#do NOT make fun of my spelling i draw at 2 in the morning or at work.

[scouting4love]

1 in the morning, no one up, usagi posting hours

[tswhiisftteedr]

Sleepover with a Queen! ☆ One Shot (Part 2 of ‘Hair Prank!’)

☆Dorm Leader!Vil Schoenheit x Choatic!Pomfiore Student!Female!Reader:

It has been 3 weeks since the kiss Vil’s room, the both of you had grown closer in that time, so he had proposed a sleepover to spend some more quality time together. And let’s just say you grew way closer by the end of the night…

Warnings: Mention of groin but in a non-sexual context, suggestive tones but nothing happens. Kissing, 1 or 2 swear words. Not proofread.

Ask: yahoo~ could I request the second chapter of the oneshot with vil? reader and he are having sleepover in his room? fluff and a lot silly reader's behaviour! pillow fight is an essential thing! she brings energy drinks and a lot of junk food🤭

Note: I didn’t think I would get asked for a part 2 honestly, but I’m very grateful for the detailed setting that I could draw inspiration from! This one shot is a bit more on the sentimental side. Also handrail is just when you slide/grind your skateboard downa stair rail.

| Part 1 | Part 2 |

☆ More under the cut. ☆

Tonight's the night of the sleepover, you could not wait to see what Vil has in plan for the both of you. It seems that the two of you have formed a strange relationship, yet it feels oddly nice. As you walk through the halls to reach your first period class, you can't help thinking about how you would spend the night in the same room you and Vil had shared a passion kiss 3 weeks ago. You have no idea just how much he has prepared for tonight.

You arrive with the junk food and energy drinks, and you see that Vil is still waiting for you.

His expression is one of anticipation, it seems like he's been looking forward to this as much as you did. He leans against the doorframe, playing with a strand of his hair as he gazes at you. Once he is faced to face with you, he smiles warmly, his tone taking on a flirty and playful tone. "Ah, there you are! How kind of you to bring the essentials. No party is complete without food and drinks, right?" He tells you.

“Yeah I couldn’t agree more! I also brought more ‘healthy’ option for energy drinks, so not to mess up your ‘super star’ diet too much.” You tease.

"Well, I wouldn't put it past you to try and sabotage my diet. I'm glad that you took the time to consider my health in the choices you made for our little party. Although, I must say that I'm more than happy to indulge myself in a few unhealthy snacks here and there, so don't worry about having to force your healthy options upon me." He comments sweetly.

“Than I’m glad, I won’t be the only one snacking away at the treats I brought after all!

Anyways you got anything particular for us to do tonight, you did say to leave all the planning to you?” You question excitedly.

"Hmmm, I did indeed say that I would take charge of the activities for this evening. And let me tell you, I have come up with quite the itinerary for us. We're going to have so much fun tonight that I have a feeling we may not even make it to bed by the end of the night." He says, with that suave voice of his, almost bewitching you. You honestly consider if ‘he did put a spell on me or is it just my imagination?’

Getting back on track with your playful persona, “Oh but isn’t that going to ruin your beauty sleep my Queen?” you ask mischievously to the beautiful man standing right before your eyes.

Vil stares at you with a smirk and raises an eyebrow. His expression is teasing and playful, his tone is full of humor. "Don't worry, I have no problem with missing a bit of my beauty sleep for one night, if it’s to have some fun with you. Besides, I'm more than confident that I'll look just as lovely in the morning. So, don't you concern your adorable self about it anymore."

“Alright whatever you say ‘dear’.” You say accentuating your last word to tease, as you pass by him, stepping into his room.

Vil's face full of amusement when he hears you emphasize the word "dear", he seems to enjoy it too much to say otherwise. He chuckles softly and follows you into his bedroom, the cheerful smile still plastered on his face.

He shuts the door behind himself, the sound of locks clicking fills the air. He seats on his big lavish bed, tapping against the cover gently signalling for you to take a seat beside him. His hands clasps in-front him to bring attention and a look of excitement on his face. "Well, in the first activity I have planned for us tonight, how about a little game... a classic really, Truth or dare?"

“Truth or dare, only at two people? Never done that before, but why not!” You did question it at first but you quickly came around the idea with your second sentence.

"Perfect! You go first. I'll be the one asking the questions. Would you prefer a truth or a dare?" Vil inquires from you.

“Then truth it is, I don’t want to be the first dare.” You tell him.

"Alright, truth. Let's start with something simple, just to warm up. What's the stupidest thing you have ever done in your life?" He asks, ready for a handful of a story from someone as chaotic and careless as you.

“Oh damn, um, probably was when I handrail 15 steps, even though I knew my board was in bad shape, like the type that is going to break soon. That did not end well, more precisely my board broke in half about three quarters down the rail.” You inform him, a bit bashful at telling about one of your mistake yourself instead of him figuring it out on his own.

Vil laughs quietly at your answer, a smirk forming on his lips. His tone is playful and teasing. “That's quite idiotic indeed. I'm sure that hurt like hell. Did you get injured?"

“Oh talk to me about it, the pain I got when my groin hit that stair rail could not be compair to any of scrapes I got my limbs that day.” You admit,

Vil's eyes widen slightly, though he still has the same tone of humor. His expression is surprised, but he can't help laughing a bit. "Goodness, that is really horrible. I assume you learned your lesson though, huh? Or are you still so reckless when skateboarding?"

“Well I sure as hell won’t go ever handrail with an almost broken board anymore. Never again.” You say a bit strongly the pain resurface from your memories, ‘Yeah never that again’.

Vil smirks when you say that, it seems like that little mishap that caused you so much pain was enough to teach you a lesson. He nods in approval, that was good to hear.

"Good to know you can grow up a little and learned your lesson. Now it's time for you to ask the next question."

“Okay then, truth or dare my grace?” You ask, almost getting used to calling him revering words, instead of just doing so to tease.

"Hmm... I choose dare darling" Vil answers, following your lead.

Vil's tone is calm and firm, as if he has his mind set on being able to handle whatever kind of dare you would dish at him. He leans against his bed frame, taking one of the sugary snacks you had brought along, his gaze is locked with yours as he munch on the treat. His mouth is curved into a devilish little grin as he watched pounder for a good challenge.

“Then.. I dare you to do your make up and post on your magicam story, but, you have to leave it unblended.” You dare him.

Vil's face is initially filled with a look of disbelief. He couldn't believe that you had the guts to ask him to do something like that, but he also had to hide his amusement. Vil's tone is still calm, but it's also laced with humor. "What? You want me to make myself look like a fool on social media, just for your own entertainment? What kind of a dare is that?"

“Well are you to scared to do it~” you playfully egg him on.

Vil's mouth curls up in a smug little grin, he seems amused to be called out. His tone is flirty, his expression mocking. "Is that so? You may believe that I'm too scared, but I'll gladly do this dare of yours and take my revenge on you later. I wonder if I'll get more embarrassing comments or compliments though..."

“Okay then, get on with it pretty boy!” you tell him.

Vil's grin only grows bigger as he moves over to where his desk is. He grabs his makeup set and starts pulling out the necessary materials. His tone is playful and mocking, though he still seems a tad bit hesitant. "Fine, if it means that I'm going to get back at you later for making me do this, I'm all for it. Just keep in mind that you're the one who asked for this in the first place. So no complaints."

“Don’t worry, I won’t~” you reply.

Vil snickers, he's getting excited to see the reaction of everyone when they see the outcome. But he wants to give you a good show. Vil goes over to the mirror to start applying his makeup, he doesn't even try very hard to make this look good. He does the bare minimum to apply the foundation, eyeshadow, blush, lip-stick and mascara. Though the end result is still sloppy and the blending is not present per your request, it is horrendous, Vil still has a playful grin on his face.

A couple minutes after posting…

Vil's fame has given the result he had expected from this dare, and now multiple people are commenting on his social media. The comments are filled with mockery and insults for Vil's sloppily done makeup. While Vil isn't offended by the insults, he can't help but find them humorous and is almost tempted to respond with some snarky retorts to make his audience laugh even more.

“Damn people are mean, didn’t expect to be that bad.” you say as you look at his phone over his shoulder.

Vil chuckles, he's glad to see that you're concerned for him, but he's not taking any of the insults seriously. One thing he's learned about fame and popularity is that there will always be people who want to tear you down or criticize your every move. Vil's tone remains flirty and smug, he still has a playful and teasing look on his face. "Relax, I'm not bothered by their comments. I'm used to it. Besides... I kind of invited it. I did look pretty foolish after all."

“Yeah but I still don’t like it, anyways your turn to ask me something. I pick truth by the way.” You tell him, grimacing at some of the nastier comments.

Vil nods his head in understanding, it's nice to see that you care so much. He smiles warmly at you and decides to ask you a question. His tone is still very flirty, the playfulness hasn't left his voice yet. "Okay, truth. I had a feeling I knew what you were going to pick already, and looks like I was correct. So, hat is your biggest weakness?"

“Your pretty face~” you tell the man beside you, but you quickly reflect and speak out a more profond answer. “Just kidding, honestly I would have to say the fact that I get into trouble too easily, sure it’s fun at first but sometimes I can really hurt others with my antics, I really don’t like it.” You tell Vil with a tone full of sincerity.

Vil grins mischievously, he can't help but find your first answer humorous as well. But when you deliver your second comment, Vil's expression softens slightly as he's surprised by your honesty. He nods his head in acknowledgment and smiles warmly. His tone is still playful as he chuckles, though now it's mixed with a little bit of flirtation. "Ahh, I see, I suppose that could be quite troublesome in some situations. So, you must get into trouble on a normal basis then?"

“I’m not the smartest, but I’m not dumb enough to admit something you don’t already know about dorm leader.” you tell him, like ‘hey I’m not on the same academic level as the housewardens, but I’m not stupid enough to tell you things so you can punish me.’

Vil giggles at your response, it seems like you're not the type to admit your past shenanigans that easily. Of course, he is your dorm leader and he has probably seen some of your antics. Vil's tone shifts slightly where it now has a flirtacious quality to it in addition to the friendly teasing. "That's fair enough. But I have to say, despite your mischief, you are still quite a charming person. So I'm sure you can just charm your way out of any trouble that you get yourself into, right?"

“Oh shush, the sugar from the snacks are making you delirious. Anywho truth or dare?” You play off his compliment, trying not to think about too hard.

Vil's eyebrows raise in amusement as he laughs a bit at your response. The flirtatious tone still lingers in his voice. "Oh, so you think it must be the sugar from the snacks? Hmm, guess we'll find out how correct your assessment of the situation is. You’ll be the one asking now. And I choose truth again."

You wanted to keep things playful, truly. But ever since the kissed that took place in this very same room… you couldn’t help but see Vil in a new light, feeling a bit insecure about his opinion of you.

“Do you actually like spending time with me? Like are you just doing it for the sake of our friendship, to keep things between us amical so I don’t cause you more trouble?” You ask softly, avoiding eye contact after such a vulnerable question.

Vil's gaze narrows slightly upon hearing your question, he's not sure how you want him to answer. But after a moment of hesitation, Vil shakes his head. There's no way he would let you doubt his intentions. "Of course I enjoy spending time with you. I think you're quite an amusing person, and I always look forward to having conversations about anything and everything with you. I believe that our friendship is quite genuine, and of course I'd never want you to just cause me more trouble. So relax... there's no need to doubt me."

“Oh alright, thanks… anyways I pick truth again.” You tell him, hopping the fact you were flustered at the sweet and honest reply, didn’t show in your voice.

After a moment of thought, the corners of his mouth curl up in a playful grin. “Hmm, truth, huh? What a predictable outcome," He teases.

“Alright then, my sweet y/n are you interested in me, as in ‘is the kiss from last time a one time thing or did it mean more to you?” He asks you leaning forward, barely closing the distance.

Obviously you deny as a first instinct, fight or flight type of thing.

Vil chuckles again, he finds this rather amusing. Your attempts to hide your feelings are quite easy to see through. The truth is clear, you are obviously attracted to him, at least to some extent. Vil stares at you for a moment, letting the tension build before letting out a teasing groan and leaning back against the bed frame once more. There’s no need for you to say that you’re attracted to him bluntly, when you are so obvious about it. A slight grin plays on his lips as he teases you further. "Oh come on, you know you are into me.."

“Your so vain my Queen, but.. I mean our kiss, it’s not something I would mind doing again” you begin,

“Is that so?” The actor inquires.

“Yeah, um- so truth or dare?” You ask, trying to change the subject.

“Truth.”

“Are you truly attracted to me, or was the kissed we share last time just a thing of the moment?” You ask, basically reworking his his question, like you would do with a thesis statement when writing a conclusion.

“Wasn’t that my question?”

“Well we never agree not to repeat questions,” you point out.

“Alright then. To answer your question, yes I am truly attracted to the chaotic, annoying, and wonderful person sitting in front of me.” He admits to you, with a now sweet smile plastered on his face.

Did Vil start crushing on you about the same time you started crushing on him, yes. Was he going to tell if you didn’t ask him even though he asked you, also yes. If you want an answer out of a Queen like Vil Schoenheit, you had to work for it. Or at least be brave enough to ask in your case.

“Oh, that’s good to hear.” You say shortly.

“Is that all?” he teases.

“Yes, Truth or dare?” You were persistent on not underlining the fact you liked him too much.

“And I thought we were getting sentimental in here, boo hoo, crossing you out Y/N.” He said with a crossing motion from his right hand following it. “Anyways dare.”

“Well since we’ll since you’re into me, and gracious am I.” ‘fuck, I’m starting to sound like Crowley.’ “ I therefore dare you to kiss me.. please.”

Vil looks at you, a mischievous smile playing on his lips. He leans in closer, his voice low and seductive. "Well, since you asked so nicely, how could I refuse?" He closes the distance between you, capturing your lips in a passionate kiss.

This kiss felt different from your first shared one, this one felt romantic not just a way to blow some steam.

Once you part lips, you stay slightly dazed, that is until you feel one of Vil’s silk cover pillows hit you square in the face.

The room soon fills with the sound of a pillow hitting the wall as the two of you engage in a playful and energetic pillow fight. Some of the horrible make-up Vil was wearing stained the pillow covers of the ones that actually managed to hit him. Laughter in the air as you both enjoy the silly and lighthearted moment together. And creating memories that will last a lifetime.

As the pillow fight comes to an end, you find yourself lying on Vil's bed together, catching your breath and enjoying the moment.

“What next?” You ask.

The night continued, you had moved on to the next activity which was a couple rounds of ‘Last one’ which was this world’s version of uno and a game that was similar to monopoly.

Than you moved on to movies, Vil had picked out quite a couple that you both enjoyed. But you had insisted on watching one more movie, one he starred in, due to the lack of his appearance in the previous ones.

And honestly, you knew he was famous, but damn, his acting was wonderful, you almost cried at the simple romcom which in he was the male lead.

After watching it, you were both too tired to keep going. So after finishing your skincare routines, with the mandatory silly face selfies with the moisturizing masks on, you layed done on Vil’s Alaskan King bed.

Then…

“Do to think you would be interested in going out with me?” you ask, turning to your side to fully look at him.

His gaze meets yours, and there's a spark of something way past friendship in his eyes. He takes a moment to gather his thoughts before speaking.

"Actually, I've been wanting to ask you the same thing. I've enjoyed every moment we've spent together, and I can't help but feel a strong connection between us. So, yes, I would love to go out with you." His voice is filled with sincerity and a hint of nervousness, waiting for your response.

“Well I can assure you I feel the same.” You tell him now looking up at the ceiling.

He then grabs your face softly and placed a peck on your lips. “That’s marvellous.”

Then you both giggle…

Come the next day,

You had woken up later then Vil, he was probably already at breakfast. Meanwhile the disturbance that brought back from dreamland to the real world was still persisting.

So you stood up from your spot on the large bed, and a grab of your phone only to see the flooding of teasing text from your friends on magicam, multiple had linked a singular post. Of course you clicked on it, and lo and behold. It was a picture of you, with lipstick very much so overly lined, in addition both of your eyelids were covered in a mush of purple and black eyeshadow.

You opened your camera app for a second, only to see that the distasteful make up was still on.

You quickly checked who was the poster behind that atrocity, and as expected it was Vil. Mister Vil Schoenheit had posted a picture of you in a horrendous state to his magicam, one followed by over a million of people.

‘But hey, at least the caption was sweet.’ At the bottom of the photo you could see ‘My girlfriend’ written, followed by a couple of heart emojis.

Well he did say he would get his revenge…

Thanks @bananaseq for requesting!

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[pale-opal]

I Listened to "The Wisdom Saga" and I Have Some Thoughts - Part 2

This is the sequel to this post. I will be picking up right where I left off, starting with:

4. Love in Paradise - I feel as if I've been tricked, been backstabbed, and quite possibly, bamboozled. - I came into this expecting unrequited-love related hijinks. - Do you wanna know what I got instead? - The most emotionally taxing song in the entire freaking saga. - I have listened to this song several times and so far, every time it ends I feel sad. But when the song starts, you have no idea what you're in for. - "Love in Paradise"? More like "Suffering in Paradise" (/j). - We begin with a medley of some of the most iconic songs from past sagas, starting with "Remember Them" from "The Cyclops Saga". After that point, the rest of the songs go by quickly, with Athena speedrunning through a montage of Odysseus' past up until his current point. The remaining songs in the medley are:

Keep Your Friends Close

Ruthlessness (I love how this song was changed for the medley, by the way. The faster tempo puts more emphasis on the drums and I think that's so fun)

Done For

No Longer You

Different Beast

Scylla

Thunder Bringer

- Afterwards, Athena finds out where Odysseus has been for the past seven years: the ✨Isle of Calypso!✨ - He is not okay. - We will get to that shortly. - For now, Calypso has decided to wake Odysseus up:

"[CALYPSO] Morning, sleepyhead You've been resting for a while I swore that you were dead When you washed up on my isle Did you know you talk in your sleep? Tell me, though, who's Penelope?

[ODYSSEUS] She's my wife" - This man just woke up from being knocked out cold, and the first thing he does is talk about his wife. - I know that he was asked who she was, but one would expect him to be like: "She's my wife - where am I?/How'd I get here?/Who are you?" - But, no. He just says "She's my wife" and leaves it at that. He couldn't care less about everything else at this point. - This does not stop Calypso from ignoring this and acting like her and Odysseus are newlyweds, however. - And I just want to take a second to talk about these lyrics:

"[ODYSSEUS] I'm not your man

[CALYPSO] I'm what you want here I'm what you need here Just you and me, my love in paradise Now 'til the end of time From here on out, you're mine, all mine" - "I'm not your man" is sung the same way as "I'm just a man", which means that Odysseus is saying: "Just because I'm a man, that doesn't mean I'm a free piece of meat for you to make out with." - Meanwhile, Calypso is NOT listening. She is thoroughly convinced that she and Odysseus are in-love with each other, and that they're basically already married. - I would like to bring up that in Greek mythology, Apollo and Calypso are husband and wife. And we know that Apollo is part of the "Epic" canon, because he appears in the next song. From this, we can draw two potential conclusions:

Apollo and Calypso are not married in "Epic", either because they haven't met, or because they are divorced.

Apollo and Calypso ARE married, BUT Apollo doesn't visit his wife... for some reason.

- Odyessus decides to try to get Calypso off his back by threatening her with death, but she deflects this by revealing that she can't kill her, because she's a goddess:

"[CALYPSO] You're adorable Bow down now to the immortal Calypso, here to entertain But fear not, I bring no pain ... Under my spell, we're stuck in paradise No one can come nor go, my island stays unknown" - Calypso going from flirting with Odysseus to mockingly calling him "adorable" and telling him to bow to her actually works really well. Sure, she's in "love" with him, but she's still a goddess, and Odysseus is still a mortal man that just threatened to kill her. To her, she has to put him in his place, regardless of whether or not he's the "love of her life". - "I bring no pain" is really ironic, considering how much Odysseus does NOT want to be on this island with this woman. - I also find it interesting how Calypso and Circe both have similar things going on with the whole "secluded secret islands in the middle of the ocean" thing. Not only that, but they both had a thing for Odysseus. - Also, the line about the spell Calypso put on the island works as an explanation for why she instantly "fell in love" with Odysseus: she's lonely! - Now then: is this an excuse for what she's doing here? No. The buck stops at it being an explanation - everyone experiences loneliness, and a lot of people do some weird and not always understandable things because of it. But usually, those things don't involve ignoring other people's boundaries and forcing them to accept your company. Relationships are a two-way street, and if someone doesn't want to meet you in the middle, then that's their choice. You need to know when to back off and let it go. - After Calypso reveals who she is and that it isn't really possible for Odysseus to leave the island, he starts to panic (the way the line "No, no" is sung really sells this). - At this point, I have to provide a content warning for implications of attempted suicide, and discussion of PTSD, due to the subject matter the rest of the song deals with. If you don't want to read my analysis of the lyrics dealing with that material, please skip to the section for "God Games", or click off of this post. Your mental health is much more important than some silly essay about some random people from Greek mythology. - Furthermore, if you feel that you or someone else may need help dealing with suicidal thoughts, please contact the national suicide hotline (United States) at 1-800-273-TALK, or the national crisis hotline at 988. - Lastly, I am not a psychologist, nor am I anyone else qualified to be giving medical assistance or help with mental health. Therefore, treat anything I say in relation to mental health with skepticism, and do not use it as a substitute for real medical advice.

Now let us continue:

"[ATHENA] Seven years, she's kept you trapped, out of your control Time can take a heavy toll...

[ODYSSEUS] All I hear are screams

[CALYPSO, spoken] Ody, get away from the ledge!

[ODYSSEUS] You don't know what I've gone through You don't know what I've sacrificed Every comrade I long knew Every friend, I saw them die And all I hear are screams"

- For some reason, I didn't see Odysseus developing post-traumatic stress disorder coming sooner. I suppose that's because he was in "the thick of it" for so long. - PTSD tends to show itself after a person experiences trauma, and is being reacclimated to a safe environment/the feeling of safety (however, it's not impossible for people to experience PTSD while in the midst of a traumatic experience, specifically if that experience takes place over an extended period of time. One example of this is how some soldiers who served in the Vietnam War showed symptoms of what was once called "shell shock" while they were still serving, with one of the most prominent signs being the "one-hundred yard stare" (which we now recognize as a form of disassociation)). - I also didn't expect Odysseus wanting to kill himself. He's reached the point where he just wants to be done. It's not even about Penelope anymore. He's just... tired. So tired that he's forgotten why he let himself go through all that suffering to begin with. - Calypso telling Odysseus that "life would be so much worse/if you had died" and telling her to stay in her "open arms" absolutely hurts, especially since he wants absolutely nothing to do with her. - Odysseus desperately screaming for Athena at the end just makes the whole thing worse.

5. God Games - This is arguably the song that had the most hype before its release. It had a bunch of animatics on YouTube back when all we really had to work with were a few snippets, and that hype stuck around for almost a full year. - And after listening to the song, it's easy for me to say that the hype was definitely deserved. - Another thing that I would like to say is that this song has a really fast pace. At first, I thought this made the song feel rushed, but then I realized something: that's the point. Mr. Rivera-Herrans has stated on multiple occasions that "Epic" takes inspiration from video games. With that in mind, considering how each of the gods has their own themes, as well as how fast the song is, it makes it clear that this song is meant to be a boss rush. The song goes fast because it HAS to. There's no time to be dragging out each debate, because Athena has to make sure she's ready for the next one. - On that note, "Love in Paradise" feels like a cutscene that takes place when "switching characters" over to Athena from Telemachus. - The first verse starts us off with Athena making it clear as to why she was considered to be Zeus' daughter in the Greek canon: "Father, God King Rarely do I ask for favors Now, I'm knocking on your door With hopes to save a friendship with one who's a prisoner far from home Odysseus"

- I did not expect Athena to be sucking up to anybody, but considering how egotistical Zeus is (ironic, considering how "Thunder Bringer" implies that he doesn't have any patience for hubris), this is most likely the best move she could have made. - I also noticed an interesting change that was made in the final cut of the song in comparison to the snippets: originally, Zeus tells Athena to convince Apollo, Hephaestus, Aphrodite, Ares, Hera, and him to set Odysseus free. However, in this version, he tells her to choose between persuading the aforementioned gods or him. Athena picks what is arguably the harder option. Keep this in mind. It will be important later. - The first god Athena has to go up against is Apollo: "You all know I'm a fan of catchy songs So with so many sirens gone, I think Ody's in the wrong" - Right off the bat, I was not expecting Apollo to lowkey sound like a hipster. That's cool, though. It works. - I like how Apollo being troubled by the siren deaths that took place back in "Different Beast" isn't because he doesn't approve of the murders themselves, but because the sirens were good singers. - Fun fact about the sirens: initially in Greek mythology, they were large birds with the heads of women. However, as time passed, they became replaced with mermaid-like creatures. - Luckily, Athena knows exactly how respond to such weird logic: by telling him that this actually helps the remaining sirens to stick around to sing more songs later.

"They were trying to do him worse All he did was reimburse them Now they'll tread with caution first To live another day and sing another verse"

- Now it's time for Hephaestus (and did y'all know that he's voiced by Jorge's dad? Both of his parents have shown up in this musical in important supporting roles. I think that's neat): "Trust is not given, it's forged Why should I give him my support? He sacrificed his own cohorts" - Hephaestus valuing trust and being upset with Odysseus for being willing to sacrifice his own crew members to Scylla works out so well when you consider that Aphrodite is constantly cheating on him with Ares. Why they didn't get a divorce is beyond me. The ancient Greeks divorced each other quite often, and it was easy for men to leave their wives. And there's even a myth were Hephaestus catches Aphrodite with Ares. So... yeah. Leave her, Hephaestus. You can do better. "Did you forget they failed to listen? He was betrayed and then imprisoned But if you make the right decision He can still build a future with those who miss him"

- What Athena is essentially saying here is: "Yeah, he did sacrifice his own men. But then they turned around and betrayed him right back. Nobody was innocent in that situation. But if you let him go, he can redeem himself with the people he has left." - Hephaestus (albeit begrudgingly) agrees with this. And Aphrodite, fittingly enough, is opponent number three (3): "[APHRODITE] Your little high and mighty Odysseus Claims to love his mother But let her die of a broken heart

[ATHENA] He was busy fighting

[APHRODITE] More like busy spiting the cyclops Let him feel the pain that his mother felt and rot" - I think Aphrodite's reasoning is highly flawed. Yes, the latter ten (10) years of Odysseus being missing from Ithaca could have been avoided if he didn't do the equivalent of giving the cyclops his government name, legal address, and social security number. BUT. She's acting as if he strayed off the path on purpose. Not only that, but in "The Underworld", Odysseus' mom's part of the song is all about how she died chilling in her rocking chair, willing to wait for her son for as long as it took. If anything, she died of old age, not of a "broken heart" as Aphrodite claims. - Furthermore, the part of the crew members who died heavily implies that the consciousness' of the dead in the underworld are a mixture of their memories and how they felt when they died. Hence why the crew members are confused as to why Odysseus spared the cyclops and are able to quote "Ruthlessness", and why Polities (😿) is still trying to encourage Odysseus to live with "open arms". In other words? Homegirl was not depressed when she died. Her lyrics about how much she loves her son and how she doesn't mind waiting for him is a representation of how she felt in her last moments. - TL;DR: Aphrodite is either making stuff up, doesn't truly know what happened, or is manipulating the situation to make it hard for Athena to argue with her. Hence why Athena pulls her into quick-thought. However, now Athena has another problem to deal with: "[ARES] Really Athena? These old tricks?

[ATHENA, spoken] Ares!" - Here we have another change from the snippets. In the older draft, Athena sounded more like she was in pain due to Ares interfering with her powers, but now she just sounds angry. Angry that he's interfering. - Ares' argument goes like this:

"What kind of sick coward Holds back his power While his friends get devoured? He didn't even fight Scylla Didn't even try to kill her Hides inside a wooden horse to get the job done Never handles things upfront Pathetic and weak like his son" - Before I lay into Ares' logic, I would like to explain more ancient Greek lore: both Ares and Athena were believed to be gods of warfare (and Aphrodite may have been considered to be one at some point as well). However, they both dealt with different "facets" of warfare. Athena was also considered the goddess of wisdom, and she was more associated with the strategic, "honorable" parts of war. Meanwhile, Ares was in charge of the bloody, tragic parts of war (which meant that not a whole lot of Greeks worshipped him). With this in mind, Ares' stance on Odysseus' methods makes more sense. However. That doesn't mean his reasoning isn't extraordinarily unsound: 1. "...sick coward/Holds back his power/While his friends get devoured": Odysseus willingly gave his friends over to get eaten by Scylla. Ares makes it sound like he was cowering in a corner while his friends were dying. 2. "...didn't even fight Scylla/Didn't even try to kill her": How could he?! Scylla's body has six dog heads, hence the six torches. Each of those heads, along with Scylla herself, are absolutely massive. Not only that, but the heads are attached to tentacles, meaning that they're chilling in the water most of the time. If one wanted to attack the heads, they would have to wait until they came out - and in that case, the heads are getting ready to strike. Fighting Scylla would've been a death wish. If Odysseus tried to fight her, WAY more than six people would've died that day, and it's likely that NOBODY would've been getting out of that alive. What good would a bloody, violent battle be if it was all completely pointless? 3. "Hides inside a wooden horse to get the job done": Oh, yeah. As if the Trojans would've just let the men of Ithaca inside. They had to sneak in because Troy was a walled city. If they wanted to force their way in on foot, they would have to either break down the walls or knock down the door. And while doing something like that wouldn't be impossible, they would've been at risk of giving the Trojans enough time to gather a force to confront them once they got in, making the battle take way longer and have much more casualties on the side of the Ithacans than needed, and/or they would've had to face archers shooting at them from the walls. And it seems like it would be pretty hard to break into a city if you have to hold a shield above your head the whole time to keep yourself from getting killed. 4. "Never handles things up front": Convenient how Ares just ignores the Winion confrontation, the cyclops battle, as well as the confrontation with Circe. Odysseus has no problem directly dealing with people. He's just smart enough to not get himself killed. 5. "Pathetic and weak like his son": Telemachus was never taught how to fight. He and his mother have been trying to keep caring for the suitors from putting them into poverty and from forcing Penelope to marry one of them. They have bigger fish to fry than getting into fights for no good reason. Furthermore, the one time Telemachus did get into a fight, he did so willingly, even though he lacked combat experience and was going up against someone stronger than him. He wanted to keep his mother safe that much. And he didn't even mind losing. How Ares could think he is "pathetic" is beyond me. - And don't get me started on him calling Odysseus pathetic. Please. We would be here all day. - Athena also has some choice words for Ares and Aphrodite: "Hold your tongue now His son's my friend And tell your lover that a broken heart can mend You want more bloodshed? Then set him free To get back to his homestead, he'll make everybody bleed" - GET 'EM ATHENA. TELL 'EM. TELL THEM HOW WHACK THEY ARE. - Let's move on to Hera: "[HERA] So many heroes So many tales Give me one good reason why yours should prevail

[ATHENA] He’s got the mind of a genius

[HERA] Try harder.

[ATHENA] He’s pretty skilled with words

[HERA] You can do better than that!" - One thing that can be noticed right away is that unlike the other gods Athena has faced, Hera isn't concerned about Odysseus' actions - she care more about his character, who he is as a person. - And Athena, like the gaslight, gatekeep, girlboss she is, figures out what will convince Hera after a few tries: "[ATHENA] Never once has he cheated on his wife

[HERA, spoken] ...Release him." - Before "The Circe Saga" came out, I thought Athena was lying here. After all, in the original "Odyssey", Odysseus does cheat on his wife. Twice (that we know of), actually. First with Circe (for an entire YEAR), and again with Calypso (even though being trapped on that island made him depressed, he was not above sleeping with her). - I am so glad that Jay cut both of those plotlines. While the ancient Greeks might have considered Odysseus to still be faithful, modern audiences would have had trouble buying that idea. - Furthermore, telling Hera that Odysseus never cheated on Penelope works for two reasons: 1. Hera was seen as the goddess of marriage. 2. Zeus cheated on Hera with a LOT of women, and has a LOT of illegitimate children. Hera has tried to kill some of them (see: The Labors of Heracles/Hercules) (with that said, I think its sweet how Hera's encouraging Athena instead of antagonizing her, since she's also an illegitimate child of Zeus'). - And would you look at that! Athena did it! She completed the task. Now let's see how Zeus reacts... "[ATHENA, spoken] I've played your game and won! Release him!

[ZEUS] You dare to defy me?! To make me feel shame?! No one beats me, NO ONE WINS MY GAME! THUNDER, BRING HER THROUGH THE WRINGER! SHOW HER I'M THE JUDGEMENT CALL, THE ONE WHO MAKES HER KINGDOM FALL!"

- Zeus responds to being beaten by striking his favorite daughter with lightning. - The question is: why?! She did what she was told, and she didn't cheat. Did he not expect her to win? Did he really think that the alleged goddess of wisdom wouldn't be able to outsmart her fellow Olympians? And if he didn't want her to succeed, why not add Poseidon to the lineup? He'd be enraged about Odysseus being alive at all. - Not only that, but she picked the harder option. Let me say again that Athena was supposed to be Zeus' favorite. She could've easily convinced her father by appealing to his ego and making a deal or two. But instead, she decided to increase her workload. And her reward for going above-and-beyond to prove herself is getting electrocuted? - Yeah, no. Zeus is now on the priority list for defenestration. And even then, getting yeeted out of a window might be too good for this man, once we take into account his treatment of Hera and women in general. - Ares asks if Athena is dead. A piano rendition of "Warrior of the Mind" begins to play. And based on how sad it sounds, I wouldn't be surprised if it was in a minor key. It doesn't look like Athena is getting up. As a matter of fact, it looks like this might be the end. - But this is what I'm going to call a "musical fakeout". Because next thing you know, a small part of "Legendary" starts playing, and then the brass kicks in. We are back in a major key. Athena has remembered Telemachus. She has remembered that Odysseus still needs her. She remembered why she's here. And she's not taking no for an answer: "Let him go, please... Let him go..." - Even after getting struck by lighting and what should've been an easy victory, Athena still finds the strength to get up and continue pleading for Odysseus' freedom. How awesome is that? - Oh, and based on Athena's tone here and the usage of the word "please", we know now why Zeus was so angry: Athena wasn't cowering enough when she told him that she beat him (do you think the Greek gods had windows large enough for a whole person to fit out of on Mount Olympus? Just asking...) - Also, this is the first final song out of all the sagas that doesn't feel like it has an ending moment of catharsis. All the other final songs had reached a place plot-wise that made ending its particular saga there make sense, or they had a brief instrumental at the end that let you know the saga was over. But this song simply ends with Athena asking for Odysseus be set free, and... that's it. We don't know Zeus' response. I was actually shocked (pun not intended... again) by this lack of closure. But I think it was done on purpose. We're not going to be "playing" as Athena anymore. The next saga switches us back to Odysseus, so we need to know how things go on his end (that, and it kills the tension for an answer to Athena's plea to be given explicitly by Zeus, or implied by the music). Final Thoughts - This should've been called "The Angst Saga" with all the emotional damage it has caused (exhibit A: me). - I hope "King" ends with an epic 1v1 fight between Antinous and Odysseus (or Telemachus. Telemachus works too), with Antinous getting knocked out of a window. - On that note, once again, please do not confuse anything negative I may have said about the characters with the actors or crew members of "Epic". I think the cast and crew of "Epic" are all great. Do not think that me talking smack about a character or wanting to see a character face karma is me speaking ill of or wishing harm on the actors, crew, or any other real people, because it is not. Thank you. - Somehow, the "Epic" team keeps making each saga better than the last. I have played this particular one three (3) times so far, and I will do it again.

Correction 11/4/24: Apollo was in a relationship with the muse Calliope, not Calypso. I got their names mixed up while writing this. I'm sorry about that.

[maniculum]

Bestiaryposting Results: Kraegrat

Allow me to start with a disclaimer: I woke up sick this morning, so if it seems like I'm doing a worse job than usual stringing words together, let's all agree to blame fatigue & cold medicine.

Now, on to our beast for the week. The entry people are working from can be found here:

This is kind of an interesting one: not only is there no physical description, but the entry consists entirely of describing a single behavior that has at best a tenuous connection to reality. Nevertheless, a number of people indicated that they recognized it, because this is one of those "bestiary fun facts" that tends to stick in folks' heads.

As usual, we're going to go through the depictions in roughly chronological order -- let me know if I missed yours. This week, for some reason, my original post doesn't appear under the #Kraegrat tag, so who even knows what's going on there and I'm fully willing to believe yours is hidden for some kind of absurd Tumblr reason. (Maybe it got flagged under the "don't go nuts don't show nuts" policy -- I kind of suspect that's what happened with the entry post.)

Images below the cut, because (1) aforementioned nuts, though i'm pretty sure this is within Tumblr guidelines, and (2) i really should be doing a cut for all of these but i keep forgetting.

@mobileleprechaun (link to post here) has gone all in on the pathos, making the Kraegrat small, fuzzy, and sad. They describe it as "beleaguered and persecuted" and "a poor guy" which honestly I think is pretty fair for anyone in a situation where you're constantly being hunted for your testicles. They also cite "tanuki inspo" for obvious testicle-related reasons, and yeah, I see it. Very good Sad Gentle Beast here.

@embervoices (link to post here) has done a few different species of Kraegrat, all of which have kind of a lemur look. (They also provided their own alt text, which I really appreciate, thank you.) The linked post has an explanation of design decisions, and also references that Anansi story about tiger balls. (I googled it just now, and all the results reference American Gods -- did Neil Gaiman make that one up?) Anyway, excellent whimsical lemur thing, love the depiction of it throwing the testicles.

@mayhaps-magical (link to post here) notes their "appropriate medieval disregard for standardized spelling" and explains that they reinterpreted it as "Kragen-rat". My German is almost nonexistent, so I had to do a quick check...

... okay, yeah, I see how that comes into play. I also like the idea of playing around a bit with the spelling and etymology, because gods know the medieval authors did the same with no regard for accuracy. (The vastly-encyclopedic, frequently-inaccurate work that has led Isidore of Seville to be put forth as a potential Patron Saint of the Internet is ostensibly a book of etymologies.) Anyway, I like this guy here. It kind of looks like one of those big dogs that are always kind of shy and nervous around new people, which I think fits with the description as "gentle". Also like that it apparently has both claws and I think thumbs for the throwing of testicles.

@silverhart-makes-art (link to post here) acknowledges that they're pretty sure they know what this animal is supposed to be, but they're trying to put it out of their heads. I think they've done a very good job of that: this is a pretty naturalistic drawing of a ground-dwelling mammal that doesn't quite look like any real animals, including the one that this entry was based on. The post linked above contains a description of the design decisions behind this critter, which I of course recommend checking out.

@coolest-capybara (link to post here) has, as usual, done a beautifully stylized rendition of this one. She cites the famous unicorn tapestries as inspiration, and I can absolutely see it. I think it's an interesting artistic choice to focus on the hunter rather than the beast in this drawing, but one that absolutely makes sense: the entry doesn't tell us anything about the Kraegrat except how it interacts with hunters. Enjoy your bounty of severed testicles, Sir Hunter... and, um, keep an eye on your dog if you want to make sure you still have all of them when you get home. I think it's contemplating something there. The linked post contains a brief description of design decisions, and also this line, which I enjoyed:

I'd also like to state for the record that when I started this challenge, I was not expecting to draw a field of severed testicles, but here we are. It was more fun than I expected.

@rautavaara (link to post here) has again taken an unusual direction with this one. They describe their interpretation as:

Medicinal plant-like lizard that loses its tail when scared off.

Considering this and the drawing, I think I can see the path of creative interpretation. The animal as presented in the bestiary entry is obviously ridiculous: a mammal that self-castrates to save its life is not an evolutionary success. So what could it be other than that? Well, lizards detach their tails to escape predators; what if there was a lizard with nodules on its tail that medieval people interpreted as testicles?

I can't swear that that is rautavaara's thought process, of course, but it makes sense to me as an interpretation of the material provided, and if that is what they're going for, I think it's quite clever. Also, as usual, the art style here is excellent.

@sweetlyfez (link to post here) explains that her design process consisted of blending together various animal features and then giving it sparkly magic balls, because that's all the entry really provides. Which, fair. Also I appreciate the taste in choosing what I think is "tapir + deer" as the animals to blend here. Those tusks kind of remind me of musk deer, which is actually pretty appropriate, as we'll see later. The facial expression plus the sparkly balls strike me as very funny, I have to say. Good beast.

@karthara (link to post here) was apparently also skeptical about the idea of a self-castrating animal, and if you check out the linked post, you'll see a brief explanation of how they resolved that as well as some other thoughts on design decisions. The gist is that the Kraegrat has decoy testicles, which I love as an interpretation. Fantastic. No further notes.

@cheapsweets (link to post here) has done another ink drawing that is, frankly, delightful. Love the Kraegrat escaping into the Nonspecific Medieval Trees. Love, love, love the hunter getting smacked in the face with a set of thrown testicles while his dog watches. The above linked post also provides an explanation of design decisions which I think is worth reading, go check that out.

@treesurface (link to post here) has drawn us a rat-kangaroo thing (not to be confused with a kangaroo rat) calmly displaying its lack of testicles. Looks fairly good-natured about the situation, really. They provide a brief discussion of their design decisions in the linked post, and also express a desire for more "weird scary beasts" in the future -- so I checked, and while I can't really define what is or isn't a weird scary beast, I think we should get at least one qualifying entry in January.

@pomrania (link to post here) has made the understandable decision that they aren't going to draw animal genitalia today. Fair enough. I also think this is a pretty good depiction of a Mammal that is clearly not any animal we're familiar with -- I'm impressed by how many of the drawings we're getting for this are Plausible Yet Unfamiliar Beasts. Anyway, pomrania provides early sketches and an explanation of design decisions in the linked post. They also express relief that this is not "Yet Another Bird", and I regret to inform you all that there is a small cluster of Bird entries coming our way.

Anyhow, let's take a look at the Aberdeen Bestiary depiction for this one.

I have to say I find this illustration very funny. That bizarre pose where it's wrapped around a tree is good, but what really makes it is the hunters. Look at those two. Spear Guy looks like his eyes are about to bug out of his head, while Axe Guy seems like he's going "hey, is that normal? should we be doing something about that?"

Anyway, as some of you guessed (and as I'm sure more of you picked up from that very accurate Aberdeen illustration above), this is a Beaver.

Yeah, the whole testicle thing is probably a misunderstanding of the castor sacs that beavers use to scent-mark their territory. Castoreum is still used today, mostly in the perfume industry I think, but apparently the medievals had some kind of medicinal use in mind. So the people who surmised that this isn't actually talking about testicles but rather some other anatomical feature that looks like testicles were correct. I have no idea where the idea came from that the beaver would rip them off voluntarily, though.

So! There's this week's bestiaryposting. I will now Retreat to My Chamber and Lay As One Dead (scroll Tumblr in bed until I fall asleep).

[romaine2424]

For the Love of WIPs (Drarry style) Part 2

The following list is for those Drarry WIPs that I'm currently following. I'm sure there are more and if you have a fav I don't have listed then please share share share. The fics listed I have high confidence will be completed given the authors past performance and they are being updated regularly. It is one of my qualifications of taking on a WIP, has the author finished their previous chapter fics? I do take a chance now and then, especially for new authors. I got sent an anonymous ask this morning that I'm going to respond to later today or tomorrow about WIPs and why they are an underrated/hidden area of fic.

Okay enough of me nattering.... Drarry WIPs under the cut!

Lets start with the tease I left yesterday... the 2 A/B/Os

To Hold You in the Earth's Unholy Din (5/9, 36K so far) by @hoko-onchi-writes. Summary:

“Prince Draco.” The sound of the guard’s voice sent a shiver through him. “You may speak,” Draco said carefully. “I apologise.” Potter’s voice had an aching edge of sincerity to it, none of the snark from before. “An Alpha isn’t able to control who… responds to his scent.” Anger flared in Draco’s chest. How dare this guard make some assumption about what Draco could sense? “Apologies are for equals. You’re less than nothing to me, guard,” Draco spat. “Don’t you dare assume otherwise. You’ll speak only when spoken to, or you’ll find yourself exiled from this kingdom without a sickle to your name.” “Yes, my prince.” My prince. His voice, rich and dark. His scent, musk and spice and loamy earth. It wasn't proper for a guard to smell that way. To make Draco's spine draw taut as a bowstring, to kick up sparks in the pit of his belly. Like a promise. Like a calling. Draco wondered if the guard could smell him. If he could feel Draco's body responding to his scent, wanton and ready. Slick. He cast the guard a final glance, chest tight and cheeks hot. Draco needed to rid himself of this guard. And soon.

Comment: *anyone got a fan?* whew! Prince Omega!Drarry is so much fun in this fic. He's spoiled rotten, but, yet, has had his wings (figuratively) clipped from experiencing much of life outside of the castle since he became of age. He's a prized royal omega and Lucius is about to marry him off, but there's a problem. It's that Alpha guard Harry Potter who is so stoic in keeping watch over Prince Draco's safety. And, oh, he smells delicious. Draco is so horrible in teasing Harry and their banter is priceless when it happens. Harry having to throw Draco over his shoulder to get him to behave and to safety is the absolute best. There's so much lovely worldbuilding along with relationship entanglements with Draco's Beta friends, Blaise, Theo, and Pansy. The sexual tension of this fic is off the charts! Go read and enjoy!!!!

2. A Dark and Savage Magic (5/9, 63K so far) by tessacrowley Summary:

They say that the earliest spells were cast without wands, that they were bargains made with the earth. They say that the magic was theoretically limitless, equal only to the price the caster was willing to pay, strong enough to move mountains and reshape the sky. They say that omegas were pioneers of that magic, its scholars and its stewards. But that was many thousands of years ago. Ages have come and gone since the last of the druids drew breath. Their knowledge, and their power, has slipped from history to legend, from legend to myth. Omegas are now an underclass, and druids a relic of an idealized but unattainable past. Draco Malfoy, an omega himself, has a natural skill in the old magic that will do him no favors.

Comment: While the 1st A/B/O was fun and sexy, this one is oh so dark. The warnings are strong! The omegaverse lore has been built into potterverse. This is all from Draco's POV and we meet him when he is quite young and already frustrated by the limitations put on him for being an omega. They are not prized in this world...at all... Narcissa is one, too, and Lucius is a strong Alpha. Lucius is an arse!!!Because Omega's can't inherit, a sister is born a year later, an alpha. She is given many of the traits canon Draco has. Each chapter is a retelling of a canon book, but from Draco's perspective and experiences. Somethings change and we're given detailed storytelling in these parts, and others that don't are skimmed over. It's integrated and done beautifully. Harry comes into this story at the school robe fitting. He is oblivious not only to magic and the magical world but also everything omegaverse. And while he's an alpha, his true underpinnings of being kind and sticking up for those who can't shines through. I love this fic. I know next week's chapter is supposed to be the darkest one (plenty of dark stuff has already happened) but I still can't wait to read it. Tessa is such a master storyteller.

3. Mother (18/20, 65K so far) by @pixiedunhoff Summary: Despite some rather unconventional aspects of Draco’s newly developed style, she remained a romantic traditionalist.

Sequel to “Moonlighting. (22/22, 77.5K complete)” Both fics make up the Draco Malfoy and the GenderBend Blend Series. I'm currently reading Moonlighting but I wanted to add Pixie's works in here as Mother is doing so well by snippits I've seen from others and am so enjoying Moonlighting! I have a strong love for fem!Draco, and Pixie has her characterization nailed. Draco has hidden this other side for a very long time, but when the genderbend blend becomes available, Draco takes it out for a spin. One pub owner/bartender is very in favour. Again, I really enjoy Pixie's writing style. The characters act and talk very real, which draws you into her incredible story.

4. Follies of an Ornamental Hermit (9/15, 54K so far) by @mallstars and illustrated by @itsphantasmagoria. Summary:

Potter still wasn't looking at him. Instead he faced the windows, watching the snow and the sunless sea. Behind the welcome desk, standing tall amidst the wisdom and glistening magic, Draco controlled the spheres of restless light and the flustered books, all with gentle flicks of a wand that had once served Potter without a beat of hesitation. If Potter were to look, Draco would be ready. He had a right to be here. The library was his, if only after hours.

Comment: Okay, I have to admit, I'm only 2 chapters in but have looked at all of the illustrations! LOL Each one of Draco's outfits is so fricken' amazing! I'm savoring this one to catch up on when I know I have a day without interruptions. I'm a speed reader, which means I skim sometimes and Mallstars' writing is so beautiful, that I don't want to rush through it. But, I also know, that this one is so highly popular means you WIP lovers are already hooked on it.

I hope you find some time to enjoy these fics as much as I am!

I also have a small list of WIPs that haven't been updated for years and years, but, hey, if I can go back and finish my 2 WIPs from 15 years ago, there is always hope.

Thanks for you indulgence!

Rom

[silkythewriter]

Match up for Black Butler and/or Sally face?

Im nonbinary (masc, he/they) and pan, 5'1 ginger with a really bad buzzcut. I mostly wear baggy clothes and hoodies but like to dress formally every now and then. My main intrests consist of reading, collecting stuff and drawing. Sometimes I get to engaged in my art and end up staying up really late and sitting at the same spot for like 2+ hours. I can tend to be really stubborn and hate admitting that other people are right. Im mostly anti-social when with strangers and have a hard time talking to others , but when im with friends im complely different and basicly the weird energetic one in the friend group. I'm really bad at dealing with stress and dark thoughts. My love language is gift giving and I tend to go all out for gifts for my loved ones. I prefer compliments and words of assurance over gifts.

I hope that was okay!! It's like 3 in the morning and im really bad at writing so theres probably a few spelling errors and thing that dont make sense ;-;

Summary: match up for black butler and sally face!! :D.

Small warning!: AHHH TYSMM this is gonna be my second match up and as you’ve seen I’m not the greatest but not the worst at them so I hope you enjoy!

Small note!: I do art aswell!!! I enjoy it but only as a hobby cause I know how difficult it is, I love drawing random characters for fun! That’s all i wanted to say! I hope you Enjoy

Fandom!: Black butler/sally face

Daily song suggestion!:

Black butler: you got

Grelle!

Your guy’s personality is very…. Different to say the least, ovo💧But somehow complete each other in a way!

They love when your in the mood to dress formally! And trust me they go all out, they probably have a walk-in closet of sorts so definitely has a whole section for you! They just find you so breathtaking and absolutely loves fashioning you up! <3

Considering that they are roughly around 5’9 or 5’8 makes them taller then you, they love Tessin about the height difference but it’s all for just laughs and giggles, if they do end hurting your feelings by accident though they would think they’ve committed the worst act possible so expect a lot of apologizes and big acts of service like cooking you meal!(if they don’t end up burning the whole place down💧 (*-3-*)

Once they figure out you do art they’ll literally beg for you to draw them, like they’ll keep asking to you cave and do it and inc you do they’ll make sure to keep it with them forever, probably carry’s it around in their wallet or pocket! Someone times they just randomly takes it out and stares at it is it weird? A bit but you’ll have to get use to it because they do it a lot 🤷‍♀️

They hate admitting that their in the wrong and are quite stubborn themselves so trust me when you guys get into fights it takes a bit for someone to say sorry, you’ll be the one that’ll mostly have to do it though cause trust me they can hold a grudge

On another note though! Whenever someone tries disagreeing with you or say your in the wrong wrong their all already behind you and defending you even if you the one in the wrong they’ll keep fighting with the person till they back down or leave 💀

They’re love language is mainly acts of service or physical touch but they also adores any compliments!, they basically drowns you with compliments daily all ranging form you looking absolutely ravishing today to how beautiful you draw and much more!, also they absolutely love when you buy them gifts cause you always know what they want! <3

They’ve seen how long you spend perfecting your art so sometimes they force you to take a break or get some beauty sleep with them, or sometimes they just watch you do your thing while they admire you from afar cause they genuinely think you look absolutely gorgeous when your focus they find pretty adorable to be honest,

They aren’t not the most social butterfly but definitely doesn’t mind chatting away with strangers when their in a human disguise, but they do know how uncomfortable you get sometimes so they almost always find a way or excuse to pull you away from a uncomfortable social interaction, but they absolutely love seeing you happy around your friends and how energetic you get! But they do have to admit sometimes they can get jealous by that’s besides the point ( ｰ̀εｰ́ )

Even if it does or doesn’t fit him he always steals your baggy clothes mainly shirts and hoodies, he just loves the scent they give off of you and also they’re very comfy so can’t blame them v(-ㅂ-)v they most definitely has a pile of stolen hoodies of yours that they wear when they moss you or when your gone

Extra<3: they love when you brush your Fingers through their hair or let them message your scalp, they love how close you guys have to get to do it, they just find it comforting oh! Also they are very clingy so I wish you luck with that -v-💧overall they love you and you guys go perfect with each other even if your different!

Sally face: you got

Sal!

Now he is almost exactly like you to be honest but there are some key differences!

He isn’t very social himself so he understands your pain and discomfort really, sometimes things get really awkward when he has to talk to people cause of his mask so he can understand why it’s pretty uncomfortable, he’ll try his best to help you but honestly he’d just get Larry to distract them while you guys sneak away

He has some baggy clothes but not many, but he’d gladly let you borrow them if you really wanted it, he doesn’t mind to be honest though they do probably have some soda stains and some cat hair 💀

Loves spending time with you as you worked on some art and drawing , he doesn’t mind pulling an all nighter with you! But he does force you to bed sometimes for your own heath benefit

He doesn’t mind you being stubborn and won’t force you to ambit anything but sometimes it does take him awhile to figure out how to calm Situations down whenever you get in a fight or argue with someone. He does force you to apologize sometimes so that might be a down side -v-💧

Your always invited to hang out with sal and the others but do expect a lot of teasing from them after they realized you were together. They’d always tease you both about how sal is always following you around like a shadow. He honestly doesn’t mean to he just enjoys being around you :(

He enojoys any gifts you give him or anything at all it can be a small bottle cap and he’d treat it as if it was a 10k ring so trust me anything you give to him he’d enjoy greatly, he even has a little box full of stuff you got him! He enjoys looking through it whenever you guys are together and discussing how you got it and the day you gave it cause he really treasures those moments together as cheesy as it sounds! But it’s true!

About the dark thoughts and stress he isn’t all that good either at dealing with it due to all the trauma he endured at such a young age so he understands where your coming form and understands how dark some days get, so whenever you need him to vent or just for comfort he’s there with you! Or if you just want some space for yourself he’ll make sure to check up on you but keep his distance and makes sure no one else bothers you, your very important to him so he’ll do anything to make sure your okay ˉ̞̭(′͈∨‵͈♡)˄̻ ̊

To be honest he’s not the best at giving compliments and such but he tries his best! Any art work you have digital or physical hed try complimenting it and also tries seeing if he can keep some of your old pieces of work you have cause he genuinely loves them!

After a while like I’d say 3 to 4 years of dating he’s show you his face is it a long time? Yes but please keep in mind how he views his face negatively and has some insecurity’s about it so if your patient and willing to stay around for long he’d trust you enough to show you!

Extra!: even if you don’t know how to he’ll make you do his pigtails and even if their messy he isn’t taking them off cause it’s from you! So he now enjoys it 30x more <3.

[cullenakingirog]

I posted 305 times in 2022

That's 277 more posts than 2021!

155 posts created (51%)

150 posts reblogged (49%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@blue-eyes-white-privilege69

@marhikit

@snowberry-pie

@dreadfutures

@bluephoenix1347

I tagged 279 of my posts in 2022

Only 9% of my posts had no tags

#dragon age - 78 posts

#marh rambling - 51 posts

#dragon age inquisition - 41 posts

#my art - 33 posts

#marh art - 32 posts

#dragon age 2 - 26 posts

#dragon age inquistor - 22 posts

#dragon age oc - 18 posts

#dalisay kato bagwisan - 16 posts

#commission - 14 posts

Longest Tag: 140 characters

#dalisay's sire named her that after her bearer insisted on alab naming her so she was named pure because alab hoped her heart would stay pur

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

Inquisitor Drawing Meme 1: Skyhold Outfit

So I designed Dalisay's outfit with a lot of heavy references from Pre-Colonial Philippine outfits and it was fun to give her a lot of headpieces NGL. Dalisay’s vallaslin is different cause homebrew Dalish clan do be like that, she has the snakeskin which means safety, protection, health, shield and strength while the one on her forehead are people holding hands/family which means harmony and unity. These are what I imagine the Sylaise tattoo of her clan/people to be.

I've been wanting to do the Inquisitor drawing meme for awhile and since I have two leaders for the Inquisition, expect the second one, Mahalina, to come in soon!~

After Mahalina, I’m opening some OC portrait requests as commission samples cause I want to save some money because this country’s got me paranoid RIP

59 notes - Posted August 3, 2022

#4

"ito ba ang ninanais ng aking Ina at Amba Poon? Na ika'y maging datu at simulan ang pagbagsak ng ating angkan, o kasuklam-suklam na ama?"

TRANSLATION: "Is this what my mother and grandfather wanted?To see you become datu and to begin the fall of our clan, o loathsome father?"

My DA4 Main WS protag Himagsikan on the day of their rigged trial that led to their disownment and exile after years of leading and protecting their people while also trying to make peace between Clan Magsumakit and the others who their father had offended. Himagsikan's hair was cut to brand them as a criminal and traitor and also to bring shame to them, their jewellery and fine silks were also taken back by their father to be given to their younger sister and the protective spells that's been put in every tattoo of my Dalish clans were taken back thus leading it to become the plain white colour it originally was.

Clan Magsumakit will regret the fact that they didn't fight to keep the young leader within their clan after Himagsikan's exile.

Also, all these tattoos mean something! Each of the tattoos used by my various Filipino-coded Dalish OCs have either their wishes, dreams or sometimes their parents' wishes for them tattooed with the different symbols that meant the different wishes they have. For Himagsikan it's mostly tied to strength, guidance, courage, protection with only the sun and moon meaning life. You could tell their wish is uhhhh obvious

65 notes - Posted November 17, 2022

#3

See the full post

67 notes - Posted August 18, 2022

#2

Happy N7 Day! I decided to do a Dari/Garrus piece to parallel the Dari/Thane piece I did last time! This is either during shore leave in ME3 or post ME3 where Garrus, Thane and Dari are living together (yes I'll ignore canon thanky) and these two are just doing cute stuff cause dammit I want them to do cute stuff

74 notes - Posted November 7, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

EMERGENCY COMMISSIONS

Hi guys so this morning at 6 am, my elder sister found out  my younger sister had vomited and was shaking but limp but also in a way jerky in her movements, i took out money from my paypal to try and help with hospital funds but my dad just messaged us saying that we’ve exceeded the amount we had on hand (currently running on minimal sleep while also trying to run the house)

I’m opening commissions right now to try and help with the excess costs because apparently trying to make sure my family is healthy would mean paying an arm and a leg at the hospital

If you guys can’t afford to commission me, please reblog this!

See the full post

164 notes - Posted October 22, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

[luna-the-duel-chronologist]

It’s Format Friday!

Good Morning, Duelists! It’s me, Luna, the Duel Reporter and it’s Friday, March 31, 2023! Today, I’d like to bring attention a way to play Yu-Gi-Oh that you might not have tried. As I’ve stated more than a few times in this blog, I think Yu-Gi-Oh is a fantastic game, and there’s a near infinite amount of ways to play it.

Well, today, I’d like to start with one of my favorites, it’s a Time Wizard format that is a bit under the radar. Allow me to introduce you to HAT Format.

What is HAT Format?

HAT Format is a Yu-Gi-Oh format based on the cards legal in early July, 2014, also meaning it’s Master Rule 2, meaning there are no Extra Monster Zones, the player going first gets to draw a card, their can only be one Field Spell at a time, and the latest product releases were Primal Origin and the Lightsworn Structure Deck.

The name HAT comes from one of the best decks in the format, Hand Artifact Traptrix, a powerful control deck that revolved around a completely reactionary control base, using Traptrix monsters to Xyz Summon and set Trap Holes, Fire Hand and Ice Hand to pop monsters and spell/traps respectively, and Artifacts, which can react on being destroyed to do a myriad of things, but, primarily stun a turn to summon monsters and destroy cards without targeting, which was a huge deal back in 2014.

That being said, HAT wasn’t the only good deck in HAT Format, as the format has a myriad of powerful decks in it! Infernity returns to the format as a strong DARK Xyz deck, Madolche and Evilswarm are powerful Rank 4 decks, Hieratic, Sylvan, and Mermail provide an easy way to climb into high level and high rank plays!

HAT Format mostly uses the April 2014 banlist, which can be found here: https://www.db.yugioh-card.com/yugiohdb/forbidden_limited.action?forbiddenLimitedDate=2014-04-01

Here are my personal decks, if you want to get a good starting place for HAT!

Hieratic Rulers

Here’s Hieratic Rulers, it’s a powerful combo deck that has a strong going first or second game that can build huge boards and occasionally OTK, depending on your build. I personally play mine as a toolbox of Dragon Ranks, but, I’ve played against a few people who play more into the Synchros, the Rank 6’s and the Rank 7’s.

Hieratic Dragons tribute each other to swarm and activate effects, and when they do get tributed, they summon a Normal Dragon from hand/deck/GY, making Synchro, Xyz and Dragon Ruler set ups easy!

Here’s the link to my deck on Dueling Nexus!

https://duelingnexus.com/editor/adb9eb06a0851be9d340bd4092a89372

Evilswarm

Evilswarm is a really fun, really strong control deck that revolves around using the Rank 4 toolbox as a control tool to limit and restrict your opponent’s resources as much as possible before swinging for the kill.

Here’s the link to my decklist on Dueling Nexus!

https://duelingnexus.com/editor/ffe142b8ddbb5657a8ad4d52753629be

I hope that this article has inspired some Duelists to check out HAT Format!

[halcyon-digest]

2004

Art Klaudt: Bragging to my aunt about attending school for 8 hours per week

Anonymous 1: dog died

ava: being obsessed with the movie “the emperor’s new groove” and receiving a copy of it on VHS and being so ecstatically happy

kate: Bush/Gore. Again I was like compulsory Republican as an 11 year old so I was all for Bush getting re-elected and couldn't have articulated why. It was everywhere, I remember seeing the news reporting on stupid internet animations people had made making fun of the candidates. I had one friend whose parents were Democrats who would disagree with me and made me think even just the slightest bit about why I believed what I believed. She was also an atheist, and I remember thinking "that's craaaazy I didn't even know that was an option" and thinking she was wrong but also incredibly brave for having the guts to go against the grain.

Anonymous 2: having to share a bedroom in the finished garage with my baby sister because we didnt have enough bedrooms for all the kids

Lucas: Don't remember anything, this was the year I was born

Anonymous 3: I was 13 in 2004. I think this was the year that I first had an o*****. It was in the morning, I was under my duvet with sunlight filtering through it. I think I was thinking about a particular p*********** drawing I had seen on the internet. I can remember exactly what the image was and sort of re-experience the way it made me feel, if I try, and the memory is more precisely of re-conjuring the image in my head repeatedly to get the effect of it, and the weird repetitive process of doing that, than the physical feeling itself.

Anonymous 4: Was 1 at the time, don't recall.

Anonymous 5: N/a

superswag: N/a

v0w0v: My best friend from preschool. We would play power rangers together and I was always the yellow ranger. We went to a christian preschool and on easter they gave us all eggs with biblical figures in them. I got a sheep and the girl next to me got jesus. One day we were allowed to bring toys to school and someone asked if the button on the bottom of my care bear did anything. I said it didn't do anything and remember a distinct feeling of superiority and disdain for knowing this thing that this other kid didn't know. One day we were shown germs under a blacklight and it was beautiful to me.

Anonymous 6: Dropping 15 library board books in a fishtank

Anonymous 7: seeing gorillaz on the family crt.

binnie: Very fuzzy...Kicked out of preschools. Possibly learning to spell ... distaste for how the word "you" is spelled given the placement of the letter "U"

Anonymous 8: My first family trip overseas

April M. Mildew: I cannot attach a memory to this year.

[itstheinternetofthings]

Lumberjack

A few days before Halloween I am in Toronto with Bea of Poland. I am extremely depressed. She is new to the city and has been invited to a party, and she makes me go with her.

We throw costumes together from a thrift store. I buy a round glass vase and a scrubby blue scarf, which I wrap around my head as a turban. I’m a fortune teller.

As I get dressed I realize the turban is racist and I fling it backwards around my neck. I’m wearing my favorite winter dress - black velvet, puff sleeves, bell skirt, embroidered gold moons and stars. Bea wears an oversized pink suit with sunglasses and draws on a mustache and goes as Miami Vice.

We argue in the Uber and I get nauseous from Toronto stop-and-go traffic. I say I’m staying for one drink and that’s it.

The party is in a basement unit of an old house, and it’s amazingly decorated - entrails hanging from the ceiling, purple lights and strobes and bowls full of goblin fingers. I munch on some snacks and start talking to a handsome man dressed as skunk roadkill. He tells me he’s divorced and I tell him kind of so am I, and I tell him the story.

Then the funny thing happens where I start to sparkle and shine, where I become the funniest person in the room. My depression is hilarious. No one would ever believe it. Bea and I, always magic together, become friends with everyone at the party.

The skunk starts talking to Bea and I watch sparks fly. I decide we wouldn’t have been a good match anyway.

Then the tallest man I’ve ever seen comes over and introduces himself to me.

What are you supposed to be, I ask.

I don’t know, he said. I found this at value village and put on some eyeliner.

I roll my eyes.

Everyone at the party, including the tall man, I learn, went to art school at a place called Guelph. He spells it for me.

The PH makes an F sound, he says.

I know how letters work, I say.

We sit down on the ground, watching people play a game.

So…I was eavesdropping. Your fiance left you two months ago?

Yeah, I say.

Was he insane?

I laugh. I think so, yeah.

Then we are outside and he is kissing me, and I am so small so cute so precious with my face between his giant shovel hands. Then we are sitting on a low wall in the cold air and I climb onto his lap and he tells me I am so, so, so beautiful. He tells me he’d like to suck my toes. He tells me one of his first erotic memories - a girl in grade school wearing sandals in rural Canada, and how he stared and stared at her feet with fascination and fear.

You’re in luck, I tell him. My feet are exquisite.

Back inside Bea is snuggled up on the couch with the Skunk and we all start dancing. My towering paramour is goofy and silly and makes me feel included. To my great surprise I am happy. We stay out until 4am and fall asleep just before dawn.

The next day Bea and I take her dog to the park, deeply hungover. I make a plan to meet the tall man for a drink, because I leave the next morning and I probably won’t see him again and I’d like to do more kissing.

He suggests a bar near Bea’s apartment (chivalrous!). I wear my vintage coral cashmere turtleneck and my new olive green trousers. I get there before him and nurse a beer and wait. The bar is a dive full of DIY Halloween decorations, cash only. I am charmed.

He enters. He is taller than I ever thought possible - 6’8, I would learn, and he looks so different out of costume. Sweet face, brown beard, and the teeth of a man who has lived a very healthy and wholesome life. Most startling are his eyes, bright clear sea glass green.

He’s wearing boring tech guy clothes but they fit him well. It is hard, I learn, to buy clothes for a body so long.

The conversation is easy and fun. We each have two beers, maybe more, and then we go to his SUV to kiss. The car contains a hard hat, work boots, and a Nalgene - tools of the trade, whatever it is he does. We start kissing.

Look, it’s worth saying three things here:

1. I haven’t had sex in a very long time, due to the jilting

2. I stopped taking birth control (no one is hitting it raw anymore) and my hormones are SURGING

3. Even before my breakup, sex had gotten stale (as he let his hygiene go, and started fucking other women, and started to think I was boring)

(Am I qualifying this because I feel shame? About being easy, about being horny, about being starved for touch? I guess so. Something to look at)

All this to say, by the time the Lumberjack (the beard, the size, the Canadian flannel) touches my waist, I lose my mind. My chest flushing, my hips bucking, I fucking NEED him.

But of course, as seems to always happen, that morning I had gotten my period. I am not ready for the level of intimacy required to let someone touch me bleeding, so instead I yearn. I grind my crotch against his knee and enjoy the frustration.

I ask, naked hunger in my voice, if I can suck his cock. He lets me, and he moans. I love it when men moan. Sex without moaning is like food without salt. His cock in my mouth is a fetish object, and I enter the worship space. My favorite sexual state.

We both have to work early in the morning, and eventually pry ourselves off of each other. I say thank you, I needed that. I say I would like to see you again (because I’d like to have sex), and he says maybe he’d come visit New York - he’s never been.

We talk for another month before he comes. We text and send voice notes constantly, mostly about our days and our feelings, quotidian shit.

When he finally arrives in New York I have a migraine. It’s awkward. Who is this man in my house? Why do I have to talk and entertain and look cute?

Then we sit on my bed and start kissing, and suddenly we are alive and sweating, free at last over a month of built up tension to consume each other whole.

His body. How to describe it. The sheer size, for one. He’d sent me some slutty little videos - him naked after a shower, him masturbating to my texts- but it is still a treat. Chest hair and broad shoulders, powerful lean legs that go on for miles- the body of an Olympic god.

He puts his fingers inside of me, working my body like a puppet. I melt around him, gasping and starving, burying my face in his expansive chest.

He sucks my toes while I come, and then he takes me out for dinner at an Italian restaurant.

That night, for the first time in months, a beautiful man sleeps beside me. I feel conflicted and a little sad.

After that, the visit has its ups and downs.

The ups are mostly related to sex, which I am rediscovering with delight and fervor. No longer an insecure 20-something, I am now a grownup woman. I have juicy curves and full throated desires. I am not afraid of pleasure.

When we fuck, he says yes, yes, yes each time I shiver and moan, encouraging me, egging me on.

He gasps come for me baby in a voice choked with tenderness and emotion, and as I come he laughs and calls me a good girl.

He stares at me while I masturbate for him, fully engrossed in me, swelling and rising.

And some of the ups aren’t sexual at all:

Stretching on my living room floor, the breakfast burritos he makes on Sunday morning. Hitting his vape. Ice skating at Rockefeller center with my friends, watching him glide over the ice like a Canadian swan. The way he is so tall- so tall!!- and I feel like a tiny beautiful bunny nestled against him.

And there are the downs. To my irritation, I discover his disappointing humanness.

He complains about the cost of everything and takes pictures of trees and street performers and skyscrapers. On Saturday night he wants to go out dancing while I want to stay in and cry.

I am dismayed to discover that his rambling corny text style carries over into real life. He drones on and on about cement, curbs, railings, stop signs. He says “cwazy” instead of “crazy,” as if trying to be cutesy. I dont want cutesy. I want to be railed by Ice Poseidon.

After he leaves, it lasts a while longer - maybe a few more weeks, before he tells me he needs to stop texting me for his mental health. He knows I can’t give him what he wants - a relationship, a partner, commitment. I cry but I am relieved.

And that’s how I started dating again.

[justaghostingon]

The Yiling Laozu’s Lost Spells part 2 AKA Chaos in Canon

 part 1 

Wei ying and mo xuanyu were originally planning to just run away, but alas, the Mo family plus the lans plus a freaky hand get in the way

Seriously, what was with that freaky hand? Mo Xuanyu’s used to working with weird stuff but nothing like that. Was that what normal cultivators deal with?

He tries to ask Wei Ying, but Wei ying is to busy freaking out over Hanguang-jun showing up, and what if he saw me???!

Mo xuanyu (excited to see his OTP happening): If you’re worried about looking your best, I can help with that.

Wei ying: I don’t want to look my best! I’m the fourth most handsome master! He’ll recognize me! I want you to make me look so different he’ll never guess it was me! Can you do that?

Mo Xuanyu, who both the soul of a theatre kid and literal years of petty frustrations to work out, was more than willing to take up the task. (But not too bad, he does want his OTP to reunite after all) Thus Wei Ying becomes his “Poor old senile grandpa.” Complete with artfully drawn wrinkles and a shawl for warmth.

Wei ying is having way to much fun pretending to be senile though, so Mo Xuanyu guesses he lost there. 

As they travel Mo Xuanyu asks him about the talismans. The Radishes, the release statements, the grass butterflies, he’s had literal years to study these talismans and he doesn't know how they work fully, he has questions. 

Wei ying is thrilled to see someone respects him for something other than his demonic cultivation or the sword path he can no longer follow. He is happy to tell him what he remembers, but its not much, he wrote most of them in a sleepy haze at 2 in the morning, and he kind of suspects Mo Xuanyu knows more than he does at this point.

Is Mo Xuanyu mad that his whole job is the result of a guy’s sleepy 2am ideas? A little. But at least the Yiling Patriach seems mostly interested in sticking around and helping him instead of going off to form his own cultivation path with all his fake-ass fans. Take that Xue Yang. They’re gonna do their own thing, and it’s gonna be awesome

Then they run into Jin Ling

Jin Ling does not take well to seeing his Uncle who one day was there, serving him tea with a peacock tail, and the next day was gone and everyone started calling an incestuous cut-sleeve. He didn’t even say goodbye!

 Wei ying does not take well to Jin ling not taking well, and proceeds to insult him. 

Mo xuanyu slaps a hand over his mouth and says to ignore his “poor senile grandpa”

Wei Ying: Yeah! Respect your elders kid!

Mo Xuanyu: shut up I am begging you

Wei Ying then tries to use a talisman to release little apple but grabs the wrong one

It was the peacock tail one

Mo Xuanyu tackles Wei ying

Jiang cheng comes into the scene to see his nephew and his nephew’s weird uncle have peacock tails, the latter of which is wrestling an old man under a donkey still caught up in the nets.

Jiang Cheng: ....Weird shit?

Jin Ling (nodding): weird shit

As if it couldn’t get any worse, Hanguang-jun appears to free Little Apple, and see Mo Xuanyu and “the old man” rolling around in the dirt.

There’s no way Mo Xuanyu can reveal to him who the old man is now, Not when he saw him rolling in the ground with the love of Hanguang-jun’s life. The assumptions he’ll make!

Mo Xuanyu: I”m taking my very old and totally senile grandpa back on the night hunt now! Bye!

Lan Sizuhi: A night hunt? With a senile elder? Are you sure you don’t want us to look after him until its over? We have Tea!

Mo Xuanyu (shoving Wei ying forward faster): NO thanks! We’re good!

They should have left right then, but they didn’t want to draw any suspicion. That was a mistake

“Did you make this?” Mo Xuanyu yells to Wei ying as they are running from the giant fairy statue.

“No! Why would you think I made it?” Wei ying yells back. “I don’t make every weird thing that happens to us!”

“Yes! Yes you are!”

The statue grabs Jin Ling, and to save him, MO Xuanyu pulls out his most dangerous talisman: the cooking one. 

Now the statue is trying to cook and use jin ling as an ingredient.

Wei ying summons Wen ning just as MO Xuanyu tries again.

Now Wen ning is hit with the cooking talisman. 

There’s a cook off, Wen Ning is winning. Wen Ning makes rock soup out of the statue. Wen Ning is now trying to force the juniors to eat it. The juniors are crying. So is Wen Ning.

Mo Xuanyu realizes one of the is going to have to hug the ghost general to make this stop. He is not doing it. Even if the ghost general is kinda hot for a corpse. He’s not risking getting fed rock soup.

Wei ying does it.

And jiang sheng comes in. Again.

Jiang Cheng: Wei WuXian! 

Mo Xuanyu: NO it was to release the spell I swear!

Jiang cheng whips Wei ying. Mo Xuanyu watches with baited breath, terrified he’ll have lost his friend before he even really got to know him. Hanguang-jun jumps in to Wei ying’s side but its to late, he’s hit. He goes down, But to the shock of all of them, Wei ying gets back up.

“You whipped me!” He says in his absolute worst old man voice. “Unfillital! No respect for your elders! Hitting old men who can’t defend themselves, what has this generation come too? Humph!”

Hanguang-Jun gently helps him to his feet, placing himself between Jiang cheng and wei ying. Wei ying blushes

“Oh now here’s a polite young man,” Wei ying leans into Lan zhan’s space. “And so handsome too! I could eat you up!”

Wei ying thinks he’s being that annoying type of elder who pinches your cheeks and makes lan zhan want to leave quicker. Mo xuanyu wishes Wei ying would stop flirting with his boyfriend before he gets them caught.

“Mark your words,” Goes Lan Zhan, sweeping up Wei ying in his arms.

Mo xuanyu wants to faint.

“why is Hanguang-jun taking that old man?” one of the juniors mutters

“It’s a cutsleeve thing!” MO xuanyu blurts out. “We like older men!” then winces at the very stupid excuse. 

“You would know.” goes the junior nastily. Mo Xuanyu wilts, remembering for the first time in a while what all these people think of him.

Jin ling proceeds to hit said junior in the back with his bow. No one insults his uncle but him. 

 “You’d better come with us,” Lan Sizuhi offers, slipping beside Mo Xuanyu. “You'll be a welcome guest at Cloud recesses, and you’ll want to be with your grandpa of course.”

“I’m allowed?” Mo Xuanyu asked, remembering that Lan Xichen was close to Jin Guangyao. He’d been certain they’d heard the rumors and didn’t want him anywhere near their precious pure cloud recesses. 

“Of course,” Lan Sizuhi smiles. “As if we’d ever ban the brave hero who saved Hanguang-jun and all those rabbits.”

“And the flowers,” Mo xuanyu reminds him, and follows. 

[monstersdownthepath]

Spiritual Spotlight: Pulura, the Shimmering Maiden

Chaotic Good Empyreal Lord of Constellations, Homesickness, and Morning Lights

Domains: Air, Chaos, Good, Weather Subdomains: Azata, Cloud, Seasons, Stars

Chronicles of Righteousness, pg. 20

Obedience: Sit on the ground with your head tilted back to study the stars. Maintain the position for an hour and identify 12 constellations. If you cannot see the stars, draw the patterns of 12 constellations on a semi-permanent surface, such as a wall or hard floor. Benefit: The light radius of any light source you hold or conjure increases by 10 feet.

As maiden of star charts and constellations, Pulura’s Obedience obviously falls into the category of ‘do the previous night just before going to bed’ rituals. It’s a very simple Obedience that rewards your knowledge of the cosmos and the constellations of various cultures all over the planet! Just one cluster of stars in the sky can be as many as three different constellations to three different groups of people, letting you get a lot of mi--okay yeah that’s completely unnecessary, considering it’d take an extremely nitpicky DM to tell you that you can only see, like, five or six constellations on a given night just to screw you out of your Obedience.

Even if you can’t see the requisite number, or even any constellations at all, there’s an easy-to-do alternate Obedience built right in. It requires a little bit of graffiti, but if all you’re doing is tracing them in the dirt with a stick or scribbling them on a wall with chalk, it’s hardly a punishable offense except in the strictest of societies (and thus the ones you’re most likely to be helping). It might even make people watching you curious about what you’re drawing, allowing you the opportunity to educate them on the beautiful heavens above!

And that benefit is something COMPLETELY unique, and the reason this particular god caught my attention! Mind, it’s not particularly powerful, but the uniqueness and its various small uses can’t be denied! For one, simply by picking up a common candle or lighting a tindertwig, you’ve created a light source as powerful as the average torch. And torches themselves? Well, an extra 10ft of shine can help alert your party to dangers lurking just outside their normal field of vision! I like that this power works even with light sources you’re simply holding in your hand; your allies can pass glowing weapons or items to you just so you can get a bit of extra juice out of them!

This effect also makes your light-producing spells a bit juicier, because many spells have effects that hit everything that their glow does. Sometimes this even doubles their area of effect! ... Though in my personal research I’ve found few it would actually work on in a meaningful way. This stacks in a fun way with the Solar Spell Metamagic, potentially inflicting penalties on specific foes bathed in the light of your radiance!

More often than not, though, it’s just going to give you a little more reach with a normal torch. But, really, that extra 10ft might just give you a little more edge than you’d think you needed...

Boons are gained slowly, typically achieved once you reach 12, 16, and 20 Hit Dice. Followers of the Empyreal Lords, however, can enter the Mystery Cultist Prestige Class at level 8, which grants them their Boons much quicker! Entered as early as possible, you gain the Boons at levels 10, 13, and 16 instead. Mystery Cultists MUST take the Celestial Obedience feat, NOT Deific Obedience.

Empyreal Lords do not grant the typical Evangelist/Exalted/Sentinel spread (and cannot enter those classes), instead having only one set of Boons granted to their followers regardless of their class.

Boon 1: Aurora. Gain Color Spray 3/day, Continual Flame 2/day, or Guiding Star 1/day.

And here we have a very strange set of spell-likes. You will, more often than not, be carrying Color Spray around because you’ve cast the other two previously at some point in the week and no longer need to use them! Continual Flame is definitely not a spell you’ll need every day--and definitely not 2/day--because, as its name suggests, it creates an everlasting torchlight. Once it’s used, it doesn’t need to be used again! A single everlasting torch can sometimes be at your side for your entire adventuring career! That’s why it’s got an entry cost of 50gp, though you can create it for free.

Maybe if adventuring doesn’t work out, you can start a business selling Everburning Torches and star charts?

If you’re wondering about Guiding Star, it’s a spell with a niche use, but a powerful one. After its 1-minute cast time concludes, you create a bond with your surrounding area, after which the spell lingers like a beacon for 1 day per level. At will as a standard action after casting it, you can determine the distance and direction between yourself and the chosen location. It’s no Find the Path, but it will keep you from ever getting lost in open locations like mountains, forests, and planes. With Guiding Star acting as your north and knowledge of landmarks, you can easily work your way backwards through just about anything that’s not a labyrinth or twisting cavern... provided your journey can be completed in about a week or so, mind.

Casting the spell again ends your previous bond instead of refreshing it, but its purpose and duration means that it, too, will likely never be something you cast more than once a week anyway. This just leaves Color Spray, one of the best level 1 spells you could have at levels 1 to 4... but which lost its full usefulness about 3 to 5 levels ago by the time you get it, with a saving throw (11 + Cha mod) that means it’ll likely never be useful as anything but a method to non-lethally deal with enemies too low-level for you to waste any other action on. There is the off-chance it can stun a number of high-level enemies, there’s always a chance they flub their save, but don’t count on it. It’s a cute spell to have in an emergency, but you probably have better.

Boon 2: Starshot. 3/day, you can transmute up to 1 sling bullet per HD into a bullet of starlight. These bullets function as +2 Brilliant Energy Bullets. Bullets of starlight last for 1 minute and shed light in a 10-foot radius.

Now here’s something interesting! Pulura’s sacred weapon is the sling, meaning you’re likely already using it unless you’re a pure caster (and even in that case, it makes an excellent emergency weapon for casters anyway), and with an investment of just two feats taken as early as level 1 you can hurl your full-attack’s-worth of sling bullets without needing to waste actions reloading, entirely negating the downsides of using a sling in the first place. With one more feat, you can even go into melee with it! NOTE: Do Not Do This.

This Boon is a pretty good one, giving you enough ammunition to carry you through most of the major battles you can expect to face in a day. By the time you get this Boon you’re changing 13 bullets into powerful, AC-ignoring projectiles that deal 1d4+2 damage at base, which doesn’t sound particularly impressive, but slings key off of Strength due to basically being glorified thrown weapons which is usually enough to keep your damage contribution noticeable. Especially since, again, these are Brilliant Energy bullets, meaning they ignore armor and shield bonuses to AC! Heavily-armored enemies are as vulnerable as wizards wrapped in sackcloth against your sling, but it does come with an unfortunate downside: Brilliant Energy only affects living beings. Undead, Constructs, and any object you target are completely unaffected by your new enchanted bullets.

Which kinda sucks, considering Undead tend to be in the top 3 enemy types most often faced by Good parties. And Evil parties. And parties in general. You can’t even do any cute disarming or sundering tricks with it!

You know what you CAN do, though? Shoot people through walls. No, that’s not a power specifically listed under Brilliant Energy, but the description says it “ignores nonliving matter!” It’s SUPER easy to make the case for it being able to sling straight through a wall, door, or other impediment to hit whatever is on the other side without fear of immediate retaliation! It’s not even that much of a stretch to make it so!

Boon 3: Otherworldly Traveler. You can cast Interplanetary Teleport 1/day as a spell-like ability.

I haven’t seen a Boon with this much overkill baked into it since Barbatos’ ability to call a friendly Pit Fiend to your side, and that’s saying something. I can’t really think of a scenario in which you’d need to go to other planets with enough regularity to need this spell every day, and a DM should be extremely careful with handing the keys to the cosmos to their players. Any caster capable of casting level 9 spells is a campaign-warping threat already, but you can do it two levels early and gain access to a spell that allows you to go anywhere at all ever.

It’s the ultimate escape and exploration tool, as very few villains will have the power to chase a party to another planet if they flee to recuperate. If you don’t want to go across the universe, Interplanetary Teleport also acts as just a normal Teleport/Greater Teleport spell with no range limit and no chance of failure. Having even a general idea of where you want to go takes you there without a teleport mishap, and the spell automatically places you at the safest possible location if your imagined destination would be immediately hostile to your life, leaving little consequence for the DM to level against you if you decide to poof to Aucturn or something.

I can’t truly type a lot on this, because people should generally know how strong an unrestricted teleportation ability can be, even at just 1/day, but the potential danger of a party suddenly having access to the entire galaxy is worth warning hopeful DMs: You should probably just replace this with Greater Teleport with no failure chance unless you want the party suddenly considering all the nonsense they can do with their new access to the markets and/or populations of Akiton, Castrovel, and Eox.

You can read more about her here.

[kohanayaki]

.:Time and Time Again:. (Marauders Era x Reader) Ch 6

You continue the tale of how you, James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter became known as The Marauders.

LINKS:   CH 1   CH 2    CH 3   CH 4   CH 5   CH 6   CH 7   CH 8

___________________________________________________________

Ch 6 .:The Making of the Marauders:.

~Previously~

“That was when they were first starting to put the map together,” you continued, “but that wasn't even the biggest secret they had. Of course, I wouldn't find out about that for another year. . .”

“So at this point I knew that they were hiding something else, but not what it was,” you told Harry, continuing on with your story, “But one night we had planned to meet up and use the invisibility cloak to map out the underground tunnels that ran through the storage cellars, and they never showed up. So I snuck into the Gryffindor common room through the secret passage and found their dorm completely empty. But what was there was our work in progress map. . .”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~   1975  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“This isn't going to work,” Peter said flatly, watching James and Sirius draw a large circle in chalk on the floor of the Shrieking Shack.

“Not with that attitude it's not,” James said, “if there's a way we can speed up this process I'm willing to give it a go. I don't know how long I can go on with this bloody leaf in my mouth.”

“Is this even real?” Peter sighed, “it looks like what muggles think magic is.”

“It's real all right,” Sirius said, “old, but real. I mean, Transfiguration was founded on the principles of magic circles! I'm not really sure what these runes on the side mean, but it's probably not important.”

“I seriously doubt that,” Peter retorted, “Remus, back me up here.”

He turned towards Lupin, but he had long since dozed off, arms crossed as he leaned against one of the nearly decaying walls in the corner. Peter sighed, taking a piece of paper from the ground and crumpling it into a ball before promptly throwing it in the sleeping boy's face. Lupin jolted awake, realizing what had happened and chucking the paper back at Peter in annoyance.

“Not a moment of peace,” he huffed under his breath.

“Sounds awfully boring,” James said over his shoulder.

“Blimey, what time is it?” Remus said, panicked as he noticed the light had completely gone from the sky, “It's long past sundown.”

“So?” Sirius shrugged.

“So, we told (Y/n) we'd meet them to work on the map at dusk,” Remus said, “They're probably looking for us right now!”

“Oh, they are,” you announced your presence, an unimpressed look on your face as they jumped, whipping around to look at you.

“(Y-Y/n)!” Sirius stuttered, “how did you—”

You held up the map, raising a brow at the four guilty looking boys.

“Right. . .”

“You snuck into our rooms?!” James said incredulously as he saw the map, which he was sure he had left on his bedside table, in your hands.

“You've snuck into my shower before, Potter,” you glared lightly at him.

“Point taken.”

“Okay, look, I'm sorry we didn't show tonight, and I know we've been acting weird,” Sirius sighed, “the truth is—”

“Lupin's a werewolf.” 

The color drained from Remus' face, slightly mortified that you already knew.

“Come on, guys,” you said, “the claw marks and you lot disappearing whenever there's a full moon kind of gave it away. You aren't exactly subtle about it.”

You could sense the intense nervousness in the room, especially from Remus. Ok, so maybe coming right out with it wasn't the best course of action.

“Look,” you said, “if you're worried about anyone else finding out, they won't. I mean, the only reason I even knew you were here is because I'm literally helping you make a magical map that details all the secret passages and shows where everyone is. I won't tell anyone, I swear.”

They still seemed a little unsure, and you bit the inside of your lip slightly.

“If it'll make us even, I'll let you know a secret of my own,” you said, “it can even be future blackmail me if you really don't trust me.”

“No, it's not that, (Y/n),” Remus said as he stepped forward, his throat feeling dry, “it's just, well, I've never really told anyone except the people in this room. Having someone else know. . . it's just a lot to process, but if had to be anyone I'm glad it's you.” He paused for a moment, feeling oddly self-conscious as he regarded you. “When I turn into a werewolf I can't recognize any human as someone I know. I have no control over myself in that state. In the worst case scenario, I could injure or even kill someone I didn't mean to. We originally started taking note of the secret passages and rooms to find a place where I could turn safely and not hurt anyone, and we settled on here. I don't remember much when I come out of it, but. . . I do feel this painful sense of separation each time. Werewolves are pack creatures by nature, so being isolated in that state is. . . agony, if I must be honest. They all figured, I can't recognize humans, but perhaps I could recognize other animals, so. . .”

“They're trying to become animagi,” you finished, “so you won't have to be alone. That's. . . that's actually really sweet,” you said, a breathy laugh escaping you.

Remus thanked Merlin the Shrieking Shack was as dimly lit as it was so his beet red face was at least somewhat less noticeable.

“I agree,” Remus said, turning to his friends and sharing a rare, genuine moment with them. “And, you don't have to tell us your secret,” he said, turning back to you, “it's okay.”

“Hey, I wanted to know,” Sirius said, Peter swiftly elbowing him in the ribs.

“I was actually planning on telling you anyways,” you said, “If you guys are trying to become animagi, I can help you.”

You took a few steps back, bracing yourself against the wall.

“Promise me you won't freak out.”

After receiving a few quick nods, you kicked off the wall. Your body seemed to morph in mid-air, shrinking and re-configuring so fast that by the time you landed on the floor you had been entirely replaced by a large, (e/c)-eyed wolf with fur reminiscent of your hair.

Peter yelped, instinctively putting Sirius in front of him who was gawking at the sight. Remus was in complete shock and you could have sworn you saw James' glasses slip down his face.

In your animal form your heightened senses could sense their fear, and you tried your best to assuage it. You padded around in a circle, sitting down and blinking up at them to try and show them you were in control of your actions. After you figured they'd seen enough, you crawled back into your robes, which had pooled on the floor when you'd transfigured, and willed your body to turn back.

James, Sirius, and Peter looked somewhere in the intersection of shocked and terrified, but Remus looked nothing less than impressed.

“That's amazing, (Y/n),” he said breathlessly, “your transformation was seamless, how long have you had this ability?”

“My aunt had me go through the process when I was nine,” you said, a bitter edge to your voice as you fastened your clothes back around you, “it's not fun, but obviously useful. And thank you, but trust me, it didn't come at all naturally to me. I spent a good part of my winter break stuck with a wolf's hind legs, which is just as inconvenient as it sounds.”

“But this proves that it's possible!” James said, a new rush of energy invigorating him, “we can actually pull this off.”

“If I can manage to keep this sodding leaf from choking me every ten minutes,” Peter grumbled.

“Here, this should help with that,” you said, drawing your wand and pointing it at Peter's mouth. With a simple sticking charm, he suddenly felt the odd sensation of the leaf in his mouth disappearing, only to find it had melded with the flesh on the underside of his tongue.

“It's a long process, but yes, it's possible,” you said to James. Your eyes drifted to the floor where the magic circle and pages of runes were still scattered about, “if you were thinking of taking shortcuts, you might have wanted to read the warning about this spell requiring a blood sacrifice.”

The quartet paled and you laughed at their dumbstruck expressions.

“Kidding,” you grinned, “but seriously, there's no shortcuts. Now look alive, boys. We have a lot of work to do.”

_________________________________________________________

From then on, you helped the four wizards along on their quest to become fully fledged shifters.

“In order to become an animagus, a wizard must keep a Mandrake leaf in their mouth for an entire month, even when eating and sleeping,” Peter read aloud from the book they'd snatched from the restricted section, “Next, under a full moon, the wizard must place the leaf in a vial full of dew that has neither been stepped on nor exposed to the sun. The resulting potion must be stored in a dark place, and the following incantation: Amato Animo Animato Animagus, must be recited every morning until an electrical storm arrives, at which point the potion can be taken.”

“Blimey, all that to turn into a bloody cat?” Sirius said, exasperated.

“Well we have the first part almost done,” James said, feeling the faintest outline of the leaf still under his tongue, “Next full moon we'll have to go dew-hunting, I suppose. Looks like you'll have to stick it out for a few more cycles, Moony,” he said to Remus.

“That's alright,” he said, “I've made it this far.”

“He won't be alone for those,” you said, “I'll spend the full moons with him until you guys are ready.”

“What?” James said, looking at you like you'd just told him you were off to join Voldemort, “not a chance, that's way too dangerous.”

“Aw, don't act like you're all concerned about me all of a sudden, Potter,” you smirked. When his expression didn't change it took you aback slightly. He was actually worried about you. “Look, I'm probably the best suited for it anyways,” you said, coughing a bit to coast through the awkward tension, “Remus and I are both wolves, or at least partly. If one of you end up turning into a sheep or something you might be dead meat, not to freak you out or anything.”

“That's reassuring,” Sirius said under his breath.

____________________________________________________________

“You really don't have to do this,” Lupin insisted as you sat on the floor together in the Shrieking Shack later that month.

“I want to,” you assured him, “take it as a thanks for helping me pass Arithmancy. Besides, it's a perfectly fine excuse for me to practice interacting with other animals in my animagus form.”

The boy beside you was quiet for a moment, shoulders tense and jaw set tight. It wasn't that he wasn't happy you were here, he was more grateful than you could know, but he was terrified that he was going to end up hurting you. On top of that was the fact that he didn't want you to see him as he transformed. It wasn't pretty, and it was visibly painful. He didn't want you to think any lower of him, though he knew that fear was irrational.

The calming jazz record that spun on the other side of the room was the only noise between you two for quite some time, but you understood that he needed time to gather his thoughts. This was something so deeply personal you were surprised and a bit honored he allowed you to be here at all. You noticed the photograph that he held in his hands; it was of Hogwarts, taken from the very edge of the forest. The sun was peeking over the horizon, spilling out between the complexly constructed towers that made up the castle's exterior, and casting a warm, golden hue over the landscape.

“It's beautiful,” you said, “the picture.”

“It is,” Remus smiled to himself and nodded, “James gave it to me, as a reminder. He said that matter what happens during the full moon, the sun will always rise on us again.”

“Huh,” you mused softly, “perhaps he isn't such an insufferable jerk after all.”

“Oh, no, he is,” Lupin chuckled, “but he is also a very good friend, and endlessly thoughtful even if he denies it.”

You let that sink in for a moment. You supposed he was.

“Well,” you said, laughing a bit as you shifted in your seat, “this isn't as deep and meaningful as the photo, but I brought something for you.” You reached into your bag, retrieving something that made Remus' eyes widen.

“Where did you get that?” he said, elated as you held out his favorite chocolate bar which had been out of stock at Hogsmeade for weeks now.

“You guys have a secret tunnel that goes right to the Honeydukes cellar and you've never taken advantage of their storage?” you grinned.

Lupin hesitated as he held the bar in his hands.

“So you stole it?”

“I left five dracma in the tip jar,” you rolled your eyes, “I'm not a death eater.”

His smiled returned at that, and he ripped open the familiar foil gratefully.

“Thank you,” he said quietly.

“It's the least I could do,” you said.

“It's really not,” he said, turning to face you fully. You were left a bit breathless as the unexpected intensity of his eyes. “None of this is the least you could do, because the least you could do is nothing,” he continued, rambling, “we were so horrible to someone you consider a dear friend, and you were willing to look past that. You're risking your life by even being with me right now, (Y/n).”

“You don't—”

“I do know that,” Remus said sharply, “I've never been in contact with anyone as a werewolf. The one time I was, I. . .” he trailed off, and it hurt you to see his pained expression, “I just don't know how I'll react.”

“You're saying that as if something bad's already happened,” you said gently, “it'll be okay.”

“How can you be so sure?” he asked quietly, equally full of frustration and admiration.

“I'm willing to put my trust in you, Remus. I think it's time you put some trust in yourself.”

Lupin's heart pounded a little harder in his chest. Had you ever called him by his first name before? You looked at him so reassuringly, so confidently. He couldn't understand it, but your words reached him to his core.

“(Y/n). . .” he trailed off, blinking rapidly. A shaky breath escaped him, and your stomach dropped.

“Remus?”

Suddenly you saw something shift in him. His breathing became heavy and his pupils dilated, completely filling his irises in a matter of seconds. He braced himself against the wall as he stumbled to his feet, his skin slowly taking on a gray hue.

“It's happening,” he said, voice deeper and strained, his neck convulsing, “you have to transform, now!”

You didn't waste any time, taking the shape of your wolf form and padding away a cautionary distance. Your stomach churned as you watched Remus yell out, his expression full of pain as his body grew in size, his cries slowly becoming reminiscent of howls. His face contorted in agony as his head morphed into a more animalistic shape, ears growing from his scalp and fur appearing as if his werewolf was fully formed inside him, physically escaping through his skin. You've seen werewolves before, but seeing someone you know actually turn into one, it was completely different. Nothing could have prepared you for this. Seeing anyone in this much pain made your chest tighten harshly.

At last it seemed the transformation was complete. Remus Lupin was gone, and in front of you stood a creature of at least eight feet, perched on his hind legs and towering over you especially in your animal form. You could hear how ragged his breathing had become, his body convulsing with the motion; growing and retracting like a beating heart. You heard a whimper escape his throat, and you could tell he was still recovering from the pain.

You steeled yourself, making the decision to alert him to your presence subtly. You tilted your head upwards, releasing a similar sounding whimper to his. Immediately the werewolf across from you was on high alert, his head snapping towards you and his lips pulling back into a snarl as his ears lowered. You took an instinctive step back, lowering your head slowly. He seemed puzzled by your behavior, which made sense seeing as Lupin told you he never interacted with any other animals during the full moon. His head tilted inquisitively and he took a heavy step forward. You forced yourself to not back away, testing the waters. His eyes narrowed again as he saw you standing your ground, but you quickly sat down, your head tilting to expose your neck slightly. You made doubly sure not to show any signs of aggression; you knew you had no chance against a werewolf at full strength.

However, he seemed to take your queues well. His tail seemed to relax a bit, his eyes returning to their full, round shape as he looked at you with curiosity. You sniffed up at him and he hesitated, but eventually circled around you and did the same. You could almost see the turmoil in him, as a werewolf you doubted anyone he came across treated him with anything less than terror in their eyes, but you were completely relaxed.

He whimpered again, and you were shocked at the sign of submission. You rose to your feet, and he didn't back away. You let out a friendly yip, which he returned, and you felt the weight lift off your chest. You leaped to the side, and he followed you, running alongside you as you bounded across the room, practically leaping off the walls. You jumped at each other playfully, rolling across the floor in a mess of fur. You smiled inwardly as this continued throughout the night, no longer seeing fear or pain or aggression in his eyes when you looked into them. Even if he wouldn't remember most of this, you hoped he would at least feel better in the morning than all the times he had to go through it alone.

Exhausted from all the playing around, you padded softly back to your robes, crawling inside yours and and gesturing over to him with your head. He followed you, coming down to all fours before laying beside you. You weren't sure when sleep came over you, but it was like the world's most comfortable blanket had been thrown over your shoulders, and your eyes drifted closed of their own volition. . .

“Merlin's beard, just what were you two doing last night?!”

You and Remus both jolted awake at the sound of James Potter's aggravatingly loud voice but quickly came to your senses. Remus' arms were wrapped around you, your back facing him. You were just barely covered by your robes with nothing underneath as a result of your transformation. As you scrambled to get decent your face heated even more as you saw Remus was currently without a shirt, his pants ripped considerably. You scrambled away from each other, trying to make yourselves decent.

Peter was howling with laughter, James looking smug as ever. Sirius was oddly quiet, but you were too wrapped up in the embarrassment to notice his behavior.

“What was that about being 'endlessly thoughtful'?” you grumbled to Remus.

“Right, I completely take back what I said,” he scoffed, “ 'insufferable jerk' is much more accurate.”

“Close your eyes, you perverted git!” you yelled at James, who was blatantly staring at you, “toss me my clothes at least, would you?”

James bit back a smirk as he grabbed your bag that was sitting in the corner of the room— clothes you had brought with the intention of changing into after returning to your human form when Lupin fell asleep. He tossed it over to you and you began to change under your robes. As his back was turned to you his mind began to wander. You'd always been attractive, sure, but since you'd always been his rival he hadn't really given you a second thought, especially when he'd been trying to get Lily's attention for ages. But just now, thinking about how downright adorable you looked when you'd yelled at him, something in him shifted. He shook it off quickly, turning to Lupin with a grin he'd managed to put on concernedly fast.

“You cheeky bastard,” he said to Remus, who was furiously changing into a new shirt, “you just wanted her alone, didn't you? Do you really need us to become animagi after all?”

“You're the worst, Potter,” the werewolf glared at him.

“Don't listen to him, Remus,” you grumbled, straightening out your tie as you slipped it on over your shirt, “he's an even bigger idiot than he looks.”

“Are you implying I look stupid?”

“Implying may not be a strong enough word.”

__________________________________________________________

It had taken months of brewing the potion and getting all the necessary preparations in order, but they were finally ready. Remus sat with you in the grass, wand at the ready to undo any untoward transfiguration that happened on accident. Peter, Sirius, and James stood across from you, standing at the edge of a stone ledge about five feet off the ground. You'd said that a leap of faith is what would best trigger their first transformation. They looked nervous, but they were prepared as they'd ever be. Over the last year you had grown considerably closer to the four boys you had miraculously come to know as friends.

“Remember, focus on your emotions,” you said, “you need to pick a strong one, let it fill your body and flow through you. If you block the magic off from any part of your body, it's not going to be pretty.”

“Right, but how do I—”

“James, I swear, I'm really rooting for you to be a mute animal.”

“But how do you choose-”

“Just do it already!”

“Oh, sod it,” James squeezed his eyes shut, not giving himself time to second guess before jumping off the ledge. For a moment he was certain he was about to land face first in the dirt, but then it happened— a moment where time seemed to freeze and his body felt completely weightless. He felt this sensation where his arms and legs vibrated with an intense, foreign energy. Images flashed through his mind in that brief moment in the air; Sirius manically laughing as they ran away from Filch, Remus snapping off a piece of chocolate to offer him after he'd lost Gryffindor a Quidditch match, and, unexpectedly, you. A feeling of warmth spread through his chest, and he grasped onto it, letting it flow through his body like you said. In an instant he felt torso shift, his shoulders narrow, his neck elongate; and when he landed on the ground he still landed face-first as he predicted, but in a completely different form.

He could see you and Lupin in front of him, mouths agape. He was about to say something when he found his vocal chords only allowed him a gruff whine. Shocked, he lifted his head, which felt much heavier than he'd last recalled, and as he looked down at himself he was taken aback to be met with a pair of hooves right beneath him. He staggered to his feet on wobbly legs, of which he now had four. As he tilted his head he could see the shadow of a pair of antlers twisting into brilliant shadows on the grass.

“Potter, you did it!” you exclaimed, “you actually did it!”

“Well how about that,” Remus chuckled, “a stag.”

“It fits him, I think,” you grinned, looking over at Sirius and Peter who looked determined and terrified respectively. “Well go on, it's your turn now!”

Sirius braced himself for the jump, but somehow he found no fear in his system. After seeing James shift in the air right before his eyes, he knew he could do it. He looked over at Peter who was nearly shaking.

“Come on, Peter,” he said, “we'll go together.”

“I-I don't know about this, Sirius,” Peter said, “I'm not ready, I don't think I can do this.”

“It's just a little jump,” Sirius said encouragingly, “you can do this.”

After a few nerve wracking deep breaths Peter gave him the smallest nod one could manage.

“We'll go on three,” Sirius said, “Ready? One—”

“AaHH!”

Sirius shoved Peter off the ledge, knowing he wouldn't jump on his own, before taking the plunge himself. Peter's screams became higher and higher pitched as he shrank at an alarming speed, almost an undetectable size by the time he hit the grass. A small brown rat scurried across the field towards you and Lupin.

The stag in front of you made a sound, dragging his hooves across the grass in what you could imagine as James' unadulterated laughter at his friend.

Sirius began to morph almost as soon as he left the ground, something you were surprised by. He landed on his hind legs, landing gracefully as his front two followed, and a shaggy black dog looked back at you with mischief in its eyes.

You couldn't help but go over and pet him. You laughed as he nudged you with his nose, a resistance that was quickly halted as soon as you started scratching him behind the ears.

“I have to say, I didn't think you would actually manage that on your first try,” you said, secretly prouder than they could have known, “but if anyone could have done it, it's you three stubborn goons.”

James huffed as he saw you continue to pet Sirius, using his antlers to prod the dog out of the way. Sirius barked, lunging at him playfully. It was quite a scene to see the two interact.

“Honestly, this is a pretty solid group,” you said, “you've got James who blends perfectly with the surrounding wildlife so he wouldn't be suspicions, Sirius who could probably do a fair bit of damage as a dog if he needed, and Peter who can fit through small spaces and snoop around the castle virtually undetected.”

“Quite an odd pack,” Remus chuckled.

“Definitely,” you agreed, “but a pack nonetheless.”

And that very week, Remus Lupin was able to spend his first night as a werewolf with his four friends by his side.

__________________________________________________________

“So, how did we choose which animals we turn into?” James had asked you the next day at breakfast, “I specifically tried for a dragon.”

“You don't get to choose,” you rolled your eyes, “You're a stag, that's the end of it. It's pretty much up to chance.”

“I'm sorry, you're telling me I could have turned into a fish and died right there on the ground?!”

“If only,” you sighed dreamily, earning you a playful shove from James. “Alright, it's not completely random, but you're definitely in the unknown the first time you turn,” you went on to explain, “and once you turn for the first time, that's it. That's your animal. A wizard takes on the animagus form of whatever animal most closely resembles their personality. So, a horny bastard for James, a loyal little puppy for Sirius—”

“A bitch for you,” Sirius quipped.

“Never heard that one before,” you scoffed, purposefully messing up his hair.

“Hey, watch it!” he shoved you off him, twisting each of his curls back into form.

“Well, look who's a high maintenance pup,” you chuckled.

Around the same time that year, you finally completed the map. It came together beautifully, each different way of folding the paper revealing a different level of the castle for easy navigation. You'd included the surrounding forests as well as the parts of Hogsmeade that applied for the secret passageways, all of which were marked with symbols and the unique names you'd all come up with. Every student and staff member at Hogwarts had a tiny scroll with their name that appeared in their location. Remus had added the nice detail of including footprints at the last second, so you could see which way they were facing and walking as well. It was fireproof, rip proof, and prone to insulting anyone else who tried to read it. It was the pinnacle of your magical (and slightly illegal) achievement.

“We should write our names on it,” James said, looking down proudly at the finished map, “it belongs to us, after all. We don't want anyone else taking the credit.”

“Yeah, fantastic way to get caught,” Sirius rolled his eyes, “what if Filch comes across it? That's like leaving your signature at a murder scene.”

“You should use code names, then,” you suggested, “I know you guys call Remus 'Moony' as a joke, but I kind of like it.”

The scarred boy blushed lightly at the compliment, a brow raised to his other three friends.

“Alright then, I guess you should all say hi to Rudolph over here,” Sirius said, jutting his thumb in James' direction. The bespectacled boy narrowed his eyes before shooting back.

“Right! And this is my good friend, Snuffles.”

Sirius lunged at him and James swatted him away in laughter.

“Come on, you two,” Remus said, “or we won't put anything down for you at all.”

“I've got an idea for Peter,” you piped in, “When my mom used to garden she said she didn't mind having rats there because their tails resembled worms, which were an old a sign of healthy soil, I know it's odd, but I think Wormtail sounds pretty cool.”

Peter seemed to perk up at your acknowledgment and nodded. It suited him somehow.

“Should we pick animal features too, then?” James mused, “I guess Antlers doesn't really sound that cool. What's another word? Horns? Give me some analogies, guys. What else do they look like?”

“Yours honestly kind of look like a couple of bent forks,” you snickered.

“Prongs?” Sirius snorted, the laughter that followed nearly splitting his sides.

“Oh, go on, what have you got then?” James scoffed.

“I was thinking Padfoot,” Sirius said, “like a dog's paw prints.”

“You know, for someone who was just making fun of code names a second ago you sure have given a lot of thought to yours,” you teased.

“Shove it,” he smirked, “What about you? Can't very well have a second Moony.”

You stared at him in momentary disbelief.

“Me?”

“Well, yeah,” Sirius chuckled.

“We couldn't have done any of this without you,” Remus reminded you with a smile.

“I think you've more than earned an honorary title as one of us,” James said.

“That is, if you want to,” Peter said timidly.

You looked at the four of them, genuinely touched.

“I. . . I don't know what to say,” you smiled.

“You could say 'yes',” James piped up.

“Alright, you loons,” you laughed, “if you leave Severus alone for good, then yes.”

“Hey, I think we've been pretty good about that lately,” James pouted.

“Yes you have,” you admitted, “It's the only reason I bothered to give you the time of day, but this time it's a promise.”

James rolled his eyes, but the smile on his face was undeniable. He'd never admit it out loud, but being friends with you was more fun than messing with Snape ever was.

“Alright, fine. (Y/n) (L/n), I solemnly swear that I will leave tormenting our dear old friend Snivelus behind us forever,” he said dramatically, putting a hand up at his pledge.

“Oh, bother,” you laughed, “the only thing you'll 'solemnly swear' to is that you're up to no good.”

“I'll take that as a compliment.”

“Then that's settled,” Remus smiled, “you'll need a code name too.”

“Let's see,” Sirius hummed in thought, “What other defining features do wolves have besides. . . well, their. . . fangs?”

“They're canines, you numbnut,” you huffed.

“Close enough, I'm writing Fangs.”

“Oi, I didn't agree to that!”

“Too bad, I'm already writing it~”

“Okay, well if that's the stupid name I'm getting saddled with them I'm going to write it myself,” you said stubbornly. You actually didn't mind the name at all.

“Well that's it, then,” James said, “Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, Prongs, and Fangs. We could join the bloody circus.”

“All we need is a group name,” you said, half joking.

“We've already got one,” James said proudly.

“Oh? Let's hear it, then.”

“The Marauders.”

“. . .”

You kept your face straight for exactly three seconds before you burst out laughing. The four boys flushed with embarrassment.

“The Marauders?” you chortled, “what are you, pirates?”

“It's what McGonnagall called us the first time we got ourselves into proper trouble,” James defended himself, his cheeks reddening, “You rowdy mob of marauders, she'd said.”

“Huh,” you chuckled, coming down from your laughing fit, “Well, then I suppose that would make this The Marauders Map. I'll admit, it actually kinda has a ring to it.”

And despite your group's joking quips and bickering, they couldn't agree more.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Wait,” Harry said, eyes wide at your story, “So, my dad was an animagus too?”

“Sure was,” you smiled warmly.

“This whole time I thought 'Prongs' was just because his patronus was a stag.”

“Your animagus form is usually the same animal as your patronus,” you explained, “In some very rare cases they can be different, but they work in the same emotionally driven vein of magical ability, so it would make sense that they'd be linked. Your father was extraordinary at both, because as much as he would deny it, he felt everything very deeply.”

Your eyes drifted to the wall opposite you in the living room, and a small but sad smile graced your features.

“Love is often the most powerful emotion a witch or wizard can draw from,” you said softly, “but you already know that.”

Harry followed your gaze over his shoulder. There, posted on the wall among a collage of photographs from the Order was a picture of his mother and father. It was one he'd seen a hundred times, and one he had his own copy of: them in each others' arms in a London park, autumn leaves swirling around them as they danced without any music. Even from this distance he could see the emotion in their eyes as they looked at one another— like they were the only two people in the world.

“Yeah,” Harry said, wiping a stray tear from his eyes, “I do.”

Read chapter 7 here!

Taglist:  @sleep-i-ness, @blackpinkdolan, @parker-natasha, @ornella0910 @undertaker1827 @thatwierdo-koemi @nxstalgicnxbxdy @calaryssia @aleksanderwh0r3 @juggysgirlfriend @beautifulsweetschaos @kattirin @mialupin1

[witchyweasley]

Release the Tension Part 2

Pairing: Fred Weasley x fem!reader

Summary: After a rough practice, you and Fred continue your FWB agreement.

Word Count: 2.1k

Warnings: smut, 18+ themes, oral (female receiving), fingering, unprotected sex

Part 1

~~~~~~~~~~

Quidditch practice is never easy, but it’s normally not this bad for me. I was constantly distracted, both by my thoughts and by one of the redhead beaters.

“What’s wrong with you?! Get your head in the game, girl!” Angelina yelled to me as I dropped the quaffle she threw at me.

I groaned and flew down to pick the ball up from the ground and try to redeem myself. Right as I was throwing the quaffle into the goals, someone’s broom knocked into mine, causing me to almost lose my balance. A hand grabbed my waist and steadied me back on the broom.

“Whoa love, sorry about that. Was trying to make sure the bludger didn’t kill you, didn’t take into account that I would,” Fred said before flying away.

Practice after that didn’t get any better. I kept dropping the quaffle or missing the goal entirely. Harry kept yelling at me, which wasn’t helping my stress levels. As soon as the practice was over I hurried into the changing rooms, trying to get in and out without talking to anyone. I’m sure they could all tell something was up. I haven’t been that bad at quidditch since I was learning it as a child.

“Hey! Wait up!” Fred yelled to me as I sped out of the changing room. He lightly jogged to catch up with me, slipping a shirt over his head as he did so. I turned around to face him, not sure of what to say.

“Are you alright?” Fred asked, walking next to me as we headed into the Great Hall.

“Honestly, not great. Classes were awful, quidditch practice was awful, everything is just awful right now,” I ranted.

“Thanks,” Fred said sarcastically.

“Okay so you’re not awful,” I corrected myself, taking a seat in the great hall. Fred sat down next to me.

“Sorry about practice by the way, I really didn’t mean to almost knock you down,” he said, filling up his plate with food.

“It’s fine, I should’ve been paying more attention,” I said as George and Angelina sat across from us.

“Yeah is everything alright? You seemed a little off today,” Angelina asked.

“A little off? I dropped every quaffle you threw me!” I sighed.

“Okay yeah, you were kind of terrible out there,” she admitted.

“Fuck,” I said, putting my head down on the table.

“I’m sure it was just a fluke, you’ve had a lot on your mind,” Fred said, rubbing my back.

“Yeah we all have our bad days,” George said, “Speaking of which, we should probably get going, Angelina.”

“Where are you two going?” I asked.

“Remember? Greaseball gave Angelina, Lee, and me detention this morning because of our potions,” George said.

“Oh shit, that’s right. Well have fun cleaning the trophy room,” I said.

“I wish we were cleaning the trophy room. This time he decided we needed to clean the potions room and his storage cabinet. It’s going to take hours, even with the three of us,” Angelina said, taking a final bite of her food before they all headed out to detention.

“So…” Fred started.

“So?” I continued.

“Remember what I said earlier? Both of my roommates just got hours worth of detention…” he said, hoping I would catch on.

“Oh...oh!” I said, remembering when we almost got caught by Filch in the corridor. I got up from the table and started heading back to our common room. When I turned around, Fred was jogging to catch up with me.

“Where are you going?” He asked.

“Really? I swear you Weasley’s can be so dense at times,” I laughed, rolling my eyes.

“What? What do you mean?” he asked.

Once we were out of view from people I turned around, grabbed his shirt collar, and brought his lips down to mine.

“You’re the one who said your roommates were gone, and right before practice you said ‘We can continue this after quidditch practice,’ so I figured we could go continue,” I explained.

“I know, I just wanted to see if I could get you to kiss me,” he smirked, kissing me again before heading towards the Gryffindor common room again.

Thankfully, most Gryffindors know I’m friends with the twins and Lee, so it’s not strange to see me go to their dorm room to hang out.

As soon as I closed the door to his room, I was pressed up against it with his soft lips against mine. His arms wrapped around my waist as mine slid up his chest and into his hair. He pulled away to lift my shirt over my head, revealing my lacy bra, before pulling me back into the kiss. I slipped my hands under his shirt, lifting it over his head, with some much needed help from him due to the height difference. Before he could pull me back into the kiss, I cast a quick silencing spell and made sure the door was locked.

As we kissed, we slowly moved to his bed. He backed into it, pulling me down to straddle his lap as he did so. His hands gripped my hips as I slowly grinded against him, causing him to moan softly. I tugged his hair back, exposing his neck so that I could trail kisses down it. Right as I got to his collarbone, he pushed my hip and flipped me over. He quickly removed his pants before getting on top of me.

He pressed a quick kiss to my lips before trailing down my neck, leaving wet kisses and softly nipping at the skin. His hands rested over my bra, rubbing circles around my nipples through the thin lace, as he kissed down my sternum and down my stomach. I lifted my hips slightly so that he could slide my pants down.

As he crawled back on top of me I reached down to palm him through his boxers, only to have my hand pinned above my head.

“Nope, this is all about you. I had mine earlier, now it’s time for you to get yours,” he smirked. He kissed me harshly before dropping to his knees at the edge of the bed. His arms wrapped around my thighs and pulled me closer to the edge, holding me so that my legs were spread out in front of him.

I propped myself up on my elbows, watching his every move. His arms were still wrapped around my thighs, his hands now massaging them gently. He pressed wet, open mouth kisses to my inner thigh, moving closer and closer to the edge of my underwear.

Locking eyes with me, he licked a stripe right over where I wanted him most, causing a small whimper to escape me. He smirked and moved one hand to rub circles over my covered clit, his other hand continuously massaging my thigh as he did so.

My hips moved slightly, trying to grind against his hand, but my actions were soon stopped by his strong grip.

“Uh uh, you may be getting yours but I’m still in charge,” he smirked, continuing his slow circles. My breathing became deeper as I felt myself get wetter at his actions.

His grip on my thighs loosened as he moved his hands to the waistband of my underwear, snapping it against my skin before slowly pulling it down. I lifted my hips slightly to help and watched as he tossed my lacy underwear to the side. His hands returning to their original spots around my thighs, holding them open for him.

I locked eyes with him as he pressed more soft kisses to my inner thigh, sighing as he lightly sucked in one spot, creating a small mark.

“Now let’s see how the pretty girl tastes,” he said, spreading my thighs further, and licking a long and slow stripe against my wet pussy, never losing eye contact. I whimpered softly as he repeated the action teasingly.

“What is it, doll?” he smirked before continuing his slow torture.

“More,” I breathed out, “please.”

He laughed and attached his mouth back onto my aching pussy, still continuing a slow pace but now focusing on drawing circles around my clit with his tongue.

My head threw back and one hand tangled itself into his ginger hair, grabbing fistfuls of it. Fred groaned as I tugged at the hair, sending small vibrations around my clit.

“Fuck, Fred,” I moaned out as he quickened his pace. When I tried to buck my hips again he pulled away. I opened my mouth to question him, but all that came out was a moan as he slipped a finger into me.

His head rested on my thigh as he slowly fingered me, occasionally brushing his thumb over my sensitive clit. He then added another finger, still pumping slowly into me. His other hand that was wrapped around my thigh moved over and started rubbing my slit as he slowly sped up his pace.

My breathing was heavy and my moans were sporadic as he pumped his fingers in and out of me. Right as I could feel my orgasm creeping up, he removed his fingers from my clit and replaced it with his tongue. Swirling the bundle of nerves with his tongue and increasing his pace with his hands, my hips bucked unintentionally. Instead of moving away like he had previously, he just continued to try and hold me in place where he wanted me.

“Fuck, fuck Freddie, I’m gonna cum,” I whined. He continued sucking my clit and fingering me, looking up at me as he did so. I felt myself tense up, trying to close my legs due to the stimulation, but Fred’s strong grip kept my shaky legs open as I reached my high. He removed his fingers and slowly licked up the length of my slit, cleaning up my juices before sucking on his fingers as well.

He leaned over me and pressed a kiss to my lips, letting me taste myself on him. When he stood up to take off his boxers, I stood up as well on my shaky legs.

“What are yo-whoa!” He started as I pushed him down onto the bed.

“I wanna ride you,” I said, straddling his hips, grinding my slick heat against his erection.

“I’m not gonna stop you,” he smirked, putting his hands behind his head. I lifted my hips slightly and lowered myself down slowly, feeling how much he filled me out. He let out a low moan as he watched himself disappear inside of me. His hands grabbed onto my hips as I began riding him, guiding me up and down his cock.

He reached up and cupped my breast, pinching my nipple through my bra. Our moans filled the room, and I was very grateful for the silencing charm.

Fred suddenly sat up, causing me to pause in my movements. He pressed warm kisses to my neck as his arms snaked behind me, swiftly unhooking my bra and slipping it down my arms.

“Why’d you stop?” He breathed out, kissing my collar bones. Instead of giving a verbal response, I continued riding him. His hands continued guiding my hips as he pressed a hot kiss to my lips, our moans mixing together. One hand wrapped around my waist and held me tight as he began thrusting his hips up to meet mine, his mouth now traveling down to my breast and catching my nipple and swirling it with his tongue.

“Fuck Fred, you feel so good,” I moaned out, letting him take control of the pace.

“So do you, love,” he groaned, flipping me over so that he was on top. His hips pounded into me, and one hand moved down to rub my clit. I felt myself tensing up again, reaching my second orgasm of the night.

“Where do you want my cum?” He breathed out.

“Wherever you want,” I moaned out.

“Fuck, can I cum in your pussy?” He moaned out, his thrusts getting sloppy.

“Cum in my pussy, Freddie. Fill me up,” I moaned out. His sloppy thrusts quickened, grunting as he did so.

“I’m gonna cum, baby. I’m gonna cum in that pretty little pussy,” he groaned as he continued pounding into me. Soon his thrusts slowed down and I felt him release the hot liquid into me, filling me completely. Both of us moaning loudly as he did so. He slowly removed himself, looking at the mess he made before grabbing a towel so that we could both clean ourselves up.

“Feel any better?” He jokingly asked.

“Loads better,” I teased.

[fallout-lou-begas]

i uhhhhhh got elden ring for free. you know. cus i didn't wanna waste £50 on a game i might not have liked. so i haven't experienced the sheer terror of the multiplayer invasions bc i can't play online and honestly i think i would have given up faster if i was constantly getting gooned by some fromsoft nolifer who picks on da little guy. sure it also means no co-op but honestly it's making me rely more on getting better so its win win tbh. also update: the ancestor spirit is so cool....

(cont. from this post) Yeah it's not always that bad but when it's bad it's real bad. For every one invasion I've experienced that's well-balanced, interesting, or otherwise just, y'know, actually a fun encounter whether I survive or not (on either side), I've experienced a half dozen others that are a complete curbstomp to where I can't imagine what's in it for the other party besides sadistic pleasure. It's just griefing, plain and simple: getting off on intentionally ruining the game for other people.

That's not to say invasions are inherently griefing, like I just said, sometimes they're a great when everyone's a good sport. But for example, I created a new low-level character the other night to help out new players in the starting areas (since all my other files have weapons too highly upgraded) and multiple times we would get invaded by the same overpowered individual at the same place. You've got these people with high-powered weapons and spells that deal severe blood loss, frostbite, scarlet rot, and other status effects that low-level players literally do not have the tools to deal with, and they only have them because they've either played through the whole game very carefully to remain in the low-level multiplayer pool despite their progress or have just had a friend give them to them. And these people just camp out in the Weeping Peninsula just to invade low-level players trying to get through Castle Morne, or whatever. It just sucks the moon clean out of the sky, especially when you're playing with someone specific and intentionally using the password system, because ultimately Elden Ring co-op is just extremely fun, and people want to have fun, and getting invaded by someone so much more powerful than yourself ruins that fun, so it's a no-brainer why the seamless co-op mod has been as well-received as it is and why it's stolen so much of the playerbase from vanilla multiplayer.

That being said, I keep going back to vanilla multiplayer, because as I've said in a previous post, the combination of nonverbal communication, character customization, and sense of spontaneity reminds me at its best of fucking around in Team Fortress 2. Much like TF2, it's a machine for memorable moments with people you'll only ever know ephemerally. On my aforementioned low-level helper file (btw his name is Hamburger, because he's a helper), I got summoned to help a very obviously brand new player with Fort Haight, funnily enough because he'd intercepted the summon sign I'd left for my husband. When we got to the top of the fort, decided to gift her my character's Reduvia dagger since I wasn't using it myself, and the host picked it up. She switched to dual wielding it with her own Reduvia immediately and started playing around with the dual-wielding moveset, and I could sense her joy and disbelief innately, and then she repeatedly crouched up and down in one of the universal video game gestures of positive emotion (since it's only teabagging if there's an enemy under you). It was amazingly cute! I probably made their whole day! And that's the kind of thing you won't ever really get in the seamless co-op mod, which is much more structured and restricted by design, but it's a shame that invasions are in such a state to where evenly matched invasions are so rare ("evenly matched" even when accounting for the power difference of a 2v1 or even 3v1 in the host's favor, and the invader retaining all of their flasks and not drawing enemy aggro).

And also yes the ancestor spirit is one of the sickest fights in the whole game. I went into it the first time too underleveled to do a lot of damage but too skilled to get hit by its attacks too much, so it was a very long and drawn-out spectacle, and with that music and the whole presentation of the arena and the fight, it truly felt meaningful.

[wristpockets]

Can I throw some prompts at you? All fluffy but with potential for Deep Emotional Talks™ if that's what you're after. Anyway: 1. Essek and jester trying to cook/ bake for the first time (two rich kids who have never been in a kitchen while food has been made) lots of potential for comedy but also ways to explore the differences and similarities in their childhoods?? 2. Caleb and Essek teaching each other dances from their homelands, (I feel like Essek probably had to learn formal dances in his youth and absolutely despised them until he realized that dancing with someone you actually like can be fun) Anyhow, happy writing!

Thanks for the suggestions! Going with the first one!

(If anyone else has any fic prompts/ideas/requests feel free to send them my way!)

This kind of got away from me 😅 Ended up a lot longer than expected. Not going to spend too much time proofreading or editing bc this was supposed to be fun. Anyway

Essek is leaning over the railing on the Nein Heroez, a glass of wine in his hand. He can hear the party going on behind him - the rest of the Nein get together every month for dinner - but he needed to get away for a moment. He watches the moonlight reflect off the waves as he swirls the wine in his glass.

He doesn't notice Jester until she's right next to him.

"What's wrong, Essek?" she asks, her voice laden with sincerity and sympathy.

He sighs, takes a long sip of his wine, and says, "I feel inadequate."

"Oh no Essek," Jester says. She moves closer, until she can bump her hip against his. "You're so powerful. And!" She lowers her voice conspiratorially, "I saw the way you floated in Cognouza. You were faster than Caleb, which I think means you're even smarter than he is."

Essek actually smiles at that. Lets out a little laugh. "You're not wrong. But I'm not concerned with my power or intelligence."

"Then how do you think you're inadequate? In what way? Is it-" Jester cuts herself off, looking over at him while wiggling her eyebrows.

"No," he says quickly, his ears heating up. "Everyone else is so..." He looks for the word and comes up blank. "Caleb and I see Beauregard and Yasha for dinner quite often. Yasha will have freshly baked bread, or even cake. Beauregard works all day, and Yasha stays home and cooks."

"I think she's happy though," Jester says.

"I think so too," Essek says quickly. "Caleb works all day too, and I stay home and do nothing." He lets out a little laugh. "I cannot believe this is my problem. Feeling bad that I cannot cook dinner while my - while Caleb is working."

Jester's eyes light up. "Okay," she says. "Okay okay. For our next get together, we're making dessert. Me and you."

Beauregard and Yasha are hosting the next meetup. Essek had collected Jester, Fjord and Kingsley early that morning, to give Jester and Essek time to make dessert.

They sent Caleb and Fjord out of the house and set to work in Caleb's kitchen.

But when Essek takes the third batch of cupcakes out of the oven - burned on the outside, somehow raw inside - he's ready to give up.

"I don't understand what I'm doing wrong," Essek says quietly. He floats there, uselessly, staring at another failed attempt at a fairly simple baked good. "Is this how you normally make them?"

"Hmm?" Jester says, looking over at him. She dips her finger into the frosting she'd been working on. "I've never made cupcakes before."

Essek turns toward her. "What? You've never-"

"Nope," Jester says, matter-of-factly. She puts the icing-covered finger in her mouth, tasting the frosting, before scrunching up her nose. "This is awful."

Essek deflates a little. "So we are currently lacking both edible cupcakes and edible icing."

Even Jester's smile falls. "I'm sorry, Essek."

"It's not your fault," Essek says. "We still have some ingredients - what do you know how to make? What could we make quickly that's simpler?"

Jester looks down at the floor. "I don't know."

"Anything," Essek pleads. "Anything you've baked successfully-"

"I've never baked anything," Jester admits quietly.

"Oh," Essek says.

"Yeah."

Jester turns so her back is to the counter, then slides down, sitting on the floor. "I know how you feel. I feel like I should know how to do this."

Essek floats over, then sits down next to her. He can't bear the look on her face. "Two powerful adventurers, brought low by mere cupcakes," he jokes.

"I wanted to do this," Jester says, still quiet. "I wanted to bake something for everyone, something delicious! Something everyone would eat and say, 'oh Jester, your baking is so delicious,' and then maybe I'm not just the girl who draws dicks on things."

"You're a lot more than that," Essek tries.

Jester nods. "I know. I just feel bad."

"I feel that way too," Essek says. "All this power and knowledge and ability - for what? What good is it doing me here, now? And I know it's not an either-or thing. Caleb cooks. Even Beauregard does sometimes. I've never so much as fried an egg."

"Neither have I," Jester admits. "When I lived at home..."

"I understand," Essek says, and he knows he does.

"It's just embarrassing," Jester says.

"Yes," Essek agrees.

They sit like that for a moment, until they hear the front door open.

"Essek? Jester?" Caleb calls from the entryway. "Am I allowed in the kitchen yet?"

"Not yet!" Jester yells. "Almost done! Fifteen minutes!"

Essek looks at her in shock, and she just shrugs her shoulders.

"I do not possess the arcane ability to create cupcakes," Essek says blankly. "And I am unsure of how else we might make a dessert in that time."

"I panicked," Jester says apologetically. "Maybe some of the cupcakes aren't so bad-"

"They are," Essek says as Jester leans over batch number two, tearing off a piece of cupcake and trying it cautiously. After a few bites she scrunches her nose, then spits it out into the garbage.

"It looked good," Jester pouts. "I can't believe cupcakes would lie to me."

Something connects and Essek can feel his eyes widen. "I have an idea."

Several hours later, Jester and Essek are ready to present their cupcakes to the rest of the Nein. At the very least, they look nice - frosting is apparently close enough to painting for Jester to have some skill at it.

"These look delicious," Caleb says, smiling up at Essek. The compliment in front of their friends makes Essek's cheeks heat up, and he's grateful his complexion doesn't let it show.

"I might need to get some pointers from you," Yasha says as she carefully peels off the cupcake wrapper. "I wish I could frost like this."

"Don't eat that!" Beau shouts, quickly leaning over to slap it out of her hand.

Everyone stops to stare at Beauregard, Yasha's mouth still open, the cupcake discarded on the floor.

"What's wrong, Beauregard?" Essek asks nervously.

"They've been tampered with," she says. She picks up Yasha's dinner plate. "These plates are enchanted. They change colour if any of the food on it is fucked with. A few crumbs fell off of it." She points to a few speckles of bright purple on the plate. "I watched the plate react to the crumbs."

"Tampered with?" Fjord asks. "Tampered how?"

"I don't fucking know, man," Beau says. "It doesn't like, tell me."

"Um," Essek says carefully. "Would a magical alteration to the dish set off that reaction?"

"I should fucking hope so," Beau says, "since that's the whole point."

"In that case," Essek says, shooting Jester a worried look, "then yes, they were tampered with. But they will not harm you."

"Essek," Caleb says, looking at him worriedly.

"It's just prestidigitation," Essek says hurriedly. "We used it to flavour the cupcakes and the frosting." He takes a bite of his own cupcake. "See? They're safe."

"But why?" Veth asks. "Surely it can't be any worse than that fish stew Fjord made us all eat last time."

Essek looks at Jester again, who looks resigned. He waves his hand, dismissing the spell. "See for yourself."

Caleb is the first one that takes Essek up on that, tearing off a piece with his fingers and tasting it. Essek can see Caleb trying very hard to keep his expression neutral. He eventually - with some difficulty - swallows the bite of cupcake. "Ja," he says, eventually. "It's not that bad." He offers Essek a warm smile.

"Well that's obviously a lie," Veth says, pushing her plate a few inches away from her.

"Sorry guys," Jester says. She's looking down at the table and looks absolutely lost. "We just wanted to make something nice."

"Have either of you ever baked anything, ever?" Veth asks, picking up a tiny piece of the cupcake and trying it. "This is awful. I love you Jessie, but who taught you to bake?"

Jester looks too crestfallen to answer. "Both of us are, ah, new to this," Essek admits instead.

"Maybe cooking lessons are in order," Fjord says. "I used to cook on the ship, back when I was getting started. I could show you a few things, Jester."

Jester nods, still looking down at the table.

"And I could teach you," Caleb says to Essek.

"That would be appreciated," Essek says.

"Okay," Jester says. She sighs, then looks up at everyone. Forces a smile. "Okay. Me and Essek are going to learn how to cook, and then we'll make something for next time."

"Maybe not cupcakes," Beau says.

"Maybe nothing for anyone who complains about my baking again," Jester retorts.

"There are some desserts from Rosohna I'd like to recreate, if possible," Essek says. "If I can find a recipe."

"That sounds nice," Caduceus says.

"I am not much for sweets, but I do like some of the ones in Rosohna," he continues. "They're, ah, made with cinnamon. I don't think they do that here in the Empire."

"They don't!" Jester almost yells, smiling. "I know! It's crazy!"