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ratralsis · 15 days ago

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I will always love Dragon Warrior 3

Dragon Quest III has a new HD-2D remake. I don't love the HD-2D style, if I'm being honest. 2D sprites on a 3D background never look right to me. They looked bad all the way back when I played Xenogears over twenty years ago.

In fact, I googled it: Xenogears came out on PS1 in 1998, so it was actually over twenty-six years ago. Pretty old fuckin' game, Xenogears.

Anyway.

I'm a big Dragon Quest fan. In 2018, I went to a Java One conference in San Francisco for work where I met a developer who worked for Square Enix. He'd just given a presentation discussing their use of Oracle technologies in some Final Fantasy mobile game or another that I'm sure has shut down by now. I approached him and his interpreter afterward to tell him that, because of the company I work for, security is our #1 priority when it comes to our data. How does Square Enix ensure that their databases are secure? Do they do automated testing? That kind of thing.

I got a pretty vague answer, but I wasn't unsatisfied with it. I shook the man's hand and told him, "実は、ドラクエのほうが好きだけど、" and he and his interpreter both laughed.

I'd just told him, "The truth is, I prefer Dragon Quest games, though," using the Japanese abbreviation "Dora Kue" instead of "Doragon Kuesuto." That way, he'd know I was actually a fan. Because I am, and that was a true statement. That's the kind of weird shit you learn when you spend time living in Japan. You can also learn it from the internet, of course. Maybe you just did, from me, earlier in this paragraph. I would be alright with that. Learning things on the internet is fun and easy and cool.

The first Dragon Quest came out in the US when I was very young, though it was called Dragon Warrior, of course. I was too young to be any good at it, because I lacked patience or a mind that could understand how to strategize even in a game where there was only one playable character. My dad played it, though, and I watched him. He played on weekends, because he didn't have time during the week. He named his character "Punky," as in "Punky Brewster," because he thought that was funny. It took us (that is, him) weeks to finish the game, but we (that is, he) eventually did.

I remember being terrified at the final boss battle. The Dragon Lord, the ultimate villain of the game, offers you half the world if you join him, and a Yes/No prompt actually appears.

Now, earlier in the game, you rescue the princess from a green dragon, and she asks you to take her back to the castle. You get a Yes/No prompt there, too, and if you say "No," she says "But thou must!"

"But thou must!" has become a cliche in the world of gaming for this reason.

So my dad assumed that the same thing would happen if you agreed to take half the world from the Dragon Lord. Thing is, it doesn't. Instead, he kills you, and the game ends. Decades later, that ending was used as the basis for the Dragon Quest Builders games, but, as a kid, it terrified me. Keep in mind that the game came out in August of 1989 in the US. Thirty-five years ago. I was five years old then. I might have been six by the time my dad played it, but come the fuck on, that's still pretty young.

We never played Dragon Warrior 2. We never had it. It wasn't until I was a teenager, and NES emulation was possible, that I played it. I never finished it, though, to be honest.

Dragon Warrior 3, though. That came out in 1992. I was eight. I already had an SNES, and Final Fantasy 2. But even at eight years old, Final Fantasy 2 was too much for me. I played it, but I didn't get very far. I literally couldn't find the entrance to one of the game's early dungeons. I won't say which one, because it's kind of embarrassing. It wasn't until I went back to it a couple of years later, at age 10, that I pushed through and finished the game.

I remember very clearly that I was in fifth grade, aged 10, because there was a snow day and I was all dressed to go to school when we found out about it and I went back to the TV to play Final Fantasy 2 instead. I was in the underground, going to the dwarven fortress.

Anyway. I didn't beat the first Final Fantasy game, on NES, until much later, too. I just wasn't good at RPGs when I was that young.

But in 1992, Dragon Warrior 3 was right up my alley. It's a simple game. It's a stupidly simple game. It has a plot that goes so far beyond simple that it's just plain stupid.

You start off at home, sleeping in your full armor, with sword and shield in hand, when your mother wakes you. She explains that it's your sixteenth birthday, and the first time that you'll go to the castle.

You go to the castle, and the king tells you that he's heard about your dad, who died, and how you're going to go die, too.

"It is said that the father Ortega met his end when he fell into a volcano's crater at the end of a battle." "We do hereby accept your petition to follow in the footsteps of your brave father."

He further tells you to get allies at the "eatery," hands you some money, and sends you on your way to kill Baramos, the archfiend, whose name most people don't know, and who is, somehow, going to conquer the world, I guess. And so, off you go. You can recruit three random dipshits from the "eatery," if you want, and you go save the world.

That's the plot.

There are a couple of twists once you kill Baramos. It turns out that there was a bigger Archfiend, Zoma, but he doesn't exist in this world. You have to find a big hole to jump into and find the world of darkness where Zoma lives, and then, once you're there, you find and kill him, too.

That's the end.

At eight years old, though, I loved it. The game came with an incredible manual that contained a walkthrough all the way to the ending, and a giant poster that showed illustrations for every single piece of equipment. I used to spend hours as a kid dreaming of how cool it would be when I finally had the best equipment for all my characters. I would try to find, looking over the poster, what all the best equipment even was. For example, the Zombie Slasher was the best sword for a Sage, as far as I could tell. Better swords existed, but Sages couldn't use them. And the Iron Mask was the best helmet for the hero. And the Magic Bikini was a surprisingly good piece of armor despite clearly being a joke armor.

You can find the poster at https://www.woodus.com/den/games/dw3nes/posters.php if you want. It's fucking excellent. My personal favorite is the Giant Shears, a weapon only Soldiers could equip, because of the utter (dare I say, sheer?) absurdity of imagining a character coming at an enemy with big scissors. Good luck finding the Giant Shears in the later re-releases! Someone realized how fucking stupid they were, I guess!

As a child, I struggled a lot with the game. I took a long, long time to get anywhere. I would grind and level up for hours. I tried a few different character classes, but I decided to take the advice from the manual and used a Soldier, a Pilgrim, and a Wizard as my main party.

The Soldier was Adan. The Wizard was named Matthias. Those were their default names. I named the Pilgrim Joel, after someone I knew from school. It was an all-male party, so I never got to use the Sword of Illusions or the Magic Bikini on my main party.

The hero? Oh, he was named for myself. I hated seeing the first four letters of my name, which is longer than four letters, in the battle menu. Matthias simply became "Matt," but Adan and Joel were untouched.

Adan leveled up faster than the hero did, which made me feel like he was the strongest in the party, and so he stood in the front for most of the game. It wasn't until much later, when I started swapping out characters to level up others, that the hero caught up. But when I first went to the town where you have to send a character solo through a dungeon, I sent Adan. That was a bad idea, it turned out. Adan, as a soldier, couldn't cast any kind of healing spells, so he just couldn't last long enough to make it through that dungeon. The hero could. The hero's meant to. You're meant to send the hero through there. I wound up sending the hero through it enough times to get him to the same level as Adan. I wound up going back later to do it again.

There's a point early on when the king of Romaly insists that you take his crown and become king. You can't refuse him. You have to do it. You have to track him down once you're the king and demand that he take his crown back, which he will, because it's an order from the king, that is, you.

You can go back and become king again later if you want. There's no point. You can't leave town when you're the king. You can't even access your inventory when you're the king. There are little joke responses to every menu option when you're the king that say you have no need to check your inventory or your status because you're the king.

But I was a little kid, and I thought it was funny as hell to go back and tell the king I wanted to borrow his crown and walk around being the king every so often. The only thing I could find that was of any use was that there's one NPC who will tell you that you can use certain weapons in battle to cast spells for free. He won't tell you that normally. Only when you're the king.

I remember visiting the home of a friend of mine and bringing Dragon Warrior III over. I don't remember how old I was then, but I met that friend in sixth grade, so it has to have been when I was, at the youngest, eleven years old. I'd been playing the game off and on for three years by then. I'd probably made it to the end of the game, but I'm sure I hadn't beaten it yet.

We killed an entire afternoon at the monster arena in Romaly, gambling on monster fights. It was fun. We probably lost more than we won, but I didn't mind. It was trivial to reset when we lost too much, and save when we won.

About a third of the way through the game, you unlock the ability to change the classes of anybody other than the hero. There aren't a ton of advantages to doing this in the original game.

Okay, let me break it down. There's the hero, but only one character, your starting character, can be the hero. The hero can't change classes, and nobody else can start as or become a hero. So let's not consider the hero any more when discussing class changes. In the original, there were six character classes you could pick from at the eatery when recruiting random dipshits:

The soldier: High HP, very strong, levels fast. The best at fighting. People often say that the soldier has the disadvantage of being expensive to equip, but that's stupid. Invaluable. You should have one.

The fighter: You'd think the fighter would have some kind of advantage over the soldier, but not really. People often say that the fighter's big advantage is that you don't have to spend so much money equipping them, but that's stupid. Later versions of the game included many more weapons and armor for the fighter that would close the gap between them and the soldier, but in the original, the Iron Claw was the best thing you could give the fighter to use as a weapon.

The merchant: Complete garbage. Can't cast magic, and isn't as strong as a soldier or a fighter.

The pilgrim: one of two classes who can cast magic. Casts healing spells and some buffs/debuffs. Can eventually revive dead characters. Invaluable. You should have one.

The wizard: the other class who can cast magic. Casts attack spells and some buffs/debuffs. Can eventually cast the "open" spell, rendering all keys meaningless, and the "day/night" spell, allowing you to make it nighttime whenever you want instead of having to fuck around walking outside. Invaluable. You should have one.

Goof-off: a joke character. Weakest in every way. Sometimes spends turns doing nothing. No value whatsoever. I mean it. None. Nobody can change to a goof-off, not even someone who used to be a goof-off and who leveled up and changed classes. You should never use a goof-off.

There comes a point later in the game when you need to bring a merchant to a place called New Town and abandon them there forever. They permanently leave the party. They never come back. That's the only use for a merchant as far as I am concerned. Some people will tell you that merchants are actually quite strong in the early game, and thus you should use one until you reach the temple where you can change their class into something else. I am telling you not to do this. I am telling you that there are exactly three good reasons to change a character's class.

One: you have an extremely high-level wizard or pilgrim who has learned every spell, and now you want to make them into a soldier. This will let them keep all of their spells, even though they will be terrible at casting them. See, changing your class cuts all your stats in half, so the new soldier's MP will only be half of what it was, and their spellcasting stats will be, too. They'll be bad at it.

Two: you have an extremely high-level wizard or pilgrim who has learned every spell, and now you want to make them into the spellcasting class they weren't. That is, you want your wizard to become a pilgrim, or you want your pilgrim to become a wizard. This will allow them to learn spells from both classes, and their spellcasting stats and MP won't be utter shit.

Three: you have a pilgrim or a wizard of any level and you want to use the one and only special book that exists in the game to turn them into a sage. The sage is a class that nobody can ever start as. They can learn every wizard and every pilgrim spell, and they can equip more weapons and armor than either wizards or pilgrims. They are the best class in the game. Choose wisely. My suggestion is that you turn your pilgrim into a sage.

Some people will tell you that there is a fourth good reason. Let me explain something to you. They were wrong.

They will tell you that you can level a goof-off to 20, the minimum to change classes, and then, when you go to change your goof-off's class, the option will be there to change them to a sage. This allows you to have as many sages as you want. This is stupid. Don't do this.

Here's the thing. Goof-offs don't gain MP when they level up, but they do gain intelligence, the stat which determines MP gain. See, when you level up in Dragon Warrior 3, the game looks at your character's level and determines, based on their class and their level, what their stats "should" be. If their stats are already above that level, they only gain one or zero points. So your level 20 goof-off becomes a level 1 sage, but has the intelligence of a level 10 goof-off. Until they surpass that point, your new sage won't gain intelligence.

But that means they also won't gain MP! Characters ONLY gain MP when they gain intelligence in Dragon Warrior 3! So your sage will NEVER have as much MP as they would have had if they'd started their life as a pilgrim or a wizard. They'll be a shitty sage.

You might think, well, it's better to be a shitty sage than no sage at all! And to that I say, FUUUUUUUUUUUCK YOOOOOOOOOOOOOU

As a kid, I never knew that goof-offs could become sages. Nobody tells you that in the game. You're just supposed to figure it out, or read a guide online, which I eventually did, many years later. I thought goof-offs were just fun little dudes. I created one and named her Goofus, because I thought that was funny.

I leveled Goofus to something like level 40. Because she was the only female character I regularly used, she got all the female-only equipment I found: the Sword of Illusions, the Magic Bikini. That kind of thing. I loved Goofus! She was great! Especially once she put on that bikini, because it actually changed her character sprite to make it look like she was suddenly a sexy bikini babe!

Sexy!

As a high schooler, I got access to the GameBoy Color remake via emulation. That was basically a crime, but hey, let's pretend it wasn't.

The GBC remake included a lot of new features. Among them, the merchant and goof-off classes got new spells that only they can use, and the new thief class was added. This means that, if you want a character who can cast every spell, you can't just use a sage.

There's only one thing you can do. You have to become a goof-off, then a sage, and also a merchant and a thief on top of that. Obviously, this is the right and good thing to do. It's the only smart thing. Doing anything else is simply dumb as hell, and you shouldn't do it. Also, all your characters should be female. There are female-only equipment items, but there no male-oonly equipment items. Your hero should be female, and so should all your party members.

They should end as thieves. Thieves increase the chances of items dropping from enemies, including the stat-boosting seeds, which means that you can, with a little patience, have a team of four level 99 characters, all of them with maxed-out stats, three of them thieves who can use every single ability in the game.

This is the only smart thing to do. This is what I did. Twice. Once on the GameBoy Color ROM I had as a high-schooler, and again as an adult on my Android phone when playing the mobile release.

Doing that makes the final bosses, even the postgame superbosses who didn't exist in the original game, pretty easy to beat. That's really what it's all about.

Some people might say, hey, that sounds very boring. You don't need to do that. You could beat the game with a merchant and a goof-off in your party if you want. You could beat the game solo if you want. But that's not the smart thing to do. The smart thing is to max yourself out.

I haven't played the HD-2D remake yet. I'll get my copy tomorrow. I wanted to wait until it was out for a few days before I ordered a copy. I honestly kind of wanted to wait even longer, until it was cheaper, because I don't have a lot of money right now. But I love this game.

I've loved it many times over the years. I credit it with my lifelong love of RPGs, and, honestly, a big part of my love of fantasy in general. Final Fantasy, the original game on NES, included warp cubes and robots and a fucking War Mech who could attack you with an ability called "NUKE." It was fantasy, but only on the surface. It eventually became sci-fi. But Dragon Quest never did. It stayed fantasy from start to finish.

You rummage around in a horse field in Dragon Warrior III to find the material you need to sell to a merchant so that he'll forge the Sword of Kings for you. It's the strongest sword in the game. Only the hero can use it. It didn't exist already. You have to make it exist. And then you go and you kill the strongest bad guy with it, and that saves the world.

There's a twist, at the end, that I didn't see coming as a kid. Maybe you know about it. Maybe the fact that Dragon Quest 3's remake is coming out before Dragon Quest 1 and 2, due to the fact that Dragon Quest 3 takes place first chronologically, gives you a pretty big fucking hint. As a kid, though, I didn't know that. I thought that it was really cool that I could go around gathering, and creating, my own legend as the strongest fucking guy around, even if I also had three other guys with me.

As an adult, I wonder what happened to those other three guys. I guess they didn't get to be legends. They just died in obscurity. So it goes.

But tomorrow, I'll play the game again. I'll name my female hero Nester, because Nester can be a girl's name, too, and because I made a promise 30 years ago to always name the main character of any offline game I play "Nester."

I will never explain this beyond what I just said.

My other three characters will be a Monster Wrangler, a Priest, and a Thief, because that's the best party I can think of. I could potentially make a Wizard instead of a Priest. Wizards can do more damage, but Priests can heal more damage. When I can change character classes, I'll make the Priest/Wizard into a Sage.

Eventually, they'll all become Gadabouts, and Merchants, too, to get all the abilities in the game. That's the goal. That's the only smart thing I can do. I'll have to find out if they all need to become Monster Wranglers, and decide if I want to have all of them end as Thieves or if I want one of them to end as a Monster Wrangler while the other two end as Thieves.

There's only one smart thing to do, and I'll find it, and I'll do it.

The game itself? Dumb as hell. I love it. I'll always love it. I have a sad feeling that I might play it again in another twenty or thirty years, when I'm an even older man, or retired.

The idea of sitting down at seventy years old and starting up the newest version of Dragon Quest III and naming my hero "Nester" honestly sounds kind of nice. I hope it happens.

I don't think anything I've said here would convince anybody in the world to play this game, but I wanted to explain myself when I had this rare opportunity.

#ratralsis writing #ratralsis plays #rpdq3

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soundofez · 7 years ago

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@souleaterpolyamweek 2018, day 2// resonance (2/6)

💖: What are you doing here, human? 💙: I’m here for my boyfriend! 💖: Kid, you have a boyfriend? 🖤: He’s my knight. Star— 💙: And your boyfriend. 🖤: And my boyfriend. Listen, Star, we gotta help her.

#sepolyamweek2018 #soul eater #tsubaki nakatsukasa #black star #death the kid #fez scribbles #fez draws #kid went looking for an oracle and found a dragon #and then the dragon needed HELP so of course he couldn't leave her alone #star went after kid to drag his ass home and maybe squeeze in some alone time before they get home and now he's dragged in too #also lmao i h8 perspective bye

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legends-live-in-memories · 4 years ago

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“How Did All This Happen?”- A Memoire by one Marinette Dupain-Cheng 4

Yooooooooo. Guess who’s back? me. this part 4 whoohoo. I swear i will let them meet i promise okay. but first, plot. kinda short but needed to happen. also i have such fun ideas for identity shenanigans, misunderstandings and situations that would permanently grey poor Damian.

without further ado

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 5 Part 6

Let it Be Known That Damian Thought This was a Bad Idea II

The Team had expanded their research into more forms of magical weapons, enlisting the help of Zatanna and Dr. Fate. Constantine was nowhere to be found. Using the Shaolin’s Snake Fist as a focal point, they searched for other magical weapons that could have been used to develop modern martial arts. They came across information on a collection of magical artifacts called Prodigiouses, which are said to grant the owner abilities respective to the specific animal spirits. The story corroborated what Kobra was yapping on about so the Team took particular interest in them. They could not however find any connection between these Prodigiouses and the Kobra-Venom other than the Cult of the Kobra was involved.

This could mean two things. Either the Cult of the Kobra is only one small part in an even bigger pyramid scheme of world domination, or that the cult was only aware of the snake dagger and had total disregard for the rest. Guess which one the Team of Batman offsprings and conspiracy theorists believed happened? No one could leave well enough alone.

Damian didn’t know how their research didn’t lead them to the Miraculouses or the League of Shadows but he will take his blessings where he can. The Prodigious were rumored to have been scattered across the globe, in areas where their animal spirits thrived. They uncovered the existence of five of these prodigiouses, including the missing dagger. Their information was limited in what these actually looked like, referring to them by specific names instead. The Team had divided into four squads to maximize search and retrieval.

Alpha Squad, consisting of Blue Beetle, SuperBoy, Spoiler, Batgirl (Oracle’s new protege) and Thirteen, was to head to Juneau, Alaska to look for what their research has called the Bear’s Paw.

Beta Squad was to head to Serengeti, Tanzania in search of the Lion’s Head. The members were Red Robin, Raven, Wonder Girl, El Dorado and Static.

Gamma Squad was sent to Kyoto in Japan to find the Dragon’s Claw. Gamma Squad was Nightwing, Halo, Robin, Ms. Martian and Kid Flash.

Delta Squad, members being Tigress, Arrowette, Beast Boy, Signal and Starfire, was sent to the Amazons in Brazil. They were tasked with finding the Monkey’s Tail.

Oracle would be stationed at the Hub computers, monitoring surveillance, tracking all the missions and relaying information to each squad. Zetatubes would only work in Kyoto and in the outskirts of the Amazons. Tracking and finding the Snake’s Fang, and whoever stole it, was set for a later date. Damian prayed for never.

The squads were set to head out by the end of the week, giving each enough time to prepare and set up travel and rest accommodations. This was not going to be a quick and easy mission that only lasted a few hours due to the lack of actual information to base off. Again, Damian refused to be of help here. Three of the squads had magic users and the Team was hoping for some magical essence to be traced. Delta had Beast Boy and they hoped he could talk to the animals to see if they knew anything. Yeah, this mission was multiple shots in the dark but the Team was not taking any chances. Also the week would give the younger members of the team time to find believable cover stories to tell their parents since, you know, the League, and League-adjacents, no longer had jurisdiction in any of these places. One day, Lex Luthor is going to have to pay for all this and Damian hopes he gets to be the one to bash the fucker’s face in.

Anyways, there were several questions that went unanswered amongst all this planning. The first was what they planned to do with all these artifacts. Destroy them? Keep them in Justice League vaults? It’s one thing to keep potentially dangerous weapons out of the wrong hands, but this plan felt very colonistic in execution; removing what could potentially be sacred artifacts from the local culture because they thought it was unprotected there left a bad taste in Damian’s mouth. Clearly, he wasn’t the only one who thought so as Thirteen voiced these very concerns. The other younger members were of similar opinion. Static and Signal looked particularly miffed and wouldn’t look anyone in the eye.

“Well,” Nightwing looked like he didn’t account for that in his planning. No one seemed to have an intelligent answer to that question and exchanged semi-awkward glances. He was honestly surprised at this, expecting a firm pushback at the concerns. This wasn’t the first time the Team made morally compromising decisions so Damian was confused at the sudden hesitation. He knew why the younger members would be concerned about the ethics. But he held no such understanding for the members of Batman Inc. or those who faked their own deaths for the sake of the mission. The sudden acquisition of a moral compass which prevented a solid answer was ridiculous. Utterly ridiculous.

But then again, most things in this life are. Zatanna assured that if they did find any of these Prodigiouses, she and Constantine would work to find a proper way to keep them out of nefarious hands without robbing the locals of their culture. She obviously didn’t believe what she was saying. Neither did anyone else but who was paying attention to that detail? No one, apparently. And she mentioned Constantine who was off doing whatever it was that he does when he’s skiving off of official Justice League duties. He was supposed to be here, being a highly trained magic user with impressive tracking skills and all. But he wasn’t. He wished wherever that bastard is, he’s having a horrible time.

Taglist

@deathwishy @neakco @virtualreading @f-rget-lt @your-resident-chicken-nugget @nathleigh @toodaloo-kangaroo @irontimetravelflower @trippingovermyfeet @t1dwarrior-of-earth @tip-tap-tired @fidget-eep @thenillabean @officiallydarkgeek @mystery-5-5 @moonlightstar64 @just-an-observer-ignore-me @nightstarblue @certainmuffinbagelcalzone @fan-written @jjmjjktth @vixen-uchiha @zorua-adorable

#mlb x dc #daminette #maribat #damimari #they will meet i promise #but until then #plot set up for shenanigans #is my tag list working btw?#hdath #cant forget #i should link the recent posts to older ones but that takes effort #thats why i have the hdath tag for those who want to find the other ons #i should make a masterlist too but eventually #i accidentally put huntress instead of tigress so i changed it oops #i goofed

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bright-eyes-strawberry-lies · 5 years ago

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The Life Of Luke Castellan

This is a timeline of Luke’s entire life, written because a lot of you have really really bad takes on who he was, what he wanted, and what he actually did. Everything written here is a fact taken directly from the books.

Luke was with a mother who inadequately took care of him from the age of one year old onward. Hermes left May and Luke shortly after May tried to host the oracle and went insane.

May Castellan scared Luke so much that he hid in closets so that she wouldn’t find him.

When he was nine years old, Luke ran away from home.

Luke spent two years of homelessness alone.

Luke taught himself to fight monsters and survive on the streets.

Luke tried to share his godly heritage with mortals but they didn’t understand why being a demigod was bad and Luke eventually moved on.

Luke was in a dragon’s cave when he found Thalia (it had been Thalia’s first night of homelessness).

Thalia held back a lot of information from Luke (her family, the goat, etc…)

Luke is easily manipulated by affection and compliments. He will immediately do whatever someone wants him to if they praise him.

Luke and Thalia are homeless together for three years.

Luke and Thalia meet Halcyon Green when they’re 14 and 12 respectively by running into a trap. They’ve never met an old demigod. Hal kills himself so that they can escape the trap.

That very same night, Luke and Thalia meet Annabeth (who has been homeless for a couple of months and looked after by Athena). Luke is the one who senses another demigod nearby. Luke loves Annabeth immediately and decides that he’s going to be her dad. They make safe houses everywhere with emergency supplies.

A short while later, Thalia is injured and they go to May Castellan’s house for refuge, where Luke meets his father, Hermes, for the first time.

Hermes tells Luke that he should not have come home and that he’s getting too old to be on the run without help. He says that he will arrange a quest for Luke so that Luke can do one great thing before his life turns sour.

Hermes points Luke, Thalia, and Annabeth in the direction of Camp Half-Blood.

They leave May Castellan’s house that same night. Luke is angry and upset. He’s convinced that his dad doesn’t love him.

Sometime after this, they meet Grover, who has been sent to escort ONLY Thalia to Camp Half-Blood. Grover and Thalia didn’t want to leave Annabeth and Luke behind.

Luke challenges every monster they come across.

However, they’re being hunted down by a lot more monsters than usual because Hades is sending monsters after Thalia. Hades is doing this because Zeus killed Maria Di Angelo, a mortal whom Hades loved and had two kids with.

Grover got nervous and got lost, they took a wrong turn and wound up in a Cyclops lair. The cyclops used his voice mimicry to confuse Thalia, Luke, and Grover, and then tied them up. Annabeth untied Thalia and Thalia saved them. But that gave the monsters enough time to catch up to them.

There’s a final confrontation between Luke, Thalia, Annabeth, Grover, and the monsters on Half-Blood Hill just outside of Camp’s boundaries. Thalia stays to hold off the monsters and is slain.

Zeus appears and turns Thalia into a pine tree as she’s dying. To prevent this from happening again, he decides to erect a magical border at the Camp, which will protect the demigods inside.

Luke moves into the Hermes Cabin, which is overcrowded with the unclaimed demigods and the children of minor gods.

When Luke turns 17, he’s given a quest by Hermes to seek a golden apple from the Garden of Hesperides. He’s honored until he realizes that his quest isn’t important and has already been done before. While he fails to get the golden apple and is physically scarred from the ordeal, Luke does manage to take one of Landon’s claws as a trophy.

The campers treated Luke with pity after he failed his quest. Luke’s anger and bitterness grew. Annabeth notes that he was never the same.

Shortly after this, Kronos began to appear in Luke’s dreams and persuaded Luke to join his cause in bringing down the Gods.

During the winter solstice, when Luke is 18 or 19, the year-rounders go on a field trip to Olympus. Luke steals the master bolt and the helm of darkness from the throne room. Luke is caught by Ares because he got overconfident. Kronos was the one who gave Luke the words to say to convince Ares not to kill him and to start a war between the gods.

After being caught by Ares, Kronos punishes Luke with nightmares. He eventually tells Luke that a hero who can be easily tricked will arrive at Camp and they’ll be able to deliver the bolt and helm to Tartarus for Kronos.

When Luke is 19 years old, Percy Jackson, 12-year-old son of Poseidon, comes to Camp Half-Blood. Luke is kind to Percy and takes him under his wing.

During Capture The Flag, Luke summoned a Hellhound to make Chiron think that Hades was after Percy and that the Camp wasn’t safe for Percy.

Luke wins Capture The Flag (this win is later revealed to be something Annabeth set up).

After the hellhound attack, Luke teaches Percy sword-fighting one-on-one. None of the other campers want to be around Percy.

Percy, Annabeth, and Grover are set to go on a Quest. Luke almost misses them leaving, but just catches them to give Percy a pair of winged sneakers.

Luke hugged Annabeth goodbye, patted Grover on the head, and shook Percy’s hand.

While the three are gone on their Quest, Luke is at Camp and asks about Grover and Annabeth. He says that the Campers are dividing and breaking out into fights. He calls the person who summoned the hellhound a scumbag (he’s calling himself a scumbag) and says that they leaked information which started the fights. Luke plants seeds of doubt in Percy’s head about Annabeth stealing the Master Bolt. He calls Annabeth his little sister.

During the summer, Kronos gifts Luke with Backbiter, a sword that can dismember Gods and Titans. Luke is the one who named it Backbiter because he’s biting back against the gods.

After the Quest, Luke announces the bead for the summer and gifts Percy with his leather necklace.

Two months after that, Luke hacks the training dummies to pieces. He lures Percy into the woods with the promise of coca-cola and asks him if he missed being out in the real world.

Luke admits that he feels like his Quest was for nothing, that his dad doesn’t care about him now that his one Quest failed, and that if he can’t have a normal life, then he doesn’t want to be left in obscurity. Luke is tired of being a pawn of the gods, who are only able to hold on to power because of their demigod children. He says that he brought Percy down to say goodbye and summons a pit scorpion. He admits that he wants to explain to Percy but he doesn’t have time to.

Luke tells Percy that Kronos seduced him via flattery and sympathy and talked him into stealing something worthwhile to show off what a good thief he is.

Luke tells Percy that things will be set right and Percy will be killed. He also says that he isn’t as easily baited as Ares. Luke slashes the air with Backbiter and disappears into a ripple of darkness.

During the winter, Luke has been convincing demigods to join their cause and has been training them.

Kronos convinces Luke to poison Thalia’s tree to get the Gods to send the campers on a quest for the Golden Fleece. Kronos needs the Golden Fleece to reform quicker. He promises Luke that after Kronos has been reformed, Luke can use the Fleece to heal Thalia’s tree. So Luke poisoned the tree.

Luke bought a yacht called the Princess Andromeda. He’s cleaned up his appearance and is enjoying the luxury of the cruise ship. He can now use telekinesis though it’s unclear if this is a power he had before or if he gained it from Kronos.

Luke knew that Percy, Annabeth, and Tyson spent the night on his ship and left them alone until they went snooping. When he does catch them, Luke calls Annabeth and Percy his favorite cousins. He tries and fails to convince them that they’re on the wrong side of the war.

When they refuse to join him, Luke sends them away with the incompetent giant brother, Oreius (rather than the more competent giant brother, Agrius) to be fed to the drakon. Doing this makes him nervous enough to glance at the golden casket that holds Kronos’ body. Later, Percy and Annabeth agree that he let them get away.

Luke and his army have been tailing Percy and co. He captures them and brings them aboard the Princess Andromeda to question them about the Golden Fleece. He’s genuinely upset when he realizes that they don’t have it.

Luke and Percy fight but despite having many chances to kill him, Luke only grazes Percy. The only serious wound Percy gets is a cut on his leg. Before striking a killing blow, Luke stops and tells Oreius that he can eat the others. Because of this pause, the party ponies bust in and Percy, Tyson, Annabeth, and Grover are able to escape.

Sometime after this, Luke is no longer in charge of Kronos’ army. He’s been demoted and Atlas takes over.

Luke holds up the sky to free Atlas. His face is scratched, his clothes are in tatters.

Thorn brings Annabeth to him and Luke begs her for help. He tells Annabeth that she shouldn’t trust him because he’s been terrible to her, but he’s going to die if she doesn’t help him. It is later revealed that Annabeth wasn’t supposed to be the one brought to him (it was supposed to be a child of the Big Three) but Luke came up with a plan to make it work out anyway.

Annabeth takes the weight of the sky. Luke thanks her, then tells her that her help is on the way and to try not to die in the meantime.

It’s sometime later that Luke returns to Annabeth and sees that she’s in bad shape. He urges them to hurry the plan along because Annabeth is going to die soon. Artemis takes Annabeth’s place. Luke does not want to kill Annabeth, making excuses to keep her alive. Luke carries Annabeth away to take care of her injuries.

Luke looks like he’s aged ten years. His skin is pale and his hair is gray. The scar on his face had been reopened. He seems to be able to sense when Percy is near, as he’s looking straight at the spot Percy is hiding and he says it’s Percy Jackson who is interrupting.

Luke tries to get assigned to taking out the Hunters and Thalia. His request is denied.

Luke doesn’t like that Atlas calls his army on the Princess Andromeda insignificant. Atlas admits that they’ll make a good Honor Guard for Kronos and brings up that Luke will become Kronos’ host. Luke is scared of becoming Kronos’ host.

Luke is trying to get Thalia to join their side. He is terribly weak and speaks as though every word is painful. Luke is trying to get Thalia to agree because he wants his family together and also because if Luke fails at persuading her, Kronos will use Luke’s body as his host (which will kill Luke).

Thalia immediately attacks Luke. Despite how fragile he is, he can still hold his own against her. The shield Thalia wields scares him and this annoys Luke. Luke has a bloody slash across his chest from Thalia. Thalia disarms Luke and wants to kill him.

Luke is afraid that she’s going to kill him. Thalia kicks Luke over the edge of a cliff. He’s afraid when he goes over the edge of the cliff. Until that very moment, Luke truly believed in his friends. Afterwards, he realizes that there’s no one he can count on.

It is unknown if Luke died and was resurrected or if he lived through the fall.

During the winter, Luke goes to visit Annabeth under a flag of truce. He told her that Kronos was going to use him to take over the world and he wanted to run away, like the old days. He was very scared and when she refused to run away, Luke tells her that she had better fight (kill) him right there because it would be the last chance anyone would get.

Luke is forced by Kronos to bathe in the River Styx. It is said that Luke had to be pressured in many ways before he would do it. Before he does, he visits May one more time to get her blessing. It’s been 7 years since he last saw her.

Between then, and the next summer, Luke turns 21. He starts paying good money for demigods. Geryon is helping to get him demigods.

Luke no longer has Backbiter with him. The sword is being remade into a scythe.

There is a plan to attack Camp Half-Blood. Luke is reluctant to do it. He is still afraid of becoming Kronos’ host but he shows no weaknesses in front of his army.

It is heavily implied that he and Kelli, an empousa, are having sex.

Luke finds Quintus (Daedalus) and they speak several times. Luke tries to persuade him to join Kronos. Luke asks him how to get through the Labyrinth. Quintus tells him that a mortal with clear sight can do it. Luke doesn’t like that answer and tries to find other ways.

Luke sends solo explorers through the Labyrinth because the larger the group, the easier it is to get lost. As far as we can tell, none of them returned. Luke has a map but it isn’t working. He goes to Quintus and gets the String of Ariadne to help navigate the Labyrinth.

Although Luke was previously buying demigods and accepting defects before that, they must now fight to join the army.

When Percy, Annabeth, and Rachel stumble upon Luke in the Labyrinth, Luke is so busy staring at Percy that he doesn’t notice Annabeth until she shouts his name.

Luke arranges it so that Percy and Antaeus fight to the death. He knows that Percy will win, killing Antaeus and allowing his army free passage through the territory.

Luke orders his monsters to kill everyone (quickly) except Annabeth. He wants to speak to her before the upcoming battle. He doesn’t even rise from his seat to relay the order and Kelli is thrown into his lap when Mrs. O’Leary is summoned by Percy.

Annabeth notes that Luke looked nervous.

Luke turns on Quintus, sending Minos directly to him.

One day after the fight in the Labyrinth, Luke becomes the host for Kronos. Percy finds him lying in the golden coffin, looking very dead. There’s a hole in his chest, black and right where his heart should have been.

Kronos awakens in Luke’s body. His chest is mended and his eyes are gold. He says that Luke feared Percy, that his jealousy and hatred have kept Luke obedient.

When Rachel Elizabeth Dare threw a hairbrush at Kronos/Luke, it was Luke’s voice that said ow.

Kronos/Luke do not lead the attack against Camp Half-Blood.

Luke continuously fights against Kronos in his body. It’s noted by Ethan Nakamura that Kronos should be fully settled into Luke’s body by the following summer.

Kronos leads the first wave against the demigods in Manhattan. Luke is not mentioned.

At the bottom of the Empire State Building, Kronos leads his army. Chiron and Kronos/Luke fight. Chiron says that Luke was a good hero before Kronos corrupted him. Kronos says that Chiron filled Luke’s head with empty promises and then Luke broke through and said “you said the gods cared about me!”

Annabeth attacks Kronos and says that she hates him. Kronos admires Annabeth’s spirit and says he sees why Luke wanted to spare her.

Kronos destroys Olympus with the scythe Backbiter as he travels to the throne room. He does this because he promised Luke that he would tear down Olympus brick by brick.

Kronos looks just like Luke, offering up the same sweet smile to Percy and Annabeth that he did while welcoming Percy to Camp.

Kronos doesn’t hesitate to fight Percy. He touches Zeus’ throne and gets electrocuted, face covered in burns and hair smoldering.

Kronos opens a fissure in the ground and Ethan falls through the sky.

Kronos announces that Luke Castellan is dead and his body will burn away as Kronos assumes his true form. Annabeth knows that Luke has been fighting Kronos the entire time. Kronos/Luke is disarmed and Backbiter falls into the hearth fire.

When Luke sees the blood on Annabeth’s face, he regains control of his body. Kronos is ready to shed Luke’s body like a chrysalis but Luke pleads for Percy to give him Annabeth’s dagger and so that he can kill himself. Kronos burns his hands trying to pick up Backbiter.

Luke begs until Percy gives him Annabeth’s dagger. He stabs himself in the armpit, which is where his mortal spot is. Kronos is banished from Luke’s body.

Luke’s entire left side is bloody. His eyes are blue again. He’s dying. Luke is in a lot of pain. He tells them that he’s going to go for rebirth and try for Elysium three times so that he can reach the Isles of the Blest.

Luke asks Annabeth if she loved him. She says like a brother. Luke is satisfied with this answer. He tells Grover that he’s the bravest Satyr ever. Luke grasps Percy with a hand still hot and burnt and begs him not to let it happen again. Percy promises that he won’t let this happen again.

At age 22, Luke Castellan dies.

#luke castellan #percy jackson series #annabeth chase #percy jackson #percy jackson and the olympians #timeline #text post #long post #riordanverse

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chronicallylatetotheparty · 4 years ago

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Two Gods, One Braincell Ch.6 Blessed Blade

Summary: Quest Complete!

---------------

Kagami glared at the intricate lattice of glowing green symbols that hovered over the entire city. Web-like strands reaching down, connecting to every resident. The curse circle was directly over the hall of judgement slightly off the city center. For kilometers around tilled farmland lay barren.

Adrien was trying very hard not to be smug. "So, what do you think?"

"I think we have our work cut out for us." She scanned over the phrasing of the curse, noting subtle variations as the wording repeated itself in multiple languages. "Couldn't make it easy, could you."

"Where's the fun in that?" Adrien grinned, pleased with Kagami's difficulty in breaking his curse despite that being the goal of this quest.

Glancing at Nino, Kagami saw him indecisively switching from being proud of his best friend's work one moment. To bordering on terrified of the lingering rage emanating from it the next.

Nino pointed at the third seal drawn around the curse circle, which prevented it from being broken on any day of the year save one. Today. "Was that really neccessary?"

Adrien shrugged, almost achieving the air of nonchalance he sought. "I was angry."

Kagami's absent scales prickled as Nino shuddered. She still wasn't sure what was more impressive. That Adrien could cast such a complex curse in the heat of the moment. Or that the mortals down there did something that made Adrien angry. Adrien didn't get angry.

It was quite frustrating if Kagami was being honest.

"Alright," Kagami rolled her neck and stretched her arms. "Here's the plan."

---------------

The priests' offerings smelled of hypocrisy and corruption. Nino wrinkled his nose, covering half his face with a sash to keep most of the smell out. That done, he made himself visible above the desecrated altar.

"Mortals!" Nino boomed. "Your penance has been found... wanting."

He knew Adrien would've made a more dramatic entrance but this was just as effective. Judging by the way most of the priests scrambled back, dropping their tools to the ground. All except one who lifted incense that burned with narcissism in Nino's direction.

With a flick of his wrist Nino's hexagon knocked the offensive stench out of the priest's hands.

"However... through no virtue of your own the Great Dragon Kagami has decided to show you mercy!" Lifting his arms heavenward Nino directed their attention to the sky. "Witness her clemency!"

Finishing his speech Nino vanished from their sight and rose above the smells that burned his nose.

Adrien grinned. "You make a good herald."

"No thanks." Nino sniffed his armor. "Ugh, I need a bath."

"Well you're in luck!" Adrien dumped shoulders with his best friend before the smell hit him. He sprang back, pinching his nose shut. "You weren't kidding!"

"I feel so loved right now," Nino deadpanned.

"Just..." Adrien waved him closer to the gathering stormclouds. "Stand over there. By destruction, that's worse than I remember it! Kagami's doing her thing."

---------------

Far above the curse circle Kagami adjusted her grip on her tsurugi. Focusing all her power on her mother's blade. Picturing it as the eye of the storm.

She moved into the first stance. The smell of rain filled her nostrils, unreleased lightning charged the air and ran across her skin.

Slashing the wind she moved into the second stance. Her clouds rose higher than mountains, covering the sun. Lightning arced from cloud to cloud. Her heartbeat accelerating with the coming storm.

Again Kagami changed stances. Thunder roared with the voice of a dragon. With the tip of her blade Kagami wrote her name on the sky itself. Wind and rain and lightning burst from the kanji.

Raising her sword Kagami turned to face the city below her feet. Then she raced earth-ward. Her storm following in her wake.

The curse roared like a lion. Three consecutive circles bursting to life above its main body. Raindrops hung suspended in midair and lightning froze in its tracks. The wind raged above it but did not come down.

Only Kagami's blade sank into the first seal.

"I am the Great Dragon Kagami!" She announced, voice booming.

The first circle broke and her sword found the second. Wind howling as it battered the second circle.

"Only daughter of Tomoe the Unyielding Storm!"

Cracks spread across the second seal and it too broke. Lightning joined the wind in its assault. Kagami forced her blade into the third seal.

"Greatest sword master of Heaven!"

The final seal screeched in protest as it shattered. Rain fell past her, washing away part of the curse as it went. Wind shaking apart the glowing words. Lightning burning away its lines as it flashed. Still the curse roared in defiance.

"In my Name I break Destruction's curse!"

Kagami's blade sliced its core in half.

Far below the mortals rejoiced as rain quenched their empty fields after a yearlong drought. Some danced in relief, others brought out empty jars, children and adult alike opened their mouths and drank from the sky. Afterward some would say they saw Kagami through the clouds, scarlet scales shining in the flash of lightning.

Nino opened his arms and let Kagami's storm wash the stench from his armor.

Adrien sent a marble sized orb of darkness toward the hall of judgement. The great doors burst open, letting in the wind and rain. Letting the elements cleanse what the priests had tainted.

Kagami shifted out of her dragon form, a grin spread wide across her face. Kimono soaked through with her own rain.

"Tackling it head on, huh." Adrien smirked.

"It worked didn't it."

He nodded. "Impressive as always." Wiping his wet hair out of his eyes Adrien returned the grin. "The greatest sword master in Heaven, huh?"

She raised an eyebrow. "Do you deny it?"

"Nope! It's been millennia since our first duel and you've only gotten better." Adrien's eyes gazed at her with admiration.

Despite the chill of wind and rain Kagami felt heat creep up her cheeks. Strangely she didn't mind it.

"Gods, look!" Nino pointed down toward the temple complex.

A squad of guards were escorting the priests out of the temple to the cheers of the other mortals. Apparently, they'd also had enough of the hall of judgement being profaned.

"Oh, now they decide to act!" Thunder rumbled with Kagami's annoyance.

Adrien just smiled. "I dunno, Ryuko. Sometimes," he took a deep breath. "You need something to look forward to."

Kagami eyed him skeptically but she inhaled through her nose. There, buried under her own magic and the lingering stench of their transgressions, was the tentative scent of hope. "Hmm, I guess so."

"Either way the prophets and oracles will notice heaven is answering their calls again," Nino pointed out. "They'll need the guidance." He slumped as realization dawned. "That means I'll have to do it."

"Think of it this way," Adrien wrapped an arm around Nino's shoulders. "We all played an important role! I cursed the city. Kagami lifted it. And you get to make sure the mortals don't backslide!"

"Well..." Nino gazed down at the city. Going through the best ways to encourage these particular mortals. "Alya will relish the challenge, at least."

"That's the spirit!"

Kagami smiled, letting her storm calm down to a drizzle. (Didn't want to wash loose soil away after all that, now did she.) Storm gods, particularly dragons, usually had very little direct interaction with mortals. She preferred it that way. Dealing with most other deities was already exhausting. Having to interact with thousands of mortals that hadn't even hit their first century yet on top of that? No, thank you. "I don't envy you."

"Ha!" Nino held out his fist.

Beaming, Adrien did the same.

Raising an eyebrow in amusement Kagami met them with her own.

Light sparked from their three magics.

Letting go of Nino, Adrien pulled Kagami into a kiss. No less passionate for its short length. "Home?"

"Of course," Kagami intertwined their fingers. "We have to tell Mother the news."

She was thrilled to see Adrien turn red at her words. He buried his face into her shoulder. Which must've been awkward considering how tall he was. Adrien mumbled something against her kimono.

"What was that?"

Lifting his still red face, Adrien gave her a shy smile. "I'd like that."

Shifting in unison Kagami and Adrien raced across the sky. Scarlet dragon with black cat. Nino waving after them.

Once they were specks in the distance Nino lowered his arm. "Good luck with the council. Celestial paperwork is a devil."

@kagamiappreciationweek2020

#ml #ml fanfic #god au #kagami tsurugi #adrien agreste #nino lahiffe

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nefelibata-agibilibus · 4 years ago

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First

The first time Annabeth saw Rachel she was angry, and a little jealous; she and Percy were going to the movies, and then to the camp, have a nice summer and avoid getting killed by the titans, the last summer before Percy turned sixteen, but the pretty annoying girl was asking about the empousai, and yes, Annabeth was a little airheaded around mortals, but nobody can blame her, right? She was half god, she knew the truth about the world, the knowledge is power and she was really powerful.

Leading the quest was cool, at the beginning, years wanting a quest, and now, she was the leader, the Oracle gave her a prophecy, she was going to Dedalus’ maze, all was promising, but the labyrinth tricked her, and it was really terrifying to be in the dark, not really knowing were she was leading her friends.

In the Mt. Saint Helens, seeing at Percy eyes, she knew he would rather die than let she get hurt, in that moment, Annabeth understood she loved him, he was her best friend, and living in a world without Percy was terrifying that kind of world would kill her, afraid, she kissed him and ran away, following the spider, falling on her knees, thanks to the explosion, crying, entering Hephaestus’ forge, the god pitying her, giving the spider the order to take her to the camp.

Dirty and bloody, Annabeth emerged from the ground, crying, shaking, Quiron and Clarisse running at her place, the old centaur hugging her, carrying Annabeth to the infirmary, and hour later she calmed down, but, when an Apollo kid asked about Percy she started again.

·The first week she laid on her bed, in Athena’s cabin, listening to the whispers of her siblings, everybody thought Percy and Annabeth were the endgame, she was conscious about the running bets, when they were going to date, who will take the first step, she even thought they will end together, but, even if Percy was alive, she wasn’t really sure about them being a couple, she feel ashamed to dislike the kiss, it felt silly to think about a kiss, her best friend could be death, the fate of Olympus could be on Nico’s hand, and the boy was listening to Minos, she was smarter than a silly girl, head full of boys, she had to fulfil the mission, her love life wasn’t important.

Annabeth’s skin was aching, she felt uncomfortable near Rachel, her hair was beautiful, shiny, her skin looked healthy and soft, she was delicate, prettier than Annabeth, with her muscular arms, thanks to the training, messy hair and scarred body, her hands were soft, small, short nails, painted, Annabeth discovered, holding her hand while Percy fought, the girl shacking, the need to calm her destabilizing Annabeth.

Her voice was sweet, high pitched, like a bird song, listening her speak was good, and finding common interest, stopped the antics of Annabeth, her green eyes shining while she talked.

After the battle, Annabeth kept thinking on Rachel, maybe was a coping mechanism, better wonder about the mortal girl than all her comrades deaths, the camp, now actually conscious about the war, was less funny and summery, grim, and she wasn’t going to talk to Percy, the things really awkward after Mt. Saint Helens, they just stay at the docks, sitting in silence.

Sending letters was a tradition for Percy and Annabeth, most of them wrote in ancient Greek, the fourth letter came with photos, a second letter, from Rachel, explaining something about an exposition, models of buildings around the globe.

It became their thing, Annabeth and Rachel were pen pals, sending letters weekly, and it was really refreshing, talking to someone normal, no friendly demigods or satyrs on her school, she freely writing about the annoying monsters, the worries of school and her average live, Rachel rambling about artists she found, her father pushing her, it was really good to have a friend outside camp.

In the winter, Annabeth went to camp, and she take a day out to be with Rachel, their conversations felling warmer than the letters, the girl looking pretty all blushed, thanks to the cold, her body warm, when she hugged to say good bye, goose bumps shaking Annabeth, feeling really good on Rachel’s arms.

For the gods sake, she was in the middle of the war, she was stabbed and poisoned, and, while Percy told her about his weak point, she was thinking about Rachel, wondering if she was in the city, sleeping in the street, looking at Percy worried face, Annabeth loved Percy, her best friend, but she didn’t love him like a boyfriend, “I think I like Rachel” she admitted, “I think she likes you too” was the answer of Percy.

When Rachel’s helicopter fell from the sky, Annabeth’s instincts took the control, flying on the pegasi, maneuvered the machine and hugged Rachel, she wanted so bad to kiss her, felling terrified about the idea of losing her, she does, a little smooch on her lips, angry hot tears falling from her eyes, holding the girl.

Annabeth is holding the seahorse neck tight, worried about Rachel, wondering about the girl, Peleo, the dragon, could kill her, or she could fall on the forest, killed by the monsters, her hearth bumping on her ears, when they are on the Big House she understands, thinking about the prophecy, maybe it wasn’t about Luke or Percy, not about losing them, the love she is losing is Rachel’s.

@pjofemslashweek

#pjo femslask week 2020 #femslash #wlw #annabeth chase #rachel elizabeth dare #rachabeth #pjo series #Percy Jackson and the Olympians

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motorcitizens · 4 years ago

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ive never seen anywhere to watch motorcity with subs? so i went looking and found transcripts of most of the early mc episodes (available in a reply so tumblr doesnt kill the post) but theyre missing a few towards the end. i decided on my fourth rewatch that id transcribe episode 9! whether youre a hard of hearing fan or just want the reference, here you go! let me know if the initials are annoying, ill edit them out.

-I got you with the slash!

-Nuh-uh!

-You first.

-Why me?

-Cuz you're dead anyway.

-There's nothing down here!

-Philip? S- stop fooling around, man. I- I can hear you down there.

-Aah!

[theme]

-The last time I bought anything from you, it took me a week to fumigate the kitchen!

-Okay, the reshcaps were a mistake, you're right about that. But today, I have something extra special...

D- ...then she says, 'that's why I can't eat the sandwich!'

[all laugh]

C- Wait, wait, I got one. Where does a snowman keep his money? In a snow bank! Eh? Get it? Come on, it's funny!

Th- We're searching for the Vanquisher, king of the realm?

T- Oh. I think they're talking about me.

M- Yeah, I have no idea who you're-

Th- There he is!

Burners- Chuck?!

T- [laughter]

R- Hey! You dare insult Lord Vanquisher? I should take your tongue and feed it to the birds.

T- Uh, you can't do that. I need my tongue.

C- Release him, Darkslayer.

R- ... Fortune smiles upon you today.

M- So, Chuck, you wanna introduce us to your... friends?

C- Guys, allow me to present: Thurman the Magnificent, and Ruby the Darkslayer!

Th: We are knights of the kingdom of Raymanthia.

C- It's called LARPing! [...] Live action role-playing? [...] Okay, I have a life outside of the Burners, you know!

D- Sure doesn't look like it.

T- Oh! I get it! Ahahaha!

Th- My Lord, a situation has arisen. The oracle awaits.

O- As you requested, Sam and Phillip were dispatched on a scouting mission early this morning. But we have not heard from them for many hours.

M- What do you mean you haven't heard from them?

O- I fear, Lord Vanquisher, they have gotten lost on the outskirts of the realm.

T- Texas is confused. Okay, now is this part of your little game or is this real?

D- We're standing behind some dude's van who calls himself the oracle. What do you think?

O- I demand silence!

J- I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm with Texas on this one.

O- Chuck! Make em stop.

C- Wait. Is this part of the game?

Th- No. Sam and Philip are really missing.

M- So, this is for real?

O- We need your help.

C- I vow to find our wayward kinsmen.

C- Guys, this is LARPing!

T- Woah. That's it?

C- Each weekend, teams battle for control of the realm. The rules are simple: First, once you step onto the field of battle, you must remain in character. Second, if you must be vanquished: do so with honor. It's neat, ain't it?!

J- The game's already started?

R- If by 'game' you mean a ferocious battle to the death for the crown of Raymanthia, then yes.

O- But we can't win unless we find our friends.

[at the same time]

C- I say we split up.

M- Let's split up.

M- No disrespect! Chuck- uh, I mean, Lord Chuck. What do you think we should do?

C- Ahem! If we split up, we'll cover more ground!

O/Th/R- As you say, Lord Vanquisher.

C- Okay guys. We'll check the warehouse near the old Renaissance center, you guys check the battlefield.

Th- I dunno where that is. Can somebody else drive?

M- So, King Chuck. How'd you win your crown?

O- It happened many weekends ago... Chuck stood as freedom's last hope against Mad Dog the Conqueror. If he were to fall, darkness would reign for yet another long weekend. Mad Dog summoned his dragon to finish off the Vanquisher once and for all, but fate had different plans. It was totally awesome!

C- Naw, it wasn't... that awesome.

D- Little dudes!

J- Sam! Phillip?

D- Where are you?

Guy- Huzzah!

R- Leave this to me!

Guy- The bards shall sing of this day... the day the Darkslayer fell!

R- Someone shall fall on this day... but it shall not be me.

[fighting noises]

Guy- Aha! Tsk, tsk. You've lost your sword!

T- hyah!

R- What are you doing! I had him right where I wanted him!

Guy- You're not playing by the rules.

T- These are Texas rules! [karate noises] Now. We need you to answer some questions.

D- We're looking for two missing kids, Sam and Phillip. Have you seen them?

Guy- I'd rather die a thousand deaths than help the likes of you.

J- Ahem! Forgive us, my liege, but we are but humble squires in search of our kinsmen. Can you help us?

Guy- I've never been one to refuse a lady, certainly not one as ravishing as you. Saw your kinsmen five hours ago, approaching the Dungeon of Anguish.

D- Neat trick.

Th- We're never gonna find them in time. Then the stupid Bardonians are gonna win, think they're all cool with their fancy mustaches.

C- Hey. Buck up there, camper! People said we'd never win the Battle Royale last Fall, but we did. Our friends are out there, and we'll find em! We just gotta keep-

M- Uh, sorry. Dutch just called. Your friends were seen someplace called the Dungeon Anguish?

Th- It's actually the Dungeon of Anguish.

C- It's, uh. Well, it's actually just in the basement right here.

C- Wah, ah! Get it off me, get it off me!

Th- This isn't part of the game!

M- Yeah, well, neither is this!

R- That was. Incredible!

D- What were those things?

M- Don't know. But I'm betting they have something to do with our missing friends. We have to move. [LARPers kneel] Uh, come on. Get up, guys, we don't have time for this.

O- From this day forth, you shall be known as "Mike, the Smiling Dragon."

Th- You just got a great name. Jealous!

C- For saving my life on the field of battle, I owe you a debt of life.

M- That's... really not necessary.

O- Actually, it's totally necessary. The king of the realm cannot rule while carrying a debt of life.

C- As such, I give the crown to the Smiling Dragon!

M- No. No, Please, look, I can't, I just- I was-

C- Mikey, you gotta!

J- Hey guys, check this out! I've never seen that symbol before.

D- That's really old.

M- Way before my time. Maybe Jacob can help.

Th- What if those... things have Sam and Phillip?

R- Never fear. We have the Smiling Dragon. As long as he's our king, we can't lose. Did you see his moves? They were just so- so-!

M- You okay, buddy? Look, if it's about what happened back there, I'm sorry man. I was just trying to help.

C- It's not that. It's just-

M- Just what?

C- Look, I tripped, okay?

M- Um... If that's some kind of LARPer slang, I have no idea what it means.

C- The story you heard. About how I earned my crown? That's not how it really... went down. It was my first real battle. I'd never held a real lance before. I was still getting my balance when Lord Mad Dog summoned his dragon... I ran forward but... I tripped. The lance fell and hit him by accident! I won my crown with a lie. Hey... it's better that you're king now. I was never fit for the post. I've been king for 48 consecutive weekends, and-

M- 48? Woah, you do play this game a lot.

C- Yeah, but... it took less than an hour of LARPing with you for the others to see me for what I truly am... a follower.

M- Hey, a follower couldn't have led his team to 48 consecutive victories. You can't fake that!

C- Mikey... Look, I appreciate your support but we both know I'm no leader. Not when I'm a Burner and not even when I'm here, playing make believe.

M- Here. Take the pin back.

C- You can't just give it to me! The only way I can get it back is to earn it by saving your life. And let's be honest. That ain't gonna happen.

Th- Never seen that tunnel before. You aren't planning on taking us down there, are you?

R- Well I'm going in!

Th- Do you know how much trouble I'll get in if my mom finds out I went down some crazy dark tunnel looking for killer robots?!

O- He's not joking. His mom is terrifying.

M- They're right. This isn't a game anymore. Texas will stay up here and keep you safe while we go get your friends.

T- What! Wait, why me?

M- Because you're the bravest warrior we've got.

T- Yeah, that's true, but come on! Don't leave me with the nerds!

D- What is this place?

O- Booyah! Mutant wolverine. I win!

Th- I could show you how to use that.

T- Save it. Not interested.

O- Why not? You're really good.

T- You really think so?

Th- Here, watch.

T- Hyah! Huh?

T- Mike, Julie! Incoming! We got trouble!

Th- Come on, I just got this!

O- Your mom is gonna be so mad.

J- This isn't working!

M- I'm open to suggestions!

R- A wizard!

Ja- Applesauce!

J- Jacob?

R- Aww!

Bot- The creator has returned!

M- Uh, Jacob? Care to fill us in?

Ja- It started back when Kane and I were partners- before there even was a Deluxe! I was designing our first ever Utility Bot. Its purpose was to make life in Detroit easier and safer. I equipped it with a new AI that would allow the bot to anticipate human commands, but I was the only one the bot seemed to listen to. But if it were ever to escape the lab, there's no telling the danger it could pose. I begged Kane to shut the program down! I always thought he did.

Bot: It began soon after you left us. Kane retrained us! We were instructed to capture enemies of the public and bring them back to Kane's new creation, an Interrogator. But the humans could not control it. Kane sealed the lab. Our new master told us every human was out to destroy us. As such, every human became our enemy. Disloyalty was severely punished. So we waited, until this door finally opened.

M- Our friends went missing this morning. Have you seen them?

Bot- Of course. We took them per our master's instructions.

J- We need to get them back!

[roar]

Bot- Our master has awoken. If he discovers you here with us, he will destroy us.

M- Get the LARPers out of here!

C- I'm not leaving you guys!

R- Our place is here, with our King!

M- This isn't a game! Get your friends to safety.

C- Let's move!

D- Come on!

J- Look out!

[rubble collapses the door]

T- Mike!

D- Julie!

Both- Jacob!

D- We'll never move this stuff by ourselves!

T- Says who?

Th- What do we do?

C- I know a way to get through there! But I will require your van.

Ja- There used to be another exit!

J- Hey, look at this!

M- The kids have to be in one of those rooms. If we can find a way past that thing we can rescue them and get the heck out of here! Think you can buy us some time?

J- Do you even have to ask? Hey, ugly! Over here!

M- Sam! Phillip! Climb up here!

S- You're the new king of the realm?

M- You bet your butt I am. Lord Smiling Dragon, at your service. Now get up that rope, squire!

T- Okay, I admit. It's pretty cool.

C- But is it possible?

D- Sure. But there's no way the three of us can build it fast enough.

C- What if they helped?

D- I know you don't mean the little lunatics that just tried to kill us!

Bot- We cannot get involved. If our master were to find out-

C- He's not your master! You are in Raymanthia. And in Raymanthia, every man- or... freaky little Utiliton- is free! Free to stand up for yourselves. Free to fight back! And free to live! Our friends are down there, and I swear to you on the steel of my blade that even if I have to slay the beast itself, we! will! bring them back!

[utilitons cheering]

T- hwah! Nah, see, this ain't nerdy. This is a level 25 battle ax, okay? Twenty five. Think about it.

Ja- Maybe there wasn't another exit?

M- Stay here!

M- Way to go, Chuck!

S&P- The Vanquisher!

T- Make way for Texas!

C- The beast is absorbing the blasts!

[mike gets got]

C- Mike!

C- Drive! and when I say stop, stop fast! ...STOP!

M- Ha, oh yeah!

M- For saving my life on the field of battle, I owe you my life. My steel is yours to command, since a king cannot carry... I forget how the rest of it goes, here! All hail King Chuck, the Vanquisher!

R- This was the coolest game ever!

M- ... the game. Your win streak. You guys have to go defend your crown!

Th- We'll never be able to muster an attack in time.

T- What if we help.

M- We're yours to command, Lord Vanquisher.

C- For the glory of the realm!

[all yell]

#motorcity #i meant to just. have this but i figured i might as well post it #chuck (motorcity)#mike chilton #julie kane #dutch gordy #texas (motorcity)#mne

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andromeda-sapphire · 5 years ago

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Witchy Then Vs. Now

I was SO inspired by the post by @hermeticimp regarding comparing the witchy things of our childhood to the witchy things we do now. I had to write a blog post about it!

Herbal Magic:

Then: I remember when I was a kid, maybe around age 5 or 7, I used to make rose water with my brother in the summertime. But not quite the way I would now! My mom had a few rose bushes in the front yard, and we would pick a bunch of roses and put them in a big bucket of water. Then, we’d roll up our pants and jump in the bucket (or for me, just jump in, as I was usually wearing dresses at that age) and start smashing the roses up with our bare feet! We called the rose water “magic perfume” and I remember wanting to keep some stored in a bottle but my mom always dumped it out when we were finished because playtime was over and it was dinnertime.

Now: I typically don’t even make rose water very often now, as I don’t usually have access to fresh rose petals. I love to use beauty products with rose water in them though, like Thayer’s brand alcohol-free witch hazel. Nowadays I usually use dried rose petals for spell bottles and for smoking herbal blends. My herbal witchcraft nowadays is mostly making tea blends, smoke blends, and of course as ingredients for spells. I’ve also made healing salves and oils with herbs over the years.

Crystal Magic:

Then: Inspired by my mother’s geological rock collection (she was a science teacher when I was a kid), I began collecting rocks when I was a young child, probably as young as 7. I have a lot of crystals that came from my mom’s collection, and as a kid, I remember taking out her rock collection boxes from the garage and placing them all over the living room so I could open them all up and look at the cool rocks inside. I remember reading about crystal healing in a book on home remedies that my mom gave me. I bookmarked so many pages in that book, most of them in the crystal healing section. I had one special crystal that I had found near my elementary school as a kid (but lost over time.. sad!) and I was convinced it was a magic crystal. I carried it with me all the time, I slept with it under my pillow, and I never completely knew what it was (maybe some kind of quartz?) but I felt that it enhanced my dreams and made them much more vivid.

Now: My crystal collection has multiplied... Significantly... (oops) I am definitely a crystal collector, and now I go out and find some of my own crystals as well. In fact, the huge chunk of serpentine in the image above is one that I found, and it’s roughly the size of my face! I love my crystals, and I make crystal grids as a part of my rituals and practice. Crystals are somehow always involved in my practice actually. I make wire wrap jewelry now with crystals also (check out Buffalo Wraps on Instagram) inspired by the healing properties of the crystals.

Astrology:

Then: When I was about 10, my grandma gave me this book. It was her original copy of Linda Goodman’s Sun Signs. It even has my grandmother’s signature on the inside cover. I was visiting my grandparents in New Zealand at the time, and didn’t have any other books with me for the trip that I can remember, so I spent my evenings in bed reading the section on How to Recognize a Libra. (I’m a Libra Sun, and that was all I knew about astrology at the time) As I finished the chapter on Libra, I was convinced there had to be something real to this tradition of the cosmos. So after returning to the USA, I began researching astrology in my free time, reading as many books and online resources as possible about the topic. I gave my friends and family birth chart readings, and was constantly examining my friends’ behaviors as a scientist examines their test subject.

Now: Well, now I’m trying to become a professional astrologer! It’s been my goal since my third year in University to become an astrologer, and I’ve been taking webinar courses since then from well-known astrologers and (again) reading as many books and online resources as possible. I now have shelves and shelves (almost a whole large tote full actually) of astrology books of all kinds that I’ve collected and read over the years, and it all started with my grandma’s little copy of Linda Goodman’s Sun Signs. Instead of only giving free birth chart readings to friends and family, now I offer paid readings of all types as well! I’ve learned so much over the last almost 15 years of studying this beautiful tradition! Astrology is also a huge part of my magic as well. I never cast a spell without first planning it for a specific planetary hour and day that aligns with the desired planetary energies. I’m constantly watching transits and studying how they affect us down here on Earth as well.

Astronomy:

Then: As a kid, maybe 3rd grade through middle school, I was super into outer space. I remember having those little glow in the dark stars all over my ceiling. My dad gave me a telescope for Christmas one year, and I remember him helping me to set it up a few times at night outside on the porch. I was always staring at the stars as a kid, looking at the moon and the constellations. I had (still have actually) a great little guide book on all of the constellations in the sky and the mythology behind them, and all kinds of cool info.

Now: Unfortunately, that telescope got very dusty over the years. It’s sitting in storage now, and I’m dying to bring it out and set it up again, but I need the space for it first! I still observe the sky and watch the stars and moon, but aside from my astrology practice and cosmic witchery, I don’t focus too much on space. I still watch documentaries on space and the planets etc. however! My magic actually heavily relies on my knowledge of both astronomy AND astrology.

Mythology/Fairy Tales:

Then: As a kid, I loved reading fiction and fantasy! I loved drawing dragons and unicorns, and reading about magical princesses and fairies. I wanted to live in a world of mythology so badly. I remember one of my favorite books at the time was Dealing With Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede. I think that book really got me excited about dragons and magic. I also have believed from a very young age, not sure where it originated from, that I am a witch, and have magic within me! I know one influence on that belief was a graphic novel series I used to read all the time growing up called W.I.T.C.H. - I related to one of the characters in that series, Irma, who had water magic abilities. I always felt a deep connection to water for some reason, and as a kid I believed I could control it to an extent. Later in elementary school, I remember learning about Greek mythology briefly, but didn’t get to learn much about it until later.

Now: I went through a bit of a phase a while ago where I thought I had to connect to a deity, or a pantheon. And I feel like I did have a few encounters with deities, but nothing that truly made me feel comfortable worshiping a deity. Don’t get me wrong, I love Greek mythology and religion, and I’ve actually taken a class at University on Greek mythology. Though I’m no expert, I feel pretty well-versed in my myths. They have a few good mythology documentary shows on Netflix that I enjoy as well. I guess because I come from a semi-Christian background though, I have a distaste for worshiping a “god” or “god-like” figure... So I don’t really worship any deities at the moment, but I do recognize the possibility of them existing, and I recognize them as archetypal figures. Same goes for other mythological beings, I don’t really work with them, but I recognize the potential for their existence in another plane.

Divination:

Then: When I was a kid, I had a little pendulum that I made out of blue lace agate and a chain. I used that for divination purposes, just asking yes or no questions. I didn’t know much else about divination though, aside from astrology, so I didn’t know what other directions there were for me to explore.

Now: I use a few different types of divination, and surprisingly, I rarely use my crystal pendulums! Besides astrology, my go-to divination method nowadays is tarot. I’ve learned to read tarot cards over the last few years after one of my college roommates gave me a rune reading and introduced me to tarot and other forms of divination. Now I have several tarot decks, oracle decks, and pendulums all stored in a beautiful box I call my “divination box.”

Anyway, that’s my Witchy Then Vs. Now! I really would like to see this pick up on Witchblr cuz it’s a fun challenge to make you reflect a little on how you’ve changed, or stayed the same!

Check out my Ko-Fi below to leave me a tip!

ko-fi.com/andromeda_sapphire

#wakingwitchblr #witchythenvsnow #witchblr #witch #witchy woman #blog #me #mine #childhood #memories #crystal healing #herbal remedies #reflecting

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ladylynse · 6 years ago

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Hey, @queenofhearts7378, I finally got another part of your prize written.... *grins* Here’s Part V of Whirlwind! [FF | AO3] Here’s the timeline post if anyone wants a refresher, or you can check out Part IV again.

6:16 PM

Jake didn’t expect his cell phone to start ringing, but he wasn’t entirely surprised to answer it and find Danny on the other end of the line. The line crackled with wind, meaning Danny was moving and doing a poor job of sheltering his phone, and if he was calling without stopping— “What’s up?” Jake asked, not entirely sure he wanted to hear the answer. Hadn’t getting reamed out by his mom been enough? If something had gone wrong with Danny’s fight with cat boy—

“Did you give your Fenton Phone away to some guy calling himself the Ninja?”

Jake groaned. He wasn’t even halfway to the shop—on foot, because he wasn’t wholly eager to get there and explain the whole disaster to Gramps and Fu when it would just mean he’d be yelled at in Chinese and subtly reminded that this was important—and this was not the news he wanted to hear. “Aw, man, he didn’t call to report the fire, did he?” If Danny knew about the Ninja, then he probably knew about everything else, too, and Jake was not in the mood to deal with this right now. At least nothing had gone drastically wrong with cat boy or Danny would have led with that. Not that one bright spot stood for much in this mess. These Miraculous things sounded important, and the Dragon Council was not going to be impressed if they found out he couldn’t stop people from misusing magical artefacts.

Especially when he’d gotten a warning from the Oracle twins.

“What fire?”

“Okay, look, there was this big deal fashion show in town. My mom was catering it. But it’s spitting distance from where we caught cat boy, and the Ninja had already fought someone I’m pretty sure was powered up by our friend with the Butterfly Brooch. I went to warn my mom and things went south.”

“You…. Are you telling me you set the building on fire?”

“Not intentionally! And the sprinklers put it out anyway. My point is, I kinda ruined the show and Mom sent me back to the shop to get Fu and Gramps for backup. She figures we’re gonna need more help—”

“From what the Ninja was saying, she’s not wrong. He won’t give details, but he figures something bad’s about to go down.” The wind noise died away; wherever Danny was, he’d finally stopped moving. “Look, Jake, about Chat Noir. Cat boy. I don’t think we have this right. I don’t think he’s the bad guy here. He was scared of me.”

“You’re a ghost. He probably knew he couldn’t touch you.”

A snort. “That wasn’t it. He could’ve distracted me by endangering a whole bunch of people’s lives, but he never tried it.”

“Maybe because he couldn’t touch you and wanted to stay on your good side? If his partner’s got this Brooch of Metamorphosis—”

“The only time he mentioned his partner was when he said he could beat me without them.”

“Right, because apparently his partner’s working the show my mom was catering. Until I tried to warn her and wrecked it.”

“Just…double check what your book says about the Cat Ring and the Butterfly Brooch. This Ninja guy said he thought things were gonna turn fast, and…. I dunno, Jake. I want to make sure we’re on the right side of this. Something doesn’t feel right.”

They couldn’t really afford to ignore the Oracle twins’ warnings on the basis of feelings, but Jake trusted Danny. “Chill. I’ll take a second look. Or make Fu do it.” Danny’s silence made it clear he wasn’t convinced, so Jake asked Danny for identifying landmarks and told him which way to fly to get to the show. If the Ninja had read the situation right, Jake didn’t really want him to be the only one on the scene.

Danny hadn’t said what had happened with his fight with cat boy—Chat Noir—but Jake could read between the lines. Chat Noir might not have destroyed anything, but he’d managed to give Danny the slip. Jake knew Danny’s skills; that would be almost impossible to do alone. But if he’d managed to make contact with his partner….

Jake ducked into the nearest alley and transformed, heading straight for the shop. Whether or not Danny was right, whether or not the Ninja was right, they needed to figure this out. He was the American Dragon. He couldn’t keep dragging his feet like this. Angry as his mom had been, she might even ask Haley to help him on this. (Unfortunately, Jake knew that if Haley had already been helping him, the mess at the show wouldn’t have happened. She wouldn’t have had any trouble sneaking in to go warn their mom about the danger. She was too cute for people to suspect her. It was really annoying.)

He was barely through the back door of the shop when his cell phone was ringing again. “Did you get lost?” he asked, knowing it was going to be Danny.

“Please tell me you have a cousin in town or something.”

“Uh….”

“Crud. I should’ve known. Just grab Fu and Gramps and get down here as fast as you can. Don’t, uh, worry about being inconspicuous. You can’t make things worse.”

Danny hung up before Jake could ask for details.

Fu brushed the chip crumbs from his chest and pushed away the book he’d been reading. “You and Phantom walk into some planned catastrophe?”

Jake wasn’t even sure where to start. “Yo, we need to get down to the gala Mom’s catering. Like, now. Something happened. I’ll fill in you and G on the rest of the stuff on the way.”

Fu stared at him. “Kid—”

“I’m gonna call Haley to be on standby.” He hated that he was doing this, but he had some idea of what Danny had been through, and his idea of bad…. “Grab that old book on the Miraculous and bring it.”

“Jake? What is going on?”

He hadn’t even noticed Gramps appear in the back of the store. “Something…bad,” he said. “I don’t—”

His cell phone rang again.

Jake answered it without even looking. “Yo, can you spill a few—?”

“Turn on the news, Jakey.”

He blinked. “Trixie?” He’d been expecting Danny again.

“News. Now. Like, any local channel.” And then she hung up.

And then he got a text from Spud. U want us on Rotwood duty?

Jake ran for the nearest functioning TV.

It didn’t take him long to find out what was up. It was on every channel. After all, it was hard to miss. There was a dragon circling above what remained of the crowd from the fashion show gala.

The camera cut to show the Ninja yelling up at the dragon, who paid him no mind.

“Aw, maaan.”

XXXXXXXXX

6:35 PM

Adrien was standing on the platform of the metro, waiting to transfer, when he heard about the dragon.

It started as a sudden exclamation by a young woman telling her friends. At first, he’d thought he’d misunderstood, but then he heard pieces of the story from other hushed—and not so hushed—conversations in the crowd. The ruined fashion show. The fire trucks and other emergency vehicles. The dragon that was surely the cause of it all.

Hawk Moth must have recalled Phantom’s akuma. He must have found someone else to transform, another soul to twist. Except….

Except Adrien had already seen a dragon, or thought he had, and hearing of one now was proof enough. He’d seen one when he’d been captured by Phantom. Which meant neither Phantom nor the dragon were the ones who had been originally akumatized; it was someone else, someone who had the ability to turn others into fairy tale creatures.

If Hawk Moth had wanted to cause chaos, this was surely the way to do it. Adrien had been able to defeat the Critic, would have managed it even without the Ninja’s help, but he couldn’t fight multiple battles on multiple fronts without Ladybug. He might be able to bring her back one akuma, if there were some way to capture and trap it, but not one for every magical creature Hawk Moth intended for him to face. He’d have to find the person who was transforming everyone, and he wouldn’t have a chance to do that until they showed their hand.

Unless they already had.

Ninjas didn’t really count as fairy tale creatures, but they were steeped in legend. The Ninja hadn’t seemed like a bad person, but he might not even realize what he’d gotten into. Hawk Moth gave some of his victims more autonomy than others, and if the Ninja didn’t even realize he was creating monsters to fight—

No. The Ninja had made no move to get his Miraculous, and even if Hawk Moth had assumed Ladybug and Chat Noir had been left behind in Paris, he’d be quick to make that correction. Especially when Ladybug wasn’t here. Hawk Moth might not care about the damage he left behind, but Adrien certainly did, and he suspected Hawk Moth knew that.

If Hawk Moth didn’t want him, hadn’t counted on him or Ladybug being here, then he wanted something else. Other Miraculous, perhaps. There must be more. He’d think that’s what the Ninja had if his costume had made some sort of reference to an animal. Plagg thought other magic was at play, but if it was, how had Hawk Moth found out about it? He knew about the Miraculous, certainly knew more about the Miraculous than Adrien did, so maybe that’s all it was. Maybe he didn’t know about the other magic here, whatever form that magic took. And if there was another Miraculous in New York City—

He couldn’t be sure. Not yet. He’d find out more when he fought to protect the city from the dragon. If he was lucky, the dragon would be as talkative as Phantom had been. And if he was really lucky, the Ninja would turn up again to help him.

Adrien checked the time. His train wasn’t due for at least another minute, and there was an attack happening now. He could travel much faster as Chat Noir than as Adrien. He didn’t know this city from above, but he knew where he was, and he knew where he was going. That would have to be enough.

Adrien slipped away in search of a place to transform and hoped he’d get there before too much damage was done.

XXXXXXX

6:41 PM

There was so much fire.

Randy heaved another Ninja Hydro Hand at the flames licking the pavement and was rewarded with a curtain of steam. (How could stone burn, anyway? That was wonk. What kind of magic was this?) He knew he wasn’t out of Ninja Cold Balls yet, but his supply had to be running low.

The smart people in the crowd had run screaming. Too many of them had lagged behind, thinking this was some kind of show. Because fire-breathing dragons were always part of some kind of show. And anyone who could afford to buy something at a fashion show like this had a lot of money, so the people putting on this show had a lot of money, and cool pyrotechnics were almost expected these days.

…Or did people just attend these things and not actually buy something? He really had no idea.

The dragon overhead swooped low, dodged with unfair ease the Ninja Electro-Ball he threw at her (it?), and sent a blaze of fire between him and the crowd, pushing them back.

Randy groaned.

He hadn’t looked closely recently, being too busy dealing with the dragon, but he was pretty sure some of the flashing lights he could still see belonged to firetrucks. He was also pretty sure the firefighters hadn’t just abandoned their jobs to gawk at the dragon, gawk-worthy as she clearly was.

But he was the Ninja.

Fighting a dragon.

In a place where crazy stunts were more the norm than actual magic.

He had no idea what it would take to convince people that this wasn’t a setup and that they were actually in danger. Then again, the dragon hadn’t targeted them specifically. Driven them back, yes, but she hadn’t pulled any shoob move that would’ve resulted in some extra-crispy attendees. She hadn’t gone after any of the vehicles, trying to make something explode or cause more damage. She hadn’t even really done much to the building. She’d mostly just cleared the area in front and, well, focused on him. Which, despite totally being his plan when he’d run after her, was…odd, now that he thought about it.

He went through the motions, calling up another Ninja Hydro Hand, and glanced up.

She was flying lazy circles overhead, expertly avoiding buildings but still managing to catch updrafts when she needed them. She flew like she was an expert at it, like she’d studied it all her life or had a natural skill for aerodynamics. Maybe she studied birds in her free time or something.

She was watching him, her eyes never seeming to flick away from his figure, as if she had some kind of sixth sense and didn’t even need to watch where she was going.

He doused the flames.

She dove.

He tossed a Ninja Bee Ball at her before remembering that their stingers probably wouldn’t pierce dragon hide, and she set the stone on fire again.

He was hot enough that he was seriously debating the merits of using a Ninja Cold Ball on himself, but at least the mask—or maybe its magic—helped him to withstand all the smoke.

“What do you want?” he yelled at her. She’d flown up out of range of anything he could throw at her—again—and had resumed watching him. Maybe she was just trying to wear him out. Maybe he shouldn’t keep putting out the fire. Except then there would be fire, and that would be bad.

At least, when he was fighting robots or monsters, he knew what they wanted. How was he supposed to stop a fire-breathing dragon who didn’t seem to have any kind of goal beyond playing with him until he dropped to the ground out of sheer exhaustion? She hadn’t said anything. He didn’t know if she could even speak or if she’d just spout unintelligible monster gibberish. He’d only heard her roar, which in retrospect had served well when it came to scaring half the crowd away.

He wished it had scared the whole crowd away.

Seriously, people in the place needed to learn when to run.

He wished the Am Drag would come back. This dragon was bigger than the Am Drag, but he could at least fly and catch her. Alternatively, Randy wouldn’t mind Chat Noir turning up again. He could clearly get some good height with his baton stick thing, providing he’d managed to find it wherever Randy had dropped it, and if they worked together, they could totally take this dragon down. He seemed to have some idea of what the whole evil butterfly thing was, too.

Honestly, though, Randy would settle for Mr. Mysterious Voice finally showing up.

Randy didn’t realize he’d gone back to staring at the flames until they were suddenly covered in ice and then gone altogether. He blinked, wondering if he’d thrown a Ninja Cold Ball and somehow immediately forgotten about it.

“Ninja, we need to talk,” a familiar voice said from behind him, and Randy turned.

The voice in question belonged to a teenager (just like him) who didn’t seem to be holding any weapons (just like him) but whose suit was definitely wonk, even by Randy’s standards. The white hair was kinda distinctive, too, and he wasn’t wearing a mask, but maybe secret identities weren’t as much of a thing in the NYC because of all the people.

Randy pointed upwards. “Dragon.”

The boy rolled his eyes. “Yeah, I got that. I wanna know what else you know. Like why there’s a dragon.”

Randy stared. “You don’t find a dragon weird? I mean, that’s a real, actual, live, fire-breathing dragon. Emphasis on fire-breathing.”

The boy looked up and considered the dragon for a moment, who miraculously hadn’t decided to dive again and try to fry them both where they stood. Randy decided not to question his spot of good luck. “Yeah,” the boy finally said, “I guess you’re right about the living part. Unfortunately.”

“Wh…how…what? Why is that the part you’re questioning?” His voice did not climb when he said that. Howard did not have it recorded, so it didn’t happen. “I saw a woman get turned into a dragon!”

“A woman, huh?” The boy bit his lip and glanced toward the crowd. As if they were the problem and not the dragon. “Yeah, that’s kinda what I was afraid of. Um. Let’s talk inside.” He made a vague gesture toward the building.

Since Randy had a mask over his face, the other boy couldn’t appreciate his gaping. “I’m in the middle of a fight!”

The boy shook his head. “You’re not fighting. You’re being tested. I was watching. The dragon’s never gone for the crowd, just made you think that so you’d react. She wants to know what you can do.”

Randy crossed his arms. “So why’s she not testing you?”

The boy looked up at her again. “Maybe because she already knows what I can do?” he offered, though his words were full of enough doubt that Randy was entirely unconvinced. “This isn’t my first time in the city, and I think…. I think I know who she is, and the whole dragon thing isn’t normal for her.” He said that like it was normal for anybody, but if Randy asked, it would just delay the fight for longer. And the dragon was still watching them. Waiting. He didn’t like counting on the fact that she’d keep waiting. The moment he did that was the moment she’d stop and decide to move. And then it really would be a fight, even if Mr. Mysterious Voice didn’t think it had been before now. (What kind of shoob stood back to watch a dragon when he could clearly help fight it because he also could do stuff with ice?)

“We need to help her,” the boy continued. He looked back at Randy. “Seriously, can we just talk inside or otherwise away from the cameras for, like, two minutes? I really don’t want my face plastered all over the news if I can help it.”

He was not going to give up on the talking thing, was he? Randy scrubbed a hand over his face. “I can’t believe we’re getting away with this,” he muttered, but he followed the new kid and ran for cover.

XXXXXX

6:45 PM

The darkened suite of his hotel room was quiet, safely away from the chaos of the gala for all that it was so near, but Gabriel had still expected to be able to hear screams from across the street, to hear the wailing sirens and the dragon’s roar and the shouts of the failing heroes. Instead, the silence began to stretch, as if everyone were waiting.

When a second hero had run out to join the first, he hadn’t questioned Dracona’s decision to wait. He had not seen if this new hero had come with hidden friends; neither had she. When she’d decided to tilt her wings and circle again, he’d thought her reconnaissance a wise move. But then she’d let the Ninja and the new hero run off to the relative safety of the evacuated site of the gala, and her only response had been to bank right, beat her wings a few times, and circle again.

“Why are you not pursuing them, Dracona?” Gabriel growled, clenching his cane tighter. The Ninja had shown more of his hand, but the newest hero…. Gabriel knew nothing of him, aside from his ability to spread ice in a speed and volume great enough to counter Dracona’s flames.

“You wanted information about this city’s superheroes.” He could sense laughter in her response. “I’ve gotten a good look at the Ninja and have run into Phantom before. Neither belongs in this city.”

Gabriel let out a slow breath. “Where they belong doesn’t matter. They are acting as heroes—”

“Where they belong matters immensely. You only wanted information on this city’s heroes.”

“They are fighting in this city,” he answered through gritted teeth. “However temporarily, that makes them this city’s heroes.”

“I don’t agree. Their loyalty remains elsewhere. Help though they may, the responsibility of the NYC falls on the shoulders of other heroes.”

He should have her writhing in pain for even thinking of speaking to him this way, but she’d be more useful to him if he delayed that method until further pressed. After all, if she still gave him the information he wanted…. “You said you are familiar with this Phantom. Tell me about him.”

“His chosen name is rather explanatory.”

Then again, if she continued to be difficult, he just needed to—

Gabriel frowned. There was no disruption in their connection, but his displeasure wasn’t being translated into pain. Instead, he felt laughter, as if she knew precisely what he’d tried to do, and—

“You unlocked my power,” she breathed, “but you do not control it.”

And then there was nothing. No sensations, no feedback, no knowledge of Dracona’s that he could use to further his plan. She was his champion, but she had somehow managed to shut him out.

“Dark wings fall.” Something was wrong, something was faulty, something was— “Nooroo, why is this happening?”

The kwami ducked his head. “She is right, master,” he murmured. “My magic only served as a key for her latent power.”

“Then we’ll lock it up again,” Gabriel snarled. He had read of many types of magic, but none that would cause a reaction such as this. “We’ll see how bold she is once my akuma is recalled.”

“I don’t think it’s that simple, master.”

Gabriel bit down on the urge to restrict Nooroo’s speech; right now, Nooroo was the only source of information he had. “And why do you say that?”

“I…I don’t know if I can contain her magic with mine now that the path is established.”

“Her magic.” Nooroo would know he was asking for details. The kwami would also know how displeased he’d be if he wasn’t given them.

“It’s a blood magic, not something that can be taken a—”

“But something that can be used?”

Nooroo hesitated.

That was all the answer Gabriel needed.

The means might be more complicated, but he had need of magic, and if he’d happened to akumatize someone with a direct line to that magic, he’d be a fool not to capitalize upon it. She might not want to give him the information he required, but she’d agreed to the contract, and she couldn’t shut him out forever. She had to tell him something.

Even if it was only about herself.

(see more fics | next)

#secret quartet #adjl #danny phantom #miraculous ladybug #rc9gn #fanfiction #crossover #my writing #ladylynse #snippets #crossover snippet #ml snippet #dp snippet #adjl snippet #rc9gn snippet

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crowned-rider-blanc · 5 years ago

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♬

♬ - a friend/best friend memory

“We control life, Winston... at all it’s levels... You are imagining something called human nature... which will be outraged by what we do... and will turn against us.” Ren took a deep breath, “But we create human nature... humans are... infinitely malleable....”

Gasping for air, the boy closed his book application. George Orwell’s works were hard for him to read, with all of their complicated words, but he found them greatly enjoyable. Besides, if he struggled with a character reading, he was able to look it up online, and write the furigana in the notes. And though he struggled to read aloud, he found it fun... even if Goro was the only one willing to listen.

“...He’s right, though... people will so easily just... put up with terrible things, if society tells them to... all so we don’t have to deal with our problems... it’s sad, huh?”

Goro sighed, “I know you love these books, Ren, but can’t we read something a little lighter for once?”

“Like what...?”

The boy’s eyes lit up. Clearly, he had ideas.

“Like, something with heroes and dragons! Or superheroes!”

Ren looked through his books. He had over 100, but most of them were classical literature. Not much that would appeal to Goro’s tastes...

“I’ll see if I can get something...” He said quietly, “Sorry... I know the stuff I like is... really depressing....”

“It’s okay! I don’t mind... just, sometimes, let’s read something fun, okay?”

“Y-yeah...” He smiled weakly. Sometimes, he got so wrapped up in his interests-- the only thing he really had, other than Goro-- that he would ramble for too long and bother people.

“You wanna watch featherman?”

“Sure!”

Ren didn’t particularly care for sentai shows, but he definitely enjoyed watching featherman with Goro. The boy got so into the show, even copying poses... it was entertaining to see him so engrossed, even if Ren didn’t share his interest.

But today, he found himself thinking aloud as the boy cooed over the newest episode of his favorite show.

“...Goro, do you wanna be a hero?”

“Huh?” He turned to face the boy, clearly taken off guard from the vacant expression on his face. After a moments thought, he nodded. “It’d be nice, if I could! But...”

He shook his head. Somehow, despite saying nothing, Ren felt like he knew what the boy was going to say.

But heroes don’t really exist.

“I bet if anyone could be a hero, it’s you...”

“Huh? Why me?” He pouted, “I’m just crazy. I wouldn’t be any good as a hero. I bet you could, though!”

He said both of those things with such certainty...

“I can’t be one, I’m too sick...” Ren coughed, “No way I can beat up bad guys and stuff. You’re... super strong and cool...! An’... an... charismatic!”

There was the word! A word that was probably a bit much for a kid who hadn’t reached double digits yet (and who looked like he had barely started elementary school). Still, it felt right. There was something about the way the boy smiled and his energy that Ren thought was incredibly charming... even if others didn’t see it.

“Well, if you weren’t sick, maybe...” He thinks for a moment, “But you can still do super cool stuff! Like that lady who helps Batman... um, Oracle. She can’t walk, but she still is like, super helpful to everyone!”

Ren would really have to read more comics. Sometimes he had no idea what his friend was talking about.

“Hehe... maybe. But I’d wanna be like, one of those scary heroes. Like Hellboy.” Who let this child read Hellboy?! “Or Hyakkimaru-- Hyakkimaru! That’s it! Hehe...”

The boy coughed, while Goro looked at him, confused. They evidently didn’t read the same comics.

“He’s, like... even worse than me... no eyes, or nose, or limbs... nothin’! But he’s super strong... he’s got fake arms that’re like... swords... and missiles in his legs....” Ren was surprisingly excited about the concept. “An’ he kills all the demons that stole his body. His thief friend is cool too...”

“That’s kinda scary...” Well, it was a pretty gory comic. Unsurprising that Goro lacked interest... “But maybe you’ll get some like, super cool power that’ll make you all better, an’ you can do awesome stuff! That’d be cool, right?”

“Mh... but I don’t wanna... be a hero by myself...” The boy frowned. “You gotta be one too... ‘kay....?”

“Sure.” He chuckled. “Promise!”

The two both smiled for a moment. They probably both knew it was nothing but a fantasy, but it would be nice, if they could do something together to change the world...

Ren thought about that as another action scene began in Featherman, and Goro’s focus went back to it. Maybe someday, they’d be able to change things... but Ren knew he only had so much time... still... was it wrong to dream about it?

#(Pestilence and Conquest)#(Books of Revelation: Drabbles)#Masked Shadow

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opxngravxs-archive · 5 years ago

Text

// i just need to gush about a very proud lizard dad moment i had today

there’s this metaphysical shop at the end of my street that i frequent and there’s this oracle deck there that’s been calling to me for a bit. i finally got my disability back pay and after paying all my bills and three months worth of student loan payments i owed, i had enough money left to treat myself. after stopping at the smoothie truck and having a bunch of little kids gush over lumiya, i went into the shop to browse. when i picked up the deck she kept turning her head, but i couldn’t tell if she was interested in the deck or the smoothie in my hand since there were strawberries and blueberries on the top of it. i put the deck down and browsed about more while finishing my smoothie. i came back to the deck and every time i would pick it up she would turned her head and look at it, which she wasn’t doing to other items i was picking up.

i did end up buying the deck and when i brought it home and cleansed it, i spread the cards face down and set her in front of them. she would walk over and lick one or two and that would be the one i turned over. we did this a couple of times together. she then decided that she’d had enough and climbed onto the lower level of my altar and sat on my tarot deck and just chilled.

i am so incredibly proud of her. she really is becoming such an intuitive familiar. i find that i have to quell my expectations because i have a tendency to just assume that she is going to be like yoshi who was a born natural and just an incredibly special and magical boy. but she’s learning and i’m learning to pick up on the way she works. she’s already also beginning to pick up on mine and other people’s emotions and act as an emotional support that way (she has developed quite the soft spot for a mutual partner of mine and my husband’s and it is honestly so endearing. lumi loves them so much.) i also have to remember that she’s only five months old -- she has so much more to grow and learn.

i cannot expect her to be yoshi because she’s not him. lumiya is her own unique dragon. i have found that the sorts of vibes i get off of my various divination tools -- which are extensions of my Self -- are very similar to the vibes lumi gives off. yoshi took after my husband in a lot of ways and lumiya seems to be taking after me.

also, as expected, just like my husband and yoshi, she really likes amethyst. she did not seem interested at all in any other stones.

#{ witchcraft and general lizard loving under the cut }#outofthecarrion #{ hi i'm graves and boy do i love my tiny baby dragon daughter }

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akarxuu · 6 years ago

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📚!

Send 📚 and my muse will talk about their past

@secondranked

Yona looked at the stranger confused and paused for a moment.

“My past.. I perhaps forgot about it to move on, but… it’s just the past right?”

thinking about it for a long moment Yona closed her eyes as she looked to the side.

“Where to start, well I was and still am the daughter of King Li, the ruler of Kouka, I’m the only princess and heir to the throne, back when I was younger my mother who is named Queen Kashi, Was murdered by Assassination, I was still young back then and had a hard time cooping my cousin Soo-wan, Stayed by my side as I felt alone.”

“My father was busy with his kingly duties and rarely ever came to see me until one day I had a snowball fight with Soo-wan and Hak and ended up with a really bad fever, well we all did. .”

“ Everyone kept calming my father was nothing but a coward due to the fact that he wouldn’t visit his sick daughter, however, one night I didn’t eat out of sadness I felt alone, even thought Hak and soo-wan were by my side. My father made my favorite meal that mother used to make me when I was a little girl, and he apologized for not being around much.”

“Needless to say that chicken porridge was absolutely horrible but I loved every bite of it, as he made it just for me.”

“I did a lot of things as a kid, like one-day Hak, Soo-wan and I left the castle to explore around, however, I grew lost and a man kidnapped me from out of know where I was almost taken out of Kouka when Soo-wan and Hak found out I was missing and saved me with the commander, since that say I’ve never been allowed out of the castle.”

“I remember Crying so much, because I was scared, and Hak hugged me as he and soo-wan told me everything was going to be alright.”

“Then Days went by and suddenly years, we all grew up, my father asks Hak, the adopted son of the leader of the Wind clan, to be my personal guard and watch over me, after Tea-jun the son of the fire clan, kept pushing me to go out with him, since then Hak has been by my side.”

“However On my 16th birthday everything…. changed… It turns out as wrong as it may be, I fell in love with my Cousin Soo-wan, but every attempt I created it all ended up in a huge failure.”

“ I was angry at the time because of the fact my father would not allow me to choose him as my husband, my father repeatedly explained that he would be the one to find a future husband, the future King of Kouka..”

“However I was selfish angry and most of all a spoiled brat, I called him a coward angered and Ran away, on my birthday Celebration I welcomed everyone into the kingdom and my father was weeping with Joy.

“He wanted to say happy birthday however soo-wan spoke up and gave me a gift, still I was angry with my father and ignored him for the rest of the day, I told the guards to tell him I was in my room busy.

“That night I was determined, I wanted to tell him I will never forget Soo-wan, however the unthinkable happened, as I approach my father chambers I notice that it was deadly quiet the Guards were nowhere to be found and his door was cracked open.”

“ When I entered it a flash of lightning crashed about and there in the mists of lighting, stood my father and soon-wan holding a sword in the kings chest. ““I was struck with shock, the man I love, was never this cruel he was kind, sweet nothing like this figure I saw before me, he told me a horrible story as I explain I didn’t even get to say I love you or goodbye.”

“ I regret it everyday not once during that day did I say thank you, and I love you, there in the what was the proof anyone needed my father laid still and lifeless, and soo-wah ordered to have me killed on the spot as a witness of the Kings murder. “

After all this I was shattered I was wasn’t what to do, everything I loved, everything I had, everything I was, was taken from me, Who am I, I thought. Hak helped me escape and run away, we made it to the wind clan and may even be transpired after that, one being the fact that with my father dead and the princess mysteriously disappeared soo-wan became the king of Kouka as a vote of needing someone to rule. “

“However, we were told to find the Oracle of Kouka and ask him what to do next.”

“As we did Iksu the Oracle explained that I was the reincarnation of hiryuu the Red Dragon and the first king that built kouka, my density was to reassemble the dragons and Save Kouka before it’s downfall and so Hak , Yoon and I did, with all 4 dragons, now we’re known as the happy hungry bunch.

“We go around the clans lands and the kingdom saving the land my father loved and clearing the Ill hated name that was stained upon the name of royalty.”

“Listen We can’t change the past, but we can learn from it, my past may be a sorrowful tale, but with it I was able to grow stronger and learn from it, however, I can not forgive the fact my father was murdered on such a notice.”

“But I realize now it’s what needed to happen for me to see the truth, My kingdom is falling, so many people are suffering while I sat on that golden throne. living a world without pain or worry, but not anymore, I swear by the Kouka name, I will make this right.”

#secondranked

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thetrueghostqueen · 6 years ago

Text

Jimin Thought Destiny was an Emotional Suck

Masterlist cover characters prologue 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

By the time Hades returned to announce Thoth and Bastet would be arriving shortly the Gods had changed into day clothes. V was on the couch curled up in Jimin's arms an awake Yen on the floor in front of them.

"Are you okay?" Yen asked V in a whisper.

He shook his head no in answer and curled himself tighter in Jimin's arms. Yen glanced up at Jimin. "I'm sorry." She apologized.

"What are you sorry for? Was it your fault? I heard it's been messing with you too." Jimin spoke.

Yen let a tear slip down her face. "I'm sorry because this nightmare I've lived with my whole life has found another victim. I wouldn't wish that on anyone especially on someone wonderful."

"H-how do you live with this?" V stuttered.

Yen gave V a weak smile. "It's a burden I've always had. When it affects Tae I use some of my abilities to lesson it for her. I can't erase the memory, but if you want I can take away the fear."

V and Jimin both nodded their heads yes. Yen took V's hands and closed her eyes. Jimin felt V tense before suddenly going limp.

Terrified that Yen did something that seriously hut V he yanked V's hands away and pushed her backwards.

Yen fell back on her elbows and gave Jimin a surprised look. What she saw in his eyes sent chills up and down her spine. " I-I w-was hel-helping." She stuttered.

Jimin made to move forward to get up V stopped him. "Min, no. She didn't hurt me I feel." He swallowed. "I feel great. I feel strong." He turned from Jimin to Yen. "What did you do?"

She gave V a soft smile. "I siphoned all of your negative energy. I drained you of the fear and replaced it with positive energy. I'm sorry I couldn't do more."

"You did more than enough. Thank you!" V moved out of Jimin's arms and off the couch to hug her.

Yugyeom started making his way over to Yen when Thoth and Baste showed up.

"I guess we should get started." Hades announced.

For the next hour or two Thoth and Bastet made V explain his nightmare and what he saw after he woke over and over again so they could analyze every detail. After what had to be the 60th repeat, Namjoon finally yelled enough.

The other Gods kids and Hades sighed contently when they stopped.

Bastet and Thoth huddled together speaking back and forth in angry whispers before re-directing their attention back to the room.

Thoth called Tae and Yen forward. He placed his hands on either side of Tae's head and closed his eyes. He opened his eyes and gave her a slight smile before moving on to Yen.

Everyone jumped as Yen filled the silence of their home with an ear piercing scream. Instead of letting go Thoth dug his fingers deeper into her scalp.

They watched as her screams died and her body went limp. Bastet forcibly holding Yugyeom back as he tried to get to Yen.

Thoth opened his eyes and released her causing Yen's limp body to crumple in a heap at his feet.

Whatever magic that held back Hades, Jackson, Jimin, V, and Hoseok dissipated causing them to fall in a heap around Yen.

Hades jerked up and glared at Thoth. "What in Tartarus was that?" He spat.

"My sincerest apologies. It was not my intention to harm the girl. I needed to see what she has seen, what she has experienced to understand if what has happened to her or the boy correlate to what the Gods children were created for."

"What is your conclusion, brother?" Bastet queried.

Thoth put his finger on his lip and contemplated for a moment. "I have concluded that whatever it is that is tormenting these children is most definitely either Sumerian or Mesopotamian. This being so means that the moment of truth has come and their destiny has begun."

Thoth finished speaking and looked to Bastet and Hades. The Gods kids sat waiting for them to continue. The Gods kids watched in silence as it seemed the three were in a silent conversation of their own.

Bastet was the first to break eye contact and with a soft sad smile turned to the kids. "TO start we have to go back to the beginning. The story begins long before the Gods that are in power now were. Only a handful of the old and ancient Gods are still awake. At the beginning the Mesopotamian Gods ruled. After a time a sect of them broke off and fought to take over. The Mesopotamian Gods lost and the Sumerians took over. Tempest the God of Time and Khalida the destroyer of worlds were imprisoned. They were the two most ruthless and vile of the Gods. With the old Gods out of the way the Sumerians set out to create utopian societies where Gods and mortals could live in harmony, peace, and prosperity. Ryujin moved to what is now Asia and became the Progenitor of Dragons. He also created some of the mythical and legendary cities. Another group of Sumerians left for the Celtic Isles and became known as the Tuathe De. They also created mythical and legendary cities. Others stayed and crated Atlantis. For a time it seemed as if they achieved their goal of a utopian society. Sadly that of course didn't last. Even with Tempest and Khalida imprisoned they were able to crate chaos. With help from the outside they crated different breeds of super naturals. For example the first set of vampires were borderline indestructible with the help of Khalida's silver blood. The peaceful Gods were at a loss as to how to save the world. Eventually a prophecy came to the first Oracle Acheron also known as the ultimate fate. The prophecy he saw: There will come a time. Those that are lost will be found. When those forgotten will rise. The power to save us all will be unbound. To save the world seen in prophecy 14 children must come to be. Born of pantheons that are not the same. These full God children will be the salvation for the forgotten to be unchained. Shortly after Acheron spoke the prophecy minus Ryujin, the Sumerian Gods fell into slumber. As time went on their names and histories fell by the wayside. Other Gods became prominent. Humans and super naturals learned how to exist. Which leads us to now." Bastet finished.

She looked at the kids while they digested all the information. Namjoon was the first to speak. "You said the prophecy spoke of 14 children. There are 15 of us."

"I have a theory on that." Thoth chimed in. "When it came time to produce said children, many were in agreement. We conclude that there was just an extra pairing. Better to have more than less."

"So what are we supposed to do?" Jaebum questioned.

"Find Khalida's soul stone and destroy it. It is the only thing in existence that can finish her for good. Many of us tried, but we aren't the children of prophecy." Hades answered.

"Umm...." Jackson started.

"For this, we are officially at a loss. No god has a clue as to where it could be, what it looks like, or even how to look for a clue to lead to it." Hades stated.

"How do we know it's a soul stone then?" Namjoon posited.

"Every God has one. You could say it's our life force if you will. It is the surest way to snuff out a Gods existence. For the most part our stones are tied to our tapestries that only two beings have access to." Bastet answered directing her gaze to Tae and Yen.

"The earliest dated tapestry we watch over is Donii. We've never seen a Sumerian tapestry." Tae explained.

Thoth's ears perked up at the name Donii. "Donii, are you positive that, that name is on a tapestry? Not a different name?"

Tae turned to Thoth and opened her mouth to speak, but Yen beat her to it. "Yes it's Donii's. Well one. She has many tapestries woven together. More than most Gods."

"Who is Donii? The way you guys are speaking makes it seem really important." Jaebum spoke.

"Thoth looked to Hades and Bastet to pose a quick private conversation.

As the three of them huddled in a corner, Yen explained to the Gods kids who Donii was. "Over the eons Gods came and went. Some, a very notable few have always remained. Their names changed according to culture and society, but they are the same. Donii is one of those few. She is the Great Mother. A lot of societies and cultures refer to her as Gaea."

Yen finished her explanation as Hades, Thoth, and Bastet returned from their huddle. Thoth directed his question to Tae and Yen. "Can you take us to Donii's tapestry?" He asked excitedly.

"NO" Both girls said in unison.

He tried again. "It's important. It could be a clue.

Once again in unison. "NO"

Bastet tried and also received a NO.

"There could be a map." Thoth tried a third time.

The Gods were no longer speaking to Tae and Yen, but to the Fates. Once again they spoke in unison. "The tapestries of life are the responsibility of PAST, PRESENT, FUTURE, and ABOSOLUTION. NO BEING BUT THOSE CHARGED SHALL EVER ACCESS THE HALLS."

The Gods kids looked at the girls as they spoke. Watching as their eyes turn gold before fading back to normal. The focus solely on the girls no one caught the third set of eyes flashed gold as well. Nor the lip movement following along in sync.

Thoth sighed in defeat. "Could we at least see a recreated image?"

Tae and Yen locked gazes having a silent conversation. Yen eventually broke contact and nodded at Thoth as Tae shot her arm out creating an astral visual of Donii's tapestry.

Thoth studied the visual joyfully. Every so often letting out excited little yips. When he felt the tapestry was successfully burned into his memory he turned away and thanked the girls. "I believe we finally have a starting point." He informed the room. "The tapestry is indeed a map of sorts. Not a complete one, but it does lead us to one of the libraries of knowledge. It leads to Fukurokuju. He's a Japanese God of wisdom. There is a book in his library that once belonged to an ancient sect of demons. It is the most important book in his library and therefore what I believe you need to begin your destined quest." Thoth finished.

Everyone sat waiting for him to continue. How do they find the library? Do they just ask him for the book? Once they have it, if they can even get it what do they look for?

When it was evident no further explanations were going to be given Jinyoung spoke up. "So the idea is that we are supposed to travel to Japan, find some mythical library, bang on a door, demand a book and then...?"

"That's not it exactly. His library can only be located and accessed at the shadow time. Once inside you'd only have 30 or so minutes to get in, find the book, and get out. The old libraries are all rigged so people can't just wander in. His library can only be accessed once a year." Thoth answered.

"And that is when?" Namjoon pressed.

"December 21st and only for 30 minutes or so like I said. If you are in there past that you will be stuck for a year or dead."

Everyone in the room just stared at Thoth. December 21st was in 4 days. How in the Underworld were they supposed to get to Japan in 4 days, locate the library, get in and out in 30 minutes, and carry on? Some of them hadn't even shown abilities yet.

It seemed the destined were destined to fail before they could even begin.

All Jimin could think was that Destiny was an Emotional Suck

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magic713m · 7 years ago

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Between the Sky and a Hard Place Ch. 4

Percy searched around the halls for Luke, carrying a few photos. Ever since Chris had vanished, searching for the labyrinth, Luke had sent others to find out his fate, while he and Percy were setting up and preparing for war at Othrys. When Percy received the photos from Luke's spies, he went to look for Luke in his room, but it was empty, along with the training room, the library, and other rooms Luke had frequented, lately.

Percy finally found Luke, staring outside a window in some random guest room. Luke made no indication whatsoever that he was aware of Percy.

"Luke?"

The young man turned his head to his friend, "Sorry, Perc. Just thinking."

"What'cha looking at?" Percy asked, stepping into the chamber.

Luke moved out of the way and Percy looked out the window. He had a good view of the San Francisco layout, but Percy knew what he held Luke's attention the moment he saw the tree bearing golden fruit, and guarded by the multi-headed dragon, Ladon.

"It's so bizarre," Luke said, "After my quest, I swore never to lay eyes on that accursed thing again. And now it's my next door neighbor."

"Right. Your first quest," Percy recalled.

"First and only. And a total failure. I almost died, trying to get that stupid apple."

"What was even the point?"

"My father said it was to prove myself a hero. But I knew. It was just some twisted game to see if his son could pull off a feat, like the great Hercules."

Percy heard the bitterness in his voice, as Luke subconsciously touched the scar on his eye briefly. He knew it was a touchy subject for Luke, and he really understood his frustration.

"I'm not even sure you'd even consider it a real quest," Luke continued, "It was such a trivial task. My father had to issue it, instead of the oracle."

"Didn't you have any companions to go with you?"

"No one that I'd trust to help. The only people I'd have trusted enough was a girl I thought too young for me to see perish. The other was a friend who was too busy being a tree, herself," Luke answered.

"You think they could've helped?"

"Honestly, in hindsight, I am glad I was alone. I barely escaped from the quest alive, and if they had been there, I…I don't want to think about the possibility that they died just for an insignificant apple."

Percy nodded, looking back at the tree. It was just another reminder of why they still fight. So no one would have to go through what Luke did at a god's whim.

"So, what was it you wanted to show me?" Luke said, snapping Percy out of his thoughts, seeing Luke looking at the photos in Percy's hand.

"Right, well, these photos were taken by one of the lookouts in San Francisco. I think you should see this."

Percy placed the photos down on the desk and Luke looked at them. They were a picture of a man, who seemed unimpressive. But then Luke looked at one of the man from his left side, catching a glimpse of a tattoo on his neck.

"This is incredible," Luke said, "We wanted a way to control the labyrinth, and now we found our navigator."

"So what are we going to do once we find and navigate the labyrinth? Are we going to attack Olympus?"

"Unfortunately, Olympus has always been disconnected to it. But it can go other places, such as camp. Right pass the barrier. We could get information from our spies much more easily."

"And that's it, right?" Percy asked, sounding concerned.

Luke paused and looked up, seeing the worried Percy.

"Look, I'm not going to lie to you. Some people do think that this discovery could help us create a front line for a battle."

"No," Percy firmly stated.

"Percy, just listen-"

"No Luke. I am not even going to entertain the idea that we are attacking camp."

"The titans might disagree on that. Demigods are the strongest weapons of the gods and if we-"

"Are you kidding me!" Percy said, "I joined you because we're being used by the gods. All of us. And I stayed because we are trying to save the others. And now you want to attack them. Kill them!"

"It's not so simple-"

"Then how's this for simple?" Percy said, "If you decide to attack camp, I'm gone. I won't help you murder them for these monsters. Most are just kids, needing a safe place to be home. It was our home at one point, and I won't be a part of destroying it."

Luke rubbed the bridge of his nose, inhaling. He stayed like that for a few moments, before looking at Percy.

"Yes. You're right. I just want this war to be over. Thanks for keeping my head on straight."

"Anytime," Percy softly said, before looking back at the photos, "Now, what about him?"

"We should keep our distance, for now. If he does know the maze, he could easily slip into it when we aren't looking and we might never hear from him again."

"Sure. So approach with caution."

"Exactly."

After arriving in the freezing ski town, the questers needed to find a way to get further west. They were fortunate enough to have Apollo's help getting them so far, but now they needed a new ride.

However, none of this was on Nico's mind, as he was trying to block a blow from Thalia's spear. She swung it again and Nico once more tried to block it, but Thalia quickly pushed him down onto the ground and kept him down at spear-point.

"Dead," she said, pulling away her weapon.

"C'mon Thalia, aren't you being a little hard on him?" Grover asked.

"He needs to be ready," Thalia answered, "I need him to be prepared for anything."

"Hey, I was a big help with the lion," Nico pointed out.

"Yeah, you just needed to pretend to be lunch until your lucky powers kicked in," she said sarcastically, "Blind chance is not the best skill to have in a fight. Now, if you could summon that weapon, like you did before, then I'd feel safer."

Nico had tried to summon the weapon again on their trip a few times, with no luck.

"I think I've got the picture-"

"No, you don't," Thalia said, in aggravation, "This isn't your card game. This is your life now. One mistake, one screw up, and you and your companions are dead. Those demigods you saw, they are the enemy. We will most likely have to fight them, even kill them, or they will kill us. Do you understand?"

"What about the other kid, Percy?" Nico asked, "He saved my life. He-"

"He's a traitor," Thalia said, causing Grover to flinch, "He is no better than the monsters he works for."

"Um, Thalia, I wouldn't go that far," Grover said, meekly, "He saved me, and he did help Nico and Bianca. Maybe we can talk to him."

"He had plenty of chances to surrender. Next time I see him, he won't get away," she said, firmly.

Grover lowered his head, and walked off.

"Will he be alright?"

Thalia's expression softened.

"Grover told me he and Percy have or had an empathetic connection over the summer. He's too close to him," Thalia explained, "I think we've trained enough for now. Why don't you try and help Grover find a way out of this town."

Nico talked with Grover and began helping him collect acorns to prepare a tracking spell, when he saw someone step up in front of him. He looked up and saw his big sister looking down at him.

"Can I talk to you?" she asked.

"You can do whatever you want. You made that perfectly clear," Nico said turning back from her as he continued his search.

"Nico, you need to understand, I needed to do this. I couldn't constantly watch over you."

"You saw an opportunity to ditch me and you took it. I get it," he said, his voice displaying annoyance.

"Look, we just found out we were demigods. I had enough responsibility when it was just us without the monsters. Then we were attacked and I was offered the chance to be free of it."

"Free of me, you mean. That's what family is, something you just abandon the first chance you get."

"It wasn't like I left you on the side of the road and drove off. You were going to camp, where you would be with kids just like you. You'd be living the life like you always wished in Mythomagic. You were taking this whole news so well, and I was just terrified."

"Well, you got your freedom. You no longer have to be my big sister so I hope you're happy. I don't care how you try to rationalize it, you just-"

Suddenly, Nico and Bianca felt a warm spring breeze pass by them. The sudden shift of winter to warm air startled them and they saw Grover stand before collapsing. The group gathered around Grover as Bianca tried to wake him. Nico saw Thalia arm her spear.

"Be ready," she commanded Nico, "We have to go."

The questers moved to the edge of town, supporting Grover, before two skeletons appeared. Thalia activated her bracelet, producing a shield to block the bullets from the skeletons' handguns. Bianca and Zoe armed their bows as Bianca commanded them to back away. But Nico felt something was wrong. Just then, two more skeletons appeared behind them, surrounding the group.

Grover was sprouting words, like a crazy satyr. Something about the Wild.

"We're going to have to fight them. One for each of us," Thalia said to the group, before looking at Nico, "I guess we'll see if you're ready."

The group charged at their individual opponents. Nico charged, using his natural agility to prevent the skeleton from shooting him, as Thalia advised during training. He struck the skeleton with his dagger and cut off his arm and it dissolved in the ground. Nico went for another strike, but something slammed into him from behind, knocking him off his feet.

He looked up to see one of the demigods from the museum standing over him, his bruised face glaring down at Nico. Behind him were three more demigods and he knew their chances went from slim to abysmal.

"Go, take care of the others. We only need Thalia," he commanded.

"James," the blond demigod said, "Jackson said he wanted them all alive and unharmed."

"And the General said their lives didn't matter. I think I'll take my chances with Jackson."

"But-"

"Do as you're ordered, Samson," James said in a dark tone.

One of the other demigods placed their hand on Samson's shoulder and guided him away to the other fighters.

The others went to fight their opponents, and soon Thalia and Zoe were fighting off three demigods and one skeleton, while Bianca was fighting two skeletons, leaving Nico fighting against James and a one-armed skeleton.

"It was you at the meeting," James said, "You left a little beauty mark. Let me return the favor."

Nico quickly got up and prepared to fight. He easily pushed back the skeleton, but James was no push over. I one swift motion, James was able to slash Nico's back. Nico knew he was done for…if not for the Nemean Lion jacket. He felt the impact of the sword, but he was completely unharmed.

Despite his advantage, Nico began to back up to the group as he began to feel the ground shake beneath. He heard movement in the trees and knew something was coming. One skeleton was on the ground in pieces, but was quickly pulling itself back together. Nico tried to warn the others, but could only watch in shock as one skeleton lunged at Bianca. But she pulled out a hunting knife and plunged it into the skeleton's chest, causing him to burst into flames and turn to dust, similar to the arm Nico cut off from the other skeleton.

"How did you do that?" Zoe asked.

"I don't know," Bianca answered, "Lucky stab?"

"Well keep at it."

The other skeletons began to back off as Bianca prepared for another attack, but the other demigods were not as scared.

"Give it up," James said, "You're finished."

He looked like he was about to say something else, or maybe just attack, but he was interrupted by a loud roar as the trees behind him shook and a huge pig appeared from the trees.

"A Gift," Grover said.

The questers scattered as the boar charged, sending some of the foes flying through the air, behind the tree line. James shouted in anger and tried to attack the giant swine, but he was quickly tossed away as well.

The boar continued to squeal and rampage as the questers tried to stay out of its way.

"If this is a gift, can we return it?" Nico asked.

"How it this a blessing?" Bianca added.

The wild boar was rampaging all over the field, trying to run any of the questers down. Thalia brought up Aegis, hoping to scare it and it seemed to work, since now the boar's fear and rage was focused on her and Nico, who was unfortunate to be next to her.

The two ran from the boar and the boar began to gain ground on them. Nico berated himself for not training harder. Maybe if he had tried, he could do more with his powers. He had a very sudden, and pretty risky idea. He abruptly stopped and Thalia soon slowed down to look back to him.

"Nico, what in Hades are you doing?"

Nico turned to the boar and he remembered the feeling he had when he fought the lion. It's jaws lowering, trying to end him. And suddenly a weapon in his hands. He tried to remember that power that flowed through him. He kneeled and placed his hand on the ground. He tried to focus as the boar got closer.

The ground around the area began to shake, but the boar kept charging right at Nico. Until a fissure began to open in the ground and the boar tripped and fell into it with the snow piling on top. Nico looked to see it still moving around, though it appeared to be stuck in the fissure.

Grover, Zoe, and Bianca joined them as Nico kept his eye on the creature. He knew it would get out soon. The hole wasn't so deep.

"This is a blessing," Zoe said.

"How?" Thalia asked.

"This," Grover said, motioning to the animal, "is our ride west."

#percy jackson #dark percy #luke castellan #Nico di Angelo #Grover underwood #thalia grace #zoe nightshade #pjo #The Titan's Curse

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144-13 · 7 years ago

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Hi again. Time to bother you some more, so 7, 11, 13, 22, 24, 25, and 30, for the writer's ask, please~~

You *pats your hand* are never *pats your hand* a bother *pats your hand*. You know who is a bother though? That Clive kid. You know the one. Major :///////

7 - Which character that you’ve written is most like yourself?

Out of all the novels and fanfictions I’ve written, I do think Clive in my current P3301 is most like me. We have the same MBTI personality, we’ve experienced similar events in our lives, we’re even physically similar–skinny af, brown hair, bangs parted on the same side (and just for the record, mine were on the left first before Clive was even an idea in Level-5′s mind, so there, Clive), same baby face that makes us appear five years younger than we actually are (most people at work think I’m 19, 20 if I’m lucky). We’re also both old (one of us being a twenty-five-year-old fifty-five-year-old. I even found a grey hair the other day and Clive can have that back.)

Jokes aside, I really enjoy writing Clive. There’s some quirks and characteristics I have to give him that aren’t things I do (running my hand through my hair/letting my anger get the better of me) or might even be annoyed with (pen-clicking), but his overall personality has been fun to shape because even in-game it’s already so similar to mine. The way he thinks, acts (besides the murder-y bit) and even his cheeky comments are all natural to me.

11 - What were your favorite books as a child?

I’d have to say the Guardians of G’Hoole was the first series I was ever so excited about I even had a prophetic dream about one of the books coming out. I don’t really believe in that sort of stuff, but I distinctly remember having a dream about the mint-green cover for book 7 well before the book was even pictured and when I went into the store to pick it up months later it had a mint-green cover. Now to channel that skill into the future of P3301.

I also fondly remember the Dimwood Forest series. And when I say fondly, I mean I was traumatised by the very first book, Poppy. This was only because I had read the prequel, Ragweed, without having known it was a prequel, got into Ragweed’s character and then little ten-year-old me was completely devastated when, in the first few pages, he’s murdered and devoured by an owl. Probably the second major loss of innocence in my life. And to salt the wound, his girlfriend falls in love with his brother. I mean, she avenges Ragweed but little me did not want to accept he was dead and then Poppy just moves on without me. Not cool, Poppy.

The very first set of six books in the Warriors series is also a kid favourite of mine. The ideas were so fresh and interesting. Now they’ve kind of dulled after, you know, four or five more sets, all containing six books each with rehashed antagonists and villains and not too many original ideas anymore.

Let’s see… I’m quite into this question as remembering all my favourite books is really throwing me back in time to some happy moments in a tree house on a farm all on my own with no one to bother me and an adventure to have with many memorable characters. I think another good one was the Dragon Rider by the same author of Inkheart. (Can’t remember her name. Something Funke. Edit: omg, you have the internet right in front of you. ‘We have technology, Spongebob!’ Her name’s Cornelia Funke. Glad I could solve that nearly unsolvable mystery…) But I’ve always been into dragons and mythological creatures so any book that could craft dragons into this real and nearly tangible thing was an instant like. The same is true of the Enchanted Forest Chronicles. Dragon Rider in particular was full of different myth creatures and I remember rereading it again and again because I enjoyed it so much.

Another favourite from my secondary/high school days is the Oracles of Delphi Keep. Uh, but that one I have a grudge with because it was meant to have four books but for whatever reason the author couldn’t have the fourth one published or there was some issue with writing it or something. Not totally sure. All I know is, for three books, I’m on an adventure with an orphan boy who dresses like little Clive with mythological creatures and witches and wizards and demigods and even involves time travel in one book and the very last book finally reveals one of the people who had travelled back in time to meet this boy was his father and it ends with him thinking he’s going to meet his parents as well as save this world and there was SO MUCH built up in this last book…only for me to find out there would never be a conclusion. So heads up. The three books are great. A little slow, but great, fond memories. But there’s no end. Will my orphan boy ever meet his parents? No. Because his story abruptly ends beFORE HE CAN. Okay, rant over. Still forever upset, though.

13 - Which authors or styles do you try to emulate in your writing?

I was kind of afraid this question might pop up. The thing is, I don’t really know. I guess it’s all sort of a conglomeration of all the authors I’ve ever read, everything I’ve learnt to do and not do from them and then my own twists on it that have developed over time? I guess one author that sticks out is Suzanne Collins who wrote Hunger Games. Especially for her first person approach. Katness’ dialogue has always been some of my favourite because it’s quick, straight to the point, and it really turns the series into a page-turner, which is what I want P3301 one and future books to be.

Honestly, though, I need to read more so I do have more authors to emulate and learn from. I can’t remember who said this, but a quote I try to hold myself accountable with is that one about ‘if you don’t have time to read, you don’t have time to write.’ That is 100% true and I consciously know this. Now it’s just a matter of consciously making the decision to abide by it.

22 - Do you listen to music when you write?

Not really. I find I can’t pay attention if someone’s singing or even without a voice, melody is enough to cause me to not be as productive or as observant with my stories as I need to be. Sometimes if I’m feeling particularly focused, I’ll turn on some smooth jazz or one of those Youtube live stations with lo-fi beats or nova-bossa music. But mostly I write in silence. If I do need noise to concentrate, I’ll put on a gentle rain/thunderstorm video or birdsong. Now that winter’s over, I’m coming close to being able to listen to those without Youtube~

24 - Do you prefer first or third person? Why?

It kind of depends. I like both because they both have their advantages. Especially now with P3301, I use first person for Clive and as stated above, I have loads of fun writing him because I get to shape his personality and think up what sorts of reactions he’d have to a certain situation/person and let’s not forget those father/daughter moments I could destroy London die for. But I do enjoy third person as well. Particularly because I lean mostly towards third person omniscient which allows me to show readers what everyone’s thinking and in turn put together a more alluring mystery.

25 - How do you defeat writers’ block?

I mostly struggle through it. It seems for me there’s no sort of meditation or cat videos or any method that will help other than just fighting it. I suppose sometimes I’ll go back and reread older chapters to help get back on track.

30 - What’s your favorite part about writing?

I guess everything, really. The morals I try to teach, the experience I’ve had and the influence I hope they have for other people. The characters, especially, and shaping them from one person into another. I really try to give every character chance to grow so if anything’s an absolute favourite, it’s rereading an old story or even just going back a few chapters and seeing where my characters were, where they headed, what they went through and where they ended up. Sometimes that’s the hardest bit about writing as well. Hint hint, I have some serious business Clive will go through in future chapters and I’m not looking forward to what it will do to him. But hey. The writer is ultimately the worst antagonist, right? I gotta live up to that reputation.

#laytonscreencaps #thanks for asking friendo~#these were fun

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