#long haired gris my beloved

[squirreltastrophe]

SO I WROTE A SILLY SHORT STORY HEHE!!!! :3

OK SO UHHHH. REALLY NERVOUS ABOUT POSTING THIS BUT I GOTTA WORK ON PUTTING STUFF I MAKE OUT THERE SO!!!!

I wrote this little short story for a class and it;s silly and I kinda like how it came out so I went "hmm why don't I post it!" it's about my silly ocs that I post about a lot :3. oh also it has illustrations! oh and disclaimer I'm not the greatest writer ever I just like to get silly with it. I have fun :D.

BUT UH anyway I'm proctrastingating now oops story time

 Even the most mundane tasks are so different when you’re dead. Jinny knew this all too well. Sometimes it was convenient; no more need for doors when you can phase through walls! But other times, being dead was extremely lonely. Like when 99% of the human race can’t see (let alone understand) your ghostly form.

But Jinny would never in a million years admit she was “lonely”. How could she be lonely when she had such awesome living friends? Jinny thought about her best friends, Ophelia and Albert, a lot. The three of them were always acting on Jinny’s stupidest ideas and going on adventures. Or, more accurately, Jinny and Ophelia would act on an adventure and drag a begrudging Albert along.

The awesome friendship adventure plan today was to take Albert’s beloved bike to the largest hill they could find and ride down it without using the breaks. At all! When Jinny brought this idea up with her friends, Ophelia had enthusiastically volunteered to be the one on the bike. This was surprising, given how Ophelia had the courage and mind of a field mouse. Jinny figured she was trying to prove something to herself. She tended to do that sort of thing.

Jinny fidgeted with her hair in excitement. Sure she wasn’t actually the one riding the bike, it’d take her too much energy to not phase through the dang thing, but as long as Jinny’s friends were having fun, so was she!

After a walk through the winding streets of suburbia, the three friends arrived at a large hill. Jinny could see Ophelia tense up as they walked to the crest.

“What’s wrong?” Jinny asked, her voice startling Ophelia a bit.

“Uh, I’m fine.” Ophelia replied. “Just a bit nervous. Are you sure I can ride a bike down this hill without breaking my neck?”

“I’m sure whatever happens, it’ll turn out fine. And if you did break your neck, we could be ghost buddies! Pal-tergiests!” Jinny said. Her favorite coping strategy was bad death-related puns. Despite the eyeroll, Jinny could see Ophelia smile a little and relax her shoulders.

The helmet Ophelia was wearing (at Albert’s insistence) cast a shadow over her face, making it sorta hard to see her expressions, but that wasn’t the biggest issue. Jinny could read Ophelia very well— Which made sense, given that Jinny’d known Ophelia for pretty much her entire afterlife! They’d grown up together in the Underworld because of Ophelia’ unique kidnapped-by-demons-when-she-was-a-baby situation. Jinny and Ophelia had run away and come up to the living world for the first time recently. Ophelia’d been positively giddy with all the new creatures and plants they’d found. Before she could zone out even more, Jinny was pulled out of her thoughts by Albert’s reedy voice.

“I still think this seems like a horrible idea.” He said. Albert had a way of doubting Jinny’s plans, though she didn’t see why.

“Even if my impeccable idea ends badly, at least we got to see this view!” Jinny chimed.

The breeze had a tinge of Autumn sweetness to it. The steep hill they were on overlooked the small forest-surrounded town. Jinny could see tiny people and cars on the streets, all living their lives. The town reminded her of an ant colony, always moving and changing. 

The Underworld wasn’t like that. Sure, it was full of activity, but ghosts or imps didn’t change in the same way actual living people did. The bustle up here felt… different.

Jinny shook her melancholy away and turned to Ophelia, who was climbing on the bike now. 

“Are you ready?” Jinny asked, grinning. Ophelia nodded, her lips pursed together. On the count of three, Albert and Jinny pushed the bike with a heave! Ophelia bolted forward, letting out a squeak. Jinny watched as Ophelia barreled down the hill, the bike bouncing every which way.

“This was probably a terrible idea, huh?” Jinny said.

“Definitely.”

As if on cue, the bike crashed into a crag on the hill and Ophelia flew over the rock like a candy wrapper. Jinny yelped and sped down the hill after Albert. 

Ophelia sat at the bottom of the hill, holding a scraped knee, tears rolling down her face. Jinny felt a pit of guilt form in her stomach. She floated next to Ophelia, asking her if she was okay. Ophelia shook her head and blubbered in the same manner as a sopping wet cat. Without speaking, Albert whipped a small first aid kit out of his backpack and started to put some sort of ointment on Ophelia’s nasty-looking cut. 

How the heck is he prepared for everything? What does he keep in that backpack? Jinny thought. One time, Ophelia had needed something to dig with, and Albert offered an egg beater he’d had on hand. Not a hand shovel. An egg beater. It also seemed that Albert had a never-ending library of his favorite comics in his backpack. Jinny thought about Albert more than what was considered normal. Or completely platonic. But Jinny was getting lost in her thoughts again. 

Ophelia was still sniffling when Albert pulled her to her feet. They were all in agreement that Ophelia should never get on a bike again. And that they should all go home.

That night, the house was still and quiet. Too still and quiet. The house felt like it was holding its breath, waiting for everyone to come back to life in the morning. 

Jinny laid on the living room floor, turning the events of the day around in her head. Jinny hated silence. It unsettled her. The quiet drone of the tv— still on even though Ophelia was asleep on the couch— mingled with her self-deprecating thoughts.

I shouldn’t have even made Ophelia get on that stupid bike, Jinny thought. She got hurt because of me. Jinny’s thoughts continued to spiral like this until she realized she kept coming back to one thing: Ophelia bled when she scraped her knee. Jinny couldn’t do that.

Sure, it was trivial to mull over the fact that Jinny couldn’t bleed, being a ghost and all, but this fact just felt like yet another barrier between Jinny and her friends. Another piece of evidence that Jinny was only a paranormal puppet, pretending to be like everyone else. Jinny smiled as she came up with yet another immaculate idea. 

I can make myself like them.

 -   -   -

As soon as Jinny saw the morning light stream through the window, she popped up and started to poke Ophelia awake. 

“Rise and shine!” Jinny said in a sing-songy, overly-peppy tone. Ophelia simply responded with a series of grumbles and rolled over. Jinny shrugged off Ophelia’s less-than-friendly greeting. “I’m gonna go out! Be back soon!” 

Jinny had originally planned to bring her friends on her people watching/mimicking mission too; that was, until she realized they’d probably question why she was taking notes on everyone she saw. It’d be better for everyone if Jinny did this particular activity alone.

Jinny bounced out the front door, notepad in hand. She’d already planned out her entire day, from the places she’d go to the weather she’d expect (lacking the ability to sleep well will do that to you). The main place Jinny had planned to go to was the local park. She floated down the street in that direction, passing through the occasional person. 

Jinny arrived at the playground as the sun was approaching its climax. The park was very nice today! The forest encircling the park had a rusty fall time hue. People chattered and wandered like absent-minded mice. Jinny found a bench under a shaded tree and sat. Her leg bounced up and down as she forced herself to focus on the people passing by. 

She noticed a woman in a blue coat, leading an eager child to the swingset. She observed the way the sun’s rays bounced off of the fleshy faces surrounding her. She took note of how the people mingled with each other. How they all seemed to effortlessly fit together.

Jinny heard a mischievous laugh from behind her and whipped around. She saw a group of three older kids, plotting together. 

“We can’t explore the forest now! My sister’s still watching!” The smallest of them squeaked. 

“Oh c’mon! We won’t ever get a chance if we keep stalling! It’s not like she’s paying attention anyway.” The third child ignored the first two, simply reading a book off to the side. 

These kids striked Jinny as eerily like her friends. She wished they were with her right now. As the group ran into the forest, Jinny felt inclined to follow. It wasn’t too creepy if she was looking out for them, right?

Jinny followed the kids through clearings and thickets, dandelions and thistles. The forest was teeming with life and sound. Birds sang disjointed songs, creatures skittered everywhere, and ferns swayed with the gentle breeze. Jinny knew the kids couldn’t see her, but she found herself occasionally hiding behind  trees anyway. I guess I’m more tense than I thought. Every once in a while, Jinny smiled or giggled to herself when the kids would start bantering with each other.

Jinny found herself distracted by the canopy above her as she floated along. There wasn’t a sun in the Underworld (obviously), so Jinny was endlessly fascinated with how the sunlight danced through different things. Ophelia actually helped her notice this— Ophelia was always realizing little beautiful things around her.

Just as Jinny pulled her thoughts back to reality, she noticed that the quietest of the children was staring straight at her. Or, more accurately, through her. 

“Have you guys been hearing that?” The small girl squeaked, turning around to face her friends. “That rustling sound behind us.”

Jinny looked down and realized she had walked right into the middle of a bush while she was lost in her thoughts. Of course the kids could hear her now!

“Now that you mention it, I’ve been hearing it too.” The adventurous one replied.

Jinny felt an alarm begin to blare in her head. It’d be extremely embarrassing if she was caught by  5th graders! And it’d be even more embarrassing if she had to admit she’d been taking notes on socialization from these 5th graders!

Jinny bolted away from the little adventurers. She knew she was causing a ruckus, but at this point she couldn’t care less.

-   -   -

Jinny phased through the front door, walking in on Ophelia and Albert playing a video game. Ophelia was losing repeatedly, as usual. Jinny felt the shame and embarrassment set in as she approached her friends. She’d definitely have to tell them what she’d been up to now. And Jinny hated talking about stupid sappy emotions!

Albert greeted Jinny as Ophelia threw down her controller in frustration. 

“What the heck have you been up to all day?” He asked with a chuckle. Jinny’s face got uncomfortably warm. With a sigh, she plopped herself down between her friends. No way she could get out of explaining herself now.

“I… I was observing living people because I thought I could be more like you guys.” Jinny fiddled with her fingers. “I know it’s stupid and it wouldn’t work anyway but-”

“What? Why would you do that?” Ophelia asked, her eyebrows furrowed.

“I dunno!”

“Oh. Sorry. I didn’t mean for that to come out so blunt. I was just wondering why you’d do something like that when you’re so awesome already!” Ophelia continued. Jinny further shrinked into herself with the praise.

“I, for one, think being a ghost is cool and sick and tubular.” Albert said. “Tubular” was an… odd choice of words. But the meaning came across the same.

Jinny smiled a little. Now she just felt silly for worrying so much before. Jinny felt love swell up inside her and pulled her friends in for a hug. She thought back on the experiences she’d had with her pals: watching ice cream drip onto the sidewalk, laughing through badly made rom coms, attempting to befriend stray cats. Jinny realized how warm she felt right now. Not temperature wise (Jinny wasn’t even sure she could feel temperature), but warm in an emotional way. 

Jinny had been too wrapped up in mimicry and expectations to realize who she was. But she knew when she found herself, her friends would be waiting with open arms and unending warmth.

YIPEE YAHOO THATS IT I HOPE YOU ENJOYED THAT A LIL BIT :3 this is one of the first writing things I've finished in a hot minute so it's very close to my heart!!!! writing is so silly I wanna get better at it hehe

[grismavessel]

Hey just thought of another au.

Gris was transported into the distortion world and acts as its guardian and navigator, when someone stumbles from the other side. He spent years there. Dawn(protaginst) and Ingo stumbled upon him when searching for Giratina (post Volo battle) and while getting used to civilization again falls for Ingo and they act as Dawns legal guardians(uncles). His white hair had grown long with nothing to cut.

Got the idea from the reverse world Emmet comic a while back.

The symbol is Giratina's mark

DISTORTION AU YOU SAY

My take would be that Gris got stuck there while Arceus was trying to yeet them into the past, and had struck their head upon entering the realm. Giratina healed them, and over time due to the distorted nature of the place, their injured warped and now are a warped version of their old self.

It's still the same ole Gris Skul, just with one funky eye, looks like a hobo, and cannot remember what home looked like or where it was, having their memories still but they were murky at best.

He acts as a guide for others, not wanting people to end up like they did, and guides them back to reality before it's too late for them.

Then with Ingo and Dawn, they figure out that they were suppose to go to a place called Unova before ending up here, and leaves the realm to go back to the present.

Then cue a cute/sad slice of life of Gris and Ingo helping each other to figure out who they are again, becomes friends and Gris keeps the long hair. Dawn stays with them and eventually they're end up being a lovely, strange, but a lovely little family. Dawn and her train crazy and punk hobo uncles <3

And even after it's been years, Gris still has the strange eye and the mark on their back, but they feel so at home again.

[littlemisspascal]

Death and an Angel part 6

Helmetless + Death!Din and Cupid F!Reader

Summary: Three things happen at once. 

He pulls his glove off and tosses it aside. You forget how to breathe.

Rating: T

Word Count: 2,114

Warnings: Swearing, backstory, angsty angst, fluffy fluff, mutual pining finally acknowledged, overuse of italics, don’t mess with Din’s Cupid or he’ll kill you

Author Note: Important please read this! Ok, so if you’ve been following along you’ll know I had no outline for this originally. And well, that’s come back to bite me. I had to make an edit to Part 2, a small one but still the very beginning will look marginally different if you’ve read it before today’s date Dec. 16, 2020. Basically, I took away the implication that You don’t know exactly how You became a Cupid. So, yeah. Hopefully moving forward I’ll be better handling all this *awkward shuffling*. As always, thank you for all the support and I appreciate every one of you so much ❤

Links to Part 1 and Part 5 and Part 7

Cross-posted on AO3.

Photo Inspiration:

Silence floods the ship in the wake of your admission, stifling and charged with enough tension you fear breathing too loud will set off a chain reaction with disastrous results. It makes the hair on the back of your neck prickle, every instinct inside of you screaming to teleport away, if only so you no longer have to see Din stubbornly trying and failing to hide his internal turmoil behind a mask of indifference. 

When he opens his mouth, you tense but the question slices through you all the same. “When?”

You hesitate, making a face. “Din, we really don’t have time for this. Let’s just move on—”

Without warning, the hand holding your elbow slides to your wrist and twists, turning your palm up for inspection. Din stares at the blank expanse of skin, then slowly his gaze lifts, and he releases you as if you’ve poisoned him.

“You’ve never lied to me before, angel. Did you honestly think now was the best time to start?” he asks, and something breaks inside of you when he looks at you as if you’ve become a total stranger to him.

But before any pain can begin to sink in, anger overcomes you as his assumption registers.

“I’m not lying, you asshole,” you say sharply, feeling a faint pulse of petty satisfaction when you notice the subtle way his stance shifts defensively, betraying his surprise at your boldness. Resting your hands on your hips, you fix him with your fiercest glare. “For all that you are a powerful ancient being of the universe, you are also the biggest, most ignorant fool I’ve ever met. You have absolutely no idea how Cupids become Cupids, do you?”

You don’t offer him even a second to respond, too wound up and fueled by the overwhelming desire to make him get it. To make him understand you’re not purposefully trying to hurt him. If it were up to you, you’d make sure he never felt any kind of pain. But that would require having a choice and that is the one thing the universe did not grant you as a Cupid.

“Every Cupid was once a mortal with a soulmate,” you explain, choosing each word with careful precision while watching his face to make sure his focus never wavers. “And every one of us was rejected by them. When we die, we’re transformed into Cupids, losing our soulmate markings in the process.” When you feel your bottom lip begin to wobble, you pause to take a steadying breath. “You asked me before, what is the true purpose of a Cupid? It’s to help others find the kind of love we never experienced for ourselves.”

Din stands there in front of you, still staring passively, and you’re scared for a moment your words have made no difference, but then his jaw clenches so tightly you hear his teeth grinding. 

“You were rejected?” he growls, vicious and guttural, the sound of a feral beast.

He pivots, fist colliding with the wall with enough force it dents the metal beneath his knuckles. You flinch at the noise, shocked at the abuse he’s inflicted upon his beloved ship. Every bone in his hand should have shattered upon impact, but because Death is immune to such damage he merely turns back to you, breathing raggedly and eyes blackened with rage.

“Tell me his name.”

You’ve already begun shaking your head before you say, “So you can go hunt him down? Hell no. Trust me, it doesn’t matter.”

Instead of pacifying him, this only infuriates him further. “How can you say that? That bastard broke your heart when he was supposed to cherish you, protect you, love you above all else.”

“You think I don’t know that?” you ask peevishly, letting your temper get the better of you. Sparing a moment to mentally count to ten, you quietly reveal, “I can say it doesn’t matter because I don’t even remember who he was. There is no point sending you to kill someone who’s face I can’t pick out of a crowd.”

The sudden way Din’s whole body slumps in response to the news, like a puppet whose strings have been cut, expression scrunched and dumbfounded, would have made you laugh if the circumstances were entirely different. Being what they are, you can only meet his stare evenly, silently assuring him you’re not joking in the slightest.

“I don’t understand,” Din says at last, looking like he wants to approach but is unsure you’ll welcome his nearness so he keeps his distance. “You never told me you had memory loss before. What happened to you?”

You shrug helplessly. “I don’t know. For as long as I’ve been a Cupid, all my memories from my mortal life have dark spots, like something poked holes in them.”

Din glances away as he mutters something under his breath that sounds suspiciously like ‘Or someone’ but before you can comment, his tone rises to its usual volume as he says, “Is this why you collect all those old newspapers? To try to help you remember?”

You recall with embarrassment him having previously commented on the pile in your living room. That moment feels like years ago, the two of you sitting in your apartment and Din asking...if Cupids were on the list of potential soulmates. Was that his way of asking if you were on the list? Surely not. He’s much cleverer than that.

...Isn’t he?

“I just,” you shake your head, refocusing on the current conversation. “I keep thinking maybe I’ll find something that fills in the gaps. I don’t like this pit in my stomach, this feeling that I’ve forgotten something important.” You huff a self-deprecating chuckle. “Other than my soulmate, I mean.”

He offers you a smile, small and lopsided, likely meant to be consoling, but you see right through it. You see his pain in the tightness around his mouth, in the way his fingers flex at his sides like it’s taking all his self-control not to reach out to you. Your confession has hurt him. Badly. It’s the kind of hurt no amount of bacta can heal.

The silence returns, different than the one usually experienced during hyperspace in that it wishes to be broken, for someone to say something, anything. You would grant its wish except your thoughts are a jumbled mess inside your head. Deep down, there is a part of you which knows there is nothing you can say that will fix this—this being the chasm forming between you and Din, widening with every passing second spent staring wordlessly at each other. 

Would telling him sooner have prevented this heartbreak? Probably. But looking back, you can’t think of an opportune moment. You had never thought your crush could be requited—not just because you were already matched, but also because it had always seemed so ridiculous, imagining the great and powerful Death feeling anything remotely close to affection for an unimportant, low-ranking Cupid. 

“Angel,” Din begins after a few minutes, his voice anchoring you back in the present. He’s staring over your shoulder, brow furrowed thoughtfully and you can practically hear the gears turning inside his head. “Earlier, you said you didn’t tell your boss I was your client. Why didn’t you?”

“I-I don’t know,” you stutter, before an unexpected wave of boldness comes over you. Digging your finger into the armor on his chest, you remind him, “You came to me first, remember? Not them. So, I figured you didn’t want them knowing.”

“I couldn’t care less who knows,” Din deadpans.

“Oh.” You blink, hand falling back along your side, because what else can you say.

“You want to know what I think?” Oh Maker, he’s stepping closer until there’s only a foot of space between you two. His voice is a low, raspy murmur, sending your heartbeat into overdrive. “I think you didn’t want them knowing because you like being the only angel who does.”

You start to squirm, fight or flight instincts at total war with each other. His theory isn’t too far from the truth, making it all the worse hearing it out loud because it practically oozes possessiveness which is exactly what you’d feared.

“Before you pull away from me again,” Din continues, knowing you and your mind too damn well. “I want you to listen when I say nothing that you’ve told me changes how I feel about you.”

“Din—” you try, only for your voice to crack.

Then three things happen at once.

He pulls his glove off and tosses it aside. You forget how to breathe.

“I’ve been alone my entire existence and I kept telling myself that was how the universe intended it to be. That I couldn’t love anyone because I kill everything I touch.” A smile pulls at his lips when he looks down at his bare hand and a note of awe slips into his voice. “Then you came along, beautiful and clumsy and unafraid to call me out for being an ass. I started looking forward to each full moon because it meant I got to see you and admire every new detail about your life you chose to share with me. And then when this appeared,” he nods towards the soulmate marking, gleaming faintly beneath the overhead lighting, “all I could think of was you.”

You feel your throat becoming thick as you blink back tears, inhaling sharply through your nose. “Why didn’t you say anything at the train station? Why would you let me try to set you up with matches if you liked me that way?”

Din grimaces, abashed. “Because after you said there weren’t any Cupids on your list, I realized you didn’t know I liked you. I convinced myself I had to show you how I felt, instead of tell you. Although,” he holds up a finger, backtracking, “I actually almost did confess, on our way to Sorgan, but you stopped me. And that just further convinced me actions spoke louder than words. I knew none of the people you found me could ever compare with you, so I thought once you saw each unsuccessful connection, you’d realize the only hand I want to hold is yours.”

“Din, it can’t be me.” Your protest is weak, on the verge of caving in, forcing you to try another angle. “I can’t have two soulmates.”

He inhales a breath so sharp and unexpected, it startles your poor heart into skipping a beat.

Din looks at you like you’ve gifted him all the stars in the galaxy, brown eyes blown wide with hope. “Angel, do you mean it? That you consider me—”

“Of course, you idiot.” You attempt a laugh, but it comes out sounding broken and forced. “As Death, as Din, as whoever you want to be, I’ll always consider you. But...what if what happened on Sorgan happens to us? What if the universe doesn’t favor us?”

“I just want to be yours.” Din extends his hand towards you. “And if that means breaking the universe’s rules, then fuck it. We’ll make up our own. Together.”

Time seems to stand still, like you’ve entered a realm separate from the rest of the universe where you’re able to forget you have a complicated past, filled with holes and a soulmate who rejected you. Here it’s just you, Din, and his offer to love you unconditionally. Here you have a choice.

And it’s the easiest one you’ve ever made.

You slowly lift up your hand to hover in front of his, fingers trembling as they uncurl.

“Together,” you whisper.

And then your hands are moving to meet one another, closer and closer until his fingertips brush yours, sending a spark of warmth through your nervous system. Oh, Maker, you had described what you imagined a soulmate connection was like, but you had no idea this is the true experience. It’s like a sunrise dissolving midnight skies, lighting up your surroundings with breathtaking vibrancy. You can’t fathom how you survived all this time being in his presence without feeling his touch.

“Dank farrik,” he mutters hoarsely, sounding just as overwhelmed and awestruck as you feel.

You open your mouth, but instead of words a whimper of agony escapes instead. That lovely warmth spreading from your linked hands has started to boil, white-hot and furious. It’s as if all your internal parts have caught fire and are slowly withering to ash—your organs, your bones, even your kriffing blood. 

Your body crumples and Din cries out your name, but you don’t get to hear him say it, unconscious before your head collides with the floor.

Tag List:  @leilei-draws​, @theocatkov​, @becauseican2, @vintagesaph​, @stardust-and-starlight​, @kay2304, @odelia-d32, @adrieunor​, @remmyswritings​, @gallowsjoker​, @rhiannon-russo​, @randomness501​, @eleine-t1d​, @nicotinebirds, @sylphene​, @softly-sad​, @maytheglitter​, @melobee, @rogertaylorsfalsettogivesmehives, @eleinemk, @captain-jebi, @aerynwrites, @promiscuoussatan

[thedeathlysallows]

Summary: Smart, beloved, renowned for her beauty and intelligence, Princess Catriona of Scotland never hurts for male company. In fact, it gets quite boring from time to time. Until her father and uncle invite the cousin of the French King. Jacques Le Gris is charming and handsome, but Catriona is no fool. Anything between them could only end with blood. That doesn’t stop Catriona from wanting him.

Taglist: @gotham-city-uber-driver​

A/N: Soooo... I lied lol. I thought there would be a couple more chapters, but as I sat down to write, this ended up being the finale. I hope y’all enjoy and here are a couple songs to listen to in order to set the mood.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7uSJcpsgpM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XBSqQPP4aVM

Chapter 8: As the World Caves in

“Do you remember,” Jacques whispers in the dark, his arms wrapping around Catriona in a delicate embrace. “That first time we saw each other?”

Catriona hums, settling against him. The sheets are cool and smooth against her skin, a stark contrast to the harsh lines and course hair on Jacques. “I think I might.”

“Oh?” The disappointment is evident in his tone. “I had hoped I made more of an impression. You certainly made one on me.”

“Did I?”

“Yes.” Jacques kisses her neck softly. “I remember looking up into that tower and knowing immediately you were mine.”

“Because I’m pretty,” Catriona teases his with a smile.

“You’re beautiful, even more so now.” He lays a hand on her round belly and chuckles when the child inside gives a strong kick. “But, no, it wasn’t your beauty that captivated me.”

“Then what was it?”

“You and I, we bleed the same. We’re made of the same starlight.”

Catriona shifts so that she can lay on her back and look up into her husband’s eyes. A year ago, she would’ve looked into them and seen nothing but a deep void. Now… now she sees her future laid out plainly. “You knew that from one look?”

Jacques nods. “Yes.”

“Isn’t that romantic.”

“No, I don’t think it is.” Jacques traces her jaw with the pad of his thumb. “It’s a terrible thing to be a man such as myself, but you are the better parts of me in a far more pleasant package.”

“Well that certainly sounds romantic, Jacques.”

“I suppose it does.”

The next year passes uneventfully. Jacques attends to his duties as Duke by day, settling into the role with ease, as if he were born for the job. Catriona, still Scotland’s Scáthach, still the stubborn princess Jacques fell in love with, becomes a mother to a son. They name him Charles after much debate.

“We can’t name him Henri! He’s a Scottish prince!” Catriona paces around the bed chamber with her arms folded over her chest.

“With a French father!” Jacques wishes his tone was a bit gentler but the argument has gone on for a week now and they’re no closer to an agreement.

Catriona huffs. “Don’t remind me. Your nationality makes this all the more complicated.”

“Except it doesn’t, my love.”

“How so?”

“I am the father, I am your husband. Nationality aside, I am the head of this family and-”

“If the next words out of your mouth are “my word is law” I swear I’ll be on the first boat back to Scotland and you, my love, can have the privilege of explaining to angry Scottish mobs why I’m there without you.”

“No need to remind me that I have an entire country waiting to slit my throat after one mistake.”

Catriona gives a small smile. “We certainly know how to hold grudges.”

“It’s the wilderness in your blood.” Jacques gestures for her to come closer, pulling her down on his lap once is in front of him. “I’m sorry, Scáthach. I’ve kept you from Scotland for too long.”

It’s true. They both know it. She hasn’t seen her homeland since before their wedding almost a year ago.

“If you insist on giving our baby a French name then I will insist on giving birth in Scotland.”

“Or we compromise? Charles,” Jacques holds up his hand when Catriona opens her mouth to disagree, “while French, isn’t completely unpalatable to the English speaking ear.

Catriona mulls over the name. Of all the ones they’d thrown about in the past month, this is the first time Charles has come up as an option. “It isn’t… too horrible.”

“Which means you like it and simply don’t want to admit I’m right.”

She ignores him, insisting, “I’ll still give birth in Scotland. I don’t trust these French doctors.”

“Look on the bright side. At least they aren’t English doctors.”

“Well said.”

Charles is born in Scotland, not that there was ever another option from the moment Catriona brought it up. He’s healthy and strong and loved deeply by his parents. The country rejoices for a new heir to the throne, for their Bonnie Prince Charlie. Months of parties and celebration follow the announcement of his birth. Despite all the happiness around her, Catriona can’t seem to shake the deep feeling of dread weighing heavy on her chest.

“Did you see the way my uncle kept looking at Charles?” Catriona clutches her baby closer to her chest. He coos and babbles happily in his mother’s arms.

Jacques kisses the top of Charles’ head. “Yes.”

Catriona’s eyes dart over to meet Jacques’ as she glares daggers. “Yes? Is that all you can say?”

“I’m prepared for whatever little trick your uncle might wish to pull. So is your father. He’s given me instructions should he meet an… untimely… end.”

Catriona says nothing. She simply holds Charles closer.

“Please, Catriona, trust me. I will protect you and our son until my last breath and I need you to believe me when I tell you it’s best you know as little as possible.”

“Does Father truly believe my uncle would try to kill him?”

It’s Jacques turn to say nothing.

That in itself is all the answer Catriona needs.

“Jacques?”

“Yes?”

“I love you.”

Jacques kisses Catriona’s forehead. “I love you as well. I promise you and Charles will be safe.”

Safety is a strange thing, Catriona ponders as she watches the ships sail off from her spot beside Count Pierre on the dock. She once found safety in Scotland, in her family. All of that disappeared in the blink of an eye at the whim of her greedy uncle.

“Come, Your Highness.” Pierre gestures to a waiting carriage. “It’s cold and your husband is out of sight. Charles doesn’t need both of you to disappear.”

Catriona nods and follows after Pierre. Jacques promise of protection rings in her ears on the ride back to their home in the country.

“You understand he had to go.” Pierre watches her carefully. “I will keep you safe while he is in Scotland. No one will harm you or Charles under my watch.”

She laughs bitterly. “I’m sure my brothers were given similar promises.”

“Perhaps,” Pierre agrees. “However, they did not have Jacques Le Gris fighting for them. I haven’t had the privilege of seeing him in action, but I’ve heard the stories. He’s a force of nature, Catriona. Trust in his return.”

“If only it were so simple. Is there any word on James?”

“There are rumors your uncle sent him to England. We’re investigating the matter.”

“And David?”

Pierre hesitates. “Only what we’ve heard before. Your uncle claim he and your father perished of the same sickness while your mother maintains he is alive and in hiding.”

Catriona isn’t sure what to believe anymore. The only thing she knows for certain is Jacques must win. Her life and their son’s life relies on it.

“Your father’s orders will be carried out. The line of succession is clear. Only a small pocket of traitors support your uncle.” Pierre puts a comforting hand on Catriona’s shoulder. “Jacques will be victorious.”

“M’lady, it’s no longer safe. They’ve breached the castle walls. We must leave. The Duke would want-”

“Do not speak to me of what my husband would want.” Catriona’s voice is hoarse from tears and screams. “My husband is dead and my son will be soon if I keep running from the monster who destroyed us. Go to Charles and make sure he’s safe.”

The young squire calls out to Catriona but his voice is muffled by the sound of clanking swords and screaming men.

Time seems to slow for Catriona once she spots her uncle in the midst of the fight. Her vision turns red and her ears ring as her blood heats up. She knows she’s no true match for him, but the shame would be too heavy if she didn’t try. For her father, for her brothers, for her son… for Jacques. She has to try.

“You murderous fucking traitor,” she screams at the top of her lungs, gripping the sword Jacques gifted her when Charles was born. The metal is shiny, their family motto engraved into it.

Her uncle’s eyes widen in surprise. This wasn’t part of his plan. She wasn’t meant to be in this castle. He was told she wasn’t in this castle. She stalks toward him and his blood runs cold as he notices one of his men turning toward her, sword poised to strike.

“Catriona, no!” He rushes toward her but the armor slows him tremendously.

He’s too late.

Blood colors the front of her dress, pouring from the sword wound.

He catches her as she collapses. “Scáthach, no, this wasn’t supposed to happen.”

Catriona gasps through the pain, unable to get a full breath. “Fuck… you…”

The gates burst open suddenly, more men pouring into the courtyard. Jacques surveys the scene as his men destroy the opposition. It should be a joyous moment, the fight is over, but he can’t help but sense a heaviness in the air. He dismounts his horse, finding the source of his unease immediately.

In the middle of the fight is the very man Jacques has been trying to destroy for over a year now, bent over a body, shoulders shaking with quiet sobs. Jacques moves toward him, the fighting dying down until silence blankets the courtyard. There should be happiness, shouts of victory, but none of it comes. Jacques crumples to his knees, pushing the other man out of the way. Two of Jacques men flank the Scottish traitor and prevent him from moving.

“Catriona.” Jacques voice is shaky as he takes in her wound. There’s no hope. She’s lost so much blood.

She lifts a cold hand to his face. Her eyes are glassy and the fire inside is completely gone. “Jacques… thought… you… died… they… said…”

He shushes her, pressing a kiss to her lips. “I’m here, darling.”

“Take… Charles… to… Scotland… please…”

“Yes. I promise.”

Catriona smiles, her hand falling from his face.

Charles doesn’t remember much of anything from that day, he was only a year old after all, but he does remember hearing his father’s scream of rage all the way at the stables. He also remembers being on a ship, his father commanding the men around them.

“Where to sir?” One of the crew asked.

“Across the sea to Skye.” Jacques held Charles closer, blocking out the bitter wind.

And there they stayed. Skye became Charles’ safe haven, the place he loved most in the world. He especially loved the dusty old library. One book in particular became his favorite over the years. The cover is a delicate peach color, reminiscent of spring.

[mistress-morgan4]

30[F4M] #NC High Holy Hedonist Mother Goddess Seeks Loyal Weekly Servant For Long Term Worship Arrangement

I’ve heard your prayers my dearest. Your heart cried out to me when you caught a glimpse of the full moon. You wished for a world you’ve only dreamed about; you wished to be taken in hand, firm and warm and lovingly, examined and judged and found - whether you are found wanting, pathetic mortal that you are, or found wanted and cherished by the Great Mother Goddess - you ache to be found.

I’m here, darling. I’ve found you and I’m holding my hand open to offer you a safe haven. You don’t always feel like you fit into the world-at-large; it’s all so disposable and cheap and fast. You crave something in which to lose yourself every day, yearn to find a world far more rich and sensual than any glowing blue screen. You want to be loved but after so many failed relationships you’re not really sure what that would look like. When you let yourself wonder what it would be like - to be loved the way you deeply need but have never let yourself express - those fantasies go to dark humid places, crevices and corners you’re quite sure no one wants to look. 

But hark! Beloved, I want to look deep into the hardest places and shine the light of my total acceptance upon you. I want to fill the back of your mind with the sounds and tastes and memories of your time spent in worship. I want you to always be aware and hungry for your next chance to humble yourself before me. 

There are many important rules to abide by in order to serve me (but let’s be honest, you’re into that kind of thing.)

All messages of praise and adoration are welcome but like most divine beings I reserve the right to ignore your adulation.

You must read to the end of this post and respond appropriately to be considered. 

You will be my servant and plaything to use, command and cherish. You will weep with joy at the honor of kneeling and worshipping my Holy Pussy, my Blessed Bush, the Great Mother writhing in orgasm as she gives birth to the world. I will guide you to reaching new heights of pleasure and I will lovingly, carefully, and thoroughly dismantle your heart, prying you open to see what makes you tick. While we are together, I will own you inside and out. Your submission will be emotional, mental, and physical; your orgasm, when I force you to look me in the eyes and command you to come, will be earth-shattering. 

though I will not be constantly available to you. When you have me, you will have all of me, and I will overwhelm you with the force of my presence brought to bear on your pathetic mortal soul. 

You must be comfortable engaging in extensive written and verbal negotiations and descriptions of how and why I will use and dominate you prior to meeting. We will cover your kinks, desires, shames, needs, fantasies and limits in great detail as well as my expectations and demands. This is to ensure we are a cohesive fit. I will not waste my time or yours unless we are able to thoroughly please each other, which requires excellent communication. I will not ghost you if I decide we are not compatible - I will clearly and directly explain my decision.

You will never forget that I am the Sacred, you are the Profane. Part of your submission to me requires your enthusiastic performance of chores including and not limited to house cleaning, photo assignments, errands, and other tasks. The experience I am offering is a time investment and my time and attention are extremely valuable.

Every moment you are mine will be intense and meaningful whether you are naked but for a lacy apron and rubber gloves scrubbing my toilet or meticulously sucking my toes while I sip a crisp pinot gris and tell you everything I love and hate about you or wearing a chastity cage while you take my packages to the post office. Every moment you are mine will be a moment basking in the almost-painful radiance of my scrutiny and judgement; those memories will carry you, glowing from the inside out, through the rest of your pathetic mundane life. Your time with me will be the only time you feel fully alive and you will crave it endlessly. 

The love of a Goddess is a fearsome and and towering presence and I expect you to cower before me in awe. I have no strong preferences for your appearance; chemistry is chemistry and all are beautiful and stained by mortality in my eyes. In addition to your mundane services I will require your participation in the following holy activities.

Worshipping, massaging and grooming the Heavenly Cunt, the Blessed Feet, and the Holy Flesh.

Pegging. I expect to examine and test the sanctity of your hole and watch you writhe and scream and moan and thank me as you come on my merciful and generous cock. If you are new to pegging we will work up to this. 

Orgasm denial. When and If you come it will be at my whim. While I have focused on the warmth of my blessings, as that is my ultimate nature, I can be capricious and cruel to serve the Higher Purpose. (Myself.) 

Cock denial. However cherished you are for the whole of your being you are undeniably profane and The neither the Sacred Pussy nor the Sacred Ass will not be violated by your mortal worm. 

That said, with time and effort you may be rewarded certain privileges such as cumming on my feet or breasts. You are my acolyte in pleasure, but you will learn that pleasure does not come just with cum. 

Total obedience. Your role and my expectations will be discussed in detail in advance and within your time of worship I will expect your total obedience to my wishes. You will have a safeword and will practice using it. 

Offerings and gifts. The gifts and offerings you make to me must come wholly from your heart to honor my Divinity and beg for my mercy when I push you to the edge. Regular cum tributes, especially when we are in the negotiations phase, will be expected. As a long term worshipper you will shower me with priceless tokens of affection and gratitude offerings in the form of handwritten notes, prayers, locks of hair, art through which I will guide and inspire you, et cetera. 

Many, many more kinks I’m thrilled to describe in even more painstaking detail. However: I am not interested in pure masochism. I am a Hedonist and view all physical and mental suffering as paths to the greatest and most Transcendent pleasure. You should be interested in pain as one of many flavors of control I will wield over you but not the primary method; While I will shower you in the light and love of my Brilliant Presence you should also expect that I will humiliate you for the sake of my entertainment. I want to watch your little cock squirm in embarrassment and glee as I finger your pathetic wet slut hole. I will laugh at your dribbling mortal orgasms, when I allow your dribbling mortal orgasms, and pity that you’ll never come as hard as I do. (But I’ll still try to help you come as hard as I do, it’s quite fantastic.)

- This will be a cerebral, spiritual, magical experience for both of us with the goal of genuinely improving our lives. We will not be entangled outside of this arrangement; we will share the freedom to pursue other entangements provided we adhere to strict safety and testing rules. Again, your worthless little cock will not be permitted the Divine Cunt. In all play we will be safe, sane, and consensual foremost.

Are you still reading? I’m so proud of you darling, you’re an excellent candidate already. This is the kind of steadfast devotion and loyalty I demand from you. My every word is a Divine gift and blessing, a honeyed treat placed on your tongue, and you are helpless to stop devouring me. You are so hungry. You are so thirsty. You are willing to try so, so hard, and give so, so much, and at last I have arrived to save you from your aimless, empty life. 

Is your cock hard and straining yet? I hope so darling. I do want to find you - I think we can offer each other so much. 

Please continue.

You must format your application as follows. Incorrectly formatted submissions will not be considered. 

Message Title: As you wish

Your name

Your preferred title(s) - choose all that apply: Slave, servant, worm, pig, little boy, bitch, slut, cunt, hole, darling, sweetness, honeybear, baby, etc

Or other: What shall I call you? 

Describe first time you will serve me. For the sake of your fantasy, I am a red-headed green-eyed BBW. You will receive pictures - lots of them - when I deem you worthy. 

What are your hard limits? 

Have you ever experienced anxiety or fear during a BDSM scene or during other sexual activities? 

What kind of aftercare do you need? (Snuggling, a shower, snacks?)

What is your safeword or do you prefer red/yellow/green?

Why should I choose you, little worm? What can you offer me? 

[patsdrabbles]

I Spy a Spy Spider

Title: I Spy a Spy Spider Fandom: M*A*S*H Pairing: Charles Winchester/Donna Marie Parker Rating: Gen Word Count: 1755 Summary: Nothing helped more in a dire situation than having the support of a beloved co-worker after all. Zoo AU; they’re dating and Flagg is being his usual insufferable self. ❤ A/N: Part 18 of my Daily Fanfic Chocolates calendar :D This is a fic that I wrote for a prompt sent to me by my dear friend @onekisstotakewithme a while ago- “Did you just propose to me?” ^^ Please enjoy ❤

(links to AO3 and the DFC masterpost are in the reblogs!)

There was a spider in her lab.

In and for itself, that wouldn’t have been much of a problem. She was used to spiders, almost something sort of friend with them, seeing how so many lived next door to her. She wasn’t afraid of most of them either.

But this was a big one – a familiar one.

“Chuuuuuck!”

Nothing helped more in a dire situation than having the support of a beloved co-worker after all.

He came running through her lab’s door only moments later, safety glasses in his hand.

“What is it, Donna, dear?”

She just pointed at the wall and its recurring occupant quietly.

“Oh, hell no.”

Charles seldom swore, but they had been in this situation far too often by now for the two of them not to slowly but surely get annoyed by it.

“Is that one of Flagg’s spy spiders I spy?” He said it with a rise of the eyebrow and a critical glance at the spider in question.

Donna couldn’t help it, she snorted.

“Okay, that was awful but true, and you get a lab point for that.”

“Allow me to get another one and aah–” He was already standing on the tip of his toes, an empty big glass vessel from her workbench already in his hand.

“Come here, spidey spidey.”

Donna chuckled and watched as Charles stretched his arm out some more.

“Aaaaaaa–”

Both Charles and Donna gave a jump at the sudden shout.

“ –ha!”

They turned around in unison to stare at–

Flagg.

“I knew you weren’t actually supportive of my spiders! I betcha don’t approve of my plans for the new big terrarium either! But now I have proof–” He held up his phone. “And I will go to the zoo administration in the morning! What? Did you think you’d just get away with trying to hurt Amelia?”

Flagg marched toward the wall, pushing a baffled aside Charles as he did, and held out a gloved hand for the spider to climb on. To Donna and Charles’s surprise, the spider immediately started crawling toward him.

“There we go. Hello, my dear.” Flagg held up the spider at eye level to inspect it more closely. “You better be glad that she is unharmed, y’know?”

“What the hell, Flagg?” Donna just stared at him, however more angry than perplexed by now. “You let a poisonous spider escape that you blame us for wanting to catch- and bring back to you?”

“Now, listen here, Miss Parker–”

“No, Sam, you are going to take that spider and get it back to where it belongs. And then you’ll stop ‘accidentally’ letting them escape. God knows we’re busy enough as it is trying to work, but do you know what would happen if Amelia or one of her friends would have fallen into one of our chemical solutions, for example?” She stared at him firmly. “Do you want your spy spiders to dissolve? I don’t want that for them, Chuck doesn’t want that for them–” Charles nodded. “And I’m sure you don’t want that for them either.”

Flagg was silent. But just for a moment.

Then he pointed at Donna with his spider-free hand.

“This isn’t over yet, Miss Parker.”

Flagg turned around sharply to leave the room, when suddenly, Charles felt something on his leg.

“Oh good god.”

He said it so quietly that not only Donna looked into his direction immediately, but Flagg paused and turned around, as well.

A long brown snake, a jararaca, was currently making its way up his pants leg.

“Flagg, this has gone too far. Take it back. Now.”

But Flagg didn’t move.

“Do you want me to die at this animal’s whim?” Charles’s voice was starting to sound somewhat high-pitched. He wasn’t entirely sure how venomous the snake was, but he knew that it belonged to those that they were considering to be at least somewhat dangerous.

“Don’t move, Chuck!” Donna suddenly instructed him, coming toward him from the supply shelves at the side of the room. She wore thick protective gloves, a determined expression and quickly took hold of the jararaca.

Then she marched toward the door, quickly.

“Flagg, move!”

Flagg... moved?

“Door.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Now let’s hurry to get this one back behind glass again, asap.”

Charles walked toward the door and stared after them, Donna giving Flagg short and sharp instructions on what to do to help get the animal back to its terrarium safely and quickly.

He remained standing in the doorframe for several minutes, trying to regain his composure. He wasn’t certain but perhaps he could have died, and all of that only because Flagg was hell-bent on ‘proving’ that everyone (and especially the lab team, for some reason) was against his plans for a new terrarium by documenting situations – that he had created himself – that allegedly showed them treating his animals badly.

Charles considered writing the man a letter and telling him that what he really needed for his plans to get approved was an actual financial plan, crucial but lacking in Flagg’s requests so far. Maybe then they’d finally get some peace in the lab once again. At least for a while.

Donna returned after a few minutes, shaking somewhat, and Charles took one glance at her before pulling her into a hug.

“It almost bit me when I put it back.”

Deadly or venomous or not – Charles considered going to Flagg right this instant and telling him off for today and all the other incidents over the course of the last few months. But Donna was still in his arms and had just rested her head against his chest. He could very badly leave her now. Weren’t he so concerned for her (and the rest of the team’s) workplace safety due to Flagg continuing to breach it, the thought of letting go would never even have occurred to him.

Donna started laughing shakily, making his attention return to the present situation.

“Chuck?” She looked up at him but didn’t let go of him as she kept talking. “You do realize that you owe me another dinner now? That should certainly count as the two lab points I was still missing.”

Charles just nodded softly and slowly ran a hand over her hair as she leaned her head back against his chest, shaking it lightly.

He would have asked her out on another date soon anyway, silly lab points or not. They had only been an excuse for the first time she had wanted to be able to ask him out on a date anyway.

He remained quiet as he looked at her with a fondness that had long been going beyond words already. Donna...

She was clever enough to take it up with anyone at the zoo, including Hawkeye when he was feeling extremely witty, tough and strong-minded enough to take it up even with the nuisance Flagg, a splendid conversation partner, including when they were discussing classics, and the unquestioned champion of the science section’s bi-weekly Friday evening trivia quiz game. Add to that her charming personality and endearing sense of humor and–

“Donna, please marry me.”

He had said it quietly, under his breath, but the moment the words escaped his mouth he knew that he meant it, wants this, from the bottom of his heart. 

The next second, he began to lose his nerves. Donna let go of him and moved a step back, looking him into the eyes with an intensity that made him gulp nervously.

Had he really just proposed to her?

“Chuck, we’ve been on... what. Ten dates so far?” Her voice was soft, but...

Charles felt like he was mere seconds from running away. And two more seconds from realizing that it would be pointless, as they both knew the zoo better than their own lab coat pockets.

In the end, he let out a deep sigh and looked away for a moment, before moving to place his hands on her arms and dropping them again the next instant.

When their gazes met, he suddenly calmed down enough to tell her what he had been thinking about for weeks already. On the one hand, ten dates seemed like very little to him, as well, but they had known each other for five years already, worked together, gone on weekend trips together... He was sure she was the one for him. He took another steadying breath and smiled at her.

“What can I say?” He took hold of one of her hands. “I love you.”

If red lories were red, Donna’s cheeks turned redder after his confession.

She moved to hide her face behind her hands but Charles wouldn’t have any of it.

“Donna? Donna, dear, please – talk to me?”

When she moved her hands down again slowly, Charles saw that there were tears running down her cheeks. Charles stared at her in shock for a second. Had he just ruined the best thing he had in his life? How was he going to fix this? What–

“Charles, calm down.”

And Donna was laughing despite the tears that were still running down her face. “It’s alright.”

“Alright?” Charles kept staring at her, unsure of what to do next.

How was this alright? He had accidentally proposed to the woman he loved and she had started to cry and now she was laughing and–

“Charles!”

She suddenly closed the distance between them and held him tightly.

“Does it calm you if I tell you I’ll say ‘yes’ if you just give me a little more time?” She paused when she noticed that he had stopped breathing. “I’m not going to say ‘no’, alright? I just need a little more time. But I’d... I’d love to marry you, Charles.”

She looked up and smiled at him, bright as the sun that he secretly liked to compare her to.

“Oh.”

She chuckled quietly and stood on her tippy toes to kiss him gently on the nose.

“I love you, Charles.”

And, realizing his unfounded worries, he simply knew that she wouldn’t say ‘no’, no matter when he would ask her again.

He put his arms around her and rested his forehead against hers.

“And I love you. Donna.” His voice was nearly inaudible, he said her name so softly.

Then, he smiled at her, almost grinning.

“Our future grandchildren won’t hear that spiders and snakes were involved in this proposal.”

Donna just grinned back at him and couldn’t suppress a chuckle.

“Oh, they absolutely will.”

[aidyjamespokemon]

I’m on spooky. I’m so pretty: Card of the Day #5

Now would be a good time to tell you about something cool I have planned. Why now? You’ll see soon enough! From next week, I’ll be making a weekly video post in which I talk about a very special card indeed - a higher accolade than Card of the Day, if you will. Rather predictably, this will be called Card of the Week! Which card will be our first Card of the Week? I’ll drop a little hint today... Maybe I’m biased towards ghost-type Pokémon. I’ve always loved them throughout the Pokémon franchise and I really like the way their sense of mischief often translates so well into the TCG. Today’s card of the day is one I like for exactly that. It’s not just more of my bias towards my beloved spoopy guys - I promise! Say hello to Banette!

Stats

Banette is small by any measure in the TCG. 90 HP isn’t surviving much, to say the least, and it falls behind many basics in this regard. In a sense, Banette could be described as a glass cannon. It’s not going to stick around for long, but it’s going to make quite the impact while it’s around.

Although, being a stage 1, it does have access to Bodybuilding Dumbbells, an item that gives it an extra 40 HP. 130 is a much more workable number in most cases, as many attacks hit for 120 damage. Unfortunately for Banette, the most common of these attacks is Zoroark-GX’s Riotous Beating, which hits for weakness. If you’re not facing down a Zoroark deck (lucky you!), you may want to slap some Dumbbells on this little guy to give it an extra turn to cause trouble.

Dark is an unfortunate weakness to have in this Zoroark-heavy metagame, but this is balanced out by a resistance to the ubiquitous fighting type. Taking 10 damage from a Jet Punch is rather nifty, by any measure! I guess this is one of those “high risk, high reward” situations and it seems on-flavor for Banette to be prone to risky behaviour!

A single energy retreat cost is very nice indeed, especially in the post-rotation metagame, where Escape Board is the closest thing we have to Float Stone. Not only is Escape Board compatibility incredibly useful (retreating through sleep and paralysis is very strong), but the image of a Banette rolling around on a skateboard is delightful.

Ability

Ability: Red Eyes When you play this card from your hand to evolve a Pokemon during your turn, you may play a Basic Pokemon from your opponent’s discard pile to their Bench.

It’s easy to underestimate this effect on paper, but trust me - it’s likely to be the bane of your opponent! See what I did there? I’m proud of that one! Think of it like a Sudowoodo GRI that you can turn into prizes. For example, you an KO that Tapu Lele-GX all over again and your opponent won’t see any benefit from it!

In its most basic utility, it stops your opponent from placing something more useful on their bench, which is how I imagine many people will read this ability. However, I see it from a more aggressive point of view: a means of knocking the same Pokémon out over and over again. I imagine that Banette will see the most use in Zoroark Banette builds. The ability to OHKO the same Dawn Wings Necrozma-GX or Necrozma-GX over and over again (with Zoroark-GX or Banette-GX, respectively) has the capacity to win games very quickly indeed.

Attack

[P][C] Enemy Show: Count the number of your opponent’s Pokemon in play. Put that many damage counters on your opponent’s Pokemon in any way you like. 

Softening up your opponent’s battlefield is almost as underestimated as the effect of Red Eyes. In a deck like Zoroark Banette that’s hitting for 150 or 160 with Choice Band - just a hair short of a OHKO on most basic GX Pokémon - this sort of attack is incredibly strong. While 20 damage here and 30 damage there may seem inconsequential in the short-term, it can quickly close the gap between a Riotous Beating and a OHKO on a Tapu Lele-GX. Being able to allocate up to 60 damage wherever you please every turn can become ludicrously strong very quickly.

It’s quite flavorful, in a way. It’s very ghostly and mischievous to lay little traps for your opponent that can snare them when they least suspect it!

Synergy

The most obvious home for Banette is as a 1-of in a Zoroark/Banette build. It’s perfect for setting up surprise knockouts, whether it’s by resurrecting a basic GX Pokémon for an easy 2 prizes or by softening targets up for a Riotous Beating or Shadow Chant. Indeed, these knockouts can be even easier to attain with Banette-GX shadily moving damage counters around, too! As a single prize attacker, it makes ideal front-line infantry for this sort of deck; just watch out for opposing Kartana-GX in the late game! There’s also a spread deck that’s coming together slowly, but surely. I imagine that Banette will be quite at home with Flying Flip Tapu Koko, Tapu Lele, and Latios. Of course, I’m eagerly awaiting Mimikyu-GX in November’s Lost Tunder set - as is Banette! The question then will be which Tapu Lele to run!

Counters

They’ll be all over the table! Oh - you didn’t mean DAMAGE counters... Acerola and Max Potion are Banette’s mortal enemies. Imagine meticulously laying the groundwork for a KO by Riotous Beating, only for your target to be back to full health in an instant. It’s not pleasant!  Sky Pillar also thwarts Banette’s attempts to soften up benched Pokémon, besides asking its bigger brother to use Shady Move to transfer damage counters to them one at a time - tedious, to say the least. Be sure to pack a Field Blower or two to deal with this scourge! Funnily enough, there’s a little sibling rivalry in the Banette family. Whilst they’re usually the epitome of synergistic brotherly/sisterly love, things turn sour when Banette and Banette-GX are on opposite ends of the battlefield. Imagine being poor little Banette, meticulously setting its opponent up for a swift knockout, only for its bigger brother to come and move one of those counters to someone else, ruining Banette’s perfect damage math! Fellow siblings - we’ve all felt like that sometimes, right?

In Conclusion

Baby Banette may stand in the shadow of its flashy GX relative, but it can certainly steal the spotlight with its own talents - or even complement those of its sibling in a rather heartwarming display of battlefield family bonding. Sometimes, it can take a while for players to read a card in the context of a game, rather than assessing it in a vacuum. That said, it still amazes me that I’m not seeing more hype surrounding this card. Trust me - give it a try. I’m certain that you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the tricks that this little ghost has up its sleeves. I love flavorful cards and Banette takes the cake in every possible way, from its mischievous play style to that delightfully cheeky artwork. Yes, Banette, you’re very pretty. Now, let’s clean that up before Mommy catches you going through her makeup bag! Do you do voodoo? Perhaps you should!

[1dffsummerexchange]

Star Girl

Written For: @tinyfelthat 

Written By: @ktrsss1fics

Pairing: Niall / OFC

Word Count: 3,923

Warnings: -

Summary:

Elisheba Aut fell in love with Niall Horan almost immediately. She had traveled to the deepest corners of the universe and never saw anything as beautiful as him. When given the chance to travel the galaxy with her beloved boyfriend, will she say yes? A story about true love, foreign languages, and Niall Horan's star girl.

Star Girl - Missed Video Message (1)

He waited for the hologram to load. He hadn’t spoken to her in two days. He tried to get back to his quarters in time to see her but he was a few minutes too late.

Her face appeared above his personal communication device. She was wearing the moon rock necklace he had gotten on his trip to the outer region of the Gamma Rhogana system. It was the perfect shade of green. It matched the color her eyes turned in the early morning light.

“Niall, mo mhíle grá.” She said with a smile.

His heart skipped a beat as the words of his native tongue slipped past her lips. He hadn’t been to his home planet in what felt like forever. He didn’t know if he’d even recognize it.

His parents chose to leave when he was young. They headed to Tanith, the home of the High Council, and took jobs as interpreters for the government. It was noble work and he had always admired them for it. 

Instead of helping people voice their opinions, he decided to protect them. When he came of age, he joined the Intergalactic Defense League. Through hard work and dedication, he worked his way up to commander and was now doing private security detail for the High Council.

In fact, that’s how they met.

Her name was Elisheba Aut but those who knew her well called her Lisa. Her story was simple. She came from a line of migrant workers. Her ancestors escaped war-torn planets and toxic dictatorships. After many years of searching, they ended up taking refuge on the lush jungle planet of Ogoul. Instead of joining the family health food business, she put herself through school and became an interpreter for the High Council.

She traveled throughout the galaxy helping people like her parents. She became the voice for the occupants of the smaller planets. She spoke 450 different languages - including four different humanoid dialects.

She was a work of art. She constantly made his knees weak. From the way her periwinkle skin glowed in the moonlight to the way her bright magenta hair looked in the early morning sun, he couldn’t get enough. Although she was physically beautiful, nothing could surpass her inner beauty. That had been passed on by the generations before her. Her blood came from the veins of warriors and poets. She loved fiercely and fought fair. She was a voice to the voiceless and believed in doing things for the greater good.

She truly was out of his world.

They first met at the annual High Council meeting. She thought he was a reporter there to take notes on the controversial order that a group of greedy leaders was trying to get passed. He thought she was a princess from Cebu, an aquatic planet known for beautiful women and extravagant starships. They couldn’t be more wrong. His rank left her stunned. A man of that stature could not protect the members of the High Council. But he did and he did it well.

When he first heard her speak, she was advocating for a group of leaders from the mountainous planet of Bianor. A language that took most people years to learn fell effortlessly from her lips. He realized that she was something special and it didn’t take long for him to fall for her. But that’s okay because she fell too - fast and hard.

They had been together for five years. Five years of travelling millions of miles just to spend a few nights together. It was difficult but somehow they made it work. During their third year, she was offered a job as the personal interpreter for a very influential member of the High Council. If she accepted, she wouldn’t have to rely on holograms and long shuttle rides to see her beloved. If she accepted, her job would change. She’d be no longer looking out for the underdog. She’d no longer be helping people like her parents and grandparents. She’d be helping a leader rule over millions of people. That didn’t sit right with her. As much as she loved Niall, she couldn’t do it. He understood but that didn’t stop him from being disappointed.

“We made it to Kallisto and we should be in Tanith by the morning. I miss you and can’t wait to see you, my love.” She said as a small yawn escaped.

He missed her dearly. The way her nose crinkled when she yawned. The way she spoke in her native tongue when she was mad. The way her hair smelled after a shower. He couldn’t believe it’d been nearly six months since they’d seen each other last.

Lisa played with her hair subconsciously, “Only one more sleep until I see your face.”

Niall looked at the clock on the wall. He still had six hours until her shuttle arrived. He knew he should sleep but his mind was wide awake. He kept his eyes on the face of the holographic girl sitting in his lap. He could not wait to hold her close.

She started to talk about a new job offer she had received but didn’t give up any real details about it. She said they’d speak about it once she arrived. He hoped it was something in Tanith so they wouldn’t have to spend so much time apart.

“Tá mo chroí istigh ionat.” She spoke before ending the call.

“Tá mo chroí istigh ionat.” He whispered to himself before placing the device on his night stand.

Those five words played in his mind as he stared at the ceiling. My heart is in you. He loved her deeply. He wanted to show her that. Maybe he’d find a different job to make the distance more attainable. Maybe he’d suggest going on vacation. They could take a trip back to Ogoul or Hibernia, just the two of them. Maybe he’d ask her to move in.

He didn’t know what he wanted to do but he knew he needed to do something. He needed her to know that despite the distance, she was his true love. His star girl.

Those six hours came and went. His alarm had been going off for nearly ten minutes before he stumbled out of bed. He quickly threw on his uniform and attempted to do his hair. His watch beeped letting him know he only had five minutes to make it across the station to the docking bay where her shuttle would be landing. He wasn’t going to make it in time.

The lanky lad jogged through the space station weaving in and out of people as he went. He headed for his favorite shortcut but it was blocked. Some sort of construction project was being done so he had to go the long way around.

Fortunately, Niall made it to the bay just as Lisa was exiting the ship. She grabbed her luggage from the bin that had been underneath the plane. She scanned the crowd before landing on his face. A happy smile fell upon her likes as she made her way over.

At first, they didn’t speak. He closed the space between them. His strong arms pulled her into a warm embrace. She buried her head into his neck. He loved the way she molded into him. He placed a kiss on top of her head. He had missed this.

“Hi love.” He whispered softly in her ear.

“You’re early.” She teased.

“I only overslept by ten minutes and not the usual twenty.” He replied dryly.

“You’re stepping up in the world, Horan.” She replied lifting her head from his chest.

“Are you hungry?” Niall asked looking into her eyes.

Lisa shook her head before stealing a sweet kiss. “I need to change for the meeting.”

“My shower awaits.” He winked making her skin grow warm.

“We can’t do that until after the meeting.” She said with a furrowed brow.

Niall let out a dramatic sigh. “I know.”

“Let’s go.” Lisa said pulling away from him.

He looked at her confused. She usually wasn’t this shy around him.

“I want to give you a proper kiss but don’t want you to lose your job over it.” She said interlocking her fingers with his.

“Elisheba, everyone knows.” He sighed giving her hand a squeeze.

“Still doesn’t mean they can’t fire you for fraternizing with a mere civil servant like me, Commander.” She said razzing him.

“You are a pain in the ass.” He mumbled trying not laugh at her joke.

Lisa tilted her head to the side, “What do you mean? I didn’t even touch you.”

“It’s just a sayin’ love.” He smiled before placing a quick kiss on her forehead.

Lisa was hands down the smartest woman he knew. The amount of languages she was fluent in was astounding. The amount of time it took her to learn all those languages was even more impressive. He knew a few different languages but he didn’t know them very well. He didn’t know how she kept each language straight. There were times, like right now, where she took things a little too literal. He knew she didn’t know any better but he still found it adorable.

She nodded slowly. “Like the cold shoulder. I understand.”

“Exactly baby.” Niall smiled sliding his arm around her shoulder. “Like cum mula peperit.”

Her eyes lit up, “You remembered!”

“Of course I did.” He said as they started to walk to his home. “I had a great teacher.”

“My mother used that phrase a lot when I was little.” Lisa said reminiscing about her childhood. Her native tongue was one she held close to her heart. “Especially with my uncles.”

“How are they doing?” He asked.

“Good. It is almost shuura season so they are all very excited for it.” Lisa said with a smile.

Shuura was a sweet yellow fruit that grew in abundance on her home planet. The season when they bloomed was her favorite. She remembered sitting in her grandparents’ kitchen with her brothers and sisters waiting to help sort through the harvest.

“Maybe she’ll send some to us again.” He said as they headed deeper into the station. “Or maybe we can just go visit.”

“Ogoul?” She said with a hint of excitement to her voice. “Really?”

Niall nodded. “I was thinking we should take a trip to Ogoul, Hibernia, and maybe somewhere like Traugantu to see those volcanic flowers you’re always going on about.”

“Canna Durban!” She chirped with a grin. “Oh Niall can we really? Can we go?”

“I’m do for some time off. What about you?” He asked as his living quarters came into view. He slid his arm off of her shoulder and grabbed her hand instead.

She let out a sigh. “I don’t know.”

“What about this new offer?” He asked placing his keycard in its spot on his door.

“I don’t know if I should take it.” She said hesitantly. “It’s a big responsibility but I wouldn’t be able to help out as many people as I do now. Or at least I don’t think I would.”

“What’s the job?” He asked allowing her to enter before him.

“You know Mandy?” She asked heading for the restroom.

”Yeah the main translator for the Council.” He said following behind her.

“She wants to retire and move to like the care sector so she can help take care of the Council members’ kids.” She said slipping out of her travel clothes. “So her job would be open.”

“That’s great.” Niall said watching her closely. He had every inch of her committed to memory. He wanted so badly, to recommit certain parts but there wasn’t enough time.

She slid on her top before peaking out of the doorway. “Mandy recommended me specifically to take her spot.”

“Really?” He asked surprised.

“Yeah.” She blushed. “Isn’t that crazy?”

“No. You’re great at your job. Anyone with eyes could see that.” He said crossing his arms over his chest. “She’s always thought highly of you.”

“That’s true.” She said searching for the rest of her uniform. “I just–I just don’t know. I don’t think I’m ready for that.”

“It’s the same job isn’t it?” He asked.

She mumbled an answer making him smile. He had missed her so much.

“You would have an advantage though.” He said as she shot a confused look in his direction.

She stood up. “How?”

“Mandy was born and raised in Tanith. She never ventured out. Everything she learned, she learned here.” He said walking up behind her.

“You have gotten so much experience being out in the field. You have traveled all over the galaxy learning new languages. And you have a spot spot for those nations that are underrepresented.” Niall said placing his hands on her shoulders. “You could change the way those meetings are run.”

“I’m just an interpreter Ni.” She sighed.

Niall placed his lips to the base of her neck. Her body relaxed into his. He placed a string of kisses against her exposed skin causing goosebumps to form.

“You are so much more than that baby.” He whispered before placing a kiss on her temple.

“I mean you would be a lot closer and I could see you more.” She said closing her eyes.

“Exactly. That is a plus.” He smiled.

“And the pay is significantly better.” She added. “And it would help my parents out more.”

“And Mandy specifically recommended you for it.” Niall said giving her shoulders a gentle squeeze. “And you know how Senator Abderos is about that shit.”

“I know. I know.” Lisa said opening her eyes and turning around.

He studied her face. For some reason, she looked older to him. It had only been six months but it felt a lot longer. He cupped her cheek, gently stroking her skin with his thumb. She nuzzled into his hand. His heart skipped a beat at her touch.

Niall had always heard women from Ogoul were different. They were often described as rough, crass, and a whole lot of trouble. The moment he met Elisheba Aut, he knew this couldn’t be true. She was gentle, caring, and humble. She was everything he could ever want in a partner.

With a slow breath, she made up her mind, “I think I’m gonna do it.”

“Perfect.” Niall smiled placing a deep kiss on her lips. “You’ll be absolutely perfect.”

“I love you.” She whispered as she pulled away.

He whispered back, “Amo te.”

Her eyes lit up. She had taught him some words from her native tongue. He loved to use them. Whenever he did, she fell more in love with him.

“Okay I really need to get ready.” She said pecking his lips. “So go away.”

Yes ma’m.” He winked as he left the room.

The rest of the day was spent discussing galactic safety standards and disaster protocol. Foreign languages were decoded and foreign dignitaries were protected. He was allowed to leave at six but she was asked to stay until eight. She didn’t mind though. She sat in Senator Abderos’ office filling out paperwork putting her transfer into place. 

Lisa was moving on to bigger and better things.

She was going to have a better job with a better wage. She was going to be able to spend more time with her boyfriend. Most importantly, she’d be getting to help people in a different way.

A wave of excitement radiated from her chest. She couldn’t wait to tell her mother.

As she left headquarters, she founded her blue-eyed boyfriend waiting for her. His sleeves were rolled up and his hair was a mess. He was standing amongst a group of co-workers with a carefree smile plastered to his face.

She had missed that. 

She missed the way his eyes crinkled when he laughed too hard. She missed the way he slid his arm around her shoulder when they were out and about. She missed the way he kissed her hand on the long walk back to his place. She missed his laugh, his smile, his face.

Another joke was shared before she caught his eye. With a nod of his head, he motioned her over.

“Commander.” She nodded making him blush. She turned to the others with a polite smile on her face and curtsied, “Gentlemen.”

Various forms of “Good evening Miss Aut” were thrown in her direction.

“Ready to go?” Niall asked softly.

Lisa nodded slipping her hand into his. Niall placed a quick kiss on top of her palm before giving his friends a quick goodbye.

The pair left the pod where all the official High Council work took place. They travelled through the clerk's quarters before stepping into a lift that would take them down to the ground floor.

“So, what’d they say?” Niall asked eager to hear about her meeting with the senator.

“Well they brought up Mandy retiring and how it would put them in a tight spot if they didn’t find anyone soon.” Lisa explained. “Then they asked about my schooling and experience on the job. Mandy brought up the invasion I prevented between the A'Fannaeans and the Paragons.”

The A’Fannaeans, a science-based society, found an undocumented moon in orbit near their planet. They planned to send out an exploration team to claim it as their own. However, it also orbited Parago, a desert wasteland. The Paragons were a very stubborn race. They could start a war at the drop of a hat. When the news of the A’Fannaeans plans hit the dunes of Parago, tensions rose. Lisa was brought in to defuse the situation. It took forty days for them to reach an agreement. Thanks to her swift work, the A’Fannaeans and the Paragons agreed to share ownership.

She did that a lot. She helped small planets work out their differences.

“Did she bring up the Creetite incident at Vrialm Gorge?” He asked sounding interested.

“Yes she did. Then they spoke alone for a bit while I started the paperwork.” She said exiting the lift. “When they came out, they asked if I had any issues moving to the station and if I felt comfortable enough translate whenever I was need.”

“You don’t have any issues moving here, do you?” He asked. He knew she wanted to be closer to him but he never took in consideration what she’d be giving up if she moved.

“I mean I’ll miss where I’m at and I could always go visit if I wanted but I think this is what I need.” She said as they entered the living quarters quadrant. “We’ve been apart for too long. I’m sick of having an entire galaxy between us.”

Niall’s cheeks grew warm as he looked at her. “Really?”

“Is Commander Horan blushing because of me?” Lisa smirked making him blush even more.

He rolled his eyes making her laugh.

“I just want to make sure you really want to make this move.” He said pulling out his swipe card. “That you are doing it for the right reasons.”

“This is a dream job for so many people. I get to work with even more languages than I already do on a daily basis.” She said reassuring him. “I just can’t believe I even was offered the opportunity.”

“I can.” He said confidently. “You’re amazing.”

Lisa stood on her toes and placed a kiss on his cheek. “I love you.”

“So what happened next?” Niall asked flashing his badge to the guard.

“He just wanted to make sure I was okay with the transfer and then he said if I wanted to switch then the job was mine.” Lisa shrugged nonchalantly. “I think Mandy was more excited than I was.”

“When do you start?” He asked as his place came into view. He wanted to start making travel plans.

“I have to go back in next week to finish up some more paperwork and then I will have to do a week long training to learn more of the ins and outs of being at headquarters instead of out in the field.” She explained. “But I don’t know when my first official day on the floor will be.”

Niall just sighed. He tried to hide his disappointment but it was difficult. His reconnection trip around the galaxy was going to have to be put on hold.

“What’s wrong?” She asked as she watched him plop down on the couch.

“I got my vacation time approved.” He sighed covering up his face. “But it’s gonna have to wait now.”

She walked over and crawled on top of his lanky frame. “Why’s that?”

“You’re going to be too busy to go with me.” Niall mumbled into his palms.

“Says who?” Lisa asked nuzzling into his neck. His hands left his face to rest on her lower back.

“I mean you’ve got a week of training and plus we’ve got to move all your stuff to your new place here then you have to get acclimated to Tanith.” He rambled. “Plus you’re going to want to go to some work functions before you actually start to meet people. And that doesn’t leave very much time to go back home with me.”

“Ni, why are you worrying so much?” She asked tracing the logo on his chest.

“I know that’s usually your job.” He chuckled softly. Her touch caused goosebumps to form.

“You didn’t let me tell you the best part.” She whispered into his skin.

He hummed happily. “What’s that?”

“I get three weeks off before I have to go to the training.” She explained. “Someone I know is one of the senator’s favorites.”

“He didn’t say anything, did he?” Niall asked peering down at her shyly.

“He just said you told him about our plans and that if he wanted a well rested and focused staff that a few weeks off would be a good thing.” Lisa said making him smile.

“That bastard.” He laughed.

“So we can go to Ogoul and Hibernia and wherever else you want.” Lisa smiled.

“Let’s go to Partheon too.” Niall said thinking of all the combinations of planets they could visit.

“But you’ve been there so many times with the IDL. Aren’t you sick of it?” She asked.

“No because I haven’t been there with you yet.” He smiled.

“Ni.” She blushed.

“I could travel the entire galaxy with you by my side and never get bored.” He whispered softly into her hair.

Lisa exhaled slowly, “That would be nice. Travel around for a while, just you and me.”

“We could do it. Take sabbatical and then come back when we’re refreshed.” He said curling a strand of her hair around his finger.

“I wouldn’t be able to send money back home if we did that.” She yawned.

“I could use my savings for that. I’ve got at least three months worth maybe even more.” He offered.

“I don’t know. I just – I don’t know.” Lisa sighed.

She wanted to but she couldn’t let herself do it. It was too irresponsible.

“Wouldn’t you like to come with me?” He asked.

“Yes but I can’t.” She closed her eyes. “Not for that long at least.”

Lisa laughed, “Besides I think after traveling for three whole weeks with me, you’ll want to be by yourself for a while.”

“Impossible.” He said moving so they were face to face.

She looked at him confused, “How?”

“Because you’re my star girl.” He kissed her lips. “You rule my world.”