#like sure the creature is horrifying beyond human comprehension but can you try?

[pigeonflavouredcake]

I made a journal page about it so why not post it here as well I know all of us have better stuff to do right now

A list of my book pet peeves

The Author's name is bigger than the title

Slippery dust covers

More than 3 pages dedicated to reviews and praise

'The blank of blank and blank' title schemes

Dog-eared pages

People who say that audiobooks isn't 'real' reading

Real people on the cover

Any kind of sticker, fake or real

Annotations in pen

The heteros

The heteros depicting relationships with vocabulary reserved for animals i.e. 'mate' or 'breed'

Describing something by saying 'it cannot be described'

[blueluneacy]

Familiar Shore

Hey, so this is a commission for the lovey @lliminall! Thank you so much for commissioning me, it means a lot! This is a continuation of Black Ocean, so go check that out if you haven’t! It’s Bruno bucciarati x reader timeeee

Word Count: 2.8k Warnings: kidnapping, suicide, transformations, just general angst and comfort vibes

The ocean no longer had any color. It was like the moment you woke up on this terrible island, most everything lost color, the strange world you now found yourself in feeling small compared to the extent of the Labyrinth you once knew. You tended to sit by the ocean nowadays, watching the fish that swam up to the shores to see the strange being that liked to sit and watch them. When Bruno first dropped you in his little lair, some minor beasts that inhabited the ocean and the island, but it seemed that in the days that Bruno was gone, he quickly straightened them out. This place was strange in the sense that everyone seemed a lot more docile. You supposed that most people would have considered that ocean uncrossable and that the local wildlife wasn’t used to humans like yourself, leaving to strange circumstances, like finding that the many tailed foxes seemed to like your company, or that after giving some of the gray birds some of your dinner, they perched near you and cawed at the beasts that came towards you.

Of course, that’s not to say things were sunshine and roses. For example, Bruno was actually terrible. A few times you had tried to pull together a raft and get back to shore, only from Bruno to simply tear it apart and carry you back to your little island. A paradise, he called it. Yeah, what a paradise. And you had gone to Jurassic measures. You remembered waking up in that cave after doing something terrible, stepping out to find Bruno sobbing over your lifeless body. You actually felt bad enough to sigh, only for Bruno’s new keen ears to pick up on it and lunge back to you, thanking whatever Gods there were looking out for the two of you that they set your spawn to here, that you would be with him, that he wouldn’t lose you. You cursed those same gods.

But for now, Bruno seemed to leave you alone. Whether it was because he understood that you needed space and time to process this, or just because he was busy with who knows what, you weren’t sure. Maybe he needed a steady supply of torture to sustain him. It would make sense, the way beasts seem to just thrive on destroying any human being that they came into contact with. But, there was also another problem, one that plagued you. It had to be a lie, right? Bruno couldn’t have possibly actually… Turned into a beast, right? No, he had to be one beforehand. There’s no way that a human being could turn into a beast, and even so… Why would he? Bruno was kind and caring… Unless he wasn’t. Until he was completely deranged, dragging you under the depths until you passed out. You didn’t like to think about it, didn’t like to think about those eyes. You just closed your eyes, telling yourself in just another minute, you’d walk the fifty feet back to the cave you had now found as your home, finding the stone becoming increasingly more smooth, the terrible thing that was keeping here making it more homey day by day. What started off as a simple cave with furs on the ground now had furniture, actual walls, even a bed. You still preferred to sleep on the floor if it meant it kept Bruno from holding you. It didn’t.

After a few moments and a lot of convincing yourself to get up, solely just to eat and get some rest as you plotted your way out of this mess, you made your way over to the cave only to stop when you heard voices. One of them you recognized, Bruno, but there was someone actually responding to him. You swallowed, unable to help yourself from hiding at the edge of the cave to listen in to what they were saying.

“I just don’t know if I can make it work, is all. I mean, you’ve seen them. They’re horrified of… This.” Bruno spoke out, leaving the other beast just to scoff.

“They’re horrified that you’re no longer human. Something that you can’t change. Do you honestly believe that you can make them separate this idea of who you once were versus who you are now?” The other beast, for what other creature would be able to speak out with such calm in front of Bruno in the state that he was in now, replied, sounding simply skeptical.

“But you don’t understand, it’s not like I’ve changed. I’m still the same person, I just-”

“Happened to have turned into an eldritch horror beyond basic human comprehension now trapped in a liminal space shaped like a labyrinth. Good pitch.” He sounded so curt, leaving Bruno just to huff.

“I don’t know why I even bothered to ask you.”

“Because you knew I would be honest with you. It would be easiest if you just gave up on the human, Buccellati. Humans are odd, fragile, and emotional. You could easily find a nice beast girl to settle down if you really wanted.” He replied, leaving you just to… ponder. You never really thought of beasts actually speaking to each other, much less loving each other.

“You act as though we’re not humans.” Bruno replied sharply, leaving the other beast to sigh.

“You’re not. We’re not. Sure, maybe at one time, but there’s no way back. Who knows, maybe you and Dio can laugh over this one day.”

“He’s on the other side of the Labyrinth. Speaking of which, how are there other Beasts in this territory? I thought it was supposed to be mine.”

“Oh, only stronger beasts deal with things like territory. Pathetic ones like me, we don’t have that luxury. It’s easier to say you’re with the biggest guy in the room than to try and stake out your own claim in the world. Plenty of territories are filled with beasts that simply stick around for protection or just because they feel like it. I’m surprised you don’t have a line out the door with Beasts asking for your blessing to move in, this is prime real estate.”

“They’re too dangerous for my beloved to be around. I’m particular about the things that might feel too comfortable to try and hurt them.”

“If you’re choosey, then you really made a bad choice in letting me stay.”

“You don’t like humans. I figured you didn’t have the spine to break theirs.” You gasped at that, Bruno’s fine tuned ears finally picking up on your listening in to their conversation and standing up.

“Cara, you can come in. It’s rude to listen in.” He called out to you, leaving you to swallow as you stepped out into the low candlelight of the cave, making your way inside. You just stared at the ground, not wanting to respond for fear of… You weren’t really sure. Bruno didn’t tend to get mad at you, but you didn’t know anything about this other beast. When you caught a glimpse of him, you were a bit skeptical. While Bruno tended to hide his more… Er, Inhuman qualities, this other beast had no qualms about being comfortable. You saw how his silvery hair fell over his shoulders, his painted lips barely concealing rows of sharp teeth and neatly done nails actually claws.

“Tesoro, this is Leone Abbacchio. He’ll be staying near the Shore, so you may see him often.” Bruno told you, leaving you just to roll your eyes.

“Oh boy, another terrifying monster I get to live near! I’ll make sure to bake cookies for the house party.” You replied, leaving Bruno’s face just to set into a grimace while Abbacchio just smiled and rolled his eyes.

“I have no interest in humans, and much less one this scrappy.” He replied, standing up. It took a moment for his insult to click, but once it did, you were ready to fucking fight. Would you lose? Probably. But your honor. But, before you could get a word out, Abbacchio just brushed himself off of bits of sand that seemed to stick at his body, and turned to Bruno.

“I’ll let you two have your lovers quarrel in peace.” And with that, Abbacchio quickly was out of there, leaving you alone with Bruno, who just shook his head as he sat down, motioning for you to sit with him. You did not obey.

“Don’t just stand there, tesoro. Perhaps we should talk. I hate the idea that there’s something wrong with our relationship.” Bruno told you, leaving you just to scoff as you crossed your arms.

“It’s fundamentally wrong, because it’s based on a lie. Me being here isn’t because of love! It’s because of… Because you… I’m your prisoner, Bruno!” You didn’t know why tears were welling up in your eyes, why the pain hit your heart as you spoke the truth, but it did. Your dreams of escaping with Bruno to the outside world, outside of this hell, were crushed entirely. Everything was just a wreck, Bruno had lost it, and beyond it all, he still gave you a pang in your heart. Bruno just shook his head, standing up and you released how much taller than you he was. Was he always this much taller than you? Still, it didn’t matter, you didn’t have the chance to step away before Bruno wrapped his arms around you, holding you tight. It was possessive, but his hand came behind your head, pressing your face into his chest. You gasped as you released he still smelled the same as before, of coastal air and cypress.

“I… I don’t care about that, (Y/n). I can��t lose you, not like everyone else. Please, just stay with me. If I lose you, I know… I know I’ll become like the rest of them. Please, I really do love you. Don’t you love me back?” Bruno’s voice was shaking, as if he were about to cry. You had the instinct to try and comfort him, holding yourself back the best you could.

“I… I don’t know anymore. It feels like… I’m haunted by you at this point. This person you once were and the… Thing you are now.” You replied, leaving Bruno just to sigh and let you go.

“I… But I haven’t changed. I haven’t hurt a single human. If anything, I’m safest out here. No one could possibly come out here, it’ll just be you and me. We can make the life you spoke about here, we can get married and have a family-”

“Bruno, no! We can never have that! You know that! Deep down in your heart, you know that just as well as I do, that this will never work! Even before... “ You looked away, hoping to find some sense of reality in a pace that seems to lack it. God, this was terrible. “We were just chasing after affection, weren’t we? Did we really love each other, or were we just so lonely that we didn’t know what to do and threw ourselves at the idea of human contact?” You replied, leaving Bruno to sigh.

“(Y/n), do you remember how you entered into the Labyrinth?”

“I…. What?” That was out of nowhere. You wondered if maybe he was trying to change the subject, but nonetheless, you shrugged and decided to answer.

“I don’t remember. I was walking through the woods one day, and it was like I got lost… Well, lost forever. I don’t really… Know what I did to deserve all of this.” You replied, leaving Bruno to sigh.

“Is there something back in your old life so pressing that you have to return to it? Is the world outside better than something we could build?” Bruno asked. You wanted to argue so bad, but he was right in a way. There really was nothing that you had going for you back at home. You would go back to work, live your boring, mundane life, but…

“You’re holding me hostage here, Bruno.”

“I’m protecting you. (Y/n), there’s no way out of the Labyrinth unless you have someone from the outside to pull you out. There’s no exit. That is the main secret of the Labyrinth.” He told you, his voice serious, and you knew he was telling the truth.

“I-I… T-Then, what were we searching for all that time?! Why were we… What kind of torture is all this?!” You replied, shaking a bit. You didn’t notice the way your hands were starting to fade and distort, but you didn’t care. “What kind of being would create such a terrible place?!”

“I… I don’t know, tesoro. I really don’t know. But… If there’s no one outside looking for you, you have to understand. Travelling back to the main portion of the Labyrinth is…” He didn’t have to say it. It was a death sentence, a world of torture waiting to happen. You just collapsed, feeling yourself collapse into a pile as you sobbed, trying to find some way, some reason for your entire existence here. You wanted to believe this was a lie, you really did, but something about Bruno’s tone.... How did he even learn this? Did that other beast tell him? Maybe it was just a lie that that beasts told, and Abbacchio knew that Bruno would try to be a sap with you. Torture by proxy. But still… Bruno’s hand hit your back, rubbing it gently as he sat down next to you.

“I… I know. Apparently… Every Beast that is in the Labyrinth was once a human being. One that was never saved.” He told you, leaving you just to go silent. You looked at your hands, the twisting of your own flesh and the accenting of claws that you had been telling yourself was just your nails growing jagged from lack of care. You turned to Bruno, lip quivering.

“I’m just haunted by the ghost of the person I thought I loved, and I don’t know if that person truly is you, or if he was killed in the fire.” You whispered, almost hoping that Bruno wouldn’t hear it. He just pulled you closer, wiping away your tears.

“I… I honestly don’t know. I feel like I am the same person, but who knows. I don’t know what has changed about me, and what hasn’t. All I know is… (Y/n), you keep me whole. You keep me… Good. I can’t explain it. I know you loved that person before, but… Could you ever be able to love me too?” He asked, leaving you just to look at the ground.

“I… I think so. I…” Your eyes just welled up with tears again as you grabbed onto Bruno, sobbing. You mourned for him, for yourself, for the hell that dozens were put through.

“What’s going to happen to me, Bru? Am I going to become a monster?” You asked, leaving the man to just pet your hair, hushing you.

“No matter what you become, you’re still going to be mia cara. And I’ll always love you, no matter what. I promise.” He told you. You looked up, letting your hand run along his cheek as you pressed your lips against his for the first time in forever. And he wasn’t warm the way he once was, but the kiss was still real, and his lips were still soft. When he pulled away, Bruno just held you in his arms, the two of you sharing a soft moment as you both tried to process the new reality that had come upon you. This was now the world you lived in, a world of Beasts and humans who would someday become beasts. If there were gods, they were only malevolent.

“I… I really do love you, (Y/n). I want a life with you. Even if it has to be in this hell, I really do mean what I meant. I think we could create a paradise here. A place just for us, forever.” He told you, and in your week state, you just nodded, letting Bruno hold you as you closed your eyes.

“I… I love you too. I’ve always loved you.” You told him, feeling your eyes get heavy as you cuddled up with Bruno. You looked into his eyes again, seeing that blue you had fallen in love with in the beginning, the Fisherman’s son who was determined to get home, with that serious look on his face, but full of hope. His eyes still had hope, though. For some reason, that seemed to comfort you, seemed to make you feel like things… Might be okay. Maybe not now, but someday.

For the last time that night, you dreamed of that idyllic life you once wanted with Bruno, in the old world on the ocean, a family and kids and peace. When you awakened in the arms of the beast, you were finally ready to throw it away.

[zenithlux]

Cadence - CH 17

In which Vergil learns what might be wrong with him, with help from his friends and family.

Catch up on the story here!

Don’t say I’m out of touch With this rampant chaos your reality I know well what lies beyond my slipping refuge The nightmare I built my own world to escape.

Imaginary - Evanescence

It took less than ten minutes for Vergil to have an existential crisis. 

Why did I call Nero?

Why didn’t I call Dante?

What is wrong with me?

Why will you not leave me alone?

And the questions went on and on; a never-ending wave of increasingly dark and impossible to answer things. Vergil tried to stop them. He tried not to think about the possibilities or the mark on his chest. He tried to convince himself that the voice in his head was no more than a nightmare. That the portal he would have opened would have led to nowhere, and he’d just looked like a fool in front of Kuro. 

That sword no longer belongs to you. Kuro had said. 

What does he know?

A knock on the door startled him. “Verge?” Dante’s voice echoed inside. 

Go away, Vergil tried to say, but nothing happened. 

“Nero said you might need some help.”

Vergil held back a swear as he forced himself to his feet. He’d barely started zipping his vest up before he heard. “Oh hey Kuro! Didn’t know you could open the door.” 

“Are you calling me a fool, mortal?”

“... Why do you have Yamato?”

“Your brother almost returned to his master.”

Vergil took a single step and hit the floor before he could stop himself. 

When he opened his eyes again, he saw nothing but pure darkness. He tried to sit up, but a pair of burly hands pushed him back down. Panicked, Vergil fought back. Something cold slipped from his head as he yanked on the arms. They pushed harder, fingernails digging into his skin. Voices echoed in from all directions- a rabble of nothingness. “Let me go!” He snapped. “I will not…”

Nelo. 

“I’m not...”

Come back to me, Nelo.

“I’m not his…”

“Dad!”

He froze as a single word broke through the chaos. Dad? No one had ever called him that. No one should call him that. He wasn’t a father. He was barely a man. Just some pawn in Mundus’ endless game. Vergil thought he could escape. He thought this was over. Was two decades of his life not enough? Would the consequences of his mistakes never end?

“I wouldn’t do that, Sunshine,” another voice said. “He’s not exactly in his right mind.”

“It’s alright,” A woman said. Vergil recognized them both, but couldn’t place their names. Everything was dark. So dark. So cold. He was trapped again. Paralyzed and lost in the suit he’d been shoved into. 

Then a soft hand brushed his cheek. “Vergil,” The woman’s voice whispered again. “You’re alright. We’re all here for you.”

His eyes snapped open as he gasped for air. Dante’s hand tightened on his shoulder, but it was Roxy’s eyes he met first. Behind her was Nero with a look of pure relief as his shoulders sagged forward and he shook his head. Even further away was Nico with Aki in her hand and a smaller Kuro on her shoulder. “Let go,” Vergil said. This time, his voice was calm enough that Dante listened. Yet, Vergil didn’t sit up. Instead, he let his eyes drift back to her. “You’re awake.”

“Thanks to you,” Roxy said with a nod. Her hand had yet to leave his cheek. “Kuro didn’t have to do much this time.”

“How long has it been.”

“A little over a day I’ve been told.”

“A day,” Vergil said, his voice hollow. “I’ve been out for a day?”

“I found you unconscious in the bathroom,” Dante said. “Don’t worry though! I cleaned ya up and the kid only found ya sleeping,” He gave Vergil a lazy grin, but he heard the truth behind his brother’s oddly peppy words, nobody saw the mark but me. Vergil nodded, hoping to convey his gratitude. If Dante understood or not, he didn’t respond.  

“What happened?” Nero said. 

Vergil’s eyes closed for another moment. What did he say to that? The truth seemed more unbelievable than anything else he could say. But he had called Nero here for… something. 

Why had he thought that this was the right call again?

Yamato. 

And, as painful as it was to admit it, Vergil said. “I need one of you to take Yamato.”

Nero, Nico, and Dante all exchanged glances. “Who are you and what have you done to my brother?” Dante said. 

That time, Roxy pulled away as Vergil practically shot upright. “Do you honestly think I’d joke about such a thing?”

Dante threw his hands up between them. “I mean the things practically your security blanket, Verge. I’m shocked you’re not holding it right now.”

He wasn’t wrong necessarily, but Vergil really thought his brother could word that entire sentence differently. Instead, he explained what was happening. Or, at the very least, what he assumed was happening. It was difficult to know for certain what was in his head or not. He’d recognize Mundus’ voice from anywhere, as it had permeated all of his nightmares since even before he’d escaped hell. But whether or not he was actually calling to him…

He stopped short and glared at Kuro. “You knew.”

Kuro snorted. “I used to be one of Mundus’ pets myself a long time ago. I remember you.”

Vergil’s eyes widened. “I don’t…”

“I escaped just after he promoted you,” The dragon said. “As did my brother. But my story isn’t important.”

“Promoted?” Nero said. “So you were, what, working for this… Mundus guy?”

That time, it was Dante and Vergil who exchanged glances. “Listen, kid,” Dante said slowly, looking to Vergil for permission. When Vergil said nothing, Dante continued. “Did you ever wonder why your dad was gone for so long? Why he never sought you out or all that jazz?”

Nero frowned. “I just assumed…” He trailed off.

“That I wanted nothing to do with you?” Vergil said.

A slight red tinged Nero’s cheeks. “Well I know now that you didn’t know about me. But still… figured you were an asshole for just abandoning whoever my mom was too.”

“He abandoned everyone,” Dante muttered. Vergil glared at him, but his brother didn’t meet it. “He was trapped in hell, Nero. Twenty years of his life, gone to this ‘Mundus guy’.” 

“I’ve heard of him,” Roxy whispered. “But I never imagined…” She closed her eyes and shook her head before meeting his gaze again. “Kuro explained what happened, and we have a theory as to what’s going on. I’ve already called Dia on the matter but…” She trailed off as her eyes flickered away. 

“What?” Vergil asked.

“You’re probably not gonna like it.”

 “Just get on with it,” Vergil snapped. She flinched before he caught himself, but an apology didn’t come. If she expected one, she didn’t show it. “What’s your theory?” Vergil said, his voice much quieter than before. A part of him already knew what she was going to say , but hearing it was much better than assumptions.

“Kuro believes that Mundus forced you to make a pact with him,” Roxy said. “Now that you’re free, he’s trying to call you back.”

The room went dead silent. Even the younger devil hunters, who had learned Mundus’ name all of five minutes ago, went slack-jawed as their eyes snapped to him. Vergil couldn’t read anyone’s expressions. Dante’s lips were pressed together, and his gaze had hardened to the point that even his eyes didn’t give anything away. Nero looked somewhere between horrified, confused, and trying to find the right words to say. Nico looked like she was pondering something beyond Vergil’s comprehension. Only Roxy’s expression was soft as she placed her fingers on the back of his hand. “It’s alright,” She said. “We can fix this.”

“How?” Vergil said. “How can you fix this, Roxy?”

It was Nico who snorted. “Who knows more about pacts than our resident summoner, V-man?”

“Dia, technically,” Roxy said. “But yes, I know a good amount.” She pushed herself to her feet and took a small step back. “Can the rest of you leave for a bit? I need to speak to Vergil.”

“Are you sure about that?” Dante said. “He’s nearly lost it twice.”

“Keep that sword away,” Kuro growled as he crawled onto Roxy’s shoulder. “And she’ll have nothing to fear.”

“No offense,” Nero said. “But I’m with Dante on this one.”

“I’m not a wild animal,” Vergil said. 

“But are you in control?” Dante said.

Vergil glared at his brother. “Yes.”

Dante shrugged. “Alright then,” He beckoned to the other two. “I’ll grab Yamato. You’ll have to take Nico back to the van.” He waved his hand in front of her face to make a point. She didn’t even blink. “She’s far, far away in a galaxy I like to call the Nico-veerse.” He disappeared into the kitchen before returning with Yamato. “We’ll be nearby, sunshine. Holler if you need us,” He glanced at Vergil one last time. But, when Vergil nodded, his brother smiled and left. 

“We hadn’t planned on leaving for a few days,” Nero said. “So…”

“We won’t be long,” Roxy said. “Promise.”

Nero hesitated, but he soon followed after Dante, dragging a very distracted Nico behind him. Aki chirped his goodbye as he hopped off Nico’s shoulder and found his way onto Vergil’s lap where he curled up and promptly fell asleep. And while Vergil thought he should have found this annoying in any other situation, the creature’s soft purrs against his legs was oddly soothing. All he could remember was Shadow sleeping beside him on the few nights his human self got any rest. He recalled how he’d wake up in the morning with the oversized kitten lying right on top of him, only a few pounds shy of crushing him outright. 

He’d found that comforting too.

“Dia’s going to visit tomorrow,” Roxy said. “But I need to know what we’re dealing with.” She hesitated, followed by a sigh. “I know you’re probably not comfortable with the idea, but Dante mentioned a mark?”

“... It appeared yesterday.”

“I don’t doubt it.”

“How could you possibly know any of this?” Vergil said. 

“I know how pact making works,” She countered. “Every demon can be made into a familiar, Vergil. Half-demon or otherwise. My father and Dia studied the effects of half-demon familiars for years before he died. I don’t know everything, but I know enough.” She shook her head. “Humans are able to escape it. Demons can’t. The two halves of your mind are fighting with each other. However…”

“However?”

“Half-demons need a powerful item to bind them to another soul,” Kuro said. “Marks can manifest, yes. But they are not enough. Not when the host wishes to control the other.”

“We think Mundus may have used Yamato,” Roxy said. “If he knew of its portal capabilities, then it’s likely he assumed he could bring you back whenever he wanted, so losing you wasn’t an issue.”

“He likely did not expect you to resist.”

“How can you be certain of any of this?” Vergil asked.

“I’m not,” She said. “With everything I and Dia know, it’s still a shot in the dark. But it’s all we’ve got right now, Vergil.”

“Luckily for you,” Kuro said as he hopped down to the couch. “We may already have a solution.”

“Which is?” Vergil said. 

“Dia thinks that we may be able to break your connection with him by creating a new one with me.”

Vergil didn’t understand why his body clenched at the thought. He didn’t know why he suddenly felt light headed, or why the world was spinning. And he certainly didn’t know why he recoiled at the sheer idea of making a pact with her. But there it was. An uncertain and terrible fear that burned in his veins and pulsed in his head. But, as if noticing his distress (was it really that obvious?) Roxy quickly sat across from him. “I would never force you to do anything you don’t want to do,” She said. “And Dia thinks I can break it the second you are free from Mundus’ control.”

That didn’t make him feel any better. “You’re asking me to risk…” He trailed off, self-conscious. Servitude was the word on his tongue, but was that even fair? He wanted to believe that he trusted Roxy. They had gotten to know each other over the last nine or so months. Almost a year now as friends, and at least three months as close companions.

But did that mean he trusted her with his life?

And if not… Did he trust anyone?

“If it would make you more comfortable,” She said. “Then I can show you my own marks as well.”

“You would do that?” Vergil said. “For me?”

“I’m asking you to give me something very personal,” She said. “It’s only fair that I do the same for you.”

“Besides,” Kuro said with a flick of his tongue. “If making a pact is the only way to protect you, then you’ll have to trust each other, or it will never work.”

Vergil was starting to think that the dragon might be reading his thoughts, but he didn’t dare mention it less he gave himself away. But his heart stilled as Roxy held her hand out. “Are you alright?” She whispered; the silly, special phrase that had quickly become their own. Slowly, Vergil met her fingers with his own and nodded. And in that moment, as she squeezed his hand with a quiet reassurance and returned his gaze with a confident smile, Vergil decided that he would trust her. Her, his brother, his son, Nico… all of them. 

Because if there was one thing Vergil had finally learned over all these years, it was that he couldn’t fight a war on his own. 

“I’ll go first,” She said. “If that’s alright.” She pulled away from him and shed her sweatshirt, revealing a tight fitting tank top beneath. And it was at that moment that Vergil fully realized just�� how small the woman before him was. He’d known this already, as her head only came to his chest even in shoes, but she looked even more petite than before. The thought of hurting her… of crushing her with a single hand… 

He squeezed his eyes shut when she wasn’t looking, and pulled his thoughts back to reality. He wouldn’t hurt her. He couldn’t hurt her. Not Roxy. Not the woman he’ d grown to care so deeply for. 

Care deeply for. 

He really was a fool.

And Vergil might have blushed once she removed her shirt, but his eyes drifted to the ice blue swirls on her stomach. Her marks were much lighter than his had been, but Vergil could still see the exquisite details of every small snowflake. The lines continued around her waist, and when she turned, Vergil saw that both sides connected to a dragon-wing. Vergil could feel the demonic magic pulsing from the lines themselves, and he realized that this was the power he'd been feeling. Kuro's power, yes, but mixed with her own humanity. But behind the marks were scars; long, jagged scars that Vergil was certain would never truly fade. Momentos of the accident, he assumed. But they were worse than he thought. But right now, as she shared a piece of herself with him, he didn't dare ask for more. 

He had a feeling he'd know soon enough. 

When she turned back to face him, there was a playfulness to her tone. It was almost as if this was all completely normal and she wasn't sitting before him in a rather lacy and debatably risque blue bra. And it was that thought, of all things, that finally brought the heat to his cheeks. But only a little. No more than was necessary. (He'd have to ponder the strange buzzing energy that pulsed through the rest of him later). "Your turn," She said. And when he did unzip his vest, she waited for a nod before pressing her fingers against his mark. 

Her touch made him shiver. This was wildly intimate. More so than any hand holding. But if she felt any discomfort, she didn't show it. Professional, Vergil thought. And if she could manage that, so could he. 

“The good news,” She said as her fingers traced the lines. “Is that this isn’t a very strong mark, meaning he’s aware that you can fight him off if given enough time.” 

“Why would it appear now?”

“Could be to scare you,” she said. “He might want you to think that you don’t have a choice, or that returning to him is an inevitability. But do you see how faded the lines are?” Vergil nodded before she continued. “His link to you is tenuous at best, and I think Kuro was right about Yamato.”

The dragon huffed. “Of course I was.”

“Regardless,” she said with a soft glare in the familar’s direction. “Dia will be able to tell us more tomorrow.” Her gaze shifted back to his chest and she frowned.

“What is it?”

“This one in the middle,” She said. “ It’s not a mark, persay. It’s more of a scar. But you heal everything… right?" 

Vergil reached for the zipper of his vest. "I guess some wounds never heal… even mine."

Then their eyes met, and it took everything Vergil had to keep his gaze on hers. Roxy was close now. So…. very close. If he turned just right and leaned forward just enough… 

“Are you alright?” She whispered, but there was something else to her tone. Something else Vergil couldn’t quite pick out of the chaos raging in his mind. He found himself reaching for her cheek, and his knuckles gently caressed the skin as he stared into her beautiful emerald eyes. She tilted her head and nuzzled against him, eyes never leaving his own. The hand on his chest drifted to the side as she shifted closer. Her breath was cool on his lips and smelled of mint. He tilted his head and leaned in…

“If you were planning this,” Dia’s voice echoed in disapproval. “Then you probably shouldn’t have called me.”

Roxy jumped at the same time as Vergil. And, in an uncharacteristic show of clumsiness, his forehead knocked straight into hers. The resounding thud made his ears ring. She groaned as she pulled away, rubbing the side of her forehead as she fumbled around for her jacket. “It wasn’t like that,” She muttered. “And you said you were coming tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow. Today. It’s all the same.” She waved her off. “Now lets see if we can fix our little Mundus problem, shall we?”

Ko-fi – Master List – AO3

[pagesofkenna]

just finished watching taliesin’s call of cthulhu game, nice and creepy without freaking me out too bad (tho i did just read a horror novel so maybe i should back away from the genre for a while to let my brain reset)

the point of this textpost - i dont really know much about cosmic horror, partially because i steer clear of horror generally, so despite what ive read up on it maybe i’m still misunderstanding something. but cosmic horror seems like a subgenre of horror that doesnt make much sense to me

like, the basic premise is that there are powers beyond our comprehension that destroy us when we brush up against them. and yet most examples i know of (which, again, is not very much) are just..... spooky weird shadow monsters. weird cults raising a man-eating demon. people trying to talk to a tentacle god and the tentacle god driving them insane

i think where i’m at is...... why do these incomprehensible beings care? and, saying they do notice us, why are they automatically malevolent? humans put out sugar water for bees. we capture spiders and let them outside unharmed. we build gardens specifically to attract butterflies. if we’re the insects in this exchange, why are our great old ones always ‘burn ants with a magnifying glass’ types?

because the genre demands fear sure sure, i just dont get why this interaction demands such. why does the creepy god-like being have a physical form to manifest in to eat its cult followers alive? why does the unknowable horror stalk insignificant humans around in a dark mansion, picking them off one by one? ‘we dont know and thats the point theyre incomprehensible’ yeah i get that im just saying its unsatisfying. why doesn’t the terrifying, madness-inducing form ever appear to, like, rain mana down from the sky? move humanity to a cleaner planet so they can chuck this one into the sun? pick out a few people to put in a cosmic-sized butterfly habitat?

(like, thats still terrifying! we’re insignificant roly polies that the bored children of the forgotten gods have discovered out in the cosmic backyard, and gathered on their palms to watch us curl into balls before depositing us safely on a pile of leaves they think we eat, away from the other bugs they saw eating us! ignorantly benevolent, but utterly horrifying to the insects experiencing it!)

i’m sure there are plenty of examples of solely disinterested cosmic horrors that threaten human characters not out of intent but because they live on different scales (creatures on such a massive scale, they destroy planets whenever they lay down for a nap) but that also doesnt leave you much of a story to tell. when we destroy anthills with a misplaced footstep, there’s no buildup or tension. just an ant, living its day like normal until its world crumbles around it for no reason

this turned into a major ramble. i’d actually love some recs for truly well written ‘the incomprehensible horrors dont even know we exist’ style fiction (not written by HPL), if horror wasnt a genre i stay away from for my own wellbeing. i’m really only struggling with this because i’m trying to include some cosmic.... mystery? cosmic adventure-mystery? in a story i’m writing

[xfulmen]

"I can't hold on... fading away.."

@ventteux

↯ █ 全能ライトニング

      This was war. A state of conflict between societies or states. But its meaning can be beyond that. In a land where supernatural prowess such as magic exists, it is inevitable that wars between humans who wield magic can transpire. More so, wars between humans and miscellaneous creatures, some of them reputed to be mythical. From various outlandish looking creatures, to living beings such as dragons.

      And that’s what was taking place within the land of Fiore. A war betwixt mages and dragons. A sight beyond comprehension for anyone to behold. A sight that could only exist in books and stories told by elders. And yet, that what the reality bestowed upon them. The manifestation of calamity. The incarnation of terror. The epitome of destruction. 

                                                      THE END OF THE WORLD.

      Or so, it was believed by many. But those who had the capabilities to fight, had a different mindset. Those who had magic power surging inside them, refused to believe that this was the end. Declined the fact that they will be eviscerated. No. They had to fight for their survival. No matter how unbelievably impossible it seemed, giving up wasn’t an option.

      It all started when dragons made an appearance, creating a havoc of Crocus. And that was due to the eclipse project that overtly, didn’t go as planned. Little were the details that were given. However, such matters weren’t important at this point. Not right now. Other things held priority. And the vanquishment of the said creatures was the top mission to be accomplished.

      And this was something that those who possess magic that slay dragons excelled in. Seven dragons and seemingly, seven dragon slayers. Who could have thought that a time like this would come? The time where dragon slayers will conquer against dragons, and put the meaning of their magic into usage— illustrating the point, clearly and perfectly. Regardless of the generation, it still counted as dragon slayer magic; potent enough to complete the current objective. And Laxus wasn’t an exception. He wasn’t taught said magic and skillset by the real thing, but he was able to attain mastery of such abilities on his own. Hopefully, they will be proven useful for this calamitous situation.

      He was already having a conflict with one of those mythical creatures. A dragon of a jade complexion, scales tougher than anticipated, gargantuan size, and tremendous power. The sentiment of intimidation was something foreign to him. Hardly able to exprerience such feeling. But in this circumstance, it was ineluctable. Never in his life he was able to face such a monster, and the stakes are too high. Its power was worlds apart from his own. It gave him the impression that his own powerful magic was meaningless. Quite a joke, in actuality. But such contemplations should stay away from his mind.

      However, he wasn’t alone. Alongside with him there were some of his fellow comrades. Amongst them it was a fellow dragon slayer, known as Wendy Marvell. Unmistakably the youngstest one out of the seven dragon slayers, but that doesn’t alter the fact that she is still a force to be reckoned with. And her assistance in defeating the current enemy was more than beneficial. A teamwork that the Thunder God never expected to form, but he has no complaints either.

                                                           ——- SHIT!!!!

      Suddenly, a ferocious onslaught was performed by the jade dragon, consequently destroying the location that they are placed on. Nothing was visible except for smoke combined with the dirt of the ground. Yet, the S-class mage had no time to waste. Thus, his dinstictive magic engulfed his broad body, soon to transform into an enormous lightning bolt. In a second thereafter he disappeared from the position that he was standing, and he was teleporting at his surroundings, in an attempt to gather his fellow companions. And the first one to notice with the youthling, laying on the ground. Instantaneously, he landed right beside her, ready to help her stand on her feet—-

                           … . until a set of certain words echoed his ears.

      For a moment, he felt paralyzed. His lungs were unable to serve him under the common act of respiring. Eyes widened, as his mind was trying to analyze her statement. One that sounded like a complete nightmare, a horrible joke, an awful lie. However, scrutining her body, he noticed that she suffered some severe wounds that immediate healing was required. But due to the situation that is taking place at this moment, such quest seemed to be out of question.

                                         No…                                                It can’t be… —-

     He could tell that she was in a crucial state. Her fatal wounds on her body weren’t for ornamentation. Burgundy colored liquid was all over her clothes, smearing them. Her big eyes were half open— ready to be shut for an eternity.

                                 HE COULDN’T LET THAT HAPPEN. 

                                                                             NOT ON HIS WATCH.

      He took a hold of her body by placing one muscular arm behind her shoulders, and immediately his magic appeared once more, permitting his existence to take the shape of a lightning bolt for one more time. In an instant, he changed his location, hoping that the rest of his guildmembers were in better physical condition. he appeared once again in a different locality, not far away from the dragon, yet far enough to create a large distance between them. To give some time to himself and to his almost fallen comrade. His pattern of breathing was growing quite heavy, as he noticed the blood coming from her wounds wouldn’t stop flowing. And her frail declaration echoing cranial walls was only deteriorating things.

      He felt his arms shaking; talk about a rarity. A guy like him unveiling such emotions. It was fear— horror orchestrated in front of him, fear portrayed within his face expression. And worst of all, the thought of being incapable of doing anything was crossing his mind again and again. 

                       HE HAD TO SAVE HER. 

                                                        EVEN IF IT COSTS HIS OWN LIFE.

            ❛ —- Snap..                    … Snap ut of it kid!! ❜

      It was a miracle that he was able to vocalize any thoughts that occupied his mind. Never in his life he partook in such horrifying scheme. The pain of losing a comrade was undeniably strong and grave. Unbearable, if more so. But the pain of losing such a young comrade, laying on your hands was a whole other different thing. A situation that stood on a higher level; far crucial, far more scarring in his mind. Only with the mere contemplation of letting such thing to happen, was making his blood boil, but at the same time— it was increasing the fear thhat was overwhelming his heart.

      He had to stand strong and save her. Otherwise he will never forgive himself for letting a comrade of his to fall for an eternity. Such was the reality that was bestowed upon him— a reality that he shall change. A reality that doesn’t need to worsen. She was the pride and the future of Fairy Tail. One that everyone wants to live and protect.

            ❛ Don’t give up yet.                      DON’T GIVE UP ON US.                              You— You will make it, I swear.                  I will make sure to save you.                             We… We will defeat those dragons.                                     And we will go back to our Guild.                                              Just don’t give up yet. ❜

[winniethepoohx]

THE MYSTERY CHILD.  📖 for dove & polly ;; for what my muse would write about yours in their diary. ( @facrytalcs )

        𝔼𝕏ℙ𝕃𝔸𝕀ℕ𝕀ℕ𝔾 𝔸𝕌ℝ𝔸𝔻𝕆ℕ'𝕊 𝕌ℕ𝔼𝕏ℙ𝕃𝔸𝕀ℕ𝔼𝔻 𝓌𝓇𝒾𝓉𝓉𝑒𝓃 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝒾𝓁𝓁𝓊𝓈𝓉𝓇𝒶𝓉𝑒𝒹 𝒷𝓎 𝒟𝑜𝓋𝑒 𝒫𝒾𝓃𝑒𝓈.

𝒫𝒪𝐿𝐿𝒴𝒜𝒩𝒩𝒜 𝒞𝐼𝒫𝐻𝐸𝑅

                                                          ?????

        𝕆𝕂𝔸𝕐, 𝕀 𝕂ℕ𝕆𝕎 what you’re thinking. Or, well, I know what I’M thinking. Dove Pines, it is absolutely, 110% weird and inappropriate to take a picture of someone you met once and not tell them about it. In my defence, though, what else was I supposed to do? Tell her, “Hey, you’re the child of the dream demon my mom always warned me about! Mind if I take a picture of you so I can put you in my journal and compare you to a drawing I did of your dad?” She probably would have ran for the hills and I can’t say I would have blamed her. I would have ran for the hills. On that note, though, I’m getting off topic.

        ℙ𝕆𝕃𝕃𝕐𝔸ℕℕ𝔸 ℂ𝕀ℙℍ𝔼ℝ, 𝔹𝔼𝕋𝕋𝔼ℝ known as POLLY, is the youngest daughter of BILL CIPHER and an INTERDIMENSIONAL DREAM DEMON from the MINDSCAPE. I’ve heard about these before via my own mother, but I never thought that I would meet one, let alone the daughter of the one that tried to kill my mother and uncle when they were younger than I am now.

        𝕋ℍ𝔼 𝔼ℕ𝕋𝕀ℝ𝔼 𝕋𝕀𝕄𝔼 I spent talking with her, I kept reminding myself not to shake her hand, not to make a deal with her, because I KNOW what happened to Uncle Dipper when he made a deal with Bill and I didn’t want the same thing to happen to me.

        𝕋ℍ𝔼 𝕎𝔼𝕀ℝ𝔻 𝕋ℍ𝕀ℕ𝔾 , though, is that I don’t think I was THAT afraid of her, even after finding out who and what she is. If I had really been afraid of her, I think I would have left. I wouldn’t have continued to talk with her if I thought she was going to hurt me. On that same note, though, I don’t think she wanted to hurt me ( she called herself a ‘nice demon’, after all ). If she had, she could have hurt me ( killed me, even ) with just a snap of her fingers. Probably even less than that.

        𝔹𝔼𝕀ℕ𝔾 𝔸 ℂ𝕀ℙℍ𝔼ℝ, she, undoubtedly, has powers and abilities beyond human comprehension. Especially since she’s in our dimension physically, not just via the Mindscape. This means that she has the ability to, essentially, ALTER REALITY however she sees fit. Among other things, such as FLOATING ( which is irrelevant and not quite as cool as being able to alter reality, but it looked like fun ), which she said was a “family thing” when I asked about it ( she mentioned not only her dad, but siblings, as well -- meaning that there are more Ciphers out there ).

        𝕋ℍ𝔼 𝕆ℕ𝕃𝕐 𝔸𝕃𝕋𝔼ℝ𝔸𝕋𝕀𝕆ℕ𝕊 that I believe she has done to Auradon are ones that were harmless, ones that could even be considered refinement. These alterations came in the form of RAINBOW TREETOPS, also known as recolouring done to the trees of the forest near Auradon Prep and Arcadia University.

        𝕋ℍ𝔼 ℝ𝔸𝕀ℕ𝔹𝕆𝕎 𝕋ℝ𝔼𝔼𝕋𝕆ℙ𝕊 look something like THIS:

( watercolour for the win! )

        𝕋ℍ𝔼𝕐'ℝ𝔼 ℝ𝔼𝔸𝕃𝕃𝕐 ℙℝ𝔼𝕋𝕋𝕐 and I really think that that was all Polly wanted them to be. Pretty. It’s a splash of colour to the, otherwise, dreary forest. It’s something that could brighten someone’s day a bit.

        𝕋ℍ𝔼ℕ 𝔸𝔾𝔸𝕀ℕ, 𝕋ℍ𝕆𝕌𝔾ℍ, within the same forest that Polly coloured rainbow, there is, supposedly, a swamp that a student ( or more ) was supposedly murdered in. I heard people saying that their limbs were broken, that they were broken. I’m not sure how true this is, though. I was too horrified to actually look into it. So, my knowledge on the murder comes from rumours and rumours alone. The swamp, though? I KNOW the swamp is there.

        𝕀 ℍ𝔸𝕍𝔼ℕ'𝕋 𝔸ℂ𝕋𝕌𝔸𝕃𝕃𝕐 been able to bring myself to visit the swamp, but it might look something like THIS:

 ( i don’t know what swamps look like, really! )

        𝕋ℍ𝔼𝕆ℝ𝔼𝕋𝕀ℂ𝔸𝕃𝕃𝕐, 𝔽𝕆ℝ 𝔸 more accurate description, I probably should have visited the swamp, myself. But I just couldn’t bring myself to after I heard about the supposed murder. The only reason why I KNOW that the swamp is actually there is because Polly, herself, told Elspeth ( she’s a classmate of mine, I’ll probably write about her later on, she’s weird for a human ) that her siblings and friends hang out there and that it ‘wasn’t safe’ for her unless Polly went with her. This means that Polly hangs out at the swamp, too -- I think Elspy mentioned them doing aerobics there or something. I’m not sure. But if she does hang out at the swamp and the supposed murder really did happen, it’s likely that Polly was involved in it.

        𝕋ℍ𝔼 ℝ𝔸𝕀ℕ𝔹𝕆𝕎 𝕋ℝ𝔼𝔼𝕋𝕆ℙ𝕊 could very well be a way to draw people into the forest, to the swamp. As much as I hate to think that way, I have to put it in here until I find a way to prove that theory wrong ( because I will prove it wrong ).

        𝔾𝔼𝕋𝕋𝕀ℕ𝔾 𝔸𝕎𝔸𝕐 𝔽ℝ𝕆𝕄 the topic of rainbow trees and murder swamps now, though. There’s one thing that has really, really been bothering me about her since I met her: SHE DOESN’T LOOK LIKE A TRIANGLE. And, yeah, sure, you could say that I’ve never seen a floating interdimensional demon before, so how would I know what she should look like? But mom always refers to Bill Cipher as the “Evil Isosceles” and if he’s a triangle, I like to think that his children would be triangles as well, so that includes Polly.

        ℍ𝔼ℝ𝔼 𝔸ℝ𝔼 𝕊𝕆𝕄𝔼 more pictures of her, for visual reference:

( once again, i know, it’s weird and blahblahblah, but i needed visual references! she’s also really photogenic so that worked in my favour, too, so! )

        𝕊ℍ𝔼 𝕃𝕆𝕆𝕂𝕊 ℍ𝕌𝕄𝔸ℕ, though. She looks just as human as me, as Ursa, as Atlantica, as Waverly ( I wrote about her in another journal, but I’ll copy that information into this one soon ). And, sure, I guess if an Axolotl ( Waverly ) is able to look human, why shouldn’t an Interdimensional Dream Demon be allowed to look the same? Well, it’s not a matter of shoulds and shouldn’ts. It’s a matter of cans and can’ts. It’s a matter of powers and abilities.

        𝔸𝕊 𝔸ℕ 𝔸𝕏𝕆𝕃𝕆𝕋𝕃, Waverly has the inherent ability to shapeshift. She can turn into whatever and whoever she wants. She can turn into creatures and people that never existed and never will. That’s why SHE looks human.

        𝔸𝕊 𝔸 ℂ𝕀ℙℍ𝔼ℝ, though, I don’t believe that Polly should have that same ability. From the information that my mother gave me from her and Uncle Dipper’s experiences, it seems to me that the only way Polly should be able to look human is if she POSSESSED someone.

        𝕀ℕ 𝕌ℕℂ𝕃𝔼 𝔻𝕀ℙℙ𝔼ℝ'𝕊 experience, he had to made a ‘deal’ with Bill, shake the hand that was lit with blue flame and all. And I hate to think that Polly would trick someone like this, that she would just rip someone right out of their body and take over with ease. If it were the only way for her to NOT be a triangle, though, who’s to say that she wouldn’t do it?

        𝕀 𝕎𝔸ℕ𝕋 𝕋𝕆 defend her, say she would never do such a thing, but I don’t know her well enough to have any say in the matter. She could very well have done such a thing. And, if that’s really the only way for her to look as human as she does now, then I have to believe that she did do such a thing, as much as I don’t want to.

        𝕀 𝔾𝕌𝔼𝕊𝕊 𝔸𝕃𝕃 I can do is hope that, if her body’s consciousness is still out there, she’s either found a new puppet ( I hate putting it like that, but that’s what Bill called it, my mom said ) or is happy without one. If I can, I’ll try to find out what happened to her, how Polly got her puppet, all that. And, if I’m right, if Polly really did rip someone right out of their body, maybe I can try to save them, get their body back or something. I don’t know. I’ll do my best.

        𝕀 𝕋ℍ𝕀ℕ𝕂 ℙ𝔸ℝ𝕋 of me is still hoping that Polly is better than her father, but the more I write about her, about what she is, the harder it seems for me to believe that she can be better. I don’t want to just slap the ‘Evil Isosceles’ label on her, because that’s not fair, but I also can’t help but be wary. As much as I want to be her friend, I have to be wary. I have to make sure that I don’t end up as her puppet. OR one of her siblings’ puppets, for that matter ( I’ll try to write about them, too, if I can ). And so many things ( the swamp, her puppet ) point to her being a Cipher and I was raised to stay 𝔸𝕎𝔸𝕐 of Ciphers at any and 𝔸𝕃𝕃 costs.

        𝕎𝔼𝕃𝕃, 𝕀'𝕄 ℂ𝕃𝔼𝔸ℝ𝕃𝕐 not staying away from her, so being wary is the next best thing, I guess. I’ll add to this with more about her once I talk to her some more ( unless I get turned into her puppet first! )

        𝒫𝒪𝐿𝐿𝒴𝒜𝒩𝒩𝒜 𝒞𝐼𝒫𝐻𝐸𝑅: 𝔼𝕏ℙ𝕃𝔸𝕀ℕ𝔼𝔻.

        𝒮𝒾𝑔𝓃𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝒪𝒻𝒻,