#but oops he has a hidden dark power within him that he's still learning to control!

[noxlumaris]

Tethys Deyalash

Ayyy it's the revamped version of my first OC!! I wanted to have a current version of his design for Art Fight this year, and here he is!!

[ninjapaste]

Alongside the story I have been concocting involving Twig and co. (which I have yet to name surprisingly) there is another story, which although I spend less time on now, am hoping to do so in the future as I get further into fleshing out my Fantasy story and completing most of the work on my practice comic.

This story is sci - fi rather than fantasy and the primary character of this one is probably my first original character that I labelled as OC (also the first OC I drew digitally). Twig comes second, but in the way that the original was completely different to what is seen today; she has gone through so many changes in design and personality to fit with the universe she is in (which also changes a lot).

In regards to my first OC, they have developed in design but not as much as Twig. I actually remember the two characters originally meant to be a duo upon their earliest conception but the strong contrast in themes left me to decide putting them into different universes/stories altogether. I also remember the original Twig (which was not called Twig back then) being created from my first OC.

Now on to this sci - fi story. This one is currently titled 'Alpha - Star Voyage'.

Alpha - Star voyage surrounds the event in which a powerful sun from one universe is transported to an alternate one by a multi - planetary organisation investigating the nature of different planes of reality and foretold windows within it. The unexpected arrival of this sun destroys the organisation's HQ and thousands of its labs due to the overwhelming power of the star. Not in its optimal environment/plane of reality, the sun began its six phases into explosion, which altogether took 300,000 Earth years. The sun then broke into trillions upon trillions of shards, eliminating all life within the galaxy in the process. These shards were then shot through the universe into many galaxies and had the potential to morph into complex organisms. Most of the shards ended up in the galaxy Gnon3. The main character, Xelicon (or Xel for short) was created from one of these shards.

This is Xel.

Xel, unlike Twig, has no innocence or special charm about them; their face has 'serious' written all over it. In fact, they had lost such innocence shorty after their conception. They were found and caged by crooks on a trade planet (a planet that acts as a hub for trading and travelling merchants), who took Xel's hair, teeth, appendages and even organs for large sums of cash. It wasn't until they cut off Xel's hands and feet when they left them (Xel) to die (I might have made this too dark, oops). This is why Xel bears artificial gloves and feet, as well as a pack biologically stuck to their back that takes the function of their lost organs, which were present to allow the body to adapt to the atmosphere/environment of different planets. All of these parts were either crafted or bought by a travelling merchant family, who let Xel wander free after their recovery. The first thing Xel did was take their revenge; they broke the crooks' arms, crapped for the first time and stole one of their spaceships (the one hoarded with all their profits). Xel, inspired by the family that had saved their life, set themself on a voyage to find other shard beings in hopes of finding or forming a family or friendship. Xel has a personal duty to help, protect and serve others who cannot protect themselves, but also seeks to quell their own loneliness in life.

Xel is generally not one to joke around and is utmost loyal to those they respect. They will tend to show negative emotions over positive ones; their joy often goes hidden within a blank, still figure. Xel cares a lot about their own power, figure and height, being quite weak, short and lanky (naturally and due to circumstance) bothers them when it becomes relevant.

In combat, Xel uses their gloves, feet and any extra artificial applications to enchance speed and attack power, mainly set in melee. However, the gloves can be used as projectiles and the feet as rocket shoes that are energized from Xel's own solar energy (thanks to them being a sun shard from anither universe and such). However, this means that using these solar attacks drain Xel's stamina, making them even weaker than normal, so they use it sparingly.

Some concept art of the hijacked ship.

As Xel gets well within their travels, they stop at a moon bar (imagine those little food courts , hotels and bars you see by the motorway but they are on moons instead). In this moon bar, Xel comes across their first ever travelling companion, or should I say, companions...

Enter, Reed (and Bark)

The unfortunate soul of the two in this pairing is Reed - taken tens of thousands of lightyears away from their home planet by a sun - shard parasite that knows only chaos, primal desires and its self - chosen name, Bark.

Reed is the prime example of a man who has lost almost everything and has nothing left to live for. He was once relishing on the highest sides of life back on his home planet: a prestigious position in the entertainment field, a 6 - digit salary and worldwide fame and respect for his authentic charm (Xel could've learned a thing or two) and confidence. Of course, this life came crumbling down when Reed was backstabbed, framed and humiliated by competiton and even part of the government. After being kicked down some more in a game of 'beat the dead horse' and disowned by everyone he loved, Reed had settled in a life of seclusion, watching the rest of the world forget his entire existence as fast as his balding hair fell off. Reed had come to realise the genuinely toxic and judgemental nature embedded in the system he blindly relished in (omg society) and with that, lost his charm, self - confidence, positivity, pride and hope.

Bark has no such deep and harrowing life history, technically a parasite looking for the right body to inhabit and conquer. Sure, a dude in his 30s who looked well in his 50s and sported socks with sandals would never seem the cut to most, but his vulnerability made him the perfect host. Reed's home planet did not know 'aliens' existed, so when Reed saw a blood - red toothy creature clawing towards him, he was frozen in shock. From there, Bark took an unconcious Reed's body and used it to cause great havoc across Reed's home planet before somehow hopping planet - to - moon - to - planet, seeking sustenance and chaos. It is only when Xel finds Bark terrorising a bar and slapping the goofy out of the mutt - headed specimen does Reed regain control and struggle to figure out where and what he is.

Bark tries to manipulate Reed, but simply cannot due to the nonexistent emotional bond between them (only physical). Xel and Reed get along ok, though.

There are some perks that came with being the host of a parasite; Reed's lost eye (from an early age) and severed arm (from some nutcase a month before the encounter with Bark) have been completely regenerated, but with some of Bark's DNA. The newfound powers that Bark has brought allows Reed to defend himslef and Xel, but usually only when Bark is willing to cooperate. When Bark takes the wheel, they do tend to stick with Xel, them being sun - siblings and all, but some cases just needs to be knocked out. Reed always follows Xel's lead on things, his more nervous, less confident self and little knowledge of outer space life being the cause of this. However, often when encouraged by Xel, Reed takes charge in things he specialises in and tries to act more like his former self, showing more and more glimpses of that gradually.

Heres some extra Xel sketches + a page of concepts/brainstorming when I was developing Bark/Reed.

[roseprincesskristina]

Axl's First Exciting Mission

((Hey guys. Today, in going to create a new fan fic today that an idea has flown towards my face. It's about a teenage prototype named Axl, who's very thrilled about the new mission that awaits him, but doesn't really know yet due to the mysterious yet similar maverick hidden within the underground basement of Maverick Hunter HQ that X has warned him about. So again, this story contains yaoi and I understand that it made you uncomfortable. However, if you're a fan, then welcome aboard. Without further ado, please enjoy this fiction. 😊))

Abel City. One of the most clearest town state of all, home of the inhabitants of Earth filled with humans and reploids altogether with meek, sided along of peace. No matter the differences, negligence or other, everyone who is new to the city are freshly more than welcome to live alongside all individuals. Before the roaring stampede of Mavericks would attempt to ruin tranquility, commanded by the gruesome but merciless overlord formerly known as the commander of the Maverick Hunters created by Dr. Cain, Sigma. During the reconnaissance given by his creator to locate the dangerous red maverick, the unstoppable Wily Virus have taken control or finds its way within his core, reestablish the morality. Forcing him to surrender to its power succumbing everything belonging to him, erased right quickly. The growling aura shouts, unleashing the new and improved villain to all who have feared more than their own weaknesses. Gathered up several more irregulars to make an army, destroying the town, killing a few humans, painting the whole planet with his dreams bursting into reality of rearranging a new world for only the strong and powerful reploids to rule. However, it was interrupted by the dynamic duo, X and Zero, shutting down the false fantasy by defeating 8 bosses including the crazed menace. Time and time again. No matter how he would return with more of his invincible forms due to his manipulation of other reploids such Dr. Doppler, Repliforce, Gate, and the rest, the irregular busting crime stoppers will always put an end to his wretched schemes for a new life. After his defeat, tranquility has regain its colors once more, the meaningless conflict between robots and humanity have been silenced. All thanks to the hopeful hunters that every civilization will always look up to.

Not only if there were two that could battle against more threats other than the malicious maverick king, but another hero that arrives to the scene. One that possesses such a great ability like no other being. A compassionate soul so young, lacking maturity yet not the interest of helping those in need when it comes to danger. His name is Axl. Armor themed of the navy blue color striped of red lines, detailed with an X shaped scar across the face by an unknown accident, spiky upward hair and helmet design with a camera lens type inside the crystal. Left the group called Red Alert by his decision on his own to become a hunter due to the view of his friends and scythe wielding leader Red changing their desires of using the briefcase full of chips stolen from Sheeda and the boss for power. Chased by a large mechaniloid, met and teamed up with the crimson sword slasher by taking it down, mistakenly arrested, refused by the indigo pacifist of being or becoming a full pledged hunter, facing off his old colleagues and Red, dueling with the previous mastermind from the beginning and saved the earth again. Still refused, an emergency has been briefed by the blonde navigator, calling to the young gun shooter to race into action.

A new generation built by a blue print, enhanced with the special kind of item known as the Copy Chip. With it, it access the DNA of all reploids even to resist various types of pestilence from every corner. Sadly, the least have chosen to become corrupted as a maverick, including the flesh hating ex commander, at will. None of them have ever experienced such a miracle bestowed upon them. But it doesn't mean that they're immortal. The generation have the same mortality as a few reploids and human alike, making them quite special within their own way possible. Posing them, including the youngster, as hopes of the future as well as protectors. For the land will relax in meekfulness while the heroes do the rest.

Somewhere at Hunter Base, a secret government domain of skilled hunters, the autumn hair youngling rests around the table with legs crossed, seating into the chair slightly bored after the war has ended. Blowing a mist of a sigh. Sure there are no crimes of fire that would be happening right now, but nothing very exciting could ever seek for his attention. For he is lingering in his own boredom by daydreaming.

"Man... This is so boring... Couldn't there be anything fun around here for me do so I wouldn't die in my own sleep?" Groaned the teenage prototype, tilting the side of his head against the hand. Slowly collapsing into a tired state until the Class A expert would arrive at his direction, folding his arms.

"Listen, Axl. I know that you're furiously bored cause of no casualties or invading threats coming to screw up everyone's day, but you have to learn to be patient and let disaster come to us first when duty calls." He explained.

"I know... But it's just no fun sitting around the base to do ABSOLUTELY nothing. Sigh... This is lame..." He griped silently.

"We get it, kiddo. There isn't a speck of villainy around these parts, but It's not the end of the world that quickly, ya know."

"Well.... I guess you're right, Zero. Don't know why I was whining about since we took care of that maverick jerkface. I mean, the three of us, taking the toll on him."

"Heh. I know, and you even single handedly knocked out Sigma with your special copy ability to save our asses. "

"Darn right! Heh. He didn't know what hit him! Thanks to you guys, the legendary Maverick Hunters!"

"No, kid. Thank YOU. Without your help, we would've been dead right now. You're the real hero that the world needs."

"You think so?"

"I know so. But you still got a lot to learn when you're a hunter. Facing with tougher baddies, saving the innocents and all that."

"You got it, boss! Thanks again." Grinned Axl.

"Anytime."

Both of them stare into their peers for just a moment until the reploid teen would lean closer, accidentally deepens the long haired senior with a longing kiss. Laying his hands onto his cheek when he blush with surprised.

"Mmmph?!"

"Mmmm...  Mmmmm..." 

"Mmmmmph...!"

"Mmmm... Hmm?! Oh shoot! Sorry Zero!" He pulled himself away. 

"Axl! What the hell are you doing?! We're not supposed to be doing something inappropriate in public!" He angrily flustered.

"Oops... He he... My bad... Didn't know what got over me."

"Ugh... Look, just try to control yourself, OK? Cause it's getting too weird. And by the way, X told me about an unknown maverick yesterday."

"Really? There's a new bad guy?"

"Mhmm. He was incredibly dangerous. Not to mention as a vampiric version."

"A vampire?"

"Yes. The creature of the night that drinks the blood of mortals to survive, like in the movies. But this baddie is different. He possess as an incubus of some sort. Flirting with woman both reploid and human at once. Or perhaps secretly someone else... Acted very sultry as his personality, but enhanced with an elemental use. Like ice for starters."

"Whoa... Is he really dangerous?"

"Precisely. He had both vampire and incubus personas. But a calming expression. Also with sneaky eyes."

"Wow.... "

Furthermore, he continuously explains more of the mysterious figure's tricks and powerful elements aiding his claws, warning the rookie about what he could do anyone with the unavoidable "secret weapon" that he tells X and crew. Unlike the young gun slinger, everyone is quite aware of this deadly strategy.

"Is that so?" He asked.

"Yes. It's something that no other reploid would escape from. Once being controlled, there's no chance of resisting against it before the..." Unable to say the rest of the sentence it out loud, he finish it by speaking into the kid's earport. Then made him jump of shock.I

"NO WAY! He seduces them?!"

"Not so loud. But yes. He performs a sexual lip locking with females of all kinds. Endlessly."

"Holy crap.... And I thought that a succubus would do the same thing to a guy."

"Yeah. Plus, he would even get a taste of their bodies if necessary..."

"Ewww..."

"But anyway, there's nothing to worry about it now. We've already sealed him underneath the containment basement built with preventable locks." He assured to the wild child, patting his shoulder. "So all is well."

"Heh. Guess so. I was getting a little frantic there. Say, what if he would do the same to me?" He said curiously. But on the inside, quite scared.

"Come on, Axl. There's no way that he would get to you. Or is there?* Smirked the golden headed saber wielder, teasing him.

"Uh oh...."

"Oh, I'm just yanking your chains. So long as you stay put, far away from that containment cell. I'm counting you to remain on your post. Understood?"

"Yes sir! I'll try my best!" He saluted.

"Good. I'll be in the meeting room. Do your best, Axl." Ordered Zero as he nodded.

"You got it!"

"One more thing... If anything happens when you're in danger, be sure to contact me or X by the earport."

"Roger that!"

"Oh. And one last thing..." He went up to the energetic teen boy, grabs him by the head to return the sinking kiss aggressively. 

"Mmmph!!"

"Mmmmmmmmmwah. There. Now we're even."

"Ack! *Cough cough* Geez, Zero! Guess that'll teach me a lesson!"

"Just giving back the favor. Try to continue your duty, got that?" He chuckled teasingly, before leaving for a meeting.

"Yes sir...." Spat the young begginer. 

With the examination talk aside, he walked off to attend a meeting with other hunters and navigators. But, then stopped for a pondering solution just for the lad in dark blue due to the kiss. Stood there into the middle of the hall, he felt the affected warmth melting away the coldness by touching his lips. Even though he haven't experienced nor practice empathy towards anyone but to his friends that he deeply trusts before.

"Huh... What is this weird tingling that I'm getting? Sure it was an accident, but... it feels so soft... And tense..." He imagined. "Hmm... Maybe the kiss wasn't such a bad accident after all. Actually, it's kinda hot too... Mmmm... Axl... He really is a good kid, even though his immaturity annoys the hell outta me a little." Smiling slowly from the straight stern written on his face, the idea has driven to his mind for a moment. Granting him the opportunity to pose as dangerous yet sexy winged maverick for his young friend to "fight off" with. He quickly walks into the room while no one is looking, morphing his original armor into an Absolute transformation to act as the unknown maverick. 

"He he he... Perhaps I'll give the brave little hunter a special solo mission he'll never forget~ A chilling "battle", that is~" He plotted. Cycling his tongue around the pale lips, tasting the smooching marks led by the novice hunter from the former organization of assassins. For a surprise trick will never fail to get the jump on him. 

Meanwhile, outside into the garden fields behind HQ during midnight, the emerald eyed gun blaster is relaxing his butt off from all the boring worriness dancing across his head all cheered up from the conversation he had with the die hard blonde, arms at the back of his head and boots crossed. Watching above the glittering stars of the night skies, so beautiful and sparkly to his pupils.

"Ahhh... What a beautiful nightfall... No wars, criminals or intruding crooks around at bay... Just some all out peace at last...." Sighed the dual wielding lad, succumbed by the wonders of the brighten dots as well as the graceful moon. The decent opposite of daytime for every or less generations to witness, secondly to lay back and watch. Everything that the red violet ex maverick have said about peace is very true, no worries, miscreants or anything too risky for that matter. It is a cesspool of non violent freedom to swim about all the time without ever getting out. 

"I really miss Red... He's like the true father I never had, before going bonkers from those stupid case loaded with corny chips that changed him... Sigh.... But, his DNA will always be carried within my mimic enhancement... And in my memories too..." Tears have descended from his eyes, remembering of his foster father that caused him to grieve. However, as the new recruited hunter, he wiped them off by fist to get his spirit together. 

"*Sniff...* What am I sobbing for...? Big boys don't cry. They would stay valiant and kick the crap outta fear! Heck, I'm a brave man now, in fact, I'm a Maverick Hunter! Yeah! Those creeps are gonna be very sorry if they first took a gander of me!" Cheering himself up with self encouragement, he would practice his kicks into the middle of the garden, fantasizing of him shooting multiple enemies who are robbing banks, abusing civilians and more. Hearing the applause washing all over him, women admire his fearlessness by delicate smooches. It will be his wonderful dream come true. 

"Yeah.... That's right, ladies... Plenty of me to go around... He he he..." He imagines of himself surrounded by women giving him kisses by gently stroking his body all over. Until suddenly, a ringing has disturbed his daydreaming sequence. Must be an emergency or some sort. Or worse, he might have done anything disrespectful by switching the report papers. He then respond by the ear port.

"This is Axl."

"He he he he.... Hello there, Maverick Hunter Axl...." Then, a sudden deep voice has reached to him with a comely yet seductive vibe. 

"Who is this?! Where's Zero?!" Replied Axl, demanding for a certain answer. 

"There's no need to be angry, boy... I'm sure that he's perfectly safe with me... For now... He he he..." He replied. 

"You bastard!"

"Mmm... Aren't we fueled with anger? I like that in a boy~ Truly that I would admire a woman, but never mind them... For I already found someone right in front of me~"

"Found who!?"

"You~" 

What the young pistol user didn't really know, despite of a mysterious call, is that a dangerous "maverick" was quietly behind him the entire time. He have felt his chilling presence speaking to his ears until he jumped back from the "enemy". 

"What the?! Who are you?!"

"He he he... Haven't your precious red friend ever warned you about me~?"

"So you're that scary looking maverick jerk that he told me about!"

"Precisely~ But enough of the meaningless introductions~ I've come here to have fun with you~" Approaching the incubus themed reploid, making his way to the youthful ward of the hunters. 

"W...What are you doing?! Step off from me!" He quivered slightly, reversing himself from his opponent while trying to gulp his pride whole. "Y..You're suppose to seduce women, not men!"

"You're correct, my young plaything~ But...." He teleported for moment. Seeing as kind of a magic trick, the former member of Red Alert was infuriated by that. But, giving him a chance to draw out his trusty Axl Bullets just in case the malicious "intruder" reveals himself again.

"All right. This is it. Time to take out some maverick tr-" Then, something very impossible has happened to him. He was interrupted by the disappearing individual, now visible, by placing his clawed hand upon his innocent cheeks. Rubbing them for a quick second until the touch has intrigued his interests.

"Ohh yes~ Your flawless face is so passionate, along with your delicious figure~ So hot~" He examined, circling his palms very slowly. 

"H...Huh...?!" He frozed. 

"Not only do I desire for females, but in secret, I love males as well~ That's why I found you, little boy~ Now, how about a little privacy to shield ourselves from this world~?

"Are you insane?! Why would I wanna date a-" Stopped once more with a hungry kiss had made the adolescent reploid dropped his weapons. Defeated by something very consensual that he had never seen before.

"Mmmmph! Mmmph!" 

"Mmmmmm~ Just try to relax~ And let go of your unwanted fury you've kept for so long~" Repelled the goth colored vampire, staring at his leaf colored eyes to hypnotize him. 

"Mmmmm...." At last, he was fully compelled to the deadly spell that Zero mentioned earlier. He tried to fight it off, but it too late.

"Good boy~ Now, let's retreat into a secret place to have our little mission together~ Forever~" 

"Yes, master..." 

Teleporting both him, along with his mind controlled captive to a darker basement cell underneath the base to continue their "battle" in peace, they can finally have a much more privacy zone to make some love. Setting the youngling onto the bed gently while pinning him down softly, he began to sip his longing kiss once again into a seductive way. 

"Mmm~ Mmmmm~ God, your lips are very tasty, but yet beautiful~ I love it when it shines brightly than a diamond~" He was fascinated by his pure and polished lips. 

"Mmmm..." The future hunter would conduct the same while hugging around his master's neck, giving into the lip mashing. Connecting both of their armored bodies with approach to began the intensive grinding. Gripped tightly of their embrace to never release each other or to be separated. Finally alone together, into the dark underground area filled with nothing but lights which will be activated automatically by clapping. But it's probably best to have them off for a special night just for two. 

Their anatomy would polish one another into a normal pace, meeting face to face. Or perhaps chest to chest. Jointed into a pleasurable condition as the demonic ice maverick tilted his head towards the thinly neck of the rambunctious prototype, running up and down of his snake like tongue to please him. 

"U...Unh~..." 

"He he he... You like that~? How about this~?" He downward his tongue a little further, all over his body, and mostly, his little private briefs. 

"Unh... Unh....!" The flustered expression has appeared in his face. 

"That's it, little man~ Let it all out~" 

"Unh.... Unh... Unh.... Oh man.... It's so good... Unh..."

He continued to taste more of the youthful newbie, onto the legs, even the chest and mouth. Then returns for a thirsty tongue on tongue action to juice up the peacefully mood. 

"Mmmph...." Moaned the pea shooting individual.

"Mmmmm~"

Their tongues were performing a tango during a kiss. Enjoying a perfectly evening at meek for a desirable dance. Dipping one of them after a dazzling twirl. Outside, the incubus would place his clawed hand upon the dual wielding lad's cute little buttocks for a casual spanking. 

"Ahh....!"

"Well, you have been a very naughty boy, Axl~" He said playfully, gripping it very hungrily.

"Ahh...! Yes, I'm a very bad boy, master..." He moaned again, but with an enjoyable act. 

"You know what happens to bad little boys~? They deserved a good spanking~" 

He then gives him a very good slap to the ass, not too hard but lightly. Patting it like a beloved pet.

"Mmm... More master..." Begged Axl. 

"That's more like it~ Yes, you may have another~" He rapidly punishes the tiny little rump. Just to give him more. 

This was his first special mission he had with the shadowed themed hunter unlike any kind. Thrilling and exciting for a boat load of duels awaiting for his call when it comes to danger. He asked for something dangerous, now it arrives to him and was purposely delivered. Endlessly lingering by his ice user's grasp, but an a lustful way. Flushing away his tired boredom along with the annoyed whining down the toilet for good. For the new memories of his new friends have replaced the previous one from his mind, straighteningly stored to inherit it forever. 

And finally, the true feud shall finally commenced. 

"Now then~ Are you ready~?" Questioned the winged hunter.

"Ready when you are, master." He replied, lending his neck closely to him with his dipped head. 

"Yeeeeeesssss~ I'm going to enjoy this more like I admire you~" He grinned, revealing his white diamond fangs for a scrumptious dinner. Axl was a little nervous, but not afraid to allow his mentor to seduce his sexy neck. Hissing very quietly with a purr, he gently bit it, inserting his fangs into the synthetic flesh. 

"A...Ahhh...."

"Mmmmm~" 

Like any other vampire whose patiently desperate for blood in order to survive, he is interest into necks. One of his favorite sexual parts of the body that will never cease to amaze him by the slightest. It really inspired his needs even more than talon his enemies with one strike. Plus, he even dreams in his slumber. And now, he finally had a chance to permanently suck on the thin yet strongly part of the new gen teenager. 

"Mmmmmmmm~ So sexy~" He moaned comely, wiggling the tongue to clean off the blood from the marks on his disciple's neck. 

"Ahhh..." He moaned yet again, puffing out a warm steam from his mouth. Enjoying his solo mission to the fullest than just lounging around at his post. 

"Mmm~ Your blood is so hyper and sweet~ I really appreciate it so much, Axl~" Licked the unknown maverick, who later showed his true identity by removing his helmet. The rookie gunner gasped, knowing it was...

"Zero!?"

"Hey, kiddo~ Liking your new mission~?" Said the pale blonde upperclassmen. The plot twist has shocked the scarred youth. 

"You're the unnamed maverick?!"

"That's right~ Just giving you a new lesson when this is all over~"

"No freaking way! I...I'm really sorry for kissing like that! It's not like me at all! I..." He was silenced by his friend's deep smooch as his forgiveness for the accident that occurred from the start. 

"Heh. Don't worry about it, you cute little runt~ Accidents happen sometimes when you're new~ So there's no need to get all apologetic about it~" 

"Well... You're right, Zero. Thanks for understanding." He cheered up.

"So~ Ready to continue our little private mission together, partner?"

"You know it, boss~"

And so, two hunters have resume their reconnaissance by kissing into the lips once more, making out in peace with the saber wielding senior's wings folded across them for a more comfortable terms. 

"Oh Zero~"

"Axl~"

"Zero~...." 

"Axl~....."

"Zero~...." He whispered.

"Axl~...." Same with the black crimson blond.

Tranquillity has comfort the town of Abel City during the return, free from the dreaded master and his army of mavericks pillaging amok by trying to scare humanity from the face of existence, all dealt with by the fearless Maverick Hunters. And not to mention Axl as well, the third hero that the world will look up to and will always count on. He may have lack immaturity unlike X and Zero, but has the potential will for caring about his trustworthy friends and saving everyone from certain devastation invading the earth. But for now, all is peace once again. And their thinks belong to the true hero for his bravery to protect mankind at all cost and his pure of heart. Thank you, Maverick Hunter Axl, for your limitless generosity and protection of all humans and reploids living in equality, as well as in harmony. 

The End

[delicrieux]

pairing: kane x f!mc

fandom: playchoices, the elementalists

summary: she joins him.

warnings: uh… age gap i guess??

words: 2.8k (and i oop-)

author’s note: i thanos snapped. so a lot of people wanted to join kane so im giving that chance now with a dash of good old fashioned manipulation and sum romance. is kane still the villain? oh yea. does he actually like the mc?? up to you. i left this on a very pb like dramatic cliffhanger. will most likely not have a continuation unless TE disappoints me again lol ALSO! i recommend reading foreverland first.

tags: @tilliesmarshall - @somegdchoices - @lastfirstcupcake - @peach-space -@magicpijama - @zodiacsign1

feedback is always appreciated xoxo

masterlist | buy me coffee☕

Weeks passed and there was no word of him, not a hushed whisper in the night, or even a gentle caress of spring wind in the morning. He had faded into smoke, melted into the world, into everything and nothing, and she couldn’t feel his presence and it frightened her more than she could admit. Her friends talked and joked and even Atlas came around to the idea of their mother – it is no doubt due to (Name)’s perseverance and exuberant energy – and her grades were up and all was just so swell except that he was missing. She knew she warned him against writing; she knew that showing himself would be terribly stupid. Yet she still expected him to just pop out from a corner one day and swoop her into his arms while they laughed and the whole world was nothing but chaos around them. That didn’t happen.

Nothing happened. She began to wonder was their encounter that night even real.

And then one morning she awoke early, too early, in a perplexed dream state that urged her to leave the dorm. The sun was rising, golden-orange and pretty, and her room was glowing in gentle spring colours, warm, soft, the contours of it blurry, misty even. In clumsy, sleepy steps and rubbing her eyes she stalked to her door, opening it, intending to get a glass of water, though as she stepped through the threshold a deep, inky darkness greeted her, and tiles were replaced by tall tickling grass and the night held two alien moons in it. The air was fresh and a breeze danced around her unruly, playful, familiar, though seemingly ancient. She stood at the foot of a hill, a faraway figure sitting at the very top watching the stars. (Name)’s heart jumped to her throat and she climbed closer, though she was slow and heavy as if someone was forcing her away.

But in the twin moonlight she saw the stranger’s face. Disbelieve washed over her like a freezing wave of seawater.  The woman resembled her and Atlas, her eyes, melancholic and dazed, gazed somewhere beyond this world. She did not see (Name) standing just ways below and her lips moved softly, her voice carried by the wind, “You absolute fool, wayward.” Her voice struck cord within (Name), “I cannot believe you would…do such terrible things. I almost do not want to believe them.” Theia tilted her head down to the earth she sat on, her gaze forlorn and her hand moving to touch the grass, “I almost don’t, old friend. “ A ghost of a smile played on her lips for the briefest moment before her face scrunched into worry, “I was going to tell you. Someday. I figured I had all the time in the world to do so, but I suppose that I…” She trailed off, “I saw…I know…I…One day you will meet two very beautiful and capable women. A day far far away from now. I don’t know how, or why, or if my visions are true, but you will. And once you do I want you to remember this. And I want you to promise me that you will do everything in your power to protect them. To never hurt them. And to bring them back to me.”

The wind blew past, ruffling her hair, as if in response to her request. Teary eyed she smiled, and her smile could have rivalled that of the sun, “You are the last person I should trust with this, Hurricane. But you are the only one I do.”

(Name) blinked and she found herself in her dorm, standing still by the couches, the clock ticking in her ears. She looked around, heart hammering in her chest, sweat collecting on her forehead, yet there was nothing that resembled her dream. Her mother’s face lingered in memory before it too became a ghastly blur. Just her voice, bell like and endlessly pleasant, foretold of …what? A prophecy? It was a silly thing to believe, but did she have a choice in the matter? She decided to tell Atlas once the girl awakes.

But something kept her from opening her mouth. At breakfast she stole glances at her sister, and she appeared as indifferent as she always did. And as their group was leaving, the last group to exit, and her friends continued onwards while she glanced back behind her, confusion making her frown. In her seat sat a letter which’s parchment she could not mistake for anyone else’s. She smiled with an exhale of bated breath, quickly exclaiming how she forgot something and rushed back before the doors closed. It sounded fake to her the reasoning. But no one suspected anything. Not now, nor when she came back from foreverland, either.

She hid the letter in her room and hid it well and continued her day as if nothing happened.

All went wrong in evening.

(Name) pales at the sight – Shreya stands tall and angry, her hands grasping Kane’s letter, eyes set ablaze from hate. She holds the letter up and (Name)’s eyes follow it, “Tell me this isn’t what I think it is.” Her voice is of contained anger, hot and harsh. (Name)’s expression must betray her because Shreya drops the letter onto the coffee table bitterly, crosses her arms over her chest, “I knew it.” She states, “I knew there was something wrong. I knew it since you came back from ‘clearing your head’. I knew you were hiding something, but this…” She shakes her head, momentarily struck by sadness, “I thought we’re friends. I thought you trust us…Clearly, I was wrong.”

“Shreya—“

“I get it. You know, I get it. He’s charming. And powerful. And yeah, he could use a makeover or ten, but I get the appeal.” She continues as if not hearing her name being called, “But he’s dangerous. And he’s vile and wicked and he is using you.”

(Name) holds her hands up in defence, successfully shushing her worried friend, “It looks really bad, I’m aware. But please listen to me. He’s really…not what you think he is.” Her eyes travel to the letter, a small, fond smile slipping on her lips as she takes a seat on the couch. Shreya continues to watch her, “He’s silly. And he likes to laugh. And he tells me the truth. He is the only one that tells me the truth.”

“He is manipulating you, you absolute dumbass.” Shreya cries in frustration, plopping down next to her, grabbing the letter and waving it in front of her eyes, “He is trying to turn you against us. Did you forget that he invaded the school? Nearly choked our professors? Hurt Atlas? Did he magickally forget to explain himself for all of that, or did you wilfully chose to ignore it?”

“He made a mistake. I know. But it’s different for him. Shreya he is…not of this world. Alma isn’t, either. You think she would think twice about enabling someone if they got in her way? They are something different all together. They see the world differently. They see the bigger picture.”

“Then don’t involve yourself with them. Either of them. They both give me the creeps.” She adds, more to herself.

“All Alma has done is frighten us. She forbade me to learn illusionary magick and she made me practice Blood magick in order to save Atlas because she almost killed her.” (Name) catches Shreya’s gaze, locks it fiercely.

“But Kane isn’t a valid option.” Shreya’s hands land on (Name)’s, squeezing softly, her eyes struck with worry, “I’ve seen that look before. You used to look at…” She whispers a name, near breathless, glancing away, “…the same way. And I’m not stupid. I know this runs deeper than friendship.”

“I…” (Name)’s voice dies in her throat, her odd dream resurfacing, “I think we…I think we were meant to meet.”

She tells Shreya of the morning she awoke to find herself trapped within a memory. Of how she saw her mother perched atop of the hill, telling stories of times that were and times that will be. All the while Shreya listened saying nothing. Her eyes were guarded and anxious and she had trouble believing it was not just another trick meant to weaken (Name). Alas, she caved in with a sigh and shoved the letter into (Name)’s hands.

“Open it.” She mutters and notes how (Name) smiles gratefully at her, fingers working quickly to peel off the wax. Shreya watches over the girl’s shoulder before she falls back into the couch, disappointed. (Name) glances at her, “Can’t read it. The letters swim.” She comments bitterly.

“Oh…” is all (Name) utters dumbly, “Guess he was serious when he said he doesn’t like sharing.”

“What?!”

-*-

The game of Thief was going great, as great as it can go faced with such a competent albeit pompous foe. One second the world was ablaze and she was having trouble breathing, ash dyeing her skin grey, as Griffin shouted commands, Zeph laughed somewhere hidden, the enemy team’s flag safe in her grasp. But then the scenery morphed and momentarily she was short of breath; the fire and the scorching air turned damp and cool and gravel stuck to her skin.

The sky is dark here, where ever this is, and she quickly jumps on her feet, on guard, ready to defend or attack – depends on what kind of game the Frost King deems necessary to play. But something is…off. She turns around and the fields sway from wind like sea at midnight. The road to nowhere continues onward into ambiguity, swallowed by fog. Though in her line of vision she sees a silhouette, one that approaches in a lazy step and she already knows who it is. Kane emerges from the mist like a wayward God, powerful and breath-taking. For a heartbeat she thinks it is an illusion; twisted, sinister, made to confuse her and she tightens her hold on the flags. But then an idea dawns onto her: she knows of no one perfect at illusionary magick from the Gildegraive’s team, nor should they know of who Kane is. She exhales unevenly, her heart jumping to her throat from excitement.

She is, despite the misconception, not an idiot. He would not pluck her from a game, even if he desired to see her so desperately, and the look in his eyes – violet, gem-esque, so pretty – betrays of something, though what she only has a hunch of. She knows why she is here and strangely enough she does not mind, “You need it.” She says before he can open his mouth. “The Sun Crystal.”

Normally he is easier to read, or perhaps he built that image for her, though now she is unable to know what he is thinking. Perhaps it is her new found taste for the finer, grander things, or the ever present want for a bit of mischief, or maybe she finally realises just how powerful she is, but she gives him a smile, feathery and genuine, “I’ll get it.” She says in a sing like tone, making him freeze, “I’ll get the Sun Crystal for you. That’s why I’m here, aren’t I? You didn’t even send an invitation.” She wags her finger at him, “Tsk-tsk-tsk. Naughty.”

To her relief he laughs, “You are too clever for your own good, (Name).” When he composes himself, a proud smile curls on his lips and he motions for her to approach him, which in a spring, quick step she does, “Though I must admit, I figured we are past proper invitations.” She falls into his embrace, and he hugs her tightly, “That would be…entirely too predictable, no?”

She tilts her head upwards, locks his gaze with her own, “If you think I will ask you to take me out to the movies, you are entirely mistaken.” She leans in, captures his lips in a teasing kiss, “That would be no fun.”

“No, no fun at all.”

“They will know I disappeared, though.” She lectures as they break apart, which she is not entirely fond of, “You picked a terrible time.”

He hooks a loose strand of hair over her ear, pinching her chin playfully, “You are the master of illusions now. Or have you not been practicing? Tsk-tsk-tsk. Naughty.” Her cheeks flare up with heat, and her throat shakes, mind drawing blank. She glares at him and he laughs again, with his arm motioning to the vast fields, “All yours, my dear.”

She has doubted herself many times. She has questioned her choices, though all of that seemed to change quite a while ago. While she can’t pin point when did this confidence started to grow within her, she feels none of her previous dark thoughts clouding her mind. With a steady breath she locates her magick – the sun, so foreign in this bleak, eerie place – and it glows within her, seeps through her skin, smells like flowers and pollen mixing with light summer breeze. Her eyes close and she concentrates, imagines herself, her every quirk, every awkward smile, every languid movement. And when she opens her eyes again, a mirror image of her stands just ways away, the resemblance uncanny and if not for the blank look trapped within her eyes (Name) would think that Atlas jumped into this world wearing a different hairdo.

(Name) looks at Kane, who regards her clone mildly impressed, seizes her up and down for any errors. (Name) smacks his chest; he raises a brow, “…Jealous?” He asks amused.

“In your dreams, Hurricane.” She misses the slight narrow of his eyes at the nickname, now focusing back on the illusion, “Can you…send her-me-…it back?” Her simulacrum is gone with a snap of his fingers. She turns to him, frowning as he watches her with an inquisitive gaze, “What?”

“Why did you call me that?”

All the tension in the air seems to dissipate and she feels a bit like her old self again, energetic and giddy, “Oh! Well, about that, I actually had this really weird dream about my mom and stuff and she was calling you all sorts of names like Wayward and Hurricane and I guess it just slipped my mind is all.” She explains in one breath making him snort. She stops to catch her breath, now thoughtful, “She also mentioned that…she knew you were going to meet me. And Atlas. Us both.”

“Ah.” He nods in agreement, his arm snaking around her waist and pulling her closer, “I do recall Theia and her prophecies. Most of them were laughably untrue. Though…This one…Always had the feeling it was destined to happen.” He finishes in a lower, honey-coated tone.

“Then…does that mean--?”

“Yes. We are unavoidable.”

This time he kisses her and her eyes shut obediently, overtaken by his raw desire and the scorching heat of his touch. The world goes in vertigo; the air contorts from cold to warm and fragrant; instead of harsh gravel she feels feather-soft sheets tickle her skin pleasantly, his weight resting atop her. Her hands run in his hair and his hat yet again helplessly falls off, forgotten somewhere by the foot of the bed in this unfamiliar, dream-esque place. His lips roam to the side of her jaw, then her neck, and her eyes snap open as her whole body tingles. The ceiling spins and bites her tongue when he finds a particularly sensitive spot. She can feel him smile, enjoying this perhaps too much. Her fingers tug on his locks and he releases a sound that is low and dangerous and boundlessly delicious.

“The game will end soon.” She reminds, breathless, alluring, arching into his touch like a helpless flower. He merely hums against her skin, not too interested, “Do you want the crystal or not?” She wonders aloud, if only to tease him.

“I want you.”

He halts his movements suddenly, and fear stills her beating heart: had he taken her taunting seriously? She almost wants to whine, but when he finds her gaze his eyes twinkle with mirth, “Alas, you are a terrible tease.” He whispers, his lips grazing the side of her cheek, “Don’t take too long.”

She is plunged yet again as if into water, and her body goes in shivers once she finds herself back at Perderghast, terribly confused and undeniably hot. Irritation picks at the back of her throat in bitterness, yet time is of the essence, and he always was impulsive. She falls into step, at first somewhat slow and then picks up pace, lastly rushing to the Sun-Att classroom with a wicked grin. She wonders if her friends had figured out that the one occupying her spot is nothing but an illusion, or had it already melted? Will they be angry? Will they laugh? She would laugh. Then again, she had acquired a bizarre sense of humour recently.

She reaches the classroom and throws the door open, stumbling in and shielding her eyes from the blinding light. Her smile is immediately wiped from her face.

“Alma?” She questions, uncertain at first, her eyes narrowing with suspicion at the looming figure of the Blood Source watching (Name) with a displeased, ruthless look, “What are you doing here?”

thank you for reading! xx

[soveryanon]

Reviewing time for MAG144!

- I’m… really fond of the statement’s atmosphere, and Martin’s reading of it: he did emphasise a few words right at the beginning, giving them more heaviness, bloating them and completely installing the crushing dragging feeling of decay/dullness/spleen/boredom and degradation.

(And then: nervous laughter about the fact that OOOOOOOOOOOOOPS, the statement itself might have reminded Martin of some elements of his own personal life, uh. Caring for a sick (unsupportive) parent, getting stuck in a situation with them but worrying anyway (+ Gary Boylan feared that he would become his father and… well, We Know That Martin Looks Like His Dad), until the parent died on them while they were getting involved with Spooks.)

- So. There was a big emphasis, in the statement, about the code itself, and the fact that what lay behind was the actually horrifying things… but there was still a “message” and things actually struck when Gary Boyle understood it.

(MAG144, Gary Boylan) “I didn’t return to the pylon for a long time, except to confirm that the numbers weren’t changing between days. I had them though, and the numbers were all that mattered. I didn’t know why. I’m sure there wasn’t a reason, not really, but… I knew it was in there…! Realistically, it would be impossible to decode it without whatever key the cipher might have been using – and honestly, for the longest time, it seemed to be. I did as much reading as I could on cryptography, and codebreaking, and all of it seemed to point me towards one simple conclusion: breaking this code by myself was… simply impossible. But I still tried. I spent weeks in my room, desperately applying every method I had available. Nothing worked. But I didn’t stop. The alternative was looking after my dad, whose recent breathing issues had left him more ratty than ever. So, I worked myself into exhaustion instead, staring at those meaningless strings of numbers until I almost collapsed, and my eyes couldn’t focus on anything. And that was when I realised: it wasn’t the numbers. It wasn’t the code. It’s what was behind the numbers, shifting, and waiting, and–and coming towards me like a tidal wave – and I knew what the message was, the urgent and terrible message. About the destruction that was coming on the heels of mankind; about the cold and cruel warmongers who play their games of code, and conspiracy, hidden behind the endless streams of numbers. And within those numbers are all of our dooms. If you know how to read them. And I read them. I read them all, and saw the doom of everyone who lives, and breathes, and hopes for life and happiness. There are terrible things coming. Things that if we knew of them, would leave us weak, and trembling, with shuddering terror at the knowledge that they are coming for all of us. We all made them, and their course is already plotted. You can see them in the numbers. If you’d only learn how to read them.”

I wonder: did Gary himself power The Extinction (or whatever it is) with his own fears? Because it’s when he understood that a disaster was meant to happen that it… happened. If he had just carried on with his life, would it have happened? Or was everything set into motion because he heard the words and spiralled into dread/doom?

Because… if the code was, in the end, relevant and important… I’m kind of super-glad that MARTIN read this statement; and there is someone who should probably not read it ever. Because, who is canonically good at breaking down codes (probably through insta-translating Beholding abilities)…?

(MAG126) ARCHIVIST: … I remembered Gertrude’s notebook; we found it alongside the plastic explosives, but it rather got lost amongst the business of… [SIGH] saving the world at the cost of two lives… It… it’s borderline incomprehensible, not because of any code or cypher – there’s every chance I could read those; just simply because… most of it is… numbers or fragments of sentences that would no doubt mean something to her, but… well, not to me.

… Like, OOPS. I’m not sure it was a coincidence.

(…………. And if Martin read the numbers himself… will he be okay. Or is he unleashing… something, without being aware of it, too.)

- Aaaand we live in such a fandom that someone had already managed to decode the thing in half a day! The numbers:

593756 3058392846 4749 162830165049 564846474827

Actually formed the message “The World Is Always Ending”. Indeed less… personal than The End, here. (But the message itself is kind of… comforting? I mean, it’s like life overall: you know something is living because it’s heading towards its death. Of course the World/the Earth isn’t supposed to be permanent…? Or is it linked to the consciousness that we’re accelerating its decay, or that it absolutely disappearing would mean making things disappear as concepts, too – nobody, nothing, to remember anything, that anyone ever existed in the first place…?)

(- Amusingly, I did think of Beholding with Gary’s whole… stance:

(MAG144, Gary Boylan) “There was nothing to be done, nowhere to go – just watch, and wait, and think about the decay of it all.

And the fact that his main activity was to listen to the numbers. He kind of checked all three points of the Institute’s motto?

And why did he give his statement? It’s not always the case but, pretty often, statement-givers do explain why they wanted to share their stories – because they were seeking help, or pursued, or feared that they were suffering from hallucinations, etc. Here, it was as a… non-personal warning? But he spread the numbers and that doesn’t sound very good…)

- Gary did warn about the Danger of knowing (because it doesn’t help) but. But Beholding’s shtick is apparently also to cannibalise other Fears a bit by Knowing about them:

(MAG144, Gary Boylan) “There are terrible things coming. Things that if we knew of them, would leave us weak, and trembling, with shuddering terror at the knowledge that they are coming for all of us. We all made them, and their course is already plotted.”

(MAG032, Jane Prentiss) “There is no right word because for all your Institute and ignorance may laud the power of the word, it cannot even stretch to fully capture what I feel in my bones. What possible recourse could there be for me in your books and files and libraries except more useless ink and dying letters? I see now why The Hive hates you. You can see it and log it and note its every detail but you can never understand it. You rob it of its fear even though your weak words have no right to do so.”

Is that why Peter needed a Beholding-touched person? Because Beholding could understand the new fear and depower it a bit…?

- I did my usual relisten of “Binary”, since we got new information about The Extinction, and I’m still at a loss for that one and not… really feeling that it fits The Extinction? It feels more personal, more… people-oriented than concerning a community/the world? Or was the “message” of that one in the symbols appearing on Tessa’s computer and/or about the danger of Sergei’s fate possibly happening to others…? In Jon’s dreams, she’s seen typing furiously, trying to “fight” against the computer:

(MAG120) ELIAS: The Archivist waits, expecting to awaken, but there is nowhere for him to awaken to; no avenue of escape from these dreams. He turns to see the familiar screen, the familiar woman beneath it. She looks up at him with an expression of recognition and weary dread. She types, and types, and types her fingers a blur, flying across the keyboard, and yet never fast enough to outrun the relentless words that flow like dark water across the screen that stretches off into the sky. “It hurts.” She is shaking her head, defiant in her well-worn terror, and tries with every corner of her will to force back the rolling tide of words. “It hurts.”

Tessa’s reasoning about how a human brain isn’t made to fit in a computer, and that analog and digital operate differently, could fit The Extinction… but not the spooks she experienced herself, I feel? Was that just plain old regular Spiral, or something Web/Beholding, or The End? Or was it truly Extinction/the same larger fear that encompasses it?

- If we take “Binary” into account, there has been an acceleration of the manifestation of the Extinction through time:

* End of 1867: Garland Hillier disappears after a last publication, “Les Héritiers”, the same year Robert Smirke died (MAG134). [* 1983: According to the urban legend, Sergei Ushanka, who was dying, tried to upload his mind into a computer (MAG065).] * Some time before late 2005 (which is when Adelard Dekker heard about her): Bernadette Delcour entered Garland Hillier’s flat and witnessed the world of the Inheritors before managing to get out – Adelard suspects that she might have disappeared too, by January 2006 (MAG134). * In August 2009: Gary Boylan heard the “Numbers” track near a pylon somewhere in the English countryside; his father and neighbour were eradicated (MAG144). * Around 2012: Adelard didn’t think that The Extinction had begun to take Avatars yet (MAG113). [* Before January 7th 2017: Tessa Winters downloaded a program named “ushankasdespair.exe”, which forced her to watch him swallow his computer for 17 hours (MAG065).]

So, indeed giving the feeling that… something is getting closer and closer.

- Something that MAG134 and MAG144 have in common: the fact that the manifestations were linked to a form of communication (Garland’s diary and overall works, the numbers heard by Gary), in specific places (Garland’s flat, the pylon in Gary’s countryside), places that were specifically described as… frozen in time / unmoving compared to the world around them:

(MAG134, Adelard Dekker) “On the fifth floor of an apartment building on the rue Lagarde, near the Panthéon, some construction workers had uncovered a door, that had at some point in the past been completely plastered over. Removing the covering and breaking through the old wood revealed another apartment, one apparently unnoticed by any of the other residents, or indeed the owners of those sections of the building, each of which had assumed the space was owned by one of the others, and connected to a different part. As far as anyone was able to determine, the apartment had been sitting there, sealed and undisturbed, for almost a hundred and fifty years. It was untouched, pristine, with barely a thin layer of fine dust coating the possessions and belongings that had stayed there for so long. […] The place felt strange, she told me. Like a tiny pocket of another time. A bubble, where the world had never changed. And stepping inside, she almost felt like she would never change either. Even the light that came through the window seemed to be of a different quality, muted and gentle. The street chatter of Paris, which usually reaches all but the most remote of windows, seemed to vanish entirely. There was a sense of peace to it all, shot through with a strand of disquiet – a wrongness, she told me she could not identify, but she could almost smell it. […] Every single shrivelled ashened face was contorted in a scream of agony, every sharp and jutting jaw cracked and twisted in an expression of horror – of understanding not just of their death, but the end of everything they knew. It was clear that they had been this way for years, if not decades. Bernadette says she was sure that nothing had moved in that dead city for a hundred years.”

(MAG144, Gary Boylan) “Something kept me rooted there, sleeping in a bedroom that hadn’t changed since I was fifteen, and caring for a man who I’d rather just shut up…! [SIGH] We were both… trapped there, I think. Bound together in a sort of wordless misery. I would look at him, and see a grim sort of destiny for myself: trapped here, until I became him – any future I might have had, sacrificed to his. […] That summer seemed to drag on forever. The boredom and irritation of trying to care for my dad was only heightened by the weather, and we were both feeling it. Just didn’t have anything to do…! I don’t… really want to go into my living situation here, but it’s enough to say I wasn’t working a regular job and, while I could theoretically contact my old mates, they’d all got on with their lives without me. The world had moved on. … I was left behind.”

Places/people that feel like they can’t change or move forwards, while everything else does. (And we’ve had so many talks about people “changing” this season… Mmmmm…)

Note to self that with the beginning of the statement, I did wonder if it wasn’t Something Lonely – we were dealing with isolated places, the statement-giver was spending a lot of time alone and wasn’t… really connected to anybody, there was “the huge metal skeleton of an old disconnected power pylon” in the background – pylon which turned out to be the place where the numbers could be heard… So, mmmm… Why is Peter, avatar of The Lonely, specifically so invested in stopping that newcomer…?

- Outside of the RQ-extended-universe crossover inside-joke about “DOOOM”, I feel like Gary Boylan’s use of the word might be especially relevant because… he specifically differentiated it from “dread”.

(MAG144, Gary Boylan) “Do you know that one of the symptoms of a heart attack is literally a sense of impending doom? [INHALE] Well, I wasn’t having a heart attack, but I think I know what they mean…! What settled over me wasn’t dread; there wasn’t enough uncertainty for that. No. It was… doom. I was certain that some sort of disaster was on the horizon. […] And within those numbers are all of our dooms. If you know how to read them.”

… and “dread” was the word that Robert Smirke personally used to refer to the Fears:

(MAG138, Robert Smirke) “I have been blessed with a long life, something few who crossed paths with the Dread Powers can boast, but now… at the end of it, my true fear is that I have wasted it, chasing an impossible dream. […] I have been thinking, of late, about the first origin of the Dread Powers, if… such beings can really be said to have true origins. Are they eternal, or are they created from our own fear, by some grand accident – or, worse: some grand design? I believe the latter to be the case, as you well know, for I have in vain struggled to reconcile their creation with the existence of a Loving God.”

It's possible that Smirke’s vocabulary was… too restrictive, but I do wonder if… in context, it isn’t hinting that The Extinction-or-whatever-it-is isn’t actually a Fifteenth Fear, but something operating too differently from the others…?

- I’ll never get tired of Martin’s… little troubles when introducing statements – it never goes smoothly, he marks small pauses, has troubles reading the numbers, etc., compared to Jon’s… seamless professional voice (… except when some of his emotions are showing: sometimes impatience, sometimes… listen, when he introduced the statement in MAG129? He was still brooding SO MUCH after the disaster of a conversation he had had with Martin shortly before). In the same way, I… love how Martin’s own speculation is so awkward and potentially off the mark afterwards? Reminder that Martin barely remembered the name “Maxwell Rayner” in MAG098, and he sounded SO PROUD in MAG110 when he was able to guess that The Spooky Book Mentioned Had Probably Been A Leitner (“I mean… I think it sounds like a Jurgen Leitner book. About spiders. Hm.” mARTIN that was an easy guess… x””D); and in the same way, his conclusions in MAG138 were… a bit awkward compared to the content of the statement:

(MAG134) MARTIN: Anyway. Smirke was clearly wrong about the powers balancing each other, at least. I mean, i–it’s, [SHORT LAUGHTER] it’s obviously impossible. There’s too much variation in, in how much something is feared by people at any one time. And, and if that’s the case, I… suppose it’s… not impossible that Peter… [LONG PAUSE] might be telling the truth. I don’t know what he’s talking about when he mentions Millbank. The old prison, I guess? Tim said the tunnels under the Institute were all that was left of it, but… Jon said he’d checked them pretty thoroughly. 

(M… Martin, what “other Millbank” do you think it could be, given the discussions/researches in the Archives………………….) To his credit, he was trying to guess why Peter had given him this statement, so he had a certain Way Of Looking At Things, but. Still. Smirke’s statement wasn’t really about the “variations” of how people experience fear(s)…? And in the same way:

(MAG144) MARTIN: Statement ends. [CLEARS THROAT] [INHALE, EXHALE] … Right. Another… statement. Another side to… Peter’s “Extinction”. I think. I… Y– I– [HUFF] I, I couldn’t follow some of his reasoning, but I think it was about… nuclear weapons, or… or maybe doomsday’s weapons…? In keeping with the theme, I suppose.

Martin miiight be paying too much attention to concreteness and things he Already Knows, and failing hard to essentialise and theorise…? Obviously, yes, the symptoms evoke the destruction caused by nuclear weapons, both in MAG134 and MAG144 (destruction, corpses melting/being absolutely blasted), but the Fear itself… is something broader, probably? (So: is he accidentally absolutely spot-on? Or totally off the mark, and the fact that he went with “nuclear weapons” mean it isn’t this, at all?)

- ;; It has been a constant in season 4 when we have Martin’s statements and Jon’s statements: they… would both progress much better if they had access to each other’s statement.

MAG134’s (Smirke’s letter to Jonah) would have helped Jon to define a bit more Jonah’s whole character, after MAG127, and potentially retrace what happened to him – Jon labelled him as already “evil” in the 1830s, but turned out that he had apparently taken a step back, before falling deeper into Beholding shortly before 1867, apparently because he was afraid to die (… does that remind you of something, Jon?). Plus, indication towards the Watcher’s Crown. Meanwhile, Jon… learned that Adelard had helped Gertrude to stop The Flesh’s ritual in 2008, and could have pointed out a few old statements: MAG078 where Adelard tried to trap the Not!Them with the table and, more importantly, MAG113 where Adelard mistook an End avatar for an Extinction thing (… and we’re still not sure What The Heck  “Binary” was, but Jon could have pointed to MAG065… in case Tessa’s experience was related). And Jon could maybe just Know a few things, and help overall.

But they don’t communicate, they’re in their own bubbles, and information isn’t getting shared right now. (Though Martin was planning to communicate his tapes to Jon… MAG138, especially, could be helpful to deal with the Institute on its own…)

- I love Jon’s reading, alright, and I love Martin’s too for different reasons. He tends to put more emphasis in words, bloating some here and there? He gets so nasal sometimes? So casually sassy? Jon often has an edge, but Martin… Martin feels Less Charitable in his delivery and I love it. AND I ESPECIALLY LOVED:

(MAG144, Gary Boylan) “Something kept me rooted there, sleeping in a bedroom that hadn’t changed since I was fifteen, and caring for a man who I’d rather just shut up…!”

That. That “Shut up!” was so Beautiful And Martin.

- I’M SO EMOTIONAL OVER THE FACT THAT DAISY AND MARTIN ARE BECOMING KINDA FRIENDS WITH MAG142 AND MAG144… and then kinda nop. But the fact that Daisy was comfortable enough to come back, to share with Jon that she had talked with Martin, and that she wanted to give information about him (/them) to Martin in return… ;w;

(MAG144) [KNOCK. KNOCK. KNOCK.] MARTIN: [SHORT SHAKY INHALE] [SILENCE] [KNOCK–KNOCK–KNOCK] MARTIN: [RUFFLING PAPER] Come in. [DOOR OPENS.] DAISY: Mind if I join you? [SCRIBBLING SOUNDS START.] [DOOR CLOSES] DAISY: They’re back. I thought you might wanna know. [INHALE] Seems like it went smooth – too smooth for Basira, sounds like. Keeps looking at Jon like she can’t believe he made it back. [SILENCE] I, uh… I mentioned our conversation to him; he asked me to check on– MARTIN: Just leave. DAISY: Sorry? MARTIN: [INHALE] Get out. DAISY: Oh. Right. Sorry, I didn’t– MARTIN: It’s not difficult! Just get out! DAISY: Fine. … Fine. Just thought you– MARTIN: No! No, you didn’t! [DOOR OPENS.] We’re not… we’re not friends, Daisy! None of us are! We’re all just trapped together, here, and–and kidding ourselves that we don’t hate it! Christ, there are more important things than, than “feelings”– DAISY: [INCREDULOUS EXHALE] MARTIN: –right now, alright, so just… leave me alone! For good! [SILENCE PUNCTUATED BY AGGRESSIVE SCRIBBLING NOISES] DAISY: … Right. You got it. [DOOR CLOSES]

The things Martin said… were very reminiscent of Tim’s own reasoning (and the overall idea that Tim… did feel trapped, and insisted on it, and was adamant about reminding everyone of that fact):

(MAG079) TIM: There is something in this place, and it’s messing up our heads. It watches us all the time. It stops me quitting. I’m pretty sure it would stop Elias firing Jon even if he decided to actually try running this place for once. MARTIN: You’re sure you don’t just want to stay? TIM: I’m. sure. MARTIN: But, like, deep down– TIM: No. MARTIN: … Oh. […] TIM: I… I’m not just going to leave you down here. MARTIN: You were all about quitting. TIM: Oh, for God’s sake, this isn’t about you. MARTIN: It never is. TIM: Alright, fine. Fine. What do you want? What’s your light at the end of these spooky damn tunnels? And don’t say “everyone happy forever”, because that’s not happening. … Well? MARTIN: I don’t know. I don’t know! I want to find out what’s going on. I want to save Jon. I want everyone to be fine and, you know what? If we were all happy that wouldn’t actually be the end of the world!

(MAG102) ARCHIVIST: Does the rest of the Institute know what’s going on down here? I mean, I never really paid attention, but… MARTIN: N–not really? I think? I mean, Tim’s been going on about it to anyone who listens, but I think they just… think he’s had a bit of a breakdown. ARCHIVIST: Well, I mean… MARTIN: I mean, they can quit.

And it also was a bit reminiscent of Gary Boylan’s own situation in his statement (MAG144: “We were both… trapped there, I think. Bound together in a sort of wordless misery.”). I’m not sure, then, that we should believe everything Martin told Daisy, especially since he pointed out to Peter that he had purposely wanted to drive Daisy away… partially to prevent Peter from wooshing her:

(MAG144) [VERY SHARP SQUEAL OF DISTORTION] MARTIN: [LONG SIGH] … Well? PETER: I’m impressed! And grateful. MARTIN: I didn’t do it for you. PETER: Even better. MARTIN: … It’s easier, this way. I’m sure you’d have had no problem sending her away. PETER: I hadn’t really thought about it. And now, thanks to you, I don’t need to. MARTIN: Yeah, well. It seems to be your go-to move for dealing with anyone.

He… did tell Daisy that there were “more important things than feelings right now”, and it’s heart-breaking when taking into account that he AGGRESSIVELY (and so beautifully snappily.) wanted people to be Happy at the end of season 2… but I want to Believe in Martin being good at Manipulating people in the direction he wants. Martin has a history of weaponising his own feelings when it served his purpose: he knows how to use them against others, and it’s precisely how he managed to make Elias do exactly what he needed, in MAG118 – it’s because he had Feelings that it worked. But at the same time, I do think a bit of truth might be sneaking out, even in this case, and that Martin’s own bitterness… might be showing some of his true feelings, too. To put it more simply: I heard the exchange and Martin making Daisy leave as a conscious move from his part, focusing on the goal… but I’m not sure that all of his words were faked and false. And that might be another danger of The Lonely, too? That Martin pushing people away and thinking he is in control… might lead to him falling deeper into The Lonely, because he’s cutting ties and working alone. There is something so dangerous in thinking that you’re friends with people, that you care for them… while you refuse to share anything anymore with them, push them away constantly, only know them from afar and dread more and more to interact with them. And I’m not sure that Martin is taking that into account as much as he should. What is the point of sacrificing himself to protect others if it makes everyone miserable in the process, including him?

- One glimmer of hope is that it had been pointed out, during their last interaction, that Daisy was “observant”:

(MAG142) MARTIN: … Yeah. [LONG INHALE] I suppose. [LONG EXHALE] You’re… you’re pretty observant, you know? DAISY: Detective, remember? MARTIN: Yeah, you did mention.

Daisy showed that she was good at paying attention, reading people and their feelings. So she might be able to correctly interpret what Martin said, and guess that… Peter was around. Martin did talk like a hostage trying to make another bystander leave before they’d get involved (he’d sounded like that with Jon, already, in MAG129).

(But I’m worried that Daisy might feel let down by him at the same time, and take his words at face value despite it all? ;;)

(… Another option: MAG142 ended with the tape recorder being cut off, while Martin and Daisy were still together and talking. So it’s possible that they strategised a bit after that about how to act/behave, and about the fact that Peter can turn invisible, and that Daisy knows a bit more about Martin’s whole situation. I don’t know ;; I’m stupidly hoping that Team Archives could finally manage to… plan together… and achieve things…)

- I’m so glad that Daisy has been around……………… She tried to act as a bridge between Jon and Martin, between the two Main Threads of the season 4, and? It’s really not what you would have expected from her when she first appeared in MAG061, and with her whole attitude in season 3, aaaaah…

(- And OOPS over the fact that Martin, who had decided to be cold and dry since the beginning of their scene (aggressively scribbling and pointedly… not making it sound like he’s available: the message was clearly that he was busy and she was bothering him and unwanted)… snapped and exploded and cut her off when she mentioned Jon and Jon using Daisy to get to him. Aouch. Is it that he’s unallowed anything Jon as far as Peter is concerned? Or because Martin really wants to prevent Peter from focusing on Jon?)

(- Also! Martin was chill with Daisy talking with him in MAG142, but not here in MAG144. Is it because now, he likes Daisy and wants to protect her, while he didn’t care in MAG142 because… he didn’t know much about Daisy’s actual personality outside of The Hunt? Or is it because Martin is beginning to be able to tell when Peter is spying on him, and when he isn’t? He directly addressed Jon through the tape at the end of MAG138, implying that he assumed that he was safe from Peter back then (he tried to lure him out and Peter didn’t manifest… but that wasn’t a guarantee). Here, he didn’t slip anything and was expecting Peter to pop up, from the start. So: can he feel it, now?)

- Peter’s logic is… so frightening:

(MAG144) PETER: I’m impressed! And grateful. MARTIN: I didn’t do it for you. PETER: Even better. MARTIN: … It’s easier, this way. I’m sure you’d have had no problem sending her away. PETER: I hadn’t really thought about it. And now, thanks to you, I don’t need to. […] Oh! Speaking of which: I’ve had a report of a workplace dispute in the library, and I would value your input. I’m trying to get out of the habit of, what did you call it…? “Sending them away”? MARTIN: [SIGH] … Fine.

It’s… really that Martin is trapped in this situation where only he can damage-control Peter, and they both know it, and Peter uses it fully to get Martin close and wrapped around his little finger, too (although Martin still snaps a lot and nags Peter and unleashes his pettiness at him in return). And Martin had already told Jon, during their last exchange:

(MAG129) ARCHIVIST: At least, The Eye hasn’t gone after our own. Lukas has vanished two people! MARTIN: Yeah, and if it wasn’t for me, it would’ve been a lot more. [SILENCE] This isn’t helping anything.

And… Martin was right back then ;; (And Peter probably wooshed these two people just for Martin to know that he could prevent it if he just… complied and stayed around and kept a close eye on Peter and did all his work. Martiiiiiin, you’re so absolutely stuck in an abusive relationship…)

- (not) SMOOTH, PETER, (not) SMOOTH:

(MAG134) PETER: Martin… My patron, hopefully our patron someday, doesn’t give me any sort of special insights. I’m not quite the accomplished voyeur that Elias was. I have to keep tabs on things the old-fashioned way. MARTIN: What, turning invisible and eavesdropping? PETER: If you like. But… I’m only one person, and I can’t keep an eye on everything.

(MAG138) MARTIN: I think he wants me to join The Lonely. ELIAS: Then it sounds like you have a decision to make.

(MAG144) PETER: I’m just not big on confrontation. You understand, I’m sure. MARTIN: We. Are not. The same. PETER: Of course. […] MARTIN: So what’s our next step? PETER: For you, keep researching. I’m sure we haven’t found all the statements in here that deal with The Extinction yet. One of the downsides of not serving The Ceaseless Watcher is that we have to actually look things up. Not to… mention the fact that Gertrude was distressingly good at obfuscation. The more you know about our enemy, the better.

… he slightly stressed that last “we” and it sounds like he absolutely does count Martinas being on the same side as him now and… not much as a Beholding agent? Getting hunches and being directed towards statements is Jon’s thing but the way Peter was dividing Beholding things and how he himself (and Martin alike) has to operate was a bit striking… ;;

(- On that note: I’m curious about how Peter mentions that Gertrude “was distressingly good at obfuscation” – we knew that already, right, but… Adelard’s letter in MAG113 (circa 2012) explicitly stated that Gertrude was “dismissive” of the possibility of a New Threat, and Adelard had chronologically already labelled it as The Extinction to her (MAG134’s letter is from 2009). Yet, Peter is assuming that Gertrude hid the information around the new Fear on purpose? Is it because Peter doesn’t know (yet) about the fact that Gertrude didn’t believe in it (and Gertrude might have accidentally labelled this and that statement with other Fears’ stamps), or did Gertrude… actually get more concerned about it, in her last years, and hide information on purpose…?)

- Re: Peter’s distaste for Confrontation and his implications that Martin is the same… it makes sense as a Lonely thing, but also: it… isn’t Very Martin, in fact? Because Martin held back, but he also did end up confronting people here and there – exploding at Jon in MAG039, nagging him into eating, orchestrating The Intervention, and trying to get him to talk to Tim in season 2, exploding in front of Tim in MAG079, literally confronting Elias in MAG118. But at the same time: it’s true that it Takes A Lot for Martin to finally snap.

But the thing about being non-confrontational is not exclusively Lonely and I’m reminded of these moments in relation to Martin:

(MAG138) MARTIN: … What? [HUFF] That’s it? No, no monologue, no mindgames? You love manipulating people! ELIAS: That makes two of us.

(MAG128, Breekon) “The Spider’s always an easy job – no fuss, no complication, everything planned and prepared. It knows too much to truly be a Stranger, but hides its knowing well enough to endure.”

So mmmmmm, I might be grasping at straws and I still want to hope about Web!Martin but. What Martin is doing can still perfectly be read as absolutely Web-y: not confronting and mostly getting people where and how he wants them, making them believe they are the ones in control of their own actions and decisions, while hiding in plain sight.

- I’m… so sorry for Martin, why is your life SO HARD baby:

(MAG138) MARTIN: Great. Great, great. So, what you’re [NERVOUS LAUGHTER] actually saying is that you’re gonna be… no help whatsoever! ELIAS: … Just like old times~ MARTIN: I don’t know what I expected.

(MAG144) MARTIN: You’re not just going to tell me, maybe? PETER: When have I ever? MARTIN: [LONG-SUFFERING SIGH]

Martin had to deal with BOTH of them, do you even realize how shitty his life is? He got the Worst Of Elias, and he’s been dealing with Peter for months, and They’re Just The Same. (Lonely Eyes rubbing off on each other, I GUESS? :w)

(- On that nsfw note:

(MAG144) MARTIN: And you? PETER: I have my own explorations I need to attend to. […] I’m absolutely delighted with your progress, and I feel you’ve earned some straight answers. MARTIN: But not from you. PETER: Oh, no. That sort of conversation makes me very uncomfortable.

1°) “Straight” (answers) make Peter uncomfortable 2°) Peter has his “own explorations” to take care of

… was that a reference to Elias, Peter.)

- The Dark is (presumably) dealt with so now, we’re getting new Questions in the Speculation Game, namely: who is Peter’s “friend”?

(MAG144) PETER: I have my own explorations I need to attend to. And a, hum… meeting. To arrange. For you…! MARTIN: For me? PETER: I’m absolutely delighted with your progress, and I feel you’ve earned some straight answers. MARTIN: But not from you. PETER: Oh, no. That sort of conversation makes me very uncomfortable. No, I’m owed a favour by a friend of mine. I’ve asked him to stop by, when he’s back in the country. MARTIN: You’re not just going to tell me, maybe? PETER: When have I ever? MARTIN: [LONG-SUFFERING SIGH] PETER: Oh, come now. What would life be without the occasional twist?

It’s a “he”. People we’ve heard about that I’m considering:

* Mikaele Salesa: we got reminded of his existence in MAG141, and he’s been revealed to be Officially Dead… through a third-hand account, who never saw the body, and it was after retrieving an item with an unknown purpose (but a broken camera lens… brought me to mind Beholding or Dark stuff, and something allowing you to conceal instead of revealing?). We know that Peter and Salesa were on good enough terms, back in MAG066, for them to… bet on whether someone would survive getting accidentally stuck in one of Salesa’s items, and he looked a bit relieved that the dude hadn’t died, so Peter opening the crate sounded like he was doing him a favour => could be the one Peter is referring to, or something else, but at least, they know each other, they both are Sailors People, etc., so learning a bit more about how they came to be acquaintances/them working on some projects together would make sense.

* Simon Fairchild: Peter said that his friend would be “back in the country” and we know that Simon Fairchild, who travels a lot, is actually from Hackney (if it’s the same con artist who was active in the 1930s that Jon had worked on, as he mentioned in MAG051). The Lukases and Fairchilds participated together in the Daedalus project, both “families” (Gerry told us that while the Lukases are about bloodlines, Fairchilds are… more of a brand?) are filthy rich, and, overall, Jon jinxed it back in MAG124 when he spat that “I do not think I ever wish to meet him.”

* Adelard Dekker…? I would be very surprised if he had been on friendly terms with Peter, but then, we don’t know much about Adelard (he tended to save people or prevent more victims when he was around… but it was more about neutralising threats than caring much about collateral damages: he did use explosives to stop The Flesh’s ritual). I’m kinda expecting Adelard to either have turned into an Extinction avatar by present time, or have been killed researching it, or have been killed… by Peter, hence Peter knowing so much about his researches but not asking for his help in tracking down his statements. (I had also considered at some point that MMM, what if Adelard and Peter are actually the same person under aliases…? But they’re both Rare Cases of characters who have had official descriptions: Peter is very pale even for a white man, while Adelard is a Black man. So nah.)

* Oliver Banks…? I’m not suggesting him because I love this sneaky little shit and would love to hear him more – er, not only because of it. But overall, Peter was able to explain to Martin why The End had never tried a ritual attempt and wasn’t interested in it, while he wasn’t as certain of The Web’s motivations for doing the same (and not carrying out its ritual)… so that could fit with him being actually pretty well acquainted with an End avatar as an inside source. Not banking (get it? get it?) on it, but. (Also, canonically handsome mlm Oliver never met Tim (as far as we know), which is a shame, but. Martin is still right here. And Oliver knows a bit about Jon’s dreams and overall situation with the Spiders. So could be an interesting encounter.)

* Another Lukas…? Peter said “friend”, though, but I’m pretty sure he would call Martin a “friend” to someone else if asked, and they’re not friends. (… This sentence sounds like SF’s Trexel.)

* I’m trying to “be in Peter’s head” and imagine what it would take for him to use that wording, and: I’m not expecting it at all, because I think he… won’t be relevant ever aside from what we were told in MAG118. But. But if Peter’s “friend” was actually Martin’s dad, this is probably the wording he would use, and it would be awful.

- So we got an update and Basira&Jon made it “home” safely:

(MAG144) DAISY: They’re back. I thought you might wanna know. [INHALE] Seems like it went smooth – too smooth for Basira, sounds like. Keeps looking at Jon like she can’t believe he made it back. [SILENCE] I, uh… I mentioned our conversation to him; he asked me to check on–

We technically don’t know how long it took them through Helen’s corridors, but presumably not much time. (… Martin had apparently felt like he had been stuck with Tim in Michael’s for weeks, although it was actually at most a day or two? He did spit that it had been “weeks” at Elias but we know the dates at the end of season 2 / beginning of season 3, it can’t have been weeks.)

Why is Basira surprised that Jon managed to make it back…? Is it because she thinks he should be dead from the Dark Sun…? (Because… I would expect Basira to be surprised that she herself made it back – and we had confirmation that she wasn’t planning to get rid of Jon against The Dark, since she tried to convince him to not Try To Get Himself Killed and even suggested that leave a potential threat untouched, in MAG143… So why the focus on Jon?) Daisy interacted with him and didn’t mention anything amiss, so I doubt he got blinded, in any case?

In summary: we’ve… been cut-out from Jon’s POV since MAG139/MAG140 and Jon Still Remains A Mystery – what is he thinking, when did he begin to forcefully torture and extort live-statements from innocent people (… if it was indeed him in MAG142 and not the rib he gave to Jared mutating or something)? Martin has been gradually taking more importance, in season 4: he was barely seen at first (MAG124, MAG129), began to have his moments alone/with Peter (MAG126), went back to reading statements (MAG134, MAG138, MAG144) and to having episodes solely dedicated to him interacting with people and wondering about his own researches (MAG138 when he first visited Elias, MAG142 when he received the Unnamed Female Victim’s complain). Martin’s episodes are getting more and more frequent, to the point of… alternating with “Jon”’s episodes since we came back from the hiatus. While Jon’s own thoughts are currently hidden to us, Martin has been more transparent and has received focus of his own. He’s stepping up as a protagonist, right now… and it could be the sign that we’re meant to lose Jon (whether because he would die-die or die-as-Jon) soon…?

(- Last time Martin and Jon interacted was fifteen episodes ago, in MAG129 (holy Mew) and… at this point, I’m doubting more and more that if they do interact ever again, it would go… well. Whether because Peter is in the room and Martin pulls the same thing he did with Daisy (shouting at her until she left, screaming/pretending/maybe being more honest than he thought about his own bitterness), or because Martin takes into account what he’s been told by the woman in MAG142, or… anything. Even if Jon picks up, like the fandom did, on the fact that he’s been led by Elias to experience other Fears and that the Lonely is missing… pointing out to Martin that Martin is possibly meant to be the one inflicting the Lonely on him, and that Peter’s schemes were mostly to keep Martin occupied and push him towards the Lonely to have an effect on Jon… would be devastating for Martin? It’s still a possibility (though I personally do believe that there IS indeed a new threat, whether it’s The Extinction or… something else, that they’ve all been misinterpreting), and it was brought up, whether it’d be true or not, I can’t imagine Martin reacting well to the thought that he’d have only been used and never mattered in the first place. How could Jon and Martin even interact, nowadays? Jon has already told Martin that he missed him. Daisy implied that Jon sent her to check on him. Martin knows that Jon is worried and cares – he knows, and it’s not enough, because there is the new threat and Peter to deal with at the moment. And in the meantime, Jon has apparently fallen deeper into Beholding than we previously thought. How could they even find a common ground after this…? (………………… except by sharing mourning over Tim and Sasha, I guess. I miss Tim.)

Title for MAG145 is out and OOOOH BOY. Obviously, it brings to mind the whole content of MAG139 and Jon’s tirade at the end – AND it screams “Corruption statement” (finally!! baby is maybe finally making it into season 4!!). We have a link between Desolation and Corruption through Diego’s beliefs in “Asag” (who contained both aspects), and the fact that Arthur Nolan had been “demoted” from cult leader to The Hive’s landlord and… we still don’t know the story behind that. But I’m not sure we would dig into Desolation/Agnes-related matters so soon, since Eugene had explained that they had lost their chance for their ritual for a few decades – it’s not an urgent matter for Jon, I doubt he’ll keep investigating right now, after having just confirmed that they aren’t a current threat? So, mmm, things I’m considering:

- Jon digging into Corruption/Desolation history again anyway.

- Jon digging into the Corruption to check if they got their ritual attempt – it’s missing on our list, could have been what the worms were trying to do in the tunnels but we still don’t know… and overall, we don’t know a lot about how Corruption operates past independent avatars (The Hive/Jane Prentiss, and John Amherst, Maggie/Gordie): would a ritual be carried out by a lonesome avatar, or would it need a collaboration between many?

- Another of Gertrude’s tapes, this time about The Corruption and their plans for a ritual? Because perhaps the double meaning of the title could… be about her own thoughts (since we already had a look at Jon’s own in MAG139).

- MELANIE digging into Corruption-related matters to track down (or establish what happened to him, if he’s dead) John Amherst’s moves after MAG036/MAG055’s reports.

As for the second meaning: I doubt it would be about Martin, and I’m not sure if it can be about Jon again so soon after MAG139 (unless… it’s about Something Else, ie Jon, what are your current thoughts about The Watcher’s Crown. Have you never mentioned that you wanted to stop it because you’re afraid of negative repercussions if you say it outright, or because you actually do not not want to prevent it.)… so, the assistants about Jon? Or about Martin, since he chased Daisy away? Or an overall realisation that they thought they were doing their own things, but have probably been played by Elias all through season 4?

[officialleehadan]

Blood on the Walls

This one is really dark and pretty graphic. Check the tags if you have concerns about horror, blood, and general murder. (Although, it’s only bad people who get murdered, it’s still a little nasty)

+++

It would be generous to call the cell I’m in a room, but you refuse to call it anything else. Some attempt at humanizing what you do, I suppose.

It’s a cell. We both know that, although our opinions on how effective it is at containing me differ wildly.

Another so-called doctor just like all the rest, except you’re braver than they are. You know what I am, and you want my secrets so badly you’re willing to risk everything to get them.

You’re a lot more careful than the others were at first.

They learned, although I killed the first three before they did.

They don’t try to touch me anymore.

You’re a different matter. You’re so sure of the restraints on me, even though you know better, and it’s only delusion that makes you so cocky. On anyone else, that certainty might not be stupid. The restraints are steel, and leave marks in my skin when I make a show of pulling at them.

You think they are unbreakable, and you’re right, but not the way you think you are. Unbreakable is very different from unescapable.

Fool.

I slipped the cuffs minutes after they put them on me. My wrists are narrow, and I am completely willing to break my own thumbs to get out. The breaks healed in hours, and I loosened the cuffs enough to get out any time I like.

The guards don’t know. The difference is barely noticeable to anyone but me, and they don’t think to check, even through the cameras.

Oh, you think the cameras are on my every moment? They aren’t. The man behind them goes to the bathroom every few hours. I can smell him there, and smell when he moves farther off to release the beer-piss that marks him as an alcoholic.

The cameras record, but they are as vulnerable as anything else to electrical interfearance.

Like the kind that comes from the little devices I planted on each guard I haven’t killed. Every time they pass a certain place in the hallways, the cameras sputter and flicker for about one hundred and eighty seconds.

The man behind the cameras never notices because he’s off in the bathroom, cursing his failing body and pretending nothing is wrong with him.

The guards don’t know how I braid my hair each morning. I make sure to change the style just enough that they know it’s been redone. It scares them that somehow I’ve gotten lose, and they don’t know how.

Poor bastards.

They don’t even know I disabled the shock collar I’m wearing. Not that it would have stopped me fast enough to save you anyway. Tech is easy to break, and I’ve never given you reason to use it. All my kills since I put it in have been from the relative containment of my chair.

No need to shock me if I’m not loose, right? Sooner or layer I’ll give you a reason to try it, and I’ll watch fear fill your eyes and sweat out of your skin when it doesn’t work.

Unlike the people who have been trying to get me to talk, you think I���m not a threat. You think you can psych me out of what you want to know. You think I’m safely contained, and more obedient than expected, and safe.

And then the fly walked into the spider’s lair, dressed in a white doctor’s coat, and asked the spider about blood.

So many answers come to mind. I wonder which would bother you most, and consider my options. My first words to you will be carefully chosen. After all, they will be my last, as well, and yours too.

You know, blood is black in the moonlight.

It’s a puddle of ink, white reflection of the moon on the curves, just where the surface tension holds it together. It’s black on skin, and clothes, and everything else. You wouldn’t even know it’s blood without the smell.

I always thought it was funny that vampires are associated with blood red, since you can’t see the red of blood in the dark, or even in indoor lighting unless you spill it on everything, thin it out like paint until it’s obvious where all that crimson came from.

Not that I have a problem with that option. I have painted in blood many times, for many reasons. It leaves a lingering impression, you know? Sends a message.

Blood in water is beautiful. It twists and swirls, especially if there’s a lot of it at once. Arterial spray into a river in bright sunlight, it’s lovely, if you can appreciate it.

I can see it even now, dripping off my hands, pitter-patter on the floor. I can taste it in my mouth, sharp, like sucking on a new penny. It stings my nose, bright and metallic.

Satisfying in a way I don’t think you would particularly appreciate.

 Blood is the same color as my favorite lipstick. If there was blood on my lips, you could  never tell. They call it something stupid, like ‘red party dress’ or dark promises’ but I picked it because I know that color intimately, and it will always be my favorite.

You’re still talking, but you know I won’t say a word. I’ve been here for two weeks now, and I’ve not made a sound despite your efforts.

Hah, scared you bad once. Now you know better than to threaten to kill me. You wanted to get me to talk, held my head under cold water. I just kept on breathing, swallowed water. Felt my lungs start to fill.

 What does death matter to me? If I die, I’ll be back within hours, and then you won’t know where I am. Loose, and hunting you through the halls of this lab you’ve set up.

You resuscitated me of course.

How could you do anything else? You need me, need the training I have in my head and in my body. You need the assassin tricks that got me in here in the first place.

Those tricks are why you want me so badly, and why you need me to crack.

 You need it all.

How to vanish in plain sight, how to get into and out of a building without ever being spotted.

Even how to avoid the spray when you slit a throat.

Blood.

It all comes back to blood.

You want mine, I know you do.

Such a brave little bird, so bold to come in and chirp, chirp, chirp at me, like you think one word of what you’re saying will keep me from killing you when I get loose. You hope to convince me of your cause. To take your word that your sponsors aren’t the scum of the Earth. We both know that isn’t true, but it’s sweet that you almost believe it.

You’re almost close enough, just a half-step more, that’s all I need, all I want.

You can’t resist me. I’m a puzzle, like the crossword hidden under your charts.

Thirty-five down is blood too. Did you know?

I can see the clue from here.

‘What has cells and plates, but isn’t a prison?’

Bad clue.

I could have figured it out when I was a child. Now it’s insulting.

Blood.

More blood.

It’s everywhere today, like it’s telling me what to do, how to do it. Like it wants me to finish my work here and leave a trail of bodies in my wake.

You’re asking me now about how I killed the guard who tried to rape me.

Well, it was easy. You still haven’t found the ceramic piston-knife in my boot. One kick, just to the left of his crotch, four inches down on his thigh, and it was over. The blade was hidden again before the man behind the camera realized what happened and switched the recording back on.

I severed the artery right through, he bled out almost before you got the door open.

I was drenched in blood from the ribcage down. You tried to find orderlies who would change me. You couldn’t. Had to do it yourself. You reeked of fear the whole time. Thought I was going to kill you then, but I was so good because it wasn’t the right time.

I held still, twist and turn. Let you pull my arms in tight to my sides. You didn’t find the violin string in my hair, braided in. You didn’t even suspect it might be there.

I don’t blame you. It almost matches the dark of my hair. Even I can’t see it unless I look just right.

You found out about that later, after I killed the most recent lackey you sent in to draw blood from me. I looped it around his neck and pulled so hard the thin wire didn’t even strangle him.

More blood.

You still don’t have a sample of mine, and you want one more than anything else.

One by one I’ve been killing your staff until you’re the only one bold enough to get within arm’s reach. Bad things happen to anyone who’s tried, until finally you’re here yourself to do it.

There are guards of course, but after the last time, only one person comes into my little room at a time. You want to contain the damage if I get loose, and you know I can.

It won’t save you, you know. I’m here for you. I know all about the things you do in this lab. The things you do to children, to helpless folk you pick up wherever they won’t be missed. I know the crimes you commit, protected by money and powerful friends in all the right places.

You want to make a copy of me. That’s why you want my blood so badly. You want to breed, or engineer, or build, an assassin all of your own who can take me on, who can stop me when I go to kill your wealthy, evil, sponsors.

That won’t work either. I’m not human, though you don’t know that. That one-fourth something else is what lets me do what I do so well. It makes me the best. That and some of my clients pay better than money.

You want my blood, but no one can hold me down, and you don’t trust the restraints anymore and my smile makes you so nervous I could dance a jig to your heartbeat.

I put your most recent attempt to hold me down through a brick pillar. Poor bastard. I didn’t actually mean to kill that one, although I didn’t lose any sleep over his death. No one who works for you and knows what you do here is a person I would be sorry to kill.

For what it’s worth, it was quick. He died on the spot.

 The human body can only take a certain amount of damage before it just shuts down. I doubt he even had time to feel pain. I kicked him pretty hard. He might even have been dead before he went through the pillar.

Looked like he hit something sharp. Rebar maybe, had to hold the ceiling up somehow I suppose. I thought it was ornamental, but I guess not.

Oops.

My bad.

There was blood everywhere after that one too. Almost all my kills in this lab have been bloody. Maybe it’s a trend.

You lean in.

Too close.

Much too close.

 You’ve crossed the red line they painted around my little chair where I’m supposedly bolted to the floor and the wall. It marks my known kill range, but it’s wrong. You were dead the moment you stepped into my cell and let them lock the door behind you.

Do you know how long it will take them to get to you?

The door is big and heavy, made of sheet steel with an internal lock that would be a pain to crack. Not impossible, but certainly difficult.

Wise move.

I kicked the last door off its hinges just to show you I could. I can still see the dent in the wall when this door opens. It is satisfying on a deeply intimate level. It makes the orderlies flinch when they go past.

The new door takes ten seconds to unbolt, and another six to open enough for the guards to get in and to us.

I only need five to kill you. You will bleed out before they can touch me. Once I’m out, no force in this building will be able to stop me. The only reason I’ve waited this long is because I can’t afford to miss you. The sponsors you work for will vanish you and I’ll have to find you again.

Not a problem, per say, but annoying. I would rather just deal with you now.

And you’re finally close enough. In just the right spot for me to deal with you once and for all.

Ask me about blood again.

Go on.

You ask. Some silly question about why I prefer to kill with knives when the opportunity presents.

I smile, that eager, almost excited smile I can barely contain right before a kill. The one that makes my cheeks flush and my eyes sparkle.

Your face blanches white and your heart picks up, rattling in your chest as you realize what a crucial, terrible, mistake you made, coming in here alone. You press the button to shock me into unconsciousness, and nothing happens.

My smile grows wider, edged like a razor and so sharp it might just cut you to death. Your eyes flicker for the door, but we both know you’ll never make it fast enough to get out alive.

“Come here, little fly,” I say, and pull my wrists free from the cuffs even as you turn and try to run. “Let me tell you about blood.”

+++

Uncollected:

Awaken History

Command.Awaken

Isle of Monsters

One Punch Man

Stonebreaker Caldera

Hot Potato, Hot Potato

Vigilante Vampire  

Crawlspace

About-Face

+++

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[sepiadice]

NavyDice Campaign (2019/12/30): Evil Snowglobes

Finally finished. Three months of schedules just not working out, and nearly before the year was out, and I had to teleconference in because I had a cold that made driving to NavyDice’s place and back an excessively inadvisable idea, and the call froze a couple times[1] so I know there’s details that got lost, but the story of Maple reached a conclusion!

Which means I’m in a great place to make the 2020s the decade of the DiceJar Adventure Club! Especially since I’ve got a new campaign with a set schedule starting January Third!

Still need to set up a personal website to host it and my other projects. Stand by for an announcement.

But first, the final Maple Write-up!

Acer ‘Maple’ Palmatum (SepiaDice/Me) Level 9 Elf Fighter. Knows honesty is easier than coordinating cover stories.

Garland (LimeDice) A wizard(?) and educator. A worryingly squishy wizard who probably should see a doctor. Or take up jogging.

Grumble (Ichi) Bard and chronic mumbler. Best investigator since he’s good about not getting killed early.

Poppi (Ni) Also a spellcaster. Probably the most invested in the actual mechanics of what’s occurring.

Game Master (NavyDice) Everyone else, most of whom need a good punching.

Cycle 11

In the darkness, Maple shares the plan I’ve been over-thinking for three months.[2] The rest of the party is on board while also working their own angles.

My plan was sheer elegance in its simplicity: Maple was going to beat Masem to the marketplace, fake the deaths of the brigands, then delay Masem until the Lord arrived, at which point Maple would use her knowledge of the location of three orbs to prove something wonky is up, then reveal the Lord’s Advisor is working both sides of the conflict for mysterious and probably nefarious ends, and it would be very helpful if the Lord would go with her colleague to retrieve the ice orb. Also, I’d hoped to use this massive revelation to get Masem to work with the Brigands/ the Dawn.

After which, Maple would go talk to Eli, who is made of clay, which is a weird thing that hopefully ties into the Earth Orb that still needs finding.

The actual attempt to execute this plan got derailed by Masem stabbing Maple with a dagger. Like a jerk.

But that’s jumping ahead.

There’s a knock on the door, and Maple runs off to get her plan in motion. Meanwhile, Grumble occupied Masem to buy some time. Garland and Poppi, meanwhile, went to the Lord’s manor to try and get the ice orb.

Poppi took point as Garland played decoy in the foyer. Poppi snuck into the Lord’s room and found the hidden chamber with the instant death field, and discovered the room also has an anti-magic effect, so Poppi can’t cast anything. She puts her fire orb through the death field as an experiment, and destroys the orb. Oops.

Eventually the Lord arrives and Poppi stealths around to get out of the anti-magic chamber and turn invisible again to observe.

When passing through the field, the Lord’s skin gets wrinkly and generally in a bad state, which is suspicious. The Lord pockets the Ice Orb and leaves.

Grumble goes to investigate the church, claiming to be an interior decorator to access to the catacombs. We’ll return to this later.

Which brings us to the Marketplace: Maple and the Dawn do their very cool and very fake combat, and Maple gets control of the vest as Masem arrives. Maple does more wild talking to keep Masem occupied until the Lord arrives, along with Poppi and Garland.

Turns out there was a massive flaw in my plan: there was a traitorous conspiracy occuring, but it wasn’t Masem behind it.[3] Also the Lord was swapped with some sort of skinwalker. And my plan hinged on those two being who I assumed them to be. Oops.

Poppi discretely alerted me to the suspicious effects the death field had on the Lord as he retrieved the ice orb, but I had already turned the two against me, I didn’t have an alternate plan, and we might learn something if we proceed with my plan anyways.

So Maple refuses the invitation to go somewhere discreet to discuss her concerns, Masem stabs her, and Maple punches Masem’s stupid face and combat ensues, during which Bane possesses Masem.

The “Lord” gets killed and Poppi attunes with the ice orb.

Maple decides to let the vest explode and cause a lot of damage to Bane!Masem, and thus Maple dies again.

Bane!Masem survived, though heavily hurt. I believe Poppi fled while Maple and Garland lay dead, hiding away to attune to the Ice Orb.

Fed up with the day, Bane!Masem limps off to take his frustrations out on Eli before hanging him with cruel efficiency.

Grumble, meanwhile, searching the church crypt, finds a mysterious obsidian coffin that needs a key to unlock. He doesn't have a key, so Grumble leaves to meet up with the party at the marketplace. Where he sees the mess, so he goes to the jail and catches Eli’s execution, at which point Bane relinquishes his hold on Masem.

Grumble talks to Masem, and finally convinces him that something way above everyone's pay grade is happening. Also, as the only party member neither dead nor occupied with attuning to an orb, it falls on Grumble to investigate Eli's corpse.

Grumble and Masem attempt to run to the crematorium before Eli is cremated. They don't beat the furnace, however, and find a pile of melted clay.[4] Grumble senses magic, and inserts his hand into a lump of hot clay, which hurts. Grumble successfully pulls out the Earth Orb. Yay! 

The orb begins petrifying Grumble, solidifying his hand as the effect moves up. Masem cuts off Grumble's hand to save the dwarf, and it's decided that there's nothing further to be done, and we wait for the end of the loop.

Cycle 12

We’ve got things pretty much figured out. Poppi gives the Ice Orb to Garland to attune to before she heads out to reclaim the fire orb, which fortunately wasn’t removed from reality when she put it into a Death Field.[5] Grumble obtains the key from the mysterious murdered man, and heads to the church crypts.

Maple, meanwhile, has to get the final orb. So she runs to the market, fakes a battle with the Brigands, goes to bomb the jail,[6] and talk to Eli in the escape tunnel.

Maple tells Eli she’s got a lead on where the Earth Orb is. Eli is excited and totally game to find it and Navy really laid it down thick to make the reveal more awkward. But Maple tells him that the Orb’s in his chest.

Eli takes a breath, rips open his shirt, and braces for whatever’s going to happen.

A greatsword is probably a bit unwieldy for a medical procedure, so Maple grabs the smallest cutting instrument she has: a hand axe.

Eli winces in pain as Maple cuts through the skin, revealing clay beneath, which he doesn’t feel. Continue cutting deeper, and find a darker brown lump. Maple takes a moment, and starts ripping out his heart, which Eli does feel every agonizing portion of, screaming in torturous pain. But Maple’s a trained soldier, so she powers through.[7]

Earth Orb in hand, Maple attempts to attune with it by inserting it into her sword, while the artifact turns her into stone. Eventually and unfortunately, she’s rendered entirely in stone. So that’s not ideal.

In the church crypt, Grumble applies the key to the obsidian coffin, which causes the lid to flow off and reveal stairs to a mysterious chamber. Within is an obsidian wall with indentations and markings hinting at three amulets and a sword. He goes upstairs to find Poppi and Garland waiting for direction. The absence of Maple is troubling, but her location shouldn’t be difficult to parse, so Grumble goes after her.

The Bard finds the Fighter in the escape tunnel, and casts Greater Restoration on her. Maple is now flesh again, with a boosted AC and a stronger sword.

The flayed corpse of Eli is not remarked upon.

Everyone reunites at the church, they descend through the crypt, through the obsidian coffin, and to the JRPG-styled final checkpoint. The orbs are inserted and the wall melts away, revealing a room lined wall to wall with shelves holding many glass orbs of various sizes, each holding a looping moment in time. The party locates the one belonging to us, which is one of the larger[8] orbs, and has a noticeable crack in it.

Maple picks it up. It’ll make a good hostage as the party proceeds through a door on the opposite wall.

We enter a room I imagine is round, but I might’ve missed the proper description. There’s a throne near where we enter, upon which sits Ricton (the former leader of The Dawn) with injured hands. Good environmental storytelling, there.

Bane arrives, and starts doing the usual villainous “you ruined everything, why couldn’t you be content to be heroes in this time loop?” which the party happily riffs, because what are TRPGs for except to undermine the particularly egregious tropes by talking over them?

Anyways, Bane asks us to return the orb, and Maple just drops it so it would shatter on the ground. The room becomes the hiccuping world we last saw in Cycle ??. Bane says he wished we didn’t do that. Roll for initiative. Maple rolls pretty low.

He raises four pillars, from which emerge our shadow selves. Navy also asks how many times we’ve died, with Maple getting the high score in that. So that probably means Shadow-Maple has Six respawns.

Everyone else takes their turns (stuttering internet means I likely missed details, so forgive me if I don’t lay out their cool turns), and we come to Maple.

I raise an idea I had, but didn’t want to do without getting the group’s consent. I would run back to the previous room to start smashing the other orbs, hoping the influx of other looping memories would disorient or otherwise inconvenience Bane.

However, it’s decided to keep the fighter in the fight.[9]

Instead, Maple starts attacking the pillar of her own doppelganger, using the full range of level 9 fighter abilities on it, as well as bardic inspiration from Grumble, to sink a bunch of damage into the pillar that maybe she should’ve saved for Bane, but whatever.

The party takes it in turns to destroy the pillars, as they seem to mitigate damage Bane can take while they’re still standing. Once the pillars are all down, attention is turned to the Anthropomorphic Iron Throne man.

Bane summons another pillar, but short work is made of it. He follows by trying to entangle our heroes in dark thorns. However, Maple was already positioned to attack him and the others have range, so not a great strategy, and everyone is free by the next round anyways.

The commotion rouses Ricton, who is also channeling the spirit of Eli. Eli!Ricton and Bane move to confront each other as the combat continues.

Garland hits 0 health and falls. Garland had very low HP.

With the help of Eli!Ricton, Bane is finally slain, and the Stuttering world and the chamber we were in fades away, leaving the party in the Marketplace

Cycle 13 (but not really)

We’re a little further back chronologically than we’re used to, and also a physically different location, to the point we’re able to identify that Masem was the one who killed the bloodsoaked man who gives us the key before going to grab our heroes from their bed and breakfast.

Time to try to set things right permanently.

Maple goes and tries to get the Dawn to stand down, doing the identifying bird call and such. Unfortunately, she fails to convince them their task is unnecessary. Maple decides to just let them go spring Eli.

Poppi went to look into Eli, to discover the man in prison is someone else. Still Eli, just not the one we know.

Grumble goes to talk to the Lord to nudge the governmental reform forward quicker. It goes well.

I’m afraid I forget what Garland did during this time.

Maple and Poppi follow the Dawn back to the hideout, where the advisor shows up to say that they’ve succeeded in getting their reform and that everything is going to be okay. Maple interrupts to ask why he was playing both sides, which annoys the advisor but he explains anyways, but I’ve forgotten his explanation! I think it wasn’t as profound as I hopped.

In the coming days, the reform is announced, Masem is discovered to be conspiring a coup with the help of the skinwalker that’s been stealing the Lord’s identity the last few rounds,[10] and time moves (mercifully) on.

Garland sits by a fountain to grade papers he’d apparently been putting off, and has either Eli or Ricton come talk to him and thank him. Garland barely acknowledges them. He goes on to continue searching for a cure for his wife’s infliction.

Grumble goes on to found a department store with his player’s previous characters.

Poppi searches for Ricton, and asks him if there’s other places in a similar state, as we saw many time orbs before the final battle. Ricton reveals a steamer trunk with a chamber containing the orbs, and the two quest to find the places the orbs correspond to and set them right.

Maple leaves and continues to walk the Earth, stone sword in hand, fading into folk legend. She’s a simple elf, and such a fate felt appropriate.[11]

Thus concludes one of the few campaigns I got to see from start to finish. I really enjoyed it (outside one player having difficulty letting unimportant arguments go), and would gladly play with most of the group again. Maybe the whole group if some growth happens.

Now it’s time for me to take the GM screen again. This one’s got scheduling commitment involved, so hopefully reports will be consistent!

Until next time, may your dice make things interesting!

-

[1] It was my first time using Discord’s video system, so i don’t have enough data to know if the fault lies on my end, Navy’s end, or Discord itself. Historically I’ve never had issues with just voice, so… [2] I attempt to avoid planning too far in advance as both GM and Player so I don’t get disappointed when the narrative in my head doesn’t play out. Usually try to stick to what’s immediately actionable and a few branches, then hold back to improv the rest. But three months is three months. [3] I still don’t know what’s up with the advisor. I did ask, but I was sick and connection was unstable, so I don’t know if I got a satisfactory answer. [4] Not sure how a kiln and the cremation process lines up, but now I'm curious. [5] Though imagine if it’d have. Defeating the evil demon by removing his super weapons would’ve been interesting. [6] So disappointed we didn’t find a more subtle method to accomplish this. [7] Were I not sick, and if the group wasn’t dedicated to finishing tonight, I might’ve taken the time to play up the horror. But conditions weren’t ideal. [8] It was mimed as being held by two hands, but the accuracy of that is iffy, considering I assumed our orbs were about soft-ball sized when they’re truthfully about the size of a large marble. [9] The reason why I like playing rogues is they get plenty to do outside of combat. I’m mentally tuned to playing with the world over the system. [10] A subplot we totally missed, and one that I’m not… completely satisfied with? Masem was unwillingly taken over by Bane, and was the only guy who seemed to have it happen to him, and doesn’t recall the time he’s controlled. This innately puts Masem into a sympathetic narrative light as an unwilling puppet, so making him a bad guy just seems weird. [11] Mostly she just didn’t want to deal with Poppi’s barely restrained violence anymore.

[fighterxaos]

WHELP! Here we are at the review for Saban’s Power Rangers. However, before we go to the end result, and my thoughts on the film let us look back at how we got here. It was around 2014, when Lionsgate responsible for Twilight (Blegh) and Hunger Games (Ok), announced that they acquired the rights to make a Power Rangers film. Considering that we had two Power Rangers movies before this, the first an alternate take on the opening events of Season 3 was a success and the Turbo movie which was canon was not good, fans around the world were skeptical with Lionsgate for attempting this.

  When the first casting reports came in we only knew who would play Kimberly, Naomi Scott. However, in the weeks to months follow we would discover Dacre Montgomery would be Jason, Ludi Lin as Zack, RJ Cycler as Billy, and Becky Gomez as Trini, thus completing the team. Around that time, Hunger Games star Elizabeth Banks was cast to play the “Wicked One” herself Rita Repulsa. Whereas, Bryan Cranston’s casting as Zordon did not happen until much MUCH later, and not even the other cast members knew Cranston was cast as Zordon until the Comic-Con announcement.

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Then on October 8th 2016, the first teaser was released with very mixed signals. Several fans thought that the film would go down the route of the “BayFormers/ Chronicle” by being grim-and-dark. That conception would THANKFULLY change with the second trailer on January 19th 2017. One thing that fans did criticize was that alongside the trailer releases, Lionsgate would reveal info via the toyline rather than through more official channels. Now, I did not hate that route, because I am burnt out by MMPR in general. However, I am about to tick off a lot of MMPR loyalists, but… I AM BURNED THE HELL OUT ON THE CLASSIC MMPR! The main reason why I can enjoy the comics from Boom! Studios and Lionsgate film is because they are doing new things with the property.

  Lionsgate is keeping the series grounded, and is re-inventing the classic characters for a new generation of fans. Old and current fans seem to scoff at this a lot, with comments like “This is a remake of something from my childhood, it is going to suck!”, “If this movie isn’t EXACTLY like the show, it will bomb!”, and of course, “Will the original cast make cameos?” If one cannot figure it out, I am just shaking my head at these comments. Now, I have lived through Power Rangers’ good times and its dark days. Yet, out of all 21 seasons, as I do not count the SUPER seasons as separate seasons, I have only hated two seasons. These seasons were of course Power Rangers Operation Overdrive and Megaforce, so if anything, I can live through this movie “not being the same as the 1990’s”. Now, with that said let see if Saban’s Power Rangers can deliver a new experience that fans of the franchise can enjoy!

SPOILER WARNING IN EFFECT!!!

Our story begins in the Cenozoic Era, as the Red Ranger is crawling out of a gravel-laden battlefield. The Yellow Ranger removes her Power Coin, and gives it to the Red Ranger before she dies. The Red Ranger can only say to her, “I’m sorry”. We then discover the Red Ranger is Zordon, as he de-morphs and hides the Power Coins of the other fallen Rangers, except for one of them. The Green Ranger, appears who is none other than Rita Repulsa (yeah called it!), and she does not wear the Dragon Shield. Now, before Rita manages to defeat Zordon he radios Alpha-5 to direct a large meteor toward the Earth to act like a tactical nuke. The plan is successful, stopping Rita, as well as killing Zordon. Honestly this feels a little bit like Dino Charge, with Keeper’s crash-landing on the planet…

  Fast-forward to the present day, where Jason is assisting in a prank where the one guy thought he was milking a cow, but Jason reminds him that the cow was a BULL. Oops. Most fans groaned at this, but at least Jason was not doing the “milking” like one other review exclaimed. Jason, and friends get caught and attempt to get away, however Jason crashes his truck. In the crash, he breaks his leg, gets caught and takes the blame for everything. Jason seemingly has a good heart, but it is not in the right place yet. He is then placed under house arrest, kicked off the football team, loses his scholarship, and forced to go to detention. At detention, we then meet Kimberly, and Billy. Kim is there for an unknown reason, but is later revealed to be the reason why she has been ostracized by her former friends. Kim sent out revealing photos of student, and it was a big screw-up. A lot of people call her out for it, but to be honest teenagers do stupid crap and it is an incident that reflects reality. Whereas, Billy is in detention for sort of making a bomb. He loves to tinker with things, and it sometimes results with the items exploding. Billy is also bullied a lot due to the fact he is autistic.

Now, Jason and Billy quickly become friends after Jason stands up for him. To show his gratitude Billy offers to reprogram the Jason house-arrest anklet for him. At first, Jason passes on the idea however takes the offer, but he also needs to help Billy with a favor. The two head out to the quarry where Billy has been investigating the area, being the son of an archaeologist. There they come across Kim, as well as Trini and Zack while Billy sets off a charge. From the blast the group discovers the Power Coins, as security arrives. They make an escape in Billy’s family van, but crash into an on-coming train. They manage to survive due to the powers within the Power Coins, however the power resonating reactivates Rita’s reviving her recovered corpse. Upon her revival, Rita sets forth murder anyone who stands in her way. Rita’s ultimate plan is to obtain as much gold as she can to restore Goldar, and reclaim the Zeo Crystal!

  The next day, the gang discovers they are all completely healed, especially Jason’s busted leg. Then within the following hours discover the powers they have acquired. They all decide it is best to head back to quarry and see if they can find an answer. There they accidentally found an underground cavern, which leads them to the Command Center. Now, it the film the place is never by either of its original names, but just bear with me as I still call it the Power Chamber. The Rangers first encounter Alpha-5 before meeting with Zordon, like their originators and just like the original only Jason is willing to hear out Zordon’s pleas for help. Jason manages to convince the others to join the Zordon, learning they only have 11 days to stop Rita. The following morning the team begins their training, and learn the rules of being a Ranger. One thing that stands out it that to be able to morph the group needs to be synchronized with one another.

They make a few attempts early on to morph, but are unsuccessful. Alpha-5 then steps in to begin teaching them basic combat skills needed to fight Rita’s minions, the Putties. After a montage in how they become skilled fighters, the team is still able to morph. Alpha-5 steps in again thinking that maybe if the Rangers see the Zords that it will inspire them. Alpha-5 also explains that the Zords represent Dinosaurs because at the time they were strongest species on the planet. The explanation however raises the question; would the Dragon Zord or Thunder Zords be based on alien lifeforms that are equivalent to mythical creatures?… Anyways, Zack swipes the Mastodon for a joyride, but almost kills the Rangers in the process. Yet, it goes with his rebellious ways, as well as WHO WOULD NOT WANT TO TAKE A ZORD OUT FOR A JOYRIDE?

  Never the less Zack’s stunt leads to fight with Jason. Billy goes into break up the fight, and in doing so it unlocks his ability to morph, just briefly though. My guess was he unintentional wills himself to morph, due towards the feelings of having friends. Later that night, they host a traditional campfire discuss dealing with their problems. Trini returns home, and she is ambushed by Rita who demands to know where the Zeo Crystal! Yeah, the Zeo Crystal is in the film, and it is shown to be a massive collection of gems that hold an immense power, McGuffin Level! Trini though does not know of its location, so Rita attempts to persuade her to join her in her quest before leaving. Now earlier during training, Jason overhears Zordon and Alpha discussing that once the Rangers can morph, he can revive himself. Jason is quickly pissed with Zordon, and engages him in an argument. Zordon tries to explain that the Rangers will need him in the battles to come, but Jason realizes he is just as scared as everyone else. He then chooses to keep the this a secret, until Trini mentions she has been in contact with Rita. From this they devise that now could be the time to defeat Rita, while she is still weak.

They go to set-up and engage Rita, but she still vastly overpowers the Rangers. The choreography in this scene is great in my opinion. Rita uses her power to tie-up the Rangers, and claims that she will not kill them if they tell her where the Zeo Crystal is. At first the Rangers, hold back the information, but after she tortures Zack, Billy reveals the location. The Zeo Crystal is hidden beneath a Krispy Kreme, of all damn things! Rita then thanks Billy, but her gratitude is shown by drowning Billy and forcing the others to watch. The team recovers Billy’s body and takes him back to Zordon in the hopes he can do something. Initially Zordon says there is nothing he can, but this emotionally unites the team allowing them to morph. Alpha exclaims to Zordon it is time for him to finally return, and he vanishes for mere seconds. However, he returns to the ship having used that time to revive Billy from the dead. The team finally undergoes their morph, and visuals are purely stunning! I honestly enjoy these Guyver-esque bio-organic armors, as well as the added voice modulation system. I also personally like how the suits are both physical ones that are accented by CG like how Marvel does it for their heroes.

  Exiting the Command Center the Rangers encounter a hoard of Putties. Jason manages to pulling out the Power Sword to even the odds. Yet, even then there is still too many of them. Zack’s response is go get his Mastodon to mow down all the Putties. Everyone else follows his lead, and race off to Angel Grove to stop Goldar.  While the Rangers race to the city, the fans are met with a homage to the original sequence accompanied by “Go Go Power Rangers”. However, it is not the new orchestral version, but the original from the 1995 movie, which I found as interesting nod to the original film too. Once entering the city, Rita summons forth another group of Putties to fight the Zords. I personally love the bit where the T-Rex Zord throws a yellow and black racing-striped Camaro with Jason exclaiming, “Sorry, BumbleBee!” I must admit, I laughed my ass off at that! In the battle, Putties causes Jason’s dad to crash his truck, as he was looking for him. Jason jumps out of his Zord to save his dad, but remembers to hide his identity in the process. The rangers manage to hurt Rita which collapses the Putties. It is here where Goldar shows a sign of sentience, going to rescue and heal Rita. The Rangers then attempt to hold a line separating her from the Zeo Crystal. The team blasts Goldar with everything the Zords have. The Zords must run on laser logic because they do not seem to run out of ammo. Goldar crushes the Pterodactyl, sets the Zords ablaze, and sends them into the pit with Zeo Crystal. While the team falls to their death, Billy thanks the team for being his friends as they are engulfed in an explosion.

Yeah Rita, ABOUT THAT… Apparently, the explosion and the team’s unity resonates with the Zeo Crystal allowing the Zords to combine! Thus, the Megazord is formed. Now, I have come to like the design, and the fact each Ranger has their own cockpit. The only thing I do not like is that the battle with Goldar is short. Yet, it has a defining moment where the Megazord hits Goldar with a freaking German Suplex. Instantaneously the scene made me want to cry out “SUPLEX CITY, BITCH!” The Megazord eventually uses the Pterodactyl’s wings as swords, to finish off Goldar. The Rangers then attempt to tell Rita to stand down, and turn over her staff housing the final Power Coin. Rita goes crazy with the whole “I KNOW I AM WORTHY!” line. In that fit of rage, Rita lunges towards the Megazord, but Trini bitch-smacks Rita into space as if she is Team Rocket. The Rangers stand triumphant, with bystanders looking on in awe. Among the people in the crowd are cameos by Amy Jo Johnson, and Jason David Frank.

  The city starts to rebuild after Rita’s attack and Jason returns to the Power Chamber. He returns the Power Sword and Zordon questions why being worthy of the sword. Jason merely replies that he will back for it one day. Jason heads to class meeting up with Kim, and Billy where they pass him a note of the iconic lightning bolt with their colors in it. Meanwhile Trini is home fixing her room, as her brothers talk to her about the Rangers. When Trini mentions the Yellow Ranger, they tell her “He was awesome too!” Trini then replies, “How do you know it’s a boy?” which I felt was a jab at the original issue with Zyuranger’s adaptation as MMPR. There is then a mid-credit scene where the teacher calls for the new student, Tommy Oliver, who is missing from the room. THANK FREAKING CHRIST, the scene does not reveal Tommy, and leaves the reveal for the sequel!

My Thoughts & Final Analysis:

Now, that was Saban’s Power Rangers and I found it to be utterly AMAZING! The fact that we have a backstory on Rita, and Zordon makes this better than the original show. The way it was portrayed makes more sense than the typical good vs. evil plot. Elizabeth Banks KILLS IT as Rita in this movie. She has the crazy down pat, and she can “ham” it up just as much as the original Rita could. Then as for Alpha-5, the character was much like the original out of the way, supportive, and comedic. Bill Hader is a wonderful Alpha-5 too, as he has that sass I enjoy in characters. Hader’s portrayal really reminds me of the corrupted Alpha from “The Wedding” multi-parter. However, the movie DOES drag a bit during the development of the Rangers, but it is reasonable. Fans coming out of the film argued it took much time, and that there was not enough of the suits or “cheesiness”. Yet, I argue the Rangers need to be built up to be a team, and earn powers. Furthermore, if the development occurs after they get the suits, the characters might easily become afterthoughts.

RJ Cyler – Billy/Blue

I gravitate towards Billy the most in this movie since I have Asperger’s Syndrome, and RJ Cyler portrays the symptoms accurately. I feel like Zack and Trini fell by the wayside, and not as used as much as the others. However, during the campfire scene when the gang opens up to one another, is where Trini’s development stands out! Trini’s body-language as Zack jokes about her intimate relations tells the audience everything on she has not entirely able come to terms with the fact that she is gay; or she simply just does not have the confidence to be more open on the subject. Never the less, the whole scene speaks volumes and is another relatable struggle with the teens/ people of today.

  The film also has a ton of Easter Eggs, so one might need to have eagle eyes to catch them all in one viewing. I am serious, trust me, there is a lot of them! However, I will not say what they are because see them is more entertaining. Plus, the film deserves multiple viewings. The movie is a TON of fun, and I cannot wait to see what they do with other past villains. Maybe we can get out of these sequels a new Ivan Ooze? Anyways, I am Zeltrax Millennuim and I hope for those reading this review that it was either on par with those who like the film, or convincing people who have not seen it to check it out!

Final Verdict: 9.5 out of 10

Millennium’s Mind: Saban’s POWER RANGERS Review

WHELP! Here we are at the review for Saban’s Power Rangers. However, before we go to the end result, and my thoughts on the film let us look back at how we got here.

Millennium’s Mind: Saban’s POWER RANGERS Review WHELP! Here we are at the review for Saban's Power Rangers. However, before we go to the end result, and my thoughts on the film let us look back at how we got here.

[officialleehadan]

Masterlist 09/02/2018

Hello Darlings, here is the updated masterlist as of 09/01/18

If you want to blacklist these posts, which will update every other week or so, the tag is Lee Hadan Masterlist

All the stories here are arranged by series, and the stories are arranged chronologically within their series. If there’s only one story in a series, I already have continuations written (or planned) and more will be coming soon!

EDIT: There seems to be some technical stuff going on, on Tumblr’s end, because the links here are not posting up on the Desktop version of Tumblr. I’ve already submitted a report about it, but if you’re having trouble seeing links on this post, that would be why.

+++

Support me on Patreon

My Tip Jar

Books on Amazon:

Goblin Armor

There has never been much in way of peace between the Faerie Realm, and  the Shadow Wold of the Goblins. Generations of hostility and mistrust  will do that. Still, for two generations, the border has been quiet, and the fearsom Goblins hidden away deep in their dark forest. Until now.  With the Goblins on the march, and Princess Snowbell’s king-father  flying to meet them, it is all Snow can do to keep her family, and her  Realm, from falling to treason, and murder. 

Return Again

I thought my father was normal. The kind of dad who deals with work, and homework, and the troubles that come with being a single father to a   seventeen-year-old girl. I didn’t know he went to a different world when he was a teenager. I didn’t know he was the Chosen One of a magic   sword. I didn’t know he saved a whole kingdom, maybe their world, before he was twenty. That was thirty years ago. Now they need him back, and   I’m going with him.

The Idol of Astre: ($2 a month on Patreon)

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

The Unsettled:

Handful of Salt

Critter Jar

Appropriate use of Craft Glitter

Unafraid

The Ghosts of Pinewood Estate (Patreon-Only!)

This Old House:

Experienced Home-Buying

Living Negotiation (Patreon-Only!)

White Roses and Deck Railings 

Twins Together:

Brothers Apart

Sanctuary Always

Twins in Crime

Twinning Disagreements

Bond of Brothers

One Mind, Two Heads (Patreon Only!)

Deities and Demigods:

Boredom

Inconvenienced

Luck’s Chosen

Golden Apples

Brewer’s Glass (Patreon-Only!)

Apocalypse:

Come Again Another Day

Invasion from Below

War-Beasts

Four Horses

Four Horsemen

Horsemen Four

Mercy Mercy Mercy

To Save a Bird

Together Time (Patreon-Only!)

Breaking Waves:

After the Storm

Winter Wind

Storm At Sea

Uncollected Faeries:

Faerie Ring

Glitter Poo

Skitter

Wine-Dark

The End of Indian Summer

Purple Handed

At the Sign of the Silver Rose:

Cold Iron Buckshot

Troll Market

Selkie Skin:

Seal Coat

Over the Sea (Patreon-Only!)

Uncollected Dragons:

Exploration by Wing

Iced White Wine

Mine to Hoard

Hoard of Memories

Uncollected Witches:

Best Served Cold

Casual Friday

Exotic Components

One Eye on the Other Side

Spelled Cooking

Thyme can Heal

The Lightning Witch:

Static Charge

First Strike

Black Lightning on the Horizon

Storm Breaking

Copper Pipes

Crash Down

Husband to the Queen

When the Wolf Star Rises

Treebrothers:

Snow Elf

Wild Roses and Birdsong

Bare-Handed

Spider-Eating Elves:

Beauty is in the Eye of the Beholder

Introductory Trouble

Lady of Grace

Lady of Stone, and her Girlfriend

Lady Retrieved

Monsters on the Wing

Spiderwebs and Cookies

Royal Match

Lines in the Sand

Worldbuilding Essays:

Blood Magic

Elf Forest

Green Magic

Forge Magic

Thread Magic

Dragons

Light and Dark Magic

13 Moons

Frost Moon

Blue Moon

Jasmine Moon

HGE - Human/Alien Relations

Get That OUT of Your Mouth

Medical Attention

Claws

Ingenuity

War and Peace

Echo-Folk

HGE - Invasions

Invasion Denied

Blood Will Tell (What Waits in the Dark)

No Moon

HGE - The Others

Through Shattered Glass

Sea and Sky

HGE - Mismatched

Death Valley Sand

HGE - Conflagration

Fire District

HGE - Smoke before Fire

The Legend, The Rumor

Deep Water and Scales

Black Scales and Open Spaces

Screams in the Dark

Warning Lights

Into the Wild

Nobility and Flames

Packmates

HGE - The Maw

Back Room Handshakes

New Understandings

Poker Face

Brassy Secrets

HGE - Learn to Fly, Learn to Breathe:

Red Sun

Red Baron

Red Prince

Red Sky

Stone and Intuition:

Pack Hunters

Attack Droids

Dragon Bones

Dream of a Desk Job

BulbasaurBot

Explosive Foolishness

Inferno Grenades

Married Life

The Hand of Bone:

Death’s Kiss

Death’s Glow

Supers Beyond

Card Shark

Heroic Rescue

Housekeeping Before Villainy

Jet Fuel

Lobster Bisque

Opposing Elements:

Cold Front

Elemental

Reality at Will

Altering Reality

Reality Bent

The Pen is Mightier

Will of Fire

Chinese Pepper

Firepower

A Moment’s Peace

Burnout

Doctor Rimeheart (Supervillain Coffee Shop)

Handicapped

Power Rests in the Eye

Nuclear Option

Incidental Villain

Second in Command

Cut a Deal

First Summon

Even Supervillains run from Fangirls

The Blackest Coffee

Deal with the Devil

Opportunity for Advancement

Fear and Coffeegrounds

Personal Space

Broken Countertops

Christmas Cookies

Revealed

Wannabe Wannabes

Home Life

Shadows Unleashed

Old Villains (Patreon-Only!)

Higher Being Housemates

Bright Red Panties

Black and White Feathers

Demonic Comfort

Demonic Intervention

Unwanted Attention

Magpie Wings

Don’t Fall

Sparklers and Demon Smiles

Holy Words

Uncollected Demons:

Accidental Oops

Bloody Mirror

Brimstone Portal

Burn My Body and Bury Me Deep

Holy Protestation

On Repeat

The Gunsmith

The Wrong Victim

Over the Edge

Sinners

Seven Sins

House of Demons

A Deal Once Made:

You Scratch my Back

Contract Lawyer:

Blue Frosting

Fine Print

Uncollected:

Awaken History

Command.Awaken

Isle of Monsters

One Punch Man

Stonebreaker Caldera

Hot Potato, Hot Potato

Vigilante Vampire  

Crawlspace

Blood on the Walls

Between Us Girls:

Surprises Abroad

Uncollected Fantasy:

Below the Fog

Glitter Bold

God-Touched Tide

Into the Darkness

Turn Me

Wolf Moon

Blood Moon

Hallowed Halls Memorial

A Kiss to Heal a Broken Heart

Cursebroken

Nothing but Trouble

Build a House of Paper

Unspoken Words

Imagine Reality (Patreon-Only)

The Mistlands:

Foolhardy Errand

Letters Sent

Desert Glass:

Spellborn Lost

Smoked Glass

Books and Shared Experiences

Burned and Blasted

The Rise to Power:

Behind Closed Doors

Two Minds as One

Political Assassination

Gates Torn Down

Heaven’s Gates

Counter-Code:

Code for Magic

99 Shiny New Bugs

Blood Magic:

Blood Fire

At the Last Moment

Healing Touch                                                                                            

Unbound, Unbroken

Student Discovered

Claimed as Ours

Never Free:

Round and Round Again

Mistaken Step

Spinning Wheel

Stronger Together

Tea and History

Girl Talk

Golden Scales:

Tigerfish

Riverside

Blood and Passion:

White Marble

First Negotiation

Blood Summit

Blood Claim

CovenHold

Wolf Club

Blood-Traitor

Slow Burn:

About-Face

Dancing Lessons

Guiding Stars:

Procyon Moon

Altair Chariot

Vega Dignity

Secondhand Souls:

Partnership of Flames

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[officialleehadan]

Masterlist 7/14/2018

Hello Darlings, here is the updated masterlist as of 7/14/18

If you want to blacklist these posts, which will update every other week or so, the tag is Lee Hadan Masterlist

All the stories here are arranged by series, and the stories are arranged chronologically within their series. If there’s only one story in a series, I already have continuations written (or planned) and more will be coming soon!

+++

  Support me on Patreon!

Books on Amazon:

Goblin Armor

There has never been much in way of peace between the Faerie Realm, and the Shadow Wold of the Goblins. Generations of hostility and mistrust will do that. Still, for two generations, the border has been quiet, and the fearsom Goblins hidden away deep in their dark forest. Until now. With the Goblins on the march, and Princess Snowbell’s king-father flying to meet them, it is all Snow can do to keep her family, and her Realm, from falling to treason, and murder. There has never been much in way of peace between the Faerie Realm, and the Shadow Wold of the Goblins. Generations of hostility and mistrust will do that. Still, for two generations, the border has been quiet, and the fearsom Goblins hidden away deep in their dark forest. Until now. With the Goblins on the march, and Princess Snowbell’s king-father flying to meet them, it is all Snow can do to keep her family, and her Realm, from falling to treason, and murder.

Return Again

I thought my father was normal. The kind of dad who deals with work, and homework, and the troubles that come with being a single father to a seventeen-year-old girl. I didn’t know he went to a different world when he was a teenager. I didn’t know he was the Chosen One of a magic sword. I didn’t know he saved a whole kingdom, maybe their world, before he was twenty. That was thirty years ago. Now they need him back, and I’m going with him.

The Idol of Astre: ($2 a month on Patreon)

Chapter 1 (Tumblr)

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

The Unsettled:

Handful of Salt

Critter Jar

Appropriate use of Craft Glitter

Unafraid

This Old House:

Experienced Home-Buying

White Roses and Deck Railings

Twins Together:

Brothers Apart

Sanctuary Always

Twinning Disagreements

Deities and Demigods:

Boredom

Inconvenienced

Luck’s Chosen

Golden Apples

Apocalypse:

Come Again Another Day

Invasion from Below

War-Beasts

Four Horses

Four Horsemen

Horsemen Four

Mercy Mercy Mercy

Breaking Waves:

After the Storm

Winter Wind

Uncollected Faeries:

Faerie Ring

Glitter Poo

Skitter

Wine-Dark

The End of Indian Summer

Purple Handed

At the Sign of the Silver Rose:

Cold Iron Buckshot

Troll Market

Selkie Skin:

Seal Coat

Uncollected Dragons:

Exploration by Wing

Iced White Wine

Mine to Hoard

Hoard of Memories

Uncollected Witches:

Best Served Cold

Casual Friday

Exotic Components

One Eye on the Other Side

Spelled Cooking

Thyme can Heal

The Lightning Witch:

Static Charge

First Strike

Black Lightning on the Horizon

Storm Breaking

Crash Down

Husband to the Queen

When the Wolf Star Rises

Treebrothers:

Snow Elf

Wild Roses and Birdsong

Spider-Eating Elves:

Beauty is in the Eye of the Beholder

Introductory Trouble

Lady of Grace

Lady of Stone, and her Girlfriend

Lady Retrieved

Monsters on the Wing

Spiderwebs and Cookies

Royal Match

Worldbuilding Essays:

Blood Magic

Elf Forest

Green Magic

Forge Magic

Thread Magic

Dragons

Light and Dark Magic

13 Moons

Frost Moon

Blue Moon

Jasmine Moon

HGE - Human/Alien Relations

Get That OUT of Your Mouth

Medical Attention

Claws

Ingenuity

War and Peace

Echo-Folk

HGE - Invasions

Invasion Denied

Blood Will Tell (What Waits in the Dark)

No Moon

HGE - The Others

Through Shattered Glass

Sea and Sky

HGE - Conflagration

Fire District

HGE - Smoke before Fire

The Legend, The Rumor

Deep Water and Scales

Black Scales and Open Spaces

Screams in the Dark

Warning Lights

Into the Wild

HGE - The Maw

Back Room Handshakes

New Understandings

HGE - Learn to Fly, Learn to Breathe:

Red Baron

Red Prince

Red Sky

Stone and Intuition:

Pack Hunters

Attack Droids

Dragon Bones

Dream of a Desk Job

Explosive Foolishness

Inferno Grenades

Married Life

The Hand of Bone:

Death’s Kiss

Supers Beyond

Card Shark

Heroic Rescue

Housekeeping Before Villainy

Jet Fuel

Lobster Bisque

Opposing Elements:

Cold Front

Reality at Will

Altering Reality

Reality Bent

The Pen is Mightier

Will of Fire

Chinese Pepper

Firepower

A Moment’s Peace

Burnout

Doctor Rimeheart (Supervillain Coffee Shop)

Handicapped

Power Rests in the Eye

Nuclear Option

Incidental Villain

Cut a Deal

First Summon

Even Supervillains run from Fangirls

The Blackest Coffee

Deal with the Devil

Fear and Coffeegrounds

Personal Space

Broken Countertops

Christmas Cookies

Revealed

Wannabe Wannabes

Home Life

Shadows Unleashed

Higher Being Housemates

Bright Red Panties

Black and White Feathers

Demonic Comfort

Demonic Intervention

Unwanted Attention

Magpie Wings

Don’t Fall

Sparklers and Demon Smiles

Uncollected Demons:

Accidental Oops

Bloody Mirror

Brimstone Portal

Burn My Body and Bury Me Deep

Holy Protestation

On Repeat

The Gunsmith

The Wrong Victim

Over the Edge

Sinners

Seven Sins

House of Demons

A Deal Once Made:

You Scratch my Back

Contract Lawyer:

Blue Frosting

Fine Print

Uncollected:

Awaken History

Command.Awaken

Isle of Monsters

One Punch Man

Stonebreaker Caldera

Hot Potato, Hot Potato

Vigilante Vampire

Crawlspace

Slow Burn:

About-Face

Between Us Girls:

Surprises Abroad

Uncollected Fantasy:

Below the Fog

Glitter Bold

God-Touched Tide

Into the Darkness

Turn Me

Wolf Moon

Blood Moon

Hallowed Halls Memorial

A Kiss to Heal a Broken Heart

The Mistlands:

Foolhardy Errand

Desert Glass:

Spellborn Lost

Smoked Glass

The Rise to Power:

Two Minds as One

Gates Torn Down

Heaven’s Gates

Counter-Code:

Code for Magic

99 Shiny New Bugs

Blood Magic:

Blood Fire

At the Last Moment

Healing Touch                                                                                            

Unbound, Unbroken

Student Discovered

Claimed as Ours

Never Free:

Round and Round Again

Mistaken Step

Golden Scales:

Tigerfish

Blood and Passion:

White Marble

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