#kuri babbles

[alphakuriboh]

I have survived another rodeo.

Pretty sure I’ve been sick most of all ten days.

Yeehaw.

[alphakuriboh]

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Huge day for FEH players

CYL results has Soren, M!Robin, Gullveig and F!Corrin! SOREN, ROBIN AND CORRIN STANS HAVE WON!!! (Especially Soren)

The 2023 Valentines banner would feature the characters from Fates! There’s Takumi, Leo, Hana and Sakura-Elise Duo Hero. Leokumi and Sakulise/Elisaku Stan’s have won!! (Effie is also there too but as a TT+ unit)

[izzabeean]

Chapter 4 : Bitter

SUMMARY

Oikawa tries to distract you upon finding out about your break-up and it does seem to be working but only for a moment...

pairing : ushjima x f!reader / oikawa x f!reader / iwaizumi x f!reader

genre : angst + fluff

word count : 2,146

tags :  alternate universe - college/university, post-break up, friends to lovers, pining, slow burn

a/n :  I feel like things are picking up and I’m so excited for what this fic has in store! Apologies for the slow beginning, this truly is a slow burn. *NOTE: Kuri dorayaki is a traditional Japanese sweet, pancake-like bun with red bean paste and roasted chestnut filling.

masterlist

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Barely an hour goes by before Oikawa jumps at the chance to spend the day with you out and about in the city; it's not often he’s had the opportunity to, especially when you and Ushijima were together making most of your weekend's busy spending time with him. Of course, you were quite keen on spending the day inside, finding ways to forget the severe emptiness festering within, but Oikawa's excitement couldn't be ignored and with that, you agreed to spend the day out with him.

Honestly, if it weren’t for Oikawa's pestering, you wouldn’t have realized how much the fresh air fills you with ease a s you walk down the street listening to him babbling about his evening with Iwaizumi. Normally you are a very attentive listener, engrossed in his dramatic details, but today you found it very difficult to listen intently. Your attention shifted to the pairs of people passing by; some hand-in-hand, some giggling, and the sight makes sick to your stomach.

All these couples in love getting to spend time together. It’s so repulsive.

And you're bitter.

Bitter because you wish you had that. Bitter because you used to have that. Bitter because you miss Ushijima.

And because you miss him, you can't help but think back to when you first showed interest in each other. At that time, you and Ushijima had a weird friendship, actually, you weren’t really sure what it was as he only spoke to you at school. Topics didn’t stray far from assignments or classes, so it was very odd when he asked you to hang out one morning off of campus.  

“You didn’t have to wake me up so early,” you groan curled up in the passenger's seat of Ushijima’s car. Your eyes are heavy, as you press your forehead against the cold window examining the long outstretch of highway lit by the sky just moments before dawn breaks. Looking over to Ushijima you notice not a trace of fatigue that filters his eyes as they remain focused on the road ahead. 

“What is there to even do at 6 in the morning?” you yawn.

The sudden wake-up call was earlier than anticipated, you should’ve clarified that morning for you was 9 AM. But to Ushijima hammering his fist on your door was a more productive way to wake you up rather than a call or text. Truthfully, he found the results to be much more amusing and knew you could not ignore him.

“We had to in order to arrive on time,” he booms flatly, quickly casting a glance at you.

Your face contorts with irritation at the vague response and question if this is just a planned kidnapping. Maybe you were exaggerating a bit... Still, nothing else seemed reasonable.

“Well, will you at least tell me where we’re going?” you lash.

“We will be there soon,” he replies, calm and cool to your aggressive tone.

Crossing your arms in impatience, you scoff at his response then continue to look out of the window listening to the low murmur from the radio. 

It’s not much longer until Ushijima pulls into a gravel lot at the side of the road and parks. 

“We’re here,” he says getting out of the vehicle.

You tilt your head quizzically scanning your destination which is basically out in the mind of nowhere. Ushijima pops open the passenger door waiting for you to get out.

"Is this a joke?" you rasp.

"Just follow me," he says trying to hold back the irritation in his voice.

Unbuckling the seatbelt, you slide out of the vehicle and follow him, hopeful that there’s more to this deserted parking lot than just a dusty road. 

And there is because your eyes are met with a breathless view above the town. All at once, your doubts fade as the sun begins to rise at the atmosphere’s edge, drenching the houses and buildings in its golden glow. Everything feels so peaceful.

“This is beautiful,” you breathe, sincerely in awe of the picturesque sight. 

You are an idiot.

“Not gonna lie, I thought this was a kidnapping,” you joke.

Ushijima casts a confused glance at you, unable to understand what you were getting at. “I was told to take a girl I like to an intimate spot.”

A girl he likes? Oh.

Did he bring you here for advice? A hint of jealousy surfaces at the thought that Ushijima has his eyes set on someone else. And you wonder what his true intent was for bringing you here. 

“Maybe tell her where you’re going so she doesn’t get the wrong idea,” you tease.

“Tell who? You didn’t like the surprise?”

You blink. “Me?”

It never crossed your mind that you could be the one he likes. Obviously, he’s hot and every time he says your name your heart skips a beat, but you never thought anything of it.

“Yes.” 

Ushijima takes a step forward closing the distance between the two of you. His gaze is a lot warmer than usual evoking a strong pull at your heartstrings. You know your personality can be quite cold and temperamental, sometimes even hostile, but there was something more underlying your cheeky, sarcastic comments. Ushijima brought out a side to you that no one else really could.

A slight breeze picks up pushing your hair in your face, to which Ushjima leans in tucking the strand behind your ear. 

“Your hair was in your face, thought I should move it so I could see you better,” he utters.

He’s close, the closest he's ever been, and you're hot. 

You stare at him wide-eyed soaking in the electric chemistry floating in the air. You think your heart might stop as his hand moves under your jaw to tilt your face up at him while the other touches the small of your back bringing you closer; his touch is warm and soft cascading tingles down your body. Then he leans in even closer to gently press a kiss on your lips.  

“Hey! Pay attention!” 

Oikawa’s yell snaps you out of the nostalgia bringing you back to your walk with him in the city. But your daze only causes you trouble because you spot a bike unwavering from its path heading towards you. Your brain screams, telling you to move or do something, but your body freezes in place--all you sense is fear. 

Suddenly, your arm is yanked from the side, and with a yelp, you’re pulled to safety. It was unlike you to be so out of it, but you didn’t realize how much Ushijima occupied your thoughts until that moment. 

A lump forms in your throat as the cyclist passes you and you could hear him mumbling under his breath how unobservant pedestrians can be. 

“That was close,” Oikawa jokes.

His words startle you as you come to the realization that Oikawa’s arms are wrapped around your body. You look up at him as he stares down at you with his shit-eating grin that says “I just saved your ass big time .” Your eyebrow twitches at his expression and pry yourself away from his grip.

“I’m not going to thank you!” you shout, angrily. 

“Wow, so cruel Y/N-chan,” he whines with a giggle.

His laugh is all-consuming as you feel overwhelmed with frustration. It’s just like Oikawa to make everything completely insufferable, now you weren’t going to hear the end of it, of how he saved you from getting hit by a bike. He always knew the right way to get under your skin.

“Y/N-chan,” Oikawa calls, pointing to a vendor on the corner of the street selling kuri dorayaki*. “Would you like one?” 

Swiftly, the sweet smell fills your nose and the scent reminds you of your childhood, strolling with your family under the gold and crimson trees while the earthy, caramel air nips at you through your clothing. 

But you’re hesitant to give in to his peace offering. 

You didn’t want to be bribed, but as the flavors continue to float through the air, you could hear your stomach start grumbling.

Before you had a chance to oppose, Oikawa takes his wallet out while walking up to the food stand to purchase a couple of treats; one for you and one for him. Upon returning, he hands it to you and motions to take a seat on a bench nearby.

“What do I owe you?” you ask.

Oikawa waves his hands in the air, “Nothing, it’s on me.

You pause. The city noise rang in your ears as the sun gleams down blanketing you in warmth. It almost feels strange, having him be so nice, after all, teasing each other has become so routine that the pressure to say something nice resides in your chest. You don’t know what’s overcome you, you normally never second guess what to say to Oikawa, but his kindness really stunned you.

As the steam rolls off causing your mouth to water in anticipation of the flavors, you sink your teeth into the delicious pancake-like bun. The taste of the sweet red bean and chestnut coats your mouth bringing a sense of warmth inside washing away the feelings of anger and frustration. 

“Thank you,” you mumble, under your breath licking your lips. 

Oikawa smiles in response, “Anything for you!” 

Just as you were about to take another bite, you pause peering at a familiar figure across the street-- the only figure you could recognize from a mile away.

Ushijima.

“Do you not like it?” Oikawa looks at you with an uncharacteristic flash of concern.

You don’t reply as you keep your eyes locked on your ex who is in front of a bakery you’ve walked past a million times, standing next to a girl you’ve never seen before. It’s almost unbearable as she wraps her arm around his looking in the window at all the decadent sweets on display. You are nearly consumed with agony at the sight but can’t stop looking while he turns to fix her hair for her.

Just like how he used to with you.

Your gaze must have been burning because as he looks up in your direction. He pauses blankly staring; it’s the same look he’s always given you--stony and daunting--but it feels much more unsettling. And now you know, that he knows you’ve seen too much.

Your eyes dart back to Oikawa who’s traced your eye line to where you’ve been looking. You can tell he’s anticipating some sort of reaction, but all you do is look back to find Ushijima gone.

Your heart sinks.

Everything makes sense now.

“Isn’t that--” 

"Do you know her?" you cut Oikawa off quickly reverting to desperation. A sense of betrayal fills you as you study his face, noticing he looks like he wants to say something but is holding back.

"No," he scoffs, not sounding the slightest bit convincing. It's the kind of ‘no’ you give to someone you want to let down easy or you want to avoid telling the truth to. 

"Don't lie to me," you say, firmly.

Oikawa pauses.

The suspense feels like it could kill you as you watch the wheel in his head turn, trying to piece together the right thing to say. 

“Have you met the transfer student?” Oikawa softly asks. "I've seen her around campus but didn't realize…"

Transfer student? 

Your heart drops as the words echo in your head leaving the rest of Oikawa's explanation to fade in the background. 

“You’re joking,” you state plainly, unable to process the information and when Oikawa doesn't answer you know he's not. 

It wasn’t like Ushijima to leave you for someone else, not even the slightest sliver of you can believe it. He respected you and cared for you, was the one who initially made a move on you. How could that all just change, like a flick of a switch? Yet, it did and last night you were met with a Ushijima you didn’t know. He was cold and distant, unreadable to the point you were convinced he could be a stranger. But, of course, the evidence was right in front of you as to why. There was someone better.

Unfortunately, there was nothing you could do. You know immediately Ushijima doesn’t owe you an explanation because you weren’t together anymore.

"Let's go," you whisper, getting up from the bench turning to Oikawa.

“You know, you don’t have to deal with this alone,” Oikawa breathes, quietly

The sentiment is almost dumbfounding to the point your nerves start to jitter. Admitting your worries to Oikawa wasn’t going to do you any good. 

You can’t help but let out a nervous laugh to suppress your embarrassment.

“Thanks.”

And there it is again, that smile he knows it’s forced, but he doesn’t tell you. It’s not worth causing you more pain than you’ve already been in.

[yutauke28]

A Moment

Starring: Cor Leonis and Crystalcrown Leonis

Note: Crystalcrown is my OC from my fic Crystallo Filia (CF) and this fic's taken from CF's universe.

Beta reader: Yes this is a beta version!! FluoxetineHcl betaed it and she made this fic's cuteeeerr! as expected for mastah cutie cutie lol - don’t forget to support her too <3

AO3 link

FFN link

====================

The wind blew pretty hard that night, as it brought the cold and dry air of February. The sun had disappeared in the horizon, smearing the sky with the deep darkness. The silver moon had risen, revealing its form together with its thousands of flickering friends; the stars.

In a dark hallway, a brown-haired man walked in silence. His sturdy body was reflected by the dim light, which gave the man a lonely companion, a shadow of night.

For a couple of times he glanced at the black watch on his wrist, bringing the two bright blue orbs of him to watch how the smallest hand of it moved in every second that passed.

It was already past ten.

He sighed, filling the silence of the night with his heavy breathing. The regret engulfed his heart as he knew that he had wasted several minutes earlier to return to his house before coming to the citadel.

His short brown hair was slightly damp, and because of that, he tightened his thick black jacket over to cover his big body from chilled air that seemed to slip in from window gaps. Once again, he brought the pair of his blue jewels to his watch which kept telling him that the time was moving still.

The exhaustion and impatience were drawn all over his frowning face. He swung his legs in a hurry, as fast as possible so he could arrive there in no minute. He couldn't wait to see the high black door which was decorated with a small pink flower bell on its front, the door which would bring him to meet his little roseate girl, the door which would lead him into the room that he had been neglected for weeks because he should leave for his mission.

The man gave another heavy sigh, as he let it go to express his frustration. Once again, impatience burst in without mercy, filling his chest with an unpleasant feeling.

This kind of emotion was new to him. An emotion that he never once felt before his little girl came into his life.

Cor Leonis never imagined that he could have this kind of feeling. He was embraced by an overwhelming longing which could make him drive his car past the speed limit and walk in a hurry like this.

Who would have thought that Cor, who accepted his king's request to be a father for the child of Eos's second crystal, developed a deep feeling toward his little girl who always followed him wherever he went and called him 'Papa'—a nickname given by his friends, Clarus and Regis; because they thought that it would be cuter if Cor was being called as Papa than Daddy.

Yes... At first, Cor only saw the girl as a responsibility given by the leader of this country. However, after spending time together with her, another affection grew in his heart.

He didn't deny the fact that the servants in the citadel were actually the one who did his job to take care of his little girl—as the Marshal of the Crownsguard, Cor didn't have much free time to do so. Even so, there was a feeling that continued to grow, for the child he named 'Crystalcrown'—the name he gave after three months of contemplating and deciding. She had become a precious figure in his life. She was irreplaceable… and she had also become a part of Leonis—his family.

He, who had just returned from a tiring task outside the Crown City, actually decided to go to see Crystalcrown the next morning—considering that he arrived at Sleepless City of Insomnia around nine o'clock. However, when he arrived at his house, the sudden urge to meet the child immediately coursed through his body. He didn't imagine that the desire to see her childish face became too unbearable for him to handle.

Therefore, after taking a shower and changing his clothes, he decided to go to the citadel. Even if he wouldn't be welcomed by her little daughter, he would be satisfied with just staring at her sleeping face.

The pace of his steps got slower when the man arrived in front of Crystalcrown's bedroom. He halted in front of her door for a couple of minutes to maintain his composure by taking a deep breath. He didn't understand why standing right before his daughter's bedroom made a sweet feeling wrap his chest.

After a few minutes of doing nothing but standing still, he raised his large hand to the cold golden-colored door handle. He slowly pushed the tall object in front of him as soft as possible. He just didn't want his sleeping daughter to be awakened by the noise he made. He also already anticipated that he would be greeted by the dark room because Crystalcrown only wanted to sleep without light.

But… When he opened the door, the bright room that greeted him made Cor crook his eyebrows even more.

At the same time, something warm and heavy suddenly bumped into his legs. Surprised, the man lowered his head quickly to see a small figure who was hugging his legs.

"Papa!"

A cute loud voice echoed throughout the black and pink room that was still adorned by a bright light from a crystal lamp that was hanging on the ceiling.

"Crystal?" The man widely opened his eyes. Holding the door which hadn't been fully opened with one foot, he looked down to see his beloved roseate girl and asked, "You're still awake?"

"Yes!" A five-year-old girl who was now hugging his legs tightly raised her face, showing her wide smile at her father then proudly said, "Cool, right!?"

"Sorry uncle, Crystal insisted to stay awake even though I told her it was already late."

Hearing another voice from the room, Cor raised his gaze. His blue orbs now met two emeralds who were saying an apology to him. The bespectacled boy who stood not far from where he stood was Ignis Scientia, his daughter's childhood friend.

A long sigh escaped from Cor's mouth as he understood what just happened in front of him.

After a few seconds of silence, he who had fully understood what had happened immediately lowered his voice, scolding the girl who was still smiling and showing off her small teeth at him, "Crystalcrown, Papa already told you not to bother Ignis."

"But Papa going home today! Kuri want to welcome Papa!" Sensing an unfriendly tone from her father, Crystalcrown quickly made a pitiful face while telling a self-defense sentence. She gripped Cor's pants harder, as if trying to tell the man who didn't share the same blood with her that she really meant her words.

Crystal. There's another reason, isn't it?" Ignis, a nine-year-old boy who was still standing there, raised both corners of his lips and stared at his little friend with a gaze which conveyed a hidden meaning. After making sure the young girl returned his smile, he began to walk toward the door, deciding to leave so the father and the daughter could have their time together. "Then, I'll go back to my room. Good night Uncle Cor, Crystal."

"Sorry, Ignis." Cor suddenly opened his lips, uttering a sentence that for some reason he really wanted to say to the little Scientia who was now bowing down to him. Well, the real reason was clear. He wanted to apologize because Crystalcrown was always spoiled by Ignis.

More or less, even though his little daughter was taken care of by the servants in the citadel, half of the work was done by the dirty blonde boy since she was a baby. So, it was natural for Crystalcrown to be always clingy to him, or even worse, to always bother the future adviser.

Wait... Does that mean that it would be correct if he said that it was Ignis who was always caring for Crystal...?

"It's okay, Uncle." The boy shook his head.

"Bye, Iggu!"

Ignis's smile grew bolder as he saw Cor Leonis's daughter cheerfully waving her hand at him while saying adorable parting words. He replied to her by also waving his hand before leaving her room and returned back to his own room.

After the Scientia left, Cor immediately turned around and opened his mouth again to discipline his daughter whom he knew often caused trouble for the future royal adviser—

"Crystal—"

"Look! Look! What's different from Kuri?"

—But he had to let his sentence be interrupted by a childish voice that suddenly squeaked cheerfully.

After the question echoed throughout the room, the man knitted his eyebrows, signaling his confusion. Eyes tracing the tiny figure who lifted her head to look at him while smiling, Cor silently inspected the Leonis girl who was much shorter than him.

Cor still tried to figure out what was the meaning behind Crystalcrown's words. Observing her from head to toe for half of minutes, he then blinked when he found something he was searching for. A faint smile passed over his face, then he answered, "Your hair."

"Correct!" Hearing her Papa's answer made the child who was wearing a black lace nightgown laugh happily. She smiled and spun around, letting her roseate pigtails hair to dance along with her movement. "Good?"

"Yes." The man who still hadn't removed the thin smile from his lips walked closer to his daughter before stretching out his arms to bring her small body into his embrace.

"Kuri thought Papa could only notice the difference in swords, but Papa found out that Kuri had new hair!"

Hearing the babbling from a five-year-old in his arms made the small laugh escape from the Leonis's mouth.

"Don't tell me you're actually still awake only to show this?" He asked.

"Yes! I ask Iggu to make my hair new because Papa will go home! And because Papa like it, from tomorrow Kuri will use this hair!"

Right... He made the right decision to apologize to the dirty blonde boy who had accompanied Crystalcrown a while ago. It turned out that this little princess might have forced Ignis to do something as she wished.

I'm sorry, Ignis.

Cor walked to the lamp switch near the door, then turned the lights off to inform the little Leonis that they should sleep. After carefully putting his daughter's small body on the big bed in that room, he took off his jacket, placed it on the chair in front of the dressing table and then lay down beside Crystalcrown.

His long hands swiftly pulled the pink blanket near his feet to wrap himself and the figure beside him who was now leaning toward him. A smile still hadn't gone from Crystalcrown's tiny lips. Perhaps, she was really happy because Cor managed to guess her question earlier.

"It's late, let's go to sleep."

He lowered his voice, telling Crystalcrown's implicitly that he was tired. Yes. The soft pillow under his head made him inevitably realize how tired he was. Even though looking at her daughter's cute face treated his tiredness a little, his body, indeed, needed a rest.

"It's been a long time sleeping with Papa... Usually Kuri will receive Noji's kick!" The little girl sighed softly, frowned, and shook her head dramatically. "But, but, after that, Iggu sleep in the middle. So Kuri can hug Iggu." She confessed while moving her body closer to her father. "Papa smell like soap!"

Cor, who also moved his body closer to Crystalcrown, raised one corner of his lips because of the girl's little story. It was not the first time he heard about this story. She often told him that she usually slept with Noctis—who she called Noji because she couldn't say Noctis- ouji —and Ignis.

The laughter that escaped from Cor's lips told the tiny Leonis that her father enjoyed her story. Cor then moved his long fingers to play with soft strands of the roseate. He stroked her head softly as he tried to make the figure beside him fall asleep—even though he knew it wasn't an easy task.

"Papa went home first." The man answered.

"Eeeehh… Papa can take a bath here with Kuri!"

"It's already late, you'll catch a cold." He returned the five years old girl's complaint in a flat tone. Closing his eyes for a moment, he then abruptly opened it again to look at the pink Leonis and asked curiously, "You still haven't taken a bath?"

"I have!" The little Leonis replied in a proud tone.

"With Ignis?"

"No! Kuri wash herself!"

A super proud tone from the princess's mouth made the man inevitably chuckle. Crystalcrown told him like it was the best achievement she got.

Cor smiled, still laughing as he patted the top of his little girl's head again.

"Great!" He nodded. "Then let's sleep— wait. You want to sleep with that hair?"

"This is Iggu's work!"

"But it will be a mess when you wake up in the morning."

"Then tomorrow it will be Papa's work!"

Cor didn't seem to respond to Crystalcrown's last words. Drowsiness really made him unfocused. Therefore, after loosening two hair ties of his tiny princess a little—to prevent his daughter suffering from a headache—and giving a good night kiss on her forehead, he immediately sank into the dreamland.

These were the peaceful days that he had been longing for since he returned from his duties two hours ago...

xXxMomentsxXx

"Nooooooooo!"

That long childish scream echoed throughout her entire room. It was very loud, so loud that it made a couple of soft brown furry creatures shocked and flapped their wings to fly away from the black window frame outside that pink and black room.

Inside the room which was being filled by the vanilla scent, there was a child who showed her annoyed face and a man whose stiff face showed a defeated expression.

Cor let go of his grasp from the long soft hair before him. His hands were left hanging in the air and his face showed a face of failure. The man who sat on the chair in front of the crystal princess's dressing table looked down, staring at Crystalcrown—a little girl on his lap who pouted at him—through the mirror.

"Crystalcrown… I can't."

Finally he opened his mouth, blurting his frustration because he kept failing to tie his daughter's hair.

Yes. Tying a hair.

Now, Cor Leonis was sitting in front of a black dressing table with a five-year-old girl on his lap to tie her hair.

As Crystalcrown's said last night before she went to the dreamworld, if Ignis' work became awful in the morning, she would ask her father to do her hair.

However, instead of getting what she wanted, the roseate faced the fact that Cor Leonis was unable to tie her hair.

Of course! Whose hair had been styled by the infamous Cor the Immortal?

"Here! Like this! Take it a little, then tie it." Crystalcrown's small hands demonstrated, trying to set an example to the man behind her who was giving a long, desperate sigh. The man didn't know, very very unaware that there would be such a difficult mission he needed to do today. "Papa! Kuri said to take a little! Why you take it all?! Aaahh! It's failing again!"

He tried many times but he kept failing.

That was what inside the man's mind. The protest from his little girl on his lap almost made him rub his face with his big palm. Cor wanted to moan in frustration, he wanted to sigh roughly, but he didn't do it. Well, he simply couldn't. The reason was that he found his little daughter's pout grew worse; her chubby cheeks bulged and her small lips pursed in annoyance.

At first Crystalcrown gave him her adorable face. However, after her father kept failing and not even giving her satisfactory results, her face actually turned into a scary one.

Cor Leonis now was frustrated in failure and the cause was not because he didn't succeed in his mission, but because he couldn't tie his daughter's hair.

"Then you tie it up by yourself."

Finally the sentence slipped out from the man's thin lips. He removed the black rubbers that had been scrambling the crystal's princess hair and gave those small objects to the figure on his lap.

If it was in a normal condition and related to his work, Cor was not a person who would give up so easily. In fact, he was actually a stubborn figure who refused to accept defeat. However, it turned out that it was only applicable in battlefields and muscle fights. Apart from that, it seemed like he should accept the fact that he was incapable of doing one or two things…

Well… especially like… tying hair. Yes. He tried it five times but he kept failing. Today's morning mission was, indeed, too difficult for a Cor Leonis.

"No! Kuri wants Papa to do it! Kuri wants to show it off!" The childish high-pitched voice once again filled the room. Crystalcrown quickly shook her head, grabbing the black rubber and giving it back to her father. "Pleasee..." Added the five-years-old child while putting a pitiful face that Cor couldn't ignore.

Once again, the brown-haired man there was defeated. His sturdy shoulders drooped weakly as a sign of his defeat. He could never win if Crystalcrown gave him that adorable expression.

The stiff-faced Leonis... had been defeated by his little daughter countless times.

After sighing—who knew how many times he did that since yesterday—, Cor took back the pink comb on the dressing table, combing his daughter's hair again, and bringing it together as what was explained by his daughter a while ago. This was the sixth try—

"Ouch! Papa you pulled Kuri hair!"

—and he failed again. He, who did have good reflexes, quickly moved his hands away from the small head that now had turned to him. Crystalcrown's tiny lips once again pursed, displaying extreme displeasure on her cute face.

"Sorry."

Only one word that came out from the mouth of the most respected man in Crownsguard. The blue met two rose pearls that stared at him with an annoyed glint.

In the sixth try, Cor failed again.

"Papaaaaaaa ~!" Crystal moaned in frustration, showing him how annoyed she was because her beloved father couldn't do something so easy. "Why don't you be like Iggu?! It's because Papa is holding a sword too often!" The little Leonis let go of her frustration. She crawled down from Cor's thighs, put her tiny hands on her hips, and glared at the man.

"Holding a sword is a part of my job."

"I want Papa to stay at home and just play with me!"

"I can't, Crystal."

"You're right." Unexpectedly, the girl who was complaining a second ago suddenly agreed with the man's opinion. "Noji said that if you stop working, you will be jobless."

Cor blinked for a few times and couldn't help but put an amused smile on his face after hearing his daughter's words.

"Iggu also said that Papa went to protect the city! Then, Kuri will tie Papa's hair!"

The wrinkles on the handsome man's forehead suddenly grew bolder when Cor heard Crystalcrown's last sentence. He frowned, thinking really hard about the correlations between the little girl's sentences.

What is the correlation between his work and Crystal wanting to tie his hair?

"It's impossible, Crystalcrown." The man finally let out a long sigh, trying to tell her that he refused her idea.

"But Kuri want to try!"

Unfortunately, the little girl ignored his rejection. If she wanted something, Crystalcrown would continue to ask until her wishes were fulfilled. Really, what a spoiled child... and Cor wanted to blame himself for being unable to scold her.

He wanted to do that, but he never did anything that showed him the right to scold the child because… he often left her alone.

Sighing—losing again—, Cor nodded. He turned his body that had been facing the mirror of the dressing table before to the left side so his daughter could get more free access to tie his hair. He also bent his body forward and lowered down his head so the roseate girl's short arms could reach his head.

He closed his eyes as he felt her small fingers were playing on his head. Even though he couldn't discipline the child, at least this time he knew that what Crystalcrown was doing right now wasn't something that troublesome—

"Ahh Crystalcrown! You pulled my hair!"

— but… Not.

Cor quickly screamed in pain when he felt a sting in his head. However, he still stayed in his position because Crystalcrown's gripped his hair so hard.

"Papa has no hair! "

"I have!"

"But it can't be tied!"

Of course!��Cor really wanted to scream that sentence. But, instead of answering, he could only grimace when he felt the little girl's small hand still grabbed his short hair.

Would it be better if he came this morning so that this scene wouldn't exist?

Cor wanted to rub his face, but instead of doing that, he squeezed the white towel that wrapped around his waist and covered his lower body until his knees as he endured the pain.

"Crystal, I will lose my hair if you keep pulling like this."

In the end the man protested after a few seconds resisting the pain in his head.

"But Kuri wants revenge!"

As she shrieked, the strong grip on the man's hair disappeared. Hearing it, the handsome figure raised his face in a swift motion to see the little girl before him now closed her mouth while widening her eyes.

"Oh... I see… So you want to get revenge." Said the man while squinting his eyes and bringing his face closer to his daughter.

"I-I mean to give an example to Papa!" Crystalcrown stammered, like the thieves who were caught red-handed when doing their crimes. But she wouldn't give up. She would defend herself with all her might. "But Kuri can't, Papa no hair!"

Hearing Crystalcrown's answer made Cor sigh once more. He then realized that she gave up on the first try. It meant that he, who had tried six times, could also wave a white flag, right?

"You gave up, right? Then me too." Finally he said those words while crossing his arms.

"Nooo!" Once again the crystal princess screamed her objection. She immediately rushed toward the sturdy figure before her and pulled her father's arm. There was a displeased expression painted all over her cute face when the Crownsguard leader before her said "giving up". "Kuri's hair isn't difficult. Please try again Papa! Please!"

Cor gulped. Crystalcrown was now looking at him with teary eyes. Something pierced his heart as he found her cute face showed high hopes. He really really wanted to say 'no' to her but he didn't have the heart to do that. Therefore, now the man closed his eyes and took a very deep breath.

Great. Cor Leonis has been defeated many times by Crystalcrown Leonis.

In one swift movement, Cor lifted up Crystalcrown's tiny body and brought her onto his lap. The man then quickly grabbed the comb with a face of defeat. In contrast, the little girl now raised the corner of her lips to express her happiness. She swayed her legs, telling the world that she was really glad that her father still wanted to obey her selfish request.

The annoying feeling that hugged her small body a while ago was being replaced by amusement every time he saw her Papa who always showed a scary face wrinkled his forehead, showing a very serious face while styling her hair.

Crystalcrown was very happy. Her heart filled with joy because her father had returned. They rarely met because of the man's job, therefore, she didn't want to waste their time together— Cor would definitely be gone again for a long time.

So... it was ok to be selfish and annoying like this, right?

"Is this enough?"

The little girl blinked. She looked back to face her father then turned her head again to look at her reflection in the large mirror before them. Her pink diamonds glowed beautifully when she finally found her hair was being split in half even though it was still a bit messy.

The butterfly fluttered in her heart. She grinned so hard, showing off her small teeth even though Cor's work was not so good if being compared to the Scientia she loved.

"Not as good as Iggu."

Hearing what Crystalcrown's said made Cor really want to pull both of those pink cheeks to inform how hurt he was. Didn't she know that he had been struggling for the sake of her? And now his work was being compared to Ignis.

He sighed again. Feeling like an idiot to be hurt because he knew that the girl was only telling the

He wanted to open his mouth and reply to the girl's words. But before he did that, something popped up in his head. He blinked for a second, remembering that he had something in the pocket of his pants.

He moved the tiny Leonis's body and put her down on the floor before immediately walking to the sofa near the bathroom where his clothes were neatly folded. He reached into the pocket of his pants, looking for something he had bought a few days ago before he returned to Insomnia.

"Papa, what are you doing?"

Crystalcrown asked her father. Curious because he moved so suddenly and left her behind without saying anything.

"Here. I bought this for you."

"Ribbon!"

Looking at his little princess's reaction made Cor blinked and then let out a small giggle. With his alluring eyes, the man watched his little girl's reaction. Crystalcrown who was showing a confused face a while ago suddenly ran to him and grabbed the ribbons. The girl's face looked very happy as she smiled brightly.

Unknown to Cor, that child's overreaction was because she got something from her father who was rarely beside her. She was so happy. Even if it was a small and cheap thing, for her, it was the most luxurious treasure she got.

"You... like it?" Cor asked, unsure.

"Yes!" She answered hastily. "Please put it in Kuri hair!"

Cor smiled and then sat down on the sofa behind him. He patted his thigh, telling the little girl to sit there.

"Papa can tie a ribbon, right?"

"Of course. It's the same as the shoestrings."

"Kuri's hair not shoes!"

Crystal complained in a loud voice. She frowned, feeling a little disturbed because her father had just said—implicitly—that her head was the same as the shoes.

"Done."

After Cor patted her head and said that he was done, the little girl immediately ran to her dressing table, climbed onto the chair that was not so high for her, and showed a satisfied face when she saw her reflection there.

Her sweet smile painted her cute face. She turned her head, looking at her father before yelling—

"Kuri will show it off!"

"Hey, Crystal!"

Cor who was still sitting on the couch a moment ago failed to catch Crystalcrown. She ran so fast, opened the door, and left the room without warning.

The Leonis wanted to chase his little princess, but now he wasn't wearing proper clothes to show it to people outside the room—he and Crystal had just finished bathing together.

On the other hand, the roseate girl who was now wearing a strawberry pattern dress running cheerfully, completely ignoring Cor's shout. She left her room, running to any place that her feet would take.

The hallway on that morning had been filled by several servants and guards. While running, after saying good morning the crystal princess said 'Look! Papa's work!' while pointing at her pigtails. The servants and guards who were greeted couldn't help but chuckled because of her adorable behavior. They nodded and some of them even replied: 'So cute, Miss Crystalcrown'.

The pink girl still swung her legs and greeted the people who were in her line of sight. Her heart was filled with a feeling of pride for her father's work and she wanted everyone in the building―the place she claimed as her playground―to know that. Therefore, she kept running, informing people that Cor Leonis had succeeded in styling her hair.

Still running, suddenly at the end of the hallway she caught two familiar figures who always accompanied her. Her smile got wider and she moved her legs faster towards one of them.

"Uncle Regi!"

The little girl screamed loudly and bumped her tiny body into the king's legs which made him surprised.

"Crystalcrown?!"

"Kuri?"

Next to the King's, there was a prince who also showed his surprised face because his little friend was so noisy this morning. His kyanite eyes blinked, staring at Crystalcrown with a confused look.

"Uncle Regi, Noji, look! Papa's work!"

Crystalcrown let go of her arms from the king's legs, took a few steps back, and then held her two pigtails. Enveloped by a proud feeling, the girl once again showed off the results of her father.

"Cor—"

"What a mess."

The eight-year-old prince suddenly cut off his father's words. Sticking his tongue out towards his childhood friend, he purposely made the roseate girl upset.

"Noctis."

Regis, who wanted to reply Crystalcrown's words, averted his eyes, calling his son's name in a warning tone.

The crystal princess yelled. Approaching the prince, she was ready to bite the arm of the prince who had always been her fighting friend. But before she could do it, the little girl heard a deep voice of a man who shouted her name behind her.

That was her father.

Crystalcrown turned her head, looking at Cor who appeared with short breaths then straightened up his body when he found that his child was now with Regis and Noctis.

"Oh Cor. Crystalcrown just boasted about your work."

Hearing his King's sentence like that made the heat crept into his cheeks. Unwittingly, he lowered his eyes then glared at the little Leonis who now laughed at him—in a cute way.

"I told you not to bother anyone."

"Kuri happy because Papa made this! Papa always busy!"

"Cor, it's okay."

"See? Uncle Regi said that too!"

Everyone spoiled this child too much.

Unfortunately, Cor could only say that sentence in his heart while secretly sighing. Great . All people were always on his little princess's side.

Did it mean that he really needed to be strict with her after this?

"Cor, you can tell your report this afternoon." Suddenly Regis opened his mouth again, informing the Crownsguard Marshal that he gave the man free time until noon. The man showed a gentle face after completing his sentence earlier. "Oh. Right. We are going to the dining room. Do you want to come along?"

"We—"

"Thank you, uncle Regi." The little girl suddenly interrupted her father's words. She bent her head down, showing a courtesy. "Papa already invited Kuri to eat."

She finished her sentence while glancing meaningfully at the little prince—who also realized her gaze. Yes. Crystalcrown was lying. She didn't have any plans with Cor. She said that because she knew that these were rare moments for Noctis to eat together with Regis and she didn't want to interrupt them.

The brown-haired man who was still standing beside the roseate frowned. He knew her daughter was just blurting a lie but he didn't open his mouth. He just stood in silence, letting Crystacrown lie to the king.

"Why were you lying?"

Finally the man asked the question after the King and the Prince left. Cor once again lowered his gaze, looking at his little princess with a curiosity.

"Because Noji doesn't want to be disturbed with uncle Regi." The girl answered while nodding, telling the Leonis man that she was very sure about her answer.

"You understand prince Noctis well, huh."

"Noji often shows his ugly face when he sad. Iggu and I will suffer if he like that."

Cor, who gave a question in a serious tone couldn't help but slightly raise the corner of his lips because of Crystalcrown's answer. A funny feeling tickled his stomach and he couldn't help but give off a chuckle.

"He's a prince, Crystalcrown."

"Kuri's prince just Ignis!" Crystal suddenly shouted out loud, showing her adorable pouting face after saying that.

"Fine. Papa understands." Cor also nodded, agreeing that since she was a child, this little girl indeed had a special interest towards Scientia boy. "So you want to go somewhere? I still have time until midday."

"Carry back!"

That was not the answer to the man's question but Cor obeyed the will of the pink girl who always smiled and showed off her small teeth.

"Tired of running?" He asked.

"People told Kuri cute, you know!" Crystalcrown rubbed her cheek to her father's hair. "Even if Noji said my hair was a mess."

"Sorry I can't tie it like Ignis."

"That's because Papa always hold swords, so Papa can't play with hair!"

"How can I practice... there's no way I tie my subordinate hair."

Listening to the answer of the man who carried her made Crystalcrown's frowned. Her sweet face now looked serious as she thought so hard to unravel his father's words earlier.

"Oh!" She exclaimed as if she had managed to understand what Cor wanted to tell. "Then Kuri will practice sword so that Kuri can participate in mission! Kuri will always be near Papa and Papa can practice pigtails!"

"It will take a long time." Cor lifted the corner of his lips, feeling funny because of his little princess's words. "I won't be as smart as Ignis then."

"Kuri will become strong quickly! Yesterday Kuri stabbed Noji's butt and hit Ignis head with a wooden sword!"

"Crystalcrown..."

Cor who heard that confession almost rubbed his face if only he was not holding his daughter's feet. First, Crystalcrown had just said innocently that she had committed violence to the future king and also to the future adviser. Second, that attitude didn't reflect her as a girl who had been raised next to the crown prince.

Without realizing it, he suddenly remembered his childhood. The scene of how mischievous he was at that time was being played in his mind.

Was the child in his arms actually his child?

"Kuri is Papa's daughter! Kuri can do it!"

Cor almost choked after hearing Crystalcrown's words. He wanted to see the little girl's face, but all he could do was tighten his grip on her short legs.

Daughter…

What if Crystalcrown knew the truth that she was being entrusted to him as a task for the future?

The man took a deep breath. Even though there was a slight bit of bitterness on his tongue as he remembered the truth, he knew that he loved her as if she was his real daughter.

Although the time for Crystalcrown to find out the reality of their relationship would come, only for this time, he wanted to spend their precious moments as a father and a daughter.

"Then I'll train you." Cor finally opened his mouth.

Hearing the answer given by the man who carried her, Crystalcrown immediately showed a happy face. She rubbed her cheek against the man's head and hugged his sturdy neck with her tiny arms.

"Then, Papa should practice pigtails first, okay?!"

She cheerfully asked. Even if he didn't want to, Cor would let his little princess strictly teach him how to tie her hair.

※ Fin ※

[alphakuriboh]

Here’s what was shared in my Discord, if it helps.

Featured: very real stats for the three master fair units. Please note how they all have the same attack and special attack stats which are both equal for all of them despite only one having mixed offense, all of them having the same HP, and two of them sharing exactly the same defenses and speed as well. Also note that their stats are listed for level 140, and the highest value is just 300.

Yeah I don’t buy it. There’s no way their stats are this perfectly identical. There’d be no reason for it. I could see N being bulkier since he has an AoE move with 40% burn with Hostile Environment on the grid, but that’s the only thing that checks out. Everything else is just…completely unbelievable. We have units running around with stats in the 400s, and you expect me to believe that all three of these offensive master pairs have offenses in the mid-200s? No way that’s real.

Also I just noticed Lillie is listed as Dark and Steven as Ice so like. Already not real.

[mogadichu]

SOAST- Chapter 7: The Dhim’ra

The floating market rested at the heart of Elas-Ri-Hradek like a great wooden star, each of its five points jutting out for over a mile. Silk dresses and scarves in every color of the rainbow hung like streamers over brightly-painted booths. Enormous sapphires and rubies, emeralds and diamonds, both cut and raw, glimmered in the sunlight behind locked glass cases. Gold and silver rings, embroidered leather belts, fur-lined robes, all ready for the taking as greedy men and women skittered about with their strings of coin.

 Naga stood petrified on the Darrus’ bobbing skiff as Jerra tugged at her halter. She usually hopped onto the deck at once, but now, she did not budge, as though her clove hooves were nailed to the boards. He tugged again, and this time, she tugged back, with a low, constant whimper. “Come on now, old girl,” Jerra said tenderly. “You’ve been here a hundred times.”

“Just leave her, my love,” Shay said distractedly. She and Kale were already walking briskly down the boardwalk. Jerra looked back at Naga. Her ears were pinned back. The tawny hairs on her back stood on end.

Something was wrong. She could sense it.

Jerra hesitated, scanning the booths and brightly draped boats. Nothing seemed amiss. The market was full and fresh. The temperate water was still. Even the sky was blue and cloudless. He relaxed after a moment. Naga had grown old and skittish; perhaps the noise was finally beginning to frighten her old ears. He stroked her graying muzzle before joining the fray.

Exotic spices filled his nostrils as he hurried to catch up to his parents; basil, garlic, mint, cinnamon. A plump, red-cheeked woman sifted dry tobacco leaves, her booth devoid of potential customers. Her sleeves slid upward to reveal the thick runed cuffs on her wrists. Jerra blanched as his gaze rose to the woman’s mismatched eyes. Joghon. He scuttled away from the abhorrent, diseased woman. No wonder her booth was empty. Since when did the masters permit them to sell at the floating market?

Kale saw it, too, and it made him even more uneasy than he already was. “Shay,” he whispered, his eyes shifting about the market. “Let’s go back to our booth. They aren’t here.” He entwined his fingers with hers, willing her to stop, but she plucked her hand out his grasp. Her eyes remained forward, her feet hitting the deck with a determined slap.

“They are,” she said. “We don’t know how bad things are back home. Perhaps they’ve just been too busy to see us.” Kale’s brow furrowed. After all these years, she still thought of it as home. “They wouldn’t just abandon us, Kale.” Shay stopped abruptly, lifting a hand to his bearded jaw. “They wouldn’t just abandon you.”

Kale  kissed her palm as he stared down at the deck. Suddenly, he was too ashamed to look at her. “I’m not so sure about that.”

“They’re your brothers,” Shay breathed. “How can you say such things?”

They stood in silence for a moment, holding each other, the crowd parting around them like a stream around a stone. Kale shook his head. Why was she still doing this? Why did she drag him here, year after year? Why torment him with his brothers, whom he barely now knew?

Slowly, tentatively, his eyes found hers. “Let’s just go home.”

“That’s why we’re-”

“You know what I mean, Shay.”

Shay’s hand fell away, and she stared. She would have been angrier had the pain not been painted bright and brutal on her husband’s face. “After the way they treat you,” she said, “after the way they treat us, you want to simply stay there?”

“We could move, find another village. Perhaps, we can go to Janav.”

“No.” It was always Shay’s plan to stay in one place, to be ready to leave at a moment’s notice. “We’re not going to Janav, because we’re not staying in Kelsh.”

Her words sparked something within Kale, a brief but violent strike of rage. “It��s been eighteen years, Shay,” he hissed. “I think it’s time you accept that we aren’t going back. We can’t. They’ll never forget. If we return to Yerda, they’ll never stop hunting us, our children. Not after all we’ve done. Whether or not any of us like it, Kelsh is the only place that’s safe.”

Jerra watched them from the adjacent booth, utterly disinterested in what his parents were saying. He grimaced as he sipped his cup of cider, all too aware that he could not feel the leather of the cup, the heat of the cider beneath his fingertips. Every time he picked up a bowl, a tool. Every time he was forced to ask for help with switching his arsenal of wooden hands, he was aware. They rubbed against his calloused stumps and the leather straps around his forearms chafed his skin. He never told his family that he still woke up in cold sweat; still saw the blood that that had drenched him as that ethereal blade sliced into his wrists, clear as the cloudless sky above him.

They could all leave, but he was not going back, not ever again.

“What about Sahn?” Shay hissed at Kale. Jerra flinched, as though the question were directed at him. Sahn, the archiver, the storyteller, the soft heart. Jerra did not want him or Aurie to return to Yerda, either. Yet, the thought of them staying in Kelsh with Okan-Isan also made his stomach sink.

Kale looked away from Shay’s blazing gaze. “Sahn is stronger than you think he is.” His hands clenched into fists. “Besides, perhaps if we’d moved, he wouldn’t have had the chance to-”

“Don’t you dare blame me,” Shay snapped.

“I’m not blaming you,” Kale said through his teeth. “I’m just-” Kale gasped, cutting off his own defense. Two copper heads bobbed above the crowd in the distance. Only their chins and mouths showed beneath their red hoods, but he knew them instantly. He rushed forward, his arms open to embrace his two younger brothers. But they’re hands grasped his collar, tugging him into a crevice between two empty booths.

Kale let out an “oof” of surprise. “Kima,” he huffed. “Kuri, what’s the matter?”

Kuri, beardless and riddled with worry lines, swung his gaze from Kale, to Kuri, to Shay and Jerra, who squeezed into the crevice to meet them. His eyes were wide and frightened, the bulge in his throat bobbing as though he were gulping down a jug of water. “I… Kale, we have to leave.”

Kale’s brow furrowed. “What’s the matter?” he repeated. Kuri’s mouth opened and closed before he pressed his forehead to Kale’s chest, whimpering like a lost pup.

Shay embraced the three violently. “Oh, my boys,” she cried, seemingly oblivious to Kuri’s agitation. “Is it time? Can we finally come home?”

Kima and Kuri exchanged an unreadable glance before turning to their brother. “Greenie,” Kima said. Kale started at the sound of his childhood pet name. “Greenie, listen-”

“We have done something,” Kuri finished the sentence. “Something- well, I don’t know what. Darya said that we had to, that we had no choice-”

“We did have no choice,” Kima interjected. He stood stoic and immovable as Kuri continued to whimper.

“But we- we saw it. We saw it leave him, like a shooting star. It was almost beautiful. And now, we don’t know-”

“Uncle, you’re babbling,” Jerra grunted. He placed a wooden hand on Kuri’s shaking shoulder. “What’s going on?”

Kuri gazed at his nephew. His face had paled from copper to beige. His entire head seemed to tremble, like in a feverish chill. “The Dhim’ra,” he breathed. “We found a Dhim’ra.”

  It was as though winter had blown through the thin crevice. Jerra backed away from Kuri, wrapping his arms around his mother, who stood stiff as a wooden plank. Kale gripped his brother’s shoulders, forcing him to meet his eyes. “What did you say?” 

“You heard him, Greenie,” Kima grumbled. His eyes were turned downward, a flush creeping through his dark beard.

Shay stepped forward finally. “I thought they were extinct.”

“Now, you know that’s impossible,” said Kuri. “If they were, there would be no more joghons.”

“And what a tragedy that would be,” Kima drawled.

Kale gave Kuri a gentle shake. “Where is it?”

“Darya found it, in Anndr. She said this one had managed to stay out of sight for years, and yet, there it was, in a scholar’s library. She had never even meant to find it. Taking him was a bit of a struggle. We had to-”

“Where. Is. It. Now?” Kale repeated, shaking Kuri’s shoulders with every word.

Kima answered for him. “Dead.” Kale’s entire body went cold.

“Darya made us,” Kuri rushed out. “She said we had no other choice.”

Kale swallowed down the curses lumping in his throat. He and Shay had been informed many times about the new leader of their tribe. They said Darya was still a young woman, too naïve to know the ways of the Taidjura. But, this was not naiveté. It was idiocy. One did not simply kill a Dhim’ra in times like these, when there were so few of them left, when they were so valuable to the joghons.

Shay leaned on Kale’s arm, as though she was ready to faint. “What did you do with the body?” she asked, her voice low and quiet.

“I don’t know,” said Kuri. “We left while the pyre still-”

An ear-splitting shriek sliced into the crevice before Kuri could finish. Jerra went to look, but Kima gently pushed him back, poking his head out instead. More noises spread from the boardwalk, crashing wood and tearing fabric and indistinguishable roars. Kima’s face twitched, the slightest window of weakness, as he returned. “What is it?” Shay asked.

“It’s her,” Kima breathed.

“Who?”

“Rize.” Kima and Kuri fumbled with their packs, throwing their hoods over their heads. They began to shove the others through the side street, back to their skiff.

Jerra struggled to look behind him, catching glimpses of overturned booths and saberwolves with mismatched eyes, mowing down screaming traders with their curved tusks (though carefully moving around the joghons, leaving them unharmed). He fought the chill threatening to rattle him. Joghons on Kelshin shores, selling at the floating market, using their magic freely in the presence of humans. And, “Who in Moyane’s name is Rize?”

“I thought she was just some crazed zealot,” said Shay. “That she was nothing.”

Kuri shoved even harder. “Just go,” he cried. He and Kima scrambled onto their skiff, where Naga screamed in the corner, rapping her hooves against the side as though she would break through. Jerra rushed to calm her. Kale and Shay fought to squeeze through the trail of boats struggling to get to safety. “Get down,” Kuri gasped as jagged fins cut through the water, the glow of those infernal eyes shining beneath the surface. Jerra stared in horror as one of them jumped from the water, morphing from a shark into a muscled brute.

“There you are,” the joghon growled, every bit as monstrous as Jerra remembered. “Where is the Dhim’ra, human swine?” Jerra cowered away, clutching to Naga like a frightened child. Kima, nearly twice its size, lunged forward, flicking a pointed stump in his hand that shot out into a spear-headed javelin. He buried it into the joghon’s chest before it even had time to react, towering over it like a building. The javelin shrunk back down before the body hit the water.

Finally, the boats dispersed, the fins vanished behind them, back to the chaos in the floating market, and the group rocked along smooth waters, the galaxies arching above them, silvering the world below.

“Now,” Shay sighed, “will you tell us what is going on?”

Kima only patted her shoulder. “I swear,” he said, “all will be answered when we get to Kelsh.”

[ichimaruyukie]

That Day,Katakuri Were -

Important note. I do not own One Piece. True I own the story,but not the characters and I don't gain any profit from writing this. I just write in my leisure time.

Pairing : Charlotte Katakuri x Nami

Series : One Piece.

Genre : moe,cute,fluffy,love hate relationship.

Words : 1201words.

----

That night,Katakuri were relief.

"Finally. Some peace." The giant mumble to himself as he soaked his face to sober up. He place a wet towel on his face as he glance to the chuckling Chopper on his long legs. The reindeer were mumbling something as he splash some water around his rubber duck. The older man just stay in silence,watching the 17 years old figure playing by himself.

'Is he really 17? Not to me.' Katakuri mumbled in his head as Chopper glance at him.

"What's wrong,Kuri?" The reindeer refer to his nickname but Katakuri brush it off with a shrug,picking more toys for the reindeer to play with.

Minutes later,Katakuri were amazed. The reindeer were so red like he's just been grilled alive and barely conscious. "Oi,Tony? Are you okay?"

Silence.

Sighing,Katakuri grab a towel not afar from him as he cover his manliness. He grab one for Chopper too and dry the reindeer. Katakuri clean up the toys out from the tub and place it back in the box. Making sure nothing were left,he grab the reindeer and place him on his shoulder; walking out quietly from the bathroom so not to wake Chopper up.

"Chopper?! Are you done? I need to use the bathroom." The voice of a young girl in slur caught Katakuri attention as the older man glance to the door at where the ginger girl were huffing and mumbling in annoyance to herself.

"I swear I'm going to fine him if he dirty the tub with candies and chocolate again." Nami mumble. She hasn't notice that the older men were there and has been listening to her babbling in silence for quite some time. Well,its within Katakuri nature to stay silent most of the time anyway.

'I really need to get out,but my bracelet-' Katakuri thought to himself, when he almost forgot about his bracelet which is next to where Nami who's currently leaning to.

Nami,who's mostly drunk took off her dress and rush to the warm tub,ignoring everything rather didn't even notice the giant was in there,not far from her,maybe even saw her undress. She splash some water to her face to sober up a bit as she tied her curly ginger to a bun. She hummed to herself when she can feel she's finally sober up a bit. Nami stand up and were about to get out and grab a towel,she was surprised when she heard someone scoffed.

Clima tact readily on her hand,but was being taken away from her hand. Grumbling,she look up to see the giant,stark naked with Katakuri towel on her hand and the man cross his arms on his chest as Chopper were sleeping so soundly on his shoulder. Nami,who saw Katakuri manliness in front of her turn bright red,lost at words and lost her sense to react. Katakuri were staring at her in amusement.

"That's a bold move,young lady."

A piercing scream pierce the sea and wakes up drunken everyone on the Sunny. The trio monster,Jimbe,Brook and Kin'emon were on their feet and rush to the bathroom.

"NAMI?!"

"NAMI-SWAAAN?!"

"NAMI-DONO?!"

They called for her but she push them away and run out from the bathroom with a bright red face. She rush to Robin and Carrot who looks concern of her,stuttering and at lost of words.

"You damn Katakuri! What the hell you just did to,Nami-swaan?!" Sanji yell at Katakuri who's taking care of the sleeping Chopper,silently amazed that the reindeer isn't awake at all even with all of this noise.

"Ask her yourself." Katakuri reply shortly as he put on his pants and dry his hair off. Sanji who's not satisfied with his answer,rushed down and ask Nami only to have the ginger yelled at him,saying it's nothing but of course there's something.

"ROBIN! CARROT! PLEASE KILL ME?!" She cries as her face were still bright red. Robin were at lost as to what's going on too and she glance to her captain.

"Nami,what's going on?" Luffy ask her in a low voice and serious,but the ginger just shake her head,mumbling a quiet nothing even though its not convincing.

"Robin." She cries again. "I- I - I . . . DON'T KNOW- JUST HAPPEN - T-TOWEL!!! AND AND AND --- ITS BIG! AND-- AND - AND --- ITS IN FRONT OF ME --- I- I- I CAN'T!!!!!"

Nami cry again as she hug the older woman. Robin try to solve this puzzle,but when Katakuri walk out next with his towel that have Nami body wash scent on it,she kinda figure it out.

She chuckles. "Robin! Its not funny!"

"Now now. Its normal isn't it? Just apologize to Katakuri-san and everything will be OK,right Katakuri-San?" Robin smile in teasing as the giant just shrug his shoulder.

"Its not even my fault!"

"Wait! I couldn't seem to catch what's going on here." Sanji interfere and the others nod in agreement but Robin brush him off,saying it's fine.

Katakuri,who's watching this little drama from the young woman,decide to end his teasing as well.

"Its fine,Nami. Its not like I'm mad to begin with." Katakuri said,making the girl blush in embarrassment.

"S-shut up,you stupid idiot!" She yell in frustration,gritting her teeth at the thought the older men just making fun of her. "Also,stop making fun of me!"

"I told you,I'm not mad and I'm not making fun of you." Lol. "Though,for a young lady,that's quite the brave and bold move you've got there. I wonder what's up next?" Katakuri said as he smirk in tease,making the ginger utterly pissed and embarrassed.

"I'M GOING TO KILL YOU,MOCHI-GUY!!!"

Nami scream in frustration,Robin were chuckling in knowing while the others were left clueless.

---

The thirteenth member of the Straw Hat Pirate,Charlotte Katakuri walk away to the back of the Sunny. Remembering how the ginger react from the start until now,he chuckles to himself.

"How cute."

That day,Katakuri were pleased.

Ay ho! Any Katakuri x Nami shippers out there?!

[tanuki-kimono]

Japanese folk tales #60 - Children of the Wind

Find my tales tagged here or visit my blog for both english and french versions.

Wish me to cover a special youkai or subject? Contact me, I’ll try to accommodate ^^❤️

Once upon a time, in a simple village, one like thousand others across Japan, there were three children who loved to play outside.

The oldest, Kazuo, always tried to look older than he really was, his stern behavior somehow ruined by his ever-snotty nose. His sister Chiyo, though all gangly limbs, was a mean biter when rough-and-tumble called. And all knew that Nobu, the woodsman’s son, would blabber about everything and nothing for hours if you didn’t stop him.

Be it sunny or rainy day, as soon as their parents had turned their backs, all three would ran to the outskirts in joyful string of laughter.

One day, as they were round dancing, singing gleefully off-key at the top of their lungs, an unknown voice joined theirs.

The three friends stopped and turned. Half hidden behind a bush, blinking like a owl, was little boy they had never seen before.

Kazuo puffed his chest and called:

– Stated your name stranger!

Nobu eyed the newcomer with unveiled curiosity:

– Are you ill? Your skin is very red. Mine’s always like that when-

Rolling her eyes, Chiyo cut in like an angry boar:

– But let him talk!

The strange child slowly came forward:

– Are you… playing? I think I have never done that before.

The three friends exchanged shocked looks: a kid who had never played! Immediate pity blossomed on their faces. Kazuo declared, serious as a monk:

– We can show you is you wish.

And the strange child joined their games. For hours, all four played catch and tag, and laughed – and bickered a little bit.

Suddenly, Nobu’s stomach growled, soon echoed by his friends’:

– Mom says kaki are not ripe yet. Shame, I could eat a whole bucket right now!

As Kazuo and Chiyo agreed, the strange child quietly said:

– At home, fruits are ripe. Sweet chestnuts, and mellow kaki. We have some everyday.

He paused and smiled shyly:

– I could bring you there if you wish.

All three, already half drooling, nodded eagerly and the red child beamed.

He got up and untied his flowy belt. Then, putting the hands of his friends on the long, long fabric strip, he simply said:

– Hold tight and you won’t fall.

And he soared up into the sky.

Kazuo swore, Chiyo squealed, and Nobu shut his eyes tightly. Clouds billowed all around them, while the world below flashed and swirled.

As suddenly as they had taken off, the red child landed on into a beautiful orchard. As far as the eyes could see stood trees bearing fruits as colorful as precious jewels.

The red child eyes crinkled mischievously at his friends’ obvious delight. A warm gust of wind shook a persimmon tree, and fresh kaki gently roll to toward the mesmerized children.

Fingers gooey, lips sticky from sugar, they all eat and eat. Until thunder rumbled somewhere.

The red child, suddenly fidgety, rose and bowed:

– I forget the hour, I must go home now. See you.

And he was gone, up, up, up into the dimming sky. Nobu’s yell got lost in the wind:

– Wait! How are we gonna get back home!

The astounded friends shared a look. Kazuo finally pointed a direction:

– I think we arrived from this way. Guess we’ll have to walk.

None of them had a better idea, and the three children hit the road. They walked amidst the seemingly unending orchard as the sun declined.

Before long, Nobu was whining:

– Are we there yet? I wanna see Mom, and Dad, and…

Chiyo growled:

– If you keep crying, foxes will hear you, and they’ll fool you and they’ll eat you.

After that, all three walked in silence, holding hands tightly in the dusk.

Between trees heavy with chestnuts, a pretty little house finally rose. A plump middle aged woman, bright as a sunny day, sat by the door:

Relieved, the children ran to her and babbled all at once:

– Auntie, auntie! We’re lost! Please help us! There was a child, and we played, and he flew us here to eat kaki, and he disappeared, and…

The woman seemed to darken like a thunderstorm. She turned toward the house and rumbled:

– Come here a minute.

Four children appeared. A comely one had a luminous smile and a blueish skin, another was lithe, black and silent. The third was pale and had wild untamed eyes. And the last one was the red child.

The lady tsked:

– Which one of you have forgotten to bring his new friends back home?

The red child rose a timid hand. The lady sighed and bowed to the three children:

– I apologize deeply. My son, the South Wind is not mean but he always is such an air-head…

She throw a stern look at him:

– You, young man are grounded. And no « but ». You three, get those poor kids back to their parents, they must be quite worried.

The white child took Chiyo on his back and soared up, crackling like thunder. Soon, his dark brother carrying Kazuo followed in a cold gale, while the radiant one carried a paling Nobu muttering:

– Not again…

And they say that, from this day on, the children of the wind were often seem befriending children of men. And they never forgot to bring them back home again.

Notes:

This cute tale plays on the imagery surrounding winds and cardinal points in Japan. If today, the most well known god of wind is Fujin, many more existed such as Shinatobe, an ancient female kami cited in the old Kojiki chronicles.

Today’s wind children embody asian traditional cardinal system. The South wind, minamikaze, is linked to summer and the red bird Suzaku. The North wind, kitakaze, symbolizes winter and the black tortoise/serpent Genbu. Higashikaze the East wind is linked to spring and blue/green dragon Seiryu. And the West wind, niikaze, is associated with autumn and Byakko the white tiger.

Chestnuts (kuri) and persimmons (kaki) have been the autumn fruits in Japan for centuries. Both are highly auspicious foods, sweet and nourishing. And I love when in late autumn colorful strings of drying kaki (tsurushigaki / hoshigaki) dot the countryside. On a side note, love for pears and apple is much more recent in Japan (it has only started to rise by the end of Meiji period).

[pictures sources: 1 / 2 / 3 ]

[alphakuriboh]

Hey @five-rivers do you need any more ideas for Mortified? 🤣

I made a Danny Phantom prompt generator. 

For all your Danny Phantom writing or drawing prompt needs.

(Will link in a reblog because links don’t show up in the tags.)

[ifwegettherebysunset]

Repost with the story under the cut ‘cause I finally got back to my desktop

Anyway here’s the synchro fae au that one person asked for and that person was me

Reigning in Unseelie is nothing short of fun. Atem has the armies of the Hunt at his heels and thousands of shadows bowing to him wherever he walks. His Puzzle grants him other abilities besides: display a hapless human's duality of soul for their fellows to cower from, summon creatures from his collection in the deepest mounds, and an eternal shield from potential invaders in his psyche. He enjoys traipsing his pyramid's labyrinth to see what flies have been caught in its net.

And, of course, there are the Shadow Games.

Atem's inner circle has treasures like his Puzzle, but none of them can play the king's games. They're mostly duels between shadow monsters, but variety is the spice of life. Atem enjoys nothing more than pairing a game with a challenger, one that symbolizes his opponent's failings. A broken mirror for a vain idiot, crumbling statues for a mindless tyrant. Sometimes the challenger is so one-dimensional that Atem is instantly bored, but his notoriety usually brings amusing competitors.

One opponent comes every year and a day. Atem supposes it's his fault. He has such confidence in his victory that beating him in a ceremonial game has become the path to his throne. Bakura has a reserved seat at this point, this year included. If there are any challengers before him, Atem takes them all on in a battle royale, sneering all the while.

Games with Bakura are interesting. Mostly, anyway. Sometimes he rambles a bit too much on how Atem's father snatched the throne from Bakura's line by soaking the Unseelie Kingdom with the family's blood, then making the Puzzle and its companions from the massacre. Atem knows. Everyone knows. And Bakura should stop expecting sympathy from the howling fae. The fact that he still looks around proves that he is far from fit for an Unseelie throne.

This year's game contains such babbling. Atem, as always, responds with "I'm not my father" and a recount of how he had taken the throne by defeating Aknamkanon in a Shadow Game. His subjects love that one. There are wounds on both sides, since Bakura is counted among the king's few worthy opponents despite his harping. It ends with Atem's victory and Bakura crawling from the consuming shadows through sheer wrathful willpower.

But Bakura is nothing if not clever.

Atem is able to keep himself upright until his chamber doors close. Mahaad catches him.

"Good shot," he mutters, clutching his side.

He looks up to see Mahaad frowning. That doesn't bode well.

Once he's curled on his bed, Atem asks, "What did he do this time?"

"I should examine it more closely," Mahaad says. He already sounds worried. Wonderful.

Stripped of his ceremonial garb, Atem gets a better look himself at Bakura's handiwork. His side is blistered, skin bunching with strange shining warts on charred flesh. It burns with the slightest breeze.

Even when his soul was shattered, Mahaad has never panicked. Since being reshaped into an elf mage by twisting shadows, he is the calmest being in the entire kingdom. Now he stares, wide-eyed, like a foal swept in a storm.

"What is it?" Atem asks, sharper with unfamiliar fear.

Mahaad swallows and schools himself into a bow. "Your Majesty. Bakura has somehow used Seelie magic."

Atem starts. "What?"

Mahaad's hand hovers over the warts. They glow brighter. "This is a Starscourge. Ancient magic, the likes of which only few know today. When the Seelie and Unseelie first separated, this curse was one of the Seelie's greatest weapons. Using the light of darkness, the Seelie would reduce intruders to stardust. It is why their constellations shine so brightly."

Atem raises an eyebrow. "Light of darkness? That's confusing even for fae."

Mahaad gestures to the lumps. "What can shine brightest at night? The moon and stars. It's a rough translation."

Atem looks back at the wound. "How long?"

"No royal has been its victim. But with your power and will, you have at least seven days."

"What are the cures?"

Mahaad averts his eyes.

"...no cure has ever been listed, Majesty. We would need an ancient Seelie."

Atem grimaces. The two kingdoms haven't been at war for millennia, but that doesn't mean they particularly like each other. The Seelie king is annoyingly kind just as he finds Atem's terribly violent. If there is anyone Atem would hate to be indebted to, it's him.

"Are you certain?" Atem asks.

Mahaad nods.

If Atem succumbs to the curse that Bakura struck him with during their game, then Bakura will have a right to the throne. Atem despises losing. More than that, he despises Bakura and his careless philosophies on ruling. His rage will only supply the Unseelie's bloodthirst for so long. You need more than that to wear this kingdom's crown.

No. Atem will not die here.

"Bring Isis to me. I need to send a message."

If there's one thing Atem doesn't like most about the Seelie king, it's how gentle he makes Atem. Yugi has a special aura about him that appeals to both sides of the fae: a forgiving, generous heart and a fierce, mischievous spirit. Although wary of Atem, Yugi always has a smile for him on the rare occasions they meet face to face. You can't talk to Yugi and not be candid, though that may be his griffin blood.

But Atem is not talking to Yugi. He is writing. As far as Yugi knows, Mahaad has been affected by the Starscourge, cast by Bakura when Mahaad banished him once more from Unseelie's court. Yugi shouldn't be any the wiser.

Atem wrinkles his nose at the guilt simmering in him when he orders the message off. But the Unseelie treat their friends differently.

Yugi replies that same day, sending a Kuriboh instead of a shadow message or a sunbeam. The creature lands at Atem's window and chirps until Mahaad lets it in. Versatile beings, Kuribohs―able to fly freely between Seelie and Unseelie. Yugi's smart to use them as messengers.

Although it utters nothing but kuri noises, Atem and his circle inherently understand the meaning. Yugi starts by expressing his grief over Atem's plight, not Mahaad's, which generates some amusement. Atem should have known Yugi would see through that.

I have no idea where Bakura could have learned that curse, the message continues, seeing as there is only one Seelie who knows that magic, and he's one of the most honest fae I've ever met. With your permission, I will send him to you. All I ask in return is that he can keep what he extracts.

I hope to see you recovered when we see each other again. I'm anxious for your reply.

"Do you think Anzu had a hand in articulating?" Shada asks dryly.

"Her mouth is definitely as quick as her feet," Mana replies, smiling. "But did you hear? The king will be cured!"

"Can we be certain?" Karim asks gravely.

Mana waves her hand. "The Seelie King is trustworthy!"

"He is also very trusting," Set says, arms crossing, "Too much, sometimes. If that fae truly is the only one who knows the Starscourge magic, he may very well be the one who supplied Bakura with it."

"Yet the king knows his kingdom from every burrow and leaf," Isis says, "If this fae is the only one, then he is the only one."

"And therefore our only viable option for His Majesty's survival," Mahaad says.

They turn to Atem, who in mere hours has been forced to being bed-ridden. He stares at his hands, leaning heavily against the ornately carved headboard. Atem feels the designs poking ridges in his back: victories and Hunts, bordering a throne of dragon talons.

He smirks. "If Bakura did obtain the magic from this fae, that simply means we can make a deal that much easier."

"What of this 'extract'?" Siamun asks.

"Yugi has a right to keep his secrets. The price is a fair one, and I'm willing to make concessions." He nods to Isis. "Send my consent. The visitor has one day to arrive."

The next morning, Mahaad admits a cloaked figure through a side entrance to the Unseelie king's underground palace. The subjects can't know of their king's condition, after all. They'd start an uprising just for fun.

In the dawn, the Seelie's sleeved cloak appears simple: crimson fabric with a silver dragon head clasp. There are no further embellishments. Among the Unseelie elite, it hardly recommends him.

When the shadows kiss the material, the king's council is staggered. The stars covered by the sun are reflected, humming in constellations of harmony to create a soft, soulful whole. The deep-seated restlessness of the Unseelie realm is soothed for a few startling moments.

Eyes that seem to melt through every shade of blue glow with the woven stars. When asked about the cloak, they simply blink.

The moment the Unseelie King sees him, he knows Bakura received nothing from him. Atem has never met him, but the Seelie radiates constancy.

Still, it's best to be absolutely certain. Atem signals to Shada, and the Seelie is presented with a chalice.

"This contains griffin's blood and dragon ash," Shada says, "Lies will be burned from your tongue and truth will flow in your veins."

The Seelie looks at it. Looks at the king.

"I have some questions I want to ask first," Atem says blithely.

A quiet, steady voice replies, "I thought you'd want to be cured as soon as possible."

"Don't question His Majesty," Set snaps.

Holding a hand up at Set, Atem says, "I'd rather you answer first."

The Seelie nods and drinks. The potion is vile; Atem had to drink it at his coronation. But this one seems to have a king's composure.

Atem makes a show of getting comfortable, as if the Starscourge has no effect on him. "What are you called?"

"Yusei," the Seelie says. He doesn't sound like he drank the potion at all―no hurried speech, no high-pitched surprise. Interesting.

Atem gestures to his wound. "How do you know this magic, Yusei?"

A change in expression, if only slightly. A sad downturn of the eyes, a small frown.

"I was born of the stars."

"Many creatures and legends are. What makes you different?"

"My father was a supernova. The kind that scorched the soil and tore kingdoms apart in his dying flame."

"Like the one that destroyed the original kingdom and split the Seelie and Unseelie," Mahaad says.

Yusei looks at him. "That was my father."

Even Mahaad can't hide his shock.

Yusei looks back at Atem. "My mother is the crimson that flies in dusk and dawn. My sibling-soul, who harbored me from my father's explosion, is made of stardust. The Starscourge and every lunar spell was not taught to me, Your Majesty. I knew it the instant I was born."

Siamun regards the stranger with new eyes. "You are a child of Akakiryu."

Yusei removes his hood, revealing raven hair streaked with burning oranges and yellows. He removes his right glove, showing his bare arm to the chamber. A Crimson Dragon's Sign, the same dragon head on his cloak.

Atem laughs. "The Seelie King willingly sent a rare gem into my realm? Too trusting indeed."

Yusei says nothing, but there's a steel in his eyes that Atem likes.

"Did you give Bakura the secrets of Starscourge?" Atem asks.

"No," Yusei answers without hesitation. "I am the only Seelie who knows the magic, but that doesn't mean an Unseelie hasn't stolen it."

"Someone in my court?" Atem says. "Typical." He smirks at Yusei's furrowing brow. "We are a realm of tricksters and scoundrels, Yusei. Your king might not expect betrayal, but anything outside my council is a liable challenger. You must have heard of our games."

Yusei stiffens. "I have."

At least some caution, then. Good. "I don't discriminate between classes for my opponents. I enjoy variety."

"And destroying them."

Atem speaks over a few council members' snipping, "Yes."

"And you will keep destroying."

Atem grins. "Yes. But your king has already made the deal, so you must cure me regardless."

Yusei grips his glove. "My king seems to hold a high opinion of you. There must be something about you that is worth saving."

More angry chatter. Atem rolls his eyes and orders all but Mahaad from the room.

"You're just as trusting as your king, I see."

"No," Yusei says, "I'm not. But I have to believe there's some good in this realm."

Atem scoffs. "Then you really are as trusting. But if you didn't give Bakura that magic, who did?"

"The soil that my father burned also birthed creatures. Bound by dead earth but immensely powerful."

For the first time since swallowing the potion, Yusei tries keeping his mouth shut. Naturally it doesn't work, and the rest tumbles out: "One of them is my friend, but he was twisted by the dreaded spirits and absorbed a giant's heart. This giant is tall enough to touch the stars. It's possible he stole the secret. But he is good, Your Majesty!"

Atem glances at Mahaad. "It doesn't sound like he's good."

Yusei twists his glove in both hands, at last slipping into agitation. "As I said, he was twisted. Deceived. A misunderstanding drove him under the cursed earth. It's my fault."

"Why do you Seelie always blame yourselves for others' injustice? It gets annoying. No," Atem adds when Yusei opens his mouth, "Give his name."

Yusei covers his mouth.

Atem isn't impressed. "Mahaad."

Mahaad's staff stomps the floor, sending a surge of magic at Yusei.

Yusei's birthmark darkens the veins around it in wrathful crimson and repels it.

Frustration overcomes Atem's shock. "That which is precious to the child is precious to the mother, hm?"

Yusei, who had spoken the culprit's name against his hand, freely replies, "There is no blame placed on the victims of the Earthbound, Majesty. They are cursed just as much as the other spirits' targets."

"You have pretty words, Yusei," says the Unseelie King, "and a faithful heart. I see the stars in your blood. But if I can't get the name from you, then I'll have to search for him myself."

Yusei squares his shoulders. "You will see his curse, then. Would you like to be cured now?"

Atem smiles. "By all means. My questions are done."

Yusei removes his other glove, stuffing both in his cloak. "The stars are more capricious here, but they're willing to help. You've made a good impression on them."

"Well, I'm capricious too."

Mahaad doesn't move, but Atem can feel his amusement.

Speaking of. "Mahaad, I think I'll be fine on my own."

"Majesty―"

"Leave us."

Mahaad hesitates, but soon it's just Atem and Yusei.

Yusei kneels beside the bed and runs his fingers over the wound. The embedded stars sing at their kin's touch, eliciting a smile. He's quite lovely to look at.

"Do you like games, Yusei?" Atem asks.

The smile vanishes. "Not your kind of games, Majesty."

"Oh, I think even a Seelie could grow to like those. Especially one with so violent a beginning."

Yusei's fingers twitch. The Starscourge flares, as if to punish Atem for upsetting him.

"My beginning left me with the opposite," Yusei says, "I abhor violence and destruction. Take a deep breath."

The Starscourge bubbles as Atem's ribs expand. "How does this work?"

With his ending the questioning, the potion Shada had given Yusei has no effect. Atem wants to see how Yusei lies.

"I extract the stars," Yusei says.

Ah, by omission then. And not very well, either.

"You're awfully earnest," Atem says, "I'd tell you not to come here, but."

Yusei hums, accidentally triggering an answering coo from Atem's wound. "Take another breath, but let it out slowly." He places both hands on the curse. "Slowly...keep going, and don't move. This will hurt."

Atem nearly yells under the flaring pain. The embedded stars are screeching in protest, trying to tangle themselves deeper. Yusei whispers to them in a language not even the king understands, full of sharp crescendos and rumbling syllables. With every word(?) he utters, his pupils draw thinner and his irises pale, until golden dragon eyes are growling at Atem's side.

Sibling-soul, Yusei had said.

The agony drains slowly. Atem clenches every muscle, steadies his breath. Yusei's sibling's voice braids with Yusei's, creating a strange, ever-changing frequency that Atem uses as a distraction.

Yusei says, "You're free," and the room trembles into black.

Atem wakes to see a guard holding a blade of shadows to Yusei's throat.

"You said you would be alright alone," Mahaad says.

Atem sits up and stretches. "Don't I look alright?"

Relief peeks at the council members' faces. "You are cured, then?" Isis asks.

Atem pokes at his side. The stars did leave a blistered scar, but he can move. "Entirely. Oh, you can take that blade away now."

Yusei glances stiffly around. "Kind of you, Majesty."

"A deal's a deal. You get to keep what you extracted. But."

Yusei's eyes narrow. "But?"

"Well." Atem stands, beckoning the shadows to him. "There was never anything about letting you go."

"What?"

"You're a fae, Yusei. You must know wording is important. Yugi obviously thought that I would allow you to leave. Maybe I should teach him a lesson. After all, a creature like you intrigues me."

Yusei's jaw works. "Are you trying to goad me into playing a game with you, Majesty?"

"Perceptive."

"...if I win, I can leave."

"If I win," Atem says, caressing his shadows, "you stay until I'm done with you."

Yusei ducks his head. "And if I try to escape instead?"

Set laughs. "You wouldn't get far, Seelie."

"A duel would be best," Atem says, "As a child of the stars, you must know of the void."

"I don't wield it," Yusei replies tersely.

Atem smirks. "But you can."

No reply.

"Do you accept?"

Yusei looks at the door. It vanishes in an instant. An illusion, which Yusei likely sees through, but a solid message.

The steel from earlier stares Atem down.

"Yes."

[alphakuriboh]

First Feh tried to draw me back with a duo LuciChrom then Masters tries with shiny Prima. Jokes on you gachas, BSD brain rot is still stronger.

[dropyourswordboysheadcanon-blog]

What about a saniwa, girl, 7 years old, crybaby and is easily scared successfully smith these swords: Mitsusada, Doudanuki, Iwatooshi, Ookurikara, Hasebe, Tsurumaru. Less than ten minutes after meeting the new comer she end up crying for one the following reasons: pirate, frightening appearance, unfriendliness, something about "temple burning" and "retainer killing", scared by a "surprised". Bonus points if mama Kashuu and/or big bro Ichigo witness the scene. Thank you for your time!

the swords would be either confused or flustered as hell ofc! their little Saniwa was afraid of them the moment they met each other, that would be very awkward XD

Shokudaikiri Mitsutada

he was startled because you were there staring at him, and the next second you’re cowering behind Ichigo, crying

what is pirate??

and what is secret CIA agent???

confused af because you’re babbling about ‘scary pirate agent trying to capture me’ to Ichigo

Doudanuki Masakuni

maybe because of his scary tough appearance that made you afraid of him

and his voice

oh my god

it only took about 0.01 second for you to start crying

this poor tanuki was confused

what’s wrong with you??

in the end, he tried to pat your head so that you’ll calm down

well, although it took weeks for you to stop being afraid to him

Iwatooshi

I actually see this guy as the ‘mama’ of the Sanjo group

but his laugh

GAHAHAHAHAHAHA

you were so startled from his laugh that you cried

ofc he’ll try to calm you down

he’ll offer to bring you around the citadel with you on his shoulder

a piggyback ride doesn’t sound too bad, isn’t it?

you stop crying and now you laughed merrily when he brought you around the citadel

Ookurikara

oh here come dat boi Kuri the grouch

his unfriendliness has made you think that he didn’t like you

and thus, when he recited his legendary quote about ‘not going to be friendly with you’

you let out a frustrated cry

this kid was shocked

he’ll be standing there, not knowing what to do to calm you down

and Kashuu (who is your secretary and always accompany you when you’re smithing new swords) wasn’t helping by sending glares at Kuri

since that day, he tried to be nicer with you

Heshikiri Hasebe

you’ve read his history with the Demon Lord

and the part of how Nobunaga used him to kill his tea attendant scared you to death

so when you smithed him, you were already crying in fear

“a-are you going to kill me too…?”

OF COURSE NOT MASTER

it took him a while to assure you that he’s here to protect you, not to cause you any harm

Tsurumaru Kuninaga

“BOO!”

you screamed

because you were so startled, you cried

nice job Tsuru

and that murderous stare from Ichigo didn’t help

okay the first thing that he need to do is to calm you down

so he told you the funniest jokes he knew

it worked, and you giggled at his jokes now

[iron-and-ink]

Alec and Downworlders (part one) - The Meet

Warlock

Alec Lightwood is six the first time he meets a downworlder

he is sitting on the floor in the training room watching two older shadowhunters spar, they’re good, really good, Alec is jealous, he hasn’t started training physically yet, still only history lessons and runes 101 and okay Alec really doesn't mind it because, real talk, the boy is a closeted nerd and he loves to read

he has a whole stash of books on downworlders under his bed, if his parents ever saw them he was sure they would confiscate them, downworlders interest him the most, he’s only ever heard other shadowhunters, including his parents, talk negatively about them and Alec believes ‘a coin has two sides’ so

after he’s been sent to bed he’ll read about downworlders until his head hurts and his eyes can’t focus in the dark anymore

(got off track there, anyway)

he was only half paying attention to the two sparring when he hears something out in the hallway

he wanders out into the hall with wide curious eyes, because it’s the Institute and nothing bad can get in, he walks down hall after hall his hand dragging across the wall and his feet stumbling every once in awhile

he ends up in a part of the Institute he’s never been before, it’s dark and cold and there’s nothing on the walls, the floor is uneven and trips him up even more, there’s a door at the end of the hall

someone comes out of the door and Alec freezes because even though they are standing far apart Alec can tell the person isn’t a shadowhunter and his heart beats hard in his chest

“well, well, well. what do we have here? a little lost shadowhunter? so sweet.”

the person’s voice is pitched high but posses a gravelly undertone, Alec can’t tell if it’s a male or female, when they walk closer to him he still can’t identify them

they are dressed in a loose fitted grey top that is tucked into a pair of black fitted pants, a velvet green overcoat with sparking rings and necklaces, think black circles for earrings and necklaces both on view and tucked into their shirt, their hair is a platinum blonde and cropped to their shoulders with straight bangs

“lost little one?”

the person’s voice doesn’t scare Alec like he thinks it was meant to

“who are you?”

Alec stands firm with his little fist clenched by his sides

“I've had many names over many, many centuries”

“are you a warlock?” and just like that Alec relaxes

“quite the observant one you are” the warlock hums at him “I am indeed”

“that is so cool, I've been reading about warlocks. a lot of the information in the books is based off of past shadowhunters information so i’m not sure what’s truth and what’s been made up. a lot of it is negative towards warlocks as well so I think a lot of it is biased because just because you guys have demon blood in you doesn’t make you bad. a lot of shadowhunters don’t get that and I don’t understand why,” Alec trails off when he see’s the warlock staring at him “I’m sorry, did I say something wrong?” a red flush stains his cheeks and he looks down at his feet

“oh no my sweet baby boy, you did nothing wrong. It’s not often that we see someone with such a unique outlook on downworlders. It’s refreshing is all.”

the warlock kneels down on the floor so they are eye level with Alec, he’s rune less and still a little too pale from always staying cooped up in the Institute, his hair is long and shaggy and hangs in his eyes, the warlock brushes his hair back so they can have eye contact, the warlocks skin is warm and it’s something Alec thinks to write down latter

“I haven't had a name in a long time, would you like to give me one?”

Alec thinks long and hard about a name to give the warlock, or at least he thought he should have but as soon as the warlock had asked, a name shone bright in his mind  

“Alanis” Alec looked up at the warlock who even on their knees had a few inches on Alec

the warlock tried out the name before flashing Alec a wide grin and nodding their head

“from now on my name is Alanis. thank you baby boy”

the warlock swiped their finger behind Alec’s ear, leaving an imprint of their magic on him, the boy was too pure, too good, if his life was ever in danger the magic imprint would alert Alanis to it, with a kiss on the forehead Alanis summoned a portal and with the fleeting thought ‘I hope he grows up well’ the warlock left the boy

Werewolf

Alec Lightwood is seven the next time he meets a downworlder

a werewolf named Luke

Alec had been away from the Institute all day, his parents had been in a screaming match and Alec didn’t want to be around, that's how he found himself sat on a bench in a park from from the Institute

it was warm and he was dressed in shorts and a t-shirt, his feet swinging back and forth on the bench, there was a playground about twenty feet from his bench, mundane children running around with frazzled parents chasing after them, something panged in his chest

a man pushing a stroller came up and sat at the other end of the bench Alec was sat on, the man had a diaper bag slung over his shoulder and was currently digging around it, not noticing the stroller slowly rolling away, Alec stood and used his foot to stop the stroller, the man looking up

“oh thank god, Jocelyn would have killed me if I’d lost Clary the first day I take her out on my own”

Alec tilted his head and squinted at the man, the young girl in the stroller squealed and Alec turned and look down at her, her hair was blazing red and her eyes were a light mint green, she looked to be around Izzy’s age, Alec bent down and allowed the little girl to take his finger and grab on tight, Alec smiled at her

“she likes you”

“I’m Alec, Alec Lightwood”

Alec didn’t see the man freeze up at his name, didn’t see him half reach for the stroller

“Robert and Maryse’s boy”

it was Alec’s turn to freeze and turn toward the man, his eyes wide, the little girl - Clary - gripped his fingers tighter and babbled more

“I’m Luke”

Alec nodded at the man, Clary giggled and squealed, both turned to look at her

“would you like to hold her?”

Luke took her out of the stroller and Alec sat back down on the bench, Alec cradled Clary in his lap just like he’d been taught to do with Izzy, Clary was smaller, younger than Izzy and her features were a lot brighter, Izzy was a quiet baby, Clary smiled and giggled and gurgled and squealed, Alec smiled down at the little red head and brought up his hand for her, she grabbed his hand eagerly and squeezed it tight, Luke smiled at the two, he snapped a photo with his phone

“how do you know my parents?”

Alec looked over at Luke who in turn flashed green eyes at the young shadowhunter, Alec’s eyes flickered wide before returning to normal

“cool”

Alec asked Luke a bunch of questions like if his teeth would regrow if they were knocked out while he was in full wolf, if he liked to have his fur brushed, questions about pack, Luke took it all in ease and answered the child's questions

“what are you doing so far from the Institute Alec”

“mom and dad were fighting”

Luke watched the small boys smile fade, Clary seemed to react to the shift in emotions and her bottom lip quivered, Alec smiled down at her and smacked a wet kiss on her cheek, she giggled and clapped her hands at him, now sat up in his lap, Luke smiled at them and took another picture, he pulled out a card from his back pocket

“If you ever need anything, just give me a call, even if it’s just to talk, I know I’m a stranger but I promise you Alec, I’ll be there if you need me”

Alec had nodded and took the card, tucking into his shorts

bonus:

Alec is fourteen when he call’s Luke

it’s late at night and he’s worried Luke will be mad about the time but the man is calm on the phone when Alec says his name

he tell’s Luke about how he’s gay and how he’s terrified, he knows the Clave will never allow it and Alec is so, so scared about what will happen if anyone ever finds out, he tells Luke he’s scared he’ll be stripped of his runes, Luke lets Alec rambled until the young teen had worked himself into tears

Luke hushes him and tells him everything's gonna be okay, that times are changing and the Clave will have to be okay with it, he tells Alec that he’ll find someone to love and who will love him, even though that wasn’t a concern Alec had verbally expressed

Luke tells Alec everything will work out in the end

Vampire

Alec Lightwood is eleven when he meets his first vampire(s)

Max had been born two years ago and Maryse and Robert are all about the two year old, as is Izzy, not that any of that bothers Alec, actually quite the opposite, he’s had more time to train on his own without his mother breathing down his neck ‘fix your form alec’, ‘what was that? do it again!’ he loved his mother dearly, but it felt like sometimes she forgot he was eleven years old and that he was far from perfect

he tucks a seraph dagger into his boot and draws a glamour rune on his forearm, leaving the Institute through a back door no one uses

Alec had just wanted to go for a walk, honestly, he had taken up going for walks outside the institute since his mother had gotten pregnant and his parents were more often than not, in Idris

his head full of thoughts he hadn’t noticed he had wandered close to a port, large freight ships docked, shipping containers stacked tall and wide, Alec tilted his head and squinted his eyes, where was he?

turning to leave the port a black shadow passed overhead and the small shadowhunter froze, he gulped and slowly turned around, he really wished he hadn’t

standing fifteen feet away from him was a Kuri demon, Alec had seen drawings of them, seen what their poison did to other shadowhunters, there was no way his eleven year old self could take down one of these, he bit his lip and slowly pulled the blade from his boot and gripped it tight in his hand, the Kuri demon hissed at him and snapped it’s pincers at him

Alec let out a slow breath and as if that was the demon’s cue, it rushed at him, all eight legs scrambling towards him, the demon was a lot bigger than him so he was able to duck and roll under the Kuris body and come out behind it, he struck out with his seraph and sliced one of the demons back legs, the creature screeched and turned around on clumsy limbs, it swiped at Alec and this time it caught his arm, Alec whimpered as it tore through his jacket, shirt and into his skin, he could feel the blood running down his arm, Alec knew he would probably be okay as long as he avoided the venom tipped fangs the Kuri demon possessed

it didn’t take long before the demon obviously got the the upper hand and Alec was left with a large gash on his left bicep, another on his left thigh and one on the back of his right calf, his left hip was scored up, two matching strips down his still narrow back and one stretched across his chest

Alec had been able to duck into one of the warehouses on the port and collapse onto the floor, the demons either thinking he was dead or not wanting to waste anymore time on him, slinked away in triumph, Alec was able to draw on two iratze before his stele fell out of his shaking hand and he passed out

it only took a few minutes before two vampires passing by could smell the blood, they were old and had good control of themselves, silently agreeing to check it out, they weren’t expecting to find a young shadowhunter bleeding to death

“I say we just leave him, shadowhunters never did anything for us, why should we help one of their own?” “Lavi, he’s just a boy” “Exactly” “I can’t leave him” “Delphi” “He looks like my boy, he looks so much like my Kail” silence, then “Alright”

Lavi had some medical training under his belt and was able to staunch the worse of Alecs wounds while Delphi pillowed the boy's head in her lap and ran a soothing hand through his hair, once they were sure he wouldn’t bleed out Lavi scooped the boy up and they flashed back to the den

Alec wakes up slowly and honestly confused because he’s alive and he has no idea where he is

“Delphi, the kids awake” a man with a hint of an accent says, Alec’s eyes dart over to him and it’s easy to tell he’s a vampire, a woman rushes into the room with a bowl in her hands

“oh honey, how are you?” the woman - Delphi? places the bowl on the ground and places a hand against his forehead, her hand is cool against his feverish skin and it feels nice, Alec glances down at his body and see’s his wounds had been stitched closed, like literal stitches line his wounds and he pokes at them, the man smacks his hand and sneers at him

“Lavi” the woman chastises him

“who are you guys? I could guess vampires but where are we? why did you help me?”

Delphi is a slight woman, she’s around his mother’s height and she has grey eyes and dark brown hair pulled up into a bun, her skin is pale and her nails are cut short, she's dressed in a shirt that advertises a band Alec’s never heard of and jeans

Lavi is a tall man dressed similar to Delphi, he has on a long shirt that has propaganda for a sports team and dark jeans, his hair is a soft ginger orange and jade green eyes, he’s not as pale as Delphi but he’s still pale, vampire and all, his face is covered in freckles that stand out

Lavi is standing back a bit and watching Alec like a hawk, Alec taking notice his seraph dagger is gone but he can feel his stele tucked into his back pocket, he’ll take the small miracle

“we could smell you bleeding out a mile away, stunk like angel blood, you’re lucky we’re the ones that found you and not some thirsty fledgling”

“I thought our blood was supposed to taste good” and that’s really not a statement either vampire was expecting from the young shadowhunter, Lavi looked from the boy to Delphi then back to the boy and shrugs a shoulder

“loses its sweet taste the second time you try it” and the boy stumps them by not commenting on the fact the vampire just admitting to have drank from a shadowhunter not once but at least twice

“you're a weird kid”

“why did you help me?”

Lavi sneers at Delphi before stalking away and out of the room they are in, Delphi offers the boy a small smile and rings out the rag in the water and wipes at his neck that still has blood on it

“you look a lot like my son, his name was Kail. he was around your age when I was turned. We were not very well off and he was so small for his age. The vampire that turned me, it was an accident and when i woke up i went home and then the blood lust hit me and-and i...i couldn’t stop myself” she chokes up a little and Alec takes her hand and she smiles at him “it wasn’t until a few days later that i had regained my senses and realized what i had done. I almost let the sun burn me but Lavi found me and we’ve been together ever since” she squeezes the boy's hand and he smiles at her, her heart clenches but she she offers him a small up tilt of her lips

Lavi returns a few minutes later with a basket of bread and grapes and thrusts it at Alec and mumbles under his breath, Alec wolfs the food down faster than he should and Delphi gets him a glass of water

“I’m sorry about what happened to your son, but thank you both very much for saving my life” Lavi hisses at him and Delphi bates at the bitter ginger and smiles at Alec commenting on his wonderful manners, Delphi and Alec make small talk as he eats the rest of the food slower and Lavi continues to glare at them

someone busts the door down and comes in hissing, fangs on full display and claws poised for striking

Alec’s training kicks in and he puts himself between the vampire and Lavi and Delphi, the attacker stops and hisses

“Un chasseur d'ombres, vraiment Lavi?” (“a shadowhunter, really Lavi?”)

“Tais-toi” (shut up)

“Ces deux sont sous la protection de l'Institut de New York” (These two are under the protection of the New York Institute)

the vampire hisses at Alec, spit flying from his mouth before he backs out of the door and flashes away

“thank you” Delphi stands and shows the door back in place

“it’s the least I could do”

“if you ever need anything, feel free to call on us” Delphi pulls the boy in for a hug and squeezes him a little too tight, Lavi hisses but doesn’t say anything

“my name is Alec Lightwood and I will forever be in your debt”

once Alec leaves Delphi squeal about how cute and polite he was, Lavi just shakes his head and smiles because yeah, he was one hell of a shadowhunter

bonus:

this is where Alec’s fear of spiders comes from, the first demon he ever faced was a Kuri demon which basically looks like a giant spider on steroids and Alec had been afraid to tell anyone about it

he tells Magnus

Seelie

Alec Lightwood is thirteen when he meets a Seelie

he had gotten into a fight with his mother and she had sent him to his room

Alec knew no one noticed when he would leave the institute, so he went to his room, grabbed his jacket and stele, then left the Institute through the hidden door he always used

his head is replaying his fight with his mother and the harsh words she had yelled at him, his head is flashing images of Jace at him and telling him how wrong it is, the way he feels about the boy, his head tells him he needs to be better, he needs to - cat, he sees a cat

Alec loves cats, so much, they are small and fluffy and they have such strong personalities and Alec will never, ever, tell anyone how much he loves cats

the cat is small and has grey stripes all over its back with a white tummy and a white chest, it strides through the streets with the pride of a lion and Alec follows it, he wants to pet it

he chases the cat down two alley ways, over a fence, across two streets, and now he’s running through a large park, he’ll realize later he’s in Central Park

After a half hour of running after the feline they are in a dense part of the forest, so dense that Alec takes pause to look around, realizing he has no idea where he is and how to get out and that while he was looking around the cat took the opportunity to dash away from him

while he was doing a full 360 someone catches his eye and Alec sucks in a breath because

yeah because that’s a seelie

he can tell by the ethereal beauty of the being, the way they just look like they’re meant to be apart of the forest, Alec takes a step closer because he’s read about the beauty of seelie’s in books, about how the few mundanes who do possess the sight who happen upon a seelie go mad from their beauty, the man is tall and lean, he wears a loose pair of black pants tucked into black boots, his shirt is a light green color and he has on a peach colored cloak draped over his shoulders and his chest, there's an armband on his right arm, his hair is a very light lilac color and pulled back into a pony tail, the pony tail itself reaches just a little bit past his shoulders, Alec had always imagined seelies to have pale skin like vampires but this seelie skin was sun kissed

“shadowhunter” his voice was melodic, Alec could see why mundanes fell under their spells

“i-i’m sorry, i wasn’t looking where i was going, i was chasing a cat” alec stutters and blushes, the seelie looks at him like he is a grave inconvenience and right about now that's what Alec feels like

“how...unique” the seelies’ words are like liquid silk

“is it true that seelies can see other mythical creatures that shadowhunters and downworlders can’t” it slips out so fast Alec cups a hand over his mouth and his eyes are so wide it hurts his face, the seelies’ head tilts and his brows tick up, like he wasn’t expecting that

“now where did you hear a thing like that?” he’s closer now, Alec could reach out and touch him if he wanted to

“i read a lot”

“you are not like most shadowhunters are you parvulus”

“i know seelies can’t lie but that you guys talk your way around things and that's cool but i’ve never met a seelie before and i have so many questions i’d like to ask, if you have the time”

and they sit like that for the next two hours, Alec finds out the seelies name is Kheelan and that he’s around three hundred years old, he was on his way back to The Court when he had heard Alec, Alec asks all his questions and the seelie answers all the questions straightforwardly, they aren't the kind of questions he needs to dance around, even answering Alec’s first question

they can and Alec almost shits himself when Kheelan tells him there's a very fond will-o'-the-wisp attached to Alec, Kheelan does not tell Alec that it actually gave the seelie pause when he had seen the light blue puff of smoke peak it’s head out from behind the shadowhunters shoulder, the wisps were fickle creatures and were terrified of almost all things that moved, Kheelan also neglects to tell the boy that he can hear the trees whispering in Alec’s presence, he can hear the sprites in the wind chirping happily, the young shadowhunter exudes a naturally good energy and it stumps the seelie as to how the boy was born a shadowhunter and not, well, not a seelie

when the sun starts to dip in the sky Kheelan leads Alec back to a less dense part of the park where the boy assures he can find his way back, he thanks Kheelan earnestly and Kheelan smiles at the boy

“it was a pleasure parvulus”

bonus:

Alec never puts two and two together when he starts regularly being at Magnus’s

he  never recognizes the small white tummied grey stripped back cat that is named Chairman Meow

never realizes the cat he chased through the park turned out to be Magnus’s beloved cat

(part two)

[alphakuriboh]

Y’know, I’d forgotten the days of fiending so hard for a series that I looked at raw panels an hour after release in Japan.

[alphakuriboh]

Happy Dannypocalypse!

[alphakuriboh]

WHEEZING

Congrats Alfonse nation

And woo three years straight 🎉