#but this is how it wanted to be told

[freezingwhitefire]

So it isn't up on ao3 yet, but it will be... and um here is day 1's fic for whumptober. Warnings for possession, panic attacks, blood, drugging. If I need to add more warnings please let me know, it's after 1:30 am when I post this and I have no idea what warnings I need to include beyond those right now.

P.o.V. Time (italics are all Time but a different Time) and Twilight

Normally portals weren’t too bad, there were occasional side effects that made themselves known to some of the group, but this time Twilight regretted it halfway through the portal. The pathway seemed to jolt and spasm a few times as though something was influencing it and when Twilight finally stumbled out of the thing he was grateful to be back on solid land. Standing quickly he looked around wondering where they were, it seemed familiar to him but he ignored that feeling and turned his attention back to the others. Warriors had his shield and sword out and was looking for the Wizrobe that had attacked them. When Warriors sheathed his sword and secured his shield on his back again he felt relieved.

Looking around again he noticed Legend getting up out of some bushes, his nose twitching a little making a comment about rabbits come to his mind, and Four climbing on top of a rock, which he was glad to see since all the flowers around may have made him difficult to track. A low groan drew his attention to Hyrule who slowly sat up rubbing his head with his right hand and holding his left one close to his chest. Out of the corner of his eye he caught Warriors’ sympathetic look and remembered that Time had picked Hyrule up and tossed him towards the portal as he had entered it.

“Is everyone here?” Warriors asked, visibly taking note of who he had seen and who he hadn’t.

“I think so?” Wild replied, his voice slightly hesitant as though he felt like the number of people in the group was wrong.

Twilight looked at his cub and noticed that he had climbed on top of one of the bigger boulders around them. That would make it easier for him to spot the others if anyone was missing. Which… he checked around again for Sky, Wind, and Time since he hadn’t spotted them already. Sky was just approaching Hyrule as he once again checked around.

“Let's see…” Legend said as he looked around. He frowned when he failed to find everyone. “Wind?”

“I’m right here.” The Sailor called as he joined them, sliding down a boulder near the one Wild was perched on.

Twilight nodded absently as he looked around. He could see Warriors doing the same and the two of them shared a look as they noticed they were missing one Hero. Warriors turned to count them all again, hoping that he was wrong while Twilight focused on their surroundings again wondering at the sense of something being wrong. Four was crouching near a tree stump now, his hands cupped to hold something. Wind had climbed up next to Wild and was bothering him for a snack, Twilight could just about see Time’s grin at that. Sky was checking Hyrule’s hand where he’d gotten burned before Time reached him, which reminded him that Time would be hurt when they found him. Legend seemed to reach the same conclusion that he and Warriors had and was giving them a look while waiting for one of them to say what they had noticed. Behind him Twilight finally noticed something that seemed a bit strange but yet again he ignored it while continuing to look for Time.

“Where is Time?” Legend finally asked, seeing that neither of them were going to point it out to the others.

As soon as the question was asked the others were looking around, trying to spot their leader. None of them spotted any glint of metal anywhere nearby and they all looked around a little more intently. As he looked, Twilight noted that there were some trees near them but not so close that they were in the forest. It was possible that Time had gotten thrown over into the woods instead of left with them. If so then it could take some time to find him given how Time’s magic seemed to help him hide in trees. Somehow the woods seemed familiar to him, almost as if… he once again looked at the thing behind Legend and realized he knew where they were… or he would if it was some years in the future.

“I.. can try tracking him?” Twilight offered, his hand reaching for the crystal hanging at his neck.

“Time usually tries to figure out which era we’re in.” Four commented while looking around curiously.

Twilight couldn’t ignore it anymore. He paled and hoped that he was wrong, the bridge and the forest. He remembered the Sacred Grove and the puppets that led him there. There was something else though, he remembered that he never did find Time’s body, not after he pulled that sword out of it when he had been younger which meant that Time could easily be the one who trained him already.

“Twi?” Wild asked gently, his hand cautiously resting on the Rancher’s shoulder.

“I… I think this might be somewhere between Time and I.” Twilight said, his voice sounding weak as he looked around again.

“You recognize something?”

“That bridge… when I see it the wood is worn and darker… but it looks new.”

Knowing there was no time to lose, that sense of foreboding was getting worse the longer it was taking to find Time, he touched his crystal and shifted. Quickly he shook his body, getting used to four legs quickly, then he padded in a circle noticing that there were two more scents that were heavily faded but as though they had been there within a day. One was very similar to Time’s and he decided to follow that one, hoping it would lead them to the right place.

He shot for the woods then paused to look back, giving a couple of barks, demanding that the others join him quickly. Once he saw that Warriors was following he turned back to his path hurrying in a straight line until it turned then he waited for Warriors to get where he could see him then as he started moving onwards again he gave a tree a scratch in the direction that he was heading. As he moved the scent of decay started to reach him, as though a body or two had been laid out to be picked clean by the local monsters.

Running.

He was running through the forest.

A familiar forest which left his heart aching.

His legs burned as though he’d been running for hours already but that couldn’t be right, he’d hardly been running for more than ten minutes… or had he been running for hours and just not realized it?

Something was following him making noise and he looked back, his eyes scanning for whatever was following him. His steps slowed slightly before he checked again, the feeling that whatever was following him wasn’t supposed to lose sight of him filled his mind.

It was then, after he had slowed, that he saw what was following him. He saw two children, one with golden hair and one with red hair… somehow he knew who they were, his child and Zelda’s. The two children were having trouble keeping up with him, otherwise he wouldn’t have had to slow to spot them, and he knew that while he could carry them it would do little good against everything following them now.. not with how tired and sore he already was. It felt like he had been running through the woods in his armor for hours and fighting whatever he came across. If he bothered to pay attention he noticed that his right arm burned a little like there was a cut on it. He also knew there was a spot up ahead where he could stop for a few minutes, a place he could send the children onwards while he held the line. Link was beginning to understand what was going on and he felt alarmed at it since he knew he wasn’t supposed to See things this clearly… not this far away from his own time in his own life.

The children just had to keep up a little longer, the place he was heading to was within sight. As he was about to reach the spot Link heard as Zelda’s son stumbled. He glanced back fearing that he would fall but to his pride his daughter stabilized him and the little boy clung to her hand while she helped him keep up with Link. They finally reached the area he knew they needed to get to, a point where the foliage in the forest was so dense there was only one way through, and he knelt down. Pulling off his ring, the ring Malon had given him when they had married, and the ocarina pouch he carried with him, the ocarina of time was safely inside it, he handed both to his daughter. She seemed nervous, no doubt catching onto the same feeling he had, but Link smiled softly at her and at her cousin before giving both children a hug.

“I want you to run, okay? Head for the edge of the forest and tell the Captain what happened. I will handle the monsters but you both need to go.”

As much as he wanted them with him Link couldn’t protect them as well as fight the monsters.

“I don’t want to go, papa.”

“I know, but I need you to do so. Can you be brave for me and get your cousin to safety sweetheart?” Seeing her expression Link wanted to laugh. She looked so much like her mother with that look, the doubt and reluctant acceptance. His heart ached at the thought of Malon who would be waiting for him to return with the children. She’d get the Captain returning with them if he didn’t manage this right, and he knew he was out of practice enough the slight misstep was all too likely.

“I guess…”

“I’m scared.” The little boy said quietly, tears running down his small face.

Link smiled reassuringly as he wiped the tears away. “It will be okay. I just need the two of you to go that way and no matter what I need you to keep going until you get out of the forest. Can you do that?”

“Yes.” they both replied slightly sullen and slightly terrified.

Link nodded, gave them a small squeeze and kissed the top of both of their heads then he stood up again.

“Go on.”

As the two children ran for the path he watched them. His heart ached even more as he felt that this would be the last time he saw them, much like he’d felt when he saw his wife before he’d left home. Even so Link was relieved, they would be safe. After all, his daughter shared his knack for finding the way in a forest. He knew he couldn’t watch them for long, the children had accidentally gotten the attention of monsters, and possibly worse, while they had been exploring the woods. His true purpose for being here was that he and Zelda heard about assassins living here, and once he’d arrived he’d discovered the two children had run off into the forest.

As he turned away from the two, Link could hear the monsters approaching him. The clanking of metal armor giving them away as surely as the cries of angry Lizalfos. Knowing that the children needed time to escape, Link sighed and pulled his sword out of its scabbard while securing his shield to his arm. It had been a while since he’d last handled a larger group of monsters, but it always seemed to come back to him quickly. He could only hope that this time would be no different.

Looking at the monsters he felt his blood chill as he recognized how many dangerous and difficult to fight ones there were. The mixture of Wizrobes and Darknuts coupled with Lizalfos and a few people dressed in the Sheikah garb of those that were against the Royal family alarmed him and made Link even more grateful he’d sent the two children out of the Woods. This was no place for them to be, not with these assassins here. His hand tightened on his sword and Link growled as he shifted his stance to be ready to fight. He could not afford to lose to these monsters. Not with the two fragile lives on the line… not knowing what they would lead to and how precious those lives had become to him. Seeing them wait he rushed forwards, his steps quicker than the monsters expected and his sword ready to strike.

Time gasped as he jerked away from the decaying remains in front of him. His eyes were wide as he felt his chest tightening. He shook slightly as he looked around half expecting the monsters to be there around him. Trembling he staggered back away from the body, falling as he stumbled back over a branch half buried behind him. He could see that image, the fight, and more. There was so much there, so much more. His breathing couldn’t seem to settle into a proper rhythm, it kept speeding up even as he struggled to slow it. His eyes searched the clearing, as he looked he could see the piles of armor where the fallen Darknuts had died even as he knew there was nothing there. His breathing picked up even more, and his hands slid into his hair, tightening there to tug.

Usually pain grounded him a bit from his panicking but this time he just sat there with his chest tight and air hard to get. Pain radiated from his chest as his breathing continued to speed up. His hands shook as he released his hair, the tugging did nothing to help him. Somewhere close to him a horn sounded and Time turned his head. His combat instincts said that the area was still dangerous, as dangerous as it had been when he’d gotten to his feet after the portal.

"You need to move."

He knew that. Time really did know that, but he couldn’t seem to convince his limbs to work properly. His legs felt weak and his chest felt like one of Wild’s Hinoxes was sitting on it. Almost like it was through water he saw a familiar arm, black under tunic and brown gauntlets, reaching out to him. He felt like he was shaking too badly to manage to touch him but he raised his hand and set it into the grasp of the other’s hand.

"I’ll get us out of here."

It was a promise, a familiar promise, and Time felt his body moving without his direct control. It was familiar since he’d bonded closer with the spirit of the Deity’s mask, the god could sometimes control his body for him and get them out of danger. So he knew that the Deity would just get him to safety, that safety was the whole point of it, but it felt too wrong all at once with the lingering disorientation from the vision he’d had. He struggled against it, against the familiar warmth and comfort of the deity. Immediately control was returned to him with a worried sound from Kishin as he was once again left to watch as Time struggled against his panic and whatever enemies that horn had called. A spike of pain from his shoulder sent Time tumbling to the ground, his hands hitting the ground sharply bringing all the sensations into focus. Gasping Time looked around, trying to figure out what was going on.

"Monster archers." Kishin murmured and Time felt a small surge of guilt at how he had reacted. "Peace little hero, I know you are disoriented. Sight always seems to do that, especially when it is like that."

"Still…"

"Why don’t you use one of the other masks and get out of here?"

Time nodded without thinking and dug into his pack, instincts sharpening again as his breathing returned to normal for a moment. He dodged out of the way of another arrow before putting on the Deku mask. The smaller form gave him a much easier time to get away. He scurried through the forest, dodging around the trees and away from the clearing. Somehow he felt like he was going the same way the children had gone. His hands hurt a bit but not as much as his shoulder did, his shoulder hurt badly, the feeling somehow sharper with the Deku form.

Time ducked into a small hollow, watching as some monsters passed him and he turned, going deeper into the cave the hollow led into. Once he was there he removed the mask, it hurt again and as he grew back to his normal size. As he returned to normal Time dropped to his hands and knees once more, gasping softly and shaking. Looking at his hands Time realized that he was shaking, his breath was picking up again, hearing something approaching the cave’s entrance he pressed his hands over his mouth to silence the panicked breathing. He backed up away from it, moving to press his back to the wall of the cave but forgetting the arrow there. He managed to stop a cry of pain as the arrow shaft snapped, the broken part clattering to the ground while the rest of it dug deeper into his shoulder.

His vision started blurring, the edges blacking slightly. He tried to listen but heard nothing. Taking that to mean that there was no one there he dropped his hands while he panted for breath. A new sharp pain left him feeling even more disoriented, his body dropping to his hands and knees once more. One hand moved to press against his stomach, the hot sticky fluid that quickly coated it caused everything to spin sharply.

"No, no, stay awake. You must stay awake."

Time tried to make himself wake up more but something jabbed into his neck. Whatever it was caused everything to fade out even more. He felt himself land on his side, his eyes opening slightly as he tried to figure out what was going on. Above him stood one of those assassins with a Wizrobe behind it. As everything went dark he prayed that the others reached him.

Just before his sense of hearing faded he thought he made out an angry bark, leaving a soft wash of hope in his chest.

Twilight raced through the woods, worried that he wouldn’t find his mentor. He wasn’t entirely sure why he felt like he needed to find him immediately but that sense had only grown the longer it took to find him. Maybe it was a passing memory of Rusl mentioning monsters and such used to live in the forest, or perhaps it was the memory of that golden armor damaged and dented on the skeleton outside his home village. Whatever the case he waited just long enough for Warriors to see him before taking off once more.

This seemed to be the last major turn in finding Time.

At least he hoped it would be, he remembered some ruins in this part of the forest from some of his explorations. There hadn’t been monsters though, and maybe they were the reason for that. His ears twitched as he listened for whatever was ahead.

From the sound there were monsters ahead, mostly Lizalfos but a couple of Wizrobes, he ignored both. Arrows flew and pierced the Wizrobes creating an opening for him to pass them. Twilight spared a moment to be grateful to Wild for his accuracy. He was passing a tree when he noticed the scent of fresh blood coming from inside it. His ears pressed back and he quickly entered the tree’s base to find a cave. There were two assassins, one holding a bloody blade standing over a dark form while the other seemed to be talking with a Wizrobe. Twilight gave a low growl before barking as he lunged for the throat of the one holding the bloody weapon. As soon as he felt the man’s neck snap he turned to pounce on the Wizrobe but saw it was quickly making its way outside where Wild and the others were. With that out of the way he turned to the second assassin.

That one was holding something long and pointed, a needle of some sort. It made Twilight think of some things he had seen in Wild’s Kakariko Village before, one of the massage masters used them for helping deal with some of the groups’ over-sensitized nerves. It had an odd hue to the tip of it and when Twilight noticed a similar item piercing what seemed to be the neck of the dark form he realized that it was a sort of drug.

“Damn, I was hoping to get extra when I returned to the Baron with his prize. I hear that hi- urk!” The assassin was so focused on Twilight that he completely missed Wind entering the cave and shooting him.

Twilight felt saddened that Wind had to do that but he was more focused on the limp form that he was near. Now that the enemies were dealt with he clearly recognized Time and after shifting back he touched his back noticing that the bloody weapon had indeed been used on him. Time was deeply unconscious from whatever drug was on the needle like weapon and Twilight quickly but carefully removed it from his neck.

“Twilight?” Wind sounded worried.

“Go get Warriors for me, okay? I’ll need his help.”

“Okay.” Wind agreed and quickly left the cave.

Twilight sighed softly, his eyes anxiously running over Time’s body and noting what he could of the injuries the older hero had.

“What is going- Time!” Warriors lunged forward, dropping to his knees next to Twilight and running his hands over Time’s back. They got to his shoulder and it earned the two of them a pained cry though that was nothing compared to the sound they got pressing gently against the stab wound lower on his back.

“He’s going to need a potion, and I will need a fire as well as some clean water to clean this up.”

“I’ll go get Wild and a potion from Legend.”

“Hurry.”

Twilight quickly dove through the entrance to the cave and came face to face with Sky who was crouching to see inside.

“Lege-”

“WHat do you need?” Legend asked, cutting Twilight off.

“Red potion at least. Wild, Warriors asked me to get you too. We need a fire and fresh water.”

Wild gave a quick salute while hurrying inside the cave. Legend sighed and entered it himself. Wind seemed anxious while Hyrule was consoling him. Twilight debated about going inside to help with Time again but figured Hyrule or Sky would be better choices.

“We noticed two wounds that were bleeding, and he was drugged.” Twilight told Sky who frowned but nodded. He stood and turned to look around.

“This is your Hyrule, right?”

“More or less.”

“Are there any plants near us that you recognize that would knock someone out?”

“There is a red flower that grows in some meadows that does, but only in concentrated doses. I’ve only had very limited amounts of it in Kakariko where a healer is.”

Warriors apparently heard that and started cursing at length, the words were such that Time would be scolding him for his language if he was awake. Sky nodded grimly before entering the cave to help Warriors tend to Time. Four followed him while looking thoughtful, before long Four dragged one of the two assassins out of the cave and dropped him at Twilight’s feet. Twilight recognized it as the one he’d broken the neck of. He stared at it numbly.

“I would do it again.” Wind said, his voice soft but determined.

“Hmm?”

“I would shoot him again. Anything if it meant saving one of you.”

Twilight looked at him and noticed that seeing the body had helped him somehow. He nodded, then looked back at the body, noticing that the other assassin was next to him too.

“You saved him, you know?”

“Did I?”

“His weapon was drugged, it’s how they took Time down.. at least I think it is.”

“Then I’m glad. I… I don’t want to lose anyone.”

“Mind being here while I follow his trail? I want to see what I find at the other end of it.”

“You don’t want company?”

“I do, but I want to make sure no one will sneak up on the others more. You did well catching someone sneaking up on me earlier.”

Wind seemed proud of that and nodded. “Okay.”

Twilight nodded back then transformed into his wolf form again. The smell of blood hit him hard and he backed away from the cave before taking off. It was surprisingly easy to follow Time’s scent once he caught the change to it. Somehow it turned much more woody and like he was following a plant instead of a person. Eventually he would have to ask about that but for now he was more focused on finding where Time had been and possibly rescuing anything that might have been left behind while he was attacked.

The first thing he became aware of was that something soft was under him. Time wanted to simply curl into that softness and drift away again but a hazy sense that he had been attacked last time he had been awake prevented him from doing so. That was followed by the throbbing ache from his shoulder and back, they hurt in a way that told him the wounds had been treated but not healed completely. It was also that which prompted him to open his eye.

Grey fur met his sight, a very familiar pelt of grey fur. He tried to command his hand to move, wanting to feel the familiar soft warmth, but exhaustion prevented him from doing so… at least he hoped it was simply exhaustion. A low sound left his throat prompting the body he was laying against to tense, one pointed ear flicking back towards him. A soft bark followed that ear flick making Time wonder what was going on.

“He awake?”

The question got a soft rumble and Time sighed, his eye slipping shut.

“Hey, come on. I need you to stay awake for a moment. Can you do that?”

Those words taunted him, Time felt like they were important. He also felt his breathing pick up after hearing them, it was draining his strength faster than he thought possible. The distant sound of someone cursing drifted through the haze that seemed to settle over him.

"Little hero, you are among friends. It is safe."

He knew that, Wolfie was a perfect sign of that.

"They are trying to give you a potion."

“That bad?” Time wasn’t sure if he spoke that or if it was only to Kishin he said the words. A gentle hand on his cheek helped to ground him. His eye fluttered open again to see Sky’s worried gaze. It was only seeing the gentle relief on his face that Time realized he’d been starting to panic again… and then the bottle at his lips captured his attention. He drank what was poured into his mouth, slowly draining the bottle.

“That’s it. Thank you, Time.” 

Was that Warriors? He sounded worried.

"You almost died on them. Blood loss."

"Oh."

“Think you can manage some soup?” Wild asked, crouching down with a mug of soup in his hands.

Time noticed Sky watching something and belatedly remembered that Sky could sometimes see Kishin, especially when the Deity took over or helped him out more directly.

“Yes?”

A slight laugh followed his answer and soon Time was helped to sit against Wolfie while Warriors fed him the soup. It sent blissful warmth through him leaving Time wondering how he had gotten so cold before remembering Kishin’s words about almost dying from blood loss.

“You found me.”

“We did, thanks to Twilight.”

Wolfie’s ears twitched and Time hummed, wanting to move his hand to rest in the soft grey fur. Warriors clearly saw his expression and guessed what he wanted because as Time was lowered to lay down again his hand was moved to rest on Wolfie’s back. He gave a soft contented sigh as he drifted off again.

He was running again, trees seeming to shift to block the ones following him as Link tried to find a safe spot to rest for a moment. He ducked as he felt the slightest hint of danger, his sword flashing through the air to cut down the Lizalfos that tried to sneak up on him. His eye glanced over his shoulder to see that the group had shrunk significantly from what he’d first dealt with but there were still enough monsters he needed a small break or a good choke point to fight them all.

At least the children were safe. He managed that much.

Link swore under his breath as he realized that they were trying to force him into the desert. Oh he knew it was this way but he hadn’t realized they were slowly trying to force him that way. Ducking under another attack he rolled, away from the desert. Once he was on his feet again Link raced through a section of the woods he knew held monsters, Stalfos and the like. The ones behind him hesitated for a moment, just long enough for him to manage to get some distance. Within the forest some distance was more than enough to give him a break to catch his breath and down a mouthful of blue potion.

Turning back to them he raised his hands, magic swirling in warning before he unleashed the fire magic he’d learned so very long ago.

“Time! Come on, old man. You have to wake up!”

Time gasped as he jerked, freed from his dream… no from the vision unexpectedly.

“You back with us?” Legend asked, his eyes scanning Time’s face.

“I think so.” Time replied, his eye darting around the cave trying to remember where he was and what was happening.

Legend caught that and his eyes narrowed. He seemed to want to say something but refrained from doing so. Instead he turned to Hyrule and made a few small gestures. Hyrule moved closer to Time, as did Legend.

“Well it seems the potion helped you some. I still think you’ll be better off fully healed.”

“That sounds… wonderful honestly.”

Hyrule smiled gently as he began to work his healing magic. Time sighed softly as he felt the familiar magic wash over him. He didn’t realize as he began to hum to himself, the song one that always seemed to draw fairies to him. As he was getting ready to move Time noticed fairies settling around the cave, gently checking each of the others before giggling and dancing through the place. He smiled at them and shifted away from Wolfie’s side, pausing to give his descendant a reassuring pet.

He decided to check on each of the others himself and got up shakily. As he checked on the others the fairies began to bring them each flowers and to play with their hair, he was no exception even if it did make him want to settle next to Wolfie… next to Twilight again and sleep. As he got to where Wild, Warriors, and Twilight were settled Time was abruptly yanked into the small pile. He blinked dazedly for a moment before checking and seeing that everyone had settled into the pile around him. Huffing a laugh he relaxed and closed his eye.

“Sleep now, worry tomorrow. Got that?” Legend demanded, sitting near Time’s head instead of joining the group properly. Time suspected that Legend was on watch and was oddly okay with that.

“... yeah. I think I can do that.”

“Good.” Legend nodded satisfied. His hand moved to play with Time’s hair, the sensation helping to relax him back to sleep almost as much as the warmth radiating off the ones around him. “You’re safe with us. I promise, we won’t let anything happen to you that we can stop.”

The words helped and finally banished the vision of monsters and such chasing him through the woods. When Time closed his eye this time it was to dreams of helping collect apples in Legend’s orchard, corralling the goats with Twilight, and joining Wind on some of his adventures. During them he saw the children again, the girl laughing brightly as she climbed onto Warriors’ shoulders to reach some apples while the boy clung to Four’s hand while Four told him about the goats, and he smiled happily. That was why he did this after all, to keep his family safe.

[gongyussy]

good thing from jp twitter this week is queen of old man yaoi michiru sonoo discovering the term old man yaoi

[batcavescolony]

Katniss is such an unreliable narrator. She says "Then something unexpected happens. At least, I don't expect it because I don't think of District 12 as a place that cares about me" girl you deliver strawberries to the Mayor, you hunt and trade for the district, when you fell at Prim being chosen someone caught you, when you went to Prim people parted for you, when you volunteered EVERYONE stopped. Idk how to tell you but I think you're a pillar of the community.

[doctorsiren]

The books reveal that Ford is actually a secret partier

(Available as a print on my Etsy Shop)

(wips under cut)

[vulpinesaint]

quiz enjoyers! i am now inviting you to come create something in my workshop❕

[artofearendel]

look at these two being happy <3

[artkaninchenbau]

People keep on asking for more Baby Robin and Papadile so here is more Baby Robin and Papadile. Now never ask anything from me ever again

[andsylphy]

Bloodless? 🩸

[bixels]

In the past, people in the Animal Crossing community would make fun of Tom Nook as a sleazy landlord. Since then, he's really rehabilitated his image as this 'heart of gold' businessman (he's the one who puts bells and furniture in trees for you to find! he adopted orphans! he donates to charity!), but New Horizons genuinely paints the most devious version of him.

He's successfully privatized settler colonialism: you pay HIM to move to a "deserted island" (which apparently the oceans in the AC world are just full of) and start a colony that he is directly invested in. At best he's running a weird vacation package scam (you arrive on the island with no money and in debt for "using his services"). At worst, he's using you to set up company towns. For god's sake, he literally has his own fake currency that he forces you to use to pay off your debt. But don't worry, he's repackaged it in a way that definitely doesn't sound like an MLM scam: the Nook Mileage Program!

You're no longer just his tenant or his temporary part-timer, you're his business lackey. The entire tutorial section of the game has you spending actual weeks running around completing tasks and doing hard labor to set up his colony. You're even tasked with preparing his properties and finding buyers for them. No, you aren't a tenant anymore. You work for the landlord. You are directly responsible for finding tenants for him. And he doesn't even fucking pay you. Not for setting up town hall and museum, or his nephew's shop –– which is the ONLY store on the entire island that sells necessities –– or bringing KK Slider to town, or helping populate his town. Not a single cent. No, actually, you have to pay HIM to BUY infrastructure like bridges and stairs and park benches. And all the while, he's telling you're the "resident representative"; you get to call the shots! That the reward is the community's progress. That what you're doing is in everyone's best interest (but most importantly, his).

Since NH's release, people have done a lot of legwork to say that Tom Nook isn't a capitalist while the game shows him at his very worst. He owns the only general store in town. You're forced to use a phone that he modified and branded as his own. Buy Nook-branded furniture and merchandise at the self-serve kiosk in the town hall, a governmental building! There's no conflict of interest here!

But hey, if you're tired of being the landlord/business mogul's goon, you can also find work as a deluxe resort home designer for a company that also pays you in their special company currency that can only be used to buy their products instead of a real salary! Because that's what the Animal Crossing franchise needs! More vacation homes!!!

[kyoukorpse]

ohhh so ur scrimbly??

[words-writ-in-starlight]

listen I expected literally Nothing from the D&D movie okay, like I can't make it clear enough that I expected the most soulless money grab with a good cgi budget imaginable, I went in having already gone through every stage of grief and landed on acceptance and LISTEN

I fucking CRIED during this dumb RPG movie. it wasn't just "not terrible" it was objectively good with a clever plot and compelling characters and sincere emotional beats. this movie loves D&D so fucking much and it NAILS the "a bunch of goobers try to be cool and accidentally discover The Power Of Friendship And Also Great Violence" classic D&D party vibe. their barbarian's last name is fucking Kilgore and my entire family cried in the theater.

I hope they make twelve of these motherfuckers.

[poorly-drawn-mdzs]

Thanks for listening to my sad backstory. Anyway, here's Wonderwall.

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[starry-bi-sky]

There are two things that Damian knows that he knows Father doesn’t.

He has an older brother

He was dead

(And a secret third thing: Damian was glad he was dead. They did not get along.)

Well. No, correction, they were two things that Damian knew that Father didn't. Past tense. Strange magic swirled through the air and created a mirage before his eyes, and immediately a scowl forms across his face.

The mirage shifts and shimmers like the light hitting a slowly turning prism, and then it settles into a memory. One that Damian does not recall. Like looking into a tv screen, it shows, faintly, a room, with most of the magic going into the image of a crib.

His mother was standing on one side, and next to her, standing on his tiptoes was a small five year old boy looking up at her. With dark hair and skin that was only few shades lighter brown than Damian's, the little boy's resemblance to Damian was undeniable.

However, his eyes were blue. Not green. Damian's scowl deepens, and he sinks back. "Danyal." He mutters, and feels eyes turn on to him.

Danyal Al Ghul. Damian's older brother. A prodigal swordsman like Damian, and five years his senior. He'd be fifteen if he was still alive. His memory of the last time he saw his brother was still clear in his mind.

(A sword to Danyal's neck. Stars were glittering through his window. Damian was five, Danyal ten. He is not sure why Danyal had snuck into his room, all he remembers is hearing a sound and on instinct reaching for his sword.)

(His brother had intercepted easily. But had not shoved the sword away. Moonlight hit his blue eyes, and Damian remembers seeing the pupils shrink to let the light in. His eyes looked almost silver.)

(His brother bares his teeth at him. Damian wants to slice his neck more than anything, and he bares his teeth back. "Good." Danyal says, his voice low in a hiss, "Your reflexes are good, little brother.")

("Of course they are," Damian remembers snarling, and presses the sword closer. But it does not budge. "I am an Al Ghul.")

(Something unrecognizable passes through his brother's eyes, and his mouth twists into something like a smile. "I know." He says, and tilts his head downwards at him. "And you will be great.")

(His brother shoves the sword back, causing Damian to stumble. And like the wind, he is gone.)

(The next morning, he goes on a mission with mother and a few others. Mother is the only one to return with Danyal's sword, and a red-eyed look in her eyes. Damian does not mourn. Now there's only one of them.)

"Momma." The little Danyal-mirage speaks, a furrow between his childlike brows as mother lowers a bundle into the crib. His blue eyes watch her, and lifts onto his toes to peer into the crib as she sets the baby down. "Who is this?"

Their mother's hand comes to rest along his back. "This is Damian, my son." She murmurs, voice low. "He is your little brother. Protect him well."

Damian scoffs internally -- not likely. He remembers every spar he ever had with Danyal, every harsh word and insult. His pushing, pushing, pushing for Damian to get up. To try again. Do it again. The only kindness he ever showed him was when his fingers bled. And even that was harsh, firm. Rolling gauze around his wrist and scolding him, telling him how to wield his weapon better.

(It was the same as everyone else, but somehow it hurt worse coming from his own brother.)

But he watches his older brother's youngest self tilt his head to the side, and then reach his chubby hand through the crib's bars. He runs small, blunt fingers over the baby's arm, and the baby jerks. Through the crib's bars, Damian sees himself grab Danyal's fingers.

And he scowls even deeper.

And Danyal's eyes... widen. He lets out a little gasp, and a small smile Damian's never seen him wear tilts at the corner of his mouth as he looks up at their mother. "Mother," he whispers, "he grabbed me!"

Damian... his scowl falters, for a moment.

He doesn't wait for a response, he looks back to the baby with sparking eyes. His expression melts like sugar as he bounces the finger being gripped tight by the small hand. "Hello, little brother." His brother says, voice its of usual firmness, but there's more fondness underlying it than Damian's ever heard. "My name is Danyal."

The mirage shifts before Damian can comprehend his older brother's voice. It shows the crib again, appearing as if a few days had passed. There is night lilting through the nearby window, and a creek of the door. The baby doesn't stir.

Danyal sneaks in, still wearing his training clothes and a sword strapped to his side. Damian's scowl returns, watching him creep over to the crib. Of course -- the last night he saw his brother wasn't the only time he'd snuck into his room.

Would he go so low as to attack an infant? Damian wonders, watching his brother cross the room to his crib. But while his fingers rest against the hilt, they never curl to unsheathe.

His brother peers into the crib again, and there it is again, that smile wider in the corner of his mouth. It's not a full one, but its as uninhibited as it gets. Dripping honey-sweet with awe. "You are so tiny." Danyal whispers, and pokes a finger back through the crib. It wriggles, then pokes Damian's cheek gently. "Was I as small as you when mother gave birth to me?"

There is no response from the baby. Not a coherent one anyways, the little thing snuffles and turns his head, mouth open to latch. Danyal stills, his eyes grow ever wider again.

Danyal says nothing else, just rests his cheek against the crib and watches the baby sleep in silence. The affection never leaves his young face.

Damian feels unsettled. Off-foot. This Danyal is foreign to him... He wonders what happened to have changed his brother's mind on him.

There's a scuffle, quiet, but there. Danyal picks up on it just as Damian does, and his head pricks up like a deer, head already turning away from the crib. The affection leaves his face, falling away like water into something serious. His blade is already slightly unsheathed.

Two assassins, belonging to grandfather, burst out of the shadows. Their swords swinging into the air and ready to strike.

Danyal kills them both, his back to the crib. It's not without struggle, and when the two assassins lay dead on the floor, the baby is wailing at the top of his lungs. Danyal has a laceration cleaving down diagonal of his cheek. It's close to his eye, just barely missed blinding him.

Damian never knew how he got that scar. He does now. (He doesn't know how to feel about it.)

His brother clutches his bleeding face, sheathing his sword as tears well up onto his face. But he turns towards the crib, and hurries over. "You're okay, you're okay, you're okay." He hushes rapidly, the League-drilled seriousness fallen away to reveal a panic-stricken five year old. He sticks one hand into the crib, the one not clutching anything, and grabs little Damian's hand.

Their mother comes bursting in that moment, and Danyal turns his head towards her. "Mother." He says, his voice cracks un-wantingly. Their mother steps over the bodies of the assassins easily. "They tried to kill Damian."

"But they did not." Talias says, kneeling down next to the crib to inspect Danyal's face and Damian's well-being. When she finds nothing of concern beyond the injury, she continues. "You killed them before they could, Danyal. Well done."

The mirage of his brother nods, his eyes teary and red.

Damian... is discomfited. he never thought Danyal would kill assassins for him. He would have thought his brother would sooner look the other way. The mirage shifts again, and it quickly shows time passing.

Danyal sits in Damian's nursery every night, after that. He lays at the foot of the crib with his sword, a pillow and a blanket with him. Some nights there is nothing but peace -- or as close to peace as a baby could achieve -- and some days assassins break in.

Danyal kills each one.

The mirage shifts again, and it shows more memories of Danyal interacting with Damian during his youth too young for him to remember. His first steps, his first words.

"Danya." The small toddler of Damian says, arms reaching for Danyal.

A frown curls across Danyal's face, and pulls Damian into his lap. "No, no, little brother." He scolds, voice firm but.. softer. "It is Danyal, Damian. Danyal."

"Danya!"

Damian's brother sighs, but there is that same-small tilt at the corner of his mouth. A glimmer in his eyes. A glimmer... that Damian is finding he recognizes.

(He always thought his brother got that look in his eyes when he was mocking him. Was he wrong?)

The mirage shifts again, and this time it shows only mother and Danyal, alone. Danyal is older, taller. Seven, if Damian had to guess. Mother has a stern look on her face, her hands tight on his shoulders. "Damian will be starting training soon, my son."

Ah, then close to eight then. Training starts, always, at three years old. He watches Danyal nod, his expression mimicking their mother's. His arms are folded, always folded, behind his back, always neat.

"You can no longer have the relationship with your brother as you did before." Mother says.

Danyal's expression... falters. It shifts, it fluctuates. He looks surprised, thrown off. Like he isn't quite sure he heard what mother just said. His brows furrow. "What... do you mean, mother?"

"I mean what I said, Danyal." Mother says, stern, "Ra's will be keeping a closer eye on Damian now that he is of age to begin his training. He will not like if he sees you both getting along."

"I am sorry, my child. But your relationship with Damian ends here. You are rivals now, not brothers." In a cruel form a gentleness, mother raises her hand and tucks a stray curl out of Danyal's face.

Of course. Damian never had a relationship with his brother because of Grandfather. Of course. No, he's not feeling a little bitter. No. There's not an inner child that still, like a candleflame, wishes that he'd had a bond with his only flesh and blood.

Danyal is dead now. So it's not like it matters. He's happy about this.

Danyal frowns, and he steps back. He looks lost in thought. "We are still brothers, mother," he says, argues, and looks up to meet mother's eyes. "Let me train him, I will make sure he gets the skill he needs. If we must be rivals, then I will teach him how to defeat me. If he can defeat me, he can defeat anybody."

Their mother, and Damian, both blink in unison. Then mother smiles something sharp, calculated. She folds her hands behind her back. "Then do it. But you will make him hate you."

"...So be it."

Damian.... Damian is silent. His world axis has been tilted on its head. He is sliding, and sliding, and sliding down. Spinning. Many things click into place at once.

More memories from the mirage show. It shows Danyal training Damian. It shows their arguing, their bickering. It shows Danyal going to their mother to praise Damian and his skills, how fast he is picking up on the sword. How one day he will surpass even him.

It shows Danyal sitting outside Damian's bedroom door every night, listening in for anyone who dares to break in. His knees drawn to his chest, his sword at his side. Sometimes he sneaks in, sword drawn, when he hears a sound.

Some nights, Damian wakes up. He remembers those nights. Danyal standing over his bed with his sword unsheathed and tight at his side. He remembers the instant terror as he immediately reached for his own weapon.

His brother always scolded him for his lack of vigilance. That had he been anyone else, Damian would have had his neck cut. He would've been dead already. It only made Damian's hatred of him grow.

But he understands now. Because there were assassins in the room that Damian, four years old, three, did not notice. Not until later. He always assumed the attacks on him after Danyal's death had been because now there was a new heir to target.

It had been the only lesson he'd been even somewhat grateful for.

Then finally the mirage shimmers, and it shows Danyal, ten years old, in one of the training rooms, mid-spar with Mother. It's fast, sharp, impressive and like a blur. Damian is unsure if at ten which one of them was the better swordsman. Some of the assassins who have never met Danyal said Damian was, but the ones who had said it was Danyal. He'll never know.

In a lull in the fight, when their swords are crossed, mother speaks. "Ra's wants you and Damian to fight." She says, teeth grit into a deep scowl. The cross breaks and Danyal jumps back, he frowns.

"We have fought, mother." He says, and dives in first, swinging for mother's feet. Mother dodges, and slices at his arm. He swerves out of the way, twisting on his feet like a dance. "We are always fighting, doesn't he see our spars?"

"Not a spar like that, my son." Mother says, a snarl in her voice. She lunges, and Danyal blocks her blade. "A fight to the death. Father has grown tired of having two heirs."

That gets Danyal's attention -- or, more accurately, it distracts it. His eyes widen, and his sword lowers for a single moment. A mistake. "What?" Is all he gets out before mother has him on his back, her blade pressed to his throat.

He freezes. As does Damian. Danyal's brows furrow, then unfurrow, only to knot up again. "Mother, what do you mean a fight to the death?" He flips to his feet when mother removes the sword. She walks over to grab her water.

"Must I repeat myself, Danyal?" Mother snaps, rubbing her forehead before swigging from her canteen. "Father wants to find out which one of you is the stronger heir, and so you will fight to the death after your training in a few days."

Danyal's tan face loses a shade of color, he looks ashy. "There must be some mistake!" He exclaims, his arms gesturing out as he peers around mother. "There is a five year disparity between us, Damian has only just started training two years ago. It would be an unfair fight!"

"Do you think me unaware?" Mother whirls on him, and there is a grief-stricken look on her face. Like she is already mourning Damian's death. Damian feels ill. "Your skill is far beyond what Damian can accomplish right now, and there is nothing that I say that can convince Father otherwise."

Danyal wears an expression like he is scrambling for answers. A white knuckle grip on his weapon. There is a long silence, and his lower lip curls up. His throat bobs, he swallows. "Is there really nothing we can do?"

Mother makes a frustrated sound, pushing her loose hairs out of her face. "Not unless Father changes his mind, or I send one of you away. But Father would surely send someone to look for you or Damian."

"What if one of us faked our death?"

Mother stills. As does Damian. No, he thinks, stiff as a rod, no way. These mirages were lying, nothing but figments of an imagination. Of some quiet what-if that Damian had not yet stomped out.

Mother's expression shifts, and then turns contemplative. Danyal notices, and keeps pushing, he looks as hopeful as he could get beyond his usual unwavering, stone-like expression. "One of us could go to father--"

"No." Mother cuts off, voice sharp. Danyal wilts, confusion flittering across his face. Damian, from the corner of his eye, sees Father tense as stone. His white-slit eyes have not left the mirage. Nobody's has.

"Father will undoubtedly check there first, it would not be a good idea. You or Damian will have to go somewhere where he would not think to look. Someone unaffiliated with the League."

Danyal's face falls, shutters, and then closes up again into stone. Mother begins to pace, and Danyal's blue eyes follow her. "So a stranger?" He asks, and there is disgust lilting into his voice.

Mother nods, and she looks just as offput as Danyal.

The mirage of Damian's brother rolls his shoulders back. "Then I will do it, mother." He says, voice unwavering. There is a stubborn note behind it all, one that Damian recognizes. "I will fake my death, and Damian will stay here."

Mother's eyes turn sharp on him, and she stops in her spot. She pivots. "Are you sure?" She asks, eyebrow raising, "There is a chance you will never meet your Father if you leave. Nor will you see I or Damian again, if you do this."

Something like fear flickers across Danyal's face, eyes widening momentarily -- as if that very thought had not crossed his mind. But then it smooths over to sharp determination. He nods. "It would be the same for Damian if it was him instead. I will do it, Mother."

Damian feels ill again. Father has a strong set in his jaw, his teeth grinding.

Mother stares at Danyal, and then her expression softens. And like before, it is grieving. "In a few days time, I and another member of the League will be going on a mission to the American States. I will tell Father that you will accompany me, once there we will dispose of the other member and then orchestrate your death."

The American States. Danyal was here, in the country. He was out there somewhere -- but no this was fake. It had to be. Danyal was dead. A fool who got himself killed on a mission with mother and left the title of Heir to Damian.

Or maybe it had been his plan all along. His and mother's both.

...Was mother ever going to tell him?

The mirage of Danyal nods, sharp. Understanding. There is a gleam in his eyes that is not pride, it is tears. And when Mother leaves the room and leaves him alone, the stone-like expression on his face crumbles and falls.

His brother, ten years old, curls up his lip in an ugly way. It wobbles as the tears in his eyes do, and he brings up his hand to slam it over his mouth. And sinks to his knees, a yell-like sob muffled behind the skin.

His brother, ten years old, looks smaller than Damian remembers him being, and cries.

Damian has never seen Danyal cry. Not once in the mirage of memories, nor in his own.

The memory holds for a minute, and then disappears. And no new one shows up. The magic is gone, and it leaves a silence in its wake. Heavy, staticky, and full of revelations.

So there are two things that Damian knows that his Father now knows too.

He has an older brother

His older brother is alive.

(And a new secret third thing: Damian wasn't sure how to feel about it.)

[tacticalgrandma]

Idk man Jayce and Viktor both having Black women in their lives who love, comfort, and support them, only to pay those same women absolute dirt when they actually ask something in return—you could have done something there. You could have had Mel actually express her heartbreak that when she tries to lay her head in Jayce’s lap, he screams at her. You could have had Sky acknowledge how little Viktor cared for her own, independent personhood with something more than a “No, you won’t.” Or hell, just have her say that with pain or anger or terror or SOMETHING.

You could have cared about these women’s internal lives and, even if you still narratively reward Jayce and Viktor for ignoring them, you could have shown that these women bleed when you prick them. But they didn’t and that’s really fucking ugly of them.

[hinamie]

so just know, I'm healing / even though it don't feel like it

insp

[arcanegifs]

ARCANE LEAGUE OF LEGENDS: 2x01 - “Heavy is the Crown” ↳ "I know you doubt your merit of your birthright, Caitlyn. There's wisdom in that. But remember: You're a Kiramman."