#fiend or foe

[liliallowed]

day 4: free space

friend or foe: truce

tw: eyestrain and a a lil creepy

[cvbullshit]

@liliallowed

A gift for my frien! With and without the title + a pixelated version because it looked kinda cool!

It's meant to be a sort of poster like thing for her whole concept of her and Dust, mainly the beginning of their relationship :)

edit: AHHHH I MESSED UP THE TITLE IT WAS FIEND OR FOE KMS FUCKING DUMB DUMB BRAIN I'M SO SORRRYYYYY‐

The color palette I used!

[artcalledtheewhip]

Most Americans Most are Boss Hoggs chasing dukes Appetites say some have surpassed USA U S A She’s been leeching me foreword That one boiled me way more than twice And my male skull wasn’t wanted in going down but down on me was fine You rascal p hole train Rattle riddle Girls and Boys YMCA Trump stated during rallies even danced He’s the President Not Musk but eye-lining Veep Is Vance Is my orange shade Okay It’s a good think a President gets a new colored shirt for(e) times a day A clothing assistant stated “Trump is like a toodler everywhere doodler and eating Spaghetti OH’s!” “I get paid for the messes. You know, with Trump there is no Fraud Waste and Abuse in his White House” Wouldn’t leave a name stated Another down and out said “ 1. JinPing has walled & walked people 2. Putin & Netanyahu invade a Country/Provence 3. Trump is walled up and just gutting America 4. All the main Men playing with People’s Lives I live in America too, I’m not a Tourist or Auslander…..Fuck off Musk also!” Infuriated Human Interest Da da da da dum dum dum the la la lot of them Money buys anything (even people, young pupils) The King Trump….has Spoken! It’s 2025 now!

Fiv(e)

(Five by Ultraspank was good) give a listen to a readin’ )

my crystal is clear…I can’t see anymore in there!

I added some more for(E<‘s) a toasting and roasting underneath a rotten mistletoe or undyed red Valentine…my friends are “ours”, friends of mine you undermined Nation under Trump

[wraith-of-thiodolf]

sometimes i ponder on which words stick around

'friend' is a solid saxon word. 'enemy' is french.

gets the noggin joggin

[cherrribun]

Just read your first years with a stoner!reader and wanted to ask if you could write the same for the third years? Like they just catch the reader about to start smoking, eye contact, “You want one?”

TWST 3rd Years x Stoner! Reader

loving writing these, theyre so silly! not all are loyal to the exact prompt, but theyre variations of it! i love rook, i would kiss him if he was real :dreamy:

Characters: 3rd years!

TWS: Drug usage, weed of all kinds, some characters dislike the weed

a/n: sorry idias shorter, hes a bit difficult to write for me, but i shall improve!

Trey Clover

-trey has the mind of a worn out father of 3, the poor man

-hes very often busy, and despite this, does as much as he can to make time for everyone who is important to him

-heartslabyul is possibly the worst dorm to be a stoner in tbh

-often times you have to attend to the variety of colorfully bothersome 800 odd rules, all of which to be considered not only during class but afterward

-so no dice to our reader

-the most available hour to smoke is most often late at night, when most other students are asleep

-trey likes to wish everyone a goodnight before bed, wether theyre in the common room or their bedrooms!

-what a sweetie, if it werent for the fact you couldn’t wait for him to sleep one night, and decided to play chicken with footsteps down the hall

-the first footsteps weren’t trey, so you smoked, blowing it out the window

-and the next weren’t, nor were the ones after

-assuming trey had mistaken you for being in the common room and he had went to bed, you stopped trying to hide your pen when you heard walking

-of course, he enters your room with intentions of wishing you goodnight, when you are literally in the middle debating hotboxing the room

-”goodnight, dear—-”

-theres a good long moment of staring as trey is in some disbelief, you can see him grimace as he is assaulted by the stench of the weed

-you kind of just stare at one another, before you kind of just hold the pen out as if an invitation

-trey blinks

-”you know you really shouldn’t be doing that in the dorms. Its not good for you,”

-you got lectured for about 10 minutes before trey came over and gave you a goodnight hug

-he sheepishly kind of stood by the bed before snatching the pen and taking a hit lol

Cater Diamond

-lets be very honest, cater is a fiend for weed

-its practically in the dna of anyone with screentime exceeding 8 hours a day

-but cater isn’t dumb, he wouldn’t post about it explicitly, but has had “scandals” when he goes live on magicam, a little too giggly and slow while doing his little nightly routine

-when you come into the picture, you obviously shoot cater a follow on magicam, and he ofc follows you back

-and one day you happen upon his giggly streams, hes clearly tripping based off the way he cant stop laughing while messing with filters

-bless, youve found your people

-you would go up to him next time you saw him, and subtly ask him if he knows a mary jane

-he looks at you all stupid for a second before he catches on but seven be damned, hes estatic

-later that day, when its the evening turning night, you are of course enjoying the pleasures of your bong when a certain redhead is knocking on the door

-he immediately laughs the moment he sees your bong, pulling out his own pen when he shuts the door behind him

-”great minds think alike! I’m like totally not supposed to do this, but I brought secret tarts. no telling!!”

-cater is an active guy when high, he loves himself sativa, or whatever magical equivalent there is

-a smoke sesh with cater is a dream come true, hes entertainment enough with the way he literally can not sit still. he will go from telling you the latest gossip to playing his playlist and begging you to dance with him, all the while snickering and laughing

Lilia Vonrouge

-lilia is a very peculiar man, as many may be aware

-700 years old, a calloused war veteran who struck down foes larger than life, raising silver himself

-and also a gamer, 5’1, and owner of eclectic “vases”

-its rather safe to say when he stumbles upon you in the middle of taking a hit, he had known for a long time already

-hes not necessarily a stalker, but he does hang around per say (literally)

-and his “stumbling” upon you was very likely him hanging upside down in your room, likely planning on scaring you for the fun of it, but got interested as you looked about suspiciously before pulling out your little draw-string bag of buds

-he promptly blows his cover, scaring you yes, but hes eager to join you

-”my my, smoking in school? diasomnia no less? Youve a rebellious streak in you, most kids do dont they?”

-old man

-i jest, yet he does recall when weed was first localized for humans and the exact date when each strain was curated

-i dont really know if he would necessarily ask you if he could join, more so holding his hand out expectantly

-but you obviously havent rolled shit yet, so awkwardly handing him a bud, you watch in horror as he just. Eats. the bud

-lilia high isnt very different from normal lilia, honestly, hes possibly more tolerable if youre a fan of “back in my day” speeches

-he probably requires alot of weed to really feel much too, hes got a tolerance from over the years, you know. best to keep some extra if you want to keep the man around!

Malleus Draconia

-malleus is a bit of a buzz kill to be quite frank

-not in your usual sense however

-when malleus walks into your dorm, having picked up on that ever peculiar scent of a certain herb, he lays into you

-but not in the ‘smoking is bad for you!’ way

-in the ‘what is cannabis’ way

-malleus had grown up incredibly sheltered in briar valley, he barely speaks to a soul outside of lilia whom isnt always the best company

-he literally has no idea what the hell weed is, its simply never been introduced to him in anyway

-after a long explanation of what drugs are, how you enjoy the sensations of being high and buzzy, how you can get so hungry and sleepy or excited and stupid from the herb

-hes like a mix of a grandpa and a toddler sitting at the edge of your bed. hes got the mentality of a hardened ancient and the heart of a child

-he gladly accepts your offer of the drug, but doesn't heed your advice when you tell him not to hold back the coughs

-malleus hacking up a lung isn’t a sight many have ever been able to see!!

-it takes him a good amount of weed ingested to get any sort of high, much like lilia, but not nearly as much as the bat

-if youve ever thought malleus was brooding and quiet, youve simply never seen him on drugs. hes silent, staring, and unmoving, starkly like the gargoyles he enjoys so much

Idia Shroud

-idia smokes. he has a screen time thats so abysmally terrible its almost a cruel joke

-idia is a fiend for indica, he loves feeling silly and sleepy, and it soothes his anxiety quite well

-so he accepts to smoke with you

-anticipate a long, thoughtful reflective conversation when you're havinf a sesh with the guy

-he has shower thoughts to share for sure, and some crazy stories to tell you from time to time

-honestly with the way he speaks, you might forget he has indepth statstics about every persons social levels!

-he can lock in like crazy when hes high, dont be mistaken, however

-when not letting you in on his interesting inner world, hes got his eyes firmly locked onto a screen, absolutely crushing the poor souls who had the misfortune to be in a game queue with him

-however, he can't watch anime for the life of him when high, without being directly involved, he succumbs to the sleepiness almost instantly

Vil Schoenheit

-you have some balls to even think about smoking in the pomfiore dormitory, let alone when youre dating the vil schoenheit!

-vil has absolutely zero time for such lowly activities such as smoking weed!

-you have to get very creative with it, edibles are your best bet in such a pickle

-alas, vil insists on sampling one of your brownies, and dear god, no matter what you say, he demands it

-when you try and scoot around why he can't have one, he dramatically storms off and you have an angry vil to handle for the night

-he takes one during the night, and you get to wake up to vil in a distress you have never seen before

-”dearest, were those *marjiuana* brownies?”

- vil relaxed after you confirmed it, and let him know he wasn't dying, but he tried his best to scold you for smoking

-”this is simply unbelievable! have you no consideration for my image!?”

-too bad hes got the attention span of a goldfish while high

-show him something on your phone,let him have it, and you are set

-the wonderlands equivalent of tiktok is like a life line for you while this man is absolutely stoned out of his mind

-youve got a nice lecture waiting for you in the morning, try and enjoy him so soft and not uptight in this moment, yeah?

Rook Hunt

-rook is absolutely adorable

-the mans got the purest heart one could ever encounter, and adores anything to do with his betrothed

-when he encounters you and your penjamin, hes got a lovely impromptu poem for you to listen to

-”mon amour, you have stolen my heart in ways not uet discovered by the greater world! tu es éblouissante, ma cheri!--” yapyapyap

-all of which his is dramatic way of saying he doesn't care you smoke

-when you end up offering him some, trust, hes on one knee infront of you like hes proposing

-hes terribly down bad

-when hes high, oh my god, you would need to sew his mouth shut in order to keep him quiet

-he babbles absolutely nothing short of nonsense, almost all of which is in french

-”tu as volé mon coeur, tu es incroyable mon cheri. que ferais-je pour t’épousee á cer instant précis mon petit chou”

-hes also koala hugging you at all times, youre stuck to the bed with him while he babbles and pets you, i hope you dont mind being very warm!

Leona Kingscholar

-well….im not sure leona would care in anyway about someone smoking in the dorms, let alone his lover

-leona is supposed to report it, its a huge offense in terms of academics, but, is it truly that serious?

-absolutely not to this big ol’ lion

-he doesn't smoke himself, hes not into it, and if you ever offer, he declines

-”herbs are all yours, herbivore”

-he thinks hes funny for saying that (hes not)

-but ruggie will totally smoke with you, and leona gets agitated when you two are off having a little sesh together and the lions sitting and sulking on the bed

-why wont you sit and cuddle!??!

-you offer him the joint while you and the hyena are giggling, and he rolls his eyes and finally gives in

-”fine, whatever, its probably nothin’”

-oh my god, he absolutely loves it

-he sleeps like an absolute rock, head on your lap while you and ruggie are messing around and eating food

-during the brief moments hes awake, he grabs tou and pulls you into a death hug, and falls back asleep

-you wriggle out while laughing, repeat cycle

-leona can not help but smile when he sees you swooning while ruggie gags, only to realize the lions up and squeal and squirm away

-yeah, hes joining you next time again for sure

[leidensygdom]

Okay, we all know about the usual warlock-patron dynamics. Creature with god-like powers tries to do their bidding or further their plans through a mortal, who is often going to be troubled by the pact. But, I'm here to propose some alternatives, specially for warlock deals that aren't inherently very harmful to the warlock themself:

This one is pretty typical, but the patron is a family member. If sorcerers can get cool powers from having a dragon grandpa, your fire genasi can have an auntie who is a big fire elemental who is trying VERY hard to connect with her family now, so she gives her nephew an allowance in the form of a Genie Pact

Your patron is undead (and your pact is Undying), but this person is not some power-hungry lich. This is someone you knew in life: A friend, or perhaps a partner. You had fought for a common cause, and they met their death trying to see the end of it, but they refused to leave you alone. Now, within you, their stubbornness has kept them from moving on, and they lend their newfound powers to help you in your common cause.

It's an eldritch entity, a creature beyond your comprehension. Your pact is that of a Great Old One. However, this creature doesn't quite have very concise plans to bring the end of the world- You're actually pretty sure it isn't even from your world. As time goes on, and as you realize their whims seem erratic, you realize that this thing you get powers from is... Probably the cosmic equivalent of a child. Maybe it's still cocooning in the depths of a distant dying planet. And it's incredibly bored. Someday, maybe, they'll terrorize the universe, but right now, they just really want you to be their eyes on another world. Call it enrichment.

Okay, this one is a fiend. Unequivocally so. But truthfully, they couldn't care less about your world, and you're not particularly concerned about what is going down in theirs. They kinda need few things done in your plane, few resources gathered, some people talked to, and between the lines, you realize that your newfound... ally is actually trying to oppose their boss or whatever. This one is a deeply legal-minded fiend, as far as you know: The hellish equivalent to a bureaucrat, after really digging around. Your party is convinced they will turn on you sometime, but eventually you realize you're just helping something that, for a lack of a better word, has to be an infernal-equivalent of an union effort.

That sword you picked was definitely cursed, and the voice within it has been calling to you. Eventually, you lend them your ear, and now you have an Hexblade pact. But this creature isn't bloodthirsty, nor talking to you about soaking their blade with your foes' guts. Truthfully, they hate being a sword. Trapped there as part of a vengeance, perhaps, this thing longs for freedom. And it has been used for evil in the past- Maybe the overabundance of skull motifs in their physical vessel didn't help. But this creature just wants to be able to experience a life that has been robbed from them. Your party may raise an eyebrow at you getting friendly with the possibly-malignant sword, but y'all are just making plans to get them to your favourite restaurant once they're freed.

This Archfey is the descendant of a powerful entity in Feywild side of things. The heir of some great lineage, or whatever is going on within their realm. You frankly don't know, because they're a bit of a... brat. One that kinda longs to escape their situation and get to live something more normal. You only find out this over time, when you realize you're kinda that friend their parents frown about. This entity, powerful beyond comprehension, just really wants to hang out with you and have a board game night with you. They'd love to meet your besties-- I mean, your world-saving allies. And you'd love to give them the opportunity someday, truth be told, but pissing off a fey court seems to be a high price.

You got stranded far into the ocean as a kid, and the rest of the people involved in the shipwreck did not make it out. But you attracted the attention of a group of merfolk, who had barely ever had the chance to meet someone like you. People had told you tales of how they'd drown and eat anyone coming into their territory, but these creatures were instead cooing about you. You're now grown up, and you can call them for power. Your party frowns at the idea of "I kinda got adopted by a sea polycule and I got a cantrip and few other boons about it", but you know they'll have to eat their words when you bring them for dinner- If you can find a way to table them in the middle of the ocean, that is.

the celestial patron is still a dick tho

Feel free to add onto these if you'd like, I'd love to hear concepts >:3

[t-l-machine]

People who claim Sylus is a Dom Daddy have only half the story

This man wants to be valued, treasured, desired, and sought after. It was a green flag for him when you went after his eye in the myth, my friends!

As domineering as Sylus is, his capacity to take the lead does not preclude his desire for someone "on his level" to dominate him as an act of validation. I've destroyed this man at Pile Parade enough times to know he takes his losses with dignity so long as it's you. It has to be you expressing the desire to overcome him as a foe. It has to be your desire to hold him accountable to some bet after.

Because the only opinion Sylus values is yours, and if you declare that he's someone worth struggling for? Well doesn't that make him feel like a special little princess.

He's spent his whole life reviled, first as a fiend and then as a criminal. He can't surrender power to you easily because of it. His experiences have hardened too much for him not to make 'taking him' a challenge, but he does want to be taken. Show him he's worth fighting for despite every horrid thing the world said about him...That'd the best feeling in the world.

[inexplicifics]

Re: Taking care of the trainees in Kaer Morhen.

I'm imagining some poor sleep-deprived Crane who is desperately trying to find a way to put the chicks to bed, and at his wits end thought of a lullaby, maybe that'd help? Instead, he came up with the Witcher ABC's:

Arachas are awful and always aware, they lay in wait so always beware. Bruxa shriek loud and very achy, drink black blood and she won't wakey. Cockatrice come in many sizes and shapes, aard it down before it escapes. Drowners are dull and dreary and numb, kill them quick, don't be dumb. Endrega are seemingly everywhere, yes, even there. Fiends are frightening foes indeed, stab, then step aside with speed. Ghouls are common as sunrise, don't trust the dead, surprise! Harpies have high shrill voices, if you think they're pretty, you should rethink your choices. Imps inspire mischief and irritation, fuck, I need a vacation. Jumblehogs are just something I made up right now, but they look a bit like a cow. Kikimore will jump out of the ground to eat you messy, a tasty treat, fat and fleshy. Leshy will hug you very tight, but it's not a very nice hug. Myriapodans might be a mystery we should lay to rest, so they're not the best for a weapons test. Nekkers are nasty little creatures unloved by all, and they have this really annoying chattering call. Ogres are deep sleepers, wake them, and you'll sleep deeper. Plumards pluck pots and pans to beat you with, they're not very strong though, so take the hit. Rotfiends are rotted and dead, and I really want to go to bed. Shaelmaar are shiny and super adorable, but it's not worth it, wyvern hide is more affordable. Tomtar are a nice little daydream, they're not as nice as they seem. Ulv's are just really big wolves, really, but you should stay way from them, ideally. Vukodlaks are bigger than ulvs and werewolves to boot, stay at a distance to aim and shoot. Wadislaw is a bloke I saw in Novigrad once, he was a real ponce. Xylophones are instruments to play on, if you want witchers to stay gone. Yaguars are spelled Jaguars and are really big cats, I should've used that for J, alas. Zebras are striped horses and they don't exist, but if they do, tame one and bring it home. Q I forgot but lets say it's a quokka, smiley things who sacrifice their kids like I'm a'bout'ta'!

Jaskier puts a tune to it, and it's the greatest (worst) ear-worm that has ever existed.

This is delightful, thank you so much!

[liliallowed]

your best foe

[dailyadventureprompts]

DM Tip: Lining up the Pieces

A few years ago I saw a video that changed the way I design combat encounters, using chess pieces and 4th edition monster roles as a handy way of conceptualizing the enemy roster and making better combat.

I’ve wanted to refer back to it for ages now, but I can’t seem to find it.  As such, I’m going to reproduce it’s wisdom here for everyone’s benefit and hope I can find the source one day.  ( I feel like it was a Matt Coville video, but my searches have turned up nothing. Seriously, if you can find it I will be extra grateful).

TLDR:  You can break down enemy combatants into six (ish) roles represented by different kinds of chess pieces, and you can mix and match them when designing encounter to create fun tactical scenarios. You can also use this as an alternative to CR picking a “budget” of these enemy roles based on how many players are in the fight.  Check out the types below the cut: 

Infantry (pawn):   Generally weaker and mechanically simpler than any other type of combatant, the infantry uses teamwork or sheer numbers to overwhelm the party. This can be anything from rank and file soldiers to a necromancer’s skeletal minions to a pack of wolves, anything that takes up space on the battlefield and prevents the party from targeting who they want or generally getting their way in a fight. 5e combat is a numbers game, and the infantry is there to swing the numbers in the enemy’s favour (until the party cut through them to even the odds).  Infantry likes battlemaps with chokepoints they can hold and crossroads they can use to outflank opponents. When budgeting they’ll have a balance of 2 infantry per 1 player they’re matched against , but the weaker they are, the thinner you can spread them.

Brute (rook): High defence, high offence, the brute is an outright threat that the party should not want to take in a head to head fight. Giants, beasts, constructs, and heavy armoured warriors are your traditional brutes, but you could also go with a buffed to hell battlemage getting all up in the party’s face. Conversely, every brute has some kind of weakness that the party can exploit. They might be slow, or be unable to maneuver as easily, or like a werewolf, fiend, or troll, have particular weapons or damage types that overcome their natural resilience. Their job is to force confrontation, blunder into the middle of combat and force the party to act defensively rather than proactively. They soak up the party’s frontline’s attention while forcing the mid/backlines to scatter under the threat of too much raw damage.  The brute Likes open spaces where they can have a direct path to the party and dead ends they can corner their targets against. Budget: Around 1 per 3 players

Skirmisher (knight):  A very broad type of opponent, the skirmisher’s job is to bully  the party’s weapsots whenever they’re exposed. They can do this by being ranged fighters ( traditional archers, magic users) or by being highly mobile (stealthy, mounted, flying, teleporting). They’re the bane of the party’s backline, generally targeting whoever has the lowest armour/or least health, then using their evasiveness to deny any kind of retaliation when the group rallies to protect their squishy friends. Skirmishers have great offence but are generally pretty weak, made helpless when you can deny them their movement/terrain advantages.  Skirmishers like unfair fights, terrain that gives them a movement advantage, cover, or allows them the highground over their foes.  Budgeting: 1 per 1-2 players. 

Controller (bishop):  The controller’s job is to fuck with the party, Either by locking down some of their stronger options (counterspelling, mind control, status effects, grapples),  by manipulating the battlefield in some way that disrupts planning (aoe spells to prevent grouping together, summoning to reinforce numbers,  barriers and banishment to single targets out), Or by advancing the baddies’ goal while the party is otherwise occupied (the cult priest finishing the disastrous ritual, the master thief making off with the mcguffin) forcing them to split their attention. The controller likes to distinctly be away from combat, and will usually be on the otherside of some kind of hazardous/hard to bypass barrier, sometimes of their own making. Budgeting:  1 per 2-3  players: 

Support (king): Usually a healer, bodyguard, or some kind of buff-bot, the support wants to piggyback on other sorts of units or make them better at doing their jobs. Generally this means they’ll ignore whatever the party is doing to focus on staying with effective range of those who most benefit from their abilities. Supports will stay back in safety while throwing out buffs, bodyguards will put themselves between the party and their designated defendee. They tend to prefer whatever type of terrain most benefits their partners. 1- 2-3 players

Elite (queen): Something to be reckoned with, an Elite mixies the strength and abilities of two other kinds of combatants and uses both to devastating effect. Combine a brute and a support for an unstoppable frontline commander, or infantry and a skirmisher for an elite striketeam that attacks in perfect coordination before fading back into the shadows.  Mix and match for whatever combination you think would be most interesting for a situation, then supplement it with a different unit or two for contrast.  Elites make up your traditional “big bad and minions” bossfight, without escalating to the full party challenge of “solo” monsters. Budgeting: 1 per 3-4 players. 

Picking the right Pieces:

Generally what you're going to want to do when planning a combat is to first think of what the baddies are trying to acomplish with the fight then pick 2-3 different types of baddie that you think would work well in concert to achieve that goal. "Kill the party" is an all too common goal, but you could easily imagine others that provide for dynamic stakes:

A group of forest bandits intend to rob a caravan, so they unleash a captive warbeast as a distraction while their archers rain chaos from above (Infantry, brute, skirmisher)

A villain abducts an important npc into a carriage while their dutiful muscle run interference (controller, brutes)

A necromancer hurls curses from behind a barricade of gravestones while their undead minions pour from surrounding tombs ( Controller/infantry)

While the party is ambushed by an archer in a tower, a cloaked figure waits in the underbrush, waiting for them to thin out and begin picking them off one by one (paired skirmishers of different types)

After the fighter is tricked into single combat against the mounted arena champion, the rest of the party will have to search the crowd for the caster secretly channeling healing magic to their opponent. ( combined brute/skirmisher elite, support)

Once you've got your pieces picked out, you can start designing the battle arena taking the desires of each combatant into account while also throwing in any environmental flourishes you'd like to enjoy.

As an added benefit for DMs like me who don't have the inclination or budget to collect huge batches of minis, it's SUPER easy to pick up a second hand chess set or two and use them as stand ins. Your players will have an instinctive understanding of what each piece does which will help them understand the roles outlined above.

Artsource

[cusackswhitehair]

Hallo!

asking for romantic! hoarder alex hcs :]

(I love this stinky italian a little too much lol)

//Desc: Certainly, I was soo waiting for this one!! And no worries, that numbskull is hard not to love if you manage to look through like…every attribute of his! But this was certainly a really fun time, because it is physically impossible to imagine this guy not being in a total blindzone when it comes to romance. I also made this one non-gender specific for all Hoarder Alex kissers alike! Thanks for the request as always!! \\

𐙚｡⋆♡ 💌 Hoarder Alex Romantic Headcanons 🗯️ 𐙚｡⋆♡

————————————————————————————

When it comes to Alex and love, he has the same philosophy like with his trinkets ; he sees something he likes and he will make it his purpose in life to know it as his. His science end here though, the whole operation tumbling down as if it was a fascinating car wreck. It’s insulting how much he lacks the ability to flirt when he puts in the effort. “So uhm— do…do angels have names?” “I’m sorry?” “C-Cause—like you’re an angel, as…as like, like I—HHNG FORGET IT! PORCA MISERIA!!” It is quite painful to watch, his skills only seem to work when he’s infuriated, (not a difficult state to keep him in) his passion blooms the best mid crash-out and it’s quite beautiful in a way.

Alex — for a lack of a better word, has numerous foes and fiends to his name, so just brush it off when you pull up at his bridge and find him having quite a squabble with someone. “KEEP ROAMING AROUND MY BRIDGE AND YOU PAY THE PRICE, YOU GOT THAT SFIGATO—oh, hey babe, you’re here early, cool.”

Belive it or not, despite how much of a deadbeat Alex can seem for first glance, he writes poems. More importantly, poems for you, he does have quite the firey passion inside of him and he SOMETIMES doesn’t waste it on smugly sitting on his trash bags and yelling at people walking by like a madman. He writes his poems in blank those files he loves to organize, well now we know, the man is quite the troubadour!

Him and his partner would find the best common ground in the people they hate. The gossip puts highschool girls into SHAME. “That jerk has been eyeing my things all day, look at those eyes, he’s got shifty eyes and they’re shifting on MY PROPERTY!” “Yeah, and that hairstyle is atrocious.” “YEAH—wait, hm?”

Unfortunately, he is definetely one of those guys who would brag about how they used to DJ. While that in and of itself is tragic, don’t knock until you tried it! Some regulars in the Purge Event do seem to know the guy very well and they’re far from complaining.

He is also the type of guy who, after a harsher argument between the two of you — would to pull up in front of your house in the middle of the night and start blaring cheesy love songs, making sure he will wake everyone up in a ten meter area.

He is keen on PDA, being ridiculously posessive he will always be holding your hand in public, standing by your side, chirping into your conversations with people. He is also quite effective as an unexpected body guard, if he senses someone overstepping your boundaries, the offender won’t hear the end of it. And don’t even get me started on catcallers…

You’re probably one of the few people who ever got to touch his hoard, and since it is simply a goldmine of funky trinkets, you often find yourself spending the whole day by his bridge, idly chatting along, sneaking under the bridge to steal a kiss or two like two giggling teenagers on Lovers’ Lane. It’s quite a lovely schedule.

No matter how much he wants to keep up the façade about himself — he complains to his partner all the time. About how hard and unfathomable his job is, about how bad his back hurts, about how he “can’t walk for too long!” because he’s got clubfoot (he doesn’t, he’s just lazy). Just pray he doesn’t catch the flu, that man will act like he’s on his death bed.

Alex loves to huddle up with his partner, it sort of seems to be in his nature, him being…how do I say this? Full-figured. It’s easy to just grab onto him and never let go, not to mention how aerodynamic he is! His droopy face is always curved just enough so that he can hide his nose into your neck and curl his tail around your leg while he’s at it. Deserved after all of that hard work he does (being a compulsive slacker)!

Hiding behind his overly tetchy temperament, he can bottle up his emotions and stay silent when something hurt him. Make sure to check up on him sometimes, he’d appriciate it.

If you think he’s masking his feelings well enough, think again and look down at his tail. It’s always a perfect indicator to tell you if he’s actually mad at you or not. But don’t tease him about it please, he has it rough enough.

————————————————————————————

[fandomnerd9602]

Doomed

Fem!Reed Richards x Doom!Reader Request by @deafeningsharkslimeempath

Certain moments would define you. One such moment was the day you rose up against the oppressive forces that controlled your home country of Latveria. Another was when the nations of the world labeled you Doctor Doom. But the one moment that you truly treasured was the day you met her - the smartest woman alive - Rachel Richards - Mrs. Fantastic the leader of the Fantastic Four. She made you feel loved, made you feel normal. She helped to foster a sort of peace agreement between you and the rest of the world’s heroes. The two of you worked in tandem for the people of Latveria and as such, you helped to share your technology with other starving nations. She was your light. The one who guided you. The original light who guided you was snuffed out a long time ago. You weren’t sure how but you and Rachel found yourselves trapped in the hellish dimension, realm of Mephisto. The fiend slithered up to you with devilish intent. “(Y/N) Von Doom” the trickster smiled, “I was wondering when you would appear. I’ve come with a deal for you” “(Y/N) don’t! He will only-” Rachel tried to warn you but she was quickly stretched and pulled away from you. “Shh shh shh Richards,” Mephisto laughed “now for my deal. I’m willing to give you that which you loved most in exchange, a simple little exchange” Mephisto made your original light, your mother, appear before you in a flash of flame. “(Y/N)? Honey what’s going on?” Your mother, looking as frail as she did when the Latverian forces attacked your home. “Mom” you could only whisper. “I’ll give you your dear mother,” Mephisto intoned with a grin, “in exchange for Rachel. No loss really” Rachel tried to scream only for the foe to snap his fingers and wrap her own bending arms around her mouth You practically fell to your knees. “Aww the great Doctor Doom” Mephisto mocked, “simply missing their mommy” “(Y/N)!” Rachel managed to shout, “please. Don’t you love me?” You lowered your head, your mind racing. You did love Rachel. More than anything. You had your time with your mother, no matter how brief. And yet something didn’t match up. “You take me for a fool?!” You shouted at the reddish foe. “What you offer is not a choice. But the illusion of it” “What?” The foe’s yellowish eyes sneered. “My mother was a saint” you stated, “she would have never ended up in your domain. You have no power. And even if you did…I would still say no” “Oh?” “My mother was my past. And though I do miss her terribly,” you stated, “Rachel is my future. Trade a future with the woman I love for one, two years of past happiness, tops? A bad trade” “You dare turn down my rather generous-?” The foe couldn’t even finish as you zapped him with your gauntlets. “I rebuke thee!!” You shout at the devilish villain. Rachel falls to the ground and quickly pulls out her portal gun. Mrs. Fantastic works fast to generate a portal back home. “Come on!!” She shouts before lassoing you with one of her arms and pulling you back through the portal with her. The world around you changes back into the familiar living room floor of the Baxter Building. A home away from home. “You love me?” Rachel asks you with a smile as you both laid sprawled out on the floor. “Yes” you state without even a moment’s hesitation. It was a defining moment for you. The moment you solidified your desire to leave the past behind and move into a brighter future with the woman you loved. Honestly, you’d say it was pretty fantastic.

[furinana]

SMTIV's hilarious extortion mechanic and its meme status in the Japanese fandom

The grey morality of the alignments has nothing against pure greed.

[spoilers for both SMTIV and SMTIVA ahead]

1) Rundown

In Shin Megami Tensei IV, after purchasing the Fundraise App from Burroughs, Flynn will be able to request Macca from foes during battle. -> Foes will give Macca in small increments, at which point you can ask for more or stop talking and accept what you've been given. -> They may become infuriated upon being asked for Macca or repeatedly asked and attack the party. -> Occasionally, they will even simply give up and grant you a large sum.

2) Explanation

The rewards you get from only killing enemies are much more scarce in SMTIV compared to previous titles. Money is needed for buying good gear and filling your demon compendium, so you can understand how pivotal for game completion farming for Macca is in SMTIV. Hence the option for earning much faster through the Fundraise App.

On an additional note, the best way to take advantage of this method is through inflicting the enemy with the bind ailment before asking them, as it'll work 100% of the time with three turns worth of money without a chance of being attacked. Also, since enemies don't have a money limit, you can repeatedly fundraise from the same target as long as it's afflicted with the status.

Comic by みゃべ. This is a redraw of this meme

Flynn's boldness goes so far that not only random encounter demons but even story bosses can be targeted as well, including past companions:

3) Fan response

This uniquely cruel feature shocked Japanese fans so much that Flynn became commonly referred as a カツアゲ王 Extortion King .

@kingyo_neko "I don't think there's a more ruthless extortion king than Flynn. Unlike the first SMT protagonist, who only targeted Temple Knights, Flynn is an indiscriminate street attacker."

@ametoya "Someone said that Demi-fiend was the King of Chaos while Flynn is the King of Extortion."

To such an extent that many became flabbergasted by the contrast of how his personality was handled in SMTIVA:

@Fomalhaut15 "It makes me sick to my stomach to see Flynn, who has been mercilessly extorting his enemies previously, being called a star of hope and a hero by those around him."

@kakougg "The Flynn I know was a guy whose hobby was extorting demons, I don't think he was any sort of savior" @kuuusuke009 "The image of Flynn was of a protagonist without personality, but in SMTIVA he has become an eloquent young man, and I thought 'You lying bastard… you took off your pants and tried to stick something up your nose, beat up hunters in the tournament, and even tied up demons and robbed them…!'"

@sanbonosrmkr "Me playing SMTIVA: 'The Flynn I know extorted even the weak, and was merciless even to his peers…! He's a murderer, he's not a sociable, righteous person!'"

@kitaonglacier "Frankly, the only thing Flynn should be respected for are his extortion skills."

4) The junior extortionist continuing the legacy

While Nanashi's negotiation apps decreased in quantity (Dagda probably doesn't want you fooling around compared to Burroughs), Nanashi's greediness doesn't leave the older protagonist to shame.

In fact, the amount of fundraising targets is even bigger than the previous title's, with grunts from Ashura-kai and Ring of Gaea being particular examples of which Flynn couldn't dialogue previously while Nanashi is able to not only talk but do it in a threatening tone:

And if you thought that becoming a savior made Flynn give up on his old ways, you couldn't be more wrong! Flynn's (in)fame regarding stealing only became stronger with SMTIVA's release:

5) Flynn and Nanashi's fund partnership

Translation of SMTIVA's official guide, page 45:

> Additional funds provided by Flynn

While accompanying you in the Bonds or Massacre Route, Flynn will provide additional funds if you're successful in fundraising.

You can earn more money in the Bonds route, however Flynn will only follow you in YHVH's Universe. In the Massacre route, you earn less money but Flynn will accompany you wherever you go.

When farming for money (whether for the Demon Compendium or to purchase equipment), it's a good idea to make use of Flynn.

> Conditions for Flynn to acquire additional funds

Route | Occurence conditions | Effect

Bonds route | Give the fishing hook to Flynn and it will always activate when Flynn is in-battle inside YHVH's Universe | 1.5 times the amount of money earned per successful fund

Massacre route | Activates with probability of 50% after fund. If the enemy becomes affected by the bind status, it will definitely be activated. | 0.5 times the amount of money earned per successful fund

[Recorded usage of both routes (please click to zoom in!). Asahi is the best partner for fundraising as she's the only one that won't hurt the enemy which means it'll stay alive for much longer to suck it dry.]

Fans absolutely couldn't leave this feature uncommented:

@atumiko "Whenever he acted all cool I'd be like 'I don't know such a beautiful Flynn... who the heck is this guy...' But when he started doing his extortion thing, I realized 'Ah... this is the Flynn I knew...'

Flynn not only hunts after targets to steal from but also occasionally gives you pocket money that must come from his pillaging. I think it's not right to praise this guy as a savior"

@mousugu26 "I was shocked when Flynn started raising my funds. It's unprecedented for the protagonist of a previous game to be treated like a mugger. So it's canon after all?"

@shibakani3baisu "I love Bonds Flynn's gentle voice when mugging..."

@0225And "I think I'd be happy if Flynn-senpai put me in a bind state then mugged me gently and pleasantly with his handsome voice."

@kitaonglacier "Flynn in SMTIV mugs with a dirty look on his face, but Flynn in SMTIVA mugs in a gentlemanly way.

The sequel made him ooze so much gentleness to the point of even turning him into the kind of person who gives the money they extorted to their junior."

@tohuyasan "I like how Flynn seemed to want to say 'You're still lenient, Nanashi' to Nanashi's extortion. #don'tyouhaveanymoreanymore*"

* Fans love to quote まだあるんじゃないか" (don't you have anymore?) and それだけかい (is that it?), the two sentences Flynn say during fundraising

@maida0493 "Flynn is the best, he doesn't forget his spirit of extortion even after becoming a Godslayer… He rips off his opponents with such a deep voice…"

@yokarebing "In my opinion, Flynn's voice when extorting doesn't sound threatening. It's a normal and soft voice that gives the impression he's smiling while doing it, which makes you feel he's a pro at this.

Flynn helps you with stealing funds so it's the best, I do nothing but mug people at this point. I don't care about YHVH, I just want to keep extorting others with Flynn for the rest of my life"

6) Fan names

The most popular fandom term that has been used since SMT4 is 緊縛ファンド kinbaku fando (bondage funds) for when you fundraise targets inflicted with the bind ailment. I once saw a Western fan referring to it as "Bind Fund" so there's your ENG equivalent

When referring to Nanashi receiving additional fundraising from Flynn, fans say 追いファンド oi fando (mugged funds). As shown above, the term used in the official guide is フリンによる追加ファンド Furin ni yoru tsuika fando (additional funds provided by Flynn). The nickname comes from turning 追加 tsuika (additional) into 追い oi, a shortened form of 追い銭 oisen which is part of the proverb 盗人に追い銭 nusubito ni oisen (additional fee to a thief), a saying for when you give the thief more on top of what was already stolen from you.

Now, to wrap this up...

There's something many wonder...

7) Why the need for the fishing hook in Bonds?

@yokarebing "At Lake Mikado, Issachar's ghost entrusts you with a fishing hook to give to Flynn as a keepsake ← Got it Give the fishing hook to Flynn ← Got it You are now guaranteed to get an additional extortion when extorting demons ← Why"

@nobe0202 "Why does Flynn, who was born in the Eastern Kingdom of Mikado and lived a farming life in Kiccigiorgi, started extorting and currying favors as soon as he put on the Gauntlet?"

@kitaonglacier "That's probably a custom in his hometown as a form of a greeting"

@hnskk_ancyd "Flynn, a child that becomes an extortionist with an old playmate's memento"

@kuuusuke009 "I wonder if it was Issachar who taught Flynn how to extort money... ('w' ; )"

@Dunamis_Anthrax "Could it be that he had memories of extortion with Issachar and started doing it because he missed them?"

@vernogame "Issachar is the man who taught this devilish savior such a skill... Just how frightening is he...?"

@kuuusuke009 "Nanashi: 'The master who taught Flynn how to extort money must be a scary person.'"

Comic by カイザー. Please don't share publicly my translation, as it could upset the original artist.

@vernogame "Issachar,

your will has now been passed on… ( ; ; )"

Epilogue

Jokes aside, one can't help but wonder... does the fact that both Flynn and Nanashi come from humble backgrounds give a nuanced interpretation of the canonicity of this feature?

Nanashi must've seen his own share of fraudsters while Flynn specially would need an extra income to save himself from eternal death.....

[altocat]

FIRST SOLDIER EPISODE 2 CHAPTER 2

Ready for tonight's recap? I gotcha covered! I'm VERY excited to see where the plot goes from here! Let's goooo!

So when we last left off, Seph, Angeal, and cameraman Bachman were in some Wutai ruins (Robio), where they met the mysterious swordsman Masamune and the even MORE mysterious Alissa Goldie. Miniroth has mommy issues. Angeal can't make friends with him because he's being edgy. Bachman wants a paycheck. Let's see how this unfolds...

We open on the gang in their camp. There's some other allied soldiers there as well. Guess everyone regrouped. Alissa (SUS) immediately wants to continue her investigation into Robio. Bachman remarks that Alissa seems to have immediately won Sephiroth over...WONDER WHY 💀

Sephiroth is trying out replacements for his damaged sword. Alissa approaches him and Sephiroth is rather nonchalant about having standard Shinra-issued swords. He just...had a feeling about Masamune though.

Alissa keeps praising Sephiroth as a legend and a hero. She's acting all upbeat about everything. It's coming off as genuinely unsettling. She keeps fawning over him.

The group catches eye of a PURPLE SUS orb and Angeal and Seph handle a monster. Alissa can't help because her arm is supposedly hurt. She says that Angeal must have a sixth sense for sensing fiends. EXCEPT NOT THE ONE THAT'S CLEARLY RIGHT IN FRONT OF HIM.

Angeal and Seph are alone. Angeal asks why Sephiroth is acting differently around Alissa. Sephiroth is silent. When Angeal presses more, Sephiroth claims he's trying out the allies thing. Sorta. They take out another monster together as a team.

Bachman praises their efforts. Angeal still insists that he and Seph will come together in time. He's being his usual friendly self, but Seph STILL blows him off and walks off, noticeably when Bachman attempts to film him.

Bachman says that Alissa is more of an "Angeal type" because of her friendliness. He says that Sephiroth just ignores everyone and is solely focused on becoming a killing machine (OUCH).

Alissa gets attacked by another monster and Sephiroth protectively rushes over to help. I SEE WHERE YOU'RE GOING WITH THIS SQUARE ASDFGHGFDS

Bachman asks Alissa if she thinks a soldier should be a lone wolf like Seph or more friendly like Angeal. Alissa just shrugs. She says that she's here to provide support.

We finally set out again to investigate Robio. Entering the Igara Forbidden Zone. Angeal wants to take a break but Seph insists he doesn't need one. He takes the lead, albeit at a slower pace when he sees Alissa struggling.

They come across a weird rock formation. Powerful fire magic was used in the area. Alissa talks about how two thousand years ago, the Ancients arrived and named this area Igara. SUS SUS SUS. Igara was a paradise until a fearsome beast invaded the region. VERY SUSSSSSSSS. The land got scorched because a bunch of heroes showed up to defeat the foe, using fire magic to destroy it. Supposedly.

The survivors of the fire were the ones who went on to form the country of Wutai! Really cool lore shit!!!!

The group comes across a spooky trail with a LOT of fog. Alissa claims to have left markers on the ground. Sephiroth clears the fog with his sword.

Alissa asks Angeal about the sword on his back. Oh boy here we go...Angeal says it's his good luck charm but doesn't elaborate. Alissa tells Seph that HE needs an impressive sword too! After all, he's a hero! He needs something exceptional! Sephiroth remembers the Masamune and shows interest in claiming it for himself.

There's a bunch of weird purple shit on the ground. More fog too. Really digging the spooky background music. Sets the mood.

Sephiroth asks Alissa if she's an active model soldier. Alissa says that yes, she's modified with special cells! Bachman says that the cells were grown from something they scraped off a meteorite. Alissa says that's only a stupid rumor. Jenova bullet dodged for Seph.

We fight some weird owl-looking monsters native to the area. They've finally entered Robio in full. They start up the investigation. More lore dump time!

500 years ago, after the warriors killed the beast, Robio was a ghost town until settlers came to try their luck. They were also Ancients. Their numbers were smaller by then but they tried to revive the area like the did with Igara. It became a village, Robio. Alissa wants to know why someplace that was revived died again. They're going to inspect the ruins of the major buildings.

Big stones in the road. The people of Wutai placed them around Igara as a sort of barrier...to keep something from getting OUT.

PURPLE LIGHTS SUDDENLY! We see the ghosts of villagers. Illusions of the past. They disappear quickly. The group has no idea what to think about it. They just have to keep exploring.

Burn marks cover the whole village. Angeal wonders if something erupted nearby. More bright purple flashes. Most ghosts and ghost-flames. They see the figure of Masamune cutting villagers down! Sephiroth doesn't know why they sealed this place away. Are they trying to conceal an uncomfortable truth by erasing the past? He says he'd never let that happen to him (irony).

Bachman's camera has footage of the ghosts, where they see Masamune. They have to unravel this mystery.

A statue now. But they can't see what it is. Sephiroth remarks that there has to be an incredible power lurking here. More ghosts. Masamune cutting more villagers down, being called a fiend. Sephiroth says that this has to be the source of the destruction. Wutai sealed this village off because it was fucked and harboring a monster. But they were fucked up in turn for abandoning the villagers to their fate.

Sephiroth doing some more projecting. "Anything different isn't human". Which includes Soldiers. He's de-humanizing himself again. Angeal privately swears that the world isn't bad, people aren't bad. Someday, he'll make Sephiroth see that.

They enter the center of Robio where the villagers would gather to share stories and celebrations. More ghosts. Masamune again. Robio's tools and weapons were the responsibility of a single smith. One day, as if possessed, he took up his hammer and dumped everything into crafting a remarkable blade. AKA the Masamune sword. The villagers started fighting to claim the sword as their own, even trying to steal it. Masamune slaughtered them as a result and set the area aflame. He slayed every villager one by one. The villagers' greed prevented them from working together to take the sword from him. And thus, they each perished individually. And started killing even each other until there was nothing left.

Angeal wonders how the hell Alissa knows all this. Suddenly Masamune jumps down right in front of them! Another fight with the old man! He's got to be at least be hundreds of years old by now. He's very clearly some sort of cursed demon or something.

Alissa tells them that she gathered all that info because the scenes just CAME to her. Like they were her own memories...

Sephiroth says that the Masamune is calling to him. It yearns to become his own. A loud bell chimes somewhere and they race over to investigate.

The sound is coming from a biiiig ruined monument. It feels like something is calling to them. Sephiroth can sense the power. He insists that the sword is meant to be in his hands. Angeal thinks he's acting strange and says that they should leave--this is getting too fucking spooky. Sephiroth is going in. He WANTS that blade "back". Angeal doesn't know what he means by "back".

Angeal manages to talk him into camping out for the night and explore the building tomorrow.

CHAPTER FINISHED! But wait! There's some extra content like last time!

Back at camp, Angeal tells Bachman to rest. Early day tomorrow. But Bachman wants to check his footage. He recaps all the lore for us. He says that Sephiroth seems to have some kinship to the people who once lived here. The sword seems to have given him a new sense of purpose.

Next segment. Oh fuck. Sephiroth is dreaming about his mother again. He's with her in a flowery field. Lucrecia (still labeled "Jenova" is being all sugary sweet and loving towards her son. Lucrecia remarks about the sun and flowers. They've been travelling together in this dream. Sephiroth can't believe it. He rarely leaves headquarters. Lucrecia tells him they go on trips together all the time! Sephiroth wants so bad to spend more time with her. Lucrecia tells him he's a hero. He DESERVES this reward. She's so proud of him. I'M GONNA CRY AGAIN. Him having her by his side gives him strength. Another hug. FUCK.

Obviously I know what they're doing here. These "dreams" are officially a Jenova/other evil entity manipulation. Or SOME sort of shit designed to fuck with Sephiroth's head. This could explain his attachment to Alissa and why he's starting to act strange. These dreams are somehow playing with his mind and grooming him to come to some sort of conclusion, maybe directly tied to him wanting Masamune so much.

Angeal segment to cap us off! So I was wrong before. The last one wasn't a flashback. These are idealized dream sequences. My apologies! Angeal is dreaming about when he left his village for Midgar. Everyone is celebrating and supporting him before sending him off. Sephiroth desired his mother. Angeal desired a happy life where he's appreciated and respected. The entire dream is everyone fawning over him. He gets his uniform and the Buster Sword. His dad gives him the dreams and honor speech. So we know on some level that his oath came from his dad! That's neat! Angeal vows to fight for his parents and for people who are struggling.

And that's it! This was a BIG chapter lore-wise!

[quitealotofsodapop]

We spoke about it in dms, but an old enemy had decided to return to his old tricks after s3, using the fact that the celestials are pretty infamous for not really paying attention to rolecall and it could potentially takes literal years to notice someone missing, much less get a search party together for them, as well as the chaos of LBD's takeover distracting them. However, they hadn't accounted for the fact Wukong figured it out.

So when the parents finally noticed their kid wasn't coming home for dinner, they let out a massive commotion a certain monkey had noticed, because celestials arent the only one's losing their kids. And Wukong, being Wukong, heard about the missing kid and put himself right into the middle of the investigation... by kicking down the Emperor's door.

JE: What on the name of the Buddha!?

Wukong: I KNOW WHO STOLE THE KIDS!!!

JE: Where!?

Wukong: That's what I need your help with. I know who, not where!

Ref for the Havoc King backstory!

We consider this a "middle-season" au - since it takes place between S3 & S4. Wukong had followed Nezha to Heaven so they could deal with all the bureaucratic nightmare the Lady Bone Demon's takeover caused.

Then he hears the cries of a worried parent - a celestial child has gone missing, and the higher-ups are dragging their feet on the matter. Thousands of years on, and the Celestials are still bad at noticing when one of their own is absent.

Wukong is concerned, but at first figures that the matter will be solved quickly once Nezha back on duty.

Except it isn't.

The Jade Emperor should have known something was truly wrong when Sun Wukong burst through the palace doors; frenzied and crying.

MK was missing.

Not like Wukong had been during his "vacation" but geniunely Misssing.

Pigsy wasn't worried the first day since he assumed his son was tuckered out from the big fight with LBD. Later than evening, when he knocked on his son's door and didn't recieve a response, Pigsy started to panic.

He had always kept an emergency key to the space above the shop, and when he opened the door; his worst fears were confirmed.

MK wasn't in his room. It was still a little fire-damaged from when Red Son was looking for the Skeleton Key, but MK had made progress cleaning it up. So why was MK missing, but his phone and art supplies were still in his room?

Within minutes, the whole gang are up in a panic - it's ultimately Mei who tells Wukong the bad news.

Wukong was silent for a while. Scanned what seemed to be the entire city and all of Flower Fruit Mountain before shooting up into the Celestial Realm. Macaque notices Wukong's worry, and feeling a hunch, follows him.

In the throne room, Wukong nearly gets tackled by a squadron of celestial guards believing he's there on the offensive. The monkey's babbling shouts not doing him any favours. Ultimately, it is the Queen Mother that stops them from attacking.

Xiwangmu: "Stay your hand, captain." Captain of the Guard: "But your Majesty! He's clearly mad!" Xiwangmu: "He is not mad. He is worried out of his mind. His child is missing and possibly in danger. I have felt the exact same worry before."

After Wukong calms down; he manages to explain that the pattern of disappearances mirrors one from his own past.

The Demon King of Havoc.

Although a mere footnote in the "official" story - the Havoc King had been a far more formidable foe than history remembered. Wukong's defeat against him had not been easy in the slightest - nearly taking the monkey's life before he was even crowned King.

The Havoc King managed to attain nearly total control of the Realms not by defeating his enemies, but by keeping their children in his grasp. Even dear Nezha, then newly immortal and newly recognised grandson of the Jade Emperor, had fallen victim to the fiend's clutches.

Those who were kidnapped by the Havoc King's forces had since grown up or moved on, not caring to think of that dark chapter of their long lives for even a moment. And since no one "major" had been permanently lost during the fiend's reign, the Heavens, Seas, and Underworld were quick to sweep it under the rug. Mainly out of embarrassment. Only the Monkeys of Alolai and the Dragon Kings dared fear the Havoc King's return.

So when Wukong caught the scent of the Havoc King once more, he nearly went feral with fear. The Stalwart Generals are summoned to the Jade Palace to confirm the King's suspicions. Having survived under the fiend's cruel rule for the ten years Wukong was away studying, they confirmed with 199% certainty that the scent and chi present at many of the crime scenes was in fact the thought-to-be-dead Demon King of Havoc.

Macaque recognises the smell also, having been uncomfortably close to it at one point. He also brings up that the Dragon Kings had lied in their report on Wukong "stealing" the Staff and his armour to protect their then-hostage Egg from retribution in case the monkey demon failed to defeat the Havoc.

As part of the shadow monkey's "community service" (he did wreck the heck out of Ao Guang's palace), Macaque is ordered to act as the lead scout for the missing children. His powers giving him an advantage in collecting information.

Meanwhile, as a certain Red-haired demon prince seeks out information on his extended family, he stumbles into the clutches of an unknown foe.

The son of the Demon Bull King and the estranged daughter of the Jade Emperor will make a fine hostage for the Havoc King...

Gods forbid if Wukong and/or Macaque have cubs of their own that have gone missing...

[mxtxart]

"Lord Wind Master is boundlessly talented, Lord Wind Master is funny and carefree, Lord Wind Master is kind and righteous, Lord Wind Master is aged sweet sixteen."  Why not draw the Wind Master fan? Now I shall summon the strongest winds to blow away all fiend and foes!