#damn i went shadow mode

[ptanon]

um

i feel the need to say this because aaaaaugrgghrghrr!!!

please... stop... twinkifing... cod characters...

its not that big of deal, and honestly i don't really care, but sometimes it irks me. like, they're in the military. they kill people for a living. you know that, right?

and i don't want to get hate for saying this, so if you like turning soap or ghost or whoever the fuck into twinks and shrink them until they're 119 cms, um. go ahead babes. i'm not stopping you. quite the height you picked there, though.

i'm here just to remind you of the heights of our fellow soldiers. which i will be using a website for.

this is the best i can represent for their heights, but please don't trust it to be completely accurate. ghost is 193 cm (6'4" feet) and soap is 187 cm (6'2"). again, not completely accurate, but their wikis don't give me information about their height. i looked up ghosts height and it told me 193 cm, but soaps was a bit hard to find, so i had to go with mactavish's height — which was 187 cm! and i think that's accurate enough, considering their heights in this image lmao

(soap may be a bit shorter or ghost may be taller — or maybe one of them are leaning at an odd angle, but who knows! i can get my brother to play a cod game with me and we can check because he has a ghost skin and i have soap skin pfft)

that was reboot btw!!! if u want to know og heights, ghost is 1.2 cms (half an inch) taller than mactavish.

and, uh. yeah. thats all i wanted to say. bye.

p.s.: i looked up königs height and gasped 😭

short könig 😔

[upsidedownwithsteve]

Can we get a little 12 or 14 blurb from the clumsy prompt ☺️

number 14 for you lovely! “Hearing a crash or bang in the house and their partner isn’t in sight, cue immediate panic mode. meanwhile their partner just calls out casually that they’re okay or that something fell.”

There was a thump, a startling loud one, from upstairs.

Steve froze, eyes flickering upwards and his body tensing. Silence followed and the boy immediately dropped the spoon he’d been using to stir the macaroni, his shoulder colliding with the door frame in his haste to run to the stairs. His socked feet slipped on the floorboards, his brows knitted together in concern and as he reached the bottom of the steps, he called out, voice strained.

“Babe?”

He heard a small groan and some shuffling, his hand on the railing as he prepared himself to bolt up but your voice followed, suspiciously light and airy.

“It’s fine!” You called down to him. “Something just fell.”

Steve blew a breath from his nose, one eye twitching because he knew this, he knew you, but you were talking at least and that counted for something. His free hand went to his hip and if you’d seen him, you would have definitely called him a mother hen.

“Yeah?” He replied mildly. “Something fell?”

“Uhuh,” you shouted back. Something else clattered to the floor and Steve heard you swear under your breath.

He couldn’t see you from his position at the bottom of the stairs, but he could imagine your twisted pout, your pinched brows.

“Was it you?” Steve yelled.

A pause, a quiet bubble. He heard you sigh, long suffering and exasperated, a sign of you giving in. “Yeah,” you warbled, sounding incredibly mournful about your admission. “Yeah, it was me.”

Steve didn’t know if he should laugh or lecture you, so he just took the stairs two at a time instead. “You okay?” He asked as he made his way to the bedroom. He could see your shadow move under the door frame, so at least you had use of your legs. “You’re not bleeding, right?”

“God, I hope not,” you cracked. “M’wearing my favourite shirt— oh, hey.” Steve opened the door to you on the floor, crawling on your hands and knees you made a weak attempt to sweep up the fallen books.

“That’s my shirt,” Steve commented as he looked down at you.

You huffed, looking a little too warm and unharmed. No blood, no severed limbs. “I didn’t say it wasn’t,” you shot back, “I said it was my favourite.”

Steve snorted and held out his hands, grinning when you slapped your palms to his. He hauled you up, gentle as he examined you. No broken bones, no unfocused eyes.

“What did you do this time?” He murmured, taking your chin between a finger and thumb, tilting your head this way and that, checking for injuries. “Hmm? Apart from give me a damn heart attack.”

You frowned at the accusation, nipping at Steve’s fingers in response. “Couldn’t reach the top shelf,” you confessed. “Turns out I’m not eight foot tall and those shelves aren’t that strong.”

Steve gasped, all dramatic and faux surprise. “No way,” he whispered. “Who knew?”

You pulled a face, tucking your head into the crook of Steve’s neck and sighing. “Not me,” you mumbled against his throat, body going slack when the boy’s hands smoothed over the planes of your shoulders.

“Did know you have a boyfriend with much longer arms than you?” Steve mused. “He even played basketball.”

You grinned, pulling back from his embrace with a gasp as dramatic as Steve’s. “Oh my god, professionally?”

Steve’s eyes narrowed at you, an almost glare except his lips were lifting into a smile despite how hard he fought it. “Yeah, you seem fine,” he mused, nose nudging yours.

“I’ll still take a kiss,” you told him, grinning. “For medical purposes.”

And how could Steve say no to that? He wasn’t cruel.

[kelppsstuff]

Overlord reader had herself mix up "Fuck off" and "Fight me" and it came out as "Fuck me"

Wonder how Adam would react to that, or lute

Enemies to lovers anyone?

- sweetheart anon

Fuck me

Masterlist

Warnings: blood, NWSF, semi- public sex

Taglist: @fandomsbookclub @adamsfavoritesinner @leathesimp @michelleszn @sashaphantomhive @ladyninggs @sirenetheblogger

Adam x reader | Lute x reader

—

Adam wasn’t expecting it, to be jumped by a woman sinner. It was the rare occasion he broke off from his group of angels, but he did this time.

You took this as an perfect opportunity to strike. They were making this year u reasonably brutal, you had to step in. So when he ventured away you took that moment to strike from the shadows.

Adam heard a twig snap from behind him. He turned his head quickly, but his feet were already knocked down from under him.

You pinned him to the ground and pushed a angelic knife to his neck, drawing blood. “Call this damn thing off and go home.” Your eyes glowing (E/C).

It wasn’t often you’d use power to get what you want, but you were an overlord, use it to your advantage.

Adams teeth clenched, he rolled you off him quickly, knocking the knife away from you. As you stood and grabbed you by the shirt, throwing you into a nearby wall.

You eyes snapped shut in pain and when you reopen them you saw his fist flying towards you. You dodged and grabbed him from his back. Slamming him towards the ground.

He took you down with you, and you two struggled. You ended up in a position with you strangling him with your legs, while he pushed your neck up — trying to snap it — with his own legs.

“Sir?!” Adam heard Lute called from around the corner. You kicked it into high gear and twisted your body around. When Adam leaned back up he was met with a nasty head—but from you.

Black smoke pulled around you and when Lute ran down the alley way to Adam you were gone. no where to be seen.

—

After that extermination, everyone after that for the next seven years Adam would find you.

The two of you would fight your anger out on each other.

Him angry at you for being a nasty sinner. You being angry at the fact he a angelic asshole.

It had became a date the two of you would look forward too. Over the course of the years, you two have found yourself in intimate positions. Such as you being pin down. You straddling him. Etc.

The sexual tension was there and you both knew it. Adam could feel himself losing his cool. He tried his damn hardest to act indifferent around you, but you just brought a fun wild side of him he hadn’t known in a very very long time.

—

“You ready babe?”

You smiled over your shoulder at the angel flying above you. “Ready to get you ass kicked?” Adam glare sharpen at you. You felt the same excitement of that intense stare build inside your stomach once again.

Adam didn’t give you a response. Well not true, he gave you a physical one.

He charged at you throwing you into the brick wall. You could already feel your back bruise as you fell to the grown. Some parts of the wall falling with you. Fuck that hurt.

Using the adrenaline you could feel build up inside you, you appeared behind him, elbowing his side. The grabbing his arm and twisting it behind his back.

Kicking his feet out he dropped to the ground, on his stomach, while you got onto his back, keeping his arms pin. “Ya done?” You spoke in a low tone. Your breath brushing his ear through the mask. He once again could feel that tension.

“Fuck me.” He said it in such a serious tone it made you stop. Like your whole mind functioning went complete stop.

Adams eyes widened at what he said. “I-I meant Fuck off!” You rolled him around and straddled his lap. Your mind finally rebooted, but in a complete different mode.

“You would like that? For me to fuck you?” You tilted your head innocently but your grin held an evil-ish glint, while your eyes were almost begging.

Adam throat tightens and he did the only thing he knew best. Made it a challenge. His hands gripped your hip and brought you down more onto him. While lift his hips up, rubbing slightly against you. “I’d be doing the fucking.”

His voice held a rasp that made your stomach twist in the most pleasurable way.

“You think you could handle that old man?”

That had fucking did it with him. He was stick and tired of your damn mouth. Always talking, always giving him an attitude, always looking as if it was made for him to fuck.

He rolled you around and pushed your back to the ground like he just was. He ripped off his mask.

Holy. Shit.

Your eyes widened, a blush forming all over your face, while you started to breath faster.

“Your gorgeous.” You hadn’t mean to say it out loud, but with that smile he gave you, it was 1000% worth it. You imagined what it would be like to sit on that face. But you couldn’t do that now.

If you were going to cum, it was going to be on his dick, and both of you knew that.

“I know I’m hot as shi—“ you pulled him down to your lips. You couldn’t breath but you didn’t care, nor did Adam. He’d rather die then leave your lips. Granted his lung capacity was wayyyyy better than yours.

When you pulled away — gasping for air — Adam aggressively started to attack you neck. Leaving marks all over. Living for the sounds of your little moans and gasps. That was heaven.

You started to pull his robe off while he started to unbutton your shirt. Once both of your top layers were off the two started to work on your own pants. Adam undoing his belt, while you uncoiled your buttons.

Adam picked you up and pushed you to the wall. Wrapping your legs around his hips. He kissed you once more. “Adam please.” He hummed as if he wasn’t listening to you.

He started to rub your clit — giving it the attention it needs — while also biting down on your neck. You return the favor with your own bite. Leaving a stamp of gold going down his neck as you mark.

Adam thought about getting that bite tattooed for a moment. It was sure to scar. He didn’t care about the pain, it was nothing to the aching in his cock, begging to be inside you.

Once you walls were nice as ready for him he started to push past your entrance. Groaning at your walls tightening around him.

He groaned and had to stop when he was fully sheathed inside you. “Fuck baby you gotten relax.” He murmured in your ear making you whine. He looked down at where you were joined. “Fuck.” He cussed, his forehead now resting against yours. You kissed his cheek.

He took that as the sign to start thrusting. Each time he’d leave your cunt leaving only the tip you’d wine, begging him to fill you again, and that’s what he did.

“Never let me go.” You pleaded.

“Like hell I will.” He whispered to you.

He felt your breath hitch as he hit a certain spot inside you. He started to abuse that spot. Making you absolutely cry for him. Literally.

You felt tears start to form at the pleasure he was giving you.

The coil in your stomachs as ready to snap as was his. “Imma cum Adam.”

He loved hearing his name on your lips. “Yeah babe? Me too, me too.” After a few more thrust you tighten around him. While he sunk himself as deep as he could go, paint your walls white.

When he pulled out he helped you shimmy on your pants. Before putting his own on. He made sure to keep you covered with his wings the whole time. Giving you privacy as you threw your shirt back on.

“I’m uh sorry.” Adam mumbled, and at first you thought you heard wrong. Adam saying sorry? Was it cold or something? “I know after care is like a big thing or whatever, but I can’t stay.” He further explained.

You smiled up at him and brought his lips back down to yours.

Adam smiled in the kiss bringing you closer. And everything was faded. Only you. He loved it. “You saying that is more that enough.”

Adam grabbed your face again, not wanting your lips parted for long. “I’ll sneak away and come back later tonight yeah?”

“I’ll be waiting.”

—

—

Lute had always pride herself in her kill count. In her Ability to never fail. So when you had gotten the best of her, she was livid.

She craved another fight. So the next extermination she challenged you and you won.

This had begin to become a habit over the next ten exterminations. It had got to the point even Adam had acknowledged it.

“Ready to get your ass beat babe?” Adam had said to Lite minutes before the portal opened. “I’m not losing this time.” Adam had just rolled his eyes.

“Sure babe. Sure. God why don’t you fuck her already and be done with that dinner?”

Lute had called him ludicrous, but as she saw you panting above her chest heaving, that’s all she could think about.

Annoyed she threw out a ‘fuck you’ at least attempted too. “Fuck me.”

She had said so breathless, like she’s been wanting that for a decade. Maybe she had.

Your brow rose and when she didn’t try to correct herself you started to give her a laugh.

“Awe, how pathetic of you. You want a dinner to fuck this angel pussy?” You whispered, your breath mixing with hers just over her lips. Yes she felt pathetic, and yes she wanted that.

Lute didn’t want this position however. She would prefer to be the dominant one.

She rolled you around, with you now pin she started to very aggressively kiss you. You had no resistance as you kissed back just as hard. She could feel you trying to fight for dominance so she harshly but your lip.

She grounded her hips against yours, nothing of your moaning out against the others lips.

You frantically tried to take off her uniform only for her to press into you harder. “The only person who is in control is me. Understand?”

You whined put a no. Like a brat. “If I say cum, you say yes. If I say your going to take what I give you without a compliant, you say please.”

You couldn’t lie about how attractive this truly was. Lute took off your pants and laughed at how wet you actually were. Her breath fanned over your heat that was begging for attention.

She stuck her tongue out and placed it where you pleaded for it to be. It was long til your coil snap when she started to rub your clit. You legs tightened around her face.

When she came back up her face was soaked in your juices. She kissed you once again — making you taste yourself on her tongue.

She discarded her pants and crossed your legs together. She grinded down making you both cry out a “fuck.”

You both could feel the release building up, desperately trying to get it.

When it finally did it it hit the two of you hard. Both of your legs had been shaking when you rise again.

“Same day next year?” You asked to which response was an immediate no.

When she had got back to heaven even Adam could see her glow. “Finally got laid?”

The same day next year, it happened again until it became a new ritual.

—

Me uploading twice in a day? Hell yeah!

[nyashykyunnie]

˗ˏˋ Self Aware Jinwoo vs Sylus x Fem! Reader ◛⑅·˚ ༘ ♡ ˎˊ˗

ₓ˚. ୭ ˚○◦˚𝕊𝕦𝕟𝕘 𝕁𝕚𝕟𝕨𝕠𝕠˚◦○˚ ୧ .˚ₓ

・┆✦ Entry : 038 ✦ ┆・

‼️[ TW: stalking, obsession, yandere Jinwoo au, dissing on sylus i dont hate him this is for content. ]

╰┈➤ ❝ [ Darkness? No. I Am The Abyss Itself.] ¡! ❞

He knew that fucker was trouble the moment he saw you drool over him. Jinwoo didnt do anything at first, he hasn't completely swallowed the system on your phone.

And yet everytime, you prioritize that grandfather looking asshole over him.

What's so interesting about him anyway? That he runs a damn mafia wannabe faction with a tacky name?

He's rich? Yeah and? So is he. So what the hell?

As Jinwoo tried to fight through the system that trapped him in this damn trance, he watches you turn your attention to a man with silver hair— Your heart beating for him.

It made Jinwoo so infuriated, the way that fucker makes you smile. The way that old man dares to steal something that was his from the very first place.

He's been with you far longer than that bastard ever did so how come you're suddenly abandoning him for a man that calls you 'Kitten'?

He's always there for you, watching over you, he accompanied you through your most stressful days. Jinwoo was the first, the precious box in your heart was always for him to stay in. So why is there another guy threatening to kick him off of his place?

Why?

Why?

WHY?

Isn't he enough? He leveled up so hard already, he went through wars to see that face of yours light up— So why? Is it because the novel version of him had a bride? Is that why?

Fuck.

That's a different Jinwoo.

That Jinwoo is a fool, this Jinwoo is all yours.

It was making him mad, the more he spent time in that tiny cage of codes in him— The more he spirals as you pull away from him.

Those precious eyes that had always been there for him, those orbs that gazed so lovingly at him— Jinwoo feels so him in your eyes.

When you look at him, he was Jinwoo.

Not the shadow monarch.

Not the strongest hunter.

He was just Jinwoo.

So why?

Why must you replace him just like that? Is he that forgettable? Is he that easy to replace?

Was your love for him so shallow all this time?

As he slumps on his prison, black tears would pool in his eyes.

He was silent for a while, almost beating himself into letting you go.

It's okay.

It had always been a crush.

It's fine.

What is he acting like a heartbroken teenager for anyway?

If it makes you happy, then that was alright. All that matters is that you are healthy and happy.

After all, if you love someone, shouldn't you set them free? Shouldn't you choose to let them go and chase after happiness?

As long as your pretty little face isn't weeping, as long as your little heart is protected then it should be alright.

Even though he wanted to be the only person in your eyes, even though he wanted to be the only person in your precious heart.

Jinwoo is no longer your darling.

The memories you built with him are no more.

All of the affections that have grown have come undone.

His little kingdom in your dreams has already come apart.

Jinwoo already lost you, he barely managed to protect what is his outside of this lonely prison.

Everything that is his gone.

He really should be fine with it.

He should be.

He should be.

......

But when he saw Sylus kidnap you into another world, he went mad, his prison instantly went berserk.

The green code suddenly turned into monarch purple, the shadows that he thought he lost suddenly came swirling beneath him.

How dare that fucker try to play the role of the grim reaper by kidnapping you in darkness?

How dare that santa in dark-mode looking asshole frighten you like that?

How dare he make you flinch like that and to top it off that bastard dared to touch your lips.

Those lips that belongs to him were stolen.

That woman he protected from nightmares is being taken.

Jinwoo's blood rushed as a vein popped on Jinwoo's jaw.

He's the shadow monarch for fuck's sake.

⋅ ˚ ₊ ‧ ଳ ‧ ₊ ˚ ⋅ ⋆ ౨ৎ ˚ ⟡ ˖ ࣪

Becoming Sylus's trophy girlfriend/wife whatever... Was quite the experience.

Spoiled.

Pampered.

The most delicious food at your fingertips.

And luxury goods you could have only dreamed of in your previous life were at your beck and call.

Sylus's black card?

All your for you to take whenever you wish.

You could buy all of of Linkon at this point.

The man allowed you to travel around Linkon to admire it's pristine beauty. N109 zone is too risky to explore so he lets you enjoy yourself in the city.

But somehow, you swear you're becoming a little too anxious these days. It feels as though a pair of eyes are watching you.

You try to brush it off as it's just Mephisto following you wherever.

But the more the shivers happen, the more paranoid you became.

It was as if the shadows were watching you.

Shadows.

Funny.

Suddenly, the image of Jinwoo would come back to your head.

Your fear of the dark disappeared because you thought Jinwoo would be there for you.

After all, he is the lord of the shadows.

But anyway, all of that is in the past. You have Sylus now.

"So you do remember me."

A voice suddenly rings out, making you drop the glass you were holding and it shattered on the floor.

"Now, now, sarang." The nickname rolls out of the stranger's tongue and a hand gently graps your fingers, intertwining your fingers together. "Careful there, love. You'll get hurt."

You look up at the tall figure and you instantly recognize who it was.

Jinwoo.

"Hm, at least the bastard was generous enough to make you more plump than compared to when you were alone. "Jinwoo hums, swiping his finger on your bottom lip and he pecks it affectionately, "Your prettier you are up close than you are behind that screen in my prison."

"Bold of you to dare touch someone else's prey" Sylus's voice snarled as he aimed a gun at Jinwoo's head from behind. "She was mine first when you decided to come in and screw up shit." Jinwoo replies, the edge of his dagger against the man's neck.

"Boss!" Kieran and Luke's panicked voices come into the room, bursting in as they held their weapons.

"We're sorry, we didn't see him come in" Luke apologizes, preparing to aim at Jinwoo.

"It's fine, this bastard is just a slippery worm" Sylus says, pressing the mouth of the gun further, ready to shoot.

"So you're bringing those two little mice to our little fight? I'd like for you to meet my kids then." Jinwoo snickers, smirking as he presses the blade further and the side of Sylus's neck would bleed. "Arise."

The shadows would hum, snarling even as the darkness whispered and solidified into multiple beastly creatures. Ten? No. Maybe there was more as the ceiling had a bunch of heads peaking out— Starving to get a taste of human flesh.

"Ah, I forgot you're a troublesome necromancer" Sylus snickers.

"W-wait!" You panicked voice comes out, squeezing yourself between the two and pushing them apart.

"Kitten?"

"Sarang?"

"You can't, no!" You protest, panicking. "I-I'll run away if you do!"

It was a ridiculous thing to do, run away? From what? A shadow Monarch and the Leader of Onychinus?

But somehow the two men were silent looking at eachother before clicking their tongues and complied.

"Stand down."

"Beru, don't touch the rascals"

Beru clicks his antlers, as if pouting as he moved away from the twins.

"Y-you can't fight, not like this!" You say, trying to get the both of them to ease up.

"Then how do you expect us to do this?" Jinwoo crosses his arms, hiding his dagger away.

"Kitten, if you dont want us at eachother's throat then at least make something up."

"Well..."

⋅ ˚ ₊ ‧ ଳ ‧ ₊ ˚ ⋅ ⋆ ౨ৎ ˚ ⟡ ˖ ࣪

"......"

"......"

And that's the story of how you managed to sit down two scary men on a table playing... Kitty cards.

It's not a bad idea really, whoever wins gets to date you. Not so bad.

Minus the fact that the two kept on getting ties because they are both highly intelligent and calculated idiots that they just deflect one another.

What?

They're both cat boys anyway.

One is a grumpy white cat.

One is a grumpy black cat.

"Woooh, let's go boss! Kick his ass!" Luke and Kieran cheers with their pompoms.

"Kieek, my liege you must win this game!!!" Beru says, his little head hovering on his shoulder.

"You all shut up before I tear you apart myself"

Wow...

Even the way they shut people up is the same.

Jinwoo: You goddamn santa claus wannabe that cup was mine. Sylus: I don't see your name in it. Sylus: Did you just remove my cat with that damn assist card? Jinwoo: That's what you get for being born.

꒰ 🪼 A/N: What? You expected another ending huh? How's that? /j. I wanted to make a crack fic at last because the idea of sitting down two crazy ah bastards to play kitty cards and just reduce them to 2 little shits just insulting eachother is funny and I'm here for it xD!!! ꒱

ʚ(੭´͈ ᐜ `͈)੭ .｡✧･ﾟ: ~♡ — All stories written by kyunnie; translations, reposts, plagiarism are strictly forbidden.

[redyarns]

caught in the undertow

Chapter: 1/?

Rating: E

Summary:

When Megatron, leader of the rebellion, escaped from prison, everybot knew one thing, and one thing only: he stole an innocent with him.

---

"I'm not a sheep, how dare you!" Orion hissed, bristling at the insult.

"Oh, really?" Megatron drawled. His red optics glanced up again, and Orion's glossa went dry.

Scrap.

Who knew the cruel and ruthless leader of the blasphemous rebellion was so... handsome?

STORY: START!

Act I, Scene I: Breaking Into Prison Is a Trust Building Exercise

“For the record, I think this is a horrible idea, and I also think you're going to die.” 

“I second that. Primus, can we please not do something that'll piss Ultra off? Again?” 

“Well aren't you two a pair of Negative Nosedives? Come on! Where's your sense of fun?” 

“Orion!” 

Orion Pax couldn't help the small laugh that escaped him when both his companions hissed his name in a mix of both desperate pleading as well as anger. 

B-127 looked close to vomiting up his last cube-ful of energon as he nervously held up his servos where he stood, his optics darting back and forth between Orion and the building right behind him. 

Sentinel, on the other servo, looked as if he was either this close to clunking Orion right in the helm, or flying off altogether. Judging by how his wings kept flexing anxiously, it was more likely the latter, and he seemed even more nervous than Bee, refusing to leave the shadows of the medbay building they were standing on. 

The Iacon Spark Medbay was the closest (and tallest) building to Orion's goal; Titan's Hold. The highest and maximum secured prison in Iacon that wasn't off-planet, and also one of the buildings that hung from the top of the city. It wasn't easy to reach, particularly if one didn't have a flying alt-mode, but especially if one didn't have a T-cog. 

Which was why Orion needed both his friends’ help. 

“If you don't want to go inside that's fine,” Orion tried to stress, attempting to soothe the both of them. He was pretty bad at it, honestly, mostly because he was grinning so widely that he knew it was either pissing off Sentinel or making Bee even more anxious. Probably both. “I just need a lift and access.” 

“My wings are not for your personal little joyrides!” Sentinel snapped. Out of all three of them, he was the least visible due to how he practically glued himself to the side of the little beacon box that was on top of the hospital. Despite that, Orion could clearly see the way the aristocrat's wings folded in together nervously at his back. “Can we please not do this, for frag's sake? If anybot spots me - “ 

“No bot's going to spot you - “ Orion immediately tried to assure. 

“I don't even think his wings can fly all of us up - “ Bee said with concern. 

“Of course I can fly all of us up!” Sentinel said shrilly. His optics, the only part of him that glowed in the shadows, darted towards Bee and squinted at him in offense. “Just who do you think I am? But that doesn't mean I can just - just break protocol for you to satisfy your deadly curiosity, Orion! What if we get caught, huh? What would my carrier say? What would Ultra Magnus say?” 

Orion tilted his helm slightly. “I don't see what those questions have anything to do with me, especially since we won't get caught.” 

Sentinel groaned. 

Bee chirped in nervous laughter. 

“Uh, don't wanna burst your bubble or anything, but the last time you said that, Darkwing personally threw us down a trash chute,” Bee said. He rubbed the back of his helm, wincing, as if he was reliving that… interesting memory. “Ugh. I was picking waste out of my seams for at least half a solar cycle!” 

“Yes, but we had fun climbing the chutes again, didn't we?” Orion said cheerfully. 

Bee brightened for a klik. “Yeah! I especially loved how you swallowed trash that one time!” 

Orion gave him an unimpressed look. 

Sentinel made a small choking sound. “Is that why you had me digging around in the damn waste levels to find you both? You were filthier than the actual trash around you!” 

“Focus!” Orion said. He did not want to recall that particular detail, though he had definitely enjoyed smearing a bit of old energon on Sentinel’s pede, which had resulted in some very high-pitched squeals and static of disgust. 

“No!” Sentinel said petulantly, and as if to make his point, he drew even tighter against the wall of the box. His wings flexed, a subtle movement that Orion barely caught as his optics tried to adjust and squint at Sentinel’s barely visible outline. “This is too much to ask of me, Orion, even from you. You’re trying to meet… to meet…” 

“Megatron,” Bee mumbled feebly.

Sentinel vented sharply at the name, and Orion glanced back at Titan’s Hold with barely concealed excitement. 

Megatron. The leader of the Blasphemous Rebellion that threatened the High Covenant of Iacon, and therefore, Iacon itself. The Rebellion was responsible for crimes that Orion had a list of somewhere tucked in his processor, and a list that Ultra Magnus had deemed was more than enough to claim that Megatron and his rallies were number one enemies of Cybertron itself. 

The Rebellion and their ruthless ringleader had been at large for far more vorns than Orion had been online, often terrorizing Cybertronians while their propaganda was crudely vandalized on various buildings or bots. It made Orion’s gears tick irritably just thinking about how astray the rebels had gotten, how ignorant they were to Ultra and the Covenant’s efforts to protect their citizens. 

And to think, at last, after all this time, Megatron, the leader of the blasphemous rebels, the cruel and vicious fear-mongerer he was, was finally captured! He had been tossed into Titan’s Hold as soon as he had been caught, a fate most becoming for a horrible bot like him, and would continue to stay as the council reconvened and discussed when his trial would be. 

Regardless, this was Orion’s one and only chance to see the Megatron for himself with his own optics. He didn’t care to view the inevitable live-feed of Megatron’s trial, a process that would make Orion uncomfortable even if the defendant deserved the brutality of court, so there was only so much time the miner had to make it count. 

Now if only his stubborn friends would listen. 

“Come on, think about it,” Orion said, clapping his servo around Bee’s shoulder plates and dragging him closer to the edge of the hospital, chuckling when the other miner sputtered out wheezes from his vents. “Us, miners, managing to meet with Megatron himself? We walk free while he’s behind bars, Bee! We don’t have to be scared of him!” 

“I heard he can rip apart diamonds like it's nothing, so he could totally tear apart those bars,” Bee mumbled. He glanced down the edge of the building and puffed his cheek plates, grimacing. “We’re so high up. I’m gonna be sick.” 

“Don't throw up on my pedes,” Orion said patiently. “And who cares about diamonds or whatever? Isn't he being bound by servo-suppressants? Sentinel?” 

Sentinel made a clicking sound behind them. It was a tic from his voice box that he never got rid of from when he had been a sparkling, and his tone was noticeably sticky with static as he muttered, “yeah. But I don't have access to the actual files, Orion, you know that. I'm only a trainee.” 

“A Prime trainee.” Orion corrected him. He let a slip of warm admiration creep into his voice as he hummed, “and you don't need access to Megatron's files. You're close enough to Ultra to have already heard the info we want.” 

Sentinel's throat buzzed again in a mix of strangled indignation and exasperated flattery, but Orion wasn't laying it on thick, even if it sounded like it. 

The truth was, out of all of them, Sentinel was the most valuable player in this dangerous new ploy that Orion desperately wanted to pull off. As the Covenant's next chosen and future Prime, and more importantly, as Ultra Magnus’ personal prodigy, Sentinel had practically one pede in the door when it came to the inner and mysterious workings of the council. 

He knew things that even some council members didn’t, and without him, this whole thing would fall apart. 

“You always do this,” Sentinel whined, but Orion's smile began to grow as he recognized the slumped, defeated motion of his wings in the shadows, a common sign that he was about to give in. “You're always dragging me into trouble and then it's my aft on the line! Ugh, do you even know what Ultra did to me the last time we got caught doing something stupid?” 

“No,” Orion said curiously. 

“What did he do?” Bee asked eagerly. 

Sentinel sent them both deadpan looks. “Nothing good. I'm pretty sure I'm still sore. Look, just - just - augh!” 

He heaved a heavy ex-vent, and Bee started to groan as Orion began to laugh. 

“He's giving in,” Orion said with a smile. 

“I'm not giving in!” Sentinel said unconvincingly. 

“You're giving in,” Bee moaned in defeat. 

“... I might be giving in,” Sentinel said. A pause. “Screw you, Orion. Fine. But if we get caught, I swear on Primus' aft that you're going to talk to Ultra and make it so that I was never even here! Ugh, why do I do this kind of scrap…” 

Orion held carefully onto Bee as they stepped to the side to make room for Sentinel as finally, he lifted a pede and appeared from the shadows, the late lights of Iacon shedding onto him in bursts of color. 

His armor plating, strong and polished, was painted a striking gold and royal blue combo that didn't have any of the chips that Orion had consistently all over his frame. Sentinel was far larger than either of the miners, as at best, they came up to his midsection, though Bee was closer to the joints of his legs more than anything. 

He had a handsome face that was accentuated by his strong jaw plating and helm, though to Orion's amusement, all of that clashed with the sour expression Sentinel wore, his optics squinted in disbelief and his dentae gritted as he flexed his wings easily, even when Orion knew how each one easily weighed at least a ton. 

He looked every bit the Prime he was going to be, and Orion couldn't help it as he let out a whistle, circled Sentinel, and said, “wow, Sen. Ultra really pushed you to get a buff, huh?” 

“Definitely a polishing,” Bee said in awe as he bounded up towards Sentinel and rubbed a digit against one of his shiny legs. Sentinel grunted and tried to stifle a giggle, which didn't really work as Bee gave him a beam. “Don't tell me this is a new paint job!” 

“Shut up,” Sentinel groused out, though there was a faint blue to the silver of his cheeks as he rolled his shoulders. Small clicking sounds indicated that his boosters were getting ready to fire, though judging by the way his digits kept flexing and relaxing, he was still unnerved. “If we're going to do this, we need to do it now. I don't know the guard schedules enough to predict when they switch out, but I know where the control room is at least.” 

“How do you know that?” Bee wondered as he waited patiently for Sentinel to extend a servo, which he did after he carefully knelt down and unclenched his digits. Bee climbed into Sentinel's hold and snuggled against the side of his chassis, looking a little ridiculous with their size difference. 

“Tour, back when I was initiating,” Sentinel muttered, also reaching out for Orion, who had been admiring Titan's Hold as they talked. Sentinel groaned when Orion didn't crawl on. “Ugh, Orion, come on. We don't have time for you to stand gawking.” 

“Okay, okay, keep your gears on,” Orion said, and he tore his optics away from the prison long enough to obediently climb on, then up Sentinel's arm, tucking himself snuggly on the opposite side of his chassis from where Bee waved at him. 

They had all done this sort of thing too many times for it to be anything less than instinct by this point, though Bee had never quite managed to get over his fear of heights. As if on cue, the miner puffed his cheekplates again, made a buzzing noise low in his voicebox, and buried his helm into Sentinel's arm as he approached the edge of the building and placed a pede so close that the tip of it was hanging off into the open air. 

All three of them vented in deeply, and with a final push, they were free-falling. 

Flying with Sentinel was something Orion was never going to get used to, and he loved it more than he could possibly put into words. The rush of air battering against his cheeks, the way his sensors beeped in excitement as his spark beat wildly in his chassis, the mixture of both fear and adrenaline that made his energon pumps go wild as they dived towards the glittering city lights of Iacon before there was the sound of gears switching, and metal wings snapping out. 

For all of Sentinel's whining, he was steady and confident as his mods caught the air just in time and they shot up with a propulsion that excited Orion to the point he almost whooped. But that wasn't a good idea, not when they were starting to approach the bottom of Titan’s Hold, which hung ominously from the ceiling of their underground city. 

Titan's Hold was, for a lack of better word, creepy. It was at the edge of the city so it didn't impose itself on any of the other buildings or terrified any of the civilians, but it was still intimidating. As the largest building in Iacon aside from the Prime Palace, it always seemed to loom any time Orion stepped out of the minds, no matter where he was. 

It certainly didn't help that it was so heavily secured that drones were always present as well as guards. It wasn't their typical prison for misdemeanors or even regular crimes; those held here were an active threat to Cybertron, a thought which made Orion shiver slightly. 

Luckily, the guards, several of whom were placed upon the perimeter of the entrance, didn't seem to anticipate that a non-transformed flier would ever be a threat. As such, they didn't even look up as Sentinel quietly made a high arch and began to creep down the side of the building towards them, and one even yawned as she asked her coworker for some energon to stay awake. 

It was easier than Orion thought it would be to slip past them by clinging tightly to the ceiling of the dark hallway, and Sentinel crept with a grace that didn't seem instinctual for someone of his size (or character) as he tightly gripped Orion and Bee and used his boosters as his main mode of movement against the ceiling. 

Private Comm Link (ID: #350183): Two Idiots and One Prime

Incoming message…

DES: Sentinel - ID: SN-402021

:: Okay, the control room is just up ahead. Bee, you got it? :: 

DES: B-127 (Alias: Bee) - ID: B-127-003025

:: Got it, bossbot. :: 

DES: Orion Pax - ID: OP-001628

:: Wait! ::

They all froze, hovering flat against the ceiling with Sentinel's dorsal plates scrunched tight to the tiles as Bee clamped a servo over his derma and Orion clutched tightly at Sentinel in warning. 

They were just outside the arching and open doorway of the control room. It was dark inside, only barely lit by the dim screens of the various security feeds that were caught on lens, but Orion swore he saw - 

He swallowed back a curse. 

DES: Sentinel - ID: SN-402021

:: Scrap! I thought the live-feed guard was supposed to be on his break right now, what the frag is he still doing in there? We have to bail, now! ::

DES: Orion Pax - ID: OP-001628

:: No! We've come way too close to stop now. Just let me think. :: 

DES: Sentinel - ID: SN-402021

:: I'm going to kill you… :: 

DES: B-127 (Alias: Bee) - ID: B-127-003025 

:: Wait, is he sleeping??? ::

The tension was palpable and zinged at the back of Orion's glossa as all three of them stopped their venting for the moment. He strained his audials, squirming lightly in Sentinel's hold as he did, ignoring the way the aristocrat scowled down at him in reprimanding. 

DES: B-127 (Alias: Bee) - ID: B-127-003025

:: He is! … Well, kind of. Gah! ::

DES: Sentinel - ID: SN-402021

:: We're so screwed. There's no fragging way I can get either of you down there without alerting him. Orion, don't be stupid, we have to turn back! :: 

DES: Orion Pax - ID: OP-001628

:: Hold on! I have an idea. Bee, do you have…? :: 

DES: B-127 (Alias: Bee) - ID: B-127-003025

:: Have…? OH! Oh, my Primus. I do. :: 

DES: Orion Pax - ID: OP-001628

:: Yes! Okay, let's do it. Sentinel, get us in. Just stick to the ceiling and let Bee handle the rest. :: 

DES: B-127 (Alias: Bee) - ID: B-127-003025

:: I can't believe I still have it. It's a good thing we didn't use all of it on Sentinel last time. :: 

DES: Sentinel - ID: SN-402021

:: … What??? ::

Orion waved off the incredulous and scrutinizing look Sentinel shot him, instead gesturing to the doorway. Though Sentinel didn't ex-vent, it was a near thing, and he pursed his derma before cautiously proceeding. 

The bot inside who was supposed to be monitoring the feeds seemed half into his recharge cycle as he slumped at his desk. He was even snoring a little, though every few kliks his optics would blink open again slowly, sweep across the screens with a sleepy snort, and then he fell right back into dozing. 

Sentinel crept forward on the ceiling, his wings tucked close to his dorsals as he did, until at last, he was just above the bot. He gave Bee a dubious look, but Bee only stuck out his glossa a little in concentration as he reached for his arm compartment and brought out a cube. 

The cube, however, wasn't filled with glowing energon like usual, and instead, Bee carefully dug two of his digits into the top, and with a generous pinch, he sprinkled down a fine, dark powder that streamed right onto the bot. 

Near instantly, the guard slumped over, this time snoring consistently, and when Orion scrutinized him, his sensors told him that he was definitely in deep recharge mode, maybe even a little too deep. 

“What in the Pits was that?” Sentinel demanded as he hopped off the ceiling and landed next to the guard with a quaking thud. Luckily, there wasn't any security in this area, and his voicebox crackled with irritation as he set both his companions down and huffed. “He looks like you just put him straight in a coma!” 

“I might have.” Bee admitted sheepishly, waving around the now half-filled cube and handing it to Orion, who beamed at him. “That was a teensy bit too much as a normal dose for a bot his size, but I just wanted to make sure!” 

“It's nyx powder,” Orion said to Sentinel when he made a rather frantic waving motion at the cube in question. Orion knew he was grinning in the way that his friends abhorred as he tucked the cube away into his own compartment and gave Bee a small noogie on his helm. “Good job, Bee! Though we should definitely call this guy a medic once we leave. Might've made this batch a little too potent if it knocked him out cold like that.” 

“Wha - nyx - made - Orion Pax, have you been performing alchemy again?” Sentinel’s voice was shrill and full of disbelieving anger as he pointed an accusatory digit right into Orion’s facial plates. Rude. “You know how dangerous that is, especially in the mines! Those veins are explosive as it is, if you do even one thing wrong and something blows up - “ 

“Relax, Sen, I know what I’m doing,” Orion said soothingly. He paused. “Mostly.” 

Sentinel made a choking noise. 

“It’s okay, this batch is the best so far.” Bee promised Sentinel, which only seemed to stress him out more. “It totally worked on you, and you’re way bigger than this guard bot!” 

Sentinel sat down with a heavy thud and buried his helm in his servos. “You fragging drugged me with a powder that you made without an actual education? I’m going to abandon you both here and never come back. I hope you both die.” 

Woops. 

“To be fair, it was for a good cause.” Orion laughed as he ushered Bee closer to the control console for the feeds, absentmindedly pushing aside the guard, who rolled away on his chair to the corner, snoring all the while. “Remember when you said you’d been training so hard that you didn’t get to recharge for three solar cycles straight?” 

“That doesn’t mean you just drug me! Even if it’s for my own good!” 

“We gave you a facial while you were out,” Bee said assuringly, squeezing Sentinel’s helm between his servos as he did, which was comical considering the size difference between the two. Against what seemed to be Sentinel’s better judgment, he relaxed and grumbled about how terrible they both were as Bee skidded over to the console and stared at it for a second. 

“What is it?” Orion asked after another beat of silence. “Is it too - “

“Got it,” Bee said, and his digits flew across the board without thought after that, his usually exasperated expressions schooled into one of concentration as various lines of code began to pop up across the screens. “Disabling live feed recordings, rerouting guard lines, mhm…” 

Orion sat back and watched in fond admiration as Bee continued to work. 

While Sentinel had been essential in that he was literally the only one out of all of them who could even reach Titan’s Hold in the first place, Bee was the one who could ensure that they didn’t get caught. Orion was okay at hacking at best, and Sentinel pretty much broke everything he touched, but Bee was an actual whiz at the stuff. 

That, too, was a bit thanks to Sentinel, since he often tried to sneak Orion and Bee datapads from the library whenever he could, even if he would get in way too much trouble if one of the higher caste members found an aristocrat trying to educate miners, much less lower caste. 

It made Orion eternally grateful to both his friends who always put their afts on the line for his schemes, but it also made him wonder what life would have been like if he and Bee weren’t Caste Level 0. Would Bee have been a scouting or surveillance member for the Elite Guard? He certainly had the processor for it, though it was all being wasted on mining, which Bee’s tiny frame wasn’t well suited for. 

What would Orion have been? A warframe, maybe? A guard? Or maybe something else, like an archivist. The idea of him being part of the data caste was laughable to think about, but at least then, he would have been middle caste, and better yet, he would have had a cog. 

Subconsciously, Orion’s digits drifted to the middle of his chassis, where a circular hole remained. 

“Got it!” Bee chirped excitedly, his finials waving around in astonishment as he took a step back and gazed at the screens in awe. “Wow. Dude. I just hacked a government system! A highly secured government system!” 

“I expected nothing less,” Orion said both earnestly and happily as he gave Bee a brief side hug. “Now, where do we go from here?” 

“The files on M… Megatron’s location should be in here somewhere,” Sentinel grumbled from behind them. He still stumbled over the name like it was taboo, but at least he wasn’t pouting anymore as he loomed over the both of them and contemplated the screens, rubbing his chin plate in thought. “At least I think. Ultra isn’t super into the, uh, more delicate sides of things.” 

“I guess that makes sense,” Orion said, his finials waving around in thought. “He must be too big for keypads. Kind of crush it to bits just by pressing a digit onto one, right?” 

“You’re really stupid, I hope you know.” Sentinel deadpanned, but he was smiling, so that was a win for Orion. 

“Hmm,” Bee said, tapping around in a manner that suggested he’d done this hundreds of times, and not just hacked into the system only a few kliks prior. Now that they were actually inside the prison and had pushed past the more dangerous parts of their goal, it seemed he was finally relaxing, and was even bouncing slightly on the balls of his pedes as he enthusiastically pointed at something. “Oh! Here!” 

Orion drifted closer and squinted. 

It was a map, though maybe the better word was blueprint. It was intricate and filled with delicate lines of code as well as drifting sigils of Cybertronian, but when he tilted his helm and stared right where Bee’s digit was poking at, he let out a vent of both shock and relief. 

“That’s near where we are now.” Orion said carefully. He was surprised just by how close it was, actually. “Wait, this doesn’t make sense. If Megatron is in this place, shouldn’t he be in the most fortified cell?” 

“He is.” Sentinel grunted as he also drew close and looked at the screen with scrutinizing optics. He cursed, low and filled with static, as his own digit began to trace the cell where a single name, Megatron, floated within. “Look. He’s in cell 99, which is both the closest and highly defended room here. It’s so they can keep a close eye on him and have guards tackle him if he ever tries to escape. Plus, this security area is buffered by a thick wall of lead and encryption codes that I doubt even Ultra would know. It’s - scrap!” 

“What?” Both Bee and Orion shouted. 

“There’s no way in,” Sentinel said, shaking his helm and pinching the bridge of his nose. “I should have realized. It’s not like the other cells, where there’s a key or something. Unless either of you brought explosives - which I hope you haven’t, but I wouldn’t put it past you - and you want to break out the most notorious enemy of the state, then there’s nothing else we can do.” 

They fell silent, staring at the lines of code, and Orion didn’t know what to do as his spark sank in his chassis. 

Was that it, then? All this effort and trouble for nothing? It was abhorrent to think about. Orion had practically been buzzing with adrenaline since the moment he got this idea, though once again, his enthusiasm got the best of him. It dreaded him to think he would have to force himself to watch Megatron’s trial on projection instead of getting to see him bot to bot. 

It disturbed something in him to realize that this bot, this Cybertronian, whom Orion had previously never even seen, would be shown to him kneeling in front of the council as his very first viewing. Megatron was without a doubt cruel and blasphemous, a threat not only to Iacon but Primus himself, but… still. 

Hope began to flicker away, leaving behind nothing but tired and defeated accept, only for his finials to snap up when Bee suddenly made a small noise of surprise. 

“What is it?” Orion asked, trying to mask his eagerness and failing. 

“Well,” Bee said slowly. His optics were wide as he zoomed in on something. It looked kind of like a tunnel outlined to resemble a rectangle, and he hesitantly gestured to it. “There’s technically one other way we could get in instead of blowing this place to bits.” 

“You’re right,” Sentinel said with a rather dramatic amount of distress. “Dammit.” 

“What is it?” Orion asked, clutching onto Bee’s arm in urgency. “Come on, tell me!” 

“It’ll be a bit of a tight squeeze.” Bee admitted, and there was a bit of a sheepish, apologetic smile on his face as he pointed at something to their right. “But it could work! Theoretically.” 

Orion followed the direction of Bee’s digit, and his optics blinked in surprise at what he saw. 

A vent. 

[laughingogre]

The Recluse and The Huntsman

Teaser/chapter 0 for the fic I’m writing since I have Miguel ATSV brain rot and I can’t keep all this good stuff to myself anymore. This wasn’t edited or anything like that so expect possible changes to both the characters and the plot in the future. Okay byeeee! EDIT: I made a playlist to go along with this story, the first 3 tracks accompany this chapter.

Premise: Miguel has always felt like an outcast in spider society because of the way he got his powers. But after meeting Saanvi, he’s never felt more proud to be one-of-a-kind.

Pairings: Original character x Miguel O’Hara, anti-hero x hero, enemies to rivals (it’s complicated) to lovers

Warnings: Violence… and that’s about it for this piece of the story but this list is going to get much longer very quickly.

Driving rain and the slight fog that followed with it brought a neon haze upon Nueva York tonight. A fusion of colors so outstanding that memories of another life were starting to shake off dust in her mind. Flashes of memories from an annual fireworks festival sparked a little warmth in Saanvi’s heart. Less than thirty seconds went by before she snuffed it out, leaving herself icy; instincts sharp and ready. Long, slender fingers on sure hands opened the heavy black case that lay next to her on the rooftop. Satisfaction curled her lips into a small smile as the new and improved rifle looked back at her, gleaming in the neon haze.

Hellooo beautiful, she thought. While assessing all the upgrades, the multi-functional scope and walkable trigger she requested had her grinning maniacally. She made a mental note to give Drago a little more praise for his gunsmithing as she set up a stand in the darkness of the alcove. Cycling through the scope’s options allowed for eight different modes of visibility and detection, with heat-seeking sensors that stood up against even this night’s hellish weather.

Scanning the city for a few minutes allowed Saanvi’s dark eyes to adjust to the new level of detail the scope afforded them. Once her senses were fully immersed, the hunt was on. A den of data pirates had been having way too much fun with the identities of over half the city’s even-remotely-wealthy citizens. Ever the champion of fair play, she was going to bring that fun to an end by leveling their ranks. A glance at the watch face on the inside of her left wrist showed it was just before 02:00 AM. If the intel she scrubbed was accurate, a 12-person heat signature would pop up in less than 60 seconds.

Rifle loaded and ready, she took aim and waited. Intel was good—a warehouse four klicks away lit up with bodies. Once she had a count of twelve, her finger slipped into the trigger guard and onto the trigger in a swift motion. It didn’t leave the trigger until none of them were left standing. Smoke drifting from the barrel caught the light of an ad for aphrodisiacs and coiled pink and red against the shadows of the alcove. A smile cut across her face again as a leap off the building’s edge plunged her into the deluge.

Broken glass and rubble crunched underneath graceful steps as she leisurely filled a bag with data drives, cash, and whatever valuables her victims had stashed away. Once their warehouse was picked to the bones, Saanvi took a few photographs of the scene. Horrific images of bodies that were all bloated and bruising from the new ammunition she and Drago had developed. She knelt down near the worst-looking of the bodies, preparing to take a sample. As she pulled out a small vial and tool kit, the incoming presence of another threat sent her up the wall and into the ceiling’s vent system. Damn… intel must’ve been bad… there’s more of them. Sight limited by the vent grates, alarms went off in her head to escape as she felt the intensity of the aura peaking. There must be at least five more people about to walk into this room. Morbid curiosity won over her senses, so she repositioned herself in the vent to catch a glimpse of the intruders. Footsteps that seemed almost deafening from the intensity with which she listened for them indicated it was only one person. Good strategy, sending a scout. Eyes glued to the vent, she saw a massive silhouette peel around the corner. Her senses flared up at the sight of the figure beneath her: a man standing at least six feet tall, clad in a form-fitting suit that was dark blue with pulsing sections of red. The mask on his face had a menacing symbol on it that seemed to move the way facial expressions would. It started to stir a memory inside of her but an old emotion bloomed before recall could happen. For the first time in years, fear filled Saanvi’s veins. Thoughts only of escape and safety pinging in her mind. Run. Hide. Home. Run. Hide. Home. Go. Her head became a glitched mp3 but she couldn’t take her eyes off this predator. While the hulking figure below spoke in a low, annoyed growl to someone she couldn’t see, she stilled her mind and listened for the sound of pouring rain. The sound that would lead her away from this thing beneath her as fast as possible. Her crawl through the ducts to safety began with bated breath, a silent prayer that finished only after putting two klicks of distance between herself and whatever anomaly was in that warehouse.

Once back on the rooftop where her night began, her body shuddered hard, trying to fight off every feeling of the last few moments. She failed, senses made raw and primal by a hit of animalistic fear. Suddenly she could feel everything—single drops of rain and the chill that was trying to rob her of every last iota of body heat. Memories of another life came to her again, this time in echoes of her mother’s voice bewaring her of those made to be like her but not born as they were. ‘The universe is wide and more wild than our forest. You may meet something made to be even deadlier than you or I.’ The steel in her mother’s voice at that moment wasn’t lost on her then or now.

Saanvi had finally crossed paths with Miguel O’Hara that night. Only she didn’t register him as such. To her, she had come face to face with her mother’s fear made flesh: an unnatural union of arachnid and human.

***

It had been two weeks since that night and the nightmares weren’t letting up. Tonight was no different. Having been woken up by her own fearful thrashing yet again, Saanvi migrated from the bedroom to her studio. A pot of Cuban coffee brewed in the corner, filling the air with a pleasant smell. Fingers rapidly gesturing at holo-screens that were returning more of the same useless information. She knew everyone called him Spider-Man. She knew everyone (or almost everyone) considered him to be a hero. But she wanted more than just news articles and conspiracy theories from bloggers. What she wanted more than anything was to find out what Hell he came from so she could send him back to it. There was only one way to do that where he wouldn’t be pointing his fangs at her. Before falling into a deep, dreamless sleep at her desk, Saanvi had pinged a few connections. By the time the sun shone on the city again, she had unofficially launched an infiltration and intelligence gathering mission against Spider-Man.

[bonefall]

I know we’ve learned a lot about Blossomfall but can you tell me why she defected so late in the battle and why she ended up defecting? I would love to know how the battle went for her, was it because of Ivypool she defected? Since it was stated they had a brief relationship

I'm still working out the full logistics of the battle, but the full outline of the Night Of The True Eclipse goes kinda like this;

ThunderClan knows their exact plan because of Ivypool, and as soon as she vanishes, tries to get to convincing the other Clans to rally together

"They want to kill everyone in power and take over our Clans, just like they did to Shadow"

The politics here are patchy but Shadow is probably easy to convince, since they aren't looking for a repeat of Apple/Red/Rat's little stunt.

And WindClan has too many defectors to have much choice

RiverClan needs more coaxing

I want to write a speech here that convinces them to all unite because I LOVE rallying speeches like that

DARK FOREST

At the launch point, Tigerstar is getting the soldiers organized

They will move in blocks, and use the tunnels to jump out wherever they need

They don't need to slaughter everyone, stay focused on your targets.

Beetlewhisker is killed around this point

Icewing goes into Protect Mode, gathering the softer cats and defending them

But those cats, Mousewhisker, Minnowtail, Harespring, they're united in finding some way out of this

Ivypool asks her mentor Hawkfrost: "do you think we have a chance?"

Hawk: "......" (no)

There will be 3 battles, as the plan falls apart

FIGHTS

The Clan cat plan was to mix up the fighters in each camp and scramble the attacker's expectations, setting traps and ambushes and ensuring that NO NONCOMBATANTS (elders, kits) were present.

The first fight demonstrates this, showing how caught off guard the demons are.

In this fight comes the first set of defectors, Mouse, Hare, Minnow. Cats who turned as soon as they had the chance.

Featherwhisker is a DF cat who defects here as well, tending to the wounds of all cats

Ivypool planned to break it off here, but Blossom, Hawk, and others are still here. She can't leave them.

She meets Dovewing's eyes and charges off

The SECOND battle is even larger, now everyone is being more indiscriminate knowing this cannot be a Blitz to just kill the leaders.

A lot more cats die in this one, it's a proper middle ages clash of armies

There is a sea of screeching and yowling cats, tangled like a solid, writhing pelt

Lionblaze is a one-man-army but there's too many cats! The Clans can't keep up with their ability to teleport out of tunnels and get instant reinforcements

I am also adding: Spirits heal faster than the living. What could take out a mortal for days is healed in an hour for a spirit, because they do not have physical bodies.

Spiderleg catches Toadstep in his mouth during this moment and stops just short of snapping his neck

Everything goes quiet for him in this moment, the screaming and hissing, and all he can hear is the gargle of Toadstep choking. The taste of blood stings his tongue

He drops him, frozen in place as he realizes what he's doing

Either Rosepetal or Lionblaze shows up here though and BONKS him hard, and he runs off

When the Dark Forest retreats, they stream away like a wave lapping the beach and leave a floor of bodies behind them. Dead, dying, bleeding cats. Some of them are moving, but so mauled they aren't recognizable.

Some of the Dark Forest trainees are with them, Sunstrike is so badly injured she can't move. Furzepelt is trembling, clinging to her and trying to apply pressure to one of the wounds, begging for mercy

Marshwing is laying next to the body of Applefur, having fought her to exhaustion. When Birchfall runs up to his old journey friends, Marsh grins,

"We sure came a long way just to end up in deep dung, aye?"

Perceiving this carnage is too much for Jayfeather. What's the good of his stupid powers?! What's the point of STARCLAN if the damned cats are able to do so much more than them??

He's pissed, he's furious, he takes his stupid stick and jams it into the ground. Rips a clump of fur off a dying Dark Forest warrior, takes the blood of a dead mortal, and hesitates before biting his pinky claw clean off.

Blood of the dead, pelt of the damned, claw of a spirit from beyond StarClan

Featherwhisker: "ooo channeling on a moonlit night? Love that"

He leans his head on his staff as the hum of stars churns into a roar in his ears

MEANWHILE the Dark Forest cats are regrouping

The losses were baaaad.

Even some of the most ardent supporters are wavering.

Tigerclaw's newest plan: HURT THEM. If the Clans remember this night in infamy, that is a victory. Make an entire gap in the generational record, time to target the children

Hawkfrost reaches the final point on his redemption arc: "no im not doing that"

FIGHT

Hawkfrost is considered the second strongest fighter, and Tigerstar WRECKS him, mauled.

Ivypool is UPSET

It was brutal and most of the followers are terrified. Tigerstar says, "anyone else want to argue?"

Ivy drags Hawkfrost off, and as a final chapter with him before he fades JUST as they reach the Dark Forest Meadow.

She thinks he's dead, and he kinda is. We won't see him for several more arcs.

BUT NOW Jay is in heaven bringing StarClan Warriors down.

He resurrected his long-dead stick, and it stands as a massive tree in the stars. He fits as many angels as can fit onto its branches;

Firestar, Moleflight, Russetfur, Deerfoot, Stonefur, and the blue meanie and cowboy curtis and jambi the genie robocop terminator captain kirk darth vader lo pan superman every single power ranger--

AND THEN he brings them down on the tree like an elevator

But this is taking time, the tree is growing before their eyes and Jayfeather is open-eyed and stars are dancing in his sightless gaze

Then a sopping wet, brown tabby appears, breathless

It's Lizardtail, a DF trainee, he desperately explains that they are attacking the kits, please help

Dovewing confirms he is not lying. They've changed the plan and she can hear them barreling towards the noncombatants

They haven't reached them yet though, Lizardtail bought them time

He falls to the ground exhausted, having run, swam across the lake, and then run again

Mistystar makes an awed comment about his hallowed flight, which will become his honor title later. Hallowflight.

FINAL BATTLE

Dustpelt goes down swinging, reinforcing the bramble walls, assuring his kits Lily and Seed that he won't let anyone hurt them

Millie and Blossomfall face off, Blossom vowing she'll end Briarlight

Briarlight cuts through, "Bloss... do you really hate me like that?"

"YES I DO!" (pause. No she doesn't. However they do get interrupted in the chaos)

The first of the Clan combatants show up, pairing off with their rivals.

Ivypool is back, looking absolutely destroyed. She ends up pleading to Bloss that she doesn't want to lose her too

This is when she defects.

Up next, the Tiger/Scourge/Black battle

When Tigerstar wins the match, the sky brightens, and the stars begin to fall.

And that's when Firestar and the StarClan Reinforcements come in to end this

Brackenfur and Thornclaw face off. Mistystar fights alongside her brothers. Many such cases

When Firestar wins, ending Tigerstar's reign of terror, the battle is over.

The last of the DF fighters who fought to the end are captured. The dark forest warriors who stay too long become incorporeal as the Eclipse passes over the moon, leaving just the trainees.

[pessimisticoptimistsblog]

A/N – Sorry for the wait! Here’s chapter 8. And I’m still taking ideas for a title for this story, I’m struggling with that.

Chapter 8

Ughhh… This Bitch

~The next morning~

Madame C was in field work mode, up before the ‘sun’ and doing rounds around the hotel. By the time any of the other residents had begun to exit their rooms, the shadow demon was stood on the balcony of the second floor watching the bugs scurry. Her second cup of coffee in hand, Madame C’s attention was drawn to the hallway to see the snake demon stretching and heading towards the kitchen with five egg demons trailing him.

Sir Pentious was still rubbing the sleep from his eyes when he caught sight of the shadowy figure, making it downstairs and almost to the kitchen before realizing what he’d seen. By the time he looked back up to find it though, Madame C had moved back to blend into the darkness. Sir Pentious shook his head and pushed on to the kitchen. Meanwhile, Madame C began to make her way down to the parlor and sat on a chair with a good view of the rest of the front room.

Alastor was the next resident to come down with Nifty close behind before she darted off to chase a bug. When Alastor took notice of Madame C, his eye twitched and his grip tightened on his mic staff. Green eyes stared Alastor down daring him to say or do anything. The radio demon had just squared his shoulders, ready to push his luck, before loud talking echoed down the hallway heading towards the lobby.

Madame C smirked as the radio demon deflated slightly then looked to see Vaggie and Charlie heading to the stairs. Charlie was talking animatedly about some exercise she wanted the group to try while Vaggie smiled softly. As they reached the top of the stairs and Alastor, the blonde girl waved excitedly.

“Alastor! Do you want to join our exercise today? It’s going to be awesome!” Then Charlie caught sight of the shadowed demon in the parlor. “Oh! And you too, Madame C! I know neither of you are here for redemption, but it’ll be fuuun!”

Alastor chuckled slightly, “ Not today my dear! I’m afraid I have some errands to run and I must be off.” The deer demon gave a bow then made his way downstairs, briefly narrowing his eyes at Madame C before he exited the hotel.

Madame C had watched the damned radio demon like a hawk, temporarily forgetting Charlie had asked her a question. When she was sure Alastor was gone, the shadow went to return to her coffee and jumped slightly as the princess had moved to stand in front of her. Charlie’s hands were clasped under her chin and she was looking at Madame C with big eyes. Green eyes widened, for a second picturing a different body attached to those eyes before blinking the image away. Lucifer would probably never look at her like that, if he ever looked at her again.

“Well? Will you please join us?! It’ll be a great way for you to officially meet everyone!” Charlie’s hopeful eyes shone brightly and Madame C sighed, the last thing she had wanted to do was mingle, but apparently, she held a soft spot for the Morningstar family.

Finishing the last of her coffee, Madame C looked between Charlie and Vaggie, wanting to gauge if both girls wanted her present. “I suppose it would be best if I know everyone I’m to protect. What exactly do you have planned, Princess?”

Charlie leapt forward to hug the shadowed figure, bouncing in excitement. “Thankyouthankyouthankyou!! Let’s get everyone together, and then I’ll explain it. Everyone else has done this once before, but hopefully there’s a little less fighting and blood this time.” The princess had pulled away, laughing nervously remembering how their last trust exercise hadn’t been the greatest. “But I’m sure it’ll go much better this time! Stay here, and Vaggie and I will go get everyone else!”

Charlie grabbed Vaggie’s hand and pulled her towards the kitchen. Madame C breathed out slowly and tried to relax into the couch. She’d hoped to meet the residents individually and gauge them that way; this way would work, but meant she may not be able to see true colors.

A few minutes later, Vaggie was yelling at everyone for slacking as she pushed the group from the kitchen. Madame C raised a brow; the one-eyed girl was strong and the much more forceful of the pair, good to know.

As the group closed in on the shadow demon, Husk recognized her first, stepping out of the group and walking towards the bar. Charlie ran to stop him, “Husk! C’mon, no time for drinks now!”

The winged cat dodged Charlie shaking his head. “Uh-uh, I need a drink if I’ve gotta be around her.” Madame C raised a brow and narrowed her eyes, what did he mean by that?

Charlie voiced Madame C’s thoughts and Husk turned while pouring his drink. “Small, dark, and quiet gives me the creeps. Plus, no interpreter means she’s just gonna be starin' at us the whole time.” Husk visibly shivered, then gulped down his drink, poured another and finally came back to join the group.

While Husk had been grabbing his drink, Sir Pentious and Angel Dust had noticed Madame C as well. Angel greeted her with a quick hey and a wave, vaguely remembering her from a time she had met with Val at the studio.

Sir Pentious, while having never met or seen the woman before, had knowledge of every overlord and gave the shadow demon a salute. “Madame C! It’sss a pleasure to meet you!”

Once everyone was on the sofa and chairs, Charlie clapped her hands together, smiling bright. “Everyone, meet our newest guest slash bodyguard, Madame C! Let’s all introduce ourselves and make her feel welcome. Say your name and your favorite thing about the hotel! I’ll start!” The blonde jumped up to stand in front of the group. “Hello! My name is Charlie and I love seeing all of your wonderful faces everyday” she said, slightly tearing up. “Vaggie?”

Vaggie and Charlie traded places, the one-eyed girl putting a hand on her hip. “Uh, I’m Vaggie. And I uh.. I like seeing you guys actually putting some effort into this. Angel, you’re next.” Vaggie sat next to Charlie and smiled at her girlfriend, grabbing her hand.

“I’m Angel Dust, famous pornstar if you ever need anything, sweetheart,” the spider paused to throw a wink at Madame C. “I really love the free rent here, and uh the people I guess.” Angel added on the last bit after receiving a glare from Vaggie, further confirming to Madame C that she was the firm hand in the relationship.

Suddenly a small form jumped in front of the shadow demon. “HI! I’m Nifty! I like all the bugs that I get to kill.” The girl’s one eye was gleaming, her sharp smile wide with excitement.

The group watched Nifty scurry away when she spotted a bug before turning their attention to the snake demon. “Me? Oh, um.. I’m Sssir Pentious. And I love how kind every one hasss been to me even though I did try to blow the hotel up to get to Alastor.” He looked slightly ashamed during his introduction, but Madame C knew she’d be watching him a little more closely anyway. Can’t be too careful around destructive demons, repentant or not.

Finally Husk raised his half empty glass slightly, “I’m Husk. I like the booze.” Vaggie looked annoyed while Charlie smiled nervously and turned to motion Madame C to introduce herself.

“My name is Madame C, it’s a pleasure to meet you all. I look forward to finding something to love about this hotel.” Her shadowed form bowed slightly before sitting back down and looking around the room. Charlie was beaming, Vaggie had a half smile thankful someone wasn’t just using her girlfriend, Angel Dust had one brow raised and Sir Pentious looked slightly confused.

Husk was in shock, almost dropping his glass. “When the fuck did you start talkin? Last I checked, you were mute!”

Madame C nodded, “Yes, I used to be mute. A recent venture has made it possible for me to speak again, though.”

Husk waited for more of an explanation. When he realized none was coming, he huffed and got up to get another drink. Charlie jumped up and tried to redirect the group’s attention, beginning to tell them about the exercise for today.

A few short hours later, Madame C was standing on the roof of the hotel looking out at the city. If she focused on the slight breeze instead of the sounds of chaos and destruction, it was rather peaceful, allowing her to reflect on what she had learned about each of the hotel’s guests. Husk was much like how she remembered from when he’d been an overlord - rough on the outside, but a softie looking out for those around him on the inside. Angel was obviously insecure and hid it by constantly talking about sex and his job. Sir Pentious was an open book and she honestly felt for the poor thing because of it. Nifty was just crazy and she planned on staying away from the little psycho. Charlie was a bleeding heart, but she’d known that. Vaggie also seemed insecure, but Madame C couldn’t quite put her finger on why. And the one-eyed girls rough-and-tough attitude she put forward screamed military which could be beneficial come extermination day.

Movement heading towards the hotel brought Madame C out of her thoughts and she turned her attention to the ground, ready to attack if need be. The sight of Alastor casually strolling up to the front door made the shadow demon roll her eyes in annoyance, yet she didn’t look away. The radio demon must have sensed eyes on him, he stopped to glance around then looked up and locked eyes with Madame C. His permanent grin widened slightly and his eye twitched as he waved to the shadow demon on top of the hotel before swiftly entering the hotel.

Alastor was the one resident Madame C didn’t need to know better, she’d known him his whole time in hell and she knew he was trouble. If there ever came an opportunity, the green-eyed woman knew she’d permanently shut down his radio show.

The next few weeks went by in much the same manor - wake before everyone else to check the perimeter, meet with the other guests and occasionally join the exercises, eat dinner, and finish the night on top of the hotel as a final check before going to bed. The first few nights had been rough, knowing Lucifer wasn’t there and wouldn’t be made sleep difficult and fitful. Once she’d finally gotten used to the loneliness she’d known her whole life, though, Madame C was able to practically shut down her mind and work on autopilot.

Just over a month since Madame C came to the hotel, Charlie decided to call her dad while almost everyone was out. Madame C sat on the balcony railing, watching the princess with concern. The blonde paced the parlor area, one hand holding her phone to her ear as the other pulled her hair at the roots. “Dad, it’s been almost two months. I really need this meeting with Heaven!... I know you said it might be difficult but-… I know! Ughh… please, just tell me you’re at least in talks to set it up?... okay, thank you. Please let me know as soon as you get somewhere?... Thanks dad. And if you ever want to come by again, you know you’re always welcome! Love you dad.” Charlie collapsed onto the couch near her, dropping her head in her hands. Vaggie sat next to her girlfriend, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder.

Madame C, seeing this as a private moment for the two women, dissolved into the shadows and reappeared in her room. Throwing up her barrier around her room and dropping her shadows, Caelwen sat on her bed and pulled her phone out of her pocket. Nia had been giving her daily updates on the business, including setting up a meeting with Beelzebub for two weeks after the next extermination. But Caelwen wasn’t looking for a new message from her hell hound assistant, hoping instead to see a notification from Lucifer.

They hadn’t talked since that morning she’d left and Caelwen was scared to reach out and push him further away. She had no idea how romance and affection worked, except for the little parental love her mother had been able to show her while running. Her fingers hesitated over Lucifer’s contact. Maybe if she did reach out, he’d be happy and tell her he’d missed her! Or he’d tell her that it really had just been their close proximity and his loneliness that he’d confused for love.

Just as she was about to press the call button, a knock sounded at her door. In the blink of an eye, she was  cloaked in shadows again and ready to grab for a weapon. Approaching the door, Madame C could sense Alastor’s power through her barrier. She opened the door with a snarl, eyes blazing, “What do you need, radio demon?”

Alastor leaned on his staff towards the shadow demon, unnaturally wide smile fixed in place. “Good afternoon, my dear! I’ve just come to tell you Princess Charlie would like everyone’s assistance in cleaning the hotel and preparing dinner. It seems Lucifer will be joining us tonight.” His staticky voice threatened to give Madame C a head ache.

“I’ll be down in a moment, thank you,” she grumbled and slammed the door in Alastor’s face. Shadows dropping again, Caelwen shook off the gross feeling she always got around the radio demon. Running a hand through her hair, she prepared to head downstairs before she fully processed that Alastor had said Lucifer would be joining them tonight. Caelwen immediately ran around her room, changing into better clothes and trying to tame her hair. Unless something terrible happened, she’d do her best to pull Lucifer aside after dinner and talk to him. At the very least, she needed closure.

The table was full of multiple conversations, everyone sticking to their comfort people. Charlie sat at the head of the table with Vaggie on one side and Alastor on her other, the three laughing at something one of them said. Angel was next to Alastor with Husk across from him trading banter and occasionally bringing Sir Pentious into the conversation and making the poor snake uncomfortable. Occasionally, Nifty could be seen scampering around stabbing at bugs, never stopping to take a seat. Madame C sat across from Sir Pentious and next to Lucifer, who occupied the other end of the table. The green-eyed demon and Lucifer were the only two not talking, only chiming in when asked but otherwise content to watch.

They each tried to sneak glances without the other noticing, both wanting to reach out but unsure of how, especially with so many eyes. As everyone finished their food and conversations died down, one by one they began to leave the table and head to their rooms. Charlie, Vaggie, Madame C, and Lucifer were the last ones to leave, gathering their plates and heading to the kitchen as a group.

Charlie stood next to her dad at the sink handing him clean dishes to dry before grabbing dirty ones from Vaggie. “This was super fun! We should do dinners like this all the time!” The blonde’s grin was bright as she scrubbed food from plates.

“It was pretty great, but maybe we try every other week first? Don’t want to overwhelm everyone, babe,” Vaggie said while putting a hand on Charlie’s shoulder.

Lucifer nodded eagerly, hoping that showing enthusiasm to the dinners despite his dislike for certain sinners would help him earn favor with Charlie. “That’s a great idea, Maggie!”

Madame C grabbed a dry plate from Lucifer and put it away, then turned towards the others. “Perhaps next time we could make a challenge out of it? Split the residents in half and see which team can make a better meal. No magic. Winning team will have bragging rights. It would teach communication and teamwork.”

Charlie’s mouth hung open, her mind running wild with this new idea. “That. Is. Brilliant! Ohmygosh, that would be perfect! Vaggie, we need to start planning. We’ll have to decide who’s on which team and the rules. And we’ll need to get all the food they might need. There’s so much to do, let’s go!” The blonde grabbed her girlfriend’s hand, speeding out of the kitchen.

Lucifer and Madame C stared at the door for a moment before the shadowed woman started giggling. Lucifer turned towards her, wondering what she was laughing at. “I would kill for just a pinch of her enthusiasm and energy! The things I could do…” Still chuckling quietly, Madame C returned to putting away the dry dishes.

Lucifer stared at the shadow form with a smile on his face before he remembered this woman had used him and played with his heart. He crossed his arms and leaned back against the sink, a small frown on his face now as he looked at the ground. When Madame C turned around and saw the look on Lucifer’s face, her own smile fell. She needed to fix this, especially if these dinners continued.

Madame C walked to Lucifer and held out her hand, green eyes staring into yellow and red, asking for a chance. Lucifer slowly took the hand in front of him, clutching tightly when Madame C transported them to her room.

He stepped away from her, taking in the new space quickly before looking back to where the shadow demon had stood. Now, Caelwen stood before him in a dark green dress with a tired look on her face. Lucifer watched as the woman walked to the bed against one wall and sat, patting the spot next to her.

When Lucifer didn’t move, Caelwen sighed and crossed her legs and placed her clasped hands in her lap. “I…,” she fumbled for her words, trying to organize her thoughts. “I know you think I used you and I can understand why you feel that way. But, I want you to know that it was never my intention. You were my last hope and, truthfully, I had already resigned myself to the possibility I may never even get to meet you let alone ask for your help.” Caelwen looked down at her lap and closed her eyes. “I also need you to know that I never intended to fall for you or make you think I was playing with your emotions. The time we spent together was the most amazing week of my life. And before then, I had never bothered to think of romance or love. I’m an outsider here and could never be honest about myself to anyone, that’s not exactly the best foundation for a relationship. But with you, I feel like I belong. Like I could make a real life here, outside of work.”

Lucifer’s shoulders drooped hearing the sincerity of Caelwen’s words and made his way to her side to sit next to her. He reached over and grabbed one of her hands to hold it in his own, making the woman look at him.

Caelwen cleared her throat, wondering when she had started to tear up. “I truly do think I’m beginning to love you. I know we haven’t known each other very long, but I feel whole and happier than I ever have when you’re near. This time here has given me a chance to fully explore my feelings and I can honestly say I hate not seeing or talking to you.”

Caelwen’s eyes sparkled with unshed tears as she squeezed Lucifer’s hand and smiled at him. Lucifer smiled back, returning the squeeze. “Our time apart has given me a chance to reflect as well. Lilith and I were together for millennia and she just left one day. I guess I’ve always blamed myself and thought there would be no way another woman could ever truly love me again. Plus, I’m the king of Hell! People usually only ever want to use me in some way.” Lucifer looked down at their clasped hands, then back into Caelwen’s warm green eyes. “I want to believe you truly want me and nothing else. And seeing you now after our time apart, I can’t deny how nice it feels. I think I’d like to try and explore this, but I can’t make any guarantees. I have my own issues and Charlie comes first, but if you’re serious about not using me…”

Lucifer’s eyes searched Caelwen’s for any hint she was lying, but all he saw was acceptance and love. His heart warmed and he smiled softly. Caelwen returned the smile and placed her free hand on his cheek. “I would love to explore this feeling with you, Lucifer. Be prepared, though - I’ve lost so many people over the years, I don’t plan on letting you go anytime soon!”

Fallen angel and Nephilim laughed quietly as they leaned into each other, eyes slipping closed. Unlike their first kiss, this was soft and short, testing the water. Lucifer disconnected their lips and leaned his forehead to Caelwen’s, the two breathing each other in.

When they finally pulled away entirely, Lucifer glanced at his watch, eyes widening at the time. He stood and pulled Caelwen with him, moving to stand in front of her. “I have to leave for the night, unfortunately. I’m glad we cleared the air and that I listened. I’ll be calling soon for our first date,” he winked. “And I do believe I owe you flying lessons! So we’ll need to fit that in, too!” Lucifer grinned broadly at Calewen, feeling truly excited for the first time in a while.

Caelwen smiled back and pulled Lucifer into a hug. “I can’t wait,” she whispered before pulling back. They two kissed once more, and then Lucifer was gone in a flash or red. Caelwen fell back onto her bed, face stretched into a wide grin as she buzzed with excitement. Things were looking up in her life and nothing could bring her down.

A knock sounded at her door. Caelwen sat up and looked at the door curiously, it was late so no one should be at her door. Another knock came and the brunette quickly covered herself and her room in shadows as she went to open the door. Instead of literally any other resident, there stood Alastor with his stupid grin and mic.

Madame C felt any remaining happiness drain from her at the sight of Alastor. “What do you need?” she asked harshly.

Alastor leaned towards the shadow demon, “I was just wanting to check on you, my dear! You were so quiet during dinner, one would think you wouldn’t stop talking now that you can!” His staticky voice grated on Madame C’s nerves.

The shadow demon leveled Alastor with a glare, “I’m fine. Just doing my job to observe and ensure everyone is safe. Thank you for checking. I’m going to bed now, though, so goodnight.” Closing the door before the radio demon could say anything else, Madame C dropped her shadows and ensured her barrier was sealed tight. Leave it to that fucker to ruin what had been a perfect night.

 

A/N – I have no idea why this was so hard to write. But whatever. Also, this obviously doesn’t take us to extermination day, but I also didn’t want this chapter to be a novel on its own. We’re now about 3 months out from the extermination, and I’m hoping to cover that time in the next chapter. So this story overall will be longer than expected.

A/N 2 – It’ll probably be about a week before the next chapter is out. I’ve gotta flesh out the dates and stuff while not making each one a chapter 🤦‍♀️

Tag list: @leximus98

[kat-is-laem-oa]

Chapter 1: PanDEMONium

(Next Chapter)

Mornings always proved challenging, and the comfort of his bed only made the negative feelings about his situation stronger. No amount of sunshine could brighten his mood in recent years, nor could the fluff of his blanket as the light disappeared and his room darkened once more. No extreme or mixture within gave him a sense of comfort.

His oldest friend, Raphael, made it a point to include him despite their opposing heritage. The far-too-old Shadowhunter befriending the vampiric member of Hotel DuMort would be humorous to their kin. The two species couldn’t get along despite their similar situations—being hunted for their blood.

Raphael was unique, just like his people. Eljah wished he could share the same sentiment with his own people, but he’d felt their wrath before and it was a losing game. Although, technically, he was one of a kind. He didn’t have people or true kin because he was an abomination. And abominations don’t get the luxury of friends and family.

“I’m supposed to be hiding in the shadows, not you,” Raphael sighed as he walked into the room. Candles illuminated the room and the blackout curtains prevented the deadly sunlight from getting in.

“I might as well be just as allergic as you, Rafa.”

“Hardly. Up.” Raphael lifted the plush white blanket before grasping onto Eljah’s arm. With multiple complaints and some unkind words, the small boy was upright. His hair was always messy, conscious or unconscious, to the point it became a style. Random silver strips contrasted the shadowy brown overtaking his head. Over the previous months, his hair grew longer, making him feel more feminine than he could have while growing up. If the downworld thought Shadowhunters were bad now, they could rest easy with the image of the Clave’s earlier days.

“What is the nest up to today?” The two had known each other for a long time; long enough to not shy away at the sight of skin and boxers. Eljah crossed to his dresser while Raphael spoke, jumping with the change in temperature upon contact.

“Nothing you have to worry about, even though I know you will.” Raphael laughed at the little hops Eljah made while dressing himself.

“I can’t help it. You guys are stuck with me now, so I have no choice but to care.”

Eljah slid a pair of shorts that rested low against his hips and a t-shirt that drowned him. August was his least favorite month because it was inevitably the hottest one. Manhattan sucked in the humid weather and bubbled it until a rush of cold would pop it. You either stayed in your home or flocked to an indoor business—Eljah’s goal tonight—to beat the heat.

“That is true, my mistake,” Raphael poked fun, receiving a stare from the male opposite him, “but seriously, just enjoy your night and I’ll find something for you to do this week, hm?”

“You said that last week, Santiago.”

“Damn, we are going by last names now, Winterscaar?”

“Oh, bruto gross, no. My mistake,” Eljah repeated. The two shared hushed giggles, but eventually it went silent. It wasn’t uncomfortable, but Raphael’s aura became serious; Eljah hated to watch the swirls switch from bright yellow to mushy turquoise when he went into big-brother mode.

“There’s something out there that will make you happy. I know it. Maybe it’s here in the nest or on the other side of New York. Hell, another continent. I’ll help you find it.”

“How are you gonna find it if it’s on another continent? TSA will have to mark you as combustible material before you step foot on a plane.”

“Not funny.”

“It’s a bit funny, mano…” Raphael choked back a sigh, already used to the flammability jokes.

Raphael seemed to have more to say, but a knock sounded at the door. Raphael went to check it and Eljah activated the LED lights built into all the rooms. Eljah heard basic mumbles and words of confirmation before Raphael exited, saluting to his best friend.

Eljah knew what time it was already. Every day had a clockwork aspect to them, and he’d long since adjusted to the schedule of vampires. As his day started, most ended. It made slipping into night life easier and letting himself deal with emotions in his own way: drunk and/or high.

“You don’t look 22,” the bodyguard argued. Eljah had taken the time to walk his way to the club (and pre-game smoke). He didn’t fully feel the effects, but the immediate boost in confidence after every hit had him ready to make a bold move if needed. He wanted to cave his own head in every time someone accused him of being underage.

“That seems racially motivated.” He enjoyed watching people’s faces when he threw out that card. It was a common misconception amongst those who have never met shadowhunters that they were all pale-skinned white dudes with insane amounts of tattoos. Eljah himself was technically white, but it was the minority of his genetics. His father was Puerto Rican, and he’d grown up in San Juan before integrating into the Mexico City Institute. He found New York bland compared to the colorful buildings, streets, and culture of his hometown.

The man guarding the door was not white either. “Go back home, kid.”

“Este imbécil,” rolling his amber eyes. He placed his hands upon his eyelids, allowing the energy in his bones to circulate. Within milliseconds, the silvery cover slithered over his vision and the energy connected to the bodyguard’s light and powdery one. Eljah focused on forcing a command into the other man’s consciousness.

A voice echoed, “ah, ah, ah, no need,” a veil laid itself over his magic, “it’s not nice to compel random people.”

“Do you gain anything from that?”

“Just slight amusement,” the acicalao with short, spiked hair responded, “I know every warlock in Brooklyn, but I don’t know you. Why’s that?”

“New in town.”

“Are you now? Well, then, why don’t I introduce you to a little New York nightlife, hm?”

“The only thing I need introduced to is something strong.”

“That can be arranged. Come on in.”

˚　　　　✦　　　.　　. 　 ˚　.　　　　　 . ✦　　　 　˚　　　　 . ★⋆.

Too many hyperfixations, so much to do! I'm so tired of seeing no malec x reader, they'd totally be poly in another universe.

[kikis-dump]

Why are the crane wives songs so shadowpeach coded?????

Pls I’m struggling to think properly cause a lot of The Crane Wives’ songs are like my favorites that I listen to almost a daily basis.

Right now the 2 songs I’m associating with ShadowPeach are “The Moon will sing” and “Curses”

YOU CAN’T TELL ME THEY DON’T SCREAM SHADOWPEACH

“The moon will sing a song about me, I loved you like the sun. Bore the shadows that you gave, with no light of my own”

- The Moon will Sing

You CAN’T tell me that’s NOT macaque to wukong. “As his light got brighter so too did his shadow” OR HOWEVER THAT LINE WENT BUT THAT LINE DRIVES ME UP A WALL EVERY NIGHT

“Oh, ashes, ashes, dust to dust, The devil’s after both of us. Ooh, lay my curses out to rest, make a mercy out of me”

- Curses

The animations side of me is BEGGING to make an animatic about it just because it fits so well :(( For curses I don’t know why it screams shadow peach form me, I just love it’s vibe and it makes them so much more dramatic and angstier I love it. I would get all of curses’ lyrics just to dissect it and tell you what scenes I see in which part of the song but I don’t want to do it rn (because I’m on hyper-brain rot mode).

I want to finish the animatic I have in mind for The Moon will Sing but damn it my dedication is not cooperating😞😞

[ar3s-r4t-qu33n]

Some Nebulous Slaughter Family (Game) Headcanons of Mine:

SLIGHT spoilers for Museum Mode, especially the ending

Drayton is actually a good cook. I know in the second film it's canonical, but until we get Choptop, I'm saying that he's REALLY good, I'm talking fully seasoned, he does a variety of different techniques to cook or do certain things, he can make pastry, he can make bread, he can do it all as long as there's meat involved

Nancy, on the other hand, would boil an arm and serve it, bright white gross flesh with no seasoning and a few boiled vegetables and call it a balanced meal (my friend @soggymari and I actually had this discussion whilst playing one time so I kinda owe this one to her-)

Hence why the whole family tries their best to convince her to let Drayton do the cooking-

Thanksgiving at the Slaughter House would be ELITE, probably the only time of year that the family get along (they basically perpetually live in stress, so a typically stressful occasion for most American families (I assume, from across the ocean) is actually quite chill for them so long as everyone stays out of the kitchen unless called for and let's Drayton cook), Nancy makes a dessert and it's actually quite good, the cousins all come over and they like, have an extension for the dining table so they can all fit somehow, they probably don't have to hunt anyone down or have any interruptions because everyone else is with their families, idk, I imagine it's actually kinda cosy

I've said this before on TikTok and it was a clip in my lil edit I posted recently sort of inexplicably, but I personally think that the Luggage Room upstairs in the Family House used to be Sissy's bedroom. One of my lil issues with the Family House is that Drayton, Nubbins and Grandpa have a bedroom each, but Bubba and Sissy don't. Bubba obviously sleeps in the basement now, but I imagine that the study was once his room, and Drayton converted it once Bubba started staying downstairs. As for Sissy, I think she had the Luggage Room, and the reason it's in such bad shape is because either Drayton, Johnny, Nubbins, Bubba or perhaps all of them at different points fucking tore it to shreds when she ran away, angry and betrayed from her leaving them. I have more reasons for thinking this, going from "it's one of the only rooms in the house with a poison station, duh" to "the shadowy birds outside the room symbolise Sissy's desire to be free, but she'll always have to live in shadows or away from normal people because she's a Slaughter; she will always be alienated from them" so... I can talk more about that some other time-

I've seen a lot of people saying that you can see the Family House from Nancy's, and like, MAYBE?? But if you look at the house next door from her front garden, and then go down to outside Johnny's Shack... They're basically in the same spot, and that house next door is DEFINITELY not the Family House

However, I also think that the Valve Exit on Family House (i know that Museum Mode doesn't have the valve exit, so canonically speaking, it's likely just a fence there) leads directly to the Car Battery exit on Nancy's House, and Johnny walks through the woods up the hill to come see the others

I have made three separate family trees for this family of how I personally think they might be related. I know part of the point is that we don't know and will never know HOW they're a family, only that they ARE a family, blood relation be damned, if you're family, you're family. But these are MY Headcanons, I get to decide how these people are related-

The reason Nubbins' room is so big is because he used to share it with his twin brother before he went to Vietnam, hence the spare mattress in there in Museum Mode (it might also be in there in the regular gameplay, I can't remember rn and I'm not booting up a private match to check rn)

Sissy gives Bubba her old makeup

Johnny is actually very thoughtful; he brings back little souvenirs from his trips with Uncle Hands (like the Phlugerville sticker he gave Bubba for his chainsaw) and used to bring a little something back for everyone, even Drayton. He's stopped doing that as of late.

Harold was Nancy's first and most beloved husband. She only killed him because she felt like he was the reason she couldn't have a baby, and wanted that more than anything in the world, and though she has kept all three of them in the Man Cave and is fond of all three, Harold is her favourite because she actually loved him and married him when she was young, and was meant to have a long life with him and their children.

Hands' hammer introduces a new brand to the world of the game, Pearls, and I like to think it's a reference to Pearl by Ti West because I'm delusional ♥️

The second Johnny and especially Grandpa declared Maria "safe" from being dinner, Bubba became as fiercely protective of her as he is the rest of his family. I think he was really sweet to her and took care of her in the basement, and if he saw the Victims trying to help her escape, he would fucking saw them down as brutally as if he saw someone trying to hurt his family (as seen in Museum Mode's ending)

I have way more than this but I could literally talk about the Slaughter Family for hours 😅 I fucking love them so much, man, they're so interesting and all of their dynamics are so deep and qodkkekwoeb I love them smmmmmmmm

[tonydaddingham]

lmao guess whos activated ✨blathering oaf mode✨ again (clue: its me)

(cut because length and spoilers, read at your own peril)

so this post got me spiralling into detective mode again and yes i know douglas suggesting it might have been war/pollution but i have certified trust issues™ and i dont believe that for one darn second

BUT

i also don't think it's a kiss. lemme explain horrifically

so i took another look at the two frames we have of The Leaked Smooch™ and the background has a lot to be desired (if you take into account that the boys are taking up most of the frame (duh), plus already fairly average quality video PLUS compression from when i captured it)

but i think we can safely rule out that The Leaked Smooch™ doesn't happen in the theatre here, mainly because even though the quality is bad, the glasses in the Smooch™ are crowley's modern ones, not the ones we saw him wear in the 1941 flashback in s1, plus his hair is differently styled... so yes can pretty confidently say this is not the kiss we are looking for

so i wanted to pinpoint what era the theatre bit is actually set in, and therefore i set about identifying the theatre in question. turns out kids that im not a good researcher (despite it literally being my job) so it took FUCKING AGES but i eventually found set photos of the boys entering a theatre, specifically the hippodrome in bo'ness:

now this was a turn-up for the books, because that's crowley's 1941 costume right??? id recognise that iconic fit anywhere. az's costume is trickier to pinpoint bc he wears the same damn thing but pretty sure this is a match to the church scene:

so we know from s1 that we have the church scene yada yada, and crowley offers aziraphale a lift home... which we know he accepts given that the s2 trailer gives us the ✨Dinner of '41✨ scene:

the other bit however to this puzzle is that there ALSO a set pic of aziraphale at the hippodrome in his magician's outfit. given the frame from the trailer where he looks like he's about to brick it going on stage, surrounded by lovely burlesque girlies and dame siân phillips in period dress, AND there were extras on the set dressed in ww2-type army uniforms, so i think it can be fairly surmised that this bit also occurs in the 40s

so my thought process is that we're getting two separate scenes (kinda) from the 40s, we have the church bit from s1 plus the Dinner of '41 scene as its own entity, but then, like

aziraphale is doing his magic act as a side hustle to this burlesque show? and crowley turns up to watch him, hiding out up in the box?

if we follow this completely made up narrative ive just come up with, aziraphale, im assuming, finishes up and gets changed into his normal clothes, and then goes up to this box to meet crowley?

to this end, i captured and slowed down the bit in the opening sequence where aziraphale and crowley (sorry douglas, not buying it) are in the box... and-

now to my eye, the motion of them in the clip looks like they are dancing? i don't have the source to hand but we've had it confirmed that a choreographer was brought into s2, not impossible az would go up to meet crowley after his magic act, whilst there's still something going on on the stage, and the two end up dancing or something? and az bless his heart gets spooked from that?

im reasonably convinced that this might be the origin of the 'you go too fast for me' line - something happens and ultimately aziraphale gets spooked given that he's only just realised he has Feelings for crowley, and so my boy fucking legs it (a lil post i made a while ago about this exact scenario if you'd care to peruse)

other thing to note:

there is a figure that is lurking behind aziraphale and crowley in the box, which looks like it moves specifically in sync with crowley, so it could be a shadow, or someone/thing is in the box that they aren't aware of 👀 so maybe this thing (?) witnesses it all? whatever went down in the box?

so in my addled feral mind, ive come up with a speculation that even as im breathing life into it sounds unhinged and so implausible it's hilarious -

i put to you, members of the jury, that something was meant to happen in that box, and it didn't... that something being that crowley makes a move of some kind - kiss, dance, hug, declaration, WHATEVER - and aziraphale was meant to accept it/reciprocate/idk, but didn't.

and that fucks with the plan, and for lack of better terminology creates a nexus event (lmao thanks loki) which in turns starts screwing with other events, somewhat like i theorised in this post here tehe

are aziraphale and crowley, essentially, the earth's endgame? idk about u but ive read enough angst fics to know that it's not inconceivable that crowley and aziraphale's mere existence may have been part of god's plan to represent free will on earth, defend humankind, and give balance and meaning to it

so what would happen if aziraphale essentially rejected that? did the most human thing possible and resisted the plan? idk i feel at this point i am just writing a fic and this will all be ludicrously incorrect bUT half the fun is torturing yourself over your own theories right 🙃

[centralcitylibrary]

What is the Canon Route in Shadow the Hedgehog (2005)?

This document talks about the following entries in the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise:

Sonic Battle (passing mention)

Shadow the Hedgehog (2005)

Introduction

“I promise not to make any promises.”

Well thank god I didn’t make any promises with the pace this blog has been going at.

Anyways, welcome to the long overdue return of the lore blog! Let’s not beat around the bush and get right into today’s topic.

What is the canon route in Shadow the Hedgehog (2005)?

For simplicity’s sake, most linked cutscenes will be in English, but if a point requires access to the Japanese version (the version that would’ve been written first, given Takashi Izuka (the game’s writer) is Japanese), then that will be used instead.

Stage 1: Westopolis

This is pretty simple, there straight up cannot be any other choice as the beginning of our pathway, so the only remaining question is which mission does Shadow clear? Well, we can’t say for certain, but the next best guess would be…

Stage 2: Glyphic Canyon

And already we’ve reached a point of uncertainty. We cannot say with complete confidence which of these locals Shadow visited. We cannot even say that he definitely did not visit Lethal Highway, as we just do not have enough evidence for it.

But, we do have more evidence for the other two stages. For Glyphic Canyon, Shadow references visiting it before in Sky Troops, expressing surprise that it could fly, but only if you actually take Shadow to Sky Troops in your route.

Conversely, in Digital Circuit it’s well established that - regardless of what route you take - the Black Arms do assault and ultimately take down the information network, effectively shutting down the internet for GUN and the United Federation for the duration of the war, though with no mention that Shadow is involved.

Given the two possibilities, I’ve deemed Glyphic Canyon to have stronger evidence, as Shadow himself displays recollection, combined with information I’m going to gleam in Stage 4 - coupled with the fact that the takedown of the internet happens even if Shadow refuses to do it himself, as shown in the Hero Mission of Digital Circuit.

Stage 3: Cryptic Castle

Here we not only know which stage Shadow visited for sure, but even which mission he took.

When visiting Cryptic Castle during the Expert Mode run (which implicitly takes place after the main campaign of the story), Cream outright thanks Shadow for rescuing her, something which only takes place here.

Stage 4: ???

Uh.

Well, it’s not like the case in Stage 2, where there was a lack of information to really determine which stage Shadow went to.

Rather, Shadow absolutely, definitely visits at least two of these locations.

The Doom comes about from a sequence of memories present in the Last Story, where among one of them (in Japanese only), a direct re-use of one of Black Doom’s lines during The Doom is used, clearly indicating that Shadow remembers this exact event.

Conversely, we know Shadow also visited Mad Matrix, as Shadow’s impressive hacking skills are imitated by Charmy during the Last Story.

While Shadow would visit Sky Troops after rescuing Cream, if we take the mission he cleared there as canonical evidence.

Death Ruins is one of two points where Black Doom mentions the ritual of prosperity prior to the Last Story’s reveal of what it is (albeit not by name), and the other reference likely can’t be used due to associated information present there.

So, technically, the canon story can’t be any individual route… Buuut, Stage 4 also happens to be the only point where Shadow isn’t collecting a Chaos Emerald. So if multiple stages are already canon, it could be surmised that there could still be a canonical emerald route, and Stage 4 is just a collection of the roadblocks and dead ends along the way on Shadow’s journey.

Stage 5: Iron Jungle/Space Gadget

God damn it.

Iron Jungle has to be canon because, while Eggman hints at it during Mad Matrix, this is the only point where he outright says that Shadow is an android, a lie he admits to during the story’s climax (in easily missable dialogue…)

But Space Gadget also has to be canon, because in that same surge of memories Shadow experiences he also remembers himself quoting shock at remembering his death.

So there you have it, no individual route can be canonical in Shadow the Hedgehog, because mutually exclusive events still happen simultaneously.

Oh, and it should go without saying, but the flashback portion of Lost Impact should be canonical regardless of the route taken, given it’s, you know, a flashback.

Stage 6: Cosmic Fall/Black Comet/Final Haunt

Cosmic Fall needs to happen, not only to help Vector find the computer room, but also because Shadow talks with the GUN Commander, where not only his memory sequence shows that he met with the Commander here. The Commander even apologises for his actions during the Last Story.

Yet at the same time, Shadow’s journey needs to end on the Black Comet (either stage), as that’s where the Last Story begins.

What about GUN Fortress, though? The President is there in the Last Story, and we see that happening at the beginning of GUN Fortress, and we’ve established that multiple stages are canon, so it must be canon too, right?

Well, no. For one, it doesn’t matter whether Shadow attempted to kill him, left him alone, or even attempted to save him would have no bearing on where the President would wind up, as he was already being evacuated.

For two, in GUN Fortress Shadow had associated himself with the Black Arms thoroughly and validated the Commander’s hatred, which contradicts their conversation over in Cosmic Fall where the Commander let go of his hatred.

For three, Central City isn’t blasted lol. I know this only factors for one of two paths leading into that stage, but still lol.

Boss: Egg Dealer (Black Comet)

He needs to get the final Chaos Emerald from somewhere, and we’ve already established why it wouldn’t make sense for Diablon (piloted directly or indirectly by the Commander) to fight Shadow, we know that Black Doom’s plan is to get the Chaos Emeralds and will ask Shadow for them in the Last Story, and we know his journey ends on the Black Comet. So it has to be Eggman by process of elimination.

But at the same time, the ending of that boss fight can’t be canon, given it ends with him killing Eggman, and that clearly doesn’t happen. That’s fine, though, as clearly none of the endings are canon since Shadow has no such epiphany at the beginning of the Last Story and seems to have just collected them.

Outroduction

Well the truth about a singular canonical route is that… there isn’t one. So it’s more likely Shadow in fact hopped through most of these areas in his search for the Chaos Emeralds, and only got his hands on them in specific areas during his search.

Given the timeframe, this clearly makes Shadow one busy hog.

So what’s the most conservative route throughout Shadow the Hedgehog (2005)? It goes a little something like this…

Westopolis Neutral

Glyphic Canyon Dark (awakens the temple)

Cryptic Castle Hero (saves Cream & Cheese)

The Doom Dark

Sky Troops Normal

Mad Matrix Hero (helps Espio collect data)

Death Ruins Dark

Iron Jungle Normal

Space Gadget Hero (racing Sonic)

Cosmic Fall Hero (finding the Computer Room)

Black Comet Hero

Egg Dealer (Black Comet)

That’s not to say that other stages can’t be a part of that routing, just that this is - by all accounts - as conservative as you can get with the knowledge of canonicity, with other stages serving as additional add-ons.

Still though, it would’ve been nice if we could point at an individual route and just say “hey, that’s the one that takes place”. Would’ve made the 326 individual story routes a little more meaningful if we could actually analyse them for the true one. But I guess that’s the point, isn’t it? The routes aren’t meant to showcase Shadow’s actual journey, but instead are gathering up the individual pieces in order to build up towards the conclusion of the Last Story, all the while showing who Shadow could have become along the way.

And who Shadow will end up as by the end of all this.

---

Credits:

Writer: Numbug

Sources obtained by: Numbug (Shadow the Hedgehog (2005), Sonic Battle)

[f0point5]

He could have taken the money and his dignity and got the hell out /// not to be a messy but... Nico R did just that🤭🤭🤭 he was always my favourite part of brocedes, and just think of the backlash he got for leaving... he wasn't a coward, he was right. I don't think Lewis could have had the strength to do what he did

He was right for two reasons.

1. He did what he set out to do and not a damn bit more or less. When you win the battle, you stop fighting. Hamilton is a shadow boxer in that sense (probably because of the victim complex), he always acts like he’s fighting a war even when the enemies have gone the fuck home.

2. Nico knew there was more to his life than F1. He didn’t want to see in beast mode for his whole life. He had a partner and a family and things he wanted to do. And he went and did them. Idk if Lewis has that. Like sure he has business ventures but when he goes home at the end of the day does he have things that bring him peace? Because he should.

I’m not a Nico fan but he recognised the best part of winning a fight is that you get to go home.

[victorluvsalice]

-->And while all that clean up was happening, who should stop by but Victor’s buddy Felipe! Who, of course, was immediately set upon by specters the minute he knocked on the front door. *shakehead* Haunted houses, man… I was originally going to just ignore him and have Alice try to appease the specters to get them out of the way – but while I was looking through potential gifts to give the annoying little blobs, I realized that Alice still had the painting Felipe made on the front porch on one of his previous visits. So I had Alice greet him, and – after dealing with being specter sprinkled herself – chat with him a little bit to become friends. I took the opportunity for her to tell him about being a werewolf and do some werewolf diplomacy to make him an ally (that way he won’t be unnecessarily spooked if he comes across her in werewolf form – always a benefit), then found the option to give him a friendly gift –

Aaaand for some reason his painting wasn’t listed as an option. One of HERS was, but not his. O.o Oookay then, game… I shrugged, went “at least I got him to be a werewolf ally,” and had Alice send him on his way. Guess some specter will be getting that painting at some point!

-->And then I looked over at the cow paddock again and saw that poor Moory needed a brush. Yet again. XD I had Alice head over there to clean her off while Smiler – who’d just gotten to Wellness 7 from their latest yoga practice, nice – got sent downstairs to sort all the recyclables out of the trash. Alice finished with Moory and moved onto the chickens, collecting the eggs and spreading feed for them –

Just in time for Marm to FINALLY wake back up from his charging! Seriously, that took him AGES! O.o Maybe because he’s Lazy, he recharges slower – which, uh, is annoying. *shakehead* Anyway, I had him hit the chessboard again, and had Victor (who had gotten bored with his alchemical experimentation and was going off to dance to Smiler’s radio) join him so they could bond. (I also took a moment to test out the new “adjust Likes/Dislikes in Live Mode” mod from Lumpinou I got to fix Marm’s preferences so he LIKES Funny Sims instead of disliking them – because, really. He was made by SMILER. Works like a charm! :D) They got along well, and Marm was even able to fulfill one of the holiday traditions by being thankful with him. :) I was very pleased indeed –

-->And then I looked outside and saw Alice showering in the rain again as another thunderstorm came through. *sigh* I let her finish up (as she was just a tiny bit stinky), then sent her off to dance to the first floor phonograph with Smiler to keep her occupied (amusingly, she kept doing cowpoke dancing randomly along with all the other dance moves. XD Now that's the kind of Erratic behavior I like!). Smiler then took some time to play with a down-looking Shadow, and I checked in on Marm and Victor to see them now solidly friends –

-->And that Victor was actually quite hungry. Well then – time to do the grand meal, I think! I clicked on the fridge to see what Alice could make –

And discovered “oh – it’s literally only the Grand Breakfast unless she makes some prepped veggies.” Well, good thing they have a stand mixer! I had her clean all the spoiled food out of the fridge, then get those veggies going before searching the pockets of the clothes in the laundry while Smiler cleaned up all the puddles the gnomes (which had moved into the attic to stare at the pictures from Plumbite Pier on the sideboard up there) had left in the living room. I thought I had everything well under control –

-->And then EVERYONE suddenly went “hey, the pets left a gift outside” and INSISTED on going outside to react to it. Never mind that it was still thunderstorming, or that one of them was the exact OPPOSITE of waterproof. Everybody had to go look at this tiny purple present! *shakehead* Seriously, Sims sometimes… Anyway, Alice was the only one to actually REACH the damn thing, so I had her open it while telling everyone else “GET BACK INSIDE.” (Marm’s umbrella broke before they could, which did feel slightly like karma.) Turned out the present was a broken fossil. *rolls eyes* Well, I guess it IS part of the collection, technically, so I went ahead and put it on the display. But cripes, all that for a clump of rocks worth $10…

[fox-sama97]

Ignore at Your Own Risk- Chapter 3

Sorry it took so long to get this out but it's finally here! It's probably a little rougher than before due to the length of it, but also my friend who read over my other chapters was busy and couldn't read over this one. Wanted to post it tonight, so let me know what y'all think! Here's a snippet of the beginning for some Jazz motivation! Later in the chapter we get into body horror and eldritch horror so be warned!

--------

Ectoblasts, a subdued, barely glowing green, lit up the night as Jazz fired, wavering until they burst like fireworks around a thousand feet out. The illumination was just barely bright enough to show the shadow of a woman flying through the air on a sled.

With the barest twitch of her finger, Jazz swapped firing modes. Three thinner and brighter ectoblasts firing from her Fenton rifle, two splashing into the shadow of a woman, pushing her back and lighting her up like a flash of lightning, as the other shot went past her face.

Dark red full bodysuit, small dented wooden circles resting on vital areas, and a large blaster resting on her shoulder that let off a brief red glow as it discharged.

Jazz ran, weaving around the shots, muscles burning, lungs pumping, mind straining to predict the erratic flight path of the woman as she readied her next shot. Barely a hitch in her step as she raised her rifle and fired another burst of three, only registering one more confirmed shot before the light was gone and her finger twitched to swap firing modes again. Another three shots, fatter and darker than before, exploded in the air, the green starburst splashing onto the woman, dimly glowing residue sticking to her suit and the wooden circle on her torso.

The woman immediately spun around, flight pattern more erratic as she zipped around, left, right, a steep dive only to pull up less than a second after, all the while red blasts raining down around Jazz.

Barely sparing a glance as she dodged by the thinnest margin, Jazz raised her rifle again, the smallest hitch in her step as she swapped modes and fired, three blasts slamming into the wooden circle, only the first slightly off center.

She slowed, her legs wobbling, body screaming to rest, but she ignored it, staying upright and forcing her body to be still by sheer force of will. She watched as the woman reached the ground, suit and sled folding up across her body until it seemed to seep into her skin, not a trace left by the time she reached Jazz, broken wooden circles all that was left to showcase their practice.

"We'll need to go again. I'm still stumbling when I start firing and my aim is still off." Jazz stated, forcing herself to breathe normally.

"Well damn, give me some credit too, Jazz. It's my job to not get hit."

Jazz felt a rush of anger through her, fire tingling in her limbs, before she forced calm on herself, allowing one slightly more forceful breath out. "It's also your job to hit me and I'm unharmed, Val. Your patterns are predictable again. You'll need to change them before the real thing."

Red lit up Valerie's eyes before she closed them. A slow even breath filtering out of her lips.

Shame settled in Jazz's stomach like a lead weight. "I-I'm sorry Val. I appreciate you training with me like this."

"It's okay, you're right. I need to work on it some more." Valerie's eyes opened again, back to their normal green color. "Do…do you wanna talk about it?"

"No need, you can just get out your suit and sled and we'll start again." Jazz's eyes tracked to the side, intently sweeping the area around them, not looking at Valerie.

"You know that's not what I meant Jazz. Do you wanna talk about what's happening? Do…do you wanna talk about Danny?"

Jazz froze, shoulders tensing, eyes closed, her breath catching in her throat as she suppressed a sob. Mind tumbling over itself to throw her failures into her face.

—---------

Jazz was a good sister. This fact she'd written onto the core of her being. She'd practically raised Danny, her parents too scattered and preoccupied with their portal project to give either of them the time they needed, much less the attention they deserved.

She'd been the one to walk him to school.

She'd made his breakfast and lunch, and usually dinner too.

She'd helped with his homework and pinned his drawings to the fridge.

She'd listened to all his troubles and tried to give him advice.

She was a good sister, she had to be a good sister.

But when she got to high school, well Danny was old enough, smart enough to take care of himself. He'd made friends and started pulling away a bit, and she'd let him.

She wanted to make friends too, have a childhood too, even if it felt too late for it. Not that she had as much luck in that as her brother. They'd both been thoroughly branded as the Weird Fenton kids, and unlike Danny, even the weird kids in her grade didn't want to hang out with her. Too unreliable for them, she'd never had the time to hang out and no one expected that to change. Didn't matter anyway, Spike was gone too.

Jazz had to be a good sister. She hadn't been.

Learning that she'd looked away, neglected her duties and found out that her brother had died when she had?

It broke her, just a little. When had she stopped paying attention to him? Good sisters don't let their brother die and not even notice it.

She knew she could be overbearing and annoying but she didn't think she'd hurt him so much he wouldn't tell her.

She'd tried to support him, to earn back the trust she'd obviously lost when he hadn't come to her with this. She'd started sabotaging Jack and Maddie's not her parents anymore, not after what they did inventions, leading them away from Phantom and retraining her body in the martial arts that Maddie had shown her years ago.

And it worked! She had her brother's trust again too late and she was a good sister. But not good enough.

He told her about the portal accident, eventually, how he'd died but not all the way. She'd comforted him as he'd cried like he hadn't since he was six and gotten a chemical burn, her fault, for not pushing Jack and Maddie's chemicals farther back on the table.

He'd never wanted to be Phantom, he was only doing it because it was his fault the portal even worked and he couldn't admit it was Jack and Maddie's fault for making the damned thing in the first place. He still loved them, unlike her, still wanted them to love him.

Jazz wasn't a good sister.

She knew how Danny got his powers. Knew it worked as well as it did because of how liminal he'd already been from a lifetime of exposure to ectoplasm. She could make it work again, turn herself into a Halfa. She may not have been as liminal as Danny, but she was close. Closer than Vlad was at least.

But Vlad had spent months dying slowly, getting his powers even slower. Danny had died all at once, taken days to develop his first powers, and months learning to use them.

And as far as she could tell, they'd been lucky. Most would have just died, their ghosts may have even been ripped apart or been driven insane. Or been trapped between realms forever, never to be heard from again.

She loved her little brother, would take his place in a second, and die for him in less if it would save him. But she'd seen what her death, his friend's deaths had done to him. How it had turned him into a monster he still had nightmares about. She couldn't recreate his accident on herself, not when she didn't know if it would work, not when it would destroy him if she died, killing him all over again.

And now, with Sam and Tucker dead, Danny throwing himself into self destructive grief and revenge, there was nothing she could do.

Now when he needed someone to take this burden the most, she could afford the risk the least. Losing her now, so soon after Sam and Tucker? He wouldn't survive it and neither would the world.

She wasn't a good sister, not when the best she could do for him was to stay alive. She had to be better, had to train more, until she could support him against the Justice League and keep him from making a mistake, from going too far, becoming something he'd never forgive himself for.

She couldn't help but feel it still wasn't enough.

—-------

"There's…there's nothing to talk about. We've compromised on what we can live with. I'll support Danny. That's all there is." Jazz stated, voice almost fragile at the start, but firm with her resolve as she continues.

"Red, I know you hate the plan, you don't have to lie to me. You certainly haven't made it a secret."

"I want justice just as much as you do, Val. I just think…we all needed more time to grieve first. Danny is…he's hurting so much right now. We all are. I just don't want him to do something out of grief that he can't live with afterwards."

Valerie hesitated, before slowly clapping her hand onto Jazz's shoulder. "He won't, he's got you there to make sure of it."

Jazz let the ghost of a smile cross her face, about to continue when the crunch of dead grass reached their ears.

Jazz raised her rifle, green light sparking in the barrel as she wiped around, noting Valerie's blaster folding out of her arm, both aiming towards the noise.

Slowly a boy, just as dirty as the rest of them, walked into view, hands already raised in surrender. "Paulina's group caught Batman, he's sitting pretty in the jailhouse." The boy didn't even stay to make sure they heard, turning around and jogging away the moment he finished.

"Uuuughhh, she's gonna be even more insufferable now. Why couldn't literally anyone else get him," Valeria groaned, lowering her weapon. "I gotta go look into this. Make sure they actually properly disarmed him. See ya later, Red!" She said, jumping into the air, jet sled unfolding beneath her and shooting off with a whisper of wind.

Jazz watched her go, rifle still in hand. There was no turning back now, all she could hope to do was mitigate the damage.