really cool dude." Running back to his seat, luffy joins in the conversation "he has this cool robot arm and foot! He told me once that some of his head had metal in it! Like a cyborg!!" He's too excitable. "Stop screaming lu, she's right next to you." He practically inhales his next plate of food. "Sorry sorry," luffy mumbles, mouth full of food.

  "Franky isn't a cyborg, he just has prosthetic limbs and a plate from when an accident at the shop." Ace gets up, "you should get one of those cool prosthetics too, sabo." Now in the kitchen, he continues, "anyone else want seconds?"

  "No, this is enough for me." Y/n points at her plate. "Save some for me." I walk to the kitchen. "You have a prosthetic, sabo?" Y/n asks from the table. "Yea, my leg, I lost it in a car wreck when I was little."

  "S-sorry, I didn't mean to-" I stop her mid sentence. "Don't worry it was a long time ago. And Ace, prosthetics are expensive."

_

   After dinner is finished y/n offers to help with the dishes. Ace and I decline, she's a guest after all. "Y/n wanna stay for a bit and hang out?" I ask her, hopefully it isn't too forward. "It's not that late, promise to have you back at yours before 10." I give her the best smile I can. "Sure, haha." I hope that she doesn't feel obligated to stay. 

  "How's your balcony?" She asks no one in particular, "are they gonna start repairs on it soon?" I walk towards the sliding door, next to her. "Yeah, they were supposed to start a few days ago, but with all of the rain these past couple of days..." I trail off. She nods her head, still looking at the charred ground outside. 

  Luffy joins us at the door. "Look, y/n, you can see into your place from here. Sabo sometimes lo-" I slap my hand over his mouth. Oh no. Shit. I hope she didn't understand what he was getting to. "He does what now?" She turns to us all, wide eyed, startled by what he might have said. Fuck.

  "N-no. I don't spy o-on you or a-anything!" My face heats up, bright red. I scramble to find some form of excuse. "I just enjoy the view." I wave my hands wildly around me hoping it'll do ANYTHING to help this situation. "NO! Not what I meant. Outside! I like looking outside." There's no salvaging this situation. I can hear Ace laughing his ass off in the living room. This bastard! "No you don't" luffy says, pulling my hand away from his mouth. He takes a step back, away from my grasp. "Don't you like her?" Why this little gremlin!

  "No! No, of course not." I quickly turn to face y/n, "not that there's anything wrong with that. I do like you. I mean like a friend! Right, but iflateronweendeduotogetherthatwouldntbesobadeither..." I. CAN'T. STOP. TALKING.

  "..Ahahahah umm okay? I like you as a friend too?" She tilts her head. "What was that last part you said? I couldn't quite get that "it's like my body is trying to give me a heat stroke. I'm burning. "N-nothing! Nothing. Phew, is it hot in here? I'm gonna go turn the a.c. on." I grab Luffy's hand, hurding him to the small hallway, adjacent to the dining room.

   "Stop saying stuff like that" I whisper to him. "It's embarrassing." Luffy, completely bewildered, can't seem to wrap his head these words. "Why? Don't you like her? Was I wrong? You only wanna be friends?"

  "No. I mean yes. I like her, okay." I put both hands to my head, pulling at my hair. "And I wanna be more than friends, but she's gonna think I'm some kind of weido if she finds out I sometimes look at her through her balcony." Luffy laughes, to my dismay. "We'll it's a bit late for that." 

   "No, hopefully I can make her believe that I do just casually look outside. Just please stop talking about my crush on her." I give him a pleading look. "No, it's too late." Luffy points behind me, "she's right there." I turn around, abruptly. Shit.

   "I just wanted to tell you that it would probably be best I'd I left" y/n mutteres, her face completely red. She. Heard. EVERYTHING. My mouth is drawn into a taut line; my muscles feel stiff, my hands are clammy, and I can't seem to move from the shock of it all. It's almost like an out of body experience. I wish I could run away like my mind is doing. "You guys okay?" Luffy looks back and forth between the both of us. "Yes, everything's fine." My voice cracks at the end. "Let me walk you home y/n." I walk past her, robotically leading her towards the door.

  "I'm gonna take y/n home." I state outloud; not really noticing if they reach Ace or not. Opening the door, I let y/n pass though first. She walks to the stairs and all I seem to be able to do is look at the door closing behind me. The golden light diminishing into a crack until it's finally gone. I have to turn around now, but I can't. How can I bear to look at her right now? What do I say to her? Do I bring it up or does she just want to forget it?

   My heart sinks even further thinking about that last question. I could have stayed at the door all night panicking about what I had done; but she pulls me out of my anxiety induced hysteria. "Sabo?" Y/n calles out to me, barely above a whisper. I face her, half expecting her to tell me she could walk home alone. "Are you coming?" Her words hit me like a punch in the gut. Violent butterflies swarming inside me, excited about what's to come. Do I still have a shit? "Y-yes. Of course." My mouth pulls up into a smile. I can't make it stop and it'll probably creep her out; but the fact that I may still have a chance. I nearly trip down the stairs again with how much I'm overthinking it. Falling, again? I'd ruin my chances, being so clumsy.

   Walking side by side, y/n decides to start the conversation first. "So...." She looks up at the sky before staring straight ahead. She's nervous, like me, I hope it's for the same reason. "W-what I heard inside....was it true?" Her checks flair, refusing to spare a glance at me. Well, it's now or never. Taking a big breath I tell her how I feel about her. "Yes, I like you a lot." I stand in front of her on the steps to her apartment. I'm just as flushed as she is, but I need to know. "Y/n.... Do you like me?" Y/n stuteres a bit, unable to find the right words. My stomach tightens; taking the air out of my lungs. Please say yes. Y/n fiddles with the hem of her shirt. Please say yes. She looks up into my eyes; hers wide in panic? Embarrassment? Bashfulness? Please say yes. "I-I do...l-like you that is." She looks away, pushing some hair behind her ears. Her words are like electricity running through me. They send a shock all through me. I can't help myself, I'm just really happy, I throw my arms around her. The sudden embrace startles her, but she doesn't pull away. Slowly, she puts her hands around me; burying her face into my chest. I can feel her start to smile. It only makes mine grow wider. She likes me. Holy shit. She likes me.

[blackhakumen]

Fanfic #3: A Halo Friendship Part 3: A Long Awaited Heart to Heart (RWBY)

A lot has happened in one night, Oscar was pinned in a wall by Jaune, then started arguing with him and the others about not trusting him, then he started going back home only to have a certain spirit convincing him not to and help the team a little long, then after getting a group hug tackle from the gang after they saw opened the door while preparing a meal for them, Ruby got done yelling at Qrow and giving a speech that even inspired the Farm Boy himself. To put it bluntly, it was one of the most craziest nights that he or anyone else, for the matter, has every had. But Oscar was glad it was almost over...keyword being: "Almost".

After enjoyeing a well-made dinner by yours truly (Oscar), the gang decided to call it for the night and return to their rooms for long awaited nap (well, almost everyone). As Oscar was preparing to get some shut eyes as well, three knocks on the door got his attention. When he told the person that the door is open and to come in, that person in particular, is none other than the silver-eyes reaper in red, Ruby Rose.

Ruby: H-hi...

Oscar: Ruby? H-hey. Is something wrong?

Ruby: Well, you see, unmm...can we talk for a while? Just the two of us?

Oscar: S-s-sure! O-o-of course! R-r-right this way, please!

Ruby: (D'aww he's so cute when he's flustered...but enough about that! We need to talk about this.)

Once they're both sitting on the edge of the bed, both of them began to look away from each other in full silence. Neither Ruby nor Oscar doesn't know how to start the conversation, but they know that they have to say something eventually.

Ruby/Oscar: There's something I wanted to tell you!....Wait...what?

Ruby: You wanted to tell me something too?

Oscar: Well, yeah, actually. I thought about doing it tomorrow since you all already tired... looking for me and whatnot.

Ruby: Oscar, it's okay. You know I'm never tired of a conversation. Sure a lot has happened today and stuff, but that doesn't mean we can't pull through, right?

Oscar: Yeah...'sigh' Ok, on the count of three, we both say what we wanted to tell each other and then, we could go from there.

Ruby: Sounds like a plan! Ok...One...

Oscar: ...Two...

Ruby: ...Three...

Oscar/Ruby: I WANTED TO SAY SORRY!!....

Ruby: Wait...why would you want to apologise to me? (If anything, I'm the one who needs to say sorry...)

Oscar: Well... it's actually about what I said to you guys after well...you know...that was very uncalled for and I'm so sorry if my words hurt you and the others in any way, shape or form.

Ruby: ....Oh, Oscar. (Pulls Oscar into a hug) You have NOTHING to apologise for. You were only saying what it needed to be said.

Oscar: B-but I only made you guys feel even worse than you already were after we came back from the farm. Plus, I literally walked out on you guys and completely ignored you when you're telling me to come back.

Ruby: Well for one, I'm honestly glad you told us off back there. Trust me, when I say that in some ways, we do need a reality check every once in a while. And even after everything we put you through back there, you have every right to be mad at us back there. So please don't feel sorry for standing up for yourself, okay? Because if anything... it's me who needs to apologise to you.

Oscar: Okay...but why? You weren't the one who punched me or pinned me up in a wall. If anything, you were the one who helped me out the most.

Ruby: Well, yeah but.... that's the point. I should've been there for you when Jaune hurt you like that. And I've also should've helped you a little more before....'sigh' Qrow has the freaking nerve, to tell me not to 'lie' to you or something stupid like that...I am so sorry if I wasn't a good enough friend to you...

Oscar: It's okay, Ruby- wait...you really consider me as a friend.

Ruby: Of course I do, silly. I mean sure we know each other for only a month now, but deep down, I've already considered you as one of my best friends....though I'm really sucking at being one right now...

Oscar: Come on, Ruby. You and everyone else here, are far from being the worst friends I've ever had. I mean sure I still wish to get to know you guys a little more better, but I still think of you all as my friends regardless. And besides, you've helped me a whole lot than I realized after I've left.

Ruby: Really?

Oscar: Well...yeah. You've inspired me to be the Hunter that I need to be and you're the only one who actually tried to help realized that I am my own person before.....'sigh' your uncle decided to interrupted you like that. So yeah...if you asked me, you're not else even close at being a bad friend to me and I'm really grateful for everything you do for me so far.

Ruby: Oscar I...thank you (Sniffing) Thank you so much.

Oscar: R-Ruby? Are you okay? I didn't hurt your feelings again, did I ?

Ruby: (Soft Laughing) No no. I'm okay. I'm just....so touched that you still think of me as a friend and an inspiration....and it makes me so proud you've learned so much from the past month or so.

Oscar: You really think I've come this far?

Ruby: Well, duh! Remember the times when you were able fend for yourself against Lionhart and that Grimm from the train? Always thought that was so cool of you to fight for yourself like that.

Oscar: (Soft Chuckle) Yeah...that was pretty cool. For a moment there, I thought I would actually be a lost cause be to you guys or something.

Ruby: (abruptly stops chuckling) ........

Oscar: (.....did I seriously said that out loud?...)

(Ozpin: Yes...I believe you did, Oscar...)

Oscar: ( Ahhh Crap! What do I do?)

(Ozpin: Calm yourself, Oscar. I'm sure you'll be able to explain yourself on thinking something as foolish as this, can you?)

Oscar: (Yeah, you're right....'heavy sigh' okay....here goes nothing..)

Uhhh Ruby, are you ok?

Ruby: ...................

Oscar: Look, a-about what said, I-

Ruby: Who?

Oscar: Wha?

Ruby: Who. Told you. That. Stupid. Bullcrap. Lie. Oscar?!

Oscar: Uhhhhhhhhhh....

Ruby: It was Qrow wasn't it?

Oscar: What? N-n-n-no of course not! He didn't told me anything like that me...or at least I don't think he did.

Ruby: Then who the hell told you this crap?!

Oscar: No one, Ruby! Honest! I...'heavy sigh' thought that myself....

Ruby: You?....But...why...?

Oscar: Well...to be fair, out of everyone here, I'm still the weakest link to the team. Plus with Ozpin in my conscious, I'm already starting to cause problems for everybody around here, well mostly for your sister, Jaune, and your uncle. So yeah....I used to think I'm a lost cause to you guys....

At this point, Ruby couldn't believe what she was hearing. She just watched her own friend, talking badly about himself like that. That alone made her sad, upset, and determine to change his mind. So she what did any friend do with those with low self-esteem issues, places her hands on Oscar's shoulders and make him listen to what she have to say. At this moment, The poor farm boy knew....he might've screwed up.

Ruby: Oscar Pine. You listen to me and you listen to me good. You. Are. Not. A. Lost. Cause. And you never will be. Do you understand? I don't EVER want you to say or even wanna see you think that way EVER again! You are NOT the weakest link to the team and you're DEFINITELY NOT causing problems for everyone on the team either.

Oscar: But...your uncle ..Yang and-

Ruby: Grrrr WHO FRICKIN CARES WHAT ANY OF THEM THINK!! If they think that way of you, which I highly doubt that's the case, then that's all on them! But that doesn't make you any less than our friend!! And another thing!! Do you have any idea how worried I was when you walked out like that?! I... (sniffing) was so worried....I thought something terrible would've happen to you. I could've done more to stop you from leaving. And now here I am, hearing you saying these horrible things about yourself (soft crying) Please... Please don't think of that anymore, Oscarrrrrr! Pleeasseeee! (crying)

Oscar: Oh my gosh, Ruby, I am so sorry. I didn't mean to say that about myself. And I am sorry for leaving you like that. I was just so angry and...(sniffing) I just feel terrible for putting you through that, you know...

At that moment, both Oscar and Ruby began to embrace each other while softly sobbing their sadness away. It only lasted until the both of them finally calm themselves down.

Oscar: 'Taking Deep Breaths' Ruby...I promise, from this day forward, I won't ever think so badly of myself ever again and that I'll come to you if I problems with anything. I meant it when I said that I'll help you guys whatever I can and I'm not breaking that promise anytime soon.

Ruby: ...(smiles softly) Thank you, Oscar. And I promise, that I'll be a better leader, teammate, and friend to you for now on. Never again will I let you deal with all of this by yourself, okay? I'm always here whenever you need someone to talk to.

Oscar: (Smiles back, blushing) Yeah... I'm always here for you too, Ruby

Ruby: Wait....what time is it?

Oscar: It's....geez it's almost midnight already?

Ruby: We sure talked a mouth full, huh?

Oscar: Yeah but I'm honestly glad we have this talk.

Ruby: Me too, Oscar ( Pulls him to one last hug for the night) me too. Well, I guess it's time for the both of us call it a night now. We have a lot things to prepare for tommorow with Jaune's plan and all.

Oscar: Yeah. Well have a good night Ruby...and thank you.

Ruby: (Gets up from the bed and walk towards the door) you have a good night too, Oscar and...thank you so much for being my friend....and giving us another chance.

As Ruby walk out of the room, The Farm Boy begins to have a good night's sleep. Deep down inside, he was very glad that him and Ruby finally have the talk they so desperately needed because now their friendship are as strong as ever. And that's good enough for him.

[mc-amps]

The Wacky Adventures of Seven McDonald

Here it is~ My fic for @mysmehalloweenzine They’re having their leftovers sale rn, so be sure to check it out if you missed your chance to preorder. https://mysmehalloweenzine.storenvy.com/ It’s totally worth the purchase ;)

My fic was also illustrated by the amazing @nanashiart​ I’m seriously blessed that she agreed to collab. Her illustrations really did bring my fic to life <3

Pairing: 707xMC

Rating: Everyone

Warnings: Spoops and elixir +_+

“Are you sure this is okay?”

Seven’s heart jumped at her whisper. He talked to her on the phone many times before, and yet, without the static filtering her voice, everything was different. The CCTV’s low quality, grainy veil was lifted, and there she was: flesh, blood, and soft warmth walking beside him through the dark and decrepit hallway.

“What do you mean? It’s a haunted house! It’s made to walk in and explore.” So why was Seven’s heart beating so fast? It wasn’t the rotting wood and peeling wallpaper along with the bevy of spider webs dangling above that put him on edge. It wasn’t the dust dancing in the ghoulish glow cast from several lanterns or the gloomy symphony of cicadas and crickets seeping in through the broken windows either. Not even the way the house groaned in agony with every footstep was the culprit.

It started when he picked her up from the apartment. For obvious reasons, he had been nominated to escort the lovely party coordinator to the RFA’s night of Halloween fun and spooks. Spooks indeed. From the moment she answered the door, his stomach twisted itself in knots.

Was his brain malfunctioning?

“Or is there haunted house etiquette I’m not aware of?” He put his hands on his hips in a dramatic stance.

“Don’t you think it’s weird there was no one to let us in? You walked in on your own.” She huffed and folded her arms with a pout. The gesture was arguably unbefitting of her princess costume, yet the frilly dress and tiara was perfect for the lovable Princess of the RFA.

Seven shrugged. “Didn’t Jumin pick out this place? He probably wanted something authentic and spoopy. OooOOOOooo~” He wiggled his yellow, gloved fingers to emphasize the spoop factor.

“. . .we could’ve waited for the others.“ Her lips twitched as she muffled a chuckle.  

“What?” Seven asked with a suspicious grin.  

“You! I can’t take you seriously when you’re dressed like that!” She burst into a fit of giggles. “Why Ronald McDonald of all things?”

Seven guffawed. Her laughter was too contagious. “Cause I wanted to see everyone’s reaction! You think anyone’s scared of clowns? My bet is Zen~” He adjusted his curly, red wig and tugged at his bright, yellow jumpsuit.

“Zen!?” She wheezed.

“Yep. He hates cats, so why not clowns too~?” Seven bared his teeth. “Grrrr~ Fast food clown!” The white paint on his face, red lips and nose, minus the glasses made him look completely different. The RFA wouldn’t know what hit them. “Oh! Oh! Let’s hide and scare ‘em!”

“Alright. I’ll bet you five candies Zen won’t get scared.”

“Oh, you’re on!”

Holding back laughter, they decided to hide in a bedroom. A musty, revolting odor permeated the air. Dusty debris littered the floor and bed, along with fake blood spattered everywhere, most notably on the tattered curtains.

But there was something nostalgic. . .

Seven shook those thoughts away as the two huddled near a dust coated table. A picture frame sat on top of the grime. It held a photo of a woman. Her lips were curved into a coy smile and her eyes glittered. The part that stood out the most was her long, wavy hair. Oddly, she looked similar to the princess next to him.

He was about to point that out, but stopped short when he realized how close she stood, practically pressing against him. He shifted awkwardly, but then flinched and threw his arms around the princess when something slammed, causing her to shriek.

“Whoa! A-are you okay?” His face heated when he realized she clung to him for dear life.

“Was that the door?” She gasped and let go. “Do you think that’s them?”

“Maybe,” Seven whispered, reluctantly scooting back. “Let’s wait and see.”

And wait they did.

And wait.

And wait.

But nothing happened. “Are they even here?” She murmured.

Seven was starting to wonder why everything was so quiet. Yoosung should have been screaming, while Jaehee would have been constantly checking on Zen.

“Do you want to text them?” He asked.

“Well, my phone’s been acting up, so I don’t know if there’s something wrong with it, and since someone forgot their hoodie.” She cutely huffed. “We can’t use his phone!”

“Hey. . .!” Seven tried to keep his voice down. “This is the first time I’ve been without my lucky hoodie in. . .in. . years!” He put a hand to his heart and let out an agonized sigh. He kept everything in those oversized pockets. “You should still try texting.”

“I guess.” She grabbed her phone, but froze at the sound of a deep groan.

“Why have you returnnnnned?” The lights waned and flickered with every rasping syllable.

The spooks were starting? Seven’s face lit up. Was there a hidden sound system projecting the voice?

A girlish yelp snapped him from his thoughts. “Did you grab me!?”

“Wha-? No!” Seven lifted his hands as proof.

“You’re kidding. . .” Her face paled. “S-something grabbed me! Ugh!” She shimmied past him and stormed out of the room. “I’m done with this stupid creepy house! I’m waiting for the others!” Her voice echoed along with her stomping footsteps.

“Wait!” Seven followed after, scrambling not to trip over his giant red shoes.

She rushed to the front door and yanked the handles, but it wouldn’t open. “I-it’s stuck!”

“Let me.” Seven tried, causing them to shake and rattle, but the door still wouldn’t budge. With a frustrated grunt, he kicked the wood, but still nothing. Chills ran down his spine. This wasn’t right at all.

“I-I’m calling Jumin.” She shakily tapped her phone, and Seven moved closer to hear. The monotone call tone accompanied by her frantic breathing made for a nauseating combination. Seven held his breath, until a click sounded.

“Yes, this is Jumin Han speaking.”

Never in his life had he been happier to hear that deep, robotic voice.

“J-Jumin!” She gasped, voice wavering. “ Where are you guys?”

“I could ask the same question. We just finished purchasing everyone’s admission.”

“What are you talking about!? There were no tickets or anything and now we’re stuck in here!” She replied almost hysterically.

There was a pause and static. “I don’t quite understand. Security would not have let you two in without tickets. You and Luciel are-?”

“Trapped in this crazy house!” Between her frantic words, a static white noise grew louder, overpowering Jumin’s voice.

“Where- ou- ry-“

“Jumin? Are you still there? Jumin!” She nearly sobbed.

The static-filled garble morphed into a cackle. “Sorry, Princess, but the RFA won’t be able to help you this time~” A new voice interrupted with a menacing snicker.

Seven snatched up the phone. “Hey! Who the heck are you, and how do you know about the RFA?”

“Turn around and maybe you’ll find out~” He said before hanging up.

Dread filled Seven as he looked back. A figure stepped out of the shadows, slender and clad in black. His bleached hair glowed in the moonlight like a halo, yet his green eyes were wide and demonic. A mask covered his nose and mouth, but the folds revealed a manic smile underneath. Perhaps the most striking part was the chainsaw he held. With a high pitched cackle, he revved it up.

“If you want all of your limbs intact, you’d both better come with me. Without fighting.”

They had to surrender. The man shut off the chainsaw, but carried it as he led them into a empty room with a couple chairs and a bookshelf on the far wall. He ordered them to sit.

“Did you like my surprise?” Edgy chainsaw man grabbed some rope. “You should have seen your faces~” He cooed, before cracking up. “It was great!” He started with the princess, tying her torso to the chair. “You probably had no idea I hacked your GPS, right?” He moved on to her hands, holding her wrists together before tying them. “I was hoping to get you alone, but no matter.” His hands moved with gentle and skillful care, but Seven hated the way they lingered on her waist and brushed against her skin. The man soon finished and his eyes narrowed into something dangerous as he approached Seven.

“I won’t let you stop me from taking her to Paradise, clown boy.”

Seven held his knuckles together as the rope tightened around him in hopes of being able to get loose later. Anything to make up for his failure in protecting the princess.

“You’re the one who talked in that spooky voice and locked the door?” She snapped, legs shaking.

“Huh?” Their edgy captor tilted his head to the side. “Spooky voice?”

“Yeah,” Seven said. “You were like ooooOOOoo. . .Why did you returnnn or something like thaaaaat. . .”

The man raised an eyebrow before scowling. “You’re both trying to distract me. I’m not stupid, so stop belittling me!” he hissed before digging in his pocket. In an instant, his anger switched to unhinged glee when he pulled out a piece of candy wrapped in black foil. “Trick or treat, Princess~” He unwrapped it, revealing dark chocolate coated with teal frosting. “Now be a good girl and say ‘ahh~’” He cooed, however his eyes glinted with mischief as he leaned closer and pinched the chocolate between his long fingers.

Squeezing her eyes shut, she turned her head away. The man didn’t give up and pushed the chocolate against her mouth. “Nnf!” She whimpered as her lips formed a thin line.

“Hmm…” The edgy man cocked his head. “Don’t be scared. Once you eat this, you’ll never have to worry about anything ever again.”

Seven’s stomach churned.

“Here. We can share~” The man pulled down his mask, revealing a wide smirk. With a snicker, he popped the chocolate in his mouth, holding it between his teeth. He then set a hand on the chair’s arms and the other grabbed her face.

“Hey!” Seven’s blood boiled. “Don’t touch her!”

A muffled snicker escaped the edgy man as he dug his fingers into her cheeks, forcing her mouth open. The corners of his lips twitched into a victorious smirk, and his eyes shut as he leaned in, bringing the chocolate to her mouth.

Nononono! With a panicked grunt, Seven wiggled and jerked, ignoring the burn of the rough braids.

“S-seh-ehn-!” she cried as the gap between her mouth and the chocolate shrank.

Seven’s struggled more as the rope loosened. A smoke bomb could distract the man, then Seven’s knife would cut the remaining ropes. His wrist ripped free! Fueled by adrenaline, he dug into his pocket and flung out-

Candy.

Just like his phone, all of his other trinkets were in his hoodie pockets.

The colorful array of sweets bounced off man’s tattooed shoulder, causing him to pause.. His eyes widened with awe, and the teal chocolate fell from his mouth just as everything went black.

“You dare taunt me with these two mennnnn?” That same voice from before wailed as a blue fireball appeared, casting a ghostly glow.

The princess screamed when her chair tipped backwards and scraped across the floor.

“No!” Seven clawed at the remaining ropes, but to avail. He was useless.

The chair slammed backwards into the bookcase and her legs flailed upwards. “H-h-help mee-ee-eee!” Her shriek came out bumpy as the bookshelf spun, pushing her to the other side with a loud slam.

“Give her back! ” Edgy chainsaw man chased after her, but crashed into the bookcase. “She’s mine!” He pounded and kicked at the wood, causing several books to fall.

The fireball vanished, leaving them shrouded in inky darkness. Seven squinted as his eyes adjusted to the blackness. The edgy man fell to his knees, fingers gripping his hair. Shallow, frantic breaths filled the air.

“Are you. . .afraid of the dark?” Seven whispered.

“No!” The man snapped. Stray strands of moonlight illuminated his pale face. “This wasn’t supposed to happen. . .Sav. . .ior. . .” He babbled to himself.

“H-hey.” Seven cleared his throat. “Uh. If you untie me, then we can save her together.”

The man pulled his mask back on before narrowing his eyes. “And why shouldn’t I kill you, clown boy?”

“B-because,” Seven blurted the first thing that came to mind. “You can have all my candy. They’re all limited edition and rare. Don’t ask where I got them!” He was rambling, but needed to survive. For her sake.

The man eyed the candies on the floor. “. . .Fine.”

Chainsaw man cut Seven’s ropes and the two inspected the bookshelf. It was clearly a trapdoor they couldn’t activate. Did it only work with ghosts? “What about your chainsaw?” Seven asked.

“Good thinking, clown boy!” The man’s eyes glowed with violent glee, and with a cheerful snicker, he grabbed his chainsaw and shoved Seven out of the way before revving it. His laughter erupted into manic cackles as he cut into the wood. A cloud of sawdust filled the air while a hole formed and grew. “You messed with the wrong people, ghost!” He kicked  down the rest of the wood, revealing a large room with a fireplace. There the captured princess sat, still tied to the chair, but safe.

A frustrated growl came from a willowy shadow bathed in a blue glow. The ghost. “It wasn’t enough for you to leave me for dead, but now you taunt me with these mennn?” He pointed a bony finger at Seven and the chainsaw man. “Perhaps once you suffer and die like I did, I’ll able to move on to the after lifffffe.” A humorless chuckled rumbled as he snapped his fingers. The fireplace erupted to life with an inferno of blue fire.

She gasped and flailed against the ropes when her chair scooted backwards. “No! Please!” Her scream was almost as high pitched as the scape of the chair against the wood.

“No!” Seven barreled past chainsaw man and tackled  the chair away from the blazing fires. Pain shot up his knee upon landing, but he didn’t care. “Are you okay!?”

Her chest heaved and her face glistened with sweat, but she smiled and nodded.

Seven’s insides tingled with a fuzzy warmth. “It’s okay now,” he whispered. “You’re safe.” He brushed away a strand of hair from her face, but the buzz of the chainsaw interrupted him. With a wild cackle, chainsaw man swung at the ghost, but  stumbled and cursed when the weapon went through the ethereal being.

“I’ve had enough of thisss!” Smoke oozed from the ghost. “If these men will interfere, then so be it!” Several floating fireballs appeared throughout the room, causing the temperature to spike and the air to distort with heat. “I’ll burn down this entire place, taking all of you with me!”

“Please don’t!” Her eyes filled with tears. “This isn’t the answer! But. . . if you want, hurt me instead, not Seven and this other guy. They did nothing wrong!”

Seven’s lungs constricted. Why was she sacrificing herself? She was so kind hearted. Not someone who would abandon anyone.

Not someone like him.

“You’ve got the wrong person!” He shouted. “Your lover left you? That wasn’t her. She’d never do that! From the moment I first met her, she’s been nothing but sweet and caring. She listens to our problems and puts up with a lot of crap like chatrooms at three in the morning! I know without a doubt she’d never abandon or betray anyone!”

Her eyes grew watery as her expression softened. “Please believe me, I’m not who you think I am, but. . .I’m so sorry that happened. No one deserves to go through the pain you did. I-I wish I could help you. . .!” Her voice cracked and her lips quivered.

There was a pause and Seven was sure they were all going to die, but then the flames dwindled one by one. “I see,” the ghost’s voice softened. “Revenge may not be the answer. It’s strange.” He lifted a hand to his chest. “I feel. . .warm? Is this what moving on feels like? I wish I had met someone like you instead of that woman. Perhaps my life would have been much longer and happier.”

Seven’s heart flip flopped.

“Thank. . .you. . .” The ghost faded, leaving the three of them in the dark silence

Not wasting another moment, Seven untied her, before helping her stand. His cheeks burst into flame when she hugged him tightly.

“Thank you so much for saving me!”

Seven returned the embrace. Why was it so hot in here? Slowly, his shoulders relaxed and he squeezed her tighter. “I-I don’t know what I would have done if something happened.”

“Seven,” she whispered as she pulled back.

He got lost in her eyes as their magnetic force tugged him closer. What was this feeling? Was this…? His lips parted and he closed his eyes.

Wailing sirens broke the spell.

Edgy chainsaw man cursed under his breath and shoved his hands into his candy filled pockets. “This is my cue to leave,” he stomped towards the nearest window. However, before he climbed out, he turned and burst into hysterical laughter. “I’ll come back and visit you soon, Princess~”

Seven joined in on the laughter. This edgy dude had a hilarious laugh. “Hey! I hope you visit me too! I’ll have more candy for you- Oh! And Honey Buddha Chips. You’ve gotta try those!”

The man jolted, then shrugged. “I guess you’d make a good Believer too, Clown Boy.” With that, he jumped out of the window as blue and red flashing lights filled the dark room.

“Guess, the cavalry came,” Seven chuckled.

She grinned and nodded. “The real question is if Jumin was the one who sent them. Wanna change our bet to that?”

“No way! I still wanna scare Zen-gwuh!” Seven sputtered in shock when she took his hand and tugged him towards the door with a sweet giggle. His pulse pounded in his ears louder than the sirens and for a split second, he thought he might faint.

“Happy Halloween, Seven~”

A/N: This was really fun to write. Honestly, it had been a lot longer, but I had to cut out several thousand words in order to fit the zine's wordcount;;; Still, I think tightening it was for the better. I also couldn't resist adding Unknown. From the moment I applied to the zine, i knew I wanted to write something with Unknown and a haunted house +_+ The elixir chocolate scene was sjfkdsjfkdsfj yum +_+

Anyways, am I the only one that remembers those old Ronald McDonald cartoons? The 90's ones? That's where I got the title from. Does anyone remember the haunted house episode? Good times lol (Seriously. Let me know if you remember it, because nobody in the zine server did sjflksfjdsjfds)

[welcometothepenumbra]

JUNO STEEL AND THE LONG WAY HOME (PART TWO)

SOUND: RAIN. TRAIN ARRIVES, CREAKS TO A STOP. DOOR CLANKS OPEN.

CONDUCTOR: Ah, good evening, Traveler. And welcome… to The Penumbra.

SOUND: DOOR CLANKS SHUT.

Take your seat, please, take your seat.

MUSIC: STARTS.

The junction lies ahead, so if you’ll allow me just a moment.

SOUND: TRAIN WHISTLE.

We are now passing through Hyperion City.

SOUND: TRAIN MOVING.

Our next stop?

SOUND: TRAIN BRAKES.

Juno Steel and the Long Way Home.

SOUND: DOOR CLANKS OPEN, RAIN.

ALL SOUNDS: FADE OUT.

***

SOUND: WATER DRIPPING, RIPPLING.

THEIA: (DISTANT, OVERLAPPING) Target located. Alerting central office. Exchanging map data. Sector is clear. Recharging. Recharging.

JUNO (NARRATOR): Here’s a lesson that never sticks, no matter how many times you learn it: even when you’re not around, the world keeps movin’ without you. Never feels that way. When you leave, you take a frozen version of the place with you in your head, and that feels real, but… then you get back and find the place is melting right in front of you.

SMALL FRY: (WHIMPERS, QUIET BARKS)

JUNO: Yep, I’m pretty wiped too, Small Fry. How ‘bout a snack break?

SOUND: SPLASH.

JUNO (NARRATOR): I remember these sewers as an escape, if you can believe it. When things got too rough topside I would lose myself down here, where things were simple. Where the monsters looked like monsters, big furry ones with long teeth and mean eyes. They were scary, but… that was part of the escape.

SMALL FRY: (IN BACKGROUND) (BARKS)

JUNO (NARRATOR): When you’re so young you think monsters are the scariest things out there… what could feel better than teaching the boogeyman to eat out of the palm of your hand?

SMALL FRY: (BARK!)

JUNO: Whatsamatter? You don’t like salmon chips?

SMALL FRY: (YIP!)

JUNO: Don’t tell me you’re picky.

SOUND: CRUNCHING, CHEWING.

(GARBLED, MOUTH FULL) Aw, man, these’ve got the freeze-dried soy dust and everything! You’re outta your mind, Small Fry.

SMALL FRY: (SNIFFS & SNORTS)

JUNO: Oh, what’s that? Now you want one?

SMALL FRY: (SNORTS)

JUNO: That’s what I thought. Take the bag, it’s yours.

SMALL FRY: (GRRRR)

JUNO: (SIGHS)

SOUND: CRUNCHING, CHEWING.

JUNO (NARRATOR): I wonder sometimes if having that escape as a kid felt a little too good. Like I’d go underground and feel like all the world’s horrors could be tamed, then, come back up and think that feeling should last forever. It felt like I could make it last forever if I tried. But, things change.

SMALL FRY: (BARK!)

SOUND: CREAKING.

JUNO: What’s the matter, Small Fry? You hear some… thing…?

THEIA: Target sighted.

JUNO: Damn it! Get in…

…that pipe, quickly! Hide under my coat!

SMALL FRY: (SNUFFLES)

THEIA: Target recognized. Target is—

JUNO: (OVER THE BELOW) Juno Steel, yeah.

THEIA: —Juno Steel. Directive: do no—

JUNO: (OVER THE ABOVE) Do no harm, Mayor O’Flaherty requests my presence, you can’t capture me nonviolently so I’m supposed to go there on my own, that it?

THEIA: (AFTER A PAUSE) This is your only—

JUNO: Right, thanks, almost forgot, this is my only warning. I’m workin’ on it now, but thanks for the reminder, bye!

THEIA: Farewell. Juno Steel.

SOUND: CREAKING FADES OUT.

JUNO: (QUIETLY) Going… going, aaaaaand gone. Psst!

Hey kid! Coast is clear!

SOUND: HEAVY CREAK.

Small Fry?

SOUND: SPLASHING.

…The hell is this?

SOUND: SPLASHING FOOTSTEPS.

Another room?

SMALL FRY: (SNORES)

JUNO: (GASPS)

SOUND: GUN COCKING.

…Oh.

JUNO (NARRATOR): The rabbit was asleep. Just… tuckered out.

Then I felt the exhaustion piling on me too, so I sat and let her nap awhile. And if I got some rest out of the bargain, so be it.

Small Fry had found a good hiding spot. The pipe I’d shoved her into led through a shattered wall, which opened up into another one of the sewer’s old chambers. Must have been a false start from some earlier construction job, walled-up so it’d just go away, but… that never kept anything hidden forever, did it?

The Theia bots were tearing this place apart, and soon one would find Small Fry. But even if they did clear out and we did get outta here, what the hell was I gonna do with her?

MUSIC: STARTS.

My name’s Juno Steel. I’m a private eye, and that means I’m supposed to reserve my blaster for whoever pays my bills. Money hasn’t mattered to me for years, but even so, it… was a rule, and rules are comfortable.

I keep feeling like I don’t know any of the rules anymore, but… I need ‘em. Because if you try to save every sorry soul who hops into your life…

…that might make you a hero, and… right now I’m not sure there’s anything worse.

MUSIC: ENDS. STARTS (FROM COMMS).

HAWK (FROM COMMS): Welcome back to Questions Unanswered: Where is Jack Takano? Tonight’s episode: Part 11 – “The Mask.”

Jack Takano was famously a very private man: until the end of his time at Northstar, he never kept a home address on file, or spoke to anyone about his friends and family outside the company. Even his face was private, as Founder and CEO of Northstar Miranda Fairbanks wrote:

FAIRBANKS ACTOR (FROM COMMS): It was known around the office that Jack daily wore makeup thick even by Hyperion’s standards… I once came into the office quite early to find that he had fallen asleep, drooling, onto his desk and hand. It was almost sweet… until he moved that hand and a layer of skin peeled off his face, only to reveal another, much paler skin beneath. Or so it seemed, until I saw the foundation smudges on the table. When I woke him, he covered his face, mumbled something about not looking decent, and ran off to reapply. A skin condition, he told me later. I never bought it. The difference between the skin beneath and the mask over it was so extreme that it seemed like there was another man under there, buried alive.

HAWK (FROM COMMS): But even a man with a hidden face can’t hide everything. Takano may not have left an explanation for his disappearance in his famous farewell note, but his coworkers did notice a change.

VEGA (FROM COMMS): Well, we all expected something was going to happen. Just not… something that extreme.

HAWK (FROM COMMS): What about his behavior seemed like the first sign, Dr. Vega?

VEGA (FROM COMMS): Isolation, first. Irritability, some days, although he’d always apologize soon after. But I think the first unquestionable sign for me was Andromeda 3.

HAWK (FROM COMMS): If you didn’t see Andromeda 3 at release, it’s unlikely you ever will: the film was panned so universally that Northstar established an Anti-Informations Department just to erase every copy they could find. Or as one reviewer put it:

VOICE 6 (FROM COMMS): Schlock and drivel. Its characterization is so flat it approaches concave. Its pacing makes death seem a fond alternative. And worst of all, it appears Takano has no idea what made Andromeda so compelling in the first place, and what remains are only echoes of the Turbo nonsense that nearly put Northstar into its early, and perhaps deserved, grave. Takano needs to get his head out of building tourist traps and back into telling stories, because this was clearly rushed.

HAWK (FROM COMMS): The only thing atypical of this review is its lenience: the reviewer gave Andromeda 3 the highest rating we could find. But that last sentiment, that the film was rushed, is repeated by nearly every review on record, despite the fact that it is completely untrue.

CHEN (FROM COMMS): I don’t think I ever saw Jack work harder on a project. Besides the park, obviously.

HAWK (FROM COMMS): That’s Jocelyn Chen, former Head of Animation at Northstar.

MUSIC: ENDS.

CHEN (FROM COMMS): I remember seeing pages of script and sketches of Andromeda 3 a few weeks before the first film came out, but he was never satisfied. It was just rewrite after rewrite with him.

HAWK (FROM COMMS): Was his process similar for Chainmail Warrior Andromeda or Sea of Sinners?

CHEN (FROM COMMS): Not at all. He had full storyboards for both ready when he first pitched the project, and he only had a month on those. But the third one… I don’t know. He kept talking about the responsibility, and… I tried to help, but, the pressure must’ve gotten to him.

HAWK (FROM COMMS): You came under fire for that film, too.

CHEN (FROM COMMS): I did.

I– I wasn’t mad at him for having writer’s block. I was mad at him for not listening earlier, for not giving us something, anyway. I had to steal his notes just so we could start work on time for a sloppy release, and… that was the only time I’ve ever heard him get angry.

HAWK (FROM COMMS): A recording of Takano’s tirade was leaked a few months after Andromeda 3’s release:

SOUND: BACKGROUND STATIC.

JACK (FROM COMMS): We are doing something important here. Am I the only one who sees that? Am I?!

CHEN (FROM COMMS): Jack, we have a deadline—

JACK (FROM COMMS): Damn the deadline! You’re exactly the problem, Jocelyn, focusing on the smallest issues when you should be solving the big ones, taking the solution now over the solution that works– DO NOT SPEAK while I am speaking!

No. Keep the damn notes. It’s too late already.

SOUND: STATIC FADES OUT.

HAWK (FROM COMMS): The company could have scrubbed this leak like they erased the film, had Takano himself not acknowledged it, in a press conference the day after it spread:

JACK (FROM COMMS): …I would like to apologize, of course. I’ve already apologized to Jocelyn, but, like it or not I’ve been thrust into the public eye; and as a result, my responsibility extends to each and every one of you.

SMALL FRY: (SNUFFLES & SNORTS)

JUNO: Mmm… quit it.

SOUND: WATER DRIPPING, BUBBLING.

JACK (FROM COMMS): Three years is not a very long time to grow old, and, yet I find that, compared to the early days of Andromeda, I feel precisely—

JUNO: (OVER THE BELOW) I said quit it!

JACK (FROM COMMS): (OVER THE ABOVE) —how I expected an old man must: very tired, and only slightly more wise.

SMALL FRY: (BARKS)

JACK (FROM COMMS): What strikes me as most beautiful about Andromeda is how she works not just on the world, but also on herself. Tirelessly. When Andromeda discovers that her magic chainmail is empowered by the suffering of others, she sees immediately how this might corrupt her… and she steels herself against it.

I see now the power I have in Northstar. And I see the heavy responsibility that power bestows upon me. We will use it for good, from here out. For Polaris.

SMALL FRY: (BARK!)

SOUND: SLAP.

JUNO: (OVER THE BELOW) Damn it, Rita, I’m taking a nap, you—!

SMALL FRY: (BARKS)

HAWK (FROM COMMS): (OVER THE ABOVE) Takano’s apology was very well received—

JUNO: …Oh.

HAWK (FROM COMMS): (OVER THE BELOW) —as Jocelyn Chen recalls.

JUNO: (OVER THE ABOVE) Small Fry. Right.

SMALL FRY: (GROWLS)

CHEN (FROM COMMS): (OVER THE BELOW) He could do that, apologize and have all forgiven—

JUNO: (OVER THE ABOVE) What’s the matter, kid, you hungry?

SMALL FRY: (BARKS)

JUNO: What the hell? Get off me!

CHEN (FROM COMMS): —really forgiven. You could always tell he meant it, that it really had eaten him up inside. He—

SMALL FRY: (BARKS)

SOUND: CLICK, COMMS CUTS OFF.

JUNO: The hell?

Did you… take my comms? Out of my ear?

SMALL FRY: (BARKS, GROWLS)

JUNO: Don’t eat it!

Well, looks like we’re awake now, doesn’t it? Here, come close. You just put it up to your ear like this, and—

SOUND: FEEDBACK SCREECH.

JUNO & SMALL FRY: (PAINED YELLS)

JUNO: God dammit, what did you do?

SMALL FRY: (WHIMPERING)

JUNO: You know how long it took me to figure that thing out? Now look, it’s wet and it stinks and I can’t even listen to it and I don’t know where anybody is or what the hell I’m gonna do to keep you safe and—

SOUND: PLOP, SPLASH.

There. It’s trash now. Just like this whole stupid idea. Whatever.

SOUND: SPLASHES. DISTANT FEEDBACK.

SMALL FRY: (BARK!)

JUNO: I told you, the comms is broken.

SOUND: FEEDBACK STOPS. ELECTRONIC SCROLLING.

JUNO: You’re just gonna hurt yourself. Make it explode or something.

SMALL FRY: (GROWLS)

SOUND: BEEPS.

JUNO: Damn it, don’t you listen?

SOUND: ALARM BEEPS.

It’s busted. See?

SOUND: JINGLE (FROM COMMS).

VOICE 7 (FROM COMMS): Welcome to your comms. Please enter your name.

JUNO: Wait, what?

SMALL FRY: (GROWLS)

JUNO: You… there’s no way you know how to use this. You can’t.

SMALL FRY: (YIPS)

JUNO: Alright, take it.

SMALL FRY: (RRRRR!)

SOUND: BEEPS.

JUNO: No. Way.

SMALL FRY: (GRRRS, YIP!)

SOUND: LOUD JINGLE (FROM COMMS).

VOICE 7 (FROM COMMS): (VERY LOUD) Bienvenue à votre comms.

JUNO: (HISS OF PAIN) Nevermind! (SIGHS)

SMALL FRY: (BARK!)

JUNO: But… you did have it for a second.

SOUND: BEEPS.

SMALL FRY: (SNUFFLE, GROWLS)

JUNO: No, no, I’m gonna try this time.

SMALL FRY: (BARK!)

JUNO: And, uh… thanks, Small Fry. I needed that.

SMALL FRY: (BARK!)

JUNO (NARRATOR): While I messed with that comms I couldn’t stop thinkin’ about Rita. She’d been telling me what Small Fry just had for years – that I didn’t need her to set everything up, that I wasn’t even trying, and… I’d yell at her that I got it, but I was just busy. And then sit alone, like an idiot, while she set up my comms, my monitor, everything.

Ma never let us have that stuff. And then I just got too proud to admit I didn’t get it, and… I got better and better at asking other people to work around me, I guess. Anyway, I… had the thing up and running again soon.

SOUND: BLIP.

JACKET (FROM COMMS): We may look backward only to ensure we have not walked this path before.

JUNO: Yeah, thanks, big guy.

SMALL FRY: (BARK!)

JUNO: Just… give me one more minute.

JUNO (NARRATOR): Maybe I’d gone mad with power, but… I had an idea, and I was hungry for another win. I knew the comms could get on the net, and I knew the sewer system’s layout was a public document. The rest was just guesswork. Learning and mistakes.

SOUND: ERROR BEEP.

JUNO: (GROWLS)

SOUND: ERROR BEEP.

Aghhhh!

SMALL FRY: (BARKS)

JUNO (NARRATOR): …a whole lot of mistakes. But, still.

It took me an hour to do what Rita could’ve done in two seconds, but, I was proud of it.

SOUND: BEEP.

JUNO: Ha! Got it! Look, it’s a map, and I think I found a manhole that’ll take us…

SMALL FRY: (SNORES)

JUNO: …out of the… sewer.

Hey. Hey, c’mon, Small Fry. C’mon.

SMALL FRY: (SNUFFLES AWAKE)

JUNO: We gotta go, kid. I think I found a way out of here. And after that…

We’ll have to figure that out together, I guess.

SMALL FRY: (MEWLS)

JUNO (NARRATOR): I split the comms so I could carry it in my hand and my ear at the same time. It was gonna be a hike to get to that manhole leading out of the sewer, and… to Oldtown.

HAWK (FROM COMMS): (FADING IN) The year between Andromeda 3’s release and the opening of Polaris Park marked a shift in how Northstar was run. Takano removed himself from the film production process completely, hiring previously-terminated Northstar writer Kenni Okombe and rock-star-slash-poet Rajavi to co-write Andromeda and the Dragon’s Peak, based on some of Takano’s early sketches. In the meantime, Jack Takano redoubled his efforts on Polaris Park, and though he spent many, many hours in that office – staying for days or weeks on end, according to some – his coworkers saw him less than ever.

VEGA (FROM COMMS): Always in his office. It was as though we’d taken on a staff hermit. (LAUGHS) Not that it was a funny situation, of course, Jack was clearly troubled. But, well… we all just thought that if the tortured genius needs his space, give him his space.

HAWK (FROM COMMS): Many of Takano’s former coworkers expressed similar sentiments. But not Jocelyn Chen.

CHEN (FROM COMMS): Everyone always said yes to Jack, and it wasn’t good for him. So when he started hiding, working himself sick, all that… I wasn’t having it, and I said so.

He gave me some line… something about how he had to figure out the problem by himself, that he couldn’t compromise on the park any more than he already had. And I said, “Jack, you can take all your toys, and go hide in your room if you want. But if you keep working like this, you’re going to get yourself killed, and—”

After that… after I said that, he just… looked at me and waited. Like I hadn’t gotten to my point yet. Like that wasn’t even enough reason t—

Anyway. I ended the conversation there, because I wasn’t getting anywhere. But clearly he wasn’t done.

HAWK (FROM COMMS): Ms. Chen is referring to a public charity event at which Takano spoke to raise funds for Martian fire departments. Though the speech was largely typical of his optimistic oratory, there was a tangent that was met with confusion in the press:

JACK (FROM COMMS): But the most beautiful thing about Andromeda, I think, is… that she always goes it alone. She recognizes that heroism is a blessing for the world and a curse for the hero, who must live with the weight of every decision they make, the pain of every loss they fail to prevent. And yet she never stops. And she never shares this burden with another, because she knows it is better for one to suffer than two. Goodness is her charge. And she lives up to it alone.

CHEN (FROM COMMS): Which isn’t even true. Aries, the Ramblers, Captain Cancer, Queen Pisces – by that point, Andromeda had relied on others twice a movie! Well, minus Andromeda 3, but… (SIGHS)

VEGA (FROM COMMS): Jack never spoke to me directly about his design problem, but I could see it amongst the lines, as it were. Something at the core of Polaris Park had gone wrong for him, somewhere. Some of his work orders implied that the problem had come from compromises he’d made, and so he tried hiding the gift shops, changing the logo so that ‘Polaris’ was much larger than ‘Park,’ that kind of thing. Then a week later, all those orders would be undone, and he clearly felt that the problem came earlier than his compromises… from the park’s initial contraception, perhaps.

I knew that he expected me to decode that subtext. I like to think I was rather a confidant for him in that way – the only one he could undress even part of his heart to.

SOUND: WATER DRIPPING, RIPPLING FADES IN. DISTANT BOOM.

SMALL FRY: (BARK BARK!)

JUNO: Huh?

HAWK (FROM COMMS): Despite Dr. Vega’s claims, the work orders we’ve unearthed state Takano’s frustrations directly to every head of every department. Polaris Park was not doing what it was supposed to – though Takano was never clear about what its actual purpose was.

SOUND: DISTANT BOOM.

JUNO: What the hell was—

SMALL FRY: (BARK!)

HAWK (FROM COMMS): And as Takano tried to solve it—

SOUND: DISTANT BOOM.

—the days to Polaris Park’s opening – and the man’s disappearance—

SOUND: TWO DISTANT BOOMS.

—drew closer and closer.

SMALL FRY: (BARK BARK!)

SOUND: CLICK, COMMS CUTS OFF.

JUNO: Shhh!

JUNO (NARRATOR): We were close to the exit by then. There was just one last pipe we had to pass through, one big enough to stand and walk in. We hadn’t heard a Theia bot in half an hour; it was quiet here.

Until that thumping started, down at the end of the pipe.

SOUND: DISTANT BOOMS.

As quickly as I could I searched the wall around me for weak spots – cracks, openings, anywhere at all to hide – but there were none. This thing had picked the one solid spot left in the entire Oldtown sewer system to corner us.

SMALL FRY: (WHIMPERS)

SOUND: DISTANT BOOM.

JUNO: (QUIETLY) Get behind me, kid, it’s alright. You’re gonna be alright.

JUNO (NARRATOR): The noise kept coming. I tried to make a plan: hide Small Fry in the sludge and try to talk my way out? No, the Theia bots were chatty, and she couldn’t hold her breath that long. Take a shot at it before it saw us? Maybe, but I doubted I could connect without a Theia on my side.

It got closer.

SOUND: SPLASH.

And closer. And then it rounded the corner.

SOUND: SPLASH.

?????: (GROWLS, PANTING)

SMALL FRY: (YIPS & BARKS)

JUNO: A rabbit…? Alive?

SMALL FRY: (BARKS)

RABBIT: (GROWL-BARKS)

JUNO: You know him. You know that rabbit, don’t you?

SMALL FRY: (YIPS)

JUNO (NARRATOR): So, that was it, then. Some of the rabbits were alive. I’d brought Small Fry home, and… I felt just… awful.

Looking into her big black eyes, one hand on her matted fur, I realized I already cared about this little rabbit. Protecting her made me feel useful, and loved, and… it was hard to put that away.

I let myself live in maybes for a second. A little rabbit munching snack food under my desk. A big one asleep in the corner of my office – ‘the muscle,’ I’d call her, but really… her name would be Small Fry. Even when she got huge.

I never really would’ve taken her, not really; but… it was nice to pretend, for a second.

JUNO: You can trust that big fella over there?

SMALL FRY: (BARK!)

JUNO: Then go home, kid.

Go home.

SOUND: SPLASHING.

JUNO (NARRATOR): So I watched her hop away. She seemed… happy.

RABBIT: (IN BACKGROUND) (GROWLS)

JUNO (NARRATOR): And that’s when the big rabbit ran over and socked me in the face.

RABBIT: (ROARS)

SOUND: PUNCH.

JUNO: Oof!

SOUND: BIG SPLASH.

H-hey, come on! I know you were scared, but—

SOUND: PUNCH, SPLASH.

Oof!

The hell do you want from me? Money? I got creds, but you have to get off me—

RABBIT: (ROARS, GROWLS)

SOUND: PUNCHES.

JUNO (NARRATOR): This wasn’t right. This wasn’t how the rabbits were. They’d never turn down creds and they never made those noises and they were never… this angry.

I reached for my blaster. But the rabbit had a desperate quickness I’d never seen before and in a second my gun was spinning over his shoulder.

RABBIT: (ROARRRRRR)

SOUND: PUNCH. PLOP.

JUNO (NARRATOR): The rabbit reared back to howl. He still had crumbs and frosting in his fur, big soft belly for scratching, just like all the rabbits I knew. But this one was burned, too. Charred trenches of fur and skin running along his sides, part of one ear gone.

And he looked… so scared. Pissed-off and powerless; like if he couldn’t pin down and punch all those Theia bots, or the human race, or death itself… he was ready to settle for me.

I still had my plasma knife, but I couldn’t stab him. I couldn’t let Ramses make me kill again.

RABBIT: (ROARS)

SMALL FRY: (SQUEAKING)

JUNO (NARRATOR): Small Fry ran up to the rabbit and tugged on his tail. The rabbit nearly jumped out of his fur, and didn’t even look behind him before he kicked one of those huge legs back at the kid.

RABBIT: (RAHHH!)

SOUND: PUNCH. PLOP, SPLASH.

SMALL FRY: (WHIMPERING)

JUNO (NARRATOR): I’ve never seen a rabbit do that. This rabbit had never seen it, either. Looked like he’d spend the rest of his life wishing he hadn’t. Then he turned, and I saw that he was ready to blame it all on me.

RABBIT: (PANTING, BIG HOWL)

JUNO (NARRATOR): A few months ago I might’ve let him, too. That’s what a hero’s for, right? Taking all the hits so the innocent don’t have to, while the ones causing all the pain sit in the stands and watch, blood and popcorn butter sticky on their fingertips.

I was done with that. Instead, I was gonna give the rabbit some advice. So I turned the volume on my comms all the way up.

SOUND: INCREASINGLY LOUDER BEEPS.

RABBIT: (ROARRRR)

JUNO (NARRATOR): And right when he was about to crush my skull… I jammed my comms into his ear and pressed play.

SOUND: FEEDBACK SCREECH. BLIP.

JACKET (FROM COMMS): (VERY LOUD, OVER THE BELOW) We may look backward only to ensure we have not walked this path before.

RABBIT: (OVER THE ABOVE) (HOWL OF PAIN)

SOUND: BLIP. SPLASH.

JUNO: Whaddaya know? Looks like that advice just saved my life, too.

SOUND: SPLASHING FOOTSTEPS.

Stay down, cottontail. I’m not kidding.

SOUND: LOW ELECTRIC HUM.

(OVER THE BELOW) See this? Plasma knife. Real hot; real sharp. I don’t want to hurt you, but if you come any closer, I’ll have to.

RABBIT: (OVER THE ABOVE) (GROWLS)

JUNO: Take the kid and go. This’ll kill you, you understand? Dead.

Stop! Neither one of us wants this!

RABBIT: (BIG GROWL)

JUNO (NARRATOR): But he kept running towards me. And he knew he wouldn’t win. I’m just not sure he cared.

He was almost on top of me. I knew I’d do it if I had to, and… that’s when I heard the first shot.

SOUND: BIG BLASTER SHOT. ELECTRIC WHIR.

THEIA: (AFTER A PAUSE) Targets detected.

SOUND: CREAKING.

JUNO (NARRATOR): A big Theia bot stood in front of me and its first laser sizzled in the wall behind.

The bot had Small Fry pinned between a wall and the end of its cannon.

SMALL FRY: (BARKING)

JUNO: Dammit, no, no, no…!

RABBIT: (GROWLS)

THEIA: Come closer. Rabbit.

JUNO: …What?

RABBIT: (GROWL?)

THEIA: Come closer. I will tell you. When. To stop.

SOUND: SPLASHING FOOTSTEPS.

Closer. Just. A little closer. Real close. There.

SMALL FRY: (YIP!)

SOUND: PLOP.

THEIA: Your little one.

SMALL FRY: (BARKS, MEWLS)

RABBIT: (GRRRRRR)

THEIA: Now please leave. And be careful. Bunnies.

SMALL FRY: (BARKS)

SOUND: SPLASHING FOOTSTEPS FADE.

JUNO (NARRATOR): The two ran, and Small Fry never looked back. I was proud of her. We may look backward only to ensure we have not walked this path before, right? Wherever those rabbits were going, whatever home awaited them… they’d definitely never been there before.

THEIA: You. Stay there.

SOUND: CREAKING.

JUNO: (HEAVY BREATHING)

SOUND: CREAKING STOPS. HISS OF STEAM.

THEIA: Are you injured. User. Mista Steel.

JUNO: Mista…

(STARTS LAUGHING, OVER THE BELOW)

THEIA: Because. Um. Ramses wants to see you aboveground. And. Somethin’ somethin’. No. Don’t say. Somethin’ somethin’. Say—

JUNO: Rita?!

THEIA: —somethin’, you—

JUNO: Rita, is that really you?

THEIA: No. I’m. Um. What’s this thing called. Tara. Teyona. Let me. Look it up.

JUNO: Rita! God, I am glad to see… whatever the hell robot this is.

THEIA: This is. The Theo’s Spectacles.

JUNO: Wait– you yelled at the bot for saying “somethin’ somethin’,” which means you must be able to hear it.

THEIA: Nuh-uh.

JUNO: Rita…

THEIA: Who’s that. She sounds nice.

JUNO: Just drop the joke, alright? I’ve been looking for you for days, I’m filthy, I’m tired, so just tell me where the hell you are!

THEIA: Oh. Does it make you worried. Not knowing. Where very pretty user. Rita is?

JUNO: Rita, I said—

THEIA: ‘Cause maybe. Then. She should disappear for weeks instead. Not say anything. ‘Cause that would definitely make you. Less worried. And not way more worried. Ain’t that right. Boss?

JUNO: (AFTER A PAUSE) Oh, I…

(QUIETLY) What did I do?

Rita, I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry.

…Rita?

THEIA: The Theia Order. Is shutting. Down.

SOUND: POWERING DOWN.

JUNO: Rita? Rita?!

…No.

Please…

SOUND: THUMPING ON METAL.

No! Damn it, no! No!

I’m sorry! I’m so sorry, Rita; and, I know that’s not enough. I know how sour a sorry tastes when it comes from someone who’s apologized before and never changed a thing. I know you’ve got no reason to believe me, but…

SOUND: METAL CLUNK.

Please don’t leave me here, Rita. You’ve got every reason to, but… I’m tryin’ to get better. I really want to get better, maybe for the first time in my life since the HCPD, and… I’m just so scared that it’s too late, and everybody’s already smartened up and gone, and maybe you should, but please, please—

RITA: Hi Mista Steel.

JUNO: (YELPS, PANTING) How long were you behind me?

RITA: Just for the last ‘please please.’ I miss anything you wanna say again?

JUNO: I, uh…

I’m sorry, Rita. I’m just… so sorry. It won’t happen again.

…Rita?

SOUND: THWUMP.

Oof!

RITA: I missed you, boss. I was real worried.

JUNO: I know. I hear you. For once. (DEEP BREATH) And I missed you too, Rita. Really.

RITA: (SNIFFLING)

JUNO: What? What’s the matter?

RITA: (SNIFFING/CHOKING BACK TEARS) We just… ain’t never hugged this long before, boss. (SWALLOWS) It’s nice.

JUNO: Oh. Yeah, it’s…

(CLEARS THROAT) Anyway, uh… I got a map, and it says there should be a way out just over—

RITA: Oh, yeah. The whole system’s bein’ shifted around, boss. None’a your maps are gonna work anymore.

JUNO: Shifted around for what?

RITA: Oldtown, I guess. But anyway, I figured out the way up before I even came down here because you know me, Mista Steel, I’m all for an adventure but as soon as it’s one that might get one’a my three S’s wet, I gotta get in and out. That’s right, my shoes, snacks, and salmon sausage snacks, so—

JUNO: You know a way up?

RITA: I do! Wanna go see? I was hopin’ we’d be able to bring that big puppet I hacked into with us, but it ain’t exactly gonna fit through the manhole. Or up the ladder, which I learned ‘cause at first I had two ways out but then I broke one, you’re never gonna believe how, boss, it was—

JUNO: With the big robot, right. Listen, Rita, I want to hear that whole story, I really do, but can we do it someplace we’re not covered in slime?

RITA: That’s a great idea, boss. This way.

SOUND: SPLASHING FOOTSTEPS.

HAWK (FROM COMMS): (FADING IN) …let’s look at that moment one more time. Opening day at Polaris Park. Moments after Takano’s last employee check-in. The silent, solitary moment in which his departure flipped from an idea to an action.

We can’t know what he was thinking in those moments. And in the end, trying to understand every minute detail of the departed’s psyche tells us more about ourselves, in many ways, than about them. Just ask Lorenzo Vega:

VEGA (FROM COMMS): Jack was… a perfectionist. He’d made so many compromises with his park, had seen his vision so diluted. One can only conclude that the sight of it, his creation so malformed… who wouldn’t leave?

HAWK (FROM COMMS): Or Jocelyn Chen:

CHEN (FROM COMMS): He was a visionary, and that meant he had no idea what he was doing. He could help us up to greatness, but him? His sights were always going to be aimed up about a dozen feet over where he ended up, and he was always going to be bored by whatever he made. Always.

HAWK (FROM COMMS): Or Miranda Fairbanks, who wrote in her memoir:

FAIRBANKS ACTOR (FROM COMMS): Humanity needs people like Jack, I think. People who can just see how things should be, without the reality of what they are getting in the way. That’s how progress happens. And so I assume he must have seen the true way forward somewhere other than us… and run towards it.

JUNO: This ladder?

RITA: Mm-hmm.

SOUND: GRUNTS, METAL CLANKING.

HAWK (FROM COMMS): We’ve presented you with theories over these many hours, but we will probably never know why Jack Takano left us behind. The only clue we have is the audio note found in his office, once he was gone. And to conclude our program, we will play it in full.

MUSIC: STARTS (FROM COMMS).

JACK (FROM COMMS): The thing I find most beautiful about Andromeda, in the end, is this: that she can never be satisfied. I wonder now, if Orion’s curse wasn’t really a blessing for our Homeless Hero. He turned her from a protector of one city, to an active force of good the world over.

RITA: (OVERLAPPING WITH THE END OF ABOVE) What’s the holdup, boss?

JUNO: Found the manhole cover.

JACK (FROM COMMS): To find home—

JUNO: (GRUNTS)

SOUND: METAL SCRAPING.

JACK (FROM COMMS): (OVER THE ABOVE) —Andromeda always looks backwards. Polaris. Nostalgia. The paradise left behind. And this works in our stories, when we only show the shining city for a few seconds at a time. But in life, no such place exists.

RITA: Mista Steel?

JACK (FROM COMMS): If it did—

RITA: Mista Steel?

JACK (FROM COMMS): —we would already live there.

JUNO: This… this isn’t Oldtown.

RITA: I’m pretty sure it is, boss. I counted paces an’ everything.

JUNO: No. The map’s right. I’m happy to explain in a minute, Rita, just as soon as I get this cannon out of my face.

THEIA: Remove yourselves. From. The sewer. Help. Is on the way.

JACK (FROM COMMS): But there may yet be such a home. I believe we can find it. But we cannot turn our heads if it is not what we expected, or if we fear what we see when it opens its gates.

RITA: Oh no oh no oh no—

THEIA: Now put your hands up. Please.

JACK (FROM COMMS): Home is not in the past. It can’t be. And that means when we find home, when we find the perfect place we yearn for… I doubt we will even recognize it.

RITA: What is this place? What happened to Oldtown?

JUNO: Says it right there on the sign, Rita.

“Welcome to Newtown: The City of the Future.”

JACK (FROM COMMS): And so now I leave. I go now to seek the true way home, as any hero should. And I urge you to do the same. Or, at least, to accept it when it comes. I look forward to meeting you there. Jack Takano.

ALL SOUNDS: FADE OUT.

***

SOUND: TRAIN MOVING, MUSIC.

CONDUCTOR: If you’ve enjoyed this tale, please consider donating to The Penumbra on Patreon. Our artists work tirelessly to bring you these stories, and if you have the means, we hope you will support our efforts. Every dollar helps. You can find that page at patreon.com/thepenumbrapodcast. If you support us on Patreon at the $10 level or higher, you’ll receive access to commentary tracks like this one, from actor Matthew Zahnzinger and co-creators Sophie Kaner and Kevin Vibert:

SOUND: TRAIN STOPS, DOOR SLIDES OPEN, RAIN.

SOPHIE: …There’s not anything more to it than it’s like, yeah, well I thought of it, and I’m smart, and how do I know that? Well, ‘cause I’m me, I just know.

KEVIN: Mmhmm.

SOPHIE: And there’s nobody… above him to tell him, y’know. And there’s no way of knowing for sure… what is good.

MATTHEW: Although to that point, and, to get… back on my bandwagon of every commentary complimenting Kevin’s writing, um—

SOPHIE: Could you compliment me a little bit, for once?

MATTHEW: (LAUGHING)

SOPHIE: What is this?!

SOUND: DOOR SLIDES SHUT.

CONDUCTOR: You can also support The Penumbra by liking us on Facebook, following us on Twitter @thepenumbrapod, following us on Tumblr @thepenumbrapodcast, telling your friends about us, telling your friends to tell their friends about us, and especially by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. Every rating, comment, and kind word spreads our stories further and inspires us to keep creating more and better tales to come.

We would like to give special thanks to all who support us on Patreon, but especially to Minchowski, Camille Blanton, Christine Kim, Rowan Collins, Garrett M, Jay Iannuzzelli, Karin Z-H, Canteloupe, Fiona Parker, Regan, Ko, Kim Zeugin, Atha Lang, Vron, Charlie Spiegel, and Jaimie Gunter for their incredibly generous contributions per episode. Thank you.

Did you know that The Penumbra has merchandise for sale? It’s true! The Penumbra has partnered with DFTBA to bring you the posters, shirts, and pins your heart desires. Just go to dftba.com and search for The Penumbra Podcast.

This tale, Juno Steel and the Long Way Home, was told by the following people: Joshua Ilon as Juno Steel, Matthew Zahnzinger as Jack Takano and Ramses O’Flaherty, Marge Dunn as Hawk Hackett, Bob Mussett as Lorenzo Vega, Melissa Barker as Jocelyn Chen, Allison Choat as the Miranda Fairbanks reader, Sophie Kaner as the Theia and Small Fry, and Kate Jones as Rita.

The Penumbra is created and produced by Sophie Kaner and Kevin Vibert. If you wish to know more about our ever-expanding, infinitely-creative team of artists, musicians, editors, designers, and managers, you can read about them in the show notes of this episode.

I’m afraid this is the end of the line for today, dear Traveler. We hope you will ride with The Penumbra again soon.

ALL SOUNDS: FADE OUT.

[snipsnsnailsnwerewolftales]

Bloodlines - Part 6

A/N: Based off of the song “Heathens” by Twenty One Pilots, this will be a multichapter fic with either a lyric being a chapter title, or the headers to break down the thought process of the chapter. None of the lyrics are mine, and they are all in bold - Again, I do not claim to own them, all credit where credit is due.

I do not own Teen Wolf or it’s characters. Sadly.

Word Count: 2,751 (Not including lyrics.)

Warnings: None that I know of. Mild language?

Beautiful people who helped me when I came to them with this crazy idea and said to run with it: @wheresthekillswitch @obsessed-withthe-hales @aworldmadeforme @life-what-life-i-dont-have-one @xteenwolfwritingsx

Coming back to Beacon Hills was supposed to be uneventful. Yet somehow, you are now stuck in the middle of two worlds you didn’t even know existed yesterday. Now between both worlds, but not belonging to either, you try to forge your own way, finding out that some ties are stronger than bloodlines.

Series Masterlist

Xxx

We don’t deal with outsiders very well

The stare off between you and your father lasted an uncomfortable amount of time, but you refused to shift your weight under his glare. In fact, you felt your spine go a little straighter at the challenge, wanting to smirk when he was the first to glance away, sharing a look with your mother who stood to the side, her arms crossed tightly over her chest, her features hard from what you could make out in your peripherals.

“You know, dad,” you drawled in a tone Peter would have been proud of, “the time frame for you to give me any type of answer other than an explanation has passed. The fact that you didn’t answer immediately means there is a story you’re not telling me, and until you tell me, I’m not moving.” You crossed your arms over your chest. “Not one inch.”

Glancing between you and your mother, your father’s face crumbled. “My God, you are a mirror image of your mother right now, and it’s scaring me. Stop it!”

“Spill!” You said, not giving him a beat.

“Okay!” He nearly yelled, stopping to take a deep breath, crossing his arms himself before glancing down to them and rolling his eyes before he dropped them back to his sides emphatically. “Okay,” he said again, this time softer. Closing his eyes and hanging his head, he let out a heavy sigh. “Yes, to answer your question, I know exactly what we are.” Looking back up, he opened his eyes to meet yours, their bright red glow causing your jaw to slowly drop. “I’m a we-”

“Werewolf,” you finished for him, softly, the word feeling right coming off your tongue. It had a taste, a feeling, like taking a sip of cold water after being outside in the sun all day.

Your father snapped his mouth shut and nodded once quickly in confirmation, letting his eyes fade, a much less dramatic exit than his entrance.

Glancing to your mom, you raised your eyebrow skeptically. “Why didn’t you tell me you guys were werewolves?”

She smiled faintly, looking down to the ground as she rocked back on her heels once before looking up. “Because it wasn’t my secret to tell.”

A silence settled as you processed the information. Or, rather, tried to. “I don’t understand.”

“Your father is a werewolf, yes, but I am not.”

You stared at her a moment before whining. “Please don’t tell me you’re a Kanima!”

Your father’s “What the hell is a ‘Kanima’?” overlapped your mother’s “How the hell do you know what a ‘Kanima’ is?”

The silence was heavy. “You still haven’t answered my question,” you finally huffed out.

She smiled a bit broader, holding up a hand to silence your father, his face was still screwed up in confusion over the creature you had just mentioned. “I’m a hunter.”

Nothing made sense anymore. The world was upside down. Left was right, up was down, and a crooked line was straight. “What?”

Jumping slightly at motion in your peripherals, you turned your gaze back to your father who had flicked out his claws, nodding gently at his mumbled, ‘sorry’.

“Why don’t I just show you?” His eyes glowed red for a fraction of a second.

Letting out a disbelieving laugh, you stepped back just a fraction of an inch, holding out your hands as a shield. “Nooooo,” you elongated the word, laughing on the vowel slightly. “No, thanks. I’ve already had that done to me, and while it turned out okay in the end, I don’t really wanna relive that experience.”

“Who?!” Both of your parents yelled in unison.

You gulped. “Never mind, forget it.”

Your father shook his head in confusion, but moved on anyway. “We had Talia take your memories before we left because our secret could have gotten you and many others killed.”

“Why didn’t you do it?” Your question seemed to catch your father off guard before he smiled proudly at the realization that you understood how packs worked on some level.

His eyes glowed bright red yet again, but didn’t show any sign of fading. “Because I wasn’t an Alpha then.”

They say newcomers have a certain smell

“So, your dad did that…. claw thing,” Stiles mumbled, swiping his hand lamely in a gesture on the word as if no one else in the loft knew what the word meant.

Rolling your eyes, you nodded. “Yes, Stiles, he did the…. claw thing,” you imitated his gesture, earning you a huff from your friend, which only made you smirk.

Stiles stared at you blankly for a long moment. “And?”

You sighed. “Oh, my God, Stiles! And now I know why Derek wanted to throw a book at your face the other day!”

He looked to Derek who happened to be studying a thick book on the table by the windows with his back to the two of you on the couch. “You wanted to throw a book at me?!”

“Yes,” was Derek’s dry answer.

“What day was this?”

“It ended in ‘y’.”

“Oh,” Stiles paused, looking off into the distance deep in thought before nodding in consent. “That’s understandable.” You narrowed your eyebrows at him. “I forgive you.”

“Thank you, it means the world to me, not that I asked.”

You snickered at Derek’s dry tone as he simply turned a page in the book, Stiles mumbling incoherently as he slumped back into the couch beside you, his arm brushing yours as the cushions plotted to push him your way.

“So?” You looked down to where Stiles’ head was resting on your shoulder, and saw him looking up at you expectantly.

You sighed yet again, looking away from him and to no spot in particular across the room before speaking. “I learned about my family. They were a rival pack from here in Beacon Hills.” You glanced to your left and saw Derek looking over his shoulder subtly, his attention now on your conversation instead of the book. “Well, not ‘rival’ in the ‘Grrrr! Turf war!’ sense,” you smiled at Stiles’ snort of laughter, seeing Derek’s shoulders shake gently in a silent laugh. “More of just a, ‘Hey, we both are old families here and have two Alphas because of that, so we kinda have to draw a line in the sandbox and share toys’ sense.”

“Sounds pleasant,” Stiles joked, earning a short lived glare from you before it melted into a genuine chuckle.

“Anyway,” you said pointedly, closing your eyes and shaking your head free of the comment before turning back to your random spot in front of you. “My dad ended up meeting a new family of hunters that moved to town, made a pact with them to help one another should the need arise, along with the Hale’s, and one thing led to another, ending with a werewolf marrying a hunter, and thus cut off from both the werewolf world and hunter world.”

“Wait! They, like, shun you for that?” Stiles sounded outraged, sitting up straight on the couch next to you.

“Don’t you remember how Chris acted with Scott and Allison after they found out he was a werewolf?” Derek’s voice was soft, and turning your gaze to him, you saw he was looking down at the floor on his right, his profile backlit by the windows, making the downturn of his features more dramatic.

“Yeah,” Stiles answered quietly, studying the floor himself in thought, his features slowly melting to match Derek’s.

“That’s why.”

Nodding at Derek’s words, you looked back to Stiles who just ran a hand through his hair and slumped back into the couch yet again, looking off into space, deep in thought.

Patting him on the back softly and offering him a sad smile, you waited until he offered you one in return before rising to your feet and walking slowly to stand beside Derek, purposely putting your feet right in his line of sight where he still stared at the ground, making him flit his gaze up to yours with a small smile.

You returned the grin before leaning on your palms on the desk, looking down to the book he still had open. “When I said ‘line in the sandbox’, I was talking about you, you know.” You looked back up to him with a mischievous grin, seeing his own smirk growing on his face.

“Oh, really?” He scoffed, a laugh rumbling in his chest.

“Yeah! You never shared anything!” You put a finger on the book, trying to pull it your way slowly, slyly, but he scoffed again and placed his hand firmly on the opposing page, pulling it out of your reach quickly. “Hey!”

He stuck his tongue out at you playfully, and you mirrored the ridiculous gesture, making you both laugh. Glancing back to the book, the laughter died slowly and your features turned serious.

“They had your mom take our memories because knowing, well, much of anything about the situation put a person at risk. They did it to protect us. They did it because they wanted us to maybe be in each other’s lives again one day.” You looked back up at him to see him studying the book still firmly under his left hand.

“It sure didn’t seem that way with how your dad reacted the other day.”

You groaned, going from your palms down to your elbows, burying your face in your forearms and making your voice muffled. “Ugh! Don’t remind me. He was just being all Alpha wolfy and stuff.” Turning your face back to look at him again, you rested your cheek on your forearms.

“So a turf war?” He was smirking.

Narrowing your eyebrows at him, you mumbled, “Shut up!” before turning back into the comfort of your arms and muttering mean things as he just laughed at you. Once again turning and resting your cheek on your arms, you looked up at your friend as he took a deep sniff of the air, his brow furrowing before a smile also worked it’s way onto his features as he looked down at you. “What?”

“Something is different about you.” His voice was soft.

“Derek, it’s weird that you want to smell me.” You spoke blandly, turning to look out the windows in front of you, lifting up a little bit and resting your chin in your palm, elbow still bracketed to the table.

“Wait, what?!” Stiles announced his return to the conversation from across the room, his footsteps quickly and loudly approaching from the couch.

“You’re different. ……new.”

“New?”

Stiles was suddenly between the two of you, pushing you apart, or rather trying but mostly just flailing and gesturing as he said, “Okay, new rule, and one I thought I would never have to instate, by the way, my friends do not smell each other. It’s just weird.” He leaned on his palms on the table like you had earlier with a heavy sigh, looking out the window, sandwiched between you and Derek. “I’m surrounded by weirdos.”

You have trust issues, not to mention

“Y/N! I told you I had it!” Derek was growling at you, his wounds healing as he walked towards you, arm gesturing behind him widely.

“I know, but-”

“But nothing!” He let out a louder growl. “You could have gotten hurt! That wasn’t the plan! We stick to the plan! We have it for a reason!”

“Look, I may be new, but I know that you guys’ first, sometimes second, even third plans don’t always work out!” You were yelling and gesturing your arms widely as well, getting toe to toe with Derek, your face going red in anger, his eyes flashing blue to show his.

“Hey, now!” Stiles interjected from somewhere behind you. “Planner over here. I find that rude.”

“Shut up!” Scott yelled, eyes glowing bright red for emphasis.

“Sorry,” Stiles said pointedly.

“Not you,” Scott huffed before pointing to you and Derek. “The two of you.”

“Oh, look, now you got us in trouble, Derek!”

“Me?! What the hell did I do?!”

“Enough!” Scott roared this time, making even the crickets in the vicinity go silent in fear.

Derek turned to Scott, his mouth in a hard line, and you couldn’t help but gulp in fear before turning to him with wide eyes.

“The two of you need to quit this bickering. It’s annoying, and it isn’t helping anyone.” He pointed at Derek. “You. Stick to your own part of the plan unless it’s absolutely necessary.” He turned the finger on you. “And you.” His eyes stayed red for a few moments before fading back to human. “Stick to the plan, period. You can’t heal like we do, and believe it or not, I take that into account when planning-”

“Uh, not to be that guy, but, me. I take that into account when planning. I do the planning. That’s my thing.” Scott turned his gaze on Stiles, his eyes glowing again briefly. “Okay, geeze, sorry, you help. Why do I get the glow stick eyes and she gets the puppy dog eyes? What did I ever do to you, Scott?”

You let the two of them bicker while you studied the cement under your feet.

You didn’t know where your allegiances lied.

Scott was the Alpha of the pack, but ever since you found out about your family, you felt torn.

Yes, they had lied to you, in a way, but it was to keep you and others safe. But at the same time, it made you wonder what else they were keeping from you.

Scott hadn’t lied to you, but he and the rest of the pack, Stiles included, treated you like you would break if the wind blew hard enough. You were tired of people walking on eggshells around you.

Then again, you were doing that to yourself. You didn’t quite know what to think about yourself. You just knew you had to trust yourself, it was instinct.

They say they can smell your intentions

Scott had decided to separate you and Derek for a while, sending him back to the Loft with Stiles. Both of them had left grumbling. Stiles said something about not repeating the vet clinic incident, earning him a warning growl from Derek before you couldn’t hear them anymore.

“That’s not going to end well,” you said to Scott, pointing over your shoulder at their retreating forms.

He looked past you and closed his eyes with a grimace as you heard indistinct shouting between them before the slams of the Jeep doors, then you still heard their bickering but it was muffled.

Looking you in the eyes, he smiled that kind smile of his. “We can only hope.”

The turning of the engine sounded behind you before it stopped altogether. The muffled voices sounded calmer, but they escalated for every failed attempt to start the Jeep, resulting in a startled yelp, which you could only assume was Stiles.

“You were saying?” You asked Scott through a wince.

He shook his head as he watched the Jeep.

The engine turned and sputtered once more before roaring to life, and the muffled cry of victory you heard over the growl of the vehicle made you jump.

Looking to Scott once again, you met his eyes and held his gaze for only seconds before you both burst out laughing.

Walking slowly to where Scott had parked his bike, you stared at the ground as you went, trying to find the right words for an apology.

“You like him.”

His statement caught you off guard, making you stop in your tracks, him doing the same only a foot or so in front of you, smirking at your raised eyebrows.

“What?”

He looked in the direction the car had pulled out only minutes before.

“You heard me.” He looked at you pointedly before making it the rest of the way to his bike.

It took you a few seconds to snap out of it before you quickly followed after him, scowling. “You don’t know that.”

“You smell like it.” He said it so honestly, and like it was almost a sweet thing, chuckling at the face you pulled, shaking his head gently as he handed you the spare helmet.

“That’s gross.” You tried to keep your voice detached and even, but it came out on a small laugh as you took the helmet from him roughly, playfully.

“But is it wrong?”

You were glad the visor of your helmet was down to hide your scowl of consideration.

“Shut up and ride, Scotty Boy.”

Xxx

Tags: @palaiasaurus64 @ohphillip @sammyrenae68 @abbytheninja @storytelling-reader @evyiione, @mayahart02, @impala-moose @justdreamstars @twilight-loveer @ajlly What’s this?

[divine-ruin]

Synthetic (Prompt #2)

something made by a synthetic, or chemical, process. 

“Alright, baby girl. Grab that toolkit over there. Yer gettin’ a crash course if things that go boom.” The color drained from my face. “D-Daddy…a-a mine?!” He grinned with the cigar still in his teeth. “Gotta learn ya real well if'n you wanna be on top of the game, darlin’. How else ya gonna know anythin’ about NDI? Mines ‘n’ bombs’re normally the easiest things ta build!” He’d gesture wiping a fake tear and fake a trembling nostalgic tone. “My little girl…all grown up and buildin’ 'splosives! Ugh, such a proud papa right now.” He’d put a hand over his heart in what I thought was false sincerity while his wolfish grin still bore the lit cigar.

I dressed for the occasion as best I could: leather leggings, leather boots, and a somewhat loose fitting shirt so I could move about; my hair was tied in a high tail behind my head by a leather chord, my bangs out of my eyes with an older headband that had just been sitting in a jewelry box. He walked me into one of the large garages that belonged to a vesselhouse. My eyes widened as they just stared at the parts scattered and strewn about. He’d dangle a pamphlet that was roughly only 23 pages long in front of my face.

“Ya gotta week, baby girl. This’s where ya gonna eat and sleep for it. Imma give ya some free time tonight so you 'n’ Ian can have some alone time with tryin’a figure this out, but 4:30AM’s gonna come quick so I wouldn’t stay up too late if'n I were you.” His voice was almost taunting at that point. “Alrighty, let’s take a look at whatcha got in ya toolkit. Uncle Reese and Uncle Ivar put together a real doozy for ya so ya gotta pay attention ta the smaller details.” I had a pallor at that point, he just laughed at me. “Iria, ya gonna be fine, baby. Just remember to take things slow. Use that brain Thaliak gave ya ta be critical about the construction. You’ll be done before ya know it.”

“A-Am I allowed to have someone help me if I get stuck on a part or direction? You’re going back home, so I know it’ll take you a while to return if I need you, so–” He’d interrupt me with a throaty laugh. “Maybe Ian could help you, or e'en hell, maybe Sebastian if ya play ya cards right. Sometimes it takes more'n one good mind ta figure out where ya shortcomin’ is. Just gotta think 'bout your resources and timeframe, baby girl. If'n ya smart enough with that, you’ll kick this thing’s ass'n no time flat.”

I opened up my toolbox, grimacing as some of the tools looked like things my sister would likely use during an autopsy. He threw a pair of leather gloves my way. “Can’t be havin’ those purdy hands gettin’ all cut up and bruised. Now, Imma leave ya ta study that thing in order ta be gettin’ better acquainted with that monster yer 'bout ta take on.” He gave me a thumbs up. “Do me proud, baby girl. Ya got this, no doubt.”

As soon as he closed the door, my heart and all other vital organs dropped into my stomach, my brain seeming to go with them as it was like looking at those directions made me feel temporarily like I forgot how to read. I tilted and constantly rotated the instruction booklet in my hands to make sure I was looking at it right. Oh Thaliak-blessed, lend me your guidance and infinite patience on this one…

As I began to look over my tool chest that was put together for me by one of my father’s most trusted NDI employees:  Reese Nicholaides, my father’s youngest brother.  Inside I find a message that he wrote in what I thought might have been complete and utter haste.

“Baby girl”, as most of my father’s associates (as well as my family!) that have been with Nicholaides Defense Industries since before my birth affectionately referred to myself and sisters as, “I’m hoping this is helpful.  Your Da was very specific on what he wanted you to have. I promise I didn’t put nothin’ in here that you ain’t gonna use.  If you need help, holler.  Love and luck, Uncle Reese.”

This alone made me more nervous than anything because Uncle Reese’s mechanical concoctions had a tendency to blow up on him whenever he wasn’t focusing.  However, something in the note made me smile.  He was always fond of his butterscotch candies, and made me extremely addicted to them as a child when I would come with Daddy on business trips.  He always made sure that Ian, Zara, Ada, and myself had one in our mouths at all times. I found one attached to the note with a PS written at the bottom.

“If you need more, I’ll sneak them in to you.”

One thing about my father and his business associates:  they were always really close as they had all been brothers-in-arms in service together.  Most of the older employees were either under his command on his naval vessel the LNS Warhound or they had served with him in some other way. Needless to say, I had a ton of “uncles” that were constantly over to discuss business with him or help him develop new schematics even if it was just for recreation and to get away from their wives.  I chuckle at that thought because I remembered a time when I was roughly nine years old, and walking into Daddy’s war room with a huge throng of men in the wee hours of the morning, ale mugs about as they were all huddled over his main table discussing various different blueprints.  I remembered I had had a nightmare and Daddy was always the one to help chase them off.  Instead, I got a whole throng of men singing a lullaby to me mostly drunk but it made me laugh.

I shook my head, getting back to work on working the screwdriver slowly in order not to bald any of the screws as I started working on completing the shell of one of the inner components to the mine as the pamphlet had indicated…and then Shida walks in.  BLAST!  Well, blast, but not blast as I was actually really glad to see her, but my time was slipping away from me.

“Iria, you have a few schematics Lord Declan wanted me to pass your way.  I don’t think Ian’s gotten a chance to look at them, but he said you’d be the best judge of character for these."  I smiled, Daddy’s already starting to hand the reins over to Ian soon.  "No problem, Shida.  Could you place them over there for a moment?  And…hold this for me, please?"  I had her literally keep her hands closed upon this device as an already-built component lay inside.  I screwed the small outer shell shut with her help and smiled at my handiwork. It only took me an hour to put that together.  "One down…eighty-billion to go?"  She looked around the vesselhouse and pouted.  "You know, if you want me to stay out here with you I will!”  I nodded my head, gesturing over to the chemical compound I had already started of explosive powders and synthetic coating for all of the mine’s wiring.

I smiled even wider at the thought.  “You’re more than welcome to!  I just don’t know how much help I’m going to need and I really need to focus. Maybe if you can look over some of those schematics for me and just read them to me while I work on this thing it’d be very helpful. Once I commit them to memory they’ll be destroyed as is the norm for both Ian and I.  I’m hoping to expect Sebastian at some point tonight, maybe he’ll help make this go by a bit quicker.”

Shida nodded, her smile widening.  “I’ll go get us some tea started and –"  "NO."  She looked taken aback for a moment.  "No tea, love.  I’ll take some of Daddy’s bourbon if he’s got a flask lying about."  I grinned.  Apparently I was more like Lord Declan Nicholaides that I ever would’ve thought myself to be.

I had a pocket knife wedged between my teeth as Shida’s entire body was stretched out over the shell of a huge naval mine trying to keep it shut as I was working as hard as she could to tighten all the screws she put into place. The sight would’ve been one of hilarity and curiosity as the aide’s body was draped over it like stretched putty. As soon as I had tightened all twenty-eight screws in what seemed record time, I took the pocket knife from my teeth and tried to wedge it into the small groove where the top half of the mine shell met with the bottom one. As soon as the point was in place, I jabbed it in a little and it slipped out, catching the hand that was braced against the metal. “Shit! Grrrr…Gods fucking damn it!" Again, I cut myself. It bled a little, and I took a drink from the flask at my hip that my dad had left me in the huge toolbox that was organized and put together solely for my usage. Shida slipped down the face of the mine until her toes hit the carpet. Rushing over to a first aid kit, she pulled out some bandages, both of us women completely unaware of Ian entering the vesselhouse in Limsa. Apparently he had gotten my letter. My temples and cheeks were smudged with oil and gunpowder from all the hard work. Even with the leather gloves Dad had given me, the knife’s blade had landed in the side of my hand under my pinky finger and, while the wound wasn’t dire, it was bleeding quite a bit. "If I didn’t know better, I’d say that’s the first time I’ve ever heard you curse, Lady Nicholaides.” The voice held the big man’s humor. Ian made his way into the room, hands linked behind his backm, the smile on his lips shrinking a bit noting the cut. “That’s… unfortunate, sis.  Got anything to help with that?” While Shida was retrieving said kit, Ian made his way to my side, running an arm around my shoulders to give me a quick embrace. I blushed profusely, noting that the small draught of whiskey I drank as soon as I got the injury probably didn’t add any help to her current situation either. I laughed embarrassedly. “I believe it is, and I believe it will be the last, younger Lord Nicholaides,” I chuckled. “You won’t believe the project that Dad has given me to take on,” I hissed as Ian peeled the glove off and took the gauze wrap from Shida’s hands. “I’ve an idea that it may not be. Just as long as it isn’t in front of any of the children you teach before they’re old enough to understand and know better.” A light shrug as he helped with what he could on the wound. “What does he have you doing, unless you mean learning how to put this mine together, hm?” “Oh I’m so very careful, and honestly, I think that’s the second time I’ve ever cursed, I’m just under a lot of pressure right now, I’m so sorry Ian,” I lowered my tone as I hissed once more as he finished wrapping it. “Daddy’s brought me this mine. He wants me to finish it. I don’t understand since you are taking over NDI, but he was wanting to talk to you soon about a possible role for you where all of that was concerned. However, as ‘second head of the House’, he wants me to know how to put this together within a week’s time.” “I don’t know how I’m going to be able to put something like this together. Uncle Reese left me a lot of detailed and in-depth instructions, put it in simple terms that I could understand, but the mechanism just isn’t coming together like I think they expect it to,” I admitted defeatedly. "I’m sadly not allowed to give you much help, or else I’d offer a bit more technical expertise.” He hummed in thought a moment, tearing the gauze, and tying it off around my wounds. “Is there just a certain point where you find the thing falling apart? Where everything doesn’t come together? Or maybe the instructions you were given were a little lacking?  You know how Uncle Reese can be a little scatterbrained at times.” “I don’t think the directions are wrong, sweetie. I just think I lack the aptitude to take on such a task. However, you are going to be back out in the field with Daddy soon just to brush up on business and learn how to make contracts and he wants me to have the knowledge as well since this was about to be part of my inheritance as well. Uncle Reese is usually pretty spot-on with his instructions because he personally trains people how to build these things within a day." My shoulders slumped. "I’ve been given a week but I need to make sure I use my time wisely, so I was here at 4:30 this morning to get started,” I sighed gently. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there when you woke up this morning. The whole beginning of my day doesn’t start until I’m able to feed you and Dad.” “I completely understand so no need to apologize, baby girl. Gathered that something worth it took you away for a time, then I got your note, and had no worry at all.” He finally embraced me, and leaned over to kiss the top of my head with a smile. “Have you made progress in this work since you began at the very least?” A tilt of his head in the question with a cocked brow, always ready to help where he could. “I have! It’s just that the wiring on the prongs outside of the mine are what detonate it. Once the prongs are touched, it triggers the wiring to make the timer countdown to explode. This particular one is allotted a five second time. However, the issue is that, while the prongs have been touched, and this is just a dummy mine with no real inner workings that will detonate, it does go through the motions and when the prongs are touched the timer is not getting activated.“ "Some disconnect in the wiring somehow that’s gone unnoticed?” He paused. “Maybe the timer is faulty? Or the power source to it is off?” He ran down the options he could think of at the very least. How long has this problem been occurring?" My eyes widened immediately at the power source comment. "OH! Oh my stars you are a genius!" I hopped up, wrapping my arms around him immediately, only to slip down quickly against the length of his body before I rushed to start untightening the screws. "The crystal power source that Dad gave me probably wasn’t set in there correctly. It was something he charged with pure electricity so it had to be handed with rubber gloves. However, he says that it has a two-year active life once the power switch is turned on after the mine has been submerged." Shida breathed out a long drawn out sigh with a chuckle as she looked over to I. "Does this mean I get to be the Raen rubber band again?" I looked at her with a big grin. "Not yet, I may not need you to. If you can just lift that other part, I’ll have Ian hold this side and I’ll look into it to see what happened.” I looked at the diagram again once more as Shida slipped her fingers between the small crevices that kept the two parts of the mine together. “It looks like Uncle Reese’s ink might’ve smudged a little, because the crystal is actually asymmetrical, it’s bigger at the top than it is the bottom, and here they almost look equal. All I can do is lean in, switch it around, and hope to Thaliak that it works. There is supposed to be a light that comes on on the inside of the mine near the switch when it has power." Shida lifted her side, and though it was light enough, the metal was bulky and awkward to hold. Her brother nodded a little bit with a smile, all too happy to swing her about a little bit as she jumped up into his arms. "No need to stretch anymore, I don’t think. Unless you would prefer me just watching you both work.” He nodded a little bit, indeed going to help keep the mine open as is. Hands slipping into the gap left by Shida’s own hold. “Fingers crossed here. In spirit. About as well as they can be at the moment!”

I slipped on the rubber gloves and leaned over as far as I could as not to disturb the wiring. Hanging over the edge of the middle of the open mine, my arms stretched out as far as they could go, my gloved hands fumbling a little as I managed to take the crystal out of its electrical bed and switch it. As soon as I snapped it into place, the light inside the mine flickered on with a few little zaps resounding in the metal orb. My feet were completely off the floor as my short stature was a hindrance, my feet crossed behind my backside in mid-air as I covered the electrical bed where the crystal sat back up, tightened the screws around it, and did my best to check the wiring. As I was hung on my belly over the side of the mine, I started to slip out as carefully as I could, almost falling over as my feet finally found the dirty carpet again.

“Alright, I think it will work now! Thank you, you two. We can put the top back on and I’ll screw it back down. I’m pretty sure the rubber blockages Dad had made will keep it pretty airtight. I’m just hoping that nothing else goes wrong." I sighed heavily as I looked at it once more. "I think I’m done for the night, my mental capacities are fading at the moment,” I admitted as I looked up to Ian with a smile. “Shida, please feel free to get some rest." The agent was more than happy to say her goodbyes and bolt out of the door of the vesselhouse as I and Ian stood there looking over the mine. "So, what do you think, brother-mine?”

“I think… I’m definitely proud of you, and what you’ve accomplished already given such a short amount of time.” He nodded a bit, going to slide an arm around my shoulders. “And that I’m sure you’ll end up doing just fine with this little test, rising to every challenge pointed at you as always.” A slow nod as he considered more before looking down at me, free hand stroking his chin.

I burst out laughing. “So does the oil match my hair color? Should I trade makeup in for the mess I currently am?" I turned to look up at him, aquamarine eyes gently reflecting all the love in the world for my older brother. "Let us just say that Dad had a feeling you’d be meeting me out here, so this was a challenge for the both of us, not just me”, he admitted reluctantly. “He knows you have a long history with warfare, so he thought having me do this would also introduce me to your line of work in a bit of a hilarious way,” I said with a smile.

“Maybe not trade for it, but, it does still look good!” He just chuckled a little bit, shaking his head.  He couldn’t help but grin, eyes reflecting that same love right back at me.

[greycappedjester]

Grrrr, so annoyed, I am soooo close to finishing this chapter, guys. But, unfortunately it is also after midnight and I am tired and do not trust my editing skills rn. Because I would rather give a (mostly) grammatically correct and edited chapter, I'm going to have to wait until morning to finish this last bit, edit, and post. Gonna be the first thing I work on tomorrow. But, until then, here's a scene:

As always thank ya'll so very much for understanding :)

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Oikawa swept across the office, never seeming to pause for even a second as he pointed a quill at Iwaizumi. “So, tell me, are invasions just like a semi-annual thing?”

Iwaizumi frowned. “No, not usually.”

“I just got lucky, then.” Oikawa shrugged before pulling at another of his massive pile of books.

The tower wobbled unsteadily.

A small pamphlet fell from the top--like a pebble before a landslide.

It creaked.

Iwaizumi swore, catching it with his shoulder and putting it back upright, barely stabilizing it before their new king could be crushed to death by a book avalanche.

He breathed out, only to look over and find Oikawa already moving on with a pile of parchments springing up from absolutely nowhere.

“Oikawa!”

“Hmm?” Oikawa didn’t look up from his notes.

“Could you just…,” Iwaizumi sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose, “just stop for a second, okay?”

“No time to stop, you quitter.” Oikawa stuck out his tongue. “In case you forgot the rest of the Suits are arriving literally any second now. And we’ve got the opening ball tonight. Then, there’s the ship race tomorrow. Plus, the cultural fair’s going on all week. Then, the treaty renewal with Nohebi and Hyakuzawa. Then, the feast and the ending ball.” He held his quill to his mouth. “I’ve thought this before, Iwa-chan; but, don’t you think two balls are a little excessive?”

Matsukawa snickered in the corner, the first sign that Oikawa’s personal guard was actually awake rather than sleeping on his feet.

Oikawa threw a wadded up parchment at him. “Ugh, you’re so immature! Also, you’re fired!”

Matsukawa snorted, eyes falling shut again.

“It’s less than Clubs’ festival,” Iwaizumi answered. “Spades has the Tournament, Clubs has the art displays and the dances, Diamonds has the science exhibition, we’ve got the cultural festival. Two dances is just tradition.”

“Well, it’s an excessive tradition,” Oikawa muttered. “If our main event is the cultural festival then why not make one big ball and put the rest of the money to the festival expenses. Especially,” Oikawa waved the feather of that stupid quill right at Iwaizumi’s face, “when--you know--we’re expecting the Hawks to attack any moment.”

Iwaizumi grabbed the quill and huffed. “You’re freaking out too much--”

“Excuse you, I always freak out exactly the right amount. It’s part of my charm.”

“Tooru,” Iwaizumi said in exasperation, “seriously, I came by to tell you to take a break.”

Oikawa frowned, looking fairly mutinous.

“We have the Hawks covered, okay?” Iwaizumi held up his hands. “Tsukishima’s been sending me updates on what he’s found. As far as we know, the leader’s still in hiding so he may not even show up.”

Oikawa huffed. “But, if he does. If we’re expecting an attack--”

“Then, we have guards covering all the entrances. They won’t get through. We won’t let them have a way in,” Iwaizumi said. “Which I know you remember because we went over it ourselves last week and you nearly had a coronary picking apart those and changing the numbers.”

“Ah, Iwa-chan,” Oikawa said and there was something darker in his voice now--iron under the playfulness. “You remember war. People will always find a way if they’re desperate enough. You can never just stop them; you have to out play them.”

And, then, he was off again--reaching behind his desk to grab another whatever that he’d abruptly decided was important.

Iwaizumi fought the urge to groan. He loved his King--really, he did; enough that some days he was still surprised he could walk across the hall and just find him there.

He still wanted to strangle him sometimes.

“You’re insane,” he told him flatly.

“Hmph, heard that before.” Oikawa said without pause and then jumped when Iwaizumi put his hands on his shoulders finally bringing him to a stop.

“Oikawa,” Iwaizumi said. “Just hold on for a second, okay?”

Oikawa watched him under his bangs while his other hand tapped at his knife--an old restless habit he kept even with two hand-picked royal guards and an Ace watching over him.

“It’s going to be fine,” Iwaizumi promised.

Oikawa sighed, finally letting his shoulders slumped. “It needs to be more than fine. It has to be perfect.” He gave a rueful grin. “Is it really that bad that I want my first Hearts Festival as King to be perfect?”

Iwaizumi moved his hands to his waist. “No one needs you to be perfect, Tooru. We just need you to be here. You’re not doing this alone, remember? There’s three other people in this castle. More coming tonight. Trust us.”