#guardian. if her involvement with the order is something she was hiding from him‚ then maybe that also helps with his involvement in

[octopus-punching-union]

Yumiko Sumitomo

Yumiko has popped up a few times. She is the person who spread the rumors about Jin's family; she was suspended at the end of the Frostheim chapter, but her name has come up a few times since then.

At the start of the Frostheim chapter, she is gossiping about Jin with other Frostheim students. They talk about "the friend who left Jin's side" and how she wants to be closer to Jin, going as far as to order a dress in from Italy to match him. (Idk what exactly she thinks this will accomplish?) However, she seems really clueless to the fact that Jin has been isolating himself, that he hasn't been going on missions, or that anything might have happened to him.

Tohma steps into this conversation and gets her to shut up by casually mentioning a scandal her father (an executive at Saionji Trading) was involved in, and offering his assistance.

The next time we see her is shortly before the rumors about Jin's family go public. She is running from the chess guardians in the Frostheim vault and disappears while Luca tries to fight them off. Tohma was also in the vault, but acts like he didn't know anyone was there.

After the rumors drop, Tohma tries to call her. She doesn't pick up.

Directly after this, Jin accuses Tohma of betraying him, and Tohma replies that the "the friend who left his side" is the one responsible.

Towards the end of the chapter, it is announced that Yumiko was the one spreading the rumors and that she has been suspended. The Chancellor is irritated that Jin pressured the academy to give her a lenient punishment. Tohma didn't know ahead of time that Jin was going to do this, but says it is fitting for Jin, as the president's son.

Yumiko is mentioned again in the Vagastrom chapter, when Leo confronts Alan and Tohma together. Leo claims that he found evidence that Tohma has been extorting the Sumitomos in exchange for burying the family's scandal and saving her father's job. Leo thinks he could've gotten more money out of it, and tbh I agree — 20 million yen is about $125,000 USD. These are rich people we're talking about here.

But then in Jin's affinity scenes, we see Frostheim students gossiping again, and they say that Yumiko's father has been fired for embezzling.

I can think of a few different ways to interpret all of this, but here's what I think is most likely:

Yumiko takes Tohma up on his offer to help cover up her family's scandal, and meets with him in the Frostheim vaults. He asks for a relatively low amount of money, because the money isn't the point. She underestimates him and takes the opportunity to search the vault for information while she's there. The chess guardians recognize her as a threat and chase her out, but Tohma sees only Lucas fighting with the guardians. He does not realize that they were initially reacting to Yumiko.

When the rumors go out, Tohma immediately realizes that Yumiko is behind it — and this is very stupid of her, considering that he's helping her out with a scandal that could ruin her family's reputation. However, Tohma tells Jin that "the friend who left your side" is responsible. There are a few reasons he might do this — he might think that Yumiko is working with/for the "friend." He might be trying to hide his own involvement with Yumiko. Or he might be hiding some other part of his plans from Jin. (Or something else, who knows?)

Whatever the case, Tohma doesn't retaliate against Yumiko... not yet, anyway. He lets things stand long enough for Leo to dig around for evidence. No matter how good Leo is with technology, this seems very careless for Tohma. He also doesn't strike me as the kind of person who is motivated by money, and he didn't ask for a lot of money in the first place.

I think Tohma was using the money as bait to get the spy to reveal himself — but wasn't anticipating some sneaky first year getting all up in his business. If Yumiko had kept quiet, Tohma probably would have left it at that. But she didn't.

In the aftermath, Tohma and Jin take very different approaches to dealing with Yumiko. Jin goes out of his way to make sure her punishment is lenient, even though he was the one directly affected. Tohma, however, pulls back and lets her fall sometime after Leo discovers the money. (Seriously, don't double-cross him.)

[marvelstars]

Padme & Anakin anger &flaws

I may be in the minority but I do think Padme is principled and brave a lot, she has been that way since she was a kid, she was bassically trained to be that way so she could become a strong/good leader for Naboo and guess what Anakin is/was very principled and brave as well, the fact both of them share this about the other is one of the biggest reasons why they became involved and fell in love but Padme also is flawed, I don´t believe she was without flaws and one those flaws involve being almost as angry as Anakin.

We already saw Anakin´s reaction over Shmi´s death, Padme is almost as angry over Corde´s murder in AOTC, in the novel of Attack of the Clones Padmé has a moment in which she wishes she could murder the trade federation leaders and Count Dooku over Corde´s death and she wonders if that was how Anakin felt with the tusken raiders after they tortured and killed his mother, the main difference between them is that Padme would have to use considerable effort to do that which would lead to her thinking things over better, while Anakin could kill a lot of people just using his mind in the rush of the moment, he didn´t even needs his lightsaber to do that, so his control over himself has to be more constant.

Both Padme and Anakin share a perspective of justice being something that not neccesarily can be always tackled by a system, in fact Padme´s words after leaving the Senate to go rescue her planet was that there wasn´t probably any hope for the republican system, a concept like justice isn´t easily tackled by a system, especially one as flawed as the republic, Padme simply thoguht the republic could be fixed when she grew up and Anakin shared this sentiment as well but he wasn´t as hopeful as her.

So both have this rightheous anger in them and in Padme´s case that included her helping Anakin hide what happened to the tusken raiders, maybe she thought him being expelled from the Jedi Order and going to jail wasn´t the best way to deal with that, I personally think maybe that could have protected him from Palpatine but he surely would have found a way to become Anakin´s guardian and lawyer if that happened but my guess is that Padme simply had compassion for Anakin´s circunstances, because the origin of Anakin´s reaction was precisely being taken away from his mother, leaving her a slave which lead to her death and Padme knew as well as Anakin did that the dead of Shmi Skywalker would not garner justice from Jabba, the Republic or any other system or government body in the galaxy, literally nobody cared she died, only Anakin and the Lars family did which made Padme sympathetic to Anakin.

Padme also is very principled but imo she seems used to have a pov particular to her station which also leads to ignore some things people who had not been in her place experiment daily, she shares this flaw with Bail Organa as well. Slavery for Padme seemed a very horrible and sad reality but it wasn´t one of her priorities to end it, her priority was to help turn the republic into a more equal and fuctional body that could better deal with those situations and many others around the galaxy and she actually came close to discovering many of Palpatine´s schemes for this reason, which was why he and Dooku wanted her dead and she never semed to quite make the connection between slavery and the clones but then again nobody else did except for maybe Anakin and ironically Palpatine and Count Dooku.

Both Padme and Anakin were children forced into adult situations and both were told or were forced to, since a young age, to reppress their emotions, Padme as Amidala, Anakin as a slave who had to control his emotions so he would not bring trouble to his mother or himself and later as a Jedi. Imo this made both of them develop a kind of double life, Anakin in particular hated the Amidala persona, because Padme seemed so emotionless when she was that way but curiously enugh as Vader, one of his main go to presentation cards is to act almost as emotionless as Queen Amidala.

What I don´t view and never will see as part of Padme´s flaws is her love for Anakin or her wish to save him from himself in ROTS.

Those are not flaws, those are part of her strenght as a character imo because while she certainly wasn´t of the oppinion that eveything would be alright after what Anakin did, in fact Lucas commented she would not have stayed his wife had she lived, she definitely could see he wasn´t in his right mind on Mustafar, so their marriage may have been over if Anakin followed her but she still cared enough for him to try to help him get back to his own senses, because she knew if she gave Anakin that opportunity, his own horror over what he did would be as strong as anything she could tell him and he would have directly taken matters into his own hands even if they meant his death and this opportunity is precisely what Luke presented to Vader in ROTJ, which lead to the biggest victory over the darkside in the series, so no Padme´s love and compassion for Anakin will never be flaws from my pov, just like Anakin only could find himself again because he was able to feel compassion again as Vader. Both are connected that way.

[vodika-vibes]

Since Fives is a really good investigator (evident with him finding about Order 66), can I request an x reader fic where he investigates a string of heists involving Jedi artefacts committed by the reader, who is a flirty master thief, and he tries to pursue her across Coruscant to bring her to justice?

Knew You Were Trouble

Summary: When ancient artifacts start vanishing from the Jedi Temple, stolen from right under the noses of both the archivists and the Jedi Guardians, Fives decides to investigate.

Pairing: Pre ARC Trooper Fives x Thief F!Reader

Word Count: 2484

Warnings: Reader is described as having a feminine body, and wearing makeup. Reader is given the codename Shadow for ease.

Tagging: @trixie2023 @n0vqni @imabeautifulbutterfly

A/N: Sorry that this took so long! I've had it sitting open in a Doc for days, but I finally got an idea! Reader's outfit is similar to this outfit from Persona 5 Royal. Though without the weapons. There may be a part two of this, if I ever get the motivation.

“General Nu-”

“Master,” The older woman corrects, as she glances at Fives out of the corner of her eye, and then turns back to her work, “What can I help you with, Corporal?”

“I think a holocron is missing.” Fives replies as he looks at the open spot on the shelf. There’s some discoloration, as though something had been sitting there for a long time.

The older woman hurries over and glances at the spot, a severe frown on her lips. She stares at the spot for a moment, and then releases a heavy sigh. “Again?”

“Ma’am?”

Jocasta Nu shoots him a severe look, and Fives fights the urge to quail under her glare, “How are you at investigations, Corporal?”

“...decent enough, I suppose.”

“Good, follow me.” The older woman leads him through the archives until she reaches her desk, and then she turns a monitor towards him, and she navigates to a file of saved videos, “Watch. This was recorded 5 months ago.”

Fives focuses on the screen.

It’s security footage of the Archives, and he watches as someone, a woman based on her body shape, slips in a window.

She’s dressed oddly, almost in a leotard, with thigh high boots, a long overcoat, and a sharp looking domino mask covering the upper part of her face hiding her features from the camera.

She locks her gaze on the camera and presses a finger against her lips, as if shushing someone, and the camera feed goes fuzzy.

“This next one was taken three weeks after that.”

The monitor flickers, and then there’s an image of the same woman opening one of the vaults before the feed cuts out.

“And last night.”

The monitor changes one more time, and the exact same person, dressed exactly the same, is shown blatantly taking a holocron from the shelf, before she, again, disconnects the cameras.

Fives pulls away from the monitor and focuses his gaze on General Nu, “The same person has broken in three times-”

“She’s broken in a grand total of a dozen times…we’ve only caught her on camera thrice.” General Nu corrects.

“...and the Temple Guard haven’t done anything?”

“They are of the opinion that she doesn’t exist.” The older woman scowls, “Honestly, I don’t even know why she’s targeting us. It’s not like we keep gems on hand.”

“You keep knowledge on hand though. And to some people, that’s worth more than all the gems in the galaxy.” Fives points out.

The woman bristles and then her shoulders slump, “Yes. I know. I want you to try and find her and bring her to justice.”

Fives exhales through his teeth, “With all due respect, ma’am. I’m due to ship out with the 501st tomorrow-”

“I’ll handle it. Will you help?”

Nervously Fives rubs the back of his neck, and then he sighs, “Yeah, alright. Assuming you can get permission, I’ll help. Do you have any evidence for me to go on?”

Master Nu smiles, it’s a sharp little thing and for a moment Fives wonders why she isn’t in charge of the war effort. “The holocron she stole has a tracking chip inside it. And, since holocrons can only be opened by force sensitives, it means she couldn’t have removed it.”

“Why didn’t you tell the Temple Guard about it?”

“Because, again, they don’t believe she actually exists.” General Nu presses a small datapad into his hand, “Here, this is what you need to track the holocron.”

“Thanks.”

“I’ll let you know what the Council says about your deployment.”

“Thanks for that too,” Fives replies as he powers the device on and waits for it to scan for the tracking fob that it’s keyed to. As soon as the screen lights up, he grabs his helmet and pulls it on and leaves the archives.

The fob is located in a warehouse only a short speeder ride away from the temple. 

And a quick search of the net tells him that the Warehouse is supposed to be abandoned. A deeper search of the net tells him that the warehouse was slated for demolition several years ago, but it just never happened.

“We have arrived at your destination.” The taxi droid chirps, “Thank you for your patronage.” Fives steps out of the speeder and glances at the datapad one more time.

“Seven warehouses,” He murmurs, zooming in a little bit, “I’m looking for building A-2478/23.” The speeder zips off while he’s not paying attention to it, not that he minds, really.

Fives wasn’t planning on returning to the temple right away anyway.

He glances at the datapad one more time, and then looks up and around. The buildings have to be labeled, right?

Ah! There, the closest building, is A-2475/23.

So odds are on the left side and evens would be on the right, assuming that this place is designed with any sort of logic. He jogs over to the first building on the right until he’s able to see the white letters on the side of the building.

A-2474/23.

So two down then.

The warehouse he’s looking for is a little more rundown than the other ones. Boarded up windows, rust replacing the green paint in places, leaking pipes…

And yet-

Fives moves to where the door is located, his eyes narrowing. The lights over the door are new. The broken windows are broken in such a way that it looks intentional. The doorknob on the door is also new, all of the rust is painted on.

He walks over to a rusty patch and he tugs off his glove to touch the rust with his bare fingers. It’s not real. 

Someone has gone to great lengths to make this place look like it’s been condemned. 

He walks over to the door and lightly touches the doorknob. How long has it been since he’s seen a building using a door like this, rather than the more mechanized ones that are seen everywhere.

Clever.

If he wasn’t looking for something out of place, he’d likely think that this building was ancient and wouldn’t give it a second thought.

Luckily, he’s smarter than the average bear, so to speak.

He pulls his hand away from the doorknob and pulls his glove back on. There’s no way he’s going through the front door. That’s just asking for trouble. 

He circles the warehouse, thoughtfully. Considering all of his options.

Opening the bay doors isn’t an option, he’d never get them open on his own from the outside. The ground floor windows are also out, anyone inside would see him immediately.

His gaze lands on the fire escape. Like the rest of the building, the ladder doesn’t look like it would carry the weight of a small child, let alone a man full grown. 

However, Fives has already seen evidence of someone going out of their way to try and make this place look more dangerous than it is. So he walks over to the ladder and jumps up to grab the bottom most rung.

Fives hangs there for a moment, waiting, and when the fire escape doesn’t dissolve under his weight, or even shake, he feels comfortable hoisting himself up to the fire door.

The door looks rusted beyond belief, and Fives is sure that it’s all fake rust. But he’s not so stupid to try and touch the door. Fire doors are notoriously sensitive, he remembers that from ARC Training.

So he ignores the door, and instead jumps up to grab the ledge of the roof, and he pulls himself up to the ledge.

A quick survey tells him that there aren’t any sensors on the roof, and he huffs out a quiet laugh, “You’d think that a thief would put sensors on the roof.” He mumbles to himself as he steps onto the gravel roof.

A second quick glance around leads Fives to side-step the roof access door, a door that he’s sure is rigged to an alarm, to crouch next to a window. And this, right here, is all of the proof that he needs that everything about the building is a facade. 

These windows are brand new, and made from blaster proof material. A material that Fives knows was only invented in the last few years.

He can’t see through the windows, not well at least, but he is able to see that there isn’t any movement on the upper walkways. So carefully, very carefully, making sure that none of the windows are wired, he opens one.

One final check that he’s not going to land on anyone, Fives drops into the warehouse, making sure that the window is closed behind him.

Silently he moves from the wall to peer down into the main part of the warehouse. 

There, sitting on a table, is the holocron that was missing. Well, presumably. There are a lot of holocrons on the table. 

On another table are some statues. Some books actually made of flimsy are lined up on another table.

There’s an entire shelf filled with weapons of all types.

And there, pacing between the tables, is a Devaronian man. Fives isn’t able to see the look on his face, and, even more clearly, he’s not the actual thief.

A contractor, perhaps?

Maybe the thief was hired by him to acquire all of these things…though Fives can’t think of a reason why. There’s nothing in common between any of these items that he can see, save for the fact that they’re old.

He scans the warehouse one more time, and then movement catches his eye.

There, perched on a wooden crate, is the thief.

Without her mask.

Fives’ immediate thought was that someone as pretty as her should probably be making a living as a model or an actress or something, not living as a master thief. His second thought is that she’s far too young to have stolen all of the things in the warehouse.

“My darling Shadow,” The man is speaking to Shadow, the thief, and Fives pulls himself out of his thoughts, “You’re so talented.”

“Yes,” She agrees, her voice light, “I am.”

“You’re almost as good as your father.” He continues.

“My father never managed to get into the Jedi Temple. I managed it 12 times in the last year.” Shadow replies, sounding bored out of her mind as she examines her gloves, “But please, do continue telling me how talented my father was.”

Her contractor opens his mouth to say something, and then hesitates, “My dear,” he finally says, condescendingly, “No one is as good as you think you are.”

The young woman lifts her head to say something, and then she pauses, her gaze sliding to the upper walkways. Her gaze locks onto his face, and she smiles, slow and pretty. “We have company.”

The Devaronian jerks, “What? Where!?” He spins around and looks up, and Fives, knowing that he’s been busted, moves a little more into the light. “Kriff! It’s the GAR!” The man yelps, before he shoves all of the holocrons into a bag and sprints away.

Shadow, however, doesn’t bother to run. Instead, she smoothly gets to her feet and pulls her mask on. “‘Won’t you step into my parlor?’ said the spider to the fly?” She coos.

It’s a trap. It’s clearly a trap.

But Fives can’t help but smirk, as he leans over the railing, “Does that make you the spider in this scenario, Miss Shadow?”

“Why don’t you come down and find out, little soldier boy.”

He should go after the contractor. He should. That would be the smart thing to do.

But no one’s ever accused him of being smart.

So Fives grips the railing, and he jumps over the edge.

A quick activation of his jetpack allows him to land lightly on his feet only a few feet away from her. “I’ve come to reclaim the items you took from the Jedi temple.” Fives announces.

Her red painted lips turn up, “Have you? How do you intend to do that?”

“I already caught you.” Fives points out.

She laughs, it’s a pretty sound, “Sweetheart, I haven’t been caught.”

“Yet.”

“Oh, you do think highly of yourself, don’t you?” She murmurs. Her eyes, the only part of her upper face not hidden by her mask, sweep down his body, “Of course, I suppose you have every reason to.”

“You could make this easy on both of us and just turn yourself in.”

“Now, why would I do that?”

“You clearly recognize that I’m an ARC Trooper.”

Her smile widens, “The best of the GAR…on the battlefield. And this, darling, is hardly a battlefield.”

Fives sighs, “You’re going to make me catch you, aren’t you?”

She scans him once more, “Well, I’m always happy to submit to a man in armor-” Fives inhales sharply, and he can feel his face heating under his helmet, “But you haven’t made me submit yet.”

“I don’t want to hurt you.”

“So you’re going to let me go? How nice of you~”

“I didn’t say that.”

Her smile doesn’t waver as she moves. Fives curses, she’s faster than she looks, especially for someone wearing heels that high.

Then she’s right in his space. His helmet lifts, just a little, and warm lips press against his jaw. “Catch me if you can, handsome.” Then she’s gone, balanced on the rafters of the warehouse and smiling down at him, “I’ll let you have the stuff in the warehouse, as a treat.”

It takes him a moment to gather his thoughts, “Let?” He rasps.

Her smile is pretty, “Let. After all, you found me didn’t you. Think of it as…incentive to keep looking for me.”

“If everything is here, then why would I do that?”

She produces a datacron from under her jacket, “I like information, sweetheart. And so, over the last dozen visits to the temple, I made copies of every bit of information that I could. And I have it right here.”

Kriff.

Double kriff.

If that information gets out-

There’s a flash of pink as she licks her lower lip, “Are you motivated yet?”

“Well, I guess I don’t have a choice, do I?” Fives’ jaw clenches, “I am going to catch you.”

“I look forward to it, handsome.” And then she really is gone, out the same window that he entered through.

Slowly, shakily, Fives comms General Nu, “I found…a lot. But the thief got away.” He says as soon as she answers.

“How much is a lot?”

Fives looks around the massive warehouse filled with stolen objects, “A whole warehouse full.” He pauses, “There’s more, too.”

“Tell me when I arrive. You and your…twin…have officially been transferred to me.” General Nu says, “I hope he’s as good an investigator as you.”

The comm cuts off and Fives looks around with a sigh. Well, he never really wanted to fight in a war anyway.

[muzaktomyears]

Mimi's views on Cynthia:

(...) [Mimi] told me how strict John was with Julian, especially at meals. If he didn’t behave, or refused to eat something on his plate, John would have none of it and would pick him up and put him to bed in the back bedroom. Just for the record, Mimi thought it all a bit harsh but John refused to put up with bad manners. She, of course, blamed any bad manners that Julian had on Cyn, since she was with the boy 99% of the time. Mimi said his eating habits were atrocious, all sodas and candy. Not surprising, also Cyn’s fault.

---

Mimi had never really been fond of Cynthia. She felt she had chased John throughout the years, and had purposely gotten herself pregnant in order to “trick him” into marrying her. But more than Cynthia, she disliked Cynthia’s mother. Mrs. Powell was “pushy” and had to be involved in everything, according to Mimi. Even the last time we discussed the subject, she insisted that the marriage might have lasted if John and Cyn could have lived alone without her mother constantly being there. John eventually had enough and purchased a small cottage for her not far from Kenwood but Mrs. Powell insisted on spending her time at the house where she could better enjoy John’s money.

---

She told of the Art School days and the many times Cynthia would walk by the house in Woolton, hoping to see John while he would be upstairs hiding. She insisted Cyn had chased after him and had even asked Mimi for permission to marry him, when John was just 20 and would need a parent or guardian to sign for him. Mimi refused. When John did finally admit to her that Cynthia was pregnant and they would be marrying, Mimi gave it to him with both barrels. How could Cynthia know she was pregnant to soon? She would hardly be a month along. Where did they expect to live? How did he think he could support a family? On and on it went until John stormed out.

Mimi had no intention of attending the wedding and neither did anyone else in the family. The night before the wedding, John came to her in tears. He didn’t want to get married. He was too young. He had to find a way out. But even then she had no sympathy for him. He’d laid in his bed and now he had to make it.

---

(...) She did actually feel sorry for Cynthia living in the big house, more or less alone, she said. And when John wasn’t touring, he’d be working in the studio and come home exhausted. Cyn, on the other hand, wanted to go out and Mimi said she would often come downstairs dressed to the nines, looking quite lovely, and hoping for an evening on the town but John would be too tired.

Mimi warned him that he had to be more attentive to his wife.

---

[1975:]

She’d received a letter from a fan who had been visiting Cyn. “Well, she [the fan] indicated that Cyn didn’t want her address known. [She] knew but couldn’t tell me as, more or less, it was private. It irritated me. There’s no need for anyone connected with the Beatles to hide; one never hears of them, only an occasional mention. So she is quite safe. What an irritating letter to write. She could see Cyn had had her share of worry, etc. And [she] feels so bad that I don’t see Julian and no wonder Cyn wants seclusion in this world. Really such rubbish! It’s entirely Cyn’s own fault. Seclusion! Bah!”

---

[a letter dated 19th June, 1981:]

“7p.m. last night the phone went, I was half expecting an American voice, but no – It was definitely a L’pool voice. Slightly, but L’pool anyway. I knew it was not my family, we all have the similar voice. I kept saying who? Who? Who are you? Then I nearly dropped dead (kidding). The voice said ‘It’s Cyn’. I could hardly believe it. She started to tell me about Twist, marriage finished, he’d had 3 affairs, one after another. Apart from that I don’t know what the call was for. So taken aback that ME, Mimi, didn’t say anything. She would come down, see me, etc. etc. and – I’m not much wiser. Since then I’ve been so puzzled, wondering why she phoned me. I didn’t even get her phone no., or address, and no idea how to get it unless I try enquiries. She may not be under Twist… I wouldn’t put it past her to use Lennon. Think I’ll try. I want to ask her why she phoned, any reason especially. Can there be any motive? She’s determined to keep in the news one way or another. It’s puzzling, but I would not be any use to her.

“I know Cyn says she wants to hide away. God knows why. All the time she gets in touch with the press…I know she does not like [fans] and until I picked all the fan letters out of the dustbin and answered them, every fan letter was destroyed. So I answered which infuriated her, but I didn’t care. The girls got an answer. John knew nothing about it.”

(...)“Just talking to Anne [Mimi's sister]. She said ‘don’t bother finding where Cyn is. There’s some motive why she phoned after all these years. She could have phoned in Dec. And why these undying declarations of great love for John.’ If that was so, why chase the Italian, who by the way is totally ignored. She’s had 2 husbands since John. Anne feels there is money in it. Some funny business going on. I’m not interested in any money. It’s bad enough he’s gone.

“It’s not a good example to Julian to encourage him to go into pubs. He does not impress me at all. Seems lazy and aimless trying to cash in on his father’s image. John said he had no brain. Sounds as though he was right. Cyn should direct him to doing something instead of hanging around doing absolutely nothing. She trying to be the same age in outlook. It can’t be done. She’s to blame for him being aimless, but there’s no time for children when you’re looking for new husbands, and looking for a good time.”

---

We got into one of our first disagreements that night [during her 1981 visit to Mimi's house]. Talking about John and his divorce from Cynthia, she mentioned that Cyn hadn’t deserved the money he’d been forced to give her as a settlement. I believe the figure we were discussing was £150,000 and she thought that was far too much. I tried to explain that considering she’d been there from the beginning and through the lion’s share of Beatlemania, she deserved a far greater portion of his income than that. Nope. Cyn had cheated on John first, Mimi reasoned, so it wasn’t as if she’d won the pools. That was a familiar argument and I realized she was using John’s argument, almost word for word.

That’s the night she told me how John had come down to see her, and “sitting right in that chair” had told her that he had found out that Cynthia had been cheating on him with “the Italian” and he had literally cried when he said he was getting a divorce. To this day, I have no idea who cheated on whom first, but I eventually held my tongue and the £150,000 settlement dispute was eventually forgotten; at least for the time being.

---

Marie had been to Beatlefest in New York. She had phoned me while there to inform me that Cynthia was there selling copies of her art from her first book. I think this might have been the first of several trips to Beatlefest for Cyn. (…)

The only thing I remember is she called to tell me that she told Cyn that she knew the former president of the Cyn Lennon Beatle Club and did Cyn think she might ever go to Minnesota?

As I recall it, Cyn replied “Why would I ever go to Minnesota?” Well, why, indeed. Unless, of course, she wanted to continue to sell copies of old lithographs at $30 a pop.

Needless to say, Mimi didn’t take the news well at all.

“[Marie] nearly fell over herself telling me about Cyn selling at a Beatlefest or whatever you call those things. I couldn’t believe it! Whatever is she thinking?!!... It’s incredible, undignified, and degrading, to me anyway but then I’m not trying to cash in or seeking publicity. If I had been a cast off wife or mistress I think I would have kept quiet and out of sight especially with two husbands still hanging around somewhere. I’d laugh my head off if they decided to cash in as well. Heaven knows there’s no knowing what people will do for money. And they have a story as well….. Kathy, I’m half sorry for Cyn. I wonder how and what prompted her to leave herself open to criticism and remarks by people. I phoned my sister and Liela… they say she’s desperate for notice, and what’s more likely looking for another—er—husband over there. That’s the most likely place .What do you bet? Altho I hope she won’t be so silly. I don’t think she can help it. We’ll see. She could not have sold all those drawings at the exhibition, or perhaps she did more for the Beatlefest…I never saw anything arty she ever did, so have no idea…”

[A letter dated 26th October, 81:]

“I was sorry to hear Cyn was renting a table to sell things. How could she do such a thing! Joining that jamboree. It’s bound to cause some unfavourable comments. As to why, apart from the obvious. Here’s the latest rolling in millions and the first, 14 years almost after the divorce, and two further husbands (still about somewhere) renting a table to sell things – I really am sorry she did it. She was a very wealthy woman. I hope she’s still got some of it left. It makes one think she’s cashing in on the Lennon name for money. Perhaps I’m too old fashioned. Your note may have cheered her up for I can’t think she was very happy standing there, money or no money. It makes me cringe… Whatever Cyn may say I think she’s lonely and realises she was a fool… to be photographed with May Pang and I hear staying with her (if it’s true) well, it’s rock bottom. I hope she made some money to compensate her for what I think was an undignified escapade. Of course it’s only my opinion. I may be entirely wrong altogether. Better if I am wrong.”

The Guitar’s All Right as a Hobby, John, Kathy Burns (2014)

[joy-eris-joy]

Gender Sisters Reunited

“Okay Ava. You can do this! You can totally make it up to tu hermana! Ya made up with Milan! That was easy!”

Ava spoke out loud to himself as he walked through the alleyways. He remembered Sarai's schedule and knew that they would be picking up coffee for Sera at this moment.

“Okay, not really. Lots of punching was involved...and Sarai ain't like that.”

He worried if Sarai would forgive him after he blew them off. But she had to try. She told Sadie she would.

“Sí Ava, ya can do it. Ava El Carbón doesn't run from a fight!”

He was about to walk to Sarai, until he saw the familiar figure of an unfriendly Seraph bump into her.

Uh oh. Looks like they were arguing now. Better hide before she gets caught in the middle, and then she'd apologize.

He hid behind some trash cans and watched Sarai and the other Seraph talk.

Even as a guardian angel, Sarai was still not exempt from picking up coffee for the Council. She ordered the coffees, remembering the god-awful tastes of her superiors, and walked out the door.

She was distracted by a lot of things. One, she still couldn't stop thinking about Milan, who was now probably still with Adina.

She wants to be with her? I shouldn't be so surprised. I could never compare. I'm not much.

Second, Lana was bugging her - and not just by ignoring her helpful advice. She reminded her so much of someone - Ava, someone who she had also lost forever.

They're so much alike. She'll hate me too soon. I know it. Ava already does.

Lost in her thoughts, she bumps into a tall figure, whom she spills all her coffee over.

“Oh, I-”

Rhiannon groans. 

“Oh, it’s you. The ugly duckling. What else did I expect?”

She shoots Sarai an unfriendly glare, which was just a regular glare for her.

“And here I was hoping to enjoy a day to myself, until you had to come along and ruin things like you always do. Is it so hard for you to do anything right, little cygnet?”

Sarai hissed.

“Rhiannon. I should've known. What other member of the Court would waste their time picking on Apprentices?”

Rhiannon was…a character. She was painfully arrogant, inconsiderate…and generally a massive bitch. Sarai never liked her, and the feeling was mutual. After all, Adina was a product of Rhiannon’s mentorship, and that spoke volumes on its own.

“Perhaps you should spend your energies on something actually productive. Maybe then Sera would actually be able to respect you as an equal.”

“Being equal to Sera? Why would I stoop that low, when I am clearly flawless as is?”

She laughs mockingly, taking a sip of the bottle of wine she always seemed to carry with her.

“Really, dear, after all this time as her Apprentice, I would’ve thought you’d grown a brain like you finally grew those mediocre blue feathers of yours. But then again, you have been known to spend your time with lesser beings, especially Exorcists.”

She looks up as if trying to recall something, and to balance herself because drinking this early was a bad choice.

“There was a really small one, yes? What was its name again? Ava? The one that killed the Hellborn, like a complete moron? Such a stupid mistake - even for an Exorcist. I say, we should’ve just thrown that one to the Sinners to tear apart, but my darling Adina was so kind as to take her in to give her a second chance she so didn’t deserve.”

At the mention of Ava, Sarai’s other eyes emerged in anger. She raised her wings high.

“Don’t you dare speak about him that way.”

She slowly shifted into her Bible-accurate form with her mounting anger.

“Ava is a far better angel than both you and Adina combined!”

“She is more righteous than any member of the Court, and so, so much more deserving of anyone’s trust than I could ever say.”

She winces with regret over how she never truly said that to Ava. Her stupid, stupid pride had prevented her from doing so. And now it was too late.

“YOU OF ALL ANGELS have no right to speak ill of her.”

Ava was taken aback. He hadn’t expected Sarai to ever talk back to any of her superiors in that manner. Especially not when it was about him.

Was she…defending him?

He kept watching silently from the sides, keeping hidden as the Seraphim continued.

Morphing into her true form, she once again recalled the words of the stranger on the night of the Seraphim Showcase.

Don’t be afraid to use that Seraph form. Show your superiors how to respect you.

Now was her chance. She was going to make Rhiannon respect Ava and her.

“You WILL retract your statements and show Ava - my sister - and I respect. Do you understand?”

Rhiannon was taken back for a second, not expecting the apprentice to talk back. She flared out her own wings and eyes, towering over Sarai.

“How dare you speak to me like that?” She growls, raising a hand and striking Sarai across the face. “You filthy little brat! I will make sure you never become fully fledged after I speak with Sera about this!”

Sarai fell back as she was hit across the face. Fear paralyzed her as the older Seraph loomed over her.

She should’ve known she wasn’t nearly powerful enough to go against a fully-fledged member of the Council. She was so stupid.

She cowered as Rhiannon glared menacingly at her.

“Oh that motherfucker…”

Ava had to act now. She couldn’t just let her sister get attacked by some bitchy Seraph. But what could she do?

She looked around quickly. By the trash cans, there were some abandoned gallon tanks of kerosene.

Oh yeah. This could work.

He grabbed one quickly, and walked out of his hiding spot.

“DON’T MIND ME I’M JUST WALKIN’ HERE-”

He “trips”, splattering the bottom of Rhiannon’s dress with the liquid.

“Oop-”

Rhiannon felt the splatter of kerosene ruin her dress, turning her glare to Ava. 

“Are you kidding me! Are you Exorcists always this stupid even off the battlefield? What even is this disgusting crap you’ve spilled on me?”

He was scared, but kept his face smug. He did have the upper hand after all.

“Ah, just a little Exorcist trick. We call it “gettin’ lit”.”

He flicked his lighter on, and threw it onto Rhiannon. The fire spread instantaneously all over where the kerosene had splattered. 

It took a second for Rhiannon to realize that, oh shit, she was on fucking fire. She let out a blood-curdling screech as she flailed around, trying to find some way to extinguish the flames.

“FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK-” was all she could scream as she ran off to find the nearest pool of water she could throw herself into. She eventually was able to locate a small fountain that she threw herself into, the fire going out with a loud sizzle as she emerged from a cloud of smoke. A small crowd of confused Winners had gathered around to watch her.

“THE FUCK ARE YOU LOOKING AT?” She screeched.

This was not her day.

But on the upside, at least she was sober?

Sarai stood dumbfounded as she watched it all go down, and as Ava stood before her. Her cheek still stung, so she rubbed it.

“Ava? What are you doing here?”

She had to admit she was glad though. And seeing Rhiannon on fire was a delight she wasn’t expecting this day.

“What’s it look like? Helpin’ ya out.”

His tone was friendly and conversational. It seemed like getting to talk with his sister again would be easier than he thought.

“Yeah yeah, I know you’re gonna get on mi case for this cuz you’re a big tall Seraph and I’m just an Exorcist.”

He laughs in good humor, not at all angry at Sarai’s past comments. It seemed to just melt away.

Guilt struck Sarai.

“Ava, I’m sorry. I never should’ve said that. You’re not just an Exorcist. You're my sister."

She hides her face behind a wing.

“And I apologize for not being a better sister to you before.”

Lowering her wing, she looks at Ava again.

“Now I’m just worried for you. What if Rhiannon tells Sera, or anyone on the Council, about what you’ve done to her? I wouldn’t want you to be punished.”

You’re my sister.

Those words hit Ava like a truck. It made him feel good. He hadn’t lost one of his closest companions after all. He was worth keeping around.

He laughs again in good humor.

“Haha, come on flaquita! Don’t worry so much! What is that big bitch gonna say? “Yeah I got flamed by a lowly Exorcist cuz I smacked the High Seraph Grande’s Apprentice?” Oh yeah, they’d love that.”

He pulls out a cigarette and lights it for himself. He then pulls out a cigar.

“I brought these along for ya. Wanna smoke? Just like old times. Hermana/hermano bonding and all that.”

The tension eased. Sarai could relax a little. Hopefully, Ava was right and Rhiannon’s ego would be too damaged to say anything to anyone. But more importantly, she had the person she missed the most back.

“Of course.”

She took the cigar after Ava lit it for her and they both smoked together side by side.

“I missed you. It’s nice to have you back.”

“Like I said all those years ago: you’re stuck with me, bitch. I’m not going nowhere, flaquita. Honest.”

Sera decided to go look for Sarai as the apprentice went to get coffee and didn't come back. She quickened her pace when she heard the screams and was met with an outrageous sight. Rhiannon slapped Sarai across the cheek, causing her to fall, then began to threaten her with Sera's name. Anger boiled within the High Seraphim. Of all people, Rhiannon was trying to discipline Sarai?

Sera was about to step in and stand up for Sarai, but Ava was faster. Seraph's eyes widened in shock as she watched the exorcist putting on a whole fire show. She chucked quietly. She knew it was wrong to enjoy this, so she suppressed the strange satisfaction inside her, putting on a business casual face. Sera walked past Sarai and Ava, unable to hold back a small smile.

“...I'll just go get my coffee. You may take the day off, Sarai.”

[enihk-writes]

BlushingScreamingKickingMyFeet — Please rant about your thunderbolt fic ocs, I'm so curious ヽ(´ー`)人(´∇｀)/

Can I also draw the Thunderbolts MC.... 😔💕

(!!) this is a oc/reader discussion

THANK YOU OF COURSE YOU CAN DRAW HERRRRR AND THANKS TO THE OTHER ANON THAT ASKED TOO YIPPEEE!!!!! ILL USE THIS ONE TO TALK ABT MC AND THE OTHER ONE TO TALK ABT MY OTHER OC ❤❤❤!!!!! unfortunately i don't have my pc rn so i dont have any of my reference pictures on hand, also soooo sorry if this is rushed im doing this during my lunch break 😭😭😭

about : thunderbolts mc/reader-insert

[part 1]

1ST LIFE:

MC is an abandoned product of a research experiment where humans tried to play god, they wanted to host the consciousness/body of a god in a human body. she was their first and only successful result even though she was only a vessel for now, she was never given a real name, only ever went by the research serial number. shortly after that the research facility had to shut down and all the scientists involved scattered and destroyed all evidence that they were ever there since this sort of research was highly unethical at that time. by the time the authorities (IGAP) had gotten there to arrest the persons involved, nobody except MC was left.

MC was then taken to a high-security prison where she was detained for probably a few hundred thousand years until directors could decide what to do with her.

MC who is still an empty "perfect" vessel with nothing other than basic survival instincts and little to no further consciousness, is finally brought out by a young man who would later become her legal guardian/superior officer.

the superior officer is in possession of an unaccounted holy relic that belongs to one of the elusive wings (a so-called god of justice's angels/henchmen/proxy) he has his own ulterior motives for keeping the relic and taking the MC under his wing... sorry for the pun i couldn't help it 😞😞

in the first 10-ish years his first order of business was to merge the holy relic with the MC's "perfect" vessel to revive what he thought might be a soul trapped within the holy relic — if it's successful, whatever that's there of our MC right now would be erased forever.

of course, the actual outcome was much different, the synergy between MC and this holy relic was so compatible that the two fused together completely and whatever individual consciousness there was now working as one united being.

the superior officer was obviously not happy with the result but what can he do? in the end he hides that he tried to conduct this merger from everyone and fools everyone into believing that he's doing his job to be the best legal guardian for this sad unfortunate little girl.

MC who is now fully aware of her surroundings, is told by the superior officer that she had suffered serious brain damage from a tragic accident that had taken the lives of her parents and that from now on he was her parental figure. though something deep in her heart (the relic) stirs and tells her to be wary of this man, to never let down her guard and trust him.

as a former high-security prisoner, the heads of the IGAP decide to keep her under their watchful eye, away from the general public and even the other officers of the organisation. with his own authority, the superior officer managed to wipe clean all records of the girls true past and as a precaution takes the time and effort to create fake records of her fake family and lineage. you know, just in case she gets curious as she grew older.

in this world, less then a 100 years ago there appeared those who have the ability to conjure or manipulate various states of matter and energies. and even then they are separated into those that are able to use their abilities for combat and for support roles.

MC at the age of "17" is finally taken to school for the first time, where she will meet with the OC that haunts thunderbolts' narrative and her link to mount hua.

MC is overpowered as fuck but with little to no control over when or where her abilities activate, even after the intense seven years of training in the hidden private facility, she wasn't given the all-clear. if she messed up here, she might never see the sun again.

MC's 1st life at 17 is scruffy-looking, her hair is slightly matted and dry. her pinafore and blouse is a few sizes too big and hangs off her shoulder awkwardly. because of her abilities (summoning thunder) her eyes are permanently shining in this bright gold hue... i like to think people would use her eyes as a flashlight during electrical blackouts at the dorms.

to summarise school life for MC only lasted for a year (will get into that in another time) before she and the others her age were drafted to the respective divisions where they would spend the rest of their lives in, many of whom would die in battle.

MC is sent to division 4, a riff-raff squad full of the most lacking individuals in the whole organisation, and MC's first day was on a warzone at sea where their tiny division of 13 were to fend off 3000 incoming ships. everyone starts praying because this was clearly a mission given to kill them all and be rid of them finally.

MC feels her heart stir again. the relic is acting up and she feels her body react and move itself. she only managed to tell the rest that she was going to deal with the crisis before she single-handedly annihilates all 3000 ships. but it doesn't come without its consequences, 1. the ecosystem of the area is fucked, 2. there is now an eternal rain pouring because her lightning abilities called upon a great deal of storm clouds.

im skipping over her first few years in div.4, to summarise it's not a easy time and her comrades all die one after another in solo missions and she has blocked out this period of her life out of the intense heartbreak she feels for losing them.

when it's just her left in the division, there is a restructuring of the department her division falls under and she becomes the captain. its said the captain never recruits anyone into the division but rookies who underperform are sent to her. div.4 is now the search and rescue squad, and their job is to fish out any forgotten officer left dead or alive in the enemy zone.

in this world, another unusual thing is that everyone has freakishly long lifespans. which makes it more tragic when the kids working for the IGAP die within their first few years of service.

MC in this era is as tall or maybe taller than baek cheon, if you account the height of boots she wears daily. div.4 doesnt have a fixed uniform so she wears a office-style uniform (with a tie because she likes to serve cunt) with a modified harness to carry a few weapons for close combat. her hair is longer now, and definitely more well kept. she keeps her bangs long because people don't really like looking into her fuckass gold eyes. she smiles more, appears friendly and easy-going. but my girl is still a weirdo...... 😔😔😔

end of [part 1]

[thefirstknife]

This question just randomly popped up in my mind, do Ana Brays face markings mean anything? If they do, would you please tell me?

Also would you please, give some interesting facts about Ana Bray? Or any lore including the involvement of Ana Bray?

Thank you!

Nothing in particular on her face markings, as far as I'm aware. We know that she didn't have them before becoming a Guardian, which means she put them on at some point after being rezed.

Her comic (part 3) also further specifies by showing her without the markings during Twilight Gap:

But the next time we see her in the same comic, when she's hiding after faking her death, she has them:

Possibly something to help her hide her identity? She also changed her hair style in the meantime. But we don't really know if they have any additional meaning.

One of my favourite Ana Bray facts was the stuff she was doing before she became a Guardian. I love her talking about her profession:

You can lead a machine to language, but you can't make it think. Well, you can't. But I can. My name is Ana Bray. If you want to insult me, call me a neurolinguist.

Not that it isn't a fine and noble profession, but neurolinguistics is about encoding language. I'm a psycholinguist. I study how language can lead to independent thought.

People don't really see her as a scholar and I've even seen people saying she's not smart, but she is absolutely incredibly smart and educated. Her profession is what led her to teaching Rasputin everything she did, in an effort to teach him not just how to speak, but essentially how to feel and think independently by using language as a base.

These are some older lore tabs that were recently reinforced with some extra details in Season of the Seraph. It's a fascinating read into Ana's expertise and thinking and her work that I've rarely, if ever, seen people mention. I linked the first bit up there, the rest in order: 2, 3, 4 and 5. Favourite part:

Military history, he's been fed by the truckload. But then I started in with operas and symphonies. I don't want him just to think about things.

Humans don't communicate strictly through data. We also communicate through art, through expression. If Rasputin is to be the most effective communications device in the Sol system, I want him to feel things.

Ana was incredible as a scientist and once you know how smart and innovative she is, you can kinda see why she always wanted to return to that passion and learn more about her pre-Guardian life. She even says it in the same comic I linked above:

At Twilight Gap, that Fallen gave me the opening I needed to let the world believe Guardian Ana Bray was dead, so that Doctor Anastasia Bray could finally do what needed to be done.

Another interesting and peculiar less known fact is that Ana was very likely a member of the Future War Cult. I kept seeing that being said, but couldn't figure out where it came from so I went to do a little research. Now for start, Future War Cult wasn't all just bad stuff we remember from Splicer; they were founded by Maya Sundaresh herself and have long lasting ties to Golden Age science and experiments. It might be that Ana joined or cooperated with FWC with that connection to the Golden Age in mind; Ana always knew who she used to be and always wanted to learn more about it. FWC could've been an early attempt to find out.

Back in Destiny 1, there was a mission that had Lakshmi sending you to Twilight Gap as part of the quest to get the exotic No Time To Explain. The quest involved a lot of different missions and included artifacts from Praedyth and Pujari, but also Ana Bray; they were artifacts manipulated by the Vex and time, with links to death. The artifact found at Twilight Gap was Ana's bracelet:

Upon returning to Lakshmi with it, she says:

Interesting! She is not only familiar with this, but she also says that the FWC inner circle will be grateful that the artifact has been "returned," sort of implying that it has been there before, with Ana. I wouldn't say it conclusively proves that Ana was a member, as the FWC may have been interested in the artifact purely for research purposes; the quest itself delves into researching artifacts that were pulled from time; Ana's bracelet may have been pulled because of the connection to No Time To Explain and Elsie. It's an interesting quest, if anyone wants to see it in its entirety, link to the only full playlist I could find is here.

Either way, it's a neat little tidbit from the past. I can definitely see Ana exploring FWC for potential links to not just her personal past, but also for the Golden Age in general.

[rising-volteccers]

Would you consider doing a kidnapping fic? Where Friede gets caught by Spinel and has to wait for the others to rescue him?

Well after working on this on and off for the past week, it's finally done! I had fun writing it so I hope it'll be an enjoyable read! I envision this to be a what if scene between HZ016 and HZ017.

Series: Pokemon Horizons

Characters: Friede, Spinel, Mollie, Murdock

--

Distantly, Friede wondered what crimes he committed in a past life to earn himself this Arceus damned awful day. 

His working memory might be poor but he did recall how the day started. After they docked the Brave Asagi on the outskirts of Mesagoza, each of them split up to cover more grounds with their resupply efforts. They were heading off to the Galar region, and while it was a considerably shorter trip from Kanto to Paldea, any trip that involved them crossing the ocean required their supplies to be topped up. The last thing they wanted was, in the event of an emergency, for them to run out of essentials far away from civilization. 

With the recent excitement of Liko’s disappearance still fresh on their mind, it was decided that the kids were to remain on board for today. Murdock, Orla and himself would do the resupply run. Friede trusted in Orla and Murdock’s ability to fend for themselves if something were to happen, though he hoped it won’t come down to it.

Really, what were the chances of trouble brewing so soon after the last crisis? 

(He would come to regret thinking that).

Friede’s task was to pick up the potions and other similar medication Mollie required from the Pokemon Centre. She already called and placed the order in advance so it was a simple matter of picking it up. He soon left the red-roofed building with a medium sized box filled with various bottles. Friede knew to be careful when carrying such fragile items lest Mollie would be very displeased with him. 

He planned on at least heading towards the city gates before releasing his trusty Charizard. Having more space to spread his wings led to a smoother take-off, thus reducing his chances of spilling any of the potions. Just as he spotted the large archway exiting the city, he paused in his steps from the sudden light tug of his jacket.

Looking down, Friede found a young girl looking up at him with large, brown doe eyes. He easily fixed a kind smile even as he tried to subtly search for her guardians. 

“Hello there lil miss. Are your parents around?” he asked, adopting a gentle tone.

“Mister mister, can you help?” she responded instead in that high pitched voice kids her age were capable of reaching. Before Friede could question further, she pointed at an alleyway off to the side. “My Meowth got spooked and ran in there. I think he’s hiding behind some stuff but I can’t reach him.”

While his smile never faltered, inwardly he was mildly surprised at the request. The whole setting seemed… odd. Friede didn’t see anyone who looked like they were missing a kid, not to mention no one seemed bothered that a girl this young went up to a complete stranger asking for help. He supposed that Meowth could be a family pet and was accompany this girl. Still, it didn’t sit right with him.

“Mister pretty please help with a cherry on top?” The girl tugged at his jacket a bit more urgently, her eyes welling up with her bottom lip wobbling. Briefly, an instinctive panic filled him at the thought that a kid was about to cry on him.

“I’ll help, don’t worry! We’ll get your Meowth back in no time,” he agreed, swallowing down the mild panic and the rest of this strange feeling. It never really faded as he followed her towards the alleyway in question. 

The alley stretched far back till it got blocked off by a wall. Several boxes littered one side while a large bin was laid out by the wall. Friede supposed that between the two, it was likely that the Meowth got stuck within the bin, out of sight from the girl who barely reached his stomach. 

“Meowth? Meowth come out please. We gotta head back before mommy gets worried!” she called out while Friede placed down the box of potions. He passed the boxes and made a beeline towards the large bin, unaware of the eyes that trekked his every move. 

Seeing that the lid was partially closed, Friede pushed it open so he could peer in. 

He didn’t find a Meowth. What he found instead were multi colored lights that swirled in an odd, rhythmic pattern. 

That was the last thing he properly recalled before his world faded into darkness. Well, he still remained within it when consciousness trickled back in. The fog in his head lifted quickly upon realizing his current predicament.

Namely, the fact that he was seated with his arms and legs restrained. His hands were tied uncomfortably behind his back with bindings keeping his legs in place to the chair. A blindfold covered his open eyes, and he could only grunt and breathe harshly through the duck tape over his mouth. 

Initially he struggled, trying to wiggle himself out of the rope but soon surrendered to the evidence that it was too tight. Then his mind went into overdrive. Everything pointed to the undeniable fact that he was tricked into getting kidnapped. 

At first he went through a whole slew of questions. Who kidnapped him? What was the reason behind it? Where was he taken to? How long has it been since then? Did his crew knew of his disappearance? 

Once Friede managed to wrestle his thoughts together, his mind quickly whirled to those multi colored lights he saw before he (presumably) fell unconscious. Oh, it couldn’t be–

“I see you’re awake now, Professor.” Friede tensed up the moment an affable voice spoke up somewhere in front of him. “I hope you don’t mind the way I brought you here. It was far too easy to appeal to your helpful nature that it’s a little boring, I must say. Very predictable.”

Appeal to his–? Oh, the chilling realization hit him like he dunked his head in ice water.

“Don’t worry, she has no memory of the instructed task,” they replied, casually admitting to having hypnotized a young child into luring him towards a trap. Then again, Friede had no doubts now on the identity of his kidnapper. 

He jerked in his chair, briefly tugging at his restraints before settling again. Friede released a harsh breath through his nose, throat strained from the sounds he made behind the tape. He was showing his anger one way or another.

“Right, I suppose speaking is difficult for you right now.” 

With the rest of his senses restricted, his hearing became far more sensitive to the sound of approaching footsteps, the soft squeak of leather making him tense with each step. A finger started to scratch at the top left corner of the tape. He felt the fingertips that grabbed hold of said corner, and without any warning the tape was yanked off his mouth. 

Friede winced, both from the sharp pain and the loud sound of tape being ripped from flesh seemingly echoed around him. 

“There, that should–”

“You’re sick. How could you tamper with a child’s memories like that? She was younger than her," Friede hissed out, anger swiftly burning within him. Fury was better than fear at the moment, so he held onto it even as the cadence of his heart elevated from the sudden grasp of his chin.

"Mouthy aren't you? Haven't you heard about utilizing the tools around you? She did her part and she's now safely returned with her parents. I can't fathom where this undue anger is coming from." No shred of remorse was in their tone. The even, clinical way they compared a child to a tool sickened him.

To actually hear the voice of a person who had zero hesitation in having his Pokemon attack defenseless children added layers to the muted horror he felt when he listened to Liko's tale the first time. How simply they threatened to wipe the memories of the kids present on that ship. 

Friede could have gone off about that. The anger writhing inside him demanded that he do something to wipe the smile he could hear in their voice. Unfortunately for him, the rational bit left within him yanked back the impulse to throw his body forward, chair and all, in the hopes of at least pinning them down with the combined weight. 

He didn't know whether this person was alone or had their Pokemon with them. At least a Magneton and Beheeyem judging from their last encounter. That person with the Bisharp had acted as bait to lure him away, likely ordered by his kidnapper or had been an unfortunate victim of mind tampering too. 

This person was dangerous, that Friede could not deny. Being trapped and restrained left him utterly powerless. Who knew what this person was capable of had Friede chosen to be uncooperative. 

So he held his tongue from the hot spew of vitriol, swallowing down his anger to at least ground out a "What do you want from me?" in a somewhat neutral tone.

"Me? I just wanted a proper chat with the illustrious leader of the Rising Volt Tacklers," they replied. From the faint scraping noise, he presumed that the other took a seat in front of him.

"Really? Last time you were awfully shy by ordering your mons remotely. Wasn't too keen on that guy you sent too." Was it smart to be sarcastic at a time like this? Perhaps not but the words slipped out of his mouth before his brain comprehended it.

"Oh that? It was simple data collection. It was rather disappointing until you terastalized your Charizard. Even I couldn't predict it to have a Dark Tera Type." 

"Oh I'm sorry for not putting up more of a fight in a two versus one. I'd be more than happy to make it to you if you could free me from these restraints, hm?"

Friede's breath got caught in his throat when slender fingers once again gripped at his chin. He felt the slight dig of nails, resisting the urge to swallow.

"Perhaps it'd be better to have gagged you instead." It took a considerable level of impulse control to not blurt out an inappropriate comment right there and then. "But time is limited as is, and I really did mean what I said. I simply wanted to chat with you."

"Then what's so important to talk about that you had to kidnap me for?" Friede asked through gritted teeth.

“It’s that girl, isn’t it? She’s the key.” Ice swiftly filled his veins. He had an inkling on where they were going with this. “That pendant of hers… it has similar properties to terastalization. It didn’t react at all when I analyzed its properties until she was within the vicinity and in danger. That pendant protects her.”

Damn it, only Amethio knew of that connection before this. The guy was straightforward but treated people and Pokemon well enough. This kind of information in the hands of an enemy that had no qualms about harming kids directly was downright dangerous. 

“Even if it was, what did you think I’d say? Congratulations, here’s a gold star.” Friede’s snark kept trepidation from creeping into his form. “You’d think we’re going to let you waltz in and grab her again?”

“Really, I just want a civil talk. I don’t know where all this vitriol is coming from.” Oh, the mocking undercurrent to his pleasant tone really had Friede consider his earlier impulse. They should be in front of him, right? Just a sudden surge forward to knock them somewhere that hurts would be enough. “But, I suppose I should thank you for confirming it. I’ll have to consider my approach next time.”

“How about you just never do and leave her alone? Or is that too much to ask?”

“Such a silly question to ask Professor Friede. I have my orders and I will see them through. Still, I suppose there’s no harm in reevaluating the data I’ve collected.”

So they’re following someone’s others. The higher ups of the Explorers? Their boss? Friede thought, storing that bit of information at the back of his mind. Before he could run his mouth any further, he heard a series of beeps.

“Ah, it seems that our time is nearly up. I must say, perhaps there is more to this motley crew of yours, especially that girl.”

Did they mean Liko? Or Dot? Friede felt his hackles raised at the thought of his kidnapper going after the kids again. For the third time, his chin was grasped with slender fingers. 

“It’s a shame that our lovely chat has to come to an end. A little saddening too that I’ll be the only one to remember it.”

The blindfold was suddenly yanked off, and the abrupt flash of light initially blinded Friede that he had to squeeze his eyes shut. He instinctively blinked to clear the whitish haze–then found himself face to face with multi colored dots that flashed in an odd, rhythmic pattern. Friede could not pull away, not with the hand keeping his head still. 

Oh Arceus not again–

“I’ll be looking forward to our next meeting,” was the last thing he heard prior to his world darkening once more.

–

“.... wake up…”

“...not… pulse…”

Light shakes slowly but surely jostled the cobwebs from his foggy brain as Friede regained consciousness. His brow furrowed slightly, and he must have made some kind of noise as the muted voices around him grew more animated.

“...ede. Friede, come on wake up if you hear me.” Those words were punctuated with another gentle shake on his shoulder. 

A soft groan slipped out but he did listen to the familiar voice. Yellow eyes slowly flicker open, the bleariness sharpening with each subsequent blink. Eventually, he could make out Murdock and Mollie’s worried faces.

“Friede, are you with us?” Mollie asked, her hand pulling away from checking his pulse on his neck.

“Mrgh,” came his eloquent response. A large, firm arm slid behind his shoulders to properly help him sit up. His head pounded something fierce while his wrists felt rather tender. “Yeah. I’m. I’m up.”

Mollie muttered something he couldn’t quite catch aside from alert and no other signs. Still pretty out of it, Friede instinctively jerked back when something cold was pressed against his lips.

“Sorry, I should’ve warned you. It’s a water bottle. Come on, try and take sips. You’ll feel better.” Murdock soothed him in the same vein that he does for the kids. Friede might have felt a little chuffed from the treatment but he eagerly took sips to ease his dry throat. Once done, he laid back against a warm surface that his mind informed him to be Murdock’s chest. 

“What happened?” Friede managed to ask.

“You were kidnapped. Dot received an encrypted message that had an image of you tied up. Thanks to her, she was able to narrow down your location before Rockruff sniffed you out.” He appreciated Mollie’s swift, straight to the point responses. Made it easier to take in the fact that he had a large gap in his memory.

“Ugh, can’t remember anything. Feels like my brain’s in a blender,” Friede uttered, briefly pressing the heel of his palm against his right eye. He heard a soft snort from Mollie.

“The forgetting bit’s nothing unusual but it’s safe to assume that you got your memories tempered with by that Beheeyem from before.”

It sucked because now Friede can’t help but wonder what went on during that long gap in his memory. “Man, I got kidnapped and can’t remember anything for my troubles. Not even a t-shirt.”

“If you’re aware enough to crack jokes like that, I suppose we don’t have to worry too much,” Murdock said, sounding mildly amused. 

“Still, I want to properly check you up. You’ve got some mild rope burns on your wrists, and knowing you, I’m guessing that you tried to struggle your way out,” Mollie piped up, storing away items into a small pack. 

“Wish I remembered I did that,” Friede muttered. With Murdock’s aid, he got to his feet. Surprised by the weakness in his legs, it was due to the arms supporting him that prevented Friede from taking a tumble.

“Just take it easy. You’ve been gone for hours and been tied to a chair all the while.”

“I can carry you if you want,” Murdock kindly offered. Friede briefly considered it but his pride couldn’t take it after apparently getting himself kidnapped and not remembering anything from it.

“It’s fine. Just be my support,” he grumbled. Murdock’s soft chuckle and the arm wrapped around his waist did ease his twitchy nerves. 

“Ready to head back?”

At Friede’s nod, the trio slowly made their way out of what looked to be a small abandoned building at the outskirts of Mesagoza. They head back towards the Brave Asagi, unaware of the Beheeyem watching them from the rooftops. 

Back on board, Friede would find himself hounded by worried kids, having to spend a good amount of time calming them down while Mollie treated the mild injuries he sustained. He too made sure to thank Dot personally later for her aid in finding him, and apologize that she had to see an image of him tied up. No doubt it was a scary sight.

Whoever that person was that kept messing with them… they better hoped that Friede never regained his memories because oh boy, the things he’d do for putting the kids through this… 

Still, he shelved that thought away for a later time. Right now, he had to assure Liko, Roy and Dot once more of his well being.

[annoyed-galaxy]

Fictober 2024 ~ 11

"well, that worked out great!"

Fanfiction - DA2 I am so damn eepy and I think fictober is starting to burn me out but I refuse to give up. In turn, my writing is probably becoming worse or sounding completely incomprehensible. I just wanted to write about blood magic and this is probably not all accurate to lore, but I'm rushing here because of all the stuff I need to do before Halloween. Can also be found on Ao3

A blood mage walks into a noble’s home. The blood mage has a charming smile, captivating laugh, and piercing red eyes. He’s the most beautiful man in the world and all the woman — and even some men — want him, desire him.

But he’s Anders’s. 

And Anders fucking hated this plan. He had been glowering the entire time Seth mingled amongst the crowd, shaking hands with nobles who would love to see him dead. Of course, they didn’t know he was a blood mage; in fact, there were only a few people who did, Anders being one. However, Seth wasn’t a typical blood mage. He was a blood mage because that’s the only way he could live. Something was wrong with him and his magic actively killed him solely by existing. Of course, he could be cured if he underwent the Rite of Tranquility, but that was the worst possible thing anyone could have happen to them. 

Instead, Anders gave Seth blood every week, helping keep his lover strong and alive for as long as their short lives would allow. And yet this…What they were doing was suicide. 

Varric came up with the plan and because Anders and Merrill were the only others one privy to Seth’s condition, they were forced to tag along. 

Aveline had been getting reports that there was a possible blood mage posing as a noble in Hightown and was controlling a group of fellow nobles in an attempt to seal power in the massive vacuum that was left after the viscount’s death. Aveline had been giving Seth many reports like this, trusting him over the templars with dealing with things like this discreetly. She wanted peace in Kirkwall and knew that coming to the templars with matters they should deal with would only lead to more chaos. The slightest whisper of blood magic sent Knight-Commander Meredith seething. 

If she knew about Seth, he would be executed on the spot. 

And that’s how Seth ended up in the middle of the crowd. He was famous now. The Champion of Kirkwall, the most privileged mage in the entirety of Kirkwall. After the fight with the Arishok, everyone had seen Seth use his magic and only his status as Champion kept him from being locked away. Champion was a title bestowed to guardians of the city. If he was locked away, the city would riot. He was loved among many and an inspiration to others. 

So Seth was the bait and the others were the backup. Their target came into view, wearing a mask adorned with raven feathers and red rubies. She smiled as she curtsied in front of Seth, offering her hand. He took it and placed a gentle kiss on top. Anders seethed at the gesture. He knew it was for show, but he could not stop the surge of jealously that flooded into him seeing all these nobles pander to his lover. 

Anders, along with Merrill and Varric, were currently hiding in the shadows, Anders’s invisibility spell surrounding them and keeping them out of sight. Any noise they made, however, could still be heard so they kept their breaths short and quiet. Merrill clamped her hand over mouth. She was nervous for Seth. 

Anders was still angry at Varric for suggesting this and angrier more at Seth for agreeing to it. They were in a room of thralls and Seth was the only one not under the blood mage’s control. They sent him into the wolf’s den and now they just had to wait. 

In order to break the spell on the other nobles the blood mage controlled, there would have to be blood magic involved. In order to do that, there had to be a sacrifice for such a powerful spell. Conveniently enough, they were going to use the blood mage for that. It was an added benefit that she was the one controlling them because it would make the spell easier. Only Seth could perform it being a blood mage like he was. He was also able to keep himself immune to the influences of the blood mage, for a time at least.

Anders had offered him some blood before this mission that Seth put on his hand, using the crimson liquid to cast a warding spell on his mind. It would keep him safe from the equivalent power of the blood mage’s power. He could have made a normal ward, but blood magic was powerful than normal magic. He had to fight fire with fire. 

Anders and the others watched as the woman put a hand on Seth’s face, rubbing his scruffy stubble and smiling. Anders frowned when he saw her eyes flash with magic. Seth’s body went slack and his face fell. The blood mage smiled and motioned with her finger for Seth to follow. Seth obeyed, looking at her mystically as she led up him up the stairs. 

Varric was the first to move, heading towards the bed chambers on the second level. Anders followed and Merrill behind. Anders kept focusing on his spell, trying his best to mask their footsteps, but he could only do so much. They managed to find where the blood mage and Seth were going and followed. The blood mage opened the door to a room and once Seth entered, she shut the doors. Anders felt magic settle on door and cursed. 

“She warded it,” he announced quietly. 

“Can’t we break it?” Merrill asked, genuinely confused as to why that was an issue with two mages. 

“Assuming Hawke can protect himself,” Varric started, “it may alert her and bring the entire house down on us.” 

Merrill’s ears flattened against her head. “Oh.” 

“Don’t worry Daisy, I’m sure there’s a window we can climb through.” Varric winked and led them away. 

They searched for a few minutes for a window outside to the courtyard. They precariously stepped onto the edge and began shimmying around the house until they managed to find the window that led to the blood mage’s room. Anders’s heart was racing as his anxiety rose, wondering if Seth was in danger. Merrill was just nervous about falling off the second floor. 

They peeked in the window and had it been literally anyone else, they might have felt embarrassed looking into the room and witnessing the scene within. However, this was Seth and panic seized them all. 

Seth’s arms had been seized by dark roots spurting from the ground. A gag had been put in his mouth and the blood mage was smiling, a glint of madness in her eyes underneath the mask. The armor on his torso had been removed along with the tunic, leaving him bare chested. With a sharp fingernail, she carved something into Seth’s chest who winced at the pain. The blood dripped down his chest, past the two scars that marred the skin across his chest under his breasts. The blood mage trailed the two scars and smiled before licking his blood off her finger.

She said something, but Anders and the others couldn’t hear. Anders’s mind was a blaze of fury. He wanted to burst through the window and strangle her for dare hurting his Seth, but he had to restrain himself. If they caused her to be alert, she would bring the entire house down on them. 

Varric looked at Anders and nodded. 

Now was the time.

Anders closed his eyes and whispered something under his breath, focusing on Seth’s mind. Seth’s body seemed to freeze. He peered over his shoulder and while he couldn’t see anything, Anders got the feeling Seth could sense them. He smiled behind his gag and then turned back to the blood mage who was still monologuing. 

He looked down at the blood dripping down his chest and closed his eyes, focusing on the warmth of it. The blood began to rise, swirling around him. Then it formed into a spear that he sent directly at the blood mage. She turned just in time to be struck with it, falling back. That’s when Anders, Varric, and Merrill kicked the window open and stumbled in, Anders’s dropping the invisibility. 

The woman looked up in shock, scrambling to her feet and summoning power to her hands, but then she went completely still, her veins popping up from her skin. Anders looked at Seth and saw that his eyes were glowing red and he was frowning, sweat rolling down his head as he controlled the woman. Varric loaded in his tranquilizer arrow and shot her right in the stomach. She winced, but was unable to move until her eyes closed and she slumped against Seth’s mental hold. 

Seth’s face relaxed and he slowly blinked his eyes, the glow fading out and the woman falling to the ground as he released her. Anders immediately went over to him and dispelled the roots that held him and pulled the gag out of his mouth. Seth smiled wide. “Well, that worked out great!” he cheered, looking at Anders. 

The Grey Warden simply sighed and put his hands on Seth’s bare chest, willing his magic to the surface and dancing across the carved skin, knitting the flesh back together. Once he was done, Anders looked worriedly into Seth’s eyes. “I thought she actually got you.”

Seth chuckled and held his hand up, showing the dried blood still on it. “She didn’t have the power of love.” Anders rolled his eyes at the joke, but didn’t resist when Seth leaned forward and gave him a kiss. 

“Ahem, lovebirds,” Varric interrupted. Anders and Seth pulled away, though much to Anders’s annoyance. 

Seth stood up and helped Anders up before looking at the unconscious woman. “Right. Time to do the hard part,” Seth muttered. Merrill and Varric dragged the woman to the middle of the floor and Seth hovered above her, dagger in hand. 

The others moved back and watched with bated breath as Seth got on his knees, framing the woman’s body with them and placed the dagger’s tip against her chest. He took a deep breath and then plunged the blade through her skin. The pain must have pierced through her drugged sleep for her eyes flashed open and she gasped in pain, blood filling her mouth. 

Seth seized control of the blood spilling out of her now, his eyes glowing red once more. As he pulled the blood out of her, he focused on its power and could see faint tendrils of red smoke dancing across the air, pointing towards all the people that had been under his control. He reached out to each one and pulled them back severing the connection from their mind to the woman’s blood. It took him a while to do each one because he had to be delicate and not fracture any of the mind’s he was tampering with. 

The others watched cautiously as Seth focused, his glowing eyes seemingly darting across the entire room. Anders fidgeted with the red cloth around his wrist, a gift from Seth and sign of their love for each other. 

Suddenly, Seth let out a breath and his eyes stopped glowing as he fell back on his legs. He was breathing hard, sweat dripping down his forehead. Anders rushed over to him, steadying him. 

“Is it done?” Varric asked. 

Seth nodded his head. 

“Well that was better than I thought,” Merrill gleamed. “I thought I was going to have to fight people.” 

“We all did. That’s why we were here. As backup,” Anders said, still focusing on making sure Seth was okay. 

Seth took Anders’s hand and the two of them stood up. 

“Now what?” Varric asked. 

“It will take these people some time to get themselves reoriented, but they won’t know much,” Seth explained. “It will have all felt like a dream to them.” Seth smiled, though there was exhaustion in his eyes. “Surprisingly, everything went without a hitch.”

“What about the body?” Merrill asked.

Seth dismissed the question with a wave. “Aveline can deal with it. I’m tired.” He put his tunic and armor back on, before taking Anders by the hand and heading out of the home. Ensuring that the minds of the nobles under the blood mage’s control stayed intact once he severed the connection was probably the most difficult thing he had ever done. It would have been easy to simply kill the blood mage, but then the nobles would have gone insane. 

And no one would ever know how they were saved by blood magic using blood magic. 

[lycorogue]

Random Miraculous Ladybug dream highlights before it completely vanishes from my memory....

first thing I remember in the dream is Ladybug kidnapping Sabrina and taking her to one of those tropey wooden abandoned warehouse offices or something that movies tend to use for start-up fashion designer studios or something. Sabrina was brainwashed or whatever, and through the ✨Magic of Fashion✨ Ladybug is able to cure her. Sabrina asks about Chat Noir, and, on cue, someone knocks on the door. Ladybug turns, and my brain must have forgotten Sabrina was there, because she vanishes without anyone noticing.... feels on brand....

The person at the door is Chat Noir, but he's expecting to find Marinette there since this is apparently her fashion studio???? So Ladybug transforms back before letting him in. Chat Noir quickly dashes in with a preteen kid dressed as a monk sprinting in behind him before they close the door and tell Marinette to hide (we never figure out why. I don't recall them being attacked). Marinette is confused and wondering what is going on, so the monk opens up a Miracle Box that resembles the one Fu had. Out pops a mouse kwami that doesn't look like Mullo, and I even recall thinking "Oh, that's not Mullo..." but then the monk and Chat Noir still introduce Marinette to "Mullo"??? And Chat Noir says he needs Multimouse back (but doesn't explain why or why Ladybug isn't involved in this decision or anything). The pre-teen monk doesn't look like the young version of Fu and no one mentions him by name. So I'm not sure if he's SUPPOSED to be a time displaced Fu, or some random other monk from The Order of the Guardians who just so happens to have a sort of clone of Fu's Miracle Box????

Cut to earlier in the day when Adrien's father comes to meet him. SURPRISE! Turns out Gabriel isn't Adrien's father! My brain didn't sort out WHO Gabriel is instead: uncle, kidnapper, grandfather??? Adrien's actual dad - according to my dream - is still that generic Rich White Guy, but at least this time he's like a RomCom Love Interest Rich Dude... heart of gold but somehow forced to be distant??? Like, he had just escaped captivity himself, or something???? My brain didn't quite sort it out. I just got A Vibe (TM).

I don't recall what prefaced this bit or how Adrien was convinced or whatever, but I guess his dad (according to my dream) knew he was Chat Noir, and told him that. Feeling relieved that he didn't have to hide it, he confirmed his dad's suspicions by transforming into Chat Noir. Thing is, he did so on camera???? So he kind of announced to all of Paris that Adrien Agreste is Chat Noir???? (He could also now power-up to the point that he can transform into an actual panther a la Animan???)

We then jump back to Adrien and Marinette, who are now running around incognito. But it looks more like they're running around a city in the US than Paris... they end up hiding in a Best Buy parking lot or something???? Adrien is wearing one of those jackets with a hoodie liner, and the hood up to try to hide who he is. (Note: Adrien looks good in one of these jackets, and I wish I was a good enough artist to properly draw this look....) It was hard for me to tell via my dream if Marinette knew Adrien was Chat Noir (either via that televised reveal with his dad or via him just telling her personally). She did know he needed to hide from the public though.... Also, pre-teen monk wasn't with them, but Mullo still was????

Then the dream shifted to me on a walk with my sister-in-law and talking about the Miraculous season finale (which is apparently what the start of my dream was supposed to be?). I walked my sister-in-law home (which, by the way, was NOT her home or even her neighborhood IRL, but the place looked real swank in my dream, so I hope I manifest that for her...), and chatted with my niece and nephew about Miraculous as well.

Then I actually woke up.

[enzoxhuxley]

Guardian Angel // past para

It's a wonder anyone could do a lick of thinking here in this ambiance. The mingling conversations, from the bikers playing pool while their girlfriends obediently hung on their arms to the old-timers grumbling about faction politics, cascaded down the bar counter where Enzo sat in his stool alone while nursing the third glass of gin. Rudy's Tavern became a popular hangout for anyone who owned a motorcycle, namely Vincent cronies working directly under Drake himself, and while he spent time with the guys casually, some days were reserved for himself only.

His gaze traveled over heads, bouncing from one doorway to the other, noting where the exits were in case fights broke out, which is an average weekday at any bar you enter in Newford. Part of his job involved anticipating someone's next moves, remaining always on guard, and use a gun when necessary. He could usually spot the look in a man's eyes that screamed doing something stupid from miles away, and maybe that made him a pretty good shot. Enzo knew his skill paled in comparison to the Devereaux's, something he resented not for the insult of his abilities but the fact they were children, but he hit the bullseye nine times out of ten better than some compatriots.

Quietly searching the room landed his eyes on two faces he knew for a fact should not have been there partly due to age. Now, Rudy was an old friend of his, but the bar owner possessed this tendency to allow anyone entrance despite the legality. A skeevy dive bar was no place for children, but as long as they weren't ordering alcohol, he turned a blind eye and left the door wide open for partying teenagers looking for a good time. One such couple was seventeen year old Jason Morris and the just turned sixteen year old girlfriend he dragged along, Pandora. He personally met Pan several months ago when Jason, the younger brother of an acquaintance Enzo didn't really speak with, invited her into the fold by bringing the girl to another well-visited biker spot he and the guys were hanging around at. Sarcastic and a potty mouth to boot, he thought she was too young being involved with the biker chick lifestyle. At least his girlfriend Amelia didn't disagree, but she did urge him to tone down the protectiveness and let the girl make her own choices.

It was a little over a month since he last laid eyes on Pandora and even from the distance across the bar, Enzo noticed a change in the young woman Pan probably thought she was hiding well from those who weren't looking hard. She remained close at Jason's side, tossing wavy blonde locks over her shoulder and barking laughs that sounded very forced toward her boyfriend's crude jokes while his arm slithered around her waist. She clung to him like a lifeline and it turned Enzo's stomach sour. He knew guys like Jason, punk asses stringing girls along and thinking themselves the ultimate shit. Arrogance, arrogance got men killed in their faction.

Enz watched their interaction closely, curiously, observing the unheard conversation between the pair unfold, but he didn't require hearing what was being said to know what was going on. Jason pulled Pan in for a kiss, a kiss she attempted to reject and gently nudge him away by making light of the action, a jovial play-off he could see only pissing Jason off. The teenager's body language changed before his very eyes even as Pandora turned away from him and began speaking to another male, intentionally flirting in an attempt at making her boyfriend jealous. Jason's hand wrapped around Pan's arm, yanking her to properly face him and setting the older man's jaw tight while he still watched. They were getting into an argument now, Pandora ripping her arms from his iron grip and pushing Jason backwards. Some struggling, a toxic lovers' quarrel with nasty words thrown about, and Pan spat in his face. All Enzo could hear was Sid's voice in his head to mind his own fucking business.

Then the sound of a harsh slap carrying through the air flipped that switch real fucking quick.

Enzo abruptly rose from his seat in a mass of fury, knocking the stool backwards, and made a direct beeline across the room until he reached the couple. "You fucking piece of shit." The recognition barely registered on Pandora's face before he sent a closed fist in Jason's direction, hitting him square in the nose. The sickening sound of bones snapping should have given him satisfaction, but he wasn't about to grant Jason rarely any time to retaliate. Enzo grabbed a hold of the boy's collar, ignoring Pan's continuous pleas and the fact he was making a scene for onlookers as he roughly shoved Jason into the plaster wall, using strength to slightly lift him from the ground. "Enjoy beating on women, huh? Does it make you feel like less of a pussy?" Enzo spat in his face. Jason struggled, a tongue sweeping along his lower lip and smearing the blood pouring from his nostrils. "Get your fucking hands off me, old man."

"Enzo! Enzo, just let him go and drop it." Pandora's words distracted him for a moment, his head briefly snapping in her direction, "Pandora, stay out of this." Jason's own gaze flickered from the blonde to the older man smugly, "You should listen to her, Enzo boy, I can smack a bitch whenever I please and no one can stop me." Enzo peeled his gaze from Panny and settled it on the young boy angrily. He could have pulled out his gun, incite the panic, and own it, but where's the dramatics of that? Barrel to the head doesn't necessarily hurt unless the trigger is pulled, but what could hurt? The dart board to the right of Jason's head caught his attention, sending a hand reaching for the three darts stuck to the surface.

Bunching them together, Enzo forced them to Jason's neck, pressing the sharp ends against the flesh exactly where he knew the boy's jugular vein would be. "If you fucking touch her again, you lay one more goddamn hand on her, or I see any more bruises," He applied pressure on the darts, watching the teenager squirm uncomfortably, "I'll rip that woman-beating head from your shoulders and send it to your little friends gift wrapped in a fucking box. Do you understand me?" The expression on Jason's features warped from conceited to cold. He provided no response, leaving Enzo to pull him forward and slam him against the wall, forcing a groan from the young male's lips. "Do you fucking understand?" Jason nodded in confirmation, though it wasn't completely genuine, still Enzo dropped the darts and released the hold on his jacket, "Now, get the fuck out of my face. Go."

"You ain't hearing the end of this, old man." Jason pulled at the hem of his rumpled jacket, pushing a hand through his dirty blond tresses as he stumbled past Pandora, creating as much distance between himself and Enzo. He half-expected Pan to follow suit and leave with him, but when she didn't budge, the teen barked a sardonic laugh and pushed through the cluster of people before exiting the bar. Enz finally breathed a sigh and turned around, coming face-to-face with a hard to read Pandora, arms hugging her frame closely. It wasn't easy knowing if she was angry, upset, or shaken, the detail he did notice right away that he hadn't before was the miniscule stream of blood emanating from her split lip. "Come on, kid. I'll take you home." They just needed to make one short stop first.

_________

Pandora sat stoically on the cover of the toilet as she watched Enzo rummage around in a closet, willing her hands to stop shaking. He glanced at her briefly around the closet's door to check in before he found what they needed: the first aid kit. Stocked with the necessary medical supplies courtesy of his younger sister's workplace, he set the box in the sink and flipped the lid open. "Don't worry, I've patched myself up plenty of times. Only hurts for a second." He mumbled, grabbing the disinfectant wipe and the small needle.

"You don't have to baby me, Enzo. I had stiches before." Pandora's grumbling statement caused a small smile tugging at the edge of Enzo's lips. For a sixteen year old who acted as if she was as tough as nails, nothing could take away the whiny grousing of a teenager. "I'm not babying you, just forewarning." He ripped open the package containing the alcohol wipe and approached Pandora, gently placing a hand under her chin and dabbing the cloth to her split lower lip. He felt her wince for a moment and then relax a little. Once the area was cleaned, he discarded the wipe and worked on looping the thread through the needle's loop, returning to the girl when it was done. "This might sting, honey." Pandora braced herself before Enzo gingerly pierced the needle's point through the flesh of her lip, her fists clenching tensely.

The pair said nothing as Enzo stitched, him concentrating solely on the proper method Isidora taught him and her replaying the evening's events over and over. They hadn't mentioned Jason on the walk home, neither spoke very little even then, and it was probably for the better. Enzo lost his temper, needing the cooldown period, and Pan didn't mind recuperating herself. She wanted some explanation, a reason, even the courage chewing his ass out for causing a riff between her and Jason. But that was a problem for a different day. Maybe he wouldn't make her pay for it.

"So," Enzo broke the silence as he pulled the last of the thread and used a pair of scissors to snip the excess. He took the time cleaning up the supplies, packing away what could and will be reused for the future. He placed the first aid back in the closet and moved across the tiled floor, taking a seat on the edge of the bathtub, "You need to be honest with me, Pan. When did it start?"

She knew exactly what he meant and he knew that she knew as well. When did the smacking around begin? When was the first time he put his hands all over you? Those were the questions she dreaded the whole journey here. "Um," Pandora hesitated, a hand reaching up and tenderly touching the newly sealed lip. The fact she would possibly carry a pretty badass scar from the wound did cross her mind. "A few months ago. At first, he would just...say things. Nasty insults, nothing I'm not used to." The blonde shrugged and dropped her hand, glancing downwards, "Then the hitting started. Look, it's no big deal, I can handle it."

"Panny," Enzo folded his arms and pinched the bridge of his nose with frustrating exhaustion, resisting the urge in tracking Jason down and completely beating the shit out of his ass, which is what he should have done back at the bar. "I know you want to believe you're this tough kid, but you're not invincible. Look what happened earlier. You think he's going to stop at a slap or punch?" He leaned forward, locking their gazes in seriousness, "One becomes a whole beatdown and a trip to the hospital. I've seen that shit happen before and it isn't pretty. It doesn't end well, sweetheart."

"Oh, just fuck off with that, Enzo. You're not my dad." Pandora shot back the reply in irritation. He knew the defensive stance when he witnessed it in himself, that merely came with the consequences of living where they did. Newford held no qualms swallowing up anyone who wasn't strong enough to survive and it didn't carry kindness for battered women.

"Why are you still with him?" A question Enzo could not deny he has been waiting to ask since the first time he saw Pandora and Jason together, knowing trouble followed where that boy went. Jason had his usual string of girlfriends, all temporary flavors, but it seemed he possessed a fascination of sorts for this relationship. Pan was the longest he's ever committed. A fucking love story for the ages.

"Because I love him, okay?" Her response came through with hesitation and uncertainty of the truth. How could she be in love with a guy who hurt her on the daily? He gave her everything she desired, attention, sex, sweet words, a family who wouldn't judge her for the sins she partakes. So...does it matter if he left her black and blue from time to time? Wounds healed, the thought of a man laying a finger on her did repulse Pandora, but she had no one if she left him.

"Are you sure about that, Pan?" Enzo raised his eyebrows skeptically. Love, that is what it always came down to, or at least the illusion of love. Jason reeked of the type to wrap anyone around his finger and manipulate until they gave him whatever furthered his gain. Women were his ultimate target, dangling them on a fine rope and reeling each in until they fell head over heels. Entirely dependent. "I think you're scared." The panic in her blue gaze was as clear as day. Pandora could refute the claim if she tried, reiterating the lie she will continue telling herself before the denial wore off. He cannot make her see sense when she wasn't willing. That's one choice he shouldn't take away. "You're scared I'm right."

"He wouldn't do that." Pandora shoved the faux confidence to the surface and sucked in a deep breath. Had she known Jason at all, truly? It hasn't been a year yet and here she was, semi-defending his honor when he just slapped her across the face not even an hour ago. "He wouldn't..." The hushed whisper barely fled from her mouth, it's difficult to know if Enzo even understood it. Yet, he did not have to ask for a repeat to understand the emotions that lay behind the words. Behind the slipping confident persona Panny proclaimed she held proudly. "He..." She trailed off.

There it was, the fear in her eyes, a sight to nearly shatter his heart. Maybe he could do something about it. "Stay here." Enzo rose from the bathtub and left the bathroom, traveling down the hall until he reached his bedroom. He approached the dresser standing along the wall opposite the bed and yanked one of the drawers open. Digging around, Enzo moved items of clothing and pried the little board forming the secret compartment at the bottom to reveal exactly what he was searching for. His fingers wrapped around the handgun before closing the drawer and returning to the bathroom where Pan awaited.

Enzo approached the girl with caution, quickly inspecting the safety on switch and pressing his lips firmly together, "I don't really condone pushing a weapon into a kid's hands, but I think the situation calls for it. Need you to listen carefully, alright, Panny?" He fixed her with a searching stare and held up the object, "This gun isn't a toy. It's the difference between life and death." Enzo reached down and slowly wrapped Pandora's hands around the gun, holding the position so she comprehended the significance, "If it ever came down between your life and Jason's, you choose yours every time. You protect yourself first and you pull that trigger no matter what happens. Sometimes...we don't have the choice." Releasing his firm grip, he took a few steps back and locked eyes with her, "He isn't going to stop unless you stand up for yourself and tell him you ain't fucking around."

Pandora's palms pressed into the cool metal of the handgun, feeling every curve and outline as she listened to the words. Her gaze tore from Enzo and rested on what was in her hands, trailing a finger along the space where the serial number had been meticulously scratched from the surface. A silent promise that if she ever used the gun for whatever scenario, making it disappear would require all ease. The police couldn't trace it, nothing would happen except a crime she wasn't caught for. The future weighed heavily on Pandora's shoulder, an unknown she was prepared for. "Enzo, why would you do this for me?" She looked from the weapon to the man, confusion lacing her expression.

Enzo pondered the question, saddened that she couldn't understand the obvious answer, before dropping down to one knee so they were at the same eye level. "I can't stand seeing another teenager end up in a body bag. Their whole lives wasted, cut short. It's a shitty place." His head dropped briefly and then lifted, "And because we're family. Same town, same faction, same social circles. We take care of each other." If any members in Newford were threatening one of their own, Enzo felt his responsibility eliminating what was poisoning the tree that is their faction. "You're a good kid, Pan. I hate seeing you wrapped up with someone like Jason."

Pandora lifted herself to her feet the same time Enzo followed suit, gun still clutched between her hands as if it were the last lifeline. "You don't have to fuss over me, Enz." As soon as she returned home, this gun was being tucked underneath her pillow for safe-keeping. No matter how uncomfortably unpleasant that would be sleeping on. "I can take care of myself." Enzo, for one, already ensured that so it should provide mindful ease.

"That doesn't mean I won't be too far." He would always be around like some gruff guardian angel who was occasionally grumpy and loses all sense when his protection instincts kick into high gear. Children were his weak spot, women were a weak spot, any combination of those residing in their faction could make a softie like him kneel at their feet in worship. Enzo saw himself in Pandora so much, that he knew she could handle a gun responsibly and endure facing down danger without the fear if she really grew confident enough. She may even realize the strength it takes parting ways with an abusive ex like Jason was always from within her. Enzo knew there is possibility he could land in hot water if someone discovered he gave a sixteen year old girl a handgun, but the gratification he was doing something good outweighs the risks. Pan needed a way out and he came through.

"I promise, Pandora."

[readingforsanity]

Do You Remember? | Freida McFadden | Published 2022 | *SPOILERS*

Tess Strebel can't recognize her own face.

She can't recognize her home. Her bedroom is unfamiliar. And she can't remember the handsome stranger lying next to her in bed. A stranger who claims he's her husband.

Tess reads a letter in her own handwriting, composed during a rare lucid day, explaining her life as it now exists: She was in a terrible car accident one year ago. Every morning, she wakes up unable to remember most of the last decade. Including her own wedding.

Tess has no choice but to accept her new life and hope her memory will return. After all, why should she doubt the letter she wrote to herself? Or the kind man from the wedding photos on her dresser who seems to genuinely care about her well-being?

And then Tess receives a text message on her phone. One that changes everything.

"Don't trust the man who calls himself your husband."

Tess wakes every morning, scared and confused, because in her mind, when she went to bed the night before, she had just gotten engaged to her long-term boyfriend, Harry. But when she awakes, she is in bed with a man who is not Harry. And even worse, this man, named Graham, tells her that he is her husband.

Graham gives her a letter that she had written herself, in a rare moment of clarity, and it explains it: one year ago, Tess had been involved in a car accident, and bleeding on her brain led to her having surgery and complications with memory loss. For the last year, she goes to bed married to Graham but awakes believing she is still engaged and living with Harry.

When Graham leaves each morning, he gives Tess her phone and she attempts to contact the two people she knows will be there for her: her father and her best friend Lucy. Neither answer, and instead, Tess spends time with her dog, Ziggy, whom she loves even if she cannot remember him, and being a prisoner in her home, as Graham has taken great measures in order to keep her locked inside the house, stating it is for her safety. While Graham is away, he has hired a woman named Camilla to spend time with her, calling her the cleaning lady.

In the end, each morning comes with its own challenges. But each morning, Tess reads the letter she wrote to herself and has to come to terms with it regardless of her feelings. However, she usually finds that she has written something on her thigh the night before, either FIND HARRY or a telephone number. Harry has been contacting her in hopes of getting her to meet with him, but this has its own challenges. However, she and Camilla end up at the dog park and Harry is waiting there.

He explains that Tess had reached out to him about a month ago with suspicions that Graham was drugging her, and she needed help. Since then, Harry has been attempting to help her get out of the situation but it is difficult, especially since Graham is technically Tess's legal guardian along with her husband.

As the days go on, Graham changes the story of how they met several times to something different, and he even tells her that her favorite drink is pomegranate juice, even though Tess takes only a sip and spits it out.

On one night after she gets tired after dinner and is taken to bed, she awakens with her memories from the night before, only realizing that it's still nighttime. She doesn't understand when her memories decide to vanish, but in her attempt to get out into Graham's home office, she hears laughing and giggling coming from the first floor. What she finds is her best friend Lucy and Graham having sex on the couch.

Graham doesn't attempt to hide it, though Lucy appears to be sincerely apologetic.

On day 5, the last day that the book takes place, Camilla finally says that she is tired of the lies that Graham has been telling her, and gives her the key to the locked drawer in his office. What Tess finds explains everything: one year ago, she WAS involved in an accident, that was brought on by a seizure after complaining for several weeks of headaches. After testing, it was found that Tess had stage 4 brain cancer, and that she was given roughly one year to live. They did try chemotherapy and radiation, but nothing seemed to work.

This is confirmed by her father showing up, along with Harry. Despite this, and despite being married to Graham, she explains that she has no love for him, and that she would like to leave with Harry, thgat Graham can continue to run her company if he allows her to spend the remainder of her life with Harry. Graham does agree, but this plan is also thwarted by the arrival of Lucy, who comes clean about what really happened.

Before Tess had gotten sick, she had confessed to Lucy that Graham had been embezzzling money from her and the company she started. After her diagnosis, Graham got Lucy to go along with everything that has been going on in order to keep running the company since Tess was unable to do so.

Even worse, Graham lied about her prognosis as well, as the doctors had said that the tumor in her brain was essentially gone and her cancer was in remission; she wasn't sick anymore. After this revelation, Graham began his long list of lies in order to keep the company and his wife.

This one was enjoyable. It's very similar to another Freida McFadden book called Brain Damage I had previously read. I cannot get enough of Freida thats for sure!

[missshinazugawa]

1. Raiyen, love messing with people especially his secret gf Rain

2. Rain and Yukino, they both would get heart attack but Yukino can handle it better than her since both of their world is different

3. Raiyen and Yukino

3a. Raiyen wants to prove if ghosts exist or not, also doing it for fun；Yukino have to summon ghosts to solve cases for her mission even though she doesnt want to

4. Rain and Yukino, Rain is traumatized and Yukino didnt expect to get teleported to an unknown world full of supernatural creatures and she have to learn how to use her power to defeat some of them (they both could become besties if they arent from different universe)

5. Yukino but its her job to do so she still have to involve herself into the events even she didnt want to in order to go back to her og world

6. Carmine and her s/o Silus

7. Yukino (cause by her career in unknown world)

7a. She is superstitious about the basic respect to ghosts, an example: knock b4 entering a hotel room because some 'things' may live in the room, or avoid going outside during night time

8. Yukino and her s/o Kurokawa Chise

8a. She received a bunch of bullying in the real world because of her unique appearance, some say she might be possessed by something odd making her hair and eyes look like 'that', people calling her name. Until she discovers that her ability has activated in the unknown world；Chise has the same ombre hair like Yukino but different colors so his co-workers spreading rumors about him having supernatural abilities but he denied and ignore the rumor to hide the truth preventing anyone to find out about it

9. Yukino: Snow Kitsune x Human hybrid

Raiyen and Rain: Elf guardian

10. Yukino would probably get scared by the ghost's face because they look really “unpleasing”；Rain would get scared literally anything in the movie

10a. The girls gonna stick with their s/o(s) like a gorilla glue

10b. Its surprising that Raiyen is unfazed by horror movies since he was scared asf when summoning ghosts using oujia board and the rest is expected

11. Idk

12. Raiyen and Silus

12a. Purposely making a horror scene like things moving

12b. Yes, whenever they want to

13. The girls and Chise (Yukino and Chise were too lazy to do pranks, soulmates fr)

14. Chise, he's japanese that doesnt know anything about western cultures so he just throw anything that he thinks maybe would help children

15. Probably Yukino and Carmine tbh, Carmine is a model and Yukino would win without any costume anyway because of her appearance

OC Questions - Halloween x2

1. Which oc loves jump scares?

2. Which oc hates jump scares?

3. Which oc would try to contact a ghost?

3a. What would their motive be for doing so?

4. Which oc wants nothing to do with the supernatural?

5. Which oc is fine with certain magic or supernatural events but refuses to get involved with other branches of it?

6. Which oc only believes in things the science of their day can explain?

7. Which oc is the most superstitious?

7a. What are they superstitious about, and what is their method of staying safe?

8. Which oc has a lot of supernatural rumors spread about them?

8a. Are any of these rumors true?

9. Which oc *is* a ghost, a vampire, or a werewolf, etc.?

10. If your ocs were watching a scary movie or something similar, what would scare them the most?

10a. Which ocs stick together after watching it because now they're jumping at shadows?

10b. Which oc is completely unfazed? Does this come as a surprise to anyone?

11. Which oc has a costume that no one else really understands?

11a. What is it?

11b. Which oc spends the whole night trying to figure out what it is?

12. Which oc hands out more tricks than treats on Halloween?

12a. What are their favorite holiday related pranks?

12b. Do they pull pranks on other holidays as well?

13. Which oc only hands out treats?

14. Which oc hands out neutral items like dental floss?

15. Which oc would win Best Costume?

15a. Which oc would win in the Honorable Mention category?

[book-of-baba-fett]

My fic, Stars in Their Multitudes, is a galactic tableau of sprawling proportions. It follows a Force-sensitive reformed convict and his adopted daughter from whom he hides his past. Featuring a wide cast of characters, it explores the day-to-day life of the galactic citizenry under the rule of the Empire.

Com Narcom served nineteen years in a Republic prison for stealing to feed his family. When he got out, the Republic had become the Empire, and he didn't see much of a difference. When a kindly stranger took him in, gifted him with the resources to get back on his feet, and offered to train him as a Jedi, Com ran away out of shame, feeling unworthy to be a Jedi student. Since then, he has accrued massive amounts of wealth under fabricated identities, which he uses to help those in need.

Koss is an inspector in the Imperial police force. Born in prison to Clawdite parents and raised by the state, Koss is unflinchingly subservient to authority and will stop at nothing to preserve order in the galaxy. In his crusade to enforce the Empire's cruelty, he frequently comes into conflict with Com Narcom, seeking to put him back behind bars and put an end to his disruptive compassion.

Kaltha was cast aside by her lover after she refused to abort her unborn child. Left with no money and no connections, Kaltha was forced to leave her daughter in the care of a Weequay couple in order to seek work, a situation she had hoped would be temporary. As she struggles to survive, she holds on to the hope that she and her daughter can be reunited.

The Tarkays are the proprietors of a disreputable inn on an obscure Outer Rim world. Greedy, opportunistic, and perpetually dissatisfied with their lot in life, they attempt to swindle and cheat everyone who crosses their path. When entrusted with the care of Kaltha's daughter, they exploit the child, turning her into a household slave while bleeding her mother dry.

Leela is a bright young Twi'lek. Entrusted to the care of the cruel and conniving Tarkays, Leela is eventually rescued by a mysterious stranger who adopts her as his own. Though Leela loves her new guardian, she finds she must constantly adapt to new life changes as her father seems to be running from something, but what he is running from, he refuses to say.

Apollon Kondric, heir to a noble house, learns a shocking family secret that shatters everything he knows about his heritage, causing him to be disowned and exiled. While embarking on his education at a prestigious university, he becomes involved with a group of idealistic activists with radical ideas about the state of the galaxy.

You can read Stars in Their Multitudes on AO3 and learn more at my sideblog @les-mis-in-space!

Send me an ask talking about one of your fics, and I’ll boost it on my page!

K! Thank you so much for sending in; I always see you talking about Stars in their Multitudes and I LOVE the passion you have for it. It's such a wonderfully fledged project, and the detail you put into it and all your characters is amazing to see.

[starshipsofstarlord]

Killer King

Summary: modern fairytales don’t exist, though isn’t it ironic that the person that you’re being forced to marry is your perfect match? Completely perfect, it’s rather insane.

Pairing: Richard Madden x reader

Warnings: 18+ minors dni, smut, unprotected sex, cumming inside, fingering, handjob, murder, poison, arranged marriage

Word Count: 3022

Masterlist Link

All control without your life had been strangled out of consciousness, you should have suspected your parents to have done something so sadistic without your consent, they’d always threatened to when you were a child, however your worst nightmare had been strung into reality, and as you sobbed gently to yourself in the garden where you were supposed to meet your future husband, there was a chill biting the air, causing the skin of your exposed arms to prickle from the weather. You weren’t sure how anyone could be so cruel to their own flesh and blood, perhaps because in the community that your mother and father were involved in was one that made this a tradition, least to say though you didn’t like it. To be deemed a witch in the 1800s would have been a better end than this; you were to be sent off to live with some man that you’d never met before in your life, and it stung that you could be tossed aside like so, why, because you didn’t want this life. It wasn’t the vision that you’d always had, you wanted to be more than some trophy, you wanted to make a life for yourself before making one with another, but now that wish had slipped through your fingers like your constant tears were. A clearing of a throat gathered your attention, spite drew in your watery eyes as you turned, suspecting to see the silhouette of your father, however instead, there was a rather handsome man who was clothed with excellent taste, you doubted anybody had forced him to be here from the handsome and shy smile upon his cheeks.

“I didn’t know that you were behind here, I was attempting to hide from my parents. I can leave if you want, bring you a tissue? Though I will admit if I leave I will surely be captured by their efforts to entice me into their idealistic lifestyle once more, and that is truly the last thing that I want.” From hearing his voice your brow raised, surprised by the accent that kept all his words in tune; he was Scottish, you’d never thought of how attractive the sound truly was before this moment, and as you wiped under your eyes with the palm of your hand, you kindly shook your head in understanding, not wishing such a sentence to him either. It sounded terrible and rather familiar, your arms hugged around your body as you smiled lightly at him, unsure whether you could fathom words to answer him, but with a brave gulp you managed to, though your voice was punctured with a nerve wracking tremble, albeit having inherited it from your crying.

“No, it’s fine, stay. I’m avoiding my parents too, they wish for me to marry a man of whom I’ve never met before, they don’t care for my opinion and I know that I will not be able to subject against it so here I am, waiting it out until the very last moment, hoping that I make that terrible of an impression from my late arrival that my suitor’s guardian’s change their minds as I know that mine surely won’t.” A quiver rekindled across the man’s face as he read your words carefully over, cocking his head as he enquired to himself if it could be. His predicament was merely identical, he was to meet the woman that he was alternately engaged to this evening, and yet when he was dragged to the table, the woman was gone, her father had gone searching for her. Apologies had left his future mother in law’s lips in a rash display of desperation that the efforts that she had gone to in order to set her daughter up with a gentleman would proceed, and no doubt knowing his parents, they would.

“Are you y/n?” He asked carefully, not wanting to spook you if you were, and not wanting to make you think that he was some awkward stranger if you were not. That was all that he knew about the mystery woman, her name and that was all, his mother had claimed that she was gorgeous and that he would have more than fine children with her, and he could understand from appearance alone if it were you, and he suspected that there were not that many people around in this outside restaurant space who were engaged strangers. Marriages controlled by the creators of both people were not as common in this century, and whilst they still did happen occasionally and in other cultures, it would be a rather large coincidence if the pair of you were taken by other people, in fact it’d have been too much of one he thought.

“You must be Richard then.” Your assumption was correct as he nodded, a smile appearing on his face. It was rather comforting for the pair of you that nether one of you were ecstatic for the arrangements that had already been made. “And to think I was trying to avoid you and you ironically found me here, by avoiding me also.” You chippered a laugh from your painted lips, the scenario was rather amusing, and if you’d seen a face like his anywhere else you certainly wouldn’t try and hide from it, truth be you’d hope he was seeking you out. “I think that says a lot about what we both want. And that is not this, I am sure that you’re a great guy and all, and I am sorry that we are entrapped by the claws our parents have dug, there really is no way out of this, is there?” You hopelessly sighed, knowing that there were many things that bound you financially and otherwise to them.

“I’m afraid not.” He agreed, taking a well needed exhale. Richard planned to say more though a rustle cut him short as your father’s face appeared through the brush, disappointment written over his features, as you had just expected. “You must be this lovely lady’s father, it is a pleasure Mr y/l/n.” He extended a hand however your father shot it down, glaring at him with disgust, not knowing of whom he was. It was the women that had traded pictures, not the fathers, both just wanted this stag rodeo of both of your lives to end and hence why they allowed the marriage to go forwards. “Who is he?” Your parent barked, unimpressed with your male company, and you could only roll his eyes at his assumption of you venturing off to meet another man when there were already things put in motion for you have already done so.

“This is Richard.” A smirk covered your face from surprising your father, as he recognised the Scotsman’s name. “Yes, before you ask, my future husband.” Richard had to choke back a laugh from the exterior that you were putting on, it was rather humorous to watch you belittled someone whom had done the same to you by passing you off for another man to look after, he wished that he had the confidence to do so, but he would no doubt get a whooping from expressing such a smug attitude. “We wanted to meet in privacy without the bunch of you watching us like vultures, you’d probably be doing the same weird thing with your neck too, where they crane in. And I mean you guys are kind of pruned up like them and not to mention-“ Richard thought it best if he didn’t allow your mouth to run for too long with insults as there would surely be an aftermath, and so he steadied his hand on your waist, refraining from putting it too low, and hugged you into his side, smiling at your father.

“Pardon her, she is just nervous is all, and I can’t blame here, it’s a big step to meet both her husband to be and parents in law all on the same night, not to mention the setting, it is rather busy this evening. Could we have a minute to recuperate ourselves before we join you at the table, I think it may be needed?” A nod rattled from his father’s head as he stepped back and retreated, you knowing that he’d gossip with all the other elders about the fortunate sight that he had been et with. “You have quite the mouth on yee, don’t you?” He asked, half smiling as he lulled over the comments that you had dared to spew out like a breath of air.

“Just because my opinion cannot get me out of this arrangement doesn’t mean that I don’t voice it.” You shivered once more, attempting to cover up the next one that dared quake your shoulders so that Richard did not notice, but alas he did and he removed his jacket from around himself to coil around your upper body, bringing some more temperature back to your skin and the cells below. “You don’t seem so bad Mr Madden, how’d you suspect tonight to have went?” There was a very risky answer that he could dare share with you, and indeed he dared himself to, you seemed rather intriguing and thus he wouldn’t go through with it any longer, and you were a lot more relaxed than you had suspected.

“I planned to poison you.” From that alone your eyes bulged, shocked by the statement, and Richard feared that he may have actually had to follow through until a burst of brash laughter abandoned your mouth, so loud that no doubt someone from outside the foliage could hear, though that was no concern of your own. “I planned on poisoning you too.” You answered, seriousness lacing your tone as a dark look crossed your eyes, exploiting the worst of you to be exposed. “Though we could make a truce, and not waste the deadly stuff, it was rather expensive in fact, I had to go onto my mother’s credit card and tell her I ordered a parfum for tonight. To impress you, and now I’m the impressed one, you seemed rather sane at the start.”

“I have an idea for a better use, how about we kill off the vultures, they are pests after all and intend to eat us down to the bone until there is nothing but hollow shells of out livelihoods left. So my lady y/n, do you take my hand, for better or worse, to love and to kill?” He extended said part of his body, and you were more than inclined to grasp at it, intwining your fingers together as you joined the two of you in an unbreakable union, stepping closer to the groom that you would meet at the end of the aisle.

“I do.” You said the marital words that locked two people and their souls together, though if anyone else knew of your sadistic plans, they’d have surely have been convinced that you both had not a soul between you, and that you were nothing more than monsters, possibly vultures yourself for crafting a plan so deadly yourselves. Though the difference between you and the scavenging birds was that you no longer had to wait to strike, or search for scraps of compensation, you and Richard had given each other the last boost you needed to go out on a hunt on your own, and you would bring death rather than find it to survive. These moments you could enjoy without self pity as the both of you carried a separate vial over to your table, smiles on both of your parents’ faces as they saw the two of you walking over together, having awaited for you to join them.

“Richard, could you pass me the wine?” His mother asked after much useless chatter, and the man nodded, bracing it open, using his full strength so that he almost went flying with the cork, to which he searched for on the ground by your legs, slivering the toxin into the bottle as he reached for the cork, he passed the bottle onto the table as they passed it around, whilst he continued his wondering. As he looked up to you, he took note of how you had opened your legs, revealing your underwear to his adventurous eyes, he licked his lips as his hand tapped your thigh, and the other located the cork and held it up. “Will you marry me?” He whispered, passing the piece to you, before returning to his seat. You steered clear of the wine, watching as they drank it. They wouldn’t die instantly, you suspected it’d either be on the journey home or whilst they were at home, either way the revolution had began and they were to be dead in the next few hours.

“I will.” You smiled as he sat beside you, resting his hand on your thigh as his tongue licked at the inside of his cheek, excited for what was to come. Meeting you had amounted to something bigger than he had ever expected, he was prepared to be the only survivor at the table, but he realised that he did in fact want his wife. And that was what you were now, his wife, the marriage had gone smoothly without the vultures controlling every aspect to their tastes, and neither of you had gotten caught for the four bodies that had piled up. Someone in their community as the main suspect, and you were fine with that, they could all go to hell and you would meet them there when it was your time. Your life had become a thrill, you were practically dancing with the devil himself, and he wore a sweet disguise, and he had a sweet way with his words, an even sweeter method with his tongue that was sweeping across your lips as he held you against an alley wall, a body of a drunkard in the dumpster beside you.

His fingers were moulded to a curve inside of you whilst your hand rotated his length with the agile hook of your wrist, moans wavered between you like the howling of the wind. There was never a dull moment that you shared, everything was new, nothing was bland in the slightest, the only repetition was the panting of one another’s name that echoed in your mouths. Your head rolled back against the dewy brick wall as your eyes fluttered, your hips eagerly rutting down against the friction that he granted you, your peak passing over his hand and soaking it with your juices. He brushed your hand away as he licked at his own, moaning at the flavour that was permanently subdued into his skin; what could he say, you were newly weds, this rise in libido was suspected? Then again you were both ‘psychopaths’ as your searches on library computers instigated, so perhaps it would never die down, just people around you would die as was the intention. “Come on Richard, you can do better than that.”

You had dared to test him, and so his hand fisted around your throat, blocking off the circulation of air to your lungs, and you loved the notion. “Be patient my dearest, the best always comes[DC1] last.” If he had it his way he would contain you in between these buildings for hours upon relentless hours, but Richard was smart and sly, and he knew that eventually that someone would stumble out here, possibly a worker at the bar whom was throwing out the trash, and whilst the body was buried below tainted goods, the last thing you needed was for someone to see you at the crime scene before it was investigated as one. And so he clashed his body against your own, his had remaining around your throat but loosening as his other hand reached down to take his cock in hand, sinking it into you, and loving to hear you mewl from the stretch of his length.

There was adrenaline coursing through your veins, the cold bit at your cheeks but you found yourself enjoying it, after all you had first met Richard when you were blatantly shivering before his eyes. As he began to thrust in and out of you, your behind began to scrape against the wall, scathing your ass beneath the bunched up material of your dress. His pace strode faster, knowing that the clock was ticking and it was his aim for the pair of you to finish in due time so that there would be enough of a gap for the two of you to disappear as though you had never been there. Grunts firmly husked out from his bared teeth as he leant down, capturing your hungry lips in a smouldering kiss, suffocating you for a moment which had your heart excitedly thumping from the thought. “I would kill for you my angelic queen, I am at your mercy. Lives shall fall before us as we continue to walk down this moonlit path.” He gritted out with punctuated breaks of pleasure distorting the structure of his sentimental statement.

“You already have my king.” You breathed, fog escaping from the junction of your lips as one last elongated whimper evicted from your throat, your banded hand ravishing his locks as you keened, internally dying as you came, clenching around him until he did too finishing within your walls and filling you with his royally manged seed. There was something so beautiful about completing an end of a life with the commencing details of sex; the performance for creating a child, and whilst you weren’t planning a pregnancy, it felt almost holy to climax afterwards, as though it was a reward for ridding the earth of such terrible people. Richard was the best man that you had ever met, and you had done right by marrying him, instead of it being by another’s demand though it was your own ill wish to abide by, and whilst he was deranged in the mirrored sense that you were, there was one thing about him that no other man exhibited. Honesty. Brutal honesty.

[ijustliketoreadstuff]

Destruction teaser analysis and speculations (spoilers below)

The teaser starts off with a major shocker, we see Marinette in her room in the middle of the night alarmed by someone's sudden presence. When she takes a look down from her bed we come to find that its none other than Monarch!!

We don’t know why he is there, but it doesn’t seem like he has figured out that Marinette is Ladybug otherwise he would have wasted no time in taking her earrings by force like he did in Ephemeral, and it doesn’t seem like the kwamis ratted her out because the spell prevents them from saying the name of their previous holders identities unless their new holder has already figured it out themselves. Unfortunately, as of now, we only know that they are restricted to not saying a holders name, any other information could still be acceptable to say, so knowing that Monarch went to Marinette's room specifically and not some other holders room, could mean that the kwamis were left with no other choice but to tell Monarch something related to Ladybug or master Fu that involved Marinette. Whatever it was that the Kwamis were forced to tell him, they must have tried to do what they can and carefully word things so they would not reveal anything that could easily lead Monarch to discover that Marinette could be Ladybug.

From what we can see in the next shot, Alya was with Marinette the night Monarch appeared in her room, the two of them watch him as he teleports away with the kwamis and the key in hand.

Which is odd considering this looks a lot like the night Marinette asked Alya to sleep over after they battled Monarch in “Evolution”. We know there was a bit of time that passed in the previous episode, “Multiplication”, and although we got to see what the holders and civilians were up to in their time waiting for Monarchs next attack, we never really got to see what Gabriel was up to aside from meeting Tomoe and making a new brand with Adrien and Lila’s hologram, so I wonder if Destruction will give us some insight to what Gabriel was up to in those weeks. 

Anyway, by the look of things in the teaser, it seems like Monarch entered Marinette's room because he is searching for something. Of course Marinette will play dumb and avoid saying something that could link her to Ladybug, but since Monarch is a threat to her and Alya in that moment, Marinette might have had to give into whatever demands he asked. Whatever it was that Monarch was saying to her, we see that Marinette very quickly reaches into her drawer to pull out a key!

What’s the big deal about this key? guys!, this is master Fu’s key, the same key he gave to Ladybug near the end of “Miracle Queen” when he lost his memory!, but Monarch doesn't know Ladybug had it since he wasn't there for that moment. 

This key is what opened the locker containing the old record player that hid the miracle box! but why does Monarch want the key? the locker doesn’t have the miracle box anymore, but then again he might not be searching for the box, he could be looking for something else! Fu had a lot of things to hide in order to protect his identity as Guardian from Monarch, so whatever it is that Monarch is looking for, its got to be in that locker and the kwamis might have been forced to tell him everything they knew about Fu at least since Gabriel knew his identity already, Gabriel is up to something .

The next image is of Monarch in the wax museum and judging by the draped figures in the background, it seems the museum has some new additions to the collection that have yet to be revealed to the public, this room use to have statues of akumatized villains, but they might be switching things out to include the other members of the miraculous team, aside from that, the real big question here is, why is Monarch at the wax museum?! we see him circling around the wax statues of Ladybug and Cat Noir but in the next shot we see him with a surprised face as Cat Noir reaches out for him,

 perhaps Cat Noir tried to catch Monarch off guard by posing as a statue next to the Ladybug wax figure, but the moment he grabs Monarchs hand, we see a piece of paper fall from it, its to hard to tell what that paper says but considering Monarch had it, it must be important.

The next shot is of Cat Noir and monarch on the floor after Ladybug uses her yoyo to wrap their hands together, Monarch is now immobilized by a lucky charm wrapped around him and we see that Cat Noir has activated his cataclysm, we don’t know what it is that they are trying to do here but it almost seems like they were trying to pin Monarch into a corner by having Cat Noir use his cataclysm as a threat should he be tempted to escape. 

However, in the next shot, we see that Monarch is still on the ground and that Cat Noir is no longer with him, only Ladybug is next to Monarch, something happened.

Monarch uses the horse miraculous to make his escape but as he does, we see that something weird is going on with his left arm, it looks cracked with purple lighting emitting from those cracks. I’d imagine that everyone’s first guess by looking at this is that Cat Noir used his cataclysm on Monarch, after all, it was revealed to us that Cat Noir was going to cataclysm a person in season 5, but something about this situation doesn’t make sense, did Cat Noir really cataclysm Monarch? the cracking is seen on his left hand rather than the right hand that was tied to Cat Noirs cataclysm. It could be that  Cat Noir did not intend to immediatly use his cataclysm on Monarch, only as a potential threat for the situation to keep him from escaping, but considering Monarch has some sort of damage to the opposite hand, Monarch might have tried to shake Cat Noir off, resulting in his opposite hand being accidentally cataclysmed.  But what if it wasn’t a cataclysm? if that damage wasn’t done by Cat Noir, I wonder if there’s something else going on with Gabriel? well, I guess that’s something that will need to be left until the premier.

The final scene in the teaser is of Gabriel taking a ball like item out of a case with the Tsurugi company logo on it, this ball is attached to a machine and emits a sharp light that quickly beams down onto something that gives Gabriel a ring

...I don’t like where this is going, because it almost seems like Gabriel is MELTING SOMETHING VERY IMPORTANT!, THE MIRACULOUS!!