#and flying her all the way to his wicked tower

[casuallivi]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CAIT CAKES!!!!!!!

Az bedside table be like:

🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️

🕯️The Temple of Elain Archeron🕯️

🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️

After the Rain

an Elriel Headcanon

@fawnandshadows​ happy early birthday present. You know I have no chill and can’t wait. Enjoy!

The first time Elain entered Azriel’s rooms she was drenched after being caught in a rainstorm

It was one of those sudden spring storms that came out of nowhere

She went to the fishmonger by the docks, who always had the freshest fish available, and just as she completed her purchase, the rain started

She was hurrying down the street, the rain pouring over her, making her dress cling to her body (immodestly)

Suddenly, a figure dropped from the skies, landing with an almost silent thud in front of her and a dark leathery wing immediately stretching over her head like an umbrella

“Oh,” was all she could gasp, observing the familiar, if forbidden, towering form in front of her

Wordlessly, as if this was all perfectly normal, Azriel scooped her into his arms, his embrace sure and firm, and they were airborne within seconds, the blessed comfort of his shield stretching over them, raindrops bouncing harmlessly over it

She clung to his neck with one arm, clutching her basket to her chest

Elain wasn’t afraid of flying. Not with Azriel. He was the first one she’d flown with, and the confident, unobtrusive hold of his arms around her body always felt comfortable, all fears forgotten

Surprisingly, he didn’t fly towards the River Estate, but took a turn and headed towards the House of Wind, which, granted, was a lot closer to them right now

She didn’t question him

They never really needed words to understand each other, to share in their closeness and when her cold hand wrapped around the skin of his neck, the thumb gently stroking under his ear was enough. It was permission. Encouragement

He landed on his balcony and opened the tall glass doors for her, ushering her inside

Elain entered, dripping water everywhere, leaving puddles on the floor

Azriel marched ahead of her and disappeared behind another door, leaving her to look around

The bedroom was large, the furnishings simple, but stylish, if impersonal. The bed was enormous, to accommodate the massive wings, and Elain glimpsed a walk-in wardrobe full of dark clothing. It surprised her–that he had so much clothes, and that everything looked kind of the same

“Here,” he re-emerged and handed her a drying cloth. “The bath is hot, if you want to warm up.” He nodded towards the bathing chamber, and felt her cheeks flame with…well, not embarrassment exactly. Perhaps it was more about anticipation and curiosity.

“I…have nothing to wear,” she murmured, taking the drying cloth in her hands, feeling his scarred fingertips brush over her skin

“My tunic is hanging on the door,” he told her, voice quiet. “You can wear that��” He swallowed. “If you want to”

Elain went inside the spacious bathing chamber, complete with an enormous bath and something called a ‘shower’ where water came from a spout. It was an invention that came from Dawn Court, and Elain was aware that Cassian had purchased it and mounted in the bathing chambers for Nesta, so she did not need to take baths anymore

Taking off her sodden dress, she stepped into the tub, finding it hot already. The water was steaming, and she had no idea how Azriel managed to fill it so quickly and make it so hot

However, she wanted to try this shower thing and she stepped under it…

And then nothing happened

The water did not pour over her and she stood there, shivering and disappointed. Oh, and naked, in Azriel’s chambers, no less

She waved her arms beneath the shower head, willing it to turn on, and still, nothing happened. She even poked some knob with her toe, and still, no water came out

Frustrated, she snatched the drying cloth and covered herself with it, before getting out of the tub and marching out of the bathing room, back to the bedroom

“Oh, by the Mother!” she gasped, seeing as Azriel stood in the middle of the room, his torso bare, wearing only a pair of dry soft britches, which males often wore at home here

If she were but a few minutes earlier, she might have seen him…nude

This time, her cheeks were aflame for a different reason. He looked so comfortable like that, so at peace. Seeing him barefoot felt strangely intimate. Which was an odd thought, because she must have lost her mind, coming out here like that, only wrapped in a cloth, naked underneath

He cocked his brow at her and stared at her in confusion. “Is everything alright?” he asked at last, and she did not miss his beautiful hazel eyes skimming over her form, briefly stopping on breasts, and then her soft pale bare thighs

“I…” she was here, and, by golly, she was going to do for it, “I…”

“What?”

“I want the shower!” she blurted out. “It doesn’t work. I want to try the shower,” she repeated, feeling itchy, hot and cold all at once

He smirked and nodded, as if this was a perfectly normal situation, and then beckoned her to follow him into the bathing room. He showed her the knobs that she had poked before, and turned them, explaining ‘hot, cold. You can adjust it to the temperature you want.”

“Thank you, Azriel,” she whispered when he smiled at her and her impatience

“You are welcome, Elain.”

It was bliss. This shower. Once he left her alone, she stepped under the pouring water and it was so hot, so wonderful, so sublime. For an Illyrian warrior, Azriel had an enviable number of products that lined the shelves of the bath enclosure. Lotions, soaps, shampoos, scrubs…All sorts of things which she ‘borrowed’ liberally. And as she lathered her body with something that smelled divine of cedar, she thought that she’d be smelling like Azriel

And closing her eyes, she thought of his body, the firm, stacked muscles of his abdomen, the wide span of his shoulders, the oily spill of his tattoos upon his dark golden skin, the delectable V that disappeared into his britches and pointed right at his…

She showered for a good 40 minutes and even then, turned it off reluctantly. What she wouldn’t give to have this at home! 

Home

Whatever that was nowadays. A place in her sister’s home. A set of rooms

The tunic was soft, well-worn, smelling of the same cedar fragrance, which made Elain pull the air deep into her lungs. It was big on her, obviously, and yet, when she came out of the bathing room, she never felt more exposed

The hazel eyes dropped to her bare milky thighs again

“Warmed up?” he asked, watching her, that hungry, warm gaze sliding up and down her body shamelessly

Azriel looked at peace, long legs stretched in front of him, crossed at the ankles, while his wings stretched behind him, looming imposingly over them

By the Cauldron! He was big.

Such large wings

Big

“Yes, thank you,” she tugged on the hem of the tunic, watching him lounge in a large armchair, papers scattered at his feet. “It was amazing!”

“You look good in my clothes,” he noted absently, his eyes devouring her, her long hair, her bare legs

“I…what?”

“What? he shrugged and then waved his hand and at once, her hair dried. The water just…evaporated

She gasped in awe and squeezed the ends instinctively, only now noticing the the puddles on the floor were also gone

“You can do this?” she demanded

“I can do all kinds of things,” he smirked

“But then…you could’ve just dried me up,” he told him, crossing her arms on her chest, glaring at him

“I could’ve,” he agreed, not looking put off in the least, “but then, you wouldn’t have discovered the joys of a shower. And you wouldn’t have been wearing my tunic right now”

She didn’t have an answer for that, other than her heated cheeks

Wordlessly, she looked around the room, the mantle of the fireplace bare. She rounded the bed, feeling his gaze upon her at all times, like he couldn’t get enough of her

She finally stopped and looked at the bedside table.

A glass vial. A little packet. A ribbon. A dried flower. And a sketch. 

The headache powder that she had gifted him two Solstices ago. The little pouch that contained the ear plugs that she gave him last Solstice. When everything happened. A ribbon. For her hair. Her ribbon. A dried rose which she had stuck into his lapel last Summer Solstice, when he’d won a pie eating contest. And a sketch–of her face.  A framed one, done in pencil. Not a very good sketch, but the likeness was undeniable

She turned around and looked at him. His eyes were still on her. Observing. Seeing. Watching everything she was seeing. 

She questioned him with her eyes. This small, private shrine of his, dedicated to her. Tiny tokens of love and affection. That’s all this man had. That’s all he valued. Her. 

“Home is where I am with you”.

[spaceprincessem]

coming out of my cage to post for robstar week (@robxstar) because i recently rewatched teen titans and i love robstar so bad. wasn't feeling very creative and they just helped me write some lil fun self-indulgent things 💖 now i can share with all of you

day 1 - friends to lovers

she's the tear in my heart

It wasn’t long after the completion of the Tower that the roof became their spot.

Robin loved to watch the sunset over the bay and Starfire found freedom in the star speckled sky.

The first few nights, when they were just beginning to understand how to coexist with each other he’d always find her staring up at the sky late into the night. He wondered if she missed being part of the greater universe, flying past galaxies and spinning through the vastness that both terrified and humbled him.

He didn’t have to ask if she was missing home.

There was a deep longing, a sadness that shimmered in the shadows of her eyes, one that even the brightest smile couldn’t chase away. 

These days she calls Earth her home and Robin’s never been more thankful to exist in the same place as someone else.

“Hey,” he smiles, finding her knees tucked up to her chest right on the edge where she always is.

“Hi.” She returns the smile, warm and soft and something that is just for him.

It makes his heart beat harder, a traitorous pitter patter he’s long given up the fight to stop. Batman taught him a lot of things, but never how to defeat a hunger that runs so deep that he feels the ache in his bones. How to unwant someone because being with them isn’t something you’re allowed to have.

He takes his place next to her, touching as much as possible; a searing line of heat from shoulder to hip bone. 

There’s a steady hum beneath his skin that wants and wants and wants.

It’s late or, really, just very early. Dawn will be breaking over the city soon, their horizon one of the last to see the sun rising in the sky. 

“You know,” Starfire says quietly, “it has been a year since we all met.”

Robin knows and not just because they all agreed to celebrate the anniversary of forming the Titans and their friendship. He will never forget that fateful day. As much as he hates to admit it, he was a little lost in the shadow of Batman, needing to set off on his own. New town and a new start.

He wasn't expecting to find his family.

Or the love of his life.

But he keeps that close to his chest; locked up tight with no chance of seeing daylight.

“Best day of my life.” Robin admits.

He can hardly stop himself from admitting deeper truths when Starfire is by his side. She tilts her head, hair falling over her shoulder as she eyes him curiously.

“Okay.” Robin laughs, “maybe best is a weird way to describe it, but I got to meet all of you, and I’m honestly not sure where I would be if we hadn’t.”

Probably in the depths of Slade’s clutches, destroying a city instead of saving it.

“I have also thought about that.” Starfire says, her gaze back on the sky.

A coil white hot and wicked slithers through Robin’s ribcage. He doesn’t have to ask to know what she’s imagining. The Citadel. He’ll never forget the way she said prize as if her agency didn’t matter. 

As if Starfire didn’t matter.

A royal princess that paid the ultimate price; sacrificing her freedom for her planet and people. She was starved and restrained, terrified out of her mind because of the horrors that awaited her. It still makes Robin sick to his stomach. 

Without thinking he presses closer and Starfire unwinds, letting her legs dangle off the edge of the tower as she takes up the space Robin offers her.

“I do not often have nightmares anymore of what could have been,” she says quietly, “but I suppose on such occasions it is not a surprise.”

Robin takes her hand, the need to touch and comfort too great. Something in his skin settles when her fingers lace between his own.

“You’re safe,” he reminds her. “You’re here, with us, and I won’t ever let anything happen to you.”

“I know.”

Robin can see the depths of green in her eyes, like an old growth forest with flecks of gold. Her gaze is heavy — honest — and Robin’s breath catches in his throat. He’s never known someone to have so much faith in him, despite his flaws and limitations and everything he’s done, Starfire believes in him. 

He imagines sliding his hand to cup her cheek, slotting their mouths together like they were made to fit, because Robin knows they were. 

 Not yet

Starfire’s knowing smile relieves some of the guilt and ache in his chest. He owes her so much and maybe one day he can return the favor.

“I believe we saved each other that day,” she squeezes his hand, thumb brushing gently over Robin’s skin.

I love you, Robin thinks unbidden.

“Yeah,” he swallows, choking back the swell of emotions, like the waves of a tsunami being sucked back out to sea, “we did.”

The sun catches over the tower, the water shimmering with the promise of a new day.

“If I recall,” Starfire says lightly, “I promised Cyborg that I would help make his famous three layer cake for our celebration today.”

“Starting at dawn?” Robin laughs as they stand up, hands still clasped together.

Starfire starts to say something, but a loud crashing sound from the kitchen answers Robin’s question. It’s followed by a string of curses causing Robin and Starfire to fall into each other laughing. 

“Come,” Starfire says as she tugs him towards the door, “I believe Cyborg is in need of rescuing.”

Robin just smiles fondly as she leads him back into the tower, counting down the seconds to when he never has to let go.

[prosebushpatch]

Okay so I recently, finally, watched Wish and I have some thoughts. Overall, not as bad as everyone makes it out to be, but still has a lot of fundamental story problems and I've got to get them off of my chest. I'll mostly be focused on Magnifico because I think his motivations and arc largely represent the problem with the overall theme.

Okay so my biggest problem with Magnifico is his motivation. His tragic backstory. How on earth does he go from losing his whole family to thinking, the only way he can prevent that from happening again is to grant wishes? The logic doesn't track. It almost makes sense in his creating a kingdom where he protects everyone and "doesn't even charge rent," but it does not make sense with his wish granting. Having a great need to be control to make sure he doesn't lose anyone ever again can be a compelling motivation for a villain, where we see lines crossed that don't justify the intent, but in the movie, he's too self-absorbed to seem to have any actual care for the people of Rosas.

I think if the motivation was changed to something like Magnifico had once been a bright-eyed, enthusiastic wish granter who blindly believed all wishes were good but learned the hard way that that wasn't true could have been a better fit for the overall goal of the movie. Imagine that he granted a wish for a wicked person who used that wish to hurt others, or if Magnifico granted a wish but that wish ended up ruining the person's life because what they wanted wasn't what they needed (i.e. Remember The Princess and the Frog? Dig a little deeper) and that person could have went after Magnifico and blamed him for their troubles (harkening back to We Don't Talk about Bruno). This would be an understandable tragic backstory for Magnifico, and better explain why he's so careful about the wishes he grants. And, perhaps the reason he keeps the wishes he doesn't want to grant is to keep the people in his kingdom docile. No one will be angry with him for not granting their wishes if he makes them forget them and lose that drive and motivation, which makes more sense than the unexplained hording them like he does in the movie? Why does he keep them in the movie other than admiring the wishes? It doesn't make sense to me.

This would give Asha more of a reason to oppose him, if it's shown how his desire to not get hurt or to inadvertently cause hurt turned into a paranoia where he drains people of wishes to fly or play music that inspires others. And, as a side note, we need to see more of how Rosas is a kingdom of people who lack drive and motivation, where only those younger than 18 have that special part of them that inspires them to chase after a dream (something that Astor Rhymemaster touched on). Because that's the point of wishes, right? That's the point of the entire Disney canon. A dream is a wish your heart makes. That star can only get you so far, it takes hard work and determination. It's wanting something better in life, it's dreaming of leaving behind all you know to chase after a tangible light. It's finding a new dream, it's finding a new wish as you grow and learn about yourself and the world.

I don't think the movie Wish understood what makes wishes so important in Disney stories. You know what wishes do? They ignite change. It's not about getting what you want, it's about finding the courage to chase after something better. Ariel wants to be where the people are, but really she wants to be somewhere where others are willing to understand her and in the end, she finds that and makes amends with her father, who finally is willing to see her for who she is. Rapunzel wants to see the lights, and that desire pushes her to leave a tower she's been trapped in her whole life, learning that the world is not as cruel and cold as her abusive mother told her. Cinderella wants to go to the ball, to dance with people who treat her as a person and not a servant of cinders and ash. That wish is granted by a fairy godmother and gives her a hope that is worth fighting for, a hope that helps her reclaim what is rightfully hers; a glass slipper that fits only her and the love that comes with it.

Wishes inspire change. The movie should have been about that. Magnifico could have been right, that some wishes inspire negative change that can drag down multiple people. The kingdom of Rosas could have been so placid because change is scary. Maybe Magnifico could have convinced people, after taking their wish, that it wasn't worth it. Maybe the wish ceremonies could have changed so it wasn't portrayed as some sort of lottery everyone looks forward to, but Magnifico would grant wishes on the spot if he decided they were good and worthwhile, and he would lock away the wishes that would cause trouble and tribulations. 18 year olds could be enthusiastic to give him their wishes, thinking they were surely good and worth granting, only to forget their wish and be told that their wish would have only brought about their unhappiness, this would have justified a more solemn tone in the kingdom, setting up a world where people are mostly downtrodden, thinking their wishes are bad and pointless and they're better off without them. Imagine Cinderella or Rapunzel being told their wishes weren't good, reinforcing all the things their abusive families tell them, taking away that hope and courage to find something better for themselves.

Here's where the true conflict could come in. Asha could be onto this from the beginning, and her opening song could have been about this concern that the people who didn't get their wishes granted aren't willing to try at all. (Because, after all, why doesn't Sabino play music at all? Having that taken from him would take so much joy and creative expression from his life!) But why does Asha know something is amiss?

Simon.

Imagine that Magnifico has a strict rule not to ever share your wish with another person because then it wouldn't come true. It makes sense with our own superstitions, and then makes it so that no one knows anyone else's wishes. Maybe your best friend changes so drastically after giving up their wish, but you believe, like everyone else, that their wish would have only caused suffering. What can you do about it? Well what if Simon told Asha about his wish? What if Asha knew his wish wasn't dangerous and couldn't imagine a way that it could go wrong? That would give her a reason to doubt Magnifico and put more emphasis on how Simon has lost his drive like all the other adults in the kingdom. And it can also emphasize in the end that sharing your wishes and dreams with others can be a powerful thing. Just the act of sharing your dreams can inspire others to go after their own, and they can give you the encouragement to chase your wish too. Wishes inspire change, love gives you the courage to make it happen.

Imagine if the star boy used to be a human, who wished to help others and lost his humanity to do it. Imagine his wish confirms Magnifico's belief, that wishes cause suffering because star boy lost his tether to earth and is separated from the people he loves. Imagine how he foils Asha who also wants to grant everyone's wishes. Imagine him ensuring she doesn't make the same mistake he did while she gives him a reason to change again, to anchor himself to humanity again because he loves her enough not to leave for forever.

Imagine the movie confirming that, yes, change is scary. Chasing your dreams won't always make things better. You might fail more than you succeed and some wishes cannot coincide with each other, leading to grief and strife. But some wishes are worth it. Sometimes, chasing after something better and failing is worth leaving a worse situation. Sometimes taking that chance is worth it, and, like in all fairy tales, if you are kind and generous and act with love, that will make all the difference in the end.

Also, I know everyone wished for a Magnifico and Amaya evil power couple, but imagine if Magnifico was truly in love with Amaya, as he is in the movie, but that love is eventually his undoing. Like Amaya leaps in front of Asha, and Magnifico stops or redirects his attack because she's the one thing he loves more than himself and that is the weakness that Asha and co can take advantage of. Imagine Amaya keeping Magnifico in the mirror and he gets to dote on her from his imprisonment for forever. I'm just saying. At least 30 sickos like me would be into that. Imagine the depth it would give to the themes of love and change and wishing and how acts of love make all the difference.

Alright, I'll get off my soap box. I just really wish Wish could have been stronger because these fairy tales Disney is famous for matter. They really do. But the movie feels too stale and shallow and too much of a cash grab that knows the outline of a disney musical, but is unable to understand the heart of why they work.

[tothestarsinvelaris]

My unhinged reactions to the chaotic ride that is The Folk of the Air series ((first two books only bc I'm only 30% through The Queen of Nothing soooo ---- no spoilers plsss))

The Cruel Prince Worst Betrayals:

TARYN - MA'AM!!?????!??? You knewww?? you knew Locke was playing both of y'all??? and you weren't even ensorcelled or whatever?!?!? GIRL?! "if you let me seduce your sister in front of you and keep your mouth shut it proves that I love you" I'M sorry?!?!!??? I absolutely cannot. Someone will need to give me some serious break down of why tf I shouldn't jump in there and smack the bitch myself for being so stupid and betraying her sister like that smh ((more on this bs later bc i've made it far enough through TQON to know things))

JUDE!!!!!!!! - Girl why tf are you gonna do my boy Cardan dirty like that???? He finally TRUSTED YOUR ASS okay?! he is clearly a lil bby who has never had a hug and never felt loved and is v much into you so maybe you should be NICE TO HIM (or mean bc hes into that obvs) but like -- you put the damn crown on his head when he SPECIFICALLY ASKED YOU NOT TO?!??????? oof

The Wicked King:

I sat there really trying to figure out who tf betrayed Jude already when Nicasia's jealous ass said that and like I knew it was not my boy Cardan bc he has never done anything wrong in his entire life and he has a plan and reasons and you can't tell me any different okay!? someone ((JUDE)) just hug the damn boy and pat his lil head and tell him everything is gonna be okay pls?? and I knew that boy Locke and stupid idiot Traitor Taryn were sus. Obvs Madoc is a dumb murder bitch so like?? DUH he was gonna do something stupid since you know, he already fucking committed treason. I just sat there from page one waiting for those three to pull some stupid shit to betray Jude and OBVS I WAS RIGHT ! those stupid idiot dumb dumbs can't help themselves but betray Jude! hate them allllllll hate hate hate

but the scream i screamed when the Ghost of all damn people - (me picturing him as some kinda cute lil spy cutie) - called for Jude in that tower and was like "naaaahhh I worked for Dain bitch, not your ass" I'm???? sorrryyy??? betray ME?! the READER OF THIS BOOK?!??! excuse you!

but also the way Cardan was like "tell me you hate me" and "i want to tell you so many lies" and "i'm a sad lil bby and nobody has ever cared about me" and "i trusted you" and "marry me" and "crawl to me" crawl to meee????? sir. and he sent her ass to the mortal world but did not deny her and did not revoke their marriage so likeeee??? jude girly use your damn brain okay babes i know its in there somewhere so pls just get back to your 4D chess game you had in book 1 and realize this man loves you and is trying to PROTECT YOU OKAY ugh!!!!!

Currently reading The Queen of Nothing so like.... doing my damn best to fly through this book so I can finally look at fanart and fandom shit okay? gh

[emdoesstufff]

Part 2 of my dream about a Wicked fanfic/movie

She tells Glinda that some evil stuff or something that's been happening to her is being caused by Nessarose, who isn't actually dead. I don't really understand what was happening in this part. Anyway, Glinda decides the two of them and the kids will go to Emarald City too, where Nessa is apparently, and stop her evil or something. When Glinda goes to find the kids, they're in Prin and this kid who I'm assuming was supposed to Boq's son(idk man)'s room with the Scarecrow and Tinman. Glinda freaks out because she doesn't want Scarecrow and Tinman to become human and remember their sons for some reason. Then Prin started saying that he was actually the Wizard of Oz(I'm not really sure what that part was all about) when Glinda says he's not powerful enough to turn them human. Glinda decides to leave the kids at Shiz and her, Elphaba, Scarecrow, Tinman will go to Emarald City by themselves. They go get on the train, but Prin, Delilah, and Sissy chase after them and also get on the train. Everyone's arguing and flying monkeys come out of nowhere and stack the train for some reason and they get all of the tracks. Then the guards get on the train and like try to take Elphaba away. Everyone flees back to Shiz and they're chased into this balcony thing. Delilah was also gone somehow though. The guards have grabbed Prin and are trying to take him away and he's yelling what Elphaba yells in Defying Gravity right before the, IT'S MEEEEEEEE! about Sissy because they think she's evil too for some reason, and Delilah flies in on a broom over the balcony and sings the IT'S MEEEEEE! Then she sang all the way up to “fly”, which Prin then starts singing the song while he jumps off the balcony(the guards let him go for some reason) and Delilah tosses him an extra broom she somehow got and now he's flying just like he always wanted to. He sings all the way up to the first I'M DEFYING GRAVITY and then Sissy finally flies off the balcony(she was really scared to do so) and takes over that line. Then Prin starts doing his flips in the air and he sings the I'M FLYING HIGH, DEFYING GRAVITY. They got all the way to Emerald City and I don't remember the parts in between, but they find Nessa and also the Wizard is dead somehow. Then there were a bunch of fight scenes but they're all kind of fuzzy to remember. They end up beating Nessa and I can't remember what happens to her. Then Prin proves that he's powerful enough of a wizard to turn the Scarecrow and the Tinman back human and he does it. Some Ozians see this and they call him the Wizard of Oz(I thought that was pretty cool since that's actually his grandfather). Then the Ozians recognize Elphaba as the Wicked Witch of the West and she has to run away from everybody. Fiyero and Boq also had to escape for some reason too. Then there's like a cut to some years later and Prin is in the tower thing Elphaba was in during the Wizard of Oz movie and the beginning of No One Mourns the Wicked is playing. It's like this emotional scene where he's looking out over this field and he sees Glinda and Delilah in this carriage thing heading into Oz. He starts running across the field towards them when the music picks up and he calls out to them when he gets closer. When they turn around to look at him, he throws this broom stick that he was carrying out and he starts flying on it(every time he flies he rides it like a skateboard for some reason). It's like this special broom he made himself. He meets them in the town square of Oz and apparently Elphaba and Fiyero were also on the carriage with them. I can't remember exactly how the whole things ends, but I remember that it was all happy and they were singing this happy and joyous reprise of No One Mourns the Wicked. There was a happy ending of some sort.

[aquagirl1978]

Rescue Me - Jin Grandet x Reader (Ikemen Prince)

A/N: Part of the Late Summer Rendezvous hosted by @xxsycamore - this is a gift for my dear friend @randonauticrap, I hope this little bit of Jin brightens your day!

Pairing: Jin Grandet x Reader

Prompt: sexy life guard

Tags: NSFW; Minors- DNI

The summer rays were warm on your face as you relaxed in your chair; the sun, high in the sky, shined down on you as you read your book and sipped iced tea. Digging your toes in the sand, you turned the page, anxious to see whether love would bloom between the heroine and her love interest.

A group of small children ran by, laughing and shouting, causing you to put down your book for a moment. Oh, to be young again. Your gaze followed them down the beach, your eyes lingering on the tall lifeguard tower.

Seated atop the tower like an eagle perched in his nest, dressed in red swim trunks and dark sunglasses, was a man. A very handsome man with broad shoulders and sculpted abs. You watched as he blew a whistle and called to some people to not swim so far out.

Oh, how you wished he would blow that whistle and call out to you.

You’d come running to him, your body wet from swimming in the ocean. Pressing your palms on his bare chest, you’d watch with lidded eyes as drops of water, glistening in the sunshine, trickled down his chest. He’d tease you for getting him wet like that, and maybe, if you were lucky, he’d grab you by the wrist and take you somewhere more private.

You glanced further down the beach and saw an outcropping of rocks. “We can stay hidden there,” he would say, as he held your wrist firmly in his large hand, his thumb pressing on your pulsepoint, as you panted, trying to keep up with his long strides in the sand. 

Peals of laughter broke your fantasy, your eyes quickly finding the source of the sound. A flock of teenage girls had surrounded the lifeguard’s tower and were loudly chatting with him. The lifeguard was friendly in his responses, his eyes, however, were locked on the ocean. 

Picking up your beverage, you took a long sip, the cool liquid refreshing on your tongue, however, doing nothing to temper the heat growing inside. Biting your lip, your mind wandered once more, allowing those long, strong swimmer’s arms to wrap around your shoulders.

“You should be punished for distracting me while I’m working.” His tone was serious, but the way he looked at you – garnet eyes aglow with wicked mischief – told a different story. Holding his gaze, you remained silent, waiting for your punishment. 

He dipped his head towards yours, capturing your lips in a fiery kiss. Your wet body pressed against his as the tip of his tongue probed open your lips, seeking entrance into your mouth. Moaning softly, your tongues met, twisting and twirling, as he hands began to wander down your back. 

His fingers would easily pull down the straps of your bathing, allowing your breasts to spill from the tight fabric. You could feel the smile in his kiss as he cupped one breast in his hand, his thumb massaging your nipple. The roar of the ocean grew louder, masking your moans, as the water splashed around your ankles.

Tearing your eyes away from the lifeguard's tower, you reached for your book, desperately needing a distraction. You focused your eyes on the words on the pages, following the escapades of Mitch and CJ and friends. Of all the books you owned, why did you pick the one book you owned about lifeguards?

You picked up your glass, now only half-full, although you would need enough iced tea to fill an Olympic-sized pool to quench your thirst this afternoon. 

The whistle blew once more; your head turned to find the lifeguard flying off his post, running straight into the water. The water slowed his movements as a small crowd stopped to watch as the lifeguard scooped the young boy in his arms, swiftly returning to the beach. He brought the boy to his tower, where he offered him a dry towel and a brightly colored lollipop. A frantic couple came running; reuniting with their son, they thanked the lifeguard profusely for saving their son's life. 

"Just doing my job," you heard the lifeguard say before popping a blue lollipop into his mouth. This one here truly was the complete package – strong, handsome, kind, and a hero. 

He was also soaking wet, head to toe. He ran a hand through his hair, pushing his damp bangs free from his face, his breathing only slightly heavier after his heroics. 

The book fell from your hands and into your lap; there would be time to finish the story later.

"This is good," he'd say, stopping when the water reached just below his shoulders. Scooping you in his arms, your bodies free of your bathing suits, he pulled you close, your legs wrapping around his waist. Your body shivered with excitement as he plunged a finger inside you, quickly adding a second. Tilting your head back, the water helped keep your body afloat as he continued to finger you.

His name was but a whisper on your lips as he entered you, your hands slippery as your nails tried to dig into his back. Was it the water? The position, maybe? Or perhaps the thrill of making love at the beach? Either way, your senses were heightened, enhancing your pleasure. 

It wasn't long before your bodies melted into one, the state of your bliss euphoric yet ephemeral.

The skies turned a shade of cotton candy pink as the sun started to set; the lifeguard blew his whistle one more time, marking the end of his shift. You watched him leave wistfully as you packed your bag. It would be dinner soon, time to head home. 

With your bag slung over your shoulders, you made your way to the parking lot. It wasn't hard to find your car as most had already left for the day.

After tossing your bag into the trunk, you slid into the front seat next to a handsome, familiar face, a long, white tee shirt covering some of his red swim trunks. 

"Hey, babe," Jin said, greeting you with a kiss on the cheek. "Ready to go home?"

Tagging: @redheadkittys @alixennial @rhodolitesroseforclavis @kissmetwicekissmedeadly @chaosangel767 @queengiuliettafirstlady @queen-dahlia @ikehoe @ikemen-writer @talfollowingstuff @kpop-and-otome @kisara-16 @altairring @lucyw260 @lordsisterxotome @umi-adxhira @bellerose-arcana @yarnnerdally @crypticbibliophile @tele86 @nightfoxqueen @melodiousramblings @wendolrea @aceuuuu @randonauticrap @aria-chikage @nightghoul381 @itsjudesfault @maries-gallery @xbalayage

[lulublack90]

Prompt 1 - Day

@wolfstarmicrofic January 1, word count 809

Opposite - Night

It was the day before the full moon, and Remus was antsy. His skin itched, and his hair stood on end all over his body. He felt feverish, and his joints ached. 

He could deal with being a werewolf if he only felt the effects when the moon was full, but the run-up to it just made it all that much worse. 

He needed to take his mind off it. As though Sirius had read his mind. He came sauntering in with that wild look in his eyes that could only mean one thing. Sirius had a prank ready to be played out. 

Instantly, Remus forgot how bad his body felt. Sirius gracefully flopped onto the sofa next to him. He leant back, folding his hands behind his head. Looking completely at ease. Remus waited for Sirius to ask. He knew he was going to ask. Oh, how he needed Sirius to ask. 

“Moony?” Sirius finally spoke, somehow managing to keep his face serious. 

“Yes, Padfoot,” Remus replied, slightly breathlessly.

“I have a plan, but I need some help to pull it off.” He turned his head towards Remus. “Would you be interested?” 

“Yes!” Remus said, unable to contain his excitement. This close to the moon, the wolf made it hard for him to control his emotions.  

Sirius’s grin illuminated his face. 

“Knew I could count on you, Moony.” He moved closer conspiratorially. “Third years are starting tea leaf reading in Divination this afternoon, and I have a rather large supply of nose-biting teacups…” He trailed off, not needing to say any more for Remus to understand. 

“Yes! Sirius yes! Can we watch? I wanna watch!” He was vibrating with energy. That wicked glint flashed in Sirius’s eyes again, stronger than before. He pulled the corner of James’s invisibility cloak from under his robes. 

“Way ahead of you, Moony, my old friend.”

The plan went off without a hitch. They vanished the ordinary teacups and replaced them all with the nose-biting ones. They picked a good spot at the back of the attic classroom where no one would accidentally walk into them. 

The trapdoor was pushed open as the Divination Professor climbed into the room, followed by the small group of third-years. 

“Settle down, settle down.” The crone-like witch called to the already quietly sitting class. “Everyone go and grab a teacup, and I shall bring around the tea.” The students each took one of the teacups from the shelf. Remus had to stuff his fist into his mouth to stop himself from laughing. He felt Sirius nudge him warningly. He tried to calm himself down before he gave them away. 

“Make sure you drink all the tea before you start trying to read the tea leaves. Do not make the same mistake as my class last year. Poor boy scalded his legs trying to read without drinking any of the tea.” She shook her head solemnly.

“Poor, Pete,” Sirius whispered into Remus’s ear, then had to add his own hand to help cover Remus’s mouth as he shook with laughter. 

The room was mostly quiet as the students all waited for the tea to cool enough to drink. 

“Alright, class.” The Professor announced, “Your tea would be sufficiently cool enough now to drink from.” She picked up her own cup as the 15-third years all lifted theirs. 

There was a moment of slurping and then Bedlam. People screaming, chairs flying and tea cups smashing. The class fled, trying to get away from the snapping china. The Professor was having a terrible time removing her cup from the end of her nose. It seems to be a particularly vicious one. 

The chaos was more than either Remus or Sirius could have hoped for. Within minutes, the classroom was empty. The screams and shouts grew quieter as the third years ran from the tower. 

Sirius pulled the cloak off them. They looked at each other silently and straight-faced for a second before they both fell to the floor, rolling around in peals of laughter.

“Godric, that went better than I could have ever imagined.” Sirius gasped between laughs, brushing the tears leaking from his eyes from his face. 

“Sirius, that was perfect. I love your brain.” Remus choked out, an arm wrapped around himself as if he needed to hold himself together. 

“Right, come on,” Sirius said, trying very hard to pull himself together, “Before someone comes to see what’s going on.”

They managed to climb back down the ladder without hurting themselves. Once at the bottom, Sirius threw the invisibility cloak back over them. 

“Don’t want anyone seeing us coming out of the tower, or they’ll know it was us,” Sirius murmured to Remus as they made their way back to Gryffindor Tower, bursting into howling laughter when they pulled the invisibility cloak off, safe in their dorm room.                

[crystal-va]

[VOID]!ALPHATLE ALPHATLALE: REIMAGINED

Original work by @vibeless15

Reimagined by CrystalVA

< Previous Next >

Chapter 6: GENOSIDE

William jumped from his sleep, hearing the sounds of metal clanging, blood spewing, and dust flying. William quickly threw his hoodie on before dashing out of his room. He ran around for a moment, trying to find Quenya or Adam, but they were no where to be found. He then ran to the door and looked out the window, seeing Snowdin painted red and gray as Frisk slaughtered the inhabitants. William ran out the door to distract Frisk from the innocent monsters he was slaughtering, "FRISK! THE FUCK'S GOING ON!?!" William shouted, causing Frisk to quickly turn to William with his burning red eyes locking onto him.

Frisk made a manic dash towards William, causing William to quickly dodge the blade. William was still sent flying from the sheer force of the swing, barely keeping his balance as he landed. William quickly used his blue magic to throw Frisk away into the concrete of the sidewalk before running away, "FUCK! I gotta find someone... where's Adam and Mom!?" William thought to himself as he teleported away from Snowdin and outside the castle.

William ran into the castle, frantically searching for anyone who could explain what was going on. Eventually he made his way down into the secret lab, where he found the TV illuminating Astral Mother who was staring right back at him. "Why, hello #1, fufu~" Astral Mother turned off the TV, stood up, and walked in front of William, "W-what's going on... Why's Frisk killing everyone!?" William realized Astral Mother was likely the one behind this, her wicked smile and calm demeanor gave it away. "Hoho~ That's not for you to know~ All you get to know is that this experiment is very very interesting... Oh, and you're Frisk's main target, so make your decision! Fight, or run!" Astral Mother shouted at William as she dispersed into gas, leaving William alone and confused. William thought about Astral Mother's statement and made his decision. He'll fight.

William teleported near Quenya's house, looking for anyone to be alive, but he just saw bloody corpses and dust. "W-why is this happening..." William felt his eyes swell with tears. The moment didn't last long, as William heard fast footsteps coming from behind him. He jumped away as Frisk charged past him with a powerful slash. "You... DIRTY KILLER!!" William shouted as he used blue magic to slam Frisk around. Into the sidewalk, walls, fences, and everything around. "WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU!?!" William continued to shout as he summoned the dragon skull he used two [RESET]s ago. Apparently the method to summon it was unyielding rage, that's the best William could think in the few milliseconds he gave himself to think about it.

Frisk emerged from a cloud of smoke and rammed William with a shield construct, knocking all the air out of William's magic lungs and sending him flying into a tree. Frisk towered over William. "You pathetic... RAT!!!" Frisk shouted as he raised his katana to finish William off, but he was met with a barrage of pink spears and bones, causing him to have to stop and block the attack. Even with his shield up, Frisk was sent flying away as his shield was hit by a much more powerful spear.

Quenya ran forward and grabbed William, "Are you okay!? Are you hurt!?" Quenya frantically helped William to his feet, "Y-yeah I'm okay, I'm so happy you're alive!" William noticed Delios, who was fighting Frisk with his large hammer. "Wait... why's Delios helping us? Wasn't he the most loyal to Astral Mother other than Frisk?" William questioned, "I don't have time to go into detail, but I helped him see the truth, let's get out of here!' Quenya grabbed William's arm and began running, "What about Adam and Chara!? Are they okay?" William tried to keep up with Quenya so he wasn't dragged along, "Adam was badly injured, but he's alive, and we're not sure where Chara is, I'm sorry..." Quenya said slightly somberly, "WAIT!" William shouted as he released himself from Quenya's grip, "I think I know where Chara is! I'm gonna go find him!' William shouted as he ran back through Snowdin, "STOP! Will, please! There's no time!" Quenya shouted at William, who ignored her as he teleported into the ruins.

Quenya saw Delios fighting, he was losing. Delios lost his footing in the snow, and his right arm went flying because of that, "URK!! Nyeheh...heh... You're really pitiful, you know that? You can't even solve a puzzle to save your life!" Delios cackled as a cage of electricity surrounded Him and Frisk, "Nyeh... I see you've decided to join us, Quenya." Delios turned to Quenya who ran to assist Delios as she saw his arm fly. "Will... Be safe..." Quenya whispered "You ready Quenya?" Delios asked as he blocked an attack from Frisk with a smaller, more manageable hammer for his one arm. "Let's get rid of this brat!" Quenya shouted as she summoned a barrage of spears. "Out. of. my. way." Frisk stood firm with his katana.

William frantically searched the old home for any trace of Chara, he began to worry. Finally, William entered the queen's old room, where he found Chara changing that one day. Chara was sitting at a desk, softly crying. "Chara! Thank everything you're okay!" William entered the room, "W-what - How are you here?" Chara could've sworn he locked the door. "Doesn't matter! Delio is fighting Frisk outside! He needs our help! Let's move!" William pleaded, with Chara barely even turning around. "W-Will... I'm sorry..." Chara said somberly, "What'd you mean?" Chara finally stood up, "If... If I just... I'm so sorry..." Chara continued to whisper under his breath, "Frisk... Why are you doing this? why have you [RESET] so much?" Chara softly weaped into his own hands. "I-I think we can make a plan, I don't think we can beat him in a fair fight, but I'm sure we can trick him into stopping himself, or... something along those lines!" William was frantically pacing around the room and thinking of ways to stop Frisk. "Will... You don't get it... He won't stop until you're dead, no matter how many times he has to [RESET]..." Chara continued softly crying, "Right... That... uh... that's an issue... B-but how am I just supposed to let myself and everyone else die!? I gotta try something..." William sat down on the large bed. "But... What could I do...?" William sulked as Chara sat next to him, leaning on his shoulder.

"You have to break his will." A high pitch voice came from below, Chara looked down before William, "You." Chara seemed to know whatever the voice belonged to. William looked down to see a ghost... flower? Out of all the monsters William has met in the underground, a ghost flower wasn't one of them. "Young prince... You are this world's last hope... You'll figure everything out soon enough." The flower spoke before beginning to sink into the ground, "Farewell for now, blue prince." The flower disappeared into the ground. "Ugh... That flower never makes sense..." Chara sighed. William hurried up, "I can't waste any more time! I'm going!" William was overwhelmed with stress and the uncertainty of everything going on. "WAIT!" Chara yelled, stopping William in his tracks, "I'm not gonna try to stop you... But here, take this..." Chara grabbed a hair tie that had been sitting at the desk. "Think of it like... A good luck charm, as cliche as it is..." William took the hair tie from Chara's hand and quickly gave him a hug, "I guess I don't mind cliches..." William said before sprinting out of the old home.

After only a few minutes William made it to where Frisk, Delios, and Quenya had been. But instead of the fight still happening, Frisk was gone, Quenya was almost entirely dust, and Delios was on his last breaths, "Nyeheh... I guess the brat finally solved one of my puzzles... Well... I tried as hard as I could..." Delios said before he began to turn to dust. "... I have to win... Somehow..." William teleported away from the scene into Waterfall City, which was dusty and completely destroyed. William teleported to Hotland, which was completely destroyed. William sprinted through the ARA Resort, which had also been almost completely trashed.

There was a place near the top of the ARA Resort that was known as the Judgement Hall. It was the hall that led past Core, and into an execution room. All of nearly equal importance to Astral Mother.

William reached the Judgement Hall, where Frisk was finishing off a monster who tried to flee from him. "FRISK! I'm right here!" William tried to stop Frisk from killing the monster, but he was too late. "Don't try to be the hero, rat! You're the reason I'm doing this! You're the villain!" Frisk shouted as he dashed towards William with a barrage of slashes and stabs. William efficiently avoided every attack, "Shit shit shit shit! Gotta think of something!" William thought to himself as he used quick bursts of blue magic to toss Frisk away and give him a few seconds to breathe before having to avoid the attacks yet again. "YOU FUCKING COWARD! I don't care if you don't fight back! I'll still kill you!" Frisk shouted as his attacks became more calculated and came closer to striking William. William winced as one of Frisk's stabs sliced his cheek. Finally, William did something. William summoned a "Dark Blaster", as he decided to call the dragon skull, and fired, causing Frisk to go flying to the other side of the Judgement Hall, slamming into the wall. "Heheheh... Finally fighting back? Doesn't matter, you're still gonna die, rat!" Frisk summoned a barrage of small knives and sent them flying at William, who blocked them with a large wall of bones. Frisk dashed and sliced clean through the wall, almost taking William's head. William continued rolling, ducking, and blocking Frisk's attacks, "C'mon! If you're not gonna fight, just give up and die!" Frisk shouted as William just kept dodging. William summoned another blaster and fired, narrowly missing Frisk, "Hah! Missed me!" Frisk mocked before being rammed into a collom by the blaster, "Damn! The rat's smarter than I gave him credit for..." Frisk thought as he started bleeding from his nose. William sent a barrage of at least 10 blasters to give himself a moment to think, "Dammit! Why am I trying so hard!? He'll just [RESET] if I did somehow kill him! Think, Will, think!" William thought to himself as he kept pressuring Frisk. "SURPRISE!" Frisk exclaimed as he appeared behind William. William turned around and stuck out his hand as he was struck in the chest by Frisk's attack and used his blue magic, but instead of throwing him like every other time, he held Frisk in place, perfectly frozen. "What the fuck is this!?" Frisk shouted as he tried with all his might to move, "*huff*... *Huff*... *Huff*... Ok... Good to know I don't have to toss you..." William said as he slowly backed away to create distance.

"LET GO OF ME, RAT! Wouldn't you like to join all your friends!? Your fish mom!? Wouldn't you like to join them in death!?" Frisk shouted maniacally as William began to softly chuckle, "Heheheh... I think I'm more excited to see Chara again..." William said as he revealed the hair tie Chara gave him, "The fuck did you do!?" Frisk continued shouting, "... Heh... I didn't know what you were planning... Figured it was better I did it before you... I'm glad Chara agreed... Heh..." William said with a convincingly somber tone.

William let Frisk go. Frisk looked at William with shock and confusion before bringing up the [RESET] Button and pressing it. William couldn't tell if was watching what a [RESET] was like when you're actually aware of it, or if this is what it was like to dust. The world almost seemed to melt around him as a bright white light overtook everything in an instant, it was oddly... nice, "I hope this next timeline is... better..." William thought as he slipped into unconsciousness.

END OF CHAPTER 6

< Previous Next >

[mythalaneous]

you can't die on me. we're a team. (For the prompts!)

I am blowing air kisses in your direction, bless you 💜

(also this is the first anything I've written in a decade so please be gentle)

a little snippet featuring pre-datv varric, harding and rook

They’d been traveling together for five months. Five months of chasing the wolf’s tail, eternally two steps behind, slogging from one side of Thedas to the other through rain and shine. Five months since she was given the name Rook.

(“This is you,” Varric had said, holding up one of the pieces from his side of the board. The inn they were spending the night in was one of the nicer ones, and includes a small shelf of games beside the fire for those in the mood to play. Varric had originally wanted to play a few rounds of Wicked Grace, but with only two people they had settled on chess instead. The piece he held aloft was carved in a dark wood, into the shape of a tower. “Straightforward, always thinking in straight lines. One of the most powerful pieces on the board, too, when you use it right.”)

Harding was with them today, too. They didn’t always travel as a trio, since Harding was often called to scout ahead in all manner of directions to try and anticipate the Dread Wolf’s next move, but the days they did were some of the best. Varric and Harding had an ease between them that could only be found in almost a decade of friendship, but they still found ways to ensure Rook was on equal footing with them both.

“Hold on,” she’d said not ten minutes ago, “let me check ahead. Something about the pass up there makes it seem like the perfect spot for an ambush.”

She’d been right, of course, as Harding often was in these matters. Unfortunately for them all they’d happened to stumble upon the pass right as the would-be-ambushers were packing it in and leaving for a more lucrative spot, causing the two parties to run into each other just before the pass tightened into a bottle neck.

“Highwaymen!” Harding had yelped, darting back out of the forest cover. Chaos had struck almost immediately; said robbers were lumbering out from the trees in number, taken off guard but still ready to pick their corpses clean of valuables.

Rook had her orb fired up before she could think. “Back!” she shouted to the two rogues in her company, before sending her orb off to slam into a bandit’s face. It was hard to keep track of it all - arrows flying this way and that, her orb slamming against a shield which promptly caught fire, a sword wielding human taking a crossbow bolt to the neck before he could swing his sword down upon her. There was barely a second to breathe after dealing with one highwayman before another took his place.

Their saving grace was that they’d managed to catch them off guard; if they’d still been set up to get them at the pass they’d have been outnumbered and outmaneuvered. As it was they seemed to have no greater plan than ‘get them!’, which was tantamount to sending lambs to the slaughter.

“That all of them?” Varric called after a sudden lull in the fighting. After all the commotion, the sudden silence was unsettling. Rook held her mageknife tight in shaking fist, listening out for the sound of more enemies, but heard only birdsong and the rustle of wind through the leaves.

“Seems like it,” Harding replied after a long moment. “Maker, what a mess.” She wasn’t wrong; they’d managed to take down slightly more than a dozen highwayman in their frantic skirmish.

“What are the chances, honestly,” Rook huffed, “as if this search wasn’t going bad enou—“

“Rook!” Harding squawked, “you’re bleeding!”

What?

Rook looked down, scanning her body for injuries. Harding hurried across the makeshift battlefield and pressed both hands to Rook's side, drawing a pained hiss from her.

“Oh, shit, ow! I didn’t realize.”

“Varric, there’s a potion in my pack, can you grab it?” Blood was oozing around Harding’s hands lazily. Now that Rook was aware of her little mishap the pain was getting more and more difficult to ignore.

“Shit, Rook, sit down before you fall down,” Varric said, rummaging through Harding's pack as it was still slung over her back. He managed to find what he was looking for - a potion, that disgusting green slop - right as Rook slid herself down into the dirt, her own hand covering her side now.

Harding scrambled to get her pack off. “I have bandages, too, hold on.”

“It’s not too bad, I don’t think,” Rook replied weakly. Varric handed her the potion, having already removed the cork for her. “Thanks, Varric.”

“You can’t die on me,” he shot back, “We’re a team.”

Rook smiled wonkily, and downed the potion with a pinched look.

“Right back at you, boss man.”

[hallmark-movie-fanatics]

See first photos of 42 new Hallmark Christmas movies (Entertainment Weekly) - Hallmark Movies & Mysteries

Ms. Christmas Comes to Town Premieres: Oct. 26, 8 p.m. ET/PT, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries Cast: Erica Durance, Brennan Elliott, Barbara Niven Contains: A holiday shopping channel host, a life-changing medical diagnosis, and the holiday trip of a lifetime Official description: "A shopping channel host known as Ms. Christmas (Niven) receives a terminal diagnosis, which inspires a multi-city excursion set to spread Christmas cheer before her farewell broadcast."

My Christmas Guide Premieres: Nov. 2, 8 p.m. ET/PT, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries  Cast: Amber Marshall, Ben Mehl Contains: A teacher who loses his eyesight, an adorable seeing eye dog, and a dog trainer Official description: "After losing his eyesight, a college professor (Mehl) adopts a seeing eye dog from a guide dog trainer (Marshall). As they all begin to spend time together, his confidence returns and his heart begins to open."

Mystery on Mistletoe Lane Premieres: Nov. 9, 8 p.m. ET/PT, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries Cast: Erica Cerra, Victor Webster Contains: A good ol' fashioned holiday mystery, hidden connections Official description: "New to town, Heidi Wicks (Cerra) and her kids discover a Christmas mystery in their historic home. Local handyman and historian David (Webster) helps along the way, finding his own surprising connection."

A World Record Christmas Premieres: Nov. 16, 8 p.m. ET/PT, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries Cast: Nikki DeLoach, Lucas Bryant, Aias Dalman Contains: A huge Jenga tower, a town fundraiser Official description: "Charlie (Dalman) is an autistic boy determined to set a Guinness World Record by stacking 1400 Jenga blocks. His mother Marissa (DeLoach) and stepfather Eric (Bryant) encourage him to reach for his dream and they all celebrate when he gets the good news that he'll have his chance on Christmas Eve. In the spirit of the holiday, they organize a fundraiser giving the townspeople an opportunity to donate and decorate a Jenga block, with the proceeds going to benefit kids with autism. Charlie's journey to setting the Jenga world record gives them all the chance to learn more not just about themselves, but about what family really means."

A Season for Family Premieres: Nov. 22, 8 p.m. ET/PT, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries Cast: Brendan Penny, Stacey Farber, Benjamin Jacobson, Azriel Dalman Contains: Adopted siblings, an unexpected reunion  Official description: "Maddy's (Farber) adopted son Wesley (Jacobson) has just one Christmas wish — to meet his brother Cody (Dalman), who was adopted into a different family. Cody's father Paul (Penny) is a widower who is not ready to have this conversation with his son, so he turns down a meeting. However, circumstances bring the two brothers unknowingly together and they become fast friends, while sparks fly between Maddy and Paul."

Time for Her to Come Home for Christmas Premieres: Nov. 30, 8 p.m. ET/PT, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries Cast: Shenae Grimes-Beech, Chris Carmack, Grace Leer Contains: Mourning the loss of a family member, a small town mystery, an army service member Official description: "Facing her first Christmas without her mother and looking to avoid loneliness, Carly (Grimes-Beech) heads to a quaint town to lead the church choir at Christmas.  Once there, Carly meets Matthew (Carmack), a man back in town after serving in the army.  As she gets to know Matthew, the choir and townspeople, she stumbles across clues that suggest she may have been brought here for a life changing reason.  As the mystery unravels one thing is clear, this journey will teach Carly about true love, learning to trust, and that forgiveness is needed to finally heal."

To All a Good Night Premieres: Dec. 7, 8 p.m. ET/PT, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries Cast: Kimberley Sustad, Mark Ghanimé Contains: A Christmas festival, a life-saving encounter  Official description: "A small-town photographer (Sustad) saves the life of a mysterious man (Ghanimé), who may just be in town to buy her family's parkland — which is also the location of the annual Christmas celebration."

Heaven Down Here Premieres: Dec. 14, 8 p.m. ET/PT, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries Cast: Krystal Joy Brown, Tina Lifford, Juan Riedinger, Richard Harmon, Phylicia Rashad Contains: Based on a song, four strangers trapped in a diner during a snowstorm, unlikely friendships Official description: "Inspired by Mickey Guyton's song of the same name, Heaven Down Here tells the story of four disparate people who find themselves stranded in a local diner on Christmas Eve when a snowstorm hits the town. Imami (Brown) is a widowed mother of two who's having trouble making ends meet and reluctantly agrees to work the Christmas Eve shift, where she clashes with her boss Dan (Harmon), who doesn't exactly embody the Christmas spirit.  Felix (Riedinger) is a local pastor desperately trying to secure food for parishioners while his faith is challenged by his alienation by his son.  Clara (Lifford) is a hospice nurse with an obstinate patient (Rashad) and whose daughter is moving away, causing her to question her place in this world.  Throughout the evening, these four bicker, bond and unwittingly provide each other with the answer to their respective prayers."

Miracle in Bethlehem, PA Premieres: Dec. 21, 8 p.m. ET/PT, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries Cast: Laura Vandervoort, Benjamin Ayres Contains: A single mother, stuck for the holidays, a man living a permanent bachelor lifestyle Official description: "A new DaySpring movie. Successful and fiercely independent, Mary Ann Brubeck (Vandervoort) adopts a baby girl to raise on her own just before Christmas.  Due to weather, she and the baby get stuck in Bethlehem, PA for the holidays.  When there is no room at the inn, her only option is to stay with the innkeeper's brother Joe (Ayres), a quintessential bachelor who lives in a house that he treats like a barn.  As Mary Ann learns the value of community by spending time with Joe's family and participating in the local church's Christmas events, Joe starts getting his act together with new motivation…and the two begin to see each other in a new light."

Click these links for more, ew.com, today.com, tvinsider.com

[swanqueeneverafter]

Something Wicked This Way Comes, Chapter 22

The Land of Untold Stories. Marbaden. Morning. (The residents of the village run to greet the returning girls who are being led out of the forest by Angelika and the Brothers Grimm.) Wilhelm: “Good people of Marbaden, you have nothing further to fear, because I and my brother Jake, we have destroyed the dark heart of evil. You are free! (The people cheer as Wilhelm turns to his brother:) I couldn’t resist, for old times’ sake. (Sobers, holding out his hand:) I’m sorry I never believed in you.” Jacob: (Taking his brother’s hand and shakes it:) “Well, if it’s any consolation, I never believed in you either.” (The brothers share a laugh while the local band begins to play. A jubilant mood spreads across Marbaden and the villagers dance around them.) Angelika: (Holding hands with her sisters:) “So you are the Brothers Grimm. You saved us all. (She leans in to kiss first Wilhelm, then Jacob on the cheek:) You're welcome here any time, any time at all, Grimms. This is your home.” (While Angelika and her sisters leave to join the dancing, Jacob and Wilhelm continue to tease each other as only brothers can.) Jacob: “I thought you always ended up with the girl.” Wilhelm: (Points:) “You see that?” Jacob: (Squinting:) “What? The sun?” Wilhelm: “The day's not over yet.” Jacob: (Chuckles:) “Yeah, right!” (They follow the villagers back towards Marbaden.) Wilhelm: “Would you call this a turning point?” Jacob: “I'd say we're on the verge.” Wilhelm: “Really?” Jacob: “The verge, Will.” Wilhelm: “That's fantastic. Cos I've been thinking of an alternative career path. One that uses all of our new expertise.” Jacob: “Will.” Wilhelm: “I haven't sorted it yet...” Jacob: “Will, we're men without a home, we're enemies of the state, and worst of all we haven't a single bean to our name.” Wilhelm: “It's a good name, though, isn't it?” Jacob: “It's a damn good name.” Wilhelm: “So like I said, I was thinking it’s high time we let the people of the Land of Untold Stories be heard. You and me, we’ll help them find closure together.” Jacob: “What if they aren’t ready for their stories to be told?” Wilhelm: “Ah. I have a friend who’s good at getting people to open up.” Jacob: “You mean Archie?” Wilhelm: “How did you guess? Look, it could be the beginning of something really worthwhile.” Jacob: (Considers:) “Well…” Wilhelm: “That’s good enough for me. (Pats his brother on the shoulder:) Come on. Let's dance.” (Waiting for them at the village gate, Angelika takes Jacob’s hand and leads him towards the dance circle while her sisters lead Wilhelm. Together they dance happily with the entire village as the ravens from the tower fly freely overhead.) Chapter continues on AO3… Chapter 22

[letsgofoletsgo]

Weight of The Crown Pt. 2

Part 1

Of all the times he could have been granted this power, it had to be in the middle of the fight with Balthazar. Rivera remembered the shouts and screams from scattered necromancers, incantations erupting from the ground and arrows flying from every which direction. The clanging of sword upon sword below battle cries and vicious words flung from either side. Balthazar himself towering over the chaos, barking commands and casting a wicked grin down at his opposition.

It was an otherworldly onslaught that Rivera and his party had found themselves in the middle of. Leading the charge with his mace brandished, he countered the lunging strikes of his opponents, swiftly casting a thunderbolt in his wake to take care of anyone on his flank. From the corner of his eye. A second later, he caught a glimpse of Astarion bolting towards a stray necromancer, hardly able to blink before the rogue plunged a dagger into his neck. On the other end of the battlefield was Karlach, barreling through a group of necromancers with a few mighty swings of her ax. As a few stray necromancers readied to retaliate, a sudden fireball stopped them in their tracks. From a distance, Gale turned to prepare another spell, sending an acidic wave to fell yet another wave of necromancers. 

Even as they were outnumbered, the team was fairing their own against their opponents. Within the heart of battle, Rivera was focused, honed in on the rhythm of combat. The reverberation of his mace against his palm, the crunch of flesh from the blunt strikes, the rushing energy from his hand as he casted spells, these sensations flashed in his mind as it all came back to him. Rivera remembered preparing to attack a lone necromancer, sprinting towards him with his mace raised above his head-

And then everything just seemed to freeze.

           Everything around him slowed to a stop, noises muddled into static and colors giving way to grayscale, his vision blurring as the battlefield faded from his perception. He tried to see if he was hit by some kind of curse, but his body felt weighed down and sluggish, bound by invisible restraints. Fear surged through Rivera’s body, screaming for him to move faster than his limbs could manage. He tried to cry out, but his vocal chords felt numb, rendering him silent as his limbs attempted to fight past this strange force. 

Before he could even properly ask himself what was happening, Rivera was surprised to feel a familiar presence emerge to his side. He could only manage to move his head to witness a green light pierce through the murky surroundings. The abdomen of a humanoid figure materialized from the glow, clad in armor made of tree bark. A wooden crest rose from where the canopy would be, forming something of a helm that wrapped around its face. 

The being’s eyes met his. An unexpected wave of relief flooded Rivera as he recognized his gaze.

“... Lord Oberon?” Rivera’s words were strained as they left his lips, echoing indescribably in his ears. 

The Green Lord did not respond at first. He simply stared down at Rivera, his expression concentrated but not threatening. 

“So he finds himself; the champion at the forefront of the war for the Material Plane.” Oberon spoke, voice cutting clearly through the magically dampened surroundings. “A warrior shown worthy of the Fey’s power, the unparalleled fabric that weaves our reality.” 

Oberon then lifted his palm towards Rivera. 

“Thus, in this moment of dire circumstance, I grant you access to that fabric. To aid your battle against the enemy, you shall be bestowed with a power, a being that culminates within the Fey’s essence.”

An orange energy illuminated from Oberon’s palm. It had an aura that Rivera had grown accustomed to, but he had never felt such magic like this before. Invisible tethers latched onto his face, settling firmly between his eyes. Rivera could hardly speak to question the Green Lord before the sensation culminated into something tangible, nearly blinding him from the beam of light that erupted from the center of his face.

“Venture forth, my champion. Break free the chrysalis, feel it as it courses through your body.”

Rivera’s senses were overtaken by the surge of energy, encompassing his being ten times over. He couldn’t think, he couldn’t speak, he couldn’t move. Confusion, fear, relief, any internal reaction was drowned out by the otherworldly roots spreading through his body. As if slipping into a trance, a dream, something took hold of his reality.  

As it all faded into a white void, Rivera heard one last thing before he truly went under.

“For it is time for the Monarch to emerge.”

[ladymischievous]

Warcraft Fic: A Twist of Fate Chapter 6: Night of the Wicked Harvest

Chapter 6: Night of the Wicked Harvest

Author’s Notes: Okay, so, some warnings for this chapter. This chapter ended up being really long and having a lot of stuff happening in it. Also beware of horror elements and imagery.I also play with a lot of headcanons and worldbuilding in this chapter.

-o-o-o-o-o-

Khadgar clung to Medivh for dear life. He watched as the mountains of Deadwind Pass sped past, giving way to the forests of Sunny Glade. The tops of trees were a sea of rustling green bathed in the moonlight. The gryphon was suddenly jostled a little by a powerful gust of wind. Khadgar tightened his hold on the Magus and buried his face into the back of Medivh’s cloak.

 “You okay back there?” Medivh called out over the wind.

 “Y-yeah…!” Khadgar said, muffled against the cloak. “I’ve…just never been this high up before…!”

 “We can go a bit lower if you need!” Medivh offered. Another squeeze around his waist was all the answer he needed. Carefully, Medivh steered his Gryphon to glide lower. “We’ll be reaching Elwynn soon. Hang in there, and please don’t throw up. If you throw up, I throw up, that’s unfortunately the rule.”

 Khadgar turned his head and looked out once more. The sight of the ground being closer put him more at ease, and he gave a sigh of relief. It was amazing how fast the flight made the trip through Sunny Glade. Already Khadgar could see the river that divided Elywnn and Sunny Glade just up ahead. His hold on Medivh loosened, if only a little, as he pulled back just enough to get a better look around.

 “Nothing quite like flying, huh?” Medivh called out to the younger mage.

 Khadgar said nothing. He was too busy focusing on the feeling of flight. The wind blowing past them, the view of the moon above, the coolness of the night air. His anxiety melted away to an emotion he couldn’t quite name. Khadgar had seen many things done with magic throughout his life. What most would find amazing and wondrous was mundane to him. But there, in the skies, he felt goosebumps rise from his skin and a chill crawl up his spine. It was the first time in a long while that Khadgar felt a genuine sense of wonder.

 They rode the winds. Medivh guided the gryphon to fly up a little higher, putting more distance between them and the trees. They soared over secluded forest houses, and soon enough, they arrived at a small town. The gryphon flew towards a tower that looked over it all. Khadgar had recognized it as a roost, where gryphons were usually kept. He had seen them when running errands for Guzbah. It then occurred to Khadgar that many of the errands he’d run that took him outside of Dalaran would have been much easier if they allowed him to use the gryphon services. Perhaps Guzbah thought it’d help Khadgar build some character. That was the usual excuse older people made. He wasn’t ready to think the worst of the man.

 Medivh steered the gryphon in for a landing. Upon touching ground and trotting to a stop, Medivh patted the beast on the side of its neck affectionately, and praised her. “Good girl, thank you for the ride. We’ll be back soon.”

 Medivh then climbed down from the saddle and offered a hand to Khadgar to help him down. He then turned his attention to one of the saddlebags, opened it up, and rummaged through it. He pulled out a quite old looking staff, adorned with a long red ribbon, a couple of baubles that hung from them, and an elegant-looking raven at its top. Khadgar could feel power thrumbing from within the staff. He had seen such things in Dalaran. Works of craftsmanship made from precious metals, rare woods, and gems. They had practical uses as focuses, allowing for spellwork to be done without the usual needed components. But they also were flaunted as status symbols. The more ornate, the more beautiful, was meant to say a lot about the mage holding it. Medivh’s staff was simple, beautifully carved, but lacked a lot of the usual flare. Khadgar couldn’t help the feeling of curiosity that nibbled away at him. There was a mystery there.

 “Welcome to Goldshire.” Medivh announced, breaking Khadgar away from his thoughts. “We will not be staying here for long. It’s a nice little town during the day but…quite a strange place at night. I’m going to get our gryphon situated. Please don’t wander off.”

 Khadgar frowned a little and looked out at the small town from the roost. He had to admit; it was certainly more lively than he would have expected a place to be at this time of night. There were plenty of people out on the streets. Their dress was certainly ‘different’. Khadgar could have sworn he spotted a pair dressed as the front and back ends of a horse meeting up with someone dressed in dark leather, sporting a riding crop. He could hear loud music in the distance and saw multi-colored lights flashing in the windows of what he assumed was a pub. He had to wonder if there was a festival happening.

 Khadgar felt curiosity tugging at him. Surely it wouldn’t be too bad if he just went down and waited by the entrance, right? Perfectly harmless. With that thought in mind, Khadgar went on ahead, going down a set of stairs and stepping outside of the roost. He found himself suddenly swept away by a group of passersby. They barely paid him much attention, too focused on where they were heading. Khadgar stumbled free from the group, only to bump into another night dweller, and was shoved out of the way.

 Khadgar almost tripped over himself before his back hit a brick wall. He could feel a sudden fear wash over him. He looked around and realized he had moved quite a distance away from the roost. Khadgar could feel his heartbeat picking up, he placed a hand on his chest in an attempt to calm it. He didn’t need his magic lashing out.

 “J-just go back in the direction you came, you’ll be right back where you started.” Khadgar told himself. It felt more grounding to hear it, even if it was just from himself.

 Khadgar took one deep breath, then one more, and the anxiety calmed, if only a little. He moved, looking up to find where the roost was. He saw the landing and more unease faded as he picked up the pace. Everything was fine. He’d be there in a minut--

 A pair of arms reached out and grabbed onto him. A large, calloused hand clamped onto his mouth as the other arm snaked around his middle. Khadgar then found himself dragged into an alleyway. He was shoved against the wall of a building, his kidnapper’s forearm pressed against his throat. The glint of metal immediately caught Khadgar’s attention. His eyes locked onto the blade held close to his face, then moved to the face of the man who held it. Heat in the alleyway gradually rose. The palms of Khadgar’s hands began to itch and feel hot.

 “What do we have here?” his captor said as he looked Khadgar over. “Todd, check his bag.”

 Another man walked over and tore open Khadgar’s satchel. They rummaged through it. The silver cricket moved out of the way of the searching hand and hid in one of the bag’s inner pockets. The thief began tossing aside items. A makeshift book, a pack of tools. They were about to toss vials of catalysts until Khadgar found the ability to speak up.

 “Those are valuable. Don’t throw them!”

 The thief paused before giving a look at the vial in his hand. It was full of what appeared to be crushed amethyst. The corner of their mouth quirked into a crooked smile before he placed them back into the satchel. “May as well take the whole thing.”

 Khadgar’s hand slammed down on the satchel. He couldn’t let them take it. He felt more pressure pressed against his neck. It was hard to breathe, let alone speak. Still, Khadgar’s stubbornness spurred him on, forcing out syllable after syllable of a spell.

 He moved his hand from his satchel and grabbed onto the upper arm of the thief, crushing his throat. His palm ignited with roaring flames, the flash from the spell blinded the thief and Khadgar was able to push him off of himself. He gasped and gulped for air, breaking out into a cough.

 “It’s a damned spellchucker! Forget this, you’re on your own!” The other thief sped out from the alleyway and disappeared into the crowds.

 Khadgar moved to grab his spellbook and tools, but felt a violent tug on his hair. The thief that had pinned him had recovered and wasn’t about to let him go. He wrenched Khadgar onto the ground and sat on top of him. Before the young mageling could speak another spell, the thief’s hand clamped over his mouth. Khadgar’s hands shot up, trying to pry the hand away, but a glint caught his eye. The thief was about to plunge his knife down into him.

 “That’s enough of that, thank you!”

 Khadgar could have sworn he heard a familiar voice. He was too focused on the knife to be too sure. Suddenly, it moved away, trailing off to the side as the hand that held it struggled to keep a grip on it. Khadgar looked upwards and saw the hunched over form of Medivh. He stood behind the thief, the man’s ear pinched tightly between the Magus’ fingers.

 “How about you leave the lad alone and you get to keep your ear?” Medivh said before turning his wrist a little. The thief cried out in pain but was guided to move to the side, and off of the mageling.

 Khadgar scrambled to put as much distance as he could between himself and the thief. He watched as Medivh let go and stood at full height. The Magus was a considerably tall man. He had a lean build but with his feathered mantle and his staff at his side; he looked truly imposing.

 The irises of Medivh’s eyes glowed a venomous green. In the shadows of the alley, he went from imposing to outright frightening. A boogeyman made real. “I’m not in the mood to deal with you. Leave us.”

-o-o-o-o-o-

The rest can be found on AO3

If you are new to the fic, Chapter 1 starts here.

[themculibrary]

AO3 Fics Masterlist 5

Links Last Checked: April 13th, 2024

part one, part two, part three, part four, part six

Ain't No Rest for the Wicked (ao3) - Kellyscams steve/bucky E, 305k

Summary: Steve's just moved back to Brooklyn after spending ten years in California trying to make a life for himself as an artist right after high school. Having escaped to the other side of the country following the sudden death of his mother, Steve feels guilty about abruptly leaving all his friends for so long, unfulfilled, scared and nervous about started college at his age, and unbelievably lonely. So when he meets Bucky Barnes, a young sex-worker, at a bar the night before his first day of classes, temptations might be too high to resist.

One night paying for sex with the most sinfully gorgeous guy is nothing to brag to the papers about, huh?

S'not like he'll ever see him again anyway...

...Right?

Anew. (ao3) - IViv tony/stephen M, 130k

Summary: In death, there was no glory, no redemption, no salvation.

Only darkness and ice—or that was what Tony thought. He closed his eyes in a Siberian bunker and opened them again on his 41st birthday, with War Machine flying into the distance.

A Soft Place to Land (ao3) - Ink_Vault betty/ned, peter/flash N/R, 98k

Summary: "With great power comes great responsibility." Yeah, right. More like, with great power comes stab wounds and bloody sheets and a hero complex that could take down even the strongest of men. And Peter, well, he isn't the strongest of men. Not to mention that Peter's hero complex doesn't exactly extend to himself.

May still doesn’t know that he’s Spiderman. Because of this, she also doesn’t know about his increased metabolism, hunger, strength, sensitivity, everything. He didn’t really notice, for the first few weeks, until he hears May on the phone with one of her work friends discussing how she didn’t realize how much teenage boys eat. Peter immediately stopped eating.

Flash knows something is up. He knows the signs, or at least he thinks he does. And he's going to get to the bottom of things, one way or another.

Bend Around the Wind (ao3) - Scyllaya loki/tony E, 403k

Summary: A few months after the battle of New York the God Loki appears back on Stark Tower under chaotic circumstances. This time however he is on the run. Tony Stark gets caught up in the crossfire and is taken along with the Aesir. Can the two of them ever make truce in order to get away? And even if they do, how does one escape from such a dark corner of the universe, when they are so very far away from the Nine Realms, that not even Loki knows the way back home. But first, they need to survive.

Call Boy (ao3) - L1av steve/bucky E, 149k

Summary: Bucky Barnes was skyrocketing through promotions at his advertising firm. Now, a partnership position is opening and if Bucky wants to see his name on the building, he needs to impress not only Mr. Tony Stark, but his wife Pepper. To do this, it takes a team, a couple to be exact. Bucky asks his ex-wife Natasha to set him up with the perfect girl, blonde, tall, thick thighs and huge tits, but with the personality that’ll get Pepper all smiles.

What Bucky gets? Tall, blonde, thick thighs…and a penis. Can this male escort pretend to not only be Bucky’s fiance but also impress Pepper enough to win Bucky the promotion? Is he going to impress Bucky enough to get him to sleep with him?

Steve loves working for his tip.

Circling Back (ao3) - chaya steve/bucky E, 59k

Summary: Steve looks for Bucky, Bucky finds Steve, Steve tries desperately to put Bucky back together. Bucky tries desperately to let him. (Spoilers for Winter Soldier.)

Clint Barton's Super Secret Snipers' Club (ao3) - sara_holmes clint/bucky, steve/tony T, 67k

Summary: Clint Barton's Super Secret Snipers' Club. (Invitation and pending mental health evaluation required.)

"When Steve brings Bucky back to the tower for the first time, Clint’s first thought is that Tony Stark’s pride and joy is quickly becoming a less of a very tall and expensive ‘fuck you’ in the faces of investors who don’t believe in self-sustaining energy, and more of a superhero rehabilitation center."

Boyfriends, compromises and learning to like oneself.

Dearly Beloved (ao3) - Hollyspacey darcy/steve E, 21k

Summary: Darcy has 99 problems, and her first assignment for SHIELD is, like, 98 of them.

As if going back home to deal with all of the people who made her childhood miserable wasn't bad enough, she's also stuck in holy matrimony with a surly supersoldier who can't even deal with her under normal circumstances.

Distracted by a Dime (ao3) - happyaspie steve/tony T, 56k

Summary: Peter Parker thinks he has everything figured out. Where he can eat, sleep and make a little bit of money. What he needs to do in order to continue attending Midtown High and being Queen’s friendly neighborhood Spider-man. How to keep his entire situation under wraps and most importantly, who he can trust.

Then, along comes Tony Stark with an offer he can’t refuse. The plan is to remain professional, to not get too close to the Stark-Rogers’ family. Not getting comfortable means not slipping up and saying anything that he can’t take back.

...but for Peter- things rarely go as planned...

Do I Deserve This? (ao3) - id_rather_be_reading_3 T, 72k

Summary: When the Avengers find a malnourished, traumatized, enhanced teen in a Hydra base, they manage to convince SHIELD that the kid is better off in the Compound than the SHIELD Headquarters.

Peter Parker thinks his luck might finally be changing for the better, until he hears a conversation between Captain America and Iron Man that terrifies him--if the superheroes find out that Peter was an assassin for Hydra, he feels certain they'll kick him out--or worse, send him to the Raft for a punishment he surely deserves.

Can the Spider manage to keep his bloodied past a secret from a room full of mind readers, spies and military? It'll certainly prove harder than he'd thought.

G.I. Joes and 2AM Diners (ao3) - OhCaptainMyCaptain steve/bucky E, 100k

Summary: They look nothing like what they used to. Time and life have completely changed them. But as they sit there in silence, eating two halves of one cupcake, letting Brooklyn remind there where they came from, and enjoying a sky full of stars… They are those same little boys, somewhere deep down. For just a second, you’d be able to see them again.

And Bucky thinks to himself that maybe it’s little moments like these – fleeting as they may be – that remind him why life is still worth living.

just say you do (ao3) - biblionerd07 steve/bucky T, 173k

Summary: Steve just wanted a job. He wasn't expecting a marriage proposal. And he certainly wasn't expecting to accept.

Making The Best Of It (ao3) - dentalfloss clint/phil T, 33k

Summary: “He’s not telling us everything,” Fury reached out and shut the projection off, “I’m not comfortable with this.” Coulson didn’t respond, didn’t need to. “Let Rogers know I want Barton watched; he doesn’t go anywhere alone until we understand exactly what’s going on. I’m not losing him to some egotistical mind-f***ing blade-dancer who has mentor issues and wants to take it out on our asset.”

Phil nodded efficiently. He couldn’t agree more.

Moving Home (ao3) - loves_buckybarnes layla el-faouly/steven/marc E, 38k

Summary: Layla is missing living in Cairo so she asks Steven and Marc if they want to move to Cairo, her father left her the house in her name, the house she grew up in, so they decide to go visit and see if they want to live there.

Natural Talent (ao3) - 27dragons, tisfan bucky/tony E, 47k

Summary: Bucky is Boss of the Commando territory, carved out of Hydra's territory with blood, tears, and sweat - mostly his own. He has a reputation in other territories for being hard and ruthless, but his own people know him as a generous, considerate leader. He protects his land and his people, but otherwise keeps his head down. He has no intention of getting embroiled in any of the other territories' disputes. That is, until Bucky finds himself in possession of a beautiful companion and learns that the man is far more than he appears.

Ordinary Workplace Hazards, Or SHIELD and OSHA Aren't On Speaking Terms (ao3) - scifigrl47 clint/phil, steve/tony M, 25k

Summary: Tony Stark has once again engineered something that might well lead to the downfall of Western Civilization. No one's really surprised. This time, however, it might just be the lesser of two evils.

Clint and Phil hate playing pickup, but damn, Clint loves the Roombas, and damn, Phil loves Clint, though he's not really sure why sometimes. It's time to play Hide-And-Seek with hostile robotic AIs in the SHIELD home office.

Pavlov was a Jerk (ao3) - BeneficialAddiction clint/phil E, 77k

Summary: Clint Barton: World's Greatest Marksman, submissive, high-functioning disaster.

When Clint comes in to SHIELD he's been on his own for almost four years, and he's been keeping himself level using conditioning techniques he's learned from a lifetime of abuse and neglect. Phil Coulson is the first to notice the imbalance – Clint's system seems to be all punishment, no rewards - but Phil's tastes aren't exactly average and it's none of his business anyway. Certain that what he wants is not at all congruent with what Clint deserves Phil keeps his distance, until a mission gone wrong sends the archer tumbling into an nasty case of subdrop and neither of them have any other choice but to take a chance on the other.

Such Sweet Revenge (ao3) - ali_aliska bucky/tony M, 167k

Summary: When the Rogues are back in the States after being pardoned, the New Avengers want nothing to do with them and as far as Tony is concerned, if he never speaks to them again, it'll be too soon. After all, he didn't spend the last year putting himself (and his family) back together only for his former co-workers to ruin all of his hard work.

But then he gets a hand-written letter from the Winter Soldier himself, apologizing for the events that transpired and an off-handed comment from Rhodey about Rogers failing to take care of an obviously miserable Bucky Barnes sets in motion Tony's new, oh-so-evil plan to get some payback.

After all, what better revenge than to steal the Winter Soldier away from his best friend?

The only problem: Tony sucks at being vengeful, but apparently he's an expert at inadvertently falling in love.

Urgent Care (ao3) - Jo (jmathieson) clint/phil E, 45k

Summary: When a gorgeous young paramedic named Clint Barton walks into Dr. Phil Coulson's ER, both of their lives get a lot more complicated.

Winter Undone (ao3) - DCAngst steve/bucky T, 74k

Summary: What if, after the Endgame battle, Dr. Strange used the time stone to save Tony and undo 80 years of Hydra for Bucky? In other words, 1945 Bucky ends up in 2023 and has to come to terms with…a lot.

[hooves-of-hyrule]

Hey, Zelda - Checked in on the Thundra Plateau Herd

“Hey, Zelda” is a documentation of my personal Tears of the Kingdom playthrough, told through the eyes of Link in a series of monologues.

In the brief intermission between Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, Link and Zelda spent a lot of time together - and by that I mean, they lived together. They shared a house, shared meals, even shared a bed (though if you asked them, they would’ve told you it was for comfort and safety, and yes, they’d really believe what they were saying). Link, however, also shared stories. Old habits die hard, and after Zelda disappears, he talks as if she's there listening to him just to keep some semblance of normalcy in his life.

Note that these are incredibly self-indulgent and I fully expect no one but myself to actually care about any of these lmao.

~~~~~~~~

I had a busy day today. Discovered some sky islands where apparently Zonai youth would be challenged to freefall through a series of light rings. Not totally sure what the significance of that is, but I did get an incredibly cool outfit out of the deal. It has fabric that can attach to the arms and legs to create a sort of… wing-suit, and makes it so much easier to maneuver through the air without a paraglider. If you were here, you’d probably insist on taking it for yourself on occasion. …I bet it would look even better on you than it does on me. Which is saying a lot, by the way, because it does look very good on me. You’re missing out. Also managed to get all but two of Purah’s skyview towers activated. When you come back you’re definitely going to have to give one of them a try. It’s about the closest thing you’ll get to flying!

Second thing I did was check on the Zonai horse herd we’ve been keeping an eye on. Remember that one foal we’ve been watching especially closely? That beautiful silver bay with the dark face? She’s finally all grown up. Managed to get a hold of her and she definitely was worth the wait. I can’t wait for you to meet her, I think you’ll like her even more than Dauntless. The rest of the herd is doing well too. One of the bands has been forced to move up toward the mountain though. You know the one that stayed on that ledge? That one. Turns out the stone talus got replaced by a lynel. That was… a surprise to say the least. Anyways, when I got back to the New Serenne Stable to register Wick as my own, I noticed someone worrying over a broken wagon so… obviously I fixed it for her. Turned out she had only just gotten the wagon but somehow didn’t even know how to catch a horse. Since catching horses is pretty much my only pastime, I figured I’d grab a nice gentle one for her. Managed to find her a beautiful bay paint with a long mane… honestly I almost kept him for myself, but apparently I need to rack up more “pony points” before I can register another horse. …Rant about that later. Anyway - I gave her the horse and she hitched it up, and then she asked for my name, which I told her. Her name is… Zumi? Zuli? Something like that. Apparently the only reason she asked was because she wanted to name the wagon after the two of us. So now it’s called Zunk. I can tell she only did it because she thinks I’m attractive or something, which is… uncomfortable, but I can forgive it because Zunk is honestly the best name I’ve ever heard and I think if we ever get a dog someday it should be named Zunk. Or maybe Zenk, actually. Get it? Zenk? …no, that’s stupid. Maybe Lilda? …Lelda? Zink… Zelink… hm. That’s a work in progress.

Oh, I asked the stable owner about whatever happened to that golden horse the two of us have been working on training. Apparently she got transferred to the Hebra snowfield stable, which is just about the worst place she could’ve been transferred to. I hope she’s doing well. I’ll go check on her for you tomorrow.

~~~~~

Author's Note: Wick is one of the two-max-stat-one-almost-max-stat horses I was talking about in the notes of the prologue. Now she's a 100% max stat. She's also, really freaking pretty. And as my friend said, "omg it's discount store-brand Epona."

Also I wish the paints and appaloosas didn't have such bad stats :( Someday I'll actually keep one and just upgrade it. Today is not that day. I hope Zumi(?) likes her horse that she will literally never use.

[inky-cap13]

Something Wicked This Way Comes: A Legend of Zelda Fanfic

The fic is here! and it fought me tooth and nail. a good chunk of this was written months ago and I don't like how it's written now, so I'm gonna call this the first draft and rewrite it based on memory. This specific fic takes place in the Minish cap/ four swords time and includes an original villain character I created. Enjoy my insanity under the readmore!

Zelda once heard a story. 

She’d been young, and curious about the world. One night she’d asked her mother for a story, about those creepy tunnels between the walls. Her mother had sighed, sat on the edge of Zelda’s bed, and told her. 

It went like this:

Long ago, there was a beast that terrorized the lands of Hyrule. It was known as the Puppeteer, and it controlled an army of horrible and demonic creatures as its puppets. The creature only stopped its reign of terror when the Goddess-blooded princess figured out that it would only stop if it was sealed away from the light entirely. She chased it beneath the ancient castle, sealing it away in the deepest reaches of the catacombs, never to see its way out to the land again. 

It sleeps. It seethes in its sleep, knowing it will get out one day, when the magic keeping it captive runs weak. It seeks revenge, revenge against the one who sealed it there to rot. It will break the seal. It wants out. 

After all, you know what they say. 

“Something wicked this way comes.”  

-

Zelda watches yet another bird fly by the window. She can’t tell if Link keeps dropping by to entertain her or if the birds just like going that way around the castle towers. She’s so bored, only ever looking at her teacher in order to fool him into thinking she’s paying attention to the repetition of a lesson she learned and mastered when she was twelve. 

She was just about to turn back to the window when there was a knock at the door. A page walked in, nervous and unsure of what to do in the presence of a princess bored out of her skull. He passed a piece of paper to the teacher and scurried out of the room. 

The teacher opened the paper. 

“You’ve been summoned by the King. It seems urgent.” 

Zelda was more than happy to leave, easily sliding out of her chair and out the door. 

It was a nice summer’s day, a few weeks before Din’s Festival began and pleasant enough that the windows of the palace were open. She felt the summer breeze drift in through the open window, along with the sounds of daily life in Castle Town. 

She arrived at her father’s study, where the King himself was knee- deep in paperwork for the kingdom. She waited patiently for him to finish reading the latest piece of paper, enjoying the summer breeze coming in from a nearby window. 

Father sighed as he set the paper down, looking far older than he normally does. He turned to her.

“Zelda, as you know, Din’s Festival is coming up, upon the summer solstice. The festival has an address and a role for you to play in the festivities, but I believe that you aren’t quite ready to fill that role.” 

Zelda couldn’t believe it. After everything that has happened to her since she had been only eleven, and she wasn’t ready? Bull. Shit. 

“The role of the Goddess Hylia is normally played by the princess once she reaches a suitable age, but you aren’t at that age.”

For Hylia’s sake she’s seventeen. 

“Maybe next year you’ll be able to play the part of the Goddess. I’m sorry.”

With that, he dismissed her and turned back to his work. 

_

Zelda was irate. Not of suitable age, her ass. She’s seen more bullshit in her entire stay at the tower of the wind than he’s seen in over a decade. Hell, she saw more of the world while she was a stone statue than any king has seen in the last two hundred years. Why should she prove herself only to get pushed aside-

A squeak ricocheted down the long hall. 

She paused in her tirade, listening. 

Another, closer. 

She looked down, careful to watch where her feet were in case she stepped on it, mouse or otherwise. 

A squeak came from her left, and she looked down to see a small, mouselike shape on the ground. She crouched carefully, bowing her head to try and see it better. Small, colorful streaks in a feathery tail, a distinctive cap…

“Link?”

He squeaked an affirmative. She cupped her hands and carefully let him climb onto them. He hooked tiny claws into her sleeves and began to climb up her arm to her shoulder, careful not to fall as she stood up. He grabbed onto a lock of her hair to anchor himself. 

“You heard him, correct?” 

A squeak. 

“He has been more like this, even though I have been ready to do things like this since I was fifteen.”

Another squeak. This was getting old. 

“We should get to a place you can change back. I need words, not squeaks.”

A rapid series of squeaks followed, and Zelda felt Link stamping his foot on her shoulder. 

“I can let you walk, you know.”

The squeaks stopped, but she knew he was still a bit upset, and his eyes were that dark blue color he liked so much. 

She arrived at the main gates, and strode through accompanied by a bit of illusion magic that made it look like she was a servant instead of the princess. She loved that spell. 

She hurried through the market, softly giggling along to the muffled squeaks she heard. Finally, she arrived at the city gates, and beyond was the patch of trees that she liked to sneak out to. She slipped into the bushes, and came out into the clearing in the center, just far enough in the woods that they were out of earshot from the main road. Link hopped down from her shoulder and scurried to the hollow log that helped him transform. He stood before her in no time, though the curse of the minish made him stay permanently the height of a child. 

“Your dad’s an old coot.” He said instantly, and his eyes were bright red. 

She smothered giggles. That was another thing about Link, he blurted things without warning sometimes. Of course, she did know about his colors, and the fact that they showed in his hair didn’t help his case sometimes. He was an odd case, and had a reputation for going silent one moment and yelling the next. 

Of course, most people also inadvertently insulted him by commenting about his appearance, so she hardly put the blame on him. 

“I’m serious!  He’s never let you do anything unless it’s for your emergency duties or working with the sages! He’s gotta let you do something other than sit in that stuffy castle all day!”

Yeah. He didn’t really like her father’s parenting methods. Obviously he respected the King, it was practically required, but the ways Link ranted about how she needed more freedom made his point all the more evident. 

She hated staying in that castle too, and rarely got to slip away from the endless busy work she was assigned. There was a reason she liked the illusion spells she’d learned. 

“I know,” She sighed, “And he is probably not going to let me do anything even if I am old enough to do my duties. I just- I wish he would see that I am perfectly capable of taking over my rightful duties as princess.” 

Link knew as much, and he knew she hated being forced so high above the citizens of Hyrule she was supposed to rule when the king stepped down or died. She’d been the focus of two separate adventures, where she’d been turned to stone or kidnapped by the wind mage Vaati and the dark spirit Ganon. Zelda had been helpless to do anything but watch from her tower or her spot in the castle courtyard, turned to stone. She had wanted to be down there with him, warning and helping to fight off the evil beings sent to stop him from completing his quest. 

She had been taught to wield weapons in the back yard of the blacksmith’s shop, and was decent with a shortsword and bow. She could fight if she needed, and she rarely did. That didn’t stop the itching in her hands when she was upset or when she just needed somewhere to go and blow off some steam. The blacksmith’s yard was one of her favorite places to be when she snuck out, and she was getting better with the various stock weapons that were to be melted and re-forged if they weren’t sold in time for new ones to be made. 

Smith’s yard was littered with such weapons when the two got there, and she picked her way towards the back door where she knew there were training clothes waiting for her. She’d trained there enough to know where everything was, and considered Smith a grandfather to her. 

Zelda could hear him in the front, speaking with a customer about something. She made sure to be quiet as she went up the stairs and down the hall to the ‘guest’ room she’d claimed as hers long ago. Her training clothes were neatly folded on the bed, they’d done the laundry while she’d been gone. She got dressed quickly, donning the green tunic and trousers that matched Link’s old tunic. She picked her bow and quiver from the corner and did her hair up in a messy bun. The spell on the old pin made her face unrecognizable as the princess, and only a simple pretty smith’s daughter otherwise. At least, that was the cover story if anyone asked. Just a smith’s daughter, who lived with her mother in castle town sometimes. 

She stepped out of her room to see Link impatient by the stairs. She followed him down to the yard, where the targets and training dummies were already set up. She got to work, hitting target after target with arrows trained for the bull’s eye. She was sure in her movements, having trained since she was twelve and rebellious against her father enough to agree to it. 

When the targets were filled with arrows, she turned to training with the throwing knives she’d gotten for her sixteenth birthday from Link. She was less proficient with them, and she wanted the same level as the bow. She still hit the targets painted on the slats of wood, but they weren’t very well thrown or hit the bull’s eye. She trained until the sun was nearly set, and hurried to re-dress herself and get back to the castle before dark. She knew she’d be in trouble if she disappeared for too long without an explanation, and she didn’t want to be trailed by a castle guard again. 

Link was bad enough without the presence of another guard. 

She snuck back in as the sun set, and was back in the castle’s halls before she knew it. She was approached by a page, the same as the one who had come into her study earlier. He escorted her back to her chambers, where she bathed early for the night, and dressed in an evening gown for dinner. She sat at her mirror and brushed her hair, contemplating her hairstyle for the evening. 

A soft knock came from her door, and she called for them to come in. Her father entered, shutting the door behind him. He stood by her bed as she set her brush down. 

“Zelda,” He began, “ I am sorry for my dismissal earlier. I know I was short with you, and I was not thinking correctly while addressing you as my daughter.” 

She nearly said something, but forgot it when he spoke again. 

“I still believe that you are not of age to take over your duties as princess-” 

 Enough. 

She stood abruptly, and snapped, “I know!  I know you do not want me to become the princess of Hyrule yet!  Damn it all, I am ready to take over!  You have done this since I was fifteen and ready to take my duties as overseer to the sages!  I have been taught the same things over and over since I was eleven, and you have not truly thought of me in ten. YEARS. I wish I could have seen what made you hold me in place for so long I cannot write a word without it being reported to you by a guard!  I have had ENOUGH of your stupid rules that became obsolete years ago! Let me use all this useless knowledge for something other than a test that never means anything other than wasted paper and time!” 

Her father tried to speak as she stopped to take ragged breaths. 

“Zelda, I-”

“No! No, you will not protest, because you know I am right.” 

“Zelda-”

“Get out!”

“ZELDA!”

He roared with all his might as king. She didn’t shrink as he seemed to grow beyond his skin, blocking half the room. 

“Zelda Donna Bell Hyrule the Fifth, you will not disobey me. You are not ready to take on your duties yet, and I will see to it that you stop that sneaking out habit you have grown over the years. No more!” 

With that, he stormed out. 

She had enough. Zelda started packing her things as soon as he was out of her quarters, ensuring that she had supplies to last her a few days of travel if need be. She pulled her spare maid’s tunic-dress and trousers out from the loose floorboard beneath her bed and got re-dressed in it. The less magic used, the better. Good thing she brought the pin that made her the smith’s daughter instead of the princess. 

The halls were quiet as she left, using as much of her knowledge as she could to avoid the castle guards and the servants that wandered the halls. She left by the side gate of the castle, and exited Castle Town through the east gate, going around to the cove of trees she was earlier. She knew the way to the smith’s by heart, and easily slipped in the back door. She could hear dinner being made in the kitchen, and set her bag down by the door. 

All sound from the kitchen stopped as Link’s head popped around the corner. His eyes were forest-green. 

“Zelda?”

_

The uproar in castle town was heard for miles in every direction. The Princess, missing! How awful, she must’ve been kidnapped!  There’s nowhere she could have gone alone, right? 

Dot smiled when she heard of it, and faked sympathy to the princess, yes, she must be in such distress, I hope she gets home safe. 

She’d been staying at Smith's for a few weeks now, training the days away and helping in the shop. If asked, she’d say her mother had taken a job elsewhere and she had wanted to stay with him instead. It helped, to have no one owe her for her very presence in the room. It was nice in a way she hadn’t had since she could remember. 

Link was such a big help in getting her settled for a while. He knew better than to ask when she’d be going back, but he was alway asking why. Why she’d left in the first place, and why she’d left so close to Din’s Festival, when she’d be needed day- of? 

She declined to answer, knowing she’d spill soon enough. She always did. 

And spill she did, one summer evening the day before Din’s Festival was set to start. She sat on the thatched roof, Link sprawled out beside her. The stars were out, and a half-moon stared at them from behind wispy clouds. All was quiet save for the sounds of nighttime, cicadas and crickets and frogs making a cacophony of noise. Dot sighed, bringing her knees to her chest. 

“Dot?”

“Yeah?”

“Why?” Why did you leave? 

“We fought. Father and I. He still thinks I am the little kid I was before Mother died. He tried to apologise, and messed it up with formalities like always. I- I snapped at him, and told him what I had been thinking. He tried to forbid me from leaving the castle. I left before he realized I would leave and, and not come back.” 

There was that summer silence again, now heavy on their shoulders. 

No one spoke when they went in for the night. 

_

Din’s Festival was grand as usual, red and gold banners strung up along every available space and lanterns hung from windows and doors. Everyone was dressed in their festival clothes, and the streets were a sea of reds and golds of every shade. Stalls sold midsummer fruits and hawkers strode back and forth with the latest goods high in their voices. Music was playing somewhere, drums and the distant sound of a flute. 

Dot and Link weaved their way through the crowd, ducking under elbows and around baskets. Dot pulled Link to the side, grabbing two Hydromelon slices from a street vendor and paying with ten rupees she’d grabbed from her pouch. 

They made their way to the large stage in the town square, where there was a play in place of the ceremony taking place in Castle Town. It wouldn’t be done until noon on the fifth day of the Festival but it was where many of the best food and goods stalls were located, and where the most people were. The two found their way onto the roof of a nearby townhouse and ate their food while looking out at the crowd below. 

There were kids running on and off the stage, playing in the wings and daring each other to climb the curtains as the stagehands tried to stop them. The parents of some of the children were nearby, some watching and talking with others. 

Link finished his hydromelon and threw the rind behind the house, landing it on a windowsill in a stroke of luck. He laughed as she tried to do the same, but failed the throw and threw it onto the roof instead. She grabbed the rind and threw it at him instead, making him fall over exaggeratedly and act like he’d been stabbed in an overdramatic fashion. She nearly fell off the roof from laughter, but caught herself at the last second after grabbing onto the roof. They stayed up on the roof as noon approached, talking and watching people come and go. Eventually, one of the heralds walked up on the stage to announce the first day’s proceedings. He bellowed for attention from the crowds and began to speak. 

“Hear Ye, Hear Ye! His Majesty The King Has Decreed The Festival Of Din Officially Open For The Twenty- Fifth Year Of His Lady Hylia’s Blessing Upon His Reign! May He Live Long To Rule!”

A cheer rose up from the crowd beneath the stage, and preparations began for the night’s festivities. Link stood from his place on the roof and began to climb down, leaping from ledge to ledge and finally landing in a heap of clothes from a line he’d gotten tangled in on the way down. Dot laughed and climbed down after him, landing next to him with far more grace than he had. Link untangled himself from the various articles of clothing and stumbled out of the alley after her. 

They made their way down to the stalls again, going slower to watch the festivities happening in the different parts of the town. Mock battles went down in the east part of town, false dragons and monsters of different callings went up against heroes wearing rusted scrap metal and wielding wooden swords. Dancers from all different parts of Hyrule were in the west, accompanied by drums that permeated the whole of the festival proper. In the north, performers from traveling circuses did flips and tricks for dazzled onlookers as hawkers shouted performance times and dates. The south of the town held traveling merchants selling exotic goods from the farthest reaches of Hyrule and beyond. 

They stayed out till nearly midnight, taking part in the festivities until they sleepily stumbled into the side door leading to the living area and collapsed into a heap of sleepy teenager on the couch. They fell asleep like that, too tired to go upstairs and sleep in their beds. 

_

The Castle Town clock tower struck midnight. 

Up above, there was still revelry and drink for the citizens of Hyrule. Dancing feet shook the earth and loud drunken songs rang hard and loud into the warm summer night. 

Down below, it was silent and dark. 

Deep, deep in the catacombs, the seal began to crack. 

_

Dot woke up on the floor. 

She blearily blinked up at the ceiling. She had woken up from something. Something fearful, she could feel her heart racing even as she couldn’t remember what it was. Maybe a nightmare, though those had become rare lately. 

She sat up to see Link halfway off the couch, dragging a blanket down with him. Drool soaked into his hair and trickled down his face. There was a small puddle on the floor. Ew. 

There were small noises coming from the kitchen, likely Smith making breakfast and getting ready for the day. She laid back down, listening to the sounds of a post- festival town waking. The hawkers’ voices were muted in the distance, few and far between with the sounds of voices still quiet and not ready to leave home yet. There were distant sounds of cuccos coming from a neighbor’s house, and one crowed even though it was far too late in the morning. 

She finally got up when Link fully fell off the couch, landing with a thunk and a sleepy grunt. 

The day went by much as it did the day before. Sitting on the roof, this time a shop’s roof, and the banter of seeing who could spit hydromelon seeds the farthest off the roof or who could spot the funniest outfit down below. 

The herald got onto the stage again, only to announce the beginning of the sword-fighting tournaments and the sign-ups for the rest of the day’s events. She scrambled off the roof, Link following behind her. The tournaments were in the east side of the town, farther out in the open fields normally used for cattle and sheep. There were tents pitched to the sides of the field, where there were crowds of people scattered around the entrances to see who got what place and who went next. One of the tents was for sign- ups, where Dot made a beeline to. 

Inside the tent was a myriad of different booklets for sign ups, anything from jousting to log- throwing. She went straight to the archery book, where there was barely room for her to write her name. She shoved her way back to the outskirts of the crowd, ready to jump into a tree and watch from there. She found a certain multicolored boy sitting in the highest branches of the tree she chose, watching the preparations for the first rounds of fighters. 

_

She won her round, hitting the targets dead center every time. Her competitor, a tall man with a rather unwieldy bow, was extremely unsportsmanlike at being beaten by a teenage girl. 

She honestly didn’t enjoy that round. It was too easy. 

The next rounds were harder, but she still easily beat her competitors. All of them were more sportsmanlike than the man before, and she began to enjoy herself more. 

The targets moved this time, two people pulling ropes to move them as she aimed. She took a breath, aim for where it’ll be, and- 

SOMETHING IS WRONG.

She hit the target.

Her competitor did not. 

She walked in a daze to the sidelines. Her mind whirled, what was that resonating in between where did the arrows go and why didn’t I bring a waterskin. 

She hadn’t realized that Link was beside her until he put a hand on her shoulder. He said something, and she couldn’t hear it over her own thoughts and the noise made by the crowd around her. She was dizzy, the world lazily spinning around her but staying still at the same time. 

Dehydration. Great. 

She took the waterskin offered, gulping it down until she was satisfied. She handed it back to Link, who put it back in that weird pouch of his, and stood up to get some shade and rest before her next round. 

She laid down beneath a tree and dozed off. 

_

Something was laughing. It was a dark, knowing laugh, like the ones villains did in storybooks. She couldn’t see anyone, just darkness all around. She was in a stone structure somewhere, leaning against a wall. 

Someone was speaking. 

“Little princess, how foolish you are. You, who sealed me away, shall pay with the destruction of your precious Hyrule, and your little hero will be gone forever should he fail at his task. The dark shall rise again, and banish all who dare to rise against it!”

Someone screamed. 

_ 

Dot awoke with a shout, sitting bolt upright. 

She was still under the tree, with her straw hat on the ground beside her. The crowd was still there, and the competition was on. 

Still, it was strangely muted compared to earlier. 

Maybe it was that strange nightmare. It lingered at the edges of her mind, poking her with its inherent urgency. There was a warning in it somewhere. Something about destruction, and gone forever. She couldn’t really remember anything else. 

“Dot! DOT!”

She jumped nearly out of her skin at the shout from next to her ear. Link stood next to her, grumpy gray-violet-blue staring at her. 

“You’re on soon! C’mon, get up!” 

But first, the competition. She couldn’t let just anyone win, now could she?

_ 

Day three came and went with only the competition winners being announced at noon. Dot won first in the Archery competition, and got 200 rupees and a little intricately carved statue of a bow as a trophy. 

The statue sat on the windowsill in her room, framed by the curtains and the more crudely carved statue of a bird Link had given her when they were younger. 

_

Day four served as a small rest day for the two of them, sleeping in and helping clean the shop while Smith re-forged the old swords. 

Dot sharpened her weapons and some of the other, newly- forged weapons that needed to be put on display. 

There was a sense of foreboding in the air that night. It messed with her dreams, making them nonsensical and just odd. She tossed and turned, only getting tangled in her blankets. 

_

Crack. Crack. 

Crunch. 

_

The play started soon, and there were more people in the square than Dot had ever seen before. People were crowded in windows, doorsteps, and on roofs. 

She and Link had barely managed to get onto a roof before the crowds had begun to climb, and watched from above as the curtains moved with the breeze of people running to and fro backstage. The crowd’s chatter began to dim as the herald stepped onstage. 

“Hear Ye, Hear Ye! The Fifth Day Of The Festival Of Din Has Begun! His Majesty The King Has Given His Address For This Day, The Midsummer’s Zenith Of His Majesty's Lady Hylia’s Blessing Of A Pleasant Growing Season! Long May He Rule!”

The crowd repeated his last words as the herald stepped off the stage to make way for the play. 

The performance was the same as one would expect from a small- town theatre group, but she felt that something was… off. 

One of the actors moved oddly, like something was pulling him along instead of him doing his own actions. As she watched, the other actors began to move the same way, words clumsily tumbling out of their mouths and feet not quite hitting the ground right. 

Something is wrong.

She saw Link out of the corner of her eye, looking just as confused and unsettled as she did. She caught his eye. 

“You see it too?” She hissed. 

“Yeah. What the hell is happening?” 

“Something bad. I think.”

Just as the words left her mouth, the first actor went down. The crowd gasped, more actors collapsing to the ground, looking like puppets with their strings cut. 

SOMETHING IS WRONG. 

Dot leapt to the ground below, barely registering Link doing the same as the last actor collapsed. It was chaos, people yelling and crowding forward to get a better look. Dot barely made it to the wings, dodging around the people there as she swiftly climbed the stage. There were more people on the stage, kneeling beside the actors and calling for doctors and medics. 

SOMETHING IS WRONG.

Dot felt so dizzy suddenly, and she found herself on the ground before she could blink. 

What…

Then there were shouts. Closer, like whoever it was was near. A familiar blonde head appeared in her vision. 

“Dot! Get up, you can’t be on the ground, you’ll be trampled!” 

Trampled?

Link yanked her up, and she got to see the source of the shouting. One of the actors was up, but she was moving strangely like before, and lunging at the person nearest to her. Time seemed to move slower as another and another actor got up and began attacking. 

FOUND YOU. 

Time sped up again, and Dot leapt to the side as an actor lunged at her. The knife she kept in her boot glinted in her hand as another actor leapt at her. Link ducked and dodged in the corner of her vision, leading the actors on his tail to the back of the stage, away from the crowd below. She began to do the same, and led the two on her tail to the back, where Link awaited with a rope. 

Two down, twelve to go. 

Screams erupted from the front. Dot tore open the curtains to see more chaos, people chased by more possessed puppet- people than when she left. 

Someone grabbed her arm, dragging her off the stage and into the crowd below. She couldn’t find anyone she recognised, every face blurred and indistinct in the panic. She fought her way through the crowd, trying to find a way out. She only succeeded in making herself more lost in the crowd, pulled and pushed around by numerous panicked bodies that slowly scattered into different areas of the town. Dot managed to get free for a moment, looking around her for some semblance of an idea on where she was. 

An alleyway stretched in front of her, stone walls on either side. She turned, expecting to see the square behind her, but there was nothing. Only a wall to her back. Silence reigned over the scene, eerie and jarring compared to the pandemonium just before. 

What? 

Something clattered farther ahead, echoing down the alley. She tensed, looking for danger. Only silence met her ears.

“Now what on earth is happening…” 

She continued down the long alley, keeping to the wall as more clatters came from just ahead, the source never in sight. 

Something is leading me, but to where?

As she continued, the alley became darker, covered at some point. Dot conjured a minor light spell, revealing more empty alleyway. It seemed to stretch on forever, echoing with her footsteps and the strange noises leading her… somewhere. 

At last, she came to a fork in the path. The clatters echoed around her, but she couldn’t figure out where it was coming from. 

“Choose…”

She jolted, looking around for the source of the voice. 

“Hello? Who said that?”

Silence once again. 

She hesitated, looking around the room one last time before choosing the left fork. The path sloped down, leading her deeper into whatever labyrinth she had stumbled into. The air was cold, and she shivered as she walked further. Another turn in the path, and more hallway. 

How long have I been here? 

Long enough. 

Her question was answered with a hissing whisper loud enough to carry down the winding hall. She wanted to freeze, wanted to turn back, but her body moved without her permission. She took sumbling steps towards whatever awaited her down there, fighting against whatever had decided to possess her like it had those people above. It felt like forever when she got to the end of the corridor. 

A door faced her, made of cracked stone and carved with words she couldn’t understand. Something moved behind the cracks, sliding past the light. Scales glittered in the light from her spell, green- black and distinctly not good. Something about it told her draconic, though she’d never seen anything of the sort up close. 

Princess, It purred, How lovely of you to visit me at such a time. Oh, but I have waited so long for this, to see you at my mercy instead of whatever dream drifts my way. 

It laughed, a cold hissing sound that grated at her ears. 

Well, I suppose it has been far too long since my last meal. What better dish to have than the same princess that sealed me here to wither away, hm? Now, about this blasted door. 

It moved, slamming into the door holding it. Dot flinched away from the rubble, ducking her head. It continued to struggle against the door, sending more rocks flying across the corridor. 

Wait- She could move again!  

She bolted away from the door as the thing gave a screech and the hall blazed with light. She kept running, not stopping until she got to the fork again. She collapsed to the ground, gasping for air. The rumbling was distant, but she still needed to get out of the labyrinth. There was no getting out the way she came in, so she went down the right fork. The ground here stayed level, reaching out straight on from her feet. The rumbling got softer the longer she walked, but she had a creeping feeling that wasn’t a good thing. 

She kept moving, not knowing where she was going except for away. Her feet ached, and the scrapes she had stung. She wanted rest, and to figure out where she was. She finally sank down against a wall, tired and worn from all that had happened within the span of… an hour? Two? Time seemed to disappear down here, sliding by her fingers as soon as she tried to grasp it. 

She got up after a bit, continuing down the passage. It had become winding, turning back on itself and looping unpredictably. Forks faced her at random, forcing her to pick whether she wanted to go up, down, or sideways. She wandered and walked, tired and thirsty. There was seemingly no end to the tunnels, and no way out that she could find. Was she doomed to wander down here for eternity? Was this a punishment? For what? 

She looked back down the long passage to see… light? Blue light emanated from somewhere down the curve of the wall, lighting her way without the need of the slowly fading light spell. She crept forward, wary of whatever was down there. She peeked around to see a swirling portal, blue and bright against the damp stone around it. It made a low, quiet hum just barely audible in the quiet dead end. She crept closer, feeling wind pull gently at her hair and clothes. 

Strange… 

Before she could investigate further, something moved in the tunnel behind her. She jerked, stumbling just in front of the portal as it reflected something looking back at her from behind. It was huge, some demented draconic form made from human and cloth, surrounded with drooping scales that reflected the blue light shining from the portal, now the sole light source. A human face stared out from the end, covered over with translucent scales and staring with sightless, lidless eyes. A gaping mouth showed hundreds of rotted teeth, blunt and broken from disuse and neglect. A hollow scraping sound emanated from the dark corridor beyond, and it wasn’t hard to imagine more of its body beyond, slithering to join its head. 

She was frozen in fear, watching it come closer and closer. It opened its mouth wider and wider, showing more rows of teeth behind the first few, all the way down its throat. It reeked of rot and mildew, choking her with the stench. She hadn’t known she was leaning forward, away from the monster coming closer, until her nose almost touched the swirling surface of the portal. She backed up, stumbling over a stone and coming face to face with the creature itself. It was worse up close, every detail staring her in the face. She shrieked, rolling away from it as it struck at the place she had been moments before. It shook its head as it reared up for another strike, hissing angrily. 

She stumbled toward the only exit she could find- the portal. The beast’s reflection was large and close behind hers, only interrupted by the swirls that made up its surface. She dove through the portal just as the thing struck, tumbling into the darkness that consumed her. 

She felt the familiar touch of grass and brush as she drifted away to the strong reaches of sleep. Then nothing more.