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purplesoulcollection · 3 months ago

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Unnatural Love

Part 15 Synopsis : Name has being transmigrated into the world of I'm Not That Kind Of Talent without ever reading the novel. She's not being reincarnated as a human but as a devil as well. Hi There! I want to let you know that this fanfiction story isn't solely my creation. I borrowed the concept from @quqiwo2. I haven't actually read the novel either, just some spoiler to the end.

I hope you'll excuse my spelling and grammar mistake, because English not my first language.

Trang

The sound of swords slicing through the bodies of demons resonated throughout the battlefield. It was evident that a more powerful force was executing a one-sided slaughter.

Rather than an army engaged in the wholesale extermination of demons, resulting in pools of blood, blood-stained snow, and heaps of corpses that would ultimately become hazardous waste for humanity, the scene was orchestrated by a single individual.

This individual was Deon.

Deon fought with a chilling detachment, refusing to allow even the slightest injury from enemy assaults. This demeanor instilled a sense of caution among the Lofty soldiers, who were accustomed to Deon's previous reckless abandon, preventing them from intervening with their captain.

What a transformation it was! Deon, once known for his frenzied fighting style, now exhibited a calm and controlled approach, showcasing his strength in a manner that left his own troops unaccustomed to this new method of combat.

Armed with a long sword, a reward for his heroism in vanquishing a colossal demon, Deon exemplified a formidable presence on the battlefield.

Deon, I permitted you to visit the palace at any time, yet I did not anticipate that, for once arriving in a state of being drown by blood, you now also bring this enormous creature to the castle," remarked the emperor, observing Deon kneeling before him, the body of the colossal monster visible on three horse-drawn carriages outside the palace.

"I vanquished him myself, Your Majesty. It appears that a fragment of the hero within me awakened unexpectedly. This serves as evidence," Deon replied in a flat tone, lacking the joy one might expect from someone who had just achieved heroism.

"Deon, should you truly be recognized as a hero, there would be no doubt in anyone's mind. Your prowess was demonstrated during the eight-year war, and you are feared by many. Indeed, you are the most fitting candidate for such a title," the Emperor commended Deon, though the latter remained unmoved by the praise.

"I am concerned that the emperor may require me to validate my heroism through inhumane trials. There is no more definitive proof than an extraordinary accomplishment."

Ultimately, the emperor chose to conclude the discussion. "Very well, as a token of your newfound status as a hero, I shall present you with a holy sword, crafted specifically for those of heroic stature."

"I accept it with gratitude."

With that, Deon departed, wielding his new sword. The Emperor was left perplexed by Deon's apparent lack of enthusiasm and joy regarding his achievement.

And the reason is being leaked.

Deon, who had been abandoned by his fiancee, who was only seen once at a party, became a hot gossip among the nobles, adding to the collection of bad rumors among Deon's pile of bad rumors.

Of course they never explicitly said that in front of Deon. But their whispers and disdainful glances clearly mocked him.

But Deon didn't care about the rumors that were bad about him, he was more focused on what was his new main goal besides his revenge.

Adele. She disappeared…

I have to found her for sure…

Since she left without his wishes that means only the Demon King is capable of doing so. Only the demon king is able to summon demons wherever she is. Because the devil's body is made from mana created by the devil king.

He definitely made Adele his hostage. Seeing the situation she was summoned and did not return to the human world after several months until the day changed from a hot summer full of sun to a day filled with snow is being the answer.

That means the demon king is already aware of the romantic relationship between Deon and Adele.

He understood in his brain that Adele was helpless before the demon king, he understood that Adele could not escape from the demon world.

But he grew to hate Adele a little, who left him alone in the human world. Even though he sided with the human world for Adele's sake. Just because she wants me…

With every breath of hot steam, Deon's breath reminds Deon of Adele every time.

Even though he just wanted to talk to her, hug her, laugh with her again. There's nothing Deon wants more than that.

Is he cold in the demon world? Is he healthy there? Doesn't he miss me there too? These questions always haunt Deon's mind.

Deon is worried about Adele. Being a hostage is not a good thing, Adele's life is guaranteed if the demon king wants Deon to side with the devil, but that doesn't mean her life will be comfortable there.

Adele, when they first met, was already fragile and helpless in the demon world, especially now. Deon couldn't imagine Adele's current situation.

Initially he wanted to pick up Adele with his identity as commander of squad 0 but unfortunately both Cruel and the King did not allow it. They said that because I had sided with humans, the devils would no longer believe in you.

Deon's worry and anxiety about Adele makes Deon very strong and emotional. He becomes a fighting robot who just wants to cut down every demon in existence.

"Stop Deon, there are no more demons to attack." Cruel put his hand on the hand holding the sword.

Making Deon realize that all of them had been killed by Deon himself and the remaining few had run away.

"Older brother... " Deon looks at him, finally relaxed his grip with his sword after every slaughter he being doing earlier.

"Don't push yourself too hard, even though you are now a hero, Deon. Adele definitely doesn't want to see you like this either." Cruel said to Deon. He saw the eye bag that was very clear on Deon, he wouldn't be surprised if he saw Deon faint later.

"I can't, if I slow down the progress of the war. I can't meet Adele quickly."

"Then at least you change clothes and sleep. You're the only one fighting today, get some rest."

"Okay."

He obediently withdrew, much to Lofty troop relief, they finally had a chance to fight. It doesn't have to be with their scary captain.

Deon reached his tent and took off his dirty clothes. There is no spirit left except the body which endures the pain of muscle aches.

Deon took a proper shower before he finally lay down on the portable bed ready to move.

His body since becoming a hero is actually stronger than his previous body which always vomited blood. He is now fit and able to last longer in battle.

Deon's mental condition actually no longer shifts from one personality to another. Deon now realizes that killing is something he usually does.

At least he no longer considered himself too lucky to have survived the war because of his own luck and never killed anyone.

He was physically and mentally tired. He also had insomnia since Adele was gone. It's hard to sleep and even if you can sleep, nightmares will appear.

He had a nightmare that Adele would leave him alone.

In this world.

Hopefully that won't happen to me...

Please...

To Be Continued

Notes: next episode, Deon meets his demon king!! I will skip all the battle scenes against the troop commander, because I have never read the novel.

#fanfic #x reader #manhwa #manhwa x reader #fem reader #reader insert #deon hart #deon hart x reader #i'm not that kind of talent #intkot

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nobunaga-the-warlord · 1 year ago

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Orchestral melodies rang through the halls of the palace mixed with chatting guests. Nobunaga watched his guests nervously enjoy the party on the most stressful night of the year with a strained smile. Muscles tensed against the glass in his hand feeling another bombardment against his magic protecting them. Excusing himself the dragon disappeared into the kitchens.

A groan of exhaustion escaped him finally able to relax his facade. Tonight never was an easy endeavor. Magic like this took nearly everything out of him to protect them from the exterminators... But he had a contract to fulfill. All he had to do was keep up his act until the clock struck midnight... No need to worry the others.

"Keep it together, Tokugawa." Murmured the former Emperor to himself. "Only a few more hours left."

#open starter #extermination day

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dangermousie · 2 years ago

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I love this - his watching the mourning, visibly moved (such a contrast to fairy king or Haishi lord to whom anyone is expendable for their goals; they would never mourn for soldiers, for strangers. Fairy King was fine murdering his own brother!) and as always, Orchid at his side. Because he can feel now, DFQC can feel guilt but (a) even prior to any feelings, he was driven by duty which is more than any other rulers we see had - they were driven by personal whims, whether it’s selfish power craving or obsession with one woman) and (b) it is so telling that once he recovers his emotions, he doesn’t only recover “positive” ones - but what he does with them - try to take care of Orchid, his people etc. Because as this story demonstrates, there is no such thing as good emotions per se - Rong Hao is, after all, driven by love which is traditionally viewed as a good emotion but he is committing monstrous acts for it and disregarding the basic wishes of the object (and I use that term advisedly, she is an object to him) of his affection. I love the point in this drama that emotions do not make you good or bad, it’s what you choose to do with them; and that is a choice. And also - the true proof of whether you are a worthwhile person is not whether you can care for you one “close” person(s) but whether you can care for “strangers,” whether you can feel for them - the way DFQC feels for the warriors of his tribe or even his enemy CH and what Rong Hao, who literally says people are nothing compared to his master after killing thousands of his own tribesmen, is utterly incapable of.

Notice DFQC and CH cooperating? Now imagine anyone in the fairy realm cooperating with a moon person? Hell, nobody except for his brother has a fit that their lord likes a fairy and certainly keeping one around is nbd (the ladies of the palace threw her a party for saving their lord) while in the fairy kingdom anything even belonging to a moon person has to be turned over and exterminated; they have othered them so much they view them as a rabid animal/virus which is horrifying.

CH asks to speak with Orchid and you know what got me? She looks over at DFQC to silently ask if he’s ok with it - she is not asking permission because she’s her own person but she is checking with him because couples are careful of each other’s comfort level. And I love that he, lord jealous and petty, nods yes.

And then, the whole time she is talking (and I love she is telling CH that what she felt was gratitude and what she feels for DFQC is love. Nobody in this drama beats around the bush), he is dying to find out what is going on but you know, he does not come over. Because boundaries!

Bwahaha, I love that he’s always bending himself in half to get to her level, and he’s teasing her about CH, because he is no longer insecure about his place in her heart. AWWW

This is utter and complete adorableness! I love that she knows she has someone to spoil her now, after years of neglect and he has someone to be playful with after years of emotionlessness.

This drama has a fixation on hands I haven’t seen since Flower of Evil days.

EEEEE!!!!

EEEE, he is so startled and pleased by the idea and she’s just pleased. His openness to new experiences is lovely tbh.

Heh, if this doesn’t sum up their respective characters!

I love that he gets “caught” and he is not embarrassed, he’s just happy. And it’s a real smile!!! His openness to emotion and vulnerability is the best.

His carving her name with such a soft look!

#cdrama #love between fairy and devil #cang lan jue #dylan wang #esther yu

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dailyadventureprompts · 4 years ago

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Dungeon: The Palace of Martyrs

“ I Don’t care how HOLY they’re supposed to be, you stack hundreds of dead bodies in one place and things are inevitably going to get spooky.”

Setup: No one set out to build a necropolis in the center of the forest, it started with an overly pious duchess who’s hobby was collecting the reliquaries of saints as a display of her wealth and devotion to the faith. This duchess died wildly unpopular after her part in a treasonous plot was exposed, which involved her bankrolling a sect of religious fanatics who attempted to slay the ruling family and burn down the parliament as a heathen temple of pride and vanity. Taking this rebellion as a personal slight, the crown seized the duchess’s lands and buried each of the executed zealots there, transforming it from a palatal manor to one of the realm’s largest crypts overnight.

In the near century since the “Palace of Martyrs” was established, it’s become the defacto dumping ground for murderers, plague victims, and all others deemed too foul for fit burial in holy ground, as well as those from the nearby city too poor to afford their own plot. Nobles will occasionally demonstrate their good will towards the church by paying for new tombs and mausoleums to be built in the quickly expanding necropolis, but even with these erratic expansions the grounds of the palace remain thoroughly crowded.

Adventure Hooks:

A great ivory serpent is said to linger in the swamps surrounding the palace, gorging itself on the many unburied cadavers. Worried that this beast may strike out at civilized lands, the gamewarden of the woods is looking for a few skilled monsterhunters to get rid of the beast for good. All is not as it appears however, as the serpent is infact a psychopomp sent by a god of the dead to trap restless spirits within the palace grounds. Without the snake keeping vigil, all manner of restless undead will begin to spill out into the surrounding countryside.

Yeknow where’s a great place to dump a body? Around a bunch of other bodies. The local band of assassins has been making people “ disappear” into the Palace for a while now, having carved out a neat little working relationship with the local ghouls. Extra points if the players discover this while attempting to dispose of their OWN inconvenient cadaver and have to sneak off the estate grounds without alerting the assassins or the ghouls.

Bones begin to wash up by the riverside after a torrential rainstorm and ensuing flood carry dozens of bodies off the Palace grounds. An effort to collect these bones reveals a trove of glittering treasure scattered about, attracting the attention of many. Folk begin to speak of a hidden horde somewhere on the old duchess’s estate, and the rumors buried treasure are enough cover the fact that more than a few of these trinkets possess strange abilities.

A politically illfavored family wishes to bury their departed patriarch with honor, but are unable to secure permission to inter him anywhere on their own land. Still seeking a noble burial ground, the family is forced to consider the Palace of Martyrs, still an available option due to their distant relation to the now departed duchess. Seeking strong warriors who don’t give a fig about their reputation with the court, the party are hired to act as escorts for the burial procession, but may have to pull double duty as exterminators when they find that the duchess’s old mausoleum has become host to all manner of haunts.

Further Adventures

Those who tarry too long in the mists that surround the Palace speak of encountering a ghastly figure, dressed only in a blood-stained burial shroud drawn up over a wasted and skeletal frame, muttering to itself as it walked aimlessly across the graves. This shambling wretch is the revenant of one Eneryis of Urlensburg, an aasimar cleric who was at the head of the duchess’s failed revolt. Having lived all his life believing he was righteous, Eneryis threw in his lot with the fanatics against the excesses of the crown, and with his divine birthright quickly became the face of the movement. Having failed to capture the sovereign after breaking into the palace, Eneryis doomed himself by enacting his vengeance instead upon one of the royal children his minions had laid hands on during the attack, killing not for riotousness but to feed his petty need for bloodshed.

The act stained Eneryis’s hand permanently red, and severed his connection to the divine. Scorned by his god and overwhelmed by the crown’s forces without his magic, Eneryis was quickly captured, and committed suicide soon after by using what little remained of his power to work free a section of the bars that held him and drive it into his chest. This was not simply an act of self-slaughter, but was a desperate attempt by the cleric to forstall his god’s judgement, “Pinning” his soul to this existence and ensuring a wretched form of immortality.

Rotten, regretful, and stretched thin by his long-delayed death, Eneryis wanders the Palace of martyrs endlessly replaying the events that led him to that fateful day. Sometimes praying through tears for forgiveness, sometimes spitefully angry at the forces that “guided his hand”, the revenant often ignores those he encounters, or confuses them for the hated palace guards blocking him from his holy mission.

To put the fallen Aasimar down for good, one must retrieve the fateful knife which which he sealed his fate, and use it as a focus in a ritual that invokes the revenant’s forsaken god. This knife may be in the royal vaults as memento of forgotten sorrows, or may be within the Palace of Martryrs itself, washed down river, wielded by an assassin, or stashed in a graverobber’s horde.

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blueiscoool · 3 years ago

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Germania – Hitler’s Megacity

Germania was Hitler’s renewal of Berlin, planned to be a megacity at the centre of his Thousand Year Reich, which started construction prior to the outbreak of WWII in 1938 until it was abandoned in 1943.

Hitler envisioned Berlin as a world capital, comparable with the achievements of the Ancient Egyptians, Romans and the Babylonians. Called the ‘Gesamtbauplan für die Reichshauptstadt’, translated as the ‘Comprehensive Construction Plan for the Reich Capital’ was intended to give the greater Germanic world empire of the New Order a capital that would instil a sense of unity amongst those of Germanic descent.

Historians suggest that Hitler first formulated plans for Germania as early as the mid 1920’s, where he drew sketches of elaborate monuments and mentions the rebuilding of German cities in his autobiographical manifesto ‘Mein Kemp’.

Hitler first proposed the concept to architect Albert Speer in the spring of 1936, an ambitious man who had risen in prominence within the Nazi Party through his architectural achievements, resulting in him being appointed to the position of ‘General Building Inspector of the Reich Capital’ (GBI) in 1937 and tasked to bring Hitler’s vision of a new Berlin to life.

Speer had already been commissioned to rebuild the Borsig Palace into offices for the new Sturmabteilung SA leadership, and would later build the enormous New Reich Chancellery which was completed in 1939 and hailed by Hitler as the “crowning glory of the greater German political empire”.

Construction of Germania began in 1938 with the razing of buildings in the Alsen and Tiergarten districts, where many Berliners were evicted from their homes and resettled in properties seized from Jewish families (resulting in many Berlin Jews being resettled in ghettos and ultimately the concentration and extermination camps).

The demand for labour led to many work camps being built near quarries, among them Gross-Rosen, Buchenwald and Mauthausen. German police rounded up what the Nazis considered ‘undesirable’, targeting homosexuals, gypsies and beggars to be worked to death in quarrying stone or baking bricks, with prisoners of war used later in the war as slave labour.

Several previous construction projects were to be incorporated into Germania, including the Tempelhof Airport, the revamped Olympic stadium, the Air Ministry, the Exhibition Hall (part of the International Convention Centre), the extended old Chancellery and the Propaganda Ministry, and the Germans Workers Front Headquarters.

Central Berlin was to be reorganised along a north-south axis boulevard known as the ‘Prachtallee’, meaning ‘Street of Splendours’, running from just west of Tempelhof Airport from the new South Station. This and an east-west boulevard would have divided central Berlin into four quadrants, where the main routes would be closed off for parades and vehicles diverted to use underground highways (parts of which still exist today).

At the northern end of the avenue on the site of the Königsplatz was a planned forum known as ‘Großer Platz’ meaning ‘Grand Plaza’. This was to be the focal centre of Germania, where on the western side was the Führer’s palace, the eastern side the Reichstag Building, and on the southern side the Reich Chancellery and high command of the German Army.

To the north of the Plaza would be the ‘Volkshalle’, meaning ‘Peoples Hall’, an enormous, monumental domed building inspired by Hadrian’s Pantheon in Rome. The temple-like nature of the domed Volkshalle was ultimately intended for public worship of Hitler and Nazi doctrine, with Speer stating in an interview after the war that “Hitler believed that as centuries passed, his huge domed assembly hall would acquire great holy significance and become a hallowed shrine as important to National Socialism as St. Peters in Rome is to Roman Catholicism. Such cultism was at the root of the entire plan.”

Towards the southern end of the avenue would be a triumphal arch based on the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, housing the names of 1,800,000 German soldiers who died during WWI. The arch was meant to erase the shame of the 1919 Treaty of Versailles, instead transforming the 1918 defeat into a victory that would mark the beginning of Germany’s rise to dominate Europe.

Doubts persisted at the time as to whether the marshy Berlin soil could hold the weight of these monumental structures, so Speer ordered the construction of the ‘Schwerbelastungskörper’ in 1941, a large concrete cylinder located at the intersection of Dudenstraße to test the ground in preparation for building the arch.

At the beginning of World War II with the German invasion of Poland in 1939, construction was suspended, but resumed after the clear German victory. The defeat of France in 1940 led to Hitler decreeing: “In the shortest possible time Berlin must be redeveloped and acquire the form that is its due through the greatness of our victory as the capital of a powerful new empire. In the completion of what is now the country’s most important architectural task I see the most significant contribution to our final victory. I expect that it will be completed by the year 1950.”

Hitler’s vision however would never be realised, setbacks during the invasion of the Soviet Union led to further construction of Germania to be permanently halted in 1943, with Berlin falling to the advancing Red Army during the Battle of Berlin in 1945.

Header Image – The Volkshalle, Germania – Image Credit : Prisma by Dukas Presseagentur GmbH – Alamy – IY02357979

#Germania – Hitler’s Megacity #adolf hitler #albert speer #berlin #nazi germany #ww2 #architecture #new world order

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benevolentbirdgal · 4 years ago

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Purim: a Jewish holiday and wild ride from start to finish

So let me tell you about the absolute soap opera that is the Jewish holiday of Purim. The scene is set in ancient (appx. 4th century B.C.E.) Persia during the first Jewish Diaspora, in the city of Shushan (typically identified in secular sources as Susa, a now-abandoned ancient city in what is now Iran). I’m telling you, as a work of literature (even beyond theological implications for Jewish people), this book has everything: love, drama, royalty, intrigue, ego, plots, irony, mystery, and a strong female lead.

[some non-slur swearing below]

Ahasuerus, party-loving king of Persia executed or exiled (translations argue) his wife Vashti, and had to find a new queen. Why did he do this, you ask? Well, it really starts with an 180-day party across his kingdom for all his subjects to celebrate the third year of his reign. After that absolute rager, party-bro KA has another one immediately after for a week, this time just for the capital city of Shushan. Vashti was having a woman’s party in her quarters, presumably living her best life, when party-bro sends his top seven yes-men to deliver a message to Vashti. This sleaze-ball wants her to appear at his party in front of everyone, wearing her crown, with the clear implication being only her crown. Vashti more or less tells him to pound sand (I mean, not the literal translation, but that’s the sentiment).

KA’s advisors convince him that this is not only an offense against the king but also against all the men in the country (ah, the joys of ancient patriarchy and toxic af masculinity). KA writes a degree that women must respect their husbands so he has an official reason to get rid of Vashti. Vashti is soon thereafter out of the picture and the king is short a queen. Whether she was a Wise Lady With A Point Who Got Screwed Over or a Vicious Jew-Hating Adulteress Who Had It Coming has been a matter of furious debate for over two millennia (the Babylonian Talmud and the Jerusalem Talmud vociferously disagree on her). In any case, KA regrets it pretty quick and wants a new queen.

At the behest of his advisors (you know, since their last advice worked out soooooo well), KA had a big contest/forcible gathering of young women from around his kingdom and a Jewish woman, Hadassah, was the winner. Hadassah was an orphan raised by her cousin Mordechai in the city of Shushan. Hadassah is more commonly known as Esther, because she changed her name to hide her identity as a Jew (at the behest of Mordechai). In any case, KA decided he liked Esther best and she became queen (it’s specifically mentioned both that he loved her most and that the palace staff liked her because she was nice to them-it’s unclear how much of an influence the latter was).

Concurrently, a wicked man named Haman was the top advisor to the king and the king would basically rubber-stamp whatever Haman wanted. Haman was a raging Jew-hater-this will be relevant later.

Some time into Esther’s reign as queen, Mordechai, who has taken to hanging around the gates of the palace to keep in touch with Esther, overhears a plot by two guards, Bigthan and Teresh, to kill the king. Mordechai alerts his cousin, and she tells the king. It’s recorded in the book of deeds and life keeps moving.

Some time later, Haman decides (after a promotion to head lackey) that he wants all to bow to him as he passes. Mordechai refused to bow to Haman every single day (citing that as a Jew he bowed to no man), and that did not sit well with Haman. So despite being prime minister and presumably having more important things to do, “genocide the Jews” made it to the top of to-do list. He didn’t like them before, and Mordechai refusing to treat him like a special snowflake was something he took really, really personally (totally can’t think of any modern politicians like that, nope). He told KA, who frankly doesn’t seem to ask enough questions, that there was a people disrespecting the king and his laws throughout the land, and could he pretty-please exterminate them. As a bonus, Haman would “donate” 10,000 silver kikar to the royal treasury (modern conversion vary, but all agree this an absurd amount on money).

KA handed him the royal seal to do so. Haman was feeling lucky I guess so he decided the best course of action was to draw lots to pick the day for the massacre. [Purim is lots in Hebrew, so that’s where the name of the holiday came from]. The message went out to all the provinces that on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, that they citizens and leaders should murder all of the Jews, young and old, man, woman, and child, rich and poor and take their possessions as spoils.

As this wasn’t exactly a state secret, the Jews knew and were quite distressed. The planned slaughter was like a year out, but what the actual fuck were they supposed to do? If you lived in Persia at that point that, the empire was functionally your entire world, unless you were fabulously/ridiculously wealthy and well-connected. Having several months notice the other locals and your rules were going to slaughter you and take your stuff isn’t particularly useful when there’s really nowhere to go.

In Shushan, Mordechai (who, although not explicitly in text, is in oral/Talmudic tradition a leader of the Jewish community) goes into mourning. He dresses in sackcloth and ashes, he weeps, and he fasts at the gates of the palace, as Jews throughout shushan and the kingdom are doing. Esther hears of her cousin’s mourning behavior and tries to send along nice clothes through a messenger, which he refuses. It is then that she learns of the decree. Mordechai (through the messenger) implores her to go ask the king if the Jews not getting murdered could be a thing. Esther explains that she could be killed for approaching the king unsummoned. Mordechai stresses the severity of the situation. Esther agrees to ask the king and tells Mordechai to have the Shushan Jewish community fast day and night (as opposed to just day as prior) for three days, and she and her handmaidens will fast too (no word on what the handmaidens thought of this).

On the third day, Esther bravely approached the king, asked him if she could request something. He said anything, up to half his kingdom (which implies to me that homedude, for all his flaws, was actually into her). Esther invited him to a party, where he and Haman would be the only guests. At the party she asks if she can another request. KA is open to it and she invites him to another party the next night. Party-bro king is obviously down and Haman is tickled to death at this second invitation.

He goes home to brag to his wife, Zeresh, about the invite and also to bitch about how angsty he is Mordechai is still alive (this angst reignited by passing him on the way home). Zeresh suggests he have fifty-foot gallows built to make Mordechai an example on, with the king’s permission, ASAP. Haman orders the building of the gallows, feeling secure in the knowledge that his bestie the king will execute Mordechai on them.

Back at the castle KA can’t sleep. He demands a bedtime story from the his records, because those will presumably put him to sleep. The story that gets read, ~coincidentally~, is of Mordechai saving KA’s life. Haman had sidled on up to the castle to speak to the king about killing Mordechai, and the king called him in. KA asks Haman, if he were to honor someone, what should he do? Haman is thinking “this is obvi about me” and tells the king that the honoree should be donned in royal clothing, and ride through the streets on a fancy horse with people someone shouting how great he is. KA is like great, love it, perf, go do that for Mordechai. Haman is not a happy camper but does the thing. After that, he goes home and tells Zeresh about it, who warns him that this is a very bad sign.

Finally, that night is the night of Esther’s second soiree. Haman and KA attend. The latter offers to Esther anything she wants, up to half of his kingdom. Esther asks that her life, and the life of her people be spared. KA is like “whomst” and Esther revealed it was Haman. At this point Ahasuerus.exe stops working and he takes a walk to the gardens. He comes back to see Haman begging Esther for his life, and KA thinks Haman is assaulting her. Haman was seized by nearby guards.

One of the chamberlains is then like, hey, KA, coincidentally there’s these super high gallows Haman just had built. Why not take care of the problem that way? (The fact that the random nearby chamberlain was like yup, that dude, hang ‘em in the morning, probably says a lot about how Haman treated most people around him, even more than forcing all to bow to him). KA orders it be done.

Not that Haman was around to be sad about it, but what happened next would have massively pissed him off, as his old job then went to Mordechai. Esther then implored of the king that the degree to allow the massacre of the Jews be reversed. The king couldn’t Cntrl+Z the order to murder-all-the-Jews, but he could issue an order that they could fight back. The proclamation was sent throughout the land, and the Jews were able to prepare. Since the royal decree had been amended, the governments (princes, governors, satraps) largely reformulated their plans accordingly, but plenty of Jew-haters still wanted to use the opportunity. The ability to self-defend meant that the communities weren’t massacred. In most of the kingdom, the Jews were now safe. Outside of Shushan, the fourteenth of Adar became a feast day.

Shushan was still not safe though. Antisemites were still out and mad (and apparently had not learned from the previous day), so Esther asked the Jews of Shushan to be allowed to defend themselves once more. Her wish was granted, and the Shushan Jews were able to defend themselves once more (so Purim is celebrated a day later in walled cities).

The story ends with the decision to write it down, and although there some debate on authorship, it is traditionally attributed to Esther herself cowriting with Mordechai.

Nowhere in the book is God mentioned. Nowhere is there divine intervention (at least not explicitly). Just Jews sticking up for themselves, being brave in the face of mortal peril, and a metric fucktown of chutzpah.

#jumblr #purim #purim story #jewish soap opera for real though #purim 2021 #purim 5781 #what is purim #purim explained #jewblr

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hazbinheadcanons · 3 years ago

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Charlie and Azrael (angel of death) are close friends since Azrael come down to hell to deliver souls or speak to lucifer

It's a strange and complicated friendship especially for a demon and Angel. Many don't know that angels frequently came down to hell during the year it was common to see angels of death delivering sinners souls to the Palace, each soul has to be added to the book of death, a magical book used by the Royal family to swiftly find information about the sinners life, their sins and their current status in hell. After the yearly extermination the book magically erases the sinners pages once they have been killed.

Normally apprentice angels under Azrael would bring souls to be processed however sometimes its needed for Azrael himself to bring strong and violent souls to hell. Depending on how long it took to process the soul Azrael would spend between a few minutes or a few hours waiting. The Palace was often lonely for a child and charlie would often wander off looking for someone to play with. Charlie found Azrael waiting and decided to invited him for a tea party and he reluctantly agreed so he didn't get on lucifer's bad side. She would often look for him whenever she knew he had visited hell and invite him for tea, she often asked him about earth and heaven since she was always curious about the two places she couldn't visit.

Azrael would often tell her about different experiences he's had on earth and the strangest things he had seen. It always seemed to make the princess smile and giggle as he told the stories. It wasn't often angels got a break when completing their jobs and as the angel of death he hardly took any time off. It seemed twisted to say he looked forward to travel to hell and take a break from all the work while certain souls were being registered in the Palace. Lucifer didn't seem to care that his daughter would pull him away and have tea with him. Sometimes he wondered if his fallen brother does it on purpose? Although the young princess seemed lonely it seemed unnatural to be having tea with a demon even worse he's drinking tea with lucifers daughter, the princess of hell. Such a sweet and innocent child hidden from the cruel and unforgiving world waiting just outside her front door.

How could she be the child of devil? Azrael will never understand how lucifers daughter managed to have such a pure soul. Maybe it was a twisted punishment? Something to remind lucifer what he left behind. Picking up his teacup and slowly bring it to his lips he could taste faintly ginger.

"is this a new blend of tea?"

the princess seemed to pause at the question looking slightly shocked before smiling and nodding in excitement

"yes! It's a new blend from the human world, mother said its called Thai Ginger Tea" that certainly explained the ginger he thought silently before taking another sip of his tea.

She continued to talk about the tea and how different teas had to be prepared. He nodded absentmindedly at the information.

She paused before looking at Azrael "can I ask you what it's like in heaven?"

"why are you so interested in the subject?" he asked curious about her abruptly changing the subject.

She looked down at her tea before stuttering out "nevermind it doesn't matter"

"but..." at that moment lucifer decided to walk in the room, "I've finished with the soul, here's all the paperwork you need to file"

"thanks" he nodded taking the paper out of his hand Azrael began to get up out his chair. "thank you princess Charlotte for the tea, we should do it again sometime"

Of course this lead to the pair drinking tea whenever he visited hell, it was always a new blend of tea and stories shared between the pair, it never seemed to boring when speaking to the princess, she always had something to talk about however he noticed she never asked him about heaven again, maybe he had scared her or she was too shy to ask again. Then one day there was no more tea parties or Charlie. Lucifer seemed angry, it took a while for him to find out she had related a hotel for redemption. An interesting idea but Azrael feared the worst, she would struggle this is hell after all but he also knew she was just as stubborn as her father.

Before he need to leave he had to visit her it was tradition after all. Knocking on the doors of the hotel he waited silently, as the doors opened and the princess stood in shocked he smiled and simply said "I hope I'm not interrupting but i brought some tea" she smiled and nodded slightly teary eyed "of course! How could I say no to you?" as she ran over and hugged him, laughing slightly he hugged her back "I would love to hear this redemption idea of yours"

#vivziepop #hazbin hotel #hazbin hotel vivziepop #hazbin hotel charlie #charlie magne #hazbin hotel headcanon #hazbin headcanons #azrael #angel of death

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jknerd · 3 years ago

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The Dragon Emperor

Name: Qin Shi Huang Di (regnal name), Ling Zheng (personal name)

Age: 2000+ (Immortal)

Gender: Male

Occupations: King of Qin (former), 1st Emperor and Founder of China

Relatives: King Zhuangxiang (father), Queen Dowager Zhao Zi (mother), Chengjiao (paternal half-brother), 30 sons and 15 daughters

Character

The Dragon Emperor, famously known as Qin Shi Huang, was the founder of Qin Dynasty, and first emperor of unified China. Son of King Zhuangxiang and Queen Zhao Zi but when his father passed away and inherited the throne, he was only a 13 years old young king. With the support and idea from Li Si, he took down the warring feudal countries of six then along with his of Qin, he unified the countries into one as an Empire, self-titled himself as the Emperor. To preserve the peace, he had the slaves and workers build the Great Wall tp protect China from foreign invaders. Abolishing feudalisms, he reformed the law in appointments based on merit instead of hereditary rights, unified Chinese script for communication system for all of China, standardizing the Chinese units of measurements, including the currency. Asserting the legalism, he executed the burn of Confucian texts and burying its scholars alive.

Ambitious, powerful, but current days he was known for an emperor with controversies. One of the well-known is his unstoppable battle against the death itself for he seeks immortality. He journeyed for the elixir of life, but he passed away in September of 210 BC for unknown cause. Yet it was to be confirmed he would be accompanied by his Terracotta Army in afterlife for immortality. But is he truly gone….? He still lives on… returned to the world as immortal and vows to reclaim his title as Emperor of China once again. Living for so long, he is currently NOT HAPPY with the current situation of a very country he had established. He vows to restore the lost identities of China (due to the Culture Revolution), focusing on preserving the peace of his country and relationships with foreign matters, creating new reformations as he would be China’s eternal ruler. He is still scheming, he is watching everything as he is THE consequences.

In Courage the Cowardly Girl AU: It is to be revealed Di Lung’s family has been loyal follower of the Dragon Emperor, working with other powerful clans to help the Emperor restoring China’s former glory and beauty of its cultures by abolishing the opposing political parties, reviving the monarchy. However, the evil spirits of the treacherous are planning to assassinate him while possessing the bodies of opposing political party. Di Lung asked Courage for help as she and her family were traveling China. It was revealed the leader of the said evil spirits was Dragon Emperor’s mother Zhao Zi. Enraged, the Dragon Emperor exterminated his mother’s spirit once and for all.

In Grimm Adventures of Billie & Manny AU: Dragon Emperor is portrayed as immortal but considered as powerful guardian spirit residing in the Great Wall. But at the same time, he is a closest and trusted friend of Lord Yama the asian Underworld Lord. It is revealed that he is one of few Manny actually admired as role model for his strong willpower and charismatic leadership.

In Xiaolin Showdown AU: Aside from Chase Young, Dragon Emperor Qin Shi Huang is an another immortal and powerful figure residing in Asia. He was known for combining five elements of power; earth, fire, water, wood, and metal, learning the global principle of order and knowledges, becoming the immortal being. Despite known for his ambitious and cruel side, he does not take Heylin’s side, but not even helping Xiaolin’s as well. At one occasion where Chase Young interrogated him for the location of other Qiānzì Wén stones for the mystic pearl, the Dragon Emperor’s strong willpower was kept intact while giving Imugi a warning “I will see how much you will try, you will eventually fall from grace STAINING my Great Wall WITH YOUR BLOOD”, INTIMIDATING the infamous Chase Young for the first time. Though he finds Jade’s ambition as equal as his own, he calmly yet so intimidatingly remarked “Let’s see who RUNS this show, lass.”

In Samurai Jeanne AU: As Jeanne traveled the time past and future of China, the large country was ruled once again by the Dragon Emperor as he had made a pact with Akujo. He is one of Jeanne’s few adversaries that cannot be defeated. However, he was moved by her virtues and determination for what is right, he decided to help ally with her in finding way back to time or locating where Akujo’s allies are. Yet, he told the samurai princess no matter how the time changes, his future will still be the same.

In Hazbin Hotel/Helluva Boss AU: In Hell of China, Qin Shi Huang is the ruler, the overlord. He has no separate demonic form, but nonetheless he is one of the strongest overlords in all continents of Hell. Residing in golden palace with floor of pale jades and finest furnitures, he is regarded as the most terrifying politician of the afterlife, impressing most of the Seven Kings of Hell. Satan is impressed with the large scale of wars he fought with his army and his cruelty on the traitors. Asmodeus is impressed of how many concubines he had in past life and curious of what are their kinks. Leviathan is jealous of so much successful achievements the Chinese Overlord had. Mammon was moved by the large scale of palace made of gold and gemstones with finest silks. Beelzebub LOVES the cuisines in his palace made by great royal chefs. Lucifer respects the Dragon Emperor with the conquest he made in both previous life and afterlife. Belphegor most likely wonders when he will ever rest from seemingly endless duties.

#Qin Shi Huang #Shi Huang Di #Dragon Emperor #Samurai Jeanne AU #Hazbin Hotel AU #Helluva Boss AU #Grimm Adventures of Billie n Manny AU #Xiaolin Showdown AU #Courage the Cowardly Girl AU

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starblazekirara · 2 years ago

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The Violet Star and the Owlet

Something I wrote a while back, when my OC Nova first meets Octavia and Stolas

A small crowd was talking in the back garden of the palace of Prince Stolas of the Ars Goetia. His wife Stella took the chance to host a tea party of sorts while he was away at the Hell counsel that day. A small 5 year old owlet with pink eyes stood near the back staying out of the way of the adults, their child Octavia stood around bored, even though her mother has to watch her for that day. Octavia didn't have any toys around her to try and play with, she went up to her mother.

“Can you play with me some mommy?” asked Octavia as she tugged on her mother's dress. Stella annoyed turned down to the little girl.

“Can't you see I'm busy child! I can't be bothered to play with you, go bother someone else.” Stella answered dryly with annoyance. The child thought she was just that, a pest to her mother, even thought she just wanted to play with her like more children do.

“Daddy would play with me.” Octavia said to herself. Her mother scoffed as she heard her.

“Well your father is at an important meeting, and won't be back till later, so, just play out of our way.” Stella shooed her daughter away from her and her guests. Octavia went back to her little spot in the garden and gave a little pout, she was going to bored at one of her mother's parties, again. But a green and black butterfly caught the little owlet's eye, it fluttered around her, Octavia giggled as she tried to catch it and started to follow it, but the insect slipped out between the bars of the back gate, Octavia was small enough to slip through the bars as well while her mother's back was turned and wandered away from the palace.

Meanwhile one other Goetia was out in the city this one was much older about 15, her name was Nova Celestine, her father held a presidential rank within the Goetia family, she didn't mind being low on the caste scale. But Nova had always been a bit different than other members in looks, she possessed the traditional white face as any other bird demons, hers was like new fallen snow, this delicate face was framed with ashen gray feathers that cascaded down her back, shades of lavender would grace ones eye when the light touched her hair just right. And unlike most members of the Goetia she also possessed a growing expanse of feathers from her knees downward, dark as rain clouds yet glimmered with lavender stars, each step she took the clouds soften them making her near silent as she walked.

Nova looked a slip of paper at an address that was written on it, she looked around but couldn't find it. She scratched her head out of confusion,

“Where is that place? Did I get the directions wrong?” Nova asked herself, she was about to ask someone when she heard it, the sound every demon fears, the sound of tornado like sirens. Nova looked at her flip phone only to see an alert that would make anyone's stomach drop.

'Alert! ALERT! EXTERMINATION NOW STARTING!! Seek shelter IMMEDIATELY!!' Demons, imps and sinners of all kinds scrambled to get into a nearby stable shelter.

“But it wasn't suppose to happen till tomorrow! Crap! There's got to be a-” Nova told herself, somehow she over the screaming and shouting, she heard crying, the crying of child, she followed it till she found a owlet in the middle of the street, crying. Nova could see she was a pink starry dress, and had pink eyes Octavia had gotten lost and was only seen by the one with lavender eyes.

“Is that a kid?! Why is she alone when it's about to become a bloodbath down here?!” Nova asked herself, she looked between a safe building and back to the child, any other heartless being would leave the child to save their own skin, but this wasn't her, she couldn't let an innocent die in this sick version of a purge.

“I-I can't leave her!” said Nova as she dashed out into the street and scooped up a crying Octavia, the child looked up at who had just saved her.

“Hey don't be scared, you'll be safe with me, where are your parents?” Nova asked in a frantic state.

“I wandered away from home, and-and now I'm lost!” Octavia cried.

“Listen you know what those sirens mean right?” Nova asked her. Octavia was trying to find her voice in all the chaos that was happening around her, she then remembered what her father had told her about if she ever heard those sirens.

“My daddy told me they meant something bad was to happen, but it only happened once a year.” young Octavia answered her rescuer. Nova was relieved that the little girl knew about them.

“Right, we need to wait this out somewhere safe, no one will let us in right now, but we'll find a place.” Nova told the child as they got out of the open, the older girl ducked between ally-ways and shadows while keeping the child close to her, shielding her from any carnage they came across.

“I-I-I want to go home......I.....I want daddy and mommy...” Octavia whimpered as she buried her face in Nova's feathers, the teen brought her face up to her own.

“Oh, I know you do sweetheart, but as soon as this is over with we'll go find them.” said Nova. Octavia rubbed away some tears from her eyes.

“Y-you promise?” asked Octavia. Nova smiled warmly at her.

“Of course, but what's your name?” Nova replied.

“Octavia, and you're older than me.” said Octavia.

“Yeah, but I'm Nova, and we're friends now that we know each other's names.” Nova told her. Octavia smiled she at least wasn't alone in a scary place anymore. She couldn't wait to tell her father about her new friend. Nova looked around.

“But right now we need some shelter to wait this out otherwise-” screaming cut off what she was about to say next.

“That's going to be us, no place will let us in right now! Where can we-” Nova told the child as they ran, but screaming and shouting was anywhere they went, but rounding a corner she was met with tall figures with angel wings and white glowing weapons standing over a pile of dead demons.

“Oh no, Exterminators!” Nova explained. One of them heard her and turned. Nova kept a tight hold of Octavia and shielded her from what was before them. 'They spotted us!' thought Nova. Both Exterminators turned to them, fear rose in the older girls throat, she pressed the owlet close to her and looked down at her.

“Listen sweetheart, close your eyes and keep them shut, we're going to be okay.” Nova told her, Octavia did what she was told and buried her face in Nova's top, using her free hand a spark of starry violet fire lit up in her hand.

'I swore I'd never use this, but I have very little choice, I promised to get her home.' thought Nova. A spear was raised to them when a large shadow darted between them, the blade being cut in half clattering to the ground.

“Don't even think it!” the figure growled, Nova looked up and saw a very imposing female Hellhound between her and the Exterminators. Her fur was a dark gray with black markings on her face and legs along with her wrists, her tail had a gold chain around it and as a belt on her torn up Capri's. Nordic runes were tattooed on her right arm in red, shoulder length light navy hair stood out second only to her green eyes, a lot of hounds had red eyes but green was something else.

“I am Arnora Helblod, direct descent of Finrir. That child is a member of the Ars Goetia, her father is a very powerful prince, and what do you dumb-asses think will happen when he finds out you killed her? You want an all out war?!” the hound shouted, the Exterminators looked between each other.

'Wait, this child is a member of the Goetia like me? But her father is.....is a prince?!” thought Nova as she looked down at Octavia, her eyes still shut tightly. The Exterminators looked between each other and spoke between themselves. Nova couldn't understand what they were saying.

'That hound is way too strong for us, and she's right, Goetia members are off limits, we don't want a war to start over this.' one of them said.

'If we kill the child of a powerful prince you're right, we're done here anyways, lets go to the next area.' the second one said, both Exterminators left. The fires in Nova's hand died down as Arnora turned to them.

“Arnora was your name? Thank you.” said Nova.

“If you don't want to be here when they come back, follow me.” Arnora told her Nova started to follow the hound, doing her best tot keep up with her while carrying a little owlet.

“What's your name?” Arnora asked as they ran.

“Nova.” she answered. They came upon a what looked like a shelter that was hardly used let alone known about, at the door was another Hellhound that looked no older than Octavia, her fur was the same as Arnora's and the hair was a lighter blue than her own, one eye of hers was green the other blue, the pup waved to them.

“Mom!” called the pup, taking Nova's hand the two ran for the door.

“Lyssa! Get ready to shut that door, we got guests!” Arnora shouted, Lyssa was the pup's name, once inside the door slammed shut and with a few twists of the handle was locked, the two caught their breath as a light was turned on, there wasn't much, a few blankets and a radio to keep a listen for things outside, but nothing would be able to get in.

“You guys can wait the day out here, not a chance anything will get in.” Arnora told them. Nova sat on a nearby bench, catching her breath, Octavia looked around when she saw they had stopped running.

“I can't even start to thank-” Nova was interrupted when Octavia saw the hound and knew her right away.

“Auntie Arnora?” Octavia whimpered. Arnora's eye's widened when she saw the owlet Nova was holding in her arms, her heart almost stopped when she saw how scared she looked.

“What the?! Octavia?! What in the name of Odin are you doing out here?!” Arnora exclaimed as she knelt down to the child, checking her over, relieved she was unharmed.

“You know her?!” said Nova.

“Her father is my best friend, prince Stolas, I am Octavia's godmother.” Arnora answered. Nova gulped when she learned that Octavia's father was the rank of a prince.

'Oh crap! I just saved the daughter of a high ranking member!' Nova's thoughts screamed out. Arnora snarled as her claws dug into the ground, trying to stay happy and calm for the child's sake.

“Octavia, where is your mother?” Arnora asked trying to stay calm.

“At the palace.....I.....I wandered off, I just wanted to play.....and got lost...” Octavia answered. Arnora took a deep breath and stood up, she looked like she was going to kill the next thing she laid her eyes on, her hands balled up into fists.

“Of course she was having a party and didn't pay attention, oh Stolas is going to love this.” Arnora told herself, before she pulled out her phone.

“I have to call him, can you keep an eye on her until I get back?” Arnora asked Nova , the teen nodded as she still held the owlet.

The owl prince paced the floor of one of the spare rooms of the counsel halls, on the phone with his wife yelling at her, his feathers and temper rose each time he spoke with her.

“What do you mean you can't find her Stella?! Our daughter is out there and there's an Extermination happening right outside our home! You were suppose to watch her but you HAD TO HAVE A PARTY!!!! IF ANYTHING happens to our little girl, consider divorce papers in my hand when I get back!” Stolas shouted into the phone. He heard incoherent screaming on the other end, so loud Stolas held the phone away from his head, once the volume went down he brought it back up to his head.

“Oh I wish I was joking woman! I-” A second phone rang in the office, Stolas looked at the ID and saw who it was, he groaned as he rolled his eyes.

“Uhggg, I need to take this call, we'll talk about this when I get back!” Stolas exclaimed as he slammed the phone back onto the receiver. He tried to calm his thoughts, his little owlet is outside the palace walls on one of the worst days of the year, but talking to his best friend might help, even help find her. He picked up the second phone.

“Arnora now is really not the time for-” Stolas was cut off by the hounds voice.

“Stolas shut your beak for 5 seconds! I have Via! She's in my bunker with myself and Lyssa along with-” The second the owl prince is daughter was safe, his face lit up, the worst thoughts left his mind, Arnora would never be this cruel as a joke to him.

“Via's with you?! She's safe?!” the prince exclaimed, he felt himself about to collapse onto the floor with relief, he held on to a chair to keep from falling, his heart was racing.

“Yes, and we'll chew your hag wife out when this is over with and-.” Arnora could hear her friend about to have a form of panic attack.

“Oh thank the cosmos she's safe, Stella told me she couldn't find her I just.....” Stolas could feel his mind racing is Arnora had told him other wise. She could hear the relief in his voice, but also the shear fear in it as well, the hound had never heard her friend with this much fear in him.

“I know, but she's safe right now, with her new friend and us.” Arnora assured him.

“Wait, new friend?” asked Stolas as he sat up a bit.

“Yeah, she found Via when I caught to up with them, just in time too.” Arnora told him. Stolas gulps and felt himself about to break down in that office space, he needed to hear his daughter's voice, to know he's was still slightly sane.

“I want to talk to them, please Arnora.” Stolas almost begged her.

“Alright Stol, just give me a few minutes, Nova is trying to help calm Via down.” Arnora told him as she peaked over her shoulder looked back at her daughter Lyssa hugging the smaller child, while Nova held Octavia in a blanket as she sat on the floor. It was the first time Stolas had heard this young woman's name. “Nova?” he asked.

“That's the girl's name, looks very much like a Goetia, she must be low rank cause I've never seen her before, she looks 15 maybe, just a teen, But this girl is a spitfire, she was about to fight an Exterminator to keep Via safe.” Arnora told him.

“If you didn't show up....please, let me talk to them.” said Stolas. Arnora smiled as she turned back to the rest of the group. “Alright, hang on.” She told her friend.

“There, feel a little better honey?” Nova asked Octavia as wrapped the child up in the blanket. Octavia looked like she wanted to cry.

“Sort of, I just want to go home, I want my daddy...” Octavia sniffled as she wiped some tears away from her eyes. Nova couldn't help but feel her soul crack seeing this child cry, scared and wanting her family. Nova held her close and wiped away some more tears.

“I know sweetheart, and you'll be back with before you know it, it's just not safe right now.” Nova told the child. Arnora came over an knelt down to them, holding the same phone, the owlet looked at her hound godmother.

“Octavia, I have your dad on the phone, you can at least talk to him, until you can get home. And he wants to talk to you as well.” Arnora told the child then looked to the young lady, Nova felt herself turn bright red and didn't know how to respond to this, she had never spoken to such a high ranking member of the Goetia before in her life.

“M-me?! Her father is a prince, I'm just the daughter of a president, lowest rank there is. Why would he even-” Arnora placed a hand on Nova's shoulder and smiled at her.

“Trust me on this, he doesn't give a crap about rank.” Arnora told her. Nova still needed some time to build up nerve, she looked down at Octavia then back to Arnora.

“Let, let Octavia talk to him first.” Nova told her.

“Stol, here she is.” Arnora told her friend before giving the phone to the small owlet, she brought it up to her face. Stolas was waiting with baited breath before he heard the voice that was always music to him. “Daddy?!” Octavia spoke into the phone, his heart jumped into his throat the second he heard his child's voice.

“Octavia! It's me Octavia dear! Oh thank the stars you're safe, you had me so worried.” Stolas told his daughter, trying his best not to cry from happiness.

“I-I just wanted to play daddy and I wandered away from the palace, are.....are you mad at me? Am I in trouble?” Octavia asked him in a scared voice. He had never heard her this scared before and he wasn't there to comfort her, to make her feel better like before.

“No, no no no dearest, I'm not mad, I'm just happy you're somewhere safe.” assured Stolas. Octavia let a few sobs escape before she tired to speak again. Stolas could feel his heart breaking at the sound of his daughter's crying and him not being there was tearing at him.

“I-I-I want to come home daddy, I'm....I'm really scared.” Octavia sobbed. If he could he would have reached through the phone to hold her, hug her, tell her everything was going to be alright if he was there with her.

“I know my starfire I know you do, but it isn't safe for Arnora to bring you back just yet, but you get to have a sleep-over with Lyssa, you always have fun at them, just like when she stays over at our home, but listen, I know this is very scary, but, I know you are my brave little starfire, everything will be alright, you will be okay, remember my song?” Stolas did his best as always to comfort his daughter, all while trying to keep from crying as he talked with her.

“Yes...” Octavia told him softly, he forced a smile over the phone.

“That's my brave owlet, now, can I speak with the young lady who found you?” Stolas asked her.

“You mean big sister Nova?” replied Octavia. The prince gave a slight chuckle, she barely knew her savior and was already calling her a big sister.

“Already have a second big sister now? Hm, I see nothing wrong with that, but let me talk to her though.” said Stolas. “Alright.” Octavia replied.

“And Octavia?” Stolas asked her. “Yes?” Octavia answered back to him.

“I'll call you back tonight, to sing you that lullaby, and I promise, I will be there at the palace entrance waiting for you when this is all over with.” said Stolas.

“Really?” Octavia asked him sounding hopeful.

“Yes, really, just be good for auntie Arnora, and.....let me talk with big sister Nova.” Stolas answered her. Octavia nodded and passed the phone to Nova.

“Daddy wants to talk to you.” Octavia told her sister figure as she handed her the phone. Nervously Nova took it from the child's hand.

'Oh great, I have to talk to a prince. Just breath, you did nothing wrong.' Nova thought to herself as she placed the phone near hear face.

“H-he-hello? Your highness?” Nova spoke with a shaken manner in her tone.

“Are you lady Nova?” asked Stolas. The older girl gulped, she still had some fears about answering to one of the higher ranks, but she knew how to talk to nobility, and he did sound kind, just worried for his daughter more than his own life.

“I-I am, your highness-” Nova answered him.

“Oh! You have no idea how thankful I am for what you've done! You saved my daughter, I am forever grateful to you! If there's anything you want from me, clothes, jewelry, rare books, magic lessons anything you want and I will make sure you have it.” Stolas told her.

Nova was surprised at the generosity of the prince, all these items for her because his child was safe? She must mean so much to him, but she didn't want anything, she couldn't take anything from him just out of the goodness that was a rare thing in the 7 rings.

“Y-your highness, I-I don't want anything like that, just knowing that your daughter is safe and back with you is more than enough for me.” Nova told him. Stolas was shocked, this young lady didn't want a fancy dress or jewels like most girls her age would have asked for in a heartbeat. He had never heard this kind of thing before in his life.

“Such modesty for a young lady like yourself, my daughter could learn a thing or two from you, and you don't have to keep calling me your highness, no need for such formalities among friends, please call me Stolas.” He spoke to her again. Nova gave a small smile.

“If.....if you want me to, but I do promise, I will protect Octavia.” Nova said to him, but what he told her next was a surprise.

“I fully trust you with my daughter, better than I trust my wife right about now.” replied Stolas, Nova gave a nervous chuckle before she gulped.

“You don't even know me that well yet, and you'd still trust me with your little girl?” Nova asked him. Stolas smiled on the other end of the phone.

“I can tell from your from your voice, and Arnora told me you risked your life to save her, not many would have done what you just did, I look forward to meeting you in person when you bring my daughter back, please take good care of her.” Stolas answered.

“S-she is safe with me, I promise.” Nova vowed to the prince. Stolas smiled as a few hidden tears fell from his face. “Thank you.” said Stolas before he hung up the phone and just broke down in the chair he was sitting in.

Outside the carnage still raged outside, the fate of those not in a shelter was sealed. Those in the hidden bunker did their best to block out the sounds they were hearing. Arnora stood up to look outside, it had already become dark, the half way mark of this event. Once chimes rang out at midnight, it would all be over. She came back over to her friends.

“Well, it's nightfall, just make it till morning and this will be all over with.” Arnora told them. Nova got up to stretch some from all the siting she had been doing.

“Dose this just get longer every year mom? It feels like it.” Lyssa asked her mother. Arnora sat next to her and held her closer.

“Feels like it, I'll turn on the radio in the morning to hear when it's over, then we can head to Stolas's palace.” Arnora told them. Nova looked back over at Octavia, who hadn't moved from her spot and was just trying her best to not start crying again. The teen silently walked over to this child. “Daddy...” Octavia whimpered, Nova sat next to the frightened child, putting an arm around her.

“You really miss your dad, huh?” asked Nova. Octavia sniffled as she rubbed her eyes.

“Mommy's never around, she's always having these parties, she tell me to leave when I want to play, she never wants to play with me or be at her parties.” Octavia answered..

“You mother doesn't sound very nice.” Nova told her.

“I've met her, and trust me, she is a real piece of work.” Arnora told Nova, Octavia curled up closer to Nova, the teen guessed the warmth reminded the child of her father and just wanted that form of comfort at the time.

“Is she that bad?” Nova asked.

“If a black mamba could that would be her.” scoffed Arnora.

'Okay there's an image.' thought Nova. A vibration sound from Arnora's phone caught her ear. She picked it up and saw who it was on the caller ID.

“Via, it's your dad again.” Arnora called over. Octavia darted over to her godmother.

“He kept his promise!” Octavia exclaimed with happiness, Arnora smiled at her as she messed with a little bit of her hair.

“Has he ever broken one to you yet, my sweet little raven.” said Arnora, she flipped opened her phone and hit the answer button before turning it over to Octavia.

“Daddy!” Octavia spoke with such happiness. Stolas could feel himself trying not to cry once again when he heard his daughter's voice.

“Via! Oh my owlet you have no idea how good it is to hear your voice, even if it's over a phone, are you about ready to go to sleep?” Stolas asked her.

“I know you'll be waiting for me at home when I wake up right? And you can tell me stories at bedtime like always?” Octavia asked him. The prince choked back some tears upon hearing his daughter's request, he always did his best to tell his daughter a bedtime story every night.

“As many stories as you want my starfire, as many as your little heart desires.” Stolas answered. He then heard whimpering and he could feel his heart start to break once more hearing her about to cry.

“Are you still a little scared my dear? That I'm not there, and all the sounds outside?” Stolas asked his daughter. Octavia started to cry once again, Stolas could hear her over the phone once more.

“Y-yes.....I'm.....I'm trying to be brave and.....not cry but-” Octavia broke down crying. Oh how desperately Stolas wanted to reach through the phone and hug his daughter tightly, to tell her how things were going to be okay.

“Via dear shhhh shhh it's alright, even the bravest of us get scared, I-I'm actually scared right now.” Stolas did his best to comfort her over the phone.

“Really? But I've never seen you scared.” said Octavia.

“I am now, because I thought I was going to lose you, and I always have to be brave for you, that's how you know everything will be okay, and if it's not okay, then it's not the end, you just have to be brave for tonight, alright?” Stolas said to his daughter.

“I-I'll try.” Octavia told him before he heard a tiny yawn on the other end of the line.

“Sounds like someone is sleepy, ready for that lullaby I promised you?” asked Stolas. Octavia rubbed her eyes as she tired to stay awake “Yes.” Octavia answered sleepily.

“Good, now make yourself comfortable, and pretend you're back home in your bed, safe and sound.” Stolas started to speaking softly. Then a soft melody came through the phone putting almost everyone to sleep, Lyssa curled up under a blanket near her mother, while Octavia used part of Nova's dress as a pillow as she too was fast asleep under the covers. Nova could barely stay awake herself. Arnora slipped the phone back from a sleeping owlet.

“She's asleep Stol.” Arnora told her friend.

“Arnora, thank you so much for this.” Stolas replied.

“What are best friends for, you'd know I'd do anything to make sure my god-daughter is safe, because god's help the one who hurts her.” Arnora nearly snarled. Stolas gave a nervous laugh before he gulped, he knew this hounds temper all too well.

“I have not forgotten your temper, not in the least, and Stella sure hasn't.” replied Stolas. The hound smirked at the name of his wife.

“Chew that bitch out yet?” Arnora asked.

“We had a nice little chat, she's no longer allowed to host parties on days she has to keep an eye on Via, at least until she's older, and the garden's gates leading outside to t he city are going to be locked whenever she's out there.” answered Stolas. Arnora gave a light laugh.

“Really stepping up your game, Stolas you're a great dad, don't let Stella tell you other-wise, she doesn't know you like I do.” Arnora told him, the prince gave a smile.

“Thank you Arnora, I'll see all of you tomorrow.” Stolas told her.

“See you then.” said Arnora before they both hung up their phones, Arnora placed the phone within reach just to be safe before she too covered herself with a blanket and started to fall asleep. In the middle of the night, Nova was stirred awake by soft crying, she looked down in her lap and saw it was Octavia crying.

'Poor thing must be having a nightmare.' thought Nova, she placed her hand on the child's head and started to softly sing to her, just like her father had done.

“You're okay, you're alright, I'll never ever leave your side, I will stay, I will fight, for you.” Nova sang the melody then hummed it as she saw Octavia starting to calm back down. The teen smiled down at the child before falling back asleep herself. What sounded like fireworks woke up Arnora, she looked around and saw the others were still dead asleep, carefully she stood up so as not to wake her daughter. She found a pocket radio she kept on hand in the shelter, she turned it on with a click and heard the Radio Demon, Alastor's voice.

“And it's over now folks, we've gone through yet another Extermination, to those who are alive, well done you, just hope you can survive through to next year and-” Arnora turned it off, all she wanted to hear was that it was at last done with.

“Good we can take her home now, rise and shine everyone, we lived.” Arnora turned to her friends.

“It's really over?” Nova asked as Octavia yawned and rubbed her eyes trying to wake up, Lyssa stretched out a little. The larger hound nodded, if she wasn't already sitting down Nova would have fainted back onto the floor.

“Now to get you home Octavia, your dad has probably pulled out half of his feathers with stress worrying about you.” Arnora told the owlet, before standing up, Octavia hugged Nova's waist.

“Thank you for staying with me Nova.” Octavia told her. Nova couldn't help but hug the little girl back. Arnora unlocked the door and motioned for her two companions to follow her. Lyssa stepped out ahead of them and waited in an apartment stairwell.

“Bye bye Lys!” Octavia called out to her friend and waved.

“See ya later Via!” Lyssa shouted towards her friend as they left.

Arnora guided them through the city, avoiding where the turf wars were being raged, and punched away creeps or showed her teeth to them. When Octavia felt herself becoming tired she asked Nova to carry her. The hound was surprised how well the two were getting along, almost like they were sisters, the same way her pup got along with the owlet, there was something about this young lady. The sight of purple starry colored walls came into view, Arnora knew those walls.

“I can see the walls of the Palace, almost there.” Arnora told them.

“You should meet daddy big sister Nova, he might like you.” Octavia told her new sister figure.

“Um, I-I don't know if might like me Via honey, I-I'm pretty shy when meeting others.” Nova explained. Arnora chuckled at what she heard.

“Well he isn't shy at all, his wife on the other hand....I feel like I need to keep a spray bottle of holy water on hand for that witch.” said Arnora. There must be some bad blood between these two women to go at each others throats like this.

“You really hate her that much?” Nova asked the hound, they arrived at the gate. “Hate doesn't being to cover it.” answered Arnora as the gate opened up. At the foot of the steps was a tall owl man, looking so worried to the point where he might give out, his red eyes wide.

“Pacing at the steps, just like I thought.” Arnora told herself.

“Is that?” Nova started to ask.

“Yep, Prince Stolas, Via's dad.” answered Arnora. Octavia caught sight of the taller owl pacing in front of the palace, she felt her heart light up at the sight of her father, just as he promised, he was waiting for all of them, waiting for her.

“Daddy!” Octavia called out. Stolas stopped pacing, wondering if he was hearing things, it was his daughter's voice, it wasn't over a phone this time. “Octavia?!” Stolas called out, when he turned, he saw his Hellhound friend and another young lady, and in her arms was his daughter, safe. Nova placed Octavia on the ground. Stolas ran out as he saw his daughter running to him.

“Oh Octavia! You're safe!” Stolas cried out as he scooped his daughter into his arms and held her tightly, scared she was going to vanish, he kissed the top of her head as tears of joy fell from his eyes.

“I-I'm sorry daddy.....I didn't mean to leave the garden and-and...” Octavia started to cry on his shoulder. This time he was actually here for her, Stolas pulled her off his shoulder and used a finger to wipe away her stray tears.

“It's alright Via, I have my starfire back safe in my arms again, that's all I care about, I thought I'd lost you forever, because of your mother.” Stolas comforted his daughter all while trying not to cry himself as he held her tightly, he felt a hand on his shoulder.

“Stol, she's alive, that's what matters, deal with Stel later.” Arnora told her friend. Stolas took a few deep breaths. Then looked at his daughter.

“You're right, I am taking the day off from meetings and whatever needs to be done, and spending the day with my daughter.” Stolas said.

“Really?” Octavia asked. He nodded.

“Anything you want to do today Via, we'll do it, go to the park, get ice cream, go stargazing, whatever you want to do.” answered Stolas as he hugged her again.

“But you need to meet big sister Nova first.” said Octavia. The prince had almost forgotten about his daughter's savior, he could see the teen trying not to be noticed, she looked away from him as he approached her. Nova gulped, she was far too nervous.

“You must be Nova.” said Stolas. She quickly bow to him.

“I-I am sire.” Nova answered, she dare not look up at and closed her eyes to be sure she didn't look at him, but he spoke with a kind voice to her.

“Your eyes, may I see them?” Stolas asked her.

“Really?” Nova replied to him. Stolas smiled at her.

“I can tell a lot about someone by looking into their eyes, and your voice sounds just as beautiful as it did over the phone.” answered Stolas. Trembling from the nervousness she felt, Nova raised her head and opened her eyes, the prince was taken back, he had never seen such eyes like these before.

“Eyes like amethysts, such a rare color, you have such beautiful eyes dear.” Stolas told her. Nova felt her heart racing when she saw the owl prince this close, but to say she had beauty was something she had never heard before.

“I-I-I have to leave, I'm glad Octavia's safe with you again, goodbye!” exclaimed Nova before she ran for the palace gate. “Wait I-” Stolas tried to follow her but by the time he reach the gate she had rounded the corner and was gone.

“I haven't thanked you properly.” Stolas added. Octavia looked up her father before looked back onto the street.

“Where did she go daddy?” asked Octavia.

“She might have had to go home dear.” Stolas answered her as he hugged her again and Octavia hugged her father back.

“Will I see her again? I really liked her.” Octavia told him, Stolas smiled.

“Maybe, you might find her again or she might find us, the world works in mysterious ways, and the stars might a line for us to see her again, someday when you're older.” Stolas told her. Octavia giggle as she felt her father's forehead against her own.

“But let's get you back inside, you've been through enough the last two days.” added Stolas as they returned into the palace walls. Nova peaked out from the wall she hid behind to get one last look at the kind owl prince, she had never felt her heart race before until she saw him.

'A prince, and I just ran off! He said I have beautiful eyes and voice, no one has ever told me that.....' thought Nova. She placed her hand over her chest, she felt a tiny smile upon her face and her face starting to feel warmth from the blushing.

'I want to see him again, one day.' Nova thought to herself one more time before she started the way home.

#fanfic #oc x cc #stolas helluva boss #helluva ocs #helluva octavia

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queen-ofsunflowers · 3 years ago

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Are Ren and the Phantom thieves gonna infiltrate one of Mitsuru's balls for Intel on the Shadow Operatives in Monsters & Magic AU? Bonus points for trying to avoid Ryoji, Minato, Aigis, and Kotone there. Double bonus points for Ren knowing EXACTLY where Minato and Ryoji would sneak away from the party to.

Are Ren and the Phantom Thieves gonna be kept in the dark about the Shadow operatives throughout his arc? I mean the fact that his cousins' are part of an organization that exterminates shadows will probably be a HUGE shock to him.

I hope you don't mind that I answer these two at once, mostly because they both lead to the same answer.

Ren has no idea that the Shadow Operatives even exist until after the stuff with Okumura goes down, right around the beginning of Sae's Palace. I mean, he knows about them but he doesn't KNOW if that makes any sense. Even then, the Thieves do get suspicious about what the fuck the Shadow Operatives are at the beginning of the Okumura arc thanks to Futaba.

Prior to everything going down, the only thing Ren really knows about what his cousins' do for a living is that they're involved with the Kirijo Group in some way, and that the work they do is important. That's about it. The Shadow Operatives, because of how things work in this AU, are much more secretive about their work than I think they are in canon. The only ones who really know about it prior to P5 are obviously Kotone's parents and Ren's father for various reasons. Eventually the rest of the family is gonna find out after shit hits the fan and Ren has to fake his death but... ya know. It is what it is.

So, long story short, Ren initially doesn't know what the Shadow Operatives are or what they do until Sae's Palace arc starts.

#It's a fun little reveal if we're being honest #i have fun with it anyway #monsters and magic au #queen answers #anonymous #ren amamiya #minato arisato #ryoji mochizuki #the shadow operatives

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amarantestarsxspacexsea-archived · 3 years ago

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Late as always to the party but anyway...

Good ole’ Husk will be hunkering down and drinking in the Hazbin Happy Hotel. If Nifty needs help cleaning, he’ll offer a paw. And then an unwilling ear to those wanting to drink at his bar.

Pentious will be hiding in this blimp with the egg bois. He’ll retaliate if necessary and push others away from his hiding spot. Unless ya’ll have some semi-positive cr with him, don’t expect him to be friendly.

Tentadora will be guarding Damian and anyone in the confides of the palace. Any exterminator that dares cross her will be eliminated. She doesn’t fuck around when comes to protecting those see cares about.

And bonus round:

Drake’ll be guarding his part of the city and take down exterminators that attack anyone he deems “innocent”. If working for Vox, he’ll be protecting Vox’s interests and by extension anyone that associates with his boss. If at the Hotel, he’s patrolling the area to keep exterminators at bay.

Jim will hunker down in his own hideout during the extermination, and probably push sinners desperately trying to find a hiding spot out, y’know for laughs. If he crosses any angels, he won’t show mercy.

#{ ooc }#{ drake verse | hazbin hotel }#{ jim verse | hazbin hotel }

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dontasktheradiodemon · 4 years ago

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Sitting Room #1 (12/31/2020)

Click here if you’re like “what the heck is this about?”

Alastor decides that today is a good day to lay on top of a piano and sing. Valera @autokrates decides to accompany by playing the piano. Angel @sluttyspiderpolkacock plummets out of the sky and kills Alastor in one shot.

Alastor

What do we have here!

Alastor's been wandering the estate scouting out sources of entertainment—when he crosses paths with a sitting room stocked with a gorgeous grand piano. Entertainment located.

He trots over, plays a few keys to make sure it's in tune, considers his options, and then hops up to sit on top of the piano. Nice! Sturdy. He lays down on the piano.

What kind of song is appropriate to play while laying on a piano?

He thinks for a moment; then summons up his microphone, kills the lights, sends his shadow to play a dramatic arpeggio, rolls dramatically onto his back, and sings into the mic, "At first I was afraid~ I was petrified~"

Valera

Valera was happily sitting in the gardens, enjoying the ocean breeze of their home planet, the rustling of the leaves and the perfume of the flowers. It was only them and their thoughts out here.

How serene, how calm. You'd never guess their house was full of overpowered sinners hiding from a mass execution. All their fears were assuaged, not a single of the myriad of terrible incidents they'd expected had come to pass...

Wait. Was that... The opening bars for I Will Survive? Was that *Alastor* they saw through the gauzy curtains?

Fuck being alone with their thoughts, they *had* to get in on that good time. Hope Alastor doesn't mind if they hop right through an open window to offer some backing brass for his piano!

Alastor

Alastor sits up when the room is suddenly invaded—oh, how wonderful! There aren’t all that many places where you can start a musical number and fitting musical accompaniment just barges in! He’d thought he’d have to summon up his own private brass band.

Hand on his chest and hamming up as much as he can, he goes on, “Kept thinking *I* could never *live* without you *by my side*~”

Valera

Look at the man go, Gloria Gaynor would be proud. They plop themselves down next to his shadow on the bench, humming along under their breath while they ready themselves for their cue. In fact, while they're here...

A twitch of a fin, and a hazy amber spotlight flickers into existence to shine down on Alastor. There, mood lighting for the star of the show. Nothing but the best for a guest!

Alastor

Oh! Look at that! Proper lighting! They could be in Hell’s finest jazz club. Alastor’s really warming to his new role as a diva. “But then I spent so many nights, thinking how you did me wrong, and I grew strong~ I learned how to get along~”

He winks at Valera—time to really let loose—and belts out, “And now you’re *back*, from *outer space*—!”

Angel

Shielding his face from the glass, Angel continues to fall as he wildly fishes through his fluff for the charm Valera gave him for emergencies. It was so nice ( for his once human aesthetic appreciation ) that he told himself he'd never have to use it.

Then again, putting himself in this predicament wasn't exactly a conscious decision of his either. Making a clean enough break to salvage as he fell to his certain death was an unorthodox placement of priorities, but time was wasting. SOMETHING flashed before his eyes.

_ " ... And now you're **back!** From **outer space - !** " _

_Alastor...? I thought this was gonna be takin' me to Valer -_

And DOWN he sailed like a crimson comet into a cacophonous landing of glass, rattling keys, strings, once immaculately polished wood, and ( 1 ) local Radio Demon. A singular beat of moaning and groaning before he locked eyes with the island's Hostess with the Galactic Mostest and sprung to his feet, hip popped and arms dramatically jazzed.

" CIAO, MI LUCE DEI MIEI OTTO OCCHI ~ !! How's my BABY ~ ? "

Valera

An inhale as Valera prepares to start laying into the trumpet, smiling around the mouthpiece as Alastor belts out the lyrics. An inhale, and-- uh oh.

A tingle runs up their spine, eyes widening as they drop the instrument and jolt to their feet. Too late for any warning, here comes Angel, streaking from the ceiling in a blaze of glory and glass and splinters flying up from the shattered remains of their poor undeserving piano. They'd be more upset if they weren't immediately distracted by Angel Dust's darling voice.

Beaming fin to fin, Valera lunges forward to wrap their arms around their friend, tail all awiggle behind them as they bury their face in tit fluff. "Il mio amore! Mio caro! I'm so glad you could make it! Seapup is doing great, he'll be over the moon to see you here." A happy sigh, and they look up at Angel through his fluff and purr... Wait. Shit. Pull back, they have to peer around him to the wreck of the piano where their diva had once been.

"Alastor, do you need a medic?"

Alastor

Of all the ways to go, Alastor wasn’t expecting a meteor made out of red velvet.

And then the meteor climbs off of him and starts speaking Italian.

Alastor blinks up at the ceiling, half-dazed. “Probably, but that’s never stopped me before.” He sits up gingerly, leveraging himself out of the pile of devastated piano. “You know—I actually came to this universe to *avoid* getting murdered by an angel.”

Angel

It was very possible to not have enough arms with which to hug a dear friend, even when you had six. Angel gave her a big squeeze, tight enough to momentarily lift clawed feet from the floor as he nuzzled his face between her horns.

" GREAT! Place blew like ya wouldn't BELIEVE, Babe. Emergency getaway fa SURE ~ " he sang with a flash of an open palm of charm debris, which would promptly disappear into his fluff before he swept his cloak behind him.

" ALASTOR! THERE ya went! " Angel extended his hands to offer some help. " Ya ok? Sorry about that, uh, sudden change a plans. "

Valera

Oh to be a fish wrapped in the arms of a spider. What warmth, what comfort. A few seconds of bliss leave Valera's hearts feeling ready to melt, what could be better! A mental note to see about getting Angel Dust another charm, and she moves around to look Alastor over from a barely respectful distance. Poor thing got GOT.

Alastor

He sure did get got. He actually takes Angel’s hand to help haul himself up. “It’s not the change of plans I mind so much as your choice of landing pad!” Audience laughter. He cracks his back a few odd angles, then straightens out and starts brushing himself off. “You were at some big overlord shindig, weren’t you? Did the exterminators get in?” Oh, wouldn’t that be a delightful way to ring in the new year, getting rid of that rotten lot. The only overlords he cared about were either not the type to go to such a party or else excluded from the exterminations anyway. “Glad *you* made it out.”

Angel

" Uh... " It was settling in little by little, now. The foreboden consequences of his actions. " Yeah! They did! Uh, I wouldn't check into the place right now! Y'know, signals goin' haywire, S. O. S. 's off the shitshow... Thinkin' of it's givin' ME a headache, so I can't IMAGINE what it'd be doin' t' YOU, Smiles... Lucky ME though, ah? " _He used to be a much better liar._ Angel's ceaselessly sheepish smile left little to be assumed. Knowing this, he whipped back towards Valera, arms wildly animated as ever. " SO! How's e'ryone holdin' up over here? " He started a strut about the room, testing the soreness of his leading leg. " Ya DO have room fa one more in this fancy schmancy pad, yeah? "

Valera

She steps back, satisfied that Alastor wasn't about to keel over dead, and reaches out to take two of Angel's hands in hers to squeeze. Friend is here, nothing else matters yet! Even if the way he's acting is super sus, he's probably in shock from his DYNAMIC ENTRY to an ALIEN PLANET. That's the story she's sticking with until proven otherwise. Nobody needs that stress.

"Everyone's doing great, Angel! We've got four different Alastors, two Pentiouses, and we haven't even had any..." A glance towards her ex-piano. Another glance towards the radio demon brushing himself off. "... *Major* damage! I'll show you your room, if you want!"

Alastor

“No major damage *yet,* anyway! There’s still time to knock down a lighthouse or two!” He sounds absolutely gleeful.

At the moment, he doesn’t trust Angel at all. The dramatic entrance is perfectly fine, of course—he’d do no less himself—it’s this *insistence* that Alastor not check in on their universe. He absolutely needs to check in on it, as soon as possible.

But he’d rather hear about it from Angel first.

Not in front of their host, though. For the moment, he continues quietly straightening out his clothes and bones.

Angel

" PROPERTY DAMAGE ~ " he sang with a playful swing of their clasped hands, " Ain't a party wit'out a HEFFER of a BILL... " Angel then shadowed Valera's glances. Might be true of _some_ places, but certainly not HERE, his best friend's grand estate they've opened to such a handful of sinners out of the goodness of their heart.

" Sorry... about ya piano, though. I'll get ya a new one! " _No, you won't._ " I've got connections! " _Not anymore._ " Might not 'ave any special Veci designin' on it, but I'll do ya good! " _You just made THE worst mistake of your life. You're fresh OUT of GOOD._

**_YOU'RE never gonna know peace AGAIN._**

" I'm ON YA TAIL. Lead the way ~ " Angel belted playfully with a brush of those flickering fins and a glance back at Alastor. " Ya all good, there? If y'all wanna finish ya song later, I've got m'strings on me ~ "

Valera

"What, you want to replace my piano?" She scoffs, arms reaching up to give Angel's shoulders a gentle squeeze before dropping down to twine a hand with his. "Darling. Mio caro, I don't care about that old thing. You're alive! You made it here! You're in one piece! That's all that matters to me."

Trilling cheerfully, she rocks in place. Hand in hand with her best friend, safe in her home, decidedly not murdered by Heaven's dogs. The ominous stress could come later, for now she had to be a host. "We'll get you set up with a room, get you a warm meal, and then we can all play some music together, since you've so *generously* offered. Sound good to you two?"

Alastor

"Considering what happened the last time I tried to sing it, I think continuing 'I Will Survive' would be tempting fate." He plays the whistling sound of a falling missile and a distant explosion. "You don't both need me there to assign a room, do you? Perhaps I should head down to the kitchen and get that warm meal going!" Angel certainly hadn't gotten anything to eat at that big overlord function, Alastor would bet anything on that.

Angel

Angel clung to Valera's words and the way she fussed over him with such tender loving care like a lifeline. _This_ was what he deserved, ( wasn't it? ) He planted a kiss off her temple and smiled meekly. " Sounds good t' me! But uh, " he started with a sweep of a free arm in Alastor's direction, " Ya just gonna up an' be a host e'rywhere ya go? Valera ain't got this place staffed better than ours so you can chill? I'm already here, an' no one CRASHES as hard as ME ~ "

Valera

"Oh, I don't know, Alastor. Maybe tempting fate is where the REAL entertainment is."

Valera snorts, idly plucking a few stray splinters off of Angel's fluff. "I'm pretty sure I'd have to hold him at gunpoint to keep Alastor out of the kitchen. And unlike you, I simply don't have enough arms to keep all four in check. You might as well accept your fate of trying alien cuisine prepared by the radio host himself."

Alastor

“TEMPTING fate, sure! But it loses some of its charm when fate succumbs to temptation and pile drives me!” He pauses thoughtfully. “Although ‘falling man lands on innocent grand piano’ is a delightfully ironic twist, isn’t it?”

He flings an arm around Angel’s shoulders. “You’d rather have me cooking, anyway! Valera’s helpfully provided a list of Veci recipes that are *edible* to humans—but I’ve been tweaking them to make them *palatable* to humans.” Palatable by Alastor’s standards, anyway, which are either “freakishly high” or “raw bloody meat” with basically nothing in between.

Angel

Angel combed some more splinters from his chest with his hand before abruptly bending his knees to level with Alastor's pull. " Guinea piggin' it is, then! I don't think ya ever made anythin' I passed on. " Raw bloody meat included. _Everything_ was appetizing after a hard day's work. " DO ya worst ~ " With a pat of his back, he again took Valera's hand. " I'll sample the edible stuff anyways, t' compare an' not let all ya hard work go wastin' ~ "

Valera

Gods, Angel was comically tall compared to the other two, it was easy to forget that the spindly spider was slouching all the time. She purrs and gives Angel's hand a squeeze, bumping her nose to his cheek in the approximation of a kiss. "You're a peach."

A moment, and she turns to lead Angel away. So much to do! Did she have brushes..? Yes, she could brush him off, make sure he was splinter free without needing a whole shower... Don't mind her, she's already ten steps ahead trying to figure out how many extra pillows she should put on his bed.

Alastor

“Sample shmample! You’re getting a full plate. I’ll bet the closest thing you got to a proper meal at that party of yours was an olive in your martini.” He half-bows in farewell, and leaves them to head for the kitchen.

Angel

_Well he wasn't WRONG._ If memory served him, that last shot wasn't meant for his taking, either. Lightly chewing the inside of his cheek, he gave Alastor a shallow curtsy and fell into Valera's stride.

" So ~ ! " Angel whistled as he panned his sights over the architecture and decor of the hallway, affectionately hooking his arms about Valera's elbow and shoulders. " How big IS this place? I been t' Hell's palace fa a job before, but if I learned ANYTHIN' about VECI... " He snorted to himself before he could even finish his joke. " Y'all's style is... _outta this world ~_ "

Valera

Valera saunters along, an arm looping around Angel in return to give him the gentlest squeeze. "That joke was *terrible*, darling. As far as the estate goes? Fifty bedrooms, twenty of which are meant for guests, twenty nine for staff, and then the master bedroom. Though I'd call it more of a master apartment, the previous owner sure liked having plenty of space to themselves."

The size of the place was really one of the reasons Val barely ever visited this place, too much room. But that made it perfect for this visit. Space, isolation, plenty of areas for sinners to hide away if they needed privacy... And bedrooms big enough for the stupidly tall sinners to feel comfortable in. Here's Angel's! A twelve by ten four poster bed, white marble and gold from floor to ceiling, a balcony suitable for any necessary brooding or swooning over a sea view... Just what a spider needed. Plus a tiny orange ball comfortably sleeping in the middle of that luxurious bed, but don't mind him.

#extermination party palace #autokrates #sluttyspiderpolkacock #chat log

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cela-astral-projection · 5 years ago

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Once again she steals away. Then she reaches out to kiss me. And how she takes my breath away. Pretending that she won't miss me. Oh, I would bleed to love her.

"He busted his fucking head in..."

"Oh, yeah. Scourge is a vicious son of a bitch. But, that motherfucker sure did a number on him. I thought I saw his guts spilling out..."

"Get them out, Captain." Celeste bit out at Aedan, looking over her shoulder. Her jaw was tense, and her eyes were narrowed. He gave a curt nod and stepped out of the cell.

"Hey, clear out! Scourge needs some space," he called down the hall at the other guards. "We need hot, clean water and some cloths. Towels...something. Go get it sorted."

Celeste's visage fell back on Muriel, and it was pure compassion. He was gripping the sides of the bed, unquestionably in agony, knuckles white. She brought her hand to his cheek, and he flinched away with a roar, snapping his eyes shut.

Celeste recoiled a bit. Not out of fear, but out of respect. It also wouldn't be the first time she had been accidentally struck by an injured patient, lashing out in pain. "I'm sorry. I should have warned you. You have to let me touch you, though. It will help with the pain."

Celeste could hear the grinding of his teeth. See the way his body was tensed, slick with sweat and carnage. She wasn't sure if he could even hear her in his distress.

"Muriel, I'm going to touch your face. Stay with me, okay?" she said, her voice calm but firm.

She rested her hand gently on his cheek and closed her eyes. As the magic radiated into him, she could feel him relax. His tension ebbing away.

"There we go," she whispered, stroking her thumb over his cheekbone comfortingly. She felt his hand fall from the bed, limp. He gave a whimper, and Celeste opened her eyes. He was looking up at her, eyes heavy-lidded. She could see the confusion. "It's okay. You're going to go to sleep, and you'll feel much better when you wake up. I'm going to take care of you."

Before she could even finish, his eyes fell shut. Her hand lingered at his cheek.

Should she be afraid of him? She knew how he had become wounded. She knew what he was doing. She knew that this was not only Muriel’s blood that stained him.

That there would be no helping the other contender.

He was doing his job. Just like Aric. Just like her.

She shook her head to dismiss the thoughts that raced, reaching down to her bag. She pulled a small metal tray and a bottle of antiseptic fluid. She rinsed her hands and arms up to the elbow.

She lifted the cloth that had been stanching the bleeding. The skin was flayed, and the wound was long and deep.

"Captain, do you know if the Count has cleared out?" she called back, and Aedan stepped back into the cell.

"Why are you asking?"

"It's...a bad wound. I need to know what I should and...shouldn't do."

How much magic is too much magic?

"I don't think he's gone. He likes to come down and prod...fix what you can internally so he doesn't bleed out and stitch the rest."

She scrutinized the wound. "How long before Lucio has got him back out in the arena?"

Aedan shook his head. "We don't have anyone else in custody. It could be days or weeks. It depends on Lucio's mood."

Celeste sighed, somewhat panicked. "I can't stitch him. They won't hold. It'll be six weeks before he's healed enough. If he's lucky. It's in the muscle. He needs surgery, and I'm not set up for that."

"Then...do your thing, and we'll deal with the consequences later." Aedan countered, not sure what to do.

She shook her head, staring at the wound. There was no good answer. She couldn’t do the right thing. "Lucio knows how wounds heal. You've seen that arm. And you can't tell me nobody else ever landed a blow on him." she said, mostly to herself, running the mental acrobatics in her head.

"Should I get the Magician? What about Red?" Aedan asked.

"No...Asra wouldn't be able to keep a clear head. Muriel needs help now. It'd take Julian too long to get here." she muttered.

She bit her lip, considering when she heard voices from up the corridor.

"Incoming," Aedan whispered before going to attention.

Celeste made a quick wave over the wound, concentrating on healing the vessels and tissues that were most affected. She could feel them stitch and reassemble under her palm. It wasn't perfect, but she didn't have time for perfection. It would serve for now.

Lucio was laughing. Probably half-drunk, if not totally soused. He was flanked by Valerius and Vulgora. The Countess trailed behind with a group of diplomats.

"How is our Champ--" Lucio started, sweeping in. "Aw, fuck. Is he dead?" His face looked equal parts confused and disappointed.

Celeste looked over her shoulder, not moving from her crouched position. "Another inch or so and he might have been." She measured her tone, though she was certain her face spoke volumes. "He's drugged, for the pain."

"Can't 'cha wake him up? I brought guests! I wanna show him off."

"He took an ax to his stomach, My Lord." Aedan offered. "I think perhaps we should let him rest. He's not exactly his beautiful self right at the moment."

Lucio went up on tiptoe, catching the still mostly-opened wound and the viscera that coated him, which seemed to sober him a bit. "You sure he ain't dead? Looks pretty dead."

"My Lord..." she said, forcing the words. "He's going to need to convalesce at the Palace once I get him stable. I need him close to hand in case Quaestor Valdemar, or Doctor Devorak needs to intervene."

"No!" Vulgora bellowed, shrill and harsh, pushing forward past Lucio. "He's too hard to restrain! It's not safe to take him out of his cell! You can treat him here, or not at all."

Celeste flinched at the voice but steeled herself. "That's fine, Pontifex. Would you like me to start digging his grave? Because if we leave him here with an open wound of this size, it's going to fester. It's not safe to stitch. It's going to need to be packed and dressed so it can heal. And, more to the point, He's going to need surgery. He needs to be monitored and in a more sterile environment. He won't live if this gets infected. And it will." She gestured vaguely to the filth that surrounded them. "He's your Gladiator. He deserves better than a slow, painful death in a dank cell, rotting from the outside in. Do you know what gut wounds look like when they fester and go putrid? What they smell like?"

The Diplomats, Nadia, and Valerius, and Aedan had all gone a shade of green. Lucio was wide-eyed. Vulgora was unmoved.

Nadia, after taking a sharp inhale of breath to compose herself, stepped forward. "Darling, she has a point. A dead gladiator does not have quite the...drawing power. You've put so much work into the Coliseum. I don't think you'll find another Scourge." She offered, looking past him to Celeste, with a silent sympathetic glance.

Celeste bowed her head, thankful for the assist. Her gaze then fell back on Lucio, but her expression softened somewhat, imploring him.

Lucio looked torn. He clearly had not planned on having to make these types of decisions today.

Valerius, clearly disgusted by the whole display, and growing bored, rolled his eyes. "The fiscal implications of losing the Asset would be...notable." he volunteered, "And he is well-liked, for whatever reason. Should he pass from a flesh wound, I dare say there would be quite an upheaval." His measured tone turned wicked. "If we're going to exterminate him, we should sell tickets."

Aedan, thoroughly shocked at his sister's boldness, and the Consul's cruelty, decided to intercede, if for no other reason than to redirect some of the backlash. "If it would appease Pontifex Vulgora and satisfy his Lordship, I will personally oversee security in the interim...should he be permitted to convalesce in the palace." His gaze fixed straight ahead. But he felt Vulgora's lizard-like eyes burning holes in him, and he couldn't help but pull a face, bracing for impact.

Lucio groaned. "Fine! Fine. I don't have all day to stand around debating. Get him ready for transport. I want him on his feet before the week is out."

Celeste opened her mouth to protest, but Aedan shot her a look and mouthed, "Shut the fuck up." Aedan knew this was the best possible outcome, and it wasn't wise to push for more out of Lucio, especially flanked by the Consul and Pontifex.

Celeste pressed her lips into a firm line and stood, straightening herself. She took a deep breath and inclined her head to Lucio with all the faux gratitude she could muster. "Thank you, My Lord. Most charitable."

Lucio's eyes flashed at her tone, and Aedan's rolled back in his head.

Lucio made to step towards her, his fists, alchemical and flesh, clenched. Jaw set. But, Nadia caught his arm.

"Oh, Darling. We shouldn't keep our guests waiting any longer. And, our Champion needs to be taken into care. Let's go home. I'm sure dinner will be waiting." Nadia said, her tone pleading and loving.

Lucio turned to her, and Nadia batted her eyelashes at him. Anyone who knew their dynamic knew that it was performative. She was threatening him, like a mother redirecting her wayward child. Gentle but intimidating.

Lucio huffed, defeated. He turned his eyes back on Celeste. "One week." He repeated, his tone seething.

Celeste nodded, giving her assent. "One week."

Lucio swept out with his party, all but Vulgora, trailing.

Vulgora lingered for a moment longer, fixing Celeste with a look that made her intestines writhe. She set her jaw, trying not to let her fear creep into her features. Aedan moved to her side.

"Pontifex?" he implored cautiously, eyebrow raised, hand at the hilt of his sword.

Their eyes narrowed, and they bared their teeth.

Then, the tension was cut by a whistle. Lucio, calling out for them to follow. Vulgora growled, irritated, then whirled out, spinning on their heel, sprinting away.

The twins deflated simultaneously.

"By the Gods, Linn. When did you grow such a shiny spine?" Aedan asked. His tone was not precisely respectful. "You're lucky you have the executioner incapacitated. You might have been the last thing on his to-do list before they put you both in the ground."

"One of us has to maintain our backbone." she hissed, shaking her head. "Come on, we're burning daylight. I'm going to try to pack the wound, you get me a carriage. A fucking wagon. Anything. And enough men to move him carefully."

"How many do you think that is?" Aedan asked, genuinely curious.

"He's almost seven feet tall, and he's got to be hovering around 300 pounds of pure muscle. And it's all dead weight. Do the mental math, Brother," she said, back on her knees, digging in her bag for gauze and saline.

Aedan's eyes were darting back and forth, genuinely trying to run the numbers in his head.

"Aric Axel," Celeste spat out, "just go. I don't have time."

"Going, going." He said, jolted from his stupor.

Muriel woke in unfamiliar surroundings. It smelled...clean. Cedar and antisceptic. It was dim, but the candlelight was bright enough to burn his eyes when they flickered open, and he winced, squinting against the light.

He tried to move but felt constricted at the waist. He brought his hand down and found rough fabric binding his core.

Every movement hurt. Intense tension and a dull throbbing. His head felt foggy. He thought he heard...singing. Footsteps. Water sloshing. He let his head fall back, already exhausted. Softness below him. A pillow. He hadn't had a pillow in...years. A mattress. A blanket.

He winced a bit when he heard the thud of something being placed at the bedside.

He felt the bindings at his waist loosen as hands undid fastenings. And, the pain intensified as the restriction slackened. He gave a loud groan, his head lolling to the side, trying to catch his breath.

"Muriel?"

He cracked an eye open, though he didn't need to. He knew that voice. He knew it from the song she sang. The smell of her perfume.

Celeste.

Asra's Celeste.

"Welcome back to the land of the living," she said, her tone sweet. "How bad is the pain?"

He opened his mouth to speak, but found his tongue dry. He huffed a bit, but the expansion of his chest and abdomen from drawing a deep breath sent a wave of pain through him. And the contraction of his body only amplified it more.

Celeste grabbed his hand firmly between hers squeezing. "I've got you," she said, and he could feel tendrils of energy flowing up through his veins. The pain subsiding as it entered his chest and spilled into his stomach. Effervescent, like bubbles under his skin.

He felt like he could breathe again, and took another tentative breath.

"Be careful, it's just pain relief. You can still strain yourself and tear something. Doctor did a pretty good patch job, but...you're going to be down for a bit."

Celeste's hands were small and warm in his, but her grip was firm.

Once he had relaxed, she laid his hand back down on the mattress and reached for a cup of water. "Here, wet your lips. Little sips." She brought the cup to his lips.

He couldn't entirely open his eyes for any length of time, so he allowed her to administer the fluids. There were a few trickles that escaped him, but she was quick with a clean cloth, dabbing away the excess.

"Is that better?" she asked, laying the cup aside.

"Mm," Muriel grunted. "How long...was I asleep? Where am I?" His voice was still raspy.

"About a day. You're in the palace. In a servant's room."

"Why?" he said, his tone abrupt, but perplexed.

"I had to get you out of there. You needed surgery."

"Or what? I would have...bled out?"

Celeste raised an eyebrow. "That's one possibility."

"Delaying the inevitable."

Celeste made a noise in the back of her throat, the nursing part of her provoked by his lack of self-preservation. Muriel, for what little he allowed her to know of him, had always been a defeatist. She wasn't exactly caught off guard. "Perhaps. But, I try not to let patients and friends die on my watch. Die on someone else's time."

"Friends?" he scoffed.

"Mmhm. Like it or not." Celeste retorted. Though, it stung. They had spent many hours together. Long nights, with Asra. Occasionally on her own.

She liked Muriel. To put it mildly. Though, her feelings were anything but mild.

She wondered when she would be able to stop coaxing him like a stray cat with cream. No matter what she tried, he always seemed to be indifferent.

Celeste had never been all that concerned with who liked or disliked her. It was of little consequence. But, with Muriel...it mattered.

Of course, practically, she knew he was well within his rights to be morose. She would be, too, were she in his place.

"I have to change your dressings. That's why I was taking the binding off. Let me know if you need any more pain relief."

Muriel felt her hands, and the supremely unsettling sensation of fabric being moistened then pulled from the open wound in his stomach. He hissed, though there was no pain.

Celeste examined the removed dressings. She was satisfied with their color. A bit of blood, but nothing too concerning. The wound itself was clean. A few strategically placed internal stitches. Julian had done an excellent job. She could have healed it to near perfection if she'd been able to use her magic, but...it just wasn't safe.

"It will scar. But...scars give character." She offered as she carefully cleaned the site.

Muriel was squirming a bit, the sensation astonishingly unfamiliar. It bothered him. Even in his unease, he was able to bite out a "Fuck character."

Celeste gave a weak chuckle as she repacked the wound with dry gauze, making quick work of it. She placed some fresh cloths over the site and rebound his abdomen. Tight enough to pull the injury together to promote closure.

"When's the last time you ate?" She asked.

"I...I'm not sure," Muriel answered, searching his memory.

"What do you think you can eat? I'd like to try to load you up while I have you, but I'm afraid to force too much and make you sick."

"Don't worry about me."

Celeste patted his cheek. "Don't argue with the Nurse. You're mine for the next six days. Like it or not. There are guards all over, and you are in no condition to run."

"Six days?" he asked, skeptical, and a bit dismayed.

"Yes, Sir," she answered, with almost a lilt in her tone. "Why? Do you want to go back to the dungeon?"

Muriel sighed. "I'm not sure which is worse. Being in Lucio's dungeon or being in his palace."

"I haven't been on your side of things, fortunately. I'd say that a palace is a superior option, all told." she offered, diplomatically. "But, I get the spirit of what you're saying...and I agree. Proximity can certainly breed contempt. And he is...contemptuous, to begin with."

Celeste reached her hand up and stroked an errant hair from his face, fingers lingering at his temple. "Do you want to try to eat? You look tired, still."

"I'll...try," he said, his tone quiet.

"I'll be back in a moment." She smoothed his hair back, then stood. She had just started to move away when Muriel caught her wrist.

"Can I... have that bread? That Asra brings? He asked, eyes half open and voice unsure.

Celeste smiled down at him and nodded. "I'm sure that can be arranged."

"If it's not...too much trouble," he added.

"Don't backpedal when the wish is granted, sweetheart." She slid her hand up into his and gave it an affectionate squeeze. "In fact, you've inspired me."

Muriel had lapsed back into sleep by the time Aedan arrived, escorting the baker. He fixed Celeste with an exasperated look. "Your...' baker. '"

Celeste grinned broadly. "I trust you didn't run into any trouble, Captain? Selasi?"

Aedan closed the door as they stepped into the room, eyes narrowed. "You are pushing your luck."

Celeste rolled her eyes. "That will be all, Captain," she said, waving her hand to dismiss him.

He made a noise of annoyance as he backed out of the room, shutting the door loudly behind him. He then reopened the door and apologized before slinking back out. Muriel stirred for a moment, then stilled, the sound of his snoring echoing off the walls.

When they were alone, Selasi crossed the room to Celeste, a bundle in his hands. He laid the bread on a bedside table and drew a ragged breath. Celeste extended her arms to him, and he stepped into the circle of her embrace. Celeste stared up at him.

Purple eyes.

"Thank you for coming, Love."

Asra bent and rested his forehead against Celeste's. It felt...odd. She was significantly shorter than him, but in this body, the effect was amplified. He was broader, rounder, taller.

"Should I take the glamour off? I think It might worry Muriel...But I don't want to give myself away, either."

Celeste nodded. "It's been quiet, so far. The Captain is...aware of our situation."

"And you trust him?"

"With my life."

"I assume there's a story there."

"Long one, yeah."

"Want to share?"

"Not today."

Asra gave her an incredulous look. Getting her to open up about her past was like...pulling teeth. All the same, he knew, generally, when he was being lied to. He never got that sense from her.

Someday she would open up.

His visage shifted, and he seemed to melt, like snow flooding into water. And then, Asra was restored to her.

"How...is he?"

Celeste shrugged. "He's as well as can be expected. Resting. You can wake his cranky ass up if you'd like. I got some chicken broth and rice down him before he went to sleep."

Asra looked concerned. "Cranky because of the wound or..."

"...Because he's Muriel. I'm sure the gaping wound doesn't help."

Asra rolled his eyes but nodded. "Sounds about right. You know he's all bark and no bite, don't you?"

Celeste shook her head. "Sure feels like a bite. He still doesn't think I'm his friend. It's been...what? Two years?"

Asra sighed and looked her in the eye. "He knows you're his friend. He's just...It's always only been us. You changed our dynamic. For the better, of course. But, he's terrible at accepting changes. Truly the worst."

Celeste shrugged, feigning indifference. "I'm not everyone's cup of tea."

Asra's tone shifted. "Celeste, you got him out of the dungeon and into the palace. You probably saved his life. I'm sure he'll come around. He just needs time..." he drew a breath, and continued, exasperated "...so, so very much time."

The snoring stopped, and Celeste looked past Asra. "He's waking up."

Asra turned and parted from Celeste, crossing the room to Muriel.

"Hey," Asra said, his voice cautious and tender. He sat on the chair next to the bed,

Muriel blinked the sleep from his eyes, then lifted a hand to rub his face. "Asra?" He asked, unsure of what he was seeing in his half-sleep, magically-induced daze. "You...shouldn't be here," he mumbled.

"Celeste snuck me in. It's safe enough." Asra said, reaching his hand out to touch Muriel's forehead, stroking his hair. "I was so worried, Muriel."

"She fixed me," Muriel murmured.

"Oh, she did?" Asra said, turning his eyes on Celeste with a half-smile. "She's good like that. Did you say thank you?"

Celeste bit her lip and hung back, watching the exchange.

Muriel, coming around a bit more, shook his head. "You really shouldn't be here. Lucio...wants you."

"And as far as anyone of consequence knows, Selasi is here to deliver pumpkin bread. Selasi walked in, and Selasi will walk out." Asra said. "Don't worry. We've got that under control. I won't stay long. I just needed to see you."

Muriel sighed and then winced. "Pain...is coming back."

Asra looked at Celeste. "I can close it."

She shook her head. "Between Julian and Valdemar, someone will figure out if magic gets used to close the wound. I can't think of any scene where that ends well or doesn't get back to Lucio. Either they figure out I've done it, or they assume Muriel has some sort of healing ability...or, worst-case scenario, they link it back to you." Celeste shrugged. "You're the last piece that Lucio hasn't managed to ensnare in this disaster, yet."

Asra turned back to Muriel, shaking his head, unsure of what to say.

Celeste crossed over to them and took Muriel's hand. He could feel her magic flowing into him again, and the pain easing. He closed his eyes for a moment, then turned his face to Asra.

"I don't know how much longer I can do this." Muriel's voice was sorrowful. "I don't want to do this anymore, Asra."

Celeste winced, and Asra's face fell.

"Muriel...I need you. I don't want to lose you." He said, almost pleading.

"You are losing me...I'm losing myself, in there."

Asra looked up at Celeste, and she could see the tears welling in his eyes.

She drew a breath. "If...I may, Muriel. I didn't have the luxury of knowing you before this. But, I have known cruel men. Men with bloodlust in their hearts." She squeezed his hand. "You are not like them. You are doing a job. A monstrous, wretched job that nobody should be subjected to. I have seen you after every match...and I know the remorse you feel."

Muriel was looking up at her now, brow furrowed, but attentive.

"If you had changed, you wouldn't feel this way. We aren't losing you. You're still Muriel." She gave him a compassionate look. "I wouldn't put up with your cranky ass if I thought you were a lost cause."

Asra sniffed but gave a slight chuckle, bringing a hand up to wipe his eyes. He mouthed a "thank you," and Celeste nodded.

"I love both of you...I know what it's like to lose those closest to you. I'll do what I can to keep you together."

Muriel blinked slowly up at her, train of thought thoroughly derailed. "I'm sorry...you...love us?"

Asra's face mirrored Muriels, though he looked much more amused. "You love us?" He asked with a lilt in his voice.

Celeste rolled her eyes. "Of course, I love you. There's...many kinds of love. Don't be children."

Asra clapped Muriel's shoulder. "Our wife loves us." He teased, his words sing-songy.

Muriel's face was not quite so amused. Shocked.

Celeste shook her head, feeling her face flushing red. She made to move away, but Muriel gripped her hand, eyes imploring.

"You don't mean it," he said disbelievingly.

Asra's amusement abated, looking between the two of them. The intensity on Muriel's face, the sorrow in Celeste's eyes.

Of course, he had known. He'd known from the first night Celeste had smuggled him into the dungeons to see Muriel after Lucio had brought him in.

He never questioned the love between himself and Celeste. But she looked on Muriel with the same affection that they shared. Initially, he'd been confused by it. Not quite sure how to process.

But, as their relationship grew, even such as it was, it gave him hope. The two most influential people in his life. The three of them working as a unit. The fact that she would go to Muriel of her own volition, even when he pushed her away.

It was love.

"Of course I mean it," Celeste answered.

Muriel shook his head, "I--" he looked to Asra, who nodded enthusiastically, trying to suppress a grin. "...Thank you?"

Asra's grin fell, and he groaned loudly, dropping his head to his chest.

Celeste gave Muriel’s hand one last squeeze and a laugh. “Asra...feed the man his bread. I..need a moment.” She said, as she stepped away, laughing to herself.

Muriel looked at Asra, eyes wide. Asra fixed him with a disapproving look.

“What?” Muriel asked, bewildered.

“You are...hopeless. Completely hopeless.” Asra shook his head, and reached up to grab the wrapped loaf of bread. “You’re so lucky I love you.”

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