#and really this contract is going to protect her from him because he’s the loose canon

[ambeauty]

Ok let’s discuss partnership agreements for a quick second. I own a business and I have a partner. It’s common and it’s necessary to have a partnership agreements. It’s going to list the official profit share, how much time each partner is going to commit, what skill each partner brings to the business, and what factors are in place in case one partner wants to leave or dissolve the business. This is a very basic overview of a partnership agreement. Sydney needs this. It will legitimize her position as partner in the Bear. So Carmen extending this agreement to her is significant. He can’t necessarily force her not to leave but they have to have a protocol in place in case she wants to. It could get sticky but not if they follow the agreement. Unless she doesn’t sign it…

What’s strange to me is him saying “So I can push you and you can push me.” This makes me think he knows that he’s going to get toxic and he doesn’t want her to just walk out like she did in review. It’s like saying “for better or worse.” And also tell me when I’m fucking up because I don’t want you to leave. I have it in writing how much you mean to me and this business. So neither one of us can just fuck off when the going gets tough. Signing this agreement would make her (both of them) contractually committed to working things out with him even when it (he) gets difficult. That’s still a spiritual marriage. A business is a marriage and a (legal) marriage is a business.

[cryptidghostgirl]

Can I request a part 3 to "unrequited"?

A/N I honestly was not planning another part to this story. I'm just gonna... leave this here. (Pls don't hate me guys. This is so genuinely the only path I could think of for this story that I liked.)

Unrequited pt. 3 (Alastor x Reader)

Pairing: Alastor x Reader

Warnings: Um. Alastor is dark/yandere in this part. Uh. Unhealthy relationship. Yeah.

Word Count: 2,094

Previous Parts:

Unrequited (Alastor x Reader)

Unrequited Pt. 2

Master Lists:

Master Lists 

Hazbin Hotel Master List

Alastor had cornered her in the hall. The years, the games, the challenges, none of it was fun anymore. It all came to an end tonight. There was no other option, not when she could die tomorrow. The angels were coming, and they were coming for the hotel.

"I don't want you here tomorrow."

"What!?" Y/n exclaimed in utter shock.

She hadn't known what to expect when Alastor had stopped her as she made her way downstairs to the bar. Everyone was supposed to be having a drink together, celebrating their afterlives that there was a chance they might loose. She didn't know what to expect but, she certainly hadn't expected this.

Alastor had been acting weird lately. He was always weird but ever since the day with Husk in the hallway, he'd been weird even by those standards. He was always finding something for Y/n to do that put her near him, always watching. It was irritating. They had been fighting a lot and Alastor still had yet to apologize to Husk.

"I don't want you at the hotel tomorrow. You are not coming near this fight."

"What the fuck, Alastor?" Y/n nearly stamped her foot on the floor, she crossed her arms and glared at the demon, "I... these are my friends. This is my home. I will do what I can to protect it."

"No, you wont. You wont be here." he paused, "I will use our little deal to make sure of that, if need be."

Y/n scoffed. Her anger was a fiery, radiant thing. Alastor found himself thinking she had always reminded him quite a bit of a lioness when she got like this. The thought had been an accident, he couldn't afford to be distracted. Not when these were the stakes. Alastor pushed it away.

"You fucking... literally why? Like, what? I... sorry, just taking me a bit to process this: the demon who tricked me into selling my soul to them is now going to use that contract to take me, a valuable asset, out of a war which we cannot afford to loose?"

"Yes." Alastor nodded.

"Because?" Y/n prompted in irritation after a moment.

Alastor sighed.

"Y/n, think about what could happen if you are here."

"The same thing that could happen to any one here!" Y/n threw her arms up in exasperation, gesticulating her frustration as she spoke, "The same thing you're forcing on Husk and Nifty, have you had this chat with either of them?"

Alastor didn't respond. It was all the answer she needed.

"Yeah, I didn't fucking think so!" she scoffed, "So it's okay for everyone to risk their lives -- it's okay for you to risk your life even, but not me? Its okay for you to force my friends to risk their lives, but you're going to force me to stay out of it? Listen to yourself, you sound ridiculous."

"We don't need your help. You're slow, you will only hold us back."

The comment he had hope would dampen Y/n's spirit, bend her will into submission, only added to her fire.

"I'm... that's bullshit and we both know it. I might be small, but so is Nifty. Everyone has skills they can offer. I know how to fight, how to survive, and we will have angelic weapons for Christ's sake. Like, I really don't understand what the issue your having is here."

"Y/n, just... no." Alastor shook his head, a hand to his temples, "No. You will not be here tomorrow. I forbid it. I'm sending you to stay with Rosie."

"What am I, your kid?" Y/n sneered.

Alastor looked over at her, his hand falling from his forehead.

"Just please, Y/n." he took a step forward, pulling her hands into his. Alastor took a deep breath. "For me."

Y/n's eyes went wide. Alastor could see the conflict, the swirling emotions. Anger turned to grief, mixed with gratitude, and became anger again. A never ending cycle.

His heart pounded against his chest, it fought him valiantly for release. It had been so long. So long since she'd looked at him with anything other than disgust, so long since she had let him touch her like this.

Y/n settled on confusion as her dominant emotion and pulled her hands from his grasp. Alastor mourned the contact, his hands still held up in the air where hers had met them as Y/n took a step away.

"Why."

It wasn't a question. Y/n commanded information and at the end of the day, he may own her soul but she owned his heart. Alastor felt like in some way, she always had. He couldn't bear the thought of loosing her but, he didn't know if he could handle the rejection either. There was no way, no chance, she would believe him if he told her too much of the truth but, lying wouldn't work either. It would have to be a careful balance, a calculated withholding of information. Too much was riding on tomorrow, on tonight, on this very moment.

"Because I don't want you to die."

Y/n's brow furrowed even further, their eyes growing wider still as she stumbled another step back. Her back was nearly against the wall now, there wasn't anywhere else she could go.

Her eyes flitted around the space fervently. Her lips formed words that never left her mouth. Alastor watched, stress eating him alive. At last, Y/n did something. She brought her hands to her head and sunk to the floor, her knees pulled into her chest.

"What are you doing to me." she muttered softly, just barely loud enough for him to hear.

For what felt like the thousandth time, Alastor felt a little piece of his heart fracture off. He didn't know how much more he could take of this before there was nothing left to break, nothing left to loose. She looked up at him, her hands still holding either side of her head and her eyes wet with tears.

"Why do you care?"

Alastor's breath caught in his throat. There was an insistence in her voice, a pleading. He stood in indecision for a moment, frozen by want, by need, by fear. His body took over as he took a step towards Y/n. Alastor kneeled down in front of her.

With great care, with a familiarity and gentleness Y/n hadn't felt from him in years, Alastor untangled her fingers from her hair. He held her hands in his once again and this time, he wasn't going to let go.

"Because I care about you."

Shock at his own bravery emanated from his chest. Alastor held his breath.

"You..." Y/n's eyes hardened, "I wish you'd stop messing with my head like this. Its not funny."

"Y/n, I'm not messing. I am not playing a game, I'm not..." Alastor sighed, letting go of one of Y/n's hands and running his hand through his hair as he looked to the side.

Taking a deep breath, he turned back to face her, grabbing her free hand once again.

"I don't know what I can do to prove it to you, that I'm not. But I will keep you safe. No matter what, you will not be here tomorrow."

"Please, Alastor."

His heart stopped. He couldn't recall the last time she'd asked him for anything that wasn't to leave her, Husk, and Nifty, alone. He couldn't recall the last time she'd seemed to fragile in his arms.

"Please, they're... they're my family. I can't..." a single tear rolled down Y/n's cheek, "I can't just leave them."

"I..."

There was a moment, a split second where he almost agreed. Alastor's eyes narrowed. He dropped Y/n's hands and got back to his feet. She adjusted her position in response, nearly kneeling before him.

"Please, Alastor. Let me help them. Let me do what I can to protect my family. Please. I'll do anything you want... I'll..."

It almost worked. Alastor felt his purpose waver again. Then the fear came back. He had already lost so much. His mother, his humanity, his own soul and free will. Alastor refused to add Y/n to the list of things that were so far out of his reach. He just couldn't. He didn't care if she hated him for the rest of eternity, as long as it meant she was safe at his side.

"No." he shook his head, his heart hardening, "You forget, you already have to do whatever I want. You forget, I own you."

Y/n's scream of anger as the shadows took her was muffled as she was sucked into their portal. Alastor stood, watching the spot she had been in for a few moments and then, he doubled over in pain. It shot through him in spikes, in daggers. It was the first time he had told her that. Not once before had Alastor ever said those three words to Y/n, not even when they had first made their deal. I own you.

The guilt, the regret, all of it underpinned by the overwhelming love. It had been trapped for so long, so sheltered and pushed back in the recesses of his mind that it had twisted. The love had become obsessive, dangerous, hungry.

With a breath, Alastor stood straight once again. Pushing his composure back to the surface, he smoothed his hair and went down to the bar to inform everyone of his decision. He may have forced Y/n to do something she didn't want to, fracturing things further than he'd believed possible, but he wasn't going to blame her for it. Alastor was used to being the villain and hopefully, in this case, he wouldn't have to be. Hopefully, they would understand.

Y/n gasped for breath as she was let out of the shadow portal. Panting on all fours, slowly she brought herself back together. Y/n had met Rosie before, once or twice. She knew she was a kind soul at heart, a reasonable person, and she knew that Rosie's cannibals were the main force of their army tomorrow. All she had to do was convince the overlord to let her join them, and it would be okay.

Taking a deep breath to restore her confidence, Y/n looked up. Her heart dropped.

"No."

She got to her feet, looking carefully around the decrepit old radio tower.

"No. Nonono."

Her breaths becoming panicked, she ran to the door. It was locked. Taking a step back, she kicked it harshly. The firm wood didn't budge.

Driven by adrenaline alone, Y/n ran to the windows and began to hit them with all her might. None of them so much as trembled.

"No!"

She looked wildly around the space and, spotting Alastor's chair, picked it up. Y/n hurled it at the window. There was a crash and for a split second, there was hope. That was until she realized it was the chair that had broken, not the window.

"No! No!"

Turning back to the door, she hurled her body repeatedly against it. Each time, she got the biggest running start she could. Each time, there was no change at all, nothing happened. Fresh tears pooled in her eyes, she was long past panicked now.

"NO!"

After about twenty minutes, Y/n was out of breath and exhausted. Her whole body hurt and her face was sticky with tears. She sat at the door, her back pressed against it and her knees pulled into her chest. Burying her face in her legs, she sobbed.

Everyone was at the hotel, except for her. Everyone was preparing to fight for and protect what they loved, except for her. What would they think? What would they say? Much more importantly, would they make it out?

A sudden fear gripped her, a fist around her heart. Would she ever see any of them again? Y/n's sobs redoubled.

"Fucking..."

She sniffed, her panic and grief quickly fixing itself back in the shape of the familiar anger. She could see him in her minds eye, that moment his eyes had softened, that moment she thought that maybe he had been telling the truth all along, that they really had been friends, that he really did care.

"I hate you Alastor!" she screamed to herself, alone in the dark, "I hate you and I will continue to hate you until the day I fucking die again!"

----

A/N I love an irredeemable villain and doomed, misshapen love. I'm sorry to anyone who wanted this to end up happy.

[the-marshals-wife]

Angel Shot (John Wick x Reader)

─ ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─ 𝐌𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐓 ─ ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─

A/N: Just a little something because I missed writing for John and watching all the movies again on winter break has got me feeling inspired. ♥

Description: John Wick x Fem!Reader, protective John fluff | Warnings: mild language, alcohol, suggestive themes, Y/N is harassed/threatened and John intervenes | Setting: before Helen (or AU without her, you decide) | Word count: 1,474

Gif credit: user johnswick

Imagine John coming to your defense when a former associate won't leave you alone

It had been a long week. All you wanted was a moment of peace and a cold drink. Normally, you had no trouble finding that at the bar within the New York Continental. On this night, however, you found yourself wishing you had gone elsewhere. No sooner had you taken the first sip of your cocktail did Rico Augustine spot you from across the room.

You keep your eyes fixed forward and pretend not to notice his approach on your right.

"Look who it is," he announces, mockery in his voice, "The rooftop sniper."

"Rico," you acknowledge placidly. You could already sense this interaction would not remain civil. A quick glance his direction allowed you to take notice of his haggard, unshaven face and wrinkled suit. Even in the subdued glow of the mood lighting, you could see the wildness in his bloodshot eyes as he clutched the edge of the bartop.

"I'd offer to buy you a drink," he starts, leaning in closer, "but considering I'm a little light of funds right now, maybe you should be the one getting me something, huh?"

The alcohol on his breath was strong enough to burn your nose. Apparently, he'd managed to evade both sleep and sobriety since you last spoke.

"I already have one," you say, gesturing with your glass, "And I'm not sure you need another."

"It really is the least you can do, after what you stole from me," he provoked, his disgust poorly veiled.

His proximity, paired with his odor and audacity, set a fire in your blood.

"Are we really going to go over this again?" you ask, turning toward him, "I didn't know you were there last night. I wouldn't have taken the shot if I had. I don't work like that."

"You know that's my territory. I followed that mark for two hours and you took him right out from underneath me. I needed that money," he seethes, drawing out his next words, "You owe me."

You pivot back to the bar, your temper flaring. "It was an open contract, Rico. Just because we worked together on the Morocco Exchange doesn't mean I owe you," you state, taking a swig before speaking once more, "I already gave you a 30% cut, from a profit you didn't earn in the first place. That means we're finished."

His hand flies up to grab your wrist, causing you to drop your drink. The glass rattles and liquid sloshes out as it hits the bartop, but it does not fall over. With the dull roar of music and conversation filling the room, the noise isn't enough to catch the distracted bartender's attention.

"What if I say we're not?" he asks, his voice growling in your ear, "What if we're only finished when I say we are?"

Before you can answer or go for the dagger concealed in your shirt sleeve, you feel the cold steel of a concealed blade begin to dig into your ribs.

"I tried being polite, but you just had to keep flapping those lips of yours."

"You don't want to do this," you warn through gritted teeth.

"Wrong again," he sneers, his gratified tone sending a shiver down your back, "Why don't we continue this conversation up in my room, hm?"

You try to make eye contact with the bartender, but his back is still turned toward you, occupied with a chatty patron. Only one option remained: be even less civil. You try to free your dagger slowly from its sheath on your forearm without Rico noticing. It starts to slide loose as he pulls you toward him with a sickening laugh. The hilt is almost in your palm when, in the mirror on the wall of liquor bottles, you catch a glimpse of someone approaching from behind. They come to stand at your left a few seconds before you hear a voice that brings immediate relief.

"Hey, Y/N."

"Hey, John," you say.

"Nice night," he remarks.

"Sure is," you reply, glancing to him from the corner of your eye.

"Evening, Rico. Can I buy you a drink?" John asks.

"Thanks John, but Y/N and I are about tapped out for the night. Ain't that right?"

You attempt to turn your head towards John, but Rico pushes the blade harder into your side in response.

"Yeah," you say unconvincingly, wincing from the sting, "Thought about ordering an Angel Shot though."

There's a brief silence before John speaks again. "That so?"

"This doesn't concern you, Wick," Rico snarls, his fake cordiality gone in an instant, "Mind your business."

"Actually, you made it my business when you pulled that knife," John responds calmy, "Now, how about that drink? Or shall I make a dinner reservation instead?"

You feel the grip on your arm loosen a bit. Your assailant knew as well as you did what that meant. One of two things awaited him: a whiskey, or a body bag.

Despite the warning, Rico scoffs, looking past you to glare at John.

"Come on, Wick. You and I both know you don't have the balls to break hotel rules," he retorts, his thin lips curling into smirk.

John doesn't blink. "You willing to bet on that?"

You suppress the urge to smile as you watch the reflection of your harasser's face lose its gusto, along with most of the color.

"Last chance, Rico," John says, "Take your hands off her, and walk away."

Your pulse pounds in your ears.

Rico narrows his gaze, but lets go of your arm. "Of course. Whatever you say, Baba Yaga," he jeers, rubbing his mouth with his sleeve.

You exhale, but the sweaty brute leans back in close to your face and hisses, "The Boogeyman won't always be there to save you. This isn't over."

Rico starts to walk past you, but John grabs his arm, and tilts his head ever so slightly. "I didn't catch that last part."

He clears his throat, avoiding John's piercing stare. "It was nothing."

"Uh-huh," he deadpans, "Didn't think so."

"What's the matter, Wick? We're all professionals here, aren't we?" he poses; more a begrudged plea for mercy than an inquiry.

"Some of us more than others, it would seem," John replies, proceeding to lower his voice, "If you threaten her again, you'll find out just how professional I can be."

Rico clenches his jaw, his eye twitching in rage. Even as he choked on his own venom, he knew he was beaten. He violently recoils as John releases his arm, straightening his jacket and running a trembling hand through his disheveled hair. You, John, and the rest of the room watch him retreat until he's completely out of sight.

Boogeyman or not, John had a way of drawing attention. The hush that had fallen over the room fades as customers return to their drinks and conversation, no doubt now discussing what sort of gruesome scene they were nearly witnesses to.

John finally turns to you. "Are you alright?"

You nod and smile a bit, "Thanks to you."

"I'm sure you had it handled."

"Yeah, but I wasn't looking forward to scrubbing his blood out of this fabric. You can never find this color, I'd hate to toss it," you chuckle, looking down at your shirt.

"We wouldn't want that," he says, amused.

You replace your tousled hair behind your ear and meet his softened gaze. "Thank you, John."

"You're welcome, Y/N," he says, reaching into his jacket pocket, "You look like you could use a refill."

He holds up an all-too-familiar gold coin, then places it on the bartop. "On me."

"That's two I owe you then," you counter, giving him a knowing look.

"No. You don't owe me anything," he states, kind but firm. The look he gives you in return makes you feel that you shouldn't argue.

"Fair enough," you say, watching the now attentive bartender top off your beverage, "But at least let me get you a bourbon."

John retrieves his phone from another pocket, reading the screen and stowing it back as fast as he'd produced it.

"Thank you, but I'll have to take a raincheck," John says, touching your shoulder before walking away. "Take care of yourself, Y/N."

"You have business elsewhere tonight?" you question, calling after him.

"Yeah," he answers, pausing a moment, "But I won't be checking out for another day or so."

You smirk. "Be seeing you, then?"

He nods, the smallest trace of a smile on his face.

"Be seeing you."

He turns to leave, and your eyes follow him until the last. Drink back in hand, your heart continues its excited drumming. You press the cold crystal to your lips and grin. Perhaps it wasn't such a bad night after all.

"Give 'em hell, John."

[russellsppttemplates]

hi, I was wondering if you could write something with one of the drivers overworking themselves and the reader sees how badly it’s effecting him and he doesn’t get to spend much time with her and his family and there all worried that he’s may burn out and asks him to take a break and is met with a bit of resistance but eventually agrees, thank you 🥰

Note: I don't have a big Carlos piece yet and I'd be happy to make this into a bigger piece if you'd like 🫶💗

Another week, another opportunity Carlos missed spending time with his family and friends. Lately, his worries got the best of him - as well as the surgery - and he worked a lot. If he wasn't working out, he was in the Sim of in the office reviewing strategies and data, leaving very little time for everyone around him. His lack of contract next year definitely occupied a good part of his mind and everyone else started noticing how much it really was taking up and how it was soon going to be too much if he didn't manage everything well.

"My love, can I talk to you for a second?", you asked as you walked inside the office, seeing his sat in the long sofa instead of at the desk, "sure, come here, cariño", he urged.

"I'm not going to bat around the bush, this is going to be straight off the bat - me and your family are concerned you're running yourself harder than you should, and of you keep going at this rate, you're going to burnout soon", you tried, rubbing his thigh softly.

He pondered his words for a bit, "I have to do all I'm doing, Y/N, if I stop, I'll fall behind - it's bad enough as it is", he argued.

"But it's not doing you any good, handsome, you're more tired, you barely spend time with your family, with me even", you argued back. You didn't want to play that card or make him feel like he was failing you, that wasn't the point, "you're not doing the things that bring you joy outside of your work, and it shows", you attempted again.

"I have to keep working, I can try and make more time for them, but I can't miss my workouts and these data analysis sessions", he reasoned.

"Handsome, I never wanted you to stop all of a sudden - and I knew you wouldn't anyway, I know who I'm dating, believe it or not", you smiled, "all I'm saying is you need to protect yourself too, have a place to just be yourself and let loose for a bit", you grabbed his hand and brought it to your mouth, kissing his knuckles.

"I will try my best", Carlos stated, "I'm sorry if I've been neglecting you", he said and you shook your head.

"No worries, now come and help me because your parents are coming over for dinner!", you have him a cheeky smile, pulling him to the kitchen and away from work for the rest of the day.

(Thank you for sending this in ✨️)

[shayrose5494]

Valentino Must Die

So I have Hazbin Hotel brainrot and hate Valentino with a fiery passion. So I decided to compile a list of who I'd like to see be the one to off him when his time comes and how I think it would go down. This list is essentially from least exciting (but no less satisfying) to most exciting:

6. Husk

Now Husk is so low on this list because let's be honest, he's one of the most predictable ones to do it. It's been established by Vivziepop that apparently his and Angel's relationship will be a slow burn, but it's been hinted HuskerDust is endgame, so it would make sense for Husk to be the one to take Val out.

I imagine that one day, Angel returns to the hotel seriously hurt because of Val. This would be the tipping point for Husk. So he tracks down Val. Now this part could go one of two ways visually:

Scenario 1: We see Husk track down Val, and after a bit of a confrontation (and veiled threat on Husk's end), the screen cuts to black. Cut back to the Hotel, where Angel is finding out Husk went after Val. Angel, despite being in pain, has to go find Husk. But before he can leave, a bloodied Husk returns. He tells Angel he never has to worry about Val hurting him again and that he'll keep him safe. Insert HuskerDust first kiss.

Scenario 2: Husk still tracks down Val, but Angel arrives before the fight really begins. Val tries to hurt (or even kill) Angel. This send Husk into a rage and for the first time we get to see Husk's full demon appearance. The fight ensues and Husk comes out on top. Insert HuskerDust first kiss (I kinda sort ship it lol)

5. Angel

Angel is the one that has the most motivation to kill Val, which is why he's also so low on this list. Like Husk, this is quite predictable.

I imagine something along the lines of Husk's Scenario 2. But instead of Husk going full demon (maybe because he's lost his overlord status he can't go full demon anymore) he still fights as is. Unfortunately, this gives Val the upperhand.

So when it seems Val is going to win this fight, and possibly kill Husk, Angel shoots Val. We know Angel has the guns to do it. But he's always been too afraid of Val to follow through. But seeing Husk, someone he loves, facing Val's wrath, this would be the motivation Angel needs. (We know Angel is protective about those he cares about, like he was with Charlie when she came to the studio). Angel kills Val and HuskerDust kiss. (I'm trying to manifest it into existence ok).

4. Charlie

Now, I don't actually think Charlie would kill Val. However, I'm not gonna rule it out or be mad about it if it happens.

After all, we all saw how she went full demon after Sir Pentious' death. I wouldn't put it past Charlie to go full demon on Val after learning the extent of his abuse towards Angel (she nearly did in the studio). She's already lost one friend, she's not about to loose another. But we all know, that if Charlie got into a fight with Val, there would be no option of sparing him. And not even Angel would be able to talk her out of it this time.

3. Cherri

I feel like Cherri's motivation would be similar to Charlie's. She also lost Sir Pentious and there is no way in hell (pun 10000% intended) she's going to loose Angel to moth boy.

I'd love nothing more than to see her shove one of her bombs down his throat then walk away as he explodes in the background like in an action movie.

2. Niffty

Nothing would bring me more joy than watching Niffty pull an Adam2.0 with Val. And since we know that she enjoys killing bugs, watching her kill the giant pest would be so satisfying.

I imagine that Angel would finally tell Val, he's done, contract be damned. So Val shows up to the hotel. A fight between Val and the gang ensues. Val, like Adam, starts monologuing, until a knife pops through his chest.

Bonus points if Niffty does it because a tiny moth came flying through the lobby, so her thinking it's the same principle as with mother roaches and their children, kills Val to send a message to the moths lol.

Finally, last but never least, and my personal favorite because it's so out of left field:

Alastor

Now, hear me out, this one's a bit strange, but let me explain:

Imagine the Husk/Angel scenario where Husk goes after Val, but Val gets the upper hand. Husk is seriously injured (not killed mind you, just injured). While Alastor doesn't consider Husk a friend, he does own Husk's soul. And if you think anyone but Alastor can hurt Husk and get away with it, you'd be sorely mistaken.

Alastor would rip Val limb from limb (and we love that for Val). Plus this would reinforce the rivalry between Alastor and Vox, especially of Vox and Val are still in their dating phase of their on/off relationship. This could even bump Vox up to a serious antagonist for the hotel.

I know that some of these were a bit far-fetched, but I love twists and turns like that in movies and TV. Going in one direction for so long before taking an unexpected turn. If anyone else has any other ideas let me know. I want to hear all of the fun ways we could kill Val. In the meantime:

Piggy kisses for your troubles.

[darkspellmaster]

As kuroshitsuji gets a hiatus to make way for Yana to prepare for the climax, what are your current thoughts or predictions to how the next events will unfold? How long do you think we still have before the loose end of the story gets tied together?

Also.. do you think Lizzie will still have a chance to return to Our!Ciel, or will it be too late for her/them? I have a horrible thought that she might end getting injured or killed (I really hope she won't though 😭) but I still hope there will still be time for them to explore and acknowledge their feelings for each other, no matter the nature of it.

And what about Soma? I really hope he finds out the truth soon that it wasn't his best friend who killed Agni :< he can't drop out of the series not knowing anything sksksks

I absolutely love these two characters so I hope we get to see them return to the earl's side eventually

Thoughts for Yana going on break. GOOD! Girl needs it, she hasn't had a break ever, and avoided it even when her mother passed in 2011. So yeah I'm all for her going on a trip.

Few things are crossing my mind. First, the stranger, Barnabus, who showed up to greet Sebastian and O!Ciel, I have a feeling he's going to be someone like Blavat. He knows things. Honestly I feel like the young Earl is going to have to come face to face with some aspects of himself, and possibly the fact that Sebastian liked to trick him into the contract.

My guess, at least a few months after the break, and probably a year or more for it to conclude. I'm of the opinion that Lizzie is going to be like Gerda from the Snow Queen and be the one that saves O!Ciel from Sebastian in the end. I think the kids from FOL are going to play a part, (what I'm worried about with Theo is that HE's going to be the one that gets with Lizzie since HE fits Ciel to a T and Finny even implies that he's the most like his young master) in dealing with R!Ciel and Undertaker. I honestly think UT isn't clued in about how R!Ciel may have helped in the deaths of Vincent and Rachel. I honestly think there will be for the two of them. I'm wondering if Yana will end up doing what Kaori Yuki did and split the series into two. In that case we had Godchild and Count Cain. In this case I wonder if we'll have Black Butler and something else. So that would allow more exploration with Ciel and Lizzy. God I'm going all over the place with this because so many theories in my head right now. Soma I think will come back and protect Ciel, he's going to be his Agni going forward and keep Ciel safe from things. I think he knows that O!Ciel and R!Ciel are two different people and realized that it wasn't O!Ciel that killed Agni. If I was a betting person, given what Yana has said in tweets: Druitt is the final big bad and not the Queen as she stated that he is always there when important things happen.

(We've seen it with each arc where something happens. Jack the Ripper (Madam Red dies and we get the Reapers), the curry arc he's a judge, Circus I think he's mentioned only, Ship arc he's trying to take over the world, Public school he connects Redmond to Stoker, He's seen as the Red house leader in the Green witch, He probably will show up in Brighten. Also the guy is based on Alister Crowley, the famed Occultist, so Yeah...I'm banking on him being behind the whole thing.

Already has a connection to Vincent via the past.

Noble and a doctor

Has the goal and desire to be a king

Dude was willing to sell Ciel as a girl to the highest bidder.

There's more there, but maybe I should do it as a theory.

O!Ciel and Lizzie are going to be the Kai and Gerda of this story and in order to stop Sebastian, Lizzy is going to have to cry out the seal in some way and remove it with tears.

Soma is going to be the one that protects Ciel from R!Ciel and helps beat him.

I feel like by the end, Sebastian just isn't going to want to eat Ciel since it would be no longer fun for him. Or he can't because of Ciel's connection to Undertaker.

I hope so too. Soma will be coming into my story though.

[anthurak]

So with Unhappy Campers finally showing us Asmoadean Crystals in action and giving us a pretty good idea what they’re capable of, I think it’s going to be very interesting when Blitzo and I.M.P. actually get their hands on one, as well as cause some major shakeups/drama for the characters.

Because practically speaking, an Asmodean Crystal is actually far more useful than the Goetic Grimoire for Blitzo’s business:

For one, it seems to allow for far more easy access to the human world compared to the Grimoire, at least how I.M.P. were using it. Going by what we’ve seen, it seems that only Loona was able to figure out how to use the book to open portals to Earth, meaning that Blitzo, Moxxie and Millie have been entirely reliant on her knowhow to get them to and from their targets. Whereas from what we’ve seen, any demon can use an Asmodean crystal without much difficulty, meaning that the imps would have much more freedom and flexibility in getting to earth and back.

On top of that, we now know that an Asmodean Crystal can provide a human disguise to the demon using it. Possibly even disguises for multiple demons, given that Vortex had his own disguise in Spring Broken. It’s been a running gag at this point that the imps have to cobble together their own half-baked human disguises, with Loona being the only one who knows how to conjure a human-illusion of her own, likely something she likewise picked up from the Goetic Grimoire. Indicating once again that she’s the only one at the company who actually knows how to use the book. But with one or more Asmodean Crystals, Blitzo, Moxxie and Millie would be able to whip up their own human illusory disguises all on their own.

Finally, unlike the Grimoire an Asmodean Crystal would be something fully under the ownership of Blitzo and I.M.P. Without the… baggage and loose ends that come with using the book.

In short, trading the use of the Grimoire and his ‘contract’ with Stolas for an Asmodean Crystal really represents everything Blitzo needs to make his Immediate Murder Professionals company a truly professional and independent enterprise.

But in proper dramatic and ironic fashion, all this will come at the COST of many things he won’t admit he truly wants.

Firstly of course, getting the crystal is going to come at the cost of his relationship with Stolas. All the signs we’ve been seeing since the Season 2 premier have been pointing towards Stolas preparing to break things off with Blitzo. With the Asmodean Crystal that Stolas has been looking to acquire being his way of ‘compensating’ Blitzo, a way that he can continue his business without Stolas or his Grimoire. I wouldn’t be surprised if Stolas also sees it as a way that he can compensate Blitzo for how he (Stolas) hurt him in the past, particularly during the events of Ozzie’s.

So yeah, I think we can all agree that this development is going to seriously mess Blitzo up. In particular, I think it’s going to specifically enable Blitzo’s tendency to bury any feelings of guilt, regret, sadness and general pain and pretend like he’s totally fine. Specifically by throwing himself into his business and act like all this is a good thing, because on the surface, it is. All while desperately trying to ignore how loosing Stolas is ripping him apart from the inside out.

Additionally, I have a pretty good hunch that this development will have a pretty negative impact on Blitzo’s relationship with Loona.

See, consider for a moment the work that Loona has actually been doing for I.M.P. While may be a shitty receptionist, Loona has almost certainly been absolutely VITAL to company due to actually knowing how to USE the Goetic Grimoire to get Blitzo, Moxxie and Millie to earth and back.

But with I.M.P. not using the Grimoire anymore, the imps able to get to Earth and back without her help and Blitzo almost certainly still forbidding her to go on missions out of some misguided need to shelter and protect his daughter, what is there exactly for Loona to DO anymore at the company?

Yeah, I wouldn’t be surprised at all if this ends up causing some major friction between Loona and Blitzo. Like I can absolutely envision a scenario wherein Loona just… stops coming into work after Blitzo and co. start using the Asmoadean crystal. Or straight up telling Blitzo to his face that she’s quitting.

And when Blitzo is shocked to learn this, Loona lays out everything: Using that book to get them to Earth and back was the ONLY thing she actually did around here. And now that they don’t have the book anymore and Blitzo has that crystal, there isn’t anything for her to DO here anymore, is there?

Blitzo then likely tries to make a VERY misguided attempt at comforting Loona by saying she’s ‘the best receptionist he could ask for’ or something. Only for Loona to laugh at him (perhaps in a way that parallels the way Barbie laughed him off?) and tells him they ALL know she’s a fucking shitty receptionist and always has been. Possibly even throwing some of Moxxie’s words/assessments of her back at Blitzo. Loona tells Blitzo to face it: He doesn’t need her anymore.

And of course, as someone who’s both spent his life running from emotional problems and is currently in, and trying to deny that he’s in a very raw and uncertain emotional state himself at the moment, Blitzo is NOT able to handle this argument with Loona gracefully in the slightest.

From there things only deteriorate further, as the full scope of Blitzo’s dysfunctional relationship with his daughter finally comes boiling to the surface. Until Loona finally storms out of the office in tears while Blitzo is both angry and has no idea what to do. Their relationship now clearly having a VERY questionable and shaky future.

Also, Loona then meets up with Octavia, who has likewise had a big, long-simmering argument with her dad, and the two make off with the Grimoire for their own ‘fuck you dad I do what I want’ bonding adventure. But that’s a story for another time…

All in all, I think Blitzo and co. getting an Asmoadean Crystal is going to lead to some very interesting and very dramatic shakeups for the show going forward. And angst. A LOT of angst.

Personally, I can’t wait XD

[orchideae]

1) Opens up drafts with my head empty, ready to be flooded, not knowing where I'll go. 2) 30 seconds later: Okay but I will go feral any day of my life over Perilous Trail, and the fierce dichotomy of Xiao and Yelan. While they're far from being 'the same', they both view themselves as soldiers in one way or another (it's a very difficult word to use for Yelan, so I'm using it very liberally and very loosely), they have both suffered losses on the 'battlefield' and carry the burden thereof in their own ways. And yet they stand so firmly in opposition throughout the entirety of that questline up until the very end of the 'the end of the line' conclusion of the quest. Yes, I know that she offers him her gratitude in its aftermath and it is genuine, but she still never agrees with him and the decision that he made moments earlier. It simply 'worked out' because of Zhongli's interference, he's the only reason it worked out. And it's because of that, that she doesn't give him a hell of a hard time (obviously she can't go down there, but imagine the inner frustration of severe extents; when you condemn someone who you can't even see anymore). In the same way that she would do to anyone who would sacrifice themselves for others, but in this case, I think it's 'beautiful' that it's to Xiao; the one who seems most adamant to do so (which honestly, fits into the contract that the Yakshas chose to sign with Morax; 'the ultimate sacrifice' to protect for Liyue; 'for Liyue', and Liyue has always centered itself around its people), the one who everyone reveres (and so does she, as she notes in her voiceline, 'if I ever have the honor to fight alongside') and respects for good reason, she stands against him, because in that moment, regardless of his status, he makes a call that she considers wrong. And he doesn't even... fight her on it very fiercely, and that's what actually hurts me the most, it's as if the following line hit the nail directly on the head?

"Besides, if you were really so determined to end it all, you wouldn't have given us the opportunity to share our opinions."

[microwavedautism]

I am going to rant about my two Hazbin Ocs because my brain wants to think about them tonight and I don't want to get my information fucked up

So. We have Captain Widow, known by her friends as Amelia. This is her casual look, she dresses like a pirate otherwise. She, unlike most other sinners her age, isn't against embracing the modern.

She was born in 1596 and died 1643. She doesn't remember her place of birth, but it was somewhere around England. She was married at 15, but ended up killing him and running away after three years of putting up with him.

She ended up in a pirate crew a few years later, and eventually took over the ship once the previous captain died.

Don't misunderstand her, she is a very sadistic woman, but she tries to pick her targets carefully. When she was on land she'd go around killing off abusive husbands and the like. Occasionally she'd bring the wife onto her crew.

Her crew was almost entirely women, sides from the two queer teenage boys she'd picked up.

She ended up drowning, turns out she wasn't too experienced at swimming with a broken leg!

In Hell, she looked pretty much the same as she did alive, but with six more eyes then she was used to, two more arms and fins for ears.

She now is an overlord who runs several fighting rings and gyms around the city. All of the souls under contract with her are sinners she personally tracked down, kidnapped and tortured them into giving their soul to her. Her contracts are things like "You give me your soul and in turn I will no longer harm you."

Those sinners are now training dummies or punching bags for her establishments! Afterall, it's not HER harming them, it's everyone else!

--

Now we have Gaspard, 'the artist'. A french painter from the 1400s. It's been quite a while, the only thing he remembers is the century, not the day he was born or the day he died, or even how! He was 37 when he died, he remembers that at least!

He looks more human than most sinners, aside from the fact he is completely greyscale. His body is like a messy 3d sketch, the lines are always changing slightly when he moves, like someones animating him but can't quite keep the lines the same.

When he was alive, not many people knew him. He made an effort to keep to himself, unless he was looking for a new muse or restocking his supplies.

He'd stay locked up in his apartment, spending hours and hours working on his latest piece. He'd done sculpting, he'd done drawing, he'd done everything. But painting was always his favourite. He enjoyed how the colours mixed, especially with the subjects he drew.

See, he would stay out, looking for people who caught his attention. When he found someone, he'd bring them to his apartment, willingly or not, and pose them. Sometimes they lived for a while whilst being posed, most of the time not.

He'd paint the most beautiful of women on their knees... with their hands up above their head and their guts spilling out.

He would paint handsome men, with nothing but their hearts remaining.

He even painted children! Though that was only once.. getting references for how skipping with intestines worked was quite difficult.

Needless to say, he was a horrific serial killer with a fucked up sense of beauty.

He continued his art in the afterlife, only this time. He had plenty of models to choose from!

It's surprisingly easy to get peoples souls, so long as you have a way to protect them from extermination!

And if that 'protection' just so happens to be eternal imprisonment in a canvas well... thats not his fault, they should've been more clear with what they meant, protection is such a loose term really.

After all, what angel is going to attack a painting?

[red-eft]

Desire 4 all the guys u listed >:)

OOOOH thank you for the ask !!! slapped it under a readmore since it got a little lengthy

desire: What's one thing your OC wants more than anything in the world? Are they open with that desire? Why or why not? What would they do to fulfill it?

ruarc: peace. his ultimate desire is to just belong somewhere and to live a content life. he's not open about it. this is mainly because growing up in a noble house, he was raised to always want more.

to want a simple life would be an embarrassment and disappointment, especially considering how he's the only one that could take over house vargoba once his father eventually dies.

--

lorne: freedom. at first, his desire is to live freely- not tied to any higher power or bound to others. he wants a total escape from responsibility. this is mostly because he's stuck working as a mercenary and is unable to break his contract.

he's basically the property of others until they decide to release him from servitude, since he has a massive debt he has to pay off. as the story progresses, he realizes he actually wants to be able to dedicate himself to a cause he cares about. he wants to protect others from people like ydrenth.

--

ivy: knowledge. if anyone asks her about her desire, she'll be open about it- she wants to see the world. this is a half-truth, though. what she really wants is complete knowledge of dark magic so that she can find a way to cure fiensal's curse*. but to find this knowledge, she has to travel far and wide, which she really does enjoy. ivy becomes pretty worldly and genuinely loves going to new places. fun fact, it's how she first met lorne, though they didn't become friends until a while later :-)

*- his disease isn't really a curse- it's actually a disease caused by dark magic overexposure, which elves are particularly vulnerable to. currently, there's no way to reverse or even slow the progress of the disease.

--

fiensal: justice. his desire is to track down ydrenth and basically wipe her from the face of the planet. he's experienced how she behaves and harms others firsthand and knows how much of a threat she is to the world. if she ever rose to power and found a way to control a city or country, the consequences would be dire. he wants to put her down for the greater good.

that's what fiensal tells himself, anyways. but sometimes he wonders if it's really just because he wants revenge for the hell she put him through when he was her apprentice.

--

ydrenth: control. she was once a wealthy, highly-regarded researcher. she helped develop more and more efficient ways to harness magic as it was before the apocalypse (very faint and difficult to use for anything). her research led to increased development in the field and then the apocalypse from all that harnessed magic suddenly snapping loose in one moment. ydrenth survived the apocalypse and watched the world she helped control dissolve in an instant.

she wants that power back no matter what the cost is. since it's such a strong desire, she's pretty open about it, and would give anything to have it fulfilled. there's not much more she can give, though- her humanity and morals are already completely gone.

[raitrolling]

👀 Amarys

Working as a highblood's bodyguard in which round the clock protection was part of the contract meant that having time off was quite rare for Amarys. Sure, she wasn't attached to Damath's hip at all hours of the night, but it was safer for him if she was always within running distance of wherever he may be.

But that doesn't mean that she had no freedom. She could still go out on her own on occasion provided she gave ample notice and was still contactable in case of emergency. Which was fine with her, she valued her own professionalism greatly, but also enjoyed getting moments to really let loose.

"Whoooo's next?"

Tonight, the jadeblood had found herself at the air hockey table at a not-so-local bar. She had walked into the place with her friend Erhart, but the seadweller had gone off somewhere while she was busy crushing the competition. With a fire in her eyes and lightning-quick reflexes (not to mention a brain unclouded by alcohol), she had quickly become a formidable opponent, and after ten rounds remained undefeated.

She glanced around at the crowd that had formed, confident and challenging. The yellowblood she had just beaten was getting heckled by his friends for his poor effort, but judging by the amount of times he slurred his words and repeated himself she doubted she was going to get another good round from him. Other trolls were trying to hype up their own friends and bet that they'll be able to bring down the jadeblood's reign, only to be met with cries of "nah, no way" and "why don't you do it?" and "buy me a couple more drinks first maybe".

That is, until a meek-looking anonblood is pushed towards the other side of the table.

"Wait, wait, wait-! I'm not that good! I'm gonna lose instantly and it's going to be so embarrassing and you're going to laugh so much and, look-! She's so pretty, I'm no match for her!" She waved her hands wildly at the blueblood who shoved her towards the table, who was laughing loudly and clearly too drunk to care about her worries. It also took her a moment to realise that she was speaking so loudly for her friend to hear her over the general bar noise that Amarys would have also heard her. She squeaked in shock. "Oh- Oh my god, I'm so sorry, that just slipped out! I didn't mean it, really! Well, okay, I did mean it because you're definitely not ugly, not at all and I really hope you don't think that way about yourself, but- Oh my god, I'm doing it again."

The anonblood facepalmed, pushing up her glasses into her fringe, and shook her head. Amarys laughed, endeared.

"Nooo worries! I'm ready when you are!" She replied, and slid the puck towards the anonblood's side.

[craigrsumter1]

Now I would like to draw some loose association with the people involved in this conspiracy and to mysterious and coincidental deaths of certain individuals. I say “loose” because I do not have all of the proof for some of the individuals, and for some of the deceased individuals, I have no proof. But it is my unwaivering belief that my family and their co-conspirators are responsible for the deaths of the individuals I am about to mention.

For the first deceased individual I would like to talk about is my uncle, Mike Sumter. The reason I know without a doubt that my family killed him is because about 7-10 days prior to his death my father, Leonard Sumter Jr., called me and told me that if I had anything I wanted to say to my Uncle Mike that I should call him. My dad then said my Uncle Mike had lung cancer and was going to die. He followed this statement by telling me that my Uncle Mike hadn’t been diagnosed with lung cancer or anything but that they all knew he was sick and would be dying soon. It was so very wierd. Well, just conveniently the day before this my Uncle Mike had called me for the first time in his entire life. I was happy to get a phone call from my Uncle Mike (he was my dad’s brother). I love family. It just turns out that most everyone in my family is pretty effed up and evil. They love to sew discord. During the phone call with my Uncle Mike, my Uncle Mike offered for he and his wife, Marsha, to meet me at my parents’ house if I made a trip to Mississippi to visit them. He seemed concerned for me or my safety it seemed but it didn’t really click or make sense at the time because I had no knowledge of anything that was going on behind my back. So I just told my Uncle Mike, who lived in Daphne, Alabama (very close to Mobile), that I could just stop by he and his wife’s house on my way to visit my parents and visit them. Again, I didn’t understand that he was trying to protect me because I didn’t know of all the evil that was taking place behind my back. Well then, my mother, Gloria Sumter, kept sending me nasty text messages and just being incredibly disrespectful towards me. I finally text messaged her back and asked her to please NEVER contact me again unless there was a medical emergency. Well, one week later is when I got the text message from my mother, Gloria Sumter, in which she stated my Uncle Mike had “fallen and [was] bleeding out of his eyes, ears, nose and mouth!” I learned he was being held at Mobile Infirmary in the NICU (Neuro Intensive Care Unit) and I immediately went to the South Fulton Parole Office, where my parole officer’s office was so that I could request a travel pass to go see my Uncle Mike in the hospital. (While on parole if you want to leave the state you have to have written permission from the parole office to where you report.) So I went to the South Fulton Parole Office and when I got there the parole chief told me that they were supposed to arrest me. I asked why? And he then stated that I had left the state without permission in June 2014. I told him that I hadn’t left the state, because I didn’t. Keep in mind, this whole “leaving the state without permission in June 2014″ was a scheme that my sister enacted to try to get me re-arrested. She’s a real POS (piece of shit), just like is most of my family. So, anyway after I went round and round with the parole chief and they withdrew the warrant for me allegedly leaving the state when I hadn’t, then they tried to tell me that I couldn’t go home to visit my parents because I didn’t have a job. They didn’t ask me if I had a job but somehow they were privy to this infomation. Remember, David Scott, fired me illegally on February 14th, 2014 after he broke into my Atlantic Station apartment and after he breached the employment contract he had with me. They only people that knew about this besides David Scott and myself were my parents, Leonard and Gloria Sumter, and my sister, Shalene Ryall/Sumter. So this means that one of these individuals had to contact my parole office and try to thwart me from getting a travel pass to go home and see my parents. Well, I replied to the parole chief, whose name I believe was Sang, that having a job was not a condition of my parole, and it wasn’t. For some people, having employment is in fact a condition of parole, but it was not for me. Then Parole Chief Sang asked me how I paid my rent. I told him that it was none of his business, that I had money saved. Because it is in fact, NONE of HIS BUS

[kismetharborapps]

ooc information

name: dee

preferred pronouns: she/her

age: 27

timezone: gmt +1

activity level: 7 out of 10, sometimes i’m busier than other weeks. however, when i’m not on the dash i usually am online on discord for plotting

triggers: cancer 

anything else?: - 

character information

name: kaan aksoy

faceclaim: kerem bursin

gender & pronouns: he/him

age: 34

birthday: 3 december 1989 (34) 

place of birth: izmir, turkey  

occupation: soccer player 

neighborhood: emerald mist 

time since arriving in kismet harbor: 1 year ago

filling a wanted connection?: yes, nazli ceyhan’s rival connection 

biography ( tw car accident, loosing his parents, grief ) 

AGE 0 － 10 :

kaan is the oldest child of the aksoy's. they grew up in a household were they didn't have much financial means. but despite this ; they always managed to make everything work.

his dad had his own small market by the corner of a small street in izmir. his mom would also be helping around to keep the place running.

at the age of 8 , kaan's love for soccer grew more and more. his dad was also a soccer-game lover so he took him and his sisters to a lot of soccer matches. even if the tickets were highly priced, their dad always managed to somehow get a few tickets to spend some time with his kids.

at the age of 10, the family decided to move to the netherlands because his dad found a job there meanwhile the aksoy kids could have a better study there as well.

AGE 11 － 25 :

when kaan turned 13, he joined a soccer club and his family would always be standing by the sideline to shout out his name; they were his biggest supporters.

things weren't going so well in school, his grades dropped because after school he would be outside to play some soccer with his friends instead of working on his projects/ studying for any exams.

as soon he turned 18, he got an offer to join a dutch soccer club and instantly he signed the papers. he didn't end up finishing his school so he doesn't have any degree.

kaan became more and more successful, still, his parents would try to attend every match

when kaan turned 25 , his whole world turned upside down. he was in america by that time for a soccer match, he got a call from home; finding out both his parents passed away in a car crash.

AGE 26 － 34 :

ever since loosing their parents, he felt like he needed to step in to take care of his sisters. he always made sure they were okay and he still is. he’s very protective over them. 

his coping mechanism dealing with grief and pain was either just staying silent about it, going to the gym or going out with friends to drink. he didn’t want to talk about it with his sisters because he felt like he needed to be the stronger one so they could come and talk to him instead. neither did he really talk with his friends about this. 

kaan is now one of the most successful soccer players and moved to kismet harbor because he signed a new contract with a new soccer club.

MORE FACTS ABOUT KAAN :

because his family struggled a lot in the past financially, he is anonymously donating to charities. sometimes he attends charities as well.  

his name is in the tabloids very often because of how famous he got. usually the media makes him seem like a douche or an ass just to get money by using his name (such as clickbait) 

pets: 1 labrador, cesur 

town activities: aqua avengers, elevated escapades, hands on

hands on kismet harbor

draw of luck: yes!

[pridepages]

Everyday Power: A Restless Truth

I just finished A Restless Truth by Freya Marske. I have thoughts...

Here there be spoilers!

Power comes in many forms. You don't need to be able to cast a spell. Just be lucky enough to be born in the right body.

Picking up right where A Marvellous Light left off, A Restless Truth is the second installment in Freya Marske's The Last Binding trilogy. This time, we're following Sir Robin Blyth's sister, Maud, on a mission to protect the keeper of the second piece of Britain's magical contract.

What begins with a grey parrot named Dorian (hold for laughter) becomes a murder and a high-stakes chase aboard an ocean liner. During the crossing, Maud meets an old friend--Jack Alston, Lord Hawthorn--and several new ones including semi-professional radical scoundrel Alan Ross and the scandalous heiress, Violet Debenham.

Like her brother, Maud isn't a magician. By circumstance, she's been introduced to this world or 'unbusheled.' She has voluntarily taken up this fight to save British magic from renegade magicians who have broken from the ranks to violate the laws of magic out of greed.

In the modern world, we're used to seeing people who volunteer to save a community that isn't their own as selfless...

But does anyone else sense some sharks in the water?

No? Let's try this on for size:

Of our merry band, Alan Ross is the lowest rank. He's untitled, poor, Italian, and makes his way by day as a journalist for gossip rags and by night as a jewel thief and purveyor of pornography. Finding him caught in their mess, Maud attempts to defend him from having his memory wiped--or worse--by the magicians present.

Ross is offended.

"I'm trying to help you, Mr. Ross," said Maud indignantly. "I didn't ask for your bloody help. In fact, you're inflicting it on me against my will. An insult to my human dignity, that."

And there is the crux of the novel: power comes from choices...

And who gets to make them.

Maud may never have starved, and may be able to 'afford morals,' as Ross puts it, but that doesn't mean she's free. Women in this era were even more constrained by patriarchy than they are today. Maud needs to recruit the help of Ross and Hawthorn because they can literally go places she can't. Even hosting their squad meetings in Hawthorn's suite is a risk--Violet and Maud quickly get a reputation for being loose women that he's entertaining!

But even beyond the niceties, Maud and Violet are desperate for the freedom to make choices for their lives. Violet fled her family home and took up a life onstage in quest of personal agency. Maud finds hers not by running away...but by running towards. She wants to be involved in something bigger than herself--in a cause of her choice.

But Maud is not a magician. So that does beg the question...

Does she have the right to choose this one?

As Hawthorn repeatedly points out, Maud isn't a magician in any sense. She didn't acquire the power to cradle and cast. She certainly wasn't born to it. So who is she, really, to take up this fight and tell people who do live under its bind what they should be doing?

The novel both does and doesn't provide an easy answer to this question. Over the course of the adventure, Maud discovers that she is a medium. This puts her at least tangential to the world of British magic. Should the reader be inclined, they can take this pass and neatly resolve the question.

But if you're like me...you won't be satisfied. You might be left struggling with this question of who has the right and the responsibility in this sort of scenario.

Did Maud act heroically? Or was she out of line?

At what point does selflessness turn back on itself and become selfishness?

Even if that question's impossible to answer, the crux of the conflict is easy to see:

Choice is power, and power is choice.

They are unequally, unfairly bestowed.

And if you're lucky enough to have them?

Use them wisely.

[fairy-lights-and-blobs]

First, on the topic of why High Fantasy AU's aren't as popular, I completely agree with this comment. Both on the fact that typically, for High Fantasy settings, ghosts are known entities, that have had documented interactions with the Living (for example, in The Witcher 3, you can choose to study the Spirit's past life to help them Move On instead of simply killing/exorcising them).

Now, on the topic of who to marry poor unsuspecting Danny off to?

See what I'm seeing here?

"(...) unwillingly teleported across time and space."

One of these teleportations fails, and Lian ends up being stuck in Phantom's Keep, with the servants, and Fright Knight as company until the King can be relieved of his current meeting with the Observants.

Everyone's used to dealing with teenagers, but it's Frighty in particular that has become most used to the mannerism of teenagers, and he spies a ball of rage and rebellion to rival "young Ms. Manson", and proceeds to "oh no, you certainly cannot go there, not the room where King Phantom is most definitely so bored and could use a rescue" his way into leading her to crashing the meeting, thus becoming Danny's issue and priority.

Danny, for his part, Would Rather Not get the full details on how many "lovely singles of any gender identity that might please milord" are willing and ready to marry him. Mama Fenton raised a gentleman, and Jazz would have his head if he stuck with these outdated ceremonies.

It feel like a blessing then, that this snarky girl, with just as little respect for Governmental Authorities as himself, has kicked in the doors to the Metting Room, and proceeded to drag him off while yelling something about how "Prince Charming over here needs to get his ass off that chair and get me home".

In the end, he does get Lian back home safe and sound. He even goes with her, to ensure she's delivered to her family safely.

The Observants look at each other. Look at Fright Knight. He stares back.

"So...you think she's single? Because she's clearly the King's type."

While Danny and Lian are off gallivanting across the DC world, the Council of Ancients tentatively puts forth marriage details for their escaped princeling and his dashing "savior", who rescued him from a life of boredom. All it needs is for the two to sign it.

Mistake number 1: Clockwork was the one in charge of keeping it safe, and he's going to make it's delivery as funny as possible.

Mistake number 2: no one considered how "compatible" the two might be (they're too compatible. Phantom has always been a very protective spirit. Lian will get him to cut loose, but in turn gains a mother-henning friend for the journey)

Clockwork delivers the unsigned contract when the Harpers have been reunited, Danny introduced to his in-laws, and seconds after the Dramatic First Kiss of Enlightenment that really hammers home the fact they've been dating for a few months now and didn't notice.

Just the funniest timing.

"Have...have we been dating for months and neither of us knew?!"

"I mean, if you don't wanna continue, be my guest-"

A roll of parchment drops on Lian's forehead. She reads through it.

Picks up a pen.

"Lian? What are you signing? That's Ghost Spak, I'm pretty sure you're not supposed to sign-"

"Danny, stop being a drama queen, and sign the thing that says you'll do the things you're already doing!"

Danny swears bloody murder towards Clockwork, but signs anyways, because she's not wrong.

Now to explain it to Roy...

I'm gonna be honest, I'm surprised that Fantasy AUs aren't more popular in the Danny Phantom phandom. I've definitely seen some, but they don't get the same kind of buzz as most other alternate AUs get. In fact, most AUs that change the background setting are widely less popular. And that reflects in DPxDC too. Fantasy AUs aren't very popular in DC, and not in Batman media either, despite the comic continuity known as Kingdom Come. So there aren't many fans from that side bringing in the fics.

Which is still strange to me, considering how popular the Ghost King Danny concept is. And Bruce is literally called the 'Prince of Gotham', that's a golden fic opportunity.

So I guess what I'm trying to say here is, who should I marry Danny off to next? If no one will write it, I'll just write it myself, you know how it goes.

(also if anyone does have any idea why Fantasy AUs aren't more popular, I am all for hearing them :3)

[craigsumter-justice]

My Legal Battle with my Family and their Co-horts / Co-conspirators (90):

Now I would like to draw some loose association with the people involved in this conspiracy and to mysterious and coincidental deaths of certain individuals.  I say “loose” because I do not have all of the proof for some of the individuals, and for some of the deceased individuals, I have no proof.  But it is my unwaivering belief that my family and their co-conspirators are responsible for the deaths of the individuals I am about to mention.

For the first deceased individual I would like to talk about is my uncle, Mike Sumter.  The reason I know without a doubt that my family killed him is because about 7-10 days prior to his death my father, Leonard Sumter Jr., called me and told me that if I had anything I wanted to say to my Uncle Mike that I should call him.  My dad then said my Uncle Mike had lung cancer and was going to die.  He followed this statement by telling me that my Uncle Mike hadn’t been diagnosed with lung cancer or anything but that they all knew he was sick and would be dying soon.  It was so very wierd.  Well, just conveniently the day before this my Uncle Mike had called me for the first time in his entire life.  I was happy to get a phone call from my Uncle Mike (he was my dad’s brother).  I love family.  It just turns out that most everyone in my family is pretty effed up and evil.  They love to sew discord.   During the phone call with my Uncle Mike, my Uncle Mike offered for he and his wife, Marsha, to meet me at my parents’ house if I made a trip to Mississippi to visit them.  He seemed concerned for me or my safety it seemed but it didn’t really click or make sense at the time because I had no knowledge of anything that was going on behind my back.  So I just told my Uncle Mike, who lived in Daphne, Alabama (very close to Mobile), that I could just stop by he and his wife’s house on my way to visit my parents and visit them.  Again, I didn’t understand that he was trying to protect me because I didn’t know of all the evil that was taking place behind my back.  Well then, my mother, Gloria Sumter, kept sending me nasty text messages and just being incredibly disrespectful towards me.  I finally text messaged her back and asked her to please NEVER contact me again unless there was a medical emergency.  Well, one week later is when I got the text message from my mother, Gloria Sumter, in which she stated my Uncle Mike had “fallen and [was] bleeding out of his eyes, ears, nose and mouth!”  I learned he was being held at Mobile Infirmary in the NICU (Neuro Intensive Care Unit) and I immediately went to the South Fulton Parole Office, where my parole officer’s office was so that I could request a travel pass to go see my Uncle Mike in the hospital.  (While on parole if you want to leave the state you have to have written permission from the parole office to where you report.)  So I went to the South Fulton Parole Office and when I got there the parole chief told me that they were supposed to arrest me.  I asked why?  And he then stated that I had left the state without permission in June 2014.  I told him that I hadn’t left the state, because I didn’t.  Keep in mind, this whole “leaving the state without permission in June 2014″ was a scheme that my sister enacted to try to get me re-arrested.  She’s a real POS (piece of shit), just like is most of my family.  So, anyway after I went round and round with the parole chief and they withdrew the warrant for me allegedly leaving the state when I hadn’t, then they tried to tell me that I couldn’t go home to visit my parents because I didn’t have a job.  They didn’t ask me if I had a job but somehow they were privy to this infomation.  Remember, David Scott, fired me illegally on February 14th, 2014 after he broke into my Atlantic Station apartment and after he breached the employment contract he had with me.  They only people that knew about this besides David Scott and myself were my parents, Leonard and Gloria Sumter, and my sister, Shalene Ryall/Sumter.  So this means that one of these individuals had to contact my parole office and try to thwart me from getting a travel pass to go home and see my parents.  Well, I replied to the parole chief, whose name I believe was Sang, that having a job was not a condition of my parole, and it wasn’t.  For some people, having employment is in fact a condition of parole, but it was not for me.  Then Parole Chief Sang asked me how I paid my rent.  I told him that it was none of his business, that I had money saved.  Because it is in fact, NONE of HIS BUSINESS.  I again reminded him that it is was NOT a condition of my parole and I added that I wanted to go see my Uncle Mike in the Mobile Infirmary and would be going from there to Vancleave, Mississippi to see my parents, Leonard and Gloria Sumter.  So then Parole Chief Sang told me he was going to give me a drug test.  I said “okay.”  He then gave me a urine test and I was completely clean / drug free.  After he saw the result, he asked me “Well when was the last time you used drugs?”  I responded by stating, “Never.”  I said this becuase there was never any record anywhere of me ever using any drugs although I’m sure I had used them at some point in my life before then.  But that is information I didn’t want them to have as it is my private business.  So he then said they would approve a travel pass for me to go to Mobile, Alabama to see my Uncle Mike in the Mobile Infirmary and then to go to Vancleave, Mississippi to visit my parents.  They gave me two pieces of paper.  One to be signed by the Sheriff’s Department in Mobile, Alabama attesting to the fact that I was in Mobile and the other to be signed by the Sheriff’s Department in Vancleave, Mississippi also attesting to the fact that I was in Vancleave.  Well, when I got to Mobile Infirmary, my Uncle Ronnie was there waiting.  Aparently, he and my dad didn’t want me to see my Uncle Mike alone.  I’m sure because they didn’t want my Uncle Mike to disclose anything to me about what he knew my family was doing to me.  When I entered the NICU at Mobilie Infirmary my Uncle Mike looked as though he was catatonic and he looked very terrified.  I was never allowed to speak with him alone or in private so he never got to tell me anything and he literally died a couple of days after I came to visit him - just as my dad had prophesized / fortold.  Now, I want everyone to make note here that this is the first of several individuals that I am going to associate with my family and their conspiracy that literally fell one time and died afterwards.