#it's too much!! half of them aren't even necessary and you can tell!!

[amallory]

Don't Interfere I don't want you as my enemy

PART 2

It would be a lie to say you didn't feel embarrassed after being thrown onto shadows bed as if you weigh nothing. You felt anger and confusion of your sudden kidnapping. You knew this was his way of thanking you for your short interaction with him and maria but you didn't think he would think much on it but his actions says otherwise. However you know the planet is in danger and the only way to stall whatever plan robotnik had in store was to stall time for team sonic or the usual stop them yourself. You always did find it easier solely since it meant moving on your own paste.

However it's unfortunate because your falling asleep and the half human side of your sometimes requires the basic necessity at the wrong time. And the robotic necklace hovering around your neck not helping you stay calm either. So, you decided to swipe at it only for it to enclosure closer to you sensing your desire to tear it off.

Y/n: How is this even possible I knew that man could make machines but not to this extent. Regardless I'll get out I refuse to let this be another punishment of mine. After I...after I sleep...first...damn you hedgehog-

Suddenly all the body aches caught up to you making you drift off to sleep.

Meanwhile

Robotnik: So you made your choice.

Shadow: hmp

Robotnik: Have you grown soft shadow?

Shadow: Never

Robotnik: Perhaps a change of heart then?

Shadow: hmp...I decided to take matters in my own hand and take her here. I managed to secure the necklace around her. It won't hurt her right?

Robotnik: No but it can if she tampers with it too much. She'd only end up hurting herself. Where is she?

Shadow: Safe where she will sleep.

Eggman: You kidnapped the woman? You do realize that other annoying hedgehog and his friends will also come back for her. Why did you bring her in the first place don't tell me your trying to get her on our side you know that's not going to work. So, news flash your weird woman over there has wreck my our robots before and she'll most likely wreck this place!

Shadow: Let them come and I'll deal with her if this happens.

He then turned to walk away back towards you. But unfortunately for you when you sleep it's usually for more then a day which is why you try to avoid it unless you necessary need it. Shadow had return every so often wondering why you haven't woken up yet in the pass 3 days. At one point he thought about yanking the necklace off you but he didn't. He even reported to the doctor about this but even robotnik was intrigued on your situation. So he had asked if shadow knocked you out or did something during the time on earth when he was stalling you from helping the trio but, shadow denided it saying he didn't really fight you.

Thankfully you did end up waking up 3 days later as you raised one hand towards your forehead only to feel a wet cloth on it making you grab it lightly and pull it towards your neck/collarbone as you gently rub the tattoos their closing your eyes.

Y/n: Something you want to say?

Shadow: Why did it take you 3 days to wake up? We're you already injured before?

Y/n: No

Shadow: Then why?

Y/n: Exhaustion

Shadow:...

You then slowly get up sitting on the bed as he was leaning on the wall the opposite side of his bed.

Y/n: You know we still plan on interfering right?

Shadow: I'm aware.

Y/n: Yet your here letting my friends get the upper hand from afar. Shouldn't you be down there?

Shadow: I can but I am no fool to see this is your way of talking me out of this so I can leave giving you the chance to escape.

Y/n: Ah aren't you very smart.

Shadow looked unamused at your words

Shadow: What is that suppose to mean? I am the ultimate life form I can very well acquire basic comprehension of anything.

Y/n: Yet you can't even tell if I was insulting or teasing you.

Shadow: Well?

Y/n: Which ever one pisses you off more.

He just huffed as he watched you get up and eyed the place and then suddenly you yanked the blanket towards him catching him off gaurd as he quickly yanked it away only to see you no where as he scoff at your pathetic attempt to distract him so teleported out the room only to see you walk towards a huge window where you can view the earth below. You looked relief to see it in one piece but you knew the job was no where near done yet. So you backed up looking around feeling the hedgehog gaze as he walked behind you.

Y/n: Hmm I wonder...

You continued to walk around getting familiar with the place as you made sure to make eye contact with every camera you see. Shadow began to grow suspicious but he didn't know what to make of it however you on the other hand knew by now team sonic would have managed to fet away and tails would probably hack into the system seeing as he's a tech genius when it comes to hacking you knew he has probably checked through the camera systems by now and seen you which is why you made a point to glance at every camera and even angle yourself in a way displaying the magnetic necklace around you making it visible as possible for him to see.

Of course you didn't want to make it to obvious that, that's what your doing so you continued to walk around now putting one hand on the wall as you would slowly began to leave markings on them time to time causing eggman to comment on your weirdness or rudeness as you seem to be creating a mess of the place little by little by little. You would turn to shadow ever so often to make sure he was watching hoping to throw him off which you did but he didn't say anything yet you could tell he was warning you silently to stop whatever plan you had in mind.

Y/n: This should be enough.

Shadow: What is?

Y/n: Oh who knows.

Shadow just slightly glared at you as you shrugged with a teasing smile knowing tails has probably seen you through the camera alerting the others. So you knew if they knew you were unharmed that could at least ease any worry they may have especially sonic since he tends to become irrational when a loved one is at stake and that's the last thing you want. So you continued to walk until your nose was filled with the scent of flowers making your eye twitch as you sneezed at first, looking for the flowers to find them in a vase nearby on a table.

Shadow glanced at the flowers then back at you as you let out a number of sneezes then cover your nose as you quickly walked towards a different hall trying looking for a bathroom to rid the scent of flowers from your sensitive nose. Which you did but the effects are still there despite splashing a lot of water. You just sigh again and decided to fill one of the sinks with water and dunk half your face in to fully cleanse the smell for a few minutes.

Shadow standing outside the bathroom leans on the wall waiting patiently for about 3 minutes knocks on the door after not hearing any movement after he knocks again then announces he's coming in as he teleported in seeing your head submerged in water made him quickly yanked you from the sink almost making you lose balance yet the hedgehog held you firmly before teleporting you both back into his room as he had you sit on the floor while leaning on the bed once more as he disappeared and appeared again with a towel before throwing it at your face with an angered expression.

Shadow: Are you trying to kill yourself? What were you thinking?

You just patted your face with the towel then glared at him as you scoffed offended by his actions.

Y/n: I knew what I was doing. What were YOU doing? I was simply washing my face.

Shadow: By submerging your face into the water.

Y/n: It was half my face and beside I would of been fine you just ruined it and happened to misread the situation.

Shadow: Couldn't you just splashed your face then? That would of been better then drowning yourself.

Y/n: As if you knew what I was actually doing and no it wouldn't help at all.

Shadow: Then what? What do you expect? Do expect me just stand there watch you drown in a sink?

Y/n: Take it however you like I knew what I was doing-

You sneezed once more again

Shadow:...the flowers...

Y/n: Shut up this is ... *sneeze* your fault. If you would of just left us alone on earth I wouldn't be in this situation.

Shadow: If I would of left you there you might of ended up captured by GUN as well or perish like the rest of earth will. I'm doing you a favor.

Y/n: Unecessary and you guys won't be destroying earth.

Shadow: How can you be so certain?

Suddenly the alarms start to go off as you both look up and then back at each other. You held a a told yourself look as shadow just narrow his eyes at you hands almost making a fist as you watched but he then started to approach you but, stopped midway.

Robotnik: Oh shadow looks like those 3 pesky brats are near done me a favor and get rid of them.

You just giggled quietly but shadow heard it as he held a questioning face.

Y/n: Told you your not going to destroy the earth we won't let you.

Shadow: And what role did you exactly play here?

Y/n: Looking at those cameras had another meaning to it while I was walking around you know silly.

He then put it together realizing they were hacked but that didn't bother him one bit. It was the fact that you were able to play it off and still remain calm despite the odds of this battle.

Y/n: Figured it out already? As expected from you I guess. You should probably get going now.

You then sneezed once more and shook your head as you then turned your attention towards the towel and began to fold it neatly.

Y/n: Why are you still here?

Shadow: Don't

Y/n: Don't what?

Shadow: Interfere it's pointless.

Y/n: Oh ultimate life form whats wrong for fighting for a planet with millions of people on it who have no say nor power to stand against you?

Shadow: You know why

Y/n: Then let those specific people pay the price, not the world.

Shadow: Quite, quite trying to protect everyone. They don't deserve mercy. How would you feel if they took someone who admire the one place they desire to go their whole life waiting to be greeted among their kind only to be killed by them.

You just looked at him as he came closer to you to the point where his eyes glowed waiting, searching for your answer you booped his nose breaking his harden exterior for a second as he looked at your finger waving it around to regain his attention as you took a deep breath.

Y/n: They have taken many things that caused me to punished those who had it coming. Have I wanted to kill people before? Yes have I ever wanted to kill the planet due to repetitive crimes I've heard, witness, or experienced? Yes but everytime I feel myself wanting to rid of this planet I know their are people and creatures here who have no idea what the horrors that others have experienced and if they did I'm sure many of them would of intervene to aid one another. I can't harm someone who has no relation or saying in someone else pain. Don't you see people have a choice.

Shadow: And that choice that day was to take her life and not a damn person intervene nor understand that she was completely harmless, innocent, pure...yet they...Yet THEY...

He held his hands in front of him replaying the memory in his head unaware of his power started to show as a spark managed to come in contact with y/n necklace making her quietly hiss at the sudden contact of it touching her neck. She then stand up quickly to where the glass of water was stationed and poured some of it onto the towel as she gently patted her neck between the closen distance where the necklace has started to lift up from.

You could feel his stare from behind but thankfully he didn't spur out of control again. You had to admit he had such a sharp gave and even though you may brush it off it did alarm you seeing as he stares intently but it's hard to read him most of the time. Shadow the approaches you once more holding the glass in one hand and then slowly taking the towel from you in the other as he poured the rest of the water onto it then loosely but gently wrap it around your neck but out of panic grabbed it while swatting his hand away. You took a quick breath out of panic and turned to the side and said.

Y/n: All I want to say is even if earth was destroyed then what?

Shadow:... I don't know

Y/n:...

Shadow: But, I do know I don't want to engage in combat with you. So, just stay out of the way...I didn't mean for that to happened. Just don't interfere, I don't want you as my enemy, I've made up my mind and I'd prefer if you were here out of the way. It's like you said we have a choice right? So my choice is to keep you out of harms way and for that I won't fail this time not again y/n.

And just like that he disappeared leaving you in your own state of mind questioning his way of...protection.

Many of you seem to like the first Shadow x reader post so I was like fuck it I'll right another for ya since that ending could open up for continuation or end there. This will be officially PART 2 of " Your not leaving my side"

Bruh Keanu as shadow is just 🤌 his voice is everything as shadow zamn!

[inhuman-obey-me]

Hi! Congratulations on the likes!

Lucifer 47?

Lucifer + 47: "Corrosion" - Thy Art Is Murder

Heaven is burning, and it's all his fault.

Lucifer's six wings beat wearily around him as he takes a moment to look over the scene, clearing the smoke from his face with each heavy movement.

His heart, thudding in his chest with the exhaustion of battle, feels just as heavy. This is his home — it always has been, since the moment he was born. And he loves it. He loves this place, so much. The Celestial Realm is so full of beauty, with its flourishing landscapes of sun-drenched fields, its groves and gardens so lovely in their blooming.

And now, by his rebellion, that beauty is gone, trampled beneath the heavy footfalls of warfare.

Lucifer reminds himself that it is necessary, as he flies over to survey the fighting below in search of his siblings. No matter how beautiful, it wouldn't change that their lives here have been growing out of rotten roots. He's begun to see another way of life, a better way, but instead of even entertaining the thought of working towards peace between the realms, Father's concerns seem more fixated only on punishing angels for their crimes — angels like Lilith, too naive and loving for her own good.

But angels like them aren't supposed to be naive. They aren't meant to be anything. Angels are only meant to obey, as servants and soldiers, carrying out His will and His rules without question.

What a sorrowed land, to have to live that way.

He sweeps groundward, seeing a familiar face amidst a growing pool of red in his surveillance. "Baraquiel, are you alright?" he asks, hurrying to help an injured cherub to his feet.

The other angel gives him a weak grin. "Well, well, if it isn't our commander himself. Thank you, Lucifer. But sorry to say, I'm afraid I won't be much help for the rest of this battle."

"I should be the sorry one, for letting you bear these injuries to fight my battle." Lucifer shakes his head, readying a soft glow of healing magic over one of the worse injuries.

Baraquiel pushes the seraph's hand away with a gentle, regretful smile. "No, I — I chose to follow you. To try to leave the old ways. I wanted to give you my power…as my own decision, for once." He slumps limply against the remains of a half-fallen tree with a groan, though he tries not to let his grin fall. "Save your magic, Lucifer, sir. And if you could…I know Beelzebub is close with you. Could you tell him that I'm sorry? I don't think I'll be getting that burger I promised him after all."

Drip by drip, the lifeblood continues to drain from his face, but the cherub pushes all Lucifer's attempts at treatment away, insisting he move on. And it's true, there are others still out there. He still has Lilith and his brothers to look for, and many more battles still to fight before he can even dream of victory against Father.

Finally, Lucifer leaves, Baraquiel's words still reverberating in his heart. My own decision, for once.

The guilt for his fallen comrade is matched only by a regrowing bloom of rage.

The angels give everything for Father. And this is said to be correct, for He gave them their lives and everything they have.

But He also gives them pain, and they have no recourse for that. He would rather let so many of the angels die than give one moment's consideration that His punishments could be wrong — to allow for even a moment that Lilith, and so many other angels before her, could deserve better. To let any of the angels experience mercy. To let any of them truly find peace.

As Lucifer takes to the skies again, he grimaces, his focus renewed.

Heaven is burning. And it's all His fault.

[lauralot89]

Ways to Write Heroic Dracula That Aren't (Complete) Garbage

Because I just finished a book starring Good Guy Dracula which of course made all the human male characters Murderous Anti-Vampire Meanies.

Comedy of Errors

This is my preferred version. Just go over the top ridiculous in every aspect. Give the sense that Dracula could very well be lying, but also give the sense that he is the poorest and littlest meow meow with the worst luck, so maybe things did unfold as he says. Nothing bad actually happens to Jonathan at the castle except that Dracula doesn't understand food safety, and so Jonathan consumes both ergot and hallucinogenic mushrooms and has the very worst of trips. Dracula doesn't understand what's going on and just thinks he has a very strange guest.

Everyone on board the Demeter dies in increasingly absurd freak accidents, most of which are caused by them spotting Dracula wandering around, making them panic.

Dracula either drinks too much from Lucy unintentionally or else doesn't drink from her at all first, and she's instead sick with some random illness that causes anemia without the usual signs. Dracula then shows up to check on her, realizes by the smell that she somehow now has the Wrong Blood, and tries to save her by taking it out. He repeats this every time there's a new transfusion, because he's an idiot.

Renfield really does die by misadventure in falling from bed, and both his dramatic dying speech and all Dracula's evil villain monologues in the last half of the book were added by Bram Stoker for more drama. Dracula, through some wacky misunderstanding, thinks that giving Mina his blood is necessary to save her life, or something. He then sulks off back home because all these people are being So Mean despite his best efforts to help.

2. A Different Vampire Did It

I like this version less because it requires you to either demonize one of the vampire ladies, or else invent an entirely new vampire who just happened to be in England at the exact same time. But still.

Jonathan's experiences in the castle are either still hallucinations or else the result of him being terrorized by one of the ladies. Said lady then sneaks into one of the earth boxes and is responsible for the deaths on the Demeter, and also for Lucy's fate. Dracula finds and stops the lady as she's killing Mina, and gives Mina his blood to try and save her. Mina, having been only half-conscious through all of this and also having a nightmare about Count Dracula after all she's heard, believes Dracula is her attacker. The lady vampire flees back to Transylvania after being stopped by Drac, and takes a different route that returns her to the castle before him, hence why all three ladies are there when Van Helsing shows up.

3. Van Helsing is the Bad Guy

I don't really care for adaptations that require us to demonize one of our heroes, but if you have to do that for anyone in Dracula, it would definitely be Van Helsing. He is constantly withholding information from people, or else giving these big long guilt-trippy monologues to manipulate those around them into going along with his wishes. (See: Arthur in the tomb) He repeatedly operates on Lucy without her consent and doesn't even tell her afterward what he's done. Seward himself even thinks at one point how much Van Helsing would be able to accomplish if he went off the deep end.

Jonathan does not have terrible experiences in the castle, but he hallucinates that he did so, maybe due to encephalitis or by accidentally ingesting something bad. The first mate on the Demeter goes insane after seeing Dracula, and then ends up killing off the rest of the crew in his vampire hunting attempts.

Whatever happened to Lucy, whether blood-drinking accidentally gone too far or some other illness, the blood transfusion from Van Helsing is killing her (possibly the ones from before as well, I don't know how long you can live with the wrong blood in you), leading Dracula to vamp her. Van Helsing then obsesses over Dracula and leads everyone else into a hunt to the death. The gang (or at least Jonathan and Mina) eventually realize that Van Helsing is in fact kind of dangerous and unhinged, and help Dracula fake his death so that Van Helsing will back off. Mina's consumption of vampire blood may have been part of this scheme, or it may have happened before they started working with him Because of Reasons.

Yes, I know that these are all half-baked and silly ideas. But they're still better than some actually published heroic Dracula stories, and also doing a good guy Dracula is inherently silly and that silliness should be embraced at least a little.

[yandere-fics]

Miriel Stonewood

♡ "Baaabe, please I'm sorry I hit her. Please forgive meee, then we can go home and cuddle!" ♡

She's a delusional crybaby who prefers to go the manipulation route, not that she's incapable of violence but it takes away time she could spend with her mate plus she's a nepo baby so why would she do hard stuff when she can use her connection to ruin other peoples lives. She will still get into fights sometimes though. If her darling isn't paying enough attention to her she's whine and scream and cry at their feet until they tell her that they love her too but she's quick to forgive you if you show her a bit of attention. She believes her darling loves her like she loves them so if they say otherwise they're just being excessively cruel to her, or someone put them up to it.

♡ "Babe, it's mean to pretend you don't know my nameeee… Miriel Stonewood! My village was a bit small so personal last names aren't necessary but if you wanttt I'll take your last name when we get married!" ♡

Her village is on the smaller side but is considered one of the more powerful elf villages apart from the ones literally run by the elf gods, those are in their own league. Hers is still on par with them despite their small size so if they got just a few more elves they'd probably dominate that area. Elves rarely have children though because elf children take a very long time to age, no one wants to raise an infant for more than half a decade. Least of all Miriel because she actively does not want kids.

♡ "How old am I? Elves age a little bit different than humans babe so I'm 123, which based on your age would be roughly 20! Don't worry though, I won't outlive you or anything if that's what you were worried about!" ♡

Forest elves take roughly 6 years for every human year of growth and are released to see the world at 150ish but due to Miriel being the daughter of what is essentially the king of her village, she was let out early since she'll have to return home and be queen at some point. Out of the village her aging is speed up ever so slightly but even then it's not by much because she's a very healthy elf. Humans upon meeting their mate often take on their aging property as well so if an old human met their mate who was only supposed to live five more years, they'd probably squeeze at least three more decades even without their mate having anything on top of that to keep them alive even further.

♡ "Babe please don't ask me about other crushes, you know elves only wait for their mates!" ♡

Miriel has never felt attracted to anyone outside of her mate because from a young age she knew roughly who her mate would be, of course she has found other women pretty when she was much younger but she mostly got used to the elves around her and they started to seem somewhat natural to her, now she only really find her mate attractive in the slightest.

♡ "Babe, I really don't want to talk about work, it's so annoying and my boss is so mean. I'm getting tired of these questions, can't we just cuddle and talk about something more pleasant? I really don't want to get upset with my mate!" ♡

She's an envoy and diplomat for her village, she works for the boss's migration sect of the company and helps elves settle in to the city and helps make sure they can find and claim their mate which can be very tedious work when she also has to make sure to write down which people now owe the boss a favor and how big that favor is. Her village also isn't accessible unless invited in so sometimes she has to return home to inform them of things. She mostly remains in the city though. She's very good at her job despite how lazy she is with it.

♡ "What do I like? Obviously you, babe. What else could I be interested in, you're my soulmate, I waited my whole life for you. Uhm besides that, humans are so gullible sometimes, it's funny." ♡

She doesn't have a whole lot of hobbies besides shopping and thinking about her mate. She likes you a lot and she likes when she punches someone and it draws just a little bit of blood, if the first punch doesn't make them bleed then she'll just have to do it again.

♡ "I hate my jobbb… it takes me away from you too much. It's so unfair, the boss must not have her on soulmate cause if she did then she'd know how hard it is to be pulled away from you!" ♡

She doesn't like how you haven't fully fallen for her or accepted that you're hers, she'd like to be able to drag you back to her village with her but that's difficult when you do mean things like make friends or spend time away from her.

♡ "Oh uhm, well I guess if I have to say one ability I have, it would be how good I am at loving you but that's to be expected honestly babe." ♡

Most of her talents just seem natural and unimportant to her. She's above average with a knife and fights in general but not easily able to kill people, she knows a lot of things about the forest and nature, she grows plants in her apartment cause she feels like she'll die if there's not some greenery and she's pretty decent with poisons and dosing people. She isn't likely to drug her darling but she could if she had the incentive.

♡ "I love you so much babe, I'm so glad you're mine, now please forgive me so we can go cuddle." ♡

[lovelybee666]

Hi dear! I read all your works of Poppy Playtime! And i loved your headcanon of yandere Catnap, may i request the same but with DogDay (separate) and Bubba?

Author's notes: I'm surprised people liked my little Catnap yandere story honestly, by the way I already made a Dogday yandere hcs so here is only Bubba Bubbaphant

YANDERE!BUBBA BUBAPHANT X READER HCS

BUBBA BUBAPHANT

• Repeat with me 👏You👏 don't👏want👏him👏as👏a👏yan👏de👏re👏

• Ok now seriously, This elephant can, wants and will manipulate you on certain occasions

• If you are not as intelligent or smarter than him (which I highly doubt, he is the smartest for a reason) he will convince you to live with him or will he tell you what is good and what is not for you (remember Rapunzel's mother? Well, imagine her but with Bubba)

• It bothers him to see you with other people other than him, he won't kill people (unless he is very VERY upset) but he threatens to kill them or take you somewhere else saying something like :

“hey y/n, do you want to go eat some fruit salad I made?”

• Don't even think about saying no unless you want to be left without a friend or limb.

• He doesn't understand why sometimes you get angry with him, he only takes care of you and loves you, aren't you that intelligent and that's why you don't love him as much as he loves you?

• He has "simple" rules.

1. Don't ignore him for more than half an hour.

2. Don't spend too much time with other people.

3. Don't ask for help

4. Don't try to escape

• If you break a rule he will punish you depending on which rule you broke.

• If it was the 1st or 2nd rule, he will lock you in his hut for between one day and two weeks depending on how long you ignored him.

• If you break the 3rd rule, He makes sure NO ONE believes you from the members of the Smiling Critters to the workers.

• for the 4th rule, If necessary he will break a limb (probably a leg that the workers will put you back when they find you) or start to be more controlling with you.

I'm thinking about making hcs yandere for the other Smiling Critters! I have lots of ideas for each of them especially Craftycorn, Pickypiggy and Bobby Bearhug :3 I feel like it's a little ooc

[pawpunkao3]

Grice's Maxims and Tone Tags

What are Grice's Maxims?

Grice's Maxims are four qualities that people assume speech to have. People aren't explicitly taught these rules, and might not be able to put them into words, but through conversations, many people subconsciously pick up on them. The four maxims are:

The maxim of quantity: everything you say should contain as much information as needed to get your point across—no more, no less.

The maxim of quality: everything you say should, to the best of your knowledge, be true and supportable by evidence.

The maxim of relation: the things you say should be relevant to the topic at hand.

Maxim of manner: you should be clear, brief, and unambiguous in your speech.

Combined, these four maxims make up the Cooperative Principle—the idea that people should communicate with the intention that the other person will understand them.

How do People Use Grice's Maxims?

When people communicate, they usually subconsciously assume that other people are following these four rules of communication. That means that people will assume what someone is saying to them:

Contains the necessary information

Is true

Is related to the situation

And is not meant to be confusing.

These assumptions are what allow some people to understand a meaning in a sentence that was never actually stated. For example, take the following conversation:

A: I'm hungry. B: There's bread and jam in the fridge.

The maxim of relation tells A that B is telling them about the bread and jam because it's relevant to them being hungry, and the maxim of quantity tells A that B believes this to be sufficient information. From this, A can guess that B is inviting them to take some bread and jam and have a snack.

However, sometimes, people don't follow these Maxims. They can do so either by violating them or flouting them.

Violating is when someone doesn't follow the maxims and doesn't expect the other person to realize. If A said "I'm hungry" and B responded "there's no food in the house" when there was, B would just be lying. They're not trying to communicate.

Flouting is when someone doesn't follow the maxims and assumes the other person knows it. If B heard A say "I'm hungry" and responded, "there's no food left in the entire world", they would be flouting the maxim of quality, because that's not true. However, they don't want to lie to A—they're trying to make a joke. Successfully flouting a maxim requires that the other person realizes that you are breaking the maxim on purpose.

What are Tone Tags?

Some people (most commonly autistic people) struggle to pick up on social cues (such as Grice's Maxims and their uses) that others just get instinctively. Tone tags can be thought of as a way of making those maxims explicit, rather than just implied, so everyone can understand the text and subtext of a conversation.

Tone tags are typically written with a / (forward slash) followed by a word or abbreviation that denotes a specific tone. Commonly used tone tags are /j (joking), /hj (half-joking), /s (sarcasm), and /gen (genuine).

Why do Some People have Issues With Tone Tags?

Not all tone tags map clearly to a specific meaning. Some tone tags aren't immediately recognizable as having a specific meaning. For example, a person might interpret /s as serious, rather than sarcastic.

Furthermore, some tone tags might have an ambiguous meaning even if you know what they are short for. "Half-joking" isn't just one tone—it could mean anything from "this is a joke with a grain of truth" to "this is truthful, but I'm giving you leeway to take it as a joke if you don't wanna talk about it" to "this is a joke, but it's not a very good joke".

Some people may feel they are overused. Some people may tag every or nearly every statement they make, which can make people who don't need those tone tags feel like they are being belittled, or make them feel pressured to use tone tags on every sentence, too.

Some people may feel they are underused. Some people may not use tone tags, causing those who can't read tone well to miss out on the meaning of what they are saying.

Not every sentence has one meaning that can be easily summarized. Sometimes, a sentence may have more than one meaning. For example, one clause of a sentence may be sarcastic or joking, while another is sincere. Or, a sentence may be intended to be innocuous to most people, but an in-joke to the writer's friends. Using tone tags can remove that ambiguity, or even destroy one of the interpretations of the sentence.

People can misuse tone tags. In the worst cases, bad actors might write a truly cruel message, but tone tag it in a way that suggests it wasn't meant to hurt. In this case, the tone tag isn't meant to clarify tone, but to obscure it to anyone who might hold them accountable.

Fixing Tone Tags with Grice's Maxims

In my opinion, the best way to use tone tags is to always keep the Cooperative Principle in mind, both when tagging sentences and when interpreting them. Here is what I think would be useful:

Quantity:

Every sentence CAN have infinitely intricate tones. That doesn't mean it should. Use the fewest tone tags possible to communicate the tone of a sentence.

DON'T tag the "default tone" of a message. For example, tagging a request with /nf (not forced) could communicate that you think that the default tone for requests IS to force someone to do something. Because of this, although /nf is a non-aggressive tag, overusing it could actually make a situation seem more hostile.

Likewise, you don't have to tag every non-sarcastic statement with /gen (genuine).

Generally, if you aren't intentionally flouting a maxim, you probably won't need to tag your tone.

When flouting the maxim of quantity by providing too little or too much information for comedic purposes, it can be helpful to add a /j tag. If you're flouting it because there's something you don't want to say, tell your conversation partner to leave you alone.

Quality:

Generally, people try to tell the truth, so I'll skip right to...

When flouting the maxim of quality by lying on purpose, you need to make sure your conversation partner knows that you're lying with a tag like /s (sarcasm) or /lie. In my opinion, a /lie tag makes jokes like these funnier!

Relation:

If you're bringing up something that is related to the topic, but it's not obvious how, you can add a tone tag to clarify how it is related.

When flouting the maxim of relation by bringing up something unrelated, tone tags like /j can help clarify that it isn't supposed to be—or, you can just say that you're changing the topic.

Manner:

When using tone tags, make sure everybody knows what each one means (not just what it stands for, but what tone it communicates).

If a tone tag is ambiguous, consider writing out the entire word, or describing your tone rather than using shorthand.

When flouting the maxim of manner by making a sentence that is ambiguous on purpose, you kind of can't use tone tags. But be ready for people to interpret what you said in a lot of different ways.

Final Remarks

Tone tags aren't your only tool for clear communication. You could always consider rephrasing a sentence to make the connection between things clearer (for example, "there's bread and jam in the fridge" -> "there's bread and jam in the fridge, do you want some?") or writing another sentence to clarify your tone.

If you're communicating with the goal that other people understand you, you need to use the tools that they can understand. Tone tags can be helpful for some people, but they might actually make things worse for others. The most important thing is to accept that no matter how clear you make yourself, some people will misunderstand you anyway. You can always clarify things after the fact, and laugh about it later.

[tbhimnoteasyonmyself]

Oh~~ The Spaces Between Us~~

I had many thoughts watching ep.11 and absorbing how great it fucking was but one scene caught my attention.

This one right here:

I've noticed @almayver talking about the one between Tattoo and Jack but not the other one, the one between Save and Hope. I wanna address both.

1) The Space Between Tattoo and Jack

I think it's easier to notice in other shots but I like that it's subtle. Nothing draws attention to that space. It's easy to miss it. Or rather, miss its significance.

But when you see it through the shot I picked you can tell it's important.

See: everyone is right next to their love interest.

Hope is next to Save. Arun is next to Tattoo (they aren't a couple as far as we know but the romantic tension is kinda undeniable, we're all aware).

Hoi and Jack are the odd ones out. And it's important that they're paired together because they mirror each other.

Hoi's presumed love interest is Nang (even if I don't think they'll explore it much more than that one joke they made). He can't be next to her because she's not there. Alternatively, if you disagree with this, he just doesn't have one.

But that's okay. Hoi's at one of the ends of the half circle. Meaning, whoever isn't there is not missing. That person is just either out of frame (a.k.a not part of this scene) or not necessary for Hoi.

Jack on the other hand, has an empty space next to him. There should be someone there. But there isn't. There's a vacancy, someone's missing. Joke's missing.

And the themes of this group conversation circle a lot around that.

Hoi mentions how he misses Joke. Tattoo says they can't steal the ring back without Joke.

Jack and his pride never say the words but the scene shows it clear as water: Jack misses Joke too.

Of course, that's nothing we didn't already know, but I enjoy good framing and good spacial storytelling. I think we all do.

2) The Space Between Hope and Save

Fear not, HopeSave enthusiasts, I don't think this is about their relationship, they're far too crazy about each other to break up, you can calm down.

I do however think this is about Hope specifically. Why? Because no one fucking likes Hope.

Hope beat them mercilessly and with a smile on his face and, sure, he's right when he says they were all forced to do terrible things by Boss but Jack's the living proof there are choices no matter what. And you can be a better person even when you're forced to be terrible.

So this space? This space is the devide.

Notice, first of all, how the shape of the brick walls seems to create a wall of its own between Save and Hope. It's a clear devide between Hope and the rest of them.

Then, notice how everyone, even Jack and Tattoo who have Joke's empty space between them, seem, from the angle of that shot (which is the introductory one for this scene), to be touching.

They're all connected with each other, they're all a group.

Only Hope isn't touching anyone, only he doesn't belong there, never did. Which is ironic if you think he's always been from around there and Arun hasn't but, because of the choices they made, Arun fits in and Hope doesn't.

And the cherry on top? Hope is also at the end of the circle. And it's not because there's someone out of frame that just isn't there but rather because there isn't.

The only thing by his other side is his own shadow, which, by the way he seems to be the only one to have.

So it's safe to say: Hope doesn't have anyone else. Only Save.

Hope can talk all he wants about how they grew up with him saving Save from fights, but the truth is that, in reality, it's Save who's always saved him. Save is Hope's lifeline.

I guess that was all.

Cheers! <3

[bassiascoparia]

Solangelo first meet rewrite-making it better

So, I've been thinking, and I really think that Will should've strongly and firmly advised Nico, but never ordered him. And in case you're wondering what I mean, just read this-

Will blew out a breath. 'Nico.......listen, can I tell you something?'

Nico frowned at the healer. 'What?'

'I'm a healer. And when I touched your hand........well, I've never felt so much darkness.'

Nico raised his eyebrows. 'And?'

'And, simply put, in my medical opinion-' here Will held up his hands, palms facing Nico, '-you're in no shape to shadow travel anywhere, much less that tent. One more shadow slip and you'd never come back. I strongly advise you not to shadow travel anymore as an experienced healer and probably the best camp medic.'

'But the camp is about to be destroyed. My powers are necessary to defeat the Romans!'

'We can stop the Romans without your powers. I'm pretty sure of it. We can do it our way-Lou Ellen can control the Mist. We'll sneak around, do as much damage as we can to those onagers. I very, very strongly advise you not to travel shadow again in the next few hours. Literally.'

Nico snarled. 'Are you ordering me not to use my powers?'

Will Solace glared daggers at him.

'Nico di Angelo. Don't ever say that to me.'

His tone make Nico stop and stare.

'I'm a healer. I'm a combat medic. And I give great medical advice. But one thing that I'm never supposed to do is order someone not to do something. Patient consent is always necessary, and doctors aren't allowed to do something that the patient doesn't want even if they're at the risk of dying. So I can give you very strong advice that I think you should follow, but one thing I'll never do is demand that you follow orders. I don't even know the extent of your powers, but right now I'm pretty sure you couldn't summon a wishbone without melting into a puddle of darkness, but if you think that your powers will help us? By all means go ahead. Please, just remember.........keep yourself safe out there. And you're not the only fighter in Camp Half Blood. There are more experienced fighters and magic users than you are, and we're all working overtime to defeat the Romans. You're not the only one fighting this battle.'

Nico stared at Will Solace. He'd never imagined that Will could be like this-sure, he had seen him in action, the best combat medic in Manhattan, but he'd never thought that he could be so firm or even say something that was actually true.

Nico wasn't the only one fighting this battle. There were Hecate kids, and even Clovis could make people fall asleep in battle, which was more dangerous than it sounded. There were so many magicians and fighters both on the frontlines and back in the camp, and all of them were doing their part too.............

[rita-repulsa-ke]

the veil

Agatha tries a spell. Rio watches. Rio-perspective, romantic in a very them way.

Slightly benefits from reading scars but not necessary.

As always, Agatha speaks anachronistically on purpose.

In 1784, Agatha tries to pierce the veil between life and death.

"Don't," Rio told her, settled against the wall, watching her lover place the skulls, light the candles and paint sigils in blood. "The veil is sacred. Leave the dead their peace, Agatha."

"Tell that to every psychic and medium and spirit-speaker. There's a whole cottage industry around speaking to the dead."

"Most of them are frauds. The ones that aren't don't last long." Rio spun her knife in her hand, pleasant memories springing to mind.

That earned her a glance, a quick peek over the shoulder as Agatha tried to guess whether she was telling the truth. "…Give me a hint" she said, demanding as always.

Rio strolled over, saw and hated the way Agatha's shoulders tensed as she approached, the way she reacted to Rio like a threat.

Rio was a threat, of course, she was in fact the threat, the end that awaited everything. But Agatha, madwoman that she was, hadn't been afraid of her before. She missed that.

Rio stopped a few feet away, dropped into a crouch. "What do I get?"

"Same thing as always. My undying hatred."

Actually, maybe it would have been nice if Agatha had been slightly more afraid of her. "You want a hint? Those who pierce the veil are no longer subject to the rules governing Death.” She slapped her own chest meaningfully.

Agatha finally twisted fully around to look at her. "…You mean."

Rio's smile was a crescent, a gash, a bloody wound. A promise. “If you cast this spell, I can take you here and now."

"…Will you?"

Rio rolled her shoulders, gripped the knife tighter. Met her beloved's eyes. "I miss you," she said with complete honesty. "All the time."

Agatha sat with that for a moment, then shrugged, got gracefully to her feet and stepped into the circle.

Rio's eyes narrowed.

Here we go again.

"Witness me," Agatha told Death, spreading her hands wide.

As if she could look away. She leaned back on her hands, looked up at the witch she loved, the person she had given every allowance she could, who returned her love and her favor with only scathing contempt.

Love you anyway, baby.

"I call upon the powers of Heaven and Hell, Light and Dark, the Red, the Grey, the Green and the Black. I call up on the Goddess, Mother, Maiden and Crone." Aagtha half-sung the words, her voice strong, compelling, demanding, shaping the universe to her will with spell and song and stubborn certainty combined.

I wonder if even she knows how powerful she is. A once-in-a-generation witch.

"Open the veil," Agatha chanted, and Rio sighed loudly, pointedly, and was ignored. "Tear that which separates life and death, bring his voice to me, let the dead speak. Let the dead speak! Let me see my son!"

The power gathered and gathered, the beat of an invisible heart, faster and faster.

Rio's eyes went past Agatha for a brief moment and she shook her head ever-so-slightly, her fingers on the ground flicking in the slightest motion.

Shoo.

The heartbeat of power in the room was speeding up, would have been deemed concerning by any doctor, too fast, too powerful, too much magic channeled with nowhere to go.

"Ags, it's getting away from you," Rio murmured.

"It will work!" Agatha snarled and there was something so familiar in this exchange, something from a better time, Agatha stubborn, stretching even her powers to their limit, unable to believe she was incapable of anything. "It has to work!"

Rio came to her feet, starting to feel the pounding of the magic in her own veins. "Agatha, sweetheart, let it go," she coaxed. She could see the way Agatha was starting to shake. She was the eye of this particular storm, all of that magic channeled through her. If she didn't release it soon, it would tear her apart.

Agatha's attention snapped to her. Rio saw her remember a similar exchange, that same better time, now ruined by everything between them and with a snarl of frustration, she lost control, her will reshaping the magic to a different form, a thousand crimson blades suddenly flying toward Rio.

As before, the storm of magic tore into her, sliced her apart.

The last time this had happened, she had woken to Agatha's concern, as scared as Rio had ever seen her. Now, when she came back to herself, it was with Agatha above her, but there was no concern in her eyes, only raw, unbridled fury. "Why didn't it work?" she demanded.

Rio stretched, dying always made her feel the need, then sat slowly up. "You can't really expect that I’m going to answer that."

Agatha stared at her for a long moment, then smiled, a soft, sweet smile, as gentle as a lover's touch. She sank down and cupped Rio's cheek, rested her forehead against the other woman's and the unexpected contact after all this time made Rio’s heart speed up. "Please?" There was raw emotion in Agatha's voice and if Rio hadn’t known her as well as she did, she would have assumed she was completely genuine. "I just want to see him, Rio. I want to speak to him. Please, my love, won't you help me?"

Rio laughed with no humor in it, the scrape of a shovel in grave dirt. "What happened to your undying hatred, Ags? Suddenly remembered that I might be useful?"

Agatha froze, then exhaled, pulled back to look at her. "Yes," she admitted. "But you do love me, don't you? So help me anyway.”

She’s so cute when she’s mean.

Rio reached up to cup the other woman's cheek, ran her fingers through her hair, and didn't miss how hard Agatha had to work not to pull away. "You know I love you," she murmured and saw Agatha flinch. "More than anyone or anything else in the world, Agatha Harkness, I adore you. I'm all yours, baby. But this, what you're trying to do here? This is an abomination. If you did pull it off, I would have to take you."

"Isn't that what you want?" Agatha purred. "Don't you miss me?"

Rio leaned closer, nuzzled her hair, felt Agatha shake against her, body taut with the urge to run. "Yes," she admitted. "Is it what you want, Agatha? Are you ready for it? You and me for an eternity?"

Agatha stiffened against her, then scrambled back, rubbing her hands on her skirt as though even mild contact with Rio was disgusting to her.

Not very flattering, but Rio was a big girl. She let it go.

"Fine," Agatha snarled. "But don't think this will stop me."

Rio sighed and came to standing with no attempt to obey human physics, rising in one smooth motion that didn't involve bending her knees at all. "Of course I don't. Nothing ever has."

That earned her a smile that could have awoken the dead, full of avarice, insatiable. "Eyes on me," Agatha said, swirling her cloak around herself. "I'm not done yet."

She swept past Rio, left Death in her wake, and Rio watched her go. "Good," she murmured. "Don't be."

"I wanted to see her," Nicky whispered. "I wanted to talk to her."

She glanced at him, a tentative little ball of soul, pulled out of his rightful place by a witch who had no right to be able to disrupt the veil with a silly little incantation and a few artfully placed skulls.

More powerful than she knows.

But if Agatha knew she had succeeded once, she would never stop. She would tear the veil between life and death, claw back what was hers with no care for the balance, for why such separations existed in the first place. She would break the world, bring about any number of apocalypses to satisfy her own selfish desires.

It made Rio feel a warm glow of affection and pride, a smile dancing across her face.

I could have taken her. I should have. It would have been the right thing to do for the balance.

But she remembered the way Agatha had scrambled back from her, the way she flinched when Rio touched her, the haughty way she'd declared she wasn't done.

Agatha Harkness was not ready for Death.

So she would wait. She could be patient, she had an eternity to look forward to.

"Nope," she told Nicky, gathering him to her, taking the memory of his hand in hers. "You know why you can't, right?"

He might have frowned up at her as she cut through the world, walked both of them into the after. "Is she going to be all right?"

"Of course she will be. She has me.”

want more discussions of life after death and weird power dynamics? Try the mistake

As always, reblogs/comments are appreciated, writers like attention and I am writers.

[shyhaya]

Hello! Headcanons or scenario about Reader who always sleeps or looks like she wants to sleep??. my seatmate in art class always wakes me up when i fall asleep hahaha. I also have very good grades in arts

bllk Nagi, Karasu and Barou pls?

this is honestly me half of the time ^^

──────♡──────

Be Sleepy Be Happy [Nagi Seishiro, Karasu Tabito & Barou Shoei x GN! Reader / SFW!]

❯── Nagi ──❮

Oh dear, you are the perfect couple.

Well, even if you guys aren't romantic partners, you'll still be good friends.

Don't expect him to try and wake you up for classes though, he'll be asleep too.

He likes you cause you understand what it's like to be sleepy 24/7

You two could be hanging out, talking or playing videogames, and he'll fall asleep on you. Sometimes it's the contrary. And it's not because you get bored or anything.

You just love to sleep.

The only times he sees you completely awake are when you're doing something you love, like painting or drawing, for example.

It's the same for him, but with soccer. You hype each other in your own peculiar way. And most of all, nap together not gonna lie I want that too.

──────♡──────

❯── Karasu ──❮

Tabito finds you adorable.

He doesn't mind that you sleep so much, and is intrigued by this aspect of yours.

Sometimes he'll wake you up for classes. Most of the time he doesn't though.

It's funny to him when a teacher finds you sleeping in class but in his defense when the teacher's scolding you he'll give them an excuse for you. Even if it doesn't work, he tries the funniest part is that they do work.

He likes that you're only awake when you're doing something you enjoy, and understands it in some way.

If you fall asleep on him, he'll let you. However he'll wake you up if it's necessary.

He'll tease you if you go see him at soccer practice and fall asleep.

Calls you "sleepyhead" often.

──────♡──────

❯── Barou ──❮

God, this guy.

At first he'll find you annoying. Why do you sleep so much and after that still look sleepy?

If you're friends or something more, he'll tell you to sleep well in the night so you don't get sleepy during class time he doesn't understand why you're still tired or why you love to sleep so much.

In any class, if you're sleeping he will wake you up.. kinda rudely, to be honest but he means well.

Scolds you everytime he sees you about to fall asleep, and scolds you even worse when he finds out you're only active when you're in your element, participating in a hobbie something else.

To him, if you can be active then, you don't have to and can't be sleeping all the time anywhere else.

Generally will wake you up if you fall asleep on him. There are sometimes very rare where he won't wake you he's soft for you but won't admit it

Will try to push you to be more active or at least to get you to sleep less during classes or the day in general.

thank you for reading! <3

[freezerbnuuy]

Act 6:1- Triage (Page 4)

LORE | CHARACTERS | ABOUT / WARNINGS | CHAPTERS

← PREVIOUS | BEGINNING | NEXT →

Róisín

Finchwick's noticeboard is usually full of descriptions, bounties, and sketches of potential witches around Henford, offering rewards to those who manage to capture them. I don't check them too often as to not draw too much attention, but sometimes I keep an eye and make sure the witch who's been secretly healing people's wounds behind a church doesn't appear on there…or any of the other witches I know.

Alongside advertisements for produce, tobacco and the Willow Creek coffeehouse, I notice a rather frantic-looking note:

[scrawled letter on the Finchwick noticeboard]

HELP WANTED - to treat minor injuries of patients With the growing conflict, many people are pouring through the door day by day. With no apprentices of surgery I currently only have time to properly tend to those with more serious injuries. I ask anyone with medical or general healing knowledge to come forward. Role paid. Bed and board provided if necessary. - Lydia Annorin [there is a watermark of a gryphon on the bottom of the page.]

I remember seeing the gryphon watermark on the papers on the desk when I visited Owen in his office, so this must be legitimate - but how desperate could a renowned surgeon be to reach out like this? 

Even with my limitations, is there a chance I could help her? The way some people stood by Owen the way they did, and the way they still went to Katlego, could attitudes towards witches really be changing for the better? Is it just wishful thinking on my part?

If Owen and Lydia can save the lives of people who would otherwise kill them given half the chance...is it right for me to do the same?

The mansion seems a safer place to put my gifts to use.

I think about my moon sight 'vision' some more. 

I wonder to myself if it may be a warning of some kind - of what could happen if I don't change something - but what? I feel I have done nothing wrong. All I have done is help others. Perhaps Lunvin feels I have not done enough? Deities aren't known for being easy to please, are they? Perhaps if I do this, if I strive to keep doing good by other people, I may avert whatever it is She is warning me about.

The maid is cleaning outside the door. All seems calm until I feel a blast of cold air and a powerful swooshing noise.

"You there! Up here!"

That voice! It's - 

The gryphon! It's Owen's enormous familiar sitting on top of the roof! I freeze, and not because of the cold - she's terrifying! She spreads her wings wide.

 "I recognise you from Owen's trial. You stood up for him, didn't you? What can I do for you?"

Her deepvoice sounds softer than it did back at the trial. She almost sounds friendly. The telepathy gives me a strange sensation in my head. For safety's sake, at least I can tell her in confidence why I'm here.

"Lydia is looking for people with healing knowledge. I have healing magic. I wanted to offer my help."

She gracefully flies down, landing less gracefully in the snow and splattering me with cold splodges of the stuff. Her piercing blue eyes are like precious sapphires. I'm somewhere between joyously mesmerised and soiling my undergarments. I can't stop thinking about the way she so easily killed those witchfinders, their bones cracking under her powerful talons. Even having seen her already, I still can't believe she truly still exists even when she's standing right in front of me.

"You needn't be afraid. What is your name?"

I gulp. "Róisín."

"Róisín? Ah, yes, he's mentioned you once or twice - but Owen is not here. He left to become a teacher in Glimmerbrook. I am not so impulsive, and so I remain here to guard the mansion for the time being. It's good you came; both Lydia and Josiah are struggling. They both work immensely hard. I am Valravn - it is a pleasure. I would shake your hand, but alas, I do not have any hands to shake with." She lets out a peculiar broken-up screech.

"You see, Valravn, there's one problem, I explain. I can heal most flesh wounds with my magic, but my magic comes from the moon. If it's cloudy outdoors, then I can't use it. I can't use it during the day, either."

"Sometimes you can still see the moon on clear mornings. What about then?"

"Well, yes, but it still means I'm not reliable all of the time. The trouble is, I'm not really safe healing people outside. I'd be safer here."

"Of course you would. I'm here. You did your part to try and protect Owen, which was incredibly brave of you to do in the face of Eduardo Volpe. I would gladly protect you from harm."

I didn't expect a huge gryphon to be so kind.Without thinking, I throw my arms around her in gratitude. I flinch, but Valravn does nothing. She closes an eye and makes a soft sound to herself.

"Thank you, Valravn - from the bottom of my heart."

"No, thank you, Róisín. Your bravery is more than appreciated - not just by me, but by Owen as well. Now, go and see Lydia - if you're quick, you'll get to eat some of her delicious food."

[cozmowrites]

Wistoragic: Six

Chapter Six - 954 words

Your breath catches in your throat as the man levels his gun at you, his grip steady, his dark eyes sharp and unwavering. Every survival instinct screams at you to run, but you know better. Sudden movements could get you killed.

Slowly, carefully, you raise your hands, showing him you're unarmed—or at least, that you aren't a threat. Your knife remains clutched in your fingers, but you angle your body slightly to keep it from seeming aggressive.

"We don't want trouble," you say, voice steady despite the hammering of your heart. "We're just trying to survive, like you."

The man doesn't move. His dark, tired eyes flick between you and the others behind you. There's something unreadable in his expression, something cold, but not reckless. He's analyzing, waiting, deciding whether or not to pull the trigger.

Behind you, Bakugou growls low in his throat, but he doesn't move. "Tch. Put the damn gun down, old man, before you regret it."

The man barely spares him a glance, his focus locked onto you. "How many of you?" He asks, voice rough, hoarse like he hasn't had a drink of water in days.

You hesitate. Telling the truth might be dangerous, but lying could be worse.

"There's five of us," you admit, keeping your tone even. "We've been clearing this floor, trying to find a way out."

His expression doesn't change, but something shifts in his posture. His grip on the gun tightens slightly, and your stomach twists. "You're making too much noise," he mutters. "You're going to get yourselves killed."

A shuffle from behind you makes your pulse spike. More zombies? No, the sounds are too controlled, too precise. The others are shifting, preparing to fight if necessary.

Midoriya speaks up next, his voice calm but firm. "We've been careful," he says. "We didn't have a choice but to take them down."

The man exhales sharply, gaze flicking between Midoriya and Bakugou. He squints at them, like he's seeing something familiar but isn't quite convinced.

"You don't belong here," he says finally. "None of you."

You swallow hard. "Neither do you."

For the first time, something almost like amusement flickers across his face—but it's gone in an instant.

Then, before he can respond, a crash echoes from down the hall.

"Shit," Kirishima hisses. "More incoming."

The sound of shuffling, gurgling, the telltale scent of rot. The brief standoff is shattered.

The man's reaction is instant. He moves with startling speed, shoving his gun into his holster and pulling out a long, jagged combat knife.

"Get inside. Now."

You hesitate for half a second, but Bakugou doesn't. "Like hell we're taking orders from you!" he snaps, already turning to face the approaching horde.

The man doesn't even blink. "Fine," he says flatly. "Then try not to die."

Ashido and Kirishima are already backing toward the room, Midoriya moving to take a defensive stance beside Bakugou. You grip your knife tighter, trying to decide whether to fight or flee.

Then the first zombie lurches into view.

It's faster than the others you've faced—fresher, maybe. Its mouth snaps open in a silent scream, blood and bile dripping from its rotting lips. The moment its glazed eyes lock onto you, it lunges.

You barely sidestep in time, slashing your knife outward. The blade cuts across its cheek, but it doesn't slow. Its hands claw at your jacket, nearly dragging you down.

A gunshot rings out. The zombie jerks, a hole appearing in its skull before it collapses.

You turn to see the man lowering his gun again, already pivoting to shoot the next one. His expression is cold, efficient.

Midoriya takes down another with a quick swing of his crowbar, while Kirishima uses brute strength to shove one back before slamming his pipe into its skull. Ashido covers the rear, keeping an eye on their flank while firing carefully placed shots.

Bakugou, of course, is in the thick of it, hacking through the undead with brutal efficiency. He moves like a force of nature, his blade flashing as he decimates anything that gets too close.

You barely have time to breathe before another zombie reaches for you. This time, you're ready. You drive your knife into its temple, twisting hard before pulling it free. The body drops instantly.

Minutes feel like hours. The hall is chaos—grunts, gunfire, the sickening squelch of metal meeting flesh. But eventually, silence falls.

Your breaths are ragged, your muscles burning. Blood—most of it not yours—stains your clothes.

And then, finally, the man speaks again.

"You're reckless." He slides his gun back into his holster, studying you all with an unreadable expression. "But not incompetent."

Bakugou wipes his blade clean on his sleeve, scowling. "The hell's that supposed to mean?"

The man ignores him, turning his sharp gaze onto Midoriya. "You," he says. "What's your name?"

Midoriya hesitates, then answers, "Midoriya."

Something in the man's expression shifts. The exhaustion in his eyes seems heavier now. "Of course it is," he mutters, almost to himself.

And that's when it clicks.

Midoriya stiffens. Ashido gasps. Kirishima's eyes widen. Even Bakugou, ever stubborn, freezes for just a second.

"...Aizawa?" Midoriya breathes.

The man—Aizawa—doesn't react immediately. Then, after a long moment, he exhales heavily. "Took you long enough," he mutters.

You glance between them, confused. "You know him?"

"Yeah," Kirishima says, his voice quieter now. "We do."

Your mind races. This man—Aizawa—he's someone from their past. A teacher? A mentor? You're not sure. But the tension in the air has changed. The fight is over, but something else has just begun.

Aizawa crosses his arms. "If you idiots are done bleeding all over the floor, I have a safehouse nearby." His gaze sweeps over the group. "You coming or not?"

There's a pause. Then Bakugou scoffs. "Tch. Took you long enough to offer, old man."

Aizawa smirks, just barely. "Try not to slow me down, brat."

You exchange glances with the others. This could be your chance for real safety. But is it too good to be true?

=====

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[god-o-bees]

Sacred

Chapter 3

Nikto X OC

NSFW

Honestly this chapter could be read as Nikto X Reader because I barely describe Donut or call him his name or anything. Also while it does call back to the previous chapters, it's not necessary to understand whats happening.

There's not much of a routine to us.

We find each other when we can. And we usually can.

When we eat together, it's quiet. Occasionally, Nikto will take a piece of whatever he's eating and feed it to me- just to share, I think. To be close to me.

"Open your mouth," He commands.

His eyes squint slightly when I do- the only hint of when he's smiling. Nikto always keeps his gaze on my mouth.

I only suggested sparring together once, and he immediately declined, much to my disappointment. He likes to watch me at the firing range more.

His eyes flick back and forth from my hands on the rifle to the target at the end of the lane. He doesn't even blink when I pull the trigger.

At night, we'll sometimes sleep together, with his arm slung over my body. Nikto doesn't usually show me his face, only taking the mask off in the dead of night when I'm asleep.

I often catch him mumbling to himself in an annoyed tone. The only thing I can do is rest my head on him and give him company.

"Перестань говорить..."

"Mm?"

Nikto looks over to me, brushing his fingers over my face as an apology for interrupting our evening cuddle session. I won't tell him that's what I call it in my head.

"It's nothing, just the voices. Pay no mind."

I put a hand on his bicep. I must be feeling particularly brave in my half-asleep state because next-

"What are they saying?"

He stares at me. Shit. I must have crossed a boundary. Before I can take my words back, though, he responds.

"They are... trying to tell me what to do."

I move my hand to his masked cheek. If he feels comfortable enough to share, then I'm happy to listen.

"Do you want to tell me?"

"You should just ignore them. They are unimportant."

Unimportant. As if any part of him was unimportant.

"I said I had feelings for all of you, didn't I?"

There's a pause before Nikto speaks again.

"I suppose... I can tell you some of it."

He puts his chin on my shoulder and his arms around my waist.

"It's very... explicit. He wants to touch you, and... taste you. Everywhere."

He lowers his voice to a whisper.

"He wants to be in- to be inside you."

I try to relax in his grip, to show him there's nothing to be worried about. On the inside, I'm screaming.

Sure, I've thought about all the wonderfully erotic things he could do to me, but sex just felt so intense and intimate. A far cry from my usual behavior, when I spend every moment with him walking on eggshells.

"We are not ready for this."

His voice rings in the back of my mind like an alarm bell every time I try to get close.

I don't want him to be scared. I don't want him to be uncomfortable. I'm not sure what I can do when I'm around him. I feel bad for treating him like a wild animal, but I've still been keeping him at arms length this entire time.

"I fear I'm too damaged for that... I don't want you to be disgusted by our body," He says, and I feel my heart break.

Damaged. Disgusted. Does he really think I believe that?

Of course he would. I don't tell him how beautiful he is, I don't tell him how perfect he is- I barely even make small talk. I feel like a horrible boyfriend. I barely feel like a boyfriend at all.

Why does he even like me? What does he see in me?

Why can't I do anything with my fucking face?

"You aren't disgusting."

He has to know.

"You've never disgusted me."

I sit up, placing my hands on either side of his head. He looks up at me with those beautiful eyes.

I bend down to kiss his masked lips gently.

"You're beautiful," I say, and I mean it.

His hands are suddenly gripping my shirt.

"I want to touch you," He says, but his voice is a little different. It's higher.

It's him. The other one.

Occasionally, he'll slip through the barriers of Nikto's mind and voice his thoughts. He asks for something, or suggests something, and then swiftly leaves. It only happens on the field, when Nikto is too focused on the mission to control them properly.

I've asked about him once. Nikto called him an annoying bastard, and even apologized for his behavior.

"Please," He groans. "I cannot wait anymore. I have tried to be good, I have-"

"Yes*."

He pulls me onto him, his hands roaming me desperately, like he wants to touch all of me at once.

He manhandles me down onto the bed and holds me there by the arms, like he's afraid I'll escape.

"I- I have so many things I need to do to you," He gasps. "So many things- I need to show you-"

"Show me. You can do anything you want to me."

His hands slide down from my arms to my sides, and lifts up my shirt. I almost choke on my own spit when his fingers run over one of my nipples.

He's shaking- I can't tell if it's from excitement or fear.

His fingers travel down to the hem of my sweatpants, and swiftly pulls them down to my knees.

I've never felt so vulnerable before. I feel like I'm under a microscope, every part of my body on display for him. All that confidence from earlier is gone in an instant. I can see him hesitate too.

He's looking right at it-

I jolt a little when I feel the tip of his finger stroke from the head of my cock down to the base.

"Is it okay?"

"Yeah," I say breathlessly.

He holds it- holds me- so gently I feel like I could cry. My mind is bouncing from thought to thought, every possibility as wonderful as the last. Every inch of my skin that's exposed is screaming, begging to be touched.

He quickly slides off his own pants, and the image of his cock is quickly burned into the back of my brain. It's in a rough shape, just like the rest of him, and- shit, that looks like it hurt. He's hard, of course, the scarred skin stretching over the shaft like marble. It's thick and dripping from the head tucked behind his foreskin.

He takes his hand off my cock, touching his fingers to my lips.

"Open your mouth," he commands, and I obey. His fingers delve into my mouth, collecting saliva. He gently thrusts them in and out, making my heart flutter as his hand makes love to my mouth.

He pulls them out slowly, and brings his wet fingers down- down to my asshole.

I gasp involuntarily when I realize what he's about to try, quickly cupping a hand to my face.

"Is something wrong?" He looks into my eyes with concern.

"I've never been- touched there. I've never even touched myself there." I admit. I had thought about it, considered it as an option, but it felt like a line I wasn't ready to cross.

Penetration. Inviting him into my body, to let him make a space for himself inside me. His most intimate organ, finding warmth and pleasure in my own internal organs.

I feel like a blushing virgin again. He's going to fuck you. He's going to fuck your ass.

"I will be gentle," he assures me. His fingers are so close. "You'll feel good. I'll make sure if it."

I let go of a breath I don't remember holding.

"Yes. Alright. I'm ready." I'm not ready, but I don't think I'll ever be.

His fingers brush against my hole, gently massaging the tight ring of muscle as I try desperately to relax, even though his touch is like fire.

I let out something between a whine and a moan when a finger slips in and starts working me open. He's inside me, god, he's fingering me, he can feel every twitch and jerk of my body-

"Ah-!" My eyes roll back when he reaches something incredible inside me, my hips stuttering at the friction, the force.

When I focus my gaze back on him, I can see he's clearly affected. He puffs out heavy breaths, his bloodshot eyes dilated and looking between my ass, my face, my chest, every part of me bare and shivering before him. He stretches me wider- fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck- I swear drool is running down my chin. It's electrifying, it's torture, it's love, and it's making my dick so, so hard.

I don't know how long I've been drowning in this feeling when something new presses against me. Oh my god it's his cock. I look up at him to see his expression changed from a hypnotized stare to a focused, measured gaze.

"You feel too good," he grunts, his voice back down an octave.

"Andre-" I squeak out before his hands grab my hips and slide me right onto his shaft with a wet slap. The stretch is incredible, as violent and as addictive as the battlefield. In this moment, neither of us has to speak. The only sounds in the room are our breathing, the creaking of the bed, and of flesh on flesh. Those are the only words we need. He starts thrusting slowly after a moment, and that's when I know I can never turn back. I need him like air in my lungs. I need him like blood in my veins.

He's putting himself inside me. He's fucking me and it feels so good, so good that my vision gets blurry, so good I can't tell sweat from tears, so good my voice can only manage a few pornographic moans, so good I feel my muscles tighten as he slows down to an agonizing speed, hitting every angle inside me with purpose and precision.

One of his hands cups my face, his thumb tracing over the scars on my mouth. Suddenly, he covers my eyes.

"H-huh-?" I stammer, the most coherent thing I can muster while his cock still throbs inside me.

I hear something metal click and the movement of fabric before I feel it- cracked, dry lips moving over my scarred ones, pressing loving kisses into my mouth as he starts moving again. Just slow enough so that I can catch my breath, but fast enough to have me shaking and sweating like I'm being exorcized.

What's so different now? Why did you let me see you, only to hide from me in this moment?

"You're- so warm- you make me so weak for you," He moans between kisses. "I am close- please, let us finish inside you."

I nod- yes, yes, I want him inside me, I want his warm seed to fill me up. He rips a loud whine from me when his other hand suddenly starts jerking my cock to the rhythm of his hips.

After a few more pumps, my back arches with pure pleasure as I spill my cum onto his stomach. My body is still seizing from the orgasm when I feel a warmth spread inside me and leak out around Nikto's spent cock. Inside me. He came inside me. His hand just holds my own cock for a moment, feeling it throb against him before he releases it.

I hear the metal snap of his mask getting put back into place. It's almost funny, the way his face is more private then sex. I want to say something, but now isn't the time.

He takes his hand off my eyes and instead brings them both to my thighs, pulling me off of him.

I reach out to touch him, to put my arms over his shoulders- and he lets me. He holds me close, his eyes gently closing as he lays down with me in his grip.

"Just a moment," he whispers. "We will care for you. Just give us a moment here."

I close my eyes, my heart still pounding violently in my chest. I can't identify all the emotions I'm feeling right now, but I can still feel the heat from his body and the sound of his breathing. In my head, I'm smiling- and even though he can't see it, I hope he can feel me right back.

Chapter 1 - Previous Chapter

Masterlist

[betonbennett]

I've seen you talk about your sleep issues and I thought you may be interested in my experience – I've had nightmares for the better half of my life, occurring both due to natural and supernatural reasons.

They are going to last. Possibly forever; I haven't found a way out so far, so I doubt you will either. You better brace yourself for that, though it's not like it will wait for you to get ready.

You should get used to the lack of sleep, eventually. You may try to relieve this by sleeping whenever you can, however, you should be aware that it is never going to be a pleasant experience again. For me, sleeping during the day (whenever I can manage to fall asleep in the first place) usually intensifies the fear and, as a result, the feeling of being drained, but sometimes it is necessary to take that compromise. Sleep will always be a compromise now.

Try not to neglect it, though. While it may be detrimental to your mental condition, your body still does depend on it, which you will find out very quickly if you ever attempt to avoid it for an extended period of time.

There is another issue, although I'm not sure if it will touch you, since for me it started before I even met Jonah. I developed insomnia a long time ago, which haven't passed even after all this time. It... complicates everything, as you can imagine. I sincerely hope this shall not affect you, but I have to warn you that it is a possibility nonetheless.

Do not mull over your dreams. I understand that those nightmares that are more supernaturally inclined tend to stick in the memory vividly, but it will do you no good. They don't have anything new to tell you, there is no hidden meaning or higher purpose to them. It is simply suffering for the sake of suffering. Make yourself some tea, don't think about it and try to fall asleep again.

I apologies for the length of this missive. I haven't really said anything useful or encouraging, but there is nothing of the sort to say, I'm afraid. Maybe I just wanted an excuse to talk to you.

-J.F.

Jonathan– God, Jonathan I–...you simply will not leave me in peace, will you?

No, you most certainly haven't said anything useful, let alone anything encouraging. But not to worry, I've already given up on anything of that sort coming from you. At least you aren't calling me a monster for this as well– not yet, anyway.

You will laugh at me for this, but I have been trying to avoid sleep. Willingly, at first– now the fear of sleep comes to me almost as naturally as the need for it. I dread leaning my head or my back against furniture or walls, lest I fall asleep for long enough for the dreams to return to me. It's– pathetic, really. Then again, I always have been, have I not?

Even if they are suffering for the sake of suffering, my dreams have plenty of meaning, thank you very much– and I would ask you not to speak of them as though you know anything about them, if you would be so kind. Although they have never told me anything I didn't know, only reminded me of what I refused to acknowledge.

I wish you could hold me. I always slept so well in your arms– But why would you hold someone you despise so? In fact, now that I think about it, I would most certainly not be surprised if you had written to me with the sole purpose of revelling in my suffering. But Thank you for sharing your experiences with me, Jonathan, I am sure dwelling on your pain will prove a more than suitable distraction from my own. Lord, I miss talking to you. I hope you're alright– No, I hope you aren't, not without me. I hope you miss me too.

[theplaneswalkernarrator]

The Equestrian Eugenics Program (part 2)

“How ya doin Twi?” Pinkie hopped to her side that next morning on the walk to the clinic.

Twilight smiled and rolled her eyes “your appointment isn't until tomorrow Pinkie. I can't tell you anything.”

“I know…” Pinkie’s hop slowed to a canter beside twilight “but, ya know, if you happened to have some news for me…” she leaned in close to twilight “I wouldn't tell anyone…”

Twilight's smile fell “Pinkie, I'm serious.”

“I know! I know! Big fancy doctor princess can't break the rules.” Pinkie saddled in even closer “but maybe you don't have to TELL me, maybe you could just, make an expression and I could guess from there?” Twilight looked at Pinkie, then down at the ground, and shook her head solemnly.

“Oh…” the party pony stopped her playful jaunt.

Twilight looked back at her “I can tell you more at the appointment, ok?” 

Pinkie nodded, but didn't respond. Twilight sighed. That wasn't the only bad news she had to deliver today. She walked to the clinic, through the voluntary patients wing, and into the back. She put on her lab coat and looked over at Rainbow Dash, who had been standing there, waiting for her. 

“You don't have to do it Twi, I can.”

“I appreciate the offer Rainbow. But, despite your role in all this, you aren't an actual doctor.” 

Rainbow Dash nodded and stepped aside. Twilight entered the room where two ponies sat, a white unicorn with a light purple and pink mane, and a white and brown earth pony. 

“Rarity would be disappointed in you Sweetie Bell.” The pink and purple unicorn looked up at her, ashamed, before returning her gaze to the floor. “You're lucky Rainbow took this to me before she found out.” Sweetie Bell was a young adult mare now, in the prime of her life. Around the age Twilight was when she discovered the elements of friendship actually…

“We didn't mean to, honest…” 

“And then trying to have a coyote sneak you out to a safe zone, that was a mistake too?” The younger ponies seemed to shake at Rainbow Dash’s sternness. Twilight held up a hoof for her to stop and give them time to respond. 

They looked between each other nervously, before the earth pony spoke up. “We didn't know what to do…” 

The earth pony was small for his age, he wouldn't pass the first exam for breeding. Sweetie Bell would probably get stopped at the cutie mark evaluation. Helping young ponies discover their cutie marks was less necessary in a society where they were decided genetically for them. Yes, Twilight could tell with certainty neither of them would qualify. Not to mention the cross breeding, that was one of the worse crimes being committed here. Their relationship in general was taboo, but having a child? Half earth pony, half unicorn, with those shotty genetics? Absolutely not. That could not be allowed to happen. “How did you come into contact with the apple road?” Twilight leaned in closer, watching the movements of the young ponies. “You can't convince me it wasn't through Applebloom.”

“It wasn't! I swear!” Now there was a new level of panic in Sweetie Bell’s eyes.

“Then who.” Silence. They looked at each other nervously. “Leading us to a conviction would do a lot to help your cause here Sweetie.”

“We- we don't know…” she looked down at the ground again. Twilight could sense Rainbow getting agitated behind her.

“Give us a name.”

“We don't know!” There were tears in her eyes now “everything was done through letters. We didn't see or speak to anyone directly.” Twilight looked over at Rainbow with skepticism. 

“And these letters, you'd be able to provide them?” 

She looked down again, the earth pony spoke now, more nervous than even she was “we… we destroyed them.”

“Why?”

“That's what they said to do!”

“So the apple road contacted you, you didn't tell anyone directly about your little…” she gestured her hoof towards Sweetie Bell’s stomach “problem.”

“No…”

“And you have no idea who your chayote would have been?’

They both shook their heads. Twilight sighed “that makes this much more difficult on you two, I hope you understand that.”

“We're telling the truth…”

“That's unfortunate.” Twilight signaled to Rainbow, who left to get a nurse. “Termination will begin immediately, then sterilization.” They looked at her, nodding their heads in understanding “there are several ways each can be done, some methods more painful than others. So I will ask you one more time: are you certain you don't know anyone associated with the apple road?” They looked at each other, then shook their heads “then I'm afraid we'll have to go with the less pleasant options.” She backed off from them and signaled for them to follow her into the next room. “you’ll need to have caretakers for the week or so between the operation and your sentencing. For you Sweetie Bell, that will be Rarity.”

“Is… is that necessary?”

Twilight nodded her head and Sweetie Bell looked down. She turned to the boy “who do you have to care for you?”

“My father.” He seemed to have some reserve here, like the whole thing had come into picture and he had chosen not to be afraid. Twilight admired that. After the paperwork was filled out Twilight directed the nurse Rainbow Dash had summoned to take the earth pony into his own operation room. That procedure was far simpler and thus didn't require the skill of a real doctor. Sweetie Bell followed her into her own operation room. There were gas canisters in the corner for anesthetic, which they wouldn't be using. Sweetie knew she had made a mistake, and was cooperative in the procedure. That made things much easier. Twilight had done this on less willing participants, and it often resulted in a more gruesome outcome. No, Sweetie Bell did not scream or thrash about. Only a small outcry, followed by the gentle sobbing of aching pain. When twilight was done she took Sweetie Bell by the hoof and helped her into a wheelchair. Rarity was outside waiting for her. Once she saw her older sister, that's when the real tears came. Rarity didn't have any children of her own, but her genetics were phenomenal. And she was one of the main proponents of the program, aside from Rainbow Dash and Twilight. She'd offered herself as a surrogate for other unicorn couples with less than ideal match ups. She looked at Sweetie Bell with scorn, and refused to say a word other than to acknowledge Twilight's presence before taking the chair’s handles with her magic and pushing her younger sister away. 

[dracoroulette]

PokéStar Presents Podcast episode 72: Faust Clavis

(Faust drawn by the extremely talented dietyprophet, go check her out!)

"Welcome to another episode of PokéStar Presents, PokéStar Studio's exclusive podcast! Today, our special guest has quite the impressive résumé! Frequent battler in the Pokémon World Tournament in Driftveil, the head of the Laurel Pokémon Sanctuary, and most recently, PokéStar Studios darling. You might've seen him in multiple advertisements recently, including one for Pourletts Water. Here's Faust Clavis!"

"Thank you for having me!"

"How was working with PokéStar Studios?"

"It's so different from what I'm used to that it's kind of crazy. Scripted battles are such a challenge, especially since most of my Pokémon aren't used to pulling their punches. Having to factor in how the battles look is another thing, too; most battles you're just concerned about beating the opponent, not so much thought goes into looking cool. Luckily, a Gastrodon I've been training has quite the talent for the kind of restraint and poise necessary for these types of battles."

"Yes, Baja Blast! Everyone was surprised by how much of a fan-favorite she was after the ad aired."

"I'm not. Just look at her! She knows she was born for the screen."

"She really is quite the darling. But we've interviewed so many actors; having a competitive battler such as yourself is a bit of a novelty. I'm sure our listeners are a lot more curious about your Pokémon! So tell us; from your League Challenge days to your displays at the Pokémon World Tournament, it feels like your team is always changing. Which of your Pokémon was your starter?"

"Mochi, my Salamence! I'm sure many residents of both Nimbasa and Driftveil have seen him flying around. Don't worry; he may look scary, but he's a giant, scaly puppy with wings."

"It just goes to show that any Pokémon can seem docile as a Lilipup when they're with their Trainer. What's your dream Pokémon to train?"

"Honestly? I adore the Fire Type starter given away to new Trainers in Alola— Litten, I think they're called. They're just so cute!"

"An unexpected choice for sure! I've always wanted a Gyarados myself. Who's your most recent Pokémon addition?"

"Oh boy, for battling? Well, I'd hate to give any of my upcoming strategies away, but— recently I caught a Larvitar! Her name is Zilly; she's a bit stubborn, but she's a real darling."

"Building up a sand team for yourself, I see! With all the Pokémon you have, which six do you travel with the most?"

"I wouldn't say there are a concrete six I always travel with; a lot of the time, at least half my current Party is made up of the Pokémon I'm trying to raise. But, as for my six most reliable teammates? I'd have to say, it's still my Hall of Fame team; Mochi, Ivan, Bedivere, Polaris, Till, and Oberon. My Salamence, Serperior, Gallade, Metagross, Mismagius, and Volcarona. I know I could rely on any of them with my life."

"You're never seen without your signature Salamence, though."

"Mochi's my signature? I didn't know that's what others thought! I'm sure if you talked to the Pokémon League, most of them would be more afraid of Oberon than Mochi."

"Speaking of the Pokémon League; who was your hardest fight in the League Challenge?"

"Ugh, don't tell, him, but— Burgh gave me a really hard time. If anyone tells you that Bug Types are pushovers, they're liars. I even had a Fire Type at the time! Noire, my Chandelure, she definitely went hard in that battle. But it still wasn't easy, you know?"

"You better hope he isn't a fan of our podcast, then! But clearly, you still beat him; you're one of the lucky few to be in Unova's Hall of Fame, even! Despite your track record, you turned down the Reigning Champion position. Is there a reason for that?"

"Haha, it's not much of a secret— I just don't think I'm ready to run a whole region right now, y'know? Iris is doing a fantastic job right now, anyway. But who knows what the future holds? If anyone else tries to take the title from her, I just might swoop in."

"Oh? It sounds like you're throwing down the gauntlet to all Reigning Champion hopefuls out there; how exciting! But there doesn't seem to be a Hall of Fame entrant with a history quite like yours. It's well-known at this point that you were involved in the Plasma incident a couple of years back. What was that like?"

"The way you ask, people might think I led a crusade against Team Plasma. I can assure you, that's not the case; I simply happened to be in the area when they were causing trouble. And as a capable Trainer who opposes their views, of course I stepped in to stop them where I could. However, anything I did aside from beating up a few grunts was authorized by a Gym Leader or other League official who had been present at the time."

"You worked with Gym Leaders while still undergoing the League Challenge?"

"I wouldn't go that far! I just helped out here and there when asked, since like I said; I just happened to be around when these incidents happened. Most of the time I was asked by a Gym Leader who'd already battled me, so they had a rough understanding of my team and ability as a Trainer."

"Fair enough! A Gym Leader has to be a good judge of character for the Trainers they face, after all. But that's enough of that, for now. Running a Pokémon Sanctuary is quite the feat, especially at your age! What made you want to create Laurel Sanctuary?"

"I hate to be a cliché, but I just really want to help Pokémon. I mean, Team Plasma got its start pretending to be a Pokémon welfare organization. It never would've gotten as far as it did if people didn't believe there was a problem to be fixed. So, I'm going to fix it."

"Do you believe there's a problem to be fixed?"

"The system currently in place to account for Pokémon issues— abused Pokémon who are too hostile to be released into the wild, rogue wild Pokémon who are a danger to their environments, inexperienced Trainers with Pokémon too strong to maintain on their teams, Pokémon trafficking in general— is flawed. And I get it, League resources are spread pretty thin. Especially after the Team Plasma resurgence. But I had the resources available to do something about it, and Iris's blessing to go ahead and do it. Look at where I am, now."

"What an interesting perspective. You know, there are rumors that former Team Plasma members now work at Laurel Sanctuary. Is there any truth to that?"

"Does it matter?" There's an awkward pause as the interviewer doesn't respond. That's answer enough. "I personally interviewed every single employee to ensure their character, which is a bit more important than the contents of their background check— which are incredibly thorough, for anyone concerned about that. Everyone who works at Laurel Sanctuary puts the safety and comfort of its residents first and foremost."

"Aren't you worried that even the mere rumor of former terrorists working for the sanctuary undermines its integrity?"

"Why would it? As a Pokémon Sanctuary, the rehabilitation of abused Pokémon is one of our primary concerns. These Pokémon are often hostile and aggressive due to the trauma they have undergone, but our facility's goal is to give these Pokémon a path to healing and redemption. Why shouldn't its employees be offered the same thing?"

"I see. We're running out of time, so I'll ask one last question. What would you say to any Trainer hoping to follow in your footsteps?"

"Other than 'don't'?" Faust laughs. "Really though, it's a lot of work. I don't regret a single thing about Laurel Sanctuary, but I'd highly recommend reaching out to a local Pokémon conservation program instead of trying to start your own. We don't need a bunch of reckless vigilantes running around thinking that they're 'saving' Pokémon; look at the Team Plasma of six years ago to see where that gets a region. Everything to do with Laurel Sanctuary is above board and cleared with the Pokémon League. If you have any concerns, either speak with the closest Gym Leader to your area or send your questions to Laurel Sanctuary! I'd be happy to help anyone with Pokémon welfare questions."

"Of course! Thank you for agreeing to come on today, Faust."

"The pleasure's all mine! Thanks for having me."