#emily returns in spirit once again

[stilledlife]

“i am sure.” he confirms to joseph before he stands and they leave the diner. a lie as easy as breathing. surely, this won’t come back to cause issues for him, will it? and as joseph says, they can always return to the other room.

with the door at the end proven to be locked, stefano leads the way to the one directly across from the diner. fortunately, this door opens with ease, albeit with an ominous creaking sound, as if it’s significantly older than the other rooms—or from a different building entirely.

this room is far smaller than the diner, about as big as the study. it feels like being trapped in a box. the most notable trait about it, upon the door opening, is that it's wreathed in shadows. a lightblub in the center of the ceiling casting a spotlight down on a figure standing beneath it.

at first glance, someone might think it's another person, but after a moment of staring, the lack of movement becomes obvious.

the silhouette turns out to be a mannequin. made of wood, with movable joints allowing it to hold a pose. it wears a blue dress, the featureless head facing towards them, the hands held out, palms up, like it's beseeching them for something.

stefano, bizarrely, seems to almost recognize it, or at the very least it looks to remind him of something. he freezes for a moment, tense, before compartmentalizing that instinct away in order to approach the mannequin. the only other unique feature it has is an oval indent carved out of it, about in the center of where the collarbones would be on a person.

as for the rest of the room, the walls are painted to look like they're draped in red curtains. additionally, there's a table against the left wall with three vases. each holds a varying number of cut roses: one, three, and a bouquet of seven.

stefano looks around the room, standing beside the mannequin, before turning back to joseph. “it looks like we are meant to do something here, at least.” he taps the open space on the mannequin’s body. “clearly the gem goes here.”

conveniently, he is not about to elaborate on what he immediately knows this puzzle is looking for them to accomplish.

"no," joseph muses. "there really isn't a consistent theme at all." his voice is slightly quieter, the words spoken more to himself than to stefano. his brow is furrowed in thought, and he pulls off his glasses with one hand to pinch the bridge of his nose with the other.

there's a bit of a headache creeping back in, the pressure building behind his eyes, and it's hard to tell if it's frustration at the situation or a sign of something worse to come. the dry comment about coffee pulls him out of the feeling, a faint, monosyllabic laugh catching on an exhale.

keep it together, he tells himself as he puts his glasses back on, but the exhaustion in his bones he's come to know as a constant has made itself known again. he crosses over towards the table, casting a cursory glance around the rest of the space as he moves; there doesn't seem to be the space for anything else of interest to be hidden. there are no shelves here, and scaled down to dining room size there's no serving counter or bar to look behind.

it's eerily barren, lacking windows or doors save the one they came in. the lone table with its chairs and abandoned cup of not-coffee are the only objects of interest.

this room was obviously pointing them towards finding this emerald, so what about the last one? "i'm guessing we'll find a use for it," joseph says as he gingerly lifts it off the napkin for a closer look. he stares at it a moment, his attention seemingly somewhere else.

his lips part, and it's a moment more before he speaks. "are we sure we checked the office properly? then again, nothing stood out like this table did..." he trails off, once again speaking more to himself as he tucks the cut gem into his vest pocket.

something isn't making sense, but it's difficult to say what.

"let's move on. we can always go back," he decides. "once we have a fuller picture, we might have a better idea of what we're supposed to be seeing." he wastes less time leaving this room and moving onto the next door than he did the last, acutely aware of the pressure in his head and the way it makes him feel like a ticking bomb.

the next door to the left is the one at the end of the hall. it's the same as the others in every way that matters, but there's something undefinable yet more grand about it. predictably, it's locked, and joseph jots that down. three locked doors. three unchecked ones left. only one item of interest.

[16woodsequ]

100 Asexual Books Rec List

For this list the goal is fiction books with a main character or significant secondary character that is on the Asexual spectrum, or non-fiction books about being Aspec.

Junior Novels

1. Rick by Alex Gino An eleven year old boy starting middle school begins discovering his asexuality admist the school's rainbow spectrum club. Also features transgender and crossdressing side characters, as well as a LGBTQIAP+ supporting cast.

2. Sal & Gabi Break the Universe by Carlos Alberto Pablo Hernandez In order to heal after his mother's death, Sal learned how to meditate. But no one expected him to be able to take it further and 'relax' things into existence. Turns out he can reach into time and space to retrieve things from other universes. Asexual Sal.

3. Hazel's Theory of Evolution by Lisa Jenn Bigelow Hazel knows a lot about the world. But even Hazel doesn't have answers for the questions awaiting her as she enters eighth grade. What if no one at her new school gets her, and she doesn't make any friends? What's going to happen to one of her moms, who's pregnant again after having two miscarriages? Why does everything have to change when life was already perfectly fine? Hazel (main character) is asexual and aromantic (it isn't said in the book, but it is specified in the author's note at the back of the book).

4. The Trouble with Robots by Michelle Mohrweis Evelyn strives for excellence. Allie couldn't care less. Together, these polar opposites must work together if they have any hope of saving their school's robotics program. Allie is asexual and/or aromantic. Junior graphic novel.

5. This is Our Rainbow by Editors Katherine Locke and Nicole Melleby Featuring contributions from Eric Bell, Katherine Locke and A.J. Sass, this first LGBTQA+ anthology for middle-grade readers presents stories of queer fantasy, historical and contemporary stories for every letter of the acronym.

6. Every Bird a Prince by Jenn Reese After she saves the life of a bird prince and becomes their champion, seventh grader Eren Evers must defend a forest kingdom, save her mom, and keep the friendships she holds dear--if she is brave enough to embrace her inner truths. Eren is aromantic (and I'm guessing asexual, though that isn't discussed).

YA Fiction

7. When Villains Rise by Rebecca Schaeffer With her best friend, Kovit's, life in danger, Nita is determined to take down the black market once and for all. Latina asexual and aromantic main character (Nita).

8. The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee Henry "Monty" Montague was bred to be a gentleman. His passions for gambling halls, late nights spent with a bottle of spirits, or waking up in the arms of women or men, have earned the disapproval of his father. His quest for pleasures and vices have led to one last hedonistic hurrah as Monty, his best friend and crush Percy, and Monty's sister Felicity begin a Grand Tour of Europe. When a reckless decision turns their trip abroad into a harrowing manhunt, it calls into question everything Monty knows, including his relationship with the boy he adores. Aro/ace secondary character (prequel to a Lady's Guide to Petticoats and Piracy).

9. The Lady's Guide to Petticoats and Piracy by Mackenzi Lee A year after an accidentally whirlwind grand tour with her brother Monty, Felicity Montague has returned to England with two goals in mind—avoid the marriage proposal of a lovestruck suitor from Edinburgh and enroll in medical school. A highly loved book in regards to asexual portrayal, Felicity’s journey does a fantastic job of exploring the struggle of navigating a world where marriage is expected of women in order to function in society. Even more refreshing is Felicity isn’t just avoiding getting married out of a sole rebellion against the patriarchy (though those themes are also present), but simply because she doesn’t have an interest in sexual or romantic relationships at all.

10. Silver in the Mist by Emily Victoria Asexual Devlin has grown up in the shadow of her mother’s impressive spy network—and the shadow of the kingdom, too. A magical mist is eating away at their borders, weakening their magic and making them vulnerable to attacks. Devlin is tasked with infiltrating the royal court of the wealthier neighboring kingdom, but when she befriends their most powerful magic wielder, she discovers an ancient mystery that may hold the key to defeating the mists for good. Victoria prioritizes strong friendships between queer characters and an examination of wealth disparity in this fantasy full of twists and turns.

11. Not Good for Maidens by Tori Bovalino Beneath the streets of York, the goblin market calls to the Wickett women-the family of witches that tends to its victims. For generations, they have defended the old cobblestone streets with their magic. Knowing the dangers, they never entered the market-until May Wickett fell for a goblin girl, accepted her invitation, and became inextricably tied to the world her family tried to protect her from. Told through dual narratives in different timelines, the book essentially has two protagonists: Lou and May. Between these two characters, we have some great queer representation for both asexuality and bisexuality.

12. A Snake Falls to Earth by Darcie Little Badger Themes of magic, family, asexuality, and traditional storytelling dominate in Lipan Apache author Darcie Little Badger's delightful and uplifting second YA novel. A Lipan girl named Nina collides with Oli who is from the land of spirits and monsters. But some people will do anything to keep them apart. This is a wholesome, elegantly written read guaranteed to warm your heart! 

13. Arden Grey by Ray Stoeve Arden Grey is a novel about different kinds of abusive relationships, as well as the strength of family and friendships. Following her parents' separation, Arden is depressed and coming to accept herself as being on the asexual spectrum.

14. It Sounds Like This by Anna Meriano Yasm Trevi didn't have much of a freshman year thanks to Hurricane Humphrey, but she's ready to take sophomore year by storm. That means mastering the marching side of marching band--fast!--so she can outshine her BFF Sofia as top of the flute section, earn first chair, and impress both her future college admission boards and her comfortably unattainable drum major crush Gilberto Reyes. But Yasm steps off on the wrong foot when she reports an anonymous gossip Instagram account harassing new band members and accidentally gets the entire low brass section suspended from extracurriculars. Rep: Biracial Latina fat asexual-questioning cis female MC, Jewish gray-aromantic gray-asexual male side character with ADHD and APD.

15. One for All by Lillie Lainoff In 1655 sixteen-year-old Tania is the daughter of a retired musketeer, but she is afflicted with extreme vertigo and subject to frequent falls; when her father is murdered she finds that he has arranged for her to attend Madame de Treville's newly formed Acadaemie des Mariées in Paris, which, it turns out, is less a school for would-be wives, than a fencing academy for girls--and so Tania begins her training to be a new kind of musketeer, and to get revenge for her father. Rep: disability, asexuality, sapphic side characters, POTS and PTSD.

16. The State of Us by Shaun David Hutchinson When Dean Arnault’s mother decided to run for president, it wasn’t a surprise to anyone, least of all her son. But still that doesn’t mean Dean wants to be part of the public spectacle that is the race for the White House—at least not until he meets Dre. The only problem is that Dre Rosario’s on the opposition; he’s the son of the Democratic nominee. In a moment of solidarity and high emotions, Dean tells Dre that he has been questioning his sexual orientation. He isn’t sure if he’s asexual or demisexual. Dre puts a messaging app on Dean’s phone so they can stay in touch.

17. Scavenge the Stars by Tara Sim When Amaya rescues a mysterious stranger from drowning, she fears her rash actions have earned her a longer sentence on the debtor ship where she’s been held captive for years. Instead, the man she saved offers her unimaginable riches and a new identity, setting Amaya on a perilous course through the coastal city-state of Moray, where old-world opulence and desperate gamblers collide. Amaya wants one thing: revenge against the man who ruined her family and stole the life she once had. Desi, demisexual female protagonist. 

18. Camp by Lev AC Rosen It’s Randy’s fifth year at Camp Outland, a camp where queer teens get a chance to be themselves. Hoping to win over Hudson’s heart—who’s masc and straight passing and only seems to date other guys like himself—Randy has spent the past year reinventing himself: workout regimen, new haircut, new carefully curated wardrobe. His friends and camp counsellor all think it’s a terrible idea, but what can they do but support him anyways?

19. Little Thieves by Margaret Owen Once upon a time, the daughter of death and fortune was a teenage girl and she was the worst. Little Thieves is, as the dedication says, for the gremlin girls, never has there been a more gremlin girl than Vanja Schmidt. A brilliant and brazen swindler, Vanja could give Kaz Brekker a run for his money. But Vanja has bigger fish to fry. As her body rapidly turns into the gemstones she craves, Vanja must put things right and face her greed head on all while juggling her engagement to a terrible margrave, an investigator with his own magic, and the princess whose face she stole. Vanja’s relationship with junior prefect Emeric could not be more demisexual if it tried, with both sides of the romance experiencing asexual spectrum existence in different and complimentary ways. One part Germanic fairytale, one part ensemble heist, Little Thieves is an unhinged romp of a book.

20. Everyone Hates Kelsie Miller by Meredith Ireland Rom-coms and the asexuality spectrum...two great things that go great together. Kelsie and Eric have been competing against each other their whole lives. But desperation forces them to work together. Kelsie’s best friend stopped talking to her and Eric wants to rekindle his relationship with his ex-girlfriend, and since both will be at UPenn at the same time, Eric and Kelsie decide to go on a road trip together. Sparks fly.

21. You Don't Have a Shot by Racquel Marie Valentina "Vale" Castillo-Green's life revolves around soccer. Her friends, her future, and her father's intense expectations are all wrapped up in the beautiful game. But after she incites a fight during playoffs with her long-time rival, Leticia Ortiz, everything she's been working toward seems to disappear. Queer asexual biracial (Colombian, Irish) protagonist.

22. Foul Lady Fortune by Chloe Gong In 1931 Shanghai, two Nationalist spies pose as a married couple to investigate a series of brutal murders causing unrest in the city. Rep: demisexual Chinese protagonist, bisexual Chinese protagonist, bisexual Chinese main character, Chinese trans woman main character, aromantic asexual side character; (Chinese-Kiwi author).

23. The Spy with the Red Ballon by Katherine Locke Siblings Ilse and Wolf hide a deep secret in their blood: with it, they can work magic. And the government just found out. Blackmailed into service during World War II, Ilse lends her magic to America’s newest weapon, the atom bomb, while Wolf goes behind enemy lines to sabotage Germany’s nuclear program. It’s a dangerous mission, but if Hitler were to create the bomb first, the results would be catastrophic. Gay demisexual Jewish protagonist.

24. Beneath the Citadel by Destiny Soria Cassa, the orphaned daughter of rebels, and friends Alys, Evander, and Newt, fight back against the high council of Eldra, which has ruled for centuries based solely on ancient prophesies. Alys, an apothecary-in-training and the level-headed one of the crew. She identifies as asexual.

25. Eliza and Her Monsters by Francesca Zappia Eighteen-year-old Eliza Mirk is the anonymous creator of the wildly popular webcomic Monstrous Sea, but when a new boy at school tempts her to live a life offline, everything she's worked for begins to crumble. Asexual main character, not explicitly stated in the book.

26. Technically, You Started It by Lana Wood Johnson When a guy named Martin Nathaniel Munroe II texts you, it should be obvious who you're talking to. Except there's two of them (it's a long story), and Haley thinks she's talking to the one she doesn't hate. Demisexual main character.

27. Now Entering Addamsville by Francesca Zappia Zora Novak is framed for a crime she didn't commit--in a town obsessed with ghosts, will she be able to find the culprit and clear her name before it's too late? It's a brief mention, but Zora is ace.

28. Fully Disclosure by Camryn Garrett In a community that isn’t always understanding, an HIV-positive teen must navigate fear, disclosure, and radical self-acceptance when she falls in love–and lust–for the first time. One of Simone’s best friends in the book, Claudia, is an asexual lesbian. The unwavering support she gives to Simone is heartwarming, and she is also openly sex-positive—which flips the script on its head regarding what most people would assume of asexual people.

30. The Art of Saving the World by Corinne Duyvis When Hazel Stanczak was born, an interdimensional rift tore open near her family’s home, which prompted immediate government attention. They soon learned that if Hazel strayed too far, the rift would become volatile and fling things from other dimensions onto their front lawn—or it could swallow up their whole town. Hazel Stanczak identifies as asexual, though she spends time in the book questioning it. The book presents a unique way to show that there is not one single way to be asexual—that it exists on a spectrum and can look different for each person.

31. Let's Talk About Love by Claire Kann Alice had her whole summer planned. Non-stop all-you-can-eat buffets while marathoning her favorite TV shows (best friends totally included) with the smallest dash of adulting–working at the library to pay her share of the rent. The only thing missing from her perfect plan? Her girlfriend (who ended things when Alice confessed she’s asexual). Alice is done with dating–no thank you, do not pass go, stick a fork in her, done. Alice is a biromantic and asexual black woman who starts off very confident in her identity as asexual, yet has experiences that have her questioning her orientation and how to talk about it.

32. In the Ravenous Dark by AdriAnne Strickland A pansexual blood mage reluctantly teams up with an undead spirit to start a rebellion among the living and the dead. This book features Japha, an asexual nonbinary character who serves as the best friend to the MC.

33. Seven Ways We Lie by Riley Redgate Life at Paloma High School is much like any other high school, with petty drama, judgmental assholes, and mind-numbing schoolwork. Until it isn’t. A scandal emerges: a student and teacher had an illicit affair. At the center of the scandal are seven teenagers, each with their own secrets, whose lives are transformed as a result of this scandal. One of the characters can be read as asexual (and possibly neurodiverse). He never explicitly labels himself as such, but the way he describes his experiences of [non-]attraction strongly point to him being on the ace spectrum.

34. Quicksilver by R. J. Anderson Tori thought she had left her past behind when she and her family started a new life in a new city. But then Sebastian Faraday reappears in her life to tell her that she’s not quite as safe as she thinks: the relay is still operating and a genetics lab is trying to track her down to figure out the secret behind her unusual biology. Tori is going to have to use all of her considerable technical expertise to escape her past and live the normal human life she’s always wanted to have. Asexual main character.

35. Hullmetal Girls by Emily Skrutskie Aisha Un-Haad, seventeen, and Key Tanaka, eighteen, have risked everything for new lives as mechanically enhanced soldiers, and when an insurrection forces dark secrets to surface, the fate of humanity is in their hands. In Hullmetal Girls, Aisha is not only ace/aro but she is also happy with her identity. Crucially, so is everyone else.

36. Not Even Bones by Rebecca Schaeffer Nita's mother hunts monsters and, after Nita dissects and packages them, sells them online, but when Nita follows her conscience to help a live monster escape, she is sold on the black market in his place. Aro/Ace main character

37. Before I Let Go by Marieke Nijkamp When Corey moves away from Lost Creek, Alaska, she makes her friend Kyra promise to stay strong during the long, dark winter, and wait for her return. Just days before Corey is to return home to visit, Kyra dies. The entire Lost community speaks in hushed tones, saying her death was meant to be. And they push Corey away like she's a stranger. With every hour, Corey's suspicion grows. Lost is keeping secrets-- but piecing together the truth about what happened to her best friend may prove as difficult as lighting the sky in an Alaskan winter. Aro/Ace main character.

38. If It Makes You Happy by Claire Kann Winnie is living her best fat girl life and is on her way to the best place on earth. No, not Disneyland–her Granny’s diner, Goldeen’s, in the small town of Misty Haven. While there, she works in her fabulous 50’s inspired uniform, twirling around the diner floor and earning an obscene amount of tips. With her family and ungirlfriend at her side, she has everything she needs for one last perfect summer before starting college in the fall. …until she becomes Misty Haven’s Summer Queen in a highly anticipated matchmaking tradition that she wants absolutely nothing to do with. Aro/ace secondary character.

39. Dread Nation by Justina Ireland An alternate history where the Civil War was put on hold when zombies started to rise. Almost finished with her education at Miss Preston's School of Combat in Baltimore, Jane is set on returning to her Kentucky home and doesn't pay much mind to the politics of the eastern cities, with their talk of returning America to the glory of its days before the dead rose.But when families around Baltimore County begin to go missing, Jane is caught in the middle of a conspiracy, one that finds her in a desperate fight for her life against some powerful enemies. And the restless dead, it would seem, are the least of her problems. The word asexual is not used, but that fits with the setting, and the explanation goes into a fair amount of detail, also ruling out that she likes women instead.

40. Vespertine by Margaret Rogerson When her convent is attacked by possessed soldiers, Artemisia defends the Gray Sisters by awakening the revenant bound to a saint's relic, even though she runs the risk of being possessed permanently by the powerful ancient spirit. Non-explicit romantic asexual main character. Fantasy.

41. Archivist Wasp by Nicole Kornher-Stace A postapocalyptic ghosthunter escapes her dire fate by joining the ghost of a supersoldier on his quest to the underworld Aromantic asexual main character. Dark fantasy/dystopian.

42. Summer of Salt by Katrina Leno While anyone would love to have a bit of magic, what happens when magic turns dark? Georgina Fernweh will come into her magic someday soon. Before she does, Georgina faces a tragedy that tests the islanders' trust. In this book, Georgina’s best friend Vira is aroace, and it’s addressed somewhat in the story at different points. There is a sweet strength between Georgina and Vira, full of loyalty and support that is lovely to see.

43. The Summer of Bitter and Sweet by Jen Ferguson In this moving and complex narrative, Lou learns to draw boundaries, stand up for herself, all while coming to terms with her demisexuality.

44. The Sound of Stars by Alechia Dow One-third of the human population has died and now the world is about to end. Ellie, a fat, Black, disabled, demisexual girl with access to an illegal library teams up with a music-loving alien to risk their lives to save the world.

45. The Grimrose Girls by Laura Pohl Pohl serves up a veritable smorgasbord of queer fairytale goodies in Grimrose Girls. This tale as old as time follows four students at the prestigious boarding school Grimrose Academy—Ella, Yuki, Rory, and newcomer Nani. When the former three’s best friend dies, all four girls are swept up in a dark and twisted mystery full of old fairytale magic. They must work together to unravel the secrets between them and break an ancient curse that dooms them to a fairytale ending (and not the fun kind). Yuki’s aromantic asexual identity is explored in her relationship to expectations, beauty, and friendship throughout the novel.

46. Radio Silence by Alice Oseman Frances has been a study machine with one goal. Nothing will stand in her way; not friends, not a guilty secret – not even the person she is on the inside. Then Frances meets Aled, and for the first time, she’s unafraid to be herself. So when the fragile trust between them is broken, Frances is caught between who she was and who she longs to be. In this book, Aled identifies as demisexual while Frances identifies as bisexual. The story really pays homage to the importance of friendship, and romantic storylines move to the background in a way we don’t often get in YA literature.

47. This Golden Flame by Emily Victoria Forced to serve her country’s ruling group, Karis wants nothing more than to find her brother. But family bonds don’t matter to the sole focus of unlocking the magic of an ancient automaton army. Karis is ace and other LGBTQ+ characters are introduced throughout.

48. Sawkill Girls by Claire Legrand A horror novel centered around three girls facing off against an unseen monster that preys upon the young women of the island of Sawkill Rock. Features a black asexual girl fresh out of a romantic relationship, as well as a f/f relationship.

49. Love Letters for Joy by Melissa See Less than a year away from graduation, seventeen-year-old Joy is too busy overachieving to be worried about relationships. She’s determined to be Caldwell Prep’s first disabled valedictorian. And she only has one person to beat, her academic rival Nathaniel. But it’s senior year and everyone seems to be obsessed with pairing up. One of her best friends may be developing feelings for her and the other uses Caldwell’s anonymous love-letter writer to snag the girl of her dreams. Joy starts to wonder if she has missed out on a quintessential high school experience. She is asexual, but that’s no reason she can’t experience first love, right?

50. Not Your Backup by C. B. Lee Part 3 in the Sidekick Squad series by C.B. Lee. Follows a questioning aromantic asexual latinx superhero sidekick fighting to prove her worth on the team despite her lack of superpowers, all admist the team's battle against the corrupt League of Heroes.

51. Belle Révolte by Linsey Miller Noble-born Emilie des Marais, 16, wants to become a physician, a role usually forbidden women of her class because of the corruptive toll the magical "noonday arts" exact. Common-born Annette Boucher wants to escape her domineering parents and master the less physically costly "midnight arts" of illusions, divination, and scrying, normally reserved for those who can afford the expensive education. At Emilie's urging, each girl takes the other's place. Miller (Ruin of Stars) writes in lush, dense prose that can require a careful read, but her protagonists' awareness of privilege and desire to challenge the status quo shines through. LGBTQ representation--including gay, trans, and nonbinary characters (Annette identifies as asexual biromantic)--further widens this tale's appeal.

52. Tarnished Are the Stars by Rosiee Thor A secret beats inside Anna Thatcher's chest: an illegal clockwork heart. Anna works cog by cog -- donning the moniker Technician -- to supply black market medical technology to the sick and injured, against the Commissioner's tyrannical laws. Determined to earn his father's respect, Nathaniel sets out to capture the Technician. But the more he learns about the outlaw, the more he questions whether his father's elusive affection is worth chasing at all. This YA novel features an aroace character gradually coming to accept his orientation in the midst of everything else that is happening in his life. Perfect for older teens who also enjoy WLW representation and dark themes.

53. Aces Wild: A Heist by Amanda DeWitt An all-asexual online friend group attempts to break into a high-stakes gambling club and commit a heist together. Includes a male asexual character navigating what love looks like for him, an aromantic asexual Latinx gender-nonconforming boy, a Vietnamese American and German asexual nonbinary teen, and a black asexual girl.

54. Planning Perfect by Haley Neil Summer vacation quickly becomes complicated for Felicity Becker as she tries to plan a perfect wedding for her mom, figure out her feelings for her friend Nancy, and wonder what dating will look like for her as an asexual person.

55. Ace of Hearts by Myriad Augustine Everyone around Alvin seems to be obsessed with one thing-- sex. Alvin finds it uncomfortable to think and talk about it and he knows he isn't ready and may never be. His friends, however, think that all Alvin needs is to hook up with the right guy. But the closer Alvin gets to being physical with someone, the more he's uncertain that this is for him and he begins to wonder if he's asexual. Can Alvin find the love that's right for him?

56. Beyond the Black Door by AdriAnne Strickland Everyone has a soul. Some are beautiful gardens, others are frightening dungeons. Kamia comes to know more about her identity as she decides to battle the forces of evil, no matter the cost... Asexual and demi-romantic main characters. Dark fantasy. Kamai is asexual, but isn’t aromantic—she has an interest in relationships that isn’t always depicted for those who are ace.

57. Loveless by Alice Oseman A queer coming of age story featuring a romance obsessed aromantic asexual main character discovering her sexuality and coming to terms with what that means, and a variety of other queer characters that support her on her journey.

58. Summer Bird Blue by Akemi Dawn Bowman Rumi Seto spends a lot of time worrying she doesn’t have the answers to everything. What to eat, where to go, whom to love. But there is one thing she is absolutely sure of—she wants to spend the rest of her life writing music with her younger sister, Lea. Then Lea dies in a car accident, and her mother sends her away to live with her aunt in Hawaii while she deals with her own grief. While not the main focal point of the book, Rumi does grapple throughout the story about where exactly she lands on the ace and aro spectrum—and whether she has to label herself at all.

59. Meet Cute Diary by Emery Lee In this queer rom-com, a transgender teen must decide if he's dedicated to romantic formulas or open to unpredictable love after an internet troll attack on his blog compels him and a fan to start fake-dating. Through an unlikely friendship with sweet, grounded Devin, who is Cuban American, asexual, and experimenting with pronouns, Noah--initially self-centered and standoffish--learns to value communication and empathy.

60. The Reckless Kind by Carly Heath In 1904 Norway, Asta runs away from her horrible fiancé to live with her two best friends. The three misfits set out to win the annual Christmas sleigh race to prove that they belong together. Queer asexual hard of hearing protagonist with heterochromia of Norwegian descent.

61. Forward March by Skye Quinlan How can band geek Harper have the chance of becoming the First Daughter with a fake dating profile? However, Harper does know that the drumline leader swiped right. Come along with Harper as she explores her truth during her last year of high school. Asexual-questioning cis female MC with anxiety and asthma.

62. Elatsoe by Darcie Little Badger What if America had monsters, magic, and interdimensional beings? For Elatsoe, this is real, and she has to uncover her cousin's murder! She can do this with the help of her ghost dog, Kirby, but has to remember not to wake human ghosts. Aromantic ace main character. Paranormal mystery. Casual representation which extends to Ellie’s identity as Lipan Apache. This identity is asserted more often and firmly than her asexuality, and Little Badger drops in nuggets of education for us settlers about what Indigenous people, and the Lipan Apache in particular, suffered at the hands of settlers.

63. All Out: The No-Longer-Secret Stories of Queer Teens Throughout the Ages by Editor Robin Talley A collection of short fantasy stories, featuring a variety of queer characters across multiple sexualities and genders. Features an asexual roller-skating girl from the 70s struggling to explain her identity to her crush.

64. Black Wings Beating by Alex London Twins Brysen and Kylee live in a world that revers the power of the falconers, but in a world where war approaches, they aren’t safe. Hunted for their power, they work together to trap the Ghost Eagle. Kylee is an ace character, focused on protecting her brother.

Graphic Novels

65. A-okay by Jarad Greene Eight grade can be tough, especially if you have acne and bullies, and lose friends. But our relatable asexual and aromantic protagonist, Jay, pulls through. This is a relatable memoir with colorful artwork.

66. How to Be Ace: A Memoir of Growing up Asexual by Rebecca Burgess A comic memoir detailing the author Rebecca Burgess's experience with growing up asexual in a world obsessed with sex. Also talks about her experiences with her own mental health and OCD.

67. Jughead, Volume 1 by Chip Zdarsky A comic book reboot of the Archie comics centered around Jughead Jones. Follows an aromantic asexual main character in typical Archie-style shenanigans. Part 1 of a 3 part series.

68. A Quick & Easy Guide to Asexuality by Molly Muldoon A charming introduction to asexuality, created to shed light on the misconceptions surrounding sex and being asexual. Told by writer Molly Muldoon and cartoonist Will Hernandez, both on the asexual spectrum.

69. Is Love the Answer? by Isaki Uta A poignant coming-of-age story about a young woman coming into her own as she discovers her identity as aromantic asexual. A complete story in a single volume, from the creator of "Mine-kun is Asexual."

Domestic Fiction

70. Have You Seen Luis Velez by Catherine Ryan Hyde Raymond Jaffe feels like he doesn't belong. Not with his mother's new family. Not as a weekend guest with his father and his father's wife. Not at school, where he's an outcast. After his best friend moves away, Raymond has only two real connections: to the feral cat he's tamed and to a blind ninety-two-year-old woman in his building who's introduced herself with a curious question: Have you seen Luis Velez? Mildred Gutermann, a German Jew who narrowly escaped the Holocaust, has been alone since her caretaker disappeared. She turns to Raymond for help, and as he tries to track Luis down, a deep and unexpected friendship blossoms between the two. Raymond is asexual (to be precise, he is aroace) And he is depicted as kind, loving, sensitive and realistic.

Fantasy

71. In the Lives of the Puppets by TJ Klune In a strange little home built into the branches of a grove of trees, live three robots--fatherly inventor android Giovanni Lawson, a pleasantly sadistic nurse machine, and a small vacuum desperate for love and attention. Victor Lawson, a human, lives there too. They're a family, hidden and safe. Protagonist: Vic, A curious, loving, & asexual human.

72. The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon In the mid-21st century major world cities are controlled by a formidable security force and clairvoyant underworld cell member Paige commits acts of psychic treason before being captured by an otherworldly race that would make her a part of their supernatural army. Demisexual main character.

73. The Perfect Assassin by K.A. Doore Divine justice is written in blood. Or so Amastan has been taught. As a new assassin in the Basbowen family, he's already having second thoughts about taking a life. A scarcity of contracts ends up being just what he needs. Until, unexpectedly, Amastan finds the body of a very important drum chief. Until, inevitably, Amastan is ordered to solve these murders, before the family gets blamed. Amastan is asexual and, as it turns out, homoromantic.

74. The Bruising of Quilwa by Naseem Jamnia Firuz-e Jafari was able to escape the slaughter of traditional blood magic practitioners by immigrating to the city-state of Qilwa. But now a terrible disease is spreading through the city, and Firuz believes it comes from ineptly performed blood magic. Now they must find a way to break a cycle of prejudice in order to survive. From the author: it's about an aroace nonbinary refugee healer who is trying to cure a magical plague in their new home while hiding their blood magic.

75. The Midnight Bargain by C. L. Polk The Midnight Bargain is a story "set in a world reminiscent of Regency England, where women's magic is taken from them when they marry. A sorceress must balance her desire to become the first great female magician against her duty to her family. Ysbeta has a clear goal for her life: to discover and share magic. Besides loving learning for its own sake, Ysbeta is asexual, and wealthy in her own right, so the bargaining season offers her literally nothing.

76. Every Heart A Doorway by Seanan McGuire Set in a world where a group of children have the ability to find and enter doorways into magical worlds, and now must find who's targetting them for this ability. Lead by an female asexual main character, with a trans love interest. First book in a series of novellas.

Science Fiction

77. The First Sister by Linden A. Lewis She's a priestess of the Sisterhood, traveling the stars alongside the soldiers of Earth who own the rights to her body and soul. When her former captain abandons her, First Sister's hopes for freedom are dashed and she is forced to stay on her ship with no friends, no status, and a new captain she knows nothing about. When the Mother, leader of her order, asks her to spy on Captain Saito Ren, First Sister discovers that sacrificing for the war effort is so much harder to do when your loyalties are split. He climbed his way out of the slums to become an elite soldier of Venus, but now he's haunted by his failures and the loss of his partner Hiro. But when Lito learns that Hiro is alive, but a traitor, and he's assigned to hunt Hiro down, and kill them, Lito must decide what he is actually fighting for - the society that raised him, or himself. As the battle to control Ceres reaches a head, Lito and First Sister must decide what - and whom - they are willing to sacrifice in the name of duty, or for love. Hispanic panromantic asexual protagonist (Lito).

78. Firebreak by Nicole Kornher-Stace Mal is one of many war survivors in the old town working multiple jobs to scrimp by, one of which is her team's streaming video game play. The team lives with several other roommates in a converted hotel room run by Stellaxis, the company that owns half of town, and is the only legal provider of drinkable water. When Mal catches sight of an elusive SecOps character, special non-player characters (NPCs) modeled after Stellaxis' twelve bioengineered operatives, the team pursues her inside the game to catch her on video for two seconds before their power curfew kicks in. By the time Mal heads down for her daily ration of water, they've secured a lucrative contract, involving an in-person meeting and a conspiracy theory, paying them to capture images of the three living SecOps characters. When Mal returns to find out why the next payment failed, she becomes involved in a fracas that will endanger everyone she knows. Aroace main character.

79. To be Taught, If Fortunate by Becky Chambers Four astronauts set out to explore the galaxy. This journey spans centuries and many worlds. A thought provoking read that explores the themes of loneliness and sense of purpose. Excellent cast of diverse characters and vivid world building. Chikondi is asexual and the text is careful to note that his relationship to the protagonist is no less emotional or vital than those she shares with people she is sexually involved with.

80. The Circus Infinite by Khan Wong What better person to take down a crime boss than a mixed-species fugitive! Join Jes on this exciting tale of espionage, torture, demolition. Sex-averse panromantic asexual lead character

Historical Fiction

81. Kaikeyi by Vasihnavi Patel The only daughter of the kingdom of Kekaya, she is raised on grand stories about the might and benevolence of the gods. Yet she watches as her father unceremoniously banishes her mother, her own worth measured by how great a marriage alliance she can secure. And when she calls upon the gods for help, they never seem to hear. Desperate for some measure of independence, she turns to the ancient texts she once read with her mother and discovers a magic that is hers alone. Kaikeyi is asexual and aromantic. Although the words "asexual" and "aromantic" aren't used in the book.

Western

82. The Complete Lady Ruth Constance Chapelstone Chronicles by L. C. Mawson If you’re looking for steampunk magic, the Lady Ruth Constance Chapelstone novellas are the place for you. Read them individually or all together in this compendium. Chapelstone is interested in her inventions, not love and romance.

Paranormal

83. The Faceless Old Woman Who Secretly Lives in Your Homes by Joseph Fink Told in a series of eerie flashbacks, the story of The Faceless Old Woman goes back centuries to reveal an initially blissful and then tragic childhood on a Mediterranean Estate in the early nineteenth century, her rise in the criminal underworld of Europe, a nautical adventure with a mysterious organization of smugglers, her plot for revenge on the ones who betrayed her, and ultimately her death and its aftermath, as her spirit travels the world for decades until settling in modern-day Night Vale. Asexual secondary character.

Romance  

84. All the Wrong Places by Ann Gallagher After his three ex-girlfriends in a row leave Brennan because he's not fulfilling their sexual needs, he seeks out advice from Zafir, the owner of a sex shop. Zafir introduces Brennan to the concept of asexuality and slowly something more blossoms between them.

85. That Kind of Guy by Talia Hibbert Rae needs a fake date to take to her ex's wedding and convinces Zach, a close friend who has recently discovered that he is demisexual, to play along.

86. The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood In an attempt to convince her best friend that she really is over her ex-boyfriend, grad-student Olive panic kisses stern associate professor Adam in the hallway. (Olive is coded as demisexual/graysexual, but that label is never used in the book).

87. Far From Home by Lorelie Brown The oddest of odd couples finds unexpected joy in Brown’s warm, sweet contemporary romance. American citizen Rachel, a not-quite-asexual assistant film producer struggling to make a living in L.A., is drowning in student debt; Indian immigrant Pari Sadashiv, a lesbian logistics manager, needs a U.S. green card to advance her career. When Rachel offers to marry Pari in exchange for funds, it’s just party banter at first—but what’s to stop them from crafting a friendship with legal and financial benefits? Their platonic plans quickly go awry as Pari’s mother moves in to help plan the wedding, forcing them to live their lie. As Rachel feels herself awakening to an attraction she didn’t even know was possible, Pari has to decide whether she can live with the possible fallout of Rachel’s tentative first foray into same-sex love.

88. Kiss Her Once for Me by Alison Cochrun Last Christmas, Ellie met Jack in Powell’s when they both went for a copy of Alison Bechdel’s Fun Home, and over a cute argument over “shared custody”, and Jack poking gentle fun at Ellie (who had been crying alone and talking to a footstool as if it were her friend) they start to bond. Jack asks Ellie for coffee, and then they end up spending the whole day together. This is a big deal for Ellie, who is demisexual, and rarely develops attractions to anyone. And then Jack breaks her heart. Fast-forward to this Christmas when Andrew, the landlord who owns the building she works in, asks her to fake-marry him so he can access his inheritance, and shenanigans lead to her agreeing to this and to going home with him for Christmas, and surprise! Jack is Andrew’s sister.

89. The Charm Offensive by Alison Cochrun Tech wunderkind Charlie has never really been interested in dating, but agrees to join the cast of reality show 'Ever After.' While there he finds himself charmed by his producer, Dev, and questioning his sexuality. The Charm Offensive includes a conversation discussing asexuality and its spectrum.

90. Never Been Kissed by Timothy Janovsky Wren Roland has never been kissed, but he wants that movie-perfect ending more than anything. Thanks to Mateo’s boyfriend, he learns about demisexuality and realizes that when he came out as gay, he had not finished realizing truths about himself and intimate relationships.

91. How to be a Normal Person by TJ Klune Before The House on the Cerulean Sea blew up, Klune wrote this quirky and delightful story of two asexual people finding each other and their happily ever after.

92. Soft on Soft by Mina Waheed This super sweet, low-angst romance centers on two fat, queer women of colour (one Black and one Persian-Arab) who fall in love and find their happy ending with hardly any drama. There’s also anxiety representation. It’s just pure fluffy romance goodness. Demisexual protagonist.

Non-Fiction

93. Ace and Aro Journeys: A Guide to Embracing your Asexual or Aromantic Identity by The Ace and Aro Advocacy Project What does it mean to be ace or aro? How should I approach the challenges that come with being ace or aro? How can I best support the ace and aro people in my life? Join the The Ace and Aro Advocacy Project (TAAAP) for a deep dive into the process of discovering and embracing your ace and aro identities. Empower yourself to explore the nuances of your identity, find and develop support networks, explore different kinds of partnership, come out to your communities and find real joy within. Combining a rigorous exploration of identity and sexuality models with hundreds of candid and poignant testimonials -- this companion vouches for your personal truth, wherever you lie on the aspec spectrum. You are not invisible! You are among friends.

94. Being Ace: An Anthology of Queer, Trans, Femme, and Disabled Stories of Asexual Love and Connection by Editor Madeline Dyer Discover the infinite realms of asexual love across sci-fi, fantasy, and contemporary stories From a wheelchair user racing to save her kidnapped girlfriend and a little mermaid who loves her sisters more than suitors, to a slayer whose virgin blood keeps attracting monsters, the stories of this anthology are anything but conventional. Whether adventuring through space, outsmarting a vengeful water spirit, or surviving haunted cemeteries, no two aces are the same in these 14 unique works that highlight asexual romance, aromantic love, and identities across the asexual spectrum

95. Ace: What Asexuality Reveals About Desire, Society, and the Meaning of Sex by Angela Chen A non-fiction research book about the asexual perspective on society's facinations with love and sex, and the misconceptions about what being asexual really is and what it means to a person.

96. The Invisible Orientation: an Introduction to Asexuality by Julia Sondra Decker An introduction to what asexuality is, both for people who don't know what that means and for people that may be questioning their own sexuality. It aims to puts asexual people's experiences in context, as they move through a very sexualized world.

97. Gender Queer: A Memoir by Maia Kobabe A graphic memoir about author Kobabe's growing from adolescence to adulthood, as e explores eir gender identity and sexuality. Features a gender queer and asexual main character that uses e/eir pronouns.

98. Ace Voices What it Means to Be Asexual, Aromantic, Demi or Grey-Ace by Eris Young This is the ace community in their own words. Drawing upon interviews with a wide range of people across the asexual spectrum, Eris Young is here to take you on an empowering, enriching journey through the rich multitudes of asexual life.

99. I Am Ace: Adice on Living Your Best Asexual Life by Cody Daigle-Orians Tackling everything from what asexuality is, the asexual spectrum and tips on coming out, to intimacy, relationships, acephobia and finding joy, this guide will help you better understand your asexual identity alongside deeply relatable anecdotes drawn from Cody's personal experience.

100. Sounds Fake But Okay: An Asexual and Aromantic Perspective on Love, Relationships, Sex, and Pretty Much Anything Else by Sarah Costello and Kayla Kaszyca Drawing on their personal stories, and those of aspec friends all over the world, prepare to explore your microlabels, investigate different models of partnership, delve into the intersection of gender norms and compulsory sexuality and reconsider the meaning of sex - when allosexual attraction is out of the equation.

I haven't read all of these books, so I can't guarantee all of them. But I did my best researching all of them. I was making this list on my own and I was amazed that I could find over 100 books with asexual characters and I wanted to share it!

The Aromantic Book List is now out!

Tagging some people who were excited about this list: @sweetspiderstew @majorgenerally @shayberri789 @53rdcenturyhero @knightoflodis @neonghost39 @rosaazulina

[gallifreyanhotfive]

Random Doctor Who Facts You Might Not Know, Part 56

One time when a baby was Cyber-converted, they were given regular Cyber-arms as well as a Cybermat tail. (Novel: Illegal Aliens)

Chewing on jelly babies helps the Doctor think. The Eighth Doctor said that the "tensile strength of a jelly baby offers the perfect resistance." (Audio: World of Damnation)

Speaking of jelly babies, the Eighth Doctor once went missing for days because he was looking for the perfect jelly baby. (Novel: The City of the Dead)

Zoe had the Second Doctor install an orthopaedic bed in her room on the TARDIS. (Novel: The Menagerie)

There is such a phenomenon as temporal tsunamis. (Audio: The Other Side)

TARDIS heartbeats must keep a steady rhythm, so when they are parked, they continue to travel through time at the same speed as their pilot. Otherwise, the TARDIS would be lost to the past (if they were traveling at a slower speed) or disappear into the future (if they were going at a faster speed). (Audio: 1963)

On Gallifrey, marriages mainly serve to strengthen political alliances between the different Great Houses and to maintain the Chapter's power. (Audio: Spirit)

Vassar Dust looks somewhat like snow and is always cold. It also has some telepathic qualities. This dust is a byproduct of time travel. (Novel: Loving the Alien)

Ian once woke up inside a Time Museum as an exhibit. He had been removed from his own time with a time scoop. The curator of the museum - Pendolin - had time scooped Ian with the hope of attracting the Doctor’s attention and making him his prized exhibit, but he did not successfully get the Doctor’s attention. (Audio: The Time Museum)

The Doctor kept a bracelet (that appeared to be made of gold) in a trunk in his TARDIS. After regenerating, the Second Doctor retrieved it, looked at it fondly for a short while, and then returned it. Ben saw that it had odd pictures on it but couldn't make it out. (Novel: The Power of the Daleks)

John Benton, Sarah Jane Smith, and Allison Williams were all involved in the clean-up following the Cyberman invasion from The Tenth Planet. (Novel: The Power of the Daleks)

The Doctor thinks of the entire universe as their foster family after their parents had "decided to opt out of their responsibilities." (Novel: Beltempest)

The First Doctor's left hand was cut off in a sword fight with a Soul Pirate captain. He had to get a new one fashioned for him as it did not grow back. (Short story: A Big Hand for the Doctor)

As revenge for his defeat on the Enlightenment, the Black Guardian altered the established timeline. To defeat them, the Seventh Doctor, Ace, and Benny had to reassemble the Key to Time. The following objects are actually segments of the Key to Time: the First Doctor's TARDIS instruction manual, the Second Doctor's stovepipe hat, one of the swords used when Ace fought the Third Doctor, one of the Fourth Doctor’s jelly babies, a cricket ball used by the Fifth Doctor, and the Sixth Doctor's cat badges. (Comic: Time & Time Again)

The Third Doctor used to visit the zoo frequently. He'd often sit across the tiger, feeling some sort of camaraderie with them. He spent some of his wages upgrading the tiger enclosure, but the tiger's mind had already been broken. They continued walking back and forth as though their enclosure was still small. The Doctor decided to be sure that his mind wouldn't also break in his captivity because one day his TARDIS would be fixed and he couldn't stick in his old habits when that happened. (Audio: Walls of Confinement)

On one such visit to the zoo, the Brigadier had the Doctor babysit his godson. The Doctor didn't keep a close enough eye on the boy, and he ended up in the tiger enclosure. (Audio: Walls of Confinement)

Fitz Kreiner once found an old woman in the TARDIS library. Her name was Emily, and she had been dressed in clothes one might expect a teenager to wear in the 1960s. She was also covered in cobwebs. Fitz brought her to the Eighth Doctor, who recognized her and seemed embarrassed about her presence, but Emily didn't recognize the Doctor. (Novel: Mad Dogs and Englishmen) Though never explicitly clarified, Emily had likely entered the TARDIS as a teenager, got lost, and lived her entire life in the TARDIS. As she didn't recognize the Eighth Doctor, this event would have predated his incarnation. Perhaps she was even one of Susan's classmates.

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[randomfoggytiger]

Dana Scully: a Fear of Death Rooted in Eternal Judgment

I think Scully's fear of death is rooted in a fear of judgment.

According to her faith, one either gets into Heaven or Hell (with a pit stop here or there to atone for their sins.) One would think that would be a comfort to the morally unbreakable Dana Scully.

But it isn't.

During her atheistic arc (Season 1 through early Season 2), Scully was determined to do her job and do it well. The paranoia of death didn't cling to her as it does in later seasons.... until Beyond the Sea. Her father's ghost visiting her right after his death and being channeled later through Luthor Lee Boggs, twice-- it takes its toll, unwinding the foundational principles of her life: that Death is final; and that there are no ghosts or psychics or even angels or demons, just sick men and women who abuse others through their superstitions. Scully chooses ignorance, reverting away from this new territory because "I'm afraid... I'm afraid to believe." The rest of Season 1, she didn't want to die, panicked in the face of it; but wasn't as paranoid as, again, later seasons.

Then One Breath happens: Scully experienced something she "couldn't find the words" to explain, even when facing death alongside Mulder in Dod Kalm. It's Scully who is fearless as their end approaches, reassuring Mulder he has nothing to fear based on that experience. Thus, One Breath began her agnostic arc-- where she believed, deep down, but was afraid to fully accept that belief (i.e., her shaken projections on Pfaster in Irresistible and her activated voodoo curse in Fresh Bones.) Death is a place of peace, hence why she denies it to Pfaster (we later learn in Orison.)

When we reach Season 3's Revelations, Scully's agnosticism turns to religious terror. "God is speaking, and no one is listening", she confesses to the priest-- what she means is, that God has been speaking to and judging me, and I've been failing. Thus, her paranoia of Death: not because of its finality (Season 1) or promise of peace (Season 2), but because it could find her at fault and deny her a blessed eternal life.

In Season 4, Scully doesn't want to "run back to God" in Gethsemane; but faces her fears once Death becomes inescapable in Redux II.

In Season 5, she battles with her religious fragility, struggling for peace after her daughter is stolen before her Christian burial (Emily) and after her spirit returns during a case with angels and demons. Scully may be more vulnerable to religious manipulation, but she is also more secure in her beliefs of a peaceful afterlife.

By Season 6, Scully continues to look upon Death as God's judgment: eternal reward or eternal torment. But then Tithonus happens: Fellig shakes Scully's convictions that eternity is a good thing, showing her the soul of an eternally tormented man... making her wonder if she is guaranteed a happy ending, after all.

This brings up to Season 7's Orison, where Scully stands in judgment of Pfaster and the "Reverend" Orison. When she murders Pfaster in cold blood, her doubts and criticisms rise up against her, brandishing her with the same immoral code-- thus, making her fear eternal condemnation from God: the end meted out to both convicts, or an immortal torment ala Alfred Fellig. This was an extremely crucial moment for her development as a character... and would have been given no resolution if not for Gillian's all things.

all things is the resolution to Scully's paranoia: "God talks back", she comes to terms with herself, and makes a final decision out of principle and not panic, out of assuredness and not anguish. Scully is secure; and she finds the stability to embrace her beliefs, religion, and faith as it should be: a source of rest, a refuge from fear.

Thanks for reading~

Enjoy!

[connectionterminated13]

Hi there, mind sharing any Charlotte headcanons you have? I'm willing to read them :)

Yes! sorry I forgot about this one letting it rot for a while-

1. Charlie is the only one out of the MCI other than Evan or Cassidy to stay completely together. Charlie, Evan and Cassidy's deaths were all traumatic enough that they bled enough remnant to stay Themselves and not just kind of fade away. Charlie feels guilt for this. Why did she have to be the special one why does she have to watch her found family slowly drift away. And she wonders often that if she had been stronger or better at whatever she did to put them in the suits that maybe they could have stayed around longer.

2. Charlie doesn't mind being the puppet. Unlike pretty much everybody else she does not hate the body she was forced into. It is not a vessel that she is trapped in just her. Along with that comes a lot of weird gender stuff with Charlie. She doesn't really feel like a girl Or a boy or really anything. She's just Charlie and Charlie is the puppet. And she's happy that way. It's the rest of the world and particularly her father that makes her feel bad

3. Charlie had a whole era post 1987 Where she was forced to stay in the vents of the FNAF one pizzeria, Or she would be demolished like the rest of the toys. She did a lot of strangling in that era. Because she had failed to save another batch of kids, Her father told her to events that if she ever came out he would demolish her/ apparently saw her as little more than some kind of wild dog And on top of all The craziness that comes to all ghosts was finally getting to her..... So yeah girl was not okay.

4. She can play guitar her dad taught her. Specifically once Charlie Finds Michael again he buys her a new guitar and she returns how to play with her puppet fingers. It brings her a lot of joy. She can also sing very well.

5. Charlie fell down a Leftist Conspiracy rabbit hole.. Poor girl thought the deep state was going to get her. It took like a whole day for Michael to coax her out from under the couch

6. Both the rotting spirits of the MCI and Evan after getting kicked out of golden Friday for being too crazy wandering around in blabbering has led to most spirits and Supernatural entities thinking Charlie is some kind of angel/God thing. She's also become a joke among minimum wage workers at Freddy's who have accidentally absorbed the same knowledge. Michael and Charlie have found trying to her a couple times well burning down a pizzeria. Charlie feels a bit uncomfortable by it honestly.

7. To me Charlie Emily sounds like Marceline the vampire Queen. I will not be taking any questions on this

[cyberbirb-arts]

I've been wanting to do something special for these two. I fell in love with the colors and of course, it's 80s inspired.

Accompanying ficlet under the cut!

Tracer is often bubbly, containing an infectious laughter that can lift just about anyone's spirits. But she cannot run on that energy 24/7 like her good friend Lúcio chants, "Can't stop, won't stop!". Now really isn't the time.

At least, well, just not for today.

Perhaps the universe could allow her this moment of sadness in a beautiful world inevitably gone mad. Mindlessly surfing the TV channels, she's convinced that she'll feel like herself again tomorrow after a good night's rest.

Oh, but Tracer is that blink-and-you'll-miss-her woman with a smile and a thousand reasons to keep fighting. The beloved agent's unwavering cape of confidence has frayed – down to the last thread.

But y'know it's just another day, Lena tells herself in a sigh watching the latest news broadcast through wet eyelashes. It's not pretty. The world suffers on a daily basis.

Emily hums softly, quietly placing random jewelry onto her. She also decides to shut the TV off, and Lena pouts at this, allowing her emotions to sink further into their couch. Lena is intrigued only as Emily winks and slips into a retro seafoam green dress. She decorates herself with clip-on earrings and plastic flowers, some blush and a pretty pink lipstick.

A hot cup of earl gray is made just how Lena likes it, with some lemon. The scent of bergamot is welcoming. Chocolate wafers, cookies, and biscuits are laid out orderly on a platter. A giant pachimari plush is stolen from their bed.

Emily returns again with a new outfit for Lena, her favorite synthwave pants and a cropped purple sweatshirt. She helps her dress and applies the same pink and peach makeup. She knows Lena doesn't like wearing a whole lot, so Emily is light with her touch. Freckles are just too cute to be covered up (like her own).

"I hope you know just how special you are. My brave and beautiful Lena. My hero."

Her painted lips leave an imprint on Lena's cheek. For the first time that day, she smiles.

"And you're mine."

She has her share of the treats and the hot tea somehow soothes the part of herself she cannot heal. Meanwhile, Emily puts on some music and the first song stirs Lena's soul, the familiar drumbeat and trombone.

When life is too much

Roll with it, baby

Don't stop and lose your touch

Oh no, baby

Emily offers her hand with a smile, "I know you're tired, but…dance with me for a while, love?"

Lena holds her tight, she could trust Emily for all eternity.

She wants to buy a ring someday.

"Okay."

Roll with it, baby!

Tracer's sadness is transformed through the dance, twirling around and laughing; nearly forgetting how much she hurt. Their hips sway to the beat and Lena catches Emily's thigh, teasing. A small wafer is offered from Emily's lips and they both giggle the second it splits between their teeth.

The chocolate melts in a passionate kiss. Lena reaches for Emily's hands, giddy.

"This is just what I needed, Em. I love you so much."

"Anytime. Love you more!"

Another song begins, and it's much slower, sensual and perfect. They're singing along in the dim light of the living room, and Lena finds her old self once again in the ebb and flow of their embrace.

[avanatural]

That Simple

Part 6

Series summary: Beau goes to Y/N, a new friend of his, for some dating advice. Is the charming new Sheriff gonna get the date that he’s hoping for?  

Pairing: Beau Arlen x female Reader

Category: Smut, fluff, angst, 18+

Word count: 3.9k

Chapter warnings: Some sad!Beau, fingering, oral sex (male receiving), penetrative sex, protected sex (wrap it up!), swearing

A/N: This part contains smut! Do not proceed if you’re under the age of 18! As a Christmas present to my lovely readers, here is some Beau smut. I really hope you enjoy it! Wanna be on my Beau tag list? Send me an ask ❤️

Part 5 | Series Masterlist | Beau Arlen Masterlist | Part 7

Main Masterlist

“Okay, Y/N,” she sighed, eyeing herself in the mirror, “You got this.” She gave herself a final nod of encouragement and exited the bathroom.

Tonight was the night. She was about to meet her partner’s daughter.

For this occasion, she’d put on a black skirt and the blouse that Beau fancied so much. Her hair was pinned to the top of her head in a neat bun, the front strands left out and curled to frame her face.

She walked into the living room, the heels of her shoes clicking against the floor. One look at the clock on the wall, and she released a breath. There was still some time left. Meaning she could play another round of forgotten items with her small handbag.

Phone? Check. Wallet? Check. Emily’s favorite chocolate? Check. Lipstick? Check. Keys? Oh, crap.

As Y/N went on her key hunt, storming through the living area, her phone started to sing loud cheerful tunes. She quickly fetched the device from her handbag. Her boyfriend’s name adorned the bright screen. She clicked ‘answer’ and pressed the phone to her ear. “Beau?”

His heavy voice carried itself through the speaker with an unspoken apology. “Hey, sweetheart.”

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah, yeah… It’s just…” His tone shifted, changing from apologetic to matter-of-factly. Putting on his Sheriff-voice usually made these things easier. “We can’t have dinner with my daughter tonight.”

His words made the muscles in her body tense up. “What?”

“Her stepdad decided to surprise her with a… ‘glamping trip’. They’re headin’ out as we speak. Em just canceled.”

Y/N’s heart dropped like a stone to the bottom of a lake. She knew how much Beau cared about his relationship with Emily. And how draining his rivalry with Avery was. If her heart was sinking, she could only guess how her partner was feeling. “I’m sorry, Beau.”

“Yeah,” he croaked, the mask around his tone fading as he realized he’d once again lost a battle to Emily’s stepfather. Admitting it to Y/N, saying it out loud, only made his defeat sink in, which hurt all the more. “Me, too.” He then growled something to himself, something that sounded dangerously close to knuckle-dunking Avery’s teeth in.

“Hey… Why don’t you come over?”, Y/N suggested. She didn’t want to spend the night alone, and she could imagine neither did Beau. “We can order food, watch a movie… Maybe even get a pillow fight in there,” she joked, trying to lighten up their conversation.

“Like a sleepover?”, he wondered, and Y/N could picture the way his eyebrow arched.

“Come on, play along!”, she attempted to encourage him, “Your next move is to tell me I didn’t get dressed up for nothing.”

“You got dressed up?”

Her tongue slid along her lower lip. By the sound of his voice, she knew that she’d captured his interest. “Uh-huh...”

Beau sighed on the other end. Then, his voice returned with a little bounce in its step. “Now, what kind of partner would I be not to come over and have a look at my girl?”

“That’s the spirit.” Y/N smiled into the speaker, already feeling more joyful despite the sudden dinner cancelation. Beau just had that effect on her. He breathed life and soul into her, even if he was low on fuel himself.

Y/N’s face lit up like a Christmas tree as soon as her eyes landed on Beau. He was standing on her porch, almost blinding her with how handsome he looked.

His light brown jacket was draped over his wide shoulders, the zipper undone to show off the burgundy sweater that was stretched across his chest. There was a small, colorful bouquet of flowers in his hand and a backpack slung over his arm.

“Hey, gorgeous.” He reached out his arm, handing her the bouquet. Honestly, he had no idea what kind of flowers they were, but they’d been the most beautiful ones in the shop. They stood out, just like Y/N.

“Beau! Thank you!” The corners of her lips twirled up happily when he pressed a greeting’s kiss to her cheek. “I love them.” The bouquet’s sweet scent mingled with Beau’s spicey cologne, clouding her mind for a second. “Come on in.”

As soon as the tips of his feet crossed the threshold into her house, the Sheriff felt at home. He dropped his backpack and followed Y/N into the kitchen, drawn in by the sparkle he’d seen in her eyes.

She looked purely delighted, like she was about to burst with joy over his flowers. He prided himself on the idea that he could make her feel good with his little gestures of love. It had been a while since he’d made a woman happy, and he fully intended to make the most of it with Y/N.

Once the bouquet was arranged beautifully in a vase, she turned back around. Her smile was bright, like the first rays of sunlight after a gloomy night, prompting him to hold his breath for a second.

He brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. “You’re stunning.”

Hypnotized by his gentle touch and the devoted look in his eyes, she hummed a quiet “Thank you.”

“Lemme get a look at you.” Beau took her by the waist, picking her up off the ground, and sat her down on the kitchen island. The soft melody of her giggles invaded his ears. Stepping between her legs, he rested his hands on her thighs. His emerald orbs traveled across her face, drinking in the sight of her. If there was anyone who could make him feel better, pull him back up from the depths of his self-doubts, it was Y/N.

She brushed her knuckles against the apple of his cheek, wondering what was going on in his mind. His eyes held an underlying glimmer of sadness so intense that her own heart twisted with a need to lift his spirits.

Beau’s eyes fluttered as he leaned into her touch. “I’m so glad to be here right now,” he admitted hoarsely, barely audible. A sorrowful crease appeared between his brows.

Her palms closed around the sides of his jaw, framing it in a soothing gesture. “I’ll make this the best damn sleepover of your life.”

For the first time since he’d arrived, the smile reached his eyes. The wrinkles around his deep green orbs deepened as he averted them. He chuckled lowly, then met her gaze again. “I don’t doubt it, sweetheart.”

The remains of their ordered food were scattered across the living room table. Y/N was tucked safely against Beau’s side, who’d slung his arm around her shoulders the second they’d sat back against the couch. The tv was one of the few sources of light, next to some fairy lights and candles, illuminating the room with flickering warm colors.

Having Beau’s presence, his affection, his scent so close to her evoked all kinds of tingly feelings in Y/N’s gut. After letting a happy sigh out of her mouth, she peeked into the hallway, where her boyfriend had dropped his backpack. Gently, she nudged his shoulder. “Hey…”  

He tore his gaze away from the tv screen, away from the Korean horror movie they’d picked. “Hm?”

“You could, you know… Leave some of your stuff here. For when you stay over. I could make some space in my closet.”

He paused, eyeing Y/N’s facial features, lips twitching upwards. “You sure?”

“Yeah.”

“Is it even possible to make room in that closet? You own, like, gazillions of clothes.”

“I do not!”, she chuckled, her eyes widening with feigned offense, “Don’t worry your pretty head, I got it.”

Beau didn’t respond, he just snickered along and hugged her more tightly. The way his arm clenched around her body told her he approved.

They stayed cuddled up on the couch, but Y/N couldn’t really pay attention to the movie they were watching. Not with a 6’1 Sheriff next to her who was the kind of handsome that just got into your bones. After stealing countless mischievous glances at him, she connected her lips to Beau’s cheek.

He hummed from deep within his chest and squeezed her against his side.

Lowering her head, she proceeded to plant a line of pecks on his jaw.

Her boyfriend shivered. “What’cha doin’?”, he asked, his gaze bright with anticipation.

“Seducing you,” she said before leaning back in. Her lips trailed along his skin, brushing against his growing beard. “Is that okay?”

A grunt escaped him when her hot breath tickled the shell of his ear. He tilted his head to give her better access to his needy skin. “Oh, more than okay,” he husked, his voice dropping an octave, “To what do I owe the pleasure?”

“I still have a favor to repay,” she spoke in between open-mouthed kisses to his neck.

He melted into her sultry touch. The blood rushed south, making him squirm on the spot. “You don’t have to repay me for anythin’, you know that, right?”  

“I know. But I want to.” Her fingers played with the hem of his burgundy sweater as she sat up on her knees. “May I?”

Beau’s body was momentarily paralyzed by lust, leaving him to mumble a simple, “Please.”

Y/N pushed his shirt up and over his chest, revealing his smooth, freckled skin. He lifted his arms, making it easier for her to rid him of the maroon-colored material. His hair was left tousled after she’d pulled the fabric over his head. With his hair sticking up at odd angles and his broad chest out in the open, the Sheriff looked nothing short of delicious.

“Now, lay back…,” Y/N said and applied pressure to Beau’s shoulders, making him lean against the wall of couch pillows. “And relax.”

His ribcage was pushed up and down by labored breaths while her lips took a love tour across his chest. Y/N marked his pecs and stomach with her kisses, her intense Y/E/C eyes not leaving his face. Her rosy mouth traveled lower and lower, making him feel exposed, seen, and safe, all at once.

Beau could feel himself strain against his jeans. His bulge was begging to be released. When Y/N sunk to the floor between his legs, he propped himself up on his elbows to watch her. He was mesmerized by the view of this incredible woman on her knees before him.

With a coy smirk, his girlfriend undid his belt and opened his dark blue jeans. She felt like she was unwrapping a Christmas present, and a very promising one at that. There was already a wet spot on his boxer shorts, showcasing his excitement.

Beau let her slide his jeans and boxers down, aiding her by lifting his hips. Soon after, the fabric pooled around his ankles, shaped like a forever sign. His dick stood hard as a rock, almost painfully so, even though Y/N hadn’t touched him yet.

She took his manhood in her hand, amazed by its girth and the weight against her palm. The head was shining with a taunting layer of precum, prompting her to lean forward and slowly run her pointed tongue along the slit.

Beau’s jaw tensed. His eyes became hooded as he observed her. His worries, his pain, his fears about fatherhood, it all vanished into thin air. His mind and body were utterly focused on Y/N. Caught in a trance, he loosened her bun, making her hair drop from its hold.

She savored her very first taste of him. It instantly made her yearn for more. She closed her mouth around his tip and sucked on it. He hissed, his hand lashing out on reflex to touch the back of her head.

When her mouth started to bop up and down his shaft, his hand tangled in her hair, grabbing random strands in a desperate attempt to get her even closer. “Damn, Y/N… Just like that…”

She groaned around his length, the slight sting on the back of her head only serving to increase her enthusiasm. Her hand joined the fun, stroking what she couldn’t fit into her mouth.

Beau’s jaw went slack. Truth be told, she wasn’t just stroking his dick. She was stroking his ego, too. The muscles in his thighs constricted as his girl sucked him off. His clouded eyes met hers, and she grinned playfully around his length. “You know exactly what you’re doin’ to me, don’t you, darlin’?”

She hummed, sending shockwaves of pleasure from the head of his cock straight down to the base. As soon as her free hand came up to cradle his balls, he knew he was done for. A moan broke free from his throat, loud enough to make him blush.

His hand sought out her cheek, his tender thumb sweeping from her cheekbone down to her chin. “I want you to get undressed for me,” he mumbled.

Y/N pulled her mouth off of him with a pop. She wiped a sheen of precum and saliva from her smirking lips.  

Beau watched her, fascinated, as she crawled onto his lap. His dick vanished underneath her skirt, pressing against her soaked panties. His stare fell on her breasts as she unbuttoned her blouse, causing his instant loss of patience.

“On second thought, I’m gonna help you with that,” he decided, joining his girlfriend’s excited laughter as he fumbled with the button on her skirt.

Together, they managed to undress Y/N in record time. Their mouths chased each other hungrily. As their tongues tangled with a fiery passion, she ground herself on him.

“Do we need lube?”, he inquired in between smacks of their lips.

Rather than confess to him that she didn’t have any, she took his wrist and guided his hand to her pussy.

Beau’s fingertips brushed along her folds, instantly soaked with arousal. He hummed and tilted his head. “Guess not.”

Y/N responded with a chuckle, which soon turned into a lustful moan when he dipped two fingers into her core. She writhed on his digits, coating them with her slick, until she was shaking with greed.

“Want you inside me,” she panted.

“Oh, yeah?”

“Uh-huh.”

Slowly, he bent forward with Y/N still in his lap, reaching for his pants on the floor. She clung to Beau, crossing her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist, as he searched his pocket for a condom.

“You came here prepared, huh?”, she teased.

The tips of his ears lit up pink, and his cheeks turned warm. With the foil pack between his fingers, he sat back to face his girlfriend. “I wasn’t- I didn’t just come here to- That wasn’t my intention.”

“Hey, don’t worry.” Her loving hand wiped some stray hair away from his forehead, barely touching his skin. “It’s always good to be prepared.”

“I-“ Beau’s lips parted with a smile, the weight lifted from his shoulders. The truth was, he’d gotten so used to justifying himself in a relationship that he felt like being defensive had become his second nature. “Sorry.”

He didn’t get a chance to appreciate the perfect smile she was giving him, that’s how desperately she dove straight into another kiss. She slid her tongue against his while she pried the foil packet from his hand. Without taking a look, she ripped open the package and took the condom out.

Beau closed his eyes while she rolled the condom onto his leaking length. He’d always pictured that he’d be all tongue and teeth, impatient, and assertive once he got the chance to fully be with Y/N. Instead, contentment rushed through his veins, making him feel calm. Grateful. At peace.

A surprised “Oh my God” escaped Y/N when the first few inches of his dick entered her, stretching her open with its girth. She proceeded to giggle into Beau’s mouth, which prompted him to laugh along. The tunes of his warm, welcoming chuckles were like tiny stabs of love to her heart.

The further she sank down on him, the more intense the pressure became. Her breathing started to shake, turning into uneven puffs of air that fanned his face.

Beau caught the sounds of her shallow breaths, sensing her discomfort. He gripped her hips and held her in place to slow her down. “Take your time, darlin’,” he whispered into her ear and felt her body tremble on top of him.

“Okay,” she whispered back and rested her forehead against his.

Beau snaked his arm around her waist to support her. His free hand dropped to her clit while he surged forward to meet her lips in a distracting kiss.

He stroked her little nub, making her insides quiver, until her hips started to rock on their own.

Gradually, she sank lower and lower, comforted by his kisses, until he was fully sheathed inside of her. A deep sigh escaped her once her ass met his thighs.

“There ya go,” he murmured, his mouth grazing hers as he spoke. He gave her full control, doing nothing other than hold her waist when she started to ride him. “Just take me how you need me.”

Y/N’s hips rotated in circular motions. She could feel how wet she was around him, hear it even. The hollow voices coming from the tv were no longer existent to her ears. It was all Beau. He was everywhere. The pure look in his eyes. His savory taste on her tongue. His enlarged tip in the depths of her body. Before long, she was moving faster, close to bouncing on his lap.

His palm moved to the back of her neck, giving his arm the opportunity to support her back while his fingers tangled in her hair. “You feel so good wrapped around me.” His voice was raspy, barely more than a low groan in his throat. He lowered his gaze to watch his himself slip in and out of her.

Suddenly, she tilted her hips just right. The way her tight inner walls squeezed his shaft sent Beau straight to the edge of bliss. The back of his head met the backrest of the couch, and his grip on her body slacked. The guttural moans that spilled from his mouth only spurred Y/N on, who started to ride him harder.

But he wasn’t willing to come yet. No, he couldn’t finish first. In his heart, he knew that his girl wouldn’t hold it against him if he did. But he needed to be a good experience for her. More than just good. He needed her to know how strongly he felt about her. 

“Holy- Y/N… Stop, wait.” He gathered all of his willpower to sit up with her in his lap.

As soon as she heard him say stop, her entire body froze. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah.” Beau inhaled and let out a prolonged exhale, slowly releasing his breath until it turned into a surprised outpour of a chuckle. “Almost came.”

“Why didn’t you?”

He circled his arm around her waist and dove to the side, taking her down with him, pushing her onto her back. “I’m not done with you, beautiful.”

Y/N wrapped her arms around his muscled back as Beau trapped her under his body, pinning her to the couch with his weight. She was smiling so widely that she feared her cheeks were going to burst open any second. The happiness that he planted within her made her feel invincible.

Her breath got lost in her throat when Beau rejoined their bodies, entering her in one smooth thrust. He sweetened the sting by covering her hand with his, intertwining their fingers next to her head.

Y/N’s free hand gripped the back of his neck to tug him down for a kiss. Beau’s mouth claimed hers while he pulled her leg over his hip, opening her up to him. Slowly, he started to rock back and forth, guiding them into a sensual rhythm.

“Mhhh,” she sighed as the head of his cock explored her from the inside, “That feels so good.”

Beau’s fingers tightened their grip on her hand. His eyes didn’t dare leave her face, scared to miss even the slightest reaction to his movements. He wanted to get to know her body, find out what she liked so that he could make her feel as good as she was making him feel. “God, you’re perfect,” he cooed as he buried himself inside of her.  

Y/N raised her legs, crossing her ankles behind his lower back. Their joined hands next to her head, their unwavering eye contact as well as Beau’s long, deep thrusts easily turned this experience into the most intimate sex she’d ever had. They breathed low moans and sweet praises into each other’s mouths.

“You’re grippin’ me so tight,” he grunted, dragging himself back and forth between her dripping folds. As he pushed forward, he was suddenly met with her sweet spot and a high-pitched whine.

“Mhhh, Beau! Right there.”

He closed in on that spot, steered by her angelic voice. The intensity of his thrusts moved her up and down the corduroy material of her couch. A sweet burning sensation dug itself into her back.

“You want me to keep goin’ like this?”

“Harder,” she croaked, high on pleasure.

“You sure?”

With her bottom lip caught between her teeth, she nodded her head. “Please, Beau.”

With a peck to her temple, he let go of her hand. He grabbed the backs of her thighs, spreading her legs to make room for himself, and pinned her thighs to her chest. When he plunged his dick back into her, Y/N’s head fell back. The new angle made him go unbelievably deep.

“Fuck,” she gasped.

“You okay there?” He grinned, propping himself up with his hands on the backs of her knees.

Staring at the ceiling, Y/N’s eyes threatened to roll back into her head. “Amazing…”

Beau picked up the pace and force, bending her in half. Small droplets of sweat gathered along his forehead and chest, dripping down onto her heated skin. The sight of her breasts bouncing with his thrusts, the sight of her flushed face, of his cock disappearing into her pussy, it was overwhelming.

Y/N’s voice was like a rising storm, her lips parting to make her pleasure known. She was so close to her orgasm. So close to falling over the edge.

And when she came a few minutes later, she looked at his face. His handsome features were twisted with hunger, and with something soft, something delicate. Y/N gasped a final cry of delight, her body shaking below him. Her legs felt like jell-o, her clit was vibrating, and she felt like laughing and crying at the same time.

The way her pussy fluttered around him sent Beau spiraling into his own orgasm. He finally allowed himself to let go. Jolts of bliss pulsed through his lower body as he came on top of Y/N. His stomach clenched as he shot warm ropes of relief into the condom.

The sounds of his tender, drawn-out groans filled the room, then faded away as he collapsed into her embrace, met with open arms.

Face to face, they panted against each other’s kiss-swollen lips.

“I love you,” Beau breathed, his chest heaving against hers. He didn’t dare raise his voice above a whisper, fearing that he might break the small bubble they were hiding in, separated from the harshness of the world.

Y/N felt light and fragile like a little butterfly, doted on by the fondness in her partner’s eyes. “I love you, too.”

“Best damn sleepover ever,” he declared under his breath.

Soon after, their low hums of shared laughter filled the living room.

Part 7

Tag list: @spnwoman @waynes-multiverse @akshi8278 @aria725 @deansbbyx @mrsjenniferwinchester @waywardnerd67 @nt-multi-fandom @may85 @mimi-luvzyu @ginabaker1666 @daisythekitty @sarahgracej @jackharlows-world​

[celestiall0tus]

Siren's Song

It's time. Siren's Song has finished its changes and it's time to reveal the revised story for y'all. Let's crack into it:

"Our imagination is the only limit to what we can hope to have in the future." - Charles F. Kettering

Synopsis:

The world is drawn between the old and new, the need to evolve and progress that clashes with the desperate desire to cling to the past. This worldview and mindset are challenged when a villain by the name of Grandeur seeks to usher in a new age, creating a clear canvas for the new world by erasing the past.

Characters:

Kagami/Lady Beetle – Daughter of Tomoe Tsurugi/Grandeur. She was brought up in an environment surrounded by the best of the best technology, always pushing for the latest. When Grandeur makes their appearance, Kagami is presented with the ladybug earrings by Tomoe and encouraged to help Grandeur. She immediately sides with Grandeur, believing it to be the best course of action to provide everyone with the kind of life she had enjoyed.

Ivan/Razor – A delinquent teen that comes from a single parent household with his father, who is an absentee drunk. He has developed a massive chip on his shoulder as he engages in illegal and gang activities. When Grandeur arrives, Ivan finds the black cat on some of Grandeur's supporters. He takes the ring and chooses to take his trouble to a new scale.

Ondine/Siren – A prodigy singer and swimmer. When she isn't honing her swimming prowess, she is tutored by Nathalie Sancoeur, a former lounge singer that was famous before the legendary Neith. She is given Duusu by Nathalie to make her debut as Siren when Grandeur comes into the picture. Ondine falls into the neutral side, not wanting to pick a side in the fight.

Mylene/Honey Bee – A wicca teen/green witch. She is always there to defend nature and help those who seek her potions and remedies. She is working to set up a coven to aid people with her 'magic.' She finds Pollen while exploring a new age secondhand shop while looking for ingredients and reagents for her practices. She aims to assist the heroes with Pollen.

Luka/Maestro – A musical theater kid whose soul and heart is music. Luka's entire life has revolved around music as he longs to share his songs with the world, telling stories and invoking emotions with simple instrumental pieces. He discovers Trixx while window shopping for music supplies when he finds Trixx's necklace. When Grandeur announces their takeover, Luka fights to preserve the past works and great artists of history.

Marinette/Iridescent – The beautiful daughter of the greatest baker in Paris, female face for the Agreste brand, but also the lovechild of Gabriel Agreste. Ever the perfect child, always doing as her parents tell her. Sabine confides in Marinette the truth and begs Marinette help her in aiding her and Gabriel in remaking the world so they could be a proper family at long last. She is given Nooroo by Sabine and Gabriel.

Adrien/Scourge – The heir of the Agreste legacy and fortune, son of Gabriel and Emilie Agreste. Despite appearances, Gabriel has long turned his back on Adrien, preferring his lovechild (unknown to Adrien) over Adrien. He would help the heroes to destroy his family’s legacy. Given his miraculous by his mother, Emilie.

Zoe/Wyvern – Lovechild of Audrey Bourgeois and Zack Lee. She was taken from her father at a young age, living with her mother, half-sister, and stepfather. She often sheltered under Chloe’s constant overprotective paranoia after she had vanished once at a nature preserve, where she encountered a dragon (the kwami Longg). Since then, Zoe has been an advocate for nature and often returning when she’s able to see the dragon again. Meets with Longg again and gets the miraculous.

Juleka/Banshee – A wicca attuned to ghosts, spirits, and other ethereal entities. She is an empath (just like her twin brother). She would fight against Grandeur to preserve the natural world and the connection of spirits with the land. Finds Styx's necklace in a graveyard.

Rose/Venus – A star ballerina that loves the classics. Graceful and beautiful like a swan, she is the prize of her academy. She fights against Grandeur to preserve the art of ballet and the classics. She will have had Psyche since a young age after find Psyche's discarded armlet in a secondhand shop.

Chloe/Mariana – A natural born leader and overprotective sister. She leads with a fair and just hand, taking into account everything and everyone as much as possible, but fears for their safety, especially her sister, Zoe, the one light in her life. She fights alongside Grandeur to create a safer world.

Felix/Aetolian – The only child of Amelie and Colt Fathom. He follows in Amelie’s family legacy and aims to be an actor more as personal preference but as a slight to Colt, refusing to follow Colt’s business. He fights against Grandeur to preserve the plays of old. Was given his miraculous by Amelie.

Nino/Director– A DJ and aspiring director. He fights alongside Grandeur to carve out a new world and ideas in the filming industry. Will switch sides later down the line but starts as a villain.

Sabrina/Seeker – A young teen with a bright, inquisitive mind. She is always on the lookout for new knowledge about the past, loving the secrets that are buried deep. When Grandeur announces their takeover, Sabrina leaps at the chance to preserve the past that has yet to be unearthed. She finds Min's bracelet at a curio shop.

Lila/Pettirosso – A Primadona drama queen with a natural talent for starting drama and watching the show unfold. While visiting her mom in Paris, Grandeur announces their takeover. Lila sees it as the perfect opportunity to start trouble, helping neither side in the war.

Alix/Megalodon – A teen with a unique perspective on time. Having found her kwami's miraculous while a young age, she has had a different view on time and history compared to others. When Grandeur emerges, Alix is quick to jump into the fight to preserve all of history and time.

Alya/Oblivion – A comic book nerd with aspirations of being a reporter. Alya loves to search for scoops to the point of hyperfixation. She struggles often with focusing and her memory, leading her to forget a lot of things. While investigating Grandeur and the rise of other superpowered people, she finds Lethe's miraculous. She is eager to join to the fight, but she remembers her comics of the bad caused by heroes and villains fighting. She fears what she stands to lose if she or her family are caught up in the fight, choosing to use Lethe's powers to help people forget to keep them safe and happy.

Marc/Eros – A romance writer that loves everything romance. He fights against Grandeur to preserve the classics and other works of the genre he loves to write and read. He finds Barkk's miraculous along with Luka finding Trixx's miraculous while they are out shopping.

Aurore/Sea Breeze – An aspiring photographer that assists Alya with her blog and many others with their tasks. She lives by her grandmother's words that every memory is precious, good and bad, and nothing is worth forgetting. She makes sure to capture every moment she can with photos, journals, scrapbooks, etc. When Grandeur emerges, she is quick to assist the people in reminding them of what must never be forgotten and what they could stand to lose if they side with Grandeur.

Nathaniel/Belphegor– An artist with a lax work ethic. He puts little thought and effort into the war, but steps in when it disrupts his dreaming and drawing.

Colt/Lyncus – Husband of Amelie Fathom and father of Felix Fathom. He is a massive American business tycoon with his mind fully on his business. On the front, he is neutral as he deals with armed weapons, but as Lyncus, he fights against Grandeur, having a Carmilla Carmine mentality (Want to avoid all out war to preserve the things he loves).

Amelie/Artemis – Wife of Colt Fathom and mother of Felix Fathom. She and Colt were arranged into their marriage, and while they don’t love each other romantically, they have a deep, endearing friendship. When Emilie joins the fight against Grandeur, Amelie joins her twin. Hero

Emilie/Eleutheria – Wife of Gabriel Agreste and mother of Adrien Agreste. She has been trapped in a loveless marriage, convinced that Gabriel has long since fallen out of love with her. When Grandeur enters the picture, she fights against them, convinced that Gabriel sided with Grandeur.

Max/Formica – A teen always on top of cutting edge technology. He helps Grandeur by feeding him information about the heroes, pretending to be one of them.

Tomoe/Grandeur – Tomoe was born into the world blinded to it. Despite her disability, she learned how to thrive in a world that was hard on her. She grew up listening to tales of sci-fi and the world around her that she could only imagine. She held onto this idea of what the world was until she stumbled upon Vana, kwami of imagination. With Vana, she was granted the ability to see and that her reality did not meet her imagination. She fell into a depression until Vana shared the promise of making that world a reality. Over the years, she's worked with Vana to make her vision of the world become a reality and to usher in a new age.

Gabriel/Golem– Husband of Emilie Agreste, top fashion designer, and lover to Sabine Cheng. He sides with Grandeur to usher in a world where he can be with Sabine and Marinette. He will have his miraculous from when he used it before with the swan of souls.

Nathalie/Neith – A lounge singer and blackmailer. She works for Grandeur, while feeding information to the heroes. Has had her miraculous for years.

Sabine/Weaver– The wife of the best baker in Paris and mistress to Gabriel Agreste. The two have had a decades long affair that resulted in Marinette. She fights for Grandeur to usher in a new world where she and Gabriel can be together. Is given her miraculous by Gabriel.

Collab of the Fans:

This, at its core, is a crack au. This is a mix of ideas that have come from mutuals, followers, and anyone that stumbled upon anything regarding Siren's Song. You've all waited and now it's time. We have a story at long last and can finally move forward. A lot has been set in, but I will always have my ask box open for anyone that wants to make a suggestion.

Acknowledgements:

For all those that had a hand in creating this crack au, you'll find them here at the Siren's Song Acknowledgements

[symmage]

Whimsy Bit #6-Venting Session

Nothing much happened on this day. Emily mainly sat around the house. Night approached, and she had the place to herself for a bit, so she took advantage of the time to take a warm bath. Still wrapped in a towel, she sat downstairs to read one of her favorite books.

Just as she finished a quick chapter and was headed back to her bedroom, she was startled by Brant, who had just returned from hanging out with some gym friends at Club Calico. Brant's stay was steadily coming to a close tomorrow, and as much as Emily enjoyed his company, this little moment made her miss her privacy. I mean...it's a good thing she hadn't walked downstairs in the nude.

Emily could tell Brant had been drinking; the smell was on his breath, and his cheeks blushed. He felt the need to apologize for Supriya's accusations...again...and thanked her for helping him with his dilemma for the umpteenth time...then he mumbled some other gibberish that she couldn't make out.

Suddenly, he eagerly wrapped his arms around her in a tight embrace. She was slightly embarrassed about being in a towel before him but still reciprocated his bear hug.

Emily attempted to usher him upstairs to go to bed, but Brant's demeanor suggested that he needed a sit-down talk. So, Emily went upstairs to change into some clothes (that I'll be updating soon because girly has been sporting these same clothes for a while now) and returned downstairs. She saw him sitting pitifully on the couch, his face overcome with tears.

Emily: "Brant...what's up? You were so happy just a few minutes ago..." Brant: *sighs* "Em, I know I'm making the right decision, but I'm just so worried about how big the change will be in our relationship." Emily: "What do you mean? Are you having second thoughts?"

Brant: "What if...what if he meets someone else?" Emily: "Now why do you think he would do that?" Brant: "I don't know. He will be in another region of the world without me...around sophisticated and artsy sims in Windenburg. It's right up Brent's alley." Emily: "Yeah...but it's only temporary, remember? Once the business trip is over, he'll be right back home with you and Rosie!"

Emily: "Besides, distance makes the heart grow fonder...right?"

Brant, a strong and loveable figure, now looked like a wounded puppy. Just days ago, he was adapting to fully supporting Brent's upcoming travels with his renowned art group, Painterly Spirits. But the alcohol had a way of amplifying the reality of Brent's three-month business trip to Windenburg and Britechester, making it even more challenging to accept. The two were inseparable, except when they were working.

-I take it that Brant chose to stay with Emily to get a feel of how things would be without Brent. Could he adjust? It was doable at first, but he started to get anxious and miss him as time approached.

Brant: "Em, how can I just send my husband off for THAT LONG and pretend I'm fine?! I-I might as well wrap his cute a$$ into an aesthetically pleasing gift wrapping with sparkles and hand him over to the next hunky artist he's bound to see over there!"

Emily: "My goodness, Brant! Why would you think Brent could be so easily swayed by another?" Brant: "I don't know! I'm just thinking out loud..and irrationally..." *hic*

Emily was taken aback by Brant's insecurity about Brent's faithfulness. She hadn't had the opportunity to hang with Brent herself, but she'd seen the pair together before, just in passing, and they were always very loving to each other. He mustn't have always felt this way.

But seriously, in the end, she blamed it on the alcohol making him this delusional. How much did he have to drink tonight? Geez.

Emily: "How about this. Let's get your mind off freaking out about Brent finding new overseas peen. I think we should go to the nearby plaza to do some shopping. We can get some new clothes and do whatever you want to ease your mind? How does that sound?" Brant: "Yea...YEA! Sounds fun! Let's do it."

Brant: "Now that I'm thinking about it, let's go to that barber shop there too! I haven't done anything different with my hair in so long! You know, the puffy pompadour swoop has become my signature. Maybe I should switch it up?" Emily: "Hmmm...your pompadour does look good on you, but if you want to, let's see if you can find something else to frame that handsome face of yours."

The pair separated and headed upstairs to their beds.

Feeling pleased with letting out his frustrations in his drunken state, Brant yawned loudly and collapsed into bed. Hopefully, he can sleep off the hangover.

Finally, Emily was able to go to bed herself. Quickly pulling the covers over her, she sunk into the comforts of her mattress and cold pillow. Tomorrow would be a fun day, and she wanted to make sure Brant returned home to his love with new confidence in not just himself but also in the resilience of their marriage.

-Good night yall... or morning...whatever time it is for you when you read this 😄

<- Back Next ->

[courtneysmovieblog]

"Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire" or Why Critics Need to Shut Up and Just Let Us Have Fun

At one point in Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, Winston (Ernie Hudson) asks Ray (Dan Aykroyd) why he's still bothering with Ghostbusters instead of enjoying his golden years. Ray replies that this is exactly how he wants to be spending his golden years: by doing the thing he loves.

I really think that this was Aykroyd's response to all the critics that trash him for being too old to do Ghostbusters or The Blues Brothers. Blues and the supernatural are the things he's passionate about...and what better way to spend what time you have left by doing what you love?

Yeah, maybe the studios are milking the Ghostbusters series for all its worth by coasting on nostalgia. Did we need a Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire? Probably not, just like he didn't need a Ghostbusters: Afterlife. But I loved Ghostbusters: Afterlife, and I loved Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire too!

The Spengler family (Carrie Coon, Finn Wolfhard, and Mckenna Grace) and former teacher/sort-of-stepfather Gary (Paul Rudd) are now living in New York as full-time Ghostbusters, who have now expanded their operations, thanks to Ray, Winston, and Janine (Annie Potts). Unfortunately, former foe Walter Peck (William Atherton) is now the mayor, and is ready for any excuse to end them, including child labor laws. So Phoebe and the kids are forced to the sidelines while the adults take over...

Until when Ray's newest customer (Kumail Nanjiani) pawns a mysterious family relic to the store, setting off a chain of supernatural events. Once again, the Ghostbusters must rally to save the world.

The writers deserve some credit for doing something a little more original with the plot this time. This one gets a little dark: people literally freeze to death, and even Phoebe toys with the idea of the afterlife when she connects with spirit of a teenage girl (Emily Alyn Lind) . But don't worry, we still have plenty of laughs with the return of Slimer and Peter Venkman (Bill Murray).

Critics have not been kind to this movie. But maybe it's time to remind ourselves one crucial thing about the original Ghostbusters: it was a fun movie. That's all it was ever supposed to be, nothing more or less. And yet everyone from the critics to the fans critics and turned it into some kind of Holy Grail, setting up impossibly high standards that none of the sequels or reboots could ever hope to meet.

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire might not be perfect, but like all the other films, it's fun. And even if it's getting old, there's nothing wrong with enjoying something that still gives you joy. So screw the critics and just go have a good time. Especially if it might be the last one.

8 out of 10

[laufire]

‘You know I was wild after [Catherine] died; and eternally, from dawn to dawn, praying her to return to me her spirit! I have a strong faith in ghosts: I have a conviction that they can, and do, exist among us! The day she was buried, there came a fall of snow. In the evening I went to the churchyard. It blew bleak as winter—all round was solitary. I didn’t fear that her fool of a husband would wander up the glen so late; and no one else had business to bring them there. Being alone, and conscious two yards of loose earth was the sole barrier between us, I said to myself—“I’ll have her in my arms again! If she be cold, I’ll think it is this north wind that chills me; and if she be motionless, it is sleep.” I got a spade from the tool-house, and began to delve with all my might—it scraped the coffin; I fell to work with my hands; the wood commenced cracking about the screws; I was on the point of attaining my object, when it seemed that I heard a sigh from some one above, close at the edge of the grave, and bending down. “If I can only get this off,” I muttered, “I wish they may shovel in the earth over us both!” and I wrenched at it more desperately still. There was another sigh, close at my ear. I appeared to feel the warm breath of it displacing the sleet-laden wind. I knew no living thing in flesh and blood was by; but, as certainly as you perceive the approach to some substantial body in the dark, though it cannot be discerned, so certainly I felt that Cathy was there: not under me, but on the earth. A sudden sense of relief flowed from my heart through every limb. I relinquished my labour of agony, and turned consoled at once: unspeakably consoled. Her presence was with me: it remained while I refilled the grave, and led me home.’

–"Wuthering Heights" by Emily Brontë, XXIX.

[creativecuteness]

Total Slaughter Island Chapter 3: Away with the Wind She Goes

A/N Sorry this is a little late. Didn't get a chance to edit this until today ao3 and fanfiction.net links will come a little later. Enjoy the last chapter of this story for a little bit, I hope to update this next month.

 Chef’s outburst caused a mixture of yelps, startled gasps, and whispers throughout the room. It wasn’t like the stone-cold man to get this riled up and panic; even his fiancée was shocked and not used to seeing this side of him.

“Chef?! What did you say?!” Emily spoke, breaking the hushed silence.

“I know who did it! I can’t believe I didn’t notice it sooner. The mask, those overalls, the crazed look in their eyes as they took Ezekiel away—it all points to one person—Hook’s McGrady.”

“Huh?” Everyone gasped, very confused.

“Uh, Hook’s McWho?” Emily questioned, wondering if Chef was just making stuff up.

“Hook’s McGrady,” he repeated in a spooky voice, “someone I haven’t seen since my time during the war.”

Knowing Chef was about to tell one of his famous tales, someone turned off the lights as Chef turned on a flashlight and pointed it at his face.

“His name was Sean Phillip; the two of us met during our training days. While I was strong and burly, he was more like a water boy; however, he was a kind spirit who got along with almost everyone. Heck, the two of us even became best friends. We told each other everything; we had each other’s back. He told me he joined the army cause his mother was sick and was the best way to provide for her, and I promised to help him reach that goal. A promise I was never able to fulfill, it all came crashing down June 13th. We were passing through enemy lines when a sneak attack backed us into an old shack. It was old and brittle, perfect to annihilate an enemy. It all happened so fast. An enemy soldier threw a grenade in, and just like that, boom, the shack collapsed with us inside it. And yet, by some stroke of luck, we lived. However, we were badly injured, and some of us needed surgery to even walk again, and sadly, Sean was one of them; his hands were both dislocated and burned beyond recognition. You should have seen the side of his charred face; it was awful.

Long story short, his hands needed to be amputated, and he wore hooks as makeshift prosthetics. That’s how he got his nickname. I remember promising him once we returned to civilization, we’d get him real prosthetic hands. We tried to be respectful and lift his spirits, but it was fruitless. We knew he was a broken man. His hands were special, man; he had the best trigger finger in our troop, and without them, he was nothing.

And it gets worse; there were a few groups who began mocking him for his disabilities; their words, no matter how hard he tried to brush it off, got under his skin. They even made me feel small when I tried to stand up for the poor guy. To the point where I just held my tongue and ignored the growing tension, but that doesn’t even cover my greatest mistake; it was our toughest mission yet. We were about to invade enemy lines; we were split into two teams, one held the front lines while the other invaded the base. My team consisted of me, Sean, and a group of bullies that wouldn’t leave the poor man alone. We tried to get by without any incident, but eventually their teasing became too much, and Sean had a full breakdown. We were spotted not long after and made a run for it, fighting through the chaos as we made our escape. In doing so, Sean was caught. I desperately wanted to go back and save him, but my comrades convinced me that he wasn’t worth it.

As I left with the others, I heard him scream, saying we’d pay for leaving him behind. In the end, I broke the biggest rule in the army: “No man left behind.” I’ve kept this secret for years; I know his ghost has been haunting me, and now he’s returned for revenge.” Chef concluded his story as someone turned the lights back on.

“That’s an interesting story, Hatchet, but I don’t see how any of this is connected to...

“You don’t understand, man!” He shouted, banging his fists on the table once again, startling everyone witnessing. “This whole thing is my fault. I told Chris to bail because I was terrified of facing my past, and now those kids are gonna suffer for it. Which is why...” The army man took a deep breath, “I volunteer to rescue the campers and beg Hook for forgiveness.”

Everyone was stunned silent, not that anyone would oppose Chef’s offer better him than any of them.

“I also volunteer!” Dakota stood up,

"Wait, Dakota, no.” Chris whispered, not wanting her to get killed.

“I’m going, Chris, and that’s final. I told you before if you won’t rescue the campers, I would.” She spoke seriously, determined to get everyone home safely.

Chris sighed, knowing nothing would change their minds, and stood up.

“And where do you think you’re going, Mclean?!” The C.E.O. spoke disapprovingly.

Chris put his arms around his surrogate daughter and fiancée, for once he was ready to take responsibility for his mistake. “I’m going with them.”

"Wait, you are?!” Dakota gasped; a part of her hopeful, but the other part honestly didn’t want him to come.

The former TV host nodded and said, “It’s my fault the kids are even in this mess; if getting us off the hook is recusing the campers, then I’ll do whatever it takes.”

“I’m afraid just saving the campers won’t cut it. If Ezekiel isn’t the only one dead, the deceased’s parents will take legal action against us. And I refuse to let that happen.”

“So, what are you saying?” Dakota questioned, fearing the mission was going to be called off.

“To put it simply, I want that killer’s head on a platter.” The C.E.O. instructed, “You have three days to get the campers off the island, recover the dead bodies, and catch the killer—nothing more, nothing less. Understand?”

“Three days, but that’s...

“Just enough time for you to get in and out. I doubt it’ll take you more than a day to locate the survivors, and considering Chris has a map of the area, you should have no trouble finding your way around. Now with that meeting adjourned.”

Everyone piled out of the room without saying another word other than bidding the threesome good luck on their mission. Which Dakota knew she needed as she and Emily left early to pack some things.

Chef was going through drawers and his shared closet, grabbing anything and everything that was deemed a necessity, when Chris knocked on the door.

"Sorry, bud, I can’t talk now; we’re leaving early tomorrow morning, and I need to get our stuff in order.”

"Look, I know you’re busy, but was that story you told the C.E.O. true? Or did you make it all up to help Dakota?” Chris wondered,

His lover dropped the clothes on the bed and grabbed Chris by the shoulders, which shocked the shorter man. Who rarely sees his significant other act this serious, “Chris I can guarantee that story was one hundred percent true. However, I may have lied when I said I left Sean behind.”

“Wait, what do you mean?”

Chef sighed deeply, putting his face in his hands. “It’s my fault Phillip died; we weren’t invading enemy lines. Those bullies who mocked Sean forced me to lock him in the gas chamber at home base. I was forced to see my best friend die before my eyes and did nothing about it. I ran like the coward I was, and I never told anyone the truth; instead, I lied, saying I witnessed the whole thing and ran away to get help. The ones involved were punished, but the guilt has been tearing me apart for years.”

“That’s why you weren’t opposed to leaving the campers for dead, wasn’t it?” Chris asked, putting a gentle hand on Chef’s shoulder, who merely nodded, tears filling his eyes.

“I know we made a mistake leaving them, but I was scared too. I’ve seen Grady in my dreams; whenever he shows up, something horrible always happens. He’s returned, Chris; he’s after me, and this time I don’t think I can run anymore. He’s going to catch me; I just know this’ll be my finally days on earth.”

“Look,” Chris started, not really sure how to comfort someone who’s been haunted by the past. “I don’t know what’ll happen, but I promise, everything is going to be okay. Surely the kids are fine. I mean, how many could have dropped dead in a span of a month?”

“Sadly, many Hook’s is crafty; he won’t let anything out of his grasp.”

Chris sighed as he pulled his fiancée into his embrace. Chef held his lover tightly, feeling this could be the last time they'd ever see each other. Chris continued reassuring the man that everything would be okay, knowing they'd sort things out.

“I sure hope you’re right, Chris.” Was all he could say.

The next morning, Dakota was alarmed to see cop cars lined up outside. She immediately ran inside to see officers questioning employees. The young girl was about to ask what was going on when she heard a voice.

“Psst in here.” The brunette searched for the source when she noticed Emily’s hand giving away her location. Dakota ran to the door and was dragged into the basement, where her friend and two others were waiting in the dark.

“Phew, here I thought you were next.” Emily sighed,

"Emily, what’s going on? What’s with the cop cars?”

“It’s all over, girl; they’re out for our arrest.”

“For what?! Chris and Chef are the ones responsible for abandoning the campers!”

“No, this has nothing to do with that; this is a completely unrelated incident.”

“But you said—”

"Okay, fine, it’s slightly unrelated, but the order of events that lead to this point is only partially related.”

“What?”

Emily sighed. “Allow me to explain. The C.E.O. is being accused of some shady dealings behind the scenes; someone was able to dig up some dirt on the dude, and now they have a warrant to investigate us. Also, they want the location of Camp Wawanakwa; parents are getting impatient, and they want answers now.” Her friend informed her,

“Excuse me, Senorita?” A Hispanic boy came forward and asked, “Is it true you’re volunteering to get the missing kids back?”

“Yeah, but I’m not going alone; my boss and his fian… I mean, good friend are accompanying me.” She explained, and the boy hummed in thought, "Wait, hold on, who are you?”

"Oh, right, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Alejandro Burromuerto, and this is my acquaintance, Sierra.” He introduced himself as Sierra waved excitedly.

“It is so nice to meet you. I have a blog that’s been documenting the entire ordeal, and might I say your friend Emily has told me how you’ve been fighting tooth and nail to get the network to send out a rescue? I was hoping you’d be interested in an interview, perhaps? My fans will go insane.”

“Um, sorry.” Dakota smiled uncomfortably, backing away from Sierra’s excitable energy. “I’m not taking any statements right now; maybe another time.”

Alejandro patted Sierra’s shoulder to get her to back off, upon realizing she was making the other girl uncomfortable. She took a deep breath to compose herself and got out of her face.

“Sorry about that; I tend to get a little excited about my passions; I get it from my mother's side.” She explained,

“It’s fine.” Dakota sighed, understanding the tanner girl perfectly. “Just try to control yourself, and we’ll get along swimmingly.” She held out her hand as the two shook it. “I’m Dakota Natalie, by the way.”

“We’re assuming you work here?” Alejandro asked, and the two nodded.

“More like my dad works here; Chris was somehow nice enough to give me an internship here.” She explained,

“I’m an intern as well.” Emily came forward, “But only in the summer; I’ll be out of here come end of August. Though considering we’re under investigation, I should probably just bail before they arrest me.”

“Yeah, something tells me you should do that.” Sierra awkwardly agreed,

“So, is there a reason you’re here? Or are you a part of the feds who are here questioning people?” Dakota wondered, turning to Alejandro,

"No, no, we’re not with them; we snuck in.” Sierra proudly announced, shocking the two interns,

“You snuck in?!” They exclaimed, 

“Okay, first of all, that was very reckless of you. What if you were caught by security?! Second of all…” She paused "Wait, how did you even get in?” Emily wondered,

“We disguised ourselves as delivery men and waltzed right in.” Sierra winked, “It was surprisingly easy.”

“We came in hopes of discovering insider information to help investigators. It appears the urgency of the situation is reaching its boiling point, and we wanted to help. However, once the police came, we panicked and have been hiding down here ever since.” The Hispanic boy explained,

“That was until I found them; considering no one ever comes down here, I knew this would be the perfect hiding spot.” Emily smirked,

“You found them by chance, didn’t you?” Dakota asked,

“Yes.” She confirmed losing her confident demeanor,

"Look, as nice as it is to meet you two, we have to get out of here. I’m leaving to save the kids, and you two can’t be seen.”

"Wait, hold on, we can help you.” Sierra offered hastily, “You only have a limited time to save everyone, right? Alejandro is a world traveler; he and his dad went around the whole world a few years ago. And I have exclusive scoops on the campers; we’ve been planning infiltration for months. Please let us come with you!”

Dakota pondered this for a minute and realized the extra hands wouldn’t be horrible if what Sierra said was true. The two had some experience. “You two do realize you’re putting your lives in danger, right? There’s a killer on the island, and I doubt they escaped; are you two willing to put your lives on the line for the call of duty?”

“Trust me, we are more than willing to sacrifice ourselves if it means avenging those poor souls. We know about the risks, and we promise to proceed with caution.” Sierra understood,

While she wasn’t one hundred percent convinced the two could handle themselves, she knew time was running thin, and if the police were here, Chris and Chef would have bolted. "Okay, you two can come on one condition; don’t get in the way, and try not to get killed.”

The two nodded, agreeing to the terms. “We promise.”

“Okay, Emily, distract the cops while I track down Chris and Chef. I hope you two are ready because we leave now.”

Emily saluted, “You can count on me, girl.” Then she ran into her friend’s arms for a tight hug, “Good luck out there; please promise me you’ll come back safe.”

“I can’t guarantee that, Emily. However, if Chris pulls a bait and switch on me, I plan to haunt him for the rest of his lousy life.”

The feisty girl giggled, already imagining the hilarity of Chris dealing with an unwanted guest. “Alejandro and Sierra, you better get my girl back safe.” She said running upstairs as the remaining threesome slowly followed.

Getting out of the building and finding Chris and Chef were easier than expected. After a brief explanation on the two newcomers, Chris begrudgingly allowed the two to come much to their joy. Chef explained the boat ride to the island would take a few hours, so Sierra showed her teammates the information and background she had on the campers.

“Wow, Sierra You really went all out; if it weren’t for our circumstances, I’d say you were some crazy stalker.”

The other responded uncomfortably, shifting her weight. “Well, you’re not far off per se.” She spoke, trying to laugh it off.

“Wait, what’d I say?”

“What you spoke was the truth.” Chef explained, “When we were doing auditions, we considered putting Sierra in; however, after a quick background check, we found out she had a restraining order on her head and charges for stalking and harassment. The network didn’t want to risk anyone’s safety in case she got handsy, so Duncan got in instead.”

“Yes, because safety was your true priority considering the challenges you laid out.” Dakota deadpanned, "Also, doesn’t Duncan have criminal charges on his hands?”

“Ha!” Chef laughed. “That boy’s got nothing on her; he does petty crimes he’ll hopefully grow out of once he matures. Sierra’s a full-on menace to society; if you ask me, she deserves to be behind bars.”

The girl in question shrank into herself, knowing Chef made a valid point; what she did wasn’t her proudest moment, and she’s been teased and bullied for her experience even more than her daily average. She was a social outcast who weirded out everyone who met her. And the stalking incident didn’t help her reputation; it made it worse, considering many of her classmates pray she’ll slip up and end up in jail for life. But she deserved it, considering she didn’t realize how wrong and inappropriate her actions towards her crush were at the time.

"Chef, that was so uncalled for.”

“No, he’s right.” Sierra spoke, then sighed as she began to explain herself. “I developed a crush on a boy that was very unhealthy. I snuck into his house once and was caught. His family called the police, and I was taken to a mental hospital, where I spent three months receiving treatment for my obsessive behavior and therapy. I received the restraining order shortly before I was released, and never saw him again. He changed schools when I returned, and for all I know, he could have moved out of state. But I promised myself never to do anything like that ever again.”

“So, did this happen before or after you auditioned?” Chris questioned, raising his eyebrow,

“Shortly after, I thought getting on the show would be a way to start fresh; though, considering what happened, I dodged a huge bullet.”

“Actually, Sierra, you dodged a whole nuke.” Dakota laughed, then turned to her other teammate, “What about you, Alejandro? What’s your tragic backstory?” She questioned adding air quotes to tragic and backstory

The tanner boy sighed deeply, rubbing a hand through his hair. “I wanted to see an old girlfriend of mine.” He revealed,

This peeked everyone’s interest: “Ooh, do tell.” Sierra pushed,

“Her name is Heather; I’m sure you’ve heard of her; she was cast for the show.” He stated, holding up a picture of her, she had long black hair and was wearing a red crop top and green denim shorts. Dakota squinted, realizing the shape of her eyes and face suggested she was of Asin descent.

“We met during middle school. You know, I’ve always saw Heather as the most deadliest black rose in a bouquet of wilted flowers. Her and I had similar competitive natures; we loved coming on top; however, that was our downfall.”

“What happened?” Dakota asked,

The boy smiled bittersweetly, a look of longing in his eyes. “Long story short, my competitive nature got the better of me, and I backstabbed her. I cared more about winning than I did about my own girlfriend; the look of heartbreak on her face still hurts me to this day. I would do anything to apologize and make things right.”

“Sheese sounds like a pretty messy breakup.” Dakota understood feeling kind of bad.

“Oh, it was; I’ve never seen her that angry. The last thing she said to me was that I was an eel dipped in grease, and we were through. She got me back though; it ended in me getting expelled, but I took a trip around the world with my father shortly after and did a lot of soul-searching. When I caught wind that she was signing up for this new reality TV show, I figured I could finally make things right. And now I may never see her again.” He sighed, knowing the chances of his ex being alive were next to null. Dakota’s heart broke, knowing he might not even get the chance to say goodbye. She felt her anger flare up, cursing Chris for everything and the network for not acting faster.

As the group fell into silence, Dakota returned to the edge of the boat, Chris not having moved from his spot since they departed.

“Why are you helping me, Chris?” She spoke, breaking the spell of silence that was cast between them. “We all know what you did; surely repairing our relationship isn’t the only thing on your mind. Are you doing this out of sympathy? Maybe guilt has finally caught up to you. Or is it because of the wave of threats that threaten to destroy your career?”

Chris was dumbfounded at the younger girl’s accusation, but if he was being honest with himself, even he didn’t know why he allowed himself to be dragged back to the island with the premise of Chef’s Ghost Story. But Dakota was right on all accounts; he wanted his relationship with her repaired, he wanted to get back into the good graces he lost, but most importantly, he wanted to know why a killer targeted him and twenty-two other teens. What did he do? No, what did they do to deserve this fate? Why did he run? Why did it seem every outcome would have led him back here, no matter what? As he let his thoughts run circles around him. Dakota opened her mouth to speak his thoughts for him.

“If you ask me, I think you’re doing all this because you miss being a hero in the eyes of the public. Why would you care about anyone other than yourself?”

"Look, Dakota, you’ve got that all wrong.”

“Save it, just...” She beathed uneasily as if hearing her own words hurt her. “Let’s just find them; we have three days, and we don’t know what’ll happen if we take an extended vacation. Find the kids, catch the killer, and recover the dead bodies if there are more than one. Easier said, then done, but it shouldn’t take long.”

The two stared at the setting sun as an island came closer and closer into view. Dakota felt an odd sense of foreboding in the air, and while she’s never felt the feeling to pinpoint it, a voice in her head told her the island was haunted by the souls of the deceased. Whether it was the campers or if the killer murdered before anyone stepped foot to film was unknown to her, but she had a feeling they were about to find out as a foghorn sounded and Chef’s booming voice yelled,

“Land Ho!”

[theconstructorr]

Episode 8: Mr. Pigeon

Ladybug stirs, her eyes fluttering open to find Nathalie leaning over her, looking haunted and uncertain.

"Are you...alright?" Nathalie asks, her voice barely more than a whisper. Ladybug doesn't respond, just blinks up at her with a dazed expression.

"I need your help," Nathalie finally says, the urgency in her voice sharpening. "I need you to bring my boss and his son back to life."

Ladybug bolts upright, heart pounding as she registers the words. Nathalie stands and gestures for Ladybug to follow, her expression tense. Ladybug follows her and freezes upon entering Gabriel's room, where Adrien and Gabriel lie still on the floor.

"What happened to them?" Ladybug asks, her voice breaking.

Nathalie's eyes darken. "Something in this house—something evil—possessed them."

Without hesitating, Ladybug drops to her knees beside Adrien, her hands trembling as she tries to channel her power to revive him. But nothing happens. Tears well up as she struggles, her heart sinking with each failed attempt.

"What's wrong?" Nathalie asks, her voice tight.

"I...I don't know!" Ladybug cries, her desperation mounting. "I can't bring him back!"

As her tears fall, Nathalie's voice cuts through her panic. "Try with Gabriel."

Crying, Ladybug crawls over to Gabriel, hands shaking as she tries again, only to feel an even greater sense of dread when nothing happens.

"Come on," Nathalie says finally, looking around warily. "We have to get outside. This house is cursed."

Ladybug hoists Adrien onto her shoulder. Nathalie attempted to lift Gabriel but struggled under his weight.

"Leave him to me," Ladybug whispers. She carefully places Adrien down beside Nathalie, then turns to retrieve Gabriel. But as she crosses the threshold, she feels the atmosphere thicken with a dark energy that leaves her breathless.

With Gabriel's body over her back, Ladybug feels a sudden, chilling sensation as his hands seem to move, reaching up to grip her shoulders. His cold fingers trail up to her face, sending an icy shock through her. Terror strikes, and Ladybug stumbles down the stairs, collapsing beneath him, trying to wriggle free from his grasp. For a long moment, she lays there, catching her breath, too shaken to move.

But finally, summoning every ounce of courage she has, Ladybug forces herself to lift him again and carry him outside.

Once they are both in the backyard, Ladybug kneels beside Adrien and Gabriel, pouring all of her energy into her attempts to revive them. At last, Gabriel stirs, his eyes snapping open. As his gaze falls on her, a mixture of fear, anger, and awe contorts his face—a look of reverence laced with a deep hatred.

Ladybug, however, is lost in her despair, her sobs wracking her body. "I can't bring him back," she whispers, head bowed toward Adrien.

Gabriel's hand reaches up, unsteady, to grasp her shoulder. His own voice is thick with emotion as he murmurs, "Calm down." She meets his eyes, her tear-streaked face a mask of anguish, and something in his gaze steadies her, grounding her. In that moment, a warmth seems to fill her heart—a profound, parental love she'd never felt before. Her trembling fades as she holds onto that feeling, and as she focuses, she feels Adrien's hand twitch in hers. Slowly, he comes back to life, her tears stopping.

Later that night, Marinette returns home, exhausted, and detransforms. Tikki appears, looking somber.

"Where were you?" Marinette demands, anger flashing in her eyes.

"I'm sorry," Tikki says, shrinking back. "I didn't mean to leave you! But when they attacked you at the church...you were filled with dark spirits. There was no room for me."

Marinette's anger fades into confusion. "Then why are you here now?"

Tikki's eyes soften. "Because you allowed a good spirit inside you."

Later, Marinette stands in front of her mirror, and as she looks at her reflection, Emilie's face stares back at her.

The next morning at school, Adrien finds Marinette in the hallway. "Why did you lie for me?" he asks.

"Lie?" Marinette frowns.

"To the principal, the police," he clarifies. "You defended me. Why?"

Marinette meets his gaze. "I didn't lie."

Adrien hesitates, then spoke softly. "How did you know?"

"Know what?" she asks, confused.

"That I'm not okay. How did you know?" he presses.

Marinette's eyes soften. "I just...knew."

He wants to tease her for being so sentimental, to mask the vulnerability, but he doesn't have the energy. So, he simply nods and walks away.

A few days later, the teacher announces a design competition to create a derby hat, with Gabriel Agreste himself as judge. The winning design would be worn by Adrien in his next fashion show. Marinette and Alya sit together, flipping through Marinette's design sketches, when Adrien glances over and compliments her work. Marinette's face lights up, and for a brief, blissful moment, her worries melt away.

Inspired, she spends the day sketching designs around the city, even taking inspiration from pigeons. She returns home, ready to start her hat.

Meanwhile, Adrien's with Chloe at her hotel when he senses an akumatization nearby. Leaving Chloe, he transforms and contacts Ladybug.

Marinette, realizing she'd forgotten a feather for her design, dashes outside and is about to pick one up when her earrings buzz. Cat Noir is calling for help. She transforms and rushes to the scene.

By the time she arrives, a chaos has erupted. A victim was found in the hotel restaurant's restroom, causing panic as police swarmed the building. Cat Noir was urging the staff to evacuate when the lockdown was announced. The hotel's security enforced strict confinement of all guests, leaving everyone stuck in their rooms.

Seeing the police at the front entrance, Ladybug decides to sneak in through the roof, but the moment she lands, she comes face-to-face with the akumatized villain, who wears a pigeon mask and attacks her with a knife. He stabs her in the stomach first. Then, he slashes at her neck, blood instantly pouring from the gash. Knocked to the ground, Ladybug struggles beneath his weight, panic filling her chest until, with a sudden surge of strength, she kicks him off.

In a blind rage, she lunges toward him, ready to shove him off the roof, but he turns and leaps off on his own. Ladybug's anger simmers dangerously as she heads downstairs.

In the hallway, she finds Cat Noir.

"Ladybug, we need to talk," he says.

"About what?" she replies, distracted and tense.

"We haven't really had a chance since..." But before he can finish, he leans forward, kissing her.

The anger in Ladybug's chest cools, replaced by a strange numbness. True love's kiss had broken her curse, releasing her from the rage and darkness that had overtaken her. But as the last remnants of her anger fades, Cat Noir presses his hand on her neck, applying a bit of pressure. The healing wound pours on his leather clad hand. Ladybug responds by wrapping her arms around him, and their kiss deepens, becoming more passionate. It's as if they're both consumed by the moment, with Cat Noir's presence enveloping Ladybug completely. Her breath catches, and he lifts her, prompting her to wrap her legs around him. Their touches grow more fervent. Eventually, Ladybug feels a sense of lightness and begins to sigh and cry with relief. Concerned, Cat Noir asks her what's wrong.

Ladybug takes a steadying breath, trying to shake the heaviness that lingers in her heart. "Something came over me. I wasn't myself," she whispers. "But... I feel better now."

Cat Noir looks at her closely. "How?"

She opens her mouth, almost about to say it—true love's kiss—but the words don't come. She looks away, hesitating.

"Ladybug?" he prompts.

"Put me down," she says abruptly.

With a moment's pause, Cat Noir releases her. She takes a step to the side, gathering herself. "I shouldn't have kissed you," she says.

He blinks, taken aback. "Why?"

"Because... I like someone else.”

"I don't mind."

"It's not right," she insists. "It's not fair to you."

"Are you two together?" he asks.

"No, but—"

"Then there's no problem," he says, almost a challenge in his voice.

Ladybug shakes her head. "No, Cat, I don't feel that way about you. Not like that."

"You felt something," he presses. "You kissed me.”

She looks away. "The first time was to break a curse."

"And on the rooftop after that?" he says. "Why then?"

Ladybug's voice wavers. "I... I was scared to say no."

"Why?"

"I don't know..." She looks down, trying to find the words, to untangle the knot of emotions inside her.

He softens. "Don't be scared to tell me anything."

After a moment, she meets his gaze. "Okay."

They continue down to the first floor, where Ladybug explains that the murderer has jumped off the roof. Together, they plan to go outside to find his body, but as they reach the lobby, a line of police and soldiers block their way, weapons raised.

"The murderer was being controlled!" Ladybug calls out, hoping they'd understand.

The officers murmur among themselves, skeptical, but wouldn't let them pass. Cat Noir argues, "He jumped off the roof—if he's still alive, we need to find him!"

"If there was a body, we'd have found it already," one officer retorts.

Ladybug and Cat Noir exchange a glance, reluctantly conceding. But as they try to turn back, the officers hold them in place, ordering them not to leave.

Cat Noir huffs. "You don't understand. We have to find the murderer—leave it to us."

The officers don't budge, and when Ladybug and Cat Noir try to move anyway, the officers tackle them to the ground. Gasps fill the lobby as civilians watch the scuffle, confusion spreading through the crowd. The officers struggle to put handcuffs on Ladybug, but Cat Noir knocks them away, freeing himself.

"Get off her!" he shouts, kicking the officers off Ladybug. He helps her up, just as more guns point their way. A commanding officer's voice breaks through, "Hold your fire!"

Ladybug and Cat Noir take the chance to escape.

Meanwhile, in a suite elsewhere in the hotel, a woman's in the kitchen with a few others when she decides to head to the bathroom. She opens the door and freezes—a woman lays dead inside. A figure looms over her, face obscured by a pigeon mask. He seizes her, clamping a hand over her mouth as he presses a knife to her neck.

"Please... don't kill me," she whispers, voice trembling.

Suddenly, the door bursts open as police storm in. The masked man stabs his hostage, leaving her to slump against the wall before lunging toward the officers. They open fire, but he barely flinches, his wounds sealing as quickly as they appear. With brutal efficiency, he disarms a nearby officer and fires on the others, the sound of gunfire echoing through the suite. In the chaos, he slips out, leaving the civilians traumatized and scrambling to aid the wounded woman in the restroom.

Amidst the panic, someone spots a small, concealed bomb left in the bathroom. The realization sends them fleeing into the hallway. Moments later, the room erupts in flames, a blast rocking the building. As they look around, they see bodies of soldiers scattered, lifeless on the floor. Whispers of terror pass among them—they fear the masked murderer's lurking close by.

One man, his nerves fraying, decides it's safer to take his chances in the stairwell. He convinces a few others to join him. But as they descend, they're picked off, one by one.

Back to Ladybug and Cat Noir. They agree to split up: Ladybug would search outside, while Cat Noir continues scouring the building. He enters the stairwell, climbing floor by floor, his heart pounding as he discovers bodies left in the murderer's wake. Finally, he reaches the suite where a group of survivors gathered, pale and shaken.

"Someone's missing," one woman says, voice quivering. "We've been watching the stairs and elevators, but they didn't leave."

Determined, Cat Noir checks each room. As he enters one, the murderer lunges at him, knife slashing wildly. Pain flares as the blade strikes him, but Cat Noir retaliates, summoning his powers to immobilize the killer, wrestling the knife from his grip.

Infused with his destructive magic, Cat Noir stabs the blade into the villain's chest, painting black leather red. With a sickening crack, the weapon shatters, releasing a butterfly akuma, which he quickly cataclysms. Far away, Hawk Moth snarls in defeat, vowing vengeance.

Later, at home, Marinette puts the finishing touches on her derby hat. The next day, at school, excitement buzzes in the air as students gather for the design competition. Gabriel Agreste himself announces Marinette as the winner, and a mix of shock and joy fills her as she takes in the honor, awe-struck and inspired.

A/N: here's an explanation.

The reason Ladybug struggled to bring Adrien back to life is because her feelings for him are not genuine. She's obsessed with him, she doesn't actually love him, so she doesn't have the true sincere feelings of wanting to bring him back for his own good. She's able to bring Gabriel back to life though because her feelings for him, although not romantic but more of admiration, are sincere and genuine.

Mr. Pigeon is a serial killer here because I had to find a way to make him creepy and I wanted to do a serial killer slasher vibes.

[energy-healing-with-jen]

Finding Yourself Again

“‘Finding yourself’ is actually returning to yourself. An unlearning, an excavation, a remembering who you were before the world got its hands on you.” ~Emily McDowell

Occasionally, years of training, trauma, and poor coping strategies can bury our genuine selves, leaving us feeling terribly disoriented, anxious, and unhappy. Like a hamster on a wheel, we go through the motions of life with no real purpose and no understanding of why we are doing the things we are doing.

During the process of assisting someone in rediscovering oneself, we discovered some significant insights:

1.Everybody has wounds from their childhood.

If we can track down the origin of our feelings of rejection, unworthiness, or abandonment in childhood, we will find that the wound was inflicted by one specific incident—or maybe a string of recurring ones. When you heal that wound, your spirit will be liberated.

2. We all have trauma.

There are moments when we experience trauma with a capital "T." Other times it’s a series of smaller, compound traumas that affect us in a big way. Unresolved trauma will remain in the body for years after it first manifests, frequently taking the form of physical symptoms and illnesses such as anxiety, depression, gastrointestinal problems, and more severe diseases. Heal your trauma and your body will thrive.

3. Our patterns of thinking and behaving are often not our own.

We pick up and absorb other people's perspectives on the world as we go through life. We are shaped by society, our family, our teachers, our pastors, and our political leaders. It is our responsibility as adults to dissect these belief systems and determine which ones apply to us and which do not in order to let go of the parts that are no longer beneficial to us. You'll be bestowed with mental clarity once you purge your thoughts of all the clutter.

4. As well-intentioned as our parents were, they couldn’t give us what we needed.

Our parents' unhealed wounds undoubtedly influenced how they behaved toward us. They used the resources at their disposal to the best of their knowledge, yet they almost certainly fell short in some way. It will be easier for us to accept and forgive both our parents' and our own shortcomings if we acknowledge the ways in which their upbringing affected their capacity to love and support us.

Once you have identified the source of the patterns and wounds that caused you to lose touch with your true self, you may finally begin the beautiful, yet painstaking journey back to yourself.

This is going beyond trauma and healing work and focusing on the things that ignite a spark within you, such as your purpose, gifts, passions, and hobbies. This is how you begin the quest to reignite your inner fire.

You'll feel a freedom and happiness you've never felt when you know who you are and live from that real, divine truth inside of you.

Discovering your innermost self takes place by listening inside, following your joy, and allowing your dreams and desires to take the lead. A life of contentment, meaning, and purpose may be fostered by spending time with yourself, getting to know yourself, and letting your heart lead the way instead of your intellect.

You must do these things intentionally. Saying no to certain things allows you to say yes to yourself. You have to be open to experimenting and returning to that inner realm you once inhabited as a child—the one where you were free to let your creativity flow and let your imagination run wild.

The person you are at the core has never changed. They have just been buried underneath the demands of the world, waiting for you to find them again.

I hope that you will have the courage to take this journey back to yourself…

to let yourself be seen…

to create things that bring you joy…

to cultivate your gifts and share them with others…

to follow your heart and your passions.

What these things mean to you will only be known by you. You must not allow life or others to decide for you. We were all born into this earth to share our special abilities and gifts. Our only task is to live from an authentic place by remembering who we are at our core.

[tenebraevesper]

Five Nights at Freddy's (Movie Review, Part 3)

Five Nights at Freddy's (Movie Review, Part 1)

Five Nights at Freddy's (Movie Review, Part 2)

So, this isn't really a FNaF Movie Review per se, but rather me speculating what we might get in the sequel, because let's be honest, given how well Five Nights at Freddy's is doing, we can expect a trilogy and I'm very excited for that.

I will leave a warning here because this sequel speculation will contain spoilers for the ending of the FNaF Movie.

MOVIE SPOILERS!!!

During the climax of the FNaF Movie, we have witnessed William Afton's demise via the springlock Spring Bonnie suit, and it was said that in-universe weeks have passed between those events and the springlocked William that got sealed in the backroom.

Yet, we see that William is still moving during the ending. Note, he should not be alive at all, and I sincerely doubt that he is. Going by the game lore, the ending of the movie is actually showing us something else. Something that had been foreshadowed earlier during the springlock scene.

''I always come back!''

Yeah, this moment? William knows that he is dying and that his soul will possess the Spring Bonnie suit. He will return, as Springtrap.

I'm certain that the very ending of the movie had shown us William's awakening as Springtrap, learning to control his new body. However, considering how he had been sealed into the back room by the Golden Freddy Ghost Child, he will remain stuck there for quite a while.

Or perhaps not? The movie does deviate from the games in some aspects, but in spirit, it is very accurate, and personally, what I would love to see in the sequel is William as Springtrap being put front and center in the story, with the sequel being an adaption of Five Nights at Freddy's 3.

Yeah, I'm talking about Fazbear Fright, the amusement park attraction that was haunted by a serial killer trapped in a bunny animatronic. I think it would be really awesome if we saw a haunted house-type of attraction or a museum-like establishment created by nostalgic fans who have raided the old Freddy Fazbear Pizza Place for animatronics and decorations, and found the old rotten Spring Bonnie suit.

I want to watch Springtrap stalk those corridors, killing off anyone foolish enough to enter it. Perhaps take a cue from the Mimic and the Tales From The Pizzaplex Epilogues and have a bunch of teenagers enter the place during the night on a dare, only to be hunted down one by one by a deranged bunny animatronic.

Sure, it sounds like a typical slasher flick, but in-between the murders, have the lore sprinkled in. Show us flashbacks of William's past, how Freddy's has started, whether there were any other accidents like the Bite of '87 or whether there was a Sister Location. I want to know whether William had a partner, Henry Emily, and whether Charlie Emily had been his first victim, as well as whether Puppet exists in this universe.

Depending on the timeskip, Mike Schmidt could return once again as the security guard at this establishment and learn about William's fate, or perhaps have a teenage-aged Abby Schmidt visit the place in an attempt to help her ghostly friends, whose animatronic bodies have been turned into props for the horror attraction. There is so much potential in continuing this story.

I also want to see William just hamming it up and chewing the scenery as the Villain Protagonist of the movie. Have him embrace his new identity as Springtrap, and at the end, have the main protagonist/s of the movie burn the whole place down with Springtrap inside it.

But then, at the very ending, you get a cliffhanger of Springtrap walking outside, even more withered than before, having just barely survived the fire and set us up for the third movie.

Now, these are just my ideas for the sequel. What are yours?

[nrrrdgrrrl2002]

Since I have a lot of these,

Here’s a list of what Lydia the bards Disney Princess villain songs I would give to certain mascot horror characters

Fnaf: the missing children and Afton siblings

(Specifically Charlie, Cassidy, crying child, michael, Elizabeth, Gabriel, fritz, Susie and Jeremy)

Basically what would happen is the spirits of the missing children and afton siblings would haunt Henry Emily, calling him out for allowing William to get away with his deeds for so long (“we don’t talk about Bruno”would be “we don’t talk about afton”, pointing out how Henry had many chances to fess up or “talk about” what Afton did to the police and stop the bloodshed but didn’t)

I could also see Charlie singing the part about suffering so much heartache and sacrificing for Henry’s sake while Henry put her in a torture device (yeah leftie was very messed up if you’ve seen the blueprints)

(This is for my own sequel/au to batdr)

Batai-Bendy

I could see this incident stemming from bendy and inky getting separated fully. I feel like bendys body wouldn’t do well with the separation and would either evolve into something monstrous

or cause him to melt away, prompting inky and Audrey to find something to save him and it ends up corrupting him in the process.

Either way, bendy becomes more powerful than the ink demon and the change corrupts his mind, increasing his anger at his siblings for being so secretive to him his whole life until he straight up wants them dead.

He’d also probably succeed in killing Audrey and inky since this is basically supposed to be a non canon bad ending to batai

Ddlc- Sayori

This would probably focus on class president sayori, with a corrupted monika tss as king the mirrors role (unbeknownst to sayori)

Maybe the “person” threatening to replace sayori is one of the other girls, maybe it’s the player getting interested in a different game, not sure.

Either way, while sayori doesn’t wanna become like monika, she’s on the verge of doing exactly what monika did in order to not lose her place.

So, To quote the song “the story starts again anew”

Fnaf:security breach-Gregory

This would follow an adult Gregory after going through the disassemble Freddy ending (vanny didn’t get disassembled in this)

He ends up returning to the pizzaplex and takes out all the animatronics for good this time.

He then uses a vr headset in the pizzaplex in order to face off glitchtrap in the vr world.

He actually manages to kill glitchtrap but vanny kills Gregory while he’s wearing the set.

So Gregory’s ghost possesses the vr world, the pizzaplex and the animatronics, essentially becoming the new glitchtrap.

He has vanny killed and sends the animatronics on a rampage in the town, targeting his anger at the people of the town for allowing so much tragedy to happen at the pizzaplex

Amanda the adventurer- Riley and Amanda

What I think would happen here is instead of destroying the tv, Riley would team up with Amanda, sneaking into the Hameln studio and taking out anyone in their way (I don’t know what Riley’s gender is supposed to be)

They end up able to put one of Amanda’s tapes into the studios cctvs, allowing demon Amanda to come out and kill everyone in the studio with Riley’s help

Batdr-Audrey

Basically “what if Audrey found out about all the things joey did?”

I don’t think she’d react well to finding out joey sacrificed hundreds of real people to this ink realm, disowned and imprisoned the ink demon simply for coming out ���wrong” and all the other things we know joey did that he didn’t tell her.

So she decides to call him out and join the ink demon 100% willingly, letting the people of the ink realm die so that joey can’t even get the “redemption” he wanted

Fnaf:ruin-Cassie

Ruin spoilers

This would follow Cassie after she got dropped and somehow survived.

I think when it comes to talking about “mother”, she’d start by talking about how her own mom told her to stay away from Gregory and seemed to end up being right, then switch to talking about Roxy when singing lines like “it’s just me and mother now”

She’d manage to climb her way out of the pizzaplex and now hold a grudge against Gregory, using the tech from the ar mask to find him and attempt to kill him

I could also see helpi take the role of pascal in the song.

Bonus (since this isn’t from a mascot horror game (technically))

Babqftim/babitim-cuphead

What would happen here is that cuphead got found out for trying to trick bendy and Boris in order to steal the ink machine pieces from them, after bendy and cups got into a romantic relationship.

Cuphead ends up getting stabbed at some point after this and is slowly dying. He reaches out to his brother, teammates and ex boyfriend to help him, only for them to walk away.

So he ends up dying and going to hell. He manages to kill the devil and take over, now seeking to kill all living beings and get revenge at his former friends and family for abandoning him.

This is fun. What do y’all think? Any suggestions?