#he looks very killable

[kuuwo]

Do u guys do this

[proudfreakmetarusonikku]

i immediately got way too enamoured with this dumb oneshot au. empress neo metal sonic and her only friend her detested rival she’s totally keeping alive solely to make him suffer more before his execution and no other reasons.

[ruvviks]

– OC PICREW.

TAGGED BY: @aartyom, @morvaris & @reaperkiller, thank you so much!! TAGGING: @shellibisshe, @dickytwister, @necro-hamster, @dirtyimbecile, @swordcoasts, @faarkas, @arklay, @steelport, @girlbosselrond, @liurnia, @devilbrakers, @cultistbase, @katsigian, @sandevistan, @brujah, @calenhads, @druidgroves, @strafethesesinners and YOU! – picrew

vincent mayer [he/him] // roksana dobrynina [she/her] vitali dobrynin [he/him] // cato wu [she/her] mikhail koshechkin [he/him] // lauren dimas [she/her]

[mangobubletea]

canon isn't real if i don't look at it *starts ugly crying*

[on-a-lucky-tide]

Nikolai proposes to Price.

cw: mention of past and present homophobia in Russia and the UK.

The rotor blades hadn't even stopped spinning when Nik clambered out of his cab, his hand fumbling through his pocket in search of that velvet box. The gravel of the broken tarmac scratched under the soles of his boots, his knee grazing through his jeans as it hit the ground.

He'd almost lost John.

Two meters between his head and a steel beam falling from a nearby building as an IED had detonated.

As the smoke had cleared, Nikolai had heard and felt nothing. Like someone had reached through his ribs and pulled his heart and lungs out. John Price had always seemed invincible, unstoppable, like a force of nature. But in those few moments when Nik had believed he had been killed, the reminder of John's mortality had stunned him cold. John was not immortal, not a god or a hurricane, but a human man; vulnerable, killable, and Nik's entire world.

Nik had only started breathing again when his helo had swung round and the downdraft had whisked the cover of smoke and ash away to reveal the captain hunkered down, Ghost's arm thrown across his shoulders, Gaz and Soap guarding the rear.

The lieutenant had regained consciousness on the flight home, his concussion slurring his speech, his arm broken, but he was alive. They were exhausted, slumped against each other as the danger receded and Nik carried them to safety. Soap helped his lieutenant out now, supporting his weight as they staggered over the tarmac with Gaz following, his head low.

It was in the gap between Task Force 141 and their captain that Nik knelt, his shaking hand clutching the box against his knee as the adrenalin caught up on him, his words stuck. He had planned this. A dinner at the nice steakhouse John had seen in town, and then a walk through one of the big parks to the lake where they had spent many a night fishing. There, Nik would have asked. No audience, no public display, just them in the peace.

Their love was private. Not because it was shameful, but because it was theirs. It was a place John could tentatively explore the parts he had buried to survive, and Nik could be himself without apology. They could discard their defences and show each other the soft underbelly they guarded so fiercely from others. The vulnerability, the intimacy that came with it, belonged to them and only them; one of the very few things that did.

But what if he never got the chance? What if John had died today? What if John died tomorrow? Or the next day? What if, what if. There was no waiting for them because there might be no tomorrow. They had to live here, now.

Price dropped onto the tarmac, pushing his M4 behind his back as he looked down with a quizzical expression. "Nik?"

Nik drew in a shaking breath, his gaze lingering in the smear of black ash and crust edging a cut on Price's face. He'd lost his boonie hat in the scramble to rescue his officer, so his scruffy brown hair and beard formed a wild mane around his head, framing those blue eyes that were all the brighter as they shone from the sweat and grime on his skin. Nik started talking without thinking. "Lyobit tebya - eto kak dishat… s toboi bremya ostanablibaetsya e ya shivu lish mnovyeiyami pyadom toboi..."

"I can't speak it that well yet, ya muppet, and my brain was just shook inside my skull like a maraca," John said, his voice gravelly and dry. The corners of his eyes crinkled in wry amusement, and Nik's heart ached. He lifted the box, his thumb sliding beneath the lid, and watched John's expression fade from amusement to shock.

"Ty vyydesh’ za menya?" Nik clenched his teeth, irritated at himself, but before he could open his mouth and find the English, John's hand slid over his and he dropped to his knees.

"What is this, Nik?" John croaked, those beautiful blue eyes that so reminded Nik of a summer sky over Kiev glistened.

"A promise," Nik replied. "A... plea."

John leaned forward and their foreheads met, his fingers tightened over the box and Nik felt the coarse material of John's gloves against his knuckles. His hand shook. He was keeping the ring covered, like it would vanish should he look at it, or believe for a single moment it was real.

They had talked so many times about their experiences as young men. In the early hours of the morning, when scotch and exhaustion had worn down their defences, the rawness and the hurt had surfaced. Nik, who had hidden what he was lest he face a bullet or prison, acknowledging his very existence criminalised even now; John, who had grown under Section 28, made to feel degenerate and filthy, his lack of worth reinforced by a slighted father's retribution.

Never for a moment had those boys dreamed of a happy ever after, and both had fled into the arms of violence and bloodshed to lose themselves. Both had tucked their hearts away and buried their dreams until they existed only as dogs of war; weapons of the states that had failed them.

And now there it was. Represented as a single tungsten ring with a thread of vibrant blue in the metal. Like his eyes, Nik had thought as he had purchased it.

They shared the same quivering breaths, the promise clasped between their palms, and Nik watched as the low light of dawn caught the first tear as it escaped. Those soulful eyes closing as John caught himself. Nik stroked his cheek with his free hand, thumb brushing through the tear track. "You own me, body, heart and soul. I only ask for your hand in return," Nik whispered, so very meek compared to what he had imagined.

John threw himself forward and Nik caught him, wrapping his arms around his back as John's face pressed into his neck. He smelled of char and blood, sweat and pain, and Nik held him as he sought strength and stability. There were injuries beneath the Kevlar and padding of John's body armour, and Nik would care for him tonight no matter his answer. They had lost men today and John would need convincing to rest before he embarked on the sombre task of informing their families.

When John sat back on his heels, he sniffed, wiped his nose and face on the back of his wrist and then uncovered the ring in Nik's palm. "S'nice," he said, soft and boyish despite the gruff rasp of his voice. Nik could see that young boy in John's eyes, still uncertain, still struggling to believe that someone would love him enough to want to spend the rest of their life at his side.

"Da," Nik said, "it suits you, no?"

"I like it."

"I am glad."

John smiled, the lines at his eyes returning and making Nik's heart ache. "So this is for real, then."

"Da."

"For keeps?"

"For keeps," Nik said, running his thumb over the cool metal. He remembered fondly the first time John had asked him that. Many years ago, when they had only really just met, still circling, still probing tentatively lest they reveal their secret to someone who would react badly. He had offered John a cigar and John had stared at it suspiciously before asking the very same, and Nik had been endeared by it even then. Lieutenant Price had been even rougher around the edges than Captain Price. They had already done so much healing together.

John huffed a soft laugh, wiping at his eyes before glancing at the sky, and then back at Nik. "Yeah..." He cleared his throat, another sniff, "Nikolai, I want t'... bloody 'ell," he took a breath, "I want t' marry you. Yes, I... I'm sayin' yes."

Nik barked a laugh of relief and Price echoed it, watching as Nik ran a hand through his hair as his heart settled. John pulled at the velcro of his left glove with his teeth, tugging it off between his thighs so that Nik could slide the ring over his weathered knuckle. He pressed a kiss to John's open palm, nuzzling his face to it with a contented sigh.

John leaned to the side to see Soap and Gaz gasping at them from the edge of the tarmac. Ghost was, of course, unreadable, but Nik had already talked to him about his intention. Who did you ask for a man's hand in marriage when his father was unavailable? The loyal lieutenant that had fought at his side through the worst the world had to offer, of course. "The whole base will know by lunch," John muttered.

"Da. I... I am sorry. I could not wait any longer. For a while there, I thought I had watched you die."

John lifted Nik's chin and then gathered his hand to his chest. "Ay, I'm here, aren't I? We got home, we made it. Because of you, Nik."

Nik could only nod. There was no point thinking of next time, not when John knelt before him, battered but alive. "You need a medic."

"I need a shower..."

"Medic," Nik insisted. "And if you are a good boy and don't swear at the nurse, I will shower with you."

"Hmm," John smiled, bashful and soft, "seems a fair exchange."

Nik helped John to his feet. Now that the adrenalin had faded and his men were safe, John was limping, an arm folded across his torso. He submitted to inspection with only a minor grump, and then checked on Ghost, Soap and Gaz. They were sound, as John liked to say. Ghost had to stay the night and Soap remained in the chair at his side, but the nurse was happy John's sprains and cuts were manageable with a little support from Nik.

As they stood in the shower, Nik's lips on John's skin, his arms around his waist to hold his body close, Nik let the hot water disguise the tears running down his face. Happiness, relief; they were as heady and overwhelming as anger and sadness sometimes. Nik let himself feel it, knowing it would leave his mind clear for enjoying John later.

"You solid?" John asked, warm hands stroking down Nik's forearms.

"Never better, solnyshko."

[lore-ren-theories]

noooooooo the extent of parallels between Cole's personal quest in inquisition and Solas being a spirit—I know many have pointed out how Solas being confirmed to be a spirit recontextualises Cole's personal quest.

Cole's personal quest and the contrast between Varric and Solas's views in it, in turn, also really furthers my appreciation of Solas's arc in Veilguard.

I'm partway through Noah Caldwell-Gervais' A Thorough Look at Dragon Age, a quote from the video:

"I love the idea that spirits have true, immutable natures. That the way they survive such a chaotic flux of improbabilities, is by being inflexibly true to themselves. It is the material world that is full of hypocrisy and contradiction by comparison. By siding with the world of spirits, Solas is admitting, essentially, that the human world is too hard for him. He is weary of everything that makes it so complicated and so disappointing. It would be easier to go back to how things used to be."

To me that last line sounds like one of the 'easy lies' Solas tells himself, but this did get me thinking.

Even before the Veil, Solas saw so many spirits corrupted after taking on a body. Becoming mortal (killable) and unchanging brings with it not only regret, but a very complex and foreign regret for somebody that used to be formless in an unfixed world.

From the DA wiki, a summary as I can't look up the conversation word for word right now:

Nevertheless, it is not unheard of for spirits to evolve and become more "human" by coming to terms with grief, heal from being emotionally hurt, and thus be able to learn from what they endured. By coming to terms with grief, a spirit is able to grow as a person and not "wash clean" like a spirit.

The way Varric continues to believe in Solas's ability to change despite his wrongdoings is something you can take on yourself as Rook, whether that's because you sympathise with Solas or because you want to honour Varric's wishes.

Varric says Cole needs to work through his emotions, Solas replies that a spirit doesn't work through emotions, it embodies them. Then Varric says:

"But he isn't a spirit, is he? He made himself human, and humans change. They get hurt, and they heal."

That's just like how Varric approaches Solas. Varric knows Solas is an immortal ancient elf, but he doesn't know that Solas was a spirit once. Even if he did, this line indicates that it wouldn't change how Varric would have approached him. Solas became 'human' by taking on a body, just like Cole did.

Solas admits to Cole: "I am not a spirit, and sometimes it is hard to remember such simple truths." but when you consider that spirits don't die in the traditional sense, this truth doesn't really sound all that simple.

Solas's biggest fear, dying alone, is something inconceivable to a spirit, and it's such a human fear.

Varric (or Rook's memory of Varric) tells Rook: "Because you always chose the hard truth over the easy lie. Solas, on the other hand..." which further drives the point home: Solas exists in a state of utter denial about how human he is.

Solas being in favour of Cole remaining a spirit reflects Solas's own regret of taking on a body, and fear for Cole's life in what's to come if Solas succeeds, it would also harm the world as spirits of compassion are already so few and far between. Yet Solas being in favour of Cole remaining a spirit may serve an additional purpose: one of denial.

If Cole can exist in this world and remain a spirit, then Solas can conveniently forget that he no longer is one himself. If Cole becomes more human, longer lifespan aside, how different is Solas really from others who are 'human', too?

When Rook asks Solas to atone for what he's done, Rook effectively asks him to also come to terms with his grief and take the time to heal from being emotionally hurt so finally he can learn from what he has endured.

Just like that you're extending the same opportunity to Solas, that Varric did to Cole: the opportunity to become more human.

I love Varric's view that yeah sure, Solas has all these extremely complicated reasons for doing what he did, but at the end of the day he can't bear to face the pain he is in. He's just as human as the rest of us, which means he can learn from his mistakes and that maybe some day, he can heal.

There's plenty to say about how Veilguard handled Solas's motivations for tearing down the Veil, how he's characterised, etc. but personally I'm a sucker for this kind of framing of his story.

It really resonates with me. Sometimes, you don't need complicated solutions to your problems. You don't need to deep dive into why you are the way you are, or why you do the things you do. You just need to share why you're hurting so you can get a hug, a comforting hand on your shoulder, and some much needed words of reassurance.

Every Solas deserves a Varric in their life.

[weirdmarioenemies]

Name: Menderbug

Debut: Hollow Knight

It is Friday the 13th... how frightful! Like, what if you see a ladder or a cat? Would that be scary or what? Jeepers. This post, though, is about something lucky! A lovely little guy who, if the odds are in the favor, you may get to witness for yourself!

Hollow Knight has destructible decorative setpieces out the wazoo. All over the place. But one of the very first ones you encounter, the signpost right at the entrance to the Forgotten Crossroads, is different... yes, all the scenery respawns when you leave and come back, but here, you might get to see the culprit! A humble little bug who has appeared with his little bug toolbox, fixing the signpost that you broke. What in the world? Why does he do this? What the fresh hell is going on here?! Sheesh! Calm down! It's his job! And he loves it!

If he sees you, Menderbug will get scared and fly away, with his teensy little wings. Perhaps you are expecting me to discuss what actual bug he is based on, but he's really just the sort of generic default Bug that many minor characters and enemies are in this game. And that's just fine! He is very cute. But I won't let you leave without some Bug Fact's! Though he does not look like one, the idea of an bug that builds makes me think of the horribly underappreciated webspinner! This is an insect whose front feet excrete silk, which it uses to weave its entire home, all by itself! It's not really that similar to Menderbug, but I would like you to know about them. If you didn't know about them, then it looks like this is your lucky day!

But Menderbug may not always be so lucky... unfortunately, he is killable. He is just a shy little guy who loves to fix his sign, but if you really want to, you can leave and return until he respawns by chance, and take the opportunity to kill him. And there is really no reason to do it! If you kill him, you get a little description in the Hunter's Journal (which does not count toward any completion or achievements, by the way), and access to his house, where you can read his diary. Will you do it? Will you kill this guy so you can go in his house and learn about his life that you ended yourself? Monster.

There is something lucky for Menderbug, though! It is called "internet", and it lets us learn all we need to about him without killing him! We can learn that he LOVES fixing the sign, and in fact, likes for it to break, because it means he gets to fix it more and hone his craft! We can learn that there is a certain Mender Berri who he is trying to muster the courage to tell how he truly feels... ooh la la! And best of all, we can learn that he loves what he does, he loves his life, and he feels he must be the happiest bug in all the land. This is really one of the most delightful little fellows there is, and we should try our best to be like him in real life!

[valentine-cafe]

˖⁺. ﹙ the unkillable mercenary. ﹚: alessio arias 781 .𖹭 ݁

. . . need a man after midnight !? 🍒 : “ oh come on cariño — yeah I'm a bad influence but I'm fun aren't I? think you could use some fun. . . so how about it? could have a lot of that with you in my lap, ”

꒰ verse ꒱ 781

꒰ species ꒱ enigma

꒰ ethnicity ꒱ italian spaniard

꒰ age ꒱ 31

꒰ gender ꒱ male

꒰ mbti ꒱ enfp

꒰ alias ꒱ the reaper, god’s perfect idiot ♡, the emerald scourge ( remedy members ), the defender ( civilians )

꒰ story ꒱ 

chaotic and full of grins, alessio arias is known for his effortless charm, flirty exterior and sense of humour. he lives for havoc, is what's been rumoured. befitting, for a mercenary such as himself.

at day, a charismatic mechanical engineer and art student - but a feared, almost lunatic mercenary by night known as the reaper. 'unkillable' is what they call him but he laughs every time. oh he's very much killable. he just keeps crawling back. a bullet wound healed, an arm regrown, cells to joints to bones. he always finds a way back.

he seems to be roped in with the heroes every now and then, but he'd be damned to call himself that. his true mission lies in weeding out every last member of that blasted anti-enigma organisation; someone's gotta be a monster, don't they? and he's exceptional at such. 

 

꒰ appearance ꒱

dark, slightly messy and wavy medium-length hair, which extends just above the base of his neck

emerald green eyes ( with bordered pupils ), black eyeliner below his lids with faint black smudged eye shadow. has a vertical piercing on his left eyebrow

fair olive skin tone. two beauty spots below the right corner of his eye. masculine facial features with a few androgynous aspects here and there

6’7” ( 201cm ) and an athletic build of lean muscle

punk goth styled fashion. typically wears a lot of blacks with green accents. lots of leather jackets and black combat boots along with silver jewellery. especially silver chains around his belt loops

typically has black lipstick on his upper lip. sometimes uses a lip piercing

piercing littered ears; standard lobe piercings on each, whereas his right ear has a triple lobe, an orbital and a forward helix piercing —  the left wears a triple stacked helix and a daith

midline tongue piercing and stud on the right side of his nose

wears silver and black rings along with bracelets

sometimes paints his nails black

silver nipple piercings

 

꒰ personality ꒱

charming and charismatic. characterised by his signature grin, often teasing

a maniac, is what people often call him. best known for his chaotic, eccentric attitude

a charmer, flirtatious and bold. always up for a challenge

doesn’t keep his mouth shut sometimes, definitely loud-mouthed

mischievous and teasing, always joking around and sometimes being a bit silly

might come off as intimidating because of his confident front and bold persona ( has a bit of a bad boy esque )

incredibly protective of those he holds dear and the less strong, has a reputation of putting people around the university in their place ( and making it look like an accident )

isn’t all playful and pleasant as he may seem, extremely morally grey as his job outside of university is hunting down an organisation known as “remedy” for the experimentation on mutants

can be incredibly vengeful and ready to do whatever it takes to achieve his goal

can be reckless and even self-destructive. most definitely has a darker side to him, however masks this with humour

becomes far more terrifying when all the jokes and grins drop completely

deep down, is an extremely anxious and shattered person. feels immense guilt over the atrocities that he has committed. is far more shattered and emotionally vulnerable than people think

a person who is deeply caring when it all boils down to it. someone who thinks he is a monster but actually has a heart of gold with those he cares about or those in need

 

꒰ with a lover ꒱

fun and hyper boyfriend, with an eccentric attitude that carries chaos with it wherever he may settle his two feet, and oh he loves bringing you into it.

very flirtatious, much more than he is in his usual platonic settings and often resorts to teasing you as a way of showing his affection.

passionate and loving — often displays it through physical affection and through spoiling you rotten a lot.

a fan of touch? you’re in luck, this man is touch-starved PUPPY and will take any chance he can get to at least have his hand wrapped around your waist, shoulder or arm. it helps him feel calm.

adores playfully bullying and poking fun at you, be it through making you indescribably flustered or simply pulling at your leg.

speaking of teasing, he loves mischief and spooking you by jumping out from random corners around the dorm, just so that he can pull you into his arms and soothe you after with a wide grin on his face.’

very protective, but will always do his hardest to ensure it is not overbearing.

may also display signs of possessiveness, however, this is also a trait that he tries not to be overbearing in and ensures that he is not coming off as controlling or toxic.

loves dancing you around and taking you with him on late night drives to sing in the car and grab some snacks — and also sometimes sit with you in silence and cuddle up in the backseat.

always expect alessio to unexpectedly show up and snatch you, just to litter you with kisses, fluster you or cuddle you with him — sometimes to also play games in his apartment.

calls you up during missions just to hear your voice

ask him nicely and he would most likely burn the world down for you.

 

꒰ strengths ꒱

hyper-regenerative abilities: the ability to heal from any wound, whether it be a papercut or being disintegrated.

advanced bodily function: heightened speed, strength, agility and durability — along with advanced senses.

weapon mastery: a master of weapons and highly adaptable to anything he can get his hands on, ranging from sword to a mere fork.

immunity: due to his fast-replicating cells, most illnesses and diseases are killed off immediately before they have any sort of long-lasting affect on him

 

꒰ weaknesses ꒱

strawberries: he has an intense allergy to strawberries — it greatly deters his senses when consumed.

 

꒰ relationships ꒱

valerio agresta: father

elena arias perez: mother, deceased.

lorenzo agresta arias: younger brother, deceased.

rishen herrera: boyfriend

zhào talisen: frenemy

zhào yŭ xī: younger sister figure

felicity smith: ex girlfriend

luciel bealieu: ex boyfriend

the artisan: enemy.

yuè yizé: complicated

takara shimada: friend

shalika vaishya: friend

yuè mèng yáo: motherly figure, from another universe ( verse 9948e )

zhào mùchén: enemy, from another universe ( verse 9948e )

zhào hàoyú: best friend, from another universe ( verse 9948e )

zhào yizé: friend, from another universe ( verse 9948e )

zhào haitāo: friend, from another universe ( verse 9948e )

 

꒰ extra ꒱

 he is a university student who majors in biochemistry and takes a theatre class as a minor

he speaks spanish ( castilian ) and italian

he knows asl

he is apart of the university dance club

he plays both acoustic and electric guitar

he smokes cigarettes

he has many goldfish named bob

[superkooku]

Who did Asclepius resurrect ?

A couple days ago, I discussed the idea of mortals defeating gods with @kill-me-with-a-spoon on a comment section of my "thoughts on Epic" post.

We talked about Diomedes and Perseus briefly, but then a third example came in : Asclepius.

And I find this specific mention interesting because I didn't think about it but it kinda makes sense 😂

He didn't defeat any god like the two former heroes, that being physically overwhelming them. Instead, he simply "cures" death, thus Thanatos' doing. Not only his, but the Fates' too considering they cut the thread of life. And he meddled with Hades' realm, something that he hated and we know how that ended.

(Hades hating doctors will never not be funny)

I made some research on him for personal projects and so I want to use it right now for personal ramblings about who exactly Asclepius resurrected.

@kill-me-with-a-spoon was pointing out that if, by technicality, he didn't interfere with Hades' domain if souls he resurrected didn't cross the Styx. And I've got to say, I think he did.

Also, I completely agree with the fact that they're still killable. They won't die from the same cause since Asclepius heals their injuries but he doesn't deify anyone.

If we look up different sources, here's the list of people he resurrected.

Hippolytus (according to Pausanias and latin sources like Pseudo-Hyginus or Ovid)

What makes this particularly interesting is that Artemis is the one who has this idea. It shows that portraying her as a man hater is completely wrong since she asks her male nephew to resurrect her male friend/devotee. It shows her bond with Hippolytus (his death was very unfair, so I get it) and with Apollo too, since she trusted her brother's son completely.

Then, it's just funny but in-character that Theseus isn't the one who has the idea to resurrect his son, because of course he wouldn't think about it 😂. It's even funnier if we take late sources stating that Asclepius was among the Argonauts. Because Theseus was too, so they knew each other personally and yet Theseus couldn't think about it.

Another detail : Hippolytus seems to forgive Theseus in Euripides' play, but NOT after coming back to life in Pausanias' version. Different versions, I know, but if we mix the two, then we could interpret that maybe all this time in the Underworld gave him the opportunity to think about it, or maybe, with a new chance to live, he doesn't want to stay with his father.

I get you, Hippolytus. Go have fun.

Capaneus (according to Stesichorus)

What's interesting here is how Capaneus died : he participated in Polynice's siege against Thebes but was killed... by Zeus. He was struck by lightning because of hubris.

And then Asclepius comes and resurrects this guy. All the more reasons for Zeus to be angered. That means he came in and decided to undo divine punishment, the same one that will be his own doom in the future. It's pretty chilling for me.

Lycurgus

So, there are a lot of Lycurguses in mythology.

In the beginning, I thought it was Lycurgus of Thrace, which would've been hilarious because if this guy comes back to life, he'll come back traumatized and insane (also, any grapevine would be the source of PTSD flashbacks). And again, that would've mean undoing divine punishments.

BUT it seems to be a separate Lycurgus that was resurrected. Not the one who offended Dionysus.

It's also not Admetus' brother of the same name, though the logical link would've been easy to make (because of Apollo's servitude and Admetus also being an Argonaut according to some sources).

Honestly, Wikipedia is the only place where the Lycurgus that Asclepius resurrected is distinguished. Even then, the article speaks of a probable case and lists Apollodorus as a source. So not even researchers are completely sure of which Lycurgus it was.

Hymen/Hymenaios : yeah, according to the Orphics, he resurrected some guy named Hymen, even though the only figure with this name is a god... it would've been very interesting to analyze if I had more details about it. Unfortunately, there aren't really.

Tyndareus

Glaucus : It's funny how Asclepius resurrects both Theseus AND Minos' son. Though that exploit is more often attributed to the prophet and healer Polyidos. I wonder if there was some untold teacher-student relationship between the two, since Asclepius is one of the inventors of medicine (with Chiron)

And then there's this woman :

This cracks me up, because this little story alone states that Asclepius as a GOD still resurrects the dead even though he was punished for it. Tbf, he probably had to explain this to Zeus, that he had to compensate his partners' mistake. Still, that's hilarious that not even divine might stopped him.

Don't tell me he didn't know what he was doing. He's a smart guy and his father is literally mr. God of prophecy. I like his audacity.

So, coming back to the initial subject, with the sheer number of mentioned names, I do think they had the time to be buried and cross the Styx (except Capaneus, who was probably turned into ashes lol).

Asclepius definetly meddled with Hades' domain, thus angering the god of the dead and he 100% provoked Zeus.

But, not all the gods were agaisnt him. If we take the version where he resurrects people with gorgon blood, then Athena, who gave it to him, was in favor of his operations.

Then, there is Artemis who asked him to bring back Hippolytus and finally, quite obviously, his n°1 supporter is his own father Apollo (oh god, I could make a whole new post rambling just about Apollo and Asclepius).

So yeah, I really like this myth for many reasons and this is one of them : how it's tied to many other stories, how different figures behave and react to Asclepius' antics, how it puts the system of life and death into questions, etc...

Anyways, if you have anything to comment on about this myth, don't hesitate. I'd love to discuss it more !

My main source about all of this was Theoi.

[lyndeeznuts]

Thoughts on future playable characters in Fear and Hunger Termina

Tanaka

His gameplay needs to be built around relying on others. Like his arc as an NPC, he needs to get stronger through learning about comradarie and friendship. He’d be a weak early game but very strong late game character.

As the player character, I see him as being able to take advantage of his latent soul to learn skills without the hexen from other characters.

As a party member, perhaps he plays more of a supportive role or has some kind of “copy stance” where he replicates another party member’s attack

He needs to be especially killable at the beginning of the game lol

For B ending players, his character creation would have a path that allows you to determine how much he adopts a ruthless outlook to the business world. I see that leading to a skill like Backstab which perhaps could allow for the pre-moonscorched killing of party members outside of safe hubs.

Please bring back the rugged handsome looks skill. It would be so funny if Tanaka was the only one with a seduce option (not even Pav should get it)

Samarie

As a counterpoint to Tanaka, I think Samarie players should be incentivized to NOT work with others

Like I imagine her difficulty interacting directly with others would cause some party members to occasionally not do what you say or something

Also, she just gets a buff by having fewer party members.

She’ll likely get necromancy or blood golem to compensate for this to get some controllable meat shields bc the contestants can be risky

I could imagine her having some sort of analyze type skill because she’s used to closely observing Marina

Starts out with mind read ofc

Pav

It’s intriguing that he has an ability related to commanding party members

His gameplay should rely on more of that. Maybe he could give a party member a free command each battle, like shield other party members.

Most of his skills should probably just be taken from other skill lines (gun proficiency, intimidate, etc)

Henryk

We need more LORE

Why does he seem familiar with Caligura? Why can he fight okay? (Melee proficiency)

My guess is that he’s a former street urchin/mob guy aiming for the high life

I could see him having steal which I imagine he would have used in the service industry

A skill that makes it possible to craft healing (and not just buffs) with food

Also a character building path where you learn toxicology/poison bc of what he does in the speakeasy in day 3….

August

I feel like he works better as a supportive NPC.

He should stay that way but have more ways to interact with him.

At most, he should be a (possibly temporary) party member.

He’s a skilled hunter. He should have Analyze

Caligura

Similar to above

He should stay a NPC but we should be able to interact with him more

[cheese-water]

Look, if it isn’t an server event, my picks for the Philza rescue squadron would be Tubbo, Missa, and Etoiles.

Tubbo because he will be the first one to notice (Monday 6pm BST mark my word) and like the paranoid cubito that he is, he will immediately start jumping to conclusions that happen to be correct (“what if cucurucho kidnapped his ass :((((((”).

Missa because Tubbo likes him and thinks he doesn’t have as many screws loose as the others. Also cause he matches Tubbo’s energy real well and will start yelling if he finds out Phil was maybe kidnapped. Missa’s abject horror at the situation wins Tubbo over.

And Etoiles because Tubbo and Missa are well aware on how killable they are. Etoiles has made them very aware of it. However, he will do anything for Philza and would drop everything he’s doing if he finds out he was kidnapped. Plus, it’s his dream to watch Tubbo and Missa try and fail to kill mobs in the middle of the woods while he ploughs through them all. Protection y’know.

They’re all just hardcore members of the Philza famclub. Fit only got ousted by Tubbo because he doesn’t trust him as far as he can throw and Fit didn’t give him an “appropriate reaction” to the potential kidnapping of another islander: crying and screaming or outright murder.

[harveywritings92]

[Random magic au: Witch! Reader summons Reaper! Ghost to give a brief  explanation about immortals after Soap showed up at her door panicked, Simon appears in her livingroom looking sheepish while holding a cookie.]

Ghost: I was at a party y’know

R/n: oh, sorry. We’ll be quick, I need your help.

[Ghost perks up as Soap explains a theory that a former enemy of his, Graves; who he thought was dead. May be immortal and wandering the earth after supposedly seeing him around town the night before...]

Ghost, to Soap: There’s no such thing as true immortality, for humans anyways, He’d have to be very well versed in the old magic, or have some sort of pact with a god or demon….(to R/n) May I go now?

R/n: Oh, er, yes! I hope it’s a good party.

Ghost, gives her his cookie: Hmm, I think it might go downhill at about midnight…

R/n, nibbling on said cookie: Why?

Ghost: that’s when they’ll be taking my mask off…

(He calmly lifts his mask up and there’s flash of lighting showing Simon’s true skeletal face under the glamor spell he’s wearing, R/n nods and snaps her fingers teleporting Ghost away.)

====================

{R/n and Ghost have such a pact, Apparently contracting with a god or demon has both it’s perks and consequences. While under the god of death’s protection they’re essentially un-killable and can use high leveled magic. The down side? If she gets hurt severely then the pain from said injury is much worst than average. Let’s say that R/n broke her legs? Well good news! It’ll heal almost instantly, Bad news? Every step she takes after that feels like the bones in her legs are breaking all over again. So, yeah.. She needs to be very careful when out doing jobs. ]    

[nice-profession-mechanic]

A friend started playing GW2 and now i get to relive the personal story through the eyes of someone so completely uncommitted to the story that we get to enjoy such stuff at:

Sylvari Personal Story:

Player character: This prophetic dream contained a terrible monster that I can only assume is a metaphor for the evil in the world.

Caith: Yeah, nah. That guy is real, he looks exactly like that. Thanks for the assist, he was very confused how psychic unborn children helped kick his ass.

Player character: OK, well...what about the mysterious unkillable green knight in my prophetic dream?

Caith: That guy is also just a guy, he's over there. Kick his ass, he's very much killable.

Player character: So you're telling me prophecies aren't real?

Caith: Nah, yeah. They're real, you just happened to dream about really specific things that are one to one how they appear outside of the dream.

[tornrose24]

I was asked how Molly being a temporary vampire would work, especially if I more than hinted that she’d likely defeat the Head Vampire in my Vampire AU. I needed to think on this to figure out the story.

As said before, the Chairman is the Head Vampire in this AU. He’s so old that he doesn’t look human anymore (possibly more like a corpse) and the sunlight will instantly kill him, but he’s still dangerously powerful. In order to stay in his good graces, every vampire has to give him a monthly payment of blood, and of course they have to follow all the rules. One rule is that you can’t let a human find out about you and if they do, you have to kill them to keep the secret of vampires safe.

Since vampires are still killable, their punishment is getting their blood sucked out by the Chairman until they are drained to death, and only a withered husk is left behind. The whole process is AGONIZING.

And despite his laziness, Scratch does NOT want to die, especially in a manner so horrible, so that’s his main motivation for staying on task each month. Molly is horrified when she learns of this.

However at some point, Molly gets an injury and of course, bleeds. Scratch is able to resist (but not without some struggling and restraint) and is unable to get so much as a droplet. However he could tell by the scent that there’s something… unusual about Molly’s blood. She’s still very human, but there’s something about her blood that’s not like others.

Of course, events play out exactly like in canon. Scratch is unable to keep the secret of his friendship with Molly a secret and is taken away to face his punishment since he didn’t kill her like he was supposed to.

Molly blames herself for putting her friend through this, but luckily she is able to reach Geoff (who is also a vampire in this au) and tells him that she wants to save Scratch and will do whatever it takes, even if she has to become a vampire too in order to get a fighting chance. Geof is reluctant, but Scratch told him before about Molly’s blood as well as his suspicions that Molly would not make for a normal vampire if she was turned.

So he goes ahead and temporarily curses Molly into becoming a vampire. As long as she doesn’t consume blood herself, the transformation will not be permanent.

Except there’s an interesting catch with Molly during a moment of self-defense when she arrives at the Head Vampire’s hideout/castle–she doesn’t need to drink blood. She injects HER blood into a vampire, and changes their personality into a more happier one for a certain amount of time. (Anyone familiar with Karin/Chibi Vampire? It’s basically this.)

She manages to arrive in the nick of time because the Head Vampire has drained almost all of Scratch’s blood (and yeah, he looks REALLY bad–you thought this was bad? This would be even worse. The poor guy is dangerously close to looking like a mummy by this point). Molly is pissed as hell and demands the HV to give Scratch’s blood back to him or else she will unleash her full powers. No one believes her, so she decides to go ahead and attempt a transformation herself…

…Except her bat form is basically no different than the sun itself when she uses her full powers–hell any form she could turn into now would include the sun itself at this point. She’s so powerful she’s accidentally killing like half the vampires in the room and of course the HV (who gets badly injured thanks to Molly) tries to escape.

Molly catches up to the guy and decides he needs a bit of perking up if he’s so dour all the time. However, this is an instant kill, since something so old and ancient can’t handle joy in blood form.

Now the entire vampire world is officially terrified of this girl, and of her becoming a vampire permanently. Or taking the HV’s position.

Nope, Molly just takes some of HV’s blood stash to give to Scratch and return him back to normal. Then she and Geoff take Scratch home so he can recover while a huge chunk of vampires at the castle are now dead and the rest are leaderless.

The two friends wait the night out for it to pass, and Molly’s curse eventually wears off, since she didn’t drink any blood like she was warned. And all was good for a time…

[de-n-i-al]

Out of context quotes

(qsmp red team)

:]

Foolish: 'seems killable'

Cellbit: 'fucker shit cum balls, cum balls'

Jaiden: "we just need to camp them out for 1 hour and 20 minutes'

Slimecicle: 'I'm like a little rat'

Slimecicle: 'I'm just kneading dough in the backyard, I'm malewife-ing'

Foolish: 'let's kill him :D'

Slimecicle: 'I'm going to come drop you kids off your lunch'

Jaiden: 'they're calling you momcicle'

Slimecicle: 'sorry to make you wait, kids, moms gotta eat too'

Carre: 'very loud high pitched screaming'

Cellbit 'were fucked, it's joever'

Jaiden 'AAAA Etoiles is after me, I'm dead'

Slimecicle: 'Tubbo! How are you so fucking fast?!'

Foolish 'so what's the game plan? Run and hide or?'

Jaiden: 'I HOPE THEY BURNN'

Philza: 'I got everyone hats'

Jaiden: 'I want to be the king of pirates!'

Philza: 'should I just fuckin run for the thing?'

Slimecicle: 'we made a pool'

Slimecicle: 'I hope I melt'

Slimecicle: 'I'm going to verbally assault them'

Philza: 'they started it!'

Slimecicle: 'The bread for my beautiful children is here!'

Slimecicle: 'Hey Phil, my beautiful boy, I have something for you'

Slimecicle: 'phil this is fucked up, you don't do this to a roleplayer'

Slimecicle: 'they didn't even 'yes and' they 'no sworded'

Slimecicle: 'Phil, I just want to be a desirable male wife'

Slimecicle: 'Guys, let's remember to have fun'

Philza: 'I like how no one hesitated to turn on others'

Jaiden: 'BAD YOUR SUCH A HATER'

Jaiden: 'he took my God damn straw hat'

Philza: 'were getting spawn camped by badboyhalo and tubbo'

Slimecicle: 'what to the right'

Philza: 'she's gonna kill you man'

Slimecicle: 'i hate everyone who isn't you guys'

Slimecicle: 'I don't think I can look fitmc in the eyes'

Slimecicle: 'We can't even place blocks on half of our land BECAUSE MY BODYS ARE ALL OVER'

Philza: 'the teams are so balanced'

Slimecicle: 'I don't know how to make a backpack'

Philza: 'Can we go back to adventure mode and roleplay'

Slimecicle: 'Please, I'll do anything, just get me off this island'

(Ngl at this point they all go crazy)

(Also charlie loses his fucking voice)

Slimecicle: 'hey cellbit want to beat the shit out of each other?'

Everyone: 'screaming'

Slimecicle: 'ADMINS CAN YOU DO /SLIMECICLE HAPPY??!?!'

Philza: 'Guys, I think we are the cursed team'

Jaiden: 'Do you think the admins are watching us and seeing what to change'

Slimecicle: 'This isn't purgatory, this is hell'

Jaiden: 'take the children!'

Philza: 'This is too much I'm dying'

Jaiden: 'Hey guys, want to huddle together for the last 30minutes?'

Philza: 'I'm light headed'

Slimecicle: 'i feel the right side of my brain hurting'

Jaiden: 'Philza, kill yourself'

Slimecicle: 'The most fun I've had is burning myself to death'

Jaiden: 'Look at the piles of bodies'

Jaiden: 'Untangle it like a spaghetti'

Slimecicle: 'Admins spawn herobrine'

Baghera: 'Can't wait for wilbur to join'

Slimecicle: 'Guys, let's all meet up and go to Disney land and send the pictures to badboyhalo'

Slimecicle: 'your happy? I'm thrilled baghera'

Philza: 'We become npc's'

Slimecicle: 'I can't tell if I'm having a great time or a panic attack'

Foolish: 'I'm tingly everywhere'

Everyone: 'weird ass singing'

Jaiden: 'singing gangnem style'

(Fucking kill me omfg I'm watching the stream and my ears are dying)

Cellbit: 'I want to go to purgatory in real life'

Jaiden: 'HOW IS THERE STILL 15 MINUTES LEFT'

Philza: 'Guys i brought us a fidget toy'

Cellbit: 'This is a pretty fucking balanced team yeah'

(Continuous killing of eachother)

Slimecicle: 'let's hop in the other chats and see how they are doing'

foolish: 'WHY ARE MY ARMS STILL TINGLY??'

Philza: 'HOW ARE WE STILL SECOND????'

Philza: 'Were going to roleplay a village, im going to make a school'

Foolish: 'I want to get burned by the sun, just to feel something'

Cellbit: 'What if we make a team to fight against the people who put us here and call it oder theorists'

Baghera: 'Philza, where are you? I'm going to kill you'

Philza: 'baghera come kill me'

Jaiden: 'IM BACK BITCH!'

(THEYRE JUST KILLING EACHOTHER)

cellbit: 'We ended up on second, green will never live this down'

Slimecicle: 'What do you want from us...'

Cellbit: 'maybe I shouldn't have killed all of those fed workers'

Slimecicles: 'Guys, I'm like clearly turning into a code'

Slimecicle: '3 months ago, I dumped 3 pounds of sand down philzas toilet, so foolish would think he clogged it'

(Cellbit and slime have lost their voices 0_0)

Slimecicle: 'I fucking sound like a dying goose'

Philza: 'dantdm is canonically dead'

(They all agreed to become more decrepit bro)

(They are going to have fucked up skins too bro)

(They are going crazy)

(God this is killing me, why am I doing this)

Slimecicle: 'fuck my arc I'm going on a cannibal arc'

(God dammit this has been the most fucked up stream I've ever watched)

(They are going to rebalance it thank fuck)

[anonymousewrites]

One Hell of a Love (Book 2) Chapter Eleven

Sebastian Michaelis x Demon! Reader

Chapter Eleven: One Hell of a Murder

Summary: In the aftermath of Sebastian's "death," more murder is discovered.

            (Y/N) pretended to shudder in fear as Baldroy held them steady. Beside them, Finny and Mey-Rin cried, and the guests (excepting Phelps, but no one noticed that) looked on in horror at Sebastian’s “dead” body. So far, the acting had gone perfectly well. As long as (Y/N) continued to play the part of poor mourning maid, friend of the butler, everything would go well.

            Ciel ran into the room, still in his nightclothes, standing beside Tanaka and Arthur. His eyes widened in similar panic as they landed on Sebastian, laying on his back in a pool of blood with a fire poker lodged in his chest. His acting was just as impressive as ever.

            “Young Master!” cried Finny worriedly.

            “Sebastian…?” Ciel paused before moving forward towards Sebastian.

            Mey-Rin caught him. “No, stop! Young Master, you must not enter, not at all!”

            “Let me go!” demanded Ciel.

            “No, Young Master!” said Finny.

            “Stay back!” Ciel pushed them away. “Don’t you dare order your master around!”

            “Young Master…!” Tears streamed down Finny’s cheeks.

            Ciel stood over Sebastian. “Sebastian, how much longer are you going to keep up this childish prank? Once again, I can’t imagine the floor makes for comfortable slumber.”

            Ah, the part of the child in denial. Everyone will be too busy pitying him to question his performance, thought (Y/N).

            “How much longer do you intend to feign sleep, hm?” said Ciel. “Can you not hear me? I’m telling you to get up.” He gritted his teeth and pulled the poker from Sebastian’s chest.

            Ah, that’s got to be irritating. It always stings when it’s pulled out, thought (Y/N).

            “Why you!” cried Ciel.

            “My Lord!” warned Arthur.

            “Sebastian!” Ciel grabbed the labels of Sebastian’s tailcoat. “You get up right now, you hear me?! I command you!” He slapped Sebastian when he didn’t move. “Did you fail to hear my command?! Who in the name of hell gave you permission to die?! I’ll never forgive you, Sebastian!” He raised his hand to hit Sebastian again. “Open your damn—!”

            (Y/N) caught his arm. “Young Master. Please stop. We can’t take any more of this.” They pretended to sob, turning their face from Sebastian’s corpse. “It’s difficult enough…He’s already dead…”

            Ciel pretended to tremble as he faced Sebastian. “Are you…really dead? Sebastian…You, my butler…You and you alone, who…who promised you would stay at my side until the very end—” He leaned over Sebastian body, and (Y/N) watched as he whispered a true order to Sebastian.

            “The corpse will rot if we leave it here, so it would be a good idea to move it quickly,” said Grey coldly.

            (Y/N) glanced at him, a slight coldness in their gaze. Sebastian may not be killable by something as simple as a human blade, but that didn’t mean they liked Grey trying to kill him. Unfortunately, Grey was the Queen’s butler, so for Sebastian and his Master’s sake, (Y/N) couldn’t retaliate. (If they could, (Y/N) would add Grey to the death toll at this banquet).

            “…Yeah,” said Baldroy, nodding hesitantly.

            “Come on, Young Master…” said Mey-Rin gently, pulling Ciel to his feet.

            “No, let me go!” cried Ciel. “Don’t leave me behind, Sebastian! Sebastian! I command you! I command you…! I command you!”

            Lau hummed as he watched the scene. “Committing this last murder would have been impossible for the confined Earl, hm?” The guests’ eyes turned to him, and Lau smirked. “This is all turning out to be very amusing indeed.”

            (Y/N) quite agreed.

            “Amusing?!” cried Grimsby. “Two people have been murdered in the space of one night!”

            And Phelps is missing, noted (Y/N), but they would leave that to the humans.

            “A-And he was killed in such a way…” Irene shivered as she stared at the bloodstained poker.

            “Tell me about it. Runnin’ him through with a fireplace poker…was just too much…” agreed Baldroy.

            (Y/N) turned into Mey-Rin, who comforted them during the reminder of what horrible sight they had walked in on.

            Arthur examined the body. “There are signs of trauma to the head. He may have been struck from behind while stoking the fire.”

            “And ‘cos that didn’t do him in, they finished him off with another blow to the chest, huh?” said Baldroy.

            “Or maybe they didn’t wait to see if he was dead and instead attacked him twice in quick succession…” said Grey. “Rather than a single attack, two attacks would have been sure to kill him. How strange.”

            You would know, thought (Y/N).

            They rather liked the confusion on Grey’s face since it was clear that he had only attacked from the back with a hit to the head and a stab through the back, so he was confused about how Sebastian ended up with a stab to the chest. However…it also meant he would be suspicious. (Y/N) raised an eyebrow in clear view of Sebastian’s “vacant” eyes in a message to him saying: “You’ve really just made more problems for yourself, haven’t you?” Sebastian would have to run around quite a bit to deal with any of Grey’s suspicions (and (Y/N) would be probably dragged in, too).

            Arthur paused beside the body and considered. “If he did not die from the blow to the back of his head, why did the murderer go to the trouble of stabbing him from the front?”

            Because Sebastian was in a hurry and stabbed himself the wrong way, thought (Y/N).

            “Yeah,” agreed Baldroy. “Normally you’d attack from the same direction if you’re attackin’ twice.”

            “Then maybe there are multiple perpetrators,” said Arthur. “For example, who spoke to him from the front to catch his attention while the second snuck up from behind and bludgeoned him in the head. Then the one in front delivered the finishing blow without pause.”

            (Y/N) had quickly landed on him as the most sensible human present.

            “In any case, it is a fact that I sense not a shred of mercy or hesitation,” said Lau. “The culprit or culprits managed to kill that butler, so they must be very—”

            “Please just stop now!” Finny’s voice cut through the discussion. He held Ciel tightly. It was kind of adorable and brotherly. “How could you talk like that when the Young Master’s right here…! Please consider the Young Master’s feelings!”

            “Finny!” admonished Mey-Rin. She bowed. “P-Please excuse our rudeness, please do! We’re all a bit shaken, we are!” (Y/N) shivered and nodded to add to the excuse.

            “Well…He does have a point,” said Grey. “We can stand around the corpse bandying theories about all we like, but it won’t get us anywhere. So let’s first carry this to the cellar. The discussion of the murderer’s identity and the like can be continued afterward, perhaps over a meal or something.

            Woodley blanched. “How could you take this so leisurely!”

            “You’re right. No good will come of rushing things!” chirped Lau.

            “That’s that, then,” said Grey, turning to leave. “We’ll leave you servants to handle the disposal of that thing.”

            Sebastian was really lucky (Y/N) respected his instructions so much since they really wanted to stab Grey through the chest with his own sword for treating Sebastian like a troublesome object.

            Grey glanced back over his shoulder. “Oh, and have breakfast ready for us as well, hm?”

            (Y/N) straightened and bowed. “Yes, sir.” They would play the part Sebastian asked of them. At least the situation was entertaining. The guests nodded and walked out of the room, not wanting to remain in the room with the corpse any longer.

            “(Y/N), are you sure you don’t want to rest? After that scare, you must be shaken, you must,” said Mey-Rin.

            (Y/N) put on a soft, shaky smile. “Sebastian would want me to do my job, especially in his absence…And so I will.”

            “Oh, (Y/N)…” Mey-Rin’s gaze softened. She knew Sebastian and (Y/N) were close, so she worried for how this would hit (Y/N).

            “Do as they say,” said Ciel. “Take Sebastian to the cellar. I apologize for losing my composure.”

            “Not at all!” cried Mey-Rin.

            “Young Master…” Finny gazed at Ciel in worry.

            “Tanaka,” said Ciel.

            “Yes, sir,” said Tanaka, in his full form.

            “Sebastian is dead. You are my butler from this day forth,” said Ciel. “I entrust you with the management of the manor and the supervision of the servants. And this pin too…” He held out the bloody pin from Sebastian’s uniform. “I return to your keeping.”

            “The pin of the head butler…this does bring back memories,” said Tanaka. (Y/N) could see the ages of service to the Phantomhive estate in his eyes and knew he’d do his job admirably. “Will an old man like me be equal to the duties, I wonder?”

            “You need only do it until a replacement arrives,” said Ciel.

            “As you wish, sir,” said Tanaka. “I shall by all means accept it.” He pinned it to his lapel and straightened. The old man Tanaka was gone, and the butler had returned, ready to perform for the Phantomhive household with familiar skill. He clapped his hands and addressed the staff. “Then let us first prepare for the morning baths. Mey-Rin, please see to the hot water. Finny, Baldroy, once you have moved Sebastian, please carry hot water to the Young Master’s bathroom. (Y/N), please see to it the guests are taken care of during breakfast.”

            “Yes, sir,” said all four.

            Tanaka turned to Ciel. “Young Master, you will catch cold if you stay dressed like that.. Let us first see to getting you a change of clothing. The head of the Phantomhive family must not be shaken by the death of a mere servant. The previous master was never once seen to be losing his composure over such a trigle.”

            “You are strict as usual, old man,” said Ciel with some fondness.

            Tanaka smiled before facing Arthur, the only guests who had remained in the room. “Professor. I sincerely apologize that such events have taken—.”

            “No, no,” said Arthur. “He is far more in need of you than I…Please stay with the Earl.”

            “I am deeply touched by your concern,” said Tanaka. “Now then, let us go, Young Master. You must not keep your guests waiting.”

l

            The storm raged outside as the guests sat at the breakfast table in a tense silence. (Y/N) was once again reminded of human’s ease at being distracted by observing that no one had noticed Phelps’s absence. (Y/N) had a suspicion that somehow he wouldn’t be making it to breakfast, and even though that would mean there was a mystery that Sebastian hadn’t anticipated, they would clear that up quickly if needed.

            “It’s a great help that (Y/N) and Sebastian took care of the meals in advance,” said Ciel in a subdued tone.

            “Smells yummy! Let’s eat!” said Grey happily, quickly digging in.

            Grimsby looked at Irene in concern. “What’s wrong, Irene? You’ve barely touched your plate.”

            “I’m sorry,” said Irene. “I don’t have much of an appetite.”

            Grey paused. “Hey, if that food’s gonna go to waste, can I help myself to it?”

            Irene picked up her plate. “Yes, here yo—”

            “No, not yours,” said Grey. He pointed lazily with his fork. “But the one next to you.”

            “Eh?” Irene glanced to her side in confusion. “Oh…you are right. There is an extra place here. Did the chef prepare one too many?”

            “(Y/N) and Sebastian prepared breakfast,” said Ciel. He looked at (Y/N).

            They straightened. “We ensure there was a plate for every guest, my Lord.”

            “Eh? Then whose is it?” said Lau.

            “Everyone is present and—oh!” exclaimed Irene. “Mr. Phelps is missing!”

            It took them all long enough, thought (Y/N).

            “You’re right. I failed to notice because he doesn’t have much of a presence,” chuckled Lau.

            “Now that you mentioned it, I haven’t seen him all morning,” said Grimsby.

            “It seems he’s really sleeping it!” said Woodley with a laugh.

            Arthur stood up. “If I may!” He looked serious. “What do you say we go look in the Earl’s bedroom?” He was the only one who knew that after two deaths it was necessary to check on everyone’s wellbeing and not assume anything. Really, he was the only sensible one there.

            Ciel stood. “I’ll show you the way.”

            The solemn exchanged caught the rest of the party’s attention, and shivers ran down their spines. It was clear what Arthur was worried for.

            The group ran through the halls of the manor until they came upon Ciel’s bedroom, which Phelps was sleeping in since Ciel and Arthur had stayed in his. Arthur banged on the doors.

            “Mr. Phelps! Mr. Phelps! Please respond if you’re there!” he called. Nothing. He tried the door handle, but it was locked. “The lock, it’s—! My Lord, where is the key?”

            “I don’t know,” admitted Ciel.

            “Eh?!” exclaimed the group.

            “Sebastian is the keeper of the key to my room, and only he knows where it’s stored,” said Ciel. “Now that he’s dead, even I couldn’t tell you where to find it.”

            (Y/N) stepped forward. “Young Master, if I may, I can break the doors.”

            “Move.” Grey acted before Ciel could give any directions. With a long swing of his sword, he cut through the doors. The pieces fell to the ground, and everyone stared at him as he held his breakfast plate in one hand with a bored expression. “Let’s take care of this quick, okay? I haven’t had my dessert yet.”

            “Mr. Phelps!” called Arthur as he led the group into the room.

            They turned into the bedroom of Ciel’s quarters. Arthur’s eyes widened. Irene let out a horrified gasp. Woodley and Grimsby grimaced and stepped back. Grey’s eyes were wide. The servants let out a breath.

            Phelps lay on the ground, clutching the carpet with foam on his lips, his face one of struggle and pain.

            He was dead.

            (Y/N) raised an eyebrow behind the group. Their nose twitched. Now this was an unanticipated development.

            “How?” said Ciel.

            Arthur knelt by the body, getting to work. “Quite some time has passed since rigor mortis set it.”

            “Are we all having a bad dream or something…?” murmured Grimsby.

            “There is no external trauma as in the other two,” said Athur. His eyes narrowed as he found a mark on Phelps’s neck. “He has what appears to be puncture wounds in the neck! Perhaps he was injected with poison from a needle or the like.”

            “A needle?” Ciel narrowed his eyes.

            (Y/N) peered at the marks. Looks like snake bite to me. But far be it for me to ruin the mortals’ fun.

            “Oh, I say! Lord Earl lives in the most wonderful room!” To the side, Lau and Ran-Mao were rummaging through Ciel’s closet.

            “Don’t rummage around someone else’s quarters as you please!” said Ciel, an irk mark appearing.

            Lau chuckled as he pulled out a Chinese dress. “You’ve held on to the dress I gave you! Have you worn it?”

            “I most certainly have not!” cried Ciel indignantly. Lau had given him it after the undercover investigation during the Jack the Ripper case, and Ciel hadn’t been able to live it down, yet.

            Arthur continued and regained the focus of the group. “The marks could also be said to resemble the tooth marks of some beast or other.”

            (Y/N) nodded in agreement.

            “Bite marks on the neck…Brings to mind Carmilla, doesn’t it?” murmured Irene.

            “By that are you referring to Le Fanu’s vampiric Carmilla?” said Ciel.

            (Y/N) clicked their tongue. Vampires. Terrible little creatures.

            “Yes, are you familiar with it?” said Irene.

            Woodley scoffed. “So you’re saying he was killed by a vampire?! Preposterous!”

            Woodley was correct in that regard. With two demons in the household, a vampire wouldn’t dare approach the manor.

            “Such occult and unscientific occurrences have no place in the nineteenth century!” continued Woodley.

            There he was not correct.

            “2:38 am,” said Arthur, gazing at the broken clock that had been knocked from the side table of Ciel’s bed.

            “That would be the clock I kept at my bedside,” confirmed Ciel.

            “He likely dropped it amidst his throes of agony. It’s broken,” said Arthur.

            “Which would mean that Mr. Phelps died around 2:38?” said Ciel.

            “Yes,” said Arthur.

            “Say!” chirped Lau from in Ciel’s bathroom, still going through his things. “Instead of standing here holding court, why don’t we go sit down and think the situation through? Over a nice cup of tea, perhaps?

            “…Quite right,” said Ciel. “Tanaka, show our guests to the drawing room. (Y/N), prepare the tea.”

            “Yes, my Lord,” said (Y/N).

            “Very good, sir,” said Tanaka.

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