#can't guarantee anythin

[scriv3lloirl]

On the 21st day of the month of September...

[aishangotome]

Ellis Twilight: Chapter 3

Chapter 2

♡———♡

Ellis: ...Bodyguards?

During breakfast, Victor informed me of my unexpected first assignment as a "Fairytale Keeper."

Victor: Yes! By having Jude and Ellis protect Kate, our secrets will be kept safe.

Victor: Kate can observe Ellis and Jude up close and record their observations...

Victor: It's a two-birds-with-one-stone plan, fulfilling your duty as a Fairytale Keeper!

Victor: What do you think, Ellis?

Ellis: If Kate is okay with it, I'm fine with it.

Ellis: There's no guarantee that what happened yesterday won't happen again... I want to be by Kate's side.

Victor smiles at Ellis' response and then turns his gaze to Jude.

Victor: Of course, Jude will also take responsibility, right? You hate being indebted to others, don't you?

Jude: Tch...

(I think it would be reassuring to be near Ellis, but...)

Since just being with Ellis led to me being mistaken for "Jude's woman" and targeted... I can't help but be wary of Jude.

Jude: Don't cry like a baby if ya get scared, princess.

(I'm scared... but Victor gave us a good suggestion, so I can't be weak here.)

Kate: It's okay, I'm surprisingly resilient!

Jude: ... Ha.

He scoffed at my best attempt at a smile and looked back down at the newspaper.

Ellis: Well, it's settled then. Nice to meet you, Kate.

Kate: Yes, nice to meet you too.

I smiled at Ellis too, and unlike Jude, he returned a gentle smile.

Ellis: By the way, you can speak more casually.

Kate: Huh...?

Ellis: Just 'Yeah, nice to meet you' is fine.

Kate: Y-yeah... nice to meet you.

Ellis: Yeah, that's good.

I was soothed by the warm atmosphere Ellis exuded...

Victor: Now that we've come to an agreement, it's time for your mission.

Victor's words made me straighten my back.

(This is my first real assignment as a "Fairytale Keeper.")

The first impression is crucial to gaining trust, so I need to be focused.

Victor: –Actually, I'd like you to gather some information.

Victor: About the kidnapping cases happening all over London.

Kate: A kidnapping... case?

The alarming word brought back the tension I felt when I first met the members of "Crown."

Victor: Yes. The victims are of various ages. From toddlers to teenagers, even adults.

Victor: The common thread is that the adults are often prostitutes or street performers.

Victor: A popular singer from the tavern has also disappeared... Many of these people don't have a fixed address.

Jude: The victims are nobodies, and since they're homeless, no one files missin' person reports for them.

Jude: So, as usual, the police don't do anythin' about it.

Sadly, Jude is right. People who work in the red-light district are looked down upon.

Behind the glamorous facade, they're treated like trash.

Victor: That being said...

Victor: There's an art fair happening in London right now, and I know performers are gathering there.

Kate: Yes. It's not as busy as the social season, but it's still quite lively.

Victor: I want Jude and Ellis to go there and gather information.

Victor: As rootless as they are, they have unexpected connections.

Jude: Why do I have ta go? It's such a pointless mission.

Victor: It might be related to the human trafficking ring you took down in your private time the other day.

Victor: You're already on board, aren't you? Besides...I heard today was your first day off in a while.

It seemed that Victor wouldn't have known this information unless someone had told him, and Jude glared at the person next to him.

Jude: ...Ellis.

Ellis: I was asked, so I answered honestly. Sorry.

(Maybe the power balance between these two is more equal than I thought...)

Victor: So, off you go!

Sent off by Victor's overwhelmingly cheerful voice, we headed off to our mission.

-

(It's even more lively than usual...!)

The aroma of appetizing food wafted from the colorful stalls lined up at the art fair.

It wasn't just the food that entertained people. There were people painting on the streets and others performing street performances on a large stage set up on the corner. Walking around, I was almost overwhelmed by the lively and fun atmosphere.

(No, I can't get completely excited... I need to focus on the mission.)

(That's right, I should ask them now.)

Kate: Ellis, Jude. Can you tell me about your curses?

Ellis: Didn't we talk about that already?

Ellis: I have the "Thorn" curse, and Jude has the "13th Wizard" curse.

Ellis: They're curses based on the motif of "Sleeping Beauty."

(The curse of thorns and the curse of the wizard...)

The wizard is a villain who resents not being invited to the princess's birthday and tries to kill her with a curse.

(I can kind of understand the wizard's guilt, but...)

(What is the "Thorn's" guilt?)

As I was thinking, Jude stopped abruptly and turned around languidly.

Jude: There's no need for the three o' us to stick together. Ya two can gatha' information on yer own.

Ellis: But what about protecting Kate?

Jude: Ya alone are enough.

With that, he quickly disappeared into the crowd.

Kate: ...Does he dislike me, by any chance?

Ellis: He's like that with everyone, so I don't think he dislikes you.

Ellis: Maybe it's to prevent Kate from being put in danger if we're seen together again.

(Hmm, I don't think that's it...)

I quietly swallow the words that were about to escape my lips.

Kate: ...If that's the case, he's quite a kind person, isn't he?

Ellis: I wouldn't say kind. He loves to torment people he dislikes and hear them scream.

Kate: ..............

(The fact that I can imagine it is scary...)

He's the complete opposite of Ellis, who showers everyone he meets with kindness.

As if to prove this, after parting with Jude, Ellis was greeted from all sides.

Red-Faced Man: Hey, you! Thanks for taking care of me the other day!

Ellis: You're welcome. Don't drink too much today.

Kate: Who was that...?

Ellis: Someone I found passed out drunk on the street. I carried him home on my back. I don't know his name.

Kate: What?!

(He carried a stranger home and even took care of him?)

But that wasn't all that surprised me.

Carpenter: Thanks to Ellis introducing me to people, my business is finally taking off!

Cat: Meow!

Ellis: You're welcome.

(Even a cat is thanking him...?!)

(And to be thanked by so many people just passing by...)

It's clear how many good deeds Ellis must do on a regular basis.

Kate: You're more well-known than me, a mail carrier...!

Ellis: Really? I think it's normal.

He smiles happily at the people smiling back at him.

(I'm sure what he did for me yesterday is just a normal thing for him.)

He can't help but lend a hand to anyone in need.

A person who spreads happiness.

Watching Ellis happily converse with the townspeople, those words come to mind.

(Does such a person have any "sins" that I should record...?)

(And besides that--)

(Why is such a kind person working for an assassination organization, or for someone like Jude?)

Even though I've witnessed his kindness firsthand... The sudden question stirs up unease in my chest.

Ellis: Kate? Kate?

Kate: ...Ah, sorry! I was lost in thought.

I realize that Ellis, with his head tilted, is peering at my face from up close...

Ellis: Were you thinking about me?

Kate: ...Wha-?!

My heart races as our eyes meet, our eyelashes almost touching, like lovers gazing into each other's souls.

(Ellis doesn't seem to realize it... but I feel like he's too close.)

It was the same as the morning after I was brought to the Crown Mansion, when he visited my room.

This is the second time his amber eyes have been this close, and I feel heat rising to my cheeks as I look away.

Ellis: Ah, I was right.

Kate: How did you know?

Ellis: Hmm... I just had a feeling?

Ellis smiles and hands me a steaming mug.

Ellis: Here, I got this milk tea from the shop while you were thinking about me.

Ellis: It's a thank you for helping me with deliveries the other day.

(...Ellis, you're amazing...)

Ellis lowers his long eyelashes and blows on the milk tea before taking a sip.

Ellis: If you have any questions, feel free to ask.

Kate: ...Okay.

Ellis: You mean "yes," right?

Kate: ...Why are you with Crown, Ellis?

Ellis: I guess because Victor recruited Jude, and Jude agreed?

(So, Ellis joined because Jude joined...?)

Kate: Why are you with Jude?

Ellis: You have a lot of questions.

Ellis chuckles and wraps his hands around the mug.

Ellis: Before I met Jude, I was living a nomadic life, moving from place to place.

Ellis: I happened to meet Jude when I came to London.

Ellis: We made a promise after a series of events.

Kate: A promise...?

Ellis: I work for Jude, and in return, he'll grant me a wish.

Ellis: That's why... we're together until then.

A premonition that something might happen if I keep asking questions makes my heart race.

Kate: What's your wish, Ellis...?

Ellis: That's--

Flashy Performer: What?!

(Huh...?!)

Startled by the loud voice, I look over to see that we're behind a makeshift stage, where a performer is scratching his head in distress.

Flashy Performer: Both of them can't make it... This is a problem...!

(Both of them can't make it... Performers... Could it be?)

Kate: Ellis.

Ellis: ...Yeah.

-–“The common thread in the kidnapping cases is that the victims are often prostitutes or street performers.”

We exchanged glances and headed towards the troubled-looking performer.

Kate: Excuse me...

Flashy Performer: Hmm? Ah, sorry ladies, but my show starts in 10 minutes!

Ellis: We were just told two of your fellow performers can't make it...

Flashy Performer: Yeah, the guys I was supposed to perform with have gone missing.

Performer with Fancy Hat: Geez, how many is that now...? Things have been weird lately.

(Missing... and more than one person)

(Maybe we can learn something if we talk to him.)

Ellis: If you don't mind, we'd like to hear more about that.

Performer with Fancy Hat: Sorry, but I don't have time for that right now! I need to come up with a performance I can do by myself.

He waved us off dismissively, but then, as if struck by a thought, he stared intently at our faces once more.

Performer with Fancy Hat: Well, if you guys are willing to help me out with my stage performance, that's a different story.

Performer with Fancy Hat: Haha! Just kidding. Even though I'm short on help, I wouldn't involve amateurs.

He shook his head as if to say it was a momentary lapse of judgment, and Ellis approached him cheerfully.

Ellis: Help, you say? What do we need to do?

Performer with Fancy Hat: Haha! What, are you interested? I was just joking.

Ellis: But if we help you, you'll tell us more about it, right?

Performer with Fancy Hat: ... What, you guys have a hidden agenda?

He stared at us, his kind face contorted in confusion.

Performer with Fancy Hat: But you know, selling out my friends is a pretty risky business.

Performer with Fancy Hat: I don't have any guarantee that you guys don't have bad intentions. After all, this is our first time meeting.

Kate: What can we do to earn your trust?

Performer with Fancy Hat: Let me think...

Performer with Fancy Hat: If you're willing to be my target for knife throwing, or be tied up and submerged in a water tank without complaint...

Performer with Fancy Hat: I might just trust you.

(A target for knife throwing...!? )

Ellis: Sure, I'm good at that sort of thing.

Unlike me, who was bewildered, Ellis was not intimidated and continued the negotiation.

(As expected of someone who has been on business trips with Jude, he is used to this kind of situation...)

I thought the negotiation was settled with Ellis cooperating with the show, but reality wasn't that sweet.

Performer with Fancy Hat: Tsk tsk tsk... It's not enough with just you. The lady over there needs to cooperate too.

Kate: Huh...!?

Ellis: ...Why?

Performer with Fancy Hat: For the performance, of course!

Performer with Fancy Hat: A tragic separation of lovers, followed by a moving finale! It's sure to get a big cheer.

(...Knife throwing... Tied up in a water tank...)

Ellis peered at me worriedly as I turned pale.

Ellis: Kate, you don't have to push yourself.

(Victor used to throw knives at him, so Ellis will probably be fine.)

I could never imitate his extraordinary physical abilities, but... whether or not we get information from this man depends on me.

(At this point, I have no choice but to trust Ellis and this performer...)

Kate: Alright, I'll cooperate.

.

.

.

.

.

Chapter 4

If you’d like to support my translations, feel free to buy me a coffee here! :)

[risewriter]

ROTTMNT: Turtle Pile

A terrified cry for help reaches the three older tot brother’s ears.

"Mikey?!" They make eye contact with each other before racing to Michael's room.

Opening the door, the only thing lighting the room is a little nightlight of a unicorn. It's flickering, showing the silhouette of a little orange turtle. Shaking like a leaf, Mikey looks up.

''R-Raph?''

''Hey, bud.'' Raph replies. While he and the crew nears he adds: ''What's up?''

''The sky..'' The little box shell's head slumps onto his folded knees.

A snort Leo lets out is cut short by an elbow from both Raph and Donnie in each of the slider's hips.

''It's... doing the scary noises again.'' Mikey's eyes stray to his night light. ''Even Jorge is scared..''

''Aw, Mike. It's just a little thunder. It can't hurt ya.'' The snapping turtle sits down next to Michael.

''Yeah! You're kinda in a bunker here, bro.'' Leo plops beside the two. ''Nothin' is getting through here, right D?'' Throwing the stick to Don, which he wasn't prepared to catch, the soft shell steadies his glasses.

"O-Of course! These sewers are one of the safest areas to be at during storming weather conditions. I can guarantee that being struck by lightning is highly improbable.''

''See? Even D knows it's a pro babble!''

''Improbable.''

''Yeah? That's what I said.''

The two lock eyes, though Donnie knew from experience that this is a battle which doesn't deserve his effort.

''Although, if this was a flood, we would be in danger. We can hold our breaths for a long while, but we would have to move to a different area- Ah-''

Now noticing that his brothers were signing him to stop talking, little Mikey begins to cry.

''Shh, Mikey! There's no flood! It's ok!''

As Raphael and the others try to calm their little brother down, a light crack in the sky followed by a loud rumble trembles the floor beneath them.

''AAAH!'' Mikey screams, covering his ears with the hope the drums above the clouds would stop.

But then, without warning, Jorge's light goes out.

''J-Jorge?'' Mikey looks up to see only darkness. ''Raphie?'' With each cry, the box shell feels his anxiety grow. ''Le-Le? Dee?''

The orange turtle senses getting jostled. At first, it freaked him out even more, but then it became more and more familiar.. and warm.

''I got it.'' The soft shell calls out. Within a few seconds, the night light blinks back to life. Though, Donnie didn't just fix the light, he worked his magic to make Jorge slowly switch to each of the colours of the rainbow.

Now being able to see clearly, Mikey's eyes widen. He's now being held by his big red brother in the opening of his crossed legs.

''In case anythin' tries to hurt ya, I'll be the roof!'' Raphael brings out a toothy grin.

''Oh! Oh! I'll be like- the really, really important cool guy! I'll be so cool that I can stomp on the ground and scare that thunder away!'' Imitating a ‘woosh’ sound, Leo let himself fall on Raph's side.

''I'll make that lightning a light thing!'' He winks, causing both the turtles to giggle.

''Aaand since nobody knows how lightning works, I guess I'll be the lightning rod.'' A tad reluctant, the soft shell leans against the snapping turtle's back shell.

Raph wraps his arms around Leo and Mikey as the drowsiness takes hold. With Jorge keeping a watchful eye, the rainbow colored turtle pile dozes off.

Looks like tomorrow will be sunny.

[hellsite-detective]

hello detective, I have a simple request of a post, you see the post was something along the lines of "what if the warrior cats system was used instead of the government" and it spiraled into asking what other countries are, why the person was tweeting stead of posting and it ended on "why is komaeda posting about warrior cats", have a nice night

this post, while it seems rather simple on the surface, was absolutely baffling. see, i was bein' asked to find a post about how the government should be abolished in favor of the Warrior Cats system. accordin' to my client, this post was bein' made by Nagito Komaeda from Danganronpa. headin' over to the Search Bar, i asked for any posts from tumblr that had the exact phrase used in my request. i was quickly handed the exact link i needed. i went to file it away when i noticed somethin' off...

this post was not made by Komaeda.

instead, the post i was lookin' at was posted by @firefox-official, who, as far as i knew, had no connection to the aforementioned character. i did further diggin' into the reblogs of the post, nothin'. i went back to Google and demanded more results, nothin'. i even asked for anythin' relatin' to this post specifically mentionin' Komaeda. still nothin'. was this some sorta bizarre Mandela Effect relatin' to a tumblr post of all things? i had no clue. but i couldn't come back empty handed. i filed this one away and hoped for the best.

here's a post! i can't guarantee this is what you were lookin' for, but it seems to be the right one, minus Komaeda. have a great day!

Post Case: Closed

[jaminster]

Any fic reqs?

Y'all, proud to announce in a writing mood so if anyone's got any fic suggestions, L4D2 related, Nellis or not, please do share some ideas because for once in my life I'm motivated to write. Feel free to PM or ask or comment or anythin. Can't guarantee I'll do it cuz I'll be getting busy in the next couple of days, but still I'm down to hear things out. Guess like format for request: Title: (either you name or i name or nothing) Plot: (the idea you gyat) Word Count: (how long you want it? short fic? omg?) Additional Tags: any other extra stuff you want to see in the fic

:3

[cainluvr69]

Let Me Tell You The Story Of A Rainbow - Chapter 20

Previous Chapter

Owen: Let's just turn this world to scraps already. Mythical beasts and humans and wizards and even picture books are all the same once you rip them to pieces.

Owen crossed one long leg over the other, sitting sidesaddle on his broom. He laid his hand on the lid of his trunk, ready to unleash the horrors within.

Snow: Owen.

White: Don't be so selfish.

Owen: Making scary faces at me isn't going to get you anywhere. Or do you two really think you can take me down?

Bradley: Damn, he's super pissed off because Oz and Mithra ain't here.

Owen: What was that, Bradley? Are you volunteering to be the first one I rip to shreds?

Bradley: Hey, I'm not mockin' you, okay? My patience is wearing pretty damn thin, too. How about we knock 'em through themselves together on the count of three?

Owen: Absolutely not.

Bradley: Haha, too bad.

White: Is this really the time to be joking around with one another? Did you forget what we said earlier?

Snow: Should anything happen to this world, we cannot guarantee that we'll be able to protect the Sage and the rest of the Sage's wizards.

Owen: Mithra has his dimensional door, doesn't he? And Oz is here, too. Mithra's probably spacing out somewhere, but Oz would notice and do something about it.

Snow: Are you sure? I think they're about equal in terms of airheadedness.

Owen: If the world's collapse starts to accelerate, one of them will do something about it. And if there's anyone you just can't bear to lose, can't you just scoop them up to safety yourself?

Snow: Goodness, what a self-centered little menace you are. Perhaps I should call Oz over and have him drop an extra-big lightning bolt on you if you think that lizard's lightning isn't up to snuff.

White: Now now, Snow dearest. That would result in the destruction of this world.

Bradley: Either way, it's just a matter of time 'til that happens anyways, yeah? Owen, does that big lump of scales have anythin' to say for itself?

Owen: Literally no idea. It's just been wailing in pain this whole time, so it's not like it's said anything I could actually understand…

But just then, a flurry of rainbow scales sparkled around Owen--Roxy was flying around him. Roxy settled on Owen's shoulder. It seemed to be pleading with him, the only one among our number who could understand what it was saying.

Owen: …

Suddenly, a violent screech shook the area. The lizard was crackling with electricity, its body swelling even larger.

Bradley: Yeah… I'm done with waitin' around.

Bradley readied his rifle as he spoke.

Snow & White: Bradley!

Bradley: No hard feelings!

I was expecting a bold, fearless grin, but instead, Bradley lowered his voice to a cautious whisper.

Bradley: <Adnopotensum>

And with a solemn bang, Bradley's gun spat fire. And as to where his bullet landed--there was something like a crack moments after he fired. Bradley's target was not the lizard, but the trunk of a tree that towered over it. The earth trembled with a roar as loud as a thunderclap, and then the tree began to topple, its shadow draping over the lizard like a delicate cloth. With the tree preventing it from moving, the lizard squealed fiercely.

Bradley: Haha! See, all I had to do was put my mind to it a little, and there ya go.

Snow: Goodness, you actually restrained your magic?

White: What a feat for a Northern wizard, for whom everything but attack magic is left to the side, unpracticed…

Bradley: Psht, who do you think I am? No one's got pinpoint control like I do.

Snow & White: Kyakya! Bradley dear, you're soooo cooool!

Owen: That working out that well looked like a coincidence to me.

Bradley: 'Scuse me? Don't get all pouty on me, now.

Owen landed next to the big lizard, which was pawing pitifully at the ground, unable to get out from under the fallen tree, and whispered to it coldly.

Owen: Your completely transparent attempts at hiding the piece of that girl's memory failed. Hurry up and open your mouth already. I'm not as soft as he is. If you don't get on with it, you can say goodbye to everything from the neck down.

Then Owen leaned closer to the lizard and whispered something even more quietly.

Owen: Continuing to hide it from us isn't going to do anything to protect the person you want to protect. Wanna know why? Because if you don't hand it over, I'm going to erase this world. All of it. So you know what the right thing to do is, right?

It must have understood, because it stopped struggling and timidly opened its mouth. Owen deftly snatched up the thing that was sitting on the tip of its tongue.

Owen: Here it is. A single purple pearl.

White: You did wonderfully too, Owen dear!

Snow: This beast certainly settled down in a hurry, though. Did something happen?

Owen: Not really. I just reminded it of where it sits on the food chain.

Bradley: Damn, what a pain this thing is. It really didn't need to start actin' up like that.

Mithra: Good grief. Using brute force isn't always the best way to do things.

Mithra was using the crystal ball I was holding to talk to them, like a magical telephone.

Mithra: Protecting something really isn't as simple as all that.

Bradley: I really don't wanna hear that from you, man.

Snow & White: You have no place to speak.

Owen: If you weren't on the other end of that crystal, I'd smash your head into paste.

The purple pearl in Owen's hand began to glow, and then flashed with blinding light.

✦✧☾✧✦

Little, little Luca was running through a moonlit forest, wheezing breathlessly. ----That morning, after she'd returned to the monastery, she'd been welcomed back with a beating from her teacher. Apparently, she'd neglected some of her chores. Luca could hardly breathe. Everyone in the monastery was suffocating her by treating her like this. Even when she was thrown into a storage room and locked away, the only ones who came to comfort her were the strange friends only she could see. And with their help, she was finally, finally escaping the monastery. She wasn't going to vanish for a few days, and then go back. No, she was never going to return, and she was never going to do those awful chores ever again. Her conviction was firm. But it wasn't to last. Her escape had taken her deep into a forest that few people ever traversed, but some humans happened upon her while she was talking to spirits. The looks on their faces immediately twisted into something malevolent, and they attacked her. Why? Because "a creepy wizard had placed an eerie, ominous curse over the whole forest."

Luca: …That's not me. I was just…

But her frightened voice would never reach their hearts. They had her cornered, pinned against a wall. But then… With a peal of thunder loud enough to split the sky, lightning struck, and the silhouette of a massive reptile appeared in the split second of light. The humans screamed and fled as fast as their legs could carry them.

Luca: Thank you… You saved me. …Huh? What do I think of you? You are kinda big, but…I'm not scared. I mean, you saved me. Those people who chased me down so they could do something bad to me were way, way scarier than you could ever be… …But, wanna know a secret? Even though I'm always all alone, I've made lots and lots of friends. So I think that no matter what happens, from now on…I won't be scared. As long as I have all of you with me…I'll be brave.

✦✧☾✧✦

As they followed their group's guiding light, Figaro, Lennox, and Mitile began to notice coins and gemstones scattered here and there on the ground.

Mitile: There are a lot of little things that have fallen among the grass around here. Let's see, this one's a medal, I think this is an old kind of currency…and this is a rare gem, isn't it?

Lennox: I wonder who…no, I wonder what in this book dropped all of this here.

Figaro: I think this is…probably the work of an herbula.

Mitile: An herbula?

Figaro: It's the name of a kind of magical plant. It's a rare one, only growing in locations with bountiful nature and clean water. You can basically think of them as leaf spirits. It's the kind of thing you'd find in a fairy tale. They'll pick up anything they think is valuable, but as you can see, they drop a lot of those things, too.

Mitile: They pick up a lot of stuff, so they drop a lot of stuff, too?

Figaro: Essentially, yes. They'll pick up something they've decided is valuable and then drop it when they're not paying attention…and then pick it up all over again.

Mitile: They must drop stuff because they're trying to carry too much all at once.

Lennox: When you have a lot of things important to you, it's easy to get stuck on what to keep, and instead end up trying to hold onto all of them. I can get a little selfish too, so I understand how they feel.

Mitile: You…? Selfish…?

Figaro: Oh, so you are aware of it.

Lennox: You know how it is. Oh… There's a small knot in this tree.

Mitile: Oh, there is! And it's absolutely surrounded with dropped and forgotten treasures.

Figaro: Looks like they had a frenetic day of cleaning out the house. I wonder if they cleared the whole knothole out?

Mitile: Why would they do that?

Figaro: This is just a guess, but…probably to put something even more precious in there instead. There's only so much one can handle, and when things start getting out of hand, welp! Time to throw something out.

Lennox: …The piece of Luca's memories is probably in that knothole.

Figaro: Yeah. That girl's memories are the most valuable treasures in this book's world. The spirits would want to treat them right.

Mitile: But, um, the entrance to the knothole is so thin, I don't see how we'd get anything out of it…

Figaro: Easy enough to fix with a bit of magic. <Possideo>

Figaro snapped his fingers, and the three of them began to glow softly.

Mitile: Woah…!

Their bodies suddenly shrank, getting smaller and smaller. Once they were small enough that I could carry all three of them in my hands, the light petered out and they stopped shrinking.

Figaro: This should be just about the right size. Well? Any problems?

Lennox: No, I'm fine. This really gives a fresh look to the landscape we'd been walking through before. Turning this small is rather pleasant.

Mitile: I'm good, too! I had to get on my knees just to look into this knothole, but now it's like a big tunnel…

Figaro: Haha, good to hear you're both okay. If Rutile had been here, he would've thrown himself into a tizzy over this.

Mitile: Yeah. I bet when we tell him, he'll get so jealous. Like, "That sounds like so much fun!"

The three of them entered the knothole, all of them still smiling happily.

And inside of it was a listless-looking spirit with droopy leaves on top of its head and in place of a tail.

Mitile: Wah…!

Figaro: …? Oh, that's…

But Mitile's yelp had alerted the spirit to their presence. It turned to run on unsteady, tottering legs.

Mitile: Ah, please wait…!

Lennox: We apologize for walking in without permission. You don't need to be scared of us.

Figaro: …Your vegetation's looking a little worse for wear. You probably shouldn't move around too much.

The be-leafed spirit was still restlessly puttering about, and tripped over itself in the process--but Lennox was there to catch it before it hit the ground.

Mitile: I have a lot of different kinds of medicine on hand, but will any of them work on it? Maybe I should look for medicinal herbs that grow in the area…ah, wait, right. We're inside of a book right now.

Figaro and Lennox glanced from Mitile, still fretting over the spirit's condition, to each other. They nodded to one another, and then turned their attention back to Mitile.

Figaro: No need to worry. This little guy's just a little tired, is all. I could take care of it, buuuut… Mitile, how about you cast healing magic on it instead?

Mitile: Huh, are you sure? I mean, compared to you, Dr. Figaro, I'm still…

Next Chapter

[lifetimeshipper]

Angel From A Dream

Chapter 5

~~~~~~~~~~

Thunderhoof and Steeljaw left the base to look for other 'Cons to add to their pack, Steeljaw told Underbite to stay behind and look after the base and the hostage, to make sure she doesn't try to escape. After searching and not finding anything, Thunderhoof and Steeljaw decided to head back and try again later. 

The whole time they were searching Thunderhoof couldn't stop the questions going through his processor, so as they headed back to base Thunderhoof decided to ask the question he couldn't stop wondering about. "Do you know what you're doing?"

Steeljaw looked at him in a bit of confusion, "Uhh, of course I do. I've been gathering bots and creating groups for many years..."

"I mean with the femme. Do you even know who she is or anythin' 'bout her background?"

"I know her name is Strongarm and she's an Autobot Cadet but that's all. I haven't really had the chance to fully get to know her yet."

"You're already into her without knowing anythin' 'bout her? You must be really attracted to her, though I can't say I blame you she is a pretty femme for an Autobot."

Steeljaw couldn't help but growl at Thunderhoof for his last remark, "Don't you dare try anything, Thunderhoof." Thunderhoof just put up his servos in surrender, he knows not to mess with a Wolf-Con's femme. When a Wolf-Con has his optic on a femme to make his mate he will tear apart any that dared try to keep him from claiming her. "But yes, I am attracted to her," Steeljaw continues. "She's beautiful. But it's more than that."

"Whatcha mean?"

"I was having dreams about her long before I met her, don't know why. It wouldn't stop and soon she started being in my processor constantly. I soon found myself thinking about her all the time and determination grew in me to find her and find out who she is. So when I met her here on this planet not long ago I saw this as my chance to finally find out who she is and make her mine."

"I've heard stories of that happening to others. Only Primus knows why it happens."

"What do you know about her? You were talking like you know something I don't."

"I know she's the daughter of Arcee and Wheeljack from team Prime. She's close to Ultra Magnus, Bulkhead, and the other members of the team. Her lieutenant, Bumblebee, is like her uncle."

"Bumblebee? Is that the yellow mech that leads the Autobots?"

"Yes. The team of Autobots that are here on this planet anyway."

Steeljaw growled, "I know who you're talking about, I got into a fight with him at our last hideout. If he's so close to Strongarm then no doubt he'll stop at nothing to rescue her."

"I can guarantee you he won't rest until he gets her back."

"He can try all he wants but it won't happen, I won't allow it."

Thunderhoof remains silent, he knows exactly what Steeljaw means by that. He's seen this behavior before and he knows there's only one way things are gonna go when Bumblebee attempts a rescue of the femme.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Strongarm continued lying on the floor as she tried to calm her spark. The events that had occurred really scared her, she was almost marked by a Wolf-Con. Never in her life did she imagine she would be the target of a Wolf-Con to mate with. This can't be happening, it has to be a scare tactic to get her to talk or something.

Either way, she needs to figure out a way to escape. She rubs her neck as she thinks. Her spark starts settling down making it easier to think clearly. She knows Steeljaw isn't gonna leave her without supervision, he no doubt left one behind to make sure she doesn't escape. But which one? She gets up off the floor and walks over to the door, she tries opening it only to find it locked.

"Of course it's locked, Strongarm. You heard Steeljaw lock it," she scolds herself as she goes to sit back down. How can she know what to do if she doesn't know which one stayed behind? If it's Underbite she could easily distract him with some metal while she makes her escape, but if it's Thunderhoof she doesn't know what she could do. 

She thinks of her carrier and she wonders how she would handle this situation. She recalls hearing stories about when she was taken by the Decepticons twice because Megatron wanted her, both times she found a way to escape, though the second time she had help from Knock Out. But what would she do if she was in this situation? She would most likely make some noise to lure the 'Con to the room and then attack them...

"That's it!" Strongarm gets up and runs over to the door. She starts banging on the door while screaming to get the attention of the 'Con that's standing guard. Hopefully, she's right and there actually is one standing guard right now or she would look very foolish. "Hey! Anybody there!? I wish to have a word with you!!" She shouts as she continues to bang on the door.

It isn't until she hears the heavy steps heading towards the door that she stops. She finally got their attention. Took them long enough. She hears the door unlock and steps back as she watches it open. The door fully opens to reveal... Steeljaw? What? Surely she hasn't been in here thinking that long that he finished what he was doing and returned already.

"You wish to have a word? What do you want?" Steeljaw asks as he looks at her puzzled.

"H-how are you back so soon?"

"We only went searching for other 'Cons, couldn't find any so we headed back. Now, what do you want?"

Strongarm's spark dropped as her hope for escape flew out the window. There's no way she can get past Steeljaw to escape. She stands there for a moment thinking of what she can say to cover up her failed attempt to escape, "I need some Energon. I haven't had any in a while." She really hates this. She hates that she's cowering to this 'Con and being this submissive, but she needs to survive and get back to her team. But you better bet that when she does escape and gets back with her team she will be taking this 'Con down and locking him away for good.

"That's right, you haven't had any Energon. My apologies, that was very thoughtless of me. I'll go get you some." Steeljaw walks back out of the room closing and locking the door once more. Strongarm vents out a sigh of relief as she sits back down again, dread filling her spark as she hopes and prays that he won't try marking her again.

~~~~~~~~~~

"What did she want?" Thunderhoof asked after he saw Steeljaw walk back into their area.

"She said she needed some Energon. But judging by the surprised look she gave when I entered the room and the pause before telling me what she wanted, I believe she was trying to set something up to escape."

"Like what?" Underbite asked seeming very confused.

"My guess is she figured that one of you was left behind to watch over her and she thought she would try a distraction or try to lure you into a trap where she could attack and then escape."

Thunderhoof couldn't help but laugh at that, "I could take her down easily and I can bet ya Underbite could too."

"Don't be so sure. I'm not attracted to her just for her looks. Despite her young naive processor and her misunderstanding of situations, she's actually pretty smart. And despite her lack of experience, she's a decent fighter," Steeljaw explains as he walks over to the small stash of Energon they're holding.

"Are you gonna punish her for trying to escape?" Underbite asks.

Steeljaw picks up one of the Energon cubes and an empty canister, "Of course," he says before he proceeds to pour the Energon into the canister stopping a quarter of the way. He places the cube back down and turns to face them, "She's not getting a whole cube. If she wants the rest she'll have to earn it." He walks off to head back to the room he's sharing with Strongarm.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chapter 1

Next Chapter

[innerbeast]

💭 + if u had to start a boy band in eorzea which NPCs would be your bandmates and what roles would they play, also what would your band name be and which city has the most sold-out tickets for your concerts

Send 💭 + a topic and my muse will tell you what they think about it.

"if i had to start a-- ...mngh."

fingers scratch at a downward turned head, an ear falling to the side as brows furrowed. certainly not a scenario he's ever humored.

"a band, guys only... okay. well, if it's music related i gotta involve my brother. he's well versed in a lotta instruments... could probably throw him on anythin'. i got dibs on drums, though. the only ones i know how to play. maybe khol'a could stick to a harp... or piano? that might fit better.

er, thancreds got a good voice on him. might be able to convince him to be our vocalist? might need to think of a backup plan 'cause i can't guarantee he'd go along with it. raha might be more willin' to help me out, actually.

someone else... someone else... gods', and we'd need a name."

the entire process of thought has his ears fall back and flatten further, and further with each attempt to fill in the blanks. he likes being a spectacle of his own from time to time, but he's never been musically inclined aside from dancing along to it all.

"... could prob'ly hold a show easier in gridania, so tickets might sell out better there?" he's never even finished thinking up the band, or the name.

he's struggling.

"augh, there's too much practice and plannin' for this shite!"

[stcries]

"you're sure you're alright? i get it, we're meant to be the big strong ones of the group but that just doesn't look right." it's the way she kneels down, head crooning sideways to inspect the damage done. in a world where one could come across monsters at any given opportunity, to walk away unscathed was a miracle in itself. quite honestly, karlach was relieved that this man got away at all.

"my camp's not that far away, i can run and grab some things if you need anythin'? well, i can't guarantee not burning the supplies, and i can't exactly carry you ... mmn, this is a bit of a pickle." / @avaere liked for a baldur's gate starter.

[rosetintedgunman]

@stageplayhero - Continued from here

-

Memories are fickle things at the best of times. Add a bunch of trauma to it, and you're guaranteed to have some holes. They can be locked away so deep that it would be hard to access them without rigorous prompting. But that was fine. In some cases, it was better if Wilford didn't remember. He can't hold a grudge against a stranger, after all!

Missing the deeper context to Mark's response, Wilford blinked, before shrugging and taking another chocolate. "Easy mistake. Most people wouldn't think a handsome guy like me would have such a sweet tooth.

A perfectly normal conversation. A perfectly ordinary setting. The scene was set, but there's no set script to follow. This is entirely improv. Good luck, Mark.

"I can getcha anythin' ya want. Red, white, rosé, that bubbly stuff, th' fancy bubble stuff, somethin' else I'm probably forgettin'. C'mon. Take a seat. I'm sure y've got some good tales ta share!" Whether Mark followed him to the bar wasn't relevant, as Wilford would talk regardless. "It's th' pride an' joy of recent times. I put a lotta this together by myself. Got a little bitta help. An' it helped that this place did used ta be a bar an' a roller rink before I got here. Made that part of things a lot easier. Arcade's new though. Nice ta have a project ta work on."

[crimsononiarataki-archive]

“ can i ask… what happened? ”  

Meme

"I can't stop ya from askin' but there's no guarantee I'll be able to say much,"

The Oni wasn't being secretive at all, not intentionally, at least. She would need to be a bit more specific for him to be able to answer her question was all. He could talk - of course, but would it be about what she wished to know? He wasn't sure.

"If you're wonderin' why I'm outta breath - some mortals decided it'd be funny to trigger my allergies. It ain't anythin' major. If it's about anythin' else, you're gonna have to ask me straight."

He didn't know her that well so he wasn't going to really divulge just what it was he was allergic to.

[veeaxx]

— LIP POINT ★

their s/o uses their lips to point out things, but they think they're asking for a kiss !

note: so sorry for my hiatus!! im trying a new format dont mind me.. it's slightly suggestive in floyd's part but it doesn't go past kissing! m.list is here characters: kalim, jamil, and the tweels x reader

— JAMIL VIPER

his cheeks turn red as he sees you point your lips over to the item beside him, not knowing what ur real intentions were. bby thought you wanted a kiss real bad he didn't have a choice but to smh 😭

you 'were' expecting him to have the item in his hands, so you look up—but you're suddenly brought into a quick kiss, courtesy of jamil. he pulls away, slightly shy. "was that alright, ya amar*?" he asks, looking into your eyes. was a kiss really necessary at this moment? 😖💕 obviously, you smile in return, nodding. "of course it was, hun..but that wasn't what i was asking for." you giggled as his brows furrowed in confusion. babes u had to explain that kind of mannerism was normal from where you were from and he got so fking embarrassed omfg like it doesn't mean you want a kiss??

literally comfort kiss kiss him bc he is sulking in the corner and cannot look at you without blushing. he did give you the item you asked for though. the more you know, right?

either way it was cute so you didn't hold anythin against it jamil viper let me marry u bbg 😻

— KALIM AL-ASIM

oh my god he got so eager and excited when you pointed your lips, but he didn't know it was to ask for smth beside him!!! he was literally like an energetic pup 🥺 he was a bit confused on why you couldn't just ask though

he quickly rushes over to you, kissing your lips for a small amount of time, your eyes widening. he pulls away, smiling. "did you like that, albi*?" he asks, his cheeks a bright red. you smiled, cupping his face softly. "oh kalim, of course i did..but i didn't point out my lips for a kiss.." you replied, sighing in content. obviously he didn't know what the lip point meant, so when you told him he immediately gave you the item you needed while blushing.

is probably apologizing for nothing like?? he's so cute 😭 kalim is more of a positive person though so he'll probably forget about it in no time hajsghahaga

he will take very good note of that gesture, but won't hesitate to plant a kiss on those lips of yours, either. so i recommend you keep an eye on him!

— JADE LEECH

this smug mf. and he's so smooth with how he kisses you, too. if you were expecting him to hand the item over, you got a kiss instead!! cue jade showcasing his usual grin as he lovingly stared at your deep red face.

guess he's still a bit unaware on some human customs, no? he's fully aware of the fact, in fact, he doesnt deny it at all. more or so once you told him about the habit of pointing your lips.

a bit of blush appears on his cheeks, but he smiles nonetheless, content about your reaction either way.

"fufufu..my pearl, you'll have to forgive me." he chuckled, bringing you close. "i'm simply unable to resist those sweet lips of yours, my dearest. " 😳

will definitely remember what the lip point means after that sweet encounter. i can't guarantee he won't play a bit, though. he might tease you by kissing your lips instead.

— FLOYD LEECH

"coulda just asked, shrimpy." floyd whispered, his tone teasing as ever. but before you could reply, his lips collided with yours as he gripped your hips, lifting you onto the counter.

as you melted into the kiss, he teasingly nipped at your bottom lip, allowing a gasp to escape your mouth.

he visibly grins at this, chuckling as he pulled away. his stupid grin only grew wider as your face went beet red!!! i hate love him sm 😠

once you pointed out you wanted something, he wrapped his arms around you, pulling you in closer. "ehh.. that's boring. i like kissing shrimpy better." he kept on insisting on how the kisses are better!!??

would he remember? it depends on his mood. similar to jade, he would play around with you a bit. he most likely wants to get on your nerves (lovingly) 😒 not that you'd reject, though..

TRANSLATIONS:

* ya amar — my moon

* albi — heart/my heart

TWST TAGLISH: N/A

© ALL RIGHTS BELONG TO @VEEAXX, DO NOT COPY, TRANSLATE, OR REPOST MY WORK.

[ravenshour]

all Jamie has ever wanted to do was to help others. in fact, when he was a kid, before all his magic had started going out of complete control, they wanted to be a child psychiatrist. he wanted to sit in a room with kids and be able to help them, the way he hadn't been able to be helped. and of course, they wanted to help magic children, too, but you can't exactly promote that, now can you? unfortunately, that dream was not meant to be. his power is far too unstable and their podcast cries for attention whenever he's away. in fact, he'll probably have to call up their best friend and schedule a time to record once he's done here. always thinking about everything he needs to do, always on the move.

when Rosalie's magic started going a little haywire, obviously Jamie picked up on it. they used his other hand to cover hers, holding them closer as she got control of herself. he didn't expect her to acknowledge it and was unsurprised when she didn't, blinking somberly at her. "it's a'right," he reassures quietly. "it was a long time ago, a'right? i'm almost older than my mum was when she died, she was only thirty-seven. but i think about her e'ery day and i know she's looking down at me, knowin' i'm doin' my best. i don't think the guilt will ever go away . . . somethin' about survivor's guilt or somethin' like that, but it's okay. really."

a smile returns to Jamie's expression as she speaks about him, making their cheeks turn a nice rosy color, laughing quietly as he ducks his head. "okay, now you're just flatterin' me." he pauses, smiling as he looks away. "thank you, though. i think i needed'ta hear that." when he looks back at her, he seems more determined, more prepared for the oncoming storm that they have waiting for them. he squeezes her hands again---a symbol of their trust in her. like she said, they had only just met, but she was more than worthy of Jamie's trust, he knew that deep within his heart.

"i want to be powerful, but in control. more than anythin'. i don't want to hurt anyone else with my magic. it's easier now than when i was younger, cause i used to not have any control at all---i'd get upset, and something would go wrong---but at least now, i have enough control that my magic doesn't go haywire over something so simple as being upset . . . not usually. i can't guarantee it won't happen, but i'd like to think i'd managed some semblance of control, even if it's not complete. i'd like'ta get better." he means that, too.

Feeling the hand on her hears, there's a whisper in her mind that came from Gabriel that almost caught her off guard. I sense the power from them, tread carefully. Shaking it off, Rosalie gives a small smile and places another hand on theirs after feeling the reassuring squeeze. It wasn't often that Rosalie talked about her mental state, let alone how she coped with the darkness that followed her just like Gabriel lingered as her shadow. Sometimes the shadow was small, other times it towered and smothered her and there was only so much Gabriel could do to protect her. Healing wounds, giving her lessons on her abilities and warning her about dangers that lurked and lingered around her.

Hearing Jamie speak about their mother, the small smile faded and a feeling of sadness washed over her body causing a pain her chest. To lose a mother, she couldn't even imagine her mother dying, she relied on the monarch Atlas too much. Hell, she still found herself calling and video chatting with her mother almost every other day. Sometimes they never got to talk as much due to Michelle Atlas' musical career with her now, retired, father Claud Atlas trailing behind her. To live in a world without her parents, Rosalie didn't want to think about it too much. As she tried to push the thoughts aside, the emotions were swelling within her and the lights without the shop started to flicker and react to her. For someone that is bubbly, at least on the surface she couldn't help but feel her emotions strongly and passionately as Jamie spoke.

Rosalie, Rosalie Annalise. Calm yourself or you'll start an electrical fire. Gabriel warned, glancing up the vision in her eyes were somewhat blurry as tears before to form but she did what she could to push them before sighing softly. " I'm sorry. " Rosalie replied as she returned a reassurance squeeze to Jamie. " That must before horrible to live with and deal with. " She couldn't find the right words to say, which was ironic given that Rosalie always knew what to say. There have been many times that her friends had come to her for advice and a shoulder to cry on, but in this moment? She didn't have a thought that came to mind and it only made her feel worse. However, she tried her best to not think too much about it but instead listened to her heart since that was always a back up.

" What matters is that you're at least trying, and you're more than just a orphaned kid. That is just one part of your story, Jamie. " Rosalie finally got a handle on what she was trying to say, and the feeling of sadness turned into hope as she continued to speak. " We may have just met, but I've learned some things about you that make you more than what you say are. You're smart, you have a good choice in games, easy on the eyes, and you have a power that most elder witches wish they had. Sure your power is hard to handle right now, doesn't mean that you won't learn how to handle it. " She takes a moment to think and then gets a bright idea. " Think of it as your own video game, right now you don't have the best layout. It's gonna take learning new skills, figuring out how to navigate through your campaign and once you get a handle it, you'll be golden! Powerful but in control. "

[alternianative]

if we mutuals...... u should rb this w/a troll of yours - img ref pls

(beeprincen will be followin u if we’re mutuals)

[faranae]

[Back to Masterpost]

The Sammy Post

[Long post! Drawn ask responses, written responses, short story; Trigger warnings on this one for written gore, injury, and distress. It will be clearly marked and at the very end.] Sammy is getting his own post because let's be real, he overtook Dev and Darl' as the favorite almost immediately. Yes, it includes THAT short story. It'll be at the end and clearly marked. Trigger warnings mentioned above.

The reveal:

First off I'm putting this right here, even though I've already posted it, because it absolutely EXPLODED. I thought it was Cat!Darling bringing people to the post but nope. A massive chunk were there for the Sammy reveal. Love y'all.

Sammy takes some questions from the ask box:

“You can try asking him anythin’ ya please, but I can’t guarantee you’ll get an answer. He’s a bit unpredictable.” -Dev

#I think my favorite part #is his mask just slides down #it falls a bit more every panel #sticky goop can't fight gravity

He looks so proud #He hoards the things #They're like really heavy lego #It's not as sound as it looks #He's not allowed to build roofs any more after the third bacon soup searcher casualty

-

That one story answer I did for Sammy that everyone went nuts over for some reason:

The man startles and whips around at the sudden question, sending the mask atop his head askew. His eyes are wide and confused, bandaged fingers closing tightly around the pen in his hand as he studies his surroundings. He relaxes somewhat when he finds his sanctuary remains empty. And yet, he can feel the buzz of anticipation in the air as the Question lingers.

“Wonderful,” he mutters, voice dripping with sarcasm as his white sockets narrow. “No rest, no peace. I was warned you might come for me. Or have you already? I can’t… Remember.” He turns away from the presence and returns to his work, carefully arranging the papers away from where his palms might accidentally marr the surface.

“The ink,” he begins slowly, “to say that it is an inconvenience would be a magnificent understatement.” There is a bitter tone to his voice as pen scratches once again on paper. “It oozes, yet does not drip. This, at the very least, is a blessing.”

His free hand lifts, the inky digits fluttering in the air before returning to his side. Barely distinguishable from the thick viscous substance covering his body, small strips of black-stained cloth can be seen wrapped around his fingertips.

“This… Helps. Not sticking to anything and everything. Though it still stains.”

The sounds of his notation fade just as the weight of the Question disperses, content in his response. He stares at his pen a moment, lost in thought before adjusting his mask to sit atop his head properly and out of his way.

“How inconvenient.”

Sammy hums to himself as he returns to his work. In the back of his mind, some part of him wonders if there had even been a question at all.

-

Excerpt from the "Drippy Ink" ask regarding Sammy's composition:

Sammy: The master of the music department is similar to Darling that his body is composed of a seemingly physical core blanketed in a slough of ink. Sammy’s ink is contaminated and thick, sticking to him like tar. It will ooze, but will not separate from him easily. If lost (or forcibly removed, as he’s attempted to do on his more lucid days) it will cause him excruciating pain and inevitably will regenerate if he takes in sustenance of any sort (food or drink, or on his less clear days ink).  Despite his wish to be freed of his “inky prison”, Sammy’s core (be it a body, anchor, or something else entirely nobody knows) would likely not survive the process if the pain caused by loss of his ink is any indication. 

Also:

3. Unrelated, but Sammy has named some of the more unique Searchers and will even converse with them at times. They never reply. He thinks that is rather rude.

On Sammy's "lucid" days:

You can tell when it’s one of Sammy’s “good” days by what music he hums as he goes about the studio. If it’s tunes from the old Bendy cartoons, it is NOT a good day to approach Sammy. If it’s anything else (Willow Weep for Me being a particularly obnoxious earworm but he doesn’t mind since he likes the song) he is having a lucid day. Odds are in your favor, but you should still approach with caution.

That one time I did a 40 hour art stream and the chat finally convinced me to go to bed:

[Back to Masterpost]

STOP!! FROM THIS POINT THERE ARE TRIGGER WARNINGS FOR WRITTEN DESCRIPTIONS OF BODY HORROR, GORE, INJURY, SUFFOCATION, PARALYSIS, DEATH, AND A (VERY BRIEF) MENTION OF SUICIDE.

Please take care of yourselves. I've added a few extra "back to the masterpost" links for your convenience. This is not me being patronizing or condescending; I genuinely would prefer you leave the post now if the above-mentioned topics bother you. ♥

[Back to Masterpost]

The Fall - Or: That time I got really impatient about releasing lore stuff and put Sammy's origin into a ficlet for fun and made everyone angry at me for hurting The Baby.

Reminder that this thing was written on the bus, going to college, so it's not the most cohesive attempt at storytelling.

-

How many years has he known Joey Drew?

It’s a silly thing to wonder, in the moment. Still, perhaps as an escape from the horrors occurring in front of him, he surrenders to his wandering thoughts. Ten years? Fifteen? More? Less?

The first time his pay had been delayed, his threats to resign had been met with a smile and reassurance from his employer. The second and third times he did the same, and was met again with laughter. After the studio’s coffers ran empty for the final time he had vowed to turn his back on the man for good. Alas, Drew possessed a tongue wrought in silver that Sammy Lawrence could never quite resist; Promises and ambition in spades, even after sickness had turned the man’s bones to warped glass.

And so he sang the old songs. Pushed the chair. Ran errands. Fetched books. His eccentric employer descended deeper into secrecy and madness as the pain grew, just as Sammy slipped further into compliance. He wasn’t the only one of course; Others followed the man through the decline of the studio, though he had never understood if their loyalty was out of pity or friendship.

But Sammy; Sammy is the last of them. The others had gone long ago. He hadn’t known where at the time, but now? Now he knows.

“The final visit,” Joey had written in the margins of today’s agenda. That after this day there would be no more pain, no more chair, and no more need of his services. Sammy had been fully prepared to talk the man down from suicide, doubly so since the animator was in no condition to commit the act himself.

But as he sits in a horrified and sweaty silence with his back against the wall watching his former employer have a one-sided conversation with a writhing black mass, he knows exactly why they are here.

“THE BARGAIN IS STRUCK, THEN.”

The words are perfectly clear, but as with each time the inky apparition has spoken since manifesting he can’t help but cringe. The pitch is wrong to his classically trained ears; a collection of off-key voices speaking in unison over the drone of the nearby ink machine. The creature seems to almost nod, responding to yet another silent question from the man in the wheelchair before it.

“HE MUST. YOU CANNOT FILL AN ALREADY OCCUPIED VESSEL, NOR A DEAD ONE. THAT WOULD BE QUITE COUNTER-PRODUCTIVE.” It takes Sammy only a brief moment to pick up on the shift in mass as the summoned being, the demon, gestures vaguely in his direction. His own gaze flickers towards the doorway, mentally plotting the fastest method of escape and willing his legs to move.

“S… Sam… my.”

The voice is cracked and atrophied from years of silence, the act of speaking quite painful in the man’s condition. It is a voice Sammy hasn’t heard in quite some time, and the composer’s attention is pulled from his plans of escape just in time to witness the mass of ink lurch forward and devour his employer, chair and all.

He finally screams, then: In hauntingly perfect pitch.

Never before have his legs carried him so swiftly through these halls. Some distant part of his mind recalls the old custodian’s catch phrase as he flees, desperately clawing at the knob serving as the only barrier between him and freedom. It won’t turn. His heart breaks.

A pipe bursts nearby. And then another. He cannot see them, but he’s heard the sound enough times over the years to know. Ink begins to seep from beneath the baseboards and he recoils, pushing away from the now-useless door and making his way to the only place of sanity in this damned studio: his department. His sanctuary in the basement.

The halls are flooding as he reaches the familiar stairwell, ink cascading down the steps and turning the wood to slick. The thought barely crosses his mind to be cautious at the exact moment his shoes fail to find traction.

Sammy Lawrence falls.

He regains consciousness after what feels like a brief moment and eternity both.

“… GONE AND COMPLICATED THINGS, HAVEN’T YOU SAMMY,” the creature is saying, the words becoming clearer as the composer fights to focus. “LOYAL SAMMY. DEAREST SAMMY.” The layered voices fight among themselves in conflicting tones of amusement and rage. “YOUR GRIEF IS DELICIOUSLY IRONIC CONSIDERING YOUR INTENTIONS, DREW. NO MATTER, HE CAN STILL BE OF USE TO US.”

The voice is above him, but he cannot turn his head to look. He feels nothing but his splitting headache and the dampness of ink and tears pooling beneath his cheek. He says a quiet prayer to a God he doesn’t believe in, but the words come out misshapen and wrong, closer to a wheeze than anything.

The sudden realization that he can’t feel a thing below his chin terrifies him more than the approaching demon ever could. The shadow looming over him grows, and he can do nothing to stop it.

“A BROKEN TOY CAN STILL FUNCTION WITH SOME MENDING,” the voices say, darker now and in almost perfect unison as they drip directly into his ear. He would flinch, if he could. “SWEET SAMMY, DARLING SAMMY. I WILL BE YOUR SAVIOR.”

He tries to scream as he feels the burning liquid creep up his cheek, flowing into his eyes and towards his nose and mouth. He is panicking now, heart racing as the fluid embraces him and forcefully enters his lungs.

There is a deafening silence, a pure darkness, a building pressure, and a heat so intense he feels as though he’ll ignite at any moment.

And then, there is euphoria.

Sammy Lawrence falls.

-

[Back to Masterpost]

[nyaseiru]

Psst, to those still followin' here.

I'm planning to stop posting over here and on DeviantArt too so I can keep focus easier on where I actually am which includes Twitter and now Twitch lately. I might notice messages here still from time to time, but I can't guarantee it much now.

On twitter you'll get to hear my shenanigans a bit more and see other things that I'm up ta, like the live2d models I'm makin', smol doodles, commissions I do, when I stream - stuff I haven't posted here.

I made a gallery too to show only my main artworks on Twitter too for those who only care for that so if anythin' ya can check this out at least - https://twitter.com/Nyaseiru/status/1522864028292247552

Much thanks to y'all who still notice my posts or such, hope to see y'all over on the other sites if ya haven't followed over there already.