#like...even knowing the reasoning behind it...i really don't think he would be anything but hostile towards him.

[kikitakite]

I saw your callout in the Gale tag for that one user (no comment on them, tho ty for the callout bc i'd seen them in the notes of my fics) and was curious if you could elaborate on some of the Mystra incidents you described towards the end of the post? I'm new to the lore of the setting and find it hard to research (which makes sense given its importance to dnd), so I've heard a lot of conflicting things about Mystra's portrayal in the wider series. No pressure, obviously!

No problem! And yea, I've seen her arguing in the posts of a few people I follow or just Gale-related posts I find interesting. Usually I don't get involved in stuff like this, but I noticed a constant pattern and then all the homophobic shit so I went off a little.

Unfortunately it's hard to find exact examples of the Mystra lore because certain modules aren't very popular or even free to access, but if you're interested the best way to learn about her is by reading the Elminster novels. There's twelve total, dating all the way back to 1994, and they detail Elminster's adventures. I'll be honest though, some of them are a hard read and written through the lens of a man who's admitted very creative, but also has a lot of problematic ideas.

In the first book Elminster is a child. His entire town gets wiped out by mages, thereby making him hostile toward magic. He sneaks into Mystra's temple to deface her statue one night, but she appears before him and basically gaslights him into learning magic and becoming her rare Chosen. He becomes a wizard and cleric basically overnight, until eventually he multiclasses into pretty much every class type in DnD. As you can imagine a lot of players aren't too fond of Elminster, as he's a well known self-insert of the author and pretty annoying to run into during campaigns. None of my dungeon masters like him anyway.

He also becomes one of Mystra's most loyal followers, but she fucks with him over and over, turning him into a woman to teach him a lesson and SLEEPING with him in that form, berating him when he struggles with the torture he endures when he gets stuck in the hells, making him reproduce without his knowledge and getting jealous when he gives his partners more attention. Because she's a very jealous goddess, which I think the game vaguely touches on but not really.

I wish I had the time to flip through all the novels and give exact citations but the best I can do is suggest them, because they're so eye opening. She's considered a neutral good goddess, but neutral gods often do terrible things for the sake of their domain. I think it needs to be noted that Mystra, as with all gods in the pantheon, only cares about her portfolio. She isn't wrong for that, but it doesn't mean she's blameless when she messes with people's lives. She's done a lot of good but she's also made horrible decisions, especially where her followers are concerned.

For example, Elminster having children he doesn't know about. He has a daughter named Narnra. Her conception was... pretty fucked up. Basically a song dragon named Ammaratha Cyndusk was an occasional lover of Elminster's (he has a lot of those because of course he does) and she wanted to bear his child, but since he's a Chosen of Mystra he can control his fertility. Magic birth control, basically. He didn't want a kid so Ammaratha went behind his back to learn a counterspell that would make him fertile during sex. The man she asked refused to teach her because...duh that's messed up, but then Mystra intervened and told him to teach her the spell because she wanted Elminster's "seed to spread". Ammaratha never told him and neither did Mystra. No matter what the reasons, that was NOT consensual on Elminster's part, and it happened two more times, resulting in two more daughters with different women. If I remember correctly Elminster did eventually find out waaaaay later when they were all adults, but it never amounted to anything.

The sisters I was taking about are the Seven Sisters, Mystra's "daughters". And I put "daughters" in quotations because Mystra possessed the body of a woman named Elué and impregnated her without her consent. She slept with the woman's husband (again, while possessing her body) and made them sire seven children. This of course lead to Elué's death because the constant flow of magic in her body was too much for her to handle. Her grieving husband broke after she died and eventually left, abandoning his daughters and earning Mystra's scorn...as if he was in the wrong. The sisters were then orphaned and raised by foster families.

That said, most of the awful things anyone can say about Mystra were the doings of her previous incarnations so ultimately it doesn't apply to the Mystra of BG3. In fact, this third Mystra is supposed to be a new and improved goddess who's nicer to her followers. So her portrayal in BG3 annoyed a lot of DnD fans. I should also point out that Mystra has two types of fans: ones who will defend everything she does, even when it's fucked up beyond all comprehension, and the ones who will tell you she's a true neutral goddess capable of good and bad. I'm the latter. There are plenty examples of Mystra sticking her neck out for innocents, but there's also examples of her doing the most horrendous shit imaginable.

A lot of veteran players, at least the ones I know, are upset with the portrayal of Mystra in BG3 because her plan to end the Absolute is, quite frankly, stupid. Your party is the best chance anyone has of ending the threat, but she asks Gale to nuke himself and possibly tens of thousands, which makes no sense because she could've just sent her mages/clerics to deal with the problem. And there was no guarantee the bomb would've worked anyway. She put all the responsibility on one man and it DEFINITELY comes off as vindictive. That isn't out if character for her but she's not SUPPOSED to be that bad anymore. For a lot of DnD players it felt like she was reverting back to her old habits.

I think there's also a part in the game where you can directly ask Gale why she doesn't just blip the Absolute out of existence and he says something like, "She could but Ao won't allow it." That was also really strange for a lot of veteran players to hear because Gale drops Ao's name like it's nothing. Most people (especially if they're new to the franchise) wouldn't know this but most people in Faerûn don't know who Ao is! Because he wiped people's memories of his existence! I suppose it does make sense for Gale to know that name, since Mystra probably explained the pantheon to him, but it's VERY unlikely tav would know it. So during that conversation all I could picture was tav tilting their head like, "Huh? Who? Whaaa?"

And on top of that......Ao absolutely WOULD allow it because the Absolute effects the Weave and every other god! It had the potential to ruin the balance of the universe, which makes Ao a very angry boy. Balance is one of the ONLY things he cares about. The Dead Three were stealing souls and worshippers, which gods needs to survive, and dying gods disrupts the balance. It's a whole circle of chaos. So the only conclusion left for me to extrapolate is this: Mystra just really, really wanted Gale to kill himself to prove his devotion to her. Which...isn't great. Bad look for her.

It's kind of like how Raphael thinks the Crown of Karsus is going to help him end the Blood War and take over the hells. DnD players laughed during his epilogue because...no it won't lol. He doesn't stand a chance even with the crown. He's arrogant and he's gonna get slapped by his daddy and all the other archdevils, the same way Gale gets slapped by Mystra if he ascends. Even the Absolute ending of the game wouldn't last long because the gods would go to war with the Dead Three, wipe them out and rebuild Faerûn, which has happened many times in past DnD campaigns. Mystra alone has torn worlds apart and glued them back together. The main crisis of BG3 is saving the world you live in or everybody dies. For the gods it's just a Tuesday. I mean look at how Withers owns the Dead Three with a wave of his hand at the end of the game. Mystra COULD'VE killed the Absolute, just as she could've removed the orb from Gale's chest the moment it happened. She just didn't WANT to. She wanted him to die. She wanted him to chastise himself. She wanted him to suffer and come crawling back to her as an obedient follower. She wanted him to learn a harsh and honestly unfair lesson, which is a terrible throwback to her previous incarnations.

[bottledpeaches]

been thinking of street racing with aventurine bc I imagine he’d like the thrill of it too…

tags: not proofread, I typed this out in tumblr drafts, some suggestive comments, flirting, gn reader, I don't know anything about street racing so pls forgive any inaccuracies, banter (they're so silly)

Aventurine, who pulls up to the race in an edgy and sleek sports car, drawing the attention of everyone else there- yours included.

You lean against the side of your car, watching him as he leaves opponent after opponent in the dust. He's skilled, you'll give him that. From the aggressive driving style and the make and model of the car, you're betting it's just some bored teenage boy with daddy's money to burn, but you'd be lying if you said you weren't at least a little bit curious about the person behind the wheel.

A few easy wins later that night and you're slated to race against him. He takes his sweet time pulling up to the finish line, but to your surprise, he rolls his window down for the first time that night and you're able to get a good look at him. He's no teenage boy but he has the same mischievous look that implies he's up to no good.

"Checking me out already?" he remarks, his (captivating) eyes twinkling in delight, although they're hidden behind his sunglasses. "And I thought I'd for sure be the one to make the first move."

Oh, so he's a flirt too. You can barely hear him over the loud purring of his expensive and modded car's engine and you know tonight's race will be a tight one.

"I see you've got money. What's a rich boy like you doing all the way out here?"

His grin widens.

"Ooh, you’re sharp. I like that and the way you talk.”

"Why don't you tell me who you are first?"

He laughs and shakes his head. He rolls up the window, much to your irritation, but not before saying one last thing and sending a wink your way.

"If you win, I'll tell you who I am. How does that sound?"

Damn. No other choice but to accept since the race is about to start.

You end up losing, but just barely. You had to push your car to its limits and he wasn't above playing dirty too, giving you a couple of close calls throughout. Although, he at least didn't endanger your life like some others have in the past, so you'll give him that.

After the race ends, you pull into a brightly-lit gas station with some people there. Shortly after, another car pulls up next to you and he steps out.

"Not bad, not bad," he says, clapping lightly. "It's not often that I find someone that can at least keep up with me, much less overtake me a couple times."

"So you were following me."

He raises his hands as a mock display of innocence.

"Hey, relax! Don't be so hostile! I just wanted to get to know you a bit better, that's all. Besides, you wanted to know who I am, right?"

You watch as he scribbles something onto a business card.

"Wasn't that only applicable if I won?"

"Eh, I've changed my mind now," he says, handing the card to you. "I don't make deals that don’t pay off and I'd consider it a loss if I didn't get at least your number tonight."

"You still didn't answer my original question. What's someone like you doing all the way out here? Surely you have more important matters to attend to, right?"

He laughs.

"Wow, you really don't know who I am, huh?"

"... What's that supposed to mean?"

"Ah, nothing. Just talking to myself. But to answer your question... I suppose it's because I enjoy the thrill of it. It's like gambling. Not knowing whether you'll win or lose, or even live or die. After all, the higher the stakes, the higher the excitement- why're you looking at me like that?"

"… You're insane."

"Sure, sure, sweetheart. I'll pretend that your reasons aren't the same as mine and that the adrenaline rush doesn't excite you every time. Why else would you willingly race, night after night?"

With one last wink, he gets into his car and drives away. You finally glance at the business card, only to do a double take and gape at it in shock when you realize its contents.

Aventurine, one of the IPC's Ten Stonehearts? No way... this guy's an IPC exec?

You don't know whether to feel proud about the fact that you got an IPC executive's number without trying or humiliated about the whole exchange...

There's a winking smiley face and an "call me xoxo" written next to the phone number.

And against your better judgement, you do just that.

He turns out to be an interesting companion. You'd think that with his demanding position, he'd be traveling all over the galaxy every day- which is true, to an extent, but he's always there for your weekly races and frequently drags you out shopping with him. He teaches you how to play poker and how to count your cards, if you didn't know how to already. He then tries to get you to play a round or two against him, which you promptly refuse each time.

("I spent all that time teaching you how to play and this is what I get in return? Boo, you're no fun. But a round or two never hurt anyone, right?"

"Aventurine, even a round or two is a surefire way to go into debt to you. Absolutely not."

He pouts and grumbles like a little kid every time.)

He also pays for additional mods to your car. When you try to refuse him, he merely brushes off your concerns.

"Sweetheart, I don't think you understand," he said back then. "I make more in a day than what it costs to mod your car. To me, this is nothing. Besides, I want an opponent who can keep up with me. If you start falling behind, well, then that's no fun for both of us, right?"

One night, there’s a particularly high-stakes race that you’re slated to compete in. The cash prize is one that’s too big for anyone to pass up.

Well, except for Aventurine. That amount of money is probably nothing by his standards.

For once, he’s not racing. When it’s your turn, he waves you over with a teasing smile as you’re getting ready.

“Say, how about raising the stakes for tonight?”

“What now?”

“Let’s make a bet.”

“… Fine.”

“If you win, we go on a date together. My treat, of course. If you lose, then you’ll have to play a round of poker with me.”

There isn’t an ounce of shame in his words. You openly gape at him as he beams at you proudly.

“… What?”

“You heard me.”

“Why though?”

He shrugs.

“Simple. I know this is a bet that will pay off. And I’ve been wanting this to happen for a long time now. So…”

He leans in close, lips teasingly brushing over your ear for a moment.

“Don’t disappoint me. I want to see you try and turn the tides in your favor for this race.”

You pull away from him.

“I accept, but only because I am not going into debt because of poker.”

He laughs.

“Go on then, sweetheart. I want to see you leave everyone behind in the dust. Oh, and don’t forget your good luck kiss!”

Aventurine blows a kiss to you. You roll your eyes as you climb into your car. Insufferable, that’s what he is. But if there’s one thing he’s good at, it’s reading people. Meaning he must’ve noticed that you wanted this too.

You roll your neck and focus on the road ahead. The race is about to begin.

That cash prize and date with Aventurine is yours.

@ bottledpeaches, do not copy, repost, modify, translate, or feed to ai

[sullina]

i honestly really appreciate Mairimashita Iruma-kuns take on demons, because demons in many fiction-works (which is... all of them, bc demons aren't actually real...) are portrayed as selfish and only doing what they want, or are literally just 1:1 to humans but this time with horns.

And yeah, in "Iruma-kun", they're also selfish and do whatever they want, but they're also still very much social and have a (more or less) working society. So they can work together, despite their selfishness.

And this also reflects in the demons we see working. Full disclosure, i don't remember that much right now, but just thinking of the teachers at Babyls, they all absolutely love their jobs and are amazing at it, if to varying levels.

And why wouldn't they? Demons only do whatever they wanna do. The teachers at Babyls aren't forced to work as teachers, they chose to become teachers, because that's what they wanted to do. And if you love something, you're willing to put a lot of work into it.

Even Kaluego, despite his usual demeanor and attitude, loves being a teacher, and especially wants to see every single one of his students grow to their fullest potential. Why else would he have a notebook dedicated to each and every single student? I don't think teachers are required to do that, so the only answer left is that he loves his job.

Also Balam, who gets so excited about new things that it scares most students.

And Bachiko, who taught Iruma archery. She was tough on him, but she never called him annoying or wanted him to go away, unless you count the beginning of their training, but even that was because she had so many students give up and didn't think Iruma was any different. Once he had proven himself to be capable and willing to do whatever it took to master archery, she was behind him 110%.

I just love this take, because on the one hand, it's more fresh, and on the other, also seems a little more... accurate?

Because consider any other medium where demons are portrayed as hating and killing each other on the daily, but still have cities and schools, and just a society in general (if a broken one), and it's said that it's "always been this way". Basically just "humans with horns and way more hostile". Why the fuck would they band together if they can't cross paths without trying to tear each others throats out? Why would they reproduce? If a demon can't care for anything other than its own individual self, why would they raise their children? Let alone anyone elses children, like in schools? You don't band together, unless there's some sort of benefit that outweighs the cost. In that kind of world, it makes no sense that demons would have cities, let alone countries, and without countries, there wouldn't be any wars either. Wars are fought by countries, which is a collection of people, or demons in this case, all fighting collectively for the same goal. If demons don't fight for a collective goal, because they're not a collective, there can't be any wars, only senseless bloodshed where it's everyone vs. everyone and the winner is the last individual left alive.

And yeah, in Mairimashita it's still said that it kinda sorta was like this a long time ago, but it's not like this now, and the clear reason is that Delkira, the demon king, made it this way, in part by introducing the rank system that allowed anyone to get higher in their society. And even then, in that "a long time ago", demons still had a society, just not an equal one. And while we see demons being selfish in the manga/anime, we also know that they CAN care for others, be it their friends or family. And in that amusement park arc, i distinctly remember a child being trapped in a building that could come down any second, and Iruma, the resident human, stepping in to save the child, which inspired his demonic friends to step in and help him. So yeah, demons in mairima are very much naturally selfish, but not to such an extent that they can't care for others.

[the-broken-truth]

JJK: The Body-Snatcher's Daughter [PLATONIC YANDERE] [FEMALE READER] [PART 1]

Summary: [Name] [Surname] had always been aware of her power, but she never acted upon it or embraced it. She lived her life as a typical teenage girl, going to school, hanging out with friends, and even looking for a part-time job to earn extra money. However, for the past few weeks, she had been feeling as though someone was watching her, and she had caught sight of a familiar face in the crowd. What will happen when she encounters that face during a lunch outing on a Saturday afternoon?

Broken: I don't know everything about Jujutsu Kaisen, so please bear with me.

[Tokyo - Kawasaki City: The [Surname] Estate]

"Here is your allowance." [Name's] Father called out to his daughter before she headed out the door, holding some bills out to her. She looked at the bills before looking into her father's eyes.

"Dad, I have a part-time job and I already got paid yesterday. I don't need an allowance anymore." [Name] explained to her father as she adjusted her satchel around her shoulder.

"I know you have a part-time job, but, I think it would be best if you had a little bit of extra spending money for your outings. After all, you never know if you might see something you want or run into your friends & you decide to treat them to lunch or shopping." Her father smiled at her, causing [Name] to exhale before taking the money, pulling her wallet out of her satchel, placing the additional money inside, and returning it to her satchel before looking at her father's face; he knew what he was doing when he smiled like that, he knew that she couldn't resist his requests when he smiled like that.

"You can be very manipulative when you want to be, Dad." [Name] exhaled, causing her father to chuckle at his daughter's words.

"Only for the best reasons, My Black Pearl." [Name's] Father smiled before his face turned serious before peering into his daughter's black eyes from behind his glasses, "Can you feel anything nearby?"

"No, sir. I'm not picking up on any strange auras today. There are some weaker ones in the city, but none of them are hostile at the moment. I think it will be safe for me to head out." [Name] explained with a serious glare.

"Are you currently repressing your aura?" Her Father asked her, causing his daughter to nod.

"Yes. I've been keeping it repressed for about 3 Days; my aura is constantly getting stronger but I have been able to hide the signature it radiates. No one is going to attack me... Again." [Name] said while looking at the ground before exhaling and turning back to face her father, "Did you hear from Mom, yet?"

"Your Mother is going to be returning in a week; you know how serious she is with her work, but she did swear that she was going to be back in time for your birthday." Her Father smiled.

"She really works too hard... I wish she would take a break sometimes." [Name] exhaled but her father waved her off with a smile on his face, dismissing her concern.

"I've been trying to convince her since we got married...so that's not gonna happen anytime soon." Her Father smiled.

"True..." [Name] turned on her heel and walked towards the door, "See you later, Dad. I have my phone and power bank on me. Call me if you need anything.".

"Have fun, Dear." He called out as she opened the door, stepped outside, and closed it behind her before going to complete his own work.

As [Name] knew that her father had returned to his office to finish his work, she pulled out the key from her pocket and locked the door. Her family lived in the forest, about 5 miles away from the city. The wall surrounding her family's estate and the tall trees of the forest that surrounded her childhood home, greeted her as she turned around. To reach the city, [Name] had to take the bus. Fortunately, there was a bus stop right outside the path that led to the main road.

[Name] placed her hands in her pockets before walking out of the estate, through the forest via the stone path, and to the bus stop before sitting down on the stone bench as before pulled her phone out of her pocket, and scrolled through it mindlessly as she waited for the bus to arrive.

That's when a familiar ping went through her mind, causing her to look up from her phone and start looking around her; she could feel that someone was watching her, but all she could see was the forest, bushes, and road. A frown came to her face as her keen ears picked up on the sound of the bus coming. She looked around one more time before reaching into her jacket pocket to retrieve her bus card just as the massive form of transportation stopped in front of her, and opened its doors to allow her on. She entered the bus, paid for her trip, and sat in the first free seat she could find; unable to shake the feeling that someone was watching her.

[Location Change: Kawasaki City]

The sound of multiple shoes hitting the concrete sidewalks combined with the rolling tires on the main road filled [Name's] ears as she walked down the sidewalk with her black eyes forward and her hands secured in the pockets of her jacket; it was a rather chilly afternoon, regardless of the high-noon sun.

Thanks to her mindless scrolling, she learned that the nearby Tech Shop was making a bundle deal with some of their more desired parts with a 50% discount with the purchase of 30,845 Yen ($200 - If my math is correct) or more; she has been meaning to update her drawing tablet and computer for a while now, no time like the present.

[Name] headed to the Tech Shop and flagged down an employee to aid her; she was looking for new equipment and the bundle mentioned. She ended up spending over 77,113 Yen ($500 - Once again, if my math is correct) as she picked her new tablet in her satchel; making sure to purchase a 3-Year Protection Plan on all her parts. She walked out of the shop and pulled out her wallet, she noticed she had 3084.53 Yen ($20) to spend on lunch and decided to get something quick. She noticed her favorite burger place was across the street and used the crosswalk to cross the street, but that feeling had returned: Someone was watching her. She pretended not to notice and started scanning the crowd for anyone who seemed out of place to her when her eyes landed on something...familiar.

A man was standing on the other side of the street, dressed in a black suit with a high collar. His hair was long and black with a high bun in the back; the only thing that seemed out of place to him was the scar going across his forehead, it reminded her of stitching for some reason.

What's more: This man was looking at her and she confirmed this when the smirk on his face grew the moment their eyes met; he wanted her to know that he was watching her. She narrowed her eyes at him before turning her gaze to look ahead as she made it to the other end of the street and turn away from him to head into the burger place.

[Name] placed her order and paid the cashier for a simple large cheeseburger meal with a [Favorite Drink] with 3 cookies on the side. The cashier gave her a receipt and she stood off to the side until her number was called. She took her food and walked to a nearby booth with 2 seats that were out of the way since everywhere else was taken; it was lunch hour after all. She unwrapped her burger and was about to take about bite when a voice called out to her from directly in front of her.

"That looks delicious."

[Name's] Black Eyes looked away from her burger and locked eyes with him - the man who was watching her earlier and it was that same feeling; she had been feeling it for a week.

"Can I help you with something?" [Name] asked in a calm but clearly annoyed voice.

"Yes. You can stop suppressing your power from me; it's getting rather hard to find you since you are getting so good at concealing your Cursed Energy from me." The man said, his head resting on the fist he had against his cheek while that arm's elbow was resting on the table.

"Cursed Energy? What the hell are you talking about?" [Name] asked with a raised eyebrow but the man chuckled at her words.

"I'm sure you don't know what it's called, but I know that you are aware of your power; you have so much of it and you've become adapted to concealing it to prevent people like me from finding you. However, I know you can feel it; you know who I am... Don't you, [Name]?" He asked with a smile on his face and a 'tender' look in his eyes.

"You're the one who has been following me for weeks." [Name] answered and, once again, he smiled at her with a chuckle.

"Able to detect my Cursed Energy from everyone else's already? You're more advanced than I thought you would be at this age. Then again... I shouldn't expect anything less from my own daughter." He said, making [Name's] eyes get wide.

"What did you say?" [Name] hissed out.

"You heard me. How else would I know your name and this is the first time we talked?" He questioned with a head tilt before stating, "I'm the one who named you."

"Just... Just who the hell are you?" [Name] questioned, trying to keep her calm and not draw attention to herself.

"I am the JuJitsu Sorcerer, Kenjaku. In your case, I am your 3rd Parent. You can call me 'Father' if you want." He smiled at her, expecting her to freak out and ask him questions.

She was silent for a moment before she spoke, "Are you on drugs or something?"

"Pardon?" Kenjaku asked with wide eyes, surprised at what she just said," I don't think that's how you should speak to your own father, [Name]." Kenjaku said.

"Yeah. You're on drugs." With that, [Name] rewrapped her burger and walked over to the counter, got a takeout bag, and placed her food inside before taking her drink and leaving the burger place; leaving a very shocked JuJitsu Sorcerer sitting at the table.

"Kids these days... No respect for their elders." Kenjaku said before standing up and leaving as well, but he couldn't find [Name] anywhere, "She's fast."

[END]

[fafodill]

How do you think Severus would react if someone was always watching him -- Like observing his every move, not with malice but with concern -- but didn't say much because they couldn't speak English and were afraid to be picked on as well due to a bad/similar past? They did anonymously sneak small treats into his pocket when they passed by him in the halls.

Like I have an oc who knew Severus since their Hogwarts days. They didn't speak to anyone because they couldn't speak English (though they could understand some words) and because before they moved to Britain they dealt with what Severus went through in their home country. But they did try to make him feel better by slipping a chocolate frog into his pocket robes when they passed by the halls to their classes for example.

I'm asking since I really like your deep dives when it comes to Severus and his potential moves/reactions and I'm curious to see what your take on this would be?

Thank you very much anon, I'll gladly do that! 💚

I'm assuming your OC was somewhat transferred during their studies? Because I imagine that if they started at 11 they'd be able to learn English in the following months/years. He won't react exactly in the same way if it's from the beginning but let's go for both options.

If it was since they both started Hogwarts, I think an 11yo Severus would find it odd and be a bit wary of them but not overall hostile. He's pretty new there himself, is surely a bit overwhelmed with the amount of socializing he needed to do (and adapt to, especially in Slytherin where the pureblood customs must be quite prevalent) but also work. I think he must have tried for friends for at least his first 1-2 years before giving up. Honestly if someone was silently watching him, even tho he knew they couldn't speak good English, I think he could have tried talking to them. I don't believe he was shy by any means - tho he could have been quite blunt and not super good at engaging conversation (remember his opening line with muggleborn Lily was smth like 'I know what you are! *whisper* You're a witch' which is adorably inadequate and dramatic). And he was already an oddball for many reasons and the ones who look the same tend to stick together so if your OC was quite isolated as well, a friendship could have developed early on even before the worst of the bullying happened.

I sometimes have my own oc be at Hogwarts at the same time as him and she also struggles with a lack of vocabulary and a terrible accent so I always imagined him as going into lecture mode and correcting her. But it would mostly be in later years since at the beginning he would still - like Lily - have a cockney dialect and accent. But could be cute if him and your OC worked on their 'proper' English together.

If it happened in the later years when the bullying was already quite present tho, he'd act like a cornered animal. By 15 I think he'd have developed an acute sense of people watching him (from the Maraudeurs but really everyone else too) and assume this is pity, mockery or downright animosity. Depending on his mood and the level of threat he'd either ignore them and hide behind his hair or glare and maybe verbally attack.

So I think he'd glare at your OC for a good while, thinking they're pitying him (so now what, even the foreigner is judging him?). He'd see they're not saying anything and with time he'd maybe realize there's nothing malicious in the way they stare. Which isn't better (well it clearly is but he'd be at a point where attention is always considered negative anyway). Like... what do they want?!

And then he'd find the little presents in his pockets.

And think it's pity. And hate it.

Or maybe it's cursed. So he'd toss it.

But at the same time it's hurting in his chest because a tiny tiny part of him maybe hopes they're not like everyone else... Maybe someone doesn't hate him or despise him just because he exists. But his heart has hardened and trusting anyone seems utopic now.

At one point I could see him coming up to them on a very bad day (maybe after being bullied by the Marauders and he's hiding somewhere and your OC followed him) and be like 'WHAT?! What's your fucking problem?!', spitting the words, eyes black in anger and humiliation, tears prickling at the corner of it because he's so furious.

And maybe they still won't say anything or try (I mean Severus must look very scary but also very like a wounded animal). Maybe they will give him something else, trying to convey with gesture or with their eyes and the little words they manage to sputter through the fear that they just care.

It would be nearly impossible for him to accept but at the same time he'd want to believe it so bad.

Could be a very cute and emotional scene.

And maybe after that if they tried to sit not to far away from him he'd let them. And maybe they'd keep on gifting him food and stuff. Or send him gentle looks when people snickers around him. And maybe he'd let them sit beside him at one point. And maybe they could start slowly hanging around each other. Slowly. He'd teach them more English, not looking at them too much because their eyes are so big and expressive and he doesn't know how to handle it. And maybe he'd start having a friend.

And maybe they'd go to Hogsmeade together once. And maybe-

[shrimpsuru]

Bucchigiri doodles! I really like this show, I think everyone is super charming and fun! And all the designs are all so good ⸜(*ˊᗜˋ*)⸝

I'm gonna go on a quick rant about Arajin, because I have no one to talk about this with, so let me shout into the void:

Okay- So as I watching the show, I really liked everyone. I thought Arajin and his pathetic-ness and wet cat nature was charming, He's a loser and I love him for that! Even when he was being a bit of an asshole I was still quite fond of him, He's flawed and that's what made him interesting. He's a bit more complex than people give him credit for. Since my opinion of Ara was fairly positive, I thought most people would agree- (I didn't think he was all that bad and most people would also find him charming) I was so surprised when I found out how many people absolutely hate this guys guts, it was so different from what I excepted lmao. I understand being annoyed with Ara and I can see how some might not like him too much, but they were on my boy's ass 💀

First of all, Ara doesn't want OR like to fight, he's just a regular teen boy, he's nothing like this big buff dudes who are constantly look for someone strong to punch. If it weren't for Senya, Ara would've been done for by now. All Ara want's is to get a girlfriend, and that's normal for a boy his age!! Everyone else in the show are the freaks, my guy just wants love!! The only reason he fights is because his delusional ass is in love with a girl who knows she can play him like a fiddle, or when he's backed into a corner an has no other choice. Arajin wanted a slice of life high school romance and was instead thrown into the middle of a gang war with a bunch of dudes who are hellbent on fighting lmao

He's just a silly little guy!! He's not built for all this violence!!

Don't get me wrong the way Ara treats Matakara is frustrating at times, and I wish they would just talk (And I'm gonna be honest the fact Matakara still looks at Ara positivelyis really surprising lmao (I'd hold one hell of a grudge but I'm just petty)) but at the same time, I don't really blame Ara. He feels guilty, and in reality he probably hates himself (For multiple different reasons). He left Matakara behind and it eats at him, just the thought of the memory triggered a nervous stomach ache. Matakara is a walking reminder of what Ara doesn't like about himself, of course he's going to avoid him like the plague. Doesn't mean its good, or even healthy but that's just how people are. Even so Ara is only ever outwardly hostile towards Matakara when the past is brought up, every other time he can have a somewhat normal interaction (even if its reluctant). And with the newest episodes, Ara is now being a bit softer with him. Progress! Its small, but still progress!

Also small complaint, there are SO many worse mcs that do far more unbearable things, Arajin is practically a saint in comparison lol ( Doesn't mean anyone not liking him is invalid or anything, again I can totally understand why some don't like him!! Just because he's better than most doesn't mean he still cant be bad for people!! ☆(＃××))

Rant over- Am I thinking to far into it? perhaps. but who cares! It's a silly show at the end of the day and I just like to yapp passionately into the void

[theamityelf]

(Undead AU Masterlist)

Not to suddenly kick down the (not even closed) door on this AU, and I don't even know how canon this idea will end up being to the AU in the long run, but I was just thinking, and I'm not sure if this counts as body horror or gore, but uh...

I kind of want Makoto to get seriously, permanently injured, taking care of his classmates.

Like, the thought I had was, one of them bites his finger off.

(It has to be one of his classmates, for the angst.)

Bonus points if it's after he's found out about Nagito killing reserve course students.

Makoto's class is getting rowdier and more feral, because he hasn't been accepting food from Nagito, so they're stuck with whatever animals he's able to hunt. And even running himself ragged for hours at a time, it isn't enough. They're all hungry. It's two weeks until the next delivery from outside, and they're hungry. He brings in a crane, they pick it clean in no time, they're all still hungry. (He's hungry, too.)

But that isn't when it happens.

(That would vindicate Nagito's human-hunting a little too definitively.)

Eventually, he finds a spot on campus where he hasn't hunted much, and animals still show up there. He's able to bring back enough for everyone to eat a decent amount.

It's a long walk from the classroom, but he can do it, if it keeps them fed.

They get irritable when he leaves, especially now that he's been staying out longer, but he has to do it.

There are a lot of ways it could happen. Maybe he's trying to get a bone out of someone's mouth before they choke. Maybe someone is trying to eat something rancid. Whatever the case, he's doing something that would normally be reasonably safe for him, but his friends have been so on edge (and maybe his reflexes are dulled by hunger and exhaustion) and he gets a finger bitten off.

(It has to be someone other than Junko who does it. I'm thinking Byakuya, Sayaka, Leon. Someone he's close to, who will feel really bad about it.)

Makoto cries out in pain, and the classroom just devolves into chaos.

Nagito gets a frantic knock on his door, which he hurries to answer.

Hina doesn't even wait for his surprised look to settle; she just picks him up and runs back with him.

Nagito's heart is pounding, as he wonders what could have happened. Makoto must be hurt, for Asahina to be this frantic.

(Because he was grabbed so quickly, he wasn't able to shut the door behind himself. Fuyuhiko, Mahiru, and Akane follow Hina. Peko follows Fuyuhiko. And a few others just escape; he'll have to find them and herd them back later.)

No one has escaped the 78th class's room, despite having the opportunity.

He can't see Makoto at first, but he can guess where he is. Ogami is definitely protecting something, not letting any of her classmates near it– even Kirigiri and Togami, who are making genuine efforts to get close.

Asahina sets Nagito down, and he hurries past Ogami (She allows it.) to find Makoto curled up in a corner, barely awake and bleeding from what remains of his finger.

He's lost a lot of blood.

Nagito hurries to the classroom first aid kit. The part of him that isn't alight with panic manages to feel grateful that Hope's Peak saw fit to complement his pre-existing knowledge of first aid with more specific information on treating major injuries like this.

He needs to stop the bleeding. He needs to clean it. (Already, too much time has passed without anything to prevent infection.)

Even just taking hold of the hand that lost the finger gets pained sobs out of Makoto. Handling the injury itself is miserable work for both of them.

Even so, it takes Makoto alarmingly long to register that he's there. He's already partway through bandaging him by the time eye contact is attempted.

"Hey," Makoto says hoarsely.

(It's maybe the second or third time they've spoken since he found out the truth. Their last interaction wasn't hostile, but it was strained.)

"Hey," Nagito says. Then, "No, no! Stay awake. Don't pass out."

It's really bad for him to lose this much blood. Nagito knows he hasn't been getting enough food. It's amazing he's been keeping his class fed.

Makoto whimpers as Nagito keeps bundling the injury.

"I'm sorry," Nagito says. "I know it hurts, but I can't just leave it as is."

"It's okay," Makoto says. "Don't be scared." He sounds delirious. Not entirely present.

"Stay awake. Keep talking. How have you been?"

"Missed you. Um, did you see my finger, or did they swallow it?"

"I don't know. I hurried right over. Regardless, no one here knows how to reattach it."

"I know. I've just...never not had it before?"

Nagito smiles despite himself. "If I see it, I'll be sure to save it for you."

"Thank you. Thanks, Nagito."

The fact that he said it twice makes Nagito slightly misty-eyed, which isn't normal for him at all. "Of course. I'll take care of everything. Don't worry at all, okay?"

"I'm okay. Just need a little rest."

"No. Just sit here. I'm going to bring you something to eat. Mahiru, make sure he doesn't pass out while I'm gone."

Mahiru's path to them is momentarily blocked by Ogami, but the kouhai subsides after a sufficiently stern look from the former.

"I'll be right back." Nagito cups Makoto's cheek with a bloodstained hand. "Just wait here."

[obsessioncollector]

Okay sorry job rant ahead. I truly enjoy the actual content of working at the public library. We lost power for a few days (the building is a century old and we had a heat wave so the A/C probably overloaded and made everything crash) and so it's been stressful because we're behind on our work and also patrons are constantly asking about the situation, which is understandable but it's annoying to have the same conversation over and over. I expected work to be really busy and aggravating today since it's the first day we're back fully open, but it was actually fine. I showed someone how to check out ebooks on their phone, made library cards for an Austrian family of four who just moved to the US, and gave out prizes for summer reading (you check something out, you get a little prize like candy, a bookmark, a sticker.) In all of these interactions I felt that I was making a positive difference in people's lives, however small. Now ebook guy can send books to his kindle for free, and he didn't even know about the app that allows him to do that until today! The Austrian family has a surname with an umlaut, which many computer systems in the U.S. don't allow, so I made sure I got the right Anglicized spelling of their name in the system so there's no confusion (think Müller vs Muller vs Mueller.) Both kids and adults love choosing their prizes! At first it surprised me that I enjoy a job with a substantial amount of social interaction so much since I'm autistic, but it's very fulfilling, and I alternate between the circulation desk and more solidarity tasks like shelving books, so I don't feel overwhelmed by the amount of social interaction (unless we're having an especially hectic day.) All of this rambling is to say that it's actually an ideal job for weird autistic mentally ill me.

But our library administration (and also the town government) is driving me insane! They are so out of touch and have no understanding of what library workers actually do on the job. We are significantly underpaid compared to every neighboring town, even though this is a wealthy town, so if anything you'd think we'd earn more 😭 They have been stalling union negations for over a year, the whole time I've worked here plus some, so part timers still aren't included in the union. Library part timers are also technically classified as seasonal employees for no actual reason, unlike every other town department, so we get even fewer benefits. There are no opportunities for advancement or even mentorship. I have a master's degree in library science and am working a job that does not require the degree. It's one thing if they can't fund more positions (although it's interesting what they choose to spend money on 😭) but you'd think they would want to work to retain qualified staff (not just me but many of my coworkers) instead of keeping conditions so shitty that people leave as soon as they get another job. More than half the employees started here in the past year because people keep leaving! Also the majority of the workers in my department have some sort of injury because we do so much repetitive heavy lifting (which has also significantly increased over the past year and isn't reflected in the job description.) It's like they're actively trying to make this place as hostile to workers as possible. Kms

[theallianceofcelestials]

I think killcode had this small inclination towards family in the beginning in canon, if he didn't he wouldn't have called eclipse his son knowing it's not something he could really use to manipulate eclipse but calling bloodmoon his sons absolutely work as a manipulation tactic and eclipses entire reason for his aggression at the beginning is because moon was still around and what moon said when eclipse tried to talk to him. And sun seems like he was so eager to have some sort of family, good or bad, and we'll eclipse and killcode were moon but now they also have a lot of sun in the . So I feel there would be a lot of manipulation from killcode/eclipse towards both sun and new moon/Nexus to try and made the two see killcode/eclipse as family to make them more inclined to help get them their own body and keep them around. I could imagine after that they keep the two unaware of when they kill, keep them close and happy and compliant and well if sun and new moon/Nexus ever find out I doubt eclipse/killcode would have anything against a little memory tampering to keep their new family from leaving unless sun or new moon/Nexus were about to keep calm and understanding about it then they wouldn't have even hinted at the thought. And well if the creator still sends Earth their way I'm still unsure of or how it would go

-🩸

I'm putting this here later because I kinda got debaty for some reason :P Don't worry about it, I'm just engaging in my favourite hobby of analyzing my hyperfixation. You can ignore most of it, seein as AUs are all in good fun (￣▽￣) I'm just like this for some reason

Killcode called them his kids mostly as a manipulation tactic yes, but also as a powerplay I think. Like as much as I love dadcode, he was absolutely awful and didn't really care about neither Eclipse nor Bloodmoon. So to me it'd make sense that he'd basically give Eclipse the middle finger by calling him his son, and thus placing himself above him in some sort of hierarchy, which'd absolutely grate on Eclipse's nerves

Also, if I remember correctly, one of the first things Eclipse ever said to Moon was "I'm going to kill your brother", before he was really provoked. Eclipse himself says when we see him waking up right after the separation that he wasn't supposed to get left behind, and that they had a plan to kill Sun. He was hostile from the beginning, not just after talking with Moon. He may be rather peaceful for one, but he's still a killcode. The only reason he really showed himself was for answers and to torture Moon. He didn't care, but also weirdly did, for Sun. He'd have probably killed him

And one of the big parts of the first Eclipse arc was that he can't be taken out of Sun, because his code can't take another separation. Moon's was already miraculous enough, which destabilised him I think. Eclipse had to be expelled by magic to really be rid off. Tho it's a fact I ignore as well most of the time, so there's that.

Also I think Sun's want to be family with Moon was a survival reflex. Like Moon was absolutely awful to him, and being brothers put him out of the immediate line of fire. It bettered their relationship, however marginally, which is why I think he was really pushing that. And they're also technically two halves of a whole, knowing each other inside and out quite literally. Like Moon mentioned to Sun that whenever they switched, even after their relationship became better, he always woke up in the place where Sun put what he didn't want. So to me it always kinda felt a bit questionable whether it was entirely genuine at the beginning.

So I think Killcode/Eclipse would be more likely to keep these two around for fun. Like they can just take over the body, Sun can't stop them, he won't even notice it if it's not pointed out to him. He has absolutely no idea what went wrong, only that Moon doesn't remember a thing, Monty doesn't care that much about stuff, and then later he may or may not be approached by this weird entity/entities in his head who aren't supposed to be there, and claim to be cut off pieces of his brother's code.

But if they progressed into the happy family, Sun would not be helpful and calm when they kill. He hates that.

Like current Sun's kinda chill with death and murder now right? He doesn't fight as much about their enemies needing to die as he did in the past right?

Well current Sun has been battered and broken way too many times, having never died and having witnessed and experienced every piece of trauma life threw at the family.

Sun back in the days we are currently speaking of, absolutely abhors murder. Current Sun does too, to be fair with him, but old Sun used to be VOCAL about it. He'd always start reasoning with Moon about just how awful it is whenever it happened, and you could really feel just how dejected he was whenever it happened anyway.

And bloody murder, something the killcode craves, is something he absolutely would not be able to stand. He would not help in any way with it, aside maybe clean up after it all, which I think is something Killcode/Eclipse would absolutely adore torturing him with. And then gaslight him into thinking there's nothing wrong, and because Sun'd rather go along with stuff like this so he's not in pain as much, he would fall in line.

Newmoon/Nexus would be against it however. Because right now it's just Newmoon, and Newmoon condemned morally questionable behaviour. Even if he also partake in it, but that was somewhat because he followed in the footsteps of his predecessor. Like he absolutely had no issues doing the wrong thing to protect his family. That was a trait he also shared, even if he didn't like it. Becuase it made him fear he was as bad as the old one, and he wanted to avoid that through ANY means neccessary.

But he doesn't exactly have that right now, he can't watch the channel, only hear the stories Sun'd tell him, and maybe get the occasional semi-playful jabs and taunts from Eclipse/Killcode about being a dumber reboot.

So honestly I don't know if Newmoon would help or not with the murder. Potentially he would be, seeing as that's what he came into. Or mayne those couple months it took for Killcode/Eclipse to appear were enough for him to decide he wants none of the shady stuff. That's a 50-50 on what you decide for this AU.

And Earth being sent there happened because the Creator wanted her as a clueless file uploader there, so his own crimes will be transferred to Sun and Moon, because he's a jerk who wanted them to suffer.

She might just be instantly murdered, depending on how she tickles Eclipse/Killcode. She might be completely wiped of everything because of the whole file uploading, so she'll be just reset too. She might get murdered later on when she starts protesting against the questionable things going on here. Or she might manage to fix this mess and somehow make them a family.

So uhh, yeah, I had some ideas/opinions that feel free to throw out the window lol. My brain just went off like what I do when Sunray and I make an AU. I'm aware it can be annoying :P

Just know I'm looking at the concept you've come up with big autistic eyes, and I'd be happy to hear all about it, even if I just went off here for some reason

[mysticwolfshadows]

Taken - Zutara - Part 69

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Zuko tries not to think too much about what Katara is doing as he and Suki run down the hall to face off against his crazy little sister.

He knows Azula fairly well. He knows that Azula will try to take the oppurtunity to remove him from the line of succession. She was always just as power hungry as their father. And, without her firebending, Azula would evade and stall, and have others fight for her. Mai and Ty Lee.

But he knew something Azula didn't. That Mai would turn on Azula to save her family. And if Mai turned, Ty Lee would as well. The two girls had been closer with each other than Azula, for obvious reasons.

"Whatever you do," Zuko said as they stopped in front of the large metal door. "Don't trust anything Azula says."

Suki nodded, moving to help Zuko push open the door. The room was long, the stone floor cool and dark. On the far end, with Mai and Ty Lee standing on either side, was Azula. She was sitting on a throne, legs crossed as she watched the door intently.

"So it's true," Azula said, not standing from her seat. "You really are alive."

"Yes," Zuko said, reaching behind him to pull out his dual swords. He could see Suki from the corner of his eye, fans at the ready.

"I expected this kind of treachery from Uncle," Azula said, slowly pushing herself up. "But you, Zuko? You may be a lot of things, but a traitor?"

Zuko did his best not to look at Mai. It would be a tell. Instead, he kept his gaze firmly on Azula.

"It's not too late for you, you know." She smiled. "The Avatar wouldn't expect you to turn on him. The invasion force wouldn't expect you to tear their ranks apart from the inside." A wicked smile played at her lips. "You can be redeemed. Help us save the Fire Nation, and you can have your honor back. You will have Father's love. You'll have everything you've ever wanted."

"Not everything," Zuko said.

This caused Azula to pause. "The waterbending peasent." She hummed, contemplative. "I suppose, if she's with the Avatar now, there will be no other choice. She will need to be punished. You always did have a soft spot for her." A wicked grin stretched her lips. "You had a lot of soft spots, actually."

Zuko bit back the yell that wanted to spill from him. He tightened his grip on the hilts of his swords, and kept his eyes on his sister. "I'm giving you a chance to surrender. I suggest you take it."

"Surrender? To you?" She scoffs. "The cast off Prince who was so unbelievably weak, he groveled instead of fought during an Agni Kai? You have no honor, brother. And I won't sully my name by surrendering to the likes of you."

His scar ached. He had heard that Azula had been there that day, watching from the stands with his uncle. Yet, he had hoped that she hadn't been so warped and twisted to find glee in her brothers suffering at age eleven.

"Zuko," Suki said, voice tight. She was eyeing Mai and Ty Lee, asking for orders. Should she attack?

"Ah, yes." There was a flicker of something in Azula's gaze, as it landed on Suki. "I was wondering about you. I suppose after the water filth, Zuzu gained a taste for the exotic."

Suki's face immediately screwed up, as did Zuko's. "Gross," they said, almost in sync.

They had been allies for years, though friends wasn't much of a stretch. Zuko's ship had sold plenty of Southern Water Tribe exports to Kyoshi. While in the beginning Suki had been cautious, hostile even, once she knew he wasn't a threat, she was more than happy to train with him.

"Really?" Azula hummed. "I suppose even I can be wrong, once in a solar eclipse."

"You're trying to distract us," Zuko grit out.

"Really? What gave it away?"

If he had access to his firebending, he was sure that smoke would be spilling from his fisted grip on his swords.

"Enough," he yelled, putting as much authority into his voice as he could. Azula didn't flinch, but Ty Lee did in the back of the room. "It's over Azula. The Avatar is facing father as we speak, the palace has been taken, and the airships are destroyed. It's over."

Slowly, her eyes narrowed. "How did you know about the air ships?"

He stood as straight as he could, refusing to take his eyes off of Azula. "I've been in the Fire Nation longer than you thought."

Only, Azula wasn't just watching him. She was watching Suki, who couldn't help but glance at Mai.

"Mai?" Azula called, voice low and deadly.

The dark and gloomy girl was backing away, a knife in had. She eyed Azula like she was an armadillo bear about to attack. Though, that might not be to far from the truth.

"I never expected this from you," Azula snarled. "You know the consequences for treason."

Mai had her eyes locked on Azula, ready to flee or strike as needed, like a viper hare. "I guess you don't know people as well as you think you do. You miscalculated. I love my brother more than I fear you."

Zuko watches as Azula's face twists and contorts, growing into one of absolute rage. "No, you miscalculated! You should fear me more!" Her voice was shrill, wild, in a way Zuko had never heard before. "Ty Lee! Take out the traitor!"

For a moment, there was silence. Ty Lee remained in her spot, eyes wide, and tears pricking at her eyes. She looked helpless, so lost, yet like she knew what the final outcome would be.

"Ty Lee!" Azula snapped again.

"No," Ty Lee breathed. "I... I won't hurt her. Azula, Mai is our friend, and-"

"You're both fools!" Azula snarled, her eyes wild, as she started to back away from them. Zuko followed her, step for step. "When this is over, I'll have your thrown in the Boiling Rock, and let you rot. I'll find your circus and burn it to the ground. I'll have your family executed!"

"Azula," Zuko warned.

But then, she turned, and bolted for a side door.

"Stay here," Zuko shouted to Mai and Ty Lee. They didn't need any more stress from today. "Suki!"

The female warrior was only a step or two behind him, racing after his sister.

First / Previous / Next / Masterpost

[blockgamepirate]

I know the no comment policy is Quackity's whole thing and I do think in many cases it's the smartest move

But in this case I really don't think it's a good idea, I worry that it's only gonna make things worse. This isn't just a bunch of drama or some kind of public scandal, this is an actual structural problem with the project, and Quackity himself obviously knows that too

It's fine if he doesn't talk to the public but at least some kind of message to the ex-admins, even if it's just "we'll contact you later" would help so much

As well as discussing with the Solidaires; they're not the enemy unless he wants to make them his enemy

I know he's still very young and inexperienced and I guess maybe he learned in law school that you should always rather shut up than say the wrong thing, which makes sense when it comes to law, but this isn't a court case (not yet at least) and if you're gonna have a company, you need to learn to negotiate with unions, and to work with people in general

Also I know people keep saying that we can't trust what the ex-admins say because they don't know what's going on but can we at least agree that they know that they've been kicked out and that they haven't contacted since? And that's already a problem, because if they want any of the ex-admins to come back some day, surely they should involve them in some way in the negotiations, right? And if they don't want them to come back then they need to at least let them know that they won't be needed anymore and give them some sort of compensation for the inconvenience

(Also from what I can tell it's not even about the money for most of them, which is all the more reason to negotiate because it might not even end up costing him anything)

What I really worry about is that he's gonna end up making all sorts of drastic decisions out of fear, and sabotage himself and the whole project, when the best approach would be to have a genuine and respectful conversation to work things out like adults

I've seen a lot of similar independent creative projects fall into similar traps and I genuinely don't want it to happen to QSMP

I'm concerned because to me, based on my experience, this doesn't seem promising right now. Yes, I don't know everything that's going on behind the scenes, but we do know that people are being excluded from whatever it is, and that's never a good sign, it's just gonna lead to more distrust and hostility

My point is, communication is good, actually. And so is teamwork. Cheesy, I know, but it's just true. And people tend to respond very well to being treated like respected members of a team. And they tend to respond badly when they feel disrespected, whether you mean to disrespect them or not. That's just something you need to learn if you want to be a good leader

This is not me hating on Quackity, this is me saying that I think he's making a mistake, and I wish I could somehow let him know that because I want things to work out well for this server I love

(Also, seriously, the cooperative model would work so well for QSMP, I really really wish they'd try it, even if Quackity maintains some sort of veto power)

[blackjackkent]

OK, back to the Lighthouse to tell everyone what happened.

For some reason, Emmrich decided that it would be a good idea to not tell anyone in the Veilguard except Harding that he was about to turn into a skeleton. Frankly, this seems like the sort of thing we should have been warning people about way in advance, but you do you, Emmrich.

(Also why only Harding? Could they not get Ali Hillis to record this scene or something? She's the only one who doesn't talk here, even though she's definitely present. Perplexing.)

"Thank you for coming, everyone!" Emmrich announces very seriously to the rest of the team gathered around the dining table. "Please bear with me. This will be rather difficult to explain. I may appear the same as always, as I stand before you, but I've recently undergone a ritual that--"

"I thought you'd have a skull face," Taash cuts in abruptly. They're staring intently at Emmrich from head to foot. "Like a skeleton."

"It must be his glamour!" Bellara says excitedly. "It's really something, professor! I can't sense you're a lich at all!"

(A/N: Hahaha. XD )

"I--" Emmrich sputters, losing his train of thought completely as he stares around the table. "How-- but who told you?!"

"That tall Watcher in the cloak mentioned it," Davrin drawls.

"Vorgoth? Oh, that chatterbox." Emmrich sighs heavily.

"So the lich stuff is true," Neve says. Unlike the others, she sounds neither excited nor amused; one of her eyebrows quirks up a touch warily. "And you crossed that line?"

Helena winces. This conversation is definitely not going the way Emmrich planned; she may have some smoothing over to do. I knew we should have warned them in advance. "It's been a long day," she says hastily. "If you already know about the lich stuff, maybe we should talk later."

"That's it?" Davrin asks dryly. "He's not going to give us anything?"

Emmrich stiffens. "You needn't speak about me as if I'm not here."

"Just tell me you'll keep your skin on," Lucanis says with a guarded smirk.

"That's not how it--" Emmrich begins.

"I should take notes!" Bellara puts in enthusiastically.

Helena can sense Emmrich's rising tension and automatically puts a hand out to try and interrupt the spiraling conversation. "Look, why don't we just start from the beginn--"

WHAM.

Helena (and everyone else) jumps, as Emmrich makes a frustrated noise and slams his staff down into the flagstones. A burst of white-green light flashbangs out across the table, and when Helena's vision clears she sees Emmrich's lich form towering over them all, staring blankly from behind those pale eyes.

"Are you satisfied?" he snaps. "Yes, I have entered lichdom! And I am not an abomination or a demon or a disconsolate spirit! I have become something more, and yet I am still fully possessed of myself!"

A startled silence falls. Lucanis has fallen half out of his chair, and Davrin is halfway onto his feet-- but slowly everyone relaxes. Taash is the first to finally speak; they crack a faint grin and take a sip of the mug of ale in front of them. "So you *are* a skeleton. Got it," they say nonchalantly.

Emmrich dips his head forward in a slightly sardonic bow.

Helena looks around the table cautiously. Everyone still seems more than a little unnerved - but there's no sign of active hostility. She offers them a cautious grin. "I'm not packing up Emmrich's fifteen-thousand books and skulls," she says dryly. "So--"

"Thank you, Rook," Emmrich says quietly. "But please allow me."

He pauses for a moment, gathering himself, then looks around the table. "I'd like to think some of us have become friends," he says soberly. "I value that more than you might know. But I am changed, and I would never cause you distress by staying where I'm no longer welcomed."

Silence again, for a little while. Again - and somewhat surprisingly, given their past clashes - it's Taash who speaks first.

"No weirder'n you were before," they grunt.

"I've seen worse with the Wardens," Davrin agrees with a shrug.

"You all... really?" Emmrich says, sounding rather befuddled by this unconditional acceptance.

Helena grins, thoroughly relieved. "I think you'll be fine," she says lightly - and then her grin widens, because she can already see Bellara sitting up again excitedly.

"Okay, now - question time!"

-----

Hooray! Thus ends Emmrich's arc! (Minus his final scene we'll get to later.)

Woohoo!

[dingbatnix]

Slime

Who's ready for some angst?

So anyway I have a different fic (the snippet I posted just a second ago) I wanted to do for valentine's, but that one is nowhere near finished, and this one is, so. Y'know.

It's kinda badly written, buuuut I don't care. I'm so very tired o~0

Anyway, enjoy!

Warnings:: Fear of death, dehumanization, ect.

Word Count: 3,070

Karl can't speak in his gummy/true form—which I've decided to use for angst.

He is a relative of the slime family, kinda like Slimecicle, but Karl can’t really control his form when he’s stressed/has lost too much mass. He mostly violet/purple, but his limbs do have a slight gradient to blue/teal. He is much younger than Slimecicle, and has not lived in a hole for centuries, so he has a much, much better understanding of retaining a human form and shape than Charlie does.

So anyway, he gets stuck in his true form for some reason, like exhaustion or stress.

It's equated to damage, like slime hybrids in osmp. He gets attacked by a mob of zombies, loses his ability to retain human-ish shape, and loses enough mass to be small, like a foot tall small. If he had enough to eat, and wasn't super stressed, maybe he'd be able to gain back enough mass to become his human self again, but, as it is, he can't.

And he can't speak, either. His two fiancés, Sap and Q, don't know about his true form, and he's scared of what they might do to him if they catch him (while Sap and Q are very kind to him, in his human form, he didn't want to risk it. Quackity had a mean streak twenty miles wide, and Sapnap did enjoy killing things. Especially pets. What if he got mistaken for a hostile mob? He was a slime, after all) so, he tries to hide in Kinoko.

But! After a few too many close calls, he decides that it would be better for him to go somewhere else, so he travels out of Kinoko into the main Smp. This leads to him getting caught by some curious people (Tubbo, Ranboo, and Michael) who think that Karl's just a strange, somewhat intelligent, mob. They end up keeping him in a cage as a cool new pet, and poor Karl doesn't have anything to write with or signify that he's not an animal, dangit. A pencil wouldn't really be much use, because he didn't actually have fingers in his slime form, but still. He could have worked it out.

The teens weren't so bad, he supposed, but they treat him like he’s a cat or a dog or something, and it just feels demeaning. So, he devises a plan to escape. It’s really not that hard, actually, he just has to squish his malleable body through the bars of his kennel and make his way out the door. The snow outside poses a bit of a problem for his semi-liquid body, but he is the consistency of jello. It helps him a little bit, but some of his body mass freezes off, leaving him even smaller. Eventually, though, he manages to get out of the tundra and starts making his way back to Kinoko, because even if he gets caught and treated like a pet by Sap, Q and Goggy, at least it'd be safer. At least it'd be by people he trusted. At least it'd be by the people he loved. And even if they kill him, at least he wouldn’t have to live as somebody’s pet anymore.

Meanwhile, Sap and Q are freaking out, cause they can't find Karl anywhere, and it's bordering on four weeks that he's been missing. They’ve nearly turned the Smp upside-down looking for him, and unfortunately, nobody else has seen Karl, either.

So when Karl finally makes it out of the tundra, he still can't change back. He's just so stressed with everything going on, so when he eventually gets to Kinoko, he's faced with a choice: hide again, or show himself to try and communicate with the other residents of Kinoko.

He made the easy choice. He decides to find his fiancés.

The two were in the courtyard, Quackity reading through some documents piled next to him and Sapnap sparring against a training dummy. He approached them carefully, hiding behind barrels and building fixtures until he was close enough to reveal himself to Quackity. (He was not going near Sapnap with a sword, not when he looked like this. That was a good way to get cleaved in half.

He finally revealed himself to Quackity, stepping out from the shadows and tugging on the avian’s pant leg. Quackity shrieked, flailing enough to tip his wicker chair over and scatter his papers across the stones of the courtyard. Sapnap heard Quackity scream and was running in a flash, brandishing his sword towards Karl as he sprinted over.

Karl’s heart stopped. He had the opportunity to run, in the short time before Sanap arrived and speared him through, but…this was the first time he had seen either of his fiancés since he first got stuck like this. It had been nearly a month. And now, Sapnap was about to kill him, and they’d. They’d never know. They’d never know that it was him.

Karl’s legs wobbled, and then all but melted beneath his body. He threw his arms over his head and curled in on himself, his entire being quivering in fear and despair. He didn’t want to see Sapnap kill him, didn’t want to see one of the loves of his life deliver the final blow.

Sapnap skidded to a stop just as he reached them, head cocking in confusion as the little purple slime folded in on itself upon his arrival. The entire mass was wiggling, almost like it was afraid of him. Curiously, he poked it with the tip of his sword and was rewarded by it unfurling and trying to scramble away on its back. Beady little dot eyes blinked at him, wide and glimmering in the morning light.

"Hey! It's colored like one of Karl's hoodies! Like, y'know, the blue and purple one?" Sapanp realized, a grin spreading across his face as he shot a glance at Quackity. The avian, who had been crouched behind his overturned wicker chair, peeked over it at the slime's splayed out body. Sapnap was right. It did look like one of Karl’s hoodies.

“So it does,” he agreed, climbing to his feet and approaching Karl. “It…it seems more scared than hostile.” Karl nodded frantically at the avian’s words, scooching backwards as Quackity grew closer. Quackity paused in surprise and shared a look with Sapnap. He waved at the fireborn to put away his sword and turned back to the shivering slime on the ground.

“Hey,” he murmured, crouching slowly down to inspect the little slime. “Can you understand us?” At Karl’s hurried nod, a pensive frown stretched across his face. “...can you speak?”

Karl slowly shook his head, feeling strangely ashamed.

After some contemplation, he turned back to Sapnap with a curious expression on his face. “I think it’s like Charlie. Just…not quite as developed, maybe? Cause Charlie can talk, even when he’s small.”

Sapnap snorted out a small laugh. “Don’t let Charlie hear you say that. He’ll freak out over his ‘cover’ being blown.” All the same, he joined Quackity in inspecting Karl.

Karl deflated at the remark. While it wasn’t meant to hurt him, it still smarted. Charlie was older than he was! By several centuries! Of course he’d have better control over his body!

He waved his arms furiously, gesturing towards himself, and then towards Sapnap and Quackity. He was trying to tell them that it was him, that he was Karl, but they just didn’t seem to understand!

He couldn't sign either, he didn't. Have. Fingers.

He was still himself! He was still Karl…he guessed the others didn't realize that. He guessed they couldn't tell. They wouldn't have any reason to think that he, the strange little slime creature that wandered up to them, was their fiancé.

Unbidden, his eyes started to burn, and tears sprung to his eyes. Karl scrubbed at his eyes furiously. He didn't want to cry! Of all the things he couldn't do in his slime form, why wasn't crying one of them?!

"It's crying! Dude, I think you hurt its feelings! What do we do?" Sapnap exclaimed, tail twitching and flicking anxiously. Quackity shrugged, eyes guilty. “I dunno, man! I didn’t know slimes could cry! Charlie never has!”

Sapnap bit his lip, thinking, then scooped Karl up into his arms. “Hey, it’s okay, little guy. I know Quackity can be a dick sometimes, but don’t take it to heart. It’ll be okay, okay?” Sapnap ignored the affronted noise that the avian made and gently stroked his fingers over Karl’s head while making cooing noises. Karl took the gesture of comfort for what it was, burying his head against Sapnap’s chest and sobbing into the fireborn’s shirt. He poured the pent-up emotions of being trapped in a cage for days and treated like an animal, of being half frozen, of being afraid and unable to speak for weeks into Sapnap’s shirt, soaking it through with fluids he probably couldn’t afford to lose. If he kept crying like he was, he'd start losing more mass. He didn’t want that. Not when it was so hard to gain back.

Karl cries for a long, long while. Sapnap and Quackity don’t really know what to do, because that’s obviously not because of Quackity’s remark, but something that had built up over time.

They decide to take in the little slime, letting it live with them as long as it wanted to.

For Karl, their decision was a godsend, because he could rest and recover in a familiar place, with people he loved. He was allowed to roam wherever he wanted (which is a step up from the cage Tubbo had him in) and he stayed with at least one of his fiancés every day. Unfortunately, he was still stuck in his slime form, no matter what he tried.

Despite everything, Sapnap was rather…dense. And most of the time, Quackity was either busy with his affairs with Las Nevadas, or he was looking for Karl. Neither of them ever realized that he was with them, nearly all of the time.

And no matter how much he tried, he couldn't get his hands on an inked quill and a piece of paper. The frustration had reduced him to stinging tears, and it took him a while more before he gave up and accepted that he'd probably never get to tell his fiancés who he was.

It was fine. He would be fine.

He would.

_______

Quackity found himself becoming rather fond of the little slime over the few weeks it had been with them, and he was absolutely delighted on the days it decided to hang around with him. It usually alternated between himself and Sapnap, and sometimes didn’t go with either of them, but today it had decided to spend its time with him.

Right now, it was hanging from his neck like a sloth, or perhaps a koala would, as he made his way along one of the many paths of Las Nevadas. He was headed to the casino today, needing to do a checkup on the slot machines and make sure that nobody had tampered with anything.

A green, semi-translucent figure bounced towards Quackity, and a fond smile grew across his face as Charlie barreled closer. He raised a hand in preparation to greet the slime. Charlie’s face lit up, and he sped towards Quackity at a much more rapid pace, his own gelatinous arm raised to meet the avian’s.

"Hello, Quackity from Las Nevadas! Hello, Karl from Kinoko Kingdom!" A green palm slapped his own, but Quackity was too startled to respond to the slime’s exuberant greeting. Karl was here?!

Quackity jerked ramrod straight, and his head whipped from side to side, wildly searching the surrounding buildings. "Karl?"

The little purple slime frantically patted Quackity's chest, nearly losing its one-armed grip around the avian's neck. Quackity looked down at it with sad eyes, confusion clear in his face.

Karl slapped his own chest, staring imploringly at the big avian. To his utter disappointment, Quackity looked away from him and back up at Charlie.

"Wh–where's Karl, Charlie? Where did you see him?" The avian sounded desperate, and it hurt, to hear Quackity call for him when he was right there. Karl’s eyes stung, and he sent a pleading look Charlie’s way. The bigger slime met his gaze, and a small, sympathetic grin formed over his face.

Very gently, the bigger slime leaned forward and patted one green hand on top of Karl's head. "Karl from Kinoko Kingdom." The green slime said plainly, moving his gaze from Karl up to Quackity’s.

Karl nodded frantically, twisting his hand-nubs into Quackity's rumpled dress shirt and bracing his legs against the avian’s sternum. He pulled himself up, high enough that he was face-to-nose with Quackity, and waved frantically between himself and Charlie. His movements were so violent that he lost his grip, and panic strummed though his body when he tipped backwards and fell.

His back smacked against something oddly lumpy, and he realized that Quackity had brought his hands up to catch him, even while he was staring at him as if he was in some kind of daze.

Finally, Quackity blinked several times and hesitantly brushed his thumb along Karl’s arm, almost as if he thought the slime would disappear at a moment's notice.

“Y-You’re Karl?!” His voice was shaking, and his eyes were watering. Karl nodded frantically, curling one of his hand-nubs around Quackity’s thumb. The line of the avian’s mouth wavered, and he wiped his eyes on his shoulder before turning to Charlie.

"Charlie, why can't he talk?"

"He's been de-gooped, Quackity from Las Nevadas. He doesn't have enough of himself to form properly." Charlie paused for a long moment, then. "Not that I know anything about that, seeing as I am a perfectly normal human being with perfectly normal human bones."

Quackity didn’t bother answering, instead staring down at the little purple slime draped over his hands. Karl had been with them the entire time…? Karl had been with them while they were looking for him…

An incredulous laugh escaped from his lips, and soon, he found himself doubled over, Karl clutched to his chest, cackling like a madman as a wave of emotion overcame him.

Karl found himself squished against a layer of smoky cotton as he was squeezed to Quackity’s chest in a desperate hug, the scent of cigarettes and the dusty smell of sand pervading his senses from the tight embrace.

After what felt like too much time and not enough, Quackity loosened his grip on Karl’s body, and his laughter petered out. A doofy grin still decorated his face, and his eyes were scanning over Karl like he’d never seen him before.

Seconds later, his eyes widened, and his grin grew. “I gotta tell Sapnap! Holy fuck he’s gonna be so happy!”

Quackity shifted Karl to one arm and pulled his communicator out with the other. It took him a few seconds to do it one handed, but Karl saw him pull up Sapnap’s contact and hit call. It rang for a few moments, before their third picked up. “Yea–”

“Sapnap, Sapnap, I fucking found Karl.” Quackity didn’t even pause to let Sapnap get a word in, bowling over anything the other man had to say. “Sapnap, he’s the fucking slime, he’s fucking been here the whole goddamn time!”

“Oh my fucking god.”

“I fucking know!” Quackity grinned down at Karl, cradled in the crook of his left arm. Karl waved back up at him, eyes scrunched up in joy.

“I’m headed over there right now. Don’t you two fucking move, got it?”

Quackity laughed and planted himself on a bench on the side of the road, pulling Karl into his lap and hugging the little slime to his chest. “We won’t, we won’t. We’ll be here, dude.”

Quackity hung up and shoved his communicator back into his pocket. His other arm circled around Karl’s pliable body, and he looked down at the slime, eyes wide with wonder.

“Dude, what the fuck,” he whispered, and all Karl could do was shrug, chest feeling lighter than it had in a long, long while.

Charlie wandered away while they waited, stating that he needed to go check his holes (Quackity needed to fill some of those in, he’d nearly broken his ankle about eight times) leaving the two of them to wait for their third.

When Sapnap finally arrived, he made a beeline for the little purple slime resting in Quackity’s lap, sprinting through town and skidding to a stop right in front of them.

He immediately reached for Karl, his warm hands surrounding his torso and his thumbs pressing against Karl's chest. He was plucked up from Quackity’s arms before he could blink, and then he was brought towards Sapnap’s face.

The huge fireborn pressed a kiss against Karl’s face, lips as big as his head smothering against his face. He leaned into it, wrapping his arms around Sapnap's cheeks and jawline in an awkward hug. It was a good thing he didn't technically breathe through his nonexistent mouth, because he'd be suffocating from how long his face was being squashed into Sapnap's lips.

Then he was being squished against the fireborn's stubbled cheek, a deep, elated purr jiggling his entire body. Karl leaned into it, burying his face into Sapnap's cheek and wrapping himself in the familiar, comforting scent of charcoal and dirt. It felt different now, now that they knew.

Sapnap held him at arms length, hands still wrapped firmly around his chest. Karl’s legs dangled limply below, but he couldn’t find it in himself to care.

"Why didn't you tell us?" Sapnap asked earnestly. Karl shot him a flat look and getsured first at his mouthless face, then at his fingerless hand-nubs, and then finally over his whole body in general. The fireborn winced, realizing that Karl physically couldn’t.

It was fine now, though, because they finally knew.

When they finally went to bed that night, he was cocooned between their chests, in a warm embrace formed by the blanket and the two bodies of his fiancés. He wasn’t a pet, he wasn’t dead, and they. Knew.

He still couldn’t build up enough body mass to grow back to normal size and retain his human shape, but it was more bearable now, now that his fiancés knew who he was.

Taglist!

@brick-a-doodle-do @i-am-beckyu @da3dm @kayla-crazy-stuffs @local-squishmallow @skullsnbruises @munchkin1156 @gt-daboss

[olympusgenius]

The Seven Grooms

Chapter 3: After the storm

Xavier stared, rapt, at the imposing artificial figure at his feet. A blush rose to his face as soon as he met its gaze. It was damn attractive. Not only did this being seem sculpted with obsessive perfection, but it also conveyed a presence… too perfect to be real.

But alongside the fascination grew a pang of uncertainty.

Could this doll really bring him the happiness he longed for? Or was it just a dream too good to last?

Xavier's hand remained wrapped in the puppet's warm grasp. Doubt turned to fear. What if it wasn't what it claimed to be? What if it was only trying to manipulate him… harm him… destroy him from within?

No. Not this time. Xavier had given his heart away easily before. And he knew all too well what it felt like to regret it later.

With a nervous tug, he withdrew his hand from Ferro's touch. His entire body was tense, as if something in his gut was screaming run. That living puppet was as intimidating as it was hypnotic.

Ferro noticed the change. He saw Xavier slowly back away, his steps clumsy, as if he were a threat. He looked at him as if something were deeply wrong. "What's wrong? Are you okay?" Ferro asked, standing gracefully. His shoes clicked on the wood as he approached carefully, careful not to look like a pursuer. "Please… tell me if anything's wrong. Maybe we can solve it together. There's no reason to fear me…" he said in that velvety voice, designed to soothe.

But Xavier's fear wouldn't subside. His emotions surged like waves. Finally, he yelled out loud: "G-get away from me, demon!"

Ferro stopped in his tracks. His eyes widened in disbelief, hurt by those words. "Demon?" He repeated, indignant. His voice, deep and solemn, became commanding. "I know you're scared, but I demand that you take those disgusting lies from your lips. I am not a demon or a dark entity! I am Ferro Metalli, your fiancé. A gift that destiny has reserved for you!"

Noticing the volume of his voice, Ferro immediately stopped himself. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and resumed his gallant bearing. "Forgive me for being startled. I didn't mean to yell at you..." he said gently, extending a gloved hand in a sign of peace.

Xavier hesitated. His gaze flickered between those violet eyes and the outstretched hand. For a second, he thought he wanted to trust… But fear was stronger.

"No! You're not going to fool me… Not like the others!" he shouted, turning around and running out of the apartment.

"Wait! Please, don't go!" Let's talk! I beg you! I'll prove to you that my intentions are pure… I would never hurt you!" Ferro cried desperately.

Without thinking, he ran to the balcony. He leaped with impossible agility and landed unharmed, like a celestial acrobat. He wasted no time. His long legs propelled him in swift strides through the storm.

As he ran, he thought only: My beloved… I will find you. I will protect you. It is my oath as your suitor. No one will hurt you again while I breathe.

Xavier ran aimlessly through the torrential rain, soaked, exhausted. His legs no longer responded. He found shelter under a gazebo in a lonely park. Panting, trembling, he hugged himself. The storm raged, but he only heard the echo of his own confusion.

Fear. Attraction. Guilt. Desire. Everything swirled in his chest.

"What was I thinking…? How could I have performed that stupid ritual? Is that thing in my house now? What did I get myself into…" he lamented softly.

His thoughts were interrupted by a presence behind him. Something cold pressed against his back. A raspy, hostile voice whispered in his ear: "Don't even think about moving, asshole… I'll just grab your things and leave."

Xavier stood still as the thief dug into his pocket. But in an act of reflex and desperation, he elbowed him and ran. He didn't get far.

Three more men surrounded him, knives in hand. They cornered him in the rain, dragging him toward the center of the kiosk.

"If you had let our friend do his thing, this wouldn't have happened" one said, smiling disdainfully. "But no… you elbowed him. And now, you're going to pay the price." that thug told him while was playing with his jacknife in his hand.

“Take everything! Money, phone, whatever you want! Just let me go! I won’t come back here, I swear!” Xavier pleaded.

The gang leader shook his head and gave an order with his hand. They lifted him off the ground and held him down as he unleashed violent blows. Each punch was a brutal onslaught. Xavier tried to break free, but the others held him tight.

An uppercut to the face was the last thing he saw coming.

He closed his eyes.

But the blow… never came.

He opened them, stunned. The assailant’s fist was stopped inches from his face. A glamorous, white-gloved hand held him with monstrous strength.

Ferro.

"You dared to touch my beloved, you damned imitation of a man! You will pay for your crime!" Ferro shouted with incandescent fury.

The elegant living puppet lunged at the gang leader with unbridled violence. Each blow was precise, fueled by rage and desperation. The beating was so intense that it left the attacker unrecognizable. That piece of human scum lay on the ground, bleeding, barely breathing.

His accomplices, paralyzed with fear, released Xavier without a second thought. It wasn't out of mercy, but pure survival instinct. Ferro's presence was as imposing as it was terrifying. His solemn face, his upright posture, his eyes blazing with rage.

"If all of you truly value your lives… Get out of my sight! or you'll end up like him!" Ferro's voice thundered signaling the thug lying at the floor, with a gravity that chilled everyone's blood.

The cowards fled.

Xavier, semi-conscious, barely held his eyelids. But he clearly felt arms enveloping him in a warm embrace. The same warmth pulsed from the mark on his left hand… a silent message, a promise of hope. His eyes closed. The last thing he saw were those violet eyes, bright and melancholical.

He dreamed again of the castle surrounded by shadows and the seven giants sealed in coffins. This time, however, he stood before the one who had tried to save the old man. The colossus was struggling, resisting being sealed. Xavier felt an overwhelming urge: he ran toward him, took his hand, and then he saw him.

It was Ferro.

He wept for the old man with heartbreaking sorrow. When he saw Xavier, he let go of his hand… but gave him a faint smile. As if he had seen something in him that rekindled his hopes. Then, without resistance, he allowed himself to be locked away.

Xavier woke up. He was in his room, lying in his bed. The physical pain had vanished. Beside him, his cat T'Challa slept peacefully. The rays of sunlight filtered through the window, gilding the room with a serene light.

He raised his left hand. The mark of the commitment was still there.

It had all been real.

But absolute confirmation came when he turned to his right.

There, standing like a sentry in a tuxedo, he was. The distinguished human puppet. Motionless, his eyes closed, and the bearing of a gentleman from another era. Xavier sat up, looking at him more closely. The natural light highlighted his perfect features: his elegantly combed hair, his silky beard, the red rose in his buttonhole.

He felt warmth on his face. Then Ferro's eyes half-opened.

"One kiss from you, of true love, will break the spell I'm held captive by… my beloved," he murmured in a sleepy tone.

Xavier jumped and let out a cry.

"D-Don't do that, you big dumb puppet!" he scolded, flustered, trying to compose himself. "Were you standing by my bed all night?"

"I was..." Ferro replied solemnly. "I was watching over your rest. Fortunately, you won't have any visible wounds on your face or body, despite the blows from that nefarious ruffian. What I would have given to have arrived sooner…"

Xavier low his sight from Ferro, shocked.

"I really am pathetic… A man is supposed to know how to defend himself, and I ended up being protected… like a weak girl" he said with a bitter laugh, letting his tears fall over his face.

Ferro approached and took him firmly by the shoulders.

“Don’t say that! Don’t ever say that about yourself, my love! You are not a pathetic being. You were brave to stand up to those scoundrels alone. You could have let them take advantage of you… but you didn’t. That shows you’re strong and resilient. I can see it inside you. I never want to hear you put yourself down like that again. Not ever!”

Xavier was speechless. Ferro’s hands trembled slightly, not from fear, but from the intensity of his emotions.

Then, without asking permission, Ferro wrapped him in a deep hug.

“My dear… I woke up because you are worthy... That says a lot about you... You should fear me, I know, but I swear this: open your heart to me, and I will shower you with the sweetest love you’ve ever felt. I will be your defender. Your beacon in the darkness. I have no magic wand to erase your pain… but I can offer you a dream life, if you are willing to walk this journey with me.”

Ferro told him to ease his pain and bring him some comfort.

Xavier hugged him hesitantly… but feeling that enveloping warmth, he responded with a full hug.

“You don’t even know my name… How can you make these kinds of promises?”

“Because that’s what my heart tells me. My way of understanding the world may be unconventional, but what I feel is real… that’s how intensely I love, my dear.”

There was a silence. Then, the answer:

“Xavier…”

“Excuse me?”

“My name… is Xavier. Xavier González.”

Ferro looked at him, absorbing the name with an elegant smile. He let out a slight laugh, worthy of a gentleman of the highest lienage.

“Xavier… A strong name, for a strong man. They couldn’t have given you a more perfect name.”

He stood up, assuming an upright posture, and clicked his heels. With an impeccable bow, he placed his right arm across his chest and his left arm behind his back.

"Young Xavier González… I introduce myself again. I am Ferro Metalli. And from this moment on, I am your fiancé."

Xavier couldn't help but smile at that solemn and ridiculous introduction… and at the same time, so moving.

Because, even if he didn't know it yet, that moment would mark the beginning of something that would change his life forever.

[athenasdaydreams]

miss america | chapter iii

pairing: bucky barnes x fem!reader

series summary: you're steve's sister, and bucky barnes' girlfriend. and maybe also a supersoldier from the 40s

chapter summary: you say goodbye to bucky before he's shipped off to England, and you receive some news.

chapter warnings: little bit of joking about the possibility of stucky,

A/N: actually finished writing this because I got a 4.0 and felt like I should celebrate

series masterlist ♡ masterlist ♡ next chapter

Steve dejectedly stepped down from the platform in the army recruitment centre. Every guy that stood on it could actually envision themselves joining the army. Not Steve though; he wasn't even tall enough to see himself in the reflection of a soldier.

"Come on, you're kinda missing the point of a double date," Bucky said as he pushed Steve from behind. "I don't think you can call it a double date anymore, since Ruth ran off," you said pointedly. "We're going to get some drinks at the bar nearby, y'know to celebrate me leaving," Bucky told Steve.

"We're not celebrating that you're leaving James," you scolded. "Okay, doll, 'commemorating'. Is that better? Jeez, you sound like Ma," Bucky responded while you shook your head in annoyance.

"You guys go ahead, I'll catch up with you," Steve said, with his hands in his pocket.

"You really gonna do this again?"

"Well it's a fair; I'm gonna try my luck,"

"As who, Steve from Ohio?" You asked, the sarcasm evident. "They'll catch you." You took on a more caring tone.

"Or worse, they'll actually take you," Bucky stated, unabashedly showing his concern and worry for his friend.

"Who needs parents when they have you two..." Steve muttered, his words unheard by the pair. "Look, I know you two don't think I can do this-"

"This isn't a back alley Steve." Bucky said, his annoyance with Steve's stubbornness rising. "It's war!"

"I know it's a war-"

"Why are you so keen to fight?" You asked him, not understanding why someone would put themselves in so much danger willingly. "There are so many important jobs!"

"What do you want me to do? Collect scrap metal in my little red wagon?" Steve asked sarcastically.

"Yes! Why not?!"

"I'm not going to sit in a factory Bucky-"

"I don't-"

"Bucky! Come on, there are men laying down their lives. I got no right to do any less than them," Steve argued.

"But-" you tried to reason with Steve.

"You get to help people like Ma, you're a nurse. The least I could do is help the country by fighting for it like Pa," Steve continued." That's what you don't understand. This isn't about me."

"Right, cause you've got nothing to prove."

"We should go, your Ma asked us to be back for dessert," you said while you tugged on Bucky's sleeve, not willing to see them so hostile towards each other.

Bucky relented as he started stepping backwards. "Don't do anything stupid until I get back."

"How can I? You're taking all the stupid with you," Steve joked.

That put a smile on Bucky's face. "You're a punk," he said as he went in for a hug. "Jerk."

Most weren't as lucky as you were, to have a brother who didn't want to fight who they were dating (at least most of the time). You were frankly glad that they were best friends.

"Take care of my girl while I'm gone would ya?" Bucky said as he walked over to you and fit his hand around your waist. "Hey, she was my sister first before she was your girlfriend," Steve challenged.

You all snickered at that. "Steve make sure you don't stay up too late missing Bucky after he's gone; he's my boyfriend not yours," you smiled.

"Don't win the war until I get there!"

Bucky did a salute to Steve as he turned around to walk with you to his house. You loved going to his house, and his parents loved you. Winifred, or Winnie as she asked you to call her, treated you and Steve like her own children, being Steve's secondary pillar of support after your mother's death. Bucky had three younger sisters, but he was closest to Rebecca, the youngest. Becca idolised Bucky, and wanted to be just like her big brother. Her and Bucky's age gap of 16 years was never a problem when she wanted him to play dolls with him when she was younger. Becca adored you too, Bucky joking that she liked you more than she liked him. With Bucky's two other younger sisters, Marjorie and Betty, busy with high school, you were the most available to talk to her or braid her hair.

Bucky knocked at the door, the smell of freshly baked mock cherry pie wafting through the door. "Looks like she made your favourite dessert," you smiled as Becca opened the door.

"Look what the cat dragged in," she said as she stepped to the side to let you two in. "So excited to see me," Bucky laughed as he ruffled her hair. As you walked through the hallway that led to the main living room, memories of Steve chasing you through them flooded through your mind. With your mother busy at the hospital trying to make ends meet, Winnie always made sure you two had food to eat and a roof over your heads. Literally. When the roof of your cheap rental house collapsed, she was the one to offer the three of you the spare room. You remembered having dinner here the day before you left to Connecticut to stay with your aunt and Winnie barely let you go the whole evening.

"Dessert's almost ready. You two have fun at the expo?" George Barnes asked his son as he closed the book he was reading. "I'd spend eternity watching paint dry if she was next to me," Bucky replied as he sat down on the plush couch. Mr Barnes chuckled. "Young love... Your Ma and I were like this too." A scarlet blush formed on you cheeks. "I'll go inside to see if Winnie needs help with anything." you walked away and into the kitchen, beckoning Becca to join you.

"Are you going to marry Jamie?" Becca asked, her innocent eyes sparkling right up at you. You choked on air. Indeed, you two had brought up the idea some time before, but with him leaving for England, you hadn't put any thought into it. "Maybe once the war's over."

"There you are! I haven't seen you in ages. James is always keeping you for himself and never bringing you over," Winnie said as she gave you a hug that could have made up for all those years you hadn't seen her after going to Connecticut. She handed you two plates of mock cherry pie and asked if you could bring them out to the living room.

You mostly ate in silence as Winnie asked Bucky if he had packed everything.

"I'll really miss you Jamie."

"I'll miss you too Beck," Bucky said, or at least you thought he did. He was busy stuffing his mouth with Mock Cherry Pie. "Bucky, nobody's going to take the plate away from you. Slow down," You said with a laugh.

These moments were so domestic. Ones that you'd look back on if Bucky ever- no, that wouldn't happen. Bucky would return home after the war and you would get married and get a nice house far away from busy New York. With a cat maybe. Bucky had always wanted a cat; a white fluffy one.

While these thoughts occupied your mind all the way home, you saw a crinkled letter outside you and Steve's tiny apartment. "I'm not even gone yet and you're already getting love letters," Bucky, who had offered to walk you home because "It's too dangerous for a pretty girl to be walking the streets alone at night", joked.

After scoffing at his comment and playfully punching him in the stomach, you passed him the letter for him to skim through. "They've stationed you at Camp Lehigh. Y'know, as a nurse for those poor people training."

"Really?" you asked with surprise. You had always thought they wouldn't send a nurse who couldn't read to a training camp. It was kind of a promotion.

"That's great doll. At least I can send my letters there to make sure everyone knows you're taken," Bucky teased.

Letters.

L-e-t-t-e-r-s, you mentally tried to spell out.

The simplest thing that every soldier wrote to whoever they were in love with while they were off at war. You couldn't have that same pleasure.

"Bucky, why bother sending me letters when you know I can't read them."

"Then I'll paint you the most beautiful paintings and send them to you if that's what it takes for you to see how much I'll miss you."

"What are you going to paint them with? You won't have paint where you're going."

"I'll paint 'em with my blood."

"You're so dramatic."

"You love it," Bucky said as he pushed open the door of your apartment.

"Finally, you decided to open the door. I was getting bored of listening to Mr Barnes being all sappy with his girlfriend," Steve said from the frayed couch.

"It's Sergeant Barnes to you, punk,"

"Yeah yeah, I'll miss you too Bucky,"

"I'll miss you James," You said as you put your hand to his cheek. "Don't call me that. I'm Bucky. Your Bucky. Always."

-

word count: 1.4k

tagged: @your-local-questioning-agender

[isagrimorie]

Kathryn Janeway, 2+3+20 for the character ask meme?

for this ask game

2. Favorite canon thing about this character?

Janeway is a scientist. She was a Science Officer who ranked up to Captain.

Also, I love how when Janeway is furious the looser she gets, the way she struts, and swagger. And drapes on her Captain's chair, and each passing year, the more 'IDGAF' she gets.

First-year in the Delta Quadrant was all about diplomacy and trying to talk to people by season 7, when Chakotay claimed that he was following Janeway's example using diplomacy first I snorted.

Because at that point, Janeway's firmly in the IDGAF zone. She's gonna use diplomacy as a starting point but she's also carrying a big stick behind her back.

Lokirrim Captain: You're still required to submit to inspection.

Janeway: our sensors should also confirm that our weapons are ready to fire. We're both reasonable people. I suggest a compromise. Your vessel will escort us through Lokirrim territory. That way, you can keep an eye on us, make sure we don't reactivate our holodecks. The other alternative is... we destroy your ship.

Janeway Diplomacy is to Speak Softly and Carry a Big Saber so You can Rattle it, and then if they betray you or are actively hostile, stab them.

3. Least favorite canon thing about this character?

I don't know if I can think of any -- possibly it's her overconfidence in Unimatrix Zero but that's just not great writing and honestly, if they massaged it a little more, I could buy it. It was just clumsily done to get to that point.

Maybe it's her tendency to prioritize Humans over other species? I can't really blame her for wanting a Hologram boy toy, after several years she's allowed. Although, over the safety of her crew? No, I don't believe it.

But mostly even her flaws and prejudices are interesting.

Maybe the least favorite canon thing where Janeway chose not to pursue anything romantic in the show? Romancing and having different love interests are okay for male captains but not women captains. Kate Mulgrew was very protective of that, and I get it because it was the 90s, and people would perceive it differently.

Oh, another thing I dislike: The new beta canon thing-- how Janeway kept a hold of her ex-fiancee years after he broke up with her. And also, I'm not sure I like the whole Amelia Janeway of it all they added in the books.

20. Which other character is the ideal best friend for this character, the amount of screentime they share doesn't matter?

I do think it's still Tuvok. Especially whenever Tuvok passive-aggressively plays the 'I'm her Best Friend' game against Chakotay. And he's the only one keeping score.

Not an ideal best friend but I love the headcanon that Sisko and Janeway were either in the same class in the Academy or were in similar circles in the Academy.