#double twist MOUNTS on beam???

[borg5of9]

Construction Drone

I lay on the conveyor belt, strapped to it. In preparation for this journey, we had been stripped naked, and all of our hair had been removed by some gel-like substance. And even when washed off, the gel gave our skin a strange unearthly sheen. Then, they injected us with some chemicals. What it was, we didn’t know. But I felt like I was starting to enter a trance-like state.

With a sharp jerk, the belt began to move. Staring straight upwards, motionless, I could only see the lights overhead, and the beams of the cold industrial interior passing by. We stopped at the first station, and the robotic arms mounted at it whirred to life. I felt, distantly, something being done to my limbs. I was only vaguely aware of any sensations. Mostly, I only felt the feeling in my shoulder that my arm was moving. We proceeded to the next station, and I felt similar sensations in my hip. I rotated my head slowly to see what might have been done.

If I hadn’t been sedated, I would’ve said it was a shock. My left arm ended above the elbow, ending in a shiny metallic port. By the feeling, I could tell they had done the same to the right. The next few stations worked on my four limb’s ports, machinery plugging in and detaching, twisting, fusing machinery together. Every now and then there was a spark.

An eyepiece came down and was pressed against my face, attaching to the nodes which had formed around my eye. It sealed with a click, and the curved domed interior perfectly cupped the surface of my eye. It was cold, like the feeling when you first put eyedrops in. It then painlessly penetrated the pupil and made contact directly with the optic nerve. When the eyepiece powered on, it was like my human vision blinked out of existence- replaced with something larger and more detailed. Enhanced. I felt a helmet cup my head, sealing itself. Circular dome-like pieces went over the ears and filled them, and I heard a sound as the earpiece’s surprisingly-soft (silicone?) mechanism brushed against the eardrum. It was all so tight. A robotic arm swiveled around and welded the eyepiece and earpieces to the helmet.

We stopped at the last station. There were strange sensations in my crotch although it was almost completely numb; Pressure, as I could tell there were changes being made there. This continued for some time. A little bit of fear broke through my trance state. After the machines withdrew, I looked to see what had been done: There was a big silver port that seemed to go a couple inches into me. The connector I assume was for not just connecting the waste collection system, but for both reading and stimulating nerve impulses for pleasure.

The conveyor belt started rotating downward so that I was in almost a standing pose, a few feet off of the ground. A heavy mechanized exoskeleton stood, ready for its occupant, the shoulder and chest plating open to allow me to fit inside. I was lowered into it, slowly. It was soft inside, and I sunk into the nanofabric. There were clicking and whirring sounds as the port above my knees docked with the leg port inside the exoskeleton. A couple seconds later, the same occurred with my elbow ports.

The suit’s soft interior then began to inflate until it was tight, like a blood pressure machine but squeezing my entire body. After it was frighteningly tight for a few seconds, it suddenly relaxed so that I was held in the suit but not uncomfortable. 

I stood in the suit, a couple feet higher than I did before I was modified as the double-jointed legs were longer than a human’s. The armor surrounding me was boxy, yellow, and made of cold thick steel. It had various panels and warnings written in writing and illustrations: Warning: “Keep minimum 12 foot radius clearance while unit is in operation”. Cautionary symbols for the chemicals contained in the unit. The company logo was emblazoned on the side in a stark, simple font which the company thought might look futuristic. Black caution stripes lined some parts of the limbs. The two arms were equally large and bulky: suitable for a construction mech. One ended in a large clamp-like robotic hand, and the other an array of tools. The legs were double-jointed with thick shock absorbers and large pistons. Thick hydraulic hoses connected all of these limbs, gasketed to the back of my new robot body. The abdomen was made up of reinforced darker-colored overlapping and segmented metal strips. All kinds of heavy support servos hid beneath them. Something akin to a rollbar was welded to my frame, right above where my backpack-like structure was mounted.

Two workers approached and connected hoses to the side of my abdomen. For each one, they would place the metal ring of the tube’s end against my jack, then twist, locking it into place. Sometimes they would give it a tug to make sure it is secure. I then heard gurgling sounds as my various fluid storage tanks were filled for the first time. Hisses as the oxygen tanks filled. One worker swung up the crotch-plating, its metal cylindrical connector docking with my crotch jack as it swung upwards and inside, loudly clamping into place. It made the necessary connections. I gasped. It felt.. good. It then swung the buttplating closed, which also latched to the rest of the exoskeleton. It penetrated me, sealing me into the suit. I would have no need to leave it.

One of the workers swung down the shoulder guards while the other swung the chestplating up. They all clamped together, locking around me with loud clacking sounds, one at a time, spaced at about two a second. Now for the last two pieces.

The worker raised the mouthpiece that was attached to the suit in front of me, and I opened my mouth. He inserted it, and I bit down. It fed its tube down my throat, and with a hiss the oxygen mask activated. Then the other inserted a large tube going from the exoskeleton into the jack on the back of my head. As he inserted it, it felt like it went into my mind. I felt like my entire visual and audio glitched a few times. I had the sensation of a system booting up inside me, and inside my suit. One of the workers inserted a fuel cell into my backpack. It opened an adjacent panel and flipped the switch inside, then latched it shut again. When he hit the switch, I instantly felt a jolt in the exoskeleton. Then, a few seconds later, I could feel dull vibrations around me as the suit powered on and came to life.

I walked forward a few steps. Large, lumbering. With each step, I could feel the crotch and butt implants inside of me. I felt detached; removed. Most of my body could not feel much encased in this soft nanofabric, the world on the other side of inches of heavy steel. Each step made a loud but dull thump as the heavy rubber soles slammed against the floor, being driven into the surface by a two ton cyborg drone.

I stopped in the middle of the room. Two arms lowered from the ceiling and grabbed onto either side of my rollbar, and began to lift me straight up. It then began moving me forward, along a track, my heavy cybernetic body dangling awkwardly, limp. Eventually, we came to a small room packed with other construction cyborgs, just inches from each other’s heavy-duty mechanical bodies. It appeared to be some kind of shipping container. I was lowered down into the one remaining slot. My feet slid into place and were clamped down so that we wouldn’t move during the journey. 

Then my hydraulic systems shut off, the motors winding down, the limbs rigidly locking into place. The only system still running were the vitals. 

And then they lowered the lid onto the shipping container we were in. The light disappeared. Soft mechanical clicking and hissing noises of the life support system buried deep inside each mech were the only noises we could now hear. We were ready to be shipped out and activated for our first assignment.

[my-favourite-zhent]

New Tricks - Chapter 7

Status: Work In Progress

Version: 1.01

Pairing: Rugan x AFAB!OC

Rating: NC-17 (This chapter R)

Genre: Adventure/Romance Summary: Misadventures of Rugan and the original Zhentarim Gate's crew before and during the year of three sailing ships.

Table of Contents

Read Here on AO3 or below the cut.

New Tricks - Chapter Seven

“Everyone’s got their daggers right?” Rugan asked while double-checking his own in the side of his boot.

Both his companions nodded. They didn't usually carry their proper weapons when out of armor but it was best practice to always have something small and concealable at hand. Just in case.

“Good.”

Deciding it was too risky to take the main thoroughfares, the trio made their way down the side alleys in the general direction of the tavern.

It was slow going through the tight twists and turns. Checking every shadow lest they be ambushed.

“Maybe the fighting will be over by the time we get there.” Olly whispered hopefully.

“And if they've set the tavern on fire by then?” Rugan asked. “That's all our stuff you can kiss goodbye.”

“Wouldn't mind a good fight anyways.” Added Bellar. “Gets the blood pumping.”

Rugan noted that the adrenaline had already sobered Bellar up quite a bit.

After what felt like an eternity they wrapped around to the rear of the tavern. They were close enough to the main street now that they could hear the ring of steel on steel, the shouts and screams of combat. The smell of smoke was thick here and the air hazy with soot. The tavern itself was still intact but Rugan could see flames licking the roofs of the structures across the street.

Cautiously, Rugan tested the back doors and found them stuck fast.

“Locked. Probably whatever patrons that are still inside barred the doors to keep the fighting out.”

“Fat lot of good that'll do them if the place goes up.”

“Maybe we could gain entry from the second level?” Olly suggested.

Suddenly a large bundle wrapped in cloth fell at their feet. Rugan looked up to see Izzy peering down at him from the balcony.

“Did you know, you can see the smoke from this place clear to the apothecary in the Trades Ward?”

“Izzy!”

“Your things are in there.” She gestured to the bundle at his feet and Rugan hastily moved to open it. Sure enough his jerkin, crossbow and shortsword were there.

“I wasn't sure if that was everything.” She called out hesitantly.

“No, this is perfect, Iz. My thanks.” He beamed up at her and she returned a heartfelt smile.

She turned to address the others as Rugan scrambled to put on his kit. “If you two can tell me where to find your rooms I can grab your things too.”

“Let a stranger rifle through my things? Guess again love.”

“Fair enough.” Isolde slid herself over the rail before sliding down one of the beams that supported the balcony.

Reaching down she twisted a ring off her left hand and held it out to Bellar. The ring was copper in colour and shaped to imitate a braided rope.

“You can climb up there yourself pretty easily with this-” She pulled it back as Bellar reached forward. “but I expect it back as soon as you're done.”

“Give it here.” He replied impatiently and Isolde placed the ring in his palm. Bellar examined it, rolling it between his finger tips. “This is a ring of climbing.”

“So that's how you scaled the tower.” Rugan chuckled as he continued buckling the straps of his armor.

“Useful tool in my line of work.”

Bellar proffered the ring to Olly but he waved his hand. 

“I’m fine, it's not so high.” And with that he began scrambling up the wooden planks of the tavern's outer wall. He easily mounted onto the ledge of a second story window and from there leapt, grabbing the lip of the balcony before hoisting himself up and over.

“He's a rather good climber isn't he?” Izzy stood in awe.

“Even with the ring I don't know that I want to attempt that particular manoeuvre.” Bellar agreed.

Luckily Olly was already securing a rope to the balcony rail. He tossed the other end over the side.

“Oy. Where the hells were you keeping this?” Bellar asked as he grabbed the rope.

“In my pocket?” Olly wrinkled his brow in confusion. “It's not a very long bit.”

Bellar scaled the wall and climbed over the rail onto the balcony before turning back to Rugan. “We hopping into it once we've all got our kits?”

Rugan sighed. “Seems you've already set your mind to it.”

Bellar grinned. “Well we've got to look after the family.”

“You called the locals sullen.” Rugan's voice rising with annoyance.

“Well maybe they'll be less sullen after we help.” 

“Family first.” Agreed Olly, stepping out of the doorway back onto the balcony. He was already in his leathers, bow strung and at the ready.

“When did you?” Bellar was momentarily stunned before hurrying inside, muttering something about not being the last one out.

“I'm gonna check the windows on the north side, see if I can get a vantage.” With that Olly slipped back inside.

Rugan turned to Izzy. “You should get out of here, lass.”

She made to argue and Rugan held up his hands to stop her. “Look, I know you're not a fighter. I appreciate your help really but you shouldn't have even come down here.”

“I was in the area.” She lied.

“You just said you were at the apothecary's.”

She opened her mouth to lie again but no words came to her. Rugan smiled and shook his head before pointing back the way they’d come.

“The way through the alleys should be clear straight through. If this place isn’t safe by supper then we’ll meet at the Mermaid.”

Izzy pouted but did as she was told. “Don't let Bellar lose my ring.” She warned, then softer so that he almost didn’t hear. “Be safe.” Before slipping away quietly towards the eastern alley.

“Right, ready.” Called Bellar as climbed back over the rail and down the rope, armor on and morning star strapped to his belt. He brandished the mace as he landed and Rugan unsheathed his short sword in turn.

The pair stalked down the laneway between the tavern and its neighbouring building. As they rounded the corner of the building they could see fighting in the street. 

It took a minute to realize who was on which side, dressed as they all were in dark armor. Rugan noticed that two combatants with their backs turned to them wore cloaks emblazoned with an eye that looked something akin to a sun in splendour. Certainly not a zhent design, and conceivably something that represented a beholder like Xanathar.

The left most enemy seemed to be brandishing a blade in defense of her partner. The one on their right began gesturing and intoning the beginnings of a spell. Rugan and Bellar shared a look before raising their weapons.

Bellar's morning star crashed down on the caster’s head with a sickening crack. They toppled to the ground in a heap, brain matter oozing from the split in their scalp.

Rugan for his part thrust his sword from a low angle that would've easily pierced ordinary chainmail or leather. Instead it glanced off the plate mail under the cloak with a heavy clang.

“Bugger.”

The half-orc paladin spun on him, her eyes flashing as she raised her long sword. Heavily armoured as she was, the first sweep she took at him was too sluggish to connect, Rugan dancing back just out of the blade's reach. This forced him back into the alley however, with less room to manoeuvre out from her next strike. The slash whistled pass, just grazing the bridge of his nose and leaving a hot red line in its wake. Bellar was behind her then, his morning star crashing against her ribs, the reverberations of that blow flowing up his arms.

It stunned her for a moment and Rugan took the opportunity to come forward with another thrust to her face. She was faster this time, batting away his strike easily before coming forward again. Bellar moved to repeat his earlier hit but she whirled on him, it had been a feint and now her blade swept his weapon aside with ease. Bellar stumbled back over the corpse of the caster and had to roll to the side to keep from tripping. 

The half-orc raised her blade to strike at Bellar again but a spear point burst through her eye. With a grunt the spear's wielder thrust again, pushing the tip clear through the paladin’s skull.

The blonde elf danced back, abandoning their spear as the half-orc tipped over.

“Who the hells are you?” The elf turned to size up the duo.

“Family from out of Baldur's Gate.” Rugan supplied.

“Ah, Zarys' crew. She said you were halfway competent.”

“Probably the closest thing to a compliment we’ll draw out of her.” Muttered Rugan.

He noticed the sounds of fighting had died down and instead there were cheers from a little way down the street.

“That was a fine jab.” Remarked Bellar to the elf.

“I know.” Came their smug reply.

As the cheering grew louder Rugan saw some of the local crew carrying Olly while hooting and hollering.

“Do you have a name, elf?” Bellar asked.

“I do.”

Rugan approached the crowd. “What have you gotten yourself into now, lad?” He shouted up to Olly.

“Shot some mages!” Came Olly's reply.

“Kid got two with one arrow!” Came a cry from one of the zhents and Olly beamed.

“Good on ya’ lad.” Rugan smiled back.

“Alright folks, let's get the hells out of here before the city guard shows up!” The elf shouted over the cheers.

“The fighting’s already over, what's the point of them showing up now?” Rugan scoffed.

“Didn't expect them to involve themselves when it was actually dangerous did you?” They rejoined.

Already the zhents were putting Olly on his feet, scavenging from the fallen and scattering to the various alleyways.

“Come along then, lad.” Rugan called over to Olly. “Zarys will likely be at the warehouse, we can debrief her before trying to salvage our afternoon. Are you coming, Bellar?”

“The locals can debrief her.”

“They can but she’d rather hear it from us, and preferably before the days out. I don’t want to get another earful about slacking off.”

“You handle it, that’s what you’ve got seniority for isn’t it?”

Rugan sighed and waved him off. “Olly, would you rather stay with bell end over here?”

“Nah, I saw some stuff you two missed, better to come along.”

“Fair enough, lad.”

+++++

Rugan had been correct in assuming Zarys would want a report, she actually seemed pleased for once.

“You’ve done good work, but don't get involved in any more skirmishes if you can avoid it. They may be family but we've got to look out for our numbers too. We'll be back on the road again in two days after all.”

“Aye, Zarys. We'll keep our noses clean.”

Zarys snorted. “Might be a little late for that, Rugan.”

Olly laughed softly and Rugan touched his nose remembering the cut there. “Oh very clever.”

“Olly, you can take your leave now. I need to speak to Rugan.”

The boy obeyed without question. Rugan could hear some of the locals give Olly a few cheers when they saw him emerge from the office.

“He showed good initiative today.”

“He always does. I know a good recruit when I see one.” Rugan wasn't just bragging about Olly's recruitment but Zarys' too.

“He's smart, a terrific shot, keeps a cool head and follows the rules. I want to keep Olly on as part of my crew for a long time to come, Rugan.” The fact that Zarys hadn't yet made a complaint was a bad sign.

“I know where you're going with this Zarys.” Rugan sighed.

“You do? Well fantastic why don't you tell me then.”

“He’s capable in all the ways a zhent should be excepting one.”

“Which is?” Zarys prodded.

“He's soft, and not in the way men usually are. He's not squeamish or cowardly, those would be… more acceptable.”

“Go on, how is he soft then?”

“You know already and I know it's my job to sort it out.” Rugan could hear the frustration in his voice.

“I want to hear you say it.”

“He's kind. He's kind and one day it's going to get him killed.”

“What I'm worried about, Rugan, is not simply that he'll get himself killed. What I'm worried about is that one day he's going to make the kind choice, not the smart choice. The likelihood being that the rest of us would be worse off for it.”

“By worse off you mean poorer for it.” He scoffed.

“I mean what I said. Don't presume to correct me. You and I know better than most what the kind choice can cost you.”

Rugan winced at this, it was a memory he preferred not to dwell on.

“Aye. I'll see to it.”

“Good. Go on then, we're done here.”

With a resigned sigh Rugan turned to go. He descended into the warehouse and found that Bellar had made his way down as well.

“And I'm just saying who names a city ‘WaterDeep’. Like yeah water deep, I sure hope it is, mate!”

“It's named after the harbour.” Olly argued. “Where it was deep enough to dock the boats.”

“That's just proving my point Olly.”

“Having a rousing discussion I take it?” Rugan joined them at their usual cluster of crates.

“Bellar is being a poor guest.”

“Me? I'm perfectly amicable.”

“Take it you followed the elf here.” Rugan eyed Bellar knowingly.

“He's right smitten.” Olly was grinning from ear to ear.

“He's a right hypocrite is what he is.”

“Hey, it's different if it's one of our own.”

“Sure, different in that they're more likely to cut off your balls if they catch you messing around.” Rugan slipped back into his easy humour and lilting cadence.

“No problem for you then, Zarys already has your balls.”

“Just for safekeeping. Now if we're done here gentleman…” But Rugan realized that Bellar was already distractedly looking somewhere over Rugan's shoulder.

Rugan and Olly shared a knowing look, Olly snickering though Bellar failed to notice. Rugan simply clapped him on the shoulder and shook his head. “We'll see you later lad.”

[thedreamworldlibrary]

Dreamers of Myths & Legends Chap. 6- Double Battle Rivalry

Hi guys! Took a break from working on this fanfic as the last chapter was SUPER long! Though this one longer. Then again, I have realized that most if not all my fanfics are starting to get longer by the day, and while it’s nice to have long fanfics it’s also exhausting. Plus I have other fanfics I want to get too, so my brain will jump between my other fanfics, however I want to finish one before I go to another fanfic.

I’ve tried multi-tasking, and that’s exhausting enough! I wouldn’t recommend it unless you're a pro at it. If you are then I need your guidance!

Alright enough rambling! Enjoy the fanfic!

Big thanks to @gigilefache for being my beta reader!

It was morning, and Oddity was the first one to wake up. He stretched and turned to Wiatt, who was still asleep. “Eevee! Vee!” Oddity beamed, trying to wake his trainer.

Wiatt slowly opened his eyes, but without his glasses, all he saw was a brown blur. However, he smiled knowing that brown blur, and went over to grab his glasses and put them on. “Morning Oddity.” He said.

“Eevee!” Oddity beamed nuzzling Wiatt’s cheek. The young boy chuckled and nuzzled his Pokémon back. The two got out of bed, not knowing that Wiatt stepped on Skiddo’s hoof.

Skiddo jumped and bleated in fear, waking the rest of the group up. Wiatt stepped back not knowing he stepped on the Mount Pokemon.

“S-Sorry Skiddo!” Wiatt exclaimed, apologizing to the grass-type Pokemon.

“Wiatt Nicholson!” Sara yelled, looking over her bunk. She glared at him as she went down the steps and faced the young boy pointing a finger in his face. “I can’t believe you would hurt my poor little Skiddo.” She pointed at Skiddo, who seemed calm now.

“It was an accident, Sara!” Wiatt yelled back. “I didn’t realize she was there!”

Sara wasn’t listening and approached her Skiddo, “Well you need to learn to be careful sometimes.” She said kneeling and petting her Pokémon. “You okay?”

Skiddo bleated in reply reassuring her trainer that it was indeed an accident and it wasn’t Wiatt’s fault. She sighed and hugged her Pokemon tight, still glaring at Wiatt.

The young boy glared back, making Oddity worried for his trainer.

“Yep,” Oliver spoke up. “The morning doesn’t start until those two start bickering.”

“Agreed darling,” Lewis replied.

Sprigatito let out a mew agreeing with her trainer.

Later, the group went to get ready for the day, but Wiatt was feeling impatient that Sara was hogging the bathroom. 

Wiatt knocked on the door and yelled, “Sara, could you hurry up, I need to brush my teeth!” He yelled.

Lewis and Oliver came out of the other bathroom and to their surprise saw Sara was still getting ready. “She’s still in the bathroom, darling?” Lewis asked.

“Yep,” Wiatt replied. “Is the other bathroom available?”

“Sorry, but once we were done Carly needed to use it,” Oliver answered. 

Wiatt sighed and knocked on the bathroom again, “Sara, please hurry up!” He exclaimed. Impatient, Wiatt decided to twist the doorknob and to his surprise, it was unlocked. 

However, Oddity sensed this was a bad idea.

“Sara, I’m just going to brush my teeth. I won't bother you.” He said as slowly went into the bathroom, but once the door was closed the other two boys heard a slap that made them flinch.

Wiatt slowly came out of the bathroom and locked the door before closing it. He turned to his friends, showing a red mark on his cheek, “I’ll wait a little longer.” He said.

“O-Okay.” Lewis and Oliver said at the same time, as their eyes turned into black dots.

“Vee.” Oddity sighed, knowing this was going to happen.

After getting all dressed, Lewis and Oliver decided to help Eric and Carly out with breakfast. As Lewis and Oliver set up the plates they heard feet running as well as yelling coming from, you guessed it, Sara and Wiatt.

“They’re still arguing?” Carly asked as she was setting up breakfast for the group’s Pokemon.

“Yep!” Lewis and Oliver replied.

Carly and Eric looked at each other and sighed at the same time. “It’s been a few weeks and they're still arguing. I thought they would get along by now.” Eric said.

“Same here,” Lewis said.

“Move!” Wiatt yelled.

“You move!” Sara yelled.

The two were shoving each other as they wanted to get to breakfast first. Due to all the shoving, they both fell to the ground and growled at each other.

“Morning.” Eric sighed.

“Morning!” Wiatt and Sara replied with a beaming smile, before going back to glaring and growling at one another.

Oddity and Skiddo walked around their trainers with concern. They looked at each other and sighed, as Skiddo used Vine Whip to help pick her trainer and her friend, but the two were still glaring at each other.

“Alright you two, knock it off!” Eric scolded, putting his hand on their shoulders. Wiatt and Sara crossed their arms and turned away from each other. Eric sighed, “Now you two have been having quarrels since you got here. I know you two could be great friends and partners.”

Wiatt and Sara glanced at each other before turning away.

Eric sighed again, “All alright. We’re going to handle this my way.” He said. “After breakfast, we’ll go to the nearby battlefield and you two could battle it out.”

This caught the researchers' attention as they faced each other and smirked. “I wouldn’t mind letting out my anger on you in a Pokémon battle,” Sara exclaimed.

“Same here,” Wiatt replied, getting up in her face.

“No, I mean you and Wiatt team up in a double battle against me and Lewis.” Eric corrected them.

Wiatt and Sara’s expressions disappeared as they frowned, realizing they had to work together. “O-Oh.” They said at the same time.

“Hey, it should be fun,” Oliver reassured his friends.

“Yeah, you two need it,” Lewis added, he then looked down at his Sprigatito, eating her breakfast. “Plus it would be great to show Eric Sprigatito's skills.”

Sprigatito meowed in joy before nuzzling on Lewis’s leg. The boy let out a chuckle and petted his Pokémon.

Oliver smiled and turned towards his two friends, “Come on you two, at least give it a try.” He said.

Sara and Wiatt looked at each other, thinking about the offer. “Guess it wouldn’t hurt,” Sara said. “I mean I am a good battler and Skiddo and I can handle it,” she then turned to her Pokémon, “Right Skiddo?”

Skiddo bleats in joy before continuing to eat.

“Ha!” Wiatt laughed, making Sara turn to glare. “I’ve only had Oddity for a year and I’ve seen how he battles right bud?”

“Eevee!” Oddity replied, wagging his tail.

“The point is, you're both good battlers.” Lewis reminded them, causing the two to turn towards their friend. “What Eric is trying to say is you both have to use combinations and work together in a double battle.” He explained. “That’s how you'll understand each other better.”

As Lewis explained, Wiatt and Sara looked at each other but still glared knowing that it wouldn't work. They wouldn’t say it out loud, but they’ll do it if only it will make their friends happy.

“Fine.” Wiatt and Sara said at the same time.

“We’ll give it a try,” Wiatt added.

The rest of the group smiled as the two agreed on it. “Great!” Eric beamed. “But I’m sure you two want some breakfast before battling.”

Sara and Wiatt’s stomachs rumble at the same time as they chuckled. “Guess I am getting hungry,” Sara said.

“Same!” Wiatt laughed.

The two sat down and ate breakfast with their friends. Once breakfast was over, everyone made it to the battlefield. Sara and Wiatt took the right side of the field while Lewis and Eric took the left side. Oliver watched as Carly decided to judge the battle.

While they were setting up, our evil trio, Team Rocket, was watching from outside the battlefield. “Now what are the twerps doing, battling this early in the morning?” Jessie asked.

“I don’t know, Jess,” Meowth replied. “But let’s watch.”

“Maybe whoever gets defeated first, we’ll jump into the scene and grab them!” James exclaimed.

Before the battle could start, Sara grabbed her Rotom Phone and started to scan Sprigatito and Ridley into her Pokedex.

“What are you doing?” Wiatt asked.

“Scanning our opponents' moves. I learned from my caretaker that before every battle it’s best to know what moves your opponent has so you're prepared.” Sara explained. 

She then saw that Lewis’s Sprigatito indeed had the moves: Leafage, Scratch, and Bite. While Ridley had the moves: Swift, Focus Punch, Double Team, and Tickle.

“Okay, I know what we’re dealing with,” Sara said as she put her Rotom phone away.

“Do you have to do that?” Wiatt asked. “Wouldn’t it be better to be surprised to know what moves your opponent has, rather than spoiling yourself?”

“And get sidetracked with an attack that can cause us to lose,” Sara replied. “Wiatt this is how we’re going to win, so stop being a killjoy.”

Wiatt glared, “You should know what being a killjoy is anyway..” He grumbled.

Sara’s eyes widened hearing her partner grumble something. Her eyes turned red as she started to burn up over what Wiatt said. “What did you say?” She asked.

“Alright!” Carly started. Sara went back to normal as she and Wiatt faced the young girl. “Rules are as follows, this double battle will not be timed and will end when both Pokemon are down for the count. Agreed?”

“Agreed!” The battlers exclaimed at the same time. The same went with their Pokemon. 

“Ready…begin!” Carly yelled.

“Sprigatito, use Leafage!” Lewis commanded.

“Ridley, use Swift!” Eric commanded.

Sprigatito let out a bunch of leaves from her neck while Ridley used his tail and let out a wave of stars.

“Dodge it!” Wiatt and Sara yelled at the same time.

Skiddo and Oddity jumped out of the way, missing the attacks.

“Skiddo, use Razor Leaf!” Sara commanded.

Skiddo launched her Razor Leaf attack at the opposing Pokemon.

“Ridley, use Swift to counter it!” Eric commanded.

Ridley jumped and used Swift again as the attack hit Skiddo’s oncoming Razor Leaf attack. The two attacks made an explosion of stars, making the two Pokemon realize their power is equal to each other.

“Oddity, Shadow Ball!” Wiatt commanded.

Oddity let out a purple orb from his mouth as he launched it at Sprigatito. However, Ridley went in front of Sprigatito and took the hit, however, no damage was done due to Shadow Ball being a ghost-type move.

Lewis sighed seeing his Sprigatito was safe, “thanks, Eric.”

“No problem,” Eric replied.

Seeing that Shadow Ball wouldn’t work with Ridley on the battlefield, Wiatt decided to go for a different attack. “Alright, Oddity use Quick Attack!” He commanded.

“Skiddo, you use Take Down!” Sara commanded.

The two Pokemon started to run towards the Pokemon on the opposing side. Oddity started to pick up speed with Quick Attack and hit Ridley. Ridley held his ground as he skied on the ground.

Skiddo on the other hand, used Take Down on Sprigatito who upon getting hit, did a twirl in the air and landed on her feet before smiling proudly.

Sara and Wiatt blinked in surprise before giving a glare to their friend. “Show off!” They said at the same time.

Lewis and Sprigatito looked at each other with a chuckle before facing the opposing team.

“Sprigatito, use Scratch on Oddity!” Lewis commanded.

“Ridley, use Focus Punch on Skiddo!” Eric commanded.

Sprigatito’s right paw glowed white Ridley’s tail glowed light blue as the two Pokemon were ready to launch their attacks on the other two Pokemon.

“Skiddo use Vine Whip and grab them!” Sara commanded.

Skiddo let out a bleat as vines appeared on her neck as she grabbed Sprigatito and Ridley. The two Pokemon struggled to break free from Skiddo’s vines, but the grass-type Pokemon held them tight.

“Great, now toss them and use Razor Leaf!” Sara commanded once more.

Skiddo threw the two Pokemon before switching to Razor Leaf and finally dealing damage on the opposing team. However, instead of crashing on the ground, Ridley used his tail to catch himself as Sprigatito landed gracefully on her toes.

“Oddity, use Double Kick!” Wiatt commanded.

“Skiddo use Take Down!” Sara commanded.

Oddity and Skiddo ran towards their opponent and the Eevee jumped ready to use Double Kick, however, he miscalculated the timing and ended up using Double Kick on Skiddo.

“Hey! What was that for?!” Sara asked angrily at Wiatt.

“S-Sorry I might’ve miscalculated that.” Wiatt apologized.

Sara growled, grabbing Wiatt by the collar of his shirt, “Do that again next time and I’ll Double Kick you!” She threatened.

“Ridley, Swift!” Eric commanded.

Sara and Wiatt turned and saw Ridley go up and use the Swift attack, which hit Oddity and Skiddo sending them back to their side of the battlefield. The two Pokemon quickly got up ready to battle again.

Wiatt was about to command Oddity to use an attack, but Sara cut him off. “Let me handle this!” She yelled. Skiddo use Take Down, once more!”

“Ridley! Double Team!” Eric commanded.

Skiddo went to use Take Down on Ridley, but the Aipom duplicated, causing Skiddo to skid to a halt. Soon multiples of Ridley appeared around the Mount Pokemon. Skiddo looked around to see which Ridley was the right one.

“Oddity, use your Jolteon attack to find the right Ridley!” Wiatt commanded.

Oddity’s furry collar sparkled with electricity as he launched a bolt of electricity at one of the Ridley copies, which then faded away. The Eevee used his electric move once again on another copy, but like before it faded away.

“Skiddo, use Razor Leaf on Ridley!” Sara commanded.

Skiddo then released Razor Leaf toward the copies of Ridley, however, one of the Razor Leaves hit Oddity causing him to collapse.

“Oddity!” Wiatt yelled. He growled and glared at his battle partner, “Why did you do that Sara?!”

“Me?” Sara asked. “I told you I can handle this, you just had to step in and ruin it.”

“We need to be working as a team! You're just calling all the shots!”

Carly and Oliver sighed, “This doesn’t look like what Dad planned.” She said.

“Yeah, the more they fight the more Eric and Lewis have the upper hand,” Oliver replied.

At that point, Skiddo cleared out all the copies, but couldn’t find the real Ridley. “Ready?” Eric asked Lewis. The latter nodded in reply. “Ridley, use Swift!”

“Sprigatito, use Leafage!” Lewis commanded.

Skiddo looked up to see Ridley appear from the trees and launched a Swift attack with his tail, as stars came out of them. At the same time, Sprigatito used Leafage on the duo.

Skiddo covered her eyes ready to take the hit, however, Oddity went in front of her and his body started to glow white, as the fur on his body went up. He then launched a Swift attack on his own, which then destroyed the on-coming Leafage and Swift.

This shocked everyone as Oddity stopped glowing and looked back at Skiddo. “Eevee?” He asked if the Pokemon was alright.

Skiddo belted in reply that she was alright, which made Oddity beam.

“Did Oddity just learn Swift?” Wiatt asked.

“Maybe,” Sara replied.

However, Eric was uncertain about the new move Oddity learned. “I don’t think Oddity used Swift.” He said.

“Well, what do you think it was?” Lewis asked.

Eric thought for a bit and realized what move Oddity learned. “I think I know what move that was.” The professor then smiled knowing how to end this battle. “Alright Ridley, use Focus Punch!”

Ridley’s tail glowed blue as he was ready to attack Skiddo and Oddity.

“Skiddo, use Bulldoze!” Sara commanded.

Skiddo then stomped her hooves as a shockwave of rocks came out from them, however Ridley used the rocks as platforms before hitting Skiddo.

“Oddity, let’s use Swift attack!” Wiatt commanded.

Oddity jumped up and tried to use Swift, but nothing happened leaving the poor Eevee confused.

“What?!” Wiatt exclaimed.

“Sprigatito use Bite!” Lewis commanded.

Sprigatito jumped and bit at Oddity’s tail, which made Oddity gasp in fear. He tried to shake the Grass Cat off his tail, and when he did Sprigatito was ready to use another attack.

“Now let’s use Leafage, darling!”

Sprigatito then launched leaves over at Oddity knocking him to Skiddo, knocking them both. The two Pokemon struggled to get up, as they were tired from battling before collapsing on the ground. The swirls in their eyes signified their defeat in battle making Wiatt and Sara shocked they lost the battle.

“Well, that settles it,” Carly spoke up and pointed over at the winning team. “Lewis and my dad won this battle.”

“Alright!” Lewis beamed. Sprigatito ran over to him jumped into his arms and licked his cheek making the young boy laugh. “You did amazing darling.”

“Meow. Meow.” Sprigatito beamed.

Eric kneeled down and petted Ridley on the head, “You did great as always buddy.” He said.

“Ai! Aipom!” Ridley beamed as he used his tail to give a peace sign.

“This is your fault, you know!” Sara yelled, causing everyone to turn to the duo.

“How is it my fault?” Wiatt asked, getting up in Sara’s face. “I was just battling like we were told!”

“Yeah, we could’ve won if you didn’t deal damage on Skiddo earlier!” Sara yelled back, getting up in Wiatt’s face.

While the two argued everyone sighed, seeing the two were still butting heads. Even their Pokemon were annoyed seeing the two argue.

“Yep, they're still at it.” Oliver said, walking over to Lewis and Eric.

“If this was to help us get along, why didn’t you come up with any combination, huh?!” Wiatt asked.

“Because I can handle a battle myself!” Sara replied.

Oddity and Skiddo sighed and the latter used her vines to tap the Eevee on the shoulder and used her vines to leave their trainers to fight and go somewhere away from the two. Oddity was unsure but seeing how mad his trainer was he decided to go with his friend. The two quietly snuck out of the battlefield and out of the facility where they went outside to train in the woods.

Team Rocket saw the Pokemon leave and smirked. “Come on, let's leave the twerps to their bickering and follow their Pokemon!” James suggested.

“Right!” Meowth and Jessie replied as the evil trio went to follow the Pokemon.

Back with Eric and his research team, Sara and Wiatt were still bickering. At that point, Sprigatito saw Oddity and Skiddo were gone.

“Meow! Meow!” Sprigatito mewled using her paws to tap Lewis on the arm.

Lewis looked down at his Pokémon, “what’s wrong darling?” He asked.

“Meow! Meow!” Sprigatito used her paw to point where Oddity and Sprigatito were standing and saw they were gone.

Wiatt and Sara stopped arguing and looked down to see their Pokémon were gone. “S-Skiddo?” Sara asked as she looked around to where her Pokemon went. “Skiddo! Where did you go?”

“Oddity!” Wiatt called out. “Where are you buddy?!”

The group looked around hoping the two Pokémon didn’t go too far. Oliver saw the door to the battlefield open seeing the two Pokemon had walked off.

“I think they left,” Oliver said.

“Left?!” Wiatt and Sara yelled. In a split second, the two trainers ran out of the battlefield to search for their Pokémon. They ran past Oliver so fast he spun around before getting a dizzy look on his face. Before he could pass out he was caught by Carly and Lewis.

“W-Wait up y-you…” Oliver groaned. “I feel sick.”

Meanwhile, Oddity and Skiddo were walking to a quiet clearing to train and work on their combinations. The Evolution Pokemon found a place and called out to his friend.

Skiddo belatedly asks Oddity about the place. The latter nodded and the two went through the bushes and found a perfect area to train for a bit and get away from their trainers.

Back with Eric, Carly, and the Dream Quartet, they searched for Skiddo and Oddity around the forest near the facility. Ridley looked from the trees and bushes, while Sprigatito tried her best to catch the scent of her friends. 

“Anything Ridley!” Eric yelled. Ridley appeared from the trees and shook his head.

“Did Ridley find them?” Carly asked.

Eric shook his head in reply and the father-daughter duo kept looking for their friends' Pokémon.

Sara and Wiatt on the other hand called out to their Pokémon.

“Oddity!” Wiatt yelled.

“Skiddo!” Sara yelled.

“Come on Oddity! Where are you!?” Wiatt yelled again.

“Skiddo! Come on out!” Sara yelled again.

Lewis and Oliver finally caught up with their friends. “Any luck?” Oliver asked.

“No,” Wiatt replied. “What about you guys?”

Oliver and Lewis shook their heads. Even Sprigatito shook her head but she too was worried about her friends.

Wiatt and Sara frowned before turning to each other and getting into another argument again. “This is all your fault!” They both shouted at the same time. “My fault! It’s your fault!”

Tired of the arguing Oliver took a deep breath and shouted, “Would you two knock it off!”

Oliver’s shout made everyone frozen in shock. Never had Oliver raised his voice at anyone before. The taller boy covered his mouth in shock, embarrassed at what he had just done. “Sorry, but I just had to.”

“Don’t need to apologize, darling,” Lewis said, putting his hand on his best friend’s shoulder. “Someone needed to speak up about these two sooner or later.” He glanced at his two best friends, as his Sprigatito gave them the same look.

Wiatt and Sara looked at their friends, surprised before looking at each other. Guilt rushed through their faces realizing they were bickering non-stop. The two turned away with Sara rubbing her arm in regret.

“Face it you two, if you want to find your Pokemon you two need to work together.” Lewis reminded them.

“Meow!” Sprigatito added, agreeing with her trainer.

Wiatt and Sara looked at one another and while they didn’t want to, they had to. “Alright.” Wiatt sighed.

“Where do we suppose we look?” Sara asked. “We’ve looked everywhere!”

As Sara complained, Sprigatito’s ear twitched as she heard something not too far away. She jumped out of Lewis’s arms and listened to hear a battle going on not far from here. “Meow! Meow!” Sprigatito mewled.

“You heard something Sprigatito?” Lewis asked.

The Grass Cat Pokemon nodded and went to lead the group to where the noise was located.

“Follow her!” Lewis exclaimed as the four went to follow Sprigatito to a clearing. There, the Grass Cat Pokemon mewled finding the two Pokemon. “You found them?”

Spirgatito nodded and looked through the bushes and her eyes widened. As her trainer and his friends looked through the bushes as well, the Grass Cat Pokemon shushed them so they could be quiet and watch.

There, Oddity and Skiddo were sparing and practicing combinations the two could use in a future battle. Skiddo was trying to use Bulldoze as Oddity tried to climb the rocks and use Shadow Ball, however, the Eevee kept on losing his footing, but before he could fall Skiddo caught him using Vine Whip and put him down gently.

“Eevee,” Oddity replied.

Skiddo belted and they decided to try again. There Oddity was able to perfect the combination and decided to use his Jolteon attack.

“Did you see that?” Sara asked.

“Yeah,” Wiatt replied. “They're doing combinations and getting good at it.”

“They would’ve done it perfectly if you two weren’t arguing so much,” Oliver added.

Wiatt and Sara felt guilty, seeing their arguing prevented them from letting their Pokemon show off their combinations. The group kept watching the two Pokemon practice their combinations; Skiddo went to use Razor Leaf, but not long after Oddity started to glow green and ended up using Razor Leaf not long after.

The Dream Quartet were surprised at what they just witnessed. “Now Oddity can learn Razor Leaf?!” Wiatt exclaimed.

“Darling, I don’t think Oddity learned Razor Leaf or Swift,” Lewis replied. Wiatt turned towards his friend. “I believe Oddity learned Copycat.”

Wiatt’s eyes widened and turned towards his Pokemon, who used Copycat one more time, this time on Skiddo’s Take Down attack, which he used to tackle Skiddo, who stopped him using her vines. She then let go as the two took a breath and decided to end training for the day.

Skiddo let out a bleat asking if Oddity was ready to head back to their trainers. She felt worried for Sara, knowing she was probably looking for her.

Oddity nodded, agreeing to go to Wiatt. He turned and froze seeing their trainers and their friends had been watching them for some time. Wiatt and Sara came out of the bushes and walked over to their Pokemon, who felt so nervous that they ran off.

“Don’t feel nervous you two,” Sara said. “We’re calm now.”

“Sorry if our arguing lost us the battle,” Wiatt spoke up.

Oddity and Skiddo looked up at their trainers in surprise, seeing they weren’t yelling anymore.

“We saw a bit of your training, and what you did is amazing!” Sara exclaimed.

“Yeah! I want to try that next time we get pulled into a double battle!” Wiatt added.

Oddity and Skiddo blushed in embarrassment glad their trainers were proud of them.

“Say,” Wiatt spoke up, “would you two like to try again and battle Eric and Lewis again?”

“We promise we won’t argue,” Sara added, putting her hands together.

Oddity and Skiddo looked at each other and smiled, nodding in reply. Wiatt and Sara smiled seeing their Pokémon agreed to it. However, the good times were cut short when a net appeared out of the sky and landed on top of Oddity and Skiddo.

The group gasped in horror but then saw the net carry the two Pokemon up in the air.

“Oh great! Now what’s going on!?” Wiatt asked.

A familiar laughter appeared before a voice spoke up, “Prepare for trouble we got you by surprise.”

“And make it double we got the prize!” A male voice spoke up.”

It was Team Rocket in their Meowth balloon saying their usual motto.

“To protect the world from devastation!” Jessie continued.

“To unite all peoples within our nation!” James continued.

“To denounce the evils of truth and love!”

“To extend our reach to the stars above!”

“Jessie!” She introduced giving a wink

“James!” He introduced doing the same thing as his partner.

“Team Rocket blasts off and the speed of light!”

“Surrender now or prepare for a fight!”

“Meowth! That’s right!” Meowth beamed jumping in front of his teammates.

“Wobbuffet!” Wobbuffet beamed.

“Team Rocket!” The Dream Quartet yelled.

“Give us back our Pokemon!” Sara added.

“What? I can’t hear you, twerp!” Jessie mocked. “I believe these Pokémon belong to us!”

Oddity and Skiddo complained as they begged for their friends to help them. Sara and Wiatt growled seeing Team Rocket getting higher and higher away from them.

“Skiddo, use Razor Leaf!” Sara commanded.

“Oddity, use Copycat on the Razor Leaf!” Wiatt commanded.

The two Pokémon used Razor Leaf to break out of the net, but the move reflected back instead of tearing the net to break free.

“What?” Wiatt asked, confused as to why the rope didn’t break.

Meowth laughed, “Sorry twerps we made sure this net was Pokémon proof inside and out!” He gloated.

“No Razor Leaf or any attack can break through this net!” James beamed as well.

“Wobbuffet!” Wobbuffet replied.

Lewis growled seeing his two friends' Pokemon being taken away from him. His Pokemon, Sprigatito growled as well, ready to fight to save her friends. She noticed the rope that held the net and mewled to her trainer.

“Meow! Meow!” Sprigatito yelled.

Lewis turned towards his Pokémon as she mewled again looking at the rope holding the net. He smirked and nodded and was ready to command his Pokemon to save his friends.

“Sprigatito, use Leafage to cut the rope!” 

Sprigatito launched leaves from her neck as the attack tore the rope holding the net. Slowly the rope broke and snapped as the net fell down on the ground with Oddity and Skiddo inside. However, Skiddo used her Vine Whip to grab Oddity as they landed safely on the ground.

Team Rocket was shocked to see the net had broken even though they gloated about how indestructible it was.

“Vee!” Oddity sighed.

Skiddo sighed as well as their trainers went over to them. “You two okay?” Wiatt asked.

“Eevee! Vee!” Oddity replied.

Skiddo bleated in reply that she was okay too.

“Meowth!” Jessie growled. “You said this net was Pokémon attack-proofed!”

Meowth chuckled, “Well it was, however, it was too small to grab the Pokémon from our balloon so I used some spare rope to make it longer.” He explained.

“Next time buy the bigger and longer nets!” James yelled.

“If our budget allows it.” Meowth groaned.

Jessie growled, not wanting to give up. She took out her Pokeball and threw it shouting, “Go Seviper!” She yelled.

“Alright, Inkay, let’s go!” James yelled, throwing his Pokeball as well.

The two Pokeballs opened and out came Jessie’s Seviper and James’s Inkay. The two Pokemon glared at the Dream Quartet who glared back. 

Sprigatito was ready to battle their enemies Pokémon, but Oddity and Skiddo stepped up wanting to battle Team Rocket to make up for the battle they lost earlier.

“Eevee! Vee!” Oddity exclaimed.

“You want us to try again right now?” Sara asked.

Oddity and Skiddo nodded in reply.

Sara and Wiatt looked at each other and nodded. They faced Team Rocket’s Pokemon and were ready to battle.

“Seviper, use Poison Sting!” Jessie commanded.

“Inkay, use Psybeam!” James commanded.

Seviper opened his mouth and launched purple darts at Skiddo and Oddity, while Inkay went upside down and launched a blue beam with pink circles at the two Pokemon.

“Dodge it!” Sara and Wiatt yelled.

The two Pokemon jumped and missed the two attacks.

“Skiddo, Razor Leaf!” Sara commanded.

“Oddity, use Shadow Ball!” Wiatt commanded.

The two Pokemon turned to one another and nodded. Skiddo let out her Razor Leaf attack, while Oddity let out his Shadow Ball. Oddity’s attack went first and then Skiddo's, causing the two attacks to swirl one another and attack Seviper and Inkay at the same time. However, the opposing Pokemon stood their ground.

“Seviper, use Poison Tail on the Eevee!” Jessie commanded.

“Seviper!” The Fang Snake Pokemon hissed as their tail glowed purple and was ready to attack Oddity.

“Wiatt, I want you to use Copycat on Seviper’s Poison Tail,” Sara told him.

Wiatt looked confused and turned towards his friend, “what?” He asked.

“Trust me on this, okay,” Sara added.

Wiatt wasn’t exactly sure what Sara was planning, but if they wanted to stop Team Rocket together they had to agree and not fight with one another.

“Alright.” Wiatt said, “Oddity, use Copycat on Poison Tail!” 

Oddity glowed purple as his tail turned purple and he started to run towards Seviper. The two Poison Tail attacks collided with one another pushing the two Pokemon back.

“Inkay, use Tackle!” James commanded.

“Skiddo, stop that Tackle with Vine Whip!” Sara commanded.

Inkay made its way towards Skiddo, before being stopped by the latter’s Vine Whip.

“Great! Now toss them!” Sara commanded once again. She glanced at Wiatt and nodded, having him command Oddity to use an attack.

Wiatt nodded, “Oddity, use Shadow Ball!” He exclaimed.

Skiddo threw Inkay up in the air as Oddity got up on Skiddo’s back and launched a Shadow Ball at the Revolving Pokemon. Inkay was pushed back and slammed into Seviper, which pushed the two into a tree.

“I can’t believe it!” Oliver exclaimed.

“They're finally working together!” Lewis added. He felt happy and wanted to join in to help his friends, but he felt Sprigatito’s paws touch his shoes, stopping him.

Sprigatito mewled, telling him that Sara and Wiatt should handle this battle together. Lewis nodded and listened to his Pokemon as he and Oliver continued to watch.

Jessie growled seeing Sara and Wiatt work together, she had hoped the two would be fighting again, giving her and James an easy win, but that wasn’t the case. “What happened to the bickering twerps?!” She yelled.

“Maybe they let out all their anger?” Meowth asked.

Jessie growled, “Well I’m not losing to some twerps!” She yelled. “Seviper, Bite attack!”

“Inkay, use Tackle!” James commanded.

The two Pokemon started to come towards the opposing Pokemon, who were ready to attack.

“Wiatt, do you want to try Skiddo and Oddity’s combination?” Sara asked.

Wiatt thought about it for a second and nodded, “Sure, but we need to time it right.”

Sara nodded and commanded her Pokemon to use her attack, “Skiddo use Bulldoze!”

Skiddo smirked knowing what her trainer was trying to do. She then stopped her hooves and used her Bulldoze attack.

“Alright Oddity! Go! Use your Jolteon attack!” Wiatt commanded.

“Eevee!” Oddity beamed.

Oddity used the Bulldoze to launch himself toward Team Rocket’s Pokemon and went ahead to use his Jolteon attack, shocking Seviper, and Inkay. The attack pushed the two Pokemon back into Team Rocket’s balloon, which shocked them as well before their balloon exploded.

The explosion was seen in the distance, surprising Eric, his daughter, and Ridley.

“What was that?” Carly asked.

“I don’t know, but we should see if Lewis and the others are alright,” Eric said.

Meanwhile, Team Rocket were in the sky defeated by Wiatt and his friends yet again. “How can those two be arguing one minute and then working together in perfect harmony!” Jessie complained.

“Well Jess, they are the heroes and we’re the bad guys,” James replied, in a deadpan tone.

Jessie growled and yelled at her teammate, “Who’s side are you on James!?” She yelled.

“Yours.” He replied in the same tone.

Meowth sighed, “Well looks like I got another bickering duo to deal with.” He said.

“Wobbuffet!” Wobbuffet exclaimed.

“Team Rocket is blasting off again!” Team Rocket yelled as they were launched to the sky.

“Alright!” Wiatt and Sara cheered, giving each other a high five. Their two Pokemon went over to them and hugged them tightly as they celebrated their win.

As they celebrated, Eric and Carly arrived confused about what the two were celebrating. “What did we miss?” Carly asked.

“Wiatt and Sara finally worked together,” Oliver said.

“And defeated Team Rocket,” Lewis added.

“Oddity,” Wiatt started. “You and Skiddo were amazing!”

“Eevee!” Oddity exclaimed.

Wiatt hugged Oddity as the Evolution Pokemon nuzzled him. The two looked over at Sara, kneeling down and petting her Skiddo, praising her as well.

“Skiddo, you were amazing as always!” Sara beamed.

Skiddo bleated in reply before giving her trainer a lick on the cheek. Sara chuckled and hugged her Pokemon tight.

Wiatt smiled and walked over to the young girl, “Hey, Sara.” He started. Sara looked up at her friend. “I’m sorry for arguing with you today, you're a really good trainer.”

Sara gave a small smile and got up to face her friend, “Thanks, and I’m sorry too for being such a jerk to you.” She replied. “You're not that bad of a battler Wiatt, your Eevee is something.”

Wiatt looked down at his buddy, who smiled proudly.

“However,” Sara started, which made Wiatt and Oddity, as well as their friends, change expressions. “That Jolteon attack, have you ever given it a name?”

Wiatt and Oddity looked at each other before looking back at their friend. “No. I never thought of it.”

“Well, instead of Jolteon attack, how about…” Sara trailed off until she thought of an idea thanks to seeing a nearby Beedrill hive in the distance. “Buzzy Buzz.”

“Buzzy Buzz!?” Wiatt exclaimed. “That’s the most stupid name you can come up with!” He glared.

Sara glared back, “Well it’s better than Jolteon attack!” She shouted back. The two continued to bicker over the name choice, which made their friends sigh in disbelief.

“Here they go again.” Lewis sighed. Sprigaitito mewled in reply.

“At this point, they’ll argue over anything,`” Carly added.

Before the argument could escalate further, Sara and Wiatt felt Skiddo’s vines around their wrist. They looked down at the Mount Pokemon who was glaring at them, tired of their nonstop bickering. Even Oddity glared at them, agreeing with his friend.

Sara and Wiatt looked at their Pokemon and then at each other before sighing in defeat. Skiddo then released her vines off the two trainers as Wiatt kneeled down at Oddity. “Oddity, what do you think about changing the name of your move from Jolteon Attack to Buzzy Buzz?” He asked, even though saying Buzzy Buzz felt weird to say.

Oddity thought of it for a bit, and smiled, “Vee.” He replied.

“You like it?”

“Eevee!”

Wiatt sighed and turned to Sara. “I guess you win this time.” He said.

Sara smiled, seeing she won this argument. “Funny thing, I thought of it on the top of my head.” She replied.

Wiatt chuckled as well, which relieved their friends that the argument was cut short.

“Well, now that’s settled, how about we eat lunch back at the lab and try again for another double battle,” Eric explained.

“Yeah!” The group agreed.

“And I’ll get there first!” Sara beamed as she and Skiddo ran up ahead of everyone.

“Not if I get there first!” Wiatt yelled as he ran to catch up with his friend. The two started to race each other to see who would get to the lab first.

Lewis and Oliver looked at each other, before shrugging and decided to race their friends too.

[etes-secrecy-post]

Hi, before I explain my post, I want to say something important.

• What you see my blog has become a major overhaul. And despite the changes, I decided that my 2nd account will be now my artwork blog with a secret twist.

⚠️NEW RULE! (W/ BIGGER TEXT!)⚠️

⚠️ SO PLEASE DO NOT SHARE MY 2nd ACCOUNT TO EVERYONE! THIS SECRECY BLOG OF MINE IS FOR CLOSES FRIENDS ONLY!⚠️

• AND FOR MY CLOSES FRIENDS, DON’T REBLOG IT. INSTEAD, JUST COPY MY LINK AND PASTE IT ON YOUR TUMBLR POST! JUST BE SURE THE IMAGE WILL BE REMOVED AND THE ONLY LEFT WAS THE TEXT.

⚠️ SHARING LINKS, LIKE POSTS, REBLOG POSTS, STEALING MY SNAPSHOT PHOTOS/RECORDED VIDEOS/ARTWORKS (a.k.a. ART THIEVES) OR PLAGIARIZING FROM UNKNOWN TUMBLR STRANGERS WILL IMMEDIATELY BE BLOCKED, RIGHT AWAY!⚠️

😡 WHATEVER YOU DO, DO NOT EVER LIKED & REBLOG MY SECRET POST! THIS IS FOR MY SECRET FRIENDS ONLY, NOT YOU! 😡

Okay? Capiche? Make sense? Good, now back to the post…↓

#OnThisDay: Jun 28th, 2010

Title: Seravee MuruKir

Yet, another long-ranged type of armor (known as the "Cuteness Mecha Armor") was the "Seravee" 🤖, though this time had a trick of its own (which, you'll see the entire info.) unlike the armored "Cherudim", and its based on an actual Gundam counterpart from "Gundam 00", particularly Season 2 of this 2007 Gundam Anime. Unfortunately, MuruKir's armored "Seravee" was passed by another fellow "Cuteness Defender Academy" member, Chowder (from "Chowder!"). 🍴🐻🙂

Previous: • Cherudim MuruKir (Jun 28th, 2010) - [CLICK ME!]

Seravee MuruKir Based on: GN-008 Seravee Gundam [CLICK ME!]

Armament(s):

GN Bazooka II • Seravee uses a pair of GN Bazooka IIs as one of its main weaponry, and these handheld beam firearms are improved version of the armored "Virtue's" GN Bazooka. While the firepower of a single GN Bazooka II is more than sufficient to destroy an enemy "CMA" suit, a higher level of firepower can be obtained by combining the two bazookas into the "Double Bazooka". However, the Double Bazooka has a lower rate of fire and is harder to wield than the individual GN Bazooka II.

GN Cannon • Large beam cannons that served as Seravee's other main weaponry, two are mounted on the knees and another two on the backpack. They have a simplified structure compared to Virtue's GN Cannons, but have a higher output. All four GN Cannons can swivel up and down, with the backpack-mounted ones also capable of rotating sideways. The four cannons can combine their output to jointly fire a large beam with destructive power that exceeds the level of a mobile suit, and this attack is known as "Quad Cannon". They can also be used in combination with the GN Bazooka II's for a variety of attacks. Furthermore, the GN Cannons can transform into arms and are equipped with a GN Beam Saber each. Often referred to as "Hidden Arms", these arms can wield their own GN Beam Sabers for melee combat, and can also be used to grab enemy unit at close range.

GN Beam Saber • A high power melee combat weapon that emits a beam blade made of compressed GN Particles when drawn. Since Seravee is not intended for melee combat, its GN Beam Sabers only served as reserve/spare weaponry. Despite this, Seravee has six GN Beam Sabers in total, two stored in its forearms and four more in the GN Cannons, and this ensured it did not suffer from poor melee combat capability like the Virtue. When used, the GN Beam Sabers stored in the forearms slide out to under the hands, allowing them to be grabbed instantly for attacking enemy unit. The GN Beam Sabers stored in the four GN Cannons also have similar sliding mechanism for immediate wielding by the hands of the cannons' hidden arms.

GN Bazooka II + GN Cannon Combinations ○ The GN Bazooka II can be connected to the GN Cannon for a variety of combined attacks. Interestingly, Seravee's strongest attack, which utilized both GN Bazooka IIs and all four GN Cannons, does not require such a connection.

Buster Cannon & Twin Buster Cannon ○ The "Buster Cannon" is formed when a GN Bazooka II is attached to a GN Cannon mounted on the backpack. As implied by its name, the "Twin Buster Cannon" is formed when the pair of GN Bazooka IIs attached separately to the two backpack-mounted GN Cannons.

Double Bazooka Cannon & Double Bazooka Burst Cannon ○ The "Double Bazooka Cannon" is formed when the Double Bazooka is attached to one of the backpack-mounted GN Cannons. When this combination utilizes the Double Bazooka Burst Mode, it is known as the "Double Bazooka Burst Cannon". The Double Bazooka Burst Cannon is said to fire a ball of beam energy larger than that of the Double Bazooka Burst Mode.

Hyper Burst • Also called "Hyper Burst Mode", this is Seravee's strongest attack in which the four GN Cannons are used together with the Double Bazooka Burst Mode, resulting in a huge ball of beam energy being shot at the enemy. A maximum power Hyper Burst can be triggered when both Trans-Am System and Face Burst Mode are activated, with the ball of beam energy fired being much larger than normal.

Special Equipment & Feature(s):

GN Field • The Seravee can generate around itself a spherical GN Field barrier made of compressed GN Particles for 360 degree protection against most physical and beam attacks. Besides protecting itself, Seravee can also use its GN Field to defend friendly unit behind it from incoming attacks. While Seravee's predecessor, the Virtue, generated its GN Field using four GN Field generators, Seravee is able to deploy the barrier without such dedicated generators. While the GN Field has high defensive capabilities, it comes at the cost of high particle consumption. Additionally, it is not impenetrable.

Face Burst Mode • When Seravee operates at full power, parts of its backpack will unfold to expose a huge Gundam face, and this is known as "Face Burst Mode". This huge Gundam face was made by Ian Vashti to imitate the GN-000 0 Gundam's face. When it activates, the Seravee's GN Particle emission is greatly increased, with copious amount of particles emitted from the pair of vents on the left and right side of the huge Gundam face. Additionally, this mode enhances Seravee's particle control capability as the two large, yellow antennas that unfold as part of the huge Gundam face are particle control antennas, like the four antennas on Seravee's head. Overall, Face Burst Mode has the effect of improving the GN Field's defensive performance, enable stronger ranged beam attacks, enhance mobility by maximizing the output of the two main thrusters at the bottom of the backpack, etc.

Trans-Am System • A special system that when activated would fully release all of the compressed high-density GN Particles accumulated in the "Cuteness Mecha Armor", enhancing its mobility and defensive capabilities as well as allowing it to perform at three times its normal output for a limited time. Additionally, the CM armor appeared red and afterimages were generated when moving.

MuruKir (Kirby OC) - created by ME! Armor (Mobile Suit Gundam 00) - Gundam series © Bandai Namco Filmworks, Inc. (SUNRISE), Sotsu

[gadgetrevive]

Conquering the World’s Deadliest Obstacle Course: Mack’s Journey to Redemption and $800,000Imagine standing on a platform hundreds of feet above the ground, your heart pounding in your chest, knowing that one misstep could mean a catastrophic fall. Welcome to the world’s deadliest obstacle course, where Mack, a daring contestant, embarks on a thrilling journey to conquer six grueling challenges and win a life-changing $800,000.The First Leap: Overcoming Fear and HeightsThe first challenge is a test of sheer bravery. Mack stands on a platform, trembling as he prepares to make his initial jump. "Oh my God, I'm so high up in the air," he exclaims, the platform shaking beneath him. With the ground a distant 200 feet below, the stakes couldn't be higher. Each step is a battle against fear, but Mack pushes forward, determined not to let the height defeat him.As he approaches the final jump of the first course, Mack hesitates. It's the longest distance yet, with double swinging hammers adding to the difficulty. "800 grand's on the line," his friend reminds him. Summoning his courage, Mack makes the leap and successfully lands. But there's no time for celebration—this was only the first of many trials.Level Two: Childhood Games with Deadly ConsequencesBlindfolded and uncertain, Mack is led to the second level, where he faces a nostalgic yet perilous choice: balance beam or monkey bars. As he removes his harness, the reality sinks in—one wrong move, and he falls 100 feet into a net, losing his shot at the prize.Opting for the monkey bars, Mack clings to each bar with a mix of determination and fear. "Don't fall, please don't fall," he mutters, inching forward. The bars grow further apart, testing his resolve. Despite the nerve-wracking distance, Mack reaches the other side, fueled by the thought of redemption and the $800,000 prize.Level Three: A Memory Game with Explosive StakesThe third level shifts from physical prowess to mental agility. Mack faces a grid of tiles, needing to memorize a 44-tile pattern to avoid triggering an explosive. With only 30 minutes to perfect his memory, the pressure mounts. "This is your final chance to win this 800 grand," his friend warns.Mack meticulously memorizes the pattern, but with each step, the tension escalates. Time ticks away as he makes tentative progress. At the brink of despair, Mack finds the courage to trust his memory, taking one last, heart-stopping step to complete the challenge successfully.Level Four: The Endurance TestOn level four, Mack encounters a waterlogged obstacle course. His lifeline? A Feastables chocolate bar. As long as he holds onto it, he can make as many attempts as needed. The course is brutal, with each step threatening to send him into the water below.Determined, Mack clings to the chocolate bar, enduring hours of falls and retries. His perseverance pays off as he finally conquers the course, moving closer to the ultimate prize. "You only have two more obstacle courses," he's reminded, the end in sight.Level Five: Balance at Dizzying HeightsBlindfolded again, Mack ascends to level five, where balance beams and rolling logs await. The twist? They're 200 feet in the air. The ground vanishes beneath him as he steps onto the first log, every muscle in his body tense with fear.Mack battles his past failures and the swaying beams, each step a testament to his grit. As he retrieves bags of money and makes the precarious journey back, the weight of the challenge tests his resolve. Yet, against all odds, Mack completes the level, clutching his prize tightly.The Final Challenge: Redemption and TriumphThe final obstacle is a daunting array of trapeze bars and shrinking platforms. "This is by far the most insane obstacle course," Mack is told, the gravity of the moment settling in. With his parents watching from below, Mack faces the ultimate test of skill and courage.Each jump is a leap of faith, the platforms getting smaller and the stakes higher. Mack's focus sharpens as he approaches the final hurdle—a jump to the tiniest platform yet.

With the cheers of his family echoing in his ears, Mack takes the leap and lands safely, securing his victory.Mack's triumph is more than just a personal victory; it's a story of perseverance, redemption, and the power of the human spirit. With $800,000 in his hands, Mack plans to help his childhood friends, ensuring they never have to worry about money again. "My life's changed now," he says, overwhelmed with emotion. And indeed, it has—for Mack, for his friends, and for everyone who witnessed his incredible journey.

[growhubuae]

Decorating with Hanging Money Plants: Creative Ideas for Your Home

Introduction:

Hanging money plants, with their lush foliage and cascading vines, are not only beautiful additions to any indoor space but also versatile décor elements that can elevate the ambiance of your home. Whether you're looking to add a touch of greenery to your living room, bedroom, or even bathroom, hanging money plants offer endless possibilities for creative decoration. In this article, we'll explore various imaginative ways to decorate with hanging money plants and transform your home into a green oasis.

Create a Vertical Garden: One of the most popular ways to decorate with hanging money plants is by creating a vertical garden. Install a series of wall-mounted planters or macramé hangers and arrange your hanging money plants at different heights to create a stunning green wall. This not only adds visual interest to your space but also maximizes the use of vertical space, making it ideal for small apartments or homes with limited floor space.

Design a Bohemian-Inspired Hanging Garden: For a bohemian-inspired look, consider incorporating hanging money plants into your décor in a more relaxed and eclectic manner. Mix and match different types of planters, such as macramé hangers, ceramic pots, and woven baskets, and hang them from exposed beams, curtain rods, or ceiling hooks. Add other bohemian elements like textured rugs, colorful cushions, and vintage-inspired accents to complete the look.

Hang Them in Unexpected Places: Think outside the box when it comes to hanging your money plants and consider placing them in unexpected locations throughout your home. Hang a cluster of plants above your kitchen island or dining table to create a striking focal point, or suspend them near a sunny window to add a touch of greenery to an otherwise overlooked corner. Get creative with placement and experiment with different arrangements to find what works best for your space.

Incorporate Them into Gallery Walls: Give your gallery wall a botanical twist by incorporating hanging money plants into the mix. Intersperse framed artwork and photographs with hanging planters or air plants to add depth and texture to your display. Choose planters in complementary colors and styles that complement your existing décor for a cohesive look that seamlessly blends art and nature.

Use Them as Room Dividers: Hanging money plants can also double as stylish room dividers, delineating different areas of your home while adding a touch of greenery. Hang them from ceiling-mounted rods or tension wires to create a natural partition between spaces like the living room and dining area or the bedroom and home office. Not only does this add visual interest to your home, but it also helps create a sense of privacy and separation in open-plan layouts.

Conclusion:

With their versatility and beauty, hanging money plants offer endless possibilities for creative decoration in your home. Whether you choose to create a vertical garden, embrace a bohemian-inspired aesthetic, or incorporate them into gallery walls and room dividers, hanging money plants are sure to add a touch of natural beauty and charm to any space. Experiment with different ideas and let your creativity flourish as you decorate with these delightful green companions.

[illyria-and-her-pet]

The move was the brainchild of her coach, Vladislav Rastorotsky.

“Our coach was such a great innovator,” Yurchenko says. “So, everybody tried to create something that they only can do.”

She and other women training alongside her at Rostov-on-Don got to work one day at the behest of Rastorotsky, who also coached greats like Ludmilla Tourischeva and Natalia Shaposhnikova.

“One time, he just came to the gym and said that we are going to do that vault,” Yurchenko said. “So, we stacked the mats, we thought it's kind of a crazy idea because it seems like it was pretty dangerous doing it on that horse. But OK, let's try it.”

Yurchenko quickly perfected the vault, first performing it six months later at the 1982 Moscow News, she says. She submitted the element to the International Gymnastics Federation later that year at the World Cup, which she won.

The element was controversial at first, Yurchenko explained. Another parallel to Biles��� daring innovations.

“There were a lot of debates to allow it or not to allow it,” Yurchenko recalls. “I performed it in America, and the American judges, some of them, were really against it because it seemed way too dangerous, because probably maybe I missed hands one time on the warmup or in training.”

But not everyone saw it that way, and the vault was allowed in competition.

“I think because a lot of progressive coaches who saw that vault, saw a lot of potential difficult vaults in future of vault, it probably influenced judges, the technical committee, and that's how it came to life,” she says.

A boycott of the 1984 Games in Los Angeles meant Yurchenko never got the chance to compete her element at the Olympics. By the time the 1988 Seoul Olympics came around, she had retired from the sport, but her vault had become the main entry used in women’s gymnastics.

Enter Biles, three decades and a complete redesign of the vault later. The vault table on which Biles performs her daring maneuvers isn’t the same vaulting horse Yurchenko first did the entry on.

Instead of a pommel horse-like piece of apparatus, the new vaulting table, introduced to international competition in 2001, resembles a tongue. It has increased surface area, perfect for the Yurchenko entry where a gymnast doesn’t see the vault before her hands touch it, and springs that help launch athletes into the air.

Yurchenko couldn’t foresee the revolutionised equipment nor Biles’ unmatched athleticism and flawless technique, but that doesn’t mean she and her coach didn’t dream of the possibilities.

Though she never competed the double flipping version Biles displayed at the recent U.S. Classic, Yurchenko says she tried them in training.

“We did try everything into the pits, not over the horse, but over the stacked mats, so we did double backs and double fulls, whatever you can pull in that time,” Yurchenko said. “Because in our gym, like I said, our coach was so innovative. We did a lot of difficult skills that we never competed because it was like ahead of time and not even in mind to develop them for competition.”

It was one of many elements she says she and her teammates worked in practice but never performed in competition. Others include a triple back on floor exercise and a double-twisting back flip balance beam mount.

“I really regret that we couldn't take a video of that time, but we were truly into working on very difficult stuff that when I tell people about, they don't really believe,” Yurchenko lamented about what surely would have been viral content in 2021. “But we have those girls who did that. They’re still alive and they know, they remember that time.”

Seeing Biles so perfectly utilise the entry she pioneered was a dream come true for the 1982 all-around, vault, and balance beam World Cup champion.

“It’s such a joy to see that something that you started doing, getting into such a progress and [allowing] other people to compete with more difficulties and raise the bar even higher and higher,” said Yurchenko. “I was dreaming about seeing it. It was kind of tears of joy because you create something and you wait for the future generation to use it... I don’t think it can be better. It was just so amazing. I was amazed that we have Simone Biles, who can raise us all to that kind of level.”

None of it would have been possible without either groundbreaking woman.

For Yurchenko, it was the culmination of her legacy in the sport and a dream she had as a child to leave something for future generations.

“When it happens that my vault became the future for generation and generation and generation, I looked back and said, ‘how did this happen?’” said Yurchenko. “As I’m becoming older, it feels even more great. When you’re young, you don’t appreciate it… but now when you’re becoming older, you kind of value [it more] and try to analyze, how did this happen?”

To her, it feels like destiny.

“I needed to meet the right people, right coaches, right group of girls who were working with me and who were able to do the same things I was doing,” Yurchenko continued. “Without that, it wouldn’t happen. It kind of happened by surprise, but also it’s meant to happen.”

[theladyismyshepard]

I love your characterizations of the daughters and all of your imagines they are fantastic! i was wondering would it be okay to request an imagine where the reader says to the daughters like during an argument or something,“you wanna kiss me so bad it makes you look stupid!” and they all react to her in different ways? plz take ur time with the imagines and don’t feel pressured/rushed as ik writing should be something that is fun and not feel like a chore, thank you for all the content you have written so far :)

@frustratinglyinquisitive also maybe this could double as your #28 prompt? 🥺👉👈

Why Does Everyone Wanna Kiss Me So Bad?

The sunset was shining bright enough to sting and obscure eyesight, but that didn’t stop you from staring up into the pink and orange hues. Every time you blinked, the phantom flash of the sun still danced along your eyelids, leaving a glare across your vision. You weren’t even bothered by it, not when this numbness had clung itself to you, leaving you idle and just there. You flexed your fingers, and it rattled the chains locked around your wrists, bringing you back to where you were.

The boxed confinement you were trapped in felt more of a cage rather than the carriage bumping along the rocky trail that led you to your new prison — yes, Castle Dimitrescu sounded to be just another form of punishment, though you were uncertain as to why you were to be moved from Heisenberg’s watch to Lady Dimitrescu’s estate. You could hardly call it a step up from the twisted games he forced you to play within his factory.

You were sure you were on borrowed time and it was nearly time to collect, and you were certain that time had come when the four Lords surrounded you with Mother Miranda playing the head of the beast, leaving you cowering on the floor. The familiar iron hammer and the stench of billowing cigar smoke was on your right.

Standing next to him was quite possibly one of the ugliest... things you’d ever seen. A cloak hid a majority of his body, but you had the suspicion that the misshaped person next to Heisenberg wasn’t entirely human... you got that vibe from everyone in the room. Especially the weird doll that couldn’t seem to reign in its excitement as it bounced in the veiled woman’s lap seated next to Mother Miranda.

There was nothing human about the golden eyes that peered into yours from under the brim of a wide hat. They seemed calculating, curious, if not a tad bit confused as they surveyed your weak form. You looked away, unable to handle the weight of the woman’s gaze, and that was how you caught Mother Miranda’s bright eyes cutting into you from behind her bird-like mask.

“Oh, how I have been waiting to meet you, little one.” her voice demanded respect, but all you could do was gawk. “You are a stubborn thing, I’ve heard.”

Her gaze slowly crept over to Heisenberg as she said it, and you couldn’t help but feel a tremor of fright at his angered snarl, his arms crossed petulantly. It was true, you had endured many weeks at the hands of the leather-clad man, and while he did his worst, you refused to succumb to his torture, though for how much longer, you couldn’t say.

“I cannot fathom what keeps you here, but there is nothing special about the common human.” said Mother Miranda, and the mounting irritation was crystal clear. “You might have one looking like a dog chasing its own tail, but let us see how you fare in Castle Dimitrescu.”

You could immediately tell who dwelled there with the way the woman wearing white was smiling like the cat who ate the canary. She was completely predatory and was feeding off of Heisenberg’s disgrace and fury, and between the two, you weren’t sure who the best option was, not when her eyes turned to you and she looked like she knew exactly what she wanted to do with you.

“Do not worry, Mother Miranda,” the woman promised, already moving to stand, and the way she towered over you had your neck craned straight upward. “It’s been some time since my daughters had a plaything.”

That comment alone had the other occupants of the room guffawing and whistling. Everyone seemed to thoroughly enjoy the prospect of her daughters getting their hands on you, even Heisenberg had his eyebrows arched in surprise. Who the hell are these girls? Mother Miranda seemed to know and that was all that mattered.

“You are about to see what real monsters are.”

And that was how you found yourself roughly chained up inside the carriage that guided you to Castle Dimitrescu. You weren’t entirely sure why it was such a slap in the face to Heisenberg, but he seemed rather indignant as he loaded you up, spitting insults through the whole process.

You couldn’t say for sure how long you had been traveling, but it was enough to have all of your joints achey and your ass numb by the time it was all said and done. Hell, it was long enough to feel the temperature drop as you trekked back around the mountains that stood between the factory and the castle. Though that wasn’t to say that you were in any big rush to get there. In fact, your heart dropped when the carriage came to an abrupt halt.

Panic gripped at your heart, and it felt as though fingers squeezed tightly around it. It left you motionless where you sat, wide eyes glued to the door that you were shoved in through. You could hear Heisenberg muttering and rustling as he approached, but aside from that, you couldn’t hear the distinct clanking of his iron hammer. He had such little faith in your survival skills that he didn’t even bother with arming himself to release you. Not that he needed to... You’ve seen what he can become, and you’ve seen what he houses in his factory. He’d kill you dead in a few seconds flat if you tried anything.

But at this point, what did you have to lose? Mother Miranda made it very clear that you were to be eliminated at the hands of these daughters, so did it really matter if you died at the doorstep or in the dungeon? You might have accepted death, but that didn’t mean you wouldn’t put up a last fight out of pure stubbornness. So that was how you had every intention of kicking forcefully at the door once it began creeping open to have him stumble back, possibly cracking him straight in the nose in the process, but that didn’t go as planned right off the bat.

Not when the door was nearly ripped right off the hinges in the haste to open, leaving you jarred, mouth hanging. The sunlight was now faded and replaced by the beams of the moon, but it was a bright night, leaving you capable of seeing that this was definitely not Heisenberg. And neither was she... or her. Uh oh.

“Mother! She’s here!” squealed the redheaded girl closest to you, clapping happily.

“Thank you for the gift, Mother,” said the brunette, her smirk not reaching her dead eyes.

“We will not disappoint you.” promised the blonde, her eyes observing your every move like a hawk.

“Have fun, daughters, but do remember that this one comes special from Mother Miranda, so do not forget to thank her.” their mother instructed, as if you weren’t there.

“Thank you, Mother Miranda,” all three said in unison before three different pairs of hands grabbed whichever part of you that they could.

Heisenberg clicked his tongue from where he leaned against the side of the carriage. He had an arm crossed while the other brought a cigar nestled between two fingers to his lips. You couldn’t read his eyes from behind his circular sunglasses, but you could read the entertainment in his toothy smile before he took a drag. When he blew it out into your direction, his satisfied grin spread again.

“Now, you have fun now, too, ya hear?” He mocked, chuckling as he turned on his heel, mounted the carriage, and prompted the horses to carry him off into the night.

“We’re gonna have lots of fun.” giggled the redhead, her smile the widest of the daughters as she tugged at your arm, dragging you along the pathway towards the castle.

“Not if I get to her first,” the brunette chimed in, her own grip on your other wrist tightening and pulling, almost like she was trying you get you away from the other.

“Who said either of you get the first turn?” the blonde interrupted, frown etched into her face as she tangled her fingers into the collar of your shirt.

“Enough,” drawled Lady Dimitrescu, voice barely more than a bored mumble, but it still had the daughters zipping their lips. “Bela, you are the oldest, and less likely to break her before your other sisters get a turn, so you may have the first turn.”

The blonde grinned brightly while the other two scowled but saying nothing in front of their mother. Your eyes couldn’t decide where to stay as you glanced between all four women as they finally led you through the entrance of the castle. You noticed that the temperature didn’t really increase from taking shelter, the walls giving off their own chill to substitute for the lack of outside wind.

You didn’t even have time to marvel at the interior before Bela was tugging at you with renewed eagerness. You caught the slight growl from the brunette’s direction, but one glare from the Lady and it ceased. What the hell was really going on here? You never had time to process anything before sister after sister said something that left you reeling.

“Aww, her heart’s racing!” announced the redhead, her eyes wide and unblinking as they stared at your chest. “Please let me-”

“Daniela, no,” snapped Lady Dimitrescu sternly, her frown lines on display. “You will be last, and that’s that.”

Daniela’s face twitched in her attempt to bite her tongue to prevent her argument from bursting forth. It didn’t stop her from turning and giving the brunette a glare however. You gasped when her body dissolved into a swarm of bugs before your very eyes. They dispersed and flew this way and that, and you honestly don’t know why it still shocked you when the brunette followed the same exit style. A nose pressed against the side of your neck and you jolted so hard that you nearly broke free of the hand that was now caressing your shoulder.

“Such a jittery, little thing,” whispered Bela so quietly that her following inhale was louder. “Though I hardly smell the sweet scent of terror... Is this one broken, mother?”

You couldn’t help it, you had to chuckle at the complete honesty in Bela’s question. Your lack of fright baffled this girl almost as much as she baffled you altogether, and suddenly you were staring each other down. Her eyes were narrowed suspiciously as she cut her gaze up and down your body. Even Lady Dimitrescu arched a finely sculpted brow at you, seeming more interested now than she did among the other Lords.

“Mother Miranda assures there is nothing special about this one.” said Lady Dimitrescu.

“Why do you not fear me?” demanded Bela, almost sounding offended, her grip on your shoulder tightening. “Your heart is pounding but you aren’t oozing that smell that I like!”

“It’s kinda hard to fear death when you don’t even care about living anymore.” You deadpanned without much feeling, your eyes finding the ground more interesting. “Heisenberg rid me of everything that made me who I used to be.”

“And just who were you before my dear uncle dug his claws into you?” pressed Bela, and you refrained yourself from showing any outward reaction to their connection. You swallowed as you looked her dead in the eye now.

“Someone who would have the common sense to know just how dangerous you are.” You answered, and her brow furrowed.

“Who are you now?” She questioned quietly, her eyes softening a bit under the chandelier light. All you could do was shrug, you had no concrete answer for her, yet you knew you had to supply something.

“Someone who thinks that being abducted by three beautiful women isn’t exactly the worst case scenario,” you chuckled mirthlessly, the bitter smile on your face cutting into your cheeks almost painfully.

Bela stared at you almost dumbfounded before she had to look at her mother, almost as if to double check that she indeed heard correctly before she burst into a fit of giggles. Lady Dimitrescu didn’t even meet her eye, she was too busy staring into your soul. Only when your eyes fell to your feet did you hear her heels clicking away up the winding staircase.

“Remember what she’s here for, dear,” she drawled, never turning back, and leaving you alone with Bela.

“If you’re gonna kill me, just get it over with.” You spat, attempting to sound brave rather than defeated.

Bela’s smile was almost animalistic with the way blood smeared across her lips and stained her teeth, and you couldn’t help but to feel like the prey when she took slow, deliberate steps around you.

“Oh, no, where is the fun in that?” Bela countered, reaching out to graze over whatever part she could touch as she continued to stalk around you in circles, taking you all in. “You are my pet now.”

“I thought I was a plaything.” You couldn’t help but throw back into her face, and you were surprised when Bela merely cocked her head instead of getting angered by your outburst.

“Mother Miranda might not find anything special about you, but call me fascinated.” said Bela, stopping in front of you, her fingertips caressing your throat. “You belong to me now.”

“Us,” corrected a sudden voice behind you, and the haze that was settling over you in Bela’s presence was lifted when you jerked forward.

You tried to whirl around on your heel out of reflex to back away, but Bela’s fingers dipped from your throat to grip at the collar of your shirt to keep you still and facing her. You flinched away from the sudden hand that tangled in the bottom of your hair, pulling your head back until it was resting against a shoulder. Brown hair cascaded down into your eyes.

“Mother Miranda gave her to all of us.” corrected the brunette, the edge in her voice making it like steel.

“Cassandra’s right,” sang Daniela in a sing song voice, and it had a shiver running down your spine, which prompted a round of wild giggling. “Did you like that, pet?”

“If we’re being technical,” Bela piped up with an eye roll, trying to pull you closer and failing when both Daniela and Cassandra tightened their own grips on you. “Mother Miranda gave her to us to tear apart, so she wasn’t meant for anyone.”

“Buuuuuuut?” You interrupted, hoping to add a touch of humor to your case.

Daniela giggled and Bela shook her head in mild amusement, but you found that Cassandra was the more difficult one to crack. She didn’t offer a single facial expression as her eyes surveyed every inch of your body, and you couldn’t tell if she was appreciating the view or if she was sizing up which part of you she wanted to rip off and take for herself.

These three women spoke so callously and so nonchalant right in front of you. These three women were what Mother Miranda referred to as “monsters” compared to the actual beasts you had seen lurking within Heisenberg’s factory. These three women were spattered in blood that you somehow knew wasn’t theirs, and they wouldn’t stop touching you. Hm.

“Aren’t you funny,” Cassandra said nearly monotonous, but her smirk was on full display, and you cursed the light, fluttering feel of your chest.

“I try,” you whispered, afraid that speaking any louder would be taken as a threat to these crazed women, but you did look her in the eye to gauge her reaction.

“Can we keep this one, Bela, please?” whined Daniela, pouting at the blonde.

“I don’t think mother would allow it though.” Bela worried, finally releasing her hold on your shirt, and that had Cassandra and Daniela pulling you closer (and almost apart).

“She is ours to do as we please, we’d kill her if she tried anything.” snapped Cassandra, looking like the whole situation was stupid to her.

“Obviously she will not try to escape!” insisted Daniela, nodding her head furiously towards who you were guessing was the older sister, before turning to you. “Right?”

Bela, Cassandra, and Daniela were all looking at you expectantly, and you couldn’t help but feel warm under the spotlight. You could practically see the thoughts flicking through Bela’s calculating eyes. Cassandra was cool and reserved as her eyes gave nothing away, but her wicked smirk showed she wanted something from you, whatever that might be. Daniela’s eyes were intense as they bored into you, and her smile was almost unhinged, and honestly who were you to break it?

“I could never say no to three pretty girls.” You flirted, wagging your eyebrow to each sister, and the response was immediate.

Bela’s mouth parted in a silent gasp before she latched onto the front of your shirt again and started giggling. Cassandra looked entirely predatory now as her eyes flashed and her smirk showed all of her teeth, her own chuckles slipping out. Daniela, who was curled around your arm the whole time, had stars in her eyes at your answer and she smiled widely, throwing her own cackling into the mix, and suddenly it was a symphony.

“I want her first,” pleaded Daniela, eyes never leaving you.

“Mother said it’s my turn with the pet!” said Bela, tugging at you again.

“Why should we get her after she’s been used?” Cassandra argued, her arm now wrapped around you from behind.

“I won’t break her!” snapped Bela, her pulling useless when it was a deadlock between three pairs of hands.

“I don’t care!” cried Daniela, one arm curled around yours and her other hand reaching up to grab your opposite shoulder, locking you in. “I want her!”

You swallowed past your suddenly dry throat. The three sisters were not only talking about a possibility of keeping you around, but it sounded as though they were fighting over you. Your cheeks were aflame as you averted your eyes.

“Look who’s bashful all of a sudden,” jested Cassandra, both her hands falling to your hips. “Where’s all that talk now?”

“I can smell you blushing.” Daniela interjected, sniffing aloud and moaning. “You smell so good... we need to make you blush often.”

“Are we sure we can hide this from mother?” Bela asked one last time, almost like she was seeking permission from her younger sisters now. Daniela and Cassandra shrugged.

“We’ll just have to find out, now won’t we?” You pressed, looking to solidify your place among them... you’d take the position of “pet” over the one of “food” any day.

“Brave little thing,” Cassandra cooed, her fingers rubbing circles on your hips. “I need you with me.”

“Dammit I said it’s my turn!” snarled Bela, finally poking and prying at her sisters fingers locked around you.

“Just because you’re the oldest-!”

“You’re damn right I’m the oldest, and I-”

“You look so stupid,” spat Cassandra petulantly, having enough with going nowhere in the argument, and you could see that this was about to get old quick if you didn’t ease some of the tension.

“You all wanna kiss me so bad it makes you all look stupid.” You sucked your teeth between your lips when it grew deadly silent.

Bela had a crease between her brow as she stared at you in shock, uncertain if she heard you right. Cassandra was a blank slate as she absorbed you taking her insult and turning it back around on her as well. Daniela was wide eyed as she gaped at you for a full five seconds before she snorted and her megawatt smile lit up her entire face.

“I won’t let them get rid of you.” Daniela promised, and you couldn’t recall the last time that she blinked.

“Okay, okay,” sighed Bela, glaring at her sister. “We’re all going to keep her.”

“I hope I don’t break you.” chuckled Cassandra, and coupled with her breath so close to your ear, it had warmth flaring in the pit of your stomach.

“Don’t get bashful on me, now,” you smirked back, relishing in the giggles that surrounded you.

“Come along, plaything,” quipped Bela, winking at you as she dragged you along, the sisters following along with her this time. “We’ve got to show you your new home.”

Wild giggling echoed throughout the castle, and it was becoming your new favorite tune.

[bonjour-rainycity]

Double Heart | Chapter Nine ~ Cosima

|previous part|

Pairing: Haldir x OFC

Rating: PG-13

Word Count: 3476

Warnings: None

**Read on Ao3 under the user “bonjour_rainycity” if you prefer!**

A/n Sorry this was a little late! Happy reading :)

Translations: Mae govannen = well met! // Meleth nîn = my love

Two weeks after I woke in this strange world, we reach Imladris.

When Haldir tells me that the sparkling city in the valley is our destination, I can scarcely believe him. After endless days and nights riding through open country, to finally reach civilization, even if it’s not the civilization I’m used to, is so welcome I nearly cry with relief.

Four men on horseback race up the slope of the mountains to meet us. They wear heavy armor—more than what Haldir and the others wear—and carry tall spears. Their leader, fierce though he seems, takes my breath away. Even from here, I can see his face because it reflects an ethereal glow. His hair, which has to be spun gold, flows long down the back of his horse and glints in the sun. Whoever he is, he is no mere man.

“Elrond’s patrols,” I question, remembering someone mentioning them earlier.

“Yes,” Haldir responds, and I can hear a grin in his voice. “We have reached their outer borders. Congratulations, Cosima.” He twists to offer me a proud smile. “You have completed your first journey.”

I swallow, unable to keep myself from smiling back. Haldir can be so stoic at times that praise from him is completely unexpected. Warmth spreads through my chest.

The riders come to a halt in front of us and the one I assume to be their leader dismounts, striding confidently in our direction. Haldir slides off Faervel, approaching in a similar fashion. I take the horse’s reins in my hands, stroking his back affectionately. The horses’ height doesn’t bother me anymore and I’ve become much more confident in riding them in the past two weeks.

“Mae govannen, Haldir o Lórien!”

“Glorfindel.” Haldir clasps the man’s elbow jubilantly. They converse in that language I haven’t heard since I arrived — the others have been speaking solely in English for my and Alex’s benefit — and it’s jarring to hear the unfamiliar sounds. It serves as a reminder that, though I have allowed myself to become comfortable here, too comfortable, maybe, this is not my world. This is somewhere different.

Haldir turns over his shoulder and extends a hand in my direction. I catch my name and Alexander’s among the strange syllables and offer the man—Glorfindel, Haldir called him—a smile in greeting. He approaches, stunning golden hair shining in the light of the sunset, and bows elegantly. A laugh bubbles from my throat—startled by the action. Vaguely, I remember Rumil bowing to me when we first met. Whereas his motivation had been to make a joke, Glorfindel seems totally genuine, the gesture one of respect and welcome. He performs the same movement for Alex.

“Welcome, lost humans and my elven friends. Come, I shall keep you waiting no longer. Elrond is eager to see you and I am sure you are equally ready for proper food and a full night’s rest.” With that, he strides back to his horse and mounts.

I scoot higher on Faervel’s back to give Haldir room and hand him the reins. The horses must sense how close we are to extended rest, because they race faster than they did the entire journey. Despite my new skill, I have to grip Haldir extra tight to make up for the frantic pace and only being able to use one arm. Though the mountain slope is steep and the city surely has to be miles away, we arrive in less than an hour.

Streams of blue and white cascade above us, falling every way I turn and crashing down below. The air smells impossibly sweet and fresh — perhaps due to the flowers that bloom all around. The rays from the sinking sun, brilliant orange and gold, mingle with the water in the falls and, just as Haldir promised, send gently curving rainbows over our path. I let out a breath, completely stunned.

“Isn’t it beautiful?” Haldir’s voice holds a reverence I’ve never heard before, but it is aptly placed. I could not fathom regarding this city with anything less than the utmost respect and admiration.

“I’ve never seen anything like it. Even in my homeworld, I—” I blink, unable to comprehend the etherial nature of my surroundings. “I would have remembered it. This…”

“I know.” Theres a soft, almost vulnerable quality to his voice that caresses the phrase. I can imagine his eyes are alight like mine, taking in the splendor of the city even though he’s seen it many times before. I’d wager this is a sight one never gets used to.

Glorfindel pulls his horse to a stop before an arching, narrow bridge.

Oh no.

I suck in a sharp breath, gripping onto Haldir with both my injured and uninjured arm. My wound stings, but it is preferable to suffer this momentary pain than to loosen my grip and go plummeting off the edge.

Haldir chuckles, the vibrations rumbling deep in his chest. “The bridge is only the beginning. Look ahead—part of the main city is suspended on pillars.”

My stomach churns and I feel my heart race. By the way my arms constrict around him, Haldir seems to figure out that he has not employed the wisest strategy. His voice softens and he squeezes my hand like he did earlier, after the attack. “Faervel knows the way. Neither he nor I will let you fall.”

I take a deep breath. It’s either the bridge and the safety of Imladris or the orc-infested mountains. And, I suppose, Haldir has gotten us this far. Minor injuries aside, we survived a heavily out-numbered attack relatively unscathed. I trusted him then and I can trust him now. “Fine.”

He chuckles again but makes a big show of lining Faervel up with what will be the middle of the bridge. I resist the urge to elbow him in the ribs — armor covers them anyway. It would hurt me more than it would him.  

Glorfindel calls out in that language again, then directs his horse onto the bridge. The three other mounted guards follow. Then, so gently I barely register the change, Faervel steps from the lush grass to the stone of the bridge. Water roars and tosses below us, drowning out any words the others might say. And drowning you if Faervel doesn’t keep straight. That is, if the impact doesn’t kill you first. I fight the urge to whimper and keep my eyes locked straight ahead. Almost to the end.

The bridge is mercifully short and soon we are on much surer foundations, having crossed into the city. While the water still cascades around us, its noise has subsided, almost like it’s been muted. In its place, soft, lyrical music fills the air. Harps. Once we are far from the bridge, I look around. The buildings are made of stone yet seem a natural part of the valley. Chains of flowers spill from every archway, peek between small cracks in the stone, weave into the intricate designs in the masonry. Trees, the same ones that welcomed us at the border, make a home in the city, growing where they wish — even if that means rising alongside a fabricated pillar.

Haldir speaks softly, hesitantly, almost like he doesn’t want to interrupt my exploration of the city. “Is it worth the bridge?”

I realize we’ve come to a stop in front of a large dais backed by a constant stream of blue and frothy white. It’s like we’re in the waterfall. “Definitely,” I exhale. Though, I have no desire to cross that bridge again any time soon.

A tall man steps onto the dais. His face is kind and, though the edges of his mouth and forehead are lined with creases, he could be any age. He seems altogether outside of time. His eyes hold wisdom, more than I could ever hope to collect, and I know this must be the Elrond my friends talked about. He could be no other.

He spreads his hands and smiles warmly. “Welcome. Our friends from Lothlórien and the humans who accompany them, welcome to Imladris. We have dinner prepared for you. Leave your horses with the guards — they will be well cared for.”

I believe him. He could probably tell me the sky is green or Faervel is a mouse and I wouldn’t question it.

And if he told you that you’re in a different world?

I gulp and push the weighted thought away.

Haldir swings his left leg to meet his right and slides off Faervel’s back. As always, he keeps a gentle hold on me until my feet are securely on the ground, then clasps his hands behind his back in his most favored stance.

I peek behind me to locate Alexander. He shifts from foot to foot and darts his eyes suspiciously around the room. With his short hair, lanky stature, and clear discomfort, he looks so out of place here. With a start, I realize that I must, too. Though the physical differences are certainly apparent, there’s just something about these men…an otherworldliness I had somehow gotten used to during our journey. But here, in this unreal city surrounded by others who are so clearly not men…For the first time, I truly, honestly consider that they might not be human.

Rumil appears on my right side, practically beaming with excitement. “What do you think?”

I exhale on shaky breath, my recent realization having left me feeling a little lightheaded. “I think it’s a lot to take in. It’s gorgeous, though.”

At my left, Haldir eyes me curiously. He heard my reaction upon reaching Imladris and is probably wondering why I’m downplaying it to Rumil. Truth be told, I just don’t have the energy to take much more this evening. A good meal and sleep will hopefully help.

“Orophin!”

I tilt my head around Rumil to find the source of the delighted shriek and find myself staring at the most enchanting woman I’ve ever seen.

Her hair, coiled and dark, tumbles down her back in tight curls, brushing the back of her legs. Her espresso skin shines in the nearly-faded light, almost as if it has a luminescence of its own — perhaps a result of the joy that radiates from her. She wears a long, ruby-colored gown that sweeps gently over the stairs as she practically throws herself down them, sprinting in our direction.

“Meleth nîn!” Orophin calls back to her, breaking from our informal line and rushing to whom I assume to be his fiancée.

Indulgent chuckles run through our group as the two collide, gripping each other in a fierce hug. They pull back almost immediately, pressing their foreheads together and just staring into each other’s eyes. The action seems much more intimate than if they had fallen to the floor in a passionate embrace, and I avert my eyes, feeling the need to give them privacy.

“Come on,” Haldir whispers, ghosting his fingers over my elbow. “They will join us later.”

Elrond leads us through open-air hallways. Every way we turn seems to offer a view of the waterfalls and brings with it a light, fresh scent. He takes us right, bringing us through one final archway and into what looks to be a dining room. In the center is a long rectangular table surrounded by ten matching chairs. The table is already stacked with food — breads, salads, fruits, and various kinds of meat that smell absolutely mouthwatering.

Elrond smiles invitingly, entering the room and stopping behind the chair at one of the table’s heads. “I expected you would be weary this evening and would wish to dine in private. Please, sit and help yourselves.”

I follow Rumil and Haldir, hoping I’m not violating any social rules I am unaware of by choosing a random seat in the middle. Before I can pull the chair back, Haldir steps in to complete the task, gesturing for me to take a seat. I have to hold back my amusement at the antiquated gesture — perhaps it’s a custom here. He does seem more formal than Alex and I are.

Haldir and Rumil take the chairs on either side of me and, before long, Alex appears at my opposite. I smile at him. Given our recent arguments and the fact that I don’t really know if we’re friends in this life, I’m not quite sure where we stand. But he returns the gesture which allows me to breathe a sigh of relief. He’s familiar, at least. Baranor sits between Alex and Elrond and immediately the two healers engage in deep discussion.

I distract myself with the food and soon have more piled on my plate than I could possibly hope to eat, but I can certainly try. Before long, Orophin and the woman from earlier join us and are welcomed jovially.

Orophin beams, gesturing to the woman at his side. “Lavandil, these are the humans I was telling you about. Cosima and Alexander, this is my betrothed, Lavandil.”

Lavandil sets her excited gaze on both myself and Alex. “Hello, it’s so nice to meet you. Welcome to Imladris! We are pleased to have you here.” Her voice is warm, welcoming, and I find it impossible not to smile along with her, distressed though I am at Orophin’s clear distinction of me as ‘human’.

Orophin pulls out a chair for Lavandil and sits between her and Alex, who looks ridiculously uncomfortable in the presence of so many of these…humans. Though, I must admit, my resolve to call them that is steadily weakening.

Minutes later, Glorfindel enters the room accompanied by a demure man called Lindir. Haldir and Glorfindel fall into a spirited debate about patrol strategies and border security. Rumil piles something on my plate that he claims I have to try. He’s not wrong — it’s really good!

“So, Cosima, Alexander.” Lavandil props her elbow on the table and rests her chin on her hand, looking at us with interest. “Orophin says they happened upon you both near the river and that you haven’t any memories?”

All eyes converge on me and Alex. I don’t trust him to be polite, so I hurry to answer her question.

“Yes. We remember each other and tiny snippets of our home, but besides that, nothing.”

“How strange,” she muses, looking fascinated. “That must have been so shocking. How are you adjusting?”

I exhale slowly, playing for time. How am I adjusting? The weight of everyone’s eyes feels almost crushing. “It’s definitely a lot to get used to,” I say diplomatically. “But we’re really lucky to have run into good people who were willing to help.”

Despite his feelings towards our companions, Alex wisely remains silent. It would do us no good to offend our hosts.

Lavandil giggles, the sound bright and cheerful. “I’m glad they were helpful and not rude. I know Haldir has a tendency to interrogate first and help later. He’s slow to trust.” She shoots Haldir a teasing grin, to which he merely rolls his eyes, but his cheek twitches like he’s fighting a smile.

I try to suppress a grin. “Well, he wasn’t exactly warm and fuzzy, but he calmed down quickly enough.” I purse my lips, contemplating. “But now that I think about it, no one really left me unattended or gave me a weapon even though the trip was dangerous. Hold on, do any of you actually trust me?” I lean back in my chair and cross my arms, though I raise an eyebrow at Haldir to let him know I’m only kidding.

He shakes his head, huffing in mock exasperation. “We trust you now but at the start, how was I to know you weren’t some sort of spy?”

“A spy!” I huff. “I’m hurt. But moving on. Later, once you decided I was not a spy, how come no one gave me a knife or anything?”

Rumil chortles. “Have you seen the lines of your mending? You’re more likely to impale yourself than an enemy.”

I grumble indignantly. He’s right, but that doesn’t mean I have to tell him so.

Haldir quirks an eyebrow. “Would you like to learn? I can teach you.”

I think on this. Hmmm…do I need to learn how to use a weapon? Probably. But do I want to? Surprisingly, I find that the answer is yes. This world is obviously dangerous—I got a very real reminder of that just a few days ago—and I want to be capable in it. Haldir or the others might not always be there to defend me—I should learn how to protect myself.

“Yeah, I would. Thank you!”

Haldir nods, the edges of his mouth pulling into an expression of grim determination. I quickly discover why.

He’s psyching himself up, I realize with a quiet laugh.

He inclines his head towards Alex. “And you, Alexander? I can teach you as well.” By the gravity in his tone, it is clear Haldir’s offer is real, but begrudging.

Alex takes a bite of fruit. “No thank you.”

That’s to be expected. Though Haldir was angry earlier and probably overreacted, he did make a good point when he said that Alex has yet to make an effort to adjust to life here. He’s stayed on the edge of things since the moment we encountered him, always keeping one foot out the door.

A voice warns me that, rather than criticizing Alex, I should have been doing the same.

Elrond motions for an attendant to refill my glass of water. “Baranor says you were attacked in the mountains? That must have been very frightening.”

Flashes of grotesque beasts and shining swords enters my mind and I shrink away from the images. I know we’re safe inside these halls but the fear is still there, lurking at the edges of my thoughts.

Haldir cuts in and I realize I have been silent for longer than is polite. “We were attacked, yes, by about eighteen orcs, wouldn’t you say?”

Rumil and Orophin both nod — I didn’t even know they had a count. I had been focused trying to dodge the blades and arrows. To me, it seemed there was an endless stream of the monsters. Haldir continues. “We killed them all and had no trouble for the rest of our journey. It does make me wander though,” his eyes dart to mine and then quickly away. “Such a large party so close to your borders? Is that common these days?”

“Yes.” Elrond nods gravely. “We have seen an increase in scouting parties and attacks. Just last month, a fully armed company of forty attempted to breach one of our southeastern border stations.”

“No,” Orophin breathes, gripping Lavandil’s hand tightly, a stricken look of horror stretching his face.

She brushes his concerns aside. “Oh, I’m fine. I was up north visiting my mother at the time. I didn’t even know the attack had occurred until I returned home.”

Orophin’s reaction worries me. I lay my fork on my plate, appetite fading as fear gnaws at the edges of my gut. “That’s unusual?”

Haldir shakes his head. “It is not unusual to encounter orcs at the borders, but an armed, prepared, planned attack of such a large number is…telling.” He avoids my gaze.

My body runs cold. “Telling of what?”

“Sauron,” Elrond says simply.

“That name means nothing to them,” Orophin reminds him, still looking at his love. He holds so much concern in his eyes—and a measure of fear—and I wonder just how big of a threat this is. Is Lavandil in danger? Is Elrond? Are we?

Elrond elaborates. “Sauron is a being of great power and even greater evil. He was defeated once before, but whispers of his presence have been heard throughout the realm. I believe he is growing in power again, gathering his armies. He is preparing.”

I drop my hands into my lap, gripping the edges of the chair in an attempt to find an anchor. Across from me, Alex has gone pale.

I don’t have to ask what this being is preparing for. It’s obvious. He’s preparing for war.

If the orcs weren’t bad enough, now we’ve got an evil power looming over us all? I wonder…is my homeworld safer than this?

Glorfindel raises his glass of deep red wine. He holds a steely, almost feral glare in his golden eyes and, suddenly, I am very, very afraid of him. “As quickly as he rises, so shall he fall.”

All aside from Alex and me raise their goblets, a forceful, “hear, hear” resounding through the room of stone. My eyes meet Alex’s. He raises an eyebrow as if to say, what do you want to do?

And I know my answer.

I want to go home.

A/n Thanks for reading! Likes, comments, and reblogs make my day! Let me know if you would like a tag :)

|next part|

|masterlist|

Tolkien tag list: @anangelwhodidntfall @eru-vande

Haldir tag list: @tolkien-apologist

Double Heart tag list: @lainphotography @themerriweathermage @thophil2941btw @kenobiguacamole @wishingtobeinadifferentuniverse @from-patroclus-with-love @boywivlove @ordinarymom1 @my-darling-haldir @sweet-bea-blossom @moony-artnstuff

[chiauve]

“Ah, no, I am going to save messing with Ysaac for another time.. a time after the demand I am about to pester him with,” Cornelius cackles, eyes briefly darting over to a bird landing in the nearby trees. Sunk into brief thought, his sentence is seemingly left unfinished, but after chewing on the inside of his cheek for a moment, he snaps right back, hands splayed at the sides of his head, beaming, “A double date! I had suggested in ‘jest’ last time I saw Ysaac but-” he grins, “well, I am sure that somewhere deep inside the idea must’ve taken root, I hope at least. And now I only need to pester him with a reminder of such an offer, hopefully before they have kids, marry, and leave me without any chance to become an uncle or speak at their ceremony!” he huffs, the chuckles slightly, taking a chocolate from the box to pop into his mouth.

“Well I can do th’trainin part,” Auk muses, “I trained Baldy, afterall. An’ my other mounts, somewhat, but I bought them, so they knew most stuff…”

He stares in confusion as Cornelius launches into his spiel, his face morphing into downright bewilderment. “What…ye talkin ‘bout? Double date? Ye wanna…date me ‘n Ysaac? I told ye I don’…” he trails off at the mention of kids and marriage, completely lost. “Cor, th’fuck?”

Cornelius ends his rant with a smile to Auk, who looks absolutely and utterly lost, almost as if the awakened had just grown a second head. Oh, maybe that was a bit out of nowhere, and fast… but that expression on his face right now was just too enjoyable, so Cornelius decides to play along for just a moment longer.

“Oh, I thought I had mentioned that Ysaac and I talked about entering a relationship with all three of us? I mean..” he pauses, giving Auk the most genuinely, equally lost look he can muster, “doesn’t ring a bell? I mean, we are all attractive and have our hearts in the right place…or somewhere in that area at least. And you have already proven to not care too much about your partner being…you know..” he shrugs, “undead.”

Now he puts on his most suave smile, eyeing his partner with lids drooping ever so slightly, “…And if his Ivar or whatever his name was joins the bunch too, I mean... Imagine the fun it could be? We could be a big family, have a huge marriage, and there would always be someone to watch our kids, hmm?” By now it has become a herculean task to keep a burst of laughter contained, and he tries to play it off by rubbing a hand across his face, before moving his attention to another piece if chocolate.

Auk’s face, for a second, twists into fury, but logic kicks in; Cornelius is obviously fucking with him. He takes a chocolate and eyes it. Who the fuck is Ivar? “Well ifn you insist on this arrangement you better bear me many sons t’carry th’glorious Crumbleaver lineage, an’ shit. Ifnnot, I’ll abandon you for Ysaac. Maybe ghosts make better butt-babies.” He pops the chocolate into his mouth, actually enjoying the flavor this time. “Seriously though, what’s a double date then?”

[unresolved-kpop-thirst]

chilling with roommate!wonwoo and he’s lowkey watching you and you’re like what and he says “can i try to make you squirt” and then proceeds to finger you and overstimulate you to get his sheets soaking

God okay he's not subtle though. He keeps glancing up at you from his phone while you're busy playing some little game on yours, and while he's distracting you you're more interested in your high score than him right now. You hang out all the time and whatever's on his mind can wait.

"Ouch," you say flatly, and his gaze snaps to your face. You hadn't really been paying attention, but he was already looking in your direction - just not at your face. Where did he think he was staring so intently?

"What?" He asks, looking to your phone to see you're still mid level.

"I feel like somebody is staring a hole through me," you tell him, finally glancing up, and just like that you catch his eye and lose your high score in an instant.

He would normally laugh at you for failing a level he knows you can beat, but he actually looks sort of... nervous. You go from annoyed to concerned right before he opens his mouth.

"Can I try to make you squirt?"

Your mind blanks at the question that's so out of the blue, and you give it a second to reboot.

Then you laugh.

"Is that what was on your mind?" You ask him, incredulously, putting your phone away so you can scoop up a pillow to throw at him that he absolutely fails to dodge, setting his glasses askew.

"I'm serious!" He protests, hugging the pillow to his chest, and you wonder how a guy who looks like him can be so fucking Baby.

"I can tell by your super serious face," you snipe back, grabbing for another pillow, and he leaps forward in reaction, tackling you onto the mattress. "Oof! You're heavy!"

"That's so rude," he admonishes you, while you both wrestle a bit. You're less trying to win and more trying to get him in a good position on top of you, because of course you're going to say yes eventually - you just wanna razz him first.

You wiggle underneath him until your legs are bracketing his hips and he has your arms pinned over your head, and you raise your head to knock his glasses off with your nose so he has to let go to grab them. With one free hand, you squish his cheeks mercilessly.

"You were sitting there thinking about something like that! Which one of us is rude?" You tease him, and once he's set his glasses right he bats your hand away.

"Are you saying you don't want to?" He goes in for the kill quicker than you expected - he must really like this idea.

"I mean, it'll be messy," you say thoughtfully. "Sure you wanna handle the cleanup? If you can do it, that is."

His eyes narrow. You grin, and he rises to the bait.

"I can," he says, his voice dropping low, and he presses his hips down against yours. "I can make you cum til you forget your name."

You wrinkle your nose. "Well, yeah. But can you make me squirt?"

"Wanna find out?" He grinds against you again and you press up into it, arching your back and nearly lifting yourself off the bed so he has to use his whole weight to pin you down.

"Yeah," you say, like it's the most obvious thing in the world. He lets go of your wrists and slides a hand into your shorts, teasing at your entrance.

"Fuck, you're so wet already," he says quietly, and you blush. You're so good at playing it cool until your body betrays you like that.

His fingers press into your heat and you moan softly, reaching up to hold onto his shoulders to ground yourself. Already he's finding every spot inside you that makes you melt in his hands. He rubs his palm over your clit, makes you grind up against him, pushing his fingers deeper and making you moan louder.

"Fuck, okay, take- I have to take these off," you say, while your brain is still semi functional, and Wonwoo gives you the space to wriggle out of your shorts before he goes straight back to it.

The thing is, you've done this so many times that he can bring you to the edge in minutes. But he's not doing it. He's crooking his fingers inside you, and fuck, it feels good, puts fire in your veins, but it's not enough.

"Wonwoo," you gasp his name and he looks at you, licking his lips. "What are you fooling around for? Make me cum. Do it, baby, I want it so much."

His eyes darken, and the press of his fingers in your cunt becomes an almost painful pressure as he wedges his hand under his hip, driving so deep you feel winded for a second.

"I'm going to," he says, thrusting into you. The simulated penetration hits different, your legs pulling up around his sides. "Gotta find just the right spot."

"O-okay," you nod breathlessly.

He twists his wrist, and you gasp, your head tipping back while a blinding pleasure surges through you. Wonwoo makes a noise in the back of his throat and pulls back to hit that spot again, and this time you swear loudly, your nails digging into his shoulders.

He slides a third finger in, stretching you around them, and starts fucking you fast and hard, his aim unerring. You cry out, you legs shaking, as a strange pressure builds alongside the heat coiling in your stomach.

"God, I- I think-" you stutter, and then all of a sudden you feel heat rushing through you, and the slick sound of his fingers fucking you thoroughly becomes impossibly wetter. Your cheeks burn and you go tight around him, holding back out of sudden shame - you really just-

"That's it, baby," Wonwoo murmurs, leaning down to bite at your neck. "Cum for me. Wanna see you all wet just for me."

His words make your skin prickle with heat, your thighs tensing as you try to hold back. You can only hold on so long until you snap, toes curling, back arching, breath catching in your chest as your release sprays up the length of his wrist, soaking into the sheets beneath you and his jeans.

"Good girl," he says, kissing your cheeks and slowing his hand to a stop. You gaze dumbly at him. "How's it feel?"

You have to take a second to organise your thoughts. It feels good, embarrassing, messy, maybe a little like a triumph.

"Feels wet," you respond, glib, making him laugh.

"Wanna keep going?" You shiver. You do want to, but whether you can take it is another question.

You nod anyway, looping your arms round his neck. "Mm hm."

He beams, wiping his hand on the sheets before reaching for the button of his jeans. You can see even before he strips them off that he's fully hard, and when he tugs his underwear down to free his cock the head is glistening with precum. You want to lean down and lick it, but Wonwoo doesn't even let you try. He grips your thighs, pushing them back until you're folded double, and sinks into you in one movement.

You let out a low, drawn out groan as your walls stretch around him, the glide of it slicker than it's ever been. You can't even think about the mess the sheets will be in - your whole world narrows to Wonwoo's cock filling your cunt. He lets you adjust for a minute, then experimentally, tilts his hips and hazards a thrust in.

Your legs shake and you whimper at the smooth, slow drag of him, in and out, building a rhythm. You grab his hand where he's still holding you firmly down.

"Does it feel good, baby?" He asks, leaning back and thrusting harder.

"Yes, god yes," you whine. His pace picks up, and your pleasure mounts alongside his - his soft, low moans accompanying yours as they rise in pitch.

"Then cum for me," he commands you. Your cunt tightens around him, sending the sensation of him filling you up skyrocketing. Your thighs twitch and you feel yourself hit the edge. This time you see it, your cum shooting out and painting his lower stomach, a hot rush of fluid that leaves you whimpering.

Wonwoo leans down, capturing your lips in a messy kiss you have absolutely no coordination to return, and you feel him cum inside you in hot, pulsing bursts.

He kisses you through it, until both of you are coherent enough to wind down to lazy, messy make outs. He lets your legs down, but stays inside you a little longer, gazing down at your dazed and sated expression.

"I'm in the wet patch," you remind him, soaked and starting to get cold despite his body heat on top of you, and he huffs a laugh.

"Right," he says, "cleanup time."

[philicheesecake]

To Hunt or to be Hunted (U.L.)

Synopsis: Warren goes on his first mission for the Unseen Legion after his initiation, and it doesn't go quite as planned. Eli the giant doesn't have Warren off of his sights just yet. Takes place before An Unorthodox Lecture.  Warnings: Language warnings, M/M, g/t halfsize, nonfatal unwilling vore

---

Eli hated having to keep ahead of the hunting rotation with all the added stress of the possibility of falling behind. After a big setback, he had no choice but to lay low for a few weeks in order for all the other giants to pass before following the course on his own.

It was a bit of a problem when it was here in the mountains, where the larger species of giants served as a big threat that he had to avoid. Regardless, he managed to survive the next few weeks by laying low.

Week three after the incident, he picked up a faint scent on the wind within one of the mountain forests that seemed familiar, but upon following it, he found it led to a dead end. It belonged to a human. And that human better not be meddling with the wrong stuff here.

This provoked some thoughts of concern from the giant, and curiosity got the better of him.

He readopted his smaller camouflaged form and paid the old alchemist shop a little visit. Of course he was met once again with a shotgun held to his throat, and the alchemist didn’t seem too happy that he had been cured of the curse from last time they met. She was at least somewhat impressed that Eli hadn’t killed her Hunter friend. Upon asking her a few questions, Eli gathered all of the information he needed. And he was pretty pissed about what he found.

***

It had been three weeks since the first mission of the U.L. gone wrong. The time that had almost cost Warren his life getting wrapped up in the affairs of ravenous, savage giants. Warren has only narrowly escaped with his life due to the help of an unexpected ally. Even then the memory still gave him nightmares.

The way he had believed to have been betrayed as the terrifying fanged maw opened up before him, hungry, and awaiting to devour him whole. Even if he had been safe then, it didn’t alter the fear and terror of the memories.

The Unseen Legion had assigned him the mission to kill one monster in order to be allowed to join their ranks. Warren had stupidly chosen to kill a giant and failed at that task. Normally, this would make him instantly denied entry into the Legion, but his rare experience of the Banding ceremony and surviving it had served as a valuable source of knowledge they couldn’t waste. Before he knew it, he was an initiated member, and he hadn’t even killed anything yet.

Now for the moment of truth, they wanted him to kill a werewolf. Simple enough. It wasn’t anything as massive or powerful as a giant. This one should be easier, right? All he had to do was avoid getting bitten and use his silver knife, or silver bullets to deliver a fatal blow to the heart. No worries about getting eaten alive or any of that. He was sure he had some sort of PTSD from what happened with Eli and didn’t want anything like that to happen again.

He had searched for hours past midnight as he tried to follow what little he knew about tracking in order to locate the beast. The moon was high above the blackened dome, splaying it’s fragmented rays through the branches of the trees, glistening across the forest floor like glistening shards of glass that provided a hazy illumination. It only furthered the distortion of the shadows of the forest where the parts of the moonlight didn’t reach.

Warren’s lone silver ray from his flashlight beamed through the darkened forest to provide a small path of light like a tunnel through the walls of blackness. He had found his first paw print, but it was hard to determine whether it was fresh or days old. The U.L. Archivists had been tracking the hunting patterns of this particular wolf for a while now and we’re quite certain that it would be nearby. It seemed that they were right, but one could begin to only look at so many paw prints before hope of finding the real beast would begin to dwindle.

Suddenly a howl broke through the night. It was low and long, and split the chilled air that froze his breath. Warren paused, tensing in place for a moment. The nerves of the situation were beginning to settle in. There was a powerful mythical beast out there, and he was supposed to kill it. He drew out his pistol shakily, but stabilized it over his flashlight-wielding hand.

He turned a few times, trying to locate the source of the sound. For a moment, there was an eerie stillness in the forest. The shadows of the trees didn’t falter as their gnarled limbs caged him in bars of darkness that split the moonlight. There. Off in the distance, he could have sworn he saw a slight movement in the underbrush. But as soon as his flashlight shone towards it, it was gone.

A pause.

Each passing millisecond mounted the scene with more apprehension. Warren bated his breath, not daring to move just yet.

CRASH!!!

There was a sudden burst of motion that dove through the trees and pounded onto the foliage with a swift motion. It towered above Warren, easily twice his size. It was a mere shadow at this point. But then Warren saw the eyes. A glistening golden color that reflected off of the light animalistically. The eyes leered down at him for a split second before they were gone again.

Warren’s heart raced and he stumbled backwards, tripping over a tree root that protruded from the soil. He scampered backwards, fumbling as he tried to grab his flashlight again.

A giant.

What was a giant doing here?!

Warren had made sure to double check and triple check that the U.L. Was certain that their rotation had already passed before he could do his first mission. How had one slipped under their radar?

Warren lifted his pistol, still scooting on his back away from where he had seen it. The flurry of movement continued. There were growls and a sudden high yelp like an injured dog split the air. Something whooshed by as a large object was hurled into the air and crashed into the underbrush, just inches from where Warren lay. Warren flashed his light to the side, gasping. The werewolf lay there with matted grayish brown fur with long narrow lashes that had sliced it open. It wasn’t moving, but blood still flowed from the wounds.

Warren was shaking. He shined the flashlight back at where the giant was. His heart stopped. It wasn’t there. His breaths rasped in his throat faster and uneasily. Even in the cold, his palms were sweaty from fear, making it more difficult to grip the pistol properly.

There was another burst of movement. A large shadow swept over him with a flash of reflective eyes.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

Three shots were fired from the pistol, before the wind was knocked out of him. He was pinned to the ground. A massive hand bore down over his chest. Golden eyes glinted down at him like an animal's. Warren’s heart pounded in his ears and it took him a minute to react. He tried to aim the pistol back at the giant, but it was quickly twisted from his grasp. A low chuckle sounded, almost like a growl.

“Thought ya could be a big scary Hunter, now did ya, Kiddo?”

Warren froze, still shivering. That voice. “...Eli?”

The giant snorted. His face was still not visible through the shadows, and for a moment, Warren feared that he had guessed the wrong giant.

“Do ya really think that knowing my name will spare your life in the field?” The voice came back in a mocking chuckle, only confirming Warren’s assumption. “I know what ya did with the Unseen Legion. And you’ll never survive.”

Warren’s eyes narrowed. He brought up his hands to try to pry off the giant’s grip, but it remained firm and unyielding. “I— I have it under control! If you just let me kill that wolf—“

A cruel laugh broke out. Though he couldn’t see the creature’s face through the shadow, he could see its form quake with laughter. “Hunting is never that easy, Tiny. It could have been any other giant just now that jumped ya, and right about now, you’d be somewhere in their gut.” The giant leaned closer, his chuckles still heard as his warm breath wafted over Warren’s face.

Warren shuddered. “I’m trying, okay! Just give me a chance!”

The giant paused for a moment, a growling hum came from his throat in thought. And then the grip around Warren was released.

“Alright, Hunter. If you really think you can be part of the Legion, try to survive. Either beat me, or escape. I’ll even be nice and give you a head start. But if you fail, you suffer the consequences of what a real bad giant would do.”

Warren took in a nervous gasp, trying to scoot to his feet. “W-wait— no— you can’t possibly be thinking of eating me again!”

“Well, I did promise that the last time we met, ya know. That would be kinda embarrassing if I just… didn’t. Also, I can never pass up a tasty little snack.” Eli rolled his eyes, getting to his feet.

The giant lifted the little pistol and slid it onto safety before pocketing it. Standing, he was more in view with the pale moonlight that illuminated his features in pieces cut off from the shadows of the branches. His eyes were framed by dark stripes, not unlike the eye markings of a cheetah. His hair was dark and spiky. His fingers were tipped with long, sharp claws. Standing at his full height, he was 13’3, easily over twice the height of the small human hunter.

Warren finally managed to get to his feet, cringing at Eli’s words. “But—“

“Aaaand there goes your head start and you just wasted it.” Eli feigned a yawn.

Warren tensed, not waiting another moment to dash away in alarm. He pushed through the thick underbrush, weaving through the trees on the uneven trail. His heartbeat thundered in his ears, and his breaths froze against the moonlight in puffs of silver mist.

It was almost impossible to navigate in the darkened forest, and outrunning a giant that had evolved for terrains such as this, capable of sprinting at sixty miles per hour, made home seem slim. But Warren didn’t want to endure going through that again. Some part of him believed that with just a small stroke of luck, he might escape this.

He glanced over his shoulder for a moment to try to locate how close behind the giant was, only to find out, he wasn’t there. Where there had once been a towering creature, there was nothing at all. Nothing chasing him.

Giants were ambush predators.

Warren took in a shaky gasp, immediately feeling ten times more hyper aware of his surroundings. He looked ahead and ran faster—

THUMP—

A tree trunk slammed into his face. He should have been looking forward while he ran. He must have regained his bearings too slow. With a hand bracing him against the tree to try to stabilize himself to run again, he suddenly felt something warm wrap around his leg and jerk him backwards. Warren let out a yelp, quickly reaching out to try to hug the tree in order to resist being pulled backwards, but it was helpless since the grip around his leg was much stronger. He was dragged onto the floor, face mingling with the gross dirt and underbrush.

He flailed helplessly, trying to grab onto something. He reoriented himself, twisting in the grip to be positioned on his back, only to let him have a clearer view at the gigantic creature looming over him. The giant was on one knee, stooping over the small human, only really needing one hand to restrain him. Even crouched down, he was taller than a man was standing. His face was close, allowing a clear view of the glinting fangs as he drew back his lips in a hungry sneer.

“Really? That was pretty pathetic. I was going easy on ya, but you were beat by a tree. Pfft.” Eli’s voice came in a mocking chuckle.

Warren winced, panting with his heart still racing in his ears. “Eli… please don’t…”

“This ain’t anything new to a Hunter, ya know. Your defeat could be a whole lot worse. Once ya join the Legion, ya won’t last long. Not more than two missions I bet.”

The giant drew closer until his warm breaths could be felt on Warren’s face. From this close position, Warren could hear the giant’s stomach gurgle nearby in anticipation.

“Aww, sounds like someone misses you,” The giant chuckled teasingly.

The hunter grimaced, his breaths growing more rapid through his nose as he tried to hide his fear without much luck. He tried to pry the hand off of his leg, but his arms were soon gripped between Eli’s fingers and he was lifted off the ground, dangling before the giant’s face.

“W-wait— Eli I swear to god—.” He let out a yelp as his shoes were suddenly yanked off and he was held higher to dangle above the maw of the giant. “—Hey!”

“I don’t like eating shoes.” Eli said with a shrug.

“Well I don’t like being eaten!!” Warren retorted with a shudder. “Wh— WAIT—!”

The giant was clearly getting impatient. He pocketed the shoes and lowered Warren’s feet towards his mouth. Warren gasped, kicking and struggling in the giant’s grip. Another hand reached up to steady his feet, guiding them towards the giant’s hungry maw. His mouth chomped lightly around his socked feet and ankles, bringing them within the warm confines. Though he didn’t bite down, the pricks of fangs barred them in warningly, making it too dangerous to struggle.

Warren’s eyes widened, and he grimaced as he could feel the slimy tongue begin to soak his socks and feet as they were brought inside. A murr sounded as he could feel the tongue move beneath him, pushing his feet towards the palate as they were tasted, brought in deeper. A little more of his shins were brought into the mouth as his feet were pressed by the tongue and funneled towards the entrance of the throat.

Warren tensed up, jerking his legs as he could both feel and hear the first swallow. His feet were firmly squished against the palate and tugged into the tight, warm throat where he could already feel the slick muscles gripping at his feet to hold him in place. Warren panted, quickly changing his trajectory from trying to break loose from the grip, to clinging onto Eli’s hand to try to slow his descent. The hand only lowered Warren further into the giant’s maw as Eli began to swallow more rhythmically, making his way up to the thighs.

Warren was fighting at this point, terrified as he saw more of himself disappearing down the tight throat. He could see the bulge he made in the giant’s neck, moving slightly in-tuned with his struggles. He was practically sitting on the tongue now, and the throat had gripped him tightly enough to make it near impossible to try to pull himself out. Saliva soaked through his pants as the slick muscles gripped and massaged at him.

Eli’s hand began to let go of his arms, repositioning to brace him behind his back as he pushed Warren towards the throat. Greedy, pleased murrs sounded in his throat in a low growl as more of Warren’s form was accepted into his possession. Warren was shaking, forgetting in the moment that Eli probably wouldn’t hurt him. This only took him back to the dreadful memories from where he was swallowed the first two times. The encompassing terror that had encapsulated him then.

GLK—

There was a disgusting slick sound as the throat gripped him, dragging his hips into the tight folds. Warren panted, gritting his teeth in desperation as he tried to grip the hand that held him, trying to do almost a pull-up to hopefully pull himself free, or pause the giant’s efforts. Only for a mere moment it seemed to be working. Empty swallows rippled at his form, though he wouldn’t budge. There was a glimmer of hope. He was stuck! The way the muscles twitched against him uselessly was still disgusting, but at least he wasn’t going any deeper!

There was a choked, gagging sound coming from the giant’s throat as he struggled with Warren’s resistance. It only lasted for a moment longer before the hand let go and Eli jerked his head backwards. Instantly, gravity shifted, allowing Warren to begin to slide deeper again. He was now up to his chest in the fang-lined maw. With his hands free, he tried to push against Eli’s jaws to try to immobilize him, locking his arms in a stiff position to not get down further. From working up his appetite this whole time, his jaws were dripping with slick saliva, making it gross to contact it when Warren’s hands were there. He was now uncomfortably close to Eli’s face. The giant’s eyes were shut. An expression of enjoyment and pleasure played over his face. He seemed unphased by Warren’s attempts. Almost even indifferent to them.

Warren shuddered, tensing as he felt another swallow tug at him. It was a battle maintaining his ground by gripping Eli’s jaw to hold him in place. He only sunk in another millimeter. His second attempt seemed to be working better than the first. The only issue was how far he was in right now. Only a couple more swallows, and he was done-for. If he slipped, if Eli managed to remove his grip, he would be easily gone. Most of his body was now soaked to the bone in encompassing heat and slime as he was constricted and tugged at within the claustrophobic confines of the throat.

“Eli— stop— p-please don’t do this.” Warren’s protest came out in a breathless stammer.

The giant didn’t make any response, but lifted up his hands to pry the human’s little ones off of his jaw. “No—- NO—!” Warren pleaded.

GLK—

His chest was pulled into the throat and his head and shoulders were now within the giant’s slimy maw. He panted, trying to reach his arms above him to grab something— anything that would help him, but to no use. He winced as he could feel the fangs so close to pricking his arms. Fearfully, he looked down.

Through the dim moonlight, he could see the back of the mouth where the tongue had pinned and guided his torso into the more cramped area. The giant was heavily salivating at his taste, and out of instinct in order to slick down his meal enough to make him slide down with ease. Slick slime dripped from the roof of the mouth. Threads of saliva connected to his form, following his torso into the throat. He felt the tongue rise up beneath him, pinning him uncomfortably to the palate as it pushed more of him into the throat. His shoulders were now crushed into the tight space.

The muscle raised up to the roof of the mouth once more, squishing Warren’s face against the slimy palette. He squeezed his eyes shut to avoid getting slime in his eyes. Any hope of escaping was pretty much gone now. This was it.

Another loud gulp sounded around him as the throat gripped him, pulling him inside deeper. His face was now squeezed inside the tight muscular tube. He could feel his socked feet begin to press against a tight area before entering a more open space. He shuddered, feeling the swallows become more rhythmic now as they dragged him in deeper. More of his legs followed into the opening. He was only in up to his shins before his feet pressed against the opposite wall, but the stomach easily stretched to accommodate him as more slid in.

Warren’s chest was tight and he couldn’t breathe in the suffocating confines of the passage. He was completely at the mercy of the larger creature, as unsettling as it was. His hips and torso soon passed through the opening as well. His legs bent in order to fit properly into the small space, but he didn’t stop kicking. His struggles were easily viewed from outside as the giant watched in amusement. A growling hum was heard around him as his hands were finally squished into the tight throat and the giant enjoyed the sensations from the little struggles.

The rest of the little human finally slid inside, curling up in the tight, squishy environment. He immediately gasped for air, coughing a few times to get used to the thick, humid air that burned his lungs at first from the sheer temperature before he gradually got used to it. He could hear the giant take in deep breaths around him as well, as his airway cleared. He felt a firm pressure against his back and he scowled through grit teeth, aiming an angry kick at the walls.

“Y-you f-frickin’ monster.” Warren growled.  

“Hm?” The giant’s voice responded around him casually. “Oh wait-- were ya insulting me or addressing me?”  

Warren frowned bitterly, curling up tighter, knowing his struggles couldn’t get him anywhere anyways. The environment was hot and slick and gross, and he hated how the walls seemed to have a mind of their own as the involuntary peristalsis continually massaged at him. He could recall how quickly the sheer heat had sapped him of energy before, and didn’t like being weakened like this, despite already feeling the beginnings of it draining his energy.

At the lack of response, the giant chuckled, rubbing at the small form in his gut. He got to his feet, walking along through the forest. He quickly found Warren’s flashlight that he had dropped and scooped it up, putting it in his pocket.

Warren’s heart was still racing from the bad scare, but was beginning to slow down a bit as he tried to disconnect himself from the fact that he had just been eaten. He knew Eli wouldn’t kill him, so at least there was that small reassurance. He still hated this place no less, however.

“Hey kiddo?” 

Warren grimaced as he felt a jab on his back as the giant poked at him. “What.” the hunter’s voice didn’t sound too happy.

“How do ya feel about bein’ one of those lousy Hunters now? I’m tryina show ya that… It won’t work out. You’re just gonna end up getting killed. Ya know how easy it is to eat you?”  

Warren shivered. He pulled his arms up around his legs, tucking his head close. It was like he was trying to appear even smaller. “I don’t want to know.” He returned in a low voice. He sighed. “Monsters are just… stronger. But I can do something to stop them. I just need to try harder.”  

Eli let out a blunt laugh. “Do ya really wanna know how many people I’ve heard say that? And how they ended up?”

Warren didn’t respond. He grimaced as the stomach muscles churned slightly around him, holding him in place. He heard gurgles come from nearby. Just the silence accompanied by the slick, churning sounds of the giant’s insides were enough of an answer to Eli’s question.

Eli groaned, continuing to walk through the forest as he navigated the route with Warren’s scent on it.

“You’re being awfully quiet tonight. Where’s that fighting vigor?” Eli was clearly growing impatient, as he tended to enjoy feeling his victim’s struggles within him. Warren’s lack of a fight was just annoying to him.  

Warren sighed. “What’s the point? I’m not going to be able to get out of here until you let me anyways.”

Eli rolled his eyes. “Well you aren’t fun. Do ya even know why I’m doin’ this? I told you last time we met that ya have to take care of your sisters. What a good lot of takin’ care of I’m seein’ right now. Throwing your life away to fight monsters that you’re never gonna beat? Really? What do ya think they’re gonna do when you disappear one day and never return? Do ya even know how that’ll affect them?”

The giant’s voice raised to a booming volume around him, shaking the walls of the human’s fleshy prison. Warren winced. “W-why do you care?” The Hunter retorted.

“I DON’T. I couldn’t care less about ya pathetic little humans. The only reason why I’ve never killed ya has nothing to do with mercy. Don’t for a second think you’re too special to kill. I just don’t want some other giant or monster to go off wastin’ a meal that I spared. That’s lame.”

Warren was silent for a moment. Something about the giant’s words didn’t add up. There was still some curiosity on why Eli ever started sparing the lives of humans, but he knew how Eli resisted explaining last time and didn’t want to cause any triggers that could endanger him.

“I’m still going to hunt monsters.” Warren said quietly, afraid of Eli’s response.

“Then what’s the point in keepin’ ya alive now? Maybe I should just digest ya and get your death over with, since you’ll be getting killed on the job soon anyways.”

“N-- DON’T--!” Warren tensed up, flinching as he felt the stomach clench around him again, accompanied by gross gurgling sounds. He struggled in place, trying to reorient himself in the darkness. He was now sort of lying on his back, in a good enough position to spring a strong kick upwards where he assumed the lungs to be. “I s-swear Eli--”

Eli hiccupped as the kick came in contact with his lungs, actually hurting a bit. He pressed a hand against his stomach to immobilize his prey. Warren panted in the hot, close confines, finding it hard to breathe while stuck in this new position.

“What’s the point in letting you go, hm?”  

Warren shuddered, pressing his elbows out to try to free enough room for him to breathe. He panted for a moment to try to catch his breath. Despite being covered in slime, he was oddly sweating in the sweltering environment. It was exhausting to fight against the walls to struggle for breath.

“Be-- because…” He paused between breaths for a moment, thinking desperately. “L-look, just now you were-- were offering me a chance of practice to fight or sur-- survive being attacked by a giant--”  

“And you failed.” Eli quipped with an amused snort.

“I know-- I know-- but-- what if I kept trying-- you know-- you know a lot more about monsters than me. I could learn more about how to fight them properly, and how to survive. You hate the other giants, right? What if I was able to help?”

It was a strain to even gather breath at this point. He knew he couldn’t keep this up long, and his struggles only seemed to bring further enjoyment to his captor instead of persuading him to release him.

Eli raised a brow, lightening his grip slightly. He paused in his strides in the forest, one hand going to scratch the back of his neck in thought and the other to rub at the form of the little human in his gut, just thankfully with less force this time.

“You mean, like train you?”

Warren squirmed slightly, not enjoying the rubs against his side and feeling disgusted that the giant would gloat over him like a filling meal instead of a person.

“Y-yes.”

There was a rumbling hum around him, as if in thought. Then a chuckle.

There was no response for a while, and Warren laid there in the draining heat, already beginning to feel his strength leave him as the fatigue settled in.

After a while of movement (assumedly Eli walking), the stomach grew tighter, crushing around Warren’s form. Warren struggled at first fighting back and panting before his head was sucked back into the throat from the sheer pressure and he was brought upward. He was being released!

The convulsing muscles tugged him along, feeling even tighter than before, almost to the point of crushing his very bones. There were slick gagging sounds as light poured in and his head pressed back through the mouth. The scruff of his shirt was roughly grabbed and he was pulled the rest of the way out with disgusting slick sounds. Saliva trailed from his form, connecting to the giant’s mouth.

Warren gasped for air as soon as he was freed, shivering violently as he was re-exposed to the bitter chill of the air. After being in the scalding stomach for a while, the sudden change of temperature shocked his body. He continued to gasp, wiping his face and blinked his eyes open to look at the giant. He grimaced as he saw the threatening face so close. Eli was smirking down at him and raised a hand to wipe the slime off of his jaws.

“Well that knocked some reason into ya… hopefully.” The giant huffed. He lowered the little Hunter onto the ground. They were now near the side of the road where Warren had parked his car. “Also, word of advice; don’t ever park your car on the side of the road where you’re doin’ a hunt. The monsters can trace your scent right back to it and know which cars to watch out for, or even deduct where you life off of that… So yeah. Bad idea.”

Warren wobbled unsteadily as he got to his feet again, craning his neck up to look at the massive giant above him as he spoke. He just nodded stiffly, still shaky from the experience, but relieved that he was alive.

“Wait-- so you’re going to help me become a Hunter then?”

The giant shrugged. “Meh. Maybe. Dunno yet. I still don’t see much of a reason to help out any human, but I have reasons to help myself here.”

Warren furrowed his brow, still blinking blearily as his head was foggy from drowsiness at the moment. He opened his mouth to try to ask what these “reasons” were-- He didn’t want Eli to use this training as an excuse to keep on eating him. But the giant quickly spoke again.

“Anywho, you should probably get back to your sisters now. Don’t want them to get worried. Don’t worry, I’ll clear up the werewolf evidence.”

Warren groaned. “Wait-- but I need that werewolf! The U.L. needs it as proof--”

“You gotta earn your first kill. Doesn’t count if I do all the dirty work ya know.”

Warren sighed. He had a long way to learn to get good at this hunting thing. He dug into his pockets to pull out his car keys and grimaced as they were dripping with slime. “Ugh disgusting…”  

Eli smirked, offering a short pat to his fluffy hair condescendingly before he stopped, seeming to remember something. “Oh-- almost forgot this,”

He dug in his pockets, taking out Warren’s pistol and his shoes and tossed them over to the little man. Warren sputtered, quickly managing to catch them. His eyes narrowed at how carelessly the giant had just thrown a pistol at him, but at least it didn’t go off or anything. Warren shot a look at Eli uncertainly as he fumbled with his reclaimed items.

“Thanks.... Uh… You won’t use this whole training thing as an excuse to... you know… eat me again, right?” There was a slight waver in his voice.

The giant let out a short snort of laughter. “Alright, how about we look at it like this; if ya can actually escape me for once, ya won’t have to worry about getting eaten by anything.”

Warren’s eyes widened by a hair. He bit his lip and his eyes narrowed again. “F-fine.”

“Aw you get all cute when you try to act all fierce and stuff. Seeya ‘round Tiny.”

The giant stepped back, still smirking as Warren got flustered from his words, but he got back into his car with a sigh, dropping his shoes on the passenger seat and put his pistol into the glove compartment. He shot one last glance at the giant. “Don’t call me tiny.” Warren snapped back to the giant’s amusement. Without another word, Warren took a deep breath and began to drive away. He could see a small glimpse of the giant’s reflective eyes in the rear view mirror before he seemed to disappear at the edge of the treeline.  

Warren took in some deep breaths as he tried to wrap his head around what he had just agreed to. That giant had every reason to hate his guts. For all he knew, Eli might be toying with him to gain his trust. Warren was new to the whole Hunting thing, and already he must be breaking some sort of ancient rule not to team up with monsters. He really hoped that his judgement wasn’t wrong about this…

He would have to talk to Olivia about this later.

[dasphinxone]

Book of Nile: Cabin Fever WIP

Like, I need to SIT DOWN AND WRITE THIS OUT INSTEAD OF DOING SNIPPETS THO. I’m sorry y’all, I swear I’m writing a full fic of this. Please don’t kill me.

Booker wanders over and starts organizing the ingredients by type on the dark, marble top counter of the kitchen island. Spices are put together, other dry ingredients lined up. He takes out the carton of eggs from the fridge.

“How many eggs do you need?” he looks to Nile next to him.

“Just one,” comes her muffled voice from where she’s leaning over to take full stock of the lower shelves of the pantry.

He diverts his eyes from the sight of her lean legs and her behind clad in short sleeping shorts. Her braids are piled into a cute, messy bun on top of her head. She already has on one of the aprons she found hanging on a hook in the broom closet. How one of his heavily knit, grey cardigans hangs billowy off of her frame over her shorts and tank top sends his heart beating faster.

She’s always borrowing his clothes. Usually it’s his array of denim shirts or old t-shirts that she cuts down at the bottom to fit her. Yet something about seeing her using his sweater as a robe while baking for him? It screams domesticity.

Booker startles at the feel of Nile’s touch to his arm. “I’m thinking a gingerbread cake? Or cupcakes, if we have a muffin tin,” she frowns in contemplation. “Christmas is just around the corner and gingerbread cookies are so blasé, you know?”

His face lights up. “I think I can legitimately say that I have never had gingerbread in cake form.”

“You are definitely in for a treat!” she playfully taps him on the shoulder with a spatula she’s dug up. “It’ll go faster since Copley hooked this place up with the KitchenMade stand mixer to boot. Though you’re going to have to make a hard decision for me, Book.”

He can’t ever seem to say no to her. Not especially with that beautiful smile lighting up her face. For fuck’s sake, she’s wearing his sweater like she owns it.

He rapidly blinks away any fantasies of how incredible she would look wearing just the sweater by itself. The way it would cling to her curve. Teasing him with barely contained views of her beautifully dark, warm skin. Skin that would glisten with sweat after he’s fucked her up against the wall next to the fridge. Her legs wrapped around his waist and heels digging into his ass while she mercilessly tugs at his hair and calls out his real name. All after he’s balanced her on his shoulders while he’s on his knees, devouring her pussy like he’s on a mission to make her scream and forget anyone else who’s come before him…

Stop it, you fucking pervert! he scolds himself in his native language.

He rapidly drags a bar stool from the  counter to the kitchen island and settles in. Mostly so that she can’t see that he’s already half hard. His black sweatpants don’t hide much.

“What would you have of me, mademoiselle?” he bows his head with a flourish of his hand. When he looks back up, she’s beaming even more.

“Soooo, do you mind having your bagels dry or just with butter in the morning versus with cream cheese?” she holds up two packets of it.

Booker purposely curls his mouth in contemplation. “What do I have to gain from the absence of it on said bagel?”

“Cream cheese frosting for the cupcakes?” she pulls a muffin tin from the cabinet of the island and waves it at him.

Booker arches a brow and leans an elbow on the counter to rest his head in his hand. “Well,” he drawls out, “If you insist on spoiling me with cupcakes ma cher,” he sighs with supposed annoyance, “I guess I shall have to acquiesce.  You may proceed,” he waves in dismissal.

Of course, Nile sees how he’s barely holding in a laugh. “Frosting it is!” she declares. Leaning over the island, she brushes her lips to his stubbled cheek while patting his other one with her free hand. “I knew there was a reason why I love you.”

Booker freezes at her declaration as Nile spins back around to the opposite counter to start. She’s greasing the muffin tin, putting the paper cups into them, spraying those with cooking spray and beginning to hum to herself as she usually does when doing this sort of thing. She appears thoroughly unaffected by what she’s just said. Shimmying her shoulders, she asks if he can fire up one of her playlists from the cloud on his laptop. He’s always had access to her music account, so the request isn’t out of the ordinary.

He's glad he has the excuse to exit the area and go grab his laptop from the den. He’s in need of doing a few deep breathing exercises his various therapists over the years have taught him to do whenever he gets overwhelmed. Except it’s always for the bad sort of overwhelmed. Not a  “Oh my fucking God, this woman has just declared she loves me…except I don’t think she meant it in that sort of context? MERDE, I DON’T FUCKING KNOW.” 

Either way, Booker all but flees the kitchen.

Nile is glad of it. Because FUCK, she just said she loves him. And yeah, she meant it in a “After all of these decades of having your fine ass so devoted to me and watching my six at all times and sharing beds with you since we're the spares and you willingly helping me do my braids and twists installations for hours on end without being all white boy weird about it? I think I could love you for the near eternity we have together. Plus, I think you’re pretty damn capable of fucking ruining me in bed with your, uh, fucking.”

Nile plants her hands on the countertop and drops her head between her shoulders. Her heart is beating fast in her ears and her skin’s tingling. It’s not fear adrenaline coursing through her. Yet it’s also not quite the effervescent sort of high either. It’s all topsy-turvy, confusing feelings that she doesn’t like. Not because she’s afraid of emotions. More that she can’t sort them out at the damn moment. Combined with the fact that it’s just the two of them in this dream of a cabin? For these next few days to up to weeks, depending on the blizzard? That will be…interesting?

Or a fucking disaster where we end up hating each other but are stuck in the same rooms with no escape, she muses to herself.

She’s frozen to death a handful of times. It’s not a bad way to go; after the numbness sets in and you can’t feel your limbs, you just sort of drift off only to wake from death. However, literally catching one’s death of cold in the middle of a snowy storm in the forest would suck due to the lack of relief from dying over and over again. Sure, she could technically leave if things went horribly between them. Yet that would be a stupid as shit decision.

“Are you alright?”

Nile spins around to find Booker once again sitting on one of the barstools up against the opposite counter. Only now does she notice the music playing over the Bluetooth speakers of the small holo-TV mounted on a wall of the kitchen. It’s her favorite playlist, R&B from the 2010s when she grew up. No matter that the music is nearly 200 years old now, it wraps her in a warm aural blanket of comfort. Meanwhile, Booker looks non-plussed and focused on the screen of his laptop before he looks up  at her. His azure eyes full of concern, he scans around the kitchen.

“You sound like you’re having trouble with something.”

She swiftly plasters a wide smile on her face and stabs a finger down at the screen of her holotablet. “There’s a lot of steps of this recipe-”

“I’ll help,” he cuts her off while scrambling up from his chair, “Anything you need, you want, I can, I mean I will do it.”

I’d like for you to eat me out on your knees and fuck me up against one of these counters.

Nile swallows, trying to rid herself of the filthy thought. The thing is, he’s wearing this light blue Henley that’s so tight across his chest that it doesn’t look like he could close up the buttons of it even if he wanted to. There’s a teasing peek of dark blonde chest hair at the low V of the shirt’s neckline she’s struggling to not stare at. On top of that, he’s had the nerve to shove up the sleeves to reveal his forearms.

Instead, Nile closes her eyes and takes a few deep breathes. She hopes it comes off as annoyed with the recipe versus reigning in her self-control to not just jump him and climb him like a tree. 

“The recipe calls for making gingerbread men to use to decorate the cupcakes with, though it’s not necessary,” she breathes out. “Did you want to go the hard or easy route for this recipe?”

Booker grins, eyes meeting hers. “À la dure,” he drawls.

“The hard way?” Nile translates, hoping her breath doesn’t hitch. Is he doing some sort of double-entendre thing just to fuck with her?

He shrugs. “It’s not as though we don’t have the time.” Moving around the counter to saunter up to her side, he looks down at her holotablet. “You far outdo me when it comes to baking, but I think I can manage cookies.” He opens a new tab and searches for a gingerbread cookie recipe. Finding one, he quickly reads over it. “So long as you can ice them?” he holds up the tablet for her to take in the cute picture.

Nile slightly steps away from him. Mostly on account that he smells so good (fresh soap…is that a hint of his usual spicy, citrusy cologne?) and feels so warm with one of his arms flush to hers. “We don’t have cookie cutters here, but you can bake them round and we can ice faces or ornaments on them.”

“It’s a deal,” he holds out a hand to shake hers.

Looks like their project for this afternoon is set.

[etes-secrecy-post]

Hi, before I explain my post, I want to say something important.

• What you see my blog has become a major overhaul. And despite the changes, I decided that my 2nd account will be now my artwork blog with a secret twist.

⚠️NEW RULE! (W/ BIGGER TEXT!)⚠️

⚠️ SO PLEASE DO NOT SHARE MY 2nd ACCOUNT TO EVERYONE! THIS SECRECY BLOG OF MINE IS FOR CLOSES FRIENDS ONLY!⚠️

• AND FOR MY CLOSES FRIENDS, DON’T REBLOG IT. INSTEAD, JUST COPY MY LINK AND PASTE IT ON YOUR TUMBLR POST! JUST BE SURE THE IMAGE WILL BE REMOVED AND THE ONLY LEFT WAS THE TEXT.

⚠️ SHARING LINKS, LIKE POSTS, REBLOG POSTS, STEALING MY SNAPSHOT PHOTOS/RECORDED VIDEOS/ARTWORKS (a.k.a. ART THIEVES) OR PLAGIARIZING FROM UNKNOWN TUMBLR STRANGERS WILL IMMEDIATELY BE BLOCKED, RIGHT AWAY!⚠️

😡 WHATEVER YOU DO, DO NOT EVER LIKED & REBLOG MY SECRET POST! THIS IS FOR MY SECRET FRIENDS ONLY, NOT YOU! 😡

Okay? Capiche? Make sense? Good, now back to the post…↓

#OnThisDay: Jun 27th, 2017 (submitted on dA; artwork done on Jun 26th, 2017)

Title: Cuteness Member - Sorara (Piyo)

Now this one, I would say an "unofficial" Sanrio character of sorts? But rather, a part character from the Sanrio's Anime TV show called "Onegai, My Melody!" (My Melody, please!") series ❤️🐇🎵. And I know, what you thinking? Yes, I remember watching "Onegai, My Melody!" before back when I was from Elementary to early High School days, both Eng sub, dub, and even Tagalog dub (no doubt for the latter). And that's why, I draw the space prince "Sorara" 🌌🤴⭐, who turns into cute chubby chicken 🐥⭐ for some reason (which, I called him "Piyo" sometimes as an alternate identity) enrolls to the "Cuteness Defender Academy", with his first "Cuteness Mecha Armor" with two different types, the armored "ZZ" (pronounced "Double Zeta" as an official) and the armored "Full Armor ZZ". 🤖😁

ZZ Piyo (Sorara)Based on: MSZ-010 ZZ Gundam [CLICK ME!]

Armaments:

Double Beam Rifle • The primary ranged weapon of the ZZ is a double beam rifle, which was based upon the prototype twin mega beam gun used by the armored Rick Dias II. This weapon possesses two barrels and on its rear half. As with all of the armored ZZ's beam weapons the double beam rifle possesses an unusually high power rating, with the beams from each individual barrel having a power rating of 10.6 MW for a combined total of 21.2 MW.

High Mega Cannon • Mounted in the center of the ZZ's head is a high mega cannon. This particle beam weapon has a power rating of 50 MW, making it the most powerful beam weapon used by a "CMA" suit during the war years, as well as one of the most powerful weapon mounted on a "CMA" suits ever. The power of the high mega cannon's beam can seriously damage a "CMA" suit with even a glancing hit, and as shown when used against powerful enemies, it can completely destroy a standard "CMA" suit shield making it impossible to block the beam. However despite being a powerful weapon, its power is also a weakness as the ZZ's fusion reactor is unable to handle repeated usage of the high mega cannon. The high mega cannon is operable in normal mode only.

Hyper Beam Saber • The ZZ mounts in backpack recharge racks a pair of hyper beam sabers. The hilts of these beam sabers are easily three times greater the size of other beam sabers, and are capable of emitting a much longer and more powerful saber that can easily cut through several "CMA" suits in a single swing.

Missile Launchers • The ZZ mounts a pair of missile launchers on its backpack in normal mode and on its main torso body. Each missile launcher possesses 21-tubes that are loaded with AMA-13S small missiles.

Shields • The ZZ mounts a pair of shields on its forearms. Unlike previous "CMA" suits the shields are not optional equipment that can be removed, but are actually built into the "CMA" suit's arms. The shields serve the purpose of protecting the ZZ from attacks that it cannot dodge.

Special Equipment & Features:

Bio-Sensor • A technological variant of the psycommu system developed by Anaheim Electronics. Although its full capabilities are unknown, its primary purpose was to allow a Newtype member to more easily interface with his/her "CMA" suit via mental commands. The bio-sensor could also have a rather surprising side effect when a Newtype member was mentally and emotionally focused enough (usually when angry or upset) to cause the bio-sensor to amplify the power, speed and strength of the "CMA" suit for a short period of time.

Ballute System • A balloon-like device used to slow the descent of "CMA" suits and ships during atmospheric entry, preventing them from burning up. However, while the Ballute protects against atmospheric heat, it is still vulnerable to beam or projectile weapon fire. If the ballet is damaged during entry, the attached mobile suit or ship will be exposed to extreme heat and plunge into the atmosphere blowing up the "CMA" suit or ship.

Full Armor ZZ Piyo (Sorara)Based on: FA-010S Full Armor ZZ Gundam [CLICK ME!]

Armaments:

Missile Launchers • The Full Armor package gives the Enhanced ZZ a series of missile launchers mounted all over its body. This enables the Full Armor ZZ to bombard targets in combat. Spraying missiles were also mounted on the Full Armor ZZ, mainly for distraction purposes and countering I-Fields.

Large Hyper Mega Cannon • A new addition to the Full Armor package, the Hyper Mega Cannon is a powerful upgrade to the original ZZ's powerful (but energy draining) High Mega Cannon.

Special Equipment & Features:

• Bio-Sensor • Ejectable armor components • Double Beam Rifle • Large Hyper Mega Cannon

Sorara / Piyo (Onegai! My Melody series; Onegai, My Melody! Kirara!) - My Melody franchise © SANRIO Armors (Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ) - Gundam series © Bandai Namco Filmworks, Inc. (SUNRISE), Sotsu

[jdpink]

“The double-twisting double on the floor is what Shawn Johnson and Jordyn Wieber were mounting their floor routines with. Ending this off the balance beam is truly mind-boggling,” Lease said.

Johnson and Wieber were Olympic gold medalists in 2008 and 2012, respectively. At their peak, both were considered two of the best gymnasts in the world and, like Biles, they shined in events like the floor routine, which showcases a gymnast’s power and tumbling skills. Biles has taken their best floor routine move and is performing it on a completely different apparatus, a 4-inch-wide platform.

https://www.vox.com/22575301/simone-biles-olympics-scoring-explained-gymnastics-yurchenko-double-pike

[catracorner962]

The Nine Lives of Catra Applesauce Meow Meow Ch. 7 Destiny Part 2

Ass fatally kicked by Hordak in Destiny Part 2

Warning for suicidal ideation

“AAAAAHHHH!!!!” A scream broke through Catra’s hardened resolve when she found herself being slammed back by the blast from Hordak’s cannon. Heat singed her fur, body arching through the air like a hapless rag doll.

Catra  twisted mid-air, arms and legs splayed out, claws instinctively flashing outward the second she connected with the ground.

“Ughhh,” her chest pinched, her words tight. “H...Hordak...whatever you’re doing….”

“I know about Entrapta,”

Fuck….

A cold numbness flooding through her body as Hordak loomed over her, his weapon aimed between her eyes.

You’re in too deep now. There’s still a chance….he could believe you.

Catra held her breath, right arm tingling in pain. Swollen and bleeding from a gash down to her elbow.

Must’ve broken it…

She held the limp limb at her side, left eye squeezing shut in pain.

“Entrapta…” she sucked a thin breath, throat caked with smoke, “was a traitor. What else is there to know?”

Hordak glared, red pupiless eyes teaming with bloodlust.

“I. Trusted. You!”

He seethed, voice breaking but for a moment. Any discernible amount of hurt was quickly laced with hatred. The cannon on his arm spun, whirling red energy all around it.

Well, who’s fault is that?

Catra gasped, flinging herself away from its' aim just in time. The blast of fire and smoke nearly caught her as she dashed down the hallway, faster on four limbs than two, despite the one that cracked in pain each time she attempted to move it. Catra grit her teeth, surging forward in any direction, anywhere away from Hordak’s relentless wrath.

“Your days we're numbered the moment you crossed me!” He shouted, the weapon already recharging.  Catra’s heart pummeled against her chest, each beat crushing. Still she fled.

You did it now you insolent child!

Did you really think you could lie forever? How long did you think you could keep this up?

No...I...took over the Horde...I did! I’ve been running things for awhile now I…

“Ahhhhhhaa!” Catra stumbled, agony in her side caused her to crumple momentarily. She glanced down, hissing at the thick red blood oozing from some unseen wound, through her clothes.

W….when did that ha...happen?

She tried to focus, eyes blinking slowly. She picked herself up, running with a limp now, through another set of doors. The fiery blast sent her forward, her back scalding in agony. The smell of burnt flesh and fur assaulted her nose. This time she tried to land on her feet, but missed, her broken arm hitting against the hard floor. She tilted her head just in time, the side of her mask taking the brunt of the impact.

Breathe….breathe...just stand. That’s it...go... She coached herself through each stab of pain, talked herself through every bruising breath. The same way she’d done as a young cadet when Shadow Weaver would beat her. Even when she’d past the point of fighting, she could endure. That was not nothing. That was what she was best at.

Look around….y...your i...in the B...black Garnet Chamber…

She blinked again, focussing on the fixed point of the large stone for a few dizzying minutes before it came into focus.

“And after I’m through,” Hordak’s estranged threat mounted louder with each step. “You can’t even begin to imagine the punishment’s Horde Prime will inflict upon you.”

Ha! No one’s better at punishing me than myself, she thought bitterly.

Catra ducked behind the massive stone, crouching in the shadows, pressing one hand to the wound at her side. Her fingers instantly growing slick and sticky with red.

“Oh because he’s going to swoop down and fix everything for you at any moment right?”

Fucking idiot...lazy creep! We don’t all have a big brother to come save us! You’re the worthless one! The one who needs saving!

“You’re lying to yourself now!”

Hordak spun, firing off another round from his cannon. Catra shrieked, adrenaline pushed her through the scalding pain, making her dash out of the room once more. Another blast, this one larger, knocked her from her feet, sending her soaring through the air in free fall off one of the Fright Zone’s main buildings. This time she channeled her misery, flipping, feet first, arms spread and stuck the landing.

“Uuuuhhhh, fuck...f...fuck,” Catra half crouched, half fell to all fours.

Run, run, run, just get out of here. GET OUT...go...go….go! She ran forward, towards the forge.

That will buy time, he’ll have to go around the longway.

Catra stopped, panting for breath, large pools of the molten rock below bubbling. The heat wafting towards her from below. She glanced up, towards the massive clawed machines.

I can make it….it’s just a...just a little higher than usual….th...that’s right...I can..d..do it. Even if I don’t...it doesn’t ma…

“Aaarrrhh!” Hordak’s ruefully cry echoed down the hall.

Now or never,

Catra steeled herself from the agony of it and crouched, aiming for her landing point. She pounced, holding her breath with panic before landing clumsily. She rolled, cursing as her arm and side split in agony.

“Ahhh...n...no..hmmmph…”

He’s….a failure! I should be the one Prime rewards! I’ve done more to crush the rebellion then Hordak ever has! Yeah….hahaha! She giggled, for a moment, then straightened, watching Hordak below who had now entered the forge searching for her.

“Why would Horde Prime care about you?” She held her arm tight for fear of crying out in discomfort. “You’re a defect!” She screamed, “a mistake!” He turned, looking up at her with unrivaled hate. “HAVEN’T YOU NOTICED I’M RUNNING THINGS HERE!”

“Argh!”

Beyond words, Hordak swung his cannon, firing another blast toward her. Catra’s heart caught in her throat, letting out a small exhausted gasp before jumping from the platform. She reached out, claws catching on the large suspension tubes. Giddy with wrath Catra somersaulted through the air,  towards Hordak. Coming down fast she seized the arm cannon in one claw, using it to gain purchase and momentum, striking out with her fist, slamming gloved knuckles into Hordak’s face. He groaned, head knocked back. She jumped off his chest and swung around, kicking one leg up and then bringing it down upon the weapon with such a force it split and shattered. Hordak reeled, eyes red and wild, intent to kill. Catra snarled, fangs bared. No matter how hard the Horde had tried to purge her of her more feline instincts, it was a part of her and in her fire tinged wrath Catra now hissed and clawed.

That will show him! Show all of them! He’s no match for me. He’s weak! A weak, lying, fool! He’s not worthy of anything! I’m the one who’s worthy! Ten times stronger than he is!

She landed on two feet again, just in time to jump and smash her foot into his side. Hordak screeched, stumbling backward. She smiled through her misery, watching him slip and slide across the metal floor. Catra huffed for air. Her back still radiated with raw agony, her flesh scrapped and bubbling, her fur burnt. The wound at her side now dripped onto the floor. Still, she stood tall, defiant. They always thought she was a nuisance, a trouble maker who wouldn’t go away. Indeed she was. She’d be a thorn in the side of the Horde until they were all destroyed.

“Now we can fin...finally end...end this! I didn’t need Entrapta, I didn’t need Adora or Scorpia! And….I...DON’T...NEED...YOU!”

Hordak made to regain his footing, but she didn’t let him. Catra lunged, claws out. She leapt on him, yanking out the first one's data crystal with a satisfying rip. Horak backpedaled and she kicked him again once more in the chest for good measure, standing back and watching him falter. He glared at her, clenching his fists. She only stood tall, masking the throbbing in her side

I win

She smiled, cathartic. Sweet dripping satisfaction, shallow but defiant spread across her face.

Let him try me.

Her ears twitched,

Something creaked above them, Catra’s eyes snapped up. Watching as one of the large beams above was pulled taunt and snapped, falling instantly, crushing Hordak where he stood. The whole floor vibrated, a plume of smoke enveloping her for a moment. When it cleared, Catra could only stare.

I...I did...it...I won….

Her arm ached with discomfort. Catra adjusted her footing, her vision beginning to darken.

I...won, I won...I won….

Whether she was trying to convince herself or relish in it. She did not know.

I won… I show them...it...it was worth it….no matter what. It was… I...I’ll…

“Hey Catra.”

That voice...no…

Catra stiffened. All fragile confidence diminished. She turned towards that voice. The wound in her side throbbing. Her vision continued to blur in and out. She stumbled forward, listless.

Blonde hair...red jacket…

NO!

“No! You...c..can’t do this!” Indignation swelled in her chest. “You can’t come in and take this from me now!”

“Woah!” Adora gaped, “I knew this would get a rise out of you but still! You really are obsessed aren’t you? Kitten.”

Double Trouble threw Adora’s head back in laughter. Catra watched, trembling. The rush of excitement and fueled drive to subdue Hordak now evaporated. Overcome by exhaustion.

“You know, it took me a while but I finally figured out your character.” They transformed once more, this time into Catra herself. She shivered, stomach threatening to wretch. Her arms and legs were so heavy….

“You try so hard to be the big, bad villain.” They circled her in her own form, leaning against her nonchalant. Catra flinched as her...Double Trouble’s tail flicked at her nose. “But your heart’s never been in it, has it?” They cocked a brow, inciting a weak fury in her.

“W...what are you…” her voice cracked, trying to keep her eyes open. “Stop! Stop it!’ In blind rage she lashed outward only for Double Trouble to catch her wrist tightly in their grip, pulling her inches from her own blue and yellow eyes.

“People have hurt you, haven’t they?”

Yes, a small childish voice whimpered.

Double Trouble pressed forward, even as they transformed. This time into Shadow Weaver’s omnipresent terrifying form.

“They didn’t believe in you,” that deep voice that had wormed its way into Catra’s soul and burrowed there now bit at her. Catra sniffed, her skin peeled and still radiated heat, each breeze sending searing pain across the bubbling wounds. Double Trouble did not relent, continuing to hold her grip tightly as they pressed forward. They transformed again, this time into Hordak.

“They didn’t trust you.”

Hordak…is he…

Catra tried to glance back over her shoulder to where the Horde Commander now lay but her head spun. She wrapped her free arm around herself, trying to cover her wound. Her knees now quaking.

P…...please...s...stop….stop it. P...please…

Hordak dissolved, changing back again into Adora. Those brilliant blue eyes, even when they weren't her own, starred into Catra cruelly. Double Trouble took her hand pressing it to the side of Adora’s cheek.

So soft….gentle...no NO! Stop it!

Catra let out a weak breath, with no strength to summon tears behind it.

Adora…

Resentment and rage and grief mixed in her stomach. Longing and loathing in equal measure, indistinguishable.

She let out a choking breath, blood sputtering onto her lips. With the last of her strength she wrenched herself free from Double Trouble’s grip, tipping backward onto the ground with a sickening thud, the breath snatched from her lungs.

She tried to get air, desperately, but the wound in her side still leaked. The burns on her back still fresh, each movement sending them splitting open. Her chest threatening to crack.

“But did you ever stop to think maybe they’re not the problem?” Double Trouble’s shadow enveloped her. Catra, heaved for air, trying to look at them with any shred of dignity she had left. They only frowned down at her, before transforming once more. This time she watched in abject horror as they grew larger in stature, shoulders spreading out, tail curling. The shadow overwhelming her now stretched.

No...please….

Scorpia.

If Catra had not already been dying. This sealed her fate for the seventh time. Scorpia’s ever kind, gentle face. A face she herself had brought to tears many times, those large forgiving eyes now sealed...not with contempt but with disappointment. And her words, her voice….

“It’s you. You drive them away, Wildcat.”

“W...why are you doing this?”

Catra begged, breathlessly. Her head was truly sinking now, barely able to  hear Double Trouble’s voice. How much blood had she lost? How deep had her burns gone?

“It’s for your own good darling,” Double Trouble crouched down, mercifully changing back to their own form. “We both know this was never what you really wanted.”

The only thing Catra wanted in this moment, she would get soon enough.

She groaned, glancing at the fingers that still pressed into her bloody wound. Vision clouding a final time, barely able to focus on the screen Double Trouble held before her.  

Tanks, bots, ships, troops, all of them destroyed. Brightmoon was nothing but defenseless. I failed after all.

“Y...you...be...betrayed me,” she gasped through bloody lips. Double Trouble only stood.

“It’s nothing personal darling. You knew how this ended.”

Whatever else Double Trouble meant to say was lost to the erratic beating of her heart. It’s frantic pumping noise rushing through her ears.

She knew the signs by now. Not too much longer…

Double Trouble crouched down before her once more, one long finger flicking her nose.

“End scene,” they pushed her nose and Catra teetered backward, watching them through the haze of her vision as they disappeared down the corridor. She managed to scoot herself backward, sitting up against one of the slabs of metal debris that had come crashing down. Several feet away, Hordak lay still under the rubble.

It’s better this way….Adora….why couldn’t you just stay? None of this would’ve happened if you just...if I had just…Scorpia...I never should’ve...and Shadow Weaver never believed in me. I was a fool to think she ever would. Hordak….Entrapta...i...it’s better like t...this….yeah…..b...better for e...everyone...

Thoughts sloughed together, her vision clouded, she leaned her head back against the hard metal, each breath catching. Catra folded her arms over her middle, trying to curl up, and close her eyes.

Please…..j...just let this be the last time… I don’t want to do this again...please just let me go. I don’t want to...I don’t want to get hurt again… that small girl inside her shriveled and not yet avenged pleaded.

But Catra rarely got what she wanted.