#i considered doing some lightning and shade too

[mystery-star]

Drawings - Day 5

No I haven't forgotten Ben!

considering he was really just a quick sketch I love it.

[codgod]

y’know generally i try to limit colour palettes to as few colours as possible to make things more cohesive but despite my best efforts only jay ended up being able to stick to that </3

ANYWAYS here’s the as-of-right-now fully updated designs for these dickheads. these will no doubt undergo even more tweaking as i draw them more but this is a start i guess. also pls open the pictures to look at them properly i worked so hard LOL

some random notes under the cut yaaaay

chip —

he jingles when he walks. somehow he’s still stealthy. i do not know how

kept the platinum ring that bonded him to gillion in the block! because hey he doesn’t really have a reason to take it off (and it’s a nice reminder of how much gill cares about him, and how far their friendship has come since that ice arena)

his tattoos shift and flicker like actual flames, and sometimes (harmless, purely aesthetic) sparks fly off them when he’s excited

i just think smoke coming out of his mouth when he’s angry would be cool :]

chipped teeth from biting rocks and coins all the time :/

he has scars from the red lightning, they’re just mostly contained to his back and shoulders. they’re a similar red to his coat even once they’ve healed

gillion —

the tail sleeve thing is so he can rest it on the ground without damaging his scales, he doesn’t usually wear it when he’s just on the ship because the wood is soft enough that it’s usually fine + it can hinder swimming a bit. it’s mostly meant for places where there’s cobblestone or gravel streets and such. i think his armour would probably have a version that looks similar but covers the whole tail minus the fins, maybe with some armour plating of its own. i didn’t draw it because there wasn’t any room lol

his scars from the lightning are pink mostly because red stood out too much tbh. they softly glow in the dark the same as his coral and the pink parts of his fins

also kept his ring! his hands aren’t really made for jewellery, though, because the webbing means it won’t sit very secure on his finger. so he keeps it on the same chain as the necklace he got from aslana to keep it safe

tried to make him look a bit bulkier and more his age than in my original design? i feel like i was leaning too much into the naivety and. shortness. originally lol. he also has thicker eyebrows now and i’m still trying to decide how i feel about them but i think? i like it? i don’t tend to give many character thin eyebrows so it could’ve been a unique thing for him but alas

i think i made the sword too small but like ignore that

also forgor to include pretzel </3 that’s okay though she can get her own design sheet later. she’s special like that

jay —

i believe in tall jay supremacy

blue magic! i was considering gold but that’d look a bit more like a canary than i wanted for her wings so. blue jay :]

her hair is supposed to look kinda like fire to mimic her dad ! kinda showing that even if she runs from her family and the navy they’ll always be a part of her. and also i just like drawing messy hair

i gave her sturdier gloves just because i feel like it fits her better. also changed up the shirt to more of a button up solely because i don’t like tank tops very much LOL

i did WANT to make her outfit a bit flashier to match the boys better but i couldn’t quite figure out where to Put the flash. maybe that’ll come later, the way the story’s going i might get to design some cool prosthetics for her or something

overall —

because there’s just so many fucking colours i triiied to add at least one or two colours from each of them into the others designs. jay has her necklace with each of their main colours on it, her wings are the same blue as gillions eyes, her jacket and right eye are the same dark blue as destiny’s blade, her hair is the same orange as the lighter part of chips tattoos. chip has a dark green sash under all the belts, the same as the hilt of destiny’s blade. they all use the same shades of black, gold, and brown

the only real exception is gillion doesn’t have anything from the other two because he has Such a specific colour palette and he already had so much going on as-is orz jay was obviously the easiest to do this with because she has both warm and cool colours in her palette by default lol (and i did her design last, so that helps)

[ender1821]

behold. me coping with session 9 SL!shinyduo

— — —

The crackle of a lightning strike hits at the exact same moment Pearl hears a resounding crack from her neck. After she had been shot by Scar, the impact of the arrow led her to stumble down the ravine beside Scar’s base, leaving her at the bottom of the pit.

Well, at least it was quick.

She finds herself lying on the stone ground, a view of a clear blue sky above her.

The only thing she could do was let herself breathe. (Do ghosts even need to breathe? Eh, who knows.)

Her eyes close as she builds a steady rhythm with the rise and fall of her chest, willing for the aching and exhaustion riddled all throughout her body to somehow dissipate.

Aside from the sound of her breaths, she can pick up Scar’s voice off in the distance. It doesn’t sound much like a cheer, or a cry, or anything— but then again, Pearl’s not in a fit state to focus on whatever he’s saying.

Instead, she tries to think back on everything that just unfolded, all the deaths, the hunts…the duel. The zombie that had been creeping towards Scar before Pearl warned him.

She sighs, “I swear, if he dies to a zombie, after all that…”

Now, she wasn’t really expecting a reply.

Especially not a reply from a voice that’s so familiar.

“I know, right? It’d be embarrassing for both of us.”

Pearl’s eyes snap open in an instant, as though the answer gave her a surge of energy, overpowering the waves of numbing pain.

“…Gem?”

She looks…just like she used to, when they were red…together.

Pearl blinks, trying to focus on the figure looming over her. It’s only then, that she notices Gem’s body is slightly translucent, allowing rays of sunlight to pass through.

“Hey, Pearl.” Gem extends a greeting they both know far too well. She crouches down, tilting her head. “Are you going to keep lying on the ground, or…?”

“I might.” Pearl chuckles. “It’s pretty comfy down here, actually.”

“I can imagine.” Gem shifts to sitting cross-legged next to Pearl, which prompts her to try and actually sit upright as well.

Pearl grunts when she finally manages to move, scooting over to Gem. Sitting underneath the shades of a bit of overhang of the earth above, they find themselves situated in a corner of the ravine, now further ruined with scorch marks and splatters of blood on the walls.

Despite the destruction, sunlight casts shadows of sunflowers into the chasm. It must be the ones Scar has around his base.

Silence follows. Pearl tries her best to stare only at the walls around, but she ends up glancing at Gem a few too many times. She hopes Gem is too preoccupied to notice. (Pretty slim chance of that happening, considering the fact that there’s nothing of interest nearby but them.)

Eventually, though, something in Pearl pushes her to speak.

“So,” Pearl starts, “what’s got you wanting to give me a visit? I thought you’d be with Scott and Impulse.”

Gem jerks up at the sudden question, then turns away from Pearl. “I— I dunno, I just… We died pretty close to each other, you’re the first one I saw.”

If Pearl’s head had been a bit more clearer, maybe she would’ve questioned why Gem was so insistent on not facing Pearl when she answered. Instead, she accepts the answer with a nonchalant “Ah, I see.”

“Well, I appreciate the company. And…” Pearl adds, pausing as the following words get caught in her throat for a brief second:

“I’m sorry.”

That seemingly got Gem’s attention, causing her to look at Pearl once again.

Just today, Pearl was met with those same pair of eyes on multiple occasions. For some, they sparkled with a sense of joy. For others, they held a flurry of panic behind them.

At this moment, they were glazed with a whirlwind of emotions Pearl couldn’t even begin to decipher.

Pearl can see Gem obviously struggling to find something to say, or to piece together the thoughts in her head. Either way, Pearl waits.

“When you— when Scar was coming for me, you asked me if I wanted to duel it out with you, with swords.”

Pearl nods.

“Why?”

It’s such a simple question, really. Pearl knows exactly why she did it. Just as she knows why she went into the End earlier in the game to fight the dragon, why she rode a camel with the same person who’s killed her twice, why she couldn’t get a successful ambush when she’d been in the siege against Gem and the Scotts.

What leaves her lips is not the answer. Not a clear one, at least.

(It’s never easy, is it? When Scar and Gem had begun fighting, all Pearl wanted was a moment to think. She didn’t know what to do, she didn’t know why she began shooting, she just didn’t know. She couldn’t decide.)

“You said you didn’t want a bow fight.”

“But a sword fight, Pearl?” Gem pushes on in an instant. “I know you, Pearl, I know you prefer using an axe.”

“I do, yeah.” Pearl doesn’t give away any more than that, choosing to give Gem a noncommittal response.

“So— If Scar hadn’t— If I agreed, you—”

“You probably would’ve kicked my butt.” Pearl admits with a smile.

Gem takes a deep breath. Then, in the quietest voice Pearl has heard all day, Gem asks, “And you would’ve been fine with that?”

(I would’ve been more than fine with it.)

“You would’ve beat me fair and square, I don’t see anything wrong with that.”

“But you—” Gem cuts herself off with a groan, growing more and more frustrated with Pearl’s vague replies. It’s no use when they’re both dancing around the topic, even though all Gem wants is to ask: would you have let me kill you? Could we have stayed friends? What went wrong?

Gem recalls Pearl backing away after one swing of her sword, when she was fighting Scar, she caught a glimpse of Pearl leaving the fight to them. She remembers how Pearl could’ve pulled out her bow, could’ve ended her right there.

(Do I forgive you?)

A breeze blows past the Sunflower Valley, leading the flowers above, along with their shadows, into a gentle dance.

Nearly every question Gem has dies on the tip of her tongue, leaving only one:

“What now?”

Pearl gives it some quick pondering, before stretching her legs out and bracing herself to stand. “I wanna check on Mailbox and Matchbox.”

“Then,” She helps herself up by leaning on a wall. “I wanna see if I can find my Mounders anywhere.”

Lastly, she extends a hand out to Gem. “After that… I think I remember Scott saying something about a spare camel around Etho’s?”

Gem returns the smirk on Pearl’s face with one of her own. “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”

“The Murder Camel rides once more!” Pearl cheers as she pulls Gem up with her.

[cosyvelvetorchid]

for the prompt thing: beach day with jee-yun

Such a cute prompt! Thank you!

Enjoy 🩶

As always you can send bucktommy prompts to my ask box at any time. I love writing them so have at it 😊

*************

"So what plans have you got for the day?" Maddie asked on the phone.

"Tommy and I are taking Christopher to the beach for the day. What about you?" He asked. Maddie grunted in response.

"Everything. I promised Jee's daycare I'd make 50 cupcakes for tomorrow. The house is a mess that I need to clean. And I have to find time to go to the bank and the lawyer."

"Lawyer? Is-is everything okay?"

"Oh, yeah. You wouldn't believe the amount of paperwork that comes with getting married. Doug wouldn't put my name on anything, so I had no idea. But with me and Howie combining everything equally, it means putting his name on my stuff and mine on his. Honestly, at this point, I wouldn't be surprised if the lawyer fees topped the cost of the wedding itself."

"Well, hey, why don't we take Jee with us? Give you some time and space to get everything done."

"Oh my god, really?!"

"Sure. I haven't seen her in at least 4 days, so I need some Jee time anyway."

"You are the best little brother in the world!"

***

"There's snacks in the bag, extra clothes. Her swimsuit is on under her clothes now. Oh, and don't forget sunscreen. Every hour and extra if she goes into the ocean." Buck swung Jees backpack over his shoulder and picked her up.

"You ready for a fun day at the beach?" He asked her.

"Yeah!" She nodded .

***

They had a blast at the beach. Tommy helped the kids dig a hole. Buck consoled Jee when the tide came in and filled it. They ate ice cream, and sandwiches that probably had sand in them, though nobody really noticed.

"What?" Buck asked noticing Tommy watching him.

"Its sweet - the way you're looking at them." He gestured to Jee-yun and Christopher playing a few metres in front of them. "You want that in the future? Kids, I mean?"

"Uh, yeah. Someday. What about you?" He asked. Tommy sighed and looked towards the kids.

"Honestly, I'd never really considered it. I guess I always thought I'd never find someone to have that chance with." He answered honestly.

"Thought? Past tense? You, uh.. you think differently now?" He asked tentatively. They were way too early on their relationship to think seriously about kids, or even marriage, but knowing where their intentions laid was a good thing.

"Now.. let's just say that there's more hope these days." He smiled softly at Buck.

***

The sun was starting its descent, allowing the sky to begin glowing in beautiful shades of pink and the temperature to begin lowering.

Tommy was helping the kids build a sand castle. Sand city was more accurate. If he wasn't a firefighter, he could definitely throw his hand at architecture, Buck thought.

He sat back on his chair just watching him. The way Tommy joyfully and enthusiastically played with the kids made Bucks' heart bubble over in his chest. He'd make a great dad.

"Letting Tommy do all the work I see?" Eddie's voice came from above. He looked behind to see both Eddie and Chim walking towards him, then sit down.

"They have a good day?" Chimney asked.

"Let's just say I think they'll both sleep tonight." He laughed.

Buck continued to watch Tommy fondly. He thought about how different his life was a year ago. Struck by lightning and having no idea where is life was going. Now he was sat on a beach, at the end of a beautiful day, staring at the man he was hopelessly and disgustingly in love with. Eddie and Chim both noticed how he was looking at Tommy.

"It's a bit early, don't ya think? Eddie told him.

"Huh?"

"To think about having kids with Tommy." He said

"I am not." Buck replied defensively, with a glint in his eye. "We've been together barely 6 months."

"Exactly." Chimney added. "So I hope you're both using protection."

[ataraxiaspainting]

Razzmatazz.

Yan Chrollo x F Reader x Yan(?) Hisoka.

[Ultraviolet Catalouge.]

Synopsis: You are a dancer with no stage and no audience. Hisoka’s carrot and stick may just fix that.

Warnings: Yandere themes, kidnapping, the reader is described as AFAB and uses she/her pronouns respectively, dub-con, cigarette usage, manipulation, mentions of body transformation, religious imagery, mentions of minor character death, humiliation, voyerism, oral (male receiving), masturbation, orgasm denial, the start of Stockholm Syndrome(?), and mentions of past stalking.

Word Count: 5.6k.

Can be considered to be within the Hier Encore universe.

Ten Songs Like This Piece:

Rich Girl by Gwen Stefani (feat. Eve)

Always Forever by Cults

So Beautiful by DPR IAN

Décolleté by Kenshi Yonezu

Introitus by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Villainous Thing by Shayfer James

La petite fille de la mer - Remastered by Vangelis

Tonight You Belong To Me by Patience & Prudence

Tear You Apart by She Wants Revenge 

A Little Death by The Neighbourhood 

*~*~*~*

i. “Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (Matthew 26:41)

A dead leaf is pressed against the balcony window. 

“Dearest? Why are you awake so early?” 

The storm outside must be getting worse. The lightning is so bright, despite the sky itself being so dark. The thunder is getting louder too, and more frequent. Your senses choose to blissfully ignore the devil behind you to enjoy the scene ahead. This apartment is so high up that the tempest feels closer than it would if you were on the ground. A cup of tea is in your right hand. Your left is limp and stuck to your side. 

“Dearest? Dearest?”

The drink is a pleasant shade of light brown, with an even more pleasant vanilla and bergamot aroma tickling your nostrils. After much consideration from Chrollo, you were given fresh tea leaves that came from some expensive store that has locations all over Yorknew. The cost for a measly ten tea bags was ten thousand Jenny. 

Chrollo said it could not be helped to get only the best for you.

It couldn’t be helped, like everything else he had ever done. It couldn’t be helped, like how you escaped nearly two and a half years ago.

It couldn’t be helped, like how Hisoka betrayed you and left you to rot.

Or to burn.

You wouldn’t be surprised if he wanted both to happen to you.

Chrollo’s hands are slow to touch your neck, but his front was already pressed against you a while ago. They feel cold–dead, almost.

His right hand lingers just above your collarbone, while the left pinches your chin gently. His lips kiss your nape, and you resist shivering. While it would not show you are cold, it would show your cowardice. The only way to tolerate Chrollo is to ignore him as best as you can without him getting unbearable. It’s your new strategy, as the old one from back then is now dead.

There are no new sounds. Only the rainfall and Chrollo’s sighs. Then from the distance, you could have sworn you heard a knock. But you choose to ignore that too.

“Come back to bed.” 

“I wanted to see the first spring shower.”

His hands lower. You let him do that. You make him do that. 

“You made tea this early?”

“Yes.”

Chrollo’s chin rests on your shoulder as he looks down at his kneading hands.

“May I try some please?”

Before you can answer, he tips his head further down, expecting a reward for attempting to be a gentleman. You lift your right hand and he takes a few sips. His hands don’t hold the cup. He lets you–no, makes you–do that for him.

“It’s delicious.”

The clock above the living room television reads 01:01. 

The sky lights up as it is forcibly torn apart. The clouds have yet to show the dawn’s colors, and you suspect Chrollo would like it to be that way forever.

“It’s good… very good,” The praises fall from his forked tongue like morning dew dripping from a single blade of grass. “As soon as the cup is emptied, please lay to rest up for what is to come. I would hate to see my darling exhausted. Please…”

You feel three separate sensations behind you. They do not all come at once.

“Let me grant your request fully on my end, and you shall fulfill it on yours as well.”

The first is the feeling of the pain of pleasure. It came with the start of more pecks on the back of your neck. They trace the dark spots Chrollo had left, the ones that have yet to fade. 

The second is the pain of nothingness. It takes the form of a wall to remind you what he is and what you are.

The third is the pain of having company.

It exists as a reaction to the erection pressing against your lower back.

ii. “When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time.” (Luke 4:13)

You started wanting to smoke again. 

A few days after you were brought back here, the craving for pitch-black smoke arrived due to no Sebaste being here to keep it at bay. He was not your only source of light, but he was the brightest one. Bedside lamps, the lit windows of buildings up high, the moon… nothing compares to someone long since withered away. You can still see, but not as good. Even the cigarette lighter from the night you met, the last memento you have of him, pales in comparison. 

The path ahead you still know, but just barely. You have no plan, no map, no route for what is to come. You are not acting like a rabbit running from a wolf, fearful and skittish, but you are alone nonetheless. You have more desires than just to live, though. You don’t let yourself be caught, but you still sneak into the hunter’s lodge to eat whatever scraps you can find. 

You refuse to let yourself fall into ruin but tempt the thought that your captor will. 

You tempt him like forbidden fruit so you can reap whatever rewards come next.

*~*~*~*

Shadows cover the better half of Hisoka’s body, but even then you know it is him. “Hello, princess. Fancy seeing you here.”

The edges of your mouth move downward, but you hold in what you want to say.

The grip on your shoulder does not cease entirely, but enough for you to slip away for a moment. The smell of grass and pollen is fresh as petals dance in the air.

Your skirt flows with the wind as you walk slowly, carefully, towards the familiar stranger. This country is known for having what is known as “The Eternal Solstice”, and so your white dress is the perfect last addition to this perfect painting. You’ll send the artist your regards soon enough, he is right in front of you after all. 

“Number Four.” Your voice is not cracked so much that Hisoka would not be able to hear you, but still enough for you to attempt to clear your throat after those two words are spoken. “What are you doing here?”

“The same reason you and the boss are here.” Between the index and middle finger on his left hand, two cards are stuck. The Queen of Hearts and the Ace of Diamonds.

“You’re lying.” The response is more immediate than you would have liked, but your anger overtakes your want to be cordial unconsciously. 

“Am I?” Hisoka asks, putting the two cards on his palm and pressing his hands together. In an instant, they are gone. “Why else would I be here then?”

“You want to mock me.” You hiss, gripping onto your skirt so tightly that the delicate fabric may break. “After everything I told you, after everything I did… you stabbed me in the back.”

A sigh. “And here I thought you would hear me out. Sad, really.”

“It’s too late for that.”

“Oh? Is it?” You choke on your words in an instant when you see a familiar silver cube no bigger than the length of your pinky in Hisoka’s right hand. “Remember this?”

Your eyes don’t possess as much rage now, and their gaze lingers elsewhere. The clown chuckles.

“That’s my girl.” He uses his thumb to open the lighter and then uses the same finger to amit a weak flame from it. “Come closer.”

You do what he says like a puppet on a string.

“Put out your hand, lovely.” You obey. When Hisoka’s own approaches with your treasure, your eyes light up. 

…

It is only one word that stops you from moving entirely.

“Cigarettes.”

iii. “And give no opportunity to the devil.” (Ephesians 4:27)

Like church bells, Hisoka’s offer rings in your ear longer than you would have liked. The words said are worse than a parasite, clinging onto a body long after both are dead.

They refuse to exit. They simply sit and stay. No matter how much you attempt to kick them out, they always come back.

“What do you think of the deal, my love?”

Ah. Should you make your real feelings known? Or simply play pretend?

In Chrollo’s world, though, all his mirrors are shattered, while yours remain whole.

Everyone lies, but only you are figured out one way or another, sooner or later.

“I think we should accept.”

iv. “When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.” (James 4:3)

“Ladies first.”

You follow the scent of candles and the temptation of a past where you were not content, but happy.

The start of the path is the bedroom’s doorway.

Something else drags you to the bed. Something foreign, but just something as well known to you as unbuttoning the front of your dress. It waits. It is patient. It is alive and here and oh so very excited.

Lust. It gathers from Hisoka and Chrollo… and you. It is the weapon you used to use against everyone to further your own goals, but now the sword’s blade is pointed at you.

You feel the sensation of Hisoka’s hand on your ass, and it stays there.

“Get moving, princess.”

Something looms over the bed. A shadow darker than the night’s sky itself. It stares at you with a singular eye–the orb brighter than the full moon outside. You blink, and then it disappears.

You then sit at the very corner of the bed in wait, crossing one leg over the other. Your movements aren’t as robotic anymore–they feel… raw, animalistic almost–and you hate that, but love it. 

The shadow lingers over you once more.

Love it? Have you truly fallen this far?

You, who has lost it all. You, whose soul is now stained with the blood of those you despised and adored. You… loving this feeling?

This isn’t you.

This is wrong, you tell yourself. Your entire life has been all about self-preservation. After being kidnapped, that want only grew and grew.

Has being on the run for two years made you this soft? This pliable?

Disgusting. This is disgusting. You are disgusting.

“Just do what you two normally do,” Hisoka says, crossing his arms as he sits beside you. “I’m all for it.”

Chrollo’s hands lower as his back bends forward, and you raise your hands.

He’s gentle as usual, kissing the air around your left earlobe to ease you further into this.

Button after button, the black dress gets a bit looser. The dress is put above your face like that of a bride’s wedding veil. Wait, you think, it is more like the attire of someone attending a funeral. You like this idea more after pondering on it. It ensures for at least some time you still have hate in your body. So, you love the touches no further. Your posture goes back to that of a statue.

Chrollo is the first to say something about it as soon as the dress is fully off, allowing him to see your facial expression and body language. You aren’t looking into his eyes anymore. Your legs are no longer crossed. Sebaste really made you vulnerable, didn’t he? He posed no threat to you then, but he does now. He does now. His palms no longer caress your cold heart, but his ghost curses it with warmth only found within hell’s flames.

“Are you thinking about him again?” Your eyebrows cast downward as you look at his feet. The heels of them connect and then spread out. It reminds you of a flower, in a way. “Well?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Chrollo knows this line well. Every time he mentions that man, you recite it like a preacher or an actor.

You want to believe the lie that you speak of all the same. You want to delude yourself so you regress into the calculating being you once were.

You don’t want to get hurt again. He can understand that. So he keeps himself from mentioning Sebaste any further for the night. As a bonus, Hisoka’s fun won’t be ruined.

You really have bloomed, he thinks. All it takes is a bit more time to see you at your most beautiful.

Not that you never were beautiful, of course.

“Ah, my apologies.”

He steps to your left side and grasps at the clasps of your bra. He treats each one delicately like they are gifts from the divine. Would he betray them, if they existed and he believed? You would ask, but you’re unsure as to if you would like the answer he responds with.

“You’re forgiven.” You nearly huffed.

Hisoka thinks that reaction is adorable. Unlike what the rest of the Troupe may think of you, you are just a small child in an adult’s body. Your wants are simple, and so are your tantrums when you don’t get what you want.

“Careful,” He says, his smirk wide.

“I know,” Chrollo responds, his eyes only on you. “You wouldn’t let me go anymore if I didn’t apologize here and now.”

So he’s being ignored now?

“Get it over with,” You almost hiss, looking back at both of them. “Usually you’re much rougher than this.”

Hmm? A facade?

Hisoka considered this when he asked for Chrollo’s consent. Chrollo has no real identity, he knows that well. So because of that, he isn’t surprised.

“You know why I’m taking this nice and slow, don’t you?”

You don’t say anything for a while after that.

Your arms are no longer raised when Chrollo pulls your bra off of you. Your midriff’s rolls coil into one another as your spine proceeds to move further down until you are at eye level with Chrollo’s pant’s zipper. Hisoka stifles the urge to laugh when he hears something akin to a pig’s snort coming out of you. You’re cute.

Quite cute.

Revulsion is something most things have experienced, and you are no exception. It’s bitter, like the blackest coffee, but also sweet and sour like a whole lime was cubed and boiled in a pot with it for hours until it turned into a blob of horrid distaste. After all, unveiling your captor’s erect cock was not for the faint of heart. Hisoka really cannot blame you for everything you have ever done to get away from Chrollo.

Perhaps he should join in on the action, just to feel some of the poison’s effects.

Chrollo takes off his shirt and throws it to you. That’s the signal Hisoka needed before undressing too. Even though he will not be touching you, he will have to be careful to not be too pushy with you two.

“Have you heard Magcub got a new girlfriend?” Hisoka crushes a speck of dust between his sharp nails. “Apparently she’s a veteran. Must have taken a bit of force to get her under control.”

“Why exactly did you agree to this?” You ask, grasping onto Chrollo’s forearms and having your nails dig into his pale skin. He doesn’t seem to mind, as he is more focused on already kissing your neck. 

Hisoka doesn’t know if this is a form of rebellion or pettiness, but either way, he cares as much as Chrollo does–which is not at all.

There is a dark red lipstick on the vanity, still open and no longer having any edge. In fact, it looks like there are only a few more days worth of use left in the tube. You must use it quite often. When neither of you looks, Hisoka points with his Nen in effect. It flies into his hand like a domesticated bird. 

He stores it in one of the pockets of the pants he so eagerly discarded from his person. For a moment he expected Chrollo to turn and demand for him to give it back, but instead, there was still no reaction whatsoever. 

“You don’t let me smoke at all, so why?”

Chrollo sits down next to you, sliding his hand up and down your thigh. “To be completely honest, I see this as a mutually beneficial situation. All parties involved get rewarded for their sacrifices, no matter how small.” He brushes some of your hair with his fingers. “You get your cigarettes, Hisoka gets his… delight, and I… I get to feel heaven once more.”

Heaven? Well, if your voice can be seen as an angelic choir, who can stop him from praying at your altar? Hisoka certainly cannot. Chrollo is the only one who can choose to no longer claim to have sanctuary there. 

You don’t have the power to strike either of them down.

“Tch. If I were a seraph, I would have never let darkness like you thrive in this world. Never.” Chrollo looks up at you and touches the bridge of your nose with his finger. “That I promise.”

“Hmm,” He murmurs. Then, a shake of the head. “You don’t mean that, my love.”

“I do.”

Your hands are trembling. Your mouth feels dry. Your head hurts.

“Why do you enjoy hurting me?”

“Can you hurry?”

His head turns to the side. The gesture can be seen as a heartfelt one by many. “Are you feeling less prudent this evening, darling?”

“You’re being quite ungrateful, you know.”

“No.”

Chrollo’s expression doesn’t change. For what feels like forever, his lips are so close to yours that you can smell the mint in his breath. But for a moment, you could have sworn it was smoke instead.

Your brain must be playing another trick on you.

“Am I the only thief to have ever indulged with and in you?”

You don’t answer then, either.

Hisoka starts to stroke his cock–it’s covered in green veins with the end getting pinker and pinker by the second. His hands then rest on the part of the bed neither of you chose to take, the left side. He bends backward as he looks down at himself, proud. He groans.

“You’re pushing the bed.” You glare at Hisoka as you spur out angered words without a second thought.

You’re avoiding talking about your feelings again. Hisoka knew that you refused to even when you were with Sebaste. He considers bringing you to an aquarium when Chrollo is busy, but then he buries the idea. Perhaps that would be too cruel. As much as you hate Hisoka, Hisoka enjoys your company too much–and he doesn’t want Chrollo to take you away.

Not yet. Not now. Not ever. While he could have not ratted you out much, much later, after you and Sebaste married, perhaps, Hisoka wanted to see you more strung up.

As a bonus, Chrollo was very pleased with him, further cementing his reputation among the other Spiders.

Hisoka decided not to kill you to enrage Chrollo, so it was the safest option in all aspects.

“Fix it.” You demand. With your lips busy, Chrollo decides to kiss your neck instead.

Hisoka puts his arms up with a mockingly innocent expression on his face. “Very well, princess.”

Your nose wrinkles again.

“Eyes on me,” Chrollo whispers as he pecks softly.

Hisoka isn’t sure if you heard the man, because as he moves the bedframe back to its original position, you continue to seethe.

Your wrists are grabbed and dragged above your head. That quickly gets your attention. You look at Chrollo wide-eyed, but not surprised.

The vow isn’t sealed with the sudden kiss, but it is a start. With your mind hazy from everything, you kiss back.

I don’t want him, your brain almost screams before it goes unconscious. [First] [Last], the woman who has led many people to their demise by being selfish, wanting to be ravished by the very man she abhors? Pull yourself together, and call off the deal.

Your near-dead heart beats once more when Chrollo touches you, though.

I feel alive.

His tongue is an intruder in only name. It swipes across your teeth and picks up tiny pieces of fruit with every crevice it overtakes. Before it dies, your skull demands you to bite. Spit. Run. But you want to be here, so you don’t do any of those things. 

Not like you could have, anyway.

“How beautiful,” Chrollo murmurs as his tongue collides with yours. “How soft.”

You aren’t pleased with his teasing. “Just make it happen.”

“Oh, how you have thawed,” His mouth retreats upward to your ear, hissing and rattling away. “You’re so eager now, dearest.”

His fingers let go of your wrists, wandering down to your stomach, your hips, and then your ass. He squeezes the flesh as he takes your greedy tongue yet again. His hands move up slightly as he pushes you onto his lap. Your knees sink into the bed with a slight creek of the mattress. Must be the coils. Or the bottom of the frame.

Or… was it you, somehow?

“Careful you don’t fall, princess.”

Hisoka is now facing away from you two, his chin in between the only two pillows you use. Perhaps he knows that, either from the smell they give off or how they are both one of your favorite colors.

But somehow, someway, he knew what you two were doing, in typical Hisoka fashion.

Well…

It’s not like either of your actions are vague.

“Chrollo…”

“Yes, sweetheart?”

“Can… you hold my back?”

Chrollo raises an eyebrow as he nods his head. “Of course.”

His left hand caresses your spine as you bend backward. Has all that ballet training stuck with you, even after these few years? Chrollo has the answer already in his smiling brain.

Two fingers on the free hand coil up, while the middle, the pointer, and the thumb remain as straight as a line. Two tips enter and curl while the third strokes up and down and side to side. Your clit follows your heart, accepting the guests with open arms. The lips clench, not wanting to let go.

“You always took them well,” He chuckles. 

Shut up. 

Shut it.

But your mouth is nothing without its brain, so it continues to moan while your heart continues to live for the chase.

“Don’t… Don’t stop,”

“I wouldn’t dream of it.”

Hisoka hasn’t said anything else for some time, and you all know you hope it continues to be that way. He continues to sniff the pillows as he rubs himself against the mattress. You make a mental note to ask for cleaning service tomorrow, or maybe if Chrollo is in a good mood he will do it.

“I… I’m close, I’m so close, I…”

“Not now.”

You fool. You should have never made that deal.

“Don’t be upset. I’ll let you eventually.”

“Please…”

You squirm as you close your eyes, in a desperate attempt to hide what you have become. A prideless harlot bouncing on her captor’s lap. Can you really fall further into hell now? You are already so below that the morning’s star is nearly invisible to your eyes.

“Patience is a virtue, darling.” He says as if that would change anything about this situation.

When Chrollo lets go of your back, you almost crash onto the floor below. 

“Careful now,” Hisoka teases, still not looking back. “I told you so.”

The words aren’t noticed, because now you are busy rubbing your inner thighs together for some sort of pleasure.

Chrollo shakes your hands off his shoulders, and then you collapse.

For the first time in a while, you feel physical pain. You don’t feel your heart dropping or your mind going hazy or both being tempted by unimaginable things. No.

For that reason, though, it only hurts for a moment.

Then…

Then, it is gone.

Now only pursuit remains. You’re on your knees in an instant and attempt to stand. A hand plays with your hair and keeps you where it wants you to be. On the ground. Desperate for a single note of sweetness in a flavorless black sea.

Bitterness as well.

Then, the need to pursue leaves your body as it knows what is going to happen next.

Bliss.

Warmth.

Harmony.

…Self-destruction.

How unfortunate for you, that that the last thing is all your heart wants.

You open your mouth not for the first time or the last time this evening. Your imagination envisions all the desserts and drinks you have downed using the same tongue, and the same lips. Half of you is disgusted at the thought. The other half does not care in the slightest.

The member slides in like it belongs there–like it is part of you; somehow, someway. It’s as salty as the sea, not having the taste you wanted in the slightest, but you allow it to continue pressing against your hard palate. 

He thrusts up and down. Precum pools below your tongue and stays until you can’t breathe. You swallow it down in mere moments.

It’s thicker than syrup would be, but it is just as sugary. The smell is pungent like chlorine, but not as irritating. 

“Simply lovely,” Chrollo looks up at the ceiling, a light pink blush on his pale cheeks. “You always took me so well.”

A few minutes pass.

But… to you, it feels like just a second or maybe three.

Chrollo groans one more time as he orgasms, warm liquid running down your throat as his cock plunges in and out of the dark at least ten more times.

Then it exits, signaling the end of the fourth act.

Chrollo pats his thigh and finally allows you to stand up. The mattress sinks again as you climb on top of him. Once more Hisoka hears the creak sound. The source of the sound is still unknown to him.

“You’re so wet already, darling.”

Chrollo moves his hands to your legs as he pulls them apart and sees the sweet pleasure point in between. 

His thumb goes up and down, playing with the tiny tip as you spread yourself further on his lap. 

But… But…

But Chrollo doesn’t lift his hips to connect you two? But Hisoka is still fucking your pillows to his heart’s content? But you still haven’t seen any proof of either of them bringing the cigarettes? But Chrollo hasn’t made reservations to that restaurant you wanted to go to? Or…

You don’t know where you were going with that thought, that “but”.

It fades like morning’s dew falling from the grass into wet soil. It is so miniscule. So insignificant. Its destiny was made from the start. It has no use in this world; it is just a sign of something that has already happened.

You grip onto Chrollo’s shoulders for dear life, like you will fall into the depths of hell should you lose the embrace. Should… you lose yourself here, on this bed, it will mean the death of you.

“Your hands are cold.” The only thing that moves is Chrollo’s eyelids moving up and down.

“Why did you stop?”

“Hm?”

“Why… did you stop, Chrollo?”

“I did nothing of the sort.”

“Yes, you did.”

“Isn’t it normal to take breaks before resuming sexual activities?”

He’s lying; you can tell by the way he smiles and looks up at the ceiling again.

But… you don’t tell him you know.

You. Don’t Say. Anything.

“Calm yourself, dearest.”

His voice is as sweet as ever, you think.

Sometimes, when you are good, it takes all the bad feelings away…

Oh. Oh. You didn’t realize you were crying. You didn’t realize panting, hyperventilating.

“What… How long will it be?”

“Don’t worry,” Chrollo whispers, leaning close to your ear. “Only a moment longer.”

When he finally enters after what feels like an eternity, your eyes roll to the top of your head.

v. “Do not let your heart turn to her ways or stray into her paths. Many are the victims she has brought down; her slain are a mighty throng.” (Proverbs 7:25-26)

The clock above the bed frame reads 23:03.

You hug your pillow as you turn your body to the right.

Hisoka is no longer here, but the pressurized point on the mattress is still warm when your fingertips graze the middle of it.

A pair of arms caress your torso in a sort of hug, gently dragging you backward. A recognizable tongue slithers up and down the back of your neck. The bruises there don’t hurt anymore, but you are certain they will be harder to cover up than the others. You can see from the corner of your eye that the bathroom light is on and that the bathroom’s door is wide open. 

“What is he doing?” You mumble, putting your face further into your pillow.

You already know the answer, however–as much as you attempt to forget the obvious fact and the burden of your imagination. Then, you hear them both moan at the same time. At least you think so. You could have just thought up Hisoka’s since he is farther away, but Chrollo is right behind you.

“You did good…” Chrollo whispers, pecking your left shoulder.

“Of course I did.” You huff. “I never let down people who keep their word.”

You then hear the shower’s water running.

“He’s going to waste all the good water,” You grumble, rolling your eyes. “I wanted to take a bath.”

“You could always join me,” Hisoka says, his voice nearing exclamation.

You sigh. Of course he can hear you.

“I’ll pass.”

“A shame.”

The door then closes.

You sit up from the bed and pull up the blanket just enough to cover your privates. “He isn’t staying for the night, is he?”

The man beside you balances his head with his right arm, looking up at you.

“...Is he? No?” You ask. Chrollo’s only response is to pull the blanket back down. “Yes?”

“No.” He finally responds, laying on his back. “Knowing him, it’s safe to assume that he’ll be gone by midnight. Unless you ask him to stay, though I highly doubt you would. But he does have a soft spot for you, you know.”

“Mmhmm,” You groan. “If you say so.”

The front of your head suddenly aches. You rub your temple, scowling.

“What’s wrong?” Chrollo’s head tilts, and for a moment you can see something akin to concern on his face. It’s close to the real thing–too close for your liking. When looked at at just the right angle, all its flawlessness fades and only the uncanny characteristics remain. 

Your response is nothing less and nothing more than the slight creak of the bed frame as you turn to your bedside table.

Cigarettes. At least twenty of them. There couldn’t be more than thirty, though. But they are real cigarettes. Not the fake ones Chrollo attempts to place between your teeth whenever you ask to smoke. Not the bubblegum he gives you after a particularly heavy meal whenever you ask to go outside and sit somewhere near a person using a cigar or cretek. 

No, they’re real and here and they’re yours.

“Nothing,” You answer, sighing again.

You feel the part of the mattress that is behind you dig deeper. Chrollo inches closer and closer until the little bit of distance between you is a mere dip. Then it turns into a line so small not even the tip of your pinky finger can fit. The hug is more unbearable than it was before.

But then the discomfort goes away. Something in the back of your mind realizes that this, everything that this is, is horrifying. Nothing hurts you anymore, but everything can be much worse now.

Everything can be so, so much worse now. Dead anchovies piled up high in fishing markets will remind you of Sebastian's last moments, his unblinking eye still staring into you.

Smoke made of nicotine will remind you of Hisoka now, and not the beach where you met the love of your life. 

Train tracks, yams, calamari, roses, wine, lipstick, bookmarks, purses, wallets. Lighters, phones, card games, video games, computers, scarves, sunglasses. Being grasped from behind and being pushed and slapped around.

“It’s been forty-five minutes.” You say nonchalantly, almost bored, after a while, after looking up and behind you to the clock. 

Chrollo doesn’t respond–he doesn’t have to. You already have enough pieces to put the puzzle together on your own.

“He wants to stay,” You close your eyes. You don’t take deep breaths or quick breaths, just hardly notable ones. “Doesn’t he?”

Silence.

You know if Chrollo did respond, it wouldn’t be anything as nice as a “no” or a “yes”.

“Fine,” Your heart rate slows, but you attempt to not show it. “Don’t tell me.”

The silence isn’t as eerie as Hisoka’s laughter, but it still grasps around your neck just enough for you not to breathe normally. 

You don’t say “good night” to people anymore–that right is only reserved for those long since taken by death.

You hope it will be at your beck and call too, one day.

Something already is.

It is only a matter of time before you know what it is.

One day, when you either eat or be eaten.

One day, when all of your patience finally comes to fruition.

One day, when this play’s final act plays out in front of an unwilling audience.

One day.

[riagraie]

Ninjago AU Headcannons

so obviously, this includes OC content. if you don't like OCs, don't read that part/ignore other hc ig?

anyway, this is for my AU of Ninjago, Echoes of the Echoed. The timeline is set to be between Crystalized (s16) and Dragons Rising Season 1. So there shouldn't be any spoilers?

this is just a bunch of random hcs I have for the ninja (and Hanna) in my AU. some of these are adapted from other people, some of them are mine.

Kai

he has naturally straight hair so he uses curlers to put wave in it. by curlers, i mean the ones your grandma uses overnight. he also sleeps in a bonnet

bro wears eyeliner. not a lot, but when asked he will admit to it.

he knows how to cook a meal and is probably the best chef (minus Zane bc Zane is goated) but doesn't like to cook

he is terrified of bugs. any kind of bug, it doesn't matter. he doesn't want to look at them, he doesn't want to be near him, and if he was alone in the monastery and found a spider, the entire thing would be up in flames.

when he gets spooked, sometimes fire will shoot out of his shoulders.

when someone on the team is upset or struggling with smth, he forces them to do self care nights with him

he paints his nails black or red

he's an insomniac, has been since his parents left. it got better around s11 but still struggles with it. when he can't sleep he likes to do blacksmithing. nya and pixal set up a station in the X Cave for him to do it quietly.

Jay

adhd, adhd, adhd, adhd, adhd, adhd-

he doesn't know what his biological mother looks like and he likes to try and imagine it.

the reason his hair curled after s7 is bc of puberty. some people's hair gets curly :/

when he uses his powers his spine will glow blue and have offshoots of the same color that look like lightning. it's sick af

he always carries his yin medallion with him. he might be wearing it, he may be holding it, it may be chillin in his pocket, but it's always on him.

after the events of s15 and then after s16, jay brags about how easy it was for him to grow a beard. it pisses lloyd off.

the eye that he hurt in Skybound(s6) is ever so slightly a lighter shade of blue than his other eye. sometimes it still hurts him and on those days it looks bloodshot and he wears an eye patch.

his favorite kind of art is watercolors.

he's got a wicked spice tollerance

Cole

he forced Zane to teach him how to cook basic things. but, he is a very skilled baker naturally

he's great with kids bc he lets them swing off his arms like monkey bars

cole is black and bc his dad never did, kai taught him how to take care of his hair.

he likes having long hair bc it covers his scar from when he was a ghost.

right after becoming human again, he kept forgetting he wasn't a ghost and kept running into walls and doors

he has seriously considered becoming a streamer

cole is terrified of singing because his mother used to sing him to sleep.

Zane

sometimes he feels what pixal is feeling bc they share a heart

even after nya came back in s16, zane didn't turn on his emotions again until nya convinced him too. he then cried for three hours straight.

he will laugh without hesitation at a dad joke. he will also crack up as he's trying to tell a dad joke

he still has pictures lloyd drew him in s1 until childs play.

he's easily annoyed by people who break traffic laws.

he rarely swears, but swore more when he was pretending to be a pirate in s15.

after figuring out him roleplaying a detective in s12 annoyed Pixal, he downloads and roleplays things for other missions they are on together. like the pirate thing in s15.

he lets kai paint his nails

Nya

unlike kai, her hair is naturally wavy and she used to straighten it from the pilot-s7. then she kinda gave up.

she decided to grow out her hair bc she wanted to look more like her mother, but then hated having hair against her neck all the time and started putting it up.

she can bench press jay and she has a sleeper build

she gets pissed when she sees someone in the arcade getting close to her and jay's high score on the dance machine

she's a light sleeper

she's terrified of snakes

when she's upset about something, she will either beat the shit out of the training equipment (then proceed to fix in in a huff) or just build random things

she's seriously considered building jay a robot dog. but she never went through with it

Lloyd

when he's really happy, sleeping, or meditating, he purrs.

he's got freckles that look like diamonds bc of the dragon scale thing

hes got fangs, his ears are pointed, and when he's pissed or enamored by something his eyes turn red. naturally, his pupils are a bit pointer, aren't as round basically

lloyd knew about his oni form before the events of s16 but never told anyone. he's known about it since s9 when he had a nightmare and woke up to see himself half-shifted in the mirror. he asked mistake about it, she explained, he asked her to not tell anyone, and she didn't. neither did he.

he likes mints because he likes hard candies better, gives him something to fidget with

he's always bustling with energy bc of his element. he can't sit still for the life of him.

he can still control the individual elements of creation as well as water and wind. he found out he could control wind after s5 and he could control water after s15.

when he uses his powers, his eyes glow whatever color they are (red or green) for up to an hour afterwards.

he has super hearing and super smell. he can also partially see in the dark if theres just a little bit of light

he hates ants

he has consistent nightmares. nearly every night. unlike the visions in DR, he doesn't flail for his nightmares, just jolts awake.

he loves photography and has many professional grade cameras. he likes it because he gets to hold memories.

when he's upset at someone, he unconsciously switches to yelling at them in Oni language.

he can understand and read the Harmonizer language but can't speak or write it.

Hanna

she's filthy rich. her parents own a very successful real estate business and a shipping company

she doesn't talk to her parents and doesn't like talking about them

she has an accent bc of being part Harmonizer but she hides it bc it led to a lot of people not understanding her. the closest thing it sounds like irl is a Russian accent.

she sometimes talks in the Harmonizer language, especially if she's frustrated or sleeping.

she can understand and read the Oni language.

after shifting to full harmonizer the first time, the black and gold lines on her skin became visible when human if your close enough to see them

she requires no form of skin care but still joins kai for skin care nights.

she has bad periods and struggles with migraines bc of her powers

she could feel something was off before the crystal king formed in s16. she has a scar on her knuckle from where she punched harumi in the face

she loves sports bikes. she liked going fast and breaking traffic laws. but, safety is her top priority even for herself and never goes out without making sure her and any backpacks are in full gear.

after s15, she had a lot of anxiety attacks

she knew about Lloyd's oni form bc she accidentally walked in on him one day he struggled to mask it.

she is also really good with kids

she heals pretty quickly bc of being part harmonizer, and because of that, most of the wounds she gets scars over.

she hates being in the spotlight

so thats them, let me know what you think. should I do more hcs? let me know ab that too. uhh

hope you enjoyed :D

[leafnighthybridwolfsbane]

Mudwing Headcanons

(Info below the cut)

Heh- This is one of the tribes I forgot to add onto. It's not very bad. Each of these will have a description of things with these characters. Genuinely I really enjoy how big Mudwings are. Make me think of the dragon version of a teddy bear in all honesty.

Tribe Headcanons

A Mudwing's cheek spike can sometimes become a second set of horns. This is sexually dimorphic between males and females. Females tend to have the second set as they are normally protecting the eggs until they hatch.

A Mudwing's nostrils can close up like an icewing's, allowing them to be able to hold their breath for an hour without issue. Though, the sealing of the airway is much stronger than an icewing due to the environment Mudwings live in.

Mudwings have a similar look to crocodiles and alligators, allowing their limbs to move similarly to them. Sometimes being able to flatten their bodies low to the ground. This allows them to get into spaces that are as tall as their heads.

Their ears can be either short, or long and flopping. Those with more flopping ears have a much easier time tracking by smell than other Mudwings.

Mudwings have a second eyelid that allows them to be able to keep debris out of their eyes with the murky waters they tend to live around and hide in.

Their counter shading is due to being close relatives to seawings in the evolutionary line. Typically their backs being a wet bark color to look like logs in swampy waters.

Sex/gender when hatched work very similarly to crocodilians. Sex/gender of the eggs are very dependent on the temperatures their eggs were when they hatched. Though outliers (intersex/tras/nonbinary individuals) to the norms do exist in these groups.

Much like how seawings have powerful tails, a Mudwing's strength is unmatched by most other dragons. As if it has been matched at some point by a distant common ancestor. Though, it is unparalleled by other dragons. Normally taking two dragons or more to hold a Mudwing at full strength back.

On the topic of their strength, Mudwings have the strongest bite force out of all the other dragons. Some even known for similar death rolls seen in crocodilian species. These rolls can easily break a limb if a Mudwing isn’t careful.

A Mudwing hatched from a blood red egg can vary on their resistance to fire and fire breath. The darker and redder the scales, it’s a near impenetrable amount of resistance. Old sandwing firescales, blue fire from a Skywing firescales, or lightning are the only things that can get to the darkest and reddest of Mudwings hatched of these eggs.

Mudwing bigwings are considered the most important and responsible of their troop. They’re responsible for keeping their sibs in line and alive. They’re considered disgraced if a sib dies or goes missing. They are to help their sibs find their ranking or occupation, depending if it’s wartime or not.

On the other talon, while we’re talking about bigwings, if they die, the sibs are granted half a season to mourn. Once the mourning period is over, the second half of the season is to decide whether or not they figure out who’s the most qualified sib to take on the responsibilities or if they’re going to become logs.

Mudwings have a type of orphanage system for “logs” or sibs who couldn’t figure out who would be the next bigwings. They are normally taught by bigwings who had lost sibs. Both groups are considered unfavorable, but these are necessities nonetheless so neither are treated too differently for it. Though, it’s been a process for years

Mudwings have almost a sixth sense that’s a more enhanced sense of smell. Due to their culture of getting with different Mudwings, they have developed specific scents with one primary scent that each sib shares. There is a secondary scent to know if another is a half sibling or cousin, and a third that is their own special scent. Normally these scents will be what the parents’ primary scent were for the individual dragonet’s primary and secondary scents.

Mudwings are highly sensitive to scents as a result of this. Going to places like the Scorpion Den or palaces that are well known for excessive perfume and incense use are avoided by Mudwings. These are considered sensory needs to be considered for diplomatic meetings with the Mudwing tribe.

The Mudwing tribe have tusks coming from their lower jaws, similar to a boar. Bigwings will normally have the biggest tusks as a status symbol in their troop. Sometimes even wearing tusk caps depending on their troop’s rank in the kingdom. Though, to avoid similar fates to the boars, they have special occupations that shave them down.

Mudwings are very untrusting of other tribes, seeing them as potential backstabbers rather than allies. This can cause a two-faced and backstabbing acceptance policy during wars. If other Mudwings are hurt during an alliance, the whole tribe will switch to a completely opposite side. Despite their untrusting nature, they’re actually one of the kindest tribes.

Due to their excessive strength, they have an extremely high metabolism, and extensive activity may mean a Mudwing will need to rest longer. They can eat an assortment of foods, but the type that helps their metabolism is meat. This has caused other tribes to see them as gluttonous hogs.

Lore Headcanons

Mudwings are well known for being a polyamorous tribe. Though, not all get with each other romantically. It's considered very common though. The reason why is because they did not always have as many numbers as they did. Many sibs died and they were all not able to make it through the several wars the Mudwings put themselves into. Though with the population being like it is, it is more of a choice now than out of necessity.

Due to their strict sib societal norms, several civil wars have broken out to get them to be as somewhat accepting as they are. As stated, this has caused their numbers to drop significantly.

The last Mudwing civil war was around some time before the sandwing war. The other tribes had become tired of the internal fighting and decided to join in to help. Seeing how powerful Mudwings were first hand, they decided to go in for their own gains. This was found out and it nearly cost the Mudwings their existence. Though, they made it through despite the odds.

Unlike other tribes, Mudwings will gang up on a Queen and take her out of power in favor for another. Normally it will be a bigwings from another troop. This is so they do not go through another war.

The Mudwing fight pits are the way that they have chosen to take out aggression on the political climate in their tribe. Be it policies on sibs or even just something as simple that a well bred sheep equates to the same amount as three cattle. This has stopped the infighting from breaking out into outright civil war.

Fight pits are not a death sentence though. When they were first implemented, they were used similarly to the Skywing arena. This didn’t fly with the lower classed Mudwings. This ended up being the first overthrowing of a Queen in their history. The Queen and her sibs did end up killed, but the sibs were only by rogue Mudwings.

With the great sense of smell Mudwings have, their greatest exports are perfumes and incense. Most of the time the incense are for religious practices in other tribes, or grieving rituals.

The only tribe Mudwings consider less of a betrayal threat are the rainwings. This is also the only tribe they give their exports out to without an extensive regime for them to follow. Most believe that due to a rainwing’s size, they’re less likely to be able to handle a Mudwing’s strength without 4-5 of them.

Drawing Inspirations

Siberian cats are what I will be using as inspiration of poses and body typing.

I personally believe most Mudwings have patters similarly to crocodilians, with other marsh and swamp creatures being rarer to see.

Crocodilians were a major inspiration for how Mudwing biology works.

With the way that Mudwing society is in the books, I can see them being swingers or polyamorous as a tribe. Though that isn’t every Mudwing. I just wanted to indulge myself in this.

Wings of Fire Headcanon List

Leafwings

Hivewings

Silkwings

[crystalninjaphoenix]

The Clash

Fantasy Masks AU: Chapter Forty-Four

A JSE Fanfic

A relatively shorter chapter this time, but one with quite a lot of action and importance to it :3c I mean... it's still about 5000 words. But you know what I mean. I'll just get right to the summary, shall I? XD The guys, still in the Wyldwood, discuss what to do once the time comes to confront the King. Though, perhaps a confrontation is closer than they think. Closer than they want it to be. Heh heh heh. Enjoy! :D

Previous Part | | From the Start | More AU | Read on AO3: CrystalNinjaPhoenix

Taglist: @brokentimewatch

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The fourth day of their return journey dawned cloudy. Not foggy, like the day before, but genuinely cloudy above the canopy of leaves that the Wyldwood formed. Strange... it hadn’t been cloudy at all their whole journey down here. Had they just had great luck with the weather? That was the more likely explanation, but Chase couldn’t help but think it was a bad sign. It felt like the magic of the Wyldwood had been... disrupted somehow.

The others were feeling it, too. They all woke up and started walking silently through the trees. Today, they were in a section that looked autumnal, despite the real season being summer. The leaves were vibrant shades of red, orange, and yellow, the trunks of the trees resembling birch, with their white bark and black stripes. Faint yellow light came from the knots on the wood, as well as some low-hanging fruit that looked like pears had been squashed to a spherical shape. It was all beautiful, but still, they were on edge.

“So... is anyone else worried about the clouds?” Jackie asked after a couple hours.

The others all immediately agreed, a chorus of voices chiming out among Jameson’s speaking in hands. “It was very sunny during my first journey, and very sunny during the first half of this one,” Marvin said. “The sudden clouds are... giving me a bad feeling.”

“Maybe the weather just lined up?” Chase offered the thought he’d had earlier.

“M-maybe...” Jackie frowned.

You know... the King sometimes seemed to bring clouds with him... Jameson muttered.

Chase’s eyes widened as he suddenly remembered what happened at Marvin’s execution. The sudden storm, the coordinated lightning... “Wait a minute. Can the King—the spirit—control the weather?!”

The others all looked at him in shock. “That... th-that would take... th-that would take an... incredible amount of power,” Marvin breathed.

But considering the doorway we saw the King conjure a season ago, we know he already has an incredible amount of power, Jameson said.

“I-I know, but... It’s troubling to hear about,” Marvin said, continuing in that same quiet voice.

Chase swallowed a lump in his throat. If the spirit really could control the weather... had enough power to do that... how in the world was he supposed to defeat him?

Henrik glanced at Chase. “Is it just me, or do you look worried?”

“No, it’s—I’m fine.” Chase shook his head.

The other three were staring at him too. Chase, clearly something is bothering you, Jameson said.

“What is it?” Jackie asked.

“I’m fine,” Chase repeated. “It’s... nothing you have to worry about.”

“Oh, horseshit,” Marvin said. “We’re your friends. If something’s bothering you, we’re going to think about it until you talk about it.”

“Sorry,” Chase mumbled. “I didn’t mean to make you guys worry.”

“It’s not your fault, Chase!” Henrik said. “Friends worry about each other. It is just how things are. We want to know your troubles, you know.”

Jackie nodded. “We really do. Maybe we can help!”

Chase hesitated, then sighed. “Well... I guess it does affect you guys after all. And maybe you’ll have ideas that I don’t. I was just... I... I-I don’t know how I’m going to defeat the King!” That last part burst out of his mouth against his control. “I-I know that if Jameson’s vision is right, I’ll end up fighting him, and somehow defeating him, but—how?! He’s in Jack’s body! Do I just convince him to leave? He’s clearly not going to do that!” He felt tears prickling at the corners of his eyes. “I know I want to help Jack—I know I have to save the kingdom! But—but how?!”

The others stopped walking. They stared at him, silent. “Chase...” Henrik said softly. “Is this... something you have been thinking about for a while?”

Chase nodded quietly.

“Why didn’t you say anything before?” Henrik asked. Chase flinched despite the gentle tone the words were said in. “We could have offered advice, reassurance, anything you needed.”

“I always just assumed we would be talking about that in a strategy meeting of some sort,” Marvin said. “That we would all come up with a plan to defeat the King together.”

“I assumed that too!” Jackie shouted, nodding.

Clearly, assuming got us nowhere, Jameson said. Because I just assumed that Chase was coming up with a plan on his own.

Henrik sighed. “Well, perhaps we all should have established what we were assuming earlier. Then this would not have happened.”

“Sorry,” Chase mumbled.

“It’s not your fault, Chase,” Jackie reassured him. “We all made that mistake.” He straightened, taking a deep breath. “Alright. Well, now that we have that all out in the open, maybe we can think of some plan. The King is a possessive spirit, and there are chants to ward those off and banish them from someone’s body. Simple enough to recite one of those, right?”

“Except... he’s not a traditional spiolash spirit,” Marvin pointed out. “He’s a phantom with unknown, but definitely incredible, power.”

“Perhaps the same principle can work, though,” Henrik said. “There are multiple chants for banishing possessive spirits—spiolash. Perhaps if we combine them? Or... come up with something new?”

It would be worth a shot, Jameson said. And Chase has the Horned Elder One on his side. They’ll surely help when the time comes, right?

Chase bit his lip. “You’re right...” His hand drifted to his belt, where his mask was attached. The antlers had retained their glittering golden sheen. “Maybe... maybe if we combine a banishment chant for spiolash with a prayer for the Elders?”

Henrik frowned. “Well... then the others of you will have to work on that part. Even though I have been living here for a while, I still do not fully understand the intricacies of Elder prayer layout.”

“It’s not that complicated, Schneep,” Jackie said jokingly, nudging his side. “You just invoke the name once, thrice, five, or seven times, say the general category of what you’re praying for, say the name again going down one step in the number of times, get more specific, then repeat the process until you only get to one invocation.”

Henrik rubbed his eyes. “I have no idea what you just said.”

“It’s not that difficult to remember, Henrik,” Marvin said, grinning playfully. “You just go by instincts and gut feelings!”

“Prayers to the Sisters are not as specific as that,” Henrik muttered. “You just send it to the appropriate alserai and they carry it to them.”

“There are a hundred alserai, as you said!” Marvin pointed out. “A way of chanting prayers is much easier than remembering a hundred names!”

“Ahdadadah.” Henrik made a random sound as he waved his hands dismissively. “In any case, my point is that I cannot help you so much with coming up with this new chant.”

Jameson tilted his head to the side thoughtfully. The problem is that banishment chants for possessive spirits also have a very specific structure. They sound almost like poems or songs.

“We can figure something out together,” Jackie said. “We have all day to work on that! Alright... so. What sort of banishment chants do you all know? Growing up, my parents taught me and my siblings one to use. They mostly focused on how to avoid possessive spirits in the first place, but in case one wandered in, we were taught to recite one chant in particular while the possessed person couldn’t see us.”

“That one in particular probably won’t be as much help,” Marvin muttered. “But I know more.”

They talked everything over as they continued to walk through the forest. Chase was really struggling with this. He’d grown up learning Elder prayers and the occasional spiolash banishment chant, but he didn’t really understand what made them so special. He just knew them. This dissecting the words and the patterns they went in was going way too past him. Henrik, Jameson, and Marvin were throwing around phrases that he’d never heard before, like “assonance” and “consonance, like “meter” and “couplet” and “slant rhyme.” But he trusted that they all knew what they were doing. And at least he wasn’t alone in his confusion. Jackie was also clearly lost. But together, the two of them were able to pool their knowledge and occasionally chip in.

By the end of the day, they’d managed to come up with some combination that would hopefully work. Henrik pulled out some vellum and ink and wrote down the final chant, passing it over to Chase. “Read that, try to see if you can memorize it,” Henrik said. “Ah, not out loud, though. Just in case the Horned Elder One gets annoyed by all your prayers.”

Chase smiled slightly. “I don’t think they’ll get annoyed... but I’ll be careful, just in case.” He took the vellum, scanning the words written down. Simple ones, ones that he knew how to read. This... was really their plan, wasn’t it? The vellum felt flimsy, and yet... it was more solid than anything else they had before. It felt good to finally have something, anything, that might help with the spirit.

Eventually, they settled down for the night once again, in an area where the ground was unusually soft, as if there was a layer of thin pillows beneath the mossy surface. Henrik, Marvin, and Jackie volunteered to take watch tonight. The Wyldwood dimmed to near-darkness, lit only by drifting yellow lights and the lavender glow from big-petalled flowers growing in clusters all around. Chase laid his bedroll out at the base of one of the trees, a tree with bark and leaves as black as ink. If he had to be honest, this area was the best place he’d ever seen for outdoor sleeping. It was nice and calm, dark and quiet. Soon... he found himself drifting off...

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“Wake up!”

Chase suddenly jolted awake to the sound of a hissed shout in his ear and someone shaking him vigorously. He blinked and sat up immediately, almost knocking his forehead against Jackie’s, who was leaning over him. “What’s wrong? What’s happening?” Chase asked, eyes darting around.

“Horses!” Jackie hissed in that same whisper-shout. “Listen!”

They both fell silent... and in that silence, Chase could hear a distant rumble that he immediately recognized as the sound of hoofbeats. He looked towards the sound and saw distant lights, like lanterns. “Damn!” He cursed. “Do you think that’s the King?”

“Probably,” Jackie said. “And if it’s not, I doubt it’s anything good, in any case. We have to go. Now!”

Chase kicked his way out of the bedroll and started packing things up. He could see Marvin shaking Jameson awake as well, and then heard him hastily explaining everything while Jameson stared in wide-eyed shock. Jackie moved on to wake Henrik up in the meantime. And Draco, already awake and fully alert, stared out towards the distant lights, his fur all on end.

Soon, Chase, Jackie, and Marvin were all packed up. Jameson wasn’t far behind. As Henrik finished up his own packing, he asked, “What happened? What time is it? When did you see them?”

“Right as we were switching watches,” Marvin explained. “I woke Jackie up to take the last time slot, and then when I walked over to my bedroll to go to sleep, I noticed Draco standing on the pillow and looking out into the distance. The horses were tricky to spot, but we saw them soon enough.”

Henrik cursed under his breath in Alterdan as he buckled up his pack and stood up, swinging it onto his back. “Are they coming close to us?”

“Slowly,” Jackie said. “I think they’re sweeping this area. But they’re closer than they were a few minutes ago.” Indeed, the rumble of the horse’s hooves is noticeably louder.

If they’re going in a zigzag pattern, then we should be able to evade them by just going straight away from them, Jameson said.

“Yes, that’s pretty obvious,” Marvin said. He pointed at Draco, who was already walking off in that direction. “Let’s go!”

“Remember to be quiet, too, guys!” Chase pointed out. “No running. The people will definitely see that.”

The five of them started hurrying through the forest, going as fast as they could without actually running. There weren’t any bushes or other low undergrowth in the Wyldwood—or at least, not in this area. This section with the dark trees and the soft moss-covered ground was unnaturally barren, the forest floor more like a well-maintained orchard than a real, wild gathering of trees. Good for maneuverability, bad for avoiding attention. There were only so many tree trunks to duck behind.

Though they were going in a straight line while the pack of horses was curving around, things were turning up about even. They weren’t losing the horses, but neither were the horses catching up to them. This made sense, of course, as their walking speed wasn’t going to be nearly as fast as a horse’s canter. But it still put Chase on edge. Like at any moment, they would be discovered. “Marvin,” he whispered. “Is there any magic you have that could speed us up? Maybe—maybe you could make a shortcut with your doorways?”

Marvin nodded. “I could do that.” His hand reached up and grabbed the focus around his neck. The amulet had been giving off a slight white glow the whole time they were in the Wyldwood. “But the glow of the doorway would attract attention. I-I want to save my magic for in case something goes wrong, so I probably couldn’t get us too far.”

Something HAS gone wrong, Jameson said. I say this is the perfect time to use magic!

“Yes, do it!” Jackie added.

“Alright, alright!” Marvin stopped moving, looking around. “The trees are too narrow. I couldn’t draw a doorway wide enough for a person to go through on them. So we’ll have to risk using the ground.” He crouches down, pulling some magic from his focus. “This is going to feel really disorienting to go through.”

“Just hurry!” Chase glanced at the lights that indicated the group of horses. They were definitely getting bigger... closer. 

Marvin nodded. He started tracing a circle on the ground large enough for a person to stand in. Once he was done, the middle fell away, and the circle became a hole. On the other side, they could all see a view of the tree tops as if you were looking up at them from the ground. Even though they were currently looking down, not up. Chase blinked, stunned for a moment. Then he shook his head. “Alright!” he said. “Let’s—”

Swsh-THNK! An arrow embedded itself in a tree next to them.

“Shit!” Jackie cursed.

The lights of the distant horses were no longer wobbling back and forth, but holding in a steady position as they approached. The pounding of the hoofbeats was increasing steadily in volume, and Chase heard a voice shout out something indistinct.

“No time to waste!” Marvin hissed. “All of you go through, I need to be las—”

Swsh-THMP!

Marvin shrieked in pain, clutching his arm. An arrow lodged itself into the upper part of his left arm, close to the shoulder. The magic doorway on the ground abruptly disappeared as Marvin lost concentration.

“No!” Jackie gasped. He drew his swords, and at the same time shoved Chase to the side behind a tree, bumping his body against Chase’s. Henrik hurried over to Marvin’s side and pulled him behind a different tree while Jameson ducked behind a third one. Jackie then ran after Chase, hiding in the same spot, just barely dodging more arrows flying through the air. “Okay, new problem! Marvin, can you make a shield of some sort?”

“Y-yes,” Marvin breathed. He threw some magic forward, which expanded into a tall, glowing green wall, as solid and see-through as glass. Several arrows struck it, bouncing off. Chase could see many more arrows getting lodged in the bark of nearby trees. “W-we shouldn’t... get pinned down, though!” Marvin pulled himself to his feet, grabbing the nearby trunk with his right hand. “Remember, Jameson’s vision? Even if we’re not in the same location, the idea still stands!”

“They’ll no doubt be circling around us soon,” Jackie muttered. 

“We just have to keep going!” Chase said decisively. “This area doesn’t have much cover, we need to reach one with more places to hide!”

“We cannot outrun a squad of warriors on horses!” Henrik protested.

“Can’t stay in place, can’t outrun them, what do we do, then?!” Chase shouted.

Jameson reached back and drew his bow. He’d brought it to practice with during the Wyldwood journey, but hadn’t been able to get much practice in at all—too afraid that he would shoot a creature that wouldn’t take kindly to his archery attempts. But now, he had to risk it. We have to fight, he said, gesturing awkwardly around the bow.

“I-is that wise?!” Henrik squeaked. “We do not know how many of them there are! And the King is with them!”

“Jameson is right, it’s our only chance!” Jackie said. “We have to slow them down!” More arrows thumped against Marvin’s shield. They could now see the riders atop the horses, their helmets reflecting the light of their lanterns. “One minute to prepare! Henrik, toss us that bag with the witchcraft charms Anna gave you. Then cut down the arrow shaft!”

Henrik nodded. He tossed one of his packs forward and Chase lunged for it, looking through the charms. He scrambled to remember what some of these were—oh! Protection against magical attacks! That could help! Those charms were small wooden disks on string bracelets. He put one on and then tossed the other four to his companions. Meanwhile, Henrik took out his small knife and sawed through the shaft of the arrow Marvin had been shot with, getting as close to the wound as he could. Marvin hissed in pain but didn’t struggle, knowing they had to remove the shaft so it wouldn’t get in the way.

“They’re starting to circle!” Jackie reported. 

Chase closed up the pack of charms and slung it over his shoulder. “Alright, Jameson. You and I have to loose arrows as soon as we see one. Aim for the horses, that’ll slow them down the most!”

Jameson nodded, nocking an arrow on his bowstring.

Marvin took a deep breath and pulled some magic from his focus. “Should I take down the wall?”

“Once they start to close in,” Jackie said. “Otherwise it’ll be suspicious.”

Marvin nodded. Next to him, Henrik went rummaging through his bag. Chase heard the clinking of glass against glass, and then he pulled out a round bottle. A potion. He wound his arm back, ready to throw it.

The sound of the horses, the pounding of their hooves like a heartbeat, grew louder, closer. Chase nocked an arrow of his own. He drew back the string and got ready to loose it, adjusting his position. The sound of the hoofbeats surrounded them, thundering across the ground. There wasn’t much cover. They’d need to choose their position carefully. Any moment now.

A large shape came into view, moving incredibly quickly. Chase immediately shot his arrow, and the horse reared back, neighing. He’d managed to land the shot right in the eye. No time to waste! He grabbed another arrow and loosed it, aiming at the rider this time and managing to knock them off balance. Nearby, Jameson was doing the same.

Marvin pulled down the shield he’d conjured and Henrik threw his potion bottle forward. It bounced against the ground once before its contents spilled out, mixing and mingling together. Instantly, there’s a blast of fire. The horses and warriors caught in the blast scream, human and animal sounds indistinguishable from each other as flames cover fur and clothing.

The forest around them groaned. A rumble passed through the earth, and the leaves and trees rustled. Roots burst from the earth, waving wildly, sending clumps of dirt flying to cover the flames as the roots grabbed onto anything nearby—thankfully, only the mounted warriors. “Why do you keep upsetting the forest, Henrik?!” Chase shouted, running to a different tree to hide behind as a warrior charged at him, swinging their sword from up on their horse. The blade sliced through his shirt but barely avoided drawing blood.

“Sorry!” Henrik shouted, also running to avoid an attack. He grabbed another potion bottle, getting ready to throw it as well. At the same time, he pulled free the axe Vsevna gave him, swinging it at a horse and burying it in its side.

Marvin was casting spells left and right, and each one was coming out stronger than he intended. A glowing purple glow surrounded a warrior and threw them off their horse with such speed that a bone cracked from the movement. A bolt of rainbow-colored magic had the width of one of the trees and was bright enough to temporarily blind nearby warriors. He didn’t dare use wizard fire, because if he did, he knew it would be a blaze much stronger than he wanted. The Wyldwood was making his magic stronger. Or... more like it was making it easier to summon a great deal of it.

While the others all tried to dodge and evade, sticking on the sides of the large group gathering as much as they could, Jackie was in the middle of it all. He spun around, dancing around the large horses with no fear of their teeth or hooves. The warriors would try to slash at him with their swords or spears or halberds, but Jackie would deflect each blow with one of his swords while using the other to slash at the horse’s legs, especially their knees. It was amazing to watch—but Chase couldn’t get distracted! He felt like he was barely keeping out of reach of these warriors, anyway!

Henrik threw his second potion. This one smashed against a tree and a blizzard exploded outwards, freezing everything in its wake—including freezing the horses’ hooves to the ground. “Go go go go!” He shouted, gesturing for the group to run to the side. Most of the warriors had been caught in the potion effect, so now was the time to run! 

The group bolted, running as one through the forest, ducking and weaving through the trees. Chase felt the ground beneath his feet start to tilt—were they on a slope? It was going to the side. “This way!” he hissed, changing direction. “There could be a river this way—we could lose them!”

“Huh?!” Marvin stared at him in surprise. “H-how do you know that?!”

No time to answer, the warriors were already catching up! Chase ran faster, glancing over his shoulder to make sure the others were with him. They were, but the horses were beginning to catch up as well! He faced forward again, scanning the distance. Water always gathered where the ground was the lowest... If they kept going this way, maybe they’d find some! Even if it was just a pond, surely they could use that to evade the horses somehow, right?!

The hairs on the back of his neck suddenly stood up.

He recognized that feeling. It was—

KRAK! A bolt of lightning shot from the left, passing close enough by the group that Chase could feel the heat coming from it. The bolt tore through the side of a tree, and the forest groaned as if in pain. And then—a doorway opened up in midair, and a horse came galloping through it. Jackie shrieked in surprise and shoved Chase to the side like earlier, while the others scattered. The horse circled around them, slowing down, its rider’s green cape catching the light of the glowing orbs in the air. And then the horse skidded to a stop. Upon its back... was the King.

“E-Elders...” Jackie breathed. “W-we can’t fight him here!”

“How unfortunate,” the King said. “You’re welcome to die quietly, then.” He pointed his seax at the group, and the blade started to glow—

“Run!” Marvin shouted, throwing up a shield. The group all scattered, dodging to the left. Lightning shot forward from the blade, hitting the shield... and immediately shattering it. Marvin staggered from the force of the breaking, but thankfully, no one had been in the way of the blast.

Other warriors hurried forward, closing in around the group. Jameson’s eyes widened in panic. Marvin! Try a doorway again?! 

“You guys will have to defend me!” Marvin said, grabbing his focus—

A whining sound filled the air, buzzing like an insect close to an ear. The King swiped his seax to the side and a length of green lightning whipped around. Most of the group ducked, but Marvin, focusing on his magic, was too slow. The lightning hit him in the side of the face and he screamed in pain, collapsing. Draco yowled and ran over to his side, sniffing at him. “Marvin!” Jackie screamed.

Chase’s eyes darted around. The horses had blocked them in—circled around them like in Jameson’s vision. Had they just delayed the inevitable?! He could see the warriors drawing their bows again—all of them wearing those creepy helmets that blocked out their faces. He fumbled for another arrow from his quiver, hand shaking with fear. Relax! Tension is not good for shooting! Jameson was trying to nock an arrow as well, but he was also shaking, hands so unsteady that he couldn’t even get the arrow to stay in place on the string. Henrik rummaged through his pack for another potion, but he wasn’t going to grab one in time, Chase could tell.

Suddenly, Jackie let out a scream—a bellow, more like, a loud primal call of rage and action. He charged forwards towards the King, who looked mildly surprised but not concerned. The King pointed his seax at Jackie, the blade glowing with another one of those lightning blasts. Chase screamed, certain that he was about to see Jackie fall.

But then, as the lightning shot forward, Jackie crossed his two blades in front of himself. The lightning hit the spot where they meet—it shouldn’t have mattered, as lightning usually traveled easily through metal. But... that’s not what happened here. The others watched as the swords started to glow the same green as the lightning, getting brighter and brighter as more of the lightning... was sucked into them. Like a sponge soaking up water. The warriors all stared, many of them unconsciously lowering the bows that they were going to shoot Jackie with. Even the King couldn’t take his eyes away, absolutely shocked at what he was seeing.

And then the lightning stopped, and the glow of the swords died down. But it didn’t fade. And while everyone was still stunned by what they had seen, Jackie ran forward and swiped both swords against the horse’s side. They made cuts, but nothing really damaging to such a big animal. Nothing too damaging by themselves. But as the blades made contact, lightning burst from the metal, climbing up the side of the horse, which whinnied a shrill scream and reared back. The King clung to its side—and that sealed his fate as the lightning hit him as well. His muscles spasmed, and combined with the force of the horse rearing, he was thrown off the back of it. The horse itself staggered and lost its balance, falling to its side.

Jackie looked back at the others, panting, and ran past the King and his horse.

None of them said anything, just burst into a dead sprint after him, with Henrik grabbing Marvin and awkwardly carrying him as he hurried after Jackie. The warriors just stood there on their horses, as if unsure what to do. Frozen... awaiting orders. 

But soon, the King scrambled to his feet. He glared at the warriors behind him and they all jumped into movement again, pulling arrows from quivers to shoot at the retreating group.

Jameson whistled and pointed forward. There! A glint in the darkness between the trees. Water! It went from side to side, a small creek. “Just get there!” Chase hissed. “Then—”

Marvin gasped, raising his head. “I-I can get us out!”

Jackie stumbled in shock. “A-alright! If you’re sure! Twist around the trees, everyone!”

They did so, dodging and weaving around the tree trunks, barely ducking to avoid the arrows. The water grew closer, closer—

“J-jump in!” Marvin shouted.

Chase looked at him, confused, but no time to question it! He pulled out in front, running into the water. Jackie was right behind him, and the other three behind him. Marvin reached down into the water, and it started to glow, swirling around them, then shooting upwards in a fountain—

The King shrieked angrily. “Fine, run like cowards! I’ll see you back at your precious camp!”

—And then there was a lurching feeling. Chase felt like he was falling, and then had suddenly been flipped upside down, leaving him sick and his head spinning. He fell to his knees, and immediately noticed the water... or lack thereof. They were no longer standing knee-deep in that stream they’d found. Instead, they were in a different section of the forest. They were surrounded by tall grass, soft and swaying slightly, all of it glowing gently in the same way the moon in the night sky did. The trees around them curved and bent, exaggerated silhouettes as though they were sculpted instead of grown.

Jackie looked around. “Wh-what? Where... h-how?”

“Marvin!” Henrik hurried to Marvin’s side, kneeling next to where he was laying on the ground. Draco was also nearby, shaking his fur dry before nudging Marvin’s shoulder with his nose. “A-are you alright? You were—the lightning—i-it hit you in the—”

“That... did not... f-feel good.” Marvin raised his head. An angry red mark slashed across his face, a burn from the King’s lightning attack.

“H-how are you?” Henrik asked. He reached out to press his hand against Marvin’s neck, checking his pulse and breathing. Marvin stiffened, but didn’t push him away. “Taking lightning to the face will definitely h-have effects!”

“It would’ve... if not for that... magical protection charm, I think.” Marvin raised one hand, showing the charm he’d tied around his wrist.

“E-even so, I would like to keep an eye on you,” Henrik said, concerned.

“That makes sense.”

Jameson looked around. Where are we? What did you do to get us here?

“Created a magical doorway in the water,” Marvin mumbled. “Using the actual water as the surface. It’s normally... pretty difficult. But I-I felt like I could, with how my magic has been... stronger while in the woods.” He shook his head. “H-hopefully... we’re closer to the edge of the Wyldwood, now.” Then he looked at Jackie. “That was... really amazing. With the swords.”

“Hah... I’m just glad it worked.” Jackie grinned. “I’m lucky I remembered that King Sam told me they could absorb various energies.”

Chase swallowed a lump in his throat. There was a cold feeling in the pit of his stomach. “The... th-the spirit...” His hands were shaking. “He said... he’d see us at c-camp...”

Henrik looked over at him, wide-eyed. “There... th-there’s... i-it’s not possible. H-he cannot know where we are s-staying...”

But the others all look similarly nervous. “We... w-we have to get back fast.” Marvin staggered to his feet.

“No time to spare,” Jackie agreed. “I know it’s still early in the morning, before the sunrise, but let’s hurry.”

“Hold on, we need to rest and heal!” Henrik protested.

Jameson looked troubled. He shook his head. I think we need to risk waiting until the night. If the King gets there first... He trailed off.

Henrik looked unhappy about it, but he nodded. “A-alright... we will risk it. But if any of you start walking strangely or limping, I will make us stop for a quick doctor’s check.”

“I think we’re all okay with that,” Jackie said. The others nodded.

Marvin cast a spell to find out which way was north, and using that, they all started heading back due east. If the King knew where their camp was... he might not, but if there was the slightest chance... they had to get there first. They had to warn them. Otherwise, disaster would strike.

[rillils]

written for round 5 @stuckybingo, square I5 - Looking after each other wordcount: 1411 pairing: Steve/Bucky additional tags: fluff, kidfic, general silliness, slice of life, dorks in love, dorks in love + their baby

Steve never believed in sunscreen, no matter how many times he got the hide scorched off of him. Used to just sit there and let the sun fry his skin, seemingly content to suffer through all the pretty stages of a sunburn, the blistering and the peeling, the stinging and the itching.

The serum just gave his stubborn ass one more excuse to walk outside in all his dumb, unprotected glory.

“You know it’ll have healed by tomorrow anyway,” he would shrug in the face of Bucky’s reasonable worry. But oh, how he’d hiss and cuss through gritted teeth, Later That Same Day, when Bucky inevitably wound up spreading cool aloe over his poor, neon-bright shoulders, the shade of them a hot raw pink that’d probably get them both sued by Mattel sooner or later.

“Fuck. Fuck. I always forget how bad it gets. How do I always forget how bad it gets.”

And it would take a herculean effort for Bucky to refrain from saying ‘I told you so’, but refrain he would; he’d simply smooth his aloe-covered fingers down to the small of Steve’s back, where the tan line made his creamy-pale asscheeks stand out like two (somewhat flabbergasted) halves of a moon, and he’d lean over to whisper-kiss a fond, “Dumbass”, against the crown of Steve’s head.

* It was fatherhood that flipped that particular switch for Steve.

Already within the first few weeks of her life, Sarah Barnes-Rogers managed a colossal feat which several people, including her very own namesake, had been fruitlessly attempting for no less than a century: knock some sense into her father.

That summer, they brought their five-month-old baby to the beach for the first time, and suddenly Steve’s baseline shifted from a glaring zero, to at least three separate bottles of sunscreen tucked in his backpack at all times – and he wielded them as dramatically and determinedly as King Arthur pulling his sword from the Stone.

“Never thought I’d see the day,” Bucky teased while Steve re-applied lotion on their daughter, and then himself, for the third time in one morning, the delicate scent of coconut wrapped around them like a gentle cloud.

“Protection is important,” retorted his husband, always 101% ready to rise to the challenge, even when it was ridiculous degrees outside and the average human felt distinctly like warm ice cream oozing, slow and tragic, towards an indecorous end on a sizzle-hot curb. Sarah wriggled excitedly in his lap, her pudgy little body slippery like a newborn dolphin.

“Important for you, too? Really? I thought you were gonna heal by tomorrow anyway.”

Steve glared at him, mouth pouting with growing intensity within the neatly groomed frame of his beard.

“We lead by example,” he said petulantly, and since he couldn’t exactly stomp away – at least not with all the dramatic flair required by such indignity as Bucky was willfully subjecting him to – he settled for looking away instead, fixing the hat over Sarah’s ears to keep his hands occupied. Stubborn, mulish smartass. Bucky was sure he’d never loved him quite so ardently as he did in that moment.

He leaned between their loungers and smacked the loudest kiss on Steve’s coconut-scented cheek, not bothering (oh, not too much) to hide his smug grin. “Good.”

*

Now, all things considered, it’s no wonder that Sarah’s grown to be such a sunscreen enthusiast.

The second they hit the beach, she wants nothing better than for Papa to help her get coated in the stuff, from head to wiggly toe; and once the procedure is complete, she’ll scuttle off at lightning speed, drop to the ground, and – to Bucky’s endless horror – roll about until she’s got every bit of her greased-up self nice and caked in sand. Sand which they'll still find sprinkled in every corner, crease and crinkle of every towel, bag and piece of clothing they own for a couple of months at least, but what is parenthood if not self-sacrifice?

Before she gets to that, though, Sarah has her own self-appointed job to do.

She plucks the bottle from Steve’s hand and, as per their private ritual, manhandles him into lying on his belly, announcing with her sweet, recently tooth-gapped smile, “I’ll do your back!”

Steve always indulges her with a smile of his own, and lets her climb onto the small of his back, ready to surrender himself to Sarah’s loving, if somewhat fierce ministrations.

For once, though, she doesn’t simply smear the lotion around with her usual excitement. On the contrary, she holds the bottle up and squeezes it meticulously, her brow scrunched up in concentration as she works with slow, strangely deliberate moves.

It’s only after a minute or so that Bucky really sees what she’s trying to do; and by then, her masterpiece is all but complete. The sight of it makes his heart clench with unexpected fondness.

“Daddy! Daddy, can you take a picture? I wanna show Papa, please!”

He takes one look at her hopeful little face, at the blond curls falling over her eyes, the sun-kissed freckles already crowding the bridge of her nose so early in the summer, and there’s no way in hell he’d ever even dream of saying no.

“’Course, baby,” he says, reaching for his phone with no further ado.

“Show me what?” Steve pipes up, twisting his neck to try and peek over his shoulder. “What’re you guys doing back there?”

“Nuh-uh,” Bucky tuts, pushing Steve’s head back down to rest atop his crossed arms, “you stay put for a second, doll. Can’t ruin this shot. Alright, here we go.” The camera clicks softly, once. “Hm. Nope.” Twice. “Eh– almost.” Thrice. “Ha! There. Perfect.”

He helps Sarah down from her perch on Steve’s back, very, very careful not to smudge her precious work, then hands her the smartphone. “Go ahead, baby, show Papa what a good job you did.”

In her eagerness, Sarah all but shoves the phone right in Steve’s face, with a squeal of “Pa! Look, look!”, watching him expectantly.

It’s there, on the screen, that Steve finally gets to see it. A message just for him, spanning almost his entire back, spelling, in Sarah’s wonky six-year-old handwriting, “I LOVE YOU PA ♥”, big squiggly heart included.

Steve doesn’t breathe for three whole seconds; and when he starts again, it’s with a soft, awestruck, “Oh.”

And it might be the stark light, or the warm breeze, or the scent of ocean salt in the air, but when he props himself up on his elbows to look at their daughter, his eyes have a familiar, watery shine to them. One of his strong arms wraps around Sarah’s middle and pulls her in, and he plants a kiss on her forehead, smiling all the while. “Love you too, munchkin. It’s beautiful, thank you so much.”

“Yah!”

Satisfied with the feedback, Sarah can finally run off to fulfill her destiny as a pocket-size sand monster. Steve gazes adoringly after her, then lifts his big, gleaming puppy eyes on Bucky, looking about as lovestruck as Bucky’s ever seen him in the last ninety-five years or so.

“Buck,” he says, soft and just, just on the cusp of choked up. How anyone ever thought they could teach this guy not to wear his heart on his sleeve, Bucky’ll never understand.

“Yeah, big guy. I know. I know,” he soothes, hovering close to place a sympathetic kiss on the swell of Steve’s bicep. “Listen, I’m gonna ask a dumb question here.”

Steve blinks up at him, curious.

“Do you maybe want me to fix your back for you, so you don’t actually burn to a crisp?”

And see, the truth is, he already knows the answer. He knows it with even greater certainty when Steve sinks his face in the crook of his own elbow, half laughing, half groaning, and a hundred percent utterly defeated.

Of course not. Of course he’s gonna lie directly in the nearest sunbeam, and let himself bake there until the words are branded onto his skin, pale white on Barbie-box pink, no matter how short-lived they’ll be.

“Yep. Called it.” He gives Steve’s bicep a gentle pat-pat, knowing that in about ten hours, even that will make Steve hiss with unrepentant, self-inflicted pain - and possibly loving him just that wee bit more for this tiniest of derring-do’s. “I’ll make sure to grab some more aloe on our way home.”

[starrvlight]

should i make a web toon??

chat should I make a webtoon?? I already have some story written out, it's kinda lie sbg?? It's not like taken from SBG I promise 😭 but it's the same genre??and I have not ppl to edit my art / anyone to help out with the comic CONSIDERING IM A MINOR (13-15)??I also don't consider myself good a drawing:p But I'll tell u about it and lmk if I should try to make it a comic??:D

it's about these kids (12-13) I KNOW IT'S YOUNG BUT WHATS A LIL TRAUMA GONNA DO?? And like (I'm still figuring this out 😔(ok nvm I'm just going to copy and paste I have a 2 starts so far starts so far))

starter one: (2nd one I made + still working on)

They use walkie talkies the communicate *FIFI RUNNING THRU THE HALLS OF HER SCHOOL* Hey- I'm Fiona or fifi- whatever u wanna call me. For the past few months I've been having this recurring dream, or simalar to that.. Cut to fifi panting, crying and bleeding a lot from the side of she stomach, running in a hellish realm from a multiple runners going to some massive treehouse and she climbs a ladder and axel rolls up the ladder, and fifi pressing a button and collapse shaking

Cut back to Fifi, running into her class "your late miss Weech." Fifi looks up "sorry Mr mordini" she mumbles

starter 2: (og one)

Fifi was looking thru her dad's stuff and saw some "fun" looking horror game that was shoved way way way in the back1-2 (axel and fifi) people are playing a game, then the game glitches and the game like sucks them in.they were playing some horror game where you had necklaces/ bracelets/earrings rings that they found then they had some type of power (but didn't know||powers:, water,fire,air,earth,flying, manipulate gravity,super speed, instant healing, able to shield Able to manipulate blood, shrink/grow is size, teleport abe to see into the future by a.little bit, lightning yk?) and so they kinda just walked around for a bit and then saw something glowing..it was a crimson shade of red..like blood.. axel grabbed it and looked at it then hesitantly but it on, then continued walking it was really dare,, they came across this neighborhood/ghost town and a whole bunch of houses were like decaying and they walked in, hoping to find stuff,they ended up finding some water, a backpack and a couple flashlights +batteries.. and a ring that had a dark green gem..then l of a sudden they hear EXTREMELY loud screeching and they remember it from the game they the began to run out the house but screeching got louder and louder to they ran the opposite way, but there was no way out so they had to kill the creature (it's a black creature that's completely black and has like a really open mouth andna head that's tilted back, a massive eye on their chest and in the same pllace on their back, really tall massive claws, they r called runners/screechers, then there are other ones that can fly at really high speeds r called flyers) they didn't know how so they just ran and ran, until axel fel...Fifi pulled axel and help him up..but it was too late and the monster lunged at them then the crouchd and covered themselves, then hears some running and then a loud screach,. They looks up and say a trio, one has black, really curly hair, one has a bit with bleached hair and one with browns hair and some hair dye, the one with h dyed hair has black goop on her hand she shirt, then the one with curly blkack hair ran to them

And I drew both comics a bit both have I think 3 panels :p

AND SORRY FOR RANDOM NAMES IN IT I CAN POST THE CHARACTER INTRODUCTION STUFF IF U WANT MORE INFO

ANDDD ANOTHING THINK IM WITTEWLIWLY DRAWING IN IBISPAINT 🤨 LIKE??

[lakka-arts]

HI heres a list of really great mcsm artists (personal recs)

mainly made for my friend @glitxhy-b0yy!!! :D who is a FANTASTIC artist themselves and has some great content on there!!

also partially as a self indulgent post to compliment my friends so lets go!! (yes this does mean that my opinions are going to be bias asf dont come for me--)

this is not a COMPLETE list but its just the artists that i can come up with off the top of my head-- might add more later!

polarized-here

polar's artworks is what i like to describe as comforting as it consists of neat lineart and cell shading with glowing effects! they're probably most commonly known for their admin!jesse au, which is a fucking BADASS au with the coolest concept artwork that i've seen?? like hands down, stunning with a stunning execution of it. polar's artwork are like,,, holy shit man. they're such a cool person :)

terracomets

rusty is a phenomenal artist AND writer who has an au series that i cannot recommend enough called Misfit Mania!! He has a BUNCH of great character designs, including ocs and other medias too! i consider him a jack of all trades bc no matter what fandom, no matter what kind of character it is, rusty always succeeds at great portrayal of them :DD his fav character is axel and as a result, he's got a bunch of fantastic axel artwork on his blog!! :)

mcs-art-etc/lukasdoodles

lukasdoodles has genuinely one of the most unique art styles that i have ever that is both adorable AND menacing /pos at times. their artwork consists of colorful lineart, and INSANELY detailed clothings, like oh my god. they're also INSANELY creative when it comes to it as well, putting in so many ruffles, and belts, and!!! so much more!! not only that but they have a bunch of blaze rods drawings on their blog!! including gill, who i think is one of the underrated characters in mcsm! they also do some animation every now and then, which is always so cool to see!!

zonerz

zonerz is one of those dual part artist and dual part writers with their great artwork and writing! they're really good at putting together lore and is super in-depth when it comes down to the nitty gritty! their armor drawings are really well done and i admire the attention to details with every single one of their drawings!!

zoomire

fel is one of the coolest fucking people i have ever met and #1 cassie rose fan. their artstyle reminds me of traditional paintings that you would find in a museum, like it is so refined and their character anatomy is ON POINT with how they draw muscles and scars so realistically. their aiden design is also one of the most dazzling to me bc of how they incorporate lightning into his scars. ALSO a huge aidrose fan if not THE president of the goddamn ship. they have so many character analysis on them both together and separately and they're always written SO WELL WITH SO MUCH RESPECT TO THE SOURCE MATERIAL.

a lost crow

crow has a bunch of fantastic mcsm content but one of their most fascinating ones is their command!lukas au, which has a whole story to go alongside it but i won't spoil it ;) and their individual jesse au where every single jesse has their own personality traits and they're so unique and well written!! absolutely love both au to bits!

acraftedmistake

acraftedmistake's art is unique in the sense that it is purely traditional and takes great advantage of paper texture as well as textures from markers and pens to make its presence known! to add to that, they do a bunch of mcsm work themed around horror! i do need to put a warning that they sometimes involve gore though it is very artistically done!! phenomenal artist!!

zhezhy

Zhenya has enough content to the point where i can make an entire POST this long to talk about her and the absolutely stunning drawings she makes about mcsm, particularly about the old order of the stone. she excels at drawing ivor, harper, and soren the most, though she has dwelved into other characters that haven't had the most light shed on them. my absolute favorite thing about her artwork is her artstyle because it is this GORGEOUS sketchy style where both the colors and the lines express themselves SO WELL and SO EFFECTIVELY! i can go raving mad about it honestly

offeathersandcube/novatheastropirate

Nova's artwork, i would like to define it, is filled with love and care. Her lineart and coloring patterns are colorful and light, as if they were drawn for the illustration for a book series, filled with so much delight. Nova's specialty is how she both writes and draws Ellegaard with so much appreciation for her character and through her portrayal of her. It's nothing short of dedication and heart. Nova's other works are also great as well and they do a lot to show Nova's artistic talent.

[annawayne]

Hello Anna <3 I hope you are doing well 🌻

Can you answer questions for the artist game 2, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 16, 29 :)

I like your art and I want to you talk more about your art. 🥐🥐🥐

Oh, hello-hello!

Thank you so much for these kind words and for your interest! And, haha, I see that you've read the previous post, too 🥐🥐🥐

2 most popular piece?

It's ironic how one of the most popular pieces is the one I don't like :D But this is it!

Another popular one, is this one, but in this case, I still love this art (sometimes I wonder if I'll be able to create something like this ever again...)

7 easiest thing for you to draw?

It's a very interesting question! Let's say, on the stage of the rendering, it's, how ironically it wouldn't sound, but backgrounds! I know that usually it's considered like the least thing you would name as "easiest", but somehow, it works for me...

9 whats something you always come back to when drawing?

Hm, very good question. I think, it's this simple thought that everything, in reality, doesn't have an end: drawing, no matter how good you are, is about constant studying, and this is also the beauty in it. I always try to keep it in mind, but when I start drawing, every single time I recall this idea, and, at some point, to be honest, it's also reassuring.

10 how do you deal with artblock?

You know, I must tell you that I have never had an art block. Demotivation and discouragement? Yes, and not because I can't draw what I imagined, but primarily because of the reach since I wish my arts would be seen more, but other than that - even if I had some small moments when I felt like something wasn't going the way I would like to - I felt upset and sometimes disappointed, but never to the point of artblock. So, in my case, the answer will be a bit different: when I have such moments, I just step away from it and let these feelings not interfere into my art process. Drawing or writing with such low emotions which whisper to you how "you're failing to match your imagination" (which, in fact, are nothing but lies) is a huge emotional turmoil and also, some kind of torture, so instead of forcing myself into it, I just let these emotions live and die as quickly as they appear. During this time while I'm away from drawing/writing, I try to distract myself with something usual like reading, for example. So, yes, that's it!

11 do you listen to anything while drawing?

Yes! I usually listen to lectures/discussions, this kind of content, or to the music - when it comes to it, I try to find the matching pieces of songs to the vibe of the drawing, so it also helps me to set the mood :3

For example, for this art, I was listening on repeat Eric Satie, and I hope it gave the mood to this art the one I hoped to achieve

12 describe your process while drawing

Thank you for this question! It all starts with the idea itself, usually it just pops up out of nowhere, or some official art happens, and the image of what to draw strikes me very clearly. Sometimes, I can have some ideas, and they float around, until the moment I realize how I want the art to look like. After that, I gather some pose references, and start sketching. How much the sketching stage takes, it depends on the art itself: sometimes, I can sketch it for 20 minutes, sometimes - for hours. When the sketch is ready, I do the flat colours: just basic shades to understand the palette, and after that - the general colorization of the art (the group with different layers such as Brightness/Contrast, Gradients, Solid Colours, Hue/Saturation etc), which changes through the process. And then, rendering! Now, I have the scheme: firstly, skin rendering + hair, in between - background, step by step; clothes; additional details; the general work with lightning; shades/volumes; final touches, and here we are!

13 talk about a wip you like!

Currently, I'm working on JeanPiku and AruAni double date, and while I think it's quite good piece, there are two WIPs I'll be working on after that, and I must tell you that this solo question made me *wheezing* because I'm both excited and a bit scared to work on them :D One of this WIPs is related to Ancient Greece mythology (sorry for not sharing details, since I want to keep it as a small surprise), and another one based on this official Annie art from brave order with pipa, and, off course, Armin too :3 I really hope I'll do justice to these ideas, and you'll like them!

16 how do you motivate yourself to draw?

AruAni (and JeanPiku) motivate me to draw! :D

But on more serious note (my first answer is still serious), it's as simple as it is - I can't simply not to draw. The drawing itself motivates me because it allows to tell the stories, to live through so many emotions and many scenarios. And, honestly, for me, it's more than enough.

29 do you use a lot of references while drawing?

I use reference for the poses - that's yes, my must have, since I try to make it quite "humanly fluid", and even if I study anatomy, I prefer to have references to always double check. As for composition and colour palette- no, it's always my free flight of imagination :D So, basically, I use references for characters and for some specific details, like furniture or flowers, for example.

Thank you a lot for all these questions! It was really interesting to answer, and it helped me to distract myself from everything, thank you so much, and have a good one :3

[p5x-theories]

Heya it's been a while, now if you're wondering why I haven't been interacting with this blog for quite a while, I'm actually half-retired on Tumblr (it was to do with some drama regarding AI bros & entitled people in tandem > >) so unfortunately I don't bother with properly using this site as much nowadays, so sorry for the bad news :'< I do however wish to share these for this little community to mess around with for fun; fanon/headcanon designs for Polter & Enco's outfits based on the theories shared on this blog (pardon the subpar art of mine) :')

So firstly here's my interpretation of Polter, since the most popular idea of her rebellious spirit is that of a witch, that I obviously went with. But to try and give it some spice, I gave it a subtle secondary raggedy doll theme to play on the idea of a "possessed doll" given what her Codename might be short for. Now the choice of colour for her gloves comes from the species of flower known as Lamprocapnos or "bleeding heart flower". The reason I went with this is not only to be a nod to the already existing heart motif going on for her civilian self, but also on this idea that her element being Curse (to fit with the witch/occult thing) with the flower itself being toxic. As for the choice of weapons, this was rather tricky to decide as I wanted something that still fits the witch theme and after discussions with a friend, I finally settled on a tome for a "melee" & a wand for "ranged" How it works is on DnD logic. For the tome she reads a Cantrip where she can cast a spectral fist at enemies without depletion, While for the wand she fires arcane bolts with the "ammo" itself being of spell memory.

And next up is my interpretation of Enco, based on the one theory that was suggested here of his rebellious spirit being a knight errand, now his was obviously a lot more harder to do knowing armor can be a pain to draw heh. I also took some consideration in how to design something of striking a balance between not making him too overly armored & giving him a unique feature to this knightly theme, and eventually I settled on giving it a striking surcoat as focus. (which yes, the back is deliberately longer than the front.) For the choice of colours for both his gloves and the overall outfit that too was difficult, as I am on the belief of his element being Force as to echo that one theory of the story members representing the 7 normal magic types of SMT (fire, ice, lightning, wind, dark & support/life), as I couldn't quite see another story teammate of the assumed 7 members being green as well (as technically Wind takes the spot). So after further consideration I ended up with the colours list in the pic, with Celeste Polvere being a shade of sky blue in the similar vein of Morgana's sky blue eyes. As for his weapons here, I wanted something unique for his melee weapon that fits with the chivalry theme which I eventually settled on a weaponized flag standard, as I felt it'll compliment the whole "victory" angle I wanted to go for his attire. While for the ranged weapon here, since nobody in the main story group uses a rifle yet I felt he'll be the most fitting to use one himself, with the types he's using here are Bullpup firing Personal Defense Weapons. As I felt it oddly fit with the armoured look of it all. So anyway, that's my reasoning for these fan interpretations of their Thief outfit s, if I'm close to my money then hey that it'll be a fun coincidence! If not then consider these instead a time capsule of a very wild guess of what these two would have looked like in my head. ;v;

Ooo, these are super fun designs, thank you so much for sending them in!! Especially if you went out of your way to log onto Tumblr again so you could send them here.

[maskednihilism]

@ice-and-lightning || bopped for Madame Brughel Poisson and slightly talked about in dms! || For Gua!

Sometimes, girls just wanna have fun. And that's exactly what Sampo planned to do. With music on blast, body washed down and taped down, he was busy glueing his eyebrows down. In front of a mirror he watched himself slowly change into the party girl who didn't let anyone bring her down. Be it man or a woman, she was here for fun.

But she was a romantic too. The music of choice was a song most would consider too old. For the girl, it wasn't. As trendy as she could be, she could appreciate the classics too. And she did. As she did her eyebrows, she sang along to the song.

“Fill my heart with song, and let me sing for ever more~”

She's so caught up in herself she doesn't notice tiny footsteps coming up the stairs. Creeping up with a cat right behind them.

“You are all I long for, all I worship and adore~♪”

Tiny hands grab at the slightly open door. Pushing it ever more to gaze with big wide eyes. 

Her eyebrows are drawn on with a delicate touch. In the same shade of blue as her natural hair was. Emerald eyes stare at her own beauty. Yet they shift over just a tiny bit as they notice movement.

“In other words, please be true. In other words I love yo—AH!”

The thief jumps back once his eyes meet with a familiar green shade. Through the mirror, he spots him. Little Gua staring at his form, or lack thereof. Quickly he scrambles over, grabbing for the bed sheet to cover himself. Now, Sampo did have some underwear on. But as they were lady ones, he felt the need to cover himself as such.

So the sheet is thrown over and wrapped up around his chest as he now makes his eyes look over at Gua. Face half painted, half not. “G-Gua! What are you doing here?!”

[quibbs126]

May I request a fan kid? If so, I'd like to request a Twizzly Gummy x Parfait.

This is a bit of a long time coming, but here you are, this is Twizzle Blast Cookie

I’ll be honest, for ages I have had no clue what to do for this one, but today I watched the new Helluva Boss episode and have been listening to the song from it, and it basically just gave me a brain blast of inspiration, as I thought this was the perfect fit for the song. I like Twizzle Blast, but I do admit that I was just running with a concept, and maybe didn’t think too much on it

Anyways, so I don’t actually have a basis for her name. I just made up the name Twizzle Blast, because it was kind of like Twizzly Gummy. It’s probably not her real name and just her stage name, but I have no clue what she actually is. As stated before, part of the reason it took so long was because I had no clue how to mix Twizzlers and parfaits. So uh, yeah, she’s just…something

To be honest, she takes a lot of influence from Helluva Boss/Hazbin Hotel characters, though I’d say she’s closest to Queen Bee (or I suppose more accurately, “Cotton Candy”), though not so much in design. She’s supposed to be a pop star, and that was basically the basis for her design. I mostly looked at Parfait, Helluva Boos characters, and some Vocaloid characters for her design

After making those little side hair bits, I was considering giving her a headset instead, but I didn’t go for that. Maybe I’ll put that in on a later date

I don’t think I intended her hair to look the way it does, with it supposed to originally be more white like Parfait’s with those Twizzlers mixed in. I don’t think it looks necessarily bad though, but I do think she looks a bit meaner than she’s supposed to be. Also, that’s her natural hair color

Edit: actually, I’m considering that it’s not exactly her natural hair color. Like, originally her pink was a lighter shade and maybe no stripes. And probably not as sharp. But still, her hair’s relatively similar to her natural one

Anyways, so let’s get into Twizzle herself

So like I said, she’s a pop star, like Parfait. Though again, she’s more like the characters from Helluva Boss in terms of the sort of setting she sings in, with a lot of neon lights and probably poles she spins around. She’s not as raunchy as them though, she’s still relatively family friendly. I imagine she performs in the future setting Twizzly’s from

But one notable trait is that her concerts can tend to be…dangerous. The balls on her belt are bombs that she throws out, and if something disturbs her concert, like monsters breaking in (or possibly the police), she will still keep singing while throwing her explosives to get rid of them. She’s very fond of “music fights”, by which I mean she fights while still singing, sometimes while competing with other bands (she’ll let them retaliate). If she were in the game, she’d definitely be Bomber class

Also she probably has some lightning elements like Twizzly as well, though hers is white. I think I meant to put in the sketches, but I didn’t end up doing that. She does have it though

But despite her extreme nature of performing, she’s generally a nice person, similar to Queen Bee

Uh yeah, I think that’s all I have on her. Hope you enjoy her!

[raayllum]

Hey! In retrospect, this might be kinda obvious to some, but I was just thinking about the scene early in Season 4 where Callum recalls the fact that he's destroyed multiple powerful magic objects/artifacts and I realized that that scene was probably meant to highlight/make it hit harder later in the season when Callum can't do the same thing to the cube and I got excited lmao

So I have a lot of thoughts and feelings about what gets lamp shaded / referred back to specifically in S4 and possibly why, re: exactly what you pointed out, dear nonnie, in 4x02 (which made me Yell the first time around because I loved it as a lamp shade), as well as Rayllum's scene on the Pinnacle in 4x05. So why not talk about about them? If you are curious about more on Callum's "breaking magical objects" pattern I'd recommend this meta as well as this one, although there shouldn't be too much repetition here

Let's go

4x02 - Accidentally on Purpose

Including this shot because it has the Ocean-Star rune combination for the cube, my beloved.

The primal stone, Ethari -> Rayla -> Callum's pendant, and the Moon Henge all shudder. The mirror, too, will shortly be broken, although by Aaravos' own hand rather than Callum's (at least, not directly). This line and pattern also underscores one of Callum's key flaws, as his impulsive flippancy ("'It's the winter lodge, Rayla, no winter no humans' ugh" / "He tried to copy Claudia's lightning spell, but he doesn't know how to finish it!") when it comes to magic is ultimately related to how Selfish he can be. He, like many characters in TDP, can tunnel vision so hard he doesn't see or fully consider the possible consequences of his actions, but I do think Callum has a thread of like internalized focus that makes it stem from selfishness (more akin to perhaps Claudia and Viren) than it does shortsightedness/shame (Rayla) or inadvertent steamrolling (Claudia, Ezran).

For Callum, just knowing magic isn't enough. He's always focused on how he can use it.

"I just don't want to be useless," he said (S2 novelization, set during he and Rayla's late night talk about "I have to be a mage again").

He'd always known that cube was important. Maybe now Rayla would start listening to him... and maybe now he would find out how he could use the mysterious cube. [...] But Callum was awake obsessing over the Key of Aaravos. What could he achieve with it?

Now, does Callum ever mean to be selfish? No, of course not. He doesn't mean to put Rayla and Zym in danger with his pursuit of magic (or his lie to Amaya), but that's what happens anyway. 2x04 has always stood out to me as a particularly interesting episode, precisely because it shows this flaw on full display in ways that S1 could've neatly resolved. In 1x04, Callum pursues magic ultimately to the group's detriment (just how much, depending on what the cube does, remains to be seen). Then in 1x09, through smashing the primal stone (which we'll talk about more in a minute) he puts the group above his pursuit of magic. It's a nice little full circle, and it could've easily been the resolution of this behavioural pattern. But it isn't, so I'm curious to see if/how it'll come back in future seasons (maybe S5) in some capacity.

To me, this is one of the things that make TDP's characterization so realistic. Callum can learn one lesson partially in 1x04 (don't take unnecessary risks) and apply that portion fully in 1x07 (regarding elves and humans), be willing to sacrifice a more tangible pursuit of magic for Zym ("But without this, I'm nothing") in 1x09, but still not fully learn his "Look before you leap when it comes to magic" lesson by the time we roll around in 2x04 or even 2x07 (although the context for the latter is vastly different). Just like how if saving Zym or being a good enough protector could solve Rayla's self worth issues, she would've been totally fine after 1x09, but we see her have the exact same kind of breakdown two seasons later ("This is all my fault. I dropped it. I let you both down. I let the world down" / "It's me, and it's all my fault. I failed them! I let them all down") because well - issues and emotional wounds are not so easily solved.

Anyway, back on topic: what does any of this have to do with S4's lamp shading of Callum's tendency of breaking magical objects?

Well, I think you're right: the Key is seemingly rare, powerful, and possibly sought after by Aaravos. At the very least it's connected to him, and Callum is now terrified of him. But he won't relinquish/destroy it at this present time, so there's a nice contrast there. The cube has a pull over him for whatever reason, whether that's curiosity, it being Harrow's last parting gift to him, or even possibly the fact it was the first thing he and Rayla really bonded over ("Hey sad prince. Let's go get your cube") and his own potential as a mage. He does, after all, look at the moon rune specifically after lowering it.

But I also think it's indicative that the object and conversation Callum is most directly referencing is this one with Claudia in 2x02 about breaking their joint primal stone:

Which was pretty noble, and inspired a very strong character arc for Callum, full of struggle and interesting character aspects. Breaking the primal stone wasn't the ideal situation for him by any means, but it was undeniably the Right Thing To Do. On the surface, there's nothing to be worried about... except:

I have not seen the stars in centuries. But when I see them again—when the stars are forced to look upon me, their dark brother—they will know how I have waited. And when everything they have built lies shattered, I will savor their fall from the sky. (Patience, TDP reflections)

The Whole World is like a Giant Primal Stone. When backed into a corner and able to save someone he loves and/or cares about, Callum is willing to sacrifice his own source of power. He's willing to bend his morals and do dark magic. He's willing to jump off a cliff with just the faintest hope he can grow wings and save them both. We also know that Callum, either within a possessed state or outside of it, has to play into Aaravos' hands, otherwise it is unlikely the Startouch elf would be released (and he has to be released).

Which, all of this also works fairly well in tandem with

4x05 - You saved me

So Rayllum's scene on the Pinnacle is one of my favourite scenes between them in the season, as well as one of the most interesting. After all, the Pinnacle is the place for quite a few important Rayla and Callum moments in season three: Rayla finding out the truth about her mum and dad, thanks to Callum; Callum trying to tell her that he loves her for the first time (which Soren's interruption also lampshades); and of course when Callum jumps off the Pinnacle to save her. And while Soren's dialogue is a more comedic callback to the second one, Rayla's dialogue calls to mind the latter:

(Callum's face only falls in the second screencap when she gets to "certain death," by the way.)

It's not entirely clear why Callum starts crying when he looks away, as he has a lot of reasons to (the fear of what Aaravos may make him do, thus turning him into something that hurts people rather than saves them; the fact that he's had only like, 1.5 days to process the return of the love of his life and all those complicated feelings) but he does start crying. Rayla then does her best to help, but doesn't get a chance to, and it's not clear if Callum would've let her, either.

But I thought the emphasis on "saving" was interesting, to say the least. Why not be more explicit about the way this was the first time they said "I love you"? Some note of "so much has changed, but not everything's changed" from Rayla, if they wanted a nudge of some sort. Or it could've been something about Rayla's parents, grateful that she was able to forgive them and realize the truth, that'd they'd left for "a good cause".

Well, I think the most straight forward thing is first, that Callum and Rayla are a couple who has always been very defined by reciprocally saving each other; Callum defends them from the smoke wolves, Rayla defends them from Runaan, etc. Rayla saves everyone (Bait, Ezran, Zym, the downed dragon), and Callum saves her (1x05, 2x04, 2x07, 3x09). The second is that S5, if it brings back Callum's possession plot line (and it likely will, with the emphasis on darkness and drowning from some of the TDP shorts for the season: "Soren gasped the darkness like water into his lungs. He could not breathe. He was drowning") Rayla is probably going to the one to ultimately save him from it, somewhat due to the light and dark symbolism as well (Rayla showing up haloed in moonlight with the cube on her shoulder).

An emphasis on how Arc 1 culminated in a big show of love as Callum saved Rayla, if Rayla is going to be the one to successfully save Callum from brainwashing next season (and restore to her that "We can't save everyone" isn't true after all) makes a lot of sense, especially with it foreshadowed / spelled out more directly in this quote from the Book One Moon novelization:

“Wow. So they look identical, but they might kill you or they might save you,” Callum said.

“Exactly. Just like me…” Rayla smiled.

She's certainly not going to kill him and thus, Rayla has to save him. There we get that mutual reciprocation, especially when she left in TTM to try and save/spare him - it'd be a good way for her to realize that the best way to save/protect him is to stay, right here, with him instead. She'll risk the world ("You let him live but you killed us all" "You have two choices: you all die, or just the evil wretched human dies"), and it'll be worth it.

However, as I've already said, Callum has to play into Aaravos' hands in order for the Startouch elf to get out. And Aaravos is clearly pretty confident it'll happen, whether precisely because Callum is worried because of the possession (a more likely manipulation tactic) or due to the possession itself (less likely, as why reveal your checkmate move ahead of time?).

Rayla realizing she can save Callum is also, indeed, only one piece of the puzzle. She also has to realize that she deserves to be saved, which 4x05 seems like a step in the right direction of (she's happy and lovey about it, not guilty) even if her self worth issues are still very prevalent: "This is all my fault. I left [Soren] alone. I shouldn't have—" as well as trying repeatedly to go off on her own.

So 4x05 emphasizing the last time Callum saved her, setting up that he'll also save her again (and possibly risk the primal stone world again, helping to free Aaravos in exchange for also freeing Rayla) in S5?

He'll risk the world, and it'll be worth it.