#i love pegasi and their expressive wings

[merethessc]

I will stop... one day. Promise

[shadowdaddies]

Home for Dinner

Nesta x f!Reader

Summary: Nesta comes home from training the Valkyries in the Day Court, and you show her just how much you missed her.

Warnings: smut below the cut, oral f!receiving, minors dni

Weeks had passed since Nesta left for the Day Court. She had made a deal with Helion, our alliance with his court allowing the Valkyries to train with his pegasi. You were elated for the Illyrian females - those who had their wings clipped and could finally fly, and you couldn’t wait to hear everything about it from your mate.

Your emissary duties required you to stay in the Night Court, having meetings in Hewn City with Mor and the Lords. By the time you returned to your home in Velaris, you were missing Nesta more than ever. The bed was cold, the house too quiet. You nearly cried when Feyre informed you that the Valkyries would be returning from training that night.

You decided to decorate the entire house, painting a welcome home banner that you hung along with blue gauzy curtains, lighting candles and multi-colored faelights around the living room and bedroom. You turned on the symphonia, swaying to the music as you prepared dinner. 

Caught up in the music, you didn’t hear the door open as you put the final bit of frosting on the cake. A moan left your lips as you licked the chocolate from your fingertip, twirling around with the music as a figure in the corner caught your eye. Dropping the spatula, you let out a small scream before recognizing Nesta’s curves in the shadows. 

You clutched your hand to your chest, catching your breath as Nesta stepped forward with a smirk on your face. “Gods, why did you sneak up on me like that?” 

A small laugh left her lips, mischief dancing in those silver-blue eyes. “I was enjoying the show.” 

You quickly pulled her into a hug, finding comfort in her jasmine and pear scent, the warmth of her body against yours. “I missed you so much,” you whispered, holding back the tears of relief at finally reuniting with your love.

Pulling back, Nesta held your face in her hands, rubbing circles along your cheeks. She pulled you into a passionate kiss, the words you both could not express relayed between you at the contact. Her hand threaded through your hair, tugging back playfully as you gasped in her hold. 

You stumbled, struggling to focus as you gestured to the food on the table. You dipped your finger into the icing, holding it to her full lips as you spoke with pride. “I made dinner, if you want something to eat.”

A sly smile graced Nesta’s face, her lips puckering around the icing on your finger as she licked it clean, tongue flicking out in a way that had you clenching around nothing. “I know exactly what I want to eat,” she murmured, taking your hand from her mouth as she dragged you to the couch, too eager to make it up to the bedroom. “I can’t believe you did all of this for me,” she breathed, pulling you close, hands running down your body in appreciation as she took in the decoration. 

“I wanted to do something special for you,” you murmured, tilting her chin to look back at you as you pulled her in for another kiss, your tongue flicking against hers as she opened her mouth for you to explore. It was a clash of teeth and tongues as your actions became increasingly frenzied, Nesta ripping the buttons of your dress as she stripped you bare.

The cold air of the room had you gasping, a shiver running through you that was quickly quelled by her lips running down your neck, hands exploring your chest, waist, hips. Your own hands scrambled to untie her leathers, stripping her clothes as you threw them to the side. 

Savoring the warmth of her bare body against yours, you pulled her close, her breasts brushing against you as your hand dipped between her thighs. You moaned at her slick evidence of arousal, gathering it on your finger as you pulled away, eyes rolling back at the taste of her as you sucked on your finger. 

A snarl left Nesta’s lips at your action, and she effortlessly picked you up, tossing you onto the couch. You gasped, bouncing against the cushions just as Nesta swung her leg over your face, hands gripping your thighs as she pulled them apart. A mewl escaped you at the feeling of her breath on your exposed pussy, writhing under her firm hold. 

Pulling her hips down, you licked a stripe up her center, savoring her taste before moving back to suck on her clit, your nose buried in her heat. Her lips wrapped around your clit, tongue flicking out as she mimicked her earlier suction on your finger, and you moaned deeply into her core.

Nesta gasped at the sensation, her hips bucking into you as she brought her fingers into your center, curling against your walls as she sucked and licked your clit. Your legs shook, arms gripping her thighs as you tried to regain your focus. Unable to think, an animalistic need took over as you pulled her pussy down, fingers plunging into her core as you ate her out. 

She moaned loudly, trying to pull away, but you held her in place, doubling down your efforts as you gasped and moaned at the feeling of her tongue flicking against you. Stomach tightening, you tapped Nesta’s leg in warning as you felt your high approaching.

You could feel her smirking against your pussy, sucking harshly on your clit as a hand smacked against your core, sending you spiraling over the edge. Nesta’s breathing turned ragged as you released a muffled scream against her, the both of you exhausted as you came down from your orgasms. 

Nesta clambered off the sofa, crawling to your side where she tugged on your hair, pulling you in for a deep kiss as you tasted each other, tongues battling for dominance. Nesta finally pulled away for air, sitting back on her heels as she smiled down at you. “Let’s get some dinner, before we eat again,” she winked, pulling you up as she pressed a kiss to your cheek and led you into the kitchen.

[frostythievery]

I've been hanging onto these for a long while and I've been so very excited to share them! I've been slowly writing my own infection au, while trying to figure out writing for personalities and conflicts, to better understand them myself, but I'll try to keep key points intact for each character!

I'm also going to be practicing poses, expressions, and body-types in a cartoonish style! I will be doing new things occasionally, in colors, always, as an artist. I don't know how well it will transverse from screen to screen on devices!

I'm still very in love with all these AUs, and wish people would share with me! Reblog, go wild in your tags, I will read! Please, interact!

To also provoke questions: Facts about my characters! ; A read more.

All of the CMC have some form of muscle built for/from various needs and reasons! Their body types pull into this just as much!

Scootaloo is the tallest and slimmest. Sweetie is chubby and shortest of them. Bloom just works very hard to keep her beef, more on that later! They're always running around, doing strong things as fillies!

Ack! There's reasoning for Sweetie to be lacking the CMC! As she travels to Canterlot more often with Rarity for Trips, though of course that means she's working for the CMC there too. She's just busy running supplies runs and running the shop, while promoting newer teen clothing.

Sweetie has a single scar from their misadventures as young fillies, which makes Rarity fret to no end. First time she saw it, she screamed, but she understands the trouble thanks to her own journey. Belle also understands her sisters worry, but she feels stronger with it. She's also glad to be matching Applebloom.

Which is great, because Scoots and Bloom have matching eyebrow scars too. They all chat about the stories behind them too.

AB gets hers from all the work she does from working and disciplining herself between The Orchard with Jack and Bic Mac or Pinkie Pie and the Sugarcube Corner. Her spirit boils to hard work, and her will is rock solid in that motif/lifestyle. She gets 6, sometimes 7 if she's lucky, hours of sleep with a strict bedtime.

Scootaloo is still a little sleazy in working, and is slowly working the courage to ask Applebloom about that life style motivation junk. She's been trying to since before her flight exam. In this RF AU, she passes her test. A genetic defect in her wings made them too small to functionally fly, but she can glide in average lengths for functional Pegasi wings. With this information, RD had taken it into account that some Disabled Pegasi can get smaller jobs inside the facility as messengers, with hopes to give Scootaloo a position (Unbeknownst to her little sister.) This implemented a course for Disabled Pegasi.

EDITING ONE TIME, because I forgot to talk more on the Ochard and Baking thing!

Applebloom is absolutely capable of rocking someone's shit cause Pinkie has her doing rough and hard labor! She's always moving ovens, reorganizing, sharpening, and cleaning items! A constant move over there!

And when she's home on her Sister's Farm, she's bucking every tree in sight until her fur is tufts of drying sweat at the end of the day.

She's also going back and forth on CMC involved Missions with Scootaloo, since she views her Cutie Mark as her work and all, a lives goal, Girl's got plans and schedule!

I believe that's all I'll share for now! I will be thinking and mulling over on everything in my head, but the process is admittedly a slow one that I want to put care into. My mental health often times affects my motivation which results in horrid burn out, only recently I've been giving myself art breaks I'm hoping talking with the fandom and engaging will help me feel better about doing all this work myself! (It is a rough, rewarding endeavor!)

[fantasy-anatomy-analyst]

So the Vrock are the worst designed creatures you've ever seen but what's the BEST designed creature you've ever seen?

just one? oh man. well, for more mainstream content, i love all of Ryoko Kui's creature designs. my goodness. I was only partly aware of her work for a while, but then i got into dungeon meshi and wow. she is an artistic worldbuilder of the highest caliber. I only wish her female dwarves had facial hair. that's it, that is my only critique. all her chimeric creature designs? amazing. the detail she goes into to make all her people species distinct, down to their skeletal structure? i love it. the hard hitting social commentary? wonderful. delightful. she's the best fantasy writer of our current time. hands down.

for more small independent work, anything by @jayrockin and the amazing pegasus designs from @skycowboys honestly. they're both so good at what they do. jay's alien designs are wonderfully expressive and so well thought out, with so much emphasis on the different cultures and communication styles. and the skycowboys pegasi and all the worldbuilding around them and the different breeds of pegasi? it's so beautiful. i love how much they look like fully cohesive animals and not just horses with wings.

[chopfizzy]

little sketches of some of my next gen characters!

left to right: sunny daze, unnamed but ill call her cloudy, vex

these guys are my celesticord/dislestia nextgens, i love them dearly (I've been a big celesticord fan since I was 10, cant back out now)

bit of info about them under the cut!

(first of all, credit for sunny's design goes to https://www.deviantart.com/arexstar !)

Sunny Daze (she/her)

The firstborn, and the only true alicorn of the three, she's next in line to take over Celestia's duties and roles (twilight is doing other stuff in my au, will talk abt that sometime)

Appears to be the perfect pretty happy princess all the time, how does she do it??

She's the most collected and responsible, and is usually the one to deal with any political or social events

Cloudy (she/her)

Secondborn

While she appears to be an alicorn, she's more like a unicorn/draconequus hybrid, her wings are different than that of other alicorns or pegasi upon closer inspection. She uses magic to disguise herself as a regular alicorn to try to appease ponies

Feels stuck in her sister's shadow, wishes she could keep it together as well as her, she also has middle child syndrome (celestia unfortunately has to spend a lot of her time with sunny when shes not already busy)

Prone to magical outbursts when she gets emotional, which she is working on, but its difficult when you're so full of potent pony magic on top of chaos magic

shes not really considered for taking on any particular royal or magical duties at the moment, much to her chagrin

Vex (they/he/she)

Thirdborn

Takes the most after Discord both in appearance and personality

They don't care what anypony thinks of them, unafraid to be 100% themselves (unfortunately for everyone but pinkie pie, this includes the occasional chocolate milk storm)

Full of mischief, but not malice

Has zero involvement in royal or political affairs, expresses no interest in ever taking such a position

[the-pobble-terrarium]

INFODUMP INCITED you’re getting my nerd talk about my rewrite AU- starting off with the basics! (side note I used to have a wordpad document with all the lore and world building in it but I fucking LOST IT I'm still so mad about it so 90% of this is from memory)

GENERAL CONTEXT FIRST

So basically, I love fucking around with the idea of genetics and typical race traditions and customs and THE MAIN PONY RACES GIVE SUCH A PERFECT OPPORTUNITY FOR IT- and I’m gonna start off with-!

UNICORNS:

Out of the three races, Unicorns are the most open and accepting of anybody deviating from the typical norm. Being the race most steeped in expression and individuality in their culture, Unicorns LOVE seeing others express themselves and be open to who they are! New fashion style you want to try out? Go all in, nobody is going to side-eye you for trying something out of the current trends!

Basically, Unicorns in this AU are nearly the complete opposite of Canterlot unicorns- many still put pride into their looks and appearance, but they’re never quick to judge others. Passion, dedication, and love is what Canterlot and it’s unicorn residence are built around and they’re happy to see others bask in that just as much as they do! This is why Canterlot is typically the main refuge for creatures all around Equestria or those looking to start a new life away from harsh and bitter traditions.

Common Unicorn Features:

Long ears

Long hair

Traditional tail (think lion/kirin tail)

Curly fur

Cooler colors

Tall height

Small hooves

Spots of winter coat (Unicorns tend to trim their winter coats, think of a poodle)

Gradient hair colors

Single-color body

PEGASI:

Pegasi are much less forgiving- not in the sense of fashion or expression- but in the sense of physique. Cloudsdale and the culture that lives there is one of toxic competition; Since Pegasi are entrusted with managing weather and the main race for Equestria's air defense, being a good flier is expected above all else. Those with ideal flight strength and speed are praised, put on a pedestal as an example of what you SHOULD be- but unfortunately a society centered around the best of the best leaves those who can't live up to it at the bottom. Pegasi born with short wings or heavy figures- anything that could hinder their flight- are scrutinized and looked down upon in Cloudsdale. Many who can't be 'the best' are teased and mocked in their early years and struggle to find jobs or respect later down the line. It's part of the reason so many disabled Pegasi can be found in places like Canterlot and Ponyville, people there won't look down on them for things out of their control.

Common Pegasus Features:

Medium sized, feathered ears

Short hair (can grow long, but typically kept short to help with flight)

Short fur

Feather tufts (back hooves, shoulders, cheeks, under eye, neck, tail)

Most any color

Lanky figure, avg. height

Long snout

Avg. hooves

No winter coat

Multi-color hair

Gradient body

Hollow bones (this makes them particularly weak fighters without wing power)

EARTH PONIES:

Earth ponies are by far the most close-minded of the ponies. Being the race most dependent on hard-labor and community, Earth ponies stay very close to their inner-circles, sticking together and living by traditions passed down from countless generations ago. While this fosters a very close-knit family dynamic and good work ethic- living by tradition and never questioning it can lead to.. discriminatory behaviors, even decades after mistrust between the 3 tribes has dispersed. Being strong is essential when working on the field, and the long-inaccurate rhetoric that "pure-bred" earth ponies are the strongest still runs rampant in Earth pony communities. Because of this, it's often considered shameful to partner with another race, have a child with a different race, or invite a different race to work on the fields with you. In later Equestrian years this rampant racism has begun to die down in Earth pony communities, but many still feel saddled with guilt or worry when they break these traditions, even if they no-longer apply.

Common Earth Features:

Stout, small ears

Any hair length

Fluffy (including fetlocks)

Warm colors

Short, chunky build

Short snout

Big hooves

Big winter coat (it’s considered shameful in Earth pony culture to cut or trim it if not needed)

Single-color hair

Multi-color body (typically has solid markings of some kind)

Naturally strong

[brick1458]

Chapter 17 why not sure I'll marry you part 3

It was the night of Pipp and Presto's wedding. Ponies were partaking in festivities in every square inch of Zephyr Heights. There were food stands, games, plays, and magic shows on the streets. Music videos made by Pipp, Presto, or both played on the mega screens. There was a timer in the bottom right of the screens counting down to the ceremony. Ponies were on their phones, taking pictures and videos and sharing them with their friends and family in Maretime Bay and Bridlewood. On top of every other building, cartons of fireworks were set to go off as soon as the bride and groom kissed for the first time as husband and wife.

Pipp watched the festivities from her bedroom. Two maids were adjusting her dress for the concert before the wedding. Though Pipp didn't care about the politics regarding her marriage to a unicorn, she was astounded to see so many ponies expressing their happiness for her. Never in ten thousand moons did she imagine so many souls supporting her getting married so passionately. Not even when her only fans were her fellow pegasi. Pipp put her hoof on her heart as she fought the urge to cry, touched.

Suddenly, Pipp felt her phone vibrating from underneath her wing. She took it out and saw that it was a video call from “Prestie.” Her heart skipped a beat, and she gave the maids a look, telling them to leave. The maids bowed and left the room just as Pipp answered the call, and Presto Tetrachord appeared on the screen.

"Hi, Prestie Bear," she chirped.

"Hi, Pippy Cake," Presto greeted. "Have you seen what's happening outside?"

"I can see it from my bedroom. I didn't know there could be so many ponies in Zephyr Heights at one time," Pipp said.

"I know. It's incredible. I've seen posts of ponies selling plushies of us that are handmade out there," Presto said.

"Seriously? You've got to share them with me," Pipp said. "Speaking of which, one of the ponies that brought earth ponies, unicorns, and pegasi together made the cutest figurines of us. I can't wait to show you later."

"I'm looking forward to it," Presto said.

Pipp's smile grew, gazing into Presto's gray-blue eyes. Then her smile weakened, and she sighed as she looked back outside.

"I wonder how many of them are celebrating just because a unicorn and a pegasus are getting married," she said. "I'm thankful that our races are united, so we were able to meet, but it would be nice if there is focus solely on us getting married rather than just what it means for ponykind."

"No, my love. This night should be a historical moment," Presto said. "One day race will have no focus when ponies are united in holy matrimony, but it has to start with us. All of Equestria will treasure our happiness even when we are long gone."

Pipp kept looking outside as though she didn't hear Presto. Then she turned to her phone and said with a smile, "I guess you're right. Ponykind has to start somewhere. Might as well be us."

"And after that, we don't need to focus on anything else but our married life together," Presto said. "It will be just you and me. Well, you, me, and our fans."

"That sounds perfect," Pipp said. "Anyway, I better let you go. I'm performing in a few minutes."

"Of course. See you at the ceremony, Pipp Puff," Presto said.

"I'll be the one in the veil, Honey Bear," Pipp said.

Pipp hung up and held her phone to her chest as she let out a blissful sigh. She felt goosebumps in her body as she thought of everything Presto said about what their married life would be. The thought made Pipp more eager for the wedding to happen so she could sing her song for Presto.

Eventually, Pipp took a deep breath to focus on the concert. She closed her eyes and did vocal warmups before exiting her bedroom and heading to the backstage room above the throne room. When she arrived, two crewponies attached wires to her dress and ran a test to ensure they were sturdy. Pipp paid no mind to them, for this was a normal routine whenever she was going to pretend to fly with her mom and sister. Queen Haven was powdering her face in her dressing desk close to the edge. Cloudpuff stood next to his owner, dressed in a little cloak with holes for his wings and a bowtie. Haven saw Pipp through the mirror and smiled as she turned to her youngest daughter.

"Your last concert before getting married. How are you feeling, pumpkin?" Haven asked.

"Excited and anxious. I love my fans, but I just can't wait to be married," Pipp said.

"Oh, don't be so hasty, my darling. I'm not in a hurry to pronounce my little girl a married mare," Haven said. "I wish your sister would find someone. I'd be at ease knowing someone will be by her side when she becomes queen."

Pipp chuckled and said, "I'd like to see somepony try to woo Zipp. Your best bet might be to make an arranged marriage."

"Don't tempt me, Pipp," Haven said.

"Your Highness, we're going to start the show in two minutes," a crewpony said.

"Thank you, Frank," Pipp said.

Frank nodded and told the operator behind the curtain in the throne room that they were ready through his headset. A few seconds later, the wires lifted Pipp up and sent her hanging above the hole to the throne room. Pipp took a deep breath and did more vocal warmups for safety as her mother watched with a smile.

"Remember to enjoy performing for your fans," Haven said.

"I always do, Mom," Pipp replied.

Down in the throne room, Sunny, Izzy, and Hitch stood in the middle of the crowd waiting for the concert to start. The walls and windows were decorated with flowers, party drapes, and lights. There were white, pink, and lilac cloudbuster balloons hanging above the ceiling. There was a stage set up in front of Haven, Pipp, and Zipp's thrones with a golden arch at the center.

Sunny and Izzy wore neon light necklaces, fake earrings, and face paint. Sunny had plushies of Pipp and Presto, and Izzy was wearing a plastic ring on her horn that they won from playing games. Hitch played some games but mostly acted as the mares' chauffeur. Still, it was nice to watch his childhood friend enjoy the festivities with her best friend.

Hitch felt somepony bump into his side, and he turned his head to see Periwinkle Pi's apologetic face. Izzy was more than happy to take Hitch's suggestion to make Periwinkle her plus one after he explained her reason for wanting to go to the wedding. Periwinkle partook in activities the least among the group. Sometimes she watched Sunny, Izzy, and Hitch play games and dance; other times, her focus was on Presto's music videos playing on the mega screens. Eventually, the group would push her into joining the fun, which eased her up. Periwinkle even won a pizza-eating contest, winning a unicorn raccoon plush. However, when it was time to go to the castle, it was back to focusing solely on her goal. When they went inside the castle, Periwinkle told the other to go ahead while she used the restroom, and so Hitch waited, hoping she’d be back before the concert started.

“Sorry. It was hard to find you guys,” Periwinkle said.

"It's alright. The concert hasn't started yet," Sunny said.

"Are you ready for this?" Hitch asked.

Periwinkle hesitated and turned her head to her saddle bag.

"I'm…prepared," she answered. "Either way, I really appreciate you guys giving me this chance."

"Oh, pfff. You've said that like, nine times since we invited you," Izzy said.

"I know, but I can't help but be grateful that I can make this once attempt to get Presto to notice me," Periwinkle said. "Plus, how often do you get to watch your favorite artist perform in Zephyr Heights Castle? It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, to say the least."

"You're telling me. This has already been a wonderful night. I can't wait for the wedding itself," Sunny said. "Er, I still hope for the best for you, Periwinkle."

"You don't have to hide it, Sunny. You have your dream for tonight, and I have mine," Periwinkle said.

Sunny gave Periwinkle a sad smile, knowing she was trying hard to keep her cool. Suddenly, the lights dimmed, and ponies cheered and stomped their hooves. Pop music was playing, and party lights lit up the room. Sunny, Izzy, Hitch, and Periwinkle expected somepony to appear on the stage until Sunny noticed ponies holding up their phones at the ceiling and looked up.

"Guys, look!" Sunny shouted.

Izzy, Hitch, and Periwinkle looked up to see Pipp pretending to fly down with two spotlights on her from both sides. Pipp waved at the crowd before she leaned forward as the wires lowered her to make it look like she was diving down. Ponies cheered louder as Pipp pretended to fly a few feet above them. Finally, Pipp began singing her song, and ponies immediately sang along while waving their phones with their flashlights on.

But while Sunny, Izzy, and Periwinkle sang, Hitch watched Pipp in awe. All his life, Hitch feared seeing a pegasus fly. That's what made him at ease when he learned the pegasi had no magic and yet seeing this mare flying above him with poofy wings, a pretty dress, and a radiant smile entranced Hitch as if he was looking at an angel. Eventually, Hitch looked back and saw that his plot was shaking to the rhythm of the music. He embraced the moment and hummed the melody while bobbing his head. Hitch didn't look away from Pipp as she went from one song to the next. Sunny noticed Hitch enjoying the concert and smiled. It gave her hope that Hitch might become open to things outside of being a sheriff.

Finally, after Pipp finished her last song, the crowd applauded with some ponies chanting her name. Pipp looked down at the crowd with a heartfelt smile before she cleared her throat.

“Thank you, everypony. It means so much to me that you are all here for this momentous occasion,” She said. “How is every pony doing tonight?”

The ponies cheered and stomped their hooves again.

“Do we have any unicorns in the house?” Pipp asked.

Izzy jumped up and down like a little filly as she and Periwinkle cheered with the other unicorns.

"Well, I have my eye on only one," Pipp said, smirking.

Suddenly, smoke appeared from the stage, and ponies cheered as Presto appeared from it, wearing a blue onesie and holding a microphone. He looked up to see Pipp being lifted back up and blew a kiss. Pipp’s smile grew, and she mouthed, “I love you.” Presto smiled and mouthed, “I love you more,” before Pipp was out of sight.

Hitch, Sunny, and Izzy turned to Periwinkle, whose face turned cherry red, and her knees wobbled at the sight of Presto. She slapped her cheeks to break out of her trance and took off her saddlebag.

“Hold this for me, Hitch,” Periwinkle said, handing her bag to Hitch.

Hitch hesitantly complied, taking the bag as Periwinkle opened it and took out a piece of folded cardboard paper. She unfolded the paper, revealing it to be a large sign with the words “Marry Me” drawn in red and black marker. There were hearts around the text made with glitter and glue, and a wide arrow pointing down below the text. Periwinkle closed her eyes and took a deep breath while holding the sign close to her before she lifted it so it was right above her.

“Marry me, Presto! Please, marry me!” Periwinkle shouted.

But by the time she began shouting out to her crush, the music had started, and ponies cheered as Presto sang his first song. Periwinkle bit her lip, worried that she had made her move too late, and stood up on her hind legs, holding her sign as high as she could, chanting, “Marry me! Marry me, Presto!” Sunny and Hitch looked at each other uneasy with Hitch’s ears hanging low. He started to regret suggesting that Periwinkle came with them, thinking she might not accept failure to get Presto’s attention as she thought she would. Hitch thought of telling Periwinkle to stop, but he didn’t have the heart to prevent her from seeing her goal all the way through. He could only hope that he, Sunny, Izzy, and Periwinkle’s friends back at Maretime Bay would help her move on once everything was over.

But as Hitch watched Periwinkle, he noticed ponies taking out their phones from the corner of his eye. Instead of using their phones to record video, they were staring at the screens with looks of shock, devastation, and anger. The ponies began to whisper amongst themselves and give Presto looks of betrayal and hate. The pop star didn't notice their dark looks because he was focused on the performance, and most of the crowd was focused on him. Hitch furrowed his brow as it was clear something was wrong.

An hour later, the concert ended, and the ceremony was minutes away. Zipp was in her bedroom, staring at herself in the mirror. She wore a taffy-colored dress with poofy blush-pink sleeves, gold slippers, and a tiara with an emerald at the center. The makeup crew powdered her face, put blush on her cheeks, and violet glitter eyeshadow. Zipp looked at herself with dread as if she was turned into a life-sized doll. She pursed her lips before she shut her eyes and muttered to herself.

"I love my sister. I love my sister. I love my sister. I love my sister. I love my sister."

Suddenly, the door burst open, and Thunder went in panting. He was quickly followed by Zoom looking troubled. Zipp turned around to face the guards as Thunder took a moment to collect himself.

"Your Highness, pardon the intrusion, but have you seen your sister anywhere?" He asked.

"Uh, pretty sure she's backstage putting her wedding dress on. Why?" Zipp answered.

"Something's wrong, and we need to tell Princess Pipp before the ceremony," Zoom said urgently.

"What's the problem?" Zipp asked.

"Well, you see, I was at my post, hanging on my phone to…check with security cameras," Thunder began, earning a glare from Zoom, who knew he was fibbing. "Anyway, I got a notification of breaking news on ZBS. Princess Pipp needs to see this!"

Thunder took out his phone from underneath his wing, pressed a few buttons on the screen, and handed the phone to Zipp. Zipp stared at the phone for a few seconds before her eyes grew wide, and she shook her head in disbelief. She rushed out of her room with Zoom and Thunder quickly following. As they ran, Zipp noticed the staff on their phones and whispering to each other. Some noticed Zipp and had looks of dread and sympathy, figuring out why she was running.

They ran until they were at the doorway leading to the backstage room above the throne room, and the guard standing in front of the door opened it while holding her phone. Zipp ran to Queen Haven’s dressing table, and her fear grew as she found her mother not there.

“Where’s my mom and Presto?!” Zipp shouted.

“The queen is down in the throne room giving her speech,” a crewpony said. "Presto should be in his dressing room getting into his tux."

“Oh, great,” Zipp growled. “Somepony down there, get in touch with my mom and keep Presto out of the throne room! We have to stop this wedding right -”

“Zipp?”

Zipp, Zoom, and Thunder’s hearts froze, and they slowly turned to where they heard the voice. Pipp was standing by the hole leading to the throne room with a pair of wires attached to her wedding dress. Her head was tilted as she looked at her sister’s troubled face. A few minutes prior, Zipp would have smiled at how beautiful her sister looked in her white dress with thousands of hoof-made beaded crystals from Bridlewood and a gold crown on her head with jewels of many colors. Pipp grew unsettled as Zipp walked over to her.

“What is it? What’s wrong?” Pipp asked.

Zipp opened her mouth, but she couldn’t think of how to explain the situation. After a moment of hesitation, she looked at Thunder’s phone and held it out to Pipp. Pipp looked between Zipp and the phone before she took the phone and saw a video on the ZBS app with Presto appearing in the thumbnail. Pipp hesitated before she pressed the play button, and the video showed Presto and a dark orange unicorn mare standing in front of his house at night.

“A ZBS exclusive: an anonymous poster sent us this video of Princess Pipp’s husband-to-be, Presto Tetrachord, cheating on her with another mare,” a newsreader said through the phone’s speaker.

Pipp let out a sharp gasp. She tried to convince herself that the ZBS was lying, misinterpreting what another mare was doing in front of Presto’s house, but her brief moment of hope was crushed when Presto smashed his lips together with the other mare’s. The dark orange mare ran her front hoof through Presto’s mane, and Presto had his hoof on the mare’s waist. They kissed as if it were a wrestling match between their lips. Finally, Presto opened the front door, and the two of them chuckled with flirtatious looks as they went inside.

Pipp kept staring at Thunder’s phone even though the video was over. A one-minute anonymous video disproved everything she thought was true about her fiancee since the day they met. Pipp looked down from the edge of the hole, where Haven and Cloudpuff were on stage. She could see ponies on their phones, either taking pictures or muttering in groups while looking at the news. Thunder's phone fell out of Pipp's hoof, and Thunder dived to catch it before it hit the floor and broke.

"Pipp, I…I don't know what to say, " Zipp said.

Pipp kept looking down as though she didn't hear Zipp. She was so stunned that she didn't know whether to cry or scream in rage. Her eyes widened as she realized all of Equestria might have seen the video already before the ceremony started. Her fans would be devastated, and ponies who weren't her fans would be ballistic that the groom of a royal wedding would cheat on the bride with a mare of his race. Even though Pipp was never into politics, she knew the unity between ponies was still so new that ponies might lose hope with the first wedding between ponies if different races ruined. Maybe dishearten other couples of different races. Her dreams and the peace in Equestria would be crushed because she fell in love with an unfaithful unicorn.

"Pipp?" Zipp asked.

Pipp stayed silent for a few seconds. Then her face turned serious as she lifted her head and put her hoof on her chest to take a deep breath. She turned to Zipp, Zoom, Thunder, and the crewponies.

"I have a plan," Pipp said.

Down in the throne room, ponies eagerly waited for the ceremony to commence. Many discussed how they enjoyed watching Pipp and Presto perform and sent videos they recorded to their friends and family while they waited. When the royal guards sounded the trumpets, and Queen Haven came down carrying Cloudpuff, ponies stomped their hooves as she landed in front of the golden arch. Haven began her long speech about unity among ponies, marriage, watching Pipp grow up, and watching her and Presto grow as a couple. Ponies politely listened to the queen’s speech, but over time they grew restless as Haven began to dwell on telling stories about Pipp and Zipp as fillies.

Sunny and Izzy were invested in the queen's speech the most. They loved hearing Haven praise them for what they accomplished for ponykind and the stories she shared about the princesses. Sunny especially enjoyed hearing about Pipp and Zipp learning how to fly. Yet, as time passed, even she realized that the queen was dragging.

Sunny turned her head to see Periwinkle feeling low with her sign lying on the floor. Periwinkle called out to Presto throughout his performance, even when her throat became dry, but Presto didn't notice her. When Presto finished his last song, Periwinkle's voice was drowned by the cheers as Presto exited the stage. With her last shot spent, Periwinkle sat on her plot staring at the floor, not paying any mind to Queen Haven or her speech. Hitch left to find something for Periwinkle to drink. Sunny sighed and walked over to stand next to Periwinkle.

"Are you going to be okay?" Sunny asked.

Periwinkle stayed silent for a moment, then turned her head to give Sunny a weak smile.

"I think I will be eventually," she said. "I mean, I didn't get his attention, but I spoke my mind to him as best as I could. Better that than to never try at all. Right? All that's left is for Presto to marry her, and I'll have closure knowing he's happy."

Sunny gave Periwinkle a small smile and put her hoof around her. Periwinkle's smile grew, and she put her hoof on Sunny's hoof, appreciating the support. Just then, Hitch came in carrying a smoothie. He handed the smoothie to Periwinkle, who immediately began drinking it, feeling her throat get better. She gave Hitch a thankful look, and Hitch smiled back before he turned to the crowd, frowning.

"What is it, Hitch?" Sunny asked.

"Haven't you guys noticed the ponies on their phones since Presto's concert? Something's not right," Hitch said.

Sunny looked at Hitch, confused, until she looked around. While many ponies were watching Queen Haven, some still whispered amongst themselves and showed something on their phones to other ponies. Some were uncomfortable with the queen discussing Pipp and Presto as a couple. The more she looked, the more Sunny wished she had a phone to find out what was happening.

"And now, without further ado, let the ceremony commence!" Queen Haven shouted.

The ponies who were unaware of the situation cheered at the top of their lungs. The Wedding March began to play, and Pipp and Zipp were lowered from the ceiling to the stage. Ponies gasped in awe at how beautiful Pipp looked in her wedding dress. Even Hitch and Sunny forgot about the ponies on their phone as they stared at Pipp. Pipp looked at the crowd for the forced grin, but Zipp looked away to hide her unease as the wires lowered them to stand on the right side of the stage. Queen Haven smiled at her youngest daughter as she landed in front of her until she realized Presto had not entered the stage. His best stallion entered the stage on the left side, equally confused that Presto was not there.

"Excuse me. Can I have your attention, please?" Pipp called out. "And can we have the house lights on?"

The cheering died down, and ponies looked at Pipp in confusion as the lights were turned on. The wedding band awkwardly stopped playing as Zipp grabbed a mic and handed it to the bride. Pipp took a moment to keep her cool, but her voice cracked as she started to speak.

"It's my understanding that everypony in Equestria is watching to see me get married," Pipp said.

Ponies cheered again before Pipp continued.

"It's only natural I would want that when it’s not about marriage so much as love,” Pipp said. “That’s what we’re all looking for, right? The love between our families, our friends, and, of course, that special love you feel for that one special pony.”

The crowd cheered in agreement save for those who knew the truth and wondered if Pipp found out.

“But the thing is sometimes we get so caught up in our idea of love that we are clueless of what our love actually is: a lie,” Pipp said.

The throne room grew silent as ponies looked at Pipp, confused. Haven’s smile fell, and she turned to Zipp, who was giving her a sad look.

“Zipp, what is going on?” Haven whispered.

Zipp squirmed as she took out her phone, opened the ZBS app, opened the video, and handed it to her mom. Haven covered her mouth with her hoof as she watched the video. She fought the urge to scream at the guards, ordering them to arrest Presto in front of the crowd. Meanwhile, Pipp sniffled and took another moment to collect herself before spilling the beans.

“I just found out a few moments ago that my fiancee, Presto Tetrachord, cheated on me with another mare.”

Ponies in the audience gasped. The ones who already knew were astounded that Pipp straight out said it herself for all of Equestria to hear. Sunny, Izzy, and Hitch turned to Periwinkle, who looked at Pipp, stunned.

"No. No, that can't be right. She's lying, or maybe there's some misunderstanding," Periwinkle said.

"I highly doubt it," said a stallion standing next to her. "It would be one crazy misunderstanding."

He handed his phone to Periwinkle, and Sunny, Izzy, and Hitch looked over Periwinkle's shoulder. As they watched the video, Sunny gaped and covered her mouth with her hoof, Izzy's mouth dropped, and Hitch stood appalled. They turned to Periwinkle, who watched the video with her eyes watering.

Periwinkle robotically gave the stallion's phone back and picked up her sign. She studied all the hard work she put into making the sign, and her heart began to break. It was one thing that the stallion Periwinkle fell for didn't return his feelings, but finding out Presto would cheat on his fiancee, a beautiful princess at that, destroyed what closure she was ready to have.

"I'm sure some of you might think I was cheated on out of prejudice since he was with another unicorn, but I don't believe that matters," Pipp said as tears ran down her face. "After all, just as we are all looking for love, so too can we have flaws of hate, fear, dishonesty, and unfaithfulness. I have no hate for unicorns just because the one I wanted to marry did this to me any more than if he was a pegasus like me, and neither should you. No matter what we are or what we do, we're all ponies. Right?"

The ponies stomped their hooves and cheered in agreement. But Periwinkle wasn't listening. She whimpered as she stared at her sign, with tears in her eyes. With a sob, Periwinkle shoved the sign into Hitch's front leg and got down on her belly, crying. Sunny and Izzy rushed to Periwinkle's side and rubbed her back as she cried.

"We love you so much, Pipp!" An earth pony stallion in the crowd screamed.

Pipp gave the Pippsqueak a sad smile and said, "I love you too. I love you all. More than anything, I wish this never happened, and I don't want anyone to lose hope in love, no matter who you find it with. If you want it, you need to grab it by the hoof and never let go. You chase it to the ends of the Earth, and when love comes for you, you…"

Pipp's voice died in her throat, struggling to make another expression. She realized that even with her big speech, ponies would be let down with all of their excitement and joy for her wedding being for nothing. If she wanted her words of encouragement to mean something, she would have to be an example, like her marriage to Presto was supposed to be. She began to quiver as the fear of the entire night becoming a catastrophe began to overtake her.

As Pipp struggled to continue her speech, her eyes turned to Hitch. She stopped shaking and tilted her head as she watched Hitch look at Periwinkle sympathetically as she cried. As far as Pipp could tell, the unicorn was a fan of her and Presto and was heartbroken because they weren't going to get married. Whether she was right or wrong, Pipp saw in Hitch's gamboge eyes that he wanted to do something to cheer Periwinkle up. To make her happy.

Pipp then noticed Hitch holding the "marry me" sign and raised an eyebrow. The distance between Hitch and Sunny, Izzy, and Periwinkle implied he wasn't in a relationship with either of them and, while not hunky like Presto, had a sightly appearance. The edges of Pipp's mouth curled up as she took a chance.

"You say, 'yes,'" she said.

Ponies looked at Pipp, confused, and turned to where she was staring. Hitch broke his gaze from Periwinkle, realizing everypony in the crowd was looking at him. He looked around until he saw Pipp looking directly at him. Hitch looked at her, confused until he realized he was still holding the sign for her to see. His ears hung low, his cheeks turned barn red, and his pupils shrunk to the size of grains of sand as Pipp finished with a sweet smile.

"Why not? Sure. I'll marry you."

[chasingpj]

𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐤

pairing: percy jackson x child of aphrodite! gn reader

requested?: yup!

warnings: mentions of underage drinking, one curse word, and mentions of sexual tension

category: fluff, shy boy x obviously interested girl trope

a/n: don't mind me I'm just projecting and I got carried away

you’re not sure what gravitated you to percy more

the crystal green eyes, the freckles over his nose, the disheveled dark curls, or his clumsiness

the first time you laid eyes on him, he was walking back to his cabin after sword-fighting practice

his tan skin gleamed in the sunlight as a hand came up to swipe away the damp hair sticking on his forehead

for an action so mundane, it made your stomach flutter like crazy

and then the beauty of the moment was ruined right when he trips over the steps of his cabin

you heard stories of the kid killing the minotaur, blowing up a volcano, and rumors of being the suspected child of a huge prophecy

yet, he was not immune from tripping over his feet

and you’re sure the dorky charm of that moment made you think, he’s mine

for the next few days, you were determined to approach him

but you didn’t just want to come up to him and introduce yourself; that would be too plain and forgettable

you ended up finding your opportunity during a capture the flag game

silena gave you instructions to distract percy, and you headed over strong, ready to make your first impression while also taking him down for your team

sure, he had water powers and done a bunch of cool things, but your father made sure you were well trained in sword fighting and martial arts even before you knew about the camp

you planned to take him by surprise, and luckily it worked

with ruthless attacks, it didn’t take long for you to sweep him off his feet and knock his sword out of his hand

by pressing the flat of your sword under his chin, you forced him to look up at you, and you peered into those clear green eyes

gods, he’s cute, you thought

“hey,” you said

percy was stunned, not sure if it was because you effortlessly took him down or if it was because you were one of the prettiest girls he’s ever seen

“... hi,” he sputtered, gawking for a moment as you offered your hand

you swore you felt sparks when his fingers brush across your palm... even though the contact was a little sweaty

in the distance, you heard the satyrs blow the horn and the roars of celebration from your team

“i should go back to the others. catch you later, ocean eyes,” you flirted

percy’s shoulders tensed up when you blew him a kiss; awkwardly frozen in his place as you waited

“well, are you going to catch it? you can’t just let my kiss fly away.”

percy shifted on his feet, not sure if you were serious or not, but when you held your ground with arms folded over your chest, it was clear that’s what you were waiting for

and so with a flushed face, percy awkwardly grabbed the air in the front of him, and you couldn’t help but giggle

“good, i wouldn’t want it flying to a stranger,” you commented playfully. “you know, i don’t really like this whole outdoor camp life thing, but seeing your pretty face around here makes it a lot better”

“uh… oh, thanks?” he stammered, not having the words to respond

you winked at him before walking off, more than satisfied with your first impression

after that, you were contemplating your next move

children of aphrodite can see all the possibilities in a potential relationship

you were able to see you and percy eating ice cream in central park, holding hands at camp, a shy kiss on your first date

you wanted all of it, and you going to make sure you get it

of course, silena and your siblings were your wing women

if percy was in the strawberry fields, you were picking strawberries beside him

in the fields, you got to know him and his sarcastic humor, which made your crush flourish

you even took sword fighting classes at the same time as him and made sure he was your partner most of the time

whenever you had a chance, you’d affectionately fix his hair or his armor just to hear his shy thank you’s

he’s never had a girl show this much interest in him, so you definitely made him a little nervous, but despite that, he opened up to you pretty quick

sometimes he’d help you out in the stables, and you noticed how he’d fumble with the harnesses or knock things over when you would flirt with him

you loved his reactions so much that you always took it up a notch just to see how he’d react

you suppose the pegasi didn’t make percy’s shyness any better

there were times where he’d shush them, or the tips of his ears would grow even more flushed at a neigh or huff from one of the pegasuses

as the summer came to an end, you gave percy your email and made sure you stayed in touch

you didn’t live very far from one another, but you didn’t dare ask to hangout

you wanted to be asked first!

and you were disappointed when the invitation never came despite the two of you being consistent with sending emails

the year flew by fast, though, and you were excited to return to camp for an array of reasons; percy being one of those reasons, of course

when you saw him for the first time that summer, you were in awe at how different he looked after a year

he was taller, broader, and just more handsome overall

your stomach went into a frenzy when he greeted you with a boyish smile while his hand rubbed the back of his neck nervously because he didn’t fail to notice how, somehow, you were even prettier than he remembered

unfortunately, having the prepare for the war meant you guys were too busy to hang out as often as you did the previous summer

but when you did have time to see each other, it was still fun

there was an unspoken rule between you and percy that any talk about the war wasn’t allowed

it allowed you guys to just bask in the nights where you would watch the sunset while joking around and sharing funny stories

those nights were calm and still; they brought a sense of normalcy amongst the chaos and growing tensions

because of this, percy had sought out your company whenever he could get it

being with you made him feel like time slowed down

inevitably, the battle of manhattan occurred and passed, causing the summer to end with the grief of losing your siblings

while campers arranged the ceremonies to honor their siblings, percy hopped around to help

losing silena as a counselor meant it was time to pick a new one, and to your surprise, your siblings nominated you

you were silena’s right-hand person, the oldest in the group after her, and the strongest fighter, so your siblings felt it was fair that you took the role

but it didn’t feel right to you; the pressure of being a newly elected councilor while still grieving silena weighed hard on your shoulders

after the nomination, you needed time to get away and sit with your thoughts, and you were only there for a moment alone until percy had found you

his eyes studied your somber expression, and he was quick to ask what was wrong

as you poured out all your worries, percy was quiet and attentive

you cuddled up to his side for comfort, and even in your sorrow, you didn’t fail to notice the way he tensed up

finally, when you let everything out, he chimed in to soothe your worries

your expression was a little lovestruck as he said everything you needed to hear, and well, his strong arm around your shoulders definitely helped too

you were so elated that you couldn't help but press a kiss on his cheek to thank him

his flushed face was enough to lift your spirits for good that day

by the time the summer officially came to an end, you could feel that percy’s feelings for you were becoming stronger

the romantic possibilities you envisioned became more apparent, but percy hadn’t asked you out yet

and like, you guessed you could have asked him out, but that wasn't fair in your book

you were already making the first moves; it was his turn to do something about it

then you were sure your mother pitied you because finally, after a few more months of emailing, percy asked if you to go ice skating with him, and of course, you agreed

but then, you concluded that it was more like a cruel joke from your mom because percy never showed up

you waited hours for him before you trudged home in defeat

heartbroken wasn’t even enough to describe how you were feeling

being stood up with no follow up from him made you conclude that he just wasn’t interested and you just needed to move on

it wasn’t until you went to CHB for christmas break did you find out percy was missing

you were crazy worried about him and helped as much as you could to try and find him

when it was confirmed that he was still alive, you were more than relieved

from that day on, you were itching to see him again, and finally, after the giant war, you were able to speak to him

you only said a hello before you got sucked into a game of truth or dare with your friends

the game was self-explanatory; spin the bottle and the person who’s chosen is submissive to the person who spun it

you made up some lousy dares for the first few people until you spun the bottle in percy’s direction

“truth or dare?” your voice was challenging, and a little flirty

percy shifts in his place, “truth.”

“do you want to kiss me?”

“dare.”

“kiss me.”

the instigating coos of your friends made you smile, which contrasted percy’s stunned expression

“never have i ever-”

“that’s not even the game, percy!”

your friends laughed at your interaction, but you were honestly a little annoyed

he liked you; you could feel it, so what was he even waiting for?

“it’s fine. you don’t have to kiss me if you don’t want to,” you say with a playful smile in an attempt to hide your disappointment

“shit, i’d kiss you,” leo joked, and you suddenly perked up at the request

a new idea came to your mind

“so kiss me,” you snapped your gaze to leo, a smirk on your face

leo gasped so hard; he choked on his own saliva

while he coughed erratically, showcasing all his shock on his face, you announced, “new rule! you can only give up a dare if someone else in the group offers to take it for you.”

your gaze fixed on leo, “so, are you going to kiss me or what?”

“uh, only if you want to,” he stammered, and you smiled, moving to lean over in his direction

suddenly, percy cut in, “i didn’t give up the dare.”

your attention shifted to him, and you didn’t fail to pick up the jealousy radiating off of him

your stomach flipped with anticipation at the success of your idea

if percy needed a push, you were going to push him

“you’ve given leo false hope then,” you joked, and playfully leo sighed.

“man, so close,” he mumbled.

you bit your lip as you leaned in percy’s direction

you felt his attraction to you; his eyes told you everything you needed to know and more

and before you knew it, your lips were against his

the kiss was short, but for a moment, the world around you was drowned out; you barely heard the coos and cheers of your friends around you

with a satisfied smirk, you pulled away, settling back in your spot as percy’s eyes averted elsewhere, too shy to look at you

you and your friends played the game until you grew bored and found something else to do

because the festivities kept pulling you in one direction to another, the only interaction you had with percy was the occasional longing glance and nothing else

as you escorted a few of your sisters who drank a little too much back to your cabin, you were sure you’d have to wait another day to talk to him

lost in your dismay, you automatically denied piper’s offer to finish the task

it wasn’t until she scoffed did you pull out of your thoughts

“are you kidding? go. i’ll get them back. you find percy.”

“oh yeah. you guys need to do something about that sexual tension. are you gonna date him or what?” another one of your sisters slurred

before you could even protest, you were shooed away by not only piper but by the rest of your siblings too

you stayed in your spot, making sure they had at least made it to the steps of the cabin before you pranced up to percy’s cabin

you figured it wouldn’t hurt to ask if he wanted to go on a walk with you

your knock is followed by a few moments of shuffling before he opened the door

and, whew, you were pleasantly surprised to be greeted by a shirtless percy

“hey." you leaned on the door frame, your eyes trailing down to admire his toned torso

“eyes up here," percy playfully demanded

you were almost hesitant to avert your eyes, but you obliged.

"i wanted to ask if you wanted to take a walk. you know, i just haven’t been sleeping well."

percy leaned against the door frame, amused at the dramatic pout on your face.

“sure, let me put on a shirt firs-”

“oh, you don’t have to. i don’t mind,” you cut him off, and his head tilts back just a little as he laughs

“i’m putting on a shirt,” he declares playfully, and you whine in fake disappointment

on your walk, he told you all the crazy things that happened while he was missing, and even though his stories were a lot more interesting than what you had to say, he was eager to hear about what you've been up to

your conversation persisted as you walked around the camp and as you arrived at the docks, another idea came to mind

suddenly, you cut yourself off mid-sentence, your gaze fixed on the water

“perce, you know, i can’t swim,” you mention, stepping on the wooden dock

“really?”

“really.”

it was quiet for a moment, and percy's expression was laced with confusion as you kicked off your shoes

you didn’t even care that you were wearing designer clothes, running straight off the dock and into the deep lake water

you heard percy yell your name right as your body completely submerges in the water

and it wasn't even more than 3 seconds before percy jumped in, one arm immediately wrapping around your waist to swim up to the surface with you

his baffled expression sent you into a fit of laughter

“what? why did you do that?!”

“cause i knew you’d come and get me.”

percy’s lips curved up into a smile, and you took the time to admire his features in the moonlight

you swore you saw his eyes flicker to your lips for a second, and the action made you hyper-aware of how close your noses were

"kiss me!" you thought in your head as you circled your arms around his neck, pulling him even closer

you could feel his admiration, the accelerated thump of his heart, the fluttering in his stomach that mimicked yours

the kiss you shared earlier was far too short for your liking, and you were already looking forward to the next opportunity to kiss him again

“i haven’t forgotten that i owe you a date.”

you smiled at his words, half-distracted at the proximity of his lips

“so it was a date all along?” you asked, and percy nods, amused

“you know, i was thinking now that there isn’t another big prophecy and the chances of me disappearing again aren’t likely, that, maybe, you and i could-”

“yes! gods, yes.” you cut him off, and percy laughs at your eagerness

you waited too long for the question that you couldn’t even let him finish asking

he isn’t able to say anything else as you pull him into a passionate kiss

it was as if the years of anticipation were being poured into the movement of your mouths

the kiss was long, growing in eagerness until the harpies had ruined your fun and the two of you had to run back to your cabins

a part of you had wished that all of this would have happened sooner

you had plenty of nights where you were stared at the ceiling with conflicted thoughts, wondering if you guys just weren't meant to be, if you somehow made up his attraction to you in your head, or if you should ask him out first and save yourself the potential regret

but when you returned to your cabin full of enthusiastic siblings asking why you were soaking wet and why your lipstick was smudged, you realized you wouldn’t have changed a single thing

masterlists taglist:@xxyrr @nct127bee @mochabreezeee @minamisulemisa @yanfeisluvr @Slytherclaw-kitten @-thatgirloverthere- @passionswift @nanskidoodle @s0urcru5h @ilikefluffygingercats @all-hailreyna @autmngirlworld @sunkissedskin1328 @Hermioneswifeee @quteez @hajigayy @aleksanderwh0r3 @drayshadow @tonyedwardstarkk @londoncherry @ashookykooky @lotusnegra666 @loverstyless @yelenabel0vaswife @t0xicmuse @ohmydamgods @jordannfields @tomriddles-wh0re @amy-writes-blog @muted-mayham @shawkneecaps @dreamerball @earthtokace @thehighladyofday @theverydramaticcabbage @lala-llama123 @tootsdoll @slytherindaughterofposeidon0 @black-rose-29 @somekidnamedkai @possiblylostchasecousin @silver-gemini @hamdehlesmis @shadowsndaisies @cami05sworld @does-anyone-hear-me @scarlets-widow @sol-the-salmon @hipsdofangirl @tatofan @missusstark @atryx0-tal @iamparou

if your username is bolded that means i can’t tag you ! you probably have your visibility settings on !

[wolken-himmel]

In which Princess (Y/n)'s parents and friends get turned into stone when she refuses to marry the evil yet love-sick sorcerer Malleus.

Now, she and her companions — a pegasus, a stray cat, and her new friend — embark on an adventure to forge a Wand of Light to overpower Malleus' magic before it is too late.

[Barbie and the Magic of Pegasus AU]

[Masterlist] Part 5: At last, the Wand of Light has been assembled, and all Princess (Y/n) needs to do now is return to the people turned into stone. Unfortunately, they are ambushed on her way there and she is abducted by the sorcerer Malleus.

"I cannot believe we did it…"

Deuce stared at the finished Wand of Light in wonder, the scepticism he would have expressed earlier now almost entirely gone. Morning had risen, and he had worked hard all night long to bind the three components into one Wand of Light. Once he had handed it over to you, you twirled it around, close to tears in disbelief at your success.

Before you could get too ahead of yourself, Deuce curiously asked, "How do we know if it will work?"

You hummed and temporarily lost yourself in deep thought, wondering how exactly you could test if the Wand of Light worked — was it even powerful enough to cancel out Malleus' magic? That's when your eyes landed on Riddle, who had been cursed to be a pegasus by Malleus more than a decade ago. "I have an idea on how we could try it out!" you cried out, giddy and excited to bring your theory to the test. You aimed the wand at your brother and closed your eyes. "Oh, Wand of Light, please cure my brother from Malleus' curse and turn him into a human again!"

Riddle watched with wide eyes as he was raised up into the air, now surrounded by sparkles and lights that were so bright that they were almost blinding. Grim, Deuce, and you witnessed the spectacle unfold in front of you, some of you even covering your eyes to not be blinded uncomfortably. After a few minutes, the sparkles vanished, and only a rather small human boy descended to the ground again.

"It worked!" Riddle cried out while gazing down at his human hands, then running his hand through his tufts of bright red hair. A giant smile occupied his face, so large and unwavering that you could feel your heart melt. Although he was approximately five years older than you, he was only a little bit taller than you — and of course, he was much smaller than Deuce. Nonetheless, Riddle clasped his hands together and bowed in gratitude. "Thank you, (Y/n)! And you, too, Grim and Deuce."

Deuce shook his head playfully. "I can't believe it worked…"

"Well, it did." Riddle put his hands over his heart and exhaled in pride, just relieved to have regained his human-form again after so many years of countless failures. Well, there was a small downside to being a human again… "But now, I can no longer fly."

You pursed your lips and frowned. "Yes, that's a hindrance."

"Do not worry, I shall ask Cloud Queen Acette for help," Riddle replied, remembering that the oh so generous Cloud Queen had allowed you to call for help should you need it, and she would then do her best. Riddle took one deep breath before he cupped his hands around his mouth. "Cloud Queen Acette, send us pegasi, or else it's off with your head!"

You winced at the harshness of his tone and how aggressive such a small human could be, but indeed, soon, two pegasi came flying towards you after they emerged from the cloudy sky. "Woah, Riddle," you marvelled when the two majestic winged horses landed on your platform and bowed their heads as a greeting. "It worked!"

Deuce had a slightly forced smile on his face; he knew that it was time to part ways with you, no matter how much he had grown to like you over the course of just two days. Once you were done with greeting the pegasi, he stepped forward and shot Riddle, Grim, and you a curt nod. "I guess this is goodbye now, isn't it?" he asked a little bit awkwardly.

You nodded with a heavy heart but smiled nonetheless. "Thank you, Deuce! Thank you so much. We wouldn't have this without you," you muttered with a wavering voice as you held the Wand of Light into the air proudly, a rush of happiness coming over you at the sight of seeing your success embodied by this magical wand.

"Yes…" Deuce trailed off.  "I… wish you good luck on your mission."

You smiled and temporarily handed the Wand of Light to your brother, so that you could properly say goodbye to the boy you had grown fond of so quickly. Once you stood close enough to him, you took his hands into yours and gave them a light squeeze. "Thank you, Deuce," you whispered softly and began to laugh when a light blush dusted his cheeks. You knew already that you would miss him terribly. "I hope we see each other again some time…"

"Yes, thank you," Riddle said with a smile on his face as he bowed once again to thank Deuce for his services. Yet, an impatient twinkle flashed over his eyes as he turned his attention to you again. "(Y/n), it's time to go."

You pulled your hands out of Deuce's with a heavy heart. "Ah, of course," you whispered in a sad tone, and Deuce, too, looked saddened by this parting.

"Goodbye, Deuce." You gave him one last wave as you swung yourself onto your (F/c) pegasus, Grim sitting with your brother while the Wand of Light was returned to you. Deuce watched with a small frown on his face as Riddle and you took off into the sky and disappeared into the distance, far out of reach.

Deuce sighed and got onto his own horse, too, to ride back to his own home in the Forbidden Forest. A wistful sigh escaped his lips, and he could already tell that he missed you most out of all of the new friends he had made. "Farewell…"

Riddle and you laughed as you zoomed across the sky on your pegasi, and Grim, too, seemed to have the time of his life. The cat rode with Riddle while you clutched onto the Wand or Light tightly, still unable to completely comprehend that you somehow had managed to do the impossible: build a Wand of Light. A large smile bloomed on your face, and you could barely believe it since things had been far too easy. 

All you needed to do now was to return to your parents and people frozen as stone and use the Wand of Light to return them to normal. Yet, the sound of thunder striking and the clouds darkening snapped you out of your euphoria again.

You whipped around to find a griffin appearing from a thick cluster of clouds, the face of his rider making a horrified shiver run down your spine. Riddle, too, gasped in surprise and shot you an alarmed look. The two of you immediately tightened your grips on your reins and spurred your pegasi to their maximum. 

Malleus laughed in amusement as he closed in on you. "Oh, look what we have here—?" he cooed, his eyes shimmering in excitement when he caught sight of your (H/c) hair, a large contrast to the snowy white heaps of your environment.

"Riddle, hurry up!" you cried out and gestured for your brother to follow you into the canyon, where you hoped to lose your pursuer. "Let's go!"

You flew around tall rocks and through narrow passageways, your pegasi growing more and more exhausted by the second. Riddle followed behind you closely. His face was panic-ridden, and his chest heaved up and down in anxiety and fear. He didn't dare to turn around in fear that the evil sorcerer was directly behind him already.

Malleus let out blood-curdling laughter that left your hands trembling. "You cannot escape for a second time, dearest treasure!" he thundered, which Sebek underlined by roaring loudly.

The fae raised his mighty staff and pointed it at your brother, who always flew into the way whenever the wizard aimed at you. With an annoyed click of his tongue, Malleus had enough and simply shot a beam of green light at Riddle's pegasus, causing it to swerve dangerously until it lost control completely and fell off the sky and down towards the ground inside the canyon.

"Riddle!" Your eyes were wide in horror as you saw your brother and your cat friend land on the floor, their fall luckily cushioned by the snow. Your pegasus, too, soon began to struggle when it sustained a small leg injury. A scream escaped your lips as your steed tumbled towards the floor; you fell off and landed face-first in the cold snow. "Ugh…" A frustrated groan escaped your lips while you raised your gaze.

The sound of wings flapping and the feeling of the ground shaking made you shoot up in alarm. Indeed, Malleus had climbed off his griffin and was now advancing towards you. Your gaze flickered around the area: To your left, you found Riddle and Grim, unconscious, while to your right, the Wand of Light stood upright within the masses of snow.

"So we see each other again, my dear," Malleus exclaimed in a giddy tone, snapping you out of your thoughts again. "Did you miss me as much as I missed you?"

You furrowed your eyebrows and let out a low growl. "You hurt my friends!" you screamed out at the top of your lungs while pointing at the unconscious beings laying a few metres away from you. Malleus winced when you rose to your feet again, your fists shaking and your face red in anger. "How dare you?!"

Malleus tilted his head to the side, concerned. "Well, they got in the way."

His calm demeanour enraged you even more. In your blind anger, you scrambled away from him and towards the Wand of Light. "You'll pay for this!" you hissed out venomously once your fingers curled around the staff. Malleus' eyes grew wide in size when you pointed the wand at him, your eyes blazing with fury that made him shrink back in fear. "Wand of Light, destroy Malleus!"

Despite the aggressiveness of your tone, nothing happened.

Malleus quirked an eyebrow at your legendary weapon, surprised and amused that it wouldn't work in such a tense moment. You, too, seemed surprised but mostly frustrated as you shook the staff back and forth in wonder why it simply wouldn't work. 

"Oh— how peculiar," Malleus drawled and began to laugh, much to your irritation. Putting his free hand on his hip, he shot you a belittling look. "Your Wand of Light seems to be not working, dear."

"I-I don't understand!"

"Did you really think you would succeed?"

His words caused you to shirk back in embarrassment in realisation that he was right. Yes, how come you could have even considered defeating the most powerful sorcerer in the world? A defeated sigh escaping your lips, you raised your gaze to finally meet his. "Alright… fine, you win," you whispered under your breath, ashamed. "Release my parents and the others… I'll marry you, Malleus."

A smile grew on the fae's lips at your words, and the aura he exuded seemed more child-like than threatening. You had to admit, he didn't seem frightening at all when he smiled like this — no, he actually seemed quite adorable and friendly. "Ah, finally you've come to your senses! I knew you would change your mind!" he cheered and spread his arms wide open for you to enter his embrace, but you stayed frozen in your place. He didn't seem to be fazed at all by your hesitancy. "Come here, dear. I have been waiting for decades to embrace you again. But first—"

Malleus chuckled darkly as he pointed his own staff at you to pull the Wand of Light out of your grip. Once it was close enough, he caught it with ease and began twirling it around in amusement. Your hands felt awfully empty when you cried out in frustration, "Hey!"

The sorcerer clicked his tongue and waved your concerns off. "You won't need it anymore, precious treasure. I will protect you from now on. No Wand of Light needed." With a large smile on his lips, he advanced towards you with large strides and outstretched arms. "Now, do not be all sad, alright? We are reunited now!"

The moment he wrapped his arms around you, you squeezed your eyes shut in fear. Especially when he began running his large gloved hand through your hair did you feel close to crying to yourself, weeping for your failure and everyone you had disappointed. Your sobs were muffled, drowning in his chest with how his hand lingered on the back of your head to press you close to him. He didn't seem fazed at all with your unresponsiveness, and only continued to cradle you like a frail doll.

"Riddle and Grim…." you croaked out when you finally managed to lift your gaze and avert it to your two friends, who still lay on the snow, unconscious. "Will they be alright?"

Malleus hummed while picking you up, one arm looped beneath your torso and the other beneath your knees. The staves he now owned gave off horrible screeching sounds whenever they bumped against one another, but that was the least of his worries right now. The sorcerer peered down at you lovingly, and he would have wiped your tears away if he could. 

"More or less. Your idiot friend is coming, so we better go," he explained gently when he set you down on his griffin, who growled at you in a menacing way. You winced and shrank back into his arms, seeking safety there. Although pleased and amused, the prince merely patted your head and let you cling onto him without any resistance. "Oh, don't be afraid of Sebek. He is actually really nice."

"He—" you cried out, shaking. "He won't stop growling at me!"

Malleus frowned, unable to see you so frightened and uncomfortable. Once he sat on the griffin behind you, he wrapped his one arm around you to ensure you would feel safe and warm. "Sebek will not hurt you. Or else he will face my wrath," he whispered into your ear, and you jolted away — or at least you tried to — when you could feel his breath fanning over your ear. The sorcerer merely laughed in amusement and pulled away again. "Now, you better hold on tight if you do not want to fall off."

"Yes…" You exhaled in hopelessness, watching Riddle and Grim until you could no longer see them from how far Sebek had flown already. When the dark clouds of the weeping sky finally shrouded you, you squeezed your eyes shut and let out one last whimper at the way Malleus' arm tightened around you, as if afraid you would run away again.

Just as the griffin carrying you two disappeared behind a blanket of clouds, a new person came riding towards the scene you had left behind. Deuce's eyes were wide in horror as he climbed off his horse and scrambled over to a barely conscious Riddle and a panicking Grim. "Riddle! I heard screams and had to come back!" the blue-haired male cried out while letting his gaze wander around the area in a feverish search for you — but he couldn't find you. "Where is— Where is (Y/n)?"

Riddle groaned and sat up. "Malleus… he must have taken her with him!" he exclaimed with his blood freezing in his veins, eyes ripped wide open in horror. "Along with the Wand of Light!"

"We have to save her—" Deuce proposed immediately when he saw the pegasi Riddle and you had ridden rise up from the snowy floor again, seemingly unharmed. "We can follow him to his hideout if we're quick enough!"

"Let us return to the Cloud Queen first, so that Grim and I, along with the pegasi, can recover."

Deuce, worried out of his mind, raised his gaze at the cloudy and thundering sky, and yelled out, "(Y/n), we're coming!"

[boundlesshart]

LORENZ STRIKES BRIGHT AND EARLY, with a glint in his eye as though he has something to prove. His smile would be kind, were it not for the particular air of satisfaction that seems to follow him, little more than a bow and a cursory good morning before he's gotten to business.

"I am here to return a kindness, so you may leave your trepidation at the door." With little more explanation but far more gravity than the action likely demands, Lorenz sets three things before Claude, all stacked atop one another.

What rests on top is a feat of craftsmanship. In function, it is little more than a paperweight, but what catches the eye is the attention to detail. Not a scale or delicate claw out of place, all carved from a light wood and coming together to make the shape of a wyvern, wings outstretched and all but ready to take flight. ("I picked this up when last I visited Derdriu. Useful, of course, but clearly made with a careful hand. You may be the arbiter of its accuracy to the real thing.")

And then, the package it rests upon. Bound with a rich deep-blue paper, gold ribbon across, and a fresh quill made from a black feather, larger than most, tucked between them. ("There is a particular breed of pegasi favored by mages, and many a poet has sworn by quills made from their feathers. I cannot attest to the accuracy of those superstitions, but... they are quite eye-catching, are they not? I feel as though my best thoughts find themselves to the page easier with it in my hand.")

And, finally, what rests within the paper and ribbon: a hardcover tome, preserved with care but showing its age at the corners. Inside, the pages show the slightest hint of yellowing, but otherwise the lettering still reads perfectly fine.

"Mind its age, of course, but I am told this is an original copy. One of the first books of its kind, penned by the captain of one of Leicester's very first wyvern corps. I imagine much has changed about the care and keeping of your preferred companions, and while I may not fully understand your interest, I respect the passion."

Just for a moment, Lorenz's smile is a little more genuine. "Happy birthday, Claude. May the day find you well."

Lorenz rushing through formalities? Something's up. Claude returns the smile of course, but there's something... smug about his classmate that forces him to stay on his toes. When has Lorenz ever come to him for just a social call? There has to be something else here.

And there is. Multiple somethings, to be exact. Claude is very aware of the date, but without his family here to celebrate with him and the strange way time has flowed during this school days, birthdays don't have quite the same cheer as they once did. But he always brightens up at the sight of presents. "For me?"

A small statuette of a wyvern sits on top, catching his eye first. Small, perfect for a desk or for decorating a potted plant. Claude takes Lorenz's comment about its accuracy as invitation to scrutinize it... and finds nothing to say. The proportions are excellent, and the wyvern's expression has the depth and care he would expect an Almyran craftsman to put into something like this, not a Fódlan one. Fierce, but not wrathful. The burning passion of a protector. This alone is impressive enough, and yet Lorenz decided that wasn't enough. Of course not.

A black pegasus-feather quill, soft and unlike any pegasus feather he's ever touched. There may be more colorful feathers and pens out there, but the complexity of this feather's dark color and shine is pleasing all on its own. Finally, excited hands fumble with the gold ribbon and carefully peel off the blue wrapping. What would Lorenz give him?

...

An old book. Worn, already used and loved. But it's not the condition of the book that catches Claude's attention but the title. One of the Alliance's most well-known books, proclaimed the best book on wyvern conformation and training in Fódlan. A book so rare, not even his grandfather's library possesses a copy. Until now.

I respect the passion, he says. Respecting one's passion doesn't have to be this extravagant! Then again, this is Lorenz he's talking about...

"Lorenz, this is so—first edition?!" Of course the heir of House Gloucester would find a way to get his fine perfumed hands on something as valuable like this. Claude delicately flips through the first chapter, unable to hide his excited grin as he flips through pages brimming with new knowledge and insight.

"...I hope you're not making birthday gifts a competition." There's no bite in his jab. Claude grins widely at Lorenz, taking the other's hand and squeezing it in gratitude. "You're making my gift to you look like shit in comparison."

[thebigqueer]

"Pick Your Fighter: Tater Trot or Will Solace?" - Solangelo - One-Shot

Summary: Nico tries to befriend a pegasus. This one is for the mythological creatures prompt for @solangeloweek !!

Word Count: 1745

Read on AO3

“Will, I don’t think this is a good idea.” Nico edges away from the pegasus, a nervous look flitting across his face as he does so. “Pegasi don’t usually like me.”

Will looks up at Nico, his hand momentarily freezing as he strokes the creature’s mane. A kind look overcomes his features when he notices his boyfriend’s reluctance. “I think it’s worth a try,” he says softly. “I know they don’t like you, but I don’t particularly like the idea of going on a chariot through the sky for a date, either. I don’t like how bumpy it gets.”

Nico huffs and crosses his arms. “Yeah, well, I don’t like feeling a horse’s hooves crashing against my chest when it’s kicking me away.”

Will chuckles and turns back to brushing the pegasus’ mane. “Has one actually done that to you?” he asks curiously.

“No, but I just know that if someone wasn’t around they’d probably try to throw me to the ground. They’re only nice to me when someone else is present.”

Will smiles and drops the brush to the ground, which thuds softly against the fiery green grass. Then he steps closer to Nico and takes one of his hands; as their fingertips touch, a spark of electricity races up both of their spines. Nico has to physically restrain himself from blushing, but Will lets the pink spill across his cheeks without regret.

“In that case,” murmurs Will, “you have me around. And I really want to take you up to the sky. New York City looks so pretty in the evening.” He leans in and pouts, and Nico can’t help the swelling of his heart at the sight of the blond’s expression. “Besides,” Will adds, “I think we deserve it after such a hectic week.”

Nico doesn’t argue with him. It’s only been one crazy thing after another, what with Nico’s mini quest to retrieve an item of Hermes’ and Will being stuck in the infirmary after a particularly eventful Capture the Flag game.

But Nico also isn’t excited to ride a pegasus. Heights make him nervous - what if Zeus immediately blasts him out of the sky? What if he falls and crashes to his death? He doesn’t exactly want his cause of death to be “ejection from a pegasus.”

Almost as if Will can sense his absurd thoughts, he smiles in amusement. “Nothing’s going to happen to you, Nico. I promise.” He turns his head to the creature, who is already glaring at Nico. A frown tugs at Will’s features when he notices the wariness that strangles the pegasus.

He faces Nico again and slips his hand into his boyfriend’s, using it to lead the two of them closer to the winged animal. Nico tries to drive his heels into the ground in an attempt to protest, but a wave of curiosity splashes over him. What if he really can get this pegasus to accept him? What if he really can gain another friend?

So he lets Will take him. The pegasus stares at Nico, its gaze turning fiery with anxiety, but it doesn’t move. Perhaps it’s just as interested in Nico as he is of it.

Will pauses in front of the pegasus’ line of sight, staring it down with a calm, relaxing gaze. He strokes his hand over its muzzle and smiles. Almost immediately, the creature melts under his warmth and turns its focus away from Nico.

But something releases in Will, too. His body curves into the pegasus, fitting in perfectly with the warmth of the creature’s body, and a dazed, faraway look overwhelms his eyes.

“You know,” Will whispers, talking almost as if to himself, “Silena used to be really good with pegasi. They used to love her. Any time she stepped into the stables horses would just turn her way and their wings would flap in excitement.”

Nico’s heart turns to lead at Will’s words. Despite the fact that her death had been so many years ago, just the mention of Silena’s name sends a crash of grief over him. He waits a moment to let the power of her very concept bloom and disintegrate in the air. Then, quietly, he says, “Yeah?”

Will nods, though a cloud of sadness arcs over his head. “She used to let me come with her to the stables. That’s where I learned to take good care of them.” A small sigh billows through his lips. His hand freezes its movement, and his gaze stretches into the forest, searching for something lost, trying to catch a hold of something he can’t reach anymore. “She saw beauty in a lot of creatures.”

A blanket of silence falls over the boys. Nico shifts hesitantly on his feet, and he considers holding his hand out to Will, just to tug him out of whatever spiral of emotions he’s found himself in.

But before Nico makes a move, Will turns his gaze back to him. His blue eyes glimmer dazedly, but nevertheless, he forces a wavering smile over his mouth. He’s awfully good at that. “I was scared, too, you know. When I first started hanging out with them.” Will chews his bottom lip thoughtfully. “I know you and I have different experiences, and I know pegasi don’t like you because of your whole death thing, but… I don’t know. Maybe I can help you a little. I’ll use things Silena taught me.”

Nico winces with uncertainty. “I don’t know, Will. I just don’t want to feel bad.”

Will holds his hands up in surrender. “Hey, it’s up to you. But who knows. Maybe you can convince this one that you’re harmless.”

Nico considers Will’s words. He looks at the pegasus nervously, who stares right back at him as if wondering the same thing: Can we really learn to trust each other?

Something in Nico’s heart urges him to push forward, to make a move. He locks eyes with Will again, and in a moment of understanding, the blond smiles triumphantly.

“Here.” Will pulls Nico closer, and despite his nervousness, Nico allows him to be urged forward. Will takes Nico’s hand and raises it up to the pegasus’ muzzle - not quite touching, but close enough so that Nico’s fingers simmer with the heat of the creature. Will bows his head closer to his boyfriend’s ear and whispers, “Just try to touch it gently.”

A wild look of anxiety sparks in the pegasus’ dark eyes, but there’s something determined there, too. It’s just as curious as Nico is to see if they can be friends.

Hesitance seethes in the air between Nico’s fingers and the fur of the creature. Time stills as the human and the pegasus watch each other in anticipation.

Then Nico touches the muzzle. The winged animal’s eyes flash with surprise, then melt into a puddle of obsidian softness. After a beat of reluctance, Nico finds himself drowning under the softness of the pegasus’ body. All the tension, all the anxiety that writhed within him just seconds before completely evaporates, and he’s left with only a sense of ease. Warmth encompasses his chest as he explores this new friend before him.

He runs his fingers up and down over the pegasus’ forehead, and Will lets go of his hand. Nico overflows with a certain giddiness at the realization that this majestic creature is admitting its trust to him.

Maybe he can trust it, too.

Behind him, a low laugh tumbles into his ears. Nico nearly jumps; he was almost convinced he and the winged creature were alone in the wild, but apparently they had company.

Nico turns his gaze momentarily to Will’s blue eyes. A smile flickers on the blond’s face, and a confused expression reflects across Nico’s own features. “What?” he asks, puzzled. “Why are you laughing?”

“Nothing,” whispers Will, though the sparkle in his eyes says otherwise. “It’s just that… I told you so. You’ve made a friend!”

Nico scoffs and rolls his eyes, though a small smile still cracks against his lips. “Whatever, nerd.”

Will shifts behind him, but Nico doesn’t care to turn and find out what he’s doing. He’s too busy brushing his fingers over the face of his new acquaintance, curious as to the creature’s history. It’s another few moments until Nico feels Will’s presence behind him, and he turns his eyes back to his boyfriend.

Will offers a soft smile when Nico looks at him. A golden eyebrow arches gracefully against his forehead. “Are you ready to go? I think you’ve proved your trustworthiness to this pegasus.”

Nico considers Will’s question. His body hums with a warm excitement, and a cool, comforting breeze brushes against the back of his neck.

He feels good right now. He feels at home.

When Nico turns his gaze up, he finds a golden hue threatening the blue sky; the sun begins to drown under the weight of the incoming night. If they want to leave, they’d better do it now.

Nico sighs. A comforting quiet surrounds them, filled only with the new chirping of crickets and the sound of Nico’s breathing.

After a beat of silence, the son of Hades whispers, “What’s its name?”

Will frowns. “I’m not sure if we have a name yet. I think she’s a new one.”

A new excitement overwhelms Nico’s heart, and he looks at Will elatedly. “Can I call her something, then?”

Will shrugs and laughs. “Sure, I guess.”

Nico frowns in concentration as a cacophony of names ring in his head. Various Italian names, Greek names, even names of simple objects flit across his mind, but nothing feels quite right yet.

It isn’t until after a few moments that something finally clicks. A smile slips over Nico’s mouth. “How about Tater Trot?” he suggests to Will.

The blond snorts. “That sounds kinda stupid.”

“I don’t know,” Nico murmurs in dissent. “Let’s see how she likes it.”

In response, the pegasus huffs in agreement, and Nico turns to offer a grin to his boyfriend. “Looks like she’s into it. Tater Trot it is.”

Will rolls his eyes. “All right, whatever. Are you ready to go?”

Nico strokes his hand once more down his new friend’s muzzle, then nods his head at Will. “Let’s go, then. This view better be as pretty as you tell me it is, or else I’m going to leave you for the horse.”

Will laughs and throws an arm around Nico. “Guess things just got serious between you two.”

[four-loose-screws]

FE8 Novelization Translation - Chapter 17, Section 2

If you would like to start from the beginning, read a missed part, etc., click here!

FE Game Script Translations - FE Novel Translations - Original FE Support Conversations

If you are interested in donating to support my work, please check out my Ko-fi here. Thank you!

———————————

I call this a “section” because it is not a separate part of the chapter in the book, but divided from the rest of the chapter by a scene break.

———————————

Chapter 17 - The Demon King's Shadow (con’t)

Frelia's pegasus knight unit was continuing to desperately defend against an overwhelmingly large enemy army.

Their entire unit had already been nearly wiped out, and the remaining soldiers were putting all of their strength into defending the bridges. If they fell here, then the enemy could invade in one fell swoop, and the people of Narube would likely be massacred without resistance.

"Those who can move, take the citizens south!" Syrene, the leader of the pegasus knight unit, shouted as loudly as she could while swinging around her lance and fending off the enemy's onslaughts.

However, she hardly had any knights left that could follow that order. Even if the knights managed to get the children atop the pegasi, their wings were damaged, and they couldn’t fly. Even the citizens who had panicked and cried at first had already lost the energy to do that any longer, and exhaustedly slipped into utter silence.

They’d made a major miscalculation. The Grado Army had lost the capital, yet still had a large number of soldiers left.

If the knights thought only about themselves, then they had the possibility to take advantage of their pegasi’s mobility and retreat, but they couldn’t abandon the people of Narube just to escape.

“We’re at our limit, Lady Syrene! We’ll buy you some time! Please do whatever it takes to get out of here!” A knight wearing armor covered in blood yelled at her.

But Syrene shook her head.

She had no intention of running away until the very end. The bodies of the Frelian soldiers who’d exhausted all of their strength lay around her. She was ready to die here in battle herself as well.

Her only regret was that she couldn’t live up to Prince Innes’ hopes for her. She remembered the day that she’d officially become the leader of the pegasus knights as if it was yesterday. The prince had personally given her a beautiful whip and said that the pegasus knight unit was the pride and joy of Frelia, and he wanted them to fight for their homeland so long as they drew breath.

His words filled her chest with deep emotions. She swore to herself that she would devote herself to Frelia… and Prince Innes and Princess Tana.

The plan was to unite her forces with the prince’s at Narube River and fight together at full strength under his orders. However, before that could happen, she would probably see her end. Regret burned in her heart.

Her younger sister was together with the prince. That was her only consolation. If her sister could protect the prince when she couldn’t… then that was all she could ask for.

“Lady Syrene, that’s…!” One of the knights shouted.

Was it more enemy reinforcements? Just how much leftover strength could the Grado Army have at this point? 

The moment Syrene was about to succumb to her despair, she looked at where her soldier was pointing, and instinctively breathed a sigh of belief.

A large army was nearing from the south. They were still a considerable distance away, so she couldn't clearly make out who they were, but the color of their armor was different from that of the Grado Army.

"Is that… the Renais Army…?" The moment Syrene whispered, a single pegasus knight appeared from the oncoming crowd, and flew straight in her direction. 

Syrene knew who it was before her eyes could even confirm the rider’s face, as she could distinguish the slight but distinct strong wing movements and neck shaking of individual pegasi.

She smiled without even thinking about it, and felt a weight be lifted off her shoulders that had been with her since the beginning of the war.

“Commander Syrene, are you alright?!” The knight riding the pegasus shouted, and swiftly threw a javelin at a Grado soldier coming at her while avoiding his own attack.

She effortlessly hit her target, showing her strength. ‘She’s gotten so much stronger in such a short amount of time.’ Syrene thought.

“Vanessa, you’re here! Meaning…”

“Yes, Prince Innes and Princess Tana are with me! They are safe as well!”

“Thank goodness…” Relief warmed her heart. 

Vanessa continued in a commanding tone, “Please stand down, Commander! We’ll take it from here.”

“No, I...”

‘...am not severely injured,’ she started to say, but thought twice about it.

Both her and her unit were already at the limits of their stamina. Even if she continued to be stubborn and fight on the front line, she would do the exact opposite of help, and get in her allies’ way. It was wiser for her to retreat for the moment, recuperate, and then pick up her weapon again.

“Understood! I will stand down for now, and let your commander take over from here. Please tell them I said so.”

“Yes Ma’am!”

“And Vanessa.”

Vanessa tried to guide her pegasus higher into the sky, but Syrene called out to her again.

Vanessa turned back around and no longer had her previous tense expression on her face, perhaps because she had finally relaxed. 

Syrene responded in a casual tone, “It looks like you’ve been playing a very big role as a soldier of Princess Eirika’s guard. I was really worried when I heard that you’d been betrayed in Carcino, but… I finally feel at ease.”

“Thank you Ma’am…!”

"Your spearmanship has improved greatly since we parted as well. And you've become a bit more beautiful too."

Vanessa’s eyes widened at suddenly being teased, and her cheeks turned red. “S-Sister…!”

No matter how good their relationship was as sisters, on the battlefield, they were commander and subordinate. To Vanessa, who was so serious it made her formal and strict, keeping that distinction was of vital importance. But right now, even she had forgotten herself.

Syrene laughed out loud and guided her pegasus to softly spread her wings.

Her pegasus had taken an enemy attack, which seriously injured her wing. She wanted her beloved pegasus to be healed as quickly as possible. To a pegasus knight, her pegasus was more than just a simple mount. They were invaluable partners whose fates were linked to each other.

“I’ll see you again later, Vanessa.” Syrene parted ways with her sister for the time being, and her pegasus flew off, leading her exhausted unit.

The Renais Army had crossed the bridge and was coming closer. Syrene stopped her pegasus and landed on the ground.

Everyone was injured and bleeding. Their uniforms had been beautiful and stunning when they left home, but now, they looked like they never could have been such dazzling garments. However, each and every one of their faces were lit up like the sun.

Syrene knelt down on one knee before Eirika and bowed her head. “Reporting, Princess Eirika of Renais! The Frelian Army was surprise attacked by the Grado Army, and we regrettably lost most of our soldiers. But only a few of the people of Narube have been killed since the beginning of the attack, and the rest are safe.”

“Good work. All of you please take whatever time you need to recuperate.” 

Eirika’s voice was soft and kind. Just her words alone healed Syrene of her exhaustion.

“Are you alright, Syrene?”

She recognized Prince Innes’ voice, and looked up.

He was standing next to Eirika. Among his dirt-covered army, he stood out as the one refined person. He of course should be tired since he had traveled on a long journey together with the soldiers, but he didn’t show it in the slightest. His clothing looked as if a tailor had just dressed him.

“Lord Innes… I am sorry. The Frelian Army is unable to merge with Renais’ Army. We’ve suffered too much damage, and…”

"Never mind that. None of you have anything you need to worry about. We’ll take it from here.”

His words were reassuring. ‘It appears that Vanessa is not the only one who’s grown up while we were apart.’ She felt that Prince Innes had also become even stronger since the last time they’d seen each other.

‘Perhaps…’ Syrene thought. ‘Vanessa has become more beautiful because of Prince Innes?’ It was difficult for her to imagine Vanessa falling in love with any ordinary man. If he wasn’t a partner that she could respect with all of her heart, then he likely wouldn’t be able to steal it. And If there was any man that Vanessa could respect, it was of course...

“Syrene, do you know any information about the enemy commander?”

Innes asked her in a harsh tone.

Syrene shook her head. “There is a fort on the other side of the river. The enemy commander is using it as a base. I heard that it appears to be Prince Lyon leading the army. I have not been able to confirm that myself, but that is what my subordinates reported.”

“Hmm… Do you know anything about Prince Lyon? ...No wait, nevermind.” In a move that was entirely unlike him, Innes hesitated and changed his words. “Asking won’t change anything. For now, Syrene, please get healed, and return quickly to the battlefront. We still need your power.”

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

He seemed worried about Prince Lyon for some reason, but knowing that she and her soldiers were living up to the prince’s expectations made Syrene happy. The pegasus knights had survived their long, grueling fight, retreated for the time being, and were healed by Natasha and the other healers.

“Leave the front line to us. We’ll defend the northern bridge.” Ephraim said and charged his horse straight north. 

His loyal knights Forde and Kyle led his other soldiers and followed after him.

Eirika went with Seth and the others to save the citizens. The group totaled a few dozen men and women huddling together and shaking. Eirika talked to each of them individually to encourage them, helped the injured atop her horse, and led them to a safe place.

Eirika worked as hard as she could, trying not to think about anything she did not need to. But every so often, she would remember that wicked voice. Whenever she thought about Lyon and the pain the Demon King had caused him, she couldn’t stand the feeling she felt. 

‘I ate his heart.’ Or so the Demon King said. If she accepted his words literally, then Lyon’s heart was already gone, and his body entirely controlled by the Demon King. She did not want to believe that such a terrifying thing could be reality.

It had been for only just a moment, but she'd heard Lyon scream. “Run away…” He’d pleaded with all his might. “I’ll destroy you…” There was no way that could have been the Demon King’s voice.

Lyon’s heart had yet to be completely consumed. He'd nearly suppressed the Demon King’s consciousness, and was continuing to just barely manage to fight. He was struggling as hard as he could to remain in control. And that was why they had to press forward. They had to defeat the Demon King and restore his heart.

But on the other hand of that thought, the Demon King's last words weighed heavily on her heart. Ephraim told her not to worry about them, yet she couldn't help but think about them.

Kill Prince Ephraim, and claim Princess Eirika. The Demon King said that was Lyon's desire. A kind man like Lyon shouldn't have such a twisted and ambitious desire… or so she wanted to think, but her heart was no longer sure.

As Lyon was a sickly person, Ephraim had always been the object of his admiration. In situations like when Ephraim was praised by Duessel, or he won a match against a senior knight, Lyon would cheerfully say "You really are amazing, Ephraim!" Those were words of wonder and amazement.

At the time, Eirika didn't think much of it, and just took his words at face value. ...There hadn’t been any warped feelings hiding underneath that adoration, right? He thought Ephraim was amazing… and wanted to be Ephraim… but he couldn’t. Those feelings of inferiority hadn’t turned into jealousy, had they?

“Lady Eirika, we have finished leading the people to safety.” Seth reported.

The pegasus knights had also finished receiving their treatment, and were awaiting Eirika’s orders. Now was not the time to be guessing what was within Lyon’s heart. She had orders to give as her army’s commander.

“Let’s go! We will take the fort across the river and capture Prince Lyon!” Eirika hesitated for a moment, then added, “You must not kill him! We still have a lot of questions for him.”

Syrene and her pegasus knights immediately accepted the order and all flew up into the sky at once. The pegasi had all been healed alongside their riders, and their energy was restored. They flapped their white wings at full strength.

Seth looked up at the pegasus knights and said, “Lady Eirika, I understand how you feel, but Prince Lyon is already…”

“...I know.” She cut off the rest of his sentence, not wanting to hear it.

He looked straight at her. "Our enemy introduced himself as the Demon King. We still do not know whether he truly is or not, but if he is, then this is very serious. Even if we fight him at full strength, we still might not win.”

“...You're right.”

“It’s a shame that his heart is in chaos on the outside, but…”

“I know. I’ll be fine, Seth. I’m prepared to fight him.” Eirika nodded with conviction.

She couldn’t make Seth worry, and so she spoke those words to him immediately. In truth, she still didn’t know. Would she be able to turn her sword against him?

Eirika maneuvered her horse to the front line, where Ephraim's group was fighting. She shook off her hesitation and gradually picked up speed.

A harsh battle was unfolding on the northern bridge. Grado dragon knights attacked from the sky, making the fight difficult for Ephraim and his soldiers, but the pegasus knight unit rushed to their side, and started to change their situation bit by bit.

Pegasi were of a smaller build than dragons, but were utterly fearless. They flew bravely at the enemies' chests, and threw them into confusion. Once the dragon unit's movements had broken out into a panic, Innes and Neimi shot arrows straight at them. The arrows flew through the dragon's wings. Their cries pierced the sky, and their riders lost their balance and fell into the river.

Once Eirika's army finally captured the bridge, they used that momentum to continue moving east. They could now see the fort the enemy was using as their base.

"He's in there, right?!" Ephraim asked when Eirika rode up next to him.

Eirika noticed that her brother refused to refer to Lyon by name.

Perhaps Ephraim felt just as lost as Eirika, and that was why he was purposely avoiding referring to Lyon by name. If he said it aloud, it might dull his resolve to fight, no matter what else he did.

The enemy was waiting for them outside of the fort. Eirika's army shifted into a fan formation and surrounded the Demon King.

He had a cruel smile on his face, and waited calmly for them. He no longer seemed to have any interest in pretending to be human. His facial features were clearly Lyon's, but his expressions did not feel human at all.

'That's not Lyon… such a wicked, cold stare could never be Lyon's.' Eirika told herself. But she still could not rid herself of her hesitation, rather, she tried to find if Lyon was left anywhere in his face.

"...So you intend to challenge me?" The Demon King asked. 

The chilling sound of his voice made Eirika's horse tremble so hard she could not calm her.

"You are all so lucky to not yet know my true terror…”

"Get out of Lyon's body!!" Ephraim roared.

Eirika jumped. His voice was filled with an intense anger that she had never once heard come from him in her entire life.

Ephraim did not fear the Demon King, although perhaps it was more accurate to say that he was so infuriated by someone hurting Lyon that he forgot how afraid he was. 

Ephraim's powerful voice boosted the morale of Eirika's army, but the Demon King met Ephraim's anger by laughing at him.

"It's not healthy to make your blood boil, prince of Renais. Don't you get it? Prince Lyon and everything about him is no more. I ate him. This body is no longer his.”

"Damn you…!" Ephraim raised his lance, and his soldiers each readied their own weapons. The archers and mages behind them also prepared themselves to support them.

But the Demon King’s spell was faster. Its waves rippled through the air, and a split second after, a horse collapsed.

Eirika looked over at them and felt fear send a chill down her spine. The neck of the fallen horse was turning in unnatural directions as if a huge, invisible hand was twisting it.

“Nosferatu…?!” Lute gasped. As someone so confident, it was entirely unlike her, but even she was panicking. “Please be careful! That is an extremely powerful dark magic. If you take a direct hit, then…!”

The army’s movements fell into chaos. The terrified horses burst out into a full gallop and tried to shake off their riders. Only Seth, Forde, and a few others managed to keep control of their horses, while the other knights all clung desperately to their horses’ necks.

The Demon King cast another spell. Another horse fell down. 

The army was in a panic trying to rush outside of the spell’s range, but among them, Eirika was doing the opposite, and pushing ahead. 

Seth and Ephraim noticed her and rushed over to her, flustered. They stood behind her, ready to protect her, as she faced the Demon King.

His expression changed, sharp eyes narrowing in satisfaction.

Eirika tightened her grip around her horse's reins. Her horse stopped shaking, the strength of her resolve seeming to communicate with her mount.

"Can you hear me, Lyon?" Eirika said and stared straight into the Demon King's eyes. 

"It's useless!!" Ephraim shouted and tried to stop her, but she paid him no mind and continued.

"You're in there, aren't you, Lyon? Please do not abandon hope. We will defeat the Demon King and save you… so please, don't give in…"

The Demon King's expression shook ever so slightly. He furrowed his brow and glared at Eirika. "Pitiful girl… You still believe that there is any of Lyon's heart within this body? How fascinating. Then come here. I will tear you apart limb from limb with these very hands…"

"Get away from him, Eirika!" Ephraim shouted and kicked his horse's side. Seth followed after him a second later.

Ephraim thrust his lance with a sharp battle cry. The Demon King narrowly dodged a fatal blow, but blood sprayed out from his shoulder. Seth followed up without a moment's delay, thrusting his own lance. 

The Demon King flailed his arm around wildly, but there was no power in his movements.

"Support Ephraim! Archers, step forward!" Innes ordered, and swiftly shot an arrow of his own. 

His silver arrow pierced deep into the Demon King's chest.

'Stop!' Eirika tried to scream. 'If you kill him, then Lyon's heart will die, too!!'

The Demon King staggered, but his eyes did not lose the intensity within them. "This little is too much…? The human body is so frail." He muttered in annoyance and pulled the arrow out of his chest. Blood flowed from the wound. 

He glared at Eirika with eyes burning like a blazing fire. "I have learned the extent of your power. In this case… I will hasten my resurrection. I will abandon this frail body and return to my true flesh. That is the day when this continent will once again be shrouded in darkness. There is no longer a single place any of you can run to!” He said in a tone not unlike that of one giving a curse, and disappeared.

Ephraim yelled at him, “You’re running away?! Do you really think I’ll let you desecrate Lyon’s body ever again…?!”

Ephraim ordered the soldiers to search the area and turned back towards Eirika. “Are you alright, Eirika?”

“Yes…”

"Don't do anything reckless. You know he's not Lyon. The Lyon we were friends with is already…"

"Brother, I want to believe him. The Demon King says what he does, but Lyon's heart is still alive… he's suffering and waiting for us to save him. I can feel it." Ephraim furrowed his brow. His blue eyes clouded over with hesitation.

He was still suffering, too. Just like she was.

He sighed deeply. "...I understand. Right now, finding him comes first. Eirika, you rest for a bit."

"No, I'm going to search too…"

"Your face is terribly pale. You've pushed yourself past your limit. L'Arachel, could you please take care of her?"

L'Arachel was standing near him, so he called her over. 

Eirika went into a tent with L'Arachel, deciding that she would take a short rest.

ー

[amitieos]

"Elincia!" Dimitri called out, his intentions clear as day as...there wasn't much you could do to hide gifts that were so obviously weapons and horse riding equipment. "I have heard that today was your birthday, so I have gotten you some gifts as a token of our friendship. You are, after all, a very dear friend of mine and I thank you for being so kind to me."

The first gift was a lance with a customized corseque blade, shaped to resemble a sharp fleur-de-lis, or alternatively, a crown. "This type of lance is commonly used by the royal knights of Faerghus. It is formidable and stands well as a decorative weapon. Now, the other..."

The second gift was a saddle blanket for pegasi, cushioned and proper fitting to not get in the way of the wings and not get caught on feathers. It was actually green in color, a tone more pastel than that of Elincia's hair. "And this...is both for you and Chrysaor! I am definitely not the most versed in pegasi, my knowledge surely pales in comparison to yours', but I wished to give you something that could help you be it in battle or during an afternoon ride. It is quite comfortable! And it came with this!" A bonnet of the same color. "No pompoms on this one, I swear."

The prince smiled, more genuine than polite. "I wish you a long and fulfilling life, as well as an amazing day. Happy Birthday, my friend."

Perhaps it was a touch inappropriate, but Elincia pulled Dimitri in to a quick hug. It was the only way she felt capable of expressing her gratitude for his generosity. She pulled back, face broad with a bright smile on her face.

"Dimitri, you've become a very dear friend to me too. Your warmth and generosity seems to know no bounds! I promise to treasure this, always." Elincia took the lance in her hands. It's weight really was formidable but it's design was so delicate, it was definitely intended as a decorative piece and it would truly be a shame to tarnish it's beauty. That it's used by the royal knights of Faerghus means more to her than she knows how to say - it's acceptance, as if she has a home away from home now. She can't help but tear up a little at the thought.

"Sorry-- I promise these are happy tears," she assures him as she accepts the saddle blanket. It feels plush and soft in her hands. She's sure it will be exceptionally comfortable for both pegasus and rider. The bonnet and his comment earns a brief but hearty chuckle. "Oh he'll love this! We'll match. Dimitri..."

"Thank you so very much for accepting me into your house and as a friend. I'm very grateful we met. I hope you know you will always find a steadfast ally in me. My time at the academy has been some of the best months of my life. I hope our friendship lasts a lifetime."

[megatraven]

I have this idea I would to see as a short story please. Im currently picturing a Astoria story where mc is looking over the floating ground, somehow ends up falling over and someone has to rescue her. (You can choose the person who will rescue her) Maybe someone decided they don't like her and wants to rid of her or she is clumsy... give it as much angst as possible.

I love this and also I’m incredibly biased so I’m gonna go with Alex! Also I borrowed @seduceme-lovestruck-thearcana‘s headcanon of Ares being the one to start the fight that resulted in the death of MC’s mom for this fic :)

AO3

_________

“Those are your only choices,” Ares sneers, his anger heating the air around them, nearly burning her. It’s thick and cloying, threatening to choke her before she can respond as waves of red aura spill from the god. “Become my hero, or die.”

Fear courses through her veins, but anger runs right alongside it. She meets his gaze, suppressing the need to bow her head in his presence, and clenches her fists. 

“You don’t get to decide my fate for me,” she says, nearly spitting the words at him and she takes a brave step forward, pointing at his chest. “I’ll never be your hero, Ares. I’ll never choose you over Alex.”

The god smiles, then. It’s something cruel and it chills her down to her bones even as the heat around him grows unbearable.

“Then you’ve chosen death, little goddess.”

Before she can say anything, before she can even move, the god’s hand is clenched around her throat, so tight she worries he’ll kill her right then. She can barely think past the way his touch burns, his hand leaving an imprint in her skin that would make her sob, if she could.

And then he says something that makes her mind go blank, any pain she feels overshadowed by her fury and hatred for the god:

“Say hello to your mother for me.”

It isn’t the words themselves- though they’re terrible on their own. No- it’s the satisfaction, the glee in his eyes, the smugness in his voice that tell her everything she didn’t know, never even considered.

He was responsible for her mother’s death.

“You-” she starts, her anguish boiling over as a storm of curses jump to the tip of her tongue. But he squeezes tighter, cutting off any other words, and she can only struggle against his iron grip for so long before he grows bored of toying with her.

“It’s a shame, really. You would’ve been the perfect tool to make Aphrodite suffer for what she did to me. And it would put that thin-blooded child of hers in their place.” He shrugs, nonchalant even as he dangles her above the ground, too close to the edge of Olympus. “But I’ll make it work without you.”

Without any warning, he pulls her close for just a moment, probably to gloat more, and despite everything, she manages to spit right in his face. Disgust and hatred flare up alongside his aura, and she takes some sick satisfaction from it just before he tosses her off the side.

The wind rushes around her as she falls, any scream dying before it leaves her throat, the burns Ares left too painful for anything to spill past it. Tears finally break free of her, streaming down her cheeks and dripping into the air above.

From up above, she sees Ares watching her, looking over the edge before he turns around and goes. A traitorous part of her wants to call him back- somehow, dying alone is a more terrifying thought than having even the god of war with her. But she promptly shoves that need down and tries taking stock of everything else, hoping, praying that against all odds, she might find something to save her life.

Her hopes are dashed as quick as they came. The only thing near her as she falls are the other floating islands, each still too far for her to reach or land. And landing on one seemed just as deadly as not. 

She shudders, trying to rid her mind of such thoughts. When it comes to it, there’s nothing there to save her. Only Ares knew where she was, and she’d never taken the gods for ones that just stare over the edges of paradise waiting for some mortal to fall past them.

Against the harsh winds, she closes her eyes, and lets fear overcome her as consciousness fades- either from that very fear, or the hurt that Ares inflicted. The world disappears from sight, and it’s easy to think it’s all a bad dream in the ever-lasting darkness.

She’s not sure how long she falls, or if she’s even falling at all. But someone calls her name- it’s a voice that her heart beats happily for, that always soothes her.

Alex.

They call out again, and whether she falls or not, she smiles, thankful that she can at least hear their voice once more. She thinks, if she is truly falling to her death, then Hypnos is a kind god where Ares is cruel.

It’s not as hard to accept such a terrible fate, when their voice settles her soul and pierces through the fear. She may be falling- or she may not be- but nothing makes her feel lighter than thinking of her love for Alex. 

And then their voice cuts through the fog that’s filled her mind- they’re a lot closer now, and she stirs, cracking her eyes open just a peek before jolting awake.

She is falling, careening down from Olympus to only gods know where. She’s still afraid, but she knows what she heard, and looks around wildly, desperate to see-

There.

Alex, with such a pained look on their face that it makes her heart ache, riding on one of the many pegasi that populate Olympus. She’s not even sure that they’re tame animals, but Alex rides it as if they’ve done it their whole life.

Their hand reaches out towards her, and though her fingers are numb and she can hardly muster the strength to move at all, she reaches back.

She’s not sure what she’s done to deserve such a thing, but the moment her fingertips touch Alex’s, she knows everything will be alright. There’s no room for doubt as Alex’s hand closes around hers and pulls her onto the pegasus, cradling her body to theirs and holding on tight.

Her throat protests, but she tries to speak anyways, only stopping when Alex’s worried gaze falls on her, and they tell her to save her energy. She wants to argue, say something to convince them that she’ll be fine, now that they’re here. But they keep talking before she can choke something out.

“It’ll be okay. I’ll keep you safe, no matter what,” they promise her, guiding the pegasus back to one of the islands. “Gods... I’m so sorry, I never should’ve left you alone up here-” Their breath hitches and they shake their head. “But that doesn’t matter right now. What matters is getting you help.”

They nod, resolute.

She nearly nods off while they fly, the beat of their heart and the sound of the pegasus’ wings a sweet kind of rhythm. Instead of succumbing to slumber, though, a single thought persists through her mind, and she takes the time to grab Alex’s attention and say one word.

“...How?”

This time, the look Alex gives her does more than make her heart ache- it breaks it into a hundred different pieces.

“Ares told me.”

Her blood goes cold and her brows draw together, confusion warring with anger. Alex must read her like an open book, because they look away, the guilt and pain in their own expression too much to bear.

Their own heart is breaking, that much is clear.

And then they whisper the words that really, truly crush her, hurt worse than Ares’ burns or falling to her death. Words that will take the rug out from under her feet for the rest of her life, that she wishes would be lost to the wind around them.

"I agreed to become his hero. In your place.”

It’s unspoken, but their worst fears have come true:

Ares won.

[risingduskanddawn]

Tough Love

DuskDawnAU. Story below the cut

"Mom!" The youngest alicorn shouted in surprise and horror. When Empress Celestia had taken her daughters to a discreet area; a forbidden land known as the Everfree Forest, she had claimed it was time for them to begin training. Princess Twilight assumed it was to put her knowledge of magic to the test. She had been practicing and training all her life, hitting the books every chance she had. Yet this was not what the two sisters expected. As soon as they landed, full of eagerness and excitement, her mother welcomed her daughters with a cold, emotionless look and lashed out at the older of the two sisters. Princess Twilight had never seen her kind, elegant mother harm a fly, let alone lay a hoof on her sister. Princess Sunset felt stinging pain on the left side of her face. Her eyes watered almost immediately upon impact. "I expected you to be more prepared." Was all their mother had to say. Gritting her teeth, the amber alicorn was at a loss for words. Princess Twilight ran up to her and glanced at her cheek, not failing to notice the bruise that was making itself known. That would be hard to hide and explain to their subjects. "Mom?" Princess Twilight questioned, almost in fear. She knew better than to speak without being addressed. Empress Celestia gave both of her daughters a long look, as if observing them to their deepest core. "Twilight." She called. "Y-yes...?" "What can you tell me about wars?" The filly gulped. "Wars... definitely not peaceful. There was a time before Equestria came to be - the three races; Unicorns, Pegasi and Earth Ponies were at each others' throats constantly, refusing to believe in unity. They were almost at war so many times, until they finally learnt to get along and formed Equestria. Equestria has histories of being threatened and invaded since then, but so far, no wars. Lives were lost and we did suffer damages though... In other words..," "We fight and sometimes die to defend our land." Her sister finished. Princess Sunset had one hoof on her cheek, with a wing held up to her face in an attempt to ungraciously wipe the blood casually flowing out of a nostril. The Empress sighed; either from disapproval at the idea of a war or displeased with their answer. Despite that, she had to remind herself that her daughters are still young. Both of them had a long way to go. "The reason I brought both of you here today - I need you both to realize, my princesses, that there is more to life than studying. Books may give you answers. But ultimately, it all will lead up to your own actions." The mare leveled her gaze to the two princesses, allowing them to see the grim expression her face held, but not missing the gentle look in her eyes. "But... why?" Princess Twilight spoke up, still afraid of angering her mother. She gestured to her sister, who had now ended up with a smudged face instead of a clean, blood-free one. Her wing feathers were stained with some of the dried liquid as well. Empress Celestia gave her elder daughter a sad look and magiced a handkerchief out of nowhere. After casting a spell to will it to be wet, she levitated it towards Princess Sunset. The filly hesitated momentarily before accepting the soggy item. "The key to never get bested by your opponent... is to stay on guard. Be alert, stay strong, and you will win the battle." "So the point of all this was to not get me whacked in the face?" Princess Sunset asked, almost mocking. Princess Twilight nudged her. "Were you even paying attention?" In return, she received a sharp glare. "You aren't the one with a bloody muzzle!" "Calm down." Empress Celestia sighed again. She couldn't fathom why she decided to have children, knowing the costs. Her daughters are almost teenagers, and according to the weekly magazines 'Mother Mares', teenagehood is the worst phase a foal will go through. What's worse; she will have to deal with two at once. "Come over here, and let me tell you a story." Her children immediately obeyed, scrambling over toward her, eyes gleaming with excitement. Children, she smiled. Why do they have to grow up? "Once upon a time, in the magical land of Equestria. There were two regal sisters who ruled together, and created harmony for all the land. To do this, the eldest; used her unicorn powers to raise the sun at dawn. The younger, brought out the moon to begin the night." "There were sisters?! I didn't know there could be two rulers at the same time!" Princess Twilight gasped. Princess Sunset poked her sister with the tip of her horn. "Shhh!" "Ow! Sorry! Sheesh." Celestia allowed a small smile before returning to a stoic composure. "Thus, the two sisters maintained balance for their kingdom and their subjects, all the different types of ponies. As time went on, the younger sister became resentful. The ponies relished and played in the day her elder sister brought fourth, but shunned and slept through her beautiful night. One fateful day, the younger refused to lower the moon to make way for the dawn. The elder sister tried to reason with her, but the bitterness in the young one's heart had transformed her into a wicked mare of darkness; Nightmare Moon." At the revelation, both fillies gasped. Empress Celestia went on with the story, as if reading it off of an invisible book. "She vowed she would shroud the land in eternal night. Reluctantly, the elder sister harnessed the most powerful magic known to ponykind; the Elements of Harmony. Using the magic of the Elements of Harmony, she defeated her younger sister, and vanished her permanently in the moon. The elder sister took on responsibility over both sun and moon, and harmony had been maintained in Equestria for generations since." "Whoa." Princess Sunset exclaimed. "She must be really sad." Princess Twilight said quietly. "Yeah. As annoying as you are, if I ever have to banish you, I'll miss having nopony to plan my pranks for." "Thanks?" The Empress loomed over the girls, clearly not done with passing the information she long wished to give. "Sad as it is, the story is one of truth." "You mean, it happened? It's real?" The older filly looked around fearfully, as if the evil mare will pop out of anywhere anytime. "Nightmare Moon?" Her sister asked. "Unfortunately, the story isn't of the utmost truth. As most stories are, when retold, storytellers recount what they remember, not the exact facts. But in our case, as royals, we intentionally change the stories, as the truth may cause harm. If our subjects know that the banishment is for a limited time instead of permanent, as the old ponytail states - we could cause fear and panic. Which is why, my loves-" The Empress wrapped her wings around the fillies, bringing together the dusk and the dawn of their pelts. "I need us all to prepare. As much as how crucial knowledge is, out intellectual skills will have to match our physical abilities." "There's going to be a war?" Princess Sunset asked, snuggling closer into her mother. "There's going to be a battle." Her mother corrected. "We must win the battle, for if we lose, a war may erupt. The truth to life; we won't always be able to remain in harmony. As rulers, we have to fight to maintain that harmony." The young mares stayed quiet as they digested their mother's words, thinking through them carefully, counting all the threats and possibilities. Neither of them are trained or prepared for battle. The prospect had never even occurred to them until this very moment. The many times their mother had tried to get them interested in fighting tactics, battle strategies, et cetera. The reason as to why finally came clear to the young minds. As protectors, Equestria is theirs to protect.

[nautiscarader]

Twiflash 117

Twiflash (first one!), E

(Ao3) (prompts)

- Come in.

Twilight Sparkle yawned, accepting the guest into her chambers at the palace. Her quill danced on the parchment, writing line after line of paperwork she truly detested. She might like making lists, but the monotony of the royal orders have almost put her to sleep.

Only when he spoke, Twilight recognised Flash's voice.

- Still working? It's way past midnight.

He leaned an nuzzled her neck, before he placed a gentle kiss that instantly made her arch her tired back. Her wings stretched, as the princess of friendship gave her coltfriend more and more places to kiss.

- Is this how you've spent your day? - he asked, seeing the mountain of scrolls - Are you kidding? Spike already sent three times the amount. Been wondering where he went... - Probably to Rarity. - Flash replied quickly, nuzzling her ear - Because, you know, that's what husbands do after hours. They go home to their wives. Speaking of...

He trotted around her desk, and sneaked underneath it.

- I think you deserve some time off, don't you think so?

Twilight giggled, and before she could react, Flash's head dived between her legs, causing a frantic laughter mixed with a moan to erupt in the empty, spacious hall. He spread her hind-legs, pulling her into half-leaning position, as he performed first, delicate lick around her pussy. Twilight threw her head back, watching the moonlight reflected in the crystal ceiling of her room, though she was sure at least some of the sparkles in her eyes were caused by her coltfriend. He was slow, meticulous, and tenacious, aiming to do his duty and please his princess.

Her wings fluttered every time his tongue lapped around her folds or dived between them, and she could already feel the electricity in the air building around her horn. Before she became an alicorn, Twilight didn't know how pegasi reacted to the arousal, so the sudden jerks of her wings still slightly perplexed her, especially when it happened in public. In the comfort of her own palace, however, she could express her love for her coltfriend's skills as much as she pleased.

With each kiss, lick and nibble, Twilight wriggled and panted, and only his hoofs on her cutie mark prevented her from completely ejecting herself from her throne. Whenever he dived deeper inside her, Flash's muzzle caressed her clit, but only when he concentrated on it, Twilight's dams broke and she wailed his name, flooding him with her juices, showing him how long the day has truly been for her. Above his head, he saw the aura of her magiculation, as purple sparks flew everywhere as her orgasm shook her body.

- Better? - he leaned from her legs, watching the mesmerised, half-absent face of his mare, her tongue sticking out in the most un-princess-like fashion. - Uh-uh... - she moaned and leaned to give him a kiss, tasting her own juices. - But what about you?

Flash's body was engulfed in a purple aura as Twilight levitated him to her desk, throwing the supplies to the ground, cushioning them with a spell just before they would break.

- You've been on duty the whole day too, haven't you?

Twilight's frisky tone revealed her intentions well before her eyes darted to his cock. She smacked her lips, and without waiting for his answer she closed her mouth around his tip, getting the first taste of her coltfriend. She heard the satisfying, familiar groan above her, and she bend low, taking him deeper into her mouth. Her senses were filled with well-known, musky, strong scent, and with the multitude of moans that reached her, it overwhelmed her senses. Two days without him felt like eternity, and the impatience in his rising voice certainly revealed that.

Just like Flash did it to her, she took her time to caress her stallion's cock, often letting go of him just to take long licks along his shaft, already seeing veins bulging and pulsing. Whenever Flash dared looking down, he was met with her flirtatious stare, boiling his blood and cum with each second of the sensual connection. She flicked her tongue against his tip, and the very next moment she felt his hoof on the back of her head, at the same time when he cried her name and first stream of hot, warm seed filled her mouth, shooting down her gullet. The desk underneath Flash's bum rocked with each of his pulses, as he kept flooding her with two days of abstinence, until Twilight had to let go of him, spraying the rest on her belly.

- So-sorry Twi... - he groaned, falling to his back - Couldn't... Didn't... want to... - I know, I know. - she spoke, swallowing the last droplets of his orgasm.

She gave his cock one last kiss, giggling as it twitched under her touch. She looked up at her stallion, lying, defeated on her desk, meeting her eyes, her sparkling mane mixing into the colourful canopy above them.

- Do you mind escorting me to my bedroom? - she asked, swinging her tail as she walked off - I will need your assistance there...