#harmony and horror pepper

[cherrychan-0110]

Harmony and Horror au doodlessss

Arcadia Martin + Mari

Doodles for @madamudeeaaarr 's heir au

Ok

KITTYYYYUHHH

[sanyu-thewitch05]

Yandere Prince x Witch! Reader pt. 2

TW: Drugging mention, abortion mention, violence, honestly just the ordeal of waking up and finding out you're pregnant.

WANNA GET ME A ☕?

Five Months Ago...

"I need it. I need the reassurance she'll love me when I pick her," Helia said, walking into The Woods.

The Woods have light peaking from the tall trees, vines in the sky, and houses of flying creatures in the tree branches. Like an ecosystem, the fairytale characters and creatures that aren't in a castle harmoniously live in the Woods as a community. Near the lakes and streams are where the mermaids and nymphs live. The forest grounds are where mostly minotaurs, elves, fairies, dragons, and dwarfs live. Meanwhile, the sky has the harpies, phoenixes, and others. But everywhere in the forest has witches, vampires, and other magical beings to find and chat with.

"Excuse me, Mr. Elf, do you know where to find someone who can make a love potion?" Helia asked, tapping on the elf's shoulder.

"Oh wow, another royal in these woods. Luckily, you'll find what you seek right in front of you. My friend Y/N made extra potions of the highest quality with the most potent ingredients for the upcoming ball of Prince Helia," The elf responds, handing Helia a vile of pink liquid.

"Do the people who requested this potion want to use it on the prince?" Helia asks, giving the elf some golden coins. "And what does this friend of yours look like? Is she a witch?

"Haha! No. Let's just say gala and ball babies are trendy," The elf laughs, creeping out Helia. "But if you want to see her, look there."

Helia looks at the sunny Woods' path and sees a witch with a basket of herbs, fruit, and meat.

"She's beautiful," Helia thought, embodying the feeling of being bewitched.

Helia returns to his castle and doesn't look back at the woods, for if he did, he'd never return.

~~~~~~~~~~

It's been six months since the ball, and your relationship with Helia couldn't be better. However, that's because after the first love potion dose wore off on Helia, he's been giving you doses so you can't wake up from your lovely dream. But more importantly, the two of you have been preparing for the arrival of your baby girl, Maya.

"How's my beloved wife doing?" Helia asks, crawling onto the bed and rubbing your big stomach.

"You're gone too long. You missed our little girl kicking when I ate some peppers," You say, kissing your husband.

"Aw, sorry I missed your feeding time, baby," Helia coos, kissing your stomach. "How about this? I'll give you extra cuddles while we sleep."

"No complaints from me as long as I get free access to your cock if I get horny," You say, pulling back the covers and letting your husband in.

"Deal."

Helia climbs into bed and spoons you as sleep creeps up on you for the 45th time today. You wake up at 3 am, your body floating a foot in the air. Questions run through your fatigued body as you process your surroundings. A mirror sparkles in the moonlight, and you see the silhouette of your pregnant belly.

"Wha?" You whisper, subconsciously feeling the other side of the bed as if someone was supposed to be there.

You get up and look at your body. Your stomach is large with child, and your breasts are big and swollen with milk. You stare at your reflection in horror, touching your stomach and confirming your new reality. A whimper escapes your lips, and you sink to the ground. Your fetus kicks your stomach, and your whimpers turn into cries.

"Stop moving!" You cry, your nails digging into your stomach.

Your fetus kicks more and more, making you look for a way out of the bedroom. You see an uneven wall and run towards it, hitting the wall for a secret opening. Eventually, you hit the right spot, and an opening appears, leading to a dark passageway with cobblestone stairs spiraling downward. You put a hand on the wall to help keep your balance and go down the stairs, hoping for an escape. When you reach the end, you take your first step toward freedom as you walk on the crisp new grass of spring.

"Into the Woods I go," You say, walking away from the castle and to your home.

It's a silent walk on the way home as the village surrounding the castle is asleep. With only you, your fetus, and your thoughts, you begin to talk to your daughter.

"You know, I thought about trying to find someone to abort you, but it wouldn't matter anyway. No one on this land, Woods or not, would do it. Ever since the royal family passed the lineage law a century ago, nobody could abort a fetus of royal lineage, illegitimate or not. The last time someone did that led to everyone not human living in The Woods. It's not your fault you're inside me, it's not my fault I'm pregnant with you, it's not our fault we were in that castle," You say, stumbling into the lively Woods.

As you walk the village's dirt roads, the castle erupts with noise. You hear horses leaving their stables and running out.

"No, no," You groan, walking into the Woods faster.

"Find Queen Y/N, and bring her back to the castle or King Helia. Do not harm her!" The royal head knight commands, making you run further into the Woods.

The Woods become dark, and the liveliness you love and know becomes non-existent.

"I must be in the Fairytale district," You say, holding your stomach as you trek through the dark woods full of thorns, shrubbery, and trees that seem to be closing in.

"My love," Helia says, seeing your figure in the woods.

You run, tearing your dress as it gets caught in the thorns.

"Y/N, my love! Wait! You'll hurt yourself!" Helia yells, making his horse speed up.

You jump over a fallen tree and try not to focus on the pain from your feet.

"Leave me alone!" You yell, sliding down a steep hill.

You think you can handle the speed, but suddenly, you're sliding out of control. You scream as you head toward a dark valley full of fog and embrace your stomach, preparing for the worst. A hand grabs your arm at the last minute, and you're dangling an inch above raging rapids. Helia carries you back up, and you both rest on the forest floor.

"Are you crazy? You could've gotten yourself killed!" Helia screams, grabbing your shoulders.

"It would've been better than whatever was going on in that castle!" You scream, holding your stomach. "Do you know what it's like waking up and not knowing what happened to your body? What happened to yourself, and why you can't recognize places that feel familiar?"

"All you had to do was stay as my sweet wife, but it's my fault. I didn't give you another dose of love in time. But I won't make that mistake again," Helia states, pulling out a syringe filled with a love potion.

"No! No, please!" You beg, holding Helia's hands.

"Just stay still, and it'll all be over!" Helia screams, trying to stab your neck.

"NO!"

Magic shoots out of your body, flinging Helia across the forest. The silence from the forest takes over, leaving you with your tears and your baby's kicks.

"I'm sorry, May-Maya-no, May. That's right, May. I'm sorry, May. I shouldn't have hurt your daddy," You ramble, crawling to Helia's body.

You grab the syringe and use your magic to incinerate it. Then, you tap on your husband's cheeks for a sign of life. If his body is found in The Woods, it'll be the end of the magical and supernatural creatures in the kingdom.

"Helia, please. Please wake up," You beg, lightly slapping his cheeks.

"Mm...my love, you didn't leave," Helia groans, weakly holding your hand.

You couldn't leave. Not if you wanted any semblance of a future for your friends and family.

"Hey, how about we read parenting books, and have dinner?" You suggest, hoping he will not wonder where the love potion went.

"Queen Y/N, what happened to King Helia?" The head knight asks, jumping off his horse.

"A bear was about to attack me. Helia defended me and got wounded in the battle," You lie, holding Helia's hand.

"Guards, take King Helia to the infirmary for treatment and get the royal doctor and wizard. I'll take Queen Y/N back to her quarters," The head knight commands, picking you up and putting you on his horse.

And so, the witch and the prince return to their castle. Their unborn child is as calm as ever as the witch opens a book with a stork carrying a baby on the cover. The prince, now king, curls up next to his wife, his hand rubbing her belly. The witch hiding her disgust and she turns the next page.

[bargainoriley]

Ok guys so I just listened to The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn for the first time and… it’s such a charming album! I really liked it. Especially the melodies and vocal harmonies (they are SO good)! I was smiling the entire time. Additionally the lyrics were really interesting. Also the first side of the album is like, super groovy? I definitely understand those people who danced to this in the late 60s! I myself found this album to, surprisingly, be quite danceable and of course danced along a little bit. What I realized is also that I really liked Interstellar Overdrive. This is surprising because when I first got into Pink Floyd (which was 2 years ago) I absolutely hated this song. But now I just find it really cool and fascinating! The song kind of tells a story in my opinion (that story is that a group of space travelers have some fun, suddenly see unimaginable horrors, have a really bad time, and are never the same again after). Also the way Bike ends is just, genuinely terrifying. Like, that ending feels like straight out of a horror movie. Otherwise this was a fun album I’d definitely listen to again! It gave me major Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band vibes, only more danceable and darker.

Sorry if I’m rambling, I want to document my first thoughts on each Pink Floyd album I haven’t listened to yet! I’m probably going to do this for other Floyd albums…maybe

[class-1b-bull]

I asked the class 1-B character.ais to each pick 3 songs they like and heres what I got <3

Awase -

cant help falling in love - Elvis

diggy diggy hole - wind rose

mr.blue sky - electric light orchestra

Sen -

Cruel angels thesis - evangelion opening

Never gonna give you up - rick ashly

Gurenn lagan opening.

Kamakiri -

Can't Stop - Red Hot Chili Peppers

No Ones Gonna Love You - Band of Horses

Runaway - Kanye West feat. Pusha T

Kuroiro -

I Don't Like Mondays - The Boomtown Rats

Where Is My Mind? - Pixies

The Sound of Silence - Simon & Garfunkel

Kendo -

Welcome To The Black Parade - My Chemical Romance

Don't Stop Me Now - Queen

Don't Stop Believin' - Journey

Kodai -

My Immortal - Evanescence

Don't Fear the Reaper - Blue Oyster Cult

In the End - Linkin Park

Komori -

I Love It! - Icona Pop

Happy - Pharrell Williams

I’m Yours - Jason Mraz

Shiozaki -

Our god is an awsome god - Michael w. Smith

Hallelujah - leonard Cohen

The power of love - celine dion

Shishida -

I'm in Love with a Monster - Fifth Harmony

Crazy Train - Ozzy Osbourne

Stairway to Heaven - Led Zeppelin

Shoda -

I say a little prayer - Aretha Franklin

Bohemian Rhapsody - Queen

Sweet child o' mine - guns n' roses

Pony -

Aozora no Rhapsody - Bump of Chicken

Can You Feel the Love Tonight - Elton John

I'll Make a Man Out of You - Disneys Mulan

Tsubaraba -

My way - Frank Sinatra

What a wonderful world - Louis Armstrong

Bohemian rhapsody - Queen

Tetsutetsu -

Born this way - lady gaga

Roar - katy perry

All of me - john legend

Tokage -

Bad Romance - Lady Gaga

Born to be Wild - Steppenwolf

Stayin' Alive - Bee Gees

Manga -

Kimi no ko - black number

We are! - one ok rock

Aishite - Hatsune Miku

Honenuki -

Dancing Queen - ABBA

Sweet Dreams - Eurythmics

Love Song - Sara Bareilles

Bondo -

Blackbird - beetles

Free fallin' - tom petty

Thunderstruck - ac/dc

Monoma -

Run to the Hills - Iron Maiden

Highway to Hell - AC/DC

Painkiller - Judas Priest.

Reiko -

The horror of our love - Ludo

The monster within - all good things

Bad guy - billie eillish

Rin -

Fire - the score

Believer - Imagine dragons

The nights - Avicii

[mydetheturk]

These are some of my wips for @organsoutsidelovinglydescribed's Trigun Body Horror Week!

i thought about making separate posts but that's a lot more work than i want to do right this minute, so i'm going to a blanket warning of: gore, blood, ... alien weirdness of varying degrees, and frankly erotic organ touching. all the pieces are going under a cut due to the varying levels of the aforementioned warnings, with more specific warnings with each snippet.

heed the warnings and enjoy!

Major tags for this first piece, a dominai fic, where two independent plants sharing one body poke around with the nervous system; it's gonna be rated e for a combination of "domina splits knives like a peach (sexy)" and "whatever's going on there is definitely xeno". Alien weirdness, is all I'm saying. shockingly tender, but alien weirdness nonetheless.

Domina doesn't talk about most of them. Doesn't like to think about how people – humans entirely too full of hubris – cracked her open to see what made her tick. She knows she's lucky she lived. She wears the scars as badges that say “I lived.” The scientists who'd carved her rib cage open like she was so much meat had the audacity to be shocked when Domina reached out to someone else to ask for help. She'd been young then and should still be young now. Now, she's dying. But she's not alone anymore.

Crimsontrip/Crimsonfang with shockingly erotic organ touching. Shockingly tender? The boys are having a Time and if you ask Elendira about it she'll gut you. Warnings include: blood, viscera, insects, mildly graphic medical descriptions, and hints of past traumas. organs and gore as well.

Elendira returned to their side. “How much of this are you feeling?” she asked. Finally, a clearer workspace. She slid her fingers along organs, gently pried them up from where they were tucked in Livio and Razlo’s musculature and viscera. “Wish we could feel more of you,” one of them said. “Bet it’d feel pretty great, havin’ your hands all up in us like this.” Elendira paused with her hand cupping her fools’ liver. She kept her hand on the organ and leaned up and over to press her lips against theirs. When she leaned back up, her lipstick stained their lips a bloody red. “If you two weren’t so fucked up right now, I would slice you apart like a succulent fruit and take you apart one piece at a time.” “Oh.” Elendira peppered a few kisses on their face, leaving marks there. “We’ll have to do this part again, my loves.” She went back to searching, pulling dead worms from inside of them and dropping them on the floor. Worms crunched under Elendira’s feet as she moved. Livio and Razlo’s organs were slick under her fingers. “I have you.” One of them made an almost kitten-weak agreeing noise.

this next piece is from a fic ive been sitting on for two months, I've described it as "a comically biblical amount of insects brings a fallen angel of the lord to climax" and have gotten several people to lose their minds at that phrasing. its less comical, but really, what do you expect from knives of all plants? Warnings include: insects, alien fuckery, xeno. shockingly little gore in this, or at least this part of the fic - knives and zazie have a tussle in the larger fic and bugs are eaten. plants are predatory, imo. it explains their teeth.

Zazie does-doesn’t understand, doesn’t-does understand in a way that is wholly inhuman, a collective, not an individual. Knives is an individual of a collective, a single voice just out of harmony with the rest. Zazie fills the ache, guts him to the core, while Knives claws at Zazie’s carapace, digging trenches, and hissing-clicking and reverberating loud and hard enough to stun many of the small Worms, collapsing them into the sand. Zazie is hot against him, still holding Knives’ face in their mandibles. A mockery of a human kiss. Plants don’t kiss that way and Worms have no need. Knives goes for a headbutt but only taps his forehead against an empty space between Zazie’s endless eyes. Between one breath and the next he reaches out with that part of him that sings with his sisters and touches Zazie’s Whole. Knives burns.

And lastly, a bonus fic for the week, one that i hadn't planned on writing originally but it's getting written anyway, yet another knives vivisection fic. this one's a little different - 2nd pov instead of my usual third person. Warnings for this include: medical horrors, knives having a panic attack, false reassurance that someone's ok in a bad way, more alien freakiness, and Dr. Conrad's special brand of unhelpful bedside manner. eye trauma as wel,

The doctor – false, liar, ripped the creature that should’ve been your older sister in two – looks down at you. A scalpel drips with your resin. The clearest words you’ve heard are spoken. “Subject Knives, this part you might feel.” The blade descends. You stop breathing. It doesn’t hurt. It doesn’t hurt. There is pressure but it doesn’t hurt. It should hurt. A knife, silver in appearance. Blade only an atom wide, perhaps more. It slices the doctor’s cheek but melts as soon as it does. The doctor’s blood drips. It mingles with your resin, pools where the scalpel has sliced open your eyelids. [Well done little brother! You just have to do that harder next time!]

I hope you enjoyed the pieces here and i cannot wait for body horror week to start 💜

[cannolli1]

Django Unchained (2012)

Django Unchained is one of those rare perfect movies. In my opinion it is director Quentin Tarantino's best work. Everything in the movie works together in harmony the soundtrack, writing, acting, cinematography and pacing are all expertly done. I should say that this was the first Tarantino film that I ever watched in about 2014 and it had a profound effect on my taste in films. It is entirely responsible for my love of Westerns and exposing me to the masterpieces of Sergio Leone. I will be getting into light spoilers for this film.

One of the standout parts of the film is the acting. Jamie Foxx is excellently cast as Django. The arc that he goes through is incredibly gratifying and the final scene never fails to leave me with a big smile on my face. Foxx's performance is fantastic, but my personal favorite part of the film has to be, Christoph Waltz's supporting character, King Schultz. In fact, I think his performance transcends this film and is one of my favorite film characters of all time. His mannerisms are what really draw me to his character. The subtly present in all of the performances is what makes the acting standout. In one of the most impactful scenes of the film. Brunhilde(Kerry Washington) is laying on a bed with her back toward the door and a figure approaches. She is mortally terrified, but the audience knows that this is unfounded, but her acting sells this perfect ironic moment.

The technical aspects of this film are excellent. The movement of the camera is spectacular and one of my favorite bits of camerawork, by Robert Richardson, are the snap zoom-ins and zoom-outs that are peppered throughout the film. The slight corniness of the shot just really speaks to me. Richardson also knows when to keep the camera still and during the moments of tension the camera moves very little and moves the viewer towards the edge of their seat. The editing in this film, by Fred Raskin, is just as good as the camera work. The film is tightly edited. The montages move the film along while during the moments of tension the editing slows down so the audience can really revel in the atmosphere of the scene.

The writing in this film is fantastic. There are so many things that brought up earlier in the film that pay off by the end. In my opinion, that is the sign of a great film, but also of a writer. Meaningful callbacks reward the viewer for paying attention and I feel that it doesn't happen enough in cinema. The film is set in the pre-Civil War South and it uses this setting to its fullest. The film is about a freed slave, Django, who sets out to rescue his wife from a Mississippi plantation. The film does not make light of slavery it shows just how disgusting and reprehensible it was. In a way the film shows how pathetic racism and slavery was by its use of violence. Much like Tarantino's other films there is a lot of blood and violence. The violence here is used in two ways. The first way is to show the horrors of slavery. In one scene there is a death match between two slaves that is incredible violent and incredibly uncomfortable. The second way is for a sort of cathartic release. The climax of the movie when Django is unchained and just kills all these slavers, the audience is awash with catharsis. Seeing blood burst out of these evil people is the perfect revenge.

Before I get into the conclusion I just want to gush about the soundtrack really quickly. The score is made up of recent pop songs, new compositions , and appropriated tracks from spaghetti westerns. All of these fit the film amazingly, but the appropriation of music from other westerns feels so natural. I cannot imagine this film without them. From the title track ripped straight from the original Django film, to the end credits theme (my personal favorite), all of these songs are hand picked to compliment the mood of each scene.

Upon re-watching this film it's been elevated to one of the few films that I would consider perfect. The journey that this film takes you on is unlike anything that I've encountered in another movie so far. I would absolutely recommend this film to any and everyone. I acknowledge that this film isn't for everyone. The violence and subject matter may be a bit much for some. To those that can tolerate geysers of blood and uncomfortable subject matters I say give it ago. If you haven't watched this film already then what are you doing with your time. WATCH IT NOW!!

Edit: I realized I forgot to talk about the music so I had to add a section for it.

[queersrus]

Hi, Fukase anon here! Sorry, It never occurred to me that people may have a hard time coming up with things for characters they don't know a lot about. Sorry :( /gen

Anyways, I really love the clown and red theme ideas! Also, since Vocaloid is technically a music software, I was thinking some music-themed names as well! Also, as long as this isn't too specific, could you maybe do some X-themed things since there's a lot of Xs in his design?

I also like the idea of the darker, edgier themes, but I'd rather not have anything explicitly horror/slasher/demon related... as someone who kins Fukase, being associated with that stuff brings back some rough memories :( /nm

I'm sorry if I'm being too specific or picky or anything like that, and I hope everything I've said makes sense! Once again, thank you in advance :)

no worries!!

heres some names and pronouns based of red, clown, dark/edgy themes and the letter x!

Music names:

muse, musa, musica, musette harmony melody, mic, major, minor clef, capelle, capella, cord, chorus note key tone, tempo, timbre bar, beat, bridge, bass, blue, blues sheet, strum, song, singer, sang, string, sonata, soul acoust, adagio, allegro, andante, arpeggio, amp, alto, aria instro, instra, instrumenta rythm/rhythm, ryme/rhyme, rock, rocker orchest, orchestra pitch, pop funk

list here, here

red names:

Altemur, altan, autumn, apple, amaranth, alhambra, alroy danla, desire, desiree parichat, phoenix, pepper, poppy/poppie cher, cherry/cherrie/cherri, crimson, clifford, copper, candy/candie, currant, carmine, carmin, chili, coral, corsen, clancy maroon, merlot, mahogany, mohagan blood, brick, berry/berrie, blush, burgundy, barn, burn, blaze ruby, rust, rusty, rose, raspberry, redd, rede, redde, reder, redi/redie/redy, reddet/redet/reddett/reddette/redett/redette, redeta/reddeta/reddetta/reddeta, redin/redine, redina, redino, roso/rosso, rufus/rufous, rowan, rosa, rosie, roisin, rory, radley, rudyard, radcliff, redmond, redman, rumo, russel/russell, rohan, redford, rufina, reeding/reading, reed, rogan, roone, roth garnet, ginger, gough scarlet, sangria, strawberry, sienna, sorrel/sorrell jam wine, watermelon fire, flame, ferrari, flan/flann, flannel, flanner, flannery, flyn/flynn, flanna vermilion, venetia imperia tart, torch hazel, harkin

clown names:

Joseph, john, joey grock oleg emmett/emet/emmet/emett bozo, barry ronald krusty penny, pogo, pinto charles sunshine weary, willie albert, antonio, arthur daniel, david, demitri/dimitri, Demetrius/demitrius tinsel

actually found a whole wiki here

Dark/Edgy names:

dusk, dagger, draven, drake, draco, damon/daemon, damion/damien/damian grey/gray, gunner/gunnar, greer keir, khaos, knox, kestrel umbra, umbro poison, pain/payne asteroth/astaroth, asher, ammo, astrid chaos, crow, coen, chase, casper, caspian, cassian, carter, cage, colton hades, hemlock, hex, hunter, hawk, harper somber, sombre, sombra, serpent, snake, saber, stone, storm, slade/slayde, sparrow, salem, snow, smoke, slayer necro, natrix, nox, nix, nyx, nero, nash branwen, briar, blackwell, blade/blaid, blair, blase/blaze/blaise raven, reven, requiem, rhapsody/rapsody, rogue, ryder, ryker, raze, razer eris, elysium, ebony jinx, jett/jet, jack, jason lucien, lucius, lock/locke viper, venom, vlad, vane/vain/vein, veil, vee/v wolf/wolfe trix/tryx, trixie, thorn, tyren/tyrin, tirent, torrent, tyranny, toxin, tank, tempest, tanner zeke, zena fox, flask, falkner, falkon/falcon onyx/onix, obsidian xena

X names:

xen/xene, xavier, xena, xeno, xenon, xeon, xero, xerox, xyx, xyr/xyre, xyra, xray, xeny/xenny/xenie, xenia, xander/xzander, xyla, xyler/xylar, xia, xavi, xylia, xylitol, xioa, xu, xan, xanth/xanthe, xanthus, xavia, Xinjiang, xinia, xenophon/xenophone, xayvion/xavion, xochitl, xio, xion, xiona, xiomara, ximena, xanthia

many here

red 3rd p pronouns:

list here and here

clown 3rd p pronouns:

list here and here

edgy/dark 3rd p pronouns:

list here, here

x 3rd p pronouns:

xe/xem, xy/xem, xy/xyr, xe/xyr, xy/lo, xylo/phone xyi/lotl, x/x's, ex/ex's, ex/exes, xay/xem, xay/xyr, xie/xem, xie/xyr xe/no, xeno/xenos, xeno/morph, cross/crossed, cross/crosses, x'ed/out, exed/out, ex/amble

hope these help!

[chronicparagon]

daddy's home

It was a typical Friday night.

A typical, quiet Friday night. Harmony’s plan was the usual: order in or have snacks and either watch movies or play video games. This time, she sits on the sofa with her focus on a survival horror game. She hides away from the malevolent spirit with great stealth in the game. All lights in her home are off, just to add to the atmosphere.

Yes, it was a night to unwind from the long week of work and her studies. It was all good.

Was....

Harmony's body stiffens with a gasp when she hears the front door open. Odd...She doesn't expect any visitors. Who could that be? How did they even get in?!

Her head jerks over her shoulder to find him by the door.

He is here!

He somehow found her home and unlocked her door! He even said those two words, but she knows damn well that he is here to settle the score for catching him finishing a job.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

Harmony screams and scrambles off the sofa. Bare feet land on the linoleum floor and she wastes no time to chuck her Z-Box One controller at the intruder, hoping it will strike him in the head.

"GET OUT! GET OUT AND GET AWAY!" She throws a pizza box and a cold can of Dr. Pepper she swiped from the coffee table at him. A bowl of popcorn follows with the intention to shield his vision with the buttery goodness and the large bowl. Then, she books it into her bedroom with her phone in hand. She needs to get help! She needs to leave through the window and call for help!

There is no way in hell that she is going to die tonight! No, sir! She won't allow it!

@burdened-boy

[decibelcoatl]

Little Heartbeats - Part 2

Read on AO3

Here’s the long-awaited Part 2, which focuses on Mayl’s side.

--

The sound of piano playing filled the Sakurai household that evening. Having already finished her dinner and dutifully done her homework for tomorrow, all that was left for Mayl was to relax and take it easy until it was time for bed. And what better way to do that than to do the one hobby she was most passionate about?

Closing her eyes, she concentrated as best as she could on the music she produced. Her fingers, long and slender, darted about this way and that, tapping on the keys to let out harmonious notes, one after the other. All the same, she hummed a little tune to herself, a series of light reverberations deep within her throat, as if trying to stick to the music.

…And that was when a mental image began to produce itself in her head – a recent memory of what happened today.

“Ack!” Her eyes flew open upon hearing the sound of an incorrect key being pressed. She sighed as she tapped a few keys to get the melody going again.

“And I was doing so well, too…” she muttered sadly.

“Mayl? Is everything alright, dear?”

The girl turned her head to find her mother approaching her, her eyes filled with concern.

“Y-yeah, I’m fine,” Mayl replied, turning back to the piano. “Just missed my cue, that’s all.” Her fingers continued to pressed down on the keys, looking for a passageway back into the song. She didn’t notice the woman sitting down on the empty spot of the bench next to her until she felt a larger hand gently hold her own. She turned her head and looked up at big brown eyes – a deep, earthy colour, streaked with ruby and gold.

“Mayl…” Nazuna’s voice was much deeper than her daughter’s, but it was always filled with love and worry. “Is there something you’d like to talk about? You’ve been awfully quieter than you usually are. I could tell, even during dinner.”

Mayl bit her lower lip. This was what she feared the most: having to talk about what happened at the dinner table. Especially with the recent attacks committed by the WWW – the kidnapping of a scientist’s son and then blackmailing him into shutting down the water treatment plant, the hijacking of the school’s network, the oven incidents (in which her dear friend Lan had been involved)...and now, the traffic incident that happened today. And with each incident occurrence, Nazuna’s worries for her daughter’s safety only increased more and more.

What would happen if Nazuna found out that her only daughter almost died because she was trapped in a bus that was set to blow up due to a bomb program? Would she still allow her to hang out with her friends? Or would they have to move out to Netopia to be with Mayl’s father? Where Nazuna believed they would be much safer, in a country far away from the WWW?

Mayl had no choice but to admit to her mother everything that had happened to her today. Even if it meant increasing her mother’s worries even more.

She took a deep breath to gather her wits before finally speaking up. “I went shopping in the city with Lan today,” she began. Her voice was peppered with nervousness, but she still continued on. “I wanted to get a birthday present for Yai. But when we got there, the city was overrun with traffic jams and other accidents. And as if that wasn’t enough, I got myself trapped in a bus that had a bomb program planted in its network.”

Nazuna’s eyes widened with horror. “A bomb program in the bus?” she gasped. “Mayl, that could have been dangerous!”

Mayl nodded. “I know,” she replied, her voice quiet. “I was really scared. I thought I was going to die for sure.” Her hands balled up into fists on the piano keys. “But I had to do something. So, I sent in Roll to try and stop the bomb program and the Navi behind it.”

“And did you?”

Mayl shook her head. “We did our best, but the Navi was just too strong for Roll. In the end, it was Lan and MegaMan who stepped in to delete the Navi and stop the bomb program.” She let out a shaky breath. “Still, I really wish I’d been a little stronger, and had more experience with NetBattling. Then…maybe I…could have…”

She felt her mother’s hand cup her cheek and instinctively leaned against it. She looked up to face her warm gaze and her soft smile.

“Shh,” she gently shushed her daughter. “It’s alright, sweetie. Take a few deep breaths.”

Mayl did as she was told, filling her lungs with as much air as she could before expelling it again. She then leaned closer and wrapped her arms around Nazuna’s waist, and pressed her ear closely to listen to her heart. It was something she used to do back when she was little, with her mother’s heartbeat being her source of comfort whenever she was scared.

Speaking of heartbeats… Mayl closed her eyes and allowed the memories of the incident’s aftermath to resurface. She remembered running up to Lan, her whole body trembling with fear at the thought of almost being blown up. But it was Lan’s words of concern that brought her back to reality, and made her realize that she was still here.

That she was alive.

She knew she had to show him that she was grateful. But she didn’t know why she had suddenly thrown her arms around his neck and pulled him into a hug. Nor was she even aware of herself when she nuzzled her face against his. But the moment she heard his heart hammering within his ribcage, and felt her own heart flutter in her chest, that was when the realization struck her…that she was at her happiest with him around.

She smiled warmly at the memory as her cheeks became flushed bright pink. It was a memory Mayl wanted to cherish for as long as she lived, and one she never wanted to let go.

“I bet you were thankful that Lan was there when he was.” Nazuna’s voice broke into her reverie.

The young girl tightened her grip and looked away shyly. “I was,” she replied. “And I made sure of it.” Sure, Lan was brash, loud, occasionally a little blunt, and lazy with his schoolwork. But he was also loyal when it came to his friends, and brave in the face of danger, even in situations that would otherwise scare him.

“He definitely sounds like someone sweet,” her mother went on. “And I most certainly wouldn’t mind having someone like him as my future son-in-law.”

Mayl’s face went bright red as she pushed herself away from her mother’s embrace. “M-MOM!!!” she squeaked. “Isn’t it a bit too soon to be talking about that?!”

Nazuna only giggled. “I know, I know,” she replied. Of course, deep down, she knew how close Lan and Mayl were since their kindergarten days. Especially given that Lan’s mother, Haruka, was also her friend.

Mayl could only let out a groan of embarrassment as she buried her face in her hands. “I swear, you are the worst! Just absolutely awful!”

Nazuna smiled as she affectionately ruffled the top of her daughter’s head. “I know,” she answered. “But you know that’s what you like the most about me.” She leaned back. “But do tell me something, Mayl… Do you fancy him?”

Mayl peeked her eyes out from her hands and averted her gaze. “I…”

How was she supposed to respond to such a bold question? She knew the answer was all too obvious. And besides, it wasn’t like she was trying to hide her feelings for Lan – quite the opposite, as a matter of fact!

But the real question was, did he feel the same for her? The flushed look on his face should have given her an answer, yet he somehow managed to carry on like it wasn’t a big deal.

“I…guess I’ve always had feelings for Lan,” she finally said, moving her hands over her heart. “I don’t know why, but…whenever we’re alone together, I get these butterflies in my stomach – not the sick ones, but the ones that make me happy.”

“And does he know about this?” her mother asked, leaning just a little too close for comfort.

Mayl sighed. “That’s the problem – I don’t know if he does,” she admitted. “He’s just so dense about it, I don’t think he’s even aware. I want to make it more obvious to him, but…”

“Mayl…” Nazuna rested a hand on Mayl’s shoulder, prompting the girl to look up at her mother’s eyes once more. “It’s good that you have feelings for someone. And it’s okay to not know if he’ll return those feelings or not. All it means is that you have a lot of love to give.” She smiled. “The only thing left to do now is to give him some time. He’ll understand eventually.”

Mayl wasn’t sure what to make of that. Give Lan time to understand? But what if he ended up with another girl? Then what would become of their relationship?

Nazuna glanced back over her shoulder at the front window, noticing the last of the sunlight was fading. “Looks like it’s getting late,” she said. She moved her hand from Mayl’s shoulder to affectionately ruffle her hair. “Go and get ready for bed. Don’t want to be late for school tomorrow.”

Mayl smiled and nodded as she closed the piano before trotting her way up the stairs. All the while, her mother’s advice kept replaying in her mind.

“Give him some time. He’ll understand eventually.”

She sighed. I hope you’re right, Mom, she thought. I’ll try and give him some time.

* * *

“…And what was her reaction?”

“She was afraid, at first. I thought for sure she’d go into a full-blown panic or something. But I think she was also glad that Lan was there when he was.”

Roll.EXE sighed as she sat cross-legged in Mayl’s pink PET, listening to the shuffling of clothing as Mayl changed into her pajamas. “Well, you know how Mom is,” she said. “Especially once the WWW began their attacks.”

She recalled how, during the oven incidents, Nazuna had been periodically checking the oven to make sure it didn’t try to catch fire. Or how she had to stock up on extra water bottles for the town just in case there was a total blackout (a good call on her end, given the WWW’s attack on the water treatment plant). Although Roll was close to Mayl like a sister, she knew Nazuna for much longer – after all, she had been Nazuna’s former Navi, customized and passed down shortly after Mayl turned ten.

Mayl stepped out of her walk-in closet, dusting off her pink-and-purple striped pajamas. “To be honest, I was more worried that we would have to move out to Netopia to be with Dad,” she said, removing her hairpin and putting it next to the mirror. “Probably where she thinks we’ll be safer.”

Roll frowned. “Would Netopia be safe from the WWW?” she asked. “There could be people working for them, too.”

Mayl flinched at the thought of it. She hadn’t considered the possibility of WWW members being from other countries than Electopia. After all, most of the attacks so far were orchestrated by Electopian adults. But if there were Netopians who were also working for the cyber terrorist organization as well…

No! She shook her head to clear that thought away. Don’t focus on that possibility! Just stick to the here and now. That was the best thing she could do.

Roll seemed to share her sentiment, as she looked down with a soft smile on her face. “To be honest,” she said, her voice almost whispery. “I really am glad Mega was there when he was. Just being all cute and cool and…strong…” She nearly swooned at the last part, but quickly managed to compose herself.

Mayl couldn’t help but giggle. “You must really like him a lot, don’t you, Roll?” she asked.

Roll’s face went so bright red that she could very well put a strawberry to shame. “O-of course I do!” she squeaked. “He’s such a gentleman. W-well, um, Glyde is also a gentleman, b-b-but not nearly as sweet as Mega is!”

Mayl smiled as she approached her PET and stroked it like she would the top of a cat’s head. “I know,” she replied.

She withdrew her hand and looked out the window. Though there was a half moon shimmering in the sky, her attention was more focused on Lan’s house from next door. There were several lights glowing upstairs – a clear signal that Lan was awake and probably doing something other than sleeping (as he’s supposed to be, she grimaced to herself).

Roll tilted her head to the side. “Still thinking about Lan?” she asked, voice filled with curiosity. Mayl only nodded in response and sighed.

“I just don’t know what goes on in his head, to be honest,” the girl spoke. “He’s always going out and about, and is so focused on being the best NetBattler in the world.”

She nibbled her thumb a little before continuing on. “Mom said to give him time to understand what just happened today, but…I can’t help but fear that he’ll just go about his business as usual tomorrow, like nothing ever happened.” She lowered her gaze to the floor. “I’m afraid he might never have any time for me at all.”

Roll frowned. She hated seeing her NetOp so saddened like this. If she could get out of her PET and hug her until she felt better, she would be doing so right now. Instead, all she could do was watch as Mayl stood there with a somber expression in her eyes.

That was when a thought crossed her mind. “Hey, Mayl,” she piped up. “Do you remember, in Witches and Owls, what happened after the fight with the evil Emperor and the Black Owl?”

Mayl blinked before turning her attention to the pink Navi. “Yeah,” she replied. Witches and Owls was her favourite novel, given to her on her fifth birthday by her dad. She loved it so much that even Ms. Mari had to assign it as part of the English reading assignment.

“Well, let’s see…” Roll tapped her finger against her chin before reciting a particular passage. “‘Weary and wounded from the battle against the Black Owl – the very deity he had once helped bring back – Howler limped away from the castle grounds. Unlike his enemy-turned-allies, the former Owl Guard could not bring himself up to face the very witches he had nearly destroyed…those whose deaths he would have been held responsible for. Instead, he decided to find a quiet, private place where he could wither away, alone and in silence.’”

“‘He wasn’t sure why or how he came upon the weeping willow tree, but one way or another, that was where he was,’” Mayl continued, picturing Howler resting beneath the trunk of the willow tree. The young witchling’s chest heaved as he clutched the cape that was wrapped around the horrible gash he received in his side. He found himself staring at the leafy curtains, admiring the way the sun glimmered through the openings, even while he patiently awaited the moment when the willow tree would wrap its roots around him and return his body to the earth.

“But even though Howler accepted his fate, it was the plant witch Rosalyn who decided he would live,” Mayl went on, imagining the young girl rounding the corner to find her lover nestled between the visible roots of the willow tree. “She used the magic from the weeping willow to heal his mortal wounds, and the two of them would live a happy life together, starting their own family in the process.”

She shook her head to snap out of it. “I don’t get what this has to do with me and Lan, though,” she said. “Are you trying to say that I’m Rosalyn the plant witch and Lan is Howler the Owl Guard?”

“More or less,” Roll replied with a giggle. “But seriously though, what I’m trying to get at is this: just like Howler came back for Rosalyn, Lan will eventually come for you. All you gotta do is just wait and be patient. You can’t just rush things and expect it all to work out in your favour, Mayl.”

The only response Roll got was a defeated groan as Mayl slumped her shoulders and trudged on to her bed. She pushed the covers over herself before flopping over on the bed.

“But what if Lan chooses another girl over me,” the girl complained.

“He won’t,” was Roll’s straightforward response. “Trust me, he won’t. If anything, I think he really cares about you…even if he can be a little brat at times. If anything terrible were to happen to you, well… he’d very likely be heartbroken.”

Mayl hadn’t thought about that. And at the same time, she wasn’t sure if she even wanted to think about Lan being heartbroken because she got badly injured…or worse. If anything, it only made it harder for her to try and get some sleep.

Roll seemed to sense the turmoil she was feeling. “You want me to play your favourite song?”

Mayl sighed. “Please do,” she replied. If there was something, anything, that could help her get a good night’s sleep, it would be listening to some of her favourite tunes.

The pink Navi grinned as she opened up a file containing some of Mayl’s favourite songs. She then flipped through the playlist until she found the one she was looking for and pressed “Play”.

Almost right away, the room was filled with the sound of soft music, followed by a young woman singing in Electopian. It was a song Mayl often played to ease her mind, and one she often had Lan listening to (albeit a little begrudgingly on his behalf at first). But most of all, whenever she needed a restful night’s sleep, all she had to do was play the song, and let it take care of the rest.

As Mayl’s eyes grew heavy, she heard the chorus – her favourite part of the song – reach her ears. She couldn’t help but hum a little of the tune to herself as her finger tapped gently against the pillow.

Tomorrow, she thought to herself. We may not understand each other’s feelings today…but there will always be tomorrow.

And indeed, she knew, with a peaceful smile on her face as she drifted off to sleep, that tomorrow would be a bright new day.

[joen-lenawley]

Fav song from every Beatles album (as of the date of posting) and explanations!

Please Please Me - Twist & Shout: The rasp and imperfections in John’s voice really brings a rancorous energy to it and makes it seem like you’re listening to them perform live. Also, it’s just pretty darn catchy. Good cover.

With the Beatles - Till There Was You: It’s a beautiful love song, with simple but meaningful lyrics. I feel like this song (and the album it’s on in general, minus All My Loving) doesn’t get enough attention. I also like to imagine ships to it sometimes.

A Hard Day’s Night - If I Fell: hehehe McLennon. Okay but actually speaking this is also a really pretty love song, and them singing in harmony really makes you wonder…

Beatles for Sale - I’ll Follow the Sun: To be totally honest, I have not listened to the entirety of Beatles for Sale yet. I really should. Anyways, I’ll Follow the Sun is a really uplifting song, and the guitar tickles my brain in funny ways.

Help! - Help!: I had a hard time deciding, but I picked this one because of John Lennon angst. The “won’t you please, please help me” parts have exquisite harmonies. Plus, it’s catchy!

Rubber Soul - Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown): Again, I had a hard time picking (I love Rubber Soul enough to start a daily blog of it, @rubber-soul-daily, which you should totally follow), but I went with Norwegian Wood because of the evocative imagery and storytelling (and arson). The sitar is also a very cool touch, and definitely shows their growing interest in Indian classical music.

Revolver - Tomorrow Never Knows: This is also an album where I struggled to pick, just because Revolver has so many strong tracks. But Tomorrow Never Knows takes the cake, with its wonderfully experimental production (hell yeah reversed audio!) and also, just the lyrics, man.

Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band - A Day in the Life: I really don’t think this one requires an explanation, actually. It’s A Day in the Life!

Magical Mystery Tour - Strawberry Fields Forever: Augh, I have to pick a fave from Magical Mystery Tour too?! Anyways, I know it’s a basic choice, but Strawberry Fields Forever feels simultaneously nostalgic and like you’re exploring another world. Kinda like those analog horror back rooms things, except not at all and completely different because it’s more comforting than creepy. The mellotron intro is really cool and is a great setup for the whole vibe of the song. It’s also a very beautiful song lyrically, being about…huh, what are the lyrics about, exactly? Like John’s childhood and stuff, right? Plus, the story of how the two takes were combined and the reason why it’s in an oddly specific key is fascinating.

The White Album - Dear Prudence: My favorite White Album track has changed a lot. I think it was Savoy Truffle first, then Helter Skelter, then While My Guitar Gently Weeps, then Glass Onion, then Julia, then Back in the U.S.S.R. Recently, I watched the movie Across the Universe, and they named the Asian girl Prudence and did actually use the song Dear Prudence (in contrast, the character named Sadie did not disrespect anyone’s boundaries and they didn’t sing Sexy Sadie). That movie rewired my brain chemistry and now Dear Prudence is super comforting to me.

Yellow Submarine - Hey Bulldog: I WANT TO LEARN HOW TO PLAY THE PIANO RIFF SOOOOOOOO BAD and John and Paul barking at each other at the end remind me of my best friend’s silliness. Also, it’s just really, really catchy.

Abbey Road - Because: Because is somehow underrated despite literally being a track on one of the most famous and iconic albums at all time. Seriously, both the harmonies and the lyrics are so beautiful. I cannot get over how well the three harmonize, I wish our choir was that good. Plus, Tally Hall covered it, and I have a soft spot for any song that Tally Hall covers.

Let it Be - I Me Mine: I had a hard time deciding this as well, since Get Back, The Long and Winding Road, and Across the Universe are on this album. But I’m an absolute sucker for songs in 3/4 time (even though I can barely waltz). The chorus being in a different time signature also creates an interesting juxtaposition (not necessarily a good or bad thing, just an interesting thing). The singing is also so passionate, and the lyric “flowing more freely than wine” is just…*chef’s kiss*. I’ve also heard a rumor that George wrote this song about his frustrations with John and Paul, and honestly, based.

[harpagornis]

Magic the Gathering: Aqalax

Naje held unto the her boat. It was midday, but in the bayous of the Guey territory the cypresses dimmed the sunlight somewhat. It was enough for her purposes. Crawdads were compelled into the net, rising from the muck. Once the cache was filled, she rowed to the docks. Upon landing, a few fishermen gave her dirty looks. Their catch was less plentiful, most having to resort to necromancy to get some fish and shellfish. So, with her mostly fresh, mostly living menagerie within her net, Naje would surpass them in gaining the cacique's favor. She kept a few crawdads for herself within a small wooden box, then delivered the rest of her catch to the local noble, Dita. "Cunning as ever" the older woman said, "At this rate, you might actually get your own lands, your own part of the bayou." Naje nodded politely. In truth, she basically pretty much owned the lands and waters as it was, regardless of what her superiors thought. But recognition would be sweet. Naje headed home for the day, a circular straw house with a conical roof. She cooked the crawdads along with some peppers and tomatoes she kept in her personal garden. Lighting some herbs, she allowed her mind to relax. Soon, she'd be prommoted, and her already relatively luxurious life would be made much more decadent. That is, if she survived the night...

***

Aqalax is a plane governed by a large continent, that resembles the jaws of a crocodile. It is said that, in the first era, the Wakynian spirits killed a primordial sea monster, and made the world from its corpse. In the first era, the sun was dim, and it ended with hordes of horrors devouring the people, the survivors of which would become the Tzina batfolk. In the second era, the sun was luminous and nourishing, granting great forests and metropolises. This era ended with hurricanes, and the survivors became the Sasquatch. The third era had a bright but cold sun, and ice sheets spread across the land. It ended on a massive flood, the survivors becoming the Ahuizotl. The fourth sun was bright but scorching, allowing little to grow. The people begged the heavens for water, and their prayers were answerred by rains of fire; the survivors became the Coyote folk.

Today, the current era is ruled by a sun that's relatively normal by the standards of the multiverse. Some argue this era ended with the Phyrexian invasion, that tore nations asunder and polluted the earth and seas, but the sun still stands the same, and the people are left to rebuild and restore what was taken from them.

Nations

There are over a thousand human nations across the continent of Aqalax, but five in particular stand out, having made a fivefold alliance:

The Wi (green/white) spread across the vast praries.

The Malina (white/blue) navigate the frozen waters of the north

The Guey (blue/black) take to the swamps in the southeast

The Sha (black/red) wander through the mountains and badlands

The Gagaan (red/green) keep the ancient forests to the northwest.

Wi

The Wi patrol the praries. They do have their own cities: Lowan in the northeast near Malina and Gagaan lands, Dowan in the heart of their territory and Nowan at the border with Sha territory, with Dowan in particular being the capital. Many members of the tribe, however, lead nomadic lifestyles, setting caravans pulled by dogs and the megafauna of the plains like sloths and mammoths. This is alledgedly in order to keep close harmony with the beasts they hunt for sustenance as well as to act as peacemakers between the tribes. More cynical voices see this as an excuse for expansionism, particularly the Sha who have endured multiple assaults on their lands on the part of Wi armies.

Like all tribes in the fivefold alliance, the Wi revere the sun above all other spirits. In particular, they feel like this era's sun is meant for them, and indeed solar magic comes to them more easily than most other tribes. They, however, also hold a deep spiritual bond with the megafauna of the plains, since they are vital for their sustenance. While the cities practice maize, squash and bean (the three sisters) agriculture, the nomadic bands still depend on hunting for most of their needs, and even the settled populations make their dwellings and clothing from curated hides and use bones and tusks to make tools and artefacts. Hunted animals are honoured, and their spirits can be called upon to help defend the living, provided they are warranted respect and devotion.

The Wi are ruled by an emperor,, this role currently filled by Maka Wakan, a veteran from the wars against New Phyrexia. Sleeper agents have caused the deaths of most of the imperial court, and for now the knightly orders - one for each city - hold the positions right beneath the emperor. To signify a rank in the army, soldiers wear eagle feathers on their hair, starting with one for lowermost ranks and ending with a crown headset for the emperor. The more honour one has in military campaigns, the most likely a prommotion is, but they can also happen in response to moments of great heroism such as protecting against horrors or wild beasts or striking lasting peace treaties.

The Wi were the ones to set the fivefold alliance before the phyrexians arrived, and ironically are also the ones most blatantly violating it, pressing into Sha lands. So great is the animosity between the two tribes that Canpaza, the general leading the Nowan knights, has become a warlock horror, feared even by his troops, who are tested between loyalty to their greatest knight and common decency.

Malina

The Malina reside in the northernmost reaches of Aqalax, in the frozen islands and fjords at the tip of it's "jaws". Sitting upon waters rich with fish, shellfish, marina mammals and birds and seaweed, the Malina have countless port cities, the most relevant of which being Aarluk, a massive built resembling a titanic inuksuk. Here, academics from all cities gather to discuss matters of politics and science, archiving discoveries and discussions in a floating wave of script resembling the northern lights. The elders within Aarluk hold the greatest authority within Malina society, but the culture as a whole very very collectivist, sharing resources and knowledge freely.

Like other human cultures, the Malina worship the sun, which is worshipped both for making the oceans rich with life as well as enlightening the mind. The Malina however also hold ancestral spirits and knowledge within the northern lights with reverance, and their magic often takes the shape of bursts of aurora. Many wear ivory or wood snow goggles in order to both protect the eyes as well as to scan the auroras for information.

Traditionally, the Malina have been traders with most human and non-human cultures of Aqalax, though holding some hostility to the conservative Gagaan and murderous Ahuizotl. The New Phyrexian invasion, however, forced them to become more insular, staving off the invasion in their remote realm. This tainted them with a reputation for cowardice after the invasion was over, something that the Malina are deeply trying to fix in order to maintain good relations.

Others have taken the invasion as means to perfecting themselves. The researcher Aqpik has reversed engineered phyrexian technology, and sees potential in using it to change the human condition...

Guey

The Guey conquered the southeastern wetlands and tropical islands. They are a monarchy lead by a cacique, and hoard their wealth and power through trade with the other nations. Though dysmal, their lands are prime sources of seafood, timber and even gold, and by taking advantage of their natural wealth they built the great city of Tiburon, its gates the jaws of a massive shark. Unlike other nations which might seek power through conquest, the Guey spread their influence through trade, and so almost all other civilizations have Guey embassies.

Like the rest of the fivefold alliance, the Guey worship the sun foremost, seeing it as a symbol of power and intellect. In particular, they have a tripartite notion of it: the sun in the sky, the sun in the underworld and the sun as ruler. The former grants light and life, the second death and disease, and the third is embodied as the monarch, which naturally justifies the power of the cacique. Beyond ancestor worship, the Guey have little respect for other spirits, and in particular use the magic of the underworld sun to control forth horrors such as the star skeletons known as tzitzimime, as well as practise necromancy.

The Guey were the most severely affected by the phyrexan incursions, losing their island territories to them as well as the ruling cacique. In the aftermath of their malfunction, they quickly restablished the pecking order with noveau rich, and a new cacique, Hura, stands in the Guey throne. They still consider themselves rather vulnerable, especially in the light of the Wi attempts on Sha territories, and the surviving ambassies try their best to maintain public relations with the other tribes.

Sha

The Sha reside in the arid canyons and mountains of the south and center of Aqalax. Though practising "three sister" agriculture, they are largely nomadic, following their whims in hedonistic ecstasy. Settlements are usually brief and quickly abandoned, though some may see repeated use across the Sha's migrations. Many are marked with bonfires, which serve as ritual and recreational sites. Some flames keep burning well after their lighters have left.

Sha society has little in the way of hierarchy, with shamans having special respect. Yet not even they can dissuade the larger group; confrontations, from the amicable to the deadly, settle disputes among the clans. It was this disorganization that allowed the Sha to fight against phyrexian invaders, who were often confused by their individuality. After Norn's death, the Sha were quick to dismantle the mechanical abominations, using their metal to forge new weapons and trinkets.

The Sha revere the sun's brightness and heat, seeing it as dynamic and emblematic of life to its limits. They see it as a justification for their hedonism, for sunlight brings both life and death, love and war. Of the tribes, they are the most ostentatiously decorated, bearing bright red, blue and black paint marks and equally colorful outfits, often adorned with horns or claws. They greatly value works of art, and the rock facades of their homelands bear extensive paintings.

After the invasion, Wi expansionism has broken the alliance between the two clans. The Wi claim that the Sha are irresponsible and do not manage their lands, seeing it as a holy crusade to impose order in their chaos. The shamans and warriors of the Sha have valiantly faced against the Wi hordes, but the same tactics that confused phyrexians do not seem to be working on them.

Gagaan

The dense and lush forests of the northwest are home to the Gagaan, their large settlements built in harmony with their natural surroundings. Of the fivefold alliance, they are the only ones to not practise agriculture, their forests being so full of resources across the year that they do not need to cultivate anything.

This is not to say that the Gagaan are not civilized. As a matter of fact, the city of Kayaani dwarfs even the Wi cities put together, though it is hard to see from above due to seemlessly incorporating redwood forests amidst the settlements. They are also found of using jade for their decorations, armour and weapons, and within Kayaani there is a "museum" that collects artefacts from all over Aqalax, deeming them too dangerous to be used by other tribes.

The Gagaan default to their elders, and indeed their society is collectivistic, sharing food, technology and knowledge. It was the communal strength of the people that allowed them to rally against the Copper Horde's beasts, which now lie as broken ruins within their "museum". Each spring, groups of children pass complex rites in order to be accepted into adulthood, officiated by a druid.

The Gagaan worship the sun as it relates to life. Their view of the world is that of a dichotomy: the lush forest and the uncharted waters, with the sun being the glue between both realms. Besides the sun they venerate the spirits of the land, and are in particularly good terms with the Sasquatch, whom they view as ancestors.

The Gagaan normally think little of the other clans beyond their potential for harm, but are particularly appaled at the Malina, whom they view as irresponsible. Still, tensions haven't risen to actual warfare, yet.

Non-human races

Wakynian (red/white): The closest analogue Aqalax has to angels, the wakynian are storm spirits that swore to protect humanity against dark threats like the Ahuizotl or horrors. They bear the likeness of warriors wearing eagle or pterosaurian masks, flying on feathered arm-wings and bearing lightning as weapons. At times, these beings may get overzealous, and their own chaotic nature make them rather flimsy allies. Humans try to curry favor, particularly in times of war, but their aid is by no means guaranteed.

Ahuizotl (green/blue): Otter-like humanoids with a tail ending in an extra paw, these creatures build great underwater empires across the waterbodies of Aqalax. The greatest of these is Alabalcan, located in the sea between the continent's "jaws", whose pyramids surface as islands. Ahuizotl are highly hostile to other races and attempt to drown them; why this is, nobody knows. Thus, they are the frequent targets of the wakynian, who bolt them with lightning. The ahuizotls' own counter magic however ensures this is a stalemate, often creating powerful and dangerous storms in their wake.

Tzina (white/black): The ancient batfolk live in the ancient jungles to the south of Aqalax, where they built empires across the ages of the suns. Most now lay in ruins, but a few remain, most notably Tohilcantlan. They view the other sapient races aside from the wakynian as youthful compared to them, and have at times attempted conquests further north, the latest stomped by the phyrexian invadors. Currently occupied in restoring their social order, the Tzina throne still lays empty, with three candidates vying for control of their empire. The Tzina see value in blood, and perform self-mutilation and, when availiable, sacrifices of other races.

Coyote (blue/red): The wandering coyotefolk wander across the territories of the Wi and Sha alike, being particularly appreciated by the later, whom they view as kin. They travel in bands, performing at the request of the tribes. At times, they serve a critical role, being often the only ones allowed to ridicule local rulers and get away with it. Othertimes, their pranks get excessive, and although protect by the fivefold alliance local skirmishes do happen.

Sasquatch (black/green): The Sasquatch wander the northern forests, protecting them against potential trespassers. They have a special bond with the Gagaan, whom they see as younger, misguided siblings, but other human tribes are met with death and dismemberment. Sasquatch normally live in small bands of 12 members or less, enjoying the company of other sapient beings less than other races.

Horrors (all colors): Many ancient evils stalk Aqalax. The most horrific of all were former humans or other sapient beings, that due to dark magic, cannibalism or just sheer sociopathy have become less than human. Many are indistinguishable from normal humans and other races, simply lacking eyes. Others are horrific amalgamations of flesh, antlers and jaws. Many willingly joined Phyrexia, becoming even more of a blight until Elesh Norn died. They quickly regained their numbers soon after, however, especially in the ongoing Wi/Sha war.

*** Naje heard a scream. This was not going to be a peaceful night. Human voices met with horrific gargles and other indescribable sounds, but that did not phaze her. She grabbed a pot, filled it and placed within it a bone from her grandmother, a fern leaf, and some of her own, dired blood she had stored for such an occasion. She chanted to the sun, resting beneath the earth, like a fire sweeping from benath and then within. Her eyes glew purple like the earliest shades of dawn, and swallowed her potion with no hesitation. Her door broke down, revealing a man no older than thirty. Or rather, what appeared to be a man, except lacking eyes, just empty, bloody sockets. He held a lance made of bone, and slowly approached her. No sooner had he stepped, Naje extended her hand, and a furious light burst from it, incinerating the "man". He screamed, gnawing mouths appearing on his belly, soon dried and malformed as the light consumed them. When the light finally faded, Dita and an entourage of warriors entered Naje's house. The young women snorted. "How about that prommotion?"

[cherrychan-0110]

Letting the mind wander.

Cannot draw that damned cat.

[evehc]

Songs About Ghostly Spirits

Deep in the misty moors and haunted hills, there are melodies that echo through the night, tales that sing of spirits and songs about ghosts that chill the soul. From the mournful wail of a phantom choir to the haunting whisper of a ghostly lullaby, these spectral tunes beckon to those who dare to listen.

Songs about ghosts and spirits have a certain allure, a pull that draws us in like moths to a flame. They speak of the unknown, the unseen, the unexplainable, stirring something primal within us. Each haunting note, each eerie harmony, carries with it the weight of the unknown, the mysteries of the afterlife, and the whispers of those who have passed beyond the veil.

In the quiet of the night, when the moon is full and the shadows are long, these songs about ghosts and spirits can be heard on the wind. They tell of spectral apparitions, of restless souls seeking redemption, and of the eternal struggle between light and darkness. They remind us of the fragility of life, and the inevitability of death.

The melodies are haunting, the lyrics steeped in mystery, and the voices of the singers seem to echo from beyond the grave. The music takes on a life of its own, each note a fleeting reminder of what once was, and what may yet be. And in the end, we are left with a sense of wonder, of awe, and of the unknown, forever searching for the answers to the mysteries that lie beyond.

So let us listen, dear friends, to the songs about ghosts and spirits that fill the air. Let us embrace the unknown, the unexplainable, and the supernatural. For in these spectral melodies, we may find a glimpse of the eternal, a hint of the divine, and the promise of a world beyond our own.

Tags:ghost ghosts country music rock american guitar pop love father mother white michael jackson devil black sabbath sing advertising phantom satan ghost town grotto kid cudi kanye west ghostbusters blood hip hop edm lead belly bruce springsteen supernatural ghost dance the doors thriller taylor swift halsey cape horn evil alan jackson hell the ghost of tom joad radiohead paramore riders in the sky red hot chili peppers simple minds ray parker jr mumford and sons iron maiden gordon lightfoot ella henderson stevie nicks my chemical romance regina spektor reaper johnny cash ghost towns blue oyster cult manfred mann ramones pet sematary phantom of the opera kate bush daughtry jay hawkins evanescence madonna misfits james vincent mcmorrow earth the psychedelic furs justin bieber ghost ghost ghost songs ghosts songs songs about ghosts songs about spirits spirits story tori amos horror movies i put a spell on you ozzy osbourne death cab for cutie edmund fitzgerald taking back sunday ghosttown shinedown jethro tull andrew lloyd webber the rolling stones harry styles woodkid the sandman kingdom of dreams carrie underwood eels celtic frost night terror danse macabre throbbing gristle bat for lashes litanies ozzy osborne bones table of contents blink 182 jake owen blink-182 pop song holy ghost florence and the machine screamin jay hawkins bela lugosi drum machine menomena children of the corn abuhaus craig morgan ariana grande piano bar mastodon alice cooper oingo boingo flowers band of horses laura marling stripper feminist alan walker adam lambert 5 seconds of summer mercyme meme despacito tegan and sara acoustic guitars scary haunted songs about about ghosts songs about ghosts about town this dance track them ghostly could released ghost town party many this song history spirit specials that supernatural through horror want springsteen bruce spirits best still lyrics house popular its rock world riders eerie halloween feel pop sky never classic inspired ghosts best songs haunting story joad ghost song such furs along ghostbusters skip psychedelic old whether guitar long singing how band eyes past dead most his sound ghost ghost songs ghosts songs songs about ghosts songs about spirits spirits songs about ghosts songs of ghosts songs for ghosts songs with ghosts in the title songs about ghosts songs of ghosts songs for ghosts songs with ghosts in the title songs about ghosts songs of ghosts songs for ghosts songs with ghosts in the title songs about ghosts songs of ghosts songs for ghosts songs with ghosts in the title songs about ghosts songs of ghosts songs for ghosts songs with ghosts in the title songs about ghosts songs of ghosts songs for ghosts songs with ghosts in the title songs about ghosts songs of ghosts songs for ghosts songs with ghosts in the title

[classysassy9791]

I have never written for Boku no Hero Academia / My Hero Academia before, and I have never participated in such a huge collaboration. But I guess BakuDeku and a fellow amazing writer makes it easy to do.

After a night of broken computers, talk of cooking, and a Bakugou emoji, @ratretro and I have dived head-first into writing this little collaboration with no sign of stopping any time soon. The first chapter is almost done, so here's a little sneak peak of what's to come:

He watched painfully, his eyes already beginning to water, as the contestant with bright red hair dumped three cut habanero peppers into what may have been fried rice before he put his hands on it. Before being the key word.

“PleasetellmeIwon’thavetoeatthat…” Izuku Midoriya was lucky that the sounds of yelping, clattering pans, and overall panic had drowned out his muttering, because how would he explain to these people that he didn’t want to eat their food? Not a single goddamn dish. He put his hands together in what he hoped was a subtle prayer to the gods.

But Izuku had never been known for being subtle.

“You literally look like you’re going to fucking die, and you haven’t even tried their shit,” the blond beside him snorted obnoxiously, red eyes locking onto him. Izuku took a brief moment to wonder how long that mesmerizing crimson had been looking at him.

He furrowed his brows and frowned, turning his attention back to the chaos in the kitchens. “You’re not even going to eat any of it. Like a coward.” Izuku muttered the last bit under his breath, with a short roll of his eyes. He clenched his hands together, hoping he wouldn’t need a new prayer to keep him from killing his childhood friend.

“What did you say?!” The blond’s tone had a biting challenge to it.

“You heard me, Kacchan.”

“No, I don’t think I did. ‘Cause it sounded like you just called me a coward.”

A war waged between ruby red and emerald green as their gazes met, and neither were budging. As far back as Izuku could remember, it had always been like this. He couldn’t recall a time in which they actually really got along, and yet they called each other friends. He knew Katsuki Bakugou had a competitive spirit and was fiery by nature, which may have been why they were drawn to each other. While Katsuki reigned with chaos, Izuku chose a more harmonious approach to situations.

Their history and opposite personalities were probably the reason why they found themselves in this predicament in the first place.

“Oh, good. You did hear me,” Izuku replied to Katsuki’s retort, not looking to hold back punches right now with the looming horror unfolding before their eyes. “I hate having to repeat myself.”

Well, that was an outright lie. He actually didn’t mind repeating himself. Izuku loved teaching, which ended up being the whole reason he had agreed to be on this show. But this man - this stupid, muscular, hot-headed man - never failed to piss him off.

“Better watch it, Deku,” Katsuki warned, his voice low and gruff. It always sounded like he was angry even when he was just talking, so it didn’t surprise Izuku to hear the threat of violence on his tongue.

Still, a shiver ran down his spine. “Oh? Or what?” Izuku moved just an inch closer, his main focus momentarily leaving the stage. And in true Katsuki form, the blond matched the fire in his eyes.

Then, the buzzer went off, signaling the end of the challenge. The pair froze, realizing how close they actually were, and pulled their gazes from each other to the ten people on stage - all of which were watching them with interest. Too much interest, Izuku decided.

[photolover82]

The Masked Singer Season 6 Costume Reveals (Predictions and Rankings) Part 2!

Hello everyone! Welcome (or welcome back) to Ana’s Masked Singer, where I, Ana, recap every single episode of The Masked Singer, including when they reveal our beloved costumes, which is what I am doing here! Actually, this is part 2 of this revealing costumes saga, so if you wanna see part 1, link is below ⬇️

So yeah, go see that post for the first 10 costumes that were revealed with my thoughts, some predictions/dream casting action, and how I rank them��� and now let’s get started with the costumes and more of that action! (Preface= I still don’t know how many costumes are in total, so by the end of this post, I may have a better idea, I’m still not too sure).

* Also, in between this part and the last one, the sneak peak episode was revealed and we got to see the first clues so I will be putting them down for these costumes and updating them for the previous ones!

1. Skunk 🦨

Thoughts: I really like this costume, it is very reminiscent of flapper girls and I feel like someone older & a legendary celebrity is under that mask because it's so poised and elegant kind of like flower from season 2 or bee from season 1.

Predictions: Again, I am gonna predict that this is a legend in the music world, perhaps older & female, similar to Bee (Gladys Knight), Flower (Patti LaBelle), and Mouse (Dionne Warwick). So, for dream casting, I'm going to go between Liza Minelli, Tina Turner, or Diana Ross.

First Clue: Elvis Presley (maybe someone related to him or who knew him or sang one of his songs famously or is also from Memphis)

Ranking: 8/10

2. Caterpillar 🐛

Thoughts: It’s a super cute costume, reminds me a bit of the llama, if it were cuter tbh. The colors are super cute, very nostalgic to like toys from the 90s or early 2000s which I really like. It’s adorable, it has braces and everything, I really like it. Some people say there are 2 people under there, but I don’t think so.

Predictions: I think this might be a male actor, singer, or Broadway performer…. From the first clue provided, I am gonna dream cast a guess here and it would be Todrick Hall (this is not an official guess just a dream cast one… I haven’t heard it sing just yet)

First Clue: Taylor Swift knows him!

Ranking: 8/10

3. Jester 🃏

Thoughts: This one is probably my least favorite costume of the bunch. I get what they were going with it, like a Joker from a deck of cards, but it is really weird and creepy looking. It also looks like the belly is just a pillow under there, it doesn’t look super thought out, similar to Raccoon from last season. I’m also not a big of fan of like horror movies so it just doesn’t speak to me honestly.

Predictions: I think this might be a male actor or based on the clue, my mind went to someone from the Bachelor. Also, half of me thinks it might be an action star like Danny Trejo last season. Dream cast I would say I would like to see Bruce Willis (since his daughter was on the first season), Arnold Schwarzenegger, or Danny DeVito.

First Clue: A bouquet of roses 🌹

Ranking: 2/10

4. Pepper 🌶

Thoughts: This one reminds me of the Jalapeño from Quien es la Mascara (which is the Mexican version of The Masked Singer) but it’s a female version of it instead, which I kinda like. It is a little haphazard because the head doesn’t go super well with the dress but maybe it’s because I cannot stop thinking about the Mexican male version. Nevertheless, it’s a cool costume, super spicy (ugh now I am doing the pun thing… I promise I’m done)

Predictions: Idk about this one since there weren’t any first clues for her… but I am gonna go off the cuff again and say maybe a YouTuber or another type of influencer, like dream cast wise a Liza Koshy, Maddie Ziegler, or Rosanna Pansino.

Ranking: 9/10

5. Pufferfish 🐡

Thoughts: Woah… I legit just saw this one in the most recent preview for the show. It looks really funny with the lips, like puffer fish, but the lips puff out, I see what you are doing there Masked Singer. I like it though, it is very cartoon like but I think that’s the look they were going for. The arms are a bit weird tho, I can’t tell tho because it spun around and for a split second we saw the costume (this was a screenshot I took of that split second lol).

Predictions: I think this one might be female, for some reason a younger person comes to mind, similar to like Jellyfish or Kitty from previous seasons, someone younger whether it be an influencer, athlete, or artist of some kind (actor or musician or dancer) idk…. they didn’t give us any clues about this costume, but from this photo with them taking a lot of photos of her makes me think influencer or model specifically so that’s where I am gonna go when dream casting. So, dream cast wise, I am gonna go between Gigi Hadid, Bella Hadid, or Kendall Jenner.

Ranking: 8/10

6. Mother Nature 🌬

Thoughts: Ooh, this one is super cool, they just revealed this one too after the preview. I like it a lot, it’s very realistic looking but also elegant at the same time. Even though the face is a tiny bit scary, the rest looks really cool and I like the idea of a Mother Nature costume.

Predictions: I am gonna go singer for this one, female is my guess. So, dream casting over here, I would like to see Alesia Cara, Jennifer Hudson, or maybe one of the girls from Little Mix/one of the former members of Fifth Harmony.

Ranking: 9/10

So, that's it! The total for contestants this season is 16 costumes! So, yeah, the premiere is on September 22 and 23 which is about 8 days away, so I will see you guys there! Comment below your favorite (and maybe even least favorite) costume and what you are most excited for this upcoming season! Bye guys, see you in a bit over a week.

[spencer-effing-middleton]

Ok but Tales From The Gas Station volumes 1 and 2 are wild. They're full of crazy antics, unbelievably stupid situations with some feels and serious action peppered in here and there... a perfect harmony of modern horror and absolute what-the-fuck nonsensical chaotic comedy.

AND THEN OUT OF NOWHERE VOLUME 3 HITS YOU LIKE A FUCKING TRAIN AND KEEPS BACKING UP AND RUNNING YOU OVER EVERY 3 MINUTES.