#child contact order experts

[holmsister]

Ok, my long delayed post about Kabru and the Winged Lion. This does not end here, I'm adding more in a reblog.

Heavy on spoilers. Taking the extra material from @dunmeshistash who I apologise to as usual

Let's start here:

I don't care if you're a wasp you owe him 22 years of alimony

Two important takeaways here:

1) Kabru's hatred of monsters is caused not just by the Utaya catastrophe, but also from the fact that even before that, his unusual eye color was connected to monsters in local lore, and this led to ostracisation and, we can imagine, violence or at least the threat of violence towards him and his mother, serious enough that she escaped to Utaya, aka the place where the dungeon would kill her.

Kabru crucially does not place the fault for this on his father's family, but on himself for being born with 'monstrous eyes'. This is a normal way of reacting to ostracization in children, interiorising instead of projecting the trauma. It's much easier to imagine a world in which there's actually something wrong with you than one in which others might make you suffer for no reason. Monsters are also much more likely to be offered as an explanation by the adults than the actual more realistic explanations (infidelity or rape), which would not be considered appropriate.

This means that indirectly, child Kabru feels that his own 'monstrosity' is responsible for his mother moving to Utaya to protect him and ultimately dying.

2) in the Dungeon Meshi world there are specifically legends about *demon* succubi and incubi (real world lore says succubi prey on men and incubi on women and I assume that's what Laios is referring to with the distinction, but besides that lets assume theyre one and the same), distinct from the *actual monsters* succubi. The demons and monsters have a similar MO of using a person's desires to capture them, but while monster succubi suck a person's vital force, the demons supposedly use the men for their seed and the women for their womb to reproduce (again, completing dungeon meshi lore with bits of real world lore here). Laios, our local monster expert, thinks those demons are just legend. He tells us there are monsters that do use people as incubators for their eggs but I highly doubt that's Kabru's case, uncanny resemblance to a wasp notwithstanding (Laios...)

From here we go to:

Kabru's incredible rizz

This is where the tumblr search function spat in my face and ran away with the rest of my references while giggling. Oh well.

It's noted over and over in canon and extra material that Kabru is charming. More than that: Kabru *will do anything to get someone to like him*.

Worth noting that Daya and Holm *like* Kabru. This is not them disparaging an acquaintance, this is them levelling a criticism at a good friend, a criticism that seems to have been levelled at him before even ("it's no surprise...").

So, important takeaway: Kabru isn't just charming in general, he VERY SPECIFICALLY makes an effort to be charming. He needs people to like him, to trust him, and in order to obtain this, he's willing to lie and pretend.

Like with the Canaries: he needs them to trust him so they will keep him privy to their plans. So he plays up the poor innocent baby orphan angle:

And with Laios? The what (pretending to like monsters) we know, but why?

Kabru thinks Laios is the only one who can conquer the dungeon without the elves or the dwarves intervening and taking control. He is however very worried about his motivation. He wants to know why Laios is going so deep into the dungeon - beyond wanting to save his sister. What motivates him? Can he be trusted?

In the Toshiro chapters we find out that he has been trying to get in contact with him for weeks, possibly months, but this is the first time he has had a real possibility to meet him, and in order to make sure to leave a positive memory and possibly be an influence in the future, he pretends to be aligned with Laios' as much as possible, including hiding his hatred of monsters. I have written tons on this that has now been lost to tumblr like tears in the rain, but: I do not joke when I say that I think Kabru is flirting with Laios before and after the harpy egg incident. Let's be clear: Kabru's intentions are not romantic at this point. But he has noticed how lovestruck Laios was with Toshiro before their confrontation, and he's thinking, well, if I can get him to develop a similar crush on me, I can probably get him to listen to me more easily. Like I can mince words and put things in scary quotes but that's straight up what's happening. Kabru is trying to establish a close bond that wasn't there before: it might not be necessarily sexual, but it's definitely a type of seduction.

It kinda works.

The rest in a reblog because I ran out of space.

[anonymousewrites]

Pearl of the Sea Chapter Eighteen

Found Family! PoTC Cast x Teen! Reader

Platonic! Will Turner, Elizabeth Swann, Jack Sparrow, Tia Dalma x Reader

Chapter Eighteen: Meeting Sao Feng

Summary: (Y/N) and their friends need a map to Davy Jones's locker, and that means venturing to Singapore.

Two months later…

            (Y/N) sat behind Elizabeth as she punted them downstream in the waters around Singapore. The song had recently reached the pirates, and the pair sang it quietly. (Y/N) sang it for all the people who had lost their lives as the East India Trading Company’s reign of terror began.

            “Some have died, and some are alive,” they hummed quietly. “Others sail on the sea. With the keys to the cage, and the devil to pay, we lay to the Fiddler’s Green. The bell has been raised from its watery grave. Hear its sepulchral tone.”

            (Y/N) watched as British soldiers stalked across bridges in search of more innocent lives to destroy. They caught pirates daily, yet they were the ones colonizing, pillaging, thieving.

            “A call to all, pay heed to the squall, turn your sails to home. Yo ho,” sang (Y/N). “Haul together. Hoist the colors high.”

            Elizabeth stopped the longboat and tied it.

            “Heave-ho.”

            They stepped out.

            “Thieve—”

            “Thief and beggar,” said the guard of the secret entrance to Soa Feng’s pirate lair.

            Sao Fang was the leader of the Singaporean pirates and the latest person they needed to contact in order to have a way to reach World’s End, the Black Pearl, and Jack.

            “Never shall we die,” finished the guard. “A dangerous song to be singing for any who are ignorant of its meaning. Particularly a woman and a child.” He smirked. “Particularly when they’re alone.”

            “What makes you think they’re alone?” Barbossa walked down to the canal.

            “You protect them?” snapped the guard.

            (Y/N) grabbed one guard, and Elizabeth grabbed another. They lifted knives to their throats.

            “We don’t need protecting,” said (Y/N).

            Barbossa grinned. After returning to life, he had worked with the crew of the Pearl to find it again. He had found that Elizabeth was a formidable pirate (especially after she threatened him with a sword to cut his throat if he tried to touch her, Will, or (Y/N) again). He had also discovered that (Y/N) was as dangerous as they had seemed fighting alongside Jack. In fact, he had become a little fond of (Y/N) (if only to hopefully piss of Jack a bit that his protégé could also be taught by Barbossa). All in all, he was enjoying the expert crew of the Black Pearl.

            “Your master’s expecting us,” said Barbossa. “And an unexpected death’d cast a slight pall on our meeting.”

            All the pirates looked at each other and hesitantly lowered their weapons warily.

            “Pick those feet up!” said a British soldier. “Eyes front.”

            The pirates retreated to the edge of the canal to avoid being spotted. Sao Feng’s guards led the way to the grate and into the underground tunnels of Singapore.

            “Have you heard anything from Will?” asked Elizabeth.

            “I trust young Turner to acquire the charts and you to remember your place in the presence of Captain Sao Feng,” warned Barbossa.

            “What’s he like?” asked (Y/N), not promising anything.

            “He’s much like myself, but absent my merciful nature and sense of fair play,” said Barbossa.

            Wonderful, thought (Y/N).

            The guards walked up to a lock door and spoke a password. It was unlocked and opened to reveal a new passageway. Several guards held out their hands, and Barbossa began handing over his weapons. (Y/N) grumbled but handed over their sword, pistol, and daggers. Elizabeth, on the other hand, somehow procured over a dozen weapons from her person, hidden in places no one would think of except for her (even some unsavory places).

            Finally, though, they were let into Sao Feng’s chambers. It was a sauna full of pirates being served by women with drinks and drugs. The heavy smoke of opium hung in the air, and (Y/N) wrinkled their nose.

            Sao Feng himself stood on a dais, clad in leather armor with ornate embellishments. A large scar extended across his face, and he looked down his nose at the group. While Barbossa enjoyed the riches and glory of captaining and Jack adored the very act of being on the sea, it was clear Sao Feng loved the power he commanded in a room.

            Barbossa bowed to appease his ego. He gestured to Elizabeth and (Y/N). Elizabeth bowed, and (Y/N) suppressed a roll of their eyes before bowing. Their skin itched. For two months now, every time they had to do something they didn’t wish to or had to obey another’s wishes that went against their own, the itch returned. The restless energy was deep in their body, in their heart.

            “Captain Barbossa, welcome to Singapore,” said Sao Feng. He glanced at his servant. “More steam.” Water vapor pumped into the air. “I understand that you have a request to make of me.”

            “More of a proposal to put to ye,” said Barbossa. “I’ve a venture underway, and I find myself in want of a ship and a crew.”

            “Hm. It’s an odd coincidence,” remarked Sao Feng. His tone, however, suggested he knew more than he had so far revealed.

            “Because you happen to have a ship and a crew you don’t need?” said Elizabeth, raising a brow.

            “No,” said Sao Feng. “Because earlier this day, not far from here, a thief broke into my most revered uncle’s temple and tried to make off with these.” He picked up a roll of maps. “The navigational charts. The route to the Farthest Gate.”

            Elizabeth, Barbossa, and (Y/N) exchanged looks. Those were what Will had been searching for.

            Sao Feng threw the charts to a guard. “Wouldn’t it be amazing if this venture of yours took you to the world beyond this one?”

            “It would strain credulity at that,” said Barbossa.

            (Y/N) nearly rolled their eyes, and they glanced warily around.

            Sao Feng nodded to a pair of guards by a steam bath. They raised a log to reveal arms tied to it. Will gasped for air as he was raised from the scalding water.

            “This is the thief,” said Sao Feng casually. “Is his face familiar to you?”

            All three shook their heads “no.”

            “Then I guess he has no further need for it,” said Sao Feng, rearing back to stab Will.

            “No, no,” gasped Elizabeth, unable to stop herself.

            Sao Feng stopped and turned around slowly. He had trapped them in their lie. “You come into my city, and you betray my hospitality.

            Barbossa stood straight. “I assure you I had no idea—”

            “That he would get caught!” interrupted Sao Feng.

            Around them, Singaporean pirates stood and surrounded the group.

            “You intend to attempt the voyage to Davy Jones’s locker,” said Sao Feng matter-of-factly. “But I cannot help but wonder…why?”

            (Y/N) shifted, and Barbossa and Elizabeth both put a hand out. If (Y/N) were to speak up, it wouldn’t be polite, which wouldn’t end well. (Y/N)’s skin itched, and they shifted with unused energy.

            Barbossa tossed a coin through the air in response to Sao Feng. He caught it, bit it to test it, and stared at it.

            “The song has been sung,” said Barbossa. “The time is upon us. We must convene the Brethren Court. As one of the nine pirate lords, you must honor the call.”

            Sao Feng narrowed his eyes. His hand curled into a fist. “More steam.” The words held all the frustration he wished to express. Nothing came, and he whirled on his servants. “More steam!” he bellowed. Still none.

            “There is a price on all our heads,” continued Barbossa, distracting Sao Feng from what was most likely their crew interfering.

            “Aye. It is true,” said Sao Feng. “It seems the only way a pirate can turn a profit anymore…is by betraying other pirates.”

            Oh, bloody hell, thought (Y/N). It was a suspicious turn of phrase, even if he seemed to be addressing Will’s predicament.

            Barbossa continued. “We must put our differences aside. The First Brethren Court gave us rule of the seas.”

            (Y/N)’s gaze flicked to him, and their hands clenched at their sides. The seas weren’t to be ruled by anyone. They were free, wild, untamable. Like m—

            “But now that rule is being challenged by Lord Cuter Beckett,” said Barbossa.

            “Against the East India Trading Company, what value is the Brethren Court?” said Sao Feng derisively. “What can any of us do?”

            “You can fight,” snapped (Y/N), their words breaking free. Sao Feng’s sharp gaze landed on them, but they did not cower. “You are Sao Feng, pirate lord of Singapore. You’re a commander in an age where brave captains still sail free waters, despite those waves being measure in fear and not feet.” Their stormy eyes flicked over Sao Feng, and it was as piercing as a needle. “And yet you would just watch such an era come to an end.” They met his eyes. “The most notorious pirates from around the world are uniting against our enemy. Their names will be remembered in legends.” A soft sneering smirk spread across their features. “Yours will be drowned in the bathwater you cower within.”

            Elizabeth’s eyes widened, and Barbossa closed his eyes and cursed Jack for teaching them to be so mouthy (not that it had come from him. It was natural to (Y/N), and their natural self broke free more and more every day).

            Sao Feng stared at them and stepped off the dais. (Y/N) refused to flinch or back away. Sao Feng circled them like a shark, gazing at them quizzically.

            “(Y/N) Swann,” said Sao Feng. “There is more to you than meets the eyes, isn’t there?”

            (Y/N) followed him with their eyes as he circled them and returned to the front.

            “But I cannot help but notice you have failed to answer my question,” continued Sao Feng. “What is it you seek in Davy Jones’s Locker?” Barbossa opened his mouth, but Sao Feng held up a hand. “I want the small one to answer.”

            That must be me since I’m the kid.

            “They seem to enjoy speaking.”

            I’d prefer fighting. Thankfully, (Y/N) kept that thought to themself. “A friend.”

            Sao Feng narrowed his eyes. “That is not an answer.”

            “It is,” said (Y/N).

            Elizabeth fought back a sigh as (Y/N) decided to be sarcastic and play tricks with the pirate lord of Singapore.

            “Jack Sparrow!” declared Will, breaking in. “We seek Jack Sparrow.”

            Laughter erupted throughout the sauna.

            “He’s one of the pirate lords,” said Will, speaking over the derision.

            (Y/N) watched Sao Feng run a hand over his head. They noted the slight tremble with curiosity.

            “The only reason I would want Jack Sparrow returned from the land of the dead is so I can send him back myself!” he hissed.

            It seems Jack left his usual impression on people on Sao Feng.

            “Jack Sparrow holds one of the nine pieces of eight,” said Barbossa. “He failed to pass it along to a successor before he died. So we must go and get him back.”

            “So you admit…you have deceived me,” said Sao Feng slowly. “Weapons!” He drew his sword.

            All the pirates let out a shout and grabbed their weapons.

            “Sao Feng, I assure you, our intentions are strictly honorable,” said Barbossa.

            Through the slatted boards, swords flew up into the air. Barbossa, (Y/N), and Elizabeth each caught one. Barbossa caught the extra for Will. He coughed as Sao Feng narrowed his eyes. Obviously, their intentions had been honorable with a heavy dose of “just in case” dishonesty.

            Sao Feng grabbed a Singapore man and held a sword to his throat. “Drop your weapons or I kill the man!”

            (Y/N), Elizabeth, Will, and Barbossa wore identical expressions of confusion.

            “Kill him,” said Barbossa. “He’s not our man.”

            Now it was Sao Feng’s turn to look confused as he stared at the nervous man.

            “If he’s not with you, and he’s not with us…who’s he with?” said Will.

            “Beckett,” breathed (Y/N).

            Bam!

            The doors broke open the moment the name left them. “Charge!” cried the British. Muskets fired, and the pirates ducked and attacked as best they could.

            Will used the pole he was tied to in order to rush into several men before they could fire. (Y/N) wove through the crowd and slashed through his bindings. Barbossa tossed him a sword. Elizabeth expertly dueled several soldiers at once, and (Y/N) handled their own crowd. They swept through the British, dancing through the attacks aimed at them. They flowed like water from one stab to another parry to a slash to a duck to a kick to a pivot to attack after attack.

            From within the platoon, a familiar face emerged. Mercer stepped out, clad in black, and looked across the room of fighting pirates with his sharp, cruel eyes. They landed on (Y/N), and he raised a gun. It was not a pistol, though. This one contained a small dart to incapacitate its target. Of course, Mercer had a proper pistol at his side. If the child resisted…Well, Beckett said controlled or killed.

            Bang!

            “(Y/N)!” Elizabeth tackled them as she saw the shot.

            It flew over their head and hit the wall. Will ran to their side and hauled Elizabeth and (Y/N) up. Barbossa and Sao Feng cut down several attacks, and the group found themselves fighting side by side. Unfortunately, the British were closing in and had their muskets ready once more.

            “Ready?” said Mercer, preparing another dart.

            (Y/N)’s gaze flicked to it, confused but frightened at what it meant for them.

            “Fire.”

            Boom!

            Instead of the crack of rifles, the floor exploded. The British collapsed back into the hole. The pirates shouted a war cry and stormed onward. Sao Feng grabbed the charts as they ran. The Black Pearl crew ran out from beneath the sauna, fired their pistols, and drew their swords. It was Singapore and Pearl pirates versus the East India Company.

            The fight spread into the streets of Singapore as the pirates fled the British, and shops and carts were overturned as their keepers joined the angry brawl—fists were as much weapons at this point as muskets or cutlasses.

            (Y/N) leapt over a table and slid under another. With a flick of their wrist, they cut through a soldier’s ankle, and he collapsed. Without being able to stand, (Y/N) ended him in another stab before jumping onto another table to gain the high ground. A soldier ran at them, and they jumped to avoid him. They grabbed the tent’s supporting pole, swung forward, and kicked him in the head. (Y/N) landed and darted towards the canals.

            Behind them, a group of soldiers aimed to fire, but the cart behind them exploded. They fell dead and hurtled into the river. (Y/N) grinned behind them, knowing Tia Dalma stood smirking at her plan working.

            They ran beside the canals, waiting to spot another friend to regroup.

            Boom!

            This time not according to plan, a building exploded with a hundred unplanned fireworks. It was right behind them, and (Y/N) flew through the air. Their vision spun between dark and light, and they splashed into the water. They submerged, and their mind cleared. They pushed to the surface and took a deep breath.

            Grumbling, they pulled themself to the walkway.

            “Goin’ for a swim at a time like this?”

            (Y/N) looked up, unamused, at Barbossa. “Putting on a firework show at a time like this?” they retorted.

            Barbossa chuckled and pulled (Y/N) out of the water. Tia Dalma stood next to him and gazed at (Y/N) with a smile.

            “How do you feel?” said Tia Dalma.

            “Wet,” said (Y/N). “But fine.” They had only been temporarily disoriented.

            “I’m sure,” said Tia Dalma.

            Will appeared from round the corner with a group of pirates.

            “You have the charts?” said Barbossa, eyes locking on the bundle in Will’s arms.

            “And better yet,” said Will. He tossed the charts to Barbossa and gestured to the Singaporean pirates behind him. “A ship and a crew.”

            “Where’s Sao Feng?” Elizabeth joined the rendezvous with the rest of the Black Pearl crew.

            “He’ll cover our escape and meet us at Shipwreck Cove,” said Will.

            Barbossa nodded. “This way. Be quick.”

l

            (Y/N) looked back at the fire still burning in Singapore as they sailed away. The water rippled around them as the ship moved smoothly over the water. They held the edge of the ship tightly. They had a way to Jack. They’d find him, the Pearl, and a way to stop Beckett. Freedom would win. It had to.

            “There seems to be a lot on your mind,” said Tia Dalma, joining them at the side of the ship.

            “I’m worried about Jack. What it must be like in the Locker,” said (Y/N).

            “Jack is a man of no constancy, coming and going with the tide. But he is also one of great passion for what he cares for—adventure, life, freedom…” Tia Dalma looked at (Y/N). “But the Locker cannot take his heart. He will lose nothing but his mind.”

            “Which was lost a long time ago,” said (Y/N) with a smile.

            “Then you have nothing to fear,” said Tia Dalma, reaching out and touching (Y/N)’s hand. It was clear (Y/N) was attached to Jack, though how deserving he was of it remained to be seen.

            (Y/N) hummed, and they glanced back at Singapore. “Do you think Sao Feng will answer the call now that it is clear he can be found wherever he hides?”

            Tia Dalma’s expression grew grim. “I cannot say. There is an evil on these seas that even the most staunch and bloodthirsty pirate have come to fear.”

            “We should hope someone will face it instead of fearing it, then,” said (Y/N).

            Tia Dalma looked at (Y/N) with a mysterious glint in her eye. “We should hope.”

Taglist:

@slytherinroyalty16

@aew-kun-age-regression

@grippleback-galaxy

@andsoigotabutterfly

@insomniacneedssleep

@painstakingly-juno

@kitkatlover015

@chronicallybubbly

@froggyisfriend

@elliottheidiot2007

@paastaboi

@urlocalsabito

@speckle-meow-meow

@dmitrytherat

@vanessa-boo

@ohimjustagirlidrathetnotbe

@snowy-violet

@ceridwyn3

@heil-nah

@idonthaveanameforthisacc

[ukrfeminism]

Five mums have died after family courts allowed fathers accused of abuse to apply for contact with their children, a BBC investigation has found.

Some took their own lives, another had a heart attack outside court. 

One mother, whose child was ordered to live with a convicted child rapist, would no longer eat and drink and "gave up living", friends say.

A separate study has found 75 children forced into contact with fathers who had been previously reported for abuse.

In some cases, in the England-wide study carried out by the University of Manchester and revealed for the first time by the BBC, the fathers were convicted paedophiles. 

All the fathers in the study had responded in court to allegations of abuse with a disputed concept known as "parental alienation", in which they claimed the mothers had turned the child against them without good reason. 

Dr Elizabeth Dalgarno, who led the research, says the concept is a "handy tool for abusers" and its acceptance by courts is a "national scandal".

Family law barrister, Lucy Reed KC, says the term is deployed "increasingly frequently" - but doesn't always mean the same thing. "It's quite often used by fathers to mean pretty much anything that is in opposition to their demand for a certain amount of contact."

The 45 mothers of the children in the University of Manchester study all reported serious health problems which they believed were linked to the stress of family court proceedings - including miscarriages, heart attacks and suicidal thoughts.

For months, the BBC has also been examining stories of traumatised women as part of a wider investigation into the way the family courts handle domestic violence claims in disputes between parents. 

Because of the laws surrounding reporting of the court proceedings, intended to protect children, the women's names and some identifying details have been changed.

Dr Elizabeth Dalgarno says parental alienation is a "handy tool for abusers" in the family courts

Domestic abuse commissioner Nicole Jacobs says the "harrowing" cases uncovered by the BBC show there is a need for "urgent and wide-reaching reform" of family courts. Abusers aided by unregulated experts were using "so-called parental alienation" to "deflect from their own abusive behaviour", she says.

The BBC has learned the government is investigating whether further action is needed on "alienation" and - since we made the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) aware of our investigation - the judiciary has issued new draft guidelines for consultation on handling parental alienation claims in domestic abuse cases. But some experts say they don't go far enough.

Grace and the child rapist

Grace was madly in love with her partner at first - friends told the BBC - but later she discovered he had previously been jailed for raping a child. The friends said she was also abused by him.

After Grace and her partner separated, he refused to return their child and accused her of being mentally unwell. He said there was a risk she would "alienate" them from him.

In one message Grace wrote: "It's really bad. He kept my child"

The family court was aware of his conviction but believed the risk to the child could be managed.

One friend said Grace felt disbelieved throughout the court proceedings and "her soul just completely disappeared".

In one of her last messages to her group of friends, seen by the BBC, Grace wrote: "I'm unable to eat or sleep, it's a mess, I hate the family court. Dead dead dead."

Her health declined and she died after the final court hearing, in which her child was ordered to live with her abusive partner.

Another friend told the BBC: "When you emotionally and mentally give up, I suppose her body followed. It was almost like they signed the death warrant. It was 100% the family court."

Speaking anonymously, friends of Grace said her health declined after her child was ordered to live with a convicted abuser

Sarah's story

The case of another mother - who took her own life after two years of family court proceedings - highlights what a drawn-out legal process can do to the mental health of a vulnerable person. 

A published judgement of the case - of the woman we are calling Sarah - details extreme abuse. Before her death, the judge determined in a fact-finding hearing that she had been raped by her partner, who drank excessively and became aggressive. Her partner punched her in the chest, slapped her in the face and threw her against the bannister.

He put CCTV in the house to monitor Sarah and their two children and would not even allow them to use the bathroom without keeping the door open. He also threatened Sarah, saying he would reveal footage of her inside the bedroom.

After she left him, he also placed trackers in her car, the judge concluded. 

Parental alienation was brought up in proceedings, with the father saying he wanted contact with his children. Eventually the father was denied contact, but by then Sarah had killed herself. 

The judge said she had "huge regret" that the proceedings had taken so long and had "evidently been so difficult for the mother to cope with".

Medical emergencies

When another mother died waiting outside the family court, a doctor told the inquest into her death that her cardiac arrest could have been linked to "broken heart syndrome" and the emotional distress of proceedings. 

According to coroner's documents, seen by the BBC, the mother had alleged she was a victim of domestic violence. We understand parental alienation was not a feature of the case, and the woman's children had been removed from her care. 

In another case, friends of a mother who had spent time in a refuge for domestic abuse victims told the BBC she had been so traumatised by her medical records being discussed in the case that she later refused to visit a doctor, even when she had a serious illness.

One friend said the mother had felt like "her ex, an abuser, was in control" in the court - because her former partner had labelled her as mentally ill and accused her of parental alienation, turning their child against him. 

After her child was ordered to live with her former partner, the mother was afraid of being taken back to the family court and losing what little contact she had, another friend said.

The mother became unwell with a treatable illness but sought medical attention too late - and eventually died of sepsis.

Sheila: 'She never recovered'

Parental alienation was brought up by a family court judge in Sheila's first hearing, as a warning to her.

People close to her say she had suffered coercive and controlling behaviour for years from an abusive partner, and had been bombarded with emails, calls and messages at all hours - even after they split.

When her former partner applied for greater access to their child, loved ones urged her to see the family court as a friend - but they now say they bitterly regret that advice.

Before any expert reports had been commissioned, the judge said in their opinion the case involved parental alienation and the court took it extremely seriously.

People who knew her well said she was traumatised by the hearing - which went in favour of the father.

"She felt like she'd go to prison if she did anything wrong," the BBC was told. "She never recovered, she was now controlled by the family courts and her abuser."

Over a year later, she took her own life.

Suicide prevention charity the Samaritans says the causes of suicide are often complex and there may not be a single identifiable cause. But the judiciary in England and Wales has commissioned a report to examine the "potentially heightened risk of suicide" after involvement in family court proceedings.

Researchers studying the family court say they are concerned that claims of parental alienation appear to be increasing in private law cases like these - where one parent takes another to court, rather than an intervention by social services.

The University of Manchester found accusations of parental alienation were the common factor among the 45 women and their 75 children in its peer-reviewed study.

Carried out with the domestic abuse research group SHERA, and soon to be published in the Journal of Family Trauma, Child Custody and Child Development, the research examined the health impacts on abused women facing family court proceedings.

Dr Dalgarno, the lead researcher, says the mothers in these private law cases were not supported in the court. "Credible evidence of abuse was diminished or ignored completely - and when I say credible evidence, I'm talking about criminal convictions," she says.

Labour's shadow minister for domestic violence and safeguarding, Jess Phillips, says women's struggles with family courts are the "biggest issue" in her inbox

Dr Dalgarno says that based on self-reported surveys, it is estimated about 70% of the 55,000 private law family court cases each year involve allegations of abuse - but there is a shortage of reliable data on the overall prevalence of cases where parental alienation has been claimed.

There should be "emergency measures" to tackle the use of parental alienation claims in court, she says. "There are catastrophic health impacts with children and adult victims of abuse considering or attempting suicide."

Labour's shadow minister for domestic violence and safeguarding, Jess Phillips, says she has been contacted by thousands of women who have struggled with similar experiences inside family courts. "It's the biggest issue in my inbox," she says. 

She compares it to abuse scandals such as those in Rotherham or the Catholic Church.

"This isn't a bad judge. This isn't a rogue court in one part of the country. This is a tactic of abusers that is being used across every part of our country." 

The secrecy and power the courts could wield over a person is "delicious to domestic abuse perpetrators", she adds.

In cases where domestic abuse, sexual violence or any form of child abuse is alleged, the presumption of contact should be earned, not given automatically, Ms Phillips says.

She says the use of unregulated experts testifying about parental alienation need to be banned and there should be more data collected on the outcomes of family court cases.

'Complicated jargon'

The term parental alienation was first coined by the controversial US psychiatrist Richard Gardner as "parental alienation syndrome". He claimed mothers in acrimonious divorces brainwashed their children to believe they had been abused by their fathers and recommended completely severing contact to "re-programme" them.

This concept has been criticised for a lack of evidence - but there are those who say it has now been rebranded simply as "parental alienation" and, supported by some psychologists, it has frequently been used by family courts.

Lucy Reed KC, who promotes transparency about the workings of family courts, thinks processes should not be diverted by "complicated psychological jargon" - including the term parental alienation.

She says there needs to be better oversight of how courts are handling such allegations. "If there is domestic abuse, that could explain why the child rejects contact," she says.

Sir Andrew McFarlane, the most senior family court judge, has said the label of parental alienation is "unhelpful"

The President of the Family Court in England and Wales, Sir Andrew McFarlane, has warned the parental alienation label is "unhelpful" - and the Family Justice Council has recently issued new draft guidance for consultation on how to deal with "allegations of alienating behaviour".

It provides a step-by-step guide for family courts hearing parental alienation claims, especially in cases of domestic abuse. It focuses on dealing with evidence and finding facts first before judgements are made. 

But some believe more needs to be done. Earlier this year, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls called for the use of parental alienation to be prohibited globally. 

The Domestic Abuse Commissioner for England and Wales, Nicole Jacobs, says too often courts consider claims of domestic violence and parental alienation simultaneously - which, she believes, is an "unsafe approach" and can put women and children at risk. 

England's Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), which advises courts about children's best interests, referred to "parental alienation" in guidance as recently as 2021, but now adopts the term "alienating behaviours". But it told the BBC its advisers should first consider if factors, such as domestic abuse, mean the child's refusal to see a parent is justified. 

In a statement, the Ministry of Justice described the cases of the women as "deeply tragic" and said that its thoughts were with those who had lost loved ones. It added that improvements had also been made to the family court system to protect domestic abuse victims, such as preventing cross-examination by abusers, expanding legal aid and allowing them to give evidence behind protective screens or by video-link.

[sephirthoughts]

The Ghost of Shinra Manor

Chapter 4 of this

summary: It's been two years-ish since the events of Dirge of Cerberus. Cloud visits his hometown, and investigates a rumor of a ghost, haunting Shinra Manor. If you're surprised by who it turns out to be, you are beyond my power to save, comrade.

tags: g-g-g-ghosts!!! sefikura, sephiroth x cloud, sane!sephiroth (sort of), post advent children, post dirge of cerberus, canon timeline, delusions, intermitten amnesia, low drama, enemies to…whatever the hell they have going on

warnings: references to death, PTSD, child abuse, etc. all of hojo's greatest hits, canon-typical violence

rating: teen and up [BE ADVISED: THIS RATING WILL CHANGE]

Part 4: Resolve

Cloud didn’t check his phone till they were back at the cabin, by which time he’d accumulated a number of alerts.

MISSED CALLS(4): Tifa

MISSED CALL: Barrett

New Messages(5)

He decided to deal with them in order of priority, and opened the messages app first.

Strife: hey what do you know about ghosts

Chadley: Hello, Cloud. It’s good to hear from you. Ghosts aren’t really my area of expertise, unless you’re referring to occurrences of unusual fauna, which are often erroneously reported as ghost sightings. May I ask what this is in regard to?

Strife: like how to identify one and how to get rid of it

Chadley: Hm. There are a number of so-called spirit mediums and exorcists, who claim to be able to detect and communicate with spirits, but since there isn’t an established scientific discipline, I’m afraid the field is fraught with charlatans.

Strife: so there’s no one who knows anything?

Chadley: Don’t lose hope, my friend. It just so happens that an acquaintance of mine is what I would call the world’s foremost lay-expert in spectral phenomena. If there’s anyone who could answer whatever questions you have, it would be him.

Strife: lay-expert?

Chadley: That means he’s highly knowledgeable, but it isn’t his day job.  

Strife: what’s his actual job

Chadley: He works as the concierge for the Haunted Hotel, at the Gold Saucer.

Strife: tell me you’re not talking about that upside-down lunatic bellhop

Chadley: Oh, are you acquainted?

Strife: forget it. i meant someone sane

Chadley: Don’t let his sense of whimsy deter you. That’s his professional persona. He’s actually a very astute and level-headed person. I assure you, there’s no one more knowledgeable in the field.

Strife: really?

Chadley: Indeed. Shall I put you in touch?

Strife: yeah ok

Chadley: Excellent. I’ll give him your contact information. Good luck!

Strife: thanks

Tifa: hey you, just checking in to see how you’re doing. how’s the job going?

Tifa: btw denzy managed to fix that old bike they found. he even rode it around today

Tifa: marley took these pics of him aren’t they cute? .img .img .img

Tifa: good news! i just got off the phone with barrett and he’s going to be in town friday. we’re thinking of having a big bbq dinner for everyone at the bar. you’ll be back by then right?

Strife: won’t be back by friday. something came up i have to deal with

Several minutes passed.

Tifa: i guess there’s nothing you can do when a rush job comes up. when do you think you’ll be back?

Strife: can’t say. could be a while

Tifa: oh i see

Tifa: ok well try not to stay gone too long ok? the kids miss you

Cloud was attempting to formulate a human-sounding reply, when his phone lit up with a new notification.

UNKNOWN: greetings cloud! my name is benjamin hopkins. my friend chadley said you’d like my help with some ghost related information. feel free to give me a call any time, and I’d be happy to assist you however I can.

He stared at his phone screen. A bellhop. Named Benjamin Hopkins. What the fuck ever. Of course that weirdo in the mummy bandages would have a weirdo name.

Sephiroth’s high-school AU version was still wearing the Gold Saucer t-shirt, with the addition of a pair of Cloud’s black jeans, which fit him far too well for Cloud’s liking. At the moment, he was sitting at the camp table, staring into space, because Cloud didn’t have any chores for him to do except wash dishes, and he’d done that already.

“Sephiroth,” Cloud said, giving him a start.

Big, blue-green eyes looked up at him, full of hope and trust. “Yes, sir?”

“If you want something to do, why don’t you go out and chop some firewood, before we’re ass-deep in snow. From the look of things, we’re gonna need it.”

Sephiroth jumped up eagerly. “Yes, sir. How much should I get?”

“Just whatever you can cut while I’m on the phone,” Cloud said carelessly. “The axe is hanging up over there. Shed is behind the cabin. I’ll come check on you, when I’m done with my call.”

“Yes, sir. You can count on me.”

“Sephiroth.”

“Mn?”

“Jacket.”

“Yes, sir.”

“And knock off that sir shit. Call me Cloud.”

“Yes, s—Cloud.”

With a sheepish grin, the boy pulled on the old down jacket Cloud had given him, grabbed the axe, and strode out into the snow, full of determination. Cloud stared at the closed door for a full thirty seconds, after he’d gone, and had to physically shake himself out of the reverie.

Seeing Sephiroth this way was wreaking havoc on his emotional state. The child version had been easy. Similar but unfamiliar. Cloud was able to dissociate him from the mental index he had for Sephiroth, and just see a little boy. The adult version was even easier. He was fully familiar and fit neatly into Cloud’s ‘mortal enemy, hated with the fire of a thousand suns’ index.

The teenaged version was more complicated. This was the Sephiroth who had been his idol and hero, when he was the bullied and ostracized poor kid in this tiny shit town. His reason for never giving up, when things seemed hopeless.

This was the Sephiroth he’d fallen in love with, in the innocent and wholehearted sincerity of childhood. The Sephiroth that a part of him, no matter how forcefully denied and deeply buried, still loved.

He clenched his teeth and swallowed the ache in his throat. If some fragment of himself was still idiotic and delusional enough to harbor anything approaching love for Sephiroth, that was just one more reason to quickly figure out how to end him, once and for all. The sooner the man was gone for good, the better. With fresh resolve, he pulled out his phone and dialed the bellhop’s number.

“Benjamin Hopkins, how can I help you?” said the man’s (not quite as deranged as Cloud remembered) voice.

Cloud sighed audibly. “Is that your real fucking name?”

“No, it’s not,” he retorted. “If you must know, my real name is Subject N-2, and thanks for bringing up that very painful memory. Would you like to talk about ghosts, now?”

“Uh. Sorry,” Cloud muttered. “Is this a good time?”

“Good as any. I’m at work, but it’s a pretty slow day, to tell you the truth, so I’m just hanging around.”

Cloud stifled another sigh. “Did you say that because you’re literally hanging upside-down right now?”

“Eh? Have we met before?”

“Couple years ago. My friends and I were looking for rooms at the hotel. One of them may have been a bit…aggressive.”

“Oh…oh! Are you the little blonde who came in with the giant, the vampire, the cowboy aviator, and a robot cat?”

“I’m impressed you remember us.”

“Ah, ha ha. Mr. Strife, how many times do you think I’ve had an arm-mounted minigun shoved in my face, at my place of employment? Just, ballpark estimate.”

Cloud swallowed. “Is it…one time?”

“Ding ding ding! Correct! Just the one time. So yes, I remember you. A man doesn’t tend to forget that kind of character-defining life and death experience.”

“Sorry about that guy. He has anger issues and trust issues and impulse control issues, and also he’s scared of spooky stuff, so he was acting tough to hide it,” Cloud explained, blithely throwing Barrett under the bus. “But, now that I think of it, I remember you seeming pretty chill about the gun. You didn’t even flinch.”

“Ok, you got me,” the bellhop tittered. “I was exaggerating about the character-defining life and death experience stuff. I’ve been through way worse than that.”

“You have?”

“Yes, yes, it’s all part of my tragic backstory. However! It was highly inappropriate of your friend to threaten a member of the hotel staff with a firearm. Imagine if a normal employee had been the one at the counter, instead. They’d have trauma! I’m sorry to be strict, but for the safety and mental health of the staff and guests, I’m afraid Mr. Barrett Wallace is not welcome on Haunted Hotel premises, until further notice. I hope he takes the opportunity to reflect carefully on his actions.”

“Fair enough. I doubt he’d go back there if you dragged him, anyway.”

“Good. Now that’s settled, let’s talk about your ghost problem. What seems to be the trouble?”

“That’s part of the problem,” Cloud said, feeling a little stupid saying any of this out loud. “I’m not even sure it’s a ghost.”

“Ah, say no more. I happen to have my ‘Got Ghosts?’ checklist handy. Why don’t we go through that, first. More often than not, the phenomena people misidentify as evidence of hauntings are perfectly mundane, explainable things.”

“Um. Ok.”

“Do you have any of the following: shadows or other unexplained movement in your peripheral vision?”

“No.”

“Sensation of falling, while seated or lying down?”

“No.”

“Cold spots in the house?”

“This is Nibelheim. The whole house is a cold spot.”

“I’ll go ahead and check no for that one. Voices laughing, or speaking in whispers/low tones?”

“No.”

“Thinking you hear someone call your name, when alone in the house or with others who deny having done so?”

“No.”

“Scratching or tapping on walls or under floors?”

“No.”

“Sound of footsteps, from empty rooms?”

“No.”

“Lights flickering, or inexplicably being turned off?”

“No.”

“Waking up to the certainty that there is a terrifying presence in the room with you, but unable to move or call for help?”

“No.”

“Pets behaving strangely, and/or interacting with something that is not there?”

“No pets.”

“Objects moved to strange locations, cabinets found open, doors opening or shutting on their own, et cetera?”

“Nope.”

There was a pause. “I’m a little confused, Mr. Strife. If none of these things are occurring, what leads you to believe you might have a ghost?”

“I found a dead person—”

“You found a body??”

“No. Let me finish my sentence, will you? I found a person who I know to be dead, except he’s not acting dead, and he was hanging around in an abandoned basement, naked and crying.”

“He was…that’s uh…wow. A lot to unpack. You’re sure he wasn’t just abducted, and presumed dead? Because, to be honest, that’s kind of what it sounds like.”

“I’m sure. I killed him, myself.”

The bellhop choked audibly. “I—I see. And, uh…the person you found in this basement, who resembles the person you killed—”

“Not resembles. It is him. He answers to his name and knew where he was. But he doesn’t remember me. He seems to be having some kind of weird amnesia, where he’s only getting parts of his memory back.”

“And, um. Not to belabor a point,” the bellhop said gingerly, “but, what makes you think he’s a ghost? I mean, apart from the fact that you claim to have killed him and are definitely one-hundred percent certain that he did actually die.”

“He’s pale. Like, corpse pale. His body is ice-cold. All of it gets kind of transparent, sometimes, but mostly his hands and feet. He has trouble touching things, without his fingers going right through them. And sometimes, when he talks, he fades in and out, like a radio.”

The sound of a pencil scratching, from the other end of the line said enough, so Cloud continued.

“Normal lighting hurts his eyes, so I have to use a gas lantern or just the fireplace. He doesn’t seem to see very well, or maybe he’s just seeing things that aren’t real. Less than two hours ago, I watched him walk straight through a solid wall of stone that he insisted wasn’t there. Also, when I found him yesterday, he was an adult. When I woke up this morning, he was a little kid. Now he’s a teenager.”

There was a beat of silence.

“Mr. Strife—”

“Cloud.”

“Cloud. If you would go this far, just to play some kind of mean-spirited prank—”

“Do I seem like the type of person who plays pranks, Benjamin?”

“Not really,” he conceded. “If anything, you seem to be the 'broody edgelord who takes himself way too seriously' type.”

“That’s not…inaccurate. So, can you help me, or not?”

Benjamin let out a long breath. “Hoo, boy. Let me be honest with you, I thought I was prepared, but none of my usual checklists cover anything like this. That said, your guy actually sounds a lot like a ghost. There are inconsistencies, but if what you’re telling me is the truth, I can’t think of any other explanation. Um. Let me look something up, real quick.”

“Sure, take your time.”

There was another lengthy pause in which Benjamin muttered to himself and Cloud heard pages turning.

“Alright, found it. So, the Cetra believed that the spirits of human beings could be temporarily unable to enter the lifestream, for a number of different reasons. A spirit can’t inhabit its dead body, though, so they show up as disembodied entities, mostly resembling intangible wisps of light. These are what people would commonly call ghosts.”

“But mine’s not an intangible wisp, or whatever,” Cloud pointed out. “He’s actually pretty solid. I even carried him a few times.”

“Right. Hence the inconsistency. The only stories of ghosts being able to take physical bodies and walk around interacting with living people, are from ancient oral traditions, and those were supposedly the spirits of demigods.”

“Ok, back up. Forget about the body thing, for now. What are the reasons someone could be unable to enter the lifestream?”

“Strong resentment, unfinished business, promises to keep—any kind of attachment so strong that it keeps them hanging on, past their time.”

“So, if it was that, what would we do about it?”

“Supposedly, the attachment has to be resolved, then the spirit can be freed and enter the lifestream. For humans. For the demigods…that’s a different story. They were considered to be corrupt beings, so they were rejected permanently. Pretty sad, if you ask me.”

“Corrupt how?”

“Well, demigods are the offspring of humans and gods, which is a big ontological no-no. Gods can’t die, and can’t enter the lifestream, but that’s a whole other thing. The children of an eternal god and a mortal human, therefore, are stuck between worlds. Their bodies can die, but their spirits can’t ascend to godhood, and they can’t join the lifestream either, so they just linger. Some of them go mad and turn into malicious entities, that spread plague and disaster and war, and some just gradually lose themselves, fading but never disappearing. Like Zeno’s paradox, but with existence, instead of infinitely shrinking distances.”

“Shit. That is pretty sad.”

“Yeah, man. Have you studied any mythology? Like, ninety percent of it is a huge bummer.”

“There’s another thing. I attacked him with a sword, when I first saw him. He wasn’t hurt at all, but the attacks backlashed on me, really badly. I’m still recovering from the internal injuries. What could cause that?”

“Huh,” Benjamin said thoughtfully. “A sword attack certainly shouldn’t be able to harm a ghost, but how does it backlash?”

“It wasn’t the blade I hit him with. It was a directed energy spell, using the blade as a catalyst.”

“You used a mana-based attack on the alleged ghost, and it backlashed on you? Holy shit.”

“What?”

“Well, in my experience—I mean, my experience researching ghost-related phenomena, obviously—untethered human souls are extremely fragile. An energy spell should have scattered it, if not destroyed it completely. I’ve never heard of one defending itself, let alone being able to harm a living person.”

“Fuck.”

“Yeah. So, to be on the safe side, maybe don’t do that anymore. In the meantime, are there any other extremely significant details that you haven’t bothered to bring up, yet? Because, I’d really like to just hear it all at once, if that’s ok.”

“Just a few things. He has these memory flashbacks, he gets caught in. He can bring me into them, but he doesn’t know how. It’s happened a few times. Also, when we were sleeping, last night, I dreamed a bunch of random pieces of his memories.”

“You believe he’s a ghost, and you went to sleep, in the same room with him?”

“I just said sleeping. Why do you assume we were in the same room?”

“Were you?”

“Yes. What does it matter?”

“I’m impressed, is all. You’re a different breed than most huma—ahem—most people, aren’t you.”

“He was a lot scarier alive. That’s why I want to figure out how to kill him permanently, as soon as possible.”

“Without killing yourself along with him, you mean.”

“Sure.”

“O…kay. Anything else you haven’t mentioned?”

Cloud opened his mouth to tell Benjamin about the pain in his chest, that had been growing since he approached Nibelheim, and how it had gotten unbearable when Sephiroth started to fade, earlier, but for some reason, he became extremely reluctant to talk about it. “Uh. No, that’s all.”

“Alrighty,” Benjamin said cheerfully. “I’m gonna have to do a little research and get back to you, because, um. Ha ha. I’ve never heard of anything like this situation, in my life.”

“Right. Well, thanks for doing this. I appreciate it.”

“Anything for a friend of Chadley. Hey, just out of curiosity, where’s your ghost, now? You didn’t talk about all of this in front of him, right?”

“No, I sent him out to chop firewood, so we could talk.”

“You sent him to chop firewood. And he just…obeyed you?”

“Yeah. He’s been cooperative, the whole time.”

“Wow. Are you sure you don’t want to keep him? Joking, joking. Oop, got some customers. It was nice talking to you! Bye!”

“See ya,” Cloud replied, but the man had already hung up.

What a strange person. Which, upon mature consideration, was rather unsurprising, for an upside-down bellhop at the Haunted Hotel, who dressed like a mummy for work, and studied ghosts in his free time. Despite all that, Cloud felt inclined to trust him. There was something familiar and reliable, in his aura. Like they’d already known each other.

Cloud’s hyper-tuned hearing didn’t detect any chopping, outside the cabin, so he went out to see how Sephiroth was faring. Fat snowflakes were falling heavily, and the world was still and silent, the way it only gets, when everything is muffled under several inches of snow.

Sephiroth was nowhere in sight, so Cloud went around to the back and stopped short. The woodshed door was wide open, and what appeared to be smoke was billowing out into the cold air.

“Fuck—Sephiroth!” he exclaimed, dashing for the shed.

The boy popped his head out. “Cloud? What’s wrong?”

“What’s going on?” Cloud asked, confused. “What is all this…steam?”

“I filled the shed all the way up, and now I’m using a desiccation spell, to dry the wood out, so it’ll burn better and it won’t rot,” Sephiroth explained brightly.

Cloud peered into the shed, and saw the neatly and tightly stacked wood, already split and free of twigs and foliage. Sure enough, there was a thin layer of yellowish light on all of it, and it was cheerfully releasing steam, like a huge stack of fresh baked buns.

“What about the wood that was already in here?”

“I moved it all to the woodpile, at the front of the cabin.” Misunderstanding Cloud’s expression, Sephiroth’s face fell, “I—I’m sorry, I know you didn’t tell me to do that, but I thought—”

“No, it’s ok,” Cloud interrupted. “I was just surprised that you worked so fast. You did everything right. Good job.”

The beautiful boy lit up like a firework, at that little bit of praise, nearly annihilating Cloud on the spot.

His cheeks and nose were touched with pink, from all the exercise in the cold, which only made him look even sweeter and more innocent, as he beamed up at him. If only he could’ve stayed this way. If only he hadn’t been tortured and horribly abused, until he became the very monster he’d always feared he was.

The moment his heart began to soften, a surge of black bitterness rose up in Cloud’s throat to choke him. How could Sephiroth ever have been like this? He was always beautiful, but he couldn’t have been innocent and sweet, even at this age. He was already a cold-blooded killer, after all. It must be a deception, to manipulate him.

“You look sad,” Sephiroth said. “Is everything alright?”

“You’re turning pink.”

“Am I?” Sephiroth reached up to touch his cheeks, self-consciously.

“Yeah. But why?”

“What do you mean?”

“You’re dead,” Cloud said flatly. “You don’t have blood. So how would your cheeks flush from being cold?”

The boy’s eyes suddenly went hazy and unfocused. “I’m…I’m dead.”

Sure enough, the flush of color drained from his face, leaving his skin waxen white; so translucent, that his veins were visible in his cheeks, as faint, bluish lines. His whole person seemed to wither, and become greyer and duller.

Cloud immediately regretted listening to that bitter part of himself, and lashing out at the boy. Whatever evil Sephiroth had done, this child hadn’t done it, yet.

“Seph…I’m sorry,” he said, gingerly patting the boy’s shoulder. “I shouldn’t have talked to you that way.”

Sephiroth’s skin instantly began to brighten, again, and that dead, grey cast fell away. But now his eyes were dewy and pink-rimmed. “Wh—why did you call me that?”

“What?”

“You called me Seph.”

“Isn’t that how people usually shorten your name?”

“I don’t know.” Two big, round tears rolled down his rosy cheeks. “No one ever has.”

Cloud was utterly at a loss, so he just patted the boy’s shoulder again. “Come on, don’t cry. Let’s go inside. You’re covered in snow.”

They hung up their coats on the hooks by the door, and kicked the snow off their boots, which they set by the fire, to dry. While Sephiroth put more wood on, Cloud was assessing the food supply, in case this storm lasted a while. He wasn’t too worried, though. He’d stocked up well on canned and dry goods, had plenty of fish in the freezer, and could always hunt.

It was no problem for him to traverse the route into town in extreme weather, but that wouldn’t do a lot of good if the town was too snowed in to function. If worse came to worst, he’d go over and clear the main roads. That was work that would be long and arduous for an entire crew of regular people, but with his strength and fire spells, wasn’t even difficult. He’d done it before.

While Sephiroth was bathing, Cloud toasted up some simple, grilled cheese sandwiches, on the skillet, which he cut into triangles. Then he got out a saucepan and began to heat up some milk.

The heavy snow put him in mind of winters with his mother, in their little house, and the rare luxury that was hot cocoa. He didn’t have peppermint sticks or marshmallows, so he sprinkled a little cinnamon on top.

He was just pouring it into the mugs, when Sephiroth came out, in those old sweatpants and another of Cloud’s t-shirts. He’d pulled his damp, chin-length hair back into a mini-ponytail at the base of his skull, which looked ridiculously cute.

“Dinner,” Cloud said.

Sephiroth sat dutifully at the camp table. “What’s this brown stuff?” he asked, wrinkling his nose at the mug Cloud set in front of him.

“Cinnamon.”

“And we drink it?”

“If you want. You don’t have to.”

Sephiroth reached for the mug, which his solid-looking fingers picked up with no trouble. Putting it to his lips, he took a cautious little sip. He froze for a beat. Then his eyes went round and starry and he sucked down every last drop of the warm, creamy cocoa, smacking his lips and ‘mm-ing’ delightedly between slurps.

Cloud nearly spit his own cocoa out, laughing, at the tragic face he made, when he realized his mug was empty. “You like it, huh?”

Sephiroth nodded vigorously. “Mn! I love it! I want to drink cinnamon all the time!”

“It’s called hot cocoa,” Cloud corrected. “Cinnamon is just the stuff sprinkled on top.”

“Hot cocoa,” Sephiroth repeated. “What is it made of?”

“My mom made it with chopped up chocolate and sugar, but I just use the tinned mix. There’s more in the saucepan, if you want.”

Sephiroth’s expression became grave. “Your mother taught you to make this?”

“Yeah.”

“And you’re sharing it with me?”

“Looks that way.”

“Thank you,” Sephiroth said, dipping his head, as Cloud poured more cocoa into his mug. “I feel very honored.”

“It’s just hot cocoa. I’m sure everyone’s moms made it for them.”

“My mother…would have made this for me?”

“Probably.”

Sephiroth fell silent, looking reverent and reflective, as he slowly sipped the cocoa, this time, carefully savoring every mouthful, seemingly lost in his own little world. He didn’t touch the grilled cheese, but Cloud hadn’t expected him to. He was surprised enough that the boy was able to drink the cocoa. He ate both grilled cheese sandwiches, himself, without remarking on it, then went to take his shower.

When he came out again, Sephiroth had washed the dishes and tidied up the kitchen. Cloud had never thought of Sephiroth as someone who would be able or willing to undertake such mundane tasks. He’d only seen the lofty and beautiful hero, standing at the vanguard, sword in hand, sweeping away enemies like chaff on the wind.

This ghost, however, was turning out to be quite the cheerful little domestic helper, willing to do whatever task was at hand, and very good at everything he put is hand to. He’d even piled more wood onto the fire, swept the floor, and tied up the garbage in a neat little bundle, by the door, to be carried away.

Cloud lay down in his bed, but seeing the teenaged boy curled up on the rug, by the fire, wrapped in his one blanket, was too much for his conscience.

“Seph,” he said. “It’s too cold to sleep on the floor. We can share the bed.”

The boy looked up timidly. “Are…are you sure?”

“Yeah, come on. If you get sick, it’ll just be more trouble for me.”

Thus reassured, Sephiroth hurried over in his blanket and threw it over the top of the others, then shimmied in under the covers.

“Oh,” he breathed. “Your bed is so soft!”

Cloud squinted. “Is it?”

“It’s the softest bed I’ve ever been in! It’s amazing!”

“It’s just a futon on a wood frame.”

“What’s a futon?”

“It’s um…a Wutaian mattress.”

For what seemed like a very long time, Cloud lay stiffly on his back, staring up at firelight dancing on the ceiling, and carefully avoiding touching the boy, who was writhing and wriggling about, like he had fleas. At long last, he seemed to get comfortable and settle down. But just as Cloud was closing his eyes to drift off—

“Cloud?”

“Hm.”

“Why does your hair stick up like that, but mine hangs down?”

“Dunno. This is just the way it is.”

“Can I…can I touch it?”

Cloud eyed him dubiously. “Can you touch it? I mean…I don’t know why you want to, but I guess so.”

Sephiroth reached out and delicately prodded the blonde spikes. “It feels just like my hair. I thought it would be more like goat hair.”

“What? Why goat hair?” Cloud scowled.

Sephiroth grinned and kept petting his head, absently scooting closer, till their knees touched.

Cloud’s stomach fluttered nervously, in spite of himself. Yes, he was an adult now, but this was his first love, after all. In his mind, he was suddenly eleven years old again, gazing at a Shinra recruitment poster he’d kept secreted away in his bedroom, daydreaming about what it would feel like to kiss those perfect lips.

“Ok, time to sleep,” he said abruptly, turning onto his side, with his back to Sephiroth.

“Goodnight, Cloud,” Sephiroth whispered, after a few minutes had passed.

“Goodnight, Seph. Now, no more talking.”

THE AUTHOR HAS SOMETHING TO SAY credit to @soundcrusher for the bellhop's name and backstory, which they let me borrow for this fic 🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤

ao3

[shina913]

Percussions | MYG

Pairing: MYG x Fem!Reader

Rating: Rated-R; 🔞 NSFW

Genre: Mafia!AU; Assassin!AU; angst

Summary: Min Yoongi, a former CIA explosives expert, now works as a hired hitman. You contact him to enlist his help in exacting revenge on a family of mobsters who murdered your family years ago. Complications arise when Yoongi finds a personal connection to your case.

Warnings: depictions of violence, namely: a bomb explosion, fist fight, mentions of blood, a gun aimed at close-range; cussing; thoughts of revenge

Word count: 2.1K+

⚠️ Please bear in mind that this is a work of fiction. Still, I'm trying my best to avoid being too explicit about the crime and violence included here. Please proceed with caution! If there is any warning that I've failed to list, please tell me so and I will correct it right away. Thank you!

A/N: This was initially something I had in mind based on this Anon ask but I don't know if it really fulfills it. It sort of turned into something else.

Anyway, I don't know what I want this to be yet. I guess I'm testing the waters as this is the first time I'm trying to write in this type of genre/au. Thanks to @internetjunkdrawer and @itdoesntmatterwhy for looking this over and for pushing me to add nuance to this story. I’m including you in here, too @yoongukie-ff for the overall encouragement 🥹

I hope it's good enough!

Ten years ago, Captain Min Yoongi and Colonel Kwang Chunghee were explosives specialists working for the CIA. After months of planning, they were finally ready to carry out their mission to take down a notorious drug kingpin.

However, while waiting for the car transporting their target, they were surprised to see a young girl in the backseat with him – his daughter. Yoongi instantly knew that this would complicate things and expressed his frustration with the recon team for overlooking this crucial detail.

Yoongi suggests to Kwang that they abort the mission to spare the innocent child. He points out that they have another window of opportunity tomorrow since they have the target's daily routine memorized. Kwang insists that they see it through. "We've watched this guy for months. It's now or never, Min! We need this guy dead, or it's our asses on the line.”

Yoongi hesitates, standing his ground and refusing to harm any innocents.

"As your superior, you need to proceed with the mission, Captain!" Kwang barks at him.

"But what about the girl?" Yoongi argues.

"Fuck the girl!" Kwang yells, ignoring Yoongi's pleas. "She is collateral damage. Now, I repeat, you will proceed with the mission. That's a fucking order!"

Reluctantly, Yoongi obeys. The explosion itself goes without a hitch, but it kills the child in the process.

Yoongi is devastated by the child's wrongful death but brushes it aside. It's all part of the job.

As he walks back toward their vehicle, Kwang ambushes Yoongi by slamming him against a sharp corner of the truck, where he sustains injuries to his face.

“Don’t you dare fucking go against my orders again, Min! I taught you everything I know–and you dare question my authority?” He shouts.

Yoongi, angered by the unprovoked attack, tries to fight back but Kwang pulls his gun on him. He instinctively puts his hands up, his right eye blinded by the blood dripping into it. Must be an orbital fracture.

“Are you going to kill me too, Colonel?”

Kwang smirks. “You’re a specialist, captain. You deserve worse.” He kicks Yoongi in the stomach, making him lose his balance. He points his gun at him again. “I’ll tell the Major General that you tried your best but made a tactical mistake so I had to finish the job for you.”

In his anger, Yoongi makes a grab for the gun. Kwang is caught off-guard, lost in his ego trip, and is outmaneuvered easily.

Yoongi attacks Kwang savagely. “You like watching them die, don’t you? You sick fuck!” He continues to beat him to a pulp. “That’s not what we stand for!”

“Admit it,” Kwang laughs, “You like it, too.”

“My job is not who I am, Colonel. I just happen to be good at it. But you?” He shook his head. “You need to be stopped!”

Yoongi finally backs off and leaves Kwang bloodied and bruised. He takes the first flight out to return home. Upon his arrival, he resigned and reported Kwang's actions to their superiors and the ethics committee. Kwang was subsequently discharged from service.

Yoongi is still troubled by memories of his last mission, despite his efforts to move on. The thought of the child's death continues to haunt him and he feels guilty for what happened. Kwang's words have also left a deep impact on him and he struggles to forget them. He knows he did the right thing by reporting Kwang's actions, but sometimes wonders if he could have done something differently during the mission. 

Going into his assignment, he knew difficult decisions would have to be made. All he wanted was to serve his country and protect innocent lives, even if that meant sacrificing a few bad ones.

Perhaps the end did justify the means.

****** 

Years later, Yoongi lives a solitary life.

He works as a freelance hitman. Some days, he is still haunted by the ghosts of his past. He doesn’t enjoy what he does for a living but the fact was, he was very good at it. Even with an honorable discharge, the pension was shit.

He found an untapped market for his skills and it’s proved to be very lucrative.

Desperate people contact him through an encrypted, closed-circuit online system that caters to assassins and mafia lords. Yoongi specializes in “tailoring” his explosions; building and planting bombs that blow up only the intended target while leaving innocent bystanders unharmed.

But he only takes the cases that interest him.

He fires up his laptop and logs into his personal server, entering a code to access it. It had been months since he last checked his messages. He was losing interest in the business and slowly starting to back away from it.

There were a handful of notes waiting for him, including a few from the same person. The latest one had just come through minutes ago, reading: "Please. Free me from this."

He practically knows your screen name by heart based on your previous online exchanges. He was intrigued by your initial posting and responded to gain some basic information. During his independent investigation, he discovered that not only was there an emotional connection between you and the targets, but their known associates made him mark the job as a red flag. He decided to skip your next few messages and instead moved on to another job that seemed simpler.

Now that he's back, he could clearly see how persistent you still were.

While pondering what to do next, he switches to another open tab on his screen, which shows the current funds he has amassed.

Nine figures. That is above and beyond any amount he has ever had in his possession. He should be content with it. He could cash out and disappear. All he has to do is shut his laptop down and run the self-destruct 'eraser' installed in it to wipe it clean but that was too easy.

The messages you sent to him were desperate and frantic…because you were.

They say you’re the best. Name your price.

I want them dead.

I’m ready to give you all of my money, just help me.

One thing about Yoongi is that, although he is practical and realistic, he’s unafraid to push the envelope. Part of that is due to his ego, and the fact that he is good at what he does. His colleagues in the military said so, and all of his clients in the criminal underworld say the same.

His eyes fixate on the "call" icon on the screen. His cursor hovers over it, hesitating. He never calls any of his clients unless there is a problem with the job or payment, both of which are rare occurrences. He prides himself on always getting the job done and receiving prompt payments.

"What the heck," he says to himself. He’s bored, and he could do the job with one hand tied behind his back. Besides, the money could pad his wallet a bit more.

Finally, he clicks on the call icon. He waits as the line trills on the other end.

After two rings, you answer. “Hello?”

Surprised by the sound of your voice, which is soft and calm, he takes a moment to respond. It’s the opposite of the agitated tone in your most recent message.

“Are you there?” You ask softly, increasing the volume in your encrypted app.

“I’m here,” he finally says. “I just saw your messages.” He lied. He had seen your messages before. He just chose to ignore them in hopes that you’d move on but you just wouldn’t let up.

“I apologize for calling you late at night.”

“No problem at all. It’s not like I sleep these days anyway,” you reply. “Does this mean that you’re picking up my contract?”

He pauses again before answering as if considering his words. Perhaps he thinks you'll take the hint if he's more straightforward. "I don't think I'm the right person to do this for you," he finally says.

You almost whine, "Why not? I think you're exactly the person who can get the job done for me."

He smirks. "And you believe that blowing these people up is the key to your revenge? Why not go to court?"

"The courts are on their payroll," you deadpan.

He pokes his tongue against his cheek and tries to offer an alternative. “I know some other guys. Trained snipers—“

“No,” you say curtly. “Bullets,” you sigh, “...can be imprecise. I’ve waited too long and put up too much money just to miss. I want insurance. I want them to suffer as I suffered.”

This wasn’t a new sentiment for Yoongi. He’s picked up contracts ranging from business squabbles to someone who just wanted to intimidate a rival. It was all very cut and dry.

He wasn’t much for personal vendettas. Too messy.

“I hear you can control your explosions.” You say. “They say that you can shape your charges, create shells to restrict the range—“

“That’s an oversimplification of a very complex and intricate process.” He interjects.

You smile into the phone. It seems you struck a nerve. “Explain it to me then,” you coax him.

“People don’t usually want to hear all that. They don’t care for the details.” Nobody wanted to listen to him wax poetic about different types of detonation cords.

“But I want to hear it. Plus…I like the sound of your voice,” you say smoothly.

“Hm,” he chuckles. “Flattery won’t make me reveal my trade secrets to clients.”

Confidence growing, you say, “Oh, I’m your client now?”

His screen quietly pings with your exact coordinates. He could very well hang up at this moment to let you know that he wasn’t interested in the job. And yet, there was something about you that made him want to stay on the line.

Yoongi leans his head back. He has amassed more than enough money from previous contracts to buy a generous plot of land in the middle of nowhere and retire there. Completely disappear. The urge to quit has been coming up more often. 

But today, he would resist that urge again. Deciding to play coy, he says, “Give me some more time to think about it. I’ll call you back.”

“When?” You ask eagerly.

"I'll send you a message on the server an hour in advance so you can expect it," he says.

As he prepares to hang up, in an act of desperation, you blurt out, "That's not good enough! I need something more reassuring. Is it the money? Do you want more money? I have it!"

"It's not the money—"

"I can help you!"

"And how do you propose to do that?"

"We can work together."

He scoffs. You really are desperate. "I don't need a partner." He always works his contacts solo. He doesn't want to babysit anyone, much less split the paycheck.

"I have an 'in'."

"What do you mean, you have an 'in'?"

Now he's interested. You smile to yourself.

Your target is the most powerful family in the city. Breaking into their inner circle won't be easy, as they have deep, intricate connections. Even the most calculated assassins wouldn't dare cross that line.

But you've spent more than half of your life preparing for this, investing countless hours in planning and scheming. All you need now is a triggerman, and not just any triggerman—you want somebody who can annihilate your enemies.

"I'll show you mine if you show me yours," you tease him, holding back your pocket aces until he calls your wager.

"Listen," he says impatiently, "I don't have time for games."

"You think I'm playing a game?" you laugh humorlessly. "This is so much bigger than that. These people made the mistake of letting me live. I'll make them regret it."

Your agitation continues to build up. You've been in contact with him for nearly a month now, not counting the time he was offline. He was the only one who responded to messages after revealing your intended target. You don't want him to ghost you again - you're so close! You need him. You soften your tone and push your luck again. "Please. Is there anything I can do to seal this deal? Maybe we can meet?"

"I don't meet," he cuts you off, his finger absently grazing the scar over his eye. He glances at the timer on his screen and sees that he's been on the phone with you for nearly two minutes. He makes a mental note to reconfigure his network scrambler once he ends this call. "And I'm already breaking my rules by calling you," he says wryly, but you're still not about to let him off the hook.

"So why then? Why even call me? Why string me along?"

After a few beats, he says, “I was curious to find out what you sounded like.”

“And?”

Yoongi was never one to back down from a challenge. One last job, he thought. And maybe, once he’s eliminated these targets, he could have some of that peace and freedom that you yearned for.

“Turns out, I like your voice, too.”

Main Fic Masterlist

Thank you so much for reading!

If you loved it, please comment, reblog, or send me feedback! 📩. I love hearing from readers! If you didn’t like it so much, I would still like to hear about it. Help me become a better writer! 💜

[coochiequeens]

Australia enough already. This is the fourth story from Down Under in a week.

By Genevieve Gluck August 29, 2024

A high-risk and serial sex offender who preys on children has been accused of running a child abuse ring from within a male prison in New South Wales. Media reports have referred to Dean Angus Bell, 31, as “female” on the basis that he began claiming to be transgender behind bars and adopted the name “Jessica Isabelle Rose.”

On August 27, Bell was arrested at Junee Correctional Facility following a four-month investigation into the production and distribution of child sexual abuse material among fellow inmates. He has been charged with eight counts of producing child abuse material, eight counts of disseminating child abuse material, and knowingly or recklessly directing a criminal group.

As reported by Daily Mail Australia, Bell referred to himself as the “Leader of the Pack,” with the “pack” involving a group of male inmates accused of sharing letters with each other which detailed graphic descriptions of first-hand experiences of sexually abusing children, along with plans to commit additional rapes upon release. NSW Police stated that murder was mentioned in one of the letters.

Bell, currently incarcerated for breaching an extended supervision order by accessing child sexual abuse material, is said to have run the group from his prison cell. He appeared in Wagga Wagga Local Court on Tuesday accused of running the child abuse ring and will return to court in October.

But despite his lengthy record of sexually abusing children, Daily Mail Australia referred to Bell as a “notorious female pedophile” and “Ms. Rose” in their recent report – even though five years ago, a now-deleted Daily Mail article about Bell referred to him as a male.

Bell, who is officially classified as a high-risk sex offender, has been in and out of jail since the age of 18. In 2013, at the age of 20, he was found to have been using social media to groom a 13 year-old boy for sexual abuse.

In September of 2014, Bell contacted a 14-year-old girl, who he attempted to have convince her friend, another 13-year-old boy, to perform sex acts on him in exchange for $100, cigarettes, and drugs. Additionally, Bell was found in possession of child sexual abuse material, and had been taking photos of children in public.

Reduxx also discovered an X account from that period which appears to have belonged to Bell and uses a childhood photo of himself as a profile picture. Posts made to the account show his obsession with Justin Bieber, and Bell inviting followers to participate in video chats with him.

The child sexual predator was then sent back to prison for a minimum of two years and was released on June 19, 2017, but within hours, was discovered to have again tried to establish contact with the same 13 year-old boy. In a text message sent to the boy’s friend, he described being “depressed” at not being able to see the child, and his contact sent him the boy’s phone number. The incident was reported to police by the boy’s mother after she found a text message Bell sent to her son.

Once again, Bell was sent back to jail for 13 months, and scheduled for release in July of 2018.

A risk assessment report on Bell’s behavior conducted by expert psychologists at the time concluded, “Compared to other adult male sex offenders, Bell’s score is in the 99th percentile,” labeling him a high-risk sex offender.

“It is concerning that, despite having spent 21 months in custody for interactions with persons under the age of 18, one of Bell’s first actions after release from custody was to ‘allegedly’ attempt to contact his victim,” the report read.

Disturbingly, the next year, Bell was found to be living next to a day care center, primary school and high school, prompting concerned residents to organize a petition to have him removed from the area. The petition received nearly 30,000 signatures.

Bell is not the first sadistic Australian pedophile to be referred to as a “female” by media, obfuscating his birth sex and misleading readers.

As previously reported by Reduxx, another Aussie predator who was found to be facilitating child sexual abuse while behind bars was similarly treated as a “woman” by both courts and the press.

Robert Gordon Cummins was in custody on child sex offenses at Perth’s maximum-security Casuarina Prison when he devised a scheme to establish a child sex trafficking ring in Thailand upon his release. Along with two other inmates, Cummins schemed to set up a doll-making business called “Little Angels” as a cover, with the intention of employing low-income women from rural areas in order to gain access to their children.

After he was released on parole in 2008, Cummins became the “pipeline” for carrying out the plan, and began researching properties for sale and information about false passports while contacting Thai mothers whose children were being considered for potential abuse. Cummins also sent financial contributions to the impoverished women to build up their trust.

In exchange for pleading guilty, testifying in court, and confessing to the plan, Cummins was handed a reduced sentence of two years and seven months. He was released the day after the trial ended in September 2012, but would go on to be convicted of further sex crimes in later years.

[soapppp]

CW: obsessive behaviour, Yandere au

Graves was a smart man, especially when it came to people. He had a good judgment and was quick to figure what made people tick, what they valued and treasured. Though it was only in his military career that he used these things to manipulate, he was an expert from day one.

So, when he saw Sargent Soap Mactavish�� while Graves didn’t believe in supernatural empathy, he could feel something wrong with the Scotsman instantly. He was unnatural. His laughs were light and floaty, to the point it seemed practiced. His movements were gentle but firm, trained for combat and something else.

It was the drawings that gave it away. Soap drew whenever he had the chance and even painted when able. He was good at it, patient and steady in ever stroke and line. But sometimes he was messy, frenzied and rough like he was desperate to get something out of his head. All prices of art that had this sort of movement to them were of none other than the Ghost. Most, at times all, of Soap’s books would be filled with drawings of the older man. Painted, sketched, doodled and at times photographed.

The notes around the outside of them were cute and sweet, talking about what the two had done that day. Some were odd, talking about what Ghost had eaten that day, how he had spent a lot of time with or near certain people, what he wore, what he said, every point of physical contact between the two. Then, it became depraved and disturbing, talk of sex, forced and not, as well as long lives together with a big wedding and bigger house. Some ramblings talked about not allowing kids, because Ghost wouldn’t want to waste time on anyone else….

Graves knew all of this because he read Soaps journals. He knew this, because he approached Soap late one night and asked him what he would be willing to do for his one true love. He took Soaps answer in stride, even as the other grew more comfortable and became more honest, acting as if him wanting to tie his lover up so they wouldn’t leave was completely normal.

It took nothing more than a photo of an old mansion that Shepard had allowed Graves to obtain for Soap to agree to his plan. He took him to the house, showed him the security system and open space, perfect for a couple looking for isolation. Graves assured him that food and other necessities would be bought to the house so he would never have to leave his lovely Simon.

Soap was the one who drugged the mighty Ghost. He was the one who stripped him of his clothes and requested numerous drugs, aphrodisiacs and ecstasy, so he could better help his partner settle in. He was the one who used money from Shepards account to buy a dozen different dresses and lingerie for his partner.

Soap was the one who shot Gaz in the throat.

Soap was the one who disabled the alarms to Graves men could sneak in.

It was Soap who gutted several men in order to get him and his unconscious lover out, shamelessly sitting in his lap and giggling like a child the whole drive.

All Graves did was give him the opening, Soap did the rest.

After two years he visited the couple, excited to see a beaten down Ghost being tortured by his inferior. He wasn’t surprised to see the amount of hickies all over the man who was once a giant towering over them all, now with a chub to him and little muscle. He was weak, knees having some kind of wrap around them that was visible through the 70’s style dress he was wearing.

Graves was a little disappointed to see that Ghost had succumbed to Stockholm Syndrome, blind to the electric collar around his neck, but as Ghost acted like a servant and didn’t speak a word unless Soap said to… he couldn’t help but laugh and tell Soap he did an incredible job truanting him.

Soap beamed and thanked him, even giving him a long kiss on the cheek and telling him that without Graves, he would never have the love of his life.

Graves smiled back, teeth showing as he saw got the pleasure of seeing the last bit of hope leave Ghost eyes.

[otherpigeon]

Danyla Lavellan - The Inquisitor necromancer

major choices bunch of facts & headcanons under the cut!

Early Life

The Lavellan clan in my canon has no interest in humans, and they are incredibly blood thirsty

They travel from forest to forest, staying in the deepest parts, far away from civilization

Being raised in this environment, Dany is not the easiest to get along with

Her magic manifested at age 10, when she tangled another in thorns because they were teasing animals

She is an only child, and was doted on by both of her parents

Almost to the point where she felt smothered

SO getting to study under the keeper was something she cherished and took very seriously

In fact, she takes most things seriously. If you can make her laugh, you deserve an award

In studying under the keeper, she obviously learned a lot about Dalish history, but she also became an expert in lost magic- specifically shapeshifting

She's used this ability to scout or to scare off anyone who comes too close to camp

Her relationship with her parents remains strained- they still try to treat her like a kid, and she resents them for it. She considers the keeper to be her parental figure

Shortly before the conclave explosion, a couple of Clan Lavellan's young mages had wandered out of the woods, curious about the outside world

A group of templars found them and...well, it didn't go well for the mages

The clan found the young mages, and, being the way they are...decided on revenge.

In Game

They find out a bunch of templars- and the templar leader!- will all be in one place. The conclave.

Dany volunteers for the trip. She's furious & wants to keep the clan protected at all costs

So of course things go badly because why wouldn't they

Dany denounces being the herald any chance she gets

She wants absolutely no part of any of this, and pushes back a LOT. She just wants to go home

In fact, if it weren't for Cass pushing and insisting on recruiting, the Inquisition would be empty and would probably fail lmao

Eventually, Dany realizes she has power. Lots of it.

And she kind of goes on a tyrannical warpath. If you're with her, great, if not...well, I'll pray for you

And everyone is kind of like "what tf did we just do"

Romance

Dany took a lot of comfort in the one other elven mage of the inquisition

She just...really loved being around Solas. She could listen to him talk for days

She just loves learning ok!!! She's super open minded to his theories and ideas, and is incredibly interested in the fade

The only thing she doesn't take kindly to...is the slave marking thing because she is really proud of her heritage. No way they're wrong.

She takes the breakup badly.

She actually becomes softer, she thinks maybe it was because she was too difficult to work with

Aaaand then he leaves for good and she gets worse than she was before she met him. She lost her anchor, lost the one person she trusted and cared about.

So she kinda doesn't care about going off the rails

Post Game

Dany stays with the Inquisition since her clan is gone, and turns it into a powerhouse. It's something people have grown to fear, which leads into "is the inquisition actually useful now?"

She also works closely with Briala to make Gaspard's life hell

And maybe there's a lil fling there but it's very brief and hush hush

(no, she never got over Solas thanks for asking)

After Trespasser she is completely mind fucked. She disbands the inquisition and becomes sort of a recluse in order to reflect on everything

I say sort of because she does try to find Solas. She will help him destroy the world if it will restore elven glory- even if it will cost her her own life

She keeps in contact with Briala (who has become a dear friend), and Leliana

There are very few sightings of Danyla post Trespasser. She uses shapeshifting most of the time to keep a low profile

[sonicasura]

Tachikawa Base was quiet, a rare occurence for all the Troops who worked at the base. Everyone had either fallen asleep or began getting ready to go to bed. Well almost everyone, cause if anyone passed by the Famed Commander of the 3rd Division, they see a soft glow leaking from the door.

Mina should have gone to bed hours ago, she knows that. Hell she's scolded plenty of rookies she found wandering the late hours of the night, emphazing the importance of rest for a Defense Force Soldier.

Heh, She couldn't even follow her own advice.

Letting out a heavy sigh, her attention went back to the reports she had asked for. All the information the Defense Force had on those strange Kaiju that had made there appearence over the past months. Her attention on 3 imparticular ones, ones she had come into contact with.

7# Trick-Djinn: Hoopa: A small and other wise unassuming Kaiju. Sporting three golden rings 2 on her horns and 1 around the waist, along with a seemingly perpetual grin. The body is almost wisp like as there always floating and have no legs, and even have what resembles a small pony tail hairstyle. The bodies color scheme is primarly grey with pinkish-purple highlights. The Kaiju while small has shown itself to boast great power, as their rings seemingly act as a way for them to teleport themselves or about anything else. This has been used too strangely enough move objects or other Kaiju that get in there way or civilians way. The reason is unknown, further more no new information on there abilities has been recorded. Fortitude reading currently unavalible, and due to the little information recorded on the small Kaiju a Fortitude estimate can not be given. All Troops are under orders not to engage due to the Kaiju not showing more of what there capable of.

8# Scarlet Ruler- Koraidon: This Kaiju is another anamoly as they seem exteremly docile, and even let a human child ride on their back for transportation * See report Kaiju Trainer for more details*. This Kaiju sports a reptilian look similar to the dinosaur of the prehistoric-era. Having bright scarlet scales, bright white feathers which at there base have blue and pink adorning the feathers base. A long tail which sports a white streak, running along their neck and tail the Kaiju sports a neck sac which fills with air, same with the one located on the tail. Abilities are still largely unknown and what is known isn't enough to fully gauge it's power. Extreme running speed, swimming capibilities, expert climber, and the most pecuiliar ability using the feathers that adorn there crown, by streching them out to glide for long distances. It should also be noted that this Kaiju posses some form of pyrokinesis, though to what degree is unknown. Fortitude reading currently unavalible, estimated fortitude can not be give due to lack of recorded combat aganist foes.

9# Jetstream Aviator- Pidgeot: An bird-like Kaiju that is big enough to carry a human upon there backs. There feathers are a light brown and cream colored, along with sporting black highlights over there eyes. The most eyecatching thing is the bright sun colored feathers that flow backwards, and have huge bright red tail feathers. It's abilities are very powerful, being able to whip up winds in seconds that would easily match a category 4 Hurricane, along with insane speed as a report detailed the bird Kaiju creating a sonic boom. This alone would put it just shy of being a Daikaiju class, but that combined with everything paints an insane strength and masterful control of Aerokinesis. Fortitude reading currently unavaliable, estimated fortitude is just shy of 9.0. DO NOT ENGAGE UNLESS YOU HAVE A NUMBERED WEAPON!!!

Letting out a sigh Mina put down the report and closed her eyes. Mina was worried, extremely worried for multiple reasons. First the appearence of No.8, now these strange Kaiju, and that kid. It made her afraid, not for herself, but for the young trainer, who had no armor, no training, no way to defend themselves....

Who had some how takin' to hanging around these powerful Kaiju. It made her fuss over the kid to no end, every sighting or update the Defense Force got, her fear raised spiked, always dreading they tell her words she didn't want to here.

The kid was found killed

That kid got crushed by a Honju

That kid was ripped in half and eaten by a swarm of Youju

ThAT KID WAs AnoTHEr LIfe yOU FAILed tO SaVE MiNa

A small nudge broke her out of her rapidly spiraling axiety, as she turned to face Bakko who looked concerned for there friend. Letting a small smile a grace her face as she pet Bakko.

She wouldn't let anyone die on her watch, especially not that strange kid

Poor Mina is ready to just duck tape Trainer to a wall. She probably gonna have a heart attack learning this isn't exactly their first rodeo with danger. I'm ain't talking just about jumping into Dynamax Dens, collecting Herb Mystica, using PokeSpeak or special music like Oracion to ease enraged Pokemon such as Gyrados.

Wonder if the latter will be brought up during a certain incident in the latest episode of KN8.

[felons-hunters-and-poets]

ghosts? oh, sure. we know all about 'em !

oh, the phone's ringing! Someone go get it! not my turn to deal with the clients, guys. ...fine. i'll pick it up. i'm just the leader of this whole thing. not, you know. an employee.

ℍ𝔼𝕃𝕃𝕆?

Rayne and Co. , who is this calling?

Have you been experiencing supernatural effects lately? Oh, then you've come to just the right place. *beeeeep.*

𝚁𝙰𝚈𝙽𝙴 𝙰𝙽𝙳 𝙲𝙾.

supernatural experts ; ghost hunters ; wanted criminals ; demigods ; artists ; forensics ; and monster hunters ; supernatural mediums ; all in one place! Got a dead body in your backyard? Maybe some skeletons in your closet? Or perhaps a monster on your tail? or the FBI? We've got you covered! Solara Alistair ; our resident medium, hunter and artiste ! Estella Fowl ; our resident smartass, strategist and techie ! And Athena Rayne ; owner, forensic expert and genius ! Contact us on this account, and we'll deal with all your hauuunnnting problems! Find us at the Rayne Manor at times [ CRACKLE ]

EMPLOYEE RECORDS -- SOLARA RAE ALISTAIR :

ALIAS: Sol ; Solsy ; Ara.

AGE: sixteen. GODLY PARENT: child of Apollo ; legacy of jupiter ; champion of Thanatos. GENDER: Female. FATAL FLAWS: naivety. SEXUALITY: Bisexual ; Demiromantic. APPEARANCE: dimpled grin ; blonde with brown-ish roots ; wolf-cut ; dull blue eyes ; lean ; shit-eating grin ; a python tattoo winding around her forearm. POWERS: ghost communication ; healing ; luring song etc. NOTES FROM THE EMPLOYER: enthusiastic. Efficient with a bow and arrow. Slightly unnerving. companionable. requested new painting supplies : order them. allergic to cats. Bow and Arrow. "hey, don't worry. the ghosts talk to me all the time. some of them are nice!"

EMPLOYEE RECORDS -- ESTELLA CASSIUS FOWL :

ALIAS: Stella. (note: do not call her estella. will punch you.)

AGE: eighteen. GODLY PARENT: child of Hades ; latent host of egyptian god, Thoth. GENDER: Female. FATAL FLAWS: anger. SEXUALITY: Panromantic ; Asexual. APPEARANCE: resting bitch face ; curly, boyish brown hair ; pale ; glasses ; hetero-chromic. POWERS: necromancy ; shadow travel ; spirit communication ; death touch etc. NOTES FROM THE EMPLOYER: snarky. surprisingly smart when she wants to be. secretive. gets along with solara. has requested new equipment: done. has requested me to fuck off: absolutely not. Can speak Egyptian? (to be looked into). Scythe.

"You know, I would be better at my job, if your freaking computer wasn't a gajillion years old! Tch. My skills are never appreciated."

so we dug up some info on athena -- C'mon, Sols! We've had ourselves exposed, now it's her turn! okay..but i kind of feel bad about this...

ATHENA VINCENT RAYNE :

ALIAS: Athena ; Rayne ; 'Thena.

AGE: Eighteen. GODLY PARENT: child of Jupiter ; legacy of Melinoe. GENDER: Female. FATAL FLAWS: [REDACTED] SEXUALITY: Demisexual. APPEARANCE: dark black hair to her jaw ; glasses ; fangish teeth ; sharp violet eyes ; emotion-devoid expression ; tall. POWERS: Electrokinesis ; photographic memory ; infliction of pain. NOTES FROM THE EMPLOYEES: I like her! She's nice! / Yeah, only to you. / aww, c'mon, stella, she's got it hard! / tch. fine. she's bearable.

𝙏𝙃𝘼𝙉𝙆 𝙔𝙊𝙐 𝙁𝙊𝙍 𝙇𝙄𝙎𝙏𝙀𝙉𝙄𝙉𝙂 ! 𝘾𝙊𝙈𝙀 𝘼𝙂𝘼𝙄𝙉 !

PEOPLE WE KNOW:

@justice-blood-and-tea - Kayne and Atlas ; Fellow investigators ! Tags:

#solara picks up - solara ic #stella breaks in - stella ic #rayne listens - athena ic #rayne and co. - together #phone is ringing - ooc.

WHO YOU GONNA CALL? THE INSURANCE COMPANY, MORONS.

[fortheloveofexy]

76. Did you have any ideas that didn’t make the final cut of [into the deep]? 🫶🏻

Oh yes, plenty!! There are some I can't talk about because spoilers, and there are some that won't make it into the main fic (at least, not directly) but they will appear in some of the spin-off one-shots from Andrew's POV.

One thing that I can tell you about is some of the background lore on merfolk biology. This is a tiny sneak peek of what will be in my full writing notes PDF.

Merfolk Biology

Merfolk biology consists of an amalgamation of traits from humans, dolphins, spiny fish and sharks. While their tails, scales and dorsal fins are similar to that of many bony fish species, they have intelligence equal to that of humans and dolphins, and like dolphins are capable of echolocation. Like sharks, they have an impressive healing factor and their immune systems are quite strong.

They are overall tougher and harder than humans are and, like sharks have a higher pain tolerance. Their teeth, while similar to those of humans, do have some differences. They have eight canine teeth instead of four, and their teeth are more resistant to bacteria.

However, they lose their baby teeth and grow in their adult teeth the same way that humans do. Their lungs are also almost identical to humans’, as are their hands and upper body skeletal structures, leading some experts to believe that they may have at one point branched off from human evolution and returned to the seas. In comparison, their gills are quite rudimentary, and thus are theorized to be a more recent adaptation brought about by mers migrating into deeper waters in order to avoid contact with humans.

Life Cycle

Merfolk, like humans, give birth to live young. Baby mers (known as “merlings”). Due female mers having a narrower birth canal, merlings have a shorter gestation period than a human fetus (5 months) and are born about half the size of a human infant. Their gills do not work very well for their first few hours of life, and so adult mers (usually their parents) will help them breathe until their gills are fully opened. Merlings are not capable of swimming independently on their own until they are a year old, so they will cling to their parents dorsal fins.

Mer pods will also often give birth in shallower waters where they can easily surface, or in underwater caves with natural air pockets, as this shelters their young from some of their most dangerous predators. However, humanity’s continued attempts to hunt them has made this practice much more risky.

Much like humans, it takes merfolk a long time to reach full adulthood, and so pods are structured around communal child-rearing and caretaking of merlings is shared amongst all adult mer.

Variations

There are two known varieties of merfolk – reef mer, whom are more commonly found in shallow waters and sport colorful, vibrant scales, and deep sea mer, whom are often plainer and darker in color, but also have bioluminescent markings on their cheeks, fins and tail.

While there are a few differences in these two types of mer, they are not considered genetically different enough to be different species, and their diets and behaviors are considered to be largely the same. As such, they can and occasionally do interbreed, though it should be noted that pods are largely not intermixed between the two types. This is mostly due to their differences in their preferred habitats, though some reef mer do regard deep sea mer with some suspicion and wariness.

[knifedancer]

Winds of Change - Salt Ending

You've selected the SALT ENDING!

Trigger Warning: obsessive behaviors, implied mania.

Go Back | Dark | Hope | Bittersweet

~~~~~~~

When the storm finally cleared, Felix left his amok-made shelter behind and carried the weakened, unconscious girl in his arms to safety. Through thigh deep flood waters and around piles of debris. Past knocked over cars, damaged storefronts, and other stupefied survivors. It took almost an hour but, at last, he found a hospital that had most of their operations in functioning order. While doctors and nurses attended to Marinette, he never let her out of his sight and remained steadfast at her side – her dedicated protector. He had managed to contact Adrien – who had already been evacuated by Gabriel against the model’s wishes – Felix was sending periodic updates to his cousin when service was available. The storm had taken out many of the towers nearby and the remaining network was overwhelmed by the sheer volume of users attempting to check in on those in the affected area. The medical staff assured him that the young designer was simply concussed, chilled, and lightly injured but, thanks to his quick actions, would make a full recovery. After being treated for his own minor injuries, Felix breathed a shaky sigh of relief once they were alone. Taking a seat at her bedside and delicately holding her smaller hand in his, the blond gazed into her pale face. She was still unconscious, but a kindly nurse had suggested he talk to her so that she would know he was there. "You scared me back there... I thought we lost you," he could feel two sets of paws tap comfortingly against his leg from within her discarded satchel he had dutifully carried for her. In the hours since her reveal, Felix had built somewhat of a rapport with Tikki. Her bright blue eyes spoke of a wisdom developed over many millennia, yet she still retained the hopeful exuberance of a child. He was no longer surprised that she had caused the storm to develop into, what meteorologists were calling, a ‘frakenstorm’ that behaved more like a hurricane without a discernable eye. Experts could never know it was caused by a tiny pocket goddess that simply wanted to protect her holder. It certainly gave Felix a newfound respect for the power of Creation! Through their interactions, he had come to realize that Ladybug's kwami was as kind and caring as the bluenette laying before him. Now that he knew the girl behind the mask, he could not imagine a more fitting candidate to fill her spotted shoes. Felix had known Marinette was a bastion of light in this dark world but, now knowing her identity, he finally realized just how bright her very existence was... How cleansing and purifying, that even the shadows deep in his heart seemed to have fled in her presence. While Argos had protected her part-time and had distanced himself from her out of respect for his cousin, he found that just a scant few – if apprehensive – hours in her presence had changed so much. The bluenette inspired people around her to be better versions of themselves and damn if he wasn't now among them! He squeezed her hand gently as he murmured, "I know your enemy's identity, but you'd never believe me. You don't trust me – not that I blame you with how atrocious I've acted." Felix chuckled and brushed a piece of hair from her brow with his free hand, reflecting on each of their interactions with a new perspective. "I will find a way to build that trust with you and then we'll take him down together. I swear it."

He silently hoped that he could earn her forgiveness as well. ~~~ Chat Noir’s POV: Four Months Later ~~~ Chat Noir reflected on the past few months of his life while Ladybug and Argos playfully sparred on the dark Parisian rooftop. In the time following the disastrous trip to China, the peacock holder was seen joining the fight against Monarch in Paris. Ladybug and Chat were wary at first but, as battles became harder and more complicated, Argos remained a constant companion to the two heroes. Two months on, Chat's doubts were dispelled after witnessing Argos sacrifice himself during a particularly hard battle, taking a fatal blow for LB. The cure had brought him back and healed his wounds, but the black-clad hero could still vividly recall the pool of blood and feathers in the street... So much blood. After watching his cousin die such a gruesome death, the cat boy now understood firsthand how LB had felt whenever he had lost his life to an akuma. Both he and his lady had had tears in their eyes after that fight. Chat recalled the spotted heroine had swung down to Argos' recovered form in a fury while her earrings' timer blared. She had screamed at him and jabbed a pointed finger into his chest with each word of the lecture, before pulling him into a tight yet desperate hug. The peacock user had looked shocked and contrite as he hesitantly returned the embrace; supporting her as she shook from silent sobs. That wasn't the only time he sacrificed himself either, just the most jarring. To the consternation of both heroes, the purple-suited teen seemed to have become even more of a shield than Chat had been! A slowly building camaraderie had formed between the three as he also began to join them on patrols. He had proven himself to be smart, reliable, respectful, and strong. A true holder of the Peacock. 'Felix seems to be truly becoming a good person,' Chat thought to himself. Adrien had been disappointed to discover that his cousin would remain in hiding in his civilian form, wishing to get closer to Fe without the mask as well. He understood though: Argos' identity was essentially public knowledge at this point. Monarch could attack him or Amelie or even put Adrien in danger if they were seen together. At least Chat could be closer to the taciturn blond. Adrien had caught Felix watching over Marinette in his Miraculous form as well, camouflaging himself in the shadows on rooftops or sending a small sentimonster spy so as not to call attention to himself. Adrien had asked Felix to help protect her from danger months before and, while Argos had done so occasionally, his efforts had redoubled since their aborted senior class trip. It was suspicious and odd for him to take such an interest in someone… But then the model had seen Argos slipping the injured bluenette away to safety at the beginning of an akuma attack only a couple weeks after their return from China. He had given chase as Chat, hissing and ready to protect his princess, but instead found out his cousin was just looking out for her. Marinette, now nervously sporting a small feather-shaped pin on her jacket lapel, quietly confirmed to Adrien later that day that Argos had decided to become her version of Le Gorilla since Felix saved her from that horrible storm.

Oh, how he hated that pin. It was as if Argos had marked her as his hen, she willingly wore another man’s symbol! Not that he could tell her that her beloved model boyfriend was also a superhero… Still, Adrien could not stand that pin! He wanted to rip it right off her lapel and throw it into the Siene. Marinette was his, not Felix’s! Worse, Chat had even caught the two of them on her balcony several times… That was his spot! He growled in anger, his eyes glowing a toxic green as the young designer laughed at some joke Argos had made while they leisurely sat on the deck chairs under the stars. Quite a few rooftops sported deep claw marks by daybreak and Plagg had started giving him concerning stares... The model was seething possessive livid not entirely thrilled with the idea but was grateful that his girlfriend – the best girlfriend a boy could ask for – would at least be safe while he was distracted being Chat Noir. He hadn't even had the chance to spend much time with her... He wasn’t even allowed to see her while she was in the hospital! His father seemed not to approve of their relationship. She was beneath them, a simpleton, a passing interest that would fade. She was too clumsy and would be an embarrassment to the brand. Agreste Sr. wanted someone perfect, wealthy, well-behaved, easily controlled. Instead of flat-out forbidding Adrien from seeing her, Gabriel simply made his schedule impossible to get away. Months of cancelled dates, interrupted phone calls, and missed anniversaries...they hadn’t even had their first kiss yet! At least he could see Mari at school...even if Lila seemed to constantly get in their way now, separating them every chance he got near the young designer. The model ignored the way her eyes dimmed as he was pulled away or made yet another excuse.

'Thank goodness Felix was there for her in my stead and quietly supported her through her recovery,' the boy thought blithely. Although his cousin was being too friendly…

Adrien would make it up to her eventually!

Sure, Gabriel kept setting him up on those dates with debutantes of respectful families. Floosies he was forced to ‘wine and dine’, pose for photographs, give them special treatment and gifts… Adrien was just doing it to appease his father. Marinette definitely understood! So what if he hadn’t been able to see or text her much in the last few months? When was the last time he had texted her anyway? Last month? She understood why he couldn’t be there to help her with her recovery; of course, she would understand he was doing all this for them.

He just needed to work even harder to convince his father to accept them, to see how great Mari was!

Yeah, it was just a matter of time! What’s a few months apart when they have a lifetime ahead? And once he became a legal adult, they could finally move to that island he always dreamed about… The cat hero was drawn from his increasingly discordant thoughts by the sound of Argos and Ladybug sharing a laugh after their match, trading lighthearted quips. Chat smiled as the two exchanged a warm look that he understood all too well. 'I'm glad they've gotten close. It's good that she's found someone. She deserves to be happy.'

And maybe this means Felix will leave her alone now…

With a soft lovesick sigh, he turned his toxic green eyes towards the darkened T&S bakery in the distance. 'My lady will always hold a special place in my heart, but I have Marinette now...'

‘She’s MINE, no one else’s.’

~~~~~~~

Go Back | Dark | Hope | Bittersweet

[ukrfeminism]

A pilot scheme to allow journalists and legal bloggers to report cases from three family courts in England and Wales is to be extended to almost half of the courts in the countries.

From 29 January, coverage of cases at 16 more family court centres in England will be permitted.

This means 19 of the 43 centres in England and Wales will be part of the Transparency Pilot.

Families and individual social workers will be anonymous under the scheme.

However, reporting can include the names of local authorities and some experts, once Transparency Orders are granted.

For the first time in these courts, reporters will be able to speak to families about their cases, quote from documents and describe what they see and hear in court.

Sir Andrew McFarlane, president of the High Court's Family Division, described the move as a "huge step to increase transparency and improve public confidence and understanding of the family justice system".

He urged the media to come to the family courts, to see the "vital and challenging work" that is done there.

Journalists and legal bloggers will be able to apply for Transparency Orders in Liverpool, Manchester, West Yorkshire, Hull, the Midlands, Dorset, Truro, Luton, Guildford and Milton Keynes, as well as in all of London's family courts.

Initially, reporting will be limited to "public law cases", where judges are deciding whether children should be taken into care.

As happened in the pilot centres of Leeds, Cardiff and Carlisle, reporting will be extended later to "private law cases", where parents are separating. It will also be allowed eventually at magistrates' hearings of family cases.

During the past year, the BBC has reported extensively from the pilot courts, including a series of in-depth pieces on individual stories on Radio 4's Today programme.

Another piece, by BBC Look North, focused on an abuse survivor's legal fight to get her children back.

Our report on a mother trying to remove parental rights from her child's paedophile father led to calls to change the law.

Cathy Ashley, of the Family Rights Group, which supports many families in these cases, said she "warmly welcomed" the extension.

She said it would help parents understand the system, and provide a "mechanism" to ensure it was "accountable and transparent". She said it should be backed by sufficient resources, and that children and their families should be central to any evaluation of the scheme.

Lucy Reed KC, a family barrister who founded the Transparency Project 10 years ago, said this was a "very significant development".

She called it a "major opportunity" for the media and legal bloggers to help the public understand how the family court works, "what it does well, and where things need to change".

There has been criticism of the family courts, and calls for greater transparency, for decades.

Family judges have the power to make some of the most drastic interventions in people's lives, as they can take children away from their parents and place them in care or up for adoption.

Where parents are separating, these courts decide where children should live, and how much contact they should have with each parent. These cases often involve allegations of domestic abuse.

[morbid-dreamzz]

(unfinished drawing ↑)

@capriciousbuzzsawshark hey uh since you asked so nicely about her... I tried to do something

Idk how to write bios so this is a mess, sorry!!! .⁠·⁠´⁠¯⁠`⁠(⁠>⁠▂⁠<⁠)⁠´⁠¯⁠`⁠·⁠. Long pile of text, beware

Full name (in japanese order): Nema Sune

Age: 12

Personality wise, Sune is generally pretty chill but kind of awkward. Though, she can be snarky as fuck and has a strange sense of humor, which she unconsciously uses to cover her constant and profound sadness. She may come off as mean sometimes despite not having the intention to hurt others; it may not look like it, but Sune is really appreciative of the people she cares about it. She's just kinda bad at expressing it '^^

*coughs* Sune is a literal accident. She is an unwanted child whose parents only decided to have due to social pressure, this only has made her life worse as she has been emotionally neglected by them since birth. She has learnt to take care mostly by herself, but It's because of this she has difficulties socializing and regulating her own emotions. She has pretty much been lonely her whole life, additionally her classmates often shushed her away for being a crybaby when she was even younger. The only person who helped her was a teacher, but she lost all contact with her when she got "homeschooled" at age 10.

To fuck up things even more, she has always been kind of lazy but it got worse when she started showing symptoms of narcolepsy at age 7. This is the actual reason she's so drowsy all the time hahan't (she most likely has narcolepsy type 2). God's sleepiest soldier 🧍

Additional info that is incredibly irrelevant;

The outfit she wears in almost all of my drawings is just her pajamas e_e

Has an interest in web design (she's not an expert at coding but she could make pretty Tumblr themes if she wanted to 😈)

Has had unrestricted internet access since she was 3 (help)

Physically weak/fragile

Can't swim lol

Is a sleepwalker

↑for some reason she's better at specific activities when she's asleep?? I thought that would be funny sorry

Has a terrible sleep schedule (more like, she doesn't even have one)

Does have a deck but I haven't thought about it enough sorry 😔

Was introduced to duel monsters thanks to that one teacher that actually gave a shit about her

JUST WANTS TO BE LOVED BUT CAN'T ADMIT IT

Just give her a hug. Please

If you're wondering why tf she knows Nail WEEELL they met before he was dragged to Goha's basement undergound "garden of providence".

I can't explain properly whatever they have going on since it's complicated & that's another subject, I guess?

[familylawyeradelaide]

The Role of a Family Lawyer in Adoption Proceedings: What You Need to Know

Adoption is a life-changing event that brings joy and fulfillment to families while also presenting legal complexities that require careful navigation. Family lawyers play a crucial role in guiding prospective adoptive parents through the adoption process, ensuring compliance with relevant laws and regulations while prioritizing the best interests of the child. In this article, we'll explore the vital role of a family lawyer in adoption proceedings and provide valuable insights for those considering adoption.

Understanding Adoption Proceedings Adoption is the legal process by which a child becomes a permanent member of a new family, with all the rights and responsibilities that come with it. Adoption proceedings involve various legal steps, including:

Preparation and Assessment: Prospective adoptive parents undergo thorough assessments, including background checks, interviews, and home studies, to determine their suitability and readiness to adopt.

Consent and Termination of Parental Rights: In cases where the child's birth parents are still living and have parental rights, their consent to the adoption is typically required. In some instances, parental rights may be terminated by court order due to factors such as abandonment, abuse, or neglect.

Court Approval: Once all necessary legal requirements are met, adoption petitions are filed with the family court. A judge reviews the case and issues a final adoption decree, legally establishing the adoptive parent-child relationship.

The Role of a Family Lawyer Family lawyers play a multifaceted role in adoption proceedings, providing guidance, advocacy, and legal representation at every stage of the process. Here's how a family lawyer can assist prospective adoptive parents:

Legal Advice and Guidance: Family lawyers offer expert legal advice on adoption laws, procedures, and requirements, helping prospective adoptive parents understand their rights and obligations throughout the process.

Documentation and Paperwork: Adoption involves extensive paperwork, including adoption petitions, consent forms, and legal agreements. Family lawyers assist in preparing and filing these documents accurately and efficiently, ensuring compliance with relevant laws and regulations.

Representation in Court: Family lawyers represent prospective adoptive parents in court hearings, presenting their case to the judge and advocating for the best interests of the child. They address any legal challenges or concerns that may arise during the adoption process, striving to secure a favorable outcome for their clients.

Negotiating Consent and Adoption Agreements: In cases where parental consent is required or adoption agreements need to be negotiated, family lawyers facilitate discussions and negotiations between all parties involved, including birth parents, adoptive parents, and adoption agencies.

Post-Adoption Legal Support: Even after the adoption is finalized, family lawyers continue to provide ongoing legal support and assistance to adoptive families, addressing any post-adoption legal issues or concerns that may arise.

Ensuring Compliance with Adoption Laws Adoption laws vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, and navigating these legal complexities requires the expertise of a knowledgeable family lawyer. Family lawyers stay updated on the latest developments in adoption law and ensure that prospective adoptive parents comply with all legal requirements and procedures throughout the adoption process.

Conclusion The decision to adopt a child is a profound and life-changing one that comes with legal responsibilities and complexities. By enlisting the services of a skilled family lawyer, prospective adoptive parents can navigate the adoption process with confidence, knowing that their legal rights and the best interests of the child are being protected. Contact a reputable law firm specializing in family law to receive expert guidance and support in your adoption journey.

[sapphodera]

Juno Shepard as a Companion

From the template by @luckyspacerabbit! Putting under a cut because this is long.

Name: Juno Friedmann

Alias: The Ghost

Birthdate: 5/11/2154 (31 yrs) 

Class, Specialization: Infiltrator; Sniping and Reconnaissance 

Weapons: Sniper Rifles, Heavy Pistols

Powers:

Active: 

Tactical Cloak - Juno can employ a light-bending technology that renders her invisible for a limited time, at the cost of health and shield regeneration.

Rank 4 Evolution: 

Option 1: Shadow Shield - While Juno’s tactical cloak is active, the rest of the squad gets boosted shield capacity and regeneration. 

Option 2: Wraith - Juno’s weapon damage doubles when her tactical cloak is active. 

Decoy - Juno places a flashing decoy that mimics the glare of a sniper’s scope. This will distract and confuse hostiles, drawing fire away from the real Juno. 

Recon Drone - Juno deploys a cloaked reconnaissance drone, which will highlight enemies and make their silhouettes visible through walls and cover.  

Passive: 

Phantom Soldier - Juno’s extensive training and experience increases her hardiness and stamina. Cooldown times are reduced and Juno’s health is boosted. 

Armor: 

Pre-Loyalty: Juno wears light armor to maximize her mobility. She wears armor plating over her boots and kneecaps. Her shirt and pants are made of high strength fabric, with additional padding. A harness and belt keeps her guns and ammo together. She also wears a cloak made of camo-patterned fabric. A neutral color scheme makes it easier for her to blend into her surroundings. 

Post-Loyalty: Her outfit is recolored into an all black color scheme, with the addition of a long-sleeve undershirt. Her cloak is gone, and she has a line of black face paint under each eye. 

Origin: Ex-Alliance

Codex Entry: Juno Friedmann, a human sniper, was the child of two Systems Alliance officers. Her mother, a soldier, and her father, a pilot, raised Juno on various space stations and ships as their postings changed. At eighteen, Juno followed in her parents footsteps and enlisted. 

Juno proved to be a capable soldier, eventually becoming an N7. She was on track to becoming a commander when her ship was attacked by a group of pirates. Despite the crew calling for support, Juno was the only survivor. After learning that their backup was delayed due to prioritizing the escort of a retired general, Juno left the Alliance. 

Eventually Juno put her skills to work and became a vigilante. Traveling across the galaxy, Juno hunted down and killed those who she believed harmed the innocent. An excellent survivalist and marksman, Juno would often track her targets for weeks across remote lands before eventually killing them at long range. Her enemies and admirers alike nicknamed her the Ghost, due to her anonymous identity and the fact she was rarely spotted. 

Psychological Profile: Sole Survivor

Codex Entry: Shortly after graduating from the N7 program, Juno’s crew was assigned to transport a shipment of element zero to an Alliance research base. Pirates attacked the ship, attempting to steal the high-value cargo. Juno contacted a nearby Alliance vessel for backup, but they delayed in helping in order to secure a retired Alliance general’s transport to the same research base. When they eventually did arrive, Juno was the only member of the crew left. She survived by hiding in the ship’s maintenance shafts, where she remained undetected when the pirates boarded the ship. 

Due to the commander of the ship sacrificing herself by intentionally setting off a grenade inside the vessel, all the pirates were killed. Juno and the element zero were recovered by the other Alliance ship. When she learned why their backup was delayed, Juno resigned from the Alliance. 

Recruitment Dossier Text:

The Ghost

- Expert crack sniper 

- Capable of surviving in harsh wilderness

- Uses sniper rifles and recon to track targets and kill them at long range

A woman believed to be the Ghost was spotted helping a wounded man outside the colony Perseverance. Intel shows that she intends to kill the colony’s leader, who is hiding information about the planet’s volatile storms. 

Recruitment Mission ME2: 

Juno is recruitable in the first round of dossiers, along with Garrus, Mordin, etc. 

Shepard and their two squadmates will be sent to the planet Ontarom (the one from ME1 with the space cows). 

When the squad touches down Shepard will be free to explore a grassy clearing on a large, rocky hill. It overlooks Perseverance. Here, you can again encounter the Shifty Looking Cow. Eventually the squad will come across the remains of a fire and a dead space cow. EDI will conclude that the animal was killed less than 48 hours ago, and that the Ghost probably used it as a food source. 

At this point the squad will be attacked by a pack of wild animals. After dispatching them, the squad will come across a small cave. Going inside will result in discovering a colonist who injured himself when rock climbing. He will unintentionally reveal that the Ghost helped care for his wound, after which Shepard can interrogate him for more information. 

Charm: “If you just tell us where she went, I’ll contact your colony and have them get you out of here.”

Intimidate: “Do you want me to report you to your colony officials for interfering with the business of a Spectre?” 

Both methods of interrogation will result in the colonist telling Shepard what direction the Ghost went in. He will also suggest that Shepard remain hidden, as the Ghost will see the squad approach and likely shoot them upon discovery. 

When Shepard emerges from the cave and follows the path that the colonist suggested, they will find themselves in another clearing surrounded by cliffs, which also overlooks the colony. The glint from the Ghost’s scope will be visible. 

To approach the Ghost, Shepard has two options: They can sneak up on her, or walk into the clearing alone and fall when the Ghost hits them, as Shepard’s shields and armor will protect them from becoming seriously injured. If you sneak up on her Shepard will hold her up themself, or if Shepard plays dead their squadmates will. Regardless, the Ghost will surrender once she’s been captured. Her appearance is hidden by the recon hood she wears. 

The Ghost: “You’re not colonists. Who the hell–you’re Commander Shepard! Shit, I guess the rumors really were true. You here to arrest me?”

Shepard: “That depends. Do you want to help me solve a problem the Alliance is ignoring?”

The Ghost: *Laughs* “Like I’d work for Cerberus. You don’t think I know what they’ve done? Do you know how many of them I’ve killed?”

Charm: “Entire colonies are going missing, and the Alliance doesn’t care. Cerberus does. We’re going to find out what happened to them and stop it.”

Intimidate: “Whole colonies–men, women, children–are disappearing. Cerberus is going to put a stop to it because the Alliance won’t. Do you want to help, or stand idly by?” 

After some more convincing, the Ghost will explain that she’ll consider joining Shepard but her business on this planet is still unfinished. She explains that she intends to kill the colony’s president, who is hiding how dangerous the planet is in order to keep the colony profitable. When he is killed, the Ghost’s contact will be able to reveal new research that suggests the planet’s storms will quickly become much more dangerous than expected. 

At this point Shepard can either refuse to help her (which will result in Shepard leaving and the Ghost not being recruited) or agree to help her. The Ghost will give Shepard the controls to her drone (named “Spot”), which is capable of scanning lifeforms and drawing their attention with a speaker. The drone, which has its own tactical cloak, will not be spotted by the colonists. 

This will put the player in a sort of minigame, where the screen will show the drone's camera. The player will then have to maneuver the drone throughout the colony until they identify the target. Then the player will use the drone’s speaker (which plays an Asari pop song) to draw the target outside. At this point, the Ghost will eliminate the target with a headshot. 

As the Normandy’s shuttle touches down, the Ghost will remove her hood and tell Shepard her real name: Juno. At this point, Shepard can ask her questions. 

>Why did you leave the Alliance?

Ans: My ship was transporting eezo when pirates attacked. We called for a nearby vessel to back us up, but by the time they arrived I was the only one left. Later, I found out the reason they took so long. They decided it was more important to finish escorting a retired general before helping us. I resigned right then and there. 

>Why did you risk giving up your position to help that colonist?

Ans: *Shrugs* He was hurt. What was I supposed to do, let the animals eat him? 

>What happens to the colony now?

Ans: I don’t know. A lot of people will probably leave. It might become a ghost town. But I think that’s a lot better than innocents dying in a freak storm just to pad the wallet of some politician. 

As they board the shuttle, Shepard asks one more question:

Shepard: “This is a suicide mission. I don’t want you unless you’re serious about this.”

Juno: “Don’t worry, Commander. I’m already a ghost.” 

Where Are They On The Ship ME2:

Juno joins Kasumi in the port observation deck. Juno has rearranged the cushions on the other couch into a fort, where her sleeping bag lies. A small stack of books and a datapad are next to it. Spot hovers nearby. During cutscenes with Juno, Kasumi will be absent (or cloaked). 

Between missions, she can be asked about:

Her time in the Alliance

Why she left

Her old commander

Her parents

Her time as a vigilante

Any interesting stories?

Why the mask?

Her sense of justice

Her distrust of authority

Her empathy for those ignored by authority

Her rifle

A Normandy upgrade that will allow it to remotely hack Alliance ships—Juno explains she found it on a job. 

Loyalty Mission: 

Kelly: “Juno said she wants to speak to you as soon as possible.” 

When speaking with Shepard, Juno will ask that they go to Illium so she can buy an illegal mod for her rifle. If prodded further, Juno will dodge Shepard’s questions. After the Normandy docks on Illium, Juno is nowhere to be found. EDI informs Shepard that she has already left the ship. After leaving the Normandy, Shepard will question the Nos Astra Concierge, who tells them that she saw Juno steal an empty taxi shuttle and fly off. 

At this point, Shepard will get a message from Juno on their omni-tool reading: I have some business to deal with. Alone. Don’t worry about me. 

EDI gains access to the taxi company’s records and manages to track the shuttle. She tells Shepard it has left the planet and is currently headed towards an Alliance cruiser, the SSV Amsterdam. EDI discovers that Juno’s father, Marcus Friedmann, is currently assigned as its pilot. EDI will also play a message that Juno recently received: 

Female Voice: “This is a message to the Ghost. I’m on your father’s ship. Come and face me, or he dies.” 

Male Voice: “Juno, don’t—” [The message abruptly ends.]

Shepard will try to contact the Amsterdam, but EDI will report that the ships’ comm system has been shut down and none of their messages will get through. Shepard can then decide to travel to the Amsterdam, which has stopped moving and can be found near Illium. Shepard can also ignore the quest entirely, and after the suicide mission it will no longer be available and Juno won’t ever come back. 

If Shepard does choose to pursue the Amsterdam, Joker will get in close using the Normandy’s stealth systems and Shepard will board the ship via shuttle. If Shepard used Juno’s Normandy upgrade, they can enter the ship stealthily. Otherwise, they will have to brute-force it. If Shepard enters loudly or is caught while infiltrating, they will be attacked by Batarians. 

Exploring the ship, Shepard can find that the ship’s crew has locked themselves in the crew quarters. After killing the Batarians trying to open the door, Shepard can speak to the crew. The crew will explain that the ship was boarded by Batrian pirates, who immediately stormed the bridge. The rest of the crew escaped to the crew quarters, where they saw on monitors that Juno boarded the ship and was escorted to the bridge by the Batarians. 

Once Shepard reaches the bridge, they can pass a renegade or paragon check to get the Batarians to let them in, or just kill them. Inside, they will find the bridge crew being held hostage by the pirates. Juno’s father has been knocked unconscious. Juno and a Batarian woman are equipping their weapons. 

Juno will be shocked by Shepard’s presence, and be angry at them for coming to save her. Upon Shepard demanding one, Juno will explain the situation. Years ago Juno killed a Batarian pirate by shooting him through the eyes, which is a huge insult in Batarian culture because they believe the dead’s soul leaves through the eyes. Juno was unaware of this. Now, the pirate’s partner (the Batarian woman) has taken the ship hostage and has forced Juno in a duel to the death. The Batarian woman, named Tasli, aims to kill Juno in the duel as it would be an “honorable killing” as opposed to just executing her. Tasli says she will let the Amsterdam’s crew go after the duel (but not before looting the ship, of course). 

Despite Shepard’s protests, Juno insists on going forward with the duel without Shepard’s help. She only asks that Shepard make sure Tasli honors her promise of letting the crew go. 

Tasli and Juno make their way to opposite sides of the cargo bay and the duel commences. Both make use of the cargo cover and try to shoot the other without being spotted. EDI will tell Shepard she has hacked the Amsterdam’s system, and that she can manipulate the electronics in the cargo bay to work in Juno’s favor (ex. using a crane to move the cargo Talsi is hiding behind). 

Regardless of Shepard’s actions, Juno will shoot Talsi in the leg and disarm her. Juno will get close to her for the kill, at which point Shepard can talk to her via comms. Talsi begs Juno to kill her so she can be with her partner again. 

If Shepard helped Juno using the crane and tries to convince her not to kill Talsi: Juno shoots Talsi in the heart. She is not loyal. 

If Shepard helped Juno but lets her kill Talsi without protest: Juno shoots Talsi in the heart, and then admonishes Shepard for helping her. 

If Shepard explains they didn’t want Juno to get herself killed: Juno is loyal. 

If Shepard retorts that participating in the duel was a stupid idea: Juno is not loyal. 

If Shepard did not help Juno but asks her to spare Talsi, or if Shepard did not help Juno and lets her kill Talsi without protest: Juno shoots Talsi in the heart. Juno is loyal. 

The Batarians will leave without protest and take Talsi’s (along with any more of their comrades) body with them. The Amsterdam’s crew is picked up by a passing Alliance ship. After the mission, Juno will remark that she was surprised that Shepard came to try and help her. She will reluctantly thank Shepard for doing so. When asked about him, Juno will say that her father is recovering well, and that she will make a point to talk to him often even if he is mad at her for dueling Talsi. 

Suicide Mission: 

Juno will not survive being the Vent Specialist, or either Fireteam Leader, even if she is loyal. She will survive the Crew Escort as long as she is loyal, otherwise she will die protecting the crew. Juno will almost always die on the Suicide Mission if she is not loyal. 

Romance: Juno is only a romance option for female Shepards. However, she has very strict morals. If Sheaprd makes a significant amount of choices she disapproves of (see below) she will refuse to romance Shepard (or break up with them if their relationship is already established).

♡ Lock in Conversation: (If Shepard chooses to flirt with Juno throughout their conversations) In the last cutscene with Juno before the suicide mission, Juno can be found at the observation deck, staring into space. 

Shepard: “What are you doing?”

Juno: “Just…looking at the stars. Reminds me of when I was a kid.” She touches the glass. “I spent a lot of time looking out of ship windows.” 

Shepard: “Do you know any of the constellations?” 

Juno: “Not in this part of the galaxy. But I spent a summer on Earth once, and my dad taught me some. Canis Major, Leo, Orion…I’ve been thinking about my parents a lot lately.” 

Option 1: “So have I.” → Shepard and Juno talk about their families. 

Option 2: “You should give them a call.” → Juno says it’s too late to reach them before the mission. 

Option 3: “You need to focus on the mission.” → Juno agrees, and assures Shepard she’s ready for the suicide mission. 

Option 4 (Romance): Shepard places their hand on top of Juno’s. “I’ve been thinking about the people important to me, too.” 

Juno: She pulls her hand away. “Shepard…”

Shepard: “What’s wrong?”

Juno: “I…we can’t do this. For both our sakes.”

Shepard: “What’s wrong?”

Juno: “We’re going on a suicide mission. We’re going to die. There’s no point in this.” 

Option 1: “We’re not going to die.” 

Juno: *scoffs* “You seriously believe that?”

Shepard: “I’m going to give it my best shot.” 

Option 2: “You’re right. This was a mistake.” (Romance terminated)

Option 3: “All the more reason we should have some fun before we die.”  

Juno: “That’s not how I work, Shepard.”

Shepard: “We still have a chance to make each other happy.” 

Juno: “Look, if by some miracle we both make it out alive, we can have this conversation again. Until then…good luck.”  

Option 1: “Good luck to you too, but you were right. Let’s not do this.” (Romance terminated) 

Option 2: “Then once the Collectors are dead, you can tell me about the constellations again.” (Romance locked-in) 

Option 3: “I don’t want luck. I want you.” Shepard caresses Juno’s face, and they kiss before Juno pulls away after a couple seconds. (Romance locked-in)  

Juno: “Shepard, I…I really hope you make it.” She turns back to the window. “I’ll see you at the Collector base.” 

♡ Romance Scene: If both Shepard and Juno survive the mission, Juno will tell Shepard that they should talk in Shepard’s quarters. When Juno arrives, she is wearing a t-shirt and cargo pants and carrying a bottle of champagne. 

Juno: “Sorry. I don’t own any nice clothes.”

Shepard: “I don’t mind.”

Juno smiles. “Luckily this champagne is nicer. I got from a Volus as a thank-you for ‘escorting’ some creeps out of his bar. I’ve been saving it for a special occasion.” Juno pours two glasses, one for herself and one for Shepard. “In the Alliance, we’d used to treat ourselves to a drink after a mission well done…never anything this fancy though.” 

Shepard: “I think we both deserve it.” 

Juno: “Since the Alliance, I haven’t really had anyone to drink with…anyone to care about.” 

Shepard tries to say something, but Juno interrupts them. “Shepard, It’s hard for me. Having people I care about. Loving people always seems to end in pain. But with you…” Juno takes both of Shepard’s hands in hers. “I’d like to try.” 

Option 1: “So do I.” → Juno and Shepard kiss. Juno wraps her arms around Shepard and the scene fades to black. 

Option 2: “I’d like to try a few things with you.” → Juno responds, “Oh really?” They begin making out and accidentally spill some of the champagne. The scene fades to black. 

♡ Can be Rekindled in ME3: Yes

♡ Mordin Advice: Human on human sexual activity, not a mystery. Juno? Personally, a mystery to me. Can’t provide much help besides the basics. I suggest you discover things for yourself. That’s part of the fun, yes?

♡ Kasumi Commentary: “I know that Juno can take care of herself, but if you hurt her I can’t be held responsible for my actions.” / “What have you done to that girl? I saw her actually smile today! At nothing! She was just walking around, smiling!” / “I hope you don’t mind Spot. She cares about that thing like it’s a real pet.” 

♡ If Unromanced: If neither Samara or Juno are romanced, they will engage in slightly flirty dialogue with each other. In ME3, they will be in a relationship. 

Citadel DLC:

Message to Meet:

Shepard, 

Come meet me at the strip when you have time. Joker told me about this place I want to check out with you. 

--- Juno

Friend Date:

Juno meets Shepard outside a club on a strip. Instead of her usual armor, she’s wearing a simple t-shirt and cargo pants with combat boots. 

Juno: “Hey.” [Juno looks side to side, and has her arms crossed. She taps her foot on the ground.]

Shepard: “You look...relaxed.”

Juno: “I just I…never know what to do with myself on shore leave! Usually I’d just pass the time by reading or going to the shooting range, but Joker said this place would really ‘loosen me up.’”

Shepard: “A club doesn’t really seem your style.” 

Juno: “That’s what I said, but Joker insisted I’d like it.” 

Juno and Shepard enter the club, skipping the line due to Shepard’s status. When they get in it becomes immediately clear that it is an Asari strip club. Dancers with various amounts of clothes dance onstage, while an elaborate light show and club music plays. 

Juno: “*laughs nervously* This isn’t what I was, um, expecting…”

Shepard: “Of course Joker recommended it…”

Juno: “We could, uh, just get a coffee or something instead…” 

Shepard then has the option to leave and get coffee with Juno, or stay at the club. If they choose to leave, a cutscene then plays of the pair having a pleasant conversation at a cafe. If they choose to stay, a cutscene plays where they watch the strippers, drink at the bar, accidentally walk into a private room and then run out, and dance. Juno lets loose, and appears to be having a good time. 

Apartment Date:

Juno will arrive with Samara and will people watch with her, along with telling stories of her own time as a vigilante. If Shepard is in a relationship with Samara, Juno will announce “I think I better get going” and leave as things get flirty. If Shepard romances Juno, they will kiss after Samara leaves. If neither Juno or Samara are romanced, Shepard will catch them holding hands when they think Shepard isn’t looking.

Shadowbroker DLC:

Terminal Messages: 

Message 1: VOICE MESSAGE FROM LT. ALIX HARRIS, SENT MARCH 3RD 2182

Lt. Alix Harris: “Hey Juno. It’s me, Harris. I just wanted to check in on you…I can’t imagine what you’re feeling right now. But we don’t have to talk about any of that. It’s just…we haven’t really talked since it happened. You haven’t talked with anyone, actually. You can’t shut yourself off like this…me and the guys are really worried. Please just…call me back when you get a chance, okay? I want to see my friend again.”

[The message was never replied to, but has been replayed many times] 

Message 2: SCHEDULED MESSAGE TO HANNAH AND MARCUS FRIEDMANN 

Dear Mom and Dad, 

If you’re reading this, I’m dead. I’m sorry. Better you hear it from me than Alliance Brass right? Don’t be too upset. I’ve been killing for as long as I can remember. It was only a matter of time until it caught up to me. If any of my stuff is left, you guys get all of it. Not like anyone else is gonna want it anyway. Don’t blame yourselves. You did a good job. Take care of each other. 

I know you want to know why. I did it to protect people. Better it’s me over them. 

Love,

Juno

Shadowbroker Comment: “Thank you for bringing the Ghost, T’Soni. Her head will go for a high price.” 

Comments on Shepard’s Driving: “I think I’m gonna throw up…” 

Opinions:

Friends: Tali, Garrus, Samara, Kasumi, Legion, Liara, EDI, Ashley, Joker, Traynor

Neutral: Kaidan, Mordin (ME3), Wrex, Grunt, Jacob, Miranda (ME3), Jack, Thane, Cortez, Kelly

Enemies: Mordin (ME2), Zaeed, James, Javik, Miranda (ME2)

Decisions They Approve Of:

Killing Morinth

Preserving Maelon’s data

Shutting down project Overlord

Curing the Genophage

Sparing the Rachni queen

Helping the Quarians win Rannoch/brokering peace between the Quarians and the Geth

Decisions They Disapprove Of: 

Killing Samara

Sacrificing the refinery workers in Zaeed’s loyalty mission

Letting project Overlord continue

Faking the Genophage cure

Punching Khalisah

Helping the Geth win Rannoch

Comments on Cerberus: “I first heard about them when I was still Alliance. I won’t lie to you, Shepard. Their ‘humans first’ agenda makes me nervous. You know it's just a matter of time before only certain types of humans are first, right?” 

Comments on the Alliance: “They have their priorities skewed. All big organizations do. They get founded on some nice virtue and then, as it grows, the message gets muddled. That’s why I prefer to work alone.”

Comments on the Reapers: “I have no idea how we’re going to stop them. I guess that’s not my problem though, is it? Do you think a bigger rifle would help?” 

Comments about other Squadmates:

Samara: “Now, Samara is someone I like having on my side. I wish I had known her earlier. Between her biotics and my gun, we’d be unstoppable.” (If both unromanced) “Together, we could make a real difference. *Sighs* Maybe when this is all over…” 

James: “He reminds me of the boys in training. They’d say the grossest shit, but one good punch to the jaw and they’d shut right up. He’s the same.”

Zaeed: “I hope Cerberus is paying him a lot, because he won’t hesitate to stick a knife in your back for a few credits more.”

Kasumi: “I’ve stolen a few things here and there, but nothing as impressive as she has. She lets me borrow her books too. So I do like her, even if she does spy on me.” 

Jack: “She was cold to me at first, but after I told her the story of how I shot the dick off a batarian trafficker, I think we’ve reached an understanding.” 

Mordin: (ME2) “I don’t care how the hell he justifies it, the genophage was wrong. Salarians sure can be cunning bastards.” (ME3) “At least he’s trying to fix his past mistakes. That’s more than most would do.”

Jacob: (ME2) “I get why he left the Alliance. I guess he’s not so bad, for Cerberus.” (ME3) “I’m glad he realized what Cerberus really is. I hope he’s doing well.” 

Miranda: (ME2) “I feel sorry for her. Cerberus took her in, and then the Illusive Man groomed her into being his perfect, obedient pet.” (ME3) “Oh, I’d love to see the look on the Illusive Man’s face when he realized she turned against him. Being his right hand man and then joining the other side? That’s one way to stick it to Cerberus.” 

Grunt: “Krogans are such a pain to kill. If you want to down them in one go, you have to use an anti-material rifle and get them right in the eye. Good thing he’s on our side.”

Thane: “I don’t think you get a free pass on murder even if you say a prayer after. Regardless, his skills are impressive. We’d make a deadly pair: one to weaken you from afar, and another to close in for the kill.” 

Legion: “Well, they haven’t tried to shoot me yet, so they’re fine be me. Unless they start stealing my kills. Then we’re going to have a problem.” 

EDI: “The best extranet search engine I know. It doesn’t count as an abuse of power if I keep making her look up Black Widow mods for sale on the darknet, right?” 

Kaidan: “He’s alright. He’s Alliance and a Spectre, so I wouldn’t trust him if it wasn’t for the fact that I don't think he has a single malicious bone in his body.”

Liara: “An information broker, huh? Used a couple of those back in the day. I should ask her what she has on me.” 

Garrus: “He did a good thing, trying to clean up Omega’s mess. Stupid, but well intentioned. I am glad he didn’t get himself killed, though.”

Ashley: “Alliance brat, soldier, poetry lover…she’s a little too much like me. She does know how to party though…” *whistles* 

Tali: “She’s cute. Smart too. I always felt bad for the Quarians. To lose your entire planet…ugh, it makes me sick thinking about it.” 

Wrex: “Krogans don’t usually have a sense of humor, but he's kinda funny. He seems almost well-adjusted. Good thing he’s the one in charge.” 

Javik: “Kind of a dick, yeah? Guess I’d be one too, in his situation.”

Banter:

Joker commentary on recruitment: “Juno seems okay, even if her idea of fun is tracking some bad guy through the mountains and then blowing his head off. If I start seeing a laser on my chest, I’m blaming you, Commander.” 

Joker Comments: “Juno’s actually pretty nice for someone that shoots the dicks off of batarian slavers anytime she gets a chance. Still scares me though.”

Greeting/Default Saying: “Hey.”

How do they Address Shepard: “Shepard”

Combat Phrases: “One down.” / “Hostiles, 12 o’clock!” / (Upon Shepard getting a long-range headshot) “Impressive.”

Low Health: “Cover me!” / “I need first aid!”

Revived: “Thanks.” 

Friendly Fire: “Friendly fire!” / “Back off, Commander!” 

Location Comments: 

Omega: “I’ve tracked a lot of people back here. It’s very vertical, but the alleys make it hard to get a wide view.” 

Illium: “The poor criminals run to Omega, the rich ones run here. It’s always easy enough to snipe someone on Illium. Lots of skyscrapers, and even more big glass windows.” 

The Citadel: “There’s too many people here.” 

Companion Banter:

[Normandy SR-2 Bug Transcript #A23]

Juno: “Samara, could a human ever join the Justicars?”

Samara: “I doubt it. The training itself takes many decades, and biotics are a large part of it. Why? Do you wish to become one?” 

Juno: “No. I was just thinking about how you and I are similar.” 

Samara: “In what ways?” 

Juno: “Well, we don't have anything except our armor and weapons, live by a code of justice, kill those who break it…”

Samara: “Perhaps. I have also killed many people like that.”

Juno: “Well, I’d like to think my code is better than theirs.”

Samara: “I think…if you were an Asari, you would have made a good justicar.” 

[End Transcript]

[Normandy SR-2 Bug Transcript #A19]

Juno: “Spot?”

Spot: *beeps*

Juno: “Who’s my good little drone, hmm? Who’s the cutest, sweetest, little Armali Council reconnaissance-spotter drone?” 

Spot: *beeps*

Juno: “That’s my good Spot. My goodest, cutest, loveliest boy.” 

Kasumi: “Hey Jun–”

Juno: (screams) 

[End Transcript]

[Normandy SR-3 Bug Transcript #H08]

Dr. Chakwas: “You need to take better care of yourself.” 

Juno: “I’m fine. I got worse than this when I was a merc, and I didn’t have a doc to patch me up.” 

Dr. Chakwas: “Yeah, and that’s why you have worse vision in one eye, a twitch in your left knee, ankle pain…”

Juno: “I can deal with it.”

Dr. Chakwas: “Take these pills. One every day.”

Juno: “I don’t have time for—”

Dr. Chakwas: “Do you want me to call your mother?” 

Juno: “...Fine.” 

[End Transcript]