#like the society they live in is in general still looks down upon omegas but in the nest the power structure is reversed by design

[afurtivecake]

not really much into a/b/o AUs but a perfect court a/b/o AU? that’d be kind of fun I think…

[ant1quarian]

LOVEtale (An Undertale AU)

An original Sans AU of mine- but some world building! If you have any more questions about the environment or about the shenanigans that goes on with the characters themselves, feel free to send in an ask!

 Government Status

The Government has gone from a Monarchy to Communism when Omega Flowey took over. As Chara’s ghost took over Frisk’s soul, the two rule the Underground side-by-side.

Each different Region has different Faction Rulers, even though Flowey and Chara reign over everything. 

Ruins - N/A

Snowdin - Papyrus and Grillby

Waterfall - Undyne and Gerson

Hotland - Mettaton and Alphys

New Home - Chara and Flowey (..and Sans)

Laws

“Kill or be Killed” - Literally. Everything is a purge and one can’t stay in one place for very long otherwise they risk getting caught and killed.

Society

The underground society is cutthroat and brutal. If two monsters- that aren’t allied- see each other, then there’s immediately a dust bath. 

Traditions

Gyftmas - Christmas, except Underground. 

Collaring - Generally done between a family as a show of loyalty.

Dust Covering - The dust of enemies caught in an opposing region will be sprinkled in front of the barrier as a warning. However, if an ally dies, it’s common practice to create necklaces and such out of it, or spread it in the river.

Regions

Ruins - The Ruins are a barren place where many monsters go to die. If you are found in the ruins, it’s likely that you will be slaughtered by it’s inhabitants or anyone tracking you. The Ruins are basically just one big dead end.

Snowdin - A landscape covered in pine trees, piles of snow, and millions of traps. Snowdin is one of the most dangerous regions out of all of them– considering the monsters in charge of the Faction there. The snow is completely covered in traps that only locals know how to work their way around. Most who enter Snowdin don’t leave it alive– and if they do, they leave it severely injured.

Waterfall - A humid, somewhat cold climate with a roof of glittering star-like stones and bioluminescent water. It’s a dangerous region with Undyne and Gerson as it’s faction ruler. Gerson’s intelligence and Undyne’s bloodthirstyness make Waterfall a hard region to cross.

Hotland - A hot, lava-filled landscape that has a high enough temperature to light clothes on fire should someone outside of their faction be there too long (exception: Fire elemental). With Alphys and Mettaton at the head of control, this is a reasonably difficult region to cross. All along everywhere, there are cameras, which makes it very difficult to creep up on them unless you have some sort of teleportation magic.

New Home - A formerly populated city now rarely entered unless you’re part of the faction. This is generally where the largest population of monsters is, and usually where the most powerful non-boss monsters live. Ruled by Flowey and Chara, there is no possibility of winning a fight against this Faction.

Magic/Souls

Red ~ Determination - Highly corrupted monster magic generally becomes red. Not for determination, but because they’ve gone against who they really should be so much that they’re consumed by their LV.

Orange ~ Bravery - Those who can continue to be brave are held in high steed (only if their magic is this colour, however). If you show signs of Bravery but do not have orange magic, everyone will know it is simply a facade.

Yellow ~ Justice - Those who can hold onto their sense of Justice are incredibly powerful. However, no one in the Underground has managed this, as there is no Justice in killing innocents in order to keep yourself to falling to hopelessness.

Green ~ Kindness - A kind of magic that is both held in high steed and looked down upon. Kindness is weakness. Those who show kindness to other factions end up dead almost instantly.

Cyan ~ Patience - A kind of magic that most are indifferent about. Although Patience is a virtue, sometimes monsters can be too patient.

Blue ~ Integrity - Anyone who still holds Integrity of any regard is considered incredibly powerful. It means that, although it’s a little corrupt, they have mostly been following their own principals.

Purple ~ Perserverance - Anyone who has Perserverance is likely to live longer than others. After all, what’s more powerful than the ability to perservere despite everything?

Characters

Omega Flowey - Alive. Pessimistic control freak that rules over society. Isn't worried about devolving into violence.

Chara - Alive. A murderous strategist that has no qualms about murdering a couple of people in order to get their point across.

Asgore - Deceased. Dusted by Omega Flowey.

Toriel - Deceased. Dusted when she attempted to reclaim the throne from Omega Flowey.

Gaster - Deceased… ish. He can still be found behind the door in Hotlands, but he has a noticably more protective feeling about him.

Sans - Alive. Sans is generally a violent, aloof monster that no one dares to question. He carries an intense aura of threat and LV. Those who cross him are quickly eliminated.

Papyrus - Alive. Papyrus still sees the good in people, but he’s not naive and he’s not innocent. He knows monsters are good at their core, but he will do whatever he must. Although he has a smile for everyone, no one can deny his aura carries a threat to it.

Undyne - Alive. She’s a barely-contained wildfire who seriously misses what her relationship used to be with Alphys and Papyrus. Sure, the Underground was still a bit more violent beforehand, but it never used to be this bad. However, she’s motivated to do whatever it takes to get more human SOULS and escape this hellhole.

Alphys - Alive. Her intellect is being put to good use. She’s no longer as shy, much more confident in herself, but she’s no mad scientist either. She’s just very cunning, very smart, and willing to show mercy if possible (which it never is.) She misses Undyne a lot and Papyrus… as well as who Sans used to be.

Mettaton - Alive. Mettaton is a dangerous figure who no longer livestreams or broadcasts. He does not want to be a movie star. What he wants to do, is protect Alphys and the faction at all costs. He and Napstablook hate each other with a vengence. Mettaton is usually a calm that radiates barely-contained anger.

Riverperson - Still there. For some reason, Riverperson is unable to be killed by anyone. Now their warnings are different and they radiate a cold calm. They are a very unnerving presence.

Grillby - Alive. Grillby is a level-headed killer that shows no mercy whatsoever. He leaves a mark near where he killed so that others clearly know it was him that did it. It’s a fear tactic. He radiates a deadly feeling, although he is often very kind to those in his Faction.

Napstablook - Alive. An elusive spy. He’s not nervous, per se, just quiet. If you talk to him about Mettaton, he gets pissed off immediately. He detests Mettaton with a vengence. He gives off an unsettling aura that makes you feel like he’s always watching.

Muffet - Alive. She’s a calculating psychopath that allies to anyone who suits her needs. She’s purely a material monster who won’t do things out of the kindness of her soul.

Burgerpants - Alive. BP is a very elusive, murder-fueled assassin. He’s dangerous, but wishes he could just joke around and talk about goofy crap like he used to.

Doggo - Alive. Doggo’s sense of smell is a lot better than it used to be and he can now feel air vibrations, too. He’s generally quite aloof and very good at sneaking up on things.

Greater Dog - Alive. Greater dog has an impeccable sense of smell and radiates a dangerous playfullness. Like he’d treat you like prey if you were to get on his bad side.

Lesser Dog - Alive. Similarly to Greater Dog, he’s the type to treat you like prey… except he’d keep you as a chew toy afterwards. His sense of sight is far better than what it used to be.

Dogaressa - Alive. She’s an independant, dangerous figure who has no worries with resorting to violence. She is capable of wielding an axe and a sword of sorts. She radiates violence and is out for Undyne’s dust.

Dogamy - Deceased. He was dusted by Undyne during a particularly murderous scuffle.Annoying Dog - Annoying dog is a genuine pet of Papyrus’s that helps the canine unit with tracking. Similarly, he doesn’t appear to belong to any Faction, so he works as a spy and just goes in between factions to collect data. He is completely loyal to Papyrus.

[alice-angel12x]

💔Bunny!Shouto x Bunny!Reader

Beastar/hybrid/ Fantasy AU

[In this story everyone is a hybrid with animal instincts, and major height difference depending on the animals like in beastars. And magic exists. And sorry if Shouto seems out of character for you.]

"Shouto where are you?!" Y/n called for her friend.

Sadly Shouto's mind was elsewhere, for he had fallen in love with the wolf princess Momo. Every day he would sit at the edge of cottonwood village and gaze upon The princess from afar.

"Shouto, there you are," Y/n said with a smile.

But that quickly turned into a sad frown as she saw Shouto eyeing the crescent castle. Kingdom of the wolves. Know most would wonder, why is there a rabbit village a hop skip, and a jump away from a wolf kingdom. Well, every time the village tries to move away rogue wolves would attack. Yet once they got close to the castle they would quickly run away. The king of the wolves claimed that as long as they stayed within the boundaries of the kingdom, they would protect them. Y/n never bought that. She noticed that once every year one rabbit from the village would disappear. Many believed it was from the rogue wolves, sneaking in and past the guards. So Y/n was worried about her friend falling in love with a wolf, a rabbit falling in love with a wolf.

"Oh Hi, Y/n," was all he said not even turning to look at her.

"How are you feeling, you know since spring is coming up?" Y/n asked him slowly.

"I'm fine," was all he said. "How about you,"

"I'm good still looking for my prince charming you know," Y/n said wistfully.

"You so childish," Shouto said as he finally turned to her.

"I'm 16 what's so childish about that?" Y/n asked as she turned to head back to the village.

Cottonwood Village is a quaint little town of Rabbits. In the middle of the village was a large cottage where the leader/mayor lived with his family, Shouto's family. The leader was endeavor Shouto's father, he was a part of the group of rabbits that believed the wolves were hiding something.

"Does your father know about your umm, dream girl?" Y/n asked.

"My father already has enough control of my life, I'm not about to let him control my love life," Shouto said coldly.

"You shouldn't get too close to the castle, it's dangerous," Y/n said in a worried tone.

"I know your thoughts on Wolves Y/n. But the wolves have shown use that they have other alternative foods. Like soy and bean-made meat," Shouto explained.

"It's easy to say that when it's not someone you care about goes missing," Y/n muttered bitterly, but Shouto sadly heard her.

"Y/n, it was the rogues that got your brother. And the Kingdom felt with them remember," Shouto sighed in annoyance.

"Shouto are you sure you love this wolf girl or is this just one of your I just wanna piss off my dad things?" Y/n asked bitterly.

"If You don't like it then you could always find someone else to hang out with, Y/n!" Shouto said as his left side lit up in flames.

Y/n quickly ran off, startled by Shouto's flame magic. Shouto sighed in frustration as he realized he used his father's Flames. After that Shouto avoided Y/n like the plague, and it didn't help that his father eventually found out Shouto was in love with a wolf. Endeavor did not like that, so he started setting updates for Shouto to try to take his mind off Momo.

Y/n tried to apologize and rekindle with him, but he would only give her the cold shoulder.

Y/n could see the sorrow and anger Shouto was in, so she barrier her feelings for him and braved the dark forest. She heard rumors that a powerful owl named All For One could perform miracles, even change species. She eventually found him a creepy old owl.

"E-excuse me, sir," Y/n stuttered as the owl turned his head 180° to look at her.

"I wanted to know if you had the power to change a person's species?"

"Yes indeed child, and what species would you like to be, but it will cost you," All for One chuckled.

"How much would it cost?" She asked.

"Half of your soul. Your life Will be cut in half. You'll live to about 25 for you," he answered as he towered over Y/n.

"I would like to pay for someone. If a red and white male rabbit comes and asks to change him, please take my soul," Y/n said in confidence.

"You young people always ready to throw your life away," he muttered as ripped out half of Y/n's soul.

And with that, she quickly ran back to the village, with Half of her soul in toe. She managed to track down Shouto and told him about All for One but left out the part of selling half of her soul.

Shouto did not waste time to find the owl and demand him to turn him into a wolf.

____________ [4 years later]

It has been 4 years since I changed into a wolf. When I changed, I found myself waking up in a large bed. I was found by Princess Momo herself. She helped was so sweet and kind, and was more than happy to explain wolf society. When I told her I was raised by Herbavoir animals. I was an Omega, while She was an Alpha.

Yet I enjoyed the times we spent together, I had never felt so free. She would help my heats or anything that confused me. It took a while to get used to eating soy meat, but I didn't mind all that much. All for One said he could change me and give me Wolf-like instincts, but he couldn't remove my Rabbit instincts. So it took a long time to suppress those instincts.

°° Today Momo had important meetings, so I was left to my own devices. So I decided to take a stroll through the forest. As I wandered through the forest I could hear humming coming from a nearby river. I peaked out from behind the tree, too see a rabbit bathing in the river. I recognized that rabbit, with her lovely H/c hair and beautiful snow-white rabbit ears and Tail.

"Y/n?" I called out to her.

Y/n quickly turned around to face me as she covered her chest with her arms. As my eyes took in all of her details I could feel the rest of the world fading away. It was just me and Y/n. In my new wolf body, Y/n looked so small compared to me now.

She matured a lot over these past 4 years. For some reason I couldn't see her as the childish dreamer 4 years ago, I couldn't figure out why.

"Umm hello Shouto, your taller," Y/n said as she started backing away.

"I-it's good to see you again Y/n," stuttered as I felt the heat rush to my face.

She smiled sweetly at me as she grabbed her robes as he made her way over to you. Seeing her standing In front of me was odd. I remember when I was still a rabbit I was just a few inches taller than her. But now she just barely reached my mid waist.

We sat under a tree and talked for hours about what had happened to me. And she sat there and listened very closely. Her robes v neck was very revealing and I started to feel hot.

She seemed to notice as she got and started to walk with a slight sway in her hips. A dormant instinct awakens within me as the rabbit inside me begged to go after her.

"It seems you're a bit too excited to see me. If I remember correctly I was too childish for you~," She said with a smooth seductive voice.

I had to hold back the Rabbit instincts as I watched cross to the other side of the river.

"I'm afraid I have to leave now, spring is just around the corner after all~," She cooed as she disappeared behind the trees.

I felt hot in a certain place as I felt my tail wag uncontrollably on the ground. That wasn't the last time I went out to see Y/n. Anytime Momo was busy I would meet Y/n by the river and we would talk.

One day it was a particularly hot day as I made my way to Y/n's meet site. Today she was wearing a large floppy sun hat and a cute spring dress.

"So what us Momo like?" Y/n asked curiously.

"She's wonderful, she's kind, smart, and gentle," I said to her as I started to talk about my fiance.

"Hey Shouto are you okay, you seem sluggish today and in pain?" Y/n asked worriedly.

"Oh don't worry, I'm going into heat soon. So I'll be sore for a while, the downsides to being an Omega wolf," I explained.

"That sucks, is there any way I can help you?" Y/n asked as she hugged my neck. She smelled like a field of wildflowers, I couldn't help but return her hug.  ---

As The two old friends were talking they failed to notice two figures creeping behind them. Before Y/n could react, a large hand grabbed her by the ears and lifted her off the ground. She screamed and thrashed against her captors. Shouto quickly got up and tackled the man as he pulled Y/n into his arms and ran.

"It's the rogues, we need to head back to the castle," Shouto struggled to say as he ran.

But as he ran his body began to ache and became heavy. His vision started to blur and his steps became uncertain. Shouto tripped and tumbled down the hill with Y/n in toe. As he collapsed on the ground his eyes slowly closed as his body gave out.

"SHOUTO, PLEASE WAKE UP!!'' was the last thing he heard.

------

As my eyes opened up, I found myself in my room or my nest. suddenly Momo came in with her usual sweet smile.

" Good your fully awake, it's good to see you took well to the stew," she smiled as she picked up the empty bowl next to me.

"W-what happened to me," Shouto asked as he tried to sit up.

" You're in your heat, but it is taking a larger toll on you because your body lacks certain nutrients that soy meat can't provide. So our hunters found a rabbit near you and gave her to our chiefs and made you rabbit stew," Momo explained.

Shouto felt his whole world shatter as his stomach noted and squeezed.

"Oh, my maid is coming with more stew. Today's rabbit such a delicious flavor," Momo said as she rubbed her finger in the empty bowl and licked off the stew on her finger.

Shouto began to tremble as the truth sank into him. His stomach lurched in disgust as he sat up and leaned onto a nearby wall. Soon a maid came in with a fresh bowl of ... Rabbit... Soup. Shouto tried to back away only for his back to meet another wall. The maid scooped a spoon full of Stew with a generous amount of cooked meat chunks.

"Open your mouth," the maid said using her Alpha order.

Shouto's omega body slowly opened its mouth, despite Shouto's wishes. As the maid feeds him a spoonful of rabbit stew. The maid ordered him to chew and swallow, and he did. Heavy tears ran down Shouto's face as his body betrayed him. It felt like an eternity to finish the entire bowl of Stew.

____

Soon as the maid left Shouto pushed himself onto his feet and made his way down to the kitchen.

'It couldn't be Y/n right? She must have run away to safety,' he thought to himself.

As he entered he saw the chief with a cloth sack ready to be thrown out. Shouto quickly offered to take it out for them as a thank you for the meal. And the chief happily gave the sac to Shouto.

Once he was out he ran deep into the forest and opened the bag to see a fresh skeleton of a small rabbit. But inside he pulled out a familiar sun hat and spring dress. His stomach lurched and forced up the stew into a nearby bush.

"I... I ate her!! I ate Y/n', His mind screamed in shame, disgust, and sorrow as he began to sob.

Flashes of Y/n's beautiful smile and lively eyes appeared in his mind.

He held up Y/n's dress, it looked so small. The perfect size for a Pup maybe, but he knew this dress was the size for a fully grown rabbit, a young woman. He held the dress close to his chest like he was Hugging Y/n again.

Shouto with his head low he snuck back to his nest. Laying down he slowly pushed away most of the fabric Momo scented as he held Y/n's dress close to him. He could still smell the field of wildflowers on her dress.

"I can still smell you Y/n," He whimpered to himself.

[mynameisnowwyrm]

Ok disclaimer, I really don’t like ABO but i don’t care if you do and it took me a very long time to articulate my feelings on why. I generally don’t like blanket statements, especially with no further explanation on why, so every time the subject of ABO has come up and my gut reaction is just “no”, I wanted to figure out why and it lead me to do some introspection.

So my exploration into “free things to read online” started with wattpad. I had not gotten into fan fiction yet and wattpad had a bunch of original stories. I also really like werewolves. And if you were on wattpad in the mid 2010s you know about the sheer magnitude of ABO style werewolf stories (haven’t been on wattpad in maybe a year or two, don’t know about their popularity now, though I’m guessing it hasn’t died down). Another thing that wattpad has been historically known for, is bad writing. So my introduction to ABO was extremely repetitive badly written wattpad stories. I’ll detail what I didn’t like about wattpad ABO later, but this basically turned me off werewolves altogether for a while and because wattpad’s tagging system is horrible, I lived in fear that every werewolf story would just be ABO. I have since realized that wattpad is trash and I am never going back.

Things I didn’t like in ABO stories I read on wattpad. To clarify, this is not criticism of ABO as a whole, just my experience with it.

The caste system. Alpha/beta/omega are are literally biological roles you are born into and cannot change. That is terrifying to me because one of my biggest fears is not being able to break away from societal constraints placed upon me. I also want to point out that even in the stories with no women, it still managed to be really sexist because the whole alpha/beta/omega positions are so heavily gendered.

Alphas, or as I like to call them (specifically how they were written in the stories I read): just straight up abusers. The way alphas were characterized was also terrifying because you have this aggressive, emotionally/physically/sexually abusive guy at the very top of the social hierarchy, and then you’re supposed to like him.

Mates. I am aroace, for a long time I didn’t know that but it clearly influenced how I viewed romantic and sexual relationships. The thought of being arbitrarily stuck to anyone because of some predetermined destiny did not sit well with me, as well as all of the character’s own agency being stripped away. In my mind when I was reading that, it was like destiny is fucking you over supremely. There you are living your life, then all of a sudden bam! You are now attached to this shitty person who will treat you shittily and there is literally no upside for you, you no longer have control of your mind and body because destiny has taken over.

The fetishization of the alpha/omega relationships when it comes to mlm pairings, especially in combination with the things mentioned above. The werewolf societies were always aggressively patriarchal, even when it was both men, the roles of alphas were always stereotypically aggressive manly men and the roles of omegas were always meek, weak, shy and needed to be taken care of and protected, with them also usually being described as physically feminine in a way. It’s that thing where people cannot view queer relationships outside of a patriarchal, heterosexual lens that usually leads to questions like “so who’s the man and who’s the woman in the relationship?” Secondly, with the characterization of the alpha as abusive and the characterization of the omega as submissive and having their relationship portrayed as a good one is a very bad message, especially when applied to a queer relationship because it feeds into really homophobic propaganda that queer relationships are inherently abusive.

The “I’m not like other girls” of it all in m/f stories. It’s not a teen oriented wattpad story if the main girl isn’t a totally unique individual who constantly puts down other women for no reason. Why and how that’s bad has been done to death so I’m not going to go into it further. Also again being mated to an abusive asshole because of destiny and having it play out as a good thing is really not a good message to send.

The absolute lack of wlw stories. At this point I don’t know if that’s a good thing or a bad thing when it comes to these stories specifically.

I don’t know what the general current ABO landscape looks like and I don’t want to find out, partly because my wattpad experiences scarred me, and partly because even if you stripped away the problematic aspects and write an actually good story like I’m sure many people have, a lot of the things that are built in parts of ABO still make me very uncomfortable. This was definitely not meant as an attack on people who enjoy it, if you do then more power to you, I just wanted to detail my history with the subject matter and how that informs my current position.

[butterfly-winx]

Andros

- Most people only know Andros as ‘that prison planet with the island full of dudes, right?’ This misconception stems from several factors.

- When outsiders first came and visited Andros, what they found was indeed wast oceans and a handful of dry land inhabited by people who to the rest of the magical world looked like men. (Hence the inaccurate descriptor of “andro", as in male)

- Though Andros had it’s own diverse gender culture, it was not very dimorphic to be obvious to onlookers. Through cultural osmosis and their trade with other folk, they adopted many binary gender descriptors and physical attributes that they started to copy, mainly to fit in. A leader became a King, femme and masc presenting people began to predominantly date each other. Many scholars consider this to be the Big Cultural Dilation of Andros and wish to turn back to pre-contact days to restore their innate gender variety.

- But still off-worlders wonder, how is it possible for Androsians to reproduce when we thought all of them were cis dudes and half of them still live underwater? Well Androsian people are the only ones in the entire universe to be born completely magically.

- Androsian babies are born of a mound of birth-soil that is constructed by the couple wishing for a child and prayed to for four to eight weeks, imbued with genuine wishes, hopes, and proof of effort that the family is willing to put into raising the child. The last part is usually demonstrated by little hand-carved gifts from the extended family as well. Then finally, lightning will strike the mound gifting the child its first heartbeat and the couple will be able to dig their baby out of the mud.

- Birth-soil can’t be used twice, but in some families it is tradition to mingle a tiny bit of other beloved family member’s soil in there to strengthen their connection to the child and to honour their ancestors by letting their legacy continue in new life.

- In modern society, children are born with a placeholder name. Most common are Chiddi and Chita - Layla knew six whole Chiddis in her primary school. Them when the child is ready and feels like expressing a binary gender, they chose a name for themselves which the family validates with a small celebration. Layla was torn between ‘Layla’ and ‘Aisha’ for such a long time, that there are still parts of her family who call her Aisha to show support for her almost name, making her feel like she didn’t lose out too much by putting Layla down on paper officially.

- People who chose to be female can medically or magically transition. Equally, if someone changes their mind about their gender after their initial Choice, they can do the same without a hitch. Andros has the highest amount of trans people of all the magical dimension, closely followed by Zenith.

- Because people are born from mud, the concept of intermarrying does not exist on Andros. Powerful families generally preselect spouses for their children at a young age and such couples usually go through a quiet and amicable union as they lack the traumatic aspect that folk with other reproductive habits have. The primary goal of the couple is simply to find a working angle in their relationship so that when the time comes, their wishes and prayers for a child of their own can be genuine. The couple is not cut off from their respective families or social life even when there is a status imbalance between the two parties (in a situation that would be considered “marrying into a powerful family” on other planets). 

 - At the end of a person’s life Androsian funeral practices honour the circle of their existence by returning the body to soil. The process is akin embalming, in which the body gets covered in clay, microorganism rich starters, and seeds. The clay cocoon is then laid to rest in a designated cemetery area. Some people, predominately sorcerers however prefer a water burial, for they believe there will be a need for the physical strength of their body in the afterlife when they pay their magical toll, so slow decomposition is not their favoured way to go. A water funeral is technically a pire funeral, only here powers of the ocean are summoned to instantly degrade the body into fine dust that is then spread by the family in the ocean or another previously designated place that was important to the deceased. Following a burial there is always a celebration of life. Family and friends reminisce about the good times they had with the deceased and engage in festivities that are considered to be the largest exhibition of hedonism in the entire magical dimension. 

 - It is well known that most of the population are merpeople, but it is lesser known that for a long while they were the only humanoid life on the planet.

- Land dwelling life is not native to Andros. Merpeople had always been fascinated by the few islands worth of landmass that was like a forbidden Eden to them. Few had ever set eyes on it as only a handful of merpeople knew how to fly using their lungwings (the protrusion on their back meant for underwater breathing) and even they trained for the task their whole lives. So people turned to a different alternative and used their unique way of procreation to bridge the gap. The first couples built their birth mounds on land and prayed that their offspring may be able to walk on land. Wishes granted it took several generations to make the land habitable, but land-dwellers are prospering since and have now completely split from merfolk, politically and culturally - so much that off-planet people consider landfolk “people” and merfolk the “magical creatures”.

- Land-dwellers struggle with their geographic limitations a lot. They build their cities up to he very edge of tide-swept ocean, utilising the space they have to the last patch for agriculture. Wading through knee deep floods is a small price to pay for food on the table every season. Sometimes they fill the land between islands where the distance is narrow enough, or try to build bridges. However the most reliable form of transport is still by boat, be it transport of products, produce animals or even general public transport. Visiting Andros is not for the easily sea-sick! Seafaring is the lifeblood of Androsian people, it is the heartbeat that keeps industry and social interactions going.

- After establishing contact, Andros had really been only used as a prison planet. When fly-bys over the Omega dimension became too dangerous and too long a mission just to drop off criminals, people looked for a different solution. Just letting them fall from outer space in their capsules wasn’t working either as many shattered upon impact, freezing during the drop rather than combusting, and that challenged a lot of right debates, equating the procedure to ‘an execution by probability’ - not like freezing them in ice was technically a lot different from killing them.

- But Andros had a unique feature, which was the central ocean gate hub. As opposed to the ocean gates of other planets that lead only from the planet into the infinite ocean, Andros’ gate could be used to pass another gate at the same time. Technically this portal could have lead anywhere - and Valtor was using this feature gratuitously- but it was set up by Androsian sorcerers to selectively lead to the Omega dimension in a one way system.

- Other than the sometimes very, sometimes not so much lucrative prison system, Andros supports itself on its maritime based industry. They have several shipyards that design and test sea vessels for customers all over the dimension. Local fish and other seafood is also coveted, as well as sea based minerals such as pearls and high quality fine quartz sand that is commonly used in modern fibreoptics.

- Andros has only grown beyond its main function for the magical dimension recently and has a difficult time shaking its stereotype. It is a newly rising middle class kingdom, it doesn’t command an army of mentionable size and is not part of the Company of Light as of yet.

[satoshi-mochida]

Atlus debuted the first gameplay footage and new details for the Omega Force-developed action RPG Persona 5 Scramble: The Phantom Strikers during the game’s first official live stream today.

Here are the details:

General

Development is 90 percent complete. Fine-tuning is the focus from here on.

Many Persona fans in Omega Force are working on the game, who are bringing the game to quite the high quality level.

Persona negotiation is being naturally and strategically incorporated into the action.

Rather than simply being an action game where you rush about wildly, there will be a proper story with character growth and the like.

Some character models have been borrowed from Persona 5, while some have been newly created.

The game is being made to be received as one of the games in the Persona 5 series.

Whether Confidant or story characters make an appearance is still a secret.

You can unleash various actions through a combination of the Square and Triangle buttons.

There is also shooting.

When you summon a Persona, you can choose a skill with the up and down buttons. Also, the protagonist can change Personas with the left and right buttons.

When you summon a Persona, time will come to a halt. Since information about the enemy will be displayed, you can carefully choose the Persona and skill to match the enemy.

A Persona’s attack range differs depending on the skill.

SP is important. Strategies like striking the enemy’s weakness, or swallowing up a wide scope of enemies are essential.

When you shoot your gun, time will come to a halt. There is also charge shooting. Each character will have their own gun.

Depending on the battle, you can also escape.

With the “Phantom Move” ability, nimble movement and attack actions using background objects such as traffic lights and street lights are possible.

You can go from shooting to pursuing the enemy.

The concept of buffs and debuffs are also in the game.

By striking the enemy’s weakness, it will become a Technical hit and deal greater damage.

By lowering the enemy’s shield gauge, which is right next to their HP gauge, you can unleash One More and general attacks.

You can also summon a Persona while in mid-air.

You can attack by exploding a patrol car. It is a flame attribute attack.

“Show Time” is in the game. Since Joker can switch his Personas, he has different Show Times for each.

You can befriend Personas. Persona fusion is also in the game.

Story and New Characters

As the characters travel to the various cities of Japan, Atlus hopes to bring out aspects to the characters not shown in Persona 5.

They want to depict Phantom Thieves as teenagers having fun. There is a notion of wanting to reward the Phantom Thieves that worked so hard in Persona 5.

The setting consists of more than just the five cities that have been previously announced.

Sophia (voiced by Misaki Kuno) is a girl the Phantom Thieves meet in a different world. She cooperates with the Phantom Thieves in hopes of being a good neighbor to humans. Her codename is Sophie, and her weapons are a yo-yo and blaster. She specializes in recovery skills. She controls a being similar to a Persona called “Pithos.”

Zenkichi Hasegawa (voiced by Shinichiro Miki) is a public safety police officer. At this point it is currently unknown whether he will become an ally or not. Both Zenkichi and Sophia are heavily involved in the main story.

Game System

A “Baton Pass” system for changing characters is included. Change characters in real-time while striking the enemies weaknesses.

All-Out Attacks can be activated without stopping the flow of action.

Each character has different parameters, weapons, and play style.

Each character has their own HP, so switch up characters when you are in a pinch.

Character growth also affects strategy.

Enemies appear as enemy symbols on the map, and when you touch them, battle will begin. You can also encounter enemies by shooting them. Also, by successfully sneak-encountering enemies from behind the back or overhead, you can start the battle at an advantage as a chance encounter.

Sophie is a good character to use for beginners. She has a technical element that advanced players can also enjoy, where by connecting attacks with good timing, she can expand her power and range. She can charge her power with the Triangle button. Her charged shot can possibly paralyze the enemy.

Panther uses a whip. She fights with magic more so than power. Among her attacks is a fire attack unleashed by Carmen. By pressing the Triangle button, she can enchant her whip with fire to deal fire attribute damage and attacks. She can also enchant while attacking. She can also lower the enemy’s attack power with the “Tarunda” skill.

All of Skull’s special attacks can be charged. By charging, “Zio” can become “Mazio.” While it takes some time to charge, Skull can activate super armor to take hits without recoil (the damage is slightly reduced).

Strategy is an important element of battle, and it can be very difficult to win with power alone.

By lowering the down gauge in mid-boss battles, a special All-Out Attack can be activated.

Analysis allows you to check enemy weaknesses and parameter status. For example, when an enemy’s defense is lowered by “Rakunda,” you can check this information via analysis.

Boss battles can be made easier through debuffing.

During battle, a party member may suggest an attack at particular timing where they can unleash an effective attack. By following through on their suggestion, you will switch to that character as soon as the attack begins.

There is also an easy mode for users who only want to enjoy the story. Difficulty can be changed at any time during the game.

Atlus has also started a Persona 5 Scramble: The Phantom Strikers edition of “Morgana’s Report” monthly information drops. Here is the first:

A Completely New Story Set After Persona 5

About half a year since parting from each other upon resolving the mysterious incident that bustled society, the Phantom Thieves gathered again at Cafe Leblanc. While they were planning to enjoy summer vacation together, they wind up lost in an unknown world following an unexpected event. It was a terrible world where shadows snatched away human “desires,” ruled by the command of someone called King.

Mysterious “Conversion Events” sprung forth all over Japan. To pursue these incidents, the Phantom Thieves set out on an RV journey of societal reformation.

New characters that are key to the story will also appear, including Sophia (voiced by Misaki Kuno), a girl who lost her memory, and Zenkichi Hasegawa (voiced by Shinichiro Miki), a skilled public safety police officer.

Introducing Shibuya, a Place of Pop Culture

Shibuya, a place brimming with fashion and sub-culture, and where young men and women gather. At the fashion building Shibuya 705, an event will be held for popular artist Alice Hiiragi (voiced by Ayane Sakura), who is known for her unique fashion and music.

However, there is another side to the bustling city of Shibuya… In the heart of a Shibuya that has become a different world, a Shibuya 705 transformed to look like a castle stands tall, and the appearance of the city has changed significantly. Slip through traps and mechanisms made to obstruct intruders, mow down the shadows, and set your sights on Shibuya 705.

Super Stylish and Exhilarating Action

In Persona 5 Scramble: The Phantom Strikers, the members of the Phantom Thieves are playable. In addition to Joker, you can also fight as your favorite member of the group (except for the navigator).

There are various tactics, including summoning Personas and pursuing the enemy.

You can also dominate the battlefield in style with “Show Time” and “All-Out Attacks.”

Atlus also announced that if you have Persona 5 or Persona 5 Royal save data on PlayStation 4, or Super Smash Bros. Ultimate save data on Switch, you will receive the “Persona 5 Sound Set,” which includes the Persona 5 battle song “Last Surprise” and Persona 5 Royal preemptive battle song “Take Over,” which can be used as the standard battle music for Persona 5 Scramble: The Phantom Strikers.

A character trailer for Persona 5 protagonist Joker will be released on YouTube on November 5 at 18:00 JST.

Persona 5 Scramble: The Phantom Strikers is due out for PlayStation 4 and Switch on February 20, 2020 in Japan. Read more about the game here.

Watch the footage below. View a new set of screenshots at the gallery.

Live Stream Archive

31:32 to 40:09 – Gameplay #1

1:29:39 to 1:42:24 – Gameplay #2

Morgana’s Report #1

Full

Story Part

Shibuya Part

Action Part

[treasure1hunt]

Self-pity?

Apparently, being an Omega means you're the weakest and insignificant. It can be said that Alyssa never met her parents. She only saw them from far. She was taken care of by her old wet nurse since birth. When Alyssa turned 15 her wet nurse died living her alone with some money.

Since ancient times Alphas were leaders of the pack because they were stronger than the rest and were good fighters. Followed by beta, gamma, and omega, the weakest member of the pack. Omegas were generally workers, servants, slaves, and prostitutes. There was nothing called marriage in the ancient times. It was like the rule of the jungle. Survival of the fittest. That's why Alphas were considered top class. And an Alpha with awakened bloodline was called as "god". But only 0.0001 percent of the Alpha population can awaken their bloodline.

Omegas were weak but that doesn't mean they were not smart or talentless.

Alyssa was the smartest girl in her school. But because of her bloodline, she was looked down upon. In addition to this, she has a sister always ready to tarnish her reputation.

After getting ready and wearing her school dress, Alyssa went down to the servant's kitchen to grab some breakfast. When she entered the kitchen, she saw that all the cabinets were locked. It was not the first time that she saw the locked cabinets but it was the first time of being hungry for four days in a row.

Getting beaten, getting tortured by her sister and even servants, being hungry for days, and living in poor condition mostly after the death of her wet nurse has become a part of her life.

When her wet nurse was alive at least she used to get a portion of food.

Alyssa sighed. When she reached the kitchen door, she saw a packet of dog food kept below the sink. Her face sparkled. Soon she grabbed the packet and saw the contents, only a hand full of dog food was inside it that's why it was kept near the sink to be thrown in the morning. Alyssa became happy. She fished out a handful of dog food and put it in her mouth. It was tasty. It was sweet. And it made her stomach cramp less painful. Then she gulped the remaining portion of dog food with a glass of water and hurriedly exited from the kitchen so that no one can see her eating.

Her school was one of the best schools in the country, The Royal High School.

It was the school were children of nobles and the Alphas of the society used to study.

Her mother never wanted her to attend this Nobel school, she was ashamed of her. She wanted to send her to 'All Omega High School', but due to her uncle's decision and her being a princess, she attended The Royal High School.

If Alyssa had a choice, she would prefer to attend an omega school rather than this princely school and be the subject of humiliation.

When it comes to having friends, Alyssa had few. The one she used to hand with, prior to the arrival of Violet seems to have amnesia. Apparently, they all decided to never remember her name and avoid eye contact at all costs plus they now bully her. At first, she was confused, but later on she realized they're all gamma, beta, or alpha who are way out of her league.

Alpha. Huh, it gives a bitter taste to her tongue.

Isn't because of this stupid hierarchy her life is this miserable. Isn't because of her mother's obsession with alphas made her life a nightmare. She hated them. She hated the alphas.

It was better to be an omega servant than an omega princess. And above that to survive this fate she needs money.

"Alyssa?" a voice called.

Alyssa blinked and snapped out of it. She looked at the women in front of her who had a frown on her face. With shoulder-length brown hair and blue eyes, she was pretty.

"What?" Alyssa asked.

Her beautiful eyes penetrating through Alyssa's soul, Dianna asked "Are you still thinking about that matter?" Her voice sounding more like a statement than a question.

Dianna was a straightforward beta with an Alpha boyfriend, Jacob. So, her position in the social ladder was quite high. In spite of this, she remained Alyssa's friend since childhood. She was also the first person to see through Violet's dark side and was protecting Alyssa in her own way.

"No, I wasn't", Alyssa mumbled and fiddled with her fingers. This question shot pain through her heart.

"Huh, whatever. Keep on lying. But I know you look, sweetheart." While saying Dianna pinched Alyssa's bony cheeks.

"You look ugly." She shrugged her shoulders.

Alyssa was used to this.

Dianna sighed. "I know you liked Edward for a very long time but baby he is a jerk. He doesn't deserve you. Please move on. He bullied you yesterday just to make Violet smile because you scored higher than her. A bastard like him is well suited to your sister. He knew you liked her but then also he humiliated you in front of the whole school. If I had alpha bloodline, I would have killed him."

At the end of her speech, she banged her fist on the table shaking everyone in the classroom. Everyone started looking towards them and Alyssa lowered her head, covering her face with her hair.

Alyssa looked outside her class window and saw Edward coming to the classroom hand in hand with Violet. "It looks like my humiliation formed their bonding" she sarcastically said in her heart.

Violet saw her seeing their joined hands and smirked.

Alyssa knew Violet has no feelings towards Edward and she is using him because of her, because she liked her. She felt pity towards Edward and her heart ached.

"Pity, huh, Am I even capable enough to pity someone, more or less an alpha" Alyssa laughed in her heart and sat in silence, enveloped in her thoughts.

[agirlinhell]

* This verse was created by myself and @cazalobo and as such, this is a private verse, but if you want your muse to participate in this verse, please feel free to contact either or both of us!

-The Cree-Diaz tribe were once two separate packs, most likely originating from indigenous magical practices later intermixing with the foreigners, with the Cree Pack controlling much of southern and southeastern America, including the Caribbean, and the Diaz pack controlling much of Mexico and South America, but with the recent union of the two packs under Sean Diaz and Clementine Maria Jasmine Cree upon the threat of being hunted down by foreign threats such as the police, they became one whole tribe. Their influence extends from as far north as Atlanta, Georgia and as far south as Brazil, South America, thus making them one of the most powerful tribes in the Americas.

-Clementine is a part-time College Student while working at a bar called The New Frontier as a songstress in her human life at age nineteen.

-The shapeshifting aspect is due to genetics, meaning one must be born a shapeshifter.

-The change or the first transformation usually happens in pre-adolescence though some individuals have been known to transform at later times. After their first transformation, the shifter in the Cree-Diaz tribe gets the following tattoo, usually on the arm:

-The shapeshifters of the tribe in their wolf form possess great speed, in excess of one hundred miles per hour, which allows them to outrun motor vehicles like cars and motorcycles.

-Even in their human forms, shape-shifters are easily faster and have greater endurance than regular humans. While in human form, their strength is near-superhuman, in their wolf form, not only are they much larger than normal wolves, they are also supernaturally stronger.

-In their human forms, they live, “normal” lives in a modern society, they’re just very tightknit as a group. Once you’re in the tribe, you’re in it for life and betrayal of the family is considered as incredibly risky business.

-Shapeshifters have a very high temperature allows them to withstand very cold weather and makes it difficult for them to become overheated.

-They can heal and regenerate very fast and completely, though they are not immortal.

-They can see, hear and smell things from miles away, their sense of sight is known to be ten times better than the average human, and twice as good as the average bird of prey's, and the alphas can communicate with other animals.

-In their wolf forms, shapeshifters show the general behavior of wolves, though they retain their human intelligence, memories and character personality, up to and including showing their human eye color. Pack members are also telepathically linked with each other, enhancing their coordination during hunts and fights but allowing little or no privacy at any time.

-The Alpha Male and Alpha Female are able to communicate telepathically after performing a ritual together, and can control what thoughts they share, while the subordinates don’t possess this ability. They can willingly choose to share a thought, even from a distance, and can willingly close themselves off, something they can't do with their subordinates. The dominants can force the other pack members to obey their orders against their will, as can the betas, though they can't command their alphas. Once an alpha gives orders to members of the pack, their orders are obeyed blindly. The pack members cannot directly disobey commands even if they are in disagreement. This ability, however, is limited to members of their own pack. 

                                                             RANKS

Although much bigger and much smarter than average wolves, the tribe has adopted the primitive wolf lifestyle, even in a modern society. They live and work as a team and tend to be very close knit. It's highly unlikely males will be accepted by the alpha male. Sons may also find themselves evicted when they are mature too, or as tradition spoke of, but this practice is considered taboo nowadays, due to the setting being present in a modern day and age.

The alphas represent the most dominant rank in the wolf pack, and so are held in the highest esteem by the other members of the unit. Along with sole breeding ( or according to tradition at least ), the alphas are responsible for control and leadership of the pack, including establishing pack territory, leading hunts, and accepting or rejecting outside wolves. The loss of an alpha can spell complete dissolution for the entire tribe. Because of this, the alphas always eat first, and are always awarded the biggest and best portions of the kill. Lower-ranking individuals showing disrespect to the alpha will be punished, or sometimes banished from the tribe. Due to the alphas’ vital importance to the viability of the pack, their safety is a first priority, and so the majority of enforcement falls to the next-in-command: the betas.

Alpha Female: Females were traditionally almost always the alphas in a shapeshifter pack (however strange that may seem). This was because the females could lead better hunts and battles and, on the whole, were a lot more strategic than the males, but nowadays, they’re moreso equals alongside the Alpha Male. She is the biggest of the females and nowadays her duty is to watch over the tribe and make sure the pups are safe in times of great danger, and can accept or reject outside wolves. She will be guarded ferociously by the dominant male. She, like the alpha male, rules over each and every one of the pack, and each newcomer must gain her and the alpha male’s acceptance before the group begins to accept them into the tribe.

Alpha Male: Traditionally the Alpha Female’s mate and father to all her pups, but nowadays, this doesn’t necessarily have to be the case; they can easily be friends or family members, but the tradition is still expected to be upheld. The Alpha Male is the strongest and the biggest of the pack. His job is to control the pack when the Alpha Female is having pups or is otherwise busy, and he also leads the hunts and the battles. He is expected to breed with mateless females should they desire pups and mark territories, and should another attempt to claim his position, he must fight to defend it. Like the Alpha Female, he is also capable of accepting or rejecting outside wolves. He rules over every male in the pack, and, at times, will be dominant over the Alpha Female if it is to protect her. When a new male takes lead, it is up to him whether or not the pups are killed or spared. He also will have to deal with the mothers and whether or not they put up a fight. He could easily be chased from the tribe by the females of the pack, even the subordinate males and omega if they feel he is unfit for the role. However, due to the modern day and age, this practice is disbanded as the killing of pups are considered immoral.

Beta Male & Female: Usually mates, but this is not necessary. These are the ones which the Alphas trust to take care of the tribe in their absence. The Betas are usually quite strong and powerful and they fight by the Alpha’s side in battle - this rank is won by earning the trust of the alphas. They are often the wolves which will first confront a newcomer or potential threat. The betas serve both as enforcement and second-in-command, often taking over control while the alphas are away or preoccupied with breeding ( or as tradition recalls ). Should anything happen to an alpha, a beta is next in line. As such, these wolves are also highly respected within the tribe, and receive the next choicest portion of the kill. The betas are believed to be the most trusted and most bonded companions of the alpha pair, acting as “generals” in the tribe.

Gammas: These are the average members of the pack. All other wolves in the group are considered subordinates, though they serve important roles in the pack dynamic. The mid-ranking wolves fall between the betas and the lowest rank, the omega. These wolves often serve as babysitters to the pups when the alphas and betas are away, and may fill the roles of watchers, scouts, teachers, hunters, or protectors, depending on what is needed at the time.

Fledges: These are the offspring of the pack and future members. The pups must have a mother and father ( or two maternal / paternal figures that is more accepted in modern day society ) that belonged to the pack, unless if they’re recruited strays and orphans, and whatever may become of these pups in that scenario are entirely up to the alphas.

Omegas:  Omegas are the lowest ranking members of the group, usually consisting of one individual of either sex. A member would usually move down to this category after doing something wrong or something the Alphas or pack do not agree with. Although this is all true, the omegas are still very important to the pack as they act like a decoy or, so to speak, a clown when the pack is fighting an enemy. This works because the Omega would usually try to play with the enemy while the other members of the pack get ready to attack, unknown to the annoyed enemy. These wolves would usually eat last and would stay in this category until the Alphas feel the accused has re-earned the packs trust. Life as an omega can be difficult, eating last and taking the brunt of aggression from the rest of the pack. These individuals may choose to leave the group in search of a higher ranking position or to breed, and can be replaced as ranks are shuffled overtime. Older omegas are often allowed to retire, rescinding their position and being looked after by the pack. Alleviating aggression is the omegas principle role, and this is often done through initiating play as a way to burn off excess negative energy. As a result, long-time omegas often bear the scars of their submissive position. However, due to the modern day and age, it is a very debatable topic in the tribe about whether or not to remove the position.

Apostates: Individuals who are no longer among the tribe. They may be former members exiled or killed for betraying the pack or the alphas, the wounded, the sick, those too weak to fight and need to be taken care of or they have injuries that need to be tended to, traitors, the banished, the deceased, renegades, members who disappeared mysteriously and cannot be found, individuals taken by enemy groups, escaped captives, or simply those who have left the group.

                                                    Punishments

Murder: If you murder a member of the pack or an accepted pup then this will cause in instant banishment or even death.

Dominance: If you do not accept that the Alphas are the most dominant in the pack and you try to knock them off their place with no arranged fight or audience then this will cause in you being moved down to the Omega position.

Betrayal: If you betray the pack or the Alphas or betray the secret that the pack are all shapeshifters, this will cause in either banishment or being placed in the Omega position, or even death.

Crossbreeding: This is when a member of the pack allows themselves to be mated with an outside shapeshifter that does not belong to the tribe. The pups will be killed and the accused will be moved down to the Omega position, according to tradition, but in the modern day and age, it’s a hot topic of debate.

Lust: If a member of the pack mates with another member of the pack without informing one of the Alphas this will cause in the accused being pushed down to the Omega position for a while and possibly the pups death, according to tradition, but in the modern day and age, it’s a hot topic of debate.

Abandonment: If a member of the pack abandons the tribe, especially a pup, then that member is no longer welcome on their lands and will most likely be chased out or even killed.

Antisocialism: This is when a member of the tribe refuses to work or speak with the other pack members. Although this might not seem very serious, one antisocial wolf could result in the whole pack’s downfall if not dealt with quickly enough. The accused will be taken somewhere private with the Alpha to be spoken to. But if that does not work and the wolf in question still refuses to work as a team this could result in being placed in the Omega position until some sense is knocked into them or even be banished.

                                                           ▬▬▬ ♥ ▬▬▬

THE TRIBE

Clementine Maria Jasmine Cree - Alpha Female || @agirlinhell​

Sean Diaz - Alpha Male || @cazalobo​

Betas: N/A thus far unless if someone wants to interact in this verse.

Gammas: N/A thus far - all NPC’s thus far unless if someone wants to interact in this verse.

Violet Louis Aasim Ruby Omar Rosie Mitch Marlon Brody Minerva Sophie James Charlie Duck Gabriel Garcia Mariana Garcia Justin Therissa Jasper Erin Joey Maddie Lamar Alex Dewey Trey Stephanie Lyla Park Eric Adam Barnes Ellery Winchell Brody Holloway Chris Eriksen Charles Eriksen Cassidy Finn Penny Hannah Jacob Ingrid Anders

Fledges: N/A thus far - all NPC’s thus far unless if someone wants to interact in this verse.

Alvin Jr. Tennessee Willy Daniel Diaz

Omegas: N/A thus far - all NPC’s thus far unless if someone wants to interact in this verse.

[storiesbeyondthestars]

Hi! I'm in love with your new story, What Happens In Vegas, and I can't stop thinking about it. The universe you created is super interesting and lots of questions keep popping up in my head. What would happen if two omegas fell in love? Would they be able to be together (to bond?)? What is the general opinion on O/O relationships? Can omegas become independant under certain circumstances, and legally be able to make decisions for themselves? I admire you a lot for your complex universes. ♥

Aww thank you so much! That’s so sweet! :D 

I absolutely love world building. I’ve been writing for a very long time, and while I love writing just small little moments between characters, I love exploring the worlds they live in, and how that can impact and change the characters that we know and love. 

My approach to bringing characters into unique worlds: don’t change the characters to fit the world (in this case, an omegaverse), see how they can exist as they are within these universes. Obviously, there’d be some differences based on their situations (Keith wouldn’t have quite the abandonment issues if Krolia had been there all his life, for instance), but it’s still possible to make them as similar to their canonical selves. That’s what I aim for. 

Anyway, tangents aside, let’s actually address the questions you asked about the specific world shown in What Happens In Vegas. 

Oops this got kind of long, so below a link it goes! 

So lets talk about the concept of bonding in this universe. There’s actually a scientific basis behind it involving chemicals in salvia and that in a scent gland that creates a one-time reaction, bonding two people together. Though the group that runs things (primarily rich, white, male Alphas, because you bet I’m gonna run commentary on that shit) would have the population believe that only Alphas can do this, it’s not true at all. The same can happen between any combination of dynamics (I don’t like using the term ‘secondary gender’ since there is a biological basis behind this concept, and gender is a choice so it gets it’s own classification all together). So in theory, two Omegas absolutely could bond with one another.  

There is no reason two Omegas couldn’t fall in love. None at all. I imagine some would be repulsed by the scent of Alphas. The only ‘pull’ they might feel towards an Alpha is out of comfort or in a familial way. There is no reason they can’t physically bond with one another two. Could they get married though?

Let’s talk to all the LGBTQ+ people around the world about why this specific concept could get messy in a legal sense. In an ideal world, hands down yes. In the one I’ve created? Absolutely not.

If you’re following, it means they could bond with one another, but they can’t get legally married. I’ll explain why.

In this particular society in this world (as in North America), Omegas are barely seen as more than possessions or breeders, since Betas that can have children struggle with it a lot (very high mother and infant mortality and defect rates), and the population is alarmingly low at this specific point due to an epidemic. Many people, influenced by The Powers That Be, would frown upon it. They’d be labelled as selfish. They’d be belittled in both an ignorant ‘Oh look, they’re such good friends’ way, and a ‘that’s disgusting we need to take them from one another and show them why they’re wrong’ way. 

Is everyone like this? No. Not even close. Unfortunately, small but loud groups of people tend to ruin it for the rest of us. 

They wouldn’t have any independence at all. They couldn’t advocate for one another or anything. What would happen here is that their family members would have to do it for them, and odds are, if an Omega couple is established, at least one person in their family is supportive of this and will help them.

It’s absolutely a stupidly backwards, complex, bigoted, nasty, dystopia, and that is on purpose. I’m not glorifying this type of world at all, but trying to use it to portray issues that reflect ones seen in our own.

I hope this made some kind of sense. Sometimes ideas in my mind don’t make as much sense when written down as I thought they would! 

[sarahcreatesstuff]

Trion Alpha Chapter 2

Chapter 2 – Fire, Air, Water, Earth

 The long grasses scratched gentle across the plain fabric trousers that Jack wore but he did not really notice them anymore. His entire focus was on the pressed down circle in the centre of the field where he would learn his fate. Nerves were playing throughout his body, a sense of anticipation but also a high degree of worry present as well, but he had been told that this was perfectly normal. No one could predict what sub gender they would present as, though those older sometimes had a fair clue about it in advance. Though no one had any idea about which of the four potential sub genders that Jack would present as, but generally it was presumed that he would follow the trend of most Trion’s and present as either an omega or delta.

 When he had first come into the wolf society, it had been very confusing to learn about the four sub genders and the roles that they played within a pack but now at the age of maturity he knew and understood them all pretty well.

 Deltas were the lowest rank but were never really looked down upon as they were the secret protectors of the packs. They were silent movers, able to blend into the world around them, scout out the best hunting grounds and kept the borders checked. They could be fast and sharp in their movements, making fighting them tricky as they seemed to almost dance around their intended targets but when it came to hunting, they were swift and precise in the kill. Most Delta’s were quiet by nature, slightly introverted and rarely wanting to be the centre of attention unless they felt that it was absolutely necessary and were otherwise the chief artisans of the pack, seeming to take their slight solitude as an opportunity to create all sorts of different crafts that could be worn, or displayed to show the pack off to the best of its abilities. In the Jurisa pack there were three Delta’s sisters, who spent their nights patrolling the borders of the territory with frightening precision and then spent the day making or mending clothes, setting up their own brand of ‘protection symbols’ which took on the form of dolls and tending to sick cubs, as the youngest had a flair for medicines and had become the pack healer with little formal training. Jack always liked their Earth based scents, reminding him of the quiet little glades that could be found in the middle of summer and knew that all Delta’s had an undercurrent of Earth and nature as their primary scent which always mixed pleasantly with their personal and pack scent.

 Which was why he always found that omega’s having water scents was a little strange but refreshing. Mostly they smelt like the freshness of the land after a good shower of rain or else the clear river water that ran through their lands. Two in the pack had unique scents, one a male omega by the name of Gus who smelt like a raging storm and the other a female by the name of Kira who smelt like the ocean. Jack had come to learn that omegas were probably the most diverse of the sub genders and whilst they all shared some traits, they were all unique in their own way. Omegas were soft and delicate but built with bodies that could sustain young through to term with little to no problems. They were the true mothers of the pack, able to be gentle and caring in times of need but were fierce as hell when they felt that one of their own was in danger. Some of the strongest fighters in the groups were omegas, which had confused Jack no end when he was younger but now, he came to accept that omegas would die for those that they cared about. In the past they had been nothing more than breeding machines, seen as the only ones who could be bred and with their yearly heat cycles that made them extremely fertile for around two weeks, but they were also at their most vulnerable and weakest during this time. Now that mentality had generally been wiped out, with the exception of a few cases, and omegas could choose to be whatever they wanted in a pack. Though most stuck with more traditional roles on account of them actually being particularly good at them. They all still went through heats, but only true mates were allowed to be with them or else mated omegas who could help sooth the ache until mates came along. Only once had Jack come across someone in heat, which was around a year ago and he had been praised for simply helping the omega to the correct hut and stepping away. He was still underage, but the smell of heat had affected him as his wolf began to mature but sense won out over everything else. Male omegas could also carry cubs and were treated no different because of this little situation.

 The Head Beta of the pack had patted his head, after going up on his tiptoes in order to do so correctly and had praised his good sense. Betas were essential for a pack to run correctly, at least when it got big enough to be a full pack, as they were the most level headed of the sub-genders and always seemed to know exactly what to say and do in any situations. Primarily they were healers, or liaisons between packs or else enforcers of the rules and in some of the more human city based packs, they took on jobs as lawyers and shop owners to provide for their living expenses and ensure that no one got screwed over. Betas were the least violent of the four sub-genders, despite being sharp with their tongues, and had more lean builds that made them surprisingly good for dancing and performances of all kinds. Jack had always presumed that this was something to do with their air based scents, which was hard to explain as all betas smelled like the wind blowing something around or else in the case of the Head Beta, like a hurricane landing unexpectedly in the middle of a corn field. It probably explained why his mate had a scent of a rainstorm. Secretly Jack wanted to be a Beta, as it meant he could provide for his pack in some form and already he had spotted an area of land which he thought would make for an excellent farm. Yes, it would be going back to his human routes but if he could get it going and maintain it, then he would be able to take the produce to the city markets and get things the likes of which he had not seen for years.

 Though he was aware that the city had probably hugely changed since he was last there. Whilst on the surface he looked no older than eighteen, Jack’s wolf had literally grown from being a tiny cub to a mature adult inside a human body. Wolves aged slower than humans, typically having a lifespan of two hundred and fifty to three hundred years, and the old saying about dogs ageing seven years for every one year had applied to Jack. Just in the reserve. So, for every seven years that Jack lived in human terms, his wolf only aged one year in turn which slowed him down considerably. At last track he had worked out that in human terms he was actually around twenty five, but he looked eighteen, so it was not so bad. Apparently, he would slow down further in the aging process once his wolf matured, and Jack was pretty much at the point of just giving up trying to work out the age difference because it would probably drive him insane.

 But it was a dream to present as a Beta for Jack. Most Trion wolves like him only ever presented as deltas or omegas, as their intended mates typically did not turn them until they were at an age where they could cope with it all. Jack was a rare case, as no child was supposed to be turned, willing or not as they feared what would happen. There had been children turned into vampires before and the results had been horrendous put mildly, so there were strict rules. Many considered it a miracle that Jack had survived as long as he had, especially with the way that his body transformed every full moon.

 About the only gender that Jack knew he would not present as, was an Alpha. They were the strongest, the fighters, the brawlers and the start of any pack. In the past they were always the ones in charge, the absolute rulers who could get away with anything and with their fiery undertone of brimstone to their scent it was a fool who took any of them on. Most had been brutes, deadly and power hungry with little or no regard for anything when they ruled with iron fists. They had dictated everything and caused so much misery that Odin himself had come down to smack several shades of sense into the alphas and teach them the correct ways. Or so the legends went of course. Alphas were still strong and a bit head strong, but they could also be goofy, adorable and some of the best playmates for cubs. They protected everyone in the pack, not caring for rank or position and it was rare these days for an alpha to even be in the highest position of power. Michael and Hazel were because they had formed the pack from the remains of their old one, but they had an odd balance between all sub genders, and each had their own Head. Jack found it strange that they ran everything by committee, but it worked for the pack. He had met outside alpha’s before, and they were all a mix of old, new and unique thinking. To become an alpha meant leaving the family you came from, because fighting for land and rights to pack mates between family always ended badly. Female alphas were as common as male alphas, and it was more than possible for them to impregnate their mates regardless of gender or sub gender.

 Multiple Alphas could form a pack together, but it was rare that blood relations ever stayed in the same pack once they matured and presented. They stayed close sometimes or were always just around then corner at the next glen but generally they broke off to form their own place in the world. Jack loved his pack so much and wanted to do whatever he could to give back to them for everything that they had done but he knew that the choice was not in his hands.

 The Goddess of Night, Nyx, choose the sub gender that each wolf would become whilst Odin, God of Wolves, would be there to guide through the initial change to ensure that all accepted what they were to become.

 Reaching the circle with the rest of the six who were maturing tonight, Jack found himself letting out a sigh as he glanced up at the black sky and seeing the full moon begin to peak out from behind the clouds. His wolf was present in his mind, watching also but not desperately stretching at his skin to be released and Jack lowered his eyes, “You really want to present, don’t you?” the whisper was only meant for him to hear and if anyone else heard it they did not comment aloud.

 Michael smiled softly to the six gathered and opened his arms wide, “Take a place where you see fit, this is a moment only for yourself and we have given you all the directions that you need to know. We will be here for you when you come out of the other side.”

 The six unpresented wolves seemed to pause for a moment, each taking their time to remember everything that had been said. Suzanne was the first to step forward, looking strong and confident as she hugged her father and then lay down on her back near to the centre of the grass circle. Her eyes closed and she exhaled once before taking on a serene look of someone who had slipped into a trance. Jack cast his eyes around the remaining four who were beginning to move into position, not copying Suzanne and not lying close enough to touch one another. They were all soon on their backs, tranquil and at peace with themselves as they exhaled.

 Jack looked up towards Michael, suddenly feeling very small and very alone. “What do I do if I don’t present.”

 “You will present Jack,” Michael smiled, “I’ll be waiting for you, when you do.”

 Gulping a little, Jack thought of stepping closer to the others but instead found himself falling to his knees and looking back up at the full moon one more time. He closed his eyes, clasped his hands together and sighed, “Please…guide me correctly through the night.”

 A call of an owl made the cub turn his head to the side and he blinked at finding himself at the bottom of a driveway which led to what could only be described as a mansion. It was old stonework with multiple layers and several different colours to suggest that it was a place which had been revolted over the years. The smell of wood fires brought a strange calmness to his slightly panicked mind and the meticulously kept gardens made him think of someone who tendered to their lots in life with a devotion that very few would have ever been able to master. There were many large windows in the building, some ancient looking with thick iron edges and the more up to date ones probably being some kind of carbon fibre copy. There were several neatly trimmed bushes and a pruned hedgerow that circled around the wooden gravel that provided a barrier. A couple of large outhouses that were probably a garage and some other kinds of storage were off to the side, but Jack only felt a gentle familiarity with the place despite having never seen it before.

 Turning his head away from the house, he found he was no longer in the glade where he had been and, in the distance, there were the lights of a city that seemed to sprawl for miles. It was only around a mile away, but it must have been a grand sprawling metropolis with cars rushing around and so many humans that it was almost mindboggling to behold. Faintly he could see the coastline and knew that there were ships coming in and out too, but Jack had to take a step back from it all as this was just a touch overwhelming.

Whatever he was expecting from the presentation haze, it certainly was not this.

 His dark ears swivelled around at the sound of a door opening and Jack turned abruptly, feeling his senses go onto high alert. Instead, he was met by a smug expression of a male vampire who could be no older than himself in terms of appearance. He was slender and tall, not quite yet finished going through a growth spurt as of yet but it would come with time. There was a surprising amount of light in the electric blue eyes and his honey-comb blond hair was worn in a style that was probably supposed to be a mullet, but it had been styled back into a more period style of framing the face. Bow shaped lips completed the look, along with a ruffled sleeved white shirt over a pair of stylish white trousers and black shoes.  “Well met we are tonight, Jack, even if our destiny is a long way into the distance,” Lucan spoke softly though with just a hint of a tease to his words, “Come in, before your tail freezes off in the bitter wind.”

 Jack had not even noticed the bitter wind which was blowing around them and he nodded aimlessly before shaking his head and then letting out a confused sound, “I don’t understand…”

 Lucan laughed at him, “Yeah, when they told you that presentation is personal to each and every one of you wolves it really is. Come on, you’re safe here. Or you will be one day.”

 “Who are you?” Jack asked, stepping forward regardless and blinking towards the vampire, feeling nothing but an urge to hug the youngster even if part of him was fully against the idea.

 “I’m Lucan, but you instinctively know that” Lucan replied, guiding Jack through a series of lavish rooms to what appeared to be a grand office with a large desk, shelves teaming with books and paperwork that had yet to be sorted properly and just a general mess that suggested someone who worked way too hard. “I think we’re…friends or allies or something…a while from now but for some insane reason they chose me to be the one to guide you to the presentation so here I am. Coffee?”

 An old, chipped mug appeared next to Jack who took it gingerly in his hands and took a long sip out of the drink. It was exactly the way he liked it, though it had been years since he had actually drunk coffee. Smiling, he set it back on the table, “Here was me thinking that I’d just go into the trance and then come out on the other side knowing what I am.”

 “What are you Jack?” Lucan asked with a curious head tilt, a knowing smile on his lips, “Or more correctly, what can you surmise about your presentation from all that is around you?”

 The werewolf blinked, taking in the room with it’s too stuffed contents and the familiarity of the house and the location of the city. It was far away from where he had originally come from, it was also far away from the pack but here he knew was safe. Here he knew instinctively that he was home. There were many memories tied up in this old building, in the gardens, in the woods around the area, though they were only hazy shadows of what possibly could be and there were so many scents and smells that he wasn’t entirely sure where to even begin. He knew that if he went out of this office and down the left, he’d be in the kitchen where there was a mixture of meats and blood packets available, including the ones he had to hide from their little baby otherwise she would be bouncing off the walls for hours.

 If he went upstairs, he knew that the second floor held Lucan’s master bedroom, the baby’s one right next door and his own personal but he rarely slept there as he preferred to be in the lodge with the pack or in his own private cabin just on the edge of the woods where he maintained a farm that not only brought in fruits and vegetables but animals to help with the feeds for everyone and visitors who would pay good money for experiences the likes of which only his farm could provide. The money was put into the upkeep of the main house, for paying for school fees for cubs and kindree alike and for a multitude of other purposes.

 There were selected times of the year when everyone would bundle up and head into the city, for interaction sakes with everyone and to shop for essentials that couldn’t be purchased easily online. Plus, Lucan and Jack had to attend the council meetings which were generally dull and boring, but it was always worthwhile coming home to find his mate standing on the doorstep, smiling wildly and waiting to greet them.

 Jumping back slightly in shock as he pulled himself out of whatever visions he was having, Jack turned his attention back to Lucan, a little surprised to find himself unable to recall any of the images that he had just seen moments ago. But that did not matter because as he looked at the young kindree vampire opposite him, his sharp eyes picked out a mark on the others neck. It was not a bite mark, nor was it a drawing. It looked like some kind of tattoo, similar to the kind that would cross his body when he matured and presented. The mark looked something akin to a circle with two crescent moons in the centre that touched at the tips of each end, one was the colour of blood, the other the colour of the moon and the surrounding circle a dark black. Instinct had Jack raising his hand to his own neck, in the same area as Lucan’s mark where he could just feel the slightest of changes. He knew already that there was a mark of a black moon with two crescent moons either side of it, one the colour of blood, the other the same colour as the moon. Nyx’s inverted mark, which meant that he was bound to protect the vampire who held the Odin’s inverted mark.

 All mature wolves had marks on their shoulders and arms to show packs and family lines but only one of the sub genders ever had a mark on their neck.

 Jack stood up abruptly, knocking the chair over but not really caring, “What?”

 “Yes, Jack,” Lucan replied, “Though you’re not the only one who will be surprised.”

 “But…it’s impossible,” Jack stated, shaking his head, “I’m human! I was born of human parents, I come from a human linage, I was turned at the age of elven, I had to learn everything about being a wolf…I’m not…I can’t be…”

 Lightly Lucan laughed, “Well you’ll have to accept it because you are. That is the only reason that this place exists, that we are marked as we are. As only an Alpha can join forces with a Vampire Master to make the running of a Clan.”

 Shaking his head, Jack thought about denying it all again and just turning and running away but he took a moment to just settle down a little bit and think logically. Everything was there, it was all plainly in front of him, and it was just a big scary feeling that was driving him insane right now. Slowly he exhaled and looked up towards the boy, “How do I even begin to walk away from them? After everything they’ve done for me?”

 “With your head held proud like you know what you’re doing,” a smile, genuine and soft was sent his way, “Because that is half the game, showing the outside world one thing when you’re quaking in your boots. But the outside world will not know that if you don’t show them, Jack.”

 A snort came from the Trion’s nose, “Why do I get the feeling that I’ll be saying that to you one day?”

 “Maybe because you will,” Lucan replied, grinning again, “Though not yet. It’s time to go back.”

 Letting out a breath, Jack nodded and sighed, “Guess I’ll be seeing you then?”

 “Guess you will,” Lucan replied.

 A blade of grass brushed against his cheek, immediately waking Jack up and he sat bolt upright in the field that he had gone into trance in. For a moment things were a little disorientated, the world coming back into focus, into the present but he was more aware of the surroundings. Of the lingering scents, of the lack of the other five who had presented with him. Of Michael standing watching him, a bag at his feet with enough supplies to get him started on whatever path was going to force the newly presented alpha to take.

 Jack took stock of the area around him, taking in the various grasses and trees before pulling himself up from his seated position and staring at the other alpha across from himself. He could feel the tension between them, the natural sizing up that occurred between alphas from different packs and realised that he could not feel the pack bond anymore. For a moment he was scared and wanted to turn back into the frightened little cub but the words that the figure in his vision had said came back to him.

 Straightening out his shoulders, Jack stepped towards Michael with all the confidence that he could master and grabbed the bag at his feet, almost casually throwing it over his shoulder. He looked up at the older alpha and found that the feeling of threat had gone, instead he was staring at a man who had given him the best possible start into a life that he had no right to really claim as his own.

 Without thinking, Jack threw his arm tightly around the other alpha in a hug, smiling when it was returned with two strong arms in what could be best described as a bear hug but for once it did not hurt. “Follow the river to the south,” Michael said as he pulled back, “It’s your best chance and finding land that you can claim as your own.”

 “Tell Hazel I said goodbye,” Jack said and then glanced to the place where he had seen Suzanne laying before. A gentle whiff of a waterfall caught his nose and he looked back towards Michael with a raised eyebrow.

 “She is safe and will go to the Summer Solstice with everyone else,” Michael replied, stepping closer, “Though my little wildling may want to journey far herself…She’s like the running river that one, never staying still.”

 Jack nodded, allowing Michael to walk away from him back into the pack territory. He waited until the wolf’s footsteps had faded away and then turned to look at the last place, he had seed him. Walking back to the spot where Suzanne had been, Jack lent down and gently brushed his fingers over the area, a smile on his face when he came across the thin chain of tarnished gold that instinctively he knew would be there. Pulling it up, he found himself staring at a pendant of a crescent moon made out of polished white gold and on the back was the letter S. He already knew that the girl had the conjoining disk of the full moon which he figured would be jet black like his wolf though with the little white tip on the edge of his ears and tail. Slipping the pendant over his head, Jack stood up, took one final look over the lands which he had called his home before sending a final prayer of thanks towards those who had taken him in.

 He turned around and headed away, finding the river more by muscle memory than anything else and began following the flow of it south. He knew when he crossed the pack border and entered into the unmarked territory, but he did not falter, instead continuing on down the edge of the river in the hopes that he would eventually find something. Though he had no idea what that something would be.

[sunshine-omega-pack]

Chapter 1: What is in a Dynamic?

Alpha, Beta, Omega. Alpha Beta Omega. AlphaBetaOmega. Society is made up of these 3 dynamics, they are what makes society run. Alphas to lead, are assertive, and make the decisions in positions of authority. Betas to keep the balance, most are found working in law enforcement and social services, they are the buffer zone between Alphas and Omegas. Omegas. Omegas, rare and exquisite, make up ¼ of the population. They are perceived as delicate things; they carry the next generation in their wombs, they take care of the home. This is what’s taught in schools, outdated teachings reinforced in the minds of the youth to bring them to synchronicity and conformity. Dynamic stereotypes are all over the place, certainly in everyday life and especially when it comes to mating. 

All Omegas must have a mate prearranged by a parent or have selected a mate by the time they are of age and must be abstinent for their theoretical future mate. Betas, though the buffer zone, are encouraged to find mates that are Betas as well to keep the mating pool open for Alphas and procreation of more Omegas. Another “encouragement” is for Omegas to take one mate and one mate only, polyamorous relationships that are centered around an Omega are often frowned upon and discriminated against harshly. However, its perfectly fine for an Alpha, an Alpha may take more than one Omega mate as to secure their family’s line and satisfy their needs. A societal double standard that was justified by “keeping Omegas in their place.”

Shae Lopez was never exactly the type to follow the leader or buy into any of the crap that teachers and public officials were trying to drill into his mind. Shae is an Omega, living in a conservative town in California of all places, it was not exactly the best place for Shae’s situation. But Shae could not help who he had fallen in love with; Juliana Yuen (Alpha) and Damien Matthews (Beta). Their relationship was pretty “uncommon”, strictly speaking, within the confines of society. Not extremely rare nowadays but still not accepted fully by conservatives and older folk. People still believe in Alpha/Omega and Beta/Beta bonds as the only valid unions in terms of mating. Though even Alpha/Alpha, Alpha/Beta, and Beta/Omega were less stigmatized than a polyamorous Alpha/Beta/Omega (varied or in that order) and/or Omega/Omega relationships.

The majority in their small town disapproved of the three of them living together in a domestic setting.

And what was worse than the disapproval were the looks that Shae got from the people in his city; the unveiled lust, disgust, and pure hatred sent his way after presenting. There was young Alphas who couldn’t take a hint and would try to talk him up, Shae was not impressed. He would try to excuse himself as quickly as possible, he told them he had mates but most were undeterred. Shae has had some pretty close calls.

There were disapproving, judgy Beta and Omega care providers and fellow classmates who thought he was just being selfish. Omega groups would go out of their way to exclude him some of the time because they didn’t want to be seen associating with him. It was bad enough that most of them knew he was transgender, which he already got a lot of cheek for, but it didn’t help that he’s also an unmated Omega to top it all off. That's right. Despite having two mates that he loved with all of his heart, he was not claimed by either of them. He is an unmated Omega, just past the age where he would’ve been expected to be mated officially and have pupped by now, but neither was true for Shae. Though not for lack of trying.

He had been in a committed relationship with Damien and Juliana throughout high school, most of the time it was on the down low. They three of them had met through detention. Shae had talked back to a health teacher who was preaching about abstinence to a group of fourteen year olds, which is what had landed him in detention. Juliana had snuck alcohol onto the campus but was quickly apprehended by school security, she had a charming smile and spoke with charisma which is how she wormed her way out of suspension. And finally Damien was brought in last for doodling on the desk in front of him, which they all agreed was a stupid reason for detention. But it had brought them altogether, making fun of the teachers and forming a close friendship that evolved into a relationship. Juliana had requested that it stay between the three of them because it was so stigmatized, especially in high school where cliques tend to meddle in everyone’s business.  

Eventually they were forced to come out when Shae had his first heat mid junior year and absolutely refused to go home unless he was allowed to bring both of his mates with him. It had been a uphill battle as Shae had stood there with slick stained pants and sweat beaded on his forehead, arguing with the stupid principal. It was Shae’s guardian who had to call to give permission that finally allowed their escape to the nearest emergency heat room. The rest of the week they had what seemed like a never ending amount of heat sex and the two of them had taken care of Shae’s immediate needs but hadn't claimed him (causing an absence of the biological bond that Shae’s inner omega desired). Typically in their city Omegas are claimed the first heat around to avoid conflicts with others and to show the authenticity of a relationship.

Juliana and Damien had told Shae that it was because they didn't want to claim him without consent, which was reasonable answer. He had only just presented as an Omega and they hadn't talked about what to do in that situation beforehand. They were very unprepared for a situation like this in the first place. Honestly they had all thought that Shae was going to present as a Beta like Damien had because they were more common. Omegas were just so rare, so one would assume that when presenting they would present as an Alpha or a Beta but Omega rarely crossed their minds unless there were specific obvious traits a person had. Shae felt rushed to be mated as an Omega, lots of people were bound to notice him and try to take advantage. It would be all better if he was claimed by someone he loved rather than a stranger that he didn’t know.

They soon had a long discussion about what direction they wanted their relationship to go in and Shae had told them that he wouldn't want to be mated to anyone but them. Juliana and Damien were quick to agree that they only saw Shae as their omega. Three months flew by and the seasons changed around them. Shae went to heat again during the winter months. Shae had begun nesting instincts this time around, with not a lot to work with, but he made do with his blankets, pillows, and a couple shirts of his partners’ and possessions of legal guardian. At the end of the heat week through all the blurry memories and strong scents, Shae still found himself as unclaimed. No bites on either side of his neck, on where his scent glands would be, but plenty of marks other places. This time when he questioned them they had neutral looks on their faces. Juliana and Damien didn't want to give in to their “biological urges” and wanted to keep it at the pace they were going. They still would help Shae with his heats and loved him but they weren't ready to claim him. Shae understood their discomfort, and didn’t push about it for the next couple heats, but that didn’t make it any less disheartening that his lovers were uncomfortable with claiming him.

Shae was confused at the attitude of both of them, his omega was restless, obsessing over what might be wrong with him. He really didn’t think that it was his partners’ faults that they weren’t ready to claim him. So Shae thought that it must be something that he was doing that didn’t welcome their bites, so he tried to figure out with all his might what it could be that he was doing wrong. Shae, who had been already a bit of a curvy and pudgy, opted to lose weight because he was worried that might have been the issue, but it wasn't. They didn’t take notice to the alarming loss in body fat, the two didn’t even really bat an eye. 

So he thought it could be because of his personality, which was typically strong-willed and independent. But he wouldn't feel comfortable if he had to change that even if Juliana ordered him to be the meek omega people wanted him to be. He had even ditched the omega classes he was enrolled in because they would just teach him how to be obedient and how to make his alpha happy. But he didn't have an alpha technically because Juliana hadn’t claimed him yet. Shae was starting to feel a little desperate, he didn’t really know what he could do. 

Though because of Juliana and Damien hadn’t claimed him it left Shae the most vulnerable of them all.  The inability or refusal to claim your omega partner after their first or second heat was perceived as weakness to other Alphas. Everyday walking to school or home there would be hungry eyes following him, waiting for the moment to strike. To the eyes of the Alphas in town, Shae was free game to mount and claim because his lovers had failed to do so. He told Juliana and Damien about his worries but they had dismissed them as foolish because nothing like that in their city had ever been reported. Juliana and Damien just started scenting him extra to assuage his fear of being attacked by another alpha. And it worked for a while, having the scents of the ones he loved around him gave him the confidence not to notice and it semi-repelled stranger Alphas. And so Shae had been trying to be content with that for the time being until the moment came where he would bare claim bites of his own.

[saintsnsinnersbdb]

Angels and Demons: The End of the Beginning Part 3

Written by @Lassiter_SASBDB.

https://www.twitlonger.com/show/n_1srd6dm

“Bitch, we need to talk”. As I shove her back and kick the door shut the words echo in the cavernous hall. The old three-story former warehouse might meet the Historic Society’s requirements on the outside, but the inside is pure 21st century. The entryway ceiling uses all those three stories, the floors done in large, glossy marble tiles in shades of cream and golden brown and the walls tastefully echoing the cream in the tiles. Somewhere behind her hanging stairs went up to the second and third floors, glass railing opening them to the sumptuous living room behind the curvy, black-haired image the demon in front of me projected. Devina always /had/ liked the best money could buy. And she bought plenty. Quickly, she masks her initial shock at seeing me earth walking again and settles her beautiful -fake- features into a sultry sneer as she catches herself against the wall. “Well, well, well, if it isn’t my angel boy-toy back from the dead. And,” her discerning black eyes narrow as she looks at me, “It looks like you’ve gotten an upgrade. Not just an angel anymore are you Lass? But deity-level? Really? After the way you FAILED the Creator? What, do you have blackmail on him or something?” Rage, hate, and, yes, I can own it, even pain burble inside me like molten ore and I want nothing so much as to level this whole damned place with her in it. Once-upon-a-time I would have. When I was a younger, less-experienced angel who let a demon’s glamour fool him into believing she was something else. But not now. Yes, I CAN be taught. I intend to kill her but not level the whole block doing it. Besides, the feel of my hands around her neck might just be cathartic. “Shut your mouth cunt unless you’re asked a question. And I have a few. The answers you give me might make a difference.” In whether she dies easy or hard. But let her have hope. ‘You think you can hurt me? Didn’t work out so well for you last time did it angel-boy?” she hisses the words at me before changing her tactics and assuming that soft, gentle façade that had once persuaded me she was a fallen angel who had been unjustly treated. “Don’t be like that baby. I was just doing what I had to.” Her mouth goes into a pout as she gives me big sad puppy eyes. “You have no idea how competitive Hell is. And the price of failure…” she shudders “is just too awful.” She slinks up to me and lays her hand on my chest as she looks up at me, the fake tears she can call up at will brimming in her eyes. “I really /did/ love you Lass, but I had no choice. You see that don’t you?” She’s like a fucking cobra, using her eyes and voice to mesmerize her prey before she strikes. That voice is loaded with magical coercion and she’s pressing her body against me, giving me the impression of soft breasts pressing against my body. Her fingertips trail lightly down my chest towards my belt buckle and I know exactly where she’s going with this. Grabbing her hand, I shove her back. “Not this time Devina. I see you now. You females are always saying men don’t really “see them” but I see you. I see what your evil soul looks like. I see your true face. I smell the stink of rotten meat and sulfur you give off. Nothing you do can make you beautiful. Your sex is nothing but a hellhole you use to damn the naïve.” Her beautiful face and body fade away for an instant as the truth of my words hit home. For a moment she’s nothing but melted flesh slowly oozing off a skeleton, the flashing black eyes empty sockets, the luxurious hair and body gone. And then she’s back. She’s too vain to let the glamour go for long. “You’re going to regret that Lassiter,” She growls as she lunges for me, a silver knife appearing in her hand. “Breaking the rules now?” Easily, I avoid her, grabbing her wrist and squeezing it until bones crack and she drops the blade. “Manifesting weapons is prohibited here and you know it. We’re to use what the mortals use when we fight.” She growls up at me through gritted teeth, “Rules are for fools! And if I was at full strength we’d just see who was better.” I gotta raise an eyebrow at that. She’s just admitted weakness, but why wasn’t she at full strength? Still, all the easier to kill her. As I release her wrist with one hand, I grab her around the neck with my other tightening it enough to lift her off the floor. I can feel the magick begin to stir again. She’s trying to materialize another weapon. With my free hand, I draw a dagger from beneath the black leather coat – exactly why I wore it in this heat. I might sweat like a hooker trying to short her pimp in this heat, but it conceals weapons like a boss. Pressing it against her gut hard enough to draw a few drops of blood I snarl, “Not today bitch. I can play by the rules and still wipe the floor with your ass. Now you’re going to answer some questions. Why are you here in Caldwell?” She gasps as though she can’t breathe but I’m not squeezing that hard -yet-. “Like I’d tell you!” I don’t alter my grip but I press the dagger a little deeper. Her eyes widen as she feels the drip of blood increase to a trickle down her abdomen. “You might wanna reconsider that answer.” “R and R!” It comes out a gasp. “Really,” I answer skeptically. “You picked good old Caldwell, NY for a little vacay. Not someplace sandy and sunny. No Rodeo Drive here. No Fifth Avenue. Good old humid-in-the-summer-no-beach-no-exclusive-shopping-district-Caldwell.” It doesn’t add up. She only shows up where she can cause disaster. My grip on her throat tightens as a cold resolve runs through me. I /will/not/have her laying her dirty claws on the Brothers or the race in general. The Creator made me their fucking deity and I /will/ protect them from this bitch! “Let’s try it again. Why. Are. You. Here. She only gasps a whimper this time. And then it happens. I’m suddenly aware that the subtle background buzz of street noise has stopped. Devina isn’t struggling anymore but her eyes are frozen open in real fear. And then I don’t see anything but white light on another plane and the only noise I hear is the Creator’s voice. ‘You must not kill her Lassiter. She has a purpose here.’ Mentally I begin swearing but keeping it mental doesn’t keep Him from hearing it, because, damn it, He’s in my head. “But why? Doesn’t the race have enough to deal with in the Omega without this demon causing shit? Why can’t she go stir up trouble in, oh, I don’t know, maybe the Gobi desert? Someplace where there are more scorpions than people!” I can hear His sigh and yeah, here it comes, another Deity-teaching-moment. ‘All beings have a destiny, Lassiter. Mortals, demons, angels, even deities. To a certain point, it is self-determining in that their choices guide the path they take and the destination they reach. I do not interfere in how they make their choices or the repercussions of them. Free will is necessary for souls to learn and evolve. Someone else made a series of bad choices and a repercussion of that is why Devina is free.’ Ok, I’m slow some days, but not THAT slow… “What do you mean “is free”? She wasn’t free and now she is? You let her go? What?!!!” ‘Devina lost her last battle. It was to have been the final conflict between angels and demons for humanity but,” and I can feel His mental shrug “Free will freed her again. And in this case that free will was exercised by a vampire, so I cannot promise you it will not turn her attention to the species when she is able.’ I remain quiet while I digest this, finally pouncing on the last word. “What’s that mean, “when she is able”? She’s not able to cause havoc right now? Because I can feel her magick and she can still glamour.” ‘The essence of evil is unchanged in her, but her ability to use it without assistance from mortal souls was greatly weakened. Caldwell was the site of her loss and the site from which she was recalled. She has not the power to move from this location at present let alone cause mass casualties, but she /is/ seeking to rebuild it. Eventually, she will succeed. However, you /could/ delay the inevitable.” “How…” my mental voice trails off as realization strikes. “The guy she trolled home last night. Not her first since she’s been back, is it? She’s building a well of souls and is strengthening from it isn’t she?” ‘And now you begin to understand. Yes, she is. By forcing her to free them, you will put her back at square one.’ The approval in His voice is warming, even if it’s not something I’m particularly after right now since I’m pissed He let her get out to begin with. ‘You cannot restore their mortal lives to them. Those, they lost as a result of those choices I mentioned before. But none were truly evil and the souls can be released to move on. You are forbidden to kill her or to interfere in the consequences of the choices the mortals she seduces make. But you can continue to force her to free the souls for so long as you can find her. This,’ a touch of humor enters His voice, ‘will no doubt now become more difficult. It is nearly inevitable she will eventually reach her former strength, but delaying it as long as you can is within your mandate of protecting the species. Now, son, do we have an understanding?’ Sighing myself, because I had SO been looking forward to ganking this bitch, I answer. “We do.” ‘You have done a fine job since Annalise stepped down. I must admit, I questioned her choice at first, but she chose well. You are what the vampire race needs now. Her areas of weakness are your strengths. You have made me proud of both of you. Do not change that.’ I bow my head for a moment at the combination backhanded compliment and threat before answering. “I’ll do my best. For the first time in my existence, I love something enough to die to protect it.” He answers me kindly, ‘You have always had that within you son. It’s just that only now do you have the judgement to do so intelligently.’ And just as suddenly I’m back. The background noise resumes. Devina’s squirming and gasping under my grasp. Fuck, even the smell of her smacks me in the face again. Ruthlessly, I increase the pressure on her throat “Next question. What happened to the guy you brought home last night. And the night before that. And before that. And etc.… And don’t fucking tell me ‘nothing’ because I know damned well they’re dead. Where are their souls?” It comes out a gasping growl… “They CHOSE to come with me! They’re mine!” “No.They.Aren’t.” I push the dagger in another half inch. The trickle that had almost slowed around the blade tip becomes a flow and she groans. “I want them Devina. Either you free them now and I let you go or I kill you now and I’ll find them all and they’ll go free anyway. Up to you. I’d really like to kill you but I’d rather not spend the time looking for your stash. So cough ‘em up or I’ll leave you bleeding out on the floor like you did me 800 years ago.” An anguished scream escapes her throat as I loosen my grip a little and then the magick happens. From all through the house, all around us translucent forms appear. What had initially registered in my brain as grotesque objects d’art became blank canvases or puddles of molten bronze on the floor. Stone sculptures fell into pebbles. More and more joined the ones around us, some floating down from the upper levels, some rising through the floor from what must be a chamber of horrors in a basement. As they mill around in confusion and distress, rheapers appear to guide them, often offering words of comfort. That’s their job, mostly, and after meeting Wellsie and her young in the in-between, it’s one I don’t envy them. The few I’d ever talked to told me they got a lot of satisfaction from protecting and helping confused souls find their way but still, it’s a tough gig. One rheaper in particular casts a look of grim disgust at Devina and puts his hand on the sword at his waist, but I shake my head. If she’s not for me, she’s not for you either, I mentally tell him. He heaves a disgruntled sigh and turns from us to assist the others and then, as quickly as they’d come forth, all are gone. “They don’t like you much, do they?” I ask mildly. “Kind of makes me like the guys. I’d always thought rheapers were kind of creepy but I guess we all have a purpose.” She’s weaker already, struggling so much at maintaining her glamour that she’s stopped resisting, putting all her energy into it. I pull the dagger out and resheath it, then lower her back to the ground and let her go. She drops to her knees, her hand pressing the outside of the black silk robe she wore to the wound I’d left in her stomach. “You’re going to pay for this Lassiter!” “Don’t be a drama llama. That little jab will heal in no time. Not as quick as it would if you still had major mojo, but unfortunately there’s power in innate evil, so you’ll be fine in a few hours. But you might want to wear a scarf if you go out this morning to cover those bruises on your neck. Or you could just say you like it rough,” shrugging. But whateves’, it’s not my problem.” “I’ll go to the police. I’ll describe you, tell them you broke in and attacked me! Look at you! You’re hard to miss and there are cameras everywhere!” And now I gotta laugh. “Please, bitch. That’s all you got? Are you THAT weak without mortal souls to feed on? You must have gotten one Hell of a right cross to the mojo. We both know you don’t have any security cameras on this place and that you’ve fritzed every single one on this street and the main drag so there’s no record of you bringing your victims here. But even if there were…” raises my hand and snaps my fingers” It’s all gone, just like that. Every camera in a 10-block radius just lost the last 24 hours. She throws her head back and howls in rage at me from the floor as I lean back against the door with my arms crossed. Finally, she drops her head back and glares at me, panting heavily. “All done there? Good. One more thing.” Pushing off from the door, I let my massive wings appear and unfold. “I’m going to be watching you Devina. We aren’t done yet.” Without bothering to open the door I spread my wings and shimmer up and out, still angry at the fact I have to leave her breathing. Rematerializing high in the sky above Caldwell I expand my wings fully and hover for a moment. I could go back to the manse, but I feel dirty just having been in Devina’s presence. Too dirty to be around people I care about. It’s daylight. Nobody will miss me and there’s a waterfall high in the Andes that’s calling my name. Maybe it will wash away the filth. Fucking Devina.

[thenerdinthecorner994]

Given, part 1/3

-This is a “short” story I’ve been working on for over a year. It’s more of a novella really, and gives good insight into my fantasy world, which I've been working on for two and a half years. This is very high fantasy and has a lot of world building in it, there isn’t any action in part one, but the stuff you learn here will explain everything in parts two and three, which should come out in the next few weeks.  With that, enjoy!-        Wind blew softly through the forest clearing, rustling the leaves of the squat trees that guarded it. Carrying with it the scent of pine,  ashes, and blood. A massive grey wolf sniffed at the carcass of an elk. Baring his teeth and snarling as it pulled away. “What could have brought something that big down? I don’t see any wounds...” A man with green hair mused to himself. The elk soon drew attention, as more men gathered around it. Many with the same dark green hair as the man inspecting it, and others with golden blond hair, muttered quietly to themselves.        The elk had no wounds, no evidence of bite or claw marks, or even holes from being gouged by another horned beast. The wolf continued to pace around it, sniffing. This was a disturbing sight. An elk, dead right in the middle of the village. Something was clearly wrong here.        A small boy squeezed his way through the crowd. His Pumpkin orange hair was not shared by any of the other men, and the shadows the trees cast upon his skin seemed to shift and move with him as he approached the elk. The wolf snarled, as did some of the green and golden haired men. “We’ve already inspected the carcass boy. Nothing more to see here.” Voiced a stern, green haired man.  The boy seemed to pay them no mind as he placed his hands upon the elks stomach and grunted. “What do you think you’re doing boy!” Snarled the man. The orange haired child said nothing, grunting , heaving, pushing, until finally he managed to roll the carcass onto its other side.         A single, tiny red feather was flattened against the beasts skin. The boy pulled on the feathers, a long slim dart coming out bloodstained from the creature. “Night shallow makes excellent tranquilizers.” the boy explained. He slipped the dart into a pouch at his waist,  then pressed an ear against the creature's stomach, right up to where its heart would beat. The wolf's ears perked up. Blood still flowed through this creatures veins. The dart had just put it into a deep sleep. “You Fallborn are cowards. A true man would have brought the creature down with an arrow, or hunted it as one with the beast.” The man with green hair spat. “Are we not already beasts ourselves? Using the gifts the Watcher gives us is just as honorable as taking it down with arrows or claws.” The boy retorted. He unsheathed a small, curved dagger from a sash at his waist.  “Thank you, great Watcher, for this blessing, and for all those to come. “ With that, he drew the blade across the beast's neck, warm blood gushed out from the wound and painted the grass it lie on red.       A few hours later, after the boy had skinned the beast and stepped away from the bloody work, he fell back to the well to wash off the blood that covered his arms and torso. As the sun began to fall from its zenith, The elder tribe members stepped in and began to cut thick venison steaks from the creature.

      Born in the autumn, the time of death, age, and change, he was the weakest and most despised of all his tribe. The Autumnborn, or Fallen, his kind were called. Or even worse, weaklings, runts, or omegas. Willow watched his brethren cut the steaks and portion the meat as he poured water from the wooden pail over his arms, scrubbing with his hands to get the blood off. For killing the beast he would receive the largest steak, and kept its horns as trophies. The small rack was tied against the sash at his waist. The buck had only been about 2 years old judging from the size of its antlers. As he was inspecting them, a sudden chill ran up his spine.       He immediately looked ahead of him to the left. A pair of cold, white eyes stared back at him. Their owner a tall, muscular man with a close cut  white beard and hair down to his shoulders. Harsh red scars covered him all over, his arms, his face, his neck, his bare torso. They stood out like blood on snow, as this man was unnaturally pale. His eyes were pure white, no pupil, no iris. He watched from afar, eventually turning his gaze to the Spring and Summerborn preparing the meat.

       His people, the Yl’vori were all so different. The appearance of the Yl’vori reflected the seasons of their birth; Those born in spring, the time of rebirth, growth, and beginnings, had dark green hair. There eyes and sometimes their skin favoring the dark green shades of leaves.        Those born in Summer, the time of toil, fertility, and dedication,  had eyes of gleaming yellow. They always had beautiful blond hair, lighter skin, and had an unnatural charisma about them. Out of all of his people, the Summerborn looked the most similar in appearance to those not native to the forests.       The majority of all his people were Spring, or Summerborn, Willow knew. Even as he looked around he saw the dark greens and golden yellows of his brethren. But the harsher seasons, Winter and Fall, were far less common to have children born in. One born leaders… and the others ignored and rejected.      Willow looked again at the pale eyed man. It was said Winterborn had white hair from the day they came into the world. Their skin was pale as snow too, so pale that he could see the man's dark blue veins beneath his skin even from this distance. So pale that it seemed to bother them when they were out in the sun too long. Winterborn were always the strongest of the Yl’vori, their appearance reflecting the attributes of death, rest, and finality. A Winterborns word was law, and no one questioned it.      One Winterborn entered the world every generation, and one only. Born naturally into the role of a leader. The Cheiftan of their tribe, chosen from amongst the strongest of the winterborn would become a Sentinel. Undergoing a strange, secretive ritual that made their eyes lose all color, but in turn let them see all. 

      The Sentinels were the ones that decided the Attributes; the things that reflected what each Yl’vori was a part of, and what the season he was born in meant of him. When a new Sentinel was created, should they ever wish, they could change them. However, this had not been changed for thousands of years.

      The Attributes had been a long founded tradition, mother had told him. Ingrained like the roots of old trees, they held strong and would not bend or break to a change of  generation. The Attributes were what made them who they were, and what shaped their society. Without it they would be no more than savages.       The Winter, Spring, and Summerborn all had places in the tribe. And while Autumnborn technically did, they hadn’t received those rights until just a decade ago. Autumnborn reflected the attributes of change, weakness and age. One of the main reasons they were dismissed so much was because of the attributes. The other reason being a long found tradition of using the Autumnborn as sacrifices to appease the gods.       Appearance wise, Autumnborn had a much larger template to draw from. The Autumn born were the only Yl’vori that were able to change their appearance at will, a blessing gifted to them by the Watcher. Summer and Springborn saw this as deceitful and cowardly. He could make himself look like one of his brethren, but sooner or later they would find out, most likely through a Sentinel.       A Sentinel was never fooled by a Autumnborns change in appearance. Their colorless eyes saw all.  They saw the panthers hiding in the night, the leopard blending in with the trees, the pythons that could be mistaken as loose vines, or the adder that looked like a pile of leaves. No trick of light or camouflage could deceive the Winterborn’s chosen.       Willows kind were often called ‘The Fallen’ and were never given names. If one wanted to refer to a Fallen, or grab their attention, the only names ever used were ‘Fall’. Of course, Autumnborn gave themselves names, like Willow had himself.       After scrubbing off all the blood, he placed the bucket back into the well, and headed back to the Given’s hollow. The trunk of a massive tree had been carved out, with a spiraling staircase going up and up and up for hundreds of feet, leading into the carved out hollow where he lived.      The space inside the hollow was wide and dusty. the wood dry and smooth from years of other Given using it. A wicker rocking chair was in one corner, a small shelf held many books, their titles read in the common tongue. Their leather bound edges were well worn, and many of the pages were torn or even missing. These were the books that had been used for generations.      The shelf was on the wall next to an open window, beneath which a pair of sleeping mats were set out. Willow was so high above the clearing, he could see the entire tribe bellow him.    “How did that go?” A soft voice called out of nowhere. Willow flinched momentarily, heart racing as he feared he might fall. He turned, looking for the source of the voice and seeing the rocking chair move.      Slowly the form of a woman appeared sitting on the chair. Her skin reverting from an oaken like appearance that matched that of the chair. Her hair was the same pumpkin orange color as his. Willow untied the antlers from the sash at his waist, gently setting them on the ground beside his bed mat. “I see. Did the Night Tallow work?” “It did. They seemed surprised at the use of tranquilizers… although I suppose we did stop the practice of using them about a decade ago.” Willow mused. “Alchemy and History, we’ll make a Given of you yet.” His mother laughed. “That’s what I’m afraid of.” Willow replied, eyes downcast.        Every decade, The Yl’vori tribe would send an envoy to their sister tribe the Yl’vora. Similar to the Yl’vori in practice, but opposite in nature. The Yl’vora were a female only tribe, while the Yl’vori were obviously all male. The two tribes had their differences, and it said that they broke from the one tribe they all used to be a part of, The Yl’voran. When that was, no one could remember.       Clearly the practice of separating sexes would leave both tribes to die off in mere decades. So, every ten years the tribes would groom one of their own for the duties of a Given. An offering to the other tribe so that the bloodline of the Yl’voran could continue.      The Given were the only people of opposite sex in the respective tribes. Given were exchanged when the children were each of age ten. Prepared for ten years since birth by their own tribe, and then exchanged to the others. The previous Given, who had already been in the tribe for 10 years, would then train the new member of the tribe for 5 years. Some trained longer however. The last Given exchange hadn’t happened do to a feud of the tribes, but soon the exchange would happen.      Willow had thought the extra 4 years he had been given were a blessing, but he was quickly realizing the more time he spent with his mother, the more he grew attached, the harder it would be to leave her. 

      His mother was the only person that he could empathize with. She did not have a name either, but she still held much higher rank than an Autumnborn.     “Who are the two current leaders of the Yl’voran?” His mother questioned suddenly. She liked to do that, give him random questions to answer on the spot.  “Tydrin the Winterclaw and Dalaina the Morning Lilly.” Willow replied, “Easy.” Mother raised an eyebrow.  “Very well. Who are Tydrin’s daughters and Dalaina’s sons?” That gave Willow pause. Those were much more than two simple names. He honestly didn’t know. Witnessing his pause, his mother smiled in triumph. “Trick question. Given only produce offspring of the opposite sex. Tydrin only has sons, and Dalaina only has daughters.”    “Funny. He doesn't treat me like one.”

      It was difficult for Willow to recognize Tydrin as his father, but no matter how much he despised it, he was still his parent. Willow shook the matter from his head.   “Why do Given only produce offspring opposite of their own sex?”    “No one knows exactly. Perhaps it's the Watchers whims, maybe an aftereffect of the great plague perhaps?”       Willow had heard stories of the great plague. A sweeping disease that spread across the entire continent. Leaving women infertile for years and nearly wiping out humanity itself. Infertility was seen as a curse to the Yl’voran.   “No plague could be greater than the Autumnborn are to the Yl’vori.” Willow said, “Everything is going to change. I’m going to leave behind everything I know, my entire life. The only thing that’s going to stay the same is that I’m still Autumnborn.”       That, was what made Willow so strange. He was Given, a title often respected and honored. But yet he was also Fallen. A thing it seemed almost everyone had to despise. A Spring or Summerborn Given would be honored among the Yl’vori, but Willow… he was just ignored.      His mother eyed him sternly. “Being Autumnborn is not the worst thing in the world, Willow. You have received a far better treatment than others like you. Years ago Fallen were thrown into the Deepwoods straight out of the womb. Until one day when the gods had enough of these murders. Do you remember the story?” Another one of Mother's questions. Willow sighed, taking a deep breath and reciting the story.

   “Toris Stormbane was the only Sentinel the gods have ever punished. As he turned his back on his screaming child that he just left in the woods, The Watcher sent a murder of crows as black as Toris’s heart to tear out his eyes. From that day forward, The Yl’vori waited until the child reached his tenth nameday.“ Willow recalled the story with perfect clarity. It was one that he liked. It showed that the gods were not as one sided as his tribe was. Even those of the highest rank could be punished.       As much as he hated it, Willow could understand why his brothers ignored him. Ten years ago, all his kind were good for was appeasing the angry spirits of the cursed Deepwoods.       Suddenly, a roar, loud as a crack of thunder echoed through the forest clearing. Sending shivers up Willows spine. It continued on for what felt like minutes, slowly echoing away into nothingness.    “Be glad your not a Winterborn. Their trials may seem easier than yours at times, but you never have to face those creatures. “ Mother said, gesturing out the window towards the source of the sound.       The sound seemed to have come from the Deepwoods, a section of the forest that few dare entered. It was said the ghosts of the dead, starved, craven, and deserters haunted those woods. The angry spirits of animals were trapped there. Seething for eternity in their hatred against the one that hadn’t perform the ritual to release their spirit into the afterlife.  It was said the angry souls of all the Autumnborn left their generations ago found their vengeance on any fool  that wandered to far into the woods.      If you slept close to the Deepwoods, you could hear whispers, and rasping and muttered cursing and screaming and it would turn your dreams to nightmares for a month. Those woods were cursed, but they were what guarded his people from outsiders.       He was to be Given within the week. And they were supposed to travel through those woods. Mother said the Yl’vora didn’t treat their Autumnborn with hatred. That might be nice, if he survived the trip there.       He would leave behind everything he knew. He would go from hated and rejected to honored and respected.  Willow didn’t know how to feel about that.  -Thank you so, so, so much for reading all of this. If you have any questions about writing or just want to talk, please feel free to message me! I should have part two out within a week or two, please tell me your thoughts if you have any, I love to hear back from you!- -The nerd in the corner

[vikktus]

headcanon 003.

first and foremost, i want to remind everyone reading this that this is only hypothesis, and based on my own reasoning and/or headcanon. bioware has clearly shown no interest in having set-in-stone regulations for facial markings, or they do have them but don’t want to share. regardless, my obsessive mind wants to have some type of order to their culture, so here we are! If there’s anything you’d like to discuss, especially something that seems to contradict please message me! i would love to talk about my sweet bird lizard children. with that over with, i’ll get into it. The TL;DR is just below, in case this isn’t something you’d want to really spend 5 minutes reading about, but are curious. thank you for reading !

TL;DR things that influence facial markings in turian society

family- shape

place of birth/”ethnicity”/colony where family is from- color

social status- color and/or shape

WHY DO TURIANS HAVE FACIAL MARKINGS? so this first section goes all the way back to the unification wars in the way-way back of turian history. to understand their markings at all, one needs to know at least this little tid-bit of turian history! for much of their early, civilized history, turians existed in small clusters, and as one could assume in close familial groups. they lived on colonies farthest from palaven, and therefore farthest from the hierarchy  (  the governing body of the turians  )  and essentially out of their control. these colonies were led by local chieftans and, as time went, animosity between colonies became increasingly common. turians began wearing facial markings to differentiate themselves from each other.1 this is where the hierarchy decided to simply not intervene at all. they allowed the colonies to slowly wear each other down, and they did, for years. if you’re curious as to who fought, there is a list here !

once there were less than a dozen factions still willing to fight, the hierarchy stepped in. like the romans conquering, the turian government swooped in and took control, and the ambiguous “chieftans” were renewed in their alliance to the government. “to this day, most turians still wear the facial markings of their home colonies.”1

so, turians have facial markings for the same reason that we have college sweatshirts and hats even after we graduate: pride in their history. we can assume that most, if not all of turian markings can be associated with their place of birth, or their family's original home. I like to think about it as a way to distinguish different “ethnicities” from each other.

WHAT ARE THE MARKINGS MADE OF? the human war hero john grissom describes palaven as such: “the only thing on this planet that isn't silver are the turians. it's all too clear they're made of steel." an asari diplomat describes it as “a silver world of fortresses and fire.” from these two observations, we can safely assume that palaven is not particularly colorful, and contains a soil most likely made up of more precious metals than anyone on earth would like. the markings are most likely some type of permanent paint, perhaps made from these common minerals found on palaven.  (  similar to how we would make paint from colorful rocks like hematite, limonite, kaolinite, glauconite ) it is essentially, the turian version of a “tattoo”. i’d like to point out that it’s clear that markings are not hereditary.  (  e.g. vetra and sid  /  garrus and his father  )  they are painted on at some point during a turian’s early life, and are most likely can change if someone’s life status changes.

THE TERM BAREFACED AND ITS SOCIAL CONNOTATIONS almost anywhere i’ve looked, the term “barefaced” comes up a lot in regards to facial markings. “the lack of facial markings is looked down upon in turian society; the turian term "barefaced" refers to one who is beguiling or not to be trusted. it is also a slang term for politicians.” ‘barefaced’ is clearly a slur of some kind, and it’s quite clear why. without facial markings, you aren’t really a part of a family  (  or a group, in regards to smugglers/outcasts  )  turians live in a very family-oriented society, and without your familial markings, you are truly and fully an outcast. In regards to it being slang for a politicians, i can assume it has one or two meanings. of course it is an insult  (  something not truly uncommon if you’re in a political office  )  but there is clear context based on the unification wars. the hierarchy itself stepped in to stop any fighting between smaller clans, where facial markings were more present. Perhaps since the turian colonists dislikes the hierarchy so much, the term “barefaced” became associated with the original politicians who stopped the unification wars. since then  (  using both garrus and adrien as an example  )  palaven families seems to have developed their own markings.

you can see a small list of ‘barefaced’ turians from ME and ME2 here !

From here on out, this is a lot of speculation and hypothesis!

FAMILIAL MARKINGS ! as i’ve said previously, it can be assumed that turians live in singular groups of one family or a group of close-knit families. from what we’ve been shown, families either have the exact same markings  (  adrien and tarquin  )  or similar markings  (  garrus and his father. 1  /  2  ) this of course goes back to the idea that people from the same original colonies wore similar markings. i think it’s safe to assume that turians are able to tell each other if they are related or not via facial markings. another example is the kandros’s clearly, nyreen  (  and this unnamed cousin  )  are no longer a part of the family, thanks to their choice of . . . occupation.  (  though i will get into nyreen and other “ outcasts “ in turian society later.  )  facial markings are a sign of being  “  accepted  “  , a part of a family, something looked upon as being the norm and  “  positive  “  in turian society. without facial markings, or with a certain type of facial markings, you are below the bottom of the social class.

SOCIAL CLASS ! from what we’ve seen, the higher the social class of the individual, the more facial markings they seem to have. the two turian councillor sparatus and quentius both have facial markings covering their whole face. other examples include general corinthus and nihlus kryik. everyone’s favorite primarch adrien victus is also an example of this. almost his entire face, as well as his crest. in this case there is a vice-versa. the less markings you have, the lower your social  “  rank.  “  examples include, vetra nyx, sidera nyx, and of course everyone’s favorite gay mercenary nyreen kandros ! they all have limited facial markings, and all of them are considered outcasts among the hierarchy. in andromeda, of course, a lot of turians came to escape the hierarchy and the idea of social ranking, which makes sense, all things considering. vetra and sid lived the life of a smuggler and never attended the mandatory boot camp for all turians at age 15. nyreen kandros left the family to  “  go pirate  “  on omega, according to her cousin tiran, obviously she’s no longer welcome in the family. we could assume that because kandros left as well  (  looking for his “ adventure “  )  that he also changed his markings to match his new  “  lifestyle.  “

this is simply theory, but i propose that turian smugglers or pirates or individuals simply not considering a “ traditional ” part of society have markings that go across or around the eyes and the eyes only. sid and vetra are the clearest example of this, thought nyreen also could be considered as one. color as well seems to play a part in the social hierarchy. from what we’ve seen  (  see the previous three examples  )  turian markings are often white, peach-ish, silver, or blue. red is worn by both sid and nyreen, and vetra is the only one known to have purple markings. my best assumption is that the more brightly colored, the farther outside the hierarchy the individual lives.

PLACE OF BIRTH/”ETHNICITY” ! finally i can reference canon again! like i quoted earlier, after the unification wars “most turians still wear the facial markings of their home colonies.” of course the turian population, because it is a galaxy-faring race it has a total “canon” population  (  counting palaven and all the listed colonies in canon  )  of 22 trillion people, though most likely more, has countless family groups and colonies. in the past, specifically just after the unification wars, we know that there were very few colonies left. this could result in the similar markings between turians thought to be completely different: they’re from the same colony! though i think that familial markings are more prominent than the colony ones, it must have some type of significance.

FACTORS THAT MAY CHANGE AN INDIVIDUAL’S MARKINGS

CHANGE IN STATUS: example: nyreen kandros ! she’s known to had “ abandoned “ her family in favor of another life on omega. it’s safe to assume she changed her facial markings because she does not have matching markings as her cousin, kandros does.

MARRIAGE: this is a personal headcanon of mine, and i would like to simply put it out there as an idea. for turians, marriage is truly a union. unlike humanity, who for much of their history regarded women as second-rate and ‘property’ of men, there is no social difference between males & females in turian society. you ‘worth’ in society is determined by your military prowess, not your genitalia. when turians marry, they will often redo their facial markings so that it is a combination of the two markings. some may completely change their markings to match their partners’.

MORE TBA 

thank you for reading, i hope you enjoyed reading my RIDICULOUS LONG headcanon post! I hope you like it, and i hope i don’t sound too crazy lmao !! here are a couple good links if you wanna see more about facial markings

http://gaming.wikia.com/wiki/Turians:_The_Unification_War

http://masseffect.livejournal.com/598948.html#2t

http://masseffect.answers.wikia.com/wiki/How_does_the_turian_face_paint_system_work

[mystradefatlock]

What about a civilization AU where Greg is a king or an emperor of sorts and is actively looking for an Omega to make his queen? But of course, as this has to do with fatlock, the larger the Omega the better.

-----

This has a bit more Moran/Mycroft, but I promise there will be more Mystrade later on. 

TW: Immobility

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Part II 

It was a slightly warm day out in the courtyard, and though normally, it would be an odd sight that it was completely barren, most people were busy inside, prepping the royal Omega for a trip that had such great importance to their nation, if based solely on the prospect of a joint arrangement of their nation to the more powerful, (in terms of armies at least) nation of Emperor Lestrade's.

But for Mycroft, it seemed tedious, and frankly he was nervous. For the longest time, he had pushed out the thoughts of settling down with an Alpha, especially when he was much younger. In his younger days, he heard countless stories of Alphas degrading Omegas, and the constant depravity that Omegas had to endure due to an Alpha's headstrong and brutish nature, but as time did progress, as did the rights of Omegas, and besides, of course the prospect of progressive Alphas existing was always a possibility to entertain.

Research, as well as common knowledge led to most societies functioning with a dual government, one of Alpha leadership in the battlefield, and an Omega leadership in the home front, dealing with more intellectual matters. That is, the keyword, most. Most societies were progressive, but some were still stuck in the past, and an Omega was considered more as an accessory of an Alpha's wealth, and with that fact alone, he was nervous, nervous that as soon as he left the safety of the manor's walls, that it would be to no choice of his own to be picked by the Emperor. After all, Emperor Lestrade's nation was known for war brutality, as well as a history of "accessory queens", though in all technicalities, the queen or Omega was to have the intellectual power, under the precursor of treaty of all the nations, some would say that the Omega had power, but were nothing but pawns.

And yet, there he was sat there, deep in thought as hand maids fussed on, trying at first to get him into the bath. 

"Madame..." A meek maid started, trying her hardest to get his attention. Mycroft snapped back into attention as he glanced over at her, with a slight smile. "I'm sorry Adeline, I was lost in thought." He explained. 

"Ah yes, madame... well it's just that, the bath water is getting cold." She said quietly. Despite being the royal Omega's handmaid for many years now, she still found herself staring intently at his immense size. It was a bit of a marvel to her how large royal Omegas got. It was common knowledge that all Omegas get larger after mating with their Alpha, but most common folk never got to the truly massive size that most royalty did, mating or not, lavish foods and lack of the need for hard labor lead to their overfed physiques.

"Oh, of course, but you'll need help, send the guards in?" He said, a bit hesitant. He wanted nothing more than to stay in bed, in the safety of their kingdom, but of course fate would have it otherwise. The young handmaid nodded quietly, before rushing off, only returning moments later with a half a dozen strong Alphas. 

The Alphas Guards who served the Omega queen, or any Omega queen for that matter, had to undergo a somewhat rigorous training, to avoid certain things such as, well, arousal or infatuation when in the presence of the queen, but that never stopped a guard, here or there slipping up from their duties. That was the case with one young guard, who upon seeing Mycroft clad only in an almost fully sheer dressing robe, in all of his enormity, blushed a deep red as he fidgeted where he stood, trying his hardest to maintain the strong composure as all the other, much older guards did. With a discreet nudge, from his superior, he straighten out, eyes averted from the queen.

Their leader, Moran, a middle aged man with a large and rather muscular build, wordlessly moved to the queen's side, to his right, as he always did when moving him. The others followed in suit, with the youngest, taking his place thereafter. He looked for guidance as he found it hard to focus, as he got closer, the Omega's scent was alluring to say the least, and even closer he could see the curves of soft fat, clinging to the thin fabric of his dressing gown.

Mycroft smirked as he glanced over to their leader, "Moran, you've been doing this job for a good few years now, how about you do me a favor?" He whispered in mock seductiveness. 

The man was used to this at this point, knowing how well the queen liked to use his allure to get his way, he tried to stay stoic but glanced at his men briefly, and when he was satisfied that they were all face forward, marching down the hallway to the bathing room, he glanced back at him. "And what would that be your highness?" He said in a voice barely above a whisper.

The ginger grinned. "What about we take a detour from the destination? I'd much rather see the woods that be off in an awfully dull meeting with some chauvinistic, pig headed, Alpha." He giggled a bit, before whispering, "No offense to you of course, you're different." He teased.

Moran smirked to himself in amusement. "Madame, we have strict orders from your brother to stay on track." He answered in an attempt to remain formal, as he lead the others to follow his lead in gently lowering the queen into the bathing pool. Mycroft glanced at him quietly. "Surely, you could accommodate such a small request?" He continued, with a slight smile. The oldest guard shook his head, and remained stoic, as much as he could muster, before signaling to his men to face the wall. The maids took this as their cue to strip the royal Omega of his robe, exposing even more of his full and vast bulk. He let out a sigh as he settled into the warm water, even the slightest movement causing his rolls of flab to move, water slightly rising to overflow the pool.

He looked over at the guards, keeping their stance, eyes averted for privacy, with the exception of their leader, who had taken the duvet by the queen's side. "If it were possible to keep it to ourselves, I'm sure a slight detour for you to enjoy the forest would be good to clear your thoughts for the possible... arrangement." He said with a hint of caution in his voice. 

He knew the queen well enough, being his royal guard for many years, but for some reason, he was weary of the neighboring nation as well as their emperor. It was treasonous thoughts for it even cross his mind, but he believed that perhaps the intended end result of the union marriage between Emperor Lestrade and his queen was a ploy created by his brother, Emperor Holmes to rule in full, with his own queen for consult. 

Mycroft smiled a bit at that, "Thank you, Moran. I don't believe I've said it often enough but I value your loyalty, and friendship." 

Moran bowed in response with a soft nod, as he excused himself for a moment, along with his men. He said simply to have a maid fetch them when needed, but in his mind he couldn't shake the feeling of his own greed and perhaps the idea of conquest, countless of men challenged leaders for their positions, and yet he deemed himself too moral to do such a thing when he first began his training. All the wars have made him a loyal dog to an ambitious man, and he was content with this, until he had come to meet an Omega to change his prospect. 

He never dreamed of this, but upon meeting Mycroft, he couldn't settle for mediocrity. He wanted him to live in lavish excess as he was accustomed to, and to have the nation currently ruled by his brother. He wanted the queen and the throne to match, and he would go through great lengths to do so, which brings him to his current predicament of contracting an oracle, or some would go as far as a to say was a witch, to help his dilemma. He knew he had brawn to out match the young Alpha in battle, but the current emperor was known for cunning, and he would anticipate an attack before he had a chance to strike, which is where the oracle would come into play. 

The oracle or the witch as he was so called, was a young Omega, of a truly unusual nature. Moran had, in the early hours of the morning when the queen still slept, had crept to the nearby islands, by boat on his own accord, to scale the rocks where sirens where rumored to dwell. But he found no siren, instead he found the oracle, a small Omega, short in stature but with dark eyes that are cold and barren of life. He had a wicked smile and dark hair.

 "To what do I owe this visit for, General Moran?" 

[inhumansforever]

X-Fans are bitching that the Inhumans books should revolve around showing the alpha primitives journey as a free race instead of you know having stories about the Inhumans. Can we just drop kick these people into the sea?

Disengage.  Debating with such folks is a losing proposition; they don’t want to debate or discuss, they only want to argue and condemn.   Or counter that the X-Books should focus on The Morlocks, that the X-Men shouldn’t be composed of super good looking, ultra-privileged white folks.    

That said, I like the idea of a story or stories focusing on the the plight of The Alpha Primitives.  They’re a very important facet to Inhuman history and something that should not be forgotten or swept under the carpet.   

The Alphas were a former cloned slave caste who performed manual labor on Old Attilan. They were originally drones created via cloning and cro magnum DNA.  Over successive generations, these Alphas developed sentience and subsequently came to begrudge their Inhuman masters.  

The Inhumans themselves had become reliant on the Alphas... so much so that they suppressed their guilt over maintaining sentient slaves in order to maintain the status quo.  

Decades passed and the lot of the Alphas remained the same, as did the simmering guilt felt by the successive generations of Inhumans.  In one of his many bids to conquer his fellow Inhumans, Maximus the Mad created an enormous android called Omega.  Through some bizarre means of psychic-energy engineering, Maximus developed the means of powering this android by way of the collective feelings of guilt felt by the Inhumans over the Alphas. Maximus then utilized this android to stage a revolt among the Alphas and conquer Attilan.  

With the aide of The Fantastic Four, the Royal Family were able to defeat Omega, foil Maximus' scheme, and put down the Alphas' revolt.  In the aftermath, King Black Bolt issued a royal decree freeing the Alphas of their enslavement.  The Alphas were free but appeared to be uninterested in drastically changing their situation.  They only wanted to be left in peace to attend to the various maintenances of the city unbothered.  Sadly, the inhumans’ decision to just leave the Alphas be proved a mistake.  These beings were ill-prepared to fend for themselves and many died of illness and starvation.  

No new Alphas were created by way of cloning.  Somehow this led to a mutation in the youngest generation of Alphas whereby their developed sexual characteristics and the capacity to reproduce through procreation.  Although free, the Alphas continued as the extreme underclass of Attilan society. Many of The Inhumans still looked down upon the Alphas as inferior beings better sequestered to the darkened bowls beneath the city.  Gorgon of the Royal Family was especially contemptuous toward the Alphas... he was enraged to discover that his daughter, Alecto, had entered into a romantic relationship with a young Alpha named Reyno.   

Gorgon forbid his daughter from being with Reyno.  This led to Alecto and Reyno fleeing from Attilan, hoping to find amnesty on earth among The Fantastic Four.  In that both youths were still minors and neither had been abused, the FF had no choice but to return the kids to Attilan.  

Some time later, Black Bolt offered his blessing to Alecto and Reyno's relationship and established a settlement on the Blue Area of The Moon where Alphas and Inhumans could live together in peace outside of the strict caste confines of Attilan.  Many Alphas chose to live on thus settlement while many others chose to remain on Attilan.  Later, a great number of these remaining Alphas were banished to the negative zone by Ronan The Acuser, and their fate is thus far unrevealed.  

The few Alphas still left on Attilan were last seen during the Realm of Kings story-arc.  What became of these Alphas following the destruction of Old Attilan during the Infinity story-arc is unknown.  

The Alpha Primitives have not been seen nor even mentioned ever since the push to make The Inhumans a bigger, more prominent facet of the Marvel Universe.  In all likelihood this has been intentional in that highlighting the Inhumans as former slave owners isn't quite in tune with Marvel's standard concept of superhero protagonists.  

While this is understandable, it's also a huge mistake.  Forgetting, omitting the past does not exonerate guilt and can doom us to making the same mistakes in the future.  

Stan Lee and Jack Kirby created the Alpha Primitives as a parable for the specter of the United States' own sordid history of slavery.  

Like Attilan, America is also a former slave state... also akin to Attilan, the effects of this continue to linger in the form of racism and issues of social class.  Just pretending that the Inhumans' past history with slavery didn't happen is not that different than Americans pretending our own history of slavery didn't happen (or that it is so far in the passed that we need no longer to pay heed to it).  

The X-Men books are cool because often they address the issues of racial and social oppression.  Yet they have always failed at similarly addressing the matter of guilt and privilege.  As of such, it leaves the whole deal a half measure.