#and ran to mori screeching

[kaurwreck]

I love kitsune dazai, but I'd go further: kitsune dazai AND kitsune chuuya.

(mori has to confiscate their hoshi no tama. not to be evil, but because they keep trying to punitively swallow the other's.)

[phantom088]

Chapter 8 of A Long Way Home: Night Time Stories

"Danny?… Danny?!… Danny!!" Finally, Danny woke up in a frantic state.

He leaned up, wide-eyed and gasping for air.

"Danny, calm down! You're alright." A familiar voice remarked.

Danny looked over towards the voice to see Eda was standing next to the table he was lying on… a table?

Danny realized he was still at the school, in a classroom this time.

Amity, Luz, Gus, Willow, Principle Bump, Eda, King and 2 people Danny didn't recognize were standing around him.

"You were out for a few hours, Danny." Eda informed. "For a while we thought you fully died."

"But you didn't." One of the new faces nervously remarked as he awkwardly smiled, the girl standing next to him scowled and elbowed him.

Danny looked at the two with a confused look. He could tell they were related as they looked alike, both having green hair, yellow eyes, and around the same height.

The main difference is one of them was a girl with long hair that was tied back, and she was wearing a blue and slightly darker blue school outfit, while the other person was a boy wearing a blue and yellow outfit.

"Oh, these are my older siblings, Danny." Amity quickly introduced. "Edric and Emira."

Edric and Emira did a silly pose behind Amity, and began to make funny faces at her.

Amity sighed. "They are twins." She added in. "And I got Emira to heal the scratches on your chest."

Danny looked down and placed his hand on his chest, the scratches were no longer there, his shirt was still ripped up… but to each your own.

"Cool… thanks." Danny remarked.

"Ah no problem Danny!" Emira excitedly remarked as she stepped forwards. "Any friend of Mittens is a friend of ours!"

Edric stepped forwards and ruffled Amity's hair. "Yep, isn't that right, Mittens?" He said in a baby voice.

Luz began laughing alongside Gus and Willow, and Danny couldn't help to chuckle.

Amity glowed very bright red in the face as she swatted Edric's hand away from her. "Knock it off!" She said in a mock voice of authority.

Edric laughed and back up next to Emira, who was smirking.

Danny frowned as a thought came to mind. "Wait, what happened after the Lux Mori left anyway?" He asked.

Principal Bump stepped up to answer this question.

"Well, from what I recall…" He begun. "You scared the Lux Mori away with some kind of powerful screech…"

"Ghostly Wail." Danny interrupted.

"Er, yes… that… and about 10 minutes after the Lux Mori ran off, Luz, Augustus, Willow, and Amity arrived to the scene… they seemed to know you as they rushed up to try and help you… I called them over as I was trapped under a tree branch, they made quick work of letting me out, Amity went to find Emira to help heal you and I crowed in Eda to come since Luz was the one who brought you here in the first place, abd Eda is Luz's care giver." Principal Bump shrugged. "And we brought you to the healing classroom and decided to keep you here incase you weren't stable enough to get back to The Owl House "

Danny tilted his head. "What do you mean by that?" He asked.

King climbed onto the table and walked up to Danny.

"Let me break the news." He announced. "King to future king." Danny looked up with a raised eyebrow.

Eda, Luz, and Principal Bump all just shrugged a and Eda mouthed what looked like the words "just go with it." Danny looked down to King. "Go on…" He remarked.

"Well…" King leaned onto Danny's lap. "In basic terms… we think you're the Lux Mori's next victim… meal per say." King did mock jazz hands. Danny sighed. "Of course."

Danny stayed quiet for a second. "What makes you say that anyway?"

"Try using one of your powers." Eda remarked.

Danny raised a eyebrow and stood up. He attempted to float up, and he did for a few inches, but suddenly it seemed like the ability cut off as Danny fell flat on the ground.

Danny fell backwards, so he was looking up at the ceiling as Luz, Gus and Willow leaned over him.

"You okay?" Luz asked.

"Yep." Danny replied.

Luz, Gus and Willow helped Danny up to his feet.

"Also, the Lux Mori seemed to realize you were injured when it got close to you." Principle Bump pointed out. "Meaning it has some kind of connection with you."

"And now we have more of a reason then ever to stop that thing." Eda commented.

"But how?" Luz asked.

Eda looked down. "I'm not sure… but we'll figure it out!"

By the way Danny was acting, Eda could easily tell he was worried and upset, and that was evident from the worried look he gave her after she said that they'll figured out how to stop the Lux Mori. 

"Let's go home and get some rest." Eda added on. "Everything will be okay." Eda hoped.

Eda had good intentions, Danny knew that, and he appreciated her for that fact, but Danny also knew that Eda didn't know what she was doing, and that she didn't have a plan, and this worried Danny.

Danny stayed awake for most of the night, pacing back and fourth, lost in deep thought.

Hooty must of felt Danny pacing back and fourth in his room as eventually he extended his head into Danny's room.

"Sup Ghost King…??" Hooty questioned as he peaked into Danny's room.

Danny glanced at him, rolled his eyes and continued pacing back and fourth.

"I can feel you pacing back and fourth Ghost King, something on your mind?" Hooty questioned as he tilted his head.

Danny ignored him still.

Hooty frowned at this and positioned himself in Danny path.

"Ghost King?" Hooty said as he served into Danny's way.

Danny ducked and walked under Hooty, still ignoring him.

Hooty turned and called out to Danny. "Ghost King? Ghost King!?" Hooty looked down in thought. "Maybe it's the name you're refusing to respond to… I need a different nickname…" Hooty looked up exitedly. "OH! I have a name… Dan!!"

Danny stopped pacing, his eyes wide. Danny spun around to face Hooty, and in a stern whisper he replied "Don't you ever, call me that AGAIN."

Danny's eyes quickly flashed green at the end of his sentence.

Hooty starred at Danny for a second, dumbstruck.

"Wait… why?" Hooty asked.

"You don't need to know why, you just need to NOT call me by the name ever again, understood?" Danny said with a sarcastic smile.

Hooty nodded his head in understandment.

"So…" Hooty begun. "What are you doing up this late at night, friend?" Hooty said as he extended towards Danny, wrapping his body around the room.

Danny groaned. "None of your business dude, shouldn't you go back… guarding the door or whatever you do at night?"

"I work as the emotional support owl demon!" Hooty replied.

"I seriously doubt that." Danny remarked under his breath.

"And it's my duty to make sure everyone in this house is mentally stable…. cake?"

Danny raised a eyebrow. "Cake?" He questioned.

"Yep!" Hooty replied.

He started to cough, and after a few seconds he regurgitated a full birthday cake, he coughed some more and spat out three lit birthday candles.

Danny starred at the cake with both dismay and amazement.

"Where did that come from… never mind." He remarked. "I don't want any regurgitated cake."

Hooty smiled. "Okay, your lost!" And then he inhaled the cake, birthday candles and all.

Danny gagged a bit as he watched. "Oh, are you gonna regurgitate some cake?" Hooty asked as he noticed Danny gagging.

"Not cake, but I feel like regurgitating  breakfast." Danny replied.

"Fun!" Hooty replied.

Danny sighed. "Okay, so are you just gonna be here or what?" Danny asked as he looked at Hooty.

Hooty wrapped around Danny. "You wanna hear a bedtime story? That helps me when I can't sleep." Hooty remarked as he bonded Danny's arms and legs together.

Danny struggled to free himself. "Not-really he remarked."

Hooty smiled, "Too bad, because you have nowhere to run!"

Then Hooty began to tell his story. "Once upon a time, there was a prince… or was it a king? Or a princess, or possibly a queen…. I don't know, but there was a person!"

Danny managed to free one arm, and began to try to push himself out of Hooty's grasp.

"Anyhoot." Hooty began again. "There was a person of some sorts, a handsome… Owl! Named Hooty, who went on tones of fun adventures!"

"So you're self inserting." Danny remarked as he was attempting to wiggle free.

Hooty wrapped around Danny again, trapping his out stretched arm. "Anyhoot…" Hooty began again.

Hooty was busy rambling on about some story on how he traveled the lands and deleted the ill-fated giraffes, Danny wasn't sure, he wasn't really listening.

"And then I ate a bird." Hooty finally ended with.

Danny, who's arm was starting to fall asleep due to its odd position, was sitting there staring at Hooty.

"Great story dude…" Danny sarcastically replied. "Can you let go of me now? My arm is going numb. Hooty unraveled, allowing Danny to be free.

Danny dropped to the ground, shaking his arm out, he looked at Hooty who was watching him.

"What was the point of your story again?" Danny questioned.

"There was no point." Hooty replied. "I just wanted to tell it."

Danny looked at Hooty, tilting his head. "You're really lonely, aren't you?"

A look of surprise came across Hooty's face. "What? No!" He replied. "I have tons of friends, like Eda, Luz, King…," Hooty stared right at Danny. "You."

Danny shivered, Hooty was getting on his nerves, and partially creeping him out, but in the end he knew Hooty was harmless, just weird.

"Right…" Danny remarked.

An awkward silence erupted between Danny and Hooty. After a second, Danny bit his lip.

"You wanna know why I hate the name Dan?" Danny finally reluctantly said.

Hooty's face lighted up as he gasped in excitement. "Really? Yes!"

Danny sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. "Okay, just promise you won't tell anyone."

Hooty nodded his head. "Consider your promise kept!"

Danny hesitated for a moment, then told Hooty about Dan.

Authors Note:

Me: Okay, I've been on vacation and haven't had the time to update this, okay?

Danny: Or you forgot about the story.

Me: I didn't! Mostly.

Eda: You're not a really reliable author, are you?

Me: Am too!… probably, I just get distracted with other stories… but I plan on sticking to this story to the bitter end!

Danny: I doubt that's happening…

Me: Oh, you watch Fenton! I'm sticking to the end, I promise! Now onwards!

[precambrianhottopic]

i wrote a pacific rim fic :3

its fairly short (just under 1k words) and is basically a dissection of the time between mako is ejected from gipsy danger and when her escape pod surfaces. fic under the cut :))

Orpheus

Eject.

The press of a single button was all it took to send Mako Mori hurtling into the endless, luminous abyss. As she fell, the angry crimson flashes of warning lights and electric hum of the dying Jaeger melted away into silent, slowly pulsating shades of blue, endless fractals of form and light cascading away into infinity. Pressing a hand up to the glass walls of the Con-Pod in awe, Mako lost herself for a moment as her eyes followed the contours and patterns of this sprawling dimension- arcs of energy and flickering movements just outside her line of sight that could have been life- before she snapped back to reality. 

There was no time to look back.

Look back- no. She must not look back. There were only questions behind her now, panic that crept into the edges of her mind and tightened her chest. Mako drew in a deep breath, forcing herself to remain steady. All she could do was trust, trust that Raleigh would make it out alive. She could still feel traces of his mind in hers, a lingering whisper of the Drift that she couldn’t quite reach but that itched in the back of her mind nonetheless. She couldn’t look back, she couldn’t-

Don’t chase the rabbit. 

-Mako whispered to herself; and suddenly she was back there again. A memory within a memory, lost in the Drift. She wandered the desolate city streets, trembling and clutching her shoe- the last fragment of the life that had just been torn away from her. Mako’s harsh, desperate sobs echo against the buildings full of corpses. Where was her home? Where was her family? What was this thing that lurked above her now, this dreadful creature that screeched and shook the earth and stared into her with vicious hunger? Mako screamed, and ran, and cowered, and prayed- and through it all, Raleigh watched her, begging her to return to herself, following her silently through the memory. She wanted to listen to him, to escape, but she-

She had to look back.

No. 

She already knew how this ended. Mako had watched Onibaba’s chitinous leg snap her father’s spine with her own eyes, watched the flesh melt from her mother’s face as the fire swallowed her, felt the searing ash that fell from the sky like grim snow on her cheeks. Reliving it would change nothing. 

With a slow, shaky sigh, she returned to the Con-Pod.

There was one constant in Mako Mori’s life, a point that everything else revolved around- nothing good could last. No matter what, no matter how desperately she protected and coveted her little pockets of contentment, there was nothing that the Kaiju couldn’t take from her.

Her birth parents, just two more casualties among millions.

Marshall Pentecost- her father- torn apart by radiation poisoning and self-sacrifice.

Gipsy Danger, her life’s work, left floating beyond space and time, its reactor on the brink of detonation.

Raleigh. They were going to take Raleigh from her- she knew it all at once in that moment, she had poured her heart into him, opened her mind to him, followed him through the Breach and into this twisted dimension crawling with everything she hated, and it was all for nothing, because he was going to die, trapped in the flaming, spasming carcass of Gipsy Danger. 

From far beneath Mako, deep within the place where she must not look, an explosion ripped through the otherworldly terrain, illuminating her field of view in terrifying yellow-orange. Ghostly screams tore through the air, a thousand hellish creatures crying out in agony as the fireball consumed them. The fabric of reality itself seemed to tremble.

Mako squeezed her eyes shut-

Don’t look back-

But the incandescent glow still ached, painting the space behind her eyelids in brilliant red.

Growing up in the Shatterdome, at the center of the apocalypse, Mako had learned to compartmentalize at an early age. Setting her feelings aside, tunnel vision on her work and nothing else- it was almost second nature- if she’d cried over every tragedy, nothing would ever get done. We are in the eye of a hurricane, Mako, Marshall Pentecost had once said to her, take care not to get swept up into the winds. He had done everything he could to instill that same stillness in her, that carefully controlled apathy that let him stand like stone in the eye of a hurricane, unmoving and unfeeling. Mako had admired him for it.

But he was dead now,

And Mako wept.

The breach opened up before her, its bright white glow flickering desperately as its edges began to collapse. Beyond it, the Pacific Ocean, and far above it, home.

Mako Mori did not look back.

[falling-pages]

The Move: MoriHaru angst; HikaHaru fluff

Feeling chaotic lately, so y'all get this angst, fluff fic.

-

When Haruhi and Takashi break up, Hikaru has to go get her stuff, forcing him to face his former friend.

-

He had defiled an honorable man’s bed, but he, damningly, felt no shame.

-

WARNINGS: contains references to adult content, but no explicit imagery. Characters are in their mid-20s.

Genre: Angst, eventual fluff

Ships: Mori x Haruhi (break-up), Hikaru x Haruhi (fluff)

-

There was a crackle of tension in the air. Takashi felt it as he moved around the house, zipping up duffle bags and packing away clothing. The source came from the redhead lingering in his doorway, shadowing him as he walked, uncharacteristically quiet.

Heavy air pressed down between them as anger and ego rose to the top. Though the house was silent, both men could hear the blood pounding in the other’s heart, their steadied, labored breaths, rage barely constrained beneath balled fists and gritted teeth. Their emotions stretched thin, like a lifeline, and whoever spoke first would snap it.

Takashi was used to silence. He enjoyed it; he did it all day, every day. It left him time to think, time to focus, to heal from his own self endured heartbreak. It was his natural state, his home turf, and yet it now unnerved him. Hikaru was never silent. It worried him more than if they had fought at each other’s throats.

“This should be the last one.”

The scotch tape screeched as Takashi bit off the end, sealing the flaps of the cardboard box. It cried like a lonely violin, but this music was brash, and hard, and crushing. He felt suffocated as he breathed in the last scent, took one last look at her things. His lungs squeezed, as if his whole heart had been packed into that box.

“Take it.”

Hikaru took a hesitant step forward, heeding the command with hooded eyes. He watched his senior with baited breath, waiting for the other shoe to drop, for him to turn feral and bite the second he laid a hand on Haruhi’s box. He was a man in his own right, as was his friend, but he couldn’t help but wonder if his high school demeanor had carried on into adulthood.

“I said, take it, Hikaru.” Takashi bit back the second half of his sentence--like you take everything else--and focused on his breathing. In and out. In and out. Anything to take his mind off the pain and the urge to wrap his hands around the younger man’s throat.

Hikaru took the box and hefted it under his arm, eyeing the exit. Why he had to come back here, he’ll never know. As Haruhi’s new boyfriend, it was his job to get her things from her ex, but why, why did it have to be Mori? Why couldn’t it have been Tamaki, who he could at least stand, or Kyoya, who scared him but was so casual and cool? Why did it have to be the defending kendo world champion, the man he had once gone to for his meditative wisdom and advice?

Driving a knife into a heart. The ultimate betrayal. The hosts were like brothers, despite their mutual competition for Haruhi’s affections. So when she started dating Mori, he thought he had lost, accepted his fate and pined silently. And up until three months ago, he would have been stuck with that, sullen for his entire life.

But then Haruhi snapped.

They had an argument the night before Takashi’s national championship tour, something so bad he yelled at her to not come with him on his tour. Flashes of white-hot anger poured through Takashi’s body as he stood still, remembering, running his hand over his stubble and hearing again her voice shrieking through the rain. Something about loyalty, something about working together.

He ran his eyes over his one-time friend. Loyalty. That’s rich considering what they did.

Her impulsiveness got her in trouble often, but it only amused him. Helped him loosen up, live a little. But it became their downfall.

They had only talked once while he was away. She had called him about some bill or service at the house, and he answered, noticing her breathy tone and lack of I love you repeated after he said it at the end.

It had already ended for her, he realized. He knew it in his bones, knew it as soon as he banned her from the trip. He saw it in the way her eyes flashed then dulled, reacting to his shouting with a violence of her own. So maybe he should have seen it coming when he came home, ready to break it off with her as soon as he woke up from a nap. He had seen that the guest bedroom was prepped, content to stay there until she was ready to move. Content to allow her to sleep in his bed despite his pain, despite her insolence and his own nature.

But that ended the moment he found her and Hikaru together in his bed.

His bed. The sacred place where they had rested together, where they had held each other in vulnerable states of sleep, where he had protected her from thunderstorms, where they had made love and worshipped each other in heavenly bliss for the happiest three years of their lives.

She had brought another man into his bed, spitting on the way he had taken her in, provided for her, given her a life she could have never achieved otherwise--and yet she had the audacity to cover herself with the sheets, as if he hadn’t already marked every inch of her body with his lips and tongue, as if it were washed away by the redhead lying next to her.

I didn’t want to break it off without a reason, she had quipped, a sorry excuse for an explanation, before he could utter a word.

Simply wanting to was reason enough, he snarled. You didn’t have to do...this.

Hikaru scanned the bedroom, eyes wafting over the soft rugs and pale blue paint. It looked different from when he had last seen it, washed over in love and lust. Now all that radiated from it was anger and pain, an invisible red aura drowning every orifice and nook.

Eventually his sights landed on the bed, where he noticed Takashi’s had, too, and couldn’t prevent the smirk. Where he had taken her for the first time, showered her in his love that had marinated for years upon years. It was storming when she called him, and she was alone, scared and in pain after the fight. So was he wrong to come over? Was he so wrong to comfort a friend, hold her while she cried, protect her while she slept? He didn’t think so. So it was logical, then, when hands began to wander and mouths explored, that he wasn’t wrong in that regard, either.

For the record, she had kissed him, first. He made that strikingly clear. He was just helping out a friend. Helping out the girl he loved. In any way she needed. His lips, his words, his body. They were hers, anyways. Always had been.

He had defiled an honorable man’s bed, but he, damningly, felt no shame.

It’s my fault, Takashi thought every time he walked into the bedroom. She had left the morning after, and though he had thrown out the sheets and scrubbed the room of everything that had reminded him of her, her presence still lingered there, like a long-burning candle beneath a cupboard, like a perfume that never quite aired out. His heartbeat pounded in his ears. Everything reminded him of her, and it probably always would. Perks of honoring loyalty.

The carpet crunched beneath Hikaru’s feet. He shifted his weight to balance the box, unsure of whether to say goodbye or just leave Takashi with his memories and regrets. The latter seemed preferable and less likely to devolve into a fistfight, so he turned to go.

“Don’t break her heart.”

The order was uttered so quietly Hikaru almost didn’t hear it, but he felt the deep vibrations of pain and jealousy rattle in his hands. He hadn’t broken it--he fixed it, he put it back together, he was there with glue and time when she called for him. He wasn’t the one who abandoned her in a storm, yelled at her to leave him alone, left to travel the country while she stayed behind to look after their mansion.

“I don’t plan on it,” he spat, looking over his shoulder.

Takashi tensed, but he let it slide. “It’s the most precious thing that you’ll ever have. It’s beautiful, but razor-sharp. Don’t let it cut you, too.”

Hikaru nodded, swallowed, and left the room, leaving the man to grieve on his own.

Exactly how he liked it.

-

Kofi and commissions

[chromecutie]

Not A Ghost - part 36

A/N - Multi-part fic. Colossus x OC where OC has come home after being wrongfully imprisoned in the Icebox. Warnings for whole fic - references and flashbacks to harsh prison environment, including various types of abuse. Takes place shortly after events in Deadpool 2. Whole thing will end up on my AO3 eventually.

Masterlist on my profile!

Taglist: @emma-frxst  @ra-ra-rasputiin  @holamor ​  @empressme-bitch  @marvel-is-perfection  @hazilyimagine ​ @marvelhead17 @rovvboat @angstybadboytrash ​ @whitewitchdown ​ @master-sass-blast ​ @mori-fandom @mooleche @dandyqueen @emberbent @leo-writer . Wanna be added or removed? Holla at me.

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

The klaxon buzzing and screeching woke Wade from his light doze. His cell door was open. He was on his feet and in seconds was already halfway down the cell block, dodging confused inmates as they wandered from their cells. 

“Attention, Vicious 13,” Mimi’s unmistakable voice echoed over the speakers throughout the prison, “Please come to the control office in an orderly fashion. Don’t let the DMC stop you. I have presents for you all.”

It didn’t take long for every inmate, not just Vicious 13, to start running toward the office. Wade ran the opposite direction as best as his tumor-riddled lungs allowed. A cluster of inmates had piled onto an unlucky guard, beating him senseless and stripping him of his equipment. 

Every inmate was so hell bent on running toward the office, none of them spared Wade a glance as he headed for the solitary unit. His lungs burned; every inch of his body ached, but if he had to get by on raw stubbornness alone, he would get to his friend he promised to protect.

--

After Wade’s visit, Rhonda had forced herself to pour the freezing cold milk on her face to neutralize the concentrated pepper spray the guards had used. She also forced down a few bites of the food, but she wasn’t optimistic about anything. She gently worked her shoulder, still tender from getting dislocated and then wrenched back into place, and she wouldn’t count on being able to lift it to defend herself against any blow.

The hours had worn on in her isolation cell. It wasn’t her first time in solitary. The easiest way to pass the time was to either sleep or keep moving - anything to mitigate the solitude that drove people insane. It was where she’d taught herself to do a handstand and walk on her hands some years ago. Though, as much as she knew she should keep moving - keep her joints and muscles as warm as possible - she felt so heavy with shame and guilt and fear that she drifted in and out of sleep. 

When the alarm blared and screamed through the entire prison, Rhonda made a startled leap from her cot. The cell door opened, and though she wasn’t sure if it was because of Mimi or Piotr, she wouldn’t stay in her cell a second longer than she had to.

Every single cell door in the isolation unit was open. About half of the cells were occupied, and those had inmates blearily stepping out and grumbling questions. Rhonda kept her head down and walked quickly. The speaker system kicked on, but the speakers here were damaged. It was easy enough to recognize it was Mimi’s voice making announcements, but it was hard to make out exactly what she was saying, except for “presents.” Rhonda had made it past three or four inmates. She only had to glide past a few more before she was out of the solitary unit--

One man snagged her arm. “Guestbook,” he growled in a British accent, “If it ent the fucken’ scourge o’ the Icebox ‘erself.” He grinned with chipped teeth at the rest of the newly freed inmates. “Presents, indeed, boys. It’s Christmas fucken’ mornin’!”

Rhonda groaned, then dodged the incoming jab heading for her jaw. She threw the British inmate to the ground, only to be yanked backward as a second man hooked an arm around her neck from behind. A third started raining blows on her ribs. 

Thrashing her legs and with a few well-placed kicks below the belt, Rhonda was loose again and she slammed one man’s face into the concrete floor - breaking his nose, a cheekbone, and probably some teeth. It was a whirlwind of fists and feet, but Rhonda felt like the same fight she’d had dozens of times was replaying again. She knew when to hit, when to dodge, and was able to tell when she’d be able to make two enemies collide with each other, giving her an opportunity to get some space. The British inmate came at her with an improvised shiv - it looked like a piece of plexiglass scavenged from a previous riot, wrapped on one end with torn strips of yellow jumpsuit. He slashed and stabbed, and Rhonda dodged the worst of it. She couldn’t lift her right arm high enough to avoid some of the blows, and wound up with a few gashes on her arms, but she got lucky when he slipped on some of her blood. It was all she needed to grapple him to the ground and take the shiv for herself. 

She brought the jagged glass plunging into his jugular. The next moments were a blurred confusion of blood and screaming. Rhonda was down to one inmate still on his feet, the last one between her and the end of the unit. Then, something hit his head with a clank and he went down like a bag of rocks. Behind him stood Wade, absently slapping a broken segment of walkway railing in his palm. 

He let out a low whistle as he took in the mess of smeared blood and limp bodies on the hall floor. “Lucky I showed up when I did,” he pretended to be smug, then laughed despite himself. “Yeah...you definitely needed my help.”

Rhonda spat a little blood. “How is it out there?”

“Like if they made a free-for-all arena version of Mortal Kombat,” he shrugged. “Typical boys’ night.”

She took a breath and gently stretched her bad shoulder, steeling her nerves. “Let’s go.”

--

The X-Jet circled the snow-capped mountain. Kurt and Ororo were in the cockpit, with Piotr close behind them. Since they left the house, he’d felt calmer, focused. He was on his way to pull his wife out of hell, and nothing would stop him. 

Loud booms erupted from the roof of the Icebox and along the mountainside as anti aircraft guns fired on the jet. Kurt hissed some curses in German as he evaded with expert maneuvering. Pulling the jet back out of the guns’ range, he said, “Can we take out those guns, mein freund?”

--

Sensors beeped and dinged in the control office. Mimi looked for the source for a second until Robinson said, “It’s the guns outside, look.” Pointing on another screen, radar caught the jet as a rapidly circling blip.

“Is that more DMC?” she asked, ignoring the continuous noise outside the office.

Robinson shook his head, “Not with the guns firing on it like that, I don’t think so. They’re automated, look.” He showed her the control panel for the guns. “DMC usually comes in through the rail tunnels, but when the brass shows up in a helicopter, they’ve got friendly tokens. Keeps the guns from firing.” He paused. “I don’t know who this is.”

“It’s our ride out of here,” Mimi grinned. “I’ll be damned. Guestbook wasn’t lying.” As far as she was concerned, her plan was going flawlessly. “Disarm the guns. Let them through.”

Outside the office, many of the guards had been taken down. Inmates had mobbed onto them. Plenty of people laid on the floor, coughing from the pepper spray or shakily getting back to their feet after being shocked with cattle prods. Guards lay dead or unconscious as inmates took their boots, their weapons, gloves, anything they could. Then inmates started fighting among themselves as some started pounding on the office walls, demanding Mimi let them in and remove their collars.

For her part, Mimi was content to ignore them as much as possible. Janks and other high ranking V13 members stayed close to the office, fending off the more impatient prisoners with broken pieces of railing.

Rhonda and Wade elbowed their way through until they faced Janks and his smug scowl. It had been a long walk from solitary to the control office, and they had dealt with waves of guards, inmates embracing chaos, or both trying to take their vengeful pound of flesh from Rhonda. Wade was limping and leaning on her, bleeding from his side and his leg and a busted lip. She had a broken nose, a new scrape on her cheek, and splashes of blood all over her jumpsuit. She still clenched the plexiglass shiv in one hand.

Janks twisted his grip around the railing, ready to use it. Looking past him to Mimi, Rhonda yelled in a rasp, “Mimi! If you wanna get out of this shithole, let us in!” The big lieutenant in front of her turned and tapped the glass with the railing.

Mimi craned her slender neck past Robinson’s shoulder and her face lit up with exaggerated surprise. She beckoned with her long fingers and Janks let them through, guarding against anyone trying to seize an opportunity. Robinson beeped his card and Rhonda and Wade dragged themselves through the door, letting it lock behind them again.

Wade sank into the empty chair beside Robinson and sagged, groaning. Rhonda held out her hand toward Mimi, “Okay, the token.” 

In the good lighting, Mimi’s charcoal grey scales had an iridescent sheen, playing the light with hints of green and purple. She blinked, then said slowly, “One more condition.”

“Are you fucking serious?” Wade whined, lolling his head. “Always one more thing with these fuckers.” He coughed some blood.

The reptilian twirled a hard token in her long fingers. The little chunk of plastic caught the light as much as her scales as she stared down Rhonda. “He doesn’t look so good. Neither do you.”

Rhonda’s mouth twitched into a snarl. “Name it.”

She stepped closer until they were just inches apart. “Almost every DMC officer in this place is dead,” she jerked her head toward Robinson, “except this one. And it will stay that way. In fact, he’s coming with us out of here. Your friends are already circling the place, and I want assurance that Edmund will be as safe as me and you.”

Rhonda spared a seething glance for Robinson. “We’ll take as many people with us as we can. Including you and this one.”

Wade picked up his head. “Rhonda! Really? Not even a counter offer? You’re gonna fold like some origami for this shit? How many serial killers are you planning on letting loose?”

“And how many of them are like me, Wade?” she snapped. “I wasn’t like this before I got here! We’re taking as many as the jet can carry.”

He rolled his eyes and shrugged, mumbling, “You get to tell Colossus.” 

“He’ll do it,” she retorted. Her hard gaze leveled on Mimi again. “The token.”

She set it in Rhonda’s hand, but her fingers lingered just a moment before she pulled away. 

Rhonda clenched the token in her fist. It was the last thing between her and never wearing a DMC collar again. She pulled a shaky breath, and tapped Wade’s shoulder. “Okay, sit up. Lean forward a little so I can see,” she reached for his collar.

“Nuh-uh,” he feebly batted her hand away. “We did this whole thing to get your collar off--”

“Wade, you’re gonna die in the next few minutes if we don’t get this off,” she said firmly. His breathing was labored, and he could hardly speak without coughing. He had to be in terrible pain, but he didn’t act like it. They shared a hard look, then said in unison, “We won’t tell Colossus.”

Finally, Wade leaned over to let Rhonda punch the code into the block on his collar. It beeped, clicked loose, and fell away. Immediately, Wade groaned and stood up straight as his body began rapidly healing. He shimmied his shoulders, shaking off the pain, then gave Rhonda the biggest smile. “Okay, your turn.”

--

When the anti aircraft guns stopped firing, Ororo and Kurt hesitated. “You don’t think they already got into the control office, did they?” Ororo wondered. 

“Perhaps,” Colossus said from behind them. “Those two are nothing if not resourceful…”

The jet descended and over the roof of the Icebox, they could see the large skylight reinforced with metal bars. “Drop Beast and me here,” Colossus said. “You can land near the personnel tunnel and come up that way.”

“Are you sure that’s wise?” Kurt asked, even as he banked the jet toward the skylight.

Storm added. “You don’t know what the situation is with DMC officers and inmates.”

“I am taking the chance,” Colossus insisted. He headed to the rear of the jet, tapping Beast on the shoulder on the way. Beast unbuckled his harness and followed as the hatch opened before them. 

The icy night air came howling into the jet. Colossus glanced at Negasonic and Yukio and noticed them shiver even as they gave him a stoic nod. They would find him as soon as they landed. Fine, powdery snow swirled around them with the wind. Colossus and Beast took a breath as they neared the expansive skylight.

“Well, friend,” Beast said, genial as ever while quoting poetry, “screw your courage to the sticking place, and we’ll not fail.”

“It is not my courage I am worried about.” Colossus took one more breath and launched himself into the air. Beast followed just behind him.

They landed hard on the roof, beside the skylight, and found the glass was covered in a lattice of reinforced steel. The two strong mutants quickly got to work wrenching the bars away before they could kick out the glass and drop into the middle of the Icebox.

--

Rhonda’s hands trembled. Every horrible thing in the last two days had led up to this, and now it hardly seemed real. She gave Mimi and Robinson one last wary look before turning around to let Wade see the number pad on her collar. “You have to do it fast,” she reminded him, “It’s only ten seconds.”

Mimi watched intently, “Don’t fuck up.” Still, she took a step back, just in case.

“Just so everyone knows,” Wade raised his voice and tossed his head around for emphasis, “my drunk texting is immaculate. I’m not gonna fat-finger anything here. Thanks for the fucking vote of confidence, though.”

Each beep on the number pad felt like a church bell that was tolling either victory or doom, and Rhonda couldn’t be sure which until the collar came loose. Rhonda heard the click, but at the same time, a thundering crash resounded through the whole prison, filling Rhonda’s senses. For a moment, she was sure the collar had exploded and she had died. 

“Oh look,” Wade clicked the collar closed and tossed it nonchalantly to the floor. “Shiny Senpai is here. Ugh, with Beast. Rhonda, promise me you won’t let him hump my leg.”

Rhonda pulled in a deep breath, then another. She looked up and followed Wade’s gaze through the plexiglass walls and saw Colossus and Beast were in the yard. “They’re here,” she said softly, partly astonished, partly relieved. She realized the sickly fuzziness over her senses had dissipated, replaced with dizziness like when someone stands up too quickly after lying down. That faded too, and she took her first easy breath in two days, flexing her fingers. 

Sparks danced over her knuckles.

[petulant-poet]

Until dawn the musical Script (act one scene one)

MEMENTO MORI (the overture) (Stage is dark, and snow is falling. Stage moves so we may see house on the inside. A group of teenagers{Sam, Mike, Jess, Emily} stand in the kitchen and chatter amongst themselves) Emily: Oh my god, I can’t believe you actually did this! Jess: shhhh! Sam: Don’t you guys think this is being a bit cruel? Jess: oh, com on. She deserves it. Sam: it’s not her fault she has a crush on Mike- Jess: Hannah’s been making moves on him. I’m just watching out for my girl Em. (The kids leave the kitchen, and lights dim on that side. Lights go up on the bedroom they walk into) Emily: just because he’s class prez doesn’t mean he belongs to everyone. Mike is my man. Mike: hey Em, I’m not anybody’s man Emily: whatever you say darling! (Matt and Ashley enter) Matt: this is gonna be so good! Ashley: are you sure this is a good idea? (Sam runs around house, looking for Hannah) Sam: Hannah? Hannah! (Hannah enters with a lit candle) Hannah: uh, Mike? Emily(whispering):Oop... she’s here. Shh! (Matt, Jess, Ashley, and Emily hide) Hannah: Mike? It’s Hannah Mike: Hey Hannah (Lights dim on that side of the stage. The other side lights up to reveal Chris and Josh asleep at the table, and Beth looking out the window) Beth: Oh my god. Did you see that? Dad said it’d just be us this weekend. Josh (Walks over to josh and chris, and picks up an empty bottle of beer) Beth: jeez Josh, once again you’ve outdone us all. Hm? (Beth picks up a piece of paper stuck to the bottle and reads it) Beth: oh shit. What’d our naive little sister get herself into this time? (Lights go down and lights come up on the bedroom) Hannah: I got your note Mike: glad you could make it Mike: maybe we should start with a little, you know, making out, and see where it goes from there- Hannah: are you sure about this? (A beat) Mike: hm? Hannah: I mean, I know how you feel about Emily, and I wouldn’t want to get in the way of that... Mike: of course not. I don’t care about Emily nearly as much as you. I would take you over her any day. Hannah: oh, ok Mike: so are we doing this or what? Hannah(with confidence): of course. (Hannah starts taking shirt off) Jess(whispering/giggling): oh my god! She’s taking her shirt off! Hannah: what...? Oh my god! (Everyone starts coming from hiding places) Hannah: Matt!? What are you doing here!? Mike: uh, I’m sorry Hannah, this all got outta hand, but... (Sam enters room, clearly winded) Sam(heaving): Han... it was all... a prank (Sam collapses on the floor from exhaustion) Sam: has the house always been this big? Hannah: Mike! (Hannah runs out of the house offstage) (A beat) Sam: you guys are jerks, you know that? (Sam runs out behind her, and lights go down on the bedroom. Lights come up in the kitchen as Beth is about to leave, but Sam rushes past) Sam: did you see her? Beth: who? Sam: Hannah! She just ran out into the woods. (Sam runs outside, yelling Hannah’s name) (Beth runs over and shakes Josh’s shoulder) Beth: josh! JOSH! Fuck. (Beth runs outside to see the others looking around a bit) Beth: what’s going on? Where’s my sister going? Jess: ugh, it’s fine. She just can’t take a joke... Emily: It was just a prank Han! Beth: what did you do?!? Mike: we were just messing around, Beth... it wasn’t serious- Beth: you JERKS! (Beth runs after Hannah offstage) Beth: Hannah! HANNAH! Mike: so... should we go after her? (Sam goes in front of Mike and smacks him) Sam: y’know, I kinda think you’re the LAST person she wants to see right now, Mike (Lights dim on the house, and go up on the woods. Hannah comes, and falls in the snow. She sits on a log and starts crying) Hannah: that was so stupid! Why did I think this would work?! (Beth enters) Hannah(without looking up): god? (A beat) Beth: no. It’s Beth. Your sister Hannah(crying): I’m such an idiot! I’m so dumb... Beth: here, take my coat, you must be freezing out here Hannah: I can’t believe I actually fell for that, everyone was in on it and everything! Beth: well, not everyone. I mean, there was me, Josh, Chris, pretty sure about Sam... Hannah: I know. It’s just, I thought this was my big chance... THE BALLAD OF HANNAH WASHINGTON (Sung by Hannah about the prank feat. Beth consoling) (A screech is heard) Beth: Hannah...? Hannah: Beth...? (The sisters run, but Hannah trips) Beth: I’ve got you! (The two eventually reach the cliffside) Beth: NO! (We get a glimpse of the creature as a spindly finger reaches out to attack. But a stream of fire comes from the side. The two jump back , and in turn Hannah falls off the edge) Hannah: NO! ARGH! (Beth holds onto the side of the cliff, and the stranger, enveloped in darkness, holds out a hand. Beth looks from the stranger to Hannah, and lets go of the cliff. The two fall into darkness) END OF ACT ONE SCENE ONE

[cherrytart-ffxiv]

taji’s tales.

Before anything else, I fell in love with her hands.

They were always cold, no matter how hot it was outside. And they were tiny. I often wondered how such small hands could accomplish so much. I remember the summer of the cycle she had turned sixteen, sitting on the porch of Wells’ family great big farm house and being spellbound by Audrey and her guitar. She played it with love. She could play anything, too. Name a song and she could play it for you, smiling the entire time. If she didn’t know it, all you had to do was tell her the chords. It would only take a minute for her to piece together and turn entirely into her own; elegant, and beautiful, meaningful.

I was enchanted by her hands, the way that her fingers moved over the strings with ease, without so much as a second thought as to placement, the way they made the instrument sing even when the strings were worn and needed replacing. She had a gift. Musically, Audrey had always been brilliant. I was just a humble fan, someone she’d play for on long summer nights when lightning bugs sparked and the waves lapped against the shore and the moon shone bright on the fields. I’d close my eyes and go somewhere else, for a little while, her sweet voice flowing out from between her lips as she swayed on the porch, one leg up close to her, the other on a lower step.

I fell in love with her voice second. It was perfect. She needed no formal training; Audrey sang like an angel without even trying. There was emotion behind every syllable, and she could drop a note and leave it there. She was decisive, and she was skilled, knowing just how to draw out or cut her words to leave you hanging on to every one. And we’d watch, her little audience, as her slender fingers moved rapidly to strum out chords and notes, as that beautiful voice wove us stories about great loves and sad passings and of places far away from where we sat, by the seaside.

Sometimes the songs were sad, sometimes they were happy and bright, sometimes they made you want to get up and dance - and we did, laughing as we spun around the front yard of that big farmhouse, and she’d smile, bobbing her head to the boys playing barrels and buckets as drums to her guitar. She’d smack against the wood to provide the beat, tap her foot, as ribbons of black hair fluttered in the breeze. Those were blissful days. Those were the days I never wanted to end. Everything in the world be damned but Audrey and her instruments, because who were we to have other business when a divine being sat before us? And I think that was the summer I knew - I knew, and learned, that I loved more than just her hands and her voice. I loved the girl.

I don’t think she ever loved me beyond a best friend, a big brother where Connor had failed her. That was okay. I didn’t need to make her mine. I just needed to be around her. I needed to hear her eternally loud laugh, adorable and infectious. Even if nothing was funny, if she was laughing, she had everyone around her in stitches. Audrey glowed. She was the life of every party and the apple of every eye. White cotton dresses and a sheet of shining black hair, with big eyes that were alight with intelligence and gentleness both, with a fair complexion that looked like glass with natural pink hues staining her cheeks and lips. Yes, she was beautiful; she was ethereally, otherworldly beautiful, with a body that left us all weak in the knees when she danced - and kami preserve, when she danced. If her voice was an instrument, her body was an orchestra. I could have watched the way she moved, effortlessly, joy in every motion, elegant or seductive or both or somewhere in between.

I could sing praises about Audrey’s beauty and talents for years. She was strong, and whip smart. She observed the world quietly and knew a hundred times more than she ever let on. Her convictions, her sense of right and wrong, her deep compassion and sense of justice in an unjust world - what was a puppy dog eyed boy to do? I had seen the horrors inflicted by the yakuza my father worked at the head of. I had held a gun, by that age, to the head of a weeping man. My hands didn’t deserve the summertime warmth of Audrey. That did not stop them from craving it, from me wanting to be wrapped in her golden glow and to sink it, disappear in it. Sure, she could kick my ass, but she never did. Audrey, then, was gentle. She was soft. I was blind to the anger growing in her. I was blind to the injustices she was experiencing. I don’t know if I can ever repent enough for being so blinded by her brilliance that I didn’t see it was an act so that no one would see the cracks in her armor.

Three cycles later, when I came back from Kugane and she didn’t recognize me, I couldn’t blame her. If it hadn’t been for her eyes, for the beauty mark at the bottom of the left one, I might not have recognized her, either. That golden piece of summertime had changed. Her hip length hair had been cut short, up to her chin, bleached of its natural raven hue and dyed a bright pink that screeched for her to be noticed. A girl that had lived her life naturally and comfortably was done up in glittery makeup and tight fitting mini skirts, blouses with plunging necklines and bared midriffs. It would have been fine if I thought it was her choice. But I knew about “Cherry.” My father has warned me before I went back to Eorzea, about what had become of Audrey. They had eyes everywhere.

Trafficked. Controlled by an obsessive pimp. Audrey was skin and bones when I saw her again. Her collarbones were so pronounced that one could collect water in each of them. She was frail, thin, her big eyes exhausted and marked by dark circles beneath them. A bruise - dark and angry - marked her jaw as she moved slowly into my mother’s shop. She looked right at me and didn’t recognize me. But she smiled at me. I saw the dimples in her cheeks. I was weak. I took the bait she offered. I took her into my bed and I didn’t tell her who I was. Covered in tattoos and scars, I suppose I looked worlds different, too.

There is no atoning for my weakness. There is no redemption for making love to Audrey when I knew who she was and she didn’t know me. I am disgusting. I am no better than any other man who has touched her because they just wanted to. Teenage fantasies ran away with me. I held her hands. They were still cold. Tiny. Soft. The callouses from her guitar were gone. I almost burst into tears when I felt how smooth they were. She hadn’t been playing. She hadn’t been playing for a very long time. What had Ul’dah done to her? What had her pimp done to her? Why hadn’t Connor been protecting her?

I remember her running to the apothecary shop, sandles in one hand while the scarf she made out of her mother’s cardigan hung around her neck. She stopped short when she saw me, eyes wide. She spoke my name. My name. It sounded like a breathless song on her tongue. All at once, it seemed, she remembered me. She remembered me, just as I was about to set sail for Kugane again. I brought her inside. We split an order of curry while her leg bounced nervously, eyes flickering nonstop towards the door I had locked behind us. How many pairs of eyes were watching her at any given moment? Including those from Kugane, from Doma... The bruise on her jaw was still there. I figured she was right to be worried. Anger roared on me, that anyone would put hands on her. That they would succeed. The Audrey I knew...

The Audrey I knew was stuck. She was trapped. She still flared in that little body, but she was muted. A summertime glow, spinning cherry blossom petals, fresh cherries on her tongue as she laughed - I could tell these were all distant memories for her. More distant for her than for me. And it was with desperation that I asked her to come with me to Kugane. We would protect her. She looked at me with such a sad smile, with a shake of her head that shifted her neon pink hair, as her fork shifted rice around on her plate. She had done a lot of that; shifting her food, but not eating it.

“I can’t. There’s too much debt here. Someone will get hurt if I leave, and I can’t even tell you who. But someone would pay for me disobeying. And I can’t live with that... Taji.”

The next day, I had to get on a ship and leave the first - the only - person I had ever loved behind, in one of the worst situations you could place a person in. It felt wrong. It all felt wrong, and foul, and vile. No one should look like that at nineteen, I thought. No girl her age should have eyes so ancient and exhausted. I cursed myself for leaving. I cursed myself for listening to my own orders. And I curse myself every day that I didn’t insist that she come. But what would it have fixed? Another man, telling her what to do, where to go...

Reports come in about her. Mori knows about her. Our people are watching, but to what end? She doesn’t even know her full heritage. Of course, clever girl has her suspicions, but that’s all. She’s got nothing to work off of other than some hunches. Still... Still, if there’s anything that I believe in, it’s Audrey’s brain. Audrey’s determination. Audrey’s stubbornness. Her unwavering resolve and the way she grits her teeth in the face of adversity, only to bloom from it. She grows through mud. She always has. And she has always come out more beautiful and more brilliant at the end of it.

I’m on a boat back to Eorzea as I write this. Back to Ul’dah. Back to... her. Mom needs my help in the shop. I need to see if any of the life has come back to Audrey’s eyes. I missed her twentieth nameday. She never liked celebrating them. I wonder if she celebrated this one. I wonder if she has people who love her, care for her. I want to know. I want to see her. I want make sure... I don’t know. I won’t know for sure what I’m looking for until I get there. Maybe it’s just her face. Maybe it’s her laugh. Maybe I’m hoping she’s dusted off her guitar and started to play again, that she’s found a reason to. No, she may not be mine. But whether I am a lover or a friend or a brother, I love Audrey Wells. That much will never change. No matter what.

[jaegertango]

Origins: Memento Mori

((UNDEAD METAL BAND WITH @elksy AND @amilaine LET’S FUCKING GOOOOOOO))

((EDITED: ADDED IN @adries PART, MIMI IS HERE LADS))

How did the heaviest, most metal band to sunder the world like Deathwing come to existence? Few know, but whispers call about its legend. The furthest go back to the dark halls of Acherus, where souls are corrupted into Death Knights - or discovered to have a destiny even greater than mere violence.

Not much is known about Fenix Deathguard's previous life, and he claims that he was never truly “alive” until he was reborn in Acherus. One thing is for certain though: his resurrection always seems to be the starting point of the greatest Metal endeavor to flood Azoerth. It is said that when the ritual to corrupt his soul into a Death Knight of the Scourge was complete, a thousand wails screamed out from him. They shrieked and writhed and roared throughout Acherus, too inhuman to be alive, and too melodic to be a banshee. All that is certain is that the sheer noise, like the most infernal guitar solo to ever grace Azeroth, even attracted Highlord Mograine's own attention. As the Death Knights approached their newest recruit, they found a towering man with a mane of black hair and gaunt white skin. Both of his forearms had been transformed into a dead black, but his left hand was constantly fidgeting with life as if aching to press around one's throat – or fret on a guitar neck. Veins of darkness ran up to his shoulders and towards his black heart, where it seemed the whispers of maddening music tempted all to listen closer. Azeroth's most metal guitarist had been brought forth – and now he needed his axe.

But not just any axe would do. No, he needed something suited for his pure strength and neck-breaking speed. Taking the remnants of his old axe (a broken and defeated guitar), he wrapped it in layer upon layer of Saronite. When it was heavy enough for him, he then found the largest Frost Giant in all of the Storm Peaks, and he ripped out its heartstrings so that he could use it as the strings for his weapon. Securing the end with the horn of a Frostwyrm, all that was left was to bathe the guitar in a sea of blackened blood. So he brought it forth to slaughter the most corrupt creatures to ever vomit their way unto existence – the Faceless. He brought the giants down, washing it entirely with their foul life fluids and strumming their songs into the steel. The bodies piled high, enough to bring the vicious whispers of Yogg-Saron into Fenix's mind, and it was only then, with a single powerful note, that the Death Knight was victorious. His guitar, Affliction Forever, could wail the fastest solos, thunder the heaviest notes, and raise the very dead in armies to hear his world-ending songs. His legacy, however, was only just begun. The world needed more metal, and he needed to find those strong enough to help him deliver it unto every inch of Azeroth.

He wasn't sure where to search, but before he could consider, a vision unlike any other haunted him. Images shifted and whirled like razor water around him, not real enough for him to shove away, but real enough to shred their marks into his flesh. They screeched endlessly at him, more sound than actual sight. Such hallucinations would have driven any other mad, and he could see the many mangled and captivated victims swaying even in death to those calls, but Fenix found himself enraptured by such a curse. Moving to the West, the images got more violent, but so did the Death Knight. He wailed the most thunderous of riffs back, like a wolf returning a howl. The Plaguelands writhed under the tremendous force of his solo, and Tirisfal buckled by the returning siren call of Death. It was only when the very landscape was furling and smashing upon itself like one huge mosh pit that Fenix found himself face-to-face with a woman easily his equal: Cecilia Felweather. She had the same goal he did, to spread the glory and power of Metal across all of Azeroth, and only now did her banshee cries bring her a guitarist worthy of her voice. The two made a pact immediately: Undeath had only given them the immortal chance they needed to fulfill their goal. Together, they would create the heaviest, blackest and  most metal band in all of Azeroth, and together they would turn the world Metal. For they were Memento Mori: Remember You Will Die.

But they were not enough. They needed more brute force, one more to stand at their side like the bulwark of metal they were. Deathguard played one bellowing note to call out, and he felt the earth quake in response. Cecilia screamed out her own commanding cry, and the ground shuddered its vicious reply. There was another out there, and they needed to find them. But they knew, their third was not somewhere in Azeroth, but even deeper than six feet below. Together, Memento Mori blasted a solo, echoed by a chorus whose vocals ripped the sky into a bloody crimson. Reality could not keep stable by the sheer force of their playing, and the ground gave up first. The two fell, deeper than the crust, deeper than Hell – Deepholm was their destination. And within the bowels of the Earthen realm, chaos was playing at its fullest. A single corpse, buried far deeper than any other, could not be contained even by the World Pillar. With only two sticks and every stone as his drums, he sundered and rocked every inch of the world, making volcanos erupt with every bass kick and the earth quake under his violent barrage. Even the Pillar itself was little more than a snare for him to assault and call out to his metal brother and sister that Riley Rorschach was here, and he was pissed. Lava flowed like an ocean, and great columns of fire exploded from every quaking crater he crashed into the earth. Memento Mori's drummer had given his call, and he reminded all of Azeroth of his perpetual hangover – as well as the fiery, quaking revenge he was about to wreak upon the world for it.

But as they returned to Azeroth, the land uprooted and twisted by their arrival, all three of them simultaneously turned to the South. They all heard it together, a symphonic shriek that rattled their bones and bit at their skin like knives -  their Fourth was calling. So the three journeyed to Pandaria, some say on a storm of darkness and flame, others by a monstrosity of metal. The devilish wail only grew louder and more violent, warning them of the power of the source. When they journeyed into Kun'lai, and the music had wracked the sky into a sea of black and pink, they found not a Pandaren region, but corruption unlike any other. Tides of Sha energy, writhing like water, splashed across the mountains, swirling in one great hurricane in the center. The outline of a great nightmare roared and signaled the herald of doomsday – the Sha of Metal. The bellow and screech of a guitar blared above all else, and it was matched only by the piercing shriek of Deathguard's own solo. Only then, the two of them played together, a harmony of destruction that tamed the corruption into a true force, one of pure Metal. Kun'lai was ripped apart and renewed simultaneously, tearing the region into pieces and fixing them back into a better place immediately. When the storm of black finally subsided, a single woman stood in the eye of the hurricane, an axe twice her size strapped to her. There, Memento Mori found Miette Obsidian, and silently judged them worthy of her cause. With her mighty double-bladed axe on the some power as Affliction Forever, she was the perfect second guitarist. The Three were now Four.

Yet, even as they stood, the most dangerous and Metal undead to ever be brought forth into existence, they all knew there was more. Memento Mori's call was infinite, and they knew more would return the call. Only then, could they begin their Black Crusade, their Metalocalypse.

[bellatrixobsessed1]

Sunsets With A Bowl Of Oatmeal

I’ve had this idea for about a year now, I present to you all; Nerissa and Yan Lin as old ladies living in a house on Earth. Nerissa is a crazy cat lady who likes scaring children.

Yan Lin sat on the porch spooning down a bowl of cinnamon oatmeal. Nothing was better than watching the sunrise with a bowl of cinnamon oatmeal. Nothing of course, except watching the sunrise with a bowl of cinnamon oatmeal alone…without the other old bat who dwelled in her house. Yan Lin narrowed her eyes as Nerissa came to stand directly in front of the sun. With a halo of light around her, the other woman deceptively appeared as something like an angelic figure.

“Out of the way, I’m gonna miss the best part, ya old bat.” Yan Lin waved Nerissa away.

 “Best part?” Nerissa grumbled. “The best part looks just like every other part of the sunrise.”

 “No! No! It’s different.” Yan Lin insisted.

 “You’ve seen one sunrise you’ve seen them all.” Nerissa replied.

 “You can’t even read a newspaper without your glasses, no wonder you think they all look the same.” Yan Lin shoots back.

 Nerissa’s eyes narrowed. Moving in with Yan Lin and her sunsets and her extensive knitting had been a mistake. Higher powers forbid, she start knitting and playing solitaire on the kitchen table too. No, there were other much more promising activities like feeding the birds so that she could later feed them to her cats and screeching at children to get off of her lawn. After all, it was her yard. However, Yan Lin was making this very difficult as she would invite children into their yard.  This night would be different though, this time when they came knocking and asking with puppy dog eyes, “can we please catch fireflies in your yard” she would be waiting in the bushes. She cackled to herself, for once she couldn’t wait for the little darlings to arrive.  It would be like Halloween only better. Maybe not that good, she decided. Halloween was her favorite time of the year. She and Yan Lin didn’t have the biggest house and it wasn’t on a hill, in fact it looked like every other house on the block except for the broken window shutter. But the children knew it anyways, they knew it because Yan Lin would hand out caramel apples and king sized candy bars to anyone brave enough to approach. In the same way that their house wasn’t noteworthy, neither was their decorations. In fact Yan Lin did most of the decorating; a cute, happy spider, a smiling jack-o-lantern, and a few sheet ghosts hung in the trees. If Nerissa had her way their home would be converted into a horror house with spiderwebs in every corner (filled with spiders, the real looking ones), fake blood spatter—or real, that didn’t matter to Nerissa, and electronic skeletal hands that clamped down on the feet of the unexpecting, among other things. Cracked windows and a creaking wooden door would add to the atmosphere especially if they gave the house paneling a weathered look. She would have her house looking like such year-round if she had her way. But she did not. No matter, the bubbly decorations Yan Lin liked, granted her the element of surprise.

Oh no, it wasn’t the house that had the kiddies reluctant to receive their treats. It was Nerissa herself. Every year she would jump out like a loon, waving her cane and snarling. The youngsters would drop their candy and bolt, no costume required. And she would scoop up all of the candy for herself.

Yan Lin of course had a word or two to say, “ya old coot, look whacha did.” Or maybe even, “and here I brought all of these apples, yer ruining everything ya old witch.” It always brought tears to Nerissa’s eyes, the happy kind.

 So if the woman was being honest, she was feeling giddy and couldn’t wait for Yan Lin to pipe up, “oh of course dears, you can use our yard.”

 For the time being, Nerissa lurked at the windowsill, peering out periodically and occasionally making crude gestures at Yan Lin when she looked her way. “A good night, it’s gonna be a good night.” She muttered to herself, stroking Merissa’s fur. The black cat purred in pleasure. Of Nerissa’s thirteen cats— Minx, Mellow, Marlo, Mori, Mandy, Mark, Marcus, Metero, Marley, Melissa, Marko, and Richard Ricardo IV—Merissa was her favorite. Richard Ricardo IV was her least, that was the cat Yan Lin had picked out and was the only tabby in her family of black cats. Even so, together she and the thirteen made up the League of CATastrophe. A fine team they were. Nerissa fixed her eyes on Merissa, “are you gonna help your mistress ruin the children’s first day of summer?” The can burshed up against her leg. “Oh, yes you are.  You are a bad kitty, a very bad kitty, just like mistress Nerissa.”

 “Ya ain’t a kitty ya old hag.” Yan Lin commented as she put her bowl of oatmeal in the sink.

 “I know that!” Nerissa barked. “But I’m bad.”

 “Really, really bad?” Yan Lin asked.

 Nerissa would not take the bait, that hip music wasn’t her style. Nothing could beat, The Doors. Instead she scuttled outside with Merissa, Minx, Marlo, and Marley in tow. “Scatter, all of you!” She commanded lifting her hands to the sky. But just like she, the cats weren’t what they used to be so she had to lift each one up and put them in their designated hiding places. She stationed Merissa in the bush directly behind her, inevitably that would be where the children ran. With any luck, their abrupt movements would cause Merissa to hiss. What a good plan, Nerissa was brilliant, a genius really. She leapt into the bush. Nevermind the splinters and the twigs jabbing into her arms, they would be worth it.

 “Eeeeehh, sure ya can use our yard for firefly catching.” She heard Yan Lin reply. “Just watch out for the house demon, she’s around here somewhere…” She trailed off, narrowing her eyes.

 Nerissa rubbed her hands together in anticipation, snickering softly to herself. The children were having a blast, giggling and bouncing up and down and whooping in delight when they finally took hold of a lightning bug.  Unfortunately, they were keeping near the fence and not her bush. But her time would come, oh it would come alright. All she had to do was be patient.

 She observed one child as he strayed from the group. Her grin widened, he would be her victim. And, how delightful!—he was following a lightning bug that drifted right towards her. She tapped her fingers together, resisting the urge to cackle. At last, at last  her moment was coming. Just as planned, the insect took perch right on one of the leaves of her bush. With the most cheerful grin, the child reached out, bracing himself to yell, “I caught one!” But he never had the chance because it was Nerissa who caught one! Right around the wrist! She fastened her hand around it and emerged from the bush at a startling speed. But instead of saying ‘BAH!’ or ‘BOO’ as she had planned she shouted, “ow, my hip!” The kid still ran off screeching in fear, so her mission was a success, but at what cost?

 “Yan.” She called out. “Yan, I’ve fallen and can’t get up.”

 “Serves ya right ya old fart.”  Yan Lin folded her arms and mumbled, “scaring away the kiddies like that.”

 So it was that Nerissa felt the brutal pangs of betrayal. Or maybe that was just her throbbing hip, she didn’t have a heart to actually feel betrayal with. She didn’t have a heart to use quintessence with either. She tsked to herself. Maybe the League of CATastrophe would come to her aid. Until then she would lie on the ground as Yan Lin laughed that wheezing chuckle.

 She remained in such a state until Yan Lin had the kindness to carry her back to her room. “I don’t know how ya made it this far ya crusty old crone. I don’t know how I lived with ya this long.” But truth be told, Yan Lin wouldn’t have chosen any other companion to live out the rest of her days with. At least Nerissa was entertaining.

[ushijimawakaflockaflame-blog]

Ushijima scenario when he finds out his wife is pregnant, how he deals with her cramps, craving and take her for the 1st ultrasound? Thanks Moori lol

mori: wassup wassUUUPPP this is cute! hope you like it ~

You’ve been twiddling your fingers and pacing the floor for the past hour or so, waiting for your husband to arrive home. You held the pregnancy test in one hand a damp tissue in the other, unable to predict the excited and happy tears flowing down every time you looked at the results.

You and Ushijima had been talking about starting a family together even before you were married. He wanted a child at a young age, young enough that he can still move around and teach them volleyball. You were not opposed to having a child so soon after marriage at all. Let’s just say you both did a lot of work during your honeymoon, and it paid off!

You heard the door click open and you turned to see your handsome husband kick off his shoes. He looked at your blushing, teary-eyed face and stopped immediately.

“What did you do…?” he asked suspiciously.

“Why do you think I did something!?”

“You’re not good at hiding your emotions.”

“I beg to differ!”

“What’s in your hand? Did you break something again?”

“No, you dumbass!” you laughed. You shoved the test in his face, hands shaking with excitement. “I’m pregnant…!”

You watch Ushijima’s suspicious gaze change to wide-eyed wonderment and melt to a warm smile in less than a minute. He pulled you close with one strong arm and kissed your forehead lovingly.

“I’m happy.”

“Eh? That’s it!?”

“I figured you were this morning when I heard you throwing up in the bathroom.”

“A-Ah, you heard that…?”

“It was hard not to hear.”

“I can never surprise you.”

You felt his warm breath tickle you when he chuckled into your hair, leaving small kisses all over. You felt your cheeks heat up, not used to Ushijima being so affectionate right after work.

“You can surprise me when we find out if they’re a boy or a girl.”

“How about, ‘surprise, Tendou’s the godfather!’”

“I want a divorce.”

“Even when you try to joke around, it’s too harsh!” you cried, clutching your heart dramatically.

“Wakatoshiiii ~” you whined, sprawled on the couch.

“Hm,” he called in the kitchen.

“Do we have chocolate covered potato chips? Or-or durian cake?”

“You know durian isn’t allowed in the city, it’s disgusting. And what was the first one?”

“You’ve never had chocolate covered potato chips!? Rich Americans eat them all the time!”

You could feel his cold glare even when you weren’t looking at him. He sighed, stepping away from the dishes and peaked over the couch. You were so cute slouching around, rubbing your small bump. He would do anything for the both of you, even the impossible.

“Ok.”

“Hm?” You asked, looking up at him with the wide eyes he fell in love with.

“I’ll run to the grocery store really quick.”

“I don’t think they sell them there….”

“I’ll make them.”

“…. You know I love you, right?”

Ushijima chuckled, kissing the top of your head. Ever since you told him you were pregnant, you notice him doing that a lot more often and every time you were on the brink of tears. It was probably your uncontrollable mood swings, but your heart couldn’t contain itself each time.

He tucked a loose strand behind your ears. “I love you, too.”

“WAKATOSHIIII !” you screamed.

Ushijima ran to the living room from where he was, thinking maybe you fell or got hurt. When he saw your small form in a fetal position on the floor, he sighed, walking over and squatting next to you.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

“I’m dying ~!”

“No, you’re not.”

“Why does it feel like I am!?”

“You’re probably cramping.”

“I WANNA DIE INSTEAD.”

Ushijima rolled his eyes before picking you up effortlessly. He held you bridal style and carried you to the bedroom. After tucking you in, he ran out to get a few supplies that might lessen your screaming.

“Eat this banana,” he said, shoving a banana in your face.

“What!?”

“Whenever I get cramps after training, I always ate bananas and they helped.”

“I don’t think this is the same thing, Toshi!!”

“How about, um, a hot pack?”

“Better. Gimme.”

You pressed the hot pack to your abdomen and sighed at its warming comfort. It reminded you of Ushijimas hugs early into your relationship. You were so much smaller than him that his hugs felt hot and suffocating, but you wouldn’t have them any other way.

Ushijima used a cold towel to wipe the sweat off of your face. “Feel better?”

You sighed happily, closing your eyes. “Much better. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

“I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

“Wakatoshi…!!!” you cried.

Ushijima took five seconds to mentally prepare himself for whatever you were going to say or complain about. Were you gonna cry? Laugh? Punch him in the face? Who knows, but he’s ready.

He walked into the bedroom looking at you trying on your favorite dress in front of the mirror. It was unzipped in the back due to the baby bulge. He saw your tear-stained face and walked over to you and wrapped his arms around the baby bump.

“Yes?” he asked.

“I’m fat.”

“Yes.”

“So you agree?”

“Yes.”

“You’re a terrible husband.”

“I don’t want to lie to you.”

More tears fell and you buried your face in your hands. You hated whenever Ushijima saw you cry because you swore you were the ugliest crier, with snot dripping and face all flushed. Truth be told, he actually thought it was kind of cute, but he would never want you to cry ever. He tightened his grip around your waist and laid his chin on your shoulder.

“You’re still so beautiful,” he whispered.

Surprisingly, Ushijima complimented you often. Every morning, before heading off to work, he’d tell you how beautiful you looked. To others, the more you say a compliment, the more the meaning of it diminishes, but to you, every compliment from Ushijima felt like the first. He always knew just what to say to make you feel better.

“I love you,” you sniffled.

“I love you, too.”

“Welcome, Mr. and Mrs. Ushijima!” the doctor greeted. “Let’s get ready for the ultrasound, shall we?”

You laid on the bed as the doctor prepped your belly with the cold gel. Your hands were shaking with excitement and nervousness. Ushijima grabbed them quickly, as if reading your mind. His thumb stroked the back of your hand lovingly and you felt so at ease.

You and Ushijima looked at the screen trying to decipher the blurry image of your baby. All you really saw was a blob that might be your baby? Neither of you could tell. How the doctors identified the gender was a mystery.

“Are you two ready to know the gender of your baby?”

You both nodded silently, unable to speak.

“Congratulations on having a baby girl!”

“WHAT?” you screeched.

“I-Is there a problem….?” the doctor asked.

“She lost the bet,” Ushijima said. “She owes me $20.”

“I hate you.”

“I love you, too.”

[basementbeholden]

Killer!William “Bill” Overbeck

((inspired by @anoldsoldier ))

It was useless fighting, but Bill knew better than to quit. he marched on, fearless, unstoppable, but nevertheless hopeless. Nothing to go back to, no one here really cared. Not that he could see, but that sight was shrouded by the entity. He marched on. Trial after trial. Never letting on that he had nothing left, until one day he just didn’t rescue anyone. He just wandered from generator to generator. Sneaking away from the killer as they patrolled, and the entity caught on quick that was his sign of hopelessness.

The whining of a witch greeted his ears. He dropped to a crouch instantly. Alert again he remembered why here was his hope. Why here was the best hes got. he remembered he has to protect these children. The oldest was ace at 44 and youngest was either Jake or Min, both pretty secret about it, but both very young looking. He remembered in that moment what witches do and how the survivors jump to help asap with hearing crying. He worked his way to the sound, but she started growling before he could see her. Finally finding her almost fully startled in front of the garage in the junkyard. 

Grabbing a broken pallet piece he charged her, as she started screeching and heading straight for him he took a swing and was quickly impaled. She held him down as he struggled she bit his neck. He let out a yell mostly of surprise as witches don’t bite, they just rip at your chest until finding your heart. He kicked her off and quickly started bashing her over the head with the board, joined soon by Jake who knocked her down as Bill jabbed the board into her neck and put all his weight on it until she was mostly decapitated. His mind went numb and he passed out. 

Waking up in pitch black, impaled from all sides a dark voice echoed around him. “Good, i wanted you to be awake for this. I’ve ‘paused’ the infection just so you could try and fight it... Good luck.” The voice stopped as the spikes dropped him.

“Infection.. I’m immune... n-no i can’t be! I’m imm- ah-” His hands quickly filled with pain, eyes burning, and his throat ran hot. His breathing slowed and he felt his heart stop. Death, real actual pains of death, not just the hook or mori’s he was used to. He took a breath to speak again “Why are you doing this to me?” his words quieted as he hit the end of his sentence, running out of breath as he spoke. Gasping again he said “I’m not hopeless, and I’m not going to just disappear!” His words at a yell, and his voice hoarse. 

“You were, but now its more fun. You either do as told, or you get punished. simple as that.” The spider-like spikes formed again this time as more of a cage. He stared at his hands, almost as snowy as his hair. He didn’t hurt but he was definitely not alive. The blackness faded away around him to show a camp-fire not unlike the one he knew. Except the one he knew always had at least one person at it. The empty fire made him more nervous than trials did. 

He wandered around, and soon headed out into the forest, that now seemed infinitely longer than the one at the survivor campfire. He knew what he was, admiring the fact he could retract the long claws. He stumbled upon a set of doors alike the ones he’d seen from trials, but it was open and he was entering not escaping. Finding himself within the area he remembered clearest from his past. Old carcasses scattered and new windows and pallets in the fences. He explored a bit more and huffed when the docs were replaced by a big door. He grabbed a flower and left it at that door. He’d do anything to see Zoey again. 

[itbeajen]

Relief | Nakahara Chuuya

"[F-F/N]?" Chuuya's voice wavered with reluctance as he barely managed to hold his ground in the vortex of wind. The winds were like blades of steel, attempting to shred and rip apart everything in its path. His arms were defensively placed before his face, blocking out as much as he could. Please, answer me. He had never felt so desperate before in his life. His heart beat was rapid, and he swears he thought it would stop in the five minutes it took him to get to you in the center of your wrath. "Chuuya, do you hear me?" "Yes," his voice sounds like cracks over the mic, but Mori narrows his eyes and he muttered, "You need to stop her." No shit. Chuuya gritted his teeth as another blast of wind is aimed in his direction. He squints in the general direction of where you were supposed to be. But god knows if you were actually there or not. The amount of dust and sand that was being generated with each circulation of the winds made it difficult to see through, let alone walk through. A sigh is heard in his ear piece, and Kouyou's voice cuts through, "Be careful. We're not sure if the person controlling [F/N] can control more than one person at a time.." the static breaks the connection momentarily, and all Chuuya can hear is a string of vulgar words being spewed out. If Chuuya was honest with himself, he'd admit that he was actually scared of what he'd find in the middle. He knew from the beginning that this mission was a suicide mission. Because yes, sending in someone whose ability was primarily brute strength to go up against an unknown entity that no one had any information on was a great idea. I'll fucking kill whoever it is that's controlling you. They should know better than to mess with us. He vowed as he broke through the wall of wind that sealed you off from the rest of the world. It was oddly still, and almost devoid of any breezes. Save for the howling of wind that swirled around the clearing, all Chuuya can see was you.. and it. The robed figure had one hand on your shoulder, another one gently caressing your cheeks. But it wasn't that action that sent Chuuya into a fury of anger, it was the lifelessness in your eyes. The previously cheerful and bright hues that lit up his world were empty and devoid of emotions. You were a husk of your former self. "You!" Chuuya hissed, and immediately, his earpiece was sparking with life on the other end as Kouyou and Mori interrogated the situation. But he's deaf. Chuuya can hear nothing except for the maniacal laughter that erupted from the enigma's lips. He can faintly catch a cruel smirk tilt up their lips, and with a roar, Chuuya leaps forward ignoring the shouts of warning in his ears and in the back of his mind. The robed figure disappears, but not without one last whisper in your ear. And Chuuya eyes widen upon seeing you raise your hand towards him. I've seen this too many times to get caught in this. He immediately ducks forward, rolling and dodging the incoming cyclone that erupted from the vortex that encompassed them. His fedora was long gone, and he catches shreds of it fluttering in the aftermath. He notices your hand pointed in his general direction once more, but the trembling in your arm makes him pause from punching you in the gut. But the true surprise comes when he hears your voice, the clear melodic tune that always lulled him to sleep and comforted him through his nightmares. "Stop me, Chuuya." You were desperate, and he can tell you were fighting whatever it was that was trying to control you. He hesitated, and it almost cost him his life. He barely managed to dodge the attack, and he feels a part of him break as tears well up under one eye. One eye that retained the livelihood of your being. "Please." I'm begging you. You were grappling for control over your body. And you can tell that the further the manipulator retreated, the less control they had. But it wasn't enough. They were still within enough range to keep you at bay, to prevent you from hurting the one person you hold dear to you. Chuuya falters, and again, hesitation grabs a hold of him, holding him down and freezing his movements. He can do nothing but watch and contemplate in his head as you suffered from the grips of your current keeper. "Chuuya! What are you doing?!" Kouyou practically screeched into his ear through the ear piece. The ginger head barely dodges yet again, and he knows it as well as everyone else does. There's really no other way around it. Forgive me.

"How.. How is she?" Chuuya hesitated to walk in, but Kouyou does nothing but sigh and shake her head. "No signs of waking up still." Whatever facade and mask he had on slips away, and his composure breaks as he slams the wall not adjacent to the room you were resting in. Kouyou watches with a sympathetic gaze, and the older woman softly rested a hand on his shoulder, effectively stopping his movements. "[F/N] won't blame you." He flinched. "She knew what she signed up for when no one else did. Mori couldn't send you nor I, and she was the next best. Even Akutagawa wasn't suitable for this mission." His hands tightened into a fist. "You know as well as the rest of us that [F/N] was our best option, she's the only one who's been a victim of being brainwashed prior to this-" "I failed." Chuuya hissed. The anger wasn't directed at you. Nor Kouyou. Hell, he doesn't even blame anyone, but only himself. He had swore years ago, when he had first partnered up with you that he would protect you as much as he could as long as the two of you were paired up. And of course, the one time I'm paired up with her after stupid bandage-face leaves, I fail. Kouyou watches as his anger causes him to tense, and then deflates as he internally beats himself up over it. She can only hope that he doesn't beat himself up over it too much.

Chuuya doesn't recall a time he's ever ran this fast through the hallways of the mafia. Nor does he recall throwing aside everything he was working on in such a short notice. But those three words, "she woke up" was all he needed to find you, to see you - to confirm that you were okay. He was out of breath, and his hair was frayed due to the wind. And he stood outside your door. Your voice was weak, but he could hear how relieved you were to be awake. Your voice cracks and he can't help but want to interrupt. To just rush in and hold you in his arms, and reassure you that everything's okay now. But Kouyou's presence was immensely beneficial, for she was your caretaker. You wouldn't have survived this long before meeting Chuuya if it were not for her. As though you knew he was outside waiting, you turn your head towards his direction. He feels his heart shatter upon seeing the bandages that wrapped around your eyes, obscuring those warm orbs that he knew once held the entire world in its gaze. Your hair framed your face, making it look even smaller and delicate than normal. He feels himself forcing down his emotions from bursting, but he can't help but want to cry at the sight of you. A small smile creeps up your lips, and before you even finish saying his name, he's by your side. Your hands are in his and you can feel the warmth of his entire being just from the touch of his fingertips against yours. "I- [F/N], you-" Chuuya struggled with words. Usually they flow like honey - sweet and dripping with his overflowing love for you. But today he stumbles, as though he's struggling to reach you with words, now that you can no longer see him, he knows that his words mean even more than his actions. But you gently press a finger against his lips, and he's stunned into silence. He just wants to apologize, to beg for forgiveness; but he's also scared. So deeply terrified at the thought that you would blame him, but your words were a relief. And your hand gently cups his cheek and all he can hear is, "Thank you, Chuuya."

[ask-grabor-3]

Once Grabor drew his blade, the dregs and vandals began to flee. When the Captains started dropping, the rest of the horde began to turn tail and run, screeching in terror of the two guardian killing machine that had entered the fray. They had calculated for King guards, not two well trained guardians.

They ran back to their ship, and they shot off away from the crevasse. Grabor panting in exhaustion, the blade in his hand glowing a sickly green. He looked up at Mori with a tired smirk, “Looks like we won......” he then fell forward, stuck in emergency power mode. Looks like the fighting really drained his batteries.

Starter for @Xdoubletroublex

[quietlyhereshhh]

Gravity (Chapter 8: Zephyrus)

Fandom: Kuroko no Basuke Pairing: AkaFuri Rating: T Warnings: Language Other: Figure Skating AU (AKA I’ve been watching a certain figure skating anime…); probably some OoCness too. Cheesiness probably. Chapters on Tumblr: [Previous] [Next] AO3

He arrived at the rink while people were exiting, presumably after their classes. He hunched to try to make himself less noticeable and peered through the glass of the doors to see his father sitting on the Zamboni, wiping the old ice cleanly off the surface. He glanced around and saw some people still packing up. His mother was off to the side, talking to a student.

“Furihata-kun?” He jumped and nearly screeched, the bag suddenly feeling heavy on his shoulder. He turned to Kuroko who was standing there with a tilt of his head. He was a little taller than Kouki at that moment only because he had skates on his feet, preparing to go inside. “Are you okay?”

“P-perfectly!” Kouki croaked as he tried to calm his heart. “You just…scared me.”

“I apologize,” Kuroko was just as polite as ever. “I was just curious to why you’re sneaking around like that.”

“O-oh. Not much!” Kouki had ran out the door while his brother called after him, not even considering that there were still lessons at the rink. He completely forgot after so long that instead of it being his personal playground, it was his family’s business and they had to sustain it somehow. “I…just wanted to check on mom and dad.”

He saw Kuroko’s shift to his bag before back to him. He knew that his best friend didn’t believe such a thing.

“Okay,” He replied much to Kouki’s surprise. He opened the door behind Kouki and looked inquiringly. “Then let’s go.”

“Ah?”

“You want to see your parents, right?” Kuroko indicated with his head. “Let’s get going.”

The sharp sound of the whistle blew through the air, indicating start of the lessons. People rushed forward to get on the ice and Kuroko had disappeared in the crowd. Kouki made his way up the stairs of the bleachers, putting his bag on the floor and taking a seat.

He watched as the students go around the ice, eventually being split in their respective groups. He watched as young ones hesitated, slipping on the ground; he watched as the older kids try their first jumps, legs shaking and only able to do half a rotation.

His smiled to himself.

Forty minutes later and people started getting off the ice. Kouki glanced up at the digital clock on the wall and saw that it was just past six-thirty. Usually, the rink closed around this time so people could eat dinner before coming in for a free skate that started at eight.

He got up and threw his bag over his shoulder again, stumbling at the sudden weight. Quickly hopping down the stairs, he stopped in front of his mother who was taking off her skates. She stopped, probably recognizing the shoes in front of her, before glancing up.

“Hello, dear,” She was strangely calm as she spoke. “What’s up?”

“Um…” Kouki suddenly felt the words stuck in his throat. Everything he wanted to say suddenly choked him, struggling, unable to do anything except make gargling noises.

But he met his mother’s eyes, both curious and kind, and knew he had nothing to worry about.

“Iwanttoskate!” He declared in a rush, the words just suddenly bubbling up without thought. She furrowed her eyebrows in confusion as Kouki tried again. “C-can I…skate? I really want to skate.”

The confusion cleared from her face and was replaced with a soft smile.

“Of course,” She nodded. She stood up, skates slightly untied and waved to his father on the Zamboni. “I thought you’d never ask.”

Kouki didn’t know how long it took to tie up his shoes – time moved deceiving slowly and erratically fast at the same time. He looked up and saw only a few stragglers left and his mother already changed out of hers, leaning against the wall with her elbows. He stood, huffing his chest out and zipping up his sweater, feeling the sweat pour through.

He didn’t say anything as he took the first step on the ice, feeling the sensation of movement with so little as a twitch. It was familiar and natural for him to move around the space, growing up on it. However, he didn’t skate after that competition and it suddenly felt smaller than the other rink – compact and empty – yet somehow comforting.

He skated in circles, unsure how many laps he did before ending up in the center.

His eyes stared at the very core, following the lines of the ring to indicate where a puck was to be dropped. This was the start of his routine and where he was supposed to finish as well. It was his beginning and end and for all he knew, it could have been the end of something else as well.

He raised his arms up, remembering where they were supposed to be. His mother was looking straight at him, surprise apparent in her eyes.

And he began to skate.

90.32

‘How does anyone get the nerves to skate first and get a friggin’ 90.32?’ Kouki nearly screamed as he heard the score announced over the speakers. His stomach had instantly dropped and his legs were shaking, resisting the urge to just drop right there.

His mother had a hand on his back for support.

“What kind of monster is he?!” Kouki muttered indignantly. “You can’t just do that!”

“I’m sure he’ll make plenty of mistakes in the free skate,” His mother said cheerfully as if she wasn’t wishing upon the failure of another skater. “Doing your best will be enough.”

Kouki grumbled at her words and peeked over at his coach next to him. Akashi had his finger and thumb on his chin, eyes focused straight ahead and Kouki knew that his brain was working, moving like clockwork. There was a flicker in his eyes as he watched the next skater get on the ice.

“It seems the quality for amateur skaters is much higher than anticipated,” Akashi said absent-mindedly and Kouki felt himself jolt.

His stomach started squirming uncomfortably but not in the same way he was used to. There was a sense of…ire that suddenly consumed him, strangely enough. The nerves had disappeared and he could only feel a hot sensation, glaring at the skater on the ice as they move rhythmically to the music, and glancing back at Akashi.

“You’re up soon,” Akashi said, not noticing the heat from his stare. He held out a hand and offered a smile. “It’s time.”

Kouki unzipped his jacket and handed over to Akashi’s outstretched hand. The man used his other hand to smooth out the wrinkles of the dark blue shirt – simple in nature with a few ruffles around his collar but not flashy – closer to Kouki’s style than Akashi’s. He did compromise by having intricate lace on the back of the shirt when Akashi called it simple. He wore black pants with a single line of dark blue sequins on either side, making it sparkle a little.

“I like that,” Akashi smiled at Kouki, making his heart leap. “The fire in your eyes. It’s a good look.”

79.84

That was the next score.

Kouki walked towards the rink, his turn up next. He saw Onodera off to the side. He looked slightly disappointed by the number but he was glowing. His eyes shined and there was a small smile of relief on his lips.

He must’ve noticed Kouki staring. He turned and waved; the grin widening.

“Furihata-kun! Good luck!”

Kouki was startled but turned away, focusing his eyes on the ice.

“Representing Minami-Mori Skating Club, please welcome Furihata Kouki.”

He ignored the chatter in order to pay attention to Akashi’s face. He couldn’t hear him either as he gave some last minute advice. Someone had called out to Akashi, making him look over for a brief moment before turning back to Kouki.

The anger sparked again.

“Got it.”

Kouki was in shock. He didn’t expect his voice to come out so coldly. The surprise on Akashi and his mother’s face indicated they felt the same but he had to move forward. He swallowed, trying to hold back everything as he prepared to skate in the centre.

The sound of his blades on the ice soothed him as everything was amplified and muffled at the same time. At one point, he thought he could hear people breathing. It had become so quiet that he could hear the blood travel through his ears, burning his face and heart with all that it could muster.

He didn’t feel normal. This wasn’t his usual nerves acting up, nor was it any little confidence he ever had. No, it was completely different and right now, he didn’t need different.

He stared straight at Akashi. He was standing with his arms crossed, looking at him steadily – unwavering and with confidence.

This – at least – was normal.

The music began – the lutes flittering through his skin and Kouki glided forward.

The piece was based on the mythology of Apollo and his human lover, Hyacinth. Apollo was drawn to Hyacinth by his beauty and they ended up falling in love with each other.

Why Akashi chose this particular piece, Kouki didn’t know, but it baffled him nonetheless.

He didn’t know what approach to take when he first heard about this, what character he should try to express. Hyacinth was the namesake of the song, so Kouki’s first instinct was to go to him but it didn’t feel right.

If anything, Akashi was Hyacinth – a charming young man that caught the attention of everyone, causing a god to fall in love with him. Whether it was by his good looks or by his skills on the ice, Kouki had concluded that this wasn’t a power a mere mortal had.

He knew that despite the insult to the role, he was Apollo – the one enamoured with him; the one who managed to have him in his grasp much to the world’s displeasure. It was a role that he felt fit him at the moment he first mulled over it.

‘But I don’t feel like Apollo,’ Kouki thought as he prepared for his first jump, his heart calm in the most unusual way. ‘Because I’m not Apollo.’

Quadruple toe loop.

He had spun quicker than he anticipated; the takeoff more powerful than usual. He over rotated a bit by paid it no mind as he tried to listen to the music as he weaved into his serpentine step sequence. He had to focus on his next move.

Apollo is the god of music – the god of healing and the sun. Kouki was anything such and that role was something he couldn’t approach without question. The free program seemed ten times easier to understand than a story with characters like this. The only thing he and the god had in common was that they were captivated by the person they were with.

Triple loop, triple flip.

He nearly fell but composed himself well enough before dipping himself back into a layback Ina Bauer, eyes looking up at the ceiling.

The lights were so bright, it nearly blinded him.

He felt so winded and he barely started. If he was like this at the start of his short program, how was he going to survive his free skate tomorrow?

His lungs were hurting.

Coming out of the Ina Bauer, he spun around, skating before slowly lifting left leg off the ground and bring the blade above his head for his hand to grasp, continuing to go backwards. After holding it for a few seconds, the leg whipped around to behind himself again and transitioned into a camel spin.

Everything blurred into multitudes of colours but he rose up to take a jump.

Triple axel.

The jump was rough and violent but he did it. His head tilted up but his eyes strayed to the side where he knew Akashi was watching. He couldn’t tell what Akashi’s expression from the distance as he continued his routine but the only thing that mattered was that he was watching.

He was watching him.

“I’m not Hyacinth or Apollo.”

Kuroko looked at him in confusion. He was sipping the straw of his vanilla milkshake as Kouki bemoaning the fact that he couldn’t get this routine down.

“I’m not this charming Spartan prince and I’m no god,” Kouki crinkled his nose in disgust at the thought. “So what am I in this routine?”

“I’m sure Akashi-kun chose this particular myth for a reason.” Kuroko pointed out as he began to stir the straw. Kouki took a sip of his latte. “He probably wants you to have your own interpretation.”

“What can I get out of this story?” Kouki muttered, feeling his ears burn. Empathizing with Apollo was easy but he didn’t have the guts to play such a pretty god.

“Well…” Kuroko began slowly. “There is something that you’re missing in all of this…”

Even though the story of Apollo and Hyacinth was supposed to be romantic, it was, in the end, a tragedy.

Zephyrus, the god of the west wind, was also in love with the mortal. In rage of Hyacinth’s preference to the sun god, Zephyrus caused the prince’s death out of jealousy.

His steps in his circular sequence were light despite the heavy feeling his body. It almost seemed like he was floating on a cloud with how he moved. The music accurately reflected it with its light staccatos from the strings and the whistling breath from the flutes.

He transitioned and threw his leg up, flying before landing into a sit spin. He spun so quickly and raised his arm up, twisting his body to face the air around him.

The music was reaching its climax and his legs were shaking. The spins were so slow yet so fast. He lost count of how many rotations he did and he didn’t know how much longer he could last.

He felt the crescendo and finally the sound of a gong stopped him from spinning, collapsing on his hands and knees. He grasped at the ground and lifted his hands up to the ceiling as if he was holding something precious in his palms. The music faded and he could feel the sweat sliding down his cool skin and the eruption of applause.

Kouki picked himself up and bowed to the audience. There were some flowers being thrown (a significantly large amount of red, interestingly enough) onto the ice and he ignored them briefly, looking towards the person he wanted to see most.

Akashi was stoic. No signs of emotions on his face. Eyes were narrowed and lips pursed in thought. His arms were crossed and even from afar, Kouki could see the slight grip he had on his arm – a twitch, a small movement.

He had always been watching Akashi.

But so has the rest of the world.

And he could tell from the way Akashi didn’t react, this wasn’t the interpretation he was looking for.

Note: THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO COME OUT YESTERDAY BUT I WAS BUSY OOPS.

I wanted to make this chapter longer but I was afraid it was going to get too long so I stopped and am leaving this next.

I apologize for my amateur figure skating descriptions/imagination. I’m not exactly an expert although I am trying to do some research. (シ_ _)シ I’ll probably go back to this chapter and edited a bit more and learn for future chapters (such as the next one x__X).

The outfit Kouki has is basically the one Patrick Chan wore for his Elegie in E Flat Major (Rachmaninoff). You can view it here. (Kouki’s would probably be a lot less plungy in the front because, damn Patrick is showing off his chest there xD)

(Also, Patrick Chan’s Elgie is gorgeous and so soft and lovely.)

[kenbinru]

I Can’t Believe I Have the Girlfriend of My Dreams! (An Unromantic Love Comedy LN) Chapter 10

Chapter 10

I wake up looking at a familiar ceiling. I get up from my futon to notice that there was no one in my bed.

It would make sense that Akane would be up already.

I could smell the eggs cooking from my room. The aroma of the breakfast made by the two women of my life in this world was making my mouth water.

I hope it’s hamburg steak!

I get changed into my school uniform and eventually head to the living room. I see my mother, but Akane is missing.

“Where’s Akane?”

My mother turns around and gives me a strange suspicious look.

“Akane? Well she got up early and helped me make this huge breakfast. She left as soon as she was done helping me cook. I wanted her to stay and eat with us but she said she had “something important to do” first. She just grabbed some toast and headed out. With a little guidance, she could become a really good cook for someone…” while she eyed me.

What could mother be implying?!?

The two managed to cook a feast for me.

There was no way I could possibly finish all this.

“You better eat up Kazuki! You need to recover!” encouraged my mother.

Aw crap.

 I managed to finish the entire breakfast they cooked. Akane’s food was delicious as usual, but something felt off today with her cooking, like it was unrefined.

Strange.

I would think that Akane would let me know of something before she left.

Just what did she have in store?

The bell for first period rang and Akane was still missing. I meet up with Daisuke and try to find Kaneko-san but she disappeared too.

Where did those two go?

Daisuke seemed like he was back to normal. He was back to his regular happy-go-lucky self. He was showered with some many different envelopes and bags of chocolates that he had a hard time carrying everything.  

Today’s your lucky day Cherry-boy!” as he handed me a box of chocolates.

It just hit me.

Today was Valentines’ Day. So much has happened that I completely forgot about today.

“I have too much anyways, here have some.” He was difficult to understand with all the chocolates he had in his mouth.

“Have you seen Akane anywhere?” Daisuke was too busy stuffing his mouth with candy.

“Nope…haven’t seen her around at all. What did you two do after we left…?” Then his expression changed towards something perverted.

“Never mind!” I had to go to my regularly scheduled therapy with Dr. Mori anyways.

 “Hello? Kazuki-kun?” Dr. Mori snapped me out of my thought process.

“I’m sorry, I have a lot on my mind.” Dr. Mori was pouting. Even at whatever age she was, her pout was cute enough to turn a few heads.

“I know today’s Valentines’ and all Kazuki-kun, but don’t get your hopes up. If some girl gives you chocolate, you better savor it!”

Ouch, today was obviously not her favorite day of the year.

Anything I say might set off a minefield!

“Anyways, tell me how you have been feeling? What has been happening with Yuki-san? Any progress?” I wanted to tell her that yesterday I nearly died and stuff, but that’s probably not a good idea to cause even more stress on this delicate mature woman.

“Things have taken a turn for the interesting I suppose.” Dr. Mori was intrigued.

“That’s good to hear Kazuki! I’m glad young love can blossom even in this cruel world…” as Dr. Mori takes another long gulp from her “coffee.” It was still a little early…

“Have you been having any more of those headaches or feelings of light-headedness?” It’s true that they were still happening, but they were decreasing in frequency.

“That’s good. I’m glad that you’re feeling better.” I had something popped into my mind.

“Say Dr. Mori, if let’s say you happen to have a boyfriend right?” She spit out her coffee in a fit of rage.

“You better make  a good point with this Kazuki-kun…”

I stepped on a mine!

“Uh…let’s say you happen to have a boyfriend right? What if you only had him like only in your dreams? And your dreams are indistinguishable from reality. What would you do? Would you choose to dream or the real world?”

Dr. Mori was thinking about the question.

Mine averted.

“Still thinking about lucid dreams Kazuki?”

“Sort of.”

“Well Kazuki, if that was possible, I don’t think I could accept being in a dream. As much as it hurts me to say, I would rather choose loneliness than be in a dream world. I would rather face the truth of reality than the comfort of something I know can never be more than an imitation, even if it was indistinguishable from reality. Or I’m not sure. It’s a hard decision to make.”

Dr. Mori had some good points.

To choose loneliness in truth than the blissful happiness of the superficial.

How noble of her.

“Random question Dr. Mori, but have you seen Akane around?”

I’m starting to get worried…

Dr. Mori let out a heartfelt laugh. She was pleasantly amused at my genuine concern for my girlfriend.

“Haven’t seen her all day today. It’s Valentines’, so maybe she’s planning something for her crush?” she teased.

“U-uh who could that be haha…” as I try to laugh it off.

“Have a happy Valentines’ Kazuki-kun. If anything you’re probably the closest I’ll have today…” she mumbles at the last second.

Someone please marry this woman.

 It’s about middle way of the day, and I haven’t run into Akane all day. I see Kaneko-san passing by in the hallway and try to ask her if she’d seen Akane around.

“Hey Kaneko!”

She is shocked by my sudden greeting, and finally notices that it was me. Her face was red like a tomato, her blush showing through her unusual applied make-up. She awkwardly walks towards me, as it seemed she was trying to conceal something underneath her track suit. While she was only a few steps away from me, she suddenly screeched.  

“Eeep!” let out Kaneko-san.

She ran away in the other direction from me making dust clouds behind her. If anything, it was like she was caught red-handed doing something that she wasn’t supposed to do.  

Weird.

Besides Valetentines’ Day, today was also the first big exam of the semester. Everyone else at least had dates planned afterwards. All I had today was a date with a test. That I did not study for given what has happened the past couple days. All I hope is that I can remember whatever me and Kaneko-san studied together that one night. Thinking about it, it was weird how she asked what I saw in Yuki-san. I hope after experiencing yesterday’s events, she could see what I see in Yuki-san. I head back into my classroom and I see a small box on my desk.

“That’s weird…”

It must be pity candy from one of the girls of this class or something.

As I head to my desk in the corner and upon closer inspection, it looked too good to be “pity candy.”

No girl would be willing to give this cat-shaped candy box to someone they pitied. It’s too ornate…

I open the box to find a small assortment of chocolates. Dark chocolate here, white chocolate here, it was all varied and happened to be in the shape of a cat’s face.

This person must really like cats…

It wasn’t until a looming figure’s presence was felt in front of me.

It was Akane!

No wait.

Upon closer inspection, it was Yuki-san; she was not wearing the red string.

Wait! That means I didn’t wake up in World A(kane).

I thought that I would always wake up in the oth- It made sense to me now. Because I was knocked out, I had already hopped earlier. There was a cool-down that Akane mentioned that was still in effect. It probably hasn’t been after the set amount of time yet.

It’ll be normal after tonight.

But since I’m in my original World B, that meant this morning’s breakfast!

“Ahem…” Yuki-san interrupts my startling realization.

I could tell she was flustered. Despite her cold demeanor, she was trying very hard to hide her blush and was living up to her “Ice Witch” persona while a small crowd was forming around us.  

“I hope you enjoy these chocolates…”

The whole classroom was observing us now. We even managed to see the attention of the rest of the school that hiding out in the hallway.

“The Ice Witch of the school gave chocolates to someone!” whispered one of the male students.

“I didn’t have the time to make them because of this morning, so I ran to find these.”

“I’ve heard those are only at the specialty cat café across town. How did she manage to get those today?” whispered a girl in the classroom.

Yuki-san’s pride was visibly hurting going through this with me.

“Thank you…Yuki-san.” I smile to her.

She was still standing in front of me, along with the whole class holding their breath.

Eat the chocolate you dummy!

I take one of the pieces of chocolate and it instantly melts in my mouth.

Wow! This is…amazing!

I managed to bite into my favorite kind of chocolate. The caramel filling was sweet, but what made it burst with flavor was the hint of salt. I’ve heard of chefs adding salt to their sweets, but I never thought it would elevate a small piece of chocolate to such decadence. My hand instinctively grabbed another piece of chocolate before I knew it.

Just…one…more…

My face says it all and a satisfied Yuki-san sits down to her seat in front of me like business as usual.

Oh…she’s just being nice to me…that’s all.

I suddenly feel tired and plop my head face-down onto my desk.

I’m not ready for this test either…

“But maybe…”

I lift my head to Yuki-san’s voice.

“Maybe next time they’ll be homemade…” she teases.

I can see part of her smile from the side, but she quickly returns to her stoic demeanor.  

Things are looking up Kazuki!

It felt like this was a snapshot in time, like I managed to reach a checkpoint at the end of a long level or quest. It was until the teacher comes back into our class and snapped everyone back to reality.

“All right everyone, testing begins. Put away your candy!”

He just so happens to unwrap a piece of candy and starts eating it.

“Good luck, Kanshiro-san.”

“You too, Yuki-san.”