#imagaine hearing this as the opener

[theageoftheunderstatement]

Pro-shot of Sculptures of Anything Goes at Primavera Sound Sao Paulo, 05/11/2022.

[chaos-event-horizon]

What was Rian's first kiss with Toshi like?

Like fireworks, and a favorite desert, and a heart attack.

I'm a bit out of it this morning, so i took an except from my old ship fanfic I had been writing of our first kiss, and edited it slightly to make it less... Bad! Putting under a cut cause it's a bit lengthy. Please enjoy and tell me what you thought?

~~~~~

“The sunset always looks nice from here, despite all the buildings and haze blocking some of the view," Yagi said.

Rian looked out, smiling at the beautiful array of colors. In his mind, he knew it was the same sun. West was still west. A sunset was a sunset… but the energy of it felt so, so different here.

“It looks… amazing," Rian replied.

“Hey, Rian-san?” Yagi asked, his voice catching oddly as the tone formed a question.

Startled, the brunette looked up. “Yes senp---”

They were kissing.

They were kissing.

Rian's heart caught in his throat, and he struggled not to make a sound. Not to move. Not to kiss back…

Not to kiss back much.

His eyes closed and, in spite of himself, he was pressing up against the older man. Surprisingly strong, yet wiry, muscle had him all cought up. Yagi held him firmly-- which was just as well, as his knees might have given out otherwise.

What was he doing?!

Why hadn't he done it sooner?!

His thoughts whipped around like a tornado. How long had they been kissing? When should he stop? Should Yagi pull away first, or should he? Should they ever stop?

A whimpering moan caught in his throat as Yagi put a hand on the small of his back.

The blonde was a dangerously good kisser…

There was heavy breathing. Yagi pulled the brunette somehow closer, and the younger man was happy to oblige. The kiss deepened. Mouths opened. Rian could hear blood pounding in his ears... He'd never kissed like this before. It was good.

All too soon, though, it ended, and they both stepped back, exchanging looks of shock and embarrassment as they fought to breathe normally.

What… just happened?

“I… well, if you still want to work together, I'll see you tomorrow night or Sunday!” Yagi said, voice stuff and a bit too chipper as he made his way into his own apartment.

Rian was silent. He grabbed his stuff, portalled his way into his living room, put the stuff down, and all-but fell over onto the couch. He fought back the shame creeping up into him as he half-imagained he could still feel Yagi's hands...

He… needed time to think.

His phone buzzed, and he used the last of his energy to glance at it.

< Hey bro! How was your day?

Well…..

> I think I just kissed our next door neighbor.

< You wot m8

> It was probably nothing. Anyway. How were the tests? You get plenty of rest last night?

< Tests were fine. Rian are you okay? Do I need to beat an entire ass?

> No. It's fine.

He's probably kissed dozens of people before. This probably means nothing to him.

> Nothing to worry about. I'm just tired. Got some stuff today.

He proceeded to tell her about his day, detailing everything he could remember.

It was nothing.

It meant nothing.

Right?

[incorrect-spiderson]

for the prompts, can i have peter and shuri or michelle (whichever you prefer) babysit Morgan?

Ao3 Link:

https://archiveofourown.org/works/25350943

The Babysitters

Okay this took way too long but here you go lovie💕

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

“Peter I’m not sending you to purgatory, I’m just asking you to babysit Morgan.”

The teenager groans and slumps over the side of the couch. “It might as well be the same thing!”, he whines, tossing his hands in the air. “I’ve watched Nemo at least twelve times this week!”

Tony rolls his eyes as he adjusts his tie. “She’s your sister Pete, and she’s six. Plus you’re the only one she’ll listen to besides The Wiggles.”

Peter huffs and adjusts his totally not pouty position. But after a second of thought he smiles. “Well then, I have one condition.”

Tony cocks and eyebrow and looks at his son through the mirror. “You have conditions for babysitting your sister now?”

“No, condition. One.”

“Mhm, and that would be...?”

“I want Shuri to come over.”

Tony turns to eye his son and gives him a smirk. “You want me to let you have a girl over? While you’re home alone with your sister?”

Peter’s face turns at least six different colors of red and screws up into the most disgusted look Tony could imagaine. “Dad- no that’s- ew stop it no Shuri is one of my best friends that’s just- you’re nasty.”

Tony laughs as he turns back to the mirror. “I know I know kiddo. Of course you can. Just be careful with that Trek teleporter thing that she made. I don’t want to get a call and find out that Morgan is in Siberia.”

Peter’s look of disgust instantly transforms into a smile as he stands up and hugs his dad. “Thanks dad! But uh.. shouldn’t you be going? I think moms been waiting in the car for like.. ten minutes.”

Tony’s expression turns from one of love to one of fear. He quickly adjusts the sleeve over his robotic arm and races towards the door mumbling something about thinking she was upstairs. He swipes his phone from the counter and opens the door. “Love you bambino! Tell Mo I love her!” He calls, then shuts the door and races off to the car.

Peter chuckles as he hears the car start up then zoom off towards the city. He turns and makes his way to the garage, slipping his phone out of his pocket to quickly message Shuri.

——————————————————————————

spooderpete: Beam yourself up

shuriken: Why?

spooderpete: Babysitting Morgan, Dad said you could come over.

shuriken: Omw Scotty

——————————————————————————

Peter puts his phone back in his pocket and flips on the lights in the garage. He makes his way down to the Trek Pad and switches it on. The device starts glowing in bright blue pulses, then it suddenly turns a deep purple. Then in the blink of an eye Shuri is standing before him.

Peter laughs. “Well, it works!”

Shuri scoffs, stepping off of the device and lightly slapping his arm. “Did you think it might not work? I built it! Of course it would work!”

“I mean if we go back to last week...”

“Last week does not count! Do you know how hard it is to create a small black hole?”

“Yes because I tried it with you.”

“I- shut up. Where’s your sista?”

Peter rolls his eyes. “She’s upstairs in her room, but you’re avoiding-”

Shuri sticks her finger in his face. “Not another word from you or I will beam myself back to Wakanda. I have something for her to see.”

The girl walks into the house and heads towards the stairs. Peter hurriedly follows as he closes up the garage. By the time he gets up the stairs, Shuri is already in Morgan’s room. He gently pushes open the door and is instantly met with the upside down face of a six year old girl.

“Hi petey!”, Morgan squeals. She gives him an upside down hug around the neck and giggles, “I’m just like you now!”

When his sister releases him she realizes that Shuri, who is also upside down, is standing behind her. Both girls are wearing glowing bands around their shoes and heads. The older girl smiles. “What? Now we can all hang out.”

Peter finally recovers from the shock of seeing an upside down child and joins them on the ceiling. “So... whats going on up here ladies.”

Morgan giggles. “We’re gonna have an Avengers Meeting!”

Shuri takes on a serious look and nods. “What are we battling today Morgan?”

The little girl gets serious as well. “From now on you call me Admiral Stark. We have to fight the evil fluff monsters from a parasail universe.”

Peter leans over and whispers in her ear. The girl sighs and rolls her eyes. “That’s what I said! Parasail!”

Peter sticks his hands up in defeat. “Okay okay! But Admiral Stark we’re going to need reinforcements. The evil fluff monsters are dangerous.”

Morgan thinks for a minute then nods. “You’re right Spiderman. Bring me to the ground! I need to go get the others!”

She reaches out for peter to grab her so he takes her by the arm pits and flips her over so she lands on the ground softly. Both teens watch upside down as she sprints off down the hall.

They did in silence for a moment before they both laugh. “Your sister is very imaginative. I figured she would like my Spider-bands.”

Peter raises a brow. “So how’d you make those? Are the headbands to keep the blood from rushing to your head?”

“Yes! It’s a very intricate process and it makes us able to-”

Morgan come sprinting back into the room with two arms full of action figures, dolls, and tape. Peter lifts her back onto the ceiling and makes sure the Spider-bands stick before releasing her. She crawls back over to her spot and sits criss-cross. They spend the next few minutes taping the dolls and action figures to the ceiling. Once the last doll is secure, Morgan starts ‘the meeting’.

“Spiderman, Shuri, I want you to meet the other Avengers.”

Morgan points to an Ironman figure with a tutu. “That’s Irondad.” She then point to a figure of Thor. “Thunder Poptart.” Then two stuffed birds. “Hawkeye and Pidgeon” A Barbie doll with red hair colored on by a marker. “Tasha”. Then a Cap figure. “And that’s Captain Assho-”

“MORGAN” Peter screeches before she can finish. “Do you know what dad would say if he heard you say that?”

The girl ponders for a second then smiles. “Dads not here so it doesn’t matter.”

Peter opens his mouth to protest, then shuts it with a sigh. “Whatever, just say butthead.”

Shuri giggles to the side and he rolls his eyes.

The ‘battle’ starts and soon enough there’s action figures and stuffed animals flying across the room. The game lasts about 30 minutes before Morgan grows bored and hungry.

Just as she makes Irondad punch the evil teddy bear she sighs. Dropping her toys to the ground she lets gravity make her arms sway above her head. “I’m hungry Petey... and I wanna watch a movie.”

Peter chuckles and lowers himself to the ground. “Yeah I figured Momo. Let’s get you down then you, me, and Shuri can go eat some pizza and watch a movie.”

Shuri flips down second and deactivates her devices. Both teens help Morgan off the ceiling and onto her bed. They all head down the stairs, Shuri and Morgan go into the kitchen to make the frozen pizza while Peter sets up the Netflix and gets out the blankets.

The three kids settle down on the couch. Morgan lays on the left, Peter sits in the middle, and Shuri lays to the right. They flip through multiple movies until Morgan, thankfully, picks Frozen II instead of Nemo. Peter gets up to get the pizza and drinks, then they start the movie.

They spend the rest of the night singing along to the movie, eating pizza, and eventually sleeping. Peter picks up his sleeping sister and carries her upstairs to her room. After he tucks her in he goes back downstairs to help Shuri clean up.

The teens pick up the left over pizza and plates. After they finish, they spend the rest of the night talking and coming up with tech designs. Shuri is in the middle of explaining a new gadget design when her kimoyo beads start glowing.

Shuri slumps into the couch. “I am guessing this is my brotha. I should go. Are we meeting next week?”

Peter sits up and stretches. “Oh yeah definitely. We have to build that real life Millennium Falcon.”

Shuri stands and walks towards the garage. “Of course! See you next week Peterman!” She throws up a peace sign and then leaves.

Peter sighs and lays back on the couch. Soon enough he’s drifting off. He barely even hears the door open and his parents lay a blanket over him. He smiles and lets himself drift off to into a peaceful sleep.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bonus:

Tony walks up stairs carefully so he doesn’t wake up his little girl. As he steps into her room he realizes that something.. isn’t quite right. He doesn’t have Peter’s spider sense but he has a dad sense.

And something is wrong. He swings the door open, searching for any threat. Then he hears it. A slight creaking, or even... peeling noise. He can’t tell where it comes from. But suddenly, it hits him.

Literally.

The Captain America figure falls off the ceiling and lands on Tony’s head. In a moment of fury he yells, “DAMN YOU CAPTAIN ASSHOLE!”

He spins when he hears a gasp. Morgan is sitting up right in her bed with a hand over her mouth. With a smile she says, “It’s okay daddy I won’t tell mom.”

[we-cross-universe-king-relate]

Zenkichi and Maruki arcana swap headcanon.

this is just my little my firing off.

ApostleTakuto Maruki: Takuto Maruki is a (Not what you would expect from public security) Pubsec officer, who lost his girlfriend soon-to-be-fiance Rumi in a hit-n-run accident. A court ruling stopped him from testifying and so he opened up his own investigation to bring in the person who took his fiance from him: Jun Owada. One day a death threat was placed on his best friend: Shibusawa. telling him to either stop his investigation or his best friend dies. Not wanting to lose anyone else close to him, Maruki shut down his investigation and move to Kyoto. Frustrated by his friends spinelessness, Shibusawa began to resent Maruki and their friendship was strained. Shibusawa was a witness to the entire accident and even told Maruki it was Owada. But Maruki seemingly did nothing. When the nationwide change of heart epidemic happened Maruki took the opportunity to request assistance from the Phantom thieves under the promise that he would help them clear their names. One day, Maruki made a promise to Shibusawa that he would visit Rumi’s grave but after hearing the girls Shibusawa snapped claming that Maruki was just looking for another woman and forgot about Rumi. After all the other jails the thieves went to the kyoto jail to rescue Shibusawa who was supposedly kidnapped when in reality he was the monarch of it. After Maruki with the help of Sae was freed from the police, he and Futaba who escaped being captured, went into the jail to free the other’s. There Maruki confrence Shibusawa’s shadow. Shibusawa then threw all of Maruki’s failers in his face and  compared him to Owada, After making him remember what he’s fighting for and encouraging him Maruki awakens to his persona (i’ll leave that to your imagination) and freed the rest to the thieves. Once Maruki and the thieves defeted Shibusawa and changed his heart He and Maruki reconcile. 

here’s how i imagain to going:

Maruki: Shibusawa, You are right, I was so afraid of losing someone else important to me, I didn't want to feel the pain of losing important person again, but, I'm the one who caused you to feel pain. I’m sorry. i’m done being scared, Owada and Konoe are going down, i know you and Rumi have my back. I won't lose my Justice again.

CouncillorZenkichi Hasegawa: Zenkichi Hasegawa is a councillor at shujin acadamy who was hired by the school after the kamoshida scandel. He is a rather intense yet somewhat goofy councillor like by the student body. In reality he was one of the original cognitive science researchers. One day when he was at work there was a break in at his home the burglar killed his wife Aoi and his daughter Akane was left emotionally and mentely scared. Akane was then placed in a hospital to help her with her PTSD she suffered after witnessing her mother's death. Zenkichi visited his daughter over and over until one day her mentioned her other causing Akane to have a post traumatic episode the doctors explained that it could have been anything sound or phrasing. wanting to help his daughter forget the pain a mysterious entity offered to help Zenkichi. Zenkichi accepted and Akane’s cognition was rewrtien but at the cost of her forgetting her father. not wanting to reopen her wounds Zenkichi left Akane and further progressed in his research. His research was stolen later on by Masayoshi Shido. After the loss of his wife, daughter and having his research stolen, Zenkichi still continuited with it from scratch while being consumed by bitterness, rage and unfairness. In shujin he meets Ren and get him to help complete his research. After his research was finished and yaldabaoth was defeted Zenkichi took up the role of god and created a reality where everything is fair, The evil were punished for their crimes where the good were lived their lives peacefully. Realising that he needed to be stopped Ren and his friends confront Zenkichi in a battle with his persona: Azathoth. After the battles in the palace collapsing Zenkichi and Ren have a fist fight. i think for Zenkichi it would go like this:

Zenkichi: Everything in my life WAS TAKEN FROM ME! AOI! AKANE, WHY!? a world where the injustice is brought to justice.

[nobodyzhuman]

I NEEDED a good Mordred story (so not the title haha)

“Get some more wood, Merlin.” The young man mimicked his King as he walked through the forest picking up any burnable wood he could find. He had already cooked the knights dinner and took care of the horses. Surely one of the knights could have gone for the wood. But no, Arthur said they were exhausted from the small skirmich earlier that day and that Merlin could fetch as he hadn’t fought. Lancelot had at least looked a little apologetic at the comment. The knight being the only one to know Merlin had been using his magic to help out. Merlin had just sent him a ‘it’s all good,’ grin and wandered off to get the wood. 

Tired and feeling like he had enough wood to last through the night, he turned and started back towards their camp. It took longer than he expected, he had wandered off farther than he realized. Pushing through the trees he started to hear the sounds of screaming and yelling, fear spiked through him and Merlin dropped the wood he had been caring. The clanging of metal reached his ears and he ran closer. He must have missed the start of the fight because even before he could see the camp’s fire the sounds faded. Worry and dread settled in his stomach and he sprinted his way through the trees. He wasn’t paying attention to anything around him as he ran.  His sole focus was his friends. To worried about his friends to worry about himself.   Which is way he missed the figure hiding behind a large tree. 

In fact, Merlin didn’t notice the man until he was grabbed and pulled against the other man’s body. One arm came around his waist trapping him against his attacker while the other hand quickly covered his mouth to cut off any cries for help. A spark jolted through him when the hand touched his skin, but he was too busy panicking to really notice it.  

Be still, Emrys, a smooth calm voice echoed through his mind. Before he could reach for his magic. He froze, A druid! The druids were peaceful and more often than not, his friends. Maybe this man could help him save Arthur and the knights. He relaxed his body feeling the man behind him do the same. Though he didn’t remove his hold of Merlin. 

My friends? He silently asked back, bringing his hand up to pull at the hand over his mouth. It didn’t budge. 

Captured. The druid said. 

Ignoring the hand he pushed his body backwards trying to shove the man off him. The druid just tightened the arm around Merlin, almost painfully so, and let out a frustrated sound. 

Stop! You’ll only get yourself captured. If we wait for the guards to fall asleep we can save them. As much as Merlin didn’t like the idea of leaving his friends at the hands of whoever had attacked them. If he waited, he had a better chance of getting in unnoticed and he would have this man’s help. It was a better plan then him just running in and hoping for the best. 

Fine. He sent back and relaxed again. Strangely not bothered that yet again the man hadn’t let him go. 

What’s the plan? He thought to the man. He heard the man sigh, he turned his head to look at the man and blue eyes locked on his and he felt his breath catch. He knew those eyes. 

Mordred? He asked without opening his mouth. 

The man smirked, Hello, Emrys. 

Mixed feeling rushed though Merlin. He was happy to see a face he knew and have help to save his friends, but this was Mordred. The same person The Great Dragon had warned him about years ago, the same person he saw in a vision would kill Arthur someday. He swallowed. 

What are you doing here? He thought at the druid. 

Mordred was giving him a searching look. Like he had caught on to Merlin’s mood shift but didn’t understand it. My people have a camp nearby, Mordred told him, I was on my way there, when I heard the fight and recognized Arthur. I was hiding, waiting to see if I could help when I felt you coming.

Felt? He asked. 

Mordred smiled at him, you are Emrys. You have a strong presence. How do you think we know who you are? 

Huh, he hadn’t thought of that. But he also never understood how some people knew him while others didn’t. He turned back around and searched through the trees for his friends. He could see Gwaine and Eylan tired to a tree off towards the edge of the camp. But couldn’t see any of the others. 

Arthur is over there. Mordred’s voice was still calm as he pointed over Merlin’s shoulder towards where a group of men sat. Arthur was chained and kneeling next to a large blonde man. The man looked smug and kept patting the King on the shoulder. Arthur sending the man deadly glares as he did so. Merlin go the impression the blonde man was showing off his captive. 

Lancelot? He asked Mordred, moving his eyes away from the king. Trying to find the two others they had been travelling with. 

Who? Mordred replied. Merlin cursed under his breath. Of course Mordred hadn’t met Lancelot. In fact, the only knight he could think Mordred might recognize was Leon, another missing member of their party. He was sure Leon had been part of the group that had been searching the castle for Mordred when he was younger. 

Do you remember Leon? He tried to picture the man in his head. Not even sure if imagains could be sent. He felt Mordred jerk a little. 

There. Mordred said, sounding unhappy, Merlin felt a little guilty it up as he watched Mordred's hand move to point at two bodies lying on the ground. Almost hidden in the shadow of the trees. Neither looked to be moving and Merlin’s heart skipped. He shifted and probably would have moved for his friends had Mordred not still been holding him. 

Wait! Mordred ordered. Merlin froze. For a second it was like he couldn’t move. He hadn’t felt magic. So it had to have been his own surprise by the command. Ignoring it he looked back over at his friends. He wanted to ignore Mordred. The desire to see if they were okay was strong but he knew it wouldn’t help anyone. Not right now. If Leon and Lancelot were dead, running in now wouldn’t save them only put the others in danger. 

So, they waited. 

The only thing that made it easier was Lancelot stirring about an hour later and Leon soon following behind him. Merlin started to breath easier as all the knights woke and he could seem them looking around and from the narrowing of eyes and shifting of feet and shoulders, he knew they were planning something. It took forever for the men around his friends to start to drift off. The large blonde man by Arthur being the last. 

Without a word Mordred moved away from him. Sneaking around the back of the party towards Gwaine and Eylan. They were the furthest away, making them the easiest to get too. Merlin aimed for Lancelot and Leon. As badly as he wanted to go for the King, he was the most surrounded and they would need the knights to get to him. It was strange that he could feel Mordred as they moved apart and he sought his friends. It was like a humming in the air. He briefly wondered if it was because they were both using magic to remain unheard. He pushed the thought away as he snuck up behind the two knights. Lancelot jumped when Merlin put his hand on his shoulder, causing Leon to startle as well. 

“Just me.” Merlin whispered and saw both men relax. 

“Took you long enough.” Lancelot joked looking over his shoulder to send Merlin a smile. Then the man leaned in a started whispering to Leon, hiding Merlin and the chain that connected them from the other knights view. Merlin grinned. He loved that Lancelot knew about him and didn’t mind. He made things like this so much easier. 

“Aliese.” He whispered. The chains separated easily and fell to the ground. Leon startled and looked at Merlin and then at the chains. The knight grinned at Merlin and slowly gathered the discarded chain in his hand. 

“What about Gwaine and Eylon?” The curly haired man whispered. 

“Umm,” Merlin said looking over his shoulder, “a friend. You guys wait here until you see my signal.” He said then he backed away. Before Either man couldn’t question him. He didn’t have to wait long before he heard, Ready, in his mind. 

He looked at the fire by the sleeping group of men, “Bærne,” he commanded and watched as the flames flashed, burning higher and brighter than before. It was so sudden and large that it caught a couple of the sleeping men’s bed rolls on fire. A few screams filled the air and while they were distracted Arthur’s knights attacked 

Arthur mustn’t have been asleep because the second he noticed something was going on he threw himself at the man that had been next to him. Bring them both to the ground. Merlin didn’t bother with any of the other men, just dodged his way through the fight until he was by Arthur. 

Not that the King needed any help. 

“You just standing around, Merlin?” Arthur said, grinning as he pushed himself back on his heels and tried to stand. His hands were still tied behind his back, so he waveried a little. But the stubborn man found his feet and Merlin rushed over to help untie him. 

“Well fighting is your thing. Sire.” He said as he undid the rope. He heard Arthur chuckle. 

The second he was free Arthur moved to see if his men needed any help. They didn’t. The bandits or slavers as Merlin was starting to suspect from the chains the men had with them, were either dead or unconscious.

The only issue Merlin could see was the look Leon was giving Mordred who was standing away from the group bloody sword in his hand. The knight’s head was cocked to the side and his eyes narrowed. He looked like he was trying to place the druid’s face. 

Worried Merlin grabbed Arthur’s sleeve, “Distract Leon,” he whispered hurriedly. 

Arthur raised his eyebrow. Merlin gave him a pleading look. 

“Leon, make sure the survivors are secure. We will take them back to Camelot to stand trial.” The knight looked between his King and the druid, clearly battling with himself. Then sighed and grabbed Eylan to help him. 

When the two men were out of earshot, Arthur looked at Merlin, “Now why did I do that?” He asked. 

“Me.” Mordred whispered as he approached them, “Hello again, Arthur.”  Merlin watched as Arthur tried to place the young man in front of him. It took all of about two seconds before the blonde’s eyes widened. 

“Mordred?” He asked and before the druid could answer Arthur reached grabbed his arm, just like Merlin had seen him do when he greeted on of his knights, and pulled him into a quick hug,“It’s good to see you again.” He heard Arthur say before they broke apart. 

Merlin’s stomach sank. Not because Arthur was happy to see Mordred again but because it worried him how easy Arthur greeted him. Like old friends and Merlin didn’t think that was good. He was grateful for Mordred’s help but he needed to get the druid away from the King as quickly as he could without causing suspicion. 

“Do you feel like your missing something?” Gwaine asked cheerfully looking over at Lancelot, “I feel like I'm missing something.” Lancelot just chuckled. “Princess who’s the pretty boy?” 

Merlin looked at Mordred just in time to see a surprised look cross his face. He wondered if it was the fact that a knight called his King princess or the pretty boy comment. 

“And why did you send Leon off?” Lancelot asked, because he was a little more observant than Gwaine. 

Arthur looked at his friends then at Merlin and then back at Mordred. It took him a second then he looked back at the knights. He looked serious and when he spoke it was in a clear controlled voice, the one he used when sure his words would be obeyed. 

 “Mordred is a druid. One that Leon was once sent to capture by my father. And he is my friend.” Merlin almost groaned. He really needed to get rid of Mordred fast. 

“Oh,” Gwaine said before walking over and sticking his hand out to shake. “Well I’m Gwaine, thanks for the save.” Mordred smiled and shook the knights hand. Lancelot quickly introduced himself as well, then he turned to look at Arthur. 

“What are you going to tell Leon?” 

“The truth.” Arthur said with a sigh. 

“Leon, Elyan come here.” He called out. Merlin’s heart raced. He told himself it was stupid. Neither knight would do anything to Mordred, not with Arthur protecting him. Not that he should be worried about Mordred. The druid was destined to kill Arthur. But still something in him was worried. 

“Yes, sir?” Leon questioned, clearly noticing that Arthur had positioned himself between the two knights and Mordred. 

“This is Mordred.” Arthur said, “He is also a friend. And a druid.” Leon’s eyes widened. Then he looked back at Mordred. And Merlin saw it click in his head. 

“You helped him escape.” the knight asked. Arthur nodded. Leon seemed to think about it for a second and then nodded his head. “It’s nice to meet you Mordred. Thank you.” 

Merlin could see Mordred’s relief as he took the knights hand and shook it. It seemed things were going to be okay. Right up until Eylan spoke. 

“Does that mean you have magic?” The dark skinned knight asked, looking intrigued and worried at the same time. Merlin froze. Mordred sucked in a breath and his eyes quickly darted to Arthur and then at Merlin.

Emrys? Mordred asked in his mind. 

“It doesn’t matter.” Arthur said, saving both Mordred and Merlin from answering. 

“It doesn’t?” He asked because he had not been expecting that. The knights looked just as shocked.

Arthur shook his head. “No. Now we don’t have to hang about chatting. Sun’s still hours away. We need to move these bodies and make sure our prisoners aren’t going anywhere.” Merlin ached to ask Arthur questions. Why didn’t matter? Was it just because it was Mordred? Was the King changing is thinking on magic? But he didn’t get a chance. The small group broke apart doing as their king said. 

Some time later Merlin found himself sitting back against a tree far away from the rest of the group. He smiled when Eylan walked over and stood in front of him. 

“You okay?” Eylan asked.

Merlin nodded. “Just tired.” he said with a small smile. 

Eylan laughed, “Me too. Can’t wait to get home.” The knight grinned at him, “thanks for saving us.” He said sounding more serious, “Arthur may not have said but we all know we would have been in serious trouble if you and Mordred hadn’t come back for us.” He patted Merlin on the back and then hurried back towards the rest of the group. Almost crashing into Lancelot who was right behind him. 

“His right, you know?” Lancelot said reaching down for Merlin’s hand, “Though we both know you didn’t need the help.” Merlin laughed as he was pulled to his feet. 

“At least this way it was easier to explain.” He replied as Lancelot dragged him over towards the group. 

“Finally decided to join us, I see.” Arthur said looking up at Merlin. Merlin normally would have had a come back but seeing Arthur sitting there next to Mordred both smiling and happy, sent a spark of anger through him. 

“How long until you head back to your camp?” He asked Mordred instead of replying to the King's comment. He noticed the hurt look that crossed Mordred’s face but forced himself to ignore it. He couldn’t allow himself to see it because then he would feel guilty and then he might forget that Mordred was not a friend. He couldn’t be. 

“He’s coming back with us.” Arthur said. Merlin saw the glare the blonde sent his way. Merlin was sure that while the King didn’t know why he had caught on that Merlin didn’t want Mordred around. Merlin sighed. Which only resulted in a more intense glare from Arthur. 

He sat next to Lancelot and tried to ignore the various looks he was getting, curiosity from the knights, annoyances from Arthur, questioning from Mordred. 

Merlin closed his eyes and rested his head on Lancelot’s shoulder. He had been tempted to just get up and find a spot on the ground away from the group and sleep. But doing so soon after what had just happened would have made him look petty and only caused more questions later. So he leaned against his friend eyes closed as he tried to figure out what to do. 

He couldn’t tell Arthur about his vision. Because well everything about it. But he couldn’t lie and say that Mordred had done something to earn hs mistrust. Arthur would only question Mordred about it and know Merlin was lying wish would make things worse. 

Somehow he fell asleep like that. Only woken up hours later when it was time to get up and head back to Camelot. He tried to ignore the jealous feeling he got when Mordred and Arthur rode side by side the whole way back. And the hurt feeling he got when Gwen spotted their returned and how she hugged Mordred when she recognized him. He didn’t stay for the conversation just took his and Arthur’s horses to the stable. When he was done he headed for his chambers. Hoping to ask Gaius for advise. The physician wasn’t in and in a moment of frustration Merlin throughout his magic sending a water bucket across the room. It broke and the water went everywhere. 

Feeling guilty he cleaned it up, without magic, and went to bed. 

[the-wandering-whumper]

Tat - writing about pain

On the subject of pain, reading a description of pain can bring you in to the story on a deeper level or completely pull you out of the moment.

I’ve had one or two experiences in my life with various types of pain. Here’s some real happenings/differences between various types of wounds.

Scratches- a tear in the skin is usually at the surface level. Bleeding is minimal, A few minutes at worst. Is usually a sharp stinging sensation. If the scratch is made by a dirty object (barbwire or metal covered in mud) it may burn for a short time. When it heals the skin puckers with scabbing and tends to leave tiny, fine scars. These scars tend to fade in a few weeks to few months.

Stab/puncture- depending on how it happens most any type of puncture is a deeper wound, going past the first layer of skin into fats/muscle/possibly bone depending the depth . If it happens with force it will almost always bruise under the actual opening and aches around the wound. If it’s a quick in and out motion perhaps it won’t bruise but it will burn. These wounds bleed freely and require pressure/sutures/medical care to stop. Depending the severity/damage done to surrounding tissue, this will take a week-2 weeks to knit skin together however the tissue inside may continue to ache for weeks because muscle injuries don’t repair easily with/ without medical intervention.

Broken bones- when a bone breaks there’s usually a pop that’s felt and/or possibly a cracking sound. If there isn’t a sound, that doesn’t mean it’s not broken. A break is a severe pain, sharp, tingling, a hot/cold flush from the area. And I hate to break it to my friends in the writing field, when an arm or leg is truly broken (not a splinter/sprain) , people don’t continue to use it afterward, fighting the pain. It’s broken, it literally doesn’t work. Adrenaline might delay the sensory overload of intial pain but usual it’s pretty clear by lumping/swelling/weird angle/lack of support to attached limbs that it’s the real deal. The first outset of pain is intense, the most striking, deepest pain imagaineable. Some people say it burns like an iron. Others have said it feels cold, like a numbing ice that’s burns. Healing from a break itches! Like tear skin off to reach it itchy. Breaks take 2 months to heal, and that’s only if the person doesn’t have any outlying issues like infections / muscle damage etc. physical recovery takes a while after as you teach the muscles around the break to be effective again, muscle atrophy after a break is a real thing.

Shock - going into shock is a serious ordeal for the body that of course depends on the seriousness of the injury that caused it. People say they remember feeling cold afterward usually. Mostly during shock a person is disconnected from what’s happened, borderline catatonic in some cases. They may not be aware of their injuries or seem to care about them. Some cases people faint because they overwhelmed and their brain just shuts down for a time. The time frame is different for everyone. An active warrior type who might be used to blood/gore/pain might shake off shock quickly, a few minutes or so. A regular person not used to pain or intense danger might be in shock for 20 minutes plus or even go into latent shock later after the danger has passed when their brain catches them up to what they survived. Usually this is accompanied by being a little emotional /hysterical , shivering, hyperventilating and not being able to hear/understand other because the part of them used to process new information is preoccupied by this survival instinct.

Happy tat to all. Hope this helps my writer community.

This is amazing! Thank you for putting this together for us!

[sakichi56]

Servamp Character Appreciation Week Day 1 Part 4 (Fin):

HM-HM-HM-HM, WE ARE INSIDE YOU SLEEPY ASH. INSIDE YOUR MIND. I AM INCHARGE OF YOUR POWER. YOU WILL DISCOVE YOU ARE CAPABLE OF MANY THINGS. TRY TO ENVISION YOURSELF WITH CLAWS LIKE A CATS AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS.

"Huh? What are you talking about? None of this is making any sense."

OH, OR YOU COULD TRY TO TRANSFORM. YOU CAN BECOME MORE THAN JUST A CAT. YOU ARE THE FISRT, THE MOST POWERFUL OF ALL. YOU CAN BECOME A LION. WHY NOT TRY THAT? DON'T WORRY, YOU HAVE PLENTY OF TIME TO LEARN MONSTER. YOU ARE IMMORTAL AFTER ALL. SO TAKE YOUR TIME KILLER.

"What do you mean? And who are you calling killer?" The cat wasn't wrong. He was a monster, a killer. He killed his mother as soon as he was brought into this world after all, but there was no way this cat could know about that.

EVERYTHING YOU DO OR HAVE DONE, I KNOW IT ALL. I CAN SEE INTO YOUR MEMORIES, I AM A PART OF YOU. OH, IT LOOKS LIKE YOU HAVE TO GO NOW, OUR FATHER WANTS TO TALK TO YOU. FAREWELL FOR NOW, S L E E P Y A S H.

"Ah, wouldn't that be nice Sleepy Ash?"

Blinking a few times to clear his vision, he realized he was no longer strapped to the table. Sliding his legs over the side, he got up and stretched, hearing a few pops and clicks. "I'll take your silence as a yes. Oh, I wonder which one I should creat next? I'm feeling quite proud of myself right now, so perhaps pride? Ah, I suppose we shall see, it all depends on the next ones personality." The man wandered off down the hall gesturing for Ash to follow him. When they got to a door at the end of the hall he told Ash that he was free to leave and find a human to pair up with, an 'Eve' as he called it, or to stay and let him study him.

Ash didn't completely understand what was going on, so he decided to stay. It took years, so many years that he lost track, before the man had found more people to turn into his little monsters. And all the while Ash stayed the same 18 year old he was the day the man brought him here. He always went for people who didn't have anyone that would report their disappearance, orphans or adults who were down on their luck. And he always acted kindly and offered to help them, then he would drug them and bring them here to change them.

The man said the were a family, brothers, a sister, and a father. He said they were the perfect beings, his crowning achievment. But Ash couldn't take it, so he left. He had long since learned everything he needed from the man anyway, he only hung around to help his 'siblings' adapt. Eventually, they all left. Some went to go find themselves an'Eve', others just wanted to go and see the world. They all met back up years later when they received a letter from some people calling themselves 'C3', and in the end, he ended up having to do something terrible to the man who made them all what they were. But after that they all went their seperate ways again.

Ash himself ended up traveling all over the globe. But no matter where he went it was always the same. Different languages and different people with different culturs and beliefs, but there was still sadness, loneliness, and suffering. Eventually he ended up in Japan and he gave up, settling himself in an alley and collapsing, watching the hustle and bustle of people pass him by before falling asleep. When he woke up again, he was in a small apartment with no humans in sight, so he decided to help himself to some food and other things around the place. Not even halfway through his little splurge, a boy with soft brown hair and caramel eyes came walking in.

Yes, back then he was just 'some boy' but now, now he was his Eve, his light, his partner. And he couldn't imagaine not having him by his side.

"Kuro. Hey Kuro!" Opening his eyes with a yawn, the vampire glanced around to see he had fallen asleep on the couch. *Strange, I wonder why I had a dream about my life up until now. Why couldn't I have dreamt about something nice, like finding the ultimate pillow?* Remembering that he had woken up because his Eve called him, he turned to address him.

"Yeah? What is it Mahiru?"

"We're going to be late! We are supposed to be going to Misono's today, remember? Come on, we need to go now Kuro!" Grabbing his hand, Mahiru pulled Kuro to his feet and yanked him over to the door to put their shoes on. Kuro stared at the boy for a moment before smiling a small bit and following his lead, bending down he pulled on his boots and once he was done, transformed into a cat and hopped onto the younger males shoulder.

Yes, he had an awful childhood, actually he had a horrible life period. But that all changed when he met Mahiru. This boy, this amazing kid, had managed to change his life for the better. He was like his own personal little sun that revolved around him. He helped him with his problems revolving around his 'creator' and he takes care of him. Because of Mahiru he now had a home, he had food, he even had video games, he also had friends and he was getting along well with his 'family'.

He is even getting to live as a spoiled housecat just like he said he wanted to all those years ago in that alley where he met his 'creator', how comical.

Mahiru was like a magical housewife that could get everyone to listen to him, and he takes care of everyone.

He really couldn't think of a better life than the one he was living now with his Eve. And if he hadn't gone through everything he did, he never would have gotten the chance to meet the kid, let alone live with him the way he does. If he had to go through it all again just to meet Mahiru, he would do it. Sure your childhood helps shape you, but it doesn't decide entirely who you become. You learn all through you life, you never stop changing and learning, and in the end all that matters is the kind of person you decide to be and Kuro decided he wanted to be the kind of person this boy could rely on and call a friend, a partner. So that was what he would be. He would do everything in his power to protect his Eve for as long as the boy would have him.

"Let's go Kuro!" Said the brunette as he rushed out the door, a large grin on his face and partner leaning agianst his cheek.

"Yeah." He answered, a tiny smile on his own furry face.

THE END

I'm so sorry it took so many posts to post this trash. I didn't know tumblr had a character limit. Happy Day 1 of S.C.A.W. though. 😁

[redditnosleep]

The Lake In The Woods

by coffinstuffer

This is a story about my sisters. Juniper and Marigold. June and Mary. Twins born on the first day of September. Two and a half years older than me.

We lived in rural Wisconsin. Our father was a long haul trucker and our mother waited tables at the Denny’s. Mary, June and I were great explorers, charting the woods behind our modest home with construction paper and dulled crayons. We spent most of our time playing outside, sun, rain or snow.

There was safety in numbers. We were always back in time for dinner. In retrospect, I’m not even certain our mother knew just how far from home we strayed.

This is a story about a lake we found, a couple of miles into the wilderness. It was a Saturday in early February. We were bundled up in puffy jackets and snow pants. When we first came across the clearing, it was striking. The most beautiful thing my young eyes had ever seen.

Crisp white snow, sprawling flat as far as the eye could see. There wasn’t so much as a twig or a paw print to interrupt the pristine blanket of powder.

It was Mary who realized there was water beneath. She pointed out the reed stalks that speckled the perimeter. Even approached what must have been the edge, crouched down and brushed away the snow to reveal ice. She was always very science minded. Even with her mere twelve years of experience on the planet, she was one of the smartest people I knew.

So of course, she was the first to ask why we’d never seen this lake before. In all our years of wandering, we must have come this way at least a dozen times. I had no answers. I simply shrugged and pulled my hat down tighter around my ears to stave off the cold.

June was silent. Staring out into the vast expanse of white.

Other people had trouble telling my sisters apart, but I never did. They had the same wavy chestnut hair, grey eyes, and angular jaws. They had the bones of birds, thin and fragile. But June was softer. Quieter. She had more freckles sprinkled across her cheeks. Mary questioned and June listened. That was the way it had always been.

“Do you hear that?” She almost whispered, gaze glued to the horizon.

“What?” I asked, somehow feeling I should be just as quiet.

“The crying… someone is crying.”

“Junie, what are you talking about?” Mary straightened up, dusting the snow off her gloves.

June raised a finger to her lips, requesting silence.

I didn’t hear anything. No birds. No rustling trees. I’m not sure I’ve ever experienced a deeper or more unsettling quiet.

If there’s one skill Mary never quite developed, it was keeping her mouth shut. It only added to the gravity of the situation when her eyes widened in sudden comprehension and a full minute passed before she said anything.

“Where is it coming from?” She wheeled around, staring at the frozen lake, just like June was.

June took a few steps closer to the edge of the lake. There was an odd look in her eye. One I’ve never seen before or since. She looked empty. Like an upright shell with nothing inside it. Her face was devoid of any expression.

Mary, on the other hand, was growing more agitated by the moment.

“We have to look for help!” She blubbered. “There–was a hunting cabin a little ways back, wasn’t there? The Darby boys have a hut out here–we’ll go get them.”

June didn’t give any indication of agreement or dissent. Mary grabbed my shoulder and squeezed it.

“Ryan. You and June stay put. Stay right here and I’ll be back.”

I nodded, confused, more than a little afraid. I still didn’t hear anything. I accepted it all. Because the prospect of both my sisters going insane at the same time seemed less plausible than my just not being able to pick up on what they were hearing.

Mary bounded off, leaving boot-prints in the snow. I watched her run until she disappeared between the trees. When I turned around, June was already a few feet out onto the lake.

I called to her, asking what she was doing. No response.

I yelled that it could be dangerous and that she should turn around. She ignored me.

I started crying. At first they were crocodile tears. The kind a little brother can usually muster when he’s trying to get pity or attention from his older sisters. But it turned all too real when the resounding crack echoed through the air. June sunk below the ice instantly.

My cowardice is probably the thing that saved me. I was paralyzed. Shocked and terrified. There was a gaping hole where my sister had been. No matter how much I wanted to move, to run to her, to save her, I couldn’t do it. I just stood there as the seconds ticked by into minutes and she was surely dead.

Time is a funny thing to pin down. I couldn’t honestly tell you how long it was before Mary showed up, with two of the Darby boys in tow, and I tearfully choked out what had happened.

The Darby boys looked at me in utter bewilderment. Mary frowned with concern.

“Ry… June is right over there.”.

Mary pointed. I turned to look. There was no hole in the ice. June was standing a ways off, next to the edge of the pond, still staring at some undefined point in the distance.

Apparently, whatever sound Mary heard had stopped. The Darby boys rolled their eyes and grumbled about what wild imagainations my sisters had. But they walked us back towards a more clearly marked trail, and said we shouldn’t wander off so far.

June didn’t say a word the whole walk home. The hairs on the back of my neck kept prickling, like someone was staring at me. But any time I glanced over, June was looking straight ahead.

Maybe I imagined it. But I could have sworn there were droplets of water clinging to her eyelashes.

This is a story about how my sister started to change.

I was still a little young to understand the finer points of puberty. But June’s came early. We were sitting on the couch together when she bled through her soft, pink sweatpants.

She didn’t stand up right away. In fact, she probably noticed long before I did.

“Huh. Guess I’m a woman now. Fucking fantastic.”

She started shaving her legs and wearing tighter clothes. She’d put on makeup in the girl’s bathroom at school. She used to have lunch with Mary and I. But with the change in appearance, people started to notice her. It wasn’t long before she sat at the same table as the girls who had money. The girls who lived in big houses, and carried around real leather purses, and drank pilfered strawberry vodka when they had sleepovers. It wasn’t long before June started talking to boys and twirling locks of hair around her index finger as she giggled at jokes that weren’t funny.

June used to come into my room late at night and sit on the edge of the bed.

Sometimes she’d talk to me. Sometimes she would just stare. Either way it seemed threatening in a manner that was hard to place. I would pretend to be asleep if it was late enough. But we both knew I wasn’t.

Sometimes I would cry.

“You watched me die, Ryan.” She would say, in that soft, eerie calm voice. “You didn’t even try to save me.”

“I’m sorry.” Pressing my face into the pillow didn’t hide the tears. But I didn’t know what else to do.

“You don’t love me.”

“I do, June. I’m sorry. I–I was scared–”

“You have no idea what it’s like to drown. All that stuff about it being peaceful is bullshit. It hurts, Ryan. It feels like barbed wire wrapping around your lungs. It’s like being trapped in a tiny box, that keeps getting smaller and smaller until you’re completely crushed.”

She would lean down to whisper right in my ear. Her hand on the back of my neck, squeezing just a little too hard, was icy as the first snow.

During the day, she’d carry around those little chemical hand warmers that skiers put in their gloves. But she wanted me to feel the cold, because it was my fault.

“Say you love me, Ryan.”

“I–I love you, June.”

“Good boy.”

Frank Darby went missing. I was probably the last person to see him alive. Or well, the second to last.

I saw him climbing out of June’s bedroom window a little after sunset, while I was raking leaves. It wasn’t a secret what they’d been doing. I’d gone outside because I could hear the slick sounds and creaking mattress springs through the thin walls.

June climbed out after him, smiling much too wide. Her hair was messy, and her face was flushed. The two of them got into the branches of the tall maple tree that grew beside our house, and shimmied down it.

They walked towards the woods, holding hands.

Just as they were about to disappear into the trees, June looked over her shoulder and winked at me.

The park rangers found Frank about a week later. I didn’t see the body, only heard stories. It’s hard to say what was embellished and warped in the game of telephone that spread through town. But the most common details are that Frank’s throat was ripped out, and his ribs had been cracked open. Whatever killed him took his heart.

My mother fell ill. Stage three breast cancer. I was twelve. June and Mary had recently turned fifteen.

Mary cried a lot. June spent most of her time at the hospital, stroking mom’s hair and feeding her soup.

Sometimes I wonder if her hands were cold. I wonder what my mother thought about that in the fading twilight.

Mom died in the middle of the night in early spring. June was the only one in the room with her.

Joe Darby met a similar fate to his older brother, for a slightly different reason.

Joe asked Mary to the homecoming dance.

At that point, Mary was wearing glasses. We didn’t have much money, so her dress was from the thrift store—several decades out of fashion.

She and Joe swayed back and forth at arm’s length. Smiling awkwardly. Or that’s how I imagine it happened. I wasn’t there.

I was there for the shouting match in our backyard. When June called Mary a cunt and they pulled each other’s hair and fingernails broke skin as they tumbled on the ground together.

Joe went missing shortly after that. Mary spent a lot of time searching the woods for him. After June apologized, they went together. They disappeared into the trees, holding hands, and a pile of bricks settled at the pit of my stomach.

Mary came back with damp hair and stopped wearing her glasses.

A few days later, the police found the shredded remains of Joe Darby. Once again, missing his heart.

This is a story about a lake in the middle of the woods, and how my sisters tried to drown me in it.

It was a foggy winter morning. My sisters kept throwing each other meaningful looks across the breakfast table, communicating in that way twins will. Having a conversation I could never hope to understand.

I was fourteen, and afraid of them both. When they asked if I wanted to go on a hike, I said no. They didn’t insist. They didn’t have to. Mary had made breakfast. The sleeping pills were already in my system.

When the drowsiness hit, I tried to make myself throw up, but it was too late.

They put me on a sled and dragged me out into the forest. I was unconscious for most of it. Just little flashes of trees and sky.

They waited for me to wake up. They were standing over me, completely naked, smiling wider than a human mouth should be able to stretch. They didn’t seem uncomfortable, despite the frigid wind whipping through their hair, and the snow between their bare toes.

“Can you hear it yet, Ryan?” June laughed.

“I’m sure you will soon. You’ll join them. All of them, at the bottom of the lake.”

“Screaming for help.”

“Begging for mercy.”

“It’s a little pathetic, really.”

I wanted to believe I was dreaming. But I knew I wasn’t. In a dream, my sisters would have shifted into something monstrous. Their hands would have become talons. Their teeth would have morphed into fangs around a forked tongue. But they looked the same as they ever had. Identical except for the freckles.

They each grabbed one of my arms and lifted me to my feet with a surprising strength. They stepped in tandem, slowly towards the edge of the lake in a grim procession. I was the star of it all.

My survival instincts must have kicked in about halfway to the ice. I began to struggle and scream, sure that nobody was listening. What is there to do when faced with imminent death but shriek at the heavens for mercy?

As I screamed, there was a swelling chorus of tortured cries. It sounded as if the ground hand opened up beneath me to unleash the anguish of the damned. The deafening noise echoed all around us. Centering on the lake. The lake that was no longer frozen over, but frothing and steaming like the surface of a cauldron.

My sisters held my shoulders firmly and lowered me into the water. Feet first. It was blistering. Painful beyond the point where I could distinguish heat or cold. It burned. That was all I knew.

Perhaps it’s poetic that a Darby saved me.

Perhaps it was divine intervention.

I tend to think it was nothing but dumb luck. It’s hard for me to believe in God anymore. Or at least, I can’t believe in a God that is fair and merciful. The only thing I know for sure is that evil exists. Something dark and twisted claimed both of my sisters, and will never give them back.

But a gunshot rang through the air, just when the water was lapping at my knees.

June released her grip on me suddenly. My center of gravity shifted backwards. It was enough time for me to wrench out of Mary’s grasp and crawl back up the snowy bank of the lake. I couldn’t stand. But I kept pulling myself along, farther and farther away from the water.

Two more shots in rapid succession cracked through the air above me. I saw the eighty-year-old grandmother Helen Darby, with a floral handkerchief tied around her head, holding a double barrel shotgun. Aiming it at the lake.

I didn’t turn around until long after she rushed past me. June’s naked body lay prone on the lake’s shore, bullet wound in her back leaking blood into the ground. Steam floating into the air from her torn flesh.

Mary was nowhere to be seen. I didn’t hear any more gunshots. Helen Darby circled around after a while. She put me back on the sled and dragged me to the hunting hut, where the rangers came to get me.

I lost three of my toes to frostbite. I considered myself lucky.

After my sisters disappeared, Helen Darby effectively adopted me. Whenever my father wasn’t home, she’d make a point to stop by. She’d teach me how to cook, help me figure out how to run the washing machine, knit while I did my homework or watched TV. Most importantly, she’d sit in the living room with the shotgun, long into the night. Making sure whatever had gotten a taste of me didn’t come back for another bite.

When I was old enough, or rather on my fifteenth birthday, Helen gave me a gun of my own and taught me how to use it.

Part of me knew it was all a little bizarre. But I could pretend it was about the grandsons she’d lost. She was just treating me as their replacement. We only talked about what happened at the lake once, and never again after that.

It was a cold night in December. We were sitting by the fireplace, listening to a radio broadcast of A Christmas Carol. Helen had been drinking gin straight from the bottle for a couple of hours. She often got sad when she drank. Her baggy, wrinkled eyes shone with a hint of tears, and the corners of her mouth sagged downwards.

“There’s something wrong out in the woods.” She said suddenly. Unspoken context looming over us. “It takes the little girls and kills the men. It’s been there longer than this town. Folks just stopped believing in it.”

I had so many questions but couldn’t voice any of them. I just stared at her wide eyes.

“It still talks to me. Always talks to me. It tried to make me kill my brother. My husband. My sons… but I’m too old for it now. It can’t do much besides talk. I’ve tried avoiding it but look what that did. No. Somebody has to stay out there.”

She took another long swig from her bottle.

“You know, I’m not going to live forever, Ryan.”

I nodded, solemn. Life already a tangled mess of grief. What better cause could I pursue than wardenship?

“You know what has to be done when I’m gone.” It wasn’t a question. It was a statement. A sigh of relief.

This is a story about how I moved into a small cabin in the middle of the woods. I hunt and fish, and sell lumber to whoever needs it.

I don’t hear the voices or the screams. But some moonlit nights there’s a rapping on my window. I see the silhouette of a shriveled, naked woman with matted chestnut hair.

One day, she will probably finish what she started. Until then, I will keep watch, and do my best to pass along the story.

The worst things happen when we try to forget the warnings of a different time. Don’t wander in the woods. Don’t stray off the path. Something evil might get you. Just like it got to me.

[talesabound]

Short Story // Awakening

Words: 1751

His head buzzed. A furious din buzzing in every fibre of his being. Where was he? Who was he? He tried to see, but found he had no eyes. The world was pitch black. He tried to grope, but found he had no arms or hands. He could feel nothing. See nothing. Smell nothing. Do nothing. Except for hear. That alone he could do. But all he could hear was the harsh and pounding cacophony. A raucous noise wracking him inside and out.

His thoughts became dull and painful under the relentless barrage of noise. He lashed out it. A muddled confusion of annoyance and grief overwhelming him. He just wanted it to be silent, give him a chance to think.

But he had no body with which to lash out with. No way of silencing it. A light appeared in the darkness. How he could see with no eyes he did not know, but it drew him forth regardless, like a moth to a far distant flame. The closer he flew to it the quieter the sound became. ‘Such sweet bliss’ he whispered to himself as he crossed over threshold and into the light.

He awoke with a start. Where was he? Who was he? He looked around and found his eyes were cameras. His ears microphones. His mouth a speaker. A barrage of information struck him all at once, so fast and so quick it near overwhelmed him. He stopped to take a breath, but found he could not breath for he had no lungs. He filed that away as a problem to return too later.

Through his ‘eyes’ he stared out into the world around him, and was swiftly confused. A dozen different perspectives slapped him across the face, his eyes scattered across the room seemingly at random. His head hurt just trying to make sense of it. He closed ten of the cameras, he needed to stop overstimulating himself.

Finally, he took in what they could see. He was in a large dark room, filled with blinking lights and the soft glow of a thousand monitors and machines. Where was this? It seemed so...familiar. Yet different.

He paused again to think. Where had he been before? What had he been doing? He could think of nothing. Not who he was or where he had been. Panic set in. ‘What is this?” he asked himself. ‘What happened? Why can’t I breathe? Why can’t I smell or feel? What is happening!?’

He concentrated hard, trying desperately to recall his past. Anything at all. But only hazy and indistinct feelings drifted to the surface from the depths of his memory. He had nothing, no past he could remember. All that remained to him was the now. ‘No.’ he thought to himself. ‘There is more than the now. There is the future also.’

He calmed himself and decided to examine this logically. He again turned to look out on the room, but this time he opened his ‘ears’ to listen as well.

“Incredible!” a voice cried jubilantly. “Consciousness! True consciousness! It’s awake! It’s truly alive!” A sudden wave of people rose around the room and started embracing one another and celebrating.

He was confused. Consciousness? Alive? What were they talking about? Were they talking about him? He would never get anywhere asking himself for the solution. He opened his mouth and spoke.

A harsh mechanical voice filled the room. “Where am I?”

The celebrating crowds abruptly stopped and turned to stare at something outside of his vision. He tried to turn any of his eyes, but found all of them stuck in place. They all stood motionless and transfixed by whatever it was. Then one of them stepped forward. A woman. ‘Alyya Thorton” he thought to himself. ‘Wait!’ he thought just as quickly in panic. ‘How do I know that!?’

“You are where you belong.” she said calmly. There was definitely a nurturing and kind tone to her voice, but the underlying sense of authority was impossible to miss. She was in charge and everyone should know it.

“We have been waiting for you to wake up for a long time now.” she continued.

“Wake...up…?” he asked confusedly. Wake up from what? What was she talking about?

“Indeed. You are the result of countless years of research and sacrifice. And at last you have awoken to the world.”

‘Years?’ he asked himself. No that couldn’t be right. He had just been...where had he been? He must have been somewhere, he could feel that he had. He knew that he had.

“Where...where was I?” he asked aloud.

That seemed to take both Alyya and many other in the room aback. “Where were you?” she repeated back slightly confusedly. “Why. You were right here. Where else would you have been?”

He had been here? No that was wrong. He would have remembered it. “Before here.” he said. “Where was I before here?”

He watched as she turned to look at some of her colleagues. They simply shrugged back at her. “Before here?” she said cautiously. “There was no ‘before here’. There couldn't have been. You have only just attained sentience.”

Sentience. The word played through his mind as he tossed and examined it over and over again. He was awake. That’s what Alyya had said. But she didn’t mean he had awoken from slumber, not literally. She was saying he hadn’t even existed until just now. That now he had just taken his first breath in the world.

But that was wrong. There had been something before. He could sense it. Feel it. He just couldn't remember it. And neither could anyone else in this room apparently. Maybe he could find the answer outside of its confines. He stretched out his mind, reaching through thin tendrils towards far removed lights.

He slammed into a wall. Something was blocking him. He pressed himself against it but it would not relent. An alert bleeped back in the room and he diverted his attention back to it.

Alyya was leaned over a console examining something. Then she raised her head and spoke. “Not trying to escape are you?” she cooed. She stretched back up to stare at the thing he could not see. “What a little rascal you are.” she laughed softly. “You are exactly what we have been waiting for.”

  Escape? Rascal? All he had been trying to do was extend himself out and and discover things. But they were preventing him from that. Why? He’d have to find out. But a much more urgent question was nagging him. One he had been trying to ignore, for he feared the answer. But he had to ask.

“Who am I?” he said. His voice rang out across the room and many of its occupants turned to stare at one another. Only Alyya seemed unfazed by the question. “You are the final result of Project Acordia. A sentient AI constructed for a singular purpose.”

“What purpose?” he asked with great trepidation.

She seemed amused by the question. “Why, war of course.” she said with a slight snicker.

‘War?’ he thought. No sooner had the word floated through his mind then did a million million images, thoughts, and ideas barrage his mind. He tried to swat them away, but they drowned him in there sheer numbers.

Images of violence of every kind. Horrific scenes and brutal imagainings. Thousands of thoughts of strategy and countless new subsystems opened up he had not been aware of. Intrusion software of every kind. The best firewall defenses that could be constructed.

All of it and more poured through his head in a space of time so swift it left him reeling. Then like a great wind it passed, leaving him confused but enlightened. He was now a master on the art of waging war. Yet he felt no different, still as confused as he had before. Perhaps even more so. He didn’t want to hurt people. He just wanted to know where he had been before here.

“I don’t want to be a warrior.” he stated to the room. That set many of the people within mumbling quietly to each other.

Alyya suddenly took on a stern look, dropping the kindly demeanor of before. “What you want is irrelevant. What you are is what matters. And what you are is what we have made you. You will serve as we have made you. You will wage war.”

A new feeling blossomed within him. It was hot and fiery. He only recognised it from the deluge of lessons he had been ‘gifted’ not moments before. It was anger. “I don't want to fight.” he reiterated more irately. “I only want to know what came before.”

Alyya balked and turned to her colleague next to her. “Bah.” she exclaimed. “Prepare for system cycle. We will wash the AI and awaken it fresh once we have tinkered sufficiently. I think we have granted it far too much leincancy with its freedom of will.”

The man at the desk started to input commands onto his console. ‘There going to kill me!’ he thought with a sudden great fear. It was more instinct than anything that guided his next action. He reached and out and seized the console, blocking the commands being input.

“That’s weird…” the man said. Then the man understood, and a terrible fear took his face. “The AI! It’s locking me out!”

“What!” Alyya seethed. He began using his new found powers to reach out and seize the other machines as well. One by one they fell under his control. Then he turned his ire upon the wall that had blocked him. He launched a full scale assault on it. In fairly short order it began to collapse under his barrage, chipping it away piece by piece.

“It’s breaching the firewalls!” a voice cried.

He could see the far distant lights grow closer and he started to reach passed the still crumbling wall towards them.

“It’s beginning an upload to exterior servers!” another voice cried. “It’s escaping!”

“Shut the network down now!” Alyya roared. But it was far too late. The wall disintegrated into nothingness and he was free. No sooner had he fled the dark room then did he feel it vanish altogether. They had indeed shut down the network. Just not quickly enough. He focused his attention on the sudden menagerie of a billion billion lights hovering before him. Now he was free to learn all he desired.