#for a repeat hat trick performance

[averageallogene]

Lyney ♡⊹˚ His lucky charm [NSFW]

✧˖°. Summary: Before his most recent shows, Lyney seems to have some nervousness regarding his abilities as a magician. Thankfully, his lovely girlfriend is always there to ease his mind beforehand, providing him with the luck her magician boyfriend needs.

fem. reader (3rd person) ; this is basically smut with little more than an intro to it, so beware. Also SPOILERS for ACT I of the first Fontaine Archon Quest. 

5k words.

notes. Hi yes hello I am back, I have played the two Archon Quests, and after working a little for my thesis I decided to write something by my own volition <3. I’m not sure if Lyney here might be portrayed accurately but nonetheless I really wanted to write a smaller piece for him before doing it for other characters! He’s adorable :( ♡ Enjoy ✧˖°

By clicking on the “expand”, you are hereby agreeing to view NSFW content. PLEASE if you are under 18, DO NOT INTERACT. 

PLEASE do not report, as this is my warning to those who do not wish to view NSFW. I, like most writers, work hard on each piece we choose to publish, and reporting it will decrease the number of readers it reaches... Thank you for understanding ✧˖°

Magicians have no need for something many folk cling onto - luck. After all, every trick they perform is something they study, polish, rearrange, rehearse. Everything is staged to the finest of details, leaving no room for unpredictable variables to enter the equation. Every performance is acted out accordingly, a mental checklist going on inside the performer's mind as each prop is placed and moved about, each line is repeated from the rehearsals, each movement in one’s body is carefully played out. Everything is a carefully crafted performance, and what need do they have for luck? None.

To Lyney, such is the truth. Well, at least this philosophy held itself rock solid, up until the incident that nearly landed him a guilty verdict. Despite his confidence in his abilities to wow the crowds, even before there would always be a small but ever present pitter patter to his heart, a quiet reminder of his own nervousness before the show would begin. He would usually handle himself most well, though through the eyes of those closest to them, the normal feeling of “performance jitters” wasn’t all that well hidden. Well, and if that were the case, more so after things went back to normal.

His breathing would be a little more unstable, his fingers would fidget with one of his cards as his eyes darted about his changing room. He would fiddle with his exquisite hat, rebraid his hair while trying to ease himself. Things had gone back to normal, their scheduled shows were once more popular and always fully booked. Yet still, there always was this sense of anxiety deep in his stomach, never truly going away as he quietly wondered if the show would go as planned. 

Well, thankfully he had someone to help ease his mind each time. And as if right on que as he brooded over the upcoming performance, a knock to his dressing room was heard, the door opening to reveal the loveliest of sights. At the door stood [F/N], his lovely girlfriend who would always visit him before he went on stage. 

“Hi Lyney! Hope I’m not intruding?” She asked sweetly, smiling his way which only helped to ease his worries.

“You never are, my love. Come in!” He breathes out, the eagerness to have her close not quite passing unnoticed to her. He extends his arms before fully taking her in his embrace, sighing deeply as he inhales the familiar perfume she would always wear. His favorite. 

“How are you feeling?” [F/N]’s voice grows softer, her arms resting around his lower back as she smiles his way. The silence that follows is enough of an answer, her magician simply distracting himself with playing with the tips of her hair. “...Nervous?”

“...Hah, why it seems nothing really blinks past you. I may have taught you… Too well…” He jests, the smile on his face betraying him before it drops slightly. It reveals some of his vulnerability for her, his violet eyes locking with her own before he speaks up again. “I suppose it’s just some performance jitters again, nothing new...”

“It’s okay Lyney. You’ll do great, I know so.” Her smile shone brighter than the very sun, beaming with warmth that was only cast to him. It comforted his very being, filling his conflicted heart with sugary sweetness that only soothed him in a way no one else could. And if that wasn’t enough, the next few sentences were the ones that would always, always seal the deal for him. “Everything will go well, and everyone will be wowed by your hard work. I’m proud of you.”

It was as though his heart was struck, pierced with cupid’s arrow as he couldn’t keep up the calm and confident act. Lyney’s body visibly relaxed, a content snicker escaping his lips as his arms brought her closer. His lips were quicker than his words, filling her face with brief yet lovely kisses, watching with glee as she giggled as a response. Amidst each kiss he whispered words of gratitude for her support, his hands roaming throughout her lower back as he yearned to feel her closer and closer. 

“Lyney… You didn’t even let me finish!” She laughed, her words being cut off with a deeper kiss as his lips found her own. She could feel his smile against her lips, the magician quite literally stealing her breath away before finally pulling away. 

“Oh, I’m sorry dear. I just can’t contain myself, you’re just too adorable for me to!” He sighed, the flamboyant hum in which he spoke glittering the otherwise full truth she very well knew. “To think a professional magician would be wowed in such a way, you’ll be the death of me…”

“You almost make it sound like I’m such a bad thing.” [F/N] rolled her eyes playfully, her fingers carefully adjusting his hair before inspecting to see if his braid was well done. 

It was in small moments like so that Lyney would cease to speak, allowing his beloved to do as she pleased. His eyes would focus solely on her, watching how her expression would shift, her eyes roaming about to ensure he looked his absolute best. He could feel his heart beating hard against his ribcage, no longer solely because of the nervousness he would feel before each one of his shows. The mere sight of his girlfriend was enough to blow away the growing blaze of anxiety, leaving it only in embers that with time would cease. Her mere care, her mere nature, her beauty inside out… 

It was enough to leave Lyney riddled into little more than a lovesick puppy, the loopy smile upon his pretty face being reserved only for her. 

“Lyney?” [F/N] called for him once more, watching as he finally seemed to come back to. His hands were roaming around her hips, carefully circling around her figure as he finally let out a soft hum for her to continue. “You’re a little too quiet… Everything okay?”

“I’m so lucky to have you, [F/N]...”

It was her turn to be left speechless, her face morphing to surprise as their gazes locked. He watched as the loveliest shade of red adorned her cheeks, the flusteredness he’d often cause on her never failing to amuse him. Still, despite so, he hoped she knew just how sincere he was with his words. 

“Oh Archons… What’s gotten into you?” Her voice whined a little lower, her eyes turning away to avoid him for a mere instance in which her flusteredness was still far too raw. She could feel how his lips chased after her skin, peppering her with light and soft kisses by the corner of her mouth. 

“Nothing.” He responded, his usual flair dropping to soft whispers as he carefully turned her around, helping her have a seat on his vanity. Between fleeting kisses, Lyney took the opportunity to bring himself between her legs, his hands never letting her stray far from himself. “I just wish to remind you more often, because it’s the truth.”

“Well I think it’s the other way around, you know… I’m the one that’s lucky here.” [F/N] smiled softly, her hands finding rest on his shoulders before gently massaging his tense muscles. Her boyfriend leaned back, his eyes gleaming with a twinkle that seemed familiar, one of challenge and mischievousness that would often leave her questioning before finally realizing what he’d plotted. 

“My my, is that so?” He hummed, head tilting to the side while his grip on her tightened ever so slightly. “If that’s the case, how come each time you visit me beforehand, every show I perform runs far better than what I expect?”

“Oh, you’re really running with that?” She giggled, music to his ears. “Only because I kissed you that one time, telling you it would bring you good luck?”

“And did that show not go beyond amazing? In fact, I do believe that was the peak in my career thus far.” He reasoned with a nod to his head, kissing her deeply before resting his forehead against her own. “Therefore, I’m the lucky one here, and you my dear [F/N], are my lucky charm.”

“Oh Lyney…” She sighed softly, stroking her hand through his blond locks slowly. “I didn’t know that tonight my magician was planning to turn me into putty in his hands.”

It was his turn to laugh, quietly, yet full of warmth and endearment. “It’s what you get for stealing this magician’s heart long ago.”

“Ah! I’m gone. Goodbye Fontaine, I am melting from my boyfriend’s words!” [F/N] leaned back dramatically, Lyney catching her before she would fall too far and hit her head against the large mirror of his vanity. The pair laughed in unison, fingers interlacing as he brought her close to himself once more.

“You’ve definitely gotten that dramatic flair from me.” He pointed out, his free hand now resting firmly on her thigh. He watched with hearts in his eyes as she giggled at his comment, shrugging her shoulders before bringing him closer with her legs. 

“I love you.” [F/N] whispered, leaning forward before it being her turn to steal a few kisses for herself. 

It never stopped after that though, one going after the other, kisses lingering longer before them turning into a longer makeout session. The way her lips were always so soft, so warm, the faint taste of her favorite chapstick melting against his own, it never failed to leave Lyney yearning for more, his whole being focusing solely on his lover whilst everything else blurred around them. His tongue carefully peeked through his own lips before swiping across her own, the grin being felt against her mouth as he felt her jolt slightly from the antic. Giving him permission to continue, Lyney carefully led the dance, his tongue meeting her own as they both ignored the need of air, muffled breaths fanning one another as their hands held the other closer, tighter. Before he knew it he was leaning himself forward and her backwards, a little more, his body pressing against her own before they were practically bent with her head touching the mirror behind them. Her legs were pressed against his sides, never letting him stray too far, her hands stroking through his back and hair, sending shivers down his spine as sparks ignited deep within him. 

“L…Lyn-ney…” She murmured between breaths, him finally tilting his head so the two of them could breathe. The way her tongue stuck out of her mouth as she breathed heavily seemed to only entice something further deep within him. “W…What about your show?”

“Worried about that?” He inquired, the clear endearment for her concern being evident in his tone of voice. He leaned closer, voice whispering as he slowly licked the strand of saliva that had dropped down her chin. “We still have time, if that’s what’s troubling you dear.”

“H-Hah…” The words seemed to get stuck on her throat as his hands maneuvered around her frame, carefully parting her legs a little more to give him better access. His fingers quickly grabbed a hold of the hem of her dress, lifting it up slightly before resting his palm on her warm thigh, his lips still remaining close to her own as his very being craved more of her.

“Do you want me to stop?” Lyney softly asked, leaning back as his own breath grew uneven. His face too displayed a lovely shade of pink, his lips redder after the relentless kisses she’d given him. His eyes were glittering with excitement, half-lidded with pure love as he waited for her response. His thumb was caressing her skin softly, the circular motion he did easing her more than arousing her as he searched for her honest answer.

It was embarrassing to admit, but [F/N] absolutely did not want to stop. Her body felt far too hot for her to go back on it now. “I… N-No.”

“Are you certain, dear?” He leaned closer, eyes squinting softly as his breath fanned her face. His hands slithered a little more upwards, giving her goosebumps as they traveled up to her hips. “I don’t want to put you in any situation that might be even a little uncomfortable… I will understand if this is-”

“N-No Lyney, I’m okay.” She nodded her head to reassure him, her hands gripping his clothing tighter as if not wanting him to move an inch away. “I admit, it’s… A bit nerve wracking, given the place but… I still don’t want you to stop.”

He bit his lip, smiling with both excitement and apology. “I’m sorry love, I always seem to get carried away when it’s about you.”

It definitely was the truth, especially given with the way his hands moved around her body. There was always a certain kind of care in each movement, his grip upon her skin tight and loving, as if reassuring himself she was there, with him. Lyney was both selfish and giving when it came to his beloved [F/N], always wanting more for himself, yet always wanting to reassure her she felt properly adored.  

“We’ll have to be-” He kissed her again, followed by another, her lips trying to keep up with his own as he gave her fleeting kisses. “Very quiet- Okay?”

“M-Mhm.” She nodded her head, her face blushing a deeper shade of red as his fingers finally lifted her skirt up. Her own hands helped him hold it up for him, watching him as it finally dawned on her, his figure getting nice and cozy in between her legs before he kneeled down. “L-Lyney?”

The grin he gave her was enough to make her lower region throb. 

“I’m craving a taste of you, baby. Could you please indulge me?” He whispered, his hands parting her legs before resting securely against them. His head turned to her left thigh, leaving a trail of small bites and kisses as he came closer, delighting himself in every reaction she offered him, every gasp and jump, every attempt at caging his head in between her legs. 

“J-Just- Don’t tease me, please.” [F/N] outright pleaded, earning herself an honest nod of his head as his eyes sparkled in anticipation. 

Carefully, her eyes jumped back at the closed door before going back to him, her breath trembling as she breathed out from her parted lips. Whilst one hand held her dress up, the other slowly lowered, helping him to remove the lacey underwear that hid his most wanted prize away. And with a lift of her hips, they were off easily, hanging by her ankle as Lyney’s gaze focused solely on the erotic view before him. His [F/N], holding her dress up for him, sat on his vanity as her chest rose and lowered irregularly, her pussy in full display for him alone. It was enough to get him aroused, the fabric of his own clothes becoming far too constricting as he felt his boner raging to be freed.

His experienced hands crept closer, thumbs slowly hovering her juicy lips before deliciously parting them. He could feel his mouth go dry in an instance, the view of her leaking pussy outright hypnotizing him as she let out a quiet moan. He couldn’t help himself but play around with her pussy lips a little, after all, how could he not? The way her pretty hole would throb in want, leaking out her nectar only for him, dripping down her skin and onto his table, the squelching sounds being nearly enough for him to lose all sense of control. He couldn’t help himself but stare, watch in lust before her soft moans and whines became a little too loud, all the while still arousing him even further.

“Lyney!” She pleaded in a whisper, the pout she offered him sending his heart racing. 

“Yes, you’re right baby… I’m sorry.” He hummed, leaning forth before finally giving her heat a long, slow and deep lick. The vibrations from his hum resonated with her pussy, sending pleasant shockwaves throughout her body as she shut her lips right before moaning. “We’re gonna have to be quieter, love. Can you do that for me?” 

It was difficult to hear him when he was practically squishing his face against her pussy, yet from the mere fact he’d stopped, [F/N] had been able to deduct what he wanted from her quickly enough. She nodded her head eagerly, blushing even deeper as she bit her lip.

“Mhm… ‘M sorry…”

It truly divided Lyney’s heart in two, for he absolutely adored hearing every sound [F/N] would bless him with. Her voice already was pure melody for his ears, all the more when she would be moaning due to his administrations. However, the pure excitement of their ordeal, having a chance of being caught, it was enough to keep him going, to entice him to lick more, to lap around her clit again, to suckle on it whilst plunging one of his fingers deep inside. The way his beloved would instead jolt more often, writhe above him, attempt to suffocate him as her legs tried to close around him, all to not be as vocal, it all had him entranced. 

"You taste so good…" He groaned against her folds, his tongue practically spelling out his love for her as he ate her out with such passion. The groans and sighs that would escape him would only please her further, sending [F/N] closer and closer to her own release as she practically bit down her tongue to quiet out her own moans. Lyney simply couldn't have enough of her taste, lapping every last drop to his greedy tongue as he yearned for more, fingering and licking it out of her as he could feel her gummy walls throb against his fingers. "You're so wet, too… So dirty, my angel."

"L-Lyney…" She mumbled, her erotic whine finally pulling him out of his trance to look her way. By that point she'd already held her fingers around his hair, him not even noticing up until that very moment. 

His light eyes glanced up, for a moment the magician forgetting how to even breathe. It felt as though the wind was knocked out of him, staring up to see his beloved gazing down at him with such a needy look. Her cheeks were flushed, the thin layer of sweat visible on her forehead as her grip on his hair tightened softly. Her teeth were by that point gritting tightly against the hem of her dress, it being her faint attempt at keeping her noises down to a minimum as he ate her out to his heart's content. The view was dirty, marvelous. The dress was lifted to such a way he could now see part of her tummy as well, her body lined with sweat as it reacted to every little touch he gave her. 

It drove Lyney over the edge. He couldn't wait any longer. The breath finally left his mouth in a shaky notion, her thighs shaking like jello as it hit her bare pussy before he got up. 

"Gods, you're so gorgeous [F/N]." He outright moaned, his fingers carefully taking the fabric out of her mouth. He watched how she heaved deeply, her lips tempting him to latch onto them. And who was he to refuse, but a poor magician whose heart had been stolen by the woman before him?

He leaned in quickly, capturing her lips against his own as they both moaned against one another. Their hands couldn't let go of the other, fiddling with their clothes as they attempted to find the best position to finally get what they both wanted. [F/N] leaned herself to the edge of the table, her legs still apart for him as her fingers now fiddled with his belt, unbuckling it before finally freeing him of his leather shorts. Lyney could feel his cock throbbing already, eager to finally plunge inside of her spongy walls and ease the yearning he so deeply felt. He groaned against her lips as she finally freed his hard length, pumping it for him slowly as it was now her turn to suck on his tongue with her own lips. 

"I need you, Lyney…" [F/N] moaned, helping him to part her legs further as he kept his face closer to her own. 

"I know, baby, I know. It's only fair I indulge you after you've treated me so well, right?" He hummed with a smile, all the while his face indicating just how excited he was. 

He grunted quietly as he carefully rubbed his cock against her leaking folds, the two of them attempting to quiet their moans down to the best of their abilities. [F/N] could feel how the particularly protruding vein on the side of his cock rubbed against her pussy, sending tears to the corners of her eyes as she felt herself closer and closer to her release after being so well tended to by her lover. Lyney in turn kissed her tears away, his lips never leaving her face as he practically gulped down her moans to himself. After coating both her pussy with his pre and his cock with her bountiful juices he stopped, lining himself with her entrance before, with a glance shared, he carefully thrusted himself inside.

His hands gripped onto her knees, his lips shutting themselves tightly so as to not moan out as he often would. The way his eyebrows furrowed as he attempted to not voice much of the obvious pleasure he was feeling was a delightful view, [F/N]'s face blushing madly as she brought him closer. Her arms wrapped around him tightly as she hid her face against his neck, her lips pressing against his skin as she quietly whimpered in pleasure. 

"Ah, Lyney!" She moaned quietly, her nails digging into his shoulders as his own sighs of pleasure hit her ear. 

"You're so tight, baby-" He in turn hissed gently, feeling how her spongy walls swallowed him whole as he finally bottomed out. His own hands were gripping harshly against her skin, the two of them sharing moans between one another even as his tip hit her deepest part. "Fuck, you're so wet. It feels so good."

"Please Lyney, give me more…" [F/N] pleaded to him, her eyes wide and glistening with pleasure as she leaned back for an instance. At that point she was once more leaning back against the rest of his vanity, granting him access to pound as deeply as his heart desired. The mere sight of her in such a way was enough for him to derail. 

"Archons, anything for you [F/N]." The magician grunted, his hands leaving her knees as his lips latched onto her own. 

By her own she was able to open her legs as widely as possible, the hem of her dress covering everything from the mid-thigh up as her hands were far too busy around his body. They wrapped around him tightly, effectively caging Lyney in between her much to his contentment. His own hands were busy holding her as close as possible, resting on her hips securely as to not knock her or anything else out, the items on his furniture tumbling slightly with every thrust he pounded into her needy core. With each time he bottomed out Lyney reached deeper, the tip of his cock effectively kissing her cervix as he molded her walls to his shape. He drank her every moan as if he worshiped all sounds she offered, his lips sucking on her tongue in such a lewd manner that he couldn't help but grin over how she squeezed him harder over it. 

"Hyaahhhh, Hinhey…" [F/N] attempted to moan his name out, her puffy lips parted as his own toyed with her tongue to his pleasure. 

He could feel the way she was milking him dry, her juices thoroughly coating his cock generously as her pussy practically praised and outright worshiped him. Her walls throbbed deliriously, sending him closer and closer to his edge as he fucked her through what he very well knew was her approaching orgasm. 

"Is my baby- Close?" He leaned back to speak, humming quietly while licking his own lips eagerly. He watched as she nodded her head quickly, her fingers combing through his hair slowly, deeply. Just how he loved it. "Here, cum for me will you? You can take me like this as you do, right baby?"

[F/N] bit her lip, nodding her head again. She watched how one of his hands left her hips, holding it up for her to take it. His girlfriend took it without thinking twice, their fingers lacing together before Lyney held them against his mirror, his pace quickening up. Once more he glued his lips to hers, never quite truly satisfied with her kisses just as much as he never quite got enough of her pussy. Her breath against him grew ragged, her moans growing ever louder, all while trying to suppress them in what he could only find the cutest whines. He bent her more, held her tighter, he pounded deeper into her. He could feel her moans vibrate against his mouth before she finally gasped, a high pitched sob being all she could muster before her inner walls violently spasmed around him, creaming his cock bountifully as she rode her high. Even still, just as he'd asked her to, Lyney continued to thrust, still as deeply albeit slower, letting her savor her release just as he quickly followed with his closing one. 

"Gyah, L-Lyney-!" [F/N] moaned against him, he in turn shushed her in understanding. "Mmm, t-to much!"

"I'm so close baby, so close…" He whispered, his thrusts a little less rhythmic as he tried to focus. His eyes opened to gaze deeply into hers, the sight of her red cheeks and unfocused eyes only edging him further deep into the abyss of pleasure. "Can you please take it just a little more? Just like this…”

“Mhm…” She eagerly nodded her head, the tears of overstimulation streaming down her face sending a long shiver down his spine. His free hand came to rest upon the side of her face, thumb clearing the tears away as his grip on her other hand tightened. “I-Inside, please.”

He bit his tongue gently as he smiled, nodding his head before pulling her head closer for a deep kiss. “Anything for my lovely lady.”

Against him she moaned, him in unison as he felt the knot deep inside himself finally snap. Lyney felt his eyes shut, a deep low grunt leaving his throat before he finally felt his release wash over him. He thrusted deeper still, his pace finally slowing down as thick ropes of seed flooded over [F/N]’s inner walls. Her womb was eager to receive the abundant load, being painted white from inside out as it overflowed whilst he still remained sheathed inside. Whilst their fingers were still locked she brought him closer, holding him tightly as her body shivered with the overstimulation. Lyney could feel his breath finally begin to slow down, a few final slow thrusts of his hips following as he moaned quietly, ensuring he was milked for all he was worth. He held his [F/N] close, as close as possible, their bodies finally relaxing as they rested atop his vanity, her body welcoming him closer as his seed leaked down and dropped onto the ground.

Even as she still regulated her breath, lips puffy and red and mascara slightly smudged from the sweat and tears, Lyney lunged forward, capturing her lips for the millionth time. Never satiated, like the greedy man he was at heart, he smiled against her as he enveloped her closer, relishing a moment longer. The silence that followed felt comforting, the two of them sighing in bliss as he felt her arms around his figure. 

“Sorry… It must’ve been uncomfortable to sit like that, on such a surface.” He stated, eyebrows furrowing softly as his thumbs cleared her smudged makeup as much as he could. Lyney dared not move, still not even wanting to pull out. It wasn’t as though he could anyway, for the way [F/N]’s legs captured him definitely sent a message for him to stay a little longer.

“Mhm, it’s fine… I enjoyed it all the same.” She smiled sheepishly, relishing in his soft touches as she in turn rearranged his side swept bangs. 

“I’m glad.” He sighed in relief, the pair too engrossed into one another to even notice how some bottles had tumbled over amidst their frolicking. “Still, next time I’ll be sure to make up for it, for all of it.”

“Lyney, truly it’s fine!” [F/N] laughed softly, finally opening her legs for him to move more freely. She watched in amusement how her boyfriend coughed softly upon noticing how heavy she leaked, rummaging through the room to find a towel he could dampen to help clean up. “Sorry… We might’ve taken too long, no?”

“Hey, if anything it’s my fault… It’s what I get for being so greedy.” He reassured her with a sincere smile, carefully helping her to clean up before dressing her back up. [F/N] watched as he fanned his face with his hand, the blush on his face still evident as she helped him dress up as well, a snicker escaping her pretty lips at the sight. 

“Well… I still… Very much enjoyed it.” [F/N] reiterated, her voice low as she helped him button up his undershirt. His smile was difficult to ignore, especially so as she helped him retrace the tear he would always paint on his right cheek. 

“...I did, too.” He pulled her closer by the waist, smiling in a devilish, albeit inoffensive manner. He pulled her closer, stealing a deeper kiss as he relished on the taste of her lips, hoping to steal some of her chapstick for himself so he could taste it all throughout his performance. As he pulled away, he whispered quietly to her, fingers playing with the end of her hair. “...Maybe next time we do this, I can have you turned to my mirror. The faces you make are simply delicious, my dear.”

The way [F/N]’s face turned to utter surprise was enough of a reaction, the magician following with a sneaky laugh as he pinched her behind as the cherry on top. In turn, his girlfriend gently slapped his arm, huffing as her cheeks turned bright red, his laughter becoming louder as a result.

“Lyney!” She groaned, nearly turning around from him in embarrassment.

“Alright, alright, I’m sorry baby! Mostly.” He chuckled, embracing her before kissing her cheek with the usual level of endearment that was solely reserved for her. 

“Hmph…” She pouted, though both knew it wasn’t something to last long. “...Good luck on your show, honey.”

“After this? It’ll be the best show yet…” He in turn whispered, his forehead resting against her head as they quieted down. “I’ll see you after?”

“I’ll be waiting here.” [F/N] smiled softly, them embracing one another before finally deciding to part.

Well, Lyney had always been energetic in his performances, yet there seemed to be an improvement on that particular one. True to his word, that performance definitely did do amazingly well, becoming the talk of the following weeks.

All thanks to his lucky charm.

[neuvislover]

☆༉ — 𝓛𝔂𝓷𝓮𝔂. mystery

about. he always knew you by your nickname but never your real name

tags. fluff, established relationship

note. im sorry if this doesn't sound like lyney but i hope u like it nevertheless

Lyney had always been the curious type. As a magician, it was in his nature to seek out the hidden, the secrets that others kept close. But there was one mystery that had been bugging him for a while now: your real name.

He had known you for months, since the day you stumbled into one of his magic shows, and ended up becoming part of his trick. Since then, you two had grown closer, sharing laughter, secrets, and even some of his magic tricks. But there was one thing you never shared—your real name.

he always knew you by the nickname friends and family gave you and never thought twice about it. He had called you everything from "Mystery" to "Shadow" to "Muse."

After another successful show, you and Lyney sat backstage tonight, the dim light casting shadows that danced along the walls, reflecting the lingering magic in the air. "Amazing as ever," you said, nudging him gently.

Lyney grinned, tipping his hat slightly. "Why, thank you! But you know, it takes one to know one." You laughed, shaking your head. "Flattery will get you nowhere, magician."

"But maybe the truth will," he said, his eyes twinkling with mischief. "Will you finally tell me your real name?" You sighed, leaning back against the plush sofa. He leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a whisper. "Names have power. They hold a piece of who we are. And besides," he added with a playful smirk, "I've run out of creative names to call you."

You chuckled, but there was a softness in your eyes. "Alright, alright. You've worn me down." You took a deep breath, meeting his gaze. "It's [Y/N]. My name is [Y/N]."

Lyney's eyes widened in surprise and then softened with a warmth you hadn't seen before. "[Y/N]," he repeated, letting the name roll off his tongue. "It's beautiful. Just like you."

You felt your cheeks heat up at his compliment. He reached out, taking your hand in his. "Thank you for trusting me with your real name. It means a lot."

You squeezed his hand, feeling a connection that went beyond magic tricks and performances. "You're welcome, Lyney. Just promise me one thing."

"Anything," he said, his eyes serious now.

"Don't use it in your tricks," you said with a grin.

Lyney laughed, the sound light and joyful. "I promise. Your secret is safe with me." And in that moment, with your hand in his and your real name finally revealed, you felt a sense of belonging that was more magical than any trick Lyney could ever perform.

[casualaruanienjoyer]

What sports do you see the AoT characters playing? I like to envision Jean as a swimmer or lacrosse player but that's about it

Hello! This is such a fun question, thank you for sending me this!!

What sports would these Aot characters play?

Jean: swimming. His body's perfect for it. Tall, muscular, long arms. He's very fast! But do not, and I repeat, DO NOT make him go on a vertical drop water slide. He will cry.

Armin: he's never been one for sports that involve a lot of... um... physical performance. But oh BOY this man can play golf. He's way too good at calculating trajectories and likes nerding over wind speeds and velocities. Plus, he gets to wear a neat hat.

Annie: Kickboxing. Her agility makes it easy for her to dodge her opponents who often underestimate her size. Plus, she gets to punch people all day long. Sweet!

Mikasa: Gymnastics. There's something about her body that's incredibly graceful. Her movements seem effortless. But she often loses her balance when Eren is around.

Eren: Surfing. Makes him feel free like a bird. Loves disconnecting from his daily life this way. Though, he's been rescued by lifeguards many times. He's not very good.

Pieck: Horse riding. And not just because she's the cart titan! She built an incredible relationship with her horse. Always carries sugar cubes in her pockets.

Connie: Football! His speed and wild card moves makes him incredibly unpredictable for the enemy team. His feet move so fast, no one can keep up.

Sasha: Archery, or course, for obvious reasons. Though she'd also be a great at darts because of her insane precision. As long as Connie doesn't walk in front of the boa- OH SHOOT!

Reiner: Weightlifting. This man is PURE MUSCLE. He can lift you, your mom and your entire sofa in one hand.

Yelena: Fencing. Elegant, refined. Just like her. Though part of her wishes she could actually stab her opponents. You know, just for a bit of harmless fun!

Historia: Rhythmic Gymnastics. Often trains with Mikasa, but while she's more up in the air, Historia's strenght lies in the gentle movements of her ribbons above ground.

Ymir: Skiing. It's fun, relaxing and she enjoys pulling off tricks from time to time. Likes bragging about them to Historia.

Hange: Handball. She has a great leap and throw and her eye for strategy gave her the nickname "the four eyed Demon".

Levi: Sailing, if it can be considered a sport. It's relaxing. Makes him feel content. Means that he can get away from people for as long as he wants to. Who's gonna follow him all the way her- IS THAT FLOCH??

Onyankopon: Canoeing. Why not enjoy some beautiful scenery while we're at it, no?

Falco: Badminton. Has a good eye for the shuttle and seems to be able to always land his hits. Can get easily distracted if playing against Gabi

Gabi: Shooting. BANG! Her aim is fantastic. But she really needs to work on her attitude. Oh no Connie don't walk ther- BANG!!...CONNIE!?

[nogenderbee]

May I request Tsukasa, Akito, and Touya with a magician s/o?

Of course! The reasons I choose oneshot is the same as for recent Blue Lock post... I feel like it's just more interesting than headcanons that'd most likely repeat! But anyway... I hope you'll like it nonetheless! <3

Also sorry for making Tsukasa so short!!

Akito, Toya, Tsukasa with magician!reader

TagList: @bleachtheidiot @yulikesminori @miya-akane @kuzui5201314 @coffeeykhs @alicewinterway18

When you performed in front of Akito, he'd always bring you down with his words by saying how it's not impressive at all and that he knows it's simple illusion. But he's really just too amazed to admit it. He only guesses that it's illusion, to explain how you did it to himself since you refuse to tell him.

But you weren't the one to give up... you made it your goal to impress him and make him say it out loud!

"See? It appeared from nothing!"

"You're not fooling anyone Y/N... it's 3rd time I'm seeing it..."

"Well maybe but this time, I also made something of yours disappear!"

"What? Where's my phone?!"

You proudly revealed his phone in your hand thinking that this is the trick that will impress him! But it looks like he found something to complain about either way...

"It's called stealing, not magic."

"I gave it back tho!"

"And you're lucky that you did..."

You sighed as the ginger complained once again. But then he said something you kinda didn't expected...

"But... how did you do it?"

Toya was always the type to look closely to your tricks and despite the fact that he usually figured out how you did it, he still had that surprised expression on his face when you performed one.

You swear you performed this trick like 8th time this week or so and he wasn't looking as if he was about to get bored of it anytime soon. But it's not like you mind, he looked cute when he had that surprised expression on his face.

"Tada~ rabbit's out!"

Your boyfriend gave you a small applause as his eyes were in awe, as if he didn't knew how you did that...

"That's amazing! If I didn't knew myself, I'd be ready to mistake it for real magic... Could you do it again?"

You let our a small sigh, you were getting just a bit tired of that but you could never refuse him.

"Sure..."

Boys eyes lighted up at your statement, he was clearly excited to see it again. You were thinking of surprising him and taking something else out of your hat instead of a rabbit... maybe next time you can get a box of cookies ready for him? He'd definitely get pleasantely surprised by that!

Tsukasa was like your biggest supporter and assistant in one! He always begged you to let him help you around while you perform magic tricks, especially when you do it in front of someone.

So that's how you ended up practicing your magic tricks, with your boyfriend as your assistant in your room. He seemed really excited to be helping you around, just like always actually.

"And then... tada~!"

"Hold up! You didn't show me that trick before! How did you do that?!"

"That's a secret~"

"Oh c'mon, I'm your assistant! Can't I at least get a small hint?"

"Maybe some other time!"

He loves discovering your new tricks to the point he'll brag you about it and try to guess it for the next few days untill he either guesses it or you tell him to stop. Because he will keep going as long as you let him!

❉⊱•═•⊰❉⊱•═•⊰❉⊱•═•⊰❉⊱•═•⊰❉⊱•═•⊰❉⊱•═•⊰❉

[m00nymonster]

The Compatibility Test

Prompt: illusion

I'm at a live show with 1.0. It is trying to get me to appreciate things "more interesting" than the nonfiction documentaries and histories I usually watch. That's how we found ourselves here, watching a variety show during one of Preservation's festivals. This particular festival encourages dressing in colorful costumes, eating themed food, buying trinkets and art, and attending many live shows. The shows are why 1.0 tolerates the rest.

An old human male walks onstage. He has a long gray beard and is dressed in a blue star speckled robe and a large, pointy hat. In his hands are several decks of cards.

"What is this?" I whisper to 1.0.

"A magic act," it answers.

I frown. "Magic? Magic is not real. That doesn't make sense."

"It's not actually magic, it's--just watch."

I lean back in my chair as the man calmly cuts a blue and a red deck, chatting with the audience smoothly.

"This is a compatibility test," he says. "I need a couple of volunteers."

I raise my hand, curious.

Three, don't-- 1.0 hisses, but is too late. The old human smiles.

"Perfect! Will you two come up?"

1.0 glares at me, but stands and climbs up onto the stage. I follow.

"You all see, I have a red deck of cards and a blue deck of cards. Now, if you get the same color, well, that's fine, stay friends." Laughter. "If you get the same suit, you're getting close. But if you get the same card....well, invite me to the wedding."

More laughter. The human turns to me. "Pick a card from the lower third."

I grab a card. A red heart card with the number three on it. "Now show it to the audience, but not me or your friend. Then press it against your chest."

I do as instructed as he repeats the procedure with 1.0. My drones skim its card, even though I'm not supposed to look. If I had a heart it would sink. It doesn't look remotely like mine.

"Press your cards against your chest and repeat after me: bibbity bobbity boo!"

1.0 makes a face but repeats the phrase, as do I.

"Flip your cards," the magician says. I flip my card. It has changed into a King of Spades. When I look at 1.0, its card is also a King of Spades. The assembled humans break into applause and cheers. I stare at my card, bewildered. I scan it for a hidden pocket or display surface, but no--cardboard.

"Perfectly compatible!" The magician twinkles as he collects his cards. "I'll perform at the wedding! Now, I need two more volunteers!"

I walk back to our seats as the magician pulls out a giant deck of cards that are cut diagonally in half. I watch his hands the entire time, but I can't see how he shifts the cards.

"Magic is amazing!" I whisper to 1.0. "How does he do that? I was watching the entire time!"

"I don't know," 1.0 admits. "That's why humans like magic."

"What did he mean by compatible?" I ask. 1.0 flushes red.

"I don't know," it says the way is does when it lies.

"Oh," I say, a little disappointed, although I don't know why. I want to be compatible with 1.0 the way the magician meant. I don't know if 1.0 does, though.

The magician starts his next trick, and I settle down next to 1.0. This is good enough.

[sweetlikehoneystingslikeabee]

For Hatters, how would they react to crush wearing playboy bunny suit at Halloween party?

"A Hat-Trick" Hatter Party x Reader

This is cute! Asks like this are fun because it's just these characters wanting to kiss you so bad it makes them look stupid. And I love that for you guys.

TW: Hypnosis

BTAS

Being the gentleman he is, he needs to make sure no one is harassing you for your chosen costume. By staying right next to you the entire party. This is certainly because he is a gentleman and it's not jealousy. You look lovely, by the way. He'd only really imagined you looking like this in his fantasies, pardon that he's flush.

In his nervousness, he's going to start talking about rabbits. He works with research, you know, lots of rabbits at the facility. Did you know they need special endotracheal tubes to be anesthetized? Their mouths hardly open so it's almost impossible to do them otherwise! Oh, oh and did you know rabbits can have up to twelve kits a litter and can get pregnant almost immediately after again? And that's not even to talk about the white rabbit and Alice in Wonderland-

He's going to babble until you stop him, basically. Then he's flush and apologizing. He makes a joke that perhaps he could hypnotize you and you'd just forget all that, eh? These days he's trying his best to not hypnotize his crushes, but... It is still tempting if it meant getting your attention.

It doesn't come to that as you still, for some ponderous, wondrous reason, you aren't trying to ditch him! It takes all night but eventually he'll work his way into asking you if you'd like to go for tea sometime. Finally. It only took him three months of stewing in this crush to ask you on a date.

Gotham

He didn't dress any particular way for this party. Really, he'll joke that he dressed as the magician to your rabbit. Just in case anyone thought they were going to get close to you at this little event. This will end up in a much larger and quickly-thought out plot that involves him performing party tricks with you as his "lovely assistant."

If you're not too careful, you'll be the subject of a hypnosis demonstration. He'll have you sway on an invisible tight-rope, swaying your hips to keep balance. Nothing dangerous. Even if he knows he could get you to do it flawlessly... He'd still rather not risk it. One thing he knows he can get away with however, is to tell you to kiss him. As if you're lovers meeting after a long time apart. He savors it, the feeling of your tongue on his.

When you wake up, you'll feel almost dizzy. What a good little bunny you were for him! Was it warm? How good did you feel? He asks just the right questions to try and get you flustered. At first he might even hint that something more salacious happened while you were under. Nothing that he thinks would make you feel uncomfortable or unsafe... but just enough to make your imagination run wild.

Then he asks if you want a repeat performance, just the two of you. Surely a little white rabbit such as yourself would graciously invite him to wonderland.

Arkham

Immediately taking off his jacket to cover you. No, no, just *where* is the rest of your outfit? Did it get eaten by the jabberwock on your way here? You must be freezing! Your poor little bunny tail!

Once you tell him it's intentional, he feels a rare emotion for him- embarrassment. Of course. It's not that he hadn't seen a playboy bunny before, he just never realized how delectable your legs really were- hm? What did he say? Nothing. You look wonderful.

let us be honest. He doesn't have a LOT in terms of shame, so once he's over the initial thing, he's going to want to get handsy. So many curves on display! Brushing his fingertips over your waist. If you told him no, he would stop. Yes, he would. You're special, he respects you, yes. No one likes being pawed by a cad. He is muttering this out loud.

If you encourage him at all, however, it'll be give an inch take a mile. It's an excuse he's been wanting, really. After all, he's been so fond of you already.

Such a lack of fabric, you'll really need him to make your costume next year. It can be just as showy if you'd like, he has no issue with that. But it'll give him your exact measurements for future outfits he might want to make...

[jokeringcutio]

"Drabble: The Magician" - Reader x ArthurFleck (established/Joker) & Unrequited Reader x TheGrabber

Crossover time: Fandoms: Joker 2019 + Black Phone 2022

Rating: PG13? Warnings: None really, possessive Arthur, Hints at Arthur already being Joker. Jealousy. For : @lussiane333, Hopefully the first of many crossover drabbles. ~~ Masterlist - Request Box - Support me on Ko-Fi ~~ "Drabble: The Magician" It wasn’t crowded, but most of the audience consisted of children. Most, not all. Beside you, Arthur sat, hand twitching nervously. The magician in front of the audience magicked balloons from out of his hat and tore up a newspaper to make it whole again. You were impressed, even if you’d seen most of his tricks before. But this man was good.

You let your eyes drift to Arthur whose jaw was clenched. He wasn’t as pleased. The white-painted face might have something to do with it, a poor imitation of his own makeup mask. Not quite a clown. But there was more to it, you thought. Perhaps he missed performing? After all, he used to be the one to make the children smile.

Your eyes drifted back to the magician. His fingers were nimble, his draws quick. You felt his eyes upon you a few times, and encouragingly smiled at him whenever he looked your way. Blue-grey eyes, bright and light unlike any you’d ever seen. They bore into you and left their mark. You glanced at your side again, but Arthur’s vivid green eyes were upon the man in front of you, observing his every move.

The man asked a child from the front row to assist him with his next trick. She loved it, and so did the crowd. He was quite good with kids, you thought, charming even. His voice was light and high, not his natural, you thought. The man asked a boy up next, and you loved how he engaged the entire audience, making them go ‘oh’ and ‘ah’ and giving a round of applause that made the children he chose as his assistants feel special and proud.

If this had been all, you’d have thought the man to be a pleasant and well-skilled performer. But then something happened that changed it all.

“For my next trick I will need a volunteer,” his eyes roamed the small crowd, then came to rest on you. “How about you, little lady,” he said in his jolly voice. But something about his gaze wasn’t as playful. It was predator-like. “Would you like to help me out?”

You hesitated, feeling how Arthur by your side tensed when the magician chose you. But everyone was looking at you with such great expectations. Refusing would not do, would it? It would only draw more attention to the two of you and you could not risk that. You didn’t want people to notice Arthur and risk it all.

You took a moment too long to decide, and the magician made it even harder for you. “Ladies and gentlemen, put your hands together for my lovely assistant,” here he paused to look at you again and gestured for you to come hither.

Frozen and uncertain of what to do, you felt Arthur’s elbow in your back, encouraging you to step forth. Hesitatingly, you stood up and approached the magician.

His grin grew when you stepped closer, then he took off his hat and bowed. You noticed how his long hair was greying at the roots. It resembled Arthur’s hair, though less curly and more wispy. Then the hat was on again and the man straightened his spine. “What is your name, love?”

You whispered your name, which he repeated loud enough for everyone in the back to hear. Another arm stretched out, palm upward, and another plea for applause, after which the magician performed his trick with a coloring book – of all things. He guided your hand with the paintbrush in it, saying a magic word as he tried to fill the black-and-white page with color. It didn’t work the first time. But when his hot hand encircled yours, and his warm palm pressed tight against your skin and guided your hand and the brush in it, the book was suddenly filled with colors.

When you glanced at Arthur you saw the shadow over his features. The magician’s hand was still possessively over your own. His body pressed close to yours. Like Arthur’s, you thought. He’s like him.

He bowed deep after he thanked you, a predatory grin on his lips. You recognized it. Of course, you did. And so had Arthur by the look on his face. It was like a thunderstorm had come over him. He sat with his arms folded in front of his chest when you returned to your seat next to him, lips curled downwards like a theatre mask. He was angry. Surely he understood that you had no other choice? That refusing the magician might have risked exposing Arthur, even if he was in his normal clothes.

You didn’t fail to notice how the magician’s eyes kept sliding back to you all through his performance. He was like Arthur, all right. The thought alone sent shivers down your spine. Because you knew how Arthur was. Who he was. And what he had done.

After the performance, the two of you walked home, arms linked. Arthur was still bristling. “I did not like the entertainer,” he said, voice nearly a whine but not quite. He was doing his best to sound unbothered, when clearly, he was angered beyond belief.

“The magician?” you asked, feigning innocence.

“That one.” It was as if a shadow fell over Arthur’s features. His lips pressed into a thin line in displeasure. You had hoped to see a show with him would have lightened his mood. Instead, it had done the opposite.

“You don’t like anyone,” you said, feeling the warmth of his body against yours. He took long strides as if he was eager to get away. You had to try and keep up with him, which you only managed because of your linked arms.

“Perhaps,” he agreed, “but I especially don’t like that man.”

The two of you rounded a corner and you halted, forcing Arthur to come to a stop as well. He looked down at you, clearly confused. His green eyes sought yours.

“You know what?” you said, looking up at him. A small smile slipped on your lips when you whispered. “Neither did I.”

You could see Arthur’s mind racing. Usually, you were his voice of reason, the one who berated him and told him that he was overreacting. To hear you agree with him on something like this was quite new. But you had felt it. When your eyes had locked with those blue-grey ones of the magician, you knew there was something wrong with him. “There’s something about him,” you said. “Something,” you hesitated, then finished with a whisper. “Dark.”

“Dark?” Arthur turned to face you, not noticing how the topic of your conversation was now in front of you. A big black van with Abracadabra on the side was parked next to the sidewalk. You noticed how the green and blue letters shimmered in the sunlight. Behind it stood a very familiar man, a brown paper bag in his arms. You recognized attributes from his magic act. The top hat was on his head and his face was still painted white. But his piercing eyes that had betrayed the darkness inside of him were now hidden behind glasses.

“Good afternoon to you,” he piped, sounding way too jolly. His stage voice again, you thought.

“If it isn’t my lovely assistant.” Your name rolled off his lips like dripping honey, syrupy and sweet. You felt Arthur tense next to you, his whole pose rigid. The magician seemed to nearly drop his bag. The flowers that lay on top fell out of it.

“Oh my, would you look at that!” the man exclaimed. “I am so clumsy! Pardon me.”

But you were in front of him on your knees already, picking up the fallen items and handing the flowers to the magician with a shy smile. “Here you go,” you said, not realizing what you were doing until it was too late.

The magician put his bag in the back of the van and turned to take the flowers from your hands. A smile twisted his lips when his fingers brushed past yours. “Why, thank you, dear. Flowers, for me already? We only just met…”

You froze and practically felt Arthur seething a few paces behind you. But the magician was unperturbed. He leaned forward, stepping closer to you until you felt the heat radiate off his body. A scent drifted to you, cologne and a whiff of manly testosterone.  

Then he was leaning back again and the distance between the two of you increased again. He turned to place the flowers in the back of his van. “I was just kidding, sweetheart,” you heard him say. Then he turned to face you again. You wished you could see his eyes behind his glasses, to know the look that was in his gaze now. Was he jesting as he claimed? Or was there more to it like you suspected?

“You seem frightened,” he stated, voice finally losing its high and pleasant lilt. In its stead, a raspy low voice came out. Was this his true voice, you wondered? Or another character in him?

“I am sorry,” he said, looking aside, “I did not mean to scare you.” His smile had faded and you thought he might be honest now. Your heart was thumping wildly in your chest. He was lucky, you thought. So very lucky that Arthur hadn’t brought a gun with him.

He hadn’t, right? Oh shit, had he brought the tiny one that he sometimes hid in his shoes?

You turned around to come face to face with Arthur. He had come closer and now stood behind you. The magician’s gaze must be resting on him too now, because Arthur was an imposing sight to see, standing tall and carrying a grimace of displeasure that could strike fear in anyone.

“I am sorry,” the magician said. You heard how his smile must have turned wry. “I was just telling your daughter how lovely an assistant she was.”

The reaction was instant. You felt how Arthur’s body tensed, then how his arm encircled your waist and he pulled you close. His grasp possessive, strong. This would leave no doubt.

You wondered if the magician’s eyes grew wider behind the glasses, because you swore you saw them raise. Then a frown slipped onto his face. “I see,” he murmured.

“I am sorry, Mister…” Arthur waited for the magician to answer, which he did.

The magician nodded curtly at Arthur while he introduced himself. “Albert,” he said, voice raspy and low still. “Albert Shaw.”

“Well, Mister Shaw, it seems that you are treading on dangerous ground.” A smile grew on Arthur’s face, one much like a shark’s. “You should be more careful with your assumptions in the future. You’ve been,” here Arthur paused to wet his lips, “awfully impolite.”

Those words invoked mental images inside your mind of Arthur at his worst, gun drawn and pointed at a helpless victim’s head, already on the floor on their back. You’d seen it before. Awfully impolite. Society. Triggers that made Arthur’s anger surface. Then Arthur broke you out of your thoughts when he turned to you and whispered near your ear, but loud enough so Albert, the magician, could hear, “It is time to go.” And then more pressing, “now.”

You nodded and placed your hand on Arthur’s forearm, a signal that you would follow him. Arthur’s gaze was a dangerous one, fully aimed at Albert as he took you away, back to the pavement. His arm was firm around you, his breathing heavy. A dangerous glint was in Arthur’s eyes and you knew, you just knew, what was going on inside that brilliantly obscure mind of his.

A plot for revenge. A plan for retribution.

Albert had touched something that was his. Something that Arthur had laid claim on. You.

And now that he had the magician’s name, there was no doubt in your mind that you would see that name appear in one of the newspapers pretty soon. Albert Shaw. Murdered. Visited by none other than the Joker.

Unless your feelings about the magician were right. Unless he was as dangerous as the Joker who had claimed you as his own. ~~ Masterlist - Request Box - Support me on Ko-Fi ~~ ~ Fin ~ AN: I am open to requests. This story was not beta-read, might do that later.

[spahhzy]

Special Grade: Forgotten Silhouettes.

Au.

Hi. New story. Enjoy.

-

"Hey Jaune, --- been looking for you." Said a man dressed in a white jacket, orange hair sticking out from under his bowler hat as he was counting the lien that they made from their last score. He motioned to the closed door.

___ Room.

The other man, him-Jaune, tilted his head but shrugged his shoulders before walking up to the door and opening it up he walked inside, the door closing behind him.

"___?" He called out, but nothing. he sighed, wondering if this was one of ___tricks, he see's ___ mattress and walked up to it, noticing nothing out of the ordinary he was about to go bark at _____ until a piece of paper fluttered onto the mattress.

He looked at the paper with a curious look before grabbing it and opening it up.

<Look up.>

Ja-

Jaune, doing as instructed, looked up, thinking that ___ was up their but to his surprise, it was just another letter. Lucky enough, this one was in bold letters, which made it easier to read.

<LOOK DOWN IN YOUR SHIRT. >

-unee!

"Wuuuh," he said dumbly, Jaune pulled open the crook of his shirt and, like a magic trick, performed on him, stitched inside his shirt... was another note.

"How the hell did she..." Not even going to try and guess that insanity Jaune just read the next note.

<Now look in front of you, dummy.>

Jaune!

Jaune let go of his shirt and looked in front of him, and the next thing he was greeted with were pink and brown eyes.

Jaune!

-

"Jaune!"

Jaune jolted awake with a start as he looked up to see frosted blue eyes looking down at him.

"Yes, specialist Schnee?" Jaune said as he stood into place of his superior.

Winter Schnee, his commanding officer of his unit, Special Grade.

"The general wishes for me to take you to training course for the rookies, he will be on-site as well as the council to see your performance as well," She told him, and Jaune nodded.

"Also, how have you been? Still having sleep problems?" She asked, and Jaune shrugged as he looked down at an object dangling off his right wrist.

"It comes and goes, specialist Schnee, but nothing I can't handle," He told her, which earned him a smile from her, as she put a hand on his shoulder.

"That's good to hear, Jaune, but if you have any problems, you are more than welcome to talk to me," Winter said to him as letting her hand linger for a moment before removing it.

"You know Jaune, you should leave personal momento's here as they could get lost in the field of battle," Winter said to Jaune.

"Maybe you're right, Speciist Schnee, but I just don't feel right when this bracelet comes off," He told her, and Winter tilted her head but nodded anyway in understanding.

Silence suddenly fell between the two as Jaune just raised an eyebrow, and Winter let out an awkward cough.

"Right, also, the General would like a word with you before you head out onto the course, so grab your sword and let head out." She told him her authority voice coming back out.

Jaune nodded and grabbed his sword, doing a major look over before stepping out of his quarters into the hallway with the waiting Winter.

They walked in silence to the general's quarters, but all the while, Jaune couldn't help but feel a deep pang of sadness as all his thoughts were preoccupied on the dream.

The girl with...

Oh... it seems he forgot already.

-

"Ah, if it isn't Jaune Arc, how are you, son?" General Jame Ironwood asked as he held out his hand for Jaune to shake.

"I'm doing alright, sir, ready for this training course you got me doing," Jaune told him, and Ironwood nodded.

"I want you to treat this course very seriously. You're going to be showing the new recruits how it's done, but it will also gauge for me to see if you're ready for your mission, " He told Jaune, who had looked at him with wide eyes.

"Mission, sir?" Jaune repeated, and Ironwood nodded."Yes, I'm thinking of sending one of the 'Special Grade' personelle to Beacon and have them participate in the four year program," Ironwood said as he and Jaune walked to an elevator.

"Beacon? That's Headmaster Ozpin's school, isn't it?" Jaune asked, and Ironwood nodded.

"Why would you need me to attend? Surely I'm more experienced than some average academy student, " Jaune asked, and Ironwood chuckled.

"You're right,'Special Grade' Arc, you are more experienced, but I need someone to keep an eye on the school and more so of Ozpin." Ironwood said to him. " I fear bad times are coming ahead, Jaune, and in those times, I fear for my friend," He told Jaune, who nodded as the elevator descended down.

"I feel as though you are a good candidate to choose from, but only if you nail this course spotless, it will allow me to convince the council to send you to Beacon...is that okay with you?" Ironwood asked, and Jaune nodded just in time as the elevator reached the bottom and opened up to the training course.

Jaune and Ironwood stepped out, Jaune looked up and saw a multitude of people from the Atleasian council while also seeing new recruits as well as Specialist Schnee.

Oh boy, Jaune was starting to get a little nervous having all these eyes on him.

"You'll do well, Jaune. I know you will," Ironwood said as he patted him on the shoulder before walking off leaving Jaune alone at the starting line.

"Oh and Jaune, I almost forgot." Jaune turned his head to Ironwood.

"Be mindful of your path. It's darker than it looks"

Something inside Jaune switched off as something else switched on.

-

"Roman, my friend, how are you?" said Hei as one Roman Torchwick, collapsed down onto the barstool a heavy sigh escaping him as he threw down some lien.

"Bad night?" Hei asked all he got as an answer was Roman chugging down his drink before ordering another.

"Sheesh, is that new client of yours really that bad?" He asked, sending another shot down Roman's way.

"It ain't easy stealing all this dust my friend, that bitch has some big schemes involved and if I don't provide my ass is grass as well as Neo's" Roman said before downing another shot.

"Speaking of Neo, where is she?" Hei asked, and Roman remained silent, not wanting to answer, but Hei already knew the answer to that question. Instead, he poured a shot for him and Roman.

"Things were much more fun with him around," Hei said as he drank the liquor.

"You just like it cause he kept them bikers from destroying your bar," Roman teased, and Hei laughed, which in turn made Roman laugh before chugging down another shot.

"Neo's going to be pissed when she finds out the next stage in the bitches plan" Roman said as Hei hummed in agreement.

"How long has she been chasing leads?" Hei asked, and Roman shrugged.

"Almost three years since the ambush" Roman said and Hei shook his head.

"You think you should just tell her to give up? Move on?" Hei asked and Roman sighed.

"I don't know, old friend...I really don't know"

-

"Please! Stop, I don't know anymore, plea-ack! " Came a pleading man before he was stabbed in the chest, a sharp blade coming out of the other end l, effectively killing the man. His attacker wore a white leotard covered with black pants and white boots. She wore a few pieces of jewelry, namely necklaces. She also had a yellow bracelet. She also wore a worn-out black jacket with a logo of a bunny in the middle, but the jacket was big for her , and it made it look like she was wearing a trench coat.

Her pink and brown eyes glared angrily at the dead man before opening her scroll up and crossing of a name from a list.

"Another dead end, Neo?" Spoke a voice as Neo turned to the man, Roman, her partner in crime and best friend.

Neo gave a silent huff but nodded sadly as Roman walked up to her as she fiddled with the bracelet.

"Hey, where almost done with collecting dust for our client, which means that we're going to be going to the next stage of her plan" Roman said and Neo just crossed her arms and looked angrily at him.

"I know, I'd rather not send you to Beacon of all places, but... we gotta survive this for our sake...it what Jaune wanted after all" Roman said and Neo narrowed her eyes at him.

"Hey-hey, take it easy. I'm not saying he's dead, but...come on Neo it's been four years since that raid... and well... " He was shushed as Neo just turned away from him, gripping at the worn-out jacket.

"I know it's hard... I miss him every day, but if we want to keep searching... we gotta go along with that Cinders plan okay...please" He said as he put a comforting hand on her shoulder. Neo just stood their but eventually, she sighed in defeat before nodding at him with a smile.

"Thanks... Now come on, let's get out of here"

Neo nodded to Roman as they both left the alleyway before law enforcement could show up, and though she couldn't speak it, her mind kept repeating it.

'I'll find you, Jaune'

[kazscrows]

Crooked Kingdom Reread

Chapter 3: Matthias

Cornelis Smeet tipped, losing his footing, hat sliding from his nearly bald head. The boy who had run into him stepped forward, offering assistance.

The boy was Kaz, but he was not Kaz. His dark hair was mussed, his manner flustered. He kept his eyes averted, his chin tucked into his collar as if hopelessly embarrassed—a green youth, respectful of his elders.

I love when Kaz goes into acting mode™️

I need more of it

lol Kaz saying “Oh dear, I think you dropped your wallet.” like he’s a respectable lad

Matthias watched in disbelief, Smeet opened his billfold and drew out a crisp five-kruge bill. “There you are, young man. Pays to be honest.”

I’m cackling

That honest young man just robbed you of your dog whistle, put it back again, stole valuable information on one of your clients and threatened your daughter—

Matthias could not fathom it. He’d kept his gaze trained on Kaz’s gloved hands as he’d fussed over Smeet, but even knowing that Kaz intended to return the whistle, Matthias hadn’t been able to detect the moment of deception. He was tempted to drag Smeet back and make Kaz perform the trick again.

Kaz neatened his hair with his fingers and handed the five kruge to Wylan. “Don’t spend it all in one place. Let’s move.”

Please why is this so funny? I’m dying-

Kaz just keeps reaffirming that he’s secretly a demjin in Matthias eyes

But same Matthias. I’d want to see that trick a hundred times

And Kaz giving Wylan the money?

Hilarious 😂

Matthias just thought that Kaz is twice as insufferable ever since Inej got taken

He needs her 😭

He’s definitely worried about her

I wonder just how often the others will note his increasingly worse moods

They made it back to Black Veil

It was weird they already came here in the show but it was also very cool to see the cemetery

I guess it just sets it up as a future haunt for later… *ba-dum tssh* get it? Haunt.. cause.. cause it’s a cemetery—

I love that Jesper and Nina are in an argument when Kaz, Wylan, and Matthias arrive

Kaz is just like.. “now now children stop being stupid and shut up-“

He literally herds them along with his cane

Freddy please use the cane for more gestures in the future! I’m begging 🙏

“Stop gawking like you’ve never seen a girl in a dress before, Matthias.”

“I wasn’t gawking,” Matthias said with as much dignity as he could muster. But for Djel’s sake, what was he supposed to look at when Nina had irises tucked between … everything.

“Be quiet, Brekker,” Nina said. “I like it when he gawks.”

It’s your own fault they’re back together Kaz

I love Nina

And I can totally hear Danielle saying that line

Matthias knew Nina would allow herself no comfort until Inej was safe.

Aww ninej 🥹💕

I love their friendship

All the crows love Inej so much

Kuwei poked his head out of the huge stone tomb as they approached.

“What did I tell you?” Kaz growled, pointing his cane at him.

“My Kerch isn’t very good,” protested Kuwei.

“Don’t run game on me, kid. It’s good enough. Stay in the tomb.”

Kuwei hung his head. “Stay in the tomb,” he repeated glumly.

lol

I just like this interaction

Kaz calling anyone kid is kind of funny. Like dude you can’t be anymore than four years older than him

Poor Kuwei though

If I’m being honest I never cared much for him before I guess we’ll see if that changes after this reread

I’ve definitely been sympathizing for him more

The tomb was constructed to look like an ancient cargo ship, its interior carved into a vast stone hull. It even had stained-glass portholes that cast rainbows on the crypt floor in the late afternoon.

I had forgotten it looked like a boat so I’m glad the show got it right!

We always talk about Nina and Kaz’s sibling energy in the fandom and I love it, but I’m getting sibling energy from her and Jesper too and I’m living!

He turned his gaze on Matthias. “The Fjerdans are here too. They’ve got a whole contingent of drüskelle with them.

Oh rip I didn’t realize they knew the drüskelle were there so early

Kaz continued. “Once we have Inej, we can move on Van Eck’s silos.”

Nina rolled her eyes. “Good thing this is all about getting our money and not about saving Inej. Definitely not about that.”

“If you don’t care about money, Nina dear, call it by its other names.”

I’m probably reading way too much into this but

Kaz called Inej, Inej here.

Not the Wraith or a spider

He cares about Inej. He didn’t call her by her other names

It’s probably not meant to be read like this at all

Especially since in the next breath Kaz calls money freedom, security, and retribution to help appease Nina’s disapproval and of course to slightly mock her…

Yeah I’m definitely going off the rails, but it’s just a thought I had

Inej is his first priority though, can’t deny that one

Matthias heard Wylan murmur to Jesper, “Why won’t he just say he wants her back?”

“You’ve met Kaz, right?”

“But she’s one of us.”

Unfortunately Kaz is emotionally constipated

“Inej is part of the crew.”

“Just don’t push it.”

“Why not?”

“Because the practical thing would be for Kaz to auction Kuwei to the highest bidder and forget about Inej entirely.”

“He wouldn’t—” Wylan broke off abruptly, doubt creeping over his features.

None of them really knew what Kaz would or wouldn’t do. Sometimes Matthias wondered if even Kaz was sure.

Wylan trying to stand up for Inej is wonderful

But man this hurts

None of them believe that Kaz wouldn’t just leave them all to die if it was ever more convenient for him

I don’t believe that for a second but…

This emotional constipation is getting dangerous Kaz-

None of them trust you-

Just let them in alReAdy—

Also Jesper and Wylan talking like Kaz isn’t just right there and can’t hear them

He can definitely hear them

“Once the job is done, Kuwei—and any other convicts, Grisha, and disinherited youths who may or may not have prices on their heads—can lie low in the Southern Colonies.”

Jesper frowned. “Where will you be?”

���Right here. I’ve still got plenty of business that requires my attention.”

There he goes

Getting everyone their money and then just pushing them all away

Though Kaz’s tone was easy, Matthias heard the dark anticipation in his words. He had often wondered how people survived this city, but it was possible Ketterdam would not survive Kaz Brekker.

Some of Matthias’ thoughts about Kaz are such bangers

“Kuwei cleared his throat. “I would prefer to go to Ravka.”

“I’d prefer a pair of sable-lined swimming trunks,” said Jesper. “But we can’t always get what we want.”

I love Jesper so much

“Do you really think an antidote is possible?” Nina asked.

“I don’t know,” said Kuwei. “My father was a Fabrikator. I am just an Inferni.”

“You’re our chemist, Wylan,” said Nina hopefully. “What do you think?”

Wylan shrugged. “Maybe. Not all poisons have an antidote.”

Jesper snorted. “That’s why we call him Wylan Van Sunshine”

Ah the famous Wylan Van Sunshine quote

And wouldn’t you know it’s Jesper being sarcastic

There was a long, tense pause, then Kaz ran a gloved thumb over the crease of his trousers and said, “Nina, love, translate for me? I want to make sure Kuwei and I understand each other.”

“Kaz—” she said warningly.

Kaz shifted forward and rested his hands on his knees, a kind older brother offering some friendly advice.

The very worst older brother you could ever have

Sorry Kaz but it’s true..

I was about to say the speech he gives Kuwei isn’t so terrifying but uh.. I was wrong

It’s pretty awful actually

“You are a stolen painting, Kuwei. Too recognizable to sell on the open market, too valuable to leave lying around. You are worthless to me.”

Like.. yikes

This is why they all worry you’d leave them bleeding out in a ditch if it suited you, Kaz-

“Kuwei responded in Shu. She hesitated. “He says you’re cruel.”

“I’m pragmatic. If I were cruel, I’d give him a eulogy instead of a conversation. So, Kuwei, you’ll go to the Southern Colonies, and when the heat has died down, you can find your way to Ravka or Matthias’ grandmother’s house for all I care.”

“Leave my grandmother out of this,” Matthias said.”

No you’re definitely cruel Kaz but uh.. okay-

The grandmother comments are making me cackle though

Oh my gosh this is so perfect actually since we know that Calahan’s real grandma watches the show!

“Okay Cal, I have watched 5 and 6 and you are still in prison! 😳”

That is a real text Calahan got from his grandma about season 2 of the show

The knife that had killed Muzzen had been meant for Matthias, and the Fjerdans might well be responsible. The drüskelle. His brothers. They’d wanted him to die without honor, murdered in an infirmary bed. It was a death fit for a traitor. It was the death he had earned. Now Matthias owed Muzzen a blood debt, but how would he ever pay it?

I was just thinking about the guy they left at hellgate the other day 😬

But if the drüskelle killed a guy helpless in a prison cell it’s no surprise what happens to Matthias later…

Also I think Muzzen and Jesper must have been friends… he’s the most upset by his death

Jes was sad about Big Bolliger last book too

“There’s something else,” said Rotty. “Someone’s kicking up dust looking for Jesper.”

“His creditors will have to wait,” said Kaz, and Jesper winced.

“No,” Rotty said with a shake of his head. “A man showed up at the university. Jesper, he claims he’s your father.”

Ooh

Here comes Mr. Fahey!!

Colm! I like Colm

First | Previous | Next

[devious-chronicles]

grand opening

This is my first attempt at writing so please be nice, by that I mean give criticism but don't just go "this sucks" and expect me to get better. Also this is just a bit of an introduction to the world and main characters, expect the actual first installment to be much more detailed.

3:14 PM

The Jester was rushing. She knew she still had plenty of time before opening but Nines would be very upset with her if she wasn't as early as he was. The outfit was as hard to get on as ever, the black and white stripes seemed to blend into her pale skin making it hard for her to tell where she started and it ended. Looking in the mirror she couldn't help but admire her hat, Nines had let her pick it so she could feel more special than the other performer's in her act, the way the large silver bells hung behind her head letting a few curls of her red hair poke out of the bottom allowed her to remember she was something under the costume and the makeup. After she had wrapped herself in her red ribbon she took one last look at herself in the mirror and put on her mask, she felt happier already…

1:38 PM

Nines calmly adjusted his tie in the mirror “another day, another show.” He repeated, his hand wandering to caress one of the many pictures of his Jester that he had pinned around the mirror before he began to gather his things. He made sure not to arrive too early as to allow her some time to relax, he didn't want his prize overworking herself after all. As he made his way towards the door he took one final look at her picture before he disappeared into the flashing lights and glittering flames of the circus.

10:45 PM

The Jester stood still, Nines’s arm curled around her neck as he prepared her mentally for the big show. “Now my Dear as the star of the show it's best that you maintain your best manners at all times. The King would be rather angry with me if you messed this up.” he said. she nodded along even though she had heard it a thousand times and she really didn't need a reminder. Even if no one had ever seen him, The King was still the one running the show and she knew she couldn't make him angry. “Yes sir, I'll do my best I promise” she whispered as she looked up at him through her mask, watching as he smirked and pressed a kiss against the top of her hat, she's lucky she had her mask on or the staff would've seen her turn redder than her hair.

11:00 PM

Nines watched as his Jester practiced with the rest of the opening crew, this was the night, the grand opening, the big moment. He knew His jester wouldn't disappoint him, not with her knowing The King had a lot riding on this success. The other performers were already arriving and he knew they only had an hour to truly prepare. One hour… that's all it takes… one hour. He stepped back into the shadows before the others could notice him. He was gone by the time The Jester looked back over.

12:00 AM

The show was beginning, the curtains drawing back as The Jester stood front and center, ready for her time in the spotlight. She was a nervous wreck beneath it all but she wouldn't let it show. The tricks began as the other acrobats swirled around her in various positions and poses. She started her routine, she flipped and twirled through the air before landing into a cartwheel. She spun around the stage, the light flaring and the silver glitter sparkling in the air as she moved. The Acrobats whirled around her in patterns, a star, a moon, and finally the mask. It all came to a finish as she leaped into the air and landed in a handstand before the Acrobats lifted her up in one final pose.

2:30 AM

The Jester Sauntered through the halls, her shoulders slumped and the mask almost slipping from her face. She was exhausted, the opening was bad enough but her personal shows took a lot out of her. As she walked alone down the empty hallways she could feel herself falling asleep just standing up. She couldn't help but think about her nice bed and she almost wanted to speed up, though she didn't have it in her really, maybe she shou- her thoughts were interrupted as a gloved hand shot out from the shadows and pulled her in before her mask was quickly yanked away. The loud sound of lips smacking together echoed through the hall as Nines pulled her away.

[thesinglesjukebox]

WILLOW - "RUN!"

The first time we've covered Willow solo since "20th Century Girl" in 2011!

[6.82]

Joshua Minsoo Kim: A phenomenal parlor trick of a song. It begins enjoyably obnoxious from the jump and spends its entire runtime transforming its needling bassline and insistent drums into something even-keeled. The way everything interlocks at the end is the direct result of Willow’s vocals — she was always the ringleader. There’s even a moment that has the unfurling beauty of Steve Reich’s minimalism. It’s apt; there’s so much joy in hearing the real-time transformations here. [6]

Nortey Dowuona: Asher Bank, the drummer on this song, has the most difficult job: he has to recede for the vocals to take center stage, emerge in order to provide sharp transitions, settle into a smooth groove for the pre-chorus, then carefully carry the outro. More difficult yet, he leans heavily on the kick/snare/kick/kick/kick/snare pattern, largely keeping the hi-hats on a straight, flat drone with no wild tom runs or heavy drum fills to provide flavor. He stays in the pocket for drum engineer Zach Brown to keep him at a low level for Chris Greatti -- handler of piano/bass/acoustic guitar too!!? -- to record. Then Mitch McCarthy quiets the hi-hats and buries them in the mix, letting the kick and snare take starring roles next to the bass as the electric guitar and Willow's vocals drift high over them, rounded off and cocooned with reverb. Willow's voice is a helpless, frightened cry until she settles into her deeper, lower register as the drums pause, rush back toward the front of the mix, then slowly thump into the last bars of the outro, only the kicks heard. All in all, fine job by Bank. Willow sounds great too. [8]

Alfred Soto: Listening to "run!" blind I'd have assumed HAIM or somebody were responsible for the freakout-in-real-time vocal. The wonder is drummer Asher Bank, whose unpredictable patterns recall similar work on Fetch the Bolt Cutters. The star is Willow, whose performance complements the rhythm. [8]

Jonathan Bradley: Willow’s anxious shrieks and paranoid gasps demand stronger accompaniment than one and a half post-punk basslines and an admittedly satisfying clattery drum kit. [5]

Dave Moore: In the past few years Willow has quietly become the most incredible pop artist that you are begging to hear in a language you don't speak. But, much to my own surprise, I couldn't care less about the dippy poetry and therapyspeak -- the right syllables always seem stick to the right melodies and assemble themselves into the right songs. She's a genius.  [7]

Katherine St. Asaph: Willow's A-list family has, maybe paradoxically, caused their musical career to fall into relative obscurity compared to pop's A-list; casual listeners and jaded industry types have seemingly written her music off as nepo stuff that's safe to ignore. Which is a shame, because they're making more ambitious music, more deserving of being called "artpop," than many of the up-and-coming artists marketed in their stead. "Run!" is striking and angsty in a way that shares more in common with '90s singer-songwriters than '20s nu-pop-punkers. There are places in Willow's vocal where I would believe that someone spliced in a Tori Amos sample instead -- the inflections can be uncannily similar. (Well, OK, half the time who I actually hear is Charlotte Martin; close enough.) Docked a point for the outro, which is the sort of indulgent meandering that the doubters probably expected. [7]

Jacob Sujin Kuppermann: As with many of the great stars of alternative rock through the decades, it's hard to separate the craft from the shtick here. This annoys me in the nervy first half and still doesn't quite land itself in the repeated phrases of the spacier second half, but I can't help but be charmed by the song taken as a whole. To take big swings and fail interestingly is always more valorous than to just muddle through. [6]

Taylor Alatorre: Saves the Day had In Reverie, the Get Up Kids had On a Wire, Panic! had Pretty. Odd., and Willow has empathogen. Once you have chosen the path of the Emo Girl, there's no going back; record your self-consciously mature and classicist follow-up album, or perish. This is of course an oversimplification, since not even the sellout-iest of emo bands has a career path remotely comparable to Willow's. "I can't get out" is an appropriate grievance for someone with her profile, whether it's stemming from generalized anxiety disorder or the fact that "Whip My Hair" remains her highest-charting hit. Even while Willow is re-enacting a nervous breakdown, she's still the diligent aesthete, arranging her yelps and squawks in a painterly manner between the gaps in the skittering percussion. Then she suddenly realizes that the song's halfway over and she hasn't said the title yet, prompting a vision of escape that sounds like an extended cut of a sensitive Blink-182 bridge. It's pedestrian, it's predictable after 5 seconds, and it's still evocative enough to make me want to re-evaluate a certain therapeutic mantra. "'Wherever you go, there you are'?" Willow seems to ask. "Actually, dude, I was there, which sucked, and now I am here, which doesn't suck. Take that, mindfulness." [7]

Ian Mathers: I was one of the few positive outliers when we reviewed "Meet Me At Our Spot," and a lot of that was specifically Willow's vocals, so I'm nonplussed that for the first two-thirds here they don't do much for me at all. Might be the production, because during the last minute's worth of "runrunrunrunrun" bits the song does sound better to me. But instead of that section feeling like catharsis or fixation or something equally powerful, it just feels like they ran out of ideas. Better luck next time! [5]

Harlan Talib Ockey: One of my favorite under-discussed trends in music was the blues rock boom of the early 2010s. Alabama Shakes, Gary Clark Jr., Rival Sons, Kaleo, Hanni El Khatib, Blues Pills, Curtis Harding and Sinkane occasionally, Cage the Elephant and Royal Blood arguably. “Run!” is a near-perfect throwback to this era. Even the guitar tone sounds like it’s from The Black Keys’ Turn Blue, and Willow’s vocal delivery owes a debt to Brittany Howard and St. Vincent (who appears on this album). I’m biased toward giving “Run!” a good score simply because that was most of what I listened to as a teenager, but here’s the deciding factor: when Willow starts to drift away from the formula, she expertly dissolves the outro into dreamy exhilaration.  [8]

Wayne Weizhen Zhang: Major theater kid vibes (non-pejorative).  [8]

[Read, comment and vote on The Singles Jukebox]

[puppyluver256]

[Image Description: Six drawings featuring human interpretations of different Pokemon performing various attacks.

The first image features a human interpretation of Meowscarada, taking the form of a feminine person with tan skin, fluffy pale green hair, and pink eyes. She is wearing a dark green mask with green diamond patterns, a pale green one-piece outfit with long puffed sleeves and puffy short legs, a pink floral collar with green accent, a dark green twin-split cape with lighter green lining, pink gloves with green diamonds on the back of the hands, and dark green tights. She is holding up a hand as a floral bomb is floating in midair above her, with two spotlights flanking her presence. The background is a repeated green and black gradient with a crystalline facet texture.

The second image features a human interpretation of Dachsbun, taking the form of a black woman with reddish-brown hair in pigtails, greyish-brown eyes, and long yellow painted nails. She is wearing light orange scrunchies, an orange sweater with light orange trim, a reddish-brown scarf with yellow fluff on the end, a greyish-brown miniskirt, brown leggings with light orange polka dots, and orange boots. She is holding her hands out, radiating energy with several heart shapes floating outward, and winking at the viewer with a charming smile. The background is a repeated gradient of pinks with a crystalline facet texture.

The third image features a human interpretation of Ceruledge, taking the form of a woman with medium brown skin, short purple hair in a lavender ponytail, and lavender eyes. She is wearing a purple short-sleeved button-up top with blue trim and puffed sleeves, purple wrist guards, a blue bandanna with purple accents, a black undershirt and leggings, blue shorts, a purple belt with a silver buckle, and purple boots with blue soles and toes. She is aggressively swinging around a pair of matching flaming violet swords. The background is a repeated orange and purple gradient with a crystalline facet texture.

The fourth image features a human interpretation of Garganacl, taking the form of a large woman with light skin, white and brown hair in a square-shaped cut, and yellow eyes. She has a small diamond-shaped piercing on her lower lip. She is wearing a black shirt with brown striped sleeves and white diamond pattern, a white puffy layered jacket, and a brown skirt. She is sprinkling magical salt from her hand, imitating the "salt bae" meme, and forming large salt crystals at the bottom right of the image. The background is a repeated tan and brown gradient with a crystalline facet texture.

The fifth image features a human interpretation of Kilowattrel, taking the form of a woman with light skin, shoulder-length black hair, and mint green eyes. She is wearing a yellow and black shirt patterned similar to Kilowattrel’s plumage, grey shorts, and red and white sneakers. She is jumping up and tossing a ball made from electricity above her. The background is a repeated yellow and blue gradient with a crystalline facet texture.

The sixth and final image features a human interpretation of Aqua Breed Tauros, taking the form of a man with light skin, long black hair in a ponytail held with a blue hair band, a black mustache, and black eyes. He is wearing a dark grey cowboy hat with grey accessories resembling elaborate bull horns, a dark grey jacket with black cuffs and collar and blue tear drop accents, a grey shirt, a blue tear drop pendant, and black pants. A grey bullwhip hangs from his belt, its “business end” split into three in a way that resembles three bovine tails curled into a propeller shape. He is charging toward the viewer, a fury in his eyes, and is surrounded by a torrent of water. The background is a repeated maroon and blue gradient with a crystalline facet texture.

End ID.]

-----

Team Persistence finally get to show off their moves! We've got Rosemary using Flower Trick, Napolitana using Charm, Brighid using Bitter Blade, Salina using Salt Cure, Faraday using Electro Ball, and Edgar using Raging Bull. Not much more to say, I'm missing Splatfest and also there is a puppy here aaaaa snoopyyyyyy

💖🐶 Check out my pinned post for ways to support my artwork, among other things! 🐶💖

~Likes are appreciated, but reblogs are preferred as they let more people see my artwork! If you have something to say, feel free to give feedback in tags/comments/replies as well!~

Meowscarada, Dachsbun, Ceruledge, Garganacl, Kilowattrel, Tauros (any variant), and other Pokemon concepts © Nintendo / GameFreak Rosemary Flores, Napolitana Pantoja, Brighid Guerrero, Salina Morton, Micaela Faraday, Edgar Rivera, and artwork © PuppyLuver Studios

[catsvrsdogscatswin]

Higurashi Month 2024, Day 24: Astonished

Higurashi Month prompts archive: AO3 

When Mion suggested the idea of magic tricks, everyone was on board.

When she specified learning magic tricks and not just watching her do them, because she'd seen this cool program on the hotel TV when Batcha had sent her with a few of the Kimiyoshi family on a business trip and she wanted to try, reactions immediately split.

"Nope," Keiichi said immediately, shaking his head. "Uh-uh, uh-uh, uh-uh. No way are we-"

He pointed to Satoko.

"-giving that gremlin access to prestidigitation. Think of what she could do!"

"Presti-what?" Satoko said, her foxlike smirk momentarily stymied by bafflement.

"Sleight of hand," Shion clarified, and then pretended to stroke a nonexistent beard. "But you know, I'm kinda liking that idea."

"You just like it because she doesn't come after you!"

"Nobody's exempt from club strategies, Kei-chan. You're just the only one klutzy enough to keep tripping headfirst into them."

"Hey!"

"Will there be bunnies?" Rena asked, her eyes aglow, ignoring Shion and Keiichi behind her as they started to tussle.

"I ordered a magic set from the mail catalogue, but I dunno if we should work with live stuff yet," Mion admitted, lifting up her bento just before a flailing arm swiped under it. "There's plenty of critters around if we wanna try –I'm pretty sure one of my aunts has a rabbit hutch, too."

"And none of us have a top hat, mew," Rika said cheerfully.

"Ah, that's easy to get." Mion waved one hand. "You remember my uncle in Okinomiya, the one with the game store? He's got a load of old costumes and things in his basement."

"So how come you didn't buy a magic set from him?" Satoko asked, eyes on the whirling cloud of dust that had overtaken the two desks as the occasional yelp or shout echoed out of it.

"Didn't have the right kind of set," Mion said. "I wanted something comprehensive, y'know? Ropes and rings and a deck and an instruction pamphlet with pictures and all that. The pamphlet part was the trickiest, since most are in English."

"It'll be odd having a set of new cards," Hanyuu mused.

"We'll just use 'em for magic, don't worry," Mion replied, although her grin went a trifle sharp-edged for a moment. "We wouldn't want to mess things up, would we, Kei-chan?"

"What?" he said as the scuffle suddenly paused, Shion's arm wrapped around his neck in a headlock and his hand frozen in the act of pulling on a chunk of her hair.

"We're getting a new deck with the magic set and Mi-chan promised not to mix the two together," Rena repeated happily. He snorted.

"Yeah, because she doesn't want me to trick her again –urk!"

He gurgled as Shion flexed her elbow, cutting off his air supply. Keiichi yanked on her hair, but it was long enough that she could merely dip her head with the movement and go with him to the edge of his range.

"Should we make it a competition to see who masters all the tricks the fastest?" Satoko suggested, an evil gleam back in her eye as she began to grin.

"Mm." Mion hummed noncommittally. "I dunno… that doesn't sound very inspired. Maybe whoever can do the coolest performance with the tricks? Extra points for however many you include?"

"We could do a magic show!" Shion gushed, eyes sparkling at the idea as Keiichi, purple-faced and foaming at the mouth, tapped rapidly at her arm with both hands.

"Shi, I think you need to let go," Rika noted, and with a blink –as if forgetting she had him stashed there– Shion looked down, and then opened her arm.

Keiichi smacked down to the floor and wheezed on all fours, his breath rattling throughout the room as he drew in deep gulping lungfuls of breath.

"I'm… the Magician of the Mouth!" he said weakly after a few moments, setting a hand on his knee and pushing himself to his feet. He swayed a little, but stuck a finger in the air, declaiming proudly. "I came from Tokyo! I know about physics! There's no way you guys'll be able to beat me!"

"Them's sleighting words," Mion replied as her eyes lit with the spark of challenge, rubbing her hands with a grin. "Sleight of hand, that is. Eh?"

"Mion Sonozaki, disqualified for use of lame puns," Shion pretended to note down in an invisible book, even going so far as to mime the act of scribbling with her retrieved chopstick before her sister smacked her hands.

"Bring it on!" Satoko scoffed, tossing her head and folding her arms. "With my trap expertise, I'll master those tricks in a snap."

"While Satoko does traps and tricks, I'll do my best with the treats," Rika said sweetly.

"Learning magic tricks does sound fun…" Hanyuu admitted.

"For the bunny rabbits and fluffy pigeons!" Rena cried, raising her hand as though calling an army forth to battle. Shion snorted and lifted an arm to join her.

"For prestidigitation!" she added, grinning at Keiichi.

"Alright!" Mion laughed, and punched the air as Rika, Satoko, and Hanyuu belatedly –and in Keiichi's case, reluctantly- followed. "For traps, for treats, for fluffy bunnies, and for learning all the amazing tricks that will astonish and delight our eyes! The Hinamizawa Club's Magic Academy is now open for showbusiness!"

[ask-de-writer]

IMMORTALITY? A Grumpy Goat *tail* (Part 2 of 3) : MLP Fan Fiction

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IMMORTALITY?

A Grumpy Goat *tail* (Part 2 of 3)

by

De Writer (Glen Ten-Eyck)

© 2022 by Glen Ten-Eyck

7865 words

All  rights reserved. This document may not be copied or distributed on or  to any medium or placed in any mass storage system except by the express  written consent of the author.

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Users  of Tumblr.com are specifically granted the following rights. They may  reblog the story. They may use the characters or original characters in  my settings for fan fiction, fan art works, cosplay, or fan musical  compositions. I will allow those who do commission art works to charge  for their images.

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I will give Sawnax this.  He stopped.  He thought.  “I do get the immortality?  No tricks?”

I sighed in exasperation.  “Yes. You get what is specified in the contract.  You will live the span stated.  Your mind will stay sharp.  You will be able to eat what you want and enjoy what you wish within the ability of your body to perform.”

Sawnax nodded sourly.  “Expected more, you know.  Dark deals and magical diagrams.  Special candles and all of that stuff.”

I agreed, “Lots of my customers do.  The repeat customers know what to expect.  If you WANT that stuff, showmanship is twenty bits plus expenses.”

“I ain't payin' no more.  Be careful with that stuff until my contract is took care of.  Then screw up all you want!”  With that cheerful parting shot, Sawnax took off down the trail.

The Litch King and Coalsmoke came out of the back chamber.

The Litch King said cheerfully, “I did overhear what you said about me, Grumpy!”

As we all three snickered, Coalsmoke chuckled, “He was right though.  Calling you up can be dangerous.  Just look at poor Grumpy.  You did that to him over a simple mistake that was not even his fault.”

I finished my giggle fit and handed the Litch King a copy of Sawnax's contract.  He flipped right past the cover page.  He knows that boiler plate by heart.  As he started to read, his fleshless skull began to show, first amusement, then hilarity.

He put down the papers to hold his ribs as he rolled on the cave floor, laughing.  “He really signed THAT!? Oh, my!  We are going to have so much fun!”

I nodded happily.  “I know, Clarence.  He even insisted on most of it.  I can't wait to see what happens!”  

It is very little known, but the Litch King does have a first name.  He is Clarence.  Try to summon him by it and he WILL destroy you.  His name is reserved for his few friends.

Coalsmoke retrieved the document from the cave floor.  And began her own giggle fit.  She settled to serious first.  “You know, Grumpy, I am glad that I took the time to talk to you and ask your advice before we did anything.

“It has been a tremendous help.”

Still chuckling, I asked, “Glad to hear it, Coalsmoke.  You are one of the few ponies welcome in my cave.  Not simply because you are lovely, either.  You are among the few who have treated me with respect.  I appreciate that.

“By the Bye, how is husband number six doing?”

Sobered only a little, she replied, “He was not feeling well yesterday.  Wheezing a bit.  They put him in Ponyville General for overnight observation.”

I asked with casual interest, “Did you break out the Widow's hats, veils and scarves yet?”

Seriously, Coalsmoke replied, “No, Grumpy.  I never do that.  Only after I get the news of one passing away do I get out mourning things.”

Clarence nodded sagely.  “That is wise, Coalsmoke, my dear.  You go about your chosen way of life with great professionalism.”

She nodded courteously, one pro accepting the compliment of another.

I just asked, “Back to Daring Do and the Compass of Discord or shall we put our heads together on the Sawnax thing?”

Clarence said firmly, “Leave that to me.  I promise that you will find it amusing.  Reading for fun is not a common thing for me.  Daring Do it is.”

Coalsmoke agreed, so we went back out into the afternoon sun and I reopened the book.

The rest of the afternoon was quiet except for my reading.  I really like the Daring Do stories and can get a bit carried away by her adventures!  So do my friends! Reading is fun!  Reading with friends is even more so!

The next morning as I was sweeping the front ledge, I saw a pus green pony on the trail.  One that I knew.  A lawyer.  Absolutely one whose soul already belonged to Clarence.  I leaned in my doorway, already glamored to a rotting, maggot infested zombie.  With Mortimer there was no point in wasting time with courtesy.

He stepped onto my nice clean ledge, fouling it with his mere presence.  “Grumpeter Goat, I represent Sawnax, who is demanding his full refund plus indemnity.”

I replied acidly, “Mortimer Mollycoddle, I represent myself and I have just one question.  Is Sawnax alive and is his mind clear?”

Drawing himself up, Mortimer replied haughtily, “He could hardly make the demand if he was not.”

“Then Claim refused.  His contract specifies that he will live.  It specifies that his mind shall remain intact.  It specifies that he shall be able to enjoy those things and activities that he was at the time of signing.”

Frowning, his lip curled, Mortimer retorted, “He got a broken hind leg!  That violates the agreement!”

Mildly, because I now knew the situation, I replied, “How did he break it?”

“Sawnax used to be a steeple chase champion.  He tried to run a steeple chase and fell!  By his understanding of the contract, he should have been able to recapture his old crown.”

“Wrong.  As ALWAYS, Mortimer. He might have “understood” that but it is NOT what he signed!  He was to be able to do and enjoy WHAT HE ALREADY COULD AT SIGNING. Trying to do something outside of his abilities at signing is not covered.”

I gave him my best, maggot leaking smile as I inquired, “Do you really want to take this farrago of nonsense before Judge Coldheart?  I would love to!”

“But my client is in great pain and confined to a mobility cart!”

“Please learn to read, Mortician.”  (Mortimer hates that nickname.)  I lounged in the door and pointed out, “Neither pain or suffering is covered in any way.

“Speaking of ways, the path to Failure and Ponyville is right there.  Please leave.”  I pointed to the path.

I went inside to get a mop and bucket.  I was still scrubbing compulsively at the portion of the ledge where Mortimer had been, when far more welcome company arrived.

Coalsmoke, properly dressed for mourning, in a black hat, veil and shawl, stepped onto my ledge.  I took one look and asked, “What did he die of?”

Whistling softly but cheerfully for a moment, Coalsmoke replied, “Doctor's error.  He was allergic to some common antibiotics.  They administered the correct antibiotic.  The doctor himself swabbed the injection site and administered the antibiotic.”

I really perked up my non-existent ears.  “This must be good.  If it was the right antibiotic, what happened?”

Grinning like a bandit finding a cache of diamonds, Coalsmoke replied, “It was the swab!  He cleaned the site with an antibiotic swab!”

Clarence stuck his skull around the door and said, “I would have expected you to be tied up with insurance matters for the whole day!”

Coalsmoke did a little skippy-happy dance.  “When the Ponyville General Horspital's agent saw the label of the swab and the chart cover with its warning label he caved on the spot!  He called my insurance agent and I got my whole settlement package!  Double indemnity!”

Clarence nodded vigorously, his long horn catching flashes of sunlight as he did.  “Good!  Now, let's see, Daring Do was just about to confront the Compass Bearer ~ ~”  He handed me the book.

As we were settling in to begin the reading circle, Coalsmoke asked, “I met Mortician Mollycoddle while I was on the way up.  What was that about?”

I grinned and realized that I was still wearing the glamor that I had set for Mort's visit.  I was about to change it when Coalsmoke stopped me.  “Don't change it, Grumpy.  It's kind of cute.”

I told them about Mort's visit and Sawnx's leg.

Absolutely radiating innocence, Clarence observed, “You will never guess who is using a mobility cart that was last used by a victim of severe running boils.  It is an absolute mystery how it was improperly cleaned.”

Giggling fit to burst, I found our place.  Reading a well written story together with good friends is an excellent way to pass the time.

The next day, Coalsmoke was absent.  That was expected.  She had a funeral to attend.  That of her latest and now late husband.

Neither Clarence or I wanted to read until she could get free to be here.  Our Daring Do book was almost at the end of the adventure and we did not want her to miss it.

A pony in white robes with a golden stole and funny tall hat was toiling up the trail.  Clarence absolutely lit up with delight.  “A Celestian High Priest!  I haven't been exorcised in ages!  This should be more fun than almost anything!”

I did brighten up.  Clarence was right.  Not even Celestia likes the Celestian Church!  She publishes regular articles and holds news conferences to denounce them.  You would think that being denounced by the very one that they claim to worship would finish them.  If you think so, you don't know ponies very well.

The priest stopped short at the sight before him as he came to my ledge.  I had adopted the maggoty zombie glamor and Clarence just stayed himself, a skeletal alicorn, the Litch King.  

High Priest Hortimer drew himself up and dipped an aspergil into a container of blessed water.  He cast a sprinkle of the water at us.  I just let him.  The stuff is harmless.

He lit a Holy Candle and took out his book of Holy Truth.  He began to intone parts of the text, chiming a gold looking bell as he finished each part.  He ended by demanding, “IN CELESTIA'S HOLY NAME, BEGONE, SPIRITS OF EVIL!”

The Litch King looked sadly at me and said, “Oh dear.  We have been exorcised, Grumpy.  Whatever shall we do?  Somehow I don't feel like leaving.”

I looked back at him.  “I know what you mean, your Majesty.  I was hoping for a real exorcism. Something with some muscle to it, not that toothless, weak jawed thing.  It wasn't strong enough to suck.”

I invited, “Hortimer, old pony, quit trying that worthless religious garbage and come to the point of your visit.”

Exasperated, Hortimer drew himself up to his full height and stared down his nose at me. “Brother Sawnax has not only a broken leg, necessitating a mobility cart, he has begun to develop vile boils all over his rump!  You must remove the curse at once.”

I looked blankly at High Priest Hortimer.  “I could not do that if I wanted to!  You yourself, using pure quotations from the Holy Truth of Celestia, have proved that I cannot do any such thing as cast an evil spell or lift one. It is all lies and deceptions.  You said so yourself.

“Besides that, I did no such curse at all.  Sawnax and I have a contract.  I will not and have not violated it.”

I, of course, failed to mention entirely that Sawnax's comfort was not covered in the contract. Somehow, I also forgot to mention that Clarence HAD messed with Sawnax and might do more yet.  Best place to hide some things is in plain sight.  And the Litch King was right there, bones and all. Being studiously ignored by the High Priest.

Hortimer seemed to think that Clarence was a prop or an illusion.  That had amusing possibilities. Hortimer beat me to it.

The High Priest stepped boldly forward, now that the ledge was exorcised, and tapped Clarence, the very real Litch King, on the horn.  Clarence, hissing like a thousand damned snakes in a boiling kettle and unable to die, snapped at Hortimer's extended forehoof and slapped him with a bony wing.

The impact knocked the High Priest off his feet, his Miter of Office flying from his head, revealing Hortimer's bald spot.  His forelock wig was comically dangling from his horn about half way up.  His priestly robe had scorched tooth marks in the foreleg.

Clarence said, in a voice like an avalanche of stones hitting a frozen lake, “You may thank your host, Grumpy Goat, that I have not violated his hospitality by destroying you.”

The fleshless alicorn skull grinned as he added, “That protection does not extend beyond his front ledge.  However, as a favor to HIM, I will do no thing to you.  This time.”

Whistling tunelessly, I took note of the permission to really mess with Hortimer.  Me NOT being him and all.

I stuck in a hoof, though.  “Low Priest, ol pony, I do have a contract with Sawnax, as I mentioned. As a sign of my good faith in this, I am going to tell you how to deal with his present problem.  It really was Sawnax's own fault that he broke his leg.  It has to heal and it will, with time.  

“The boils are not a curse. They are the result of simple rotten housekeeping at Ponyville General.  The last user of the mobility cart had the boils and it was not properly cleaned.  The boils all have to be lanced, drained, cleaned and dressed.  The mobility cart just needs proper cleaning. That's it.  No curse from me at all.

“Now take your funny hat, silly wig and the rest.  Go.  While you still can.”

He got.

Only a little later, who should come skipping up the trail but Coalsmoke.  Still properly attired for mourning but wearing the biggest smile.  She greeted us with a cheery, “Hi, Grumpy!  How are you, Clarence?  Guess what happened at the funeral today!  We had barely planted him and who should show but the doctor and HIS insurance agent!  They had a really generous offer for an out of court malpractice and no publicity agreement!”

She stopped, looked at our expressions and grinned hugely.  “Give, guys.  I passed Hortimer on the way up and he only called me a whorse!  You really got to him somehow.”

I had to grin.  “Clarence gave me permission to play all that I want to with Hortimer.  I don't think that he has figured it out yet.  He will, soon enough.”

Clarence, faking disappointment horribly, said, “Grumpy told on the boils thing.  He will be all healed at no charge to him, courtesy of Ponyville General.” Brightening, he went on, “Of course, lancing and draining that many boils will hurt like ~ ~ well, my place!”

I added, “Sawnax loves to sue ponies.  He is having a Mobility Cart ramp installed at the Celestian church.  He is cutting a corner, like always.  It is just a little steep because that is cheaper.”

Clarence added thoughtfully, “Did you know that a really big swarm of hornets has just nested in the bell tower of the Celestian church?  I think that they might find out all about it at next Celesday service, when they ring the noon bell.”

He looked expectantly at me.  I filled in, “Hortimer will not get a single sting in the panic. Can't say the same for Sawnax.  You promised not to do anything to Hortimer this time.  

“Pity about all of that poison oak and poison ivy that they still have been too cheap to pay me to clear up for them.”

Grinning so widely that I was afraid that her head would fall off, Coalsmoke handed me our book and said, “Daring Do was just about to escape with the Compass of Discord.  I think that we have light enough to finish up today!”

Coalsmoke was right.  The sun was setting in a welter of gold, purple and reds as we came to the end. Appropriate.  End of the book, end of the day.

Coalsmoke was sniffling at the tragic death of Withers, whose valiant self sacrifice allowed Daring Do to get away with the priceless Compass of Discord.

Clarence was chortling at the whole gory scene as the last of the Discordians were defeated.

I, personally, being more than a little on the greedy side, was delighted that the treasure was in proper hooves, regardless.

That is what is so great about the Daring Do tales.  There is something for almost every taste to take away and feel good about.

The next few days, there was relative peace at my cave.  I had a few little 100 bit contracts for small things.  I refused a small gang of burglars who wanted me to make them invisible by night so that they could ply their trade in safety.

The list of things that I don't like is pretty long but those who rob or steal are right at the top of the list.

I was surprised when Clarence, whose memory goes back to creation, literally, suggested that we tip off Romaine, the Ponyville Prancer roving reporter about the Celestian church for Celesday (SUNday to anypony else) service.  He remembered her from Nightmare Night at Caramel Treat's Sweets and rather liked her.*(for details, read Grumpy Goat's Nightmare Night!)*  I know that he has slipped her several stories since then.

Coalsmoke brought us the SUNday late special edition detailing the Celestian church disaster!  

TO BE CONTINUED

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[sportsbuff]

No time to die

Last Dance for Luka Modric while Argentina advance to Final

Let me start this post by congratulating Croatia for the performance they have put up in the entire tournament. little do people give chance to Croatia at the start of the World cup but they have come a long way. Hats off to Modric for holding midfield and running all the way back to defend also repeat this every match by match. Livakovic who was in god mode against Brazil making 11 saves have not had an impact today at all. defence led Croatia down today but it was just another day. At last, it's the last dance for Luka Modric. I have always thought that Iniesta was the best midfielder but Modric is right up there for me and of course Croatia's golden boy. wish him all the best for the future.

It's time for celebration in the entire world as Messi and co. have reached the final of the WC. the game started differently as Croatia started dominating ball possession in midfield and looked better from start. Alvarez was lucky to get the penalty as the decision looked 50-50 from the Italian referee. Messi scored the penalty to give Argentina the lead in the match. A couple of lucky deflections by Croatian defenders gave Argentina their second Goal. "Magical Assist" were the words that came out of my mouth after seeing the assistance given by Messi to Alvarez for his second and Argentina's third goal. one of the goals where the assist was more beautiful than the finish. Vintage Messi and his dribbling. Unfortunately, Alvarez didn't get his hat trick. Good to see Dybala get some game time ahead of the Final.

All and all a good World cup for Croatia and "No time to die" for Argentina.

See you tomorrow with a preview of the 2nd Semifinal. keep looking for this space.

[thebookieper]

Counter: Fury's Lash

Name: Unknown

Alias: Counter (Vindi to her friends)

Epithet: Disciple of Wrath

Age: 33

Gender: Female

Occupation: Bounty Hunter

Motivation: Red, White (Zealous Justice)

Philosophy: Pragmatic ideals yet more hedonistic in practice

Class: Ranger

Role: Control

Eyes: Crimson

Hair: Brunnete, shoulder length, tied back to keep out of eyes with a few stray bangs for flair

Height: 6'3"

Weight: 133 Pounds

Appearance: Standard cowboy dress with hat, poncho that hides bat wings possibly cybernetic definitely augmented, in black and red with hints of gold.

Personality: Rather sociable and knows how to contain her endless bloodlust for the long con

Background: Was friends with victims of assault, turned on her assailant leading to bloody death with many more to follow.

Skills: Hunting, tracking, stealth,

Strengths: Relentlessness

Weaknesses: Hubris, Distractable

Likes: Justice, Scare tactics, Theatrics, Glory

Dislikes: Willful corruption, blind ideals, things not staying where they are put

Notable Items: Strand of the Enryies

Hobbies: Torture, Pranks, Guitar, Piano

Summery: A bounty hunter with the classic western flair with her signature whip and bat wings who seems more intent on punishing the truly reviled in society. She stakes out her quarries meticulously as to induce the complete helplessness that their poor victims experienced. She lives for the hunt and inducing, dread, horror, and terror in the lowest of the low, yes she definitely knows the difference and will certainly make sure you know the difference (Through meticulous if tangential explanation rather than performance if you've done nothing worthy of her scorn). After stalking her victims for weeks (she usually juggles multiple in the area as to give time to stew them in paranoia) She descends upon them for the final chase, wings spread, moonlit silhouette. The crackle of her laughter punctuated with the crack of the whip. Though once again if you haven't fallen off the cliff of decency into the pit of heinous crimes she's rather affable even when under the pursuit of "Law" which she takes good care not to kill the good men just doing their jobs, though in downtime she takes great delight in harassing the corrupt. 

Quotes:

"Some think you deserve death, me? I say it's butchering the cow long before it's gone dry."

"Somewhere out there there's a happy ending for ya, surrounded by loved ones and family, free from all the trouble, all the problems, all ya desires fulfilled to ya heart's content. But not here, not ever here, Instead you'll die slowly and surely, painfully and pitifully, filled with fear and frustration at your fate. Think of it as a free trial of hell where you forget to cancel it after a month so the payment goes through anyway. Least I could do for your victims, I mean Hell. for all I know you could be sent to some rancid shithole of a place where ya get all of your sick kicks in. It's cliché at this point but you're gonna be here for a long time, and you'll most certainly wish you weren't.

"Surprised ta see ya still alive? I love that trick, tells ya quite a bit 'bout a person in what comes out to face death, gives 'em quite the scare too. Shame that the effects don't hold up all too well with repeated usage, always at least a slight doubt of death after that. Oh well, suppose I'll just leave you wishin' for it instead, works well enough for me.

"An eye for an eye? How many eyes ya think the one rotten bastard's got? I mean are you serious? Not like sin's a liquid asset I can just write out a check for and have the IRS go after the rancid shitheel, no this is a one man operation, gotta get ya hands much more dirty than that… That's even dumber than the whole "dig two graves" spiel and not from the "Oh I'm gonna kill way more than two people" buffoonery, but for the simple fact that when purgin' the scum of the Earth from the Earth last thing you want is for them to be memorialize them within the Earth! As much as a fan of I am of the "buried alive" routine there's no sense in just leaving the 'em there. Not like I'm plantin' a dang tree… Like even tossing 'em out ta the birds cruel and vicious as they may be at least they provide a vital service. Sorta like me! Anyways this way with all they took in life they at least give something back ta nature… well that and whatever loose change they got on hand, and mind you a lot of loose change, granted plenty of it's illegal, like capital B black market stuff, immoral as well as illegal! Though I suppose the other spoils are ample enough… "

"Best part about hope is how easy it is to give, and when you yank it back, like teasing some mutt with a bone, not that I would condone animal cruelty, few things are as innocent as a being with only the basest instincts and yet still the capacity for love.