#he's a wizard for ween :)

[sometimesthereishorse]

Mistakes where made we have too many pixel ponies help

[herbgerblin]

ID: Digital art comic featuring Merle, Magnus, and Taako from the Adventure Zone. Merle is an older dwarf man with brown skin, grey hair, and a beard. He is wearing a jack-o-lantern shirt and has vines growing around his face. He is holding his X-treme Teen Bible as he says, "Hallowed be thy ween." Magnus, a human man dressed as Frankenstein's monster, exclaims, "You're gonna hollow out my what?" Taako, an elven wizard dressed as a skeleton with cobweb accents, replies from behind, "Your Ween!" End ID

[astarioffsimpmain]

Halloween in Waterdeep

Gale Dekarios x F!Reader (called "Tav" once)

Synopsis: Tav thinks Gale's tower might be haunted; Gale has an answer for it. But is it the right one?

Author's Note: Happy Halfway to Halloween, everyone! Since people celebrate "Half-o-ween" anywhere from April 30th through May 2nd, I'll hopefully be posting a few more Halloween themed fics in the coming days! But for now, enjoy this fluffy Gale fic. <3

*Extra Info: Some of this fic is stretched a little beyond what is canon, I am aware and did it on purpose to suit my idea. However, what I did research for canon-alignment purposes is that Faerunian "October' is commonly known as Leaffall, and the holiday at the end of Leaffall is called Liar's Night, which is essentially Faerunian Halloween, or Samhain. It's on the 30th day of Leaffall and it's common to dress up in disguises to avoid the attention of the deities known as Leira and Mask.

"Gale, are you certain your tower isn't haunted?" You scrunched your knees up to your chest as you sat in the very center of Gale’s large four poster bed. The wizard was sitting merely feet away at his desk grading papers, but he still seemed too far away for your liking, your earlier experience in the tower while he was away for work still lurking in the shadows of your mind. 

"I'm quite certain, my love. I lived here by myself with only Tara for an entire year and never experienced anything of the… phantasmic nature. That is, unless the spirits of the mice Tara has disposed of in that time have returned for justice." He chuckled to himself, and normally you would chuckle with him, but your fear currently outweighed your humor and you huffed instead. 

Your frustration caught his attention and the pen he was holding went down. He turned to you in his chair and appraised your balled-up position on the bed. You looked so small and helpless, and he couldn’t help but feel guilty for teasing you. Pushing himself up, he made his way to you, the urge to wrap his arms around you and make you feel safe again superseding all of his professor duties for the time being. You came first; you always had, and you always would. 

You reached for him as he climbed up onto the bed, and he gathered you up in his arms, pulling you close to his chest where the marks of the orb still lay in harmless divets and grooves along his skin. The hair that grew there scratched your cheek as you nuzzled into him, and you found comfort in the familiar sensation. 

"Alright. Tell me what happened and we'll see what we can do. If it is a spirit, I know several incantations that will allow us to speak to them and safely move them along. If it's something else, we've fought worse, I'm sure. Yes?" He cupped your cheeks in his warm hands and lifted your face, forcing you to meet his tender eyes. 

You nodded, determination returning to you now that you had the confidence of your fiancé again. "Alright," you began, walking back through the experience in your mind. "I was in the kitchen downstairs making coffee, and I heard a thumping noise behind me. I knew you were at Blackstaff, so naturally, my first guess was Tara, so I called out to her as I turned around, but she wasn't there. I looked all around the kitchen for her but she was nowhere to be found. Finally, I found her in your study, curled up asleep. So, I figured it must have been an animal of some sort inside the walls. It happened a few more times when I returned to the kitchen, but I ignored it as best I could in favor of my task. But then, something happened that I simply could not ignore. The spice cabinet door flung open by itself! I was shocked, of course, as none of the windows were open - for the gods' sakes, it's the 26th day of *Leaffall, it's chilly out there. I stared at it in shock, then it closed right back! I cast Detect Magic, as you taught me to do, and came up empty handed. That is not the first odd occurrence that has befallen me, Gale. In the last week alone, there have been numerous times in which I've felt like I'm being watched or heard strange, unexplainable noises in the tower."

Gale shook his head, a smile slowly creeping across his face. "I do believe I know what's going on here." 

"Oh?" You quirked a confused eyebrow at him. 

"In the days leading up to *Liar's Night, some Waterdhavians pull pranks around their houses to confuse the deities of Leira and Mask. They wear wooden necklaces so their magic cannot be detected while they have their fun. Then as you know, on Liar's Night, we all don disguises to keep those deities from showing us any special attention. Well, in the year Tara and I spent alone here, Tara did her best to keep my spirits up in any way she could in that dark time, including pull pranks on me during Leaffall. I suspect she's doing the same to you as a sort of… welcome to the Dekarios family. Let's ask her, shall we?"

You nodded, finding yourself both relieved and irritated at the Tressym for tricking you. Gale led you from your shared room and led you to the study, where Tara was bedded down next to one of Gale’s many bookshelves. "So, Tara." Your fiancé's voice was deceptively casual, but you heard - and you were certain Tara did too - the undercurrent of annoyance laced in his tone. "Playing pranks on my fiancée for Leaffall, hm? You truly startled her, my friend, and I do hope you will apologize."

"Mr. Dekarios," Tara tried to interject, but Gale continued without pause.

"By all the gods, she thought the tower was haunted!"

"Mr. Dekarios…" another failed attempt. 

"I very much want my wonderful fiancée to feel safe in her new home, and-"

"Mr. Dekarios, for heaven's sake it wasn't me!" the tressym screeched and flapped her wings indignantly. Gale, at last, halted in his tracks and furrowed his eyebrows, the creases on his forehead deepening in displeasure. 

"Tara, are you being totally honest with me?" He said, his voice stern, and you stepped up behind him, laying a hand on his tense shoulder. He breathed out slowly, relaxing under your touch. "I apologize, Tara, Tav." He nodded to both of you in turn, then fully turned to you, taking your hands in his own. "I just- I can't stand the thought of you not feeling safe here with me. So, Tara, please, if it was you, just tell m-"

Thud

All three heads whipped around suddenly as a loud, clear thudding sound came from the wall of the study behind them. "Gods above, what kind of anim-"

Thud Thud 

"Gale-"

Thud Thud Thud 

"Mr. Dekarios-!" 

BANG!

Books flew off the bookshelves and piled unceremoniously into the floor as the wall cracked open with a blinding light for several seconds before a woman was revealed standing in the study with them. The crack of light closed as though it had never been there in the first place, and the woman, giggling gleefully, cast a spell to return the books to their rightful places. You took glances between the strange woman and Gale, whose jaw had fallen slack. But after several seconds of uncharacteristic silence, all was revealed.

"Mother?!" 

.

.

.

fin

Tagging Darlings: @knightofmight01

( If you'd like to be on the taglist for all my writing, please DM or send in an ask! Thank you for supporting me, and Happy Half-o-ween! <3 )

[tea-moon-ster]

Fic-O-Ween- Day 4: Dead End

Hello! Welcome to the first part of this Fantasy Magic Au, from Leo's pov. Credits to @lumosinlove for characters, @noots-fic-fests for hosting and prompt. Read it on ao3 here.

Leo read the instructions in front of him one last time. They were scribbled in a dark, green ink, a curate calligraphy that wasn’t his own, but Kasey’s. The older wizard had left him all his notes, books, and parchments once he’d retired a few years ago. It had been an abrupt, sudden stop, that Kasey hadn’t really explained. Not even when he’d fixed Leo with a stern look, a hand on his shoulder, to make him promise he wouldn’t wait until their weekly tea party, would he ever need anything. And that had been it.

Leo kept his promise. But now, with piles of yellowing pages and leather-bound books sprawled across the big table in his kitchen, he felt confident in the spell he was about to attempt. Even without the guidance of his master. He’d done his research -weeks and weeks of research, actually- and this was one of the last solutions he believed could work.

On top of some discarded scrolls on the table, an orange cat stretched lazily. He made his way until he was closer to Leo, and then big, warm eyes were looking up at him. In the afternoon sun coming from the window, they weren’t as soft as in the night hours. No dark, round spheres were staring at Leo, but he felt their calmness flow on him, nevertheless. The cat closed his eyes slowly, for a few seconds, before fixing them intensely on the wizard again.

It had to work.

“Alright, Roux. Cross your tail for me.”

A small meow was all he received in response -but that’s what they were trying to fix, wasn’t it? With one last deep breath, Leo put his hands on the bowl at his feet. Inside, various ingredients were mixed. Hellebore flowers, olive tree roots, wax, crystals for change and a tuft of the cat’s orange hair. He cleared his throat.

“O solis ac terrae numina,

O spiritus magorum et maleficarum illustrium qui nos observant!

Homo nascetur ex felem

et mafice infringetur.

In statera gratiae huius invocationis restituetur.”

The kitchen remained silent for a few seconds. Then, a yellow glow raised from the bowl, circling the cat, now standing attentive -and ready, so ready. A gentle wind moved the curtains and made the candle lights falter. Leo held his breath, maintaining his focus and careful not to move his arms,. Come on. The glow and the wind increased, engulfing the room in an aura Leo could taste in his mind. Hope. Determination. Fear. A lock. A sudden flash appeared behind his eyes -yet another series of glimpses, always present in every spell he performed on Roux.

A candle illuminating a room full of books.

A forest.

I picked these berries for you. They’re sweet.

I stole a book for you.

A fox staring into his soul.

Leo felt a violent push against his head, blocking him from seeing anything more. A magical lock -a curse, sweet Morgana- stopped him from channeling more magic into the spell. He stumbled back, his head going light. The alarmed meow Roux let out came to him only in a weak echo, and his legs gave in. The room went dark.

Leo didn’t know how much time had passed when he reopened his eyes. The light coming from his garden was lower and colder, the hard wood uncomfortable against his back. Roux was laying on his chest, purring diligently. Leo looked back at him.

Still a cat.

He sighed. “’M sorry, Roux. I really thought this might be it.” The cat nuzzled under his jaw, purring more insistently to let him know it was all right. A hand reached for orange fur absently, scratching behind the ears. “We’ll keep trying. I promise,” Leo whispered.

A well-known voice slithered inside his throbbing head. A more experienced witch wouldn’t have failed. Someone more skilled would have figured it out already. You know who wouldn’t be taking so long to figure out -he’d be so disappointed in you.

 He felt a humid nose nudging at his ear in reassurance as he stubbornly stared at the ceiling not to give in to the burning in his eyes.

Another dead end.

.

.

.

[ricksmajicknstuff]

"Happy Hal-ween, Uncle Rick! Give us our candy, or we'll BOOP you!"

This was declared by two little girls, who couldn't be more than four years old. Moon hid under a ghost's sheet, while Mars had precariously wrapped herself up like a mummy. Behind them, their Mother, Adara stood close to them, dressed as a skeleton. "They mean it, Majick. You better make with the sweets."

"Oh No! Wouldn't want that!~"

He laughs, the alchemist having committed to the bit and dressed like the classic halloween wizard. Pointy hat and robe covered in stars and moons, and a long fake beard.

The fact that he knew actual sorcerers who dressed like this just made him laugh-

"I've got just the reward for such great costumes.~"

Majick chuckled. Dropping a healthy handful of candy into each girl's bag.

[eggoverlord]

May Albums

How I Left You - Knifehandchop - Some kind of electronic

DISCO4 :: PART I - HEALTH - Industrial weird metal etc

The Mollusk - Ween - ??? Weird rock

Fragments - Bonobo - Some DJing stuff

The Campfire Headphase - Boards of Canada - IDM

Endtroducing - DJ Shadow - Trip Hop

Evanescence - Scorn - Industrial and Dub

Selfless - Godflesh - Industrial Metal

Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas To Heaven - Godspeed You! Black Emperor - Post Rock

The Violent Sleep Of Reason - Meshuggah - Djent

1982 - Honor Role - Like Hardcore Punk with kind of almost math rock

Camofleur - Gastr Del Sol - Math Rock

Four Great Points - JUNE OF 44 - More Math Rock

Flemish Altruism - A Minor Forest - Even More Math Rock

Heaven or Los Vegas - Cocteau Twins - Dreampop

My Arms, Your Hearse - Opeth - Progressive Death Metal

In The Zone - Britney Spears - Pop

Tri Repetae - Autechre - IDM

Call Me If You Get Lost - Tyler, The Creator - Hip Hop

Paper Mâché Dream Balloon - King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard - Folk

Life After Death - The Notorious B.I.G - Gangsta Hip Hop

This Is The Album Of A Band Called Abadesi Shank - Abadesi Shank - Some stranger math rock

Live And Cuddly - Nomeansno - kinda mathy punk

April In Paris- Count Basie - Swing

'67-'69 STUDIO et LIVE (2022 Remastered) - Les Rallizes Dénudés - Weird Experimental Psych Rock

Growing - Sleeping People - Math Rock

Beats, Rhymes & Life - A Tribe Called Quest - Jazz Hop / Acid Jazz

Burner - Breadwinner - Math Rock

Animals - TTNG - believe it or not, more math more rock

Ágætis byrjun - Sigur Rós - Experimental Rock

Diana Ross Presents The Jackson 5 - The Jackson Five - Soul

Great Annihilator - Swans - Experimental Rock

midcity - clipping. - Industrial Hip Hop

haha - The Garden - Like. If jungle, surf rock, and punk had a baby

More Skin With Milk-Mouth - Giraffes? Giraffes! - Math Rock

Absent Moon, A Hylics Song Cycle - Chuck Salamone - Psych Rock thing made for a game I really love by the composer of the actual game check out Hylics and Hylics 2 on steam also kind of musical theater sounding

What Happens After the Death Is Recorded - DJ Rozwell - Mr Wizard DJ (I still don't know what genre he is)

Atrocity Exhibition - Danny Brown - Experimental Hip Hop

Purple Onion - The Les Claypool Frog Brigade - Funk psych rock or something. Its weird

[quality-ghost]

tagged by @meadowlarker

Tea, coffee, or soda?: Soda but I do love my grandma’s tea blend

Dogs or cats?: Cats because I’ve only owned one dog and we were not prepared lmao

Can you play an instrument?: No but I wish

What’s your sun sign?: Aries

First song lyrics that came into your head?: The Mollusk - Ween:

Hey little boy, what you got there? Kind sir, it's a mollusk I've found Did you find it in the sandy ground? Does it emulate the ocean's sound?

Do you have any tattoos?: No but maybe someday

Favorite place you’ve travelled?: I don’t really travel much (expensive!) but I went to West Edmonton Mall for the first time ever a week ago and it was great. Just take me anywhere with thrill rides tbh lmao

What’s the last movie you watched?: In full? The Wizard of Oz. In parts? Sir Patrick Stewart’s Macbeth, which we’re watching in segments for English class

What languages do you speak?: English and a few words in French just from mandatory Canadian learning

Do you have any hobbies?: Writing, drawing, using my computer for god knows how long

You can hang out with one fictional character for an hour, who do you choose?: Stinkoman from Homestar Runner. I don’t even think he’d be that pleasant to hang out with, he’s just blorbo number one and I want to tell him how much I love him and his stupid fucking challenges

Compliment yourself: My brain’s tendency to never be quiet makes me very creative and susceptible to coming up with new things

I tag: Uhhh. Whoever wants to. Sometimes I forget who my mutuals and friends are and I’m weird about @ ing for some reason. Where am I

[weavecursed]

looking at the flesh of the spider that drops onto the ground, his nose scrunches a little as he stands there, clearly he's disgusted with the entire situation at hand. however, he doesn't expect ramsey to suddenly ask him that, eyes widening ever so slightly. ❛ i ⸺ i don't know, i've never made a point of licking the flesh of a massive dead spider that we've come across ... ❜ letting out a sigh, eyes close as he tries to compose himself, just breath through it gale, everything is fine ... you're not dealing with an adult with the behavioural issues of a child ... no ... not at all. once he opens his eyes, the wizard doesn't hesitate to reach forward and grab ramsey by the forearm, pulling them away from the carcass. ❛ i think we need to get some fresh air, yes ? ❜ there's a smile on his lips but it borders annoyed, it took a lot for him to lose his patience but it was weening.

Hands turn the carcass of the spider over. Is she ignoring Gale's disgust at the fact that she licked a dead spider. There's a strange tingle in her groin, that Ramsey is not sure how to feel about. Better lick it again just to make sure that doing so is what's causing this strange feeling. Tongue pokes out to lick it again, and then a sudden exclamation: " Stop licking the damn thing! " Almost as if Gale is chastising a naughty puppy. " Fine. Fine. " Hands raise in surrender, dropping the arachnid on the ground. " ...So is licking this thing supposed to make you horny or what? "

[polyghostfacehours]

IMAGINE GOING ON A NATURE WALK WITH BILLY AND TAKING SPOOKY PICTURES (+ Stu dressing up as a cryptid for added spooks in some of them)

OKAY INSPO TIME. I modified this a lil tho, hope you dont mind!

This can be read as either platonic or romantic

TW: Unhealthy friendship/relationship dynamics. Dark implications. Blood. The term "ladies first" is mentioned but can be interpreted as jokingly/condescendingly if male or GN!Reader. Su!cide Joke.

Halloween - poly!Ghostface x Reader:

---

CLICK

The sound of Billy's camera echoed along the trees of the foggy forest, it's lens pointing at the murky gray depths of the lake you three usually frequented during the summer time.

You rest your face in your hands from your spot on the log, a towel draped on rotting wood in hopes of preventing your costume soaking in the moisture. You're lost in thought, buzz of cicadas in the air lulling you as you stare out at the waters. A groan rattles you from your reverie, and you blink towards the blond standing not too far from you.

"Billy, come oooon man." Stu whines as he traces patterns into the dirt with the stick he's holding "We've been here like, an hour. If we don't leave soon I'm gonna fuckin -Ccckkk - off myself." The blond sticks his tongue out dramatically as he performs a slicing motion with his thumb across his throat.

"Shut up Stu." Billy says, adjusting some setting on his camera, lifting it up again to take another series of pictures, not even bothering to look up and acknowledge the faux-offended gasp leaving Stu's mouth.

You smirk. "Do it. A corpse would just add to the atmosphere." The dark joke leaves your mouth teasingly, and you stick your tongue out at Stu as he flips you off with a grin before turning back to Billy, waving his stick like a wizard as he speaks.

"Look, man. I'm a growing boy. This right here?" He taps his temple. "Needs stimulation. Prefrontal Cortex development and aaaall that good stuff. You don't want me to grow up a stunted adult, right?"

Billy finally turns around to give him an unimpressed look before allowing a small smirk to grave his features. "Too late. That happened when mom and pops stopped hugging you."

You snicker and Stu pouts.

"Damn man. Is it Ouch-o-ween or what?" He grumbles before something catches your eye.

"Hey Stu, what's that?"

Stu's blue eyes look down to where yours are trained, and he squints before crouching down and poking the bumpy, rather moist looking thing with his stick. He moves the moss and a sharp grin pulls at his lips, mirth dancing in his eyes as he turns his head to you.

"Dead frog."

You blink. "You didn't kill it did you?"

"What? Noooo, I'm not some kind of monster Y/n." Something dark flashes in his eyes as he says those words, something that make an uncomfortable feeling pit in your stomach. It disappears almost as quickly as it comes, and Stu shrugs. "It was already dead. Probs starvation, since this place is also DEAD." Stu shouts that last word with an emphasis, startling both you and Billy as his voice reverberates along the trees. Stu chuckles at your reactions. Another poke and the stick almost breaks the rough skin of the frogs back.

"Let me see. Hey - don't fuck it up, stop poking it." Billy's speaks as he begins walking to where Stu stands with his camera in tow, not at all bothered by the mud tracking the boots of his Michael Myers costume.

An idea strikes you as you too make your way over to the two boys.

"Hey Stu, gimme that stick for a second!"

He hands it to you, and you get to work, the patterns and symbols etched in your mind being transferred onto the dirt as you encircle the frog with macabre sketches. Stu's eyes brim with mischievousness and curiosity in equal measure, and Billy's eyes mirror them.

"Aaaaand." You poke your tongue out the side of your mouth as you put the finishing touches "There! Pretty cool huh? Saw it in some cheap giallo film." You puff up your chest proudly as the two boys take in the pentagram and demonic symbols that now had the dead, rotting frog within it's center.

"Doooope. Looks like you got it, heh, dead-on." Stu cackles with his tongue out as you roll your eyes playfully. Billy gives you an impressed look as he tilts his head at different angles. He lifts his camera up, but hesitates and brings it down before locking eyes with you both.

"it's good. But...missing something." He says, and a shadow flickers in his eyes, one that had you hold back a shudder.

"What?"

Your breath hitches, and you hear Stu's does too, as Billy reaches into his pocket and pulls out his Buck 120. He unsheathes it, and his eyes dart between you and Stu's faces.

"Blood. For a little, hmm. Ambiance." He pauses. "You two in?"

You and Stu look at one another and you notice the excitement in his blues, pupil almost obscuring the sky-like color. You know immediately what his answer will be, and you pass your tongue over your drying lips as Billy looks at you both expectantly.

You nod at the same time that Stu confirms his participation with a loud quip that you don't register. All you can focus on is the steel that flashes with every subtle movement of Billy's hand. Something catches in your breath, tight and uncomfortable, as Billy opens his free hand towards you with a smirk.

"Ladies first."

You swallow the lump and nod, eyes squeezing closed as Billy's warm hand wraps around your wrist. He notices this and, in an almost soothing, very-not-Billy way, he gently runs his thumb against your wrist's pulse soothingly before bringing the knife to your arm.

As the sharp blade nicks your skin, you feel warm, and a brief fire lights in your veins as blood drips out of you slowly like water. it dribbles onto the frog, it's body as silent as the air around you as all your eyes train on your blood with bated breath. After a few large drops, you pull your arm away, putting pressure on the cut and hissing as it stings.

A grin that looks jagged stretches Billy's lips, and he lifts his eyebrows playfully as he now looks at Stu. Stu gives a nervous grin back, and it almost seemed like he was scared of Billy having a knife, but any trepidation seemingly disappears as he holds out his arm with an almost childlike enthusiasm.

"My turn!"

Billy chuckles, and does the same to Stu that he did to you, earning a hiss from the taller man as life leaves his veins in a thin stream. The two lock eyes as Stu clenches his jaw and Billy's eyes brim in excitement. They break this contact when Stu pulls away, gripping his own wound as best as he can, using the apron from his Bubba Sawyer costume to stall the blood flow further.

Billy sheathes the knife as you and Stu grip at your arms, placing it away as his hands once again grab his camera and lifting it to his face.

"Wait. What about you?" You ask, confusion marring your features, and Stu raises his eyes from his still bleeding arm to also give Billy a questioning glance.

Billy lowers the camera briefly, and a blank expression paints his face as he stares down at the frog and gives a nonchalant shrug.

"There's already enough blood."

You both look down and see that he's right. Red dribbled down green-gray skin and seeped into the dirt around it, trailing outwards in a way that looked like it was reaching for something.

You and Stu's blood painted the perfect picture for Billy.

He brings the camera to his face once more and the shudder sounds louder than it is as he takes a myriad of pictures. Come to think of it...this forest seems a lot more spacious than you remember it was back in the summer. The opposite of claustrophobia encases your heart.

Stu gives a shaky smile to the both of you, and you and Billy return it with varying levels of steadiness. Your mouth moves before you can stop it, earning a chuckle from Billy and a loud cackle from Stu.

"Happy Halloween."

[stormbreaker101]

i thought the tiktok said "i love ween" which is why this is... what it is 😭 but pls enjoy this and my attempt at the default wiz </3

oh my god! ween is here! hallo!

this is amazing. pure serotonin. i am in awe, ur maulwurf has such friend energy. he and the wizard vibing and doing music together >>>

(for those uninitiated, here's context lol)

[vilestar]

For their simplistic lifestyles and lack of complex technologies, the countryside sprung with energy and collective dedication for the past few weeks. Carved pumpkins lit with candlelights laid motionless onto stone tiles, papercuts of various creatures haunted the walls of cottages and barns alike, horror stories and urban legends with assorted legitimacy journeyed from one host to another. And who could forget the famed beast that dwells in the confines of his den?

The children calling Boleham their home were not immune to the infectious hustle and bustle of Halloween, pursuing the yearly tradition of knocking on doors and aiming hand-crafted baskets at their festive neighbours. A peculiar trio found themselves having a successful haul, bags enriched with sugary goods from trick-or-treating all day long. Albeit their moderate harvest, they yearned more; and aimed high.

The leader resembled a zombie, the other was tucked in bandages parallel to a mummy, and the shyest of the bunch—who did not agree with the reckless idea from the beginning—had no more than a horns-shaped hair clip on his hair. Together they scaled the endless curved staircases leading to the Great Overlord’s courtyard, winds howling at immense speed as the atmosphere got increasingly sinister the closer they got.

“ I don’t know Clara... I think all of us should just... back off and head home. ” stated the younger one, trailing behind while shaking in his boots. “ What if mum was right? Wh-wh-what if the b-b-b-beast... EATS babies! And simmers them in his cauldron for supper!! And, and— ”

“ Quit bein’ a scaredy cat Sammy! We’re fiiiine! Besides we’re super duper mega strong as a team! We can deal with any big bad monsters and mean wizards! ” she scoffed, unsheathing her wooden sword with courage and pride. “ Imagine the other kids’ reaction when we snatch somethin’ from Mister Veigar! Or beat him in a fight! You’ll thank me when we become celebrities, trust my superhero instincts. ”

Samuel was not convinced at all. Who did she think she was? A knight that smites eldritch monstrosities to save their kingdom? If Bilgewater’s trained beast hunters and the empires’ armed troopsfailed to take down this threat, how could a child that’s recently celebrated her 11th birthday negotiate with him?

And yet, he tried not to crack out of fear, repeating to himself that they’ll somehow get away with their ambitious sidequest, or that Lord Veigar recently had dinner and wouldn’t have a taste for human brains. The architecture and overall ambience of the environment did not help one bit however. The steps were hardy and strong, the walls cold in colouration and to the touch, mauve thundersfissured from the stormcloud-filled skywith one big boom, startling the child in each occasion.

Sneaking through the gates and approaching the giant door, the children’s clumsiness did not go unnoticed from long, concealed yordle ears as Clara proceeds to recklessly slam the door knockers on the wooden entrance. Peeking through the second floor’s window was none other than Lord Veigar himself, pupils glaring around in frustration to identify the source of the noisy mess. With gritted teeth he has located the juvenile group, recognizing their Halloween attire and... merely narrowing his eyes from said discovery.

What a weird tradition, this “Hall-of-ween” thing was. Why are mortals so eager to dress as creatures they swore to destroy on a regular basis?

Minutes had passed, and the two children began to grow impatient, rambling about their plans and questioning where that wretched beast could possibly hide. Samuel on the other hand proceeds to gasp at the sight of a shadowy silhouette brusquely drifting away from the window frame. There’s no doubt now: Mister Veigar was very well here and ready to... CAPTURE THEM ALIVE!

Suddenly, the eerie sound of clanking metal grew louder, followed by what appeared to be a prolonged growl and ghostly hiss. The trio’s chirping stopped; Clara valiantly held her sword’s handle, Oliver kept on chewing his bubblegum, and Samuel was on the verge of crumbling on the floor from terror.

The door creaked ominously and opened halfway, revealing no more than piercing eyes glowing in the dark, starring at them annoyingly. He did not shout, nor did he attack or intimidate as he naturally does. He simply stood motionless, iron claws on the handle, waiting for proper justifications.

The awkward silence carried on until Oliver‘s bubble popped, and Clara blurted out azestful “ TRICK OR TREAT! ” afterwards, aiming her basket of candy at the villain’s figure.

❝ ...That’s... it? ❞ he responds, fueled with rage and utterly baffled. ❝ You flimsy rats have the AUDACITY to penetrate my grounds, RUIN my royal slumber, AND THEN beg for trivial saccharose delicacies?! ❞

“ IT WAS HER IDEA! NOT MI— ” “ BACK OFF, MONSTER! I’M A TRAINED WARRIOR! I’M NOT LETTIN’ YOU HURT MY BEST BUDDIES! ” the little girl interrupts, drawing her sword and pointing it right at the vicious beast‘s chest; who then proceeds to laugh maliciously upon flinching.

❝ OHHH NOOOOO! Woe is Lord Veigar! Bested by a pipsqueak with a toothpick! What shall I dooooo~! ❞ he upped his theatrics at full capacity, evoking crystal clear sarcasm through exaggerated gestures and faking a sorrowful tone. A wicked grin soon emerged on his hidden figure, tilting his head and starring down at the brave child. ❝ Can’t you see you might need MORE than a pointed stick to even remotely ATTEMPT atstriking yours truly? Hmm? ❞

She shrunk for a bit, stuttering and delving in thoughts before facing the mage once more. “ My dad’s a forgemaster! He’s fought many many evil beasts like you before! And he said when I grow up I’m gonna be as strong as him and get a sword bigger than you!! ” she pouts, blowing a raspberry in retaliation.

This shattered Lord Veigar’s unremitting ego like a bullet piercing through glass. Disrespected? By a naive child? AND an accidental short joke to top it all off?! Unacceptable.

❝ Whyyy YOOOUUU LITTLE— ❞ he took a step closer, magic flowing through grasped iron claws threatening to harm the children out of anger, but shook his head and stopped midway. It wasn’t worth it. None of this was worth it. They’re puny babies with no impact on anything and bound under HIS rule. Wasting strength on them wouldn’t be rewarding whatsoever.

Perhaps a lesson would suffice instead.

Standing tall with arms behind his back, Lord Veigar, as anticipated, begins his everlasting monologue. ❝ My powers are boundless. The universe shifts and bends before my might. I hail atop this realm and strike FEAR into its hearts. Those who dare contend against my authority are greeted with death or sentenced to life in my disdainful dungeons. AND YOU... You WILL succumb to my strength in the foreseeable future!!

BUT... Despite your age, you’ve shown boldness and nerve throughout your journey, risking your life demanding justice against my cruelty without hesitation. I respect that... to an extent. While I DESPISE your insolence and ignorance, I believe you deserve a little confectionery for your effort... ❞ and with that, his giant gauntlet offered a nicely-packed bag of licorice; notoriously known for being hated among younger generations. He had one by his side this entire time. How evil.

❝ LICORICE! A favoured treat of mine! Black as my heart, swirled like the arcane barrier that’s trapped your ancestors decades ago. Don’t finish it in one night. ❞

“ Could you say that with less old man words? ” Oliver replies.

❝ It means I like its taste, you complete imbecile. ❞ he huffed.

“ W-w-wait..! Mister Veigar..? ” uttered Samuel with timidity.

❝ MASTER Veigar! ❞ he corrected.

“ R-RIGHT! Sowwy! So uuuhm...mum shares all your stories with me and I was wondering if you could... could uhm... sign this book for me..? It’s about how you like... dropped so many comets from the sky one night and burnt your prisoners to crisp... or something... I, I-I know I’m probably asking too much but!! Ehm... I want to remember the day I got to talk face to face with the almighty Beast of Boleham Miste— MASTER Veigar! ”

The villain‘s eyes briefly widened with surprise, and glanced at the novel between his paws. A novice in the written arts... a rare sight nowadays. Never before has he been asked to dedicate a book before; or any publication, for that matter. Part of him believes he is showing too much kindness to these insufferable mortals and ruining his malicious image as a result... although... how could he not repay an infant for their genuine interest in his work?

Silence loomed once more in their surroundings, and Lord Veigar rolled his eyes and promptly left the scene, delving deeper into the darkness of his tower. The children stood confused, until he returned with a feather dripping in ink on its tip, writing his name in the front page in an elegant, cursive font.

❝ Don’t... thank me. ❞ he murmured to the boy in a displeased tone, returning the book to the rightful owner. ❝ And do NOT presume my generosity is a sign of kindness! I am Lord Veigar! Destroyer of Worlds! Bearer of Corruption! Murderer of Vixis the Cruel! I WILL afflict agony upon your spirits!

And with this out of the way... GET OUT OF MY PROPERTY! LEAVE MY SIGHT! SCRAM TO YOUR HOMES! ❞ the beast’s roar; alongside the tremendous crackling energy discharging from his petite figure, caused the trio to swiftly run for their lives; albeit not too fast to not tumble down the stairs like pebbles on a mountain slope. He could hear their giggles and part of the boy’s scolding at the girl for her recklessness, but also sensed his joy elapsing through his blood after receiving the Master of Evil’s unique dedication.

He shook his head and slammed the door shut with all his might. Implore this never occurs ever again.

[citrus-cactus]

Couple more Appmon Halloween headcanons:

Ai and Haru have made multiple attempts to try and convince their friend group to coordinate costumes around some literary theme (Wizard of Oz, Alice in Wonderland, etc.) and it has NEVER WORKED. The two of THEM follow the theme, but most people don’t understand what they’re supposed to be because a) they don’t always dress up as the most obvious characters, b) they go off book representations, not movie, and c) there’s only two of them (“you’re a girl in a dress with a cookie and a… sleepy mouse? I don’t get it.”). They still have fun though!

Eri’s favorite part is handing out candy to little kids at idol meet-up events. They’re so cute!! And when they come up to her and say “trick or treat,” she responds with, “If you try to play tricks on Karan Eri-sama, the only thing you’ll get is a Big Bang Punch!” and the kids LOVE it.

Astora starts making Halloween-themed videos starting on October 1, mostly consisting of him trying additional Western ‘ween customs (bobbing for apples, sticking your hands in bowls of peeled grapes and spaghetti, etc.). Halloween is groovy, obviously, and his followers are SUPER INTO IT.

Rei dressed up ONE TIME (meaning he put on a funny hat or something, that was it) and the other Appdrivers LOST THEIR MINDS. Years later, he’s still trying to live it down he secretly enjoyed it though, or he wouldn’t have done it ;D

[tea-moon-ster]

Fic-O-Ween Day 5: Ritual

hello! here's the third part of the Fantasy Magic Au. follow the characters into their routine and find out what is bugging them. character credits to the amazing @lumosinlove , prompt and hosting credits to @noots-fic-fests. read it on ao3 here.

Everyone has their own rituals. In everyday life, it’s part of the little things that keep the same old cadence from sulking into soulless. You build your life, and rituals grow in the little drafts of what you worked hard to have. And when you can’t find the way back to yourself, they remind you that not everything is lost. Roux had always had his own series of rituals. Many dating back to when he bore another name, and the world was different.

Take a walk first thing in the morning.

Read a book during breakfast.

Check that everyone in the house is safe before going to sleep.

While some of them had needed adjustments, Roux sticked to many of his habits. He went on little adventures when the sun was still shy and cold, and Leo was still sleeping. Their cottage was close to the village, but also to the forest. That’s where Roux liked to go. Though, Leo didn’t appreciate when, on sheer instinct, the cat brought small prey back from his strolls. The hysterical screams stopped once Roux switched to fallen leaves -he’d tried to bring flowers, but it was harder than it looked, really. Awful business, flowers. Leo kept them all, though, and thanked Roux for the gift every morning. That was a new ritual Roux couldn’t bring himself to mind.

Also, Leo read to him every morning and every night. The witch has caught on his love for books without questioning it -not that Roux could have provided an answer, anyway. He now had a little nook on a bookshelf all to himself, with a soft pillow and a crocheted blanket. He liked that it was in the middle of books- Roux couldn’t get enough of books. He missed his own terribly. But Leo always read to him -spells, recipes, romances, Roux took it all. It was so easy to let himself purr against the wizard’s chest as it vibrated with a careful sweetness.

He also made sure Leo was safe before bedtime, even if the witch often struggled to sleep, deciding to read or cook instead. Those nights, Roux would follow him silently until the boy was too tired to delay his sleep any further, and then he’d curl up at Leo’s side and purr until he felt his body relax. And he knew Leo performed many protection spells on their cottage -he meticulously renewed them once a month- but maybe they could protect each other. Maybe he could be useful all the same.

New rituals were born, too.

Leo liked to sit in his armchair, ready for Roux to jump on his legs and listen to him read or talk. The boy would rant for hours about the most disparate topics, sometimes. After months spent together, Roux now knew that he missed his parents, and that he felt the pressure of a village relying on his powers, and not on the Winter Wizard’s anymore -he talked about that guy an awful lot. Sometimes, Leo would just stay silent and run long fingers down Roux’s back. And while no words were said, those were the saddest times. Roux didn’t mind his new life, not one bit. But sometimes there was nothing he wanted more than to speak reassuring words to the human who had taken him in. The frustration of only being able to meow or purr in response was swallowed down, together with all the other things Roux missed. If he could have spoken, he would have asked Leo a spell against feeling so helpless.

All in all, Roux was happy with what he’d found. He enjoyed the books, the chats, and the slow mornings. Those were rituals that worked better than magic on them both, when it came to feeling better and less alone and more human.

But Leo had other rituals, too, old ones that didn’t involve Roux. That stung a little, he noted as he studied Leo easing his blue, pointy hat on his curls and grab his cloak. He watched him place some vials in his basket and check twice if he had everything with him.

Roux felt abandoned.

“Roux, you’re not being abandoned.”

If Leo had thought that behavior might disappear after the first few weeks spent together, he’d been wrong: the cat had been living with him for five months now, and he was still as dramatic as the day he took him in. Weren’t cats supposed to be independent? Why did this one put on a show every time Leo left the house without him? Because he’s not a real cat, Knut, Leo reminded himself. And it’s your fault he’s still like this.

“I’ll be back in the afternoon,” he mumbled as he busied himself with his sack. “Don’t bring animals inside.”

The cat sighed. Sighed. Cats didn’t sigh.

Leo rolled his eyes in fond exasperation. “How about…I buy some fish at the market for you?”

The cat immediately perked up, ears turning in attention. He let out a luxurious meow as he rolled on his blanket, then stared at him like a kicked kitten. The bastard knew he could get more out of it.

Unfortunately, Leo knew it, too. “And go to the library to see if they have something new to read?”

Ah, that’s more like it, the cat’s seemed to say. He purred as he stretched in his little nook, ready for a nap. Leo snorted. “You’re ridiculous. A ridiculous little man. And I feel like I spoil you too much. I really think I do.”

Roux didn’t argue with that. He seemed too pleased.

“Bye, you dramatic little creature.”

As we were saying, Leo had his own rituals.

A village depended on his powers now that his magic had reached maturity. That’s how things were. He’d joined an older wizard after his studies to be his apprentice, and now he was expected to take care of the little town of Gryffindor. The whole thing had been a bit unusual- his master didn’t bear his magical core: Kasey was a winter witch, and Leo a sun one. Even more absurd, while he should’ve moved once his training was over, Kasey had retired after a trip that lasted weeks -that had caused voices, too- only to become a lumberjack once he’d returned. Leo had simply taken his place.

But Leo didn’t mind the details, or the voices. Kasey had been his master, yes, but he was also one of his closest friends. And the villagers were kind and loyal. A tight knitted community who’d welcomed him warmly two years ago, and had eased the homesickness the cold always brought with a sense of familiarity.

Before running his errands down at the village, the young witch took the old path down the forest. Because the first stop every morning after a full moon was, unfailingly, Remus and Sirius’ house. It was a big, red thing, hidden by a spell that made it appear as an abandoned shack to everyone who ventured into the woods without invitation. The spell had been created by Kasey, but it was Leo who kept it running, these days.

The morning after the full moon was an intricate series of rituals, at the Black-Lupin cottage. Leo would drop by to leave the healing potions he’d prepared the days before; James and Lily would close their tavern at the village to come help; Sirius wouldn’t leave Remus’ side.

The night had been uneventful, thankfully. The dog and the stag had kept the werewolf busy enough not to let him harm himself, and the injury at his shoulder was getting better. Kasey would later quickly visit to see it personally -retirement or not, he was determined to help Remus how he could.

The witch left the cabin to its rituals, so that he could go on with his own: he visited the village’s market, met with a few clients to perform spells and sell potions, and made a quick stop to the library. After a moment of hesitation, he also walked into the apothecary’s. He didn’t need anything per se, but the urge to see if some ingredients would inspire him to try new solutions was too big. Soon, his basket was full. A silver snake’s skin for change. Fig tree roots for protection. Burnt sand from the East for guidance.

The fact that looking for solutions was turning into a ritual wasn’t welcomed like the other many, familiar habits. But Leo wouldn’t give up on Roux, and was ready to keep him safe no matter what. A hint of pride warmed his chest. He was nowhere near to finding a solution more than he was months ago, but he was determined to figure it out on his own. Sure, having Kasey to help him would have been easier, especially since he knew so much about metamorphosis- he’d been trying to find a cure for Remus for years now. But Kasey had grown more cautious of magic ever since his retirement. More hesitant, even hostile towards magic he didn’t know well, despite his calling and his love for it. Leo didn’t want to involve him if there was a remote possibility that the winter wizard would stop him. He wouldn’t risk that.

Rituals didn’t retire, that was for sure.

Kasey still enjoyed his cinnamon tea in the morning, and still put on his left boot on first. He’d never stop kissing Natalie before she left for work.

A new ritual was tapping his axe on the ground twice before starting to chop the wood for the day. Another one was leaving a slice of bacon on a plate just at the border of the forest, a few steps from his house.

He would do it every morning, waiting for the fox to appear.

Sometimes it’d come. Sometimes it wouldn’t.

It never let Kasey come too close, and the number of times it’d actually taken the meat could have been counted on one hand.

But Kasey had seen the fox stare, at him or the house or Natalie. It would only look, as if to check on them, before vanishing into the dark green again. None of his knowledge of fauna, signs interpreting, and witchcraft could explain it. But Kasey swore that there was something in that fox that was familiar.

Maybe he was just delusional. Maybe he just didn’t know how to let go.

But it was just a ritual, and he had nothing to lose.

.

.

.

[blueshroom666]

I am in an abusive relationship with King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard

I fucking love the band King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard. I don’t need to explain myself, there’s a billion video essays on YouTube praising the band and they’re even so good that 4chan hates them.

I am currently writing this whatever rant on September 7th, 2022; the day that will live on in infamy around the sphere of indie music, the day every music reviewer quivered in their boots, the day that people who collect vinyl wish that they had another hobby. More simply the day that King Gizzard revealed the 3 full-length albums that they are going to be releasing in the same month. (Hey future me, are the albums any good? At least one of them has to be okay tier.) Now I, like any fan, am very excited for these albums to release, but it got me reflecting. Reflecting on the last, and first time I saw King Gizzard live. Or as I like to call it:

(Warning: I use a lot of exaggeration in this, this whole thing is kind of a half-joke)

THE WORST KING GIZZARD SHOW OF 2022

Let me explain.

I live in Arizona, which causes the very weird phenomena of bands just not doing shows in the state. Every now and then they will, but it's usually one show and sometimes (like in the case of King Gizzard) added on afterwards. I have literally watched, with my own eyes, bands hit every state around Arizona and somehow just forgetting it. So seeing that there was not only one, but two King Gizzard shows announced in Arizona I couldn't believe my eyes. Since at the time I was still a "hard-working" student, and both shows were on a school night, me and my friends decided to go to the Tempe show, as the Tuscon show was a hour drive away. (Foreshadowing; we should've risked the drive.) The night came and we were so excited. This was the first real show I was going to that I would know EVERY song that they could play. (I hadn't seen Ween yet.) The morning before the show, the band posted on their Instagram what the show's poster was going to be. (For context, every different King Gizzard show has a poster for it designed by the band's artist, Jason Galea.) The poster for the show is as follows:

Not only is this the third toy-themed poster, the other two being fan-favorites, but this was themed after their (at the time) recent album Butterfly 3000, one of their most complex releases since my personal favorite Polygondwanaland, but also the first King Gizzard album I bought on vinyl. Also, they had only performed one of the songs off of it live before (Shanghai), and it seemed that tonight we were going to hear it.

We got to the venue at a good time, but even then there were still people lined up around the block. Before we went in however, an event happened with one of my friends that I have immortalized forever in an MSPaint comic.

(Don't worry, he got in by finding some sort of ID on his phone)

Beautiful

With that out of the way, we entered the venue and proceeded to wait in a long ass line for the merchandise booth. I bought said poster and two CDs (Oddments and Gumboot Soup) and then we watched the opening band.

The opening band was Spellling and they were really good. The only thing about them that I knew beforehand was that Antony Fantano had given one of their albums a 10, so I knew they would be okay at best. During the opener we got to see a glimpse of Stu Mackenzie (King Gizzard's frontman) watching Spellling from the side of the stage.

To us then it seemed like he was just seeing how the opener was doing, but now I see it as him observing the crowd and deciding that "I'm going to create the worst setlist we will have for the entire tour, no, our entire touring career."

The show was fun while it lasted. I moshed in the pit, I screamed all the WOOs, and I even recorded the whole show on my phone. (Link - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zyAMHJxxMBg) The setlist was as follows:

(Chips was the highlight of the night)

Even as we left the venue I was thinking in the back of my head "That setlist kinda blew", but I didn't put much thought into it probably because of all the weed that was in the air at the show. It wasn't until the day after that I really put some thought into it and realized,

WHAT THE FUCK KING GIZZARD

None of those fucking songs are the ones that any fan says "oh yeah, you gotta hear this". They aren't even deep cuts! They're just songs you would find straight in the middle of their most played on Spotify. Sure The Dripping Tap is good, but they had been playing that at every second show. Ontology and Static Electricity are my favorite songs off of their respective albums, but their albums are also two of my least favorites. Planet B and Organ Farmer are the least interesting songs off of Rat's Nest, and The Great Chain of Being is my least favorite King Gizzard metal song period. Garden Goblin was good, the album it was on hadn't been released yet, and The Bitter Boogie was the best part of the night. But damn it Gizz, you didn't even play a song off of the album that the poster was themed off of! NO SHANGHAI, NO CATCHING SMOKE, NO INTERIOR PEOPLE, NO YA LOVE, NOT EVEN FUCKING BLUE MORPHO.

Suffice to say I was a little bit pissed off. But that wouldn't even cover what my reaction was when I saw the setlist for the show they played the next night, an hour away.

HOLY SHIT

Is that a suite from their narrative-driven album? Is that a song using the flute with one of their best riffs? Is that 3 of their best metals songs and the LIVE DEBUT of a new one? Is that a microtonal suite with an intro and outro? And most important of all...

IS THAT MOTHERFUCKING SHANGHAI?!

I was not only furious, I was upset. Not only had I been to one of their worst shows, but I had missed out on one of their best. I will forever regret not going to that Tuscon show, but what was I to do? I would have gotten home at 2 AM on a school night, and there was no way for my parents (or my body) to allow that.

Fuck you Stu Mackenzie, fuck you Joey Walker (even though you kissed a man at the show), fuck you Michael Cavanagh, fuck you Cook Craig, fuck you Lucas Skinner, and even fuck you Ambrose Kenny-Smith. You not only pissed me the fuck off, but you broke my heart as well.

I hope your next three albums are unbearably mid.

(I'm really only half-joking, the show was fun and I still love King Gizzard, see them live if you can)

[givemetherapyimawritingtravesty]

Trick or Treating with the Little Brothers - SW Coops Fall Fluff and Stuff

Hello! Here with a bullet list for @opaleyedragon‘s Fic-O-Ween! The character universe belongs to the queen herself, @lumosinlove, of course. Without further delay, Happy Spooky Season, enjoy!

https://archiveofourown.org/works/27113383

·         So Coops visit the Lupin’s for Halloween because Sirius promised Jules he’d take him trick or treating

·         He drags along Regulus, of course because why not?

·         So the boys take their little brothers trick or treating in a nearby subdivision

·         Reg has no idea what to go as but has always wanted to go, but because if the Black’s A+ Parenting ™ (sarcasm), he has never been

·         Jules helps him decide.

·         The little bros go a group costume with Hope and Lyall

·         Wizard of Oz.

·         Jules wants to be the lion, Hope is Dorothy, Lyall is scarecrow…

·         So Reg ends up in silver face paint as the tin man!!!

·         Only a face as cute as Jules could convince him to do it, or so he claims (it’s definitely not because he’s always wanted to go all out for Halloween but never been allowed to or anything sad like that, only happy fluffy thoughts here please)

·         What do Coops goes as, you may ask?

·         Sirius loved Toy Story growing up. He REALLY always wanted to go as Buzz Lightyear. SO he DOES. And makes Re be the cutest darn Woody there ever was, cowboy hat, boots, and all.

·         After Hope gets SO many group photos, they finally head off.

·         BUT not before Sirius gets a selfie with everyone for his Instagram, captioned, “A spooky night with the (future) in-laws feat. Baby bro Reggie (insert heart emoji)

·         They meet up with some of Jules friends and parents

·         Jules leads the charge with Reg in tow

·         Coops lolly-gag behind with all the parents, holding hands and being all cute and stuff, talking with all the parents

·         Some of Jules hockey friend’s hockey parents are doting over Sirius, and not just the moms

·         The dads who came with to help supervise are also in awe

·         One of the dad’s, let’s call him Carl

·         Carl points out a small boy in a princess dress, “Look at that costume”

·         (the princess is Belle, yellow dress and the boy is sporting short brown hair and carrying a book, “because she loves to read, just like me!”

·         Everyone turns to Carl with wide eyes, Sirius challenging him to say some bigoted comment, because that’s usually how this goes.

·         But Carl just says, “They even have a book, how cute. And it’s Beauty and the Beast book!”

·         Everyone lets out the breath they didn’t know they were holding

·         The little Belle with a book, as it turns out, is a hockey fan

·         And the little Belle runs up to Sirius, their parents in tow, and asks “Can I get a picture with y’all?”

·         And Sirius is all of course and Re is all heart eyes and Re offers to take the picture so the parents can be in it

·         But little Belle says, “No, you too! You have to be in the picture! The boyfriend of Captain Sirius Black has to be in the picture too with y’all’s cute matching costumes! I love Toy Story!”

·         Coops just melt, Carl offers to take the picture

·         Remus says, “Ya know, Sirius loves Toy Story too!”

·         Meanwhile, Reg is corralling the kiddos from house to house having a great time and talking hockey with Jules and his buddies.

·         They get SO MUCH candy.

·         When they get back to the Lupin’s, Reg and Jules dump all their candy on the floor and start sorting and trading with each other for stuff they like, getting rid of the stuff they don’t like.

·         Coops definitely sneak up and steal a few pieces from their little bros, but Reg yells, “DIET PLAN” at Sirius

·         Sirius just shrugs and eats another piece

·         “He’s right, you know” Remus says, also eating another piece of chocolate the Jules hands him because he loves his big brother

·         Sirius just deadpans, “look who’s talking” and stares down his boyfriend as he eats another piece.

·         By the time they’re done, there is a pile of candy on the floor that none of them like, which of course is given to Lyall, who will eat any kind of candy and gladly accepts.

·         (Maybe that’s where Remus gets his loves for chocolate from)

·         They watch The Nightmare Before Christmas after dinner while Hope and Lyall do the dishes in the kitchen

·         Jules and Reg still on the floor, mostly awake and paying attention to the movie

·         Sirius lays on top of Remus’ chest, both out cold when Hope and Lyall walk in to catch the last bit of the movie and get all their boys to bed

·         Jules hears them come in and turns to see them, also just noticing his brother and Sirius asleep on the couch.

·         Lyall sits in his recliner, Hope on his lap

·         Jules gets up to grab the blanket off the back of the couch and flick it over the sleeping men on the couch

·         He then returns to his spot on the floor, laying on his stomach and shoulder to shoulder with Regulus

·         They shove each other with their shoulders, jostling around a bit before settling in to finish the movie.

·         By the time the credits roll, all the boys are passed out and Hope and Lyall turn off the TV, cover them in blankets, and head up to bed in their house filled with such love and warmth even on this cold Halloween night.

[starrysupercell]

I would very, very very very, like to know the context to Crow's Barley-phobia.

Thank you so, so much for giving me the excuse to talk about this. And showing interest too-- I love typing out stuff like this..! :)

Love that term, btw. I'm gonna use that as this topic's tag, if you don't mind. 😊

~

So it starts with the good ol' classic animation: Wizard Barley.

Yes I had to use this silly in-between. Swoos.

Canonically, Barley saw Crow, skidded to a stop, then took cover in the time it took Crow to see him and attack. So already, this bartender has faster reflexes than the skilled, highly trained Hitman. (hitbird?)

Barley gets a powerup out of nowhere, and takes it as it is whereas Crow is stunned.

"What in fxckville?" Says Crow as Barley grins at him and lunges.

To be honest, I'd probably be scared too.

He then freezes in place, gets the knives knocked out of his feathers (dang Barley perfect aim?), and he flees because he knows he's outmatched against this cold, merciless killer.

So if that's all, it's good right? Just one bad match. In this Park where fighting is the norm, that's nothing.

Then we get to Barley's Last Call.

From Crow's point of view, he just went berserk!! Others are also shown with fear, but they don't have the same history as Crow does with Barley, so they're fine with being near him later. (Shown with Bibi and Mortis.)

Next, I want to make it a point that up to this date, Barley has not gotten knocked out in animations as of today. (08/06/2021) he's been sniped, hurled back and scared away, but never down for the count or defeated on screen.

(Examples include Goldarm Gang, Amber's Brawl-o-ween, and Buzz's First Day.)

Imagine Crow hearing the rumors that Barley is always left unscathed every time something in the Park goes down.

This one he cameos in, he fearlessly takes a selfie with Loaded Rico, celebrating their newfound riches and immortality, probably.

(Sidenote: Get yourself someone who pays 100% attention to you on a date. Monster attacks? That's nothing when I'm with you! <3)

Crow is prominent in this animation, so there's a chance he could have seen that fearless display of invincibility from afar. Barley is NOT scared of the giant destroying the city that he's struggling to fight against.

I'd also like to call attention to this picture. It's generally well-lit and Crow is on the prowl. Why isn't he calling attention to Mortis, when the Retropolis Gang clearly want to protect the trophy? Well...

You don't want to mess with any potential friend of the mad-bot, do you?

Lastly, it's also canon that Retropolis is apparently right across the street from Barley's, since in China's Anniversary Special, there's a celebration set up at his place.

He takes the picture (which, if this sweetheart usually agrees to take group pictures that means he's hardly in any. 💔), and we all know how it ends up. In typical Brawl Stars fashion. A big explosion!

...Guess who can see it from the glass window of Bull's Diner?? An alert bird who's always on the look-out for trouble?

Imagine being in Crow's boots. The robotic harbinger of fiery destruction with an ever-present smile... is within walking distance of you. Every day.

And you threw knives at him once.

Thank you for coming to my TED-Talk. ¤}