#it might make up for his lack of ability to fix what happened to he and his brother

[lunamond]

I actually love reading all the theories by the Acotar fans who noticed the weirdness of the switch-up in Tamlin's characterisation between Acotar and Acomaf and try to come up with canon reasons for it.

That said, I also think that a lot of the people looking for a genuine canon explanation are majorly overestimating SJM's writing ability.

The problem was never that Tamlin comes out from Utm a less than stellar partner for Feyre and that their relationship falls apart, trauma can do that. It's how it happens that is the issue.

As an example, in Acotar, Tamlin frequently surprises Feyre by how little he enforces rank in his court. He is frequently shown to hang out among his people as an equal. He even explains that he changed a lot of these things in his court after his father’s death, which resulted in a lot of his father's courtiers leaving because they didn't like his more hippie approach. All this happened not only prior to Feyre showing up in the SC but also which before Amarantha. Rhysand even mocks him for this, so we know this isn't just an act Tamlin put up to charm Feyre.

But then, in Acomaf, Tamlin is all about court life and upholding the traditions of his father. If this was meant to be a trauma response to Utm, it was very poorly written and thought out.

I don’t doubt that his experiences Utm might impact his ruling style and even turn him into a harsher ruler.

However, after how adamant he was about rejecting his father's legacy, no amount of trauma would suddenly cause him to decide "yeah no actually dad was right!". Especially knowing that his father was a slaver and bffs with Amarantha.

It's doubly infuriating, because suddenly Tamlin's lack of rank enforcement and staunch opposition towards the supremacy of High fae culture is suddenly given to Rhysand, who in Acomaf is all about being buddies with the IC and torn up about the discrimination present in the other courts. Despite literally having been the character mocked Tamlin for those very things in Acotar.

It's these kinds of inconsistencies that make the shift not work, and they are unfortunately not easily fixed with a convenient headcanon about how Tamlin was secretly an asshole all along or how he has a broken mating bond with Amarantha or whatever reason people can come up with.

In a lot of ways Rhysand's characterisation suffered as much as Tamlin.

Many on his good traits and justifications for his bad traits have to be tacked on in Acomaf, despite directly contradicting his prior characterisation. And even post Acomaf, they don't always make sense with what is shown on the page.

By retroactively justifing all his flaws and wrongdoings, SJM literally robbed Rhysand of any opportunity to go through a genuine character arc. If he was already doing everything right from the beginning then there is no room left for him to grow.

As much as I dislike his character and Feysand as a ship, it's actually a shame how much untapped potential there is.

[creachiergh]

guys, guys, guys. jax isn't an npc; he's a game dev/mod who got trapped in the circus.

i'm sure someone has already put forth this theory, but with the series still being in its early stages, it's hard to say exactly which direction it's going. while i don't think the npc theory is bad, i think it lacks a foundation and is more so the fandom's attempt to justify jax's moral greyness or give him depth where there currently isn't any. i just wanted to share some of my own thoughts about what his deal might be.

firstly, his design, which is honestly just my own speculation but bear with me. i know goose made some jokes about his clothes being farmer's overalls, but when i look at him, i almost get mechanic vibes? like if he wasn't such a prick, he'd be in charge of fixing any bugs that crop up during the adventures, which is pretty much what a moderator does.

speaking of which, he has keys to all the rooms, which is already pretty sketchy in itself, but it makes sense if you consider that he helped make the circus. naturally, he'd have them on hand in case he needed to access any areas of potential danger. to me, it's a bit like having cheat codes, which definitely gives him an upper hand above the other circus members. (but again, it's not like he's ever going to do his job.)

there's also the "figurine thing," which is probably either a throwaway joke or a thinly-veiled attempt at foreshadowing the npcs-- since their models resemble figurines-- but it's still worth noting. if we assume that the "figurine thing" is referring to the npcs-- which it probably isn't, but again, bear with me-- then it shows just how much jax knows about the circus. as far as i remember, none of the other characters have ever brought up the outside of the map, but obviously, if jax made the game, he's going to know its layouts and inner workings like the back of his hand. i won't go so far as to say he's all-knowing, but i'm sure he knows a lot more than he lets on, and i have a feeling we're going to see that in later episodes.

if he really can predict caine's adventures and whatnot, since he designed them, it explains why he's so unfazed by everything that happens at the circus, from zooble getting taken by the gloinks to running into the gloink queen. the only time he really seems to be surprised is when the game glitches-- when the one gloink started bugging out, when kaufmo abstracted, etc.

i think the mod theory explains jax's personality and motivations. when he first arrived at the circus, there might've been a time when he acted more responsibly, fixing all the bugs, trying to stop the abstractions, etc. he could've been caine's right-hand at keeping everything under control. but maybe he slowly gave up these responsibilities when he realized that people were going to get abstracted no matter what, as we can see from the crossed-off doors in the pilot. it's very possible that he became consumed by his mod privileges when he began acting more recklessly and faced zero repercussions for his actions. essentially, he's a step above everyone else in terms of knowledge, awareness, and grants of power-- probably just below caine on the power ladder, though pomni could also rival him as she comes to learn more about the circus. depending on how jax uses his abilities, he could either help everyone find the exit or slowly lead them towards abstraction, and given what goose has said about the future of the series, it's not looking very optimistic for anyone involved.

but what do i know? this theory could be completely nonsensical and riddled with plot holes. i just like to hyperanalyze jokes 🥲

[wishing-stones]

………. I wouldn’t be opposed to seeing your dreamtale headcanons 👀👀👀👀👀 I could literally ramble abt my own headcanons all day every day if it weren’t for the sheer amt of anxiety in my silly little head 😅

(i recommend clicking on the images to get a better read)

anyway a lot of thoughts about dream and dreamtale.

feat. one small dream thoughts

[whoopsyeahokay]

October Sun

summary: Xavier had been acting cagey for weeks, a fact you hadn't had the heart to address since Maddie's disappearance. but with his dubious return to school and how he loitered in the periphery of Nicole and Simon's orbit, you thought it was about time to get answers. too bad one pale, cow-eyed jock had other plans.

pairing: Wally Clark x fem!reader

warnings: eventual smutty smut smut. and mad spoilers. and obvious Canon divergence. very involved, very dense plot.

bon reading, frens

___________________________💀

OCTOBER SUN pt.5

You felt foolish, dressed like a Parisian cat burglar, but you hadn't exactly spent your night strategizing how to avoid Wally Clark come morning. Instead, you'd pored over several small, ratty books that outlined possible explanations for human-ghost attraction.

Not the kind of attraction that makes your heart beat love songs, but the kind that draws elements together. The scientific kind that had nothing to do with what the shape of Wally's mouth might feel like against various pulse points.

Thankfully, the universe seemed to be on your side. You'd managed to slip from one class to the next unnoticed, only seeing the shy boy with the glasses and the spacey girl who roosted atop the library return bins. No towering athlete with big hands and bedroom eyes.

Jesus, girl, get a grip, you chided yourself in a voice that eerily resembled Mathilda's.

Mathilda, who you'd managed to waylay that morning by dragging her into the girls' bathroom and holding her hostage until Xavier had texted you the OK. Mathilda who'd spent the time before and after History barking insults at people who'd thought it'd been a good idea to share their opinions of Xavier aloud.

What she lacked in height, she sure as hell made up for in loyalty and intimidation. Qualities you admired and wished you could emulate. If Mathilda had chaotic, ancestral ghost powers, she wouldn't let herself be pushed around by the idea of a ghost getting the better of her.

No. She'd probably browbeat the ghost into submission and get on with her day. No swarms or storms or ectoplasmic squalls; no mother eventually stepping in to fix her daughter's mistake, cursing I told you over and over again because, yeah, she had. Sadly, Mathilda didn't share your abilities and couldn't chase Wally away on your behalf.

Frustrated, you shoved the hood of your uncle's sweater over your head and yanked the drawstrings, encasing yourself in a void of soft fabric.

It sucked. You didn't want Wally chased away. You just wanted him never to figure out that you could see, hear, or wholly and completely interact with him...Which would result in him eventually giving up or losing interest and never seeking you out again, as he'd done in your sophomore year. And you wanted that even less.

When had 'don't tell anyone' become so complicated?

Naturally, you didn't want to get your mother involved. Were wholeheartedly determined to weather the storm alone. Had been doing a decent enough job of it until yesterday, despite some minor missteps here and there. But if Wally remained steadfast in his promise ("I'm not going anywhere until you admit it"), she'd find out—she always found out—and you'd never see him again. Poof. Gone. Disintegrated into the ether; his beautiful, summer-sun soul vanished from the earth as if he'd never existed.

You couldn't let that happen.

"How's the undercover operation?" Xavier's voice penetrated the dead air from somewhere above you.

You groaned in response, loosened your hood and pushed it off to stare up at him, likely making a pitiful picture with staticky hair and a pout.

He prompted you with a twitch of an eyebrow, you rolled your eyes; he grinned, you untucked your knees from your chest and opened yourself up to invite Xavier to sit with you on the library floor.

"Who are you hiding from, again?" He asked, making himself comfortable across from you between the shelves of autobiographies—the section furthest from the door.

You teased him with a delicate smile, "No questions, remember?"

"Normally, I'd respect the hell out of that, but I feel like I should be concerned." He regarded you carefully, eyes flitting between yours as if he could summon your secrets through them. "I don't have to kick the shit out of anyone, do I?"

"I love you, Zav, and, don't get me wrong, I appreciate the thought," You really did, "but, trust me, it's not that deep."

"Okay...and how many lunches do you plan to have in the back of the library?"

"As many as I need to." You replied vaguely. He bit his lip to stop a smile and nodded. "I'm good, Xavier, I swear. I just need some space right now." You weren't going to fabricate a lie for him. Anyone else, yeah, water off a duck's back, but Xavier? It toed a line you weren't comfortable crossing.

While not entirely placated by your statement, Xavier respected it, getting back to his feet and shouldering his backpack. As he was about to round the bookshelf and leave you to your business, he paused.

"You'd tell me, right?" He peered at you over his shoulder, "If things were bad...you'd tell me?"

Without hesitation, "Yes," you assured.

His expression relaxed, "Thanks."

Xavier didn't leave the library altogether, simply walked away to give you the space you'd said you needed.

For awhile, you occupied yourself with homework—notebook in your lap and Frankenstein open beside you—taking advantage of your free period to catch up on what you'd put aside last night. It would've been a good use of your time, except...your uncooperative brain kept ambling back to Wally. To his puppysoft brown eyes; his cocky, boyish grin. Then to how he'd glided his fingers up your spine and had made your blood surge.

Shit. God. No. Stop that!

Growling inwardly, you shifted to your knees, notebook sliding to the floor, and grabbed your backpack. Dragged it toward you so you could pack up and find another place to sequester yourself. A change of scenery might help prevent your brain from tap dancing into very bad no good territory.

The pen you'd been using had rolled away when you'd repositioned yourself, now sat at the end of the aisle. Standing, you went to retrieve it when you heard someone who sounded a lot like Nicole mutter an apology. Peeking around the bookshelf, you caught sight of her as she hurried out of the library, phone in hand.

What's that about?

Before you could apprehend it, you saw movement in the corner of your eye. Xavier reshelved the book he'd been flipping through and made a hasty exit, clearly intending to follow Nicole.

Well. Now you had to know. You swooped over to your backpack, double-checked that you hadn't forgetten anything, and strolled as fast as you dared after them.

Completely unaware that, beyond the school walls, the specter you'd cosplayed Sid Vicious to avoid was gleefully running amok.

💀___________________________

PART FOUR - PART SIX

also available on AO3!

MASTERLIST

[kikiyoomis]

it’s not hard for sakusa to voice out his thoughts and opinions. he sees no point in beating around the bush. while others might think voicing out their thoughts and opinions makes them unlikable, vulnerable or weak, sakusa never once worried about other people thought about him and what he said.

until now.

prided with his ability to remain consistent and put in effort with everything that he does, sakusa doesn’t know what to do when his usual routine slips right out from under his feet.

these past few weeks his serves were lacking, his receiving isn’t as solid and he kept missing spikes. not even punishing himself with a thousand reps was fixing it. he is at the peak of his career and he was watching in real time how everything was crumbling beneath him.

he’s panicking, especially when coach foster subbed him out the first set after his fourth miss of the game. normally sakusa doesn’t mind substitutions much but this was different. normally he was subbed off to rest when the game was going well. but that was usually towards the end of the game. this was the first set and he was not put on the starting lineup for the next four.

“it’s okay omi-kun! we all have our bad days!” bokuto tries to cheer him up after a close loss today.

“bokuto-san is right! after some rest you’re sure to be back on your game!” hinata joins in.

the locker room wasn’t as depressing as it usually is when the team loses. since it was only the preliminaries, the team can afford one loss. even atsumu didn’t seem to hold this loss too personally like he usually does.

“if omi-kun kept that up the entire game i might be more mad,” atsumu says offhandly to another member on the team, clearly without the intention of hurting sakusa but the words cuts deep. sakusa knows atsumu is like this whenever someone on the team is underperforming during the entire game. it was just that this was the first that sakusa was the victim.

“miya!” meian scolds atsumu, and all eyes are on sakusa. he doesn’t like the attention so he quickly packs his bag and leaves.

you’re there when he gets home. smiling and looking ever so beautiful wearing the replica of his jersey you bought years ago.

sakusa smiles back, but you can see that his smile didn’t reach his eyes.

“kiyoomi? what’s wrong? you don’t look so good,” you ask worriedly. this is the part where sakusa would tell you how frustrated he feels however the words are caught in his throat.

he didn’t care about what other people thought. he truly and whole heartedly does not care. but yours, he cares about immensely. more than anyone else’s. he wants to be the strong and dependable boyfriend you’ve always bragged to your friends and family about. but if he tells you, you’re going to think he’s weak and undeserving of your love. with everything going on lately, he suddenly feels scared.

he stands there silently, unmoving. the corners of his mouth turning downwards with every passing moment. his hair hides his eyes, but a singular tear rolls down his cheek before he can realize it.

“is everything okay?” you ask him, shocked because this is the first time sakusa has ever cried around you.

there’s a part of him that’s telling him no, to not tell you what’s on his mind because he’s afraid. but there’s another part of him that’s telling him to tell you because no matter what you’ll be there for him.

but sakusa undecidedly picks neither. he shakes his head ‘no’ but doesn’t tell you why. he can’t bring the words out of his mouth. hell he can’t even calm the turmoil in his mind to even string his thoughts into coherent sentences.

he feels your arms wrap around his neck, pulling him down into an embrace. with his face in the crook of your neck, the security that no one else but you can see him like this, he wraps his arms around your waist and lets his tears flow.

it’s quiet, silent tears at first. but slowly, his shoulders starts to shake as he’s left alone with his thoughts while you comforted him.

“i don’t know why this is happening. i took all the counter measures. i took breaks when i needed to. i practices hard. i never slacked off. i took care of my health. i’m following the doctors, physicians and dietitians’ recommendations and prescriptions. why is this happening? why, why, why? i can’t let this be the way my career ends,” sakusa rambles and you pat his head in comfort.

you didn’t always have the thing he needed to hear ready to say. this is one of those times. you’re flawed too. everything that you could have suggested to sakusa was something that he already tried. what could you say?

but you didn’t need to. the warm comforting embrace was all sakusa needed. this was something only you could give. his teammates wasn’t going to give him comfort like this (they were never going to be close enough to hug anyways) and his family wouldn’t understand his struggles as an athlete. but you did. with every day and night he spent with you, the more the two of you grew to understand each other.

“no one has a perfect career,” you finally say. sakusa hugs you a little tighter, still a little apprehensive about what you might say next.

“but we’ll get through it. maybe it’s not what you’re doing wrong but how? maybe instead of the same consistent routine, you change it up a bit. change the order, give your body something new to work with?” you suggest.

with tear stained cheeks sakusa looks a little stunned at what you said. but he wipes his tears and nods.

sakusa tells other people what he’s thinking without remorse or second thoughts. but with you, sometimes he gets second thoughts because he doesn’t want you to have an ill opinion of him. but it’s okay. he doesn’t need to tell you everything when you can wordlessly read what’s on his mind anyways. and he can always count you being there for him, at his best and at his worst, even if at the moment he doesn’t know. because you’ll always let him know that you will be.

[fantastic-nonsense]

im soso curious, i need to know... why is tim a child of apollo? bless u for not going with fanon<3

[referencing how I decided who the Batfam's godly parents were in my PJO AU WIP]

People like to sort him into Athena because DC has spent the last few years emphasizing how smart he is and how he's better at the more “cerebral” and detective aspects of the job. But Tim’s most prominent pre-reboot traits are not actually his detective or tech skills: they’re his reckless, impulsive bravery, his ability to analyze and think very quickly on his feet in dangerous situations, and his "power of friendship" idealism.

He's a people person; it's one of his greatest strengths. Tim is like...physically incapable of going somewhere and not making at least one friend while he's there. Hell, when he ran off to travel the world on his "fuck you, I'll find Bruce on my own" trip he still managed to pick up his own little crew of assassin friends along the way. Making connections and talking to people and relying on others for help is how he successfully navigates being a hero, as he himself notes on multiple occasions:

"Did you think I was going to run all around the city, desperately trying to save everyone all by myself? I'm not Batman. I have friends." -Red Robin #12

Tim loves his family and friends, and losing so many people he's close to within such a small timespan sends him off the deep end in multiple ways (trying to clone Kon, fighting Dick to get the Lazarus water, isolating himself from everyone, fighting with Dick and running off to find proof that Bruce was alive on his own, etc).

At his core, Tim is an idealist who becomes a hero for no other reason than a) a broken man needs help and a broken family needs mending and b) if Dick won't go back to being Robin he might as well do it, because someone has to be Robin. He sees what will happen if Bruce stays on the path he's on and says "no. I'm not going to let that happen." He's a hero because someone has to help, and he's able and available to do so. He doesn't work on cold hard logic and facts. He works off of gut instinct and then uses his big brain to go find facts and logical conclusions that support those instincts.

Tim was never going to be an Athena child.

So I started thinking. At first, I wanted him to be a Hermes child; it seemed right to frame his parentage around being the child of the messenger of the gods given how he became Robin. But that's not really him, either. Apollo, within the scope of both classical mythology and the PJO-verse's depiction of him and his children, fits him better.

While modern culture tends to zero in a lot on Apollo's status as the god of music, poetry, and the arts (for good reason), Apollo in classical Greek mythology was first and foremost known as the god who (for lack of a better term) helps his people. He's the god of the sun, of light, of medicine and healing, of prophecy, of truth.

Tim comes into Bruce's life at a time when Bruce is at his absolute lowest point. Jason is dead. He's estranged from Dick. He's failing in his mission to save Gotham. He's highkey passively suicidal. And Tim takes it upon himself to fix that. And he does it by being a solid, bright, stable presence in Bruce's life and an extremely blunt, truthful messenger of the future he sees: Batman needs a Robin, and if Bruce doesn't have one he's going to die.

And I didn't abandon his intelligence in the calculations: Apollo is also the god of rational thinking, order, and knowledge, contrasting and working in harmony with Dionysus (the god of irrationality, chaos, and passion). He was also known to be the god whose job it was to interpret the will of Zeus to humankind, which I thought was appropriate for a boy who spends quite a lot of his time being the living communication translator between Bruce and everyone around him.

So. Apollo child.

............also I thought it was funny to make the god of youth the father of the boy DC refuses to allow to age.

[analviel]

I see a lot of examination and discussion of how Shen Jiu had the setting/backstory of a protagonist, could've been a protagonist if not for a twist of fate, and in a way his shape is still a protagonist when SY literally piloted his body- but not. (I think we all get hung up a lot bcs he didn't become protag like he deserves but he also didn't become a full on villain, who's still a protag of his own story, but just a scum villain because of the misunderstanding, somewhere along the way something happened and held him back in that in-between place, unable to tip over completely one way or another.)

It's often brought up that he's undergone his own blackening into a scum villain and I think about that a lot, but you know, his settings never actually trailed off too far from the protagonist setting, with the 'from the lowest to the highest' template- idk if that makes sense, but anyways, I of course have read more than my fair share of fix-its, but often, if not always, it's a time travel scenario.

But WHAT IF:

But what if Shen Jiu, rather than swallowing the shards of Xuan Su, uses it to cut himself free of the immortal binding ropes or whatever is stopping his qi. Which is not LBH's parasite blood I don't think they have that ability but whatever. I mean, you'd ask how would he, without arms and legs, escape? A nifty thing we're all familiar with called author's will.

A time when LBH is away to deal with one thing or another, and SJ, after years of lifeless staring, and even more lifeless staring in the aftermath of YQY's death, moves. The thing about not attempting to escape for a long, long time, is that people lower their guards and grows complacent, and it's not as if there's anyone checking up on him to see if he's eating meals or whatever, LBH is more than happy to get suggestions from his wives for torture ideas but was very controlling of who gets to inflict it (Xuan Su was just left there and he did manage to swallow it). So Shen Jiu, with only Xuan Su's blade and it's inherent property as a spirit sword, not even an active one which means on one hand there's no active qi in it but the latent one from its materials, and on the other hand it's not bound to anyone and was more malleable, whatever. ANYWAYS. Skip.

Shen Jiu knowing of one thing or another, or several things that's a combination of common healing theory, rarer healing practices, less than righteous surgery techniques, equals bastardized body repair and ends with him frankensteining himself with some shaky qi threads. The needle is a piece of Xuan Su. He doesn't blink bcs his pain receptors are no more.

Scenario A.) I want SJ to play the 'mysterious wandering protag with a mysterious dark past and a mission for vengeance', only wanting to kill LBH before planning to retire from existance himself and he goes with his cool and angsty scarred body that he'd DIY'ed. The blood parasites are solved by something ruthlessly self-destructive only someone with SJ's coldness and lack of actual desire to continue breathing would do without even some initial testing. This would be done quick and dirty to keep LBH from teacking him. OR/AND

Scenario B.) I say or-slash-and because the scenario A could be cut off or maybe they could be combined. The handy dandy sun and moon dew!!! Plant it, grow it, kill himself, and recover his full potential all those years ago! Of course this would take quite a while, so he might need scenario A anyways. And conveniently enough, it puts him in the path of....... dun dun dun ZUZHI-LANG!!! And TLJ by proxy. Allies get! Maybe! Because TLJ wants to kill the sects, right? But his son did it here for him, so maybe he wouldn't bother anymore. Or maybe it's not enough bcs he hadn't killed all of everyone, so let daddy fix that right up. Or/and, LBH feels threatened and threatens in proper blackened protg manner and TLJ threatens back and flat out stomps him.

So. Maybe!

To expand on the rest of the Jianghu, the other 4 Peak Lords we know are alive, SQH, QQQ, WQW, and MQF. Bcs we don't have definite details on the timeline of PIDW, we can conveniently fill in space, put a lot of cause and effect, the cultivator world is in an uproar by the reveal that LBH is a demon (it's not as if they were okay with that, duh, if they'd known he was a demon, SJ's actions would've been treated as the only logical thing to do) and YQY is dead, AND SQH is a traitor, so that's down two - or rather three with SQQ- influential people, two of which were heavily involved in how everything is run (SQQ, while not actually lazy in his cultivation, was indeed lazy and unmotivated in most tasks that involved coordinating with others).

I really don't think SJ would feel even a little bit betrayed by SQH. To be betrayed you have to trust first, and his whole thing was that he never trusted anyone from CQMS. For SJ, SQH didn't betray them so much as his loyalty just belonged to another. Still would kill the rat next time he sees him tho (spoiler alert, he doesn't, kill him that is, but he does see him eventually).

So, I'm of the belief that Airplane's drafts included the Peak Lords as big boss too, where TLJ is the big boss of the demonic realm, they're the ones for the cultivation world, and my headcanon is that they were purposely met with sudden deaths one way or another in PIDW, and none actually died in a straight up fight, which is on brand with LQG's deviation, SQQ's trial, and YQY's thousand arrows (that I say are one of those bullshit golden finger artifacts of PIDW, maybe something like 'heavenly damned arrows of a thousand rays' that always flies true to it's target and could seal rare level pokemon rip-offs beasts for every single one. No reason that they would be normal p arrows, really). SQH might have fought or just been completely taken off guard by his lord killing him out of the blue with no chance to wriggle out. But Like QQQ was backstabbed. WQW was poisoned. MQF sacrificed himself for a beloved disciple (and that's why WQW died because he set out to find his martial brother but didn't know he'd already died. Awww).

(connected to another headcanon, the other five unnamed Peak Lords died long ago in the first battle against TLJ when he was sealed)

These people were meant to be a team. Or at least a set.

So SJ goes on an epic quest of getting power to kill his Qi-ge's killer via sun and moon dew possibly while he gets his tactician brain creating up something to kill LBH (OP characters are not killed in straight up fights, as we've learned, they're tricked or betrayed) and accidentally finding and gathering his siblings who, at that point, happen to have become guardians of havens and refuge communities in pockets of the world that holds the remnants of cultivator and human realm, where the demonic forces have spread far and wide in every realm. It's initially written to later, eventually be conquered by LBH. For example there's a hidden cave passage that leads you to Mu Qingfang's hidey hole, a pocket dimension with much rural fantasy aesthetic, housing parients and normal mortals with farms and houses woven to giant trees. Wei Qingwei is found underground creating weapons and defenses day in and day out to source to QQQ and MQF. Qi Qingqi with her armies always on the move, squads spread out in the realms, resisting against the demonic forces, helping Mu Qingfang rescue stragglers, from her old fairycore ensemble shifting to dragoncore, rarely resting with her inedia in the hollow of a mountain.

(xianxia aesthetic, whimsical aesthetic, aesthetic aesthetic aesthetic!!!!!!!!).

They..... Well. It's an awkward reunion.

SJ was shocked to meet the first lord sibling he'd seen since his imprisonment, shown only by a slight widened eyes, but emotions quickly gone. His first words is, "Do you wnat to kill the beast?"

He didn't care about the answer, if they said yes, then alright, if they said no, then he'd just walk away.

They say yes. Every one.

So, the rest really depends on how you interpret his relationship with them before the trial.

A). Was it a case of it's exactly what it looked like and they oh so very righteously hated him and he hated them back, a bunch of misunderstandings and not-so misunderstandings building up?

B). Did they have mutual respect and mutual awareness that everyone in the room they hold their PL meetings in were assholes of different flavors? Did they expect Shen Jiu to save himself in the trials, was dissapointed when he didn't but since he didn't give any indication of wanting to be saved, shrugged their shoulders and left him to his life, as they have always poked and snided at each other but always kept away from actually interfering with their lives (no matter how evil they thought the others were, because they may be evil, but they were still siblings and that just meant they had evil martial siblings. Love morally dubious group of PL but still ride and die)?

C). Or maybe they actually had a good relationship consisting of a lot of sharp teasing and reckless verbal and physical lashing and tantrums that you can really only get away with to your siblings, but was twisted by outside perpective?

And, on the way, maybe he learns to form relationships properly, with people that he loved nothing like the all-consuming soul twisting and mutually hurtful and destructive way he dedicated everything to Yue Qingyuan (from his loyalty to his shrivelled love and every hurtful words).

Just. Friends. Family. Siblings.

Imagine SJ eventually wandering off, with a burnt down Peak that would never again beholden him to promises, broken and otherwise. Grieving, yes, but somehow at peace than he'd ever been in. A very long time?

Ming Fan, who'd perhaps been in Qi Qingqi's Fairy Haven (of course that's the name, we've got a theme people) that was the group that consisted of people that bayed for the Emperor's blood or just the more active cultivators (with GYX mayhaps), a loyal disciple reunited with his Shizun. Or mayne he'd been the one to have found SJ as a human stick and helped him get spare body parts.

I imagine in this world, once Luo Binghe is... out of the picture, one way or another, busy dying or busy having an appropriately dramatic amnesia arc for him to develop character development, NYY takes over as the Empress, with her court of demoness and humans, and Harems becomes synonymous to Council. LMY her right hand helping keep everyone in line, who are also partially managed by SHL, who weighted her options and pros and cons and found establishing her position as left hand pretty good for now. The rest can come later. Imagine NYY growing up, not in brute strength bcs that wasn't how she was taught, nor is it her strength, but perhaps in a way that SJ would idly wonder if perhaps he should've endorsed her to Qiong Ding. Not all harem members stay of course, and some had to die. Ning YingYing becomes the First Empress of the age of peace in the unified two realms and first order of business is secure her influence. Second is ban slaves. Third is to encourage a tentative cooperation between humans and demons.

(Additional note: LBH having a protagonist halo doesn't make him unkillable, the death just has to meet several requirements, like being suitably glorious and impactful, and also maybe tragic- ehem killed by his own father or shizun, and seeing his washerwoman mother at his last moments. The protagonist is just another tool to set up the story and evidently, genre change is not impossible.)

(I imagine a confrontation between SJ and LMY early on that goes along the lines of SJ saying, "Wouldn't you know better than most, the thirst for vengeance for a brother's death?)

What if SJ's fix-it comes after PIDW, you know. PIDW being his tragic backstory. A slave who climbed so high despite the past clinging heavy on his shoulders, and then falling down lower than he'd ever been and resolving his issues and then climbing back even higher with more stable footing.

Qiu Haitang, Yue Qingyuan, Liu Qingge, their Five Unnamed Martial Siblings, Luo Binghe- regrets, and triumphs, all part of his story to mull over whenever he reaches the top of random hills and sets out his tea set. It's a bittersweet plot I like thinking about.

[lorablackmane]

It's time for ghosts y'all!! I wanted to make this post once I finished a chapter or 2 of my AU's fic, but I've talked about these lil fuckers so much w/ Teal in the past month I figured it might be best to make a post b4 that so ppl aren't confused in the future.

The premise of this AU is after the night after the King is defeated, everyone is celebrating! ...Until odd things start to appear in the House. A giant bloodsplatter in the Death Corridor and a trail of blood leading from it to the King's room. A shattered shelf and knocked over pot missing it's contents in the kitchen. A frozen body near the storage room.

One by one, ghosts created from the breaking points of Siffrin's wish start to appear, and they're here to stay! For better... or for worse.

Below is how each ghost was made, their wishcraft's scent (I put too much thought into this info so I'm adding it), and a bit about them!

(Cw for the ghost's stories below: death, suicide, allergy attack)

The Stoned - Created in Act 1 - Smells like Copper and Sugar

(This one will get a proper ref later bc this doesn't fully capture him)

Despite their looks, The Stoned is the calmest out of all of them, even though their death was one of the most painful. It happened so quickly and also messed up enough that the Wishcraft couldn't fix most of their body after the boulder disappears... so he can't feel pain anymore. He can't really feel much honestly there's... there isn't many nerves to feel with anymore. The additional lack of bones is a detriment to their ability to move, making them have to crawl around and continuously shift so they won't lose their balance until they get items like crutches and a wheelchair to help.

The Stoned doesn't know the horrors of the House and so are innocent in a way even Bonnie isn't. They never even it made it to the second half of the first floor! So a lot of the things the others talk about fly over their head. The others don't leave them out of talks about the House though! ...Not that the Stoned... really speaks - but it's the thought that counts!! They have their buddy to speak for them, anyway.

Just like how Loop's Wishcraft made their body unique, each ghost has their own lil quirk due to the Wishcraft that powers their bodies. The Stoned has the oddest one: due to their lack of most their bones their body is almost completely powered by Wishcraft that is activated by the air he breathes in. Because of this, he can actually almost flatten himself by releasing all the air inside themself, and will stay that way until he breathes back in. He can't move like that, but it does sometimes come in handy - by releasing some instead of all the air they can make themself slightly more compact to get into tight places!

The Silent - Created in Act 2 - Smells like Saltwater Taffy

The Silent is a fearful one, they remember the pain the House offers but cannot feel it. They only truly remember up to Bonnie accidentally pushing them, however they know so much more. Each time Siffrin touched a tear he gave them the memories of that run, but to the Silent it was less like a memory and more like watching a play. Detached from themself... yet the fear is there. They aren't like Stone who only remembers his death, they know the blessing was a curse wrapped in a pretty bow and the thought that what they see is only a fragment of the loops Siffrin went through... it makes them retreat into themself, especially bc they see their existence as unneeded bc well... Siffrin already exists. They don't need another to bother them.

It's much easier to stay put, to let them become one with the House as the tears intended. They don't need to breathe, to eat, or anything really so it's quite easy for them to do so! For them to just... exist. Hiding in plain sight, like the books hidden on shelves of the House written in their mother tongue. So this is where they stay, until one day maybe people can hear them speak once more. They do occasionally move, mostly when they hear that the Housemaiden's need the area they're in, but only when they're certain no one is looking.

When it comes to fight, flight, or freeze they choose freeze every time... which isn't helped by the quirk of their body's Wishcraft. The Silent can freeze anything up to the size of a medium bowl if they hold it for long enough. The Unseen will sometimes use this to pull pranks on people who upset them, stealing their umbrellas and placing them in The Silent's hold. They find this very petty... but they don't like moving bc a Housemaiden might see them and it is funny so they don't stop the two from doing so.

The Unseen(Left) - Created in Act 3 - Smells like Candied Pineapples

The left one is similar in personality to the Stoned as when they were created Siffrin knews that something was wrong, but still had hope that things were okay. They are an odd one: they see their accidental death as nothing in the grand scheme of things considering how many deaths already happened before them. If anything, he sees his death as a vital piece of showing their love to their family oddly enough! His memory is spotty, but the answer to Bonnie's question is forever engraved upon their skin so none of them will ever forget (even if most cannot see them anymore except outta the corner of their eye). There is a great sorrow in them though, after meeting their counterpart and discovering that there was so much pain afterwards - that like them this fact is engraved into their counterpart... but they'll stay with them, and maybe... they can bring some joy back to the right.

They help keep their counterpart's pranks in check, as unlike the right left remembers how fragile people are and doesn't see them as actors or dolls. Most of the pranks they plan are leaving lil letters with terrible puns around the House. Like you go into the bathroom, there's a letter tied to the handle of the sink. You open it and it says something like, "water you doin, handsome?" Stupid stuff like that, that makes them feel like the funnyjokespunperson they were before everything. A way to reclaim what the loops took from them both.

The Lonely - Created in Act 3 - Smells of Sugar and Moldy Cloth

This ghost is the culmination of so, so many fragments Siffrin left in between those walls. For a long time they did not remember anything besides the motions to get to the King, yet they could never defeat him. They couldn't survive his major attack, no matter what they did. It feels like at one point he could though... wasn't there a way? It isn't until the ghost event that they remember what they lost and while it felt absolute euphoria in that moment, after that the loneliness became soul crushing. The hunger for someone, anyone to be with them hurt so much! ...It made them remember why they forgot their family the first time.

The Lonely's quirk unlike most of the others isn't seared on their skin. No, the Lonely's ability is actually only really useful for dealing with The Unseen - anytime one of the others is in danger or about to do something dangerous they sense it. The Vengeful is constantly ringing this mental alarm, but it can't do anything to help due to it constantly moving so they don't even try with them. The Unseen though, it is often seen dragging them by the ears before they do something like unleash a barrel full of marbles in a hallway.

The Vengeful - Created in Act 4 - Smells of Steel, Salt, and Sugar

It is the culmination of the King's cruelty and Siffrin's agony, a beast made of anger, pain, and sorrow in equal measures. It hates the King both bc Siffrin did and bc it sees him at fault for it's creation as it doesn't know of Wishcraft as it was created right on the line between 3 and 4. That is why it tore his right hand off and stole the gauntlet upon it - a punishment for the action that created it and a trophy for it to wear as proof that, even after such a horrid deed, he didn't win. It runs away from the House and it's former family because of this memory - it cannot confront the people it feels it failed even with the knowledge they survived, that it's sin wasn't permanent. In it's eyes it will always exist. It's eye will sometimes gleam with the same shade as the one that appeared when the world was breaking!

The Vengeful is the only ghost no one is completely sure the location of due to it throwing itself out of the first available window after completing it's mission. It mostly stays in forests or caverns where it can easily hide, only going near towns if someone reminds it of the King. Once it has dealt with said person however it views it needs to, mostly by scaring them, it returns to it's current hiding spot. The Vengeful is a lonely one, but it's not ready to be near people for long periods of time. It's afraid that due to how it was created it'll bring bad luck to those it spends too much time with - how couldn't it? It was created from a person trapped in the middle of an hourglass until they drowned in the golden sands and by a man who saw his will as absolute, who caused so much agony. One day, though, it'll realize that isn't true... but it'll be quite a while.

The Unseen(Right) - Created in Act 4 - Smells like Steel and Sugar

This one is the closest in personality to Loop. It mocks even though it has no voice, they play with the people around it to remind themself they're real. Without the left the right Unseen would be much more dangerous as it is so desensitized to death they have forgotten what is actually dangerous and so some of their mischief has to be tempered by the left one to avoid killing those around them. For a very long time they view others, besides left, as merely actors in a similar vein as Loop, only referring to others via titles if it needs to interact with anyone and left doesn't control the writing pen. As time passes this trait slowly disappears, as the days show more changes like rain upon the rooftops or snow in the gardens, things it long forgot.

Together with their counterpart The Unseen are the ones who were left behind through actions seen as small, but were greater than thought. The ones who cannot be seen without drastically changing the views of ones most loved by the person they once were. And so they stay hidden from sight by their own Wishcraft... but that is a lonely way to live they discovered. The two of them alone cannot satiate their need 4 company. And so they do little things that are easily noticed so they can be seen without breaking their rule: walking around with open, stolen umbrellas or pulling little pranks.

Most Housemaiden's don't talk to them, because they never get an answer they assume they don't like talking. This isn't the case though they cannot tell them that... neither can speak. The left's throat is closed up and the right's is... well u can probably guess why theirs wouldn't work even if they had a mouth to speak with. The Lonely though does speak to them often - it has a chalkboard in the room it lives in inside the House for them to write lil questions or answers on.

[olivialau]

Shadow's Embrace Ch. 11

Sukuna x Reader

Disclaimer:

This is a work of fanfiction based on the universe of "Jujutsu Kaisen," created by Gege Akutami. The original manga, anime, and characters belong to their respective owners and creators.

Notes:

This story unfolds in the Jujutsu Kaisen world, set in a slightly altered universe where Sukuna inhabits his own vessel distinct from Itadori Yuji's body, making him a separate entity.

Summary:

Ryomen Sukuna, the King of Curses, becomes fascinated with a female sorcerer rich in potential but lacking control. Initially seizing her for his destructive plans, Sukuna aims to bind her abilities through a contract. Yet, as he tries to dominate her, he finds himself intrigued by her strength and determination. Over time, his interest evolves from strategic advantage to a deeper, personal connection.

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CHAPTER 11- A Deal Sealed In Blood

Within a split second after the door burst open with a deafening crash, Sukuna had descended the stairs and bypassed Mahito. He now stood before you, gazing down at your wrecked body and the sea of red it was engulfed in.

The swiftness of his movements was beyond even Mahito's perception as a special-grade cursed spirit, leaving him stunned at the display. His wide eyes fixed on Sukuna's back.

The overbearing aura that the King of Curses emitted had stripped away Mahito's once playful bravado completely, reducing him to a trembling mess as he tried to gauge the situation.

Mahito was well aware that he had overstepped his bounds, but with Sukuna's focus diverted to you, he wondered if perhaps, just perhaps, he might evade the wrath he had so foolishly provoked.

The cursed spirit's eyes darted nervously between you and Sukuna, torn between the primal urge to flee and the morbid curiosity of witnessing what would happen next.

The tension was palpable, as you waited for someone to break the silence. You would have done so yourself if it wasn't for the gaping hole in stomach that left you slipping in and out of consciousness.

Finally Sukuna scratched his head and sighed, as he peered down. "Look at you," he said with a sneer, before crouching to get an even closer look.

He dragged his finger through the pool of blood that surrounded you, and carefully inspected it before he questioned, "Did you even put up a fight? Pathetic. What a pitiful display."

Though his piercing gaze remained fixed on you, unwavering. He addressed the petrified Mahito next.

"You sure got creative, special-grade. Did her screams amuse you?"

Mahito hesitated, unsure if Sukuna expected an actual answer. He clung to the faint hope that the King of Curses might spare him this time, so he remained silent, not wanting to provoke him further.

But as Sukuna shifted his feet, the weight of his menacing gaze moved away from you, landing on the cursed spirit.

"Something is off though," Sukuna continued with feigned ignorance, before his voice dropped to a dangerous growl,

"I distinctly recall warning you about touching what belongs to me."

Mahito could only mutter a faint "Huh?" as his entire body was suddenly slashed by deep, jagged cuts. Blood gushing from the wounds as he collapsed to the floor, gasping.

Sukuna approached him with deliberate, measured steps until he came to a stop right in front of the cursed spirit's face. Without warning, he delivered a vicious kick to Mahito's jaw, sending teeth flying across the room with a clatter that echoed throughout the basement.

Mahito spluttered and choked on the blood that filled his mouth, the sole of Sukuna's foot now pressing down on his head with merciless force.

A desperate plea escaped his lips. "S-Sukuna... I-I didn't mean to... It was just a bit of fun... I swear!"

A cruel smirk formed on Sukuna's lips as he flung a threathening stare at the trembling mess beneath him.

"Since you seem to enjoy playing around so much," he mused, nudging his foot into Mahito's cheek, "We'll do it this way,"

Sukuna's fierce red eyes locked onto Mahito's, as he mustered up another scheme to entertain himself. "If the girl dies," he said, his tone low serious, "I'll kill you."

"If she survives..." His gaze briefly flickered towards you, and inexplicably, your heart fluttered. "I'll spare you this once."

Mahito's protests rang out, panic lacing his voice, as he threw a small tantum. "That's not fair! There's no way she'll survive!"

Sukuna's eyes narrowed. "Did I ask for your opinion?" he snarled, roughly shoving his foot into Mahito's mouth to shut him up.

He then disregarded the wheezing Mahito, as he slowly strode back over to you.

Everything felt hazy, and you were only half-grasping what was transpiring. But you could faintly hear Sukuna calling out. "Hey, brat..."

When you failed to respond to him, lost in the fog at the edge of oblivion, he lashed out, slapping you harshly across the face.

The impact registered, and brought you you back to your senses, but suprisingly, there was no sting. It seemed your body had numbed itself in preperation for the impending death that grew nearer with every second.

Sukuna looked down at the growing pool of blood on the ground, a calculating frown forming between his brows. "Tch, this wasn't exactly part of my plan," he muttered with a trace of annoyance in his voice. "But I suppose I can make use of the situation."

He then regarded you with an expression of cold indifference.

"You're dying," he stated flatly, as if commenting on the weather.

With a tremendous effort, you managed to muster a weak, raspy retort. "I know, asshole"

He crouched down beside you, grabbing your chin and forcing you to look up at him. "I'll give you one last chance woman," he said, his tone making it clear this was non-negotiable.

"Agree to the binding vow I proposed, and I'll save you."

Sukuna’s expression was cold and deadly serious. "If you refuse..." His eyes narrowed with a dangerous glint. "I'll watch you bleed out and find a replacement."

His lips curled into a small, sardonic smirk. "I'll admit, I've enjoyed this little game of breaking you," he mused, as his gaze swept over your body.

"It's rare to find a strong-willed human who doesn't cower before me immediately."

His expression darkened with apparent dissatisfaction. "But the game was starting to drag on... and my patience has its limits."

Every fiber of your being knew that he meant those words. In the end, whatever 'bond' you had formed with him thus far had only been a means to an end. To him you were just another insignificant, weak, and easily replaceable insect.

He was offering you a lifeline, yet you couldn't help but question the worth of clinging to it. Was it truly better to survive if that meant living essentially in chains, forced to obey Sukuna's orders? You doubted it. Death seemed peaceful compared to that torment.

The world spun as another wave of dizziness hit you, followed by the taste of iron as fresh blood trickled from your lips.

Sukuna noticed your faltering body and abruptly interrupted your train of thought. "You don't have much time left," he spat, his words a harsh reminder of your dire circumstances. "So decide."

The balance of your life seemed to teeter on an edge, as you considered your options.

Reflecting on the past weeks, you recalled the near-death experiences you had endured. None had come as close as this, yet all had left you trembling, scared, and desperate.

But now, on the very verge of death, an unexpected calm washed over you, almost surreal like a fleeting dream. The prospect of enduring Sukuna's schemes and abuse any longer, held very little appeal.

So with a resigned sigh, you let your battered body go limp, muttering softly, "It's fine, whatever. Just let me have my final moments in peace."

Sukuna's expression flickered with surprise at your unexpected surrender, but he quickly masked it with his familiar indifference. "Have it your way, then," he said coolly, rising to his feet and turning away, his footsteps echoing in the silence of the room.

Just as he was about to reach the spot where Mahito lay sprawled out, still watching the exchange in silent terror, Sukuna stopped and glanced back, regarding you with a contemptuous gaze.

"So, your grand talk about avenging your friend was nothing more than hollow words, was it?" he scoffed, his lips curling into a sneer. "Humans truly lack tenacity."

At the mention of Ayumi, your heart seemed to drop and the haze in your eyes cleared slightly. Sukuna's words had awakened something within you - a sense of justice? A desire for retribution? An uncontainable rage? You didn't know which of these it was, perhaps a mix of all.

But the specifics didn't matter, because the fact was, it had roused you, made you waver in your resignation.

Suddenly, the thought of dying no longer felt so tempting. You cursed Sukuna for it, for shattering the fragile peace you had found in giving up.

And before you knew it, you found yourself calling out, "...Wait!"

Sukuna paused, turning to face you with a subtle hint of amusement in his crimson eyes. He seemed pleased by your sudden change of heart.

"The vow," you pressed, your voice steadier than expected. "Your end of the deal is to save me. To train me, so I become strong. Right?"

Sukuna stroked his chin thoughtfully as he stepped closer to you. "Hm... I was thinking of dropping that second condition," he pondered aloud, before letting out an irritated sigh. "It seems bothersome."

His gaze narrowed as he studied you, a spark of intrigue flickering across his features. "But I suppose," he continued, a slow, predatory smile spreading across his face, "if you insist, perhaps I could be persuaded."

Without hesitation, you met Sukuna's gaze as you declared, "I insist." A steely determination burned inside as you continued, "I need to know that I'll be strong enough to avenge Ayumi. Only then will I agree to your terms."

You spoke the words with steady conviction, but you had no intention of endlessly obeying Sukuna's orders and decieving or slaughtering for his sake

If you were to break the binding vow and defy him, the worst that could happen was death - a fate you had already resigned yourself to.

In the society of jujutsu sorcerers, a vow was a sacred bond, binding two individuals through cursed energy. Breaking such a contract held dire consequences. But if you were going to die anyway, you might as well stall, perhaps long enough to get your revenge, to grow stronger.

When the right time came, you could always choose to break the vow and face the consequences.

Sukuna inched closer, his laughter rumbling deeply as it echoed throughout the basement. "Ahahaha, intriguing,"

He stopped at your feet and leaned in, his breath hot against your cheek as he spoke. "Alright, brat. I'll do it. I'll make you into a weapon. But remember," he growled, his tone dropping to one with absolute authority,

"I'll be the one wielding that weapon."

You gritted your teeth at Sukuna's words. This was a deal with the devil, and you knew it.

So, determined to act before second thoughts could take hold, you summoned the last of your dwindling energy and extended your hand, urging Sukuna to shake it and seal the pact.

Sukuna loomed over you, exuding an aura of overwhelming dominance as he repeated the conditions of the contract one final time.

"From this moment on, you will obey my every command without question. In exchange, I shall save the pathetic mess that you are and mold you into something stronger."

You nodded your head slightly, gesturing towards your outstretched hand as a silent agreement. A large, smirk spread across Sukuna's face as he reached out and grasped your hand with his own.

The moment your skin made contact, a strange, electric sensation washed over you - a testament to the strength of the binding vow you had just forged. 

And when Sukuna's hand released yours, you felt a lingering sensation, as if his touch had seared itself into your skin. Instinctively, you pulled your hand away.

Apart from that, you didn't feel any different at all. Perhaps you had expected something more dramatic, more flashy, in exchange for surrendering your freedom forever.

But you quickly let the thought go and returned to a more pressing matter- The gaping hole in your stomach that remained unaddressed.

"Your part of the deal is to save me," you demanded, your voice laced with a mixture of urgency and scorn. "I don't know how you're going to do it, but get on with it."

Sukuna shrugged dismissively, with a nonchalant demeanor. "Such impatience, brat," he chided.

Without further delay, he moved himself closer, hovering his hand above the deep wound in your stomach. A gentle light glowed from his palm, and an immense surge of cursed energy began to flow. You watched in awe as the wound started to close, the flesh knitting together before your eyes.

"Reverse Cursed Technique," Sukuna explained with a cocky edge to his voice, savoring the chance to flaunt his power.

"It converts negative cursed energy into positive energy, allowing for the regeneration of flesh, bone, blood, and organs." He paused, a dark smirk curling his lips. "A technical process that consumes a massive amount of cursed energy. But for me, it's child's play."

You couldn't help but scoff at Sukuna's shameless boasting, though a wave of relief washed over you as you felt your body slowly returning to health. Gradually, your vision cleared, and sensation crept back into your limbs.

To your surprise, Sukuna didn't stop with your stomach; he moved on to your dislocated shoulder and finally your crumpled ankle, mending each injury with meticulous precision.

Once finished, he straightened up, and both yours and Sukuna's gaze drifted to the middle of the room where a trembling, feeble voice broke the silence. "Uhm so... does that mean I... can go?"

Mahito had been observing the entire ordeal in uneasy silence. You had nearly forgotten about his presence at all. Now, as he lay sprawled on the floor, bloodied and beaten, his previously overwhelming aura of evil seemed far less intimidating than when he had nearly taken your life moments before.

Sukuna's gaze narrowed as he fixed the cursed spirit with a piercing stare. "Listen closely, you pathetic excuse for a curse,"

At times it seemed as if Sukuna could manipulate the very atmosphere, as the air seemed to grow heavy and oppressive when he spoke those words.

"If you ever dare to overstep your bounds again, I'll crush you without a second thought."

Then he paused for a moment, before he made a final cold warning. "And do not mistake this for mercy, you only live because your foolish mistake turned out to be suprisingly beneficial to me."

Mahito nodded vigorously, then wasted no time as he pulled his body along. It was obvious that his injuries had taken a significant toll, yet his determination to get far away from here, as soon as possible, allowed him to push through the agony and drag himself up the stairs.

As the door clicked shut, a chill ran down your spine at the realization that you were now completely alone with Sukuna, and more at his mercy than ever before.

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[mixelation]

If async Tori is playing fix-it, does she have any anxiety about the lack of Naruto? Does she feel obligated to solve the problems he was supposed to solve, like making Gaara into a real boy?

oh man. nah, tori is a largely selfish person, and she does not actually care that much about what is "supposed" to happen, beyond not wanting the world to end. she might have a fleeting moment of feeling bad if she kills off* or screws over a canon character, but she's not going to get worked up about people she hasn't actually met, and she's not going to feel about about characters not being born beyond maybe "this would be easier if someone else was doin this FOR me." she is not actually a very good fix-it fic protag. her list of things to fix starts and ends with "what do i need to do to protect myself and minato (who i have developed a semi-codependent bond to and i will lose my mind if i lose)." this does mean obito gets saved because she can't kill him without upsetting minato and possibly herself. zetsu has to go for obvious reasons. kushina is on her list of people no one is allowed to fuck with for "do NOT make the ten tails" reasons. helping gaara can happen if she suspects rasa has been replaced by orochimaru in a skin suit, just to nerf suna's ability to sic an unstable murderchild on them. she is NOT super worried about the lack of naruto's talk-no-jutsu because she wants to live more than she cares about gaara living

i am thinking she might do a few things to help akatsuki members out of sentimentality? like she'd probably not want to uchiha massacre to happen, and also probably want danzo out of the way because he's annoying. i was thinking she might just decide to go kill hanzo (pending me figuring out if this timeline makes sense) just to give her a feat, but her motivation would be one part sentimentality and one part "i don't care if konan and nagato want to make a missing-nin union, but if they end up super powerful again i would like them to like me." also imagine how unhinged this AU could be if tori was like "okay, i've decided to be ride-or-die for you, minato. you must go located an old man in a cave near kannabi bridge. while you're doing that i guess i will kill hanzo." and minato is like, "you will-- you will what"

i do think minato might actually want kids, and THAT might give her anxiety for a bunch of complicated reasons. tori doesn't really mind the idea of a kid running around but giving birth sounds horrific and then she'd have to deal with a baby? plus what if minato's genetics mean she makes a weird naruto??? his hair would look SO BAD on her face T_T

*btw in case anyone thought sasuke was the only canon character i would kill off in plasticity. this is wrong :)

[valdangelodreams]

AU #16 (The Valley)

brains are incredible things, really, mine makes the funkiest connections.

anyway, Stardew Valley au, but not really

-no Ogygia, ie: Leo doesn't meet Calypso

-instead, Leo falls into this odd, definitely in a different plane of existance, little town

-he's found by 'the farmer' (would that count as self insert? it wasn't me in the dream)

-the farmer lets him stay in exchange for help with farm chores

-Leo gets to meet the townies, only he's like, hyperaware that he doesn't belong here, and that this place is fake

-so he notices the weirder things, like the gift related stuff, and the repeated dialogues

-though he does find about the wizard, and while he knows talking to them won't help, he might find something in their house that will

-so he had to do a whole thing abt befriending the wizard as quick as possible, while still looking for other ways to get out

-all this while normal plot stuff happens back in the ship

-then, during one of the nights he spends there, he manages to dream walk into one of the 7's dreams, but can't get their attention

-he figures out how he did it and tries again and again, until eventually he reaches Nico, who was his last resort

-Nico obvs responds, cause I think he had the dream walking ability in the books (if not, he has it for this au)

-the two discuss Leo's situation, and how to get him out of there so he can go back to saving the world

-during these exchanges Leo finds out the valley is in a time bubble (days last minutes, weeks hours, months days) , and he can make time go faster by going to sleep, because every time he wakes up the next day.

-also, he starts growing comfortable with Nico, taking turns in each of their mindscapes, and slowly becoming close

-I have no idea how he gets out of there, but he does eventually

-when he returns, Nico seeks him out while he's fixing stuff, and it's a little awkward but they manage to start talking

-Leo invites Nico to hang out with him instead of in the crow's nest, since Leo barely sees the others unless he seeks them out

-they become friends first, but both start seeing the other differently, and realizing that they like what they see

-I don't know how fate would correct the lack of the promise, but I'm sure y'all can figure it out

-also, I didn't get to see the resolution, but I like to think they get together after Gaia's defeated

that's all

[undeadgayboynes]

Jeffrey Combs characters datability tier list

With explanations; A to D, left to right

-Anton Mordrid

Pros: Literally the perfect man. Intelligent, honest, respects you, owns a bird. Communicative.

Cons: A landlord

-The guy from Cyclone (I don't care)

Pros: Very smart, respects your intelligence, will participate in your hobbies even if they don't align with his interests. Charismatic and flirty

Cons: Might die and leave you with the task of protecting a super weapon from the shadow government

-Crawford Tillingast

Pros: Earnest, hardworking, very sweet, intelligent. Will probably remember your birthday. Wears oversized sweaters you can steal

Cons: A pushover, really bad luck, probably not fully emotionally ready for a relationship

-Chaz

Pros: A dork and seemingly a wimp, but will actually surprisingly brave when necessary. Well dressed. Objectively very cute

Cons: Is named Chaz. Complains a good bit, kinda snippy. Infectious anxiety

-Andrew Paris

Pros: Fine as fuck yet highkey a dork, will tell you interesting facts about things. Does his best to be a gentleman

Cons: Kind of incompetent, impulsive. Won't set up boundaries with people trying to hit on him. Seems experienced, but I don't think he's ever touched a boob.

-Dr. Haggis

Pros: Strong morals and will do what he can to uphold them, able to keep a level head in difficult situations. Takes care of those around him. Respects you and takes what you say into serious consideration.

Cons: Lack of confidence, won't say what he means. Alcoholic and smoker with no sign of wanting to change, used as coping mechanism. Pessimistic

-John Riley

Pros: Puts on a brave face, optimistic, hard worker. Loves his family very deeply. Genuinely trying to fix his issues. Will make the right decision when push comes to shove.

Cons: Alcoholic in a way that endangers those around him. Wants conflict to resolve on its own, uncommunicative, will lie to you. When he slips, he slips hard. Has potential to be unfaithful

-Dinosaur Bob

Pros: Fun and carefree, will take you on the ride of your life. Cool mustache. Sees you as an equal

Cons: A bit TOO carefree, irresponsible and impulsive. Does a LOT of drugs and will probably try to get you to do them. Sociopathic and violent tendencies. No morals.

-Francisco

Pros: Confident. Will accept when he is genuinely wrong. Impartial party, focused on facts.

Cons: Literally no opinions of his own, will let awful things happen because an authority says it's fine. That haircut and those glasses. Extremely desensitized to violence. "Facts over feelings" motherfucker

-Shepard Lambrick

Pros: Sugar daddy, will buy you a lot of nice things and you'll definitely get in the will. Cool mustache. Doesn't let people disrespect you.

Cons: Sociopathic and violent tendencies, enjoys other's suffering. Manipulative. One percenter and proud of it. Pushes boundaries.

-Herbert West

Pros: Intelligent, passionate. Will give you gifts. Includes you in his hobbies. Does the 🥺 face

Cons: Will not listen to you nor respect your boundaries. Grand gestures instead of communication, love-bombing. Extremely jealous. Manipulative. Sociopathic and violent tendencies. Condescending, thinks he's better than everyone else, no respect for anything or anyone. Impulsive. Does the 🥺 face

-Milton Dammers

Pros: Passionate and hard working. Speaks his mind.

Cons: Will not listen to you, no ability to compromise. Probably smells bad, greasy hair. Aware of his faults and has no want to change. Obsessive. Probably into some weird shit

-John

Pros: Ridiculously hot, will rock your world. Will break rules with you, in a hot way. Makes you feel appreciated

Cons: Will suicide bait you, ridiculously manipulative. Will ghost you. Kisses a rat on the mouth. Your boundaries? Never heard of them. Will love bomb you and hold that above your head.

[anulithots]

Hi, can I ask your top 3 favorite characters from Link Click? And why you love them? Also your top 5 favorite moments from the series?

As shiguang shipper, what do you think are Cheng Xiaoshi and Lu Guang's greatest personality strengths and weaknesses? Why? What do you love about their dynamic? Thanks if you want to answer.....

(Last one, are you surprised with that plot twist in s2? Can it enter your top 5 fav plot twist ever from any media?)

TOP THREE FAVORITES!

Cheng Xiaoshi - craves a childhood he lost (so real), empathetic and one of the empathetic characters that is done soooo well with all of the dives paralleling his character and exploring it, canonically likes cooking and makes sure LU Guang and him don’t survive on ramen noodles alone (+ Lu Guang’s bio things says he likes gourmet food sooooooooooo)

The silly and the way he stays hopeful and doesn’t accept finalities because of what happened to his parents and how he trusts and relies on others.

How he tries his best to fix the past and can adapt to the situation, predict how people will act, and is hyper-observant, but he doesn’t act on this ability because of how much he trusts Lu Guang and he cares about Qiao LIng so much and immediately cares about every case he hears about because of his empathy.

(Headcannon that he doesn’t watch the news after the earthquake, hence why he didn’t know about Emma despite it being all over the news)

Lu Guang - mystery boi. Cares about Cheng Xiaoshi sooo much and the way he relies on the future, on rules and on control and will freak out whenever the future becomes uncertain, a rule breaks, or things fall out of his control.

The way he’s shy about being in public but will not hesitate to yell at a police officer if it concerns CXS. How he reads all keeps himself learned and tells others (CXS) to do the same like it will fix all their problems (keep him less immature). The way that he has the trust of both CXS and Qiao LIng because of the way he acts. The way that one might look at him and think ‘oh the serious levelheaded one’ but NOPE. He lightly teases CXS constantly (whereas CXS is overdramatic about his teasing) and again, goes feral at times, as you do.

The fact that he creates rules and tries so hard to keep everting under control and no one the wiser but this is time. This is reality. He’s fraying at the seams.

Qiao LIng - will not hesitate to beat up her brother or lawyer for her brother if the situation calls for it. An incident she had no control over (Doudou’s kidnapping) stuck with her and caused so much turmoil that she went to university somewhere else and tried to escape her lack of decisions, regretting it the entire time (so real).

Compared to the rest of the trio, she’s the levelheaded one, and she has the most real takes on the weirdness of shiguang (’I thought you two were doing some ritual with the photos!’) and the way she’s the one who talked to, comforted, and connected with Wu Xia, Doudou’s father, CXS(multiple times), and Li Tianshi.

Her friendship with Xu Shanshan (’calling her beautiful all the time’) along with Xu Shanshan saying that she has to take care of Qiao Ling… QIao LIng is more like her brother than she admits. Also her (and Lu Guang’s… and CXS’s obsession with Boba tea alkfkajsdf)

the trioooooo

… just five… moments... sigh okay okay /pos

When CXS got angry at Qian Jin but was restrained, then Qiao LIng SLAPPED HIM AND IT WAS WONDEROUS (should’ve beat him up tbh but alas the paperwork)

The little moments in episode two. Especially where Cheng Xiaoshi says ‘just because you see no hope doesn’t mean there is none’ and Lu Guang SMILES

CHENG XIAOSHI’S SPEACH TO EMMA WITH KEEP IN MIND PLAYING THEN THE TITLE CARD SAYS ‘when there is light, once can photograph’ AND IT’S A MASTERPEICE I”VE SEEN IT A MILLION TIMES AND I LOVE IT SO MUCH

In season two where Qiao Ling connects to Li Tianxi via telling a story about her younger self and CXS, who she calls her LITTLE BROTHER AAAAAAAAAAAA

SIgh okay okay so like… all of episodes six, seven, and ten where Lu Guang is overprotective of CXS OKAY BUT IN PATICULAR - where Lu Guang notices that CXS is getting anxious about Xu Shanshan’s disappearance and tells Qiao Ling to keep him safe. Just how the calm and collected Lu Guang gets angry and frustrated when things don’t go according to plan and it puts CXS or those he cares about in danger. It shows a lot about his character

(Then of course there’s episode 5 where it’s just done in a masterful way with the earthquake scene and s2ep1 where CXS flashbacks to all the moments with Lu Guang and…)

Shiguang shipping + strengths and weaknesses

I have some thoughts I need to write down about their dynamic so that first if you don’t mind! (I’ll probably somewhat answer it here but aklfaklsdjf analysisssss)

(Also QPR shiguang is peak ahem ahem thank you /pos )

Okay so CXS is an optimist and looks for the best, for solace to fix the past he lost, and he views that Lu Guang loses hope too easily (I think, still formulating the thoughts on this one) which causes him to act on his own in episode 9 (when he goes back in time and witnesses Emma getting strangled.)

But okay the moment at the end here where he realizes Lu Guang only did all this to protect him because he does tend to get too emotional about things and ruin the past in his longing for a perfect one (which leads Lu Guang not to tell CXS things because he thinks that CXS is an ‘unpredictable variable’ and wishes to protect him from himself.

Which is nice of him but still. CXS is competent he just trusts others more than he trusts himself), where he asks Lu Guang what he should do as he curls up in painful defeat, which parallels where he says he’s afraid of being alone and in the dark in episode 5?

It’s link click and I kajdsfklasjdflkj

So CXS then sees what Lu Guang sees, that he can’t fix the past no matter how much he tries. Which is a painful thing, but to be honest, it’s something he needed… or not… it’s a nuanced growth that isn’t good nor bad (and CXS’s view on this will probably change when he finds out that Lu Guang went back in tiem to save him ).

BEcause CXS accepts now that while he cannot change the past, the future will surely change because of what he does, then he accepts that he cannot change Li Tianxi’s past. Okay so trusts and weaknesses with Shiguang is that they do trust each other and care for each other’s well-being… but the care for each other’s wellbeing causes them to not trust the other as much…. okay that made no sense here we go

SO CXS completely and totally trusts Lu Guang (at first trusting that he knows best - he said this in ep 3 I think - while also fighting with himself with his desire to fix the past, constantly questioning Lu Guang if things will really turn out okay, and in turn, reassuring himself that he doesn’t need to be swept up by his emotions.) which lessens after episode 5 - which was a risk on Lu Guang’s part and he did not want CXS to find out about the earthquake but alas - which then returns back to a different sort of trust (The ‘I understand now that you tried to protect me from myself because no matter what I try I cannot fix the past, so now I’ll hope for the future like you told me’)

Whereas the reason Lu Guang likes CXS is for his naivety, his innocent hope that everything will be okay, and for that reason Lu Guang attempts to keep CXS’s own faults from hurting him, along with the reality of the past and its hardships.

(Hence all of the ‘and remember that you cannot change the past and you’ll have to face the results of this’). THEN it’s BECAUSE of this overprotectiveness that drives CXS to think that Lu Guang gave up too easily (see episode 10 where Xu Shanshan is kidnapped. Lu Guang told QIao ling to keep CXS’s phone away from him and keep him at the shop to calm down)

OKAY so that’s all I got for now in this brain dump. LIsten to BishaJAWS. Thank you for the ask!

[blametheeditor]

Voretober Day 21 | Ginger

Voretober Prompt List

First | Previous | Next

If given the opportunity, would you take the chance to go to space and travel the stars? What if the person offering to take you was someone you trusted more than anyone else?

What if that person is no longer entirely human?

CONTAINS SOFT VORE

Content Warnings: Soft, non-sexual vore. Unwilling, unconscious prey. Mentions of body horror. Mentions of experimenting on people. Mentions of death and murder, violence. Being trapped against one's will. Chase scene, mentions of bounty hunters. Dehumanization. Abductions. Cursing. Darker themes/tone

___________________________________

“How long has he been at it for?” 

Scott sends a glance over at the clock in the kitchen he could get lost in and mistaken for a bug trying to invade the food. “About an hour.” 

Vincent hums. “Any progress?” 

“Nope,” he replies, popping the p.

Apparently Mike’s dad had been wrong. His son didn’t get the ability to grow into a giant within a year. Or the one after that, or the one after that. Not for the lack of trying on  Mike’s part, though. The kid’s been consistent with his training on how to be a proper giant, something Vincent started him on once it got close to his 13th birthday. 

It included a lot more things than both Scott and Mike weren’t expecting. Like being able to keep a calm mind no matter what’s going on around him, being able to control his strength, and having good spatial recognition. There were a few extra things like self-defense lessons in case it’s ever needed in which Scott is an active participant in, as well as curtesy training. Because apparently smiling with your teeth on full display isn’t a friendly gesture across all planets. 

But Mike’s nearly 16, and the only growing he’s done puts him on the average height for most humans his age with absolutely no sign of getting to the catastrophic heights Colossians are known for. 

He still keeps at it. Sits in the giant area near the doorway like he is now, eyes closed as he concentrates on willing himself to grow to the size of a skyscraper. 

Vincent leans against the wall opposite of Scott by the doorway. Fails to hide a wince. “I was thinking about going planetside. Grab a few things for the larger side.” 

“I’d be up for a trip,” Scott says. “How’s the pain today?” 

The purple man sighs. “Not great. Finding a certain chemical meant to help with regenerating cells might be on the list of things to get.” 

He won’t pretend to understand how that’s supposed to help. He has certainly become a lot more familiar with the fact Vincent is essentially a cyborg, one that needs repairs every now and then. And while there learning curb from fairly simplistic computers he was taught how to code back on Earth to highly advanced technology that keeps an entire person alive, Scott knows what to do without needing to be told. 

Like how to turn off Vincent’s entire nervous system while the purple man replaced a few parts. How to do a hard restart when he does the most idiotic stunt imaginable and leaps off a ten story building to make an almost flawless escape from the authorities. Apparently it would’ve worked out perfectly if someone didn’t get a lucky shot right as he jumped to throw off his balance. 

When it comes to more complicated procedures, Mike’s in charge with Scott waiting to be given instructions. Those have been few and far in between, but when Vincent managed to damage what keeps everything powered, the kid was the only one who could understand the complicated steps to fix it. 

There hasn’t been any major repairs lately, but growing to the size of a giant has taken a toll on Vincent. So much so he’s been sleeping almost every night. Mike said his dad theorized about this happening after a few years, therefore it’s less concerning and more annoying in the purple man’s eyes. He had gotten far too used to feeling unstoppable, and now he wants to do nothing more than flop face first onto a bed and sleep forever as to not deal with the reality he is, in fact, human. 

Scott would be a lot more amused if Vincent wasn’t in pain. Not an excruciating amount where it’s unbearable, but noticeable. Though both he and Mike refuse to turn off his pain receptors knowing how much trouble the purple man could get into without realizing it. 

“Mike hasn’t found the right formula yet?” 

“No, but we’re getting close.” Vincent turns to lean out the doorway. “Hey Mikey, want to take a break and go planetside with me?” 

Mike’s eyes snap open, a wide smile appearing as he stands up. “Hell yeah, is Scott coming?” 

“Of course Scott is coming,” the young man in question scowls. “Especially when the last time you two went somewhere alone, you were gone for hours because you somehow upset the local authorities.” 

“It was his fault,” the two proclaim simultaneously, complete with pointing fingers. 

“It was both your faults,” Scott growls as he walks into the giant area in the silent demand the only person who can pilot the ship starts making his way toward the helm. “And I still don’t want to know how the hell you did it.” 

“It was Vincent’s fault,” Mike stage whispers as he quickly follows. 

A shoe the size of a bus lands directly beside them before walking away. “Mikey dared me to.” 

Scott glares after the catastrophic footsteps. Rather than yell after his best friend, he glances over at Mike. Sees the awed expression at watching the giant walk away. “So how’s giving Vince a taste of his own medicine going?” 

“It’s going,” Mike grins. “Might be another few months until I can pocket him.” 

“You made sure he promised to let you do it at least once, right?” 

“Of course! I’m just as excited for it as you are.” 

To be honest, he thinks Vincent’s excited as well. The purple man certainly enjoys being giant and grows whenever he gets the chance, but he’s made small comments about never getting a day off. How nice it’d be if someone can carry him everywhere. Taunts that if he and Scott ever end up in a pocket together, he’s leaving the shorter behind and climbing up to the shoulder to enjoy the view alone. 

Oh, he knows Vincent will be absolutely ecstatic about the new ways he could torture Scott with a second giant around, but that’s just one side of it. He sees Mike finally growing as a win in all aspects. Though he has another thing coming if he doesn’t think there won’t be any kind of retaliation. 

“Hey Scott?” 

“What?” 

Mike hesitates. “Are you worried about when I finally grow?” 

Scott looks over to find blue eye watching him curiously. “How so?” 

“Well,” the kid begins, looking up in thought. “I know we talk a lot about how I’ll pocket Vincent, and trap him in my hands, and leave him stranded on the counter. Are you worried I’ll do any of that to you?” 

Worried? Most certainly. He’s watched Mike grow up, and as good as a kid he is, pranks and teasing are common on the ship. Usually Vincent’s involved in some way or another, but there’s times when the youngest is the sole culprit for his food getting doused in the alien equivalent of hot sauce and being led on a wild goose chase trying to find his sketchbook. 

But Mike never has been and never will be cruel. So as much as it still terrifies him having a giant teenager around, he knows he’ll never be in danger. Nor would he be picked up without permission, at least until he’s comfortable receiving pokes and prods from someone who isn’t his best friend. 

“Not as worried as Vince should be,” Scott answers. 

Mike chuckles. “Definitely not.” 

“You know I can hear everything you say,” Vincent rumbles as they finally make it to the control room, glancing over his shoulder to shoot them a flat look. 

“Good,” Mike fires back. “Maybe you’ll stop dangling me if you know I’ll do it back!” 

Scott takes the precaution of moving away from Mike and closer to the wall. As soon as the ship has landed, Vincent walks over until he’s standing toe-to-toe with the kid, the giant looking straight down as the small form looking absolutely minuscule in comparison defiantly stares straight up. 

“You know I could crush you.” 

“I already would’ve climbed up your shoe before you could think about it.” 

A sneer spreads across Vincent’s face. “Wanna bet?” 

Mike shakes out his limbs and rolls his head. “Your move.” 

“Can this wait until after the market?” Scott interrupts, all too familiar with how long something like this can take. And that’s if Mike doesn’t end up getting eaten by the end of it. 

The two seem to think it over until the teenager nods. Vincent takes it as confirmation everyone is ready to go, kneeling down to quickly scoop both of them up before walking out of the ship. 

Scott yells as he’s sent head over heels, his limbs entangled with Mike’s as they land in a heap in Vincent’s palm. “Vince!” 

“I thought it was time to head into the market,” the giant smirks, all too amused by the sight of Mike and him attempting to untangle themselves. 

As the younger finally manages to free himself, he runs across Vincent’s wrist and up the arm, catching the purple man’s short sleeve after leaping up in order to pull himself onto the shoulder. All while Scott is trying his hardest to orient himself. 

But despite having been left behind, when the hand lifts up so he can climb onto the shoulder as well, albeit without parkouring his way up, Mike’s offering a hand to help. 

He takes it. Is given his customary seat next to the collar so he can hang on in case Vincent makes too quick of a turn. Or starts running when he inevitably gets chased down by the authorities for one reason or another. 

For someone who wants to lie low, he certainly has a knack for doing the exact opposite. 

“So what’s on the list?” Mike asks. 

“Medicine. Possibly a translator for Scotty.” 

“Not happening.” 

“A few things to add to the giant kitchen,” Vincent says. “And anything you two see.” 

“Maybe you finally get a shirt with proper handholds,” Scott grouses. 

The giant shrugs. “If you manage to find someone who sells Colossian shirts that can shrink and grow with me, I’ll buy everything they have to offer.” 

“That what you said last time,” Scott huffs. 

“And he’ll say it next time too,” Mike grins. 

Unfortunately, they don’t find Colossian clothing. And no matter how hard Scott tries, Vincent refuses to get anything made of material that won’t completely shrink down with him. Not when they could get into an emergency, or he forgets to take the jacket off, and ends up swimming in the material without knowing which way is up. At this point Scott’s just going to find out how to make it himself. 

What they do find are ingredients only Vincent and Mike are familiar with, but they’re fairly positive it will give them the same concoction created to help rejuvenate cells even if they’re decaying. He won’t dare touch them unless he’s given explicit instruction to, but he hopes it will be helpful. 

Just as they’re about to start walking back to the ship, Vincent freezes. “Shit.” 

“Vincent!” a very loud voice bellows through the crowd, followed by words Scott can’t understand. But he clearly understood the first one. But based off the way Mike’s expression hardens, and the muscles they’re standing on tensing, he knows it only means trouble. 

It only gets worse when he finally gets a good look at the alien. One that reminds him a lot like an alligator, with ginger colored scales covering its entire body and long, pointed teeth flashing every time it opens its mouth. It also stands a good head taller than Vincent, and has a wide array of weapons strapped to a belt. 

Mike gets as close as he possibly can, one hand latching onto the collar as the other grab’s Scott’s arm. “Hold on tight.” 

Not even a second after he grabs the collar, Vincent bolts. There’s been a few times where the purple man has run and even jumped while he’s been on the shoulder, and when it’s only Mike he’s guaranteed scaled up buildings, but this is the first time Scott’s been treated to something like this. Where Vincent’s main focus is to get away and not how his actions are effecting his smaller companions. 

It’s both terrifying and exhilarating. Until the giant skids to a halt before changing directions as he sprints in a different direction, and Scott’s positive the only reason why he hasn’t fallen off yet is because Mike’s keeping him securely on the shoulder. 

“W-What happened?” he dares to ask. 

“Someone hired a bounty hunter,” Mike murmurs, meets Scott’s wide eyes with a pointed look. “You can guess who it was.” 

Him? After three years and only now he’s sent someone to track Vincent down? With a bounty hunter? “Because we didn’t take you home?” 

“She didn’t mention my name specifically,” Mike says. “I think that’s part of it, but not the only reason why.” 

“Fuck,” interrupts his thoughts on the other reasons. Focuses back on what Vincent’s doing to see they’re in an alleyway. “Fuck, she got me.” 

“What?” Scott asks, heart skipping a beat at the panic in his best friend’s voice. “What do you mean got you?” 

“A dart,” the giant pants, out of breath, sounding tired. “I thought she missed, I ducked but it nicked my arm fuck!” 

“Left!” 

Vincent doesn’t question Mike’s shout. He makes a hard left into an even smaller alleyway as they hear something metallic bounce off the wall. Makes an immediate right after that, bursting into a rather crowded street. He’s quick as he maneuvers his way to a smaller street. 

“S-So what is it?” 

“Tranquilizer. I can already feel my arm going numb.” 

There’s genuine fear creeping into Vincent’s voice. And considering who sent the bounty hunter, what will happen if he’s caught, Scott doesn’t blame him. 

“You need to shrink,” Mike declares. 

“She’ll know I can.” 

“You’re going to crash, Vincent,” the younger says. “Shrinking down and holing ourselves up somewhere until you recover is better than you going unconscious in the middle of the street for her to easily pick up.” 

“There’s no small passages around here.” 

“We’ll make one,” Scott chimes in, trying his hardest not to let his voice quiver. “In a small alleyway or on a roof where there’s lots of cracks in the wall.” 

“Can’t do roof,” the giant breathes. “Can’t climb without both arms.” 

“Then alleyway. Find one that doesn’t dead-end.” 

Vincent all but dives down the nearest one, stumbling for a moment. “Shit.” 

“Behind the trash,” Mike directs. “It’ll be okay, Vincent.” 

Scott wants to believe the younger, but it’s hard to when the hand that scoops them up is shaking so much not even Mike can find balance. And just as they’re getting spilt onto the ground, a booming voice echos around them. 

Vincent’s face is a picture of pure terror. Then he goes completely limp before shrinking down, lying on the ground unconscious. 

“Vince!” Scott yells as he races forward, his intention on dragging the purple man toward the wall. He only sends a fleeting look toward the end of the alleyway, relieved to find it’s void of the person currently chasing them, meaning they should have enough time to hide. 

When he reaches his best friend, he carefully flips the taller onto his back, checking to make sure he didn’t get hurt from the fall. At the confirmation there’s no blood and he’s breathing, Scott grabs Vincent under the arms. Realizes Mike isn’t next to him, ready to help drag his brother to safety. 

Suddenly, a shadow falls over them. One only a giant can make. Meaning it’s too late. It’s over. They lost. Mike’s already been grabbed. 

Scott carefully drops Vincent before turning to confront the monster about to take them to the one person in the entire universe he is truly afraid of. Feels a scream bubble as warmth surrounds him, kneeling beside his best friend to protect him despite having absolutely no possible way to. 

“I’ve got you, Scott.” 

His head snaps up to see the giant looming over them is Mike. More shocked than anything, he only sits there as a hand carefully collects him, unable to move as Vincent is gingerly pinched between two fingers and lifted up as well. 

Then Mike’s opening his mouth, lowering the unconscious purple man inside, swallowing before turning toward him. 

That’s when Scott comes back to life, though his struggle is halfhearted. Because part of him knows he can trust Mike. But the other part says he’s about to be eaten by someone who is a giant for the first time. 

“Just hang on tight.” 

The kid offers a smile before standing up, the hand holding Scott forming a protective fist around him. It doesn’t open above a gaping maw, nor is he dropped into a pocket. Instead he feels catastrophic footsteps jostling him as Mike begins to run. 

What the hell just happened.

[thekingbiscuit]

I've been reading a bit of Minecraft fics and it's got me thinking about the chain in linked universe a little bit so I'm gonna share what I've been cooking.

Linked universe Minecraft au where they all have very similar code, so when all nine of them just happen to enter a portal at the same time, something goes horribly wrong and they all get trapped in a new empty world together.

In order to escape they have to make it to the end and defeat the dragon, but that's only if they can figure out how to get along and stop sabotaging each other.

All the player ideas I have so far, this might make a little more sense if you're familiar with Evo, hermit craft and origins/mob hybrid lore but I kinda made up some watcher society stuff-

Sky is all fish out of water with the whole thing. He spends most of his time in the end on an island with other watchers. He essentially never switched out of creative mode.

The world he lives in is also legacy, it has the islands but he's never seen chorus or shulkers, essentially it's a wasteland with some obsidian watcher structures. Even if he knew everything about the blocks he did have, he's still entirely held back by having no clue what all the new stuff is.

In fact, his girlfriend oversees an entire cluster of the last remaining legacy worlds, and he is very proud of her. His player form is a parrot hybrid because the one time he went to a different world to get some nice bright blue flowers for her that he heard about from a passing mobile watcher, he saw a parrot and thought they were cooler than bats.

___________

Four is a shulker because you can dye them in bedrock and they literally just multiply by beating themselves up. They are also just tiny little guys so it all falls into place.

Four's shell has each color and he shoots himself to split. Essentially he's four little guys living in the same shell. It gets cramped in there.

The colours are the ones forging gear and hiding them in random end cities. That's how they spend their time at least.

They are researching a way to help out their brother who was cursed by a blighted watcher, vio also holds this curse but shadow took the brunt of it. They still have shadow's empty shell, and it no longer comes with them when they combine into four.

________________

Time is a risen watcher, apparently he beat the hell out of a watcher that was tormenting a small world, messing with the moon and time and such, and once he did that he told off the super ancient watcher that only helped him at the last second, despite having the ability to fix it all along.

This fierce deity watcher was impressed with him in general, and marked him as his own son, making Time a watcher himself.

Watchers can choose what their player form presents as, and Time chooses to come across as a non-hybrid regular player. This is strange, because non-hybrids are famously plain and lack any sort of basic adaptability, but Time just swaps origin when the situation calls for it, so it's not a problem for him.

Time was also involved in an incident that affected the history of a lot of newer worlds, even before he became a watcher himself, but whatever this was is largely covered up and he can't speak about it.

_________________

Legend hops worlds. A lot. Like a bunny (he's a bunny). He goes to worlds that have problems and helps solve them to avoid his own.

He's been to so many corrupted worlds and spent so long in them that his code is soup basically. He can run commands and use magic despite literally being some random rabbit.

He can't turn off keep inventory, his stuff also comes with him when he hops worlds, so naturally he has a lot of things.

He has the direct favour of all three watchers in the second highest circle of power, so is largely left unchecked in his shenanigans. Occasionally they come to coo over him like doting wine aunts and it terrifies anyone in radius.

If he's submerged in water he completely glitches out and becomes a mer tropical fish type hybrid, one of them blue and pink ones.

Switching back involves beaching himself so he'd rather avoid it.

He can split into three types of parrot hybrids. Chooses not to as it just summons two rabbits to possess the green and blue parrot. The other two like him and will help out, but they find it uprooting.

There's a huge part of his personal player log that's just missing. It's from the one world he couldn't save, and he's the only one left to mourn it.

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Hyrule is an allay trapped in an ultra hardcore world where nobody beat the first guardian dragon. A fate worse than death basically.

The entire world is one biome. Mesa.

No one in the world knows why, but not a single soul has any memory of a life before this particular world and for some reason killing the dragon didn't open it up, so everyone is really just waiting around to starve to death.

Hyrule himself beat the dragon twice on his own, though it was futile, but other expeditions resulted in massive casualties, so why did this dinky allay survive two whole times? With no witnesses except the server wide dying cry?

Through a series of conspiracies and nothing better to do, a cult of haters formed, convinced that if they kill Hyrule, not the dragon, that the world would finally open up. As you can imagine, scarce resources, a hoard of mobs by night and fanatical players by day can really wear a guy down.

He hasn't told anyone, but he really thinks he broke everything, he has access to commands and has been using them to cast fire, lightning, heal himself despite the hardcore status and other such small things, but he doesn't know any command that can make things better, and blames himself.

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I have a pretty good idea of what the background is for those five of the chain members, but I haven't played any of the switch games yet so I haven't a clue what to do with wild. Maybe a fox but I'm not sure, I do know that I want him to tie in with twilight.

Wind could be a breeze, but I'm not sure how to tie that in with pirating so maybe a dolphin? And I'm also completely lost with wars. Happy to take suggestions, or really just get this idea out of my head and into the void lol

[yuus-sentient-teddy]

"Yuu-Yuu hurt." Part 9

Part 1 | Part 8 | Part 10

"Did. . . did anyone else see that?" Deuce asks. His eyes wander, as though searching for the grey space that brought him to Yuu's. . . mind?

Ace was blinking and rubbing his eyes, and he noticed that some of the others were doing the same. "Yeah. What was that? Actually, let's figure that out later. Come on, we need to see if the Prefect's all right."

The card soldiers were joined by the other First Years, each of them in similar states of dishelved but nonetheless alert. When the group reached the Prefect, Grim and the teddy bear were rubbing their hand and puffing air onto their fingers. "What are you guys doing?" Ace asks.

"Trying to warm them up! They're cold as ice," Grim says.

The Prefect's clothes had returned to normal, but the places where the thick globs of ink had stuck were damp and stained black. Their eyes were closed, heavy bags beneath them, and it looked as though they weren't moving. It was like they had been pulled out of a lake, unconscious, in the middle of the night. Ace touches their wrist and flinches back. "What the--it's like they stepped out of a freezer!"

Deuce had the same shocked reaction after touching their wrist. "You're right!"

Simultaneously, the card soldiers take off their jackets and drape them over the Prefect's upper body. The other First Years followed along, placing their jackets on Yuu's legs, but Sebek pauses. Surely they couldn't be that cold? He touches their wrist, freezes, and quickly slips his jacket off. He then starts adjusting the jackets to better cover Yuu, and Epel and Jack help him.

As they're doing this, Ortho scans Yuu's body and the rest of the rescue team gathers around. "Their heartbeat is below its usual rate and their breathing is slow, but I do not detect any irregular patterns or difficulty breathing." There are cautious breaths of relief, but Ortho shakes his head. "I wish I was in my Precision Gear. I could be more helpful that way."

"You can warn us if anything else happens to their body," Riddle says. "Cater, do you have any signal?"

"Still nothing. I'm going to try going over there--actually, Idia, could you maybe call someone on your end?"

"Trying, but there's something that's getting in the way."

"Uhh. . . what does that mean?"

"It means I'm not going to be able to make calls any time soon and you guys might have to."

"This isn't just you trying to avoid talking to people, is it?" Riddle interjects.

"WHAT? Okay, listen. I'm being 100% dead serious when I say that something is getting in the way!"

"Okay, okay!" Trey cuts in before things could escalate further. "Idia, do you think you can figure out what's happening and fix it?"

"I'll try, but like I said, you guys are going to have to call yourselves," Idia grumbles.

"That's fine. In the mean time, Cater, I can help you find some signal."

"Thanks a bunch, Trey!"

Riddle takes a deep breath and volunteers too.

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After a few seconds of silently staring at Yuu, Jade speaks up. "Azul, what did you and the other dorm leaders learn from the scientist? Aside from wanting to harvest and use negative energy."

"You know, I've been wondering about that," Floyd says. "Wouldn't it just be better to take people who can build up Blot?"

"We thought that too, but he said that it wouldn't be as exciting nor an excellent spending of time, since most research has been on magic overall. The victims that he chose were in terrible situations in the foster care system or in group homes. It would be stressful for them as is, but since they lack magical abilities, it would be easy for those with magic to bully them." Azul adjusts his glasses, the echo of a sharp-edged memory passing through his mind. He notices some others clenching their hands as they reflected too. "The hardships would increase and so would their negative energies."

"Unfortunately, I can believe it," Deuce says glumly.

"And since the test subjects lack magic, they wouldn't be able to escape as easily either nor risk going into Overblot," Jade muses. "With the exception of Yuu, of course."

There are grumbled comments of how terrible the whole situation is; others are unsurprised by the scientist's thoughtful but disgusting choice of test subjects. "Considering that Yuu is a student of Night Raven College, did the scientist expect them to Overblot or cause any unusual effects?" Rook asks.

"Not at all," Malleus says. "He was just as surprised as us and had the gall to suggest we were the reasons they Overblotted." He glowered at the memory of the scientist's carefree smile. Outside, thunder rumbled.

". . . To be fair, most of us weren't that welcoming to them at one point or another," Ace says, causing some to sweatdrop. "They and Grim got picked on a couple of weeks ago by some of our classmates for not knowing a famous person. Not to mention, they had to witness first-hand a bunch of Overblots. That's gotta be terrifying for someone who comes from a world without magic."

"Even if we have some sort of involvement, we're not entirely to blame," Leona says. After the Magift ordeal, he spotted a few Savanaclaw members begrudgingly give a sandwich and some snacks to Yuu and Grim when they accidentally missed lunch.

"I agree with that. For one thing, Ramshackle Dorm is not a good place to live in." Jamil remembers opening a cupboard and screaming at the large spider residing within. He also remembers him, Kalim, and some others discovering mold, almost stepping into a hole in the floorboards, seeing a spider come out of nowhere or a rat poking its head out of a hole, and/or getting wet from accidentally tipping over a bucket of rainwater.

"Tell me about it! Before the roof got fixed, we kept getting bucketfuls of water crashing down on us anytime it downpoured," Grim says. "We had to keep hounding the Headmaster day-in and day-out before he finally agreed to do something about it."

"Also, when he came to Yuu about freeing students from Azul's contracts, he brought up their debt from unpaid meals. It sounded like he was threatening them," Jack adds.

"He what?!" Most of the expressions of shock came from everyone but Grim, Ace, and Deuce. Other memories sprung up of the Headmaster's less than savory moments. Hearing what Jack said further soured the mental image of the Headmaster.

"So, you mean, he was willing to withhold their meals if they didn't agree to an impossible task?" Ruggie says.

"I knew someone as kind as them didn't actually exist," Azul whispers to himself. Jack picked it up, however.

"It wasn't that they didn't want to help. They just didn't know if they would be able to."

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Kalim had been quietly staring at his wand during the conversation. The gem had been shiny and bright before he and the others entered the forest, but now there were small specks of ink on the surface. Knowing what he did now, and if Yuu's state could be shown on something like a Magic Stone, would he have been able to help prevent any of this? "Before they Overblotted, they cried about missing their dad and how people kept bullying their teddy bear," he says softly. "They also said they were scared of getting hurt by a spell, since they can't use magic to protect themself."

Ruggie nods. "It was depressing the way they were missing their dad. They were worried about him being dead when they got back or finding him on his death bed."

Cater had wandered near the group when he heard this. "That is depressing," he says, eyes wide. "We all know the Prefect has a wild imagination, but man, that's just on the opposite end of the spetrum of what they usually imagine."

"Still, that's not to say their worry is unfounded. Anything can happen while one is far from home," Jade says. He doesn't miss Floyd's eyebrows creasing together in displeasure and the frown that went along with it. Come to think of it, maybe the Prefect and the twins' mother weren't so different in their worries; both just want to make sure their dad or her sons were all right. "Going back to what we were talking about earlier, did the kidnapper say anything else, such as what he did to the orphans?"

"We suspect he did do something, but he wouldn't tell us," Azul says. "It was probably increasing their negative energies, since that was all he cared about."

Grim bristles and starts marching to the kidnapper. "Whatever he did, he's gonna pay for it. Especially because he messed with the Great Grim's henchman!"

"No, you don't!" Lilia plucks him up by the ribbon. "He must be in perfect condition to confess all that he did. If not, then he won't receive the entire punishment."

Grim begins to protest, but is cut off by Malleus. "Do as he says. It isn't worth wasting your energy on someone who will suffer the consequences anyway."

Finally, he relents but not without grumbling. He is dropped off next to the Prefect, and his anger tapers down upon seeing their face. Nothing has changed: their eyes are still closed and they're barely moving. He wishes they would stir or cough or something, just so he knows that they're truly still alive.

". . . Hey, Yuu is going to be all right, right?" He is met with unsure silence.

"Yuu-Yuu will be okay." Eyes land on the teddy bear, who has moved closer to Yuu's face and is pressing its cheek against their upper arm.

"What makes you so sure of that?" Leona asks.

"Because [teddy's name] did what [teddy's name] was supposed to do. [Teddy's name] asked for help from friends and teachers and nurse, and [teddy's name] showed friends and police where Yuu-Yuu was. Friends saved Yuu-Yuu from Overblot, so Yuu-Yuu will be okay."

"So. . . they'll be okay because we saved them in time?" Deuce says.

"It did happen with everyone else. Who's to say Yuu's case will be different?" Kalim says, smiling hopefully and looking around.

"That's not realistic." It's Idia who says this.

"What? Why?"

"Listen!" If Idia was there, he would have held his hands up in a "don't shoot me!" gesture. He would also have crumbled from the glares the hot-headed of the bunch were giving him. "Just because things are supposed to go a certain way doesn't mean it will. I know some of you think so too--don't try to pretend you're not. [Teddy's name], look, I don't mean to rain on your parade, but there's no guarantee that Yuu will actually recover. Not a single person in the history of Twisted Wonderland has gone through something like this. You got people's attention that something wasn't right with them and you did what you could, but sometimes… even if you pick what you think are the right choices on a blind run, you get a bad ending."

With bated breath, everyone watches the teddy bear process Idia's words. ". . . Yuu-Yuu is going to die?"

Yeah, they're going to die. Idia takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly.

". . . Probably."

The teddy bear glances at Yuu's face. It grips their shirt tightly. ". . . Was it because I didn't do enough?"

"I don't think you could have done anything more."

"Am. . ." The teddy bear seems to gaze tearfully at his tablet, its next words whispery and wobbly. "Am I a bad friend for not doing enough?"

"Watch what you say next, Idia," Grim warns, paws on his hips.

"H-hey, I'm not that heartless." Idia huffs. ". . . You made a good move trying to get help when you knew you couldn't do it on your own. It's the best thing you could have done and. . . you know what, sure, it was enough. No one could have stopped that scientist from kidnapping them or even the Blot from building up. Plus, I doubt you can ever be a bad friend. You two are so cuddly together it's embarrassing. It's literally a red sign that says 'Hey look everyone! We're best friends! Sucks to be you, a friendless dweeb!' So, no, you weren't a bad friend."

"You really shouldn't blame yourself for what happened. You did things for the sake of them getting better and it's just like what nii-san says: no one could have stopped the scientist or the Blot accumulation," Ortho says. "On the other hand, I actually may have had a hand in what happened."

There are exclamations of shock, the loudest coming from Idia.

"What are you talking about? All you've done is scan them and say they were fine!"

"I did say that, but that's the thing." Ortho looks away, unable to meet the tablet screen nor the eyes of his classmates and friends. "In the months leading up to the kidnapping, my sensors kept notifying me that something was wrong with Yuu whenever I hung out with them. Every time I looked into it, the notification would disappear. I thought it was just a bug even though you've debugged my sensors so many times. I even saw the notification the day I fully scanned Yuu."

His hands clench and he feels something within him squeezing. He can't feel pain like an organic being, but it's like his gears and parts are working together to tear each other apart. It just hurts. "[Teddy's name], you could feel that something was wrong. I had the functions to detect any magical abnormalities. Maybe if I had just said something--"

"Ortho, stop! This isn't your fault!" Idia's tablet closes in on his face and the screen blips to show a concerned older brother. "Look online again for incidents on magicless humans Overblotting."

"There are zero results."

"Now look through government documents and classified information."

It takes Ortho a solid minute and thirty seconds. "There are also zero results."

"Exactly. You can't search up phenomena if it has never happened before and you can't blame yourself for not realizing something when there's nothing to look out for, even if it's just a passing anecdote."

"It's just as Shroud says," Malleus says. "I have lived longer than either of you and such an event would have made itself known quite easily, if not eventually."

"Take it from me too," Lilia says, placing a hand on Ortho's shoulder. "Even though my memory is not as it once was, I'm sure I would have vague feelings of deja vu for something like this, which I don't."

"There, you see? You're blame-free." Idia offers a comforting smile. Ortho nods, and Idia moves his tablet to let him hug it. Idia wishes that he was there to actually hug his little brother, but this would have to do for now.

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Riddle, Trey, and Cater return to the group. Their serious expressions told everyone what they needed to know. "Ortho, how is Yuu doing?" Riddle asks. Hearing that nothing changed, his demeanor somehow becomes more serious. "At this point, we may need to bring them and the survivors out of this forest, but a number of the survivors are still unconscious and we might have difficulty finding the way out."

"Fa--Lilia, would you or Malleus be able to teleport to the police station or the hospital?" Silver asks.

"We would, but since neither of us have been injured enough for a visit or gotten into illegal matters, we don't know where either are," Lilia regretfully says. "We can try, but it may take a while."

"Come to think of it, the nurse has always been the one to treat us no matter our injuries," Jack says thoughtfully.

"And a bunch of stuff has been kept reeeeeeaaally quiet," Floyd adds.

"Idia? What about you?" Riddle prompts.

He sighs. "Negative results. And before you ask, I've tried pinpointing your location through my tablet, but nothing is showing up on the map."

"I'd fly over to either place, but I don't know if I'd have enough energy for it," Ortho says sadly.

The atmosphere thickens with worry. "Grim, you're shaking. Are you all right?" Rook says. The fire cat grumbles something, which Rook asks to repeat.

"I said… I'm a lousy boss."

"Oh? Why is that?"

"Oh boy, what now?" Ace murmurs.

"I knew something was up with them. Their eyes were becoming duller every week and they were spacing out more than usual. I thought they would get cheered up by the nice things everyone was doing and I kept believing them when they said they were all right. But now…"

"What does that have to do with you being their boss, though?"

"I. . ." Grim blinked and tears ran down his cheeks. He hastily wiped them off, but more trickled out. He remembers a time when he angrily spewed out fire and Yuu's clothes caught some of the flames. They didn't need to go to the hospital or stay in the infirmary, but. . . "I hurted them. I promised I would take care of them, but I couldn't even stop their Blot from building up." His small body shook as he fully cried. "I'm their boss, I should be doing more! I should've been awake with [teddy's name] when they were being mind-controlled--"

Ace sighs and plops a hand on Grim's head. "Grim. It's okay. Remember what we all said? That this isn't our fault?"

"Y-yeah."

"Yeah, then you shouldn't beat yourself too much over it. Sure, you can be a real pain in the ass for stealing food and being reckless, but Yuu knew that you cared about them, otherwise you wouldn't have made that promise. Right?"

Grim sniffs. "Yeah."

"You could also do something for them when they wake up," Deuce suggests.

"Like share my tuna cans?"

"Erm, sure?"

"Okay, no, how about whatever they want?" Ace says. "Pretty sure they're gonna need some nice things after everything that has happened."

Grim wiped away the last of his tears and nods. "Yeah. I can do that."

He pats the Prefect's arm. "Just you wait, Yuu, you'll be cheered up by the Great Grim in no time!" His voice slightly warbles as he says, "Just. . . wake up soon, okay?"

Off to the side, Malleus crosses his arms with a concerned frown, thunder rumbling overhead. "Are you worried, Malleus?" Lilia asks.

"Yes. Their condition will not be helped unless they receive the proper care, but there is no way to contact that help and we cannot teleport to the exact location. It's a troubling situation."