#it's not HARD to find my birth name if you went searching for it but i dont want it revealed to ppl who would've never even thought abt it!!

[jamesunderwater]

my coworker found out my dead name and then said it out loud in front of another coworker to confirm it was referring to me and now I'm sick to my stomach and I want to go home and also kill someone

[starkwlkr]

“he’s here!” | logan howlett

an: this is inspired by the scene in x-men 97 where jean tells logan “he’s here!” because she’s in labor and logan’s all like “who? apocalypse?” and whips out his claws expecting to fight and jean just yells at him “the baby!” omg my favorite scene lol

mutant!reader (telekinesis baby!!!!)

It was a quiet normal day in the mansion. Rogue was helping you set up the finishing touches to the baby’s nursery. With a wave of your hand, you assembled the last shelf where Rogue placed a the ultrasound pictures.

“So you still don’t have a name for the baby?” Rogue asked. Every day it was the same question, all she wanted was to know the name. It was a secret for everyone.

“We do, Rogue, we just agreed to reveal it after the birth. You’ll find out soon, everyone will.” You said, walking towards the door of the nursery. You took one last look at the room and sighed. In a few days, your son would be sleeping in that same room.

“Oh! I forgot to show you something! Bobby and I went to the mall the other day and I found the cutest outfit for the baby. I’ll go get it.” Rogue said excitedly. She rushed out the nursery towards her room.

“I’ll be in the kitchen!” You called out. Being pregnant was exhausting. At the moment, you were craving fruit so you walked slowly to the kitchen. Everything was hurting lately, but you didn’t think much of it. You still had a week left until your baby boy was born.

When you finally made it to the kitchen, you found Logan drinking a beer that he had snuck in. “I thought I told you to stay in bed.” Logan stood up from his chair and walked over to you. He placed a kiss on your forehead.

“I’m sick of staying in bed all day. I needed to move. Rogue was helping me finish up the nursery,” As soon as you said nursery, he was about to start scolding you. “I barely lifted a finger! She was moving everything, I just told her what to do.” You half lied.

“Sure, if that helps you sleep at night, baby.” Logan chucked.

You playfully hit his arm then walked to the refrigerator in search of a container of fruit that Logan had cut up for you. You found it with a note attached that said ‘baby howlett’s mom’. You smiled at the note. As you pulled it out of the refrigerator, you felt a sharp pain. It caused you to let go of the container, the contents of it spilling everywhere on the kitchen floor.

Logan rushed over to you quickly. “What’s wrong? Where is it hurting?”

“Logan . . .” You groaned. “He’s here!”

Immediately Logan’s claws came out. “Who? Magneto?” He looked around the kitchen frantically in search of the possible threat. “Stryker? Show yourself, you son of a bitch!” He yelled.

You couldn’t believe it. Did he suddenly forget you were pregnant? Maybe it was the beer finally getting to him. . .

You groaned once more as the pain struck again. “The baby!” You screamed. You waved your hand, his jacket and keys were thrown at him.

Logan’s eyes widened when he heard those words. He was about to become a father. “Oh crap.”

“Take me to the hospital, you asshole!”

After quickly finishing his beer in one sip, he helped you down the stairs. You couldn’t stand the pain. Each time you felt pain, objects around you would break. As you were walking towards the main entrance, you passed by a coffee table with a vase on it.

“Ah! Fuck!” You winced as a contraction hit you hard. The vase exploded as a result. “Shit!”

“It’s okay, Charles hated that vase anyways!” Logan assured you. In reality, the vase was a gift that was in his family for years. Maybe Charles wouldn’t notice.

“Logan!” The couple heard Rogue yell out. “I’m coming with you!”

Before Logan could protest, you scream once more causing several objects in the living room to break like tables and chairs. Even the TV screen had exploded. You didn’t mean to do that.

“Just help me get her into the car.” Logan instructed Rogue, who quickly ran to your side and helped you down the steps of the mansion.

“I really really hate you right now.” You said to Logan.

“Love you too, sweetheart.”

[cheerleaderman]

Rolene Orielle

The heir to their family who has complicated relationships with their family expect their cousin due to finding out the truth behind their birth/upbringing.

Twst Rapunzel

Basic info

Age: 16

They/them

Height: 169 cm

Birthday: June 21

Voice claim:Jp- Akira Asai - Call of the night. Eng - Haruri Fujioka-ouran highschool host club

Hometown: Sunrise Kingdom

Year: 1st

Dorm: Wonderling (My Alice dorm)

Dominant hand: right

Nickname: sunny, lene, sunfish (Floyd)

Favorite food: different kinds of soups, anything with nuts , waffles, smoothies, gummy Candy

Like/hobbies: painting, boating, picnics , sunflowers, ducks, rock climbing, archery, chameleons, dancing, lanterns

Dislike: being stuck in one place, uncomfortable shoes

Family: Flori Orielle(they call each other siblings)Lorelei Orielle (aunt ) Elian (uncle -deceased) Edeline Orielle (mother ) Oliver Orielle (father ) Elise Orielle (grandmother-deceased) Ludwig (grandfather)

Best subject: Art

Talent: doing hair, painting, climbing, tying nots

Unique Magic - Make the Clock reverse

Can reverse back any inanimate object back to its previous state up to 24 hours. They need to specify the time in the spell if not it will reverse to a random state within 24 hours

(More under cut)

More info

Rolene is someone who is loyal to the people the care about

Sometimes they use their magic to make their painting come to life

Is kinda naive in a sense due to living most of their life in isolation sometimes not understanding social ques

Others put pressure on them since they the heir to their family

Has a bit of an identity crisis learning of how they were born and the different positions that they and Flori are in. They question why their aunt still loved and cared for them despite her life work was taken from her to save their life even though she told them she never blamed them for anything

Their hair is slowly turning more brown over the years and with cut their hair when they’re 18

Usually sneaks out not getting caught only really Flori is able to catch them

Doesn’t have that close of a relationship with their parents due to the whole situation but is warming up to them current , they also still have love for their aunt

Very skilled on creating things but mainly focuse on painting

Has a pet chameleon at home named Pastel

Does know some healing magic and all ways have a mini first aid kit on hand

Please stop climbing the building how did you even get up there

Loves going and exploring the many forests in their home country

disgusting by their grandfather

Learned archery from their Aunt

Backstory

One of the lost royal children and the heir to the grand duchess when their aunt ran away with them and their cousin Flori. Living in a cottage in complete isolation from the world for 14 years believing that she was their mother and Flori was their twin.

The two learn many skills but Rolene was mainly interested in the arts with many paintings on the walls of the cottage. Even with all these activities Rolene grew curious about the world growing restless. At first Mother said no telling the two about the dangers of the world. Flori was able to convince her to take them into the forest making Rolene very excited whenever they go out.

At 14 when Mother went out for errands Rolene and Flori snuck out to get some flowers from a field they found last time. When they returned they found the site of their home being searched by guards. The two ran away hoping to find their mother but after searching for hours they fell asleep by a lake later to be found by the grand duke their father.

Adjusting to the new environment was difficult especially with all these new expectations. You must not do this or that was hard for Rolene’s more care free self. They will start to see the difference in treatment between them and Flori by the staff making them refuse lessons and staff staying by their sibling side. Even when learning that Flori wasn’t actually their twin it didn’t change anything.

After a while their mother sat Rolene and Flori down to tell them about what happened around their birth and why Flori’s mother ran away with them. When pregnant the duchess started to fall ill and everyone was looking for a way to heal her and save Rolene. When many medics couldn’t find anything that’s when their grandfather took Flori’s mother life work that still hadn’t been perfected and gave it to her lucky it succeed and she started to get better and Rolene was born healthy. This led to Flori’s mother getting obsessed with the health of Rolene constantly checking up on them it wasn’t as bad since Flori’s father was there to calm her but after his death everything took a turn for the worse. Their grandfather has been pressing for a marriage even after the death of her fiancé leading to her breaking point and disappeared with both children as she was watching both at the time.

divider

[jungle-angel]

The One With The Home Movies (Rhett Abbott x Reader)

Summary: You and Rhett find some old home movies of his parents and decide to watch them

Warnings: Pregnancy, birth, mentions of custody battles, Royal being a pain in Cecelia's ass etc.

Tagging: @floydsmuse @bradleybeachbabe @callmemana @attapullman

"Jeebus, Mary and Joseph, how fuckin hard is it to find a fuckin Disney movie in this house?" Rhett muttered under his breath as he went through the box of video tapes in the closet.

His efforts weren't proving much as he tried to find a movie that wouldn't scare the bejesus out of Amy, despite the fact that she was only six months old and wouldn't be paying attention. Hercules? That was always a good one.

"The hell?"

He pulled a videotape from the box, the masking tape on the side labeled "Roy and Cece, '92-'93". He set it aside and kept searching, finding a bunch of others labeled with his parents' names and their dates stretching all the way back to at least 1985.

"Whatcha lookin for Rhett?" Royal asked him.

"Tryna find a movie for Amy, all I found was uh......Hercules and......this," Rhett answered.

Royal took the tape from him, laughing a little. "Not sure if she's gonna wanna watch this," he chuckled. "Completely forgot about this one."

"What? Ya'll made a sex tape back in the day?"

Rhett laughed as Royal swatted at him, missing him by barely an inch. "You're somethin else boy," Royal told him. "I'll pop it in after lunch and we'll see what's on it."

As soon as his father's back was turned, Rhett made a face and thrust his hips back and forth, thinking Royal wouldn't notice.

As soon as lunch was over and Amy had been put upstairs for a nap, you and Rhett gathered in the living room with his parents to see what horrors lay in wait on the videotape.

"Hope it still works," Cecelia said, crawling under the fuzzy throw blanket with Royal.

The VCR clicked and the video began playing, the date April of 1992 displayed across the bottom corner of the screen. You and Rhett were shocked when you saw a very young Cecelia Abbott appear on screen, holding a little stick in her hand and the voice of a small toddler running around and babbling in the background.

"Alright what's up?" asked Royal's voice. "Is it showin?"

"Yep, there it is," Cecelia answered, showing him the stick. "Showin positive."

"Oh my God," Royal chuckled. "Oh holy shit......I didn't think doin it like we did would work......"

"Oh Dad that's nasty!!!" Rhett blurted out, laughing.

"What? I didn't think it would," Royal said before Cecelia smacked his shoulder.

You laughed too, turning your attention back to the TV, the footage cutting to some time later in June, showing Royal and Cecelia in Montana with John and Evelyn Dutton.

"Oh God, I remember that day," Cecelia chuckled. "I miss her so bad."

"Yeah, get it! Get it! Show it off!" Royal's voice told her.

You both laughed as young Cecelia showed off her unnoticeable bump along with Evelyn, the two of them bantering with their husbands.

"So this was with you?" you asked Rhett.

"Yep," he answered, a huge grin plastered on his face.

"Oh God here we go," Royal said. "This was the day Perry found out he was getting a baby brother."

You giggled a little when you saw the date of August, 1992 on the bottom of the screen, Royal still behind the camera and Cecelia pointing out all the details in the sonogram photo in her hands.

"What am I seein?" Royal asked.

"Right there," Cecelia said, pointing it out.

"Right where?"

"Right there! Look with your eyes ya moron," Cecelia chuckled.

"OOOOOH!!!" Royal exclaimed. "Oh jeebus!!! He's fuckin flashin us!"

You and Rhett laughed as his parents rolled their eyes.

"I no wanna baby bruver!" the two year old in the video pouted.

"Well, you're gettin a baby brother Per," Royal told him.

"No I not."

"Yeah you are."

It continued like that for a good minute and a half, you and Rhett shaking your heads.

"And that is where your father learned quickly, never to pick a fight with a two year old," Cecelia laughed.

Back to the TV your eyes turned with more footage to come, jumping quick from August to December. "Oh God I remember that year," Cecelia groaned. "My mother had me on bedrest after Alabama defeated the Hurricanes."

"You know you're gonna need to quit scarin us right?" Royal said, his nose pressed against Cecelia's bump, herself half hidden as she held the video camera. She laughed when he gave her an annoyed side-eyed look, the fabric of her denim shirt stretching when the baby's foot nudged against his father's nose.

"Ya'll see what the little fucker just did?" he asked.

"No I did not just feel my lungs getting rearranged and moved in fifteen different directions," Cecelia laughed.

"He keeps it up I'm giving him his eviction notice."

"Ya'll will do no such thing," Cecelia told him. "If I go into early labor it's on you and you're taking Perry for an entire month."

"Yes dear," Royal sighed.

"Jeez ya'll must've been those last few weeks, huh?" Rhett asked his father.

"Try the last month," Royal answered.

"Oh jeez here it comes," Cecelia laughed.

You and Rhett were squirming a little when the video cut to the day Rhett was born, January 29th of '93. The footage showed poor Cecelia all laid up in her bed, the very same room upstairs in the house that hadn't changed in the last 31 years, laying on her side and her hand on her belly as she tried to plow through the labor pains.

"So.....ya'll want me to get a double wide shot o' this or pan down?" Royal asked before she flipped him the bird.

"If ya'll get even so much as one shot of anything comin out down there, I'm gonna kick your ass," Cecelia groaned.

You and Rhett couldn't help but laugh when suddenly it cut to the actual birth footage. "OH GOD DAD!!!! FAST FORWARD!!! FAST FORWARD!!!!" Rhett blurted out.

"I'm tryin! I'm tryin!" Royal insisted, trying to use the remote to fast forward.

Cecelia laughed a little. "Revenge, thirty something years in the making," she chuckled.

When Royal was finally able to fast forward through the nasty parts, he stopped at the one part that had you melting and Rhett's cheeks growing hot with embarrassment. You couldn't believe how adorable Rhett was as a newborn, his face pinker than the sunset and a head full of dark hair, all snuggled under his little blanket.

"Aw look how cute you were?" you teased.

Rhett felt a flush of heat going from his cheeks down to his chest.

"Yeah he was cute but when he turned two, he turned into a lil devil," Cecelia joked.

Now it was yours, Rhett's and Cecelia's turn to embarrass Royal when a shot of him holding Baby Rhett came on the screen, the tiny little baby practically being swallowed up by his blanket and his father's arms all at once.

"Are ya'll cryin?" Cecelia asked, aiming the camera at her husband and newborn son.

"Nope," Royal croaked.

"Bullshit, you're cryin," Cecelia chuckled.

You went through the rest of the video, all of you half laughing and half crying. It was a part of your in-laws' past that you had never seen before, a side of them that had only returned when Perry had been kicked out of the house.

"Are you actually crying?" you asked, noting the misty look in your husband's eyes.

"Darlin I'm fuckin laughin," Rhett chuckled.

"Bullshit, I know you better than that," you laughed, kissing him on the lips.

You couldn't see it, but the smiles on Royal and Cecelia's faces said it all.

[a-student-out-of-time]

The Imposters

(Part 1)

We can confirm definitively that Misako-san has indeed given birth before. And we can also confirm that, indeed, the person whom we met was her daughter. Kana-chan had AB blood, while Misako-san has AB.

Please, now that we know she was my daughter, is there anything else you can confirm about us?

Misako-san...I'm very sorry...but you need to see this. It's...well...

*Harumi hands her the photo from Hiroshima*

...Ko...Kotetsu....Kana....a-and....that's....I recognize that face.

It's...It's me! But then, why do I look like this...?

...Okay, I see why you were all confused now. That girl is a dead ringer for Kana! But...how?!

__________________________________________________

Remember when I said I'd affected four currently living people? Well, that much was true.

Buuut, the total number was actually five.

What...What did you do?!

Well, to put my plan in motion, I had to...recruit some actors.

________________________________________________

Their real names are Eimi Misako and Eimi Kana, and we also found the remains of an adult man in a public park. They're a solid match for Eimi Kotetsu, the last member of this family.

They went missing about 8-10 months ago, which matches up with the time frame the real Ise Kana has been out of the country.

Shirogane had been planning the long con for this one. She hit the area they were living with her algae, and completely manufactured new identities for them.

And for extra credibility, she tied those fake memories with ones she made up for me and Tenmei.

___________________________________________________

You'd be amazed how much shit is available about celebrities when you go searching! I had everything I needed to create a perfect facsimile of Ise Kana! One so good that nobody on the island even realized!

But I needed someone who had a decent resemblance to her, since I'm not a plastic surgeon. Turns out I got pretty lucky and found someone who was nearly identical.

But of course, her backstory needed a little spicing up here and there.

__________________________________________________

Seiyuus like Ise Kana are basically idols. There's no way someone like her would've been living in poverty or had any reason to go to that stupid island.

Which has to mean Shirogane was in on all that too, right?!

But...But Kana and I took a DNA test! It proved we're half-siblings!

I don't mean to scare you, but if she didn't just fake all those tests on the island...then she may have copied your family's DNA and fed into her bone marrow. It would've made her a chimera, but good enough to fool us enough not to look too much deeper.

And guess what? Now that I had time to sit down and check, the only copies of your DNA I could find were in her blood. Everything else matches Misako-san's DNA, and I'm willing to bet any DNA I can pull out of Kotetsu-san's bones will be the other half.

But...But why? Why do all this?! How could I have...u-unless...

_______________________________________________

What the hell else did you do to them?!

Well, in addition to some new memories for her parents and some new identities for our actresses, I had to give Chiaki-chan a little...nudge. A mild adjustment, one that nobody would've noticed.

All she really needed was some...motivation, I suppose you could call it?

It's so easy to love and hate your parents at the same time, isn't it?

And suddenly, boom! She has a beloved long-lost sister she can bond with! Someone with her own tragic past, someone who needs to rescued and who she can forge a lifelong bond with...only to be cut down in her prime!

Storm was a perfect patsy, wasn't he? You were all so fixated on him, you never thought too hard about the inconsistencies in all this until you had to.

[bluejaysandblackbats]

Eyes and Ears

Fandom: DC Comics, Batfam

Summary: An AU where Barbara finds Jason instead of Bruce.

Chapters: 3/?

Characters: Jason Todd, Barbara Gordon, Jim Gordon, Dick Grayson, Bruce Wayne, Sheila Haywood, Original Character(s)

Relationship(s): Jason Todd/Original Character(s), Past Barbara Gordon/Dick Grayson

Additional Tags: Canon Divergent AU, Older SIbling Barbara Gordon, Jason Todd-centric, Barbara Gordon is Oracle, Jason Todd is NOT Robin, Jason Todd Has Issues, Jason Todd Has a Crush, Adopted Siblings

Chapter Three: Michigan Style

When Barbara and Jason got home, Jim was gone. He'd left a note saying that he would be back late. Jason and Barbara had dinner, and she went out as Batgirl. Jason tried to sleep, but he found himself tossing and turning. Jason rolled out of bed and went to the kitchen to make himself a cup of tea. He warmed the milk on the stove, and he read through one of his library books. Jim came in from work and locked eyes with Jason. "Oh, hey there. I wanted to talk to you..."

Jason's heart dropped into the pit of his stomach, and he swallowed hard. "You want me to leave?" Jason asked. Jim shook his head.

"No, I don't want you to leave, son... I just wanted to know if you knew where your birth certificate was," Jim replied. Jason shook his head. "Well, Jason... The thing is, I went looking for it, and I found it. Eleven-forty-nine p.m. in Gotham City Hospital—."

"Yeah," Jason interrupted to move Jim forward.

"What is your mother's name?" Jim asked.

"Catherine," Jason answered. Jim took a deep breath. "That's her name. I'm not lying," Jason raised his voice slightly, and Jim gestured for him to keep his volume down.

"No, I know you're not lying. I just wanted to make this easy on you... I just don't know how to put it. Jason, your mother's name is Sheila Haywood—."

"So what if she went by a different name? It doesn't mean—."

"I don't think you understand. Sheila Haywood is a different person, and that after a bit of digging, I found out that she has been missing since you were a baby," Jim whispered, "Jason... Look—."

Jason's head started to spin, and he turned the fire off on the stove and went back to his room to lie down. Jim turned the milk on and finished making the tea. He made two cups and knocked on Jason's door. "Jason, it's chamomile," Jim whispered. Jason took a shaky breath and wiped tears from his eyes. "I'm so sorry, son..."

"Catherine is my mom," Jason cried as he faced the wall. Jim crouched by Jason's bed and sat the mug down on Jason's nightstand.

"Yes, yes she is. Jason, nothing changes that... It's just that I wanted you to know because if I do find her—."

"Why do you think she disappeared?" Jason asked as he sat up and wiped his tears away. Jim waited for Jason to take a sip of his tea.

"I don't know," Jim whispered. Jason continued to sip his tea, and Jim wrung his hands. "Babs said you went to work with her. How was that?"

Jason shrugged. "What'd she say to you? How'd she make you let me stay here?" Jason asked. Jim smiled.

"She said that someone has to look out for you... You know she must see something special in you to fight for you like that," Jim answered him. "I want you to know that this can be your home too if you want it to be."

Jason set the mug on the nightstand and lay down facing Jim. "We'll see, Commissioner... We'll see," Jason mumbled.

"Goodnight," Jim murmured.

Jason drifted off to sleep only to be startled awake by Barbara. "Hush... Jason, shh," Barbara whispered. Jason clutched his chest and grimaced at her.

"What?" he mouthed angrily.

"I thought you were crying, so I came to wake you up. I'm sorry," Barbara apologized. Jason closed his eyes and sank back into his pillow. Barbara fixed his blankets and went back across the hall.

Jason slept until noon the next day, and when he woke up, he searched for Barbara but found Jim instead. "Babs is at work, so it's just you and me for right now," Jim explained. Jason's face went grim. "I was just about to sit and watch tv... D'you like action movies?"

Jason nodded. "I'm gonna go brush my teeth," Jason replied. Jim nodded. "Hey... If you find her, would it be okay for me to meet her?"

Jim nodded. "If I find Sheila, I wouldn't think to keep you from her," Jim replied. Jason grinned and turned back, and went to the bathroom. Jim went to the kitchen, boiled hot dogs, and put on a can of chili. He wasn't quite sure what to say to Jason, but he had to admit it did feel nice to have a child in the house.

Jason stepped out of the bathroom and met Jim in the kitchen. "Can I help?" Jason asked. Jim nodded.

"Wanna get the chips and put the sodas on the table?" Jim requested. "You look a lot like him."

"I know... Everyone says I look like him," Jason mumbled. He hated to hear it most of the time, but he had to admit it was nice for Jim to acknowledge that Jason had a family before he got there. "Why are you being so nice to me?"

"You're just a kid... And I know how easy it can be to get into trouble as a kid when there's no one to look after you," Jim explained. Jason cocked his head. "Don't look at me like that. I got in my fair share of trouble when I was your age." Jim chuckled, and Jason grinned. "What'd you say to Babs to get her to like you so much?"

"I don't know... I wish I did. She sort of tricked me into coming here, but I'm glad she did," Jason answered with a sweet-natured shrug.

Jim stirred the chili and shrugged in return. "Is the movie rated R?" Jason asked, a mischievous grin spreading across his face.

"PG-13," Jim held back his laugh as he made their chili dogs and put them on a platter. "Do you wanna get two plates for the table?"

Jason nodded and grabbed the plates, and set them down on the coffee table. Jim set the platter down and turned the movie on. Jason started eating, and Jim poured a few chips onto Jason's plate. "He's odd, isn't he?" Jim asked, and Jason giggled. They both started laughing. "Wanna finish off the chili?"

Jason nodded, and Jim got up and went to the kitchen. "Want me to pause the movie?" Jason asked. Jim shook his head, and Jason poured a few more chips onto their plates. Jim gave Jason a bowl of chili, and they went back to watching the movie.

When they were more than halfway through the movie, Jim got a call from Barbara. "Hey, Pumpkin," Jim greeted her.

"Is Jason okay?" Barbara asked. "I didn't want to wake him up again... Otherwise I would've taken him with me—."

"We're just watching a movie," Jim paused and glanced over at Jason. "It's Barbara. She wants to know if you're doing alright." Jason smiled at him.

"Tell her I'm having fun," Jason smiled. Jim grinned and nodded.

"He said he's having fun," Jim repeated for Barbara.

"That's good... Um, I'm sorry you had to watch him on your day off," she apologized.

"Don't worry about it. Jason's great," Jim reassured her. She let out a sigh of relief. "Don't worry. He's fine. Enjoy your lunch."

"Thanks, Dad. See you later," Barbara replied before hanging up. Jim looked over at Jason.

"Like it or not, I think you've got yourself a sister," Jim joked, "She was worried about you."

Jason looked up from his bowl of chili, and he wanted to say something, but he couldn't find the right words. "You said I was great," Jason whispered, "Is she worried that I'll get on your nerves?"

Jim shook his head. "No, I think she's worried that I'll get on your nerves. Or maybe she's afraid she'll come back, and you'll be old and boring like me," Jim joked. Jason snorted before letting out a laugh. "See, I told Babs I was funny." Jason shook his head.

"Just old," Jason joked, and Jim playfully nudged him.

They finished watching the movie, and Jason offered to do the dishes. Jim said no at first, but Jason insisted. While Jason cleaned up, Jim started preparing dinner.

"This is nice... I wasn't sure if I should say anything at first, but with Barbara being so busy sometimes, it's nice to have another kid in the house," Jim confessed. Jason frowned, and Jim thought that he'd said something wrong.

Jason wanted it to feel normal, but he knew how good new things could seem. He knew how horrible things could get once the newness faded, so he said nothing.

[youremyheaven]

Do you think those influencers who dramatically switch from very left wing Marxist alternative etc to very trad Christians (specifically in homophobic/transphobic way) have ketu influence?

You were talking about ketuvians and their struggle to find a sense of self and it made me think of these types of people. I know someone with ketu 1H and magha moon who did this to an extent. She used to identify as non binary and was constantly shifting through different names and pronouns but then one day she just kind of stopped and started saying how she thinks pride is pointless and a waste of time or whatever😭 it wasn’t *that* extreme but I still thought it was a significant shift in belief in such a short time.

I think a lot of people have this dramatic shifts not only out of a need to identify with something due to a lack of sense of self, but also because they like going back to what their parents believe for comfort. I guess those two are interlinked but it’s interesting how my friend is a magha moon and magha is associated with ancestors and whatnot.

I guess mula is somewhat similar as “the root”? Idk about ashwini though

Sorry I haven’t actually had the chance to look into examples since it’s hard to find birth data for influencers and I don’t know that many examples irl 😶‍🌫️ so this is me just going on a tangent and hoping you get what I’m trying to say LMAO

I’m also not sure if anyone else is familiar with this phenomena or if I’m just too engrossed in niche internet drama.

In terms of influencers I guess a somewhat prominent example is Freckle Zelda on tiktok? I never followed her but she went from making cutesy safe space liberal type content in like 2021 and now she’s a Christian and is using it be to super controversial. But like I said I’ve never followed her so idk if this is dramatic enough of a switch to count as what I’m saying.

I also feel like this a rahu trait to switch between extremes🤔 idk lmk what you think

I feel like the capitalist commodification of identity has most adversely affected Nodal people.

If you think about it, spirituality's aim is to transcend the "self" entirely, you stop identifying with labels and attaching yourself to this or that thing. I'm not saying you cease to be a person but you stop trying to "accumulate" identities to hold on to.

9/10 times the reason we identify with something is to feel a sense of belonging but searching outwards for it will only lead to disappointment, when we search within and feel at home within ourselves, we lose the need to externally confined ourselves to rigid "identities"

Yk how people dye their hair, get piercings/tattoos etc to mark a new chapter or the end of an old one or whatever??? It is an attempt to claim something as "yourself" and "solidify yourself". Everything changes all the time, everybody changes yet there are many people who will never dye their hair or change their name or join a cult or whatever (not that all these things are the same) its just that if you're at peace with yourself and truly grounded, you will no longer be shopping for different identities or things to associate with.

Yk those people who have IG bios that read like "Mother, Pluviophile, ESFJ, Petrolhead, UJC'22, Missourian, Ancient Spirit, 1/4th Cherokee, Bitcoin Enthusiast, EDM Lover"

like what do any of those terms say about them?? how on earth is any of this central to your identity? all of these are external ??? is loving rain and being a petrolhead central to your sense of self?? im not trying to demean anybody's interests, im only trying to point out that what we choose to make the focal point of ourselves is up to us and its possible to not be defined by anything?? i think a truly ugly consequence of capitalism is how people try to define themselves by things outside them (their interests, hobbies, job, income level, marital status etc etc) because there is more to a person than all that.

when we retreat within, we base our sense of self on our qualities like kindness, compassion, creativity (this becomes the essence of who we are) so we don't feel the need to claim 87373 other things to describe ourselves

some people overly identify with others like their partners, friends or even strangers and kind of become them. this is also the root of stan culture, by being obsessed with someone to that extent and giving them all your time and energy, you are losing your own qi and harming your Sun (the same way criticizing the appearance of others ruins your Venus)

Rahu is prone to taking things to extremes and Ketu is prone to trying on different identities and losing interest in all of them one after the other. so your observations are right.

i dont really use social media so i dont know any influencers that i can quote as examples ;-; but im thinking of certain celebrities who have had drastic style changes in the past and all of them have nodal influence lol

in the 2000s, the Olsen twins were known for their boho chic hippie style and over the last decade or so they have become known for their "quiet luxury" style. They are Magha Moon

Julia Fox is Ardra Rising and she went from basic to avant garde

Jared Leto, Mula Sun, Ashwini Moon & Rising , he's also the leader of a cult allegedly so👀i guess it all adds up

Adele, Mula Moon & Ardra Rising

im not just talking about her weight loss, just her overall change in style. she got married young and had a baby and in a couple of years she got a divorce and revamped her look to that of an ig baddie

Kylie Jenner, Swati Moon she's changed her style/demeanour every other year since the early 2010s lol

Taylor Swift, Ardra Moon has also had many diff lewkzz throughout the years

before anybody says dont celebs change their styles often?? no they dont, not everybody for sure. look at Jennifer Lopez or Sarah Jessica Parker, theyve been dressing the same since the 90s. constantly evolving style/looks/personality is a Nodal thing. its also a big part of the reason why Nodal people succeed in the entertainment industry and in the material realm (a lot of rich people including Bezos have Nodal placements) because entertainment = illusion, pretending to be someone you're not and for Nodal people, this is pretty much second nature.

im sorry that my response is kind of all over the place. your question provoked some thoughts within me lol and i just had to shareee

i cant think of celebs who have drastically changed their life paths like the example u cited ;-; EXCEPT Bridget Mendler who is an actor, singer, and entrepreneur, has a PhD and went to Harvard Law and now runs a satellite company?? she also adopted a kid during all this? She has Mula Sun

anywayyys thats it for now

tysm for sending this ask!!! its a very thought provoking and interesting question<33hope u have a good day<33

[tryingtimi]

His Grey Fang

Something that needed to come out through one of my current favourite characters.

TW: MENTION OF DEATH | GRIEVING | CHARACTER EXPLORATION | WC: 1,276

The vigil neared its end when Dae first wished to leave.

It was a nudging feeling like the cold breeze in the birthing thought of coming dawn. Black shrouds hunched over the tables as if the guests, too, were waiting for their turn on the burial ground. The mass’s soft buzzing blended into the quiet noise of the city underneath, careful words and misty eyes mourning a man none could have known truly.

“Were you close?” asked a shrivelled elder Dae didn’t care the name of.

“Not really.”

The man’s slurring expression stretched into confusion and then blankness. Like everyone else, he too searched her face, dry cheeks igniting the silent resentment only this moment could. He didn’t bother her further.

Dae stayed put on the hard wooden bench for half an hour longer, hands wrapped around a barely touched, sour drink. She didn’t speak, she didn’t listen. She was avoided, alone in a crowd of hundreds. A few years younger girl sat at her family table with shineless eyes and a shaken posture. She clutched a portrait of Dae’s grandfather. Her father and aunt sat at the main table beside the girl, receiving condolences, and Dae found that right. The only ones with a right to grieve.

When she finally left, ashen skies waved over the city. People raced along in their graphite colours, and it was strange how the stopped time oozed out into the world from the vigil. Downtown had nothing to do with a closed-up, sickly man, but it misted for him, clouds like smoke hardly keeping their tears to themselves.

Bongju meandered beside Dae, hands in his pockets. “Are you going back to work?”

“’Course. Someone needs to, and I rather have Father have his time.”

Her friend nodded, understanding. He didn’t look at her face to find something, instead, he watched the sky, waiting for the inevietable drench.

“He was the one encouraging you to fight, right?” he asked after a time, the only person with an un-blurred face under a dawdling, white sun. Dae lit a cigarette, scoffing.

“Encouraging, sure. We haven’t talked besides the family necessities, he just bought me a punching bag and a bandage. Said I had talent, while he didn’t know who I was at all. He didn’t even try to figure it out. But you know well he had talent, yet he never offered to teach me. And when I chose to do something else, he didn’t ask, just went to find another — not even blood relative, might I add — grandchild to pester about it.”

“Are you angry with him?”

Bongju was generous enough to not sound surprised.

“No. I didn’t know him, Ju. I can’t be angry with someone whom I don’t even know.”

“Is that right?” he mused, standing aside while she opened the office’s creaking door. “I suppose it is. Then you're not upset at Inseo, either?”

Dae didn’t turn on any light, leaving only the grey-white outside brighten the small, musty area. She sat before the packed table, months of backlog watching her just as pityfully as the masses. “No reason to be. It wasn’t her choice to be nearly closer to the old bear than Father. They had something strong in common that no one did, was all.”

And no one could choose with whom they had that connection. Dae realised that long ago, hoping it would ease the yearning to find her own person for it. She pulled the first paper from the pile, remembering how her grandfather’s big eyes saddened when she first decided to join the office rather than the ring. He said she couldn’t be stirred away from anything she sunk her fangs into. The strangeness of the feeling gripped her chest again. She understood his passion, yet they couldn’t share it. A brick heart could not fill another.

Days had gone by like a black and white film, silent and faded on the edges. Dae worked, falling into the repetitive rhythm well. It could have occupied her mind if it wasn’t already full. Shards of moments made her stop in her tracks from time to time; moments with the old bear. Moments she thought she had forgotten. Moments she thought insignificant. The holidays where he recited the first moves he learned in his youth to her Father. The dinners where he never picked at the food, not eating, nor plumping, ever. The family gatherings, where the only topic he could think of was Inseo’s accomplishments, told to Dae with unending pride.

A skinny man, like every thin branch on the leafless trees. A white beard and ponytail, like the early morning wisps on the horizon. He became a ghost of her childhood, following around in corners Dae wasn’t aware of in a long time. There was no talking, yet there was always a thank you when she forced a conversation. There were no questions, yet there was always a praise when he caught her practising. There was sadness in not knowing her doing it. There was resentment in longing for a question from him. She worked, and remembered. She contemplated, and wondered: what to mourn if they had no connection at all? Could she truly lose the absence of someone? She didn’t know, so she continued working and remembering, until one day, it was time to empty his apartment.

Dae volunteered, finding it hard not to.

The grey horizon clung to that day, too. Mist tumbled within stone buildings and warm bodies in a stuffed, but somehow desolate city. It always calmed Dae, for reasons she couldn’t truly grasp. Her grandfather kept calling her Grey after Father told him that fact. Dae didn’t mind the sound of it.

She stopped before the apartment’s door, realising she never stepped over its threshold. She knew where he lived, but he never invited her in, never let her enter. The stubborn brick of her heart was thrown into a blaze. She pushed back the entrance with force, letting it shut behind.

Grey.

Dae stood in a wholly grey room, with so sparse of things she would have thought no one lived there for a lifetime. Essentials, bookshelves, a punching bag in the middle of the hollow living room, and practice dummies beside it. All the books, bandages on the one coffee table, or the bags’s leather spoke about a thousand usage. Few, easy, barely ever spoiling food filled the joke of a kitchen area.

Dae swallowed, taking the framed portrait of herself as a babe from one of the shelves. It was dated to a few days after her birth. She put it back, and noticed another one on the other case, two years later. That was how it went on, almost every shelf and commode holding a framed version of her, up until her present self. Beside those, there was Inseo, not overruling, but complementing her portraits.

None of his martial accomplishments were displayed like those pictures.

Dae choked on the lump in her throat. Her tears welled up, then warmed her cold cheeks as they fell. It wasn’t sadness, it wasn’t regret. It wasn’t anything like before.

She kneeled beside the coffee table, touching the used, but still sturdy red bandages. She picked it up, and ever so slowly wrapped around her knuckles. There was every drop of stubbornness in those tiny rips on the textile, one she inherited from the very man himself. A connection she yearned to have — and always had, after all.

[rose-riot-johnson]

Hey my Tumblr Peeps😃👍 While have written about a couple fanfics about the reader and character pertaining the niece or nephew and I have written about characters getting the reader pregnant (in a smut fanfic), however I think this time, I really have been thinking about working on a fanfic about a character with the pregnant reader (without the smut), somehow and I might have an idea of who to write about in a fanfic pertaining the pregnant reader (strictly, aside from the character)... While I have written about him a couple times, this will my 1st time writing a fanfic about character and (strictly) the pregnant reader...

*Note; this fanfic contains 1 or more long paragraphs and possibly plenty of pronouns in 1 or more paragraphs in this fanfic😅

🧸Cute🧸(Sajin Komamura x afab (assigned female at birth) Female or They/Them Reader)

Genres: Pregnancy comfort (Warning⚠️: Manga spoiler(s))

After the war between the Gotei 13 and the Quincies ended, not only Sajin Komamura retired as the captain from squad 7, you also retired as a member of squad 4, to take care of your husband, Sajin and to also makesure nothing bad happens to him, as well, considering he will be living in a cave, which you decided to live with him in. He felt bad that you decided to live in the cave with him, however you assured him that you wanted to live there with him. You mainly care about that he's safe, he's tooken cared of, and his well-being.

You have been going to the soul society, atleast a couple times of week to provide Sajin with food, water, clothing (if needed by him), etc... He pretty much insisted that you needed to provide for yourself too, however you keep giving him reassurance that you do provide for yourself. He will see the proof you're taking care of yourself atleast once in a while. Sadly, he does feel bad you haven't been letting help you nor letting him provide for you, since you and Sajin started living in the cave together.

Sajin Komamura appreciates everything you have been doing and all, however a couple months later he kind of has a suspicion that you have been hiding something, even though he knows what you have been hiding atleast something. You have been acting strange, as of late. He pretty much noticed sign that he sensed that about you.

Whenever you noticed he's awake, you used your own blankets to literally cover stuff up with. One night he while he was having a hard time sleeping, while he wasn't fully awake, he'd glanced you knitting or sewing some form of clothing or plushie, then he went back to sleep, before you take focus off whatever your knitting or sewing, then look at him for before proceeding to continue what you were doing, then after you got done you go to cuddle with him. He has been watching you being cautious on what you were eating, as he realized some of the food you usually eat, you haven't been eating, which ofcourse he knows what you're have been eating. That's when he really worried that you have been hiding something from him

So one day you told him you were going to "the world of the living", to see about getting a few things you and Sajin might need, which you never told him what you were needing to get. After you left to go to "the world of the living", Sajin decided to search the your shared cave with him to see, if he can find out what you've been hiding. As he started to search around the cave to see what you've been hiding from him, he mumbled to himself, " What could (afab (Female or They/Them) Reader Name), possibly hide from me, that (she/they) don't want me to know? It's not like I'm not gonna ever talk to (her/them) for whatever is being hidden from me.".

Sajin then noticed a pair of tiny handmade boots laying around near the blankets you were hiding stuff underneath. He smiled, as he found these shoes cute, then he said to himself, "Okay... Let's see what's underneath all those blankets, whatever you're hiding underneath them!", as he proceeded to raise the blankets up to see what you could be hiding underneath them. Once the blankets were pulled off the stuff you could be hiding, he was surprised he discovered some more tiny hands shoes, plenty of really small clothing, some plushies, small blankets, and tiny hats. He thought they're cute, however this just doesn't make sense to him on if this is what you have been hiding all along, why you are hiding all this stuff from him, and what else you could be hiding. He is happy you made all this cutsy stuff and all, however he's just as much in a confused state, as he is in a smiling state, as well.

After you came back inside the cave you share with Sajin from "the world of the living", you were carrying some stuff (you bought from somes stores from world of the living) you have noticed that the stuff you were hiding were no longer covered with blankets, then you noticed Sajin in a blushing, confused, and smiling expression as he was slowly walking towards you, then proceeded to put his arms around you, as he calmly explained, "I know you're hiding something from me, my precious (afab (Female or They/Them) Reader Name). Why all these small clothes, tiny shoes, small blankets, tiny hats, and these adorable plushies here? Any why did you bring all of this stuff here? It's cute you got all of this stuff, especially these cute items and these cute unique tiny chairs here, however I do want you to hide these things from me.". You started to lightly sobbed, the moment you realized he found out. He heard you sob, then put both hands on your shoulders to look at you, as he said, "It's alright, (afab (Female or They/Them) Reader Name). I promise I'm not mad at you about the stuff you brought here. I promise I'm not mad about the stuff you handmade. These are cute. I just have been worrying that you've been hiding stuff, since I first noticed you not eating some of the foods you usually eat. I really have been frightened that you were ashamed of yourself after you stayed away from some of your usual foods, so I thought you going to the world of the living would be good opportunity to see, if you were doing something that you would be unaware of the dangers about anything particular, especially certain meds, then I found cute tiny shoes near the blankets you were hiding the stuff underneath, which I wanted to check and see, then I accidentally completely pulled the blanket off the stuff, to only find more cute stuff, which had got me in joy and confused at the same time.". You started to shake, still worried what he could do, if he was to find out anything else you could be hiding. He then happily (in a confused way) continued, "Now, this also makes me wonder what else you could be hiding from me, (afab (Female or They/Them Reader Name)? All of this stuff makes me more curious about you... You just have been acting so mysterious, in recent months...", as he then proceeded take one of his hands off one of your shoulders to touch your stomach, as you panicked in fear as you confessed, "Okay, Sajin! I admit it! I'm pregnant!", then you started to shake more, as you began to hug him, as you began to cry on his left shoulder.

Sajin was really surprised that it was your pregnancy that you were hiding from him all along. While he was really proud of your pregnancy, he also feels sad that you were frightened from him mentioning to you about hiding something and you somehow felt obligated to hide your pregnancy. He really felt like a proud husband and a proud father.

The next thing Sajin did was hug you into a hold, as he decided to pet you, then said, "There, there, (afab (Female or They/Them Reader)... There's nothing to be ashamed of, not even any of our children... If you don't mind me asking... Why did you hide your pregnancy, my precious?". You answered, "Well, Sajin... I knew you opened up about the fact you were discriminated based on your appearance when you were really young, so I was worried you would be afraid this would happen to any children we end up having together... And I was worried you wouldn't let me leave the cave nor let me take care of any chores nor anything else that needed to be done, but if you were to find out... I was also worried you'd be upset, if you were to find out that I will having your babies...". He was shocked about these reasons you told him, which made him had to think about what to tell you.

Sajin then assured you, as he then said, "I assure you, my precious (afab (Female or They/Them) Reader), despite of the discrimination that happened in my past, pertaining my appearance, I'm not worried about our children going through, the same thing I've been through, and even if any children we have do go through being discriminated based on their appearance, I will guide them and tell them that their appearance is nothing to be ashamed of... Times have changed, (afab (Female or They/Them) Reader Name)... And I still would have let you leave the cave, if you needed to... While also let you take care of the chores... Just be careful and ask for help, especially if you need help with anything, please...", as he then smiled at you, while still hugging and petting you. He then happily, continued, "I also have a good feeling you will be a good (mother or parent) for our child or children, (afab (Female or They/Them) Reader Name)...". You were then relieved by his assurance, comfort, truth when his true colors on how he truly feels about having children with you and your pregnancy.

After that day Sajin found you were pregnant, both you and Sajin have became, so much happier than before, especially in your relationship with him. Your relationship with Sajin is a good relationship, however from Sajin knowing about your pregnancy, it actually helped your relationship with him grow stronger, for some reason. However Sajin will get a little bit protective over you and any children you're pregnant with. Your life with Sajin still was much better, eversince then.

🧸The End🧸

I hope this fanfic warms your heart, my Tumblr Peeps😃👍To be honest this fanfic did take me a while to work on, however this pregnancy fanfic definitely makes me smile, whenever I was working on it and even looking at it🧸I just have been really excited to work on a fanfic that involves, pregnancy comfort, especially this particular fanfic I had tons of fun writing😁👍I hope this fanfic makes your day and/or night my Tumblr Peeps🧸😁👍

[thegreenmeridian]

Went down a genealogy rabbit hole again (as much as you can without paying for a subscription to a website at least) and I THINK the reason I couldn’t find birth records for a big chunk of my mum’s side of the family is that at some point, they anglicised their name to what I know it as. And the original wasn’t something I’d easily connect to their current name without context. Like it’s not the usual spelling variations you get in old records, like vowel swaps and the like, it’s a proper anglicisation from something foreign to something British sounding.

The reason I think it’s the right name is that I went diving for records on a Jewish genealogy website specifically and it lets you search by phonetically similar, and this one name kept popping up in every records search. Usually with an address right near where my lot are from.

And there’s a few popping up that are like… idk, hard to explain without semi doxing myself but I think I’m onto something here.

And if I’m right, I think I might be Sephardic? I always just presumed Ashkenazi but yeah, if these people are my people, they’re buried in a Sephardic cemetery.

[cricketwrites]

Thank you so much ;o;

mmmmMMMM I LOVE THIS. Good taste. SAY LESS >:3

(Also I went a little wild with this one, and got really chaotic LOL)

GIF by kin-sama

Sanji:

-Sanji would probably struggle a bit with his internal emotions

-I hate to say this, but gender and sex (as in gender assigned at birth) does change things a bit for him, at least at first

-Eventually he does some thinking and realizes that he’s a dolt and he would love you no matter what, he just loves YOU

-We stan a self aware king

-Now that he’s gotten over that, his focus is on planning a perfect confession

-Like roses, candles, a nice meal, it's a whole event

-The other Strawhats try to help make this perfect for Sanji

-Except for Luffy, who didn’t get it, and Zoro, who couldn’t care less LOL

-Luffy must be kept away from the nice food

-He will eat it and he will feel no remorse

-NOW ONTO THE ACTUAL DAY OF THE EVENT

-Sanji is dying inside

-He is terrified but very excited

-He sets everything together, Usopp helps keep Luffy distracted, Nami and Robin hang around just in case

-Zoro is in the Crow’s Nest sleeping, completely unbothered. Literally could not care less

-Now, Sanji goes to find you, it’s going well

-He’s being smooth like butter (like criminal undercover IM SORRY I HAD TO-)

-Spending some quality time together, maybe taking a little longer than he intended to

-You two were having fun talking!

-He leads you into the beautifully decorated galley (aka ship kitchen/eating area)

-Aaaaand the food is gone.

-Nothing left.

-Sanji.exe has stopped working.

-”WHAT HAPPENED ;O;”

Sanji ^

-It was Luffy. He got bored faster than usual and ended up eating the food.

-You couldn’t help but laugh, he tried so hard.

-Give him a hug and tell him it’s okay

-He breaks down and ends up rambling about how he wanted this to be perfect because he wanted to show you that despite his biases he wants to be the best man he can for you and how he loves you so much and-

-He freezes.

-THIS WAS NOT HOW THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO GO.

-You kiss his cheek and tell him that it’s okay, you love him too. 

-He cries a little Im not gonna lie.

-You and Sanji are a power couple.

-Things Sanji likes about you? Everything.

-He can’t simply name one thing because he fell in love with you as a whole, not just because of one trait

-Despite his misgivings, he is very devoted and very sweet

-If someone misgenders you (and youre okay with it, of course!) he will gently correct them once or twice

-More than twice, he tends to get annoyed and think it’s intentional

Sabo under the cut!

GIF by legitimateluffy

Sabo:

-Sabo, my beloved.

-He tends to notice people who stick out from a crowd

-Someone who dresses unique, someone who stands out because they’re so outgoing, or the opposite, someone who sticks out because they’re so quiet

-This doesn’t mean he won’t notice you, just that those are the people his eyes tend to drift to!

-I mean look at his brother. Ace walks around shirtless with a cowboy hat and shorts, with his really dorky ASCE tattoo.

-Listen I LOVE Ace but I can’t take his tattoo seriously

-Personality wise, he loves when people who have strong beliefs and adamantly defend them

-His name isnt Sabo the Revolutionary for no reason

-He doesnt mind if you’re loud or quiet, he can appreciate and love both

-You being nonbinary is interesting to him!

-He knows that there are people who come from all walks of life, so he really enjoys getting to know you!

-If someone misgenders you by accident, he will either rely on you to handle it or he will gently correct them himself. It depends on what you are OK with.

-He can be very protective though, he worries about you a lot

-Sabo is traumatized so he definitely can be a worrier

-To put it lightly

-He is vastly different from Sanji, so he comes to the realization that he loves you a LOT faster

-Less soul searching more simping

-He takes you to a very pretty place, sets out like a small picnic or something

-Something meaningful yet quick, since he tends to be busy and may need to leave right away

-But he still wants it to be meaningful and memorable

-When you accept, he just goes ._. for a minute

-He didn’t expect you to actually reciprocate

-What was he expecting?

-He didn’t think that far ahead!

-He loves you so so much and is so happy that he can be with you

I wasn't planning on posting something else today, but I absolutely HAD to do this, it's so cute and fun. I hope you enjoy!! Ask Box: Open! ~Cricket <3

[raggedclanlifegen]

Moon 4 - Ceremonies and Trouble

Minkstar called for a clan meeting. The she-cat looked much stronger this moon, seemingly having recovered from giving birth and her grief. Even Shinekit could notice a difference in her eyes.

"RaggedClan, gather around the waste for a clan meeting!" Her call echoed around the clearing, and the clan filled in the space in front of her.

"Today, we name a new apprentice and a new warrior. First, Asterkit, please step forward."

Looking delighted, Asterkit stepped forward.

"Asterkit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Asterpaw. Your mentor will be Curlthorn. I hope Curlthorn will pass down all they know on to you." Minkstar touched her nose to Asterpaw's head.

"Curlthorn, you are ready to take on an apprentice. You have shown yourself to be a dedicated member of RaggedClan. You will be the mentor of Asterpaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to Asterpaw." Minkstar summoned Curlthorn forward.

"It is my honor to." Curlthorn proudly walked up to Asterpaw and touched noses with the young tom.

The crowd erupted into cheers for Asterpaw, with Shinekit, Stemkit, and Hornetstem being the loudest.

"Asterpaw! Asterpaw!" The clan called out. Asterpaw ducked his head and licked his chest fur in embarrassment before returning to the crowd with Curlthorn.

Hornetstem rushed over and covered him with nuzzles. "Oh my baby is all grown up!" He purred and Asterpaw swatted him away.

"Now to welcome our newest warrior. Though she is only 11 moons, I think she is more than ready." Minkstar smiled down at Silkpaw who padded forward, Chivefuzz not far behind her. "I, Minkstar, leader of RaggedClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as a warrior in their turn." She paused and took a breath. "Silkpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do." Silkpaw nodded.

Minkstar turned to Chivefuzz. "Chivefuzz, has your apprentice, Silkpaw, learned the skills of a warrior? Does she understand the importance of the warrior code?"

"She has." Chivefuzz dipped her head.

Minkstar smiled. "Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Silkpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Silkdance. StarClan honors your willingness to help your clanmates and your bravery, and we welcome you as a full warrior of RaggedClan."

Silkdance stepped forward and licked Minkstar's shoulder as Minkstar rested her chin on Silkdance's head. Once the two stepped away from each other, the clan erupted into cheers. "Silkdance! Silkdance!"

Shinekit watched Silkdance and Asterpaw with wonder and a twinge of jealousy. She hoped she could be half the cat Silkdance had proven herself to be, and she couldn't wait to become an apprentice.

As the clan dispersed and Silkdance went to begin her silent vigil, Asterpaw wandered over to Shinekit. "I'm so excited! Curlthorn says we're going out tomorrow so I can see the territory! But I'm kinda nervous...Curlthorn's a little scary." He admitted.

Shinekit snickered. "Oh come on Asterpaw, don't be a scaredy-mouse! I don't think Curlthorn's going to eat you." She teased.

Asterpaw rolled his eyes. "Yeah yeah." He swatted at her before heading to the apprentices den. He'd likely take Silkdance's old nest while the others worked on making Silkdance a new nest that she could go to after her vigil.

"Snowyfeather, can me and Breezekit please play outside camp? We won't go far, I promise! We just want to see if we can find some trinkets for our nests!" Shinekit begged her father with wide eyes.

Snowyfeather sighed, looking defeated. "Very well. But seriously, don't go far. I don't want to have to send out a search party for you two." He licked the two kits heads before they scampered off.

"This is gonna be awesome!" Shinekit beamed.

"Yeah, I guess so...but shouldn't we have asked Pondkit to come too?" Breezekit tilted his head.

"No way! Pondkit has been a big meanie! Plus, Stemkit needs someone to keep her company." Shinekit grinned as she padded up to a strange pool only a few fox-lengths from camp. She couldn't smell any of her clanmates' scents around here. How could no-cat have found this? She raised a brow.

"What is it?" Breezekit peered over her shoulder.

"Some kind of deep pool." She frowned and sniffed the water, recoiling slightly from the smell. "It stinks! How has no cat found this thing?" She glanced back at Breezekit.

"Really? Can I see?" He asked, stepped forward.

"No!" Shinekit shook her head. "It could be dangerous...let's get out of here and find something to take back."

Breezekit frowned. "Aww..." He pouted. "Should we tell some cat about this?"

Shinekit looked thoughtful. "No." She shook her head. This place could be special! And I'll be the first cat to have found it! "This will be our secret, got it?"

Breezekit nodded. "If you say so."

The two kits found their own trinkets and padded back into camp, only to be met by Minkstar.

"Where were you two?" She hissed at her kits, glaring down at them.

"Out collecting trinkets." Shinekit said, narrowing her eyes.

"Only you two? With no grown cat?" Minkstar scowled.

"Snowyfeather said we could!" Breezekit squeaked from behind Shinekit, looking up challengingly at Minkstar.

"Oh?" Minkstar raised a brow, fury still burning in her eyes. "Good to know." She turned around and left a blaze of fury in her paw steps as she went to hunt down her mate.

"Uh oh..." Muttered Breezekit.

"Shinekit, can you go take Stemkit this wet moss? She had another seizure this morning and Bitternlightning wants someone to keep her company while she's out picking herbs." Hornetstem dropped the sopping wet moss in front of Shinekit.

"Of course!" Shinekit purred and picked up the moss, padding off happily to the healers den.

"Shinekit!" Stemkit greeted her with a purr. "Is that moss for me? I'm soooo thirsty." Stemkit grinned.

"It is!" Shinekit said after setting down the moss in front of the she-kit who lapped at it gratefully.

After a few moments of Stemkit drinking, she finally gave a satisfied lick of her lips and looked up at Shinekit. "Come sit beside me. I've been dying to talk to someone all day."

Shinekit grinned and settled down beside Stemkit and the two chatted for some time.

"I'm bummed out that I missed the sunset tonight. I've been watching them every night for a moon." Stemkit sighed. "Was it pretty?"

Shinekit nodded. "It was, but I'm sure there will be prettier. As soon as you're out of here, I'll watch all the sunsets with you!" Shinekit promised with a grin.

Stemkit smiled and the two talked for some time more, even after Bitternlightning had returned and settled down into her own nest. Before long, Stemkit yawned. "Well, I think I'm about worn out for the day." She gave Shinekit a sleepy grin.

"Good night, Stemkit." Shinekit licked her friend's head and padded out into the clearing. The cold night hair ruffled her fur, causing her to fluff up.

"It was an ugly thing. And it stank." Shinekit perked her ears as she heard Minkstar's hushed voice. Slinking quietly towards it, she saw Minkstar sitting across from Snowyfeather who was nodding.

"It stank when I came across it, too. That dog hasn't gotten any closer though, has it?" Snowyfeather raised a brow.

Minkstar shook her head. "No. It seemed to be going in the same path as your patrol reported. I want you to have patrols out there to make sure it isn't coming any closer to camp."

Snowyfeather nodded. "Of course. I'll organize one in the morning." Snowyfeather got to his paws. "Good night." He turned away from Minkstar who headed to her den.

Stay still and he won't see you, Shinekit! Shinekit froze and held her breath as Snowyfeather padded past her. He was oblivious to her presence and padded off towards the warriors den. Sighing in relief, Shinekit made a not-so-graceful run for the nursery.

"The rabbit was huge!" Asterpaw motioned with her paws. "And I had almost gotten it, too! It didn't know I was there until the last second when the wind changed and boom!" He widened his eyes. "It dashed off as I leaped for it." He shook his head regretfully.

"Well I'm sure you'll find another rabbit one day." Shinekit smiled. "There seems to be plenty from what I've heard Chivefuzz say."

"Yes, there are plenty. Though I couldn't help but notice that you left out the part where you tripped on a rock as you ran after it." Curlthorn came up behind Asterpaw, teasing him light-heartedly.

Asterpaw's looked embarrassed. "Well, it wasn't really an important detail..." He muttered.

"Don't sweat it, kid. I lost plenty of prey when I was an apprentice. Plus, you've been an apprentice for barely a moon. There's plenty of time to catch more prey." Curlthorn assured him, giving him a light nudge.

That seemed to brighten him up as he continued to tell Shinekit about his other adventures of the day. Whether they were entirely true, she was unsure. Curlthorn made no other comments but instead listened to the rest of Asterpaw's ramblings with a kind smile.

[ollie-olliebaby]

"Hello? This is Ollie!" Their voice was chipper as they answered the phone that aftertnoon. Balancing a box of files and a freshly made beverage in their grasp, they almost didn't catch the name that was being said on the other line.

"Uh..hello, my name is Clifton Malo. I'm looking for an Olivia Malo?"

Stopping dead in their tracks, it took them a moment to process what was being said. They hadn't heard their birth name in years. Dropping the box sending its contents scattering across the apartment floor, their drink going with it; Ollie's heart dropped.

"Hello? Hello?" The voice said again. "...please don't hang up." They begged.

"It's...uh....my name is Ollie Malo...can I help you with something?" They asked, the weariness of someone twice their age very evident.

"Oh, uh sorry, Ollie. I uh....jesus how do I say this.." He mumbled. "My name is Clifton...and I uh, well if what I've found to be correct.." There was a moment of poignent silence. Like he was trying to find the best way to break this news.

"I'm your father."

Stumbling back a bit into the nearst hard surface, in this case their hallway wall, Ollie couldn't bring themselves to speak. Frankly all they wanted to do was chuck their phone across the room and pretend it had never happened. But, they couldn't do that, could they? They still had an option to hang up.

"How did you find this number?" They asked after silence on both of their ends. Ollie was already starting to build up the needed walls to protect their heart. If anything, this wouldn't be a reapeat of what happened with their mother.

"I uh, well I've been searching for your moth-...well for Raina. For decades now, and when I finally hit a break through a few years ago she addmitted, albeit very reluctantly, that she had a child. And that the child was mine. Seems we both had the same intention. She mentioned meeting you and how that went."

The tears were starting to sting the back of their eyes. It was taking everything in them not to just let the flood gates open up. "Okay....I do-don't...what do you.." Words were hard. Thinking was hard.

This was hard.

Clifton let out a sigh, running his fingers through his salt and peppered hair. "I know...this is a lot to ask of you. This is a lot for anyone to go through. But, I would like to meet you. I want to explain myself? If that would help anything. I promise you if I had known you were in this world, I wouldn't have let her give you up."

"Please...can we meet? Anywhere that you are comfortable, I just...I'd like a chance. If you are willing to give me just once chance and then if you never want to see me again, I unders-" Clifton was starting to babble a little bit. A trait Ollie must have picked up from them.

"Enchanted Rose Cafe. Thirty minutes." And with that statement they hung up the phone.

Ollie wanted nothing more than in that moment to sink into the baseboards of that hallway floor. To let the all of the knots and cracks in the wood stain to swallow them up and make them disapper. But this was what they wanted, right? To find their family.

It took another ten or so minutes for OIlie to peel themselves off the chestnut polish on the ground and get ready to leave.

They tried their hardest to not think too hard as they went down to the cafe. "I wonder what he looks like? Is he old? Does have grey hair?I wonder if he chews at his nails like I do." Too many thoughts were spinning through their brain as they came up to the door. About to grab the handle, a tember voice stopped them.

"Ollie!" Clifton called out from his spot at one of the outside tables.

There he was. Standing in all is 6'2 glory. Clifton Malo.

Ollie's Father.

Ollie hated how much they looked like their parents. They could see it when they had met their mother, they could see it even more now meeting Clifton.

"Hi.." They said gently. Their usual bubbly personality locked and protected behind the wall they had newly constructed. Unsure of where to take things now. "Please, come sit." He said gesturing over toward a table that already had one of their favorite drinks sitting there.

"I uh wasn't sure what you liked, but someone that worked here seemed to know you, so they made this." Taking a seat, he waited patiently for Ollie to join him and when they finally did, a sort of relaztion settled into his shoulders.

"So...what did you want?" Ollie asked, wanting to get right to the point.

"A chance." He replied. "A chance to say that I'm sorry for what you have been through. To try and make up for lost time? I know it's probably a lost cause. So much time has been lost and I know I am partially at faul-"

"It's not your fault you didn't know about me." Ollie stepped in. "...it was my mo-...it was Raina's fault." Picking at the skin around their nails, Ollie couldn't bring themselves to meet his gaze quite yet. "You say that if you had known about me, you would have wanted me?" They questioned.

Clifton nodded his head. "If there is one thing I've always wanted, it was kids. I always wanted to have a family. I thought I would have had that with Raina, despite her having children from a previous relationship, I was ready to take on that responsiblity."

"How noble of you." Ollie almost sneered.

Licking at his lips, Clifton let out another sigh. "I'm sorry. I don't know what I can say outside of that. Just know that I did want you. I do want you, Ollie. If you'd give me the chance, I'd like to get to know you more. Introduce you to family. You've got aunts, uncles, cousins and a very lovely set of grandparents that want to meet you, whenever you are ready."

Ollie swallowed hard, there eyes glazed over with fresh tears. Again, it was something they had always wanted. To have a family of their own. One that looked like them, shared stories of family members long since gone. With the cheesy nicknames and the family love that just about every other family had.

"And what if I'm never ready? What if I've found a family that loves me and cares for me. Who calls me on my birthdays and invites me out for holidays. Who lets me call them at 2am because I had a bad day and I needed to talk to someone. What if I have that and I don't want anything to do with you?" There was a bit of venom in their words. Which was rightly justified. Clifton new that, which was why he took it in stride.

"Then we will part ways after today, and I won't try and contact you." Watching him reach into his pocket, he pulled out a little business card. "This is my information. My personal cell phone, address and email. If...if you ever want to know more, I am ready to tell you anything."

"I've spent years! Searching for people who were mine. For people that were my blood. I understand that Raina fucked us both over, but you can't just waltz in here thinking things are going to be right as rain now." Ollie could feel themselves getting a little hysterical. "I've always wanted a father." They said after a brief pause to reflect. "Someone who would protect me..from everything in the world. To protect me from myself when the days got to rough. But, I didn't get that. I had to learn to protect myself. No thanks to you or Raina."

The tears had started to flow at this point, with little sign of stopping. Clifton picked up a napkain, reaching it out to them Ollie hissed and recolied. "I don't want anything from you." They murmured, finally meeting his eyes. "Right now, I don't want anything from you. You may have aided in my birth, but you are not my father." Getting up from the table, Ollie watched as the light in Clifton's eyes seemed to dim. He had been hoping for this moment as much as they had.

Eyes glancing down again to the business card, they picked it up off the table. Turning it over a few times in their grip, Ollie let out a shaky breath. "This....today was a mistake. I thought I would be ready...but I'm not."

"So...maybe one day?" Clifton ventured, a tinge of hope in his voice.

"Maybe." Ollie replied as they backed away.

"Just not today."

And with that, Ollie turned and left. Leaving a sad, yet hopeful Clifton in the dust as they ran back home.

[fantasyroyalfamily]

Mulan: The Great Warrior and Savior of Komomajo

Once upon a time, in the land of Komomajo, lived a young maiden named Mulan. She was a strong and stubborn child. Her father strives to find her a proper suitor, but she denies their request. She thought she could be more than a wife but a great warrior. Her father and Mulan were arguing when she overheard a knock at the door. Her father went to the door, and there appeared a soldier.

The soldier announced himself and asked everyone's firstborn son to enter the battle with Prince Hayate, the Emperor's son. There have been rumors that the Emperor has been doing wrong to his people and selling some of his people to neighboring kingdoms. So, the Prince and his mother, the king's concubine, united the Kingdom to fight against the evil Emperor.

The soldier left, and Mulan's father prepared to be in the Prince's army, but Mulan, in the middle of the night, took her father's armor, left a letter behind, and took her father's place.

When she arrived at the camp, Mulan met with Prince Hayate and his mother. There, they made their preparation, and Mulan trained with the greatest warriors. She made good friends with a werewolf/elven man named Xian.

At the palace, the Emperor and his advisors prepare for defense against his son and his son's mother, unaware that the true enemy lies in the palace. After the meeting, his daughter, Luna attempted to convince to stop this war against her brother, but he did not listen. So when Luna left her father she heard a yell and found her father dead, so she ran from the palace for safety.

A few days later, Mulan grew to be a strong warrior with the help of her friend Xian. However, no one knew that Mulan was a woman. She was scared since Women were not allowed to become soldiers but were meant to be more of the home.

During one of the training sessions, the camp was attacked by a Wizard, leading to many casualties. He yelled for Mulan, but everyone looked confused since Mulan disguised herself by calling herself Li Shang.

Mulan was distraught because she did not want Xian to know the truth. So the wizard threatened the people and decided to kill the Prince in his mother in front of everyone. Mulan had no choice but decided to protect everyone by showing herself. She shouted, "I am Mulan. The one you're looking for."

Mulan came with the Wizard to the palace. Mulan, confused, asked, "Where is the Emperor?"

A woman emerged and sat on the throne. She announced herself as Ling Wu, the Emperor's Concubine and an old relative of the Wu royal family.

Mulan was still confused. "Why am I here?"

Lady Ling shared, "Mulan, I longed to meet you. I am your mother. Your father took you away from me long ago. I have searched for so long."

Mulan, upset, yelled, "You are not my mother."

Mulan was distraught, unable to control her anger. She felt heat coming out of her body.

Ling walked towards Mulan and continued, "I don't know how to explain, but I was unable to age, so you can say I am the great great great aunt of the royal family of Komomajo. When I met your father, I didn't know that I was able to give birth to a child, but then you came, but your father kept you away from me. He was scared that I would corrupt you."

Mulan was curious, "Why find me now?"

Ling responded, "I have been looking for you for a long time. Your father put a magic barrier, making it hard to find you, but when you left his home, it broke the spell and finally found you."

Mulan asks for her father, but Ling confesses that she killed Mulan's father and the emperor so she could be Empress, which Mulan does not want. Mulan sits upset as the heat in her body becomes stronger.

But before Mulan could speak, Ling and her solider heard a battle outside. Shana and Xian were able to gather troops and take over the palace.

Mulan and her mother, Ling, started to battle, and Mulan had the upper hand when strong power exploded from her due to her anger and loss. However, Mulan could not hurt her mother, so she instead put a spell on her to be a slave to her family.

Ultimately, Xian does not care that Mulan is a female; they married and had three children.

However, Mulan decided to bring peace to Komomajo by arranging marriage between her daughter, Chun Hua Wu, and Lady Shana's son, Prince Ren Wu (Prince Hayate son) to unite the bloodline.

Mulan had two sons, Jaw Long and Li Shang, who was arranged to be married to the daughters (Channary and Dara) of Chief Raya of the Heart Tribe (Raya and the Last Dragon Movie) from a neighboring land.

To be continue....

(NOTE: A lot of the stories are Disney inspired, brother grim inspired, and my own mix and stories for my Fantasy Royal Family Series. Thank You).

Kingdom name Komomajo (Sims World: Mt. Komorebi).

[hopefullysomewhere]

Ghost story

His bicycle comes to a sudden halt. He sighs. It's clear I slowed him down. Far behind, he doesn't mind that there's not much air. He says to me, "Nini, you're slow.", as though he's mad at me. One day, he'll know that he embodies this concept: adventure. Because he is whole. As opposed to me. I grasp his steps: to take some of his fervor, to take some of his density. I whisper to myself: ''You are nothing''. My dirty hair gathers above my skull. Then, they soar. I love it when they hit my candy-pink cheeks. He goes further into the forest, and I stay there, watching his muscles move like a ghost hardened in a dream.

I am one of those who freeze because I know what separate from the dead. What is life, what isn't, Vic doesn't know anything about that.

But he finally settles. With the tip of his foot, he shapes the soil into small circles. His breathing intensifies as if preparing to say something.

But he doesn't speak; he speaks little. Yet, he doesn't know how to disappear into silence. The resin clogs our pores, and we settle on rocks speckled with lichen. It's summer in the north. We place the food on our laps and explore the dry meals with our crooked fingers. In the sky, I search for a pink cloud to go to. He looks under his feet, head lowered in boredom, and says to me:

-You say we can see it from here, but I don't see it.

-Sometimes, when you try too hard to see it, it moves, I say. You have to act as if, as if you were looking for something else, like a salamander, a precious stone, Ossie's sock, anything that works differently, from another order. He spits a glob that tangles with the yellow grass, seems annoyed to have succumbed to following me.

''Sounds like another one of your lies. ''

Then silence again.

No need to justify myself. Vic will convince himself that the abandoned house doesn't exist until a wrinkle of suspicion grows near his right eyebrow. He thought the same about Marie la Sanglante's story. ''It's true, I swear on Ossie's head'', I told him, and he didn't believe it, and I repeated that it was true, and then he insisted until the truth exploded when poor Ossie died of diphtheria after, just for fun, we uttered the name of the bloody virgin in the mirror. He picked up his sister's torn nails in the gray parking lot. He wondered if lies had the power to kill someone. Peonies rose in the asphalt cracks. No one walked in the parking lot after the little one's death. It was said that her ghost undulated above the vacant lot, a kind of rhythmic dance to the flowers' growth. This time, it's the same. I really saw the house. I was inside. Glass shards bulged the windows, and baby cries stained the walls. My legs lifted towards the door like two different beings; my hand pounded on an ice wall until it resonated in the center of the body, a point in the middle of the stomach, where I would want Vic to touch me, where I would want him to dig a hole to deposit kisses. Slowly falling from his lips, small nits would resist, clinging to the ribs. Thus, wings would sprout from the stomach like a volcano, a lepidopteran from the front of the body, swinging, holding onto ocelli that imitate cat eyes. From his touch, I would become a fairy elytra, a cluster worm, the poison of desire. Under inverted nights, I would increasingly seek to blend into other skins. In the chrysalis, the locks would yield, causing the unveiling of hidden things. I tell Vic:

''In the center of the house, that's where you can find Ossie. There's a ladder, and if you climb it, you'll reach where matter can't escape, the place before birth where Ossie went. She will arrive from an unrecognizable horizon. Eat a peony just before. I turn off the light sources for you. In total darkness, you can open your eyes. You will see all the colors encountered with closed eyes. Only there will Ossie's radiation be accessible to touch.''

His face brightens for the first time. He almost smiles and gently pushes me off my bicycle to tighten a bolt. Now we roll at the same speed. The visions of penetrating trees resemble each other. We go in circles. Vic points to a flat ground, protected by bent firs. He would like to sleep there. I go to fetch some small wood. A fire rises between our two faces, and intoxication sets in. On all fours, I approach, rocks under palms, under feet, and ask if he can hold me. He sweeps the sky, gathers the stars, and does it. We sleep a light sleep, punctuated by shadows of monsters in the eyelids of a dying fire. Vic kisses me in the dream: soft, supple. The ground yields to the comfort of lips. In the morning, Vic resumes his usual indifference while eating boiled eggs. He doesn't ask: why aren't you eating. He doesn't ask: do you want one of my eggs. When we resume the trails, I stay behind, enveloped in sadness like a labyrinth, amazed to see real tears cross mud puddles. The rain accompanies.

I was taught that time here aligns with energy, operates to the rhythm of the water cycle. In hyperspace, cells decline more than elsewhere, evaporate into stratus. I fear our water bodies. Threatened with dissolution, I follow the New World porcupine, the myopic, the solitary one, who escapes vision before being inscribed in memory.

The bikes are left at the foot of a mountain from which Vic hopes to locate the abandoned house. The climb is so steep that you have to cling to the roots to avoid tumbling. After a few hours, the slope levels out. On the plateau, the grass appears surprisingly green, lustrous fruits hang abundantly, and I devour an apple. Children's laughter fills the air. Ossie's little voice sings: Oh, you who are my friend You can see well where I live Oh, you who survive me You can see well from where I cry

Hearing Ossie makes Vic very agitated.

''She is over there'', I said.

He goes back, rushes down the hill; no matter how hard I run after him, I struggle to keep up. I fall several times and decide to let myself roll down with stiff arms along my body.

There it is, the house. In front, a free-standing sculpture of Marie la Sanglante. The infanticidal mother in front of the mirror decomposes Vic's face. Lost inside its forms, he learns fear. He thinks she resembles me. I tell him:

-Let's go inside. It's dangerous to stay in front of the sculpture for too long. Tell me she didn't talk to you. He avoids my gaze and replies into emptiness:

-No, no!

We take the ladder. On the second level, Ossie sings louder and large black winds rise to surround us. Each gust seems to carry a face. Vic says something is crushing him to the ground. He breathes poorly, very scared. I tell him: ''now you are in this darkness that reproduces colors. You can open your eyes.''

His body drifts into a close-death; I tell him to trust. Amethyst stones carve into the dense matter, and I tell him to trust. ''Your lungs are breathing even if you don't know it.'' A huge hand rests on his abdomen. It's Ossie's. And I tell him to trust at least his little sister as she compresses his chest. He sees, like me, the sap flows, the microcosms that compose us. He says ''it's beautiful'' and blinks. All his limbs detach into dust. The moon reveals the grains evacuated from him and me. And I tell him to trust because it is through this path that he will access Ossie. Swimming without synapses, without interpretations, without the birth of the world. Blood still circulates. Arteries plunge into the limbo where dead children await judgments like perched choristers.

On branches, he finds comfort, a hope spotted by myself in the filters that separate from life. He borrows a bit of my perforated skin, pushes back the taste of peonies; he says: Nini, not now, but smiles with his full teeth. I usurp his lifted heaviness. It's halfway that we soon finish circulating through the living.

Vic lied. The Bloody One spoke to him as she speaks to everyone. And my voice overlaid with hers.

[sapphic-scylla]

Verity’s Rework. Bit of a long one. I felt like she needed more character, so I rebuilt her from the ground up and I really like how this turned out. So, Enjoy! @ebevkisk

CW: mild horror elements, sexual content

Spark of Power

Cor Varias was the Battleground for Divinity. To believe that the world was only surface deep would be a massive underestimation. Dark and dangerous creatures lay buried, chained, and lost beneath the war-torn shell of its crust. The world knew very little about what lived in the depths of its caves. It knew even less about what lurked in the deep sea.

Lying at the bottom of Kariga’s Trench was a city. Merfolk resided in a state of protection. Zigguridan had been locked inside a prison plane deep within the catacombs of the trench and as the population wandered about their various tasks, unaware of the power that slept below their fins. As Zigguridan slept, he continued to search. His restraints shook as he combed the minds of the people that watched over his cage, searching for a receptive mind worthy of being his acolyte.

“None of these minds suit me. Such lack of potential. Lack of substance. Such wasted population.”

As he continued to scour their minds, the restrains continued to tighten and bind him in place in his prison plane.

“Too much emotion. The world has grown soft. I need a clean slate. These cattle only know apprehension and stress.”

Suddenly, the restraints tied the massive eldritch being in place, causing its rage to subside.

“One day, I will drag myself from this place. The world shall know fear. If only there was a vessel worthy to be my harbinger.”

As several centuries passed, generations of merfolk cycled throughout the city. Governments rose and fell. People began to lose the knowledge of the old lore as the catacombs fell silent.

A few blocks away, a young mergirl was born in complete silence. Not a cry or a sound was uttered. As the nurses checked the baby, concern rose as the silence continued. As they continued to speculate, the decided the best course of action was to bring the baby to the clerics.

“Priest, there is only so many things we can do. What do you suggest?”

“Allow me to assess the child.”

The priest did his usual checks. What he found was startling. Not only did she not cry, but her heartbeat was near stagnant. The best was twice as slow as most merfolk. He cast detect thoughts and the child’s brain was the ideal of serenity. Perfectly functioning, but no fear existed. Only curiosity.

“Unsettling.”

As the child opened their eyes for the first time, the priest recoiled in horror. There were no pupils, there were no irises. All he could see was darkness in those eyes. She could follow his finger, but her eyes were an empty void.

As years past, her parents deserted her and drove her out. She remained an urchin at the age of 4, wandering the streets, calm as she ever was. She could still feel, but fear was absent. Every day presented new terror but she was never phased.

In the deep, a power stirred.

“Finally.”

As decades went by, that same merfolk girl slipped past the guards and into the catacombs. Dark teal hair, void black eyes, and teeth as sharp as razors slid into the deep darkness. This creature for the 25 years of her life had named herself Verity. As she cast Light, a crooked smile crawled across her face. Ever since her birth, she felt a growing sense of attachment to whatever lived in the catacombs and, finally, she was here.

“Well, hello. What a treasure trove of wonderful things.” She had become a trickster and a greedy one at that. Money was a hard commodity to find and the city treated her like an outcast. It didn’t bother her, but it did make it more fun to attempt to seduce the people who tried to harass her. No one fucks with Sorrow’s Succubus.

As she swam and dived deeper and deeper, she felt a presence beckoning further. A warm feeling in her chest was pulling her downward. Her mind was buzzing with not only anticipation, but a violent wave of psychic energy that radiated from just being in the space of this entity.

As she pressed on, she entered a giant ritual chamber. Torches lit the walls despite her being leagues under the water. The psychic waves were now so powerful that Verity’s nose had started to bleed, but the warm feeling was stronger than ever.

A deep bellowing voice seared into her brain. “Who disturbs my rest? Why come you here?”

Verity’s excitement was peaking. “My name is Verity. I felt called here by a higher power. I can only assume you are tied to this.”

She felt a deep abyssal magic dig into her mind, rifling through the shelves and digging into the cabinets. “Ah, the mermaid with the pitch black eyes. I was wondering when you would seek out the source of my gifts.”

Her serrated smile grew. “Your gifts have been well used. May I ask the name of my benefactor?”

Zigguridan scanned once more. “All in good time, Verity. I only ask that you trust in my words and all will be revealed in due time.”

Verity swam to the floor to see a sigil carved into the floor. “What would you ask of me?”

Zigguridan shifted in his restraints. He was tired of his prison, but this act of escape would require a delicate touch. Being the master manipulator that he was and how far his influence could stretch, a high-value target had arisen within the last couple decades that could be of use.

“You are my chosen. Your power is that of the mind and to dig and search and play with the emotions of others is a gift we share. I have a task for you.”

Verity finally had a purpose. These visions, this power, all for a reason. No more hiding, no more stealing. She could finally make something of herself. All she had to do was find the blood cleric. As she swam to the surface, a heartbeat entered her brain and she knew it was who she was looking for.

As Verity closed in on the surface, her speed slowed and she hid behind a rock, searching for her target. Panning her view down the coastline, as she searched, she finally found who she was looking for and her heart stopped. Bright red hair, amazing figure, heterochromic eyes, and a gorgeous singing voice.

What was this? What the fuck? Her heart was thudding in her chest. No, don’t get attached. We needed her.

Verity slowly swam up and poked half her head out of the water.

The cleric looked startled. “Hello.”

Verity raised her eyebrow and the rest of her head exited the water. “Only a hello, mildly jumpy human?” Verity subtly cast Detect Thoughts.

The cleric got down on her knees at the edge of the water. She wasn’t wearing much. Her leather armor was strapped on with skin tight pants, a combat skirt, and a crop top that showed off a fantastic bust. Her mind was winning with very gay thoughts. This would be so easy.

The cleric was trying to search her eyes. “Not jumpy, just wary. Merpeople have a sordid reputation for dragging people into the deep and eating them alive.”

Verity snarled. “I only did that a few times! Gods, I was hungry, ok?”

The cleric reached out and pulled her hand away shortly after. “That’s not my business. Your hair is gorgeous. And so are your eyes.”

Verity’s heart had never beat so fast in her life. And no one liked her eyes. What was with this girl? No, keep your cool, Verity. Just seduce her and drag her under.

Verity gave a sultry look and started to rise from the water, as the cleric slowly backed up. “Well, that’s not the only thing that’s gorgeous.” As she rose from the water, her tail shifted into legs. Now, mermaids never wore clothes. So when Verity walked onto shore, nude butt shaped like a perfect peach, boobs perky yet round, and hips sloped in a healthy manner, the Detect thoughts on the cleric was a wash of flattery and declarations about how absolutely gay she was.

Mermaids could spend a week at most on land before their skin started to dry out and Verity’s grayish skin was no different, but humans touching their skin was a no-no. However, Verity’s heart was craving this girl’s touch. She’d never wanted this before. What was wrong? Who was this girl?

The cleric stood and, with a stutter, spoke. “I-I’m Petra. Nice to see yo-…MEET. Meet you.”

Verity gave a small chuckle and slowly reached for Petra’s hand. “Don’t be scared. It’s ok. I won’t hurt you.” WHAT? Of COURSE you’re going to hurt her. That’s the entire purpose!

Petra stood and guided Verity’s hands to her buttons to undo her top. Verity gave a cute giggle. “Wow, you move fast.” Verity, you need to focus. What are you doing?! You should be tricking her, not the other way around.

As Petra’s shirt came off, Verity’s entire train of thought derailed only to be replaced with the word “boobs” as she was entranced by this girl who, without a second thought, exercised complete trust in Verity, a mermaid who’s plan was to drag her into the deep.

Verity’s entire facade dropped the second Petra pulled her in close with her hands on Verity’s butt. Verity was a couple inches taller, but this girl had a radiance and an energy that couldn’t be explained. At that exact moment, the Detect Thoughts went silent except for one persevering thought.

“Kiss me please.”

All plans Verity had went out the window as this cleric had shown her a trust and a desire and a respect no one else had shown her in her life. And, despite the razor sharp teeth, Verity found herself completely at the mercy of a girl that she had just met.

After several minutes, Petra pulled away. “I-I know we just met, but I feel like I know you. If I created a chamber just for you, water and everything, would you come live with me and allow me to get to know you properly?”

Verity could feel tears welling in her eyes as the years of feeling unwanted and scorned washed over her. Verity pulled Petra down on top of her, laying down on the rocks in the tide pools where they were and kissed her once more, pulling her in tight to feel her heartbeat against her’s and, without even thinking, Verity gave in with the words. “Wherever you go, I will follow.”

In her brain, she heard her patron whisper.

“Goddammit…”

Verity smiled and thought to him. “Don’t worry. I have an idea.”