#descendants evils unfinished business

[thetimelordbatgirl]

OC Halloween Challenge 2025 Day Twenty Five: Horror Location

The alternate universe counterpart of Hadley (Descendants: Evil's Unfinished Business) from the alternate universe, Phoenix's Heir's, in a classic horror location, aka a cemetary, as she looks into the rumors of a haunted grave, her curioustly as the granddaughter of Hades' peaked as she seeks to see if its true.

[lovely-peace]

Somebody that i used to know

Summary: You were cursed. By a goddess of the loveliest thing of all. And cruelty. You just couldn't stop loving him. Even now. When he is just somebody you used to know.

Pairing: Luke castellan x Apollo child! Reader

Warnings: Angst no comfort, guilt, mentioned poison, mentioned death, contains spoilers for the series, English is not my first language(tell me if there is more)

I worked on this for like a month and I am still not very proud. But if you like this tell me, I am working on the second part (this is unfinished) but it already has 7,1k words.

'Sing muse', he says, 'sing for me'. His sadness is unfounded. He has never felt sorry for anyone, how could he? He only thinks of himself. Just like all the gods.

'Why this time? The muse kalliope asks him.

His eyes darken.

'It's none of your business,' he says. Of course it's not. He just wants her to sing. 'What about?' She asks him again.

He lowers his eyes. 'About a father, he says, who lost his daughter. To the greatest evil of all.

About the father, of course, not about the daughter. The muse suppresses a sigh. 'Lost to what?

'To somebody damned.' His gaze sweeps the hyacinths. 'To love.'

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

My final arrow remains untouched in my grasp, a stark contrast to the crimson stains that mar the others. The weight of it feels heavy, a burden I am not sure I can bear any longer.

"So?"

The mocking tone of the divine voice pierces through me, emanating from the woman before me. Her beauty is a facade, masking the darkness that resides within her very being.

I yearn to use the arrow, to pierce through the emptiness where her heart should reside. Or just use him on myself. To let my own heart bleed out until there is nothing left.

"It's all over now," she declares with a smile that sends shivers down my spine. I never shared the hatred of you. But I understood it. And now I think I could even share it.

"What will you do next?" My voice is hoarse, a mere whisper of its former self, tainted by her presence.

"Do not fret," she chuckles, her eyes filled with a haughty arrogance only a deity could possess.

"I will leave you alone with your suffering. Don't blame me. Curse your father cause he ever had you. Blame him for all your sorrow, that he never tried to take from you. I act only to protect my own honor."

I clench the arrow tightly, prepared to end it all. To descend into the darkness with you.  Yet, I cannot. I still have siblings to care for, a family that still needs me.

If I give up now, all of this will be lost. I cannot let her win, cannot let her render your sacrifice meaningless.

"Who is he to you now, after all the pain he has caused?" Her smirk is a cruel reminder of the countless others she has broken.

And she waits. Waits for me to say the words she had heard thousands of times before.

Now and then I think of when we were together

I remember how I got to know you. I was sitting with Chiron when the message arrived. A very special girl is out there fighting. A girl from the big three. A girl who wasn't allowed to exist.

~

"Chiron, chiron!!!" screamed a satyr rushing into the main house and gasping. His hair disheveled and out of breath, he stood there. "The border, the girl is fighting - Zeus!"

Chiron stood up and put our cards away. Unlucky. For the first time I was winning. "Calm down. What's going on?"

"Monsters are at the border! A whole wave of them! A girl is fighting down there. Probably one of the older three." Chiron turned pale.

"Go back to your cabin right now. Now!" he ordered me and galloped off. I should have obeyed, but I was curious and wanted to help. So I ran after him.

~

Don't take it personally, but when we first met, I only had eyes for the girl down the hill.

The monster wave that she was somehow holding up alone.

Her wild eyes and the way she looked back. Chiron wanted to help her but it was already too late. The monster took a swing and the life in her eyes wanted to escape.

The whole sky lit up and lightning flashed downwards. My first thought was that Zeus would save her.

Her father will safe her surely?

How naive. The great godfather is probably thinking how noble he was.

I, on the other hand, remember exactly how her eyes and legs froze. How her arms twitched and went up. How slowly her shoes became roots. How her legs turned into wood. How this transformation slowly moved upwards. How she screamed. But she didn't look back at us. No, she looked up and screamed.

That screams were terrifying. Death screams.

That's when it became clear to me. How our parents played with us.

That they called something like that mercy.

It must have been much worse for you. The way Annabeth cried and thrashed around while you had to watch her suffer. I often wondered if Thalia was still conscious. Whether she was still suffering.

Well, until she woke up again. Because of you.

~

I stared at this girl while her screams tore the air.

"Chiron, what's happening? Why isn't he helping her?" I burst into tears and held on to the centaur's front legs. "Why is he hurting her?"

"THALIA!!!" screamed the boy holding the little blonde girl. She was also screaming and trying to free herself from his grip. He covered her ears, but she only cried worse.

"You're supposed to protect us! Help her already!" The boy shouted at Chiron while he shook his head regretfully. Thalia looked up into the sky and cried out one last time. The silence that followed was almost worse.

"It's too late, my boy. This is the best way her father could have helped her." Slowly, Chiron walked towards the two of them.

"Are you kidding me?" the boy's eyes flashed as the girl in his arms tried to wriggle out of his grip, weaker and weaker. "That should have helped her? He could have just smashed the monsters with lightning if he's so all-powerful!"

Chiron's eyes were so full of compassion that it sent a cold shiver down my spine. I wonder how many times he had heard those words.

"I'm sorry." Chiron went to his knees with his front hooves and looked at the two of them with a gentle gaze. "The best thing we can do is-"

"Thalia! Thalia!" the blonde girl screamed and her tears ran. "Thalia!"

"Annabeth..." the boy let go of the little girl, whose name was apparently Annabeth. Without any strength, she sank to the ground in front of the centaur. "Turn her back! Please..." she whimpered.

Chiron's eyes became incredibly soft. "I'm afraid I can't do that," he finally said. "And even if I could, she would only die. Like this  she's still with us. We should honor her, not mourn her."

Annabeth cried harder and ran back to the boy. And even though I didn't know the girl, I was angry at Zeus for turning his daughter into a tree. He could have helped her. Why didn't he do it?

If he had, this girl, who was far too young, would no longer be crying.

~

I still remember exactly how I was supposed to show you both around. How ridiculous that seemed to me after what you had just been through. Your eyes were full of despair as you looked around. When I led you to Cabin 11.

This worn-out cabin where we were all supposed to rot until our parents took pity on us. I had been in there for a whole year before you came. Did you ever know that?

~

Chiron turned to me. He helped me to calm down and looked at me sternly. "Didn't I tell you to go to your cabin? Stubborn girl." he said, smiling gently. "Would you show these two around, please? Cabin 11 as usual."

"Chiron, I can't do that now." I couldn't look him in the eyes. The tears had stopped but my head throbbed.

"You have to be strong for them now," he interrupted me in a whisper. "Right now we have to welcome them with open arms. Show them that they are safe here now."

With that, he galloped off and left us alone. The boy eyed me suspiciously while the girl was still sitting on the ground.

"Hey..." I began as I walked over to them. "I should show you around, is that okay?"

The boy didn't answer and just looked at the little girl. Annabeth turned to me. Without saying anything, she stood up and nodded. Strong girl.

"Then follow me." I looked at the boy expectantly, but he made no move. Finally, the girl spoke up. "Come on Luke," her voice trembled slightly. "Grover said we were safe here and Thalia fought for us to be here. So come on."

At these words, the boy walked over to us. We walked around slowly. Past the main building and then finally to the cabins.

"These are the twelve cabins. Each cabin represents which god is your parent. Since we don't know that for you yet, you'll go to the 11th cabin first. That's Hermes cabin."

"But we know who Luke's is...," Annabeth began, but the boy named Luke interrupted her. "Why do we have to sleep in this cabin? Why is it so crowded?"

This question put me on the spot. I hated to admit what our parents were really like. I'd been here for a year and a half and still... "Well, the gods must claim their children so that we can divide them up into their cabins."

Luke's gaze turned cold. "And all these children weren't claimed? That's why they have to squeeze in here when there are so many free cabins?" I nodded.

"Who's your parent?" Annabeth asked me. I looked away again, embarrassed. "I haven't been claimed yet either."

Luke shook his head slowly. He stared at the symbol of hermes. "Gods only want to feel great about themselves."

I led the two of them into the cabin and showed them where they could sleep. Annabeth took a seat near Luke and remained silent. I just couldn't believe that she had to watch all this. It was too awful.

"What's your name?" Luke's voice surprised me. For the first time, he looked at me. I told him my name. We were silent for a while. But I told them about the days here and about the campfire.

Luke just nodded and layed down on his sleeping bag. Annabeth looked at him almost desperately. But she stayed with him.

"Hey, do you want me to show you the training grounds?" I asked her to take her mind off things.

She looked over at luke in silence. He turned to the other side. "Go on, Annabeth. I'm exhausted, but you don't have to stay with me."

She looked at him for a long time but then stood up. "Okay, show me." she finally said and I had to smile.

"Just follow me." We walked out of the cabin, but at the cabin door I checked on luke again. He was staring at the staff of hermes on the top of the wall.

Finally, I turned around and showed Annabeth the training places. "Here, for example," I began. "Can we find you a special weapon against the monsters."

She shook her head. "Not necessary." She took out a dagger. "I already have this one."

At first glance, the dagger looked normal, but on closer inspection I saw that it was made of heavenly bronze.

"Where did you get it?" I looked at her in surprise. She was very young, why did she already have such a weapon? She looked away, embarrassed. "Luke gave it to me."

I preferred not to think about the fact that Luke had given a little girl a knife to defend herself with. I'd rather just show her the other places.

It was getting late and we went back to the cabin to join the others for dinner. When we arrived, luke was still lying just as rigid as before. Cabin 11 lined up, but Luke stayed put.

"Luke, we're having dinner." I sat down next to him. He was still looking up. Stubbornly. "I'm not hungry."

"You have to eat something." "I'll eat later." "But we always eat together." "Then we'll just make an exception." "It's not that easy. You'll get into trouble." "But I'm not hungry."

I had to sigh. Did I say stubborn? It was much worse. It was like I was talking to a wall.

He was still looking up. His posture was stiff and he didn't look like he had slept.  I looked outside and watched the others who had already gone ahead. Outside, the trees were rustling and the sun was shining. As if the lord of heaven wasn't mourning his daughter. As if she had never existed.

"Luke," I began, my voice surprisingly bitter. "I understand that this is hard for you. I can't say I know exactly how you feel, of course, but we're all half-bloods. All sent here by the gods and abandoned by them. That's why we stick together. We are a family. We help each other. Annabeth seems to like it here. At least come for her today. You don't have to eat much, just a little, please."

Silence. I looked at him and realized that he had sat up, turned and was already looking at me. Suddenly he was very close.

"You like to talk, don't you?" he said and shame flooded through me. I quickly looked away and kicked myself in my head.

What was I thinking preaching to this boy after he had lost his friend? I was Terrible.

"Sorry..." I mumbled and felt myself blushing out of embarrassment, I got up and went to the door to escape this horrible moment.

"Hey, wait!" he shouted as I was about to leave. "Don't run away. I didn't mean it that way. You still have to show me the way to your dining room or whatever."

When I dared to look at him again, he smiled. And it was so beautiful. "Oh."

He laughed at this very imaginative answer and I had to smile. Eventually we went to dinner together.

The others were already eating when we joined them. Of course, our table was the most crowded. Annabeth looked very lost as she sat there uncomfortably. Of course, Luke sat across from her and smiled at her. Her shoulders relaxed immediately. I sat down next to her and she nodded at me.

"Just say what you want to drink, the cup will fill itself. And oh, leave some over so you can throw it in the fire." Luke looked at me questioningly. I shrugged my shoulders. "Offerings for the gods. They like the smell."

Most people would have laughed now. The smell? But Luke didn't laugh. No, his eyes narrowed and his hands clenched around his cup. "Of course." he said, his voice bitter again. "They want offerings."

The awkward silence between us after that was oppressive. Annabeth looked up cautiously at Luke and then quickly back down at her food. At some point, I tried to get us out of the situation. I stood up.

"Let's throw the food into the fire. Then we can finally get to the campfire!" I went ahead and Annabeth followed me. Eventually even Luke.

"What are we even doing at the campfire?" asked annabeth after she had put her leftovers in the campfire.

I winked at her. "Let it surprise you."

We were among the last to join the campfire, as we started eating later. We sat and listened to the Apollo children sing and watched the stars.

But when we arrived, the others took a deep breath. Chiron fell to his knees and began to speak.

"Welcome child of Athena, divine warrior, goddess of wisdom and strategy." Annabeth's eyes shone.

Chiron took a deep breath and turned to luke. "Welcome child of hermes, protector of travelers, merchants, lord of thieves and the great messenger of the gods."

Everyone clapped, including me. I hadn't noticed the signs at first because I was sitting next to them and hadn't looked up. Somehow it made me sad that Annabeth had to move now, but I was pleased that their parents had shown their appreciation.

But Luke didn't seem at all surprised. Not happy either. He scowled into the fire and just nodded. I was a little envious of him too. Not even a day here and they were already claimed. Me, on the other hand...

~

Like when you said you felt so happy you could die

We quickly became closer. Something drew me to this boy. It was nothing surprising, he looked beautiful. He wasn't just any boy. He was a golden masterpiece. But it went deeper than just his looks.

We thought very similarly.

I saw in his eyes this urge that we all shared. He wanted to show them. Rub under their noses what they were doing wrong. We shared that anger.

~

I crept quietly into the sword-fighting hall. I couldn't actually handle a sword, but that wasn't what I was here for. I was looking for someone. And sure enough, I found him here. He was training. Like every day.

He was great. Hit every training figure at the right point and swung his sword frighteningly well. I kept quiet and watched him. I didn't want to disturb him yet, he seemed so obsessed.

I watched him for a while until he seemed to be finished. Then he suddenly turned and looked at me. "If you're going to watch me, do it more discreetly."

Once again, I felt terrible and wanted to sink into the floor. "I didn't want to," I began but couldn't find the words. Eventually I just buried my face in my hands.

But he just laughed in response. "It's all right. Don't always worry so much." He came up to me and sat down next to me. We were silent for a while.

"Why?" I interrupted the silence. He looked at me questioningly. "Why are you training so hard?"

He looked at the floor and I suddenly felt bad. "I mean, we all train hard!" I tried to save myself. "But you train so much you seem... Angry." Obsessed.

He laughed again. But this laugh sounded rather bitter.

"My father wants to get me a quest. That's what he said, anyway." he said, continuing to look at the ground. His smile was still bitter.

I looked at him confused. "But that's a good thing, isn't it?"

"Maybe. Maybe not."

That was the end of the conversation. I didn't dare ask him any more about it, he seemed so far away. His eyes were fixed on his training sword as he twirled it in his hands.

When the sun shone on him, I realized for the first time how beautiful he actually was. He seemed to glow. I quietly watched his movements. I could have sat there all day. At some point he looked at me with a smile. And the tension in my shoulders, which I hadn't even noticed before, melted away.

"Do I have something on my face?" he laughed as I quickly turned away to hide my glowing face. "Come on, what's wrong?" he finally asked.

"Nothing." I replied. "Sometimes you just look so... Absent."

He fell silent again, but it wasn't an awkward silence. After a while, he sighed loudly and looked at me. His eyes seemed to express his vulnerability for the first time.

"I... Am just so...Angry sometimes! The gods, they rule our lives and at the same time they do nothing in it. Don't get me wrong, I like it here, the people are all great and I get along well with them. But I'm still so desperate! I can't do anything here. Just sit here all my life and trust that they have something planned for me up there."

I fell silent in response. He picked up a stone and threw it into the forest. "Don't you think we're going to perish because of them?"

"Maybe. Maybe not." I smiled at him. "Only the fates could know."

I picked up a smaller stone and threw it into the forest too. "You know..." I looked up into the sun, which perhaps also warmed me from the inside. "I have to admit that I've always been pretty indifferent to the gods. I was just happy to be able to live here." I threw a larger stone.

"But I've seen so much in a short time. Heard so much suffering. And the gods let it all happen. Often it's even because of them. And this is supposed to be our family?" I shook my head. "They don't care about us."

Wordlessly, he looked at the stones I had thrown. His back was tense and his eyes narrowed. I smiled cautiously at him.

"What I want to say, Luke, is don't worry too much about them. They don't waste a thought on us. Don't give them the satisfaction of wasting too many on them."

His tense back relaxed a little and he closed his eyes. Then he smiled again.

"You really like to talk."

~

Eventually you got the quest. Who was surprised? You seemed born to be a hero. It all happened far too quickly and suddenly you were supposed to go on this quest. Seventeen. What a horrible age that was. I was so deep down in the curse she send down on me. And then you were supposed to leave. I made so many mistakes the night before.

~

"I wish I could go with him." Annabeth sat with me in the forest and we watched the doves above us flying around together. "Annabeth..." I began, but she was already shaking her head. "I know I can't." she just mumbled and looked away.

She was far too young to be thinking about such quests. But when you grow up here and your only chance of being noticed by your parents are dangerous tasks, many have already become careless.

I watched as the white flower danced in the wind in front of me. It was a lily. The wind seemed to play with it and carried it around. And she just let it do that to her.

I picked up a stone and clasped it in my hand. Instead of throwing it, I held on to it, hoping never to let it go.

"Do you think he... You know... Can do it?" I asked her, squeezing tighter. Annabeth smiled at me.

"Of course he will! Luke can do anything, he's a great hero! Don't worry about it."

The flower was pushed slightly to the right by the wind and then looked at the ground.

My hand started to hurt, but I kept squeezing.

"You're right."

Annabeth smiled at me. I returned it a little awkwardly. We heard the dinner bell ring and Annabeth jumped up. She looked at me waiting.

"Go on ahead."

She hesitated at first but then finally ran off. When she was out of sight, I sighed loudly. I leaned against the tree behind me.

She could say that so easily. But I had seen so many campers go on quests. How they came back broken. Or how they were never seen again. Never see Luke again? The thought seemed unbearable.

A white dove landed next to the lily and tilted its head. Her gaze pierced me and my heart began to pound wildly.

I threw the stone at the white flower. The pigeon flew away in fright and I felt much better. The stone had hit the blossom of the flower but it remained slightly bent. Something red rubbed off on it.

Oh.

"There's our little criminal." Luke grinned at me as I came to the campfire. I tried to avoid his gaze, but somehow it still warmed me. "I thought we always ate together at dinner?"

I shrugged and sat down with him and the others from the cabin as usual. But today I put some distance between Luke and me.

"Wasn't hungry." I looked into the fire and tried to look very interested in the flames.

I was a bad liar.

"And since when is that an excuse?" he leaned forward slightly, closing the distance I had so diligently built up. His playful smile haunted my eyes. "You broke the rules!"

I laughed softly. "They're not as strict as I told you back then. I was just worried and wanted you to eat something."

He grabbed his chest dramatically. "You lied to me? How could you?"

He inconspicuously moved a little closer, as if I couldn't feel his every move. As if my heart didn't almost explode with each one. "Wait, you were worried?"

"Of course." I stroked my closed hand and continued to look into the fire. "You seemed so... Distant. You had made a big loss. I didn't want you to let yourself down."

"Oh is that so..." his voice was incredibly close. I nodded and continued to stare intently into the fire.

At some point he took my closed hand and now it was him who stroked it.

I noticed how others were watching us. I noticed how the fire seemed to dance. I noticed that annabeth was not here. I even noticed the little sparrows watching us in the trees above. Everything seemed so real and so far away at the same time. I wanted to die. I wanted to live.

I was embarrassed.

"Luke." I hated that my voice was shaking slightly. "Are you prepared?"

Luke laughed softly. "I've got my sword if that's what you mean. It's not as if my father gave me an original task. I already know what to expect, Heracles already had to do it."

He picked up a stick and threw it into the fire. "Before you know it, I'll be back."

I remained silent. The flames danced around him.

Actually, I wanted to say something else entirely. So much had to be said today, otherwise I might never be able to.

"What did you do with your hand? It's bleeding." He looked away as he said it. But his hand continued to rub over my closed hand. It burned but no longer hurt.

I shrugged my shoulders. "I fell stupidly. It's nothing big."

I was stupid.

He looked at me and I dared to look back. His eyes were so beautiful, but also a little sad.

"I can ask you to look after Annabeth while I'm away, can't I?" his voice sounded like a whisper.

I smiled back timidly. "I thought you'd be back before I even realized you were gone?"

He laughed in response. So freely and without constraint, I couldn't help but giggle a little too.

The trees were rustling and the sun was setting. With every second that it moved a little further towards the horizon, I felt more uncomfortable. His quest was getting closer and closer and maybe our last minute was too.

I was afraid.

"I will watch over her," I whispered at some point. "Even though I don't think she needs my protection."

He smiled uncertainly into the fire. "Maybe."

There was a long silence after that. I want to ask him so many things. Questions that never seemed appropriate to me. I don't know how much time we have left. But in this moment, I realize that it will never be enough. The gods have already taken her from us.

"Luke," my voice sounds unbelievably soft, I could cry. "You mentioned that Hermes told you he would give you a quest. You have already met him, haven't you? Not just in dreams."

His gaze remains on the fire. His eyes became slightly darker and I was about to take back my words and hide.

"Yes, we met once. It wasn't a pleasant day."

I saw him swallow and his hand closed around mine, which was bleeding. But it seemed more like he was bleeding.

"I... I went back to my old home because Annabeth, Thalia, and I needed some things. It was a mistake to go back there."

He never talked about his former home. Never about the time before Thalia, before Annabeth.

I want to ask him, to hold him in my arms, but I don't know where his boundaries lie.

"Was it bad?" His eyes meet mine and already give me the answer. They say 'yes.' 'It was unbearable.'

But he says nothing. Not a word.

The others are all gone now. The fire is getting smaller and the darkness is becoming more present.

"You know," he starts. "I don't know him." He takes a deep breath in and out. "Hermes. He's just a character in legends, supposedly my father. But I don't know him. I saw him once. And then I realized how little he really loves me. He left her alone."

I don't need to ask to know that he's talking about his mother. I know this feeling all too well.

"He was never there." His voice gets louder. "Never did anything. He knew! He knew about her episodes and never did anything! He just let me rot with her. And then he says that I made a mistake..." He trails off.

The silence that follows his wounded voice brings tears to my eyes.

He looks at me in panic. "No! I... It wasn't like that... Please don't cry!"

I can't help but cry even harder. I know what that's like. Alone with a woman who doesn't know what to do with herself. Without any support.

"Please..." his voice whispers as he wipes away my tears. "I'm fine."

You liar.

Told myself that you were right for me

"Are you ready to go back to the cabin?" his voice was so close to my ear as he held me in his arms.

I didn't look at him. I just couldn't look at him when it could be the last time.

"You go on."

I could feel him stiffen. His voice sounded a little strange when he spoke. "Why?"

I broke away from him. "You need to rest because of tomorrow."

I could feel him trying to catch my gaze. "So do you."

"I want to stay out for a while."

"You're breaking the rules."

"As if you care about them."

His voice became a little sharper. "What's wrong with you?"

I stood up. "I hate just thinking about you..."

"Yeah?"

"It's all good. The main thing is that you get some rest." I walked towards the forest. "Just let me clear my head. Please."

He wanted to say something. I sensed it. But he didn't say anything. Just stood up and walked to our cabin.

I trudged through the darkness to where I was talking to Annabeth.

The lillie was still standing. She was bent over and barely standing, but she was standing.

And then there was this eerie presence.

"I find it very rude when people throw stones at me."

But felt so lonely in your company

Despite my great faith in you, I sometimes couldn't follow you. Your thoughts were too much for me.

And you were you. I was me. Everyone in the camp loved you and always wanted to be with you. I was just one of so many.

Although I was with you so often, I understood so little about you.

I was alone in my faith.

After your quest, you changed. I didn't want to admit it but I realized it reluctantly. You also pushed me away from you more and more. And when I was claimed by Apollo at 17, you distanced yourself even more.

I was claimed far too late. I often asked myself why at that particular time. So soon after he had failed in his quest.

But when I think about it, maybe it makes sense. My father was the god of foresight. Maybe he wanted to save me from it when he realized what was going to happen.

Even if it's a nice thought, it's probably not true. Apollo can't see into the future. He can only tell a prophecy that he can't even interpret himself.

If I had received a prophecy, would anything have changed? Would I have behaved differently? Probably not.

Because although I realized that you had closed yourself off from me, I continued to approach you. I always went to you at the campfire. I always took your side at capture the flag.

One evening I didn't sat next to you at the fire. Next to you sat a beautiful girl from the Aphrodite cabin. I heard her talking to you.

"Why are you even talking to her?"

It was at the campfire. I was sitting far away, protected by the shadows of the trees. Nevertheless, I heard it loud and clear.

You didn't answer at first. The girl shifted uncomfortably. "Don't get me wrong," she said, "we all have these people we've known for so long that we're just always with them. But she always seems so out of place somehow."

I slipped further into the shadows of the trees. The moon hung just as it had that special night.

And yet it seemed so different.

"She's just always near you. Even now that she lives in cabin 7." Her voice sounded amused and I felt small.

"Yes, she's very desperate. "

Was it also a mistake to cry for you that night?

But that was love, and it's an ache I still remember

Unfortunately, my love for you didn't diminish. On the contrary, it grew stronger and stronger. Or maybe I only realized how strong it was when I knew that I was being too pushy with it.

I disappeared into the forest that evening and cried for hours. I don't know how you found me. Obviously you didn't know what I had overheard and asked me what was going on. You even made a worried face.

I couldn't answer you. Instead, you took me in your arms again and wiped away the tears on my cheeks. You whispered words of encouragement to me. And I let you be. Because I fell in love with you again. Isn't that pathetic?

I tried to stay away from you. Tried not to be so pushy. But you kept coming back to me. On days when I was only in the cabin, you came to me. Talked to me. Suddenly you were attentive. You thought I was feeling bad and tried to cheer me up.

And then you kissed me.

And when I was near you again, you never mentioned it. Again.

Suddenly you were distant again. I didn't know what to do. I felt so alone. I often wondered what you even saw in me. I was too caught up in my suffering that I couldn't see how you were. I was too confused by your behavior that I couldn't see the reasons behind it.

How were you? I don't know.

You can get addicted to a certain kind of sadness

I was trapped in my feelings for you. It was always the same process. You distanced yourself, I distanced myself, you approached me, we spent wonderful moments, I was with you again and you distanced yourself again.

And despite all the nights I cried, I always gave in. I kept letting you in on my feelings. You were simply the only one I could love. Why? I don't know. Maybe Aphrodite herself hated me. Or the fates.

I certainly hated myself.

Like resignation to the end, always the end So when we found that we could not make sense Well, you said that we would still be friends

Somewhere I had already given up. I loved you, but I had given up on us. I often saw you with other girls. They were all so much more beautiful than me, how could I think otherwise?

How could I try to understand your actions?

I was alone with my own self-doubt. With my own fears. What were you alone with?

I was too self-centered to see all these signs. Even when Percy came to camp and you were even less with me. My little siblings feel sorry for me. They see me as a girl hopelessly in love. Do you see it? What you've made of me?

Do you remember the evening before Percy came to the camp? The evening you visited me after I had kissed another boy. I was so terrible lonely to the time. And when this boy kissed me in front of the campfire I didn't fight it. He didn't even mean it. But you were still so angry when you came into my cabin. You kissed me like you wanted to make my lips yours again. Like they were ever someone else's.

When you kissed me that evening, I was filled with such a strong longing that I couldn't think. I allowed myself to return your kiss with such passion that I felt dizzy. Your arms pulled me closer to you. Fire seemed to burn all over my body.

As we lay on my bed and continued kissing, I started to cry. You stopped and moved away from me.

"What's wrong? Have I done something wrong?" Your voice sounded panicked. I cried even harder.

Tell me, do you think you've done something wrong?

As always, you wanted to take me in your arms but this time I pushed you away. I didn't want to cry in your arms when it was the same thing that made me cry in the first place. It was all so much. I remember the way you looked at me. For the first time I may have hurt you.

"I love you."

Oh how I wish I had said it. But I kept crying quietly.

"I'm sorry."

Did you want to say it at that moment?

But you didn't. And that's what mattered. You left.

I saw you with Percy when he was new. Admired you as always because you showed him everything like I used to show you. Because you didn't show him your pain because of the gods too much.

When Percy looked to see if he was a child of Apollo, he was with me. You too, because of course you wanted to help him. We talked normally again as we always did after that  night when you had visited me.

Percy asked us if we were a couple. I still remember your face clearly. You looked at me hesitantly. As if I should answer. I smiled back at him.

"We're just friends."

What would have happened if I had said something else? Again, something I don't know. But I know one thing for sure. You had an iron look on your face afterwards.

You always looked at Percy funny afterwards too.

You didn't visit me the next nights.

But I'll admit that I was glad it was over

When Percy went on his big quest, you were like a different person. You completely ignored me. Your face looked like there was so much worry behind your eyes. And even though I saw all that, I didn't go to you.

I was so afraid that you would ignore me too if I approached you. Fear. Such a simple excuse and yet the only reason. You really broke me.

At first I thought it was because you had your own quest to think about. Of your own suffering and that percy, grover and especially annabeth could fail in the same way. I thought that was the only reason you were so introverted.

Then why didn't your behavior change even after they succeeded?

It even got worse. You were just training for days with no end. You only practiced sword fighting. As if you desperately wanted to improve. I thought maybe you were very bitter because they had completed the quest and you hadn't completed yours. That's why you wanted to improve so badly.

Or that you wanted to prepare for something.

But you didn't have to cut me off

~ The camp was... Eerily quiet. No one was out. As if no one dared to speak on such a morning. Will, a very young brother of mine, ran towards me.

"Percy's hurt!" he shouted, "We need your help!"

I rushed with him to the main building, where Percy was lying in a bed, with Annabeth and Chiron sitting by his side.

"What happened?" I asked as I looked at his wounds.

"He was stung by a scorpion or something..." said annabeth. Then she looked down. "Anyway, that's what he said... In his sleep."

I had to stop myself from frowning and got to work. Will left the room.

After a short while, he woke up. And then he said it.

"It was Luke."

Everything went quiet.

"What are you talking about?" I asked with a forced smile.

Percy sat up carefully. "It was Luke. He's the lightning thief."

Annabeth stiffened and Chiron sat there without saying anything.

"What are you saying?" I stopped cooling his forehead.

Annabeth sighed and looked away. Chiron seemed to understand what was going on.

"Luke poisoned me. Luke helped kron- the titan king." Percy's voice echoed through the room. Or was it just my head?

"You still seem to be affected by the poison." I tried to sound as normal as possible.

"No, he's right." annabeth shook her head. "That would explain a lot."

"What are you saying, Annabeth? You of all people should-" I began, my voice getting louder and louder.

"Percy would never lie." chiron interrupted me.

I looked at him. And ran out of the building.

And as I saw that he wasn't in the camp, my whole wirld collapsed. It wasn't just that he abandoned us. He didn't even talk to me.

He didn't even consider talking to me.

[mask-of-prime]

TLK: Bianka

Since I headcanon the Strange Lion's father is the Selfish Lion, I figured he had to have a mother, too.

Say hello to Bianka, the mother of the Strange Lion (Nyoka), and wife of the Selfish Lion (Choyo). She is a scorned rogue lioness from Mohatu's time as King, kickstarting a chain of infamous events throughout the history of the Pridelands and the Outlands.

She is a distant descendant of Mwanzo, leader of the Evil Lions of the Past. Like her forefathers, Bianka possesses Tsavo lion genes. Nyoka gets his Evil Lion heritage from his mother (yep, that means the Selfish Lion is actually married into this family rather than the heir, I came up with the idea of Bianka being the one with Evil Lion blood based on the vibes I got from the features I gave her).

Her restless desire to overthrow King Mohatu was brought on by the mystery of her ancestry, and the full story of her forefathers' legacy went unfinished, and even began to fade generations down the line. She recruited Almasi (a rogue from a far-away pride searching for her destiny), and Choyo (Mohatu's former business partner who was meant to help grow the pride after a massive loss to a devastating outbreak of rabies and drought-induced disease) to help eliminate the royal family that occupied Pride Rock by means of integration and deception. She would also groom her son into her plan to take over by integrating him into the pride to marry Princess Uru. This never carried through as Uru fell in love with the riff-raff pauper, Ahadi, and Nyoka had ultimately been banished for threatening the pride in a crazed state from receiving his Mark of Evil.

Her husband, Choyo, was not truly interested in her, and was even less interested in having a child. He only wanted the benefits that came with ruling a prosperous kingdom, such as all the food and water he could possibly mooch off of, and he can only achieve such things in an alliance with the conniving Tsavo lioness.

Bianka's disregard for animals other than her own kind had eventually been the cause of her downfall. Not long after her cohort Almasi had perished from dehydration and other complications from the drought (tragically just before Mohatu had found a luscious water source at the Oasis), Bianka had been trampled during the herds' race to said water source. She died while Nyoka was still very young, making him not so different from Princess Uru in that way, which he would often bring up in an attempt to court her. But his nightmare never ended there: His only living parent, Choyo, had been exiled for violating the delicate balance of the Pridelands' ecosystem for hogging limited supplies for himself, and for threatening other animals with violence. Mohatu, believing a child to not deserve to live with such a parent, combined with knowing about Choyo's reluctance to care for his only cub, had taken Nyoka in and raised him in his slowly growing, recovering pride.

Her untimely death at the hooves and paws of the Pridelanders followed by her husband's exile are what ultimately fired Nyoka's very own restless journey to finish what his ancestors started, and he would eventually go to carry out his plan to reclaim the kingdom as his own by continuing the cycle of taking over the royal pride through convoluted schemes of trust and persuasion (which ironically came to fruition posthumously after his protégée Scar killed him). Nyoka, unlike Bianka, made an effort to piece together his legacy through direct contact of his ancestors by performing a seance with the help of his cobra friend, Kuuma (will elaborate in future art).

(I know she and Almasi look like they could be sisters, but if they were, that would've made Scar and Zira, like, first-cousins-once-removed or something. I don't like using relations like that as a plot element sooo... I had them be a coalition of unrelated lionesses who just happen to have similar design elements lol. I based their friendship off of the fact that they've got similar designs, I thought juxtaposing their designs in the top sketch would help distinguish them.)

[omnitheist27]

"You're one hell of a fighter!" (Record of Ragnarok x Hazbin Hotel)

----

Note: Spoilers for the finale of the first season of Hazbin Hotel.

----

So, here's the crossover fan comic of Record of Ragnarok and Hazbin Hotel. I've been hooked on Hazbin Hotel after watching the pilot episode and have been a fan since then, especially when the prime series came out. After the first season ended, I saw this one video on Youtube a fanmade trailer for a DEATH BATTLE!, with Ragnarok!Adam and Hazin!Adam is the contestant. Then I thought, why not make a crossover fan comic? And an ultimate send-off per se?

----

In this scenario, the two Adams, after dying, were temporarily resurrected in a Pocket Dimension by an unnamed entity acting as their host. When Hazbin!Adam meets Ragnarok!Adam, he acts as his usual rude self by asking him, "Who the fuck are you?", with the latter cooly responding that he could ask him the same thing. The two were quickly filled with hostility after meeting each other for the first time despite not knowing each other, and the unnamed entity then made his appearance and stated they had died from their respective worlds, going so far as to explain to them the multiverse and how the two of them are alternate selves of each other, much to the two Adams's surprise (though Hazbin!Adam is much vocal of his displeasure by pointing out that the title of the "Original Man" belongs to him only and not some "faker"). Then, their host explain that the two Adams had been given a chance by fighting each other in a one-on-one match, gladiator style, and the winner will receive a "prize" by the end.

Seeing this as a chance to return to their own worlds and have unfinished business to take care of, the two Adams agreed.

During their fight, Hazbin!Adam is arrogantly assured that he has the advantage over Ragnarok!Adam due to his angelic form, flight abilities, and holy attacks. However, not long after their fight with Hazbin!Adam in the air and firing off a barrage of holy light beams, Ragnarok!Adam effortlessly dodges the holy light barrage by flash-stepping. This causes Hazbin!Adam to be caught off-guard, which is enough time for Ragnarok!Adam to literally ran in the air and raised his right fist engulfed in holy light. Ragnarok!Adam then sends over 1000 holy light punches in a second at Hazbin!Adam, causing the latter to endure immense hits to his angel body with a final, one-inch punch sending him flying back to the hard ground and creating a deep crater.

Hazbin!Adam is greatly shocked by the experience of being hit in such a way. "Ugh! The fuck!? You hurt me?! You're just a man!" He would say, as Hazbin!Adam finds it incomprehensible that a "mere human", much less someone he perceives as a "faker", could actually hurt him like Charlie did in the season finale. Along with the fact that his opponent can use holy light attacks as well. (A/N: notice the sort of irony here)

Ragnarok!Adam doesn't respond to Hazbin!Adam's words, and continue to the onslaught to end this fight as quickly as he can.

The battle rages on between them, and slowly, the two Adams receive massive injuries from each other. Hazbin!Adam loses his costume to reveal the man beneath it, as well as his beer belly, and the bruises he's gaining while Ragnarok!Adam loses his right arm and goes blind after barely dodging a fatal holy light beam aimed at his head. Yet, each combatant continues to fight with all of their determination and might.

Then...the two Adams receive snippets of each other's memories. Ragnarok!Adam saw the atrocities that his otherworldly counterpart had committed to his descendants, and while greatly disgusted by his acts, he would also remember a time during his eternal afterlife when, he too, condemned his descendants for committing truly evil acts against the innocent, especially to those who delude themselves to believe that their horrible actions are "just" and in the name of God, and/or whatever they see as "virtuous" (a headcanon from his one Youtube commentator on "Fan-Made DEATH BATTLE! trailer: Adam VS Adam (Record of Ragnarok vs Hazbin Hotel)"), but later grew to learn that it won't truly solve anything and resolves to learn and be better to truly make the afterlife a happier place. On the other hand, Hazbin!Adam saw all the experiences his otherworldly counterpart had gone through and all the things he felt, to the point where he started to feel what he never saw himself capable of; "guilt". Guilt from his treatment of Lilith and Eve and how it drove them away from him. And the guilt from his massive slaughter of the Sinners (i.e. his descendants) as an Exorcist simply because they were, in his own words, "losers" simply for committing bad acts out of their control and for very justifiable circumstances, along with knowing that they're are genuinely evil people who only got into Heaven out of "luck" and doing something that not even he knows of what makes a "Winner" (i.e. those who ascend to Heaven) and a "Sinner" (i.e. those who descend to Hell).

In that one moment, both Adams stopped their attacks and were able to tell what the other was thinking. The one thing in their mind is that "he's...like me", and that this whole fight they're doing, might not end with the result they wished for: "to go back to their worlds.".

But at the same time, even if the "prize" wouldn't be what they expected and would still be "deader than dead", they have to win, even on the minuscule chance of seeing the ones they care for again. Along with making up for any past mistakes, no matter what suffering comes their way.

In the climax, the two Adams pour all of their power into a final punch that they send to each other. The collision of their powerful punches creates a devastating effect on the reality of the pocket dimension they're in.

In the end, Hazbin!Adam ultimately fell unconscious due to his fatigue, initial arrogance costing him damage, and his life-long experience of lax and gluttonous behavior catching up to him. Whereas Ragnarok!Adam, despite sustaining injuries with his scorched upper head that left him blind, bald, and without a right arm, manages to stand tall thanks to his prior planning and learning his limits from his defeat in his battle against Zeus.

Ragnarok!Adam, despite acknowledging Hazbin!Adam doing a number on him, the differences between them, and all of the latter's shortcomings, respects him mainly for his valor and strength. Along with seeing that in Hazbin!Adam's final moments, the latter acknowledges his flaws and grows to regret his actions to his descendants for his life-long extermination. Right before executing Hazbin!Adam with a single stomp to his face, ended the latter once and for all, and unknowingly, perhaps ironically, repeating the same event that his former godly opponent did to his own father Chronos.

Hazbin!Adam's body is then broken down into cosmic dust and it spreads throughout the multiverse. After a moment of mourning his otherworldly counterpart and honoring his death, Adam sees the host appear before him. He asked the host that the "prize" in question, "was never really a way to be revived, is it?", and the host simply nods as the power to do that is beyond him given how complex the multiverse is. But the host consoles Adam by saying that while the "prize" isn't a trip home, it is a message he can give to his loved ones for consolement. Adam agrees to this, and gives his final message to his loved ones back home, before quietly disappearing into the cosmic dust and spreading throughout the multiverse as his final death.

----

Next time: The 40 x Kill the Justice League (4/4)

[carsonnieve]

masterpost of my fics on ao3

Just doing this because I want to have something pinned on my page here but well, a reminder of my old fics from different fandoms because kudos and comments are appreciated as well so it motivates me to keep on writing. Hopefully there's new ones updated soon as long as my inspiration kicks in.

Currenly working on two mevie fics so let's see how that goes!

username: carsonnieve

Let's start with the ones that are completed and I'm really proud of.

it's always about fate pairing: beca and chloe (pitch perfect) rating: T

Summary: Chloe sighed and walked in the coffee shop with the phone in her hands. She didn’t want to have this conversation today and yet there she was, talking about it when she just wanted a coffee and have a relaxing afternoon writing down new ideas for her stories and not pining over her online friend. Then the moment she looked up she saw someone she really wanted to see too and the reason why her heart was so divided and yet confusing. Beca.

2. unsay these spoken words pairing: regina mills and emma swan (once upon a time) rating: T

Summary: Because maybe, after all, she could take the pain and continue with her life. But maybe she thought she could, when actually her heart was already broken and the scattered pieces all over her chest were not enough to make her realize that she was alone, and hurt. She had hope... until she saw the ring on her finger.

3. fool for you pairing: harry hook x evie grimhilde (descendants) rating: T

Summary: Her smile forever gone after the images came back to her mind, sending chills all over her body and a strange feeling going slowly up her spine. And in that instant, she closed her eyes. Right when it hit her. Right when Harry stood up and placed a hand on her arm. “It reminds ye o’ that night, eh?"

4. let me pairing: mal and evie (descendants) rating: T

Summary: "Mal?" "I'm fine. Let's change and go dance, okay?" The girl tried to slip away from her arms but Evie kept holding her because she knew something was off. And it was right there, in that hug, when she felt a sting of pain way worse than the last. Her hand immediately went to her skin to keep it hidden. But Evie's eyes were already on the injury. And Mal was so ready to hear her complain about the dress she just destroyed because she wasn't careful enough with it. And to be honest, she just couldn't deal with that in that exact moment.

5. watch me ride the beat pairing: mal and evie (descendants) rating: E

Summary: “Oh! I’m so sorry! I wasn’t looking.” Wow, she’s even prettier in front of me. Evie thought with both of her hands on her shoulders for support, as the blonde’s hands kept a hold on her hips, keeping her still. “I’m really sorry.” The brunette ran her fingers through her hair and her other hand touched the girl’s nape, without her even noticing it. She seemed to be too busy holding Evie by her waist. Her fingers slightly touching her bare back. “Don’t worry. It’s not your fault. I wasn’t paying attention either.” or the smutty club!au fic no one asked for but i needed to write

and here comes the unfinished ones but that will be finished one day, trust me.

some things are meant to be pairing: mal and evie (descendants) rating: M

Summary: Everyone knew what a soulmate was back in Auradon, where princes and princesses lived their own happily ever after. Where their parents taught them what true love was without fear. Needless to say they believed in their own destiny but the idea of having a soulmate was so exciting for all of them. But back on The Isle… Descendants of pure evil weren’t fond of the idea, especially considering what their parents taught them; "love is not for us, love is weakness, we’re villains and you are our next generation to take over the world and finally get the revenge we so desire." But everything changed when four of them were sent to Auradon. And it all started when two girls were 6 years old... or the Soulmate!AU nobody asked for but I really wanted to write.

2. to find the light even in the darkest places pairing: mal and evie (descendants + shadowhunters universe) rating: E

Summary: Evie and Harry are two of the best shadowhunters of their generation. They never get in trouble and they always get the job perfectly done… until they go on a mission and everything starts to change and leads them into an unexpected path. Should they continue their normal lives or live as they want to without thinking of the consequences? Is it more important to find and follow love than their duties as shadowhunters and working for the Clave? Even when a new source of evil arises and things start to get more serious… is everything worth fighting for? It all starts with a simple order from the Clave… or the shadowhunters!au no one asked for but we needed to write

There's also two in Spanish in case I have followers who actually speaks the language and not just me and the last one is one of my favorites from my favorite couple so please check it out, thanksssss!!

[griffincloud]

desire or nightmare for peachleaf :3

Sorry for not getting to this sooner ^^", I was busy and now I'm sick so I may not be super coherent in my rambling

So this will require a "brief" worldbuilding synopsis since Peachleaf is very much intertwined with the non-WC canon part of this WCOC story. But basically, there are basically 3 levels/tiers of existing (best wording I got): you're either alive, in limbo (sort of like The Dark Forest but not really? You don't go there if you're evil; described as "having a paw between being alive and dead" by Tuftbee), and fully dead/StarClan. Most cats go from living straight to being a StarClan cat upon dying, but if you for some reason have some form of "unfinished business" or cannot accept your death, you are now stuck in limbo. A spirit cannot leave this state once stuck there and this limbo state isn't good for the "health" of the spirit. The spirit will slowly become sick or "corrupted" by their feelings of hate and turmoil over their death; if enough time passes, the spirit will fully "corrupt" and become unrecognizable from their former selves. The speed at which this happens relies on how well the spirit keeps themselves at peace, but no spirit is immune from corrupting as spirits are naturally emotional creatures

Corrupted spirits are known to attack and kill the living. But the presence of non-corrupted spirits isn't good either; extended exposure to one unknowingly causes sickness and unexplained stress usually manifesting as anxiety or paranoia

This is where Shepherds come in. Shepherds are unique in the sense that they can see spirits (as cats cannot see spirits with the exception of corrupted spirits when they're about to be attacked by them/when the spirit shows themselves to the cat first) and are gifted the power to help spirits pass on and purify the corrupted spirits. Each Shepherd is born from the same family, descended from the first Shepherd's littermates as Floodfog never had kits of her own. When one Shepherd dies, the eldest kit of the next litter born after they pass will become the next one. Peachleaf is the 11th Shepherd, succeeding Icefern

Now, onto the actual questions...

Desire: What's one thing your OC wants more than anything in the world? Are they open with that desire? Why or why not? What would they do to fulfill it?

To have a voice in the clans (whether that be by taking up a higher-ranking role or otherwise). This isn't a bad desire at all, but she still tries to word this to herself as just wanting to serve the clans and make them better in an attempt to be humble/coy. She doesn't like to draw much attention to herself paradoxically

She chooses to be a Medic since she genuinely wants to help other cats and that is something she feels strongly about, but being a well-respected member of her society is a plus to her. She tries to work hard and aid her leader and clanmates any way she can to earn or keep their respect, even if they already respect her because she's their family (by blood or not)

Nightmare: What does your OC have nightmares about? How do they deal with their nightmares? Do they tell people, or keep it to themself?

Peachleaf has nightmares about seeing her friends, family, and clanmates become corrupted spirits because that means she could not help them not only in life as a Medic but also not in death as a Shepherd. As for how she copes with the idea, I can't particularly go into that too much as that would be leaning into spoiler territory (which I would love to talk about with just mutuals if anyone is curious but it's maybe not the best idea to go into that too much publicly if I wanna turn this into a comic one day) but let's just say, she copes with it in ways that progress the plot. But she largely keeps these fears to herself as she feels it is her burden to bear (and has been sworn to secrecy by Tuftbee, her great-grandmother and the 8th Shepherd as she feels that's what you're supposed to do) but she does console in a select few cats about her duties and fear of failing those duties such as Sterletcurl, Ripplingbreeze, Sizzlingpond, Xanthiawing, and of course Tuftbee

Prompts List

[connectparanormal]

Witch Ghosts

In the realm of supernatural stories, witch ghosts, who are intriguing entities that emerge from the junction of witchcraft and ghostly folklore, occupy a niche that is both fascinating and unique. It is commonly thought that these ghosts are the restless souls of witches who, throughout their lives, possessed mysterious powers and, after their deaths, continued to exert influence from beyond the dead. The concept of witch ghosts is a compelling emblem of lingering power and unresolved conflict; it blends the dread and fascination that surround witches with the haunting presence of ghosts. This creates a powerful symbol for witches. Many different civilizations have revered and feared witches as figures associated with knowledge, healing, and the supernatural. They were also associated with the supernatural. Their connection to nature and unseen forces often clashed with social norms and religious beliefs. The persecution of witches, particularly during the witch trials in Europe and the United States, has left a grim legacy. We can interpret the concept of a witch ghost as a continuation of this history, where the spirit of a strong or wronged witch persists, unable or unwilling to move on.

These ghostly beings frequently appear within folklore, and depending on the context of the story, they might be either vindictive or protective spirits. Throughout certain narratives, they seek vengeance on people who have mistreated them throughout their lives by haunting descendants or communities that were complicit in their oppression. In this specific section of the witch ghost story, the themes of justice and the impact of society's dread and frenzy take center stage. The ghost's presence serves as a reminder of past injustices, as well as the importance of acknowledgment and healing. On the other hand, witch ghosts can also manifest themselves as guardians or guides, use their spectral presence to safeguard loved ones or instruct them in matters of wisdom. The stories depict witches as both feared and beloved individuals, highlighting their paradoxical nature. Like life, death has a positive or negative impact depending on the circumstances and intentions of the deceased. This dual function highlights the complexity of witches in folklore, which frequently defies straightforward categorization as purely good or evil based on their respective roles. There is more to the cultural importance of witch ghosts than just individual stories; they are a reflection of a larger society's ideas on women, power, and the unknown. Throughout history, people have stigmatized and frequently associated witches with women. They represent resistance to oppressive structures. They test the boundaries of nature, supernaturalism, and the living and the dead in their spectral form. As a result of their long existence in folklore and popular culture, it is clear that there is a persisting uneasiness with feminine agency and power, as well as a fascination with the unexplained and the otherworldly.

Literature and the media have tackled witch ghosts in a variety of ways, from terrifying horror stories to themes of redemption and empowerment. These narratives frequently explore themes like unfinished business, the influence of historical wrongs, and the continuing power of the past over the present. As a character, the witch ghost epitomizes the tension between dread and curiosity, the known and the unknown, and is a persona that invites spectators to investigate the issues of morality, justice, and legacy. Ultimately, witch ghosts are more than just supernatural oddities; they are rich symbols that invite meditation on important cultural and philosophical problems. Their narratives, which are rife with enigma and feeling, provide a lens through which we might investigate our anxieties, our pasts, and our aspirations for justice and comprehension. As a result, they continue to linger in our minds, posing a challenge for us to confront the shadows of our past as well as the possibilities of our future.

[sir-adamus]

Ocarina of Time's Link really got a raw deal as far as Links go.

Either he fails in one timeline, succeeds only to get his entire legacy wiped out by the time of Wind Waker, or he saves two different places only to end up becoming a zombie that can only pass on after he teaches his successor.

He's probably one of the most tragic Links by far.

well with the Adult timeline it's very much Zelda wanting him to actually get to have the childhood that got taken away from him and not realising the impact that's gonna have (sundering the Triforce of Courage in that timeline, removing the Hero's Spirit from the world so there's no one to reincarnate when evil resurfaces - and on the flip-side, the Triforce in the newly created Child timeline is split to its three bearers before Ganondorf can enact any of his plans or even reach the Sacred Realm; which leads directly into Twilight Princess's backstory and the cosmic joke that allows Ganondorf to survive); things ironically would've gone better if Zelda hadn't tried to do something nice for Link

at least in the case of the Hero's Shade, he'd already got to grow up and live a full life (and i think the Hero of Twilight is explicitly his descendant, so, y'know, he started a family - we don't know if he ever reunited with Navi though), his whole zombie spirit state is more an unfinished business kinda deal

[skeleton-in-a-hoodie]

Ghosts and demons in DDMG

I have been thinking about the difference between ghosts and demons in DDMG, and how this related to ghosts finding Splinter weird and off putting

Under a readmore cause long:

Ghosts:

Basically deceased humans who are still tethered to the Land of the Living

Have obsessions - the tldr is that these are their unfinished business and once a ghost completes their obsession, they have the option of becoming a true spirit and severing their connection to the Living World and going to the astral plane/ Land of the Dead. If they don't severe the connection, they can develop a new obsession.

Feeding the obsession feeds their core and keeps them stable.

Have cores - heart, brain and stomach of the ghost. Its exact appearances depends on the ghost, but they're roughly spherical and are positioned in the lower torso.

Their cores make ectoplasm, which a ghost's entire body is made out of. No internal structures, like bones or muscles - they're more or less sentient goo.

This also means their physical form is more malleable and can change based upon how the ghost feels e.g. Garson can look like he did as a living human, or like Muckman, depending on how he's feeling.

Emotions are very powerful, and newer ghosts tend to struggle to control their emotions at first. It's easy for even older ghosts to get overtaken by their emotions and lose sight of everything else around them, which is how you can get particularly nasty ghosts that don't remember who they are anymore

Normally non-corporeal, but can become so under specific circumstances or in the case of select ghosts

Powers based upon how they died + going intangible and invisible

Have Domains they return to

Demons:

Have a core

Made of ecto, but in their case it's not just sentient goo with a thin outer shell. Demons in DDMG have internal structures (bones, muscles, tendons, ect.) like humans, but it's made out ecto.

Because of their internal structures, there a lot more durable than a ghost and more capable of causing harm to humans. In turn, whilst it takes a lot of energy for ghosts to become corporeal under normal circumstances, demons are corporeal beings like humans.

The flip side of this is they need to eat, whether that's physically eating a sandwich or draining someone else's core. They feel hunger and need to tend to it or else they'll go feral. If they don't get food even after going feral, their core while start to cannibalise itself which, without intervention, is a one way ticket to destabilisation and perma death.

Not necessarily evil or related to hell - demons in DDMG are creatures that are neither human or divine in nature.

That being said, some demons started out as humans, died, and then lost their humanity after death. Most demons were born as demons though, though in some cases they are the descendants of former humans.

Different species exist, some of which take up difference ecological niches in the Land of the Dead. Parasitica wasps, for instance, usually eat the left over rements of cores to stop them turning into non-sentient, but incredibly volatile and dangerous, embodiments of pure rage and sadness. That generally speaking happenes after a ghost or demon is destroyed, rather than consumed, as the shattered core doesn't have anywhere to go but can't form a new personality.

Can't really change their appearance unless that's a particular power they have.

Powers tend to be based upon their species

Don't need Domains to survive, but can have them if they want one - demons find it a lot easier to move from place to place because of that.

Are alive

Splinter:

Has a core, which looks like two cores trying to have a cage match - one part is a pretty standard fire core, the other looks like a tesso core. This means his core is kinda unstable

Has internal structures, such as bone

Gets hungry

Can't change his appearence

Corporeal, but can go intangible if he chooses to

Also has an obsession

Has fire powers due to how he died + the rat stuff from being a sort of tesso

Was a human prior to death, and whilst it's debateable how much humanity he has left now, he's still human enough to not be a true demon

Has a Domain, but he could move if he wants to and survived for several years without one

Is stuck between being a ghost and being a demon, with the demon stuff slowly overwhelming the ghost parts of him. Which technically means he's in some weird grey area between living and dead. Like the world's worst version of reincarnation

[thisisbecausepolyvoreclosed]

Main Isle of the Lost look for Fabian Facilier, son of Freddy, in Descendants: Evil’s Unfinished Business, sequel to Descendants: Family Business, which in turn is an AU on Disney Descendants. 

[the-al-chemist]

Artemis Hexley and the Circle of Khanna

Chapter 21: Amends

A/N: Another year has come and gone at Hogwarts, but Artemis has some unfinished business to attend to before she can leave. Characters mentioned belong to @lifeofkaze, @thatravenpuffwitch, @that-scouse-wizard, @samshogwarts, and @kc-and-co. Warnings: alcohol consumption, mentions of sports related injury, references to canon typical discrimination, and mentions of death, grief, and loss.

Once the Aurors had left with Jacob and Rakepick, Professor Dumbledore sent the Circle of Khanna back to their dormitories.

“Except for you, Miss Hexley,” he said, and Artemis stopped walking with Tonks and Penny to face him. “There are things that I wish to discuss with you privately, if I may.”

Artemis had expected Dumbledore to take her back to his office, but instead, they walked straight past the gargoyle corridor in the direction of the hospital wing. The hospital wing itself was full of people and absent of statues.

“It worked!” Artemis said as she caught sight of Madam Pomfrey walking among her fellow victims of the statue curse. “They’ve all gone back to normal.”

“So it would appear,” said Dumbledore, bowing his head. He gestured to the staircase, and together he and Artemis descended the steps to walk out into the Clocktower Courtyard. Once they were standing outside, he raised his face to the heavens and chuckled gently. “I remember one starry night like this five years ago, I stood with a young girl who asked me about the Cursed Vaults. I distinctly recall telling her then - and several times since then, I might add - that she should leave the Vaults well alone.”

Artemis shrugged. “I’ve never been very good at doing what I’m told, Professor.”

“And for that, we should all be grateful. Thanks to the efforts of yourself and your friends, the school is safe. I should very much like to ask you, if you do not mind indulging my academic curiosity, what lay within the final Cursed Vault?”

“As in the power inside?” Artemis asked, and Dumbledore inclined his head. “I dunno, sir. We never got to opening the Vault properly, because it was protected by… something. It was horrible, we got these visions. Merula and Ben said they were all their worst memories, but I’m not sure. Some of the stuff I don’t remember seeing before, or if I have it was only in a dream, not in real life. It felt real, though, in the Vault. And it felt… awful. Like everything good had been sucked out of the world forever.”  Artemis shuddered. “The merpeople said it was an evil place. It was. We went out, and we were thinking about how to break through the protection when Rakepick arrived. She wanted to kill me, again.”

“As always, Patricia Rakepick proves herself to be highly determined in getting what she wants.”

“Yeah. I mean, she could’ve killed me before, that night in the forest when… I don’t know why she didn’t honestly. It would’ve been easy because we weren’t paying attention to her, not after Rowan... But anyway, by the time we captured her, we were all worried. So we sealed the Vault. Jacob said it would stop the curse, it just means that eventually someone will have to go back and break all of the curses once and for all. He said that we would do it, but then he…”

Artemis’ voice tailed off. Once again, Jacob’s actions had left her mystified. And Jacob had left her. Again. Not only that, he had told the Aurors that he was the one who killed Duncan, that he was a member of the cabal. It couldn’t be true, but if it was untrue, why had he said all those things to the Aurors?

“If my memory serves me correctly,” said Dumbledore quietly, “that night when we first talked, you asked me whether I believed your brother to be mad, bad, or dangerous.”

“Maybe. It was a long time ago.”

“Indeed it was. But I did not believe it then, and I do not believe it now.”

“Do you know why he handed himself to the Aurors?” Artemis asked, continuing without even giving Dumbledore a chance to answer, “Do you know if it’s true, what he said about being part of R and killing Duncan? You don’t believe that he killed Duncan, do you?”

“I cannot pretend to know what your brother thinks, however I would hazard a guess that he is suffering from a guilty conscience, one that he wishes to relieve by attempting to make amends.”

Artemis frowned, not sure if she entirely understood Dumbledore’s words.

“So, what’s going to happen now?” she asked him.

“I am certain that the Aurors and the Wizengamot will see to it that justice is served appropriately, to both your brother and Madam Rakepick.”

“And what about here, at Hogwarts? And the Cursed Vaults? And me?”

“The Cursed Vaults will remain a mystery, and shall lie dormant until someone next attempts to open them, sometime in the future. When exactly, only time will tell,” Dumbledore fixed his blue eyes on Artemis behind his half-moon spectacles. “As for you, Miss Hexley, you have another month and a half before term ends, and another year of education after that. I suggest you make the most of it.”

There was a finality in his tone that made it clear that Artemis was dismissed. As she walked towards the door of the clocktower to return to her dormitory, the bell chimed twelve times. Behind her she heard Professor Dumbledore call her name, and she looked back to see him smiling at her.

“I believe I should wish you a happy birthday, Miss Hexley.”

With all the plans about the Cursed Vault, Artemis had almost forgotten all about her birthday. Thankfully, her friends had not. After lessons ended for the day, Penny and Tonks practically dragged her to the Three Broomsticks, where Rosmerta had decorated the bar with paper chains and colourful floating bubbles, and all of the Circle of Khanna had gathered around a set of tables.

“You really didn’t have to go to all this effort, Ros,” said Artemis, as Rosmerta pressed a small parcel into her hands. 

“Nonsense, love. You’re seventeen. All grown up,” Ros smiled. “Now, are you going to use magic to open that present or not?”

Of course. Now that she was of age, Artemis was actually allowed to use magic outside of school. She grinned, and used her wand to vanish the wrapping paper off the gift. She had been expecting more Muggle music for the machine Ros had given her for Christmas the year before, but instead found herself holding an entirely different Muggle device. This one was small and square, with a dark glass circle in the centre, and a light glass square in one corner.

“Thanks, Ros,” Artemis smiled and frowned at the same time. “Um, what is this?”

“It’s a camera, love. It prints out photos as you take them,” Rosmerta informed her. “I thought that with you only having one year left at school, you would like a way to keep hold of as many nice memories as possible.”

“Yeah, I would. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome, love. So, what do you want to have for your first drink as a grown woman?”

Artemis carried a small glass of a burgundy liquid that smelled like marzipan (“sloe gin, love”) and the Muggle camera over to her friends, and Penny showed her how it worked. By the time they left the inn and returned to the Hufflepuff dormitory, she had almost twenty photos of her and her friends and a niggling sensation in her head and heart. If only Rowan had been there. If only she had more photos of Rowan from when she had been there. Her first instinct was to push the thought away, but she stopped herself, and instead let the feeling sit there for a moment, closing her eyes, taking a deep breath, and picturing Rowan’s face, her doe-like brown eyes, the graceful curve of her nose, her smile. It was not a photograph, but it was something, at least.

“Are you alright, Artemis?” asked Alanza, sitting on the bed that used to be Rowan’s. Artemis smiled at her and nodded.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” she said. “Just thinking, that’s all. Thanks, though. It was nice of you to ask.”

“You know what else is nice?” Penny said, and she nodded her head at Chiara, who had brought her bedding into the dormitory to join the girls in their festivities. “You being here, Chiara. You really should stay here all the time, you know.”

Chiara gave Penny a thin-lipped smile. “As I told you before, I don’t want to wake you all up taking medications and-”

“And, as I told you before, none of us would mind one bit. Would we, Tonks?”

“Nah, I’m a deep sleeper.”

“See? Artemis and Alanza don’t mind either, do you?”

“It does not matter if I mind or not,” Alanza shrugged. “I will not be here next year anyway. I go back to Brazil at the end of term.”

“Oh, you must be so excited to see your family and friends.”

“I am, yes. But I will miss my friends here at Hogwarts, too. And Charlie, of course. Hopefully he will be able to visit me sometime. You all can visit as well one day, I will miss you four very much, too.”

“We will all miss you too, Alanza,” said Artemis, realising for the first time that she meant it. She had grown to quite like Alanza after all.

“Thank you, Artemis. You know, Chiara, you can have my bed when I go home, if you like.”

Before Chiara could either accept or decline Alanza’s offer, the door of the dormitory swung open. In crashed a short and stocky girl with short blue hair.

“Sorry for crashing in like a roaster,” said Skye Parkin, her face flushing. “I just need to chat tae ye, Hexley.”

“Fine. What about?”

“Cordelia Costa had a messed up cure for boils tipped over her hands in Potions class this afternoon, and her hands have come up in the most massive boils ye have ever seen. Madam Pomfrey says they’ll take a month tae heal properly, so  she cannae play Quidditch next weekend. It means we’re down a Chaser. I’ve been tryin’ tae find a replacement but it’s slim pickings out there. Aw ma year are too busy revising for the N.E.W.T.s and the fifth years are aw flapping aboot the O.W.L.s. The fourth years are pure mince, and I’m already using my reserve player, so… Can you do it?”

Artemis frowned. “I’m not a Chaser, Skye.”

“That’s nae bother, Hopper will play Chaser. But that leaves us without a Seeker. She cannae play both, ken?” Skye sighed. “Look, Hexley, I ken that ye didnae want tae play anymore after what happened tae yer pal, but honestly, I’m desperate. Please? It’s the final, and I cannae go against Rath with no Seeker, those Ravenclaws will batter us.”

She looked at Artemis imploringly, and Artemis could see from the look in her green eyes that she meant it. So, Artemis nodded.

“Yeah. Yeah, I’ll do it.”

“Ye wee stoater, Hexley. Cheers, hen. See you oan the pitch at dawn, aye? We’re gaun tae need some emergency practice sessions tae get us aw back in shape. Rath won’t ken what’s hit her.”

Skye wandered off, muttering about Erika Rath under her breath.

“Well,” said Artemis. “Looks like I need to find my broomstick.”

She found her Comet 260 under her bed, next to the pair of matching burgundy notebooks she had intended to give Rowan for her seventeenth birthday, but had never got the opportunity to do so. She pushed them back, and pulled out the broomstick. It needed a good polish, but other than that it was ready to fly again. 

And so was she.

The final Quidditch match of the year was between Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff, and its result would decide the winner of the Cup.

Ravenclaw was in the lead, but - as Murphy McNully reliably informed Artemis - there was still a chance of Hufflepuff snatching a victory from the jaws of defeat, provided that they beat Ravenclaw with a wide margin, which Skye was confident that they would.

Unfortunately, it turned out not to be the case. 

The match was marginally less violent than the year before, with only two injuries: Abigail Adler, one of the Ravenclaw Chasers, sustained an injury during a manoeuvre Skye called “Parkin’s Pincer”, and Jean Bean the Hufflepuff Beater was knocked out of the sky by the combined force of both Rath and Cassiopeia using their bats to hit a Bludger at her simultaneously.

With one Beater out of the game, David Willows was having to work twice as hard to defend the players against Rath and Cassiopeia, leaving him unable to mount any form of powerful attack against the opposing team, and Andre Egwu and Hufflepuff’s Keeper Amelia Booth were equally matched as Keepers. Still, with Adler out of play, the Hufflepuff Chasers had the advantage. Skye, Lizzie, and Ellie worked well as a team, and over a few hours managed to rack up a score in Hufflepuff’s favour. 

The fate of the game rested with Artemis, whose job was fairly simple: keep the Ravenclaw Seeker busy, wait for the point lead to increase, then catch the Snitch. This was complicated by the opposing Seeker, Samantha O’Connell, who seemed to have caught on to - or perhaps had been told about - all of Artemis’ distraction techniques, for she didn’t fall for any of them and stayed consistently focussed on her own hunt for the Snitch. 

When Artemis finally saw the tiny golden ball, Hufflepuff still did not have enough of a lead to win the Cup. Unfortunately, she wasn’t the only one to have caught sight of the Snitch; O’Connell saw it too. 

She had no choice; if she didn’t catch the Snitch now, Hufflepuff would lose the match as well as the Cup. So, she leaned forward and accelerated with the opposing Seeker, taking a deep dive and overtaking her, the wind whistling in her ears and whipping her hair as she gained speed and drew closer and closer to…

“Hexley catches the Golden Snitch,” Murphy’s voice echoed across the pitch. “Hufflepuff win 220 to 60, but Ravenclaw take the Cup!”

“Och, dinnae fash yerself, hen,” said Skye, when Artemis stopped her at the post-match party to apologise for not waiting longer to catch the Snitch. “At least we won the match, aye?”

“Yeah, I guess,” Artemis shrugged. “Does that mean that I can come back to the team next term? I’d forgotten how much I enjoyed playing Quidditch, what with everything that happened this year.”

Skye laughed. “It’s nae ma decision. I’ll be graduating next month, ken?.”

“What are you going to do after you leave?”

“I’m joining a professional team. Ma family’s team actually, the Wigtown Wanderers. I told ye before that ma Pa is the manager, and ma older brothers are already playing.”

“Sounds fun.”

“Aye, but it’s a lot of pressure. Always has been. At home, it’s the only thing that matters, and I just want tae… Aye, never mind. Sorry for havering, Hexley.”

“That’s fine, I don’t mind,” Artemis told her. “I’m sorry for quitting earlier in the year. Hopefully whoever is Captain next year will let me back. Who is going to be Captain?”

“Dinnae ken yet. Jameson, Bean and I are aw aff, Willows does nae want the responsibility, the others have aw only been playing for a year. You dinnae want it, dae ye?”

“Not a chance,” Artemis laughed, and so did Skye. “I had a go at being the leader of a club this year and it’s really not my thing. Besides, I only played one match this year, and I don’t know enough about strategies and I’m no good at working out point margins and…” her voice tailed off as she had an idea. “Actually, Skye, I think I know who would be a great captain.”

“Who?”

Artemis looked across the Great Hall to where Murphy was sitting with Katriona Cassiopeia, the red-haired Ravenclaw Beater, on his lap. Skye frowned.

“McNully? He cannae fly, he’s in a wheelchair.”

“So what?” Artemis asked. “He knows more about Quidditch than anyone and it was his strategies that won us the Cup last year. And we’re Hufflepuffs. Aren’t we meant to believe in fair chances?”

“Aye,” Skye raised her eyebrows and nodded slowly. “Aye, it’s no a bad idea. I am gaun tae have words with him about getting quite so close to the Ravenclaw Beaters, though. Cannae have that from our Captain.”

“That’s a shame.”

“For why?”

“Oh, no reason,” Artemis grinned, her eyes finding those of Erika Rath, which were fixed on Skye, and were filled with an expression that was far softer than anger. “I just think that there might be a Ravenclaw Beater who wouldn’t mind getting a little closer to you.”

“Och, naw. She’s just still raging about those rumours I started last year about her and that missing broomstick.”

“Then maybe it’s time that you try making amends,” said Artemis, and she gave Skye a small but mischievous smirk as she walked away from her, leaving a clear path between the two girls who were - for now, at least - rival team captains.

Artemis’ return to the Quidditch team might have distracted Penny from nagging Chiara Lobosca to take Alanza’s empty bed in the girls’ dormitory, but Chiara’s respite was short-lived. On the final night of term, while Alanza was making the most of her final evening with Charlie and the other girls were busy packing up their belongings, Penny dragged Chiara across the hallway and into the dormitory.

“See, there would be plenty of room for you, especially with Alanza leaving. I don’t mind taking down the garlands if you don’t like them, and Tonks can always free the bat.”

“Excuse me?”

“The beds are really comfy in here,” Penny continued, ignoring the affronted look Tonks was giving her. “Come and sit on Alanza’s bed - she won’t mind - and you’ll see what I mean. Chiara. Sit.”

Chiara did as Penny said and sat down on Alanza’s bed, though she sighed softly as she did so.

“Penny, I-”

“There. Don’t you think it’s comfy?”

“It is, Penny, and I’m really touched that you want me to move in here with you three, but I can’t,” Chiara said, her voice gentle and firm, all at once. “I just can’t. I’m sorry.”

“But-”

“Leave it, Penny,” muttered Artemis, shoving Fergus’ toys into her trunk. “It’s fine.”

“No, it’s not fine!” Penny said shrilly. “Because once Alanza leaves it will just be the three of us again, and Chiara is all alone, and I hate that we will have an empty bed and Chiara will have an empty dormitory, and I hate that Rowan won’t get to be here for our final year and that if we’d known that we would have spent more time with her when she was here, and now it’s too late.”

“Penny, don’t be upset, I didn’t mean-”

“And we should have spent more time with you as well, Chiara, and soon it will be too late for that, too. But you could still move in here and we could make up for you not having been here before, if you let us,” Penny looked at Chiara imploringly with her tear-filled blue eyes. “Please, will you let us?”

Chiara stared at the floor and shook her head. “I can’t.”

“Penny’s right, Chiara,” said Tonks. “You should move in here with us. It’s rotten of us for not insisting before.”

“But-”

“We don’t give a hoot about you waking us up in the night, honestly.”

“That’s not what this is about, it’s… Well, I’m not… I’m…”

Artemis frowned. “Chiara, you really don’t have to-”

“No. It’s okay, Artemis,” Chiara smiled sadly. “You see, the truth is… Well, the illness I have, it’s not a bleeding curse. It’s lycanthropy.” 

Both Penny and Tonks fell silent, their lips parting and eyebrows furrowing.

“What?” Tonks asked eventually.

“I’m a werewolf. That’s why I have my own room, so I can take my Wolfsbane potion and transform without anyone being near me. I can’t move in here, because I don’t want to hurt you.”

Tonks pursed her lips. “But if you’re taking the Wolfsbane potion, you’re harmless, right?” 

“Well, yes, but-”

“Ah, then it’s fine. I mean, we’re used to this kind of thing; we’ve already got Artemis turning into a cat every five minutes-”

“It’s not that often!”

“- and if I’m being honest, I’ve always been more of a dog person anyway,” Tonks shrugged and turned to Penny, whose lips were thin and cheeks pale. “What do you think, Pen?”

Artemis held her breath, not sure how Penny would react. After what felt like an age, Penny lifted her gaze to Chiara’s, her front teeth grazing her lower lip. When she finally spoke, her voice held a slight tremor.

“Would you be able to teach me how to make a Wolfsbane Potion?” 

Chiara nodded, and a cackling Tonks ran across the room to jump on top of both her and Penny, knocking them backwards on the bed with a loud squeal and a giggle and pinning Chiara down.

“Artemis, help me! We can’t let her leave!”

Laughing, Artemis pulled out the camera Madam Rosmerta had given her and used it to print a photo of the others before joining them, Fergus watching from the windowsill with a look of disdain in his bottle-green eyes. They continued to laugh even as Chiara returned to her dormitory, promising to think about moving into Alanza’s empty bed next term.

“It’s going to be a bit weird without Alanza, isn’t it?” Tonks asked. 

“I know what you mean. I’ve kind of gotten used to having her around,” said Artemis, frowning at Alanza’s - or was it Chiara’s, now? - empty bed. “Where is she, anyway? She can’t still be with Charlie, surely?”

“Oh, well. I expect that they will be having a rather long conversation, if you know what I mean.”

“No, Penny. I haven’t got the foggiest what you mean.”

“Well,” Penny sighed, “I expect that they’re breaking up.”

“Why would they do that?”

“Because Alanza is going back to Brazil, and Charlie is staying here. It’s not like they’ll be able to see each other, is it? Just make sure that you’re nice to her when she comes back.”

“I’m always nice to her,” Artemis said, and Penny pursed her lips. “What? I am now.”

“Yes, I know, but remember, she will be just as upset as Charlie is. Try not to take his side over hers.”

Artemis’ eyebrows furrowed, and she returned to her half-packed trunk. If only there were something she could do to help. As she pulled out her last items from under her bed, she realised that maybe there was something she could do.

The following morning, when the other girls went into the Great Hall for their final breakfast together before the carriages departed for Hogsmeade station, Artemis lingered in the entrance hall, waiting for the Gryffindor boys to arrive. When they did, she grabbed Charlie by the arm and pulled him out into the courtyard outside.

“What’s up?” Charlie asked her, frowning deeply. “Are you alright?”

“Nothing, I’m fine. Are you alright?”

“Uh, I think so. Why?” Charlie’s frown deepened momentarily before he raised his eyebrows and nodded in recognition. “Oh, Alanza. Yeah, I’m… We’re going to see how it goes, so that’s… Well, we’ll see, won’t we?”

He gave Artemis a smile, though it was strained and forced. Artemis put her hand on his forearm.

“You’re upset,” she told him, and he shrugged.

“Yeah, sort of. I mean, I didn’t really want to break up, and I definitely didn’t want to upset her more than she already was, but I guess it’s just not very hopeful, is it? Brazil’s a really long way away. It’s not like I could afford to get Portkeys to visit her, and it would be too far for me to Apparate, even if I had passed my Apparition exam-”

“And you wouldn’t want a repeat of what happened in the exam. Alanza’s poor grandmother would be terrified.”

“Oi!” Charlie pushed Artemis gently. “I only got the destination a couple of miles wrong, and how was I supposed to know that poor old Muggle lady would be there?” He shook his head and added, “But you’re right, that probably wouldn’t make the best first impression.”

“Definitely not. What about writing? You could write to her, couldn’t you?”

“I could, but it would take ages for the letters to get there and back. I asked at the Owl Post Office last Hogsmeade weekend,” Charlie shrugged again. “It is what it is, I suppose.”

“But it doesn’t have to be,” Artemis told him, and she opened up her yellow rucksack, rummaged past her Muggle music machine, her camera, and an old cardigan to find what she was looking for, before handing Charlie two notebooks, both bound in wine-coloured leather. “Here. These are for you.”

“Thanks,” Charlie opened one and fanned through the blank pages. “Uh, no offence, but… Why?”

“Because you’re my friend, and I can see that you’re actually upset even though you’re just shrugging your shoulders and pretending that you’re ‘alright’,” Artemis gave Charlie a pointed look, and he half-laughed. She nodded her head at the two notebooks. “They’re a pair, when you write in one, the writing appears in the other so you can send messages to each other.”

Charlie’s eyebrows furrowed, and he tried to push the notebooks back towards Artemis. “No, I can’t take these.”

“Why not? They’re a present.”

“But they must have been expensive. Keep them.”

“I don’t want them,” Artemis said, completely honestly. “I bought them to give to Rowan for her seventeenth birthday, and… Well, she’s not going to use them, is she? You might as well have them.”

“Artie, I can’t-”

“If you don’t take them, I will throw them in the bin,” Artemis crossed her arms across her chest. “Besides, I thought I was your best friend.”

“You are.”

“Well then. It would be downright bloody rude of you not to accept my gift, wouldn’t it?”

“It would,” Charlie sighed. “Are you sure about this?”

“Positive.”

“Right. Then I’ll take them. Thank you. I mean it.”

“You’re welcome,” Artemis smiled as Charlie placed the notebooks in his satchel. She slung her rucksack over her shoulder and linked arms with him. “Come on, or they’ll run out of bacon.”

“That would be the real heartbreak in this situation.”

Thankfully, there was still bacon left at the Hufflepuff table, where the entirety of the Circle of Khanna had gathered to eat breakfast together before getting into the Thestral-drawn carriages.

Just as Artemis joined Penny, Chiara, and Tonks in their carriage, she paused to look closer at the Thestral, which blinked at her with its inky hooded eyes. She reached up and stroked its downy nose. It was softer than she had imagined it would be.

When their carriage reached Hogsmeade station, Artemis did not board the Hogwarts Express. Instead, she hugged her friends goodbye, making sure to hug Alanza twice (“Don’t forget, if you ever want to come to Brazil, you can stay with my family!”) before waving goodbye and watching the train pull away without her, Fergus miaowing dolefully at her side.

“What? You don’t really want to go back to Ma’s house, do you?” Artemis asked him, bending down to stroke him as he rubbed against her ankles. “I didn’t think so. We’ll have a much better time staying with Madam Rosmerta.”

A breeze ruffled through her hair and made her shiver, and she pulled the old cardigan of Rowan’s tighter around herself. In the corner of her eye, she noticed that the clock still read ten past ten. She smiled to herself, finally understanding what Rowan had meant when they had last stood here together; it was reassuring to know that some things would always remain the same, no matter how life changed.

“Expecto patronum.”

As she lifted her wand and whispered the words, a rush of silver light unfurled in the air in front of her, swirling into the lithe dappled form of a cheetah. The cheetah looked at her, and she nodded her head at it in recognition before following it down the length of the platform, letting it guide her to the place that, for this summer at least, she would call her home.

[thetimelordbatgirl]

OC Halloween Challenge 2024 Day Fifteen: Nostalgia

Cordelia Hook (Descendants: Evils Unfinished Business) in Doctor Who as a companion of the tenth doctor.

[descendantofthesparrow]

The chieftess and her heir.

Rose and Damian Hook- Tougard (Rose’s maiden name.) Vikings of the north isles and the dragon riders of Vidar, their village which was named after the god of Vengeance and Justice, Vidar; the son of Odin and the giantess Gríðr.

(main canon)

Rose was betrothed to Harry Hook, son of Captain James hook before the two were even conceived. after her 18th birthday she and her father traveled to Auradon, the last known location of Captain Hook, and demanded her fathers side of the deal, Hooks first born son; to continue the family line.  they discovered that Hook had never told his son about the old deal, and Rose’s father; Konumgr (old norse for “King”), shamed the old pirate. 

After some negotiations with Harry, King Ben, and Konumgr, it is decided that Harry and Rose’s betrothal will continue. and Rose will join him in Auradon for half the year, then he will join her in Vidar for the rest of the year so they can bond. thing is, Harry is dating Uma; Daughter of Ursula and he fears Rose will react poorly. it isnt until the 3rd month of Rose’s stay in Auradon that he tells her of this ‘problem’

turns out, Rose doesn't care, in fact, she likes Uma. and she likes him too. so after the three get to know each other, they all decide to date each other, and so the betrothal between Harry and Rose, becomes a love filled marriage between the three.  a few years after the three get married, they have two kids. Damian and Cordelia, both sired by Harry but born to the two woman. Damian is Rose’s son, and Cordelia is Uma’s daughter. 

(there's ALOT more to the story, including kidnapping, a fight to the death, bonding, discovery, and facing fears. i just condensed it for the stake of this post) 

(Cordelia is @thetimelordbatgirl​‘s OC and is the daughter of Harry and Uma in her descendants AU called Evil’s unfinished business/family business) 

(tightrope ‘canon)

just as in the main canon, Rose was betrothed to Harry Hook, son of Captain James hook before the two were even conceived. after her 18th birthday she and her father traveled to Auradon, the last known location of Captain Hook, and demanded her fathers side of the deal, Hooks first born son; to continue the family line. 

they found him on the isle, and made a deal with the then king of Auradon; Ben. since the people of Vidar were powerful and sift, the ‘royal’ family having been blessed by their gods of elemental powers; Rose having the ability to control and summon lighting whenever she pleased, so really, if they were to deny chief Konumgr’s request? it wouldn't be a peaceful time for Auradon.

so Ben allowed Rose to enter the isle with her father in search of Captain Hook and his first born son. the deal was begrudgingly acknowledged and Rose then stayed on the isle for six months getting to know Harry and his ‘friend’ Uma. within those first six months the three bonded and began to fall in love. but as per the agreement, Rose left the isle after six months, set to return after the last half of the year (basically a Hades/Persephone kinda deal, Rose would spend half a year on the isle with Harry, and then return home for the rest of the year)

during her absence Harry and Uma came to a striking realization; they had both fallen for the Viking girl who was betrothed to Harry. so when she returned the next year; they waited a couple months before confessing to her, and she returned those feelings wholeheartedly. and so the three married, and however many years later, Uma and Rose had their children, two days apart. Damian; son of Rose and heir of Vidar. and Cordelia; Daughter of Uma and child of the gods. 

even after the two children were born, Rose was still required to spend only half a year on the isle, so for half a year, Uma, Harry, and Cordelia would be separated from Rose and Damian until the next time they returned.  Rose had tried multiple times to make a new deal with Ben to permanently take Harry, Uma, and Cordelia from the isle to her village up north, but while the king wanted to agree, the council did not let the new deal go through. and then ripped away the original deal.(yeah im adding angst deal with it!) so when Cordelia and Damian were 12 years old, they disappeared from each others lives, only able to communicate through letters. 

it is only four months after Mal and Maleficent's take over of Auradon, that the family is reunited. 

----

uh, ye....this is probably the most ive ever done for this concept since last year??? when i originally came up with it?? yeah its been a whole ass year since i last touched this concept XD anyway, some extra info for yall

Rose is 6ft5, taller than both beast and Hades. in turn Damian, at 17 years old, is 6ft2, an inch (or two) taller than Harry. its a genetics thing, since Konumgr is 6ft7 and  Vinder (old norse for Wind) (Roses mom and Damián's grandma) is 5ft11...yeah the chief line/the village of Vidar are TALL. Rose is also buff as shit, able to lift upwards of 500 pounds. the family of Tougard are blessed by the gods, born with the ability to manipulate the elements in different ways, and those married into the family are given special elemental gems. Konumgr can control fire, Vinder can control wind through her earrings, Rose can control/summon/ride on lightning, im still thinking of Damián's element, but the first thought is water; as a connection to his ‘ma’ (Uma) and sister, who both can control water as their connection to the god of the ocean, Poseidon. 

the village of Vidar are also dragon riders, Damian rides a night fury named; storm breaker. and Rose rides a Skrill/Night fury hybrid named; Mjolnir. can you tell Rose n Damian are inspired by Httyd XD

@disneyfan50​ 

[rulcrs]

ARTEM TARGARYEN.  53. Captain of The Blackfyre/Exiled Lord Targaryen. Godspite.

INTERACTIONS | MUSINGS 

im gonna speed run this bio LETS GO SUMMARY: Artem is a Bad Man - an Evil Man. He killed his own wife and her lover after he caught them together in bed. Instead of being executed or sent to the Black, he was exiled because he is still a Targaryen, and Targaryen were so few in those days. He became a proficient sellsword, and later an even more proficient pirate. He has travelled as far as east of Qarth and is the captain of a fleet known as The Blackfyre (named aptly to spite his own family and those who wish him dead). He has been in exile for more than three decades now, and has been a pirate for the most of those years. His fleet raids the lands/islands along the Narrow Sea - very frequently Dorne, and most recently the North. Since Aerys and Lucaerys are dead now, he is hoping to come back from exile and appeal to the good nature of the new Queen Regent. He doesn’t care for the throne - he would sooner see it melted and turned to chamber pots than have anything else to do with it. He simply has unfinished business in the realm - matters close to his heart, you may say. BLACKFYRE ARC: Pentos, Tyrosh, Lys, and Volantis - the Free Cities are not free when they see The Blackfyre flag.  Artem has been a pirate for close to three decades now. He is one of the oldest and most respected men in the trade. Many fear The Blackfyre fleet for its brutal arduousness. They reach waters only mentioned in passing legends. The crew of The Blackfire are explorers first; pity how they have a fondness of exploring towns and cities with swords and violence at hand.

RAIDING ARC: Mouths need to be fed, and the Captain feeds them well. First they hit the Free Cities and take their exotics. When they’ve taken enough of such to no longer find them that exotic at all, Artem hits Westeros. Dorne is his favourite. They claim to be descendants of Queen Nymeria, a seafaring warrior, yet oft they let his sails hit them in the night. They have little trinkets that the rest of Westeros does not have, and what the other Great Houses lack, they always seek to claim. Much of Artem and The Blackfyre’s “operations” were raiding the seaside and riverside towns of Dorne. They are bold enough to oft drive inland and hit roads. Artem knows he has killed a noble here and there during such raids - those are always the most exciting (hehe, hi mors!!! @conqueredcrowns) . Though he has made enemies, he has also made acquaintances. Being friends with pirates is always lucrative business. 

WINTER FAMINE ARC: He’s never had much love for the North. It is ugly and barren and sparse. When the harsh winter hit them, he may have even felt sorry for them. A good man would sooner see trading opportunities to sell the North cheap grain. Artem is not a good man, and he has made himself rich by staying that way. He has an informant - a pretty little bird - that tells him when and where food and aid comes to the North. He raids those routes, take the bounty, and sell them back cheaper elsewhere. Artem may not be a good man, but he is a great man at what he does. (side note: Artem has his fleet doing the raiding in the North. He’s mainly been chilling and exploring shit idk)

CURRENT ARC: When cousin Aerys III exiled him, he was 21. His nephews and nieces were children and the Realm cowered at the Seat of the Dragon. When Aerys died, his nephew Lucaerys became king. Artem would have never known had Lucaerys  not wrote him that he is still exiled and is not welcome to return Westeros under his reign. Well, now, both are dead - and he is not. Artem has been back in Westeros just recently in hopes of being pardoned and removed from exile. He has great hate for his own house and wants nothing to do with them, such is his relief that the Queen Regent is no Targaryen but a Stag. 

BACKGROUND

INSPIRATIONS: euron greyjoy, a lil edward blackbeard from our flag means death, nigel from the necessary death of charlie countryman

artem is a cousin of king aerys from a minor targaryen family members, had a childhood fit for a targaryen. im pretty sure he was given a valyrian dagger or some shit for his 8th birthday - v age appropriate ofc

jousting? hell yeah!! fucking the blooming ladies of the realm?? fuck yEAH!! who wouldn’t wanna be with a targaryen lbr here. he was being seen as one of the great warriors at his prime, but no way in hell would he take the oath of the kingsguard. thats boring af

he ALMOST got that dragon sickness sexiness to him, but he aint really with a dragon so i suppose that just means he is sick

to get rid of him from the red keep, the was promised to marry the only child of the former ruling lord of rykker. he was supposed to tie them even more closer to the targaryens while his wife ruled and managed the house and its lands. great idea, 100% inspired - forcing artem to do smth he does want, what could possibly go wrong??

WELL, AS IT TURNS OUT, A LOT.  artem didn’t necessarily loved lady rykker, but they were MARRIED and they were supposed to br each others’. he learned how to love her and be loyal to her. artem is a scorpio: when he loves, its dangerous. so guess what happens when he comes to their bedroom to find his then-wife of 2 years in bed with another man.

MURDER TW / VIOLENCE TW artem killed them with his own hands. they soiled his bed, they soiled his name. he killed his wife first because he, at the very least, trusted her to be his wife. he made her lover watch - and then he killed half of her lover’s family and made him watch still. he killed his wife’s lover last: stake a valyrian steel rapier through the top his skull and then out through his throat. 

some more sensible men would say “ah, my mind just went blank and rage filled by sights” - oh, but not this man. he remembers it all. he remembers it so well that as soon as he was exiled by the king (ofc aerys wouldn’t actually punish him - there were so few targaryens in the world at the time. they couldn’t possibly risk executing artem or sending him to the wall) he had a skulled pierced with a sword tattooed on his left arm. he wears it with pride. (btw shoutout to akhil, his absolute bestie, for the design xoxo)

sooo there he was, just generally Bing Chilling in the free cities as a sellsword. i mean, he grew up in the red keep and was trained by westeros’ AND essos’ best - he made for a fine warrior. once he started earning more than he can spend on whores and drink, he bought himself a ship - THE BLACKFYRE

how mental is this man to actually name a pirate ship after targaryen bastards exiled to essos and was the general cause of MANY deaths and rebellions back home? pretty mental AND METAL. see, artem, he’s not a good man. he’s petty and he is exacting. first thing he did once he got his ship? asked his bestie akhil to make them a flag that had the skull logo, sailed just by the coast of the crownlands in midday, and made sure that House Rykker sees him. man’s unhinged.

anywaaaay, thats his BG. now lets get to the juicy stuff

PERSONALITY: He’s a Scorpio, sorry.  ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

FUN FACT:

His two biggest crimes in Westeros are, of course, the murder charges AND the violation of Guest Right. Since he was under House Rykker’s lands and roof, having murdered a member of their family during his stay, he become known as god-spited. The Gods supposedly h8 him, who knows.  

He wears an eye patch over one eye after it was injured in a fight. He can still through both of his eyes, but his left eye has gotten very sensitive to light that it hurts him.

He has very dark purple eyes that almost look like black

His flag/sigil looks like this ( X ) - hot, we know (thank u akhil @crwyn​ <3)

He has about 5 ships in his fleet

His KD ratio is really good - seeing has he’s still alive and most ppl he’s fought have been RIP’d. 

CONNECTIONS: 

Someone who hates him, preferably related to House Rykker or a maritime House his fleet has invaded

Baddie Buddies - we’re bad and we’re good at it yay!

Former Lovers - he’s kind of a h0e, non-gender specific; he loves all

Essosi Connections (h0t & sexc)

“““Trading”““ Associates - your muse needs smth from the literal ends of the word? Aight,  Artem’s gotchu

[thebluestbluewords]

HEIST HEIST HEIST

I saw this post today and got inspired, SO here is Descendants Could Have Been A Heist Movie, thebluestbluewords take :

(this is very much an outline and not a full fic yet, but I might yet write this someday)

Taking this whole heist movie idea very seriously, this would be (and might yet be if I have the time for it) a fic about how the first Descendants movie would have gone if it had been a heist movie, rather than a fairytale.

The main plot of the movie is no longer about learning to choose good and seeing that kids don’t have to follow in the footsteps of their parents- it’s now a high school political intrigue about stealing a wand.

(don’t worry about the larger themes there- the wand might be stolen for many self-serving reasons that go beyond 'doing what their parents say'. Maybe they’re stealing it to make a larger statement about opening the isle. Or about how treating villains as villains is wrong and they deserve trust because it makes things so much more fun for them in the long run)

(can you tell I haven’t decided on the overall tone of this AU yet lmao)

The story starts when the VKs are being told to get the wand, hand it over, it’ll be easy.

Sure, they say.

Sounds great, they say.

Give us your spellbook and magic mirror and whatever else you’ve got to give, and we absolutely won’t use them to betray you and open the isle on our own terms, they don’t say.

(this story ends before we get to that point, but the implication is there)

The kids arrive in Auradon, as in canon.

Unlike canon, they don’t immediately go for a break-and-enter approach to the museum, because if they’re going to heist this, they’re going to do it right. A good heist takes planning, and patience, and research.

What they do is wait until the weekend, and then inform the school admin that they want to get to know the culture of Auradon.

The museum seems like a great place to start, Evie says earnestly.

We didn’t have anything like it back on the Isle, adds Mal. It would be such a good learning opportunity for us.

And we could see the town. And the candy store. Say the boys.

The school admin caves, because it would be wrong to deny these kids a chance to get to know this history of goodness! They’re just teenagers, and they’ve been doing so well with their first week, and of course they can go into town, do they want a school car to drop them off?

They do not.

The museum is kind of a bust. They spend some time scoping out the security, but they’ve had a whole week to magically-google everything they can about this place, and it’s not much of a surprise that there’s a functionally unbreakable magical alarm system set up around all of the objects.

Time to reassess the plan.

(this is where the political intrigue comes in)

Ben is still a Fundamentally Decent (if slightly boring) guy in this.

Of course, he’s also the one on the line if this whole villainy exchange program goes wrong. It shouldn’t be a surprise that he would come to check up on his flagship students after they have a day out exploring the town.

Oho, Mal thinks. Here’s something they can work with.

Ben is sweet. He’s not terribly interesting, at least at first, but he seems like a guy who genuinely cares about the idea of bringing villain kids over, and can probably be manipulated to their purposes without too much effort.

So the VKs think over their potential plans to get the wand, and decide that yeah, if they can get an in with the future king of Auradon, that’s probably a pretty solid place to start.

Unfortunately, they decide to start this attempt by blatantly flirting.

Audrey is very much a political presence in this fic. She’s not evil by any means, but she is goal oriented and doesn’t necessarily love the idea of VKs coming in and altering her five year plan for herself and her boyfriend.

(I think Aurdey is an interesting character, and I wish she’d been given some better motivations in the first movie beyond ‘mean girl in a high school movie’. So in this fic, where they do still crown the incoming royalty at sixteen, they also believe in setting up children for advantageous marriages. Audrey and Ben have been pushed at each other since they were kids, and yeah, maybe there’s not a lot of actual love between them, but they’re friends and it’s way easier to just date each other and make their parents happy than refuse and risk losing the sway they get with their parents by being the good little obedient golden children who are happy to be put together if it’s what’s best for the future of the realm.)

The point of this is, the VKs send Mal in with her very best flirting, taught to her by Evie in a truly hopeless training montage, and it just-

Fails. Completely.

And now Audrey sort of hates them.

Great.

The other unfortunate piece of this heist is that the relationships between the co-conspirators, the core four, are….somewhat intense. Charged, if you will, with a certain kind of tension.

I’m not saying that Malvie hook up in their pink princess dorm room on the first night and then don’t talk about it for the rest of the story despite blatantly flirting with each other all the time, but yeah actually that might be what I’m saying.

This is the middle of the fic now, and there’s some kind of political drama that leads to the VKs finding out about the coronation.

Maybe it’s teammate bonding, because I think it’s tragically underutilized that Ben and Jay are canonically both sports bros and I want more of that sweet high school sports team drama content.

The point is, they find out about the coronation, and that the wand will be out and about during that day.

Oho, they say. An opportunity.

Building on the sports bros theme, Lonnie gets to be in this story! She’s a cool character and I have a couple of unfinished ideas for her kicking around my fic drive, so she’s going to be here too.

Lonnie finds the VKs in a somewhat compromising state of planning.

Uh, what the fuck is this, she says.

What do you THINK, says Mal, who is not known for keeping her mouth shut.

Looks like...some kind of statement that you’re going to make during the coronation, says Lonnie, who is a nice person and also didn’t hear/see all that much of the planning before she was noticed. (as I’m typing this up I am also remembering the School of Secrets shorts?? Lonnie is absolutely going in this fic as someone who spies on her new friends. It’s almost like canon. She’s the daughter of Mulan. She can sneak when she wants to)

Yes. Exactly. A peaceful political statement, says Evie, who is often a quicker thinker than the others. We are going to… sit at the front in protest. Of how we have been treated. As villains. We deserve the same respect as other students, regardless of who our parents are.

Lonnie is surprisingly on board with this, because honestly, based on some of her costume choices in d1, magical disney utopias seem to be overwhelmingly white for the most part and do not know how to support their international students very well.

(am I still mad about the awful dress she was wearing during the family day scene?? yes.)

So now they have Lonnie on board with their made-up protest plan, and they’ve got Ben and Jay being… actually bros, weirdly enough, and somehow there’s got to be high school political intrigue that I haven’t thought through yet (maybe a group who doesn’t approve of the villainy exchange program is trying to get Ben declared unfit?? Idk. Maybe it’s just different mini kingdoms angling for a good position, and it matters Very Deeply who sits where at the coronation and it’s a whole deal. That one probably works a bit better.) and it’s altogether getting Pretty Far Into Things.

Family day isn’t a big conflict in this AU, because the VKs don’t really care about the whole family gathering and party business without Mal being involved with Ben. They decide to have a chill time hanging out and plotting their heist instead. The wand is going to be taken out before the coronation, but rather than try and grab it in the middle of things, it’s got to be easier to grab it right before or after, while it’s in transport.

They have multiple people who can pick locks. People who can charm guards into letting their guard down for a bit. Ways of getting around even electronic lock systems, given some time.

They hang around the classroom a bit longer after their parent phone call, and get to talking with Fairy Godmother about how maybe, possibly, they could get a real place up at the front during the coronation. It’s a good distraction, and hearing more about the logistics of how things are going to go on the day itself is a perfect segue into asking more about the objects that are used during the coronation. It’s important to understand their new home! No other reason they’d want to know about the history and powers of her wand.

No other reason at all.

They learn that the wand is going into secure storage in Fairy Godmother’s office for the day before the ceremony. Of course, it’s going to be safe enough there. The magical wards at the museum are mostly there in case of emergency, and they’re really more about making sure none of the objects get damaged than they are about theft.

There are no more villains in Auradon, after all.

All things considered, it’s shockingly easy to break into Fairy Godmother’s office the night before the coronation. The wand is in a safe with some magic barriers around it, but Mal has her mother’s spellbook, and Evie has a magic mirror that can look up the answer to pretty much anything they ask, so it’s short work for a pair of magic users who have been practicing their spellwork since they day they left the isle to break the temporary barriers down.

There’s a regular human lock as well, and they give that one to Jay. He’s their lockpicking expert, after all.

And there it is.

Mal grabs the wand. There’s a surge of magical energy up through her hand, burning everywhere she’s touching the silvery metal, but in a way that feels like strength.

And all hell breaks loose.

[votederpycausemufins]

more content for the SF series! (since the first one was Summoning Family and now it's Surprisingly Familiar). i can't believe it's chapter 5. and i'm not sure if i mean can't believe it's only ch. 5, or already ch. 5. you know, both is good!

Edit: iforgottotagpeople iforgottotagpeople iforgottotagpeople!!! @petrichormeraki and @helleborusangel forgive meeeee

“Let me take care of one thing before we explore the rest of the server.” Sense spoke up, Grian only half paying attention. “You can explore as you see fit, but I wouldn’t wander too far.”

As the redstoner walked away, Grian went the other direction for a few steps before stopping. “Are you going to keep following me around or what?” There was no immediate answer, but then someone appeared near Grian.

“Well, you look different than before.” Came an echoey voice from the figure who was greyed out and transparent. “What happened?”

“I’m from the past, but not the past here, so I’m not going to be able to fix whatever is wrong with you.” Grian replied, crossing his arms. It had already been explained that Grifter went looking for a new dimension to find alternate versions of his family since apparently the real versions weren’t the best. Grian didn’t fully believe it at this point, but Sense said Grifter would bring back some proof, which was a little worrying.

“There’s nothing you need to fix for me.” The ghost, because that’s all it could be, responded. “There is no business I have unfinished that you could finish for me. And that’s fine with me. It means I can help and explore with little worry, though I do like this castle.”

“Right.” Grian responded, unsure how to feel about the ghost. He already dealt with a few at school, some better than others, so he wasn’t exactly sure how this one would act. “Well, I would like if you stopped following me around.”

“Alright Grifter.” The ghost replied, and then left, going down a hallway before disappearing. Even with them gone, Grian still felt on edge, so he didn’t go far, just going back to where he had been left. When Sense did finally come back, Grifter was with him again, which finally helped Grian feel a bit safer again.

“Alright, so, I’ve talked with a few people to make sure they don’t cause problems as well as pick up some papers with information you might want to know. And you don’t need to worry about it getting damaged because it’s magically protected.”

“Your magic, or other Listeners?” Grian asked, which surprised Grifter. He looked over to Sense who didn’t look as concerned and quickly explained.

“I gave Grian a quick tour of the castle and explained some things along the way. About the magic from being a Listener. How Grian may still have magic but is also still considered in-training so his magic is much weaker. How you came here trying to dimension hop for Taurtis again and how that went. Things like that.”

Grifter smiled and gave Sense a kiss, which he used to quietly whisper a message to him. He then pulled back and made sure Grian definitely heard him the second time he spoke to keep up appearances. “Thank you. And he took it well? I mean… I- he does look a little…”

Grian crossed his arms. “I’m fine. I’ve got the basics which is already pretty helpful. If I can learn how to use magic, I might be able to use that when I go back and save Taurtis since obviously new dimensions are off the table again.”

Grifter raised an eyebrow and Sense elaborated. “So far he’s only hopped once and got rid of their second universe versions.”

“It would be complicated if there were two of us. I mean, it’s already complicated enough with you and me and we look pretty different, what with you being older and all.”

“Yeah, same sentiment when I got here.” Grifter agreed. “Essentially this place is all flipped around. I mean, dad here is Death instead of mom, the Sam here was good, The me- you- us here was like some sort of god and got imprisoned. Stuff like that. People see me and think I’m the one that got imprisoned, so they used his name for me, and I mean, it’s pretty close to Grian.”

“You really don’t mind?” Grian asked, making Grifter shrug.

“Well, either way the nickname is Gri, so I don’t mind too terribly much. And it’s better than… you know.”

Grian shuddered a little before Grifter started leading them all away, putting the small stack of papers he had into a bag and giving the bag to Grian. The teen took the bag and opened it up to look inside, finding the newly added papers as well as a bunch of pink things. Pulling one out, Grian was surprised to find it was a sword, and another a shovel. He put those back in and then pulled out some yellow carrots, which seemed to glitter as he held them in the light. “What is all of this?”

Grifter turned around to face Grian, walking backwards a few steps to see what was being talked about. “Oh, that’s a bunch of starter gear. I mean, normally it would be iron, but I doubt you wanted that, and I’m sort of in charge around here - long story - so I upgraded you to aetherite which is as good as you can get here. You’ve got a sword, pick, axe, shovel, and a full set of armor. I’ve also given you golden carrots and plenty of steak so you won’t be hurting for food. Also there’s a crossbow and plenty of stuff to load it with, like arrows, darts and fireworks.”

Grian nodded slowly, looking through the bag again. “Okay, can I like… get trained how to use these? I mean I sort of know how to use this stuff from, you know. But I mean, can I get a gun or something?”

“Oh of course!” Sense was the one to reply, putting down a shulker box. “What type are you after? Standard or more upgraded?”

“Handgun with plenty of ammo before reloading sounds best.” Grian said, looking into the box. Sense helped him find one that fit what he liked as well as ammo that matched, and then it went in the bag.

“I still think you should train with the other weapons to be safe, but gun still is better than umbrella.” Grifter commented, getting a look from Grian before he confirmed that, yes, someone’s main weapon of choice around there was an umbrella.

“Alright, now that you’re geared up, let’s get on with a proper tour!”

.

.

.

A good sized team entered into Helscraft, consisting of Mumbo, Grum (Jrum wanted to stay behind and watch Kokatori, but Mumbo thought it might also be some fear of getting stranded again), Doc, Tommy, Phil, Xisuma, and Paul. Wilbur and Techno also tagged along when they heard the news, refusing to let their brother disappear again. More of the hermits wanted to go, but with the two triplets refusing to take no for an answer and Xisuma not wanting to take too many people to hels at once, they didn’t really have room.

Xisuma attempted to get all of them to the main spawn island for the world, but that didn’t quite work out with everyone except him arriving there. That was soon followed by Grum taking charge and leading them through the world and to the foot of a black and yellow building, which he knocked on the door of.

A few minutes later, the doors finally opened to someone in dark red armor and a helmet with a much more standard design. “What do you want? I’m in the middle of something.” The person said, looking just at Grum at first. “Oh, it’s you. If NPG isn’t at home, he’s probably-”

“No. We need Xisuma back.” Grum spoke up, and this time the person looked up at the rest of the group and sighed.

“Honestly, I finally got him back here again and you’ve got to take him away immediately? Here I thought it was finally something to improve this… horrid week. What do you need him for anyway? Isn’t he just a chauffeur or whatever?”

Tommy was the first to respond, pushing to the front of the group. “Look bitch, we don’t want to deal with any more shit right now. Just hand over him and Grian so we can leave.”

Though the red tinted visor, Tommy could just barely see the hels admin raise an eyebrow. “Grian? My brother is the only one here from wels not in your group.”

“Wrong answer fucker! We know that Gr-” Tommy was cut off as something lowered from the ceiling. Everyone stared as a pink worm on a string descended from somewhere inside the door. It had yellow paper cutouts of a mask, cape and M decorating it, and it kept getting lower until it was eye level with Evil Xisuma, then lightly bonked against his helmet a few times.

The way the hels admin slumped slightly and his eyes stared back just showing how done he was with everything. “Would you excuse me for just one second?” He said, and then the worm started to go back up before EX grabbed it, trapping it in a fist, then yanking down, someone falling from the ceiling a moment later. “Get out of my house Phedaz.”

The helsmit with dark blue hair, matching pale blue skin that faded to black on his arms and pitch black eyes picked up the discarded worm on a string before scuttling off through the door on all fours, racing past the team after Grian. “What the fuck was that?!”

“Phedaz.” EX said in a bored and defeated tone. “He’s been doing that all week. I just wanted to torture my brother a little to blow off some steam, is that too much to ask?”

“When we’re looking for Grian, it really is.” Mumbo spoke up, making the Helsmit sigh.

“Well, Grian’s not here, only NPG. Not even Grifter is here, and he hasn’t been here for a day or two now. That being said, Sense did leave a few hours ago, likely to meet up with that bastard.”

“Okay, so where are they?” Paul spoke up, getting EX’s attention.

The hels admin stared at Paul before pulling out a potion of some sorts and chugging it. “I’m not sane enough for this right now. Go talk with Theseus will you? Come back here when you need to leave or whatever and I’ll let you have him.”

.

.

.

“Alright! And that’s about it for the tour!” Grifter said cheerily as he, Grian, Sense, and now the two hels bots arrived at the castle again. “Now as a reminder, you should do your best to stay away from any areas we did not tour just to be on the safe side. The one exception would be where Euro and Krys are staying, but it’s far enough away I wouldn’t bother, plus Silski always likes to visit and staying away from him in general is a good idea.”

Grifter was going to say more, but then Sense stopped walking. “Oh for fucks sake, he’s back.”

Grian looked over to where Sense was looking and saw someone vaguely familiar leaning against the castle wall. They wore a trench coat and a beanie that struggled to hold down their very puffy brown and grey hair and they also held a guitar, quietly strumming a few cords. “Hey, you’re back. Missed you at the show.”

Before Grian could ask any questions, Grifter stomped over to the person, followed by Sense who was getting out a weapon. “Off the property Wile.”

“Pay me.”

“I’m not paying you. Leave.”

The person, Wile, stared Grifter down for a few seconds before shrugging. “Nah, gotta pay me first. Anyway, here’s Wonderwall.” And he started to play the first few notes of a song. He didn’t get far though, because Sense walked up to him. He didn’t even use his weapon to attack, simply yanking the guitar from his hands and smashing it against the castle wall in one fluid motion.

Wile looked down at the broken pieces of his instrument for a moment before pulling out a second guitar and continuing the song. Sense yelled in frustration while Grifter pulled a few feathers out of his wings. Grian reacted more than his copy, wincing at what was likely painful, but the hels didn’t mind. He instead used the pulled feathers as knives, stabbing them into Wile until he dropped to the ground, dead.

“Oh my god! Is he dead?!” Grian yelled after the person didn’t move for a while.

“Yes and no.” Grifter replied, kicking the body to the side. “He respawns, it’s just his corpse stays with his shit in it. Seesee, would you be a dear?” Sense didn’t get a chance to react as Sefter walked up first and heaved the body over his head, then chucked it as far as he could away from the castle. “Hmm, well that works too I guess.”

Grian stared in the direction of Wile’s corpse before turning back to Grifter. “Who… Who was that?”

“Wile.” Grifter replied. “Essentially the Wilbur here. The only plus to him over Wil is that he mostly just sticks to L’Manberg.”

“Oh? Where’s that?” Grian asked. It wasn’t a place they really covered in the tour, but a few other countries had been mentioned.”

“Yeah, no. I don’t want you heading over there.” Grifter replied. “Sense, back me up here.”

Grian was a little surprised by Grifter calling the redstone by his name and not a nickname. “I know you said you’re… well you’re most likely over eighteen.”

“I am, but what does that have to do with it?” Grian asked, rolling his eyes slightly.

“L’Manberg’s a stripclub.”

That left Grian silent for a few seconds before he simply said, “Oh.”

“Well, now that things are awkward, I suppose you could meet some of the better parts of the family. They weren’t around for so long, they won’t be able to tell that past me isn’t past Grifter.”

“Who exactly is everyone here?” Grian asked, following Grifter as he started to walk off away from the castle again, Sense and the bots heading inside.

“Alright, I already covered Dad being Death.” Grifter started to explain. “Technically there’s another death which is his brother, but we don’t really cover him. Mom is named Krystina, or just Krys.” Grifter then gestured to where Wile’s body was thrown. “We already covered Wilbur and Wile. Instead of Techno, we have Euro, who mostly lives with Krys. Theseus is Tommy, and he’s moved elsewhere.”

“Why do I feel like there’s more?” Grian asked with slight hesitance.

Grifter shrugged. “Because there is. That’s just the bit you’re familiar with. Even though Wile’s a stripper, he is married to Sadie. Sadie has a kid named Fleur who’s a little older than you are right now. Krys also half adopted Silski, so technically that’s another sibling but I won’t count them. If you do want to, then they’re married and have a kid, but that’s not really important.”

“So… Sadie, Fleur, Silski, and two other people?” Grian asked, making sure he was following along. “Can I know their names just to be safe?”

“Yeah, sure, whatever. Silski’s married to this guy named Toob and they adopted a kid named Jane. Well, technically it’s ꄘ꒓ꂑꋫꁍꀭꆂ꒒ꁕ, but pronouncing that is a mess so they named her Jane instead.”

“Right… Do you have anywhere I can write this down?”

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.

After what happened with Tommy before, the entire group was ready to attack if need be. Paul was the one to knock on the throne room door, willing to be the first line of defense. There was no answer at first, but footsteps from behind the door had everyone put their guard up. They all waited with bated breath before finally the large doors opened, and then Grian poked his head out.

Mumbo, Tommy and Grum all quickly recognized that it wasn’t actually the missing hermit, but the others were too worried that they reacted too fast. “Oi Grian, what the fuck was all that mate?”

After a moment, NPG pulled themself out of the hug Phil had trapped them in. “I am sorry for the confusion. I am NPG, not Grian. You came here not too long ago.” The robot then looked over to Wilbur, Doc and Paul. “Though you did not visit and I have not met you in person before.”

Tommy quickly spoke up and introduced people. “That’s Wil, Doc, and this guy’s named Paul. Grian kinda got kidnapped, so we’re back here looking for him instead.”

“Oh no! Did you check your old server again just to be safe?”

“Grifter’s the bitch that kidnapped him.” Tommy said, crossing his arms. “If he’s there, I’ll eat my compass.”

NPG nodded, then went back into the throne room and the group could hear him talking to someone that had Tommy’s voice. They stood there listening until NPG finally shouted approval for the group to enter.

“Well this is a surprise. I didn’t expect to see any of you again that soon.” Theseus spoke from his throne. He still was wearing his mask that looked like Dream’s, which made Tommy shudder a little as well as had Grum hiding behind Mumbo. “So, you’re after my brother. Hah, good luck with that.”

“You better fucking tell us something bitch!”

Theseus didn’t immediately reply to Tommy’s shout, instead handing off a paper to NPG, who happily took it and ran off. “Look, I haven’t seen him since he dragged me back to Dad. Technically he’s been here, but just stayed away. He’s admin of my old world now, so he’s probably stuck there. Sense also left recently, so I would guess he’s there too.”

“So, You’re saying we need to go through another version of the smp to find Grian?” Techno was the one to ask. “Ours was already pretty rough, how bad is this one?”

“Your creeper friend there is supposed to be Prof, right?” Theseus asked, his visible eyebrow raising in question.

“Yeah… he is.” Grum answered, peeking out from behind Mumbo for a moment. “Why?”

“Has he ever built a prison?”

“Well, he built Area 77 if that counts.” Mumbo answered, but Theseus just rolled his eyes. “I’m guessing that doesn’t count.”

“Oh definitely not. If what NPG says is right, it let people waltz right in.”

“Those were guided tours, man.” Doc replied. “And that’s just recent. I’ve done plenty of defenses back when we had the mycelium war.”

“Ooh, ah, defenses.” Theseus deadpanned. “Get real. Those aren’t what I’m asking about.”

“He’s asking about The Perd.” Paul spoke up. “Which yeah, he mostly built that himself.”

Theseus smiled and nodded, while everyone else looked confused, except for Doc himself and also Phil, who just looked stunned. “Wait, he’s the guy who made The Perdit-”

“Hey man, you can’t just go throwing that name around.” Doc spoke up, cutting Phil off. “The less people know, the better.”

Phil gestured to Paul. “And so he knows about it, why?”

“I was one of the testers.” Paul responded. “Really think I can’t get out of that vault of yours now?”

“We’re getting off topic.” Wilbur was the one to speak up. “Since this creeper guy has made that prison thing, is that good or not?”

“Very good.” Theseus replied. “Prof had to trap Grifter when he wasn’t an admin, so imagine what he’s doing as admin. Having your version of Dad is going to be good, but one of him is also better. And I guess also this guy here is good to have too.” Theseus added, glancing at Paul.

“What can you tell us about your old world.” Mumbo asked. “I’m sure even those from our version will be a bit lost since I can hardly wrap my head around this one.”

“Oh I could tell you plenty. I could say every little detail I went through in my years there. I’m sure plenty of it would be repetitive though, and I don’t really know what’s the same and what’s different.” Theseus explained. “But I can tell you what I do know.”

“And what’s that?” Phil asked, hoping that looking like the Phil here would help things.

“Well, when I was in that other place, your respawns were a fucking mess. Technically three respawns but it always depended on some shitty admin’s code.” Theseus stood up to make a point. “Instead You always respawn as long as you’ve got a place to respawn to. But if someone finds your anchor and breaks it, well, I wouldn’t die if I were you. Technically, there was more to it so Nightmare could try to get around his own rules, but it obviously didn’t work.”

“Is that it?” Tommy asked. “Lives are just done differently?”

Theseus rolled his eyes before sharply turning his head towards Tommy. “Well excuse me. If you haven’t noticed, I’m not the fucking admin over there anymore, bitch. Neither is Nightmare. I only knew about you having fucked up lives because of that thing there!” And he gestured towards Grum. “I don’t know your lives. I don’t know your world. So I don’t know what to fucking tell you that’s going to fucking help. At this point, you’re likely to know more than me!”

Everything was silent other than Theseus’ heavy breathing from yelling until there was a creak from the door as NPG came back in. “Is everyone okay? Thee? Do you want me to get Rusty?”

Theseus was still quiet, though he straightened his posture and his mask, then spoke. “No. I think I’ll be fine. Can you take these guys to Xannes? I’m done dealing with them.”

“Okay! I can do that!” NPG replied, and then he was leading the group out, being helped by threats Theseus was giving the group under the robot’s nose.”

When they returned to the admin’s base, he was disappointed to see them back so soon, but did allow Xisuma out of his ‘torture chamber’ - if it could really be called that - and let him take the team of people to the NSMP.

Xisuma took them into the other world and was suddenly glad his helmet was a filter. Tommy pulled his bandanna over his nose after gagging at the smell of the place while everyone but two of them reacted similarly. Since they had been there before, Phil and Mumbo knew what to expect. Techno also knew, but his sense of smell was enhanced from being a hybrid, so it didn’t help. And then while Tommy had been in the group before, at that point he had been replaced by Theseus and never actually went into the NSMP.

Not wanting to stick around in one place, the group started travelling, hoping for some sort of landmark that was more than just rubble and possibly someone nice enough to help them out.

But back on Helscraft, Xannes was upset the moment the group was gone, and a moment after that, he sent himself to the palace to meet with Theseus. Lightning crackled around him in his rage, pushing aside anyone who even stepped in his line of sight.

“Theseus!” He shouted as the doors to the throne room were broken. “What the fuck did I just send them into?!”

Theseus looked up at the admin. “The NSMP. Why? Did you somehow not?”

“Something intercepted them. I mean, I tried hacking them through the whitelist, so it should have-”

“That place doesn’t have a white list last I checked.” Theseus said. “Nightmare never gave it one. He made access public. There was just a little… test of sorts to get through first.”

Xannes didn’t like the sound of that. “What kind of test?”

“One that I’m sure they’ll get through. The question is how long it will take them. If they’re lucky? Hmm, maybe a few days.”

Xannes didn’t bother listening to more as he followed along the group he just sent ahead of him. He ended up in the same place the group did, in the spawn of the DSMP. And if it weren’t for the fact that Xannes could feel his hacking powers get limited, he would have thought it was the regular world. “Fine. I guess we’re doing this all the hard way.”