#it practically got reabsorbed

[aspiringnexu]

Something I find absolutely hilarious is just how different the Woodland Realm is to Lothlorien and Rivendell. It’s a difference borne of many things, of course, given that Rivendell and Lothlorien are both run by Elves with Rings of Power and Eryn Lasgalen isn’t and that Rivendell and Lothlorien are run by people related to each other (not just because of the whole shared Noldor thing) whereas Eryn Lasgalen is ruled by a royal family of Sindar and populated by Silvans. Then there’s that whole thing with the Necromancer shacking up in Dol Guldur and fucking up the forest.

But regardless I find it endlessly amusing to imagine how different the White Council would have been if Thranduil had been invited to join. Because you have Gandalf the stoned, Saruman the cantankerous bitch, Elrond the wise and reserved, and Galadriel the ridiculously ethereal who comes with her own choir back-up singers. And then enter Thranduil, Middle-Earth’s premier Dramatic Bitch with his uber fancy crown and long trailing robes lined with brilliant burnt umber satin with his massive fucking elk and enough sarcastic disdain to fill the Long-Lake.

I dunno I just find it funny that the Lord of the Rings showed us the graceful, ethereal, honestly-kinda-spooky elves and then we get the Party Master, Wine Connoisseur, Fashionista Bitch who is perfectly happy with going to war so he can get his wife’s gems back from a bunch of (honestly he’s not really wrong though at that point the main problem is Thorin) thieving dwarves in The Hobbit.

And suddenly all of Legolas’ over-the-top dramatics make sense.

[eversncenewyork]

& more!

[demonslayedher]

Well, briefly recalling the question where nezuko and mitsuri kick Muzan's crotch and how that would be useless...what if nezuko sets him on fire?

Ah yes, this Ask, in which we examined the crotch weakness question and I arrived at the conclusion that he wouldn't be particularly weak there. We do know he is weak enough against regular fire to have it slow his regeneration, however slightly--hence, the explosion in Chapter 138 and Sanemi's surprised oil and match technique in Chapter 185. We also know that Nezuko's fire works specifically against demons, and she hates Muzan so much that just being around more of his cells empowers her to develop newer and more powerful skills more rapidly, like when she faced Daki (and for that matter, Rui).

Yes, I think we're on to something here. Ufufu.

I was just pondering the other day how much shorter of a series this would be if Nezuko went running after Tanjiro in Asakusa that night, for she'd have gotten pissed off at Muzan right away and probably developed some anger-driven power, but seeing as she's still not that powerful of a demon when facing the Swamp Demon--quick to get thrown off by a single injury, slow to recovery, very quickly in need of sleep--she'd be killed immediately if she tried to attack Muzan as she was. Ultimately, Nezuko's power started off from the cells of Muzan inside of her, and although she developed it through her own will, it would take a lot for her to be strong enough to take him on and hold her own.

However! As you said, the secret here is fire, something rare among demons who already have an innate desire not to get burned--one of the few things Muzan fears! I think we can say that part of her abilities is being a Kamado, with generations and generations of fire workers before her. Even if she didn't inherit the red eyes which all her siblings did, or the extra red tints that Kakushaku-no-Ko Tanjiro did, she still has that background in her blood.

However... Kakushaku-no-Ko Tanjiro sure showed her up with how much faster he mastered the sun than she did. I suspect this is both due to his extra-looking inheritance of whatever fire-related blessings their family inherited through careful generations of work (life's not fair if you're not an eldest son, I guess), as well as the effect that practicing Hinokami Kagura may have had on his body, which primed it for quick mastery of the sun. Tanjiro was believably more powerful than Muzan, and had a whole lot more of Muzan's blood in the first place. Nezuko's got the family background too, but she had to rely so much more on her own willpower. (Nezuko, girl, you're amazing.)

So! Let's take Nezuko at her potential strongest. Nezuko's had a really good nap! Nezuko's mastered the sun! Nezuko's got humans to protect! Nezuko's got the love and support of her brother! Nezuko's got rage in the presence of her family's killer! Nezuko's got... a butt-chin!!

If we take Nezuko at her very strongest, spilling just about all the blood she's got, I think she could do very, very serious damage. Would it be enough, though, to demolish him quickly enough that he doesn't kill her first? Even if the curse doesn't affect her, that's not his only way of squashing demons. Tamayo showed us that she could battle Muzan will willpower and retain some form for a very long time before ultimately being reabsorbed into him, and Nezuko's will is strong enough that she might stand a chance, but...

I think the safer bet would be Tanjiro using Hinokami Kagura's 13th floor first--using it to the very best of his potential abilities, though that would probably still put him no where close to Yoriichi, and Tanjiro was still no where near this when he had no choice but to use his imperfect Hinokami Kagura against Muzan. But, if he could do even partially what Yoriichi accomplished, then Nezuko would probably have a safe bet of burning the last of that flesh away forever.

Here's an AU--maybe if the timeline were a little different...

[darkpoisonouslove]

What happened after near death experiences when Griffin was still in the circle? Like if it was Valtor who nearly dies I can see Griffin being mad at him for taking any risk but she needs the time to relized that she is actually angry about it because she is worried about him. I'm working on something where he and Marion having a big fight because both sides needed something and Valtor did not want to retire because his mothers wanted this something very badly and missions always come first...

But idk about Valtor. I like the idea of him being 24/7 worried about her when they are alone and secretly searching for ways that this never could happen again.

I mean... near death experiences for Valtor would be an exception. He's literally made of the Dragon Fire and darkness, which are two things that are eternal. The show implies that only the Water Stars could kill him unless he gets reabsorbed into the uncorrupted Flame. I hate the idea that he really is that special. Most immortals come with the strings that they are immortal as in won't die from natural causes but can be killed. So I like to think that there are other ways to kill him as well. Still, that would not happen often because it would require knowledge of what he is and what he's made of and how to go around that and actually kill him, and I don't believe that a lot of people are familiar with the specifics of Valtor's existence.

Fighting against Marion would definitely be one type of situation that comes with substantial risk. And yes, I do like the idea of Griffin trying to brush her worry off as pragmatism. She is his partner and she can carry her own weight but it's still comforting to know that he is practically untouchable and can shield her from any kind of harm (whether physical in battle or legal consequences from her actions). She'd try to play it off as something that makes her worry about her own safety and even if there's truth in that, it's also because she now also has to worry about him. She was just used to the thought that she doesn't have to fear for his safety because practically nothing can get to him and now she's faced with the reality that even he isn't invincible and there's a chance she might have to lose him. That would definitely take getting used to and she'd try to push the thought away, wouldn't want to deal with it. But still, she'd have to because her being in denial could cost him his life if a near-death situation happens again and she's not prepared to help him.

Valtor, in an attempt to not think about the disaster that the confrontation with Marion was, would focus on teasing Griffin about being so worried. It's both a distraction from his failure and a way to get under Griffin's skin and make her admit her true feelings on the matter, how much she loves him. That would rub her the wrong way but I think she'd be more willing to tolerate him because she knows that he was shaken by the situation as well. If she was distressed to have the illusion of his immortality shattered, it must be that much worse for him. She can see that he's deflecting because after a certain point, her worry starts to grate on him, starts to feel like she's nagging him for his failure as well. So she tries to curb her own reactions. That ought to shut him up as well.

If Griffin almost died, I think Valtor would try to act as unbothered as possible. Not so much that he'd make her think he doesn't care about her safety but enough to make her feel like he had the situation under control anyway and nothing would have happened to her. He was there, he got her out, he healed her, saved her life. It's all good. Even death isn't powerful enough to extract her from his arms. It's all a front to cover up how powerless the whole thing left him feeling because he was right there and despite all of his magic and talent, she still almost died. To something that he should be able to protect her from no less. It's driving him crazy and he would be insisting that she rest a lot during the following days while he's analyzing every angle of the situation and looking for ways to make sure something like that never happens again.

I think Griffin would know but she herself feels weakened and she knows that poking his emotions to the surface will not help. The most that could happen is that they'd get into a fight and she really doesn't want to hear from him (said in a fit of anger but still true) what she already knows - that she's no match for him and is far more vulnerable than he is. She is touched that he is so concerned for her but at the same time she doesn't want to be fully dependent on him saving her life so she would skip the rest and work on avoiding future repeats of the situation as well.

[inamindfarfaraway]

I'm sorry but I just stumbled across your Collector Clawthorne AU and I am dying to know what happens after The Collector's powers get unleashed!

Short answer: *gesturing to a board covered in hypothetical (because I can’t draw) fanart and edited The Owl House images of King, the Collector and scattered scenes in the AU connected with multiple colours of string, the title ‘Collector Clawthorne AU’ scribbled on a scrap of paper pinned at the top* Bold of you to assume I’ve planned that far ahead.

Long answer: I have no hard-and-fast overall plot for the AU series, just rough ideas and character arc directions with a few specific moments that I outlined in the previous post. But I do have some speculative thoughts! And having got a few asks about the AU “King’s Tide” now, I think it’s time to try to make something coherent out of them.

So, Belos powers the draining spell with King’s sacrifice, even now that that sacrifice is entirely by force. This draining spell is functionally the same as its canon equivalent, but the mechanics are different. It uses Titan magic, not the Collector’s, the culmination of all Belos’s studies of King and his father. The focal point is not the eclipse, but King himself. Despite valiant attempts to escape and resist (which damage the room and castle enough to create the openings the Collector later uses to reach him), King ends up unconscious and strapped to an operating table anyway. Yes, he is in the crucifixion pose. Yes, Belos recovered the gold ‘crown of thorns’ after it was discarded in “Edge of the World” and put it back on him. And so the draining spell activates.

How He Almost Did It: Witch and Biped Demon Genocide! Featuring a lot of stuff I made up about how magic works in this world!

Coven sigil branding in this AU has used extracted Titan magic all along. Like, the particles of the sigils themselves contain if not King’s DNA, then the ‘signature’ that is to magic as DNA is to physical cells. You know that trope? A person’s signature magic? However, the ‘cutting off access to other types of magic’ thing proves that while that is true, they also bind to the branded person’s magic. Magic, especially the living kind, is naturally inclined to return to the being it belongs to, especially if that being could really use some extra magic right now; the same way animals have preprogrammed mechanisms that instinctively fight to stop or at least delay them dying. The sigils’ connection to King has always been dormant and too weak to pick up on anyway. Until now, because Belos uses a special spell to activate it all at once.

He continuously siphons away King’s blood with catheters at a rate calculated to match the rate he replenishes it to suspend him on the brink of death. He is practically one extra lost drop of blood away dying. But his body has just enough strength to desperately draw upon all its physiological and magical ability to stay alive. Meanwhile, the blood is powering the portal.

Oh, hey, what’s this King’s magic is sensing? Loads of his very own magic that can heal him and give him energy scattered around in tiny fragments? He better gather it up and reabsorb it now! And any other magic stuck to it for good measure! Thus the draining spell. But because the sigils bind King’s magic with that of the witch or demon they’re on, the witches and demons have their magic and therefore life energy ripped out of them too. In short, everyone with a coven sigil becomes a battery in King’s forced magical life support.

Once they’re totally dead, Belos will casually pull the plug to prevent King surviving after all that. The ‘King of witches’ suffers, slowly, painfully dies and takes the sin and evil of the people of this world with him - evil is a synonym of being a witch, of course. Belos needs to stay until the covens are definitely drained to kill King and ensure that nothing interferes, with the rebels at large and how delicate King’s position is; and, well, it is so enjoyable to watch the fruits of his labour.

Everything seems doomed and everyone’s about to die. Nobody else knows how the spell works and Belos in his rage-consumed insanity after Luz brands him refuses to stop it. He reasons that if he goes through the portal and shuts it, he’ll be safe from the spell’s effects… but since the portal is right there, he might as well destroy these infernal rebellious brats on his way out.

Enter Collector Clawthorne! The two tablets that can release his power (the Titan Trappers’ one is taped together) have been salvaged and are obviously top priority. Hypothetically, anyone with one of them, the Collector and Titan blood could unlock phenomenal cosmic power, and given Belos’s surplus… yeah, no. Protect at all costs. But Collie aches to be useful in this darkest hour. And it really, really looks like it’s up to them. So he takes the tablets and sneaks away into the castle while Belos is busy rampaging, following the trail of magic, to find some Titan blood.

The only thing other than his reality-warping power that could save the day is just killing King before he unconsciously kills everyone else and for the reasons of being a child, being unwilling to murder someone they like and care about and an intense revulsion toward killing the sole survivor of the genocide they led and are trying to atone for, that isn’t an option. With his full power, he could easily revive King on top of healing the rest of Belos’s victims. This time, he’s going to be a god right. They’re not going to hurt people, deliberately or not. They’re going to help.

A slight problem is Belos is actually careful and diligent about not leaving the greatest power source on the Boiling Isles just lying around, so all of it that’s accessible is in the web of tubes coming out of King and into the portal. Collie chooses to puncture a tube with an ice glyph that freezes it shut almost instantly. He can easily fix it later. This gives them a small splash that leaked out to work with. He performs the ritual. The tablets are propped up opposite each other, Collie standing tall between them and facing King. Igniting a fire glyph wetted with the droplets creates the blue fire spell the Titan Trappers use, or at least an approximation, which they light each tablet with.

Suddenly King’s eyes snap open with a brief red glow. Remember that ‘all samples of his DNA contains his magic and is thus supernaturally connected to the magic in his body and right now that’s active’ thing I invented? Now he’s connected to this hell of a powerful spell more directly than canon King was to the canon Collector and the shock has awoken him. And he is very unhappy to be conscious. He’s bewildered, terrified and in agony. The stress of his tensing is not good for his already weakened body. He and Collie’s eyes are locked.

The flaming tablets rise into the air on either side of the Collector, crack and shatter to open circles of bright light, or rather holes punched in the fabric of reality, that his celestial magic pours out of in a breathtaking sight as Collie reaches out to King - but now King and the Collector’s magic are connected, so it all pours into him instead. These are not normal types of magic inside him, guys. These are the most powerful ones EVER. A Titan is a godlike being in a world where magic is commonplace and the magic of a ‘child of the stars’ is a complete outside-context problem like Bill Cipher is to Earth. Titan blood mixed with an intense, concentrated blast of all the power of an omnipotent god? This is gonna get weird. The blood in the tubes glows up into King’s veins, there’s a blinding flash of light and a chilling scream.

The good news is, King is rejuvenated and them some! The bad news is, he basically got the magic equivalent of a radioactive spider bite a millionfold, so while he feels fine and even has new superpowers, he nonetheless still has… you know, radiation poisoning. The cool news is he gets a new outfit, a starry dark blue hooded cloak that looks like it’s cut from the night sky and ripples on its own. The uncool news is, the draining spell is still going because as he was healed by an utterly incomprehensible and alien mechanism King’s magic doesn’t register him as okay - like, all that blood remains outside him. Collie is relieved he’s not overtly dying, but concerned. They knows their magic is Different and though happy it’s in the hands of a good person, he isn’t sure even a Titan will be able to handle it without losing control or accidentally dissolving themselves or something. King however dismissively says they have no time to worry or figure out exactly how this works.

Meanwhile, Luz and co. are battling Belos! It’s not going well. Belos rears up and brandishes his scythe arm -

when it’s caught by an absolutely fucking livid King. “King! What are you doing?” He smiles bitterly. “Saving the Boiling Isles, just like you always said I would.” As if teleporting here wasn’t demonstration enough of his level-up, he deletes his crown from existence and smashes Belos to pulp against the wall with a flick of his finger. The teens are caught between celebratory, confused and alarmed. The alarm wins out when King feels a sudden flare of pain, his eyes glow red and shooting stars spark off him, warping the ground where they land. Collie catches up and grounds him. He realizes to their horror their hypothesis was right - King’s body is rejecting the foreign magic and the two types are having an internal war. Hunter is especially frightened of losing his big brother figure. King insists he’s fine and that they leave things to him. Surprise surprise, the kid raised specifically to be a dark Jesus Christ analogue has a messiah complex.

He stops the draining spell by overriding his Titan magic with his new power. The good news is, it works! The bad news is, King does indeed lack control and unleashes the Collector’s magic across the Isles; it begins to twist and mutate the landscape to be wilder, more chaotic, even operating on fluid laws of physics like a dream, akin to the original Wonderland. It’s like a virus making a video game glitch out. King burns up with uncontainable, raw eldritch energy, physical form glitching disturbingly too, and has a breakdown over how he might actually doom everything anyway despite his change of heart and also nearly getting murdered by and in turn murdering the man who raised him that day and generally all his truckloads of unprocessed trauma. The Isles grow more nightmarish in accordance with his mental state. More Weirdmageddon than Wonderland. The Titan’s skull cracks apart as the magic, attuned to its hosts surging emotions, completely overwhelms his son’s rationality.

Luz uses vines to hold the portal together, intending to let everyone else go through to safety when King cannot be calmed down. But Collie refuses. They believe this new mess to be their fault for not figuring out the draining spell in spite of his knowledge of and skill at magical theory and not foreseeing what he would do to King, and he will. Not. Let. His power. Be an instrument of destruction and suffering again. They know it better than anyone, maybe they can help King master it! Or get it out of him! They can’t abandon King and the Boiling Isles, but they can keep Luz safe. Apologetically, he uses a glyph combination he devised in an earlier episode to blast Luz through the crumbling portal with a gust of wind.

And that’s “King’s Tide!” Ta-da! *sobs because it’s so sad and I only have myself to blame for creating this AU*

[accursedkaleeshi]

Death of Taa’yn

Triplets for reference & cute depressing palette cleanser. TW childbirth, death, blood

Taa’yn grew up in the oldest Masyrta (Mother temple) in the great expanse of northern Kalee. Many around her were sure she was favored by the All-Mother, including her father. She did a lot of egg sitting, hatch monitoring, & midwifing, making her the best kaleesh to have around for her wives’ first eggs. That being said, she had dealt with hundreds of mothers & knew things did not always go according to plan.

         Being largely reptilian, their bodies can safely reabsorb developing eggs at all but the latest stages if something is wrong. If something went wrong during pregnancy that their bodies could not handle there was not really anything they could do about it, especially in the North. At nearly 4 years after her first child, it didn’t take long for Taa’yn to feel like something was off in her second pregnancy.

         The egg was too large. She could feel her organs & ribs being moved too far. The other wives could not tell for sure, since Taa’yn was the largest of them to begin with. That along with the cultural kaleeshi attitude of letting things take their course led Taa’yn to keep her concerns to herself. “The egg was still viable,” she thought to herself, “Or I would not still be pregnant.”

         She was right. Her eggs were in pristine condition, in fact. They were developing so well that her body saw this pregnancy as going great & so greenlit it to full term. But when the day came to deliver Taa’yn was stoic & insistent. She requested only a few specific wives to assist. Everyone was immediately concerned. Taa’yn had never been anything but cheerful & delivery, like most kaleesh events, had usually been an open party plan.

         Taa’yn delivered an egg 20% larger than usual. It had adhered to a wall of her womb & tried to take it with on the way out. There was a lot of blood. Taa’yn, through a grimace, informed her wives that there was another egg in there. Mertenzi & Twarxii had to reach up there to help it out. Nobody knew what to say or do besides put her eggs in her arms. They tried a few things to stop the bleeding but it was too much. Taa’yn, glowing with relief, had told everyone not to worry & that everything would be fine, that everyone would do so good, until she slipped away into a final sleep. She was barely cold when Grievous made it back.

Kaleesh very rarely had multiples. They were made to streamline one big egg at a time. Some of them didn't even know that could happen. On the very rare occasion that Kaleesh had twins they were two in one egg as was the case with Taa’yn’s large egg. This brought about its own set of concerns. The family was advised by the Mother Minders that came down for the funeral to remove the identical twins from their egg no later than week 10. Removing hatchlings before they were ready was nerve-wracking but, between their sharp little claws & instinct to eat, you can see where it might not be a great idea to let them hatch on their own.

Luckily their husband built an incubator & there was always a mother in the nesting room. Salaen had just become pregnant with her first & was very scared. She calmed down after sitting with the triplets, considering it mom practice. Despite being peeled early Hez’kiya & Twan’lei did very well. The family worried about the second egg, as it seemed to have been packed quite tightly. But Gal’Jyn was just making sure he got all the bang for his buck out of his egg, absorbing all the yolk before hatching & eating his entire egg. The triplets went onto be perfectly healthy pups.

[adayinflash]

Choke Me So That You May Live

TWs: None

(We're back! I got busy and couldn't find the time to write things, so I set this aside, then even as things started to ease up I just had gotten out of the practice of it all, so it was hard to start back up. Hopefully I'll keep posting, but with classes no guarantees. Anyways, have a story about leaves)

            I must apologize for falling short of the quotas. Even though I faithfully supplied as much as you needed for seven whole months, the time has come for me to fall short. The others will, too, but I’m the first. As the sun shows its face more and more infrequently, I find it more and more difficult to do what is asked of me. Therefore, you have no reason to hesitate. It’s the only logical decision.

            You know this has to happen every year. While I may not remember the cullings of the past, surely you must, being the one to undertake the task annually. So what makes it so difficult for you now? My presence is nothing but a drain on resources, resources you will need in the coming months as you discard the rest of my brethren. You are all we have ever known, and we love you unconditionally. So you must know that we invite this gladly, for if our death may aid in your survival for even a year more, it will be well worth it.

            So choke me. Choke me so that you may live. Let the lush, vibrant color drain from my veins, to be replaced by a violent, bleeding flame. Let me shrivel up, the remaining fluid reabsorbed into your body and freed to the sky. Let me fall from your loving grasp so you no longer need to bear my weight. Let me rot so that you may reconstitute my form once it has sufficiently decomposed. Let me die so that you may live.

[boopjuice]

hehe hiiii tell me about Katherine

As a heads up before going into this, there is some mention of suicide in the story, in case that is something you want to avoid.

Okay, so Katherine is an oc I made for MHA. Basically, her quirk is based around blades, so she's able to create blades from the iron in her blood and control them. The blades form under her skin and actually cut their way out, eventually forming little pockets in her skin where it's easier for her to create blades from that she calls sheaths. She can reabsorb the blades, but can't reabsorb all the iron, so there's usually a little bit of iron dust that remains after she uses her quirk.

Anyway, she gets her quirk at four years old after a nightmare and, when she goes to tell her parents about the knives shooting out of her hands, she overhears her parents talking about how they'd be glad to have a quirkless daughter instead of one with a "villainous" quirk, since both parents already faced discrimination because their quirk were deemed villainous by peers and family. In Katherine's four year old mind, she figures that if she has a villainous quirk that her parents will abandon her, so she hides her quirk from then on. She pretends to take on a mimicry quirk, training her voice so she can copy any sound she hears.

Once she hits school age, she makes friends with a girl named Sunēkuai, or just Sunē for short, and alongside her childhood friend Kai the three decide to become heroes together. Kai has a water manipulation quirk, while Sunē can turn people into various reptiles and back, and she has snakes for hair. Their quirks lead people to harshly bully Sunē and Katherine, believing Sunē will turn out to be a villain and Katherine will turn into a random office worker with crushed dreams. But the trio stick together until the last year or so of middle school. Kai had been training to be a hero with some kids from his class and teaching Sunē and Kat what he'd been learning. When the group found out, they told him to either leave or stop teaching Katherine and Sunē.

At this point, Katherine has been training in martial arts for years. She knows by now that she isn't going to be abandoned, but her quirk is already in the registry and she fears getting in legal trouble for lying about her quirk, so she still keeps it to herself. Because of this, she has to be good at self defense, which is why she takes martial arts with Sunē. She's also got a few weapons courses, namely knife fighting since it wouldn't be too uncommon for a villain to have some kind of knife on them, and that's where she excels. She's also been practicing her quirk in secret, wanting to gain some more control over it even if she can't ever use it.

High school testing comes around, and she and Sunē test for all the same schools together. They don't try for U.A., they don't think they'll be able to make it, but Sunē manages to get into a C-list hero course. Katherine doesn't, and the two promise to stay in contact as much as possible with the two different schedules. They do, calling often and having study sessions together for topics they share like languages, math, and stuff of that sort. But Sunē starts to deal with harsher bullying in the hero course due to her quirk, and ends up committing suicide near the end of her first year.

Katherine is devastated, since the last time she saw Sunē she was planning on telling her about her quirk, her real quirk, so Sunē knew she wasn't alone. But Katherine's mom called, upset that she was hanging around with "that villain child," leading to a fight between them. Sunē told Katherine to go home to not cause further trouble, and Kat never got the chance to tell her about her quirk and how she'd been hiding it. Kat feels really guilty about it and vows to never use her quirk again, even in secrecy. She takes up smithing, making blades by hand and getting pretty good at it.

Once she gets a little better at it, she opens a nonprofit called Sunēkuai Blades, focusing on making custom blades for people and donating all funds to help with suicide prevention and raising awareness. From decorative pieces to functional kitchen knives, she makes everything by hand without the aid of her quirk, to the point she nearly forgets how to use it since it's been about ten years. The nonprofit is a side job though, since there isn't a lot of demand for blades like that, so she works full time at Kai's hero agency.

Kai doesn't really know she works there, since she's a low-level paper-pusher mostly. But he does meet her again when she comes in to give a tip about a case, a hero-killer copycat who leaves his blades at the scene and orders said blades from her nonprofit, which pisses her off since she makes her blades to try and save people. Anyway, she recognizes her own handiwork and calls in the tip, where she meets Kai for the first time in years as he helps the police get information from her. Kai pushes her hard, at first suspecting that she might have some connection to the villain since he remembers how she used to follow Sunē around, but eventually drops it. However, since she's lower in the ladder and providing the info took longer than expected, she gets in a bit of trouble with her boss.

Eager to make up for it, and get out of hot water, she works late the next day and is too tired to notice or effectively fight the guy that pulls her into the alley with unknown but certainly unpleasant intentions. On instinct, she accidentally uses her quirk and kills him, a small blade through his eye and into his brain doing the job without making too much mess. In a panic, she hides the body in a dumpster and heads home. The sleazy dude, however, was being trailed by the League of Villains. He'd stumbled into their bar a few weeks ago and had tried to pull a similar stunt on Toga. He managed to get away, but the League doesn't like loose ends (and the fact that I headcanon that they're all a big found family has absolutely nothing at all to do with this what are you talking about?) and want to kill the guy as revenge to make certain he doesn't tell the heroes where they are. Anyway, Twice watches Katherine kill him and dispose of the body and lets Shigaraki know, who gets really interested and wants to force Katherine to join the League since her quirk could be useful.

Katherine spends the next two weeks paranoid about heroes finding out what she did, as well as wrestling with the fact that she doesn't feel guilty about it. Meanwhile, the League spends that time stalking her, learning where she lives, works, does on a day-to-day basis, everything they can before sending Dabi in to kidnap her. They give him some extra time to hopefully find more dirt on her by having Shigaraki discreetly destroy some records one of Kat's coworkers were working on and making her stay late to help redo all the work. During this time, Dabi finds the designs that Kat really liked, duplicates of old orders that were too good not to have copies of. One of them, a katana with a bright green snake forged into the metal, has a picture of Kat and Sunē with a note to Sunē saying Kat thought she'd have like the design.

Katherine gets home from the impromptu overtime and, exhausted, doesn't notice the intruder in her home until it's too late. She wakes up in an interrogation room, where Dabi reveals that he knows her quirk and tried to press her for more information about it, hoping she'll spill some dirt about why she keeps it hidden to leverage her into joining the League. When that fails, he tries the same strategy as the now dead guy with much greater success. With Katherine's quirk revealed he's able to twist her arm and makes her join the League, however reluctant she is about it. She's not going to risk losing the life she built by revealing her quirk, it's far too late for that. Her choices are limited and very, very poor. So she goes along with their plans.

She spends a couple weeks at the hideout, learning her role in their upcoming plans as a seemingly random hostage used to bait heroes into death traps. During that time, she learns more about the members, their pasts and struggles, and find she sympathizes with them a little too much for her liking. She doesn't feel like she should relate so much to villains, and it scares her more than they do. Toga takes a liking to her, for obvious reasons, as does Dabi. He does so more out of respect for how resolutely she commits herself to her goals, in this case not getting found out, and how far she's willing to go to get what she wants.

Time comes to run the plan for the first time, and Katherine is surprised and more than grateful to see that the first hero they decide to pull the tactic on is Kai. She calls out to him by name, begging for his help to get away. She doesn't mention how wrong and yet how right the last few weeks with the villains felt. It's too scary to acknowledge right now. She just wants to get away and not have to worry about her quirk getting revealed.

But Kai refuses. Laughs in her face, in fact. Berates the League for choosing her as a hostage at random (so her thinks) because she's always been good for nothing, attaching herself to a would-be villain if she hadn't realized what a danger she posed to society and killed herself before that happened.

Which, understandably, pisses Katherine off.

She uses her quirk to kill the sidekicks with him before summoning the snake katana she'd made years ago out of the sheath in her arm, using it to kill Kai via beheading while he freaks out about her quirk not being what she said it was. She denounces him beforehand, calling out that he wasn't a hero and never had been, at least not in action. It's the last thing she says to him before she kills him, and just like the guy in the alley she doesn't feel remorse for what she does.

After that she decides that she can't go back to the life she built. She's killed two people, and even if she didn't particularly enjoy it she didn't feel any aversion to it. She'd been hiding an important part of herself for so long that it's been nice being around people who knew her secret and didn't treat her different because of it like she feared. They called her a villain not because of her quirk, but because of what she did, which really shouldn't have made as much of a difference as it did. But she decides to stay with the League and help them because they're the only ones who get it, and she just can't leave that behind.

[sirspazingtonthefourth]

A Well-Tempered Blade

Chapter 3: Shattered Dreams

Summary: Katherine has a lousy quirk. At least, that's what everyone says. After all, who would want to be able to mimic any sound they hear? That's no quirk for a hero. But Katherine's quirk is not mimicry, but something worse; something that would get her labelled a villain the second she revealed it. So to keep her family she hides her quirk, not even telling her closest friends her secret. But secrets must eventually come into the lights, and Katherine's are no exception. 1.9k/16k, no romance, angst? oc

A/N: Oh boy, I really love this chapter. I hope it gets across how close Katherine and Sunē are to each other. I don't want to say too much and risk spoiling the chapter, but I hope you enjoy!

Content Warnings (will be announced by the chapter): Bullying based on quirk, discrimination based on quirk, knives, character death, suicide. Let me know if I missed any.

Kai was staring at his feet in front of the dojo Katherine and Sunē attended. The two girls stared back, bags slung over their shoulders and mouths open.

“Why?” Sunē asked into the silence. Katherine couldn’t figure out what to say. She just stood staring at her childhood friend.

“They found out I was teaching you guys too. They said that I couldn’t train if I kept passing off their secrets to you guys.”

“But Kai… we were supposed to be heroes together,” Katherine finally got out, tears stinging her eyes. Kai looked up, fists clenched.

“If I don’t do this, none of us will get to be heroes in the first place!” he yelled. “Everyone knows Sunē’s just a villain waiting to happen, and you encourage her! Plus your quirk isn’t suited for heroics, and you know it! Why else would you be here, learning self defense?”

“Kai, that’s enough!” Sunē jumped in as Katherine stood shocked. “If you don’t want to be our friend anymore, then go.” Kai huffed in frustration and turned away, walking back to his house. Once he turned a corner, Katherine started crying.

She had known Kai almost since the cradle. They were going to be heroes together, that was the plan. But now, just a few months before they’d start testing to get into high school, he’d decided she was dead weight. She and Sunē both.

Sunē embraced her best friend, and Katherine felt her own shoulder grow wet. It was just them now. They’d have to make it alone.

After a few minutes of crying, Sunē pulled away, wiping her eyes. Her nose was a little runny, and her eyes a tad puffy. Her snakes were nuzzling against her cheek to comfort her.

“Come on. We can train without him.” Katherine nodded, pulling herself together and walking towards the park with her best friend. Exhausted as they were from training at the dojo, the two still trained as hard as possible, Katherine stretching her voice until she could barely speak and Sunē turning objects into lizards and snakes and then back again.

After two hours, the girls headed home, leaving each other with a tight hug and a wave. Katherine watched Sunē walk away. She looked so small and alone. As if the barest wind would tip her over to shatter in the road.

Katherine went silently into her empty house. Her mother was doing a small scene today, and probably wouldn’t be back until late. Her father was supposed to be gone for another three days, serving out of town for the week. Katherine fixed herself a small supper of ramen, barely having to look at the cutting board as she sliced vegetables and chicken for the soup.

She went into her room, practicing with her knives. She could control several at a time, now, and she’d send them flying down the hall or out the window as she pleased. She was careful to never hit anything with them, and kept the knives quite dull as an extra precaution.

It was about an hour and a half later that she stopped practicing, dizzy from lack of iron. That was the drawback of her quirk: she used the iron in her blood to make her blades, and the larger the blade the less she could reabsorb. Because of this, she tried to keep her diet high in iron.

Katherine reabsorbed the knives, and some of the iron she’d used to make them, and took a shower. She was sweaty and tired after an emotionally taxing day. She wanted to ease the cramps in her muscles and wash away the day with hot water before she went to sleep.

That night, Katherine dreamed of a dark room. She stood in her school uniform, and classmates stood in a circle around her. They were all pointing or laughing or whispering. At least, they would be if they were moving. They were all still as statues.

“Why?” someone asked. Katherine spun around, but in the dark the voice seemed to come from everywhere.

“Who’s there?” Katherine called, still spinning to see if any of the statues moved.

“Why do you hide? You could stop this all. They would never torment poor Sunē again. All you’d have to do is stop hiding,” the voice continued, as if Katherine had never spoke. Sunē appeared before Katherine in the circle, smiling brightly.

Katherine continued searching for the voice. As she spun, she saw her parents in the crowd, looking oh so pleased. She stopped, looking at the pride on their faces.

“Ah, yes. Them,” the voice said. Katherine heard gentle clinking, and looked to see dozens and dozens of knives beginning to circle her classmates and parents. They started slow, but quickly picked up, more and more adding to the mass until Katherine stood in the center of a cyclone of knives.

Katherine saw her parents’ faces turn from pride to disappointment. She could have sworn the knives laughed as they swirled. And then they began to close in on the circle of people.

The knives began to cut through the circle of students, and suddenly they were all alive, screaming and bleeding. Katherine tried to get control of the knives, but the more she tried to slow them the faster they swirled. She watched in horror as her parents were sliced to ribbons before they had the chance to scream. She watched as Sunē looked on, still smiling as she was cut into nothing but strips of flesh.

The knives continued to spin, circling closer and closer to her. She was overwhelmed, and felt like she was burning with fear. As the knives began to slice into her, she fell to her knees and screamed. The heat inside her was too much, and blue flames flooded from her eyes and mouth, burning her as her knives sliced her now charred skin. All she knew was the sound of the knives clanking together and pain that wouldn’t stop. It wouldn’t stop. It wouldn’t stop. It wouldn’t stop. It wouldn’t-

Katherine jolted awake in her bed. It was six in the morning, and she could hear her mother digging through pots and pans downstairs. She felt off, her throat and joints sore and her head stuffed with cotton. She wandered downstairs to see her mother.

“Oh, Katherine! I’m sorry, did I wake you?” her mother asked as she reached the kitchen. Her mother had a mixing bowl out and a pan on the stove. Katherine shook her head and rubbed her eyes.

“No, Mom. You didn’t. What’re you making?” Katherine’s mother walked over and gave her daughter a good morning hug.

“I’m making pancakes, since I stayed out so late yesterday. I know your father makes them better than me, but I hoped it might make up for you having to make dinner for yourself last ni- Star, are you alright?” Katherine looked up as her mother pulled away, a worried expression on her face.

“Yeah, just tired, why?”

“You feel hot. Come here, let me check your temperature.” Katherine’s mother placed a hand on her daughter’s forehead and cheek, comparing the two. She seemed unsatisfied and turned to a cupboard above the dishwasher.

“You have a fever, star. I’m going to call the school and let them know you won’t be in today. Here,” Katherine’s mother handed her a bottle of tylenol, “Take two pills with water and then go lay down. I’ll bring you up some pancakes when they’re done.”

Katherine and Sunē sat in the park, holding three letters each. They were from three different schools, the three the girls had tested to get into. They hadn’t held out enough hope to get into U.A., not with their quirks and what people thought of them. But they had still tried for the hero course together.

“On three. Ready?” Sunē said. Katherine nodded, clutching the first envelope tightly.

“One, two… three!” The girls tore open the first letters, briefly scanning before opening the next one. Then the next. Sunē’s face grew excited with the last envelope. Katherine’s continued to fall.

“I got accepted into the Tokyo General Hero Course!” the snake haired girl exclaimed. Her snakes whipped around, full of excitement that Katherine wished she could share.

“I… I got accepted into the General Course. None would take me in the Hero course.” Sunē reached over and patted her best friend’s shoulder.

“It’s okay. We can go and try to appeal your case, ask them to reconsider! Then we could go together!” Katherine shook her head. She would have to reveal her quirk for that, and she refused to disappoint her family.

“They won’t… not with my quirk.” Katherine looked up at her Sunē. Even after all these years, she thought those eyes were the most mesmerizing thing.

“You’re gonna have to be a hero for both of us, Sunē. I’m sorry I couldn’t keep up,” Katherine said, with a sad smile. Sunē pulled Katherine into a hug, and they squeezed each other tightly. They knew if they weren’t in the same course at the same school, they’d probably never see each other except on weekends that they could make time.

“You promise you’ll call, right? And text?” Sunē asked. Katherine laughed and nodded without hesitation.

“Of course! Every night! You’re my best friend, I would never cut ties like that,” Katherine assured. She squeezed Sunē tighter, and Sunē squeezed in turn. Before the girls knew it, they were in a squeezing war, rolling on the ground and trying to hug the other tightly enough that the other would let go. 

It was sunny out, but still chilly in the early spring air. The dew on the grass cooled them and soaked through their shirts a bit. They giggled, squeezing and rolling and staining their clothes with grass. It felt like the moment would never end.

“She was my best friend,” Katherine said at the funeral. She stood before an open casket, but couldn’t look at it. She couldn’t stand seeing her friend’s snakes so deathly still. Or the smile that seemed pasted on to her best friend’s face. Or those gorgeous eyes closed forever. Worst of all, she didn’t want to see the rope burns from the noose Sunē tied.

“We were going to be heroes together. I don’t think now that I ever could have been, but Sunē could have. She had more drive than I’ve ever seen in anyone.” Katherine swallowed the lump in her throat as she looked over the small crowd of people, mostly Sunē’s family. Kai hadn't shown up.

“People thought Sunēkuai was a villain because of her quirk. They never saw the determined, powerful person that we all knew and loved. They never recognized her potential, something she had in abundance. She used it to push through, to try and reach her dream. She inspired me, in a way that no hero ever did, to keep trying. To keep fighting. I wish I could have done the same for her.”

Katherine went back to sit with her family. They had never approved of Sunē, but when they found Katherine sobbing in bed after hearing the news they never questioned going to the funeral. Sunē’s parents had asked Katherine to speak at the funeral, knowing how close the two had been, and she felt equal parts honored and torn apart.

She cried again that night, considering following her best friend. Katherine didn’t think she could get through another two years of high school without those constant late night talks with Sunē. Who’s house would she go over to, when she felt too stifled by her own parents? Who would confide in her, and who would she confide in? Who would make her believe that anything was possible?

[socialbrewcoffee]

Everything About Decaf Coffee A.K.A. The Devil’s Blend

Nothing beats a hot cup of coffee for relieving the tension and exhaustion that our hectic lives bring. A few sips of coffee and boom! We're all magically alive. There are two kinds of people in the world. Coffee addicts; those who require caffeine and the pleasant fragrance of that bean juice in the morning to survive. Then there are individuals who do not want, enjoy, or desire coffee. However, this classification excludes a third group: decaf drinkers. Decaf coffee lovers appreciate the flavor of coffee but don't want the energy boost of the caffeine. 

Among decaf drinkers, there are many individuals who’re perplexed as to why they should drink decaf coffee because they believe decaf tastes worse than regular coffee. Plus, there’s also the concern that decaf coffee is chemically processed and has a history of employing hazardous chemicals for the decaffeination process, giving the name a bad connotation.

As an alternative to ordinary coffee, decaffeinated coffee is available at almost every coffee shop. Contrary to common misconception, decaf coffee still contains caffeine, but in considerably lower quantities than normal coffee. If that surprises you, keep reading to learn about the benefits and drawbacks of drinking decaf coffee.

What is Decaf Coffee?

Decaf coffee is derived from coffee beans that have had the majority of their caffeine removed before roasting and grinding. The beans are often treated in organic solvents until all of the caffeine has been absorbed. A standard cup of coffee, for example, has around 95 milligrams of caffeine, but a cup of decaf coffee contains only 2 milligrams of caffeine.

The History Of Decaffeinating 

Ludwig Roselius, a German coffee dealer, devised the first commercially viable decaffeination procedure in 1905. According to Atlas Obscura, one part of the decaf myth suggests that Roselius got a cargo of coffee beans that had been steeped in seawater. Roselius opted to process and test the beans rather than trash them. He discovered that the coffee had been decaffeinated but still tasted like coffee, but a little salty.

The Popular Methods Of Decaffeination

Decaf coffee, like regular coffee, begins as green, unroasted beans. Because it's difficult to extract only the caffeine and none of the other flavor chemicals, the decaffeinated version is typically associated with less palatable coffee and decaffeinated coffee beans are infamously difficult to roast effectively. There are three methods for producing decaf coffee: the Swiss water technique, the carbon dioxide method, and lastly, the methyl chloride process. Here's a quick rundown of each of them.

The Swiss Water Method

This is the process of soaking green coffee beans in water until the water becomes saturated with the soluble components of coffee. Green coffee extract is made by filtering the caffeine out of the water and when this extract is mixed with caffeine-containing green coffee beans, the caffeine "makes its way from the beans to the green coffee extract as the beans and liquid seek balance until the beans are practically caffeine-free."

The Magic Of Methylene Chloride 

Chemical solvents, like ethyl acetate or methylene chloride, are used in the most prevalent techniques of decaffeination. The coffee beans are steamed and then repeatedly cleansed with a chemical solvent to remove the caffeine in this direct technique. The bean-flavored solution is restored to the beans after the caffeine is removed from the water with the solvent, enabling many of the oils and tastes to be reabsorbed.

Benzene was once the preferred chemical until it was shown to be carcinogenic. Companies have now shifted to using different compounds, the most prevalent of which being ethyl acetate and methylene chloride.

The CO2 Method  

The supercritical carbon dioxide technique, as it is known technically, employs carbon dioxide (CO2) to operate as both a gas and a liquid at high temperatures and pressures. This supercritical CO2 enters the cracks of coffee beans as a gas, yet dissolves caffeine as a liquid. The beans are subjected to supercritical CO2 for many hours after they have been soaked in water (which expands cell structures and makes it simpler to extract the caffeine molecules). After the caffeinated CO2 liquefies and evaporates, the beans are processed. There is minimal change in flavor as a result of decaffeination since this approach preserves carbs and proteins. 

The 2 sides Of A Decaffeinated Coffee Bean 

The Pros 

Caffeine has been linked to sleeplessness, heart palpitations, and a variety of other health issues. It is a stimulant, as well as a diuretic and an acidic substance. If you have heartburn, gastrointestinal difficulties, or trouble sleeping, decaf coffee can help you avoid the negative effects of caffeine while still letting you enjoy the goodness of coffee.

Anxiety is a typical adverse effect of coffee. Caffeine can cause jitters, restlessness, and anxiousness. It's crucial to remember, however, that while coffee does not cause anxiety, it might exacerbate symptoms in those who are already anxious. If you suffer from anxiety and consume regular coffee, you might have to consider shifting your choice to decaf before your situation worsens.

The Cons

Some decaf coffees contain methyl chloride, a chemical commonly found in paint strippers. In humans, excessive doses of this chemical can cause severe neurological consequences, and in animals, continuous exposure to this can cause central nervous system effects.

The effects of decaf coffee on cholesterol in humans have been studied in several research pieces. Some claim that it raises cholesterol levels, while others claim it has no impact.  Though the results are inconclusive for the time being, it's better to be safe than sorry.

What Does The Global Market Say About Decaffeinated Coffee?

The global decaffeinated coffee industry was worth USD 1.65 billion as of  2019, and it is likely to increase significantly over the next few years. Buyers are likely to switch to decaffeinated beverages as they are becoming more aware of the potential psychological consequences of caffeine, which is a stimulant ingredient found in regular coffee. Excessive intake of caffeinated beverages has been linked to jitteriness, restlessness, sleeplessness, and raised blood pressure in recent years, according to several health studies. As a result, consumers are spending more on caffeine-free refreshments like decaf coffee.

Here’s a graphical representation of the estimated Decaf Market Size from 2016 to 2027.

A Collection Of The Best Tasting Decaf Coffee Beans And Blends

Decaf Brazil Coffee - Social Brew

Brazil's Santos, a coastal region is recognized for its smooth, delicate, and mellow coffee beans. It's often referred to as a soft coffee since it's delicate and gentle, with just a tinge of sweetness. This decaf is made using the Swiss technique.  To assure you of the premium quality, it's gently roasted a little darker than our medium roasted coffees, which introduces overtones of rich chocolate. If you're a decaf convert, Decaf Brazil from Social Brew is an absolute must-try! Decaf with a Colombian Twist - Savorista

With this decaf blend, you can enjoy all of the complexities of caffeinated coffee as the chocolate and caramel mingle with citrus to make a perfect medium-bodied bean. Breakfast Blend Decaf- Green Mountain Coffee

Get the goodness of a light roast that has notes of sweetness with some playful nuttiness and a clean mouthfeel to finish. No Fun Jo Decaf Coffee

A whole bean decaf coffee blend that's complex and will have you tasting blueberry while offering you the sweetness of milk chocolate. Decaf La Cebia

This mix from Huehuetenango, Guatemala - Central America, features a fruity taste profile with overtones of plum and mandarin, as well as the nutty richness from brown sugar. Decaf Columbia - Trailhead Coffee Roasters

This decaf's balanced medium roast is just what you need when you're too caffeinated. It comes from Oregon and is made incorporating a Colombian sugar cane technique.

Decaf coffee is a softer version of regular coffee, with a mellower flavor and aroma and, of course, less caffeine. It's an excellent alternative for individuals who dislike the sharp hint of bitterness and the pungent odor of regular coffee. However, if you are addicted to coffee and consume more than a couple of cups of coffee a day, switching to decaf coffee could be one of the best solutions to limit caffeine intake while also satisfying the untimely cravings. In the end, it's all about personal choice. 

If you’re exploring the parallel universe of coffee, try Social Brew. An e-commerce coffee company that enjoys bringing the flavor of the world's top gourmet and specialty coffees into the lives and routines of ardent coffee lovers like you. Also, almost half of our proceeds work on supporting the victims of Human Trafficking. Come join us and experience goodness that flows beyond the brim.

[mallowstep]

(nature; nurture)

You know the truth of yourself in pieces.

* * *

You are three, sitting on your mother's lap.

"And you understand this is a life-long commitment?"

"Yes," she says.

"And Mothkit, Frogkit, and Hawkkit, do you want Feathertail to be your mother?"

"She is our mama," Hawkkit says, and the woman laughs.

"That settles it, then."

* * *

Growing up is not a balloon inflating, the way you once pictured it. It is a crab moulting over and over again, exposing its softest parts, in hopes it survives.

* * *

You are the first to go to kindergarten. Only by a few minutes, but still. That feels like it counts for something.

You kiss your mother's cheek, and then drop your bag. A man crouches down beside you. "And what's your name?"

"Mothkit!" you say, and he shows you where to put your bag. You glance back at your mother as you venture deeper into the classroom. She wipes a few tears from her eyes.

* * *

Unlike a crab, you cannot reabsorb what you lose. Your teeth are collected in a box, exchanged for a few quarters, occasionally a dollar. Your hair is swept up and thrown away. You go shopping, and now there are two sections you have to examine. One for you, one for your brothers.

* * *

Stormheart picks you up for school, and no one is waiting in the passenger seat. You all climb in, and you end up stuck in the middle.

"Where's Mama?" you ask.

"She's at home," Stormheart says. He glances back at you for a second, smiling. "She's just having a bad day."

You kick off your shoes at the door when you get home, dropping your bag on the kitchen table. Your brothers are slower, but you peek through the crack in her door before Stormheart catches up with you.

She's asleep, not facing you. Mistyfoot is on the other side of the bed, reading a book.

Stormheart scoops you up. "Come on, bug," he whispers. "Let's go play outside."

* * *

But your soft parts stay the same, just growing between each exchange. You ask her about your father many times, and her answers drift, circling around a truth you want her to finish. You slip into her room after having a nightmare, and find her sobbing. You make a family tree, and stare frustrated at the missing names.

* * *

You follow her out to the garden. Frogpaw spends more time out here than you do, but you're bored, and your mother is here, digging tiny troughs into the earth.

You cross your legs on the grass beside her. She smiles at you. "Are you going to stay out here?"

"Yeah."

"Do you want a hat?"

"No." The sun is warm, and you lean down, your elbows pressing into the dirt. "What are you planting?"

"Poppies," she says. "Do you want to help?"

You shake your head. Feathertail takes a handful of sandy dirt, and pours the bag of seeds onto it.

"Mama?" you ask, and she lifts her brow. "What's assault?"

Feathertail pauses what she's doing, and looks questioningly at you. "Where'd you hear that?"

"It was on a TV show." You fidget with blades of grass. "I wasn't really watching."

Feathertail sighs. "It's -- when you hurt someone," she says. "When you attack them."

* * *

But you are not a crab. You are a girl, and you are changing. Your father sends you a letter and asks you if you're a help to your mother. You grapple with the undeniable proof he's in prison, like she explained a year or two ago. You shoot up past your brothers over the summer, and have to buy new clothes. A new garment comes with it. Feathertail cleans a few things out of a room you can't think of as hers, and it becomes yours. Your soft parts move, find new places in need of protection.

* * *

Sometimes, you want to explain everything to Leafpaw, all in one breath. You want to say, My mother didn't give birth to me, but I know who did, and I was not wanted, except that I was, and my father believes I am capable of nothing, and my period has started, and I don't know what that means, and I think you are beautiful.

You don't say any of that.

* * *

But you are not a crab, so you find traces of your past exoskeletons, the ones that didn't fit. A shirt you wore five years ago. A diary you can barely understand. A folded piece of paper you do not open. They don't make sense with who you are, and yet, they are who you were.

* * *

Shadepelt teaches you how to use make up. Feathertail and Mistyfoot don't wear any, but she does, and she makes it look easy and fun and flawless.

It's much harder when you have to do it.

Hawkpaw and Stonefur arrive home when you are scrubbing it off in the bathroom downstairs. You don't come down here very often, and it is strange to think that this space is a part of your home.

When your face is clean, you trudge upstairs. The air is tense, Hawkpaw and Frogpaw staring across the kitchen table at each other, Feathertail watching them.

"I'm -- allowed to know," Hawkpaw says.

"What do you want to know?" Frogpaw says. "We know everything we need to."

"Maybe you do," Hawkpaw says.

You glance at Feathertail. Her back is to you.

You slide unnoticed into your room, and pull out the stack of letters from your father. You read them all once, exactly, and then add them to the stack you keep in your bottom desk drawer. There's no point in rereading them.

But you run your thumb over them, listening to the way the old, dried paper crinkles.

Frogpaw is asking the wrong question. It's why Hawkpaw wants to know that matters.

* * *

Freshman year draws to a close, and you think you are in your final moult. Leafpaw falls asleep on your shoulder on the way home from a field trip, and you hold hands as you wait to be picked up. You haven't outgrown any clothes in months, and your brothers are now taller than you. You look in the mirror, and realize this will always be the face that looks back at you.

* * *

There is always talk. You try to ignore the worst of it,

("Well, Hawkpaw is a creep," and, "I heard their mother doesn't love them," and, "Bet you can't wait to see your daddy,")

but that's easier said then done.

Leafpaw squeezes your hand. "They don't know what they're talking about," she says.

But they do. That's the problem. They're wrong, but they know what they're talking about.

A junior Mothpaw doesn't know sits beside her at lunch, in Leafpaw's space.

"You should move," Squirrelpaw says.

"No one's sitting here."

"Someone will be."

True to form, as soon as Leafpaw bursts into the cafeteria, she forces herself between Mothpaw and the junior.

The junior rolls her eyes. "I was wondering," she begins, "how you feel about the death penalty."

* * *

There are still old memories you revisit. Feathertail is hospitalized for the third time you can remember, and you log your hours for drivers' ed as you practice making the trip back and forth.

* * *

On Halloween, you take the bucket of candy Feathertail gave the three of you to share and sit on the back porch. Frogpaw and Hawkpaw keep stuffing their faces long after you've finished, and you feel like you're witnessing something obscene.

"I did some math," Frogpaw says. "We were born a month early." He throws a candy bar up, and it lands on his stomach. "Means we were conceived around New Years."

He throws the bar up again, and this time it lands in his hands.

"You ever want to throw a party? Just one. Make a bunch of food for dinner and sit around the table and call all the different dishes courses?"

"What the hell are you saying?" Hawkpaw asks.

"I think i'm just saying something," Frogpaw says. "I think I'm just hoping if I say enough things, I'll find the right thing to say.

* * *

You get your license. It says your name on the card, Mothpaw, daughter of Feathertail, and ask for permission to drive the car.

You don't have a plan for where you're going, and you end up in front of a cathedral.

* * *

The stress of junior year threatens to break you. College applications loom, your classes grow teeth, and you start to bicker with Leafpaw over petty things.

You read over the essay requirement for colleges, and think about what kind of essay you could write. Because there's really only one story worth telling, and it feels wrong, to type out all of your family to a stranger.

It makes you glad you started early. "My mother was fourteen when we were born," you write, and then scratch out. "My father is alive. We know who the other is. I've never met him," you write, and then erase. "I don't know who I am," you write, and then you keep writing.

* * *

At some point, you decide you don't believe. But. You keep coming back. There is something reassuring in routine. Your family doesn't ask where you are going, and you don't volunteer it. Sunday morning. There's some kind of peace, in having the time to sit and think and be.

* * *

"I think I've messed everything up," Leafpaw says. "I've gone about this all the wrong way, and now, everything is terrible, and this is all my fault, Mothpaw, I'm sorry-"

You kiss her, and then lean your forehead against hers. "We're both at fault," you say. "Besides. Maybe the honeymoon is over. We've got lives to attend."

And Leafpaw, inextricably, is part of that life. You can think of the essays you would've written about her. How her hair looks brown until it catches the sun, and then it shines like red glass. How she stomps when she is excited. How she links arms with you and says you're going shopping until you find your family Christmas gifts.

* * *

They invite you to a class, but it feels strange, knowing you don't believe. How do you say, I am here, and I am not, and I don't think you'd really want me.

You don't. You kneel down and offer a prayer to a god you don't believe in. Maybe it will catch.

* * *

Feathertail listens to you practice your speech.

"I'm so proud of you," she says. "You know that, right?"

You nod. She tells you this often, but something about her tone makes your throat catch. You've outgrown the days when Feathertail's arms could surround you, but even so, you start to cry when she hugs you.

"I love you," you say.

"I love you too," she says. She settles back onto the couch, wrapping her hands around a mug of tea.

This is the truth of who you are. This is what you will always fail to capture. How can you describe how the light streams inside at an angle that you've always known, one that makes the dust swirl through it? How can you describe the books on the coffee table, how each book has been read and loved, not merely thrown there for decoration? How can you describe yourself in any way but being there?

* * *

You meet your father's eyes. You know them. You have seen them in the mirror.

* * *

You hold your diploma in one hand, stopping for a photo. You were the first to enter kindergarten, you were the last to leave high school.

The excited chatter in the air is a reminder of what this day is. You have all bought your final yearbooks, signed names and numbers you won't remember in a few months. You're in it a few times -- Feathertail and Leafpaw delighted in hunting for your every appearance -- and you think, maybe it is okay if you are pieces.

There is something whole and solid that is made of them.

[reading-wanderer]

Ectober Day 13: Void

Something’s missing, and it’s not just the candles.

Ectober Masterlist

Lightning flashed across the sky, throwing light across the floor, followed quickly by a clash of thunder. “Where did I put the candles,” Vlad grumbled as he shuffled boxes around in the north tower storage room, “I need to get more stuff. Just put a storage room full of emergency gear on every floor. It’s not like I don’t have the space for it. Or the money.”

“Noted,” his doppelgänger commented from the other side of the room as he shuffled through his own pile of boxes. The second clone, down in the kitchen cooking dinner, wrote it down on the to do list. “At least the kitchen’s ectoplasmic generator is working,” clone one commented idly.

“I would prefer if all the generators were working,” Vlad shot back, tossing another box full of random papers off to the side.

“We knew that most of the initial designs were likely to fail,” the clone pointed out, grabbing the box of papers and moving it to the back of the room.

“Yes,” Vlad sighed, “but I had hoped that there would be— why am I talking to myself.” The clone shrugged. The two went silent once more as Vlad shoved boxes around more aggressively as he tried to bury the fact that he had just been talking to himself like a crazy person— even if he was effectively split into three bodies.

Two bodies. He reabsorbed clone one as the clone in the kitchen finished cooking dinner. Going intangible, Vlad darted down through the floor. Despite the wet heat of the summer storm, he still sighed with relief upon reaching the kitchen and getting blasted in the face by the combined heat of the oven and the space heater he had moved in from his bedroom. His newfound sensitivity to cold was by far the most annoying part of his ghost half. According to Skulker he’d likely “grow out of it” as his core got stronger, but for now it was an almost constant problem.

He reabsorbed his other clone with a sigh, shifting back to human form and settling in at the seat his clone had set up at the island. Baked chicken and steamed asparagus with butter and black pepper sat ready and waiting while his space heater was practically hugging his leg. It was… nice.

He had been planning to light up the dining room with candles— no point in having the room if he didn’t use it. The sight would likely be amazing combined with the darkness and lightning outside, but… maybe it was better this way. After all, that table was meant for large groups of people. There was no point in further emphasizing the void in his life.

[dreamsmp-au-ideas]

OCTOPATH AU???? :EYES:

*spins my chair to my computer

So I’m done with my things so let’s talk about it! Mainly about the character plots because the idea just came to me at 2 AM.

There’s going to be 2 groups for this au, one group is basically in the kingdom itself while the other is venturing towards the kingdom, eventually they do get to meet up and become one singular group.

This is going to be the first group, venturing towards the kingdom.

So let’s start off with George and Sapnap. George is the king of the kingdom we’re going to call...SMP because of course. Dream, George, and Sapnap are all best friends and Dream and Sapnap are the knight’s in shining armor who protect George. Eret is George’s next in line for the throne.The kingdom was flourishing, everyone is happy, and nothing seems to be wrong.

That all changed when all of a sudden the castle was attacked by mercenaries. The knight’s tried to fight them off as best as they can but it was too much. George had to flee and Sapnap went with him. Dream was separated from the other two. Eret is also separated but prompted to hide in the capital itself.

So Sapnap and George are on the run and are looking to reclaim George’s throne after receiving news that someone has been crowned king. They don’t know who it is but rumors has it that they are cruel and seemed to be obsessed with power. (Wink wink, I am totally not referring to the Green Man.)

Quackity is basically someone who is a Bard/Merchant who just wanders around and he just tries to get by. Whether most of the things he does is not exactly legal is his own business and no one else’s. He still cracks jokes and stuff but he does build his walls higher when it comes to trust and friends due to bad memories with Schlatt.

So he is wandering around when he just, finds Sapnap and George fighting off some bandits and he helps because, oh hey maybe he’ll get some free stuff. Sapnap and George thank him and Sapnap impulsively asks if he can help him because George used to be a king and if Quackity helps then they’ll reward Quackity greatly.

Quackity does not trust this, the last person he trusted in authority just ruined everything he cared about (L’Manberg’s flag in flames. The revolution failing. Schlatt calling him Flatty Patty and laughing as he runs away) but he is running low on supplies so he helps them reluctantly. 

Karl on the meanwhile joins the group after some failed quests to get recognized and such. He craves attention and he is sick of being ignored by everyone. He is striving to be a knight but he isn’t exactly the best at combat. 

Then he hears about this group and a former king trying to regain his crown in there. He practically begs the three of them to let him join and prove his worth. He needs to show that everyone is wrong and that he is important enough to be in history.

Sapnap objects to this but Quackity and George are cool with it, with George pointing out that they need as much allies as they can. Sapnap then goes and just trains Karl and whoops, now he’s attached to him. How did that happen?

(It getting long so I’m going to put group 2 on the bottom)

Eret in the kingdom is just trying to figure out who went and sent those mercenaries against them. They know that there isn’t much enemies they know about and they just go and sneak around to try to find clues on how this happened. They have no idea who the current king is as they are a recluse but they did make the kingdom basically become a police state. They also do not know if George made it out alive.

They soon gathers enough info to find out about somebody named JSchlatt, the president of Manberg. The info doesn’t tell him much but it does say something about a deal being made by the current king. So off they go to find people who knew of Schlatt and the first person they find is Fundy.

Fundy is looking for Tommy, Tubbo, and Wilbur. He knows that Tommy and Tubbo has fled somewhere into the capital but Wilbur could be anywhere. Eret tries to recruit him due to them seeing how he handled the guards in the square but Fundy declines it. Fundy remembers Eret, he remembers how they betrayed L’Manberg

So Eret went and used his former royal status and struck a deal saying that if Fundy helps Eret find the guy who did this and helps reclaim the kingdom, that they will provide resources to help him find Wilbur. It’s something Fundy wants and it isn’t honestly not that bad. They have to reunite to fight a bigger bad and then they can go back to being enemies after this.

So Fundy agrees to this and Eret has now one person added to their group. Fundy however, does not go and say anything about the state of Manberg and the revolution because at the moment, these two kingdoms are enemies and they absolutely hate each other.

Last thing they need is for the king of the SMP to go and reabsorb L’Manberg back into the kingdom.

Niki then joins the group after Fundy recognizes her and they reunite and she is full on ready to get L’Manerg back. She told Fundy that the country really has went downhill ever since the revolution failed and that everyone is pretty much suffering there. 

She hid in the capital of the SMP kingdom thinking it is a safe place to just regroup and figure out what to do next only to find out that it has become a police state after the dethroning of George.

Eret welcomes her and Fundy and Niki are both surprised because, “Aren’t the SMP and Manberg supposed to be enemies?” And Eret says yes, they are enemies, but George was actually considering on having the two of them become allies due to the respect he has after seeing them fight and because of the fact that they really wanted to make amends with L’Manberg.

Fundy and Niki actually believes them because they saw how Eret is really trying to change and such. So they believe in them and trust them.

Mr TommyInnit then joins and after a few months as DepressedInnit missing Tubbo and Wilbur and all of his friends, he is absolutely thrilled to see Fundy and Niki again. He is at first a bit peeved that Eret is there but after some time he does trust Eret again.

Tommy explains that Tubbo went and disappeared one day and Tommy couldn’t go look for him ever since the increased security of the capital. Everyone just sees this sad child crying about how he feels like Tubbo’s disappearance is his fault and just comforts him.

Tommy then after some thinking decides to join the group and god it is nice to be around people again.

Group 1 is just basically an arsonist, a shitposting duck-hybrid bard, a wannabe hero, and a former king who does not set his alarm clock right. 

Group 2 is basically a badass baker, a furry, an angry child, and a bisexual king.

Both of these groups become found family and are disasters. And when they meet up, they become more of a family and bigger disasters. They have braincells but they don’t use it most of the time.

I’m going to flesh out the final bosses for each of the characters but some may be shared due to the fact that Karl and Niki has no rivals that I can think of. Anyways this post got long. Send me some late 7:00 asks about the au if you want.

[teacupfulofstarshine]

LOVELY, DARK, AND DEEP: CHAPTER 6

cw: mentions of existentialism, nonspecific discussions of death/the afterlife, minor angst, brief moment of panic

chapter 1 // chapter 2 // chapter 3 // chapter 4 // chapter 5 // read it on ao3! 

word count: 6784

“What is that?” 

Virgil looks up, lunch hanging out of his mouth. “Wh’s wh’?” He tears off a bite of his sandwich, chews, and swallows. Logan watches him intently from his shallow tank the entire time. “What’s what?” 

“That thing you are consuming.” 

“It’s a sandwich.” 

“That is nonsensical,” Logan says, frowning. “From what I understand, human digestive systems are far inferior to ours. You require your fish to be consistently heated until all the flavor is gone and you have many other diet regulations that we do not. Yet even we cannot digest sand when it gets in our food. How are you doing so? Explain, please?” 

Virgil gets the sense that he should be slightly insulted by what Logan’s said, but he isn’t. “There’s no actual sand in this, Logan.” 

“Then why is it called a sandwich? Why do humans insist on calling things what they are not? I will never understand . . .”

“I think it’s named after some guy. Some earl or something, the first guy to make a sandwich. So now we call them all sandwiches even though there’s no actual sand in it.” 

“That does not make sense,” Logan says, frowning. 

“Listen, I don’t know what to tell you. You’re right, but I can’t exactly go around and change what a sandwich is called. That’s not how this works. That’s not how any of this works.” Logan makes a confused face. 

“So it is not sand?” 

“No, Logan. It’s not sand.” Logan scratches at the bandages wrapped around his arm, and Virgil swats his hand away. “Hey! What did I say about touching your bandages?” 

“That I should not do that because my wounds could become infected and require a prolonged stay in this miniature human ocean,” Logan recites. 

“And what are you doing?” 

“Touching my bandages.” 

“I’m gonna have to put you in a cone of shame at this rate.” 

“What is a cone of shame?” 

Virgil pulls out his cell phone and taps at the screen until an image of a dog wearing a cone appears. Logan hisses at it when he sees it. “You will not put that on me!” 

“Well yeah, obviously. It wouldn’t stop you from fiddling with your bandages, and I don’t have a cone of shame for you. Plus, it’d fuck with your gills since they’re on your neck.” Logan shudders, reaching up to touch his gills where they lay flat and closed against his neck. Virgil remembers how they’d found him, slumped on the beach and barely breathing, gills pinned shut. “Hey, Lo?” 

“What is it?” 

“I have a question for you.” 

“You have already asked me a question, but feel free to ask another.” 

“Why don’t you have gills on your torso?” 

“I am confused by the word ‘torso.’ Please elaborate?” 

“Patton has gills on his neck, like you, but he also has them here.” Virgil sets his sandwich down and presses his hands to his ribcage, approximately where Patton’s larger set of gills is. “Roman has two sets of gills, too. But you only have one. Why is that?” 

Logan frowns, touching his ribs. “I . . . do not know. Dad and Roman have always had two sets of gills. I have never had gills on my - torso, did you call it? - and until recently I never saw a reason for them. Now, of course, I can see where they may be beneficial . . .”

“So you’ve just . . . never had any gills other than the ones on your neck?” 

“No, I have not.” 

Virgil frowns. “That . . . seems strange . . .” 

“I am sure it is, but I do not have any explanations to offer you.” 

Logan swishes his tail restlessly in the shallow tank, glancing nervously towards the entrance to the ocean cove. Thomas had taken Roman and Patton out hunting earlier, leaving Logan and Virgil to wait around in the lab. “Are you okay?” 

“Just anxious for my pod to return. I find that having them out of my direct line of sight makes me . . . incredibly uncomfortable.” 

“Yeah, I get that.” 

“Virgil?” 

“Hmm?” 

“May I see more of those . . . ‘draws’ that you make, please?” 

“My drawings?” 

Logan’s cheeks flush just slightly, and Virgil has to forcibly stop himself from squealing at how adorable it is. “Yes. I find them . . . intriguing. You create such detailed, lifelike images with a few fancy sticks, and it is aesthetically pleasing. I enjoy them.” 

Now it’s Virgil’s turn to blush. “I - wow, uh . . . thanks, L.” 

“It is no trouble.” 

Virgil picks up his sketchbook and holds it open for Logan with one hand. Logan leans forward to squint at the drawings, tilting his head to the side. “What is this a drawing of?” 

Virgil peers over the sketchbook, trying to figure out what Logan’s looking at. “Oh. It’s the night sky, the stars and stuff.” 

“What is a star?” Logan asks. “What is a sky?” 

Virgil frowns, setting the book aside and reaching for his laptop. “You’ve never seen the sky before? You’ve never seen the stars?  You have to have seen it at some point, right?” He pulls up a photo of the night sky and turns it around to show to Logan. 

“Oh! I know what that is.” 

Virgil hums. “So . . . what do you think that is, then?” 

“It’s the Upper Ocean,” Logan says matter-of-factly. 

“The Upper Ocean?” 

“Yes.” 

“I’ve never heard of that before.” 

“It’s where the Seven Mother Goddesses live.” Logan points to the full moon in the picture. “That’s their palace right there.” Virgil blinks. 

“It’s a what now?”

“It’s the palace of the Seven Mother Goddesses. They live there, in the Upper Ocean. They’re the ones who blessed us with the oceans. Before, there was no water at all, just hard, dry land. The Seven Mother Goddesses took pity on us. They brought a jar of water from the Upper Ocean and spilled it on the land. Everywhere the water touched, an ocean sprung up. They created the oceans for us to live in, and then sprinkled droplets of water over the remaining land so that those who lived there would have lakes and rivers. But all water sources connect back to the oceans, because the water from the Upper Ocean wants to collect back together.” 

“Did these Seven Mother Goddesses stay here?” 

“No. They returned to their palace in the Upper Ocean. They watch over us from up there.” 

“So what are all these, then?” Virgil gestures to the stars. 

“Those are the death palaces.”

“The what now?” 

Logan looks at him as though he’s just asked what two plus two is. “The death palaces. When mer die, our spirits leave the ocean and are carried to the Upper Ocean. Each of those little glowing places in the sky is a death palace, where our spirits spend the rest of their afterlife. They’re at peace.” 

“Oh. So it’s your heaven, basically?” 

“What is a heaven?” 

“Where you go after you die, if you’re good.” 

“You go to the Upper Ocean if you’re bad, too,” Logan says. “But you don’t get a death palace. You just disintegrate. You’re reabsorbed as part of the ocean waters. You stop existing as you.” 

“Damn. That’s harsh.” 

“That is reality.” 

Virgil isn’t in the business of arguing with the metaphysical beliefs of other people, especially merpeople that he’s only just gotten onto good terms with, so he lets it go. Logan continues looking through his sketchbook, periodically making comments as Virgil finishes his sandwich. “Can I try?” 

“The sandwich? I hate to break it to you, but I already ate the whole thing, so . . .”

“Not the sandwich. The draw. I want to try.” 

Virgil blinks. “You - you want to try drawing?” 

“Yes. Is that an issue?” 

“No, not at all! I just - I’m gonna have to go get some supplies. That’s all.” 

“That is fine. I will wait here.”

Virgil puts his sketchbook down and hurries off upstairs, poking around for art supplies that he doesn’t mind sacrificing to this noble and very homosexual cause. He finds a stack of scrap printer paper, some old pencils that don’t produce the good quality graphite, and a stack of towels so that Logan doesn’t drip seawater all over the paper. He’s going to have to prepare Logan to suck at drawing (God only knows he did when he first started) and he’s not really sure how Logan will take it, but he’s going to have to try anyway. 

He returns to the lab to find Logan attempting to heave himself out of the water and onto the floor. “Hey, hey, whoa whoa-whoa-whoa whoa, hey! What’cha doin’ there, buddy?” 

“Attempting to remove myself from the tank. What do I appear to be doing?” Logan hisses in pain when he drags his scraped tail over the edge of the tank, flopping back into the water with a splash that only soaks part of the floor. 

“Agitating your injuries and making your stay in the lab a lot longer than you want it to be?” 

Logan’s tail swishes unhappily, but he doesn’t try and launch himself out of the tank again. “If you don’t wanna draw in the tank, I can move you onto one of the lab tables. You gotta tell me what you want, though. I’m not a mind reader.” 

“I would prefer to be moved onto the table, please. It has become apparent that if you drop the draws into the water, they do not survive.” 

“You got me there,” Virgil sighs. “That’s why I brought the towels. I can move you onto a table, and then we’ll make sure we dry you off thoroughly before you start drawing. Oh, and just a fair warning? You’re probably gonna suck at it at first.” 

“What is . . . ‘suck’?” 

“It means you’ll probably be really bad at it, since you’ve never done it before.” 

“Were you ‘suck’ at it when you first started?” 

“What you meant to say was did I suck when I first started, and yeah. I was terrible. The only reason I’m so good now is because I took a lot of classes and practiced for years. It’s okay if your drawings kinda suck. I’m not gonna judge you for not being good at it.” 

“Good,” Logan says. “I find the idea of you thinking me incompetent distresses me a great deal.”  

Virgil rapidly turns his back to Logan before he spontaneously combusts from the Gay. “Right! Well! I’m just gonna go ahead and wheel that lab table over then!”

“Alright.” 

Virgil drags a rolling table over and locks the wheels, covering the surface in towels. “Are you ready over there?” 

“Yes, I am.” Carefully, Virgil reaches into the tank, and Logan reaches his arms up to loop them around Virgil’s neck. Virgil lets one arm wrap around Logan’s back and slides the other one down to where his tail naturally bends in the middle. He very deliberately does not think about the fact that if Logan were a human with legs, his hand would be dangerously close to his ass right now. 

Virgil quickly drags his head out of the gutter before he can wonder what that would be like. Logan flicks his tail up out of the water, coiling the end to drape around Virgil’s forearm. “Careful!” Virgil yelps, wobbling on his feet and nearly overbalancing. “What if I fall over and drop you?!” 

“You will not,” Logan says, and wow his face is close to Virgil’s. His eyes are wide, and almost eerily luminescent under the fluorescent lights. The midnight-blue scales littered on his face (clustered around his eyes and nose, almost like freckles, like a mask) gleam, twinkling almost like stars, drawing Virgil in. “I have faith in you, Virgil. You will not drop me.” 

“That’s a lotta faith to have in someone you wanted to kill a week and a half ago,” Virgil breathes. Logan smiles, huffing out a soft breath through his nose. 

“You have not dropped me yet, Virgil.” 

Virgil hurries to set Logan on the lab table before he loses his grip.

“You are pulling my hair!” 

Logan pulls his head away, wincing and rubbing his head. Virgil gently sets the towel on the table, setting a hand on his shoulder; it’s absurdly warm, Logan notes. “I’m sorry, Lo. I forgot you’ve never used a towel before. Here, I’ll be gentler this time.” 

The towel comes back, softer this time. Rather than wringing and pulling, it pats and squeezes gently, carefully smoothing his hair and pulling the water away. “There you go,” Virgil says. “All dry.” He smiles, and Logan feels something very strange begin to move in his heart. He leaves the towel draped around Logan’s shoulders and hands him another one. Logan carefully wipes down his arms and hands and torso while Virgil dries his back and tail. 

It’s strange, feeling someone else’s hands on him. Logan is used to touch - he’s used to sleeping intertwined with Roman and their dad, he’s used to play-wrestling with Roman and hugging his dad, he’s used to his dad smoothing his hair out of his face and carefully applying seaweed over injuries from hunting or battles. He’s been touched, of course he has. Still, there’s something strange about the way he feels when Virgil touches him. 

Virgil’s hands have power behind them. Logan knows that at any point, Virgil could snap and hurt him. This isn’t his world, after all; it’s Virgil’s. If Virgil wants to keep him and his pod in this lab for his own sick amusement, there’s very little he or Roman or even his dad could do to stop them. Fear of the humans has been drilled into him since he was a guppy. They have the power to tear his life apart and destroy the pod he’s worked so hard to build. Logan should be terrified. He should be trying to kill Virgil, or at the very least stun him. 

He is not doing either of those things. 

Logan allows himself to grow distracted, slowing down in his towelling of his arms to focus on the way Virgil dries his tail. He applies pressure to soak up the water, but he’s still gentle. He carefully moves the towel so that he’s not pressing on the tender bandaged areas. His lower lip is caught between his teeth, and he worries it with his upper teeth as he works. 

For some strange reason, Logan can’t stop staring at that lip. He wonders what it would be like to smooth his fingertips over it. Would he be able to feel the indents from Virgil’s teeth in the skin? Would it be soft or chapped? What would it feel like to lean over and press his mouth to Virgil’s? To pull Virgil’s lower lip from between his teeth and suck it between his own? Would Virgil taste like the sea, or would he taste like that “sand witch” he had been eating? 

“Uh . . . Logan?” 

Logan startles, blinking rapidly and looking at Virgil, whose gaze has shifted from his tail to his face. “Are you okay there, buddy? You were kinda . . . starin’ at me.” 

Virgil’s cheeks are faintly pink. Curious. 

“I apologize. It was not my intention to stare at or confuse you,” Logan says, hastily turning his attention back to the towel wrapped around his forearms. “I merely found myself . . . what is the human expression? ‘Lost in thought.’ I did not mean to alarm you.” 

“I mean, same,” Virgil says. “I do that all the time, and then the Doc asks me what the hell I’m doing staring at him. Don’t worry about it. I was worried I’d hurt you or something.” 

“You would know if you had hurt me,” Logan says. “But you have yet to do so, and I am reasonably confident that you will not.” He feels his heart rate begin to pick up, unsure why it is doing so. Virgil’s cheeks get pinker still, and he quickly turns away, breaking their eye contact. 

For some reason, this distresses Logan slightly. 

Virgil finishes drying him off and places a stack of paper on the towels in front of Logan. “Here’s your paper, and here’s your pencil. Oh, fuck, wait - do you know how to hold a pencil?” 

Logan takes the strange draw stick from Virgil, squinting at it curiously. “I . . . have never done so before. Perhaps if you were to demonstrate, I could copy your technique?” 

Virgil pulls up a chair next to the table and props a sketchpad against the edge. “I mean, you gotta remember that I have years of practice doing this and you don’t,” he says, “but if you want, I can try.” 

“That would be beneficial.” 

Virgil pulls another draw stick from behind his ear and presses the non-draw end against his lip, humming. “What should I draw?” 

Logan’s mouth moves before he can stop himself. “You could create a draw of me.” 

Virgil’s eyes snap up to meet Logan’s. “You - you would be okay with that?” 

“Your draws of me are very good,” Logan says. “And - and I do not mind when you create draws of me, and I am - I am right here, am I not?” 

“You are . . .”

Virgil looks away, and Logan feels his face begin to burn. He is confused, but his confusion quickly fades when Virgil begins to make his draw. Logan studies the way he holds his draw stick, making sure that he’s not staring at Virgil when Virgil’s gaze flicks back up to him. He adjusts himself about seven times before leaning down to start his own project. 

He quickly learns that Virgil was right - creating a draw is much harder than he makes it look. The draw stick is awkward in his hands, and as hard as he tries he can’t move it around easily like Virgil does. 

“If you have a mistake,” Virgil says, glancing up again, “use this end.” He taps the pink end of the draw stick. “It’s called an eraser, it gets rid of the marks. Here, I’ll show you.” He makes a random line in the corner and then rubs the pink end back and forth rapidly, brushing the page off to reveal that the mark is gone. 

Logan turns his draw stick around and tries to remove some of his mistakes from the paper. It takes him a few tries to get the hang of it, but he finally manages to scrub away his mistakes and start again. “Will . . . will I be able to produce a good draw, do you think?” 

“Today? Probably not,” Virgil says, not looking up from his pad. “Eventually? Maybe, if you’re committed to getting better. It’s gonna take a while, and you are gonna hate your work at one point. You’re gonna wonder what the point of doing it over and over again is if you don’t seem to be getting any better. But then, one day, you . . .”

His voice takes on a faint, nostalgic tone. “One day, you’ll be looking back through your old work and you’ll compare it to the stuff you’ve just did that you thought was horrible and . . . and you’ll . . . you’ll realize how far you’ve come. And you’ll realize that even though you thought you were so, so shitty . . . you’re not. You’re improving. You’re getting better.” 

“Are you alright?” Logan asks. “Your eyes are leaking.” 

Virgil brushes the leak off of his face. “I’m alright,” he says. “I’m just . . . overwhelmed with emotion. I’ll be okay.” 

Logan reaches out and gently brushes some of the leak off Virgil’s face with his fingertips. “I am sorry that I made you leak, Virgil.” 

Virgil stammers. “I - uh - you - it - it wasn’t your fault.” He tilts his head, just a little, and presses it into Logan’s hand. The sensation fills Logan with light. “What are you trying to draw?” 

“I am not sure. I have not ever tried to create a draw before, and I do not know what I should make. Perhaps I should make you?” 

“Wh - you - draw - draw me?” 

“Why not? You create beautiful draws of me all the time. It would only be logical to return the favor. If you would prefer that I do not, I can find another subject, but -”

“No! I - uh - that is - you can draw me I don’t mind!” Logan smiles brightly, curling the tip of his tail happily and pulling his hand away from Virgil’s face to pick up his draw stick again. 

“It won’t be very good,” he says. “It won’t be as good as your draws of me. But I might be able to make one of you.” 

“It’s okay if it’s not perfect,” Virgil says, still pink-faced and staring. “It’s allowed to be shitty. It’s allowed to suck. You’re allowed to do a bad job, you know that, right?” 

“But I do not want to do a bad job,” Logan says. “I - I want -” He cuts himself off. He does his best not to voice his concerns, generally speaking, because they tend to be pointless and unresolvable. There is no point in bothering Virgil with his silly inadequacies. 

“What?” Virgil says, looking at him. “What do you want, Logan?” His voice is very soft, and when Logan chances a quick glance in his direction he sees that Virgil is smiling softly at him. “You can tell me.” 

“There would not be much point in doing so.” 

“Are you sure? Even if there’s nothing I can do to actually make you feel better, sometimes just knowing that someone else is there for you can make you feel better. You know?” 

“I . . . do not . . . want to bother you,” Logan says, looking down at the table and fiddling with his hands. He startles when he feels someone touch his tail. 

“Hey,” Virgil says, gentle. “You’re not bothering me. I wouldn’t have asked if I didn’t want to know, would I?” 

“I suppose not . . .”

“So if I did ask, that must mean that I do want to know, isn’t that right?” 

“That would make logical sense, yes.” 

“So tell me what you want. Even if I can’t give it to you, I can at least listen.” 

Logan feels his cheeks heat up. “I . . . do not want to do a bad job. You always do such a spectacular job when you make draws of me, and they make me look much more pleasing than I do naturally. I do not want to repay such a favor by creating draws of you that are unflattering. I want to give you something that I can be proud of. I want you to like it, even if you do not like it as much as I like the draws that you make of me. But I will never be able to create something like that. Certainly not today, at any rate, and possibly not ever. And that . . . makes me . . . feel . . . sad . . .” 

Virgil reaches out and gently touches his hand. Logan wants to look at him, but keeps his gaze fixed firmly on the blank paper in front of him. “Lo, it - it’s okay.” 

“How is it okay?” 

“Well, for one thing, I think you’re pretty great looking already. You don’t need my drawings to make you look different or better or anything. Your scales are so cool, you look like the night sky! And as far as the unflattering drawing aspect goes, trust me. You couldn’t possibly create anything that looks any worse than I do on a daily basis. I look like a corpse that the Doc resurrected for the sole purpose of doing grunt work in the lab.” 

Virgil snorts, laughing, and Logan finds himself laughing a little too, in spite of himself. “You . . . you do not look like that,” he manages. “I think that you look very nice. And I . . . appreciate what you say in regards to my . . . my scales. That was kind of you to say.” 

“Well, it was true, wasn’t it?” Virgil smiles. Logan picks up the draw stick again, frowning at the paper. “You know that you don’t have to draw if you don’t want to, Logan.” 

“I do want to,” Logan says, readjusting his hand around the draw stick. “I really do want to try and make a draw for you. I still do not think that it will be very good, but - but will you really be interested to see it no matter what?” 

“I really will,” Virgil says. “And I can make a drawing of you while you make one of me. We can swap them afterwards!” 

Logan looks up at him and smiles, and when Virgil smiles in response he feels a fresh surge of motivation.

Virgil jumps when the cell phone sitting on the table begins to buzz, rattling back and forth with such force that he snatches it up quickly for fear that it’ll fall to the floor. Logan snaps his head up from where he’s been bent over his sketchpad with intense focus. “What is that?!” 

“Just my cell phone, don’t worry about it -”

“What is a cell phone?” 

“It’s something that lets me talk to the Doc - hang on - Doc!” 

“Virgil? What took you so long? You normally never wait more than two rings before picking up, I was worried something happened!” Thomas jokes. 

“Doc, that’s not funny!” Thomas laughs anyway. “I was distracted, okay?” 

“By what, the cute merman?”

“Doc! Keep your voice down! Are you coming back from hunting soon?” 

“Well, I can’t fit any more fish on this boat, so I guess we are. I - what are you - stop that!”

“Uh . . . Doc?” 

There’s a lot of rustling and shouting from the other end of the phone, causing Virgil to hold it away from his ear and squint at it in confusion. Logan looks up from his sketchpad, keeping it tilted towards his chest so that Virgil can’t see it until the drawing is complete. “What are you doing?” 

“Trying to figure out what the fuck is happening right now.” 

When the commotion from his phone finally dies down, Virgil pulls it back towards his ear. “Hello?” 

“Human!”

“I have a name, you know.”

“Let me talk to my brother!” 

“Not unless you ask nicely.” 

“Human, let me talk to Logan!”

“Not unless you ask nicely. And use my name, for God’s sake!” 

There’s a smacking sound from the other end of the line, and the melodic screeching that Virgil has come to recognize as Patton speaking when he’s partially out of the water. “Virgil,” Roman grits out, clearly having been freshly chastised, Can I please talk to Sharkbait?” 

“Of course you can, now that you’ve asked me nicely,” Virgil taunts smugly. He sets the phone down on the table and quickly switches it to speaker mode. “Lo, there’s someone who wants to talk to you.” 

“Oh?” 

“Sharkbait!” Roman calls. “Dad and I are done hunting! We caught so much fish for you!” 

“Really? Did you find my favorites?” Logan’s eyes light up at the sound of his brother’s voice.

“You bet we did! We caught so many! Don’t worry, we’ll bring plenty of fish home to you!” 

Logan smiles, gently touching the cell phone on the table. “I know that you will, Roman. Did you have fun in the open ocean today?” 

“Yeah, but hunting’s boring without you here to compete with. Dad doesn’t understand the way we compete to catch the most fish, so it’s not as much fun. Plus, he always wins the races because he’s so much bigger than me, and if I win it’s because he lets me.”

“I am sorry that I left you all alone like that,” Logan says softly. “I promise, I am trying my hardest to get better so that I can come back to the open ocean with you.” 

Virgil pretends that the thought of Logan and his pod leaving doesn’t fill him with sadness. “We’re going to go and swim right back now, okay? We’ll see you soon, Sharkbait!”

“I will see you very soon indeed, Roman.” 

When Logan hands the phone back to Virgil, he hangs up and slides it into his pocket. He picks up his pencil again, letting the tip rest against the line he’d been in the middle of drawing. It’s the overall curve of Logan’s tail, coiled neatly beneath him as he rests his arms on a haphazard rock pile on the water’s edge. Virgil’s never seen Logan in this position, but he can picture it quite easily. 

Against his better judgement, he speaks. “Hey . . . Logan?” 

“Yes, Virgil?” 

“I just . . . I have a question for you.” 

“What might that question be?” 

“When you get better, you’re going to be able to swim around the open ocean with your pod again, right?” 

“That is the goal, yes.” 

“So, when that day comes, will . . . will you leave?” 

“I do not wish to remain confined to a human lab for the rest of my life, Virgil,” Logan says, raising an eyebrow. 

“No, that’s not what I meant! I know you want to get back home to the ocean with your pod, I’d want to go back too if I was in your position. I just wanted to know if . . . if you would ever come back.” 

“What do you mean, come back?” 

“To visit, I mean.” Virgil’s hand tightens around his pencil. “Would I ever see you again? I know that you want to go back to the ocean where you belong, but I - I dunno, you’re really cool, and I - I wanna see you again. I wanna hang out, even if you’re not here healing. And I could maybe keep teaching you to draw, if you wanted, but - but if you’d rather not, that - I’d understand, but I -”

He cuts his rambling off at the feeling of something resting gently on his knee. He looks up to see Logan, looking at him with a strange sort of intensity. “Would you like that?” Logan asks softly. 

“Would I like what?” 

“If we came back to visit you. Would that be something that would interest you?” 

“I mean, yeah. You’re really cool, and I like hanging out with you. I know that you’re not really super into the whole ‘being-friends-with-humans’ thing, but . . . but I really wanna. Be friends with you, I mean. And you’re super fascinating, not just because I’ve never met a mer before, but because you’re a cool person to be around in general!” 

Logan’s cheeks are slightly pink. “You . . . really want to be friends?” 

“Yeah?” 

“I - I would have to speak to my dad and Roman, of course,” Logan says. “They might not want to spend so much time in such close proximity to humans. But as for me . . . I think that, perhaps, visiting you on occasion would not be . . . the worst thing in the world. If nothing else, I would also like to continue learning to create draws with you.” 

He shyly presents the sketchpad he’s been hiding to Virgil. It’s a fairly rudimentary drawing, but there are still several distinct markings that make it easy to tell it’s Virgil. There are carefully marked freckles on the face, with smeared blocks of graphite beneath the drawn and redrawn eyes to symbolize his eyeshadow. His shirt is drawn as baggy, with a weird lump at the back that Virgil suspects is supposed to represent him wearing a hoodie. He’s smiling in the sketch, and there’s a rectangle in one of his hands and a stick in the other. 

“Am I . . . holding a drawing pad? And a pencil?” 

“It seems that every time I see you, you’re carrying a draw stick and making even more wonderful draws. It seemed only fitting that I put them in my draw of you. Was that the wrong thing to do?"

“No, it was - it was sweet. I’m touched, Lo, really. This drawing is great. I love it” 

Logan smiles at him, showing off his sharp, white teeth. Only a week ago, Virgil would have been terrified that he was about to lose a hand. Now, his stomach flutters at the sight of such a joyful smile. “I am glad that you enjoy it, Virgil.” 

Before Virgil can respond, there’s a clattering noise from the hallway that leads down to the ocean. “Oh! Doc and your pod must be back from hunting already! I’ll go help him get your dad and Roman and all the fish back into this room. Will you be okay here on your own?” 

“I think I will manage,” Logan says. “Oh, and, um, Virgil?” 

“Yes?” 

“Thank you for everything. I truly appreciate it, from the bottom of my heart. It was thanks to you that I did not die on that beach when the net washed me ashore, and it was thanks to you that I was reunited with my pod again. I cannot thank you enough for all that you have done for me.” 

Before Virgil can stop himself, he reaches out and gently touches the top of Logan’s head. His hair is slightly damp, and coarse from centuries of salt water exposure. Logan’s eyes blow wide, and his mouth drops open in a small “o” shape. “It’s no problem, Logan, really. I was happy to help.” 

“Oh,” Logan manages, cheeks flushing scarlet. 

Virgil flashes a quick smile at him before pulling his hand back like he’s been burned and all but sprinting down the hallway. He turns the corner so fast that he nearly slips and falls, bracing himself against the hard concrete wall. 

“Hey there, Vee,” Thomas calls, tying a rowboat overflowing with freshly caught fish to the small dock. Roman twists up out of the water and flops “elegantly” onto the dock. Virgil can see a large, dark shape swirling around in the water that he assumes must be Patton. 

“Hey, Doc. You guys get a good haul today?” 

“So much,” Roman brags, bristling his spines and grinning. “Almost half of this was me!” 

“That’s a lie and you know it, three-quarters of the work was Patton,” Thomas says. There’s a melodic shriek from the water, as though agreeing with Thomas, and Roman pouts. “Anyway, Vee, I figure we can take the mer into the lab first and then come back for the fish?” 

“No, take the fish first,” Roman instructs. 

“Bossy,” Virgil says, crossing his arms. “Why do we need to take the fish back first, anyway?” 

“Because Dad and I both ate a little while we were out hunting, but Sharkbait hasn’t eaten anything all day. He must be starving,” Roman says, eyes suddenly serious. Despite his initial misgivings, Virgil can’t help but be touched by Roman’s concern for his younger brother. “Make sure he gets fed, and then you can bring Dad and I into the lab. He’ll be alright waiting to see us for a little while longer, but he needs to eat.” 

“Yeah, that does make sense . . . I brought the cart because I assumed we’d be yeeting you into it, but we can throw your fish in instead.” 

Roman tilts his head, looking like a lost puppy. “What is a ‘yeeting’? Is that a weird human word?” 

Thomas laughs so hard that he nearly over-balances and falls off the dock. A large hand shoots up and braces itself against the small of Thomas’s back, pushing him back up onto the dock. He stumbles forward a little, throwing his arms out, and turns around to look at the water in shock. The arm extended has fingers tipped with sharp claws, but when Virgil frantically runs over to check on his mentor, he sees that his coat is barely scratched. 

“Doc! Are you okay?!” 

“I’m okay, Virgil, don’t worry. Patton caught me! Thank you, Patton!” Thomas calls. The arm waves a little before sinking back beneath the water. Virgil sighs, going back for the cart and wheeling it over. 

“Let’s get this over with . . .”

It takes them almost ten whole minutes to load the majority of the catch into Virgil’s cart. They end up with about three-quarters in the cart before it’s full. “I guess we’re making a second trip?” 

“Don’t bother,” Roman says, swishing his tail lazily. “Dad and I will eat what’s left here, and then when you come back we’ll go with you to the lab where Sharkbait is.” 

“Are you really gonna be able to eat all this in the time that it takes us to take this cart to the lab and back?” Virgil asks. Roman grins, baring his own set of gleaming fangs. Unlike earlier with Logan, however, Virgil feels a shiver of fear run through him. 

“Don’t doubt our appetites, Virgil. We’ll be done in no time.” 

Virgil grips the handle of the cart tightly and leans his entire body weight into it. It takes him a few tries to get the heavily-laden thing going, but once he builds up a little momentum he’s able to struggle down the hallway. He hears Thomas talking to the other mer, but he focuses on getting back into the lab. 

Logan looks up from his sketchpad, sniffing the air eagerly. “Food?” 

“Yep!” Virgil grunts. “Your pod caught a whoooooole bunch of stuff, and it’s for you!” He finally gets the cart into position near the lab table, kicking at the brakes to engage them and lock the wheels. “Lemme take your sketchpad and stuff so that they don’t get messy while you eat.” 

Logan appears vaguely offended at the idea of being a “messy eater,” but he gets over himself quickly when Virgil swaps his sketchpad and pencil for a fish. He eagerly sinks his teeth into the side, and Virgil quickly turns away. “I’ll be back!” 

He puts the sketchbook and pencil down on a clean table and grabs another cart, wheeling it back to the little grotto. “Hey, Doc, how are we filling this thing with seawater? Do I have to go get the pump, too?” 

“Nah, don’t worry about it,” Roman says, waving a hand dismissively. “Dad can do it. Hang on -”

He shoves his head under the water and says something in the mer language to Patton. Virgil jumps back in shock as a column of water rises up from the ocean, pouring neatly into the cart. As it nears the top, he frantically cuts in, “That’s good! That’s enough!” Roman sticks his head underwater again, and the column tapers off. “Thank you, Patton. I didn’t know you had that much control over the ocean. Do all mer have that?” 

“Just Dad,” Roman says. “He’s an elder mer, so he’s been around forever. He’s got all kinds of weird fun tricks under his fins!” Virgil wonders if that’s the mer version of “having tricks up your sleeve.” 

“Who’s going in the cart first, you or your dad?” Thomas asks. Roman opens his mouth to answer, but he’s cut off by a terrified scream echoing from the lab. 

“Was that -”

“Sharkbait!” Roman bristles all of his spines at once, teeth baring, pupils shrinking to slits. “That was Logan, what did you do to him - ”

“Nothing! I left him on one of the tables eating fish, he was fine when I left! I promise!” Virgil says. Roman throws himself into the cart, tail swishing awkwardly until he finally shoves his head up above the water. 

“Take me in there, now! I have to know what happened to him!” 

“How are we going to get Patton in there if you’re in the cart?!” 

“Good point . . . carry me!” Roman sticks his arms up, and if the situation wasn’t so dire Virgil would think it was funny that he was asking to be carried like a petulant child. 

“Put your fucking spines down first, I’m not getting poisoned today!”

“I’m worried about Logan, this is as flat as I can get them!” 

Logan screams again, and Roman’s spines bristle uncontrollably before he very visibly forces them to flatten a little. Virgil thanks his lucky stars that he’s wearing a particularly thick jacket today and hoists Roman into his arms. 

“Go!” Thomas says. “I’ll get Patton!” 

Virgil takes off down the hallway as fast as he dares to go while carrying a mer who’s dripping seawater all over the floor and also not the lightest thing in the world. He isn’t sure what he’s going to see when he makes it into the lab, but he’s steeling his nerves. He’ll be prepared for whatever it is. He’ll handle it, or the doc will handle it, and everything will be okay. 

When he bursts into the lab, he nearly drops Roman in shock. “L - Logan?!” 

“Sharkbait?!” 

Logan looks at them in terror from the lab table, shifting around so they can very clearly see the very human legs that have completely replaced his long, elegant tail. 

“What’s happening to me?!” 

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[darkpoisonouslove]

@supersonichero1 asked:

Regarding season 6 and the trix power up do you believe it was out of no where? I have two theories one is that as the ancestral witches direct ancestors they are finally starting to tap into the further capabilities and strength that being related blood wise to the three most powerful witches. My second theory revolves around bloom and the dragon flame. Since the trix took it in the first season I believe that remnants of it still burn within the trix because the series constantly screams at us that the dragon flame can't be extinguished so while they don't have nearly as much as bloom does their portions are still equally or slightly less powerful than blooms and would only cease to exist within them if bloom herself reabsorbed it or extinguished it like she did with valtor.

I do believe that the power-up looked out of nowhere because that was how the show framed it. Or rather, the lack of any framing and lead up to it implies that it was something that the writers just pulled out of nowhere because they needed the Trix to become stronger in order to oppose the Winx who will now get yet another transformation that’s going to be more powerful. There was absolutely no transition between the Trix attacking Domino with the Beast of the Depths while still in their Sirenix in 6x01 and them showing up at Cloud Tower back in their normal outfits and taking over the school. I feel like there was supposed to be another episode between 6x01 and 6x02 that would set up better both Daphne’s decision to go teach at Alfea (which is somehow contradicted on level motivation and goals later when she is crowned as Crown Princess of Domino because I don’t think she can be both a teacher and rule a kingdom) and the Trix’ new powers and new plan. However, I suspect that some of the other ideas ran away from them and they had to cut those parts both for the purpose on maintaining the episodes as 26 and because that would push the introduction of the Legendarium back with one more episode and that is the main plot point of season 6. So in the end we got a choppy, practically non-existent transition between the true end of season 5 (aka the consequences of it) and the new plot for season 6 as well as the new plan that the Trix devised.

As for your theories, I like them on account of them explaining what the show didn’t bother to but I can’t fit them on the time line. If the Trix are using their ancestry and the fact that they have the blood of the Coven flowing in them, why only now? Of course, there is the matter of them sticking with Darkar because he freed them and then with Valtor because they escaped Omega together. And the same logic also applied to Tritannus. But I still feel like there is something missing here. They didn’t have the time to get so powerful all of a sudden. Of course, no one tells you how much time has passed between 6x01 and 6x02 but the Trix looked like they’d abandoned their own development and relied on the power-ups they got from the villains. Of course, they had their dark Sirenix still and that could have helped them elevate their powers to a higher level but it’s weird to me that they suddenly come with a whole new power that they allegedly got on their own (we have no idea what happened during the time that was skipped between 6x01 and 6x02) after they got used to receiving all their boosts from whoever they’re teaming up with. Literally the last time they did anything on their own was back in season 1. I think that they would need more time to get in touch with their previous determination for development and the process itself would take more. Also, there is the matter of what they lived through in Magical Adventure. They got possessed by the Ancestral Witches and I can see things going either way from there - them either being reluctant to tap into the fact that they are descendants of the Witches or that only motivating them more to do it so that they could get stronger.

The Dragon Fire thing seems even more unlikely to me. It has never come up after season 1. And even if they have something left it is definitely super, super little in quantity compared to what Bloom has and probably even dormant. If they had anything that was nearly as powerful as hers, she should have been able to sense them like she was doing with Valtor at the time (back in season 1 she couldn’t sense them because she was out of touch with her own Fire before 1x25). Besides, you are right that the Dragon Fire can’t be extinguished but there is the matter of willingness here. Magic is emotion and the Dragon Fire is a special kind of magic and appears to have some sort of sentience. In 1x10 (I think) when they thought they’d gotten it in the Magic Reality Chamber, it turned out that the Flame had somehow escaped them. So I think the Dragon Fire itself left them when they got defeated because they were knocked out. While they were all unconscious, it could have freed itself from their hold on it that was keeping them in them after they stole it from Bloom. I don’t think they have any of it left.

What I could offer as potential explanation for this power-up is that the Trix got sick of depending on someone else for powers (especially after the whole fiasco with Tritannus (and Politea if you count the third movie)). In fact, when you get back to look at their partnerships, they always get betrayed in the end and don’t receive the power they were promised. It happened every single time. So I think they got fed up with that and decided to go it on their own this time but took a page out of the villains’ book. I believe they might have stolen some magic the way Valtor was doing in season 3 and they could have found a way to imbue themselves with their respective element the way Tritannus was doing in season 5 as he absorbed pollution. They could have done that and, combined with any magic they could have stolen, it could explain their new boost. That has only one minor issue in that if they were stealing magic, how did Winx not catch wind of that? Seems kinda unlikely that they wouldn’t learn but then again, the whole show is full of inconsistencies and that could be explained with the fact that there was a lot of stuff left to fix after Tritannus was captured. Daphne was brought back to life so Bloom definitely had a lot going on with that and the rest also had stuff to take care of on their home planets so it could make sense that they weren’t on the battle front the whole time and some suspicious but ambiguous thefts of magic could have slipped through the cracks. I still think that there should have been an episode that showed all of those things, however. We were robbed of seeing the Trix learning to finally do things on their own and coming up with a new plan (which I am still unclear on even after 1/3 of season 6. Take over the magical colleges and then what? But anyway).

[elsanna-shenanigans]

December Contest Submission #14: The Queen Of Fire And Her Sister’s Warmth

Words: ca. 4300 Setting: Canon AU Lemon: No CW: Angst, Burns, Traumatic Experiences, Hurt/Comfort, Anxiety

It was a cold winter’s night in the kingdom of Arendelle, at a time when everyone should have been in bed… except for one young girl, Princess Elsa of Arendelle. The young girl was sitting up on her bed, holding a book to her chest. She loved to read, always fascinated by the stories written on the pages before her.

Yes, she knew she really should have been sleeping, but this story had been very engrossing, loving the romance between the two princesses that was unfolding before her eyes. As she turned the page, she looked down at the small stuffed penguin at her side. Sir Jorgenbjorgen, her constant companion from when she was a baby.

Though, he wasn’t her only company that night. On the bed opposite her, Elsa knew her baby sister Anna was fast asleep. The young girl had hopefully been tired out after their father had read her a bedtime story, but Anna had a natural… fire to her that couldn’t easily have been put out.

Anna wasn’t like most girls her age as she had something that set her apart from the other children. Did this make Elsa jealous? No, she loved Anna and the wonderful gift she had. She was her best friend after all and even if they were different in some aspects, they both still got along.

However, just as Elsa was about to finish the chapter she was on… a voice called out to her.

“Psst Elsa!” Little Anna called out to her sister.

The older girl put down her book, seeing Anna sat up in her bed, wide awake. “What is it, Anna?”

“I’m bored and can’t sleep,” Anna groaned. “The sky’s awake, so I’m awake… so can you play with me?”

Elsa sighed. “It’s a bit late for playtime Anna… maybe tomorrow okay?” The older girl pulled her cuddly penguin close to her and went back to her reading.

Anna just pouted for a moment, really wanting to have fun with her sister. And then in her mind, she remembered the one thing that would always be able to wrap her sister around her finger.

“Do you wanna see some magic?” the little girl teased.

And then, Elsa gave in. The book could wait for another night. It wasn’t like it was going anywhere. She placed the book on her bedside table, sighing. “Fine, Anna, you win.”

“Yayyyy!” the little girl cheered. Anna then hopped off her bed, grabbing some pillows and sitting down on them. Elsa joined her, bringing her own pillows and Sir Jorgenbjorgen.

Anna chuckled, holding out her hands. She concentrated and focused for a few seconds, as a spark of flame formed in her palms. With her will alone, Anna morphed the spark into a shape, a small bird that then flew into the air, obeying Anna’s command.

“Behold, my firebird!” Anna cheered.

Sitting forward, Elsa stared in awe at Anna’s creature. She didn’t know what divine being had blessed Anna with this gift, the power to create fire and flame… but she thought it truly was a blessing. She only wondered how those powers would grow as they got older.

The firebird flew around the room a few times, before landing back into Anna’s hand, the younger princess reabsorbing it into herself.

“Ta-da!” She chirped.

Elsa giggled. She had to admit… Anna’s little magic show was much more interesting than her novel. She watched as Anna danced on, making other shapes and displays with her mastery of fire. There didn’t seem to be any limit to what Anna could do.

Their parents had forbidden Anna from using her powers in public, however. Arendelle was a kingdom that had long held a prejudice against magic, a stigma that sadly wasn’t going to be broken anytime soon. There hadn’t really been an explanation of how Anna came to be born with her gifts.

But did that really matter? The flames Anna produced were beautiful and Elsa adored them. The shapes and patterns Anna could display with her flames… she was wonderful and Elsa couldn’t have had a better little sister.

After finishing dancing with her flames, Anna grinned at her sister. “Okay, Elsa! Anything you wanna see?”

“Me?” Elsa wondered. “I thought this was all you, Anna.”

The younger girl giggled. “Yeah, but I wanna make you happy! Just tell me what you want and I’ll make it with my fire!”

Elsa chuckled. “Okay…” She thought for a moment. “Can you make a snowman?”

“A snowman?” Anna wondered.

“Yeah, a snowman.”

“Oooh! A snowman made out of fire!” Anna chirped. “That sounds awesome!” She thought for a moment and quickly, began to manipulate the sparks of flames in her hands to conjure up a shape above her head. There the image formed, into the shape of a short, chubby snowman with twigs for arms and a pointed nose. Anna grinned, running around in awe of her own creation.

“Wow!” Elsa exclaimed. “You did it!”

“I made Olaf!” Anna responded.

“Olaf?”

Anna giggled. “Well he needed a name… and he seems a bit lonely, so I’ll make him some friends too!” She then started to manipulate her flames again, creating more images of various creatures to be Olaf’s friends. A reindeer, a large bulky snow monster, a small little lizard and even a mighty horse that she even animated, Elsa watching the steed gallop through the air of the room.

However, Elsa then noticed how large and complex the shapes were. They were getting too large to fit in the room… and she wasn’t sure if Anna could make any more. She could see how exhausted and tired Anna was starting to get. She needed to stop this before she hurt herself.

“Hey, Anna,” Elsa stated. “I think we can end it there for tonight… can you put out your flames now?”

“Uh… okay,” Anna replied nervously. She tried to hold out her hands… to her despair, she couldn’t reabsorb the flames back into herself. Her eyes widened the panic as the fiery shapes started to grow larger, their images distorting. What were once cute animals and snowmen were now twisted, infernal creatures.

“Anna shut it off!” Elsa exclaimed.

“I can’t… they’re out of my-”

KABOOOM!!!!

The enormous mass of fiery energy exploded right in front of Anna and Elsa’s faces, flame enveloping not just their room, but a good chunk of the castle as well. The wooden roof came down on top of them, pinning Anna down under a pillar as the room was ablaze.

Elsa was knocked back, surrounded by the burning flames. The older girl panicked, seeing her sister pinned down under the rubble. “Anna!”

“Elsa… help!” Anna pleaded, too weak to try and pull herself free.

“I’m coming!” Elsa called to her, grabbing Sir Jorgenbjorgen and rushing towards Anna.

However, unbeknownst to Elsa, another wooden beam above their heads was about to give way. Anna looked up and stared in horror as Elsa rushed towards her, knowing the beam was going to come down on her sister’s head.

And then, with a mighty CRACK, the beam came loose, tumbling down towards Elsa.

“Elsa look out!” Anna shouted. In that moment of panic, she fired a blast of flame that managed to knock her sister out of the way… and hit her in the face. her sister landed on the ground, the beam missing her by only a few inches. But as she lay unconscious, Anna saw a part of her blonde hair turn a charred grey.

“No!” Anna cried out. “NOOOOOO!!!”

xXx

Anna gasped, recoiling from the memory of the accident. She looked around in panic for a moment, almost thinking that Elsa was in danger. To her relief, however, Elsa was nowhere to be found and in the mirror, she saw that she was no longer that little girl, but a beautiful young woman.

A woman who today… was going to be crowned Queen of her kingdom.

For Anna, she had secretly been dreading this day. Mainly because of how anxious it made her feel and when her anxiety flared up, all that trauma she’d had over the years came bubbling to the service. It had all started several years earlier, when her parents admitted to Anna the truth about her birth… or rather Elsa’s birth.

Elsa had apparently been born of an affair from before Anna’s father had met her mother. As such, she and Elsa were actually half-siblings and only an heir of pure blood would inherit the throne. That meant Anna was the one who would be Queen, instead of Elsa like she’d always expected.

Though she had accepted the responsibility and had gladly gone through with all the years of study and preparation to become Arendelle’s monarch… she hadn’t expected to take the throne so young. The tender age of twenty-one. Even her father hadn’t become king nearly as young. But she couldn’t have predicted the future, that hers and Elsa’s parents had died tragically at sea six years ago.

Since then, Elsa had been the only family Anna had, but the soon to be Queen had shut her out a little, not wanting her to get too close. Though she hadn’t thankfully killed Elsa all those years ago, the incident had left its scars, in the form of the grey streak in Elsa’s perfect platinum blonde locks. And Anna was scared of hurting her still. Although all these years, she did long for her sister’s warmth…

Her magic had also grown stronger over the years, meaning Anna had to better control her powers. The incident all those years ago had practically burned half the castle down, though again, thankfully no one had been killed. While the castle was being rebuilt, mainly with stone and brick replacing the flimsy flammable wood, Anna and Elsa stayed with relatives from the north who understood magic and helped to train Anna to control her gifts.

And yet, even with all this control, after all this time, Anna felt like her powers were one step away from breaking loose and burning the whole kingdom down. She felt a deep shiver course through her veins as she merely thought about her magic losing control. Her hands started to warm up frantically, a sort of subconscious reaction to whenever these cold spells overcame her.

But Anna soon cooled her hands down, as she knew she wasn’t really cold. Just her anxious thoughts playing a trick on her. She sighed, knowing that today she’d likely have to put up with quite a few more cold spells.

She walked to the window, gazing at the courtyard and all the guests and foreign dignitaries that were arriving. Anna was happy to see so many new faces, all to cheer her on as Queen… and there was also the nagging thought of her becoming so overwhelmed that she would lose control.

No, Anna silenced her thoughts. I can handle this. I’m not afraid of my powers and I’m not afraid of being cold again.

As she looked out into the courtyard, she caught a glimpse of the massive ice sculpture in the yard. It depicted a massive beautiful dragon with wide transparent wings and a figure of Anna riding on its back. Elsa had so many hobbies, quite a lot of them artistic in nature. Her ice sculptures were among the most famous.

Seeing the sculpture made Anna relax as she thought of Elsa, how caring and sweet the older girl was. Over the years, she had grown to love Elsa, to be so grateful for her kindness. She didn’t deserve it… which made her feel rotten about the fact that she had developed feelings for her.

She hadn’t known when the feelings started, maybe while they were alone together following their parents’ deaths or perhaps when they were younger and discovering themselves.

But whenever it had happened, it had happened… and Anna was hopelessly in love with her sister. Which made her aversion to her warmth even more tragic. She adored Elsa deeply, despite them being sisters, and yet sometimes she was too scared to even hug her.

And it wasn’t exactly a secret. For the past few years, she’d been rejecting possible suitors… though there had been this young man who was the heir of the local ice harvester’s guild named Kristoff. She had tried something with him at least and while he had been sweet, Anna realised that in the end, she only had eyes for Elsa.

She looked at her gown, black and green, fit for a Queen. It fit her figure snugly and there was a long cape trailing behind her. She truly did look the part of being a Queen and hopefully… Anna could be the Queen Arendelle needed in these uncertain times.

Just then, Anna heard a knocking on her door.

“Your highness!” a servant called to her. “It’s time for the ceremony!”

Nodding Anna walked towards the door. “I’ll be right there,” she called back.

And so, a few moments later, Anna was walking down the aisle for her coronation ceremony, surrounded by the attended guests. As the choir sang our their hymns and all the guests gazed upon the soon-to-be crowned Queen, Anna meanwhile had only eyes for one person in particular.

It was Elsa, standing at the altar and watching her with a smile on her face. Anna looked at her again and beamed back, before her expression faltered once she saw the grey hairs on Elsa’s brow. Again, a reminder of her failure and her pain. Elsa would often tell people she’d been kissed by a fiery imp as a child as a way of explaining her hair, but Anna hated admitting the truth, that she was the cause.

Elsa stood in the chapel, watching Anna being walked to the altar for the ceremony. While she knew her sister looked gorgeous in her gown, she could see the intense regret and doubt on her younger sister’s face.

If she could do anything, it would be to relieve Anna of this burden and take the throne herself… but Elsa was a bastard. She had no right to the throne… but that didn’t mean it had to be forced on Anna. She knew how full of life the young girl was and didn’t want to see it wasted by being stuck inside with royal duties.

Yes, Anna would be a great Queen, but she had her whole life ahead of her… and that wasn’t counting the magical powers she’d been concealing all these years.

At least the pair of them looked completely gorgeous. The teal dress Elsa was wearing fitted her gloriously as well as the gloves, though of course, all the attention was on Anna and her stunning regal attire. She looked the part of a Queen perfectly.

As the Queen arrived at the altar, she shot Elsa a quick smile before the ceremony proceeded. Elsa knew she was trying her best and in her heart, she was proud of her. And yet, she still wished it was her taking the throne and not Anna. But Elsa was powerless, even if she was the eldest of the two sisters. Well, half-sisters, but did it really matter?

As Anna went and accepted the vows and promises of her birthright, kneeling before the altar as the bishop spoke, Elsa noticed the confidence in Anna’s voice. She was trying her best, bless her.

But Elsa just hoped Anna could hold it in until the end of the ceremony. This was all so much pressure on her, but she was proud of her baby sister for holding it this long. And then, the crown was finally placed on the Queen’s head.

It was beautiful, gold with several emerald jewels encrusted in it. As Anna took the orb and sceptre that were presented to her, she faced the crowd as the applauded rang out. For she was now Queen Anna of Arendelle, Sovereign of the north, worthy monarch of greatness.

But all Elsa could notice was the anxious expression of Anna’s face, as parts of her two objects started to glow red with heat. It took all of Anna’s effort not to melt the two objects in her hands. Quickly, Anna placed the orb and sceptre down, smiling at the gathered crowd.

At that, Anna and Elsa breathed a sigh of relief.

xXx

Later that evening, there was a grand ball held in Queen Anna’s honour, celebrating her ascension to the throne. It was truly a wonderful affair, with laughter and music and dancing, not to mention the food. As Anna walked out onto the stage after her name was called, she waved politely and beamed at her guests.

The most stressful part of the day was over and now she could enjoy herself. Eventually, Elsa was summoned to her side, the older woman waving at the crowd before striding to Anna’s side elegantly. Both sisters waved at the applauding crowd, Anna beaming with queenly radiance.

As the crowd went back to their festivities, there was a silence between the two sisters. Anna wasn’t exactly sure what to say, so it was Elsa who eventually broke the awkward pause.

“You look beautiful,” she whispered. “I’m proud of you.”

“Thank you,” Anna replied. “You’re not so bad yourself. A new dress?”

“One of Mother’s old ones,” Elsa told her. “So… how does it feel to be Queen?”

“It feels… different,” Anna admitted. “Not sure if I’m gonna get used to people calling me "your majesty.”

“You will, and I’ll be there for you,” Elsa replied. She smelled the air, sensing a familiar aroma filling her nostrils. “Is that… chocolate?”

“Mmmm yeah, smells amazing!” Anna chirped. “I can’t wait to gorge myself on it later.”

“Oh you and your appetite,” Elsa responded. “But… don’t you think you should dance a little first?”

“Who with?” Anna wondered, as she then saw Elsa holding out her hand. “Oh….”

The blonde woman smiled at her younger sister. “Would do me the honour of having your first dance as Queen with me, your majesty?”

Anna felt nervous for a moment. She was still wary of touching her sister, but she knew that as Queen, it would be rude to refuse such a dance. Besides… she had longed to dance with Elsa like this. She’d even dreamed of it. She just had to be careful when it came to actually touching Elsa.

“I would,” Anna replied. “Gladly.”

Elsa then took her hand and led her out onto the dance floor. Placing her hand around her waist, Elsa started to waltz with Anna, smiling at her. For a moment, all of Anna’s fears simply washed away as she was lost in Elsa’s embrace. But she shook her head, trying to remain in control.

The last thing she wanted was for her powers to flare up and her hands to burn that dress off Elsa… not that she wasn’t already doing that with her eyes. Anna felt ashamed to think of Elsa in such a manner, especially at that moment. But Elsa was clearly the more beautiful of the pair. Beautifuller? Was that even a word?

Her sister twirled with her, grinning at her as they danced. The eyes of the crowd watched them, and Anna was still desperate to remain in control. She was feeling the chill again, the horrible sensation rising up within her. But she kept staring at Elsa, not wanting to ruin the moment.

“Bet you’re glad I took those lessons,” Elsa chimed in.

“Y-Yes,” Anna nervously replied. “Can we… go somewhere for a moment? I think I need some space.”

“Are you alright?” Elsa asked her.

“Fine!” Anna chimed in. “Just need some… air.”

Elsa nodded, and then they parted. The two sisters made their way off the dance floor and quickly into a side corridor from the room, the crowd completely unaware of their departure.

Heading through the hallways, they soon arrived at the balcony overlooking the gardens.

No one would disturb them there.

“Finally, we’re alone,” Anna admitted, the Queen standing on the balcony overlooking the castle’s beautiful gardens. While she had loved being at the party, not to mention dancing with Elsa, she needed this moment to just calm down.

Fortunately now, the chill inside of her was gone and there were no worries of any flareups.

Elsa sat with her, smiling at her. Anna truly was beautiful… but Elsa felt that at the moment Anna was still carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders.

“Are you alright?” Elsa asked her.

“Yes…. I’m feeling much better,” Anna replied. “Sorry that I cut our dance short.”

“It’s fine,” Elsa assured her. “I… could sense you were feeling a little stressed. Your powers aren’t flaring up, are they?”

“No, thankfully,” Anna admitted. “Look… can we just talk about something else?”

“Okay..” Elsa replied. “Do you… have any idea what your first act as Queen will be?”

"Oh, I’m not sure yet,” Anna admitted. “There’s just… so much I have to do now. I don’t even know where I’m supposed to start with all this ruling the kingdom stuff.” “You’ll have me,” Elsa said assuredly. “I didn’t spend my life studying to just sit around doing nothing all day.”

“There are your ice sculptures,” Anna remarked. “The one you made in the courtyard of that dragon is gorgeous.”

“You know what I mean,” Elsa told her sister. “Remember how we promised? When you’re Queen, I’d be your right hand… and I’m offering that hand to you.”

A cold shiver ran down Anna’s spine again, the all too familiar sensation. Yes, she wanted to take Elsa’s hand again, to accept her warmth… but even after all these years, she was scared of letting go of her powers again, of hurting Elsa again. The sight of the charred hairs on Elsa’s forehead reminded her of it all.

“No, I’ll be fine,” Anna insisted, but she could already feel the fire inside starting to get loose again.

Elsa could see that Anna was starting to get worked up. “No, you’re stressing yourself out, again, Anna. I can see it from here.”

“Elsa, I’m alright!” Anna argued. “I will be able to handle this! You don’t need to worry about me! I’m not a little girl any more, I’m Queen and-”

“And what? Only you can do this by yourself?” Elsa finished.

Anna stopped, hugging herself. She exhaled, trying to mentally warm herself up, to feel in control of her powers again. Even after gaining much better control of them after all these years, she was still frustrated that she was vulnerable to her own insecurities.

Elsa stared at her sister. “You’re… You’re still worried about hurting me again, aren’t you?”

Anna nodded. “I… I’m sorry… It’s stupid. It was so many years ago and I should have overcome it. I mean, I got my powers under control, I should be capable of this. I shouldn’t have freaked out on the dance floor.”

"Yes, you did get your powers under control,” Elsa stated. “But Anna… are you under control?”

Anna wasn’t sure how to answer that. Or rather, she did know how to answer that , but just didn’t want to say it. She was the Queen, she was meant to be under control. She hated feeling so vulnerable, so insecure. That wasn’t what a Queen was… but right now, she wasn’t a queen.

She was just a scared, stressed out young woman… who deeply wanted her sister’s warmth.

Elsa opened her arms, smiling kindly at Anna. “Come here,” she said softly. “Just let me hold you. I’ll take your pain away. Just let it go.”

“No!… I’m not in a good way right now,” Anna argued.

“All the more reason for you to be cared for, and shown love and warmth,” Elsa insisted.

“I could hurt you again!” the queen shouted.

“No you won’t,” Elsa stated. “I know you, Anna. I knew you from the moment you were born. You would never hurt a fly.” And then Elsa pulled the Queen into an embrace, hugging her tightly. Anna panicked for a moment… and then, it all stopped. The pain, the anguish, the anxiety… for one brief moment, it vanished.

Holding onto Elsa tighter, Anna shed a few tears, feeling her sister’s gloved hand stroke her. She felt warmth, love, compassion from her sister… and she didn’t feel scared about hurting her. She did have everything under control, she did feel at peace… and it was thanks to her sister.

As they pulled away, Anna stared into Elsa’s eyes. She was lost in her beauty, her warmth, that smile. Even those charred hairs in her perfect blonde locks didn’t detract from her gorgeous appearance. And in place of the anxiety she’d felt, Anna felt her attraction grow for her sister.

And then on impulse… she kissed her. Her hands cupped Elsa’s cheeks and letting out a passionate moan, Anna kissed her sister deeply, holding her close. Elsa panicked, quickly pushing Anna away. Both women stared at one another with flushed faces.

“I’m so sorry,” Anna whispered. “I didn’t…”

“You… You kissed me,” Elsa stated. “But, Anna… we’re….”

“I don’t care if we’re sisters,” Anna admitted. “You give me warmth and love… and I want that love. I need that love. I need your love if I’m going to be a good queen. I want you to keep me warm again… just like when we were kids.”

Elsa didn’t know what to say. She just stared at Anna completely dumbfounded. It felt wrong, that kiss had felt wrong but she knew that Anna needed this. She did feel guilty… but if she would be Anna’s lover, if she could be her warmth then Anna would be at ease again.

“You want me to be your warmth?” Elsa asked.

Anna nodded. “Please.”

Then, Elsa smiled. “I’ll do it, your majesty. I’ll keep you warm.” And then, she cupped Anna’s cheeks and kissed her passionately, Anna holding her as the kiss filled the Queen with warmth and love.