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differentpostrebel · 2 months ago

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Lost and Found: A Pirate's Promise

This gif cause Zoro looked ready for war

Chapter 30: The Palace Siege

A/N: Another Chapter in the books! Still one of favs writing it. So much is at stake as Y/N will now be facing Doflamingo in a stipulation. Im not gonna lie Y/N is going to be put through the ringer, and secrets will be revealed. Thank you guys for everything, liking, commenting, following!. I cant wait for you guys to see what else is in store. But without further a do let the adventure begin! We will be getting some Sanji POV’s as he is just about arriving to Zou.. and we have the first set of surprises coming also (heheh)

Word count: 5.5K

Sanji X Reader, OP x Reader, Sanji x Y/N

Y/N POV…

A few minutes passed since I made that stipulation with Doflamingo. I knew I wasn't going to win—that was certain—and I knew he would never release Law. Doflamingo is a man who cheats and manipulates to get his way. It's his game, and I was just a chess piece. Now, I found myself staring at my reflection as Baby 5 had escorted me to Doflamingo's quarters. I was still in chains, but the strings binding me were gone, which was at least a small mercy.

I looked down at my legs, where marks were starting to form from the restraints. Slowly, my gaze returned to the bruises forming on my neck, remnants of Doflamingo’s cruel grip. “Now for Phase 3,” I thought, trying to stay focused. "Cause enough damage to the palace so that once Luffy is inside, he’ll know exactly where to go."

As I continued to contemplate the next move, Baby 5 walked in with some materials in hand. "What's that?" I asked, not bothering to look away from the mirror.

"The young master requested a few changes," she replied, her tone dripping with annoyance. It was clear she wasn’t happy with me being here. "And I didn’t forget that you’re the harlot who stole my Law from me," she added with a cigarette between her lips.

A smirk tugged at the corner of my mouth, my eyes still focused on the mirror. "Harlot, huh? Funny. That’s the same thing Monet called me before I killed her." My gaze locked onto hers through the mirror, challenging her. "I suggest you find a new word or else."

Baby 5 faltered for a moment, her bravado cracking ever so slightly as she laid out the materials on the bed. The room was luxurious, with silk satin sheets adorning the king-sized bed. From the corner of my eye, I noticed a short red corset dress, its bodice sparkling with gemstones and intricate embroidery. Alongside it sat makeup, hair ties, and something that made my stomach twist—a tiara. It was silver, with a large red ruby glinting at the front.

I scoffed, rolling my eyes in disgust. “Let me guess. He wants me to look like a doll, right?”

“Something like that,” Baby 5 replied, her voice dripping with amusement. “Young Master said you need to look your best... for when the game begins.” She picked up the dress, holding it out for me to inspect. The gems glistened under the soft light of the room, but all I saw was a prison.

I stepped forward, glaring at the outfit and then at her. "And this too?" I said, pointing at the tiara. "The bastard wants me to wear a tiara?"

Baby 5’s eyes flicked to the tiara before meeting mine, her smirk widening. "It suits you, doesn't it? A pretty little ruby to match his 'precious' princess."

my eyes narrowed. "He really thinks this will break me? Dressing me up like some sort of twisted prize?"

"Why fight it?" Baby 5 said, raising an eyebrow. "You’re already in chains. He’s already won."

I leaned in closer, my voice low and dangerous. "He hasn’t won yet. This game is far from over."

Baby 5’s smirk wavered, just for a moment, and I knew my words had struck a nerve. I turned back to the mirror, my reflection staring back at me, bruised but not broken. The tiara sat there like a crown of mockery. Minutes passed, and Baby 5 had already changed my outfit, tying the strings in the back with a roughness that hurt my ribs.

“I need to figure something out, in the meantime,” I thought. “I need my blades to create a stronger impact.” Baby 5’s harshness in tying the strings caused me to wince. “Easy!” I protested.

“Oops, sorry,” Baby 5 said, smirking as she continued her task. She finished with my makeup and styled my hair into a high bun, carefully placing the tiara on my head and securing it so it wouldn’t move. “There! Don’t you look regal?” she said, laughing.

All I could see in the reflection was the hatred I had for Doflamingo. Suddenly, an idea struck me. “Baby 5 did all this because Doflamingo needed her to,” I realized. “What if...”

“Baby 5,” I said, turning to her.

“What do you want?” she sneered.

“I need you to do me a favor,” I said, watching her closely. Baby 5’s eyes widened in surprise. “You... need me?” she stammered.

“Bingo,” I thought, feeling a glimmer of hope. “Yes, Baby 5. I need you to tell me where the—” I almost spat the words, “—young master has hidden my blades. We’re playing a game of ‘find the prize,’ and the prize happens to be my blades. If the young master gets to them first, I lose. And I don’t want that. So, I need you to tell me where they are. Do you think you can do that for me?”

Baby 5, still caught up in the idea that someone needed her help, moved to one of the cabinets in Doflamingo’s room. “They are right here!” she said, opening the cabinet to reveal my blades and thigh halter, all tied together with one of Doflamingo’s strings.

“So that’s how he got them,” I thought. I reached for my blades and yanked the string off, feeling a sudden surge of power as they returned to me. Although I was still in chains, the rush of energy from my blades was unmistakable. I quickly grabbed my thigh halter and attached it to my left thigh, hiding the blades once more.

I turned to Baby 5 and said, “Thank you, Baby 5. You’ve been a real help.” I smiled, and she still looked dazed, mumbling to herself, “Someone needed me, and I helped,” clearly pleased that someone had relied on her.

Just then, the transponder snail rang. Baby 5 picked it up. “Is the princess ready for me?” Doflamingo’s voice caused my anger to flare.

“Yeah, she’s ready, young master,” Baby 5 said, her voice tight with renewed focus.

“Good. Bring her to me,” Doflamingo said before hanging up the transponder snail.

Baby 5’s demeanor changed abruptly. She grabbed my left arm with a firmness that snapped me back to reality. I couldn’t help but smirk as Phase 3 was about to commence.

Zoro POv…

“So wait! You’re a princess! Just like Y/N?!” Luffy exclaimed, smacking me across the head.

“Would you keep it down!” I hissed, rubbing the spot where Luffy hit me.

“Wait, are you implying that you are Dressrosa royalty?” Kinemon asked, his eyes wide with surprise.

“I used to be,” Violet said, placing her hand on a hidden stone. “I’m no longer part of the royal family, but I was once.”

“Wait! If Rebecca is the king’s granddaughter, that makes you...” Luffy’s eyes widened in realization.

“Rebecca is my niece,” Violet confirmed, as she found and revealed a secret passage leading to the palace. “She’s the daughter of my late sister, Scarlet.”

“A hidden door?! Are you a ninja?! A princess and a ninja, how remarkable!” Kinemon exclaimed, clearly amazed.

“Now… I’ve seen everything,” I said, shaking my head in disbelief.

As the hidden passage came to light we made our way down the dusty stairs. We’ll remain hidden and avoid detection by using this passage. It belongs to the Riku family. Not even Doflamingo knows about it.” said Violet.

“Hmmm, it looks like this passage leads to the top,” I said, examining the narrow corridor that seemed to rise toward the palace.

“Hey Luffy, why don’t you take this boulder and shoot yourself up?” I suggested, gesturing to a large boulder nearby.

Luffy grinned. “Got it! Alright, here I go!” He stretched his arms around the boulder and began to elongate, lifting himself and the boulder up toward the top.

“Make it snappy, Luffy! Y/N needs us!” I shouted, trying to keep my voice steady despite the urgency.

“Please, climb up quickly!” Madame Ninja—Violet—pleaded, her concern evident.

“No way! What?!” Violet exclaimed, shocked at our unorthodox plan to reach the top quickly.

Sabo POV…

I did my final stretch as the competition neared its start. A laugh escaped me, and I couldn’t help but feel a rush of excitement. With my metal pipe in hand, I made my way to the arena. "Well, let's go, Marine Colosseum!" I called out, turning to the guy next to me.

"What did you say?" he asked, clearly confused.

"It’s Bartolomeo," he corrected.

As I stepped out, the crowd erupted in cheers. I raised my right hand to the sky, whispering, "I hope you are watching over me, Ace!" My mind then flickered to Y/N. "Y/N, wherever you are, I hope you're safe," I muttered, determination and concern intertwining as I headed toward the dome.

As the other four contenders entered the arena, I noticed Rebecca’s gaze lingering on me. There was a flicker of doubt in her eyes, as if she might be questioning whether I was really Lucy.

The announcer’s voice boomed through the Colosseum, introducing Diamante to the stage. The crowd erupted in cheers, and I adjusted my sunglasses, locking eyes with Diamante. He had a confident smirk, and his presence demanded attention.

Diamante began speaking to the crowd, his voice carrying over the noise. "Ladies and gentlemen, prepare yourselves! In the waters below, we have some special guests—the fighting fish!" His tone was dramatic, clearly enjoying the crowd's excitement. "One of these fighting fish carries a treasure chest on its back, and within that chest is none other than the Flame-Flame Fruit!"

The announcement was met with an uproar of cheers and gasps from the audience. Diamante continued, outlining the rules with a flourish. "The rules are simple: stay in the ring and retrieve the chest with the Flame-Flame Fruit to claim victory. No matter what, the chest must be secured."

With that, the bell rang, signaling the start of the match. The arena filled with a mix of tension and anticipation as the competitors readied themselves for the challenge ahead. My mind was focused, determined to navigate through the chaos and claim the prize.

As the bell rang and the match commenced, Burgess lunged at me with a powerful strike. I quickly dodged, slipping to the side with practiced ease. I could feel the intensity of the battle heating up as I circled the ring, my eyes scanning the water for the first sign of the fighting fish.

The crowd's cheers echoed around me, but I focused solely on the task at hand. I kept moving, staying light on my feet and watching for any disturbance in the water. The fish were fast and erratic, making it hard to pinpoint which one was carrying the treasure chest.

I continued to dodge sporadic attacks from my opponents, using the movements to draw out the fish. I needed to be patient, waiting for the right moment to strike. The key was to avoid getting caught in the crossfire while I searched for the prize.

My heart raced as I kept my focus on the water, hoping that the right fish would reveal itself soon. Each second felt like an eternity as I danced around the ring, ready for whatever came next.

Y/N POV…

"Well, well, well, look who finally showed up," Doflamingo said, his voice dripping with mockery as he sauntered towards me. "Baby 5, thank you for getting the princess ready for me. You may leave."

Baby 5 nodded and quickly exited, her footsteps fading away. Doflamingo moved into my line of sight, blocking my view of the video transponder snail. I couldn't see if Luffy had made any progress, which made my anxiety spike.

Doflamingo approached, his hand trailing suggestively across the ornate corset dress I was forced to wear. His touch was both unsettling and humiliating. He grasped my chin roughly, forcing me to meet his gaze. "I must admit, you look quite the part, princess," he said with a smirk. "But let’s see how long you can maintain this charade."

As he leaned in closer, I discreetly activated the hidden mechanism in my bracelet, loosening the chains that bound me. I kept my movements subtle, hiding my growing resolve behind a veneer of defiance and fear.

Doflamingo’s laughter was dark and taunting. "What’s the matter? Stunned into silence? Or are you plotting your escape? I must say, watching you struggle adds an extra layer of enjoyment to this whole affair."

His fingers brushed lightly over the tiara on my head, mocking the regal costume he’d forced upon me. "And this little crown," he continued, "just adds to your humiliation. It’s a sight to behold."

The chains on my wrists were somewhat secured in front of me, but with the hidden mechanism activated in my bracelet, they were now loose enough to be manageable. I met Doflamingo’s gaze with steely determination. “Are you going to talk, or are we going to compete?” I demanded, defiance clear in my tone. Stepping closer to him, I added, “Like I said before, Doffy, I will never be your toy, and I intend to win this chase.” I glanced over to where Law lay unconscious but still breathing.

Before Doflamingo could respond, an alarm blared. “This is the front entrance to the rampart tower, emergency! Strawhat Luffy has broken in!” the transponder snail announced.

"Luffy’s here!" I thought, a wave of relief washing over me. Doflamingo, visibly annoyed, turned his attention to the video transponder snail to view the fight. I managed to catch a glimpse of the screen and my eyes widened. “Wait a minute… is that…” I thought, unable to contain my surprise.

“Huh?” Doflamingo said, his confusion evident. “What the hell is going on here!” He continued to stare at the screen, his frustration mounting.

I broke away from the screen’s gaze and looked at King Riku, sending him a subtle wink and mouthing “don’t worry.” I then returned my attention to the screen to see the man before me. “So, this was your plan all along, Sabo…” I thought, feeling a surge of pride. Despite the lies and the hidden identity, seeing him in action reminded me of why I wanted to know him more. He was an excellent fighter.

“Damn Sabo, I’m supposed to be focusing on my plan and you’re out here distracting me like this.” I thought, a smirk tugging at my lips. Doflamingo’s eyes snapped back to me. “What do you know about this?!” he demanded.

“What’s wrong, Doffy? You’re not afraid, are you?” I taunted. “Besides, we have our own match to play, and it looks like you’re scared.”

Doflamingo gritted his teeth, tightening his hold on me. “Remember, princess, what’s at stake.”

“I know,” I said, smirking. “And I’m not afraid to go head-to-head.”

Just then, another voice cut through the chaos. “I can confirm it’s Strawhat Luffy! And he’s with Pirate Hunter Zoro! And wait, Lady Violet and another swordsman!”

“They made it!” I thought, excitement building. “Now to do my part.”

With renewed determination, I broke free from the chains and lifted my right leg, landing a swift tremor kick to Doflamingo’s chest. He was sent crashing into the wall, debris scattering around him. I looked at King Riku and whispered, “I’ll come back for you as well.”

“Hey Doffy!” I called out, clenching my left hand to activate its power. Doflamingo slowly began to rise. “Catch me if you can.” I smirked and, with that, I broke through the door, speeding away from Doflamingo. As I began to activate Phase 3 of the plan, I felt the weight of the moment and the urgency to ensure everything went as planned.

Zoro POV…

With Luffy demolishing the door, we didn’t have much of a choice but to barge into the palace. An alarm blared throughout the building, and I yelled, “Luffy!”

Luffy, undeterred, continued to pummel the guards with relentless attacks. “The alarm? You don’t think that’s…” I started to say, but was cut off by a loud bang from upstairs.

Luffy laughed and shouted, “Yup, that’s Y/N!”

“Y/N,” I whispered, a sense of relief flooding over me at the sound of your name. “Fire! Don’t let them escape!” a guard ordered, blasting bullets at us. I drew my swords and swiftly took them down. After a few more punches, the guards fell.

“Kinemon, take care of the little one, okay?” I said.

“But Sir Zoro, I must find my friend Kanjuro. I need to get to the toy house!” Kinemon protested.

“That’s where Operation SOP is happening with the other Tontata,” said the little one.

“Then we must head over there at once!” Kinemon insisted. “Sir Zoro, I will be heading to the Toy Factory!”

“Fine by me. I need to find a reckless princess,” I smirked, feeling a mix of irritation and amusement.

Just then, another loud bang echoed from upstairs. “Let’s go!” I commanded. Luffy, Violet, and I raced up the stairs. “Which way?” Luffy asked.

“Left!” I replied. As we ran, we heard Luffy shout, “I’m coming, Mingo! The coast is clear!” His voice echoed with his usual bravado.

“Guess security can’t keep up!” I said, as we continued sprinting through the halls. Suddenly, a loud noise accompanied the extinguishing of all the candles. “Uh, that’s weird,” Luffy said, looking around.

The wall began to shift, revealing a giant face. “A face!” I exclaimed, looking up. “It’s huge!”

“It’s Pika!” Violet identified. “He’s a top executive!”

“Great, now we’ve got to deal with him,” I muttered.

“He ate the Stone-Stone Fruit,” Violet added. “He can manipulate stone.”

“He looks like a bunch of bricks, if you ask me,” Luffy commented, eyeing the massive stone figure.

Pika launched an attack, nearly hitting us. “We gotta try something. He’s blocking our path!” Luffy said.

Luffy then unleashed his Gomu Gomu Jet Gatling, smashing through Pika’s stone form. “That was easy! Come on!” Luffy cheered.

As we continued running, Pika morphed once more. “Damn it!” I muttered, watching the walls start to close in on us. “The palace itself is our own enemy!”

“Great,” I said, as the walls squeezed tighter. “We’ve got to find another way out.”

“The walls!” Luffy shouted, pointing out the impending danger. “They’re closing in on us fast!”

We pushed forward, fighting against the shifting walls and the chaos that seemed to be closing in around us,

Sabo POV…

As I continued to fight and dodge, I spotted the fish carrying the treasure chest. “There you are!” I called out, leaping into the air and landing on the fish’s back, evading the other attackers. Just as the fish was about to move towards Rebecca, I grabbed its fin. “Nice, I got you now!”

“Not so fast!” Diamante shouted, rushing towards me with his sword. I laughed and swung my metal pipe, shattering his sword into pieces. “Don’t forget about me!” Burgess roared, preparing to strike.

I held my ground, ready for him. “Eat this! Dragon Claw!” I shouted, launching my attack at Burgess. His assault faltered, and I smashed through his armor, shattering it into fragments.

“Don’t want to give me the fruit? That’s what you get!” I declared, defiance ringing in my voice. “I won’t give up!”

With the fish still under my control and the treasure chest within reach, I remained focused on my goal, determined to secure the Flame-Flame Fruit and turn the tide of the battle.

Y/N POV…

As I dashed down the stairs, the echo of Doflamingo's voice followed me like a dark shadow. I could hear the amusement in his tone, and it only spurred me on, despite the exhaustion seeping into my muscles.

“Oh, Y/N,” Doflamingo called out, his voice rich with a blend of amusement and desire. “I must admit, watching you run like this is quite entertaining. The more you try to escape, the more I want to catch you. It’s almost a game for me.”

I glanced back briefly, catching sight of his smirk. “This is no game, Doflamingo. I’m not going to let you win.”

He chuckled darkly, his laughter echoing off the walls. “Is that so? But it’s exactly that defiance of yours that makes this all the more exciting. Every step you take, every breath you draw, it only intensifies my desire to catch you. You’re like a wild bird trying to escape from a cage, and I’m eager to see how long you can keep it up.”

I pushed myself harder, my heels pounding against the marble stairs. “You won’t catch me, Doflamingo. Not today.”

“Such fire,” he taunted, his voice growing closer. “But that only makes me want you more. The struggle, the chase, it’s all part of the thrill. And once I have you, oh, you’ll understand just how much I enjoy this little game we’re playing.”

My eyes darted around, searching for another way to outmaneuver him. “Keep dreaming. I’m not falling for your games.”

Doflamingo’s voice was a dark purr, filled with promise. “We’ll see about that. I plan to savor every moment of this chase. And when I finally catch you, I’ll make sure you remember this game for a long time.”

I gritted my teeth, determined to keep moving and make every moment count. His words were a constant reminder of the stakes, but they also fueled my resolve to stay one step ahead.

A string bullet whizzed past, grazing my shoulder and causing me to tumble. I barely managed to roll back onto my feet as Doflamingo's menacing figure closed in, his expression a mix of amusement and desire.

“You’re getting closer,” he said, his voice dripping with anticipation. “Just a few more steps, and I’ll have you right where I want you. You can’t escape, no matter how fast you run.”

With a desperate burst of energy, I clenched my right hand and connected it with my left palm, activating the electrical charge, hoping to buy myself some time. The crackling power illuminated the hallway, casting eerie shadows on the walls.

“What’s this?” Doflamingo sneered, his eyes widening with a mix of interest and frustration. “Trying to make things interesting? I must admit, you’ve got some fire in you. But that’s just what makes this all the more exciting.”

He advanced, his strings flickering like deadly whips. “I’ve been waiting for a challenge like this. The way you defy me—it’s almost endearing. Almost.”

Doflamingo’s gaze was fixated on me, his desire for victory palpable. “I want to see you struggle,” he continued, his voice filled with a sadistic thrill. “The more you resist, the sweeter your defeat will be. Come on, Y/N. Give me everything you’ve got. I’m savoring every moment.”

His words stung, but they also fueled my resolve. “You’ll get nothing but my defiance,” I shot back. “I’ll never give you the satisfaction of my surrender.”

I clenched my left hand and activated its power, feeling another familiar surge of energy. Stepping with my left leg, I appeared behind him in a blur. I released the electrical charge from my right hand, sending a powerful jolt through Doflamingo’s body.

“Ugh!” Doflamingo gasped, his eyes widening in shock as the electricity coursed through him. “What the—”

“This isn’t a game for me, Doflamingo,” I said, my voice steady despite the adrenaline. “I won’t be your toy, and I won’t let you win.”

The electrical shock gave me the moment I needed. I sprinted away from him, putting as much distance between us as I could. Doflamingo’s furious shouts followed me, his frustration palpable. “You won’t get away! I’ll make you regret this, Y/N! Just wait until I catch you again!”

But I didn’t stop. I focused on my escape, knowing that every second I could delay him brought Luffy and the others one step closer.

Zoro POV…

“Damn it!” I cursed as Pika continued to lift the entire palace floor, causing the ground to shift beneath us. The stones we’d destroyed always reformed, making it feel like a never-ending fight. “This guy’s a real pain in the ass!”

Luffy, equally frustrated, shouted, “What the hell is this?!”

“None of our attacks seem to be hitting! Luffy, we gotta think fast or we’ll be stuck here forever!” I gritted my teeth, frustrated at the situation. “108 Caliber Phoenix!” I shouted, unleashing my attack and shattering more stones. But Pika just kept coming back, his stone form regenerating with each blow. The massive stone walls surrounded us again, blocking any chance of escape.

Luffy was about to launch another attack when I stopped him. “Luffy, listen! You need to take Violet and go on ahead. Leave this stone bastard to me. You go and kick Doflamingo’s ass twice as hard for me, and get to Y/N—fast!”

The weight of my words hung in the air. I gripped my sword tighter, feeling the urgency pounding in my veins. Y/N was somewhere in this palace, and I wasn’t going to let some stone giant stop us from getting to her.

Luffy hesitated for a moment, but then he gave a determined nod. “Right, got it, Zoro! I’m counting on you!”

Without another word, he grabbed Violet and dashed off, leaving me to face Pika alone. The ground shifted underfoot again as Pika towered over me

I clenched the handle of my sword tighter, my jaw set with determination. “Hold on, Y/N. We’re almost there,” I muttered under my breath as I prepared for my next strike.

Y/N Pov…

I continued to run, leaving bloodied handprints on the walls as markers for Luffy and the others. My right hand was throbbing, bleeding from the strain I had put on it. I came to a stop, leaning against the wall, breathing heavily. "I think... I lost him," I whispered, trying to catch my breath. But I knew better than to believe Doflamingo would give up so easily.

I glanced down at my left thigh where my swords were still secured, untouched. "Not yet," I thought, biting my lip in frustration. As much as I wanted to use them, I couldn’t—those blades were my trump card, my last resort. "This isn't the time… I need to hold out just a bit longer."

“I don’t know how much more of this I can take,” I muttered under my breath, my legs threatening to give out beneath me. My breathing was labored, my heart pounding in my chest like it was trying to escape. "Luffy, Zoro, Kinemon... where the hell are you guys?" I whispered, feeling a pang of desperation. "Please... hurry."

I made a sharp left and found an empty room. Without thinking twice, I rushed in, slamming the door shut behind me and locking it. My chest heaved as I tried to regain some composure, the adrenaline still coursing through me. I pressed my back against the door, sliding down until I was seated on the floor, my head leaning back as I tried to calm my breathing.

After a few moments, I forced myself to stand, pushing off the door as I slowly walked deeper into the room. The eerie silence settled around me, amplifying every step I took.

"Okay, just breathe... just think," I murmured to myself, glancing around the dimly lit room. "I need to figure out the next move."

I clenched my fists, ignoring the sharp sting in my right hand. "I can’t let him catch me, not now. Not when we’re this close."

I made my way closer to the desk, my footsteps echoing in the silence. Papers were scattered haphazardly across its surface. Curiosity getting the better of me, I began sifting through them, spreading them out further. My eyes scanned the pages, my mind racing to make sense of what I was seeing.

“What the…” I muttered under my breath, confusion turning into disbelief as I looked closer. There, laid out before me, were all of our wanted posters—Luffy, Zoro, and even mine. They were pinned down, as if meticulously studied. But next to them, something else caught my eye.

Documents. Detailed records. And at the top of one of the pages, bold letters spelled out the truth behind Dressrosa. My breath hitched in my throat as I quickly skimmed through the papers, piecing it all together.

My hands froze, my heart skipping a beat as my eyes locked onto the final few lines of text.

“No… this can’t be right,” I whispered, shaking my head in disbelief. “This whole time… this is what he's been hiding?”

I clenched the papers tightly, anger rising within me. “The citizens... everything that’s happened—it’s all been a lie.” I stood there, stunned, the weight of the truth crashing down on me like a tidal wave.

I swallowed hard, my voice barely above a whisper. “Doflamingo… you bastard."

I made my way toward the door, desperate to leave before Doflamingo could catch up. My breath still shallow, my hand hovering over the handle—when suddenly, his voice cut through the air like a blade.

"I’ve got to hand it to you, princess," Doflamingo’s voice dripped with menace, "you’re exactly what they make you out to be."

The lights flickered on, illuminating the room in a harsh, cold glow. My heart sank as I realized the truth. I had run straight into a trap. My body tensed, my mind racing to think of a way out, but the walls felt like they were closing in.

Doflamingo’s smirk deepened as he approached, his steps slow, deliberate. “But, it looks like I caught you, which means you’re mine now.”

My eyes widened in panic. His fingers moved with precision, strings shooting out from them and wrapping around my wrists and body before I could react. I struggled, but it was no use. His strings tightened, immobilizing me completely. He yanked me back effortlessly, pulling me toward him with a sadistic grin plastered across his face.

"Let's get you back where you belong," he whispered, his tone low and dangerous.

I was dragged through the hallways, my body unable to fight the pull of his Devil Fruit power. By the time we reached the familiar room where Law and I had been held before, my wrists and body were bound tightly in the same chair. I could see Law now, fully awake, his face contorted in anger and desperation.

Y/N!” Law shouted, straining against his sea prism stone handcuffs. “Damn it! Let her go!”

His voice was filled with urgency, but the situation seemed hopeless. The room was crowded with three guards, Baby 5, and Buffalo, all of them poised to act if either of us tried anything.

I forced a strained laugh, despite the pain. “Wow, Doffy, you really had to bring backup this time? Scared I’m gonna kick your ass again?”

Buffalo chuckled, but Doflamingo’s eyes were cold as ice. “Oh, Princess,” Doflamingo said, his voice dripping with mockery, “it’s not fear. It’s about ensuring you stay exactly where I want you. I’m here to make sure you don’t cause any more trouble.”

I nodded toward the wall where I’d left a dent. “I mean, if you come to think of it, that hole in the wall over there,” I said, pointing with my head, “is a pretty solid reminder of what happens when you underestimate me.”

Doflamingo’s expression darkened, his eyes narrowing dangerously. “Careful, Princess,” he warned, his tone edged with menace. “Your defiance is only going to make things worse for you. The more you provoke me, the more pleasure I’ll take in breaking you.”

He tightened his grip on the strings binding me, causing a fresh wave of pain to shoot through me. I winced but kept my gaze steady. “I’ll never give you the satisfaction,” I spat out.

Doflamingo’s lips curled into a sadistic smile. “You’re quite the little warrior, aren’t you? But bravery won’t save you here. In my domain, strength means nothing. All that matters is how well you endure.” He glanced over at Law, who was still fighting his restraints with desperate energy. “And as for Law here, his pleas are nothing but background noise. He’s powerless to help you now.”

His fingers lingered on the strings, tightening their grip with deliberate cruelty. “I have no intention of letting you go. You’re mine now, Princess, and I plan to savor every moment of your suffering.”

The room was heavy with tension as Doflamingo’s words and actions continued to taunt and torment. The guards, Baby 5, and Buffalo remained vigilant, their eyes fixed on the scene as the situation grew ever more dire.

As I continued to struggle against the tight, painful bindings, my mind was focused on one thing: Luffy. I couldn’t help but think, "Luffy, where are you?"

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empiresblrmybeloved · 2 years ago

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I posted 3,324 times in 2022

That's 3,115 more posts than 2021!

385 posts created (12%)

2,939 posts reblogged (88%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@pencil-case-watches

@hiveswap

@kish-go-squish

@orangekingfisher

@juststarsandthemoon

I tagged 725 of my posts in 2022

#valor.txt - 25 posts

#prev - 21 posts

#the admier chronicles - 16 posts

#grian.txt - 10 posts

#glits reblogs - 9 posts

#agere sfw - 8 posts

#tasting the inedibles - 8 posts

#sam.txt - 8 posts

#carlos.txt - 8 posts

#age regressor - 7 posts

Longest Tag: 140 characters

#sam has pouted multiple times i the last few minutes because im cussing so im gonna try to keep it at a down low but if that dndn. filter is

My Top Posts in 2022:

OK BUT WE MADE A TAG EARLIER ABOUT HOW WE COULD FIND A WAY TO ADD THE HERMITS INTO A DND GAME AND WE CANT STOP THINKING ABOUT IT BECUASE. THE RIFT. IS LITTERALY. PERFECT FOR THIS. AND WE KINDA WANNA DO IT

36 notes - Posted April 20, 2022

not that I'm a pouty baby but.

I've been pouting cause i want cuddles for a solid 5mins.

57 notes - Posted May 3, 2022

Guys, Gals Nonbinary pals (you know the reference) I have an idea

It came to me like a minute ago but still an idea

A day for Age regressors. listen if there's a Pizza day i mean,, we can have our own day right? Just a day for recognition, and while i know that some people will treat us the same they did before after that day, its still, a step in the right direction, for getting people to treat us nicely. Now personally i keep getting in with the right groups, but i know some people who have been treated like sh!t because there an age regressor, and honestly i want that to stop.

It's Our coping mechanism we shouldn't feel ashamed of it, just because someone sees it as something else.

So a day for Age Regressors, where we can be as loud or quiet as we want!

What do you people think?

71 notes - Posted February 10, 2022

Heylo Tumblr! I've just had an idea!

Since pride month is coming up; and we know there are some people who might not be able to go to pride parades or any pride events; and We want to fix that!

The idea we've had will not be easy; at least i don't think so. But we would like to -with the help of others- host an online pride event! right here on tumblr!

The idea came to us as our host, Fire has not been able to go to any pride events within the past 2-3 years due to having an unsupportive family, and he's not the only one either.

so; we've created a survey for this! you are only required to answer the first question! the rest is optional!

Thank you for taking the time to read this; and we hope you have a great day!

84 notes - Posted May 11, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

Hey Hey! Picrew chain time!! what you look like and what you want to look like!!

What i look like

and what i want too look like!!

See the full post

89 notes - Posted April 21, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

#tumblr2022 #year in review #my 2022 tumblr year in review #your tumblr year in review

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theuniverseawakens347 · 27 days ago

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Howard you have a hard time with my understanding bc you don’t believe you lost sober time messing with Lee …

YA DRINK ODULES … ON YA OWN OR FOR LEE TO NOT FEEL LONELY!??

SHE DOING CRIMAL ACTIVITY AND YOU MARRIED N WATCHING THIS BITCH AND CALL HER CHAIN AND SHE HALF ASS THIS SHIT!?

YOU DOING DEFORMATION IF MY CHARACTER PLANNED SINCE 2020 ON YOUR OWN STALKING ME AND PLAY STUPID WHEN CAUGHT LEE ..

And then Howard ya play dumb like “this isn’t her character” TF I WATCHED YAL ARGUE WHEN I WAS 11 UR ANGER THE SAME BUT ONE MORE STUBBORN AND A LIAR

YOU BOTH LOAT UR SOBRIETY WHEN WAS YOU SOBER!??? I TOLD LEE SHE PROJECTED SENDING ME TO CLARITY AND RIVER REHAB BC I CAN CONTROL SMOKING WEED AND SHE CANT … I smoked at the house IM IN MY ROOM NO TIME SPENT AROUND YOU IM HIGH AND VIBING WORKING OUT AND RESEARCHING AND LEARNING … but you see eyes low me in sports bra and shorts and on my laptop AND YOU GO STRAIGHT TO SHIT THINKING so ya put child protection on my shit. BITCH UR LAME UR THE INAPPROPRIATE ONE YOU BOTH SHOWED ME I WASNT GOING TO GET THE PARENTS I NEEDED SO A BITCH HAD TO BOSS UP AT 11 AND BECOME THAT FOR MYSELF!

YOU LIED TO ME AND PUT ME THRU EMOTIONAL MENTAL AND PHYSICAL FOSTWR CARE ABUSE AND I HAD TO PROTECT MYSELF .. you buy me like an asset for my inheritance when granny died then throw me to the curve when I don’t for your definition of a wounded warrior… ITS GOD FOR ME BITCH. IN FULL.

I’ve tried time and time again to HELP YOU GWT ON MY LEVEL CLEANING YA DAMN OFFICE SPACE BUT YA WANT TO BE MENTALLY STUCK N HOWARD YA GLUED TO HER .. yes your tried leaving or pulling back or finding equal room for you to be you.. BUT I TOLD YOU AT 16 THAT BITCH GOT YOU ON A LEASH CAUSE SHE THINK SHE BAD SHE GOT MORE $$ THAN BOTH US COMING IN.. but she raping us.

CHARLES MANSON COWS FUCKING BRAIN .. and now she’s asking for help and you not helping her Howard .. she’s tossed to the curb by you to .. you not even the idle man you want me to date WHO TF ARE YOU TO SAVE ME OR LEE .. sobriety not there in behaviors … ya think bout using you go wood work.. then take a break when’s the last time you comepleted a wood project NEFFI TREADMILL .. WE LOVED IT YOU TOOK TIME W IT YOU GOT CREATIVE I SAID I GOT CLIENTS FOR YOU YOU SAID NO “it’s too much” .. so ya sit and watch wind blow trees but no control anger YOU HIT ME WHEN MAD .. ur uncontrollable.

I AM NOT AFRAID OF YOU YOU ARE WEAK TO ME IM TIRED OF BREATHING LIFE YOU CANT TOUCH you wana die

🤷‍♀️

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evrythinginbtwn · 2 months ago

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strangers

"W-what? What are you talking about?" you breathe out, voice shaky. you cant seem to fully catch your breath, each attempt futile and unsatisfying. why cant you just catch your breath?

He smirks his stupid grin, the corner of his mouth peaking up and you hate it. you hate him more than you ever thought you could hate something in your life. why does he make you feel like this? why does he make you do this? after everything? you thought you both were getting somewhere.

He huffs out a deep chuckle giving you a look that made it seem as if you were the crazy psychotic one. and boy does he love making you play the part. "What do you mean what am i talking about? dont play dumb now, you know better," he tsks you with a slight shake of his head.

you're taken aback. confused. maybe you are the crazy one all along. did you misinterpret everything? surely you couldn't have?

"but- but i thought," you inhale a deep breath, "I thought you wanted ME?" is the room spinning? the room must be spinning.

again with that stupid fucking grin. "you thought wrong. I already told you i didnt want that. now fix yourself up, and get out of my face before i throw your ass out." his tone is no longer amused by your stupidity, his smirk dropping into something worse. something more threatening.

but how? how can he not want you? you had progressed so far, surely he was developing at least something for you? you couldn't have been that blind. you want to bite your tongue like every other time, but now its different. now its too far. you cant trust yourself now, betraying your thoughts to shut your mouth.

"i just dont get it," you seethe. youve never talked to him like this. you wouldn't dare. he just had to bring it out of you. are you even fully there at this point?

"how could you not want me? what you said? what you've done? what WE have done? you said-" he doesn't even attempt to listen to you. he's had enough of your insolence. he's let you speak out of line long enough.

he's not even angry. merely annoyed by your voice and presence now. your lesser than him, so dont think you can capture that much emotion from him. solely just an owner annoyed by its misbehaved pet. solely him annoyed by you.

before you can open your mouth again, your head whips to the right, your cheek and neck burning. the force sends you back and falling to the floor, barely catching yourself in time. "how pathetic," he snarls. maybe you actually like his stupid grin, you think.

the room is definitely spinning. you let out a low groan, your hands coming down to grasp your side. you're not sure what's worse. the pain from your self inflicted mutilation, or the fact your just feet away from her. all chained up and gross. and he still wants her more than you. "I thought you l-loved me?" you cough out. each breath causes more blood to seep through your fingers. no amount of pressure seems to slow it down.

you cant focus. your cheek feels hot from the smack and you cant imagine how red and puffed up it must look.

he sighs, his hand coming to pinch the bridge of his nose. maybe its my fault, he thinks. i just haven't trained her well enough.

"would you just shut up? its not about love, it's about fucking taste." he releases a long breath and shakes his head. "unbelievable," he mutters to himself, turning back to face the table.

the chained unnamed girls leg rests on top of the table, a large butcher knife sticking out of it.

"but why not ME?" you cry out desperately, not quite giving up. tears start to stream down your face. why aren't you enough? "I dont taste good enough?!"

his knuckles turn white from how hard he grips the edge of the table. if he was looking at you, you know he'd be rolling his eyes. "the part you cut for me was absolutely disgusting. you think i will spare your feelings from how sickening you taste, just because you voluntarily decided to give yourself to me? come on-" and he throws his head back to stare at the ceiling, completely and utterly annoyed by you, as if you inconvenienced him.

the room feels colder. everything feels numb. you cant even feel your cheek or stab wound anymore. did your heart just stop? you think so.

"wh.. what?" you breathe out, voice barely above a whisper. your hands start to shake as they remain pressed down on your side. maybe a cut from a different part would taste better then?

"oh dont give me that look. I know what you're thinking. it's you. no part of you will taste any better. trust me, i would know."

god, oh god you're gonna be ill. you're gonna throw up your guts. this cant be right this cant be right, you repeat to yourself. more tears begin to stream down your face as you stare up at him. you cant help but think how beautiful he is, even with blood all over his mouth. both yours and... hers.

"Am I making you feel sick?" its a struggle to get the words out. you know what the answer is yet you cant bear to hear the answer so why, why, would you go against every bone and instinct in your body and say it? you wish he had just wired your jaw shut instead, for not only his sake, but yours. that would have hurt far less than this.

a small grin starts to grow on his perfect face.

_____________

i just need to read this song

#ethel cain #mother ethel #strangers ethel cain #strangers #am i making you feel sick #angst #no comfort #angst no happy ending #angst no comfort #no happy ending #tw violence #tw violent imagery #tw cannibalism #x reader #tw abuse

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snapcracklepop-myjoints · 4 months ago

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For the disability pride month ask game, 15 and/or 16! :)

sorry this is so long i have chronic yapper syndrome or whatever the fuck

15) What would you have in your dream accessible home ?

if i had a genie and neither cost nor the limits of realistic mechanical engineering were a concern I would get a big fucking bath first and foremost. the kind with a handheld showerhead and big enough to fit my shower chair without it being all wiggly. I wanna be able to lie down and soak for my agonies etc etc also i want tap water im not allergic to.

Then I'd also have wheelchair accessible kitchen with all adjustable counters. like so that i could change the height. It doesn't actually matter if i can theoretically sit at the counter to cook if its at a height thats really awkward, cause then I have to hold myself in a way thats painful and also its just kind of dangerous ? But also i want other people to be able to use it without having to bend and hurt their backs (or me, if for some reason i happen to ??? feel like standing ????) so just having it low isnt ideal so like if i could magically change the height of the counters and the sink and the stove. Is this feasible on a purely mechanical level ? no probably not but this is all fake anyway so it doesnt matter.

but honestly as is i would settle for not having to go up stairs and having the apartment be big enough to functionally use my wheelchair.

16) Do you play, or do you want to play, any kind of accessible sport

ive personally never been a particularly sporty bitch as far as what tends to be considered a "sport" even back when i was more uhhh. sprightly. I did used to do ballet which i really miss and obviously cant do anymore but I do sometimes do some gentle stuff in a pool. mostly barre exercises (excluding the parts that would stick my face in the water like grande plies and cambre devant lol) If i go at like half speed i can do some variations, bluebird and lilac and silver fairy variations an now that i think abt it why are they all from sleeping beauty. anyway. but I have to alter them slightly to account for stuff like the fact that chaine turns are really hard to do submerged in water lol. The water

On the opposite end of the spectrum I think WCMX is cool as fuck and i wanna do it sooooo bad but my current wheelchair is neither lightweight nor hardy enough to handle all that lmao

also if you think about it going downhill really really fast in a wheelie is kind of like an accessible sport. to me. like if you combined biking and formula 1

#i cant imagine why i would 'feel like standing' but. its nice to have options i suppose.#maybe if i was rolling out dough actually i do like to stand then for more leverage #ceci says stuff #im can never remember which tag it is i use for asks rip #ask #anonymous

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hella1975 · 2 years ago

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Dude seeing as tho you’re an econ student, can you explain why inflation happens?? Like why can’t prices just stay the same?? I genuinely don’t get it. Like wdym we’re gonna have 22% inflation next year?? Like thats insane. Like why are they upping the energy bills?? Why can’t they just stay the same, every other country has a cap on it, why are we raising ours. Im literally so confused rn

no this is so valid of you and i promise you EVERYONE is confused like the annoying thing about economics/politics is that it's the BACKBONE of a society yet normal people dont really know much about it unless they actively try and find out, which is how we create blunders like brexit bc people are just uninformed.

so inflation is a general rise in prices. that's all it is. it's can be a good thing, and it's an example of when the market fixes itself because like anything in economics, it's part of a trade-off. IF INFLATION DIDN'T HAPPEN THE MARKET WOULD FAIL!!! IT DOES NEED TO HAPPEN IT'S JUST WHEN IT HAPPENS TO THE EXTENT IT IS HAPPENING THAT IT GETS VERY BAD!!!! IF IT DIDNT HAPPEN AT ALL WHILE ALL THESE EXTERNAL FACTORS CONTINUED THEN THE ECONOMY WOULD LITERALLY CRASH!!! MONEY WOULD LOSE ALL VALUE!!! AND NOT IN A GOOFY 'HAHA YESSS NO MORE MONEY!' WAY I MEAN IN A INSTANTLY CRIPPLING THE WORKING CLASS AND ALL THOSE THAT CANT STAY AFLOAT WAY!!! THIS IS IMOPORTANT!!!! it all comes back to the very basic model of supply and demand and creating new equilibriums, which to my absolute dismay im gonna have to whip out a diagram for, so here she is Thee Supply And Demand Diagram:

so we can see here that shifts in supply or demand create new equilibriums, aka the point where both lines meet. when supply moves right (increases) and/or demand moves left (decreases) (e.g s1 -> s2 and d1 -> d2), we see prices fall, just like the opposite would see prices rise (aka inflation!). to apply that to what's happening at the moment, general supply chains are just really fucked. russia has cut gas to europe, hence a plumet in supply there and the energy crisis we're now in. ukraine (the 'breadbasket of europe') isn't producing/exporting as much as normal, hence another plumet in supply etc etc. basically every supply chain at the minute is having issues and that immediately causes prices to jump. why is the uk in particular such a shitshow at the moment when these external factors are affecting multiple countries? because this is happening in a post-brexit post-covid-handled-by-the-tory-party post-prime-minister-popularity-contest-during-a-national-crisis economy. it's not looking good bruv. low and behold, we are in a cost of living crisis.

if prices didn't rise to meet these external factors, aka if we stick with the energy example, then we see a plummet in supply with prices staying the same. spending isn't being dissuaded and NO ONE is being pushed out of the market. the reason prices rise is to slow down consumption of the supply and make it last longer, so keeping prices the same, while better for everyone in the short run, would completely fuck us over in the long run bc we'd just run out COMPLETELY and it would be a GLOBAL PROBLEM.

the worst thing about inflation is that it hits poorer people the hardest. you know i said earlier that higher prices push people out of the market to slow the rate of consumption? yeah that's poor people getting pushed out of the market. the people who cant afford energy stop getting it first while richer people can usually ride out crises and recessions. a good thing about the inflation we're facing at the moment is that it's coming from external factors; there hasn't been an actual crash in a part of the economy. take the 2008 recession for example. that was caused bc of the crash of the housing market in america, and as a result it took YEARS for the world to get back on its feet. economic turmoil at the minute though should recover quite swiftly as long as our government gets their shit together (which hopefully if liz truss makes enough of a tit out of herself we'll get a labour government in the next election). in fact inflation is supposed to go back to around 2% (the target rate) in approx two years and is supposed to start falling by next year. still, that's a long time for a normal person on a normal salary to get by with such high costs, and it's not gonna be fun.

as for a price cap, the uk does have one! im pretty sure it doesn't apply to businesses though and only applies to households, which is why particularly there's been a lot of news about pubs closing lately. but like you said, the cap keeps getting higher and higher lately and it's literally because the economy will not survive if we keep selling energy at the current rate; it has to be more expensive bc of everything i just explained. the issue here is that there are things the government can do to ease the financial burden faced by the people and to speed up the economic healing process, but they're not doing that and THAT is where the problem lies.

#welcome to hell <3 #this is quite simplified bc ive not even mentioned interest rates or matching salary for inflation #but it's the basic gist of it #ask #hella goes to uni #this counts as that tag bc im being clever and hot and fixing my hypothetical glasses #as always if anything here is incorrect or explained badly that's bc you're using a failing econ student as your source #i will always say that actual research done yourself is better #like this is quite basic economic principles that i DO know but still i want to cover my bases to keep in case some nerd #comes in my inbox criticising my rundown

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blinder-secrets · 3 years ago

Text

Trouble

michael x gender neutral reader

prompts: ‘You’re home. You’re safe.’ / ‘Don’t shout at me.’ / ‘I need to know what happened.’

wordcount: 1347

‘Oh.’ You stop in the hallway, arms going limp. ‘You’re home.’ You had hoped Michael would be out somewhere, at Pol’s, or down the pub with Isaiah. Not here, staring back at you with wild, frantic eyes. ‘I know I’m late,’ you say, beginning your excuse.

He’s on you before you can find time to explain your appearance, his hands on your shoulders, your cheeks, the top of your head like your hair might have fallen out. ‘You’re safe,’ he decides, checking your face again. ‘John said—what happened?’ He’s still suddenly, one thumb pinching your chin.

It’s obvious, then, the mark across your cheekbone. You hadn’t bothered to check the damage before entering, but the skin there feels tight, hot. If it hasn’t split, it’s bruised. Swollen maybe. The strike had landed hard enough to make your vision spin, but you’d hoped the night air would’ve done as much as any cold-pack would. Take away the imprint before he might see. Any mark left on you is enough to send Michael into a frenzy of worry, and after the day you’ve had, that was the last thing you wanted.

‘Your face,’ he starts.

‘It’s nothing.’

‘Someone hit you.’

‘It’s nothing,’ you repeat, forcing his arms down to let you pass. ‘What did John say? I din’t leave him that long ago.’

He follows you into the sitting room, rushing through his words because that’s not what matters to him now. ‘He said there was trouble, some… mix up with the meeting.’

You roll your eyes while he cant see your face. There was no reason for John to call. You went to settle an agreement, which you did, and you had taken John in the hopes he’d be too cocky to tell anyone if it went awry.

‘There was,’ you explain, ‘and it would’ve been fine, but the police showed and spooked the Trill boys.’ He’s hovering by your side, watching as you shrug out of your coat, your scarf. ‘It’s nothing to worry about, Michael.’

‘The police?’ He winces as he says it.

‘Yes, the police.’ You dump the lot onto the arm of the sofa. ‘It’s done now.’

‘What’s done? Who hit you?’ It’s not in his nature to leave things as they are. ‘Talk to me.’

‘It won’t make a difference if you know,’ you tell him, attempting to step around him. There’s a whiskey bottle in the kitchen, singing out for you, calling to be poured.

He blocks you again. ‘Then tell me anyway.’

‘No.’

‘Why not?’

‘Because it’s fine, I’m fine.’

‘You can’t just, just,’ his voice raises, rough in his throat, ‘fucking come in here, looking like that, and expect me to believe that everything’s fine. Who fucking hurt you?’

‘Don’t shout at me,’ you snap, pushing him away. You didn’t get free of one thug to argue with another.

‘I’m not shouting,’ he insists. His hands fly up, palms either side of his head. You must give a harsh enough look to scare his voice back to its usual level, because when he speaks again, it’s softer. ‘I’m not shouting, alright, I’m sorry. I’m sorry. Let’s just,’ he sighs, rubs his neck, his face, then sighs again, ‘let’s sit,’ he says. ‘Please. Will you sit?’

Reluctantly, you do. You sit and watch him fold into the chair opposite, his elbows on his thighs, his hands clasped to stop them fidgeting. He looks more shaken than you feel. Angrier than even you can be.

‘I need to know what happened,’ he says slowly, his tone low and controlled. ‘There are people we can call, alright, men we have in place for things like this. Tommy—’

You snort, cutting him off. ‘You think I don’t know that? I’ve been in this game a lot longer than you, Mike.’

His jaw tightens.

‘If I wanted someone to go cut him, I’d have called them myself,’ you say. ‘Christ, I’d have Arthur put him in a ditch by morning. But that’s not how it works, is it?’

He doesn’t answer, he just puffs a breath through his nose and looks to the fire like it’s called his name.

‘Is it?’ you ask again. ‘The police…we want their secrets, want them to turn a blind eye to us…’ The bump on your cheek aches, right on cue, the bruising sears under your skin. ‘So we let it slide. We let them hit us and get away with it.’

‘It was the police that did that?’ he asks tightly.

You watch the side of his face. ‘Aye, he didn’t know who I was when he did it, and once he did, he apologised.’

‘He still did it.’

You nod. ‘But a dead policeman is something even Tommy Shelby can’t talk me out of. I’d be hung up before he got to the phone.’

‘It isn’t funny,’ Michael chides.

‘I’m not laughing.’

When he puts his eyes back on you, he’s frowning, frustrated. ‘You don’t need to do this work anymore,’ he says, ‘don’t need to be out in the smog with the rest of them. You don’t need to take the risks.’

‘Why not?’ you quip. ��Cause you earn enough to keep me? To keep us both?’

He tuts, flicking a dismissive hand toward you as he slouches back into the seat. You’ve had this conversation ten times over. There’s other positions, he says, more opportunities now that the company is bigger, but you don’t want that. Not offices and paperwork. You want to be among the foot soldiers, the grime and the furnaces of Small Heath. It’s kept you going this long. Why climb the ladder just to wear silk and gold at the top?

‘Are you upset that I’m hurt, or mad that I went at all?’ you ask.

There’s no answer. He just sets his jaw and puts his gaze to the chain of his pocket watch.

Eventually, it wins you over. The sight of him sulking, chewing on his lip, knitting his brows so closely together; it gets too much, and you find yourself standing, pulling toward him. You’d be in his position if roles were reversed, if this was all as new to you as it is to him. You’ve weathered enough disasters to become numb to them, but Michael keeps out of it, keeps his nose in the books, clean of the coal dust.

‘Mike,’ you say softly, brushing your fingers over his hair, ‘if I was in real trouble, I’d tell you. You know that.’

After a forced breath, he agrees. ‘I know.’ It sounds like he’s sulking. Then he unfolds beneath you, arms opening, his chin lifting to watch as you sit sideways on his lap. ‘But you and I have different ideas of what trouble is,’ he says, linking his hands over your hip. You let yourself settle into him, slouching into his hold.

‘I’m alive, aren’t I?’ you tease.

His lips press to your shoulder, words mumbling into the cotton, ‘Any more to the left and he could’ve killed you.’

Always worried about the possibilities. That’s the maths, the numbers, it doesn’t stop when he leaves the office, the calculations whir on and on behind those eyes.

‘I think if he did, you’d have gone and killed him right back,’ you say, and he smiles though it isn’t very funny. He’s just glad to be talking honestly again. ‘Truce?’ you offer.

He nods. ‘Truce. Now, will you let me take care of you for once?’

You chance a touch to your face, wincing when your cheek complains. ‘I could do with something for the pain,’ you admit.

A dry laugh cracks out of him. ‘Some sense wouldn’t hurt either.’

‘If I had any, I’d have left you long ago.’

Smiling, he stands, setting you back onto your feet in the process. ‘Come on then.’ He links a hand with yours, bringing it up to kiss your dirtied knuckles. ‘I know you’re already thinking about that whiskey,’ he says against the skin, ‘it should dull the ache.’

You agree, and follow after him, because it always does.

#michael x reader #michael gray x reader #michael gray #peaky blinders fanfic #michael gray iimagine #michael #prompt fic #this is fully such a SLICE of a scene i said youre getting no opening and no end <3 love u besties #hope you enjoy !!!! i am rusty like an old spoon #posting before i hyper analyse

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littlx-songbxrd · 3 years ago

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You had thomastiar royalty au right?? Alright don't kill me but while I would never write it I just find it so amusing to create and define a story with people! It's plainly a base idea. I wanted to share it because I think it could be so much fun to create an au with someone. And also because if not now I would never. So *gives you my hand to grab* would you like to create an au with me?

Alastair is a fallen prince. His family lost their crown to a cruel nearby kingdom and now all he's left with a noble title without nobility, living in chains in a palace he once used to roam freely. The stories on his drunken father had spread across the continent, of his mother's valuable state, and his... preferences. Their family is in ruins. He keeps blaming himself. Somehow, he knows, he has to get free. And maybe he has an idea.

The only person almost unfazed by those rumors was his beloved sister, who wants to rise the Carstairs royal family back to the throne and rescue her beloved father and return what is hers. Cordelia always was shielded in the royal palace - and her only friend is from a close another kingdom, princess Lucie Herondale - despite her skill at weapons. She was the wielder of the famous royal family, Cortana, until the pouncebuys took over her kingdom in spells and lies, turning people against them. Little does she know, some of those lies are the truth to its whole.

Thomas, the third child of the Lightwood royal lineage, has a secret. After losing his sister and crown princess the year before, he was sent to recover in his friend's kingdom. Accompanied with his close friends by his sides, in a confusing chain of events he might just find himself in a revolution against something greater than himself. He never thought it'd be the secret he kept so many years to pave the way to a new possible sunrise, with new people to share it with.

I know it sounds very odd but it's past midnight and my brain is just half awake so yeah, thoughts? 👉👈

Hi! So if I am being 100% honest I do not think I was the one who had a thomastair royalty au, I have thought about it but don't recall ever posting it! I may have posted it without knowing but I don't think I did! Truly who knows but this is so well thought out I am so in for developing it further

So I totally adore the idea of Alastair being a fallen prince, now chained to a kingdom that used to be his. Being honest that gives me vibes of the ash princess (the entire prologue is just the protagonist describing how she feels being trapped within her home) and I love that for this au. So basically my question here would be how would the Carstairs living conditions develop

Cause I'm thinking from how you are describing it it'd be cool if the Carstairs were being still kept at the Castle maybe

Here me out

So Elias is the king of the Carstairs lands after the previous royal family (Jonas family) dies in a tragic attack, and a mage called the magister takes over. The crowned prince Elias is still out hunting the supposed demon that killed the family, and the kings youngest Jem manages to be escaped my some of the villagers in hopes of still having a heir once his grown. Jem grows in a neighboring village thought he is an extremely ill child, there he means a runaway boy from another royal family, Will, whos ran away because he is cursed.

Plot happens turns out the same mage was taking over wills kingdom by using benedict lightwood and thus the lightwood kingdom for his own uses. Gideon betrays his father and when he dies is crowned king, and when the entire tid team beats the mage like everyone's freed they all go back to their own kingdoms and live happy

But Jem was at the late stages of his illness, and to the world he dies (Not really he just left because he found a cure and needed to leave to be one with the magic of the world to get it his not dead and Tessa and will still see him often only his dead to the world)

So through all this when Elias comes back from killing the demon is crowned king of the Carstairs lands

He marries a woman from far of land and produces two heirs Alastair and Cordelia

Just the fact he married someone who isn't native to their lands already starts the general distrust of Elias, and the royal family

The thing is with the years Elias gets more attached to the bottle than looking out for his kingdom, or his family

They try to pretend everything's alright when in reality it wasn't and the crowned prince, Alastair, really has been taking care of everything ever since he could remeber

He's been running the kingdom without everyone's knowledge and he's exhausted. But he loves his people and family enough to even so take on the burden every day

When the pouncebyes start to show signs of attack, he begs his father to put up defense. Elias refuses, not even paying attention to his propositions. Even with all of Alastair's authority he cant outrank the king. So he tries to send troupes to borders and makes excuses, get civilians away from the side lines as much as he can because Elias doesn't do anything

The pouncebyes attack, and to this day Alastair still blames himself for not doing more

There are less casualties thanks to his doings, the damage is low for that of an invation, but they are invated, and they take over their lands. Elias is arrested for refusing to give up the kingdom, kept in jail as an exploit of war

The rest of the Carstairs are able to run away from the castles before they are taken and arrested. Cordelia continues to push on how to restore his fathers name, and Alastair isn't sure how to break it to her that most the rumors are true. But Alastair has a plan, and he will be getting his kingdom back

To the other kingdoms, the attack of the Carstairs is being advertised as a treaty between the two kingdoms. The lightwoods are doubtful of such, and prince Thomas looking to get away from the endless mourning for his sister agrees to go to their lands to get word of what is truly going own. He and his friends embark on a journey south (their kingdom is in the south in my mind now dhhaibwjbian)

The last thing he plans is to find himself held at knife point by the crowned prince of the Carstairs kingdom

(Ok so Alastair thought Thomas and co arriving near his kingdom were reinforcements being brought in by the pouncebyes in disguise so he was gonna take them and use them as blackmail to the crown by the rebellion hes forming)

Yes these are my thoughts

I love this

I am endlessly sorry it took so long but I AM SO READY TO CONTINUE TO TALK ABOUT THIS

#styx #thomastair #alastair carstairs #cordelia carstairs #thomas lightwood #Pls appreciate I pride myself in my ability to write english directly yet was so excited writting this I had to use a traductor

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solesurvivorpaigeargot · 2 months ago

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Ooooo love Sleep being similar to Defrag, since they serve similar purposes.

Brain infodump under the cut

So the brain is held in multiple layers of protection cause even a small amount of damage can be fatal. One is the skull, another is the fluid the brain floats in, and another is a membrane around the brain that all blood vessels from the body feed into, and that membrane delivers nutrients and oxygen into the fluid so they can be taken up by osmosis.

The blood brain barrier is a filter / security checkpoint. If a pathogen made it past the blood brain barrier, there would be no way to stop or kill it without compromising all functions for a time, and that is assuming It Is Detected At All. So instead our thinkmeats have a filter that all incoming deliveries go in through, and in terms of body structures those veins and cappilaries are tiiiiiiny so only the simpleist molocules can pass through. Oxygen is the big one, glucose is the second big one. Salt and potassium are also import but that's a story for another time ;3

Glucose is simple sugar, same as the sugar granuels you might add to your coffee in chemical composition. Since glucose does not need to be processed in any way to be sent to the brain, BRAIN LOVES SUGAR. Glucose in specific; its chemical structure can pass through the blood brain barrier no problem. Same with oxygen, they are itty bitty, a filter was advantagous, and we have a filter that has existed Before The Word Filter Did and that's wild imo

ANYWHOOZIT so brain needs oxygen and glucose to do its job, both generating and communicating with your bioelectricity to communicate throughout the nural network of the brain and with your broader nervous system.

Nothing ever disappears. Chemistry is part of how we figure out what parts are converted into energy ( the glucose ) and which bits are part of cell resparation ( oxygen + water = carbon dioxide ) and that the brain itself is made of fatty tissue and needs the kind of medium chain fats you find in nuts and avacados to render celluar repairs on daily ware and tare.

Neither the waste products that need to go out not the lipids ( fats ) that need to come in can go through the blood brain barrier, they're too big.

Once neurologists discovered things the brain produces as waste + needs for material repairs for daily maitinance cant pass the barrier... so where is that going?

And so they studied blood flow patterns while people slept, and found that the waste was cycled out through the brain stem while fresh building materials cycled in.

Current theory is since red blood cells have a carrying capacity and the brain needs Less Oxygen And Glucose during sleep, Sleep may be a low power mode animals developed as their brains got more complex and could fail more catastrophically if not protected AND maintained. Thus why most creatures with spines and a brain sleep for some time of their life; so everyone in the skull can flush the toilet and patch the generator before tomorrow starts.

This theory fits with what we know about the feeling of Being Tired or Exhaustion. As more waste builds up in the brain tissue, it gets in the way and blocks signals. Whether you notice it or not, every signal sent costs the same amount of glucose and oxygen, and produces the same amount of waste. Thus, the theory goes, why tiredness tends to hit folks all at once and Get Worse Really Fast. There is a Critical Density where every order is getting blocked by trash and its gotta be sent again. And again. And again.

How fast one gets tired depends on many factors from How Energy Efficent Your Individual Brain Is, how conductive the cerebral fluid is which is affected by neurotransmitters that release when we Feel Good. When somethin makes you happy, the conductivity of your brain increases, and signals travel further and faster... which can let you ignore being tired until critical mass it reached, and sometimes a bit after cause your friend keeps makin ya laugh and so long as you keep having fun with them it feels like you'll never tire; Because You Are Having A Good Time, brain makes with the Happy Juice, conductivity goes up.

ADHD folks who feel like they get sucked into social interaction even when they don't wanna; kinetic brains are often short on seratonin, a key neurotransmitter. Your brain is going HEY SOMEONE TURN UP THE FUCKIN SIGNAL because everything is taking multiple attempts, and thats also why kinetic and autistic folks can go from Okay to NOPE in a split second; their tiredness comes from the same chemical process burning on overdrive, producing excess waste that needs to be cleared more often.

Tis also why autistic and kinetic folks tend to have a sweet tooth; hungry brain is hungry. Just remember, Corn Syrup and Dextrose do not process into glucose. It tastes sweet, but starves the brain and forces the body to commit more energy to breaking down carbs or lipids to synthsize glucose. If you are Craving Sweet, eat something with real sugar. Your body is not your enemy, it wants to live, same as you. 🫂

Anywhoozit, connecting this back,

A defrag is a process of a computing system going through its central memory disk ( which not all devices have these days ) and Doing Some Housekeeping. If all the text files are on one edge of the disk and a new one is near the middle, then the new one can be removed and rewritten to sit with the rest of the text files. System with system, check for accidental duplications and junk data that is produced sometimes when a Save Process Fails And Must Be Tried Again

Takin out the trash, flushin the toilet, both put the connected devices into an unusable state where the best thing is to check back later; maitinance is underway.

I see it in fics all the time where Nick doesn't sleep he just lays there and waits for a few hours and i firmly deny it. My boy sleeps. He's a computer, computers have sleep modes, he'd sleep. But also we see him smoke, drink, presumably eat, be wounded and go down in battle, he's a synth, not a robot. As such im willing to believe some of his brain is squishy human-like matter, which would need sleep to function. Also istg I've watched him lay down in a bed in Sanctuary and go to sleep like other companions do.

My boy gets eepy i will not fall for the anti sleepy nick propaganda

#biology #neurology #defrag #sleep #infodump

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secretsniper3 · 3 years ago

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Part 6: Sister Slaves

“I have cum so many times now, is it possible to die from this” I think as I feel another delicious meal flows into my mouth, more cum for the good slave to drink. Pussy constantly flowing with cum, leaking through the box, I feel something I havnt felt in seemingly a lifetime, movement. The box that holds me moves around and a light appears and there he is, my Master looking down on me, the cum stained sex slave bound in tight rope, bringing my out of the box my Master commands me to sit still, and I do, why would I disobey my Master? sitting still he removes my ropes, my skin breathes as my Master drinks in the marks on my skin, red marks cover my body, rubbing a salve over my body he covers you in its cool embrace, still unmoving. “How do you feel?” my Master asks. “Much better now i can serve you, Master” I answer with a smile. The words still echoing fresh in my mind “You are now a Slave, you will Submit as you are now Property”. Cant fight whats a core of my very being, my reason to exist now can I?

Standing at my Masters side my head hangs low, I know better than to raise my head, telling me to follow him he leads me up some stairs and into a room. A woman is laying on the bed, sealed in a vacbed with a harsh vibrator hitting her clit directly, “How lucky she must be to cum so freely” I think to myself, not knowing what hell the woman is truely in. Walking to a wardrobe my Master takes a latex bodysuit, a latex hood, ballet boots and a corset. Putting the bodysuit on it seemed to be a size smaller than I expected, my ample breasts fitting nicely into the waiting cups and im zipped in within minutes, Corset follows, pulling tight my Master ensures it wont be coming off any time soon with a few knots, the latex hood, covering my eyes and ears, leaving my nostrils and mouth exposed only, I test my latex hood by licking the latex that circles it, the smell and taste of the latex now grasping my head is beyond divine, my long blue hair flowing like water from a hole in the back of the hood and down my latex covered spine. “Master dresses me so nicely” I think as Im taken to the bed with the woman occasionally squirming in her latex prison, my Master helps me put my ballet boots on my feet and laces them up tight. My Master gets my collar and wraps it around my latex neck, its a perfect fit, Leather cuffs are placed tightly around my wrists and connected together with a chain passing through a d-ring in the back of my collar, pulling my wrists up my back. Leash on end Im led out by my neck down the stairs and into the big room. Standing in the darkness without direction a thumb pushes into my waiting mouth, my tongue wrapping around it instantly and moving up and down its lenght as Im walked around the wide room, thumb removed my head is eased forward as my tongue searches for something to suckle on and Im greeted with a cold metal dildo and I take it in deep.

Coddeling the dildo in my mouth I pump back and forth and suck hard, rewarded for my passion and eagerness with a thick, sticky fluid, its more delicious cum! mixed with other many flavors I cant quite place, I pump my head more and more, the mixture flowing slowly into my mouth and down my eager throat I continue sucking hard. Managing to get the dildo down my throat I begin to work it from tip to base, as more of my breakfast oozes into my mouth and throat, not spilling a single drop, I dare not do that. Feeling a hand wrap around my body and grasp my breast I moan deeply into the cock I gladly suck, moving down my latex body my Master takes great pleasure in toying with his things, pulling a zipper he exposes my gushing sex to the room, knowing how happy I am going to become I push deep on the dildo and as I pull back my Master enters me. Stuck between 2 cocks I rock my entire body back forth now, fucking myelf in 2 holes till my Master doubles my speed and pumps hard and fast inside my pussy, “Cum slave” I hear and do so immediatly, leaking my own cum from my pulsing lips as his cock keeps thrusting away. Another orgasm already ready to go but I hold yourself back, resorting to loud moans to signal Im ready again but my Master says nothing but continues thrusting, “thats it girl, keep holding it back” he says in my latex coated ear as I do as commanded, every fiber of my very being is now focused on holding back my approaching orgasm, while my head works the dildo automatically. After 5 minutes of resisting I hear him, “Cum hard slut!” and I do as commanded, Masters cum ripping through my body as Im pulled off the dildo while I cry out in bliss!

Helping me to my feet from my devistating orgasm Im lead, once again to a room, belly full of cum mixture Im forced to sit down, another dildo pokes my pussy and I push down hard, taking the entire toy in deep inside with a satisfied moan. I feel my Masters hands on my face, clearly looking where my eyes would be he says “do not get up off this device” he says sternly, hoping for more pleasure Im pleased to feel a low rumble between my legs as my body rocks around, but never lifting off my seat. “ill let you cum as much as you want for now” my Master says, eliciting a squeel from my mouth as my head flies back in the wake of another orgasm. Turning to leave me, my Master heads back upstairs to tend to his other pet.

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Neverending stimulation, I would have stopped the device hours ago if I could, what would my Master do to me if I did though, the reality scared me more than I thought it would. As I feel a hand grab my sensitive breast I jump in my latex prison, squeezing firmly my breathing quickens till it stops entierly, my Master holding my nose closed my brain works in overdrive until he lets go and I slam into the brick wall that is my denial. Turning the hitachi off my Master sets on releasing me from my vacbed, sitting me up he removes my “clothes” and I stand naked with my weak hands behind my head, Im put in a clear latex suit and mask set, slidding in easily due to my sweat, my ass, pussy, breasts and face left exposed, I find my knees have thick padding and find out what its for as my Master wraps a belt around my waist and pulls my feet up, meeting my firm ass, my feet are connected to straps attached to my belt, locking my feet against my ass but keeping everything easy to reach. My hands are sealed in latex mitts renders my hands completly useless, more paw than hand now, my collar is locked on and clamps are attached to my highly sensitive nipples as my breasts hang beneath me. My Master commands me to sit like a good girl and with some difficulty, I manage to sit back, feeling my Masters cum begin to leak onto the floor, noticing this my Master gives my leash a yank and walks me out of the room and slowly down the stairs.

Hearing a hum nearby my Master takes me to the source of the noise, my eyes widen as I see the blue haired woman, bound to the sybian and fluid running down her thighs freely, clearly caught mid orgasm as Im led to a weird device near the kitchen, a dildo protrudes from its base as well as from a standing height, unreachable in my current bind. Commanded to suck by my Master I take the cock in my mouth and begin to work the fleshy toy, sucking harder and harder Im rewarded with fluid shooting in my mouth, its thick and tastes horrible, clearly a cum mixture I continue sucking hard as I swallow, taking the toy deeper each time I suck, my heavily denied pussy juices dripping to the floor as my Master gets some bacon and eggs for his meal. Eyeing my Masters food as he eats my only choice is to suck harder and harder, clearly meaning this to be my meal for now I have no choice, the disgusting taste is all over my tongue and coats my throat. I dont think ill ever get used to the taste of cum.. Having finished his meal my Master stands and walks to the other woman, cumming on the sybian.

Leading the woman back to me, my Master commands my sister slave to get on her knees she complies silently and her tongue jumps out of her mouth when she was told to drink his cum from my wet pussy, moving blindly forward, balancing herself carefully with her arms chained behind her back her chin brushes my cheek and moves further down my body and into position, tasting my pussy directly her tongue dives deep inside my moist folds, drawing out my Masters cum with ease she sucks it down into her mouth then gut. “keep pumping that cock slut!” my Master shouts, jumping me back to reality as I resume my sucking, collecting more cum flavored fluid and swallowing it. Continuing to work over my pussy my sister slave draws more and more of my Masters cum from my soaked pussy and would have made me cum 3 times by now if I were still able to cum. Pulling the cum hungry slave away my Master inspects my pussy, clearly she had got all his cum out as he pulls his cock out and leads the girl to a chair, sits down and puts her eager mouth to work, unloading 3 times in her mouth not a single drop escapes her vaccum. Pulling me off the dildo my Master leads me by my collar and my blue haired sister slave to the toy room, there he straps me down tightly, and commands my saphire haired friend to have a drink from my pussy and to keep drinking till shes satisfyed, lips locking against lips, her masterful tongue works me over with a passion I cant define as my Master moves infront of me and pushes his cock into my mouth, a tongue working my pussy over, a nose pressing into my ass and a cock in my mouth, is this heaven or hell?!

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Simply amazing taste, I continue diving into the pussy my Master ordered me to devour, grindng my face into the womans sex I jab my tongue into her engorged button causing more moans from the woman, if I had my eyes I would be staring up at my Master with a gaze only a Master would love, I redouble my assault on the neverending pool of delicious fluids as the woman starts shaking everywhere, sucking hard against her labia my tongue working her insides like a harp, shes sure to cum soon I just know it! Pulled away by my Master I instinctively cry out “Thank you Master!” while my lips and chin shine with yummy juices. Im rewarded with my enthusiasm with a toy slidding easily inside my own drooling pussy, strapping the toy in my Master slaps my ass, responding with a moan my other cheek takes a hit, “mmm, thank you Master!” I moan out loudly as my Master stands me up and lowers me on a thick dildo, “sit down” Im commanded and so I do, lowering down on the dildo I hit a chair at the bottom with a bump that my clit sits on perfectly, with a simple “stay” my clit is found sitting on a hitachi as my Master turns it on. My head flies back as I moan out loudly, getting gagged for the noise, probing with my tongue I feel around the gag, it seals my mouth shut with a ring but theres something in the way, I cant push it out with my tongue alone.

“Its a plug” I mentally scream as my Master once again takes my willing mouth, my tongue gets to work pleasing my Master’s tasty cock, both my Master and I work on thrusting away inside my mouth, pulling back he unloads all over my tongue, I savor the taste and swallow. Left sitting in darkness with a humming clit I cum hard only moments later to cum again harder, my clit dancing on the vibrator I hear moans coming from the other slave, clearly getting my Masters cock inside her I cum again at the mere thought.

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Masters cock pumping in my ass hard, thrust after thrust, my needy pussy drooling on the floor I moan aloud and gaze at the blue haired slave, shes cumming constantly, how desperatly I wish our places were reversed, so I could experience a orgasm once again, its almost gone now, the memory of a orgasm, I remember it being exquisite and highly enjoyable but that was all I can remember, replaced by heavy denial as my ass is creamed deep before my Master pushes 7 vibrating eggs inside me and pushes a cover over my pussy, sealing them in, held in place by a urethral insert inflated at the tip when it got deep enough, not going anywhere anytime soon my body is tormented with stimulation with no end in sight. Looking again at my sister slave as her cum flows from between her thighs I glance up to my Master with pleading eyes, a simple “Not for a very long time” beats you down hard. Taking both my sisters and my leash my Master leads us both to his bedroom, Yawning as he opens a cage at the foot of his bed, he pushes me inside and locks it tight, my new room apparently. My sister slave however is pushed on the bed as my Master follows out of sight, I can only guess whats taking place but clearly its rough for her.

tomorrow promises a hard day for me and my new sister slave.

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writing-the-end · 3 years ago

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LoL Chapter 53- Rescue

Masterpost

A Wizard Hermits tale (AU, designs, ideas belongs to @theguardiansofredland)

Grian is at the mercy of Dolios and his dark magic, but are the hermits there to save him in time? Or has the end come for the healing mage?

[Note: Hey everyone, I’m sorry for the time that was between chapters. A lot of really emotional and personal things happened over the past few months, and it just really pushed me off balance. But I really cant thank Red enough for being at my side the whole time- he’s the real hero in all of this.

Happy Season 8!]

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To be back in the dark, cold bowels of the dungeons, willingly returning to the chamber that Dolios forced them to play his game in, left every hermit with a strange mix of dread and remorse. Almost every hermit, except for the few that weren’t around during the championship, can remember waking up in cells, being dragged from the hard stone floor at knifepoint, and turned into pawns for Dolios to control. Promising he will kill every last one in his game, and making TFC play along.

But they hardly linger in the very chamber where their guildmaster outwitted the Magistrate of Lairyon, rather continuing on their search for a passage to the subchamber. Scar can feel the cavity in the stone beneath their feet, but no staircase seems to lead them down. It wasn’t until Cleo summoned the ghosts of those who died here, their souls lingering, that they are pointed in the right direction. So many souls, having seen so much suffering, not just from Dolios within these walls, though many are from his doing.

A ghost guides the hermits to a circular room, and though their voice has long faded with time, their misty hands point to the center of the room. Mumbo kneels down. “There’s machinery here. If I just…” He places his hands against the smooth stone, and without even having to think, his magic appears. Redstone seeping through the seams of the rock, reconfiguring the mechanics and forcing the spiral staircase to descend.

Everyone, including Mumbo, is surprised by his power. He’s never had such control before in his life. But they don’t linger on this new development. Not when time is running shorter and shorter for Grian. They cause a jam in the thin staircase, twenty something hermits rushing to the subchamber. Unlike the rooms above them, the stone is rough cut, no bricks or stenciling. It looks more like a cave blown open than a carved dungeon.

A heavy weight wraps in on the hermits. They know they’re close as the pressure increases on their bodies. They follow the struggle to breathe, the feeling of carrying stones on their back. They’ve come to know the signs of a dark crystal well- and it leads them right to not one, but three towers of corrupted gems.

They’re massive, protruding from the ground at an angle, black spikes erupting from the earth. The air is heavy with mist, swirling in tendrils, like the very tentacles of Eurynomos, way back in the forest. The mist grasps the open air, siphoning the very life from the stone and oxygen and taking it for itself. Every so often, a pulse of darkness bursts from the corrupted crystals, with such force it causes the entire cavern to shudder, and blows back the hermits’ hair and clothes. They all duck with each explosion, but one person remains standing, reveling in the energy that's breaking free from the crystals.

Dolios’s fingers toy with the mist, grasping the air and feeling the power. With each eruption, the black seal between him and the central crystal glows. For a second, the hermits swear they can see the mist at his back look almost...feather-like.

“Oh my gods… Grian.” Stress’s voice is so small, so quiet, the other hermits almost don’t hear it. But their captured friend’s name on anyone’s lips is enough to catch their attention.

He’s grey, so monochrome that it was almost impossible to pick him out among the black crystals, the grey mist, and the dark magic. Limp body and hands, eyes open but unseeing, Grian is chained to the central crystal. Once blond hair, now an ashen grey, curls and crests over Grian’s face, his chin dropped to his chest. The hermits don’t breathe until they see him do so, but it’s a horribly shallow breath. Another wave of energy rolls through the crystals, and Grian’s body loses more of its color. More of it’s life. At this point, he hardly even reacts to the tearing of his lifeforce, his magic, from his body. Fingers twitch, but even those are beginning to turn flaky, fading away into oblivion. The tips of his once blue cape become little more than mist. Even the energy, the powers of the very atoms are being torn apart. Grian was very near death- or a fate worse.

All for Dolios, and his insatiable need for power. The low thunder of every wave is broken by Dolios’s voice. He flexes his hands, laughing to himself. “Of all the angels I’ve stolen magic from before, it has never been this strong. Even Celia had nothing against you. I feel like I could blow all of Milliara apart with a windstorm this instant! Don’t worry, little bird, your magic is in good hands.”

Iskall and Mumbo both scuffle to their feet, surging forward. Mumbo faster than Iskall. Too fast for TFC to grab him before he’s over the boulder they hid behind. And too fast to stop even his own magic from summoning. But it wasn’t the out of control magic that the hermits have seen before. Like destroying the crystal shard on Eremita, or in the depths of the Hangman’s Playground.

No, even though lightning filled Mumbo’s vision, and magic surged through his veins like energy through a redstone circuit, he had every wit and thought about him. For the first time, he had true, full control. Every iota of power was at his command, like a dragon spreading it’s wings for it’s first flight across the sky.

With a flippant wave of his hand, the twin satellite crystals shatter, red bolts of lightning creasing through the darkness-bound lattice. The air is filled with glittering crystals, mist freed from the quartz and purging it of the darkness. Mumbo turns his power, his attention towards the crystal that Grian’s chained to, and presses his fingers together to destroy the last crystal.

He’s blown off his feet, a burst of wind from nowhere sending him skidding across the floor. When Mumbo gathers his wits and looks up, finally seeing Dolios through his anger, the magistrates is wild with manic delight. “Oh, now that’s real magic. I think this little bird’s powers might become my new favorite.” The other hermits dare to step out, walking through the shattered, transparent remains of the crystals. Dolios is the only color before them, his plush robes and rich colors standing out against the swirling magic. “Ah, the whole parade is here. Come to watch your friend die? Or will you all be joining him as well?”

Dolios turns, resting his gaze on Grian. The hermits watch in horror as their healer looks as if he’s about to blow away in the wind. Like dust in the shape of a human. His eyes are empty, no glimmer of life left. They realize they may be too late.

But that doesn’t stop them from getting their revenge. Mumbo remains focused on the crystal his friend is trapped against, but a sharp shard of gemstone goes flying through the air, cracking Dolios upside the head. Blood pours from the wound, matting the curly brown hair that crowns Dolios. He turns, anger mixing with the mania into a dangerous concoction. But his fury doesn’t get to live long, not when Scar drives a wedge of rock into Dolios’s jaw. This time it’s the magistrate that goes skidding across the rough hewn floor. In his attempt to stand up, Dolios becomes ensnared in just about every medium of magic the hermits can offer. Vines tie him down, radioactive spikes pin his clothes and hair to the floor, a ring of hellfire erupting from the depths of the earth.

Mumbo, however, remains focused on his best friend before him. Summoning all his magic, every ounce of effort he’s ever put forth, he sends a bolt of lightning directly to the core of the crystal that is draining Grian. The lightning strikes true, hardly even raising a hair on what remains of the sky angel, but obliterating the crystal he hangs from. From the inside out, the darkness is banished by red light, like the sun rising red on a bright, beautiful daybreak. Blinding everyone within the cave- except Mumbo. He’s not lost in the light, the power, the magic. He’s a part of it all.

The crystal shatters, and Grian falls. Crumpled to the ground, he looks to be little more than a pile of ash and rags among the sparkling crystal shards. Like the moon adrift in the sea of stars.

When the hermits blink away their momentary blindness, they find Mumbo is already at his friend’s side. With a few teary blinks, the last of the lightning fizzles away, and Mumbo’s voice cracks like the very gems he destroyed. “G-Grian? Grian, wake up.”

But Grian doesn’t move. Mumbo reaches out, grabbing the angel and pulling him to the safety of the hermits. Holding him close as the others surround. Ren reaches out, placing a hand on Grian’s shoulder. He retreats immediately, when Grian’s shoulder seems to fade from existence, flaking to ash and falling apart under Ren’s pressure. “Is he….”

No one dares speak the word. Joe scribbles down a healing poem, but the magic does nothing. Grian doesn’t breathe, his eyes don’t blink. They just stare, empty, at the cavern roof above. And he continues to fade, all color lost, becoming nothing more than dust.

“No, nononononono.” Mumbo’s words stumble and jumble together, and he shakes and jolts Grian as if trying to rise him from a dream. “Grian, don’t leave us! We need you!”

Still nothing.

Mumbo’s shoulders slump. A weight heavier than any dark crystal hangs over the hermits as Grian’s limp form lays in Mumbo’s arms before them. Tears threaten to spill from Mumbo’s eyes. Grian was his first real friend, the one who saved him all those years ago. And he couldn’t return the favor now. It was Grian that offered him kindness, offered him friendship. Grian who gave Mumbo a true family, a real home, who trained with him even when all seemed hopeless, and drank with him when nights were bright. It was because of Grian that Mumbo has a father in TFC, friends all around him. And now?

Now his best friend was dead in his arms. Fading from existence, his magic and life stolen by a monster in magistrate’s clothes. Mumbo tips his head, breath stuttering as tears fall freely. Like a stream after a storm, rivers of salt water across his cheeks, cresting his jaw and running across the valley of his throat. Some droplets are caught in his mustache, others stain the collar of his outfit. All the hermits openly cry, even Doc. Memories flood alongside the tears, bowed heads over their fallen comrade as Mumbo holds his fallen friend tight.

One tear falls straight down, landing with a wet plop on Grian’s eyelid. Water, the lifeblood of Lairyon, slowly drips into Grian’s own vacant eyes. And from the ashen grey, empty gaze, a single vein of blue appears within his iris.

Like a river, the blue flows freely, spilling across Giran’s sky blue eyes. Filling the empty grey valley with fresh blue water. And from the blue, like the sun reflecting off the see, a glimmer appears.

Iskall noticed the color returning first. The pink of Grian’s face, sunlight colored hair beginning to renourish with color. Bringing Grian slowly back from death’s doorstep. He slaps Mumbo on the shoulder, his own breath gasping. Words struggling to break free from the nuclear wizard’s mouth, rather just random noises escaping his lips.

It’s enough to get Mumbo’s attention, as well as every other hermit. Through teary eyes, they see the color spread. The red of Grian’s robes, the blue of his cape. The translucent, flaking form becomes solid and tangible again.

And then Grian breathes. So shallow and soft, it’s almost impossible to see. But to the hermits, it might as well be an earth breaking tremble. Eyes blink, and parted lips move. A whisper of a voice breaks free from death’s grip. “Mumbo? Iskall? Guys?”

Grian can’t sing, but the words from him might as well be a chorus of angels. He was alive. Whether it was pure luck, the gift of life that water carries, or simply the friendship the hermits hold, something brought Grian back from the brink.

Only one thing can break the joy. And that one thing has to open his mouth. From across the room, Dolios writhes in his bonds, snering. “Oh that’s just touching, isn’t it? If I can’t have it all, then I might as well kill every last one of you.”

Doc realizes what’s happening first, but Dolios is just out of reach. A bout of strength that can only be attributed to previously stolen magic, Dolios tears apart the vines and breaks apart the crossed spears of iskallium. He stands, brushing off leaves and radioactive dust from his robes and tugging on his ponytail. When he opens his eyes, a crooked, crazed grin creases the leader’s normally charismatic face. “Do you really think such weak power can hold me down?”

Wels reacts just in time to shield the hermits from the arc of magic that aimed for the group. Dolios doesn’t let up on his barrage, and the magical barrier begins to crack and contort against the dark energy. No hermit can step out from behind the shield without risking certain death.

A wild, cackling laughter echoes off the cavern. “What will you roaches do without your precious angel now? Who will save you now?”

Wels’s barrier breaks. And Dolios attacks.

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