#defiant heart

[dragaliareferencearchive]

Model references for Defiant Heart | Nightcord at 25:00 (KAITO) - Project Sekai: Colorful Stage!

[prismaticaurene]

The first blighting tree is small and sickly, born far from the depths of the Maguuma Jungle, long before the Dragon wakes. After all, it doesn’t need to be big. Not for what it was made for. Not empowered now as far to the south,  The Glory of Tyria knocks Zhaitan from its perch and the dragon’s magic sinks into the bones of the planet itself.

Caithe makes a mistake, you see, in not burning the body of her fallen sister. She couldn’t have known what would happen next. --- Wynne dies, and for almost twenty years, her soul remained in the Domain of the Lost-- taking the form of the Grove, choked out of life and magic by Mordrem vines. It's not a pleasant place, and she's not in a place where she can pull herself out of it, like the Commander will. Instead, Mordremoth tears her out-- fracturing her identity as he does (the name Wynne no longer fitting comfortably) -- to watch him destroy the world. She's no longer connected to the Dream. Her siblings think her dead. (The Dragon, knowing that she told Caithe the truth, deals one last blow-- and takes from her her voice, so that she can never do that again.) It's by luck that she finds a Priory squad in the Silverwastes. It's by persistence that she makes her way up the ranks, still hoping to find a way to stop Mordremoth. She can't. And when the Call happens, she knows that there's no way she can keep her own mind. The Dragon has its claws in her still. Magister Hestia (self-named after a post-Searing Ascalonian Saint who took up the fire magic that destroyed her people to learn to protect them) locks herself in a High Security vault in the depths of the Priory, so that when she turns-- she cant harm anyone else. (A good thing too -- if she hadn't, the Commander would have found an unfathomably powerful Mordrem Wyvern guarding Trahearne (guarding her brother-- her first friend.)) ...And then the Dragon dies. It takes her ages to regain herself, and longer to start to return to humanoid form. Her co-workers are sympathetic, though they don't know the details of who she was. It's hard for them to help. It ends up being a Lightbringer that helps her-- a Norn named Sigyn with remnants of Jormag's corruption scarring her face that comes to her. She understands, after all, what being corrupted does to you. What others see when they look at you and see that. She's there when it becomes clear that not all of the surviving Mordrem will be accepted back into the Grove. That they can't go home. (That Hestia will never be able to go home.) --

[CLICK] [TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES:  PROJECTOR SHOWS A MORDREM WOMAN SITTING IN A CHAIR. SHE TAPS THE TABLE IDLY WITH CLAWED FINGERS, NOT LOOKING AT THE CAMERA. DESCRIPTION MATCHES WITH THE RECORDS OF THE DECEASED FIRSTBORN WYNNE, NOW MAGISTER HESTIA ] [THE MAGISTER CLICKS A BUTTON, AND A TEXT-TO-SPEECH RECORDING PLAYS]

HESTIA:

It started with an idea. I never gave any thought to what I would do after Mordremoth fell. I never thought we’d win. But we’re here, and I can’t go home. My connection to the Dream is gone. The world thinks I’m dead. The dragon’s corruption remains part of me. And I’m not the only one. The remnants of the Pact and the up and coming Dragon’s Watch have already turned to look at Primordus and Jormag. We unfortunate many have been left in the lurch. Dragon corruption has never had an After. There’s no support for us here. The Exalted, inspired by Glint’s compassion, have been a blessing. They’ve kept watch over the Auric Basin for centuries. They’ve offered us a place to set up base camp. They call it 'Gilded Hollow'. Taffi thinks it’s perfect–though any chance she has to study magic in new places is perfect. Lightbringer Frostseer agrees with me though. This place, this haven– if we can make a home for those who have been displaced and exiled–

I’m not a historian. I don’t know what I am. But helping people, recording their stories– maybe I can figure out what to do next. 

[TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE: THE MAGISTER PAUSES HERE, STARING AT THE RECORDER BEFORE CLICKING OFF THE TEXT-TO SPEECH.]

[CLICK. RECORDING ENDS]

(Later, she will lead Defiant Heart, the guild that protects the settlement of Gilded Hollow, becoming a champion of Aurene and a world renown blacksmith. It'll take time and therapy to get there first.)

[whumperer-86]

Sorry !! I've been away for a while now I'm back to post new whump

The Fiery Priest S02EP01

Fainted, Collapsed, Drug overdose from bullies

[sadcatjae]

This anime is suuuch a tease. First episode we get gorgeous fairy whump, and thennn nothing for the rest of the season 😭 shalle fen shalle is prime whumpee. Hoping for more spicy content in the next season 🙏😌

[whumble-beeee]

Hermanitos

The (Un)Official Guide to Hero-Keeping | Cont'd from Part 16

Content: mentioned drugging, mentioned torture, mentioned murder, begging, guns, lady whump kinda?

* * * * * * * *

Excerpt from: The (Un)Official Guide to Hero-Keeping; a self-help guide for villains and bounty-hunters

[‘But what about the police?!’ you may ask in your extreme naïveté. Don’t you even worry your silly little head about those ineffective dweebs! The police may be a problem for small-time criminals and villains who fail to think past tomorrow, but luckily you have the advantage of this book on your side! Simply make sure to set aside part of your budget to pay off the police, and they’ll gladly unsee any shady dealings they may have previously seen. They’re very good at it.

What do you do if you don’t have such funds? Worry not! While this does often muddy the waters and it is advised to simply pay off prospective arrestors if possible, it is not the only way! Overall, it’s very simple and easy to have the police on your side, and an invaluable resource when you find yourself in a tough spot; You may kidnap a loved one or otherwise blackmail a person in a position of power, seduce them, or any of the other very effective tactics! (Refer to Chapter XX: Blackmailing and Manipulation for more information!)]

* * * * * * * *

For this chapter, dialogue translated from Spanish to English will be bracketed and italicized [like this] for ease of understanding.

Also, I made Officer Kalis Brooks and Officer Frida Galleta girlfriends now, instead of Kalis having a one-sided crush like I hinted in the previous chapter :D I might go back and change the previous chapter to reflect that. Eventually. Probably.

* * * * * * * *

“DECLAN CANSANO, WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU THINK YOU’RE DOING?!”

The bounty hunter groaned next to Kalis, cowboy hat flown off somewhere into the aether. “Aughhh, fuck me… Fri–Frida?... What're you–...?”

Shouting, spotlight, police sirens, sounds and colors and oppressive darkness all melding into one. 

Was Kalis dead? 

That car must have hit her. Yes. Because otherwise that meant that the bounty hunter had saved her WHILE trying to kill her.

And that didn't make any damn sense.

She couldn’t keep track of what was going on around her anymore, the world spinning much too fast for her to comprehend, blackness crushing her in on all sides, threatening to swallow her whole as it crashed over her in tumultuous waves. 

She laid her head down on the pavement with a small groan.

She'd just… sleep for a moment. 

Frida was here. 

Everything would be okay now…

Officer Galleta slid over the hood of the car with practiced ease, shouting and swearing like a sailor as she landed on top of the bounty hunter, literally straddling his legs while still pointing her gun at his head. He dazedly tried to shove back from her.

“I cannot believe you!” she bellowed. “Out of all the selfish, horrible, ungrateful things you've done, that has got to be one of the worst! Killing my girlfriend?! You absolutely dense motherfucker, you bitch, you–”

“Is… is that… Frida?...”

“Si Cabrón, obviously! Who else would it be?!”

“Frita-hermanitaaa~” he giggled in a daze. “Since when do you have a girlfriend?”

“Don’t you ‘Frita-hermanita’ me, you fuck! Take that stupid fucking bandana off, you look like you’re wearing a Halloween costume!” Her voice shook with barely kept-rage, teeth bared and eyes fiery red as she plopped down on the stomach of the bounty hunter and ripped the bandana off his face with venomous fervor. He let out an ‘oomph’ as her knee dug into the soft flesh of his stomach, along with a whiny ‘go away, leave me alone.’ Although the hunter didn’t seem particularly disturbed by it. More… pissy.

“Stop wavin’ that thing around, you’re gonna shoot someone,” the mercenary groaned. He made a half-assed attempt to grab at the gun just as the muzzle shoved into the vulnerable underside of his chin, another hand pinning him to the ground by the lapel of his shirt. He grew still.

“I should be so lucky,” Officer Galleta growled.

God, she’s so hot, Kalis oggled. Pretty pretty.

“I should shoot you right now for what you almost did,” she hissed.

“Oh calm down, you and I both know I wasn’t gonna actually kill her, ya baby. Your fuckass car definitely would have though. I saved her ass. You’re welcome.”

“Right! And now I get the honorable privilege of shoving my gun down your throat instead of watching you slit hers. So yes, thank you Declan, for your extreme altruism.”

“That’s how I roll. I’m sure your girlfriend is grateful too! You should take her out to a lovely candle-lit dinner while I finish my job and take a 20-hour nap. Now let me up.”

Officer Galleta let out a sharp laugh into the chilly night air, bouncing off the trees around them, crystal clear and all-encompassing. “You want me to just let you go? After all that?!”

He opened his mouth, only to stop short, eyes flashing briefly over to Officer Brooks’ half-conscious form. He propped himself up, wholly disregarding the gun shoving into his trachea as he leaned in closer to Frida’s rage-etched features, voice dropping to a gravelly fast mumble.

He whispered, “[Frida, what’re you even doing here? You know what will happen if my boss finds out we talked to each other.]”

“Oh that's rich–”

“[No, Frida!]” he urged. “[Look, I know you’re angry and I’m sorry I made you come all the way out here, but you know what Lana’ll do if she finds out! You’ve seen what will happen, you’ve felt–]” he reached up and gently grasped her shoulder, where Frida immediately slapped his hand away and gripped at the site defensively. “[–what will happen! And look I’m sorry for scaring you and your girlfriend, but whatever you decide to do tonight, I’m leaving with my hostage, because I’d rather not see anyone maimed again, or KILLED, by some cutesy pastel psychopath–]”

Frida shoved her gun further into his neck. “[Shut UP, Declan, I know! I’m gonna let you go, I was just… ]” She took a deep breath, barely restraining her anger. Then she didn’t. She slammed her fist down on his chest, hard. 

“[GOD, FUCK YOU and your terrible life choices!]” 

Declan barely flinched. His hand fell to the melted and twisting flesh that shined off his cheek, his jaw, his neck, his arm in the spotlighting headlights of the police cruiser. Eyes vacant. He sighed, letting himself look past the Frida and stare dead-eyed upward at the cloudless sky. 

The stars look so pretty tonight.

So far removed from the torment of humanity…

“... Can’t say I disagree.”

Frida’s gaze softened slightly. 

He shoulders untensed

She sighed. 

“[Deccy, we… you can’t keep doing this.]”

His gaze flicked downward. He sighed. “[Can you get off of me?]”

“[What would it take? How do I get that woman off your ass?”]

[“Frida, there is no ‘getting her off my ass.’ She knows everything about me, she knows all my secrets, she knows who you are, she knows who I am, what I am... She’ll tell everyone.”]

An unbearable pause.

[“Would that really be so bad?”] Frida finally pleaded. She had no other solution. Declan shot her a look.

Yeah…

“[I’d have to shoot her dead to get rid of her,”] Declan resigned. [“And her bitchy little boyfriend, and whatever fail-safes they have in place. You know that the police won’t help me–]”

“[But I can help you!]

“[–and YOU’RE certainly not allowed to help, because before you say anything, I’m not letting you risk your life for me like that. Period.”] 

Frida went to argue with him, but she just barely caught that stupid little sparkle returning to his stupid red eyes. God dammit. “[Your girlfriend, on the other hand… I mean if you were willing to hit her with your car, maybe she–]”

And Officer Galleta’s spirited anger returned tenfold, voice soaring high above the trees. “You really don't know when to quit, do you?!”

He laughed. “Nahhhh.”

“I’m just trying to help you!”

“Don’t need it, thanks. Let me up.”

“What if I shot you right here and now?”

“Fuckin’ do it! Finish the job your girlfriend couldn’t! Shoot me. Be her knight in shining armor, you won’t!”

Officer Brooks’ eyes shot open. What was all the shouting about?

“All this talk about saving our lives, and you don't even want to save yourself!!”

“Wait, wait, so… huh?” Kalis tried to interject. God, her body hurt so much. Were they… Were they whispering at each other just now?  “What is happening, I don’t– Why were you speaking Spanish?” Kalis groaned, forcing her head to leave behind the cotton balls and clouds. “What did you say?”

“Look, either shoot me or let me up, Frida,” the man deadpanned. “Kill me. I know you want to.”

Frida growled, every muscle in her body tensed, on fire, shaking as she shoved the muzzle of the gun even further into his chin, forcing his head back to grind further into the asphalt. She kept it there for a long while. 

So long. Too long. Holy shit was she actually gonna–

Officer Galleta suddenly yelled out, an enraged howl, and bounded off the bounty hunter, kicking a couple of rocks into the ditch sidelining the road. “Augh, this is just like you! Every single time I try to talk to you, you deflect and refuse to talk even though you’re– AUGH!! I just want to help you Declan! And you pull me into your illegal, unethical bullshit–...” She charged back over to him, holding out her hand for him to grab. “Get up. Now.”

He grabbed her hand back and popped right up to standing, dusting himself off as Officer Brooks stared at them, mouth literally agape. She hadn’t– She just– 

“You look like shit, by the way,” Officer Galleta commented. 

“I feel like shit," Declan chuckled. "Haven’t slept in like three days–” 

“And you’re fuckin’ high, too.” 

“Ehhhhhh, you caught me.” 

“Frida?... What’s going on?” Kalis tried to interject again. Her voice felt so small. She could barely hold back her tears, her chest felt like it was splitting open. 

Frida was a dirty cop…?

“Can you at least pretend to care about your own life as much as I do?” Officer Galleta snarked.

He scoffed. “Yeah, care so much that you’d pull a gun on me and threaten to kill me?”

Her mouth fell open, speechless for a moment. 

”I– I–... You–”

“Wouldn’t have actually died? Just like your girlfriend wouldn’t have?”

“No! I-I wasn’t actually gonna shoot you!”

“Right,” the mercenary deadpanned. “You were just gonna hit us both with your car so I couldn’t even save her.”

“Well it worked, didn’t it?!” Galleta cried. “You saved her from getting hit! And no one had to die at all! This isn't just about your life, asshole! It’s about mine, it’s about my girlfriend’s, our family’s, the people that you kidnap and torture!”

“Oh fuck off, Frida. Having to deal with you is worse than having to torture people, truly.”

“Stop doing it and you won't have to deal with either!”

“Or,” Declan spat. “YOU could leave me alone. Like I keep asking you to!”

Frida’s jaw might as well have been on the floor. “I'm not leaving you alone just because you can't get away from some psycho bitch you fell for ten years ago!”

The bounty hunter’s eyes went wide. “Oh! Sorry for thinking I could actually love someone countless years ago! So sorry for my naivete! Maybe you should inform your secret girlfriend of the Cansano family curse before she gets tortured and murdered too!” 

“Oh no, you’re the one who let her get into your pants BEFORE you knew she was fucking insane and then find out about your stupid little secret–” 

“No, I’m the one trying to make sure you don’t get turned into a lab rat or brutally tortured and murdered because you don’t understand how fucking insane she can be–” 

“–and saw an opportunity to exploit your ‘oh I can’t actually KILL people, I’ll murder them with my stupid little cowboy gun–” 

“– even though you were literally there when she threw acid on us and I protected you–” 

“–then make them feel better’ BULLSHIT WHEN WE BOTH KNOW IT COULD BE USED FOR SO MUCH GOOD BUT INSTEAD–” 

“–because that’s what family DOES INSTEAD OF BECOMING A FUCKING TRAITOR–” 

“–YOU BENT TO HER WILL UNTIL I LITERALLY HAD TO CHANGE MY NAME–”

“–WHO SELLS OUT YOUR HER FAMILY JUST TO WORK FOR THE GOVERNMENT–”

“SHUT UP!!” Kalis screeched out, hands pressing into her ears to block out the dizzying noise. Both their attentions turned to her at once, their childish shouting match thankfully screeched to a grinding halt. A dirty cop and a bounty hunter, staring at her. Enemies. Villains.

“Frida!” Kalis cried. “I-I– I don't– what's going on with you?”

Frida’s face melted into a mask of terror as she took in Kalis’s prone form, still sprawled out where the bounty hunter had dove them both out of the way of her oncoming car. “Kalis! Oh my god, I’m so sorry, are you okay?”

Kalis skittered away from the cop. “What is happening?! Why– Why are you talking to him like that?! Why were you yelling?”

“I–” Galleta’s breath petered out. “Kalis, I know this looks bad–”

“You’re a dirty cop!”

“I’m not a dirty–”

The bounty hunter scoffed under his breath: “You kind of are though–” 

“Shut up!” The two cops yelled at him in unison. He flipped up his hands in surrender and turned to walk away.

“Hey, no, get back here!” Kalis yelled.

The hunter stopped in his tracks and sighed. “Can we please get on with this, I have places to–”

“No! You’re going to prison!” She turned to Officer Galleta. “Look, Frida, I don’t know what’s going on with you and him, but– but– He kidnapped and tortured a boy, Frida! You can’t tell me you’re on his side! I don’t care if he’s like, I don’t know, a love affair, or he’s blackmailing you, or whatever you’ve got going on, but you can’t just sit idly by–”

A barking laugh echoed up and down the highway, a sound that rang off the asphalt and successfully started fringing on Kalis’ absolute last nerve. “Love affair!” the mercenary snorted. “Fuckin’ love affair, holy shit, a love affair! She thinks I’m your boyfriend, Frida! God, no, that would be the day! Shit man, fuck that, fuck that…”

Kalis narrowed her eyes on the cackling man. “I don’t see what’s so funny.”

He shook his head. “She’s not my girlfriend, chica. She’s my sister.”

Another pause.

Oh.

Oh. 

Wait, no. 

What?

“I–...” she looked over to Officer Galleta. Frida. Her love. “Huh?” 

Frida took that small step toward Kalis. “I can explain. But I’d never hurt you, and I’m not on his side. I’m on yours. I promise.”

“I don’t–” She wanted so desperately to believe her. So, so bad. “Are you a part of a crime family?...”

“No, I’m–”

“Technically you are–”

“Declan!” Frida snapped. “I swear to god, shut the fuck up.” 

He rolled his eyes and turned his attention elsewhere, while his sister purposefully looked toward her baffled partner. “Look, please understand, I’m not letting him go because he’s my brother, there’s so much–”

Kalis’ eyes widened. “Who said anything about letting him go?”

The color drained from Frida’s face. 

“I– I mean… I’m not–...”  She took a deep, shaking breath, then started talking at about a million miles a second. 

“Look, just listen for a second, you have to understand, lives are at stake here, my life, your life, Declan’s, so many others, I need you to understand I’m trying to make sure no one gets hurt–”

Officer Galleta’s voice faded into the back of Kalis’ mind, static filling her head like thousands of angry bees, only directed by the thunderous pounding of her own heart. It was a strange case indeed, the case of the Traitorous Girlfriend and the Bounty Hunter. The facts and the lies were strewn up across the wall as one, connected haphazardly with spools of knotted red string. Too much, too fast, Kalis couldn’t handle it all, help help–

Stick to the facts, detective:

Frida had a secret villain brother. She was in a crime family? She was a dirty cop. She was a liar. She was just trying to help. Apparently. But what are the promises of a liar if not absolutely meaningless, that of a scoundrel, a fiend? She also wanted to send that boy to his death. She wanted to let a man who captures and kills and tortures set free. She wanted to let him go. She was a liar. She didn’t care that he tried to kill Kalis. She betrayed Kalis. She lied. She just wanted to keep her loved ones safe. She’s a liar. A dirty cop. A liar. A criminal. A liar, she lied, what else had she lied about, was she capable of more, was she capable of killing? Would she just stand by and let her brother kill her girlfriend? Would she help, would she help him torture, HAS she helped him torture, she would kill, liar, killer, betrayal–

Frenzy, frenzy, what was up or down, was was going in with the world–

Human life at stake?

Stan.

Stan was at stake.

Save Stan. That’s all that mattered. Who cared about her stupid life anyway?

She grabbed Frida roughly, desperately grasping at her shirt and yanking her toward the car that held the prisoner. “Frida! Please! He's a kidnapper!”

If she could just show her. 

If Frida could just see.

“He kidnapped a boy, he kidnapped a super, he tortured him, you should see the things that he’s done to that boy! You can’t let him go, you haven’t seen what he's done, he’s a monster!”

“Not a boy,” the bounty hunter lulled, popping back up from where he’d apparently disappeared behind the cruiser that almost hit them. With that stupid fuck-ass cowboy hat on again.

“Excuse me?” she asked incredulously.

“He’s not a boy,” he repeated, meandering back to them. “He’s 22. He’s an adult.”

No no no no no no no, Kalis, stay focused, he’s trying to throw you off your game.

She grabbed her love’s sleeve, pleading. “His name’s Stan, Frida! Stan! I met him, I talked to him, he’s scared, he’s hurt, he’s drugged, he doesn’t even understand what’s going on right now. You brother, that man right there, he tortured him, Frida! He’s bruised and bloody and he has broken bones, he’s collared so he can’t use his powers and your brother dragged him around by that collar he’s a monster Frida, please, we can save him!”

The bounty hunter’s face shifted in her periphery. Angry. Tense.

Focus on your love. You can save the boy, you can save them both.

Frida tried to reason with her, voice slow and pleading: “...Kalis… I know. I know what he does. What he's done–”

No no NO NONONONO!!

“What happens when I see that boy on the news one day?!” Kalis pleaded, literally grabbing Fridas hands and sinking to her knees. “That he was found dead, when I see the report of every gruesome torture he was put through before he was found, and I see him there and knew that I could’ve done something about it, but I let him go? What do I do then, Frida?”

No response. Not some smartass retort from the bounty hunter, not some vile, pleading words to understand from Frida. 

Nothing.

“I promised hi-im,” Kalis wept. “I promised him I’d save him. Please Fri-ida. I-I can’t do this without you, I can't, I need you.”

Frida stared at the ground. She shivered.

“I can’t–” Frida took a large gasp in, voice shaking almost as much as her body. “I can’t– Let–... You. Die.”

The wrathful bounty hunter himself piped up: “I’ll do my best to make sure he’s treated well, yeah?... That’s the best I can do. That’s all I can do.”

His voice was so gentle.

The voice of someone who cared.

The voice of someone placating.

The voice of someone trying to get their way.

Her jaw clenched, so hard she thought her teeth would shatter.

“You… are both… under arrest,” she whispered. 

She reached for her holster. Empty. Shit shit shit shit shit– she jerkily fumbled around her pocket and crashed up to her feet in a frenzy, barely managing to get a proper hold on the mercenary’s confiscated gun before brandishing it directly at the bounty hunter and the dirty cop, the traitor.

The mercenary’s eyes widened. Then narrowed. “That’s my gun.”

“You’re under arrest, you’re both–!” she pointed the gun at Officer Galleta, who took a few shocked steps back. “ –under arrest! For attempted murder of an officer, for aiding and abetting, for corruption, for betrayal, for lying, for everything! Both of you! On the ground! NOW!!”

Silence.

A look passed between the siblings, from the bounty hunter to his partner in crime.

A certain gleam in their eyes,

“Drop your weapons, and get on the ground. Now!” 

“[Frida, that gun doesn’t have any bullets in it,]” the bounty hunter muttered under his breath. 

Officer Galleta’s eyes went wide. She looked to her brother. He nodded. 

She knew that sparkle in his eyes.

God. Fucking. Dammit.

“[I better see you again. Fuck you.]”

“[Love you too. Thank you.]”

“Shut up!” Officer Brooks shouted. “No talking, put your hands–”

Officer Brooks screeched in surprise, in fear, in heart-pounding, blood-racing fear as Officer Galleta broke into a sprint and lunged at her. 

And she accidentally pulled the trigger of the deadly gun grasped in her hands.

At the one she loved.

No.

NO. 

NONONONONONO–

She screamed.

Click.

And she slammed into the ground, all breath knocked out of her violently, her girlfriend scrambling on top of her to pin her down, Kalis scrambling and screeching under that to get up, grappling and shrieking until the muzzle of a standard-issue police gun dug into her chest.

She froze.

Done.

It was over so quickly.

From so close, Kalis could see the tears in Officer Galleta’s eyes.

Her voice cracked.

“Frida… Please… Don’t–”

The bounty hunter swooped by, crouching down just enough as he sprinted to grab his gun and kept running toward his truck. He didn’t look back.

“NO!!” Kalis screamed into the inky black nothingness of the night, into the ghostly white and shadowed and tear-stained face of the person she had trusted most in this world, loud enough that it woke Stan up from his drug-induced haze for the shortest of moments and made him look around in confusion at the sorrowful screams that surrounded him, make him struggle as the driver side door slammed open and shut and Declan scrambled with almost unbelievable abandon to get the engine to turn over.

And Stan cowered away from him, insurmountable fear worming through his mind: He’s going to hurt me again.

“Frida!” Kalis gasped. “Frida, Frida, please, we have to save him, we have to save that boy, we still have time we can still save him let me up let me go please please PLEASE DON’T DO THIS I PROMISED!! I PROMISED HIM FRIDA! I PROMISED I WOULD SAVE HIM I PROMISED PLEASE DON'T MAKE ME A LIAR–”

Officer Galleta didn't say anything. She couldn't. She was frozen to the spot, paralyzed. Except for the minute shudder of her chest, except for the tears that started to fall.

And they stayed like that until the truck of Declan Cansano rumbled to life and screeched off into the night.

* * * * * * * *

Next (when posted)

AND if you'd like to know what's happening in the sludge that is Stan's mind during this scene, check out this drabble!: This Edible Ain't Shiiiiiii~~ (*enters warp space*)

Taglist: @flowersarefreetherapy | @pirefyrelight | @cakeinthevoid | @painsandconfusion | @books-are-everything

@paperprinxe | @tippytappytyping | @chaotic-orphan | @notactuallyluska | @lumpofsand

@watermelons-dont-grow-on-trees | @whumpwhittler | @thelazywitchphotographer

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[rynnthefangirl]

It is my near and dear headcanon that Daena was Aegon III's favorite child because she reminded him of Rhaenrya.

[simplegenius042]

Music Monday & Last Line Tag

Tagged by @poisonedtruth

Tagging @socially-awkward-skeleton @shallow-gravy @direwombat @voidika @g0dspeeed @adelaidedrubman @chazz-anova @cassietrn @deputy-morgan-malone @strafethesesinners @josephslittledeputy @josephseedismyfather @strangefable @derelictheretic @wrathfulrook @inafieldofdaisies @minilev and @jillvalentinesday

Paul Yellowjack is a character who has gone through many changes. He started as Silva's first real father figure, a teacher who raised her on morals to live by, protected her from Adam when the poor-excuse of a man wanted her back, and lead his people in a revolution against their violent oppressors on the Archipelagos. Ultimately, after the massacre though, he ended up as a tragic fallen hero whose core morals corrupted when put through tragedy after tragedy, leaving bitterness to take his heart and (regrettably) lash out at the world, before Silva could restore his hope again. Left down a dark path for so long he can no longer return as the man Silva once knew (even if there are shades of him deep inside the villain he has become), and sadly neither wishes him to, Paul because of his self-loathing, Silva because of the pain he inflicted on her. There is a longing between them, but both have gone down two different paths, with no way to return to one another (or at least, that's what both believe). I believe this song reflects his turmoil perfectly. I'll probably explain in the tags.

"I want you by my side So that I never feel alone again They've always been so kind But now they've brought you away from me

I hope they didn't get your mind Your heart is too strong anyway We need to fetch back the time They have stolen from us

And I want you We can bring it on the floor You've never danced like this before We don't talk about it Dancin' on, doing the boogie all night long Stoned in paradise Shouldn't talk about it

And I want you We can bring it on the floor You've never danced like this before We don't talk about it Dancin' on, doing the boogie all night long Stoned in paradise Shouldn't talk about it Shouldn't talk about it

Coldest winter for me No sun is shining anymore The only thing I feel is pain Caused by absence of you

Suspense controlling my mind I cannot find the way out of here I want you by my side So that I never feel alone again

And I want you We can bring it on the floor You've never danced like this before We don't talk about it Dancin' on, doing the boogie all night long Stoned in paradise Shouldn't talk about it

And I want you We can bring it on the floor You've never danced like this before We don't talk about it Dancin' on, doing the boogie all night long Stoned in paradise Shouldn't talk about it Shouldn't talk about it

And I want you We can bring it on the floor You've never danced like this before We don't talk about it Dancin' on, doing the boogie all night long Stoned in paradise Shouldn't talk about it

And I want you We can bring it on the floor You've never danced like this before We don't talk about it Dancin' on, doing the boogie all night long Stoned in paradise Shouldn't talk about it Shouldn't talk about it

And last line for The Years In Hope County, which is getting pushed for possibly next week.

"We've come a long way. You've come a long way," Elsa tells [Sylvester], downing the latte in her hands like shots at the Fairgrave's bar, "You may not see it but... we're already honouring them, just by being alive."

[cherry-treelane]

[usagimen]

               𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐢𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝?

Kobayashi Sayuri, Special Grade Sorcerer

            The enigma of the Kobayashi Clan, her origin story is shrouded in tragedy && a tale older than the land the family resides on. Beneath a sea of violet, Sayuri is fabled to be the only daughter of her lineage to break tradition && find herself at Tokyo Tech in a political gamble. From there forth, she would discover the familiarity of love && companionship through her peers, wishing to guard this precious freedom with the entirety of her heart, she swore to denounce the God within her && cave a legend of her own. A body to rival that of stone, with an even greater fortitude, she became known as the God Hand Sorcerer. In the ruins of Shibuya, through the midst of the flames, Sayuri weaponized the grief within her heart to claim ascension to Godhood. In a torrent of fury, sorrow && utmost agony for her failure, she commanded the firestorm becoming an inferno && transcending the limits of what a Kobayashi woman could be. Neither cursed nor blessed, she was the scale of judgment in the veil of darkness only the Eclipse could bring. She would never utter the monikers of the Honored One’s awakening, instead, her hymn was a warning; in this life one should not fear the abyss, but I alone, for now you will witness true horror.   

[its-my-whump]

Whumptober 06

No. 6: “Do or die, you’ll never make me; Because the world will never take my heart.”

You don't need to read the whole story. Every day can stand for its own. And that poor soul has to suffer through every single one of them, I promise!

Hummingbird 06

(Story starts here) previous

...He screamed from the top of his lungs. His heart wanted to jump out of his chest in painful jumbling beats. His arms felt like dead weight, his legs giving in. The torture stopped. Little electric impulses still on their way to leave him and slowly his world turned black.

His mind floated away to a point in time roughly 2 days ago.

...

"You don't need to come in tomorrow, Cooper."

Sam was dumbstruck and just stared back. More satisfaction in Harolds eyes. "We're letting you go."

...

'Yeah, he had lost his job! He had lost his job?'

Frantically Sam sucked in oxygen, as he suddenly came too again. 'What just happened? He was at work and now he was... strung up? Where was he?'

A firm slap to his face and he unfortunately remembered, that he had been drugged in the club, where he had tried to drown that shitty day. 'So he HAD actually lost his job.'

His mind was back and his body finally realised, that he was currantly being tortured by this freak, that was now and again calling him a fucking hummingbird.

Before he could get a complete picture of his situation again, the cattle prod was jammed into his other calf. His legs jumped again. He jerked in his restains. The pull on his wrists let him think, his arms were being seperated from his burning body. As if on queue his agitated left arm was also regarding his attention.

His heartbeat actually hurt with every frantic thud. His body was violently trembling, chains rettling loudly. But he could hardly hear his own screams above the rushing in his ears.

The buzzing stopped, his body was still slightly thrembling. Sam's head had lolled forward, too heavy to lift it again. Sweat was dripping from his face. His eyes closed and he tried very hard to keep conscious.

"So, now will you be my good little hummingbird again or do we have to go another round?" The voice was almost cheerish, but there was an undefinable edge at the end of his question. If Sam hadn't been too out of it, he would have almost mistaken it for some kind of plea. But his mind was playing tricks, despite his own blood rushing in his ears was muting the outside world almost beyond recognition.

Sam could hardly breath, even less speak, but he wouldn't barge. Gravity and limb muscles kept him hanging in his restrains, but he wouldn't give this creep the satisfaction of winning. His head was lifted slowly by the man's gloved hand, tears of pain and drops of sweat glistening on his cheeks. Sam's glacy eyes fixated onto his perpetrator. "Nee-ver. Sooo go'on... Aand s-s-eee. You jj-st made my pp-oin-t, mm-ister fuuckfac..."

The cattle prod was jammed right into the old scar above his heart. The man was furiously screaming at him.

"So, it's DO or DIE for you! YES? But YOU’ll never make me! Because the world will never EVER take my HEART! So, I'll just have to make you understand then! YES HUMMINGBIRD?"

The fizzling electrodes burning the cotton of Sam's sweat soaked shirt. His heart was surely ripped apart from the inside out right now. The pain was unbearable. The smell of burning flesh reached his nose. Another flash of white agony, like someone just pushed a gleaming knife right through his heart and the world stopped.

TBC

Tagging: @dresden-syndrome @vixenngloss @kazieka @goodluigi999 @ratsarekool @trinket-treasury @whump-me ;-)

Hummingbird masterlist

@whumptober-archive

[void-kissed]

My selfship with Aqua is about finding someone worth fitting in with and my selfship with Clio is about finding someone you don't have to fit in around

And yes I will elaborate (or try to, anyway)

[whumperer-86]

The story of Park's marriage Contract ep6

[winter-rp-memes]

Have you forgotten your purpose?

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ Let me remind you

[zosonils]

i really think sonic needs some more characters who are middle aged. like i know the cast skewing so young is a target demographic thing but god what i wouldn't give for a sonic character in their 40s who's a total are ya winning son guy and gladly helps out the kid protagonists but has to take an ibuprofen after a few hours of keeping up with sonic's unmedicated chaos emerald-powered impulsive/hyperactive type adhd

[mycenaae]

daystrom's got jim kirk and the genesis torpedo on ice and the changelings stole PICARD'S ORIGINAL BODY AKSJHGKJLFDS THIS SHOW IS SO STUPID they are doing everything they can to try and make picard interesting and it just makes him even more comically boring and pointless in comparison to the little easter eggs from tos / plots they've wholesale lifted from ds9 seasons 4-7

[rynnthefangirl]

Im gonna say there is an approximately 0% chance that Daena did not propose marriage to Viserys II upon realizing she didn’t have the political power to challenge him for the throne. The girl who grew up idolizing Rhaenyra and Daemon, finding herself in a succession conflict with her unwed uncle? The real question is do we think she came at it as a reasoned political proposition to appeal to the bureaucratic Viserys, or did she just straight up try to seduce him?