#and maybe the little crab spiders cause of the way they walk

[luna-pun]

Tfw your front and back yards have such diverse little ecosystems that you find spiders that come from whole other countries.

[futurebicon]

Carolina

Marine Biologist AU that no one asked for but I wrote because I miss my second home. Probably two parts.

Very brief mention of a family members death

"Hi welcome to-" Leo stopped his normal speech when he was met with the two most gorgeous men he had ever laid eyes on. "Welcome to the Fort Fisher aquarium. I'm your tour guide Leo and this is Regulus." He somehow managed to snap out of his shock even though the greeting was all muscle memory.

“Two guides. Must be special." The red haired one laughed a laugh that made doves fly. "I'm Finn." He shook their hands.

"That and both of us wanted a break from sticky children trying to swim with the sharks and gators." Reg smiled.

"Sharks? Like ocean sharks? And ocean alligators?" The shorter one asked in shock and a lot more than a sprinkle of fear.

'Fuck he's adorable' Leo swore internally. "Alligators are typically fresh water reptiles but if you are asking if they are real sharks and alligators, than no. They're they’re hyperealalistic mechanical sculptures." He kept a straight face.

"Cute and funny." Finn flashed him a smile after another angelic laugh.

Leo had to remind himself to not die right then and there.

“Don't worry, Logan" Finn told the other one. "I'll protect you from the scary teeth, baby."

Now Leo was sad.

“Oh yeah, right after you stop ogling over our hot tour guide."

Now Leo was slightly less sad and confused.

“Actually." Regulus pulled out his phone. "Our manager just texted and said he needs someone in the gift shop. Have fun." He left with a pat on Leos back.

Leo glared as he walked away, they didn't get texts from anyone for any assignment. Hence the walkie talkies on their belt loops.

“So, follow me and we can start the tour." +++

“This is our 235,000 gallon tank." Leo stood over top of the two story tall tank. In here we have our eagle rays, round stingrays, whiptail stingrays, hammerhead sharks, sandbar sharks, sand tiger sharks, hammerhead sharks. We also have two moray eels and an abundance of fish including shanks and groupers. And a personal favorite, Sheldon the green sea turtle.” Leo stood on the rusted grate with ease as if he didn’t care about the hammerhead only a few feet away from his toes.

“Um, this is great and all but can we not stand on the edge without a railing?” Logan stayed as far away as he could an the 2 feet wide walkway.

“You’re completely safe don’t worry.” Leo flashed a reassuring smile.

“Okay yeah but-”

“Stop being a baby, Lo.” Finn poked his side.

“I’m sorry I’m scared of falling into a 23 foot deep death cylinder filled with sharks.” Logan defended himself.

“Alright we can go officially start the tour.” Leo laughed. “But we do have to walk across the tank.”

“We what?” Logan asked.

“It’s okay. Just don’t look down.” He decided to risk a wink.

“Listen to the hot guide, babe.” Finn kissed Logan’s cheek. “I’ll hold your hand.”

“I love you, Harzy. But I do not trust you enough to not try and scare me.”

“I promi- no I don’t. Fine.” Finn whined when his plans were spoiled.

“Alright, let’s go.” Leo laughed.

They got across the walkway with only a few exaggerated wobbles to scare Logan. And a very grumpy Logan when Leo told him there was another way around the tank.

+++

“So here we have our bald eagle Maverick.” Leo walked up to the opened enclosure. “He’s five years old and has been here since he was two. He was found on the side of the road nearly starved after being hit by a car. If you look at his left wing you can see it juts out a little. That is due to the bones fusing together incorrectly and it makes him unable to ever fly again.” He recited the well known script.

“Poor baby” Finn stuck his bottom lip out.

Leo blinked away the urge to kiss the sad look off his face.

“If we walk up here you can see the aquariums prized possession.” Leo smiled. “Luna the albino Alligator.”

“Oh my god.” Finn hurried over to the glass.

“She looks like you, lover. Pale as fuck.” Logan teased.

“Luna is one of just 100 recorded albino alligators world wide.”

“World wide?” Logan asked in shock.

“Yeah. It’s an extremely rare genetic mutation and due to the inability to hide from predators they’re numbers are next to zero. Very soon they’ll be no more albino gators.”

“What happened to that alligators toes?” Logan pointed at the dark green alligator.

“That’s Gantur. He still hasn’t learn that Luna’s the leader.”

“She bit them off?” Logan’s eyes went wide.

“Don’t underestimate her. Ready to continue?”

+++

“This is my favorite exhibit.” Leo’s face lit up as they walked up to the touch pool.

“Touch anything as long as you use two fingers and don’t pick anything up.”

“Are those stingrays?” Finn pointed towards the end of the touch pool.

“Yeah. They’re still babies and their stingers have been trimmed. Their barbs are like thumbnails and can be clipped monthly without any harm.”

“What are those?”

Leo’s face lit up impossibly more.

“These are horseshoe crabs.” He held onto one of the dark greenish brown banjo shaped creature.

“They are also called living fossils due to the fact that they haven’t evolved at all since the dinosaurs, around 450 million years. It’s mostly due to the fact that they didn’t need anything added or taken away for survival. They were made perfectly. Now their tails.” He pointed to the long stick like end as it moved around with the help of what looked like scaley gills. “Most people look at it and think it will hurt. But it won’t hurt at all. They are extremely, extremely clumsy and use the long tail to flip themselves back over.”

“Sounds like you.” Finn kissed Logan.

“Rude.” Logan scoffed.

“Horseshoe crabs aren’t actually crabs at all. They’re actually more closely related to scorpions and spiders. Watch.” Leo smirked and flipped it over.

There were five pairs of claws moving around as the gills moved up and down like abs, causing the tail to move with it.

“Here-” Leo grabbed Logan’s hand, he tried hard to ignore the way his skin burned. “Touch it.”

“Oh no I’m okay to just look.”

“Come on, just touch it.” Leo begged. “Please just touch it.” He pouted.

“Oh my fuck you’re adorable.” Logan voiced Leo’s exact same thoughts from before.

“Here” he blushed and bit his lib to contain the smile. “Touch it.” He guided Logan’s hand down to the center of the legs, desperately trying to not think about how close they were. Logan’s t-shirt touching his blue polo shirt with his name stitched in the side. The way he could feel Logan’s breathing against his side, the way his leg was pressed between Logans le- stop it.

“Eww that feels weird” Logan’s laughed raised goosebumps on his arm.

“You’re touch his mouth.”

“Ew ew ew ew” Logan pulled his hand away quickly as Finn cackled.

“You asshole” Logan laughed as he pushed Leo lightly.

“Sorry, but it’s funny.” Leo laughed.

“You are now my second favorite person on earth.” Finn put a hand on Leo’s shoulder. “Oh my god I’m crying.” He wiped his eyes.

“Wouldn’t mind if he stayed our favorite.” Logan smiled.

Leo blushed and moved onto the regular view of the huge tank.

+++

“So how’d you get a job here?” Logan asked Leo as they walked around.

“I’ve lived on the island my whole life and started volunteering here when I was 13.” He explained. “I’m going to UNCW for marine biology. Are you two just here for vacation? Even though it’s April.”

“No. We’re actually moving down here. My grandparents owned the arcade on the boardwalk and left it to me once they passed.” Finn told him.

“Oh. I’m sorry about their passing.”

“It’s okay. Didn’t really know them at all.”

“Well I’ll hopefully see you around.”

“Maybe you don’t have to hope.”

Leo tilted his head in confusion.

“We were just wondering if you would want to show us around the island.” Logan told him. “We’ve only been here for a few days and this is the first place we’ve been to. Not even the beach.”

“Oh that’s nearly a sin.” Leo teased. “I’d love to show you guys around. I get off in an hour.”

“Perfect.” Finn said happily. “Do you want to drive over to our house and then switch cars or do you need to change?”

“That’ll work. There’s a locker room and since there’s next to no one here considering the time of year Evan will probably let me leave early.” Leo couldn’t hide his smile as they walked into the brightly lit gift shop.

Logan let out a loud gasp and ran over to the 6 foot long jellyfish stuffie. “I want it.”

“It’s tentacles are going to strangle you, love.” Finn shook his head.

“Kinky” Logan wiggled his eyebrows.

Finn scoffed as three other people in the quiet store laughed.

“Oh hi again Regulus.” Logan smiled at the black haired man who was sitting on the countertop beside the register tossing a brightly colored foam ball with turtles on it between his hands.

“Hey” He smiled back.

“What’d they need help with down here?” Finn looked around the empty room cluelessly.

“He didn’t help me?” The girl beside him raised an eyebrow. “Hi, Rue by the way.” She waved before going back to glaring at Regulus. “Did Evan tell you to help me?”

“No.” Reg smirked. “Just wanted to leave Leo alone with his crushes.”

“Reg” Leo pushed him.

“It’s mutual.” Finn said and Logan nodded.

“Okay. I’m gonna go ask Evan if I can get off early so I can show you a tour of the island and then get changed and I’ll be back down.” Leo changed the subject quickly.

“They’ll show you a tour of their bedroom and then get you off early.” Rue said quietly but not quiet enough. Leo shoved her hard as Logan, Finn, and Reg cackled.

+++

“So are we ready?” Leo walked back down in shorts and a UNCW t-shirt.

A cropped UNCW t-shirt.

“Uh- yeah. Yeah. Um, yeah.” Finn stuttered failing to make it look like he wasn’t staring at Leo’s tan abs.

Finn on the other hand had no shame. His eyes raked his entire body as his mouth went dry.

“Alright. I’ll follow you guys?”

“Huh? Oh yeah.” Logan nodded.

“Get it Knut.” Reg cupped his hands over his mouth and shouted as they left the gift shop and headed outside to the 100 degree weather.

@lumosinlove

[anxiouslyfred]

Escaped Crab

Summary: Virgil loses his soul animal in the supermarket, but finds it again when a call for a found crab gets screamed through the aisles.

/\/\

There was no crab anywhere near him and that was very much an issue for Virgil. It wasn't that he particularly cared for crabs as an animal, but that when your soul animal vanishes there's usually plenty of cause for concern.

It could have disappeared at any point from when he'd entered the store. Virgil had very much been hoping that today's grocery trip would be a quick task, go in get everything on his list and possibly something extra and then head home. Searching the entire store to try and find his soul animal was a concern he hadn't even imagined facing, and he was already looking around frantically for a clue over where.

The crab was a cantankerous thing, usually found clipping at his heals and causing Virgil to jump a foot in the air when nothing was happening by pinching his ankle. It had caused some uncomfortable situations when people asked what was wrong. Saying your soul animal was causing trouble was usually frowned upon given it was the way to meet your soulmate.

“Hello! Has anybody lost a crab? We have located a lost crab under the freezers!” The call through the supermarket had Virgil going to investigate. Either there was an actual crab loose and his knowledge from his soul animal might help get it somewhere safe, or someone had found his animal and revealed themself to be his soulmate.  It gave him a momentary focus for his steps at least, rather than frantically rushing around the store.

On the aisle, Virgil could see a man holding his soul animal above his head. The crab had a sharp grip around his finger definitely wouldn't be letting go easily. Then again, given everything about the man screamed for attention, from torn or spiked clothes, to the highlighted hair and ostentatious make-up. Seriously, Virgil might do some eyeshadow under his eyes that could get odd looks occasionally but this guy looked like it wouldn't be worse if he'd just scribbled on his face with felt-tip pens.

“I did lose my crab, but that looks like you've annoyed him to much to give back for a while.” Virgil called, getting his attention and that of the people stood either side of him.

One of them was dressed as though they'd just left a formal office and come this way. They turned to Virgil curiously“Well I suppose that does confirm that the crab is not just yours changing shape again. I'm Logan by the way, Non-binary, they/them pronouns.”

“His doesn't shape-shift, Logan. It's a spider. I've told you before.” The final person of the group insisted, before also turning to face Virgil. “Hey there, Kiddo. I'm Patton, He/Him pronouns and I'm sure your crab will come over to you easily.”

His soulmate was still stood with his arms in the air, one balancing the soul crab while the other was pinched and clung onto. He was looking at Virgil intently now as though waiting for something else to be said, a mischievous grin growing at his friends words. It was obvious why since there was a racoon perched on his shoulders, looking very close to jumping down given how little space there was with his arms raised.

Virgil held out his arms and let it climb over to him instead. “Don't know what you two have been told but this little fellow is not a spider nor can I believe it shape-shifts at all. I'm Virgil, He/him. Are you one of the guys that named your soul animal or have you accepted they are generally wild, uncontrollable creatures, that could only just be seen as tame?”

“Remus, he/him, and if I ever came close to thinking he was anything more than a wild creature I'd find all my clothes turned into a nest, or that he vanished into some tiny hiding place somewhere in my flat. Cautious dude, really, but no names ever matched who he his. If I need to call him, I just say Anxious Cuddlebug.” Remus had lowered his arms while he spoke, rolling his neck around a bit.

“Sounds like the opposite of that crab. It's literally chased me out of the house pinching my ankles when it's decided I've spent to long at home a few times.” Virgil snorted. “What does that say about how we're going to get along?”

Logan cleared his throat, “Well reason would suggest that Remus is going to bring you out of your comfort zone and into new experiences while if whatever his animal is likes to hide and make nests, then perhaps you are going to encourage him to take breaks, and slow down his relentless crusades for adventure or chaos disrupting the status quo of our city.”

Virgil raised his eyebrows at that, frowning a little. “Well that all sounds wonderful, but I've got shopping to pay for and would really rather get to know Remus without an audience, particularly of his friends. So I'm keeping this little guy, and Remus can follow my crab back later or something.” He decided, glancing from Logan, to Patton and finally to Remus.

He hadn't had any close friends since he finished high school and honestly felt a bit overwhelmed to be talking to the trio at once. That didn't stop him from relaxing when Remus was quick to start following after him, thankfully alone.

“That's the best way I've seen someone tell that pair to gets stuffed ever. Call them out for pushing their presence on us and walk away without ever getting scolded for being rude. They shouldn't be so mean as to pressure someone that prefers to hide, especially if your soul animal literally demonstrates the behaviour.” Remus bounced along, the shaking finally getting Virgil's crab to release his finger and instead cling onto a couple of the spiked wristbands he wore.

“You learn all the polite ways to tell someone to fuck off working retail. Does this mean you're following me home, or just back to my car?” Virgil asked, holding an arm out for the crab to scuttle onto him while they loaded the checkout with his groceries.

Remus grinned, scooping his racoon up. “Just try and lose me now, Smudges. I'll follow you to the end of the earth if I think you're an adventure.”

Virgil snorted, “Pretty sure that's your job, not mine. I'd prefer a movie night, watch a couple horror flicks that have just got released.”

“Okay, but tomorrow I'm dragging you with me somewhere. Maybe cliff diving?” Remus agreed far more easily than the crab had ever given in to Virgil. Thank goodness there was still a difference in the characters of his animal and his soulmate; He could cope with that.

[bri206]

Soulmates Part 4

Later that night after the credits were long gone, Oliver looked down to see her glasses askew  and hair in several different places. A soft smile crosses his lips, as he gently reached over to turn off the movie, causing the room to go in darkness.

After getting out from under her, he lifts her up effortlessly and takes her back to the master bedroom. Laying her down on the queen size bed, he goes through their night ritual, scraping her of her slippers, tucking her under the sheets and last but not least, pulling off her glasses and laying them on the nightstand. After shedding everything but his boxers, he joins his wife in her bed. One thing he is happy that hasn’t changed, is the act of falling asleep in her arms.

The next morning, Oliver wakes to an annoying buzzing sound. Opening his eyes, he immediately sees his wife wrapped around him like a spider monkey. For a second he thinks that he just woke from a cruel dream, but then everything halts that chance at hope, when his phone goes off again, Not wanting to disturb Felicity, he slowly reaches for the phone beside her glasses on the nightstand.

“Hello?”

“Ollie? Oh thank god, where have you been, I’ve been calling you for the last 30 minutes.”

The moment her voice hits his ears, Oliver’s eyes go wide.

“Laurel” he whispers.

“Yes, Laurel, who else would it be?”

“No one, ummm, what do you need Laurel?”

“I need to know why you bailed on me last night. Ollie, last night was supposed to be a huge night for us.”

Deciding he didn’t want to have this conversation with his wife literally clinging to him, he slowly untangles her and gets out of the bed and heads to the living room.

“Laurel look, I’m sorry ok, I came down with a… bug.”

“Wait you got sick last night? Was it the shrimp, I knew there was something off about those apps.”

“What? Uh, yeah it was the shrimp.”

“Oh, well do you want me to come over and take care of you?” “NO.” he clears his throat. “I mean no, you don’t need to be around me, and besides I’m pretty sure I’m getting better.”

“Are you sure, because that’s what girlfriends do, take care of their boyfriends.”

Cringing at the title and situation Laurel just explained, Oliver pinches the bridge of his nose.

“I’m sure Laurel.”

At the end of his sentence he hears footsteps behind him. Looking up he sees Felicity wiping sleep out of her eyes and giving him a questioning look. Shaking his head he silently assures her it’s nothing.

“Ok, well then I’ll come and check on you in a little bit.”

“Laurel you really don’t have to do that-”

“I’ll see you in an hour, I love you.”

“Laurel-”

‘Click’

“Laurel?”

Taking the phone away from his ear, he sees the call has ended.

Sighing, he closes his eyes.

“Girlfriend problems? Or is it ex-girlfriend problems, because…”

He gives her an adorable  look that says ‘please stop’

“Did I wake you?”

Walking in between his legs, she says “Only when I got cold and realized my space heater was no longer there.”

“Is that all I am to you? A source of heat?” “And very attractive sight for my eyes.”

Leaning down, she kisses him.

“Good morning.”

“Morning” he says in his husky voice.

Leaning back up and heading to the kitchen for coffee, she asks, “So what did Laurel want?”

“Oh you know an explanation on why I left her early last night.”

“And let me guess, the excuse was … you live in a bad neighborhood so you had to get home early?”

“You’re never going to let me live that down are you?”

“Never” she whispers.

“ I do hope you didn’t tell her that the real reason you left her was to see the woman that has your heart and watch Return of the Jedi?”

“No, I thought it’d be best if I told her that I got food poisoning.” He says wrapping his arms around her.

“The crab cakes?”

“Shrimp.”

Before he can kiss her again, his phone goes off again.

“Argh, I’m sorry.”

“It’s ok , you should probably go anyway, people are going to be wondering where the prince of Starling is, if he doesn’t show up soon. And judging by how you conversation ended, I’m going to say that Ollie has some issues to work out.

“Let me at least make you breakfast first.”

“As much as I would love that, I can’t, I’m already running late.”

“Then I’ll make you toast.” “You are one determined man Oliver Queen.”

As he starts to prepare the toast, she goes back to her room to get dressed.

After about five minutes of content silence, Oliver remembers something.

“So, I never asked, did you come up with a plan yesterday?”

Walking into the room in a black pencil skirt and red top, she sighs while putting her hair in its signature ponytail.

“No, I mean I really came up blank yesterday, but in my defense I was doing double time. You?”

“I got nothin.”

“Well we better come up with something, and soon, because if we’re still here in two weeks our situation is going to become even more difficult.”

“The Gambit.”

“Yeah. As much as I don’t want you to endure that again, you’re gonna have to get on that boat if the time comes.”

“I know” looking down at their intertwined hands, he meets her eyes again. “I know.”

“Hey, but that is worse case scenario, I promise. Right now we just need to find a way to get in contact with Sara, which will be my mission for the day.”

Going off for the third time in ten minutes, Oliver is very tempted to shatter his phone against the wall.

Looking down at the flashing screen that says 10 missed calls, 20 missed messages, & 5 voice mails. Felicity takes a deep breath and simply lays a loving kiss on his cheek.

“Lock up on the way out will you?” she says as she grabs the toast and coffee Oliver prepared for her, and heads for the door.

“Yeah. Felicity.”

“Yeah?”

“I love you.”

“I love you too.”

And with one final step out the door, Oliver is left alone with his thoughts, and they weren’t good.

When he opens the door to the mansion, the first person he runs into is one of the last people he wants to speak to, his mother.

“Oliver, where have you been? You left so abruptly last night, I got worried.”

“Yeah, sorry, Laurel had a headache.”

“Oh, did you stay with her last night?” “Um, no.”

“No?”

“I stayed with… Tommy. Laurel had a really bad headache and I didn’t want to disturb her so I dropped her off and headed to Tommy’s.”

“Oh”

“Yeah, so umm I’m just gonna go lay down.”

“Ok” she simply says as she watches him go up the stairs and disappear behind the wall.

Walking into his room, he immediately closes the door and sighs. Everything was not going well, and he knew if they stayed here any longer it would be inevitable for things to change, and he couldn’t let things change because no matter how much he hated those 5 years, he wouldn’t give them up if that meant he got to have Felicity and William.

‘William’ how easy would it be to just write a letter to his son and save so many years of pain and questions for him. But he couldn’t because there could be so many consequences if he did. But even that thought didn’t stop him from gazing at his desk, or slowly walking over to it and sitting down. But before he could grab the pen, there was a knock at the door, and someone entering.

Thinking that it was Laurel, his shoulders immediately went tense and his senses on alert.

“Hey man”

At the sound of a deep familiar voice, Oliver’s demeanor went slack. Turning around, his eyes went soft.

“Tommy”

“Uhh it’s the one and only, no need to get all nostalgic or anything.”

“Sorry, umm, it’s been a morning.”

“Yeah your telling me, have you seen the headlines?” “What headlines?”

“The one where Oliver Queen goes to an unknown Thai place near the glades in full out suit and tie.”

Standing up, he immediately takes the phone out of Tommy’s hand.

“Oh no” he whispers.

“Man, I swear you could sweat a bead and people would go crazy” Tommy says flopping on the bed. “People will do about just anything to make a buck and get your attention.”

Noticing that Oliver isn’t paying attention, Tommy waves his hand.

“Yoohoo, Earth to Oliver. Dude that is literally the least you need to worry about, I mean who cares, you were getting Thai. Although that is a bit odd, since when do you like Thai?”

Finally looking up from the article, he processes everything his friend just said.

“Look it’s a big deal because, I may have lied to Laurel on where I was last night.”

Knowing that his comment is risky considering the fact that he knows Tommy is in love with Laurel, has him being hesitant. But then he remembers that past him didn’t know that so he tries to put it off like he doesn’t care. For a second he swears that he sees a hint of hurt in his friend’s eyes, but just like that it was gone.

“So where does she think you were last night?”

“Here, sick. But my mom thinks that I was with you.”

“Oh Ollie, always the one stuck in a web of lies. Your lucky I like you, and I guess I can lie for you, as long as you tell me where you really were last night.”

Oliver knows that his friend was not in the dark when it came to his indiscretions, in fact sometimes he encouraged it, which made this a little bit easier for him, no matter how much he hated this part of his life.

“I was with a girl last night.”

“Are you just gonna keep me hangin on this, I mean I could just simply accidently let it slip that you never made it back to my place last night. Unless you gave me deats. Was she hot? A good lay?”

“OK, yes she was hot and really good in bed.”

Those weren’t lies and he doesn't feel bad for bragging about his wife, in fact that’s what a husbands supposed to do right?

“And for the record, you wouldn’t have outed me.”

“You my friend are right, gotta keep that promise we made back in second grade.”

Before he can respond, there is another knock at the door. Laurel carefully walks in.

“Hey Ollie, I brought you some chicken noodle soup.”

She stops when she sees Tommy.

“Laurel look I appreciate it but I really am ok, like I said I was.”

“Yeah it’s a miracle, he can walk again.”

“Shut up Merlyn”

“Ok Lance, just trying to help.” Turning her attention back to Oliver, she asks, “So now that you’re feeling better maybe we can go get some breakfast or something.”

“I-”

Before he can say anything, his phone goes off. Pulling it out of his pocket, he sees it’s an unknown number.

‘SOS’

His alerts immediately go into overdrive, but then go down slightly when the next message goes through.

‘It’s Felicity by the way’

“I have to go.”

“But Ollie, what about breakfast?”

“I’m sorry Laurel, my dad needs me right now, but I’ll call you later” he says leaving the room.

When he gets to QC, he practically runs to her office, looking for the threat. When he arrives, he immediately sees her standing in front of something and thinking really hard. When she sees him creeping in, she gives off a little huff.

“Relax Oliver, I’m not in danger.”

At those words, he slightly relaxes.

“You sent an SOS, what am I supposed to think?”

“Oh yeah, that, it wasn’t because I was in danger, It’s because of this.” She says pointing at a board she created with sticky notes.

“What is this?”

“This is my plan to get back home.”

“That tone doesn’t sound promising.”

“That would be because we can’t do everything else unless I get a computer. And before you say I can buy one for you, A- I can’t wait & B- None of them are what I need. Which leads me back to square one.”

“Which is what exactly?

“Me here talking to you. Oliver, I’m running out of ideas, and we need to get out of here before things change.”

“It might be a little late for that.”

Turning around abruptly to meet his eyes that are currently looking down at her desk. “What do you mean to late? What did you do?”

“Nothing… Ok it was something, but it shouldn’t be that big of a deal.”

“What did you do?”

“Well apparently there’s a photo and article floating around about me buying our Thai food last night.”

“Ok. What were you supposed to be doing?”

“I was supposed to go back with Laurel last night.”

“And there’s more. Why was last night so significant?”

“I remembered this morning that, she was going to tell me that she was thinking about going to law school, but she didn’t know if it was a good idea because she wanted to wait for me, and I was supposed to tell her to go for it, but…”

“Are you telling me that because you did not have that conversation last night, Laurel Lance may never become a lawyer, meaning that she won’t be able to get us out of our situations. Oh god Oliver, this is not good. In fact this is really bad.”

“I know. I know.”

“And there’s also the fact that if she sees this article, she’ll know I was lying,  which-”

“I got it” she says putting her hands up to stop him. Taking a deep breath, Felicity starts to process. “Ok I will deal with the article, and you need to figure out how to have that conversation.”

He nods his head.

“And Oliver, don’t touch anything. I mean it.”

“I won’t, I promise.”

As he is about to leave a thought occurs to him.

“Hey you said that no one has the technology that you need right?”

“Uh yeah.”

“Well you’re wrong, because we do know someone that has advanced tech that could get a signal through.”

“And who would that be…. No, No absolutely not.”

“Felicity think about it ARGUS is our only bet.”

“Yeah but you’re forgetting something, we don’t have friends in the inside, meaning we can’t just waltz in and take anything we want.”

“No but have you forgotten who I am?”

“Don’t you mean who you will be?”

“Felicity, while I may not have powers like Barry or Kara, I do have my brain and my skills. That is my superpower. So what makes this any different than a recon mission in our own time?” “Well, we kind of don’t have the equipment. And we can’t forget that Amanda Waller is in charge.”

“Look I will deal with everything and I will pick you up after work.”

He turns to leave.

“Whoa, wait what? After work, we can’t just leave.”

“Felicity we don’t have a choice and the sooner you get the equipment you need, the sooner we can get back to William.”

At his name everything goes away, and she knows for a fact that he’s right.

“Ok. I’ll be ready.”

Nodding his head, he simply says “Good” and walks out to clean up his mess. 

@candykizzes24 @wherethereissmoak @ao3feed-oliverfelicity @almondblossomme @dreamalongwithamy @smkkbert @miriam1779  @jcc04220 @emisfritish @smoakqueenalways @leuska

[hairyharryhair]

Spider Woman Part 7

Masterlist

Part 6

Sorry about not posting last week! This week is a double though!

Word Count: 1784

8 times. So far 8 times. 8 fucking times had Niall managed to get a hole in one at this damn mini-golf game. You had always liked mini-golf. Thought it was cute how literally everything was miniature. From the sets on the course to the golf club. You loved mini-golf, but you definitely weren’t very good at it.

“Ok so like when I suggested we go mini-golfing I literally just wanted an excuse for you to wrap your arms around me all cliche like.” You confessed as you go on your 9th try to get the ball in the hole. Niall smiles at you from the end of the course, leaning on his club like he had been for the last 10 minutes.

“Well love, I can do that but you’re simply too cute when you’re strugglin.” He laughs and you rolled your eyes.

“Oh just come here and help me!” You huff and he smiles as he sets his club down and comes over to help you.

He came up behind you, wrapping his arms around you and clasping the club over your hands. You could feel him take a deep breath in through his chest, the warmth of his skin seeping through your lilac sweater. You could feel his thighs pressing into your bum, he was surprisingly a lot taller than you had expected so you were tiny in comparison to him. You were also suddenly very conscious of your feet, careful that your black boots didn’t step on his blue suede vans. You were also very conscious of how hot your body was. Were you just sweaty? You didn’t think so, but what did he think? You are used to the cold New England weather, not this constant heat that clouded over California. So did you really know if you were too sweaty? No, you could only hope that maybe Niall couldn’t tell.

“Alright, so it’s a slight hill right?” He whispered in your ear, his hot breath fanning over the side of your face and you couldn’t help but feel the shiver run down your spine. “So there’s this little technique I used to use when there is a little hill, you have to put a little more pressure on but not too much cause you don’t want to go over. You’ve been hitting it too hard and it’s just been rolling over the hill.” He explained and you nodded pretending to understand what he was saying when in reality all you could think was big hands big hands on yours big hands.

“Either that or not hitting it hard enough and it rolls back to me.” You said and he little out a little breathy chuckle, letting his chin rest on your shoulder. Oh fuck.

He pulled your arms back and hit the ball in what seemed to be the same way you had been doing all along, but clearly he had some kind of magic touch as the ball smoothly went over the hill and into the hole.

“Ok what the fuck?” You yelled, stepping away from Niall and throwing your free hand that wasn’t holding the club into the air. “I swear that’s what I was doing!” You said and he laughed.

“You just hadn’t found the happy medium.” He said stepping up to you and lightly pressing his hand to your back to lead you to the next course.

“You mean there’s a fucking Goldy Locks to fucking mini-golf?” You joked and he laughs while nodding.

“Interesting way to put it but yeah.” He said and you rolled your eyes.

You continue to go through the 18 hole course, Niall obviously winning when it came the end. When the went back to turn in their clubs and balls he also won a free round for you two for going through the whole course getting only a hole-in-one.

“Next time, you’re letting me win. Date 101 Niall, let her win.” You joked and Niall laughed as he threw his arm around you, opening up the door for the both of you.

“Sorry, still quite new to this love.” He said and you smiled, liking that fact that you weren’t the only one who was going into this with little experience.

“Not actually mad, just teasing you.” You said.

You slowly walked up to the passenger side of his car, both subconsciously thinking that the slower you walked, the slower this date would come to an end.

Almost like a gift sent from above, as Niall was opening the passenger side door to his Range Rover, when your stomach growls.

“You hungry love?” Niall asks and you nodded.

“Seems so.”

“I think we passed a chinese place on the way up here? Sound good?” He asked, smiling knowing that he would get to spend just a little bit longer with the girl he was quickly becoming so fond of. You nod as you jump into the car.

You both then head over to a very shady chinese restaurant where you order some food.

“I haven’t been to a place like this in years.” Niall says after the waiter walks away, he leans in a whispers it as if it was some giant secret.

“In my town, the best chinese place looks exactly like this. Which I bet says a lot about where I grew up.” You confess.

“Tell me more about where you grew up. Everyone I know was either from England or was born and raised in California.”

“Not really much to tell, it was sad little town that for some reason no one could leave. I remember growing up and thinking that when I grew up the first thing I would do was leave. I would go to some far away, out of state college. Then, funny enough when it came to the day I had to decide where to go, I chose home. Just like everyone else I stayed.”

“Why?” He asks as he took a sip of his ice water.

“I don’t really know, couldn’t afford it? I was scared maybe? Of like growing up, being on my own, I’ve never really liked to be away from home. Even going on vacation I was never really as relaxed as I was when I was home. I don’t know if it was just being close to my family, or if it was the physical location of home that comforted me, but I was just very stressed when I was far away.” You shrugged and he nodded.

“I get that. Sometimes I think about how easy everything would be if I wasn’t balancing me life between here and Ireland. Me life is here, me job is here, me friends are here, me inspiration for music always seems to be here but me family is there, me old friends are there.” He says, suddenly becoming very interested in the way the grain on the wooden table ran.

“Do you ever like, I don’t know, wish you never auditioned? Like don’t bullshit me either, like don’t give me the whole, no I love my fans and I wouldn’t trade this for anything. Like I know there has to be days where you just wish you could give this all up, right?” You ask, creating a terrible Irish accent in order to mock his voice.

“Uh I guess I mean, I’m not really lying when I say I love the fans, I really wouldn’t be sitting with you right now if they hadn’t worked so hard to get me where I am but I guess you’re right. Sometimes after a fan asks a question too personal or when I ruin another shirt trying to get through a mob or something I think, what would my life be like if I didn’t go that morning, or if Katy hadn’t given me a chance? Most times though I assume me life would be more stressful, working a low paying job and being pressured into settling down. At least with the life I live, I’m financially stable, so is me family, and no one is pressuring me to marry due to me hectic lifestyle.” He says and you can’t help but wonder, is he being pressured into going on this date with you? Does he think he is getting to an age where it’s expected of him to become domestic?

If anyone knows what it’s like to have your family up your ass about starting a family, it’s you. For the last few years you had been on the edge of whether or not you wanted children, constantly when you said you didn’t think you wanted them your family would respond with something along the lines of, you say that now, or, wait a few years and you’ll be thinking something else entirely. Lately your family had been suggesting that you start dating seeing as you had just lost all that weight and was now deemed, attractive. As that thought crossed your mind you thought, were you being pressured into being here?

Then you looked at Niall, and your stomach erupted into a nervous mush and you shook your head. No, you were here because he made you laugh, not for any other reason.

You thought, even if this doesn’t turn out the way you wanted, hoped it would, you would be happy just knowing that someone who made you feel so content was in your life.

“Well shit, we’re getting way too deep for date number two.” You joke and Niall laughs, leaning back and taking in deep breath. “Let’s get off that and I don’t know, what’s your least favorite song on Flicker?” You asked and Niall laughed.

“Me least favorite? Most times people ask what me favorite is.”

“Well yeah but I already know that, it’s Flicker right?”

“Yeah.” “Which is why I want to know what your least favorite is. By the way Flicker is my favorite too, also Fire Away is my least favorite.”

“What? Why?”

“Too repetitive, at least the chorus is. Like I like the message the whole like I love you and I want you to be comfortable saying anything so go ahead lay it on me is really nice. But damn boy, you say fire away like eight times in the chorus.” You say and he laughs.

“Ok I guess I would say my least favorite is-” He starts but the waiter decided to drop all the food off just as he was about to answer.

The conversation long forgotten as you two dive into your food, both of you unknowingly insanely hungry.

The rest of the date passes in a flurry of, quick touches, nervous flutters, and crab rangoons.

[shazyloren]

The Room: Chapter 30 - Train the Boy

Link: http://archiveofourown.org/works/12710496/chapters/30722271

------------

Jon was clearing his mind and focusing on Robb and Theon in front of him. It currently was the night before the first task and Jon was in the downstairs common room with lots of fellow Gryffindors looking on as he put in some last minute stops to make sure he wins. He felt strong, all the run had paid off and he's lost a couple of excess pounds he'd gained from eating pancakes and such. He felt fit, he was ready to run a marathon if it was needed. He felt good, positive thoughts were flowing through his body.

It had been an odd few days leading up to this first task. First there had been the uneasy conversation in Honeydukes between himself and daenerys which had led to him feeling like a giddy idiot all day, but also a there was the midnight adventure to the task sight and that Daenerys had seen him in wolf form. Is she'd have known it was him, he hadn't let on, ne would have a black eye or a stinging hex if that was the case.

Jon did not have much control in wolf form. As having only done the transformation four times it was a little difficult to get used to all these new sensations and senses. The instincts of being a wolf completely overtook his mind, while he still held Jon's thoughts and he knew what he as doing every time he became the wolf. Other things easily distracted him and having known someone was behind him, following since he left the castle, this had been one of them times. When he'd eventually felt the person walk away, he'd turned and recognised her straight away.

She was looking breathtaking, even in her pyjamas and cloak. She had moved effortlessly through the hills and bushes towards the out of bound zone, like some sort of angel as her cloak billowed behind her. He'd been entranced. he'd followed her, this time he'd kept a distance until she'd come to a halt and seen the First task location. It was frightening to her, she could feel the tension roll off of her; especially as she wondered what could be in there. He could almost feel her thoughts a little, understand her.

He'd been overcome with his own instincts as the wolf when he'd gone and sat next to her. She'd looked at the wolf as if she'd recognised her, but then again she could've just been nervous to see a wolf sitting next to her. It wasn't like Jon was small in wolf form; when on all fours he came up to her elbows. He was a big white wolf. And then, she'd stroked his head between his ears. It's felt, comforting. The wolf had fully overtaking her then and so he'd licked her face.

Was it ill advised to do such a thing? Yes, it probably was considering if Daenerys found out she'd hex him into next week for licking her face. If it was any consolation to her, she tasted good. Not tat she'd accept such an answer from him, he highly doubted that she'd even give him a chance to explain he wasn't fully in control. Or maybe he just wouldn't say anything at all. Curse him to chose to be an animagus.

It was true, that for most, becoming an animagus can be a truly horrifying experience. It takes skill, practise, and patience for wizards and witches to become Animagi. The process of becoming an Animagus is long and arduous, and has the potential to backfire and cause the transformation to go horribly wrong. But he'd followed everything that he'd read in the books he collected in fifth year on the subject. And while it was a long process, and the potential of contorting himself into a human/animal hybrid was frightening, the transformation had gone smoothly.

He did not lie, it hurt like hell and the lengthy process was probably not worth the hour boredom he'd had one evening after completing all his homework. But he'd done it successfully and now he was an Animagus. However, there is one small problem. If you have learnt the skill, you must register with the Ministry, and he has not. It was illegal for him to be as such. So that was why he did not do it very often.

"You're doing it again, concentrate!" Robb barked as Jon's clear mind become one of brooding. He was snapped out of the thoughts he had and began to clear his mind once again. They'd come up with this routine year ago to keep there defence skills in top shape, and now, Jon was going to try and do it all non verbals. All his thoughts drained from his head, even pushing aside Daenerys.

"I'm ready" Jon spoke as it all left him with inner peace and an expanded mind.

"Okay" Theon agreed. Jon opened his eyes and held his wand in front of him, he ignored them but he could feel more and more crowded arriving to watch as their champion practiced for his tournament tomorrow. There was a buzz in the air but Jon ignored it and focused on his inner tranquility. "Boggarts"

Riddikulus, Jon thought and watched as an orange glow came out of his hand and sizzled in the air. There was no boggart in the room present with them, they only ever did that training when they were in the school ground after hours (which had been naughty of two prefects and the head boy) but they'd found a clearing cut off from the school which had all manners of creatures at night.

"Acromantula" Robb directed.

Arania Exumai, he thought once more and a burst of silver light came from his wand and and blasted through the entire room. Two spiders fell from the ceiling and scurried off towards the portrait scared. Jon was happy with this spell, he'd had to use it in second year when the three of them had accidentally wandered too far into the forbidden forest and had come across a huge spiders lair. He shuddered at the mere memory.

"Dementors" Theon urged.

Expecto Patronum, Jon's mind was intense for this one. It was a tricky spell to master verbally but trying to do it non-verbally was almost impossible. And with his clear mind, he had to pull something to use as a happy memory to fill him up. His lips on hers, he found himself smiling as the emotion filled up in him and his patronus filled the room with light. The wolf ran around everyone and there was awes of wonder.

"Hinkypunks"

Lumos Duo, Jon's brain was cracking, thinking of his happy memory of Daenerys had made her begin to edge ehr way back into his thoughts. Her eyes haunted his own, violet and lind and hopeful. Her hair was soft and unlike whatever he'd seen before. Jon, focus, he urged himself and with a quick  rewire and clearance of thoughts, he was back to thinking on the Hinkypunks.

Hinkypunks were difficult creatures, once you were in range of the beasts, you had to hit them with the Lumos Duo spell to keep them dazed and confused. Being creatures of light and spoke (more spirit like than an actual creature) they flung fireballs at you if you wasn't careful. once they were dazed, you'd had to hit them several times with a stunning spell or knockback jinx before they disappeared. Stupefy, he added as an after thought and the spell hit the mirror after a student ducked in time.

"Blast-Ended Skrewts"

Impedimenta, Jon sighed. He remember that if he came across one of these creations then he was to hit it's underbelly with the spell and it would turn over and could be hit again before being rendered immobile. Whoever's idea it was to cross breed a Manticore and a Fire crab clearly craved death yet they were a thing. They'd learned about them in fourth year and Jon noted adult ones could get up to ten feet long.

"Inferi"

Jon stared at Robb. "Obviously if I was being attacked by an Inferi I'd use a fire-summoning spell. However, one, I am not burning the common room down just because you said Inferi and two, why on earth would there be inferi in the tasks? They're corpses animated by a dark wizard, that's not something ministry officials are going to do to a bunch of seventeen year olds, Robb!"

"There is dark wizard's rising everywhere, Jon. You cannot be too careful, they could be anywhere!" They began arguing over various things then and Jon's defences were completely down. His mind was swarm with Daenerys, like it had been most days and he began to daze off and stare in the distance as Robb's voice sounded out about whatever it was. The common room had dissipated, the show was over so everyone was beginning to go to bed. This meant Jon's brain was shut off and he felt he did not want to do anymore practice. He was as ready as he ever was going to be.

He found himself wondering if Daenerys was going to be ready. He knows she's been disappearing some days to god knows where, she wondered if she'd been training by herself in some room away from everyone or something. He'd have loved to train with her, but they both realised that when it came to the tournament, they wouldn't help each other as they both wanted to win.

If Daenerys was going to win, it was going to be through letting everyone else fight while she stuck to the shadows and had plenty of Wiggenweld potion on her. He just couldn't see her taking on any matter of dark creatures and winning. Unless she'd miraculously got better over night or had taken some Felix Felicis, which he knew she would not (it was more likely something he would do, if he knew how to make it). It wasn't him being unfair against her abilities as a witch, she was brilliant. It was just that he knew her own confidence and frustration held her back in really performing spells. Add the pressure of the tournament he could see her just staying hidden.

"Tomorrow, is a big day for you Jon" Theon put his arm on his shoulder pulling him out of his brooding trance once more. "You think you're ready for it?"

"No, I'm not ready for it in all honesty" Jon sighed as he walked over to the window and saw Hodor wanting to enter. He lifted it up and let the bird fly in and land on the Owl perch by the fire. Robb had sent letters home asking if they were coming to watch the tournament, given he was on the board of governors. Robb walked over and took the reply back from him. "Am I well equipped to deal with anything I see? Yes. Are my nervous in tethers? Absolutely"

"Still, you got the best chances of anyone. Those two girls from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang look like they could break in a particularly harsh wind" Theon reasoned. Jon, did not share these views. He'd seen Doreah of Durmstrang in a duel with one of the Durmstrang troublemakers and she'd very much defeated him without any real effort. She would be just as dangerous as the rest. And the Beauxbatons girl, Irri she was rivalling Daenerys in charms. They were both dangerous.

"Father's coming, Mother is undecided" Robb announced. Jon was not surprised. He was about to say as such before Robb decided to use this opportunity to rant. "She seriously needs to get over herself; there isn't a wizarding marriage around in this country left that the parents haven't been involved with other people, I'm sure of it. And Father has apologised a hundred times. Especially the nature of which it all happened"

Jon wasn't listening, he'd decided he was going to stare in the fireplace instead. He wondered if Daenerys had already gone to bed, it likely as it was gone eleven now and prefect rounds had been done for two hours. If she was sensible she'd be trying to get as much sleep as possible, like he should be doing. And he was tired, he could feel it; but there wasn't going to be much use in sleeping yet, his mind was too active he wouldn't fall into slumber quick enough.

Jon's bag was sat next to him and decided to pull out on of his notepads. While all the prefects had a linked notepad which would let them know who had been given what punishment or sanction hen it was written down in there, Jon and Dany had a private one just to message each other if they couldn't get away from duties to speak. While it was mainly used for letting the other know about a meeting or details of the Yule Ball (yes, Jon's time was being used up planning a dance), there were a few times where Jon had written a 'hope you're having a better day', just so there was some support for her when she was alone.

He knew she was still struggling with the loss of her mother and the abandonment of her brother and father, he knew all she had was her other brother who she'd never really gotten along with. So he found himself compelled on several occasions to check she was doing alright. And this usually meant spanning her with reminders to eat and drink plenty of water. She was probably getting pissed off but she had not said anything.

I can't sleep, what about you?

He waited for a few minutes, not thinking she'd see it until the morning time. Robb and Theon's voices sounded out as they said goodbye and headed for the dorm. Jon said he wasn't going to sleep yet, he needed to calm down a bit. Then, it appeared.

No sleep for me, I'm terrified.

Jon felt worry for her, it was not the first time. He'd felt like he's spent half the school year so far worried about her for one thing or another. Daenerys Targaryen, the girl made of fire and anger had somehow fizzled out and let him in and allowed him to be concerned for her.

You'll do great, you're an amazing witch.

He found himself getting sleepy by the fireside, he was alone now, everyone had gone up to the dorms to get ready for the first task tomorrow. Jon was scared too, he knew it. He'd said so aloud, but he knew if he let it control him, he would not win.

I am far from amazing these days, couldn't even practice a proper impedimenta jinx earlier. Some witch I am.

Jon felt sorry for her, he knew it wasn't her ability that was holding her back, it was herself. He did not think she was finishing for compliments so he replied in the only way he could. It might be a little sappy or surprising to most, himself included. But it was something that she needed to hear.

Daenerys, I'm going to say this only once. You are the brightest person in this school. You're so intelligent and your mastery of all subjects is something I wished to accomplish. So what you're struggling with Defence a little, you're not struggling with your other subjects. You're top in them all. So yes, you are some witch, an incredible one at that. When we finish seventh year you could go into any career you wanted, you could be next minister if you wanted. Stop thinking so low of yourself, it's not warranted.

Jon had hoped she'd read between the lines of his gushing and ask to come and see him in the dorm so they could be alone together. He wanted someone just sit with and share his insecurities about this tournament, and she'd be the only one to understand. But it wasn't going to happen. They were still a little awkward around each other after the kiss and the Honeydukes conversation.

She did reply however, and it warmed his heart. Although it could be the fireplace.

You really need to stop being so nice to me or I'm going to have to compliment you back and that is not something I want to do.

She put a little kiss mark at the end and Jon's face smiled brighter than the flames in front of him. She was being sarcastic, funny. He loved it when she was like that.

Good to know the old you is still in there somewhere.

He waited.

Sod off.

[evolutionsvoid]

As much as the subject fascinates me, I am sad to say that this entry will contain little in the realm of natural research and facts. While in other entries I may have spent months studying the subjects, this particular species is one that I have had zero encounters with and have only gained knowledge of them by fellow colleagues. Even then, facts about their bodies, behaviors and reproduction are close to none. The only thing we have within our reach is the legends and myths that speak of them. Of words spoken by fairies and others of their like. That is not to say that they are not real. Stories have been heard and encounters have occurred, but little has been gained from these brief meetings. The problem is that one can search for them for years, even decades, and never encounter one. You can set an entire kingdom on watch, and not a soul would lay their eyes on them. They are not just elusive beasts, who happen to escape our clutches. The Aelf are an extremely intelligent species (or race, if you prefer), and they do not reveal themselves unless they wish to do so. So what is known about the Aelf? A general idea of their appearance is one thing. Aelf are not large in mass, but are quite tall in height. When fully stretch out, their bodies can reach a height of twenty feet, and that is not even including their head tendrils. Their limbs and bodies are greatly elongated, stretched until their appendages seem to be too thin to be functional. Their dominant arms and legs are said to end in seven, long digits. The other limbs running down the lengths of their bodies only spit forth blue tendrils, for what purpose, we don't know. To even say "arms" and "legs" is not exactly true, as the Aelf have been known to walk on all fours from time to time. Most tales describe the color of their flesh as gray, but many describe different patterns found upon their skin. What captures the attention most of all is their bizarre heads. The eyes are the main thing. Angled to the point where they are almost vertical, their powerful blue eyes seize the gaze of all who look upon them. These large eyes seem to peer right into the soul, causing great discomfort and unease to those who meet its eyes. Alongside the head are pointy, jointed appendages that many just refer to as "ears." Some think to see them more as oral claws or appendages used to trap captured prey, but no evidence has been found of their use. They stand besides the largest orifice that the Aelf possess, which is bursting with long, thin tendrils. Many see this as the Aelf's "hair," but some document the Aelf consuming food through this opening. Perhaps these long tendrils are meant to snare prey and drag them into this mouth? If they do indeed feed with this orifice, then what is the point of the many others? Unfortunately, legends love their descriptions, but are quite lacking when it comes to biological mechanisms. 

Though the ways of their bodies are a mystery, their intelligence is well known. The Aelf are seen as incredibly wise beings, their minds having access to practically all knowledge of the world (or so they say). Stories tell of the Aelf coming forth from the unknown, giving advice to those they deem worthy. When, where or why they appear remains a mystery, but they may unveil themselves from thin air to give a small bit of wisdom. This sparse bit of knowledge they give is enough to save kingdoms or topple entire empires. This can be seen in "The Skyward Marches," when the hero of the tale is besieged by the empire that claimed his home town. The invincible emperor stood tall with impenetrable armor and an ax that cleaved through mountains. The hero had no way to defeat this conqueror in battle, and wept at the loss of his home. Unbeknownst to him, he had grieved upon tree that was actually a hidden Aelf.  Taking sympathy upon the poor soul, the Aelf told him this: "He rules over those born of the earth, but not of the sea. His shells of rock and steel may withstand the touch of metal and war, but it cannot shield from those that come from below." With this riddle, our hero brought the invading empire to ruin. Though the emperor was unmatched in battle, the killing blow came from his banquet halls. The food that came into his kitchens was tainted by our hero, and it killed him as he feasted. His designated taste testers showed him that his meal contained no poison, but they could not detect the crushed up bits of crab shell that had been sprinkled in it. The emperor choked upon his own throat, and the empire fell with him. Though they bear great knowledge, they do not dispense it freely. The Aelf do not seem to bother themselves with the plights of those below them. It is only through rare exception that they make themselves known. Most of the time, they remain hidden from sight, either disguised in another form, or existing on a plane we cannot comprehend. The magics and powers of the Aelf are unlimited and unknown, with some claiming that they are the ones who brought magic to this planet. They use this abilities to cloak themselves and hide from mortal eyes. They are able to create disguises that no one can see through or detect. It is said that they can take the form of a tree so well, that even dryads cannot detect the falseness. They even hide from the fairies who worship them, only giving them wisdom through ancient texts or words from the beyond. The fairies treat the Aelf as the speakers of the Gods, those who communicate with the immortals up high. Their words and knowledge are taken as law. Fairies that cling to this religion follow their words fanatically, and they punish those who stray from the path. It seems that the fairies paranoia about the outside world stems from the words of the Aelf. Apparently the Aelf do not take to outside species too well, and have warned the fairies of deceit and betrayal. This is why hardly anyone is allowed within their villages, and why fairies who leave the forests are forever banished. It kind of worries me that such paranoia and fear is bred from these powerful beings. We all know what happens to objects of fear... While legend freely speaks of their ability to give knowledge and wisdom, it does not speak of how they interact with one another. All encounters with the Aelf have been with only a single individual. Though they stand alone, they are said to speak with the might of their kind. Somehow they are connected to the rest of their species, and are able to communicate with each other over impossible distances. Though they may move as a single body, their minds are said to be one of many. Perhaps their bottomless knowledge comes from multiple wells? Dozens of their kind all linked together in a spider's web of mind and brain. Outside of this, they seem to have no other connections to their kind. No homes, no villages. They have no civilization or society to be found, yet they stand tall above all others. They are a mystery to everyone, even to those who see them as idols. The Aelf just come and go as they please, and we can only hope that they side with us whenever they do. With such power and knowledge, many wonder why the Aelf hide from our world. Surely beings as powerful as they are have nothing to fear. Why would they cloak themselves as trees and whispering fog, when they could easily conquer and lead? Perhaps our realm is too trivial for them, our desires and wants too meager for them to care. Maybe some past sin had fouled their taste for us, seeing us as too corrupt to be worth saving. Others suggest that it may have to do with the Sphinxes. This stems from the loose theory that the two are tied to one another. Rumors and outlandish ideas of a secret war between Aelf and Sphinx. Our realm acting as a playing board, which they manipulate and command with their strange riddles and unintelligible magics. In the end, though, these are just guesses. We may never know the purpose of the Aelf and what goals they hide behind those terrifying blue eyes. All we can do is face them when they reveal themselves, and take in whatever knowledge they dispense.   It is a shame I will never meet one... Chlora Myron Dryad Natural Historian

[feywildatheart]

Nenîth,

I know you’ll only just have received my last few letters yesterday, and probably be drowning in all the things I’ve had to say, but I think things are about to get a little exciting for us here shortly and I’m not sure when I’ll have the time again, so I wanted to write you while I could. I’m meant to be packing right now before I meet the others, but— well, I’ll get to that.

When last I wrote you, we’d stopped for lunch between picking up the second sensor and making our way to the third. We found our way to it easily enough, though the wildlife here on Nosirion-1 continues to be vexing. We stumbled across a pair of cockatrices, who dropped down out of the trees hissing at us something fierce, and while Pika tried to talk to them and seemed to want to make nice, Elyn I think was of the same mind that I was: that these things would turn the lot of us to stone if they had half a chance, and we weren’t inclined to give it one.

Squirt’s still jumping into battle as soon as I seem inclined to draw my bow, and he’s doing quite well for himself. I couldn’t be prouder. But I think it was easier on my heart when he stayed out of the fighting and kept well clear of the danger. We ran into a phase spider later that same day that was four times as big as any of us, and it was only luck that none of us got bit. It seemed intent on going after poor Elyn, but I did my best to try to keep its focus, and spare her. I’m better at taking a dose of poison than she is, I suspect, though I’m sure we’re both glad neither of us had to find out.

After that, we found the third of Hallbjörn’s sensors without further incident, and Elyn noticed it was different than the other two. It looked to have more sparks swirling about within it than the other two, and neither of us could say why, though I’ve got a theory about it now. In any case, we gathered it up and gave it to Pika, so we’d be carrying one apiece, and decided to make camp for the night and start back for town in the morning.

We made a little faster progress going than we had coming, now that we were passing through lands we’d already trekked across once, and the others seemed happy to let me find our path. We were all jumpy after that phase spider the day before, and wary of stumbling across anything else that might be inclined to kill us. Still, it wasn’t even midday when I heard Elyn squeak behind me, and we all came about nose-to-nose with a bigger elk than I’ve ever seen, or even knew could exist. We were none of us too inclined to attack it unprovoked, and it was certainly too large for Pika to speak to, so I gathered up my courage and greeted it as best as I could, and explained that we were only passing through, and hadn’t meant to disturb it, and would gladly be on our way and leave it in peace.

It answered me, and the bottom dropped right out of my stomach when it did, because it knew more about us than it should have, if we’d just stumbled across it by happenstance. It said that we’d attacked a number of the guardians of the land already, and so why should it believe me, and while I’d hardly consider a boa constrictor looking for its next meal a guardian, it certainly didn’t seem wise to split hairs with it just then.

And, oh, nenîth, you know I’m no good with my words, that my tongue would sooner tie itself into knots than work the way I want it to. The elk was so big, and so grand, and I didn’t want to fight it but I just knew that I was going to trip over my tongue and make a mess of trying to explain that we’d only been acting in our own defense, in every fight we got into. But I’m still wearing that ring I got back at Glaheath Arcana, that’s supposed to make you lucky twice before it turns into just a bauble, and that you may remember I bought mostly out of guilt and obligation, because it seemed like we ought to have bought something from the shop to make it worth their time, after we’d come in and ogled all their wares. I wanted so badly for the elk to believe me, and to not pick a fight with us, and for me to not ruin it all, that I clutched at that ring and used up its first charge, as I tried to explain all that to the elk.

Whether it was the ring, or just my desperate stammering, the elk seemed to believe that I was sincere, and gave us our blessing to continue our travels, so long as we didn’t accost any creature that didn’t make trouble for us first. I’m fairly sure I didn’t breathe at all through that whole exchange, and when it took its leave of us I dropped right down onto my knees and had to clutch at my heart for a moment, until it stopped battering against my ribcage.

We ran across some giant badgers, further on, and then a bear just outside of town, who we avoided confrontation with by telling them we had the elk’s blessing and wanted no trouble, and I gave the badgers some of my goodberries for good measure, while Pika bribed them with treats from her pack. We found some crabs late at night on the beach, after we’d pushed through the mountains so that we might make camp in more favorable terrain, and they cared little for my explanations or the mention of the elk’s blessing, and sassed me before they nearly swarmed us, and we were obliged to fight. I got bit three times, but we had crab for supper that night, so I suppose it all worked out well in the end.

We found something strange on our way back, while walking along the coastline of an inlet as we made our way towards the mountains, and the crabs beyond them. We spent some time at it, and something was niggling at the back of my mind, and eventually I realized it was because the tides there weren’t behaving as they ought to have. The tide was in as we began our walk along it, and it never really went out the way it should have. It seemed some sort of magical effect, and I turned Elyn’s attention to it and asked if she could tell anything else about it, since she’s better at magic than I am, but all she could tell was that it wasn’t arcane in nature.

I wondered if maybe it was an illusion that made it look strange to me, if maybe someone or something was making the tide look like it was in even when it wasn’t, and debated with Elyn for a time about the wisdom of going down to the water and dipping my toes in, just to see if they got wet. She seemed to think it a bit of a foolhardy plan, and worried some great octopus might snatch me into the depths the moment I broke the surface of the water, and I couldn’t tell her it was a wholly unfounded concern, even if it did seem unlikely to me. Still, after all the giant snakes and giant spiders and giant everythings we’ve encountered while we’ve been out here, I can’t say she didn’t have cause for concern.

Still — what did I come all the way out here for, and leave you both behind for, if not to explore strange new planets? I couldn’t help myself, nenîth, even knowing Elyn had cause for her worry, I ran down there and slipped my boots off and stuck my toes in the water. You’ll be relieved to know, I’m sure, that I was not, in fact, snatched up by a hungry octopus. And my feet got wet, so it wasn’t an illusion, and after standing around considering it a bit more, we decided there wasn’t much more we were going to be able to learn on our own. And that third sensor we picked up, it had been placed near to the other side of that same inlet, and it did have more sparks floating about in it than the others had, so I thought maybe that meant it had more data for the scientists back in town to look at, and might hold some answers about what had kept the tide from going out, so we decided there was nothing for it but to continue on our way. Elyn and I both kept a close eye on it as we went, and though it’s all the same body of water, when we got further south and the inlet had emptied out into more of a bay, the effect stopped, and the tides seemed to come and go as they ought to have. So we’ve still no notion of why, but I’m sorely curious to find out.

We made it back to town late in the morning, and headed straight for Loraine to let her know we were back, and give her Hallbjörn’s sensors, and tell her about Niko, but first I gave her a piece of my mind about the shoddy information we’d been given before we left. Nothing particularly deadly or dangerous, indeed! She seemed contrite, and genuinely sorrowful about the dangers we’d encountered, and it deflated me some, but honestly. We’re brand new members of the Silver Tree on our very first job, and we spent five days out there and brought back a stack of notes for her about cockatrices and boa constrictors and hyenas, all of them very much dangerous. We can’t have been the first of the Silver Tree to venture outside of the town — Hallbjörn notwithstanding — and I have to wonder what on earth the others were doing with themselves, that they somehow came to the conclusion that there wasn’t anything deadly out here.

In any case, Loraine had no insight for us about the strange tides, but said she’d send the sensors off for analysis and might have some answers for us in the morning. In the meantime, she called in a half-orc woman named Ohabi, who paid us quite handsomely for our troubles, and with hazard pay on top, besides. Ohabi took Niko off with her to get her settled, I presume, and to find out what’s next for her, and so the next problem at hand was Nalira, who had accompanied us all the way out to the third sensor, and all the way back into town.

I asked her what she wanted, whether she wanted to return to Mir and the Silver Branch there, or fly off to live the rest of her life in the wilds of Nosirion-1, or something else, and she seemed surprised and pleased to be consulted on the matter, which hurt my heart a little, that she thought we’d just send her off somewhere without so much as a by-your-leave. I hope that’s not the way Hallbjörn treated her, or frankly, he should count himself lucky he died before I found him. But then, she was terribly loyal staying by his gravesite for a month, so hopefully that speaks well to the relationship between them.

But, I digress. Nalira said there was a druid in town — the same one who grew all these incredibly tree-buildings — and that she’d be content to stay with her, so we all went off to take baths, which were lovely, and I gave Squirt a washing, too. You should’ve seen the water coming off of him, it was so filthy. After we were all clean and feeling much more ourselves, we went to the inn to wait for the druid, whom we were told came by most evenings. Seb and and Ren were there, and Gwynne, who is even more darling now that I can talk to her properly, and you can imagine my surprise and delight when I came down to hear them singing the Ballad of Perrick Starstriker! They sang it in Halfling, too, as it ought to be sung, and their dialect’s somewhat different than ours but I was able to make it out well enough, and couldn’t help but hum along with it some. It made me so happy to hear it, and it made me miss you both so terribly.

We had a lovely evening, and it was nice to be clean and to have a few hours in which we weren’t walking, and didn’t have to fear coming across some other giant creature that thought we looked like a tasty snack. And when the druid, Alorvin, came by, she seemed more than willing to take Nalira into her care, and I can only hope that they’ll be happy together.

The next morning we returned to Loraine, who didn’t have much in the way of answers about the strange tides and who said that the wormhole that spat out Niko and her whole ship hadn’t registered on their sensors as anything more than normal godsfall, which seems strange, but I’m not sure what to make of it. She offered us the job of going back to the inlet and investigating what might be happening there — in a few days, and with a boat built for us to make the trip faster and, one would hope, less treacherous. I’m sure you’ll have guessed without me having to say so that I was eager to accept, but I was also very aware that Elyn and Pika only agreed to accompany me down here in the first place as the price for the information they wanted from Athan and Kian, and might not be as keen as I am to spend their time tromping around an unsettled planet exploring strange tides and fending off wild, hungry creatures. Elyn seemed torn, but ultimately decided that some extra time on Nosirion-1 might mean extra time for Kian and Athan to find the information she wants from them, and once she’d agreed, Pika seemed resigned to accompany us, but Elyn and I both insisted that we couldn’t volunteer her for this, and we were going to have to insist on an answer that was a little more definite than a shrug. In the end, she agreed, and we gave Loraine our answer. And before we could even bask in the thought of a few days with little to do and nowhere to be, while we awaited our boat, Loraine asked us if we might be interested in taking on a personal job for her, while we were waiting.

It seems that many years ago, she donated genetic material to a tiefling couple who couldn’t have children, so that they might bear hers and raise them as their own. She seems to have been sensible about it, with official agreements and provisions about making sure that the children are well-cared for. Only it seems that the childrens’ parents broke that particular agreement and have recently returned to Mir and have been using the children for their arcane talents — that’s how Loraine put it, and Elyn, with all her knowledge of magic and tech and things, understood what she meant and what it implied faster than I did. She got this sort of ill look about her, and pointed out my lucky ring to Loraine, and asked if she meant arcane talents like that, and Loraine said yes, and I— well, I nearly snatched that ring right off my finger and hurled it out to be swallowed up by the forest. I think I very well might have, if it hadn’t just proved so beneficial to us. And I suppose the coin’s already spent, the children’s labor already given, and it won’t do either of them any good or ill either way, whether I kept it or not.

I still have that newspaper I bought back on Mir, that had pointed us toward Glaheath Arcana in the first place, and I pulled it out and looked up that article I’d seen, and we confirmed that it is, in fact, owned by the couple in question. And Pika— Well. For all Pika seemed as though she didn’t care either way about taking the job investigating the tides, Loraine had scarcely gotten started telling us about these children and Pika had her sword and her whetstone out, and was making all sorts of comments about stabbing people, and having no need for courts of law if he had a dagger through his belly, and I know I told you in my last letter that I worry about her, and I still do, but for the first time I felt a little bit afraid of her, too. I think Elyn’s not much inclined to stop her from it, either, after hearing Loraine’s story, and while I’m mad enough to spit at learning I’ve contributed to the poor things’ plight, I’ve more concern for getting them out and to a safe place than I do on seeking vengeance upon the parents.

Anyway, it turns out Nosirion-1 has a teleportation circle they can use to send us back to Mir (though it makes me wonder why they didn’t send us down that way, and save everyone the time and the attempted mutiny), so we’re packing our things now so we can be on our way, and be back by the time that boat is ready for us. I should be packing this very minute, but I’ve always been quick at that, and so I thought I’d steal a few minutes to let you both know what’s been happening, way out here on the edge of the system.

I’ll write you again as soon as I’m able, if only to reassure you that I’m not stuck in some space station prison cell. Or, I suppose, to tell you that I am. (Joking, I’m joking. Darna, tell Cylla to stop scowling, she’ll give herself a headache. I promise I’ll do what I can to keep everyone focused on the children, and not so much on vengeance. And if worse come to worst, well, at least no prison walls can hold Squirt.)

I love you both. I’ll let you both know that I’m safe, and that the children are, as soon as I’m able.

Love,

Maliah