#cygnus entertainment

[onlyrainbowshipstbh]

Atom via her social media!

[retrocgads]

UK 1998

[crookshanksagentofowca]

Promise

“We’ll be different,” Bellatrix said confidently, her voice breaking up the still night air. “You’ll see.” “Yeah?” Andromeda replied, her voice soft and unsure.

The two of them were sitting on a wide branch of the tree outside Bella’s bedroom window, looking out across the dark grounds of the Black Family Estate and up into the glittering heavens. Behind them, just inside, Narcissa slept peacefully on the window seat. As hard as she tried, she could never quite manage to stay up as late as her sisters, but she liked to stay near them anyway.

Earlier that day, the girls’ grandparents, Pollux and Irma, had returned from one of their many trips around the world and had showered them with gifts and spent hours entertaining them with tales of their adventures. Afterwards, the three of them had excitedly begun to plot all the globetrotting the three of them would do

together one day and everyone in the room had chuckled indulgently. “Better find yourselves an adventurous husband like I did, then!” Irma had said, affectionately patting Pollux on the arm.

“What would we need husbands for?” Bellatrix asked, wrinkling her nose. “We’ll have each other!” This had been followed with more chuckling. “Young ladies of such noble blood as ours don’t go off wandering the world on their own!” Pollux explained. “It’s simply not proper! Besides, you’ll be married as soon as you finish school anyway.”

“Oh, don’t be so old-fashioned!” Their father had spoken up and given Bella a momentary flash of hope. “They can have a few years after Hogwarts to figure out adulthood before they get married. If they wish to travel during that time—” “As long as they go to appropriate locations,” their mother put in hastily. “I shudder to imagine what would happen if they were spotted unchaperoned in some of the places your parents have been describing!” That had dampened their spirits.

“But I thought we could do whatever we wanted once we’re adults!” Bellatrix had protested and everyone had laughed again like she was an amusing circus act.

“Within reason,” Cygnus had said. “You still have to uphold the family’s honor.” “And you have a responsibility to extend our bloodline,” Pollux added. “Even if your children won’t carry the family name, they’ll still be Purebloods and the world certainly needs more of those!” Everyone nodded fervently. Cissy had then asked,

“Wait…why won’t our children carry the family name? Wouldn’t they be part of the family?” Another round of chuckling had caused a flash of white-hot anger to rise inside Bellatrix. “That’s not how it works, Narcissa,” Druella had said. “When you get married, you join your husband’s family.” The sisters exchanged alarmed glances.

“But what about Bella and Andie?” Narcissa asked nervously. “They’ll have their own husbands and families,” Irma said patiently, “but you’ll still be able to visit each other—your children will be cousins and they can all play together!” “You mean, once we grow up, you’re going to…separate us?” Andromeda asked, tears glimmering in her eyes. Yet more laughter. Bellatrix clenched her fists.

“Trust me,” Cygnus had said. “There will come a time when you don’t want to see your siblings every day. Honestly, I get along better with Walburga and Alphard now that we all have our own lives!” “But I don’t want a life without Andie and Cissy!” Bellatrix snapped, grabbing each of their hands. “Maybe not right now,” Irma said. “But you will someday. You’ll see.”

“But why?” Andromeda whined. “Why do we have to get husbands? Why do we have to leave each other?!” “Because that’s just the way it is,” Druella replied, impatience creeping into her voice. “That’s what all of your ancestors have done for generations. That’s what your descendants will do for generations more. This is how we keep magical bloodlines alive. You’ll understand when you’re older.”

“No I WONT!” Bellatrix shouted. “I’ll always want to be with my sisters! I’ll never change!” “Don’t raise your voice at me, young lady.” Druella’s tone was calm, but a warning look entered her eyes. Cygnus, Pollux and Irma all looked like they were trying hard not to laugh. Bella’s fury broke.

“We’re not going to get married, and you can’t make us! And you can’t stop us from traveling together, either! Once we grow up, the three of us are going to be the most powerful witches in the world and we’ll do whatever we want and be together forever and you’ll all be sorry you weren’t nicer to us!”

And with that, she’d stormed out of the room, her sisters trotting alongside her, still hand in hand. Druella had stood to follow them, but Cygnus had stopped her, saying,

“Oh, let them enjoy their childhood while they can! You know they’ll grow up eventually. Everyone does.”

Bella, Andie and Cissy had marched up to the library, grabbed a few atlases and holed up in Bella’s room with them, planning all the fabulous adventures they would have once they were older and freer. They had stayed there until dinner and once the rest of the family had gone to bed, Andie and Cissy had snuck into Bella’s room to continue plotting.

After Narcissa had fallen asleep, Andromeda had begun to express doubts. After all, even their father, who had the privilege of being a man, had been required to marry and settle down. Every adult they knew seemed to have lost any interest they may have once had in sneaking around and playing and preferred to do boring things like talking about politics or attending lectures on the history of gardening. What hope was there, really, that the three of them wouldn’t succumb to the same fate?

Now, Bella took her sister’s hand and held their entwined fingers up to the sky, as though asking the stars to bear witness to her solemn oath.

“I promise,” she said. “When we get to Hogwarts, we’ll be the best in our classes and once we’ve all graduated, we’ll run away and see the world! They can’t burn us all off the tapestry and even if they did, they’ll change their minds once they hear about all the great things we’re accomplishing! I promise,” she repeated, squeezing Andie’s hand tighter, “we’ll be the most powerful and legendary of the whole family—the world will never forget the Black sisters!”

Bellatrix’s dark eyes reflected the stars as she finished her pronouncement, making her look almost ethereal.

At last, Andromeda relaxed and allowed herself to match her older sister’s smile. She trusted Bella more than anyone and Bella never broke a promise. If Bella said it, then surely it would be so. @black-sisters-microfic I swear I started this in Feburuary....

[artificervaldi]

ignore how im so unfamiliar with using the ask button that i hit unfollow and had to immediately refollow ANYWAY i barely know anytihng about xenoblade but ill bite tell me more about xenoblade bas and rella and junah if you have any thoughts for her [flutters my eyelashes]

Nw LMAO, happens 2 the best of us!

Okay so I'm giving you XC1 and XC2 for now bc I'm tired and gonna use so many images that doing 3 and X too would just be TOO MUCH for me rn. Under the cut wahoo!

XC1:

Basilio would be a Homs (think like regular humans but probably have a third lung) and one of few survivors of the Mechon (robots that use Homs as fuel mmm yummy) from a Colony that got destroyed by Mechon. He lives with his brother Del, probably a pretty nomadic life, looking for a place to just call home. Hard when these machines keep coming.

Since he's party member number 7 I have to be silly with it and say at some point the Mechon get him but watch out! He gets turned into a Face Core Unit (see image below), which is like. A Homs turned into the core of a Mechon made to not get cut down by the legendary Monado.

The reunion would be emotional, to say the least, when he was discovered to be alive. I think he would have some major "if I die it's okay so long as I protect those around me with the life I have left" vibes like Seven from Xenoblade so it Works!

Rella on the other hand would be a High Entia, a full-blooded one at that. The Cygnus line is a long lived one and proud of their heritage, no Homs blood here (at least not directly).

Only issue here is... The Telethia gene. Pureblooded Entia like Rella can and will turn into the monsters known as Telethia if enough ether is introduced. Yeah, sorry, we're turning Rella into a mindless monster. Sorry.

On the bright side she probably regains enough of herself for a big sacrifice to ensure Junah makes it into whatever lies ahead. Or she can survive and eventually when Telethia Get Solved if they ever do she can be back.

Junah meanwhile is a Homs girl adopted by House Cygnus. Given High Entia live like 5x longer than Homs this is like. Less a good will move and seen more as like "oh you're keeping your daughter entertained with a little pet how nice" esp bc Rella is likely well into adulthood when Junah is a wee bab here.

Junah ofc adores her older sister and while she's vaguely aware of what she's seen as she tries to look on the bright side. Rella sses her as a real sister and that's all that matters to her.

So I went with Entia Rella bc like. Look at them. WINGS ON DA HEAD. RELLA CODED FR. But I'm biased and think she would also make an excellent Machina

So there's options there.

XC2:

Basilio here is a flesh-eater. The simple explanation is there's these things called Blades -- they're basically hyper-advanced biocomputers that look humanoid (or sometimes like beasts) and then there are humans. If they injest the flesh of a human in some way they become a flesh eater, which boosts their abilities but can also leave them more likely to get weathered by the years.

Blades usually "reset" upon the death of their Drivers (people who awaken them and allow them to function, with each death acting as a memory wipe for the Blade) while Flesh Eaters do not forget. So Basilio remembers his last Driver -- his "brother" Fidelio.

Fidelio was a Gormotti (cat people only they only have the ears), so Basilio is able to disguise himself as one so long as he keeps his Core Crystal (Blade Brain) covered so no one sees the red in it (which means he Ate A Guy). He carries on to achieve his and Del's dream.

Rella... I'm gonna go with Indoline for the religious trauma and guilt angle. The indoline are the humans that act as the religious center of the world of Alrest, so I could see her being in the praetorium, though I doubt she's a bit fan of Praetor... probably Forden in this case LOL.

A Driver, noted for not treating Blades as property or tools like most and instead seeing them as individuals like anyone else. This is, like her non-racist stance in canon, is not the norm. But she's doing her best :)

Junah is her Blade and like a sister to her! Probably an Attacker type with a special fan-like weapon. Junah's lived many a life before and even has journals of some of the past ones. She likes to keep up to date.

Fairly closed off, she prefers it that way. The less people expect of her the better a jump she can get on them. Has a soft spot for Rella, though.

[lightning-and-sparks]

Can you share anything about Roland’s wife or anything else you want to share about thorns?

I’m not sure why Roland’s wife is the big talk but fair enough. She’s a Dancinite and they’ve been married 20 years and are still not bored of each other

Anything I’d like to share is a dangerous question 🤭

Some inspiration for Eternyx in thorns was the city from The Crow and I found myself going back to it in my head. Cygnus city is coastal because I live in a coastal city and I’m pretty close to New York and Staten Island vibes are fun.

A lot of the characters made for Thorns are inspired by real people so I hope that makes them feel real and like individuals.

Cygnus was not supposed to come back🧍‍♀️

My favorite part (bc no one asks /j) was the one Wander chapter at the beginning or the London Calling part where it’s like “taking back the Tower.” I did that part during winter break and had a lot of fun freezing my ass off.

Kit Korzo was my favorite character I got to make up and I enjoy every scene he’s in. I’m still working on drawing all of them eventually.

For a rough estimate, I want to say each chapter takes me anywhere from 10-15 hours from the outlining, drafting, rework and edit stages. Scenes are cut and remade to the point I get confused and have to watch what I say.

Thorns has been both my saving grace and torture. Now that I’ve been doing this for a year (unbelievable ugh) I feel like it’s a big part of who I am on here. As much as I love it I really want to branch out and try other things. I’m debating streaming (my friends are being forced to help me) bc idk I’ve always felt like an entertainer and I’d love to get to do that. So hopefully you can get to know me past the fic if you want and see who I really am. Streaming jd may be a challenge but who knows.

As always, asks and DM’s are open and I’ll try my best to get to everything.

[a-mint-bear]

I really liked your "Courtship Rituals" fic. I've seen stuff like it before but you did it differently. He's so awkward but kind and I really like it.

His species is known for being... unconsentual, but he won't be like that. He is determined to be a good mate to you, no matter how long it takes, and I respect it.

I do hope there's a sequel soon. Cygnus knows to go slowly and gently with Reader, but I think they should be shown the recreation room on the ship for some entertainment with Cygnus. Or maybe given some alien snacks or allowed to look out at a star system. You know, showing Reader the best parts of living with him.

with renewed interest from people, i've been thinking about Cygnus more lately.

he wants to be a good mate to the reader. he sees how humans interact romantically and wants to do the same with his chosen/fated partner. but the guy is still not human (even if he may have some human dna somewhere in his genes), so he's gonna have to fight some of his baser instincts to "court" a human.

there's def some brownie points to being on a high tech spaceship and all the wonders and cool stuff that comes with it, but will it be enough to win over his mate??

(maybe *shrugs*)

but yeah, the scenario has a lot of potential, and im glad you liked it! And Cyggy :3

[zennywrites]

What do you think birthday parties would be like for the black sisters?

bellatrix's birthdays: extravagant affairs meant to impress. the black family spares no expense, with grand decorations, enchanted entertainment, and guests from all the most prominent pureblood families. bellatrix thrives in the attention, always eager to show off her duelling skills to any willing (or unwilling) participant. gifts often include family heirlooms or dark artefacts, which she receives with delight. she's usually found bossing around the house-elves, demanding they make her birthday just as she wants.

andromeda's birthdays: quieter compared to bellatrix's, but still elegant. she prefers smaller gatherings, only inviting close family and a few select friends. the day often involves more intellectual activities, such as debates or discussions on magical theory, which andromeda enjoys. despite the understated tone, her sisters make sure there's always an element of magic – perhaps a show of transfiguration tricks or potion demonstrations. she secretly treasures the personal gifts over the lavish ones, like a hand-painted book cover or a rare herb she can study.

narcissa's birthdays: the most refined of all, focusing on luxury and beauty. narcissa's parties are a blend of charm and sophistication, with soft music played by charmed instruments and tables covered in delicate pastries and treats. her birthdays are often themed, like 'enchanted gardens' with flowers blooming in mid-air, or 'celestial nights' with constellations twinkling above them. narcissa is fond of beautiful clothes and jewellery, and her gifts often reflect that. she likes having her sisters by her side, and it's one of the rare times they all come together peacefully, dressed in coordinated robes that druella insists upon.

and just in case that’s not enough, this is what i hc for them as they grow up!

when they’re young: druella and cygnus ensure each birthday is a memorable affair. as children, the girls wake up to a room full of magical decorations that change every year – floating flowers, glittering stars, or enchanted butterflies. druella bakes their favourite cake, a tradition from her own childhood, and charms it to match the birthday theme. cygnus, though more reserved, always has a special gift picked out, often something connected to their magical education – an enchanted quill, a rare book, or a magical pet. the girls are dressed in new robes, tailored especially for the occasion, and they get to pick their favourite meal for dinner. druella always spoils them with extra sweets and tells them they’re allowed to stay up past bedtime.

early teenage years: as they grow older, druella and cygnus start hosting more formal parties for the girls, inviting notable families and arranging sophisticated gatherings in the black family's grand halls. druella takes care to make sure the girls are dressed in elegant gowns, and she teaches them the importance of presenting themselves as proper young ladies. bellatrix enjoys the grandiosity, always eager to impress their esteemed guests, while andromeda starts feeling slightly constrained by the expectations. cygnus continues to give gifts with significance – a family heirloom for bellatrix, a set of rare potion ingredients for andromeda, and a fine silver necklace for narcissa. druella still takes care to make them feel individually special, always slipping a personal note or small sentimental gift into their hands when no one is looking.

late teenage to adulthood: by the time they reach their later teens, the focus shifts from children’s entertainment to elegant social events. druella and cygnus use their daughters’ birthdays to strengthen alliances, ensuring the guest list is filled with influential pureblood families. bellatrix’s birthdays are often the most extravagant, reflecting her power and confidence, while narcissa’s are the most refined, full of understated luxury. andromeda’s birthdays, though still a spectacle, always have a personal touch – druella knows her daughter longs for more than just the grandeur and makes sure there are quiet moments, like a shared cup of tea in the early morning or a private gift that reflects her interests. cygnus, who loves to spoil them and embarrass them makes sure to behave his best on their birthdays, and makes sure each daughter has something to remind them of their status in the family – whether it's jewellery, an enchanted artefact, or a personal artwork (because i totally believe cygnus is the artist of the family) reminding them of their family’s legacy.

[amphiptere-art]

Remember asks are open.

RBB. travels of the cube.

This ask series has been modified slightly. It is now simply a collection of sporadic travel events with a couple of asks afterwards or perhaps before to flush out the in-between. The current event is stop ya silly siren. Where after Blue Moon was saved from drowning in the sea has now latched onto the main mast terrified. Captain Eclipse and Sun were able to figure out a way to calm down Blue Moon and allow him to help by being their wind. You're currently going down into the ship with the mysterious navigator moon.

Cruel copy.

This is a Lord Moon world. Where everyone has technically die but been brought back from the dead without their memories. Or at least fragmented memories. Causing confusion and stress. The latest events that happened were Wizard went with gladiator to return werewolf to Butler by going to Witch. Gladiator left soon after while Wizard stayed behind and tried to talk with Butler. The conversation was going okay before it wasn't and Wizard left. Butler is now having a crisis.

Empty cup ask

This is the world of Honey and Cider. A Lord Lunar universe with the added twist that the servant eclipse isn't pretending. They are very much sentient but are very broken due to trauma. The wither storm has dragged you into the fray because he is bored. Right now everyone is attempting to figure out how to entertain honey and cider. While also entertaining the guests that the void has dragged in. The current guests being a pod of Mers.

Blue Moon and black star show

This is the main storyline ask Tumblr. And is the only Tumblr where I might be selective with asks, and will update with actual written story.

This takes place sometime in the future. Approximately probably about a week after RBB-earth finally came to the daycare. You can ask all characters in red blue and black. Although I'm going to mainly focus on Black Star Blue Moon and RBB Earth. Currently you guys have convinced a black star to leave and try and get help. Blue Moon has been talking to some of the asker's about their new strange behavior.

Sulky star cluster

This has reblog conversations. Which makes it so that character in that conversation is unavailable for asks. Although they will have conversations as long as it is set up properly.

This is a star holder Glam Rock Freddy world that has been taken over by black Star. Who has made it a refuge for Eclipses. There is the ones black Star directly took into the Plex, and then others who came along and set up a city outside of the Plex. Currently Cygnus is talking about repairs in a reblog conversation. Rigel is getting his bike repaired with sundown eclipse and those that live with him. Antares is at the library with Honey, Cider, and chapter trying to enjoy himself.

Stardust arcade

Completely unattached to tsams. It is a unique cast of characters trying to figure out how to be nice to everyone. The world is split between new AI and old AI. Robot rights have just started to get settled. But the new AI are making it a struggle for the old AI. Making it a struggle of verses with only you asker's and blood moon the therapist in works.

Ask the amph greater universe.

This also includes all role plays I make. Meaning that reblog conversations happen more often.

I decided to change up this thing to just be a general area to ask any of my characters. Whether they be DCA, Tsams, or fantasy. This is a place for you to ask whoever you want in an environment where they are in their universe. There's nothing to update because I just made this. This ask blog is not timeline sensitive. hopefully. I do like to consider the asks before. This ask blog can also be crossover sensitive. Meaning that to some extent, All crossovers are cannon within this ask blog.

In many of my asks your physical. The only difference is that in most it is your avatar, while an RBB it is the cube.

Also I will note some of these asks blogs are semi-story. Meaning that the previous ask is taken into consideration. This includes RBB-TfTC, CC, Empty cup, And maybe atAGU. There's only one ask blog that is selective. That being BS&BM ask. And that's mostly for a plot purposes.

[thecarnivorousmuffinmeta]

Hello! I hope you've having a great day. Thanks a lot for updating When Harry Met Tom. I almost lost hope for that fic and was pleasantly surprised after seeing the update notification. It's the first and my most favourite fic by you. I first read it years ago when I was new in the HP fandom. You're still my favourite author after all these years, I'll let you know.

(But, well, your characters and metas influenced my opinions of the HP world a lot. So you can imagine how my discussions with normal fandom people turned out. And it's all your fault, you mad woman.)

That being said, your and Vinelle's Amulette d'amour is shaping up to be my second most favourite young TMR-era fic. I love how you two have made Alphard an actual person. Cygnus is a delightful terror. And Tom's meanness probably entertains me far too much than it should. So I'm afraid to ask, it's not abandoned, is it?

Hey anon, glad you enjoy the fics so much after all this time!

And nope, neither fic is abandoned.

Look, @therealvinelle, praise!

[onlyrainbowshipstbh]

Atom via her Insta!

[ask-the-amph-greater-universe]

Fantastic idea: Vescor is Infero’s comfort big guy. So she’s gonna finds out about the Cluster. And she’s just gonna pop in and say hi. Knowing damn well how much most Eclipses hate Montys. She is doing this for her own entertainment.

Big frantic no. Black Star is definitely very against it. The others definitely snarl and gripe. There isn't a lot of good things with Monty's. Their attitudes just don't mix. Rigel being the less inoffensive because of just his world line. Antares hates her. Cygnus is grumpy. But this entire time. Black Star is probably in the most sternest voice they have ever heard. Saying no no no! He is practically attempting to shove vescor out of the Plex and into the town. Telling them very sternly the inferos already got the group all grippy. He's already got a ton of stupid dimensional mishaps. He doesn't need another. She can bother the eclipses in the city. There's plenty there. Please don't mess with there friends.

[star-named-riddle]

(it's over 1k, I told you I was dropping the microfic bit)

Day 3 - Birthday

He despised his birthday, she knew that much. He had know hers from the beginning, even before she had joined his ranks, proud that Cygnus was of his eldest daughter. So proud he had made a point of mentioning it to Lord Voldemort that first year she had been out of Hogwarts.

So proud he had invited the Dark Lord himself to their dinner party for the second year she was home to celebrate it.

By then, she had begun her studies under him, but his birthday remained a mystery to her. It had taken her years to figure it out.

She knew how old he was, she had deduced his exact age from the gap between her father and him at school. She figured he had been born later in the year, like her, otherwise he would have been a year more above her father at Hogwarts. But month and day eluded her still.

Men like Abraxas, who had shared a dorm with Lord Voldemort, were either far too loyal or far too scared to share the information.

Bellatrix huffed at the thought of her conversation with Abraxas. The man had been positively cryptic about the matter. She had dared and tried to pry into his mind to collect whatever memories his reminiscing stirred up. She had found herself on the harsh end of an ice blue glare.

“You’re good, but not that good, Bella.”

She had not apologised.

“Why do you want to know? Drop the matter, it’s of no use to you.”

Bellatrix had bit her tongue inside her mouth at that. What was she supposed to tell him? That she wanted to give their master a birthday present? That she wanted to wear pretty underwear for her lover to peel off of her on that night?

She had even entertained the thought of tracking down the records from the orphanage where Lord Voldemort had lived as a child, and quickly found the error in her ways as she found the place to be not only a ruin, but also one owned by Lord Voldemort himself.

Who had found her self-appointed mission funny for a little while. He teased her mercilessly about it, going so far as to whisper a taunt in her ear as he placed his own birthday gift around her neck during her last birthday.

“Pity you can’t wish me happy birthday on the actual day, Bella.”

He had kissed that spot behind her right ear that they both loved, but the sting of the taunt had not diminished. His smile on the mirror had been positively wicked. And he had laughed at her attempted glare.

She had finagled his zodiac sign out of him after weeks of trying. She amused him with her perseverance on the matter. And she was well aware that he had given it to her as a boon. She had uncovered important information concerning the Aurors, and her master had seen it fit to reward her.

The problem was that being a Capricorn born in 1926 left her with ten possible birthdays.

She had been inclined to think him a child of the solstice. She was, after all, a child of the equinox, and to think them so compatible, meant for one another by the stars themselves, fed her ego in a way she was unlikely to admit.

He had chuckled, deep in his chest, once he found the thought in her mind.

He wasn’t born on Christmas either. She had tried that last year. She had given him a small box as she sat down on his desk, feet dangling off the floor, and a coy smile on the corner of her mouth.

“We don’t usually exchange gifts, Bella.”

“It’s not a Christmas gift, my Lord.”

He had toyed with the box then, turning it between his long fingers, appreciating the anticipation painted across her face.

“It’s not my birthday, you rotten creature,” he had said, his playful tone alone making up for her disappointment.

Still, she had turned twenty-five last September, and her self-appointed mission had been going on for three years. Which was two years and eleven months longer than she had planned for it to be.

She had three possibilities remaining. The 23rd, the 27th and New Year’s Eve. And judging from his sour mood on every December 31st she had been near him, she was willing to bet that was his birthday.

He did despise it, she knew that much. He had never celebrated it in school, Abraxas had told her. Her father had mentioned they were mostly absent on the day, given it was during Yule. Most of his schoolmates were home celebrating with their families, some overseas even, while Lord Voldemort remained at Hogwarts, alone. Cygnus had never seen anyone wish him a happy birthday, even a belated one after the school break.

Bellatrix did not know why her master disliked his own birthday so. Or why his mood seemed to be appeased every time it was clearly established that the dinner parties were about the New Year. And not himself.

She had thrown dinner parties over the last three years during those suspicious ten days. Never on Christmas, which was spent at Black Manor or Grimmauld Place, and never on New Year’s Eve, which was traditionally spent at Malfoy Manor ever since she could remember. And over those dinner parties, there would always come a moment when she was alone with Lord Voldemort in some corner of the room. Every time, he had smiled down upon her and whispered “not today”.

She had considered throwing such dinner parties on the 23rd and on the 27th, but those days had ruled themselves out this year.

She had gone Muggle hunting on the 23rd, so that she would have targets for a new spell Lord Voldemort meant to teach her. She had daringly remarked that maybe she ought to put bows on her newly acquired test subjects, and he had laughed wholeheartedly.

“First and foremost, it is not my birthday, Bella. Second, should you ever gift me Muggles still breathing, not mangled, and not a piece of information to make up their lack of worth to show for it, I’ll be sure to let you know the extent of my disappointment.”

Bella laughed in response, and made sure every single Muggle met a gruesome end during her lessons.

On the 27th there had been a dinner party at the Selwyn’s. She had worn a deep green dress that clung to her shape, and dainty underwear. The Selwyn family kept a zoo of sorts, one they liked to offer a tour of every year, showcasing the new beasts they had bred or purchased. Bellatrix had plans for herself, her master, and the hour the tour would last. She had not hidden his gift in her garter, though, as she was mostly sure of his birthday then.

Still, he had taken his time appraising her clad in nothing but underwear. His fingers traveled over the silver embellishments on it, steadying over the silk bow that closed her bra at the front.

“Is this your idea of a birthday present, Bella?”

“It’s not your birthday, my Lord, is it?” she had replied, confident on the answer to that question.

He had answered her by pulling the bow undone, and taking her against the wall.

Today was different. It was the 31st, and it was his birthday. He would be moody upon his arrival at Malfoy Manor, and she would make sure to lift his spirits before midnight.

She tucked his gift in her garter.

Also on AO3

[izzythehutt]

Hello! I just wanted to say that I really love In the Black and Black Mask! I adore your take on the Black family because to me it makes so much more sense than the usual Walburga and Orion casually Crucio-ing Sirius at every mistake take. I really enjoy seeing how history tends to repeat itself in terms of familial relationships, because it's something I see often on families. Also most of their relationships with one another are complicated, and never clear cut.

I loved the most recent chapter, it was honestly hilarious. Ted is absolutely the hero of this chapter, he's the only sane man there and I love how he takes the Blacks being well... The Blacks, in stride. Also Dora just latching onto Cygnus was wonderful and him getting offended when Dora said "but I thought you didn't like us?" was so funny. Seeing Walburga break down was so painful, I think in part because she always appears as strong. Sirius calling her Mama and then hugging her was so wholesome. Also, his 'Reason You Suck' speech to Arcturus had me gasping with both awe and horror in real life because all of these characters are so alive they feel like actual people. Your dialogues are absolutely brilliant, and so much of their personalities shine through from how they speak and react to things.

Also I absolutely love Colette, she's definitely someone who keeps Sirius grounded. Her touching his wrist and telling him to speak to James was so intimate, it felt much more intimate than a spicy smut things or things like that. It reminds me of Pride and Prejudice where there's not actually much PDA going on, but it's infinitely more romantic to me because you can feel the affection between these two people. Also, Colette just shamelessly kissing Sirius in front of everyone (including her own parents!) and calling him darling got me grinning.

I'm excited to see how her parents will react (her mother in particular), because Fabienne (I'm sorry I can't remember her mother's name) strikes me as not having much hope for Colette as long as she marries a respectable pure-blood wizard because she set her sights on Rabastan who is a second son, thus unlikely to inherit, instead of someone like Evan Rosier who is already the head of the family. But then Colette went and snagged the heir to one of the most powerful families in Britain.

I'm sorry for the long comments. Kudos <3

This is a very sweet comment! Thank you!

To be compared with Austen is so flattering, because tbh she is a major inspiration to me in general as a writer and storyteller and in particular for this story. I was re-reading a section of the story and realized that I had flat out stolen phrases from Austen/Austen adaptations (1995 P&P in particular.) Sorry, Jane!

Sirius's rant to Arcturus was peak Reasons You Suck speech, good use of the trope.

I'm glad you enjoy my interpretation, I find it far more interesting (and frankly, fun) than the popular fanon portrayals of over the top abuse and crucio-ing etc.

It's become a bit of a sticking point for me, because I've been accused directly/publicly of putting the blame for the dysfunctional family relationships on Sirius/white-washing abuse more than once. Which I resent, a bit—I don't think I've ever presented the Black parents as healthy or good (though they are entertaining in their problematic manipulativeness at times and I can't deny that I do occasionally play that for laughs.) What I've tried to show (with mixed success, clearly) is that Sirius's coping mechanisms are the product of their bad parenting and don't actually make him a happy/healthy person because he still loves his family, in spite of them being objectively awful. Which I think is probably relatable to many humans on the planet? There's a desire for a relationship with our parents.

As it's a version of characters who never appeared in canon, I would call my softening of them "alternative character interpretation", though I will maintain until the end of time that there's nothing in BSDU characterization directly contradicted by canon.

[heroesofchroma]

7 - New Surroundings

(PREV / ALL \ NEXT)

Rampart waited patiently outside medical, clad casually in simple baggy pants and a form fitting croptop over their small, toned chest, their caramel skin contrasting black lipstick, though they didn’t wear any other makeup. They fiddled idly on their phone just to pass time, nose curling at the still-intense smell of the freshly cleaned floors. The kid they were supposedly sponsoring was meant to get released today, now that she was deemed magically stable now, so Rampart managed to get a day off to help her integrate a bit better. Didn’t even have to make it up.

After about what felt like hours of waiting, more like just thirty minutes or so, polished shoes clicked against the polished tiles up to Rampart. “Sir?” asked the mystic who had been with them when Rampart first agreed to sponsor this girl. “Celestia is ready.”

Looking up from their phone, Rampart saw a young girl, hair being worn in a trio of equal length ponytails on the back of her head, speaking to the sheer volumes of hair each one was holding back by just how identical each looked aside from their positions. The girl’s pale skin was clad in a sleeveless black jumpsuit and white shoulder and waist wraps, and off-white-rimmed glasses with big jamjar lenses framed her pale green eyes. A big, green duffle bag slung over her shoulder, clearly weighing on her a bit. White ankle boots covered her feet, and the girl extended a hand with a white and blue hand wrap around it to Rampart, keeping the other behind her back with a flushed face.

“It’s good to meet you, sir. Cygnus, you prefer?” the apparent Celestia asked, a swedish accent laced in her voice.

Rampart nodded, standing up and showing off the easy half a foot they had in height over her, but a big smile crossed their face. “Indeed I do, and you’re Celestia, right? The pleasure’s all mine.” Looking between the girl and the mystic, they added, “Is there anything I should know before we head out?”

The mystic shook her head. “Not that you haven’t already been made aware of, sir.”

Celestia raised a nervous finger up to get Cygnus’s attention. “Actually, I was wondering… Where exactly do you live, sir?”

Cygnus shook their head and offered a slight chuckle to try and ease the poor girl’s nerves. “Please, call me Cygnus. Cy or Ram work, too,” they assured before actually answering the question. “And I live about a half hour away from HQ, north by northwest on Yellowbrick Ave. It’s an apartment, but I make enough to live with a guest room. You should know, in case they didn’t tell you, I do have a roommate.”

Celestia tilted her head a bit, but maintained a bit of a smile. “A roommate?”

Cygnus nodded. “Don’t get any ideas, yes, just a roommate. She’s a treat, though, don’t worry. I have a feeling you’ll get along great with her.” Shifting their weight a bit, they pocketed their phone and beckoned Celestia to follow. “You ready?”

With a deep breath, Celestia nodded, and followed Cygnus down the halls, waving to the mystic as she went.

After a moment, Rampart tried striking up conversation of some kind with, “So, Celestia… Seems a bit on the nose, don’t yah think?”

“I’m… Sorry?” the girl asked incredulously, tilting her head.

“I just find it a little entertaining, is all. Your name and who you’re getting help from,” Cygnus explained, stuffing hands in pockets. “Am I thinking of the wrong people here?”

Celestia paused her thoughts for a moment before letting out a realizing laugh. “Oh, yes, now I see, I suppose that is an impressive coincidence, the astronomy connections...”

Cygnus shrugged. “I dunno, maybe. Or maybe it’s more.”

“More?”

“Well, it may be a bit cheesy, but the universe does have ways of telling you some things, I think,” Cygnus explained as they brought Celestia from the elevator into the parking complex of Chroma HQ. The sounds of deep urban jungle just outside muffled in, punctuated by a prolonged car horn. “I don’t try and interpret stuff for other people, but maybe you’ve got something more… substantial than just needing some help from the Astrals.”

Celestia hummed in thought as she followed Cygnus to their two-door, beat up pick-up truck, managing to look inviting despite the few dents and bits of chipping paint. “I… suppose so? Maybe? I don’t really have any argument that it isn’t.”

Cygnus shrugged back. “Time’ll tell, I guess… Just toss your bag in the back, it’ll stay.” They climbed into the driver’s seat, waiting until Celestia climbed into the passenger and was belted in before starting the truck. The younger couldn’t help but relax a little into the soft cloth seats. After pulling out into the streets, they stole a second to glance at Celestia. “So… Am I allowed to ask about your condition?”

Celestia tensed up in her seat, shifting a bit. “Uh… W-Well…” she stammered to start, trying to find words before Cygnus shook their head at her.

“You don’t have to-”

“No, you-... You should know. Living with me…” Celestia muttered, taking a breath to steel herself before explaining. “I’ve… Been possessed. And the way I understand it, it’s… The treatment is…” Celestia trailed off, wringing her fingers between each other, staring at them.

Cygnus remained silent, nonjudgemental, trying to let the poor thing find her thoughts.

“The treatment is a second entity until I’ve… I guess Stabilized is the best term for it?”

Cygnus raised an eyebrow at Celestia’s words. “Oh really? So… Should… Should I know anything about that?” they asked tentatively, trying to be sensitive about the subject.

Celestia sighed. “I don’t know…”

Cygnus stole another glance at Celestia as they hit a red light, sighing as well. “Don’t worry about it. We’ll figure it out, I guess.” Despite the attempt at reassurance, Cygnus saw the nerves flaring over the girl’s face. And after a moment of awkward silence, Cygnus reached for the radio. “You like synth?”

Celestia nodded, thankful for the change of subject. “I don’t mind it at all, yes.”

Cygnus turned on the radio, synthetic bass and keyboards drowning out the sounds of traffic surrounding them on the rest of the ride. When they finally arrived at the apartment, it was fairly well to do, though not extravagant, seemingly indistinct to Celestia from the surrounding buildings despite having a vertical, yellow-tinted design as opposed to the horizontal grey monoliths she saw around it. Cygnus found their usual spot in the adjoining garage and grabbed Celestia’s bag for her, handing it over when she extended a hand for it. As the young lady followed Cygnus inside, she couldn’t help but cling as close to them as possible, drawing a chuckle that cut through the quiet of the apartment’s foyer.

“Apartment 6-2, 6th floor, door 2. My roommate should be at work, but in case she isn’t, her name’s Jessibel,” Cygnus explained as they led Celestia into yet another elevator. This one smelled freshly of stainless steel polish and the carpet lining the floor was plush, yet Celestia saw no signs of any maintenance in the building as they walked the quiet halls. Cygnus seemed to pick up on her unease and smiled. “Don’t worry too much. Walls are thick, and for once, I lucked out with a landlord that actually friggin’ listens. And my neighbors tend to keep to themselves.”

Celestia offered a nod and an acknowledging hum, adjusting the bag over her shoulder, eyeing the beige painted hallway like it was about to start closing in on her.

Just beside the elevator, thankfully enough, was Celestia’s new, hopefully temporary, home. Cygnus deftly unlocked it with a physical key and swung the door open, allowing Celestia to enter first. “Welcome home, kid. Make it yours.”

Celestia stepped tentatively into the space, feeling invasive as she looked around the intricately decorated living room. The first thing that drew her eye was the kitchen in the corner, a small space, no more than a sixth of the larger room, and smelling like old oil. Cygnus cursed softly to themselves as they shut the door, muttering something about how Jess needs to clean up better as they rushed over to the kitchen. The floor was faux hardwood, separated into individual spaces by two large rugs, one for the TV space, and another for the dining. A small hallway sat on one side of the apartment while a door was at the far side, just beside the kitchen. The door had a small wreath hanging from it made of fake, cutesy pink flowers. All around the space, different knick knacks cluttered shelves, most seeming a touch macabre, though a bright pink plushie sat on a bookshelf beside the wall-hung TV.

Celestia stood just beyond the threshold long enough to draw Cygnas’s concern. “Come on in, nothing’ll bite. Don’t mind Jessie’s stuff, it’s all faux-bones or totem shit,” they called over the sound of the running sink and scratching sponge-on-pan. “I’ll show you your room in a sec here, sorry. Jess decided to ‘forget’ to clean my good nonstick.”

The young lady swallowed as she took tentative steps towards the couch, the duffle bag around her shoulder feeling considerably heavy at this moment, but her nerves stopping her from setting it down. Or sitting down for that matter, instead, opting to lean a little closer to a shard of purple amethyst glimmering gently on the bookshelf, along with the tiny rat skull next to it. “Is… Jessibel a mystic?” she asked.

Cygnus offered a bit of a confused sound before they answered. “Something along those lines? I don’t entirely get it, I’ll be honest, something to do magic and medicine. Official title was ‘Rune Nurse’ or something like that. She doesn’t tend to talk to me about it, we usually bond over cheesy horror movies or whatever the new serial is.” The pilot stepped from the kitchen, wiping their hands on a dish towel before tossing the cloth back on a counter. They saw how tense Celestia stood, her shifting feet and clenching hands. “You okay, kid?”

Celestia only tensed more, subtly, not noticing her fists clinging to her bag like it was keeping her from falling into a void that didn’t exist. “It’s… I think this is all just… Kind of hitting me now. Being here, calling it a home makes this all… Not a nightmare…”

Cygnus’s shoulders slumped at the poor girl’s distress. They stepped over and offered a comforting hand to her and a soft grin. “Hey, listen. I know… It’s a lot,” they begin, choosing words carefully as they can. “I can’t say I know how bad it must feel going from your home country all the way to Centurion City of all places, but I do know the Fish Out Of Water feeling. It sucks, but it’ll pass. And please understand, I’ve got your back through this. Okay, kid?”

Celestia sniffed, tears coming to the corners of her eyes as she wiped them away with the back of her white-wrapped hand. Taking Cygnus's with the same hand, she held on like it was for dear life and nodded. “Thank you…”

Cygnus squeezed back and smiled, offering Celestia a hug, which the girl hesitantly took. The soldier held the young woman tight for a moment, letting her catch her breath before letting her free. “You ready to see your space?” they asked calmly.

Once Celestia nodded, she was lead into the hallway and up through it to the blank door. Glancing down the other way, she saw a door hanging ajar, a practically decorated bedroom with a home office set up just within view beyond that, presuming that was Cygnus’s.

Through the door she was to be apparently staying in was a simple room, a queen sized bed in the middle, two night stands, a closet and dresser, and a three-blade ceiling fan were the main decor of the white-carpeted room. A painting hung on the far wall next to the closet, a landscape of the city skyline, punctuated by the 5 towers of The Rotund on the left side and morphed to allow City Hall to stand much shorter on the right.

“I’ll let you get settled in. Take your time, and let me know if you need anything, okay?”

Celestia nodded, stepping into the room and sighing, steeling herself as she set her duffle bag on the bed.

“Oh, one last thing, before I forget.” Cygnus stood in the doorway as Celestia turned to face them. “Jess’s got a sphynx. He’s usually locked up in her room unless Jess’s home, but he’s nice enough. Just let him approach you, he won’t bite or scratch you unless he’s cornered.”

Celestia nodded, a small smile playing on her lips. “Thanks for the message…” As Cygnus turned to close the door and leave, she called after them, “And thank you again for everything.”As she was left alone in the simple room, opening her dufflebag, Celestia let out a long, shuddering sigh. Pulling the family photo from the bag, she steeled herself. For you two… she muttered to herself, staring at her mother and father.

===

Celestia sighed, rubbing her face clean, having discarded her shoes in a corner by the door of her room. The shower was nice. The two in her head have been quiet since the mystics gave her her last treatment. That effect was supposed to be wearing off right about-

{It’s good to see you’re up and about now, Cellte.}

The strong, yet singsong voice took the girl by surprise, making her yelp at nothing but her own mind. The towel around her dropped from her startled hands, a shimmering white wrap taking its place.

{It’s okay. You’re safe, promise, Cellte.}

Celestia shook her head, remembering what’s going on now… The cacophony is still quiet, at least. Nothing too extreme. Just one voice. Not what felt like thousands. “Who… Who are you?” Celestia whispered the demand, not wanting to draw attention from the other in the apartment.

{My name is unpronounceable to mortal kind. Especially humans. You may know it better as Justice. I am the Nim that has been entrusted with purging your curse.}

<Curse my left ass!>

The new voice was harsh, abrasive, but not necessarily hostile. It hurt Celestia’s ears for a moment.

<All you’re here for is to cause problems! If either of us is the real curse here, it’s YOU!>

{Silence yourself, Fox. You’re hurting Her.}

Celestia, shook her head again, much more vigorously this time. “STOP! Both of you!”

The ‘Nim’, as it… she called herself, fell silent immediately.

The other, the shadow… Whatever, the Fox, it grumbled a bit. <Sorry…>

The apology almost took Celestia back a bit before she sighed. “Well… This is the first time I’ve been able to… To think. Or talk. Since you… The Fox possessed me.” Another soft grumble escaped into Celestia’s mind, something she was beginning to take as an apologetic tone. “I for one think introductions are in order. If we’re going to be stuck together until we figure out a way to separate… We should know what to call each other, right? You two can call me Celestia.”

There’s a silence permeating the trio, but inside her chest… No, in her very spirit, Celestia can feel the tension between the two forces. The being of light and the entity of dark, silently in cold war.

“I shouldn’t have to tell you what you two should be doing now, do-”

Before Celestia can finish the thought, the Fox speaks again.

<Terror. The closest you’ll get for me is Terror. From either of you.>

Celestia sighed, tensions easing a bit within her. She remained quiet, waiting for a moment.

After what feels like too long… {Justice.}

Another pause… <It’s… Okay. To meet you, Justice.>

{I hope we don’t have to stay like this for long.}

The tense silence returns, echoing nothing in Celestia’s soul. It isn’t until the door knocks Celestia’s thoughts free of herself that she realizes how long she’s just been standing at the foot of the bed, and that there’s a black top and matching shorts beneath the now two-piece-esc white dress.

“Hey,” chimed Cygnus’s voice from beyond the wood. “You have any food allergies we need to be worried about?”

Celestia cleared her throat, her voice shuddering a moment. “O-Oh, no! No diet restrictions or anything, thank you!” she called back, heading to the door and opening it with a smile. “I-Is dinner almost ready?”

Cygnus smiled back as the smell of lasagna filled Celestia’s nostrils. “Hope you don’t mind, yeah.”

“It’s perfect!” Celestia tried to assure, following Cygnus out into the main living area.

On the couch lounged a tired-looking, pale woman with nearly white hair and green eyes, wearing something akin to a short-sleeved, knee-length, pastel pink nightgown, a skull embroidered off-center in the hem of the skirt, hanging over her left knee. She was busy watching a romcom movie, and the apparent sphynx loafing on her chest suggested who this was.

“Jessibel?” Celestia asked, approaching almost cautiously.

The woman glanced up and smiled. “Yeah. Celestia, right? Cy texted me you’d be here tonight,” she said, extending a hand for the younger to shake.

Celestia smiled and shook it firmly once. “Right, it’s good to meet you.” Reaching a tentative finger towards the cat, she asked, “And who’s this?”

Before she could get an answer, the cat hissed softly, patchy black and white skin wrinkling a bit as his ears pinned back slightly. It offered an almost confused ‘raurrr…’ at Celestia.

“Ribs! What was that about?” Jessibel chided gently, offering comforting scratches to the sphynx’s cheek as she sat up a bit. “I’m so sorry, he’s usually a sweetheart…”

Celestia shook her head, smiling but now a bit unnerved. “No-no-no, it’s okay! I-I understand, really.”

<You’re a bad liar…>

{You’re the one making the thing question us!}

<Shut up before things get worse.>

Jessibel sighed. “In any case, you alright? Cy mentioned something about an illness, and tell me if I’m stepping over boundaries…”

Celestia hesitated, debating before finding her voice. “I-I’d rather not talk about it right now, I… Don’t fully understand it. It’s not contagious or anything.”

Jess nodded. “Of course, in your own time if ever,” she offered, looking the girl up and down a bit. “Nice dress, by the by.”

Celestia smiled a bit. “O-Oh, thank you! It’s… something I bought overseas.”

Neither being spoke up, but she could feel Terror’s eyes rolling.

“Your gown is adorable, too!” Celestia finished, trying to ignore the two for now.

The night wore on as Cygnus eventually came and joined the two, Celestia finding a chair while Cygnus and Jessibel shared the couch, the apparent ‘Ribs’ almost dutifully finding a spot by Cygnus’s feet to curl up. The cat’s eyes never left Celestia, judging and pondering. The eyes seemed to keep the two entities quiet, at least.

(PREV / ALL \ NEXT)

[sulky-star-cluster]

To be fair, I'm pretty sure Cygnus' damage is largely related to Bloodmoon mauling him… so the hatred is kind of justified? Parasites is a strong word though. Atlas and Citrus may come with Bloodmoons. The two are smart, but their Bloodmoon are the "protectors" of the family. So there is a high chance one of the twins will come with them while the other stays with their lunars. Hopefully Rogue since he is into gardening and could handle getting the blood substitution plants situated. And it would definitely be better to have the plants and not need them than a hungry Bloodmoon trying to eat someone's cat. And Black Star is entertaining Rigel I think.

Cygnus: Exactly.

Antares: It still doesn't mean that every blood moon is like the one that tore you to shreds. And even at that. That damage isn't from Blood Moon.

Cygnus: I don't care if it isn't from blood moon! Sun was a lucky ass who got to be repaired! Meanwhile I was ripped apart by a spell and left in the woods!

Glam Freddy: That sounds traumatic.

Cygnus: Apparently being busted by a laser is more traumatic.

Antares: I don't think it's the death that's more traumatic, but the experience is before and after it.

Cygnus: Whatever. These blood moons that come by better leave me alone.

Antares: I'm sure they will. But if you want to get help from these repairmen I would lighten your mood about it.

Cygnus: *grumble*

Glam Freddy: Well it this blood moon need help planting these flowers, I will help wherever I can. I want these new visitors to feel safe.

Antares: Agreed. Even if some of us have more sour attitudes, This place is a restart. We shouldn't be judging.

Cygnus: Agh! I hate your hundred years lord logic.

Antares: Well at least we're finally here back in the daycare.

Glam Freddy: It appears your friend has fallen asleep.

Cygnus: Apparently.

[the-glacian]

Fic Stats Tag Game

Rules: Give us the links to your fics with the most hits, second most kudos, third most comments, fourth most bookmarks, fifth most words, and your fic with the least amount of words.

Tagged by @girlwithakiwi thank you! <3 Haven't done this one yet, it sounds like fun.

Most Hits - Cygnus, FFXV / Ignoct (1197) - Ignis gets hurt during a routine hunt. Things change after that.

Second Most Kudos - In Twilight Hours, FFXV / Ignoct (110) - When words are failing you, there are other means of communication.

Third Most Comments - The Sweet Escape, MCU / Stucky (9) - In a few strides, Steve covered the distance between them and wrapped him in his arms.

Fourth Most Bookmarks - One Call Away, Good Omens / Ineffable Husbands aka Idiots aka Azicrow (10) - A phone call that goes wrong before it goes right.

Fifth Most Words - According to Aziraphale, Good Omens / Ineffable Husbands aka Idiots aka Azicrow (4721) - Three (3) things, according to Aziraphale’s observational skills, have been happening with an increased frequency lately.

Least Words - his Ignis, in every way., FFXV / Ignoct (354) - Noctis learns to make Council meetings entertaining.

Tagging a couple of writer mutuals: @fly-away-stuff, @tinyarmedtrex, @americanbeautiies, @crazyloststar, @denilmo, @ignoctrabbithole, @knightofflames, @sidepartskinnyjeans, @puzzlebean, @thuriweaver (just ignore it if you'd rather) and please feel free to steal it whoever feels like doing it!