#and it MAYBE might have our dear goop man in it

[theninjamouse]

Do I post the art I made for this upcoming chapter as a teaser or wait and post it as the cover??

[msjansaccountant]

Why I reckon the liveships make a pretty nifty trans allegory - a mini essay by the Leah

Spoilers for a bunch of ROTE ahead, you have been warned!

So I, somewhat recently, did a full reread of ROTE because I love this book series more than life itself. And on this reread I noticed that I really, really vibed with the liveships this time around. There was something about them that just spoke to me. As I thought on it a little bit, I realised that what the liveships go through, from the liveship traders to the fitz and the fool trilogy, was hugely relatable to me as a trans woman. So that's what I'm here to talk to you funky people about today.

I must preface all this by saying that what I'm about to write is coming from the perspective of a binary trans woman who has medically transitioned. So for you other trans folks who are non binary, or those who aren't interested in medically transitioning, you potentially might not relate to this in the same way I have. Although maybe you will! I don't fucken know, I ain't a mind reader.

Anywho, let's get on with it, shall we?

The part about the liveships that speaks to me is when they finally find out who they are. Throughout the liveship trilogy we get little inklings that there's something up with the liveships. Beyond the obvious fact that these bitches are sentient, talking wood, you get these moments where it seems that there's something more to them than that. The serpents following Vivacia because she smells like she who remembers, paragon dreaming of dragons, Amber/Beloved/Fool/Lord Golden, noted Dragon scalie, being all up in the liveships business. Then we get the big reveal. The liveships aren't just talking wood. They're the husks of unfinished, dead dragons, carved into the likeness of a ship and reanimated by the blood of their captains.

Some of the liveships, like Paragon, had already figured this out. And the reactions by those who didn't already know are a mixed bag. Some ships, like the Tarman, are content to keep living as they are and accept their lives as is. Others, like Vivacia, try to find a synthesis between their respective draconic and human natures. And then you have ships like Kendry. He was, as far as we're aware, mostly happy with his lot as a Liveship. At least he was, until he saw Tintaglia. Once he sees her, that great, beautiful, blue and silver dragon, he immediately realises the wrongness that of his life. He wasn't meant to be a ship, he was meant to be a dragon. A Lord of Sky, land and sea. He's completely incapable of reconciling who he is now with who he should've been, and it crushes him.

In a lot of ways, I'm like Kendry. I never questioned my identity the way Paragon did, I didn't know I was a woman from the age I was four. I just plodded along, accepting that I must be a man despite knowing in my heart that something was deeply wrong with that. And then, like Kendry, I saw a trans woman. And only then did I realise something wasn't right. Only then did I realise that that was what I was meant to be. And again, like Kendry, this crushed me. My current form, carved for me without my consent and enforced onto me by societal expectations, was wrong. And i thought it would stay that way forever.

That was until I found out about this funky little thing called hormone replacement therapy.

And what was that special liquid Robin introduced in her very first trilogy? That's right dear reader, Silver.

That magical goop that can turn stone into dragons, can make nifty Elderling knick knacks, and create a homosexual telepathic bond between our favs Fitz and Beloved, also happens to turn liveships into dragons. Now, disregarding the criticisms I have for how ridiculously convenient it is for silver to do this, I do love the parallel I can draw between silver and HRT. The liveships, who are so deeply unsatisfied with their bodies and long to be like the dragons they were supposed to be, can use this magical medicine to do just that. And as contrived as it may be, I think it's beautiful. Even as the trader's council tries to stop them, or their own families try to convince them to stay as they are, the liveships persevere. Just like me choosing to be a woman, the liveships say fuck you to societal expectations and choose to be dragons.

And to that I say: fuck yeah 🤙🤙.

[chibimyumi]

Forgive me for being ignorant, but I’ve always been scared about asking this question because it’s 2020 and I should be aware by now- but what does trans mean? If you’re a trans-boy does that make you a boy that’s transitioning to a girl? Or a girl that’s transitioning to a boy? Every time I look it up I seem to be getting a different answer. And how does sexuality fit in? I hope I’m not being offensive... I just never learned and haven’t had the courage to ask anyone until now.

Dear Anon,

Please don’t worry, people are not BORN with knowledge. It is something other people might benefit from remembering too ^^ I can tell you ask the question in good faith, and I am flattered that you thought that I could give you trustworthy information.

The question you have is a very simple and yet complicated question, so PLEASE FORGIVE ME FOR SIMPLIFYING THINGS DOWN LIKE THIS.

1. What are gender, sexuality and sex?

Let us first look at this question using a pizza. Dough is one thing, cheese is another, and so is tomato. Together they make up a pizza. But what makes the dough ‘dough’,  has nothing to do with the cheese.

Cheese NOT on a pizza is still cheese, and the fact that it is cheese is likewise NOT determined by whether the tomato is there or not. All these things are “individual things” that are the “ingredients that make up a pizza”.

This may seem bullshit talk, but this just serves as a metaphor to understand how different things exist on their own, but are indispensable in making up another ‘combination’. (Smart-asses out there, don’t pretend to be smart by being willfully obtuse or pedantic for now, please.)

Now let us look at gender, sexuality and sex, wherein gender is the dough, sexuality the tomato, and sex the cheese.

In humans too, gender, sexuality and sex are three different ‘key ingredients’ that shape the basis of who we are (the margarita pizza. Only later we add the toppings like olives, meat, or pineapples (which are kinks! Not for everyone, but much beloved by its lovers.))

In a human too, just like dough, tomato and cheese, ‘gender’, ‘sexuality’ and ‘sex’ exist separately, and do NOT determine the ‘nature’ of the others.

Step 1. There are 3 primary questions to ask.

Q1a: What is your gender? Who do you identify as? Do you identify as man, woman, otherwise, or different genders depending on the day?

Q1b: What type of person are you interested in romantically and/or sexually? Men? Women? Both? All genders that exist? Or are you not romantically/sexually interested at all? (There are too many different sexualities, so I shall leave it at this for now.)

Q1c: What ‘sex’, or with what primary genitals were you born with? Upon birth, doctors see our genitals and label ‘boy’ or ‘girl’ on us depending on what genitals they see. Some children are born with ‘intersexed’ characteristics. And depending on the doctor again, someone is then labeled ‘boy’ or ‘girl’ again. (This too is a topic for another time.)

Step 2. In order to understand what ‘transgender’ is, let us look at Q2. “Combine the answers from Q1a and Q1c. Do you identify as the ‘sex’ your doctors assigned to you at birth?

Hypothesis: Let’s say you were born with a vagina, and your doctor therefore assigned you to be ‘a girl’. Are you comfortable with being a girl/woman, and do you feel that correctly reflects your identity too?

Yes. ➡You are probably ‘cis-gender‘.

No. ➡ This is a VERY broad thing here, but most crudely, if you feel like being labeled ‘girl’ because you were born with a vagina does not reflect who you really are, and you identify as ‘man’, ‘something else’ or ‘also something else’, you are probably ‘trans-gender’.

Bonus: If you identify as ‘otherwise’ or specifically as ‘neither man or woman’, this is usually called ‘non-binary’. If you feel like you are sometimes one gender, and sometimes another, that is usually called ‘gender-fluid’. “Non-binary” and “gender-fluids” are two of the many options that fall under the umbrella of ‘transgender’ too.

2. Simulation through ‘Black Butler’

I have selected Nina Hopkins as our first example because she is one of the few character from whom we know their gender identity, AND have one clear established gender she is romantically/sexually interested in.

Q1a: Honestly... Nina can’t shut up about how proud she is to be a woman.

Q1b: Given how antagonistic she is towards men and how she fondles women... she probably likes women.

Q1c: For metaphor’s sake we shall assume she was born with a vagina. So her birth was probably announced with the words “it’s a baby girl!”

GENDER: Nina is proud to be a woman, and seemingly happy to be assigned as such. Therefore she is a cis-gender woman (or cis-woman).

SEXUALITY: Who someone is sexually/romantically interested in is by NO means determined by your sex or gender. So Nina’s sexuality is an altogether separate category. The only part that has SOME role is ‘gender’, but ONLY in the ‘name’ that someone gets. Namely: Nina identifies as ‘woman’. Nina likes ‘women’. A woman who likes women is ‘a lesbian’. Hence, Nina is a cis-gender lesbian.

PIZZA: The pizza identity of Nina is probably a pissaladière. Caramelised onions, anchovies, garlic and olives? Strong flavour to the point of choking, not for everyone, but VERY beloved by its lovers.

Now let us look at Grell, a character who is surrounded by many controversies, even though she is arguably one of the least gender ambiguous characters in the Kuroverse XD. Unlike for Nina, questions Q1a to c can easily be filled in without too much hypothesising.

Q1a: Grell has said multiple times in the manga that she identifies as woman.

Q1b: Grell likes MOSTLY men with potentially some rare exceptions (Madam Red???).

Q1c: Grell was born with a penis and assigned to be ‘male at birth’.

GENDER: We see that Grell was ‘assigned male at birth’, but is uncomfortable identifying and living as a man. Rather, she constantly calls and presents herself as a woman. Hence, Grell is a transgender woman. (Dear Anon. Yes, we call somebody by their ‘preferred gender’, not their ‘originally assigned gender’. Let’s just say that Grell for example would never let anybody call her a ‘trans-man’. The thing of coming out as transgender is partially to ‘break away from your ‘assigned’ gender and living as your ‘discovered true gender’.)

SEXUALITY: We don’t know for certain whether Grell was romantically interested in Madam Red, but we do know for sure that she is 99% of the time interested in men. Grell identifies as woman. A woman who likes MOSTLY men, but maybe very occasionally other genders, is probably bisexual or pansexual. Hence, Grell is a trans-gender bi-/pansexual woman.

PIZZA: Grell’s pizza identity is indisputably PIZZA HAWAII. Fight me. Endless controversies and debates about FUCKING PINEAPPLES!! Not for everyone either, but people who love this pizza will defend it TO THEIR GRAVES!

Sebastian.... is a whole different can of worms, cockroaches and tarantula spiders... BUT SINCE I HAVE OPENED IT BEFORE ANYWAY, LET’S OPEN THIS AGAIN!

In this post I have touched upon how we cannot be sure Sebastian is ‘male’, much less assume he has a gender to begin with. But there are no characters in this series that are confirmed to be neither man or woman, let us use Sebastian just to add to our simulation test here.

Q1a: Sebastian has said that “he is nothing, but can become anyone.”

Q1b: N.A.

Q1c: The genitals he was born with was probably ‘black goop miasma’, but in his current human form he probably concocted a penis.

GENDER: Eerm... he is ‘masculine presenting’, FOR NOW... but as Sebas has also said that “he is nothing and can be anyone”, and can take the shape of even a table... I’d say it’d be unreasonable to assume he identifies as a gender we know of. Gender, after all, is a purely human construct. (Click here for more details on gender and human society.) Hence, IF according to human standards, then Sebas would be non-binary and/or gender-fluid. As discussed above, these two fall under the ‘transgender’ umbrella.

SEXUALITY: So far in the series we have only met 1. humans, towards whom he has not shown any romantic or sexual interest (and as humans are cattle to Sebastian, this is very understandable), and 2. reapers, towards whom Sebas has also not shown any romantic/sexual interest (and since all these reapers are actively after his blood, that is quite logical too.) 

“What about Ciel???” Short answer: LOL. Click here and here for the full answer.

“What about Beast?” Short answer: Nope. Click here for the full answer.

PIZZA: The pizza identity of Sebas is CLEARLY a quattro formaggi. Someone as cheesy as him can only be a quattro formaggi.

Welp... I guess that’s the most schematically simplified version I can give on gender, sexuality and sex for now... I hope this helps?

For more, please use this masterpost on gender in Kuroshitsuji.

BONUS ROUND!!

What is YOUR Pizza identity? Let me know which pizza you are and why (｡•̀ᴗ-)✧🍕

[datawyrms]

More Than Lost (2/2)

Dannymay day 9, Glow. A continuation of this, but you can get the gist without if needbe :v

Danny’s hazmat suit wasn’t simply misplaced, it was missing. Despite checking every reasonable place in the lab, and several nonsensical places, the suit did not turn up. Danny never used it, he had almost seemed embarrassed about it, much like Jazz was. How had it just up and vanished? It wasn’t even a reasonable thing to steal, not many scrawny fourteen year olds were in the market for hazmat. Even if a ghost had decided to try and steal some Fenton tech, taking Danny’s suit and ONLY Danny’s really wouldn’t help. Though ghosts could be completely erratic it still didn’t feel like the correct answer. Surely if a ghost had stolen it, they would have flaunted their ‘win’ over the ghost hunting couple, much like how Phantom casually used a stolen thermos with zero remorse daily, to going as far as stealing the Ecto-Skeleton and defacing it with it’s own ghostly attributes. 

A human wouldn’t bother stealing it, and if a ghost had, they would know by now. So why was it missing? Her eyes rested on the Boooomerang, the choking weight of concern setting back on her chest. She couldn’t be certain if the ghost had meant it to be a small taunt or credible threat. At the bare minimum it showed the specter was back in the human would, and didn’t care if the ghost hunters knew it. Was it so cocky to think they were no threat to it? Or was it a reminder that it knew exactly where their children lived if they angered the beast again?

Thankfully Jack could always be trusted to drive such concerns away with loud bravado and strong embraces, even if he might be a tad too optimistic in this case.

“Don’t worry Mads, that ectoplasmic punk’s got another thing coming if it thinks it can threaten the Fentons! The house will know if it sets one slimy foot inside!”

“I know Jack, something just doesn’t feel right. What if it already did something?” her hands fiddled with a pen, unable to write down any reasonable actions the ghost might have taken, or relate anything to the missing hazmat.

“Oooh! I can take the Fenton Environmental Ectoplasmic Entity Detector for a spin! I think I’ve managed to have it filter out the standard amount in our house. All thanks to your calculations!” his grin was infectious.

“Aww, I know implementing them was all you sweetheart.” Still, having Jack do a quick sweep of the house would be comforting. Knowing the pesky pretend ‘hero’ ghost had not approached their children might quiet the strange dread she couldn’t shake from last night.

Jack accepted a peck on the cheek before racing off to finish re-assembling the device while she busied herself with going over the ghost shield schematics. Phantom had a nasty habit of appearing inside areas protected by the green domes, and the sooner she figured out what flaw the terror was using to get through, the better. If she could tune it to reject any quantity of ectoplasm, she would. Unfortunately with the portal, and that whole little problem with the entire town getting dragged into the ghost zone almost everyone in Amity had some level of contamination. Nothing worrisome, but enough that it could harm humans if she wasn’t careful in accounting for that. Maybe a mode for full deflection at night?

The paper was soon filled with calculations and tiny sketches so that Jack could have a helpful visual, completely losing track of time.

“Maddie?” Jack’s lack of joviality was more worrisome than anything else, her attention towards her work gone in an instant.

“The scan wasn’t good?” she asked, privately hoping he simply had failed to get the invention working completely.

“Er well. It definitely tracked a ghost leaving the portal.” he rubbed the back of his neck, showing his wife the glowing trail the ghostly intruder left highlighted on the small screen of the device. “The problem is it completely loses it after it goes upstairs-”

“Into Danny’s room?” she finishes, heart in her throat. If that thing had done anything to their son…

Jack nods, managing to keep his voice steady. “It can’t still be in there, but it doesn’t pick up anymore shed ectoplasm after that. Maybe I over compensated and the ghost was just moving too fast to shed enough ambient ectoplasm?”

“Or that monster has a way to suppress expelling ectoplasm for brief periods. It is in our world far more often than most ghosts manage.” She tried to focus on the possible solution instead of the horror of where the ghost had been. At least it had not gone after Jazz as well, it had likely planned to but ran out of time. “We’ll just have to give the kids a good check after school.”

“And some spector deflectors! You think they might complain less about wearing them if they look like a watch?” Jack was pacing, hands moving as if he was already planning on cobbling the idea together. “Is the belt too ‘uncool’ for the kids?”

“When it comes to their safety, we don’t care how uncool it is. It’s a good idea though, Jazz might prefer it.”

“Alright! Operation: Hands off My Kids, Ghost Scum! Is underway!” Jack seemed a bit more at ease with an actual plan of attack, sprinting off to the lab without barely a second glance. They’d just have a big dinner to make up for all the meal skipping, it was fine.

She knew Danny had always been a bit leery of their inventions, and had expected some pushback from the boy, but she hadn’t expected Jazz to be so vocally opposed.

“Mom this is the fifth time you’ve accused me of being a ghost! Your obsession with them is making you see symptoms that don’t exist!” she pointed an accusing finger at the both of them before grabbing her brother by the shoulders. “Come on Danny, we don’t have time for this.”

“It’s not like that Jazzy-pants! We know you aren’t a ghost, but one of those putrid piles of protoplasm might have done something to you two.” Jack insisted, blocking the exit to the room, barely managing to weather the teenager’s glare.

“We’re much better at detecting ghosts now sweetie. No blasts or goop, no invasive checks. It’ll only take a few moments, then you two can get going, okay?”

“Absolutely not! We are not indulging in your paranoia, I know I’m fine, and I know Danny’s fine, and that should be enough for you.” she almost seemed to be shielding her little brother as she went on. “Your inventions fail all the time, and you’re trusting that over us?”

Danny was remaining strangely silent throughout the argument, as if he was hoping he could become invisible if he scrunched in on himself enough. He was rather timid, but he’d usually have some sort of complaint by this point.

“Well, okay. I guess you’d know if your brother was possessed.” Jack admitted. “Just to make sure you two stay that way, I got you some Fenton Watches! It tells the ghosts that it’s never time to try to touch you!” He held the green and silver timepieces proudly, not noticing how Danny visibly recoiled more firmly into his sister’s grip.

“Oh and become complete social pariahs? Danny has enough trouble connecting with his peers and you’re going to try and force that on him? Honestly.”

That finally got a reaction from her son, the boy glaring at his sister. “Hey! I have friends!”

Jazz gave him the patented sibling ‘Shut Up’ look before going back to glaring at their parents. “I’ll let you know if we start acting out parts of the Exorcist. Until then, all of this? Paranoia, and we’re not indulging it.” With that the redhead forced her way past her father, brother in tow.

“Maybe the ghost did get to Jazz.” Jack muttered, glancing at the stairs the two went up.

“It might have. That’s okay, we can use the EctoIlluminator at dinner. When she understands ghosts are a real threat she might stop protesting so much.” Maddie clutched the flashlight-looking device firmly, trying to keep calm. Something was definitely up with the two of them, now that she was looking more closely. Has this ghost problem been a long term one? They had tried to stop assuming any oddness was ghost related after the incidents Jazz mentioned, but perhaps they had been wrong to do so.

Jazz was still putting up the defensive front, eyeing their served meal before touching it. “If this has any sort of magic ‘ghost detector sauce’ I’m tossing it and ordering something.”

“It’s just food dear.” Maddie started eating her own meal, feigning casualness as she watched the two picked at their food, Jazz eyeing every bite as if it was going to jump up and do something, while Danny just looked too tired to eat with any speed.

“So how was school?” Jack prompted, apparently bothered by the silence.

“Long.” Danny muttered, still chasing a pea with his fork instead of using his knife to help pick the vegetable up.

“Maybe he’d have more to say if you asked about his interests. Or anything that wasn’t school and ghosts.”

“Jazz.”

“What? It’s true! If they actually wanted to have some family time they could at least try to be interested in us as people.” Jazz crossed her arms, apparently satisfied by the wince Jack made.

“Jazz.” Danny repeated, a frustrated edge in his tone.

“You’re right Jazz. We’ve been so busy with the portal and all the ghosts that we may have been a little more distant than you would like.” Maddie felt a pang of guilt, Jazz’s accusation mirroring her own worries. If they had paid more attention, would they have caught that something was wrong sooner?

“When I was a teenager I never wanted to see my folks! Thought you guys might be the same as your old man.” Jack apologized, and Jazz actually smiled at him.

“No, I take after dad. Can I go now?” Danny asked, already half pushing out of his chair.

“We haven’t even had dessert, hold your horses kiddo.”

The boy slumped back into his seat, glaring at Jazz. “Whatever.”

Jazz ignored it, going off on a tangent about her day and future plans, Jack nodding and adding comments about his time in high school as Danny continued to do his best to melt into the chair. Other than a few glances at each exit of the room, the teenager seemed to be incredibly bored.

Everyone seemed distracted enough to run the quick test, slipping the EctoIlluminator out of the cupboard along with the box of cookies that was being used to hide it from view.

The beam of light passed over Jazz with no reaction other than her own, a furious “MOM, we JUST talked about this!” as she got to her feet and moved surprisingly quickly in the direction of her brother, but Maddie’s wrist was faster.

The half awake teenager grunted at the bright light, eyes narrowing to block the worst of it. Yet the glowing green that replaced his normal blue hue and shined back at her confirmed their worst fears.

The ghost using Danny as a meat puppet didn’t seem to notice the change, shielding himself with an arm. It was strange, as if there was an entire separate layer hiding under his skin, almost like a glove. Had their son been possessed so long that the ghost was everywhere, not just in his mind?

“Can you not flash light in my eyes mom?” the ghost asked, blind to their reactions.

“I knew it.” Maddie nearly growled, weapon out in seconds as Jack got to his feet.

Danny’s body swallowed, trying to look at both of them at once. “Knew what? You’re kinda freaking me out here.”

“You think we didn’t notice your threat last night?”

“I haven’t threatened anyone?” the fake insisted, looking to Jazz for support. “Did mom and dad get overshadowed or am I missing something?”

“You’re hopeless.” Jazz said as she stood protectively between her parents and the thing she thought was her brother. “Your gadgets always pick Danny up, stop threatening my brother.”

“Overshadowed, huh? Is that the word you used when you threatened my son?” she ignored Jazz’s outburst, it was for the best that it was solved now. “Sounded nicer than possessing him?”

The ghost frowned, confusion clear on Danny’s face. “Mom, I’m not overshadowed.”

“Humans don’t have glowing green eyes. I don’t know what you did to Jazz to make her defend you, but you’ll pay for it.”

That got it’s attention. He froze for a moment before actively hiding more behind Jazz. “I swear I’m not overshadowed, I can explain-” he was struggling to find words, 

“He’s not. Danny is still Danny, green eyes or not.” Jazz insisted, still keeping her position between them and the sputtering ghost.

“Jazz, I know he seems normal, but it’s a ghost impersonating him. Just let us save your brother, okay? Jack lowered his weapon slightly as he tried to appeal to Jazz.

Their daughter just continued to look furious. “I’m doing enough of that, seeing as you’d be shooting at him!” She only spared a moment to glance back at her brother. “You need to tell them.”

“I can’t, look how bad they’re taking it already!” he hissed back

“Either you do or I do.”

“It’s not like they’ll believe me!”

Their argument only made Maddie’s heart hurt. Somehow this ghost had been around long enough to convince Jazz having some ghostly bodysnatcher around was a good thing?

“Mom. Danny isn’t overshadowed, or possessed, or anything else. Put the weapon down.” she squared her shoulders, showing the famous family stubbornness. “He’s just more ecto-contaminated than other people, you know that. He sets everything off.”

“I know you mean well, but the ghost hiding behind you is not your brother.”

“Yes, he is! Listen to me! He’s no different today than from last week! It’s not my fault you can’t see that!” she only had eyes for her mother, not noticing how her large father could be surprisingly quiet when he had to be.

“It might be a very good mimic, Jazz, but ectocontamination wouldn’t make his eyes glow like a cat’s. We know what we’re talking about.” This was agonizing, her own daughter being tricked into defending some filthy ghost so strongly.

Jack managed to hit the thing squarely in the shoulder, knocking it away from Jazz as it yelped and clutched at Danny’s arm, trembling slightly as he got back to his feet. No ghost emerged from the boy, but she spotted as his eyes flared green again, if only for a second.

“Can I go to my room now?” the ghost asked through gritted teeth. 

Jack instantly looked apologetic, looking as if he’d run to the boy’s side to bandage any wound he may have gotten.

“Don’t fall for it Jack, it just has a strong grip on Danny. I saw it.”

“No you didn’t! You just shot Danny, no ghost, and you’re still going there’s a ghost? You need to stop this, right now Mom.” Jazz was in her mother’s face, trying to snatch the weapon away. “You need help. You’re seeing things.”

“Fine.” Maddie let Jazz fumble the gun away, keeping a sharp eye on the ghost pretending to be her child. “You said you could explain, so do it.”

Danny swallowed, apparently hoping that she would have forgotten that stammered excuse. “Um. Well. You know that ghost flu everyone had? I’m like that but all the time? Kinda?” he kept rubbing at his arm. “And not sick! I’m fine, really.”

That was quite some time ago now, and a terrible excuse. It almost pained her to address this ghost as her son, but she had to play along with Jazz long enough to get something stronger to cure Danny with. “Danny, the amount of ectoplasm created by that illness would have killed any human exposed to it for more than two weeks.”

“Well I’m not sick! I just...glow sometimes, okay? I knew you guys would freak out, but Jazz saw it and well-” he cut himself off, noting how Maddie’s face didn’t shift an inch. “You don’t believe me, do you.”

“No, I don’t.”

He seemed to be struggling to say something, needing to glance at Jazz before finally sputtering out, “I’ve been like this since the accident, okay?”

Suddenly her boy being possessed didn’t seem like such a bad thing. If he had been ‘like this’ since the accident, could it possibly mean that- “I’m listening.” she managed to force out, hoping she didn’t sound faint.

“After that I uh. Could do weird things. Like the eye glowing thing. I’ve pretty much figured it out, but I was scared to tell you so...I didn’t.” he was mumbling, looking down at his shoes.

Maddie managed to catch Jack’s eye, able to tell he had the same thought, and it broke her heart. How had they completely failed to notice? She crouched down a little, trying to be a little less intimidating. “I’m sorry we scared you sweetie.” she could barely hold the tears back, struggling how to even ask for forgiveness properly. How did you ask your child to forgive you for causing their death and not even noticing?

Jack seemed to have similar problems. “You died in the accident?” the horror in his voice might have been funny if it wasn’t a true statement.

“What? No! I’m fine, heartbeat and everything.” Danny insisted, grabbing at both of their hands so they could feel the slow yet steady pulse. “I’m just a bit. Weird now.”

He didn’t even know he was dead. He must put all his time and energy into looking human, not to fool the world but to fool himself. It would explain why he seemed so tired all the time, burning so much energy to fake a pulse and warmth while barely getting any back from the surrounding air, seeing as how he likely never stepped foot in the ghost zone to replenish himself.

“We’re very proud you haven’t misused that weirdness.” she said, trying to think of a way to ease her son into realizing the truth of the matter.

“Mom! That’s just rude.” Jazz still had a bunch of opinions, apparently buying that Danny wasn’t dead. Of course she would, she wouldn’t want her little brother to be dead.

Jack looked at her oddly, but didn’t argue, deciding she must have a plan. If Danny was a ghost now, that didn’t mean they didn’t love him, but he couldn’t go on pretending to be something he wasn’t.

“...Yeah. Okay, now you know, I have homework so-” he fidgeted.

“Danny, can you just answer something for me before you go?”

“Sure?” his anxiety was contagious, it practically wanted to make her start pacing around the room.

“Did you wear your hazmat suit on the day of the accident?”

“I did. Why?”

“Do you know where it is now?” It would be easier to lead him to the truth by making him realize it himself. “It’s not in the lab.” His mouth slammed shut again, apparently that was going to be his answer.

He continued to struggle over what he wanted to say before finally sighing. “Not really.”

“I know you don’t want to hear this Danny,” she pushed her goggles up so she could look him in the eyes. “The suit is on your body. You lost it when you died.”

“I’m not dead!” his insistence was confident, not the silent acceptance she had hoped for. “I didn’t lose it. It’s just gone.”

Jazz elbowed her dead brother, who gave a bit of a scowl.

“Danny, hazmat suits don’t just vanish. We still love you, even if you’re a ghost.” Jack added his approval and love of his son, but the ghost still seemed obstinate on this point.

“Okay, fine! I know where it is.” he groaned, shooting Jazz another look. “I’m not dead. It just looks a bit different.”

The Fenton parents weren’t expecting that, wondering if Danny had made himself a very long and complicated reason to keep denying his death. “Where is it then?”

“You saw it. Last night. Actually you see it a lot.” the boy rocked on his heels, still looking unsure about something.

“Just spit it out Danny, before they start planning your funeral.” Jazz snorted.

“I’m trying okay! It’s still kind of hard to ignore the being torn apart threats okay?” he said with a huff.

No wonder he’d denied it so long, he must have been scared senseless that they would have treated him like one of those ghost blobs instead of as their son. “We haven’t seen it anywhere.”

Danny let out a long sigh, resting his forehead on his knuckles for a second. “Yes you have. You promise not to shoot?”

“Of course we won’t!” she wasn’t sure what he was planning on showing them, but that was an easy enough promise to make.

“No, he’s totally right to make you promise first.” Jazz muttered, glaring pointedly at her brother’s singed shoulder.

“Yeeeah about that…” Danny looked at them for a while longer before apparently deciding they were genuine. A bright flash, brighter than the flashlight had been summoned two rings of light at around the boy’s midsection before sweeping over him.

He changed from a very human looking boy to what was unmistakably a ghost. A ghost they knew and had fought countless times.

“I guess the ghost zone thought I looked better inverted?” Phantom said, a weak grin accompanying the ghostly green eyes and stark white hair, his frosty glow making the whole room feel frigid. “I really was lost last night.”

All they could do was hold Danny close in a choking hug, tears falling as they struggled to let their poor boy know how sorry they were without words, as their minds couldn’t even begin to think of where to start.

[laylacooke]

It’s Just Like Lotion, Right? || Raul & Layla

timing: During the weeks the carnival was in town parties: @bloodapples& @laylacooke summary: With Raul’s help, Layla plays an exciting game of Hanyo! warnings: Hanyo tw [you’ve been warned.] 

Layla had longed for something to get her mind off things, but in a healthy way. The last week had been the most heartless and cruelest week of her life, and while she didn’t feel like she deserved happiness right now, she at least needed a break. Hearing laughter and seeing the bright lights not too far off, Layla found herself at the carnival. Paying for a ticket and entering the attraction, the young wolf took in the sights, and then she spotted it; a big catfish monster plush. The thing was almost hideous but had big black eyes and long dangly whiskers that made it cute. It was half the size of Layla’s own body. But as lonely as she had been, she had longed to have it so she could cuddle up with it at night. However, seeing what you had to do made her a little apprehensive, “What the hell is Hanyo?”

Roller coasters were lit up in metal spirals and gyres against the night sky. Tents full of games, prizes, and performances were strung and playfully garish flashing signs. Fortune tellers and challenges for the bored and gullible dotted the inroads between the tents. The Ferris wheel dominated the skyline, a behemoth somehow erected in the space of a single night.  

Raul had been sitting with some of his fellow farmlands at the tent the Salazar homestead had been allowed to set up to sell food so long as the vampires adhered to the Ringmasters' rules. Raul’s spirit had been freed from all remorse and regret, but bereft of a soul to anchor it, his interest tended to wander. Thus the redhead’s plight at a nearby tent had caught his attention. 

“It’s like mayonnaise you can put on your hands,” Raul told her upon wandering over. 

“Be nice little brother,” Emilio chided his younger clanmate telepathically through the bond vampires of the same lineage shared, his mental voice warm with an undercurrent of laughter. 

“Hold back your thirst little brother,” came Ignacio’s sterner telepathic command, his mental presence the cold flame to Emilio’s roseate mirth. “The Master has expressly forbidden us from feeding on the carnival..” 

“Oh lighten up Ignacio,” interrupted Diego’s sardonic psychic voice. “Little Raul is gonna be real polite to ginger chica aren’ you … right Raul?” For all of Diego’s amiable playfulness, there was always a razored edge within his smile. 

“Yeah yeah guys I get it,” Raul shot back to his clansmen mentally before returning his full attention to Layla. “It’s like lotion but...like edible y’know?”  

Layla narrowed her eyes. It was a bit strange, but what in this town wasn’t? As the random guy explained it to her, she paused for a moment to think it over. What could be the worst thing that happened? Last week had taken the cake from assault to stealing a tractor and wrecking it. Pondering the idea of sticking her hands into the off white, thick substance, she looked to the man standing next to her, “And I win a prize, just for putting my hands in this stuff?” The smell radiating off it from the summer heat kind of turned her stomach, considering werewolf senses heightened everything, but she wanted that damn catfish monster. The dumbest and simplest thing that could bring her pleasure in a world full of darkness right now, “Fine. I’ll do it.” She stepped a little closer to the booth waiting for his instructions, somewhat glancing at the other guys sitting at the tent and giving them a soft, but sad smile. “Has anybody won tonight?”

Raul Torres didn’t have the capacity for empathy, at least not since killing others in the blind frenzy of bloodthirst had led a once soft-hearted young to relinquish his soul under the weight of that guilt. Yet, that didn’t stop him from at least noticing the girl’s rueful manner. Raul felt curiosity rather than compassion or concern but focusing on anything other than the omnipresent thirst that gnawed inside of him was a welcome distraction. 

“Not that I’ve seen,” admitted Raul as he leaned against one of the tent poles. “We’ve been handling food.” The fledgling vampire nodded back to the concession stands full of farm-grown food some of his clanmates were running nearby, several of the young men nodding to Layla with toothy smiles.  “So been avoiding getting that stuff on our hands” 

Raul glanced up at the sign above the bored face-mask wearing fellow running the malodorous Hanyo game. “Looks like there's a marble somewhere in there. Find it before time’s up and you winna prize.” 

Layla noticed Rauel’s friends smiling at her. Returning a small grin, she looked back to the booth in front of her. She wanted that prize. And the instructions sounded easy enough. However, the guy running the booth didn’t seem too excited. Maybe that was a good sign. It meant no losing limbs or getting sucked into a world of Hanyo.

She looked back to Rauel, “I’m gonna do it.” The smell seemed like it was getting worse, but if she could stomach it for a little while longer, that Catfish Monster plush was hers.

Taking a deep breath, and gagging a little, she stepped forward. As she slipped her hands down in the vat of goop, the warmth where it had been roasting in the sun all day made her shudder, “Oh dear Lord, what am I doing?” Seeing the masked man flip on the timer, without so much as a warning. Layla started digging around in the thick, off-white sludge. Creamy or moist wasn’t words she had ever wanted to hear again, and she was pretty sure the smell would haunt her until the day she died.

Raul’s senses had all sharpened after he’d woken up in a morgue in Oaxaca de Juárez. He’d previously thought of death as a cold numbness, but the truth was that since rising up as a vampire everything was incredibly intense. Raul experienced the world like an animal predator now, every color, stray movement, sound, or smell so vivid that at first, it’d been overwhelming. 

Some were more intense than others of course, even while talking to this girl Raul could tell she was alive. Her heartbeat seemed to thud in the back of his mind, the warm blood in her veins humming like a live power line. There’d been a time where Raul would've gotten distracted and blushy around a beautiful face framed by autumnal hair that fell down supple shoulders. But now Raul couldn’t help unconsciously seeing the living as prey, a viscous instinct that invariably tainted his other thoughts even if Raul tried to suppress it. 

Of course, those supernaturally keen senses came with other drawbacks. 

Such as making sun-heated mayo all over some chica’s hand smell like she’d perfumed herself up with world war mustard gas. 

“Mierda,” Raul gagged, his eyes watering. “Wait I’ll …” He gave Layla a wide berth while trying to retrieve some hand sanitizer and wipes to offer to her. 

Layla continued to dig around in the thick, creamy sludge. Her eyes were already in tears, and she could just make out the time on the nearby clock counting down. Moving a little faster as she suppressed gagging, the teenager finally found what she was looking for, “Gotcha you tiny little bastard.”

Pulling her hand out of the huge container of mayo, before the time ran out, Layla quickly stepped back and started coughing more than she had originally intended. Full blown tears were now pouring out of her squinted eyes, but any chance at wiping them away was impossible, and she knew if she had brought her mayo layered arms and hands closer to her face, she would surely vomit.

Eyes shifting between Raul, who was looking for hand sanitizer and wipes, and the unhappy worker who had been hovering over the large vat of off-white goop, she slowly held up the marble, “I found your marble. Please tell me that damn Catfish Monster, that’s nearly the same size as me, is mine. Otherwise, I might just steal it and run.” The last part was almost a joke, but after what she had just endured (and was still enduring, until she could clean her hands), she was seriously starting to consider it.

With Raul back in no time, Layla gladly took the sanitizer and wipes utilizing them to the best she could resorting to her only other option when it wouldn’t fully come off; her jeans. She would burn them when she got home.

Catfish Monster plush in tow, she squealed at her accomplishment as she said a quick goodbye and thanks to Raul, his buddies, and the unhappy looking man who had kept score of the game. Despite having that lingering smell in her nostrils, that would probably last a lifetime, Layla happily left the carnival satisfied with her prize and her one game she had played. It was a good night, and one she had needed. And she couldn’t wait to see the look on Indy’s cute little face when she came home with something that was nearly five times his size.

[alitheamateur]

A Taste of Home-Chapter 10

A/N: This feels a bit rushed, and some of you may feel it’s a poor excuse of a chapter. AND, I will humbly agree. Pardon my lack of length, and choppy descriptions, if you will! I’m trying to reel in this stupid case of writer’s block, and this is the best I’ve got right now, ladies and gents.

Warnings: Oral smut. Language. 

The packing. The damned packing, and the repetitious unpacking. It was an all-nighter, ruthless and exhausting with indecisive agony. What in the literal hell did you bring along that said:

“Hello. Love me.”

Your fitful mind balked and fretted with the consideration of turning down Chris and his perfectly agonizing romantic gesture to swiftly wisp you off to the other side of the world because he simply “just really need to fucking see you.” But, you wouldn’t do it. You knew it all along. This was a chance to be with him. Maybe even be with him, and that just purely wasn’t an opportunity you would ever pass up.

You called upon the heavenly angels of beauty in the city to freshen your blonde, pluck nearly every hair on your body, and moisturize your every skin pore with some goop smelling of cucumber and coconut. But, truly. Was there ever enough one could do to really prepare to crawl into bed with a man such as Chris and his glorious, brazenly sexy biceps?

You were rattled by the bell of your 4:00 a.m. alarm, followed by a call from your zealously punctual boy-toy to make sure you were keeping a tight and tidy schedule, and on-time for your flight. You could feel in your bones the smile he wore when he rambled on about airport gates, and cars, and baggage claim.

When you arrived at the terminal, the big, dutiful idiot had of course upgraded you to first-class. Knowing you would never have showed up to begin with had the original ticket stated so. You were tucked into your window seat, situating your bending neck-pillow, and about to flip your cell to airplane mode, when it rattled with a text.

C: I’m fucking stoked you’re coming to see me, Mil. Have a safe flight, and have at least 3 mimosas. I can’t have you being all pissy and jet-lagged by the time you get to me. Although, grumpy, asshole Amelia is one of the cutest versions.

You replied with a simple ‘xo’, and you felt a little squeal course through your veins.

Whether it be the side-effects of the early hour, or the fruitful symptoms of the 3 strong mimosas you downed before your nap, you felt dazed and extremely wobbly when your plane landed at the rainy airport in London. The flight attendant had somehow relayed a message that your driver would be waiting at baggage claim, and you were to go straight to him.

Just as promised, he waited there in his black fitted jeans, and downward tilting baseball cap with your suitcases at his feet. The man was large, wide enough to turn when attempting to clear a doorway, and you were certain he must’ve been a member of Chris’ longtime security team.

He hauled your crammed bags into the hatch of the SUV, sprinting around to catch the handle of the door before you could open it for yourself. No question, Chris had threatened he be on his best, chivalrous behavior when in your presence.

“Miss Calvert, we’re to head directly to set to meet up with Chris. But, is there any stops you need to make on the way?” He asked, a hard Queens lilt to his accent.

“No, thank you. I’m fine! Straight to Chris would be great.”

“Yes, ma’am. He also asked that you call him once we’re en route.” The car slid into a winding lane of traffic.

You dialed, his name the last on your recent call list.

“Ello.” The dork chided in his well-worked English accent.

“Well, I’m buckled into the backseat of some vehicle with a guy who says he knows you. Let’s hope I picked the right driver.”

“Guy? I didn’t send anyone for you.” His voice never hitched.

You gulped down a taste of spilt-second worry. “You fucker. Mess with me and I’ll turn this car around, Evans.”

He barked out that heinous laugh that only you, and his mother could love. “Hey, hey. Settle down, firecracker. Did that flight attendant not liquor you up enough on the way over?”

“I’ll have you know, I obeyed your direct orders and downed 3 the first hour in. I might even be drunk. So, good going there. You trying to take advantage of me, Christopher?” You bit on your chapped lip, just at the hopeful possibility he would do exactly that.

“Why the hell else do you think I flew you across the world, Millie girl? I can’t wait to see if those sweet little cheeks get all blushed when you’re buzzing like they used to get when you got drunk in our basement.”

Sentimental current shell-shocked you to life.

“What?” Was all your racked brain could piece together through the muddle of feelings.  

“Your entire face used to flush like you had been out in the sun for too long. If the cute as a kitten way your words slurred didn’t give it away when you and my sister snuck those wine-coolers, your red little cheeks would have.”

You’d have swallowed him whole if he had been in your presence.

“Anyways, I’ve gotta jump off. Carter is bringing you to set, and my manager will make sure you get settled in my trailer until I’m all finished. Snag a nap, and help yourself to the fridge. But, stay clear of my beer, little lady. You’re cut off.”

“See you soon, handsome.” Your words rolled and squeaked like your head was full of only air.

You were high with the endorphins of Chris Evans, and his constant successes in turning your every bone to mush. You had no utter idea how long you’d been driving, or barely what day it was when you felt the pace of the car slow into a gated lot. You were waved through by security, and you fidgeted for a compact inside your purse to fuss with your smudged eyeliner and fading foundation. 

You whispered a prayer as you climbed the noisy steps bolted to his trailer, that maybe he would be finished with the duties of his day already so you could be at the center of his attention, but found your wishes ungranted.

It was silent in the metal tin can, little traces of the so very loveable dork sprinkled throughout. It smelled of him, the crumbled t-shirt on the floor next to the hat hanging from a doorknob made you smile. Although he wasn’t palatably present, this was the closest to him you had felt in the past days.

You flopped to the couch after grabbing yourself a water from the fridge, and a handful of the jellybean bag half-empty on his table.

A: The eagle has landed.

Kicking off your shoes, tucking your manicured toes beneath you, text bubbles of a reply from Chris appeared.

C: The best news I’ve heard all week. Be there when I can, Millie.

…

A strong doze had apparently taken over, and a hazy dream of his watercolor eyes drowned your consciousness. You could almost smell the thick aroma of his peppermint and musk scent, and the wind of his coffee laced breath tangling with your eyelashes.

Long, lean, worked fingers felt like an imaginary embrace around the nape of your soft throat, and there was a suckle of popping wetness meeting the heartbeat there.

“Wake up, sleeping beauty.” Your bones absorbed the reverberation of his rattling voice, and the sweet dream was indeed the most pleasing moment of reality.

“Sleeping beauty, huh?” You kept your eyes sealed, smiling against your will. “Well, if that’s so, I guess you’ll have to kiss me, right? You know how it goes, Evans. Disney would be so disappointed in you right now.”

His familiar laugh delighted your every sense, and when he kissed you, you were convinced that happiness had a taste, and it was the minty prickle of Chris’ fleshy lips.  

There was a pressing situation soliciting the hotness of your sex, and already the both of you were ripe with desire. As the tip of his tongue licked at yours, your eyes rolled back into your head meeting the euphoria of being ravished by the man you loved. Whether he loved you back, or not…

Lightening heat and possessed passion instantly took over, and you were maneuvering out from beneath the blanket of his muscled weight on top of you, to mount his lap.

“Woah. What’s gotten into you, Millie girl?” He wheezed with brows uplifted in shock, yet satisfaction.

“Are you complaining?” Your teeth bit into his jaw, the friction of his auburn shaded whiskers chaffed your lips.

“By all means, baby, have at it. You don’t know how much I’ve been thinking about you.”

There were many ways to say ‘I missed you’, but in the midst of the dampness collecting in your underwear, there was only one way to squander the fire you were feeling after being without him all those months.

Gasoline.

Makes sense, right?

The tight, elastic waistband of his sweats popped as you writhed and shuffled to unwrap the ribbed fullness inside the soft fleece. His breaths were shallow, and the rhythm reeked of unraveling, making you smile behind your lips a little. Chris’ held for dear life on the pillows resting in each corner of the couch, his nails clawing at the seams of the fabric.

“Lose that shirt, Evans.” Your throat was thorny, like your taste buds were trying to punish you until they got a drop of his flavor. Tugging downward on his boxers, he lifted to help you undress him, while pulling out of the collar of his t-shirt.

You know, the way every man does, and women worldwide lose their entire shit?

When his boxers hit his ankles, you beheld what you’d been missing while he was away. Recollection of the night you had talked him through his release over the phone while climaxing on his sheets swelled your pupils, your world going dark with lust now that you were able to feel him between your fists.

His thighs tensed under your palms when you looked up at him with eyes pained of overloading need, and his scruffy chest shook with the traces of a chuckle.

“Amelia Calvert. Never did I ever thi-“

Before he could sour the moment with some trip down fucking memory lane, you swallowed him to the hilt. You felt his whole body shift to stone, totally rigid like even his blood had calcified to a solid state. His head fell back, not a hair on his gorgeous head knocked out of place. You counted as you gulped around his cock, and Chris held his breath for precisely 22 seconds. His eyes shifted behind screwed shut lids, and you wondered if he had simply forgotten how to breath.

“You alright up there, handsome?” You purred, emptying your mouth of his impressive size for not a moment longer than necessary.

“I’m… Fuck. Yeah, baby. More… More than alright, Mills.”

What a sight he was for your fluttering eyes. Sculpted pecks unevenly flexing from his jerks of pleasure when your throat contracted around him. The outline of his picturesque abs had softened, but as you trailed your tickling fingers down his torso, you felt the hardness of a healthy, well-exercised man.

When your eyes would close, concentrating on milking away the stress of his day, he would breeze a finger through the lashes resting on the highest peak of your cheek. The squeaks and hiccupped mutters sliding off his lips made your head hurt with arouse, and you were sure if he didn’t finish soon, you’d be kneeling in your own mess beneath you.

“I’m almost fucking there, Amelia. Damn, baby. Look at me, will ya’?”

You had already concluded he had liked the angelic-like expression of your wild-hair framing your cheeks, and a dopey, wet-mouthed grin watching up at him. So, you tightened the lippy vice around his length, and bat your glassy, lidded eyes.

His back arched inward, and his damp palms latched onto the sides of your face as he leaned up to almost lunge for a kiss. When your tongue slurped and slid back and forth around his tip, and your grip around his base strengthened, Chris Evans blew all working circuits in his brain.

His beard with waxy with sweat, and his unclothed chest was blotched with redness and the glisten of an overdue orgasm. You dipped your head to clean your face in secret for a moment, and he was easily tugging at your hair.

“Don’t you hide that gorgeous face from me.” He combed back his now loosened, un-styled hair, words lagging in ecstasy.

You’d taken him like a desperate trollop, and truthfully, you’d felt a bit cheap now that the act was done. But the way he smiled at you, and swiped his thumb under your eyes to clean up the little smears of makeup there made the moments after a little better.

“I wasn’t expecting that, you know…”

“Good. And, neither was I, for the record.”

His discarded shirt was balled around his knuckles as he dried off the perspiration leaking out of his skin, then he stood to redress himself when you found a seat on the couch.

“Well, keeping taking me by surprise like that, Calvert, and I just may have to return the favor sooner rather than later.” He kissed you with spit-slicked lips and groped around the stretch of your throat gingerly.

The way you had gone at him in only the first hour of being in his presence had you anticipating the many, many surprises that would unfold over the next three days while he had you across the world globe, all to himself.  

TAGS: @miidailyinspiration @spideypxgirl @eap1935 @mollybegger-blog @littleluna98 @firstangeldragonranch @chrisevansforever 

[cadenreigns]

Star vs the Forces of Evil: The Last Magic (part 1)

This is the first part of a movie idea I had. I originally wanted to do more of a script with included images, but I just don’t have the time or energy to do that to the degree it’s in my head, so here’s the first fourth~ish of my movie idea that tries to stay similar in tone to the show and would answer some questions that were left hanging. Also, the end of this section will probably make you think it’s going in the way one would expect from someone with my character preferences, but I think you may be surprised once I get farther into it.

1

“Many Years Ago”

Fade In

Hekapoo is seen holding an infant Festivia with Omnitraxis, Lekmet, and Rhombulus walking out of the room.

Omnitraxis: “We’ll call for the caretakers, keep an eye on the new princess until they get here.”

Lekmet: “Baaaaah”

Hekapoo: “Yeah, yeah. It’s not like I’m gonna drop her.”

The door closes behind the Glossaryck brothers leaving Hekapoo alone with Festivia. The infant reaches up, making babbling noises, then starts shaking her arms.

Hekapoo (holding Festivia up so they’re eye to eye): “Oh we got a little party animal here.”

Festivia giggles and Hekapoo smiles. “When you get older I’ll show you how to really party.”

Fade Out

2

“Many Years Later”

Fade into Hekapoo yelling as Moon tries to pull a toddler Star off her horn while Star screams “Mine!” repeatedly. Hekapoo nearly falls over when Star is finally pulled free.

Moon: “I’m so sorry, Hekapoo. The book said you practically raised Festivia, so I thought Star might take to you…not try to take something from you.”

Star (still reaching towards Hekapoo’s horns): “Mine!”

Hekapoo (rubbing the base of the horn Star was grabbing): “Yeah, well she’s quite the aggressive little party animal, isn’t she?”

Moon (sighs): “Her father’s influence I suppose. Maybe we can find her a head band or something so she’ll think she has horns of her own.”

Hekapoo (shrugs): “Sure, you do that. But if there’s nothing else, I’m going to head back to the forge. Someone’s gotta keep an eye on the portal network so no worlds get smashed together or anything.”

Moon (laughs): “Oh Hekapoo, who would even be capable of such a thing.”

-Cut to Star and Marco walking down the street of a post-Cleave Echo Creek-

The familiar toll of the opening song notes starts. What looks like the wand is pushed in front of the camera, but then pulls back to show it’s the face of Star’s watch as the opening continues. The opening would be a modified version of the show’s regular opening, but instead of jumping through portals Star drags Marco through doors and windows, with each small scene they jump through giving a glimpse of life after the Cleave. Their parents, along with Eclipsa and Globgor having a cookout while Mariposa and Meteora play, Ludo and his band of monsters landscaping, Jackie and Chloe (I guess) skating by, a glimpse of the military at the edge of town, and so on until it culminates in the final shot from the season 1 opening of Star and Marco standing in the center of a big group of characters, but in addition to those in the original opening there will be all the characters introduced since then for one massive group shot.

3

The shot starts black, which is revealed to be the interior of a fridge when Star opens the door and faces the camera while looking for something.

After a few seconds of her not finding anything and making “thinking noises” Marco, who can be seen sitting at the table behind her looking through a stack of papers, says: “Can I help you find something, Star?

Star (looking back at Marco): “Do we have any more of that brown goop?”

Marco: “You mean the disgusting leftover Glossaryck pudding that you wouldn’t let me throw away and that you’ve been snacking on for weeks?”

Star: “Yeah, the pudding (extra drawn-out emphasis on the word pudding, almost like she’s saying it for the first time).”

Marco: “No, Star, you finished the last of it yesterday.”

Star (turning to Marco): “Aww man, I was in the mood for pudding.”

Marco: “We can pick some up la-”

The alarm app on Marco’s phone sitting on the table goes off, drawing both their attentions.

Marco: “Looks like there’s no time for pudding anyway, we gotta go or we’ll be late.”

Star: “Last one to the backyard’s a rotten corncob!”

Star races out of the kitchen towards the backyard. Marco smiles and stack all his papers together before putting them into a backpack and following after her.

The scene shifts to the Diaz backyard, where there’s now a large pen for Nachos and Cinnabar (Hekapoo’s dragoncycle). Star is leaning over the side, swinging her feet back and forth while watching them eat.

Marco: “Are you going to take Cinnabar out today? Or are you riding with me again?”

Star (puts her hands on her hips and feigns annoyance): “Marco, how am I supposed to hold onto you like a girlfriend should if we’re not on the same dragoncycle.”

Marco (rolls eyes): “We gotta find you a different channel to watch besides that one that only shows 50’s biker movies, but alright. Nachos, time to fly, girl.”

Nachos looks up from her bowl and excitedly takes off, jumping the pen fence and landing right besides them. Cinnabar briefly looks up at Star, growls, then goes back to eating.

Star: “I think Cinnabar still doesn’t like me.”

Marco (hooking his backpack to the back of Nachos’s saddle and then mounting her): “She’s still just getting used to all the changes.”

Star: “And she misses Hekapoo.”

Marco (briefly looks away while his hand tightens on Nachos’s horn-handle, then looks back at Star with a smile): “Well there’s nothing we can do about that right now. Not if we want to actually be on time for once.”

Star (hops on Nachos behind Marco, princess style, and wraps her arms around his waist): “Then we better get going!”

Marco (revving Nachos horns): “You heard the lady, time to fly Nachos!”

Nachos takes off. The camera follows behind and then slightly above to give a sweeping view of the fused Echo Creek. They fly past the ponyhead cloud kingdom, over the entrance to the underworld, and between castles and skyscrapers that make up the skyline until they start to descend towards city hall.

Marco (once they come to a stop at the entrance): “Here you are Ambassador Butterfly (emphasis on the word ambassador)”

Star (hops off and kisses Marco on the cheek): “See you after work Principal Diaz (emphasis on the word Principal)”

They laugh and Marco takes off, leaving Star to go inside.

4

Star skips though the townhall entryway, greeting everyone she sees by name, until she reaches a door labeled “Inter-World Conference Prep Room.” She pauses, takes a deep breath, and steps inside. There she sees Moon and Eclipsa talking beside a playpen with Meteora and Mariposa inside.

Eclipsa (looks up, noticing Star): “Well look who’s on time.”

Moon (smirking): “Wonders never cease.”

Star (sarcastically): “Haha” (leans over the side of the playpen) “Hey babies! Mariposa, are you being good for Eclipsa and Globgor while your parents are on vacation?”

Meteora and Mariposa: (happy giggling)

Eclipsa: “She’s been very good, like a little angel.”

Moon (crossing arms and leaning towards Star): “And have you and Marco been good (emphasized) while the Diazes have been away?”

Star (exasperated): “Yes mom.”

Moon: “Well good. Now I hope you’re ready, we have a full docket today.”

Star: “Really? Anyone we know?”

-Cut to a table with Star (slumped over), Eclipsa, and Moon sitting at one end while Ludo (wearing a little suit) and human man (let’s call him Bruce, it doesn’t really matter) yell at each other from either side-

Bruce: “You’re stealing all my landscaping business!”

Ludo: “You’re stealing all my remodeling business!”

Bruce: “Well that ain’t hard, I’ve seen the shoddy electrical work your boys do.”

Ludo: “Well your team of ne’er-do-wells wouldn’t know how to stack a stone feature if their lives depended on it!”

Eclipsa: “Now boys, there’s no need to be so hostile. Just like when I used to work on combining magic, trying to put together two volatile spells will just cause everything to explode.”

Moon: “That’s a very good analogy, Eclipsa.”

Eclipsa: “Thank you Moon.”

Ludo and Moon look at the two former queens with expressions that say they obviously don’t get it.

Bruce: “Look ma’am, I’m sure that means something interesting wherever you’re from, but that doesn’t help me when this little chicken-man is messing with the livelihood of me and all the employees of Campbell, Inc.”

Ludo (outraged): “Chicken-man!? I’ll show you a chicken man!” (snaps fingers, the chicken-headed monster from his crew, dressed in construction-style clothing, steps out of the shadows and next to Ludo). “You’re keeping all of us at Avarius Construction Co. from getting our foot in the door! So if you want to see what a chicken man can do, we’ll show you right here right now!”

Star: “Ok, why don’t each of you take a deep breath and calm down.”

Ludo and Bruce give Star the stink eye.

Star: “Look, these meetings are supposed to be about helping fix the problems between people from earth and people from mewni, but we can’t do that if you just start fighting from the get go. So why don’t each of you give the other a…um, opposite of an insult…”

Moon: “Star dear, do you mean a compliment?”

Star: “That’s it, give each other a compliment!”

Ludo and Bruce each lean back and cross their arms, each now refusing to look or speak to the other.

Star: “Come on.”

Ludo: “Fine. I guess his team is pretty good at the electrical side of things. We sent some boys off to study it, but it’s been slow going.”

Bruce: “Well, I guess it is pretty impressive how fancy you all are with your stonework.”

Ludo (embarrassed): “Well you know, you get a feel for it after rebuilding a castle so many times.”

Moon: “That’s a wonderful start. Maybe now we can start to discus ways you two could work together to not impede one another’s businesses.”

Bruce (ponderously): “Working together huh…that’s not a half bad idea.”

Ludo and Star: “Huh?”

Bruce: “The Avarius and Campbell teams come together. My boys will help yours learn all they need to know about the wires and pipes that fill a home, and your boys teach mine about all style and finesse that goes into the exterior work.”

Ludo (smiling mischievously): “Then not only would our teams figure out the other aspects of the job…”

Ludo and Bruce (excitedly): “But we could charge even more!”

Star: “Uh, that wasn’t really what I had in-”

Bruce: “What do you say we go draw up some paperwork for this joint venture right now?”

Ludo: “I say let’s do it!” (jumps off the table, but looks back at Star before making his way out after Bruce and smiles) “Thanks Star!”

Eclipsa (as everyone but she, Moon, and Star files out): “Was that a good outcome?”

Moon: “Well, they weren’t fight anymore…so technically I suppose it was.”

Star (slouching in her chair): “I hope Marco’s day is going better than this.”

5

-Cut to Marco landing in front of the high school while Mr. Blue Sky by ELO (or something similar in tone) plays-

A banner over the entrance reads “Mewni catch-up month” as Marco dismounts Nachos, grabs his backpack, and heads inside. The tune continues, Marco basically bobbing to the beat as he goes down the hall and passes open classrooms. Each classroom’s door is clearly marked with a subject, with mewmen, monsters, and demons filling the student desks while one of the Echo Creek natives we all know and love stands at the front of the class. Alfonso in Math, Jackie in history, Janna in shop (though she seems to be showing them how to make lockpicks), and so on. Marco finally arrives at the principal’s office, approaching the intercom as the tune starts to fade out.

Marco (into the microphone, as he talks different shots of the classrooms listening to him over the intercom are shown): “Good morning Echo Creek students new and old alike. I’m Marco Diaz, your state assigned mediator and I’d like to welcome you all to another day of learning. Thanks once again to all the mewman, monsters, and demons for coming and thank our volunteer teachers for helping everyone to catch up with earth subjects so that we can all start the next semester together. As usual I’ll be making rounds for a good part of the day, but if you need anything don’t hesitate to reach out to me. And above all else, have a great day.”

The tune fades back in as a montage starts that jumps back and forth between Marco mostly having a great day assisting different classes (maybe have slime mix some chemicals with himself and catch fire at one point just for fun) and Star growing increasingly frustrated with dispute after dispute between monsters and humans, humans and mewmen, and monsters and mewmen. She would also start to have bags under her eyes near the end of it. This would go on until the song reached its natural conclusion during a Marco part of the montage and the school bell goes off.

Marco (shouting for all to hear as the mewmen, monsters, and demons file outside the school as he stands where the parking lot meets the football field): “Alright everyone, now it’s time for the active part of the day. For those of you that brought something with wheels, follow Jackie to the parking lot.”

Jackie (raising her arm and shouting): “You heard Diaz, follow me skaters, bladers, and bikers!”

Jackie skateboards off with Rock Johansen (on a homemade, Flintstones-like bike), Courier-chan on her own skateboard, and Penelope Spiderbite in rollerblades, among others following after her.

Marco: “As for the rest of you, (pulls a football out from behind his back) today we’re going to give football a go. It’s sort of like cornball, but weirdly both simpler and more complex.” (Tosses the football to Tom) “Will you get them start on the field, I need just a minute.”

Tom: “Will do.” (turning to group) “This way everybody.”

Marco watches everyone file towards the field, including Rich Pidgeon (in his mech suit) who’s making his way up next to Tom in the procession. Marco seems content, even as Janna steps up beside him with one of her mischievous grins.

Janna: “So how’s the honeymoon going?”

Marco (still smiling as he turns to face her, in the background you can see Tom pass Rich the ball): “Not gonna let you bait me today, Janna.”

Janna: “Liar, I always get you to take the bait.”

Marco: “Well there’s still some time left in the day for you to try I suppose. Though, before that, I need you to stop teaching everyone how to be…well, criminals.”

Janna (feigning surprise): “As if I would ever do such a thing.”

Marco (crossing his arms): “Yesterday I caught you teaching a class how to hack military software.”

Janna: “psh, that’s an important life skill.”

Marco: “It’s an illegal life skill is what it is.”

Camera jumps to the field where Rich still has the ball.

Rich (winding up a throw with his robot arm): “I’ve been studying this game, watch the ‘wicked’ spiral on this throw.” (throws the ball super hard)

Camera jumps to the parking lot, where Jackie is instructing everyone on how to keep their balance. She looks back towards the field and sees the ball arcing up and preparing to come down right towards Marco.

Jackie (shouting): “Diaz!”

Camera jumps back to Marco and Janna, who notice Jackie shouting something, but can only just make out that it has something to do with being behind them.

Jackie (now hard to hear from distance): “…behind…”

Marco (visibly confused): “What’s behind-” (turns towards the field as the football collides with his face).

Screen goes black. It’s silent for a few seconds, then slowly a voice starts to be heard. It’s faint, but repeating the same word over and over, each time becoming just a little clearer until you can finally hear…

Faded voice: “Muscles!”

[errantknightess]

Flavour of the day

Pairing: none // gen chocobros

Word count: 1,800

Summary: The saddest thing about Altissia is that the ice cream melts too fast

[Read on AO3]

The mild oceanic climate of Altissia was a lie. A merciless advertising scam, if Prompto were to be completely honest. They had maybe four hours in the morning before the temperature spiked way out of a tolerable range, and they never managed to drag Noct out of bed early enough to use that time. Now, a little past noon, the open bridges and plazas turned into a frying pan. Those smooth white walls might have looked like sculpted from snow, but up close they were almost scalding. Even the gentle breeze lifting from the canals didn’t help much. Prompto squinted at the waves lapping lazily at the sides of a passing gondola. What a heartless monster could build a city right on the water and then ban swimming?

“Guys, I think I’m dying,” he whined.

“If you can still think, surely it can’t be that bad.” Ignis’s voice was light and even, as if he hadn’t just climbed up and down a dozen flights of stairs under the blistering sun. Somehow, he still looked fresh as a daisy in his impeccable button-up; he barely rolled up his sleeves.

“Seriously!” Prompto wheezed, flopping against the bannister and flinching away just as quickly when the stone burned his bare arm. “Let’s find some shade before we all drop from heatstroke.”

Gladio snorted. He, at least, had the decency to sweat a bit.

“You climbed an active volcano and you can’t handle a little sun?”

“Easy for you to say, big guy. You’re not even wearing a shirt!”

“You can lose yours, too. Who’s stopping you?”

“No way, man!” Prompto tugged at his vest, flapping the thick denim in a vain attempt to fan himself with it. “This is my style. I can’t just ditch it!”

“If you say so.” Gladio clapped him on the back and walked past, into yet another sunlit street. Prompto followed him closely, trying to stay in the patch of shadow he cast and not be too obvious about it. Up ahead, Noct was already checking out his third fishing spot that day. This time, thank the gods, it was shaded.

“Dude, tell me this is a good place. I wanna stay here forever.” Prompto plopped down next to him, sprawling flat and boneless across the pier. The chilly paving against his skin was just about the best feeling ever. “Ugh, I feel like I’ve been cuddling with Ifrit.”

Noct nudged him with his foot, eyes never leaving the greenish depth before them.

“You okay?”

“I’ll live.” With a sigh, Prompto rolled over on his stomach to face the graceful buildings lining the other bank. The tall towers and colonnades piercing the clear blue sky shone like beacons, beckoning. Usually, watching Noct fish could get pretty boring – but not here. He could never get enough of those sights.

The camera appeared in his hands as soon as he thought of it, pure instinct at this point. He snapped a few shots right from where he sat, catching the whole waterfront panorama bit by bit. The sun was high, drawing deep shadows around the edges of carved facades and casting sparks off the rippling waves below. It hurt his eyes even through the viewfinder. With a flick of his hand, Prompto dismissed the camera back to the Armiger, but stayed on the lookout, drinking in the views all around.

Behind his back, the street opened into a small square, packed with people and bursting with colours. He spotted Ignis not far away, checking out some paintings at one of the stalls along the wall. Prompto’s eyes swept over the booths, over flowers and souvenirs – and stopped at something much more interesting.

“Hey, Noct!” he called, tapping his friend on the shin to get his attention. “Look!”

Noct didn’t look. Didn’t even look like he heard him. But Gladio did, and that was good enough.

“What is it?” he asked, in a tone that suggested anything would be better than sitting there and watching Noct lose the staring contest with the Cygillan Sea Bass. Prompto perked up, sending him a grateful glance behind their prince’s back.

“Over there.” He pointed to a stand at the far end, a little green cart with a glass lid and a sign that made his overheated heart sing with joy.

“Gelato?” Gladio peered at the letters with a thoughtful frown. “Might not be a bad idea. Hey, princess! Want some ice cream?”

Miraculously, Noct looked up at last, putting his rod away in a flash of blue light.

“Sure,” he said.

Prompto missed the shade as soon as they left the pier, but the closer they got to the cart, the more he became sure it was worth it. The mere sight of the overflowing tubs sparkling with frost on the edges made him feel cooler already.

“What have we here?” Ignis joined them in three quick strides, his eyes sharp as he studied the glass case.

“The ultimate Altissian dessert!” The nice older lady at the counter lit up with pride. “The same original recipe for over eighty years, in twenty three unique flavours. Care to get some, boys?”

“We gotta try, right?” Prompto looked pleadingly at his friends, even though the answer was obvious.

“Of course!” Ignis put on a small smile, the closest equivalent to giddy in his body language. “It would be a shame not to taste the local cuisine when the opportunity arises.”

The vendor gave him a little nod, clearly pleased to meet a fellow enthusiast of the craft. “What would you like, then?”

“The Veldorian wine sounds good.” Gladio looked up from the list on the display and dug in his pocket for loose change. “It says here it’s made with real wine, that true?”

“That’s right!” The vendor beamed at him as she handed him the cone. “Great choice, it’s one of our most popular flavours. What’s next?”

“Some of these seem rather unconventional.” Ignis tapped his chin, and it was plain to see he could barely keep himself from making notes right on the spot. “I’m feeling adventurous. Perhaps… Chocolate chili, please.”

Prompto whistled, camera at the ready. No way he could miss that expression.

“Whoa, Iggy! How’s that supposed to cool you down?”

The vendor smiled a knowing smile and passed Ignis his heaping scoop.

“Oh, it will do the job just fine, dear. And for you?”

“Man…” He could go cross-eyed looking at this rainbow of flavours. “So many choices… I have to think! Okay, okay, okay, ummm… Ulwaat berries?”

“Here you are.” And wow, that cone really deserved a photo, but Prompto was too afraid he’d drop it to risk maneuvering with the camera. He’d just have to treasure this memory forever in his mind.

“It’s so hard to decide, right?” He turned to Noct, stepping aside to make room for him in front of the display – but Noct didn’t even spare it a glance.

“Yeah,” he grunted and gave the vendor a slanted smile. “I don’t know. Surprise me.”

“Very well.” The vendor seemed surprised too, but she piled a generous scoop from a tub on the far end. “I hope you enjoy!”

Enjoy didn’t even start to describe it. As they weaved through the crowd, trying not to smear their precious treats onto passing people, Prompto felt closer to heaven with every second. Altissian gelato was so much better than the ice pops he’d had before – thick and creamy, and didn’t taste like licking the freezer door. There were even whole berries in it, too, bursting on his tongue like tiny bombs of vibrant flavour.

“This wine really packs a punch,” Gladio muttered, a praise he hardly ever doled out during training.

“Hope it doesn’t go to your head,” Prompto chuckled.

“No way. I’m not a lightweight like you to get drunk on a scoop of ice cream.”

“I dunno, dude. As our friend Dino would say, it’s a real big scoop.”

“Enough,” Gladio groaned and bit into his ice cream as if he wanted to freeze that pun out of his brain. Beside him, Ignis winced with abject horror.

“Have mercy, Gladio, this is no way to eat that.”

“What? This?” Gladio took another bite, looking him straight in the eye. Ignis squirmed, his face a perfect blend of misery and discomfort.

“Honestly. How can you stand doing this? Do try to savour it a little. Your teeth will thank you as well.”

Gladio’s teeth sank into the scoop again, unperturbed. “It’s faster this way.”

“Positively barbaric,” Ignis sighed fondly and reached to wipe a dollop of ice cream off Gladio’s nose. Gladio huffed, but didn’t stop him.

“What can I do, it’s good stuff.” He shrugged. “I’m not gonna wait for it to melt all over me like Prince Snoozy over here.”

Prompto glanced over to Noct, just in time to see a fat drop of ice cream slowly roll down the side of his cone.

“Watch out, Noct! You’re leaking!”

“Where?” Noct tipped his cone dangerously, and Prompto’s stomach twisted with fear for all that poor, beautiful ice cream.

“No, the other side! The other!”

“Don’t see it.”

“Dude.” Giving up, Prompto swooped in and licked the dripping bit before it could make a mess. Noct stared at him, barely restraining a smile.

“Gross,” he said flatly.

“Nah, it’s pretty good.” Prompto quickly turned back to his own cone to save it from sharing the same fate. “What is it, mango?”

“No idea.” Noct shrugged. “Didn’t see what she gave me.”

“I should taste it for you.” Gladio nudged him on the shoulder. “You know, just in case. It’s my duty as your Shield. Who knows what’s in it, right?”

Noct quickly moved his cone away from him.

“I’m halfway done with it already. Bit late for that.”

“Better safe than sorry.” Gladio leaned over and took a solid lick of Noct’s ice cream. “Hmmm, this is good. Hey, Iggy, give it a try!”

“I’m quite all right with my own, thank you.”

“No, Ignis, you should totally try it!” Prompto goaded, immediately catching on to that impish glint in Gladio’s eye. “Maybe you can figure out what flavour it is!”

“Yeah, and maybe it will inspire you for some new recipe.”

“You guys are horrible,” Noct decided, protectively stuffing half of his cone into his mouth.

“But that’s why you love us.” Prompto summoned his camera, mindless of the berry goop trickling over his fingers. He clicked the shutter button time and again, capturing Noct’s indignant face full of ice cream, Ignis stealing a lick from Gladio, all four of them with colourful smears over their smiles. They came out a bit blurry, with the blazing Altissian sun behind their backs, but it didn’t matter. Those were still some of the best shots he’d ever taken.

[fire-emblem-heroes-supports]

Michalis/Narcian C-S Support

Written by  airlock

C SUPPORT

Michalis: … Hm? Is there someone flying towards me?

Narcian: Ho, you there, with the awful lank hair!

Michalis: That’s King Michalis of Macedon to you. Who are you, anyway?

Narcian: Why, that’s a great question! I am the most sophisticated of the Wyvern Generals, the bravest champion of Bern, the truest hero since Hartmut, a warrior, statesman, and orator extraordinaire, Saint Elimine’s only work to surpass her own-

Michalis: Get to the point.

Narcian: My glorious name is Narcian, and I happen to have a bone to pick with you.

Michalis: Hmph. You’re not the first and you won’t be the last… Save your grievances for someone who cares to hear them. Because I do not. Least of all in a battlefield.

Narcian: What an uppity flea! Are you saying that there’s something more important to do than attending to my needs? Because nothing is more important than I!

Michalis: Do you know who I am, fool? If you knew, you wouldn’t speak to me so freely. You would kneel and tremble before me!

Narcian: Normally, I wouldn’t know one worm from the other. But your actions have been unacceptable enough to capture even the great Narcian’s attention. You should be truly ashamed!

Michalis: Shame? That’s a worthless feeling. Only those who rise above these petty trappings can accomplish their ambitions… But if you would learn a thing or two of shame, all you have to do is watch me in combat and be humbled. Here, I will grant you just such an opportunity!

Narcian: Stop at this instant! That abhorrent behavior of yours is precisely what I must correct! If you simply keep running through each insignificant bug in our path, there won’t be any left for me to crush! How am I to show off to our superiors my stunning abilities and worthiness of high status if I’m not given hordes of miserable clods to shine against?

Narcian: … Why, you! How dare you ride away while the great Narcian speaks to you! Fly that ugly wyvern back here this instant! Obey me, you filthy, mutt-biting flea!

[Michalis and Narcian have reached support rank C.]

B SUPPORT

Narcian: Aha! Finally, I have clawed through the dirt enough to dig up this flailing worm again! … I speak to you, witless simpleton!

Michalis: Oh, it’s you. I thought you might have been talking to your own reflection. You were calling for a witless simpleton, after all.

Narcian: What nonsense! Everyone knows that I don’t take to battlefields with mirrors on them, lest I, not my enemies, become distracted by my radiant glory!

Michalis: Enough of this inane tangent. Whatever it is you have to say – just be done with it at once, and pray for dear life that I’ll find it worthy of my attention.

Narcian: Hmhmhmhm!! You will rue the day when you’ve disobeyed the great Narcian, for I have seen through your charade! You may act superior and bark threats all you like, you may even continue to shamelessly steal my rightful glory, but I know who you really are now!

Michalis: What in the world are you talking about?

Narcian: In your own world, you were a figure worthy of the historical records. Not for greatness – but for notoriety! You, who thought to teach me something of grace or combat… Was utterly defeated on every contest of such things!

Narcian: Well, what do you have to say to this? Are you in awe of my library-trawling prowess? No secret is kept well enough to evade my cunning!

Michalis: … Hmph. If you would hear what I have to say about this… it would be that wasting so much effort to dredge up a man’s history over some fool trifle is truly graceless.

Michalis: And if you absolutely had to do such a thing, you’d have wasted much less time asking around, for I’m exactly as notorious as you say and I do not hide from my past.

Michalis: And since you must have neglected to train while you were wasting your time in this diatribe, your combat abilities-

Narcian: Oh, that’s it! I’ve heard enough from your fraudulent, mud-crusted mouth! The time has come for me to show you my superiority through my raging axe, rather than my melodious words! Come at me, cur! Be honored that you get to witness my peerless skills firsthand, but be utterly terrified as-

Michalis: No. I will waste no blade of mine on such low scum while I can whet my appetite for battle on these perfectly able Emblian soldiers instead. Farewell, and don’t ever bother me again.

Narcian: Aaaargh!! How dare you demote me like this, Zephiel!!!

Michalis: …

Narcian: …

Michalis: … Hah. And now, you know of a MUCH simpler way to dredge up a man’s shameful past!

Narcian: Noooooo!!!

[Michalis and Narcian have reached support rank B.]

A SUPPORT

Michalis: How many today? Just three? Pitiful. I’m more than warrior enough for all of-

Emblian soldier: Now!

Michalis: Huh? Oh! You cravens!

Emblian soldier: You’re surrounded! Drop your weapons and surrender!

Michalis: Tch! As if! Bring your whole army before me, I dare you! You won’t see me surrendering even then!

Michalis: … Gnrk! I hate to admit, these cravens fight well…

Michalis: … Haaah…

Narcian: Ha! Scatter before me, you Emblian roaches!

Emblian soldier: Urk!

Emblian soldier: Gah!

Narcian: Who else dares stand in the great and mighty Narcian’s way? That’s right! You’d all better retreat! Run, and tell your masters that you were defeated by none other than me!

Michalis: If this is your idea of saving my life… You’re wasting your energy once again… I’ve been much closer to death… than… this…

Narcian: You dare misconstrue my intentions! You, who have wounded my pride, and then done it twice: listen well! If your miserable life is taken by some lowly Emblian clods, then my revenge will be lost! That would simply not stand!

Narcian: I will now ferry you back to quarters, and you will rest. Rest and heal, fool, so that when you’ve recovered, I will appear and cut you down once again! And each time you are healed, I will claw into you once more, until I have exacted my glorious, bloody vengeance! Only then will you have my permission to die! Have I made myself clear?!

Michalis: … Heh. Heheheh. Ahahahahah!!

Narcian: Stop wasting your breath at once! If you twist yourself to death on my wyvern’s back, I will personally have you killed! And then, I will round up your whole family and do unspeakable deeds to each one of them!

Michalis: Ahahahahahahahaaaaaah!!!

Michalis: Hah… hah… To most of my family, you may do as you will. But if you so much as point that forked tongue of yours towards my sister Maria, you will taste my wrath and your own blood, regardless of whether I’m dead.

Narcian: Hmhmhmhmhm… So if it comes to that… I know who to start with…

Narcian: … Stop struggling at once, you damned fool! At this rate, you will tear open every single one of your wounds at once and then fall off the wyvern!

[Michalis and Narcian have reached support rank A.]

S SUPPORT

Narcian: A fine evening to you, burrowing rat! I have come to see how your injuries fare. Depending on how well they are, today may be the first of many days when you know the chilly bite of my emerald!

Narcian: But first, you may thank the great Narcian, for he is as strong as he is magnanimous. Indeed, he has decided not to harm your precious “Muriah”, for he has-

Michalis: Hm?

Narcian: What in Saint Elimine’s vast Elibe is this?!

Michalis: Heh. It’s not every day that you see a king do a squire’s work, I’ll grant, but is it truly so unusual?

Michalis: I should explain. Polishing my wyvern’s silver barding is work that I can trust no one else with. Your average serving clod would just soak it in common polish… That sort of foul goop will irritate a wyvern’s scales severely. So, you see, if I’d have my royal mount receive the treatment it deserves, with the right materials and the right techniques, I must see to it on my own-

Narcian: Oh, this glorious sight!! I can’t peel my eyes away from it!! What a spectacle!! What shining beauty!!

Michalis: Excuse me?!

Narcian: It’s almost impossible to believe that such perfection can be made in flesh!! It must be the work of the gods themselves!! They made this, and they broke the mold, because such majesty must be kept safe from itself!!

Michalis: Heh. I should have known that this was your true angle, from how intensely you pursued me. I’ll admit that this flattery is… interesting, at least.

Narcian: Oh, what would I even do after being struck by such an image of divinity…

Michalis: Hm? A sudden question… But I can think of something. After all, even if your motives must be so byzantine, you’ve proven yourself as a warrior. And if I have able warriors at my side, then I will be another step closer to accomplishing my grand ambitions…!

Narcian: Anything! I would do anything to preserve this wondrous sight!!

Michalis: Excellent. We have an agreement, then. Once our battles for Askr are done, seek me out. By then, I will know which battles fate shall take us to next. But listen! Your life is now mine to command, so, don’t you dare go wasting it on some Emblian worms.

Michalis: Now, if you’ll excuse me. My work with this croupiere is done, so I will put the barding away and get started on the saddle. So, until the next battle, I suppose.

Narcian: … Oh, Narcian, when will you ever learn? You should’ve averted your eyes from that highly reflective surface before it was too late… Ah, but how could I resist my incredible charm for even a passing moment? The blame is on whoever left all that polished silver just lying around. When I find out who did this, I will threaten their entire family! But maybe… a little less of it than usual, since gazing into that wondrous image is always a sublime experience…

[Michalis and Narcian have reached support rank S.]