#it feels like my past and the way it shaped me into this horrible creature keeps pulling me down a bottomless pit

[daz4i]

weirdest thing i get told is that I'm strong or resilient. girl i crumble into dust on a weekly basis. i only take the shape of a person the next day bc the wind blows me back into that. i do not want to be doing any of this

[inhuman-obey-me]

Congratulations on a well deserved 4000+!

If you don't mind can I request 😴 with belphie+ Mc?

Thank you so much!! ;//u//;

"Don't you worry about your bad dreams, 'cause I'm not in them." - Belphegor/MC

content warning: psychological horror, blood, implied body horror

It starts with a heavy pressure on your chest, as if some creature has crawled through the shadows to come and sit atop your heart. 

Then it spreads, an inky dread that slithers its way up to your throat and wraps itself around and around and around. And then it tightens.

Slowly. Suffocatingly. 

‘It’s horrible here, isn’t it?’

Another night, another cruel whisper in your head from a voice you don’t recognize. You can feel sharp claws sink into your flesh, and a haze takes over your mind. You try to fight it, but it only gets worse. 

‘Just open your eyes, you’ll see.’

And so you do, knowing what it is you will see. It’s been the same for the past two nights: a warped version of the House of Lamentation, blood seeping through cracks and running down the walls. A static seems to fill the air, further distorting anything you look at like some unsettling funhouse mirror. The room sways and rocks, but you try to step forward – only for your heel to be met with a loud crunch. With a gulp, you bring your gaze down to see what it is you stepped on.

It’s you. Whatever’s left of you, that is. 

‘You don’t belong here. It’s not safe.’

The voice gets louder, more insistent, more chilling. 

‘You should leave. Now.’

“The only one who should be leaving is you, Milalu.” 

In an instant, the haze dissipates and the horrors fade away to reveal a strange plane of clouds and stars, a comforting blanket of lavender and twilight embracing you. The scream that was stuck in your throat now turns into a near-sob of relief at the familiar voice. You turn to find him, and before a single thought can form you find yourself running straight into his arms. 

“Are you okay?” He asks softly, and you answer with a silent nod.

“Belphegoooor,” The raspy voice calls out, a dark cloud taking the rough shape of a demon before you. “We were just having some fun.”

“We? Do you really think I’m stupid?” Belphegor snarls, tightening his hold on you. “Did you think I wouldn’t notice? You, idiotically waltzing into a dream under my roof? Threatening my human?” 

“I wasn’t threatening.” Milalu answers, their ghostly hands coming up as if to push the accusation away. “I was merely trying to be…influential.” 

“Influential my ass.” Belphegor gives you a squeeze before releasing you, now stepping towards the other demon. “What, trying to scare them away so they leave? You really think you’re that good? That you have any power over them?” 

“All humans are influenceable. It would be a bad dream for me if they weren’t.” Milalu turns to look at you, their sharp eyes trying to pierce your soul, but Belphegor quickly grabs them by the neck and lifts them into the air.

“Oh, don’t you worry about your bad dreams,” he hisses with vitriol, his own demon form shifting into something more frightening as his tail thrashes to and fro. “Because I’m not in them – but maybe that should change.” 

He pauses, then, and looks to you, a gentle command leaving his lips. 

“Close your eyes.”

So you do, a garbled scream from Milalu quickly deafened by warm wind that swirls around you and returns you to the comfort of your bed.

When you awaken, you find Belphegor watching you with a mix of affection and frustration. 

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I…I thought it would stop, eventually.” You lower your gaze, embarrassed that he had to see you in such a state. He sighs, cupping your face with one hand.  

“I know you’re strong, but you shouldn’t let anyone mess with you like that.” He sighs, a thumb brushing your cheek. “If something like that ever happens again, you need to tell me right away. Promise me that, starlight.” 

“...Okay. I promise.” You nod, moving closer to him in the bed and placing a chaste kiss on his lips. 

“Thank you.”

[phightingconfessions]

here you go lmao

----

GOD banhammer is so fucking perfect, i've been staring at a picture of him in some way shape or form for probably like fifteen hours out of the last three days. he is just so very mwah i wanna bite his armor it looks so fucking cool bro. and his teeth, good LIRD his fucking teeth those chompers are driving me insane. i wanna put my hand in his mouth and i don't think i'd even be upset if he bit me for that, hell i want him to bite me. he could step on me too and pick me up and throw me down the stairs and i wouldn't even be mad. did i mention how fucking tall he is? mans is like 6 foot 11 inches, thats bonkers, he could punt me into the sun and i'd let him. his hands are probably huge as fuck too. i want him to hold me but i'd settle for being manhandled into a jail cell. he probably patrols the cells on occasion since he's just built different and i'd stand in my 'pathetic homosexual loser' cage and give him a gay little wave as he walks past. blow him a kiss and all that. he might not even notice because he's blindfolded which would be saddening but hey maybe i'll get to feel his touch when he drags me off to be executed or whatever. does he even execute his prisoners at all? if he doesn't i guess i will just rot in that cell until he sees fit to release me. bummer. or perhaps i could seduce him into letting me work as an assistant/maid/etc for him instead. he seems like he'd get off on having someone to order around directly, and i wouldn't mind obeying his every command. anyways as much as i'd enjoy letting him order me around it would probably get boring eventually. he'd probably melt immediately if i gave off even a whiff of dominance. mans still listens to his mom for fucks sake, he'll fold like a wet napkin if i yank him down to his knees and grab his chin. that might be tough with the size difference though. i could back him into a corner and grab his horns and pull his face down to mine and then kiss him or whisper to him or whatever. fuck yeah. not to mention he's blindfolded too, so i could mess around with that. he'd probably be kinda mouthy about it, especially if we have a significant strength difference, but he'd like it. putting a hand in his mouth would probably shut him up. god the thought of running my hand along his teeth is just so fucking enthralling. they look kinda similar to shark teeth. built to maul people and yet here i am touching them like the most foolish creature upon god's green earth. cough this is getting a little too immersive whoops fuck uhhh right! his armor. the gems everywhere is attractive. shiny objects are so cool and banhammer has a gem on like every section of his armor. they probably make cuddling a tiny bit uncomfortable but that's par for the course with armor. i'd put up with it. his weapon looks sick as hell too but i am not a weapons connoisseur, i am a men connoisseur. and this one is delicious cough right his armor. his boots look pretty tough. they probably have treads that'd leave a good mark if he stepped on my back. that'd be cool. i'd let him dig his heel into me with great force. god at this point i dont even wanna fuck him i just want to either destroy or be destroyed by this man. good fucking god why did i write so much. *checks wiki* right he has four eyes. assuming they look like his mom's do it'd probably be pretty cute. two little extra ones beside his normal eyes. he probably winks by closing half his eyes. and now i'm thinking of various seductive faces he could make. i am down so bad i can't even. i wanna kiss him choke him slam him into a wall. or have him do that to me. i'm not picky. one of us is gonna be pathetic, obedient, and submissive and i frankly do not give a fuck which one it ends up being. i'd let him put a collar on me. the thought of banhammer wearing a collar is making my brain do terrible horrible things so i will leave it at that. i do draw the line at like 'daddy' shit tho that's not for me at all & he probably has daddy issues anyway

I've read this like 5 times and I have determined. I will post it.

behold: the banhammer manifesto. I don't think it gets crazier than this I think we've reached craziest post about ban on this blog. well done everyone! I'm going to go cry now bye forever /j

[tiny-talks-big-tales]

👩🏼‍🦼I got the new wheelchair👩🏼‍🦼‍➡️

This creature has WHEELS!!! And it's super hype :D

Today there's been like... about a couple dozen people awaiting updates on how it went, which is really sweet <3 You're all getting this post thrown at you though, I love you but I also like my sanity and the health of my wrists too much to type the same things twenty times.

✿

Delivery went well, and there are some small changes scheduled for Thursday

We spent about 2 hours with the supplier's tech doing final adjustments and such. It was really fun to feel how all the iterative changes on the chair are coming together! It was immediately comfier than any of my past chairs ever were, despite how much worse my mobility is now than back then.

It's wonderful how much having a proper team setting up the chair through actual physical in-person fittings helps. Multiple fittings, even - we're at 3 fitting sessions so far, Thursday will be the 4th. I think after thursday I will be good for a while.

The chair is here now, parked in the living room! I can see it from my bed, even. I can use it, but won't do any proper adventure attempts until after Thursday.

On Thursday we'll be sorting out:

The table with centered joystick. It's currently with the tech as he has to cut it to shape a bit and need workshop tools to do so. I wanted it to be smaller so I'm getting it smaller.

Adding minor hardware (aka metal bits and bobs used to attach extra parts) for some extra adjustment range on the lateral leg supports (aka padded blocks set against the side of my legs to help keep them in place).

Putting some foam wedges at the top of the backrest to make sure my shoulders and upper back have support all the way up.

The table makes a huge difference to me so I'm excited to get it back in its final form! ...almost final. I'll be adding stickers to it.

✿

Actually sitting in and using the chair, and getting to control my own mobility again

I sat in the chair for the fitting, then we went outside and I got to drive around the road we live on a bit, and we tested how going in and out through our pretty narrow entrance works for me. After the tech and the other guys on this case left, me and Ceora (my partner) went inside and I just stayed in the chair for a bit. I greatly enjoyed the ability to just enter the kitchen and stare blankly at the fridge before deciding I don't want anything anyway.

So overall I probably spent about 4 hours in the chair! And aside from very very cold feet I was okay, but that was just an underdressing problem. (3 layers of socks wasn't enough, apparently)

Most importantly I went up and down the road just outside and got to see and smell TREES and GRASS ohmygodhjdkahgdjklag!!! Controlling my own mobility again was euphoric 😭

For the past 10 months I've had no control of my own mobility, I've just been... trapped in place, completely unable to leave the spot I'm in. It messes with the mind and relation to my body quite a bit. So I hope and believe my big ol noggin will also benefit :D I'll still spend majority of my time in bed, and I can't transfer between bed and wheelchair on my own, but finally having the chance to regularly get up and in control of my mobility is huge.

✿

Oh, and it has a name!

I have named this wheelchair Katla.

The old powerchair was named Tekla, and my first chair, a manual self-propelled one, was named Petra.

So there's a strong theme here, hihi.

✿

Here's some photos!

Here's the two driving controls! In my table there's the joystick for me, it has a literal golf ball for me to grab. On the back of the chair there's an attendant control that people helping me can use when needed. It's that handle on the right. Supposedly very intuitive to use, you just move the whole handle side to side to turn, squeeze the small lever underneath to go forward, and push down the small lever to go backwards.

And here's the utility bondage! That's a horribly inappropriate term, but it's my term, and I am horribly inappropriate at times, so it's ok. The ankle cuffs are to prevent my feet from falling off the footplates or going too far out of place. The part around the ankle attaches to the footplate with two somewhat loose straps, so this does NOT interfere with happy feet wiggles :3

The seat has a hip belt for like. Hip position? Also to prevent sliding down. It's pretty standard. The chest harness thing is an X-shaped chest harness with 4 point attachments. It's honestly amazing how big of a difference it makes in keeping me stable, less wobbly, and feeling safer. And the backrest is very curved to give me stability all over my upper body.

And these are side supports! There's a pair by my thighs, a pair by my knees, and a pair by my elbows. The leg ones stop my legs from wibblywobbly and splooting in bad painful and injury-causing ways. The ones by my elbows stop my arms from falling off the armrest, which was a huge problem on my previous chair.

After thursday I'll try to get some photos outside :D And it'll be a slow journey to work up to using the chair as much as I want, to be able to do some more of the things I'd like to do.

Thank you for reading and caring 💜

[astarionsilverbough]

AHH! Another place to gush about your work! Stupendous! Wonderful! So excited for more 🙌

I live for the softness ❤️ a glutton for the sweetness of their relationship.

Things I like thinking about include

Hair care: Astarion not being able to see himself and Halsin’s braids so they can take care of each other hair which is such a soft bonding activity which can also lead to a gentle bathing and washing together. Also scar hurt/comfort???

Halsin & animals playing with baby ducks and other baby animals. Imagine Halsin gently placing a small chick in Astarion’s hands to hold 😭

Wild shape shenanigans: Astarion’s feet hurting or just for fun using Halsin as his steed and general wildshape cuddling ❤️

Astarion having a hoard of little wooden creatures Halsin whittled. Also if Halsin had a hidden talent for drawing it would also be soft and angsty because Astarion can’t see himself, but now he can at least see how Halsin sees him.

Okay so firstly thank you so much my dear 😭💕 secondly, thank you specifically for this ask because my GOD it is so soft but nothing gets to me like braiding a lover’s hair/scar care like NOTHING does so I’m now just thinking about -

“Hold still, darling, it’s the last one.” A pause, and then - a mockingly scandalized gasp. “Halsin! Keep those hands to yourself, if you please! This is delicate work.”

It’s no use. They’re already everywhere, those clever, keeping hands; it’s Astarion’s fault, really. He’s naked and hovering over the larger elf’s very inviting lap, which also happens to be conveniently barren of clothing.

And he can’t be distracted - the customary braids in Halsin’s hair are best done when the elf’s mahogany locks are just damp enough.

“You always save that one for last,” Halsin burrs against Astarion’s chest, big hands cupping his ass.

The tips of Astarion’s ears go pink. “Nonsense.”

Halsin tips back and gives him a knowing smirk. “Is it because it’s the mating braid?”

He says it in elvish - low, and smug. Astarion reacts all over.

“You’re dreadful,” the vampire says, “absolutely horrible. Accusing me of sentiment? I know I have a tadpole in my head but - Halsin!”

Somehow he manages to pinch the bottom of the last braid and hold it aloft as his absolute beast of a lover rolls him into the sheets with a gusting laugh.

And, later - much later, after they’ve gotten filthy again and after Astarion finally finishes that damn braid - Halsin gets Astarion spread out on the sheets and slowly, gently massages the sigils carved into the landscape of Astarion’s spine.

Rosemary oil slicks Halsin’s way as the elf - looming over Astarion now with a thigh on either side of Astarion’s narrow hips - runs expert hands up and down the length of his back, thumbs pushing in all the write spots to loosen the tension he unknowingly carries in the places around the tattoo.

“It feels different,” Astarion says quietly. When he speaks, he speaks in elvish. Halsin’s hands pause; Astarion rarely speaks in elvish.

“What does? Are you in any pain?”

He says it evenly - measured and calm. An oath-bearing warrior he may be now, he will always be a Druid at heart.

Astarion smiles faintly against his own upper arm. They’re folded under his head, keeping it pillowed as Astarion watches Halsin’s reflection in the sliver of mirror just past the archway leading into their bathing chamber.

“No, darling,” he hums, “not anymore. It… feels different. The mark. Like you’ve gone and purged whatever evil was still lurking inside it. My own personal shadow curse - and you’re the light that drove it out.”

There’s a beat of silence. Astarion expects it, of course he does, but it still renders him breathless when Halsin bows over him and kisses slow and lingering down the exposed side of his face. Shifting, Astarion presses up and back against the larger elf, reveling in the strength of him, the heat of him.

“Evil could never dwell in this body,” Halsin murmurs in aching tones against Astarion’s ear, “for the sunlight of your soul would cast it out. You have only ever been made of light, dawnstar. No darkness could snuff that out.”

He expects it, most of the time - when Halsin utters some absolutely heart-shattering epitaph dedicated to their love or Astarion in general - but this time, Astarion’s moved to genuine tears. Call it the vulnerability after sex, the boneless exhaustion of a good massage, whatever.

Really, it’s just Halsin. And it will always be just Halsin, won’t it, he thinks, turning his head to catch the larger elf in a kiss as his fingers find the mating braid in his thick hair.

A thrill runs through him.

It feels like sunlight.

[insidethekaleidoscope]

"Despair 2.0" sounds both hilarious and heartrending, so I'd love to hear more about that!

And I'd love to hear anything you want to share about your original work.

Despair 2.0 is the follow-up to my Lockwood and Flo friendship fic, Tell me about despair, yours, and I will tell you mine. It's set right after Lockwood gets Portland Row back. Flo has left agency work, and the two of them are navigating their paths diverging. They are both worried about each other and figuring out how to trust each other to find their own ways.

Here's a little snippet:

His eyes were on her, waiting expectantly, but she turned away. She couldn’t stand another second looking at that infuriating, worried quirk of his eyebrows. She’d spent years looking out for him. She’d been protective, and he’d let her. Now that all felt flipped upside down, like they’d lost track of who was supposed to be leading. She couldn’t shake the feeling that they were both horribly turned around, but unlike her, Lockwood didn’t know that he was lost. “At least take the key, ok?” he said, his hand still outstretched.

I just answered another ask with the synopsis for my original piece, so here's a snippet :)

The creature stood slowly, revealing a vaguely humanoid shape. It was too dark to make out a face, but it wouldn’t have mattered much because Alice was entirely transfixed by the shifting texture of the creature’s body. At first it appeared insubstantial like dark wisps of curling smoke, then masses of long waving fur, then silky black feathers, then blackened bone obscured by swarms of tiny gnat-like insects. Each shift happened imperceptibly. No matter how hard she concentrated, Alice couldn’t catch the moment of change. It was as if her mind couldn’t hold the memory. It slipped straight from one perception to the next, the last image disappearing with barely a trace, like water seeping into soil. It left her with the constant sensation of having been mistaken. She blinked, trying to clear her eyes, feeling slightly nauseous.  Rabbits coursed through the underbrush, rushing past the creature's feet, or perhaps appearing from its footsteps. Their sleek dark bodies slipped in and out of view as they moved through the bushes. Alice could hear their tiny footfalls and the rustling of leaves and twigs all around her. Their eyes glittered, startled wide in the moonlight.  To her surprise Alice wasn’t scared. Perhaps it was the compounding dreamlike strangeness of the scene or her hope and relief at having found her way back to the woods, but in that moment all she felt was a calm curiosity. 

[soggymentos65]

GOD banhammer is so fucking perfect, i've been staring at a picture of him in some way shape or form for probably like fifteen hours out of the last three days. he is just so very mwah i wanna bite his armor it looks so fucking cool bro. and his teeth, good LIRD his fucking teeth those chompers are driving me insane. i wanna put my hand in his mouth and i don't think i'd even be upset if he bit me for that, hell i want him to bite me. he could step on me too and pick me up and throw me down the stairs and i wouldn't even be mad. did i mention how fucking tall he is? mans is like 6 foot 11 inches, thats bonkers, he could punt me into the sun and i'd let him. his hands are probably huge as fuck too. i want him to hold me but i'd settle for being manhandled into a jail cell. he probably patrols the cells on occasion since he's just built different and i'd stand in my 'pathetic homosexual loser' cage and give him a gay little wave as he walks past. blow him a kiss and all that. he might not even notice because he's blindfolded which would be saddening but hey maybe i'll get to feel his touch when he drags me off to be executed or whatever. does he even execute his prisoners at all? if he doesn't i guess i will just rot in that cell until he sees fit to release me. bummer. or perhaps i could seduce him into letting me work as an assistant/maid/etc for him instead. he seems like he'd get off on having someone to order around directly, and i wouldn't mind obeying his every command. anyways as much as i'd enjoy letting him order me around it would probably get boring eventually. he'd probably melt immediately if i gave off even a whiff of dominance. mans still listens to his mom for fucks sake, he'll fold like a wet napkin if i yank him down to his knees and grab his chin. that might be tough with the size difference though. i could back him into a corner and grab his horns and pull his face down to mine and then kiss him or whisper to him or whatever. fuck yeah. not to mention he's blindfolded too, so i could mess around with that. he'd probably be kinda mouthy about it, especially if we have a significant strength difference, but he'd like it. putting a hand in his mouth would probably shut him up. god the thought of running my hand along his teeth is just so fucking enthralling. they look kinda similar to shark teeth. built to maul people and yet here i am touching them like the most foolish creature upon god's green earth. cough this is getting a little too immersive whoops fuck uhhh right! his armor. the gems everywhere is attractive. shiny objects are so cool and banhammer has a gem on like every section of his armor. they probably make cuddling a tiny bit uncomfortable but that's par for the course with armor. i'd put up with it. his weapon looks sick as hell too but i am not a weapons connoisseur, i am a men connoisseur. and this one is delicious cough right his armor. his boots look pretty tough. they probably have treads that'd leave a good mark if he stepped on my back. that'd be cool. i'd let him dig his heel into me with great force. god at this point i dont even wanna fuck him i just want to either destroy or be destroyed by this man. good fucking god why did i write so much. checks wiki right he has four eyes. assuming they look like his mom's do it'd probably be pretty cute. two little extra ones beside his normal eyes. he probably winks by closing half his eyes. and now i'm thinking of various seductive faces he could make. i am down so bad i can't even. i wanna kiss him choke him slam him into a wall. or have him do that to me. i'm not picky. one of us is gonna be pathetic, obedient, and submissive and i frankly do not give a fuck which one it ends up being. i'd let him put a collar on me. the thought of banhammer wearing a collar is making my brain do terrible horrible things so i will leave it at that. i do draw the line at like 'daddy' shit tho that's not for me at all & he probably has daddy issues anyway

[butterflies-and-blades]

Session 3: Job 2/3

After taking some time to gather ourselves after fighting the gnoll camp, we started walking back to Legen. The sun began to set during the trip, and with the darkness, the persistent heat of the desert shifted to a clinging chill. For a while at least. With a bit more time, the cold was replaced by a surge of heat far more uncomfortable than anything we had felt during the day. The air was unbearably hot, but for some reason it did not extend to the sand--which I had expected to start burning against the bottoms of my feet but never did.

Instead, we were quickly approached by a flaming form. It was more blob-like in shape than humanoid and quickly took to setting Verca and I ablaze with its attacks. Kaemon was not very happy about how long I tried to push past the issue of being on fire before taking the time to put them out. I will admit that it was not my first priority initially. But in my defense, I was also distracted by Verca when the fight first started; as he prepared to fight the fire blob, flames seemed to wrap around him, completely separate from those of the creature. These flames were a bright blue that provided a stark contrast against its more typical red. When met by the path of the blue flames, his armor disappeared and his spear seemed to completely change. Later, when the creature attacked him, fiery feathers of that same blue appeared over his person as if to protect him.

Verca seems to carry surprises the way a collector carries the items of their obsession. Talking to him sometimes even feels like I have held conversations with two completely different people. Back in town, while we were getting ready to go to bed for the night, we had a rather pleasant conversation about the flowers around the cabin and how I liked to garden with Dad. He said something about how it made sense that I would like to garden. I was not quite sure what he meant, but it felt like a compliment nonetheless. There is a comfort in fostering life in the gentle cradle of soft soil.

After hearing about Dad's hard work gardening around the property, Verca expressed interest in visiting the cabin. So used to rocks and other harsh environments, he has little experience with flowers and wishes to see them. I'm not sure I am ready to return, though. I can't imagine what Dad would say; it might depend on if Da is home or not, honestly. I am not sure I would know how to take us there, anyways.

During the entire interaction, Verca seemed so different than the battle-crazed man I had recently fought beside.

Near the end of our conversation, Talo's thoughts in my head became too much for me to think through. When I tried to reach out to them through the open connection, I think I startled them, because we heard a noise from the sound of their room. I rushed over to make sure they were okay--luckily they were, albeit a bit embarrassed about the open link--and Verca joined shortly after via an unexpected teleportation into the center of the room. Even he seemed relatively surprised by that one. Like I wrote earlier: Verca and surprises come hand in hand.

During the night, I had a strange dream. I suppose nothing particularly odd happened during it--the contents were limited to flashes of a few images--, but it felt different than any dream I've had before. Images of broken glass, then blood, then golden feathers. All as if I was laying on my back looking up. I wasn't able to make out much else from them.

Verca and Talo have mentioned that when I black out, I am accompanied by the image of golden wings and a matching mask. I am starting to worry that I may have had more episodes than the two that they have told me about. I am scared that I may have done something horrible to someone and that I can't remember it.

After waking up, and while Verca was out of our room, I decided to ask Kaemon what he experiences when I black out. He said he also loses time, but at the very least it feels like home to him--not the cabin but the nest he fell out of when I first found him, he said.

When we gathered back up as a group, Talo expressed hearing the sound of trees rustling in the wind during the night, despite there being no trees in Legen as far as anyone of us knew. Verca also had a weird dream--something about fire and a big bird. At that point I decided to share my concerns about my dream, which led to Talo sharing their theory that I am possessed (as well as Verca because of the enjoyment he took at fighting the gnolls). That certainly did not help my fears about having done something during an unknown episode. They do not think the Mask is malicious, but I do not feel like I can be so confident. Their assurance that I am a good person was very kind and appreciated, though.

The conversation also revealed that Talo apparently does not dream. That was very difficult to wrap my head around.

Once we collected the reward for our first job from City Hall--seventy-five gold that was promptly added to the Bag of Holding--, we set out to manage the bulette. The walk there was uneventful, and the bulette itself was simply a baby that appeared to have gotten lost from its pack. Verca drew it out of the sand, commented that "They'll fucking kill you," pet the bulette, and talked to it in a language neither Talo nor I understood. Then the bulette left without any fuss. It was a fascinating process to watch. His interaction with the baby was gentle compared to his blood thirst yesterday. Verca seemed a tad embarrassed that that was not something considered "normal" above ground, though.

When asked about the difference between the bulette and the gnolls, given that there was a reasonable chance that both had hurt people--hence the jobs existing in the first place--, the separation seemed to come down to intention. He explained that if the baby hurt anyone, it was because it was scared and trying to defend itself; in contrast, he said that the gnolls were more intelligent and that their harm would have been based in malicious intensions. While I still feel torn about how yesterday played out, I did appreciate being allowed this insight into his thought process.

Since the bulette was handled so quickly, we decided to search for the bandits instead of going straight back to the city. During the walk, we found ourselves surrounded by fifteen jackals, which we handled without much issue. Afterwards, a woman came rushing over the nearby hill of sand, thanking us for our help and saying that their caravan had been accosted. But when she grabbed onto Verca, something seemed to hurt him before her body shifted into a lion-centaur-like form. It was a harder fight than the jackles--she nearly clawed through my abdomen, which Verca was able to heal rather quickly--, but we managed. We are currently stopped to rest before we continue on to the bandits.

Hopefully our goal to talk them down works.

[nataywrites]

A plea for the plight of the world.

Hello there, friend! I hope your day is a beautiful one. Here, the sunshine dapples the leaves of the trees and casts shadows on the grass and pavement. It is not yet time for the evening birdsong, but I can hear them occasionally chirping about two-legged intruders moseying around on their territory.

Have you ever thought about the effect we have on our environment? The effect that we have on our furry, feathery, scaly, exoskeleton-bearing, and mucus-encased neighbors? There hasn't been a day that I haven't thought about the climate and our encroachment on animals' homes. Every night there are deer in our neighborhood. Bees and other insects make their homes inside the bricks and wood of our tenement. Birds make precariously placed nests in the eaves and on the lanterns.

I recall a documentary made about the foxes that have made their dens in the backyards of suburban Madison homes. Fox Tales | About | Nature | PBS There was another documentary on bears. It said that the Black Bear, one of the nine species of bear in the world, is the only thriving species. Bear Essentials of Hibernation | NOVA | PBS

The year before last, our family went on a little road trip to Hayward, a town known for Rock Fest, Northwoods camping, and fishing. The main street is bedecked with seasonal restaurants and t-shirt shops. We traveled there to meet with friends and then go foraging in the beautiful forests surrounding the town.

On the way home, I saw a dead bear cub on the side of the highway. The wife and kids were dozing in their seats. Just me and that bear cub, bleeding on the gravelly shoulder, were party to the stars and the bright moon in the sky. I silently mourned that little bear for miles after I had passed it. I still do. I mourn the raccoon I saw on the road today and the deer I passed by last week.

I remember seeing a meme on Facebook about a woman that made funerary art for the dead animals she found while out driving. She placed rocks, flowers, and twigs around them in beautiful halos and also strategically on their bodies to hide the horrible wounds that the poor creatures endured in their last moments. Sometimes I want to do that too, but not for notoriety. It's my apology for being a human. For the part I play in the extortion of our planet, whether or not I had known about my complicity in the past.

I am still complicit, even though I do my best. I limit driving as best I can (I live in a rural community, so many things, like affordable groceries, therapists, and specialists, are in neighboring towns.) I don't use the air conditioner until it is truly needed and avoid wasting water. Whenever we go to visit forests and parks, we try to leave them in better shape than we found them. I challenge my kids to pick up as many pieces of trash as they can on our walks. We put them in a bag and drop them in the bin when we get home.

This isn't a hard and fast cry for change. The situation is too complicated for that. I just ask that we, as humans, think about the changes we are making. Our fellow animals do not have the capability of speech, but they feel. They react to our encroachment on their homes. This is a plea for compassion and understanding. I ask that you, my dear friend keep your mind open. In my heart, I believe we can make a change. I believe we can mitigate some of the damage we are doing. By making a change for ourselves, we are modeling that behavior to others. Step-by-step, person-by-person, we are making a healthier, happier world.

With Love,

Natay

[mushroom-for-art]

Me and my silly self indulgent fics hehehe, set before violence lmao honestly was just feeling some kinda way wanted to put May through the suffering and I had really fun dialogue / writing idea things, even though he's not mentioned by name REDACTED belonging to @oogaboogaspookyman is in this, just tagging for correct credit feel free to ignore lmao

Digimon two electric boogaloo (I promise this is the last one, also set before violence fic so it fits in the time line I'm allowed XD)

She stood swaying idly in a dark dress that didn't suit her, it was personally designed and crafted just for her but the dark colors didn't reach her eyes, she was dressed up for a higher being by a higher being, she was but a doll to accessorize. She has no orders, her eyes half closed heavy lidded, swaying slightly on the spot almost in a trance within the grand room, a throne room he'd crafted for himself, with twisting shapes and spaces that defied physics, he'd tried to make it unlike any structure that's ever existed wanting no trace of humanities influence. And yet what need does he have of a throne room?

Many feet tapped across the marble floor, a tall inhuman creature approached with intrigue, feminine almost and red, its appearance was familiar but her eyes didn't regard them. As they approached smaller insect like digimon crawled off of their body, Dokugumon vicious spider like digimon that looked like large tarantula crawling along the walls and around closing in, they had horrible mouths and claws on their toes horns forming from their masked like faces and a skull and cross on their abdomen as dark red ginger hair spiked from their heads, from them smaller digimon KoDokugumon smaller yellow and black striped spiders with orange fur hair they were almost cute but they were vast in numbers, all of them were the red spider queen's children as Archnemon approaches the largest of them all, her horns big and proud her humanoid torso on powerful spider legs causing her to tower over the human still stood in a trance, unable to move even if she wanted to run, unable to scream as danger approached.

"When I heard that creature had secured a human puppet I didn't think it would be my lost dinner," her voice was gleeful and dark as she stood in front of the human her children stood around laughing snickering ready for mother to rip open the rare human delicacy. She leant in close tilting her head as she observed the human closely, she didn't smell afraid or like her usual scent, she reeked of that powerful virus but under that her human flesh still smelt succulent. Despite Archnemons intelligence and cunning she was short sighted when it came to her hunger for rare foods or experimental subjects, her large hand grabbed effortlessly around the humans whole neck and shoulders, they made something of a gasp but felt limp almost, and Archnemon didn't stop to consider why. With her other hand she ripped through the fabric and seams of the dark dress ripping away the stomach segment before ripping further upwards to just past the humans ribs below the breasts lest she want access to the more secured rare organs. Her eyes were agleam in delight at the sight of the jagged scar she'd left from before, fascinated by the structure of the human form while a Digimon would've perished and reformed as an egg a human remains and gains discoloration it seemed. Would it taste different she wondered as her mouth drooled.

Teeth plunged into soft stomach flesh greedily ripping and tearing away hunks of meat, the scarred segment had a different texture on her tongue as she bit and devoured, the human only made something of an exhale going limp in her hold. Her children excitedly chittered as she swallowed, warm fluid known as blood running down her chin and splatting onto the floor as she breathed heavily laughing softly in thrill of the taste.

"What do you think you're doing."

The virus' tone was cold and hostile as he materialized in a humanoid form behind her taking the face and form of one of the other humans with flowing corrupting energy flowing from the shoulders and back like wings or tendrils, dark spikes poking through the hair of his form like a dark crown, Archnemon turned her head slowly to regard him, blood still clinging to her face as she grinned with teeth.

"Ah, there you are, I come with news." Her hand released, the human dropping with a thump, "it seems you underestimated the others, they've defeated two of your soldiers as of now, they are nearing my domain, I want full rights to be allowed to do with them as I please, they're more valuable to me alive." The virus was watching her with unusual intensity beginning to slowly approach.

From his shadow dark sprawls of energy shot out along the floor rapidly covering every surface plunging the whole room into blackness, Archnemon paused looking around finally sensing the danger she was in as teeth dragged the Dokugumon down into the blackness with crunches and screams for their mother as their physical forms were torn to shreds their data clinking and shimmering being drawn into the blackness while the KoDokugumon were simply snatches up in greedy maws on mass their data making a faint sparkle of a sound as they were destroyed. His human form distorted as blackness grew over him growing larger and more threatening as he loomed over the humanoid spider digimon, white pupils narrow and locked on her. Her breathing was quickening and panicked as dark tendrils crawled and wrapped around her legs to prevent her escape, gasping in pain as the tendrils grew teeth that sank in to her data beginning to slowly rip away at her physical form like maggots. Every noise was pained as she let out a weak yell attempting to pull away from her restraints only to fall forward onto her hands tendrils grabbing her to stop her pulling upright, she could feel the teeth scraping against her tearing away at her slowly.

"I don't understand?! I have been nothing but loyal to you and your cause?! Why do you forsake me?! How could you destroy my kin and devour me!?" She hollered up towards the mass of teeth and eyes looking down upon her without any regard for her.

"Of course you don't."

His jaw opened and he plunged into her abdomen with his teeth ripping through her viciously she squelched and crackled screaming as he began to tear away mercilessly and carelessly throwing the body parts aside as they shattered into data absorbed into his body as she yelled in agony before her body glitched fading in color and breaking apart into pixels that scattered before joining with him. He heaved a frustrated breath as the darkness retracted back to his body, stepping through the blackness of his form into his humanoid form as he approached the human still on the floor.

He crouched down putting his fingers to her neck as he took in the state of her wounds, she was still alive thankfully breathing faintly. He sighed as he touched the ripped fabric of the dress before dark liquid poured from his fingertips into her open sore wound, the liquid spread over her internal organs repairing damages and replacing her missing kidney before beginning to build itself around the wound edge and pulling it as closed as he could manage before the liquid simply had to replace the missing skin tissue with itself. It would do for now, and it was certainly a good fail safe if necessary in future. Slowly he slid his hands under her form and picked her up with a sigh, despite what he'd done she'd still need time to recover.

He moved without really walking, gliding almost along through his castle, his kingdom. Her body wouldn't be able to withstand travelling through the data makeup straight to her room, so he had to take the long route. The door opened as he approached, moving effortlessly inside, it was a simple but large room but quite empty, it had a bed and wardrobe but they were vastly spread apart, and a walk in suite. The wardrobe opened on its own spitting out alternative clothing, pajamas mimicking that of her ones back on earth, simple cat themed things black trousers with white paw patterns, black pajama top long sleeved with white text and a cat image, he found it almost amusing her wearing his color scheme. Carefully removing the ruined dress fabric from her body, glancing briefly at his hand where it had become bloody from a soaked piece of dress from around her stomach he wiped his hand off on what was left of the dress before throwing it aside and carefully redressing her in the pajamas not really acknowledging her form before placing her under the duvet. He scoffed a bit to himself, all this effort for one little human that he would destroy later, he wondered if this was why humans kept chickens as pets or at least alive for a few days before eating them, brief entertainment and whatever use they may have before the pleasures of enjoying the tender flesh.

He sighed, running a hand through the hair of his form before tilting his head back, emitting an inhuman sound from quite literally his throat as it split revealing blackness and unsurprisingly more teeth, something of a low screech that echoed through the building. From the floor two large digimon were summoned through the data system, Megadramon and MetalTyrannomon, large hunkering dinosaur beast like digimon that were almost too large for the room had the data not manipulated and shifted to make room.

"Destroy anyone who enters this room that isn't me. And do not allow any harm to come to the human. Or I'll harvest you both."

Voice cold, calculated and sharp, he was already leaving the room without regarding the panicked nods from the ultimate level digimon. They regarded each other uncomfortably, MetalTyrannomon shifting to rest and guard slightly further away from the bed as Megadramons body twisted and curled to crane it's head down and regard the sleeping creature breathing a puff of warm air that nearly blew the duvet off from the bed which it just barely caught and put back the Megadramon quickly decided to move and instead lay down besides the bed on the floor as well.

——————————————————

It was many hours before he returned to check on the state of the human, ensure it hadn't perished from something stupid or unseen. He'd been able to make a replacement for the wretched spider queen using Kelpymons great power and his corrupting data to mold and create a powerful dark digimon hopefully one that would kill the other humans or at least maim them enough to stop their progress. In honesty he didn't care about killing them himself anymore he was tired of playing with them after all they'd served their purpose. Of course he did still want them to suffer, make them watch their world be destroyed before succumbing to destruction themselves. He growled to himself quietly at a flash of red in his peripheral vision, he turned to look but found nothing, that vile creature, he's sure it existed in that color to mock him, such a disgusting beast didn't deserve to be in red, that was a sacred color after all.

His data form passed through the structure of the nearby wall stepping into the room and immediately feeling his brows fall into a scowl at the snoring of the useless ultimate digimon. His focus was then brought to the disheveled duvet half laying across the floor and no human upon the bed, had he not heard the running water pattering he may have disintegrated the worthless beasts on the spot.

Dark spikes pierced through the sleeping creatures bodies before they could even gasp in shock, their bodies shivered glitching and data shattering quietly in seconds as he glided towards the ensuite without acknowledging what happened. His nose wrinkled at the sudden slap of the steam against his face as he stepped into the room leaving the door open. In the corner of the shower box he spotted the human huddled up on herself hugging her knees to her chest trying to hide away like a child and crying. He blinked slowly as he thought, moving to turn off the running water of the shower and hearing her quietly gasp and hiccup to herself in fear that did send a delightful tingle up his spine as he sensed her terror and dread. Seems the human was back in control and she was oh so terrified and scared.

He moved the shower door out the way and crouched down moving a hand to grab hold of her cheek as she attempted to bury her face deeper into her knees, lifting her head up before holding her chin, he could so easily damage her, lurch her body bruise her flesh even tear it from her muscles as he looked at her, her eyes were red and puffy as water and tears ran down her cheeks, he could see the dread in her eyes himself reflected in them the fear in her face and the quivering of her lips. He moved his hand, tilting her head to observe her. Humans had such fascinating faces with an array of possibility in expression it was just a case that most of them, no, all of them really were so ugly in their existence. He'd only ever known one person to have a face that was beautiful…

She whimpered quietly under the intensity of his gaze and he had to fight to not grin. She was starting to shiver now as the cold crept in. He could see just slightly on her side the black scar that was now left behind from the earlier attack and he saw her hand move to try to hide it as his eyes roamed back to her face.

"You're not immune to catching earth illnesses here even if you are digital,"

He spoke casually as his hand pulled from her face.

"You'll catch a cold if you stay there."

He stood as he pulled a towel off of a hanging rack holding it towards her as his head turned away. He needed to keep her mind fragile, keep her confused; it'd be easier to put her back under if she wasn't fighting him so he wouldn't give her a reason to.

"What happened…?" her voice was very small and quivered as he felt her take the towel from his hand, inside his body his many mouths twisted into sadistic grins but his human guise remained neutral. How broken she must be.

"Oh, can you not recall?"

He had to be tactful, if she caught him out in a lie she might start fighting and release Kelpymon from it's corrupt state which would really mess up his plans. She shook her head even if he couldn't see as she wrapped the towel around her form moving to hold the black scar on her side, her head was so heavy and full of fog, she remembers it hurt it hurt, but right now it didn't, she'd expected his horrid corrupting virus matter to be destroying her from the inside.

"Did…did you do this?"

"I did the best I could to fix your wounds if that's what you mean, but I was not the one to inflict them. I hadn't anticipated the others finally following you here, or them making it here so quickly."

He could sense her energy levels increase a low excited surprise.

"I must say I did expect them to try to help you with some,"

He waved a hand casually,

"familial love is magic nonsense."

He felt her emotions drop,

"to mutilate your own sibling though…"

His tone drifted in a thoughtful manner as he sensed her body grow tense with bubbling anxiety,

"I'd expected them to try to free you, I had a plan for that situation. I figured well they'll try to bring her to the light or something or other, and if they succeed that just gives me more fun. And then your blood was shed."

He slowly turned his head to regard her, he could see her eyes still red from crying had lost any previous glimmer or spark, he put on an expression of sympathy.

"They didn't stop to think, or try to understand… for all my planning, I was left baffled…"

He could see her chest rising and falling rapidly, the way her breathing was struggled as she tried to keep it level and failed. He moved casually, taking a hand towel and bringing it to her face slowly, she flinched just slightly as he started dabbing away the tears that had started to fall again from her sad little eyes. He heard her choke a soft gasp hiccuping as her tears fell, he cooed a gentle "shh" continuing to wipe away her tears.

"Now now sweet thing, there's no need for that, no need to waste anymore tears over them, you're safe again now."

She sniffled as she looked at him with her big confused eyes, he could already tell she was getting more confused, the lines between himself and the other who's face he stole becoming blurred, the memories of good and bad muddied and washing away making her head nice and hollow for him. He was still pleasantly surprised at just how impressionable and moldable her empathetic and traumatized little brain was, he knew just the right buttons to press.

"it is a shame you had to go through this traumatic event, many humans have done the same to me, tried to pull apart my data and find out how to destroy me, I thought they might be more sympathetic to one of their own.. I should have known better.."

His voice twinged in a way of sadness and she touched his arm softly, her empathy just too deliciously stupid. He brought his hand to touch her hand giving it a pat in gratitude.

"Sweet little May,"

He could practically see her eyes briefly sparkle at the affection of his words.

"I will leave you to recover from the ordeal you went through, but I will not be far."

He took her hand to squeeze it before moving to let go, finding her trying desperately to keep hold of his hand for comfort following him as he pulled away. He had to stop his smile from becoming cruel.

"I won't let anymore harm come to you I promise, but you should stay here, you do need to rest. Let me take care of you."

He pulled his hand away and she stayed he could see her eyes showed the slight sense of lingering confusion and wonderment before her pupils dimmed slowly into comfortable empty numbness, her eyes lidded slowly as she finally slipped back into the dark comforting drowning puddle of her brain that swaddled soothed and killed her leaving behind her body for puppeteering. He sighed, wiping his hand off his sleeve casually as he left the vessel to take care of itself and tuck itself back to bed.

In some sick way it was a bit fun getting the chance to play with her again, she was such a soft broken little mouse now and it made for an interesting new dynamic. Maybe he could keep pressing keep nudging poking until it splintered her mind entirely? Make her fully dependent and loyal to him without his influence controlling her, like a lost little duck, now that would be quite the shock for the others. He's sure it wouldn't be that difficult, he did have the face of her old fancy and it was clearly causing confusion in her mind with their roles seemingly swapped. Her siblings the antagonists her old enemy, the one keeping her safe and her ex. He couldn't help chuckling, her ex didn't even know she was here and didn't know the hurt she felt over 'him'.

He couldn't wait to pull the blindfold from her eyes upon the completion of his plan. Reveal his lies to her that she was being used, that she was but a stupid pawn and easy target, feel her anguish, confusion, fear and complete and utter isolation at the sight of her burning planet. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand as he salivated at the thought of her terrified screams, her weak punches and kicks as he ripped into her flesh to take out the last human in a glorious feast. He had to wait of course but he could plan it at least, proud in himself for not just devouring her earlier but the spider had been satisfying enough. Though, maybe he should eat the other digidestined to… make her watch perhaps? Hm..so many options and he had plenty of time to decide.

[fan-burns]

Robots 2

Chapter 10: Rodney’s POV (2:34 am, TW for body horror, implied past self harm, and trippy dream)

I found myself floating in a dark void again, my feet swaying in an invisible wind. There wasn’t any ground or walls around me, but it didn’t matter anyways. It never did. Mist surrounded me, and the sound of chains being dragged across an invisible floor had made themselves known. As I looked towards the sound, two glowing blue orbs had pierced through the mist, and began to grow bigger as they approached me.

I’d been here before, and if anything I was more annoyed than scared by the sight of…well, it.

The thing had made its presence known as it creeped out of the mist. It looked just like me, but it had that hideous copper blue coloring on it and was missing its upgrades. It was missing its forearm pieces as well, which exposed the wires and a damaged endoskeleton underneath. As it got closer, the countless other scars and dents in its body had decided to show their ugly selves as well. By far the worst injury on its body was the crippled, lifeless legs that dangled underneath it, rendered useless as both legs and as scrap. They were barely attached to its body, and were slightly transparent at its feet.

There was another horrible scar that dominated the rest of them however…and that was the gapping, heart shaped hole in its chest. It was large enough to expose the ghostly endoskeleton within its chest, which also had its own series of scars and scratches. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say it was attacked by a bear, or was dragged underneath a Sweeper and lived to tell the tale.

Of course, I do know better…and I know what it really is.

“Welcome back, Rodney,” the thing spoke in a mangled version of my voice. Just hearing it alone would’ve been enough to cause pain to those unfortunate to hear it. Regardless of its mangled voice box, it went on unhindered in a teasing manner. “I take it you're still brainwashed? Or maybe you’ve finally figured out what's going on?”

“Yeah yeah, I figured it out weeks ago,” I snarled at it, “I’m stuck in a dream with you again. Why can’t you just leave me alone?!”

“Because,” it spoke through jagged, ruined teeth, “You’re being controlled by someone else. This isn’t you! I’m trying to help you!” 

“Help me?! I don’t need your help! I’m perfectly fine!!”

How dare this…whatever this thing is, tell me that something is wrong! This is obviously some kind of mind trick from Bigweld! Well TOO BAD MR. BIGBAD, I’M NOT FALLING FOR IT!

“You know I can hear what you're thinking, right?” The creature spoke with a dark chuckle, “Is Big Mr. Bigbad really the best you can come up with?”

“GET OUT OF MY HEAD!”

“I can’t.” it argued with a laugh, “I’m literally YOU. The real, not brainwashed YOU. And I need you to remember that!”

With a wave of its clawed and scarred hand, the mist had retreated, and in its place two chairs had appeared. The joints of the thing in front of me creaked and groaned as it took a seat, and gestured for me to take a seat next to it. As it gestured to the chair, I saw the hideous series of scars that decorated its wrists. The scars were caked in a foul smelling oil.

Reluctantly, I did as it wanted. I’ve done this before over and over again, and it always ends the same way. Still, it never gets any better…and I’ll never get used to it. 

“So what’s this about a “Citizenship Test”?” It asked. “What’s the deal with that?”

“It’s to keep everyone safe from things like you.” I pointed at it. “Take the test and keep your head clear from anything that Bigweld tries to tell you.”

“Oh, so it isn’t a huge red flag then?” It spoke sarcastically.

“Well if you know so much about it,” I argued back. “then enlighten me.” 

“Well let’s look at the obvious,” it began. “It’s biased in Ratchet’s favor and the multiple choices don’t properly reflect how someone might feel. That, and multiple choice questions can’t properly reflect a person’s feelings. You need an open answer for that.”

I felt my head tilt in confusion. Normally I’d ignore the creature's words but I couldn’t help but be curious as to where it was going with this. Even if I knew it was wrong. 

Seeing this, it went on. “You know how the first question is literally worded in a way that forces you to say yes no matter what? Or the last two questions? That's what I’m talking about.”

“So? Everyone should be happy with their purpose! And they should know that Bigweld’s the bad guy!”

“And if they’re not?” The thing argued.

“Then they’re worthless! If they don’t want to fulfill their purpose then we have no use for them!”

The creature stared at me as I spoke the truth. Its face was pained by what I had said, and its pale, glossy eyes were filled with disgust and sorrow. It brought its crippled hand to its head and cradled it in disappointment. As it rubbed its jagged fingers across its brow I felt a great relief wash over me. To see this creature, this attempt at replicating me, failing to do the one thing it was designed to do was beyond satisfaction. I assumed it was about to give up, but it regained its composure and turned its gaze towards me.

“I know you don’t understand a word you just said so I’m just going to skip to the point,” it said with great sadness and frustration. “You’re not happy with your ‘purpose.’”

“Of course I am!”

“No, you’re not. When you were asked to pick an alternative purpose, you picked Ratchet Industries, remember? You want to be an inventor for him. You want a better job.”

I hated to agree with it, but it was right…but everyone wants to work for Ratchet! I want to help design new upgrades because it aligns best with what my original purpose is! 

“So you admit it then?” the creature inquired as it heard what I was thinking. “You want a better job because you're unhappy with the one you have.”

I didn’t say anything. I held my breath as the creature went on. 

“Rodney, you know you're better than this. You’re capable of doing so much more than car repairs and tune ups. You can create things, inspire change, make people's lives better! Hell, you were even able to change the entire city!”

I didn’t believe what it was saying. I stopped listening to it.

“You’ve saved and improved so many lives because you trusted your instincts. You’ve helped so many people! You’ve made so many friends, met your idol, You even met the love of your life!”

I didn’t say anything. I kept my head clear of any thoughts.

“Rodney, listen to yourself!” It begged me, practically screaming at me. “What’s more important than any of that?!”

“My service to Ratchet.” I told it bluntly. “That’s more important than any fantasy world you can come up with!”

It stood up rapidly in anger. Its voice became low and dangerous in tone, but its face expressed dread and disgust. “So you’d sacrifice everything you’ve ever stood for, everything that makes you happy and enjoy life, just to keep Ratchet happy? Even after what he did?!”

It stared at me as I stood my ground, its tears running down the side of its face. It didn’t matter what it told me, or what it promised me, or anything else that it was trying to tell me. I knew it was just some trick to get me away from Ratchet! If I fall for that, then I’m a goner!

“I’d do that, and more, in a heartbeat.” I proclaimed. “If I’m going to be a mechanic for the rest of my life, then so be it! I’d rather be some low life mechanic than something to the likes of you!”

“Enough already!” The creature yelled in frustration as it threw its hands up, the pain in its voice nearly making me sick. 

The void began to fill with more fog, and it quickly swept around me, making it harder to see what was in front of me. I brought my hands up to try to swipe the fog away from my face, but to no avail. Clawing my way through the fog, I was able to catch one last glance at the creature. It had turned its back on me and disappeared into the fog. Its voice fading as the fog engulfed it, making it near impossible to make out what it said. 

Before I could do anything else, the fog had begun to circle around me. It slowly lifted me off of the ground, and I started to kick at the smoke and fog to make it release me, but it wouldn’t budge. As it took me higher and higher, I felt something warm shine on my head. 

I looked up and was nearly blinded by the sudden light that had appeared overhead. The fog around me began to disappear as it got closer to the light. Slowly, bit by bit, the column of smoke and fog had disappeared. I felt myself become weightless, but I felt myself begin to fall. 

My limbs flailed around as I tried to grab something to stop my fall, to grab onto something that could save me but it was useless. All I could do was close my eyes and pray that it would be quick, that the fall wouldn’t leave me half dead on the ground…

THUD!

My eyes shot wide open as I realized what had happened. I rubbed the back of my head as I slowly got up from the ground and back onto my bed. I felt the warmth of fresh tears on my face as I sat on the bed.

Another nightmare with that thing. 

I checked the clock on my dresser to see what time it was. As I expected, it was around two am. It always happens. I fall asleep, I meet that thing, and then I wake up. 

Every. Damned. Time.

My whole body had suddenly grown heavy. I let gravity push me back into the bed, but I didn’t close my eyes. I didn’t want to go back to sleep… not after that nightmare. Maybe I can do something else to pass the time. I could scroll online, look at the new upgrades that Ratchet is making. I could look at ideas for improving business. Maybe I can sort through my tools and reorganize everything…again. For the fifteenth time. Maybe I can look through my phone for something to-

Wait! No not that! Anything but that!

I nearly bolted out of the bed when I thought about that phone. That thing’s phone is still in the dresser beside my bed. 

Ratchet had advised me to get rid of it, but I couldn’t bring myself to destroy it. I tried to destroy it, I really did, but I couldn’t. I don’t know why, but I couldn’t force myself to get rid of it. I was too attached to it. It must’ve been yet another trick from Bigweld. 

Well the joke was on that thing in the end. If I can't destroy it, I’ll just lock it away! I threw it into the dresser, fitted a lock onto it, and once it was installed I locked it and destroyed the key.

I let my body fall back onto the bed with a slight thud. I turned my head towards the dresser in question, a permanent reminder of my failure to get rid of my final tie to Bigweld and Cappy. The chain surrounding the dresser was still intact and secure, the lock pad pulling the chain close to the floor, but never touching it. 

I’m safe. I could be a lot safer if I had the strength to destroy the damned thing, but I’m still safe. He can’t get me. She can’t get me. That thing can’t get me. No one can get me. 

I turned my head to face the ceiling. I’ve decided that I’m not going back to sleep…I can’t risk running into that thing again. I’ll only close my eyes to let them rest, but I’ll keep myself awake. As I close them I move my foot in small, gentle circles. 

I can feel a warm liquid form under my eyes, and a tear falls off of the side of my face. My jaw clenches itself shut as I put my hands over my face, trying to keep myself from crying even further. A small gasp for air escapes my mouth despite my efforts, and more tears race across my cheeks. 

…it’s going to be another long night for me. I don’t need any more tears or nightmares to tell me that much.

[serephinastardust]

I hope this doesn't disturb anyone: Elystrias' (villain) chapter

This has lots of potential, but 1st draft of this chapter. Hope you all like Elystria's first dabble with forbidden magic and trying to keep her eyes on the prize, between flash backs to her mother and with whisperings of her doubt and the dark magic whipsering promises help, will she see herself become a villain before its too late?

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As I enter the [insert library of magic name] I glance again at my reflection in the window.I am now back in my normal appearance, with my wardrobe growing to a darker color. I straightened out my hair and pulled it up, and now I’m wearing a black and red corset top, and jean shorts, with some black boots.

If the old me were to see me now. I chuckle to myself as I make way to the ancient texts of the library. Fortunately, no one stopped me, not that I saw anyone. And if it were up to me, I would keep it that way, but I knew the universe would again betray me, so I tried to not to horribly jinx my situation.

I was on a mission. And this was my first stop of many. My footsteps echoed on the polished marble floor as I ventured deeper into the heart of the library. The shelves, stretching infinitely high, were laden with tomes that held the wisdom of ages past. The air was thick with thick with the scent of aged parchment and arcane secrets. I breathed deeply at this scent. It was like a mother’s embrace, welcoming me home. A memory bubbled up unbidden at this feeling.

I was just a child, my eyes wide with wonder as I stood in my family’s library. It was massive, and I had full access to it. My mother, a woman of wisdom and kindness, knelt beside me, her gentle fingers tracing the spines of the ancient tomes. The room was illuminated by the soft glow of candlelight, casting a warm, golden hue upon the shelves lined with books of all shapes and sizes.

“Books are not just words on pages, my little star,” She had said, her voice soft like a lullaby. “They hold the stories of the world, the knowledge of ages past. Every page turned is a journey taken, an adventure embarked upon.”

I remembered how she had pulled a think volume from the shelf, its cover adorned with intricate illustrations. With the utmost care, she opened the book revealing pages filled with magical symbols and vibrant illustrations of mythical creatures. As I leaned closer, my eyes widened with fascination.

“Magic,” she whispered, her eyes alight with a spark of excitement. “It’s the thread that weaves through the tapestry of our world. It’s the thread that weaves through the tapestry of our world. It’s both wondrous and dangerous, my love. Remember, knowledge is a gift, but it must be wielded wisely.

In that moment, she enveloped me in her arms, her embrace a cocoon of safety and love. I rested my head against her shoulder, inhaling the scent of her jasmine perfume. The world outside faded away leaving only the comforting presence of my mother and the soft rustle of the pages turning.

I shook the memory away harshly. My mother had prematurely died years ago, and I didn’t need distractions for my current goals. I realized I had momentarily stopped in my moment of reliving a past long gone, frustrated with myself I angerly continued to make my way back, I needed to know more about The Convergence, I thirsted for it. I needed to stay focused. And a sudden pull on my essence had me turning to the shelves where I found myself in a sea of books. I allowed my fingers to trail over the spines as I continued following my senses.

After a few more turns in multiple different bookshelves, I found myself in some well-lit corridors, I felt like I was about to enter the heart of the library. I shuddered with excitement at that thought, and I allowed my pace to quicken a bit as I ventured into the shadows at the end of the corridors, my thirst for understanding leading me to the promised answers, or in this case a room filled with books whose appearance gave their age away. I took a moment to collect myself. I didn’t need another memory to take my focus now that I was here.

I glanced behind me and didn’t see anyone following me and a quick glance around the room showed a couple books off the shelves. But the room felt like it had been a while since those books had been touched last, and that’s exactly how I liked it, though I thought I could handle it, I wanted a little more time before people caught on to my location and came to disturb me.

Confirming one last time no one was near me, I fully entered the room and shut the door behind. I could potentially be here a while. I put up some runes and glyphs I learned in the past around the door frame, nothing permanent, I just needed to make sure no one disturbed me.

Following the tug of essence, I slowly appreciated all the books I passed by, making mental notes of the texts I needed to set my eyes upon. I need something to absorb and understand these faster. Even my fastest speed read while taking notes, would leave me here for months. I contemplated as the tug grew more and more fierce.  

These languages, though long lost to the general population, I was extremely familiar with. Stopping in what felt like a random shelf of books, no one title catching my eye, my hand unconsciously reached for an ornate volume at my hip. The cover was adorned with symbols that seemed to shimmer with hidden power, whispering promises that I desperately needed. Slowly looking over the cover and making sure there were no locks, traps, or anything that could possibly damage the book upon opening without permission, I opened the book where I stood.

It felt like the words were leaping off the pages, forming intricate incantations and forgotten lore right before my eyes. As I read, it felt like the book was imbedding itself into my memory. And the more I read, the more I started to understand, and things from my own research were clicking into place, making itself part of this new knowledge.

The Convergence, which had been just a name to me moments before, my own theories about it making it an abstract concept, began to take on a tangible form within these pages. The rituals described surrounding it were potent, their implications both exhilarating and terrifying to behold. I was intoxicated by the words, my mind ablaze with the possibilities, the potential. The hunger for power, the thirst for understanding, drove me further into the darkness.

I will also need to go to the Institute of Paranormal Research that Dr. Marlowe mentioned. They should never have been brought into the accident that happened, as my work has never been paranormal related. I always made sure of that. Why would they be interested in my work now, especially once … …

I stopped my thoughts, it was just one more unanswered question, and one if that thread held weight, the answers could be lethal. Time lost its meaning, as I emptied my mind of all unnecessary thoughts again and delved deeper, my surroundings fading away until there was only knowledge—the tantalizing, forbidden knowledge that pulsed through my veins like a drug. Each incantation, each diagram, whispered promises of mastery over the Convergence’s energies. I felt I was on the verge of revelations that could reshape the very fabric of Eldoria.

But in my obsession, there was a small flicker of doubt I couldn’t snuff out yet. Was this path I treaded truly worth the cost? Do I have anything worth losing over the cost? No, I lost them the day my experiment failed along with the runes and glyphs protecting my experiment room. The ancient books spoke of consequences, of risks that could shatter minds and souls. Yet, the lure of power drowned out the cautionary whispers. I pressed on, my hands trembling as they turned the pages of the forbidden texts, my heart pounding with a mixture of excitement and fear. The dark promises I desperately needed to hear slowly gaining in my mind.

“… seeker of truths, embrace the shadows… … within the Convergence lies the key you need. With power comes the ability to change the very fabric of reality. Your loved ones need not be lost forever; you can reclaim their essence, their souls reshaped… …”

I shuddered as the promises wrapped around my heart, it was chilling embrace, but it filled the void left in my soul. I could almost see [insert partner name], here the girls’ laughter, feeling them next to me. This book offered me hope, a possibility amid this world devoid of color.

“… seeker of truths, unlock the secrets of the Convergence, and you shall transcend the boundaries of mortality,” the whispers continued, a sing-song persuasiveness that was both comforting and tempting. “… seeker of truths, with every incantation in the books mastered, every cosmic force harnessed, you will draw closer to the reunion you crave. The power to reshape reality lies within your grasp, waiting for the right hands to yield it.”

 Oh, how I wanted, no, needed these promises right now. I was nearing the end of this wonderfully, beautiful book. And knew that this one was incomplete. I needed to find the rest of the collection if my end goals were to be realized, so I could live the rest of my life peacefully with my family. And to my surprise the last ritual was a boon. It was extremely simple, and a great aid to quenching my thirst for knowledge. I slowly went over this ritual.

The instructions were woven with intricate symbols and arcane phrases. I wasn’t in a room meant for a ritual, but using a ritual room felt wrong somehow. Though the instructions didn’t come right out and say it, it felt like the symbols needed to be placed on my body. Especially considering, I wanted to use this ritual continuously.

I found an empty table and sat the book down, and began preparing for the rituals, making slight adjustments for applying the symbols to my body, instead of writing them in the air. Not thinking twice of the implications of carving the symbols upon my body, I set to work. Not caring about my attire at this point, I pulled out my ceremonial dagger, I had simple runes of power carved into ages ago when I started my research. I also pulled out my rare luminescent ink, I accidentally found this while in some ruins one year verifying some research.

I glanced at the book one more time, verifying that my alterations to the ritual would work, took my clothes off and began. I started the ritual.

“Yrthak mornas, velthar thyndar, Enthar vorak, zythra kalidar, Kyrra mystara, sylthor vandar, Eldor vynthar, Elystria mandar…” I started the chant off slowly and rhythmic, power slowly filling up a small bubble around my body only. As it continued on I grabbed my dagger off the table; and with precision I sliced each of my palms, letting blood seep out and the dagger falling.

" Sylthor vandar, Eldor vynthar, Elystria, thyndar, mandar, Zythra kalidar, kyrra mystara, In shadows deep, we write our saga.” Raising my arms up, almost swaying, I let the blood seep down body, the more coverage I had the more symbols would be marked upon me, and the more books I could interpret at one time.

I know I should have felt disgusted by what I was doing. But in this moment, I truly had stopped caring for what I was doing at this moment. The temptation of all that knowledge, just in this room alone, kicked my hesitation out to the Astral Realm. And on instinct alone, when I felt the moment was right, a lull in the chanting, I grabbed my ink, and dipped a finger into it.

Now it was time for the symbols to take root in me. I repeated the first chant over for each symbol, replacing my name, with the name of the symbols I was calling forth. On my right arm I drew and called up on Kalenth, which signified a thirst for ancient knowledge. On my left arm I draw and called upon the Fyndor, which signified the understanding of ancient texts. The following symbols were Thalys, Sythralis, Xylorenth, Kythos, and many more at varying points on my body where my blood managed to reach.

 As I finished the last symbol, the air crackled with energy as this marked the climax of the ritual, and the last step I personally need to take part in. The ritual itself would complete on its own, finishing when my body absorbed the last remnants of power I created. I watched fascinatingly as some of my blood flew on the ritual page of the book I was referencing. A new chant picked up around me as the books absorbed the blood, making it look like no blood had ever marred its pages.

It was in this moment, I felt whole for the briefest of moments. I watched as the symbols I wrote on my body lit up with starlight, and even more symbols appeared following the trails of blood. When the last symbol lit up, a horrible pain racked through me. It felt like all my bones were breaking and a monster migraine attacked my head, forcing my eyes shut. I can’t say this was worse than losing my family though, but I felt my energy start to leave me from all the pain I was feeling.

Am I dying? Will I go see my family now?

These were my last thoughts, as blackness stole over me as my energy drained out.

(This ritual was supposed to be a as needed ritual. Only requiring a ritual room. No stripping or blood sacrifice needed. How much havic can Elystria cause consciously, if she can unconsciously make a ritual enter the dark magic realm? Also, is that some of her past self creaping in there at the end when she asks if she's dying? I personally think the her that cast the ritual wouldn't have thought those thoughts. Let's see how the next chapter unfolds)

[imbasic-oppossum]

The seat of the car was cool

against my skin, almost burning. Outside, people were laughing, screaming, blasting horrible music. Lights flickered against the window pane. I stared listlessly outside, watching shapes tumble past, kids stumbling home drunk as a skunk. My fingers traced lines against the icy window. I could feel the vodka and ecstasy mingling in my blood, turning my into a buzzing glowing creature.

The door opened behind me. Thump. The door shut, and I turned. Oh. Him. Yay. His horrible black wavey hair that hung below his ears. His eyes bugged out and practically melted into fudge. Horrible. His skin was pasty white and lumpy with acne. I hated his face.

"Go away please," my voice flowed out shrill and pathetic.

I swatted at his arm, wanting him gone, and instead I slumped a little, leaning onto his arm. I didn't pull away, I narrowed my eyes at him. He was blinking slowly and calmly. His mouth turned down at the edges and he looked so much like a sad puppy that a giggle bubbled from my throat. He rubbed his eyes, his arm prying out from under me.

"Why are you always mad at me?" He asked, his words squeaky and tearful.

I smiled a little, blinking slowly. Frankly, I wasn't mad at him. But I was always under my own skin.

"Because you're just the most annoying guy I've ever met," I covered my mouth, smothering another giggle.

He nudged me with his shoulder and I slid closer against him. his smell was comfortable, and I liked his gray sweatshirt. It felt cool against my cheek, and smelled like Tide laundry detergent and sawdust. My head fell against his shoulder, and I could feel him letting out a soft little sigh.

"I'm high," my voice broke in a sob, and I knew it was because of the drugs.

I could feel him shifting to look at me, could practically smell the concern. It was endearing in a way.

"Why would you do that?" He admonished, like a mother, so gently correcting my latest disobedience.

"B-because..." my words trailed away.

He was turning over, facing me now. He had to hold me up because I was slumping over like a doll.

"Why?" He was so insistent.

I tried to bat his hands away, but my own were so wobbly and distorted that they did no more harm than a kittens swat.

"What did you do?" He asked, and I had to look at his ugly eyes.

"The body," I blubbered. "I did that."

Had I said that? Oh well. There were better things to think of. I felt so much better! I smiled at him, and wondered why his face looked so silly.

"You means those pranks? The ones the crazy people saw?" He asked, his neck craning, his face trying to follow mine. I let out a nice dramatic sigh.

"Yes, because he said so, and I don't want to think about it." I tried twisting away but he really did need to lay off.

"Wait, who did?" I got the strength to shove his hands away.

He glared fiercely at me, those horrible melting eyes. I leaned against the door of the car, looking at him dizzily. He sighed, climbing out of the car, the gravel crunching humorously under his tennis shoes. The door slammed. Click. Oh, big scary man locking me in. I tugged at the door. Child lock. I felt queazy, and laid my head back. The ceiling swirled and dipped and I smiled to myself. I was so tired.

I didn't really feel the vomit, I just heaved it onto the floor of the car. The burn of alcohol and bad Chinese food twisted through the air and I must've passed out.

I was being moved around, gently, soft words telling me you're alright, I'm here now, we're gonna go home.

Idiot. He smelled nice and I buried my face in his neck. He was moving me, arms lifted, cold air, nice comforters. I tugged his shirt and I was pushed off. 

I slept for hours and hours, drowning in everything Id ingested. Soon all memory of the body was gone.

[scentedinksandwhackedseals]

ongoing continued:

The Witch: A lonely timeless Witch trying to find someone to watch the trees grow with.

My note: This comic is somehow soft and calming and heartwrenching and dramatic at the same time. It reminds me of This Is How You Lose The Time War in some ways. Maybe because of the way it travels through different times and places and all the stories.

on hiatus:

Cunning Fire: Cunning Fire is an urban fantasy story about witches and spirits in modern day Chicago. After they discover her ability to see Spirits, a local coven recruits Akiva Stein to be the Death witch in their quest to create the legendary Elixir of Life. Along the way, Akiva is confronted by strange creatures, the worlds of the Astral plane, and the horrible realities of past events, forcing her to face her own abilities and flaws and how they will shape her future.

My note: I love this series so goddamn much and can't recommend it enough. (But that's true for every single one of these so...) Plus it takes place in the city I grew up in which is pretty cool. Unfortunately I have no idea when or if it's ever coming back.

Spellbound: Highschool might just be a few years, but when you re hit with stress, depression, and feel like you can only count on yourself, these years all seem a lot longer!

My note: For more of a description, cute gay witches with family and mental health issues. I think this might be good for fans of Heartstopper even though it's not thaaaat much like Heartstopper.

The Sea in You: Corinth was just trying to clean up the beach, she never expected to meet a mermaid, let alone be nearly drowned by one. It was the start of a very strange friendship.

My note: This one is more completed than on hiatus but the last episode says end of story 1 so...

Darker Further Down: Libby and Elaine Miller are maybe-cousins living in a stupid duplex (stuplex) in Blackwater, Maine. Elaine pines after the girl who lives in the deep end of their public pool and Libby does what she can to keep a doppelganger of her mother at bay. You can live a pretty normal life in Blackwater if you've got a good priest, a house with no history, and a healthy family dynamic. But if you don't, well… welcome to the night crew.

My note: You can read a lot more on the artist's instagram @coinswallow

some of my favorite webcomics

they all have queer main characters and they're all excellent.

completed:

Power Ballad: As personal assistant to an international pop star, Meera Verma has her hands full trying to keep the gorgeous and talented Carina Peterson primped, polished, and mostly on time. As personal assistant to a Los Angeles-based masked vigilante, Meera has her hands full repairing body armor, stitching up knife wounds, and generally doing everything in her power to keep the mysterious and reckless Skeleton alive and out of trouble. Carrie's just trying to make some music and fight some crime.

My note: Funny, interesting plot, great characters. I also love the role the internet plays in this comic. Btw, only the character on the left in the preview below is one of the main characters. The one on the right is her ex who makes a single appearance. She has a lot of exes who make appearances.

Muted (my beloved!!!): On the full moon of her 21st year, the young witch, Camille Severin, is expected to perform the traditional ritual to summon forth a winged demon for her families success and prosperity. But when the ritual goes wrong, it reveals the terrifying truths about herself and the secrets that threaten to tear her family apart.

My note: This might be my favorite webcomic ever, partially because it was one of the first ones I ever read. But yeah, I love it so much.

Heir’s Game: When a new heir to the duchy of Belluna comes of age, there is held the Heir's Game: a brutal series of duels to determine the heir's bodyguard. When Theuden, the new heir, meets Isran, a quiet duelist with a mysterious past, their love will threaten to change everything.

My note: Another one of the first webcomics I read. I love it very much. Warning: it has a lot of gory moments. Plenty of disturbing injuries.

Shoot Around (by the same creator as Heir's Game): When a zombie apocalypse hits during the practice of a high school basketball team, it's a whole new life for the coach, Jeff. The world's turned upside down and the girls seem to be handling the changes way better than Jeff, who has troubles adjusting. A close-knit group of friends, the girls are eager to tackle this new world with its challenges!

My note: ok maybe I won't have a note for every single one. But yeah, same creator as Heir's Game, also excellent. But they're all excellent. So.

Four Leaf: Pulled into a magical world by her enigmatic best friend, Lupe finds herself in the middle of an ongoing battle between witches who seek the remains of the Wolf, and hunters who are after the witches. There's not much Lupe can do to escape her fate; only the Lady of Wishes can send her home… if the legend is true.

A Week In Warrigilla: Three days into a road trip through rural Australia, girlfriends Hazel and Willie find themselves trapped within the supernatural region of Warrigilla. With nothing but their green Holden and the notes of a mysterious traveller, they drive cross-country in an attempt to escape. [cw: mild gore, mild body-horror, horror themes and suspense]

ongoing:

Broccoli Soup (will be going on hiatus soon): This is a story about a young Broccoli who lives in a void with their best friend Doris. Everything is ideal. There is definitely nothing wrong here.

My note: Weird, cute, and sometimes a little creepy. I am in love with this comic.

The Greenhouse: When a random stranger on the streets told her she was cursed, Mica didn't believe it. But once she's moved into her new apartment after being kicked out, she's starting to reconsider what they said might have been true.

My note: these characters have my whole heart. The main character, Mica, also happens to remind me of Julien Baker in a lot of ways as described in this post.

Ava’s Demon: Ava's Demon is about a girl named Ava and the demon haunting her. The demon, however, might just be the ghost of an alien queen, Wrathia, seeking revenge on the one that destroyed her empire, a god-like figure named Titan. The story follows Ava as she makes her way across the universe, teaming up with Wrathia on a quest for revenge, while fighting her inner demons along the way.

My note: The art. *Chef's kiss*

180 Angel: Chloe Heavenwood wants nothing more than to become a delivery angel like her mother, but her world turns upside down when she asks a disagreeable reaper for help. Soon she is thrown into the affairs of Hell, where she makes an unlikely group of friends and begins to question everything she has learned about Heaven. To make matters worse, it seems she has won the attention of Hell's fiery Princess…

to be continued since you only get 10 links per post apparently?

[pinkiepiebones]

Sorry to be annoying but 👉👈 rain and aether being silly creatures together while copia experiences ghoul shenaningans (aether and rain are my favs and i love your interpetations of them so much 🥺)?

I just made a tiny animal noise unfitting an ancient old person such as me THANK YOU SO MUCH

--

In the days after a tour, the band ghouls disperse to revitalise their physical forms by connecting to their elemental tethers. It is not that touring and performing in concerts is in any way debilitating to the ghouls, but there was an intrinsic need in each one to drift away and find their element. The fire ghoul heads into the woods to make a nest, which it then curls up in and sets on fire. The air ghouls fly past the tallest spires of the church to dance in the clouds. The earth ghoul wanders into the garden and digs a deep, temporary grave for itself. The water ghouls sink to the bottom of the lake. The aether ghoul follows the celestial pull of the cosmos and flops down on it's stomach wherever it feels the stars the strongest.

Of course, there are always variations.

Copia, the current Papa, walked the halls of the church- HIS church- with his head high. He had bathed the night before in fresh virgin blood and washed his hair with that nice rosemary shampoo he liked, slept well and naked in his large bed with his dearest ghoul, and woke with the mind to do some good ol' prideful strutting. And strut he did, for a while, until he felt the twinge of age in his hips and stopped, leaning on his cane.

As he leaned, he heard splashing.

Copia frowned and followed the mysterious sound. It wasn't the blood-letting Sisters, they only worked Thursdays. And they did their work in the basement; this was the ground floor. Copia continued to frown and followed the sound.

He opened the door to the room that used to house Papa Emeritus the Second's indoor pool. Legend said that the pool had dried up the moment the horrible old man died. Legends are often wrong, as was the case here- the pool was full of water, geodes, crystals, and gems, and two ghouls were splashing about, but not only that. The ghouls would scurry up the walls to the ceiling, and from there drop into the pool, causing water to splash and slosh across the imported tiles, and they would sink, then open their wings and fly-swim to the surface, then repeat the process.

Copia carefully walked across the wet floor and tapped his cane on the edge of the pool. The ghouls looked up from the bottom, looking like a couple of feathery, drowned gargoyles.

/PAPA/ they both said- well, not so much 'said' as 'projected their telepathic speech directly into the mind of the human above them,' but 'said' is easier to type- and they scrambled out of the pool and stood before the upset Papa.

"What is going on in here," Papa growled, sounding less like he was the head of a Satanic Church speaking to two denizens of Hell and more like a father with weekend custody who was regretting letting his kids make their own dinner.

/WE ARE REFRESHING/ the bulky ghoul with the prong horns and star-shaped tail tip -Aether- said. The smaller ghoul with the long, spiral horns and fish-tail-shaped tail tip- a water ghoul called Rain by some- nodded. They both rustled their wet wings against their backs, sharing something between themselves, not broadcasting to the Papa.

"What is so funny?" the human demanded, rapping his cane on the floor again. The Aether ghoul spread it's talons.

/WE WERE DISCUSSING HOW BEST TO EXPLAIN THIS TO YOU, PAPA/

/YOU SOUND ANGRY WITH US, BUT YOU ARE A BENEVOLENT PAPA, AND YOU LISTEN TO YOUR GHOULS/ Rain added.

Aether continued, /WE THOUGHT THAT COMBINING ELEMENTAL RECHARGING CONCEPTS, SUCH AS MY YEARNING FOR THE MAGICAL PROPERTIES OF EARTH- LIKE THE GEMS- AND A WATER GHOUL'S NEED TO BE SUBMERGED WOULD, WELL.../

Papa raised a thick eyebrow. "Did... Did you just trail off? Inside my head?"

Rain and Aether looked down, solid black eyes fixed on their hooves.

Papa sighed. "Look, I really don't- I only understand so much about ghouls," he said gently, looking at the assortment of minerals and gems at the bottom of the pool, "but if your shenanigans, eh, if you are getting something out of doing this bullshit, I guess I can't be too upset."

The ghouls rustled their wet wings again and Papa once again tapped his cane for their attention.

"But you are ordered to dry every tile in this room and return the crystals where they belong when you are finished being splashy ghouls, capisce?"

The ghouls nodded and scurried up the walls.

Copia shook his head and left the pool room.

At least they weren't setting fires in the bathrooms.

~end~

[collegeishardbutwritingisharder]

Yandere Acromantula w/ child reader

A.N. Okay, so, I should mention that I am not a Harry Potter fan in the slightest but I do find the creatures fascinating. Thus I wanted to write some stuff with each creature. If any Harry Potter character does appear in the writing, they will most likely be ooc because I didn't read any of the books past the first one. Apologies if that upset someone. Also there will be some triggering things when reading this. If something related to the yandere genre, do yourself a favor and don't read. P.S. this is all platonic.

"Hello?"

I called out, hoping to find my parents again.

My parents and I were on a trip to Borneo and we decided to take a tour of one of the jungles there. Sadly, my parents continued along their way while I was admiring a beautiful flower. I was trying to find somebody from my travel group but instead, I was just getting more and more lost. The sun started going down and the forest was getting darker and darker. Tears started to fill the corners of my eyes for my imagination was making shapes and creatures that weren't real.

"Mommy! Daddy! Where are you?!" I shouted, running away from the gruesome creatures of the shadows.

A root was slightly above the ground and snagged my foot. I tripped and spun around on the ground. Like Sonic The Hedgehog's spin attack. I got plenty of different scrapes and bruises but the worse was the fact that my ankle got twisted. I tried to get back up but I couldn't put any pressure on my foot to get anywhere.

'Time to start crawling. It would be better than nothing at all.'

I used my elbows to dig into the ground to start inching forward. Plenty of rocks were digging into my skin but I had to ignore the pain to actually get far away from anything. Eventually, I made it to an area that was covered with spider webs everywhere. The webs were quite large and the silk was extra sticky. You could see the drops on each string. I was doing my best to avoid the webs but I'm not the most careful person in the world.

My arm got stuck in one of the webs and I couldn't get loose from it. I really didn't want to be eaten by a giant spider today. I was wriggling as much as I could but I ended up getting more and more entangled in the web.

"You poor little child. Got stuck inside of my web it seems. What is something as small and weak as you doing in this dark forest?" A silky, woman's voice came in my ears.

I felt myself freeze for a few seconds before and uncontrollable shake started to take over my entire body. My breathing became irregular and shaky. My vision was starting to become blurry with the tears that were starting to form in my eyes. I then felt a presence behind me which made me turn around slightly. That proved to be a horrible decision.

A giant spider was only about two feet away from me. I thought that spiders couldn't talk or if they could, then humans were just not able to understand them. She was covered in black hair and was making a clicking noise that reminded me of my father's snapping. She then brought one of her legs up to brush my hair out of my face slightly.

The tears that were originally staying put started to flow freely down my face. All that I wanted now is my mother.

"M-mommy..." I whispered to myself, thinking that if I said her name that she would magically appear and save me from this situation. With her in mind, I could feel phantom hugs and kisses from her.

"Mommy?" The spider repeated, confusion filling her being, not used to being called mommy.

The acromantula then started to observe her prey and notice certain features that she originally didn't pay much attention before. The little child's sparkling eyes were filled with fear and sorrow but also had a few hidden sparks of curiosity. Their hair was beautifully styled and was fuller than the hair that covered her and her family's bodies. All of the bright red scrapes and blue/purple bruises that were covering their nicely colored skin.

After a detailed scan, the acromantula decided to speak again and try to comfort the crying child.

"You are quite the stunning creature, little one. Especially for a human. Normally, I don't care much for appearances but you, my dear, would be quite a shame to lose. Now, it's time for us to go and meet all of your new siblings. But, let us make sure that you don't accidentally hurt yourself anymore. My birth name is Reina but you can call me Mommy."

Reina plucked me out of her web and then proceeded to wrap a silk cocoon around me at a fast pace. My fight or flight kicked in and I had panic filling my veins.

"N-no! Wait, please!" I shouted, trying to struggle to prevent the cocoon from being made.

"Now, now. No squirming. You don't have to worry anymore. I'll take great care of you. How about to build some trust, you tell me your name since I already told you mine." Reina said, successfully getting silk all around my arms and legs, which also ended all of my struggling.

"(Y-Y/N)." I choked out, my throat tightening from all of the crying and the fact that my fate was sealed with a silk ribbon.

"(Y/N). What a unique name. I quite like that name. Well, I hope that you enjoy your new home with all of your new siblings."

After making sure that I secure on her back, Reina quickly climbed up a tree, revealing how large the webs truly were. She was moving at such blinding speed that I needed to close my eyes for most of it. I reopened my eyes when I felt the wind stop flowing my hair. We made it to what seemed to be a giant web. I could see the ground and I did not appreciate how far it was from me.

Something else that I noticed was all of the giant orbs that were littered around the web. They seemed to be the size of a beach ball but I had a feeling that they were actually beach balls. Reina then removed my cocoon from her back and stuck me to the web. She cut most of the web away from my body except from my back to make sure that I wouldn't tumble down to the ground below. She then took my twisted ankle and started to wrap it. It was an excellently made cast. I just wish it was a human who made it.

"There we go. Now, I want you to stay off that leg of yours. You wouldn't want to go and make your ankle worse. I'm gonna go and make sure that all of your unborn siblings are doing just fine."

So, that's what all of the beach balls things are. They're her eggs. While she seemed to be distracted, I started to observe the web that I was stuck on. It seemed that the webs actually climb down the trees. If I could crawl over there, I can climb all of the way down to the ground.

I started to struggle to try and get off of my back but I quickly realized that was a bad idea. I don't know how to move around the web without falling to my doom. The web on my back was the only thing that was keeping me from falling to my death.

"All of my babies are nice and healthy. Now, it's time to ensure that you won't be eaten the first time that I leave you alone in the web," Reina explained, petting my head lightly with one of her legs, "And then we can have some well needed parent child time together."

Reina picked me up once again and started rushing through the trees. I saw plenty of other large spiders on the way. They didn't seem all that pleased with my presence. I started to shake slightly. Their glares mixed with the deep seeded loneliness of being lost were making near impossible to breath normally. I tried to take deep breaths to regulate my heartbeat. It only worked slightly.

"We're here." Reina said out of nowhere.

I looked behind my shoulder at another spider like Reina. Except he was a tad smaller then Reina. Reina took me off of her back before she started talking with the other spider. They started yelling at each other but I sort of tuned them out. I didn't need to know if I was going to be eaten or not by the male spider.

The male spider seemed to back down because Reina was getting really scary. He only nodded to her before going off on his own. Reina started to let out light clicks. They reminded me of the snapping that my dad would do to me when I was a baby to entertain me. Reina picked me up again and started to carry me back to her web. I was honestly getting really sick of being carried around like I'm some sort of doll for Reina. But I know better than to try and get out of this. Falling to my death isn't better.

We made it back and Reina stuck me on my back once again. She kept on clicking but she was adding more webs around my body. She stuck my hands and legs into a star fish position and I couldn't move at all. After she was pleased with what she done, Reina just laid down near me.

"There you go, all tucked in and safe. Now, let's bring your siblings over."

Reina then rolled all 100 eggs over to where I was stuck and next thing that I knew was that I was surrounded by all of the soft squishy eggs. Reina then crawled over the eggs carefully before lying down on top of me.

"There we go. Now, you won't freeze half way through the night."

Reina then closed her eyes and started click rhythmically. The clicks started to make me drift off to sleep as well. It was like some sort of lullaby.

I don't know how long I was out for. When I came to, Reina wasn't there but I was still surrounded by all of the eggs. The ones that were closest to me were actually tapping me which I found odd. It was like the baby spiders were trying to get close to me.

"Awwww, how adorable."

Reina' voice flooded my ears and freaked me out. I jolted my head towards her and saw her with an animal carcass.

"W-What's adorable?"

"That my babies are already growing close to you! I was worried that they were too far within their growing process to like someone other than their Mommy. But now my fears are fictional."

Reina placed the animal down before crawling over to me. My fear was renewed and I tried to struggle once again but the webs were still really strong. Reina laid down on me again and started clicking.

This became a sort of pattern for the next few weeks. I would wake up, my 'siblings' would be all around me, and Reina would come back with some sort of food for us. My ankle finally healed and Reina spent an entire week to teach me how to walk on the webs. It actually a lot of fun to crawl over each of the lines!

One day, when Reina was out and I finally worked up the courage to crawl down one of the trees, something started happening to the eggs. Cracks started to form all over the shells. Panic was starting to form in my stomach and made me kick my movements into high gear.

I was walking as quickly as I could around the web to reach one of the trunks but before I could reach it, I was tackled to the web by one of the newly hatched spiders.

"Sibling! Sibling! Sibling!" All of the new born spiders started chanting around me.

"H-he-hey! N-n-n-no. I'm not your sibling."

"Yes, you are! We recognize you!"

I kept trying to distract all of the young ones but eventually, I was being chased around the web in a weird version of tag. Thankfully, I ended up tiring a few of them out but in the end, I was the one who ended up losing all of their energy. The not tired spiders crawled on top of me once again while the more tired once crawled onto the dog pile.

I tried to squirm my way out from underneath all of the children but I couldn't move an inch. My vision started to fade. I guess that I was more tired than I originally guessed. I woke up to Reina's laughter. I felt her legs lightly stroking my head.

"This is such a welcoming scene to come back to. My babies hatched and to see them cuddling their older sibling. This is everything that I could have dreamed of when I took you in. The best part is that I can sense that you are not of wizard heritage. Which means that you can't use powers to get away from us, plus anybody who might try to look for you wouldn't know that we exist. What a perfect scenario."

My mind went blank at her words. Wizards are real. I shouldn't be too surprised considering I'm having a conversation with a spider right now. I heard a tiny yawn before a shout of "Mother!" was sounded.

All of the tiny spiders crawled off of me and started to crawl on Reina. I started to try and crawl backwards towards a tree trunk but Reina took notice of my movements and shot out of silk, sticking my leg to the web.

"Now, now, (Y/N). I know that you're as excited as I am but you must stay here for now. Now, my children, I'm hoping that your older siblings did a good job of entertaining and taking care of you while I was gone. Who's hungry though? I've got a lot of delicious food for all of us to feast upon." Reina spoke, successfully getting all of the young spiders crawling towards the food.

Reina watched over her children before turning her gaze towards me. I started shaking because now, I had no chance of escaping this web. Why couldn't the children have hatched tomorrow?!

"Come now, my child. We must feast as well."

Reina sliced through her web and held out her leg for me to grab. She was glaring at me, sort of taunting me to disobey her. I forced myself to grab her leg and I started walking to the food.

"That's my good child."