#i know it's supposed to be year of the water rabbit but i didn't have good ideas for water theme so...stars for lunar new year instead? :D;

[mamath]

Happy New Year!

I want to get my shit together more this year lol. The last...couple have been rrrrough.

[howlingday]

Jaune Arc fell into ice. That's the last thing he remembered. Now he's in a strange grove with spirits watching him all the time.... He thinks they might be broken.

Team RWBY are faunas researchers who've found the discovery of the century. A human man still alive in ice. It's a contested theory that ancient humans eventually evolved into faunas and with a member of the previously thought extinct species they might just be able to prove it. Now how to get closer to him

(tldr stone age jaune dealing with modern day faunas RWBY being horny on main for him. The spirits must be crazy)

Last Man Standing

The last thing Jaune remembered that cold winter evening was sulking across the ice to get away from his cheating ex-girlfriend. What was supposed to be a romantic night of welcoming in the new year instead became the worst heartbreak of his life, made worse when she called him out as a spineless nobody that no woman would ever want. She also said his hair looked shaggy, which didn't hurt as much as the betrayal itself, but it still stung.

Then everything got fast. Then everything got cold. And then everything got dark.

When he awoke, he took a deep breath through his nose, inhaling a sweet scent of strawberries. His eyes still shut; he leaned forward to get closer to the smell. This earned him a yelp, a slap, and a scream. As his eyes adjusted to the light, he saw a girl in a red hood running around the corner. Did she have dog ears?

"Where..." Jaune groaned as he leaned forward, noticing the hot air blowing over him. Though he was still partially frozen in ice, he managed to push his way through the, at best, hard slush of his cocoon. He looked down to see his clothes were soaked. "Ah, man..."

"I'm telling you, Weiss, I know what I saw!"

"Ruby Rose, the specimen has been frozen for at least a thousand years! Even if he did manage to thaw out, he wouldn't... be..."

The two young women stared at Jaune as he twisted his hoodie like a used dishrag, water spilling onto the floor. He turned and saw them, his eyes nearly as wide as theirs as they stared at one another.

For Jaune, he'd never seen anyone like them before! It was like something out of an anime. Two beautiful girls, one with pointed, dog-like ears, while the other had a long and bushy tail twitched back and forth. For them-

"CODE GRAY!" Screamed the tailed girl. She then rushed out of the room, dragging the other girl behind her. The dog-eared one glanced back with sort of sad eyes. None of it sounded good to Jaune, and considering the wailing sirens and flashing lights, he had to get out of wherever he is and fast!

Tossing on his still damp shirt, he made for the exit, accidentally knocking over a poor girl with rabbit ears. He gave a hasty apology as he continued to bolt down the hallway. Unfortunately, this caught more people's attention, and eventually a woman came barreling after him, hand on her beret to keep from flying off her small, round ears. He couldn't see much of her eyes past her designer shades, but what he could see spelled death.

"Incoming!" Jaune looked ahead, flipping backwards as his neck slammed into an extended arm. He gave a hoarse groan as he looked up to see three women towering over him. One was the same woman as before with round ears poking from her beret, the cute appearance contrasting with her snarling scowl. Another had gave a cheeky grin as she leaned forward a bit, showing off her cleavage to her catch, all the while a long, blonde tail swished about.

But the third and final woman gave no hint of any sort of emotion. Neither anger nor joy, but simple indifference. She reached behind her and pulled out a pair of handcuffs, tethered by a thick cable with glowing blue lights that ceased and revealed an opening with the click of a button. Her pointed, red dog-like ears made her look all the more intimidating.

"You're under arrest."

[millieisawriter]

Fishing date

kieran duffy x reader

summary: you didn't know what made you agree to go fishing with kieran, you didn't even like it. but maybe in this case fishing wasn't that important.

wc: 1.9k

all pics are from pinterest

♡this could be a standalone or a 2nd part to this fic ♡

It was safe to say you didn't know shit about fishing. Having basically grown up in the gang, throughout the years you had Arthur take you and John on fishing trips, except it didn't seem like he knew what he was doing either.

It seemed easy enough, right? Just sit by the water, rod in hand, waiting for a fish to catch the bait. But to you it was so boring. Even as a kid, you were already impossible to get to sit in one place for too long. The day your fishing rod snapped in half was a blessing, because now you had an excuse to not go. Arthur didn't mind either, he preferred taking you on more adventurous trips anyway, like hunting.

And nothing has changed by now. Even as a grown woman, you still held a certain dislike for fishing. Yet there you were, riding beside Kieran on your way to a good fishing spot that he had picked out.

Kieran was practically grinning from ear to ear, the shyness slowly disappearing the further from the camp you were. Eventually, you reached a creek, and dismounted from your horses.

"You're so quiet." You said.

The ride to the fishing spot was, indeed, quiet. This was something you expected from Kieran, however maybe not when this was supposed to be a date. Unless the girls misunderstood his intentions, and now it was actually going to be a very awkward fishing trip.

"Y-you know me," Kieran muttered, "all quiet and… all that."

And Kieran was silently cursing himself in his head for not being able to come up with any conversation. The furthest his planning went was asking you to go fishing, he didn't think about what he'd do if you agreed.

You couldn't help teasing him a bit. "All quiet and skittish, like a rabbit."

"Can you blame me? Every day I have people telling me I should've been killed off."

"Can't say I don't see why you spend most of the time with horses."

"Especially Arthur, can you believe how ungrateful he is? I- I saved his life, and most he can tell me is we're equal because he saves my life everyday he doesn't kill me."

"That's just Arthur," you chuckled as you took out a cigarette, while Kieran was preparing his fishing rod, "he doesn't mean it, trust me." You needed the cigarette to not just awkwardly stand next to Kieran when he fishes.

"It's just a lot sometimes," the man continued as he casted the fishing rod, "even the Adler woman keeps reminding me I don't belong here. I didn't know a woman could be so mean. The things she said to me, even you would be surprised."

"Even I?" You questioned, rising an eyebrow, but not in an annoyed manner. You were rather amused, and glad you got Kieran talking.

He even managed not to stutter. Maybe getting out of the camp filled him with some newfound confidence. "What I mean is… well, I guess you're just… picky with who you're being nice to. Just like your mare."

"And now I'm picky like a horse, you sure do know how to make a girl feel special." It was all a joke, you took no offense in Kieran's words, but you liked how nervous he got thinking he said something wrong.

"No, I just— I meant that, uh, you don't let just anybody get close to you."

"You ain't wrong, Kieran."

You were guarded, and you knew that. It was a choice. Even if you secretly wished to discover what it feels like to be truly loved, and to truly love someone, there wasn't much you could do.

Living constantly on the move meant that anything long term was off the table. You could leave the gang, theoretically, but you didn't want to, so you didn't ever consider it. Lastly, in case of desperation, you could always go for a man from the gang, but you weren't desperate.

And then, there was Kieran. As if some higher power had placed him in your life for a reason.

Kieran was quiet for a moment, watching his line in the water. Then he looked over at you, his eyes reflecting some kind of confidence you didn't expect. "I'm glad you came out here with me. I… I didn't think you'd say yes, to be honest."

"Well, at first I said no," you chuckled, "but then asked myself why not. Maybe I don't know how to fish, but maybe that's not what matters." Maybe what really mattered was the company.

"You don't know how to fish? Damn it, should've guessed when I didn't see a rod on you… I— I'm sorry, miss."

"First of all, it's not miss. I think we're way past that. Secondly, why don't you teach me how to fish, hm?"

You couldn't believe a sentence like this would ever leave your mouth. But a moment later you threw your cigarette on the ground, putting it out with your foot, and took the fishing rod from Kieran after he reeled it back in.

You stood by the water, holding the rod in both hands, hoping this one won't snap in half. Trying to recall any ideas of how to fish, you couldn't. You never paid attention.

"What are you waiting for?" Kieran asked, seeing you looking at the rod like a crow looks at something shiny.

"I… don't really remember how to fish."

"Oh," he paused, thinking about his next move, really wanting to do something that seemed risky, "let me teach you."

This wave of confidence was clearly surprising to the both of you. He stood behind you, from where he gently touched your hands, adjusting your grip on the rod. You could feel his warmth at your back, and suddenly you were well aware of every small movement he made. His fingers lightly brushed over yours and it, to your surprise, made your heart feel kind of tenstion you've never felt before.

"Okay," his voice happened to be right next to your ear as he guided you, "keep your hands relaxed, but not too relaxed. Just like this."

It was weird how out of place you felt. Screw the fishing rod, it wasn't that. The last time a man got this close to you was seconds before he ended up with his throat slit, but you weren't going to do that to Kieran.

"Now, when you cast," he continued, making you painfully aware of how attractive his voice actually was, "just swing, let it happen naturally."

You tried to focus on his instructions, you really tried you best, but you were so distracted, so overwhelmed. The closeness, the warmth, the sound of his voice left you uncharacteristically shy.

"Just like that." Kieran said, guiding your hands in the right movement, and all you did was just... well, be there and watch the catch fall into the water.

You managed to ask. "And now what?"

Kieran chuckled as he pulled away, a light blush on his face. "And now we wait. You'll feel when a fish catches the bait."

"Thank you, Kieran." You glanced at him with an awkward smile.

The two of you stood in silence for a few minutes, listening to the water as you waited for a fish to catch the bait. Kieran seemed content just being there with you, his face calm with a hint of smile, his eyes watching the line.

"How long does it usually take?" Your impatience started to show. As always, you were never the one to stand in one place for too long.

"There's no rule, just— hey, I think you got a bite!" Kieran's eyes lit up. "Let it pull, it's good if the fish gets tired."

You really wanted to just yank the fish out, it would've been way easier and quicker. But this could break the second rod in your fishing career, and that one wasn't even yours.

Kieran's hands were on yours again, now gently showing you how to deal with the fish as it put up a fight, to then slowly reel it in. The fish was desperately trying to break free, only tiring itself out with the attempts.

And finally, after a few moments, you pulled the fish out of the water. It was still trying to put up a fight as you hold it up in the air by its tail.

"Look at that!" Kieran laughed, pure joy in his voice.

You couldn't help but smile at him. "We did it! You helped me catch my first fish!" You turned to glance at the sky, seeing how the sun was soon going to dip below the horizon. "Maybe we can set up a small fire here and eat the fish on our own?"

Kieran's eyes slightly widened at your offer, in a good way. "Y-yeah, sure." And there he was, right back to that shy, stuttering boy.

You chuckled softly at his reaction. "I'll set up the fire, you take care of the fish."

And the two of you got to work, Kieran cleaning the fish meanwhile you set up a small fire to cook it. Pearson always ruins the good stuff anyway, so there was no harm in the two of you having a secret little dinner.

"You look like you know what you're doing." You commented, glancing over at Kieran.

"I kind of had to figure it out," he confessed, "I was a kid when my ma and pa died, had no one else."

Maybe you shouldn't have asked. Everyone in the gang had some kind of sad story, you as well, and most of the time you just never talked about those. "I'm sorry." You muttered, finishing up with the fire, a small flame appearing underneath the branches you've gathered.

"It's okay, we all have a past." Kieran replied. "I've seen you with a gun, you're pretty good for someone that shouldn't even know how to use one." He laughed, hoping you wouldn't take offense.

And you didn't find the comment offensive, you knew he didn't mean it in that way. "I've been running with the gang since I was little, Dutch took me in around the same time as he did John. At first it were just Arthur, John, and I, with the adults."

"Must've been tough for you, growing up with the boys."

You shook your head and smiled. "It was fun, Arthur taught me and John how to shoot, and Hosea taught us how to read, and if I had any girly problem, I just ran to Bessie or Annabelle... back when they were alive."

"I guess I've never had that. You all seem to... look out for each other, like a family. Meanwhile Colm goes through men like he goes through cigars."

You knew the Van der Linde gang was far from family, but it was the closest to a family you've ever had, so you were grateful for it. You all looked out for each other, just trying to survive together, running from the reality of how fast America has been changing lately.

You smirked at Kieran. "Are you saying our gang is better?"

He chuckled. "Actually, yes. I don't wanna say I feel like I belong here, but... well, that is how I feel."

Then you understood that. Kieran wasn't just some former O'Driscoll held captive by your gang. He wanted to be here with you all. He chose to belong. He was one of your own.

You didn't even realize you were watching him with a big smile on your face.

Noticing the smile, Kieran asked, chuckling, "What?"

"Nothing," you replied, even though your heart was saying something different, "guess I'm just glad you're one of us now."

[workingforitallthetime]

lots of stuff about bc line.... girl will smith does intrigue me very much!!! do you have anything on them. any psychosexual tension to analyze

my preferred bc line dynamic is that ryan is a tiger and will is a snake and gabe is the innocent little bunny rabbit who can't figure out which one of them is about to eat him.

i think these three are so well-suited for an ivy league au, preferably involving some kind of powerful and murderous secret society. gabe's a fish out of water scholarship kid (canadian? midwesterner? take your pick, there's canon either way). will and ryan are east coast old money prep school assholes, polished and bulletproof. they befriend gabe for reasons he can't quite understand, and he's a little bit obsessed with them and their world.

will is gabe's freshman year roommate. sometimes he's supportive (smoothing gabe's way through a social situation, bringing him an egg and cheese after an all-nighter) and sometimes he'll say casually dismissive things about gabe's no-name dress shoes or ignore him during some long conversation with ryan about sailing or whatever. like this video where will casually says that gabe's their project??? wow.

ryan's always around and gabe doesn't know why he and will didn't just room together instead of leaving it up to the lottery. they're best friends from way back, dense with shared references and inside jokes (that always seem a little bit mean) and some kind of tension that gabe can't make sense of.

because will's his roommate, he seems more human. gabe sees him waking up and he overhears phone conversations with his mom. but ryan's slick and condescending and fearless and gabe's a little bit terrified of him.

will invites him home for thanksgiving, to a large old mansion in some extremely posh east coast locale. i want a late night scene in a dark wood-paneled room with well-restored antique furniture and paintings of men on horses with their hunting hounds. when the heavy crystal decanter's nearly empty, will kisses gabe in the flickering light from the 250 year old fireplace, expensive scotch on his tongue. as will sinks to his knees and unthreads the buckle of gabe's cheap belt, gabe grips the velvet edge of the sofa cushion in one hand and holds his highball glass tight with the other. he focuses on the crown of will's head, his well-maintained curls. will doesn't have to say anything for gabe to know he's not supposed to look over at ryan silently watching them.

[lzrsaugust]

soooo, i felt like mseeing with water color today and this is the first sketch :D

and erm, so uhm, this is how it ended ╭( ๐_๐)╮

uhh idk man i think something went wrong ahaha, so more abt this piece(the sketch, the only reason i kept the water color was for the animals and the hair more abt that later) I was thinking of maybe Tamlin waking from a pretty bad nightmare pre acotar maybe 100-200 years old like his father just died and he just bacame high lord i personally think Lucien is 300 ish so hes not around yet, 100-200 fresh from his father's death, previous spring lord being canoncally (srry dont feel like spelling rn) worse than beron, i imagine his and his brothers having a somewhat zoldyck family situation. anyways back to the scene, something seomthing nightmare, seomthing something no one there to help, somethig seomthing Tamlin doesn't want to bother his only friend (Andras) and its maybe dawn-ish, super tired, barely anysleep for days from sorting out the absolute trainwreck of a court that is currently srping, and just then there in the absolute chaos of orverwhelming emotions, trauma and ridiculous amount of work, there is just a little pocket of peace and tranquility where he things oh, maybe things won't be this bad in the future, yada yada,

in the sketch the hair was smoother as there wasn't too much thought when i was doing it and the second one i thought of the scene and i wanted it to be messier cuz he just woke up from some nightmare. yada yada, can't remember what i wanted to put here, so uhm if you can actually draw and feel like it please please please try this i really wanted to capture, this dam feeling, but cant really like hes super tired physically and emotionally but there is like this tiny glimmer of hope and i can't freaking describe it but yeah if ya want to i really wanna see it visually 🥹 (did that word vomit make sense? i hope i didn't scare anyone aways :))

and finally the animals! they are his children, he birthed them your honour.

In all seriousness he could totally do it, but nah i like to think he found/saved them when he was young or something like that. they are some kind of fae animal i geuss, like not completly mindless but they don't really form cohesive thoughts much, like intelligent has magic and the fae don't eat them. Uhh I think the cat looking one in the sketch would be some kind of rose tailed lynx somewhere on the third or fourth trophic level in the fae ecosystem, is an carnivore, the flower on the tail is a result of their magic, they could use a bit of air and plant magic for hunting, their young only has a bud on the tail maturity depends on individuals in the species, when they do a new petal grows every decade. They are usually live alone and thus has a reclusive tendency, and they come and go as they please, occasionally they stick around for awhile if they like you. The bunny looking one has some kind of bug wing like ears and could fly, ears get bigger with each century, they live in colonies and could grow their own food in the wild, in captivity they are the companions of the agriculture inclined “lesser” fae, they help tend the ground and plants and stuff they arnt considered “lesser” fae. In the wild they that’s smaller colonies and are also know. As bush bunny because in addition to their wing like ears their fur often resemble leaves and their tails have small flowers that are different depending on colony and bloodline. A defence mechanism would be to gather up and pile on each other to camouflage as a bush of flowers. In the watercolour one, the one on his shoulder is some sort of a mix of a cat and a rabbit or I suppose the two previous fae animals? Long furry ears, but this time it the tail that elongates as they age, the fur along with the flower tip tail changes along with the animal’s mood and when they form a bond they will use it to express whatever, like in the scene I wanted it to be a purple hyacinth and hydrangea mix ish to show compassion for Tamlin’s situation. They are usually protectors of the miniature flower spirit “lesser” fae, they look cute and stuff but like the long ears when tense and stretched become sharp and wolf like ish, and tail grows thorns. Usually they are pretty shy but are super friendly when you gain their trust. The last one(birb) is a owl and deer ish mix, their feathers darken with age, are usually very calm but could be very playful. They live in large parliaments and they migrate from each seasonal court to avoid their more unfriendly phases (hurricane season in summer and spring. Blizzard in winter, rainstorms in spring and autumn ect), they form strong bonds though rarely with other species, they are protective of their young and Tamlin was taken under this one’s wing when he was ten.

wow you actually made it this far, despite how incoherent it was, thank you!! I have more ideas but my brain capacity has reached its end. As always hope you enjoyed and have a great day/night! :D

[mizusswordtip]

Down The Rabbit Hole ⚝ Killian Jones x Reader (16)

find the story on wattpad

summary: Alice's plan to overthrow the Queen of Hearts is thwarted by a dashing pirate with a hook. Years later, after the curse is broken, they reunite once again.

masterlist

My eyes open blearily in confusion as I scan my surroundings. When I see whereI am, all the events from before come back to me. The Ogre. The fainting... how embarrassing.

"She's awake." I hear Mulan say from right next to me. I go to sit up but my head starts to spin.

"Shit." I say, putting my head in my hands.

"Don't-" Mulan tries to help me lay back down but I don't budge.

"I'm fine, we need to keep going." I say, blinking hard to clear the stars in my vision. Emma and Snow approach. Emma kneels beside me.

"Alice, you just fainted." She chastises.

"I just need food and water and I'll be fine." I reassure with the biggest smile I can manage.

"That's an understatement, you're skin and bones." Mulan says as she stands, digging through her satchel and pulling out some food. She hands me a wrapped piece of meat and her water skein.

"Thanks." I say with a thankful smile. She simply nods her head before going off somewhere with Aurora. I begin to shovel the meat into my mouth greedily. I even take the time to suck the bone clean of any excess fat.

"When was the last time you had a proper meal?" Snow asks in a motherly tone. I open my mouth to answer but she interrupts me. "Besides today." She corrects. I let out a heavy sigh, continuing to eat.

"It doesn't matter." I mumble. Once I'm finished with the food I take large gulps of water. A couple drops spill out, running down the length of my neck but I don't stop.

"You saved me." Emma whispers. I stop drinking with a gasp.

"Actually, that was your mother." I correct her with a humorous smile, already feeling more like myself.

"You would have if you weren't weakened." She reminds me.

"I wasn't going to just let you die." I answer lamely.

"Not just this time though, you slayed a dragon to help me save my son. Thank you." Her words are genuine, a way of letting me know she trusts me.

"Anytime." I say before standing up and putting a hand on her shoulder. "We should get going." I hand the water skein back to Mulan once she and Aurora reappear. My words cause all their heads to swing in my direction. I give them an unamused look. "Really, guys, I feel a lot better. If I didn't, I would tell you." That seems to be sufficient enough, though Emma still looks skeptical. "So what is the plan?"

"When me and David sent Emma to Storybrooke, we sent her through an enchanted wardrobe. Hopefully with the wardrobe we can create some sort of portal." Snow answers. I raise a brow with a disbelieving laugh.

"Well, it's certainly better than a rabbit hole."

I've been standing outside of the door to what was supposed to be Emma's nursery, waiting for them to finish their heart to heart. Aurora and Mulan went to watch the gate. "Alice!" Emma's voice calls. I open the door and walk inside to an uncomfortable atmosphere but I ignore it. Their drama is none of my business.

"So, how do we get this thing to work?" I ask, gesturing to the wardrobe. Emma opens the doors.

"Where's the on switch?" She asks. I laugh.

"You think this thing works like an oven?" I ask sarcastically.

"It's more complicated than that." Snow points out, a lot nicer than I had been. "We'll have to get it back to the island. Hopefully someone there has access to enough magic to make it work again." My head snaps in her direction as I scoff.

"And you didn't think to bring this person with us instead of having us carry a tree back to the island?" I ask, putting my hands on my hips with an unamused look.

"Alice is right, how are we going to carry this thing?" Emma asks. Snow opens her mouth but is interrupted by another voice from behind.

"With the help of an old friend." The voice belongs to Lancelot. I immediately draw my sword and step forward, pointing it at him. Lancelot looks at my sword strangely.

"Stay back." I order but Snow steps in between the two of us. She turns to face me.

"Let me handle this Alice." She pleads and I hesitantly sheath my sword. Snow turns back to Lancelot. "Lancelot! What are you doing here?" She asks with a pleased grin. How can she be so trusting of a man who had seemingly been trailing us the entire journey without getting caught?

"We heard about the Ogre attack and I had to make sure you were all right." He explains.

"Where are Mulan and Aurora?" Snow asks.

"I sent them to find food. Tonight we'll make camp, and in the morning, we'll head back." His words leave no room for argument. He turns his attention to the wardrobe, changing the subject. "So, this is it? The portal you were after?"

"The same one Emma went through. It's how she escaped the curse." Snow answers with a sad smile.

"Remarkable." Lancelot traces his fingers over the wood reverently. He seems a little too interested in the wardrobe if you ask me. I keep my hand on the hilt of my sword.

"Geppetto carved it from an enchanted tree, but there's no magic left." Snow responds with a frustrated sigh.

"A portal this powerful, there must be another way to recharge it."

"Why are you so interested in the wardrobe?" Snow asks and I wonder whether or not she's been pretending to trust him the whole time.

"Well, I just want you to get home to your husband. And son, Henry." At the mention of Henry, me and Snow share a knowing look. "They must miss you." At the same time, me and Snow draw our swords, pointing them at him. I hear Emma gasp from behind me.

"Stay away from him Emma. He's not who he says he is." I tell her, not taking my eyes off him.

"What are you talking about? Who the hell is he?" She asks, perplexed.

"There's only one person you told Henry's name." Snow says, no further explanation needed.

"Cora." Emma's realization causes the man in front of us to transform in a puff of smoke into the Queen of Hearts herself.

"Clever girl." Cora compliments.

"I'm guessing now's a bad time to say 'I told you so'." I say with a roll of my eyes.

"Where's Lancelot?" Snow demands.

"He's dead. I killed him a long time ago." Comes Cora's nonchalant reply.

"And you've been posing as him ever since." I surmise with a shake of my head.

"Well, they'd never listen to me." She points out with a cruel laugh. "And besides, every kingdom needs a hero, isn't that right Alice?" She condescends.

"Agreed." I spit out and without hesitation, swing my sword towards her. She seen it coming though and disappears to the other side of the room. Snow runs at her with her sword but Cora pins her to the wall with a wave of her hand. I go to run towards her again, knowing her magic has no effect on me but with another wave of her hand, I'm surrounded by a ring of fire. Emma is thrown across the room when she goes to help Snow.

"Thank you, Snow. I've been looking for a way over for so long." Emma get's back up, determined to help her mom but Cora wraps her legs in a carpet on the floor, tripping her. I try to approach the fire but the flames are too hot. "I never thought the person to help me find it would be you." She then looks over her shoulder at me. "And my greatest adversary." Anger flares inside of me, hotter than the flames that surround me.

"You won't win again, I promise you." I say coldly.

"Oh, but I will." She disregards and turns her attention back to Snow. I take off my sweater, leaving me in only a black tank top and sweats. I lean down and pick up a metal pole from the rubble and wrap my sweater around it, creating a torch.

"Why? Why are you doing this?" Snow asks through a gasping breath. I light the piece of clothing on fire and wave it in the air to get Emma's attention. She looks over at me and I motion my head in the direction of the wardrobe. She understands immediately and takes a bullet out of her pocket and opens it. She pours the gunpowder on the wardrobe.

"I want to see my daughter. It's been too long. And, you know, I would love to meet my grandson, Henry." Cora says with a malicious smile.

"No, you won't." Emma says and with that, I throw the homemade torch into the wardrobe, catching it on fire immediately.

"No!" Cora screams, her concentration on my fire cage broken as she grabs the fire out of the wardrobe with her magic and hurls it at Emma. Right before it can hit her, I deflect it with my sword. She grits her teeth and It's the first time I've ever seen her so angry. She glares at me. Mulan and Aurora run in but I don't take my gaze off Cora.

"We're not done." She warns.

"Not even close." I promise her. Another puff of smoke appears in her place and when it clears, she's gone.

"You okay?" Emma asks Snow.

"You saved me." She says with a soft smile. Emma awkwardly nods her head in acknowledgment before turning to face me.

"Where is she?" She asks.

"Gone." I say with a displeased sigh.

"So is our ride home." Emma says, looking down at the wardrobe in disappointment.

"Lancelot was one of the most noble knights I ever knew." Snow says mournfuly.

"How could I be so blind? How could I not see that it was Cora?" Mulan asks, clearly frustrated.

"I was wondering the same thing, to be honest." I snark under my breath. No one heard me or chooses to ignore me.

"Well, to be fair, the whole shape shifting thing threw me too." Emma says lightheartedly.

"What are we going to tell the people on the island?" Mulan asks, turning to face Aurora.

"The truth. That Lancelot died a noble death in battle with Cora." I supply, more sympathetic this time. She gives me a thankful smile before her usual determined expression returns.

"Cora's still out there. We need to find her. We need to defend what's left of the kingdom." She implores.

"Who's going to lead us? You?" Aurora asks rhetorically. Mulan shakes her head.

"No. Her." Her gaze snaps to mine and my eyes widen considerably.

"Me?" I exclaim before lowering my voice. "There's a Queen standing right there." I'm quick to point out.

"You knew from the beginning of Cora's deceit. You were the first to act when the Ogre attacked. You have the most history with her. And you said yourself that you were prophesied to overthrow her. You lead." I look around, seeing that everyone is looking at me expectantly and I'm surprised by the trust they're putting in me. I feel a renewed sense of purpose come over me.

"I'm honored. I will do what I can to defeat her but we must still find a way back to Storybrooke." I tell Mulan. Her face lights up.

"We'll help you. We'll find a way, won't we?" She says enthusiastically, turning to Aurora with a questioning look.

"Yes." She says, nodding her head with a reassuring smile at Snow's surprise. "Perhaps it'll help me channel my anger."

"Let's head back to the village, someone might know something." I say, walking out the door without needing to look behind me to know that the rest will follow.

[saltprince]

Do you have a favorite Sandalphon unit? Or does it depend on the job you want him to do?

I need you to know I got this ask late at night and spent like 2 hours figuring out how to answer this before deciding I should go to bed instead of looking like the conspiracy theorist with a wall of print-outs and red threads at 4AM

Talking about favorite characters or units is. Genuinely so hard because I throw myself into a massive rabbit hole. Does it depend on the fight? The lore? The art? Fate episodes? Voice lines? Skills? Full auto? Release? Utility? Synergy? Meta? I'm 100% insane for this but there are too many things to consider here--

Short answer: All of them. Don't make me choose. For as much as I lean into meta there is one man who will make me go monkey regardless of meta. Job doesn't matter when I'll GIVE him a job to do. Though it is easier when his kit is either versatile/specialized or good for full auto/hard content. Either ones of those I'll make work in a heartbeat.

Long and unhinged answer under the cut.

Light Sandalphon (Event): The OG. The reason I went insane. Did you know he's actually surprisingly usable especially after his rebalance? Hit kit is fun but slightly outdated, symbolic of who he was and grew to be. This one gets bonus points for the lore (every uncap art shows a part of his joruney) and the voice lines, as you can have him be a rat for this one still. Base art and final uncap art go hard. First ringed character.

Light Sandalphon (Grand): A followup to his event SSR tbh. I get what they're going for in terms of art but it looks too soft compared to his other alts, which bothers me. It does look like a painting which fits the vibe of his lore. Voice lines sound slightly off to me, but I'm insane for this when the content itself is delicious. Kit is strong and satisfying, building on what his event ssr has except modern and miles better. Damage numbers are fun as hell. Can be slotted in the front but is always solid even in the back, which I'm eternally grateful for. Only cost me half a spark, which is nice of him.

Earth Sandalphon (Grand): A+ lore. Absolute rat. Insane voice lines. Love how unhinged he is. Cygames was insane for giving him to us in the end. Extremely usable for off-element raids, but not that great outside of that. He was on my gold brick farming team for a good while. Not so much fan of the posing for these arts. Does come with his ratty OG dialogue arts, which is a bonus. Base art is nice. He may be evil but he also only cost me half a spark.

Water Sandalphon (Summer): I went insane for him on release. Love his outfit, but didn't like the posing for this. The bonus art I love but looks too blue next to the rest of the team, which bugs me. Still great piece though. Voice lines are fine. Kit... actually kept me from using him. I used him at first and designed around him, but his kit is not great on full auto, since his buff skill isn't supposed to activate first. Thinking about it I'm going to bring him back now out of spite. If I can click Fediel's field, I can also click his sk1. Fun fact about this one: I had to wait a full year to get him because initially i only had 290/300 spark rolls. Next year he came home in 10 rolls. So technically a full spark over 1 year. I spent the remaining spark on summer Lucio to spite him for doing this to me. Have hardly used Lucio ever since then.

Wind Sandalphon (Valentine): Quite possibly my favorite outfit for him, he looks comfy and the style and colors remind me of the Eternals, which is a huge plus. Kit has a bit of everything, it's not as stacked as his Light Grand but in turn has major support options. He's on my endgame team for super ultimate bahamut. I find that he usually offers at least some things I need, so I make a point of building around him to utilize his full kit. Voice lines are fine, though I miss his bratty attitude. I think this one has a nice balance. Like his water ssr, he talks about coffee... and treats that pair well with coffee, and coffee breaks, which I appreciate a lot. He's nerding on main. Does great on full auto as well, since he helps keep the team alive. Got him right before the spark was done, and had a spark prepared specifically for him in case he would get a Valentine's alt.

I think this version of him his my current favorite, though his event ssr and earth ssr are close for their voice lines and lore alone.

[inwintersolitude]

- January 11th 2024 -

Do you know anyone who has a hearing deficit? I have mild hearing loss, but it's not bad enough to need hearing aids.

What is the average number of customers that stop by where you work? I'm not working now.

When you are having a bath, do you have the water low, medium, or high? I don't really like baths and it's been years since I last took one. I don't remember what my preferred water level was.

Do you know exactly what a physician is? Would you ever want to be one? Yes of course I know what a physician is haha. I would not want to be one. I think the medical sciences are fascinating, but I would never want any sort of patient-facing role because I'm not a people-person. Working in medical research would be neat, though.

Does your phone have a stopwatch? How often do you use it, and what for? Yes. I don't use it often. I use the timer function much more often.

What is your surname? If you could change it, what would you want it to be? I don't share my surname on here.

Do you know anyone who pronounces 'ketchup' with 'catsup'? Not that I know of.

Speaking of cats, what is your favorite colours for a cat? No favorite.

What are you methods to remind yourself of something important? The TickTick app on my phone, or post-it notes. It depends on what it is that I want to remind myself of.

What are your opinions on fake sugar? Do you use it? Why or why not? Like stevia? I don't use it often. I'd rather just reduce the amount of sugar, than use a sugar substitute with a weird taste.

Would you ever want to study sociology? Why or why not? Not formally, like enrolling in a sociology course at a university. I do love to read about it on my own, though.

If you had to have a porch for your house, what colour would it be? My house already has a porch. It's white.

What makes a person physically beautiful to you? Good fitness, a nice smile, kind eyes.

Would you rather have a hospital become a church, or vice versa? Vice versa. Healthcare is more beneficial to society than religion.

Would you miss winter if it never came back? Why or why not? YES of course. I love winter and snowy weather.

Do you notice a pattern with people who were born as the middle child? I don't know many middle children, but of the ones I do know, I suppose I could suss out some sort of "middle child syndrome" pattern.

Did you ever play around a hydrant when you were younger? No, the neighborhood I grew up in was on the very edge of town and surrounded by woods and marshes, we didn't have the fire hydrant system go out that far. There was a pumping station at the nearby lake, though.

Does bad weather ruin your day? Why or why not? Only if I had plans to do something outside. Hiking, beach day, etc.

What is one thing stopping you from becoming a veterinarian? I'd never want to be a regular dog/cat veterinarian because I don't have much patience for poorly-behaved dogs and their lazy owners who don't bother to train them, plus I'm mildly allergic to cats. I'd much rather be a small animal vet dealing with rabbits, guinea pigs, etc. Or an avian vet because I'm really passionate about birds (I have two of my own). But I still don't think I could handle being an avian vet because of the stressful situations, treating birds that aren't being properly cared for but there's nothing you can do to save them from neglect, and having to deal with euthanasia situations. My heart couldn't handle it.

When you read 'bass' just now, was it read like the fish or the instrument? The instrument.

If you wear them, what is the average length of skirts you wear? Long maxi skirts.

Do you spell it like 'cheque' or 'check'? Also, do you even use them? Check. I use them occasionally.

If you had to live your life carrying a shield, what would its design be? Meh, no idea.

[pinnacle-pixel]

I don't know if the characters are on the crack I am, but this story is for shit and giggles.

But for all Gilbert lovers (me included) I have shipped them together because CYBIRD isn't giving us him. So Enjoy

:readmore:

It was supposed to be a fairly normal day for Emma when she went to Central town as she wanted some break from her normal duties (Including dealing with nerve wrecking with foreign princes). " I have been so anxious these days I might puke " Emma softly said this as she entered her paradise AKA Prince Chevalier Cool people place AKA A book store which was owned by an old friend of her. When Emma entered with a soft Hello she was greeted by her friend "HELLO EMMA!, perfect timing we have an offer for new year", Emma who took off her hat raised her eyebrow lightly, " An offer? " her friend who gestured toward stacks of books "Yep, If you buy more than a certain amount as mentioned on today's notice board, you will receive a book for free! " Emma was intrigued and went to the bookshelves after hugging her friend to wish her new year.

When Emma returned with books and the freebie book which was the book of vintage recipes, she bought this book because of it's weird but hilarious motto 'It is digestable'. She kept the books in her room and picked the recipe book to the kitchen in order to make something vintage-y but her gut feeling is never wrong, she just hoped what her gut was telling this vintage cooking will not end without an event would come frightfully true. She paced her way to the kitchen.

When she entered the kitchen there was a certain tea party trio "Good Evening Your Highnesses" Emma did her usual courtesy, "Good Evening Emma" it was Yves and Keith who were in the kitchen, "Miss Emma what kind of book do you have in your hand?" Keith got intrigued by the beautiful hardcover floral book which was held by Emma, Where she replied "I went in the town bookstore and found the book of Vintage recipe I wanted to try something from this book but I haven't gotten to see what recipe is in here", Prince Yves's face brightened in a joyous manner "Great timing we were just deciding to what to make for our snacks let's give that recipe book a try!". Emma nodded in delight and Licht made space for Emma to sit down, when she did Prince Keith handed her a glass of warm water for Emma to sip as it was cold, while Yves and Licht were flipping the book their eyebrows kept furrowing until they were a V, Emma and Keith both asked about the furrowed look on their faces, "This recipe book is..... well..... Very Interesting" Licht replied with a hand on his mouth like he was gagging "Hahaha did someone say something interesting. recipe" the four people in the kitchen flinched and suddenly it became colder they didn't had to guess whose voice was it they just turned to meet two horrors and one huge golden bell who were popular knowns As Prince Gilbert, Prince Clavis and Prince Silvio.

When Emma thought about her gut feeling she called herself an idiot for not listening to her guts, Emma stood and bowed because terror of offending them is far more greater then vomitting in front of them 'I think I need to get some stomach medicines from Sariel' as Emma thought those three approached the table and Clavis quickly picked it up with a smirk, "Let's see ..... Hmmm I think we should make this!" Clavis stopped at a certain page and Gilbert smiled "Yep this sounds tasty", Clavis showed the surrounding the book's page with said 'Potato Chocolate Cake' and Emma and Tea party Trio quickly gulped, "I remember I needed to meet Sariel regarding upcoming meeting so I will be leaving" Emma hurriedly tried to run but Gilbert's cane end touched her cheeks "Miss Rabbit don't you think leaving three foreign prince unattended isn't a good idea" Emma quickly settled back to her sit and Silvio irritation was on his face as clear as a day "Why I am with you Imma leave" and as soon as Silvio turned again Gilbert's cane hook was stucked to his collar and he was pulled "GUGH!!! HEY FUCKER DON'T TUG ON ME!!!", Silvio who managed to regain his balance got very annoyed, "Why don't you join us? it is not like you have anything to do" it was Gilbert who wore a menacing smile while Silvio Couldn't decline so he just huffed and sat beside Emma, "So what are we waiting for let's cook" as Clavis announced this he had already taken his Coat and Gloves off and taking it as signal Emma and Yves put on their aprons and started arranging ingredients, while Silvio read the recipe book "Every turn in this book seems like a left......" it was the Silvio's first reaction which Emma added "They look like all the wrong answers on a cooking exam" Licht who has been silent all the time added "Or some played roulette with the ingredients and added them", Yves only quietly nodded to which Gilbert replied "I think they are unique, don't you think Clavis?" "Oh yes they are" Clavis had an instant reply. 'OF COURSE YOU DO HELLCAT' While everyone thought this in the kitchenette no one had enough willpower or power to express there thoughts. "Let's bake cake, everyone....." It was Prince Keith's only comment to support Emma who looked like who was about to vomit.

After painful hours of baking the cake the recipe read 'Carefully decorate the cake with chocolate ganache' at this point Licht was just irritated so was silvio, Silvio who was so very annoyed said " Yeah don't wanna ruin that disaster" while he poured ganache on the cake after rolling his shirt sleeves, Emma Yves and Keith quietly nodded while arranging the table and Clavis and Licht made tea "How about we add pepper in the tea" "NO!!!!!" At Clavis's suggestion everyone screamed and startled Gilbert who dropped his Plate.

When Tea and Cake were served everyone except Prince Disaster and Hellcat had a face as green as trees, "So... let's eat" it was Emma and Keith who picked their fork up and everyone took the bite at the same time "..........." there was a complete silence for a moment "WHY THE FUCK IT IS GOOD" Silvio was the first one to break the silence with a scream and took another bite "I am questioning reality" For some reason Emma was on verge of crying and ducked her head slightly making few fragments of her hair dangling down but Gilbert tucked them behind her ear "It is quite delicious" Gilbert mood who was for some reason was way more delightful said in a gentle tone "Is my name even Licht?" without a doubt each one of them ate in confusion and decided to give cakes to the other princes, Rio and Sariel.

When Emma walked back to her room for some reason Gilbert followed her "Prince Gilbert why are you following me isn't your room in the opposite" "Isn't it obvious to stay with a person whom you like for a bit more" Gilbert pulled Emma close to him with a slight tug and revealed her back of the neck which was hidden by her just to reveal a mark, with delight he put his face close to her neck and smells delicious before lightly kissing her which made Emma tremble, it always occured to her why she couldn't push him away, seeing her in her confuse state Gilbert gently kissed her cheek and turned to his heels to return to his room. "I think I should get some heart medicines too along with stomach one's" those were Emma's last word before she returned to her room

[lumitris]

┊ ┊⋆ ┊ . 𝒥𝑜𝓊𝓇𝓃𝑒𝓎 𝑜𝒻 𝒟𝓇𝑒𝒶𝓂𝓈 ◞ 𝖒𝖊𝖒𝖊 . ˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚ @supremebirb ⤸ ❛ i won’t stop killing until you kill me. ❜ haunting!hidan @ shikamaru. perhaps his chakra is a miasma rising from his grave, poisoning the soil & all that grows in it, the wells people draw their water from- sayyyy if shika tossed hidan's head back into his grave after confronting it? he just wants uppie outtie shika :/ why you gotta bury a holy man ur an idiot tbh-

It couldn't get any worse, && somehow, it kept dragging him further down this insane rabbit hole. If he were any other man, he's sure he'd of lost his mind by now; what person could deal with a HAUNTING from the past like this? A twisted and sick reminder of a chapter he'd closed years ago, back again like a bad rash.

Shikamaru couldn't tell anyone; not his friends, his team, not Naruto. No, something always stopped him, and maybe it was his own arrogance coming into play, but this was his burden to deal with. He was the one who had finished this nightmare, and he intended to keep it that way.

❝ We both know it ain't that simple. Trust me. If you could stay dead, I'd have finished this long ago. ❞

Staying in the grave was no longer an option. Jaw tightens, teeth grinding, as he tries to remain calm. Focused. The fear he'd felt when they had first met was also long gone, but, there was no getting those maddening eyes from his mind; and now, they bore into his very soul all over again.

❝ At the very least, you're no longer a threat. ❞

But his chakra... this miasma of sorts that kept polluting the surrounding area, threatening harm to the sacred deer of this forest, that was what he was most worried about. Without his partner around, he didn't have to worry about Hidan getting back up. Without a body, there wasn't much to be concerned about.

❝ This was supposed to be your grave. Any normal person would have decayed by now. You akatsuki really are something else. ❞ It wasn't a compliment, and he feels the beads of sweat drip down his forehead, his neck, and shaken his gaze. This really was a bad nightmare.

Just what would Asuma think? Even conversing with the man who killed his sensei felt wrong on so many levels.

He had his teacher's kid to think about too.

❝ If you think I'm letting you go, you'd be dead wrong. ❞

If this was his tactic, then he definitely forced Shikamaru's hand. For a guy who wasn't so bright, he could be too troublesome for his own good.

Just what was he supposed to do right now?

First, he had to calm down. Then, access the situation before him. He could still bite him, even just as a head he posed a problem. If he invested Shikamaru's blood, could he just bite his tongue off? No. Without that ritual of his, he didn't need to worry; he couldn't perform the steps required to link their bodies together. Not as he was.

Then again, it wouldn't stop him from going for his jugular.

This was a pain. Both Hidan, and his own need to settle things; to keep it his, like an infectious disease that he couldn't let spread. Had he failed, or, was this another hurdle to grow from? All the hate, and sadness, the terror ... that had all vanished. So he could stare down at the man with a stern, distant expression, one without distress, or too much strain. The weeks building up to this encounter had, however, taken it's toll on him also. Shikamaru was tired. Nightmares upon nightmares putting an unnecessary burden on the shinobi, and the fatigue was definitely visible.

❝ Say I let you out, what's to stop me from taking you straight to the Hokage. I'm sure whatever they decide for you, will be far worse then that hole you're in now. ❞

It's the sensible thing to do. So why isn't that an option he can go along with? Shikamaru's gaze narrows in thought. No, he understands why too well; it was his baggage, and his burden alone. There was no way he'd let word get out, not to Kurenai or her daughter, and not to Ino and Choji. They had to revisit this hardship already, back during the war.

It wasn't dangerous. He wasn't being reckless. Shikamaru had thought of all potential downfalls, but he couldn't see one that he couldn't handle on his own.

❝ You're making the deer restless and trying my patience. If you're planning on acting out this revenge of yours, forget it. Even if I drag you out of that hole, you're still a dead man walking. ❞

Asuma sensei, and father too ... give him strength.

He needs something to release this tension, and his hand instantly twitches to his lighter pocket. Such a pain.

[orca-in-disguise]

Well folks, I have officially fallen a bit more than knee deep into the TMA rabbit hole. So,anyways, I humbly present this statement, created as a backstory for an OC I'm working on! :3

"Statement of Samuel Warner regarding a series of strange events after a close call in a lake. Statement begins."

  "Soo... Where do I start? The beginning, I suppose? I'm not used to this kind of stuff, y'know.  

Anyway, if it matters, I was raised by my uncle for as long as I can remember. I know I had parents, that's for sure, but I can barely remember their existence, let alone their faces. I presume they left when I was really young. My uncle treated me well; we never had any large issues. But he always seemed a bit off. He didn't have many friends from what I knew, and he spent most of his days at home in his office. As to what he did in there, I have no idea, and I don't intend on changing that.

School was quite a drag for me. I had decent grades and wasn't a trouble in class. But I was never able to make many friends. I got close with a few kids, but they all moved away only a few weeks after I got to know them. After a while, I didn't mind the isolation as much. I seemed comfortable, in a way. In a way, you have a lot of freedom in being alone, in my opinion.

In college, I decided to study to be an ichthyologist. I put almost all of my time into doing schoolwork or grinding at my job. I had managed to snag some work stocking shelves. Back on the topic of school, fish have always fascinated me with the way they can adapt to the harshest environments and their extreme determination. That's why I specialize in oceanic fish, you see? Mainly anadromous ones. Salmon and the like.

I graduated with flying colors and all that. Yadda yadda. *tired sigh* 

My first job was at a dam. I was monitoring how it affected the migrations of local fish. I quite enjoyed the job! I got to work with my favorite fish out in the woods!! I was all alone most of the time, which, now that I think back on it, was oh so blissful. I often had dreams of going deeper into the woods when I went home. After a few weeks, fog started to feature in them.

After about a year of working at the dam, I messed up. I was down by the lake and wanted to get a closer look at the torrent of green and red fins and scales that lay before me. So, I took a step in.It was about a minute before the water caught me. Even if I could call for help, it wouldn't be much use out here. I struggled, squirmed, and kicked as the water claimed me. Then it all went black. 

I'm not sure how long I was out for. All I know is that I somehow survived. When I checked the bank, there were no footprints or tire marks. There was nothing to show that anyone had been there. Now I know that river inside and out, and I know for a fact that there would be at least a sign someone was there. But no. In the end, I decided I must have been washed up and went on with my day. 

The weird dreams continued and involved fog on a nearly daily basis. This time, however, I did go into the woods. I would explore the forest for hours in my dreams, not finding a single soul—animal or human—besides my own.

 I, despite all the weirdness from earlier, continued on relatively normally. I did notice I had a larger urge to avoid people, but I so rarely interacted with them that this didn't prove an issue for a long while. Someone came by the dam to pick up some specimens, and I did my best to ignore them. However, as they left, they offered me a handshake. I reluctantly shook it, and as they walked off, I noticed something odd about my wrist. The air seemed to have gotten hazy. When I looked down at my hand, I noticed fog. Dreary, billowing fog rushed out from where I had been touched. I was shocked, and I just sat there watching for a minute as rolls and rolls of fog emitted from my skin as naturally as sweat would. After what must have been at least ten minutes, I went home for the day. 

Afterwards, I went home. I logged onto my home computer and did some searching on the internet. Looking back, I probably should have gone to the doctor or some other professional, but I doubted that would help. Even if someone could help me, I don't think there's medication for something like this.

After doing a bit of googling around supernatural events and places that deal with them, I found the contact information for your institution. I wrote it down on a sticky note and stuck it to my fridge, in case of further incidents.

As I'm sure you can guess by my presence here, there were indeed further incidents. It happened time and time again, most of it accidental. As time went on, it started to feel almost natural. It felt like this was what I was meant to be. But all of that wasn't what drove me here. The worst part of it was the disappearance. Just two weeks ago, I was traveling with a young fisherman who had asked me where the best place to fish was. Now, despite the isolation streak I was on, I was still quite passionate about my craft and thus decided to lead him to the best spot I could find. There's a large section of the lake about 4 miles away from the dam where fish often stop. I presumed the man didn't really have a target species, so I decided to lead him there. But, along the way, something seemed to overtake me. Don't get me wrong; what I did was definitely my decision. But it was like a part of me overtook the rest of me. Something deep inside, something wretched. When the fisherman arrived at the spot, I offered to shake his hand. He accepted. As the fog spilled forth from my hands, I found within me a new ability. I brought it forth from myself, the area becoming thick with it. In only a matter of minutes, anyone within a quarter-mile radius would be lucky to be able to see their own hands. I climbed the highest point I could find and watched. Watched as the young man attempted to find his way.

He found it eventually, of course; otherwise, I'd likely be in a jail cell and not here. There was something satisfying about the whole ordeal. It was quite similar to the feeling one would get after eating a large meal. I'm not proud of what I did. I'm disturbed, but it felt... right in a way. I think I'll stop now. I don't want to discuss this any further."  

"Statement ends."  

[babyspacebatclone]

I shall simply contribute “Yes, this is powerfully emotionally accurate to my own experiences, ouch.”

And provide the image transcript below cut.

The post contains three images, which are photographs of the text of a physical book. The second image in particular shows warping of the text due to the page sloping into the spine.

(first image begins mid sentence:)

… and socially withdrawn, and I truly believed I did not need other people. I'd moved to the city for graduate school and figured I could pour all my energy into classes and research and think of nothing else.

Solitude had worked pretty well for me up to that point. I had excelled academically, and living a "life of the mind" kept me from worrying too much about my many problems. I had an eating disorder that had ravaged my digestive system, and gender dysphoria that made me resent how other people saw me, though I didn't yet understand why. I didn't know how to approach people or initiate conversations, and I didn't care to learn, because most interactions left me feeling irritated and unheard. The few relationships I did have were enmeshed; I took responsibility for others problems, tried to manage their emotions for them, and lacked any capacity to say "no" to unreasonable requests. I didn't know what I wanted out of life, other than to become…

(second image)

a professor. I didn't want a family, I didn't have hobbies, and I believed I was incapable of really being loved. But I was getting good grades and my intellect earned me a lot of praise, so I just focused on those strengths. I pretended all the rest was a meaningless distraction.

When graduate school began, I rarely went out with my new class-mates. The few times I did, I had to get completely hammered to over come my inhibitions and seem "fun." Otherwise I spent whole weekends alone in my apartment, reading journal articles and falling down strange internet rabbit-holes. I didn't let myself have hobbies. I barely exercised or cooked. I’d occasionally hook up with people if I wanted sex or even just a little attention, but every interaction was impassive and rote. I had no sense of myself as a multifaceted human being.

By winter of that year I'd turned into a lonely, isolated wreck. I’d spend an hour sitting in the shower while the hot water rained down on me, lacking the will to stand up. I had trouble speaking to other people. I couldn't think of any research ideas and lost all interest in what I was studying. One of my supervisors chewed me out for rolling my eyes at her during meetings. At night bone-shaking sobs of despair and overwhelm would overtake me, and I'd pace around my room, whimpering and striking myself in the temples with the heels of my hands. My solitude had somehow become imprisoning, but I was too lacking in social skills or emotional self-awareness to get myself out of it.

I couldn't understand how I'd gotten myself into that miserable position. How was I supposed to know I needed friends, and a life?

How could I go about connecting with others, when every effort was so unsatisfying? What did I actually enioy or care about? Around people, I felt I had to censor every natural reaction, and pretend to have interests and feelings that were normal. Plus, people were so over whelming. They were all so loud and erratic, their eyes like painful laser beans boring into me. All I wanted to do was sit in the dark and not be bothered or judged.

I believed something was fundamentally wrong with me I seemed…

(third image)

to be broken in ways I couldn't explain, but which everyone else could see at a glance. I spent several more years languishing like this, working myself to the point of burnout, having emotional breakdowns, relying on romantic partners for social contact and a sense of worthiness, and googling things like "how to make friends" in the middle of the night. Through it all, I never considered asking for help or sharing with anyone how I felt. I lived by a very narrow set of rules, and remaining independent and invulnerable was chief among them.

I read the Introduction to Unmasking Autism by Dr. Devon Price tonight

i finally feel heard:

[mossgirrrl]

Where are my friends?

"God, I didn't think we were old enough to know so many who've gone like this," I half-whispered into the living room of my friend's flat in Bangkok. We were 21 and talking about a beautiful, charismatic yet quiet boy who'd taken everyone by surprise in deciding to end his own life. That was six years ago and I needed two hands to count the people from my youth who weren't here anymore. Mostly due to drugs or poor mental health- or both. Fast forward to this week and H's hit me like scalding water- a moment of nothingness, then dawned a gnawing pain that burned for weeks. When you're in your late 20s, death amongst your peers tends to be more accidental and less frequent... so it comes as more of a shock. H and I didn't really talk anymore. A pandemic and 1000+ miles of distance will creep in between you whilst you're not looking. In fact I think I left his last message (a reply to an Instagram story) on read and that'll nip me with guilt for the rest of my life. A year later he was in my city and I didn't know until I saw the obituaries on Facebook. Nevertheless, I was numb for two days and cried for two more. Trying, and mostly failing, not to sink into a cradle of dissociation. In one such episode of dissociative scrolling, I read that; some friends are for a reason, some friends are for a season, and some friends are for life. H was a heady, sun-soaked, and glitter-smudged season- one of the most formative and pivotal of my 28 years. We met at university and shared two and a half endless summers of house parties, bicycle rides, picnics, and river dips. He was a ray of sunshine. The persistent kind that forces itself through the crack in your curtains, making everything it touches sparkle, rallying you out of bed like a no nonsense pep talk.

It's a weird, icky thing to grieve someone from your past- even if they once and always will hold a special place in your heart. You catch yourself feeling ashamed and self-indulgent, silently apologising to their nearest. I think about my friends now and how I'd feel if they ceased to exist, even if we'd lost touch for head foggy time-warp of a half decade. I'd feel the same. What is self-indulgent is the small part of me that knows I'm reacting this way because of an on-going age crisis. A small part of me that's been crying almost daily anyway over lost youth and time we'll never get back... But I supposed that's all grief too. Searching through my camera roll and old Instagram posts for memories I'm not sure if I'll share in the group chat yet, I found a quote I'd posted on the day I moved out of the beautiful rabbit-hole of a town we'd all called home; "I hope that in the future they invent a small golden light that follows you everywhere and when something is about to end, it shines brightly so that you know.

And if you're never going to see someone again, it'll shine brightly and both of you can be polite and say, "It was nice to have you in my life while I did, good luck with everything that happens after now." And maybe if you're never going to eat at the same restaurant again, it'll shine and you can order everything off the menu you've never tried. Maybe, if someone's about to buy your car, the light will shine and you can take it for one last spin. Maybe, if you're with a group of friends who'll never be together again, all your lights will shine at the same time and you'll know, and then you can hold each other and whisper, "This was good. God, this was so good." ~ Iain S. Thomas And suddenly it had more meaning than the day I posted it, with the very same person in mind.

[plothooksinc]

what is misconduct7 *chinhands* the fact that it ends in 7, just like legacy, gives me great hope for such a promising title

Bwaha. If a WIP has a number attached at the end it's a chapter, so Legacy and Misconduct are both sitting on ... 6 published chapters each?

Misconduct is my foray into the FFVII universe. Specifically, I played Crisis Core and that made me fall down the rabbit hole proper (and got me into RP, actually). Misconduct is an AU set 5 years before the original game (and thus near the end of Crisis Core) based on the premise: what if Shinra saw value in retaining Zack as a SOLDIER? Like...literally at that point in Crisis Core, their big three SOLDIERs have all kind of gone mad, committed mass scale murder, etc etc ... that has to be a huge hit to Shinra's credibility with the public because those three in particular are very, very popular with their own fanclubs. So what do they do?

They recover Zack from Nibelheim, this golden retriever friendly all rounder who's already popular with a lot of Midgar residents, and bill him as the hero who saved Nibelheim. And the board smiles and nods at him, and Tseng tells him urgently that listen, remember nothing, just smile and nod, and so Zack gets to go home and tread water in the viper's den that is Shinra, pretend he doesn't know what really happened in the reactor or what set Sephiroth off, and so he gets to be. A hero. It's just what he always wanted! Pity it's based on a lie. Oh, and Cloud apparently died at the reactor. Because... that's what happened, right? Cloud died? That's what Shinra and Tseng say, so why does Zack have memories of Hojo carting him off?

Tl;dr Zack gets to go home and Hojo only has one new experiment to play with, which is both terrible and good news for Cloud, because (a) he doesn't have Zack to help take the heat off and keep him sane, but (b) Zack works it out and you can bet he's coming back to Nibelheim real soon. And the AU unfolds from that branch in the road. I really enjoy this one so I'll definitely be rounding back to finish it at some point!

...so here's a snippet from the creepiest character in all of existence. ---------

The guards were not the only ones who needed to learn from this little misadventure.  And he had further tests to run; he could accomplish both at the same time, even if that meant his methods were far less sophisticated.  He didn't acknowledge the man's salute or his exit but continued his paperwork with meticulous care.  

He was still writing when two of them dragged in the boy.  

He didn't bother to look up, but he noted with satisfaction the uneven breathing of his test subject, his feet scrabbling for purchase on the ground.  Still fighting the drugs off, then, though that he was this aware was impressive.  The boy was already afraid, and he supposed that was pure common sense, given their relationship thus far. 

That he let the silence draw out while he finished his work-- well, he could admit there was some malice to it.  

[mizusswordtip]

Down The Rabbit Hole ⚝ Killian Jones x Reader (14)

find the story on wattpad

summary: Alice's plan to overthrow the Queen of Hearts is thwarted by a dashing pirate with a hook. Years later, after the curse is broken, they reunite once again.

masterlist

After climbing out of the pit we're led by some guards who keep their watchful gazes on us the entire time.

"Why couldn't you have just listened to us?" Snow asks with an undercurrent of hurt in her voice as opposed by my annoyance. I can imagine that having your own daughter not being willing to trust you would be hurtful. I can't exactly blame Emma, after all, they're both about the same age and she probably feels like a fish out of water in the enchanted forest.

"Why couldn't you have trusted me? I was just trying to find a way to get us home." Emma asks back, exasperated.

"Trying to find a way to get us killed." I correct, unable to hold my tongue. She shoots me an annoyed look.

"I could've handled her." Emma says confidently. I scoff.

"Cora? Don't be so sure." Snow says, disbelieving.

"Cora was able to rule over an entire land because of how powerful she is and you think going to her for help is a good idea?" I ask rhetorically. She looks slightly embarrassed but tries to hide it.

"Well, how was I supposed to know that?" She asks defensively."You not, that's the whole point. You know nothing of this world and yet refuse to listen." I say firmly.

"We've lived here, Emma. I know this world and its dangers." Snow says pleadingly, trying to get through to her.

"Wait here." One of the guards says before walking off. We stop and Emma turns to look at her mom with a look of contempt.

"Is that why you came through the portal? Because you thought I was helpless here?" She asks.

"No." Snow whispers with a shake of her head. "I came through to be with you." her voice sounds heartbroken. Her face switches suddenly, her face becoming joyful at something behind us.

"Lancelot?" Snow asks, a smile forming on her face. I turn around to find a handsome night, dressed in all black armor.

"Snow?"He asks in disbelief before the both of them run to each other and tightly embrace. "If I had known that you were the prisoners Mulan had brought back, I never would have locked you away. Please, forgive me." He explains with a sympathetic look.

"Of course." Snow immediately says. Shoulders sagging slightly, I feel a bit relieved. I may not know this man but I trust Snow enough to trust her judgment.

"Lancelot? Really?" Emma asks in annoyance.

"He's an old friend. We can trust him." Snow reassures with a nod of her head.

After a little while of catching up we're sat at a table and one of Lancelot's men brings over large plates of food. All my better judgment leaves my body at the sight of freshly cooked meat. I haven't ate since leaving the hospital. Having been fed nothing but a strange, mushy, creamy substance for twenty eight years, I'm practically drooling.

"What the hell is that?" Emma asks, picking at the meat hesitantly with her fork. Without asking I cut off a large chunk and plop it onto my plate. Emma and Snow give me weird looks but I ignore them.

"That is chimera. An acquired taste, but all our hunting party could bring back. One part lion, one part serpent, one part goat." Lancelot explains with a small laugh. I shove a large piece into my mouth and my eyes roll to the back of my head with a grin.

"Like a turducken?" Emma asks.

"It's delicious!" I exclaim. Lancelot raises an eyebrow at that.

"I don't understand, we were told this land didn't even exist anymore. How did you all escape the curse?" Snow asks, not bothering with the food.

"It is a mystery. The curse struck, and when the smoke cleared, most of us had been torn from this land. But some of us here, in this particular region, were left behind. We don't know how and we don't know why." His answers gives me pause, I drop my fork, studying his expression.

"What do you mean you don't know? The answers pretty obvious." I say, brows furrowed. Every one looks at me expectantly and this time it's my turn to roll my eyes. "Who's the only person in this land powerful enough to counteract the strongest curse ever made?" I ask, a suggestive brow raised.

"It's possible but I doubt she'd ever admit to doing so. Finding this safe haven wasn't easy. It took some spilt blood. But worry not, you're safe here." Lancelot reassures with a smile. There's something off about him but I can't quite put my finger on it. His answers just seem too... perfect. Rehearsed.

"We can't stay. My husband's back there. Emma's son, my grandson. We have to get back to them. Can you help us find a portal?" Snow pleads.

"No, leaving is unwise. The enchanted forest is not as you remember it. The ogres have returned." Lancelot warns. I shove another piece of meat into my mouth."Ogres? Like, as in 'Fee-fi-fo-fum'?" Emma asks, clearly finding the idea funny.

"Those would be giants." Snow corrects and Emma shoots her an annoyed look.

"Ogres are far worse. That's why we live here on this island, where it's safe." Lancelot explains to Emma before turning his attention back to Snow. "Please, Snow, stay here. There are no more portals left."

"I might know of one." Snow says, a look of realization coming over her face. I feel my heart skip a beat hopefully.

"Really?" I ask.

"You do? Where?" Lancelot cuts in hastily. Snow opens her mouth but I grab her hand before any words can come out.

"Don't. Cora's near." I remind her lowly.

"She's right, I don't feel comfortable voicing my plans. She's powerful." Snow tells Lancelot.

"Not anymore. The curse stripped her of her powers." He tries to reassure with a soft smile but I'm not buying it.

"That doesn't make sense." I speak up. He gives me a questioning look. "If the curse avoided these lands then how did it affect her?" I ask. He looks down for a moment before sighing heavily.

"I wish I knew. Perhaps that was the price she had to pay to protect herself from the curse." He says, lifting his head.

"That's a price she'd never be willing to pay." I say knowingly. He doesn't seem fazed by my clear suspicion but that doesn't mean anything.

"Perhaps she didn't know what the price was before paying it. Either way, given her reputation, we've kept her locked up as a precaution." He says, gesturing toward the pit.

"Nevertheless, I'm not taking chances. Trust me, I may have a way. Let us go." Snow pleads. He looks conflicted for a moment before making up his mind.

"I'll allow it. But on one condition, take my bravest warrior with you. Allow Mulan to defend you." He says, gesturing toward the dark haired woman who had dragged us here to begin with.

"We can defend ourselves." Emma says.

"Deal." Snow intervenes, causing even more annoyance from Emma.

"Extra swords never hurt." I tell her with a little nod but it doesn't seem to help ease her irritation. "Well they do but it doesn't hurt us." I joke under my breath.

"Thank you, Lancelot. For always looking out for me." Snow says before standing up. I grab a piece of meat and shove it in my pocket.

Mulan opens a chest filled with a variety of weapons.

"Choose wisely. We must be vigilant if we hope to survive the journey." She says firmly with a determined expression. Snow bends down and picks out a bow and quiver. I kneel down and rifle through the chest.

"Where's my gun? I want it back." Emma asks Mulan while shoving a dagger in her boot. Mulan pulls out the gun, examining it with a confused expression.

"Is it magic?" She asks. Emma holds out her hand expectantly and Mulan hands her the gun.

"Depends on who's pulling the trigger." She replies. I see a little glimmer in the chest and I feel my heart race. My mouth goes dry as I pull out the Vorpal sword. I hold it with both hands out in front of me.

"How did this get here?" I whisper to myself but I must have caught the attention of Mulan.

"Why?" She asks.

"It's... mine." I whisper back, looking up at her. Her confused expression matches my own.

"It was with Cora when she was captured." She explains with a small shrug.

"Curious. Very curious." I murmer, grabbing the sword by the hilt before standing and sheathing it. I feel a sensation I haven't felt since Wonderland, a sense of belonging.

"You know her then?" Mulan asks with a raise of her chin.

"A prophecy long ago said we were to be enemies. This sword was made for me to defeat her. It protects the user from any and all magic. At least that I know of." I explain to her with a rueful smile at the memory of Hook blackmailing me into the portal.

"If that is so, how did you manage to become cursed?" Mulan asks suspiciously.

"It was stolen from me." I reply bitterly. "But that's not the question you should be asking." Mulan raises a brow. "You should be asking yourself how the curse took Cora's powers away if she had this on her." She clenches her jaw, clearly unnerved by my words but I continue anyways. "So the question isn't how you captured her, but why she let you."

"Get to the point." Mulan snaps.

"Lancelot, he has to be helpi-"

"No."

"He wouldn't." Both Snow and Mulan speak at the same time. I shake my head with a humorless smile.

"If you say so." At my word, Mulan seems all too happy to change the subject. She straightens up.

"Follow my lead. Step where I step. Do exactly as I say, and we might survive." Mulan orders. I can tell she's not trying to be hostile, I think that's just her natural state of being.

"Thanks for the pep talk, but I think we're okay. We have a dragon slayer in our group." Emma says, gesturing to me. Mulan doesn't even spare me a glance as she steps closer to Emma, her face somehow more severe than before.

"Have you ever seen an Ogre?" She asks.

"Pretty sure I've dated a few." Emma Jokes.

"Legend has it that when they kill you, the last thing you see is yourself dying in the reflection in their eyes." Mulan says, clearly trying to scare her. I roll my eyes with a sigh.

"Riveting. Let's go now." I say, gesturing in the direction we're going. Before Emma can pass by me I step in front of her. "She's right, but it is possible to kill them. The key is to aim for the eye." I say with a nod of encouregment. She swallows hard.

"Have you ever killed an Ogre?" She asks a little breathlessly.

"Oh! I thought we were still talking about dating." I joke. Her nervous exterior cracks and she laughs a little. "No, I've never killed an Ogre."

[walkingdeadliv]

She didn't answer his question when he asked if that's what she really thought of him; instead, she just gave him a very pointed look that just say 'what else am I supposed to think?'. There had been a time when she never would have thought he'd abandon them. A time when she relied on him to keep sanity in the chaos that was her homelife. For the first time in her life, she'd finally allowed herself to lean on someone else. And then he left. She'd thought he returned the feelings she had for him, and they could take on the world together. They could handle whatever life threw at them as long as they stuck together. And then he bailed. He had decided being a father was too much or too hard or whatever bullshit excuse he had given when he left and - for a moment - her world stopped. His leaving had thrown everything upside down and into even more chaos than usual. She no longer had the person she'd been able to lean on when she needed help with her siblings. Her siblings no longer had the man around that they'd grown so attached to.

His leaving just cemented what she had always feared in the back of her mind: everyone would always leave. When he came back just before Anya's first birthday, it had taken her a long time to trust he was there to stay. Even though she let him back into her life, letting herself fall for him again, there had always been that question in the back of her mind. Would he really stay or would he leave again? She'd chosen to believe him when he said he wasn't going to leave her again, and then suddenly she was alone. Again. Left feeling like a complete fool for allowing herself to believe what he said.

Stepping out into the cool night air, Olivia paused in the center of the street and closed her eyes for a brief moment, letting out a long sigh as she waited for him to follow her out of the jail area. 'You are not going down this road again,' she told herself as she tried to calm herself down. The pull towards the man was still there, honestly it probably always would be, but there was no way she was going to be drawn into that again. For her own sanity, but also for Anya. The little girl was only four years old, but she'd already been through so much. The whole damn world had ended less than two years after she was born, and she'd known nothing but violence and danger. The last thing she wanted to do was let her get attached to someone who was just going to leave again. She wouldn't let herself fall down that rabbit hole of disappointment.

Turning around as she heard the door behind her open, she nodded her head to indicate for him to follow her before walking down the street. The walk itself would probably take five to ten minutes, depending on how fast they walked. They walked in silence for a little bit until they reached the end of the street and she turned towards the lake, heading towards the white house on the corner of the following block. Looking over at him as he asked how the places had water and power, she shrugged just a little. "To be honest, I'm not 100% sure of the science of it. You know me and science," she commented with a small shrug. "Deanna and Reg said that the community was built to be self-sustaining before the virus broke out. So they have their own solar panels to provide power and cisterns that hold a metric shit ton of water, and some kind of sewage filtration system. I have no idea what most of it meant beyond the solar panels and water tanks, but there's hot water and electricity, and after all the shit that went down at the prison...that's more than good enough for me," she remarked with a shrug as they walked.

When he asked how long they'd been there, she honestly wasn't sure. It felt like they'd been there for years; that's how quickly they'd settled into the community. In reality, she was pretty sure it'd only been a month or two. She was quiet for a moment while she thought about it before shaking her head. "I'm honestly not sure. It's not like we have a calendar or anything," she shrugged. "A month? Month and a half? Two? I don't know, it can't have been more than three months...I don't think at least." Her brows furrowed together in confusion as she spoke about how long they'd been there. In the short time they'd been there, Anya had grown like a damn tree. They had clocks, alarm clocks, and the like, but she had no idea how much time had passed since the world went to shit in the first place. It felt like forever. "But yes, it means a lot to me. It's some semblance of normalcy in this new, fucked up world. For now, at least." She didn't know if the group would ever truly feel safe anywhere - they'd let their guard down at the prison - but this was a good place to start again. For however long they still had there.

Her harsh counter struck every chord of emotion within him. Had she thought so lowly of him? Thought that he'd leave without a care in the world? His shoulders dipped in defeat and jaw clenched to combat the overflow of pain that shot through his chest. He hadn't left by choice, unlike the first time around. His fears had driven him away, but the second time? It had been entirely out of his control and every moment after had been spent trying to find them. He'd done things to survive for them, not for himself. He'd submitted to violence when it was the last thing he wanted. Every tough decision, every morally fucked route he'd ventured on, it was all an attempt to find his family again. "Is that what you think?" He could have spilled the truth. He could have told her about the attack, about the cruel strangers that had led him into the middle of nowhere to die. They'd taken the supplies he'd found, his knife, his water. He would have given them everything if it had meant staying put, but that hadn't been good enough. To the strangers, he was a threat and threats in a world as cold as this one weren't acceptable. He studied her hardened look for a few short seconds before he forced his gaze elsewhere. He couldn't bear the look of her anger and the way she seemed so frustrated by his existence. There was a time that he knew she'd never hurt him. Just like he would have never hurt her, no matter what it was she did. He would have burned the entire world down for the woman, but now, he was the thing she was willing to burn to save the world. A nip at the inside of his cheek left the taste of metal on his tongue. He should have expected such loyalty to flow through her veins. Hell, if he had stumbled upon Alexandria over the Saviors, perhaps he would have felt the same way. It was worth protecting, hence why Negan wanted it so badly. The man hadn't said it, but Shepley had saw the glimmer of selfish desire in the man's eyes as he spoke of the place. Lips parted to argue her half-assed response, but he swallowed down the pleas and followed her into the cool air of the night. His flannel, a size too small, but at least clean did little to combat the breeze. It was the first time he'd been out and about within the walls and truth be told, it was tough to take in. This was the kind of community that Shep wouldn't have touched before the fall. Even if he'd wanted to, he never could have afforded it. He was a mechanic, not a suit. "How do these places have water? Have power?" It was obvious the settlement was far more advanced than the compound, but he never could have guessed the beauty within. The finely painted homes, the front porch swings... it was as if the fall of the world hadn't touched the inside of the walls. "How long have you been here?" He shoved his hands into the front pockets of his jeans, an attempt at keeping his hands at bay while they walked. She'd spot his nervous tell in an instant through his fiddling fingers and the last thing he needed was another reason to cast doubt. "I can see why it means so much to you." Within those walls, they were safe, but a part of him feared what would happen if those walls ever fell. It was a fairytale, one that could shift into a story of horrors if they weren't careful.