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hey-august · 9 months ago

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A Line from Me to You - Chapter 2

Description: Buggy finds a peculiar book on his ship. Enticed by the words contained on each page, the pirate opens up. Anonymity leads to vulnerability. What else will come from this? (Chapter 1, check out the story tag for more chapters) Word count: 1.9k Warnings: This chapter is SFW, but the story will eventually be NSFW - hopefully in the next chapter. Some profanity. Buggy x afab!reader. A/N: Little more plot-building before we get to the spice. Hope yall enjoy!! Tag list: @lostfirefly @rorywritesjunk @theladyofmanyfandomsfanfiction

˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗ ✩ ˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗ ✩ ˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗ ✩ ˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗

You read and re-read the bonus words written into your book until they flowed through your head like a real conversation. An unknown voice whispered in your ear, adding commentary, a few snide remarks and snarky responses, poignant questions, and narrative asides that you couldn’t get enough of.

The mystery of your anonymous reading buddy sat with you. It was calm and inviting. You weren’t consumed with a desire to dig inside and pull out the truth, but to let the mystery be. To let it exist like this. Yes, you did want to know whose thoughts and memories you were reading, but it wasn’t a dire need. And more than that, you wanted to keep this secret. A shared secret.

Staring at the next chapter you needed to read, the novelty plummeted as you raised a pen. It felt heavy in your hand, weighed by an awkward feeling. The back of your neck prickled, as if someone was already reading your thoughts. You felt stifled by the odd sense of visibility. Unable to connect your desire to give the story your full attention with wanting to share the book with another reader, you tried to flip those feelings and see if they would fit another way.

It was like a game of leapfrog. You read the annotations added after yours, then jumped into the next chapter you hadn’t read yet and filled in the gaps left in the margins, and, finally, you landed in a new chapter. The puzzle pieces connected as you fell entirely into the story.

Traveling with the cloaked figure, Grey, on his journey, your musings were scribed each step of the way. Phrases and words circled, emotive faces drawn near touching moments, and your own personal tidbits littered the pages. The chapter ended with Grey winning over the sullen rock golem who had been living alone as an outcast. The golem accepted Grey’s invitation to join him on a journey to save the royal family.

A few days later, Buggy was surprised to see the book peeking out of its protective hidey-hole like a mollusk. He noted its disappearance and didn’t expect such a rapid reappearance. Although it wasn’t a long novel, completing the entire journey would have taken a sleepless night or two. A small voice questioned whether the owner was upset at the additional vandalism (even if they started it) and decided to abandon the book entirely.

Filled with unease, Buggy ignored the book and went about his duties. The poisonous voice stayed quiet as the captain threw himself into work, wondering if he might avoid confronting the question and the book. A lifetime of rejection created a wide boundary of protection that the little voice hid behind, hissing unfounded fears.

The sour feelings were chased away with a mouthful of liquor later that night. While heading back to his quarters, Buggy retrieved the book and walked fast to outpace his own negativity. Although it was only the second time he had the novel, reading was easily incorporated into his evening routine. It felt familiar to him.

Growing up, Buggy was a voracious reader. Sometimes, he wondered if that’s why he needed glasses now. Maybe his eyes were rebelling against all the words he forced them to absorb - short stories, long epics, newspapers, essays, letters, tiny print, large fonts, hand-written, transcribed. Anything he could get his hands on was devoured in his spare time. Sentences were crammed into the few seconds between duties, chapters read by dim moonlight, and pages became speckled with food as he pored over the books while eating.

Over time, Buggy read less and less. People poked fun at the bookworm. They said he should be careful always having his nose in a book, it might get caught in the pages. Even lighthearted remarks about how much he read began to sting. And as he grew up, Buggy had other things to occupy his time with.

Eventually, guilt took hold in his chest. Roots grew whenever he had time that could be filled by a book, his empty hands missed the feel of pages threading through the fingers, or when he looked at the forlorn stories waiting on his bookshelf. He tried to push through the ache by buying new books that remain untouched. He even bought glasses to try and turn a chore back into a hobby, but nothing relit the spark. It all turned into dirt and manure for his remorse to grow.

The pirate never expected the pain of turning his back on something that brought comfort would be eased by a silly fantasy novel. Despite being a grown man with hair on his chest and alcohol on his breath, Buggy felt like a kid again as he sank under the covers with a good book. Instead of waiting for a tension headache, Buggy pulled out his glasses, swiped the lenses with a small cloth, and put them on. The first thing he read was a note tucked alongside his bookmark.

“Good notes! Although I disagree that the writer is a ‘self-indulgent asshat who sees the world through rose-colored glasses.’ I read ahead through the next chapter and left space for you. Please do the same and put this back in the ‘secret’ spot. I want to see if you change your mind.”

Buggy chuckled to himself. Of course you wouldn’t agree with him, you picked the book in the first place. Maybe if he pointed out more of the author’s blatant self-insert characters used to tout their poorly thought out ideals, you’d reconsider. He took a sip of alcohol and twirled a pen in his fingers.

Towards the end of the newest chapter, two things caught Buggy’s attention. First, the fucking corner of the page was folded again. Second, was a comment about the golem and “found family.” You wrote about how nice it is to find a place you belong and people you feel at home with. You felt like the golem character when you joined this pirate crew. The rock golem, named Daisy Lee, had sprouted a flower when Grey extended his hand and companionship. The little heart next to that sentence was a punch to the gut.

Buggy the Clown knew first-hand how it felt to find someplace you belonged. In fact, he’s heard that from his crew countless times. After fights, successful raids, parties brimming with alcohol, any situation full of emotions were bound to be followed with freaks professing appreciation for their captain. But this was different. You didn’t know who was reading these words. You didn’t intend to share them with the captain himself. These weren’t words of performative devotion, honeyed sentiments, or feelings brought forth by adrenaline, but inner-thoughts shared during your own personal time.

It was late and his body was tired, which meant his emotions were delicate. That’s why tears collected in the corners of his eyes before slipping down his heated cheeks. Exhaustion and alcohol. Fingers attempted to fit under his glasses to wipe away the saltwater, but the legs tugged on his ears and the frames dug into his forehead. Buggy dabbed away what he could in the confined space and rubbed the back of his hands on his wet cheeks to dry them. With a face redder than it was moments ago, he swallowed the rest of the sober emotion with the alcohol in his glass.

---

The next time you found the book, there was another note for you. A short sentiment and a gift.

“Stop folding the goddamn pages. I don’t care if this is your book, I won’t give it back. Use the bookmark.”

The bookmark guarding the edge of your reading area wasn’t anything special. It was just a bit of paper that could have come from anywhere, but the edges were carefully torn into a long rectangle. The scrap used to mark the other reader’s progress was ripped haphazardly and shaped like a squashed kidney. Rolling your eyes, you folded the corner of your new gift. You’d use it, but on your terms.

You followed the same pattern as last time, reading the new notes, the next chapter, then a new chapter. And your reading partner followed suit. Bookmarks jumped over each other, like checkers. Stories were swapped, emotions unlocked, betrayals occurred (the first of which was you creasing the bookmark, which was acknowledged with a little angry face), foes defeated, heroes injured, feelings exposed, and so much more. You wrote about leaving your family and village behind, like some of the adventurers. The other person wrote about not really knowing their family. Not in a story, but as a passing comment to what you scribbled. Unsure how to respond, you simply wrote that you were glad their journey brought them here.

Weeks passed as the book exchanged hands. One night found you hunched over in bed, following your reading buddy as you raced through the final chapter. The sea was as restless as your beating heart, each wave and thump growing erratic through the climax.

Worn down and weary, Grey and his companions approached the castle. Moss and vines decorated the worn stone structure. An abnormal breeze carried the sweet stench of decay. The rustle of leathery wings and tell-tale stomping emitted from the courtyard ahead. Grey turned to Daisy Lee and Jack, readying himself to go ahead on his own. To his surprise, Jack clapped a hand on the man’s cloaked shoulder and nodded to their stone friend, who marched forwards, toward the dragon.

You silently cheered with each blow the heroes dealt and gasped with every set-back they sustained. The fight raged on in your white-knuckled grip, with Daisy Lee crumbling into a smaller version of themself, and Jack throwing himself in front of Grey, only to be knocked out.

Grey shouted in anguish and charged forwards. Landing a mighty blow on the dragon, the fierce beast collapsed with a pitiful roar. Smoke poured from it’s mouth and nostrils, filling the courtyard. Through the fog, Grey could just barely see the large shadow shrink. As the smoke cleared, a naked figure lay on the ground - the victim of a curse. It was Prince Shaia. Grey’s brother.

The rest of the story was wrapped up in two pages. There was a whirlwind of activity when Grey rescued the rest of the royal family, revealed his lineage to his companions who readily accepted the information, Grey’s rapid ascension to the throne, and the multitude of changes he immediately put into place across the kingdom to end every single plight, hardship, and minor inconvenience he encountered. The story ended with the sun setting on a utopia, with no mention of issues implementing new rules and systems or discourse about the kingdom changing hands to a previously unknown individual.

You sat silently for a moment, mulling over the ending. It was an enjoyable story full of adventure and whimsy, but the conclusion was rushed. Very rushed. The last paragraph had a bracket drawn on the side and an arrow pointing to a little face sticking it's tongue out and a note:

“I haven't changed my mind. This wouldn’t happen so easily, it’s so unbelievable-”

Frowning, you scribbled a retort before finishing the rest of the note. “It’s a fantasy book. Of course it’s not believable.”

“-I have a book we can read next. I guarantee it’ll be better than this.”

A buzzing filled your head and reverberated down to your chest. You kept reading the message, studying each individual letter constructing the words that warmed your body. The beating of your heart stopped using adrenaline as fuel and channeled the rushing endorphins instead. You hoped that this secret relationship would continue, and to see that feeling reciprocated filled you with so many fluttery feelings that you couldn’t tease them apart.

“Okay, I’m trusting you.”

#eventual smut #buggy x reader #buggy x you #x reader #buggy the clown #buggy the clown x reader #buggy op #opla buggy #one piece buggy #hey-august a line from me to you

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twst-drabbles · 11 months ago

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Dire 8

Summary: In the midst of Crowley’s attempt to keep you in line, a random passerby witnessed you burst his head with a simple breath.

(Hmmm horror time. I need horror. And more Dire Crowley. And horror for Dire Crowley. Kinda messy and all over the place honestly. Excuse that.)

You are… a very strange addition to say the least. To anyone that barely knew you, that only took light glances on your everyday routine, you were weak. Not the frail, pathetic kind of weak you’d see in people like Shiloh/Tul’Veith, but the boring kind.

It’s easy to look over you. Easy to ignore and just leave be because there isn’t a point in messing with someone that a lot of people liked. You were already the dog of the Headmage and nobody wants to risk getting expelled.

Well, at least that’s what this one student from Heartslabyul thought about you. He wasn’t one to hurt anyone but he does like to heckle just a little bit. Nothing too bad. He can’t help it. The stress of dealing with his Housewarden gets to him sometimes.

He wasn’t looking for you. You were the last thing on his mind, but the combined voices of Headmage Crowley and yours ended up catching his attention as he passed through the halls.

The student paused and hid his body behind a corner.

Pages of a floating book flipped before the mask of Headmage Dire Crowley.

“Lately,” the book closed with an echoing thump, “I’ve been finding more and more of these strange books inside the library. You wouldn’t happen to have anything to do with it, would you?”

His claws tapped against his cane as he gestured for the book to float right over his shoulder, as though he didn’t trust you enough to be close to it.

You didn’t look any different than the times he’s shared class with you. You’re still smiling, still with that straight back and stable footing, as though threats simply didn’t exist. As though you felt you were equal to the mages-in-training.

It’s annoying, but the student had better things to do than put you in your place. Besides, the way you stared and the almost mechanical timing of your blinks was just… gross? Uncomfortable? Unnatural. Yeah, unnatural.

“Yes, actually,” you clapped your hands, congratulating him in a way that just came off as mocking no matter which angle the student looked at it, “they’re nothing more than my notes I paid to be made into actual books. The club I established is full of wonderful talents, don’t you think?”

“And what do you hope to gain from sneaking them into Night Raven College’s library? It’s not a place for handmade things such as yours.”

It wasn’t anger. Nothing smoldering like that, but it registered as an accusation nonetheless. Suspicion from a man that is the definition of suspicious himself. These strange creatures and events that center themselves around this college don’t hold the Headmage’s focus. Well, that’s not quite right. It’s more Headmage Crowley wants to ignore everything going on, as though it doesn’t matter to him.

Knowing him from the reputation that’s been whispered by his peers and friends, Headmage Crowley was probably passing off all these problems to you. From what he hears, you don’t really have a choice and are a student by his “mercy.” Ugh, sucks to be on that end of the stick.

“If you’re wondering, it’s nothing horrible. I’m not out to curse anyone or break anything. Knowledge is power and I intend to spread it.” The air around you never changed. It was as light as ever. “They will need it.”

“What they need is the ability to harness their potential on their own. In my eyes, this is clearly a ploy to recruit more people into this ‘club’ of yours. And from what I’ve seen, it’s been working. And I’m asking you to stop before I reach the ends of my mercy.”

… the student has seen those covers before. A pile of them really, right on his roommate’s desk, stacked high up like a tower. He just thought it was the latest hot book.

“Dire Crowley,” you leaned forward, thinning your eyes as though gazing at him with fondness, “Don’t blink.”

And you breathed out, gently, as though putting out a flame. And like an artist violently smearing paint across an empty canvas, Dire Crowley’s head splattered into the air. His body careened back but never fell over, as though a puppet string was tied into his spine.

It was a gore puzzle made real. The skin of his neck ripped jaggedly from the jaw, pieces of bone lazily spun and floated in the air, and the student caught the eyes beneath the mask still rolling around in their sockets. Trapped in a moment in time.

The student was sewn in place. He couldn’t run. He can’t.

“Look at your head,” you stroked a string of bloody brain matter as it refused to obey gravity’s command, “filled to the brim with dreams. Bursting with possibilities. You would make a fine meal or a fine friend for any of my kin.”

You breathed in and everything slotted back into place. Headmage Crowley was upright once more before he wasn’t.

He fell to his knees, dropping his cane in favor of his face, his head. He dug his nails into his skull, as though trying to find the lines were his skull came apart, but you reached down and pried his claws out.

He made himself bleed.

“Oh don’t be so worried, I didn’t actually give you death,” you waved the idea away with a smile, “I’m simply… sharing a memory. Interesting, right? The ways the body can die with the breath of a monster.”

“What…” Headmage Crowley looked at you, gulped, but didn’t demand more.

“We have the same goal: we both wish for these students to grasp at their own potential. Of course, my method is a little more… invasive than most, but it’s needed. They need to prepare, because with these visitors, death becomes a luxury. So I ask that these books stay, so that these students may still find a way to return to themselves.”

You had cast a glance over his way, and that's all the permission needed for the student to stumble on his feet and run far away from there.

#twst #twisted wonderland #twst-drabbles #twst-drabbles exclusive #night raven college staff #dire #dire crowley #drabble #eldritch au #reader insert

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yunietunie · 1 year ago

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Honey

Okay, so it's been a while since i wrote some angst here you go. No one asked for it but here it is :P. This is ******HEAVILY SPOILED******* on the new MW3 campaign and im sorry.

Summary: Johnny a friend, a soldier, and most importantly, a husband.

Warnings: Heavy, heavy angst.

Suggestion; Listen to “Jacob and The Stone” while reading.

How long have you been in the military? About 7-8 years and now with an additional one from joining TF141. You thrived, you had a lot of praise for your work as a specialist in your area. Your training and work ethic were exceptional, quickly proving your placement onto 141 in the first place.

“What ya’ reading?” Soap asked you while you had a book in your hands after finishing a report. “Oh you know, just some poetry.” You’d say with a small smile tugging at the corners of your lips. Your head swiveled over to him, to see what direction his voice was coming from. He’d scan his eyes to the title of the book. It read “Honey” By Sarah Gymson.

“You’ll have to lend it to me sometime.” Soap perked up back to your direction. “Here, take it now, I have another copy.” He’d take the book from your hands, putting it to his side.

Simple conversation between the two of you would flow into late night chats, ending up on missions together and becoming really good friends. You’d save him and he’d save you in times of dire need. Your dynamic with John MacTavish was perfect. He a demolition’s expert, you a sniper. It’s like the pieces fit together between the two of you.

You’d glance at each other during debriefs or free time, sending eye messages about how bored the two of you were. You’d usually end up eating lunch together in the canteen of the base, talking about all kinds of things. The occasional teasing was granted but after you got him back of course.

His hand propped to support his cheek while talking with you. “So, what’s your favourite place in the world that you’ve traveled to?” You’d ask him, looking at his soft blue eyes while they glazed over your appearance. “That would be anywhere with you.” Johnny teased towards you with a small smirk. “Oh c’mon, be serious.”

“Okay okay,” He responded, then he looked at his hands and took a deep breath as if he were pondering. Johnny looked back up at you. “The cliffs at Duncansby Head. Somewhere in Caithness.” His voice was velvety as he spoke, a sort of gentleness to it as well while he thought about his choice. Where even was that? Scotland maybe? “Any reason why?”

“It’s calm. The ocean hitting the side of the rock walls, the sound of the waves, the scenery—It’s soothing.” A twitch to the corner of his smile began to form. “Whenever I am frustrated or upset, I think of that place.” Your eyes would watch him while he spoke, a sort of somber expression as he reminisced about his time there.

While on smaller missions, you got to know each other even better than the last time. The two of you having fun outside of work on your days off. It felt nice to have someone like this with you. Always positive. It wasn’t long before you began to develop feelings for him.

“Hey.” Johnny asked you, folding his arms into his torso, his eyes darting around the area. “Hey.” You responded with a giddy smile. “So—I was thinking,” He seemed nervous, but eager to ask you a question. “That we, uh, grab drinks sometime?” Your eyes widened as your brows shot up in surprise. He wanted to take you out for drinks.

Little did he know that by asking you that small question a few months ago, you two would spiral into a relationship down the road. Spending almost every day together, some apart of course but you always knew that the two of you would come back. At least that’s what you’d like to believe.

Page 67

“Bound by secret ties,

Whispers in the dark unite.

Two worlds now intertwined.”

Over the course of the last few weeks you, the rest of 141 were on countless missions to stop the terrorist attack of Hasan and to stop the weaponization of American missiles. You finally ended up actually stopping him. The capture of Valeria made it a whole heck-of-a-lot easier to find the target. But you made it. You always did. At least with Johnny by your side.

It had frightened you when you found out that Ghost—and Johnny were betrayed by Graves. No communication. You had no idea if he was alright or injured. But he was a good soldier, he always found a way out, is what you’d tell yourself to ease your mind.

A few hours later, he made it back okay. Sure he was shot, but he was okay. That’s all that mattered. “Bonnie, you came back.” He’d say when he was reunited with you, Price and Gaz after being in Al Mazrah to retrieve Laswell. “Always.” You’d whisper to him before getting gear and tossing it to some Los Vaqueros to help fend off the Shadow Company while retreating.

You’d regroup with everyone back at Alejandro’s safe house to take back their base in Las Almas. Johnny pulled you to the side, away from everyone for a moment to check if you were hurt. “Yer okay?” A soft expression plastered over his face, accompanied by concern. “I'm fine, always will be.” You’d respond with a small grin and an airy chuckle.

After the succession of taking back the base with being unscathed, you’d find yourself sitting next to Johnny, your head resting on his shoulder on the way back to base. He’d been carrying the poetry book you lent him, quietly reading to himself until their arrival back to base.

Page 127

“Like bees drawn to sweet embrace,

Love’s nectar we share.”

Another few months fly by without much changing, the relationship between the two of you transpire. He ended up actually proposing to you, a happy gleaming part of your relationship. You got married to the goofy guy you met in the military. The two of you would read the poetry book together before bed or whenever sent on missions, it was your guy’s thing to share.

“Hey so…” Johnny trailed off, his fingers fidgeting with one another while he came up with words to say. “What if we—Had a kid? Not now of course. But in the future?” He asked you with no hint of a joke tone. He was serious. A kid? A kid who could run around the house and keep the two of you busy for years? A kid who would be just like their dad.

It was a cute idea, you loved it. “I say yes to that. I’d love to have a kid.” You responded with a fond smile on your lips, his expression full of love as the two of you cuddled in the bed together. You’d find yourself fidgeting with the rubber wedding band on your finger with a gentle smile, reminding you that you married John MacTavish.

“Makarov?” After the picture slid to you from Johnny’s hand. “What the hell is he doing? I thought we put him into custody four years ago?” You’d ask, your brows furrowing at the thought of evil coming back to haunt you. “He’s planning a prison break, we just don’t know when.” Laswell said, her arms folded atop the bar counter.

You’d look at the rubber wedding band on your finger, your mind slightly filling with worry. A calloused hand placed over top of yours to provide comfort. Turning your gaze over to Johnny, “We’ll be okay.” His voice reassured your overthinking mind.

The world was beginning to fill with suspicion of Uzbekistan, from their recent exposure to “terrorist” attacks led by Farah and her military personnel. Which led to you and the rest of 141 to hunt down Makarov and stop him before he created a war between west and east, pinning Uzbekistan and Farah as the terrorists, it would be catastrophic.

After failing to get to the chemicals in the bunker, you somehow, probably by the grace of god, had enough time to tell Laswell to get to safety after her meeting with Yuri. Two missiles from Farah’s base that were stolen, launched to where Laswell was. Everything was fine, or so you thought.

Thanks for some intel given by Shepard… and Graves… You managed to get a hit on some intelligence on the location of a target. You’d have to let your hate dissolve if you wanted this mission to be done. And that's what you did.

After you, Ghost, and Johnny made it to a small island off the coast of a country—You would extract financial dealings that Makarov had Melina do. Finding the sweet spot, you head back to Russia and capture his Second in Command and get more intel since Makarov wasn’t there.

This endless fight of the five of you trying to find the man behind it all while fighting your way through Konni was tiring. But you had the love of your life around almost every corner. Just being near him gave you comfort and other perspectives.

“Another hit,” Laswell stated over comms to each of you. “Possible ID on a hacker that has a buyer, he’s connected to Makarov.” “Where?” Johnny asked quickly, hoping to bring an end to Makarov’s reign of terror and death. “London.” That was a surprise? He’s attacking in their home country? There wouldn’t be more information until Laswell spoke again. “He’s going to use the trains underground.”

“The ones that connect the UK and France? That’s hundreds of miles of train rails.” Price said in his gravelly frustrated voice. But what choice would they have? They would try to pin him in the middle. TF141 would come in from the UK side, to get discrete info off the hacker and buyer to get Makarov’s full location while another unit would enter from the france destination and meet in the middle.

If all the intel they had was right—Makarov was planning to bomb the railway, killing innocent Men, Women and Children in the trains to make yet another seemingly false blamed terrorist attack. You’d look at Johnny, a deep breath in and one out before looking back at the screen. The two of you would get prepared and head towards the pier in London to find the hacker.

Blending in, Ghost and Gaz were already in position over the comms and attempting to use Surveillance cameras for any outliers. You and Johnny split up, eventually being on opposite sides of the Hacker, hoping to listen in on anything she would say for intel.

“It’ll be done.” She said, the phone holding up to her ear while she paced around. Then she turned her head around, seemingly paranoid of being watched. She began to walk away, you were following her with Johnny holding your hand, being a couple in public to draw away suspicion.

Johnny held your hand, then used his free one to stop you to look at him. “I love you. So so much.” He said in a soft voice before planting a kiss on your lips, you returning the favour. “I love you too, Johnny.” You smile after tearing away from his kiss. That was enough time to distract the hacker and for the two of you to move into a different position.

“The payment is already finished, orange cap. Pleasure doing business.” And with that Ghost began to look through the cameras on the streets for a man with an orange cap, hoping that is who they were looking for. After a few minutes, they saw the buyer enter through an abandoned and discrete subway tunnel entrance.

“Perfect place for them to hide.” Gaz said through the radio. You and Johnny began to head towards that area, meeting up with Price, Ghost and Gaz who would meet you three on later. You, Johnny and another unit began to plow through the Konni group, your eyes would glance over to Johnny to make sure he was safe at every free second you were given.

Finally, making it down the steps and to the railway, you begin to head towards where the bomb was located, hoping to see Makarov there. The sound of russian words, bullets flailing and the train would muffle things out for you. Taking out the troops easily with the help of Johnny by your side, alongside the rest of the other unit. As you rushed to get past the incredibly fast train, you eventually made it to the middle platform where even more troops rushed out to greet you with unfriendly weapons.

You turn your gaze to the center, the bomb making slow yet quiet beeps as the timer begins to decrease. “Johnny—In the center, I'll cover you.” You’d say as the two of you began to make it towards the center, making sure he was safe in the process. “Got it.”

After a few seconds, he began to pry at the latch and grunted at frustration. “This needs two people, get a snake cam and insert it on the other side.” He said as he began to tug and push aside wires. You inserted a snake cam inside the metal frame. “Look to your right, I need the logo of the circuit.” You squint your eyes and turn it to the right to find what he had asked for. “Bear.”

“Bear okay.” After a few more minutes of him attempting to cut off the time he spoke once more, a bit rushed. You only had a minute until it detonated. “Give me the third number of the serial code. It's on the left bottom corner.” You scramble the snake cam over to the side and find it. “9.” you said swiftly, he inputs it and it was correct.

“Okay—Last thing, Bonnie. On three, we cut the red wires.” Soap said as he held up the pillars to the red wire about the same time you did. “1…2–”

Bang

A strange pain filled you as you were knocked back to the concrete floor, your head instantly turning to Johnny as you groaned, a gun fired at his torso, knocking him down as well. “Johnny—!” You shout, your eyes meeting with dead ones, then at a gun pointed to your head, a finger over the trigger.

“This is to teach you a lesson. Don’t bury your enemies alive.” Makarov stated with a chuckle just before he was about to shoot a hole into your skull. That was when, in a flash, you saw Johnny leap from the ground and stab Makarov in the neck with his combat knife. Moving quickly, Makarov twisted Johnny’s arm in front of him to get the knife out. Your loving eyes watched as his body hit the ground after a final gunshot. Makarov looked like he was about to shoot you but as soon as Price, Ghost and Gaz came, he ran. Fucking coward.

You were still shell shocked, your head turned towards the corpse of your husband. “No.” You said wearily. You would clutch the side of your torso where you had been shot and crawled over to him. Tears pricked your eyes. “No, no, no. Please.” Your broken voice would beg. You placed two fingers on his neck to check for a pulse, even though it was apparent that he was–gone.

You tore your hand away from your side, not caring about blood loss. Not caring anything at that moment. “My boy. Not my boy. Please—Please don’t leave me.” You screamed as you placed his cheeks into your palms, your tears hitting his face. “Please..” You’d whisper, pressing your foreheads together, wishing this wasn't real. You didn’t even get to say goodbye.

“It was supposed to be me.”

Page 201

“Crimson roses fall,

Life’s bloom fades,

A final breath.

Death’s touch, a silent call.”

A/N: i cried. Ugly cried even, when i played the campaign and experienced this and now do some other people :3.

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secretsub74 · 1 month ago

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When I was in the high school I went through a massive growth spurt over one summer. I went from being a short chubby kid with a girlish voice to a tall good looking young man with a deep voice. Bullies were leaving me alone and girls were actually giving me attention. What had not changed was that I was still an insecure kid who was prone to anxiety that was about to rear it’s ugly head.

Early in the first semester a teacher convinced me to run for class President. There were no guys running and he wanted me to run just for the experience. One day I noticed everyone gathering after lunch in the gym. I asked my classmate Julie what was going on and she said enthusiastically “We’re listening to the speeches for Class President! I can’t wait to hear yours! “ Walking to the gym I could see that the whole class was there. It was part of an election seminar. How could I have forgotten this?

When I sat down I caught the eye of Michelle a cheerleader I had a crush on. She smiled and said “Good Luck!” It seemed I was on the precipice of a life change. If I just give this speech I would be legitimized. I decided I would listen to the other speeches and I would come up with something similar. However there was one problem. I was the first candidate called to the microphone. My stomach dropped, my hands started shaking, and I suddenly had a very dire need to urinate. My need to pee was so strong I could barely walk to the microphone.

As soon as I was handed the microphone I froze and stared at the audience in total silence. My heart rate went through the roof. My hands were shaking. There was total silence and then an audible sizzling sound. It sounded like someone had turned on the shower.. It could be heard over the speakers. A female voice yelled “IS HE PISSING HIS PANTS?” I looked down in horror at the growing wet spot on my white pants. I wanted to run but I was frozen. I literally could not move. The microphone was right by my hip and it was recording the audible hissing sound that everyone associated with someone having a wetting accident. I looked out in the crowd and there were a lot of people laughing…including Michelle. I tried to stop the urine stream but I couldn’t. The pee cascaded down my pant legs and left a growing lake of urine on the floor. In addition to the hissing you could hear the splattering of urine as it streamed down my legs and puddled on the gym floor. The white pants had become see through to reveal my Superman underwear. Widespread laughter erupted in the gym. All of a sudden I became lightheaded and I collapsed into the arms of the school nurse.

I woke up in the hospital hours later . I had to be sedated at the school because I had a second panic attack that had resulted in “agitation and continued urinary incontinence” I was dressed in a hospital gown. Under the gown I was wearing a t shirt..and a disposable diaper.

I never lived this down. Michele and the popular girls called me “StareyWetsey.” It was an homage to the Betsy Wetsy doll. The Starey part of the name was given to me because I stared at girls and I was caught looking up girls skirts. Michelle would later tell me that that my worsening bladder problems were karmic payback for being a total upskit pervert. I would return to school two weeks later but the problems persisted. Eventually the school nurse informed me that I would not be able to go to school unless I wore adult diapers. My mother protested and said that my bed wetting had returned and she was already stretched to the limit buying diapers for me at night. The nurse said the the school social worker said there was a program for students with disabilities that would pay for the diapers. I would put a diaper on and be checked by the nurse in the morning and I would do the same after lunch. I would tell the nurse how often I experienced “involuntary urination.” During school tests the nurse suggested I wear a booster pad and plastic pants. She said it might be noticeable but you are going to need to adjust to that.

Two weeks later in mid October I had sat down in a classroom after school to do some makeup work. Michelle and her crew were preparing for the Homecoming dance. They had a video camera and were doing silly things with it. Heather walked up to me and offered me a bottle of water. The cap had been opened but I accepted it anyway. I quickly drank it. More women came in until about 20 were there. I finished up my work. I bent over while putting my books in my bag I felt my pants slide down. Then I felt a hand tug on the elastic backing of my diaper. I turned around and Michele was towering over me. Heather had the camera pointed at me. “ So you ARE wearing adult diapers. How pathetic! What kind are they? Attends, Depends, or some cheap off brand that you just know is going to leak.? “ I tried to say something and she said “Shut Up. They are an off bran called ShureDri. That’s what the state gives pants wetting speds whose families can’t afford to buy pampers! That’s what the state is giving you ! ..at least that is what your little sister told me. I am willing to bet that your pampers won’t last wrong. Look around. I have assembled all of the women you have humiliated with your Nerdy Perv actions. Staring, Objectifying, and of course upskirting. In humiliating you, you will understand how vulnerable and violated you made us feel.”

I apologized profusely and blamed the behavior on my shyness and sexual inexperience. I did however say “but it’s just UNDERWEAR and your wearing a short skirt so you’re kind of asking for it.”

“ASKING FOR IT? Girls it is time to put operation humiliation into action!!”

#bed wetting #married submisive #diaper dependent #diaper pee #diaper bulge #ab dl diaper #diaper regression #pants wetting #public wetting #wettingmyself #diaperhumiliation #omorashi

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quietwings-fics · 6 months ago

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a terrible, creeping numbness

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply Fandom: Doctor Who Ship: Gen (Nine & Rose) Additional Tags: Non-Consensual Drug Use, Paralysis, Angst, Whump, Hurt Rose Tyler, Ninth Doctor Era Wordcount: 826 Summary:

Rose has a bad reaction to some alien drugs.

It starts as a tingling at Rose’s fingertips.

She doesn’t say anything, doesn’t even think about it, until she scrapes her hand along the wall of the cell they’ve been put in for the dozen or so time for lack of anything better to do. She stops halfway, her hand against the cement wall. It had been cold and rough under her palm earlier. Rose can’t feel it anymore.

Her heart jumps into her throat, and she snatches her hand back. It might be nothing. The Doctor is lingering by the cell door, waiting for their promised legal counsel to be brought to them so that he can convince them or the guards or anyone, really, even a passing janitor might do if they’re sympathetic enough and have the keys, that he and Rose haven’t done anything wrong. She takes a deep breath and presses her fingers into her palm. She can’t feel it.

She pinches the skin on the back of her hand hard between her nails. She sees a bead of blood before she stops herself, but it doesn’t hurt. She skims her hand up her arm and tries to swallow down her fear when the numbness has crept up to her elbow.

“Doctor-” She tries to get his attention. The Doctor doesn’t turn.

“It’s alright, Rose. I think I can see someone coming. I’ll have us out of here in no time,” he interrupts. He sounds confident, and she has no doubt that he will.

She touches above her elbow, and she can’t feel it. Her shoulder, and that’s gone too.

“Doctor!” she says again, not able to keep herself calm this time. He turns immediately when he hears how scared she is, and the frown he’s wearing vanishes the moment he sees her face. He’s at her side in an instant.

“What is it? What’s wrong?”

“I can’t feel- There’s nothing. It’s all gone numb.” She’s moving her hand closer and closer to her neck, trying to keep track of its progress. Her fingers are tingling on her other hand. She moves her toes, and- She does it again. She has no idea if they’re moving or not. She can’t feel the inside of her own shoes anymore. The Doctor touches her arm. She can’t take comfort in it. She can’t even feel the pressure of his hand.

“They gave you the same drugs they gave me?” he asks. He wasn’t there when she was being processed, only thrown back with her afterwards. She remembers the pill. It tasted bitter, but she’d taken swallowing it herself over having it forced down her throat. “Rose, I need you to stay calm. Breathe.” She nods. It’s hard to move her numbed arm and getting worse. “Someone’s coming. Whoever they are, I’ll get their attention, and get us out. I can treat this. It’s just a bad reaction.” He takes her face in his hands. She clings to the touch she can still feel. “You’re going to be okay.”

She has to believe him.

Rose breathes. That’s all he asked her to do, and it’s the most important thing in the universe. She breathes.

The Doctor goes to rattle the cell door. “Hey!” he yells. “Listen to me! You’ve given her a drug her body can’t process! It’s-” He hesitates, and that he doesn’t want to say it in front of her tells Rose all she needs to know before the dire reality of their situation is thrown out there. “It’s killing her! Do you hear me? You have to let us out!”

Rose swallows. “Doctor,” she whispers, “you’re not going to let me die?” She’s scared. She knows he won’t, but she needs him to say it, needs to know that he’s going to save her. He always does. She can’t move her legs. Her arms are like lead. She can’t feel her hair brushing her cheeks, but there’s still the wet heat of a tear escaping to give her hope.

“No,” he promises, turning back to her. His voice softens, just for her. “You’re going to be fine, Rose. You’re-” He stops, head jerking back to outside their cell door. “You! Let us out, now! You’re killing her!”

Rose breathes. Why is that so hard?

She forces the air in. She can’t feel… It’s all gone. She blinks, and only the brief darkness tells her that it even happened. She forces air into her lungs again, but something’s wrong. It takes her too long to realize she needs to exhale first.

She can hear the Doctor, still. He’s going to save her. She needs to hold on. To breathe.

Does she inhale or exhale next? She can’t tell. Is her mouth even open? Does anything go in? Why is her vision so dark? Did she shut her eyes?

She wants to call for the Doctor. She can’t tell if she’s moving her mouth.

He has to save her. And she has to breathe.

(Enjoyed it? Any interaction is welcomed. You can even support me on Ko-Fi <3)

#fanfiction #101-1000 #teen and up audiences #doctor who #genfic #doctor & rose #nine & rose #rose tyler #ninth doctor #the doctor #angst #whump #hurt!rose

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westcrescent · 3 months ago

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&. 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘯𝘦. ²/₂ [ 𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑺𝑻𝑶𝑹𝒀 𝑶𝑭 : 西阳入月 ]

𝑫𝑨𝒀 : 𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑨𝑩𝑫𝑼𝑪𝑻𝑰𝑶𝑵

𝑹𝑼𝒀𝑼𝑬'𝑺 𝑷𝑶𝑽

I approach the door and press my ear against it, straining to catch any additional sounds. The footsteps stop abruptly, and a shiver runs down my spine. I can hear the faintest whispering on the other side, too soft to make out the words but unmistakably there. My mind races through the possibilities— could it be an intruder, or perhaps someone with a more sinister intent?

I glance around the room, looking for anything that might help me defend myself. The protective wards, faintly glowing against the walls, seem to be flickering, their magic struggling against the intrusion. Father’s precautions have never faltered before. This breach is not just a testament to the intruder's skill but also to a significant weakening of my own defenses.

A soft click resonates through the room. I turn my head just in time to see the lock on the door begin to turn. Panic grips me, and I back away instinctively, reaching for anything to use as a weapon. My hand closes around a small dagger left on the nightstand—an heirloom from my mother, meant for ceremonial purposes but now repurposed for self-defense.

The dim light from the hallway barely illuminates their features, but the cold, calculating gaze that meets mine is sent shivers down my spine.

"You've been expecting me," the figure in a dark cloak says in a low, smooth voice. The tone is almost familiar, though I cannot place it.

I tighten my grip on the dagger, trying to steady my trembling hand. "Who are you? Why are you here?"

The figure takes a step forward, their presence filling the space with a palpable sense of dread. "Your father’s wards were impressive, but I’ve always had a knack for getting around such obstacles."

𝑬𝑵𝑫 𝑶𝑭 𝑷𝑶𝑽

As Ruyue is led into the darkness by the intruder, the truth about her abductor becomes chillingly clear. The cloaked figure, a member of the Cosmic Tribe of Voids, an ancient, enigmatic force that seeks to unravel the very fabric of existence. This tribe, often whispered about in fearful legends, embodies a cosmic horror that thrives on annihilation and chaos.

The Tribe's ultimate goal is the eradication of all celestial bodies, including moons and stars, aiming to plunge the universe into a state of eternal darkness and chaos. This is not merely a quest for power but a fundamental desire to return all creation to a primordial state of non-being. They believe that by consuming and erasing celestial bodies, they can reshape the universe into an unending void where chaos reigns supreme.

Ruyue's role as the successor of the moon deity makes her a prime target for the Cosmic Tribe. The moon, in her domain, is a symbol of balance, light, and order. As the chosen heir, Ruyue's connection to the moon signifies her ability to wield and influence celestial powers, making her a formidable force against the void's destructive ambitions. By capturing her, the Cosmic Tribe aims to eliminate a key source of celestial stability and reclaim the moon for their own dark purposes.

As Ruyue is led through the darkened landscape, her situation becomes increasingly dire. The reason for her vulnerability: her powers have been significantly drained in preparation for the Moon Ascension Ceremony. The Moon Ascension Ceremony demands a tremendous amount of spiritual and celestial energy. This energy is drawn from Ruyue herself, leaving her weakened and vulnerable in the days leading up to the ceremony. The ceremony is designed to increase her powers and solidify her role as the moon deity’s successor, but it also means that she must be at her weakest before the ceremony can fully complete.

The cloaked figure, understanding the limitations imposed on Ruyue, does not need to confront her directly in a manner of brute force. Instead, they exploit her weakened state, capturing her with calculated ease. The black hole’s ability to silently appear and devour any trace of its presence ensures that Ruyue’s abduction is swift and leaves no sign of struggle behind.

Her mind struggles to grasp the situation, but exhaustion and the drain on her powers make it difficult to focus. The void’s influence intensifies, pressing down on her consciousness like a physical weight. Her vision blurs as she fights to stay alert, the edges of reality becoming increasingly indistinct.

Is this how it ends?

Why did I not see this coming?

How could I have been so vulnerable?

#( &. chara: xiyang ruyue. )#( &. para: the first fall | 2/2 )

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authoruio · 2 years ago

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The gluttonous Calamity feared in his world. And now the prefect of the twisted world

The magicless prefect of the Ramshackle, however, that doesn't mean he is not physically gifted and he will definitely bite.

I am not joking. He loves biting.

Name: Miren Lockhart

Nickname: Mirr, Renren, Gluttonous Calamity, Glutton, Calamity Ren

Other nicknames: Carnivore (Leona), Piranha (Floyd), Monsieur Glouton/ Mister Glutton (Rook), Spice buddy (Cater), Cursed Human (Sebek), Gluttony, Annoyance no. 3 (Mitch)

Relatives: Jiyoon (Half-sister), UiO (Half-sister), Aori (Half-cousin)

Species: Half-human

He is an easygoing person who doesn't really mind the questionable happening around him. He is playful to whoever he feels a deep connection to and will sometimes gift free food in hopes for friendship, though sometimes, his food may have too much spice, accidental or not.

Miren would always try his best to be the calmest person in any dire situation, save from the fact he panics inside. He has a blunt way of telling people what he thinks is necessary and in any case would provide answer he knows. Despite being selfish and thinking only for his survival, he unconsciously help others in need due to Mitch's and Aori's influence.

He has a habit to act rash in a life-and-death situation. He is childish enough to pull harmless pranks to his friends with UiO.

He has a hard time trusting humans more than demons or devils themselves. Though he quite enjoy a company or two.

Hobbies: Cooking and Eating

Dorm: Ramshackle

Best Subject: PE

Favorite Food: Anything edible (mostly Spicy), Onnuriye Donkatsu

He's a glutton. He admits and knows it. :)

Least Favorite Food: UiO's cooking and sour things

Something to counter his gluttony? UiO's unbelievable cooking that cannot be even called cooking.

Unique (Cursed) Magic: Devour

Though is more of a curse rather than a... magic.

Able to eat anything from edible to unpalatable, invisible and visible. As long he could feel, touch or bite it.

Miren could render someone useless by eating their energy with a single bite or a harsh grasp.

Thanks to his curse, he can hear a voice inside his head that guides him the voice protects him from the curse influence. But if he consumes too much, the balancer 'Desir' inside his body comes out and protects Miren while he goes unconscious, taking over his body and tries to act as Miren. Though, Desir cannot stop himself from the gluttony whenever he wants to eat something.

If Miren falls to the Calamitous State, He is always regarded as Calamity Ren. [Information redacted.]

Original World: A world full of chaos. One of the feared Calamity that rendered hunters speechless. Nothing can sate his hunger. Only temporary...

Original World Alias: The Dreadful Calamity of Gluttony, Cursed Blood, The Savage Glutton, Calamity Ren

--Additional Info!--

Miren will always cook his own food and somehow acquire his needed ingredients.

Miren doesn't mind wearing a lot of clothes, as long that it covers his neck, everything's fine.

He has absolute no trust in Ace and Deuce whenever they offer help in the kitchen.

He plays the guitar whenever he has time.

He absolutely fears dragons and faes; Aori. Sonya and Malleus being somewhat an exception.

Miren has an exceptional skill to hand-to-hand combat. He is also not above to use dirty tricks to win against his opponent.

If given a chance, Miren can and will sleep outside, not really minding anything, since it helps with his homesickness.

He will choose to eat raw animal meat rather than UiO's cooking.

If he gets bored, he will go around the school giving Korean food to taste-test. And sometimes if feeling mischievous, he will give the very spicy ones

Miren likes to clean things for fun or when he's that bored.

--Funfacts about Desir--

To differentiate, when Desir possesses Miren's body, he tends to dress up nicely. He has orange eyes rather than the usual vermillion. Always smiling pleasantly and bringing the air of comfort around him. Desir is overly friendly unlike Miren who doesn't want to talk unless needed.

Desir is quite protective over Mirens health. He acts like Miren's older brother or something.

He sometimes calls Miren 'Host' or 'Kid', only on rare occasions his name.

He fuss over to anything, even sassing Miren and anyone he come across. (He cannot be seen by anyone other than Miren. And he is extremely whiny; noted by Miren.)

He only materializes when he thinks its a good time or when he's bored to mess with Miren. (still unable to be seen by others)

He is slightly germophobic and tends to keep things cleaner than ever.

People sometimes think whenever Desir is in control of Miren's body that its a type of mood swing. Which he hates so very much.

Logs that can be found:

Sufferance

"New experience won't be baaad... I'm already jinxing myself aren't I?"

#twisted wonderland #twsted wonderland #twisted wonderland oc #twst oc #glutton miren #◦❧ ui arts

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ao3feed-bnha-rarepair · 1 year ago

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Don't Text Don't Call Don't Bother

don't text, don't call, don't bother by jumix

“Is now a bad time?” Hanta asked, picking up on the frustrated tone in Tenya's voice.

“No, no. This is fine.” It didn't sound fine. “Did you need something?”

Yeah, you, Hanta's traitorous mind supplied. He banished those thoughts quickly, turning to his friends for support. They made what might have been encouraging gestures towards his phone (though Katsuki looked rather like he was strangling someone). “Nothing dire or life-threatening, I promise. I just wanted to know if you'd be interested in going on a date with me.”

There was silence for a heavy moment, then… “I don't have time for this.”

aka hanta thinks he got rejected, his drunk friends also think he got rejected. the problem is that tenya doesn't realize he rejected him — #OrangesInSummer2k23 day 23 | missed flight

Words: 2155, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English

Series: Part 23 of Oranges In Summer 2k23

Fandoms: 僕のヒーローアカデミア | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia (Anime & Manga)

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Categories: M/M

Characters: Sero Hanta, Iida Tenya, Asui Tsuyu, Bakugou Katsuki, Jirou Kyouka, Satou Rikidou, Uraraka Ochako

Relationships: Iida Tenya/Sero Hanta

Additional Tags: Characters Are Pro Heroes, Crack Treated Seriously, beer pong as a plot device, Foiled Confessions, Pre-Relationship

Read Here: https://archiveofourown.org/works/48169306

#AO3 Feed #FanFiction #AO3 Seroiida #♥#Seroiida #💨#📦#⚣#R:T #A:Jumix

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ao3feed-bakusquad · 1 year ago

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Don't Text Don't Call Don't Bother

don't text, don't call, don't bother by jumix

“Is now a bad time?” Hanta asked, picking up on the frustrated tone in Tenya's voice.

“No, no. This is fine.” It didn't sound fine. “Did you need something?”

There was silence for a heavy moment, then… “I don't have time for this.”

aka hanta thinks he got rejected, his drunk friends also think he got rejected. the problem is that tenya doesn't realize he rejected him — #OrangesInSummer2k23 day 23 | missed flight

Words: 2155, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English

Series: Part 23 of Oranges In Summer 2k23

Fandoms: 僕のヒーローアカデミア | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia (Anime & Manga)

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Categories: M/M

Characters: Sero Hanta, Iida Tenya, Asui Tsuyu, Bakugou Katsuki, Jirou Kyouka, Satou Rikidou, Uraraka Ochako

Relationships: Iida Tenya/Sero Hanta

Additional Tags: Characters Are Pro Heroes, Crack Treated Seriously, beer pong as a plot device, Foiled Confessions, Pre-Relationship

Read Here: https://archiveofourown.org/works/48169306

#AO3 Feed #FanFiction #AO3 Seroiida #♥#Seroiida #Bakugou Katsuki #📦#⚣#R:T #A:Jumix

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rallis-fatalis · 2 years ago

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A Change in History

Rallis had learned many things over the years. She learned how to exist in this new scary world from Kaqemeex. She had learned how to defend herself from Denulth. She had learned how to find joy and passion in life from Amy. And now, it was time for her newest teacher. Someone had to teach the dragon the more difficult and scholarly things in life, and the royal librarian Reldo really did not want to take such a job on. Perhaps in teaching the beast, the man might be taught a few things about himself too.

Life in the royal castle of Varrock was surprisingly routine for any employee that wasn’t King Roald’s main advisor. And when one learned their routine, you could even say their given job might be relaxing or calming in a way. This was no different for the royal librarian, record keeper, and really anything to do with paperwork or books, Reldo.

Every day would start the same, with tea and breakfast in the quiet loneliness of the early morning, followed by a short visit with his majesty to see about any pressing matters that needed tending to. Usually, there was little on the king’s agenda for the bookworm, and so he spent most his days cooped up in solitude in the royal library on the ground floor of the castle, a place where few bothered to visit. On occasion, the rare adventurer or mage might wander in, in need of a tome or obscure piece of information for some assignment or quest, but they would leave as quickly as they came, for Reldo’s assistance was just that quick and to the point. The man led a lonely life, and while an outside observer looking in might find the librarian’s situation depressing and soul draining, Reldo found the peace and quiet he was granted every day a blessing. He was free to do what he wanted or needed whenever he liked, all while living in a nice enough home a third of Varrock would consider posh and only for those well-off.

Yes, as of this point in his life, there was little Reldo would change. He liked his routines, he liked his solitude, and he liked his peace and quiet.

It was so very unfortunate then that all of that would soon be turned upside its head.

The day had started like any other, waking before most of the other residents of the royal castle to enjoy breakfast in dawn’s early light, skimming through the latest edition of the Varrock Herald. And just like every other day, soon after he would visit King Roald to see about any additional duties the king needed doing that day. While normally King Roald had little to nothing for Reldo to attend to, the librarian could tell something was amiss the moment he walked into the throne room this morning, and when something was amiss, he could be sure the day ahead would be a hectic one. Reldo inwardly sighed; he could kiss a day of reading the castle’s new shipment of Kourend books goodbye.

Before Reldo even had a chance to greet the king and his advisor with a good morning, Roald clapped his hands together with a relieved smile.

“Perfect! Just who I wanted to see! I have quite the job for you today.”

“Of course, Your Majesty,” Reldo said. “What can I assist you with today?”

Roald’s advisor handed over a letter that had been previously opened and read. From just a cursory glance at the broken wax seal on the envelope, Reldo could tell it was from Taverley. What could the town of druids possibly want from the king of Varrock?

“Some time ago, perhaps a few years before you arrived here for employment, the town of Taverley aided our city in a dire moment of need,” Roald spoke dramatically. “Truly, without them, fine Varrock might not be where it is today; I won’t bother you with the details of that ancient history.”

More likely the king simply didn’t know said details, Reldo thought, though he dared not voice his snarky remark.

“As a show of thanks for their aid, Varrock has owed Taverley a debt they may request whenever their own need arose. And while I had honestly thought the simple-folk to have long since forgotten about our promise, this morning I received a request for aid from them.”

By the look on the librarian’s face, the king could tell Reldo’s mind raced to a whole slew of possible terrible news the letter in Roald’s hands might speak of. Roald waved the man’s concern off. “It isn’t a serious matter by any means,” he calmed. He squinted at the letter. “Though it certainly is an odd matter. The pastoral bumpkins have someone they would like to send over to study abroad in our fine city, under the tutelage of someone most learned. I give the task to you.”

Roald handed Reldo the letter and turned away to continue speaking with his advisor as if the matter had already been solved and agreed to, and given the difference in their positions, it might as well have been. Reldo took the letter back to his study to investigate the proposal further.

He read the request’s every detail over a cup of tea, trying to piece together what exactly it was Taverley was requesting. The major points were easily understood; they simply wanted to have one of their own study abroad like students typically do, and to teach them how to read and write. But what really made Reldo suspect the request was the wording of said student, someone ‘inhuman, but tame with no need to cause alarm.’ What on Gielinor could that possibly mean? There weren’t many non-human races that called Varrock and the surrounding cities and towns home, save dwarves and goblins, and surely such a detail wouldn’t cause a general populace alarm. Well, a goblin might, but Reldo didn’t think Taverley would be sending a goblin to be a student. Whatever the odd circumstances of the request, the librarian would be sure to carry it out to the best of his ability, and by the wording of this letter, he only had a few days to wait before his new job as a teacher would begin.

_____________________________________________________________________________

A dragon was the very last thing Reldo expected to see walk into his library that morning. Granted, the thing was a small humanoid abomination of a dragon, but it was still a dragon all the same. The beast was accompanied by an older-looking druid with an herb-stained cloak of mastery, marking him as someone of rather high standing even outside little Taverley. The druid introduced himself as Kaqemeex and the dragon as Rallis. At the sound of the dragon, Rallis, opening its mouth to speak, Reldo internally reeled. There was a talking monster in his library, in his home. A dragon, a creature known to torch cities and eat knights, was standing before him, waving and smiling like a child.

Kaqemeex could see the obvious fear and confusion in the librarian’s eyes, something both he and Rallis were getting used to by now. No one would dare trust a monster at first glance, after all. The druid caught Reldo up to speed on who and what Rallis was, but being told she was a tamed and intelligent dragon still did not calm his nerves, given the fact that she was still a dragon. The beast in question wandered the library while Kaqemeex and Reldo talked, admiring the colorful book spines so neatly filed away on their shelves. Reldo kept a nervous eye on her as he and the druid continued to chat, worried she might burn or somehow otherwise destroy the old tomes. But she did nothing of the sort, and after her self-guided tour, she sat down next to Kaqemeex. The druid gave Rallis a gentle pat on her head and the dragon purred and smiled like some kind of house cat. Reldo couldn’t help but bark a short laugh to himself. This was some insane dream, it had to be.

Now, it seemed the druid and the dragon had it in their heads that this was a done deal, that Reldo would be going along with this ridiculous charade of teaching a monster as if it were human. And to be fair, being told by the king of Varrock himself the man would become a glorified pet sitter would certainly have that unquestionable effect, but while Reldo typically went along with whatever the king threw at him, this was where he would finally stand his ground.

“If I may,” the librarian interrupted the discussion. “We can sit here and discuss until nightfall, but your words will not assuage my concerns. At the end of the day, you are still asking a complete stranger to accept the idea of tutoring and dorming with a monster. Surely you can hear how absurd that sounds.”

He could see the dragon visibly deflate and mutter to herself ‘I’m not a monster.’ The druid gently patted her back and Reldo had to admit the sight was somewhat convincing in making the monster look less like one. But even still, he wasn’t about to risk his life without evidence proving he would otherwise be safe around this beast.

“As a scholar that values research, I will come to my own conclusion on this matter, without the input you have brought before me.”

Now, while Rallis had looked thoroughly confused every time the librarian used a big word, this time Kaqemeex also joined in on the confusion. So Reldo elaborated.

“I have never tutored anyone, and I should like to get to know the prospective student before agreeing to be their teacher, especially when the student is as… interesting as this one.”

“Of course!” Kaqemeex agreed. “A grand idea! Why not spend a day together and see how you two get along?”

“Does that mean I can see the Varrock more?” Rallis said excitedly.

“Of course!” the druid agreed. “And with another prospective friend too!”

Reldo hid his frown. He was picturing more of a day to see how the beast behaved in a school-like setting, how she handled sitting over a desk reading and writing for hours on end, not taking her on a day out on the town.

Kaqemeex could sense the uncertainty and disappointment in the man across from him. “I always find the best way to get to know someone is to do something fun with them,” he smiled. “And for dear Rallis here, why, everything is fun. She has seen little of Varrock, nothing more than the central square, so perhaps you as a resident could show us some of the more exciting and iconic locations.”

Great. Here he was, likely one of the most learned scholars in all the land, demoted to tour guide. This nightmare was a joke, one he wasn’t laughing along to.

“I suppose I could,” Reldo said with hardly hidden reluctance. “We should leave now, then. The city is large and has much to see.”

Rallis grinned, a scary fanged grin in Reldo’s opinion, and couldn’t hide the excited wag in her tail. So dragons were like dogs, were they? Would the beast bark and drool for food next? What a ridiculous idea.

More than ready to get this over with, Reldo led the way out of the royal castle, eager bouncy dragon skipping right beside him.

______________________________________________________________________________

Their first stop was the greatest market in all the land, a sprawling center to the west of the castle called the Grand Exchange. It was a massive plot of land saved for the daily market that boasted salesmen and goods from every corner of the land, from the most basic necessities such as pots and pans, to the more exotic items like weaponry from across the River Salve or new exciting goods from the lands across the sea. Bright flags, awnings, and pitched tents caught shoppers' attention for what seemed like an eternity. Rallis froze in place at the sight, eyes nearly popping out of her head. This was way more exciting than the little smattering of shops in the city center.

She immediately wanted to run through every stall and see every single good for sale, but a gentle but firm handhold from Kaqemeex reminded her that she had to do her best to look presentable in front of her prospective teacher. Rallis pouted, but quickly righted herself to stand tall and mannered like Denulth had drilled into her.

Reldo eyed the dragon scrutinizingly. If this beast was as ‘tame’ as Kaqemeex would like him to believe, then she should have no problem being around such a large and hectic crowd. Surely a dragon would feel an innate urge to attack a mass gathering of humans, after all.

Yet, Rallis did not act according to his expectations. The dragon was very excited and bouncy, but it was closer to the way a young child might act on a special outing rather than a beast eager for blood. She perused the wares with eyes sparkling with wonder. Every toy, clothing article, potion, and more made her excitement grow more and more; the librarian swore the dragon’s mind was going to explode from all the new stimuli.

Kaqemeex would answer all her questions, usually simple ‘What is this?’ or ‘What does this do?’ to which the druid was delighted to answer. Rallis took in all the new information with a nod, as if committing every detail to memory. Reldo had a hard time believing what he was seeing. The dragon was ever so gentle when handling the wares, even though her claws looked dangerous enough to slice through the handled objects with ease. And she truly looked as though she enjoyed learning about every new experience, wanting to know more about everything she could lay her claws or eyes on. The dragon had an innate curiosity, one valued in the most esteemed of scholars. And aside from that, Reldo felt like he was watching Kaqemeex and Rallis like a father and his daughter, something he couldn’t quite come to terms with yet.

It was during his inner turmoil as they walked the aisles of the Grand Exchange that Reldo began to notice something. It was rather difficult to pick up on at first with the general volume and hustle and bustle of the great market, but now that he noticed it, it was impossible to miss. The other window shoppers walking the aisles would gasp at the sight of the dragon, making untoward hand gestures or comments. The shopkeepers would pale and panic, covering their most prized wares. Some would place a hand on anything that could be used as a weapon, while others would lose the overly-sweet salesman act and snap at or try to hurry the dragon along. It was so obviously apparent now that Rallis was not welcome here, a dragon in the midst of a sea of humans, and yet she did not retaliate. She stayed by Kaqemeex’s side and eagerly examined every new sight, causing far less of a scene than every overreacting twit nearby.

The sight sobered Reldo up to reality rather quickly, for he too was like these people, letting stereotypes and preconceived judgements sprint to the forefront of his mind. He had looked at the dragon and acted the same way, and yet she stood tall and carried on as if thoroughly used to such behavior from others. How sad to have faced such closed-mindedness so often that one grew numb to it. He would have to do better than these common-folk! Reldo remained on the dragon’s opposite side the remainder of their journey through the mass market, as if to show everyone present that this beast was here with the crown’s blessing, and one had best remembered that. Thankfully, no incidents occurred, and the stares were thrown Reldo’s way as much as they were Rallis’, wondering why the royal librarian of all people was out and about with a monster.

The trio left the market, Rallis with snacks in hand and smile on her face, eager to see what else the city had to offer.

“If you’ve come to learn,” Reldo started. “There is no better place to visit than the museum.”

“What’s a museum?” Rallis asked.

“It’s a place where history, both ancient and modern, are put on display for everyone to learn from. Varrock hosts one of the greatest museums in the world, displaying artifacts from a vast time period and myriad of locales, and even includes an entire floor dedicated to natural history.”

Rallis looked to Kaqemeex for clarification. “He means that this museum has things in it from thousands of years ago you can learn about. There’s also a section on animals too.”

The dragon grinned and bounced in place. “I want to see the animals! Can we go?”

“Of course,” Kaqemeex smiled. “But remember, it’s not just about the animals. It would do you some good to learn history too. After all, Varrock does have a school dedicated to just history!”

“Yes, and this museum is actually a part of that school,” Reldo added. “On the ground floor, you’ll find students working on their archaeological studies with hands-on practice. A few students have even made discoveries notable enough to be added to the actual museum displays.”

“Wow! So I can find something old and important and show it off to everyone?” Rallis asked.

“Not the way I would have worded it, but I suppose that covers it.”

Reldo led the pair to the opposite end of the city where the museum was, pointing out some of the sights to see as they walked, when a thought crossed his mind.

“I have to ask,” Reldo addressed Kaqemeex as they walked. “Why did you not enroll her in the public school of Varrock? You obviously know about it, yet you asked the king himself to find a tutor.”

“A valid question,” the druid agreed. “When you first saw Rallis, I’m willing to bet your immediate thought was ‘Ah! A monster! Run away!’ Am I correct?”

The librarian’s frustrated silence was all the answer Kaqemeex needed.

“I don’t blame you. That’s usually everyone’s first reaction. If I tried to enroll Rallis into a public school, well, it doesn’t take a genius to imagine the hell that would break loose. A ‘monster’ in a classroom full of human children? She would never be allowed to attend, and if she did… Well, children are certainly ruthless when they want to be. I have no doubts Rallis would have been bullied into quitting, and that’s not an experience I’d like for her to have.”

The idea of a dragon being bullied by a classroom of pre-teens forced an undignified snort from Reldo, but looking at the cheerful blue dragon skipping ahead to pet a stray dog, he realized the idea held more credit than he was willing to give. The dragon looked so innocent about the ways of the world, just trying her best to live in the moment. The more Reldo thought about today’s situation, the more insane he realized it was, like the start to a bad joke. ‘A scholar, a druid, and a dragon walk into a museum…’

Reldo had them turn a corner, and standing tall behind a few large structures was a massive yet elegant stone edifice that had to be the museum.

“Another question, before we reach our destination,” Reldo continued. “I’ve heard of talking beasts in my many years of travels and learning, most notably goblins and trolls, and many humanoids such as werewolves, ogres, and the like. But other than the occasional dragonkin in ancient texts from Ages past, I have never heard of a talking dragon. Where did you find such a beast?”

Kaqemeex laughed. “Right under my nose, believe it or not! I had a dream one night, a vision, and in that dream I was taken underground to the expanse of tunnels that run beneath the land south of our town. There, I was shown I would meet a creature blessed by Guthix himself, one that would be vital in keeping this world safe. From what, I don’t know, but I knew I had to visit that dungeon. And sure enough, there Rallis was, getting cornered by our enchanted guards while looking for food. From the moment I laid eyes on her, I knew she was the one my vision spoke of, and I knew it was my duty to have her see the world she would be tasked with protecting.”

Reldo slowly blinked at the druid and his rambling, making him laugh again. “Oh, I’m sorry. That explanation was probably rather outlandishly dogmatic to you. Whether you believe in godly visions or not, it truly did feel like fate brought me and Rallis together.”

The librarian didn’t know what to say, so he simply didn’t. He was never one to believe in godly intervention despite the world confirming the existence of such higher powers. The gods had no reason to care about such small and weak creatures as humans and talking dragons. But his more scientific mind thought about the idea of possibly more intelligent dragons existing in the world. Did the Taverley Dungeon produce such a unique specimen itself, or was this just an exceedingly rare phenomenon that could occur anywhere?

Alas, these were questions he would not receive answers to any time soon, as his focus shifted back to the museum they now stood at the foot of. The entrance was imposing and grand, especially to someone who had never paid the establishment a visit before. The staircase to the entrance was massive, framed by tall ionic columns with a heavy set of double doors open and eager to receive guests. Rallis could hardly contain her excitement.

As the trio entered, a well-dressed older man greeted them with a hearty welcome to the museum, a welcome that was cut short by the sight of a dragon setting foot inside the establishment.

“No need for alarm, Curator,” Reldo calmed. “They are with me.”

The man sputtered a moment before collecting himself. “Goodness me! I know I said we needed to update the dragon display, but this was most certainly not what I had in mind! What brings you and your… ahem, intriguing guests here today, Reldo?”

“Giving some visitors from Taverley a tour of Varrock’s iconic sights. The museum was next on our list.”

“Oh, Taverley, is it?” the curator mumbled to himself, looking over his monocle at the two guests beside Reldo. “My word, a dragon and a druid. I suppose they have always been a bit odd down that way.” He mumbled quietly to himself, as if not realizing he was speaking aloud. The curator straightened his form and raised his voice. “Welcome to the Varrock Museum then, travelers! Here, please take this pamphlet and tour guide sheet. You will find ancient history on the ground floor, modern history on the top, and natural history on the floor below. We will also be having a professional of natural history provide a free tour in roughly 35 minutes if that sounds like something you would be interested in!”

Rallis excitedly grabbed the papers and opened the map of the museum. It held a few pictures of what one could expect to find on each floor, but most of the map were labels and descriptions that made the dragon frown.

She handed the papers to Kaqemeex. “I can’t read it.”

He patted her head and took the papers. “That’s something I hope you will learn here,” he said, very obviously glancing Reldo’s way so the man could catch his look. The librarian huffed. That still wasn’t a guaranteed deal in his book!

The trio started on the ground floor, where some of the oldest finds were proudly displayed. They all rested on velvety plush cloth or pillows and sat protected behind thick glass cases. There were all sorts of amazing finds, from ancient currency to religious symbols and pieces of weaponry and pottery. While the two adults found it fascinating, Rallis didn’t care too much for this exhibit. Everything was just brown and old, and she couldn’t even read the description plaques! Not being able to read sucked.

The ground floor was the smallest exhibit, so they spent little time there. Next, they made their way upstairs to the more modern history displays. Each display was placed with intention in an almost maze-like winding pattern to allow the guests to view each angle of every display while also packing as many sights to see in one place as possible. Rallis started to take interest in a few of the items here. The first was a display of some knight fighting a dragon, or at least what looked to be a dragon. It stood on two legs and had two arms and wings, just like Rallis. She examined the miniature behind the glass case in awe. This was the first time she had ever seen anything that looked even remotely like herself.

“What’s this?” she asked her companions.

“Ah, that is Robert the Strong,” Reldo explained. “He was a great warrior from thousands of years ago that battled against the evil dragonkin. He saved the world from their terror and paved the way for modern day heroes.”

Rallis frowned. “Dragons aren’t bad though. We just want to be left alone.”

Reldo grimaced, realizing talking about the death of a draconic race in front of an actual dragon would be seen as horrific and tragic, not heroic.

Kaqemeex stepped in, sensing the man’s discomfort. “You must understand something, Rallis. That creature is no dragon. It is something we call dragonkin. They are related, yes, but they were born evil. It is said they were brutal to every creature, even to your fellow dragons.”

Rallis gasped and glared at the dragonkin miniature. Dragons could never be evil! This monster was no dragon! She huffed and stomped away, looking for the next display to catch her attention. Kaqemeex chuckled under his breath and followed behind. How easy it was for Rallis to change her mind about something was sometimes too funny.

She recognized the next exhibit over as the Taverley druid circle, which she excitedly reminisced over for a moment. A few things caught her attention, like maps and swords and wizard robes, but nothing to really make her want to stop and learn more like the dragonkin statuette. That was until Rallis came across a monstrous figure. It looked like a wolf, snarling with its terrible fangs, but it stood on two legs and wore clothing. It was way taller than her, and once her companions walked over, she realized it was even a good bit taller than them too!

“What is that?!” she pointed at the stuffed monster.

“That is a werewolf,” Reldo said. “They are a terrifying creature that lives across the River Salve. They can change between human and lupine forms at will, and their strength is something to be feared.” He held back a shudder. “They are glorified slaves to another race from across the river known as vyres, humans that drink blood to survive. They use these werewolves like guard dogs and treat them like they’re worth less than dirt.”

“That’s scary… and sad,” Rallis mourned.

Kaqemeex eyed the descriptive plaque for the werewolf. “My, you must know quite a bit about Morytania. Half that information isn’t on display!”

Reldo pushed up his glasses. “Ah, yes, I have indeed studied the land thoroughly. I have to, seeing as we live on its border. Know thy enemy and all that.” He checked his pocket watch. “We should hurry if we would like to partake in that guided tour downstairs. Perhaps a few minutes on the top floor then make our way downstairs?”

“That sounds perfect,” Kaqemeex agreed.

The top floor had very little compared to the previous gallery of items, but what it did host was still impressive and interesting. Rallis was immediately smitten with the model of a runestone guardian, similar to the sentient ones that watched over the Mage Training Arena on the border of the desert. The dragon proclaimed the rune guardian as a friend and vowed to visit them some day.

Next, she saw the gnome glider, and once she learned it was built to allow people to glide on the wind and fly, Kaqemeex and Reldo had to fight to keep her from hopping the red rope barrier to give it a spin. ‘You can’t ride the museum displays!’ one of them shouted. She gave up, but she made yet another vow, this time to fly on one some day.

Time flew by and it was now mere minutes from the beginning of the natural history tour. Rallis raced down the stairs, eager to see the animal displays.

Quite a large group had gathered at the stairs of the bottom floor. Parents held back their excited children, all of whom were pointing and shouting at the different animals they could see bits of in the distance. Some older visitors with notepads and pencils were also among the group, obviously people looking to study animals. Rallis, Kaqemeex, and Reldo joined the tour group. Many children squealed over the dragon’s appearance, exclaiming to their parents to look at the dragon, and thankfully it seemed the parents and children thought Rallis was just wearing an elaborate costume for the natural history tour. That certainly saved a lot of explanation and awkward looks.

A wild-looking man dressed in rough and tumble adventuring gear clapped his hands and whooped to grab everyone’s attention. His brown broad-brimmed hat had a bite taken out of it and his gloves and thick shorts still had mud stains on them, not to mention the state of his hiking boots. The man definitely looked like an animal wrangler; smelled like one too.

“Alroight, listen up! My name is Orlando Smith and I’ll be your tour guide for the day! Parents, please keep an eye on your children and do not let ‘em touch the exhibits. You wouldn’t want an angry crocodile to snap up and boite ‘em now would you?!” He chomped the air at some of the kids who all squealed and giggled. “If you have any questions during the tour, please feel free to raise your hand so I can answer. Now without delay, let’s go!”

In every cardinal direction was a set of stairs that dipped down into a large room with animal displays. First, the group headed east. There were four relatively small displays, none of which Rallis could make out. Orlando led the group to the first one, a swampy exhibit with reeds and slime and muck. He pressed a bright red button in front of the exhibit and out came an absolutely massive snail, almost the size of a person! Many children shouted ‘eeewww!’ as Orlando taught them about the Giant Morytanian Snail.

The group moved through the room, learning about many animals. Next were monkeys, something Rallis had never seen before but sounded fun to play with. Then penguins, which many of the children smiled sweetly over, calling the flightless bird cute. Rallis squinted at the bird. It seemed more suspicious than cute to her. Finally, they visited the snake exhibit, and Rallis was the only one cooing in cuteness this time. With a press of the button, the snake slithered out of its hollow log, gave a slow slither around its glass cage, and disappeared back into the log.

Orlando led the group west next, to another room with four small displays. He discussed sea slugs, leeches, and camels, all creatures the tour group thought ugly or just plain yucky. But the final exhibit of the room caught Rallis’ attention. There was a large dirt mound in this display, some kind of creature hiding in the mound. Orlando called this creature a mole, a creature that lived underground and had claws built for digging. He slammed the red button and the exhibit came to life. A small brown fuzzy creature started to flail its arms up, throwing up dirt from the mound, until its little furry head peeked out. It had an ugly yet cute face, one only a mole mother could love.

Rallis found herself leaning over the rope railing to get a closer look at the creature, but it soon ducked back down into the dirt to hide from its visitors. The dragon whined and reached for the glass. She wanted to see the little mole one more time, and maybe even play with it!

As she reached, she knocked down part of the rope barricade and fell to the tile floor with a huff, causing a clattering commotion. Reldo glared in shared embarrassment while Kaqemeex apologized for the disturbance and helped the dragon up. She apologized too and fixed the rope barricade.

“No worries, mate,” Orlando laughed off. “The little bugger sure is cute, isn’t she? Just do try not to reach for the glass again, alroight?”

Rallis nodded shamefully and hid herself behind Kaqemeex. Next, the group toured the southern room. While there were only two exhibits, they were both quite large, with one being absolutely massive in scale. The first smaller display was of a beast called a terrorbird. Apparently these little people called gnomes rode them into battle or for traveling. Rallis desperately found herself wanting to ride one too.

The other exhibit took up nearly a third of the room by itself. It was filled with sand and housed an insect the size of a house! Orlando explained this was a creature known as a kalphite, but not just any kalphite. This one was a queen! Apparently the creature was an avid meat-eater and would gladly eat anything it came across in the desert, from camels to wolves to even humans. Many of the children huddled in fear at their parents’ legs, while a couple fathers made jokes about kalphites only eating bad people that didn’t do their chores. Orlando assured the worried children that kalphites only called the far southern desert home and there was no chance they would ever be harmed by one.

At last, Orlando led the tour group to the northern room, the largest one of them all. Greeting the group as they descended the stairs was a massive roaring tortoise. Rallis had never seen a turtle grow so big! The beast looked like it could snap up a human with one bite! Orlando explained these were called war tortoises and they were yet another creature gnomes called mounts. That was it. Rallis was determined to go meet these ‘gnomes’ no matter what. They sounded awesome.

The next exhibit over was a gigantic lizard, longer than the war tortoise was wide. Rallis found herself with a wide grin, wanting to reach for the potential friend the same way she did with the mole, but she had to stop and remind herself that wasn’t allowed. She pouted as Orlando explained the details of the lizard and pressed a button, making the creature flick its tongue at the audience.

The dragon almost didn’t want to leave the lizard exhibit as Orlando ushered the group along, but at the promise of the tour group witnessing two of the most incredible creatures in all of Gielinor, Rallis just had to pull herself away to see. She waved a small goodbye at the giant lizard and caught up with the group.

There were only two exhibits left, and the penultimate one was indeed a sight to behold. Unlike the other exhibits, this one was of just a skeleton, held together by ropes and supports. It looked like a dragon at first glance, but then Rallis noticed it had no arms. It was a two-legged two-winged dragon, with a few features strikingly similar to her own.

“Now this beaut,” Orlando began. “Sadly this creature has long since been extinct, but its bones are still plentiful and remarkably intact. Does anyone know what this creature could be?”

“A dragon!” one kid shouted.

“A good guess! And on first glance, it does look like one, doesn’t it? But dragons have four legs, and this one only has two.”

Something tugged at the back of Rallis’ mind, a word she had never heard or seen before, but a word that felt right to say.

“It’s a wyvern.”

The tour group all faced the dragon. Even her wards were surprised to hear her speak up. Orlando blinked in surprise but quickly returned to business. “That it is! My, most people usually don’t guess this one! You must’ve been here before, huh?”

Rallis shook her head, causing Orlando a confused frown. “Hm. Either way, yes, this is a wyvern! Just the bones though, as unfortunately they are all long since dead.”

The casual manner of that statement made Rallis’ heart ache. So she would never be able to see one herself? Never make friends with such an amazing creature?

“That being said, you can still find their bones animated by magic in Asgarnia! We are unsure what this magic is or why it only works on wyvern bones, but it’s suspected they used magic more than dragonfire, or were at least imbued with more magic than the average dragon. They are a fascinating species, and one we are still very much learning more about.”

Orlando spoke more about the wyverns, describing the established theories of what they might have eaten, how their anatomy worked, how they might have courted, and so on. Rallis hung onto every word, the most interested she had been during the entire museum outing thus far.

The tour guide finished with a dramatic flare and fell silent. The group silenced their hushed discussions as well, leaning in to see what was happening. Orlando smiled and rubbed his hands together.

“Now, I must warn you, good visitors of the Varrock Museum. This final beast is no penguin or snail, no war tortoise or kalphite. This creature is fire manifested! Molten death from above! Hold your children close and prepare yourselves for…”

He walked backwards, leading the group as he spoke. The lights in this area grew dimmer, and a soft orange glow began to emit from the display in the distance. Orlando gave the exhibit a grand entrance, throwing his hands in the air to reveal…

“THE MIGHTY DRAGON!”

A hulking red dragon perched atop molten rocks floating in a sea of lava towered behind Orlando. The beast stood on its hind legs, flared its wings, and roared. The crowd gasped in fear and awe, some children started to panic or cry, and Rallis stared at the dragon behind its glass case with wide eyes and drooped ears. In the moment of the exhibit’s reveal, Kaqemeex paled and thought only one thing.

“Oh shit.”

Reldo turned at the uncouth muttering from the druid and followed his gaze to Rallis and the exhibit. Surely the man had seen dragons before. He lived above their dens and was currently raising one, for god’s sake! But on second glance, that didn’t seem to be the issue here. Without another word, he hurriedly pushed through the crowd to reach Rallis.

Rallis didn’t hear a single word Orlando said. Eat runite this, lava bath that; none of it mattered. What mattered was this museum, no, this prison, held a dragon captive for pathetic humans to gawk at. She took a few steps closer to the display, grasping the red rope barrier tightly.

‘No one should trap a dragon,’ she mourned. She grit her teeth in determination. ‘I’m going to get you out of there.’

“RALLIS, DON’T!”

She didn’t hear Kaqemeex call for her, she didn’t hear some of the tour group gasp in fear or concern as she leapt onto the glass case, claws scratching the slick surface as she scrambled to reach the top, and she didn’t hear Orlando shout for her to get down. She swiftly threw herself onto the top of the glass and stood defiantly over the group.

“Trapping animals like this is wrong, especially a dragon! All animals deserve to be free! Starting with this one!”

Rallis balled her fists, ready to slam them down and break the glass cage. It was Kaqemeex’s voice that stopped her for a moment.

“WAIT! Rallis! That dragon isn’t real! None of the animals here are!” he shouted.

The dragon cocked her head in confusion. “What do you mean, Uncle Cake? Yes they are! They move and hiss and roar!”

“No, dear, they’re animatronics! They’re made of wood and metal and clockwork! Like those complex pieces Amy can build!”

“Oi, it’s true, mate!” Orlando tried. “Here, watch. You see this red button?” He held his hand out to the red button every animal exhibit seemed to have. “This is what makes them move. If someone presses it, it activates the clockworks. Here, see? I’ll press it.”

He did, and once more the dragon stood on its hind legs, flared its wings, and roared. Rallis’ ears shot up in surprise.

“From up there, you should even be able to see the clockworks,” Orlando said. “Look near the back, behind the rocks.”

Rallis turned around and saw there was indeed something odd-looking behind the rocky background. Orlando hit the button again and Rallis watched as complex wood and metal machinery clicked into place with a whir. Discreetly hidden pulleys and riggings made the dragon move and roar, and as Rallis watched the animation play out, her face went cherry red in embarrassment. What an ignorant foolish thing she had just done!

She slowly turned back to the audience, red-faced and ears drooped. “I-I’m so sorry… I really thought…”

“It’s okay, dear,” Kaqemeex cooed. “Come down now.”

Rallis whimpered and leapt down skillfully, landing almost like a hero making a pose. But she certainly felt like no hero. She ran to Kaqemeex and hid behind him in utter embarrassment.

“I sincerely, apologize, Mr. Smith,” the druid bowed. “This one can get quite carried away sometimes.”

Orlando waved a hand. “Ah, don’t worry about it, mate. By that costume, I can tell she must really like dragons!”

Costume… Yes, best to keep it that way.

“We shall leave you now. I hope this has not caused you or the staff any trouble.”

“No one was hurt, and that was at least more exciting than the animatronic breaking down again!” he laughed.

Kaqemeex bowed once more. He gently grabbed Rallis’ hand. “Come now. Let’s find somewhere quiet.”

The dragon whimpered and buried her face into Kaqemeex’s side as they walked away. Rallis could feel the burning hot stares of the tour group on her back, making her embarrassed blush increase tenfold.

All the while, Reldo stood at the back of the group, watching the scene unfold. For a few moments, he forgot Rallis was a dragon. She walked and talked and acted just like a human, getting excited over new things and going on field trips to museums and wandering the markets. But she was also a dragon, something Reldo had tried to push out of his mind. She was interested in the history of dragonkin, the anatomy and behavior of wyverns, the freedom of a red dragon, her own kind. She could claw and slash and bite, she could scale glass like it was a tree and break things with a strength that greatly surpassed a human’s. She was a dragon, and it was foolish to pretend she was not.

It appeared he had much to consider if he were to accept Rallis as his student.

____________________________________________________________________________

Reldo found Rallis and Kaqemeex sitting on a bench shaded under a tree across the road from the museum, near the castle garden’s wall and away from prying eyes. The dragon looked so distraught, head ducked down and face shadowed. Kaqemeex had a hand on her back to comfort her, and Reldo could see him talking to her, probably words of comfort. Then and there, in that state, she didn’t look like a monster. She looked like a child who knew they had messed up and was beating themselves up for acting so immaturely. It actually made Reldo feel a bit of sympathy. If a human child had acted up similarly, they would perhaps be scolded or at most grounded, and life would move on. But as a dragon, Rallis had so much responsibility on her shoulders by simply existing. If those fools in the museum hadn’t realized Rallis’ appearance wasn’t just a costume, there was no doubt in the librarian’s mind she would be run out of town or forced to submit to unnecessary punishment. How unfair life was sometimes…

Reldo slowly made his way over to the two sitting under the tree, taking his time so Rallis could compose herself. He watched her sniffle and wipe her eyes. Crying. The dragon had been crying. Never would he think to see the day a monster could shed tears. Rallis couldn’t bring herself to look the librarian in the eyes once he joined them, still too embarrassed.

For a while, no one spoke, until Kaqemeex broke the silence. “I apologize for the display in there, and I can assure you Rallis is equally as apologetic. I understand if you–.”

“Please, wait a moment,” Reldo said. He wasn’t used to interrupting people. It felt awkward. “I feel as though I should speak first.”

Kaqemeex nodded and gently nudged Rallis, telling her to sit up a bit. The dragon unwillingly and pathetically did so.

“When I received your letter, so graciously handed off to me by the king, I was rather incensed. Why was I being demoted to a babysitting position, and for some creature described as inhuman? How could I be thought of as someone of such low standing that I would have nothing better to do with my time than teach a monster how to read and write their ABC’s?”

Rallis winced at his words, threatening to start crying again. Kaqemeex was about to stop the man, but could see he was going somewhere with this.

“When I first saw you enter my library, my rage returned, alongside a thorough panic. There was a dragon in my room! A murderous beast! A mindless creature killed for sport and glory, a creature that could never hope to achieve what the fool in that letter insisted it learn! The last act I would perform on this earth would be teaching a dragon how to write its own name and be eaten once it grew frustrated.”

Rallis made a face. “Eating people? Gross,” she complained quietly.

“I watched you like a hawk today,” Reldo directly addressed Rallis. “I was waiting for you to slip up, or show your true colors, or… or something. I wanted to be proven right, that you’re only pretending to be tame so I could rush back to the king and have an excuse to send you away.”

The dragon looked heartbroken at his words. She was getting so used to people acting like that around her now, getting used to ignoring the stares and comments, but she forgot how much it hurt when someone said such things outright to her face.

“I assessed everything you did, and what you did… It’s a shock really. You… You’re just a kid,” he said honestly and with a small laugh. “Like Wilough or Shilop or any of the other children that run about and cause a ruckus. I’d even say you’re better behaved than the riff raff around here. You just want a chance to learn and see new things, and maybe you might do something stupid, like leap onto an animatronic, but you didn’t do such a thing in malice. Just… innocence.”

Reldo got to one knee, now on equal level with Rallis. “I was given a chance a very long time ago to become who I am today, and without that chance, I would still be a broken man living in squalor. I think it would only be right if you were given a chance too, despite the fact that everyone else in this city would rather not.”

The two grew hopeful over what his words might mean.

“Does that mean…? You will…?” Kaqemeex tried.

“I will certainly try.” The librarian rose from the grass. “I’ve never had a student before, and I’ve never been in the company of someone as unique as you, but I’m willing to give you the chance you deserve.” He held out his hand to the dragon.

“I look forward to being your teacher, Rallis.”

#osrs #runescape #my writes #oc tag

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