#another au i want to write!!!

[tinukis]

day 5 - little brother

so incredibly self indulgent but yeah anyway... little brother w his three older brothers

(please more asl + uta/asul bros please)

[karalovesallthegirls]

Kara has always dreaded the day she’d meet her soulmate. 

There’s relief in knowing she has one, of course. The person meant for her didn’t die with Krypton. That’s something! Even still, it’s hard to feel excited for the moment they meet, because that’s the moment Kara will hurt them. She’s had their exclamation of pain inked into her skin for as long as she’s been on Earth. In some ways it’s better. Most people have phrases like “good morning” or “hold the door please” as their soulmate’s first words. They have to endure hundreds of almosts, breath held just in case that stranger really is the one. Kara won’t have to do that. Her words are far too distinct.

It's agony, thinking about how their meeting will go. She spends years imagining every possible scenario, each one more painful than the last, yet the day it happens she barely even registers it. The words wash right over her, drowned out by the loud crack as her hand makes sudden contact with a stranger's face. The telltale crunch of contact shocks her. She hadn't registered anyone was there during her dramatic retelling, otherwise she would have kept her gestures small. She wouldn't have flung her hand out with such force.

The woman she's hit is hunched over, clutching at her face. She gasped loud and sharp when it hit, and now she's just wheezily breathing in shock. Kara can see blood starting to drip down her wrist.

“Did you," the woman gasps, and her voice sounds wet. "Did you just break my nose?” Kara wants to die.

“I’m so sorry! Are you okay? I am so sorry!”

People are looking at them and the woman keeps cursing under her breath and Kara really, really doesn’t know what to do. Her hands hover uselessly over the hunched figure, desperate to soothe but scared to touch in a moment like this. “I didn’t mean to – I was telling a story and I got too excited with my hands I guess, I didn’t see you there. Are you- can I-”

She looks to Alex for guidance, but she’s just staring at the interaction with a wide-eyed wonder. Typically her sister knows what to do in a scary situation, but now she’s looking just as clueless. They’re both barely awake at this point – it’s six in the morning and they’ve been at this airport terminal since midnight, miserably watching their red eye flight push into a mid-day departure. They’re both half-delirious, which is fun when you’re goofing off but less so when you’ve just broken a stranger’s nose. 

And then it hits her. The words she’s carried on her arm for so many years are tingling, she realizes, and they’ve been tingling from the second her skin met the girl’s. 

Did you did you just break my nose?

“Oh wow,” Kara says, dumbfounded. “It’s you.” The woman falls silent. She must be realizing too Kara thinks as she fumbles with her sleeve, pushing it up enough to show her inked arm. The woman's eyes drop to the tattoo that's brought such shame to Kara for so long. She feels her eyes like a touch. “I – I’m so happy to meet you! I’m so sorry it happened like this.” She laughs and it sounds strained. Her hands are shaking. The woman doesn't look up from her arm.

Even hunched over in pain, it's clear the woman is beautiful. Important, even, considering how she's dressed. She's dressed like she's en route to lead a business conference, her tight black skirt and matching blazer scream business professional. Though the effects are tampered a bit by the splattering of blood that’s dripped down her white blouse. Kara wonders how old she is to be dressed like that. She must be older to look like that. At nearly nineteen, Kara has never had anything more than a graduation to dress nicely for, and even then she wore her stained dress pants. This woman - her soulmate - must be much older than her, which feels strange to think. She looks Kara's age, maybe even younger. If not for how clearly tailored to her body her clothes are, she'd almost look like she was playing dress up.

Kara feels self-conscious then, sharply aware of how she must look to her soulmate. As smart as it felt to come to the airport in pajamas for her all-night flight, standing in rubber duck pajama pants while trying to have a conversation with her goddess of a soulmate did little for Kara's confidence.

When Kara’s eyes finally track back up to her face, she finds sharp green ones staring back. They're the prettiest eyes she's ever seen, and they don't seem interested in looking away. That's fine with her - she's more than content to stare right back.

It's only the soft plop of blood hitting tile that draws her attention back to her crime, and she can see the way the woman's hands have become covered in blood. "Oh gosh, here - let me…”  Kara fumbles in her backpack for a moment with no clear plan. All she knows is she has to do something to fix this. She fumbles about before pulling out a clean t-shirt. “Here. For the-” She holds it out to the girl and gestures at her own face. Slowly, like she’s scared Kara might grab her or something, the woman takes the offered shirt. She wipes the blood from her face and hands, dabbing beneath her nose. The bleeding seems to have stopped, at least, and the shirt helps contain what's escaped. Watching a stranger wipe blood on her high school band t-shirt shouldn’t thrill Kara as much as it does, and yet.

Kara laughs again, the sound nervous and high-pitched, before taking a step towards her. Her soulmate’s eyes go wide, tracking her movements, and Kara's heart clenches when she steps away. The rapid race of her soulmate's heart beats into Kara's ear - she can literally hear her fear. She holds her hands up in surrender, stepping back to where she’d been before. The last thing she wants is for her to be afraid. “Does it hurt?” she asks, and her soulmate shakes her head no. “That’s good. That’s good. I- uh." She has nothing more to say, and her soulmate's certainly not contributing. Kara’s palms are sweating. She hasn’t sweat since she was thirteen, but one look from this person has her rubbing her hands on her pajama pants like a middle schooler at a dance.

The woman finishes wiping up and lets her arms fall, blessing Kara with her first real look at her face. Bloodied and skittish, she’s beautiful in a way Kara can hardly comprehend, in a way she could never imagine. Kara's pretty sure she's blushing now for some reason, and she has to flex her toes to be sure she���s still touching the ground. “My name’s Kara,” she says, and then gestures over her shoulder. “That’s my sister Alex. We’re flying home for winter break. Midvale - Midvale is home for us. Where- where are you flying to?”

The woman stares and stares, and Kara's starting to panic thinking she'd given her soulmate a head injury that's muted her somehow, when at last the woman speaks just barely above a whisper.

“Home,” she says. It feels like her heart might burst just from hearing that one stilted word. Kara wants to hear a thousand more, wants to hear nothing else for the rest of her life.

“That’s awesome. W-where’s home for you?” The woman's lip trembles as she opens her mouth, closes it, and then opens it again.

 “I’m sorry,” she says, and then throws the t-shirt at Kara’s face. 

Kara fumbles catching it, distracted by the shock and gross factor of having a blood-soaked shirt hurled at her face, and it takes her far too many precious seconds to realize her soulmate is gone. Bewildered, Kara looks around before just catching sight of her vanishing around the corner, high heels and racing heart clattering away. She looks at Alex. Alex waves at her, frantic. “Go!” Alex yells, and Kara takes off.

Pretending to be a human has never been harder than it is while chasing after her soulmate. Normal human pace - especially what's acceptable at an airport - is not fast enough for this, not when the woman has already gotten so far ahead. Kara must look ridiculous, bursting into sprints only to trip suddenly into a walk over and over again, her ears locked on to the thudding heartbeat and faint whispers of her soulmate mumbling, “crap crap crap crap,” ahead.

Kara’s thankful they’re in an airport, at least. Her soulmate can’t just run outside, and Kara is fine embracing the romcom trope of following her love onto the plane. Her soulmate stops moving ahead and Kara speeds up, nearly wiping out twice tripping over luggage and small children. Her heart is in her throat as she clears the corner her soulmate is behind and pushes her way into the door she's passed through. All the wind knocks out of her lungs then when she sees her again. The woman looks up at her in shock, as if she didn't think Kara would chase her. As if Kara would just let her go. With a visible gulp, her soulmate flees around a corner and disappears out of sight. Kara manages a single step forward before a body blocks her way, and she looks up to see a massive security guard staring down at her.

“Membership card, please.”

Kara tries to peer around him. He steps in her way, cutting her vision off. Her soulmate led her into some private place you can't just walk into, she realizes, glancing around at the sleek appearance and exclusive atmosphere. “I- uh, left my card in my other bag,” she says, gesturing back over her shoulder. She can hear her soulmate’s breathing and it's all she can focus on. She’s right there. Just out of sight. Kara is so close. “I’m afraid you need your card to enter the fly lounge,” he says sternly. He starts pushing gently at her, trying to nudge her back out of the sliding glass door she’s come in. Kara almost forgets to let him move her. “I- I’m sorry, someone I need to talk to just went in there and I-” She stops in the doorway, hand firm on the wall. She can hear the way the guard huffs against her solid pressure. She’s not acting very human right now and she knows it.

“I’m gonna have to ask you to leave, ma’am," he says, pushing more forcefully against her. Forceful enough that she knows she has to move even as all her instincts war against it. “Can- can I buy a membership? Like a day pass or something?”

The guard looks over at the front desk, making eye contact with a woman who looks like she would rather watch Kara be flayed alive than allowed another step inside.

“A day membership is $189 plus tax,” she whines out in a nasally voice, tone making clear she already knows Kara won’t be affording that. Which is accurate. Kara barely has enough to buy a meal. 

Looks like her soulmate is rich, then.

The man nudges her back again and a flash of panic echoes through her chest. For a moment, she envisions herself throwing him out the open door, tossing aside anything or anyone that tries to keep her from her future. But she’s already scared her soulmate enough for one day, so she smiles with forced bashfulness and allows herself to be walked back out of the lounge.

The frosted glass door marked High Flyers Club Lounge shuts her out mockingly. But it’s fine! Eventually her soulmate’s flight time will be here and she’ll have no choice but to come out and face her. Kara just has to be patient. (Kara hates being patient.)

She takes a seat against the wall across from the lounge entrance. Her glasses rest low on her nose as she stares her soulmate, soaking in every inch of her as she paces in the luxurious lounge. Her heart is racing, she seems on the edge of a panic attack, and Kara wants desperately to be in there with her talking her down. But she can’t, so she’s left to watch – at least until the girl steps into the private restroom. She stops watching after that. Instead, she settles down to listen to the comforting beat of her soulmate’s heart, closer now than it’s ever been.

Her mind wanders as she waits, mentally reviewing every moment of their interaction. Considering where she failed, where she succeeded. Making lists about what to say to her next. She never got her name, for one thing, and she still doesn’t know where her home is. There’s so much for her to learn.

Her mental meandering is so consuming that it takes her a bit to realize the heartbeat has moved farther away. At first she thinks her soulmate is just moving around the club, but no- she’s moving away from the airport.  A quick glance through walls shows her that her soulmate isn’t in the club anymore. The heartbeat is elevating, she realizes, and Kara runs to the glass wall just in time to see the plane - small, private, with an apparent access point from within the lounge – take off. 

Horror and confusion overwhelm her, bringing tears to her eyes. This doesn't make sense. Why would she just leave without saying a word? Why would her soulmate do that? It's almost unbearable, the pain of it. She doesn’t know how long she stands there, face pressed to the glass, listening as the heartbeat grows quieter and quieter before vanishing all together.

Kara learns a lot about grief after that. 

She knew a lot already – far more than any one person should ever know – but that grief carried a different weight. The loss of her people wasn't a choice by them. They didn't want to die. The loss of her soulmate is its own beast, sharp and cruel in her heart, because this time the person she mourns chose to abandon her. Her soulmate chose to leave. She saw Kara that morning and decided that one look was enough, that Kara wasn't worth any more of her time. She left her there with nothing but a bloody t-shirt and a thousand questions. Kara never even learned her name.

She goes through the stages – she feels her anger burning out in her eyes, feels the sorrow take hold. She denies it, she bargains with everyone, anyone. She calls the Flyer’s Club, tries calling the FAA. She tracks flight logs and makes cold calls and still finds nothing at all. She writes about it on soulmate websites and Medium articles, casting a wide net so that someday when – if, her mind reminds her. if if if - her soulmate ever looks she’ll be able to find her.  

Time dulls the sharpness, though, and the years shift that rejected feeling into a more muted anger. Kara doesn't care about the love lost. She doesn't care if the person is her other half. All she cares about is the anger. Finding her feels more like a hunt than a quest for love – she’s got a lot to say to the other woman when they finally meet again. She just wants one more meeting, that’s all. Just enough time to tell her exactly where she can go. Kara doesn’t need a soulmate, after all. Her life is full of love and joy and adventure, and she doesn’t need another person to complete her. She graduates college with a degree in English, minor in Journalism – her attempts to track down her soulmate really ignite the journalistic bug in her, and with Clark’s constant encouragement it feels inevitable. She moves to a big city despite her small-town fears and she gets a job almost no one survives. Kara is thriving.

It almost shocks her, then, the way her heart trips over itself when she sees her again.

They’re watching the trial, her and Alex, and Alex is halfway through a lecture on how she’d always known Lex Luthor was evil by the way he wore his pants – (“Good guys don’t wear their pants that high, Kara, it’s common sense.”) – when Kara's nerves jolt like a lightning bolt has rushed through her. Her gasp is so sharp Alex screams almost in sympathy. 

“What? What is it?” Alex yells at her, looking around for some danger lurking nearby. Kara tumbles to the floor practically crawling to the television screen. Someone new has taken the stand, someone she'd recognize anywhere.

“Alex,” she says, jamming her finger against the somewhat grainy image projected on her television. “It's her.” “What!” “My soulmate!" Kara knows it like she knows herself, even after all this time. She looks different. Six years of struggle sit clear in her hard gaze, her mouth twisted into solemn resignation. She looks almost casual on the stand, sitting comfortably despite the eyes of the world on her. Like it's just a regular conversation. Like she’s not about to help send her brother to prison for life. “Lena Luthor, sister of the defendant” reads the helpful banner beneath her grim face. Even after everything, Kara is struck by her. She's breathtaking. Kara kind of hates her for it. “Hold on, that’s- you barely even saw her when you met! You don’t know for sure.” Alex sounds desperate, which is fair. The younger sister of the man who tried to kill Superman is certainly not an ideal soulmate for someone like Kara, but it doesn't matter. It's her. “I’m sure,” she says, and feels the truth of it deep in her bones.

A giggle hits her then that's so inappropriate for the moment it makes her feel crazy, but she can't help it. As Lena Luthor begins to explain the piles of evidence she’s gathered against her brother, Kara giggles away. She feels almost drunk on it, smug and satisfied. “Found you,” she says, almost like a taunt. She drags her finger over the screen, feeling the static of her ancient television biting back at her as she caresses Lena Luthor's face. The anger that’s long settled inside of her seems to reignite with every charged word Lena speaks against her brother, with every glance she makes at the camera. She can feel Alex’s nervous energy behind her but she doesn’t care. The politics of this, the implications - none of it matters to Kara. What matters is she has a name, and she has a general location. She's so close she can practically taste it. “See you soon, soulmate,” Kara whispers, and for a second it feels almost like Lena is staring right back.

[koipalm]

in the myth of eros and psyche, her last task is go to the underworld and retrieve some of persephone's beauty. so here's her in hades, where zagreus hasn't found his mother yet. the 'beauty of persephone' she brings back are gifts from zagreus, as he's the last of his mother's beauty in the underworld

[vulpixisananimal]

(. . . Ouch.)

(You're back in the field. That, that one hurt. It really, really hurt. You're not entierly sure what you did different that time, was it that you asked him why he looked like that? Either way, the result was one you wouldn't forget.)

(You were fighting the king. You must have gotten careless, or maybe distracted, but you took a blow meant or Mirabelle, it flung you into the wall and you felt something snap. You weren't able to move, only watch your party try and win without you. You didn't know what was worse, the fact Bonnie tried dragging you away when you lost, or that the King killed you last, since now, you were the least threatening of them all.)

(Mirabelle, Isabeau, Odile. . .)

(. . . . It doesnt matter. Lesson learned. Get up Siffrin, you have a country to save.)

(. . . . . . .)

(. . . . . . . . . . . . . .)

(You. . . . . . . You can't move.)

(You can't move. You can't move!?! Why can't you move!!! You tried your arms, your hands, fingers, toes, legs, head- okay!! You could move your head! So, so you're not frozen in time, aha, hahaha!! AHHAHAHHAHAHA WHY CANT YOU MOVE!!!!!)

(This isn't right, this isn't right this shouldn't happen this, this is impossible right?!? You always went back to normal after a Loop!!! Did, did you do something wrong? No, did you die wrong? How can you die wrong!!! That makes no sense!! Was this a joke?!? Okay, okay call Loop they'll know what t- NO YOU COULDN'T, EVEN DO THAT!!! HA, HAHAHAHAHA)

(You had to move!! You had to!! Because, because if you cant then you, you, you-)

(Then you couldn't go to the clock tower you couldn't go to the house you couldn't stop the boulder in the first hall you couldn't find the key or the crests or fight and you couldn't look through everything for how to get out of the loops you couldn't use the keyknife you couldnt do anything you'd be the useless dead weight that you always were and you'd be stuck here!!! YOU HAD TO MOVE. JUST, MOVE!!! PLEASE!!!)

(JUST MOVE MOVE MOVE MOVE MOVE MOVE MOVE MOVE-)

"S-Siffrin!!!!"

(You snap back to reality, Mirabelle, she, she was right there. In front of you, she looked panicked. How long had she been there? How long had you been lying here. You open your mouth, no sound comes out. What do you say, what CAN you say?!?! How can you say ANYTHING?!??!?)

(You look Mirabelle in the eyes. She's, shes starting to cry. You, you have to, say, something, anything!!)

". . . M-mira. . ."

"Siffrin!!!" (She looks releaved a little that you talked, putting an arm up to your head before quickly putting it back.) "A-are you alright?!? You weren't responding at all and, a-and I, I-"

"Mira. . ." (You can feel yourself starting to tear up.)

(You have to tell her. You don't want to. You would rather die. But if you don't tell her, then you'll be stuck lying here as she waits for you at the clock tower!! And, and you. . .)

"I. . . I can't move."

". . . WHAT?!?!" (It took Mirabelle a second to process what you said. She looked shocked, terrified.) "W-what happened?? Was it a nightmare?!? Or, or did, u-uhm let me try something!!"

(You can see a slight glow from Miras hand. Healing craft!! Right!! Haha, that should fix it easy!! Of course!!! She places her hand gently on your chest.)

(. . . You don't feel it. You don't feel the warmth of Mirabelles healing, or her hand, or, or anything. No, you couldn't feel the grass underneath your hands, or, the wind or, o-or. You're starting to hyperventilate, please, please work please please please.)

"Did that. . ." (Mirabelle takes her hand back, looking at you.)

(You try and move a finger. . .)

(. . .)

(You. Still. Can't. MOVE!)

(You can feel yourself starting to cry, you can't stop it. No, no no no no no, after all this, all this work. You're stuck!!! You're stuck and you can't move!!!)

"O-oh Change. . . Siffrin. . ." (You could see Mirabelle starting to cry, surely she was thinking about tomorrow, about everything, the King, the fight, and now just how useless you were, stupid. Stupid stupid stupid!!!)

"I-it's fine. . ." (You mumble.)

"It's not fine!!!" (She yells.) "Y-you're my friend!!! And!!! A-and you can't move and I couldn't heal it!!! It's not fine at all!!!"

"M-mira. . ." (It was fine. It was fine. It was fine.)

"I'm going to get Madame Odile, she'll know what to do! A-and, and everyone too!! Just, just- I'll be right back!!"

(You watch her go as much as you could. You couldn't stop her even if you tried. Stars. . . You try to stop crying. It doesn't work. You close your eyes.)

>>>

"How about here?" (Odile asked, pressing against your back.)

(Mirabelle had came back a few minutes later, everyone in tow. They were all so worried about you, wanting to make sure you were okay. Odile had the though to check your reflexes, then after that came up with nothing, to check your spine. Isabeau was holding you up as Odile pressed along your back. Or, at least, you think she was.)

"N-nothing still. . ." (You mumble back.)

(This was maybe the worst part.)

(After all those little moments where you snuck a poke or touch in the plant room, after all the time you wanted someone to just, hold you. It finally happened.)

(And you couldn't feel it.)

(It had taken all of your might not to scream.)

"Gems. . . What about here?" (You shake your head.) "Hmm. . ."

". . . Frin gonna be okay?" (You hear Bonnie ask.)

"I, hmm, I'm not sure." (Odile sighed.) "There's no broken spine segments, and you're sure you didn't have any strange sensations leading up to this?"

"N-no. . ." (It's only half a lie.) "Just, woke up like this. . ."

"Aw Sif. . ." (You can hear the anguish in Isabeaus voice. You feel a gentle hand on the back of your head, you barely even wince.)

"We, w-we can figure this out! It'll, uhm, it'll just take some work!! It'll be okay!!!" (Mirabelle sounds like she's about to burst into tears again.)

(No, It won't be okay if you're stuck like this. You lead them through the house each time, and if you can't do that, they die. You all die. Stars, everythings changing, everythings, wrong!!)

"I-I'm sorry. . ."

"No!!!" (They all yell at you.)

"You don't need to apolagise!! This isn't your fault!!" (Mirabelle continues.)

"Stupid!! You just took a NAP there's no way it's your fault!!!" (Bonnie looked angry, or, wait, was that concern?)

"We can figure out something, Siffrin. Even if you can't move tomorrow I'm sure Isabeau could carry you through the House." (Odile adds, you sense some teasing in her voice.)

"M-ME?!?" (Isa replies.) "I-I mean, of course!! I would any day of the week!! Haha, if Siffrin needs a hand somewhere then, u-uh--"

(You let out a weak laugh. Oh, oh Isabeau, oh everyone. . .) ". . . T-thank you. . ."

[. . .]

[You got the Memory of Powerless.]

[With the Memory of Powerless equipped, all your familys stats and EXP gain is doubled!]

[You may be unmoving, but they are willing to pick up the slack.]

[lovesickeros]

popping in randomly after almost an entire month just to talk non stop about the tsaritsa again everyone sit down.

specifically just thinking about the implications of tsaritsa's ideals originally being about love + the abandonment of those ideals to complete her goal of, presumably, destroying Celestia or whatever she's cooking up. to the point even her people don't love her and I probably don't even remember a time her ideals were of love. now it's all just ice and snow and cold.

which makes romantic fics w her even funnier because she's purposely removed this part of herself and suddenly reader walks into teyvat like they own the place (they do) and I can only imagine her reaction. angry, probably. because why you? what are you doing to her that's caused her hundreds of years of strict adherence to rejecting "love" both from others and to others to just. collapse. absolute shattering of her world and you probably don't even know it bc if nothing else she's good at hiding it. a lot of denial. tries to pick you apart and see what's makes you so different.

and oh she just hates it. she loathes it.

basically one sided enemies to lover trope because she can't stand you for a while but if you stick around she starts warming up to you and it makes it WORSE. so much worse. tries to distance herself but your just everywhere and it gets on her nerves because why does she love you? she isn't capable of love, not anymore. she thought she was.

g-d forbid one of the harbingers or PIERRO notices she'd never live it down. might even consider the implications of just killing you (she doesnt). worse if you know about it and act like a brat she will lose her damn mind

just the tsaritsa being an absolutely horrible mess internally.

[fluffywing-e-tarot]

The God that Marks Garps Student

Koby was marked. Garp knew the scrawny brat was marked the moment he laid eyes on him.

Koby had a strong sense of Justice and a Protector of the weak.

So, Tsuisu mark wouldn't be surprising. However, by his Background report and his own personal testimony. Koby arrived on Shells with Luffy. And punched Koby declaring him not a member of the now named Strawhat Pirates

Nika's markings wouldn't be out of place either. 

The Cadet was kind too. There was a partnership blooming with the blond twigs. He has seen Astrus mark a Dog for its Loyalty.

Astrus' mark might be a stretch. As by some of the Reports he's snooped off of Senny's desk Ace has been making a mess in the New World.

So when he took them onto his ship. He was fully prepared for one of his three Godly Grandsons to show up.

He set about the offerings on the shrines. In his quarters. Knowing none of them could resist a snack after using their abilities to hop to a shrine.

Garp snapped awake when he heard shuffling in his room. He spotted the tails of a coat exiting his room.

It could only be Sabo that came to check on his student.

He bolted towards his Wayward grandson.

"You Get black here you brat." Garp said, running out onto the deck only to see Sabo leep off the ship like an escaping boy after hours.

The half-shaded face looked at him with the usual terror. As he disembarked from the ship. 

"Sabo, at least have the decency of a man to say hello to your grandpa!" he shouted after the boy. Sabo would be fine In the water. He could walk on moonlight. But his grandson didn't say anything as he swam away.

" Sir should we go after the stowaway?" One of the twigs on night watch asked.

"No. We'll just lose him in the moonlight. Return to your watch." Garp growled "I'm going back to bed."

" Yes sir." The twig said.

Continue

[merakiui]

TWST APOCALYPSE AU.

ᴛʜᴇ ᴏᴠᴇʀʙʟᴏᴛ ᴠɪʀᴜꜱ — a horrifying infection that has existed for centuries. it doesn't appear to be contagious (yet), but it has devastating effects on those who fall ill with it. it appears to manifest from within a mage, but researchers at S.T.Y.X. note there are external and internal factors that contribute to the speed at which it spreads. it may be possible to treat an infected individual, but it is difficult if not caught by the second stage and requires immense patience, effort, and resources. the virus appears to deteriorate both the body and mind, rendering the infected a mindless monster after a certain period of time.

it is recommended that you avoid those who are beyond saving, for they are highly dangerous!

ᴄᴏᴍᴍᴏɴ ꜱʏᴍᴘᴛᴏᴍꜱ — officially identified by the lead research team at S.T.Y.X., these are indicators that one has been infected. [please note that case-specific symptoms, while rare but not undocumented, seem to manifest in especially skillful mages.]

☒ patient coughs up a black, tar-like substance (this is known as and has been identified as blot).

☒ patient experiences heightened emotional fragility (especially for negative feelings).

☒ patient develops unsettling, pitch-black coloration on their fingertips.

☒ patient suffers from fatigue, persistent headaches, and irregular body temperatures.

☒ patient's tears and saliva are dark and thick; near-syrupy. gums and teeth are affected as well.

☒ patient claims to hear and see things that are not there (e.g., the wrong reflection in a mirror, a strangely-shaped shadow, voices).

☒ patient's magestone blackens with blot.

ꜱᴛᴀɢᴇꜱ ᴏꜰ ɪɴꜰᴇᴄᴛɪᴏɴ — officially identified by the lead research team at S.T.Y.X. after studying countless subjects.

STAGE 1.

little to no immediate changes or symptoms. patient appears mostly fine. they may not even realize they are infected at first and will only complain of feeling itchy or irritable. magestone has just begun to tarnish.

STAGE 2.

common symptoms begin to emerge and will only worsen with time. magestone slowly accumulates blot. fingertips will have begun to blacken. minor headaches stretch on into longer periods of time and grow to be more painful. patient may appear uncharacteristically volatile. blot eats away at the patient's magic reserves. it will spread quicker depending on how much magic is overused and if the patient shows extreme emotional distress. patient develops a cough.

STAGE 3.

patient will begin to see and hear things. S.T.Y.X. named these shadow apparitions phantoms. patient may cast a shadow (phantom) that is not their own. staining on the patient's fingertips will have spread further through the fingers by this point. magestone is very cloudy. patient is prone to coughing fits. patient is unable to recognize bodily cues for hunger or exhaustion. feelings of emptiness persist. patient may experience a stabbing sensation in their chest or stomach areas. patient may not seem very emotionally or mentally present. spotty memory; they struggle to recall what or why they are doing certain things. patient appears almost lost. patient's body undergoes various external and internal changes: loss of appetite, stained fingertips, rotting gums, weakened teeth and bone structures, tears and saliva take on the consistency and color of blot, inability to fall asleep, etc. the blot eats away at the patient from the inside after magic reserves have been depleted. patient is dying.

STAGE 4.

magestone is consumed by blot and is no longer safe to use. patient's internal structures are compromised and failing. blot sustains the patient; they become a host for the blot, which acts almost like a parasite. patient is no longer conscious or living. peculiar structures like extra limbs or unusual growths sprout from and deform the body. it is consumed by blot. the air around the infected patient is thick with a high concentration of blot. patient only speaks in guttural growls and struggles with certain syllables. some are capable of coherent, intelligent speech, but in many cases communication and language are usually lost, as is the memory of who they once were. S.T.Y.X. has yet to identify the lifespan of an overblot (the term coined for those who have succumbed to the infection), as some overblots can exist for a very long time. at this stage, an overblot patient is highly dangerous and hostile. avoid contact at all costs. [additional research on this stage and others is currently being conducted.]

ᴄᴏᴍᴘᴏᴜɴᴅ ɪɴᴅᴇx — below are the dormitory strongholds with notable members and their current status.

RAMSHACKLE.

☒ yuuken enma - not infected. immune.

☒ yuuka hirasaka - not infected. immune.

☒ yuuta mito - not infected. immune.

☒ grim - suspected to be infected. stage: unknown. currently missing. last seen: ???

HEARTSLABYUL.

☒ riddle rosehearts - infected. stage 1.

☒ trey clover - not infected.

☒ cater diamond - not infected. currently at risk.

☒ ace trappola - not infected.

☒ deuce spade - not infected.

SAVANACLAW.

☒ leona kingscholar - infected. stage 2.

☒ ruggie bucchi - not infected.

☒ jack howl - not infected.

OCTAVINELLE.

☒ azul ashengrotto - infected. stage 2, tipping over into stage 3.

☒ jade leech - not infected.

☒ floyd leech - not infected. currently at risk.

SCARABIA.

☒ kalim al-asim - not infected.

☒ jamil viper - infected. stage 1, tipping over into stage 2.

POMEFIORE.

☒ vil schoenheit - infected. stage 2.

☒ rook hunt - not infected.

☒ epel felmier - not infected.

IGNIHYDE.

☒ idia shroud - infected. stage 3.

☒ ortho shroud - not infected. currently at risk.

DIASOMNIA.

☒ malleus draconia - infected. stage 2, tipping over into stage 3.

☒ lilia vanrouge - not infected. currently at risk.

☒ silver - not infected.

☒ sebek zigvolt - not infected.

ROYAL SWORD.

☒ neige leblanche - not infected. currently at risk.

☒ dominic - not infected.

☒ grum - not infected.

☒ shelpie - not infected.

☒ hop - not infected.

☒ timmy - not infected.

☒ snick - not infected.

☒ toby - not infected.

☒ che'nya - not infected.

NOBLE BELL.

☒ rollo flamme - not infected.

[al-luviec]

something simple to try to get out of art block (it didn't work)

[miusato]

Honestly the main attraction for Shinjiham is how contrast their personality is and it is always funny for me to think about how people around them would react if they found out they're dating in this AU lol

[ane-doodles]

I think I accidentally created another au...

[drawnfamiliarfaces]

i... wrote a smol fic (っ´▽`*)っ

also!!!!! If you haven't seen it - shoutout to first ever published fic in Ninja Showdown/My Immortal Soul tags - Lustrous Red by @missadmyre !!!

[hisbucky]

Eddie: Morning, sergeant. I'd like to request a few days off. There's a personal conflict I need to resolve. Athena: Does this conflict have to do with you eyeing my eldest son at my barbeque party the whole evening yesterday? Eddie: ...I have the right to remain silent. Athena, eyeroll: Unpaid. Two days. He works at the Children's Hospital, and he doesn't like roses.

[puppetmaster13u]

hi I’m back again to ask about the down in the deep au

How’s Danny handling the whole deaged/transformation into sea Creature/melding/not having his full power set? Also how is he feeling about his new guardian figure(?)

Does he miss his human feet

Are you in my google docs lol?

He actually is more than a hint hysterical when he first realizes his legs are gone. And doesn't realize how 'small' he is at first or that he doesn't have his powers thanks to the fact he was already exhausted and such from his Wail and previous battle. Needless to say he does kind of panic when he realized that the few powers he has are limited AF.

He's actually kind of neutral towards Sebastian at first, but does end up warming up towards him. Er, it takes a tiny bit at first because he holds a grudge for carrying him everywhere, he's sure this place can't be more dangerous than other places he's been!

He's actually struggling with not having legs, seeing as the only time he's had a ghost tail, or any tail really, up until this point is in flight. And it didn't have a fin, so he's incredibly clumsy. (There are many swimming lessons in his future to help him get used to legless movement, along with a bit of hand-holding to his embarrassment)

So all in all, he could be handling it worse at the moment. Could be handling it better, but he could be handling it worse too.

[afewproblems]

I'm a glutton for punishment --as though I don't have enough fics to work on right now, the brain worms have struck again!

What if Steve had been preparing to run away in season one?

He had it all planned out. He would have one last hurrah with Tommy and Carol at his house, his last night ever having to look at the empty halls and cold dark rooms devoid of any life or semblance of family.

It was perfect, his parents would never know he was gone.

Perfect.

If he kept repeating it, it would eventually have to be true, right?

Nancy and Barb come along, which is fine, great even -it shouldn't delay his plans and it maybe even gives him a chance for one last good memory in that house with the beautiful, smart, kind, Nancy Wheeler.

Only when Barb cuts her hand open trying to learn how to shot-gun a beer, Nancy takes her friend home with an apology in her eye's and a, 'maybe next time,' on her tongue.

But Steve knows, there won't be a next time. He's leaving town tonight.

He had packed his car with everything he owned that could reasonably fit in the trunk, enough food and water to get him to Muncie, the paperwork for his car, his birth certificate, and license.

He was nearly free. Fuck Hawkins, fuck his parents. Steve was so close to a fresh start, he could taste it.

Steve slams the trunk of the beemer shut and surveys the Harrington house one last time.

The windows reflect the street lamp on Loch Nora, shining pleasantly in the cool November evening.

Until it doesn't.

The lamp flickers once above him.

Steve looks up with narrowed eyes, the streetlights have never done that before?

He steps away from his trunk, reaching into his pants pocket for his keys before freezing at the low rumbling growl that emanates from the brush just off the road just as the light from the lamp above him dies.

Steve doesn't turn in time to see it.

A long echoing scream reverberates down the empty street as the lamp turns back on, revealing a lone car in the driveway.

A pair of keys hanging in the driver's side door.

[the-redhead-in-a-dress]

Honestly, part of me wishes Emily had been Melissa's daughter and because Emily wasn't then the product of government medical experimentation she isn't sick, and with the irrefutable evidence that Emily is family, Bill and Maggie support Scully's desire to adopt Emily, to bring her home. Bill secretly hopes this will make Scully leave the fbi, which fair. But what he doesn't count on, was the whole ordeal bringing Scully and Mulder closer together. Mulder practically declares his eternal commitment to Scully in her brother's living room in his bid to support her bring Emily home, even if they have to get married to do so...

...and eventually, Scully gets to bring Emily, completely healthy, on a plane to DC, with Mulder telling stories to the little girl to distract her from turbulence and pressure changes. And nobody knows why Melissa gave the girl up and why she never told any of them about her, but in this life, Emily grows up loved by the Scully family, she has a grandma, an uncle and aunt and baby cousins, and a mom and a dad too. And Scully, Scully gets salvation, and a connection to her sister she never got to say sorry and goodbye to.

[plusultraetc]

I ended up having way too many unfinished fics to choose from for Shinsou's birthday, none of which were ao3-ready, so have this extra long snippet of my beloved ice cream shop au that I've spent way too much time on for a fic that might never actually get posted 😭

(the context here is that Shinsou & Kaminari are trying to get erasermic together, but Kaminari didn't know he was trying to set his teacher up with the music store guy bc he's only heard about him from Shinsou)