#if he’s gonna be ranked that far down you have no excuse not to

[hawkeyefierce]

every day i wake up and i shake a stick at nhl central scouting for having the fucking audacity to rank gazizov 192nd among north american skaters… are they just fucking stupid or do they actually hate him that much

[madridfangirl]

Cricket with the Bellinghams

(Jude & Jobe Bellingham blurb)

'Should we ask her to play as well?’

Jobe asked Jude while nodding in Ananya’s direction. Jude finished setting up the wickets, then turned around to look at his girlfriend who was currently pacing around the living room while on a serious work call. On a Sunday afternoon.

‘She might go all can’t you see I’m dying out here and what makes you think I have time to spare for playing?’

Jobe nodded in support of his brother.

‘Yeah she shooed me away 10 mins ago for breathing too loudly around her.’

‘Exactly. On the other hand, she might go all feminist if we don’t ask her and be like so you assumed I can’t / won’t play just coz I’m a girl?’

Jobe nodded again.

‘Yup, can see that too. What do we do then?’

‘You ask her. She’s sweeter to you.’

‘Oh bollocks. You scared of your girlfriend bro?’

‘Talking about me?’

Both brothers jumped to find her standing right behind them. How did they not hear her come in to the yard at all?

Jude was a little tongue-tied wondering how much she had heard so Jobe decided to take the reins.

‘Just wanted to ask if you’d like to play cricket with us. If your work is done I mean.’

‘Oh it’s not done. It’s never going to be done till I burn that place down. Might as well play a bit.’

Jude scanned her closely - it didn’t look like she had heard much at all. He smiled and wrapped an arm around her shoulder.

‘Wanna bat first?’

‘Sure. Gonna beat your sorry ass with it.’

Jude’s arm dropped from around her, as did his smile, while Jobe giggled behind the stumps. He could already tell this was going to go places.

‘Excuse me?’

‘You heard me.’

‘You know Jobe and I used to play cricket in school right?’

‘And I’ve grown up watching it. What’s your point?’

While Jude was always fiercely competitive, he knew she was a demonic warrior when she wanted to be. This clearly seemed like that day. He still ranked himself far higher in skill, so he knew it would end the way he wanted it to.

‘Game on then.’

‘Yup.’

‘Not gonna go easy on you dove.’

‘Didn’t ask you to.’

Jobe looked between the two of them, wondering how a light fun-filled afternoon had completely turned on its head. What he didn’t know was that the couple had been arguing over small small things all weekend. The kind of fights where you won’t even know half way in what it really was about or where it started from. So what was happening right now didn’t just originate out of nowhere.

Jude counted the steps of his lineup and got in position. Though he had said no mercy, he still decided to bowl slow, just short of out and out underarm. Even with that he was sure he’d beat her. But at least it would look like a contest then.

He bowled the first delivery. She had all the time in the world to step out of her crease, catch the ball mid -air and hit it into the outfield.

It took Jude two seconds to process what he just saw, after which he chased the ball. By then she had taken two runs. Jobe hooted from behind the stumps, patting her on the back.

All mercy went out of the window then. Jude took a proper run and swung his arm fully for the next delivery. The pace of the ball and short length of this make-shift pitch made the ball go over her head for a bouncer.

She gaped and looked at him in horror.

‘That could have hit me.’

‘Please, that would have gone over Jobe as well.’

‘Tryna show off? Or intimidate me?’

‘Just taking the game seriously.’

He shrugged nonchalantly, which annoyed her even more.

‘Good to know there are a few things you still take seriously.’

‘Wait what’s that supposed to mean?’

‘Just go back and bowl.’

‘Don’t mind if I do.’

Jobe wondered if he should leave them alone and let them sort out whatever the hell was going on here. But both would have given him dirty looks if he even mentioned that. So he stayed shut.

The next ball whipped past her shoulder. Jude just looked her up and down, before walking back for his run-up. The unabashed cockiness pissing her off. He had done that consistently last few days - just setting her off with this air about him.

Next ball came. Straight on her legs. She swung the bat with all her might but couldn’t connect it properly and the ball grazed her front leg.

‘OUT. That’s an LBW.’

‘Nope. That was a no ball.’

‘No it wasn’t. I was way behind my line.’

‘Rubbish. I could see from here it was a no ball.’

‘Jobe?’

Jobe looked between the piercing eyes of both.

‘Yeah I’m not touching that with a barge pole.’

‘Coward.’

They said together, then looked at each other to acknowledge their telepathic connection, corners of their lips threatening to twitch with a smile. But the game was still on and neither was ready to give in.

However, Jobe decided to call it quits and said his goodbye after making some lame excuse. He would rather vegetate in bed than be the go between for this sparring hot headed pair.

‘One final ball. If I get you out I win. If you score even 1 run you win. Else it’s a draw. Deal?’

‘Deal.’

Jude weighed his options. Anything above her torso would be risky, she wasn’t good with ducking or swaying in time. But blocking she was quite adept at, from what he had seen just now, so a clean bowled or LBW targeting the stumps would be the way to go.

He stood on his mark. Before starting his run-up, he gave her a final look, almost giving her the window to back out. But she was a woman on a mission today. To humble his sorry ass. No matter what it took.

He bowled the final delivery. It was on target. Right on her front leg. She tried to block well, just like he had predicted. But it was a straight LBW. Clear as day.

However, celebrating was the last thing on Jude’s mind because in her rapid attempt to block, the ball deflected off the edge and hit her on her index finger.

She didn’t scream. She didn’t make any sound. But the bat dropped from her hand immediately and she turned around, holding her finger tightly.

Jude ran to her and was in front of her in a few seconds.

‘Show me.’

It wasn’t a request. He didn’t leave any room for her to be a sore loser & act out. Instead, he grabbed her wrist and pulled her other hand away to take a good look at the finger.

Then, he moved it a little bit and on one particular angle she cried out in pain.

‘Sorry, had to check for a fracture. But it’s just a sprain. Wait here.’

Again, it wasn’t a request. Jude came back in record time with a first aid kit and a pack of ice. He applied a quick ointment to soothe the nerves, then covered her finger with an ice pack, keeping it there for 2 mins sharp.

‘Try moving it now.’

She did. And just like that the pain was gone.

She looked up at his concerned face with a half-smile.

‘All good.’

Jude stood there motionless for two seconds. She wondered if he had even heard her.

But then he grabbed her arms and pulled her in for a crushing hug, kissing her head and face all over.

‘I’m sorry. I’m so so sorry baby.’

‘It’s fine it was just a sprain and it’s not your fault.’

‘Ofcourse it’s my fault. I hurt you.’

‘Jude, it was an accident.’

‘You got hurt because of me.’

‘Jude, it’s fin…’

He grabbed her face, tilted it up and kissed her like his life depended on it. Her hands came up to his biceps for support.

‘Are you mad at me? And I’m not talking about just now.’

‘No. I mean, I don’t know.’

‘I don’t like us snapping at each other like this. It sucks.’

‘I know baby. It’s just…I don’t know….maybe it’s work…it’s just been super crazy and…..’

‘And sometimes I can be a lot to deal with yeah?’

He looked at her so earnestly that she couldn’t keep herself from giving him a genuine smile.

‘Sometimes. But I know I can be difficult too and it’s just……’

‘Shhhhh it’s ok, it’s fine.’

He pulled her close again, peppering kisses over the top of her head.

‘I know just the thing to let out some frustration.’

‘If you’re talking about sex you can stop talking. I’m still irritated.’

‘Actually that’s an even better idea. But what I had in mind was more like a punching bag. Have one in the gym.'

'That....is a surprisingly brilliant idea.'

He shrugged cockily, and she rolled her eyes at him.

'Wanna give it a go, then? Can show you some punches.'

'Yes pls. Maybe we can make it a thing. I sure might.'

'So long as you don't imagine my face while punching the bag it's cool.'

'We gotta do what we gotta do.'

With that, she turned around and walked back into the house. While Jude stood there a bit, staring after her. She was full of surprises, never a dull moment with her. And Jude loved it all.

...............................................................

Was missing my babies so literally wrote this in 30 mins. Hope you like it :)

[absolutebl]

This Week in BL - The unexpected rise of cooking crush & seme bjs

Organized, in each category, with ones I'm enjoying most at the top.

Jan 2024 Wk 3

Ongoing Series - Thai

The Sign (Sat YT) ep 9 of 12 - I love this show so damn much. This may be my KinnPorsche. It’s just so endlessly entertaining in a perfectly unhinged way. I love that they looped Tharn’s dad back into the murder investigations.

You know kinksters have invented necklaces that can’t come off… right? Just saying.

Meanwhile, would it still be BL if our seme didn’t wake up from drowning and instantly go chase snake?

No. No it would not. 

Remember the one hard and fast rule of BL? When a seme gives a BJ it’s penance. Phaya is apologizing to Tharn for leaving him behind.

Heh. Hard and fast. I kill me. 

Pit Babe (Fri iQIYI) ep 10 of 14 - How is this absurd creature managing to rise in the ranks? Pavel turned in some stellar grief and ALANJEFF have my whole heart. I make Ikea puns in the... Trash watch happening here.

Cooking Crush (Sun YT) ep 7 of 12 - The make-out montage was absolutely charming and very much American rom com style - interesting (and rare) to see in a BL (not to mention from OffGun. How far we have come since Puppy Honey?)

Meanwhile, another wonderful grandma in a BL!

Next week we do an actual harken back to Puppy Honey, so obviously I’m now enjoying this whole show way more than before. I think it helped that I watched it earlier in the week, when it wasn’t competing with any other BLs. 

Last Twilight (Fri YT) ep 11 of 12 - Not gonna lie, I knew from you all that this was gonna be a rough ep. But I very clearly remember the penultimate Bad Buddy ep so I now have slightly more trust than others in GMMTV on this matter. 

That said, this was a crap episode.

You can’t set Mork’s truth and character motivation reveal up like that and then have his lover choose to dismiss him in a way that diminishes not just both character's growth AND all of Mork's actions towards Day, but also our faith in every other character. It was a shitty narrative thing to do to us, and it was a shitty thing to do to Mork. And that doesn’t even take into account the forgiveness allotted by the story to Day’s unrepentant excuse for a mother.  The doom should have been handled differently. The mom shoudl have leaned in even more evil and actively lied to split them apart.

I don't know if they can redeem this misstep in the final episode. But I'm interested to see them try. That said, this plot seem to be true to the book. 

For Him (Thurs iQIYI) ep 8 of 12 - A major trigger has landed. But also it’s clear who’s fault that incident was... and it’s not Him’s. So Blue's so-called-friend really is unhinged. This episode was a little bit more engaging than last week, but it’s only because stuff actually happened. I’m still not sure I enjoyed it. 

Twins the series (Fri GaGa) ep 12fin - Despite the fact that I’ve been annoyed by the show the last couple of episodes, I’m still sad for it to end. It was a good reveal and First had the right response. Also a very sports way to end it. Sprite is a v clingy bf. 

In brief?

A messy very Thai pulp sports romance that actually managed to involve sports in an identical twins trading-places plot. Basically Not Me meets HIStory 2 Crossing the Line (although vastly inferior to either) with an endearing main character and a good lead pair (poor things), both soapy and earnest without too much camp.��It tried so hard but the plot, side couples, and extraneous characters let us down. Passable if not great. 7/10 

Time the series (Thai Gaga) ep 2 of 10 - Eh. Whatever. 

My Universe (Sun iQIYI) ep 22 of 24 - skipped this installment

Ongoing Series - Not Thai

Although I Love You and You AKA Sukiyanen Kedo Do Yaro ka (Japan Gaga) ep 2 of 10 - Funny how quickly he retracted that confession and everyone called him out for doing it too soon (including me from a narrative beats perspective). It was a cute screw up - I see what your meta-arse is doing there, Japan. Also our Tokyo-boy’s serious reserved earnestness is extra adorable in the surrounded by Osaka enthusiasm context. His accidental flirting is that much more heart wrenching for our poor baby seme.  And they ended this ep with honorific negotiations!! Be still my heart. I’m really adoring this show.

Your hyung romance super fan is back in the game! 

Meanwhile the Osaka accent is beyond adorable. 

Sahara-sensei to Toki-kun (Japan Fri Gaga) ep 6 of 8 - Japan what are you doing? I do love the not-sorta-ex from the past. 

VIP Only (Taiwan Fri Gaga) ep 10fin - I loved all the young people in the hawker center supporting the campaign against the terrible mother. They make a good domestically sappy couple. But that is Taiwan's specialty.

In brief?

A sweet if aimless story about a writer and a chef finding love via noodles, fake dating, and family challenges. If it had a tighter script and a shorter run, more like a KBL this might’ve been quite special. But it didn’t and it lost me too many times. 6/10

I don’t like to be disappointed by Taiwan. 

It's done: I Need to Catch up

What Did You Eat Yesterday Season 2 AKA Kinou Nani Tabeta? Season 2 (Japan Gaga) 10 eps - will binge when I have any spare time. 2024 is crazy busy for me so far.

The Servant and the Young Master - from Vietnam so I assume it's on YouTube. I never even noticed. Anyone?

Began Beginning (Myanmar YouTube) - Is TRUST Entertainment bringing us the first ever Burmeses BL? I don't know if it's really the first, but @heretherebedork vouched for it, so I will give it a watch through.

It's Airing But...

[INTERNATIONAL] Cherry Magic (Sat YouTube) ep 3 of 12 - yeah Japan put the smack down on our boys. Sadness. You can use a VPN if you like. Read all about it here.

Beside You (Thai YouTube) - a 3 sp short that's supposed to have started but I can't find it.

Ossans Love Season 2 (Japan Gaga) - 5 years later, will anything have changed? This is Japan so… probubly not. I won't be watching this. I disliked Season one and actively hated the follow ups. No thank you.

Playboyy (Thurs Gaga) 14 eps - Dear Playboyy, it's not you, it’s me… I hate you. You’re about as deep (and as palatable) as a shot glass of cum. While I'm sure you’re someone’s kink, you're my weakest link. Goodbye. I DNFed this at ep 5. Frankly I'm impressed with myself for getting that far.

The Whisperer (Sun ????) 10 eps - Ends next week. Thai horror BL that ALSO involves cheating (what joy is mine). I don't think even the perfect single dimple can motivate me to watch. Word is... it's terrible.

7 Days Before Valentine (Weds WeTV) 10 eps - Giving me Luminous Solution vibes. I'm waiting to binge if safe.

Dead Friend Forever (Thai Sat iQIYI) - horror, meh, tell me if it's worth my time?

In Case You Missed it

All my year-end round ups:

TOP 10 BL Trends of 2023

Top 10 BL Secondary Pairs of 2023

2023 BLs Best Trope Execution Awards! TOP 10

All the BLs Announced for 2023 that didn't happen

BL 2023's Best:

Back Hugs Thailand & Elsewhere

Cute Bits of Domesticity

Boys Feeding Boys

BOOP!

Best Cuddles

Heads in Laps

Touching Head Touches

Thailand Put His Head on Your Shoulder

Put Your Head on My Shoulder (not Thailand)

BEST KISSES (not Thailand)

BEST KISSES FROM THAILAND

Next Week Looks Like This

1/23 Happy Ending is a new high school set Strongberry 20 min short staring the actor who played Milk on Choco Milk Shake, so... YES PLEASE. I'm not sure where it will air but we all have our fingers crossed for Gaga or YT. Or both.

1/24 Love For Love's Sake (Korea Gaga & iQIYI)- based on the Manhwa ‘Love Supremacy Zone’ by Hwacha. A young man is dropped into a game based off a novel he loves. His mission is to make another player, YeoWoon happy. But then the game starts unfolding completely different from the novel.

Upcoming BLs for 2024 are listed here. This list is not kept updated, so please leave a comment if you know something new or RP with additions.

THIS WEEK’S BEST MOMENTS

Viva la BL grandma superiority! (Cooking Crush)

Cooking Crush casually givign us some lovely lesbians (as indeed did The Sign). GL makes for a lovely acessory BL, carry on.

Now GMMTV, give us the REVERSE.

I love this dork SO MUCH. (Pit Babe)

I love that Cherry Magic is doing this scene over. One of my favs from the original.

Yai is BEST BOY. MVP and most likely the winner for 2024's Namgoong award.

(Last week)

[juuuulez]

Business Transaction.

info: Carl x Saviour! Reader, use of the word ‘daughter’ but otherwise no pronouns, assumed fatherly figure Negan because I love him.

summary: You and Carl conduct a business transaction. He patches up your wound, and you return his supplies.

requests r open! plsss i’m so bored <3

There’s a deep exhaustion settled within your bones, a familiar ache that comes with days of working, commanding, leading. Grovelling, fighting, scavenging. But that’s what the apocalypse was, that’s the life you were destined to live.

Fortunately enough, you ranked highly amongst the Saviours. Negan had made the promise to protect you, to care for you. And you carry that promise with you every day. Yet, that’s no excuse for slacking. Being young didn’t mean that you didn’t have to pull your weight.

Once again, you’ve landed yourself in Alexandria. A few Saviours accompanied you, along with Dwight, who was providing directions to various citizens. The presence of Negan was missed, always feeling that extra bit safer when he was around. But for the citizens of Alexandria? They were far more relaxed.

There was a shuffling of footsteps behind you, enough for your jaw to tense and hand to hover over the pistol stationed at your hip. Before you could react, he was speaking.

“Hey.” It was quiet, simple. You barely knew Carl Grimes, but in the handful of interactions you’d had, he’d been civil. He stood a few meters away, hands stuffed into the pockets of his jeans. In a way, he looked awkward, holding the unfamiliar essence of a teenage boy.

There was a mutual respect between you two. A line that shouldn’t be crossed. While you hadn’t been there that night, where those two men where killed, you knew how Negan’s tirades usually went. The horrors this boy has likely experience, blossoming into a hatred towards the Saviours. You understood.

Regardless of this hatred, Carl found himself indifferent towards you. On one hand, you were a Saviour, and clearly in somewhat of a position of power. But you were also a teenager. Somebody’s daughter. In some ways, he felt as if he were looking into a mirror, a concept that frightened him. An individual burdened with the responsibility of their family. A reputation to uphold.

“What happened to your face?” Carl was speaking again, eyes squinted to spite the sun. His comment confused you for a moment, swiping feebly at your cheek before remembering the large gash that sat there, messily stitched up. It looked a little gruesome.

“Got fucked up on a run,” You replied, language harsh and crude alike to your predecessor. “Brass knuckles. Totally tore the shit out of my skin. Knocked a tooth out.”

The weight of your injury doesn’t seem to phase him. Carl inspects you for a moment, seemingly coming to a conclusion. It dawns on you: he wants something.

“That stitching isn’t gonna hold up,” He points out, “I could fix it. If you can get my stuff back from one of your goons.”

The implications of his statement were harsh, making you clench my jaw, brows furrowed. Still, it was reasonable enough. The stitching did look gross, shaky and uneven, messily done by Dwight in a moving car.

With this conclusion in mind, you shrug, attempting to seem nonchalant about the discussion. About your little deal. “Yeah, whatever. Sounds fair to me.”

You try not to notice how Carl perks up. How his spine straightens, and eye looks a little brighter. For the first time this conversation, he manages a small smile, nodding his head in the opposite direction before beginning to walk. You follow him.

The two of you don’t speak, making your way to the infirmary in Alexandria. Wordlessly, you settle down on a nearby bench, allowing Carl to collect the minimal equipment he’ll need and set it out.

You didn’t even flinch as he started removing the existing stitching, pulling it out in grossly bloody strands to be disposed of. Red seeped out of the disturbed wound, dripping down your jawline in maroon pearls. Carl pressed a cloth against it, careful in each of his movements.

“You didn’t see a doctor?” He asks, sparking a conversation you were fine to let die. This was a business transaction. A service for a service. But you couldn’t complain.

“Nah. Been out too much. Got back from a run, had watch duty, came up here,” You explain, words quiet and slightly muffled due to attempting to keep still. It was awkward, being confined to limited expression. “Up to Hilltop next. Circuit loop. Like a, uh, grand tour… kinda.”

You trail off, catching yourself rambling. He doesn’t care. Not about you, not about your work, nor about where you’re going. Stick to business.

Instead, Carl speaks once more. “Sounds like you’ve got a full-time job.”

It’s a small quip, a little playful, and a little critical. It feels like he’s judging you. Although, Carl’s gaze is always analytical, like he’s trying to pick a part your existence.

“Yeah, that’s kinda how it works. Doing my part for the community.” You reply, unsure of how to explain yourself.

It doesn’t matter, as Carl falls silent anyway. He continues to stitch up your wound, movements holding a surprising amount of care. After it’s done, he even gets a cloth and gently wipes the blood off your cheek, some having dripped down your neck.

Still in silence, Carl stands there awkwardly, clearly waiting to deliver his request. You beat him to it.

“Your comics?” You ask him, watching the way that his face drops, seemingly caught off-guard by your awareness. “I know where they are. But, I can’t give you all of them. Maybe… three volumes?”

Carl debates the proposition, looking down at his boots with furrowed brows. It makes you smile, reminded about how young he was. How young you both were.

“Three volumes,” He eventually repeats with a nod, “But from different series.”

Standing up from the bench, you hold a hand out to him, an inviting smile on your face, “Three volumes,” You repeat once more, and Carl takes your hand, shaking it firmly. The deal is set.

You have the feeling that your business together won’t end here.

[faulty-writes]

Hi, hello!

I found your blog on accident, but it was a really good accident. I love how you write for bnha boys and girls, haven't seen that of an accurate descriptions in a while! It's really enjoyable.

Could I request a female reader with Stymphalian Bird like quirk? Like reader has big wings with very sharp, metal feathers that she can use as blades or just shoot them out. She also has sharp claws that administer poison to the wounds and sharp teeth. Because of that, as her quirk is pretty deadly, she became a villain due to harassment and bullying, but she never kills or severely injures anyone, mostly just destroying property and stealing. However, due to the scale of the attacks, she is considered dangerous, high ranking villain.

But she does it rather to spend her anger and survive rather than actually trying to hurt anyone.

For the Bois Like Hawks, Aizawa and Izuku?

You don't have to write it if you don't want to, I tend to overcomplicate things 😅

[ I'm happy it was a happy accident for you! Apologies that this took longer than expected. Life sucks sometimes. But I hope you enjoy it nonetheless. ]

It didn't take a genius to figure out that while you were a high-ranking villain, you never actually shed the blood of the innocent. That's what he found most peculiar, and after months of hounding Madam President, he was finally assigned to apprehend you. Of course, he'd use that as an excuse to find out more about you and more importantly, why you spared innocent lives.

"Sorry there," the sound of your metal feathers crashing against the vacant building was a sound he wouldn't forget. "Guess I'm just a little faster than you, nice try though," he said at your first meeting. He recalled the way you growled, staring up at him with those intense eyes before again trying to strike him down.

Connecting with you was more challenging than he thought. This was even after expressing his interest in getting to know you. He even ventured as far as trying to gain your sympathy by sharing a little bit of his past, namely that his father was a villain and that's why he could understand where you were coming from, but you knew the real reason he told you this was because he hoped you'd open up. But no, you were stubborn and refused to tell a "hero" anything.

"Even with those sharp claws and teeth, you can still be a hero!" He yelled one day while engaged in another furious battle with you. His body had received a few scratches but nothing lethal, of course even if it were, he wouldn't care. He only wanted to convince you that you could still save yourself from this villainous path.

"Heh, well, it looks like you caught me," he joked, daring to smile as you pinned him against the wall with a satanic snarl. "But what's this? Not gonna use your poison, what gives? Or are you just too scared to use it?" His words sent a violent tremble through your body and as capable as you were of poisoning him, you backed away.

"You know, not that I'm much for looks even though I'm considered gorgeous by most, but you should smile more. You'd look even more beautiful than you are." You weren't sure if he meant that to be insulting or not, but why would you smile when you had sharp dangerous-looking teeth?

The two of you were locked in a fierce hand-to-hand combat session when you first met. You scared some innocent civilians and panic arose. Shota was the first on the scene and made the first move. However, he ultimately ended the fight because there was no illegal quirk usage on your end and that meant no crime was committed. You thought that would be the last time you'd see him.

He recognized your potential from the start, and while your skills could be used for a heroic purpose you were still a villain and one, he intended on stopping, yet he wasn't beyond trying to reason with you. He'd always say something along the lines of "I could care less about detaining you, but you could channel your quirk for a greater purpose." Often his words were met with more retaliation.

He taught his students about the dangers of vigilantism. There was no excuse for what they did. They were criminals, and yet he couldn't help but compare you to a young man he met years ago. He was a vigilante, but Shota let his antics slide and never thought he'd let that happen again but something inside him kept calling him back to you.

He knew it was foolish and dangerous to track you down, and he'd never forget the feeling of your claws digging into his flesh and the sickening feeling of his life slipping away because of the poison that ran through his body. Yet, even as he lay in the hospital bed, he knew that your intention wasn't to kill him and that he'd pursue you again.

You weren't sure if you were angry or relieved when he ambushed you in the alleyway. However, how he smirked at you when you pinned him against the wall with your feathers made you feel uneasy as did his words. "You didn't intend to kill me. If you really want a change in perspective, Yuuei can help you." He acted as though he cared, and you hated that.

"Don't just stand there, we may be heroes, but we all agreed to help you, and in exchange, your villain record will be erased." This was the compromise you had reached with Shota after months of arguments and being at each other's throats, you finally agreed to at least see the world of heroes. In return, Shota had promised no harm would come to you, and it was almost funny or pathetic that you believed him.

"I...I just w-want to know more about y-your quirk!" His words were coated in fear, and his eyes were fixated on your claws that were mere inches from his face. But his words also made you stop and think for a moment before declaring him a fool and shoving him to the ground.

His frequent visits quickly annoyed you, so you decided to poison the annoying pest to finally make him leave you alone. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case. Izuku returned after being released from the hospital. "I k-know you didn't mean to kill me! A-and that means t-that you have c-compassion!" His words were greeted with laughter. Yes, quite a stupid kid he was.

"W-why did you become a villain? Your q-quirk may seem dangerous, b-but if…if you really want, I can s-support you because I think…I think you'd make a wonderful h-hero!" A small amount of blood was shed when your claws swiped across his face, but you knew no matter how much pain you inflicted on him, he'd keep returning.

"Here, I t-thought you might be h-hungry!" You weren't sure if you were hateful or grateful because Izuku brought you food. "You n-need to eat! Even v-villains…n-not that I think you are o-one, need…need to eat!" You could hardly believe that you thanked him for said food, but hell…it was less work on your part. Villains didn't exactly get a paycheck, so you mostly relied on stealing and scaring others to get food or material means.

When he showed you his notebook and all the details, he had written about you, it changed something. It made you think and wonder why he was so interested in a villain like you. However, thinking back to your previous encounters, you realized it wasn't because he looked at you as a villain but as a person with a troubled past.

When he started bringing his "friends" to you to prove that not all heroes would judge you, there was a certain rage that seeped deep inside you. The last thing you wanted was more annoying brats around, but to your surprise, they were curious and accepting about you and spoke highly of Izuku and you almost hated yourself for agreeing that the once annoying pest was…pleasant to be around.

[yanderes-galore]

Can we have something for our favorite muscly man, Clayton Carmine? We know he's gonna be a very protective and clingy man. :)

I love him so much.

Yandere! Clayton Carmine Concept

Pairing: Romantic/Platonic

Possible Trigger Warnings: Gender-Neutral Darling, Obsession, Overprotective/Possessive behavior, Violence, Death, Survivor's Guilt, Trauma, Clingy behavior, Social isolation, Blood, Dubious turned Forced companionship/relationship.

You just KNOW he's going to be one of the more tragic yanderes in the series.

The Carmine family is infamous with not having relatives live that long.

Anthony Carmine was shot in the head in Gears 1.

Benjamin Carmine was eaten by the Riftworm in Gears 2.

Gary Carmine was killed by a DeeBee pod falling on him in Gears 4.

Elizabeth Carmine was killed by a malfunctioning Hammer of Dawn strike in Gears 5...

Safe to say, Clayton is probably filled to the brim with Survivor's Guilt.

Which is shown in his obsession.

Clayton, when he does eventually get attached to someone, is definitely suffocating.

He's so used to those he loves dying that he feels an urge to protect his obsession.

All to the point he comes off controlling.

Clayton takes some time to grow attached due to his trauma.

He knows he shouldn't get attached due to how easy it is to die out here.

Maybe he met you around Gears 3? Around that time only Anthony and Benjamin have died and he is able to comfortably show an attachment towards you.

I don't think Clayton cared much about Gary's death due to him being an Outsider and not COG.

But he certainly cared about Lizzie... which means when Lizzie dies his obsession is in full swing.

Clayton is intimidating, but towards you he just seems nice to be around.

He looks out for you due to being a big brother for most of his life.

Clayton's obsession can be platonic or romantic.

If he's platonic, he probably sees himself as a big brother to you.

In that case he wants to protect you... since he feels the guilt from his younger siblings dying.

If he's romantic, he cares for you and flirts with you a bit.

He likes to impress you and can imagine himself settling down with you when things calm down.

He even tries to make such an attempt after Gears 3 and between Gears 4/5.

Clayton's biggest fear is no doubt losing you.

He knows how easy it is to lose people, Marcus is similar when it comes to this.

The only way to soothe such fears for him is to keep you close.

If you're lower in rank than him, which you no doubt are, he has an excuse.

He's "teaching you the ropes", of course he has to keep you close and in his squad.

Clayton can be affectionate but he holds off most of the time.

You have no idea how much he wishes to hug you sometimes... if he loves you romantically then he definitely wants a kiss.

Physical affection is a comfort to him.

It reassures him you're still there.

Clayton would do anything to see you safe and happy.

He's known as a Grub Killer and is ruthless in his skills.

If other COG members speak with you, Clayton often interrupts and pulls you close to him.

Not many approach you unless Clayton approves.

He's primarily a protective yandere with possessive elements.

The man is ripped, too.

Others would be a fool to mess with you when he's around.

Clayton doesn't want to force your adoration, he tries to be patient with you.

Yet by Gears 5 he plans to have you locked beside him... all so he doesn't lose you, too.

If pushed far enough, as OOC as it seems, Clayton may not mind holding you close with blood on his hands.

He'll protect you from everything.

Grubs, humans, by this point he's lost enough.

He doesn't want you to fight him.

However... Clayton's lost enough, hasn't he?

He doesn't plan to lose you too... even if it means trapping you beside him.

"Listen to me. I will take care of you... I won't lose you. Ever. Don't leave me here...!"

[i-luv-carl-grimes]

A light that never goes out

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾ 𖤓 ☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙

-

Au: alright so some ppl actually likes this so far so here pt.2 and as promised I'll go more in detail with this part as well as go deeper into the story line ENJOY!!

-

Word spread with wild fire that someone was being "required" on task force 141 which was wrong but was also right. I spent my night at the shooting range when I should've been gathering my things, then I saw someone walk in. A strong looking man, maybe in his late twenties. He had a... Interesting hair style, one of which was a mohawk. He also had the British flag on his vest... Odd... A brit all the way in Texas? That's odd. Enough with the questions (Y/n) you came here to clear your mind. So do it.

I looked back down at my bandaged hand and noticed that the blister wounds had reopened and were now bleeding through the thin gauze. I ignored it and continued shooting. Not realizing the man had approach me.

"Hey there Girly" ....girly...? "Uh.., ya-?" can't people just LEAVE ME ALONE! "How long have you been at it?" he question... He didn't look like a higher up so I don't gotta be polite do I? "I'm busy, go bother someone else" I said and looked back at the targets then continued shooting. "Man aren't you snappy, and a dam good shot at that" why is he here and why is he talking to me? "I'm lookin' for a girl... Price said her name was (Y/n)-" "Rain, it's Rain to you" I snapped and he put up his hands. "My bad kid, I'm Soap" he let out a hand, I didn't wanna be completely rude so I let out mine... Forgetting about my now blood soaked bandages. "Bloody hell- what have you been up to? You shouldn't over to do" yeah okay dad. "What do you want" I said not enjoying how this interaction was holding up. "I'm pickin' you up" he said and I turned. "Excuse me?" he grinned and looked down at me. "You heard me Rookie now get your bags were leaving" he said once more wirhout giving me a real answer. I just decided to go along with it and I walked into the sleeping quarters, "Soap" was following behind he causing everyone else to whisper and stair. Why did HE have to come along? I walked into my section and the other girls lifted there head up and looked at me and Soap. "No fucking way.... They recruited you!?" a girl named Madie said. I didn't respond just grabbed my things and put them in a duffle bag. "Let's get going Private" wait... Private...HE WAS A HIGHER RANK!? god dammit. That still doesn't clear up who he is.

I was lead out of the camp and over to a large truck, standing next to it was Captain Price. "Rain, glad you could make it" he said and placed a hand on my shoulder. "This is soap, he's a field commander, you'll be working with him and the others for the next few weeks" he continued... The others? Holy shit... I really am gonna be working with the best. "Yes sir," he paused for a moment. "And (Y/n). I know your capable of this... Don't make me question your skill" he patted my shoulder then stepped aside inviting me to go into the truck. I climbed in and immediately force...

Sitting around me were two other extremely well built men. One specificly was wearing a skull mask, he looked to be the biggest in the group... And a little intimating... "Everyone, this is Rain. She'll be joining us on our next mission," Soap said. "Don't be dick heads, introduce yourselfs" he snapped and a man got up and walked over to me then let out his hand. "Gaz" he said... He seemed rather quiet I went to shake his hand then cringed when I felt the pressure against my wounds. "Ghost don't be a-" "she's gonna get killed" the man in the skull mask said and everyone went silent. "Price said shes better then anyone else in her group. She's one helleva shot too, saw it myself" Soap said, he was quick to my defense I appreciated that. "Yeah but he's a rookie, she doesn't have any real experience" this ghost guy was seriously pissing me off. "Give 'er a chance Ghost" he just rolled his black out eyes and I took a seat next to Gaz and soap as the truck started moving. It was quiet... And awkward till Soap started talking.

"How long have ya' been training?" Soap asked and I shrugged. "A few months, maybe 3 or 4" Soap and Gaz were nice and chill.... I cant say the same for the fuck head other there though (ghost)

"What's the mission about?" I looked over at Soap. "Hold your horses kid, it's your first day calm it would ya?" he replied and Gaz snorted. "And here let me see your hand" he took out some new gauze. "I got it" I said trying to take it from him but he pulled back. I then swiped it away from him quicker. "I said I got it" I looked at him through the corner of my eye. "Yes Ma'am" he let out a chuckle. I took off the old bloody bandages off. "How'd ya do that?" Gaz asked and I shrugged. "One two many round I guess, it doesn't hurt though" I threw the bloody ones away and put on the new ones. Gaz and Soap went back to talking while Ghost just sat there not moving a inch... What a weirdo. Wait... These are the solders on task force 141? Hell this WAS task force 141...mohawk guy, a dude in a mask and Gaz.... Interesting....

It was gonna be a while till we reached the UK so I grabbed a book I brought from home and opened it to turn part I last left off on.

-

Au: enemies to lovers??? (My fave trope)

-

[xarrixii]

F/B Chapter_43 : "One of the Good Ones"

CW: none that i can think of previous chapter | beginning | masterlist

/ / / / / | ---

“You’re the best pyro I know, Alph,” Reggie mocked silently. “I’ve never seen anyone in my 34 years of life that wields fire better than you. Good control, Alph⸺”

Alph put a hand over Reggie’s mouth. The gym teacher made them want to vomit excessively all over the floor. With cat hair, stomach acid, and that mildly radioactive meal served on that blue hot-lunch tray. Reggie licked their palm and they pulled off.

“Just saying. He’s weird, dude. Like retired intel recruiter weird. Are you being scouted?”

“No?” As far as Alph knew, the government wouldn’t want a pyrokinetic in its special programs anyway. “I think he’s just a piece of shit.”

“Kineticist piece of shit,” Beth nodded, suddenly leaning on Alph’s shoulder. “This guy needs a new hobby. I think he just stalks all of the kids with kinetics. Doesn’t help he runs the yearly exam. So the government can have information on its citizens.”

Alph snorted impolitely, then laughed at the sound of it.

“The fuck was that?” Reggie snickered, lightly punching Alph.

The gym teacher whistled, yelled blue, and Reggie shrugged and walked back into dodgeball hell. Alph replaced him in line, then turned back to Beth. “What’d you purposefully get out to tell me?”

“I did not purposefully get out,” Beth said loudly, then leaned in, “but Flash Fire’s getting an update. AJ was looking at his smartwatch for notifications on the ‘medic scooter’ waiting for someone to go down. Multiplayer and ranked battles. Something about secret maps for them?”

“Multiplayer?” Alph said louder than intended, glancing over at the gym teacher who stoically stood around doing nothing. “Like, online, anytime, no arcade multiplayer?”

Beth nodded. “They finally figured out how to code their AI models to fight more than one target at once reliably. Also some lag fixes and blah blah blah.”

“Urban.”

“Quit it with the fictitious boyfriend,” Beth understood which Urban Alph meant quick enough to be sarcastic. “We get it, you have to make excuses each time as for why he can’t come down to the arcade⸺”

“For your information he’s real and he’s cooler than you are. And he’s not my boyfriend.”

Beth pretended to become offended, scoffing and rolling her eyes as Alph was whistled back into play. She whispered with her teeth as Alph walked away, “But you wish he was.”

She received a polite middle finger back.

The conversation didn’t resume until Alph was walking home, head buried in their phone screen. “Yeah. They’ve released map teasers and have beta testers testing out the AI right now. Apparently accounts in the top 5% of players can access the beta for early feedback. No online play though, only lobby codes and LAN play.�� 

Alph chuckled at the statistic, pausing halfway through a text. Camdyn waved it off. “Yeah, so what exactly? Alph?”

“If we want to play at my apartment, I’m sure my dad wouldn’t care. As long as no one else has any obligations.” Alph hit sent and looked up. “What? Come on. It’d be cool.”

Reggie voiced a leading note before actually speaking at a crosswalk, “Nah. I agreed to take over a shift. I think I’m already gonna be late, so I’m gonna split.”

“Seeya,” Camdyn said. Then he turned to Alph, Reggie already halfway down the intersection. “You’re not actually top 5% are you? I distinctly remember beating you at an arcade before, and it was remarkably easy. And I’m not even top 20%.”

“Uh, 4 point.... whatever. I don’t remember.” The remark reminded Alph all too painfully of walking into Decked Games at twelve years just to find out their high score had been beaten—eight times. UR. Over the next few weeks, with a month lapse stuck in the middle, each and every arcade in the city that had Flash Fire as an available game was overrun by a new winner that Alph could never catch in the act.

It was Urban, obviously. It was rare when Alph beat him on console. UR was for Urban Reichler. The kind of thing most everyone knew now from a simple search query, but four years ago was a fact known by the handful of people who either read the comics or did 100% runs. “Skill curve gets insane beyond that point.”

“We’ll see the real number when we get to your apartment anyway,” Beth jostled.

Alph threw up a hand the second the blast inched their vision, skidding across the street suddenly filled with glass and swiveling around to Beth and Camdyn. Ringing filled their ears more than their own voice, “Are you two okay?”

Beth gave a silent thumbs-up and Camdyn groaned out a thanks.

When they turned back to look at the newly-exploded building, they expected fire, just not the screaming child. “Call the cops,” Alph managed to get out before pushing off the ground back across the street to the burning building. The decision was met with barely any hesitation, Alph’s hands grabbing hold of the fire and whisking it away from themselves as they went toward the kid.

Alph could hear Camdyn protesting outside over the roaring fire.

“Hey, kid! It’s gonna all be okay, I promise you!” Alph yelled into the newly awakened pyrokinetic flame. “We’re gonna walk through this together, alright?”

next chapter | masterlist

/ / / / / | --- missing a content warning? let me know

it's actually so jarring to see how short this is compared to the two latest chapters i've written

taglist (ask to go on or off): @lychhiker-writes, @madeoforgansandtissues, @fins0up

[kalixora]

It is what it is

Part 3

Alexia! Play Low by SZA

@tapioca-marzipanpan @do-leannan @yooforia @fruitymoonbeams-blog @xheera @angelsquid @makastaco @random0lover@lovecats12345

Summary: You weren't seen as a high-ranking solider, and you were stuck in a position you didn't want, directly by General Shepard's side. You get a call one day about a new opportunity that will help you.

. Reader is presumed female

Note: I've never played any of the games, so please excuse any inaccuracies. Due to the use of Google Translate, any languages displayed may potentially be incorrect.

There will be explicit sexual content, as well as instances of harassment, cursing, and drug usage.

Callsign: Hound

You sighed as you closed the door to your room. Once more, it was only you and no one else. Your childhood memories ran through your mind with each blink as you walked over to your bed and laid down. 

Every memory, every voice, every touch, every emotion, He was there. He was never far away. Fuck. Participating on this task force very likely did not completely expel you from him.

Knock knock 

You groaned and jerked your eyes wide. A somewhat apprehensive Soap was waiting for you at the other end of your hasty opening.

He briefly diverted his eyes from yours before flashing you a timid smile. "Uh- Captain wants us in his office in 30."

“Okay.” 

"Are you alright?  I didn't in any way hurt you, did I?"  Soap inquired as he examined your face.

You shook your head. "Nothing wrong, Soap; thanks for checking on me." You started to close your door, but Soap sighed and placed his palm on the back of his neck.

“Hey listen Hound…” 

“Yes?” 

"If you ever want to talk lass, I'm willing to lend ya an ear, I doesn't really take a genesis to something's bothering ya," Soap said.

"Nothing's bothering me Soap-"

"Johnny, you can call me Johnny, John MacTavish."

"Oh... Y/N, I'm Y/N."

"Y/N, that's a nice name, your parents picked a beautiful name for a beautiful lass," Soap smiled at you.

You nodded at him, "Thank you... I'm gonna get ready now."

Soap nods, "Oh right, sure, I'll see ya later then."

You rested your head against the door as you shut the door and then closed your eyes once more. Your eyes began to burn with a hot torrent of tears that were begging to be let out. It's not like Soap knew; he was just complimenting you, and in all honesty, nobody else knew either. They are unfamiliar with you. Expect Price and Gaz. You had to keep it silent. They have only known you for a short while, especially Soap, whom you hardly even know. They can already tell something is wrong with you. You had to keep it on the low. Ensure that nobody knows. Your siblings or perhaps even a pet could be lost with just one mistake?

. . . . . .

Price greeted you as you stepped into his office, you stood next to Ghost as Price began to map out a mission to you all. From what you've gathered, it was a rescue and intel mission, which meant you had to go undercover to obtain information on a captive. You scanned the map Price had drawn out, pointing to the area you'd all be flying to. There was a safe house nearby where you would all go to prepare for the mission.

After you were all departed, you couldn't help but have the uneasy feeling that Price was closely observing you; it's probable that the others were also aware of it. Maybe it was because you were new to the team?

You started packing a few things and tossed them to the side as you mentally prepared to leave at nightfall.

Night fall came on the the plane you went, so how you got stuck sitting next to the captain of the team himself with Soap sitting right across from you. He glanced at you from time to time but never really said anything but give you a small smile.

"Don't mind him," Price whispered to you. "Mate's got a staring problem."

"You don't say," you snickered. "Say... Price? Can I ask you something?"

"What is it?"

"What's your life looking like right now? Aside from all this? You have a partner yet?"

Price chuckled, "So this is how you wanna pass the time huh? Alright I'll bite, can't catch a bloody break with this job."

"Why don't you try someone on base?" You laughed, "A good-looking guy such as yourself shouldn't have any trouble finding someone."

"Solider..."

Ah shit

You gulped slightly.

Price was attractive; what was there not to like about him?

He was affable, and from previous operations with him and Gaz, He was a gentleman. He was always cordial to you and treated you as an equal; he never made you feel like you had to be anything other than who you are or that you had to prove something to him. He was sincere with you. All he needed to know was that you were good at what you do. And you were god damn good.

Admiration for him was easy to hide from him; he was an inspiration not only to you, but also to Gaz and those around him. Next to him, you unwind.

Not drifting asleep, but your body felt at relaxed, and it was reassuring to know that Price was here, right next to you. In essence, he was your friend. Someone you can trust with your life...

Maybe you should tell him about Shepard? It wouldn't hurt, right?

"Thanks..."

Price mumbled a little. Knowing you might or might not have flustered him, you smile smugly. "You're very welcome, Captain."

The rest of the trip went without a hitch thanks to Soap's ability to start conversations and share bits and pieces of his life with everyone else, with the exception of Ghost, who you weren't too surprised by. The most of what you learnt about him came from Soap or Gaz.

Once you all landed you all began to head to the safe house on foot to a remote location. Once you got there you let out a groan, the place was small probably had one bathroom too. You dropped your bags and rushed towards the bedrooms, there was two. A master bedroom and another room that most likely was a kids room, it was painted a light blue with two beds on each side of the room. One bed had a brown stuffed animal on it. It even had a little red bowtie with a tag on it.

You felt a presence behind you as you entered the kid like bedroom.

You went towards the bear and picked it up checking the tag.

"Make up date soon ;)"

You whirled around, pushing the bear into whoever's chest you could find and fleeing the room.

"Woah what's wrong lass? You look like you seen a Ghost- ah see what I did there!"

Ghost walked out of the room hie eyes scanned you and Soap as he held the bear on his hand. "You scared of a stuffed bear?"

"No- no, I was about to puke…" you said as you pushed by Soap and into the bathroom. "Jet lag or something- I haven't been on a plane in a long time…"

You were on a plane. Liar.

"Do you need anything?"

"Nah- I'm fine, just give me a sec," you replied, your breath unsteady. You gazed down at your twitching arms, feeling dizzy and feverish. You were on the verge of puking. You went to the toilet and gagged rashly, without a second to spare.

On a mission, you weren't even safe. How did he find out? Kate should have been the only one who knew the location of the safe home; the less people who knew, the better. Unless this was a mission authorized by him, was this a way to keep track of where you were at all times?

Something has to be there-

There was simply no way-

How the hell did find you?

Were they in on it? Someone told him. Was it Soap? He's had his eye on you since you came…

Ghost, someone so elusive, must be full of betrayal...

Gaz would never do anything like that.

Price would not do it either, then who would?

Was that Kate?

No, she unknowingly saved you from Shepard.

Knock Knock

Your hurled once more The room seemed to be getting smaller by the second. It had no qualms about swallowing you completely. Your heart was beating, your body stiffened; you hadn't even been shot yet and you were already feeling like a fool.

Knock Knock

"Hound, I'm coming in alright?"

You coughed, turning your head to look at who walked in.

"Capitan..."

Prince kneeled down next to you placing his hand on your back, "What's wrong love? You broken?

"...No, it’s nothing I'm fine-"

"I know you better than that Hound, let it all out, you need to rest."

You nodded as Price gave you a water bottle, presumably his.

You sat upwards tilting your head so you can drink the water, Price held you head as you did this. You took a few deep breathes with his help and managed to calm down a bit. He helped you into the bedroom.

Price sat you on the bed, you grabbed his arm. what the hell are you doing?

"Lieutenant?"

"Stay- please."

Price stared at you for a moment then nodded, "Are you sure?"

"Yes..."

You can trust him

“Alright… I’m going to get changed, Gaz put your stuff in here already I’ll knock before I come in.”

You nodded as you watched Price grab a bag and head out the door. You were alone… but there were still eyes on you. Hidden ones probably in the walls or in the stars in the sky. This whole situation just isn’t fair. Why you out of all the lieutenants, the moment of fuckery that’s happening is just unpleasant.

You got up from the bed your legs still like jelly, you grabbed your bag thankfully Gaz put in right by the bed. You grabbed some clothes to change into and put them on making sure at least neatly put your uniform back on top of your bag and got into bed.

After a few minutes there was a knock on the door, you said a brief come in and in came the captain himself. He was wearing a white T-shirt and black sweatpants. He gave you a small smile before putting his stuff beside the door then heading to the bed right next to you.

Price let out a sigh then a small chuckle, “I never knew you had plane sickness.”

“It’s been awhile okay.”

“I thought you took a plane coking over to base?” Price asked you turning his head to look at you.

You sink into the bed not looking back up at him, “Felt sick too.”

Price hummed, “You sure about that Hound?”

“Yeah…very sure…”

“Y/N.”

“Yes sir?”

“Your broken.”

You looked up at Price, his eyes scanning yours and never did he drop his gaze.

“I’m not-“

“I know that look Y/N, it may have been a good few years since we’ve spoken but believe me my memory is still as sharp as ever.”

“…goodnight John…”

[anonymousewrites]

Of Two Worlds (Book 2) Chapter One

Fushiguro Megumi x Half-Curse! Reader

Chapter One: Shibuya

Summary: While Gojo heads inside, the other sorcerers wait beyond the curtain surrounding Shibuya to see what will happen.

            (Y/N), Megumi, Ino, Nanami, and Ijichi stood outside the curtain enveloping Shibuya. Everyone had been mobilized to investigate after non-sorcerers were trapped inside and only came to the edge to clamor for Gojo, even though they didn’t know him. And after Mechamaru was found to be the mole in the jujutsu sorcerers’ ranks (and subsequently killed by his curse companions), everyone was on edge and worried about this turn of events.

            “Any reception?” asked Nanami.

            “Blocked. All communication will have to be done outside the curtain or through us managers,” said Ijichi.

            “Sounds like quite the pain,” said Nanami.

            “Fushiguro-kun, (L/N)-kun.” Ino, a Grade 2 sorcerer, was trying to get their attention. “Curtains…the conditions that can be used to increase or decrease the barrier’s effectiveness are usually only things related to cursed energy. So, basically humans, cursed spirits, and cursed objects. Therefore, reception being blocked is a secondary effect of the curtain. But the curtain can’t actually block or allow reception.”

            (Y/N) frowned in confusion. “We know.”

            “Ino, stop trying to show off just because you’re older,” said Nanami.

            “Whaddya mean by that, Nanami-san?!” cried Ino.

            Nanami ignored him and looked at Ijichi. “Where is Gojo?”

            “He’s heading into Shibuya now. We are to wait to act,” said Ijichi.

            (Y/N) frowned. “What about the people?”

            Megumi glanced at her before looking down. “If the curses from the Exchange Event are here, then they’re in danger.”

            “Oh.”

l

            “There you are,” growled Jogo, spying Gojo floating far above them.

            “Heh, heh, heh. Look at you, all ready to go,” said Gojo, grinning as he landed on the tracks.

            Across from him, Jogo, Hanami, Miku, and Choso, another Death Painting, stood waiting.

            “No excuses this time if you lose again, okay?” teased Gojo.

            Miku snickered and looked at Jogo, who was already getting pissed off. Jogo narrowed his eye and said, “Don’t you worry about us…Just be sure to have your first-ever excuse ready.”

            Hanami lifted a hand, and roots broke out of the walls to trap everyone inside the station. The people gasped and stepped back nervously.

            “Don’t bother. If I run away, you’re just gonna kill everyone here, right?” remarked Gojo. “Well? I’m right, aren’t I?”

            “Close.” Miku smirked. “But not quite. You see—” She raised a hand, and dark clouds gathered on the ceiling “—we’re gonna kill them either way.”

            She threw her hand down, sending lightning into the crowds of people. Several fell, electrocuted to death instantly, and the rest scattered. While Gojo realized what was happening and Jogo began massacring the people, Miku lifted a hand blew a large cloud over the area, minimizing visibility.

            And with that, my job is done. Got to go greet our other guests. Can’t make them feel left out~! With a predatory smirk, she melted into the fog around her and disappeared. Kinda disappointed, but I guess I should be glad I don’t have to risk myself against him. The plan is a good one, but it requires a lot of risks.

l

A few days ago…

            “What?” hissed Jogo, the volcano on his head almost erupting. “What do you mean we won’t all be going against Gojo?”

            Miku herself was a bit surprised but not upset. After all, she was one of the ones who didn’t have to risk herself for long against Gojo. Still, it was strange. Jogo glared at Geto angrily, but Miku’s attention drifted to the redheaded woman. Geto might be the head of their little group, but she suspected that woman had planned quite a bit of this. Strange. Like Geto, she seems so human-like.

            “Before we seal Gojo, curses are going to be exorcised,” she said matter-of-factly. With her cold eyes and mask, her face betrayed no emotion. “There is no doubt about that. Splitting the strongest fighters ensures we have a reserve.”

            Geto nodded. “Miku will cast a fog to confuse the monkeys and then guard the hallways with Mahito and Nox.”

            At the name, all their eyes swiveled to the curse. He was standing a little ways off, simply observing the ongoings with sharp, silver eyes. Miku was quite curious about him since she was older than Mahito but young compared to Jogo or Hanami, and they seemed almost afraid of Nox. But he said nothing, like he already knew what Geto was speaking about. From the way he was respected, Miku wouldn’t be surprised if he did already know the plan. But Mahito, the youngest and most precocious, did speak up.

            “I thought he was supposed to be powerful. Wouldn’t it make more sense to send him to fight Gojo?” asked Mahito from where he lounged.

            “If you are going to live any longer than Shibuya, Mahito, you need to learn some strategy,” said Nox, a smile on his face. “We have a plan; we just need to execute it.”

            “The Prison Realm will trap him. But there are some conditions,” said Geto. “After opening it, we have to keep Gojo Satoru within a four-meter radius for one moment.”

            You could have heard a pin drop in the silence following his words.

            “Hey.” A dangerous, flaming aura surrounded Jogo. “I’m gonna burn you alive!”

            His volcano head began to erupt. Hanami took a careful step back so she wouldn’t be set on fire, and Miku prickled with protective lightning. Mahito grinned in sadistic pleasure at any sort of conflict, but Geto and Nox remained calm and composed. This merely inflamed Jogo’s wrath since no one else was admitting how ridiculous the idea of trying to keep Gojo Satoru still was. To him, this oversight that would probably potentially get him and his associates killed was an outrage.

            “Surely you didn’t team up with us to assign such an impossible task, did you?!” he roared, almost dragon-like with the flames wrapping around him.

            Miku sighed and watched as he continued his rage. At some point he’ll just peter out. But if he doesn’t, I’ll dump water on him A good rainstorm ought to cool him down.

            “Against that?! Under those circumstances? Even a thousand measly human lives wouldn’t be enough to distract him!” shouted Jogo, nearly turning Dagon’s domain into a sauna.

            A nice spa before the fight wouldn’t be too bad, though Miku absently.

            “Relax, Jogo,” said Nox, yawning and leaning back. “You’ll overheat.” He seemed perfectly comfortable, the flames not touching his icy skin.

            Jogo grumbled, but his head stopped firing all over the place. “What type of trap are we be dragged into?”

            “No trap,” said Geto. “When I say one minute, it’s one minute worth of time inside Gojo’s brain.”

            “And how do you plan for that?” asked Hanami. “Gojo’s mind is quick and clever.”

            Geto glanced at the woman, who had already walked off to speak in a low voice to the monk, before looking back at the curses gathered in front of him. “We plan to introduce an old friend. A good reunion gives everyone a good start.”

            “I believe a good number of reunions are in order,” said Nox. His face was a calm sea, no emotion disturbing the surface. But his cursed energy surged to the surface, and it took quite a bit of self-restraint on his fellow curses’ parts to not take a step back from the freezing sensation it gave them.

            Miku cocked her head curiously. It’s like Geto, Nox, and those two humans know something more than us. She shrugged to herself. Ah, well, it’s not like any of them want Gojo to be free, so what harm could come?

l

            With a dangerous look in his ice-blue eyes, Gojo looked over his shoulder at Choso and Jogo. The smoking remains of Hanami lay scattered like seeds in the wind behind him. “Next,” he hissed.

            “Choso! I’ll kill you myself if you’re not even going to help!” shouted Jogo.

            “Fine.” Choso sent two arrows of solid blood arching through the air, but Gojo effortlessly blocked it with Infinity.

            A subway train rolled in beside them. “It’s here!” Jogo grinned maniacally. The doors slid open, and transfigured humans fell out, ripping the people trying to escape apart. Gojo’s eyes widened. He couldn’t understand why they were eliminating their hostages.

            “Jogo!” chirped Mahito, skipping out of the train. “Mmm! Fresh air, full of fear! Maybe we should let a few humans survive. On the weekends, we’ll let them loose in the forest and hunt them. Can I burn down the forest? Hanami would be upset~”

            “Hanami’s dead,” said Jogo.

            “For real…? Aw, man.” Mahito grinned. “Guess I got to pick up your slack.” He jumped and tried to punch Gojo, but again, Infinity stopped the attack. “Haha! I really can’t hit you!” On the other hand, Gojo wasted no time sending Mahito flying with several punches. Mahito smiled madly. “Let me share one thing I find so disgusting about humans. There’s so many of them.” Hanami’s roots fell away, and people began falling down into Shibuya station.

            “Blood Manipulation: Convergence,” said Choso calmly.

            “Idle Transfiguration: Soul Multiplicity!” shouted Mahito.

            “Supernova.”

            “Body Repel!”

            On one side, powerful blood lashed at Gojo; on the other, transfigured humans barreled towards him. Above, Jogo jumped down to attack. Gojo reacted quickly and blocked Jogo by tearing off one arm, forcing the curse to back off for a moment while non-sorcerers fled for their lives in a wild panic all around.

            Gojo’s eyes closed for a moment as he made a decision. It was a tough, rather cold-hearted one since more lives would be endangered, but it the was the best option for the scenario. “Domain Expansion: Unlimited Void.” For 0.2 seconds, his domain enveloped the area. All of the transfigured humans fell to pieces around him from being affected by the domain. As the curses started in surprises, he stood amongst the wreckage, blood staining his hands and face, eyes fiery with danger.

            Mahito threw out a hand and sent his remaining transfigured humans after the escaping people. Gojo, who could only be heartless to a certain extent, quickly moved in front to block with infinity. A poor woman screamed as a transfigured human grabbed at her, and Gojo sent it flying.

            “Oh, god, thank you, thank you!” she cried, her tears mixing with the fabric of the mask she wore.

            Gojo turned back to the fight. “Get out of here,” he said. “There’s no time for talking.”

            “Oh, no.” Her trembling voice turned confident. “I’m thanking you for coming over. You made this so much easier.” She tossed down a strange cube and smirked. “Prison Realm: Gate Open.”

            The cube flipped open and extended into a fleshy sack with a large eye. In its pupil, Gojo’s icy irises reflected back. He could almost see himself being pulled in by the eye, into its inescapable depths. For a single, tense moment, Shibuya was still. Jogo, Mahito, and Choso held their breath. The woman, perfectly at ease, watched the proceedings in satisfaction. The second ended as quickly as it came, and Gojo turned to move, every fiber of his being telling him to get away from the Prison Realm.

            “It would be rude to leave before our guest arrives,” said the woman.

            Narrowing his eyes, Gojo turned to face her. She must be a curse user with them. Time to thin their lines. He raised a hand to release a straight shot of Red when someone else, dressed in dark clothing, stepped out of the crowd.

            “Yo, Satoru.” Geto smiled and raised a hand in greeting. “It’s been a while.”

            Gojo’s eyes widened, and his hands fell to his sides. He took in the familiar figure out his friend, the long black hair, traditional clothing, confident gait, even the cursed energy was a perfect match. A perfect match for the man Gojo killed a year ago. But there Geto stood, with only some stitches on his forehead differentiating his past from present.

            But those details were quickly lost on Gojo as his mind race. A thousand memories flashed through his mind. Meeting each other, training together, going on missions together, playing round with Ieri, taking Riko to the beach, fighting side-by-side, losing him to darkness, fighting him, killing him. Over three years of memories played out in his mind.

            Even though it was just an instant, for Gojo Satoru, one minute had already passed.

[luverofralts]

Arkhelios Adventures

"Ro. Ro, come on. You gotta wake up. Adrian's gonna be here in an hour. Come on, Saturnia's not going to take herself to school."

Roman grumbled something against Abe's shoulder that sounded like a protest and Abe had to laugh. After actually getting Abe Jr to bed at a decent time, the evening had taken an amorous turn, ultimately resulting in his husband snoring loudly into Abe's ear in the morning.

"No, Adrian can take her; I'm staying here. We're not moving today, I'm comfy," Roman whined. He nuzzled himself even further into Abe's neck, illiciting more laughter.

"Get up," Abe laughed, pushing his husband towards his side of the bed. "You're going to be late. Adrian can't cook to save his life, if you don't go, he's going to burn down the restaurant."

"That's what we have insurance for," Roman teased. "We'll be fine."

He tried distracting Abe with another kiss, earning himself a few more seconds in their warm and inviting bed, but Abe persisted.

"You're not burning the place down for the insurance money on my watch, Bellamy. You're worse than Theo, and he at least has the excuse of being a teenager. Come on, get up."

"I finished my muffin, Daddy. How are the omelets?"

"Getting there. Thanks for helping chop up the peppers. You did a great job."

Saturnia beamed with pride, happily taking her freshly baked breakfast to the table. She did do a decent job of cutting things up for her age, and Roman just knew that when she was Theo's age, she'd be eagerly helping at the restaurant without having to be begged like her brother.

"Breakfast smells good. My favourite bakers have been busy."

"We're out of pancake mix, so it's omelets this morning," Roman announced, sliding a plate to his husband. He slid a smaller portion towards his daughter, who loved baking, but didn't love eating eggs. "Try this much, Saturnia. It'll taste better because you helped make it yourself."

Saturnia wrinkled her nose at the plate, but began carefully poking the omelet obediently. Out of all of their children, Saturnia was easily the most reasonable. She was always willing to try things and was open to new ideas, unlike most of their children. The day Theo or Luci took their father's advice would be the day Roman died of shock.

"Hey, Bellamys! It smells good in here."

"Grab a plate, Adrian, I'm running late," Roman replied, his mouth full of food. "There's plenty there."

Adrian didn't have to be told twice. He'd already eaten breakfast, but he wasn't about to miss Roman's cooking. One of the greatest benefits of being married to Roman had been having access to his cooking all day, breakfast to dinner. The man had a gift.

"So, uh, hey, while I'm here, what were you thinking for your birthday this year?" Adrian asked. "Thirty is a big number. I mean, Abe and I are already old men, having earlier birthdays and all. Maybe for yours we should host a get together and celebrate all of ours at the same time."

"My mom won't come to a party or host it," Abe immediately replied. "I'm sure I could get the rest of my family to come to a free dinner though. Would, uh, your family attend, Adrian? Hypothetically of course."

"I'm sure Trent and Cindra will want to come," Adrian answered politely. They all knew the question hadn't been directed at his entire family, just the cousin currently wearing a crown. "I'm sure Her Majesty is far too busy to attend a birthday party for someone of my rank."

"I could make something for the party!" Saturnia exclaimed, cutting through the adults' tense conversation. "I can help make the cake too, like we did for Theo's birthday!"

"It sounds like a good plan, if we can pull it off in time," Roman said. "Thirty is a big milestone and a party would be fun. You do only turn thirty once. What do you think, Abe?"

"I'm all for it. Just let me know what needs to be done, and I can make some calls during Abe's nap."

"Then it's settled. Our three in one thirtieth birthday party will be the next big social event in Arkhelios. Don't tell Wanda, or she'll try to step in and plan it for us."

Abe scoffed at the thought.

"You mean, she'll have her assistant plan it and host it at her giant mansion without asking us if that's even what we want," he said.

"That place is huge, she'd get my vote to host," Roman countered. "No need to clean up our place and lock the valuables away from your siblings. We just arrive, party and leave."

"It's a thought," Adrian conceded before Abe could protest Wanda's involvement. "Roman, we need to leave in the next ten minutes. There's a delivery of shellfish arriving this morning. There will be plenty of time to plan our shindig later."

"Have a good day with the baby," Roman said, catching Abe in another kiss before heading to the door. "I'll miss you."

Adrian raised his eyebrow at Abe as he walked by with a knowing smirk.

"Someone's in a good mood today," he snickered. "Come on, Saturnia, let's get ready to teleport while your dads say goodbye. I have a feeling that our presence here isn't going to speed things up."

Abe grabbed his husband again, pulling Roman in for another passionate kiss as Adrian walked down the stairs.

"If you make it back on time, I'll have dinner ready," Abe whispered into Roman's ear. "I can leave the kids with my mom for a few hours once they're fed and we can pick up where we left off this morning."

Despite his best efforts, Roman blushed at the idea, something Adrian would probably tease him about if he saw.

"I'd like that," he replied sincerely. "I don't say this often enough, but you make me happy, Abe. Really happy. Remember when we first found out about Theo and we had all those dreams about our future together?"

"The ones where you were going to make pancakes for me every day while Theo was the perfect, quiet baby?" Abe laughed. "We were so stupid back then, I can't even imagine what my mother really thought about our ideas."

"Nothing good, I know that much. Probably what we would think if Theo was pregnant. But seriously, Abe. My therapist keeps telling me to share my feelings with you, so you feel secure that nothing...adulterous will happen again. You're everything to me. I mean that."

"Ah, well, I'm not perfect either, you have to remember that," Abe replied. "Stop beating yourself up about the past. College was pretty rough for me, and I hurt you too. The important thing is that we found our way back to each other. That and all the mandated therapy Maura ordered after the, uh, fallout. I'm sure she had an agenda with it, but it probably saved our marriage."

"Yeah, uh, about our marriage, I had something that I wanted to ask you about. Maybe we could talk after our alone time tonight?"

"Well, that's ominous. You can't just leave me with that all day. 'I love you Abe' and 'let's talk about our marriage'?

"Well, yeah, when you put it that way. I just...it's embarrassing."

"Too embarrassing to talk to me about? You can tell me anything, Ro."

Roman took a deep breath and just blurted what was on his mind.

"Ithinkweshouldgetremarriedbydemons."

"What?"

"I think we should get remarried by demons," Roman repeated, more confident in his words now that they'd been uttered and Abe didn't suddenly run away like he feared. "I miss feeling connected to you. What we had before was special, and even when we were being forced to get demonically married by the Sovereign, I was kinda excited for it. I know it always freaked you out though, but I've been thinking about it for awhile now and I think it's what I want."

"Demonic marriage?" Abe repeated. "Theo was just a kid when we last discussed it. He's certainly improved with his magic since then, if you still wanted him to perform the ceremony."

Roman's face lit up with excitement when Abe didn't immediately shut him down.

"Really? You think it's a good idea?"

"Honestly, I'm surprised that you never pushed back against the Sovereign when she said it wasn't necessary," Abe replied. "I mean, I was a little relieved that our six year old wouldn't be performing complex blood magic on us, but the idea was nice. To feel what you feel again, knowing how much you loved me, it was a little overwhelming at first, but after everything we've been through, and all the issues that we've dealt with, I think I'd like to experience that level of connection with you. We could even have our own ceremony the way we want it, not like the one that the Twikkii Island royal family dictated."

"I could make a proper cake this time!" Roman said eagerly. "Well, if you have time today, contact your sister and see what we need to get started, and we can talk to Theo when he's home this weekend."

"Roman! Time's wasting! We have to go!"

Roman dragged his husband out to the front porch to meet up with Adrian and Saturnia.

"I'm so happy that you're open to this," Roman exclaimed, kissing Abe once more while Adrian tapped his watch in the yard. "We can start over with a clean slate."

Abe smiled.

"Yeah, I really think that-"

Abe paused, unable to take his eyes off the two men walking past their house.

"Ah, Zane, buddy, you've got to let that sandwich go. You can't eat that much cheese all at once, it's not natural."

Roman momentarily peeled himself away from his husband to stare at the men walking by.

"That man looks so much like Zane Hydes. It's uncanny."

"If he was thirty when he died. He's way too old, Zane was just a teenager. It's weird, though. Really weird. Maybe he's Zane's biological brother or cousin. Wanda always says that their family tree is a mystery that she doesn't want to solve."

"I can't imagine why, with her mother."

"Look, why don't we try that fancy grocery store downtown? They have all kinds of cheese there. Just try to stick to the budget, you know how much funding we get here."

"Like a nice Brie?"

"Ha, keep dreaming. Maybe for Winterfest."

Roman and Abe stared as the two men made their way down the street.

"Do you think we should follow up on this?" Abe asked wearily.

"Nope. Not a chance in hell. If you want to tell Wanda her dead brother's doppelganger is walking around town, that's your own problem."

"Yeah, no. I'm just going to pretend this never happened."

[maxpaulll]

20 Questions for Fic Writers Game

I was tagged by @agentplutonium who knows I absolutely despise tag games so I'm doing this out of spite.

I will not tag anyone because I don't know who to tag and don't want to but you can feel free to use this as an excuse to do it if you want.

1 - How many works do you have on AO3?

3 because I don't write often and I orphaned all my old fandom ones

2 - What's your total AO3 word count?

hhhhhh uhm... 5,403 because again, I don't write often. When I do it's just a one shot cause that's all I can commit to.

3 - What fandoms do you write for?

Redacted Audio, and you can't prove any other fandom /lh

4 - What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

I'm gonna rank these but I don't have enough so they all get featured, Get rekt losers.

#1 is Adventure of the Mates' Night Out. This is just a silly little one shot abt the Shaw Pack mates & Baabe being cool as heck B]

#2 is Family Gets Nicknames which is a short lil angst fic about Quinn taking Angel & Tank/Darlin' not being able to do anything about it. Technically it's unfinished but I wouldn't expect an update

#3 is The Stars Are Gone Now. It is my FAVOURITE AND YOU ALL ARE COWARDS FOR NOT LIKING IT/J. It's about Imp!Vega's death and Pet's grief. I love it more than life itself but it's pretty heavy and a lesser beloved pairing so I understand why it's not super popular.

5 - Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

Sometimes, if I'm feeling silly

6 - What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

Stars are gone now. Hands down. Pets stuck in Vega's room with no idea what's going on during the rebellion. The only solace they have is the lights on the ceiling which relieve them that Vega is still alive... until he's not. (family get's nickames is kinda sad too but it was written to be more panicky. I write a lot of angst because it helps me deal with my 🌟feelings🌟)

7 -What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

Mates' Night Out!!! It ends with everybody being fine and Baabe being super sexy n cool but I should give a TW for mild violence, sexual harassment and swearing <3

8 - Do you get hate on fics?

Not as far as I know?

9 - Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

Once when I was like 15 and then never again. I'm no good at it.

10 - Do you write crossovers?

Nope <3

11 - Have you ever had a fic stolen?

No?? I wouldn't know

12 - Have you ever had a fic translated?

Nope <3

13 - Have you ever co-written a fic before?

Yes. In high school. On a twitter thread. With Pluto.

14 - What's your all time favorite ship?

I will die for Imp!Vega & Pet, I would give my life for Imp!Freelancer & Vindemiator, and I will kiss Gavin & Freelancer on their sweet little heads.

15 - What's a WIP that you want to finish, but doubt you ever will?

I started writing this AU about Detective!Milo & Thief!Sweetheart that never made it past planning in gdocs but I think it would be cool to finish but I don't think I'll ever get there. There's also this one Playlist plotline I made because I wanted people to be able to see what I was thinking about when I listened to the songs. Making that into a finished fic would be cool but I don't have it in me. If you wanna read it, the link is here.

16 - What are your writing strengths?

I think my descriptions are my strong suit? I feel like my dialogue can be lacking but I feel good about my visualizations of scenes n stuff.

17 - What are your writing weaknesses?

Definitely making anything more than a one shot. I just don't have that level of commitment for something. When I write stuff it's because I'm in the moment and feeling what I'm writing. If I have to sit down and come back to it I lose my mojo.

18 - Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic?

I'd feel way more comfortable doing if I or someone I knew understood/spoke the language. I don't trust google translate for that.

19 - First fandom you wrote for?

Listen. Wattpad was a place... where I wrote Good Omens things. BUT WE DON'T TALK ABOUT THE DARK TIMES.

20 - Favorite fic you've written?

THE. STARS. ARE. GONE. NOW. IT'S MY BABY, MY BELOVED, MY POOKIE DOODLE. AND I WORKED HARD ON IT. YOU SHOULD READ IT (If you wanna) AND THEN CRY ABT IT WITH ME. Or not, I don't really care /lh

okay thats all

[plumblossomcafe]

The Firmiana Leaf Falls (2/3)

Upon arriving at the cave where Shinnojou was being held, many officers were in the area while Shinnojou was seen trapped in a cage.

Paimon: What are you doing? Release Shinnojou this instant!

Kamisato Ayato: Stop this at once.

Kubo: It's the Yashiro Commissioner... Hmph! Well, we take orders from our Master, no one else.

Kamisato Ayato: Really... Then, please excuse me!

A battle began with the soldiers being at a disadvantage, and they were defeated, but during the battle, Y/n was stabbed.

Y/n: "That hurt, and Now I'm bleeding, but I feel that I used so much energy during the fight that I don't have the strength to heal myself, I'll just apply pressure to the wound to try and stop the bleeding."

Kubo: Blast! Let's go! We must report to Master right away! *ran off with the other guards*

Paimon: Hey! Get back here! *about to follow them*

Kamisato Ayato: No need to follow them. We need bait to catch the fish anyway. Leave them be. I think I saw a key fall to the ground during the fight. Let's free Shinnojou first. But... in all the chaos, it must have been kicked to one side. Hmm, where did it end up?

A tanuki runs past the area

Paimon: What the...? It's a tanuki! ...Oh, don't tell Paimon that the tanuki took it!

Kamisato Ayato: Let's follow it and see.

After finally managing to catch the Tanuki and getting the key back, they freed Shinnojou from where he was being held.

Shinnojou: Thank you, thank you... It was terrifying... They said they were gonna throw the cage into the sea with me still inside... Oh... Wait, you have to listen to me! Lady Chisato's wedding, they... It's all part of a scheme! Someone's trying to use the wedding for their own ends!

Paimon: Calm down, Shinnojou. It's okay. We know about all that.

Shinnojou: ...Huh?

Kamisato Ayato: Our suspicions were roused to this possibility, and so far, everything is unfolding rather as we expected. Those behind this plan are not going to give up easily. Their next move is imminent. We must devise sufficient countermeasures.

Shinnojou: Yashiro Commissioner, you're personally going to take action?

Kamisato Ayato: This situation has consequences for the whole Tri-Commission, and the stability of all of Inazuma is at stake. My hitherto-neutral stance ends now. The Almighty Shogun has always despised these pathetic power games. As a Commissioner, I am a servant of the Shogun, and it is therefore my duty to handle these tiresome matters on her behalf.

Shinnojou: Hmm... That's true...

Kamisato Ayato: Shinnojou, don't return to your post yet. Find somewhere safe and stay hidden. Aether, Y/n, Paimon. Let's get out of here.

A short while after leaving...

Matsuura: Well, if it isn't the Yashiro Commissioner. I hear you showed up here with no explanation and attacked my men. You wouldn't happen to be carrying out some sort of secret mission, now, would you?

Kamisato Ayato: I heard that someone was taking the law into their own hands. As a responsible official of Inazuma, I could not in good conscience stand idly by. Shinnojou may be your retainer, but the law does not grant you the right to abuse him.

Matsuura: Abuse? Nonsense! I was just teaching him a lesson. Out of nowhere, a low-ranking officer decides to barge in on Lady Hiiragi and start spurting out the most absurd and insulting nonsense one can imagine... A truly egregious loss of decorum! I daresay, the poor Lady was terrified.

Kamisato Ayato: So you're saying that you know absolutely nothing of the reasons for his actions? Because otherwise, why would you describe it as "out of nowhere"?

Matsuura: Two people from two different clans are getting married. That's all there is to it, and yet this young gentleman took it upon himself to fabricate a nonsensical disaster story around it. How should I know what he was thinking? Even if she marries into the Kujou Clan, Lady Hiiragi will always be the daughter of the Hiiragi Clan and the most distinguished member of the Kanjou Commission. We are, and always will be, her loyal assistants. It's our duty to see that she never has to worry about anything. Loyalty and duty are our guiding principles. Not only did this guard show no regard for either, but he went out of his way to upset our Lady. How could one do such a thing? Even if we put it down to a rare moment of impulsivity, I have to say I'm surprised to see one of such noble standing as yourself rushing to his defense.

Paimon: Darn it! This guy is good... Annoyingly good!

Aether: "He's a slimeball. But he's also difficult to argue against..."

Kamisato Ayato: Funny, I'm suddenly reminded of an anecdote I'd like to share with you. There's not been a dull moment since I took up my post in the Yashiro Commission. Every day, I've been exposed to new and fascinating things. *walks up to him* For instance, a merchant from abroad once told me about a curious kind of bird with the most extraordinarily long tongue. So long, in fact, that you can tie two knots in the portion of it that extends out of its beak. I'm sure someone as erudite as yourself should be able to guess what people do with these unusual avians?

Y/n: "Wait, those types of birds exist? Fascinating.... Wait, stay focused, Y/n!!!"

Matsuura: Uh... keep them as pets?

Kamisato Ayato: *walks away from him* Haha, you'd think, wouldn't you? But there's a catch. You see, this bird is of no use to humans whatsoever, and certainly doesn't make a suitable pet. If you catch one, the best thing you can do is actually cut its tongue off and throw it out of the window. The reason they give is this: "The longest tongue has the most to say, but don't be deceived as it chirps away... lest the song it sings lead you astray."

Matsuura: You...! I say, Yashiro Commissioner, are you here simply to mock the Kanjou Commission?

Kamisato Ayato: Far from it. In my mind, the Kanjou Commission is made up of honorable individuals, upright and forthright, conscientious, and loyal. It is unbecoming of such people to resort to lies, deception, and filibustering all as part of a plan to remove Lady Hiiragi from her position in the Kanjou Commission.

Matsuura: Yashiro Commissioner, please don't make accusations without any evidence.

Kamisato Ayato: *turns to face him* The evidence is standing right in front of me, is it not? I have a credible witness who can confirm you were quick to try and make him disappear as soon as he said something that you did not like. *shook his head* Dear me, I can't believe the grand Matsuura Clan is now represented by someone with less of a sense of loyalty than even an ordinary servant. You studied hard and took a government position, only to make it to where you are now just to play these petty power games behind the scenes... I'm not sure whether it's because you're smart enough to play the system or too foolish to know any better? In your years of service to the Shogun, not only have you managed to glean nothing good from the people around you, you have also let yourself be blinded by self-interest... And now you have ruined your once-bright future. I'm not angry, Mr Matsuura... I just feel sorry for you.

Matsuura: ...Hahaha! Is that right? Then tell me, if you're so bright, what exactly do you think you can do to me!? This is at most a Kanjou Commission issue. We'll handle this amongst ourselves. You are reaching rather outside of your bounds, Yashiro Commissioner, if you seek to involve yourself in other clans' affairs... Might I be so bold, then, as to question your motives in doing so? I think you are simply opposed to an alliance between the Kanjou Commission and Tenryou Commission because the new balance of power in the Tri-Commission would be a threat to you personally. So you come here with an elaborate excuse to try and break up this marriage!

Kamisato Ayato: Hm. So, that's how you view it. Well, I have to admit, you clearly are far more talented than I at monitoring the power balance within the Tri-Commission.

Matsuura: Let me be crystal clear. This wedding is going to happen, and nothing is going to change that. The notices have already been sent out. All of Inazuma City knows about it now! Most of the public weren't aware that Kujou Kamaji and Hiiragi Chisato were courting, but you can bet it's all anybody's talking about now. Once the notices go out, that's it! The wedding is a sure thing, even if it hasn't happened just yet!

Kamisato Ayato: Hm. I see. It seems like I was wrong.

Matsuura: Hah! So suddenly we see eye to eye?

Kamisato Ayato: I had expected you to at least be smarter than most. But it seems that I was gravely mistaken.

Matsuura: Kamisato Ayato! You...! How dare you!

Kamisato Ayato: You've made your move. Now, I suppose it's time I made mine.

Matsuura: ...What do you mean?

Kamisato Ayato: Do you seriously think this marriage will bring the Kanjou Commission and the Tenryou Commission together? Isn't it at all possible that the Kanjou Commission becomes marginalized as a consequence of this union?

Matsuura: ...Hmm?

Kamisato Ayato: Goodness me. Well, I've learned a great deal from talking to you. That will be all for now. If you would excuse me, I shall take my leave.

After leaving

Paimon: Hey, hey! What was all that? Paimon didn't follow at all!

Kamisato Ayato: They had their scheme, but fortunately, I was prepared. As I said, they ended up coming out from the shadows and revealing themselves. Let's see how things are in Inazuma City. Then I'll take you through the details of my plan. But first, we need to immediately take Y/n to Tenkubashi Clinic to see if the owner is willing to help heal her wound.

Y/n: I'm fine, I'll just apply pressure on the wound, and that's it. I don't want to bother anyone because of this.

Aether: It's not fine. Let's just do what Ayato says and no 'buts' Y/n.

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Yuzu: Hmm, look at this... The daughter of the Kanjou Commission's Hiiragi Clan and the master of the Tenryou Commission's Kujou Clan are getting married.

Furuya Noboru: Hehe... Sounds like an all-around perfect match, don't you think?

Yuzu: For sure. I'm just surprised, it seems very sudden. I hadn't heard a single word about it until now.

Furuya Noboru: Good luck to them, I say. I'm sure it must have been a hard decision.

Paimon: Looks like the wedding is definitely going ahead.

Kamisato Ayato: It's still too early to make that conclusion. Our adversary wants to push this marriage past the point of no return. However, we can still beat them at their own game. But only if Kujou Kamaji is willing to help us.

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Kujou Kamaji: Welcome. I just heard that the news of my wedding has been officially announced. It seems so sudden... I wasn't ready yet.

Paimon: Yeah, about that... It's kinda complicated...

Aether briefly explains the situation to Kujou Kamaji...

Kujou Kamaji: I see... So someone's trying to take advantage of our marriage...

Kamisato Ayato: If you proceed with the wedding, the repercussions for you are likely to be minimal. But we must take Lady Hiiragi's situation into consideration.

Kujou Kamaji: I've previously considered this possibility. But in the end, we are getting married for true love, and I've promised to her that I'll do everything in my power to protect her.

Kamisato Ayato: I understand where you're coming from, but to be frank, she should not need your protection. Or to put it another way, you have tacitly admitted that Lady Hiiragi will need your help to get through the hard times ahead, which perhaps suggests that, deep down, you realize all she stands to lose.

Kujou Kamaji: I...

Kamisato Ayato: I don't mean to criticize you. It is natural to want to protect our loved ones. You're an intelligent and gentle person, and I'm sure you would have been able to think about this more objectively were you not so emotionally involved in the situation. I'm sure you admire Lady Hiiragi for being the independent, gentle, resilient, and strong-willed person she is. For the sake of marrying you, this wonderful woman will become someone who has to depend on you for the rest of her life. Are you really okay with that?

Kujou Kamaji: ... I love her with all my heart and would do anything to make her happy......That's why I can't abide to see her suffer or be manipulated by other people. Yashiro Commissioner, you're right... It was naive and selfish of me to take things this far. But it's too late now, isn't it? There are notices everywhere...

Kamisato Ayato: I have a plan. But... it needs a villain. Sir Kujou, in order for my plan to work, you and I must both play the role of antagonists. But it is not without its risks. Are you willing to help?

Kujou Kamaji: If there's a way to salvage this, then let's hear it.

Kamisato Ayato: I've told the people at the Kanjou Commission that the marriage isn't going to unify the Kanjou Commission and the Tenryou Commission. On the contrary, it's a terrible idea that will marginalize the Kanjou Commission. The context for this is that they are planning to use this marriage to bring down the Hiiragi Clan, and the key to their success is coming up against no resistance to the marriage from the Tenryou Commission. But what if we were to imagine for a moment that since the affairs of the Vision Hunt Decree, the Tenryou Commission has been planning to make a move against the weakened Kanjou Commission... The only reason you have been hesitant to act since taking over the Tenryou Commission is because you care about Lady Hiiragi's feelings. And so, your plan is to liaise with the Yashiro Commission to marry her and bring her out of the Kanjou Commission as soon as possible. Once that is achieved, as the person in charge of the Tenryou Commission, you no longer have any reason to hesitate.

Kujou Kamaji: I see! This is an ingenious plan, and it takes advantage of the situation perfectly...

Y/n: This will make Hiiragi Chisato indispensable.

Kamisato Ayato: Exactly. Our purpose is to change Lady Hiiragi's position from an unnecessary burden to an indispensable asset. By doing so, we can even strengthen her position in the Kanjou Commission. Once our adversaries realize how the network of connections behind the scenes really looks, they'll do their utmost to stop this wedding from happening. Then, we simply leave them to clear up the mess they've created.

Kujou Kamaji: Got it.

Paimon: Ugh... So the network of connections... Ah, this is all way too complicated for Paimon! Can you just tell us what you need us to do?

Kamisato Ayato: We have to make sure that the behind-the-scenes story comes to the attention of our dear friends in the Kanjou Commission. Matsuura, with whom I spoke earlier, will now be fearing the worst. No doubt he'll be on the lookout for the first sign of a crisis. In that case, he will almost certainly have placed informants throughout Inazuma City. What we need to do is to use these informants as a breeding ground for our fake intel. Sir Kujou, there are certain things that I need you to attend to personally.

Kamisato Ayato explains the details of his plan to Kujou Kamaji. A while later...

Kamisato Ayato: It's almost time. My ninja has located one of the informants. Let's go and see if he'll take the bait.

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Kamisato Ayato: That person is one of Matsuura's informants. Let's follow him. Be careful not to get seen.

Upon hiding from the informants' sight, they listened in on the conversations that were occurring.

Hashimoto: Did you see that? Sir Kujou Kamaji just came past here with a huge group of people.

Nagase: Could it be related to the wedding announcement?

Hashimoto: Maybe... but from the look on his face, it seems like something much more serious. He and his men seem pretty intense at the moment. Isn't it all a bit excessive for a wedding?

Yamaue: The Tenryou Commission has sent a load of people to Ritou. I guess it must have something to do with the wedding. I think in all, there must have been about a hundred people so far.

Tokunaga: That doesn't sound good. What could be going on? Ah, I hope it's just Sir Kujou Kamaji being overcautious.

Y/n: *felt a cherry blossom petal land on her nose* Ah-

Kamisato Ayato: *quickly covered her nose*

Paimon: *took off the petal*

Y/n: "Thankfully, I didn't sneeze thanks to Ayato. This darn petal almost caused us to ruin our cover"

Hideo: The news is spreading fast, but it appears that Master's fears may be well-placed. There's no way they sent this many people just to escort the bride... I have to investigate.

Paimon: He ran off...

Kamisato Ayato: As expected. Let's follow him.

Y/n: Sorry for almost sneezing!!!

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Paimon: Wow! It's like the whole Tenryou Commission is here!

Hideo: Excuse me, has something happened on this road? I'm a businessman passing through, and it's a little disconcerting to see this place so heavily guarded.

Okabayashi: Ah, please don't be alarmed. As I'm sure you've heard, the wedding of Sir Kujou Kamaji and Lady Hiiragi Chisato will take place any day now. Sir Kujou decided to send for Lady Hiiragi ahead of time and have her live in Inazuma City during the run-up to the wedding.

Hideo: I see...

Okabayashi: We are here to clear the way for Lady Hiiragi. Not just us, either. You'll see more Tenryou Commission members as you go further along. We're all here for the same duty.

Hideo: ...Isn't this a little excessive?

Okabayashi: Sir Kujou holds Lady Hiiragi in the highest regard and wants to treat her with the utmost respect from beginning to end.

Hideo: I understand... Sorry to disturb your work.

Hideo steps away from the Tenryou Commission guards

Hideo: Drat. It's exactly as Master feared. They say they're here to guard the road, but really, they're poised to attack if Master doesn't allow Lady Hiiragi to leave Ritou... Wait, no... If Lady Hiiragi does leave, they'll have all the more reason to strike... But we're in no state to defend against a Tenryou Commission attack! I must tell Master right away! *runs off*

Paimon: He ran off again...

Aether: Now he realizes how serious this situation is.

Kamisato Ayato: That should do it. The seeds have been sown. In this atmosphere, mounting suspicion will nurture fear among the Kanjou Commission. Now, we wait patiently for it to grow and ferment. The calm before the storm is always the part that unsettles people the most.

Paimon: Are they really gonna own up and apologize, just like that?

Kamisato Ayato: If you're curious to find out, you can visit the Hiiragi Clan in Ritou in a couple of days. I have some other business to attend to. So I won't be spending any more time on this situation. In any case, we've made our move. It's only a matter of time before they give up and surrender.

Y/n: *felt another petal on her nose and sneezed* Why are you so confident?

Kamisato Ayato: "Cute." This is not my first time. Well, then. Goodbye for now. I truly hope that things will work out in Hiiragi Chisato's best interests. *leaves*

Paimon: He left kind of abruptly... Are things really gonna turn out like he predicted?

Y/n: I'm still a little worried about Hiiragi Chisato.

Paimon: Paimon, too! Well, let's go to Ritou again in two days!

Moments before checking the current situation at the city Bulletin Board and heading to the Tenryou Commission(Warning: cusrisng):

At Tenkubashi Clinic

Kamisato Ayato: Yomi-kun~

Aikawa Tsukuyomi: *annoyed* ...What the fuck do you want?

Kamisato Ayato: Come now, don't treat your cousin that way, anyways I need you to help with treating her wound *points at Y/n*

Y/n: *has blood coming out her mouth* Hi Tsukuyomi.

Aikawa Tsukuyomi: I'm not going to even ask.

After Tsukuyomi bandaged Y/n's wound.

Aikawa Tsukuyomi: That should do it. Just don't do any brash movements or fighting in your case.

Kamisato Ayato: Thank you, Yomi-kun~ *patting his head*

Aikawa Tsukuyomi: Get your damn gloved hand off me.

[tenaciouschronicler]

October 13 2024 2009

Hey Nanna?

Hey Nanna.

HEY NANNA?!

UM EXCUSE ME WHAT WAS YESTERDAYS UPDATE!

Ok. ok ok. So inside the original Colonel Sassacres book Nanna wrote John a letter full of even more implications than what happened with Mom and the Jasper bunker. In this letter, Nanna states the book has some sort of journey that ended on her date of death. Potentially afterwards if Dad wished it. Firstly, I guess its not entirely strange for her to assume she would die before John came of age depending on her own health and age. But the way its framed leads me to believe their is some sort of, I dont know, cycle? predetermined fate? something! that Nanna was aware Needed to come to pass. And Dad knew at least some of it. Is that why hes so obsessed with meteor sightings? What does he know? What did Nanna tell him? Is that why hes unbothered by the existance of Imps?

Moving on to the real crux of it all.

"There will come a day when you will be thrust into another world ... a realm of Warring Royalty in a Timeless Expanse."

What sort of prophetic BS?! Has she been to Skaia/The Incipisphere? Did she hack into SkaiaNet or something?? How did she know! You are already dead (let alone fictional) otherwise I would shake you down for more context! But thats for later.

In closing, Nanna goes cryptic again and I am scrutinising every word. She feels as though she and John have already met and Will meet once more, again playing into my cycle theory.

Theres just so much going on here and I am full of exicement and frustration and I have so many questions!!! *exhale* Im gonna just go over some of the things she has underlined in the third paragraph. Get ready for dictionary time!

Agents: a person who acts on behalf of another or takes an active role to produce a specified effect. Most likely to be, seeing as this is a game of chess, the minor pieces (bishops, rooks, knights) that we have yet to see.

Exiles: person in forced or voluntary absence from ones own home/country. So far consists of Wandering Vagabond and Peregrine Mendicant considering their current location is future Earth and their names.

Consorts: significant person, typically spouse, to a reigning monarch. Surprise, surprise. Looks like queen pieces will be very important to the story though I wont discount kings getting in on the action.

Kernelsprites: entities that affect the Medium upon entry after prototyping that act as sudo NPC guides. Weve met them, sort of, but this implies a far greater significance than has been shown so far.

These first four, all in the same sentence, seem like they are going to play some major roles in the story and how it unfolds.

Underlings: a person lower in status or rank. Pawns or I guess in this case Imps. Described as toiling.

Denizens: inhabitant or occupant of a particular place. Does this imply beings outside of the chess game? Are there any on the planet below John? Described as slumbering (or are they awake now that John has arrived?)

These two are also in the same sentence and while are seen probably wont go too far beyond whatever their defined roles are.

These next four are 1. a doozy, 2. probably going to describe our four friends, John, Rose, Dave and GG.

Heir of Breath: (inheritor of life tasked with its continuance)

Heir- inheritor of a legacy with the expectation of continuance

Breath- that which enters and exits the lungs, life

Seer of Light: (able to see beyond the visible path)

Seer- one that sees, predictor of events/developement sometimes by means of divination

Light- (god theres so many) visible spectrum, device to start flame, understanding of a problem (as in enlightenment)

Knight of Time: (servant to the progress of existence)

Knight- mounted man-at-arms serving a feudal superior

Time- indefinite progress of existence/events in the past, present, and future as a whole

Witch of Space: (able to manipulate the expanse of space and its demensions)

Witch- a person normally associated with evil supernatural power

Space- a continuous expanse which is unoccupied, the demensions within all things live and move

There is a ton of speculations you can make with these definitions alone but whos to say Hussie will follow expectations. I added my own theories next to each title and Id love to read any others.

Ascend: to go up, climb

Probably the most clear definition as we've seen it in action with John and the eccheladder. However, it feels too simple of a process for how convoluted Skaia has been. Theres gotta be something else we are missing here.

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed dictionary time. Im gonna go ruminate on this some more while we wait for more updates.

[empressofthesunwriter]

Nothing is True

… Everything is permitted.

What is real?

What is not?

Is she just turning crazy or are other powers at work?

One thing is clear Kohana will get to the bottom of this and maybe change the whole Ninja-World at the same time.

S.I. Third Shinobi World War 

!!!!PLEASE READ AND REVIEW!!!

Chapter 7: The First C-Rank

“I’m sorry, I’m late!”, hollered Obito as he ran towards his team standing at the gate of Konoha. “An old lady needed help-”

“Just stop with your excuses.”, told him Kakashi simply.

Minato-Sensei shook his head at him. “Obito, we need to work on your punctuality.”

The Uchiha whined and looked at his two female teammates. Rin gave him a small smile, which made him happy, while Kohana just deadpanned at him.

“Obito you are even late for our first mission out of the village, weren’t you all excited about it yesterday?”, the Haruno wondered.

Obito sighed and rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "I know, I know. I messed up. I'll do better next time, I promise."

Minato-Sensei nodded, but his expression was serious. "We can't afford to have any more delays, especially on a mission like this."

Rin spoke up, her voice gentle. "It's okay, Obito. We all make mistakes sometimes."

"Next time, I gonna pick you up. Maybe then you won’t be tardy.”, promised Kohana.

Kakashi remained quiet, but the disapproving look on his face said enough.

“That is a good idea Kohana-Chan.”, said Minato-Sensei. “If one of you would pick up Obito for missions till he fixes his tardiness problem would be great.”

“I’m not a baby...”, mumbled Obito a bit offended. He just liked helping people, was not his fault that it took often time to do so.

The Hatake's disapproving look got denser.

“Then stop acting like one.”

“What did you say Bakashi?!”

“Guys, stop!”, shouted the girls together.

They didn’t need a fight broke out.

“Children, I know you are all high on nerves, calm all down.”, told Minato-Sensei.

The four Genin chorused a Yes Sensei together.

It was also nerves that made them lash out at each other.

This was their first C-Rank Mission!

Even out of a Konoha!

And it would help the war effort!

It was nerve-wracking.

“Let’s get over the mission details again before we go.”, said Minato-Sensei. “Bandit- Camp has made their home on the Konoha border. They disturb our supply line and even manage to steal some precious cargo. Our job is to eliminate the threat. It means you all will probably kill for the first time in your life. Are you ready?”

Obito nodded, a determined look on his face. "I'm ready, sensei."

Rin took a deep breath and nodded as well. "I'll do whatever it takes to protect my village."

Kohana stroked with one hand her armguard.

This was it.

Today she would kill for the first time with the Hidden Blade.

Today it would show if the lessons she learned in the academy about being a Ninja and the lessons she learned from Sakuya’s diary about being an assasin she truly learned.

That she was indeed a ninja/assassin.

“I’m ready, Minato-Sensei.”

Kakashi simply gave a small nod, but there was a glint in his eye that showed he was ready for action.

Minato-Sensei smiled at them, his team, proud of their determination and bravery. "Alright then, let's go take care of those bandits and protect our village!"

The team made their way towards the Konoha border, keeping a keen eye out for any signs of the bandit camp.

As they walked, Konoha couldn't help but feel a little anxious about what was to come.

Killing someone was something that was part of the ninja and also the assasin way of life.

Some treats, people, didn’t see reason and could be only taken care of this way.

It was far from perfect, but in their line of work, it was kill or be killed.

Especially now in wartimes.

And if Konoha had to choose her life and the lives of her team against some bandits, she would always pick the first option.

Rin noticed her unease and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "It's okay to be scared, Kohana-Chan," she said softly. "But we're all in this together."

Obito chimed in, his voice confident and unwavering. "We've trained for this moment, we know what we're doing."

Kakashi remained silent as usual, but the others could sense his readiness to take action at any moment.

Finally, they reached the outskirts of the bandit camp and took cover behind some trees to observe their surroundings.

Minato-Sensei whispered instructions to his team, outlining their plan of attack and assigning roles to each member.

Obito was tasked with creating a diversion using his fire jutsu while Konoha and Rin snuck around the back of the camp to take out any guards there. Kakashi and himself would lead the charge straight through the front entrance.

With a nod from Minato-Sensei, they sprang into action.

As planned, Obito created a fiery distraction that drew most of the bandits away from their posts.

Kohana and Rin swiftly took out any remaining guards at the back of the camp.

As her Hidden Blade sunk into the guard's neck, the Haruno felt uneasy, but it was a quick death. The bandit didn’t suffer.

She would think about this when his death would haunt her.

The girls hide the bodies in some bushes and Konoha says for the first time in her life the words assasin spoke when they killed a target: “Requiescat in pace.”

Surprised Rin looked over her.

“Konoha-Chan.”, she whispered. “What kind of language was that? I never heard it.”

This made Konoha frown.

It was a different language?

For her, it was natural to speak it.

Strange that she never picked it up.

“It’s a language my ancestors spoke.”, she explained to Rin. “You say it after you kill. It means Rest in Peace.”

The brunette nodded.

“I guess this is a good way to elebaeret this death. I mean, I’m still under adrenaline, but I will probably cry after I realise what I just did. Killing is never fun. Even if they are our enemies we can wish them to Rest in Peace.”

Now the green-haired girl nodded.

“You are right, Rin-Chan.”

After Rin wished her kill a Rest in Peace, the girl joined Kakashi and Minato-Sensei in charging headfirst through the front entrance.

The bandits were caught off guard by their sudden attack and were quickly overpowered by them.

Within minutes, they had eliminated all threats and secured any stolen cargo that had been taken from Konoha's supply lines.

Exhausted but triumphant, they made their way back towards Konoha with pride in their hearts knowing that they had protected their village once again from harm's way.

As they walked back home under the setting sun, Konoha couldn't help but reflect on how much she had grown since becoming a Genin just a few short weeks ago.

She knew that there would be more challenges ahead of her in her journey as a ninja and assasin but felt confident knowing that she had a fantastic team by her side every step of the way who would always have her back no matter what came their way!

They arrived back at Konoha, exhausted but triumphant, with the stolen cargo secured.

As they made their way to the Hokage Tower was then that it sank in what the four Genin did.

Konoha threw up, Rin started to cry hysterically, and Obito fell down to the ground hyperventilating, only Kakashi seemed calm, but his tight fist spoke another language.

They had just killed people.

It was something that they knew might happen in their line of work, but doing it was a different story.

Konoha couldn't shake off the feeling of unease and guilt that washed over her. She wondered if this was what being an assassin meant - taking lives without remorse or hesitation.

Rin's tears and Obito's panic attack clearly indicated that they were struggling with what they had just done.

Even Kakashi's clenched fist spoke volumes about his inner turmoil.

“It’s okay kids, come here.”, Minato-Sensei cooed at at.

The Haruno didn’t know how he did it, but Minato-Sensei managed to hug all of them to himself and whisper comforting words to them.

She gripped his flack jacket, crying in it in earnest. Rin and Obito joined her with their wails.

“It will never be easy, killing is never easy.”, shared Minato-Sensei with them. “But with time you learn to better elaborate it. But never lose the respect of the lives you take. That makes us human. If killing would be easy, we would be monsters.”

The team nodded in agreement, feeling comforted by Minato-Sensei's words.

They knew that what they had done was necessary to protect their village and loved ones, but it didn't make it any easier to cope with the aftermath.

As they started again to walk towards the Hokage Tower, Konoha couldn't help but feel grateful for her amazing team who had supported her through this difficult experience.

They may have taken lives, but they had done it to protect their village and its people.

It was a necessary evil, yet one that came at a great cost.

***

Nothing is True.

Everything is permitted.

This is the central credo of the Assassin Brotherhood.

But what does it mean?

Well, my great-great-I-don’t-know-many-times-uncle the legendary Ezio Auditore, Mentor of the Italien Brotherhood once explained it like this: To say that nothing is true is to realize that the foundations of society are fragile and that we must be the shepherds of our civilization. To say that everything is permitted is to understand that we are the architects of our actions and that we must live with their consequences, whether glorious or tragic.

I always repeat this to myself after every kill I have done and have to do.

Those who choose the assasin way of life must realise what responsibility it is.

Not only do we decide if someone should be allowed to live, but we have also to protect the peace.

A paradox, isn’t it?

But all our lives are made out of paradoxes.

How can we want peace if we kill?

We want peace because we believe that every life is precious.

We kill only when it is necessary to protect the innocent and preserve the greater good.

This is the burden of being an assassin, to carry the weight of life and death on our shoulders.

It is not a choice for the faint of heart, but for those who are willing to make the hard decisions when no one else can.

We are not murderers, but guardians of humanity.

And in this way, we live by the creed: Nothing is true, everything is permitted.

***

With a deep shuddering breath Konoha hugged the dairy of Sakuya to her chest.

The written words of her ancestor gave her the calm of mind she so desperately needed.

She knew that being an assassin was not an easy path to take, but it was one that she had chosen for herself.

The burden of taking lives weighed heavily on her shoulders, however, she was reminded that it was necessary to protect those she loved and cared for.

As she closed Sakuya's diary and looked up at the stars, Konoha couldn't help but feel a sense of pride in herself and her team.

They had faced their fears and conquered them together, and in doing so, they had protected their village from harm's way.

It was a difficult journey ahead of them, yet Konoha felt confident knowing that they would face it together as a team.

It was then that she saw someone she knew pass by her house, seeming deep in thought.

“Obito?”, she mumbled to herself.

Shouldn’t he be in bed, well like herself?

What was he doing out this late walking the village streets?

Konoha didn’t think long, gripped a jacket she could put over her nightgown and put her ninja shoes on. Silent as she could she opened her window and then jumped down the street.

“Obito.”, she called out softly to him. “Are you okay?”

Suprised Obito turned to her.

“Huh, Konoha-Chan? What are you doing here?”

“Here is my house. The question is what are you doing out so late and far away from the Uchiha District.”

Obito looked down at his feet, a pained expression on his face. 

"I couldn't sleep," he admitted. "The weight of what we did today is just too much to bear."

Konoha nodded in understanding, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. 

"I know how you feel," she said softly. "But we have to remember that what we did was necessary to protect our village and its people."

Obito looked up at her, gratitude in his eyes. "Thank you, Konoha-Cha. It's good to know that I'm not alone in feeling this way."

Konoha smiled back at him, feeling a sense of camaraderie between them. 

They may have taken lives today, but they had done it together as a team and had each other's backs through the aftermath.

"Come on," she said, gesturing towards the Uchiha District. "Let's get some rest before tomorrow's mission."

Cutely Obito turned red.

“I’m not a little girl, I can walk alone.”

“Are you implying, girls are weak.”

Konoha's voice promised pain if he said the wrong thing, that Obito could hear loud and clear.

The Uchiha quickly backtracked, realizing his mistake.

"No, no, of course not! I didn't mean it like that," he said, flustered. "I just meant that I don't want to be a burden on you."

Konoha chuckled, shaking her head. "You're not a burden, Obito. We're a team and we stick together through thick and thin."

With that settled, they walked back towards the Uchiha District together, chatting about nothing and all.

It was calm and peaceful.

The moon shone down on them.

Did Konoha say that it was quite romantic?

She did feel a bit flustered to walk with her crush to his home.

“The moon is beautiful, isn’t it?”, she heard herself say to Obito.

What the heck?!

When did she get so daring?!

Everybody and their mother know that this was a code for: I love you!

And she just said it to Obito!

Obito looked up at the moon, a small smile on his face.

"Yeah, it is," he said softly. "I used to come out here and watch it with Rin when we were younger."

OF COURSE!

What else did she expect?

He would take it literally and not think about the hidden meaning.

Konoha felt a pang of jealousy at the mention of Rin's name but quickly pushed it aside. She was happy that Obito had someone he could share moments like this with.

"Maybe we can all watch it together sometime," she suggested, trying to keep her voice casual.

Obito turned to her, surprise written all over his face. "Really? You'd want to do that?"

Konoha nodded, feeling a blush creeping up her cheeks. "Sure, why not? We're friends and teammates after all."

Obito smiled back at her, a warmth in his eyes that made Konoha's heart skip a beat.

"Thanks, Konoha-Chan," he said gratefully. "That means a lot to me."

As they reached the entrance of the Uchiha District, Konoha bid Obito goodnight and watched as he disappeared into his house.

She couldn't help but feel grateful for their friendship and hopeful for what the future might hold for them both as ninjas and as friends....

Yeah, right.

“Uchiha Obito you are so stupid!”, she hissed quietly and had to stop the tears that sprung into her eyes.

Dear Kami, what does she need to do when Obito finally takes note of her?!

As she walked back to her house, Konoha couldn't help but feel a sense of longing in her heart.

She had always admired Obito from afar, yet it seemed like he only saw her as a teammate/friend and nothing more.

She knew that being a ninja/assassin meant sacrificing personal relationships for the greater good, however, it didn't make it any easier to bear.

The Haruno sighed heavily and entered her house, ready to rest before their next mission.

While she lay in bed, unable to sleep, she couldn't help but wonder if there was a way to balance her duty as an assassin and her desire for love and companionship.

Perhaps one day she would find the answer.

***

“Carina, you need to get under people or you gonna die an old virgin.”

“When I die, I will take some Templars with me, Rebecca. I have not exactly planned to die peacefully.”

“Still, you only read fanfictions, you know what I mean and that’s not healthy.”

“And coming from our computer expert it must be true. Why don’t you check the Animus again, Desmond seems a bit unwell.”

“Haha, so funny. All is good with my baby.”

“Girls, what are you discussing?”

“Sorry, Lucy, Bec wants me to go out with some guy she knows, but I don’t think it the time for it.”

“We will not stay hidden here away from ABSTERGO forever, I’m just planning for the future.”

“Bec’s leave Cari alone, okay? She knows what is best for her.”

“You are only on her side because you have a crush on her, Lucy since Cari is a real-life Auditore!”

“That’s not true, Rebecca. I just think it’s important for Carina to focus on her safety and well-being before worrying about romantic relationships.”

“Well, I think it’s important for all of us to have some fun and enjoy life while we still can. But don’t worry, Carina. If you’re not interested in my friend, I won’t force you.”

Carina made it clear again that she was fine the way she was.

Besides they had to first save the world and well, her dream man was fictional.

No one could reach Obito Uchiha’s level.

***

“So...”

“Yes, Mito?”

“Uchiha. Uchiha Madara?”

“Are you judging me, my friend?”

“A tiny bit.”

“Mito!”

“Don’t use that tone on me Sakuya. I mean there are Uchiha’s who are not so...intense then Madara.”

“Love finds you in the strangest of places or what is with you and Hashirama? Hashi is my friend but he is a blubbering mess.”

“I...I have nothing to say against it.”

“Pardon, ladies, I didn’t think this room was occupied.”

“Tobirama, good! Tell Sakuya that her liaison with Madara is...erm...”

“A horrible decision? Yes, it is.”

“Tobirama, I thought you were my friend!”

“And as your friend I have to ask, have you lost your mind Sakuya? Madara is the worst of the Uchiha Clan. Why do t you go out with Kagami's father?”

“The man is married?”

“Polyamory is not frowned upon in the Uchiha-Clan.”

“You are joking, Tobirama.”

“I’m not joking, Sakuya. And besides, Kagami's father is a much better match for you than Madara ever could be.”

“I’ll...I’ll think about it.”

To hell with thinking about it.

Sakuya loved Madara and Madara loved her.

When she was Carina she never thought of finding love and then even in Madara Uchiha!

She was an Obito-Fangirl, but truly getting to know Madara had changed her.

The Mito/assassin was sure she could change the future and build a life with Madara.

***

Konoha opened her eyes and blinked up at her room ceiling.

What the heck?

Did...did she just live out the love life of Carina/Sakuya?

What was this supposed to mean?

Her ancestor from another world had loved Obito too, but then when she met Madara for real, she truly fell in love.

Wanted her brain to show Konoha how ironic it was that the descendant of Carina/Sakuya was also in love with Obito.

Konoha couldn't shake off the strange feeling that lingered in her mind.

She wondered if there was a deeper meaning to her dream.

Was it a message from her ancestor?

Or was it just a random occurrence of her subconscious mind playing tricks on her?

Or was there something more to it?

Why was she so connected to Carina/Sakuya?

It was like...like in the Animus!

Yes, the strange device from Carina's world, which lets you live out the memories of your ancestors!

And Konoha experienced it naturally?

How was this possible?

The green-haired girl had a feeling that Sakuya's diary was the answer to it, but there were so many.

It would take time to find it.

Suddenly she had an idea.

There was another source she could maybe check.

Maybe it could shine a new light on Sakuya!

!!!!PLEASE READ AND REVIEW!!!

[furryprovocateur]

well, that went almost perfectly. kinda sad that it's an 8 turn and not a 7 turn, but i'll get into that later. gonna readmore this post because there's a lot to go over despite it being such a short chapter.

19xx as a chapter is very easy when you know what to expect. sure, it's a fog of war, but it's not really that scary. it's pretty sparse on enemies and the most annoying thing about it is the two troubadours. one of them will bar the lower path with their pathetic limp body (if you have any magic users/healers with you, they can use silence and be annoying (but usually they're dead before that even happens)). the other one can be far more detrimental to your progress however, because she has a sleep staff and it's basically unpreventable that she's going to use it in the first turn. your only real recourse is hoping she misses (which isn't the most unlikely thing, averages to about a coinflip most of the time). if she lands with sleep, you basically have to restart, because no restore staff means you're down a unit for basically half the time you're gonna be in the chapter. it didn't happen often, thankfully, but it was slightly annoying in my attempts when it would land and basically hardwall a strat i was trying.

the thieves in this chapter are a fucking menace, honestly. most of them have 20 speed and WILL steal anything they can from you. killing them is also a nuisance and you do surprisingly have to account for their retaliation. they don't do a lot of damage, but doubling for like 3 damage is something you have to account for considering they usually don't miss, even with WTD. the worst of them is the one that goes for the dracoshield + eclipse becuase even though he does have lower speed and can be stolen from, i don't really like bothering with that because you get married to a longer run of the chapter if you try to steal back the dracoshield from him, and if you don't, he'll steal eclipse after the dracoshield and make it the only drop he gives. eclipse is worth a lot of money, sure, but it's far shittier than a dracoshield to me. so, the main challenge of this chapter was getting the lower right area illuminated so sain could keep killing all the roadblocks in his way and prevent the thief from grabbing it. it sounds easy on paper, but it means getting someone to torch as closely as possible to that area, which proved to be difficult.

so, what i ended up doing was fielding florina and fiora (despite the fact that there's a ballista here, he literally never once went after either of them in both the casual and ranked runs. almost wonder if it's a bug in the AI because fiora surely can't take a good hit from that), sain (who i promoted in both runs. he promoted at level 19.62, which is totally fine to me. only reason i didn't promoted him sooner was to milk as much experience out of him as possible considering how much i was going to use him.), kent (debated fielding him because he's getting a smidge overleveled but lowen's almost too far behind at this point to be genuinely useful and cavs are lifesavers.), matthew (obviously), raven (no real reason to deploy him beyond wanting to get him some experience. he did decently well with the lancereaver tbf.), and marcus (matthew gets 2HKO'd by basically everything here and really wanted more movement + marcus with a hammer was a good idea to me (though it didn't pan out unfortunately)). you might notice there's no healer here and that's very intentional; we're trying to rush this shit as fast as possible and healers aren't necessary when there's this few enemies spread across all these units. it's also worth mentioning i did try fielding at separate points canas (again he has WTA and doubles the knights but i couldn't get good work out of him compared to marcus or kent), bartre (really wanted an excuse to use him as well), and rebecca (that ballista is just BEGGING to be used), but none of them were helping hard enough. oh well.

so ultimately what i ended up doing was making florina + fiora the aggressive frontliners because very few things were actually scary to them (the knights near the enemy ballista being the only thing noteworthy). fiora's at the same level as florina and while she's obviously slightly worse, she is still doing a pretty noteworthy job. i think i forgot to mention it last update but i did burn an angelic robe on her just because +7 HP makes her so much more useful and durable. it's paying off already because she's doing good work after minimal investment. her and raven both got two levels this chapter, one mediocre and one great, which averages out, so i'm happy.

the one part where fiora DID fail however is a critical juncture and makes me sad. teodor is not a hard boss if you kill him quickly because eclipse weighs him down oh-so hard and will make him a no counter chump. the only real problem is that there are hidden wyvern knights in his room that can be scary if you're unprepared for them. we're going to be entering the part of the game where WK reinforcements become the scariest thing on the field at any given time, starting at kinship's bond going forward. but anyways back to my main point: teodor sucks. he is very bad. kill him before he can either counterattack or burn eclipse fully because he then becomes a lot scarier. nosferatu still weighs him down, but much less + it'll heal him on top of the throne bonus. and while his stats are very bad for a level 17 druid, he's very scary to fight in the way that uhai was last chapter. even bad promoted units are still doing things. so, my plan was to kill him all in one turn. sain and fiora were the only units nearby. i weakened with sain such that fiora had an easy kill ahead of her. it was like a 75% chance to hit. and lo and behold, tragedy strikes and she misses. so now i have to give hector the kill and thus miss my chance to seize on turn 7, feeling very bitter and annoyed about an otherwise perfect chapter run getting ruined. as i said earlier, this is the second time i've lost a turn just from a boss killing blow missing, and it's a very bad feeling. i would've killed with sain, but he was only killing with the iron lance, and the hit rate with iron lance vs. iron sword (which wasn't killing) was too iffy for me. i hedged my bets correctly and still lost. such is life.

next up is dragon's gate. there's a lot to do here and if i have my way, i'm going to be walking away with at least 3 physic staves, but that's obviously going to be very hard to engineer. hopefully i can manage it, because physic staves are going to be literal lifesavers.