#but......shadow of ronin fanfiction....

[destinysbounty]

I know I have wayyy too many fan projects on my to-do list to warrant adding another one onto the pile (cough cough the 30-minute love triangle video essay), but for years now I've been wanting to do a rewrite/novelization of the Shadow of Ronin video game. Because like, the lore of this game has so many fucked up implications that never get acknowledged - but unlike with most fucked up Ninjago lore, the game is just obscure enough that not as many people are familiar with it enough to facilitate a broader discussion about this stuff. And dammit, I need at least one fic talking about how messed up SoR actually was and if I cannot find it I guess I'll just have to create it.

[kindaasrikal]

I got bored so now I’m slapping you all with Lloyd headcanons from someone who percieves him as a stupid teenager. Yippe.

Lloyd, despite everything, is the BEST when it comes to money. Especially with negotiations. If the original price of something is ‘unfair’ to Lloyd, he will make sire that price of 300 drops down to 20 bucks. No one understands how he does it, least of all Ronin who feels like he just got robbed of 280.

Lloyd’s hair is naturally blonde, the same shade as Wu’s, whose hair was exactly like Lloyd’s grandfathers, the Fsm. Misako, Garmadon, and Wu all already knew that Lloyd got the blonde from the Fsm, but Lloyd, oh poor innocent dumb 10/15 year old (early seasons, so right after the tea and after they met Misako) Lloyd, had a crisis over it. After finding out Misako and Wu were almost a thing, and having no idea how the Fsm looks like, he waddled over to Wu one night, tears in his eyes, and asks his uncle why he has blonde hair. Wu, not thinking much of it, was prepared to start explaining science to him as well as show a picture of the Fsm. Until, he saw the rhetorical worry and the accusation in Lloyd’s eyes.

“Ah…nephew. What are you really asking me right now?…”

“Wu…Garmadon is my dad, right?????” And Lloyd’s about to start sobbing. Wu had to sit him down, explain he would never, and bombard Lloyd with photo’s of the Fsm and young Garmadon, who looks exactly like Lloyd. Safe to say that the next day Zane began teaching Lloyd everything he should’ve learnt in school. Specifically science.

Lloyd, after losing his element by almost dying, learnt how to manually make his eyes glow. So sometimes it’s a dim light, other times he rivals a flash light. He loves using it in staring contests, he cackled the first tike he used it on Jay who yelped back and couldn’t see anything other than a weird shadow light thing for the rest of the day. Jay then bribed Zane to do that to Lloyd, who learnt his lesson to only ever flash his eyes at Kai.

Lloyd used to read fanfiction on Wattpad years ago in Darkley’s, so sometimes when he’s captured or in a situation, he starts narrating like a 14 year old girl with a crush on BTS/Harry Styles/One Direction. “My glowing green emerald eyes stared deeply into the abyss, hoping someone, anyone would come save me…and slowly, as my lean and strong body wiggled for freedom, I saw Fritz Donnegan-” “LLOYD I SWEAR WHEN WE GET OUT-”

Lloyd knows how to tap dance. To doom.

Once, Lloyd tried to be Spider-Man by using his element to make green lasso’s or smth. Little did he know he almost blew up half of Ninjago city when everything he grabbed with them started blowing up. You learn something new everyday. Though, the Commissioner didn’t like that excuse all that much.

Lloyd enjoys growing his extras two arms out and then hanging off of Cole’s back like how baby’s do with the baby carriers. He didn’t like that comparison all that much, Kai.

Lloyd is the type of person to do things so reckless, especially when it comes to emotionally attached villains. He will happily cuss out his dad when he’s on a oni rampage, yes he will go out and have coffee with Harumi, the girl who is knows to all of Ninjago city as the quiet one and call her “Salumi” the whole time, yes he will summon Morro and tell him all the cool stuff he did as the real green ninja, yes he will visit Pythor and give him snake food as a present. All of them are concerned and/or annoyed.

Not many people realised how much Lloyd looked like Misako until he wore her glasses as a joke. She started lecturing him about how bad his eye sight could get if he kept doing that, and all he said was “I’m not even human, i don’t count.”

Once Lloyd went to a place that prides itself for its inclusivity, and then had no idea if he should go to the mens bathroom, the dragons bathroom, or the oni’s bathroom. After taking a peak into the latter two, he quickly decided the mens bathroom is safer. Much safer. He dragged Nya to help him complain to the restaurant about there being no dragoni bathrooms around here and got free food out of it. So worth the embarrassment of saying “How am i supposed to reach the toilet??? HOW????”

[elysiaheaven2]

A poem to my childhood fort....(part 1) Ronin x G.n reader

Words:3000

Genre: Angst to fluff, Gift to @sincerelyyourslilly

(Reader is G.N)

Ronin x G.N Reader

All you ever wanted was to be a successful crime writer. Not the next best-seller, not a household name—just someone who could spin a story without that relentless, soul-crushing writer's block creeping in. Every time you opened a blank document, it stared back at you, mocking, empty. And every time, you closed it, frustration bubbling over.

Why was it so hard? You’ve written before. Sure, some of it was cringe fanfiction—okay, a lot of it was cringe fanfiction—but writing used to come so easily. Back then, the words practically bled onto the page. Now, they just... don’t.

You needed inspiration. Something visceral, raw, a spark that could ignite your creative inferno. It wouldn’t come from endless Google searches, that was for sure. Inspiration like that demanded you dig deeper—into the recesses of your heart, into shadows most people were too afraid to explore.

Surely, there was no harm in doing some light research, right? It’s not like you were going to end up on some FBI watchlist just for being curious about murder methods.

Right?

Being a news reporter gave you plenty of access to grim realities. You had an eye for the grotesque, the macabre. You couldn’t help but marvel at the artistry in the work of the city’s most infamous killer. The Butcher, as the media had branded them, was a twisted kind of genius. Their victims—if you could even call them that—were their canvas. Each one a masterpiece of gore and carnage. Fleshed out, literally, in a way that screamed passion and precision.

To the public, it was nauseating. To you?

It was inspiring.

You toyed with the idea of writing about them, a crowbar-wielding serial killer stalking the streets. The thing is...you didn’t know much about crowbars. Did they bash? Bludgeon? Crush? Did it take more than one hit? You needed details, and where better to get them than the internet?

T.com had a certain charm to it. The best (and worst) of humanity hung out there. You figured it was safer than delving into the dark web, so you posted your question there.

asking for a friend hey can anyone with experience killing a person with a crowbar dm me, it's really important thank you.

The post was short, straightforward, and definitely not suspicious. Nothing that would have people side-eyeing you...right? You weren’t that desperate to go digging into the deep web for inspiration. Yet.

You hit “post.”

And then you waited.

It didn’t take long for someone to slide into your DMs.

That DM changed everything.

You met him,

Your muse. Your inspiration. Your… childhood tragedy.

The sender’s username was cryptic, but the link they shared—“killrch8t_b00t.mango”—was even more so. Against your better judgment, you clicked it. What you found was...unexpected. A server. A private chatroom for people like you.

Only, they weren’t writers. They were killers.

At first, you didn’t know it was him. But looking back now, it all makes sense. So, dear writer, here’s what happened:

You were just a simple writer, but you somehow got invited to a serial killer server by a guy who apparently adores crowbars. It didn’t take long for you to realize that this guy? He was the Butcher.

So, naturally, you decided to play along. To “slay,” as they say.

At first, you didn’t realize who you were talking to. The Butcher. The Butcher. You thought you were chatting with some edgy wannabe, someone cosplaying as the city’s most notorious murderer. But as the conversation progressed, it became clear.

It was him.

He was surprisingly...charming. Flirty, even, in a deranged sort of way. The kind of guy who’d make you laugh one second and send shivers down your spine the next.

So, naturally, you decided to play along. To “slay,” as they say. You started by reacting to his roles he reacted with:

😇 Fun ❌ Crowbar 🔪 Sharp Objects 🩸 I love the thrill of the rush 😮 I have this thing called an ego

You figured that maybe if you showed him the right mix of enthusiasm, he’d notice you. The Devil himself would grant you his blessings—or maybe just the motivation you so desperately needed.

After all, all his crimes... they involve a crowbar.

It was almost too easy to talk to him. His messages were a mix of sarcasm, wit, and razor-sharp insight. But there was an edge to everything he said, a challenge beneath the surface. He asked questions that made your pulse quicken, like he was daring you to prove yourself. To impress him.

Then he upped the ante.

He wanted you to kill someone. Not just theoretically, but for real. To send a picture. Proof. He wanted you to baptize yourself in blood—or maybe he just wanted to see how far you’d go to entertain him.

You laughed it off at first. He had to be joking. Right?

But he wasn’t.

The scary part wasn’t that he asked. It was that you didn’t immediately say no.

The conversations grew darker, deeper. Somewhere along the way, he stopped being just “The Butcher” and became a person to you. Someone sad. Lonely, even. Beneath the bravado and the bloodlust, there was something broken about him. And damn it if you weren’t the kind of person who thought you could fix people.

Strangely, you started to feel bad for him. He seemed... sad. Not in a pathetic way, but in a way that made you think: Hey, maybe this edgy maniac has layers. You weren’t dumb enough to think you could “fix” him, but maybe, just maybe, you could understand him.

But the thought still lingered.

You joked about plotting his murder. His reply? He blushed. He actually blushed. The idea of you thinking about him—obsessing over him—clearly thrilled him. It was hard to tell if he was serious or just toying with you. Either way, it felt like flirting.

Was it flirting? It was definitely something.

Everything was fine. Well, as fine as it could be when you were chatting with a notorious killer. He hadn’t turned on you. Not yet.

And then the channel appeared.

“artistic-license.”

The Butcher’s tone shifted the moment it opened. Gone was the playful banter, replaced with something cold and calculating. He knew who you were. Knew more than you’d ever shared.

“You can be my muse,” he said, voice dripping with menace. “As long as you’re willing to be my victim.”

Your blood ran cold.

It had been a game to him, all along. A hunt. And now, you weren’t sure if you were the predator or the prey.

Oh, shit.

Maybe it felt like you were in a chokehold, always watched, unable to escape, because your heart already beat only for the server. It wasn’t just obsession; it was survival. Once you left, it felt like your heart stopped altogether. That’s what kept you tethered, trapped in a conflict with yourself. Afraid of the nightmares. Afraid of him.

Was it the people? Or was it him? The Devil himself, Ronin.

Oh, but you didn’t leave, did you? You stayed. You stayed because every moment away from that server gnawed at you. And even when you closed your eyes, sleep wasn’t an escape. Not from him. Not from the Devil.

The dream was vivid. A whispered laughter danced through your mind, teasing and cold. A crowbar pressed against your neck, its chill seeping into your skin. The man in front of you had a Lucifer’s smile, a grin both wicked and divine. His eyes held a whisper of flame—bright, hot, dangerous. He wasn’t just playing at being the Devil; he embodied it. The Devil himself. Your Devil.

He leaned closer, and his breath was warm against your ear. “Why fight it, darling?” he murmured. “You came here for me. You stayed for me. And you’ll never leave… for me.” His voice was honeyed poison, sweet and lethal.

You tried to step back, but the crowbar pressed harder, pinning you in place. His laughter curled around you, low and dark, like smoke from a fire you couldn’t escape.

“Oh, you’re scared,” he said, and his grin widened. “Good. Fear looks so pretty on you.”

You wanted to scream, to lash out, but you couldn’t. Your body betrayed you, frozen under the weight of his gaze. He tilted his head, studying you with an almost tender curiosity, as if deciding whether to devour you whole or savor you bite by bite.

“You know what I love about you?” he whispered. “Your heart. It beats so fast, so loud, like it’s trying to call me closer. And you know what’s funny? It’s mine. Always has been. You just didn’t realize it yet.”

His hand reached out, brushing a strand of hair from your face. The touch was soft, almost reverent, but it sent a shiver racing down your spine.

“Don’t look so frightened, sweetheart,” he said, his voice a velvet caress. “You wanted this. You wanted me.”

And then, just as quickly as it began, it ended. The crowbar disappeared. The Devil vanished. You woke with a start, gasping for air, your pulse hammering against your ribs. It was just a dream. Just a stupid, terrifying, beautiful dream.

You woke from a dream, if you could even call it that. A whispered laughter echoed in your ears, chilling and intimate, and the ghost of a crowbar lingered against your neck. The man in front of you—his grin sharp as a blade, his eyes alight with a flicker of Hell itself. He was Lucifer's shadow, Lucifer's whisper—no, not a shadow. The Devil incarnate. The Devil he had to be.

Except… you couldn’t shake the feeling that it wasn’t. Not entirely.

You could write. Or you could log in and see what the server was doing. The decision was easy.

You logged in. The server was quiet. No one was online.

Except for him.

Mr. Devil himself.

A notification popped up: Incoming call.

You hesitated, fingers hovering over the mouse. Then, with a resigned sigh, you clicked accept.

The screen flickered, and there he was. Ronin—sharp-eyed and grinning like he knew every secret you’d ever tried to bury. His voice was a low drawl, smooth and intoxicating.

“Hey,” he greeted, leaning closer to the camera as if trying to bridge the digital gap between you.

“Hi,” you managed, your voice more breathless than you intended. “What are you doing up so late?”

His grin widened. “Same could be said for you, darlin’. What’s up? Stayin’ up late for that midnight inspiration?”

You hesitated, unsure how to respond. “Why are you doing this?” you finally asked, your voice trembling slightly.

Ronin laughed, a low, dangerous sound that sent shivers down your spine. “Fucking with writers is my specialty, what can I say?” His gaze pinned you in place, even through the screen. “I told you, darlin’. You come to me, and I give you whatever the fuck you want. Isn’t this your dream? I’m your wish, come true.”

His voice dipped lower, each word a dark caress. “And you’re fucked, ‘cause I know exactly who you are, Y/N.” He paused, letting the weight of his words sink in. “Did I mention that I got your IP the second you logged onto the server? Yeah, yeah. Internet safety and all that shit. Don’t talk to strangers, right? ‘Cause you never know who you might come across.”

Your breath hitched. You couldn’t speak, couldn’t move. His grin turned sharper, almost predatory.

“Lost for words?” he teased, his voice laced with mock sympathy. “I know. I’m so fucking charming.”

He leaned back, running a hand through his hair. “Listen up, sweetheart. I’ll be visiting you soon. Crowbar in hand. Unless…” His eyes gleamed with wicked delight. “Unless you find me first. Happy hunting, baby.”

The call ended abruptly, leaving you staring at your reflection in the now-black screen. Your mind raced, heart pounding in your chest.

You were in trouble.

Loving the Devil had been your first mistake. Thinking he might actually love you back was your second. And falling for his corruption, his twisted games—that was your third and most damning sin.

Ronin had known exactly what he was doing when he invited you to his server. He’d seen through your persona, found amusement in your attempts to remain aloof. To him, you were a game, a challenge—and he wanted to win. He always did.

Now, there was only one way out. He’d told you himself: you had to find him first. The question was, could you?

It was 14 February.

It was February 14th. Oh, shit. You had dreamt…

Of your first love.

Angelwood.

A place you wouldn’t mind setting ablaze, just for the hell of it.

It ruined your life. It scarred you. It made you feel worthless.

Angelwood—a repressed, self-righteous town drenched in hollow piety.

You wanted to die. Your family had discovered something about you, something that didn’t align with their narrow version of normal. Something unholy, they said.

They went to the Pastor. He declared you a changed person. No, worse. He called you a demon. Because you had dared to correct him.

Didn’t God love everyone? Didn’t He embrace whatever or whoever you were? You screamed those questions into the void of your mind, but no answers ever came. Only shame, only pain.

Standing on the bridge, it felt right. They said that if you died like this, you’d go to hell.

To hell with them, then.

But it didn’t happen.

Someone… someone stopped you. A bag was thrown over your head, and you were yanked back. Struggling, gasping, you felt their grip tighten. They didn’t remove the bag. They just… held you.

“Hah, it’s those bastards who should be dying,” a voice whispered, raw and jagged, like shattered glass on pavement. “Why you, darlin’?”

The words dripped like honeyed venom into your ear, muffled by the cloth that separated you. Their breath was warm, close. Too close.

Their hands… they were slick, coated with something thick and wet. Paint? No. You knew it wasn’t paint. A chill ran down your spine as their grip shifted to your throat, firm yet deliberate.

“If you’re willing to go to hell by dying, then live. Live to go to hell by committing the mistake they all cursed you for. Be the devil they see you as. That’s the word of your good ol’ Beaufort.”

Beaufort…?

You woke up with a start.

Ah.

Your cheeks burned. You had dreamt about them again—the person who had saved you.

It was because of them that you ran. You left Angelwood, the town that broke you, and you started over. They were right.

They had saved you.

And so, you lived.

Your first love....

After finishing all your daily activities, you logged into the server. Sure, Ronin might have doxxed you, and you might very well be on his victim list. But hey, you’re still alive! For now.

It was Valentine’s Day, after all. A day of love and romance—and apparently, the Devil himself had a touch of sentimentality when he wasn’t actively planning your demise. You logged in, partly to distract yourself and partly to see how Luca and Feli were celebrating. Those two were pure, unadulterated sweetness, even amidst the chaos that surrounded them.

And they didn’t disappoint. Their interactions were as heartwarming as ever. Feli teased Luca; Luca gushed over her, a lovesick puppy in human form. But then, Angel decided to stir the pot.

"How many serial killers are in love, and who’s in the singles’ awareness club?" she asked.

Luca and Feli, of course, remained adorably entangled in their own little world. But then Angel turned her sights on you.

"What about you, @Readerintocrowbars? Anything you’d like to share?"

Your heart stuttered. Angel’s knack for pushing buttons was unparalleled. You were about to type "single," keeping it simple, when a direct message popped up. It wasn’t from Luca or Feli.

It was from him.

"Go on," Ronin’s message read, "tell them you’re dancing with the Devil."

The audacity of this man. Your fingers hovered over the keyboard, your frustration bubbling into something like amusement. There was, after all, a certain poetic irony in loving a man who was actively planning your downfall.

Still, you couldn’t let him win so easily. Could you?

“I’m with the Devil,” you typed proudly.

Ronin’s response came almost instantly:

“Loud and proud! I like it!”

Your stomach flipped. Was that pride in his tone? Satisfaction? Maybe both? Before you could analyze it, Angel piped up again, suggesting everyone hop into a call since she’d been too busy with work to catch up properly.

The call was lively, as expected. Luca quoted a line from that infamous movie about talking cars, and the laughter that followed was infectious. Everything felt normal—or as normal as it could, given the company.

Until someone started teasing.

"You and Ronin, sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G," Luca sing-songed, earning a round of snickers.

The laughter erupted again, and your face burned. Tragic? Maybe. A little amusing? Definitely. You couldn’t help but think that Beaufort didn’t save you all those years ago just for this moment—to be teased for flirting with death himself. And yet, here you were, tangled in a devilish game that only seemed to deepen with every passing day.

Narrative Version

The air was thick with tension as Ronin leaned back against the wall, his smirk sharp enough to cut through the silence. His gaze, dark and piercing, settled on his companion, waiting for the game to unfold. The words "Truth or Dare" hung in the air like a challenge.

He grinned, his voice dripping with a dark amusement. "Happy Valentine's, darling. How's your obsession with me going?"

A slow, teasing smile tugged at the corners of their lips as they replied, the words dripping with equal parts sarcasm and intrigue. "As good as good could be."

Ronin chuckled, his eyes glinting. "You're quite the character! But I'm gettin' ahead of myself. Truth or dare?"

They raised an eyebrow, feeling the familiar pull of their dynamic. "I thought I got to choose your truths."

"Whoops," Ronin muttered, feigning mock surprise. "Someone hasn't forgotten our little rule-change! You're smart. I'll let ya have at it. What've you got to say, baby?"

They took a breath, then spoke, their voice cool and composed, like they were issuing a challenge. "Truth. What's your tragedy?"

For a moment, Ronin's grin faltered, replaced by something darker—a flicker of something deep, something raw. He leaned in, his voice lowering as if the words were almost too heavy to bear. "Shit, you want me to do the full villain monologue? Fine, darlin'. We've got all day."

They gave a small, silent nod, knowing this would be something they weren’t going to forget. "So what's the devil got to say?"

Ronin's laugh was a low rumble, a sound that might have been bitter if it weren’t so wrapped in his chaos. "Dunno, whatever the fuck you want. I'm hell outta Angelwood. I stuck the pastor through his cross an' murdered a dozen more. Gone through the cities and danced devilry in 'em too."

Their lips pressed together, skepticism evident in their eyes. "I don't believe it."

His eyes burned with intensity, a mixture of fury and something more vulnerable. "All there is to me, that's all."

The silence that followed was sharp, and then they spoke again, their voice slightly softer. "That's a story, not a tragedy."

A sharp grin twisted his features, cruel and knowing. "Hoped you wouldn't notice."

Ronin straightened, his demeanor shifting, turning colder. "I had... someone... once. They were my... past. My childhood everything." His gaze softened for a fraction of a second before hardening again. "They hated to love me. Dying in it, their fuckin' tragic femininity, perfect girlhood bullshit. An' that was my dream come true. I made myself the devil to... save them."

They watched him closely, feeling the weight of his words settle between them. The pause hung thick in the air as they pressed on. "What happened?"

His voice dropped to a low rasp, like something venomous escaping his lips. "It's a shitty repressed Christ-loving town. What d'you think happened?"

They felt the words cut deeper than they'd intended. "They're gone. And I'm the devil becoming. Nothin' less, nothin' more."

A somber silence passed before they responded softly, "I'm sorry."

Ronin's eyes locked onto theirs, an almost mocking glint dancing in his stare. "Cause it's all your fault. Sure. Say it again and again and we'll save her together. Curse my name three times and rewind time. Clap your hands, call me a devil, let's Faustian bargain this shit out. That's how it fuckin' works."

His hands flexed as if he were toying with the very air around him, the symbols on his body all too real to him. "Oh, my Satanic symbols mean nothin' to ya?"

They tilted their head slightly, unbothered. "Eh, just means you're edgy."

Ronin’s lips curled into something between a smile and a snarl. "I chose it."

Their voice softened, almost pleading, as if they were trying to reach him beyond the facade he wore. "You don't have to... do this."

The air shifted again, and Ronin stood taller, his presence dominating the room. "Pretend you're larger-than-life. Like you're... the devil you are."

"And that's the rub," he muttered, a dark edge creeping into his words. "The devil I am. An' you can't deny it, can ya? That's who I am."

He stepped closer, his gaze unwavering. "What d'you think, darling? Is it tragic enough for you?" His tone was an almost mockingly sweet whisper as if daring them to say otherwise.

RONIN leaned back, his smirk fading into something softer, something almost vulnerable. "So," he drawled, breaking the silence, "what do you think? Tragic enough for ya?"

You hesitated, your gaze fixed on him. "It’s true," you finally admitted, your voice quieter now. "It’s… tragic."

For a moment, neither of you spoke. The air between you hung heavy, thick with shared secrets and the weight of things unsaid. Finally, you broke the silence. "What if I told you," you began cautiously, "that I’ve had my own sad experiences with Angelwood?"

RONIN’s eyes snapped to yours, surprise flickering across his face. "Angelwood? You… you’re from there too?" His expression was a mixture of shock and curiosity, like he was piecing together a puzzle he didn’t know existed. "What, did the town call you a devil too?"

A bitter laugh escaped you. "Something like that," you admitted. "I… didn’t realize you were from the same shitty town. That explains a lot." You paused, glancing down as memories threatened to resurface. "That’s why I’ve always hated Christmas," you added, almost as an afterthought.

At that, RONIN looked away, his jaw tightening. His fingers drummed against his knee, a restless rhythm betraying his discomfort. The vulnerability from earlier was back, tugging at the edges of his devil-may-care facade.

You studied him for a moment before speaking again. "From the looks of it," you said carefully, "you must’ve had… someone. A past lover, maybe? That’s who… Ther… that person was, wasn’t it?"

His reaction was immediate and telling—a sharp intake of breath, a brief clench of his fists. He didn’t deny it, but he didn’t confirm it either. Instead, he looked away, refusing to meet your eyes.

Something stirred in the back of your mind, a fragment of a memory that had been buried for years. "Now that I think about it," you murmured, almost to yourself, "it sounds familiar. I might’ve noticed them once."

RONIN’s head turned slightly at that, his expression unreadable. For a moment, you thought he might say something, but the words never came. And just like that, the fragile thread connecting you both was severed, the silence between you growing heavier with every passing second.

Neither of you said anything after that. Maybe it was better this way, leaving the past untouched, the wounds unspoken.

You paused, your gaze flickering down to your hands, fingers tapping restlessly against the cold surface. The moment felt strange, like the silence between you and Ronin was both too heavy and too light, like it was waiting for something deeper to unfold.

You took a deep breath before speaking again, voice softer now, a tremor beneath your words. "My past... it's true. There was a pastor—someone my family trusted completely. They didn’t see me for what I was. Instead, they took me to him, believing I was... possessed. That something inside me made me broken, that I wasn’t just going through problems. They thought a demon caught me."

Your laugh was bitter, hollow. "They didn’t get that I wasn’t crazy. But the pastor? He told them I was. That I was the devil himself. And my family—my own flesh and blood—they believed him. They stopped seeing me as , their child. They saw a demon. They called me that, said I didn’t deserve to live. That I was better off dead."

The words hung in the air for a moment, heavy and raw. You swallowed hard, shaking your head as if trying to shake off the memories. "So, I thought about it. Thought about ending it before... before they could."

You sat back, the weight of your own past pressing down on you as you began to speak, your voice raw but steady. "It's true," you said softly, looking away for a moment as the memories started to unravel. "The pastor, the one my family trusted... he took me there. Instead of getting me the help I needed, he... he decided I was possessed. That I was some demon, not a person who just had problems."

A bitter laugh escaped you, but it quickly died in the air. "They believed him, you know? My own family... They didn’t see me. They saw what he said, believed every word of it. 'The devil's child,' they called me." You paused, feeling the heaviness of it all. "They told me I didn’t deserve to live. And in the end, I almost believed them."

RONIN’s eyes narrowed, studying you closely, but he didn’t interrupt. There was something in his gaze, something that almost looked like recognition.

You closed your eyes, gathering your thoughts. "Before I could do it—before I could end it all... someone saved me. They didn’t show themselves, just a shadow. Covered in blood, but they didn’t hurt me. They... they spoke to me, offered advice. Told me that I wasn’t broken. That there was something more. Something that could keep me going."

The memory felt like a whisper in your mind, fading in and out, but the core of it remained. "That’s what I am now. That’s why I’m always so... adamant. Sticking to this point, this dynamic. I’m not the devil they wanted me to be. I’m someone else."

You turned your gaze back to Ronin, your voice taking on a different edge, almost teasing. "And that’s what I see between us. You’re always saying things like, 'Die for me, kill me like a loverboy would, carve out your aorta and serve it on a silver platter.' It’s your trademark. Your little game. But I’ve got something else in mind."

The air shifted as you leaned in slightly, eyes locking with his, your voice lowering. "What if I said, 'Live for me, thrive in this hellscape with me. May death do us part.'"

For a moment, it felt like you were the one pulling the strings, the roles shifting. You grinned, watching Ronin’s expression flicker with something... amused, almost intrigued. "We play our little game, don’t we? Witty banter, dangerous charm, back and forth, like some twisted dance. But, maybe… maybe this time, we dance a different tune."

You chuckled softly, leaning back, your smile lingering. "It’s cute, isn’t it? The way we both cling to these dynamics, testing each other. How cute you and I are together... this twisted little connection we’ve built. You're someone who finds death hot. I find living hot."

You could feel Ronin’s eyes on you, the tension between you both shifting again, but now with a certain understanding—a kind of recognition of the game that was always being played, the layers of darkness you both wore like masks.

"So you should totally let me live." You said with a wink.

"Haha, No Darling, Sorry."

"It was..worth a shot you know.."

RONIN chuckled darkly, the sound rich with mockery. "Live for me, thrive in this hellscape," he mimicked, a wicked grin tugging at his lips as he leaned forward. "Oh, how cute. You really think you’re the opposite of me? You think that makes you better? That somehow, you can survive all this... this mess we’re in and I can't?"

His eyes glinted with amusement as he continued, the taunt hanging in the air, sharp and biting. "Well, sweetheart, keep thinking that. But the truth is," his smile stretched wider, almost too wide, as if savoring the irony. "We're both just as fucked up. And you know it."

He leaned back, eyes narrowing with that familiar calculating gaze. "Anyway," he muttered, almost to himself, before focusing back on you, "Truth or dare, darling?"

You raised an eyebrow, unsure if you were ready for another one of his mind games. "Truth."

He didn’t hesitate, his eyes gleaming with sudden interest. "Alright then," he began, voice lowering to a dangerous whisper. "What’s the name of the person who made you want to live? Who saved you from... yourself?"

The question hung in the air, heavy with expectation. You stared at him for a beat, the answer already clear in your mind, but somehow, saying it out loud felt different.

"Beaufort," you replied softly, the name slipping from your lips like it had always belonged there.

RONIN’s eyes widened, a flicker of something dark crossing his features—surprise, recognition, maybe even a twinge of jealousy. But it was gone as quickly as it came, replaced by the same cool indifference he always wore.

He remained silent for a moment, studying you like he was trying to figure out something about you he hadn’t seen before. The tension was palpable, the space between you both electric with unspoken thoughts.

Finally, a slow, almost predatory smile spread across his face. "So," he said, voice low, dangerous, "you already know the answer, don’t you? You already know."

Your eyes narrowed, confused but intrigued. "What do you mean?" you asked, leaning forward just a little, trying to read him. "What answer?"

He didn’t respond immediately, instead just smiling like he held some private victory. The silence stretched, and you couldn’t shake the feeling that he was toying with you.

You couldn’t take it anymore. "Truth," you said again, a playful edge to your voice despite the growing tension. "I want to hear your name."

RONIN’s grin grew wider, sharper, and he leaned closer to the screen. His gaze was now fixed on you, a glint of something dangerous dancing in his eyes. "You want my name, huh?" he asked softly, voice almost too smooth. "You’ll hear it. In your dreams, darling."

He paused, letting the words sink in, watching you carefully. "I’ll whisper it to you, if you really want to know. But... I think you’ll hear it soon enough. You’ll dream about it already, won’t you?"

Before you could respond, he cut the call abruptly, leaving the silence hanging in the air, thick with unanswered questions and the promise of something far darker.

You quickly reconnect the call, the screen flickering before Ronin’s face fills the frame again, his expression a mix of amusement and that ever-present darkness in his eyes. He leans back, his tongue lazily brushing over his lips as he smirks.

"Back again?" he drawls, voice dripping with mock curiosity. "What is it, darling? Got something more to say? What’s left to talk about?"

You meet his gaze, steady and unwavering. "I understand what you meant earlier," you say, your voice a little more serious this time, though there’s still a playful edge to it. "You won’t tell me your name. I have to figure it out myself, right?"

RONIN’s smirk widens, his tongue poking out as he nods slowly. "Exactly, babe. That’s the fun of it. You gotta solve the puzzle. Don’t expect me to make it easy for you."

You let out a soft laugh, shaking your head. "I get it," you say, then pause for a beat, leaning a little closer to the camera. "But, I have a request. Will the devil hear it?"

He raises an eyebrow, intrigued, yet a bit amused. "A request, huh? What do you want, darling? Ask away."

You take a deep breath, gathering your thoughts before speaking. "I’ve always celebrated with my crush... whoever it may be. And honestly, whether I die tomorrow or not, I want to spend the time I have left with someone I like. I’ve chosen you, Ronin. Even if you want to kill me... I want to live with you. So, what do you say?"

You pause for a moment, watching him, then slowly extend your hand toward the camera, your fingers trembling just slightly. "Will you be my date? My love... until our time comes? Even before you kill me?"

RONIN’s eyes flicker with something—surprise? Maybe a little satisfaction? His lips twitch as he watches you, and for a second, you can’t tell if he’s going to laugh or sneer.

He chuckles softly, the sound low and dark, yet there's a genuine edge to it that almost sounds like... admiration. "You’re something else, aren’t you?" he mutters, his gaze flicking away from the camera for a moment, his fingers twitching as if he’s considering something.

"You really think a little thing like death is gonna stop us?" he asks, his voice almost contemplative now, his usual bravado slipping just slightly. "You’re not scared of me, are you?"

You don't flinch, keeping your hand out, your voice steady despite the tension. "No. I’m not scared. I want to be with you."

There’s a long silence, and for a moment, you think he might not answer. But then, his eyes meet yours again, and his grin spreads slowly, like a snake ready to strike.

"Fine," he says, his voice quieter, almost sincere, though still laced with that dangerous edge. "Yes. I’ll be your date... until the time comes. It’s cute, really, how you keep pushing me. But let’s see how long that lasts."

He looks away briefly, his lips curling into something dangerously close to a smile, though his eyes remain distant, almost lost in thought.

"Guess I kinda wanted to say yes, anyway," he mutters under his breath, but you hear it. You catch the shift in his tone—just enough to know that maybe, just maybe, he’s not as indifferent as he lets on.

With that...You spent your last love-day they say, With the man who wants to kill you and carve out your aorta.

So pretty.

this is just part 1! ill do part 2 soon!

[prowlingthunder]

Hi! Thanks so much for the rec! I really appreciate it! For your fanfic guessing game, how about rescue, or blue? Thanks!!

Not gonna lie, I stalk you for fic. ^^ You’re good, and worth the rec.

For the ask game… I feel like I should apologize for how many WIP I have… but then I realize folks probably like reading fics in general, and somebody may like mine, so…!

Blue and Rescued are in my SG1/Jyu-Oh-Sei rough draft:Getting rescued was all the hurrah, but unfortunately they had been parted from their own gear, and that meant they were a little slim on extra bullets that may or may not have worked in alien possibly-glocks.

Then, when winter hits, Third and his team and their attache leave through a pool of water that is /definitely/ not water; just step through from the pale blue of Chimera’s gate room into an alien ecosystem.

Blue is in my RW/SG1 rough draft:Raven hair was loose in a mullet- did the Japanese even know what a mullet was? -and bright blue eyes that glittered in a way Daniel wasn’t sure about.

Blue is in my gundam wing daemon fic! Twice, even:His eyes were blue, open and innocent.

Something curled in his belly, taught with nerves; then blue eyes caught troubled hazel, held them, and that knot loosened.

Blue is in another scene snippit from my Dragon’s Breath series, the Dragon Age/Ronin Warrior crossover I’m working on. It’s in the immediate sequel to Sympathy for the Devil:

The blue looked good on him– not bright, but not dark either.

Outside of crossovers, blue is in my Dragon Age Every Warden Ever sequel:The blond traces the blue on her right cheek, watching the two former nobles out of the corner of her eye.

Blue appears three times in my Fallout 4 a/b/o fic that’s undergoing some rework: I flashed blue eyes up and registered Carslile first, looming with that twisted smile on his face.

I stood up and turned so fast I nearly slipped on the wet floor, but instead I felt myself pale as I settled blue eyes on the damned handsome face that haunted my nightmares.

His Corvega was blue, bright as the ocean, and I climbed in the passenger seat as he stored my luggage in the trunk.

It appears three times in my tiny Joan-goes-shopping Fallout 3 fic. I think it’s almost finished, but there’s something missing in the fic I haven’t figured out yet:She turned wide blue eyes to take in the store, moving in a careful, deliberate circle.A basket of neatly folded cloth caught her attention. She stepped to it and knelt down, touching soft fabrics– /Abraxo soap/– and bright colors that weren’t blue.

Julian’s eyes danced, electric-blue, and that made it all worth it.

Blue is in my Fallout 3 wip for Junior getting out of the vault: He loves his sister, of course, and he loves the blue sky and the fresh, dry air, dirt beneath his boots like dirt beneath his fingers.

Big Town Blues, a Fallout 3/4 fic following Mac, has blue in it twice:There was a rain collector, too, and an expanse of blue tarp funneling it in.

Mac settled wide blue eyes on Biwwy and then slid them over to Tewwy, wondering who the young man was to garner so much trust that Biwwy would tell him about the caverns.

Blue appears once in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, a Fallout 4 fanfic:He turned blue eyes up to the man, tall as he was, and Artem watched them both, already moving to scoop Quinn up out of his arms and off his feet.

Chapter three of Devil’s Luck, yet another Fallout 4 fanfic, has Blue appear once:There were a lot of questions in that blue gaze that he wasn’t prepared to explain, though he thought he knew what all the questions would be if the younger soldier spoke them out loud.

Blue appears one time in Dawnfire, my Cor/Nyx FFXV fic: Blue eyes blinked at him, one focusing quicker than the other.

(Rescue is in my notes for Savage Coeurl of Galahd, my “Cor is from Galahd” fanfic, but not in the fic proper. Alas.)

(Blue pops up a lot of times in my scenes for Ambulo, wherein “Ardyn from another universe ended up in canon game timeline” ffxv fic, but a lot of my work got jossed so I’m not sure what’s gonna stay yet. :/ )

Wolflords, a Lord of the Ring Lupercalia fic, has Blue in it once:He much preferred the stories of of the elves and their wolves, sunshine-gold and moon-bright silver, midnight blue dappled with stars, all long-lived and all elegant and graceful like the elves themselves.

Caran Dagra, part of my LotRO setup, has blue twice. It’s probably going to undergo a heavy rewrite before I ever post it, but here’s the wip: The others, Levine and Manco, sat down next to him, pallets of brown and yellow, green and blue eyed respectively.

A simple oval slice, about as big as a quarter, with a penny-length shard of blue in the center, gemstone fused to heartwood.

Nest of Vipers, a companion fic to my Overwatch fic Aitai, has blue: Host of the blue dragons, who secured his position by casting down his own younger brother.

A tiny Haruko-related fic has Blue also:Finally the glove came down with a swipe of her fingers, revealing the blue-finned tail and scales of something.

In my current draft of Blood and Ashes, a Lupercalia Ronin Warriors fic, blue pops up: So he went and he wore what was appropriate for the occasion, fire red and orange and blue, with the threaded white braid worn over his left shoulder, showing all he’d been born to his place.

Blue pops up three times in Homecoming, part of a multiverse fic series I’m doing with my sister because we’re both a pair of dorks. Homecoming is a Ronin Warriors fic:She must have felt it too, because she looked up from the person she was talking to and fixed her attention on him, ocean-blue eyes boring into him, knowing and excited, her smile lighting up the airport floor.

Both tall, both dark haired, both blue-eyed, both terribly attractive.

His face was sharp and when he looked up at him, molten blue eyes pinned Cye right through the chest.

Blue pops up twice in an Arrow/RW crossover for the multiverse:Dark blue, linen and lots of silk. The only thing that is out of place is a pale blue ruff around his throat, a scarf instead of a tie– silk, he figures, from the look of it.

[the-other-art-blog]

Hawkeye episode 5 SPOILERS

This is the last time I make theories. I’m just gonna sit and take whatever Marvel decides to give me, and then maybe I’ll read fanfiction.

I’m a little disappointed that we’re on episode 5 and we have not seen any flashback about Clint’s childhood or any other part of his past. I really thought they were gonna do it in this one. Maybe they’ll save it for the finale.

So, I’ll just list the good things first:

How cool it was to see Yelena before and after the blip! It really helps you realizing how it must have felt for someone who got dusted. It’s really nice how they keep coming up with ways to illustrate this moment, same with the Battle of New York.

Yelena! 😍 😍 😍 😍 🥺 🥺 🥺 🥺 

She loves Nat so much.

She really likes to jump out of buildings! That’s actually kind of dark when you think of how Nat died.

I liked the conversation between Kate and Yelena about Clint. A lot of people are saying that he just walked away and suffered no consequences. And I think this show is really great at addressing that and showing the dark side of people who worked as assassins for anyone, even if they’re the good guys.

And I think Clint agree with Yelena, it was Natasha who saved the world.

Grills!! Please don’t let anything happen to him, I know about the comics!!

Clint talking to Nat in front of the plaque. He missed her so much and Renner is just a fantastic actor. I just watched Spiderman NWH and it’s really amazing how these characters are so present in Yelena and Peter’s memory. Cap’s shadow was also in TFATW.

Clint has an arrow to send messages!

Laura, whoever she’s supposed to be, is just fucking amazing! 😍 😍 😍 😍 😍 😍 😍 😍 😍 😍 😍 😍 

I love her living room. It’s so classy. She was sitting on her beautiful armchair, enjoying a drink next to the fireplace. She’s incredible. I love her and won’t tolerate any slander from her haters.

“and know that I’ll always understand more than anybody else ever could”

She knows who Kingpin is!

There, he says “I love you” to Laura! Remember when Clintasha shippers were laughing because he “only” said “I miss you”? Now because Clint said “I miss you” to Nat, then they’re saying that’s his way of saying “I love you”. I mean, honestly. 🙄 🙄 🙄 🙄 🙄 🙄 🙄

(why do I have the feeling that ClintxLaura haters and AmyxLaurie haters are the same kind of people?)

Ronin vs Maya! Every episode I get more excited about her series.

Kazi!!! 

Clint knows about Yelena! Of course he does. It’s completely logical but it still surprised me. Didn’t Nat had a picture to show him?

Pizza Dog doing tricks!  🥰 🥰 🥰 🥰 🥰

So, I take Yelena and Kate are friends now.

Kingpin!!!! Oh it took forever!

Now, give me Mockingbird! 🙏 🙏 🙏 🙏 🙏 🙏 🙏 🙏

Now, this wasn’t a perfect episode.

There were also a few scenes that took way too long IMO. If this were a 9-episode series, then it would be fine. But we’re running out of time and I’m getting anxious.

One was the scene with Eleanor and Kate. I think it could have been shorter.

And, as much as I love Yelena, her and Kate’s chat was also a bit too long. The first part. Yes, Yelena is so adorable, but also we’re running out of time!

Again, I think Clint’s backstory deserves a flashback. At least a mention.

I’m don’t think they’ll be able to tackle everything in 35minutes next episode. They may leave the Kingpin for the Echo series, but I’m worried.

BTW, Florence can’t post about her role in this series but someone uploaded Spiderman NWH in Youtube and the Multiverse of Madness trailer!!!

[d-clarence]

In this chapter in my novelization/fanfiction of Season 5 of Samurai Jack, we explore the events I imagine that occurred between the events of Episodes XCVII and XCVIII. 

Herein lies the sparks of the burgeoning relationship between Jack and Ashi, as they uncover their pasts together, wandering though memories both bittersweet and heart-warming.

Please read, share, and review, it really shows support for my ideas!

…

The following is a brief excerpt from one of the scenes from the chapter, obviously based upon Episode C.

“Oh, how I wish I could see my home in its glory in the past again,” if he shed a tear as he looked outside, he made sure that she did not see it drop.

What brought him out of it was the feeling of soft, slender fingers, followed by a woman’s palm wrapping around his hand, as his fingers interlocked with hers on instinct. He looked down to see that Ashi was holding his hand. Their eyes met with a mutual smile as they stood in the midst of this shattered home. His grip tightened ever so gently as she did likewise.

“Kunoichi?”

“Jack?”

“Close your eyes, and try to imagine with me a… a much better time than this…” he told her to.

“Okay,” she nodded once and obeyed, displaying her ever so mischievous smile. This shouldn’t be too hard…

The enemies-turned-friends held their eyes closed as Ronin Jack explained to his closest ally what his home really was like.

“In my youth, I would just stare out at the beauty of the seasons changing,” he smiled as the morning breeze blew over them. At first it was cool, but Ashi began to feel an unfamiliar warmth cascade over her. Daring a peek, she opened her eyes to the beauty of Kyoto in its glory and prime as Jack explained. “The summer sun blanketed the valley with long, beautiful shadows.”

And she snapped her eyes open and the scene was as he said so. No longer were homes and businesses alike in their blackened state. No longer were the trees and the lands barren and long scorched. All stood in their proper frame and order as they were meant to be, as the denizens continued their livelihood in happiness.

Ashi looked up to the subtle sounds of wood creaking above her. As she investigated from where she stood, she saw a certain little boy, hair tied into the chonmage of his father. He wore a white gi as he played on the railings of his royal suite, several stories above her as he sat down, appreciating the beauty of his home. She wanted to wake up Jack as he explained, but let him continue on as he explained further.

“The fall leaves brought a bounty of color…” and so it was as the times changed around the pair yet again. Jack smiled as he told of the fun things he did, jumping into the piles of leaves with his friends as Ashi giggled when she witnessed just that happening right outside.

The times changed again as the former Samurai continued on, not even noticing what the banished Daughter of Aku is bearing witness to, for he calmly said, “… winter was so white.”

The air chilled as Ashi shivered in place, but delighted at the sight of the snowflakes that fell from the sky, blanketing the ground in its frozen splendor. The citizens dressed appropriately in their wool, awase kimonos for the season going about their business and pleasure.

“… and the cherry blossoms in the spring,” he brought up. The air was scented with them as the petals fell into the breeze, filling Ashi with awe at this mighty city. The joy did not last as the scenery changed back to the dreadful future Aku wrought upon the world. His eyes opened slowly as he sighed, “I was only eight when Aku came and then everything…”

“Jack,” she finally spoke up. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to…”

“It is… nice… to remember the time before Aku,” he weakly smiled and struggled to cheer up. He let go of her hand as his gaze was as fire as he finished, “It is the only way I will see it again – as a memory.”

[gyromitra-esculenta]

Synchronicity 1

fear thingy, rewritten (intro kind of here). the start is a little bit close to the actual game, but it will alternate the more i go into the actual backstory. i will treat it also as a shameless opportunity to insert lyrics from the most r76 album ever (which on its own is almost a friggin fanfiction on its own) - ronin by zack hemsey (like, really, ‘ When I'm done only thing that remains / Is a tombstone etched with my name / Look into a face that has changed / Recognize the corpse in that grave / Resurrect, what's lost can be saved’)

Without further ado:

A sky red from the blood

Rose cheeks dull from the mud

Hands worn through from the sludge

A self no longer begrudged

And murder is a potion of love

Sacrifice devotion thereof

And he without sin never was

(…)

The sky is on fire and the rushing clouds painted with crimson howl with agonized voices of many. Black ash clogs the air but Jack, standing among the ruins of broken concrete and twisted bodies, breathes it in with ease and familiarity, the heavy stench of death and charred meat overwhelming his senses.

This is where his life ends – this is where it starts – amidst the rubble, gore, and smoke, with the accompaniment of screams of the dying and in the world tinted red by his own blood.

Jack reaches out with his hand and through the splayed fingers he sees it leaving – the silhouette with claws dripping blood – the Beast – with shadows clinging to it like a second skin. It turns back, maw slavering black tar and burning eyes opening and closing along the glistening surface of its body.

“Aren’t you coming?”

The hiss undulates with a melody long forgotten Jack thinks he had heard before – before the Beast came into the writhing existence under his hide.

“I hear you.”

“Of course you do,” the Beast laughs, its eyes filling his vision, curious, gauging. Cruel. “I am always with you.” The darkness spreads and envelops him, a welcome respite from the memory, and the red gaze pins him in place. “But you should wake up for now…”

“Sunshine. So nice of you to join us.” Jack releases the breath caught in his throat when crimson morphs back into brown. Lena elbows Genji out of the way.

“Move away, dragon boy, I need to check his visor,” she fiddles with something and the display over his eye clears. “Okay, luv, you’re good to go.”

“Thanks,” Jack smiles, scar tissue stretching uncomfortably over his upper lip.

“Don’t mention it, luv.”

“Yeah, yeah, baby. And why the fuck are we supposed to go after that Lacroix chick?” Genji rolls his eyes, stretching. Jack sighs, closing his eyes, their APC always giving him the acute feeling of too crowded, too claustrophobic for his own liking.

“Don’t question orders. Execute them,” Winston gets up. “Lena?”

“Okay, dears, we’re going to put Amelie Lacroix, hiding out in her sweet luxurious apartment, into our custody. You know, the president of Talon corporation, and they do have their fingers in so many pies they actually run out of hands somewhere halfway through it all.”

“Protective custody,” Winston adds, “so we are all clear on the subject.”

“Boy, so this is going to be so much fun,” Genji snorts, flicking his fingers. “An escort for a spoiled rich bitch.”

“With the bloodbath that went down in Talon headquarters, which she is, as the intel indicates, tied to directly, are we expecting that much of resistance?” Hanzo mutters under his breath.

“We are doing it by the book,” Winston cuts in, irritation clear in his voice.

“Because,” Lena chirpily adds, “we think that the whole thing is some kind of power struggle inside and head honchos at Talon will try to keep her real quiet, if anything. If you know what I mean. Chop-chop quiet. Glasgow smile quie…”

“Enough, Lena,” Winston grumbles when the APC stops. “You come with me, Hanzo with Reinhardt, and you, Genji, with Jack.”

“Fuck it, why do I have to go with the fucking ray of sunshine?” Genji throws his hands up and Jack nods in rare agreement with him.

“Because you’re being a luv, as usual,” Lena giggles, jumping out. “Let’s be happy we didn’t get stuck with the corporate headquarters. They went silent after some disturbing shit,” she adds somberly, shutting the doors behind.

“Shit,” Genji rubs his temples. “If the cowboy’s silent, it’s fucking bad.”

“A canary, just like you.”

“And what the fuck’s that supposed to mean?”

“They sing a lot. In mines, if it stopped, it was high time to clear out of the shaft,” the feeling of wrongness intensifies when the APC lurches to a sudden stop and his HUD flickers with interference. Jack clears out of the vehicle.

“You don’t like him. We will kill him,” the Beast quips into his ear and Jack ignores it like he always does, even if it becomes harder to than any other day – the smell of blood in the air always draws it out to the surface, drugs be damned – but truth be told, he does not like anyone, maybe except Lena. Not anymore, at least.

“Maybe you’re right. Thought ever about retiring? I wouldn’t mind to live out the rest of my glorious life in one of those ‘luxurious penthouses’.” Genji laughs and Jack nods noncommittally because even if he would, they will never let him. “You’re fucking talkative today, sunshine.”

Jack just shakes his head. It’s too quiet, the air is still with anticipation, and the main entrance is well lit, but he lets his instincts guide him to the coffee shop on the side, rifle at the ready. Genji follows his lead.

“Ah, fuck, I could really go for an extra hot no-whip white chocolate macchiato. You, man?”

“Black. Straight.”

“I’m moved. You remember,” the Beast laughs mirthlessly in the background.

*

Amelie cycles through the security feed and pauses the image.

“Would you believe our luck, doctor?”

The blonde by her side draws her brows together, recognition slowly setting on her face.

“I don’t believe in luck, ma’am.”

“Good. Because I arranged it,” Amelie smiles. It is good to see the plan coming together. There are still certain variables to be accounted for, like her dick of a husband, but he will be dealt with accordingly.

“As you did all of this, by sending the other prototype after Sombra, not to mention unsealing the Tomb,” Angela narrows her eyes. “I warned you, ma’am, that you are playing with fire.”

“Doctor, for all your ingenuity, you lack the vision. The board was too scared to take any action, but with this, with the Harbinger, we will finally have the control of Reaper.” The brunette zooms the still image. “I wonder what subject seventy-six will have to say when he meets unexpectedly with his leading physician.”

“Nothing, I believe. His conditioning should keep. His… medication is closely monitored.”

“And what will happen if we do forgo the next dosage, tell me, doctor?” Amelie inclines her head.

“The Replica programming should resurface, but seventy-six is a failed prototype.” The blonde looks away for a second. “There is no telling what state he will enter after the withdrawal.”

“Interesting. Well,” Amelie sighs happily. “Now we wait.”

“I’m sorry I don’t share your optimism, ma’am.”

[prowlingthunder]

WIP Meme 10/20/2020

Tagged by: @mandakatt

Look at what you've done. How dare you. I'm not even sure this is all of them. I think some are hidden in gdocs yet. Argh.

Tagging: @egodominustuus @thelostknee @linwyrms-lair @gracethescribbler @skywalking-across-the-galaxy @khantoelessar @zpansven

Read the list under the cut.

1: A Child of Blood

2: Eileen - Birds of a Feather

3: BtVS - Lupercalia - Xander - Wolfthreat - WIP

4: BtVS - PT Alexander Harris Auroresbrother - Denguards - LUPERCALIA - WIP

5: Buffy the Witcher

6: SynthSil - Ascendent Ab Inferis (Lux Aeterna AU)

7: Boys in Blue

8: Butterfingers the Deathclaw

9: Piper - (Lupercalia)

10: Sil/Jack

11: CM - Lupercalia WIP - Red

12: CM - Lupercalia WIP -

13: AC/FFXV - Des and Noct swap places - ffxv Halloween bang

14: Trigun x Outlaw Star

15: Gargoyles x Ronin Warriors

16: Power Rangers x Ronin Warriors

17: Ronin Warriors x Outlaw Star

18: Rurouni Kenshin x Yu Yu Hakusho

19: Dragons Breath -- DAO&RW

20: Farcry 5 / What Became of Edith Finch - Eddie

21: Farcry 5 / What Became of Edith Finch - Jake

22: Gundam Wing - With Daemons WIP

23: GW Pacific Rim

24: GW&IA&FFX - Auron - Roulette - Unlikely

25: Hobbit/RW - Bilbo -

26: House Ronin Warriors

27: RK-Xmen = Dragon Teeth

28: RW-PJ

29: RWSG1

30: SG1/JOS - Third - In a God's Bedroom

31: ST/RW

32: SW/GW - Brothers and Sisters [clonefic]

33: Thor-x-Ronin Warriors

34: Noctis (Final Fantasy XV) / Levi (Attack on Titan) - Hunting [Noctis in AoT]

35: Hiei (Yu Yu Hakusho) / Prowls (Exalted) - Stars [Prowls adopts Fire Demon baby]

36: Noctis (Final Fantasy XV) / Ezio (Assassin’s Creed) - Family [Assassins in FFXV]

37: Kuwabara (Yu Yu Hakusho) / Anakin Skywalker (Star Wars) - Honor [Kuwabara unfucks SW]

38: Kuwabara (Yu Yu Hakusho) / Dex-Star - Love [Kuwabara adopts a Red Lantern Cat]

39: Voltron/Escaflowne

40: When the Night Comes/Arcana crossover

41: YYH/Naruto - Kurama - Foxkids

42: CSI NY - Lupercalia WIP -

43: Dark Matter - Hiro - [Lupercalia] - WIP

44: Every Warden Ever - WIP -

45: Nelaros and F!Tabris as wardens

46: Salazar - Crowbar Fic

47: Carslile/Sil - Highschool

48: Joan rambles

49: Junior - (Best laid plans)

50: Junior - Outsider

51: Junior - The G.O.A.T.

52: Junior rambles

53: MacCready - Big Town Blues

54: MacCready - Radstorm

55: Nora - Line-dried Laundry (Lupercalia)

56: Pandora -

57: Pandora - Lupercalia Fic - [Inside Pandora's Box]

58: Pandora rambles

59: Russian Roulette - Silas deathfic

60: Sil/X6 rambles

61: Silas - Demon Summoner AU - A Leaf in the Wind

62: Silas King - Snow Angels (Papawolf!Renigald)

63: Silas King - Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (Operation: Rescue Quinn kidfic)

64: Silas rambles

65: Winter Animals (papa!Artem)

66: Y7 - All the Things I Didn't Say

67: Ambulo

68: Contritum Coronam

69: to abstain from doing harm

70: A General Gift

71: ABO nicias&caleb/nicola

72: An Army - Prompto & Ignis - Blood and Water

73: Andali misc

74: Ardyn - (Triplets verse)

75: Cathedral of You fanfiction

76: Cor -

77: Cor - Dawnfire - WIP

78: Dave - [Scourgeverse]

79: FFXV Glaive Lupercalia

80: FFXV Prompto Lupercalia

81: Galahdian Noctis au

82: give a brother wings

83: Halloween '19 d2

84: Halloween '19 d3

85: Halloween '19 d4

86: Halloween '19 d5

87: Halloween '19 d7

88: Noct raises Ardyn

89: Nyx -

90: Prompto - Terrible Things

91: Sealions - Cor - The Dance

92: snowchild (Lupercalia wolfProm fic)

93: The Feral Coeurl of Galahd (Galahdian!Cor fic)

94: Transplant Fic Box

95: Vipers Victim

96: what fire burns

97: IA - Kasmir!Oliver Briggs - WIP

98: IA - Nebrija x Arzu - Family - WIP

99: David and kids

100: David and Bridget, Combat Skills

101: David vs Simon Fight

102: Bridget tending David

103: Music *http://youtu.be/G2ZKKXCuaYc?t=9m46s

104: Seduction

105: Wish

106: Destiny

107: xerxes

108: Giayl - Wolflords (Lupercalia)

109: LotRO - Aegliraan - Caran Dagra - WIP

110: Lupercalia - Shepard - Star-light, Star-bright

111: ME - OC - Blood And Water

112: Black Cats and Broken Mirrors Chapter 5

113: Itachi - Step Two

114: The Hardest Part - Chapter One - Alone

115: 100+ Words list

116: Bioshock - Big Daddy - ABO verse

117: Character Roulette 2

118: Life of Redemption

119: A lover's homecoming

120: The Dreaming Cord

121: Logan - (This is what it's like) - WIP

122: Outlander - Kainan - (wolf fur and dragon teeth)

123: SPCH - drabble

124: Thor - All The Little Children [Lupercalia]

125: Thor - Lupercalia WIP - Frigga -

126: WoW - Livieva - Puppy At Heart

127: Haruko - Genji lives path

128: McHanzo Timetravel Shenanigans

129: Overwatch - Yuuma - Nest of Vipers - Big Bang

130: Stan/Haruko

131: Stanfic

132: Taijo Aitai tinyfic

133: Yuuma Op

134: Mia - Lupercalia fic - The Chosen Ones ch2

135: RW - Lupercalia - Arago & Hariel - Blood and Ashes - WIP

136: Ryou - Coal Dust - GIFT - WIP

137: Seiji - Kagome, Kagome

138: Seiji & Cale - Quadrature Pt2 - GIFT - WIP

139: Yulie WIP

140: Dinner

141: Bamboo

142: Travel

143: Sting

144: City

145: Noise

146: Titan

147: Oddyseus

148: Hera

149: Archangel

150: Centaur

151: Gorgon

152: Rainforest

153: Music

154: Groot

155: Plagues

156: Courage

157: Rage

158: Belief

159: Joy

160: Horoscope

161: Family

162: Obligation

163: Friend

164: Loneliness

165: Anakin - - timetravel fic tcw/ep7

166: Anakin / Rey - A Pocket Full of Sand (Reincarnation Fic)

167: Eurynome - Monsters in the Dark

168: Eurynome - Supernova?

169: Jeeri -

170: Shmi Skywalker - Son of Sands [Aniwolf]

171: Snowdrops

172: Star Wars AU Fics

173: StarWars - WIP

174: Trials and Shenanigans (Bits and Pieces)

175: We Shouldn't Be Friends

176: SG1 - Sam - - WIP

177: SG1 - Sam&Jack - - WIP

178: SAO - Yui - SAOFest - Marching Band

179: SAO - Yui - SAOFest - What Big Sisters Are For

180: SAO w Jaegers - Silica - WIP

181: Series: Bad Plan

182: Arrow&RW - Oliver - - WIP

183: Cye - Homecoming (Multiverse)

184: Papa!Cye

185: little shadows far reaching

186: Untitled document

187: Voltron - Keith -

188: Geralt - Witchwolves [Lupercalia]

189: Hell Hath No Fury

190: Chapter 3

191: Adventures of Maiwen Tanet

192: Art of Living

193: Asclepius

194: Bloodlines

195: Bondsiblings

196: Cats Cradle

197: Smoke Song

198: Darkness Watching

199: Desert Sands

200: Dragon's Cross

201: Dragonkin

202: Fractured

203: Hydra

204: Lyric Book

205: Poetry Book

206: Red Moon Kisses

207: Rupert's Drop

208: Feyborn

209: Superheros

210: Wonderland

211: A Mother's Love

212: Harry Potter and the Light of the Moon

213: Minor Troubles

214: Roses In Stained Glass

215: Even God Can't Save You Now

216: Mirrors Edge -

217: Our Secrets

218: Mica Sands

219: SG1/RW

220: They Call Them Ghosts

221: We All Bleed

222: In A House Of Brittle Bones

223: With A Crash of Thunder

224: Digital Shards [YGO/Digimon]

225: God Save The Queen

226: Fractured Light

227: AtlA/RW

228: NatM/YGO

229: SG1/StS

230: Van Helsing/Helsing

231: GW/Avatar

232: GW/JOH

233: Saving You

234: Firefly/Outlaw Star

235: GW/RW Reincarnation Is A Bitch

236: Escaflowne/RW

237: Mending Of Hearts Hope/Noel

238: The engines of iron Cindy/MTProm

239: Weaver's Undoing

240: A Nomad's surprise

241: A Soldier For Sale

242: Heir of Spring

243: The Ghosts of Haven

244: Master's Vengence gladio/prom d/s bdsm

245: The Unfortunate Ice Cream

246: The Perfect Hustle

247: The Adventure of Odie, the One Eyed Sock Puppet

248: Angels in the Attic

249: Mending the Sun

250: Numb to the Stars

251: Traitor of Heaven - ffx/ffvii

252: Isle of Iron

253: Irreverence

254: the empty tower

255: Bravery In Eternity

256: Changeling's Duel

257: Gilded Dispair

258: Wolfwan return of shark

259: Clonewolf O66

260: Time of the Wolf Lupercalia AU

261: Time of the Wolf Lupercalia snippets

262: Going Down (Cpt. America lupercalia)

263: wake up cpt+girls

264: Lokison

265: Uncle of Mine

266: The Things Wolfsisters Do

267: Howling

268: Shield Sisters

269: starhunter lupercalia

[d-clarence]

Since we all know how XCIII ended, I’m going to share the ending sequence on here. Please read and review!

 ...

No weapons. No armor. No hope. Ashi swung down with her attacks, as Jack tumbled away from the smoke and destruction. He needed to get out of there. Running for the exit, Arya made haste as the others followed. The long hilt of the axe was clutched in his hands as he made a mad dash through the maze of halls and passageways. It did not matter where he went, as long it wasn’t where he was with them. Rounding a corner, the frightening white mask of his assailant stood, katana on hand.

I have you now! Arya began her relentless assault as she swung at the nearly defenseless Samurai.

How did this robot get in front of me?!! Jack’s mind raced as he struggled against the powerful blows of his adversary. The hilt of the axe splintered and chipped. It couldn’t take any more punishment and she knew it. Her smile of amusement grew and her pride soared from behind her expressionless mask. Chopping down the stick, she recoiled for a finishing blow on Jack. He brazenly got closer and attempted to disarm her of the sword.

Oh ho ho ho? That’s how you wanna play? Try this, scum! Unknown to the Samurai, Arya with her free hand reached for and drew her kunai from a back pouch as she readied for stab to his gut.

Too late.

Jack successfully grabbed the sword from her hand, head-butting her back into a wall as her porcelain mask cracked down the middle. He twirled around and swung at her neck. She could only mouth one word as death came.

No…

Slice. Jack expected the usual spray of motor oil or electricity, but not this. Blood sprayed from her throat, painting the wall in a dripping crimson red as she bled down her body. Jack recoiled back in total shock of what he’s done. She slid down the wall as she audibly gagged, but no words came out. Arya’s eyes met his as her last thoughts came.

Well… you beat me, Samurai Jack… death is failure… and yours… will… come… Dropping to the floor, she died as her body continued to bleed profusely all over the stone floor around her. Her mask split open dropping to her sides as her face was revealed. She was beautiful, in her early twenties. Her short, bob cut hair flowed to the sides of her head.

What have I done? His horror was met as a pain from his abdomen rose. He looked down and found the dagger of Arya lodged in his abdomen. Blood seeped from the wound. Jack dropped the sword and clutched the wound in pain. He groaned as he heard footsteps rapidly approaching him on his right from the shadows.

They’re coming… He beheld the woman he killed and saw a purple tassel flowing from her back. The tuning blade of Scaramouche was in her possession. Jack’s only way out was to the left that led outside into a coursing river. The storm from earlier had passed as daylight shone through, as if it were a beacon calling out to him. Grabbing the blade, his insides enflamed from the pain as he bled on the ground in front of him. Struggling with his balance, the Ronin tried to flee using the wall as balance, its surface smearing with crimson. Splitting the blade open, the sonic pulse was armed and ready. Striking at the wall opposite to him countless times, the dust shook loose as the vibrations increased in tempo. Walls shook and trembled as he barely stood at the edge. Several sets of footsteps approached behind him. Before he lost consciousness and fell into the river below, his last thoughts lingered.

I… I never killed a human before… ancestors, please forgive me…

Boom, boom, boom.

As Jack fell and drifted away, the whole north wing of the temple detonated and collapsed down. Rocks and rubble were scattered away.

 The lone wolves had fought hard to a pyrrhic victory to a superior foe as they lie in a pool of their own blood.