#i liked it being random and bloom unlocking her powers because she wanted to help a random girl

[floralovebot]

i mean. the trix look good

[amostimprobabledream]

And He Walks With Flames (Dabi x Reader) - Part One

They say humans, in a strange, ironic twist of fate, owe their magic to demons. A thousand years ago, they walked the earth, wreaking destruction and chaos wherever they tread. Humans were no more than meat for the slaughter, or glorified playthings for their amusement. The first generation of humans to fight back against their monstrous oppressors did so by a peculiar, ancient magic. A power that could repel demons and bring hope to all humanity. A terrible war raged for the fate of the world and the humans managed to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. The demons were banished to their land of origin, sealed away in defeat. But seals don't last forever. While historians argue on how literal these legends may be, there is no denying that ancient creature have begun to stir, appearing in our world again with growing frequency. And soon there might- The last paragraph was torn away. "Oh, for god's sake," you tsk. Sunlight pours through the large, high window of your lecture room, dust motes dancing in the golden rays. Though you were engrossed in your book, once you look up, the spell is broken, and the clear sky outside once again has your eyes wandering to it. It seems that you are not the only one getting distracted, either - even the professor keeps tapering off at the promise of an afternoon outside in the gorgeous spring weather. "Well," the professor says, shuffling the papers in front of her. "That's all for today. Please revise over the material and we'll discuss it in further detail next time. You are all free to go." You're only too happy to comply, putting your things away and scrambling to your feet. Everyone else is hurrying to get outside, pouring down the stairs to the doors, chattering to one another as they go. Normally you love going to lectures, but it's just too nice outside to be cooped up indoors. You push open the doors and step outside, a muted sigh of pleasure leaving your mouth. Your university, the Royal Academy of Magic, has the reputation for being tough, but so far, you've been enjoying the work. Learning about the different faces of magic, its uses, and the history of it, it's all so very fascinating to you. You've been able to use magic since you were young, but it's studying it here that will really help you unlock your true potential, and hopefully give you a concrete idea of what to aim for with your career. So far there are so many options a magic-user might do that it's been a little overwhelming trying to decide. As you cross the lawns, grass crunching beneath your feet, you decide to swing by your dorm first to drop off your books - they may contain a lot of knowledge, but damn if they're not heavy - your mother pointed out that you've developed something of a slouch since you started studying here. "I'm back!" you call as you push open the door of your dormitory. "Huh?" Kendou looks up from her bed, where she has a couple of books sprawled out next to her head, notes scribbled in the margins of her notebook as she looks over her textbook. Her red hair spills down her shoulder, coming loose from its signature ponytail. "You're back early!" "Yeah, they let us out sooner than I expected," you reply with a shrug and a small laugh, dropping your bag on your own bed and stretching, wincing as a kink in your shoulder pops. "Oh, well, that's good timing, someone came by earlier with a message for you," Kendou says, pushing herself up into a sitting position, apparently deciding your arrival is a good a reason as any to take a break from studying. "Your mother wants you to go down to the Imperial Research Centre to get your father." "Did she come by here?" you ask in surprise. Normally your mother arranges to meet you after lectures or seminars if she wants to see you during the week, and she's a rather busy woman besides. "No, she left a message at the front desk and someone passed it along," Kendou shrugs. "But she also said you guys are doing something tonight, right?" "Oh, yes, I'd forgotten all about that!" you say, feeling silly that it could

possibly have slipped your mind - you love it when you get to go out for a meal with your parents and often it means one of them has some exciting news to share. "Thanks, Kendou, I'll head over there now." She grins and gives a little wave. “No problem!” You suppose it's fortunate that the Imperial Research Centre is only a short walk from the campus and that you're very familiar with the place, since your father's been working there for so long. Anyway, it's a pleasant walk, the way there is lined with rows of trees that are only a week or two away from growing from dark to light pink and shedding their blossoms. When the street is in full bloom, it's like there's been a wedding. You even find yourself humming as you walk, breathing in the subtle smell of flowers on the breeze, wondering to yourself if the blossom trees were planted before or after the buildings were founded, but either way, whoever was responsible for them made a good call. The Imperial Research Centre is a peculiar building, made of blue stone and with a roof that boasts four conical points, one in each corner, making it resemble a castle from bygone days just plopped in the middle of the city. There's an aura of mystery to it, too, hinting at the all-important, life-changing work that’s always going on inside. If ever cutting-edge technology is released to the public, odds were that the Centre had a hand in making it. The building is cooler on the inside than it is outdoors, powered by a system designed to spread cool or warm air throughout the entire building, depending on the system. You approach the front desk, wishing that you'd thought to bring a jacket, because it’s always cold in here during the warm seasons, and the receptionist glances up on you with a slightly dismissive expression on her face. It's probably because she thinks you're an overeager student or some hapless intern, it's very rare a researcher your age would be able to work here. "May I help you?" the receptionist asks in a cool, professional tone. "Yes, I'm here to see my father," you reply. "He's one of the vice executives here." You give his surname, and the woman pauses. Is that a trace of nervousness you can see? "He's downstairs in Containment Room 1A," she says, checking a sheet of paper on the desk, which is littered with various papers, random pieces of stationary and one of those magitech intercom systems that they use. They have something similar at the Academy too, though of course, the Centre get the most high-tech version of everything. "All right, thanks," you say, turning to head for the elevator. "Wait!" the woman cries out and you glance back, confused. "I'm sorry, but you can't just walk through here, especially to the lower levels! You don't have the clearance and it can be dangerous." You scoff in disbelief. You have visited your father here before, many times, and this has never been a problem for you before. You always just tell them who you are and then get a visitor's pass. You even know some of the codes to the doors, thanks to waiting around for your father to finish work so often. "Well, please can you have someone go fetch him for me?" you ask, going to reluctantly perching on one of the chairs in the waiting area. "Can't it wait?" the receptionist asks impatiently, and maybe it can, but her attitude is starting to piss you off, so you shoot her a frosty smile you've perfected after watching your mother pull a similar face at people who don't meet her standards. "No, it can't." The woman sighs but she dutifully presses a button on the intercom system and speaks quietly into it for a moment or two, while you idly pick at a loose thread on the chair you're sitting on. She then glances back at you, eyebrows raised. "A messenger has been sent down to speak to him. Hopefully he should be upstairs shortly." "Thank you so much." you reply sweetly, the last words with heavy emphasis. After that, the two of you sit in a mutually frosty silence, with the woman sorting through paperwork on her desk and occasionally

directing people who approach her desk to the correct floor (which seems redundant to you - why can't people just read the clearly printed sign on the wall next to her desk ?), while you flick through some glossy magazines without actually taking in a single word. But you're not leaving until you've spoken to your father. Minutes tick by and you start drumming your heel lightly on the floor, leg jiggling with impatience. You wonder if the woman just lied about sending a messenger down to the Containment Room in an effort to pacify you, in the hopes you'll just get bored and leave. You grit your jaw at the thought, ignoring how cold you're getting, sitting here doing nothing. After maybe ten minutes, a man in a lab coat approaches the front desk, leaning over to speak to the woman. "Kino, could you come with me a moment? Hannah can start her shift." "Oh, I'll be right there!" Kino says, flustered, getting out from behind the desk and following the man as he walks briskly down the corridor, without a backwards glance at you. No doubt her replacement will be along any moment - perhaps she's running late? But you don't plan on sticking around. As soon as the receptionist rounds the corner, out of sight, you spring up and walk briskly across the room to the elevators, stabbing the button and stepping through the doors. You don't bother to fight the smile that spreads across your face as the doors slide shut. ~ "Father?" There's always something slightly creepy about the lower floors. The orbs lining the walls that are designed to keep the machinery running in case of a power shortage cast an eerie glow in the corridors, washing everything with a pale blue light that makes it seem far colder than it actually is. It reminds you a bit of walking through a tunnel of ice. Your boots click on the stone floor as you follow the lights to Containment Room A1. Finally, you reach the double doors leading inside, flanked by two windows each side. You can see your father inside, his back to you, so you rap on the windows. Nothing. You try again with more force, hurting your knuckles, but he still doesn't turn around. Perhaps it's soundproofed, so whatever's out here can't disturb whatever's going on in there? You glance at the keypad next to the doors, but you've never been to this particular room before so the code for the doors on the upper level is unlikely to be the same one for down here. Then you see movement, shadows beneath the crack between door and floor, and the doors slide open with a mechanical swish and two scientists in lab coats come out, comparing notes and murmuring together excitedly. You slip inside before they can slam shut again, unwilling to stand outside in the chilly corridor for any longer than necessary. "Father!" you call out as you enter. But then you stop dead in your tracks. Ahead of you, trapped behind some kind of containment field...is a monster. "What-?!" you hear your father say in surprise at his daughter suddenly marching through the doors. "What are you doing in here?!" But you don't answer. You can't look away from what's in front of you, even if you wanted to. You know without being told that this is a demon, but it's certainly not what they looked like in any of your history books. A tall, humanoid being that is undoubtedly male and you can tell from where you’re standing that he’s tall. The demon's huge, black wings arch out from behind him, reminding you of a bat. Two horns jut out from a crown of spiky black hair, but aside from that, you're surprised by how… human he looks. Your cheeks warm up as you notice he is shirtless, peculiar burn marks covering over half of his body and seemingly crudely stitched together like a patchwork doll. Despite that, he's impressively sculpted, sinewy muscles on full display and you know that demons were said to be uncommonly strong. Your eyes drift further down, and you spot a whiplike tail wrapped around one leg, topped with a pointed barb at the end, like a club in a game of cards. His arms are in restraints and so are his

ankles, yet he doesn't seem stressed in any way, leaning against the back wall of his holding cell as though he's waiting for something. "What...is this?" you breathe out, finally turning to your father. "This is our latest research subject," your father replies beside you, also staring at the demon, though his expression is surprisingly somber, considering just how amazing it is that they have been able to capture and contain a demon. You've never seen a live demon before, and something tells you that the one before you certainly isn't any garden variety one. "Director Fuji is very excited about this. It's not every day you see a demon this high ranking." Slowly, the demon stirs, raising his head a little. You're perfectly safe outside the containment field, as well was the multiple other safety measures both inside the cell and out of it, yet the sensation of being watched makes your flesh break out in goosebumps. From beneath spiky fronds of hair, the demon's eyes - so blue they almost don't look real - stare right at you, his gaze alone rooting you to the spot, laying all your defenses bare and leaving you feeling bizarrely naked before that look. Watching you without once blinking or breaking his gaze, his lips part in a sneer to reveal two rows of teeth, the fangs sharp and white as an icicle. You find yourself holding your breath as your father speaks again. "Sweetheart, meet Dabi."

[inspirationdivine]

Where the Heart is || Jared & Lydia

Timing: Before Mushroom Jared  Parties: @themidnightfarmer  & @inspirationdivine Summary: After Lydia’s injuries, Jared comes to check up on his friend, and learns a secret Trigger Warnings: Brief reference to domestic abuse, head trauma

Cap was covered with a blanket for the walk, Jared holding the Raiju under his arm until they were right up to Lydia's door and waiting for her to answer. Cap sat patiently on Jared’s feet as they both waited. Maybe Lydia didn’t want the extra help, but it was harder to deny it if it was already looking at you in the face with its adorable little face. Or at least this is what the nymph had told himself. And even if Lydia still denied Cap to stay with her, it was good for the creature to leave the farm now and again. Especially on more calm errands than the trip they’d taken to the ring last time. As soon as the door opened Jared smiled holding out a small basket of flowers. None of the blooms were typical for a bouquet, but rather they were usually sold to the magic shops and at the market for ingredients for things. But it was the best the nymph could do, he was -as always- strapped for cash. 

After Cece had left, Lydia had collapsed into her new couch, a futon that she could comfortably drape herself over without putting any weight on her wings. She wore a camisole with a low back to put as little pressure on anywhere as possible, and despite the entire White Crest anti bra brigade picking a fight with her, Lydia was in fact not wearing one at the moment. Her points about support and structure still stood all the same. She’d set aside her phone for the while being, lying in empty silence as she tried to ignore the call of distant mushrooms and the pain rocketing through her body. Her phone beeped as her doorbell let her know someone was looking to come in. Lydia looked at the camera image, and groaned softly, before speaking into the mic. “Door’s unlocked, you can come in.” 

Jared held out the basket in front of him the entire time he was entering the house, looking around each corner tentatively until he found who he was looking for. “Hey.” He greeted her politely, nudging Cap to sit patiently just out of her sight to be on the safe side just in case she really truly was upset at him for not taking her answer seriously. Not realizing she’d maybe had a camera system to see who was waiting at the door and had likely seen him already. He set the basket of odd flowers on a side table and tried not to be too obviously nosey and trying to figure out what had happened to his new fae friend. “How are you feeling?”

Lydia slowly shifted, enough to roll to face him a little, still staying mostly lying on the bed. With no glamour on and no desire to put one on, it was impossibly easy for him to see the pallor to her skin, the heavy bruising and swelling along the side of her face. One ankle in a cast and heavy bandage around her back. If he counted her wings - well. Lydia tried not to think about that. “Hey,” she said hoarsely. “Did I… misunderstand something? I didn’t know I was expecting anyone tonight.”  She didn’t answer his question, because her throat closed up the moment she tried to. 

He politely held back a sharp intake of breath at her condition. Even if Jared was very advanced at glamour, it didn’t help mask the expression on his face. He was at war with asking and simply looking. He wanted to know what had occurred but looking at her he also felt like he could see exactly what the answer would be. “Oh well uh.” he stumbled over his words for a moment before catching his stride. “Maybe I should have called, sorry about that I just wanted to drop off that something to hopefully cheer you up, and when you said you were going home I figured it’d be a good time...I uh….also wanted to maybe drop off someone else as well if you’d let me leave him. I know you said you didn’t want a guard Raiju, but…. surely, it’d help? He’s very good, he won’t bother you.”

Jared was many, many things, but he was never going to be good at poker, Lydia thought as she watched his face shift from surprise to horror. Already, in just seconds of him being here, it was too much to bear. Some fae believed it was better to be dead than to lose a wing, and for a brief moment, as Lydia looked away so she couldn’t see his pity, she agreed with them. What a shameful sign of weakness, to let someone hurt you like that. When it came on top of everything else - Lydia burned with a shame so heavy it physically hurt her chest. All the same, she slowly made herself sit up, or at least sit up enough so that she could lean her side against the couch, gesturing at the chair near her. Still not looking at him. “That’s very kind of you… I’m just, I’m just a little confused sometimes. You can sit. Your Raiju too, if he likes.”

Their minds were worlds apart. Whilst Lydia was dwelling on fae custom, and the reaction he must be having to her situation from that standpoint. Jared was taking a very human outlook; it was the only way he knew how to process the image of what he thought may have happened. And while he was horrified, it was more at the thought that someone would do something like this to such a lovely woman that was catching him up. He’d never seen someone so battered and bruised knowing that they hadn’t picked a fight or gone to do something dangerous. She’d only been at home. She’d been at home and this had happened to her. Jared sat down when she offered and put a hand down past his knees for Cap to run to and settle on his feet looking up at Lydia. “This is Cap……. I think we spoke about him before for a little bit uh…. Thought he might be good company for you?”

After a long moment, Lydia looked back at him with a practiced smile, made lopsided by the bruising and swelling on one side of her face. “Yes, I remember, my dear. Hello, little one,” she said to Cap, looking down at what at first appearance might have been a coyote, especially as Lydia had never seen a coyote either. But when she looked more closely, she saw tiny electric sparks in its fur. His fur. “This is the one that was domesticated, right?” She asked, remembering their conversation about wild things being left wild. “This is very sweet of you, but you don’t have to take care of me. We can just spend time together like normal- “Lydia winced and shut her eyes. “Or as close to normal, anyway.” Which wasn’t close at all.

Jared could sort of tell she was just trying to be polite and told himself as soon as she even remotely hinted that she wanted him gone, he would be. Cap shuddered like a chihuahua at being spoken to, his body shivering as if he was cold, the little electrical pulses in his fur increasing for a moment until the bought had passed. “He was used as a power source for things before I got him. But he’s friendly once he's introduced to someone. He can stun people easily if he needs to, and sometimes a little bit more than that. But he was sick a long time before I got him so he’s not incredibly dangerous…. And I mean I know you’re probably fully capable of taking care of yourself but...I don’t know I’m the dad friend sometimes. Not often. But sometimes. And I worry all the time. We don’t have to talk about it, I'd just really like if you’d let Cap stay. He’ll stay outside. I brought his blanket. I’ll come feed him. He won't be any trouble I pro- I really don’t think he will.”

Ever so tentatively, Lydia lowered her arm, extending her hand for Cap to interact with, like one would a dog, or a cat that would inevitably walk away regardless of what you did. She had to trust that Jared was right, like he had been about the bodenoggles. “It sounds like you’re lucky Jared found you,” Lydia told Cap softly, listening to Jared as she watched the unnerving little creature. She laughed, harshly and cruelly, at his words. “Does it look like I’m capable of taking care after myself?” As quickly as she’d laughed, tears had sprung to her eyelids, which she batted away furiously. “I’m sorry. It’s okay. I’m just- I want to show you so many things about our world. I wanted you to have the best possible introduction to fae life. Not this.”

Jared wiggled his toes under the Raiju when Lydia extended her hand kindly to Cap. The Raiju in response got to his feet and tentatively padded closer to the woman. The creature would always look alarming, his species dictated that, but his movements were always that reminiscent of a shy dog. He’d been tamed in an odd way and despite it being awful in Jared’s eyes, in this instance it might work in his favour. Cap liked having a job to do, something to be done. And while Jared refused to let the creature work on the farm doing anything other than being a companion and maybe herding cockatrice, standing guard with Lydia seemed right there with something he would enjoy. The nymph cringed as she laughed and recoiled a little in shame. He was always saying the wrong thing lately. “This ain’t your fault though, and the situation doesn’t mean you can’t look after yourself, it means that someone came prepared to hurt you. That’s different. And…” he trailed off, what could he say? Nothing that would help likely. She had been attacked; he couldn’t fix that.

It was terrifying, letting it cautiously move closer and closer to her hand. Once, a little spark of lighting ran across the fur of its mouth and Lydia flinched away momentarily, before lowering her hand back down. Was Jared sure Cap would behave once he was gone? He was the nymph of vicious beasts, not her, and Cap was looking more vicious the longer she looked at him. She looked back up to Jared when he cringed, immediately regretting her own response. “Oh, Jared-” She said softly, reaching out for his hand after a moment. Was it different? Did it matter now, when she needed a team of eight security guards just to keep her safe, especially when one was driving her around? When she fell asleep at the most random hours, but terror kept her awake most nights. “You’re so sweet. I wish I’d met you months ago.”

Cap sniffled at Lydia’s hand for a moment, his tongue darting out for a very brief moment before he backed up again to assume his comfortable position on Jared’s feet. He would stay out of her way, and so long as he was introduced to anyone else coming over, he wouldn’t cause them any issue either. He was an intuitive little creature and Jared was sure he could help at least a little. As she reached out to him, he did the same for her, taking her hand eager to offer her his apologies in any way that couldn’t turn into another verbal mistake. “Wish I’d -” he had to stop himself from saying something else insensitive by mistake. He wanted to offer support, and maybe they were just new friends, but he cherished the people he got along with, lately he was trying to do this a lot more than he used to. It was important to him to be compassionate with people just as he was with his kids. Everyone needed to feel safe and he just wished he could provide that. “I was a hermit months ago, literally on migration living with a herd. You’d not have enjoyed that.” he tried to joke lamely, but his tone fell flat. 

“No, maybe not,” Lydia replied with a huff of a laugh, less flat that his joke but still deflated at a sad balloon. “Where did you migrate through?” Now that she had his hand, she was loathe to let go, taking comfort in the presence of his warmth, and how his very presence made her chest ring soothingly as if she was being sung to, a blanket to guard away her icy fears. As Lydia sat there silently, focusing on his presence and warmth, she realised it wasn’t just her fear gnawing at her. Shit. Before Jared had gotten here, Lydia had told Chloe to bring a finished lyric set. Except she couldn’t while Jared was here. The double promise was eating at her. Shit. “Chloe, you can come over.” Almost immediately, the blond woman did, looking pale and exhausted as she handed over some sheets. 

“Followed a kerashag over the border. Just wanted to know more about them mainly.” Although his migration felt like it had been years ago rather than only this past winter. So much had happened since he’d gotten home, but that was how this town had always been. One thing after another to overcome. It was a wonder some families lasted as long as they did in this place. Jared didn’t let go of Lydia’s hand, he didn’t want to break that trust, if she needed him to hold her hand all night he’d stay. He always wanted to be someone his friends could count on. The arrival of someone he didn’t know didn’t even have him breaking that contact unless Lydia pulled away. He motioned to Cap that this person was alright and then looked up with a friendly smile. “Uh hi?” He shifted his eyes to glance at Lydia in question.

“Do you do a migration every year?” Lydia asked mildly, not really understanding what a kerashag was either. It could have been a single animal, a group of animals, a party, a species, anything, really, but she always liked listening to him telling her things, even when she didn’t have the faintest idea. She didn’t let go of him when Chloe arrived, but she did tense a little. He was the nymph of vicious beasts, surely, he’d understand. “This is Chloe,” she said for Jared’s comfort, taking the sheet from Chloe without sparing her much of a second glance. “She’s my dinner. Chloe, say hi.”

“Hi,” said Chloe. 

“Not every year, just the last three winters. I got lucky with species passing through. Not all species migrate either, so I imagine it’ll be harder the more I try and do it.” Jared spoke softly in return to her question. He would always be happy to share, especially considering she seemed to be just as kind with his own questions. He opened his mouth to greet the new face but instead sucked in a breath at Lydia's words. He floundered for a moment on what to say. He looked up at Chloe with his mouth uselessly open. This carried on for a few moments before he caught his breakings and he mumbled “Oh, hi.” His gaze dropped from the girl and to Lydia and His joined hands. “Dinner?” he asked quietly, he knew the answer was likely going to be no, but he asked anyway. “Like a guest?” Didn’t hurt to try.

 “You can go now,” Lydia said to Chloe, and as if her feet had been unglued from the floor, the bolted, down the hall and up the stairs. Oh, Jared frightened her too. All of Lydia’s friends did. Even if Lydia couldn’t quite meet his gaze as Jared fumbled. She wasn’t ashamed, she wasn’t, but maybe it had been too soon. Maybe he was still too human, too empathetic to them, maybe he couldn’t accept that Lydia couldn’t do anything but. That was what made it easier for most people to stomach. She couldn’t drink cow’s blood or eat cow brains, there was no vegan substitute. But even if there was, why would she wish to stop herself from tasting that kind of rush? “No, not like a guest. I eat human lifeforce, Jared. That’s what Leanan-Sidhe do. In return, she writes the most amazing music she could possibly write.”

He was still holding her hand. Jared didn’t want to let go, he didn’t know what to think about what he was hearing just yet, but he didn’t want to remove the comfort he’d come to give without hearing the rest. He finally looked up at her and caught her eye as she spoke. “You… to live you need to?” he asked. He just knew so little about anything. He was so behind, so out of the loop with everything from his own species that it hadn’t crossed his mind that any of them wouldn’t eat food like humans needed to for life. “Do you...eat normal food too or just...people?” It was an odd thing to ask, nothing he’d ever imagined having to inquire about in his life. But here he was, being fae truly was a whole new world. A world he was jumping into very late in the game. 

Once Jared looked at her, Lydia met his gaze, and barely even blinked, so unwilling to drop it. He was already beginning to understand. He wasn’t pulling away. She could talk him through this. “I have to,” Lydia confirmed again, watching for every little flicker, every little hesitation. Her lips quirked downwards as he accused her of eating people. Lydia never would unless it was an emergency, and even then, she’d only take the tiniest sliver. People didn’t deserve it, but humans were prey. “I can eat human food, and I can enjoy it, but it doesn’t provide any nutritional value anymore. I haven’t been able to live off anything but humans since I was a teenager.”

Have to was something Jared never argued with. It went hand in hand with what was in a species nature. And as such a big advocate for defending his kids for things they couldn’t help or that were ‘in their nature’ he’d been slowly applying his logic to people as well the more he found out about others. The divide between what he used to consider morally wrong and what he was becoming to accept as truly morally wrong was widening, but he didn’t notice. But he needed the clarification. She’d been so patient with him before now, he hoped she’d extend it now even if Jared was the one who had initially arrived to show her the support, he now needed from her. “How does it work?” he asks her. “Is it, specific to Leanan-sidhe?” 

“It is specific to us. I think it’s one of the reasons we’re so rare. Humans can’t stand it. Hunters would kill us as soon as looking at us.” Lydia’s headache was starting to return, so she let her head back on the couch, squeezing his hand to let him know she was still there as she closed her eyes so that the light could not hurt her. “It’s permanent. You can’t grow back life the way you can grow back blood or anything like that. There is no substitute. I can feed from just standing near people, but it’s like snacking on an apple, it isn’t enough. Mouth to mouth contact is how I need to eat, every few days.” Maybe her headache wasn’t the only reason she’d shut her eyes. Lydia held him even tighter now, like she was afraid he might leave. She was. “How does that make you feel?”

Jared knew the hunter mentality well and he didn’t like it one bit. He was biased against, in fact, far enough to truly despise the whole system of humans that trained to take out the beings he protected for simply existing. It wasn’t right. His beliefs were challenged by the upbringing he’d had, his ‘parents’ had raised him to believe every human should be allowed to live, but the whole balance of the earth defied that, an earth he was much more closely tied to than his human non blood related family. And yet it was hard to shake. He wasn’t like other fae, he’d grown up loving the humans around him and he still did. It was a hard pill to swallow, but he would. He squeezed her hand tightly and gave her a half shrug- not that she could see it. He combined his parents’ ideals and his own as he said “You’re part of the world, you deserve to be here just as much as anyone else. And if it’s natural to you…. If it's in your nature...who am I to say otherwise? It’d make me a huge hypocrite to advocate for balance, and then not support what you need to do to live…”

His words loosened up the temporary knot in Lydia’s chest. It would be a terrible thing, to love someone so much and to lose them so quickly to so pesky a thing as human morals. “Just like that, you’ve summarised something so few understand. I’m not wrong just for existing, no more so than any other predator. Hell, I do what the humans do.” Her victory speech was cut short by a sharply increasing pain in her back. Her face went pale as she looked up at him. “You’re a very good friend, you know?”

He gave her a small smile. She was teaching him about the world they were both part of, he trusted her judgement, and he appreciated her asking what he thought even if she wasn’t sorry about it. She gave him the time to decide and that would always mean something to the nymph. He wasn’t intelligent like others but given the time he could come to some alright conclusions. Jared noticed her face pale and he looked down at her soft look. “I’m sorry for barging in Lydia. I just wanted to contribute to your safety now that you’re home. Will you keep Cap here for me? Even if you don’t need him it’d make me feel like I don’t have to swing by every day, I’m sure that’d be annoying.”

“I will,” Lydia agreed, looking down to Cap again with a soft little smile, her nerves dissolving under his kind words. Maybe this was enough, for right now. Not talking about it, not trying to find words to describe the nightmares that ate at her, but instead leaning into the acceptance and comfort of her friends. They didn’t need to heal her, to be therapy for her, just this. Lydia took her his hand both of hers, tracing the veins of his arms idly. “You’re always welcome here, Jared. Always.”

Jared would think about what she’d said, but ultimately, he couldn’t imagine coming to a different conclusion about all she’d said. He believed in balance, and if her species existed and this was how they lived that was that. The earth had spoken. He was pleased also to find he was welcome; he’d surely be stopping in more often now he knew that. “I’ll take you up on that.” he hummed in response. 

[undermounts]

Bound―Chapter 1: Searching

Summary: As Diana searches for a mysterious artifact, she finds more trouble than she bargained for.

Masterlist | AO3

Pairing: Gaius Augustine/Diana Leigh (BB MC)

                                             Aosta, Italy, 2042

Diana slipped through the shadows, feet near-silent as she traversed the stone streets and alleys of Aosta, the moon full and bright above her. The town was quiet, most of its occupants deep in their slumber by this time of night.

She had left her lodging about half an hour prior, prepared to make the quick ten-minute journey to her destination when she had sensed another presence. As usual, it began as a prickling sensation at the back of her skull that spread like cold fire down the nape of her neck, the hair on her arms standing on end. Diana cast her senses, tendrils of psychic power dispersing through the night like ink through water until she sought what she was looking for.

The signature she found was ancient, far older than her, and distinctly inhuman, although she concluded this individual was not particularly powerful. Probably. Her own signature was masked so as not to alert any supernatural beings or even sensitive humans from paying her too much attention. It was possible whoever else was out there had done the same.

When the presence did not disappear after five minutes, Diana decided whoever this was was following her. She doubled back, taking a few random turns and sticking to the shadows in an attempt to lose her pursuer. Although she had no doubt she could handle herself, it was better to avoid a fight if possible. It would draw less attention from both the locals and anyone else who might be looking out for her.

Europe after all, was still risky territory, even after vampires emerged in the States nearly two decades ago. There were still humans who were hesitant to live side by side with vampires and Diana couldn’t fault them for being wary. Beyond that, there were other vampires as well in Europe that she wouldn’t quite call friends. Those who had devoted themselves to the First, those who were still devoted to Rheya.

Diana felt a twinge in her chest as she thought of Serafine. The Daughters of Rheya. If only she had spared a moment before confronting Rheya, perhaps she could have swayed Serafine… made her see reason.

Diana was not proud of her own mercilessness after losing Lily. She had lost herself, her control, to all of the pain and rage. For a few moments, she had lost her humanity, just as Rheya had. And it still scared her to think of what could have happened had Adrian not tethered her to this earth. It scared her even more think of what could still happen.

Diana paused in a doorway, momentarily lost in her own thoughts as she absently rubbed her thumb over the small charm that hung around her neck. A lily, formed from the silver of one of her best friend’s crossbow bolts. God, she missed Lily. She missed her every day. It was made even worse by the fact that Diana was now so far from home and everyone she loved. Kamilah, Jax, Adrian…

That caused another pang of sadness to roll through her, the thought of home. Home was basking in the moonlight with Kamilah, tending to night-blooming flowers. Home was training other vampires, young and old, with Jax in self-defense, teaching them how to protect those who can’t protect themselves. Home was resting safely in Adrian’s arms after a long day of working towards the better world they all had dreamed of and fought so hard for.

That was home for Diana, even if some aspects were no longer available.

She shook her head, breaking from her thoughts and huffed. A psychic lost in her own mind.

Coming back to the present, she cast her senses out once more and was pleased to find that she no longer felt that supernatural signature. She had either lost her pursuer or it was a coincidence. Either way, she continued with caution, taking a few extra turns than necessary. Just in case.

Eventually, she arrived at her destination. A nondescript stone house on the outskirts of town. It was well cared for, if not a little old. Potted plants bloomed on the doorstep and in the windowsills. Diana pinched a bit of soil from a flower pot between her fingers. Dry. Again, she reached out mentally, searching for any other signatures, human or otherwise, but the house was empty. She suspected it had been for a while. Had counted on it.

Glancing around, she ascended the steps to the front door and placed her hand on the wooden surface and held her breath. Nothing. That was good she supposed.

Over the last few years, Diana had come to learn that people weren’t the only sources of memory she could access. Objects held memories as well, especially those that were well used or had some sort of sentimental value to its owner.

Diana let her hand fall to the door handle and closed her eyes, thinking of the lock’s tumblers sliding free. The door unlocked with a soft click and Diana entered.

The house was more like a studio apartment. There was a living area with a couch, television, and an old wooden table surrounded by four cushioned chairs on her left, a modest kitchen on her right. Against the far back wall was a single bed, unmade. The house was well-lived in, littered with little trinkets that seemed to have come from around the world. This place was… Diana rested her hand against the worn surface of the wooden table and sucked in a sharp breath. Loved. This place was loved.

She glanced around again, this time seeing it as its owner did. This house was a sanctuary, a place of peace, comfort, and belonging. Diana eyed the heavy curtains that covered the windows and realized that the plants in the windowsill were moonflowers, a sort of night-blooming flowers she recognized from Kamilah’s garden. This further confirmed her research and her own psychic senses. This was the home of a vampire.

Diana took one second to take in the peaceful air of the room, appreciating it for just a moment, before she swept forward and began to search. Diana loosened the damper on her power, opening herself to perceive other signatures she would otherwise have to actively search for to perceive, which was more difficult when she wasn’t sure what exactly she should be looking for.

She paced, feeling her power rush to her fingertips, eager to be used. In some ways, her power felt like a sentient being. It seemed to have its own will, although Diana had long since learned to curb it so that it was merely suggestive to her. In other ways, it felt like water, the way it moved through her. She could dam it up when she had to, halting its flow; when she released it, that was when her magic was most insistent, rushing through her like a tidal wave before it gradually leveled out.

Once she felt her magic settle, Diana crossed to the center of the room, closed her eyes, and waited.

Where are you? she thought, breathing deep. I know you have been calling for me. I am here.

The dreams had begun a few weeks ago, during one of her first days in her new apartment. She had gotten fragments of something that resembled a necklace, perhaps an amulet. It was silver, engraved with odd runes and inset with a pale green stone. Following this had been glimpses of the majestic snowcapped mountains that formed the Valley of Aosta, then the exterior of this very house.

There were more dreams after that, of different objects in different places, all of them whispering of some sort of power. Diana still did not quite understand why these objects were calling to her, perhaps due to her own restlessness she had unknowingly sought them. Either way, when she had spoken to Adrian about searching for them, he had agreed that perhaps it was safer for these objects to be brought to New York where they could be monitored rather than out in the world. Although Diana suspected that Adrian had only agreed with her because he no longer felt that he didn’t have a right to do otherwise, given their new situation.

So searching for the mysterious objects was a welcome task for Diana. It gave her the space she needed, even though she wasn’t always certain that this was the space she wanted.

Where…

And then she felt it, a low hum that echoed throughout her bones. She moved in the direction of the source, her senses guiding her towards the bed in the back of the room. The bed, she sensed, was ordinary, so she gently lifted it and set it out of the way so she could survey the area it occupied. Diana brushed her fingers along the wall. Nothing. Humming to herself, she continued along the wall, walking slowly until she felt a floorboard shift slightly beneath her foot.

She couldn’t help but smirk to herself. Of course, whatever this was would be hidden beneath the floorboards. Diana crouched, wedging her fingertips into the crease of the board she had stepped on and gently lifting it. A bundle of faded red cloth sat at the bottom of a small compartment. Diana sucked in a small breath and carefully extracted it, just in case the object was particularly malevolent, although she sensed whatever magic or power this held bore no ill intent. To her at least.

Diana unwrapped the cloth, humming in satisfaction as she recognized the object of her dreams. There you are. The talisman glinted in the silvery moonlight as she inspected it, her own mottled reflection staring back at her. She tried to discern what sort of purpose it had, whether it was inherently good or evil, but as she studied it, she decided that it simply just was. Whether the talisman could be used for good or evil was dependent on its owner.

As she studied it, the pale green stone at the center seemed to pulse alluringly. Odd. Compelled, she reached out with her other hand and touched the pad of her finger to the gem’s polished surface.

Before she could react, her power surged, psychic energy rushing through her fingertips and into the amulet with a blindingly bright flash. Diana gasped, dropping the talisman to the floor with a metallic clunk! She stared at it, breathing hard as her power dissipated around her, sated and once again under her control. What the hell was that?

After a moment passed and nothing else happened, she nudged the talisman with the toe of her boot, turning it over so that the stone, now dull and unassuming, faced her. She could still feel its signature like a faint tingling sensation, but whatever energy she had interacted with, ignited, had gone dormant.

Cautiously, Diana crouched down and wrapped it back up with the thick, velvety cloth. Lesson learned. She would not be touching that with her bare skin any time soon.

Before Diana could think too hard about whether or not she had a right to take this talisman, she felt that prickling sensation at the back of her skull, more intense than before. She shoved the talisman into the inner pocket of her jacket and shot to her feet, blood singing. It was the same presence she felt before, although now that she had spent time in this house, she could at least tell that the two signatures did not align. Whoever was nearby wasn’t the house’s occupant.

Diana heard the scrape of gravel and knew with grave certainty that whoever she had sensed earlier was right outside. She scowled, reaching for the sword at her back. If whoever was out there hadn’t sensed her when she loosened her hold on her power to find the talisman, they certainly did when she touched it. She wondered distantly just who else she might have alerted.

Diana crept towards the door, breathing evenly. Diana didn’t bother to reign in her power again lest she alert whoever was outside that she picked up on their presence. Let them believe they have an advantage. She waited, quieting her mind and settling into a state Kamilah called the “killing calm.” Let them come to her.

As anticipated, Diana hear a sharp inhale, the scuffle of a boot on concrete, and then the door flew open. Diana caught the flash a scarlet gaze and gleaming incisors before she spun, planting her foot against the chest of her attacker. They tumbled back out of the building and Diana followed, closing and locking the door behind her without a second thought as she loosened her hold on her power even more.

Diana watched as her attacker picked themselves off the ground and bared their fangs, hissing in anger. A vampire then. She could handle that.

It was a young woman, although Diana knew this vampire was far older than she. Her blond hair looked silver in the moonlight, save for the dark patch that resulted from a  bloody gash on her forehead.

Diana reached for the sword strapped to her back and then paused. Attacker or no, she didn’t want to take any lives tonight. Whether she would be able to escape this encounter without death still remained to be seen. She let both arms fall to her sides, palms facing outwards.

“I don’t want to hurt you,” Diana said softly, stepping off the doorstep. “We don’t need to do this.”

“Traitor!” the woman snarled and then launched herself forward once again.

Diana dodged a punch aimed at her head with ease, twisting her body and whirling around so that the woman’s back was now to the house. Diana glanced around at the nearby houses and then beyond to the field and forest beyond. The woman struck again, this time with a low sweeping kick that Diana barely backed away from. She had to get the woman away from these houses and towards the field. There was no telling what humans might do if they awoke and witnessed two vampires fighting. And if someone else got involved…

“Die!” the woman hissed, freeing a stake from the inside of her boot and stabbing down towards Diana’s chest.

“I’ll pass,” Diana grunted, catching the woman’s fist. She yanked the woman forward and headbutted her hard. The woman stumbled back with a cry, head cracking back, and Diana took the advantage to bolt towards the field.

“Coward! I’ll kill you!”

Diana grit her teeth and wondered why the woman couldn’t vow to kill her silently.

Long blades of grass whispered around her legs as Diana bound through the field and closer to the edge of the forest. The further away they were from the town, the better. The moon shown brightly down on her, providing no shadows for cover in the open field, which suited her just fine. She had no plans of hiding.

Diana heard twigs snap underfoot behind her and spun, planting her feet in the ground and stretching out her hand, using the woman’s momentum against her as she wrapped her hand around her throat and lifted her off her feet, turning with the motion before slamming her into the ground.

“Stop this,” Diana growled, staring into blood-red eyes. “You don’t need to do this.”

“The Daughters of Rheya will never stop fighting the enemies of our Goddess!” The woman’s eyes bulged, glinting with hate and fury as her face turned blotchy. She clawed at Diana’s harm, her wrist, reaching for her face before Diana pinned her wrists with her free hand. Diana’s blood went cold at the mention of the Daughters of Rheya. That was Serafine’s following. Jax and Adrian had been keeping tabs on the group; over the last two decades, the Daughters had grown in numbers but had yet to act, appearing to be not much of a threat. Perhaps by crossing into Europe, into their domain, Diana had changed that.

“This is suicide!” Diana snapped, preparing to delve into the woman’s mind, hoping to help her see reason. “One vampire isn’t enough to―”

She cut herself off. Yes, one vampire against her was a suicide mission, so there had to be another―

“Let her go!” another voice demanded and Diana almost rolled her eyes at her own lack of foresight before the new arrival continued. “Let her go or I’ll slit his throat.”

Without turning, Diana perceived another vampire and indeed their human charge. Immediately, Diana released her hold on her first attacker and stood, hands up. Slowly turning around, she saw her another woman with closely shaved dark hair glaring back at her. In her grip was a young boy, eyes wide and afraid, a wicked knife gleaming against his throat. Her power pulsated, begging to be used. She knew she could kill both attackers but she refrained. If that could be avoided...

Suddenly her feet were swept out from under her and Diana went crashing to the ground, the wind swiftly knocked from her lungs. The first woman was on her in an instant, expression nearly feral as she wrapped both hands around Diana’s throat and slammed her head back against the hard-packed dirt. Diana grit her teeth, fighting down the panic that came with being unable to breathe as she rose her hand not to break the grip on her throat but to place her palm directly against the woman’s forehead.

Immediately the hands at her throat went slack as Diana entered the mind palace of the woman, forcing her to see her own horrific memories of Rheya as she sifted through the woman’s.

“Lies,” the woman seethed, thrashing weekly against Diana’s hold and Diana sensed that the woman truly did not believe the memories she showed her.

It’s because she’s never met Rheya. There is no truth to hold against her, no memories to compare this to.

Amidst the crushing realization that Diana could not simply turn the woman to see reason, to believe the truth about Rheya, Diana found another truth within the woman’s mind. She would not stop until Diana was dead.

Diana saw the woman’s next action a split second before it happened, barely twisting just enough so that the knife the woman pulled from a sheath at her thigh missed her heart and instead plunged into Diana’s shoulder, all the way to the hilt.

Diana gasped in pain, body surging as she hurled the woman off of her, no longer thinking to check her strength as she rocked to her feet, adrenaline rushing, power screaming to be released. Slipping into that cold, killing calm, Diana wrenched the knife from her shoulder with a grunt and flung it into the abdomen of the blond woman, unsheathing the sword at her back in the same motion.

The blond woman’s eyes flew wide as Diana stepped forward, her face neither furious nor scrunched with pain. It was eerily calm as she shook her head in disappointment and her eyes flashed with something akin to sorrow.

“I told you to stop,” Diana said in a low, even voice as she swung her blade out in a gleaming, fatal arc.

“No!” The second woman screamed in anguish as the first dissolved into ash and Diana whirled, eyes widening and power boiling to the surface as the other Daughter brought her arm sideways, preparing for that fatal slash of a knife.

Diana reached her arm out, but not fast enough.

She watched in disbelief as a blade suddenly protruded through the chest of the remaining woman and the knife fell to the ground as the hand holding it turned to ash. When the woman was nothing more than specks of dust on the wind and the young boy stumbled forward, gasping in shock but otherwise unharmed, Diana stared at the man before her as he observed the scattering ashes with a sharp exhale before meeting her gaze.

Diana’s fingertips threatened to drop her sword before she gripped it tighter, the leather creaking beneath her palm as she whispered, “Gaius.”

                                            tagging @bigmemesplz, @somin-yin, and  @mkamra2355

[the-gedonelune-times]

Miracle

It’s been a little while since I’ve uploaded a story and yes, I’m back at it again with some more OC intro content. This will be the first of a couple stories I’ll be trying to post today. This story in particular will be featuring a different kind of intro, starring MC as the one to come into contact and unlock a very special secret about the new OC Lily!

Ugh, where am I? Why does my head hurt and my body feel so heavy? I’ve been sleeping for so long, are my dreams finally over? Will I be awake soon?

A pair of eyes fluttered open, taking in the scenery around them. Lying in a small bed of flowers was a figure who had just woke up after years of being in a dream-like stasis. They were still unable to move, but a smile formed on their lips as they looked at the sky.

“How beautiful…” They murmured. “Oh, how I wish I could touch it with my own two hands.”

The figure smiled before closing their eyes; a gentle breeze passing by as they found themselves staring off into the sky above them, their exhaustion slowly diminishing as the minutes passed by.

----------------------

“Luca, I told you once and I’ll tell you again. If you’re not going to help us, then get out!”

“Oh come on, it was nothing that bad!”

“You literally just pulled an invisible ink prank on Zeus and now he’s stomping around in the halls like some crazed lunatic because he thinks his face is still the shade of a blueberry.” Joel commented.

“Oh yeah/” Luca laughed. “His reaction was priceless.”

“This is going to spell trouble for the Night Class.” Liz sighed while setting her planner aside.

“What do you mean?”

“Well, Gray and Clive have told me that when Zeus gets upset, then the classes he teaches ends up being a total nightmare for them.”

“Nice job Luca.” Elias scoffed.

“Why thank you, Prince Elias. Your compliment has made my heart flutter.”

“That wasn’t a compliment, you idiot!”

“That’s enough!”

With a shout and a slam of her planner against the desk that she was working at, Liz glared at the two of them, silencing them both almost immediately.

“Good. Now aside from that, have there been any more reports on the recent incidents?”

“You mean regarding the new magical creature? No, not a thing.”

“I overheard Schuyler mention something interesting yesterday while I was taking Seth on a walk around the Academy.” Yukiya spoke up.

“Huh? You didn’t think to tell us sooner? Do tell!” Luca sat down and smiled coyly.

“I’m not sure who he was talking to, but he said there’s been an influx of magical energy from the Northern Forest where the Winged Rabbits are. He’s not sure if this poses a threat to us yet but that he’d been keeping an eye on it.”

“I hope it doesn’t turn out to be anything serious.” 

“Nor do I. I’d like to have one normal day of class, thank you very much.” Elias huffed.

“When has anything been normal around here though?” Liz smiled.

“She’s right, you know.” 

Elias just sighed and took a sip of his tea from the teacup near his seat. “Honestly though, I wonder if this influx of magic that Yukiya just brought up, has anything to do with the magical creature everyone is talking about.”

Joel closed the book he had been reading and spoke up. “I was just thinking the same thing.”

“That actually might be possible. We still don’t know what kind of powers it has. That being said, we at least know that the creature itself doesn’t pose a threat to us.” Liz added.

“That’s true.”

A silence had crept in and took over the conversation, leaving them to all sit there in silence. Only the sound of the door opening after a few minutes, brought the room back to life.

“Wow, did we miss something?” 

“Alfonse?”

“The whole atmosphere seems off.”

Another voice entered and there in the doorway stood Alfonse and Caesar, each of them carrying a rather large box which they sat down in one of the corners of the room.

“I wouldn’t call it tense.” Elias replied. “Rather, we’re just doing some thinking.”

“Well, usually when things get quiet, it means that something might have happened, so I thought I’d ask.” Alfonse smiled while taking a seat. “So what is it that you’re all thinking about?”

“I’d like to know that as well.” Caesar spoke up while leaning against the wall.

“Yukiya overheard Schuyler talking and I guess there’s a pretty big influx of magic coming from the Northern Forest.”

“Seriously? Isn’t that where the Winged Rabbits reside?”

“Are they okay?”

“Yes, it seems like the magic isn’t giving off negative effects.”

“Strange. Do you know why it’s happening?” Alfonse asked curiously.

“Elias brought up the possibility of it being linked to the magical creature that everyone has been wanting to catch.” Liz answered.

Caesar nodded his head as he listened. “I can see that.”

“Well, as long as it’s not causing harm to the forest or the Academy, then I really don’t think we have anything to worry about.”

A few seconds after Alfonse spoke, a magic note came floating down in Liz’s hands. With a surprised look she opened it up and began reading the contents.

“Oh dear…”

“What is it?” Elias asked while walking over to peer at the note in her hands.

“It’s from Schuyler and it looks like he’s requesting that we go and investigate the Northern Forest and the surrounding area.”

“Talk about bad timing.” Luca chuckled.

Alfonse laughed. “Seriously!”

“Well, I guess this means we’re all going to have to go and investigate.”

“Hopefully it’ll just be us. I’d like to avoid having a headache if Zeus were to join. He’d most likely complain the whole time.”

“Why do I have to work with a bunch of dumb Day Classers?”

Luca mimicked Zeus and the room erupted in laughter. Once everyone had caught their breaths, they disbanded and started the investigation. Yukiya and Liz were put on a team that was decided at random before they left the room. However, Yukiya had to leave and go help calm Elias down from getting into a ‘fight’ with Luca.

Now it was just Liz as she treaded deeper into the forest. A small breeze blew past and rustled the leaves on the branches while the smell of sweet blooming flowers filled the air. All while small particles of light seemed to rain down from the tree-tops. The Northern Forest truly seemed like something out of a fairytale. As Liz continued her stroll, she saw something up ahead that caught her eye, and right away she knew something was up. A strong magical aura was surrounding whatever, or whoever, it was that was sitting on the ground.

Timidly, she inched closer until she could make out the figure more clearly, soon realizing that the figure was actually a...human? No...it couldn’t be. There, sitting in a small patch of flowers was a pale-skinned girl. She had flowy platinum-blonde hair the danced in the breeze and atop her head were a pair of small white almost glass looking horns. Behind her, a small white tail swished back and forth gently against the grass while a pair of wings, that glittered like fresh snow in the sunlight moved ever so slightly in the wind.

“No way..”

Realizing that the words had fallen out before she could even process it, Liz quickly covered her mouth with her hands and ducked behind the tree closest to her. She desperately hoped the being hadn’t seen her, but she knew that just couldn’t be the case.

“You can come out...I won’t hurt you.” 

A small timid almost sing-song voice called out and although Liz couldn’t see the expression on the person’s face, she thought they were smiling. With a deep breath, Liz moved away from her hiding spot and looked at the figure in front of her.

“You can come closer you know.” The young woman tilted her head to the side and smiled. “I promise I won’t bite.”

As Liz inched closer she noticed that woman had a small sleeping Winged Rabbit in her arms, stroking it’s fur ever so gently in an effort to not wake it.

“Who...are you? What are you doing here?” Liz asked.

“Hehe, I’m sorry, but unfortunately I can answer only one of those questions.” The woman smiled. “My name is Lily, it’s a pleasure to meet your acquaintance. I’m afraid I don’t know why I’m here. My memory is a little fuzzy and I can only remember vague pieces of the time before this. Ah, may I ask your name?”

“Oh, yes, my name is Liz Hart.”

“Hello, Liz. What a lovely name. Hm?” Lily’s eyes, which looked like someone had poured the Northern Lights into, were locked on the Academy emblem that rested neatly on her uniform. “What is that emblem for?”

“Huh?” Liz looked down at her emblem. “Oh, this means I’m an official student at Gedonelune Royal Magic Academy.”

“Gedone...lune?”

“Yes. Have you never heard of it?”

“No. I don’t believe I have.”

“I see.”

It didn’t seem like she posed any threat, but even so, Liz knew barely anything about her and it seemed like Lily herself didn’t either. This was becoming a predicament. 

“Can I ask you something?”

“Yes, you may.”

“Are you…” Liz paused, trying to figure out the words she wanted to say.

“Am I what?” Lily smiled.

“Are you a Dragonkin by any chance?”

“Hmmm..” Lily nodded softly. “That I am. I remember that much and yet…”

Her eyes seemed to hold sadness as she looked to the side.

“Is everything alright?” Liz walked over and knelt near the flowers.

“Oh, yes.” Lily shook the sadness away and smiled sweetly. “I just find it hard to find the memories I really want.It’s sort of like looking through thick fog to find a small object.”

“I see. Lily?”

“Yes?”

“Would it be alright if you came back to--”

“Liz?”

The sound Alfonse’s voice was accompanied by the sound of footsteps from multiple people as they headed in her direction.

“Over here Alfonse!”

Liz called out, smiling as the others came over to her side.

“Did you find anything?”

“Well I-” Liz looked over at the small flower patch, only to find that Lily was no longer there. In fact, there were no traces to prove that she had actually been there in the first place.

“Liz?”

“Sorry. No, I didn’t find anything out. Maybe we should try looking again tomorrow? It’ll be getting late soon.”

She wished she didn’t have to lie, but considering the information she had gathered, this seemed like something she couldn’t tell the others, at least not yet. Despite that, she revealed the truth to a certain other Dragonkin a few days later.

“Willem, what do you make of this?”

“Well…” Willem placed his teacup on the coffee table. “It seems hard to believe. Are you sure you saw another Dragonkin?”

“There’s no mistaking it, she had horns, tail and even a set of wings. Plus she even admitted to it. Though...I do wonder..”

“What is it?”

“Why would she disclose such information to me?”

“You said she suffered from memory loss, correct?” Willem sighed and looked down, almost sadly. “Perhaps she has forgotten of our past.”

A small gasp left Liz’s lips as she too placed her teacup down. 

“You mean...she might not remember the war? Or anything?!”

“Yes. Or her death.”

“Death? W-Wait, you mean she might not have been sealed away like Felix or Lacan was?”

“No, those two were the only ones sealed away. I was held as a prisoner and the others were slaughtered.”

“But then how…”

“Do you remember what I told you? When a Dragonkin dies, they become flowers. Our death is symbolized by flowers, but, it can also mean our rebirth. If this girl, Lily, truly is a Dragonkin, then she is the first of our kind to be reborn from a flower.”

Liz looked over at Willem, the two of them knowing full well on what they had to do.

[freshwater--mermaid]

Ersatz Ch 23: They Don’t Know They’re Dead To Me

Danny woke suddenly to the sound of screaming. He barely had time to process this before his body hit the bed with a dull thud.

He grimaced, rubbing at his eyes as he rolled out of bed. Another bout of yelling woke him up fully, and he quickly unlocked his door, flinging it open.

He looked out into the hallways and instantly spotted his mother, standing in the doorway to Jazz's room. She held up a small ecto gun, pointing it inside.

"Get down, Jazz!" she yelled as she took aim.

She fired a single shot, causing Jazz to cry out.

"Mom, you're going to set my room on fire!" the teen protested from within.

Danny wanted to approach and see what his mother was shooting at, but the sight of the active ecto gun kept him rooted.

Jack came bounding up the stairs, holding a mostly-finished ecto rifle in his hands, its wires still exposed.

Maddie glanced toward him and frowned.

"Jack, you're not firing that in the house." she said. "It's far too strong; it'll singe through the walls!"

Jazz squealed out, and all attention was turned once more inside the room.

"Just get these things out of here!" Jazz shouted unhappily.

Danny guessed correctly that it had to be ghosts, and his thoughts turned briefly to Vlad's warning about increased activity.

Maddie dove into her daughter's room, firing off several times despite Jazz's protests.

Two small ghosts suddenly burst through the wall and sailed in random directions. They looked like animals of some kind, but their rapidly darting forms were hard to distinguish.

Maddie ran into the hallway and fired her gun repeatedly at the fleeing spectres, green beams arcing across the walls, fizzling out harmlessly against anything non-ghost they hit.

The two spirits streaked past Danny and Maddie's gun crossed over him as well, still firing.

With an unintended shout, Danny fell back from the doorway, barely dodging one of the stray blasts.

He could hear Maddie and Jacks' footsteps beat down the hall as they pursued their prey. He continued to lay upon the floor, unable to get back up.

That single, small beam of charged energy had conjured up far too-clear memories of pain and peeling skin. The bloom of sharp light, the burning and the sensation of falling. All of it crashed over Danny, and the teen could only lay there and hope his parents didn't come back.

Thankfully, as the minutes passed it seemed that the ghosts had tried to flee outside. Jack, of course, had preemptively set the shield, trapping the little spirits.

As he finally began to calm down, Danny sat up, pulling his knees up and resting his arms upon them. He raked a hand through his hair, frustrated and confused by his own actions. What had come over him?

Sure, the ecto gun would've stung, but it wasn't as powerful as the one that had blasted him out of the sky weeks ago. So why had he been so petrified moments ago?

Danny groaned in annoyance at himself. He couldn't afford to get jumpy around his parents; Maddie would undoubtedly pick up on it, and the last thing he needed was her attention.

Danny stood up, silence ringing out as the shooting ceased. Then Jack's boastful voice could be heard downstairs. They had definitely been successful in capturing the ghosts.

A lumbering gait thundered excitedly downstairs, while a second set of steps padded lightly back up to the second floor.

Danny turned and walked away from his open door as Maddie passed by, heading to Jazz's room.

Danny listened to the muffled conversation between mother and daughter as he looked out his window. The shield blinked out of existence as Jack shut it off, and it took Danny's eyes a moment to adjust to the black night sky.

A quiet knocking from behind beckoned Danny to turn, and he wasn't surprised to find his mom's concerned face looking at him.

"Danny, are you alright?" she asked.

"Yeah, Mom." Danny answered casually.

Maddie paused for a moment, looking caught between thoughts before speaking again.

"I'm sorry I scared you, honey." she said, her voice almost as quiet as the silent house. "I guess I just wasn't thinking, and…the ecto gun can't hurt you, sweetie. You know that, right? I know that, but I suppose I…"

Maddie was at a loss for words, obviously trying very hard to assure Danny that she had meant him no harm. This at first alarmed Danny, as he wondered why she'd be so stressed over this unless she knew his secret.

And then it hit him, like a bolt from the sky.

More images from the past flickered across his mind. His mother. Not his mother anymore. Possessed by some unknown entity. The feel of her sharp nails as she dug her fingers into his hair, striking his head against the ground.

Stars danced across his vision briefly as he came back to the present. With a start, he stepped forward, coming to stand before Maddie.

"I wasn't scared," he insisted. "I was just caught off guard. Still half-asleep, and all…sorry for worrying you, Mom."

Maddie smiled at her son, moving forward, arms reaching out in the beginnings of a hug. Alarm bells sounded in Danny's head, and he quickly took two steps back, arms half-raised. He couldn't let her feel how cold he knew he was.

And like that, his words were undone. The smile was gone, and Maddie's face had drawn back up into a look of sadness and worry.

"Okay, honey…" Maddie said, her voice somehow even quieter. "Sorry this whole thing woke you up. Get back to sleep, sweetie."

With those parting words, she turned and went to join her husband in the lab, no doubt to observe their newly captured subjects.

Danny closed his door quietly and locked it. But instead of going back to sleep, he lifted off the ground cautiously and slowly flew out of his window, careful to remain invisible.

The freedom and solitude of roaming the dark skies of Amity Park helped ease the unwanted memories and thoughts from Danny's mind.

~* ~* ~* ~* ~* ~* ~* ~* ~* ~* ~* ~* ~* ~* 

Laughter echoed down the empty halls of Casper High, as the group of teenagers stood around a large table in the cafeteria. Various craft supplies littered the table's surface.

Nearly everyone present was engaged in conversation as they cut, glued, and folded paper into different Halloween themed decorations.

Two individuals, however, were completely silent, and Tucker's gaze swept between them both.

Danny looked completely absorbed in his own thoughts. The only reason he was attempting to cut out little ghosts from white paper is because Tucker had given him the task, hoping the inside joke would bring a smile to his friend's face.

No such luck. Danny had taken the supplies and got to work without comment.

Tucker looked to the opposite end of the table, where his other best friend stood. Unlike Danny, Sam wasn't absorbed in thought. She was instead absorbed in her own sour mood, brooding as she created a glitter-coated skeleton out of black paper.

Tucker sighed quietly at Sam's childish attitude. He supposed she was still stung over Dash's comments from the day before, and the fact that the very jock in question was now joking with Star as he made paper pumpkins was apparently salt in the wound for Sam.

Paulina had heard of Dash's mistreatment of Sam, and had very angrily talked the boy into helping out with decorations for the haunted house. She had invited Star along as well, and managed to convince the principal to let them borrow the cafeteria after school hours.

Tucker guessed that also contributed to Sam's mood. Paulina had managed to organise this entire get-together, while Sam had still been mulling over a theme to go with.

Tucker just hoped that she stopped sulking and lightened up, or Dash would soon give in and call her out on her attitude. That would not go well.

The teen looked down at his own little project, a vampire made from several glued-together pieces of paper. Tucker knew he wasn't that great an artist, but he was actually proud of how it was coming along.

"Wow, nice job, Tucker." Paulina commented from across him. She held up her own work; a cut out banner depicting little orange pumpkins.

"What do you think?" she asked with a beaming smile.

"Dang." Tucker replied. "That's really good! How'd you learn to do that?"

Paulina gave a flattered laugh at the obvious awe in Tucker's voice.

Tucker could feel Sam's glare burning into the side of his face as he listened to Paulina go on about her art class at her old school.

Tucker continued to ignore her stare as he got back to his own work. Just because she was angry over Dash and Star being there didn't meant that he was going to ignore everyone too.

Another hour flew by as the group, save two, continued to chat and show off their crafts. Dash was surprisingly amiable, but Tucker suspected it was mostly a front to impress Paulina, since the blond didn't talk directly to him, Sam or Danny.

Still, Tucker sure wasn't going to rock the boat. As long as the ol' Bone-Cruncher stayed docile, there'd be no issues.

Soon enough it was time to head home. Everyone gathered the finished decorations and piled them in front of Sam, like some kind of Halloween offering to their goth queen.

Tucker was happily surprised when Sam looked up and thanked everyone for helping out. Paulina grinned and hugged Sam before bouncing off with Dash and Star in tow.

Tucker walked over to his friend, who was looking down at the pile with a blank expression.

"Don't set it on fire." he smiled. "We worked hard on those."

"I'm not gonna torch them." Sam huffed, hands at her hips.

She gave Tucker the same odd look as the crafts, and Tucker was about to question it when Sam's eyes widened and she looked around the room.

"Hey, where's Danny?" she asked, already worried.

Tucker hadn't even noticed Danny's absence, and joined Sam in walking around the large room. As Sam moved toward the entrance, calling Danny's name, Tucker stepped over to the large windows.

"Sam," he immediately called. "He's over here."

The girl jogged to him as he walked toward the back door. Opening it, the two stepped out into the evening air and walked over to their lone friend, who was staring silently off toward the distant buildings that neighbored the school grounds.

"Hey, space cadet." Sam greeted, standing beside Danny. "What're you looking at?"

Danny didn't answer for a moment, but then raised a hand and pointed out toward where he was looking.

"There's ghosts flying around over there." he said. "They came close to the school earlier, bit I think they felt me here, because they left fast. They're still in the area, though."

"Really?" Sam asked, tense and on alert as her eyes swept the vicinity.

Tucker felt the same apprehension. They really didn't need another ghost attack. But one part of Danny's explanation grabbed Tucker's focus.

"What do you mean by 'they felt you here'?" he asked.

"Ghosts can sense-" both Danny and Sam began at the same time, only to stop short and blink at each other.

Sam shrugged sheepishly.

"Hey, I've been reading through tons of books on ghosts, remember?" she said.

"Yeah," Danny replied, looking surprised. "But who knew they'd actually get some of their information right."

"Not all of them are written by hacks." Sam countered with a frown. "Some of them have been very helpful, in fact."

Danny raised an eyebrow at her, and Tucker worried that he might insist on seeing the very book that Sam was obviously talking about. Tucker himself had only skimmed through the first chapter, but even that was full of enough theories that he doubted Danny would appreciate.

But Danny only turned his gaze back out, quiet once more.

"Okay guys, we should be heading home now." Tucker spoke up after several seconds of silence.

He turned back toward the door, only to groan at his own mistake. He'd forgotten to prop the door open, and thus had locked the three of them out of the building.

"What?" Sam asked, before realisation hit her as well.

"Great." she muttered. "Now how are we gonna get our stuff?"

"We can always come over early-" Tucker began to suggest.

Danny stepped between them, interrupting Tucker with a raised hand. Smiling, the teen then proceeded to stretch his arm out toward the door. As soon as his hand collided with the metal surface, it fell through, making it appear is if Danny's hand had been taken at the wrist.

His smile grew as Tucker smacked himself over the forehead.

"We're such idiots." Sam groaned.

"Yeah, kinda." Danny replied.

The others gave him annoyed looks, but couldn't help but share in the lifted mood, smiling as well. Despite Danny's increased weirdness, it was still easy to forget that he was actually a ghost, Tucker mused.

His thoughts and smile both froze as he saw Danny take Sam's hand before holding out his second for Tucker to take.

"Uh uh, no way." the boy protested, stepping back. "I said never again."

Danny gave Tucker an amused look before shrugging.

"Have it your way." he said, looking at Sam. "You ready?"

Sam nodded, doing her best not to look nervous.

Tucker watched as the two became translucent before Danny stepped through the school wall, pulling Sam in behind him. Tucker shivered at the memory of becoming intangible. The cold numbness and the inability to breathe greatly disturbed him. He wondered if that was how Danny felt all the time now. No wonder the kid was in a bad mood so often.

Standing alone at the back of the school was also not ideal, and Tucker cast his gaze around the empty area. Tiny dots of color caught his attention, and he squinted his eyes, trying to get a better look.

As Danny had said, small spirits could be seen flitting about around the distant buildings. Tucker was glad that most of said buildings were closed down old shops, otherwise people would surely be running around in a panic by now.

Danny appeared with Sam, fazing back through the building. Sam's arms were full of decorations while Danny held both his and Tuckers' bags. His attention focused immediately on the distant figures, and he held out Tucker's bag wordlessly.

Shrugging his own on, Danny began walking out across the grass toward the road. Sam called uselessly after him as she quickly folded up the papers and placed them within her backpack.

Tucker waited with her, watching Danny as he reached the sidewalk. Danny's posture didn't change much, and neither did his stride, but something had become off about him. It raised the hairs on the back of Tucker's neck, reminding him of that documentary Sam had made him watch once. A lioness had walked out toward a gathered group of zebra in much the same way. Like she was already calculating which angle was best to move in from, and which zebra looked like the optimal target.

Sam and Tucker jogged to catch up to their friend, and the little spots of color could be seen again further away, before once more turning invisible. Tucker wondered if they lacked the strength to go unseen for more than a few moments at a time. Sam's book had said something about smaller ghosts typically being weak.

As Danny neared them, they swirled rapidly through the air, shooting off and going invisible again. Danny responded by moving to stand behind a building, allowing his friends to catch up to him. He leaned against the brick wall, looking around for any potential pedestrians nearby.

"One of you look out there and tell me what you see." he said.

Both teens gave him matching odd looks, to which he shrugged.

"What? I don't want them to spot me." he reasoned.

"But they already sense you." Sam pointed out.

"Yeah, but they don't know exactly where I am, or they'd have run by now."

Sam moved to the corner of the building, stepping out into the open and casually looking around. She could see a couple walking into a store farther down, but no ghosts.

"I think they might already be running." she said, turning back to the boys.

Danny frowned, looking down at the ground in concentration.

"They are moving." he said, "Come on."

He stood away from the wall and proceeded to walk at a normal pace down the pavement, friends in tow. And then suddenly he turned a sharp right, heading down a long, narrow alley.

"This way." he called over his shoulder, breaking into a light jog.

The small passageway seemed to go on forever, the light dim, and Tucker fought off claustrophobia as he followed after Danny. The boy was obviously sensing that the ghosts were getting closer, his steps picking up speed more and more.

Tucker really hoped that Danny would remember that they were in public, and wouldn't automatically leap onto the first ghost he saw.

Danny burst out into the daylight, halting so abruptly that Sam and Tucker ran right into him. They lay on the ground in a stunned pile before Sam began righting herself.

Tucker shot up as soon as she was off him. Laying over Danny was like being on top of an ice sculpture, and he quickly began rubbing the warmth back into his arms.

Danny picked himself up without comment, his eyes turned toward the road.

Two figures walked down the sidewalk in their direction, not noticing the looks they got from passerbys as they searched about.

"Just great." Danny muttered lowly, frowning heavily toward his parents.

They hadn't spotted the group yet, too focused on tracking down their quarry.

'Probably the same ones Danny's after.' Tucker thought.

For a moment he wondered if Danny would duck back into the alley to avoid them, but instead the pale boy just shoved his hands into his pockets and walked toward them.

Maddie spotted him quickly, her determined expression lifting into a bright smile.

"Hi, sweetheart." she greeted, propping her ecto rifle against her hip so she could wave at them.

"What are you guys doing out here?" Danny asked, an accusatory undertone lacing through his words.

Thankfully Maddie didn't pick up on it, and Jack wasn't listening to the conversation as he continued down the road.

"We found another cluster of ghosts near the house." Maddie answered. "We've been following them since, but they keep managing to slip away. By the way, you should be heading home; it's getting late."

"Actually, I was gonna stay over at Sam's." Danny replied. "We still have her haunted house thing to work on."

The quick lie appeased his mother somewhat, but Maddie still gave the three a disapproving frown.

"Then you should be heading to Sam's home. It's going to be dark soon and I don't want you out on the streets."

"Got it, Mom." Danny said.

He quickly stepped around her, keeping out of arm's reach, and continued down the sidewalk.

Tucker and Sam gave quick goodbyes to the Fenton parents as they followed Danny, who was looking toward another alley.

Upon reaching it, he ducked into the shadows, glancing back at the adults before turning to his friends.

"There right here somewhere." he whispered.

Tucker really wanted to suggest that they just leave and go to Sam's place, but he knew he wouldn't be able to convince Danny to drop the pursuit. And Sam was too busy being supportive to side with Tucker, despite how much she didn't like the whole ghost-eat-ghost thing.

The concept itself didn't scare Tucker. Heck, he ate meat all the time, and figured it was kinda the same thing.

But the way Danny had changed when he'd eaten that ghost in Sam's room. Not just his eyes but his expression as well. Now that had scared Tucker, as much as he hated to admit it.

Pulled from his thoughts by the sound of Danny quietly cheering. Tucker spotted the boy, Sam close behind, near the end of the alleyway.

Danny suddenly went invisible, causing Sam to jump back slightly. She stood completely still, eyes looking around for any sign of movement.

Both teens startled when a group of little ghosts flew up from behind a discarded pile of boxes and began flying around. They obviously wanted to stick close, and spun together in random directions.

Now that he could view them up close, Tucker realised that they looked like little rats, in shades of dim green and sickly yellow.

A bright stream erupted from nowhere, and the tiny spirits gave warped squeaks as they flew past Sam and Tucker, back toward the street.

One, however, became caught in the beam, and was quickly pulled into the thermos. A now visible Danny capped the device and shoved it down into his backpack.

An ecto gun firing sounded not a moment after, and the three ran out into the open to watch Jack and Maddie. The former was firing off his weapon at the fleeing ghosts, while Maddie had lowered her rifle to the ground and was taking aim with her own thermos.

She managed to capture the remaining ghosts in two shots as they fled about in a panicked circle.

She capped the thermos with a satisfied smile, Jack grinning as he ran up to her.

"That's my gal!" he exclaimed. "Did you kids see that?"

"Sure did, Mr F." Tucker smiled back.

"Danny, did you use your thermos?" Maddie asked her son, who stood at the back of the trio.

"Yeah, but I missed." Danny shrugged. "We should head to Sam's now. It's getting dark out, after all. Bye!"

Danny gave a short wave to his mom before turning on the spot and walking quickly down the street.

Tucker internally winced as he followed. The Fenton adults were certainly distracted by their catch, but Danny should've tried to not be so obvious. Then again, Danny had been pretty obvious about his ghost status since the beginning, in Tucker's opinion, and no one had found out yet.

'This city is full of morons, I guess.' he thought.

Danny practically ran the entire way to Sam's house, casting impatient glances over his shoulder occasionally at Sam and Tucker, who lagged a few paces behind.

He didn't wait for them to catch up before entering the large house, fishing out the thermos as he climbed the stairs.

"Man, Danny, are you starving or something?" Tucker asked as he and Sam entered her room, locking the door behind.

The question made Danny look up sharply at them from his spot in the middle of the room.

"What? No, it's just…these opportunities don't exactly come around that often." he said, throwing his bag into a corner.

"Maybe that's going to change." Sam suggested, staring at the thermos. "There seems to be more and more ghosts popping up."

Tucker silently agreed, but was surprised when Sam's words only seemed to make Danny nervous.

He quickly turned his attention back to the thermos in his hands, and the mood in the room became tense. Most of it was coming from Sam, who stood half-turned toward the door, frozen in mid-decision.

"Sam, you get grossed out just from watching Tucker eat a burger." Danny said, rolling his eyes at her. "You don't have to stay in here. I won't cry over it."

The last bit was said with a teasing smile, easing Sam into a more relaxed stance. She still looked unsure, but then took a deep breath and turned, leaving the room quietly.

Tucker bottled up the urge to follow her as he locked the door once more, walking across the room and sitting down on her bed.

Danny looked at him briefly before uncapping the thermos, letting the lid drop to the floor with a bounce. He was turned away from Tucker, so that the other boy couldn't see his face.

Tucker could see, however, that he held his shoulders tensely, still nervous like he'd been the first time. Maybe he too was aware of the change that overcame him? The manic way that he had moved and the look he had worn on his face?

Tucker had subconsciously been bracing himself, hands digging into the blankets beneath him, and he jumped when Danny spoke up.

"You know you don't have to stick around, either." Danny's voice came quiet and steady, offering no hint as to what he might be thinking. "It's not like you could do much if it got away."

Tucker cast about for a joking comeback to explain why he was remaining in the room. His mind drew a blank, with not even a serious reply available to him. Tucker honestly had no clue why he didn't just join Sam in whatever room she was surely pacing around in.

The silence stretched out awkwardly, hovering over them both until Danny finally accepted the non-answer.

Pressing his thumb over the release button, light streamed out momentarily, before vanishing as a small green shape manifested on the floor.

Without hesitation, Danny took advantage of its confusion, reaching down and grabbing the creature around its middle. It squeaked and struggled as Danny held it up to eye level. He watched it for a moment, eyebrows drawing together.

"Stop whining." Danny said, frowning in agitation at the rat's increasingly loud shrieks. "You could be on your way to my parents' lab right now. You're the lucky one."

[thoughts--wander-blog]

A Garden of Chances {1}

This is an avengers x reader imagine. It is mostly platonic but there might be relationship developments later on. This will mainly be in first person but could change from chapter to chapter. I will be using Y/N to replace the main characters name because I don’t feel like making one up. I hope you enjoy! 

(should I continue this?)

      People say it’s easy. They don’t know anything. Growing up with something you can’t control and doctors don’t know how to help makes the situation even worse. People say it’ll go away. You only hope it does. Always being the center of unwanted attention does something to you when you’re a kid, something bad, something irreversible. When I was five my powers started to develop. They hurt. I hurt. My parents were oblivious, blaming the phenomenon's on bad weather or coincidence. They tried their best to get me help when my power started going out of control. To most people my power seems beautiful and a gift from whatever god they pray too. In reality its the opposite. 

      Flowers and vines appear on the top of my very skin. They grow and move at my will. Sometimes I can appreciate the random lilac’s that appear on my fingertips but other times I cry when they grow too big and almost suffocate me. Over the years I’ve slowly gotten the hang of manipulating the stems and vines that curl around my arms. Sometimes though, it gets too much to handle and it feels like a burst of adrenaline as the flowers wrap around my body and weave themselves around objects near me. It doesn’t happen as often anymore. 

      Because of my little problem my parents and I have moved from state to state trying to avoid the news and gossip. One time in Tennessee, when I was eight years old, I stayed over at a girls house. If I remember correctly her name was Chelsea. She was considered the popular girl of the class. Her curly black hair was always set into two perfect pigtails. Freckles danced across her skin and she had the straightest and whitest teeth. Kids admired her for her outgoing attitude and drive for adventure. I was new and she wanted to make me her friend. Everything was fine that night for the most part. We swam in her pool, ate ice cream while watching some animated movie for kids. It was good. But like everything my powers had to ruin it. It started with a burning sensation in my chest and I found it harder and harder to breathe. Chelsea's mom thought I was having an allergic reaction to something I ate so she picked me up and headed for her car. As soon as she touched me the flowers spread like some kind of disease. Roses with thorns as sharp as glass curled up her arm engulfing every piece of her they could find. I blacked out. I woke up the next morning in the car, all of our belongings in the trunk and some in the backseat with me. We moved to Ohio.

      It’s been about ten years since that last happened. My parents refused to let me stay over at other kids houses just in case something like that happened again. I don't blame them, they wanted to keep me safe... Who am I kidding. They wanted to seem normal. They wanted a life where they didn't have to constantly run because their daughter attacked someone with seemingly magical bushels of flowers. They never blamed me though. I guess thats how I knew they cared. They always made excuses as to why we had to move. I’m thankful for that. 

      Our last move was about six months ago to Manhattan New York. We never really lived in any busy city areas when I was growing up. We usually stuck to the back of the woods small rural towns with less than 600 people. But here the streets are busy and loud, the people are mean and rude. I don’t know if I like it or hate it or maybe a mixture of both. Its a new scene and because there are so many more people I don’t have to worry about anyone figuring out my problem. But there are also a lot of people similar to me here. The Avengers being the main people. Some with artificial powers and some with ones given to them. How do they do it? How are they able to be so out there and accepting of the thing that can be destructive and hated by society? It baffles me, honestly. I’m glad that I’ve already graduated high school because now I can take all of my college courses online and away from anyone I could potentially hurt. 

      Luging the bags of groceries up the stairs of my apartment was difficult.

      “Two trips are for pussies.” I grunted mocking myself for my earlier decision. The plastic from the handles was certainly going to leave impressions in my arms when I set the bags down. Finally reaching the door on the second floor I struggled to grab my key from my pocket. Fumbling with the fabric of my jeans I  was able to slip my fingers in grasping the key lightly before it fell on the floor.

      “You’ve got to be shitting me right now.” Sighing heavily I crouched down about to pluck the key from the carpet when a loud tear and the sound of items tumbling along the floor caught my attention. I scrunched my eyes feeling the weight from my right arm disappear. Its always the cheap plastic. Why is it always the cheap plastic?! As quickly as I could I grabbed the key from the ground and unlocked the door. Placing the unbroken bags on the counter inside I hurriedly made my way back to the door to pick up the remaining items. Maybe I should invest in buying one of those tote bags people use to bring their groceries home? Nah. I’d totally forget it at home. 

      After getting all of my groceries from the hallway and placing them into my kitchen I let myself collapse onto the couch and turn on the T.V. 

      “Of course” I sighed, “Tony Stark showing off his Iron man suit again, when will he learn that he doesn’t have to be flashy to get his work done?” The red and gold suit flew through the sky while some animated news person spoke about Tony and his upcoming party. Sighing again I flipped through the channels stopping sometimes to watch a rerun of a show but eventually turned toward my laptop to do some homework.

      Hours went by and my parents came back from their jobs. Mom works at the hospital as a nurse for the older patients and Dad found a job at a local radio station co-hosting the evening show. Recently they’ve been hinting at me to try and find a job to work at at least part time so I can get used to the area a bit more. I’m not sure if I’d like to get a job yet, what with my online classes and all, but its something to consider. 

       Mom craned her neck around the corner of the kitchen ,“I’m making spaghetti for dinner is that alright sweetheart?”

      “Yeah thats fine, do we have garlic bread?” I asked closing the top of my laptop.

      “Your father is out buying some right now he should be back any minute.” She replied, heading back into the kitchen. A few minutes later my father burst through the door. His clothes were ruffled and his face was bright red, did he run here?”

      “HONEY!”, he exclaimed rushing into the kitchen, “I HAVE AMAZING NEWS!” Curious I got up from the couch and walked into the kitchen where I saw my dad practically jumping with joy.”

      “Woah, Don, calm down whats got you so excited?!” Mom questioned placing the spatula she was stirring the sauce with aside. Taking a few deep breaths to get his breathing regular dad responded.

      “The Tony Stark has agreed to do a segment with Loyd and I on the station!” Instantly my mom grabbed my dad for a giant bear hug. Standing there silent for a few seconds I cleared my throat.

“That’s awesome dad I hope he’ll get the listener ratings up!” The station he worked at wasn’t the most popular by far so to have Tony Stark as a guest would get their rating up by probably triple what they have now. 

      “Y/N I have a proposition for you.” He said turning toward me in a serious manner, “You should come to the station with me the day Mr. Stark is arriving.” Shocked I took a step back.

     “Um... alright but why?” Taking a deep breath he glanced at my mom before returning his gaze to me. 

      “If we tell him about your powers he might be able to help you control them better.” Nervously he grasped my mothers hand. “This is a great opportunity for you and our family. If he’s willing to help us then maybe we won’t have to move around anymore and can settle down here.” What do I do. This man could finally help put an end to my hiding and shame toward my powers. My life could change. Looking down at my palm a small orange poppy bloomed, closing my fingers around it I looked back up at my father.

      “Okay... I’ll go with you.”

[xb-squaredx]

Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE: Fusion Accident?

During January of 2013, Nintendo showed off a variety of titles for the Wii U in a Direct, with a great many of them being in early development. One title raised quite a few eyebrows, collaboration between Atlus and Nintendo, a merger of the Shin Megami Tensei franchise and the Fire Emblem franchise. The game itself had just started development and it would be years before something more concrete about the game would be shown. While teased as a straightforward crossover title, upon being unveiled as Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE, it was clear this was a game no one could have seen coming. Starring idols that fought alongside Fire Emblem characters in a battle system similar to the SMT games, Tokyo Mirage Sessions managed to alienate two fanbases at once and ultimately the game ended up bombing. But years pass and with the Nintendo Switch hitting it off well, many clamor for a Switch port of the game. With that in mind, I think it’s worth going back and looking at the game, judging it on its own merits. Are these two tastes that go good together, or is it more like toothpaste and orange juice?!

The game’s premise is incredibly, gleefully absurd: strange beings from another world, Mirages, prey on the people of Tokyo, seeking out their Performa, their creative energy and talent. People with great talent can harness their own Performa to become Mirage Masters, partnering with benevolent Mirages to keep the people of Tokyo safe while they hone their own craft. The game follows the exploits of Fortuna Entertainment as they fight off Mirages, grow as performers and try to unravel the reason behind a mass disappearance of performers five years prior to the story’s start. The game’s overall tone is…quirky, and at times the writing feels right out of a Sailor Moon knockoff from the nineties. To that end, it’s fairly harmless but not exactly engaging. The bulk of the game’s story is told at the very beginning and the very end, with a very uneventful, repetitive middle. More time is spent on the various idols, actors and models of Fortuna fending off random Mirage attacks than advancing the overall plot until about the last third of the game, and as a result I found it very hard to get invested.

Things were bad when one of the core driving forces for Tsubasa Oribe, the game’s main heroine, was solved in the first chapter. She wanted to find her sister, who was a victim of the mass disappearances five years prior to the story, and after she’s found, her whole character arc is just “to be the best idol I can be!” Speaking personally, I don’t find that engrossing enough to justify a lengthy RPG. It doesn’t help that most of the other characters are rather bland, tired archetypes that can be boiled down to two main traits. Kiria is the aloof tomboy who secretly loves cute things, Barry is an otaku who loves little girls (but not in that way we swear!), and did you know that Eleonora is biracial and loves Hollywood? Well, don’t worry, because every time she speaks one of those two subjects comes up!

To be fair, I don’t outright dislike most of the cast (except for Barry), and each main character gets a series of side stories about them that does flesh them out slightly and features a little growth, but it’s not nearly enough to make them feel like well-realized characters. Yashiro is a good example of this; one side story establishes he’s so used to having assistants do everything for him, he doesn’t know how to eat by himself. Rather than treat this like a serious issue, the side story frames it as him needing to eat so he can make his acting more believable. Entertainment work is all these characters have to define their personalities and we don’t get to see much of their personal lives at all. Itsuki and Tsubasa are noted to still be in high school, but outside of a quick shot of them in the animated opening of the game, there’s not a single scene at school. I realize I’m ragging on the story and characters a lot, but that’s a huge part of any RPG and considering the pedigree here, with the Persona and Fire Emblem franchises known for making well-loved characters…it’s hard to not feel disappointed.

You might be wondering where the whole Fire Emblem influence fits into all this. Mirages are sometimes monsters…and sometimes they’re characters from the Fire Emblem series, with serious redesigns that make them virtually unrecognizable. Overall, it’s a plot point that feels pretty half-baked and tacked on, though there are plenty of nods to the series in the game. To be fair, the gameplay side of the equation features a lot more influence from both series, resulting in a better fusion of ideas.

At its core, Tokyo Mirage Sessions is like any other Atlus RPG. You travel around small hub areas, then enter rather plain dungeons and fight monsters in turn-based battles, trying to find their weaknesses and exploiting them as often as possible. Things change with the introduction of Session Skills though. In the normal SMT games, hitting an enemy’s weakness grants you an extra turn, while in Persona this sets up you for an All Out Attack. In TMS, however, hitting a weakness can trigger a Session Skill, where your other party members jump into the fight and strike a blow of their own. So if Itsuki uses a lightning spell on a monster weak to it, Tsubasa jumps in with a lance attack, as an example. The Session chains start out fairly small, but as you progress through the game, sessions grow longer and more damaging, to the point where one character’s turn can lead to attacks in the double digits. If there’s one thing this game does right, it’s a constant sense of progression; you’re always learning new skills, creating new Session chains and gaining new party members. There are a number of moves characters can learn that tie into their side stories and character growth too, like Ad-lib Performances (randomly turning a normal attack into a powerful cinematic attack that always triggers Sessions) and Duo Arts (two characters team up for a super move that resets the Session chain).

The Fire Emblem attack triangle and various other unit weaknesses seamlessly integrate into the SMT battle system. Fighting a flying enemy? Nail it with arrows or wind magic. An enemy has an axe? Use a sword move on them. And so on. Knowledge of Fire Emblem really helps out here, as otherwise this game has the same “challenge” of having to guess to see what element or attack type a given enemy is weak to during their first encounter. It can feel pretty satisfying to get off long chains on enemies, whittling them down to nothing, and you’re given plenty of tools to work with, but that does lead into another problem…

Rather than fuse demons or Personas together to get new skills (or party members), in TMS, you gain drops from enemies that can be turned into weapons that the party members and their Mirages wield. The weapons have a separate level up from the party, and impart new skills until they reach their cap, whereupon you’re encouraged to form a new weapon as soon as possible. Players interact with the Fire Emblem character Tiki, reimagined in this game as a virtual idol comparable to the likes of Hatsune Miku, to forge new weapons, or unlock new passive skills. This is a fine system and all, if a little lengthy with elaborate animations each time you do it (which can be skipped), but the problem is that it’s too frequent. You level weapons up ridiculously fast, and gain new drops to make new weapons just as fast. This doesn’t seem like a problem except that it requires you to repeatedly leave any given dungeon to go talk to Tiki. You can take all of ten steps into a dungeon, get in a few fights and suddenly the game wants you to leave to get new weapons and skills. And it’s certainly possible to just hold off on it, but you’re missing out on worthwhile new skills and attack boots; it’s just more efficient to constantly return to your headquarters. The dungeons, to be fair, are designed with this in mind, with warp panels you can unlock that cut down on backtracking a lot, but that doesn’t change the fact that you’re constantly starting and stopping, slowing progression down to a crawl.

This really is a result of this game being quite padded. Overly elaborate animations for everything, dungeons that throw enemy encounters at you nonstop, time-consuming hazards and gimmicks in each dungeon…and the constant backtracking to Tiki. A good chunk of my time with the game was really spent just combing through menus for weapons and skills, as well as lots of loading screens, or just watching the same animations again and again. While it’s nice to see a 14 hit Session chain, when you KEEP seeing those same moves again and again and again, it gets old. I feel like some streamlining could have gone a long way towards fixing these complaints, like an option to warp directly to the Bloom Palace where Tiki resides, rather than to Fortuna’s offices, followed by a loading screen to see Tiki. Or better yet, make more use out of the Game Pad by letting us manage new weapons and skills while on the go in dungeons. As it stands, the Game Pad is used to display a rather basic map of any given area, and showcase posts made in Topic, an in-game social media app every main character uses. Considering Tiki’s a virtual idol and she even made an app that lets you know when new weapons and skills are ready, it doesn’t seem like much a stretch to me that at some point in the game, you could have gotten an app that let you make new weapons on the spot…but alas, that’s not how the game works.

In the end, really, Tokyo Mirage Sessions is a game that has a fair bit of charm, but a number of odd design decisions that kept me from getting as engaged as I would have hoped. I actually dropped the game multiple times over the course of about two years before I finally beat it, because of how bored I got. The characters are dull, the story doesn’t really exist until the last ten hours or so, and the combat takes a while to really open up, and even then, it can be kind of repetitive. But having said that, there’s still a lot to like here. The music is pretty on-point, considering idols are a big component of the game. There are at times animated music videos for various characters that clearly had a lot of work put into them. The game’s overall aesthetic is colorful, filled with bright neon greens and pinks, with nice touches here and there on the UI and in-battle animations. Like how Mamori is so small, she needs to use herself as a counterweight to swing her huge axe, or how characters sign their names when doing spells, like doing an autograph. The overall premise, that performers can harness their creative energy and bring to life manifestations of their craft, is cool too. That really comes out when you see some of the Duo Arts or Ad-libs. Tsubasa summons a massive tidal wave to reenact a soda commercial she did, or Touma becomes the tokusatsu super hero he plays on TV for real, complete with theme song blaring in the background! It’s cool stuff, but it only goes so far.

Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE isn’t really a bad game, though it does have a fair number of issues. The game really had to fight an uphill battle after its official unveiling, as years had passed with people speculating how a crossover of two very different franchises would work. I think it’s safe to say that idols using the power of music to beat back monstrous versions of Fire Emblem bosses weren’t what anyone was thinking. Combine that with some drama during the game’s localization, and you had a game that ended up being dead on arrival. Had the game been announced differently, maybe it would have been better received. There’d still be some issues with the game on the whole, though, and when I see people calling this one of the best games on the Wii U I have to raise an eyebrow a bit. It’s not without its charms, to be sure, but TMS to me was a lot of flash, with too little substance to justify a lot of the busywork found within. It’s still a solid premise I’d love to see Atlus or Nintendo try again someday though.

Until next time,

-B