#it’s in a different part of the state and just outside of a smaller city

[theinquisitxor]

📚

[genshinluvr]

Where I Truly Belong

Pairings: Various Genshin Men x Villain!Isekai'd!Reader

Summary: Your arrival at Teyvat was sudden and you thought you'd be welcome with open arms and new friendship. However, you were terribly wrong. You were ignored, threatened, and chased out of the regions in Teyvat. One day, on the heart island outside of Liyue, a portal opens and an opportunity is given to you. An opportunity where you have power and control over fate. Perhaps this is where you truly belong.

Note: This fic mainly focuses on the reader, so not a lot of Genshin men will be speaking in this overall fic unless it's something huge. I don't know how I feel about this story. I have come to the conclusion that I suck ass at writing the main character as a villain. I thought this fic was going to be longer, but I think it's best to cut it short because I'm not sure where it's going, and leaving it as where it ended is good. This is my first attempt at writing a villain!reader, and I think it's decent-ish for my first time. Again, you guys might think it sucks ass and honestly, understandable if you do think it sucks. Anyway! I don't post anywhere else but on Tumblr (Genshinluvr) and on AO3 (Aaliah_exo).

Warnings: Reader gets impaled, mentions of blood, failed depictions of villainous reader

Word Count: 6.6k

Part 2 of Where I Truly Belong is [HERE].

The day you arrived at Teyvat, you were alone. The familiar faces of the characters you loved were nowhere to be found. You assumed they were going to try to find you and perhaps help you adjust to their world, but you were wrong. No one searched for you; therefore, you searched for them instead. When you found the beloved characters you love before being thrown into Teyvat, they ignored you. Even if they recognized you or had this sense of familiarity when seeing your face among the crowd, they continued on with their day as if you were never there. 

You run toward Aether, grabbing him by the wrist. “Aether! I finally found you! I—”

Aether yanks his wrist from your grasp, gazing at you like you had just grown two heads. Your heart drops to your chest, watching the blond man take a step back while the floating girl beside him gazes at you warily. Aether doesn’t say anything, and neither does Paimon.

“Do you know this person, Traveler?” Paimon asks, floating closer to Aether. 

Aether shakes his head. “I don’t know them, Paimon. I’m sorry, but you have the wrong person,” Aether states firmly, almost glaring at you.

You swallow the lump in your throat after hearing Aether’s response. Before you can say anything, a voice from a distance calls out to Aether and Paimon. You, Aether, and Paimon turn to see Lumine running toward the three of you with a big smile while Dainsleif follows behind.

Lumine stops in her tracks. “There you two are! I can’t believe you two ran off like that! I don’t understand how you and Dainsleif were traveling companions,” Lumine huffs, propping her hands on her hips.

“I was more of his babysitter, making sure he doesn’t get into trouble,” Dainsleif snorts, rolling his eyes when Aether grumbles incoherent words while Lumine and Paimon snicker.

You clear your throat. Lumine and Dainsleif look at you for a brief moment before Lumine loops her arms around Aether’s left arm, pulling him elsewhere with Paimon and Dainsleif following behind, leaving you standing in the middle of the field alone. Dark stormy clouds roll in, and you’re immediately soaked to the bone, watching the four figures get smaller and smaller. The four figures soon became blurry— you’re not sure if it’s because of the pouring rain or if it’s because of your tears. At this point, it’s hard for you to tell the difference between the two. 

You decided to stop by Mondstadt after meeting Aether, Lumine, Dainsleif, and Paimon. Once you reached the City of Freedom, you took shelter and made sure you weren’t entering the city looking like a soaked rat. After the sky clears up and you’re not soaked to the bone, you enter t the vast city. You thought the people of Mondstadt would be nicer when they see you, but you’re wrong. Huffman and Sara from Good Hunter are friendly people. However, people who have visions are the opposite. You tried talking to Albedo, Venti, Diluc, and Kaeya. Still, they all ignored you or acted like you were a crazy person.

“I believe you have one too many dandelion wines,” Kaeya chuckles, leaning against the counter at Angel's Share, nursing wine in his hands. 

Venti is sprawled over the counter at Angel's Share. You can practically see birds flying around his head. The poor Bard is not only drunk, but he’s also mumbling incoherently. Diluc sighs, cleaning the cup before tending to his duties around the tavern.

Diluc mumbles, “They’re not a customer, Kaeya.”

Venti scoots over to the Chief Alchemist, whispering loudly to the man, “Is it just me, or does this strange person look like they were fished out of Cider Lake?”

Albedo looks at you for a brief moment before gazing back at his sketch pad, not saying a word to the Bard. Even though none of them have outwardly shown you they don’t want you in Angel’s Share, you know from the way they look away from you and act around you they don’t want you in the same building as them. So, you gather up your things and leave the tavern. You’re used to being alone in your world, and seeing the people you adore treat you like you didn’t exist hurts. 

“Maybe the next region won’t be so bad,” you tell yourself.

Liyue is interesting. When you step into the beautiful region ruled by the Geo Archon, you are met with a polearm pointing at your throat. Xiao stands before you, glaring daggers at you with such distaste that it nearly made you want to skip Liyue altogether. 

“Outsiders are not welcomed to Liyue,” Xiao spats.

You know the Yaksha before you is doing his job to protect the region once ruled by the Geo Archon, but the way he gazes at you with such… hatred… made you second guess your presence in Liyue. 

You clear your throat. “I thought adventurers are welcomed to Liyue, Xiao,” you whisper, hands shaking at your side.

Xiao glares at you, not saying a word. Oh. When Xiao said that outsiders aren’t welcome in Liyue, he meant you. You’re not welcome to Liyue, not because you’re not an adventurer or a tourist from another region visiting the City of Contracts. It’s because you’re not from Teyvat. But even if you’re not from Teyvat, Aether, Dainsleif, Paimon, and Lumine aren’t even from Teyvat either. However, they’re still welcomed with open arms. 

“I won’t cause any harm, I promise. Is it a crime to walk into a region? I don’t have any weapons on me, nor do I pose a threat,” you say.

You dig into your pockets and hold your hands up to show Xiao you have no weapon on you. Xiao reluctantly points the polearm in the opposite direction of you and stares at you. You sigh in relief and walk past the Conquerer of Demons. In Mondstadt, no one pointed their weapons at you. In Liyue, though? You can’t really get upset with Xiao over it, really. All he’s doing is his duty to protect Liyue from danger.

When you step into Liyue Harbor, you stop in your tracks and look at the beautiful city. The City of Contracts is full of life, and the chatter of the citizens fills the once-silent air. After the encounter with the four outlanders, the men of Mondstadt and Xiao, you can't help but hesitate to continue further into the city. You know the Yaksha is watching your every move like a hawk. You don't necessarily blame him, but the encounter with Xiao made you hesitate.

Should you continue further into the City of Contracts? Or will the not-so-deceased Geo Archon make you face the wrath of the rock for stepping into his beloved city? Your hands shake at your sides, making you swallow the lump in your throat. You take a deep breath and continue into the city, making sure not to bump into a green-haired doctor and the former Geo Archon. You don't have anything against them, but they might have something against you, like how Xiao does when you step foot into the region. You stand in the middle of the city, staring at nothing. Why did you continue to venture into the City of Contracts?

You searched for the familiar faces from a beloved game you loved so much back in your world, only for them not to like you. It was a rude awakening, and you're unsure of why they treat you this way when you have never met them— nor did you plan on meeting the characters you have always loved. Someone bumps into you, causing you to stumble forward and snap out of your thoughts.

“Oh, I'm so sorry,” you say, turning to look at the person that bumped into you before freezing up.

“Why am I the one apologizing when I wasn’t the one that bumped into him?”

The ginger-haired Harbinger glares at you. “Next time, don't stand there and take up space,” Childe hisses, shoving past you and purposefully bumping your shoulders.

You rub your shoulders, watching the ginger Harbinger approach a certain Geo Archon, his demeanor changing almost instantly as he greets the Archon happily. 

You press your lips into a thin line before turning around and walking away. As you walk away, Zhongli looks at Childe quizzically. Childe dusts his clothes and props his hands on his hips, sighing and acting like nothing had happened. Once you're out of view, Zhongli turns to Childe.

“Childe? Is that who I think it is?” Zhongli murmurs, stroking his chin.

Childe scoffs, continuing not to know who you are even though he's very well aware. Childe nudges the Geo Archon to follow him to the restaurant where he, Zhongli, and Doctor Baizhu will be having dinner. Baizhu shakes his head, walking beside the Geo Archon.

“Just to let you know, you're a little bit harsh on them despite you being the one that bumped into them,” Baizhu mutters, shaking his head with disapproval.

Childe rolls his eyes and changes the subject as the two men arrive at the Liuli Pavilion. Meanwhile, you sit outside of the city of Liyue, hugging your knees to your chest. You made a massive mistake of seeking out these people that you adored in your world. You should've started a different life in Teyvat, living among the citizens of Teyvat and living in solitude. But of course, you being you, you decided to seek these people out, only to be disappointed in the end. 

You still have Inazuma and Sumeru to explore and visit. However, you want to avoid stepping foot in the two other regions after what happened with the outlanders, the men of Mondstadt, Xiao, and Childe. You have yet to meet Zhongli and Baizhu, so you can't make a judgment on how they would treat you upon meeting for the first time. But if Xiao reacted in such a way when you entered Liyue, who knows how Zhongli and Baizhu would react?

You nearly forgot how fast time passes in Teyvat. One minute it was the afternoon, and when you blink, the sun is already setting. Technically, time doesn't change in a blink of an eye, but it does feel like it in Teyvat. You close your eyes and rest your head on your knees. Would visiting Inazuma and Sumeru hurt? You're not going to try to meet the beloved characters you know and love. You want to see the architecture and city up close. 

And that is what you did. You went to the two regions, made sure to avoid bumping into any familiar faces, and somewhat succeeded. However, it lasted only a short time when Itto and Scaramouche brought awareness to your presence in Sumeru and Inazuma. So, you left the two regions in a hurry, and now you're on this little heart island far out of Liyue, sitting at the edge of the island.

You bury your feet into the sand, watching the waters crash to shore and wet the sand above your feet. You wiggle your toes and shield your eyes from the sun. A large portal suddenly opens beside you, making you jump and stumble back. A tall Abyss Lector emerges from the portal, arms open and hovering toward you.

“Stay back!” You scream, grabbing the nearest object to use as a weapon.

The Abyss Lector cackles and stops before you, leaving a reasonable distance between you two. The Abyss Lector continues to stare at you in silence as if waiting for you to calm down. You take a step back. The Abyss Lector crosses their arms over their chest, chest rumbling with laughter. 

“What do you want from me?” You whisper.

“Watching you try and fail over and over is pathetic,” says the Abyss Lector.

You stare at the being before you blankly. Oh, so the Abyss Lector has been watching you try to befriend the beloved heroes of each region with mirth. Yeah, you would be doing the same thing if you weren't, well, you. You cross your arms over your chest and sigh as a sense of dread falls over you. You're alone in this heart island with the Abyss Lector, probably their next target aside from Teyvat and the Archons.

“If you're going to insult me, can you do it after you kill me? It'll save me from the embarrassment,” you mutter.

The Abyss Lector howls with laughter, head thrown back, shoulders bouncing. “Kill you? I have a proposition for you, and you are to decide whether you want to do it or not,” says the Abyss Lector.

You can't help but be wary of the Abyss Lector. While the Abyss Lector has yet to harm you, the Abyss has caused catastrophic harm in the past. You decide to listen to the Abyss Lector's proposition. The Abyssal creature went on a ten-minute tangent about the offer and would answer many of your pressing questions. To your surprise, the Abyss Lector was patient with your questions and had no issues with you not understanding certain parts of the proposition. You're grateful the Abyss Lector didn't attack you upon first meeting you— technically, the Abyss Lector created a portal near you on the heart island outside of Liyue.

“So? Do we have a deal or no deal?” asks the Abyss Lector, holding their hands out.

You press your lips into a thin line. Is this really what you want to do? You can’t turn your back on the people you adore. However, with how they treated you…. Does it really matter at this point? 

You furrow your eyebrows, nodding. “I accept your offer,” you say, placing your hand in the Abyss Lector's hand.

The Abyss Lector claps their hands. “Wonderful! Please, step into the portal, and we shall start our journey together,” says the Abyss Lector.

The Abyss Lector lets out a cackle and opens the portal. You and the Abyss Lector step into the portal, sealing your fate. Time flies in the Abyss— three days on Teyvat is three months in the Abyss. You didn't mind the drastic change of time and how fast time flies by in the Abyss. It took some time, but you were able to get used to it. Because you're not from Teyvat or from their universe, you mapped out the areas on Teyvat for the Abyss Order to target. You didn't have to do the attacking and invading like the Abyss Herald, Abyss Lectors, and other Abyssal creatures. All you have to do is sit on the throne and tell them what to do.

You sit on the throne in the Abyss, leaning on your right arm and watching the Abyssal creatures roam around. As the ruler of the Abyss Order, there wasn't much for you to do. Sometimes you would embark on your journey to Teyvat with the Abyss Lector, witnessing the damage being done to Teyvat. Usually, you would feel anger and sadness when the Abyss Order is harming the citizens of Teyvat and wanting to inflict harm on the Archons, but now? You could care less about what is being done to the people of Teyvat and their Archons.

“Your Highness, it's time,” says the Abyss Lector, kneeling at the foot of the throne.

This isn't the first time you'll be visiting Teyvat while the Abyss Order is running amock on Teyvat. But for some reason, you can't help but feel anxious about visiting Teyvat. The Abyss Lector, named Agnarr, holds their hand out for you to take. You take a deep breath and grab Agnarr's hand. Egill levitates forward, nodding. The two Abyss Lectors lead you out of the throne room of the Abyss, opening the portal to Teyvat.

Sumeru is on fire— literally. You and the two Abyss Lectors stand afar, watching the citizens of Sumeru scream and scramble out of the city while it's engulfed in flames. You see familiar faces running to the farthest part of Sumeru, but you pay no attention. Other Abyss Lectors and Heralds open various portals around Sumeru City, floating toward the Great Tree. Abyss Mages emerge out of thin air, cackling and attacking those they see.

“What do you think, Your Highness?” asks Enjou, appearing out of thin air, startling you.

You press your hand against your racing heart and take a deep breath. You turn to Enjou, glaring at the Pyro Abyss Lector, who cackles after seeing your reaction. You huff and glare at Enjou, who is now levitating before you with his arms over his chest. Enjou has the tendency to scare the crap out of you at every chance he gets. On the other hand, Agnarr and Egill aren't fond of the idea of Enjou popping on and out of places to get a reaction out of you.

You take a deep breath. “Enjou, can you please stop doing that?” You ask.

Enjou hums. “Hmmm, I don't think I can do that, Your Highness. It's my job to make sure you're stealthy and always alert! Who knows, someone could attack you while we're not at your side,” Enjou says nonchalantly. 

“They needn't worry about their safety when they're with us,” Agnarr hisses at Enjou.

Egill scoffs, crossing their arms over their chest. “As if we'd let them be in harm's way. Those who try to take the Abyss Order's Ruler shall fall and watch the world around them burn,” Egill hisses.

Enjou raises his hands, shaking his head. You sigh, turning back to the scene of the burning city of Sumeru. The screams and cries fill the chilly night, sending chills down your spine. It has taken you months to get used to hearing the anguished screams of the citizens of Teyvat, but the more you listen to it, the more you have gotten used to it. While you did not want to hurt the citizens of Teyvat and only specific people who have hurt you and turned you away, the Abyss Order spares no one. Not even children and animals.

“Burning down buildings and villages won't do much for the Abyss Order,” you murmur, stroking your chin. “We'll discuss this when we return to the Abyss.”

Agnarr, Enjou, and Egill nod their heads. You yawn as Egill opens a portal to the Abyss. The three Abyss Lectors all levitate toward the portal with you by their side. Before you can step into the portal, an arrow flies by your face, forcing you to come to a stop. Agnarr and Egill step in front of you to shield you from harm, glaring at the perpetrator. You peek from their arms to see what's going on, only to realize Enjou is standing in front of Agnarr and Egill, blocking the perpetrator's view of you.

“Who dares to try to harm their Highness!” Enjou growls, his hands bursting into flames.

You hear a familiar laugh— a bitter laugh that causes goosebumps to appear on your arms. Childe. 

“As if they weren't the ones that cause mass chaos on Teyvat,” Al Haitham hisses.

You peek from behind Agnarr's arms to see Al Haitham standing there, glaring at the three Abyss Lectors. Al Haitham isn't alone. In fact, he's accompanied by twenty-six familiar faces, along with Lumine and Paimon, standing beside her twin brother and Dainsleif. You roll your eyes, crossing your arms over your chest. You yawn dramatically, grabbing everyone's attention.

“If you're all finished with the dramatic entrance, I will be returning to my humble abode now,” you say with a blasé attitude.

Another arrow is shot, flying past your face and slicing your cheek open. You lightly touch the fresh cut on your cheek and gaze at the crimson blood on the tips of your fingers. You scoff, gazing at Gorou, who glares at you and bares his fangs, growling lowly. You wipe the blood on your clothes, shaking your head.

“Oh? So, you want to start something you can't finish?” You smirk bitterly. “Fine, have it your way, pests.”

Itto smirks. “Something we can't finish? I'm pretty sure you're the one that started something that you cannot finish!” Itto proclaims.

You prop your hands on your hips, glaring at the Oni. You cover your face with both hands briefly, sweeping your hands up and back your head, and your appearance changes instantly. Your eyes are bitch black, and the tips of your fingers are pitch black and dark blue with specs of glimmering stars that mimic the galaxy. A long cape similar to Dainsleif's drapes down your back and pools around your feet.

You close your eyes and begin muttering under your breath, your hair illuminating, and the shadows below you come to life, slithering toward your attackers. The first person to be snatched and dragged was Itto because of his annoying egotistical, and overly confident attitude. You hate how obnoxious he is, and he was once your favorite character from Inazuma due to his personality. 

But the longer you stay on Teyvat, the more you can't handle his loud personality. He reminds you too much of a particular person back in your world, and, quite frankly, hurting him will be another way of harming the person you knew in your world without actually harming them. Your patience and sanity have withered away, and you want to make them feel your wrath for how they have treated you since your arrival.

The shadowy tentacles wrap around Itto's ankles, yanking him up into the air before throwing him to the side. Itto lands on the ground with a hard thud, groaning in pain. You snicker and levitate in the air, crossing one leg over the other with your arms over your chest. A portal opens up behind you, and Dainsleif, Lumine, and Aether emerge from the portal, tackling you to the ground. You open the dirt ground, letting it swallow the four of you.

“How dare you attack the Ruler of the Abyss Order!” Enjou howls with anger, throwing balls of flames at your attackers.

Another portal opens beside Agnarr and Egill. You step out of the portal, dusting your clothes off with an infuriated sigh. Agnarr and Egill quickly whisk you away, opening up another portal. Scaramouche growls with anger, pointing at the portal as you, Agnarr, and Egill levitate away.

“They're getting away! Don't let them get away, dammit!” Scaramouche screams.

Xiao growls and appears before you in a blink of an eye and manages to kick you away from the two Abyss Lectors, sending you tumbling to the ground. You groan and kneel, looking up to see Xiao looming over you. Xiao clutches his jade spear so tight that he can snap it in half. The same jade spear you managed to get for him after blowing hundreds of dollars for that weapon on the damn weapon banner. Xiao raises his polearm up, preparing to impale you with his polearm. 

You wince and look away, bracing yourself to get impaled. You hear a loud squelch, a pained gasp, and an anguished scream. You turn to see Enjou's left hand sticking out of Xiao's chest— where his heart should be. You gulp and watch Enjou throw Xiao to the side, letting the Yaksha bleed out on the grass. Agnarr and Egill rush to you, pull you by your arm, and create a portal. The four of you soon fled the scene. 

“How disappointing. I wanted to see them all perish,” you sigh, plopping on your throne while rubbing your temples. “But it looks like I'll have to wait another day to witness the downfall.”

Agnarr comes forward. “Your Highness, are you alright?” asks Agnarr.

“I'm fine, Agnarr. I'm not physically harmed,” you murmur.

Egill gestures to your cheek. You subconsciously touch the wound on your cheek, feeling the stinging thin cut. It's a mere flesh wound, nothing more, nothing less. It's not like it can kill you unless it's laced with poison. If the arrowhead were to be laced with poison, you would've known immediately. It seems like this attack was more improvised than planned, given the fact how messy it turned out for the opposing side. 

You pinch the bridge of your nose. “I'm fine, Egill. It's a mere cut. It won't kill me,” you murmur, brushing away Egill's concern.

The one thing you wish didn't happen was fleeing the scene so quickly. You wanted to watch the opposing side fall. You want to witness the bloodshed in Sumeru. Due to a certain Yaksha almost successfully slaying you, you had to be ushered immediately out of the battlefield and to safety.

“That Adeptus nearly killed you, your Highness. That is inexcusable, and he deserves every ounce of punishment from the Abyss Order,” Agnarr hisses.

You chuckle, shaking your head. It would be funny to see Xiao try and kill you. If he did manage to kill you successfully, the Ruler of the Abyss Order, then who knows how the Abyss Order will react. Watching the downfall of the Archons and the citizens of Teyvat is something you surely do not want to miss out on. 

“I agree with you, Agnarr. Those who intentionally try to harm the ruler of the Abyss Order shall fall and watch the world around them burn and crumble to the ground,” you nod.

After what happened today, you will not be returning to Teyvat until further notice. It's best to remain in the shadows while the Abyss Order does what you say from behind the scenes. In order to take down an entire region, aside from terrorizing the cities and its citizens, you need to take down the beloved Archons of each nation. But the question is: what Archon is going to be your first target? The Anemo Archon? The Geo Archon? The Electro Archon? The Dendro Archon? Heck, maybe the Hydro Archon? You have yet to step foot into the City of Justice, but seeing some familiar faces from her region makes your blood boil.

“What is on your mind, Your Highness?” Enjou asks.

You shrug your shoulders. “Which Archons do you think is the most annoying?” You ask, getting up from your throne. 

The three Abyss Lectors gaze at you quizzically. While their faces are covered, you can tell they’re confused about what you’re implying. You sigh, rubbing your temples. You’re not sure if you can pull it off, but it’s worth a try, right? Is kidnapping an Archon risky? You're the Ruler of the Abyss Order, for fucks sake. So you continued where you left off. 

“Now, I have yet to meet the Geo, Dendro, Hydro, and Electro Archon, so I can’t make a judgment on how annoying they are. However, I did meet the Anemo Archon and….” You trail off, face pinching up with disgust. “What I'm trying to say is let's kidnap an Archon,” you conclude, clapping your hands.

“The question is, who are we going to be kidnapping, your Highness?” Enjou asks.

Your first answer was to kidnap the dear Anemo Archon of Mondstadt. However, thinking back to your encounter with the said Archon, you sure as hell do not want to deal with him again. The first encounter was already enough for you, and the Bard doesn't seem like he would put up much of a fight. You want a challenge, and an Archon who is “deceased” would be the first step to go. Who would notice an Archon disappearing overnight? An Archon who isn't really dead.

That's how you find yourself standing before the Geo Archon in the ruins of Liyue. You could kidnap Zhongli and bring him to the Abyss, but you knew the Abyss would rapidly deteriorate his sanity, and you didn't want that. Yet. The Geo Archon is tied up against a tree in the Chasm, his mouth taped shut to prevent him from calling for a certain Yaksha. The Geo Archon stares at you emotionlessly.

“The citizens of Liyue aren't the brightest. Assuming their God is dead when he's roaming among them, alive and well,” you say, crossing your arms over your chest. “We never met, and I deeply apologize for this being our first meeting.”

Is it really your first time meeting Zhongli? Zhongli was there when you, Agnarr, Egill, and Enjou were in Sumeru, watching the city burn to the ground. Though, he did not attack you like how the others have tried to attack you. You weren't sure if the Geo Archon had something up his sleeves, but you can't help but feel satisfied with how easy it was to kidnap the Geo Archon. It's almost too easy for your liking.

Zhongli glares at you as you approach him. You grab the tape from the corner and peel it off Zhongli’s lips so he can speak. It’s not like Zhongli is going to call out the name of the short Yaksha to save him. A Geo Archon like himself doesn’t need a savior. Zhongli can get himself out of this situation without an issue, and you’re surprised to see Zhongli not fighting back. Would Zhongli stand a chance against three Abyss Lectors in the corner, watching his every move?

“I see you're the new Ruler of the Abyss. Such a shame to see someone not of this universe become something that destroys the world they once loved,” Zhongli says nonchalantly.

You smirk at Zhongli bitterly. “Once loved, Zhongli. What's there to love when all I've been receiving is hate and being treated like I wasn't human? Your little Yaksha nearly killed me when I first stepped into Liyue,” you hiss, clenching your fist so tightly that your nails dig into the palm of your hands.

You didn't want to become those cliche villains who talk the victim's ears off— talking about your tragic background and how you became who you are. But here you are, talking the Geo Archon's ears off about how you were treated when you encountered the people who did you wrong. You wanted to meet the characters— the people— you adored, but you were cast aside. 

Heck, even the hilichurls and mitachurls treated you better than how the Archons and prominent figures of Teyvat treated you. The citizens of Teyvat treat you no differently. They went along with their day and would glance at you every now and then when you visited the cities. They treated you better than those who had visions. And yet here you are, burning down their homes, crops, and businesses all because of a small handful of people making you feel unwelcomed and unsafe when stepping into their nation.

“I'm going to be generous and not kill you. However, I do want something from you, and it's not your gnosis. Your gnosis is useless to me,” You say, standing before the (former) Geo Archon.

Zhongli stares at you, not saying a word. You sigh with disappointment. You don't know how much longer you can take this. Seeing the Geo Archon before you, tied up and defenseless, is fun, but at the same time, it's pathetic. Then again, you would rather be stuck in the same room as Zhongli than the Bard you met in Mondstadt. You squat before Zhongli and grab him by his hair to make him look at you.

“And what is it do you want?” Zhongli asks through clenched jaws. 

Just when you open your mouth to tell him what you want, a polearm pierces you through the chest. You tighten your grip on Zhongli's hair, gasping in pain. You look down to see the blade of Zhongli's vortex vanquisher buried deep in your chest cavity. You release Zhongli and stumble back, hands shaking as you grab the polearm. Zhongli glares down at you, his amber eyes glowing with hate and anger. 

“Did you think you would succeed?” Zhongli hisses, digging the polearm deeper into your chest.

You lie on the ground, blood pooling beneath you while Zhongli stands over you. Zhongli notices the Abyss Lectors have yet to attack him. You, their precious Ruler, are impaled, and yet they're doing nothing to help you. You grab the base of Zhongli's polearm, trying to pull the blade out of your chest, only to fail. You struggled for a few minutes before going limp. Eyes glazed over as your lifeless eyes stared into his soul. Zhongli furrows his eyebrows, questioning why it's so easy to kill you and why the Abyss Lectors didn't attack him for impaling and killing you in front of them.

The tense and quiet air in the Chasm is soon broken by the sound of clapping from a distance. Zhongli looks up to see you leaning against the wall with an amused look on your face. You descended the stairs in all your glory— the very same cape flowing behind you. Zhongli narrows his eyes at you and then at your lifeless body on the ground.

“You put on quite the show, Morax. However, you killed the wrong person,” you giggle.

Your lifeless body soon evaporates into a puff of smoke as the Abyss Lectors stand beside you, forming a barrier between you and the Geo Archon. 

You sigh, running your fingers through your hair. “It's such a shame to see my clone get slaughtered in front of me,” you mutter, shaking your head with disapproval.

“You....” Zhongli trails off.

You tilt your head to the side, pouting at him mockingly. “I what? Did you think you would successfully kill the Ruler of the Abyss? Oh, please! I wouldn't make it easy for you,” you giggle.

You walk toward Zhongli and caress his face. “You're not in your prime time anymore, Morax. You’ll need to do way more than stab me in the chest to get rid of me,” you whisper. “If you'll excuse me, I have a business to tend to. Agnarr and Egill will be keeping you company while Enjou and I are gone.”

Your clone's blood is splattered on Zhongli's face— not going to lie, Zhongli looks attractive with blood on his face. You let your hand fall to your side, smirk at the Funeral Consultant, and turn around, opening a portal for you and Enjou. 

Once you step through the portal with Enjou, the portal closes, leaving Zhongli and the two Abyss Lectors alone. Zhongli clenches his jaws, tightening his grip on his polearm. Zhongli's not going down without a fight, and he will find a way to escape one way or the other. The first thing he needs to do is get rid of the two Abyss Lectors. He could call Xiao for assistance, but Zhongli can handle this on his own.

In the Abyss, you sit on your throne with your legs crossed over the other as you stare at the two Abyss Lectors. You tap your fingers on the armrest, gaze falling upon the kneeling blond before you. Dainsleif is in cuffs, glaring up at you. When you arrived at the Abyss with Enjou, you were informed that the two Hydro and Cryo Abyss Lectors had captured a certain blond. Now, you're unsure of why Dainsleif was popping in and out of the Abyss, but you have an inkling feeling it's to hunt you down.

“Care to explain by the Abyss Lectors found you roaming around the Abyss?” You grumble.

Dainsleif doesn't reply and continues to glare at you. Dainsleif has cuts littering his body, his lip is cut open, and he looks like he was dragged through debris. Nonetheless, you could care less about his condition at the moment. You sit up and rest your elbows on your knees, raising an eyebrow at the blond man. You sit back and close your eyes, pinching the bridge of your nose and letting out a slow exhale.

Dainsleif stumbles up while struggling in his cuffs, only for the Cryo Abyss Lector to grunt with annoyance, hitting the blond man on the back of his head. Dainsleif grunts in pain and collapses to the ground on his knees. You click your tongue and open your eyes, gazing into Dainsleif's blue eyes. Dainsleif continues not to say anything, glaring at the ground.

“Your Highness, are you hungry?” Enjou whispers.

You shake your head and dismiss Enjou's question. You leave your throne and step toward the kneeling blond man. Enjou reaches forward and grabs you by your wrist. You turn to Enjou, who shakes his head. You give Enjou a reassuring smile— Enjou swallows. Ever since you agreed to become the new Ruler of the Abyss, Enjou and the other Abyss Lectors, Heralds, and Abyssal creatures have yet to see you smile or laugh. You always have this deep frown and glare— you glared so much that it's permanent at this point.

You step toward Enjou. “I'll be fine, Enjou,” you whisper.

Enjou reluctantly releases your wrist, watching you turn and walk to Dainsleif. You stop before Dainsleif, grab him by the chin, and tilt his head up. Dainsleif stares at you. You want to laugh after seeing him in this state. This is your first time seeing Dainsleif in such a state. It's pathetic and comical. Someone persistent with searching for the Abyss twin, traversing through many regions and maybe even universes, just to find them and snap them out of it. And now Dainsleif is here, kneeling before you and looking pathetic. 

“Never in my life would I see you in this position, Dainsleif. It's shocking and pathetic,” you say nonchalantly. “Care to tell me why you're here? If you're here to kill me, you're going to have to try harder than that. The Geo Archon tried and failed to do so.”

Dainsleif continues not to speak. You release Dainsleif's chin with an annoyed sigh, crossing your arms over your chest. It seems like Dainsleif is even more stubborn than you thought. You wanted to laugh in Dainsleif's face. Why is he in the Abyss, kneeling before you with handcuffs? You would understand if the Abyss Lectors and Heralds captured him for roaming around the Abyss. However, the lack of response from the blond man is putting you on edge. 

Dainsleif lets out a shaky sigh. "I'm here to get you out of the Abyss. You becoming the Ruler of the Abyss Order was a mistake that was never meant to happen," Dainsleif says.

You cross your arms over your chest. Yeah, and your appearance in Teyvat was never meant to happen either, but here you are. You walk to your throne and sit, gesturing for Dainsleif to continue on. If Dainsleif continues to blabber on about something you don't care about, then you're going to call it a day and retreat to your bedroom, and the Abyss Lectors can toss Dainsleif in his prison cell. How could you not join the Abyss Order? Plus, why is Dainsleif suddenly backtracking when your first meeting was the opposite? 

You chuckle bitterly and shake your head. "Oh. Dainsleif. You're a bit too late for that. This is where I truly belong— with the Abyss Order as their Ruler. None of this would've happened if none of you treated me that way," you hiss.

You stand abruptly and begin walking off.

Dainsleif stands. "Wait! Don't leave!" Dainsleif hollers.

You turn around and glare at Dainsleif. Your eyes turn pitch black. "Goodbye, Dainsleif. If you, or anyone, continue to get in my way, I will make sure there's nothing left behind on Teyvat."

And with that, you turn around and storm off with Enjou following you. Dainsleif watches you disappear into the darkness, shoulders slumping. Your nails dig into the palm of your hands, drawing blood. How dare Dainsleif march into the Abyss, demanding for you to leave the Abyss Order when he and the others are the reason why you turn to the Abyss Order for help. The Abyss Order is the only group that accepts you and does not hurt you like how the others did. If they want you to leave the Abyss Order so badly, then they can fight you to the death because you refuse to leave. The Abyss Order is where you truly belong.

Note: I feel like this fic falls under the same route as any other SAGAU fics where the rejected creator!reader joins the Abyss Order because they treat the reader better than the Genshin characters. I haven't read fanfics for Genshin in a while, so idk what's trending nowadays for Genshin. Anyway, I am now going to close the voting for Burning Desire voting for Route 3! Thank you for your votes, and we shall wait and see what happens in the third route! I might take a break from writing (like a one-week break), but idk if I'll go through with it 💀 [this part is copied and pasted from my previous fanfic regarding the Discord server] For those who want to join my Discord server, here is the temporary link to [Zhongli's Abode]. Please make sure to read the server rules to save yourself from getting in trouble (if you like the server, you can stay, chat, and lurk. If not, you can leave if you don't vibe with it ^^). Anyway, to all my new and returning readers, keep in mind that I ONLY post on my Tumblr (Genshinluvr) and my AO3 (Aaliah_exo)! Nowhere else except Tumblr and AO3!

Taglist for my Isekai'd!Reader one-shot series and my overall taglist: @yoru-trash, @kaoyamamegami, @deartoru, @luminarymoonlight, @ins4nebish, @bokuto-kinnie, @exhaustedcommunist, @jadedist, @chalksdreams, @thelost-in-time, @ventisweetheart, @hispasian-otaku, @samarill, @testsubject0012, @kazuhaprnt, @lunarapple, @heyimkay, @eliciana, @jjvr4yxc, @sovermike-21-blog, @nightlysunn, @thelovebuggs, @urlocalheizousimp, @sunlightstarr, @asoulsreverie (Accounts that I was unable to tag have been removed. Those who don't want to be tagged in certain stories are not tagged in this particular post. Remember to check your settings to see if you're allowing people to mention you/tag you in posts or not)

Read more of my works on my Masterlist / Masterlist 2 | Maybe support me by tipping me on Ko-Fi or by reblogging my fanfics! ^^ I will also be posting exclusive fanfics on Ko-Fi as well very soon! I might post all of my stories on there too, but who knows. You can also tip me on Tumblr if you'd like as a way to show support! ^^

[tsukishimakeiswife]

You just spent the dirtiest night of your life with Geto Suguru.

a/n- this song reminded me of him<3 you could play it throughout the post if you'd like.

------

One chance. That's what you told yourself and Geto before agreeing to go on a date with him. Everything about him was so alluring. You knew once you crossed a certain line with him, there would be no going back. Not with him. In the 3 years you worked with Geto Suguru, not once did you resist catching a glance at him. How could you not? When he looked at you as if you were his only source of life. He was perfect and amazing at everything he did. That's also why you loathed him. Anything you did, he would do it better, that too with such ease.

Hating him wasn't easy, either. Your seniors would want you to consult him if there was any issue. Got a problem with your paycheck? Ask Geto. Want a sick leave? Ask Geto. And wouldn't he enjoy it when you came to him, seeking help? His signature smirk plastered across his face every time you stood outside his office. He was so infuriating, yet so attractive.

One day, he finally pushed you over the edge. A sales pitch you worked on for weeks was scraped just because Geto had a better idea. 'Of course, they should just let him run the company, huh?' You made the not-so-graceful decision of walking out of the meeting and going back to your office. You got your stuff, clearly done for the day, and left the building soon after. Trying to haul the cab in horrendous city traffic only frustrated you further. That was until someone put their hand on your shoulder, almost making you jump.

There he stood, looking egregiously hot. He stood in front of you with his shoulder-length hair in a half bun and a shirt that hugged him just right. He fixed his tie before speaking up after what felt like an eternity of eye contact.

"I didn't mean for that to happen- look, (y/n). I know you hate me right now, but let me make it up to you."

And that's how you ended up here. Sitting in front of him so prettily, adorned in your most breathtaking dress and high heels- to look somewhat tall next to his large build. You made sure to look your best, and the way his eyes scanned your body made your efforts worth them. The glass of wine in your hand, long forgotten as you leaned back and heard him speak. The tension between you two was wild. The air was heavy and thick. The ambiance of the restaurant didn't help much, either. You were sure he picked such a place on purpose.

However, that wasn't the craziest part about tonight. It was the fact that you were enjoying this so much. His eyes never left yours, alternating between your lips and orbs while you spoke. He leaned in to 'hear' you better and 'accidentally' brushed his knees against yours. Tonight, there was something different in him. It was as if nothing was stopping him. Hunger was apparent in his eyes. He was determined to get what he wanted.

You saw through his game. You weren't dumb, and he knew it. He wanted you to make the first move. Moreover, with every second passing, it seemed more difficult not to do that.

"Easier said than done, love. You ne-", he stopped talking immediately. He had something better to focus on now. Your freshly manicured nails were currently placed on his thigh. If his winning this silly game meant what you thought it did, then you'd take it any day. You were attracted to Geto, more than anything at the moment. His eyes darkened and in the blink of an eye, his entire aura shifted. You felt smaller, and you didn't think that was possible with Geto. He called the waiter for the cheque almost as if in a hurry.

The two of you got up and he immediately took your hand in his, taking you towards the elevator, maybe. You didn't care. Not when Geto has you in such a state. And he hasn't even touched you yet.

The two of you enter the elevator, finally alone. He didn't react, though. All you wanted to do was kiss him, taste him, feel him. His calm composure, on the contrary, was far from your flustered state. He looked down to meet your gaze as you did the same, bodies facing each other, but not reacting.

The lift doors opened and he immediately walked out. You tried to keep up with him, but he was practically dragging you now. You entered the suite he'd booked for you and the man in front of you didn't even wait for the door to close before pinning you against it. He leaned down to make sure he was just above you, his hair falling out of place onto yours. You tucked the strands of his hair behind his ears before pulling him down to kiss him.

You could physically feel the smile on his face when you did, and he didn't spare you for a second. His hands immediately reached for your throat and the other one pressed your lower back to bring you closer to him. The kiss was electric, hot, passionate, and desperate. Geto Suguru kissed hard. He gently led you towards the bedroom- not breaking the kiss for a second. You felt ecstatic, his hand on your throat applying the slightest amount of pressure- the kiss which was so hot you felt dizzy already. Breaking apart to catch your breath; you looked into his eyes, his pupils were completely blown out; his hair was a mess now; he was so pretty.

He pushed you onto the bed and you were now lying on your back. Geto caged you in before kissing your jaw, your neck- biting and leaving marks with utmost grace. He kissed you on that spot behind your ears, to which you sharply exhaled. He smirked against your skin and whispered in your ears, "I haven't even done anything yet, and look how you're reacting." you rolled your eyes and scoffed before whining at the feeling of his teeth sinking into your soft skin. Your hands were on his neck, playing with his hair and occasionally tugging on them. It drove him crazy.

He gave you a genuine look as his hands landed on the hem of your dress, making sure you were still okay with this- to which you nodded. He slipped your dress off and tossed it aside, taking in what was in front of him. It was as if he was consuming you completely, his gaze was dark- it sucked you in, trapped you inside. You tugged on his hand for him to hurry. He kissed you again and you unbuttoned his shirt. You knew he had an amazing body, but it was nothing like you'd imagined. There really was not a single thing in him that you could complain about.

He kissed down your chest, taking off your bra and stopping right at your stomach. He looked straight into your eyes and said, "What do you want me to do, love?" your breath hitched and you hesitated. You felt more needy than ever, Geto knew that. But he had to show you he had power over you, didn't he?

"Geto, please. I need you," you said- whispered. He raised his eyebrow to indicate that he'll have to hear you again. "You'll have to be louder- and more specific." he retorted.

"I want you to fuck me, there?" you almost spat out. Only getting more and more frustrated. You sneaked in a 'please, Geto' to make sure he didn't get pissed. All he did was simply nod while taking off your lace panties. He didn't hesitate for a second before shoving two of his long, rough fingers into your cunt. A loud whine left your lips and your hands immediately covered your mouth, trying their best to muffle your moans- screams. His fingers were long. You meant that. He stretched you out and immediately began pumping in and out. He tutted and shook his head- almost as if he was disappointed.

"I wanna hear you, baby. Covering your pretty mouth won't help. And, it's Suguru for you." at this point, anything this man said only made you wetter. He found your g-spot effortlessly, abusing it as he added a third finger. "Fuck- Suguru, too much." your back arched and your breath hitched with every thrust. He could tell you were getting close. "Too much? This isn't enough, my love." his thumb was now on your clit, toying with it as if it wasn't making you whimper and moan out his name. His free hand caressed your face, tucking your hair behind your ear and locking fingers with yours.

You were close, lewd sounds echoed through the suite and his harsh, degrading comments only got you riled up more. "gonna cum- shit. hah- Suguru, more." He chuckled before picking up his pace. "Come on, come for me." pushing you over the edge. You screamed out his name and held onto his hand as your orgasm washed over you. It was ecstatic. Your body spasmed and you tried to catch your breath. Your orgasm barely passed by before you hear his trousers drop to the floor.

"Don't think we're done, love. I meant what I said. We're just getting started." he took off his boxers revealing what he'd been hiding the entire time. This man was big. And you meant that. A wave of shock and excitement passed your body as you gasped at the sight before you.

"Get on your knees for me." you nod and shuffle around till your knees and elbows are on the mattress, your ass is up and your hair brought to one side of your face. His hand trails along your spine kneads your ass before giving it a harsh slap.

“I’m gonna go slow at first, tell me when you’re comfortable, hm?” he says as he coats his cock with your slick. He aligns himself and slowly enters your hole. A sharp exhale left your mouth as you groaned and threw your head back. He was way bigger than you expected, you bit your lip to drift your attention away from the sting you felt. He leaned forward so that his chest was on your back now and he sank his teeth into your neck while entering you slowly. You whimpered and tears pooled in your eyes, carrying your mascara with them as they ran across your cheek. He kissed your tears away and whispered how ‘you’re such a good girl’ and you’re ‘so obedient for him’

After what felt like an eternity, he completely bottomed out and the pain slowly faded away- transforming into the most pleasure you’ve ever had. You gave him a quick nod which was his signal. He turned immediately. His pace increased and he went faster- harder. Your face was now smushed against the pillow while you screamed in pleasure. His hand rubbed against your overstimulated clit- only making you cry out more as you begged him to slow down, to go easy on you. His hips snapped against yours picking up his pace despite your cries.

You could feel your next orgasm nearing, feeling embarrassed over how much tighter your cunt got with every thrust, a groan left his lips and he grabbed a fistful of your hair to lift you up to his level, your back pressed against his strong chest.

“You’re gonna be a good slut for me and take it, yeah? I see the way you’d look at me everyday. Fucking me with your eyes in front of everyone. Now take it like a good girl.” you cried out his name and tried to grab his hand that was currently abusing your clit. Your choked cries and unsuccessful attempts at getting him to slow down did nothing but boost his ego more. He let go of your hair letting you fall back onto the pillow and grabbed your face, turning it to the side, “You’re not gonna look away, okay?” he said.

You bit your lip and nodded at him as you grabbed the bedsheets, seeking support from the silk sheet underneath the two of you. He thought you looked beautiful, your pouty lips were swollen and glistened with your own saliva on them, your cheeks stained with mascara and your eyes, half lidded and pooled with tears. You looked ethereal.

With a final thrust you came around him, crying out choked moans and whines as your eyes rolled to the back of your head and you felt like you couldn’t think anymore. Geto thrusted into you throughout your orgasm and gently lifted you up while he fucked into you, you gasped as you still clinged onto him. This man was strong- he lifted you off the ground while fucking into you as if it was no big deal.

By the time you rode out your high, you realized you were pressed against the glass window of your suite. The cold glass made you hiss as you looked down at the busy street. Humiliation took over you as you looked at Geto with a confused face. You were tired, that's for sure. A mess. That was an accurate word to describe your state right now. Geto pulled out of your abused hole and you whined at the empty feeling, still breathing heavily from your last orgasm. He turned you around to face him.

"You alright there?" he tilted his face to the side and leaned down to lock lips with yours. He was soft, kind, and caring. At the same time time; he was rough, mean, and sadistic. He had you wrapped around his finger. You whispered his name out when he slowly entered you again. Your back arched and you dug your nails into his back. He hissed at your actions and groaned your name out. Your name left his lips as if it was his favourite word.

His pace increased and you clung onto him with every bit of strength left in you. Your mind felt foggy and you didn't know what took over you, you spoke up. "Suguru, let me ride you. Please." it was a weak whisper. He wouldn't have been able to hear you if it wasn't for how close the two of you were. He slowed down and carried you to the bed, placing you down before getting on. He made himself comfortable against the bedframe and tapped on his thigh, "There's nothing I would love more, love."

You weren't so sure if that was a mistake or not.

"Tired already? You've barely moved."

"So gorgeous, all f'me."

"Look at you, my cock-drunk princess."

"Want me to lend a hand?" he smirked. He had the 'genius' idea of tying your hands behind your back before you got on top of him. You definitely made a mistake with your suggestion. Your head was on his shoulder now. Your thighs felt like they were on fire. Every single movement made you cry out. He didn't help you out, either. His large cock only adding to your mix of pleasure and pain. He enjoyed this more than anything. Your struggle to take him and maintain balance riled him up even more. You groaned at his words and nodded into his shoulder.

"What was that? You're gonna have to tell me." you can't believe you almost forgot why you hated him so much. He grabbed your face by the neck and brought you to face him, inches apart. You bit your lip to muffle out your moans and rolled your eyes. He looked at you, waiting for you to speak. "Help me, Suguru." "Please," you added, before he spoke up, causing him to smile.

"Whatever you say, love," he whispered in your ear before gripping your hips and bucking his hips upwards. You gasped at the sudden movement and lost balance, falling back onto his shoulder as you cried out his name. He was close, and so were you. Your whines and moans of his name made him feel like his body was on fire. You had no idea how obsessed he was with you. And there you were, in front of him, breaking down because of him.

"Fuck, (y/n). You're driving me crazy." he pulled you up and looked at you, and you didn't dare to look away from him. No, if you did, you were sure he would ruin you. His words threw you over the edge as you tightened around him and came. He hissed at you and shot his seed into you. He held onto you as you clawed at his chest- riding out your high.

The two of you stayed in the same position for who knows how long. "I thought this was supposed to be an apology dinner." you panted out.

"Would you rather have that?"

"...no."

You let out a tired giggle before looking up to meet his eyes, smiling and pulling him into a simple, pure, passionate kiss.

"I still dislike you, though,"

“I wouldn’t pass a judgment so soon. After all, I’m not done with you yet.” he said, while his hands moved down your body.

———

part two??

[simplydannie]

A story that suddenly came to my mind one day. And I just couldn’t shake it off! I apologize for the angst 💔

Velvet and Veneer are sent back to Under Rageous to serve the rest of their term, until one day, a bail comes for Velvet and an invitation back to Mount Rageous.

One condition: Veneer is not invited and has another fate awaiting him. What will she choose?

Prison. Otherwise known as the Mount Rageous Detention Center for Troubled Youth.

That’s where Velvet and Veneer stayed for the first couple of months. But the truth was brought to the surface eventually… the twins were from the under-city… and that region could take care of their own.

The twins were in a black vehicle headed back down to the Under Rageous facility. The ride was long and silent. Velvet and Veneer sat in the back seat, handcuffed, still sporting their orange uniform. Veneer looked over to his sister.

“Hey Vels.” He attempted to make small talk. Velvet had ignored him since they got to prison. The last words she spoke to him was at the Rage Dome, where he made everything go to hell. She wanted no part with him. Velvet practically forced them at the detention center to room them apart after she severely beat him up. She didn’t care what he was up to, many times he requested to see her, but she refused, she just couldn’t stand him at the moment.

“Vels?” He attempted to say it again, but she continued to ignore him. He missed her voice, he missed the interaction between the two of them. After all these months of not talking, they felt like strangers more than siblings. Veneer did what he did for their own good… at least he hoped so… it didn’t feel like it now that they were headed back to the under-city.

The lighting outside lost its brilliance, its joy, they knew the full, gloomy light of the under-city. The darkness that loomed over them, no light, nothing coming through from above. They glanced upon the darkened buildings, the dark cybernetic feel of what is Under Rageous. The car continued further until they came upon a facility. It was about 4 stories high, walls dark and gray….the Under Rageous Detention Center for Criminal Youth… yes, big difference.

They were escorted from the car towards the front gates. At least the detention center in Mount Rageous was adorned in jewels and gems, beautiful white plastered walls. It felt like a resort… but this one, this was made to feel more like prison, more like hell.

They walked through the front gates and into the building where a Rageon was waiting for them. He was tall, pale skin, though not nearly as pale as the twins. Short, dark red stringy hair, buzzed from one side. He was dressed in all black: cargo pants, boots, jacket. When he smiled, he displayed his filed down sharp teeth.

“We’ll take it from here gentlemen.” He shooed away the Mount Rageous guards. Without hesitation, they left the twins in the presence of the mature Under Rageon. “Well, well, Velvet and Veneer. What an honor. I have to admit you hit down here as much as you hit up there… just not for the same reasons. Follow me.”

Without a word the twins followed him down the hall. They walked by cells that contained for less friendly, far less attractive inmates. These inmates defined the word brutal in both appearance and attitude. Velvet walked by unbothered, while Veneer shrunk himself smaller.

“Now here in Under Rageous, you broke the most important rule we have: do not talk about the kidnapping or torture of Trolls to anyone..”

“Tell that to him.” Velvet gestured at her brother. Veneer swallowed the lump that formed in his throat. The Under Rageon turned and cocked his head, a smirk forming in his lips.

“The fate of your sentence has yet to be determined. In the meantime, enjoy your stay.” He opened the cell that would house both twins.

“No. I’m not staying with him.” Velvet signaled to her brother.

“Oh?”

“Last time I almost killed him. Unless you want that blood in your hands.” She stated.

“I honestly don’t care what you do to each other. But I need you both unharmed in the meantime, but very well. Follow me pretty boy.” The Rageoun motioned. Veneer gave Velvet a terrified glance… him? Alone? At an Under Rageous prison? But Velvet could care less. She walked into the cell and never looked back at him. The Under Rageous guards grabbed him firmly by the arm and led him away. He glanced back at his sister, hoping she would turn around, hoping she would change her mind, call out his name…she never did…

The guard guiding Veneer shoved him fiercely, “Keep walking.” Veneer glanced at the cells as they passed by. They were full of scary looking Under Rageons…Under Rageons that could definitely rip out his throat. The thought of rooming with one of those guys was terrifying. He hoped and hoped he wouldn’t. Veneer was escorted to a cell where they shoved him inside.

“Traitor.” The guard mumbled before he left. Veneer cocked his head to the side. Traitor? Was he really a traitor? Perhaps he was….he did betray his own sister up at the Rage Dome. He threw her under the bus along with himself. Perhaps he should’ve spared her. He should’ve lied and said it was all his idea, leave her out of it. He sat on the bed and buried his face in his hands.

“I am so sorry, Vels.” He whispered. He had to make it up to her, he just had too. But how? They were on opposite ends of the prison now, and she dared not talk to him. Standing up he walked over to the desk within his cell. Veneer rummaged through hoping to find….

“Yes!” He exclaimed, pulling out a pencil and paper….He would write. He would write to her hoping she’d accept his letters….He would write to Floyd, hoping the little Troll would respond to him. But he had to be cautious, he couldn’t give the people of Under Rageous any idea where the Trolls were…so perhaps writing to Floyd would have to wait…

Days rolled by, and it was obvious the twins had to be kept away from the Under Rageous inmates…for the twins' own good. Velvet had nearly gotten into a couple of fights before Veneer jumped in to save her. She knew it was his way of trying to make up to her, trying to talk to her, but she wouldn’t give in. At one moment an inmate was severely beating her brother, but Velvet didn’t budge, she didn’t move…. She enjoyed watching the pain. Why? She never really enjoyed it before? She would rage at anyone who touched her brother that way. But there, in the yard, as the giant boy swung away at Veneer’s face, Velvet’s eyes began to glow pink…Her desire was for Veneer to feel the pain she did at his betrayal…and this was it.

Keep hitting him, he deserves it, her mind raced. She was broken out of her trance when the guards came in to break the fight apart. The tall, red-haired head Rageon returned, “You guys aren’t going to make this easy are you.” He smiled a sharp toothed grin.

They spent the rest of the passing days isolated from the rest of the compound…and each other. Velvet began marking the days on her walls. Eventually those days turned into weeks. She continued to receive letter upon letter from Veneer. Velvet would just throw them away, he still wasn’t worth her time, perhaps he may never be worth anything again. She began to wonder what would be of her…What was the penalty down here in Under Rageous?

A black SUV type vehicle pulled up in front of the Under Rageous detention center. The door was opened and an adult female Rageon from the upper city stepped out. Her white heels clicked down the hall. Her suit was maroon, adorned in jewels and gems. She had sepia colored skin and carob hair pulled into a ponytail. Her sunglasses covered her eyes. She continued to walk until she was at the door of the lead Rageon of the establishment.

“I assume you’re in charge.” She demanded as she stood by the door.

“Please, make yourself at home.” He mocked standing up from behind his desk. He didn’t really care or like Mount Rageons much, but this one was breathtaking.

She crossed her arms and clicked her heels against the floor, “Word got to my boss that our twins were sent back down here.”

“Really? After all these weeks you barely notice? Not very observant are we?” He smirked.

She ignored his mockery and continued to speak, “It was against my bosses wishes. She’s going to deal with that later. For now, what’s the bail price on our girl's head?” The male Rageon tilted his head, confusion plastered on his face.

“Velvet. What is her bail price?”

“I was not told they would be out for bail. There is a penalty for what they did, rather, what they stupidly admitted too.” He responded.

“If I remember correctly, Veneer was the one to openly admit to using Trolls. Now, I will only ask one more time. What. Is. The. Bail. Price.”

There was no staring this woman down. She was the definition of power…she was part of the power up in Mount Rageous, which meant money .... and lot’s of it.

“For the troubles she nearly cost us: a quarter million.” His grin was smug. Perhaps the price was too high even for the snobby upper Rageons…

“Done.” She responded plainly. He was lost for words, his mouth gaped open at her quick agreement.

“You’re serious? A quarter million for some bratty teen.”

The woman smiled, “Oh you don’t know the half of it… Besides, you’re going to like this part next.”

“And what is that?”

“My boss is able to pay double the price if you could deal with our little disappointment we call Veneer.”

The male Rageon smiled, “Okay, keep talking.”

A couple more days since the meeting between the two Rageons had passed. Velvet continued marking up her wall. Her room was a mess as she rampaged through everything, tossing and tearing everything out of anger. She felt weird, something about her wasn’t right… she didn’t feel right ...what she wanted was more Troll. The essence they gave off gave her a euphoria like never before. It caused the chemistry in her brain to feel and think in ways she could never have thought of…it had made her body feel strong and energetic. Now, she felt weak, vulnerable to the world…

Her thoughts were interrupted as two guards came in. They tossed her a duffle bag. “Pack up.” They told her.

“What.” She plainly demanded.

“Pack up. Your bail is here.”

Veneer was in his cell writing another letter to his sister. He’d lost count how many he has written, and to none did she ever write back. He’d wish he could write to Floyd, but has yet found a way to here in the under-city.

Loneliness began to settle in each passing day. He didn’t do well with loneliness… that’s when the dark thoughts began swirling in his mind. Funny, he’d never had those thoughts before, only recently after using the Trolls essence. A nagging feeling and desire to hurt himself would daily come, as if his body craved for that sensation. Veneer would do his best to fight it off, but he didn’t know how much longer he could.

The doors to his cell opened. He turned to find two guards coming in, cuffs in hand.

“W-what did I do now?” He stammered.

One guard smirked, “Time for your sentence of your penalty.”

“P-penalty? I thought we w-would just serve our time and b-be done.” Veneer began to stutter as his nerves kicked in.

“This ain’t Mount Rageous, pretty boy.” The guard came over to him, tightly securing the cuffs around his wrists. Veneer winced at the coldness and pain the cuffs sent throughout his body. They led him out and back down the hallway…. They led him past Velvet's cell… it was empty.

“Hey! Where’s my sister?!”

After gathering her things, Velvet was escorted towards a back exit. She held her bag close, in its pocket she stuffed some sort of shank, a weapon, just in case things went south. Who in the world would bail them? And why? At the end of the hallway stood the tall male Rageon they met when they first arrived.

“Leaving us so soon?” He smirked as he opened the door. Velvet hesitated, but eventually, she stepped out the door….in front of her was a black SUV. Standing right by it was a Rageon woman: sepia colored skin, carob hair…. Velvet recognized her right away.

“There’s my little pop star.”

The two guards ignored Veneers demand and continued to pull him down the hall.

“Where’s Velvet?” He began to pull, he began to resist.

“Enough beanpole!” The guards began poking him with more force as Veneer continued to resist.

“Velvet!” He called out hoping he’d hear her voice. What did they do to her? Where did they take her? He’d kill them all if he found out she was hurt. “VELS!” He called out again.

“What the hell? Why are you here?” Velvet crossed her arms and stared the woman down.

“Why do you think so?” She gestured towards the car. “We bailed you out. All crimes have been washed from your record. The little “incident” that occurred at the Rage Dome has been taken care of. You’re free to come back and live the life you once had.”

Velvets mouth dropped… she could go back? She could get out of here and go back…the fame, the adoration, the love she could get once more. She came back to reality for a moment

“Where’s Veneer?” Velvet asked.

“He’ll be taken care of, but this invitation back up top is only extended to you. Unfortunately, your brother has failed us, he won’t be invited back.”

“So he stays here?”

“As I said, he’ll be taken care. We made sure of it. It’s the least we could do, actually.” The woman opened the door. “Well, what will it be?”

Velvet had a choice… remain here in hell with her brother, or go back and redeem herself in Mount Rageous. She had no intention of stopping, it was Veneer who spoiled everything when he decided to be noble. Why did she have to pay for his stupid decision? She already had anyway… he wanted this, so he could suffer here alone.

Velvet picked up her duffle bag and made her way inside the car. She didn’t see the woman smirk triumphantly. She looked at the tall male Rageon still at the entrance to the facility and gave him a small nod.

“Show time boys.” He said as he went back inside.

“Let me go!” Veneer thrashed and struggled, he managed to hit one of the guards nearly freeing himself.

“Kids a fighter.” They murmured to themselves. Slowly, but surely they finally made it to their destination… the medical ward. They kicked the doors open as they pulled in a strugglingVeneer.

“Where’s my sister!” Veneer demanded over and over. He headed butted a guard.

CRUNCH!

“AHHH YOU LITTLE BRAT!” The guard held tightly to his nose as it began to bleed. Finally free, Veneer ran towards the direction from which they came. He opened the doors…

THUD!

Running full force into a body he fell back.

“And where do you think you’re going?” It was the tall, red head, male Rageon. He snapped at his guards behind him, they rushed over and got Veneer back on his feet. Four of them carried him to a seat in the far corner of the room. Veneer continued to struggle as they strapped him down.

“W-what is this…” Veneer looked at his surroundings: needles, syringes, some type of bottled chemicals all aligned the drawers and shelves. The male Rageon took a small wired pad, he unbuttoned Veneers shirt and placed it over his heart. He strapped his head against the headrest.

“It’s your penalty.” The Rageon smiled.

The car ride back to Mount Rageous was silent. Velvet glanced to her left… where Veneer would normally sit. He’d always be next to her. It felt weird… it felt wrong. Was she doing the right thing?

She finally broke the silence, “How will they take care of him?”

The woman looked up from her phone surprised, “Excuse me.”

“Veneer. You said you made sure they’d take care of him, how?” Velvet asked again.

The woman smiled, attempting to sound and look sincere. “We made sure no harm would come to your brother again. That he spend whatever time he has down there in peace…. He won’t suffer. We promise you that.”

A guard rolled up Veneer's sleeve as the head male Rageon gathered a liquid into a needled syringe. The heart monitor began beeping loudly as Veneer grew nervous.

“Penalty? What penalty?” He asked.

“Someone didn’t like what you did. Neither did we. You almost exposed are high value black market down here. This wasn’t going to be in the books, but these people paid handsomely.” He flicked the needle to make sure the liquid was secured

“…. Paid for what?” Veneer asked again.

“Why, your death penalty of course.”

BEEP. BEEP. BEEP. BEEP…

The heart monitor went out of control as genuine fear entered his body. He attempted to pull himself free, but he was stuck tight.

“Where’s my sister? I want to see her please.” He begged.

“Sorry kiddo. Your sister decided to go back. Live the life of luxury.” The man smiled as he neared Veneer with the needle.

“No… she wouldn’t… you’re lying…” Pain set in Veneer's heart. Did she really just abandon him? Leave him here to his death?

“Vels!” He cried out as he struggled against his restraints. She wouldn’t leave him, she’d come in right now to stop them. “Vels!!”

“Hold him steady.”

The guards around Veneer placed a firm grasp on him. Even through his restraints he managed to move and thrash.

“VELS!” He cried again, tears staining his eyes. “VELS PLEASE!….. FLOYD!… IM SORRY! ….PLEASE SOMEONE!”

The male Rageon inserted the needle…. And pushed the liquid through…it came quickly….

An irresistible calmness overcame Veneer's body, he could feel himself begin to grow limp.

“….Velvet…..Floyd…” His voice began to turn into a whisper, the heart monitor began to slow down.

BEEP…BEEP…BEEP

Yet, he still tried fighting the chemicals that tried to claim his body, but it wasn’t enough. Veneer saw his vision begin to blur, he lost all feeling in his body, the only thing he could still feel was his heart beat slowly fading….

“Vennie. Sweetheart, can you hear me?” He heard his mothers voice. A peace began overcoming his body

“…mom…” He barely whispered.

“It’s okay honey. Let go. Come home to us. We miss you.”

“…. okay…..”

The heart monitor flat lined.

[toulousewayne]

My DCU Aesthetic: Gotham City

I have entire folder of pictures and ideas of what I want Gotham City to look like in the next film. I’m excited for what James Gunn has planned, but this is what i would do to our favorite crime riddled city. *I will be using photos to serve as visuals. I do not claim them as my own.*

Wayne Enterprise:

I loved the animated series and still watch it. I loved the Dark Deco style and I feel like the next live action Gotham City should borrow from that style especially when it comes to older buildings or those with wealth. Wayne Enterprises is not the original Wayne Tower however. Wayne Enterprises is a new building and housed most of the new branches. Like Wayne Pharmaceuticals, WayneTech, Wayne Entertainment,etc. While the WayneTech is the largest of several divisions Bruce Wayne does invest his time into the other divisions which has their own heads. Like Lucius Fox being the head of the WayneTech division and Tim Drake was once the CEO and the head executive over several departments and still acts as CEO when Bruce can’t attend to certain issues.

-

GCPD:

I think GCPD is one of the if not the oldest building in Gotham. It houses all of Gotham Finest, as well as the home of the Bat Signal. Commissioner Gordon runs the police for and wants to maintain order as well as restore the order within the precinct. Prior to him joining it the police department was extremely corrupt and made dealing with the mob. The building is old and has went through several revisions and additions like the major crimes building and the maximum security holding cells to hold and temporary hold some of Gotham’s most infamous and dangerous criminals until further transportation.

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Old Gotham:

Old Gotham is the largest and south most port of the city. A lot of old family industries are rooted here along with a lot of businesses , the financial district and Gotham’s fashion district are located here. It also where most of the other popular locations are like Slaughter Swamp,Blackgate Prison and Lady Gotham.

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New Gotham (Somerest)

New Gotham is the small and most central of the three larger islands. It’s the island that connects Arkham Island to the mainland. It is also where newer companies and corporations have housed the building on this island since its restoration from No Man’s Land. Gotham’s East End is here protected at lot by Catwoman herself. Chinatown is also here as well.

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North Gotham (Burnley):

North Gotham is the north most part of the city. This is also the most historic part of the city with a lot of wealthy residents and city officials residing in this area. Gotham State University is also in this area and has several popular small shops, Townhomes, City Hall,cafè, and as well as several prominent landmarks like Gotham Cathedral and several other smaller churches like Devity Church.

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Wayne Manor:

Stately Wayne Manor located in the Bristol district, just outside of the city limits. It’s where some of the upper class residents. Most of the older families settled here but a lot of them in last few decades relocated to the city living in penthouses and townhouses. It’s also home to several of Gotham’s oldest and most prominent schools.

-

Gotham City Map:

I used this map and different variations when I am talking about my version of Gotham city, as well as thinking of locations within the city for storytelling. As well as a additional one I found that looks like a an irl map of Gotham, which is part of New Jersey.

[johnnycadeirl]

prolly never gunna finish lol!

The Outsiders (Johnny's perspective)

I am Johnny Cade, a 16 year old greaser. I live in Tulsa Oklahoma, and I have my entire life, I have 2 parents, a mom and a dad. Sometimes I wish I didn't have either and then maybe I could be at peace, I could probably live with my pals, too. Ponyboy, Sodapop, and Darry would probably take me in, or Two-Bit if they could. My friends understand the situation at my house, they've saved me from my folks a handful of times. Two-Bit especially, sometimes I feel like I’d be better off dead, my parents sure would like that.. They probably wouldn’t notice for a while anyway since I haven't been going home as often anymore, and when I do.. They either ignore me or beat on me. I usually sleep at the Curtis house, or I stay with Two-Bit from time to time, when I can’t stay with Two or Pony, I sleep in the lot. I’m sure I would have a place with Dally if he didn’t stay at Bucks all the time. He doesn't have the best relationship with his parents either. His dad couldn’t care less about his whereabouts, and state. And we never hear about his mother, or any relatives that he may be able to stay with. He digs okay, so does the rest of my gang. They’re the closest relationships I’ve had to family. I'm smaller, and younger compared to all of them, well.. Except for ponyboy, at least for the age part. Ponyboy is 14 and he has already lost both of his parents in a car accident. I feel absolutely terrible for their entire family, especially Darry.. He’s only 20 and he has to continue raising his 2 kid brothers, he doesn’t usually have issues with Sodapop, but him and Ponyboy have never really gotten along, which got worse after their parents died. It was rough on the rest of the gang too. Mr. and Mrs. Curtis were great people, and they took care of those who didn't have great relationships with their parents.. Me and Dally especially- Dally and Mrs. Curtis were real close, I’m sure their passing was also very hard on him.. Of course, he would NEVER let anyone know that, especially anyone in the gang. He thinks emotions and stuff like that are wastes of time, and he had never done so much as cry in front of any of us. Of course we had seen him angry, he hates the world and almost everything in it. He doesn't seem to hate me though, I’ve never been to sure as to why.. But I love Dally a lot, I love the entire gang a lot. They’re all I’ve got in life, without the gang I have nothing, I AM nothing. I would probably be dead and gone if it weren't for them. Or I’d be in a different state, trying to start a new life, without my parents being there to bug me and hurt me. Maybe there wouldn’t be any “Greasers” or “Socs” there too.. Just people. Normal, plain old people.. Maybe I’d be able to go to church there too.. Me and Ponyboy used to go all the time, we invited Two-Bit, and the rest of the gang once, they caused a pretty dramatic scene.. So we never went again. Ponyboy always talks about living in the country, pretty far 'away from the city.. I don’t think I’d mind the “country life” too much, I’d just need to get used to it for a bit, especially since I’ve never been outside of our neighborhood. Maybe there I’d be considered less stupid. That’s all I’ve ever been called by teachers and my parents. I dunno, maybe I am stupid.. I can really get excited about learning if it’s something I find interesting. Ponyboy has mentioned a book before Gone with the Wind. Maybe in the country Ponyboy would be able to read it to me or something. Ponyboy likes books a lot,

[gendrie]

the interesting about clash within the context of arya's arc is that its the only book - so far - that ends with arya fully embracing her identity. it ends on a, relatively, high note as far as that is concerned. which i would argue makes it feel a lot different from the rest.

in game her last chapter features ned's execution and arya's life is torn apart. her identity and future are both thrown into doubt.

in storm arya is left reeling from the aftermath of trw and she is flung further off course than ever when she sets sail for braavos

in feast she is blinded

in dance her last words are "no one" as she prepares to receive a new face

but clash is different. it breaks the pattern. which is why ive always felt it represents arya's greater arc on a smaller scale. when it opens arya is using her first true alias. over the course of the book she struggles until arya is doubting who she is and where she belongs. its at that point that the old gods intervene. they remind arya; her identity and her place ("arya of winterfell, daughter of the north") and of what matters most to her ("the pack survives") arya hears wolves howling from outside harrenhal again and again and again as these last few moments play out in clash.

arya grabs a hold of it with everything she's got. she smashes the broomstick over her knee. she gathers her boys. she steals supplies. she cuts thru the guard standing in her way. she gets her hands bloody. she is resolved to return to her life as arya.

i ALSO think arya's twow arc will mirror clash in terms of storytelling more than any of the other books so far. arya's clash arc is split into two equal sections: 5 chapters in the wartorn countryside and 5 chapters as a "servant" (pow) in harrenhal for a total of 10. twow will reverse this with x number of chapters as a "servant" in braavos to start and x number of chapters back in westeros @ war to finish. the ratio might be different but i think she will have a similar number of chapters in total.

when clash opens arya is forced into the identity of arry. yoren has done this to try and protect her from arrest and assault.

Afterward he told her that from there to Winterfell she'd be Arry the orphan boy. [...] "This lot, half o' them would turn you over to the queen quick as spit for a pardon and maybe a few silvers. The other half'd do the same, only they'd rape you first." (ACOK)

and we have arya's opening twow chapter

Mercy, I’m Mercy, and tonight I’ll be raped and murdered. Her true name was Mercedene, but Mercy was all anyone ever called her… (TWOW)

arya is once again using an alias and one of her first thoughts is that she will be raped and murdered. but arya is no longer the one in danger here. at least not from that.

arya's early clash chapters also introduce some key components that have already become relevant as of her first twow chapter. lommy greenhands, arya's traveling companion, is ruthlessly murdered by raff the sweetling which is echoed in mercy. arya makes raff beg for mercy. despite what was supposed to be 5 years of indoctrination she hasn't forgotten anything.

jaqen h'ghar is also introduced in arya's early clash storyline. jaqen is an incredibly mysterious character. when he first speaks arya is instantly reminded of syrio forel, her braavosi mentor. jaqen is a faceless men, but this is never directly stated in the text. his fake persona claims to be from lorath - the free city nearest to braavos. where this man was born will never be known but the assassin is a braavosi figure at his core just like syrio. which is reinforced when he sends arya in that direction as they part.

"You don't know what's out there, Arry. I heard wolves before." Yoren wouldn't like it if she fought with him. She tried to look afraid. "Wolves? For true?" (ACOK) Mercy looked down at her feet, so shy. “Izembaro said to please the lords,” she whispered. “If there is anything you want, anything at all…" (TWOW)

in clash we see arya have to start acting. she is in a dangerous situation on the road. she has to conceal her true identity. in mercy its official as arya trains with the mummers. she is playing a role within a role. her acting skills has improved, but arya does still show thru the mask.

I won't cry, she thought, I won't do that. I'm a Stark of Winterfell, our sigil is the direwolf, direwolves don't cry. (ACOK) “I would like to see a dragon,” Mercy said wistfully. “Why does the envoy have a chicken on his chest?” Daena howled. “Mercy, don’t you know anything? It’s his siggle. In the Sunset Kingdoms all the lords have siggles." (TWOW)

part of the routine is that arya is foolish and braavosi born. she pretends not to know what sigils are with mercy's friend daena despite arya's own sigil being the direwolf.

the biggest role arya takes on in clash is that of a servant. her secret girlhood is "taken" like everything else when her and the boys are captured. arya then becomes weasel - a serving girl. servitude is a major component at this point in her storyline as it has become again in braavos. both ask the same question: can arya forget who she is and submit to this?

the answer is no. arya reaches this conclusion in harrenhal as she prays before the heart tree. she remembers who she is and finds a way out of the situation that was causing her identity crisis. the situation in the hob&w is very similar. arya will remember herself and get out.

[theauthorandtheartist]

Heyyyy I'm doing more based on this dream I had. Might actually end up doing a fanfic. If I have time (probably not). If anyone else wants to use this though feel free, just lmk so I can gush about it.

Long lore post below the read more. I'm pulling most of this out of my ass, since the timeline makes no sense and nintendo isn't too keen on elaborating. I'm not done, but it's 6am and I haven't slept at all, so we're posting it as is.

Tw: talk of death, child death, animal death, dissociation, unintentional ablism, unrealized ablism, derealization. Let me know if I missed any, it's late.

Setting:

Map is most similar to TOTK’s, with some adjustments. The towns/cities are much bigger, and there’s more of them scattered throughout Hyrule. Most of Hyrule is in a state of archaeological discovery, so most settlements outside the main towns are temporary tent cities where the scientists live while they work. Most of the sky islands have fallen to earth, with only a few crumbling islands still suspended. Most of the depths have caved in, leaving massive craters all over Hyrule. The rest of the Depths can be accessed through smaller, fortified chasms with lifts attached; though you need special permission to enter them legally as the depths are still quite dangerous.

Here's a poorly drawn map of where the craters are. Anything within the red lines is a sheer rock face drop into the chasm below. These craters are blocked off from the rest of the depths.

The Depths are equated with the Sacred realm/Dark World from previous games. Ancient heroes thought it was another dimension, when in reality it was just underground. It used to be pure, and the light roots were a lot brighter. It was where the goddesses kept anything they wanted to remain undiscovered, but it was quickly corrupted once Ganon got to it in Oot and the dark magic thrived in the lack of pure sunlight (invasive species style). The divine beasts can be found half buried in the craters. The craters are still pretty dark at the bottom, being so far underground, but are definitely lighter than the other parts of the depths. The crater above the castle forms at the very beginning of the game in the cutscene before the tutorial.

Here's another map. Just like before, the red is the craters, and so are cut off from the rest of the depths. The blue are badly drawn divine beasts.

Hyrule is no longer a monarchy, and the royal bloodline has become too convoluted to track anymore. The “kingdom of Hyrule” doesn’t exist anymore. “Hyrule” is more so the name of the continent than the name of an actual kingdom. Tarri, Kakariko, Hateno, Lurelin, Zorana, Gorok, Gerudo, Dekusa, and Ritona are each independent nations in allyship with each other. They each have a set territory where soldiers from that country keep the roads safe from monsters, and any country needs permission from any other country to do excavation on their land. Their borders extend underneath to the depths as well, so the land directly below their kingdom counts as theirs as well. There are so few sky islands that they are decreed neutral territory, but the islands are so frail and dangerous that the countries largely stay off of them. You need so many permits and waivers to set foot on a sky island. Lookout Landing is an offshoot trade hub of Kakariko, though it had to relocate after a tragic accident once the Great Sky Island began to crumble.

Here's map #3, depicting the aproximate borders of each country. Dark pink is Gorok, light pink is Tarri, green is Dekusa, light blue is Zorana, yellow is Kakariko, light orange is Hateno, dark blue is Lurelin, purple is Ritona, and red is Gerudo.

There technically is an overarching religion, but Each kingdom worships differently. The three golden goddesses are worshipped everywhere, though to different extents. The Gerudo, Gorok, and Lurelin kingdoms prefer Din, the Zorana, Hateno, and Kakariko prefer Nayru, and the Tarri and Ritona prefer Farore. Each race of Hyrule also has their own patron deity as well: The Gordon’s have The Mountain Goddess and Volvagia (he was corrupted by malice in Oot and EoW similarly to how Naydra was in BOTW), the zora have Lord Jabu Jabu, The Rito have Valoo, the hylians have hylia, and the Gerudo have their seven heroines. Dekusa worships all three golden goddesses, as well as the Great Deku Tree. There used to be eight heroines of the gerudo, but the eighth and oldest hero (mistranslated to heroine, as he was the only male) fought with his sisters, eventually left to face the demon Majora alone, and vanished from the record (though this is thought to be the reason Gerudo males are cherished, not just because of their rarity, but so as to not repeat their goddesses mistakes). Later, after the Timeline Schism and during the Era of Time, another deity was written to be associated with Majora, the Fierce Deity, though sources disagree as to the supposed relation.

Other minor gods are worshiped as well for more niche matters: the fierce deity (as mentioned) for victory in battle and protection for loved ones, Satori for healthy fields, good hunts, and safe travels through wilderness, Zephos or Cyclos for good weather, Jabun (specifically fisherman) or the Ocean king (anyone else) for safe seafaring, The Light Spirits (Ordona, Faron, Eldon, and Lanayru) for good health and healing, Malanya for horse health and happiness, and the Draconic Messengers (Farosh, Dinraal, and Naydra) for wisdom, strength, and courage (when something is important but not important enough for the big three). There is also a small cult in the depths dedicated to someone called the “Horned God,” a deity of bargains.

As Hyrule learns more about it's history, it also uncovers many old gods lost to time. Several deities can be found referenced in ancient texts, but have been forgotten over the ages. Levias, god of the sky, has only been confirmed to exist through scattered references in broken texts (most of which can be found and read in the archaeological dig of the fallen Thunderhead Isles). The Wind Fish, also god of the sky, is believed to be a more recent adaptation of the same god (found in tablets on Eventide Island), though oddly, the descriptions of both gods seem to match the leviathan skeletons found in Gorok and Gerudo respectively. Whether or not those connections are viable remains to be seen. Some of the oldest texts mention dragons named Faron, Eldin, and Lanayru, who seem to have no relation to the Light Spirits of modern times of which they share a name, but might be connected to the Draconic Messengers who guard the holy springs on whose walls these texts were inscribed. There's a whole task force dedicated solely to the study of these lost deities.

Lore (liable to change):

We never actually see Girahim killed at the end of Skyward Sword, nor was he truly dealt with in the War of Eras. Instead, He remained trapped as a sword in the Sealed Grounds, and As his master’s cycle repeated itself over the millennia, and each incarnation of Demise’s curse was defeated, a fraction of their power fell away and pooled in the remains of his final resting place. After the Upheaval, and the subsequent draconification and killing of Ganondorf, all of that power from the secret stone flooded the Sealed Grounds, was absorbed into Girahim’s sword, and made it possible for revival. As archaeologists dug at the Forgotten Temple, they accidentally triggered his release. Girahim’s goal is not to take over the world, however; it’s to resurrect Demise.

All of that Hatred with varying degrees of age pooled in one place at the same time upset the magical balance of the world, and as such, the barrier between the spirit world and the corporeal realm began to thin. Not enough to be noticable for the common layman, but anyone with magical ties or an acute sense for the supernatural would feel the effects.

Characters: (TW: talk of death, child death, drowning, shipwrecks, animal death, derealization, dissociation, and ablism)

Impa — 67 years old. Link and Zelda’s instructor. She took Link in when he was small, after his parents were crushed at Lookout Landing. She always suspected he was the hero, and taught him swordplay as a hobby when he was young. When he comes to her after Zelda is kidnapped, She tells him about Demise's Cycle and his role in it. They argue, and Link leaves in a huff. She doesn't see him again until long after the danger has been dealt with.

Zelda — 15 years old. Link’s classmate and fellow intern. They’re friendly, but not super close. After responding to the Forgotten Temple, they were ambushed and she was Kidnapped by Ghirahim for her previously unknown royal lineage.

Link — 15 years old, archaeology student and intern for the Hyrule History Project, a continent-wide effort to dig up and learn from Hyrule’s ancient past. He has been able to sense ghosts to some degree since he was a child, but not been able to outright see them. Upon responding to a dig at the Forgotten Temple, where several archeologists had gone missing, he and Zelda were ambushed, and he lost track of her. He was knocked unconscious and woke up in the newly formed Hyrule Castle Crater with no way up and the ability to see the ghosts he’d sensed for so long. He is able to access the various dungeons on the map via Spirit Gates, places where the barrier is especially thin. From there, he can access a form of the temple that is stuck between the past and present. A ghost of the building's former glory, traversible once more.

Zelda — Friendly, but not super close

Four — Hesitant and wary at first, but opens up eventually. They are close friends by the end.

Wind — Immediately likes, go-to person for blunt life advice and pranks.

Twilight — Likes him better as a wolf, when he can’t fuss over him.

Time — Doesn’t really understand. Sometimes comes to him for wilderness survival tips, but ultimately doesn’t really get how to talk to him.

Mini — Feels the urge to protect him, though he knows that Mini doesn’t need it. Great for lighthearted fun and distractions.

Awaken — Connects with quickly, thinks of him as a cool uncle.

Sky — Doesn’t like, thinks he’s too uppity. Begrudgingly respects for his skill.

Hero of the Four Sword (Four —> Red, Blue, Green, Vio) — (physically and mentally 17) Was sealed by the goddesses in the Four Sword Sanctuary in the Sacred Realm, but was corrupted when the realm was and sat to fester for millenium. After the Four Sword was stolen by the Hero of Legend, they were unintentionally left to rot in the palace, where they were corrupted yet again by Malice, Gloom, and Hatred. After being freed, they join Link in his quest for knowledge, and eventually in his quest to save the world. Doesn't split much outside of battle, tries to maintain the illusion that they are one person. It doesn't work for long.

Link — Feels bad for almost killing him. Close friends.

Wind — Friendly, likes how spontaneous he is.

Twilight — Dislikes, fusses too much and makes them feel broken.

Time — Good buddies, sees him as a younger brother.

Mini — Highly respects, as his predecessor. Want’s to get to know him better but doesn’t know how.

Awaken — Strongly dislikes, but doesn’t know why. Trying to push past it and be friendly.

Sky — Highly respects, and kind of intimidated by him. They grew up hearing about him as a bedtime story.

Hero of Winds — (physically 14, mentally 56) He and Tetra founded New Hyrule together, then once they got older, went to check out the Tower of the Gods after some strange magic surge. They shipwrecked, and Niko was the only survivor. As the veil thinned, he and Tetra fought their way back to the living world, but were separated along the way. Wind wholeheartedly joined Link on his adventure, thrilled to be able to adventure again even if he can’t save the world himself anymore.

Link — Loves that guy. Instantly takes an older brother role.

Four — Doesn’t really know their deal, but is still friendly with them.

Twilight — Finds annoying, and his wolf form is scary.

Time — Remembers him from the War of Eras. He’s a bit different now, but Wind can deal with that. He’s just glad to have his brother back, even if he can’t remember him sometimes.

Mini — Best prank buddy. No one expects the little innocent one.

Awaken — Bond over shipwreck trauma, but disagree on the joys of sailing.

Sky — Intimidated by. He left the Master Sword at the bottom of the ocean and he fears the day Sky finds out.

Hero of Twilight — (physically 18, mentally 39) Never found a way back to the Twilight Realm. He settled down with Illia and eventually inherited the ranch from Uli. He never did tell the rest of Ordon about the wolf thing, though, which came back to bite him when the townsfolk got tired of seeing this wolf around their livestock and hunted him down. The rest of his family never found out what happened to him, but Illia knew. He wandered Hyrule as a spirit for a while, guiding the Hero of the Wild on his journey, until he sensed Hatred pooling in Arbiter’s Grounds and went to investigate. He’s glad to help another hero on his journey, but wishes that all of these heroes weren’t so young. Secretly hopes he can finally rest after this quest wraps up. It’s been millennia; he’s tired.

Link — Very fond of him. Reminds him of Colin, so he tries not to let him get hurt.

Four — Pities them. Doesn’t understand most of what’s going on with them, but to him it’s clear that their adventure left them with some serious lasting mental scars at such a young age. Tries to offer help for that, and doesn't understand why Four is so cold to him.

Wind — dislikes. He causes too much trouble (and also looks like a child who needs to be protected).

Time — Close with him. Even if he can’t remember Twilight all the time, he’s there sometimes, and that’s enough.

Mini — Worries over him. Who gave this child a sword?

Awaken — Butts heads with him, but sees him as a brother.

Sky — Patient with him. Sky is so far removed from modern times, so Twilight is often the mediator and translator for him.

Hero of Time — (physically 13, mentally either 9 or 33) Once the timelines merged, so did the aspects of his soul. He is simultaneously a child, a stalfos, and a corpse. It makes sorting through his head tough, and he often forgets which one he’s supposed to be. One of him died on his first adventure, and as such doesn’t know any of the people, places, or events that the rest of him does. One of him fought in the war of eras, lived out his days with Malon on the ranch, was sent to war against Ganondorf, died before he could finish what he started, and trained the Hero of Twilight on his quest. Both of him were children at heart. At the Merging, the different aspects of himself were mashed together into one soul, and so he is left confused over who he is. Sometimes he remembers his whole life, but other times he’s left catatonic as his soul remembers he's supposed to have died young. 

Link — likes him, tries to offer advice but often it comes across confused, cryptic, or unhelpful.

Four — Lowkey adores them, he grew up reading about them in storybooks. 

Wind — Feels like he failed him by leaving his timeline to flood. Sometimes he remembers meeting him at the War of Eras, sometimes he doesn’t. Tries to keep his distance, though it’s hard because the sailor is so likable. 

Twilight — Sometimes he loves him like a son, other times he doesn’t know who he is. 

Mini — Good friends, bonds over failing to having to save the world before ten. Mini is the one who helps him most when his soul thinks he died young. 

Awaken — Good friends, Bonds over time travel. Helps him when he has trouble sleeping. 

Sky — Gets along with for the most part, but dislikes the sword he forged. They butt heads over that frequently. 

Hero of Minish — (physically and mentally 12) Died young, caught in a storm while visiting his minish friends and swept away by the flooding. Wasn’t aware of anything else until he woke up in front of the Palace of Winds with a very confused looking boy in front of him.

Link — Best buddies! He loves listening to Link’s stories.

Four — Avoids. He Feels like Four’s shattered soul was his fault, for somehow forging the Four Sword wrong. Wants to apologize but doesn’t know how.

Wind — Really likes goofing around with him, but sometimes gets frustrated with Wind not taking him seriously.

Time — Good friends. Worried about him sometimes, but he tries his best to help.

Awaken — Good friends, likes listening to his music.

Sky — Intimidated by him at first. He grew up on stories about him, and he was his best friend’s great-great-great-great-grandpa. Over time he gets closer with him, and eventually sees him as a pseudo-father figure.

Hero of Awakening — (physically 17, mentally 34) Freed the wind fish, but the dream magic wasn’t so easily dispelled. The Shadow Nightmares latched onto him instead, leaving his body to die in the shipwreck without him even knowing. In the dream, he went on living as he usually would, until he got reports from dream-Zelda that a large number of monsters had been sighted on an island just offshore.

Link — Dislikes at first, but after it’s revealed he never left the dream and is, in fact, dead, he views himself as forever in Link's debt.

Four — Recognises them from that temple in his first adventure, thinks he’s the one who killed them. He doesn’t know why Four doesn’t seem to remember him, though, so he keeps his distance just in case they’re playing the long con.

Wind — Friendly with, doesn’t understand how he can still like sailing after dying how he did.

Time — Good friends. Put together that he was the fallen hero, and tries his best to help when Time needs it. Time was the one to break it to him that he never left the dream, and he’s the one who helps Awaken when things don’t feel real. He tries to return the favor however he can.

Twilight — Jealous of him, of how he got everything Awaken wanted whereas Awaken himself only had it in a dream. Also a little scared of him, as a rabbit would fear a wolf. Outwardly friendly, however, and secretly enjoys their verbal spars.

Mini — Good friends, often carries him around in his shirt pocket.

Sky — Good friends, bonds over (re)forging the master sword. Sky also helps ground him when he’s dissociating.

Hero of the Sky — Physically 19, mentally 40. Founded Hyrule with Zelda, but had to rule without her once she died and fully ascended. Near the end of his life, sick in bed from an unknown surface-illness, he ordered his doctors to bring him to the master sword sanctuary so he could be with Fi in his last moments. His spirit remained dormant with the sword through the millenium until he sensed Hylia calling for him to awaken. He opened his eyes to a young boy asking for his sword.

Link — Proud of him for coming this far, especially at his age, and tries his best to express that in ways he knows how. It’s just his luck that times have changed so much in the millennia that his compliments don't come across as he wants them to.

Four — Friendly with, they bond over magic swords.

Wind — Dislikes. Feels like he tries too hard to be seen as a good hero instead of actually being heroic.

Time — Dislikes at first, he doesn’t understand why Time hates Fi so much. After he figures out why, he just feels bad for him.

Twilight — Most comfortable with him. Often goes to him with life-on-surface questions or questions about changes over time.

Awaken — Good friends, likes talking smithing with him. After he discovers the situation surrounding his death, Sky tries his best to always be available to help.

Mini — Likes, but is very sad that a child that young had to pick up a sword. Treats him very softly because of it, like he did his own children.

Temples:

Palace of the Four Sword — In the depths, in the side of the newly uncovered pyramid of power that was unearthed when Hyrule Castle fell and knocked off part of the stone that covered it (final battle of TOTK happens in the pyramid, you just can't tell because it’s covered by rock). The boss is the corrupted spirit of the Hero of the Four Sword, but the actual Four Sword is nowhere to be seen. This is the tutorial dungeon, and as such has to be completed first. The other dungeons can be done in any order. Afterwards, The Hero of the Four Sword will join Link on his quest, being able to split into four for extra manpower and strength to do heavy jobs or overwhelm enemies.

Tower of the Gods — In the Typhlo Ruins in Gorok, buried underneath the Era of Calamity fort (which was built on top of its roof). There is an archaeological dig site near the entrance, where Link does some work, finds a gate, and accesses the dungeon. There are two small boats inside with a pirate child manning one of them, who you need to follow to complete the dungeon. Boss is the corrupted spirit of the Helmaroc King. Afterwards, The Hero of Winds will join Link, conducting the winds to form updrafts and wind currents to help him paraglide.

Arbiter’s Grounds — In the Gerudo Desert, in the ruins bearing its name. There’s a dig site there, but it’s slow going because of all the sand. The only way to get to the actual building is through the nearby crater, and you are led there by a spiritual wolf who vanishes whenever you get close. The wolf joins you once you find the entrance, and with his help Link goes through the gate to complete the dungeon. Boss is the corrupted spirit of Zant. Afterwards, the Hero of Twilight will join Link, allowing him to ride on the back of his wolf form for faster movement speed and long jumps.

The Palace of Winds — In the remains of the crumbling South Eldin Sky Archipelago. There are two dig sites there, one for the palace and one for the zonai ruins on top, but Link only enters the dungeon if he picks the right dig site. Once he finds the gate, it looks much too small, but once he touches it it sucks him in. He does the dungeon miniature, with a small child as a guide. Boss is the corrupted spirit of the Gyorg Pair. Afterwards, the Hero of Minish will join Link, allowing him to shrink for short periods of time to get past locked doors and hide from enemies. Link can remain small for up to fifteen seconds at a time, with a twenty second cooldown.

The Forest Temple — Deep in the Lost Woods of Dekusa, you’re led there by a small, giggling person who shifts between child, stalfos, and corpse seemingly at random. Once Link enters the rift, the boss appears, tears those three states apart, and separates them to opposite ends of the dungeon. Once all four have been rescued, then the Corrupted Spirit of Majora can be defeated. Afterwards, the Hero of Time will join Link, allowing him to rewind time for short periods. He can rewind up to ten seconds, with a thirty second cooldown.

Koholit — Completely optional. Has no effect on the greater game whether or not you complete it. If you travel to Eventide island and fall asleep at the village there, Link will awake on Koholit island. The only Hero’s who can join Link here are the Hero of Time and the Hero of Winds, and thus, Link can only use their abilities. Link meets the Hero of Awakening, who doesn’t know this is a dream. Link needs to traverse the island and bring the Hero of Awakening to the top of the mountain, letting him know of the unreality of this place. Boss is Corrupted Shadow Nightmares. Afterward, the Hero of Awakening will join Link, allowing him to put monsters to sleep if he sneaks up on them and they’re within range.

Skyloft — Inside the crumbling remains of the Great Sky Island. Once Link finds the rift, he is transported to the spirit realm (looks like the Skyloft Sacred Realm) and faced with a young man. He asks why Link is there, and upon hearing that he's there for the master sword, he gets visibly suspicious as to why, and tells Link to move along. At this point, Link can leave, but if he returns the dungeon would start immediately and the young man would become enraged, making him faster. If you choose to stay, he is put off but not angry, and says he’ll have to test him to make sure he's worthy. He then gives Link a five second head start. This plays similarly to the Sacred Realm in Skyward Sword, except instead of guardians, it’s the Hero of the Sky. He chases you around Skyloft (utilizing his clawshots, whip, beetle, and dragon's scale) and if he catches Link, he has to start over. He keeps track of how many times Link has lost. The goal is to make it to the Sanctuary, where the Master Sword lies. Once there, the Hero of the Sky is the final boss.

The Sealed Grounds — Inside the Forgotten Temple. The corrupting hatred spread from here, where the scraps of power from every defeated incarnation have pooled around the site of Demise’s falling. Girahim has Zelda in the central dais, performing his weird ritual. You need every hero (except the Hero of Awakening, though having him makes it easier) in order to reach the boss room, just in time to watch Girahim plunge his sword into Zelda, releasing a shifting, pulsing mass of magic wraps that wraps itself around him, her, and the massive goddess statue. This is where the final boss happens with Hatred.

[tumibaba]

Happy Friday GPODers! The amazing contributors we’ve had on Garden Photo of the Day have really taken us all over the world. From home gardens to public parks and expansive botanical gardens, we’ve seen a plethora of plant life and design styles from countless corners of the globe. We continue our world travels today with the help of Helen Stephenson. Helen has shared her beautiful home garden in the Halton Region of Ontario, Canada with GPOD in the past (Helen’s Mostly Native Garden), but today she’s sharing photos from a trip she took to Japan last fall. Last November, I had the chance to visit Japan (Tokyo and Kyoto). Unfortunately, that part of Japan was having a late fall and the colours on the trees hadn’t changed as much as in previous years. Despite that, I was able to take a few good photos of the maples just starting to turn colours as well as other interesting plant photos. It was an amazing trip that I was fortunate enough to be able to take! The Imperial Palace in Tokyo. – As Helen mentions above, the fall color wasn’t on full display when she made her visit, but the rich tradition of artistic pruning in Japan meant there was still plenty of interest to admire. Here you can see several trees with ‘cloud pruning’, a method that is pretty self-explanatory with clusters of trees that look like floating green clouds. Learn more about this technique in this article from the Royal Horticultural Society: Cloud pruning. Another view from the Imperial Palace in Tokyo. A truly peaceful retreat in the middle of a bustling city, the innermost gardens of the palace can only be accessed through guided tours and on special holidays, but the tranquil nature that surrounds in the “Outer Gardens” allow for easier access and a taste of the stately grounds. Learn more about the Imperial Palace here: Visit the home of Japan’s Imperial family. Another famous green spot to escape the lights and crowds of Tokyo is Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden. This city park is one of the most iconic places to see Japan’s cherry blossoms in spring, but it must have been far more peaceful and relaxing outside of this “peak” time. Like many large public city gardens, Shinjuku Gyoen is divided into different sections that are designed in distinct styles. Aside from the traditional Japanese landscape design, another area of the garden is designed in a formal French garden style (pictured above). Another space is done in an English garden style. Even in a major city like Tokyo, inventive people find ways to infuse greenery into unexpected places. Helen says this “Living Wall’ was on the outside of a commercial building in Tokyo. What a gift to all that work and live in the area! The following were taken in Kyoto. One of many bamboo forests. – If you’ve heard of any bamboo forest, it may be the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove in Kyoto, with its winding walking paths being one of the most photographed sights in the city. However, as Helen says, there are many bamboo forests throughout Kyoto and some less-photographed areas are likely more peaceful. On the Kodaiji Temple grounds. – The grounds around this temple feature tsukiyama-style gardens, or ‘hill gardens’. These gardens look to mimic natural landscapes on a smaller scale, this man-made hills and mounds mimicking mountains and ponds of various sizes mimicking larger bodies of water like lakes and oceans. Trees and shrubs are selected and planted to mirror the plants that would naturally grow in these areas. Learn more about tsukiyama gardens here: Real Japanese Gardens. Maruyama Park in the Gion district of Kyoto. – Another park in Japan that is famous for its spring cherry blossom display, but is full of history and interest that make it worthy of a visit in every season. Taken in the Kibune area (north end of Kyoto). – Looks like Helen did get a little glimmer of fall in Kyoto, the perfect backdrop to these incredible traditional light posts. Finally, another spot in the Kibune area that looks to be a quiet moment with nature amongst all of the busy sight seeing Helen was doing. And yet another glimpse of spectacular fall color, with the leaves of this tree resembling colorful paint strokes. Thank you for sharing your spectacular tour of Tokyo and Kyoto, Helen! Japan is high on my travel bucket list, as I’m sure it is for many other readers, but the long flights from North America do make it a more daunting expedition! Getting this first-hand account is not only a great taste of the nature these cities have to offer, but are also a big motivator to bite the bullet and book that flight one day! Did you do any international travel in 2024? Whether it was across the globe or just across a border, we’d love to see that plant life and nature you experienced in this new destination. Consider following the directions below to submit photos via email, or send me a DM on Instagram: @agirlherdogandtheroad. Hope you all have a lovely weekend!   Have a garden you’d like to share? Have photos to share? We’d love to see your garden, a particular collection of plants you love, or a wonderful garden you had the chance to visit! To submit, send 5-10 photos to [email protected] along with some information about the plants in the pictures and where you took the photos. We’d love to hear where you are located, how long you’ve been gardening, successes you are proud of, failures you learned from, hopes for the future, favorite plants, or funny stories from your garden. Have a mobile phone? Tag your photos on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter with #FineGardening! Do you receive the GPOD by email yet? Sign up here. Fine Gardening Recommended Products Organo Republic 16 Perennial Wildflower Seeds Mix for Indoor & Outdoors Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs. Premium 16 Perennial Wildflower Seeds Mix - Special Garden Flower Seeds Blend designed for planting indoor & outdoors across North America. With over 16 varieties and 100,000 wildflower seeds, this mix is the best solution to attract pollinators - bees, butterflies & birds are essential for garden plants health. Our Special Perennial Wildflower Seeds Mix Includes White Yarrow, Columbine, New England Aster, Siberian Wallflower, Shasta Daisy, Lance-Leaf Coreopsis, Sweet William, Purple Coneflower, Blanketflower, Gayfeather, Blue Flax, Lupine, Dwarf Evening, Primrose, Mexican Hat, Prairie Coneflower, Black Eyed Susan. Easy & Fun Growing Experience with our online guides - Don’t plant disappointment - Add more colors to your wildflower garden! We send only super hearty heirloom flower seeds with the highest germination rate and fast sprout. Our detailed growing guide helps you grow seeds the garden of your dream like a PRO. Colorful Wildflower Garden from Seeds - Grow wildflowers everywhere - Indoor in window garden or Outdoors Flower garden Garden make a beautiful design for your garden borders, pathways, field or meadow and attract pollinators. Made in the USA by Small Family-Owned Business - Quality You Can Trust - Our wildflower bulk seeds variety pack are tested at the highest germination rates before being sealed to last for up to 3 years before you need to plant. Each packet of our flower seeds variety pack is resealable to make it easy to store and has its own label with a QR code for the growing instructions. The Regenerative Landscaper: Design and Build Landscapes That Repair the Environment Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs. 2024 Nautilus Award Gold Medal Winner! This awe-inspiring guide weaves together permaculture design, food resiliency, climate adaptation, community organizing, and indigenous wisdom that you can implement in your own backyard. Spear & Jackson 4930FZ Razorsharp Telescopic Tree Pruner Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs. Telescopic tree pruner with SK5 carbon steel blade which stays sharper for longer. Variable length telescopic handle extends up to 92 Inch (2340mm). Lopper for cutting branches up to 1.2" (30mm). 13 inch (330mm) saw is ideal for cutting thicker branches. Supplied with a long cord and pull-action handle. Part of the Razorsharp Advantage collection, the obvious choice for gardeners who demand and expect precise, powerful performance. "Grow Your Own" Great British Growing 2020 Award Winners. Source link

[monaleen101]

Happy Friday GPODers! The amazing contributors we’ve had on Garden Photo of the Day have really taken us all over the world. From home gardens to public parks and expansive botanical gardens, we’ve seen a plethora of plant life and design styles from countless corners of the globe. We continue our world travels today with the help of Helen Stephenson. Helen has shared her beautiful home garden in the Halton Region of Ontario, Canada with GPOD in the past (Helen’s Mostly Native Garden), but today she’s sharing photos from a trip she took to Japan last fall. Last November, I had the chance to visit Japan (Tokyo and Kyoto). Unfortunately, that part of Japan was having a late fall and the colours on the trees hadn’t changed as much as in previous years. Despite that, I was able to take a few good photos of the maples just starting to turn colours as well as other interesting plant photos. It was an amazing trip that I was fortunate enough to be able to take! The Imperial Palace in Tokyo. – As Helen mentions above, the fall color wasn’t on full display when she made her visit, but the rich tradition of artistic pruning in Japan meant there was still plenty of interest to admire. Here you can see several trees with ‘cloud pruning’, a method that is pretty self-explanatory with clusters of trees that look like floating green clouds. Learn more about this technique in this article from the Royal Horticultural Society: Cloud pruning. Another view from the Imperial Palace in Tokyo. A truly peaceful retreat in the middle of a bustling city, the innermost gardens of the palace can only be accessed through guided tours and on special holidays, but the tranquil nature that surrounds in the “Outer Gardens” allow for easier access and a taste of the stately grounds. Learn more about the Imperial Palace here: Visit the home of Japan’s Imperial family. Another famous green spot to escape the lights and crowds of Tokyo is Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden. This city park is one of the most iconic places to see Japan’s cherry blossoms in spring, but it must have been far more peaceful and relaxing outside of this “peak” time. Like many large public city gardens, Shinjuku Gyoen is divided into different sections that are designed in distinct styles. Aside from the traditional Japanese landscape design, another area of the garden is designed in a formal French garden style (pictured above). Another space is done in an English garden style. Even in a major city like Tokyo, inventive people find ways to infuse greenery into unexpected places. Helen says this “Living Wall’ was on the outside of a commercial building in Tokyo. What a gift to all that work and live in the area! The following were taken in Kyoto. One of many bamboo forests. – If you’ve heard of any bamboo forest, it may be the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove in Kyoto, with its winding walking paths being one of the most photographed sights in the city. However, as Helen says, there are many bamboo forests throughout Kyoto and some less-photographed areas are likely more peaceful. On the Kodaiji Temple grounds. – The grounds around this temple feature tsukiyama-style gardens, or ‘hill gardens’. These gardens look to mimic natural landscapes on a smaller scale, this man-made hills and mounds mimicking mountains and ponds of various sizes mimicking larger bodies of water like lakes and oceans. Trees and shrubs are selected and planted to mirror the plants that would naturally grow in these areas. Learn more about tsukiyama gardens here: Real Japanese Gardens. Maruyama Park in the Gion district of Kyoto. – Another park in Japan that is famous for its spring cherry blossom display, but is full of history and interest that make it worthy of a visit in every season. Taken in the Kibune area (north end of Kyoto). – Looks like Helen did get a little glimmer of fall in Kyoto, the perfect backdrop to these incredible traditional light posts. Finally, another spot in the Kibune area that looks to be a quiet moment with nature amongst all of the busy sight seeing Helen was doing. And yet another glimpse of spectacular fall color, with the leaves of this tree resembling colorful paint strokes. Thank you for sharing your spectacular tour of Tokyo and Kyoto, Helen! Japan is high on my travel bucket list, as I’m sure it is for many other readers, but the long flights from North America do make it a more daunting expedition! Getting this first-hand account is not only a great taste of the nature these cities have to offer, but are also a big motivator to bite the bullet and book that flight one day! Did you do any international travel in 2024? Whether it was across the globe or just across a border, we’d love to see that plant life and nature you experienced in this new destination. Consider following the directions below to submit photos via email, or send me a DM on Instagram: @agirlherdogandtheroad. Hope you all have a lovely weekend!   Have a garden you’d like to share? Have photos to share? We’d love to see your garden, a particular collection of plants you love, or a wonderful garden you had the chance to visit! To submit, send 5-10 photos to [email protected] along with some information about the plants in the pictures and where you took the photos. We’d love to hear where you are located, how long you’ve been gardening, successes you are proud of, failures you learned from, hopes for the future, favorite plants, or funny stories from your garden. Have a mobile phone? Tag your photos on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter with #FineGardening! Do you receive the GPOD by email yet? Sign up here. Fine Gardening Recommended Products Organo Republic 16 Perennial Wildflower Seeds Mix for Indoor & Outdoors Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs. Premium 16 Perennial Wildflower Seeds Mix - Special Garden Flower Seeds Blend designed for planting indoor & outdoors across North America. With over 16 varieties and 100,000 wildflower seeds, this mix is the best solution to attract pollinators - bees, butterflies & birds are essential for garden plants health. Our Special Perennial Wildflower Seeds Mix Includes White Yarrow, Columbine, New England Aster, Siberian Wallflower, Shasta Daisy, Lance-Leaf Coreopsis, Sweet William, Purple Coneflower, Blanketflower, Gayfeather, Blue Flax, Lupine, Dwarf Evening, Primrose, Mexican Hat, Prairie Coneflower, Black Eyed Susan. Easy & Fun Growing Experience with our online guides - Don’t plant disappointment - Add more colors to your wildflower garden! We send only super hearty heirloom flower seeds with the highest germination rate and fast sprout. Our detailed growing guide helps you grow seeds the garden of your dream like a PRO. Colorful Wildflower Garden from Seeds - Grow wildflowers everywhere - Indoor in window garden or Outdoors Flower garden Garden make a beautiful design for your garden borders, pathways, field or meadow and attract pollinators. Made in the USA by Small Family-Owned Business - Quality You Can Trust - Our wildflower bulk seeds variety pack are tested at the highest germination rates before being sealed to last for up to 3 years before you need to plant. Each packet of our flower seeds variety pack is resealable to make it easy to store and has its own label with a QR code for the growing instructions. The Regenerative Landscaper: Design and Build Landscapes That Repair the Environment Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs. 2024 Nautilus Award Gold Medal Winner! This awe-inspiring guide weaves together permaculture design, food resiliency, climate adaptation, community organizing, and indigenous wisdom that you can implement in your own backyard. Spear & Jackson 4930FZ Razorsharp Telescopic Tree Pruner Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs. Telescopic tree pruner with SK5 carbon steel blade which stays sharper for longer. Variable length telescopic handle extends up to 92 Inch (2340mm). Lopper for cutting branches up to 1.2" (30mm). 13 inch (330mm) saw is ideal for cutting thicker branches. Supplied with a long cord and pull-action handle. Part of the Razorsharp Advantage collection, the obvious choice for gardeners who demand and expect precise, powerful performance. "Grow Your Own" Great British Growing 2020 Award Winners. Source link

[spacefinch]

MSB rambles: locations

As anyone who’s watched the Magic School Bus series knows, the show is mostly set in Walkerville, a made-up town. However, they never specify where it is, except for “in the USA.” They don’t specify what state, or even what region of the country it’s in. But here are my observations.

In “Gets Eaten,” Ms. Frizzle drives the class to the beach, while the bus is in normal bus mode. The beach looks like a California beach to me (based on my experience going to beaches there), and a sea otter makes a brief appearance. In the US, sea otters are only found along the west coast.

In a few episodes (Getting Energized, Rocks and Rolls, etc…), it’s shown that there are mountains/foothills just outside Walkerville, and that there’s snow on top for at least part of the year.

We know it snows during the winter in town as well. (Source: MSB Holiday Special)

There is a swamp with alligators and blue jays within driving distance of town, as shown in “Butterfly and the Bog Beast.” The whole vibe of the swamp feels very southern to me. (Note: “driving distance” might not necessarily mean said swamp is near town. Could just be that anywhere is driving distance on the Magic School Bus.)

In “Gets Swamped” we see that there is a more marshy swamp in town. The main vegetation is reeds and small shrubs, and the animal life consists of species such as snapping turtles, muskrats, wood ducks, harriers (marsh hawks), bullfrogs, red-winged blackbirds, and dragonflies. This suggests a more northern location for Walkerville.

In “Goes to Mussel Beach,” the mussels are described as “Mytilus californianus” aka the California Mussel, a species only found along the west coast. Again, we have no idea how far away the beach is from town, but it’s a different beach than the one in “Gets Eaten.”

In “Kicks Up a Storm” the outside temperature gets to a high of 99 degrees Fahrenheit— which, judging by the kids’ reactions, is too hot for them. As a Californian, I can sympathize with this.

In “All Dried Up,” the bus (in plane mode) must fly over a mountain range to get to what looks like the Sonoran Desert. Which mountain range they fly over is not specified.

In the book “The Truth About Bats,” it is stated that in order to see bats in Yosemite National Park, the class must fly to California— thus implying that Walkerville is not located in my home state.

In “Goes to Seed,” there is a Ruby-throated hummingbird (at least that’s what I think it is) in the garden at Phoebe’s old school. The Ruby-throated hummingbird lives mainly in the eastern half of the US.

In “In a Beehive,” Tim mentions a “big frost” approaching. Again, this suggests Walkerville is somewhere Up North. (We don’t get a “big frost” where I live— just a few smaller frosts.)

In “In the City,” we see that some of Walkerville’s urban wildlife includes peregrine falcons, red foxes, opossums, raccoons, and nighthawks. It is also implied that bears live in the woods outside of town.

In the book “The Wild Whale Watch,” the New England coast is a short drive from school, which directly contradicts my observations about coastal locations in the show.

The woodpecker in “Meets the Rot Squad” is a red-bellied woodpecker, a species found in the eastern US.

In the book “Rocky Road Trip,” Carlos says that he collected some of the rocks in his collection near “the Saddle River.” I looked it up, and in the real world, Saddle River runs through New York and New Jersey. (But for all we know, the Saddle River in the book could be made up just like Walkerville.)

In “Ups and Downs,” we see that Walkerville is located near a good-sized lake— large and deep enough for a submarine to dive in, and with plenty of underwater vegetation.

In terms of continuity, there is no continuity when it comes to where the heck Walkerville is. This sometimes frustrates my overanalytical brain. So, I leave it to you, fellow Magic School Bus fans, to answer the question:

Map for reference!

[lululawrence]

As a non American can you explain why are there 3 concerts in Ohio? Is it a really big and populated state? Or else Louis could've done 1 bigger venue.

Djebdishdisvjdvsh

Sorry. I had to scream a little in the car because listen 😂😂😂 when the dates were announced I wanted a single show in Ohio. We get passed over all. The. Time. So often. So I first saw cuyahoga hills and was like…. Why there??? Nothing is there??? 😂 but OHIO! And then I saw Cincinnati and I was like… Cincinnati too???? Okay! Hitting the northeast corner and southwest corner of the state! Cool! And then Columbus too??? Like I legit texted @londonfoginacup asking like HOW MUCH DOES LOUIS LOVE US THAT HE IS GIVING US THREE OHIO SHOWS? Like we have to go to all three to show him Ohio loves him and this wasn’t a mistake right??? 😂

Which we obviously did. But we were just as surprised as you, I PROMISE YOU.

That said, there’s a lot of reasons why he could have chosen three shows here.

One: Ohio has three major metropolitan areas in the one state, which is pretty rare outside the super large and populous states. He’s hitting the three major markets and since he seems to be trying to hit even the smaller areas that don’t get much attention with this tour, it makes sense for that alone really.

Two: Location. Ohio is a state in an area of the country called the Midwest, but we are located in a pretty central area. This could explain it as well, because he’s not going to Kentucky (the state south of us) and I don’t think he’s going to Pittsburgh? (The closest large city east of us, he played there last year on Valentine’s Day hehe) which means they’ll be looking for shows to attend closeby, and Ohio can offer that. So while he’s also hitting Indianapolis (closest large city west of us) and already hit Detroit (another large city in the state north of us), he’s also not playing West Virginia (another state that borders us) and… yeah. Lots of people in that space who will be needing a place closeby to see him.

Which brings us to three: Population. We aren’t the MOST populous state or anything, there’s a reason people get us confused with Iowa and Idaho lol but, that said, we are the tenth (or seventh??) most populous according to the google search I just did lol different sites disagree, but when you consider there are fifty states, that’s still a good showing lol considering we have so many other populous areas surrounding us that the concerts would also draw from, that could have also been a contributing factor.

And lastly four: SCENERY. Listen. Ohio gets shit on a lot for being a “boring” state or a “flyover” state (aka no one comes here as a destination) and it pisses me off lol every single person I’ve ever brought to Ohio has been surprised when they got here because there was so much more here than they thought and parts of the state are GORGEOUS. I mean did you see the flyover view that John Delf did on Instagram of the cuyahoga falls venue??? That’s actually in a national park and it is just stunning there with gorgeous hiking and waterfalls and shit in the near vicinity. It’s amazing. And the venue he played tonight in Cincinnati was literally right on the Ohio river that creates the southern border for our state, and it had a view of one of my favorite bridges I’ve ever seen! PLUS!!! Tonight there was a full moon, and it was right above the bridge and Louis got to look at us AND THE BRIDGE AND MOON THE ENTIRE TIME. How gorgeous is that??? Like look at this shitty photo I took. Incredibly beautiful.

That’s from the railing that was only a short distance behind me and the sound guys for the concert so. Not shabby, right?? Now the venue in Columbus is right downtown in what we call the arena district because the arena where our hockey team plays is right across the street and the baseball stadium is next door and the new soccer stadium is in the area now too, so it’s got loads of venues and restaurants and shit right there and Kemba is one of the best indoor/outdoor venues in town now. I’ve seen several shows there over the years, and it’s great every time. It’s got good sound, a good setup, and the staff is always fantastic so while it’s maybe not the coolest venue, I do love when artists I enjoy come there. Not sure of the appeal on Louis’ end, but ¯\__(ツ)__/¯

So, taking all of these points into consideration, it does make a bit more sense… but three does still seem like he just felt like being overindulgent to us and show us extra love 😂😂 as emmu said, I guess Louis loves us best hahaha

We are just kidding, please don’t send me hate lol

I honestly also do not know why he chose to do this for us, but it makes travel plans a lot easier for us and I’m really fucjing thankful haha I’ve mostly been worried we wouldn’t be able to fill the venues sufficiently but so far so good so here’s hoping Columbus shows up too haha Heaven only knows parking and driving in Columbus is a fuck ton easier than doing so in Cincinnati 😂

[micahweissberg]

full name: maximilian mohan

nicknames: max

age: 47 (april 16, 1977)

zodiac sign: aries

gender/pronouns: cis man, he / him

sexual orientation: bisexual

hometown: portland, maine

occupation: owner of static nightclub, sometimes a dj

financial status: bored

current residence: oak gardens

time in blue harbor: has been coming to blue harbor for business since 2012 but permanently moved in 2021

family: vikas mohan (father), evelyn mohan (mother, née rainer), dev mohan (older brother), charlotte mohan (older sister), nadia mohan (twin sister).

significant others: andrew marek (husband??? who knows where tf this bitch is)

trigger warning: mentions of assault, traumatic brain injury, alcohol abuse.

born in portland, maine as the third child of four (ten minutes ahead of his twin sister nadia), max grew up used to luxury, having nannies and maids and cooks to cater to the family’s every whim. vikas, max’s father, was a business tycoon, and so was vikas’ father before him, and so on. the mohans were well-known in the retail, hospitality, and real estate industry, having founded the mohan prime investment corporation which had a variety of subsidiaries that operated mall chains, department stores, restaurants, bars, and hotels across the united states, even expanding in asia, europe, and the middle east.

music has always held a special place in max's heart. he'd even originally aspired to be a dj just like the ones he saw on mtv growing up, however, vikas made it a point to instill a sense of responsibility towards the family business among his children, involving them in their company's internal affairs from a young age and therefore turning any attempts to pursue a career outside of its immediate radius futile.

it came as no surprise to anyone that max started working directly under his father’s wing upon graduating from uc berkeley for business, moving through the ranks until he was appointed COO of mohan prime retail, the subsidiary that operates a chain of malls and department stores. throughout his career, however, max has remained very much immersed in club culture of whichever city he'd end up traveling to for work as this is where he feels most at home. he was careful not to entertain the idea of taking it seriously enough to consider it a career, though he had spun in clubs a couple of times, mostly as a guest dj.

vikas was known to be a ruthless businessman, unafraid of running over anyone and anything that stood in his way. while max didn’t always agree with his father’s ways, he trusted that he knew what he was doing, and that his decisions were always in the company’s best interests. so he never protested when he was sent by his father to chicago in order to oversee operations of their shopping centers in smaller neighboring towns where competition was scarce. this is how he'd come to know blue harbor, establish relationships with its residents, and even consider it his home away from home away from home.

it’s no secret that the mohans have garnered a number of enemies who wish to see their empire fall over the years and with max essentially acting as an extension of his father, it was easy to see him as a big red target for those the family had scorned. he was at a nightclub called STATIC when he was drunkenly assaulted by a former department store employee who had been laid off a week prior. this incident had landed max in the hospital, much to vikas' chagrin, though he'd made sure that his son's assailant would permanently rot in prison.

rehabilitation took place in chicago, and it was here that he would meet his future husband, andrew, who also happened to be his speech therapist, but only for a brief period as max would later have to find a different therapist when he and andrew had started dating and, eventually, tied the knot. the couple moved to a luxurious home in chicago, where they would spend the next five turbulent years together. the turbulence, in part, provided by max's family, especially his father and older brother dev, who both greatly disapproved of max's relationship. there was also the issue of max's temper and andrew's alcohol abuse, as well as the volatile dynamics between the couple due to max wanting andrew to quit his job since he made enough money for the both of them and more, which aggravated andrew's drinking problem. the pair did try to work it out in therapy and for a while, max was optimistic about his marriage.

that is, until he came home one day to all of his husband's things gone, including andrew himself. max's heartbreak was instantly replaced with hurt, betrayal, then anger when he later learned that his father and brother had paid andrew a hefty sum to disappear from max's life and that andrew had been blinded enough by the money to accept the offer. there were no actual divorce or annulment proceedings, so for all intents and purposes, max is still technically married despite no longer having a spouse.

one year later, max returned to blue harbor and bought a house in oak gardens, and bought out static after finding out that the previous owners were going bankrupt. his business partner does most of the heavy-lifting in terms of actually keeping the business afloat while his involvement remains mostly on executive decisions and spinning in the club some nights. it was really more of a power move on max's part as a means of reclaiming and controlling the narrative of what happened to him in this very establishment, though his father wasn't too happy to learn that his son's already diminished attention was being diverted from his primary role as COO. in the same year, his older brother dev called him unfit to remain in his position and convinced their father for his removal, a decision which max had taken in stride as he'd been reassessing his role in his family's company, anyway.

having lived in blue harbor since 2021, he’s grown quite charmed by small town life and is slowly being humbled by its hardworking residents that he can’t help but feel somewhat responsible for several jobs lost, businesses shut down, and even land bought out from families for his family's profit. he tries to separate himself from his family's malignant presence in town though he does have voting shares in the company due to his name alone.

TIMELINE.

1977 — max and his twin sister nadia were born.

1995 — age 18, max moves to california to attend uc berkeley for business, both for his undergrad and MBA.

2001 — age 24, graduates from uc berkeley and immediately starts officially working for his father.

2007 — age 30, promoted to chief operating officer of mohan prime retail.

2012 — age 35, is sent to live in chicago to oversee operations of their malls and department stores in illinois. establishes the first of their department store franchise in town.

2014 — age 37, incident at static nightclub in blue harbor. starts physical and occupational therapy in chicago where he meets andrew 'andy' marek.

2015 — age 38, andy and max get married.

2020 — age 43, andy leaves max at vikas and dev mohan's behest.

2021 — age 44, max takes up permanent residence in blue harbor and, together with his business partner, buys out static nightclub from its previous owners.

HEADCANONS.

as a result of the incident at static, max had sustained a traumatic brain injury, affecting his cognitive and fine motor skills. he can become explosive with his anger, often getting violent outbursts that, while usually just triggered by specific circumstances, can sometimes be random. he has also developed a stutter due to his injury, which isn't as noticeable nowadays, but is aggravated when he experiences intense emotions or excitement. he he has bouts of confusion and is often forgetful— he would miss meetings, fail to return phone calls, and reply to emails which greatly affected his work as COO. he also have trouble with his penmanship and thus prefers typing over writing with a pen. having a personal assistant makes a lot of these things much easier for him to deal with, but he often can't help but feel held back and weighed down due to his condition.

wears specialized photosensitive cobalt-tinted sunglasses whenever he does a set at static or he simply just has the lights shut off when he doesn't feel like it. such nights are dubbed by some clubgoers as 'blackout night', which kind of works as a marketing stint but is really just because of a medical condition.

max has a lot of funk and soul influences when it comes to his dj sets. his soundclaims are jamie xx, blood orange, mark ronson (his early stuff), and little dragon.

he has two cats: cairo and berlin (she's new!), and a service dog named tom hagen (since he's his right-hand man).

a huuuge fan of formula one and tries to attend at least two gps every year (one before the summer break and another after). he's been watching since the 90s and has been an avid supporter of the mclaren, red bull, ferrari, and williams (before they turned to shit) teams. cites senna, lauda, prost, and alonso as his favorite drivers.

hasn't attended a single family function in four years. he only really talks to the women in his family and hasn't properly spoken to his father and brother since they'd conspired to separate him and andrew in 2020.

he has the aries symbol tattooed on his left thigh, a few inches above his knee, in red ink.

WANTED CONNECTIONS.

PERSONAL ASSISTANT — alex (temp name!) has been working for him since 2014. his twin sister nadia was the one who initially employed alex for him to help with his day-to-day tasks since he was also in recovery after the incident. in fact, she was already the third one nadia had hired since the previous two had quit. max, especially in the early stages of his recovery, can be a difficult boss, but it was only alex who was able to weather his storms. he may not admit it out loud, but he considers her one of, if not his closest friend and confidante (she was even a bridesmaid at his wedding when she wasn't also acting as a wedding planner! why hire one when we have alex?) and with alex having to see him struggle with his condition everyday, max kind of has no choice but to be vulnerable for her. with that being said, she's one of the very few people, his sisters included, who can talk shit to him. this is basically pepper potts and tony stark in the first iron man movie but not necessarily romantic yknow??

BUSINESS PARTNER — max and his business are the new owners of static since 2021. they both have good business chemistry, fulfilling what the other lacks. max is more of the ideas guy and the one who shells out the money while wc handles more of the numbers and logistics.

OLDER SISTER — tbd details.

TWIN SISTER — tbd details.

PERSON WHO HELPED HIM THE NIGHT OF THE STATIC INCIDENT — aka the person max owes his life to <3 this person would've been at static during the altercation and assault back in 2014. they were the one who called 911 as well as his sister nadia (his emergency contact). they stayed with max in the hospital and kept nadia updated the entire time. they could've been a complete stranger or someone max was already friends with. either way, they remain to be very good friends to this day and max would do anything for them. taken by rafael moldonado !

family member(s) of the former mohan's employee who assaulted max

oak gardens neighbors

gym buddies

people who hate his family's company

family friends

people who were affected by the property acquisition for the construction of mohan's department store and/or whose business sales were negatively affected by it

somebody who only comes to static to watch max perform

adversely, somebody whose place of work max keeps visiting just to see them even though it's not somewhere max really needs to go to/is interested in going to if it weren't for this person

[steppingstonesuniverseguide]

On The Government in Stepping Stones

It's a slightly different political system than usual. (People who are very invested in my Labeled series might recognize it a bit.) Basically, because superheroes exist, the current government system in most places developed more directly feudal forms of government.

It used to be that whoever was the most powerful superhero around would be in charge of their territory and might delegate parts of their territory to other supers who might then delegate. Now superheroes and the government are somewhat separate and there are elected officials that can be elected with or without powers (though there is a bias here and usually someone with superheroes gets the top position, though they sometimes have weaker powers and more charisma anymore.)

Most cities are there own separate thing basically. There is a very loose national 'government' which is really more of a set of treaties. Thing UN with countries level of power vs US with states.

So, the city the story takes place in is pretty much it's own thing. Even people like Kurtis aren't really under it's government. Especially when it starts going wonky in timeline alpha, most people outside the city go 'I'd rather not' and break treaties.

However, it's a bit complicated economically because a lot of the smaller places depend on the city for resources. This is by design. The city is trying to expand itself to have official control over more places.

The city omsootp takes place in is a dumpster fire honestly. There are other cities that run a lot better.

There actually aren't... a lot of supervillains around right now. There definitely aren't enough to justify how many people work for the Guild (in, uh, timeline beta. Timeline alpha had that whole... war thing).

Most villains are kind of like the sbi in that they're pissed at the system or they are just trying to survive, man. There are some actually evil ones, but honestly... they're more likely to be recruited for The Guild before long...

Most of the superheros' time is spent flying around showing their presence or slapping down petty criminals way too hard. Now, this wasn't always true. It's more of a recent thing. The Guild, even if Phil's time, was smaller and more selective and probably were needed most of the time.

The Pit was a one time deal and it's been sealed up. Everyone got yeeted into it and forgotten about for 100 years. Now, people just go to the prison which isn't as bad as the Pit, but has it's human rights violations.

The Guild is supposed to work kind of like the FBI would to the US government if that makes sense, but their system is broken into shambles in both timelines. Historically, superheroes have had a big effect on who gets elected. So while the elected officials are supposed to regulate them...

In timeline alpha, the major and the head of the Guild were very opposed until he conveniently got big murdered. Then the mayor was in control of everything. In timeline beta, it's almost the opposite. The Guild currently is basically in control of the government.

[myrmyrtheorca]

Thought I was done with questions? HAH! THINK AGAIN!

I’m back from work and now ready for another interrogation/analysis. This time I wanna dig deeper in the Cavalieri Family, because the concept of an isolated Mafia Family is fascinating and I want to take it apart (affectionally).

This is probably going to be super rambly and I’m going to theorize a lot (since I have just snippets of information to work off as basis), but I’ll try to structure it a bit? No guarantees though. Btw if the answers to some questions are kinda spoilery and you don’t want to reveal them yet for plot related reasons, no prob! I can wait, this is just me being noisy as hell and spouting random thoughts.

Sooo, the Cavalieri Family. You said they’re isolated, members aren’t allowed to interact with the outside world and that the information flow is restricted.

However, they don’t seem to be completely cut off from the world, since Lidija’s father is an outsider in their employ. Also, you stated that normal members have no way of knowing about other Flame types, which again underlines the isolation part but also implies that other members – I’m guessing the higher ups – are aware of what’s going on with the rest of the Mafia. Therefore, it’s not complete isolation, but I guess they’re still squirrelled away from civilization, otherwise it would be easier for outsiders to find out about the Cavalieri Family and their secret Flames. It would also give Cavalieri members more access to outsider which seems to be a big no no.

So my questions is: where is the Cavalieri estate actually based? Like geographically? Surrounded by mountains? Forests? Am I completely off and they just chill in a city hiding in plain sight?

Also, you said they have different territories. Do you mean like it’s one big ass plot of land that is separate into smaller parts or do they own smaller territories that are physically separated (like one is in North Italy, the other one in the South, do you get what I mean? I can always draw an ugly map if you don’t, just say the word).

Which actually brings me to another question: do they only operate in Italy or do they have international business as well? I’m also wondering about the size of the Family. Since they have different territories, I assume they are a pretty big? It would further support the isolation aspect, because in my opinion a certain degree of isolation comes hand in hand with independence and if you want to be independent, you will need resources such as people, land (for agriculture for example), money etc.

Back to the isolation thing again. Do the Cavalieri have their own sort of culture? Because if you separate a group of people from the rest of civilization over generations, they’re bound to develop their own specific habits/traditions. Again, this kinda depends on how isolated they are, I’m basing this off a “hermits in the woods” approach, so I could be completely off on that. It’s just… I was wondering if Myr had major culture shock when she left her family and if so how she dealt with it. (Also, I’m a bit confused about the timeline. Did she leave and then gets thrown into the plot soon after or is there more of a buffer between her leaving and interacting with canon.)

I’m pretty sure I could go on for longer, but I’m gonna leave it here for now and wait for your answers, so that I can ask even more specific questions.

Please take all the time you need to answer this mess, don’t feel pressured from my bombardment of questions and half assed worldbuilding analysis (I’m very much shooting in the dark here. I have no clue if any of this makes even sense).

Lots of love from your buddy, keep being awesome! 💕 💕

these are a lot of good questions. This time, I thought to answer in a different way. I thought to let a witness answer for me.

A very unfortunate witness. (TW: mentions of death and violence) ----------------------------------

The following document has been retrieved in the outer section of the Cavalieri Dite Base. Investigation about how such breach could happen has been launched. Access is only allowed for members of the Third Branch as per rules pertaining spoils of war and enemy intel.

I did it! After days of trial and error while stuck here in the middle of these godforsaken woods living like a rat, I managed to intercept the radio communications from the nearest Cavalieri Base. I don't think they've found out about my meddling yet – my equipment basically made up of scraps, but it's been built that way so that won't be easily detected. I've gathered two hours' worth of data, and they still haven't shown any signs of noticing me. I absolutely must hurry to put everything in writing and leave as soon as possible. I'm not safe. IF SOMETHING WERE TO HAPPEN TO ME AND YOU FOUND THESE ABANDONED NOTES... PLEASE. I BEG YOU. THESE PIECES OF INFORMATION MUST REACH THE VONGOLA. THE NINTH BOSS OF THE VONGOLA, TIMOTEO, MUST BE MADE AWARE, FOR THE SAKE OF THE INNOCENTS KILLED ON THE NIGHT OF SAN GIOVANNI. I arrived here three days ago. Visconti's hunches were correct – Tuscany was the right place to look. I find myself in a nature reserve that is off-limits to the public. At the main entrance, the guys dressed as guardie forestali ushered me to leave (No, I didn't think it would actually be that easy, but I decided to try anyway). I'm sure those were just Cavalieri agents guarding the entrance, to keep up the lie that it's just a protected area. Bullshit. I found an isolated opening and started to venture in.

I can't say if this is their main headquarters or just one of many, but it seems that their Boss (they call her the "Nera Signora") is currently staying here. I understood that this is the base called Dite, like the infernal city in Dante's work. From the communications, I could trace a rough outline of their area of influence: Tuscany, Umbria, parts of Abruzzo and Romagna. They also mentioned Sarzana and Varese Ligure, in the province of La Spezia. Also, mention of Montaquila and Isernia in Molise. It's plausible that theirs isn't a hegemony, but rather they implant autonomous and self-sufficient bases sporadically in hard-to-reach places among the Apennines, or in nature reserves like this one, to remain hidden from the public eye. I heard an official say that "the Mother Branch and the big shots of the Third Branch will move to the headquarters in Assisi", so it can be assumed that the higher-ups move from base to base. I couldn't infer how frequently, though. Regarding this – they are divided into "branches." -I suppose the Mother Branch is the boss and his closest family; -The second deals with research and development; I caught several references to technical meetings; -The third is the defense branch (N.B. The name OZYMANDIAS is often repeated); -Another official mentioned "a budget meeting of the Fourth Branch" – that must be the one dedicated to finances. *At this point in the document, there are several nonsensical lines made o ink.* Porca puttana. Okay, it was just a badger. I thought I was dead. Anyways, it's well-known that the Cavalieri are an "isolated" family, but the communications I intercepted demonstrate the absolute opposite. It's plausible that simple cadets are not authorized to leave the various bases (I haven't seen a soul since I've been here), but they talked about "outsiders," mercenaries in their service. It seems that Visconti's information regarding a strange influx of Slovenian and Croatian immigrants observed in mafia circles in recent years may be connected to these mercenary groups serving the Cavalieri. In fact, there has never been mention of a "Cavalieri militia", all the men we've captured so far are never fully their affiliates (but I'm sure those responsible for San Giovanni were proper Cavalieri agents, not a hired group). This means that they have an interest in contacting the outside world, but they don't allow the outside world to contact them in return. One can expect this from a family whose main income comes from selling information about various mafia groups. They collect and record everything about the rest of the world... but they don't allow even the smallest piece of information about themselves to wander. Everything we have on them, we've gained by losing a lot of men in the process... ...I don't want to think about it. Just a few more lines, and I'll return to the Ninth. It's getting dark too. There's one thing that worries me more than anything else. In a communication with a certain "Anemone" of the Second Branch, they talked about the "Vongola's Legacy", in relation to "the Cavalieri Legacy." They know about the Ninth's power? Such a secret in their hands is a terrible occurrence, but I only heard it from big shots of the Second Branch, so maybe it's just confidential information. Though above all, to think that these snakes possess a power even remotely comparable to the noble inheritancce of the Ninth... it terrifies me even more. *more nonsensical lines of ink* Shit. These aren't the sounds of a badger. Human voices, female. I have to get out of here. If someone finds these notes, I beg you to return them to the Vongola. They are the only ones who can do something. The Cavalieri are not normal people, I can't stand not being able to talk about it aloud anymore. It's not just spies and informants. They are criminal beasts who killed innocents in Cesena on the Night of San Giovanni, the whole mafia knows it was them, yet no one lifts a finger to accuse them, just because among the victims there were also members of their own family!

[dragongirlz1]

The Trip

No prank here! Just trying to get back into the swing of things and bring back @emotionallydeprived-shapeshifter! This one's shorter than usual, but it's a slice of life type fic over my usual kind.

Warnings: Talk of not belonging, feeling displaced, the like.

Word Count: 528

Summary: Shapeshifter finally gets around to going on that trip to their 'hometown' and learns a few things while they're there.

--

They finally did it, they went out to Utah, using their abilities to travel. They had hoped that visiting this universe’s version of their home state would help. 

It didn’t.

South had insisted on joining them, the stubborn bird uncaring of the heat on his black feathers. He waited in trees, hidden from the sun, when they went into stores. This Utah was different. It had all the same cities and towns, but certain things were gone. Well known brands didn’t exist here, and certain landmarks were nowhere to be seen.

They should’ve guessed, a lush forest in the southernmost part of the dry state was on brand for the chaotic world that was the Hub, but not so much here.

It didn’t make them feel much better.

The constant feeling of being displaced never left them, like a weight on their chest. Being in their hometown didn’t make anything any better, walking with confidence only to walk into a building they didn’t recognize in the place of one they did. A constant reminder that they didn’t belong.

The longer they stayed in Hurricane, the more they longed to be back at the base. Their skin itched, they were being seen, even if they didn’t look like themself. They wanted to go back, where they could wear a mask and cover every inch of themself without anyone batting an eye. But, outside of hoping that the trip would help them with feeling displaced, they had come to get things to decorate their room from their ‘hometown’.

They gravitated towards smaller businesses, not willing to battle with the fact that they had no way of knowing if the larger brands they knew even existed here. They took time to appreciate any carvings they came across, finding another reason to get back to base as soon as possible. They had left their carving supplies in their room.

Their room couldn’t just be filled with carvings they had made, so eventually, they located some small hangable things that they liked. Mostly some posters that they thought were stupid for one reason or another. They kept it light, since they’d have to make the trip back by themself and would have to carry everything they chose.

They occasionally found themself expecting something that was normal in the Hub, which only led to them reminding themself that it wouldn’t happen, and becoming more and more uncomfortable. This wasn’t home, they couldn’t be themself here.

Did that make the base home?

They couldn’t seem to find it in themself to disagree with the idea. No one there gave them weird looks for covering themself up completely, or for talking to a raven. Nobody asked them to take the mask off, or why they kept themself hidden. Sure, they died every day they were out on the field, but they were safe there in a way that they weren’t anywhere else.

With that in mind, they went to a secluded area with their things, handed off a small and light thing to South since the raven would have a fit if he couldn’t help, and shifted. Starting the trip back to the base.

Back home.