#and also a way to get more saplings???

[hassiegfrieddoneanythingwrong]

The 30M Download Campaign has finally come, and Oberon is the representative for it. (Really? A third Avalon Servant? 😒)

Here's the rundown, besides the usual rewards:

A x3 Super/Great Success when leveling up Servants, all Dailies are open and their AP costs 1/3.

Some more event CEs have been made available in Da Vinci's shop, along with some more event Command Codes.

The amount of Pure Prisms are doubled from completing Part 1, Part 1.5/EoR, Part 2, and OC.

Along with that, there's a way to refill PP stock, with a special kind of ticket (right now it's only restricted to three, so choose wisely).

Two more Mystic Codes (Anniversary Blonde and Sōya High School Uniform) will be free to get after clearing the LB prologue* (currently unsure if it is the LB prologue).

Three more CEs, those featuring Kayneth, Sola-Ui, and Kirei. Their effects respectively are: self invincibility for 3 times and buff removal resistance by 10%/20%, gain 4%/5% NP per turn, Quick, Arts, and NP gain by 3%/5%, and self star weight up by 100%/200%, Quick, Arts, and Buster up by 8%/10%. (Color coordinated for easier reading)

The next free SSR ticket is here as well, this time including the story-locked SSRs. The permanent ones included this time are: Dioscuri, Tametomo, Vritra, Odysseus, Taigong Wang, Nemo, Kashin Koji, Galatea, and Nitocris Alter. If you were expecting Bhima or Marie Alter, sorry but the cut off is Koji.

The requirements to permanently add them is leveling up your chosen pick to level 60 and bring them up to Bond 5.

Also, Oberon gets his own CC.

[aroaessidhe]

2024 reads / storygraph

The Sapling Cage

YA fantasy, start of a trilogy

a trans girl and her friend swap places so she can join the coven of witches who wander the land instead of becoming a knight

as they travel and she starts to learn from them, while hoping she’s not found out , they uncover a corrupt magical blight that threatens to become a civil war

bi demi MC

[mildmayfoxe]

i just broke my favorite HAIR CLIIIPPPPP

[tswwwit]

dip 🤝 bill

both liking their hair pulled/played with

👍

[autisticlalna]

how to watch Skyblock Kingdoms!

because i'm dragging all of you down with me.

what is Skyblock Kingdoms?:

Skyblock Kingdoms, or SBK, is a Skyblock survival server made by VikingPilot where 18 20 players are split into groups of 2 and have their own island to take care of. each island has a unique wood type, and have a monopoly over that wood type! trade between kingdoms is allowed and encouraged, but any saplings belong solely to their original island-- with the exception of oak, which is a freebie anyone can have.

the teams are theoretically a mix of seasoned skyblockers and people not as familiar with it, but in practice there's more novices than experts so comedy has quickly ensued.

what's the story?:

in most cases, SBK is more of a casual improv vibe. think Hermitcraft rather than Empires. what this means is that there's no overarching story everyone is following, but some players have bits they've decided to commit to that, in typical MCYT fashion, are spiraling. some perspectives stay away from the action, some are playing along with whatever bit is tossed their way, some have their stories to tell, and Avid is the reason i'm having to rewrite this paragraph.

we've got capitalists! we've got OSHA! we've got witches feeding the void to try and appease it so it stops eating their bridges! we've got signs of the timeline falling apart! we've got a fortune-telling wizard! we've got something trapped deep down in limbo! we've got somebody cursed to be a monkey by british sun tzu! we've got selling your soul for a weekly lootbox! we've got a kingdom being overtaken by snow and sculk! we've got an airline with a 75% mortality rate! we've got a lawyer?

as of this version of the post (Avid's episode 17, Marma1ade's episode 15, Viking's episode 13, Vintage's episode 13), the first major story arc has wrapped up and things are going in a very interesting direction.

what's the format?:

there are edited videos being released regularly on Youtube by most of the creators, but a couple of POVs are stream-only so far. however, you can easily keep up with the server shenanigans without watching any streams-- there's some stuff that doesn't make it into videos, but not anything that would leave you locked out of the loop.

you can find all of the episodes out so far in release order in this one massive playlist by Doovid! thank you Doovid <3

on top of videos and streams, SBK has songs written and performed by Avid for his episodes! please listen to Through the Void, it's really good. there's also an animation for it that's used as his intro, which is also really good. if you want to listen to cool tunes made for SBK by one of the creators, you should watch Avid.

who to watch?:

depends on what you're looking for!

if you want a focus on building, then Fixxitt and KingElffe are both working on large-scale projects that are downright stunning to see in Skyblock. if you're interested in the Void storyline, then your best bets are Avid, Marmalade, and Trog-- and if you want lore in general, you can add Rubyco, Vintage, Milkman, and Anathra (and potentially Viking) to the list. if you want something chill, then Doovid, M1G, Kale, Anathra, and Leon are pretty laid-back. if you enjoy cinematic editing, then you should check out Avid, Trog, Doovid, Leon, and Viking. if you're here for comedy, then you'll want to check out Viking, Doovid, Milkman, Leon, CodeNeon, and Kittrix, but honestly everybody gets in on that one as they mess with each other constantly. and that's still not covering everybody!

i recommend watching everyone's episode 1 to get a feel for their style and go from there. Anathra, Artemis, Neon, and Leon's perspectives start around the Ender Dragon fight, and Fool and Tea are stream-only.

who's on the server?:

as mentioned, some of these POVs are stream-only!

Dark Oak (VikingPilot + Fixxitt 412) - industry on a massive scale Cherry (Rubyco + vintage_applesauce) - friends with everyone Jungle (AvidMC + Doovid) - the universe has it out for them. Birch (TheFoolsFam + SadMilkman) - the villain is always capitalism Bamboo (M1G + KaleHameron) - space samurai shenanigans Mangrove (Marma1ade + Teaish7) - witches with a void problem Acacia (Dr. Trog + Kittrix) - triangle-loving chaos-causers Spruce (AcornBandit + Anathra) - very chill (both definitions.) End (CodeNeon + LeonSBU) - have been here the whole time! Mushroom (KingElffe + Artemis8bit) -

tl;dr Watch Skyblock Kingdoms.

[sunmoon-starfactory]

The Giving Tree - Optimized

Surprise! We are not dead yet and today we have a big optimization update! This update reduces the "The Giving Tree" set in size by more than 50% (106 to 36,2 MB). You also get a cute little bag planter which doubles as a Texture Main. (Surfaces -> Misc)

Technical details: Each tree consists of 4 files: sapling, growing, mature and felled. Because of the way the files have been optimized, you have to make sure that you do not delete the sapling file for the trees you use. Trees are standalone, but the sapling is always required. As is the planter bag.

As a manual has not been written (yet), you can find more information about this set and its usage at The Keep

Update instructions: All files have been modified and renamed, please REMOVE all old files.

Download The Giving Tree

View Set at The Keep

[lu-is-not-ok]

Any particular thoughts on Fanghunt Hong Lu?

Yes, one very specific thought in fact.

Fanghunt Hong Lu is the most violent Hong Lu ID we have had thus far, being one that not only revels in violence like Tingtang Hong Lu or Hook Hong Lu, but also one that is actively shown torturing his victims in some genuinely stomach churning ways.

He is also the one Hong Lu ID which, while mentioning his Family, is one that doubts the very nature of what a family even is the most clearly.

This, to me, highlights a very noticeable pattern among Hong Lu's IDs.

When a Hong Lu ID is shown to be actively under his Family's control, he's either completely uninterested in violence (such as Liu) or so bored with the role he's forced into that violence is the only way he's able to push back against that boredom (K Corp and W Corp).

On the other hand, a Hong Lu ID that seems to be heavily disconnected from his Family is often one that is actively enjoying the violence he inflicts and is notably kind of fucking unhinged (Tingtang and Hook).

Fanghunt Hong Lu adds another nuance to that spectrum, being an ID that still has contact with his Family, but one who isn't specifically in a position chosen by them and who is led to doubting what a family even is by his experiences.

He shows us a possible outcome of a Hong Lu who has to actually reckon with reality and doubt what he knows about his circumstances, and the results are not pretty. After all, like I said earlier, Fanghunt Hong Lu is the most violent and most hate-filled Hong Lu we've seen up to now. He pulls out a guy's fucking teeth one by one for fuck's sake.

...And this made me think a bit. We actually have quite a few Hong Lu IDs with a Wrath Sin Affinity by now. However, Fanghunt Hong Lu is only the second we have with a Wrath Skill 3. The other one being, of course, Liu Hong Lu.

Both Hong Lu IDs with a Wrath Skill 3 seem to be to some extent aware of something being wrong regarding their Family, in very different ways that lead them into reacting to it very differently.

Liu Hong Lu seems to be aware of the fact he has no real control over what happens when he's under his Family's watchful eye, leading him into being the least violent Hong Lu of them all. He's aware of what his Family is doing to him, but he's unaware of it being abnormal.

On the other hand, Fanghunt Hong Lu seems to be unaware of the specific horrors of his Family. Rather, he's become aware that Family itself is a concept that he can't quite understand. He's seen Bloodfiends who abandon their previous families to be with their new Bloodfiend families, and it's a point of focus for him. What even is a real family?

...This, I think, is where Liu and Fanghunt Hong Lu differ the most. Liu Hong Lu knows he's being hurt, but he doesn't see any way out, that it's just how things are supposed to be, so he simply tries to live through it.

Meanwhile, though Fanghunt Hong Lu doesn't have that piece of the puzzle, he does have a different one - the seed of an idea that he could escape. Proof that one's "Real" Family doesn't have to remain their only family. He just doesn't yet realize what he'd want to escape from, so he channels the feelings he's experiencing because of that information against the immediate source of it. Instead of using that idea to free himself, he directs his anger towards those that actually tried it and succeeded.

I don't mean to keep pushing my "Hong Lu will go apeshit in Canto 8" idea, but like... The more info we get about him, the more likely that possibility becomes. After all, Fanghunt Hong Lu is a clear example of the fact that a Hong Lu aware of an escape route from one's Family could become extremely violent. That added onto the potential of Lorenzo's story told by the Priest being a parallel to Hong Lu, and the fact that the Sapling of Light Hong Lu is likely going to parallel is Chesed... It's all a lot.

[xenodile]

Really though, FFXIV was both very smart and also shot itself in the foot when Shadowbringers introduced a character that exists to solidify the Warrior of Light's connection to the First. Like Feo Ul signing an almost literal fey bargain with the Crystal Exarch and WoL where in order to enable WoL's ability to travel between the two worlds seamlessly, Feo Ul gets unlimited access to another world and to watch the WoL literally every second of the day. It's a great way to explain otherwise jarring or tone-deaf game mechanics and make them work, while also allowing for new narrative possibilities, which are then worked into Il Mheg, Feo Ul becoming Titania, and all that entails.

But it creates a new set of issues where Feo Ul is now present in literally every single moment of the MSQ because They are bound by their contract to the WoL. Feo Ul can show up and start talking at absolutely any time in any context after Shadowbringers, and after a while, it becomes strange that They don't. Like when wild fuck shit starts happening to the WoL's soul in Endwalker, THEIR sapling's soul, Feo Ul really isn't gonna say anything? After how possessive They were of the WoL in Shadowbringers?

I just want Feo Ul to be relevant again, they're a fun character and it's a shame their actual omnipresence in the Warrior of Light's life doesn't get used more often.

[enemywasp]

i want your billdip headcanosn i recently watched gravity falls and i see such potential for them but id like to hear otherintwrpretations

The JOY I got at receiving this ask!!! Billdip has been my otp for years I've got so many.

Dipper is obsessed with finding answers and intrigued by basically everything, which is of course what drew him to Bill.

Bill finds the Pines family in general fascinating, they're his playthings and Obsession in his own way. Pinetree is the only one who he's really focused on though, the way he talks back and is determined for answers entertains him more than anything

Dipper needs Bill, he's the only one he can really decipher and understand as he's been bullied and outcast his whole life.

He's also the only one who can keep his busy mind occupied

Bill keeps Dippers nightmares at bay as he's got a lot of troubles from his adventures, doesn't mean he won't give him his own little dreams on occasion with a special cipher touch

Bill teaches Dipper magic and runes, mostly out of curiosity but he ends up silently impressed at how much he is capable of as a human.

They fight and argue a LOT. They're at complete different ends of morality, and that makes them clash. Though Dipper finds himself less and less concerned by Bill's behaviour as time passes, and if Bill happens to gain a soft spot... who can say anything.

I think there relationship would be initially built on a deal, something that protects the rest of the Pines family for certain. But Dipper is Bill's. He can do what he want with him.

They do have soft moments, despite it all. Dipper sharing stories of humanity that Bill would never truly understand, and the demon in turn sharing tales of the past and the universe itself.

Bill initially just wanted to use Dipper and manipulate him through whatever means necessary but instead he fell hard.

Bills only capable of a very obsessive kind of love, anyone who gets too close to HIS sapling should be wary.

Dipper has a moral crisis about weekly, he's dating a demon. Who tried to destroy his entire family. But god he can't pull away and Bill makes some very compelling arguments.

If and when Bill would be able to get his own human form it would be built specifically for Dippers pleasure and want.

Being human does make Bill seem more human, though he is of course still himself sometimes he finds himself feeling a new kind of fondness he never knew before

Dipper also sometimes forgets until he pushes too hard and his demon side makes it clear where they stand. Bill will always be the more powerful one in the relationship and Dipper will always be HIS.

I think I'm going to leave it there for now. But I could probably rant forever about these two. I tried to keep this broad so I can definitely do more specific hcs in the future.

[mostlysignssomeportents]

Margaret Killjoy’s “The Sapling Cage”

TODAY (Sept 24), I'll be speaking IN PERSON at the BOSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY!

The Sapling Cage is the first book in Margaret Killjoy's new "Daughters of the Empty Throne" trilogy: it's a queer coming-of-age tale in the mode of epic fantasy, and it's very good:

https://firestorm.coop/products/21646-the-sapling-cage.html

Lorel wants to be a witch, but that's the very last of the adventurous trades to be strictly gender-segregated. Boys and girls alike run away to be knights, brigands and sailors, but only girls can become a witch. Indeed, Lorel's best friend, Lane, is promised to the witches, having been born to a witch herself.

Lane doesn't want to be a witch. She wants to be a knight. So she and Lorel swap places, so when the crones come to their little hamlet to collect the girl who was promised to her, it's Lorel who steps forward, wearing the black dress Lane's mother left behind. None of the townsfolk rate Lorel out to the witches, and just like that, she is on the march with the coven, a whelp – the lowest ranking inductee, aspiring to "apprentice" and then, "witch."

What follows is, in some ways, a very expertly executed coming-of-age story. Lane is getting trained up with the coven, among a new cohort of whelps of varying degrees of friendliness and hostility. The world is a richly realized fantasy landscape of monsters and giants, magic and political intrigue.

Lorel has signed up for witching just as the land is turning against witches, thanks to a political plot by a scheming duchess who has scapegoated the witches as part of a plan to annex all the surrounding duchies, re-establishing the long-disintegrated kingdom with herself on the throne. To make things worse (for the witches, if not the duchess), there's a plague of monsters on the land, and the forests are blighted with a magical curse that turns trees to unmelting ice. This all softens up the peasantfolk for anti-witch pogroms.

So Lorel has to learn witching, even as her coven is fighting both monsters and the duchess's knights and the vigilante yokels who've been stirred up with anti-witch xenophobia.

This is a good, sturdy, serviceable plot, and in Killjoy's hands, it is expertly handled. There are lots of reversals and double-crosses, brilliant fight scenes, all the things you could want in an epic fantasy. And of course, it's a coming of age, with Lorel seeing the world and discovering who she is and brushing away the comforting half-truths and lies her elders have cocooned her in.

That's where the fact that Lorel is trans comes in. Lorel is figuring out what that means, but she's also very worried about discovery. After all, she's entered the company of witches, the last all-female cohort in the land, and these are powerful women – what's more, they're anarchists, leaderless and fractious. Who knows what happens if Lorel gets discovered.

So you've got this incredibly well-turned fantasy/coming-of-age story going on, and Killjoy figures out how to work in this gender stuff not just as a way of doing "representation" or "queer joy" or any other value that's orthogonal to the literary merits of this as an adventure tale. Nor does she simply integrate trans-ness as an unremarkable fact of life, another kind of statement (indeed, there's plenty of queer characters in this story who are matter-of-fact in this manner).

No, Killjoy uses the special complications of coming-of-age while transitioning to heighten the stakes and thus fuel the suspense of the novel. In addition to all the normal merits of diverse characters, Killjoy is using gender issues to crank up the story, winding it up to a breakneck pace that makes the pages practically fly past.

Thematically, there's a bunch of chewy stuff Killjoy does with the way that magic transforms bodies, making monsters out of witches who push their powers too hard. The story has all these changing bodies – children coming of age, Lorel coming out as transfemme, the transformation of magic-users into monsters. It's just another layer of depth that supports a zippy, run-and-gun quest tale.

I've followed Killjoy's work for more than a decade, ever since her days publishing the seminal zine Steampunk (motto: "Love the machine, hate the factory"):

https://firestorm.coop/products/2624-steampunk-magazine.html

Years later, I had the pleasure of instructing her at the Clarion West workshop. She's published regularly all that time, and this is by far her most commercial – and, I think her best! – novel (to date).

Today, Tor Books publishes SPILL, a new, free LITTLE BROTHER novella about oil pipelines and indigenous landback!

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/09/24/daughters-of-the-empty-throne/#witchy/a>

[waokevale]

A Clarification to Wormwood's Age (And why he's fully fledged without a shred of doubt)

So, as we all know or have heard some at point, there are still people out there, who think the peculiar lunar plantation is an infant, solely due to the way he speaks, behaves and of conviction that he was literally born yesterday. Which by all means is false.

That's why I'm here to finally dismantle that belief. I'll present you with several compelling arguments of mine based on throughout research I did on his character overall, and if by the end of this post, you'll still hold firm to that same opinion, then I'm afraid that's out of my hands by that point.

If you're willing to stay for the duration of this thesis, and hear me out, I'll be very greatful. And please do listen, so we may not make any more misconceptions as such about him in the future.

I'll be splitting this post into 5 segments, one with additional subcategories.

General Appearance

Behavioral Pattern

Intelligence

Character Interrelations

Canon Information

First of, let's start off with the obvious:

General Appearance

If we're going to interpret his appearance based on 'human qualities', then physically, compared to actual child characters, Wormwood's design is vastly different.

The easiest way for me to prove that, lies in one of the recent animations: (Swine & Dine), where all the (live) children are gathered in one place, alongside Wormwood and Wes.

Here, you can distinctly pick apart the difference between the three preteen characters, Walter, (who's likely supposed to be a teenager on the younger side; around 13-14), and the last two.

The most obvious difference is the jawline. Wormwood, for one, has a massive jaw, easily rivaling that of Maxwell's (while technically, this feature isn't reserved solely for adults, it is moreso common to see an adult with a define jawline, rather than a child.)

This, alongside his torso being usually depicted as an inverted triangle (at least in the official animations), seem to be features added intentionally somewhere post his release, as he looks much more childlike in his animation video, where he's still technically a sapling per se.

Even Several of Wormwood's skins showcase, that he is in no way meant to be seen in a juvenile way.

The best example of that being his Victorian skin.

Look me dead in the eye and tell me that's a child. That is one of the most indisputable old man portrayals, you can get from an anthropomorphic plant character in media. Do not try and argue, how a child is meant to look like that, because neither of the four actual child characters has a skin, which makes them appear that much significantly older than they actually are.

So what reason would Klei even have to make his skin look so apparently elderly, if they saw him as a child?

More examples of his mature skins could be said for the Roseate and Guest of Honor. While they're not outright elderly, as is the former, the general vibe is similar to that of other adult characters' portraits.

Now that we've compared him to human characters and their characteristics, we should take into consideration what he actually is. Let's remember, that at the end of the day, he's partially a plant organism and partially an inorganic crystal from the moon , certainly he ages much differently than us humans, or even most other constant species for that matter.

I'm pretty sure he was also formed with a fully developed body (since he seemingly bloomed shortly after forming, which is a trait reserved primarily for mature plants)

But then again, appearance alone isn't enough to make one truly adult, is it? Thus we're moving on to:

Behavioral pattern

Few things you'll immediately realize about Wormwood is his alleged naivety, playful nature and seldom use of grammatical correctness. Due to this, many immediately assume that he's a child, which is understandable, but not a good enough reason to make such an assumption.

There are many factors involved in building one's disposition, and in Wormwood's case, there's plenty of reasonable causes for his behavor:

As previously stated, he's quite literally a sentient amalgam of vines, brought to life by a jewel from the moon. His origin far disparates that of any known being, especially a human.

His mind develops much differently than that of an average person. This correlates with the point above (since its a big green gem in his chest and not an actual brain). Plus, he likely hadn't had the chance to have a proper education. While he seems to have picked up on a lot of mannerisms from the pigsfolk in Hamlet, I doubt anyone went out of their way to actually school him.

He's feral. The majority of his upbringing, he likely spent surviving in the jungle. In a way, he reminds me a lot of Tarzan (A human, who grew up raised by a troop of gorillas after his parents were killed. He can communicate with the local wildlife just fine, but deeply struggles understanding and relating to the outsiders; other humans, who one day arrived on his land.) That's likely the reason why Wormwood refers to certain creatures with mimicking the sounds they make. Perhaps he can understand them to a degree, or at least is trying to.

Just because he doesn't speak English, doesn't mean he's slow. It is plausible he speaks a different language, while English doesn't come naturally to him. As is the case with Wolfgang, who has similar speech impediment issues and struggles with saying full sentences, but that's quite literally because English isn't his mother tongue. It's been a running gag that Wolfgang is the embodiment of a European man, and whichever country/countries he might've originated from, it's definitely not the UK. As might be the case for Wormwood and whatever constant language he actually thinks in.

He has certain traits akin to people with autism/Asperger's or ADHD (Nonverbal communication, delayed language development, lacking social cues, sensitive nose, short attention span, hyperactive and somewhat impulsive behavior, wild or overexaggerated movement, struggle with fitting in, little sense of awareness etc.) And I'm speaking from experience with this one, he's quite relatable to me, and many of my friends on the spectrum.

With that let's move on to the third segment.

Intelligence

Just how smart is he truly?

Wormwood isn't regarded for his high intellect, that's for sure, but remember, intelligence isn't defined by just the book smarts society imposes on us. Therefore it doesn't always correspond to a person's age and experience.

Wormwood, while definitely not on a level of a Harvard graduate, is extremely intelligent and a quick learner at that.

Let's digest what we generally know about intelligence and what it really means for Wormwood.

With the main question at hand : What differentiates a child mind from an adults'?

While he certainly shares some personality traits with Webber, their mindsets are rather different.

I'd like to present my point with a simple method.(From that one Quora post, believe it or not, it was the most convenient out of all the theories and tests I found) Dividing that, which is known as thought process into five subcategories, of which are:

Cognitive Development

Life Experience

Responsibility and Independence

Emotional Regulation

Social and Moral Development

So let's start with Cognitive Development/Psychology

(Definition : The process of growth and change in intellectual/mental abilities such as thinking, reasoning and understanding. That includes: the ability to interpret information, verbally communicate ideas, appropriately apply words and gestures to given situations, recognize and differentiate various sounds, comprehend your surroundings, use past experience to resolve current or future problems more efficiently, etc. TLDR: How thought process changes with age ; Talking, hearing, reading, remembering, problem-solving, understanding, You get the point. )

By this point, Wormwood's acquired plenty of general knowledge of the world around him and what to expect from it. (In some cases, he seems to know things without realizing it, or simply wishes to not provide more info of what he's already aware of.)

He is capable of understanding various different things, applying appropriate words to them, when given the chance. He often struggles to properly phrase what he means, but you can still get around to grasp it.

And you know what? He's especially good at deducing things not every character can point out. Here are some of the more obvious to least obvious things he's mentioned:

Leaky teacup - "Can't drink from it"

Beaten Beater - "Hmm... Can't use it"

Start tower kit - "Need to plant it on the water"

Compass- "which way?"

N- "North

S- "South"

E- "East"

W- "West"

NE- "Northeast"

SE- "Southeast"

NW- "Northwest

SW- "Southwest"

(The direction one would seem pointless to add but let's remember that there literally are characters in this game who don't know which way is which cough cough Winona cough)

Clippings - "Can sell this hair"

Sapphire Medallion/Tenpiece oinc – "Can buy things now"

(the plant understands capitalism 👍)

Winona's GEM-erator (out of fuel) - "Oh. Needs sparky"

Telelocator Focus (missing gem)- "Needs Purple Shiny"

Telelocator Socket (missing gem)- "Where shiny things?"

The Queen of Moon Quay: "Oh...she thinks Night Ball is friend hair?"

(He might know who They are after all)

Beast of Hunger (1) - "Oh. Not alive"

(This, plus any other quote of his mistaking a statue or an object with distinguishable features as alive, does not make him dull; this world literally has statues coming to life. He simply uses a reasoning he acquired from living in the Constant.)

Rose-Colored Glasses – "Friends show Fixer friend secret things"

(Most character, barring Maxwell, Wendy and Wigfrid don't know about the glasses' true purpose)

Ancient chest - "Put stuff in there!"

(One of 4 characters to have an inclining what to do with it)

Greater Gestalt- "Protect"

Enlightened Crown - "Helps hear them"

(Okay, he definitely knows who They are)

Hound Corpse (reanimating) - "Coming back"

(He seems the least bit of surprised or disturbed by this, compared to everyone else)

Antlion (upset) - "Oh no. Needs gifts"

(interestingly, no one else seems to mention why the Antlion is upset)

Mysterious Energy- "Seed"

(...?)

Distilled knowledge- "Plant this in funny floor"

(he's the only one to have figured out what to actually do with it)

I think what we all can realize from going through his quotes, is that he's in no way as clueless as he initially seems. He has his moments, but so do the rest of the survivors.

Life Experience, Responsibility and Independence

This plant has lived through a lot, but then again so have the rest, a lot of them have faced countless hardships most of us can't even fathom.

From what we already know, the fandom generally believes he is very naive and trusting, which really isn't the case. The thing is, it's not that he's naive, he may not react especially negatively to a creature or thing because he's used to seeing bizarre things, or because he's not afraid of them, unlike the majority of the survivor cast, who are alien to the constant.

Barring the in-game mechanics which force characters to be competent regardless of their experience, we're going to focus on his reactions to mobs and items that might pose actual threat to him or others, or are considered as questionable by him.

Inflatable Vest - "Safe?"

Shadowcraft plinth - "Scary hands helping?"

Fish steak - "Watch for bones"

Candy Apple - "Careful! Don't eat stick! "

Platapine (sleeping)- "don't wake it"

Sentrypede husk - "Sleeping. Shhh"

Sea Stack - "Oops! Watch out!

Great Tree Root - "Oh! Don't bump into friends!"

Worm hole (open) - "Deep. Dark"

(When deerclops is near) - "Something scary coming!"

Pressure plate - Hmmm...Odd rock"

Dread mite (about to explode) - "Look out!"

Shadow Reaper - "No...Wants to hurt friends!"

Depth Worm (lure) - "Hmm... not safe"

Depth Worm (burrowed) - "something hiding"

Meat bulb - "Careful!"

[The fish quotes in DST + the candy Apple are giving me an image of him saying that to the child characters (and definitely Woodie for the latter)]

Independence-wise, the one thing I especially took notice of, is how much the child characters seek guidance from the adults in the group, mentioning them by their formal titles too. That's especially frequent with Webber, Wurt, and Walter, though Wendy rarely does this. On one hand, she claims she considers toys and fun to be behind her, but contradictory, enjoys playing with other children and some of the adults. (Besides we canonically know she's 10-11 years old)

Wormwood isn't known for wanting to seek guidance either. He's sometimes confused about how certain things work and thus will ask about it, but that's understandable given his predicament. (As @thebleedingalien once mentioned, he's like an extraterrestrial experiencing bits and pieces from 2 different worlds at once)

He doesn't really care to play with toys either, (barring a couple of instances, one being Bernie and the others; toys with wheels and Antlion's sand castle. But c'mon, I know some of you grown adults own toy cars/collectibles or build sandcastles when you have the tools, you can't lie to me and say neither of these things is fun. Plus, this post is literally about a video game character, and those, not too long ago, were considered childish.

And besides, adult characters in this game also goof around. There's the whole sand castle building thing in Shipwrecked, which curiously Wormwood doesn't have a strong opinion on.)

But if we were to compare his maturity to other adult characters…

(Wilson) [aside his many, many jokes]: Silk- "It comes from a spider's butt."

(Willow) Portal Exit - "It's fun to watch OTHER people fall on their butts."

(Wolfgang) Coral Nubbin - "Haha. Rock is bald."

(WX-78) Regular Jungle Tree (normal and stump) - "THIS DUMB TREE HAS A DUMB FACE"

(Wickerbottom) Weregoose - "My! What a silly goose!"

(Wigfrid) Plant (ready to be picked) - "Ugh, vegetables. I'm nöt sure what I expected..."

(Woodie) Ghost - "Boo! Ha ha!"

(Winona) Kingly Figure - "It's BUST-ed! Ha!"

(Maxwell) Frazzled Wires - "I might hide those in WX-78's bedroll if I get bored"

(Wortox) [But if we were to pick an example of many] Potato Sack- "Hyuyuyu, wouldn't it be fun to hide inside and give him a scare?"

Yeah, I think he's good.

In this section I don't really have much else to say. He can be cautious, he can be daft. He joggles the braincells alongside the rest of the survivors. But all in all, I would not consider him any more reckless or goofy than either the child or adult characters. Independence wise, while he can absolutely manage just fine on his own, his desire for companionship far outweighs that.

And since we've already talked about maturity, let's move on to:

Emotional Regulation

Despite common belief, Wormwood is not overly emotional. While, yes, he is excitable and easy to impress, he doesn't usually display intense negative emotions, unless something (more often than not wooden) is destroyed, or unless a plant or a creature he likes, suffers. But then again, in those situations, it's logical to display panic, worry and grief. Imagine if your family member or friend suddenly caught on fire and burned before your eyes... Yeah, I bet no one morally adjusted would be the slightest bit of composed in those kinds of situations...

Worse yet, the majority of the Constant is filled with plants, most of whom are his friends, the closest to his kind, beings which display varying amount of sentience...

In actuality, the children, including Wendy, display a shift in emotions much more often than Wormwood does.

Then there's Willow, WX-78, Woodie (birds) and Maxwell, who all have even less emotional stability.

In comparison, I'd say he handles most situations much more maturely and nonchalantly.

Social & Moral Development

Ah yes, the ability to difference right from wrong, morality, patos or however you would call it. Now this one's a little tricky, on one hand, while he may react strongly to a plant's demise, his reaction varies, when it comes to animals and structures. Sometimes, he doesn't really bat an eye, frankly, other times, he displays intense amounts of grief.

I guess that's the definition of selective empathy.

Curiously, he has 2 separate quotes for a pigeon. One from Hamlet, where he seems a lot more distressed when it perishes, and the other, from The Gorge, where he simply states the fact "Oh. Dead."

I'd like to think this was intentional to sort of give him that fading care many of us experience as we grow older.

Here's another example:

[Hamlet] Glowfly (dead) - "(sob)"

[DST, Host of Horrors update] Koalefant Carcass - "Braump...? Not anymore"

Regarding the other survivors; for the most part, he sympathizes with them. Though he doesn't panic much when they die from average constant shenanigans. He knows it's not permanent or consequential.

He does show sympathy, when some of the others' precious belongings get destroyed or damaged.

Winona's Catapult (burnt)- "Fire bad"

Winona's Spotlight (burnt)- "Oh. So sad"

Mighty Gym (burnt)- "Oh... poor muscle man..."

Or in some instances, when a character strongly disapproves of something/is emotionally hurt and he takes notice of that:

Nautipilot - "Robot friend doesn't like Pull Rock"

Mocking Bird - "Mean tweeters, hurt friends' feelings!"

What's interesting, is that, while he calls many creatures his friends, he specifically avoids calling Maxwell that. He even considers Lucy, Willow and Woodie his friends, which is just... wow. May he harbor a grudge against him for what he did to the other survivors? Something more personal? Or is it moreso related to the fact he's fully siding with the shadows... Most likely the former.

Overall I would say he's definitely more empathetic than not, and one doesn't have to care for every living being after all.

Character Interrelations

Regarding what other characters think of how old he is...

It's debatable, keep in mind, the characters don't have to be fully aware, or can misinterpret his age based on his behavior alone.

Most people just refer to him as "plant", unsurprisingly.

There's characters like Winona, who seem to intentionally downplay his age. Winona in her quotes refers to both Wormwood and Wilson (who's officially in his 30s) as 'bucko' (a lively, young fellow. Or in some cases a friend, or another version of buddy). As for her quotes for Bramble trap and Compost wrap, she refers to Wormwood with the terms 'lil plant fella' and 'little guy'. She pretty much just teases people who are younger than her or seem younger. Or she genuinely believes he's actually that young.

There's plenty instances of people calling him a variation of little, small or sapling, which might just be how they see him. Keep in mind, just because a character may think he's on the younger side, does not mean their interpretation is the absolute firm belief you should uphold.

Then, there's Wolfgang and Wurt, who both firmly believe that he's a grown adult.

(Wolfgang) Generic - "Is leafy green man, %s! Hello!"

Firestarter - "Leafy green man did a fire booboo."

Syrup of Ipecaca - "Will leafy green man be sad if Wolfgang doesn't have a taste?"

(Wolfgang only calls him little once in his quotes, because he calls everyone little, children though, he refers to as very tiny + boy/girl/child, so there's that.)

(Wurt) Attacker - "Ow! You mean old weed!"

You might think; why would I care about what a child and a man who's considered to not be so bright think? Well, my previous point about language barriers explains that. Besides, Wurt is a constant-born creature who builds an entire kingdom in her play style, by no means, is she clueless. She also refers to Deerclops and Antlion as 'She', while most of the other characters use he or it.

What's interesting is that Wickerbottom also tends to avoid referring to him with youthful terms, aside the obvious general one she uses for everyone and everything. If anything, she's more patronizing towards Woodie, Wilson, Winona and Wigfrid. (All of whom are in between their late 20s-40s)

Lastly, we have:

Canon Information

While there isn't much information relating to his age, there are hints in the game canon that explain that.

In the game's compendium, where reside the survivors' profile, backstory and description, three of the four kids have 'young' in their introduction. Barring Walter, who instead has 'boy' which is as much of a youthful term. Wormwood's simply stated as 'an amalgam of vines' not a seedling, sapling nor a young/little plant.

From his backstory, we know that:

"A green gem fell from the moon, landing on an ancient stone monument in the middle of overgrown rubble. Over a long period of time, a vine encircled the gem and eventually formed a humanoid figure sitting on the monument. The figure, Wormwood, opened his eyes and looked at his hands. (...)"

(Now this simply explains, that a lot of time has passed as he was forming, unlike what's shown in his animation, where his body instantly forms.)

There's also this part of his bio.

“Though the circumstances of his creation were unusual at best, Wormwood came into this world full of optimism and curiosity, ready to make new friends and see all that life had to offer. But as time wore on and he experienced the cold sting of rejection, he came to learn what the moon above had always known: Wormwood the Lonesome does not belong here.”

It's implied that a while has passed since his birth. Everyone assumes that he was just created recently and that he doesn't know anything, but as I've shown you previously, he's very perceptive when it matters. He has the knowledge and experience, even insight or a hunch. He is able to determine things others can't. Ever since Hamlet happened, his quotes gradually became somewhat more apathetic towards creatures dying, as opposed to the worry and care he previously displayed.

I wouldn't say he's exactly an adult the same way the human characters are, but he's in no way a child as many presume him to be.

(It actually kind of reminds me of how certain Greek gods are created; some are formed as adults, some grow and then eventually stop, and some come to be under very strange and specific circumstances, Aphrodite. But overall, you can't exactly compare their maturing process to that of a human.) Meanwhile, Wormwood is an alien plant with a crystal for a brain

So by the end of this post, are you still inclined to believe he's a child?

Was this completely unnecessary and took far too long to construct? Yes.

Do I regret making this? Nah.

[itsabea]

March x sad Reader

Description: March tries his best to comfort you after you have a particularly busy day and end up exhausted

Warnings: not proof read, hinting at depression(reader), slight angst, swearing,

this is purely self indulgent- but then again, almost all of my is-

You had been so busy today, exceedingly more so than usual. First of all, it was raining, which you didn't mind because it meant your crops were already watered - but things only got more hectic and busy from there on on out..

You collected, put away, sold, and replanted your crops, then went to go fishing for a salmon for Jo's Request that you had accepted about a month ago.. Only to realise about an hour an a half in that it was currently Summer. Now with much less of your energy, you went to the general store to buy some more seeds and a few fruit trees, which left you with a total of 5 Tesserae as a result.

After going back to your farm and planting the saplings and seeds, you realised that it was only two more days until the end of the season. And so, you went back to fishing to try and catch the rest of the Summer fish you need for the Museum. Admittedly, most of that time was spent walking to and from the ponds to the beach, as that's where the rest of the fish you needed were found.

Once it hit 5:30, you realised that it wasn't just the third to last day of the season.. It was also a Friday. Sighing and slumping your head back, you defeatedly headed home to get ready for your weekly visit to the Inn. Hauling the bag full fish with you on your back, you got back to your farm and placed the not so important ones in your shipping bin, only to realise that you needed one more pond fish to finish that collection.... And it only showed up in the rain..

You were tired. It wasn't that you didn't enjoy your new life in Mistria; helping out the town and it's people. Or that today was bad; you had many content and joy filled moments between it all. But you were tired. So, so, tired..

Right now, nothing was more appealing than curling up in your bed, and crying.

So that's what you did. You put away your items, got showered and dressed into your pyjamas, and you laid down in your bed and cried out the remainder of what little was left of your energy.

You didn't even end up falling asleep afterwards like you usually did when crying in your bed.. Which upset you much more than you realised it would.

I mean.. Why get up just to do it all again tomorrow? The next day would likely end up being longer than today as well.. Not that today wasn't enjoyable- But it wasn't as enjoyable as others... People need you around town though, they always tell you that- You're not that important - the townsfolk don't rely on you to live....

You curled up in on yourself more, lying on your side as the tears began to flow down your cheeks again. It felt hopeless. Everything felt like it wasn't worth it anymore. And you continued to cry in your home until a knock sounded on your door.

At first, you thought you had misheard and simply sighed out a sob. But after a much firmer knock, you realised that it wasn't just you hearing things. Tiredly getting up, you assumed it was Adaline or Eiland, popping by to inform you about a new job that needed to be done around town. Or maybe Celine or Hayden needing some sugar or something?

Either way, you knew all four options were kind enough to excuse your tired, red eyes and pyjama clad form, so you didn't bother trying to make yourself the slightest bit presentable before opening the door. Which was a big mistake on your part, because March was the one that stood in your doorframe, looking down at you with a frown you could barley see through your slightly blurred vision.

"Why are you here?" March said suddenly, looking too the side as you rubbed at your eyes to try and clear them up. "Uhm- I live here?" You responded, no energy left to think up or question his presence on your farm.

After a huff and an exaggerated eyeroll, March rephrased went on to rephrase his question. "No- Why aren't you-" But he cut his words short when he watched your head bob forward like a sleepy child. "What, did you get tired from playing in the dirt all day? I can't believe you-" "Fuck you." You said back, one last tear rolling down your cheek as whatever energy you had that was keeping you standing left you.

In that same instant, you felt a falling sensation as your vision went black. You were tired.

Every so often you'd end up seeing glimpses of your home, but it was somehow moving? Your doorframe.. Black.. Your ceiling... Black... Your ceiling light.... Black.... More ceiling..... Black.....

Every time you saw black, you felt relieved and slightly less tired, especially compared to when you could see your home. And then, a warm sensation surrounded you, like you were being wrapped in a big hug that left you yearning for more.

When you reopened your eyes, you found yourself tucked into bed. The blankets were up to your ears as you laid on your side, about to roll over when you finally noticed the red head of hair resting on top of the blankets in front of you. Humming out, with a slight groaned mumbled, you went to speak up but were promptly cut off.

"Shup up and go back to sleep." March said, lifting his head from its resting position to look at you with stern, yet soft eyes. Feeling your tiredness envelope you, you closed your eyes but felt the cogs in your brain ticking. Why was March here? What was he doing? And why were you in your bed- You suddenly remembered falling into March in your doorway, and him carrying you to your bed before tucking you in.

You felt bad for cursing at him now, but you were also much more confused about why he was even at your farm in the first place. "March-" You started, only for said male to cut you off. "Shoosh. I said, 'go back to sleep'." He retorted, and if your eyes weren't still closed, you had a feeling that he'd glare at you again.

You didn't end up going back to sleep, but you did have a very calm conversation with March as you continued to rest with your eyes closed.

"I'm sorry." March said, being the first to speak after he told you to sleep for the second time. "Why-" "Shut up, you're supposed to be asleep." March said, cutting you off as moment of silence followed before he ended up answering your question. "I know I can be.. A rude asshole - a lot of the time.." March admitted as you felt him start to play with the top of the blanket slightly.

You didn't dare make a single sound as he continued to talk, telling you about how everyone at the Inn was starting to wonder where you were, and how Reina came to the conclusion that you might be over worked.. "-Then Olric offered to check up on you and-" March paused before continuing, having now moved his arm back down from the hem of the blanket as he ceased his delicate fiddling. "And.. And I told him I'd go instead."

The fact you were now frowning didn't go unnoticed by March, who must've been watching you to make sure you didn't open your eyes again. "I know, I know.. I don't why either.... You just-.... You made everyone worried.." March said, trailing off as he went silent again.

After feeling the blankets shift slightly beside you, you peaked your eye open to see March was doing, only to get told off again after seeing March's head resting on his arm directly in front of you. "Sleep." He said, but you had already closed your eye when you saw his eyes intently watching yours.

Your face ran hot with heat from the proximity, which was apparently very visible to March. "Fuck- Please don't tell me you have a damn fever.." He grumbled out, using the back of his free hand to touch your forehead as he continued to complain. "If you went diving and didn't fucking keep warm I'm taking you to Valen." March half threatened, prompting you to frown as he retracted his hand from your forehead.

"Your shipping bin smells like fish." He clarified before you felt him move against the blankets again. This time you felt weight remove itself from beside you, which had you shooting your eyes open with a desperation for company. March looked at you blankly from where he still sat on the floor beside your bed, leaning back on his arms as you watched him open his mouth to tell you off again.

"I'm sleeping..!" You said quickly, hearing a huff emit from the red head in front of your once more closed eyes.

"So.." March started after seconds more of silence. "Why weren't you at the Inn?" He asked, making an exhausted sigh leave you before you spoke. "Tired." You said, waiting for a moment before elaborating on your day. "Tended to crops.. Fed animals... Fished for a stupid non-existent Summer salmon.... Spent all my money on crops.... Planted them.... Went fishing again, but for the Museum.... Died inside.... No energy.... Cried in bed.." You said, starting to tear up again when March spoke up.

"I know it goes against what I always say to you.. But you do a lot around here- Too fucking much to be honest.. And I-" March paused for the umpteenth time that night as you pried your eyes open and looked at him.

He was sitting in the exact same position as when you last opened your eyes, only now he had his head turned from you. Yet, his eyes keep their sights on you, and this time he didn't have the heart to tell you off. March ended up breaking contact with your eyes, his face reddening slightly as he spoke.

"You're enough- More than enough.. You're honestly too much but- Sigh...." March quickly darted his eyes to, and away from you before he continued. "You're a lot. You're so much.. You mean so much- To literally everyone." He said, making another, single tear fall down your face. But this time you had just enough energy.

"Thank you.. March." You managed out, smiling as a few more tears fell down and onto the pillow beneath you.

March wasn't sure what had you crying this time, unsure on whether he did good or bad with his words. But he was by your side once more the moment he watched those tears form into droplets in the corners of your eyes. With a sigh of relief, March relaxed after seeing the slight smile on your face, only to watch it fall the next second as a soft snore left you.

Finally.. You were asleep.

[starsfic]

Erlang Shen is Supposed to Be on Vacation

S5 theory fic: Erlang Shen is supposed to be on vacation. However, in an hour, he learns that his uncle is dead, someone is trying to do another coup, and Sun Wukong has been filleted again. The people who deliver this news, including mass criminal Master Subodhi, the duo of Ao Lie's descendant and Iron Fan's son, and the creation goddess Nuwa, make things... difficult.

Erlang Shen was on vacation.

He honestly needed one after centuries of work, both doing whatever dirty work his uncle supposedly needed and the day-to-day running of his territory. The gods of fate had been merciful, creating a summer where Jian didn’t have anything important to do until autumn. Heaven could be handled by Li Nezha or any of the hundreds of other warriors (mostly by his student because he knew how the guards could be), the training of his personal guards and army could be handled by his head guards, and any paperwork could be handled by his staff. With all that, Jian found himself luxuriously stretching in his garden, soaking up the sun. Even Xiaotian Quan stretched out, making a happy little dog noise.

His private garden was his favorite place in his palace. Most of the plants grew naturally in the Sichuan province, but the air was sweet with the smell of blossoming Flower Fruit Mountain trees. The saplings had been a gift from Sun Wukong on his birthday, and Jian found no shame in enjoying the gift.

Hm…with the thought of Wukong floating around, Jian wondered if he could invite him over. Despite their rocky beginnings, Jian enjoyed the company of his sworn brother, both platonically and in a more romantic light. He had recently heard that Wukong had also taken up a student, so maybe they could talk about that?

The summer seemed full of possibilities. 

Right now, Jian just wanted to sunbathe.

So lost in his relaxation, he didn’t notice a magpie settle on the branches of one of the peach trees, staring down at him. Xiaotian raised his head, but the magpie fluttered away before the dog could notice anything. The large hound, after a quick scan around, settled back down into the grass.

The magpie poked its head out and, deciding it was safe, flew down from the branches.

“Ahem. Prince Erlang Shen.”

He shouldn’t have tempted the gods of fate.

Jian pushed up his sunglasses.

Silver robes and a long white beard met his eyes. If he didn’t recognize that distinctive style, the feeling of the old man’s power gave his identity away. “Master Subodhi,” Jian said, sitting up. “I thought I warned you to stay away from my property unless you wanted me to fulfill my promise of bringing you in.”

Was he risking his uncle’s ire by not fulfilling the bounty on the daoist’s head for gaining immortality in an illegal way? Yes. Did he care? Eh, not really. Wukong had racked up way more charges against him in his long life and he wasn’t exactly the biggest fan of his uncle.

“Are you aware of the state of the world?”

The question came so out of left field that Erlang Shen blinked. “Uh…it’s summer?” he said, gesturing to the perfect summer day with big white fluffy clouds drifting carelessly in a blue sky. “It’s a nice day? My uncle isn’t calling to bother me?”

Subodhi raised a brow. “I can see why, considering he’s dead.”

There was a long pause.

“...excuse me?”

He…didn’t know how to process that. 

“Have you not seen the kid? Did you not see reality start to tear apart?”

Oh. That. “That happens sometimes, especially as my uncle gets older. He must’ve slipped up to have everyone see.” Erlang sighed. Honestly, the dramatics of old men. “If he died, someone would’ve told me-”

THWACK!

“OW!”

“Are you telling me that communication in Heaven has so broken down-”

“My lord!” Before Subodhi could finish his yelling or Erlang could grab and throw that stupid ruler far away, several guards marched in. “We have captured two trespassers. They insisted on talking to you.”

“YEAH!” A female voice called from the center of the huddle. “We have some questions for you.”

Erlang blinked. She sounded young and probably better than the gaping immortal, who for once looked surprised. “Allow them forward,” he called. “Let me see them.”

The guards stepped aside, revealing a girl in a green jacket- her features were familiar, although Jian couldn’t put his finger on why- and…hm. He had heard stories and seen pictures of Princess Iron Fan’s son, although he had never met him in person. He had the same dark eyes and noble bearing his former sworn sister had.

“What are you doing here?” Subodhi said, interrupting his thoughts with his baffled words. “Did you follow me?”

“Master Subodhi? What are you doing here?” the girl said. “You-”

Before she could finish, Red Son grabbed her and forced her to bow at the waist. “Remember what we talked about,” he hissed quietly to his companion. “Manners or we aren’t gonna get anything.”

“Yeah, but-”

He stomped on her foot. “Erlang Shen, Illustrious Sage and True Lord of Sichuan, we are Hong Ha-eir, son of the Demon Bull King and Princess Iron Fan, and Long Xiaojiao, descendant of Ao Jie-”

“Oh, that explains why you look familiar.” She looked strikingly like Ao Lie’s older sister…what had been her name again? Jian stood up with a sigh. “Rise, please, nephew.”

Red Son bristled at the address, but rose. Long Xiaojiao stepped forward. “Lord Erlang Shen, we came to plead for mercy for Sun Wukong, Liu’Er Mihou, and my best friend, Qi Xiaotian,” She got fully on her knees, pressing her forehead to the grass in a kowtow. “The charges leveled against them are false. None of them helped Azure Lion reach Heaven and kill the Jade Emperor. Any actions they did to help him were unwilling, done with manipulation-”

Several things stuck out at him. “Wait, what do you mean, kill the Jade Emperor?” Jian nodded to Subodhi, who’s shocked expression had been replaced by a strangely protective look. “He just told me my uncle died, but I have received no news about his death.”

“You…haven’t?” She rose up from her kowtow, looking confused. “But, you sent out a notice. He’s been dead for what, three weeks now?”

“A month,” Subodhi corrected. “I don’t know what you or your friends did. But it’s been over a month since the previous Jade Emperor was slain.”

“And two days since Heaven violated their agreement with me,” another female voice called. Jian felt himself stiffen, just in time for a hand to cup his face and lips to press against his cheek. “Shen, my dear.”

The pet name given by the goddess dressed in earthly tones only made his brow rise higher. While he had a few brief conversations with the ancient goddess at the few parties they both attended, she had never referred to him with fondness. Something was clearly up and Erlang Shen had a feeling he didn’t want to be part of it, but he would have to be.

“What brings you here, my lady?” he said, dipping into a deep bow. 

“Oh, I came here to help my son’s little friends and my son’s…master.” Nuwa’s pause on the last word felt mocking. Subodhi clearly noticed it as well, based on his snort. “I also came here for an explanation.”

Her smile was serene. Her aura was not. 

“An…explanation for what?”

“Wait, you’re Sun Wukong’s mother?”

“Wait, you’re XIAOTIAN’S MOTHER?!” Xiaotian raised his head at his name. “Sorry, puppy,” Long Xiaojiao cooed. “Not you.” The dog huffed and settled back down.

“It’s complicated and yes,” Nuwa said before turning to him. “And an explanation for the court’s recent actions. As you must be aware, when the Jade Emperor took the throne, he held up my agreement with his predecessors. Any issue with the stones of the universe must be handled by me directly.”

“...okay? Did something happen?”

That was apparently the wrong thing to say, based on Nuwa’s darkening face. Jian was tempted to deflect, considering he just received the news of his uncle’s…unfortunate passing. But that was the coward’s way out. 

Nuwa stared at him. Then she snapped her fingers. “Girl, dearest one,” she called. “Bring him the announcement.”

Xiaojiao and Red Son exchanged looks, but she stepped forward, pulling a scroll out of her pocket. “Li Jing gave us this after he put a filet on Sun Wukong’s head and sucked my best friend into his pagoda,” she reported as he took it.

Jian was too busy studying the scroll to hear the shocked gasps from both Subodhi and Nuwa. 

Well, that was his seal.

Jian opened it.

That wasn’t his handwriting.

He scanned it over, reading it quickly. It was all very formal, claiming that the royal family, including the Queen Mother of the West, who was slated to rule until the next emperor would be chosen according to his uncle’s will last he checked, would be taking time to grieve at the sudden loss. Li Jing was to be put in charge for the next few months, supported by the ten kings of the Diyu. Someone had even put the Gold Star of Venus’s seal at the bottom, signifying it as legit.

Jian raised a brow. “Did any of you see the Gold Star of Venus?” he asked the Long girl. She stared blankly at him. He sighed. “Either a goddess in yellow with a cockscomb hat or an older man, about…” He put his hand to about his chin. “Yay high or so?”

She and Red Son exchanged looks. “No,” she finally said. “I don’t think so. Honestly, the only celestials we saw during the trial were Li Jing and Nezha and the ten kings. And I honestly expected to see a few peach maidens.”

Huh? “Why?”

She paused, as if realizing she wasn’t supposed to say that. “No reason,” she lied. “But, to answer your question, no.”

Something was afoot. Jian was tempted to ask if they were just pulling a prank on him, but Subodhi hated his guts, Nuwa was clearly furious, and he barely knew the younger two. Pranks didn’t seem to be in their skillset. Something popped out.

“Did you say that Wukong has the filet?”

“Yes! At least a filet! Li Jing said he wouldn’t take it off unless we got all the universal stones together and fixed the universe.”

“Which you cannot do without my help,” Nuwa said, crossing her arms with a hiss. “There was no quest needed in the first place. The holders would hand them over to me without a problem. Several Heavenly servants saw you attack Azure to defend the Jade Emperor. Nezha’s testimony alone should be evidence.”

Another thought popped into his mind.

“Where was Nezha when this was happening?”

Silence met him. Faintly, the girl sucked air through her teeth. The boy coughed into his fist. He could practically hear the words rise and fall.

A soft hand once again pressed against his shoulder.

“You know where,” Nuwa whispered. She sounded like she was laughing, even if it was silent.

Jian did.

“It seems someone or several someones have lied,” Erlang Shen dropped the scroll- he hadn’t even realized he was crumpling it- and turned. He was met with anger, but not at him. Good. It would fuel them all. “Now, let me go get changed and call my aunt.”

His vacation was over.

[theladyofbloodshed]

@nerisweek Day 6 - Future

Nesta covered her eyes and braced herself against the tree trunk, the bark rough beneath her fingers. The gentle breeze of autumn whispered through the trees, rustling the branches. She made out the hurried steps through the undergrowth, of branches snapping and breaking beneath their boots, the soft giggles and shushing. 

‘One, two, three, where are you?’

Another giggle. Another shush. 

‘One, two, three, we’re over here.’

Nesta made a show of searching behind spindly saplings and through bulky bushes. ‘Where could they be?’

Her voice carried on the wind and was met with another laugh. 

Safera bounded over, tail swishing in joy despite her old years. Nesta ran a hand across her glossy, grey coat before the dog turned and sniffed the ground hunting for Eris. 

Nesta took great steps through the forest so her boots would cause the most noise. She grew closer to the target judging by the frequent shushes for quiet and laughter. 

‘Aha!’

Eris had his back pressed to a particularly wide oak tree. He held up his hands in recognition that he’d been caught. But there was no little person hiding behind his legs or behind the bush nearby. 

‘Where is our son?’

Eris smiled in that lazy way of his. His smiles were more frequent since he became high lord. ‘That would be cheating.’

‘Safera,’ called Nesta.

‘Smokehounds are also cheating.’

A rupturing laugh sounded above their heads. 

‘You put our son in a tree,’ she stated. 

Above their heads, Sebastian could not contain his glee any longer. His little hand clutched the branch whilst he sat on another, legs dangling down. His auburn hair curled at the back of his neck, long enough to need a cut but Nesta could not bear to see it cut yet. He was growing too quickly. He was as wild and as free as the magic that was rife in the land. 

‘Jump,’ called Eris, opening his arms. 

The boy was already as reckless and uncaring about danger as his father. He had less than three years to his name but he’d already attended court functions and meetings on Eris’ lap. Where Eris went, Bastian followed. 

Nesta had to close her eyes as their son leapt. He had full trust in his father. A far cry from their own fathers, but in this regard, Nesta was glad things were different. 

‘Did I win?’

‘Mama found you,’ pointed out Eris as he lifted the boy onto his shoulders. 

There were few similarities to Nesta in her son. He was boisterous and loud, with russet eyes and curling red hair. A little of Eris in his personality and his nose. The rest of him was all Lucien. That had been a surprise. He shared his uncle’s expressions and mannerisms - the laughter and tricks especially. 

‘You were last to be found though,’ she placated before a tantrum could begin - or a declaration for them to play again. For the ninth time that morning. 

They made their way to the clearing where Orla was on a blanket with one of the smokehounds sleeping beside her. Niamh had joined her whilst they were playing and held their daughter, Wren. 

‘I like this one the most,’ she called. ‘She doesn’t smell like Bash does.’

From Eris’ shoulders, Sebastian made a harrumph but his eyes were bright at the sight of Niamh. She taught him just as many tricks as Lucien, perhaps more. And was always ready to wrestle with him. Niamh was like an extra child. 

‘Luc has just woken up,’ said Orla.

Never in her wildest dreams did Nesta anticipate that she would live a life beyond the Wall, much less be the lady of the Autumn Court. There were parts of her mortal life that she kept; the decision to have a child so quickly after their wedding was one. They were advised not to get disappointed as fae pregnancies were rare and could take decades. Without a son, Eris was without a true heir too. Sebastian had arrived swiftly before the year was out to everybody’s surprise. They had been so careful afterwards in that tired, fugue-like state of new parents. They had barely any energy to kiss each other, let alone more. Eris was overjoyed at Nesta’s decision not to pass their son off to wet nurses and governesses, and instead raise him with the affection her mother had not given her. But the court still needed them so their time and energy was stretched thin. On one foolish night when Orla and Baran had offered to watch Sebastian so they could spend time alone, Nesta’s plans had been only to sleep uninterrupted but Eris had offered a massage with his warm hands. 

The healers found it fascinating. Twins. And so soon after the first.

Nesta had asked Eris how much he’d paid the healer to say it, but her husband had gone so pale he’d practically turned translucent. 

Wren was Eris’ double. Her red hair was as soft as silk, her amber eyes a shade darker. She didn’t like to be held for long, preferring to crawl or pull herself up on objects to stand and watch. Wren loved to watch her older brother. She was just as loud as he was too - but a loud child was a safe child, one who wasn't afraid to be loud. She just wished they didn't yell and squeal at all hours of the day.

Nesta wasn’t bitter at all that two of her children – whom she had carried for months, endured sickness and swelling with - were nothing like her. Not at all.

Their youngest, Luc, had been deemed fussy. He didn’t like to be held by anybody except Nesta. He was quiet and cuddly, but only for her. Even in Eris’ arms, Luc would cry and curve his spine to get away. He was also the only one that looked anything like her too. Nesta swept a hand against his sandy coloured hair as she gathered him to her. 

With Bash, she’d been unsure and relied heavily upon her mother-in-law’s guidance. Nursing made her self-conscious so she always did it in a private room with only maybe Eris there for company. Since the arrival of the twins, her breasts were in high demand. For their close circle, seeing Nesta covered up was change from routine; it had become commonplace for one of the babies to be hanging on her bare chest. Even in council meetings, she worked on a rotation while the stiff-lipped elder members of the council huffed their disapproval and pointedly looked at the ceiling while she fed her children. The youngest two were being weaned onto soft foods, thank goodness. When Eris declared that he couldn’t wait to have her breasts to himself again, she shot him down and countered that he’d be lucky if she went near him again. In truth, she was glad for her children. As tired and stretched thin as she felt.

They couldn’t have done it without their friends. Orla, as always, was a steadfast help. The healer soothed Nesta’s worries as a new mother and provided her with a friend to talk to as well as helping with the babies. Niamh was… Well, she was Niamh. She was surprisingly useful with her iron-stomach and when Wren exploded all over herself for the first time, it was Niamh who stepped in to clear the mess without gagging as the rest of them did. Thanks to Niamh, Nesta saw Emerie often. Rhysand had tried to put a stop to the spy’s visits to his court then discovered it only bolstered Niamh who circumvented his rules and found new ways to infiltrate his wards around Illyria. Her visits to Illyria were only to see a certain shopkeeper, but often Emerie would visit the Autumn Court too. Gwyn’s visits were less frequent and carefully orchestrated with the help of Lucien, but they were valued all the same.

Two figures approached them.

‘Don’t you two have a court to run?’

Lucien’s smooth voice carried to them – and the sound of it had Sebastian scrambling from the blanket to run at his uncle. They were two peas in a pod.

Her sister walked beside him, a glow upon her cheeks. Elain’s visits to the Autumn Court had also become more frequent. She said it was to spend time in the beautiful gardens that Eliška cultivated and to share seeds or cuttings between the courts.

Nesta glanced to Eris with a warning in her eyes.

They did not speak of the bond. Whilst Elain and Lucien had not accepted it – still – they had not rejected it either. They were in a strange purgatory where they spent time together as close companions travelling between courts but never quite reaching romance. Both seemed happy though. Eris tried to push them together often hence the warning look. He couldn’t help himself from meddling. The High Lord of matchmaking was Baran’s name for him. It was an impulse of his to scheme in any way – bloodshed or love.

‘We have news,’ said Elain as she found a space on the crowded blanket.

Lucien joined them too, careful to sweep Elain’s skirts towards her shins so he didn’t sit on them. She could feel Eris’ all knowing look on her face which she met with her own “don’t you dare” stare.  

Elain held out an envelope.

‘Oh, the high lord can read it,’ said Nesta.

In truth, Nesta was nervous about the reply. It was silly really. Their previous two invitations had been declined after a long waiting period.

As was Autumn tradition, they had hosted the high lord and his delegates from each court since Eris’ assumption to the mantle. Every court had visited thus far except one. When the Day Court had visited, Eris and Lucien had practically been glued to their mother’s side – and the other brothers had blockaded Helion from seeing her alone. The Summer Court had visited four times with a fifth visit on the horizon; Tarquin was innovative with a sense of humour that Nesta adored. She teased Eris that she’d have married him if he had been the one to rescue her from Illyria. Even Tamlin had come twice. Once with a sour mood then – after meeting a healer with the kindest heart of all – he’d been softer. The alliance with Spring was becoming stronger and they had even received an invitation to visit Tamlin's manor.   

The Night Court was elusive.

After three years, it was becoming embarrassing. To spurn the invitation twice already was a mark of shame. If they rejected a third invitation, they would not receive a fourth.

Eris claimed that three years was nothing to the fae – that he was still new to the role. But in three years, they had married and had three children. Two of those children had not officially been announced. They were waiting until a year had passed as was custom for children after the first-born.

‘They will attend,’ Eris announced in a grave voice.

It didn’t alleviate anything in Nesta’s heart. She missed her sister. After the initial gratitude that Orla had saved Feyre’s life, their relationship dried up again. Feyre was loyal to her mate and court; Nesta was loyal to her husband. They had exchanged letters through Elain or Lucien. They spoke of Elin often, of the niece that Nesta would not see grow up. When Sebastian’s birth was announced in Prythian, a gift had come. But their letters grew scant. Nesta had not told Feyre she was expecting twins – it was kept secret from most due to the headache of succession. In truth, Nesta had been in denial that she was having two more babies so soon after the first too.

Her husband looked to her. ‘They will bring Elin.’

She wondered if her niece would look like them or her cousins.

‘And Cassian.’

Her blood ran cold.

‘What?’

Eris pursed his lips as he read the letter again. ‘No Amren or Morrigan is the compromise. Cassian is part of their delegate as the general of their armies. Further, he provides protection to the High Lady and her daughter in enemy territory.’

‘I am going to kill that male,’ declared Niamh.

‘No talk of murder in front of my children, thank you,’ replied Eris.

They had been backed into a corner. To refuse Cassian was to refuse the entire party which meant the onus was on them for rejecting the Night Court. It was a political headache.

‘Fine,’ she said, holding Luc a little tighter. ‘What else can we do? This is our court and he must follow our rules.’

‘I hope he steps out of line so I can slice-’

‘Niamh,’ they all chorused to silence her.

They wanted to protect their children from the violence that Eris had experienced. As much as the court was changing, so too was their father. Eris was shedding skins, transforming into something new, someone better. That part of him that she’d fallen in love with was no longer hidden away. He no longer needed to wear masks to protect himself from his own father. The Autumn Court was better for it.

‘They will arrive tomorrow,’ said Eris.  

That was the cue for him and Niamh to jump to their feet to ensure that everything would go smoothly.

Nesta did not see Eris again until night had fallen. All three children were asleep in the room adjoining theirs. Elain was staying the night – as was Lucien, in separate but adjacent rooms – to be a familiar face to the Night Court when they arrived and to possibly assuage any unpleasantries.

Eris slipped his arms around her and gave a tired groan against the skin of her neck.

‘Long day?’

‘Niamh.’

There was a bloodthirstiness in that female that couldn’t be quenched.

‘You will like this,’ he continued. ‘We had a letter from Tamlin inviting us to the Spring Court to observe its growth. He has apparently found a wraith with a rare illness that perhaps Orla could take a look at.’ Eris gave a laugh. ‘I wouldn’t be surprised if he has cursed the poor wraith as an excuse to invite Orla there.’

‘We are not all as calculating as you, my darling.’

He released her to begin undressing for bed. ‘It has been many years since Saban’s death. Orla deserves to be loved. She’s capable of taming the beast. Perhaps they can heal together.’ He shrugged. ‘But I will not interfere.’

That made Nesta laugh. She cocked an eyebrow at her husband. ‘Truly?’

Eris flopped onto the bed with his shirt gaping open. ‘It’s killing me to stay out of it. All these shy smiles and batting eyelashes.’ He threw back his head so his chin jutted upwards. ‘All of them. Orla and Tamlin. Lucien and Elain. Niamh and Emerie. Do not get me started on Gwyneth and the shadowsinger.’

‘They ought to get married first then fall in love, like we did.’

‘Exactly!’ Eris removed the last of his clothes and stretched out on the bed. ‘Did you know I was such a romantic?’

‘Nosy is the word that I would use, Eris.’

Her husband pulled her down onto the bed and curled around her. His warm hand covered her stomach, making her tense.

‘Am I still beautiful to you?’

‘Devastatingly.’

Nesta traced her fingers across his knuckles. Being a mother was her greatest joy but she could also lament the destruction it had wreaked on her body. Her body was a far cry from the emaciated wraith she had been, but her new-found soft parts still took some getting used to. Once cleared by Orla, Nesta had taken up riding again but beyond that, she no longer trained, having no desire to. Her time was better spent furthering the court or with her children. Some days, she’d look at her body in the mirror and vow to begin training again then Eris would arrive with sweet treats and her plans were thrown into disarray. Three years was a long time not to see her sister and the changes which had been gradual to those close to Nesta would only be that much starker to the Night Court.

‘All will be well tomorrow,’ murmured Eris in a slow drawl as sleep tried to steal him from her. ‘I promise you.’

***

‘I will break every single one of your fingers if you gloat.’

Eris folded his arms across his chest then leaned against the wall. ‘You sound like your sister.’

Orla’s nostrils flared. She could be just as fearsome as Niamh, perhaps more so. The healer would attend the evening’s dinner in the hope that the memory of Orla’s heroics in saving Rhysand’s family would prevent tension. Truly, Eris was anticipating every possible outcome. He’d even sent a last-minute invitation to Helion who was still good friends with Rhysand in case things turned south. He didn’t like dangling his mother in front of the High Lord of Day, but to keep his wife safe, Eris would take the necessary path. Helion would put a stop to any violence from Cassian if he felt Eliška was in danger.

‘Who says I would gloat?’

Orla levelled a stare at him.

It had been Cassian’s heavy-handedness that had driven Nesta away. His commitment to Rhysand over her was the wedge that could never be overcome. He had to thank the male, really, for pushing Nesta away – although he hated what had been done to his wife. Hated how they had tried to break her. Tried to mould her into their pet.

‘If you mean because I married his beautiful, kind mate and have three children with her, I would never dream of it.’

‘Eris.’ Orla took a tea towel from a hook beside her oven and whipped him on the leg. Being high lord did not change his friends’ attitudes. ‘How is Nesta?’

‘She’s worried. More for the children. Nervous to see Feyre too, but Cassian is the big worry.’

The healer nodded with understanding. Mates were rare things. Those individuals who had broken mating bonds were rarer still. Their paths did not cross often. It had been three years since Helion had severed the bond between Nesta and Cassian – and she had not spoken of it since that day.

‘You’re not worried that seeing him might spark feelings in her?’

Eris blinked at her. ‘Have you met me?’ He gestured to himself. ‘Handsome. Clever. Great sense of fashion.’

The truth was he had not considered that there might be lingering feelings there, particularly after an absence. To the wider world, there was little to compare; Cassian was a base born Illyrian whilst he was a high lord. Yet those were things that did not matter to his wife. Although she had studied the differences between fae types, the same prejudices held by the high fae didn’t run in Nesta’s blood. Being Illyrian didn’t make Cassian an inferior choice as others would perceive him. They had been lovers. She had wanted a life with him for a brief time. A lost love would always stir up emotions – hence why his brother still sat on the fence with Elain.

‘Sometimes, Orla, your words can be deadlier than your sister’s.’

‘We have to think of everything, Eris.’ She sighed. ‘And we should go or we will be late.’

They winnowed directly to the Forest House where Nesta was already pacing.

‘Niamh and Baran have the twins. They’ll join us after dinner if Luc doesn’t spend the whole time crying for me. Sebastian and Lucien went for a walk and have not returned yet. If your brother brings my son back and his clothes have even a speck of dirt-’

Eris placed his hands on his wife’s shoulders. He smiled at her which was dangerous given her mood. Silver flames wended through his fingers in warning, but he released his own fire so the flames tangled together.

‘All will be well.’

‘Really?’ Nesta inhaled. ‘I’m glad you are in a good mood.’

‘Why shouldn’t I be, my love?’

He had everything he wanted.

Nesta smiled at him. It was full of fakery. The type of smile which signalled that she was about to drag him back to the ground.

‘I am glad,’ she repeated. ‘You’ll be pleased to know that Helion has arrived early so your mother is showing him her gardens.’

His face went slack.

‘Which guards?’

‘None at all. No brothers either. Your mother claimed they were unnecessary.’

When Eris tried to go, Nesta hooked her fingers into the collar of his shirt. ‘We have duties, High Lord.’

His mother was an adult, as she was so fond of telling him. Eris had to meet his wife’s undercurrent of panic with a steady calm, so he swallowed his irritations that Helion had swanned into his court to flirt with his mother. Again.

‘Yes, we do. Let us greet our guests.’

It was customary for the ruling party to remain upon the balcony overlooking the great hall to receive guests. It was archaic and a waste of time, but Eris had pushed enough boundaries and changed enough rules to cause a ruckus already that there were some he needed to keep for a time. The prideful elders of the court would throw a fit if he abandoned their precious court traditions. It meant that as the Night Court arrived, he and Nesta remained above observing. It surely grew tiresome to wear only black, he thought. Elin walked between her mother and father, holding the former’s hand. She struck Eris as a serious, little thing with glossy, black hair and a quiet disposition. They were flanked by the Illyrians. Azriel scoped out the room, cataloguing the exits and noting the faces that he recognised – Orla, Elain, Helion and Eris’ mother back from their escapade. Eris tried not to laugh as the shadowsinger’s shoulders slumped in relief at the absence of Niamh. Cassian did not examine the room. No, the male looked straight ahead at the two thrones carved from ancient wood rather than glance up towards them as if the evening was already tedious.

They stopped at the raised dais which was their cue to descend the two curving staircases and take up positions. When Eris and Nesta stopped in front of their thrones, the room bowed and curtseyed to them. The Night Court followed tradition, giving the slightest of bows – except for Rhysand’s daughter who sank into a deep curtsey, too practised for such a small girl.

‘We welcome you to the Autumn Court,’ said Eris, accepting their greeting with a nod. ‘Third time is the charm.’

Beside him, his wife – dressed in a resplendent gown the colour of blood with golden flowers embroidered along the sides and cuffs - did not move an inch. Her eyes were on her niece and there was such longing in them that Eris was tempted to ask them to stay the night so she could carve a little more time with her.

They led their guests to the formal dining room which Nesta called the torture room. In glass cabinets illuminated by faelight, stuffed animals were on display. The arching ceiling cast long shadows, disfiguring the corners of the room from view. It was rather macabre. At least his other brothers were not in attendance then it really would have been a grisly meal.

Servants brought the first course – pumpkin soup – to their places. Eris debated drowning in it as not a word had been spoken since they had all settled. He caught his wife’s gaze at the opposite end of the table and her look said the same. He had been to funerals that were jollier; his father’s included. Even when Lucien joined, apologising for his lateness, the mood remained tense as they tucked into their soup.

Nesta sucked in a breath then said, ‘Well, Elin, you are bigger than I remember.’

The small girl who had seated herself between her mother and Cassian only nodded then turned her eyes back to her empty bowl.

‘She is very shy,’ said Feyre, stroking her daughter’s dark hair.

Eris refrained from comments that would likely result in a lashing from his wife that it was probably as a result of the company she was forced to keep.

‘My son is playing in the nursery,’ said Nesta, with a glance to Lucien to confirm that Sebastian was back in one piece from their adventure, ‘if you’d like to join him. He is your cousin.’

‘Elin will remain with us,’ replied Rhysand from his place between Helion and Elain.

Nesta appeared crest-fallen.

He hated to see his wife wilt.

Eris clapped his hands together. ‘There’s no reason Bastian cannot join us for dinner.’

There were plenty of reasons. They had tried once when the Summer Court had come then vowed that he could only join them for dinners when he was older. They’d set the dinner earlier than usual but that did not mean his son wouldn’t be tired and irritable. Worse, he could still have the energy that Lucien couldn’t use up.   

As a mark of good faith, Eris departed for the nursery where Niamh had Bash pinned on the ground blowing raspberries on his belly. Baran had Wren held up to the window, showing her the bats swooping amongst the trees as dusk set in while she grizzled and tried to jerk from his grip. Mercifully, Luc was still asleep.

‘Sebastian, you’re needed to rescue your sad, little cousin from a terrible dinner.’

Before Eris could reach out his hand, his son had skittered past him and barrelled down the corridor. The servants of the Forest House had learnt quickly that once the heir of the court had figured out walking, they should move from his path. He stopped for no one. As much of a rascal as he was, it was welcomed. The ghost of Beron Vanserra was lifting. Never, in his father’s rein, would a child be allowed to race down the hall, greeting everybody with his loud voice without serious punishments.

‘Bastian,’ Eris hissed, running after him.

He wasn’t quick enough.

The dining room door flung open then his son bellowed, ‘I’m here.’

It was met with a stunned silence then Nesta broke into riotous laughter. She pushed back her chair to grab hold of him then lifted him up in the air. ‘Your uncle Lucien was meant to tire you out.’

‘I think I had the opposite effect,’ confessed Lucien.

‘Feyre, this is Sebastian, your nephew. And Elin is your cousin.’

The poor child stared at Bash with unbridled horror that she was indeed related to the juggernaut that Nesta was about to unleash upon them.

‘Nana!’

His mother had a split second to ease out of her chair before her grandson threw himself at her. He was exuberant with his love. But – at least – he had broken the stalemate and laughter rang out around the room. He helped himself to bites of his grandmother’s food then Elain’s before clambering up onto the table, much to Nesta’s distress, and making a beeline for Azriel.

Eris waited for comments about his son’s lack of manners, but the Night Court were fighting back their own laughter as Bash greeted everybody like old friends. He saw Nesta tense as Bastian reached for Cassian, but the Illyrian merely guided him onto a wedge of the chair that his cousin occupied.

‘The terrible twos?’ asked Feyre.

‘Terrific twos,’ amended Eris with a wink. ‘Almost three now.’

‘He’s been this way as soon as he could move,’ said Nesta, shaking her head. ‘He can’t sit still and as for quiet, well, that’s a foreign word.’

His son was terrific. He had far too much energy and never slept, as well as having a voice like a foghorn, but Sebastian delighted in everything and shared his love with the whole court. He loved everybody. The lesser fae servants doted on him when they saw him and Sebastian knew all of their names. He’d learned to talk early on due to the substantial time spent with adults and he hadn’t stopped talking since. Definitely his son.

They had finished the main course when the dining room door opened. Wren’s cry sounded and a harassed-looking Baran beckoned for him with two smokehound pups fighting their way between the guard’s legs.

‘I’m sorry. She just won’t settle. I don’t know what to do and Niamh is no help. Luc’s waking up too.’

Wren reached out her hands for Eris. Her cheeks were red from her crying so he lifted her against his chest. ‘Not to worry. The more the merrier.’

He heard the sudden gasp from Feyre. The silence that was only interrupted by Bash bombarding Elin with questions about wings.

‘You have a daughter?’

Nesta floundered for words, her eyes going to Cassian, then to the others as if searching for a life line.

‘It is tradition in our court to not announce a child until they have celebrated their first year,’ explained his mother.

Orla added, ‘With the exception of a presumed heir.’

The attention strayed to Lucien and Elain who had kept the secret. From the shadowsinger’s reaction, Eris presumed that Gwyneth had not breathed a word of the twins either. Nesta had good people in her life.

His daughter wanted to crawl. More than anything, he knew that she wanted to be like her big brother so wanted to be near him. Eris set Wren onto the carpet, his main course of venison abandoned. Her bottom lip stopped wobbling, free from the shackles of somebody’s arms. Sebastian clambered down from the chair and crawled alongside her, telling Elin that Wren was his little sister. He bent over, head on the carpet and bottom sticking up as he gazed at her. All of the chaos was worth it for these sorts of moments. His children would have the softness that they were denied.

The two dogs which had forced their way in were under the table awaiting scraps. They were supposed to be Phelan’s litter to take care of, but the puppies had learnt that following the children was best as they tended to make such a mess with food or they simply handed it to the dogs.

Feyre asked, ‘Is it always so chaotic here?’

Nesta offered a close-lipped smile. ‘I have not had an uninterrupted meal in three years.’

It was at that moment that the door was kicked open, making Orla jump.

‘Shadowsinger.’

If there were not wards smothering the Forest House then Eris had little doubt that Azriel would have winnowed away at that very moment, dinner be damned.

Niamh swaggered in with Luc balanced on her hip. Her hair was askew from grappling with the children. Luc’s was dampened with sweat and the beginnings of his cry sounded. Nesta went to him, arms outstretched. It was envious how easily she could settle him. Luc was a mama’s boy like the male he was named after.

‘Twins?’

Eris grimaced and looked to his wife to see what pearls of wisdom she might have, but she remained quiet, sparing a pitying glance to Cassian who resolutely stared at his plate.

From his upside-down position on the carpet, Bastian called, ‘Sur-prise. Sur-prise!’

 ‘Would you like one?’ Nesta asked her sister. ‘To make the numbers even. You can pick.’

The laughter around the room shaved off the edge of tension again then Helion clapped Lucien on the back. ‘What’s taking you two so long to make a baby?’

Elain choked on her wine until it shot out of her nose while Lucien squirmed uncomfortably. Good, thought Eris, let them be in the firing line for a while.

***

Surprising them, the Night Court agreed to remain a while longer after dinner – at least until Elin grew tired. That was a foreign concept to Nesta. Her children had no understanding of time or fatigue.

She was on her knees with Luc perched there. He loved to watch everything. Elin had joined them with the girl threading a finger through his little fist. Nesta worried for her niece. Her birth had been traumatising. Whilst she and Eris had been adamant that their children could choose their own futures, their love, their destiny, she wasn’t sure if the same freedoms would be offered to Elin. Even in Prythian, daughters made alliances - but she hoped Feyre would put a stop to that.

‘Would you like to hold him?’

It could have been a recipe for disaster. Sebastian had loved to be held as a baby. He went to anybody without complaint. Luc was trickier.

Nesta encouraged Elin to sit in one of the massive arm chairs in the lounge while she propped a pillow onto her lap and sat Luc there. The lip wobbled, but Nesta remained in his sight, stroking his soft cheek until he calmed.

A figure crouched beside them and Nesta already knew who it was without looking, as though an innate part of her would always know Cassian.

‘Elin loves playing with her dolls,’ he said, catching the girl’s eye and smiling.

Nesta knew how it could have been perceived – that she was rubbing her life in her mate’s face. She had the husband she dreamed of and a family that meant the world to her. Eris held a squirming puppy up to light as he spoke with Helion and Orla. Eliška was speaking with Feyre and Elain; the three of them smiling and laughing as they played with Wren. Lucien was showing Bash new sleight of hand tricks that he presumably learned from Jurian as they were not magic at all. And Azriel was under interrogation from Niamh; no matter how he tried to side-step her, Niamh continued to corner him.

‘When I was your age, I had two little sisters to play with,’ said Nesta. ‘Your mama was only a baby then.’

At the sound of Cassian’s wings rustling together, Luc’s attention was captured. His light eyes registered that Cassian was knelt beside him.

Tentatively, Cassian held out his hand. Luc’s fingers gripped one of his, a frown pressing his brow that it wasn’t as easy to bend as his mother’s fingers.

‘I have thought a lot about that time,’ murmured Cassian, ‘about what I would do differently. I am sorry.’ The Illyrian was careful with his words around the children. ‘Your happiness should have been put ahead of the ideal image in my head.’

‘Cassian-’

‘Please, Nes. I likely won’t see you for another three years.’ He offered a pitying smile that couldn’t hide the dullness in his eyes. ‘I can’t change time and erase those months but I can be sorry for them. For what I did. I’m glad that you are happy. You can’t imagine how nice it is to see you with your family. You’re practically glowing. And I hope that – one day – you might come and visit us in the Night Court again. Elin loves brushing hair, but she’s bored of braiding mine.’

At that, Elin gave a shy smile in confirmation that she’d been listening.  

‘We can try to visit,’ said Nesta – and she meant it. So much had changed in three years and she no longer wanted her sister to be a stranger. She wanted to be an aunt to Elin, wanted poor Elain to stop being the middleman between them. Cassian would always be in Feyre’s life so they could at least be civil to each other. ‘But I have to warn you that my children are very loud.’

When Luc began fussing, Nesta cradled him to her chest. He was growing tired for once which meant they had approximately ten minutes to find somewhere quiet so she could nurse before all hell broke loose. She could feel Eris watching them. He gave a look that enquired over her well-being. Nesta dipped her chin slightly to signal that all was well.  

‘The hour grows late,’ Eris announced. ‘By all means, we can have rooms prepared, but my wife and I have three children to get to sleep.’

They said their subdued goodbyes in the welcoming foyer where Eris had lifted the wards to allow for winnowing. Nesta had hugged Elin tight and promised that she could braid her hair when they next met. Sebastian blew kisses to them all from Eris’ arms and she had to wonder who her son had learnt that from.

The visit had been positive. Better than Nesta expected and it relieved some of her stress.

‘Tarquin invited us all for Summer Solstice. We might need to re-think that with the three terrors,’ said Eris as he squeezed onto the sliver of mattress beside her. Bash had begged to be in their bed because it wasn’t fair that the babies slept in there. Not fair was a favourite phrase. He took up most of the space, sprawled out with a soft snore coming from him while Safera slept at his feet.

‘We will need a bigger bed when those two figure out how to climb from the cots.’

Eris’ breath tickled her neck as he wrapped his arms around her. ‘We are outnumbered, my love.’

Nesta let out a groan as she sank deeper against her husband. ‘I wouldn’t have it any other way.’

[thatonegayship]

What Bill wants for his big day:

So Bill doesn't have a birthday sure, but is there some sort of Bill Cipher Day? Demonic celebration?

..and if so, does dip know?

Oh man, there probably is! Bill's absolutely the kind of guy to have a whole Day Of Celebration devoted to himself. Likely it's not on any sort of earthly calendar basis, too, so it'll come up at some time when Dipper least expects it.

Because, c'mon. Bill's fantastically knowledgeable - but he's absolute shit at filling Dipper in on important information beforehand.

[fandoms-bandoms-andmentalissues]

Scar’s win,,, oh I have been thinking about this-

Before I begin, y’all remember after Martyn’s win, how long it took us to decide for certain what his title (mars) should be? And now how people are just lumping Scar in as ‘the earth’ due to some (frankly fairly flimsy) foil-ing with Pearl without any further consideration? Well I have an alternative answer to our current dilemma:

Pluto

1. Pluto is another celestial body aside from earth, if you really wanted to then you could put any of the winners on the earth, but none of them have been, it’s off limits (not only because all of them—including Scar—have better choices) so it fits the theme better than this

2. Pluto is the Roman god of death/the dead, Scar is renowned even out of the life series for leaving a trail of death wherever he goes, his own especially, and if that doesn’t just scream pluto at you then I have even more-

3. Pluto is also the god of money and wealth. Scar’s common thread throughout the series is monopolies, resources, and greed; the desert and dark oak saplings, the magic crystals life trades and enchanting table, the Jellie panda ranch and looting the deep dark, his deals in Limited Life, trader Scar’s.. you get the idea

4. Pluto is not a planet. I know I know, I’ve just said that Pluto fits so well in the celestial imagery and now I’m saying pluto isn’t a planet? Well this is equally true, pluto isn’t large enough to be a planet, it isn’t fast enough in its orbit to be a planet, it isn’t enough, it’s rejected and isolated, just like it’s godly counterpart, just like it’s ally-less winner

5. Pluto is the most distant planet from our sun, and her still clings to its orbit faintly, distantly, representative of Scar’s slow, painful separation from Grian, his grief growing and then fading, finally content with their distance, as well as how Grian won the first game, and Scar the latest, five games later, they orbit one another and yet will never be close, not the same way

In summary, Scar is no healing, living earth, but rather the isolated, deathly pluto, hardly even visible to the naked eye, hardly even considered for his win, hardly even connected to the Watchers who trap them all. The earth? No, welcome pluto to the winners’ circle:

The Sun, The Stars, The Moon, Mars, and Pluto