#i love how i drew celestia's face in here!!!

[qalrey]

her top student!

sketch below!!

[femmeandfancyfree]

Your Highness by Femmeandfancyfree

Purgatory is a lonely place when you're waiting for others to arrive. Fortunately for Sonia Nevermind, she's found company in one Celestia Ludenberg.

Rating: Explicit

Warnings: None apply

Pairings: FxF, Celestia Ludenberg/Sonia Nevermind

Read on Ao3!

Purgatory functioned much like Sonia’s life on Jabberwock Island had. A getaway location of sorts populated by the dearly departed. Specifically those victims of the killing games.

By human metrics it had been an unknowable amount of time since she'd actually died. She'd passed naturally while living on the island after despair was defeated. Yet, her best friend was evidently continuing to haunt the world.

Gundham Tanaka had not yet arrived in purgatory.

Yet, Sonia still stayed in the Welcome Hall, hoping she would be the first thing he sees. The two had never been an item, but Sonia would be lying to herself if she said she didn't regret never making it so.

“You can't be serious,” a familiar voice echoed.

Sonia didn't need to turn around. She resisted the instinct to roll her eyes as Celestia Ludenberg’s heels clicked against the marble floor.

“Do elaborate,” Sonia replied without looking at her.

“You're behaving very unbecomingly for royalty,” Celestia continued. “Sitting here alone in an empty hall waiting for your prince of darkness like it's a fairytale.”

Sonia didn't say anything but clenched her fists. She turned to face Celestia, glaring at her. Celestia just grinned.

“It would be far more beneficial to your spiritual growth for you to just adapt to your circumstances. That is, in my opinion,” Celestia continued as Sonia took deliberate steps toward her. Celestia stepped back, taunting her. “Though I know I've made my envy of you very clear, I am rather agitated at your insistence to waste your time waiting for a man. Quite frankly your behavior strikes me as pathetic. Like we have been instructed, we ought to focus on our immediate escape to heaven. Not on our childish obsessions with unrequited love.”

Sonia slammed Celestia’s back against the wall behind her before trapping her between both arms. The two of them held eye contact for the briefest moment. Celestia was still smiling snidely. She opened her mouth to speak again only for Sonia to immediately silence Celestia’s lips with her own. 

Sonia was demanding. Though Celestia put up a front of dignity, Sonia knew she had none. The two of them kissed passionately before Sonia finally pulled back for air.

“Fuck, Sonia-” Celestia breathed.

“To you, I am ‘your highness.’” Sonia threatened as she traced her hand up Celestia's thigh. “And it is time I taught you how to show some respect.”

Celestia couldn't hide her eagerness. As Sonia picked her up and pressed her back to the wall, Celestia wrapped her legs around Sonia's waist. Locking the two of them together as Sonia dominated Celestia’s mouth. 

Sonia once again parted from their kiss before immediately attacking Celestia’s neck. She licked and kissed at that pressure point under Celestia's skin that drove her mad. Sonia was sure she could feel Celestia’s pulse against her lips as she finally bit down on her neck.

Celestia whined and tilted her head back submissively. Completely surrendering as Sonia rubbed her through her lace underwear. 

“Do you never grow tired of being what you are not?” Sonia questioned. “Of falsifying your place in the world for the sake of fulfilling a fantasy?”

Celestia panted for a moment as she searched for words only for Sonia to interrupt her.

“You will speak when I allow it,” Sonia insisted gravely. “This is what you are. You are beneath me. Do you understand? Speak.”

“Yes, your Highness,” Celestia whispered.

“Speak louder,” Sonia said as she drew her hand away from Celestia's pulsing core. 

Celestia whined pathetically. “Yes, your Highness!” She repeated.

“Good girl,” Sonia praised in a biting tone. “That is what you are. You are no queen. You are nothing but my stress toy. You enjoy every moment of it, too. Coaxing the worst out of me for your own pleasure,” Sonia said as her hand returned to Celestia's underwear. She rubbed her through the fabric, teasing at her clit as Celestia panted and shivered.

Sonia moved the fabric of Celestia’s underwear aside before prodding at her entrance with the pads of her fingers.

“What do you want, peasant? Be a good girl and speak.”

“Fuck me, your Highness,” Celestia pleaded in a knowingly seductive purr. Her smile was devilish as she wrapped her arms over Sonia's shoulders. 

Sonia dove in for another heated kiss as she pushed her fingers inside Celestia, who dug her fingers into Sonia’s blonde hair. Holding her in their passionate embrace. 

Celestia’s voice wavered as she moaned against Sonia’s mouth. Each time they'd part for air, Sonia felt caught between hearing Celestia’s moans and the desire to just continue kissing her. For a moment Sonia just watched Celestia’s expressions as she set a steady pace with her fingers. Before Celestia could speak again she was silenced by another kiss.

“Do not speak without permission,” Sonia reminded her. “The only thing I want to hear out of that mouth are your moans.”

Celestia nodded before kissing Sonia again, prompting her to pick up her pace. As Sonia steadily fingered Celestia faster, she used her palm to press against her clit. 

Once again, Celestia parted from their kiss to breathe, only for her own staggered moans to interrupt her. 

“I can feel you getting close,” Sonia said. “Speak. What do you want?”

“I want to cum, your Highness,” Celestia begged. 

“Speak louder.”

“Please, your Highness! Please, let me cum!” Celestia begged. She was almost completely undone. Holding herself over the edge with sheer willpower alone.

Sonia smiled at her gently. “Good girl. Go on then, cum for me. Cum for your true queen.”

Sonia joyfully watched Celestia’s expression tense as she finally came. Her mouth hung open, her eyes were on Sonia. 

Sonia cooed and praised Celestia, gently pumping her fingers into her as Celestia’s orgasm rocked her to her core. 

“Good girl… What a good servant for me,” she teased as Celestia all but collapsed against her.

Had it been anybody else to call Celestia such a thing, they would be a bloody heap by now.

[d3m0l1t10n-lvrs]

Okay y'all asked for it, here's a future gay Fluttery Feelings scene

Celestia sat in Lucinda's lap, her back against her lover's chest as the vampire peppered kisses up and down her neck. Celestia's heart thumped in her chest, and she knew Lucinda could sense her blood pressure picking up. As Lucinda's fangs grazed her neck, she let out a small gasp. Lucinda immediately stopped and looked up at the girl, asking if she was okay. Celestia assured her that she was fine.

Lucinda nodded and ever so gently grabbed the fairy's hand, intertwining their fingers and whispering words of encouragement. She then used her free hand to feel Celestia's pulse, letting out a breathy sigh at the feeling of her fairy's blood rushing under her fingers. She put her hand on Celestia's waist and put her face up to the girl's neck, inhaling her scent. Her senses were heightened, she could smell the blood underneath her lover's skin. How devine it smelled. Her body was telling her to indulge and immediately bite down, but she resisted, for Celestia's sake.

"Take a deep breath, love" Lucinda said, in which Celestia did as she was told. Lucinda then bit down on the fairy's neck, making her gasp and tighten her grip on the vampire's hand. It only hurt for a second, then Celestia melted into Lucinda as the vampire greedily licked up the delicious blood flowing out of the wound.

"You're doing so good, baby bat..." She whispered, making a shiver run down Celestia's spine. It felt so... good. The slight sting mixed with Lucinda's feather light touches, and her tounge running up Celestia's neck made for pure bliss for the fairy. Lucinda lightly drew circles with her finger on Celestia's waist.

"I love you, I love you, I love you" the vampire repeated against the other girl's neck as she continued to lick up the flowing blood. Celestia's heart fluttered.

After a few minutes, Celestia felt light headed. Her grip slipped loose, and she leaned further into her lover. Lucinda took this as a sign to end the feeding session, and pulled away. Celestia looked up at the girl with a dazed, half lidded expression. Lucinda smiled and caressed the fairy's cheek before closing the distance with a kiss. Celestia could taste the metallic flavor of her blood lingering on the vampire's lips.

"You did so good, my love. Thank you." Lucinda whispered. She then gently laid back on the bed, taking the fairy with her. Celestia wrapped her arms around her lover and pulled her close. Lucinda kissed her forehead and ran her fingers through her hair, whispering endless praise and loving words.

Should I post this fluttery feelings scene... It's rlly gay

[the-character-lounge]

Okay so this particular RP snippet has quite a few important moments in it and it would make a weird sequence of images putting them all together, so I drew two of them but if you want to see the most important stuff I put it in italics.

Context: Spinel came to Randy high after seducing information out of some ponies, and he's trying to use Randy to cleanse his pallet. Randy refused and Spinel got upset, burning his own clothes on Randy's stove. When he demands Randy be honest, Randy angrily tells him why he's upset and that it's not fair that he's being made the bad guy for not wanting to take advantage of Spinel in the state he's in. Exhausted, Spinel falls asleep on the couch, and remains there until the next morning.

Randy limped into the kitchen, sulking and quietly thinking, when heard the material hit the ground and he stopped. He looked over towards the couch. “… y- I thought y- you left….” That was.. both frustrating and a relief. It would have been easier if Spinel had just left and stayed mad at him. Why the hell was he still here? Aside from the mane cut, he looked just like he used to. Timid, anxious, and unsure of himself. “.. Um…” he looked back towards his room, the music still playing, then back at Spinel. He flushed a bit, and started limping back towards his room to turn off the music. “I- I’ll be.. r- right back…”

"I probably should have, but I hate doing what I'm told." he smirked, but then scowled a bit after as it all caught up. Ugh. He never felt so shitty about humping a cushion in his life. He called after Randy in irritation, obviously offended, "You might as well at least wear the glasses I got you, Celestia's sake how fucking ungrateful can you be?"

 Randy stopped, and turned around. “.. Y- You’re right… I- I’m sorry…” he limped back into his room, switched off the music, and did what he was told. He put on the new glasses, and limped back out. It was uncanny. He had literally devolved back into that strange… timid sheepony again. He opened the fridge, taking out the milk. “… a- all I h- have… i- is cereal,” he said meekly, going to the cabinet to get a bowl.

 "I still have your leftovers in my fridge." he grumbled, crossing his forelegs and staring Randy down. Were all his fucking efforts in vain? "Let me guess. I fucked up again."

 Randy stopped everything he was doing, and looked over his shoulder. “… n- no. Th- This is… a- all my f- fault.” He turned around to face Spinel. “… I- I put y- you up t- to getting in- information… I- I’m the on- one who… who fucked up.” He softly poked at the floor, not knowing what else to say, before going back to getting his own cereal. “… s- so.. I’m s- sorry…”

 "Why do you keep acting like this bothers me?! The fuck are you appologizing to me for? And you know what? I'm capable of making my own choices so fuck you for thinking you can control what I do." He got up and picked up the pan that was still on the floor, waving it up and down a little as he pointed in his direction, "You hate your job. I hate my job. No pony loves their job, but they do it anyway. And that's what I did."

Randy looked wounded, and he backed up into the cabinets, cowering suddenly as if he was about to be hit. “Y- Your right! I- I’m s- sorry!” he almost yelped, dropping the box of cereal and covering his head. Shit it was happening, another relapse. He could feel the hoof beats on his face and in his ribs. He crumpled up on the floor. “I- I’m sorry! I- I’m sorry! .. I- I didn’t m- mean to!” He looked frightened, like a child. He clung to the cabinets, tears welling up in his eyes. “D- Don’t hit m- me! I- I’m sorry! I’m s- sorry! I- I won’t d- do it again!”

Spinel didn't know what the fuck just happened. He quickly tossed the pan on the couch and stared at the pathetic mess on the floor. He looked down at his hooves. Hit him? Randy was the one chucking heavy shit around the house, if anything he seemed the more likely candidate for hitting at the time! "Randy what-- I wasn't going to-" His eye twitched. "Stop crying, what the hell is wrong with you?" Crying didn't stop hitting, that did just the opposite, was he stupid?

“I- I’m s- sorry!” he whimpered, still covering his face. “J- Just don’t h- hurt me p- papa I- I’m s- sorry!” he sobbed softly, turning his face away into the cabinets, trying to protect himself from the onslaught. They were always vicious… first the back legs so he couldn’t run away.. and then every where that could be covered up with a shawl and hood. He pulled his back legs under him, only his back exposed. “Th- They’ll see th- the bruises p- papa! Th- They’ll.. they’ll s- see th- them!”

Now this was just getting weird and uncomfortable. He swallowed and looked away, retreating to a corner and tucking himself behind something just slightly in silence. He really didn't know what to do. When the others were crying, it only made it worse. Always. And telling them to shut up didn't work, so he just learned to block it out and think of them as weaker for not figuring out how to be quiet and behave. Big smile. Eventually it would stop.

Randy shivered, and waited. And waited.. and waited… but there were no blows. No kicks, no screams. It was.. just him and the floor. He took in deep breaths, he had to calm down. He recited his name, his address, how old he was, what he did for a living. And slowly, he managed to pull himself out of it. He rubbed his sides, the phantom sensation of ribs cracking slowly disappearing. He managed to get to his hooves, wiping himself off, and blinked a couple times. He leaned down, picked up the cereal box, and wiped his eyes, sniffling softly. He let out an uncomfortable chortle, and opened the box tentatively. “… S- Sorry… I- I thought… I thought you were g- going… t- to.. h- hit me….” he swallowed, trying to compose himself still. His hooves still shook, and he got cereal all over the counter as he poured. His voice was shaky, and it still sounded like he was sobbing it trembled so much. “.. Th- There’s or- orange juice t- too… i- if you w- want it…” he felt like he had to apologize for his.. rather unnecessary breakdown. But, he didn’t want to upset Spinel any more.

He was left to being reduced to blank staring. He didn't consult. Consultations made him sick, he couldn't stand the thought of patting his back and saying 'there there' or 'it's going to be a better day!' Appologies meant nothing. Pep talk was meaningless. Hugs were invasive. "Y--eah..." he spoke quietly, that looming feeling like he was going to get in trouble if he tried to help making his throat tight. He gulped a few times, then made a few odd 'mm' noises, swayed slightly, then looked off to the right. Very cautiously, he started to hum what he could remember of the song Randy sang before.

Randy held his hoof it was hurting so bad. He was a freak. Just a stupid, fucking mess. Spinel probably thought… thought… He looked over his shoulder, hearing the song. He wiped his eyes again, and leaned on the counter, closing his eyes and just.. listening. The nights when he woke up screaming, nightmares of his father standing over him still fresh on his mind, his grandmother would sing it to him. That’s why he had sung it to Spinel. And now he was… He took in a few deep breaths, and when Spinel finished, he took a minute to just, let the remaining melody settle before he opened his eyes slowly, still staring into the counter. “… th- thank you…” he managed, holding his burned hoof to his chest. “… A- And.. I- I’m sorry f- for… br- breaking d- down l- like that.”

Oh good, it seemed to work. Sort of. He gave a soft sigh of relief and then cautiously sat on the couch. He couldn't even remember what he was mad about any more, and just awkwardly rubbed his face. "I shouldn't have come here."

Randy was too sick to eat now, and he went over to the table and sat down, still shaking a bit. “… Y- You s- say that.. l- like it’s y- your f- fault.” He softly poked at the table. “Wh- When i- it’s not…” he sputtering nervously. He wanted to go over to the couch and hug Spinel. He needed some pony to just.. hold. But, if he got close.. they’d fight again. And some pony would end up hurt again. All because… of him.

He grunted, wanting to comment again that Randy couldn't control what he chose to do, but then maybe he'd do that weird crying shit again. He felt at a loss, then defeatedly waved a hoof in the air. "Fine, it's your fault. Fuck you. Are you happy now?"

 “.. n- not.. r- really….” he held his head in his hooves. “.. I d- don’t kn- know….” He rubbed his eyes, and sighed. “… I- I’m…” he didn’t know whether to finish that or not. He had apologized so many times this morning, that one more apology and he’d probably be getting his ass thrown out the window, just like those rotten eggs. He let his voice trail off, and he put his head down on the table.

He tapped his hoof in irritation. He spoke up quickly after Randy had trailed off, tired of him cutting himself off like that and wanting to destroy the silence as soon as possible. "What happened? You were buying me dinner and hopping down the street and then suddenly you're all... whatever the fuck this is. And last night too, who even eats cake with a face like that?"

“… I.. I don’t.. kn- know…” he said, rubbing his temples. “.. I- It’s th- this whole… f- fucking mess…” He took off the glasses and rubbed his brow. “I.. I just… am st- stressed out I- I guess. B- Because I haven’t.. d- done this before.” His voice was strained, and he sounded like he was struggling to answer.

 "Done what exactly? I'm going in pretty blind myself you know." He started brushing his mane slowly. "Is it the lawyer? You've been getting really fucked up over him."

 “I- It’s h- him.. a- and us.” Randy said, scratching at a spot on the table. “… I- I’ve never… um..” he tsk’d himself and looked out the window. He didn’t want to jinx anything.. or make Spinel upset.. or both.

 "What, had a threesome?" he grinned jokingly, snorting a bit of laughter before realizing he probably made an ass of himself. He quickly shut up and forced a more serious expression. "Look, nopony's getting anywhere if they're confused shitless."

 “I- I know…“ he sighed, and looked over at him. He had to force himself to feel confident about what he was about to say. “.. I- I’ve never felt th- this… this way before w- with any pony.. u- until I met you.” He smiled weakly. “Wh- When we’re not f- fighting or.. b- bumping uglies… y- you make m- me feel th- this.. certain way. I- I get this..  feeling-” he blushed slightly, and shook his head. “Y- You know.. stupid cl- cliché b- bullshit… “ he rubbed the back of his head. “l- I- I just.. I don’t know.. h- how to process i- it I- I guess..” he chuckled, thinking about the small joke Spinel made. “.. a- and yes, I- I haven’t h- had one of th- those ei- either…”

Spinel flushed a little and grinned proudly, "That's because I'm one of a kind, Randy. You're not exactly typical yourself." He paused in thought for a bit though, wondering what this implied. ".... So you want that to yourself, is that it?"

: “I- I don’t.. kn- know…” he said nervously. “I- I like you… b- but..” he laughed and gestured to himself. “L- Look at me! I- I’m a neurotic, h- hopeless.. m- mess…” he looked back out the window. “.. wh- why would y- you, a c- confident, f- funny…” he smiled a bit more.. “kind… an- and sometimes sw- sweet guy like y- you… even consider a.. a g- geeky, freak-show l- like me?” he sighed and stared into the wood grain. “… I- If anything, I- I’m more of a pr- project th- then a.. a stallion worth anything of v- value.” He felt like he was going to regret saying any of this. It was all.. preposterous. And childish. He felt like he was back in grade school, trying to tell his old crush that he liked her. This was pathetic, and he felt himself blushing and looking harder into the wood, as if by some miracle he could undo what he said.

 "Probably because I'm none of those things and neither are you." he shrugged, sounding a mix between annoyed but somehow heartfelt. He closed his eyes and shook his head. "I have no fucking idea what I'm doing. It's all practically an act."

Randy gently tapped the top of the table. “.. I- It all seems r- real t- to me…” he said softly, looking over at Spinel. “… i- it feels real t- too… a- and.. I- I’m as r- real with y- you as I can p- possibly b- be…” he chuckled and shrug. “.. wh- whether th- that’s.. f- for better, o- or for worse.”

 "I don't know. I don't know what it means if you have an expectation of who I am." He tensed. That felt so fucking weird to say. And incredibly stupid. He cursed under his breath. He was anything but confident but he was more afraid of looking it than he was of anything else. "Apparently there's a lot of sides to both of us and we don't have a fucking clue, do we?"

Randy nodded, and let out a long sigh. “N- Not one b- bit…” he looked over at him, and managed a tiny smile. “… o- one of these d- days.. we n- need to just.. sit down, a- and talk th- this whole m- mess through. M- Maybe then w- we can… j- just be ourselves ar- around each other.. our real selves.” He leaned on the table, and stared off, just thinking quietly.

 Something hurt about that, and he looked away and nodded. "Yeah, maybe. I just hope the real you isn't some unreasonable asshole." His ears went flat against his head. He felt really bitter about something but it was only barely on the surface so he wasn't entirely sure what it was. Something that upset him the night before, too.

 “I- I promise… I- I’m no as- asshole.. ‘l- least I hope n- not…” he tittered softly, then softly rubbed the back of his head, realizing he probably looked stupid for saying that. “… m- maybe.. we sh- should do it now..?” he looked over at Spinel. “N- No bullshit. J- Just cards o- out on the table… wh- what do you think?”

Spinel took a deep breath, feeling anxious suddenly. "How can we be sure? If it's real, I mean...? ...Fuck..." He scratched his neck and stared down. He didn't even know who he was really, so what was he supposed to do? Sometimes he felt fine, and others he felt like a stranger.

“.. I- I suppose.. after w- working t- together f- for as long as w- we have… w- we have to kind of ‘trust’ each other…” Randy said, leaning on the table. “.. A- As much as I e- enjoy going t- to fancy dinners a- and buying cl- clothes with you… I- It would be n- nice if we c- could do those things w- without b- bullshitting one an- another y- you know?” he sighed. “B- Because i- it’s hard to l- like you wh- when I feel like w- we’re gonna fi- fight at any minute.” He stuck his tongue out and couldn’t help but chuckle a tiny bit.

 "A lot of things just make me angry." he mumbled, poking his hooves together. "I told you before, it's really not you." He narrowed his eyes, taking a few breaths. "I take a lot of things really personally. And sometimes I don't even know why until I've already punched the shit out of something."

Randy honestly didn’t remember Spinel ever telling him that. But, he was so relieved to hear him actually say that. He softly scratched the back of his head. “.. I- I suppose I’m such a.. p- paranoid mess th- that I tend to assume th- the worst.” He got up from the table, deciding that the distance they were talking from was to impersonal, and he sat beside Spinel, but still keeping some breathing room between the two of them.

Spinel swayed awkwardly, keeping his eyes to his lap. "I'm... A lot better at this when you ask questions." He huffed, "I think I told you that too, didn't I? Something like it." He couldn't get his thoughts out. Something on the surface left him too scared to break the barrier.

Randy nodded and stared at his own lap. “… wh- why were you um…” he looked over at him tentatively. “.. why did you come i- in last night sm- smelling l- like a m- mare in heat?” he nervously poked his hooves together. “I- I thought it w- was because y- you h- had taken some ki- kind of drugs t- to cope w- with.. y- you know… doing th- the bone d- dance with ponies y- you didn’t want to.. do s- stuff with…” he felt kind of awkward asking, and he was visibly blushing. Spinel hadn’t showered or anything.. and sitting this close to him.. he could still kind of smell it.

 "...That's just a special bath perfume I ordered, it's mm... A spring scent that's good at riling up stallions." He scratched his ear a little, glancing off, "Makes them easier to convince." He tapped his back hooves again, "I did take something though. I just wanted to come here to feel good."

 Randy tapped his own thighs softly. “.. Sp- Spinel…” he looked at him, his eyes soft. “… I- I don’t w- want to t- take advantage o- of you. I- c- care about you t- to much t- to sl- sleep with y- you wh- when you’re in th- that state of mind.” He turned a bit to face him. “.. I h- hate it when y- you feel forced. Wh- when it’s y- you and me, I- I want it t- to be all pleasure… a- and I didn’t f- feel like you came t- to my apartment last night t- to feel good. I- I felt like you came h- here to.. m- make me f- feel g- guilty.” Randy rubbed his temples and sighed. “.. a- and that w- was my fault f- for… a- assuming the worst a- about you…” he shook his head. “Y- You just.. you scared m- me… A- and wh- when you br- brought up B- Buddy Bronze… i- it made me kind of mad t- too.. a- and I felt.. guilty… on- one thing led to a- another and…” he held his hoof softly, a shooting pain coming from a couple of the blisters on his hoof. He let out a small hiss of pain.

He listened carefully, and glanced at Randy's hoof, giving a little wince. "Maybe I did want you to feel a little guilty. But not about them, I don't give a shit about that." Spinel shifted around uncomfortably. "I'm trying my best right now... To not get angry about the fact that you didn't understand anything. It happens all the time. I feel ignored. So I make a scene. And now I feel like such a stupid cunt about it. It's taking everything to spit out my thoughts right now. That fat bitch's lawyer really pisses me off, he keeps fucking things up between us and you wont tell me what the fuck has got him so far up your ass that you.... Ugh, act so... I don't know!"

 “I kn- know… a- and I f- feel bad I didn’t u- understand… h- honest. Y- You have a d- different w- way of putting things Sp- Spinel.. th- that are ha- hard for me to understand… b- but can’t you see I- I’m trying?” His brow wrinkled a bit, and he looked down at the floor. “… I- I’m trying m- my best too… I- I really am..” When Randy heard Spinel ask about Mrs Shawl's lawyer, he swallowed, and he closed his eyes for a moment. He really didn’t want to open this door, but he had no choice. “… H- He walked o- out o- on me.” It was quiet after that, and he sat there, just thinking. “… I- H- He and I g- grew very close… b- between h- him and me… w- we felt like th- the world was on a str- string.” Something in his chest almost flinched, and he adjusted himself a bit uncomfortably. “A- And… I th- thought I.. I actually.. cared about him. A- And then… f- for no reason at a- all… he disappeared. W- Walked out o- on one of th- the most im- important c- cases of m- my career.” He put his hooves in his lap, tensing up as his heart raced, and his blood began to boil at the memory of being abandoned. “ I- th- thought he.. he cared about me t- too.. f- fuck. I ac- actually th- thought he loved m- me…” He shook his head slowly. “.. It turned out.. h- he was just u- using me… t- to get wh- what he wanted.. m- my job.” He took in a deep breath, and sighed slowly. “… wh- when I needed h- him, he w- wasn’t b- by my side. I- Instead, he was b- behind me, knife in hoof, r- ready to stab me i- in the back…” He was whispering now, trying to contain his rage. “… h- he made me.. c- care about him… a- and then he used m- me… o- our love…” He put his face in his hooves. “… a- and I w- will never f- forgive him f- for that.”

Spinel gave an awkward scoot way, just a little one though. Love was such a strange topic and he didn't remotely associate the word with that slimy lawyer in any way. It didn't help that the Randy he pictured from back then was far different. Attorneys were complicated as fuck, he was starting to notice a pattern of them having completely different faces. "Well we're going to stab him right back this time. He should have kept his dick out of this case."

Randy smiled a bit at the comment. “.. I concur…” he softly let his hoof go to his side and on the cushion beside him. “… I- I am trying Sp- Spinel…” he looked at him, a pleading look in his eyes. “I- I really am… I- I want to understand b- because I. c- care…” he turned to him. “Y- You d- do see I- I’m trying… r- right? I- I’m not tr- trying to ignore y- you.. h- how could I ignore some pony who’s been in- invading e- every as- aspect of my l- life f- for almost tw- two years?” he smiled a soft, heartfelt smile.

"I see it but it... Freaks me out sometimes because I don't understand it." He wrinkled his nose. "The world is complicated and I'm simple. And it pisses me off because it's not fair and I know I can be more than that." He grimmaced, "Someone like me deserves the attention. I worked so much harder. But I don't fit in."

Randy didn’t quite no how to respond to that. It was obvious that wasn’t true at all. But he didn’t want to hurt Spinel’s feelings. At the same time, he didn’t want to stroke his ego. “.. Y- You do deserve all th- the happiness th- the world has t- to offer Spinel… e- especially after th- the things y- you’ve endured…” he nodded, and softly touched his hoof against Spinel’s. “.. b- but you c- can fit in… i- it will just.. t- take some time, th- that’s all.”

"It wont take any amount of time! You can't replace a foalhood once it--!!!" He breathed heavily, finding himself feeling so helpless and angry. Being told things would be okay when they were never okay-- He remembered he was supposed to be honest here but it just got worse and worse. The shame he was feeling. "I was sucking dick when most ponies were playing on swingsets, I can't--- There's just no way that... will ever fit."

This kind of shocked Randy, and he felt that sense of horrible dread. Spinel’s foalhood had been stolen away from him, that was true. He had to think… “Y- You’re right… th- the past c- can never.. be fixed… a- and you have every right to be angry a- about that.” Randy was struggling to figure out how to explain this. He chewed his bottom lip, before attempting to explain what he was trying to say. “.. b- but the past a- and the present.. th- they’re like… two different puzzles. Y- You can’t take pieces fr- from one p- puzzle, a- and try to make them f- fit in another. Y- You just have t- to focus o- on the bigger picture in fr- front of you. N- Not the one that’s already c- completed.”

 He squinted at Randy. That didn't make a whole lot of sense to him. He sunk down a bit in the couch, then scoot himself closer to lean against Randy and mumbled. "It's still easier when you ask stuff. I don't know how to take this 'advice' or whatever. There's not a whole lot to me, I just..." He sighed in defeat, "Act like there is."

Randy looked over at him, and gently kissed the top of his head. “.. th- that doesn’t make y- you any l- less important t- to me.” He held his hoof softly, and tried to think of another question. “.. D- Do you think b- being angry a- about th- the past w- will fix wh- what’s wrong n- now?” he asked very gently, not a single trace of condescension or superiority in his voice. Just a genuine desire to understand.

 "I don't know, I'm always angry about it. And it seems like I have life pretty god now, right? But obviously, something's pretty fuckin' wrong. But I don't know what it is. Sometimes I think I do, but then..." he shook his head. "You crying earlier." He chewed his lip, "Reminded me of things."

“M- maybe we can f- find out wh- what’s wrong t- together…” His eyes broke from Spinel, and he stared at the floor. He had no idea that his.. own ‘episode’ was going to trigger something in Spinel. He continued to stare at carpet. “.. W- Well, i- if you are comfortable.. d- do you want t- to tell me about th- them?” he gently squeezed his hoof and looked at him again.

"I guess. I didn't think it mattered." He kept close to Randy now, feeling that his smell and touch kept him grounded to reality. "... Not supposed to cry. That's a big rule they had. The others cried all the time, but not me. After a while it just got annoying whenever another pony got in trouble. Just more screaming and crying to keep me awake when I needed my energy for the day. I either shut it off or made them shut up myself."

“S- Sweet.. Celestia…” he pulled Spinel into a hug, softly stroking his mane. “.. s- so.. o- old instincts k- kicked in wh- when you… s- saw me like th- that…” Randy actually felt a little guilty he had an episode. “.. Th- That s- sick bastard..” he whispered, knowing Spinel would know who he was referring too.

 "Hahaah 'Big smile, everypony!'" he said in a mock cheery voice, forcing a great big grin on his face as he shook momentarily. The hug had made him tense, and the grin faded quickly as it seemed his shaking was more out of anger than fear. "Nothing makes sense because of him. He said all the things you'd expect I guess. 'Chin up!' 'Do a good job!' 'I believe in you!' 'Love you, make me proud!' And he'd fucking say sorry while watching a punishment like it wasn't him who made the order in the first place, later say bullshit like 'You'll do better next time'."

 Randy’s petting came to a stop, and he slowly let go of Spinel. “H- Hey, look at me,” he said softly. “.. Th- Those were th- the f- false promises o- of a deranged l- lunatic. I- I know those m- might be triggering.. but not every p- pony is another U- Uncle Candy… m- most ponies s- say those th- things, b- because they t- truly believe it.” He took Spinel’s hooves in his. “A- And.. knowing wh- what you’ve been th- through, I- I understand th- that… that you have a h- hard time be- believing their i- integrity, b- but it is there. A- And there are ponies who m- mean all the n- nice a- and good things they say…”

 "It's hard to tell the difference." He sighed, curling his back legs up on the couch and making himself comfortable against Randy. It was tiring having all these arguments, but nothing was quite as frustrating as the numb awkwardness that always followed. "Everything feels like an attack. So I just... Automatically defend myself."

Randy sighed and gently hugged him around the shoulder. “… I- I know h- how that feels.. I just r- react differently I g- guess…” he nuzzle him sweetly, and gently rubbed his shoulder. He really hoped this wouldn’t be a cycle. He hated fighting, then not fighting, then fighting again. Hopefully today would clear things up. “.. W- Well, as h- hard as it may b- be.. try t- to understand th- that…I n- never mean to h- hurt you. E- Ever.” He looked at him and smiled a bit. “And if I- I say something th- that makes you angry.. c- can we try to talk about it i- instead of g- get angry with e- each other?”

He groaned and let himself flop limply and defeatedly over the Ram's lap, producing an even longer, more childish sounding groan. "I can't control it, most of the time I don't even know what the fuck is making me so angry."

Randy softly stroked his mane. “M- Maybe.. y- you can try what I d- do sometimes.. and j- just talk it o- out.” He softly played with one of Spinels’ ears. “I kn- know it looks silly.. b- but it can help to talk th- things through i- instead of being c- cooped up in y- your mind.”

[kass-storycorner]

*cough* so i really love your work!! i love everything your put out so far however i’m now going to request for angst mwehehrh. Feel free to reject this if you aren’t comfortable!!

archon x albedo but they break up with him because they still haven’t moved on from their past lover that was slaughtered and felt it would be unfair if they stayed with albedo if they still loved someone else? Thankyou!!!

don’t cry don’t cry don’t cry don’t cry

I'm so sorry that it took this long, I have been working a lot the past month and I've not been well mentally soooo yeah, but I'm glad I finally finished it! I was suprised myself at what I wrote, I only had to write an ending for this so ouch haha

thank you so much for your kind words I’m- ahhh I’m so happy that you love what I shared ( ˙꒳​˙ )

I’m so insecure with my writing so it’s reassuring to hear such kind words!

about the request: ooooOOOH I love this!!! And honestly my mind went directly into thousand different directions to make it even MORE angsty ahaha poor Albedo ( ╥ω╥ )

Genre: Angst, Hurt, no comfort, a bit fluff in between but it's more bittersweet

Rating: SFW

Content Warnings: mention of Khaenri`ah, mention of blood

Word count: 1,811 words

Characters: Albedo, gn!dendro Archon reader

Format: Text

Fic is under the cut!

“-and I think it is best to go separate ways from now on.” Ah, how peculiar. What is this strange feeling in Albedo’s chest? It feels like there is no air in his lungs anymore, an unsettling feeling spreading from his stomach through his whole body. Feverously he searched his mind for a reason for your words. Go separate ways? He heard what you said, but at the same time he did not understand the meaning of your words. Albedo stood there in your shared bedroom, stiff as a board his eyes pierced through you, no longer looking at you. It was as if you weren’t there.

“Albedo?”, your head peaked through the door of his office, sending him a smile. He peaked up from the work on his desk, strands of blond hair falling in front of his eyes. “Ah, (Y/N), hello,” curling his lips into a small smile at your sight. You stepped into the office, walking around the table, and leaning on it right beside him. His eyes were fixed on you. “Busy?” you asked as you brushed the strands of hair back behind his ear. A faint blush crept unto his face; you wouldn’t have noticed if it weren’t for how close you were to him. Clearing his throat he looked back down on the papers in front of him, answering your question. “Umm, well yes. The next expedition to the Dragonspine and my experiments need to be organised, though the formalities of filling out the forms for Jean is nothing that I am interested in.” He heard you chuckle at his words, wondering what was so funny about them. “I wonder”, you began, leaning down to him, so close the tips of your noses nearly were touching, “if is there something here that might interest you more.” “I supposed, there is,” he said and closed the distance between the two of you with a kiss.

“Albedo?”, your concerned voice pulled him out the pleasant memory that crossed his mind. He had been quite for a while now, it worried you. You weren’t sure how he’d take it, you asking to break off your relationship. It had been quite pleasant so far, the last few months with him. There weren’t any quarrels between the two of you nor reasons for the heartbreak Albedo felt right in this moment. You both were always honest to each other, about who and what each of you were. And because of this honesty each of you valued you had to break his heart. “I-“, his voice was hoarse, it had more emotions in it than he liked it to. “I need to ask you this… why?”. He finally looked at you, his cerulean eyes filled with pain. Ah, the dreadful question you knew he would ask, but you hoped he wouldn’t. There was no use in lying to him now, to not share the true reason for why you’re breaking up with him. Though you secretly wished that you could spare him the truth.

You sat under the shadows of a tree, eyes closed and feeling the warm summer breeze on your skin. “Please, don’t move.” At that you opened your eyes, looking at Albedo sitting across of you with his sketchbook and a pencil in his hands, sketching a portrait of you. “You quick with your hands, I doubt my small movements would change anything that you draw,” you said in a teasing tone, earning a raised brow from him, but no comment. There you were, the two of you. Sitting in the shadow, a comfortable silence surrounding the both of you. You watched the way Albedo furrowed his brows, looking up to you and then down to the paper, for him to sigh in frustration and starting a new sketch. “Somethings wrong?”, it has been the fourth piece of paper he rips out of the book and tosses aside. “I seem not to be able to capture your features correctly, something always is a bit off.” “Let me see,” you lean forward trying to grab one of the sketches he tossed away, but Albedo was quicker to snatch them away. “Don’t,” he says, hiding the pieces of paper behind his back. “Oh, come on, Bedo. I wanna see, I can’t look that bad” you joke, moving closer to him hoping to get a peak at his fifth sketch. Before you could even come close to taking a look he closed the sketchbook, denying you access to it. “No matter how often I try to draw you, it never does you justice”, he sighs, pinching the bride of his nose. You were close enough to him now to lean your head on his shoulder. “You know, it is quite the challenge to get the godly features of me right,” taking his hand, intertwining your fingers with his. “But I’m sure in all of the centuries I’ve lived through you might be the first one to succeed at it.”

You took a deep breath, dreading the answer you were going to give him. There was no way to sugar coat it and you were sure Albedo wouldn’t want to hear a long winded explanation if it wasn’t needed. Like a bandaid that needs to get ripped off you decided to do it as quickly as possible. “I don’t love you. I’m sorry, Albedo.” At your words Albedos heart was shattering into thousand small pieces. He swallowed hard, trying to suppress the tears that were trying to fall from his eyes… still, he had so many questions for you. His mind was racing, but all he could bring out was again the same question as before. “Why?”

“Albedo, please believe me when I say I wish I could. I wish I would love you, the way you deserve it. The way I want to, the way I still love them. You mean a great deal to me, please believe this. The time we spend together was time I enjoyed and that’s why I feel the need to be honest with you now. I hadn’t said anything before because I believed I could open my heart again, open it up for you. However it seems it’s impossible for me and I am so sorry for it. I shouldn’t have led you on like this…”

Blood curling screams were filling the streets of a small city that did not exist anymore. War was always present in Teyvat, there have been the past thousand years without it, but before that? The land was filled with the blood of mortals and god alike, the first ones killing each other in the names of the second ones. The reasons for most of the wars were laughable. One started them out of hurt pride, the other to broaden their territory and a third just out of sheer boredom. Not caring a bit about the humans that were caught in the crossfire of the gods. So when the Archon War began, similar to the ones before but just the scales were so different. There you were, a small deity. The god of the woods as they called you. You never liked the blood shed, it poisoned the earth so that no plant was able to grow. Before you were able to just avoid the wars, this time around you had no choice. And in the middle of this war you met someone astonishing. Until this day you couldn’t say if it was a curse or a blessing that they made their way into your life and your heart. All you know now is just the deep grief that is always there with you since they are gone. In the middle of bloodshed and darkness that the Archon War brought with it you found someone who made you forget the horrors of it, who made the burden of the crown easier when you rose to the position of the Dendro Archon after it - a position you didn't want at first, it falling into your hands by mere coincidence. After that you spend some marvelous years with that one person by your side, but even those who aren't entirely human are mortal, even gods can be killed. With another War that came, they left your side, wanting to protect you, to protect Sumeru. Brutally slaughtered by the hands of an enemy that envied your position, your power. Now all what remains of them is the dry earth. The massive woods of Sumeru turned into deserts, a consequence of your grief. And when the day came for another war, more blood and destruction at Khaenri`ah you decided to leave. To cut all ties with Celestia and give up the seat you never wanted in the first place.

Albedo knew most of this. He knew who you are, he knew of your nature before you made him fall in love with you. You never just told him about your past lover, too much did their loss still hurt and, what you were ashamed of admitting, too much did Albedo resemble them. In the silence of the shared room you finally told him what orginally drew you to him - how much you really wished you were able to love him for himself and while yes, you liked him very much, it was someone else you saw in him when you kissed. Someone else you wished he was. At first you didn't knew it yourself, in the beginning you really believed it was possible for you to find new love... but you still wished most days they were with you. It was time to be honest with him, to speak the truth, no matter how much you hurt him. "Albedo...", you began slowley, your voice drifting to him, but what sounded like a sweet melody just hours before now makes him feel sick. "Don't." he interrupted you. "I thank you for your honesty and for telling me the truth, but I don't need to hear more." With that he left the room, making his way towards his lab on Dragonspine. Not one person in Mondstadt would think of Albedo as a dumb person, everyone says how they are impressed with how smart he his... so why does he feel so stupid right now? He was a fool to believe that he was loveable, that someone saw him for who and what he was, not what they wanted him to be. For now he just wants to be alone again, surround himself with his work and ignore these feelings in his chest. The heartbreak, the betrayel... but also the feeling of relief. Albedo did wonder how much it would've pained you if he ever loses control, but now this is not a concern anymore. And still, as he made his way up Dragonspine he couldn't help the frozen tears coming spilling from his eyes.

[mrpenguinpants]

Oh lore?? I read your post on Dainsleif and BOY it gave me a lot to think about dsfjgkd

Along the same vein, what do you think of the relationship between the unknown god and Kaenri'ah? In Albedo's trailer they seemed to reference two new elements (time and being) and if perhaps the unknown god is the god of time, then does Khemia make use of "being" in its creation of life?

In Mihoyo's other game (honkai) they introduced a new "type" about halfway through the story which seems to me to be similar to the abyss in Genshin. The quanta type is independent of the three types that were present from the beginning of the game and it's tied to an abyss style region called the Sea of Quanta. Maybe I'm reading too much into it and they don't plan to imitate what they did in Honkai but?? Time and being as new "elements" introduced a few years into the game seems possible at least?? Maybe they're exclusive to delusions bc there's only the seven Archons at this time so no one can grant time/being visions lol

Djfkdj I hope this was at least slightly understandable I love looking into lore especially for things I write about!! I'll end this now before it gets too long lmao the new tumblr asks give me too much power XD

TUMBLR DELETED MY REPLY AHHHHH I HAD TO RE-WRITE EVERYTHING. THAT’S WHY I’M LATE TO THE PARTY. I’M SO SORRY CATTY 😭

---

Major spoilers for Khaenri’ah and minor spoilers for the unknown god

:DD I’m glad you read my word vomit haha. I love talking about lore so much, ty for enabling me. 

What do you think of the relationship between the unknown god and Khaenri’ah?

The logical side of my brain thinks:

They either have nothing to do with each other and Mihoyo really likes using the same star for everything and Khaenri’ah just happens to live in the void or sky so the easiest way to distinguish citizens from there is the star (or it was just hot to put star pupils in and you know what, they were right). 

Or there’s some sort of connection between the Eclipse dynasty that ruined Khaenri’ah and the unknown god. Since genshin really likes to do that (see Zhongli and everyone calling him Morax before 1.1 dropped). 

Re-watching the prologue cutscene and “we will be reunited” (Gonna refer to this a WWBR) Aether drew the same two stars into the sand which makes me believe that either a. stars literally have nothing to do with anything and Teyvat only knows how to draw one star (which doesn’t hold up well considering Mona’s outfit and pin) or b. there’s some kind of connection there. The way Paimon phrases her question she says: 

“But when you wanted to leave and go onto the next world your path was blocked by an unknown god?”

It implies that Aether and Lumine have already travelled through Teyvat since we see two yellow stars travel over Liyue and Mondstadt. I know Aether was sent into some sort of deep sleep and only now awoke and met Paimon (since in the trailer we can see the lantern festival and the genshin upload was in march (chinese new year is in feb) but I’m not super sure on these details but I’m pretty sure it’s canon that this happened based on WWBR). 

Then when the unknown god appears and the same 3 red stars appear [tumblr throws a fit when I try and upload this]

She refers to us as Outlanders and calls herself 

“The sustainer of heavenly principles. The arrogation of mankind ends now.”

This could be a reference to “being” that was in the Albedo trailer while Dainsleif is “time” since time is "not something he lacks". If we’re going on the theory that Dainsleif is actually a god then maybe they are fighting? Or in some type of push and pull war. It would make sense since the Unknown God believes in heavenly principles (so the rules either set by Celestia or Gods themselves) and believes mankind is arrogant and wishes to either destroy it or remove it entirely. The complete opposite of Dainsleif who believes in mankind and hates anything relating to the Archons.

Or dainsleif has nothing to do with the unknown god and is just a final challenge to the player who will then face off against the Unknown God. 

In Albedo's trailer they seemed to reference two new elements (time and being) and if perhaps the unknown god is the god of time, then does Khemia make use of "being" in its creation of life?

In this theory, this would make the Unknown God the god of time, which is also equally as valid. Since she does talk about time and how the arrogation of mankind ends now. I think it’s right to assume that Khemia makes use of being in its creation of life since we see Albedo talk about chalk and turning things from “nothing” (it’s not really nothing, he’s still using something or the “being” in order to transform it) to something. 

If Dainsleif uses Khemia or even created it then taught it to the people of Khaenri’ah to help them survive in their archonless land, that could be a valid reason why he believes in the strength of mankind. Since the unknown god’s power seems to consume the person trapped within (as we see in the prologue). Plus in WWBR we see first hand how destructive that power is. This could also be the time where Dainsleif lost faith or hated the celestial beings. 

---

In WWBR, according to the wiki it states that our sibling was taken to another point in time, in an unknown location. But this event leads the sibling (Lumine) to become the leader of the Abyss Order. 

Lumine says: 

“But until the abyss has engulfed the thrones, my war with destiny will see no end.”

Lumine seems to know about the archons and the abyss mages follow her so it’s safe to assume that the “abyss” she refers to is either something entirely new or the red blocks we see here. It seems as if she’s trying to change destiny which could be why Dainsleif wants to save her. 

I will say right now, I really hope the theory that Paimon is secretly the unknown god doesn’t come true. I know it’s funny and I would enjoy seeing our emergency food pull a turned table on us but unless there are more instances where it’s hinted or it’s handled really well I would not like it. I just finished a manga and I felt like I was watching 20M plot twists happen in the span of 3 pages. I would totally be okay if the unknown god and paimon were somehow related (I can understand that) but I unless it’s handed really well or as the story progresses and we get more info on paimon. it would just be really out of left field. I haven’t seen any theories on this and I honestly try and stay away from lore posts until I’ve finished mine because I feel that might make my ideas biased.

The “everything must be connected into some kind of plotline or I will make it a plotline” brain thinks:

Now, this is just be spit balling and making up my own headcanons with no lore to go off on. This is pure indulgent stuff with no research to back it up besides very loose threads. 

I’d like to believe that since the Eclipse Dynasty was the last dynasty before Khaenri’ah fell. That might be what is being depicting above in WWBR. Perhaps khemia backfired or the unknown god turned against the people for their arrogance (I’m not sure if people know the myth but in short terms, a giant stole fire to help the people who were cold. He was punished for going against the gods and saving the people, this could be similar to Dainsleif). 

Perhaps Lumine and Aether had stopped this event from happening and as they were about to leave, the unknown god appears and separates them for their arrogant actions against the Gods and sends Lumine back to the past. Without her brother she ended up failing in saving Khaenri’ah. Or, the image we see is actually the future and she goes back in time to try and prevent that event from occurring, still trying to beat destiny but this time in the future. 

Or another idea, Lumine has only seen the evil that’s depicted and hasn’t personally met any of the archons. We actually got to meet Venti and Zhongli so we obviously want to protect them from Lumine’s point of view, that might not be the same so she aligns with the abyss order that tries to control Dvalin. So her goal is to somehow defeat the archons and that could be why the Cyro archon is trying to collect them all in her war of peace. 

Honkai and quanta

It’s kinda funny but there’s no reliable wiki source for this sea of quanta like there is for genshin, or at least I couldn’t find anything. I think they might nod at certain things between the two but I think it’s totally fine to believe they might do some sort of crossover and take some inspiration. We have Mona who was able to read the stars and Scaramouche who said the sky was a giant hoax so I think time and being becoming new elements is very possible. But I don’t really know a lot about Honkai so I can’t really say too much about it haha. 

---

Yep no worries, it was fun talking about some more lore and if you have any more I’d love to hear them. Haha, honestly pop off I love getting long asks. As always, it’s nice seeing you again catty 💕💕

[cinnawrites]

An Unexpected Painting Session

Summary: After always seeing the Chief Alchemist paint and sketch and paint some more, Kaeya decides to give it a try. Turns out it takes a lot more skill than meets the eye to reproduce something as beautiful as one of Albedo’s paintings.

A/N; FINALLY something that isn’t Thanzag! Here’s my first Genshin Impact work! I’ve been super into Genshin lately, but haven’t written anything until now. Enjoy!

As the cool air of Dragonspine grazes Albedo’s fingers, he drew yet another stroke across his canvas, almost finishing his piece. He took a step back, admiring his work in progress from afar. He loved painting the various landscapes Dragonspine had to offer. Every area he would pick on this mountain to create a new piece offered him a new look on his surroundings. He never got bored of it, unlike other topics of research he has lost interest in long ago.

He loved coming up to Dragonspine. He didn’t mind the cold as much as any adventurer would. He found it quite soothing, in fact. The mysteries the mountain held also drew him in, helping him find many new things to investigate. His lust for learning would never be satisfied, the complexity of these cold summits were proof of that. 

Yet, there was another cold and mystifying subject that had enticed him just as much as Dragonspine. 

Albedo paced back to his canvas, satisfied with what he’s produced so far. As he continued filling in the snowy peaks in the landscape ahead of him, he thought of said subject. A subject as enticing as the peculiar wonders of Dragonspine seems impossible to think of, yet it stuck to Albedo's mind. The mystery behind a certain Cryo user who loves to go around teasing and flirting with everyone he encounters on his way.

A subject just as peculiar as Dragonspine could be none other than the enigma behind Kaeya, the Cavalry Captain of the Knights of Favonious.

Albedo dipped his paintbrush into another shade of blue as he pondered about Kaeya some more. A man who disappears to Celestia knows where, it was only a matter of time for Albedo to find interest in him. What secrets does he hold? What is he hiding in plain sight? Might he be planning something dangerous? Why does he wear an eyepatch all the time? Why does every word he speaks baffle, yet still draw Albedo in further and further? All these questions were still a mystery to him, and he was willing to do whatever it takes to find the answers to them.

The chill in the area felt a lot colder now that Albedo had concluded his thoughts. He continued to paint, thinking that the change was just a brief gust of wind. However, the newfound feeling of a more chilling air around him lingered. Surely his fire didn’t go out, he could still feel the presence of the heat from behind him. However, there was another presence there, but not one of a campfire, or an object. It was a person.

“My, my, will you not even greet me with a simple ‘Hello’ or a ‘Nice seeing you here’?”

It is almost as if the Archons had heard Albedo’s thoughts and had brought to him the exact person on his mind. He turned to face Kaeya, a smile on the man’s face.

“And what brings you here to Dragonspine, Sir Kaeya?” Albedo asked, placing his paintbrush down, “It is quite cold up here, might I add.”

“Come on now, Albedo. There’s no need to be so formal,” Kaeya advanced towards him, particularly eyeing his artwork, “I just wanted to admire the scenery, the cold is barely a problem.”

Right, Kaeya did possess a Cryo vision after all. There isn’t a doubt that the cold wouldn’t nearly come close to affecting him. Albedo watched as Kaeya tried to get a peek at the canvas, though he was standing right in front of it, obscuring his vision. The smile still lingered on the Cavalry Captain’s face as he tried to look over Albedo’s shoulder, going from side to side as the alchemist followed his every movement. Typical of Kaeya to have such a childish nature, while still acting like an adult. Another captivating thing to note, Albedo thought.

“Oh please, won’t you let me have a look?” Kaeya asked, now standing still in front of Albedo.

“You should have just asked instead of going around me like some sort of child,” Albedo responded, looking up at Kaeya with a calm, yet irritated stare, “If I were painting in front of Klee, she would have done the same thing.”

Kaeya feigned an expression of hurt, putting his hand up to his chest, “You wound me, Chief Alchemist. May I see this wonderful painting of yours that you’re trying oh so hard to hide from me?”

Albedo nodded and took a step aside to reveal the piece he had worked on for Barbatos knows how long now. Kaeya hummed in satisfaction as he admired the work of art. It was of the snowy mountains of Dragonspine, of course, but it had such exquisite and fine detail, you wouldn’t be able to tell it apart from the real thing. The shades of blue and gray used were identical to the landscape. Kaeya looked up at the area in front of him, and then back down at the painting, humming once more.

“Such intricate detail as always,” Kaeya stepped back, looking at Albedo with a smile, “Truly another impressive feat of yours, how do you do it?”

Albedo appreciated Kaeya’s compliments, yet felt a wave of embarrassment overcome him. While praises certainly did feed into his pride, he couldn’t help but feel sheepish when receiving them. Especially when it came from Kaeya, it seems.

“It takes a lot of practice,” Albedo explained, ignoring his embarrassment with a cool expression on his face, “It’s taken a lot of time for my work to turn out like this.”

“Of course, of course,” Kaeya says in a genuine tone. He approached Albedo again, inspecting his art tools, “I wonder if I could do something as wonderful as this as well.”

“Would you like to try painting?” Albedo asks out of curiosity. Surely, it was what he was implying, but he still decided to ask. It was hard to tell what Kaeya meant at times, another reason why he disliked talking to and having relations with people. Kaeya simply laughed.

“I mean, it wouldn’t hurt to try,” Kaeya said, rubbing the back of his head, “However, I can assure you it won’t be a masterpiece like yours, prepare your eyes.” 

Albedo nodded, “Well, I suppose you already know the basics of painting, correct?”

“I’d say I do, it doesn’t seem too complex,” Kaeya said, swiftly picking up the paintbrush that Albedo had placed down, “Do you happen to have a spare canvas?”

“Of course I do, I wouldn’t go around with just one canvas to spare,” Albedo reached down into the bag placed at his feet and fished out a fresh new canvas. He grabbed a new paintbrush as well as a cloth, which wasn't as clean as one would expect. He took the brush Kaeya was twirling in his hands away from him, earning a confused and upset expression from the captain.

"Hey, I was going to use that," Kaeya frowned. Albedo traded the used paintbrush with the clean one he fetched from his bag.

"It's dirty," Albedo explained, swiftly and gracefully taking a step towards the fire. There was a cup of nearly frozen water placed right by it. If he hadn't left it there, it would've been as hard as the ice covering the ground all around him. He knelt down and picked up the cup, feeling how cold it was despite the fact that he was wearing gloves. He dipped the paintbrush in the water several times, before quickly wiping it dry with the help of his washcloth. Even if it may not have been the cleanest, it did its job quite well. 

Albedo got back up, making his way towards Kaeya who had just been standing in front of the easel. He looked over his shoulder and smiled.

"Do you have something in mind that you'd like to paint? It's much better to have an idea of what you'd like to do rather than going in blind," Albedo asked, now standing next to Kaeya. He handed him the palette, which had all the colors needed for Kaeya to create whatever he wanted. Kaeya seemed to be lost in thought, going through the different options he had in mind.

"I suppose I have an idea," Kaeya says, looking down at the palette in his hands. Albedo expected him to explain what he was going to paint, but instead he said, "Could you stand in front of the canvas? I'd like for this piece to be a… surprise."

Albedo, shocked by the sudden request, stepped away from the canvas. He stood facing the captain, so that he could get a look at whatever he was planning on doing. He also just wanted to see Kaeya’s face shift as he tried painting for the first time.

Kaeya rested the hand that held the paintbrush against his chin, seemingly lost in thought. He scanned the blank canvas before him, then finally gasping and dipping his brush into a color Albedo couldn’t guess. He dragged the brush along, making what Albedo could only assume to be thick and broad lines.

The alchemist let his mind wander as Kaeya painted away, studying the Cavalry Captain intensely. He thought more about the man standing in front of him, trying to come to a conclusion for one of the many questions he had asked himself. Nothing particular came to mind as always. 

Albedo seemed to think of Kaeya quite often, and not only just to wonder about his past. He found himself thinking of how charming he is to look at, with such admirable features. His skin was blemishless, being a smooth caramel color all around. He'd heard people around Mondstadt speculate that the skin under his eyepatch would be lighter, but he disregarded those comments.

Kaeya's hair was yet another distinct feature of his that Albedo found quite pleasant. Navy hair as silky and smooth as that seemed impossible to be kept that way, especially when considering he would always style it in a low ponytail. One would expect it to get in the way, but Kaeya didn't seem to mind it at all. This made him all the more intriguing to Albedo, getting the gears in his head turning faster and faster. These features happened to make his heart quicken too, which Albedo just couldn't seem to understand the reasoning behind.

Kaeya’s gaze met his, making Albedo turn away in a quick movement. Kaeya chuckled under his breath, his stare lingering on the alchemist’s figure. He seemed to be finishing up his piece, Kaeya taking a step back, and looking at it from different angles. 

“It’s done, would you like to see it?” Kaeya asked, “It could be better, but that doesn’t matter now, does it?”

Albedo paced back towards the easel, surprised by what was presented to him. 

It wasn’t a landscape like he thought it would be, nor was it a flower or a tree from the surrounding area. The colors were quite nice to look at, he had to admit. From different shades of yellow to blue, with a teal nearing the color of his eyes, he admired the piece before him. Of course, it wasn’t a spectacular painting, he expected that. What he didn’t expect was to be met with his own face on the canvas.

“It’s me,” Albedo remarked, “You decided to paint me?”

“Why yes,” Kaeya explained, putting down the brush and the palette before him, “You have quite the charming appearance, Chief Alchemist.”

Albedo could’ve sworn he felt the heat rise to his face, but he shook it off, “You’re not that bad of a painter yourself, Kaeya. The colors are quite nice. You could use a bit of work on refining your technique.”

“I expected that,” Kaeya said, putting his arms behind his head, “Say, why don’t you teach me how to paint just like you? Shouldn’t be too hard, coming to see each other between our duties.”

“I think that would be quite nice,” Albedo said, a faint smile on his face, “Why don’t we head back to Mondstadt now? It’s getting quite chilly up here. I suppose you don’t have any duties to attend to at the moment and neither do I, so it would be the perfect time to get properly started.”

“Yes, that would be lovely,” Kaeya replied, helping Albedo put his affairs away for their journey down the mountain.

[date posted; 13.04.21]

[loveissupernatural]

                                To Love in a Foreign Land

                                    Draco Malfoy x reader

Chapter Two: To Britain

[ Read Part 1 here ]

The fateful morning of your journey to London arrived in a tizzy of flying clothes and misplaced luggage. You didn’t have to meet at Ilvermorny for your final portkey until that night, but it didn’t stop you and your mother from running around the house like two chickens with their heads cut off. You barely had time to stuff down a sandwich before your mom ran into the kitchen holding another handful of objects that she thought you simply couldn’t live without.

“Mom, I can’t take my entire room with me!” you laughed.

She sighed. “I wish your father were here. He could cast one of those expandable spell-thingies on your suitcase and we wouldn’t have to worry about all of this.”

“Only two more years and I can cast it myself,” you shrugged. “We’ll just have to pack like you’re used to packing: the non-magical way.”

After much debating and the rearranging of your travel items, the time finally came for you to leave. You soaked in every moment of conversation with your mother in the car, knowing that when it came time to take the portkey to Massachusetts, she couldn’t come with you. You held her hand for the entire hour-long drive. You both held back tears.

The car turned onto a dirt road surrounded by ever-thickening pine trees, and you knew that you were getting close. Your heart began to hammer and your palms began to sweat. The path eventually widened out into a large stretch of bare farmland, an unassuming old Chevy truck parked at the end of the road. This is where your letter from Ilvermorny instructed you to stop.

You spotted Eleanor’s beaming face and that of her parents’ a few feet away from the red, rusty vehicle. They were talking to a portly wizard in sweeping navy robes. She smiled and waved enthusiastically when she spotted you climbing out of your mother’s small Toyota.

“Hey, Y/N!” she grinned, running toward you. “Can you believe it? It’s almost time!”

She circled to the car’s trunk with you and your mom, helping you to haul out your luggage. Her chipper voice carried across the vast, unplowed field, as did the stately deep baritone of the waiting wizard.

Once you all approached the truck, Eleanor’s parents greeted your mother, exchanging pleasantries and anecdotes about how difficult it would be for them not having their daughter home.

“Oh, but we’re so thrilled for her,” Eleanor’s mother gushed, clapping her hands in an almost childlike manner. “We were hoping that she’d take the opportunity as soon as she could to travel.”

“It’s definitely going to be hard not having Y/N home,” your mother said sadly, hugging you to her side one last time. “The house will feel so empty.”

“Ellie told us that your late husband went to Hogwarts?” her father asked gently. “I’m sure this will be such an adventure for Y/N.”

You smiled, quickly wiping away the tears that began to flow with the back of your hand. “I think it will be.”

“Time to say your final goodbyes,” the portly wizard stated, tucking his golden pocket watch back into his robes. “Our portkey will depart in a few minutes.”

He started to walk toward a forlorn-looking scarecrow in the near distance that, if you weren’t mistaken, was beginning to glow. You turned to your tearful mother, her nose already beginning to turn red from the sniffling. Seeing her cry only made your tears flow faster.

“Your dad… he would be so proud of you,” she whispered, her hands resting gently on your cheeks. Her thumbs wiped at your unstopping tears.

“I love you, Momma,” you choked, embracing her with all of your strength. Your tears soaked the chest of her cotton t-shirt.

“I love you so much, baby,” she replied. One of her hands carded through your hair. She pulled away reluctantly at the call of the impatient wizard to ‘mind your time’. She lowered her head and her wet eyes looked directly into yours. “You better send me an owl as soon as you get settled, okay? I need to know that you made it in one piece.”

You jokingly saluted. “Scout’s honor.”

“One minute!” called the man in the navy robes, clapping his hands together in a signal to hurry. You and Eleanor, luggage in tow, sprinted across the remaining ground between the truck and the portkey. The scarecrow was glowing brightly now, almost pulsing.

The man held whatever luggage of yours that he could, huffing with the effort, eyes trained on his pocket watch. You and Eleanor appreciated his help, despite his somewhat cold and business-like manner. You all reached out a finger to touch the portkey.

The effect was instantaneous. The sensation of a rope pulling at your navel jerked you forward, your feet lifted, and you were spinning and spinning in a whirlwind of color and weightlessness. You locked eyes with Eleanor, noticing a green tinge overcoming her face. She’d warned you in the past about her tendency to get portkey sickness.

It was over as quickly as it had begun. With a thud, you and Eleanor landed backside first on soft and grassy ground. The robed wizard floated down to land gracefully on his feet, seemingly unbothered by the whole ordeal. One of Eleanor’s suitcases landed hard enough that it popped open. The two of you were rushing to stuff its contents back inside. Your friend’s face made it very clear that she was still feeling nauseous.

Once Eleanor’s luggage was in order, the two of you stood and brushed yourselves off. You were finally able to take in your surroundings – the towering mountains, the dark green grass, and the looming silhouette of Ilvermorny pressed against the shadowy heavens. The sun had already set in Massachusetts. The towering school blended into the night sky, only the lit windows distinguishing it from the stars that twinkled behind.

“Not gonna lie, I’m going to miss this view,” you admitted, taking a deep breath of the cool mountain air.

“Same,” Eleanor sighed.

You didn’t get to enjoy the view for long. The stout wizard was hurrying you two along toward the front gate of the school but you were having trouble keeping up with the heavy suitcases swinging from your arms. Only when you drew closer did you recognize the voices and silhouettes of the other exchange students, and the tall mauve witch hat of Headmistress Pukwould.

“Hurry up! Hurry, now,” you heard her insisting, pointing to various nearby spots of ground. “Beauxbatons over here. Yes, yes, Miss Valdez, over here by the old shovel. Mr. Reynolds, you’re going to Mahoutokoro, you need to be by the bushes with the plaid pair of gardening gloves.”

You respected that your Headmistress was personally here to ensure that everyone got to where they were meant to be. She could have easily relegated the task to a professor, but she was invested enough in this endeavor to oversee it herself.

“I’ve got your Hogwarts kids, Celestia,” the wizard said, standing proudly. “Where do they need to go?”

“Ah, ladies,” she grinned, doing her best not to sound overwhelmed, “you two are taking the tea kettle over near the gate.” She pointed in the direction she expected you to go, then quickly turned and ran toward a group of boys screaming, “No! Stop visiting and get to your designated portkeys! They’ll be leaving any minute!”

“A tea kettle? Think that was on purpose?” you snorted, sprinting toward the gate.

“Oh, definitely,” Eleanor grinned.

Once you were settled by your softly glowing tea kettle, you looked around at the nearby grounds. You could vaguely see the shapes of the other students standing around their respective balls of glowing light, witches and wizards much like your navy-robed companion staring at their pocket watches.

“Now, listen closely,” the wizard said, scratching his mustache nervously, “you’ll be arriving on a street in London, right outside of the Leaky Cauldron where you’ll be staying. Someone from Hogwarts will be there waitin’ for ya and tell ya what you need to do next. Got it?”

“Wait, you’re not coming with us?” Eleanor demanded.

“Nope, my journey ends here.”

You two hardly had a chance to nod before the portkey began to pulse. Her face was growing greener by the second.

“Now?”

“Now!”

You barely touched the glowing tea kettle before you were jerked away into a zero gravity world of rotating colors.

                           _______________________________

There was a slickness on the cobblestone street outside of the Leaky Cauldron, making the flickering light of the torches reflect back beside your feet. You’d surprisingly landed smoothly, but you couldn’t say the same for poor Eleanor. She was sprawled by your feet surrounded by dropped luggage, breathing shallowly.

You reached down to help her up. “You okay? Take deep breaths!”

“I – I fucking hate portkeys,” she managed to seethe, hands on her knees.

“Oy!”

Both of your heads snapped up at the deep voice to see a large, bulking shadow lumbering out of the nearby magical pub. As the shape stepped closer, you realized that it was the silhouette of an enormous wizard with a messy beard and hair to match. Fear trickled through you, after all, you barely came up past his stomach – but when he stepped into the torchlight, you saw a kind smile and sparkling brown eyes. Your fear melted under the warmth he seemed to radiate.

“Ya gotta be th’ students comin’ over from th’ States, yeh?” he asked in a hearty grumble, leaning down to take both your luggage and Eleanor’s with ease.

“Uh, yeah, yeah, that’s us,” you smiled, awe still etched in your expression at the man’s size.

“Nice to meet ya!” he exclaimed, reaching out to shake your hand with a garbage lid-sized hand of his own. “Me name’s Hagrid, Keeper o’ Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts. I’ll also be one o’ yer professors.”

“I’m Y/N,” you introduced yourself. His huge hand could’ve enveloped fifty of yours.

Hagrid looked over at Eleanor, but she was turning increasingly green.

“Blimey, ya’ look like yer gonna be sick,” Hagrid said with concern.

Eleanor gulped, glaring at the innocent tea kettle laying in the street. She could barely speak. “P-Portkey.”

“Ah, Professor Dumbledore thought ya migh’,” Hagrid nodded, reaching into multiple large pockets that covered his vest. It looked to be made of some kind of animal skin. He was looking for something. “’ere we are!”

His large hand held out a small, wrapped candy of some kind. Bright letters across the wrapper read Sick-Be-Gone!

“Oh, thank you,” Eleanor gasped, snatching it out of his hand and popping it in her mouth. Her eyes closed and she sighed as if savoring a rich dessert.

Hagrid chuckled. “Reckon tha’s better.”

“I’m Eleanor,” she smiled, shaking his enormous hand. “Thank you, Hagrid.”

“Welcome ter London, Y/N an’ Eleanor!” he said with a large grin, turning back toward the Leaky Cauldron with all of your luggage in his huge arms. “Follow me. Tom’ll get ya up to yer rooms, I bet yer tired.”

“Ugh, that sounds amazing,” you groaned. Eleanor agreed.

The bar was a bit dusty, but obviously had so much character and history that you barely noticed. An older wizard stepped out from behind the bar, smiling. He was missing a tooth or two.

“Name’s Tom,” he said, shaking both you and your friend’s hands. He waved his wand toward the bar, and a rag sprang to life and began to clean a few small glasses. “Hope all that portkey travelin’ didn’t rough ya up too much.”

“Hagrid had us covered,” you smiled. Hagrid grinned behind you.

“Well, I got two rooms for ya upstairs,” Tom said. He motioned for Hagrid to put the luggage down, and with a wave of his wand, the bags were floating as if being carried by invisible people. “They’re next to each other. Follow me, Missus.”

You and Eleanor went to follow Tom and your bags, but Hagrid stopped you.

“Almos’ fergot,” he said quickly, “you two meet me down ‘ere in the mornin’, aroun’ nine. I’m gonna help ya git all yer school stuff!”

The two of you nodded, exchanging goodnights with Hagrid so that Tom could show you your rooms. You followed him up a few rickety, winding staircases before he came to a stop on the third floor.

“Miss Y/N, you’ll be in 310, Miss Eleanor in room 312,” he said, flicking his wand once more so that the doors opened and your respective bags floated to your bedsides. “Let me know if ya need anythin’.”

“Thanks, sir,” you said, stepping into your room and eying the bed longingly. The Leaky Cauldron was far from a five-star hotel, but it was comfortable, and that’s all that mattered.

“Goodnight, sir,” you heard Eleanor say from her room. Tom dipped his head and walked back down the stairs.

“See you at nine,” you smiled, poking your head into Eleanor’s room. It was identical to yours, only with a different bedspread. She yawned and waved.

“Night, Y/N.”

You hastily changed into your bedclothes and sank into the warm, soft sheets. It suddenly hit you just how draining traveling by multiple portkeys could be. You looked forward to the day that Apparition would be an option. You drifted into a deep sleep filled with dreams of floating across the sea from America to Britain.

                                 ___________________________

The next morning went by in a flash. You and Eleanor met Hagrid downstairs in the Leaky Cauldron as planned, following him into the back alley behind the pub and watching in amazement as the bricks parted for you at a few taps of his pink umbrella. You were puzzled by the lack of wand but decided not to ask.

You obviously had your wand and owl already, but you still needed the necessary books, potion ingredients, and plain black Hogwarts robes. Hagrid pointed out Madam Malkin’s Robes for All Occasions, waiting outside as you and Eleanor strolled in to be fitted. He was too large to enter the shop, he told you two with a bit of a blush.

“Hello, dears,” the slightly frazzled woman greeted. You assumed she was Madam Malkin. She waddled out from behind a table beside the three-sided mirror, pins and thread adorning pincushions on both of her wrists and sticking out of odd places on her green robes. “I’ll be with you ladies in just a moment.”

Madam Malkin rushed over to a group of waiting children, pushing them in turn toward the mirror and apple box-like stand, lifting their arms and pinning excess material quickly. Within a matter of ten minutes, she’d finished altering robes for four of them. When the last small child rushed out of the door, she approached the two of you, brushing her curling grey hair out of her plump face.

“Sorry ‘bout that, there are always so many first years,” she chuckled exasperatedly. “What can I do for you? Need longer robes?”

“We need new robes altogether,” you answered with a grin.

“You’re not from these parts, are you?” she asked, noticing your American accent.

“We’re exchange students, it’ll be our first year at Hogwarts,” Eleanor answered.

“Ah! How exciting,” she chippered, already rushing to a pair of racks not far behind you. “Slip these on, dearies, let’s see how they fair.”

Eleanor stepped onto the platform in front of the mirror first, lifting her arms without having to be told. Madam Malkin pinned her sleeves and the hemline of her robe quickly. She pointed out a group of shelves near the front windows that contained skirts, sweaters, and button up shirts that were refolding themselves. She told the two of you exactly what you would need, and what the weather was normally like.

“Your turn,” she smiled at you, motioning with a pin-filled hand to step onto the box.

The bell tingled as the front door to the shop opened, announcing the arrival of new customers. Madam Malkin turned from you to greet the newcomers, but her smile faded and her face paled. You followed her gaze in the mirror.

A pale woman with light blonde hair stepped into the shop, her emerald green robes shimmering and flowing behind her in a way that would’ve been majestic if the look on her face didn’t appear as if she was smelling something foul. Behind her walked a young man that appeared to be your age, with skin equally as fair and hair equally as blonde. His face was pointed, but very handsome, his pink lips and sharp jawline accentuated by his sharp grey-blue eyes and neatly groomed hair. They wreaked of money and wore their beauty proudly, but the air that surrounded them could not be described as pleasant.

“O-oh, Mrs. Malfoy, what a pleasure to see you,” Madam Malkin bowed, but it was obvious that their presence was anything but a pleasure.

Mrs. Malfoy nodded but did not return the sentiment. “My son, Draco, needs new robes,” she stated matter-of-factly, turning to him and resting a pale hand on his shoulder. She fixed Madam Malkin with an icy glare. “His school robes from last year are already ridden with holes. I expect better quality from any business that we frequent.”

“My deepest apologies, Mrs. Malfoy,” the frazzled woman bowed again, grasping her hands together in anxiety. “You’re absolutely right.”

Draco was smirking behind his mother, obviously taking enjoyment in watching her scold the shop owner like a small child. The butterflies in your stomach that were stirred by his appearance were instantly dampened by the expression on his face. You didn’t like the way these Malfoys were treating the older woman.

“We expect the finest materials, Malkin,” Mrs. Malfoy sneered. “If this reoccurs, I’m afraid we’ll be taking our business to a, erm—” she glanced around the small shop, her nose wrinkling, “—more fitting establishment.”

“O-of course, of course,” the shop owner stuttered, obviously shaken by the threat. “It will not happen again, Mrs. Malfoy.”

The blonde woman hummed, seemingly satisfied with how much fear she instilled in Madam Malkin. Draco stepped forward, browsing a nearby rack of more expensive robes and quickly picking a few pairs. He seemed to know what quality looked like, judging from his well-fitted black suit and shining silver serpent ring.

“I - I’ll be done with this young lady in just a moment,” Madam Malkin said nervously, turning to you with pins glinting in her shaking hands. You suddenly felt uneasy about her handling sharp objects with the Malfoys present.

“Unacceptable, I’m afraid we have a tight schedule to keep,” Mrs. Malfoy stated simply.

Draco strolled up to the mirror with the robes folded elegantly on his arm, his reflection making direct eye contact with yours. It felt like his sharp eyes could see every secret you possessed and you felt equally flustered and unnerved. You couldn’t decide if you liked the feeling.

“Are you deaf?” he asked in a voice that was as sharp as his eyes. A smirk that echoed his mother’s pulled up one corner of his mouth.

Your eyes narrowed, and the butterflies were dampened again. You looked to Madam Malkin, asking for her support with your gaze, but she sheepishly avoided your eyes. Not in the mood for drama on your first full day in Britain, you rolled your eyes and stepped down from the platform. You hated the smug smile that curled onto Draco’s handsome face.

“Asshole,” you muttered under your breath, walking to where Eleanor stood by the window shelves. Draco’s eyes locked with yours again in the mirror and he scowled. You smirked yourself, knowing that he’d heard you. His mother obviously did not.

“Who the hell do they think they are?” Eleanor whispered to you, pretending to card through a stack of sweater vests.

“Well, whoever they are, they sure as hell think their shit doesn’t stink,” you whispered in reply, glaring at the back of Draco’s shoulders as Madam Malkin bent to pin his robe hem. Her fingers were still shaking.

“If I wasn’t trying to make a good impression on my first day here, I’d hex the shit outta them,” Eleanor hissed quietly.

You nodded; although, one look at Mrs. Malfoy told you that she wasn’t one to be trifled with.

“I mean, poor thing, look at how nervous they make her,” you said, watching the scene with pity. Draco was now snapping at Madam Malkin for stabbing him with a pin. “No wonder his robes aren’t perfect, they’re yelling at her every two seconds.”

In double the time as it would’ve taken Madam Malkin to pin anyone else’s robes, she finished with Draco’s. He huffed out a “finally”, throwing them all into her arms and strolling back toward the front of the shop to his mother. Mrs. Malfoy muttered something about returning in an hour to pick up the robes, turning and strutting out of the door in a sweep of emerald green.

Draco went to follow, but then he stopped directly in front of you and Eleanor. With an irritatingly attractive smirk, his gaze grazed your body from your shocked face, down to your toes, then back up again.

He winked.

With eyes glinting like slate, he stuffed his hands into the pockets of his smooth black suit, turned, and sauntered out of the shop.

With anger, you realized that your face was a million degrees and the butterflies in your stomach were throwing a full-scale revolt. You didn’t hate the sensation as much as you should, as much as you wish that you did.

“The fuck was that?” Eleanor asked unabashedly.

Your cheeks were so hot that they were almost numb. “I — I don’t know.”

Madam Malkin rushed over to you, stumbling apologies on her lips. You could only make out “very wealthy” and “longtime patrons”. She finished pinning your robes in a rush, her face still flushed in what you could only assume was embarrassment. She murmured that both of your robes would be ready in a few hours, avoiding eye contact, then shooed you both out of the shop. If you didn’t pity her so, you would’ve been offended.

Hagrid was waiting for you two, looking up from a small wooden carving that he was whittling with a large knife. Seeing the looks on your faces, it didn’t take him long to make the connection.

“Venturin’ a guess tha’ ya met the Malfoys?” he asked gruffly, distaste evident in his tone. “Rotten lot they are.”

“Yeah, what’s their problem?” you demanded. “They treated Madam Malkin like she was a servant.”

“They fancy ‘emselves better than mos’,” he growled. “Pure-bloods, they are.”

Eleanor groaned, and you echoed it. In America, pure-blood mania had all but disappeared over a century ago. A limited number of wizards arrived on the large continent, and after a handful of centuries had passed, it became more than obvious that the pure-blood families would have no choice but to inbreed if they wanted to keep their status. Some even tried, but magic would die out of the families if their kind didn’t eventually mate with No-Majs. Barely a wizard was alive in America today that wasn’t half-blood or less.

“Are you serious?” you asked. “That’s still a thing here?”

Hagrid chuckled at your tone. “Jus’ ignore ‘em.” He stopped and pointed down Diagon Alley to an old shop painted in black. “Righ’ there’s where ya need ta git yer potion supplies.”

The rest of the afternoon was spent gathering the last of what you needed for your first day at Hogwarts, but you couldn’t stop thinking about the oddly beautiful yet unbearably cold mother and son that had swept into Madam Malkin’s. You gritted your teeth. But then you tried not to blush as you recalled Draco’s piercing eyes and self-assured smirk. And what the hell was that taunting wink all about?

Darkness had fallen by the time the three of you finished shopping. Hagrid treated you and Eleanor to a small but delicious dinner downstairs at the Leaky Cauldron. You were to meet him downstairs again in the morning for King’s Cross Station.

“Make sure yer wearin’ Muggle attire,” he reminded you on his way out the door.

“Wait, what? What’s a Muggle?” Eleanor asked, confused.

Hagrid chuckled, understanding. “Wha’ we call non-magic folk.”

“Ahh,” you nodded, smiling at the odd term. “We say No-Maj in America, like ‘no magic’.”

“Makes sense, I reckon,” he smiled through his thick beard. He waved a large hand. “See ya in th’ mornin’.”

In a tired haze, you and your friend trudged up the multiple flights of stairs, carrying all of your purchases from the day. Once you’d exchanged goodnights with Eleanor, you stuffed all of the supplies and robes into your suitcases haphazardly, anxious to get to sleep. You had to get up early in the morning to look your best before you left for King’s Cross. Your future peers were going to see you for the first time, and first impressions mattered.

Your eyelids became heavy as you watched your lamp fizzle out, excitement and nerves lazily tying knots in your stomach for what was to come.

[ Read Part 3 here ]

[cinnella]

I felt inspired to make a thread of my progress this year after seeing other peoples' because HOLY SHIT I LEARNED HOW TO DRAW H U M A N S (I cannot emphasize this enough, my art skills were based on animatronics and FURRIES, I did not know how fucking humans worked!)

Without further ado, this is gonna be a Syro thread because I noticed I drew him the most out of the five (he also seems to be a favorite amongst my mutuals)

Everything's under the cut cause it's long!✨

May 18th

Okay, so this was like the FIRST ever drawing of him, so there's no tattoos and barely any piercings, these got added later. And it was also an entry for The Arcana Festival 'Love Like Yours' which was hosted in that month. Uh, needless to say, I hate looking at it now. What was that lineart?? What is that anatomy?? And poor Julian's massacred!!✨

June 4th

This one was made on Bisexual Day of the Pride Month for obvious reasons. I also wamted to display Cal's and Sy's brotherly love. And I had a thing for transparent backgrounds apparently. But I have just one question for my past self- What the fuck.✨

August 29th

Now here I can say that he's starting to gain somewhat of a nice shape and overall anatomy. I don't have much negative things to say towards this one because I actually kind of like the way it came out (and it was also a present for Celestia's birthday, @dreamyasra 's mc)✨

October 3rd

My only excuse is that @sahanableps is a thirsty bitch for this buff-wuff (I love you tho). First and foremost, I was still learning how to draw muscles (still am lmao) and I also needed to show off his chest tattoo, that's all. The only thing I hate is the hair- what even is all of that?!✨

October 8th

Once again, @sahanableps strikes with her thirst (not gonna lie, I did too, this is still one of my favorite outfits). The only thing I can complain about is his lip piercings, cause I was still drawing them way too close to the centre. And that he wasn't as thicc and buffy. Other than that, a total snack.✨

October 15th

The first ever drawing of everyone's favorite blueberry, Wynne. I put like a whole ton of effort into this one and yet, I'm still not so satisfied with it, some things are way off. But I can't say I hate it.✨

October 17th

Everyone wanted to see the poor baby get beaten, so it happened. I do have to admit that I made his arm too big and the eyes just the same.✨

October 20th

October was really just Syro month, wasn't it? Honestly this is probably the best I've ever drawn his face structure, no lie. My only complaint, once again, the hair. Just- what was I thinking? ✨

November 17th

And THIS!! THIS IS MY FAVORITE FUCKING DRAWING OF ALL TIME, I'M NOT EVEN KIDDING! Everything down to the lineart, came out the way I wanted it to, especially his hair and Wynne's expression and make up. *chefs kiss* That day was definitely my day!✨

November 29th

And the last addition to this thread is, obviously, his sprite, which I'm very proud of. I'm proud of how far his design has come, and how far I've come regarding it. I'm most proud of the decrease in eye size, I won't lie, those things were fucking huge. And the fact that he actually looks like a fucking human being.

I'm often way too hard on myself and say that I'm still not there, but I don't take the time and realize that I've already come so far and in just 8 months. That is an achievement that I should recognize.

So if you're in my situation, in my place, where you think that you still aren't good enough. You are. Goddamn it, you are! Look at your progress, no matter if it's art, or writing or whatever! Yes, you may still have a lot to improve, but you're improving every. single. day. And that's just as important! Give yourself a break and don't give up. Your future self will thank you so so much.✨

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

[kae-karo]

"how will you survive" and kaeya!

i am so sorry this prompted SO much angst asdkljsdjklfjkls (send me one of these prompts and a genshin character!)

--

hands of fate - T - 2k

tags: zhongli & kaeya enemies to allies, introspection, mentions of killing but nobody dies, lots of guilt, lil bit of tartali mention

[read on ao3]

--

In all his time on Teyvat since that dark night, Zhongli has not encountered a descendant of Khaenri’ah. Perhaps fate skewed heavily in his favor, or perhaps fate is not so kind a force to give him that reprieve when it intends only to return for him, to bring him to his knees.

He wishes - and perhaps it is a naive, belated thing to wish - that he had ventured a little farther from the borders of Liyue before today. That he had happened upon the famed winery some ten or so years ago, that he’d encountered the child of Khaenri’ah that stands before him now.

That bares his teeth in a smirk that does not feel lighthearted. And could not be, he chides himself - a child of Khaenri’ah, one that grew up in its festering remains, that was taught the truth about the archons. A child steeped in resentment - how could he be anything but burdened?

Zhongli cannot blame him.

“You were there,” he says, too casual. Kaeya, a Khaenri’ahn name. Zhongli dips his head.

“I was.”

“And you did nothing.” Not a question.

“I was bound by my gnosis.” An excuse. Behind his eyes, Khaenri’ah burns, a destruction wrought upon thousands of innocent people for the act of few, and still an act that did not warrant such merciless slaughter. Zhongli does not deserve excuses.

“You chose your path,” Kaeya says, as cool as the ice he’s used to freeze Zhongli here, on his knees. He could break free, of course. Kaeya does not hold the same power that he does - but is it fair of him to deny fate? To deny Kaeya what he so very righteously deserves?

Perhaps his contract was never with the Tsaritsa. Never something so small, so minute in the face of the hands of fate. Perhaps his contract has always been far larger than that, far more sinister. Far more binding than a gnosis, than the promise of the powers of Celestia at his fingertips.

Cool metal tips Zhongli’s chin up, and he lifts his gaze to meet Kaeya’s - one blue eye, one black, entirely corrupted by the Abyss that has long since consumed Khaenri’ah. Would he be anything different, if Zhongli had found him? How many times can he shift the hands of fate to his bidding, to his selfish desires?

Never enough, he knows. They will always find a way back to him.

“I should kill you for what you did.” He sounds bored as he speaks, and Zhongli wants to know, rather suddenly: is his emotionless tone borne from years of coping with that anger, that hatred for the gods who abandoned him? Or is it borne of something deeper, something far more sinister?

Would it matter, in the end? If there was a time that Zhongli might’ve stepped outside Liyue’s borders, that he might’ve happened upon Kaeya living in Mondstadt, could he have changed this outcome?

Would he have? It is not in his nature to involve himself heavily, even in Liyue. To do so in another archon’s territory would have certainly been a breach of well-established boundaries.

“I would not begrudge you that decision,” Zhongli says carefully, and holds Kaeya’s stare. Feels again the press of cool metal under his chin. It’s grown warmer over time, as the ice holding him captive begins to creep under his skin.

Kaeya huffs out a breath, lowers his sword.

“You’re certainly taking all the fun out of this,” he grumbles, more to himself than to Zhongli, and Zhongli tips his head. Thinks of Childe, and lets that spark warm his chest for a moment. Hopes a distant hope that Childe is safe, that he is not in danger at the moment. Or, rather, that he is in a danger he can handle, for Zhongli would never dare to underestimate him.

“I apologize.”

“Why?” A scoff, and Kaeya tips his head in Zhongli’s direction. “It’s far too late for an apology to make much of a difference. Won’t bring anyone back.”

“I am aware.” What he does not say: I watched thousands die at the hands of angry gods. Thousands of your people, and I stood aside and did nothing to stop it. Did not even fight the control that held me still, though it could not force me to partake in the slaughter.

Kaeya huffs out an irritated breath, and Zhongli inhales as much as the rigid ice will allow. He is no stranger to death, though he’s gone quite a while without its presence hovering nearby. And yet, he cannot blame Kaeya for this anger, for this hatred. How to mourn a culture torn from Teyvat before he’d even been born? How to grieve for thousands dead when he had not been there to see their slaughter?

Perhaps it was inevitable, the hands of fate guiding them to this moment. For Zhongli can grieve, can mourn in a way that Kaeya cannot, and Kaeya in a way that Zhongli cannot. Fate that drew them together, so that their sorrow might mean something more.

“I expected an eons-old god to beg for his life,” Kaeya adds aloud, but quieter. Less of this show he’s been putting on, and Zhongli sees the pain beneath the surface - the true pain, the kind of hurt he’s borne through his life, not the distant kind for people he never knew himself.

What a lonely existence, to be the last of one’s kind. To be set so thoroughly apart from all others, what a burden to bear. To find no home, to feel out of place even in the home built for oneself. Zhongli does not want to take away from the right that Kaeya has to experience his pain, but a part of Zhongli’s heart goes out, calls out for him to say that he understands.

That he feels the same, in so very many ways.

“I have lived a very long time, but I do not think the world would stop turning if I no longer walked Teyvat.” He chooses his words carefully, and does not think of broken contracts sworn to those he holds dearest.

I will see you again. A promise to Childe sworn in shared breaths under warm covers.

I will always protect you. Another, to Xiao, dear Xiao, his ever-vigilant yaksha.

It pains Zhongli to think that they might suffer for his absence, that they might grieve. The world may not cease its turning, but the ache in his heart for their sadness…

But they are not alone any longer - Zhongli has watched them find others to depend upon, others to share in their sorrows should something irreversible happen tonight. And he has been afforded an opportunity he might not otherwise see: to give Kaeya some peace, to bring a kind of amends to the very last of Khaenri’ah. It is not the worst way to leave the world behind.

“Well, that dulls the revenge aspect of this quite a bit, doesn’t it,” Kaeya says, quiet and- and rather lackluster, for all his earlier enthusiasm. Pain flickers through his features with each movement, cracks in the glacial ice of his expression, and Zhongli exhales slowly.

“You watched the destruction of an entire civilization,” Kaeya hisses under his breath, low and forceful, and Zhongli dips his head. Wonders at this repetition - is it for Zhongli, now, or for himself? Which of them does he wish to remind of the atrocities that Zhongli was complicit in?

“And there is nothing I will ever be able to do to atone for the pain I enabled.” He lets his eyes drift shut, sees the ruins of Khaenri’ah, hears the screams and wails and feels the tears that’d fallen unbidden from his eyes even as he stood utterly still, even as he did not fight to protect the innocent.

So very long...for so very long, Zhongli fought through the Archon war for a promised peace. Perhaps some might’ve called him soft for how his heart ached in those horrible, horrible hours of Khaenri’ah’s massacre. Perhaps he is not the rigid, unfeeling stone he once was.

His eyes flick open at the clattering of metal on wood, surprised to find Kaeya’s hand limp at his side, his sword at his feet. Surprised more to feel the drip of water against his skin, the gradual loosening of the ice’s hold on his body.

It melts away around him, and the weight of his body returns without the ice supporting it. The weight of his heart drags him further, though, and he slumps, bows over with the ache of it in his chest. His hands press into the wood, unfeeling for the ice that’d encased them. He sees blood that is not there, blood of thousands upon thousands, and does not feel the sick warmth of it.

“You can help.”

Kaeya’s voice is quiet, broken. Zhongli knows without asking what his words truly mean, what he requests of Zhongli.

“I am nothing in the face of Celestia,” he says quickly - not out of fear, but out of warning. He will not be the asset that Kaeya hopes him to be. “But if it will bring you peace-”

“It won’t.” Kaeya’s back remains turned, but his words cut through as sharply as his sword. When he finally faces Zhongli again, a bitter smile touches his lips. “But I have no one else left, and I would rather not die alone.”

Ah, a feeling that Zhongli knows well. And yet, he considers with a strange spark of amusement, he has not yet come face to face with his final end.

Inside his head, Childe grins at him. Demands another fight, for he is ever the insatiable warrior. Xiao dips his head to Zhongli, but never so low as that first time. When he lifts it, a smile touches the corner of his lips. Something like hope glows in Zhongli’s chest - if fate demands his life, he will fight it tooth and nail. Force it to give him one more chance to see those he loves so dearly.

“I owe you and your people far more than my life could repay-” This he knows with grave certainty. “But,” he adds as he stands - on shaking legs, with frozen limbs - “I have made promises I cannot break, and so I will fight with you against Celestia itself.”

Kaeya’s brows furrow minutely.

“You made me no such promise.” His tone speaks of caution, and Zhongli cannot blame him. He wonders, too, if Kaeya wishes to reach for his sword.

But he remains still, and Zhongli’s lip ticks up at the corner as he exhales a short breath - on another day, in another life, it might be amusement that sparks his reaction, but now, it is only a desperate kind of hope.

“No, but I promised others that I would return,” Kaeya’s brows lift, “and return I must, for what is a god of contracts if he cannot keep his word?”

“That’s rather bold, when you couldn’t manage to stand up to Celestia the last time,” Kaeya says with a quirked brow, now, and he crosses his arms over his chest. “What was it you just said? That you’re nothing in the face of Celestia?”

A bitter, stinging sort of dread worms its way through Zhongli’s chest. A fear he hasn’t felt in many years, fear that he might not escape this battle alive. Fear that he will leave Childe and Xiao behind with no warning. That he will break their hearts.

“How will you survive?” Kaeya asks, but his voice is not so harsh this time. His gaze looks distant, too, and Zhongli wonders if he is not as alone as he claims.

“I will do whatever it takes, as I presume you will.” He will rely on every tactic he has left untouched for eons, will fight bitterly and without remorse. Will be selfish for the sake of others - for Kaeya, for Khaenri’ah, and for Childe and Xiao. For his own heart, and for theirs.

Kaeya’s eyes narrow at him, and Zhongli holds his stare.

“Very well, god of contracts.” Kaeya extends a hand, and Zhongli reaches out in turn. Finds Kaeya’s palm warm in spite of the ice that he wields. “I believe we have a deal.”

[dzamie-oc]

Smaugust 11 - Celestial

Spike is anxious about the future. He goes to ask Celestia for help - after all, if anyone knows the woes of a long life, it would be her! (1134 words)

Spike jogged through the familiar halls of Canterlot Castle, waving at some of the Royal Guard as he passed them. Most of them maintained their professional, steely, serious gaze, but he did get a few of them to soften into a slight smile for the young dragon. If he watched closely, he saw a few of them widen their eyes slightly; he knew them from before the whole Nightmare Moon thing, and hadn't seen him with his new wings. Spike only paid half-attention to the route he was taking, letting his feet move on autopilot down the carpeted halls and around corners while he checked out how the decor had changed since his last visit. Although he had been living in Ponyville with Twilight and her friends - well, Rainbow technically lived in Cloudsdale, but she was pretty much an official Ponnyvillian - he still knew each corridor like the back of his claw. One more turn brought him to the grand entrance before the throne room, where he was thrilled to see only a single pegasus mare waiting before the huge, ornate doors.

Flapping his wings, Spike danced over the remaining distance before coming to a stop in the very short queue. "Hi there," he greeted her, "whatcha looking to ask Princess Celestia about?"

The mare turned her head, then looked down at him. Seeing him as a young dragon rather than an older one, she gave him a friendly smile rather than the terrified gasp Spike had seen Smolder get. "Oh, I'm a gardener - I grow special plants up in the clouds - and the Earth ponies in my town have been accusing me of stealing their livelihoods, even though I grow completely different plants." She pointed with a primary feather at her flank, which had what looked like a multicolored daisy on a raincloud for her cutie mark. "See this plant? That's a Bellis prismata, native to Cumuloria. It suffocates in dirt, and it's about eighty percent of what I grow." She refolded her wings to her sides before continuing, "I suppose I'm just looking for, like, a royal mark of approval or something. Or, hay, just somepony of authority to tell me I'm right." She and Spike shared a chuckle at that.

"If the flower looks anything like your cutie mark, that's really cool! I hope I get to see one someday!" Spike said.

"Well, swing by the outskirts of Trottingham sometime, little guy, and maybe you'll see my cloud!" the mare replied. "So, what are you here for?"

Spike scuffed his foot against the ground. "Ah, just, y'know, life advice. About growing up and stuff," he said, a little self-conscious, "I guess that's pretty silly compared to your neighbors trying to trample your garden... metaphorically, if it's in the clouds."

The pegasus shook her head and gave him a bright smile. "Not at all, kiddo. Heh, I wonder what I would've done if I'd thought to ask Princess Celestia for guidance when I was a filly..."

The guard called the mare's name, and she bade Spike farewell before walking into the chamber, passing a unicorn stallion engrossed in the scroll floating in front of his eyes. Spike took the time to think about what he'd say to the Princess, and also to see if he could tell the guards apart, to no avail. A few minutes later, the one on the right called out, "last one, Spike the Dragon," and Spike stepped up for the doors to open. As he went in, he passed the gardening mare.

"Went well?"

"Yes! Nothing like a note, but she gave me advice on not letting them bother me!"

"Nice one!"

"Yeah! Good luck, kiddo!"

The dragon entered the spacious room. He had grown up in the castle, had probably been in this very room countless times - especially as the Sibling Supreme - but it still was a sight to behold. A huge, vaulted ceiling, numerous stained glass windows depicting the exploits of Princess Celestia, Twilight, and her friends. And, in one, Spike held the Crystal Heart. The young dragon always held his head up a bit higher after seeing it. Finally, his view settled on the two velvet-lined thrones in the focus of the room. One with a yellow sun atop the back and a white alicorn sitting on the cushion, and the other with a silver moon and a blue alicorn. Judging by their relaxed posture and the guards in the room standing at ease, Spike figured they had heard who, exactly, was the last "petitioner" of the day.

"Hi, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna!" he called as he walked up to the throne. One of the guards on the side stiffened when he walked past where most petitioners stopped, but his counterpart smiled at him and shook his head. Spike was fine. "Were both of you running Day Court today?"

Luna shook her head, her ethereal mane swirling behind her. "I am afraid not, Spike Sparkle. I merely stopped by to invite my sister to enjoy dinner with me."

Spike cringed and took a step back. "I can, uh, come back some other day?" he offered, "I don't want to get in the way of your sisterly bonding."

"That's quite alright, Spike, Day Court is still in session," Celestia said, her voice calm, even, and inviting, "and besides, I wouldn't do that to a friend. I'm sure Luna will live even if we run over time and I'm a few minutes late."

Luna stuck her tongue out at her older sister. "I shall order extra alfalfa for you, sister, if your tardiness is excessive." Celestia drew back in a mock gasp, looking as though the Princess of the Night had threatened to drown Philomena. After a second, they broke down into laughter, and Luna walked away from the throne and through her curtain out of the throne room. "I wish you two well in your talk! But tarry not for too long, dear sister, or I shall ensure you stick to your diet!" And with that, she was gone.

Celestia and Spike turned to face each other. "So, my little dragon, what did you come here to talk about? Not that I don't love your visits no matter the reason, but you usually don't register for Day Court when you just want to talk about your latest adventure with the girls. Or especially Rarity."

Spike blushed a little, recalling his and Rarity's last trip into the gem mines near Ponyville. "Yeah, well, this feels serious. Er, more serious? It has that 'weight' thing that Twilight reads about in her crime drama novels."

The alabaster alicorn rose from her throne and descended the steps to stand next to the dragon. "Well, I will do my best to help support that weight with you."

"Thanks, Prin- thanks, Celestia," Spike said. He had to crane his neck up a bit further, but this felt more like an easy, casual conversation. "I've been thinking about growing up, and I'm worried. Dragons live a long time."

"Oh, Spike," Celestia said in a motherly tone, "you're far too young to worry about outliving your frien-"

"No, no, not that," Spike interjected, "I think I've got a decent handle on that. Well, I'm sure it'll pop up again when the time gets closer, but I think I've got it for now. No, it's more..." He sighed. "When Twilight and I first came to Ponyville, she was against making friends, and kinda bad at the whole 'friendship' thing for quite awhile longer."

Celestia giggled. "Oh, yes, I do remember her mentioning that in her first Friendship Report, to show how she had grown." She tilted her head, trying to read him. "Are you...? Ah, my apologies, Spike. I'll let you tell it at your own speed."

The dragon smiled at her. "Thanks. And no, I'm not wondering if there's anything I'm wrong about or missing out on. I may be Spike the Brave and Glorious, but I'm not Spike the omnisss... omnisha..."

"Omniscient?"

"Yeah, that. I don't know everything. Nopony does." His smile twisted into a wry smirk. "Not even you, Princess. I've heard how often Luna pranks you."

"Would you believe I fell for them on purpose to cheer her up?"

"Nnnnope."

"Drat."

Another shared laugh. "No, but..." Spike's smile fell. "The thing is, ponies change. Griffons change. Changelings change - hay, I sang a whole song about it! And Ember and Garble have shown me that dragons change, too." He looked up at the co-ruler of the land, eyes wide in a sad, pleading stare. "What if I change too much? What if I grow up to be like that Power Ponies villain, Wild Card, and start thinking that Equestrian society is bad at the roots? What if-"

A look of horrified realization spread over his features. His crest and fins sank, and he trembled as he finished in a small voice.

"What if, like Tempest Shadow, I start thinking that friendship and being nice was a thing for foals and little hatchlings?"

"Aw, Spike..." Celestia said in a soft voice. She leaned her head down and gently nuzzled him before continuing, "there's no way to predict how you'll change. But remember, Twilight ultimately showed Tempest the magic of friendship anew. I have faith that friendship and harmony will prevail in everypony, and as an alicorn and a dragon, we have so much more time for it to return in us, should we falter, ourselves."

Spike still looked close to crying, but he had a small smile on his face. "What, you, falter in friendship?" He snorted and waved a claw dismissively. "You're Princess Celestia! You're, like, the epitome of peace and harmony!"

"Don't say that around Luna," Celestia quipped, "she's seen my nightmares. But, Spike, would you like to know one of the best ways of keeping yourself from... becoming a Power Pony villain?" The alicorn mare leaned in, as though about to divulge a particularly juicy secret.

The dragon stared at her, cautious hope in his wide eyes, and nodded.

"It's... friends," the Princess said with a smile, "friends who can cheer you up when you're down, friends who give you a reason to keep on trotting..." she paused, her expression turning wistful as she gazed toward's Luna's throne. "Friends who notice when you feel like the world is against you, and can bring you back before it's too late..."

Spike followed her gaze, then reached out to reassuringly pet her foreleg. "Princess, I'm sure you didn't know any better."

Celestia looked back at him, and returned to smiling softly. "You're right, Spike, I didn't. I wasn't used to being a Princess back then, and I lost my dearest friend for that change." She took a deep breath, then straightened and gave him a more confident smile. "But, again, I learned the error of my ways, and that was also a change, as was the rest of those thousand years. And believe me, since she's returned, we've also changed quite a bit with how we think of and talk with each other. I honestly believe it will all turn out for the best in the end, as long as you keep on learning. Even when you're as old and ancient and know-it-all and boring as me!" Celestia's eyes widened and she covered her mouth with her hooves, then glared around the room.

"Oh, come now," the disembodied voice of Discord said, "surely you weren't going to lecture one of my O&O buddies about change and not even invite me? I even brought you a cake! Banana-vanilla, your favorite."

"Pardon me if I don't exactly believe you," Celestia said, testily.

"Well, too bad. You get me anyway!" The draconequus's upper body popped out of Celestia's billowy mane, holding a one-layer cake with a crude drawing of Celestia on the icing. He immediately smashed it into her face. "Well, that's my gag for this. Discord away!" Discord's body liquified and fell to the floor, where it slipped away through the cracks in the tiles.

Celestia sighed and lifted the cake away from her in her magic. She looked at Spike, then at the cake. "Don't tell Luna?"

Spike mimed zipping his lips; Celestia licked hers. Just before she took a bite, she smiled serenely down at the young dragon. "I hope I was able to help you, my little dragon."

He gave her a grin and a thumbs-up. "I think I got it. Thanks, Celestia!"

"Anytime, Spike. Have a good day," she said, and the two of them parted ways, to opposite ends of the throne room.

Spike was distracted again as he left the castle. But this time, his smile wasn't from the gorgeous architecture and decor, but rather the memory of his conversation, and what he learned from it.

[piffyocs]

The End of an Ending (v: Dimensional Refugees)

Thorax put a hoof on her shoulder “You don’t have to do this.”

“Yes, I do.” Legs broke ranks with the gathered forces as they crested the hill, taking to the air. Her gossamer wings didn’t look like they should be able to lift her in full war regalia, but she ascended smoothly and with little apparent exertion. The weight of her polished plate armor felt like nothing compared to the weight of their impending victory. And it would, without a doubt, be a victory. Tirek and Cozy Glow held no candles to Grah-Hoth and Daybreaker, and Chrysalis...

She’d already killed Chrysalis once before.

“Caryua, Mother of Love, Mother of Conquest, I beseech thee to turn away the weapons of they who oppose me, for I come to them in peace.” What looked at first like a flower bloomed between her hooves, and shimmering heart-shaped wings unfurled to surround her in a shining, ethereal bubble. She touched down between the shield protecting the Mane Six and the three who had just tried to kill them.

“Who's that?” Cozy Glow asked Chrysalis.

“Don’t ask me like I know,” Chrysalis hissed back.

“I've changed a lot since we last met, Mother,” Legs said. Her voice held firm, holding none of the desperation she felt. “And I see that you’ve changed for the worse.”

“You’re no grub of mine, and I’m stronger than ever before!”

“Are you lying to me, or yourself?" Legs did not even blink when a green blast glanced uselessly off her Sanctuary spell. Or when it was followed up by test shots from Tirek and Cozy Glow. “Look at you, Mother. You’re alone, beside fair-weather allies who will turn on you the instant you’re no longer conven--”

“FORGET THIS!” Cozy flew past her, and, to Legs’s dismay, the forces gathered on the hill began their charge.

“--ient,” Legs continued, even as Tirek tried to knock her out of his way. The plain quickly became a dust-choked battlefield, but Legs kept going as if it hadn’t, only raising her voice enough to be heard over the yelling, stomping, and flapping. “And you’re so consumed with revenge that you’ve forgotten what makes a queen strong in the first place: A hive! Why haven’t you rebuilt? There are other queens in the lands far from here--”

“AND ONE AND ALL OF THEM ARE SOFT, WEAK COWARDS LIKE YOU!” Chrysalis roared.

“YOU’RE THE COWARD, MOTHER! IT’S ALWAYS BEEN YOU!” Legs shrieked back, and her Sanctuary shattered into a thousand pieces. She’d feel great shame later for losing her composure like this, but in the moment, she lost herself to long-bottled frustrations. “What has your cruelty ever gotten you, that you couldn’t have gotten by opening your heart and being decent to others? What have you ever taken that somecreature wouldn’t have given you in kindness, if only you’d cared enough to form a genuine bond? Why do you constantly burn every bridge you so much as BAT AN EYELASH at? Look where it’s gotten you!”

“It’s getting me to victory!” Chrysalis fired at her again, and this time Legs had to dodge. Beam battles were one area where Legs did not measure up to her mother’s skill.

But this world’s Chrysalis had no holy power, and Legs still did. "Caryua, Mother of Conquest, I beseech thee to shield me from my foes!”

A bubble of blue light surrounded her, and it weakened the coming onslaught of attacks as she chanted a much longer, more involved prayer. The other creatures who had banded together to fight did a fine job of keeping Tirek and Cozy Glow busy, but Chrysalis had all but forgotten them in her rage. When the very air around Legs began to ring with the power she was summoning, those two noticed, but then it was too late:

“--and bring upon them but a sliver of Divine Retribution!”

A wave of burning, golden light burst forth in a sphere around Legs. A lot of ponies, changelings, yaks, and other creatures braced themselves or turned to flee, but the spell passed harmlessly over them like a warm, fleeting embrace. Chrysalis, Cozy Glow, and Tirek were not so lucky. The light struck them with tremendous, burning force, knocking them to the ground and searing fur and gossamer where it struck. They still drew breath, but they were sorely worse for wear.

Distantly, Legs heard Princess Twilight Sparkle return to the battlefield and begin to give a speech. Part of her brain dutifully filed the words away as a diplomatic reflex, but it was nothing new, and somecreature else took priority. She rushed to the alternate of her mother, and yanked off one of her gauntlets to touch her shoulder gently. “Mother, please...”

Chrysalis opened her eyes a crack, then she saw familiar pink and blue swirls, and her eyes flew wide. “Legs... You’re Legs!”

“Yes, it’s me.” It hurt, knowing that this Chrysalis, too, had once been in such a low place that she’d had party larvae, but that hurt paled in comparison to the one that came next:

“That’s impossible! I crushed your head under my own hooves.”

Legs staggered backward, and suddenly a rainbow light crashed down. The friendship laser washed past her in much the same way Divine Retribution had washed past her allies, but it stripped away the power Chrysalis, Cozy Glow, and Tirek had taken from the bell.

“Mother, you...”

“Queen Legs, you’ve done enough,” Princess Celestia’s jarringly maternal voice made Legs’s stomach do a backflip instead of soothing her. “We’ll handle it from here.”

Legs knew that this Chrysalis’s crimes were against the Empire Equestria--she was in Equestria right now--but something felt so terribly wrong about letting Daybreaker’s alternate near.

Princess Celestia stomped a golden-shoed hoof as she glared down at her fallen foes. “There isn’t a punishment worthy of all you’ve done!”

It wasn’t Daybreaker all over again, it wasn’t--

Discord whispered something in the Princesses’ ears.

“Oh! That does seem fitting,” Luna said.

“May I help?” Discord asked. “Please?”

The next thing Legs’s mind registered was her mother’s body turning to stone. “No-- wait!”

But it was too late. Chrysalis’s face, twisted in desperate rage, frozen, forever. Legs knew full well that petrification left the victim conscious. Her mother had told her many times that she would have rather died than ever be a decoration in Daybreaker’s extensive statue garden.

Princess Celestia moved on to congratulate Princess Twilight Sparkle, but Legs stayed rooted to the spot. She’d wanted her mother’s alternate to avoid death today, but not like this.

“Um, Legs, what are you doing?” Discord asked.

Legs robotically opened a jar and smeared the Balm of Life on the faces of Chrysalis and her shocked, frightened allies, then put her hooves together and prayed. “Caryua, Mother of Conquest, Mother of Love, I beseech thee to bring mercy upon these trapped souls, in the only way I know how.”

A thousand tiny blades billowed up from the ground, slicing the statues into rubble just before the stone turned back into flesh.

Somepony screamed. Legs wasn’t in any mental state to distinguish who. She slumped to the ground, sobbing and inconsolable.

[friendshipcampaign]

Session Recap 6/15/19: Some Things Never Change

The party took a little time to recover back at the inn before setting out again. Voski played a Song of Rest for the group, which Ben warned her had been audible when they went downstairs again. She put down a deposit for her room to be soundproofed and asked if a courier could send a note to the Slumbering Grell for her. After receiving confirmation, she put together a package containing the wyvern bones she’d purchased earlier and a small card with a doodle of Squall’s face. Ben also informed her that it would be possible to protect their rooms from divination magic, but the cost would be 250gp and the spell would only last 24 hours. She paid for the service.

As the group headed out, Ditto asked Kriv if he could translate the word on the cuna Tiktik had left her, “sosoceni.” He said that it meant safe or found or having community, with reduplication at the start to serve as an intensifier for the meaning. She also asked what “abuji,” the word Tiktik used to call her, meant. 

“Well, it’s really sweet, for one thing,” he said, explaining that it essentially described a beloved person. “But what it means is that they loved you.” 

Ditto’s face went a little odd for a moment before she laughed and burst out laughing, then said, “That liar! That sneak! She told me it meant ‘idiot’!”

When they reached the Pig’s Eye, Ditto was struck by just how exactly the same it looked. She pointed out the owner to the group, a dwarven woman named Frohlig Stonebender who soon called them inside. It took her a moment to recognize Ditto, but the wizard jogged her memory by saying it had been about 60 years and she’d once won a bet with her by pulling off the “two people in a trenchcoat” trick with Tiktik.

“It’s the legs of Goz the Great!” Frileg exclaimed.

Ditto admitted that she’d come to the Pig’s Eye partially for nostalgia, but partially to ask her some stuff about catching up with the city. She drew a picture of the three-eyed symbol they’d encountered on some scrap parchment and asked Frileg what she knew about it. Frileg said she didn’t know much, but that it had come to Veritas along with newcomers who’d flocked to the city in the wake of the disaster, and who sometimes spoke in a language that made your head hurt.

Ditto also asked Frileg about the Obsidian Shard and learned that it mostly catered to people who wanted courier services with more deniability. It had only been in recent years that they’d ventured into using the larger, more dangerous constructs. She mentioned another old acquaintance of Ditto’s, named Nilo, had used them before and might know more about their services.

As the conversation wrapped up and some of the others ordered drinks, Amaranth pulled Ditto aside and asked how much she trusted Frileg. Ditto said she thought the tavern keeper was fairly trustworthy and Amaranth noted this, saying she might be a good contact for their investigations. Ditto also said that as far as people they could talk to, Nilo was less trustworthy, but definitely connected to the criminal operations in the city -- she’d found his pursuits to be a little “too professional” for her own tastes.

After a bit, as more people started to file in, a big human woman with a golden braid and a wooden hand stepped up on the small stage area with a lute and began playing some loud drinking songs. Several other interesting patrons made their way inside too, including an elderly drow woman with a spiderweb shawl and a young noble-looking human man accompanied by a hulking construct. As things got noisier, Ditto noticed Erwyn looking visibly distressed by the volume and conjured him a set of earmuffs.

Eventually, a halfling with a salt-and-pepper ponytail and his arm around a kobold wearing a peasant dress walked in. Seeing him, Ditto cast Invisibility on herself and snuck up behind him.

“Nilo Nettleleaf, this is your conscience,” she said.

He jumped, then said, “My conscience? I haven’t heard that in 60 years!”

“I’m here to tell you you have something to feel very very guilty about… You walked right past me without saying hello!” she said.

Nilo swung around and hugged her as she dismissed the spell. He introduced the kobold with him as Clarity, and, like Frileg, mentioned to her that Ditto had once been the lower half of “Goz the Great.” 

She then took him over to the table where the others were sitting and introduced them. Nilo seemed slightly more guarded around the rest of the group, but was willing to talk to Ditto about some of her questions. She asked him about the Obsidian Shard and he said he’d only looked into them enough to know their messages reached their targets. He also mentioned that they were a way around the guilds when it came to correspondence. But as far as the larger constructs like the ones that had attacked Squall went, Nilo said he didn’t know as much -- only that they were newer. He wasn’t even sure if one hired them the same way as the courier models. When Nilo mentioned his own business had been great, Voski asked him what exactly that was, putting on a very innocent face. He described his line of work as “moving goods around the city to those who want them, from those who don’t have them anymore.”

Amaranth commented that the conversation was getting boring and asked if Nilo had any recommendations on the menu, subtly tapping on it as she spoke. He tapped back and asked what she was looking for. She asked back what was usually popular. Nilo first pointed at the bard and said Meg had been to every tavern in Veritas and could get her more information. Then he turned his menu around and tapped at the back left corner with his pinky finger, suggesting she order a drink called a Magma Mephit. Amaranth nodded.

While they spoke, Voski effusively complimented Clarity on her dress. She noticed the kobold pull a ceramic vial with a four-part spiral design on the cap from her pouch to tip into her ale. When Voski asked about it, Clarity revealed it was one of the “tinctures” being sold around town right now. She offered the vial when Voski asked to see it, though she emphasized that this wasn’t a sale as she didn’t have the authority to sell them yet.

Voski corked the cap and found it smelled vaguely alcoholic, or medicinal. Clarity went on to say that her landlady had asked her to purchase them from her in lieu of paying rent that month, saying that they had the potential to be really important when dealing with the “toxins” released by the Abyssal breach. Erwyn cut in, briefly indignant, to say that demonic influences couldn’t be combated with simple potions, but Voski shushed him. She told Clarity that they might be talking to someone in the city already in on the business, and that she could ask some questions about it for her before she made a rash business decision.

Jumping off of something Clarity said about the tinctures balancing one’s humors, Voski suggested that Kriv could be consulted on health matters, especially since the kobold said she’d had a bit of a cough lately. She tapped him on the shoulder and mentioned that Clarity might like to be reassured. Kriv cast Detect Poison & Disease to see what he could glean. There seemed to be a background level of mild toxicity on many of the bar patrons, just as a result of living near the exclusion zone, but Clarity and a gaunt man nearby in particular seemed to have some kind of magical cold. The old drow lady in the corner also, strangely, seemed to ping as a poisonous creature, and he got a sense that there were some kind of small poisonous creatures on the roof.

He let Clarity know about the cold and grabbed the heather he’d picked from the Celestia simulation out of his bag, telling her to hold it. Then, while she held out her hand, he used his Lay on Hands ability to get rid of the disease, but told her to keep the heather with her as a ward, hoping it would serve as placebo enough for her to not use the tinctures for a while. He then curiously used his Divine Sense, given some of his other findings, and found that the strange drow woman also registered as a fiend. He quietly let Voski know what he’d learned.

Amaranth noted an orc woman sitting in the back of the tavern in the location that Nilo had indicated to her on the menu. She tapped Ditto on the shoulder.

“Pass the thing to my brain!” she whispered.

Once Ditto shot her a Message, Amaranth let her know she was getting up to talk to the orc. At about the same time, Voski sent a Message to Erwyn, also letting him know about the fiend. When she tried to do the same for Ditto and Amaranth she found there was interference from their own conversation. The Messaging continued when Ditto let the others know what Amaranth was getting up to, adding to Voski in particular that she thought the two of them were in the same line of work.

Amaranth approached the orc woman and said she’d been told she recommended the Magma Mephit -- prompting the other woman to laugh and ask if she was looking to drink that herself or if she was buying. When Amaranth placed an order for the drink for herself, Frileg seemed skeptical of her ability to handle it, but gave it to her anyway. It turned out to be an immensely hot spiced alcohol mix, and when Amaranth tried to down it she started coughing and spluttering as her eyes watered. Frileg patted her shoulder and brought her a glass of milk.

Amaranth continued her Thieves’ Cant inquiries, asking about the Obsidian Shard and what “drinks” were available there -- while still crying slightly from the strength of the spicy drink between sips of milk. The orc woman described them as “extremely exclusive” but mentioned there was a drop-off point for service requests and let Amaranth know the area of Veritas it could be found in. However, she also described a shift in the organization as of late. Apparently there had been some violence and open crime at the start of their appearance, but it had phased out and was only just now returning, whatever that implied.

“So in any case,” Amaranth said, as the more professional conversation wrapped up. “You come here often?”

Seeming amused, the orc told her she wouldn’t mind talking to her a bit longer and suggested Amaranth order a drink she could actually handle. Amaranth, who hadn’t entirely stopped coughing yet, said that was an insult to her dignity and that she could probably handle a Magma Mephit if she tried again. The orc woman suggested she maybe save that for next time. 

Ditto had been sending Amaranth Messages throughout just to check in and make sure the conversation was going okay, so that she could reply if she needed to. Once things turned more casual, Amaranth replied, saying she would be talking with the orc a little longer, but had gotten some useful information. Ditto let the others know this.

“Is she hoping to learn a bit more, then?” Erwyn asked.

“I think she’s hoping to get something more,” Ditto said, prompting Kriv to bark a laugh.

Kriv stepped outside for a little, hoping to investigate whatever he’d detected on the roof. All he saw there were a few pigeons, but as he watched, one of them unfurled a third wing, revealing clusters of eyes underneath. When he used Divine Sense another time, the bird registered as a fiend. He heard a faint hissing noise as several others spread their wings and the air suddenly felt weirdly thin and acrid. He caught himself giggling for a brief second, but it faded soon enough -- though as he walked back inside the inn, he still found himself feeling a little like laughing. He let the others know what he had seen and the effect faded soon after he stepped back inside.

Voski sidled over to the bar to ask Frileg about the young man with the guardian construct who had come in earlier, and who was very drunk at this point. She learned his name was Crispian Hue, and the construct was named Paragon. Apparently he was from the nobles’ side of town, but still came to the Pig’s Eye regularly. 

Nearby, Meg the bard elbowed an orcish man she called Mathom  on her way to the bar and asked if he would sing “Lord Osquin” with her. He declined. Voski inquired about the song and was told the full title was “Lord Osquin’s Glory.” She commented that it didn’t seem quite like Meg’s type of song and the woman said that while the original was a ballad, there were some more uptempo versions, one of which she’d picked up in the southeast.

“You know, they say the original in some circles is actually a cautionary tale about the dangers of, well, any association with bards,” Voski said.

Meg laughed. “Well, people will say that about any song,” she said. “Fourth Era and all that.”

After Meg wandered away to launch into another song, Voski approached Paragon. She offered them a scarf to place under Crispian’s head and they nodded, accepting the offering. The construct seemed to have pushed the young man’s last drink out of arm’s reach. Paragon was built to resemble a large suit of armor. Voski noted that its front plate was engraved with the crest of a rampant basilik with three gems embedded underneath.

“You’re doing a fantastic job under the circumstances,” she said, while Crispian snoozed on the bar.

Paragon shrugged.

As the hour of Wick’s End approached, patrons started to trickle out of the bar. Around this time the drow woman in the corner stood up and smacked the table in front of her, swearing, and marched out the door. Erwyn suggested they followed her and the group prepared to leave, Amaranth bidding farewell to the woman she’d been flirting with. Nilo gave Ditto a big hug.

Ditto cast Detect Thoughts on herself as they stepped out the door with the hope of listening in on what the fiend was thinking and caught a stream of Abyssal cursing, as well as thoughts apparently in another language along the lines of, “Why didn’t they show up?” as well as, “I have to get out of here.”

While Erwyn and Voski were making moves to trail after the woman a little more, Kriv, who noticed a few more of the demon birds he’d seen earlier starting to congregate, stopped. There was some discussion of what the group should do but with curfew getting close, it was decided that Tiktik would trail after the woman while the party returned to their lodgings.

Back at the inn, Voski was informed by Ben’s brother (on staff for the late shift) that the spellcasting services she’d asked for had been performed two hours ago. Once they were up there she cast a Tiny Hut as well. Ditto asked Kriv for the Rhymer’s Ring back and he gave it to her. Amaranth informed the others what she’d learned about the Obsidian Shard drop point. Kriv asked Erwyn about fiends that could shapeshift or have poison, wondering what the one disguised as the woman back at the tavern might have been. Erwyn said that, seeing as she’d chosen the form of a drow, she might have been a Yochlol, a type of demon also referred to as the “Handmaidens of Lolth” who were generally less beholden to the Abyss as a whole and more to Lolth’s intentions.

Erwyn asked Kriv about the other demons he’d seen. When he described what he’d seen outside the tavern more, Erwyn commented that the many wings and many, clustered eyes were oddly in-line with a lot of Veritas’ symbolism, as well as some of what Ganz had described of the goddess in her visions. Which put into question if there weren’t more parties interested in the city -- or questions of whether the divine visions and demonic intruders were one and the same.

“I say this like we weren’t just discussing someone who’s sort of a demon lord and a goddess,” Erwyn said, referencing Lolth. “I don’t know! Maybe they’re friends. Maybe they get brunch together.”

Discussion turned to the tinctures after Voski asked Kriv if he’d detected anything off about the one that Clarity had pulled out at the tavern. He said it had seemed fine, or at least didn’t seem to be causing or worsening Clarity’s illness, but he was still very uncomfortable with the whole situation and the fact that people’s fears were being preyed on either way. Ditto brought up that Voski had once mentioned knowing an apothecary around Veritas and asked if they might be a help with the topic. Voski said she wasn’t sure they would be a viable contact.

Kriv also voiced some concerns about the attackers they’d run into in the temple and what effects they might have been under. Ditto pointed out that the effects they’d shown looked a lot like those of the spell Alter Self, and their losing those effects when attacked seemed indicative of an intentionally cast concentration spell. Erwyn also brought up that they’d been speaking Abyssal, which wasn’t really a language you could learn idly -- it was a dangerous process to learn it at all, and could have an incredibly taxing effect on the learner. But it was always possible that those were also effects of possession. 

The group decided to use their Infinite Library access to contact the Gatekeepers and ask them what they knew about the goddess and the Three of Eyes symbol, as well as what Alembic and Palava had seen when they were in Veritas after the disaster. Ditto tried Sending to Tiktik to see how their surveillance was going and their reply seemed very stressed. They told her things were pretty weird. Voski also suggested Sending to Lakaphai and giving her a heads-up that the DPL now had some information on her, as Kriv had mentioned her name while summarizing their encounter in Folly’s End. Kriv then asked Erwyn how likely it was that the DPL would come and arrest him anytime soon. He replied he had no idea, sounding stressed about the fact.

It was suggested that Ditto summon Tiktik back and she headed downstairs, despite the late hour, to ask about getting a roast chicken for them. Ben’s brother told her there would be an extra charge for it, but went to the kitchen to oblige. She then summoned her familiar back to her.

Tiktik described following the lady to a warehouse of some kind before she dissolved into mist and floated under the door. What had really shaken them, however, was that on the way back they had seen an elf woman, hurrying after dark as if she hadn’t meant to be out after curfew. She’d begun laughing for no reason, then stopped and fell over. Once she was down a pack of creatures like hairless wolves attacked, and one’s stomach opened into a mouth full of teeth before latching onto her and dragging her away. Tiktik said they had also felt some of the effects of the laughter, but had apparently been small enough as not to be noticed. Ditto petted them profusely for a bit before heading back to meet the others, cat in tow.

When Ditto recounted this to the others, Erwyn pointed out the similarity of the laughter effect to the laughing plague Squall told them about that had preceded the incursion. The group then plotted their agenda for the next day, deciding they would pass by the building Tiktik had seen the woman disappear into as well as the Obsidian Shard’s drop point, perhaps talking to more of the leads Squall had given them along the way. This soon devolved into teasing Amaranth about her “information-gathering” methods and asking how her flirting had gone. Ditto gave her a high-five when she said she thought it had gone well, despite the Magma Mephit.

“People like to see vulnerability in a person,” Voski said.

“Hey, you should all try that drink,” Amaranth said. “Well, maybe they have something that’s a little less intense for you, Erwyn.”

“My idea of ‘a little less’ usually doesn’t even involve alcohol,” he replied.

Voski asked Ditto if she thought that Nilo was an idiot, specifically wondering about his Obsidian Shard involvement. Ditto said that while he was somewhat reckless, he was also cautious in certain ways and could probably be trusted. 

Voski nodded at this. “So you were the legs,” she then said, commenting about the event several people had referenced at the tavern.

Laughing, Ditto explained that she and the goblin Tiktik had posed as an inspector for the furriers guild one winter when they were cold and needed a way to stay warm, telling the people whose wares they inspected that they weren’t up to code and “confiscating” them as a result. She said she felt like they’d made a really good team.

“Hey, tell me what the code is,” Kriv teased.

Ditto laughed and said she had no idea.

[hedgewizardly]

So I'm finally going to be able to give D&D a go with a couple of friends from work. As the backstory for my character (visually based somewhat on Spellthief Lux: see below) I ended up writing this out which turned out a lot longer than I expected. I'm posting it here more for me than anyone else, but maybe someone will be interested, who knows! 😁

Her name is Azurael (Azrael + Uriel + Azure), and she is an Aasimar Radiant Soul Sorcerer (means I get cleric spells, wings, and glowing eyes)

Azurael grew up in a temple dedicated to Mount Celestia (or as close to whatever physical world manifestation there may be), assistant to- and raised by- the head librarian.

She grew up surrounded by books, learning of magic and spells and trying to get a better understanding of her own magic coursing through her veins. With those, she also absorbed books of heroes and saviours and fell in love with the ideas of good and righteousness and saving people and protecting others. Additionally of course were history books, and journals, accounts of tragedies and real life tyrants and struggles of good and innocent people. Gross injustice.

Azurael always asked why the bad was so frequently allowed to prevail and go unpunished, and why innocents had to suffer without help or mercy. The head librarian would simply always explain that this was how the stories of the realm went. That they couldn't all simply have happy endings like in the fairy tales. Azurael asked if she could go out and try to help people with the magic she possessed and the knowledge she learned, but the librarian forbade it, claiming she was not to meddle with mortal affairs, and that they should live their lives themselves and receive whatever fate the gods saw fit. Azurael could never grow to accept this, and one day upon raising the subject of leaving once, just to get a taste of helping the village nearby, the librarian bellowed with frustration that she could never leave the temple grounds, or she would not have a home when she returned.

One night, Azurael was watching the village in the distance through a telescope of the library's astronomy tower, as she so frequently did with longing, and saw to her horror that houses were being set ablaze, and families were fleeing in terror. Azurael gathered her things- including a backpack of survival essentials she had brought together by reading adventurer books, and asking the few monks who left the temple to gradually sneak back the contents- unfurled her holy wings, and tore down towards the village.

On arrival, Azurael did her absolute best to bring the blaze to an end with her magic, when she discovered the source- a gang of bandits who were terrorising the villagers. With wings spread out and eyes glowing with a newfound rage- she recited one of her favourite lines in a book and ordered the bandits to never return. Most of the younger bandits fled in fear, despite the barking of the stocky leader- a fearsome orc. The orc leader turned to face Azure, and bellowed in anger. Azure recognised his species from her books, and glancing towards the temple on the lip of the nearby mountain, she felt knowledge flowing to her. Tasting the sparks dancing across her tongue, Azurael felt her own muscles work almost automatically in sounding out the gutteral words in perfect Orcish; "Leave. This. Place."

The orc leader, confused on several of the limited levels his brain could capably process, roared and reared up like a cornered beast, before launching into full sprint towards the angelic figure. Azure panicked, and in a surge of adrenaline, channeled the emotions forth, sending powerful blue lightning arcing towards the orc, shocking him for longer than she'd even imagined should be possible. A roll of thunder echoed across the valley, breaking her out of the panic stricken focus and bringing the flow of energy from her fingertips to an abrupt halt. The orc slumped to the ground with an enormous meaty thud and a sickening crack.

Silence passed through the cold, dimly lit streets. Whispers passed from unfocused figures hiding in doorways and alleyways as Azurael drank in the scene, sparkles only now fading from the corners of her vision. She began to understand how the scene might have looked, and feared that they may perceive her as just another threat to the villagers and their homes.

Hearing a few grunts of pain nearby, she turned and saw a man holding his hand around a wound caused by one of the bandit's knives, while his fearful family tried to comfort him with uncertain trepidation.

Azurael drew in her wings and approached them carefully. With a deliberately soft voice, she introduced herself and asked politely if she could try to help the man. With a little pursuasion, they accepted her help. She carefully removed the knife, and calling upon her memory on the theory of healing spells- charms she had previously only been able to test on papercuts in the suffocating safety of the temple, she laid her healing hands on the open wound and felt the power which had earlier threatened to tear apart a huge living creature, gently knit together the tissue and regenerate some of the lost blood inside him.

Azurael worked tirelessly until the early hours of the morning, healing the ailed and attempting to repair some of the damage caused in the attack. She felt the appreciation and awe from the gathering crowds and drank it into her soul. Was this how the heroes of her books felt all the time? To have purpose, to be able to help restore balance in the face of such injustice? She surveyed the village and recounted her handiwork of the evening. Her eyes lingered sickeningly on the large, leather clad and charred body which was only now being dragged away by some work horses. With a deep breath, she turned on heel and sprinted back towards the mountain, excitement brimming back up inside her.

For millennia the library had archived stories to share with the monks of the library and very rare, special visitors, and for the first time, Azurael would finally be able to bring a brand new story into its walls. One that weren't other people's for her to envy, but her own.

Skidding around the last bend of the winding path, past the huge boulder she had come to know well as the marker between her world and the outside, Azurael's body reacted before her mind could quite catch up and her arms pinwheeled as she tried to draw to a halt- something her wings were more than used to rescuing her from in a hurry- but found no resistance from her back.

After pulling herself up from the ground in a daze, she looked around in confusion, surveying the area frantically. The path she followed stopped here.. she couldn't have gotten the wrong one, could she? She inspected the boulder on the corner of the path, running her fingers across its smooth surface, resting upon a small carving she had created in her younger days. This was definitely the place. But nothing was here any more..?

As the head librarian's last words to her rang in her mind, a gentle breeze blew across her fingers over the rock, and the carving peeled away in a golden sand which faded with the wind.

In the eerie silence of the mountain wind, Azurael attempted to process a flurry of intense emotions and figure out what she could do, how she might get home, or if, indeed, she may find a home out in the world. She remembered the rush of appreciation from helping all those people at the village, and she set out back down the mountain, in search of home, belonging, and purpose.

[managingxmischief]

𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐓 𝐎𝐅 𝐃𝐄𝐀𝐍

Hand and hand, Celestia and Draco sprinted through the wooded area with no true destination in mind. After just being attacked by the man whom she called Father her entire life, Celestia failed to accumulate her next steps from here on out. Fear drove their motivation, allowing their legs to work faster than they were capable of matching. Chasing behind the clouds, their legs were beginning to weight heavy due to their long travels. Heavy pants fell passed through the duo’s lips as their strides had finally declined. “Let’s take a break. I think we should be safe here for the night.” The female suggested, leaning her shoulder forward, as her backpack slid down her arm. ”Yeah, I can set up camp for us.” Draco declared, his gaze scanning the area for the perfect location. The second after he found out about what Atlas had done to Celestia, he did not waste another second and demanded he stay by her side. Pureblood or not, she was the love of his life. Nothing could change that. Just as he was about to start their set up, Malfoy heard a variety of voices nearby. He quickly turned onto the defense, standing in front of Celestia, as he drew his wand. “We’re not alone.” He warned in a hushed tone. A subtle gasp slipped from Celestia. She rose to her feet, drawing her weapon as well. There was no way Atlas was capable of discovering her location so quickly. Being on high alert, Celestia rested her back against Draco’s as she prepared for what joined them. Her breathing naturally slowed, still met with the intimidating thoughts that she would meet her fate. ”Show yourself!” Demanded Draco, his grip upon the hawthorn wood growing tighter. Slipping through a dense bush, Harry revealed himself with hands raised in the air. “C-Celestia?” He couldn’t believe his eyes. The last he had heard, she had went into hiding without a word. Sighing in relief, the male couldn’t resist but go in to pull her into an embrace. His arms wrapped around her figure as a bright smile stretched along his lips. “I didn’t know what happened to you. I was so worried!” Noticing the duration of his hug exceeding for far too long, Harry released his arms. Glancing to her side, he noticed Draco present, which wasn’t too much of a surprise. A feeling of guilt washed over Celestia, realizing just how much her actions affected those around her. “Oh gosh, Potty. I don’t even know where to begin. Just know, I’m okay now.” Despite her mind being clouded with negative thoughts, she offered a warm smile. An eyebrow raised upon Draco’s face as he crossed his arms over his chest. “You should be truthful, Cele.” He suggested with a reasonable tone. His dark eyes fell upon Celestia, then Harry. The blonde male reached forward, as he gently pushed her dual colored hair behind her shoulder blades. His comment quickly pulled confusion from Harry. “What does he mean by that?” If he knew anything about Malfoy, it was that he was brutally honest, which could be a pro or a con. Harry watched curiously as Draco pulled attention to her neck, which was still tainted with the remnant of hand prints. “Who did this to you? Who were you running from?” Celestia instantly allowed her head to glance downwards in embarrassment. She could only imagine the pain Harry endured, being left feeling selfish to even talk about her troubles. Clearing her throat, the female finally mustered up the courage. “It was Atlas. He did this.” ”Your Father?!” Hermione questioned as she had finally made her appearance. “But, why would he do such a horrid thing? To his own daughter none the less! Nodding her head, Celestia cleared her throat. “He grew disappointed in me. I didn’t want to help him and the Dark Lord. They wanted me to lead them to Harry and I couldn’t do that. I had no other choice but to run.” ”That vile beast is not her father.” Draco spat out. He did not even want to begin to speculate the different outcomes if Severus wasn’t there watching Celestia. ”Wait, but what are you all doing here out of all places?” Celestia pondered.

 Sighing in relief, Harry pushed his glasses further up the bridge of his nose. “It’s a good thing you mentioned. To put it simply, we’re hunting down Horcruxes. I believe if we collect and destroy them, it could weaken Voldemort. It’s the only chance we have.” He softly sighed, looking back at Hermione and Ron. “We could use the extra help.” ”Are you mad? You’re seriously asking Malfoy for help?” Ron hissed, as the Slytherin locket glistened in the sun. “There’s no way we could trust him.” Draco instantly stepped forward with a scowl weighing heavy against his lips. “Want to repeat that, Weasel?” Despite the flawed choices he had made in the past, the male made valiant efforts to make up for such. There was no way he would allow Ron invalidate all of the growth he had made so far. Celestia quickly stepped in front of Draco and reached for his hand, squeezing lightly. “How can we help?” She pondered. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - The evening continued on uneventful as the group accumulated ideas on how to get rid of the locket. Truth be told, that was Celestia, Hermione, and Harry; while Ron and Draco continued at it. They were all taken back by Ron’s sudden expression of ill-mannerism. But unfortunately, being as stubborn as Draco was, he wouldn’t allow anyone to speak to him in such a manner. Before they knew it, the sun was quickly setting as they enjoyed a dinner together. ”Draco, you and Celestia can sleep here. There should be enough room for the two of you.” Offered Harry with a weak smile. As odd as the scenario was, it was a relief to be able to be in the same room as Draco with no animosity. This was the Draco he wish he would have initially met. ”And where are we supposed to sleep, Harry?” Scoffed Ron as he performed a roll of his eyes. ”There are two more beds, it will all work out. There’s no need to make a fuss.” Responded Harry in a exhausted tone. There was no telling how much more of the bickering he could take. Rising from the table, Draco looked down at Ron, feeling concluded with the unnecessary attitude. He went throughout the whole day listening to him spew out negativity, failing to offer anything positive for the group. “No Harry, if he has a problem he can speak up.” Being challenged, Ronald kissed his teeth, as he felt all eyes land onto him. “I’m just failing to understand why we have to sacrifice what little we have for them.” His gaze was locked onto Draco’s. “What’s the matter? Daddy can’t throw galleons for you to sleep in a comfortable bed?” Celestia remained silent as her hands grasped at the material of her pants, fighting back tears. She tried to continuously remind herself that these words carried no truth behind them. Ron had no idea what she was going through. They were all here together to bring down the Dark Lord, not each other. “Maybe it should be someone else to wear the locket?” She suggested in a soft whisper. ”You truly are dense! Take a minute and realize you aren’t the only one here sacrificing something.” Draco marched forward with hands curled into fists. He couldn’t resist but allow his blood begin to boil over the ginger’s arrogance. “Say whatever you want about me. But, I will not stand here and allow you to disrespect Celestia. She nearly survived death by her own father just a mere few hours ago. So, just for a second, I suggest using that pea brain of yours.” Anger lingered in his tone, as his facial expression gave it all away. Now was not the time to play a competition over better sob stories. “I understand that you’re bitter you lost someone special to you, but that was all on your own accord. There are people dying however. And if I have a chance to prevent such, I’d like to do so without having to hear your petty remarks.” Ronald tossed his arms in defeat as he listened to the harsh words given by Malfoy. Despite it all being well deserved, he just couldn’t accept it. “You guys just don’t understand. I have a family who cares whether I come home or not.” At this point, Ron had upset just about everyone in the tent, including his best friend. “If that’s truly how you feel, maybe you should go join them, Ron.” Declared Harry, as he could not even look the male in the eyes. ”How rich. You’re picking Malfoy over me? Forget this. I should have never came.” With a swift motion, Ron’s hand wrapped around the locket and pulled it off and over his head. “Screw you. Screw you all.” He spat out before shoving the necklace into Harry’s hands and stormed out. Silence quickly filled the ten, Ron’s devastating words echoing into everyone’s brains. With the state of the world, Celestia couldn’t believe the behavior of Ronald. But, perhaps it was for the best. After all, they were on a mission to end the tyranny of Voldemort. Sitting side by side, Celestia and Draco shared a glance as the tension slowly diminished. She was unaware whether to remain silent, or to offer words of encouragement towards Harry. “I’m sure he didn’t mean it, Harry.” Celestia spoke softly in respect of Harry’s feelings. She was unsure if anything she would say in this moment would assist or add fuel to his anger. “It could have been the lockets influence for all we know. Have hope, perhaps he’ll come around.” ”I think we would benefit without him for a bit.” Sighed Hermione. “I’m not sure about you lot, but I could take a break from all the bickering. Suddenly, the raven haired female was reminded of the music playing off from the far corner of their make shift home for the evening. Her head quickly turned to face Draco with a wide smile curled at the edge of her lips. “Drac! Do you recognize this song?”

 Her question was met with a scoff, “Oh bloody hell.” The blonde playfully complained as a classical tone played throughout the tent. “How could I forget?” He declared before rising to his feet. Draco offered his hand out towards Celestia, gently pulling her to her feet alongside him. His temper being his greatest flaw, a moment with Celestia made for an effortless remedy to shift his mind. Celestia’s smile beamed through the tent. “This song! Me and Draco were taught to dance to this exact song. Oh Merlin, I should say forced.” She admitted with a soft chuckle. The duo would be the first to find humor in their authoritarian upbringing. “It was precious though. I would always catch Draco counting his steps. You little perfectionist, you.” Her large, doe eyes glimpsed upwards at Draco before sharing a soft cackle. ”Taught to dance?” Repeated Harry with a raised eyebrow. “I’m sure it wasn’t as dreadful as McGonagall’s lesson.” It felt odd to share a chuckle with a boy he had shared his entire childhood fighting with. But, Harry could sense a shift in Draco. Perhaps it was with the guidance of Celestia by his side. No matter the reason, it felt natural for him. ”Ah, it all makes sense.” Hermione began as she stepped besides Harry. “You two appeared as if you were performers the night of the Yule Ball!” She reminisced upon the faint memory that felt so long ago. Draco’s arm had coiled along his partner’s waist, pulling her body close against his, as a hand intertwined. “Hey! It was a lot of pressure, okay? Mum scolded me by saying you would never marry me if I had two left feet.” The tent erupted into laughter as the couple’s recollection of memories had drastically lifted the mood. “That’s a lot of pressure to give me as a child!” Their bodies began to sway along with the beat of the music, their old skills showcasing in their movements. Glancing down at Celestia, he softly smiled. This would be the first time he caught a smile from her in days. There were more important agendas at hand, but all he aspired to do was make each day better than the later, no matter where it led them. The male leaned down to press his lips against her forehead as they shared a moment of serendipity. It had appeared that their dancing was infectious, seeing as Hermione and Harry followed in suit. It was obvious that they all needed a distraction from the heinous world outside the doors of the tent. Their voices fell quiet as the sound of the music filled the room. As the song descended into it’s ending, Draco raised his hand and guided his lover to perform a graceful turn. The simple moment was enough distraction they could have ever desired. For a moment, life seemed as close to perfection as possible. Time stood still and nothing existed passed the vicinity. “Everything is going to be okay. You and me at the end, remember?” He spoke softly, barely audible enough for Celestia to decipher. Despite many seeing Draco in a harsh light, it was moments such as these that made falling for him so easy. Celestia perched her body upwards onto the tips of her toes as she leaned forward for a desperate need of affection. A sudden voice quickly pulled the couple’s attention. Turning her head, Celestia’s eyes expanded at the sight her vision fell upon. Harry held Hermione in his arms, as their bodies matched synergy with the beat of the music. For a moment, there was nothing but silence between the two as their shared an intimate moment. Harry pulled his head back, glancing at the beauty that was Hermione, and pressed his lips against hers with much intensity. Clearing her throat, Celestia did not want to stare, and offer the two their privacy; even if they were in a small vicinity. “Draco, I…uh.” Growing nervous, she failed to come up with  a distraction of conversation. Harry and Hermione had always shared such tension, but no one suspected for those feelings to be acted upon. Suddenly, she felt the firm hold of Draco’s hand along her arm. ”I think we’re going to call it an evening. I’ve grown tired, please don’t let us interrupt anything!” Draco spoke rapidly, the words nearly tangling against his tongue. ”Y-Yeah, I’m pretty tired too! Don’t let us stop your wonderful evening.” Celestia added, while Draco led the two towards their assigned sleeping quarters. Once the couple had successfully retreated, they locked eyes, and shared similar glances towards one another. Harry quickly pulled away, as he extended his arm out. “Wait, no! You guys don’t have to leave. I mean it.” But, before he could finish his sentence, the duo had disappeared. “Did that just really happen? I can’t say that I am surprised through..” Draco admitted with eyes expanded in disbelief. “Out of the craziness that was this past week, I can admit that was the craziest thing I’ve witnessed.

 By now, Celestia’s cheeks were flushed a warm tone of red as she felt the secondhand embarrassment. She was more concerned on potentially ruining a magical moment between the two. However, it might have turned sour if Celestia and Draco decided to stick around. “I can’t believe that happened!” She exclaimed as both hands curled against her cheek. “Well, maybe I can. Ron’s been rather harsh lately, he practically pushed her into Harry’s arms!” The female leaned in closer towards the male, “They’ve been fighting for a long time. After he broke it off with Lavender,he realized how idiotic he was being and begged for Hermione to give him another chance.” Leaning back, Draco balanced the weight of his head against a bent arm behind his head. “I cannot help but grow curious, my love. How do you know all of this?” He was never one to keep up with gossip. Celestia softly giggled as she allowed her body to rest besides Draco’s, head resting against his chest, as she gazed up at him. “I had Divination with her. Hermione asked me one to read her palm. Parvati and I are friends, the list can truly go on.” ”How long then has she and Harry been an item?” He questioned, attempting to piece together the timeline. Softly shrugging her shoulders, Celestia attempted to recollect her memories. “Do you remember that party you held at your home after Slytherin took home the cup? I think that was the night they declared their feelings. ”Do you think they’re snogging right now?” Draco pondered as he leaned forward to peep through the small slit of their canopy. Celestia grinned, playfully sending her hand into Draco’s shoulder. “Draco! Give them their privacy. Perhaps this was their first kiss, after all.” Her soft giggling continued as her hands grasped at the fabric of his shirt, pulling him away from their sight. ”Better question is, why are we not snogging right now?” He pondered before a smirk twisted upon his lips. Draco guided Celestia to lay down beside him as they shared a final laugh, before falling into a peaceful slumber.

 - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

 The next morning blessed the group with fair weather, the sun offering a gracious warmth in the chilled climate. However, when it came to the Horcruxes, time was rapidly ticking. Celestia was found hunched over in a nearby forested area, her attention fixated upon a pile of branches that sat before her. She softly hummed as she wrapped her arms around her legs, before hearing a soft voice from behind her. ”I hope I’m not interrupting.” Spoke Hermione as she slowly approached from behind. She cleared her throat and nervously twirled her thumbs against one another. “Perhaps this may be horrific timing, but I’d like to ask for your advice.” The brunette began, descending her weight down, until she sat besides Celestia. ”Oh, good morning Hermione.” Celestia greeted in a warm tone. Her view fell upon the motion of the female’s fingers, seeing as it was a rare sight to see, it wasn’t often that she displayed any characteristics of nerves. “Of course, I hope I can be helpful.” Although, she felt as if she knew exactly what the topic of conversation would revolve. Clearing her throat, Hermione pushed her hair from out of her face and tucked it behind her ear. “When you and Draco developed feelings, how did you gain the courage to proceed passed the ‘friend title’ without it being awkward?” She glanced over her shoulder, seeing as Harry had stepped from out of the tent.

- -

Being met with the awakening breeze, Harry had approached Draco, as he caught him admiring his partner from afar. However, a puzzled expression soon twisted against his face. “I apologize, but is your girlfriend…staring at twigs on the ground? Draco quickly furrowed his eyebrows and turned to look in Harry’s direction. “Are you daft? Truly. Are you seriously daft? I am genuinely asking for your own sanity.” The blonde spat out. “She’s performing Xylomancy. It’s a type of divination that relies on twigs or branches.” He crossed his arms over his chest as he shook his head in disappointment. “You should be praising her. She’s attempting to find a solution for the destruction of that horcrux, even out in the middle of nowhere!” Harry fell silent as he watched the two female’s of the group interact with one another. “Second question. Do you think they are talking about me?” Draco turned his head to face Harry, nodding with confidence. “Oh absolutely.”

 - - Celestia allowed for her hands to gracefully fall onto her lap as she pondered the answer to Hermione question. “Ah, it’s difficult to answer that, as everyone’s relationship is different. Draco and I had spent so much time together and when we were younger, we used to play pretend…a lot. We would always pretend that we were married. I’d even suggest things like I wanted to pretend to be Merlin and he said no! And one day, when we were about seven, Draco declared that he would marry me if it was the last thing he did.” She took a brief pause in her recollection to softly laugh. “Every year he would remind me of his promise, but then that stopped when we went to Hogwarts. At first, I thought he forgot all about it. I mean, it was a silly thing to hold onto. But then, the summer after our third year, I spent some time over at his house. He was acting so strange that day and led me to this secret field of flowers he found and had a small picnic for us. It was so sweet, he even had my favorite sweets packed. But, he looked at me and told me if he ever planned on marrying me, he needed to date me. Then he just went for it and asked me to be his. Afterwards, it was never awkward. Things just fell into place. And maybe that’s how things will be for you and Harry; falling into place. I know you’ve sat on these feelings for awhile. But, I don’t see a better time to make that jump.” Her answer was met with silence as Hermione simply nodded her head. “I’ve always wondered how such a bright girl could fall for a boy like Draco.” Her head raised as she glanced over the male mentioned, then back onto Celestia. “But, seeing you two together it makes sense. He has such a soft spot for you. You two bring out the best in one another.” Hermione’s head drooped downwards to fixate on her fingers once more. “And I can’t help but feel that way with Harry.”

[estro-gem]

Black and White in Grey: Chapter 26

Authors note: I’m not a writer to begin with, but I hope you like it!

If the somewhat “fight scene” was a let down, just know that I tried my best.

WARNING: Inappropriate language!

CHAPTER 26: CLASH OF COLORS

“Celestia!” Luna called firmly.

She burst through the throne room’s doors, deciding that it would be better not to think about the encounter she was about to have with her sister. There was no way to prepare for however the chain of events would take place. Celestia was like a candle surrounded by oil – there was no telling when she would set fire to everything.

“Luna, my dear! How adorable of you to drop by… Celestia is not here, though.” The blazing being held a hoof to her chest with pride, “Only me, the true and only ruler of Equestria, Daybreaker. I must say, you are quite difficult to get a hold of.”

Luna was hardly surprised. Everypony had their demons that whispered to them in their dreams. She had Nightmare Moon, her sister had Daybreaker. They met before, in a dream, but the encounter was cut short due to Celestia waking up. Luna didn’t need any more than those few seconds to recognize that she saw her sister’s demon. Celestia was gone. The chance to reason with the creature before her was gone too.

“Lower the sun and dismiss the new rules, sister.” Luna said cutting to the chase. She was steadily walking to the throne Daybreaker sat on.

Without warning, Daybreaker’s horn was set aflame with a fiery aura and blasted Luna with scorching heat. The dark pony wasn’t quick enough to materialize a black shield to absorb the blow. It sent her flying back a towards the door; her neck and chest stinging and raw where the beam struck her. Luna gasped, breath taken aback by the nearly fatal blow and weakly scrambled to her feet to catch her breath behind a nearby pillar. Another beam barely missed her flank just as she made it behind the pillar, to which the Sun Princess chuckled.

“Why should such a divine being such as I, listen to anything that such a pathetic little reject of a mare muster to babble at me? My followers mindlessly follow my orders, while you scramble to gain the attention of mere fillies. Why don’t you surrender you power to me and run off to play with your draconiquus friend, hmm? Oh, wait, it seems he left you too.” Daybreaker laughed with a undertone of insanity.

“Leave Discord out of this!” Luna rasped from her shelter. She couldn’t help but wish Discord was there with her. “This is between you and me.”

“Oh! I see how this is…” Daybreaker flew down to stalk to the Dark Princess, “You grew fond of the monstrosity. Well, it makes sense, birds of a feather squawk together!” she let out another laugh, approaching Luna and chastising, “It’s adorably hideous, maybe I’ll consider keeping you two as pets in my dungeon!”

Daybreaker’s horn glowed before sending a golden lightning bolt to the pillar shielding her younger sister. Much to the eldest’s dismay, once the dust settled, the space was empty.

“You dare talk about him like that? You are no match for Discord.” Luna hissed from across the room. She had teleported.

Daybreaker growled in frustration, “You brat, come out and fight me!”

The light of the sun in the sky, as well as the scorching heat of the day, suddenly faded into a cooler darkness, until it appeared to be night outside. Daybreaker cried in panic while running to the window to look at the spontaneous eclipse as a white ring in the dark sky.

“No! No, no, no, no! You dare to defy me? You dare to block my sun and drown my kingdom in darkness? You little bastard! This is my kingdom. I am the ruler of Equestria. You will not get away with this!”

“Oh, but I already did, big sister.” Luna’s voice smug came from behind the white pony, still closer to the doors, “You see, the Moon is closer to the earth, than the Sun, so there is nothing you can do about this.”

Another blast came from Daybreaker to Luna, only this time, it was a constant white beam, to which Luna countered with a constant black beam of her own. The collision of the beams unsteadily  shuffled back and forth, before setting in middle of the two princesses. Daybreaker settled it with ease, but Luna was struggling, to which the elder pony menacingly smiled.

Daybreaker scoffed, “You are no match for me. I have an army, adoring slaves and the power of the sun in my possession, for me to wield at my will. You have nothing and no one cares.”

Luna’s breath hitches and the collision of the two beams bolts towards Luna for a moment, at which Daybreaker laughs, but she draws a shaky breath and holds the eldest’s gaze, “I am Princess Luna, Mistress of Darkness and I stand for the greater good, well-being and harmony of the whole of Equestria. I defy your selfish demands. We order thee to stand down and lower the sun at once! We need not another’s approval, but only the knowledge that we are worthy of holding the title of princess just as thee.”

Luna’s eyes glowed white. Although her pupils were no longer visible, Daybreaker felt her gaze burn through her down to her soul. A low hum of power emitted from the young princess, surrounding her black aura and washing over the flaming mare in one enormous wave. It was threatening enough to send Daybreaker into a frenzy, screaming with a raspy voice, “And I order you to die!”

Something snapped in Luna. It was what she feared for so long; resurfaced within her. It broke free along with her sister’s true feelings finally confessed aloud. Her sister hated her so much, that she wanted her to die. Luna gave way to her demon, who eagerly took the rains with an ocean of despair and heartache.

Nightmare Moon blasted Daybreaker through the throne with the cry of an animal that had nothing more to live for. Below the Black Pony was white, ancient lunar symbols that danced at her hooves. Her eyes, mane and tail glowed white, like a newly born star’s fire and her armor was silver. The dust risen from where Daybreaker crashed and besides the high-pitched gasping breaths that the Dark princess drew, it was silent.

This was Luna. This was Nightmare Moon. This was who she was. The Mistress of Darkness.

She was hurt and heartbroken – all of her old wounds were torn open. She wanted to spiral down into a depression that could drive any creature that could breathe into madness. She didn’t want to fight or hurt her sister. She didn’t want to think anymore. She didn’t want to breath anymore. She wanted die as much as her sister wanted, because she had lost Celestia, her big sister; nothing was ever going to be as it once was.

But she didn’t stop. She didn’t stop fighting. She didn’t stop breathing.

She didn’t, because her kingdom – countless lives – was relying on her to bring them harmony. She didn’t, because she knew that Discord believed in her. She didn’t, because despite the hate of her sister, Luna still loved Celestia. She didn’t, because she finally knew from the bottom of her heart the she loved herself and her family too much to just give up and die.

“We know notice thou selfish heart, blinded by pride and hate. Thou ought to fulfil thou duties as Princess of Equestria and will face the consequences that will be bestowed upon thee!” Luna bellowed in her Equastria voice. The windows burst and the walls cracked at the power and authority seething  from her.

“Princess Luna?!”

That desperate voice was not expected from far behind the Princess of the Night. Upon looking back, she saw Twilight Sparkle, the Princess of Friendship, holding the Elements of Harmony with her magic. Alongside her, stood her dearest friend, Discord, looking at her as if she was the only thing existence. He promised to love her before, and proved his love by just being there for her. He got her what she needed, despite disappearing so suddenly. She loved him… and she knew, with one glance into his eyes, that he knew it too.

Her eyes fell to the elements, then to Twilight’s desperate and confused expression. Wordlessly, her magic possessed the hold of Twilight’s magic on the elements and summoned them to surround her.

She knew what she had to do and it brought bitter tears to her eyes.

“Sister!” Luna called to Daybreaker, who was unsteadily getting up. The Sun Princess’s eyes were glowing red and the flames of her mane and tail bled to red as well, presenting as the demon she really was. If Luna had looked back, she would have seen that Twilight’s eyes widened with shock and that tears threatened to rolled over her cheeks. She would have seen Discord’s glare as the corruption that Daybreaker emitted, shuddered down his spine as he struggled to hold back from interfering.

But she didn’t look back. She faced her sister fully, desperate to act one last attempt to get through to her. Her voice was breaking and tears were staining her cheeks, “Celestia, please come back to me. I love you so much… I love you and I don’t want to live without you!”

“No?” Daybreaker spat as a mocking question, before laughing once again. There was no sanity left in her as she screamed, “Then die!”

Daybreaker charged towards Luna at full speed, horn glowing. Luna knew that Celestia had reached to point of no return. With her heart broken and a hopeless cry, Luna harnessed the power of the elements and shot a colorful beam directly towards her charging foe.

The room was left in a blinding white light.

Next: Chapter 27

Previous: Chapter 25

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