#dai gut dai lei

[snackugaki]

oh well didn't make it after all

my tmnt  iteration (where everyone made it past their 20s, splinter’s alive just old, venus is here, and they deserve some goddamn respite and shenanigans)

tmnt  iteration part 1 | part 2 | part 3 | part 4 | part 5 | part 6 | part 7 | part 8 | part 9 | part 10

tmnt  iteration omake 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16

lny visit 1 | 2

[kayhi808]

First Crush - 7

It took forever to get Abby down for her nap. She was too excited about Bucky coming over today. You can't lie, you're a little excited too. It feels like an important step is being made. You've invited him into your sanctuary. You switched up the menu to a roasted chicken. He ruined the idea of spaghetti & meatballs with his guts & eyeball comment. Roast chicken was a better idea, you can just throw it in the oven & enjoy the movie with them.

Looking around the living room to see if there was something you missed. You threw Abby's toys in a basket & pushed it to the side, so at least the living room looked a little neat. You had on shorts & a peasant top. A little dressier for staying home, but you wanted to look good for Bucky.

"Mama?" You hear her footsteps running down the hall. "Mama?"

"Yes?"

"Where Bucky?" She looks around frowning. "I'm all done sleeping."

Bucky texted just a little bit ago saying he was getting near. "Pretty soon. He's on his way over right now. Let's brush your hair & put on a clean tshirt. We can wait for him downstairs.

*****

You and Abby wait on the stoop, singing songs she learned at daycare. There's a rumble of a motorcycle turning the corner that catches your attention. Of course he would own a bike. Your forehead wrinkles watching him pull in between the 2 cars parked out front. He looks sexy as hell, but you should have learned your lesson with Jason. Abby is jumping up & down clapping her hands watching Bucky take off his helmet. You have a hand on her arm keeping her away.

"How's my favorite girl?" Bucky smiles up at Abby as she pulls away from you & launches herself off the stairs at him. You're terrified that the daredevil gene will end up getting Abby hurt one day.

"ABBY!" Bucky easily catches her & hugs her to him. He sees the anger on your face and sets her down. "Abigail," turning her face towards you, "Don't you ever pull away from me like that. You know you aren't supposed to jump down the stairs."

"It's ok, Mama. Bucky catch me."

"No. No, it's not ok. What if he didn't?"

"I think you scared your Mama, Abby. Maybe you should say you're sorry." You see a stubborn frown on her face before she said she's sorry & you nod & kiss her brow. You stand up to face Bucky who looks concerned & bends down to kiss your cheek and whisper, "You ok?" He gives you an identical kiss to the brow that you gave Abby.

Nodding, "Nice bike."

"It's easier to find street parking," he shrugs. That makes perfect sense, but why does it still bother you? You shake off that thought & give him a smile.

Abby slips her hand in his, "Cans I ride it with you?"

"Absolutely not."

Bucky picks Abby up, "Let's listen to Mama, huh?"

"She's going to give me a heart attack.' You lead Bucky upstairs to your apartment. Abby has already switched topics & talking a mile a minute.

Once inside, Bucky opens his backpack & brings out 2 pints of ice cream, which brings a smile to your lips. Shyly, "I didn't know what flavor to get."

"Didn't know what would go well with guts & eyeballs? I switched to roast chicken by the way." He laughs & nods. "These are perfect. Abby, look what Bucky brought for dessert."

"Strawberry is my favorite! How yous know?"

Shrugging, "Lucky guess."

"Bucky, yous want to play toys in my room?"

"Um..."

"Baby, remember we were going to watch a movie. I'm going to make popcorn right now. Maybe you and Bucky can look for a movie instead."

"Oh yea! Come, Bucky." She tugs on his hand.

"What do you want to drink? I got iced tea, water, soda, juice...."

"Iced tea?"

"Mama, cans I has juice, please?"

"Yes, ma'am. One ice tea, one juice."

You put the chicken potato veggies in the oven. Pop some popcorn. Get their beverages and bring it to the living room. You find Bucky wearing a plastic lei and holding Pua, the pig from Moana, on his lap. Your jaw drops but you quickly take out your phone and snap a picture of him glaring at you. "Abby, where are you?"

You hear her feet running down the hallway, "I'm here, Mama!" She has a lei on & hula skirt. "I had to gives Bucky your lei."

"That's fine, Baby. It looks good on him."

Nodding, "So pretty!" She runs out again.

"Abby! What are you doing? The movie is going to start." You turn to Bucky who looks a little shell shocked. You straighten his lei. "You look good."

You hear Abby running back and now she's added on a tiara, "Ok, Mama! Puts yours on." She climbs on the couch and places one on Bucky. "There."

"That's perfect, Baby. Let's take a picture." Standing on the couch next to Bucky, she wraps her arms around him squishing her cheek up against his. "Nice! Say cheese! Smile, Buck." Then you sit on his other side and get a selfie of the 3 of you.

"Lemme see, please." Abby takes your phone and squeals. "Good work, Mama! We so pretty!" She plops down next to Bucky, "Okies, I'm ready for the movie."

You play "Moana", one of Abby's favorites so she's zoned out singing every song. Doing little dances. Bucky takes the opportunity to wrap his arm around you pulling you close. Whispering, "If you send those pics to anyone on the team, I will end you."

Next Chapter

@waywardhunter95 @rebeccapineapple @ordelixx @onceithough @crazyunsexycool @thezombieprostitute @ilovetaquitosmmmm @julvrs @unaxv @s-a-v-a-n-a-34 @winterslove1917 @ozwriterchick @mrs-bucky-barnes-73 @mrsnikstan @hisredheadedgoddess28 @itsteambarnes @otterlycanadian @enchantedbarnes @purplecolordeer @samsgirl93 @buckitostan @blackbirdwitch22

[kingdomaddiction]

So what if when SQH arrived to PIDW he was fragmented into three different people?

1. He wakes up after he thinks is the end. He’s a young, beautiful woman. And apparently she’s a cultivator? Su Xiyan, they call her. She realizes she’s in her damn story playing the role of a character that’s meant to die. She hates it and tries really hard to change history but it’s useless. No matter how hard she tries she can’t get the palace master off her ass. Really, that dude is a creep.

She tries to run away but here’s something invisible keeping her there, spoiling all of her plans. It’s infuriating. So, she decides just not to play along. Ignore the plot.

Suddenly she meets a demon. They fall in love and it’s inevitable.

It’s doom. She knows what will happen to her, to him (her silly, lovely demon Lord, it’s hard not to love him— she never stood a chance), to her unborn child.

She cries and begs and screams but she’s imprisoned. Punished for loving the “wrong” man.

It’s hard to remember but she manages to scape. Her last memories are Luo Binghe’s cries. It’s cold, oh so cold, and she hates herself for writing something so sad and depressing.

2. He’s a child again. Not sure how that’s possible, but he’s living and breathing. Shang Lei is pretty sure he died in a very pathetic and pitiful way.

For a long time he thinks it’s just a dream. But the hunger and pain feel real.

Shang Lei finds out he’s living in the PIDW universe when a cultivator visits the town talking about the recruitment for Cang Qiong Sect. He wants to laugh and cry and run the other way but then a blue screen pops up scaring the shit out of him.

A system, he has a system. Now he understands this second life is not for him to enjoy, but to fix his own story (excuse you??? Fix???).

He’s forced to join the sect, to join An Ding, and it takes an embarrassing amount of time to realice he’s Shang Qinghua, the cannon fodder.

It’s depressing and anxiety inducing but he has no other option but to obey the cruel system.

He meets Mobei and he swears it’s love at first sight. Obviously he promises to follow him forever —the system intervention is not needed.

Years passes, he becomes head disciple. It’s hard, unpleasant work. He hates it with all his gut. But the system needs him to be a Peak Lord, so Shang Lei becomes Shang Qinghua.

He’s nervous, Binghe’s birth is near. He knows it, he has been keeping track.

And one day… it happens.

His head feels like it’s been split open. He screams and everything turns black.

When he wakes up he’s at Qian Cao infirmary. Mu Qingfang is trying to talk to him, her?, but he’s overwhelmed by the memories flashing in front of him.

It hurst so much, physically and emotionally.

The system is apologizing to him (a first, really,) talking about a glitch and diving his soul. Qinghua is not listening, he can barely breathe. All he can think of is his baby and her darling husband now imprisoned under a mountain.

Before he can think of running of there and look for Luo Binghe (he’s just baby— he needs me! ) the system warns him.

He’s not allowed to find him. He’s not allowed to save him.

Mu Qingfang witnesses the worst second case of Qi deviation he has ever seen in his life.

3.

He wakes up. She’s a woman, an old woman. Her body hurts from hunger, cold, and age.

It must be a dream, she thinks. But when she wakes up the next day, and the next, and she’s here. Shang Lei has to accept his reality.

He died, and instead of just… dissolving or some shit, now he’s an old woman (really, what the fuck?) with no name, no family, and no money in a xianxia universe.

It’s shitty, really shitty.

She tries to… adjust. It’s not easy and the people of this town is extremely cruel. She still manages to find a job as a washerwoman. It’s hard on her because of her age and the seemingly eternal cold of this cursed town, but it gives her enough to buy food so she tries not to complain much.

The loneliness is the issue. Sometimes is too much to handle. She cries and begs the gods to send her someone, anyone, just to stop feeling so lonely.

And then it happens.

A cold morning, a river, a child.

She jumps into the water ignoring the freezing temperature and fights against the current. She almost drowns but it’s worth it. Because now she’s holding in her arms the most beautiful and adorable baby boy she has ever seen in her life.

Her heart feels so full. A child, her child.

There’s no doubt in her heart. This child is hers.

“Luo Binghe,” she says and laughs. It’s silly, her own little private joke to name her child like her protagonist, but isn’t it a nice coincidence?

He, like her protagonist, was floating down the river in the coldest day of the year and was found by a washerwoman.

A washerwoman just like her.

A washwoman…

A baby…

A river…

.

.

.

Huh.

… no matter, she raises Binghe. He’s such a polite, lovely child. Her perfect little gentleman. She tries to teach him about love and kindness, even when the townspeople are cruel and mean Binghe needs to be good!

He’s so smart and grows so fast it makes her proud. But she’s afraid, she can feel her body becoming weaker and weaker with each passing day.

It’s just her and Binghe, no one else. If she dies he’ll be alone.

Her sweet boy tries to help, and when she inevitably falls ill he works hard to put food on the table for both of them.

Sometimes he arrives dirty, his eyes filled with tears and bruises on his face. He always gives her a warm, big smile when he sees her and her heart aches.

Her time is coming, she knows. And she begs him to be good, to be kind even when it’s pointless. She no longer tries to deny it, Shang Lei is aware in which universe they are living.

The last thing she sees are the eyes of her beautiful child filled with tears begging her not to leave him.

4. SQH wakes up in QC again. He’s numb and Mu-shidi looks alarmed, he seems discussing his state with the sect leader (what is he doing here?)

The memories of Luo Binghe’s mother, his/hers, fills him with both warmth and sadness.

She raised him, she managed to raise her son. Even if she didn’t know she birthed him, she loved Luo Binghe as her own and did her best to give him a home.

But now he’s alone… and Shang Qinghua can’t reach him. Because the system is stopping him, threatening to hurt him or his son if he dares not to follow the script.

It’s so unfair and twisted, he wants to cry. But he can’t fight so he’s forced to watch his son grow from far away… Abused, beaten, and punished.

He despises SQQ and plans on killing him. But then he has a Qi deviation so strong his whole personality changes and suddenly his son is finally treated with respect and love and Binghe seems to adore his new Shizun (maybe a little too much??? Young man! That man is way too old for you!!!!)

Life is good, for a while.

Binghe is thrown into the abyss, he finds out SQQ is a transmigrator (but unlike him he wasn’t split), they form and alliance and so much shit happens that his story is no longer his.

It’s different, good. Binghe is happy, his old lover is free (still as handsome as the day they met), Mobei has promised to threat him better (i love you, do you love me, my king?) and he has no system to worry about anymore.

… But he stares at Binghe sometimes. Yearning for him. To hold him and kiss his forehead and she used to do when he was a child.

Unfortunately it’s not possible. Binghe hates him (please I beg you, the system forced me, —) and sees him as nothing more than a rat.

He tries his best to pretend it doesn’t hurt, but whenever LBG insults him he locks himself up in his rooms and cries. He could tell him the truth since the system seems to be gone but Shang Qinhua is paralyzed with fear. He knows he wont be able to survive Binghe’s rejection. So, SQH lowers his head and takes it no matter how vicious Binghe’s comments get when his cucumber-bro is not around.

.

// ran out of ideas—

I haven’t decided how but ???? Maybe one day SQH talks with Tianlang-Jun and the demon is reminded of a beautiful cultivator of his past and is instantly captivated. He follows him around much to Mobei and all the other demons dismay. It makes Binghe uncomfortable because that man is his father, why is acting like with SQH of all people?

(Mobei and Tianlang-jun fighting for SQH’s attention— him earning a reputation for having the former emperor and the second strongest demon in all the realm after him. SQH remains oblivious to it, thinking they are just being nice)

(SQQ: airplane this is so fucking dumb what kind of extras are these????)

(Binghe gets… suspicious. Tries to get closer to SQH to investigate— is this a plot to usurp the throne? What’s so special about him?

SQH is just glad his son is paying positive attention to him! No insults, no mean comments! Is he doing something right? He wont question it—

• SQQ jealous shenanigans.

• SQH slipping and using his other life knowledge to spoil LBG.

LBG: ????? Wtf???? How does he know i like this? Why— how? Is he stalking me?

SQH: I made this dish for Jungshang—

//tastes just like his mother’s cooking.//

LBG: *cries*

• TLJ and MBJ temporary truce. They can’t lose SQH to LBG.

• SQQ still losing his shit: wtf you hack author this is my husband!

• SQH and Binghe bonding, very wholesome, very cutesy. Binghe is really conflicted but this… it feels familiar. And… Shang-shishu smells like his mother???? Oh, he’s crying again.

Yeah, that the idea I hve so far idk feel free to use it or add anything I’ll go have breakfast now 👍🏽

[louisferrignojr]

titbit tuesday or whatsitcalled

aka the bucktommy breakup/makeup fic i started writing way before 8x06 working title is "the spinoff fic (disclaimer: i don't think this is happening)"

They drive home in silence, Tommy behind the wheel and Evan in the passenger seat next to him, chewing on his bottom lip, staring out the window. There’s a tension in the air between them that’s never been there before, it sits heavy in his gut like a lead weight. Evan turns and looks at him when he feels Tommy’s hand on his thigh while they’re stopped at a red light.

“You okay?” Tommy asks, a question that slips out of his mouth like an instinct. 

“I’m fine, Tommy.” Evan sighs. “Are you okay? You’ve been… distracted, these past few days.”

“I’m sorry.” 

Evan shakes his head. He takes Tommy’s hand and laces their fingers together and squeezes. “You don’t need to apologise.” He draws in a breath and slowly lets it out. “It’s just making me kinda nervous. You’d talk to me if there was something to talk about, right?”

Tommy swallows and watches as the light turns green again. He withdraws his hand, gripping the steering wheel a little too tightly as he drives off. 

“What is it?” Evan asks, voice small. 

Tommy feels a tightness in his chest. “Evan…” he trails off; the words stuck in his throat that feels like it’s closing up, narrowing with every breath he takes. 

“Just tell me, Tommy. C’mon, spit it out.”

“Can it wait until we get home?” 

“Yeah, fine.”

They’re only two miles from his house, and it’s not long before Tommy is pulling into the driveway and turning the engine off. Neither of them makes a move to get out just yet. Tommy is stalling, trying to hide out in the safety of his car, knowing that once he’s crossed the threshold of his house, he’ll have to come clean. 

Evan, on the other hand, is gripping the container of the chocolate cake on his lap, staring at it in silence. He’s the first to make a move, wordlessly opening the door and climbing out. Tommy almost expects him to slam the car door shut, and he hates himself for thinking that — that’s not the Evan he knows. He sighs and pulls the key from the ignition switch and climbs out, watches as Evan unlocks the front door with the copy of his key that he’d given him some time ago and follows him inside. 

Evan sets the container at the kitchen table and turns to face Tommy, leaning against the counter, his hands gripping the edge of it. His jaw is set and his eyebrows are drawn together. He’s waiting for an answer. 

no pressure tags: @loucifersbitch @wikiangela @aringofsalt

@beefcakekinard @disaster-j @erodingsinner @rosyhoneydew

@evansbuck-ley @bi-bi-buckleys @reginamillls

[threepandas]

Bad End: Cultivation

The rope creaked softly, suffering under the weight it was not meant to bear, as it stretched out, seemlingly endless into the mist. This had once been a bridge. The entrance to this lonely place. Humble as it was, the simple rope bridge had once stood for time immemorial. A path of safety above Soul Eater mists below.

Terrible creatures and unspeakable monsters dwelled down there. Things that devoured. Even the mists themselves, were said to drive men mad. Cause hallucinations and aggression. Qi draining in nature. It was like a living thing that digested you slowly.

Unless, of course, you could escape.

Or, it was said, if you were like the legendary immortal who had founded this temple. HE had apparently just walked. Refused the mist's their hold on him. Then climbed the cliff face to this mountain top. I somewhat doubted that tale. But then again, staring down at the rolling mists... it seemed impossible that ANYONE could have ever survived them.

The bridge creaked on, in the soft breeze. There were days it's groans sounded like the cries of a beast in pain. Tortured. When the wind rattled and dragged at what remained of its form. Trying to pull it from it's post. Down, down, down to it's final end.

There was a boot print. Terrible and damning. Cracked, IMPRINTED, deep into the base of the pillar that once held up one side. Far away, the bridge must surely still be stable. Both pillars standing tall, like gaurds. Like brothers. But here?

One powerful kick.

And the bridge had disappeared out from underneath all those that stood upon it.

Everyday... every day I come. Every day I look upon this bridge. Upon the boot, a terrible sin imprinted into stone, and I tell myself I do not recognize the size of it. That my suspicions are wrong. My instincts surely lying. Because... because if I do not?

What can I do? What could I POSSIBLY hope to do? If my suspicions WERE correct? If in this place, lives a monster? I am not stronger them him. Without him, I would be utterly alone. He has insured I am all but dependant on him. Not teaching me how to cook nor clean, farm nor fight. All practical skills are lessons for another day. Forever another day.

Yet...

Yet, I MUST know.

I torture myself with this. The wondering. The questions I do not not ask, for fear he will not even bother hiding behind lies. I stare at the old, long dried blood that stains where the bridge once ended. The shimmering heavenly gold. Somehow... some horrified, gut wrenched, SCREAMING instinct... knows it to be the blood of Tree Fruit.

It is the blood of the unborn. Those that will never get the chance, now. They... they were not even apart of anyone's body. Were wholly seperate, dependent and their protectors for survival. Were FRUIT for God's sake. Just as I had been. Souls reborn, not from flesh, but clean and new, from a Divine Tree. Ascendant from some other place.

I don't know WHY they were taken from the Tree. Why I was. My memory is spotty. It was too soon. I had not forgotten yet. Was not READY yet. It should have been safest to stay there. Be born into the world. Yet... they were on this bridge, instead. Attacked. The blood of infants stains the stones and will never wash clean. I can not... I was still FRUIT, then.

I can not REMEMBER.

And so I come. Again and again, before this rope. That stretchs out into the mists. Above far more terrible things. And try to recall. Make sense of it this terrible thing before me. This bridge. A long, worn, straining rope. With old, well-worn wooden planks, weathered by the ages, that... that hang like bodies.

Strung up in an endless row.

That whisper as they clack and groan with suffering in the wind, "A crime. A crime. Great evil was committed here!"

I tell myself... like a child hiding from monsters they KNOW are real. Trembling and blood soaked, terrified, as they crawl as far back into some small dark place as they can... I... I do not want to compare the boot print in that stone to Lei's. That they would be different sizes, even if I did.

I do not convince myself.

I never do.

"Shimei, this disciple wonderd where you were..." calls out a familiar voice. Deep in the way dangerous waters are deep. Smooth and placid at the surface. With something deadly I can not see, far, far below. "This one has found you at the bridge again. What captivates you so? You missed your morning snack. Should be on your way to early morning meditations."

My smile is more of a grimace, as I turn.

There are days... when forgetting is easy. When the tranquility of this place seeps itself into my bones. The comfort he deliberately arranges for me. The scheduled repetition. It is... trance-like.

Sitting with tea and snacks. Watching the early morning's sunlight dance off the distant mist. As birds wake and dew settles. The world hushed. Cup warm in my hand. Coat dropped over my shoulders. It is beautiful. The meditation garden is beautiful. EVERYTHING here is beautiful.

It is the fact that it is... empty, that bothers me.

This was not a temple built for two people. Remote as it must be in the world. The sect built this place for a reason. And each day that passes? I am more convinced that reason was to have a place to fall back too. The temple is lovely... but more then that? It is a FORTRESS.

Difficulty getting here is not even a fraction of the defens it holds.

So WHY?

WHY are there only two people here?

I nod, stepping towards my "shixong" as he insists I call him, dispite there being just the two of us. His hand reaching out to take my arm, guide me. I no longer need help navigating these halls. But he does not stop. Clings to his excuses to coddle and touch. It is a fight I can not win. I pick my battles. But, before his hand reaches my sleeve. Knife!

A throwing knife, shrieks near silent through the air as it cuts between us. Nearly removing Lei's fingers as it does. I jerk away, startled. He whips around towards the bridge.

"GET AWAY FROM THAT CHILD!"

The voice that roars that command has the distinct rasp of old age. Sure enough, a figure in flowing robes surges forward from the mist, running light as a feather across the single rope that remains of the bridge. Long white hair and beard. A wrinkled face, more accustomed to smiling, now turned into a fierce and determined scowl. The robes of a Grand Master.

There are a handful of warriors following him.

But the one that I can not look away from... it's... it's like looking through the lense of a half forgotten dream. Blurred by angles all wrong. But oh... oh how could I forget that face? The one that stares at me with such fierce and fearful determination?

...Shijie?

More then an older sister, less then a mother. Whisperd promises, muffled by liquid, from long ago. I know that face. KNEW it. It once smiled down at me, as I grew upon my branch, and promised we would be family. Loved me. Beautiful and patient, as she whispered about all the wonders of world.

I was...

Oh.

I was supposed to go with HER.

Be raised by HER. A little sister, a daughter, someone she could guide and grow with. My memories struggle to come together, but faced with familiar faces? They TRY. Especially as power begins to surge around me. Terrible and familiar. The beginnings of a fight.

Someone on my branch. Not my sister. Pale as morning mist and just as untouchable. He seemed lonely. I was lonely. Far from other Fruit, an awkward thing, high up, and on an old twisting branch. That had missed all nipping and cultivation by being accidentally hidden by the leaves surrounding it. The fruit was supposed to grow lower to the ground, where it could be watched. Safe.

But I happened anyway.

And I was alone.

No others to spend my time with. No disciples to come and care for me, day to day. So when the mist man came? I clumsily... reached out. Pat pat. There, there. I'm here, "dude". (I... can not remember what that word meant. But I know I knew it. It was friendly, I think.)

He was surprised to find me, up there.

I don't not think he told anyone.

I...I think he was supposed too?

But it did not matter in the end. Someone else found his hiding spot. Found me. There was much shouting and alarm. Elders, I think. Doctors, to insure I was well. Great relief, that I was a hardly little thing, developing as I should. After that? I had constant visitors. None that seemed very interesting... until... until my Shijie.

They were looking, I think, through interested parties for a match. Who would adopt me. Then there was softness. Sweet, golden days. The mist man visited. Anger from him? Not at me. Displeased. Covetous? I did not understand. Something wrong was growing but I was unborn... did not have a name yet for the sensation.

Just that is was...Dark.

Then it was night time. A beautiful moon through the branches. Smoke, black and terrifying. Screaming and the clash of swords. Unbearable heat, climbing and climbing. Lights blinking out. Dying? Were... were they dying? The great Tree, divine and holy, groaning in agony. Wood popping from heat. Splintering from blows.

Feet upon my branch. Running, running, running. Falling too their knees. Swordsman's hands. Bloody, wrong, not my shijie. Where is my shijie? Sister! SISTER?! I am being pulled. No. No, it is not time. It is too soon. The Fruit is not ready.

The hands do not care.

I am torn out by the roots.

Where the Tree should be... is nothing. I SCREAM. It hurts! A void. The ocean of life gone, gone, GONE! Already I am starving. Destabilizing. Dying again. Scared! Please! I am-!

A hand wraps around the raw nerves of my roots. They are wrong. I know them, but they are WRONG. Where is shijie? Sister... SISTER! Please!! Energy floods back in, as though it never stopped. But... but it is not clean. Like brackish water after so long in clear springs, I choke as I try to adjust.

Moving.

Running.

Where is the Divine Tree? I want to go home.

Others join. Burned. Bleeding. They have Fruit too. I have never been so close to others. They sound nervous too. Scared. But they have their family. Why do I not? There is some plan. A bridge that goes on and on. Below us are terrible things. They are talking? The end in sight.

"-viously you can't... -ep her, she's not your child. Y.. -eat thing protecting her th.. -ll be so relieved you have her child. N.. -all we have to... -ait out this..."

Something ugly is rising. Danger. DANGER. No, no, NO. STOP. Run! Bad thing is coming! I don't-! I can't-! Covetous, terrible, tar-like WRONG! Seeping up like festering! Stop it, stop it, STOP IT!!

The sound of a sword being drawn.

I am tucked close. Cradled like something precious. As a blade sings destruction through the air. A shocked and betrayed cry. Confusion. I can see horror on faces, feel terror from the other Fruit. Two of them are dead. CRUNCH. The bridge violently lists to the side, weight no longer equally supported.

Time seems to slow... as ancient metal slides free of stone.

Half those on the bridge are gone in an instant, as the floor swings out from below them like a trapdoor. Those that remain? Are the souls fast enough to grab the rail that still remains. The boards, as they fall. They hang above certain death, as their friends fall screaming in primal fear, to horrific death below.

How long can they hold on?

Especially with only one hand?

A few already lost their grip on their Fruit in the sudden shift. Can only stare in numb and mind blank horror, soul deep agony, as the bright little lights fall... and fall... and fall...

Inside my Fruit I SCREAM.

I do not remember after that. Only being born. It is a blur of trauma my mind must have refused to keep. D..Damn it. DAMN IT! I jerk away from Lei. I had known. I hadn't WANTED to know... but I had KNOWN.

The Grand Master attacks. His blade crashing like the might of a wrathful god against Lei's. Sending him sliding back. The master pressing his advantage, warriors rushing to fan out between the fighters and me.

Arms. Soft yet unimaginably powerful, the scent of tea and the medicinal flowers she proudly grew for the sect, I was pulled into an embrace. My head tucked against her neck. Arms bordering on too tight. As though I would disappear at any moment.

"Shimei.." my shijie whispered, a wounded sound. "This sister has you. We have come to rescue you. The traitor will never hurt you again. Come!"

This felt right. I nod. Follow her towards the bridge.

"Thief."

Lei's snarls. Never has there been an uglier, more venomous sound. One of the warriors, acting as a shield, dies preventing my sister from being speared through the heart from behind. Desperately, she scoops me up. Breaking into a sprint.

"Do you truely think you can take this one's Disciple from him? His WORLD!?" An unhinged laugh echoed along side the clash on blades. "There is NOWHERE you can hide her, that I will not find! She is MINE! Belongs with ME! You can run but there is NO WHERE you can hide!"

I cling to my sister as she jumps up on the rope, racing away from the gilded cage that was my only home. Over her shoulder, Lei is locked in combat. The ugly something I had always known was there, finally out in the air between us. Demonic energy spilled from him like radiation. Sickening and every bit as caustic. His eyes wild as they lock onto me.

"I'm going to BURN everything that gets in my way, my disciple." He croons, the grin spreading across his face a thing that will haunt me. "Just like before. NOTHING will keep you away from me. Nothing! I am going to hunt you down, drag you to ascension, then spend the rest of time making you MINE."

"And nothing will stop me, child. Not even you. Why?"

"Because I LOVE You."

[kitchenisking]

Seires Fic Rec Part 13

Eighth Night of Chunnuka

Hot Nerd Alert by alisvolatpropiis - (Hot Nerd Alert) - (Rating: Not Rated, Words: 4,537, sterek)

Derek can't believe he's actually doing this: taking a selfie snap of the guy he’s been crushing on for weeks to prove to Danny that one, yes, he really does exist, and two, he really is that hot and thus he is totally justified in being too scared to make a move.

Or you know, even talk to the guy outside of the class they share.

In his defense, this isn’t just any guy. This THE guy. Hot Nerd. The utterly adorable but still somehow insanely sexy freshman in his twentieth century American Lit class who he’s been lusting over since the first day of the semester. If there were ever a time for him to be that person who tries to be subtle while taking snaps of other people, this is it. 

Inspired by this super cute fanart by prettiestalpha.

This is Home by JoMouse - (This is Home) - (Rating: T, Words: 3,451, sterek)

Derek gets a letter carrying a familiar scent from an unknown person. He drops everything and returns to Beacon Hills for the first time in fifteen years.

Written for A Very Sterek Summer. Day 5, Theme: Reunion.

If the ley lines you should follow by forestofbabel - ( Ley Lines ) - (Rating: T, Words: 52,111, sterek)

And Derek just stood there, staring at Stiles like he was a ghost.

“Dude, I know it’s been a while but you don’t have to look at me like you’re that surprised I’m hung over in the woods. It’s practically a tradition at this point.”

“Stiles?” Derek whispered, the name falling from his lips like a punch to the gut. Stiles watched, confused, as Derek took a deep breath in and took a shaky step forward then back again. “You’re not- you can’t be. Who are you?”

All I Ever Wanted by gabby227 - (Presidential Stiles and First Husband Derek) - (Rating: Explicit, Words: 24,297, sterek)

Based on a request on tumblr: 

In the midst of all of the Election 2016 craziness, I have discovered that I need President & First Husband Sterek. Either could have either position, but I’m really desperate for the ‘First Husband’ to be more interested in continuing their current career than getting involved in anything political. They show up for the really important stuff, but they don’t put much stock in the whole the ‘President’s spouse must do a political song and dance for the masses’. 

Or, rather, the first of several stories surrounding presidential!Stiles and first husband!Derek.

Reunion by Rising_Phoenix - (The New Hale Pack) - (Rating: G, Words: 5,221, sterek)

Stiles is in Beacon Hills, just in time for his ten-year high school reunion. Having been convinced to show up there, he meets the last person he wants to me, one Scott McCall, the werewolf who once had been his best friend, his brother, before he had told him that humans can not be part of a pack and abandoned him after graduation. But it's Scott who will be surprised by not only Stiles being there, but also by the backup that has decided to show up supporting him...

Pretty Little Wolf by ItsMe_Basil  - ( Pretty Little Wolf) - (Rating: Explicit, Words: 82,164, sterek)

Derek has heard stories about the Spark -the kind of stories that would have his younger self cowering under the blankets. The kind of stories that had Derek stick close to the pack. But when Derek is in trouble, and the pack isnt around, Derek finds himself in the care of said Spark, and he finds out fairly quickly that he's not all he seems to be. Stiles, he finds out, isn't a villain at all. Derek's only heard one side of the story for four years, and now it's time for him to hear the other side from his mate. *-* "Pretty little wolf," he hummed, stepping closer and kneeling beside Derek. Even in his death fogged brain, he recognized the words spoken. The words that were tattooed along his hip bone. The man reached a hand out, long bony fingers brushing against Derek's jaw. That's when recognition dawned on him. He knew this boy -not personally, but he'd seen pictures. This was the Spark. The one Scott had warned him about since Derek had returned to Beacon Hills four years ago. His mate. "Fuck me," Derek gasped out, dropping his head on the step. "Let's get you better, first, shall we, Puppy?" The Spark hummed.

Not Quite According to Plan by Phlinting - (A Spark of Hope and the Butterfly Effect ) - (Rating: Mature, Words: 23,261, sterek)

It's been eleven years since Scott was bitten by a feral werewolf and, despite his pack's many victories along the way, Gerard Argent's influence lives on. As the knowledge of the supernatural spread to the general population so did the hatred and fear of the unknown. The McCall pack has been picked off one by one and Stiles, Sheriff Stilinski, and Peter Hale are the only three left, on the run and barely surviving.

But Stiles has found a spell. He has the magic, the spark, and his belief. He has his dad and Peter to help power it and he has the will and desperation to succeed.

He's going back to the Hale fire and this time he's going to stop it ALL before it starts.

It's the perfect solution. Too bad things never go quite according to plan...

Another Alpha by ThePornFairy - (Wash your hands) - (Rating: Explicit, Words: 1,147, sterek)

When Stiles comes home with news, things don't exactly go as planned.

or

Wash your hands as thoroughly as Derek scrubs another alpha's scent off of Stiles skin

Blue Light (i'm waiting for it, that) by zanni_1 (zanni_scaramouche) - (In Your Eyes (the light, the heat) - (Rating: Explicit, Words: 19,743, sterek)

Derek pays him to dance, Stiles enjoys the sex on the side, and that’s all that ties them together. Whatever else the enigmatic man does is none of Stiles’ fucking business.

Stiles works at a club owned by infamous Derek Hale, leader of the largest criminal organization this side of the country. As they twirl closer together police and rival gangs start to gain the upper hand, forcing everyone's loyalty to be questioned.

Body On My by nymphe - (Losin’ All My Innocence) - (Rating: Explicit, Words: 2,333, sterek)

“I’m serious, Derek. Like really sensitive,” Stiles says, a little muffled by where he’s shoving his face into Derek’s shirt.

Stiles’ neck is sensitive. Derek takes advantage of it.

[1toreyouapart]

The Lies We Tell

***FANFIC THAT INVOLVES REAL PEOPLE. 18+ ONLY. MDNI. DO NOT READ IF YOU DON’T LIKE FANFIC THAT INVOLVES REAL PEOPLE***

Summary that tells you nothing: Sometimes everything you ever wanted has been right there, within reach, all along.

CW/TW: Angst, fluff, swearing, friends to lovers, jealousy, smut, fingering, PinV, pet names, friends with benefits, more to come as I actually get things written out.

Masterlist

Misunderstandings

“Dinner tonight?”

Quinn read over the message, smiling. Things were semi normal again. Her and Noah hadn’t spent much time just hanging out like they used to, but that would come in time. When she was no longer scared of the dreaded conversation where he would for sure tell her that it meant nothing. That he just hadn’t been with anyone in too long, or some stupid shit. The whole “it’s not you, it’s me” shit men did.

“Quinn! We need you out here! Busy as fuck and we’re down another. Brianna just had to leave. Her kid is sick.”

Fuck. They were already slammed at the pub. Some big sports event. And they were already down three people. This night couldn’t get any worse. Four hours and she was just now getting a break. Slipping her phone back into her pocket she jumped up, ready to face the hell that awaited her.

“On it, Lei! How bad?”

“We’ve got a three top, seven top, and an eight top that all just got sat in her section. Plus five more that just sat at the bar.”

Well, shit. How in the fuck did Leilani expect her to cover those tables and her bar? Something was bound to get fucked up. Call it a gut feeling. Or intuition. Or whatever the fuck. She just knew she was going to fuck something up.

Her phone rang, briefly drawing her attention. Quick glance showed Noah calling. She didn’t have time right now. Work was too crazy. Sending it to voicemail she slipped it back in her pocket. She could call him back when she got an actual break.

Into the hellfire she went.

***

Seven hours. She had been waiting tables and running the bar on the busiest night they had ever had for six hours. Over her time. Should have been home hours ago. Instead now she was sitting out front of the place, exhausted, next to Leilani. She knew she should go home. But God that cigarette she was smoking smelled divine right then. Made her wish she had never quit.

“Thank you for tonight. When I divide up the tips at the end of the night you’re getting extra in your tip box.”

All she could do was nod at her boss. Far too tired to speak. Sighing she pulled out her phone, only then realizing that she had never responded to Noah when the first thing she saw was his unanswered text. Then the missed call and the voicemail. Nervous she clicked the play button on the voicemail, bringing the phone up to her ear.

“Quinn, I swear to fucking God. You are the most infuriating little terror pixie I’ve ever fucking met. You’ve made your goddamn point.”

What the fuck was he on about? What point did he think she was making? She was at work for fucks sake! Just when she thought things were starting to return to normal he goes and accuses her of something she didn’t even fucking do?

Irritated she reached out, snatching the cigarette from Leilani, taking a long drag off of it. Fuck, she had missed this. The way the smoke filled her lungs, the relief as she exhaled the smoke. How the tobacco tasted on her tongue. The ashen woodiness of the flavor erasing the stress of the day.

“What if I called in tomorrow?” She chuckled, passing the cigarette back.

“I would say take the day off and we’ll just have to manage without you. You were an absolute rockstar tonight.”

“Lei, I was joking.”

“I’m not.”

Quinn paused. There was some kind of catch. There had to be. She had been working there for years, doing the same thing too many times to count, without so much as a “Hey, thanks for covering our asses!” What was she up to?

“Listen,” Lei continued, weariness settling into her voice. “I can see it plain as day because I’m currently experiencing it. You have burn out happening. Take tomorrow. Have a mental health day. Seriously.”

Burn out was the last thing she would use to describe what she was feeling right then, but she would take it. It was more akin to a royal pain in her ass that was either currently waiting for her at home or still working himself. God, she hoped he was still working. It was just late enough that everyone else would be asleep when she got home. And being alone with Noah was the last thing that she should be doing.

Tags: @collisionofyourkissmakesitsohard @mrscevans @supersquirrel1996

[the-roo-too]

maybe! -> 0.3 the bluebeard’s wife

-you’re really stuck with the coven, no matter how you look at it. and that one witch seems to hate your guts. or does she?

this mana print doesn’t appear noticeable to you, no matter how much you look yourself over. you don’t get to question chaewon nor eunchae about the matter as both witches don’t appear until later in the night.

before they do though, you get to meet a couple more exciting individuals. the first one of them quite literally falls on you as she appears just a couple centimetres above the couch you’re occupying. with a loud shriek, she lands on you, knocking you over with her. she rants something about some spell and sneezing and mentions some other names you don’t recognise, before actually acknowledging your presence.

“oh, you’re the potato’s pick! eunchae said he was really excited you know? last time he was so happy to bring someone over was when that neighbour got a mouse and-“

“uh, i’m y/n. it’s nice to meet you…?” you interrupt her another rant, which she doesn’t seem to mind. her face brightens and she introduced herself too.

“i’m sakura! although it’s mostly kkura around here. oh god, i feel on you!” she only now realises. “i’m so sorry! i was trying that stupid teleportation spell again. you know how simple it is? even eunchae does it freely! god, it’s embarrassing. if my mother saw this back in the day…”

“oh, i get you. sometimes simple things appear really hard.”

“yeah, exactly! that spell is like, the easiest thing after creating light? simple as quantum entanglement.”

“quantum what now?”

“mana print? yeah, it’s normal in this area.” eunchae is the one to finally talk to you after you met sakura. she at first looks taken aback by your lack on knowledge on that matter, but explains it nonetheless.

“it’s the ley lines. we live in a powerful area, you know? to recharge and all.” although the explanation seems acceptable, you still can’t understand why chaewon said it was dangerous for you to leave.

“uh, i don’t know if you got that part, but most of the people aren’t the biggest fans of supernaturals- especially witches for some reason? and priests make those weird campaigns like in medieval europe, go hunt and burn us cause apparently god says so?”

“okay, but i’m not a witch?”

“but you stepped into a area influenced by our presence. the power from ley lines gets kinda twisted here and it sticks to you. we know how to hide it, otherwise the local priests would dump holy water on us- i hear it works like salt on snails- or something equally terrifying.”

the idea of people chasing you with holy water isn’t that bad, but the medieval witch methods don’t seem as applying to you. you ask eunchae if they can just mask your print, cause it shouldn’t be that much of a problem, right?

“no, you got me all wrong. only you are able to hide your mana print.”

to sum it up, you are fucked. apparently hiding the mana print is a thing witches are born with. the first spell that they don’t have to learn.

but you’re no witch.

“well… if you think about it, you brought this upon yourself by helping potato?”

“you’re not helping, eunchae.”

“i know, sorry.” the younger girl lowers her head and ponders for a bit. “i’ll look for the books i had when i was younger. maybe i’ll get something there.”

and she disappears with the cat, leaving you alone to your thoughts.

somewhere in between thinking about your current situation and scoffing at how stupid it is, you fall asleep. a couple times you get woken up by someone speaking, but you don’t stay awake long enough to find out who it is. only the last time, you can make out what the voices are saying.

“should i apologise to her?”

“for bringing her in or being mean.”

“…oh shut up.”

you’re not surprised when eunchae doesn’t bring you good news about the mana print. no matter how you look at it, you’re stuck with the coven. and with the kinda mean witch, chaewon.

she seems to hate your presence, for a reason you can’t really comprehend. first you though she just doesn’t like humans. heck, there are no other humans at their house!

but now… you just don’t know. you got a cozy place on the couch, where potato loves to sleep. every time you wake up, chaewon is giving food to potato and when her eyes find yours, she frowns.

then again, she’s a witch. maybe you’re not meant to understand her.

“my unnie likes you.” you almost snort out water with your nose at the phrase. as you start coughing, eunchae pats your back reassuringly. “i know, i know. she doesn’t want to admit it herself.”

“then… how do you know that?” it’s not that you want chaewon to like you, you’re just curious (keep telling yourself that).

“unnie talks a lot in her sleep.” the younger girl shrugs, as if it was obvious.

“…what am supposed to do with this information?”

“ask her out? duh, i didn’t take you for the slow type..”

and that’s how you find yourself standing above poor sleeping chaewon a couple hours later. eunchae is standing by your side and keeps smiling encouragingly.

“just do it!”

“it’s embarrassing if you’re here to see it!” eunchae rolls her eyes at your whines, yet backs away obediently soon and disappears from the room with a small wink. you almost get a heart attack when she teleports away (damned witches).

you’re alone with the older girl again. looking at her sleeping face. it kinda makes you a creep, doesn’t it?

you lift up your hand to gently touch her shoulder when she starts murmuring in her sleep.

“no… unnie, i don’t like her… no, she’s potato’s!” you stifle a chuckle at the monologue. then your hand makes contact with her shoulder.

the witch’s eyes fly open and she almost twists your wrist with how fast she grabs it. “oh. y/n?”

her grip on your hand loosens a little. “yeah, it’s me.”

“what are you doing here?”

your eyes meet hers and you hold her gaze. “do you like me?”

“what?”

“do you?”

she looks lost in thought for a second. her gaze falls to the floor and as much as she’s sleepy, she’s also thinking hard.

“…yes.” you weren’t expecting her to actually say it.

“huh?”

“can i kiss you?” she doesn’t wait for your response, her lips landing on your softly.

maybe (just maybe), you can get used to living with the witches.

[thesilversun]

Five Lines Fic Meme Tagged by: @howdaretrashships Thanks for the tag!

Rules: find five lines in your fic based on the prompts you are given, then change one of the prompts at the end!

A Line You Think is Hilarious

from

Mainframe, HEX and the Temporal Trouser Error

a Torchwood/Discworld crossover where two computers talk to each other despite a difference in programming language.

It' a few lines really (and tbh pretty much all the fic - it's by far the silliest thing I've written.)

Mainframe gave the electronic equivalent of a shrug, and then sent her next message. [Please identify date of three leg trouser formation] Hopefully Hex would understand it if it was sent in terms it understood.  +++14 Grune. Year eight. Century of the Anchovy+++ Which could, Mainframe computed, mean anything from ten thousand years ago to a week last Tuesday. So she sent back [Sync calendar function?] A calendar page from the previous May appeared on screen, then across one of the days flashed the word +++Wrong Trouser Day+++

A Line About Mysteries

Time Enough and Life (Torchwood, Jack/Ianto)

By 1969 the Electro was threatened with closure. It managed a stay of execution thanks to the British Film institute scheme supporting regional arthouse cinemas, and was renamed the Cardiff Showhouse. Even so, as the 1970s wore on it struggled to turn a profit and it finally closed its doors on the 22nd of February 1977. Jack stops and reads the sentence again. Simple, factual and easy to understand it is also completely incomprehensible in relation to what Ianto has told him about it. There had been such genuine fondness and affection in Ianto's voice at the memories of Saturday mornings spent there with his father that Jack finds it incredibly unlikely that it is a lie. Yet if it's not a lie Ianto is a great deal older than he looks and had lied about his age when he joined Torchwood One. Either that or his father's idea of a nice day out was to zip back a couple of decades to see a film. All the options are preposterous, yet a quick search of the internet confirms the 1977 closure date. The only thing that’s clear is that, for whatever reason, Ianto has been lying to him, and maybe to Torchwood from the outset. The question is why?

A Line About Love

From All the Lies (Good Omens, Aziraphale/Crowley) (written after S1, not seen S2, so if there is an angel in S2 call Uriel it isn't this one)

Uriel watched them for a moment surprise growing on her face. "You love him." "We are meant to love," Aziraphale said, pulling the fuzzy, midnight-blue fabric around him. "More than anything that is our purpose. I cannot and will not be sorry for being as She made me." "Not you." Uriel pointed at Crowley. "That...thing. The demon. How can It do that?" "Thing. Demon. It. Well isn't that just charming. It's Crowley. Crow-Ley. Two syllables. Really not that tricky." He gave her an irritated look that somehow managed to be conveyed despite the glasses. "You know the one who helped screw up the whole end of the world thing for you." "But you shouldn't love him," Uriel persisted. "You can't." "Why not? We were all angels once," Crowley said, quieter than usual. "Falling didn't change..." He stopped, genuine raw hurt on his face. "Falling was a punishment and what better punishment for a Fallen Angel than to still feel love, but know they'll never, ever deserve it. Never." He turned away, swallowing down millennia old hurt. "Seriously I thought all you angels knew that. Just something else for you to be smug about." It felt like a punch in the gut. Had Crowley thought that about him too? The things he'd said to him...Some of them had been so thoughtless, cruel even. "Oh Crowley, my dear, you should have said something," Aziraphale said, catching his hand in his own. "Of course you're loved. I love you." Panic, fear and desperate hope, radiated from him as he looked at their clasped hands. "You....you do?"

A Line About Dreams

From Before the Dawn (Mysterious Lotus Casebook, Difanghua - a nightmare rather than a good dream, unfortunately)

There is water all around him. Ice cold and dark. It is full of hands. Some tiny, some huge. Men’s hands, women’s hands, things that may or may not be human at all. Gripping, grasping hands that pull at him, at his hair, at his clothing. Not clothing. His clothes are gone. He can’t open his eyes, but Di Feisheng can see them all the same. Nothing but hands. No heads or faces. No bodies or even limbs. Just innumerable hands, their sharp nails, talons, claws, red painted, like cinnabar, like wedding clothes. they hook into his skin, tearing it open. The water turns redder still. Like blood. Perhaps it was always blood. Either way he’s soaked in it. Drowning in it. He always has been. He struggles against the tide of clawing fingers. They swarm up his body, no part left untouched. They close around his throat, squeezing, crushing the air from him. They pry his mouth open, blood rushing in and out, they are in throat from the inside, choking him. He wants to scream, but there’s no air left in him. “A-Fei!” It’s distant. He tries to kick out, but his legs will barely respond. There are hands on his shoulders pinning down. He’s going to die. He doesn’t want to die. “A-Fei! Wake up!” It’s closer. More urgent. Familiar. The hands, which aren’t the same as the ones in his dream, shake him. Careful, rather than rough, as they pull back to wakefulness. To safety.

An Atmospheric Line

from Three months and a thousand miles of sea Mysterious Lotus Casebook, Dihua.

He turns to the wide horizons. “Li Xiangyi! Come back and face me!” Only the echo of the mountains answer, taunting and hopeless. He sits amidst the snow and shattered rock. The sun sets and the cold moon rises. Frost settles on his hair. His hands heal. Still the empty ache inside will not ease. The sun rises and he leaves. The cold of the mountains seems to have seeped into his bones, like he will never be warm again and still he aches for what could have been. What should have been.

Tagging: @yletylyf @galexibrain @cheesybadgers @killerandhealerqueen @momosandlemonsoda if you want to that is, and any one else who wants to do it even if not tagged

Prompts:

A Line You Think is Hilarious

A Line About anger

A Line About Love

A Line About Dreams

An Atmospheric Line

[mrhaitch]

HIHI I again cannot remember if I already sent in some questions but here we go if I haven’t!

Favourite type of cuisine? And favourite dish from said cuisine? Mine is probably Viet food since GOD I love bun rieu. (I also grew up eating Viet food so like nostalgia)

Can you do a pirouette and get Haitch to rate it on a scale from 1 - “OMG you should be a dancer!” For us?

Opinion on Star Wars?

CANTONESE LESSON (cause I ran out of fun facts): In the New Year people usually hand out red pocket money (specifically married couples give it to unmarried people) then to get the money the recipients will say blessings. They are usually about 4-5 words long and my favourite is 大吉大利 (da ji da li or dai gut dai lei- first is mandarin second is cantonese) which literally translates to big orange big fortune. It wishes prosperity and fortune since oranges are symbols of fortune

1. I'm a sucker for Cajun food, but it's a tragic rarity in the UK so I often have to make it myself - jambalaya and prawn creole probably being my favourites. But I'm also a big fan of Thai food (tom yum soup), Indian (Lamb Rogan Josh), and Japanese (beef donburi).

2. It went surprisingly well. She said "it was actually very pretty" - 8/10 (points deducted for not being in lycra)

3. Lots of opinions on Star Wars - overall, I love it and it's one of my favourite fictional universes. It does fall afoul of the traditional fantasy tendency towards declension narratives but that's for another time.

4. Also very cool.

[cashewally-sarcastic]

okay so you know the ley line stuff with Ruu? I think it would be funny if there was a ley line disorder on stormterror's lair and the mondstadt gang had to watch a time loop of a person that looks and sounds like Venti constantly dying. Venti isn't saying anything cause he's more focused on making sure none of the leyline juice gets into the remains of Decarabian (It hurts seeing his old friends but its been so long that he's made peace with it. Like how an eraser damages the paper's surface).

Traveler is like: Oh i've seen this before. Let's rule of four this!!!

The KoF going into the ley line past ^^^

“Wow wouldn’t it be funny if [says one of the most gut-wrenching things you’ve ever heard]” -steel

Idk man because if it’s NB who’s the center of the leyline issue then like…he’d see Traveler (and the people around so KoF and Venti) and that would probably cause so many emotions/questions on his end. Why does someone look like him? Is that Gunnhildr? Who is the blonde person? Did Decarabian die?

But also if there’s no center of the leyline and it’s just “oops leyline fucked up lmao” (like the hidden strife event) then some historians would have a field day recording all that stuff

[walker-extended-universe]

Things Don't Have To Be Good To Be Good, Chapter 3

Chapter 1, Chapter 2

Relationship(s): Cordell Walker/Emily Walker, Ruby/Cordell Walker, August Walker & Emily Walker & Stella Walker, Ruby & August Walker & Stella Walker, Dean Winchester & Sam Winchester, Ruby & Sam Winchester

Tags/Warnings: Demons, Demonic Possession, Secrets, Secret Identity, Ruby Lives, Psychic Abilities, Antichrist August, Antichrist Stella, Blood, Hurt/Comfort

Summary: Ruby has tried to settle back into normal life after her first look at the demonic in years. But fate had other plans…..

Written for @augustofwhump Day 23: Possession, Fate

Taglist: @theladywyn, @ihavepointysticks, @klaatu51, @itsjessiegirl1, @neptunium134

---------------------

This was supposed to be a fun night. Larry and Kelly had come over for dinner and games. The kids had gone up to their rooms about an hour ago once the baby stories started coming out and the adults were secretly relieved. Wine was flowing and the food was good and the games were better.

So why did Ruby feel like something horrible was about to happen?

The last time she got a feeling like this, deep in her gut, gnawing its way up into her mouth so she could scream, was when the Leviathans walked the Earth. But she hadn’t heard any rumors or felt any rumblings for years. Not even a whisper on the ley lines.

So why was she getting that feeling now? And why so suddenly? Normally it’s weeks of build up, tension, and natural disasters. This was just a normal day in the middle of the most boring month of her long life.

And why hadn’t Kelly looked her in the eye all evening? The last time they’d talked, they’d been finalizing plans for Larry’s surprise birthday party. She’d actually been trying to get her friend alone for a bit so they could go over the guest list one more time but it seemed like Kelly was avoiding her.

Emily tried to shove it down, to ignore the bad feelings and just focus on having a good time. But she knew better, especially when a threat was in her home.

“Kelly, could you help me with something in the kitchen?”

“Sure.”

She tried to get a read on her friend as they walked. “So, is everything still going okay with the party plans? I wanted to go over the guest list again to make sure I have the right numbers for the catering.”

“Hm? Oh, yeah I guess. I, uh, don’t remember the list right now so maybe we can talk tomorrow?”

“Sure….” Emily grabbed a pitcher from the very back of the fridge. It was a special pitcher that she rarely found reason to use, filled to the brim with holy water. She hoped she was wrong about this, but she had to be sure. “Help me with this? We need an excuse to be in here.”

“Oh sure.” Kelly got the glasses out of the cabinet and Ruby poured the water. On the third glass, she “accidentally” poured the water over Kelly’s hand.

Just as she feared, it started burning and blistering.

Kelly screamed and her eyes flashed to black. “Can’t believe it took you that long to act,” she sneered. “After what happened with your little princess, I figured you’d be more aggressive.”

Ruby growled. “Some of us have a sense of decorum. What the hell are you here for?”

“Emily! Kelly!” Cordell came running to the entrance of the kitchen. “We heard screaming. Is everything-”

Kelly turned to him and flung out her hand, knocking him into the wall behind him, dislodging some frames and knocking him unconscious. Emily ran over to check on him and saw Larry lying in a similar position a few feet away.

“What the Hell do you want?!”

Kelly- or rather, the demon inside her- cackled. “Isn’t it obvious? You made a couple of crotch goblins with a human. Don’t tell me you don’t know what that means.”

Emily clenched her fists. “They don’t have any powers,” she lied. At least, they hadn’t been activated yet. And if Ruby had her way, they never would be.

“Don’t kid yourself; even you aren’t that stupid. I could feel their potential the minute I set foot in this house.”

“Why did you even come here?” she deflected. She hadn’t even used her own powers recently. No magic, no demonic activity, nothing. And she knew the kids hadn’t used their powers. So how did this bastard know to come here.

“Oh, you know how it is. Someone starts a demonic summoning, they don’t finish it, someone comes upstairs to look and…” The demon smirked. “Well, I recognized your handiwork on those humans. A mother’s love truly does trump everything, even common sense.”

“Stay away from my children,” she growled.

“Make me.”

“Oh, I will.”

Emily lunged for the holy water pitcher but Kelly knocked her back with a flick of her wrist. Ruby growled and swiped at her legs, knocking the demon to the ground with just enough time to crawl over her. “Get the Hell out of my house,” she sneered. “And don’t you dare come back.”

Kelly’s mouth twisted into an evil grin. “And what’s to stop me?” she mocked. “You can’t exactly ward this place against demons. And you know I won’t be the only one knocking down your door.”

Ruby knew she was right. Heaven and Hell would both be vying for her children- which is why they would never learn of them. “Not if I kill you before you can run your whore mouth.”

The demon giggled. “What? You’re just going to kill your friend? I knew you were a bitch but I didn’t think you’d sink that low.” She smirked. “She’s screaming for help, you know. She’s begging you not to kill her.”

Emily didn’t doubt that Kelly was suffering. Which was why her grip loosened. She didn’t want to hurt her friend, even if it might save her family. She couldn’t do that to Kelly, to Larry, to Cordell. 

Which gave that demon the upper hand. She flipped them over and pulled a special knife out of her back pocket. “You always were a weak little bitch,” she growled. “That’s why you shacked up with Winchester, isn’t it? That’s why you ran away when things got hard. And that’s why you’re wasting all your potential in hiding.”

Ruby kicked and fought back. “You don’t know what you’re talking about,” she growled. She was the best of everyone in Hell. “Lilith didn’t trust any of the rest of you with the Apocalypse. I’m the one that rose Lucifer from the cage. I was the best of all of you sons of bitches! The most loyal!”

“Where was that loyalty after all our leaders abandoned us?” Kelly hissed. “If you were so great, why didn’t you come back to take the crown? Or even try to take out the Winchesters when you had the chance?”

Because none of you would believe me. Because I had to hide. Because I found a haven for myself and I didn’t want to leave. Because I fell in lo-

No. She couldn’t say that. Demons didn't love. She just found safety. That’s all. “That’s none of your business.”

“Mom?”

Emily’s heart dropped. Turning her head, she saw both of her children in the doorway.

Kelly smirked and weakened her grip on Ruby. “There you two are–”

Emily kicked up and knocked Kelly aside. “Stella, call 911! Auggie, go hide! I-”

Kelly force choked her, lifting her toward the ceiling. “Now, now, Ruby. There’s no need for that.”

“Aunt Kelly? What-”

She laughed. “Oh, you have no idea what’s going on, do you?”

“Let her go,” August said, voice wavering. “I don’t know why you’re doing this but-”

“Oh, aren’t you a sweetheart?” Kelly cooed. “It’s pathetic, really.”

Stella’s fists clenched. “I don’t know what you’re talking about but you need to stop. Let her go. Now.”

Kelly’s hands dropped to her side involuntarily and Ruby fell to the floor.

She would be relieved if that wasn’t so terrifying. “Stella, honey, take your brother and-”

“No! You need to leave, now!” August demanded, pointing at the demon.

Kelly started seizing and Emily watched in horror as the demon was forced to smoke out.

The demon was gone, Kelly was alive, her family was saved, but the damage was done.

“Why did you do that?” she whispered. “I told you to run.”

“We were just-”

“You have no idea what you just did,” Emily snapped. “Go to your rooms. I’ve got to handle this.”

“But-”

“Go!” she ordered. She pulled out her phone as they went up the stairs and called 911 to report a home invasion. She could only pray no one else remembered tonight. This was the last thing she wanted to explain to Cordell.

Once the police were on their way, Ruby hung up and made another call. She was going to need help with this one.

—--------

Sam answered his phone on the third ring. “Who is this?”

“Sam, it’s me. Emily. Ruby. I-I know I have no right to call you but something happened and- I need- I don’t know….”

Sam sat up. “Ruby? What happened? What do you need?”

“I- Another demon found out about me and came to my house. They- They wanted my children. I- We fought and the kids found out and-” her voice dropped to a whisper “They used their powers. They did a psychic exorcism with no warning or training. I- They’re exposed now. And I don’t know what to do. I can’t even tell my husband about this and- Something bad is going to happen, I just know it.”

Sam’s stomach dropped. That wasn’t good. “Okay, okay. Take a deep breath. I don’t know what you want me to do here. I can’t exactly stop Heaven or Hell from coming after them.”

“No, I know that. But they need some kind of protection. Protection I can’t give them on my own. I don’t even know how to defend against Heaven and I can’t exactly ward the house against demons!”

“Alright. I can try to help, but there’s still not much I can do. Unless you want me to move them into some supernatural witness protection program or something.” He was pretty sure Dean would have an issue holding them in the bunker but the Men of Letters had a lot of other safehouses Sam could probably employ.

She sighed. “No, I know that. I just- I didn’t know who else to call. Just- Please?”

Sam should say no. After everything Ruby did to him, he didn’t owe her anything.

But Ruby wasn’t just a demon anymore. She was a mother, a woman who deserved a chance at redemption, someone who just wanted to protect her family. How could he say no to that? 

Besides, the kids deserved a chance at life.

“....Okay. I can be there tomorrow.”

“Thank you,” she whispered. “Thank you so much. I-I don’t know how I’d ever repay you.”

“Don’t worry about that. Just take care of your family; I’ll call you when I get into town.”

“Okay. Thank you.” She had to hang up to talk to the police after that. Sam started packing a bag, moving into the library to find some helpful lore books. There might be something on how to shield an antichrist. Maybe.

Worst case scenario, he could teach them how to run off like Jesse had.

“Where are you going?” Dean asked.

Sam jumped. There was no way he could tell Dean was he was doing. He knew what his brother’s “solution” to this little issue would be.“Uh, on a hunt. Got a call from a hunter, said it was something demonic so I figured the books could help.”

Dean nodded. “Sounds fun. I’ll pack some gear and-”

“You don’t need to come,” Sam said quickly. “There’s already a team out there, they just wanted an expert opinion. And I know you’ve got some Grillmaster to catch up on so….”

Dean quirked an eyebrow. “Are you sure? It never hurts to have extra hands with demons around.”

“No, I know that. But too many cooks in the kitchen could lead to confusion,” Sam argued weakly. “I’ll be fine on my own, but I’ll let you know if we need backup, alright?”

“Sure. Let me know how everything goes.”

Sam let out a breath as Dean left him alone in the library. He hated lying to his brother, but he didn’t have a choice. He had to do this alone.

Maybe trusting Ruby again was a mistake, but he wouldn’t be himself if he didn’t try to help.

—------------

Sam left the next morning in one of the spare trucks in the garage. Unbeknownst to him, Dean had attached a tracker to the underside of the bed.

He knew his little brother was lying to him. And given Sam’s history with giving up the truth after he’d committed to the lie, Dean decided this was the best way to handle it.

After about half an hour had passed, Dean got into the impala with his tracker and followed Sam’s trail.

It was what any good brother would do.

[starkraivennemad]

Mistletoe for Le Rois

Mycroft Holmes quietly stepped from the lift at NSY and walked across the busy floor to his destination. It always amused him most on the floor will glance at him then quickly turn their heads in fear he might notice them. None but two people on the entire floor know exactly who or precisely what he does, but people know someone with power when the see it.

And Holmes Mycroft knows he exudes POWER in his three-piece suited glory. Still, he could not help the trite pleasure in watching their unconscious displays of fear and respect from them as he passed.

Luckily for them, unlike his incalcitrant little brother who deduced the worst in them and publicly aired their trivial affairs for sport, Mycroft did not. Oh, he certainly deduced them to the core, but he could not be so bothered with airing it. He was at NSY to see one person and one person only.

Detective Inspector Gregory  Lestrade.

Mycroft could have easily passed the assignment to one of his minions to give to Lestrade. But being honest with himself he could not. Work being what it was for both, they have not had an update dinner in nearly a month. They have spoken on the phone, but it was not the same. He wanted to see the man. He just could not say those words, among others.

Words like I want you and I have been in love with you for well over a year.

Mycroft Holmes knew who he was – a powerful man, cold, exacting and yes posh. Blessed with an intelligence that put him so far above Mensa level to make being a member comical. Yet cursed to not have the patience to deal with the rest of the normal world that even Mensa level geniuses find inept.

Yet Gregory Lestrade, though not Mensa, was still amazingly intelligent. He was a hard-working cop who earned every accolade and above all he was a genuinely good man that people naturally gravitated to.  Gregory had the patience of Job. He had to, to have put up with the likes of his brother and by some miracle, become someone that Sherlock calls a friend. That he was naturally handsome who aged beautifully where his premature silver hair only added to his allure did not hurt.

He remembers the days when they first met, and he had not so much as looked at the man fully before he dismissed the then sergeant. He thought Lestrade would just be another bribed minion to spy on his brother. Never in his life was he happy to be proven so wrong. His underestimation of the man left Mycroft unprepared for Gregory’s slow but sure chipping away at the ice that surrounded himself and his heart. The who had told Gregory on several occasions that caring is not an advantage discovered that cared oh so deeply for the detective inspector.

He cared so much he cannot go so much as a month without desperately wanting to see him.

Thus, Mycroft the Moth headed to straight to Lestrade the Light's office and internally grinned when he saw the man.

Like the squad floor itself, the DI had decorated for the holidays. Only instead of his desk or his walls he had decorated himself.

Above his head a sprig of artificial mistletoe hung from the ceiling with a sign that read "Stop trying to get me under the mistletoe!" while an arrow pointed directly down. Red and green tinsel was wrapped around his arms. While gold and silver tinsel was draped from his neck like floral leis.

The tinsel was one thing, things had been very busy at NSY of late and the levity was need. But Mycroft knew the mistletoe, especially its specific location, had to be against Human Resources rules somewhere. He also knew, Lestrade would not care one whit and would feign innocence if reported, not that anyone would. The charming  copper was well-liked knew and all would take it for the humor it was.

It did not stop Mycroft from wishing he had the guts to put that mistletoe to use, but down-to-earth men like Gregory Lestrade did not desire high-handed, admittedly high maintenance, stalwarts like himself. So, like the words he won’t say he keeps that wish to himself.

The Gregory’s head was down concentrated on the mounds of paper and computer work. At some point Gregory had run his hand through his hair making it stand on end. Mycroft’s hand literally itched to touch it. Whether to finger comb it back in place or muss it further

Mycroft stood at the open door and watched the furrowed brow for a moment before he knocked.   

“Ya?” Gregory had barely glanced up from his desk in acknowledgement, but that mere glance made Mycroft’s heart stutter. Because his mind had been busy on work, Gregory’s whole mien had changed at the sight of him. For a moment Mycroft knew that Gregory was happy to see him before he pulled his professional façade in place. Mycroft was not sure what to make of that.  

“If you’re busy detective inspector, I can come by another time.” He turned as if prepared to leave even as he silently prayed to deities, he does not believe in, that he got to stay and nearly swooned in relief when that prayer was answered.

“Get in here, Holmes. You do not casually come by these offices. What can I do to -erm- for you?” 

Mycroft had far too many answers to that near Freudian and tamped them down. He knew Gregory thought nothing of it as by rote he automatically closed the blinds and the door to Lestrade’s office when he visited so no one would enter without knocking as they got to the business at hand.

An hour later Mycroft found himself standing oh so close to a seated Gregory as he went over something on the man’s computer. He did not need to look on the computer for what he wanted, but it got him just that much closer to Gregory. Close enough that though Gregory had moved over to give him some space Mycroft could still feel the body heat the man radiated. He realized they both were under the mistletoe and clearly Lestrade had realized it as well if he was reading his sudden pinking correctly.

It dawned on Mycroft then, that was not the first time he had seen Gregory slightly flushed in his presence. He knew the possibilities it could have meant with others, but this was Gregory(!) it could not mean what he thought it meant. Mycroft dismissed for the impossibility it was.

Then Gregory opened his drawer and pulled out a little figurine.

“Oh, one thing, Mycroft...”

Read the rest o AO3

@mystradepromptsandscenarios

[wellthebardsdead]

The Mourned & the heretics Pt9

Part 8 here

———

Riiju-Lei: *hurrying through the temple after sending the ordinators flying* gods I do not need this right before my wedding day, hurries into the library and nearly jumps out of his skin seeing the Grandmaster of house Dres standing there, flicking through one of the many notebooks Divayth Fyr had written on Voryn Dagoth & then later Dagoth Ur and the other members of his house* Grandmaster Dres-

Grandmaster of Dres: Ah, Voryn. *closes the book* I was hoping I’d get to speak with you. I wish to apologise for my behaviour.

Riiju-Lei: *hair at the back of his neck standing up and alarms ringing in his head, watching the grandmasters movements as he puts the book down* You do?…

Grandmaster of Dres: Yes. I know it’s no excuse, however I was greatly distressed over the destruction of all my plantations. Thousands of crops destroyed, decades of hard work gone, my employees left jobless. I was, distraught, to say the very least. Then hearing you had returned, I like many feared you’d of brought all the foul omens Dagoth Ur had created with you. But I see now I was mistaken. I apologise.

Riiju-Lei: okay. *walks past him to start searching for anything on Vivec or Almalexia in his notes*

Grandmaster of Dres: That’s it? I apologised and that’s all you have to say?

Riiju-Lei: Just because you apologised does not mean I am inclined to accept it. You attempted to lay harm to Nerevar, you repeatedly undermined his authority and you’ve belittled me multiple times. Need I remind you as well that my mother was branded with your house crest as a slave. Skalei-Jei, that was her name. Not a scaled beast as you’d call her. My birth mother was a prisoner in your families hold too, a follower of nerevar, and she suffered at the hands of you and your ancestors to free those you held in chains. As far as I’m concerned. Everything you own can burn. *picks up the books the grandmaster had been looking at and storms out*

Grandmaster of Dres: *smirks and walks out of library and through the temple, unaware of the archmagister and a certain argonian hiding themselves with a simple minor illusion spell*

Divayth Fyr: *drops the invisibility* He’s gone-

Xelzaz: I saw him slip something into the notebook.

Divayth Fyr: I’ll tail after the grandmaster, you go after LeiLei.

Xelzaz: as you wish serjo- *gets up from his position behind the bookshelf and hurries out down the hall after Riiju*

Divayth Fyr: *fixes his robes and walks from the library, taking a book with him to look as though he’d simply collected some reading material to last him the lockdown within the temple and using it to hide his hand as he casts stone flesh on himself, having a deep sense of dread in his gut telling him he’ll regret it if he doesnt* … *peers around the corner to see the grandmaster enter the communal latrine, eyes narrowing knowing full well he wouldn’t be caught dead using a public bathroom* where are you going… *casts invisibility on himself as he follows behind at a distance, peering into the restroom in time to witness the grandmaster open and climb through a hidden trap door beneath the stone work of the floor* Azuras mercy… *hurries off to fetch nerevar*

*Meanwhile*

Riiju-Lei: *now back in nerevars room flicking through the books, the ordinators he sent flying earlier now back at their posts and looking very worse for wear* nothing on vivec or almalexia! *tosses it to the side and opens another one* Ugh this is why you don’t burn books! *flips a page and blinks seeing a piece of paper fall from the page* hm?… *picks it up and opens it to see a message written inside*

“Come Dreamer, Friend or Foe, come to me father of the mountain beneath the fall, gaze upon the gears of gods.”

Riiju-Lei: *staring in bewilderment at the letter* father of the mountain?… beneath the fall- the clockwork city…

Xelzaz: *suddenly skids into the room* Riiju!

The ordinators: no visitors are-

Riiju-Lei: let him in.

The ordinators: *immediately step aside, both afraid of being launched again*

Xelzaz: *hurries in and starts flipping through the books in a panic* Where is it!? A note he put a note in here somewhere?!

Riiju-Lei: I- this? Note? You saw who planted it?

Xelzaz: *takes it and suddenly goes cold recognising the hand writing from the scriptures of Vivec* … We need to find nerevar, now.

Riiju-Lei: why what is it?

Xelzaz: The grandmaster planted this for vivec!

Riiju-Lei: *stands up and grabs his sword in case he needs it* I’ll go find him, you get Kaidan and the others!

Xelzaz: alright!

*Meanwhile*

Nerevar: *creeping through the sewers, Divayth Fyr* shhh… *freezes hearing voices up ahead* Divayth, stay hidden…

Divayth Fyr: *casts invisibility on himself once more and steps away from him in case*

Nerevar: *creeps slowly, steps muffled by the moss coating the stones as he sneaks up to a cistern chamber and slowly peers in to see Vivec, clad in old travel worn robes, head covered by a red shawl, and face concealed by his mask, and before him the grandmaster kneeling* …

Grandmaster of Dres: *looking up at Vivec* I did as you asked my lord and get you’ve still not made good on your promise!

Vivec: Plans have changed, child. With Voryn Dagoth now back in the picture, our plans for you are now obsolete, but you have been a faithful servant none the less and I assure you you will still be rewarded.

Grandmaster of Dres: You promised me the power he possessed! And now you’re denying me it?!

Vivec: Hush. I can no longer afford you his power now that it’s been confirmed he has reincarnated. However. Once I have him in my possession and nerevar lies dead, we will be strong enough to sap the god hood from that traitor Seht, and gift it to you.

Grandmaster of Dres: M-my lord- I- th-thank you! I would be honoured to take up the mantle of the clockwork god.

Nerevar: *backs up to leave and regroup with Divayth Fyr so they can gather reinforcements, only to gasp in agony as a dagger pierces his thigh* GAGHHH- *reaches for his sword and freezes as the knife touches his throat, and a dunmer woman’s hand grabs a fistful of his white hair* nghh- hello- alma.

Almalexia: Hello. Husband. *pushes him out into the cistern grinning wildly* We caught him! We caught him Vehk! Let me gut him! Let me choke him with his entrails!

Vivec: *smirks from behind his mask* Hello, Nerevarine.

Nerevar: hello cunt- *hisses in pain as alma yanks his hair back*

Almalexia: You do not speak! I will cut out your tongue this time!

Vivec: Hush now Alma. There is no point in expending the effort. Once we are done we will need not fear him reincarnating again, and the good daedra will no longer have the means to revive him…

Nerevar: You won’t succeed. I defeated you all once and I’ll do it agaiAARGHHH!! *pulls back in pain as Alma slices the dagger under his jawline as if prematurely slicing off his face in a second foul murder*

Vivec: ALMA.

Almalexia: *whines and shrieks shaking nerevars head* It’s not fair not faaair!!! He has my skin! My pretty gold skin! And look at how he’s cursed me! I’m filthy! Dirty! Ugly!!!

Nerevar: *glares back at her* among other thing- *hisses as vivec suddenly punches him across the face before grabbing hold of his arm as Alma grabs the other, both of them kicking the back of his legs making him drop to his knees* This feels familiar…

Vivec: Grandmaster of house Dres, *holds out his spear to him* Take my muatra in hand, and claim your new name sake of Dres Seht as you drive it through his heart…

Grandmaster of Dres: *takes the spear with trembling hands, a mix of honour and cowardice wracking his body as he stares down at nerevars blue eyes* Dres Seht… *smirks darkly and laughs* I honour my family by slaughtering you! Now you will pay for the downfall of house dres! *drives the spear through his chest*

Nerevar: *eyes rolling to the back of his head, the cracking of ribs ringing through his ears, almost drowning out the voice of Vivec and the feeling of his lips on his*

Vivec: Don’t weep… I’ll take good care of your Voryn… *smirks removing his mask as his face and skin twists in shape and colour, turning him into the spitting image of the Hortator* Come you two… leave him to wither and rot like he did us…

Dres Seht: *pulls muatra from nerevars chest making him seemingly choke out his final breath* yes my lor- *recoils as vivec suddenly takes the spear from him, making it disappear*

Vivec: Alma.

Almalexia: *knife already hanging over nerevars face once more* But Vehk!

Vivec: Patience Pet… you’ll have an eternity once we’re done to torment him. Come… *takes her hand and leads them from the cistern, up the ladder and into the temple, the blood of the nerevarine allowing them entry at last*

Divayth Fyr: *drops the illusion and runs to Nerevars side* oh gods, oh please no…

[fortune-maiden]

Got started on Live A Live and it’s such a unique charming little RPG. I’ve done 2 chapters so far.

Imperial China - this chapter left the strongest impression on me in the demo but unfortunately I spoiled it a bit for a myself and knew what was coming and how to prepare for it. I like the story and characters in this one, but was surprised at how much of a gauntlet it was in terms of fighting. You have *12* battles to train your disciples (and if you’re playing optimally you’re just battling the same one 12 times lol), then the final dungeon just throws one battle at you after another. As much as I like the battle system and the different moves Shifu & his disciple has, it got a little exhausting. And then Megalomania happened and my exhaustion faded away.

In terms of story, I picked Lei as my successor because I just like her a lot and she has good moves even outside the ones she learns from Shifu. but I feel storywise, Yun is meant to be the one you choose, starting as the weakest one and a bit of a coward, but with potential to surpass the other two.

Also the story really lets you feel the gut punch of talking to his grandma before the final dungeon and her hoping he’s doing well.

Present Day - Despite complaining that the previous chapter was a gauntlet, my next chapter was the one where you do nothing but fight your way through xD

I did like this one a lot more though because you knew exactly how many battles there were, and the battles gave you a fun challenge of not just winning but winning after being hit with 2 of your opponent’s skills for Masaru to inherit. So the further you go the more skills become available to you :D

(which is great considering Masaru doesn’t gain exp! Shifu was a dying old man but what’s your excuse!)

I did have to replay one of the battles though because Masaru getting stronger meant Masaru being more likely to counter kill his opponents while wasting turns to be hit by the right skill. The last battle before the final boss was very stressful as a result ;w;

(and despite my best efforts apparently I did miss one skill ;w;)

I’ll probably do the Distant Future chapter next. Going from all battles to no battle xD

[eurovision-del]

Eurovision season is well under way! It’s only December but we already have our first song, and we’re going to get another one soon when Czechia select their entry. I waited to hear all the songs for the first time live at ESCZ, then went back to the studio cuts, and after a few days to get familiar with them, here’s what I think:  

Tom Sean – Dopamine Overdose

MYDY – Red Flag Parade

Lenny – Good Enough

Elly – The Angel’s Share

Tomas Robin – Out Of My Mind

Gianna Lei – Starlet

Aiko – Pedestal

My gut reaction after watching ESCZ was that unlike previous years we’re missing an obvious standout this year, since I enjoyed quite a lot of the songs equally, but actually I’ve come to think that MYDY are head and shoulders above the rest. Red Flag Parade is the most immediate of all the songs, designed to grab your attention with that dramatic opening, and it’s super catchy – it’s been in my head all week. The live performance had the clearest visual identity, The red marching band outfits are distinct and fit the song. The lead singer, Žofie, has fantastic energy and sells the attitude needed. Her vocals might not have been pitch perfect, but the sound system didn’t do anyone any favours, and it works fine for this style of music. However, while its catchiness is this song’s best quality, it’s also part of the reason why I didn’t rank it first – I’ve grown kind of tired of it just over the past week, and I’m not a huge fan of the melody in the chorus. By the third time it comes around, I want the song to be over already. It also kind of bothers me that the studio cut is censored – I understand it for the live version, but if you’re not even gonna say it in the studio cut, what’s the point of even writing a swear word at all?  

While I respect MYDY a lot, and think they have a great package, my actual favourite from this selection is Tom Sean’s Dopamine Overdose. It’s a little less in your face, but still energetic and memorable, the sort of dance music I vibe with. I’m not hugely keen on the ‘sweet like teriyaki’ line, but other than that I enjoy this song a lot. The performance was alright, Tom felt a little awkward at points, but I think the overall staging concept is solid. I really enjoyed how the dancers were used, though I think there’s a lot of potential to take it further and improve the choreography, it’s a good starting point.

Finally, I also really enjoyed Lenny’s performance of Good Enough. As a song, it’s alright. I enjoy the contrast between the stripped back opening and the second half where the instruments ramp it up and it becomes more of a power ballad, however I feel it takes too long to get there – I feel myself getting bored with the second verse. However, Lenny really impressed me, apparently she’s pretty established in the Czech music industry, and it comes across, she seems very experienced and professional. Her vocal at the start is very exposed by both the composition of the song and the ESCZ sound system, but it sounds great. Her rough voice really fits with this song and its jaded, mature tone.

I would be happy with any of these three songs representing Czechia at Eurovision this year. There really isn’t much separating them for me, I have issues with all of them but also plenty I enjoy. MYDY is probably Czechia’s best option with how catchy Red Flag Parade is, and the most realised concept in terms of performance, but I think the others also have decent performances with a lot of potential there too. With how close these songs are for me, I’ve decided not to vote, I’ll just wait and see what ends up winning!