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amostdelectablescribbler · 1 year ago

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I straight up cooked 500 words of lore for this mufucker and also Dr DeAngelis has about 200 to himself.

“I didn’t know you could read, and no, I don’t actually have one that sounds like that,” Spectre prodded the fire with a stick, withdrew it, and skewered a marshmallow on it, “But I do have a complete collection of the Adventures of Gumbo Slice.”

“Who?” Maia and Red looked at each other, “Jinx!”

“You’ve never heard of him?” taken aback, Spectre leaned in, preparing to tell his tale and shuffling along the pine carpet, “Kez? Surely…”

“I recognise the name.” Kez sat down between Spectre and her sister, the group in a semicircle, with an auditorium of trees surrounding. Spectre got up and moved behind his campfire, warming up his fingers.

“Shadow puppets? Really?” Maia snarked, rolling her head back and leaning on her haunches.

“Oh yeah!” Spectre’s fingers moved behind the fire, creating a shadow on the trees of a huge man, with huge shoulders and a colossal gut. “Gumbo Slice was a man born 400 years ago, give-or-take, in the South-East of the country. According to the legends, he was absolutely massive.”

“How big are we talking, here?” Red butt in, talking with his hands and shoulders. The shadow puppet of Gumbo Slice flexed it’s muscles as Spectre told his story, “Taller than me and as wide, proportionally, as you. A really big unit. He grew up wrestling the crocodiles and alligators in the swamps down there, and he could, allegedly, ‘cause this is ridiculous, uproot these redwood trees.”

Maia’s eyes narrowed, “Bullshit, he could!”

“It wasn’t a first-hand source, but that’s how it goes. The redwood in question was apparently the one that was holding that whole mountainside together.” Spectre moved his hand to gesture to the collapsed hillside, drawing looks of awe from his compatriots.

“Anyways, this guy, Gumbo Slice, decided he wasn’t happy with the way things were, so he went out to see if his dissatisfaction was shared. I’ll spare the details, but wherever he went he found the land unhappy, the people worried or scared, and a problem that his particular toolset could solve.”

Maia scoffed, leaning back onto her haunches, “What’s his toolset, then? Eating mountains?”

“It’s said that he could have eaten a mountain, actually, but I’m talking about when he trained at a temple overseas and learned Sumo Wrestling, another temple on the other side of the world and learned Greco-Roman Wrestling and, according to part of his diary that was found, I quote; “A killer new slew of ingredients to put in my gumbo and on my pizzas.” Whatever that means.”

The shadow puppet of Gumbo did a sumo stomp, pausing in a standing side split at the top, cracked it’s neck, and got down onto it’s feet and forearms, invoking the feeling of staring down a huge ox, radiating from the glowing redwood trees it was cast on.

“Pretty sure it means the guy liked cooking gumbo and pizza. ‘Makes sense to how he got the name.” Maia heaved herself into criss-cross-applesauce, tossing the now-empty bag of marshmallows back onto the pile of things they’d made when they got here. Spectre started, “The recovered parts of his diaries are weird. They talk about a Dr. DeAngelis, a guy called Dacio, and this other guy called… Rasputin? Weird names. Anyways, they’re pretty confusing. I don’t take them too seriously, because they were written 300 years ago, or so, which doesn’t track to the guy being born 400 years ago. The dates mean the guy was old at the time, but he spoke about himself like he was still in his prime.”

All my transdimensional characters: (list incomplete)

1) Doctor DeAngelis:

Giant machine, a la AM, covered by robes, barely humanoid, no arms or legs, just long metal scythes and knives, plague mask for a face, lots of cool red eye LEDs. is a doctor, so doesn’t fight much, but is very competent

2) Gumbo Slice:

Big buff fat black man in green cargo shorts and army boots/wellies. That all he wears, except an apron sometimes. Deeeep, rich, buttery-smooth voice. Likes pizza, gumbo, adventuring and wrestling animals. Fights with wrestling, sumo and sambo.

What i intend to do with them:

Short origin story about Gumbo Slice trying to create a pizza-flavoured gumbo/gumbo-flavoured pizza, and learning to be happy with what you have and fall in love with the gator-wrestlin’, pizza-chowin’, gumbo-bubblin’ adventure-havin’ journey. Meantime, his friend Dr DeAngelis turns himself into a robot to avoid dying and better help people at his own expense, learning to accept what he sees in the mirror is not the same as what he saw and will see, and to love himself, as he prioritises others for himself.

#not me setting up crossover episodes #with my own ocs #from different universes #now for the actual tags:#writing #creative writing #my ocs #gumbo slice

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runephoenix6769 · 3 years ago

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Why Netflix aging up the Characters could spell disaster.

Ok, so I’ve tried to find confirmation that this is true and kinda found bubkiss so far. But.... Zuko being aged up by two years does not bode well his motivation or Azula (or Sokka for that matter), narratively speaking and will massively change how their stories/character arcs hit. It’s my belief that by aging up the characters they’ll kinda lose some of the soul of the show AND the poignancy of just how much pressure has been laid on the shoulders of Gaang and Azula's trio. The nuance of Children fixing a world broken by adults. (I shall preface by saying that anyone under 18 is a child and therefore even joining the military at 16 is still awful, but this post is being written within the context of the avatar universe, its societal norms and customs.)

Hear me out. Within the show, all the main cast of children are supposed to be outliers and exceptionally skilled, even surpassing many of the adults in that world in terms of mastery of their elements and ability to execute strategy. At 16/17 Rangi had her first commission after graduating from the Junior Corps in record time, to eventually become one of the youngest Lieutenants in Fire Nation Army service, during peace time. 400 years later we are in the midst of a global war, meaning the goal posts within the various societies would have shifted considerably. (Apart from the Earth Kingdom, they seriously need to get with the times.) Zuko is the heir to the throne of an imperial expansionist country, where military service is expected of many of the aristocracy. (If not every citizen doing something towards the war effort.) And has been since the reign of Sozin. Being the heir, he would naturally be expected to take a military commission at 16/17, as precedent has been shown to us via Rangi. This would serve to foster loyalty from his soldiers, train him in ways of command to prepare him for taking over the Nation, etc etc. Lets say that Netflix keep the rest of his story the same, so he is still ousted at 13 sent on a mission of folly as a cruel punishment. Well that just casts his 4 years at sea and his behaviour towards his men in an awful light. In four years he has not learned regard for the safety of his men? It makes the treatment of his men look callous instead of being a child who doesn't quite grasp how much his crew do for him, that they too have been ousted and separated from their loved ones! Four years of shite treatment would surely land a mutiny on his hands? If anything, it serves to make him look whiny, and incompetently oblivious to the needs of others. And what does it mean if they move the timeline of the Agni Kai up by two years, to 15? It doesn't have quite the same impact. Remember what sits at the core of this show. It is ultimately about children trying the fix the world that the adults broke, violence, cruelty, child soldiers and the effects of war upon them, under intense pressure to succeed. Zuko is supposed to be a child who hasn’t even begun to figure out what he wants. His character arc in the show is supposed to be that journey!

Which brings me to Azula! A child prodigy, who took down Ba Sing Se in a relatively bloodless coup at 14! Its meant to be an awe inspiring Herculean feat! A top notch military strategist, she is meant to be unmatched by any of her peers. Her age in the OG show certainly explains her behavior, her not being developed enough in many ways. This contributes towards the deterioration of her mental health when she cannot reconcile the heavily cultivated sense of self with the reality culminating in the tragic and heart wrenching mental breakdown at 14! At 16/17, it makes it look like a huge ass hissy fit! OG Azula’s inflection moment begins in The Beach episode. She is begins to ask questions of herself in the form of small experiments. It takes the form of her hiding their identities on Ember Island. It is as if she is trying to feel out if she is as witty and charming as she believes, but she comes to learn that she is woefully socially inept, people don’t like her for her, beginning the spiral of insecurity and self doubt. We are also told that Azula’s mother thought her a monster and she is massively hurt by that, though she plays it off as nothing. This insecurity is blown wide open on the Boiling Rock cemented by Ty Lee’s betrayal and culminates in Azula, who is truly terrified that he might burn her in a way similar to Zuko, seeing her being sidelined by Ozai. She takes as a form of punishment for her ‘failure’, a form of banishment, that she has been discarded like Zuko, when she had imagined being by her father’s side as they burned the world in celebration of their mutual victory rather than for what is truly is which is Ozai being a glory hog and reaping all the benefits from Azula’s hard work. Which brings me to the suggestion by Azula to burn the world in the first place. A child suggesting that you ‘Burn the World’ smacks a whole lot differently when you think of it as a kid not quite grasping/understanding the ramifications of such a suggestion, but a 16 year old? Such a thing tips her from confused mentally unwell child with a crippling fear of failure raised without a lick of compassion to full blown villainy with nothing remotely sympathetic about her! The way the last Agni Kai is framed you are supposed to feel sympathetic towards her! Which makes me wonder if they are gonna paint Azula as unhinged straight from the get go? Her unravelling at the seams is supposed to be her journey!

Sokka.... at 17! In the OG show, Hakoda does the right thing by telling Sokka to remain behind to look after the village because at 13 he is too young to go to war. Why leave him behind at 15? Would that not serve to feed into feelings of inadequacy, that he was deemed too weak to leave and fight with the other men and boys of the tribe? Now, I would argue that Sokka’s OG arc rivals Zuko’s redemption. He does feel inadequate and overcomes it. He also unlearns a shit load of misogyny! What 17 year old doesn’t take responsibility for his own clothes, in a tribe were adults are few and far between? What 17 year old expects his little sister to be his mother and bear the brunt of the domestic? How obtuse and unfeeling would that make Sokka? It would propel him to the side of boorish, lazy and entitled rather than the sweet teenage boy who grows to realise he has a lot to learn. OG Sokka is humble as hell and not afraid admit when he is lacking! He will go and openly admit his flaws and learn from others who he had previously written off. Suki gives him a glass of respect women juice and he keeps on chugging, only adding to the Sokka we know and love. This is supposed to be his journey!

OG Sokka is just as much of a genius as Azula! They are both supposed to be exceptional. Having them sit at 16/17 figuring this all out within a war torn world were it would be totally normal for them to participate in the generational war machine kind of robs them of this. Their more child like behaviours, grappling with concepts and truly understanding their consequences is supposed to remind us that they are children, being asked to do something no child ever should! Aging them up casts these things in a whole other light, skewering the what makes this show so beloved! If you change the core characters to the point their journey’s don’t make sense within the world they inhabit, or they become unrecognisable to the audience you’re trying to milk then really.....what’s the point?

#avatar last airbender #atlab #atla #avatar the last airbender #prince zuko #princess azula #sokka #zuko #azula #rangi #rise of kyoshi

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mandalorianbrainweasel · 3 years ago

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Older Boba/That One Cadet?? I like that very much!! How about a first kiss? :3c

Thank you for prompting this because it made me look up his name. Jax! His name is Jax. I love him. I'm sorry for what I put him through in this.

They're like fifteen and this didn't go how I expected, they took over. As you'll see by the word count.

a taste of wasting time

T. Boba/Jax. 1580 words. Inspired by every summer camp I've been to, but the kids have actually been taught weapon etiquette which unfortunately includes the Bullying. Dumb teenagers, mean kids, Boba's potty mouth, survival training but fun, mushrooms, first kiss.

Boba likes the nights on Concord Dawn.

Staying back on Mandalore, in Sundari, is fine. That’s where most of his family is. Para and their riduure, Paz, Kix and Fox, Sati’bu, Ba’tat Arla, the Babas.

He loves his family and he doesn’t really feel a desire to be spending all his time in the Slave I for another couple years straight and he doesn’t really ever feel like spending more than a couple weeks up here with the Mereel side of the family.

And he’s not even here with them, right now. Out of all of the family members he’s stuck with right now, it’s Omega. Sure, a few of the counsellors for the training camp are clones, and more than a few of the other verd’ike are clones, but that doesn’t mean a lot. Most of the other clones that Boba even knew before Para’s quest were Alpha class or Commandos. A few others he’d seen, yeah, but no one is really family-family instead of clan-family.

He’s in a squad with two other clones and three kids from other clans. Omega is off with her squad, well away from Boba, and it’s funny how a training camp that they were both at is the only time in the last two years that he’s gotten space from his sister.

He pokes at the fire in front of him, mostly occupied with staring at the sky while his squadmates are off setting up camp. He got teased for being the spoiled one and how this was probably all he could do.

Omega would probably have tried to take their faces off with her teeth.

He’ll show them, later. This is their first night in the wilds and he’s a damn good shot and Be’baba has been running him through training almost every day since Ursa Wren dragged him to Mandalore. And that didn’t stop after he got his first beskar, like he knows some of the other clans do, leaving training to the Academy clubs and these training camps.

He doesn’t know about what the other clones will have been used to since leaving Kamino, but he knows he’s been shooting and camping long before they ever got to.

“Oh, hey, you got the fire going,” one of the other clones in his squad says, dropping down beside him. It’s the one with the red tint to his hair—Jax—instead of the one who has her dark hair buzzed low—Vril, he thinks.

“What, think I couldn’t even manage this?” he asks, glancing at him derisively.

Jax shifts uncomfortably.

“You didn’t,” he realizes, furious.

“You like in a palace,” Jax points out.

“And you either live in a really nice apartment or on a clan compound,” he points out. “I learned how to start a survival fire when I was four. And I learned how to cook on a fire a couple years later when Buir decided I wasn’t going to fall into a soup pot.”

Jax snorts and covers his mouth before he breaks into giggles.

“Seriously, my squad last year wasn’t nearly as” mean “shitty.”

Jax at least ducks his head, ashamed.

“You do realize I live with my ori’vod, right? The Mand’alor? Do you really think they’d leave me defenceless and unable to take care of myself? We may be a family, but shit happens to everyone.”

“Hey,” Vril shouts, “Stop yelling at Jax.”

Boba and Jax both swivel their heads to her and Boba.

Well, Omega is preferable right now. Even if she might insight a feud over this. And she’s still a last ditch place to go. This area of Concord Dawn is pretty safe for someone wandering on their own.

He tosses the stick into the fire and heads out into the trees, strolling until he’s far enough they won’t hear him break into a run, angry tears prickling at his eyes. He wants the Lieutenants, and Para and Mij and Fordo and Ven’ti, and the Babas. He wants people who don’t want to see the worst in him. He remembers Korkie talking about this kind of thing, when Boba first started going to the Academy. Hell, he remembers stuff like this himself from his first months there.

He makes himself another fire when he comes to another clearing and has made sure none of the animal tracks around it are the kind of things that would bother him or be bothered by him. No tent, but he’s slept without a tent or a sleeping bag plenty of times.

Maybe an hour has passed when he hears more human-like footsteps, and he unholsters the blaster he brought—not one of Buir’s blasters, not for a few more years—and fires a warning shot.

The bolt of plasma sends a tree branch cracking down, and a clone yelps.

He doubts it’s Vril.

He sighs and reholsters the blaster. “I’m this way,” he calls, making another skewer of friendly-familiar mushrooms he’d found around here and setting it at the edge of the fire while he grabbed his own from where it had been roasting.

Jax steps through, rubbing his head. There’s a little scratch on his cheek that looks like it might bruise. “Hey. You...really got far out here. I don’t think I’d have gone this far.”

He shrugs. “I’ve always had to be kind of alone.” He peeks a mushroom off of the top of the skewer and pops it in his mouth.

Jax stares.

“There’s more,” he points out, motioning to the pile he’s made and the roasting skewer. “Wait for it to get brown, though.”

“Oh, uh. Okay.”

Again, Jax sits next to him.

“Sorry about, uh. All of that. I set her to rights about what we’d been talking about. The others, you know, they didn’t believe you?” Jax laughs hollowly. “They told me to come get you back because they’d get in trouble if you died out here, and Vril was too stubborn to come apologize.”

“I’m not going back until in the morning, then,” Boba decides, smiling as he eats another mushroom. “Let them sweat. I have my comm and I was going to ping our counsellor soon. Probably my ori’vod, too. Need to tell some member of the family, but if I tell my sister she’s liable to commit homicide. If not get her squad to join her.”

Jax laughs and finally it sounds like something that he’s letting himself be fully amused by.

Boba averts his eyes and goes back to munching, but he picks the skewer he set for Jax up as soon as it’s hitting the perfect shade and passes it to him.

Eventually, Jax eggs him into an actual conversation, and they chat about education modules—though Boba doesn’t mention his are for university classes. They give a report to the counsellor who agrees with Boba’s decision to let them get anxious with a kind of vicious smile that makes Boba wonder what happened last year. When the counsellor commends Jax for avoiding getting drawn in by bad influences, he really wonders.

But he doesn’t ask, not when Jax looks so beat up about it.

The next morning, after a night where they’d doze until an alarm warned them to check the fire, then doze some more again, they head back to their squad’s initial camp, after bagging up the rest of the mushrooms that they don’t eat for firstmeal.

When they get to the camp, they watch from the woods as the counsellors are scolding the rest of the squad about losing two members and how they’re going to have to send out a search party! Now why would those two have run off, hmm? Did this have anything in common with last year, hmm?

Jax finally has enough and Boba shrugs and starts whistling as they head into camp, the bag of mushrooms over his shoulder.

“Hey, Ordo, I got some of those mushrooms you like,” he tells the counsellor who had been in charge of his squad last year.

She grins, pushing the other young teens out of the way and going for them. “I don’t get how you always find these, Fett’ika! Seriously. I should never have told you they were my favorite, now you have bribery available.”

He sticks his tongue out at her.

“Anyways,” she adds, “We’re adding you two to Squad Beta. It’ll be fine.”

Boba raises an eyebrow. That squad is one from the above year. “If you say so.”

“Saxon’s in charge of them,” Ordo adds with a roll of her eyes.

“Oh, yes, then it will be fine,” he agrees.

Jax looks between the two of them. “Really?”

“Yeah, Aden’tra likes me best,” Boba says.

The rest of the camp goes fine, though Boba doesn’t find out what happened to the rest of his first squad of the year. They’re all packing up to leave when Jax takes him aside, then knocks him back into a tree and kisses him.

“I, uh, sorry. I hadn’t really said that. About the first night,” Jax says, looking down as Boba stares, shocked at him. “I, uh. Really like you. I’m sorry, if that was, uh!”

Boba kisses him this time, then grabs his comm and types in his code. “That’s me. You can ping me whenever.”

“Boba!” Aden’tra hollers. “Come on, Korkie promised to make the fritters if we get back before nightfall!”

He snorts. “I gotta go. Send me a message, okay?”

“Yeah,” Jax says, “Okay.”

#my fanfiction #prompt fill #star satin #Boba Fett #clone cadet jax #look they're very dumb #and I love them very much #after this Boba malfunctions and stops being smooth but that's after Jax can't see him

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razorblade180 · 4 years ago

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Praying for a wish

Lantern Rite, a joyous occasion where people enjoy in festivities and the company of one another. Aether sat quietly on a bench, watching the smiles of kids and grownups faces as they danced and sing song. Joy like this is infectious and yet, Aether could feel his heart ache a little. A hand grabbed his shoulder from behind. Aether looked up to see Amber with a skewered tiger fish in her mouth and another in her right hand for him; while two lanterns were delicately held in the other. Aether couldn’t help but smile as he took one lantern and the fish so she could sit comfortably.

Aether:If you needed help carrying things then you could’ve asked.

Amber:Please, I carry Jean’s papers all the time. This was no problem. Thanks for taking me here by the way.

Aether:I’m shocked you’ve never been.

Amber:I was always too busy patrolling, especially when Stormterror was around. I thought I’d miss it again. Though this is my actual first time, I’ve seen these lantern fly from my posts countless times. My grandpa talked all about the Latern Rite and how Liyue festivities were different from Mondstadt. Honestly it was pretty easy to tell he missed this. Seeing it up close, I can see why. Hard to explain but making a wish holds a different feeling than a prayer. Like it’s unchained by any rules. It just is.

Aether:Wow, that was surprisingly deep.

Amber:Hey!? What do you mean by surprisingly?

Aether:*smiling* You know what I mean. You’re always the type to motivate by doing stuff and being energetic. What you just did sounded almost like Zhongli would say.

Amber:Well we are in Liyue. Maybe all the culture is bringing out heritage in my DNA?

Aether:Hehe, I don’t think that’s how that works. Still....Amber, thank you, for being here I mean.

Amber:You know me, I’ll stand by you whenever. An Honorary and an Outrider knight, I doubt we’ll find another pair with such strange titles. It’s we’re apart of something, but then not entirely.

Aether:You’re still counted as a full fledged knight, but I see what you mean. Being one of something is lonely; especially when there was more to begin with. I guess that’s why I feel bad for Xiao. In a way, his family is gone as well. Difference is....well I hope the difference is mine is....

Amber:....You’ll find her, happy and healthy.

Aether:You sound so certain.

Amber:Well, call it wishful thinking.

She turns her lantern to the side to show Aether the words “Aether reunites with Lumine safely” on it. Amber gives a a tender smile to him before letting her lantern float into air and off towards the sky.

Aether:But...your gra-

Amber:I still have my prayers. This...this felt like the right thing to wish for. Two is better is than one, right? Now come on! Wish for to find your sister!

Aether looked down at the his lantern in silence. Seconds later he finally picked up pen and began writing. Though he wanted to see his sister’s face, Aether could only write for Amber to find her family, making the girl gasp. Before she could say anything, he let it go with a gust of anemo to catch up with hers.

Amber:Aether, why did you-

Aether:Prayers, right? I get those too. You’re right after all. Two is better than one, so I don’t need a second wish if we’re working together right?

Amber:Heh....wow. That’s so...you’re so.... *tearing up* Thanks, seriously.

Amber tried looking away from him to wipe her tears, but her took her by the chin and turned her head back his way. Red faced, they both smiled warmly and moved by one another. Aether couldn’t stop himself from getting a little emotional either but it okay. This was okay. Things were going to be okay, as long as they had each other. Gently, they leaned closer, kissing each other as dozens of wishes lit the night. Two outsiders, praying for a wish they found in one another; to end the loneliness.

A vigilante yaksha watched the lanterns float away into the night from a rooftop, pleased.

Xiao:(How long has it been....sense last someone understood the meaning of this night?)

#genshin impact #amber genshin impact #aether genshin impact #aether x amber #xiao genshin impact

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crimsonrae · 3 years ago

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Disintegration

Chapter Four

Summary: He witnessed the worst night of her life, he just never expected for her to become the love of his life.

KlausxCami

Rating: Mature

A/N: So, I'm starting to delve into Marnie a bit - sorry her point of view seems erratic, but at the same time that's what I was going for... She's recovering from a concusion, untangling herself from a horrible relationship, and discovering that maybe her nightmares are over with yet. She's a little manic. More of Cami and some of her internal musing/recovering. Please don't hesitate to give feedback. I love hearing from you guys. Please read and enjoy.

Chapter Four

2009

The dean would have to excuse his quick departure. He had files to read, a woman to woo, another to find, and a curse to break after all.

If Klaus had paid more attention to his surroundings when he had been at the university then he would have been able to shorten his list by an item of one. Hell, he would have been able to shorten it before he had even set foot into the dean's office.

By the time he left his opportunity had been lost. Not that he was aware of an opportunity in the first place.

Timing had never been Marnie Taylor's thing. She had been born a week late and as her mother would say... she had been late to everything ever since. Usually, her knack for running out the clock was a fault. An irritation for those waiting on her, an inconvenience when she was trying to accomplish anything, but she firmly believed that for a few moments where she stood in the courtyard outside the doors that led to the lobby of the dean's office, it had been her saving grace.

Students moved past her, ignoring her presence as they made their way to class while she remained frozen stiff on the pathway. Her dark eyes had stared through the glass doors with a bemused intensity.

"...coffee, Mr. Mikaelson?"

Ms. Lankam's soft voice had carried startlingly far as the doors had swung briefly open to allow another administrator to exit. It had caused Marnie to glance up curiously as she shuffled down the pathway, hoping that her tardiness hadn't caused her to miss Camille.

Despite her abrupt exit from the hospital and subsequent purposeful loss of her phone, Marnie had still managed to hear whispers of what had occurred between her roommate and her boyfriend – ex-boyfriend... Ex.

She had to swallow convulsively against the spike of anxiety that skewered her heart and remind herself that Scott was miles away in a hospital bed if the rumors were accurate. It was why she needed to be here because if those rumors were true then Cami was in danger of losing everything because of her. She couldn't let her best friend and self-appointed protector lose her standing as a student, much less anything else. She needed to speak with the dean and at least try to straighten out some of this mess. After all, she had helped create it.

Sickening guilt swarmed through her stomach as she remembered the multitude of times that Cami had begged her to seek help. She should have listened. A dull thrum of pain laced up her side from her mending ribs as if in agreement.

Yet, no amount of guilt nor pain could make her move as her eyes landed on Mr. Mikaelson.

He had turned to the side in apparent boredom – his appearance in itself wasn't startling. In fact, he was rather handsome, not that Marnie had time to truly take note of his attractiveness. She was too distracted by the sudden awareness of something supernatural.

A prickling of the hair at the nape of her neck, an undercurrent of something powerful and ominous that made the air heavier... imbued with something dark, wrong - unnatural.

A vampire.

She had seen vampires rarely in her short life. She had been warned of them, told to stay away by those far older and wiser than herself. It was impossible to be raised by a witch, by a coven, and not know of the other supernatural entities that lingered in the world. She had never been able to get past the sense of wrong the few times she had been in a vampire's presence. As if someone had taken a sheet of sandpiper to scrape along her skin. The entire experience was abrasive and irritating.

But she had never felt it this strongly before... she wasn't even standing in the same room as him. Still a good fifty feet away. Even his name prodded at the recesses of her memory. He was important, but she couldn't remember precisely why.

He seemed to sense her as he started to turn toward the doors and Marnie felt her heart lurch to her throat in fear. Yet, she was saved at the last second by her roommate once again.

She blinked as Cami exit Shaln's office with her parents and was taken by surprise a second time as Cami approached the vampire with unflinching familiarity.

It made Marnie want to scream, to warn her friend away. However, as she moved toward the door, she caught Camille's strong voice as she mentioned the monster's given name, "Klaus - what?"

Klaus...

Klaus Mikaelson?

Horror grew into an avalanching pit within her gut as her memory found the relevance of his name. Niklaus Mikaelson, an Original.

She deftly staggered out of sight as her mind whirled, confusion bespelled her mind as she watched the brief exchange between Cami and Klaus. The press of his lips to her cheek, her subsequent pleased blush before her mother ushered her away.

How did Cami know an Original? Was she aware of what he was?

Despite three years of living together, Marnie suddenly felt uncertain about her friend. Had Camille known about the supernatural world all along? Had she known about Marnie being a witch?

The quieter, more rational part of her knew that she was missing several key pieces of information. That Cami – sweet, fierce Cami – knew nothing about her world... though she had the lingering impression that was all about to change. But the rational part of Marnie wasn't in control – hadn't been in control for quite a few days now.

And so, she found herself torn. Not sure if she should confront her friend and make her aware – if she wasn't already- of who and what exactly Klaus Mikaelson was and pull her to safety as Cami had tried so valiantly to do with her or if she should run. Because after everything, the last thing Marnie needed was to add an Original into her vast stew of problems.

Shaking from her unease, Marnie tugged her sweater tighter around her fragile frame and disappeared amongst the student body.

__________________________

"You know... you're not supposed to get into trouble without me? It's in the twin code."

Camille's head snapped up from her suitcase as she stepped into her family home. An exuberant smile painted her lips as she caught sight of a familiar pair of stormy eyes, "Sean! What are you doing here?"

"My sister gets arrested, and you think I'm just going to while away reading scripture?" Amusement coated her brother's mien lifting Camille's dampened spirits. He opened his arms for a hug and she all but fell into his embrace. She had missed her pain-in-the-ass brother – she really could have used his company the past few days. He tightened his arms around her in silent comfort as he whispered, "How are you doing, really?"

Cami pulled away with a grimace as she tried not to look too miserable, "Oh you know, I made a few new friends – one's named Bubba. Apparently, his sister is doing five to ten, but she'd be able to show me the ropes if I'm ever inside the pokey."

"I hear it's good to have an inside man – well, woman." Sean fought back a grin as he pointedly kept his gaze from flickering to the door where their mother was entering. It would only invite a weary retort as she was unamused by her children's words, "Hi mom."

"Hello dear." Vivian brushed a kiss to her son's cheek in greeting. As happy as she was to see Sean the morning had worn on her just as much as it had Camille, "I need an iced tea. Would you two like one?'

"Ac;tual iced tea?" Sean asked tentatively, as he caught his sister's eye.

"Long Island, dear." Vivian declared almost reproachfully. Camille smirked as she mouthed the words that her mother was about to speak, "Tea leaves should never be brewed cold."

"I'm good, mom." Sean intoned quietly as Cami iterated much the same. Vivian waved a dismissive hand before sauntering away for the sitting room.

Cami huffed a soft laugh as she watched her mother disappear. Another sign of much-needed normal, "Seriously, you didn't have to come all the way home for this. I'm sure you had better things to do."

He shrugged, "Please, I wouldn't miss counting the different shades Dad will turn for anything in the world. Has he reached that angry maroon yet?"

"Stop it." She murmured with a faint grin as she looked behind her to see if their parents had lingered. Callan was still outside it seemed, "I thought he was going to bash the Dean's skull in this morning. The whole experience has been mortifying... but you are now officially the saintly child with a delinquent for a sister. It'll make your sermons even more interesting when you finally get ordained."

"If I even get there." Sean murmured almost bitterly.

It was a tone Cami didn't hear from him all too often and it had her frowning in concern, "Has something happened?"

Sean shook his head in mild dismissal, "Nothing worth mentioning really. Don't worry about it, Cam. I think one twin having a crisis at a time is all the world can handle right now."

"Sean..." She quietly implored, but he rebuffed her again.

Cami found his reticence a little annoying, but not out of character. Sean wouldn't come to her until he was ready to, but that didn't mean she wouldn't nag at him until then. She considered it her big sister prerogative... even if she was only two minutes older.

He derailed the questions pressing on the tip of her tongue as his gaze moved back to the walkway with an inquisitive expression, "Is that Ian?"

She glanced back to see her boyfriend bringing the rest of her belongings in from the car and smiled faintly. He had been waiting for her outside her dorm-like he had promised her. She hadn't been sure that he would show. Things had been a little tense between them since she had called him on the way out of the jailhouse and she just hadn't had the time to pick apart where all this uneasiness between them was coming from; if it was her and she was projecting onto him? Or if he had a problem with the entire fiasco and just was withholding it from her... Cami wasn't sure and frankly, she really didn't have the energy or focus to figure it out with him.

Yet, this morning it was like nothing was wrong between them. He had greeted her with a soft kiss that warmed her veins and soothed her nerves. Had frowned when she had told him about the expulsion, but much to his credit had merely wrapped her in a tight hug before asking what exactly she needed him to do. It made her think that she had simply been projecting her insecurities unfairly onto him because something about their relationship hadn't been right for the past few days and Cami couldn't put her finger on what.

A small voice whispered that she did know, at least one small part of the issue, as an image of darkly amused cerulean eyes glimmered in her mind, and she had to shake off a twinge of guilt.

She was being ridiculous. Nothing had happened. She had done nothing wrong.

But maybe that was the problem. Something inside her wanted to do something wrong because beating the crap out of Scott hadn't felt wrong. And she hated that, and she hated that Klaus had seen that in her.

...but let's be honest here, love, while I may have enjoyed your spirited attack, you enjoyed committing it more.

She had enjoyed it and maybe... maybe doing something she knew was wrong – would feel wrong – maybe then she could feel justifiably punished for how much she had reveled in bruising her knuckles on that bastard's face.

Now that... that was not what she wanted to think about. Silently, she placed the thought of the beguiling Klaus Mikaelson back into his box and locked the lid. It was tempting to blame him for all her current relationship woes, but the truth was she was in a vulnerable state. She didn't want to acknowledge that she hadn't felt like herself in days and she refused to let a brief interlude with a stranger affect her... well, just affect her.

"Yes." She said abruptly realizing that Sean was looking at her strangely, she had been quiet for too long. She shook off her daze with a chagrined smile, "Yeah, apparently Christmas with the O'Connell's wasn't enough to make him run for the hills."

Sean snorted as he thought of the trial by fire their parents liked to put Cami's boyfriends through. Ian had held up remarkably well at Christmas he remembered and by the vague twitch of his lips, Ian was thinking of it too. Sean's grin grew, "I'll have to ask him which experience was worse. Dealing with our parents at the holidays or during a crisis."

"Christmas. I'm not under the microscope this time" Ian said soundly as he placed a box of her things against a wall.

"So, you think." Sean stated wryly as he reached a hand out in greeting, "Hey man, it's good to see you again."

Ian grasped the proffered limb with a quick nod, "You too. You going to be out here long or is this just a quick check-in?"

Sean shrugged, "Not sure. I'll be here for at least a week. Exams are coming up and I suppose I'll have to return for those."

There it was again. A shift of something disgruntled in her brother's expression. Usually, only their father could bring that look to Sean's face and Cami found herself frowning again, "You suppose?"

He shrugged, "I will. I think I'm just a bit burnt out. It's a good thing the end of the semester is so close."

"Tell me about it." Ian agreed with a commiserating groan, "If I have to look at one more graph on emerging markets, my brain is going to explode."

Camille rolled her eyes as she listened to their whines, "At least you guys will get to finish your year. I don't even know how this semester will reflect on my records."

Ian frowned at the reminder of her expulsion. He quickly laced his fingers through her as he tried to gently cajole, "Come on, you know Shaln was blustering. I bet you're back in class next Monday."

Sean nodded his agreement, "There's no way that mom is going to let any of this go and with the way dad is pacing with his phone right now, I wouldn't be surprised if he's calling every lawyer he knows to make this go away."

A sickening stone settled into the bottom of Camille's gut as she peered around her brother through the still-open door. And sure enough, there was Callan, burrowing a path into the front lawn. He was already the angry maroon color that Sean had been anticipating. A dull thrum began to spike up her neck at the sight... There would be no end to this day.

"Great." She murmured under her breath, "Mom's already spoken with Aunt Patrice and Uncle Fred. Apparently, she got them to agree to withdraw funding to the school. Shaln about had an aneurysm when she mentioned it."

"Damn... mom works fast."

While Patrice and Fred weren't actually blood relatives, they had been close family friends for so long that they may as well have been part of the larger O'Connell brood. Camille wasn't sure why it had surprised her so much that they were already aware of the latest family scandal. Maybe it was because Vivian usually played things close to the vest.

She missed the shared looked between her boyfriend and brother as she stared distractedly at her father. Both were concerned over the lines of tension and stress creasing her expression.

Sean took the lead as he nudged her, "Have I mentioned how badass it is that you took an abuser in hand? Cuz I'm pretty sure that it makes you a superhero."

"Definitely, Wonder Womanesque." Ian chimed with a faint smile. In truth, he had been at a loss on how to comfort Camille. She was usually very upfront about what she was thinking and feeling – she would tell him what she needed... but she had shut herself off from everyone. A wall had been erected, and he wasn't sure how to approach this withdrawn version of his girlfriend. Waiting for her to come to him had become his default option... and it seemed to be failing. It was a relief to let Sean take over.

"No way. Cami's too blonde for Wonder Woman. I think more Warbird." Sean disagreed as he smirked at his sister.

Ian's eyes lit up, "Carol Danvers? Hell yeah – I can get behind that."

Camille could only shake her head in disbelief, "Wow, this turned into a nerdfest really quick."

Yet, there was no hiding the glint of amusement behind her befuddlement, and that was all the boys had been aiming for as they tried to coax her into a better mood.

"There is nothing wrong with appreciating a strong female character. They're hot." Ian argued with a sly grin as he briefly tightened his hand over hers, "There's no denying you're a strong female which can only mean-"

"Uggh, I'm not listening anymore." Sean gagged exaggeratedly as he started to wander away from the blatant flirting display that he was currently witnessing, "I agree by the way. Not that you're hot – but yeah... strong woman."

Camille couldn't stop her snicker at the boys antics, "Where are you going?"

"I don't know, Wally's? You guys coming?" He called as he twirled his car keys around his finger.

Camille shared a glance with Ian as Sean waited down by his car. She didn't really want to go out. She had wanted to curl up in bed and shut the world away since she woke up that morning, but life had other ideas. At the same time, curling up in her bedroom at home and not at her dorm held less of an appeal. Sooner or later, she would have to have another painful round of discussions with her parents and figure out what her next steps would be. Being home assured that conversation happening sooner, especially as Vivian had espoused a few ideas in the car already.

Staying home seemed more tedious than necessary and Cami supposed that it wasn't exactly healthy to hide herself away, "I want to go out... but no bars. I've had my fill of them lately."

Ian smiled and nodded his head, "How about bowling? Think we could convince your brother?"

It was an odd suggestion and Cami had to raise her brow, "Bowling?"

"Well, its one sport you can still drink and perform with little effort. Plus, the added bonus of being able to throw a big rock ball at something without people saying you have anger issues." He explained lightly.

It was slightly inane how much allure that last bit held for Camille.

And ultimately, it's what won her over. She didn't regret her choice as she tugged on the used shoes offered by the alley twenty minutes later.

She procured a midnight-blue ball with shimmering specs; it was understated next to the flaming pinks and luminescent greens, but it felt comfortable in her hand. Ian had found a garish orange one that reminded her of Mars as it swirled into different shades while Sean had found one that reminded her of the candy jawbreakers, they would get from the corner market as kids. She was struck by a sense of surrealness. Hours ago she was ready to shut the world away, now she was leaning in to play a game.

Cami shook her head and took her place up at the end of the lane. She gazed for a long moment at the strangely ethereally glowing pins – it was as if the brightness was mocking her. It was stupid, but she took that moment to alter those ten pins in her mind. No longer were these pieces merely glossy-shaped plastic-covered wood, but every negative emotion she had been feeling.

Pin One – worry. Worry for Marnie, for her future, for herself.

Pin Two – rage. Rage at Scott and any person who was like him. Rage at the unfairness of everything. Rage for what she could not control.

Pin Three – confusion. Confusion over how quickly she had snapped. Confusion for Klaus and the odd calm he brought her...even as he annoyed her. Confusion for why that had her questioning her relationship with Ian.

She drew a long breath.

Pin Four – uncertainty. Uncertain of why she was so hesitant to let anyone in... let Ian in.

Pin Five – resignation. Resignation with Shaln, resignation with the fact that she could not go back and change...anything.

Cami pulled her arm back and lined her thumb to the middle arrow painted on the planks below her.

Pin Six –stress. Stress with...everything.

Pin Seven – frustration. Frustrated with being unable to understand herself. Unreasonably frustrated with every person she came into contact with... she was so sick of all the bullshit.

The ball slid from her palm and collided with a deliciously dull thunk to the ground before the rolling glide of smooth stone against polished wood echoed like a helical wave in her ear.

Pin Eight – fear. Fear of what the next days would bring, of how much she wanted to finish what she had started in that bar.

Pin Nine – sadness. Sadness of losing a part of herself that she had not even realized was there to lose.

The clatter of the final impact was like an abrupt roar of applause as those gleaming pins toppled with erratic swivels. All her pessimism gone in one fell swoop.

Yet one pin held strong – tilted and swiveled, teasing its fall before soundly settling on its bottom once more.

Cami blinked in curious astonishment at the ten pin. Of all the pins to remain standing, it had to be one pin she had assigned no negative emotion.

Pin Ten – hope. Hope that everything would be okay.

A beatific smile swept across her lips as she stared. For the first time in days a lightness swept over her, and she was actually able to let the small gleam of hope that had shrouded her every step, blossom a little fuller.

She may not have smiled if she had known about the dark-haired man observing her from the snack bar. No, Cami wouldn't have been smiling at all to know she had gained a stalker that day... but Maddox was nothing if not obedient to his master.

Previous Chapter

#Disintegration #klaus mikaelson #The Originals #fanfiction #the originals fanfiction #Camille O'Connell #klaus x camille #klamille

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abizarreyodelingincident · 4 years ago

Text

Linked Universe: Our Nightly Confidant 1

Wind From Home

Twilight considers himself a simple man. A farmer at heart, even if he has the hands of a hero. He's grown in a small village, where everyone knows everything about everyone else. Community is a sense that's been cultivated in him as well as pumpkins on a sky island (whatever that saying means).

He loves his brothers and his sort of dad. This quest... he doesn't want to say it's a blessing. It isn't. The monsters threaten many. Their group hasn't always saved everyone. It's no blessing that hurts so many. But he can't help rejoice the opportunity to meet so many heroes. To find his place in the legacy of the Hero of Courage.

As a Hylian from a human village, he's never worried about his place, but he does find peace in belonging to a group with no such innate distance.

He's one of the oldests, weird as that is. Most of the group are like little siblings to him. Weird, insane and irreverent little shits that give him grey hair. No, he's not thinking exclusively about Wild (Wild's a special case). He's attuned to their moods.

Four asked if he had a special sense for this, the second time he'd done it. A 'special' sense, he had insisted in the middle of their training camp, meaning wolf senses. No. Twilight doesn't feel one side of him bleeds into the other. It's not like that.

It's not what makes his eyes trail after Wind today. His youngest brother (barely losing to Colin by a season) is currently laughing his ass off on a tree stump over Warriors tripping on Legend's items. It is denied, not very convincingly, that the items weren't left there on purpose. Little shits, he's telling you.

The truth is more down to earth, the way Twilight likes it. Dogs train themselves to recognize hylian expressions. They know what sadness and joy and anger look like all too well. They know when to cheer their big two-legged friends. And a wolf? Well, a wolf better learn fast the difference between a real smile and a fake if it doesn't want to end up stuck in a bear trap.

***

First watch is always a bit nerve wracking. Unlike second and third watch, Twilight can't just shift into wolf form to sniff out enemies and make sure the whole forest is secure. Links don't fall asleep easily. Legend wakes up at the slightest noise for the first two hours he looks asleep. Time might just stare at the sky the whole night, not getting a wink of sleep. Sometimes, Twilight himself just... can't stop thinking. Wondering where she is now. If she's alright. If Ordon's safe without him. Once in a while, he'll close his eyes and hear Lumi crying, and Uli's quiet steps to shush her.

The other half of the time, it's staying asleep that's the problem. The Goddesses know they all have plenty of material to fuel their nightmares (he's never forgetting Yeta's face, he's resigned to that).

When the moon's path has almost reached its zenith, Twilight hears the first few moans. His heart drops. He hoped. But he's not surprised. Sometimes, the heart can't take the weight of the mask people plaster on.

It starts small. It always does.

For a time, it's mostly sniffles and choked sobs. Then a small 'I'm sorry.' Twilight grimaces. None of them show their scar easily. The deep scars, at least. Wind wouldn't appreciate an audience. Unfortunately, Twilight can't exactly leave. The next best thing however is to try and cut it short.

So, decision made, he creeps around camp, places himself behind Wind and shakes his shoulder. (Carefully. The group collectively learned not to take sleeping Links lightly. At least, Sky had laughed out the black eye with grace.)

“Hey, Sailor,” he whispers, hoping none of the others react. “It's your turn.”

In truth, it's a touch early for that. But he knows he made the right call when Wind rubs his eyes and freezes at the wet feeling on his fingers. He'd been in the middle of turning around, but he immediately fakes a stumble and buries his face in his rolled up blankets instead. It's a good cover to wipe tears without being too obvious.

Twilight would be impressed if that didn't send pangs of worry through his chest. Oh, Wind...

“Mrm,” Wind mumbles. “One minute?”

“Sure, I gotta take a leak anyway.”

“Yeah, yeah, piss off.” Wind waves him off from under the blanket.

Twilight smiles to himself. He should ask Wind to direct a play next time they visit his Hyrule. Queen Zelda was always in need of entertainment for the stuffy dignitaries. Jackasses couldn't crack a smile if they were whipped.

That faint irritation pushes him toward the end of the camp line, out of the clearing. Once he's out of sight and hearing range, he grabs onto his cursed necklace and sneaks through the underbrush. His senses make navigating through the twigs and branches child's play, and the lack of any pig-like stench reassures him that there's no malice-infected monster around. In less than a minute, he has circled around the camp and positioned himself the near opposite of where his hylian form left through. Generally, people don't make the association if he leaves a few minutes tick by. Out of sight, out of mind.

It's a bit embarrassing how well that trick works.

Wind's head is turned in the direction he disappeared earlier. Skittish, like a rabbit looking out of its hole. Wind must be waiting for him to return from his manly business, which is a bit of a lost bet at the moment. Seconds tick with only the faint brushing of leaves on his fur and the nightly wind for company. Then, all at once, Wind stands up and stomps his way to the stump Twilight had been using for his turn at the watch.

“Damn it!” Wind curses under his breath. The tears are held at bay, barely. “There's no way he didn't see... calm down, calm down dammit, he's gonna come back soon!”

A small boot kicks off some dirt. Twilight flinches in his hiding spot. That's more anger than expected. He's not sure what to do with that. None of them like vulnerability. None of them are used to being allowed vulnerability. He's worked on Wild and Time for a while now, and he's making progress, even if it's only them opening up to him.

It's that same instinct that pushes him to walk through the bush and reveal himself. He's as non-threatening as a large wolf can be, but Wind still whirls around with his sword drawn. Recognition is a second slower.

“Wolfie!” Wind whisper-yells. “Bad dog! I almost skewered you!”

Twilight raises one eyebrow, unimpressed. He is most certainly not a bad dog, and he is quite experienced at dodging last second hits by flailing, surprised preys. Not that he even thought of Wind as prey, never, but Wind didn't have to imply he'd be that stupid.

“Oi, what are you looking at?” Wind grumbles, dropping back on his tree stump. “Stupid dog...”

Twilight fights the urge to growl. He's here to help, not pick a fight. Unfortunately, his struggle had been obvious, because Wind deflates and sheaths his sword.

“Sorry. It's just... I'd been doing so well so far,” he whispers. “Even if they're big mother cuccos about me sometimes, they still listened to me.”

Twilight feels his tail curl between his legs. He knows he's overprotective. He knows it's annoying Wind, but he can't help it when every other time they fight, he sees Colin rushing into the path of King Bulblin.

“Hey, hey, don't be sad.” Wind cajoles, patting his knee like an invitation.

Twilight's too happy to question the change. He plops his chin on Wind knees and looks up. Small, calloused hands run into his fur.

“Do you have family, Wolfie?”

… What? For a second, he slips out of grasp just to better stare at Wind. Then, he sniffs his breath for a second, and whilst there's a fair amount of onions there (dental hygiene, Sailor!), no traces of booze anywhere. So, he softly woofs, tilting his head to the side.

“Do you have a she-wolf and a litter of little pups that trip all over themselves? I bet you're a good dad, aren't you?”

Twilight can't help the shocked whine that burst out of his throat, nor the flattened ears on top of his head. Him? A dad? He was far too young for that! Being a brother to Wild alone was trouble enough as it was, fatherhood remained firmly beyond his grasp. Besides... it wasn't like he had someone with whom...

“Aww,” Wind cooed, scratching behind his ears, “I didn't want to scare you, Wolfie. I just thought you take good care of us, s'all. I bet you'll be a good dad someday.”

Flattered as he is, he can't help puff and huff into Wind's shirt. He's a noble beast, talked down to like a lap dog. At least, he successfully distracted Wind from what nightmare he had.

Together, they listened to the crackling embers, moving only when the flames needed another log or when a critter stumbled too close to camp (a very curious rat that scampered when it met Twilight's eyes).

“How much did he drink?” Wind mutters, a bit later. “Did he pass out with his breeches down?”

A low growl rumbles into his chest. The disadvantage of others not knowing he's Wolfie is hearing that kind of crap about himself. He's a misunderstood man condemned by the judgemental Links of the world.

“What? Don't like him? Twilight's okay. Most of the time. Like, he saw me cry. I know he did. He knows I know, but he still pretended not to... you know?”

Twilight's best deadpan glare expresses that yes, he knows. More importantly, he puts a paw on Wind's chest, making a small inquisitive noise. Why? Did he need to share it with a very innocent wolf that doesn't judge anyone and anything except Warriors' morning hair?

The fragile grin on Wind's face falters. His eyes dart around. “I... it's not like... You won't laugh, right?”

Twilight nods emphatically.

“It's nothing too bad. I just miss my sister and my grandma.”

Oh, Wind...

“... Please don't tell the others,” Wind said in a tiny voice. “They already have a hard enough time taking me seriously. I don't want them to think I'm being a baby who cries about his family.”

The confusion can't overtake the lance of shame and heartbreak that spears through Twilight's body. Had... had they pushed Wind into this? Made him think that because they hide their tears, they'd laugh at his?! Goddesses... Uli would smack him with her wooden spoon for making a mess like this.

Again.

He might have been a bit overbearing once his quest had ended. Colin had been happy about the attention... the first three days or so. Afterward... well... Uli and Rusl had taken him aside, put their feet down and helped him let go of his dead grip on his little brother's safety. And half the monsters he'd faced had nothing on the challenge of letting Colin make his own mistake. He thought he'd gotten better about this.

But he might have forgotten Wind was not nearly as tolerant or hesitant as Colin.

“I'm a Hero too. I'm strong. Why would I cry over nothing? My grandma and my sister are fine. I bet we'll be portaled in my Hyrule soon and I'll have worried for nothing and Twilight and Warriors will be right to treat me like a fragile little boy again.”

He's not. They all know he's not. He's just... the youngest. The most cheerful, most innocent, most... most well-adjusted of them all, and they want so badly for Wind to keep that. He's a wonderful young man. They're all so proud, so impressed with him.

He's gonna have a few conversations with Warriors and Time tomorrow. Goddesses!

“Hey, Wolfie... I know you don't like being around too long, but... Do you mind staying a bit?”

Twilight chuffs, stubbornly burying his face even deeper in his little brother's shoulder. As if someone would be able to pry him off Wind before morning.

***

“Do you ever feel a strange sadness as dusk falls?”

Wind looks up sharply, startled but unwilling to admit it. He'd been polishing that long view of his by himself. “What?” he says, and there's an implied 'the fuck?!' in there. Pirates...

Twilight brushes the grass and then sits on the hill, staring past the coast at the red sun. “My father told me that, the day before I left on my quest. Neither of us knew then I'd have a quest soon, of course. But it stuck with me.”

For a long time, Wind's expression shifted between fascination, embarrassment and a bit of confusion. Twilight really needed to teach him how to maintain a poker face before he played cards with Warriors again. Still, there's no rush.

For all that it tears him in half, dusk also has a way to sooth his old aches. It's a peaceful time. A moment when the day dies, when the living settle and close their doors.

“It's the horizon, for me,” Wind admits. “When I... the first time, I'd never ever left my island, and all of a sudden, I had to leave because that huge ass bird had kidnapped my sister. So I had to leave my home for the first time, and I was on Tetra's boat, staring at Outset Island shrinking and shrinking till it was gone. Even when I pulled out my sister's long view, all I could find was the waves of the Great Sea.”

“Ah, a boar and a bulblin got my brother, my childhood friend and a bunch of kids. Knocked me right out with a hit to the head.”

Wind pulled his lips together and narrowed his eyes. “Well... I didn't get hit or anything, but Tetra threw me out of a cannon so I could infiltrate the fortress. Hit my face pretty hard too. That counts?”

“It wasn't a competition!” Twilight laughs, ruffling Wind's hair. It causes a flinch, and that's the light-hearted mood gone. Great. Twilight breathes through his nose. “You know, sometimes, I really want to smack my dad upside the head.”

Wind blinks. “... Okay?”

“Every goshdarn time I see the sun set, I remember him and my mom and my brother and sister, and... home. Every sunset reminds me of home. Makes me miss it so bad. Now I can't help feel that strange sadness every time.”

Silence.

A snort.

“Goddesses damned!” Wind wheezes out through his laugh. “He...”

“Yup,” Twilight says, leaning his chin on his fist. “He didn't think that one through. Bit of a self-fulfilling prophecy, ain't it? So, I do want to make him think before he spouts philosophy at me.”

“Hey, hey, Twilight!” Wind says, impish, tugging on his sleeves. Then, the second he has Twilight's attention, he puts on the most serious face he ever wore. “Do you ever feel a strange sadness... as you put on your pants?”

“You little shit,” he says, brimming with affection.

Wind, not to be undone, jumps to his feet. “Do you ever feel a strange sadness... as you drink milk?”

“Oi,” Twilight stands after him, darting right after the brat.

“Not the strange sadness of being chased by a goatherd!”

Two minutes. Two minutes and six variations of the most profound saying his farmer dad told him. Butchered. Butchered like a lame goat in winter. Twilight is both furious and delighted and it might be why, when he does catch Wind, he unleashes the noogie from hell.

Wind's screams, so closely related to that of a dying piglet, are very satisfying. Worth the kicks to the ribs.

And when retribution is served, Twilight shifts the hold into a one-sided hug with the smooth grace of a man who regularly pretends not to be the wolf that is never seen with him. Wind freezes, realization sharp on his face when he notices the tears gathering in Twilight's eyes.

“But the first thing I'd do if I saw him tomorrow... is hug him. Tell him I'm glad he's okay and that I missed him. Then I'd smack him and run for the hills, because Rusl happens to be the only guy in my village that knows how to use a sword.”

After a whole body shudder, Wind gives up and buries himself in his big brother's shoulder.

#Linked Universe #Linkeduniverse #LU Twilight #LU Wind #Wolf Link

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bellatrixobsessed1 · 4 years ago

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Protea (Part 2)

It hurts. It hurts terribly. Agonizingly. She sinks deeper and deeper and the water around her seems to bubble and boil. She sees a face and then several of them and then many more. They all watch her.

They are all around her but her gaze is still fixed on the first one. It is quite lovely. Lovely and terrifying in synchrony. Like an erupting volcano it is intense, splendid, and promising of demise. That face fades into the background and the others circle around her.

For a moment her vision is obscured by a thick cloud of bubbles. They flit and flick about like moth-wasps. She thinks that she can hear them buzzing. When they clear the faces are all scowling at her. They are twisted and ugly. Evil.

They want something.

They all swarm closer. Closer… Closer…

She bolts upright and shakes her head. It doesn’t matter how much or how hard she shakes it, the dream never leaves her head. It is always there replaying in different variations and tones. But those faces, they are always there. Always watching. Sometimes she feels them watching her well into waking. She shudders. It is still dark out, she ought to roll on over and get back to sleep. Especially now that she has a new job. She smiles to herself, Mohi will be proud if she can make this one work. Especially since she hasn’t really been able to hold a job; if it wasn’t tardiness it was getting mouthy with her employer. If it wasn’t snark and wits it was brawling on the job. And sometimes that wasn’t even her fault, sometimes they just came to her. She thinks that this is why Mohi moved from Hira’a to the Capital. Something about a fresh start and no enemies.

She sits still for some time, staring at the moonrays that spill through the cracked window. The draft that comes through it is cool on her face, refreshingly so after so many sweltering Fire Nation nights.

She stretches her arms and pulls herself out of bed. Ultimately she has no desire to plunge back into the waters of her nightmare. Slipping out of the house isn’t so difficult, Mohi and her sons sleep heavy. She wishes that she could do the same but she supposes that being up so early has its perks. Namely she can slink about the city and swipe a few goods from mostly unmonitored food carts and trinket stalls. And when she isn’t in a swiping sort of mood she can jump from roof to roof, swing from railing to balcony, leap over walls and on top of stacks of crates. It is a hobby but it keeps her both fit and entertained. It gives her something to feel special about when Zenyul and Kaz overzealously dance around with their flames.

She takes a step into the cracked city streets. They are littered with trash, mostly discarded posters, broken glass, and piles of excess coal that the factories were too lazy to carry out of the city. Apparently the outskirts worked just as well, out of sight out of mind; really there was no harm, the outskirts of Capital City are already dirty.

The wind carries the scent of sulfur and factory waste as it smacks against her face. She bunches her nose and gives a little cough, she hates windy days. This doesn’t really matter either, she will be in the inner city soon enough and the offensive odors will transition into more pleasurable scents like sizzling skewers, poignant spices, and upper class perfumes.

She finds herself a building to scale. Find might not be the best way to put it, she has found this building quite some time ago and it had quickly become her favorite with its rickety and rusty ladder and its crumbling smoke stacks. On the first week it had been something of a playground to her and she is still discovering little quirks and treasures within; new places to climb up or crawl into. Height, or lack there of gives her the ability to slip into all of those tight places. All the while it makes it harder for her to reach certain places, she has yet to reach the top of the tallest smoke stack. She has climbed it from the inside but it had eventually grown too tight even for her. From the outside, she can never quite stretch her arm far enough to reach a possible handhold. She promises herself that she will make it up there one day. For now she settles for climbing as high as she can.

From her new vantage point, she feels free. Free and above people she otherwise never would be. The inner city skyline glistens like gold or sunshine or something pretty and poetic, she never really has the right words for it. But it is splendid, a goal even higher and less reachable than getting to the top of the smokestack. Most opulantly of all is the palace palace. She spies it’s gleaming multi-tiered roof. Even without the sunlight to cast it in the most flattering light, it still sparkles and glints and outshines the rest of the city.

By the time she shimmies her way down the smokestack her hands and clothes are as dirty and smudged as the palace is pristine. Her feet meet the floor with a dust-kicking thud. She wipes her hands on her pants and climbs back over the fence. She ought to make her way into the inner city before the sun can rise and spoil her fun.

She makes it there with the ease and quickness that only familiarity and routine can provide. It still takes a good hour or so, but she has leaned the quick routes and the ones that take her past the street gangs and their drug trades.

This is the trip that finally wears a hole in her shoe, just one more tatter among many. She guesses that that’s what her new job will get her first. The vendors almost never leave shoes, clothes, and jewelry unsurveyed.

She ought not with her shoes growing battered, but she can’t resist scrambling up a pile of crates and discarded boards. She balances upon a beam that has yet to be thrown out. With luck, they will drop it off at the old industrial factory so that she can have more discarded war machines and parts to enjoy. She leaps from the beam to a balcony. It is always a risk to use the inner city balconies, sometimes they spot her. Granted she is too quick for them to catch her so she doesn’t fret it too much.

She worries over other things. And she can’t seem to outpace them no matter how many buildings she weaves in and out of. The thoughts follow her and the more she thinks on it, the less she feels she is suited for this new job. It had been such an impulse volunteering. She’s no good for it and the woman running the shop didn’t seem particularly enthusiastic to have an assistant. She can’t imagine that she’d be particularly hurt if she didn’t show.

.oOo.

Mai inhales deeply. She shouldn’t be surprised that the woman hasn’t shown up. It was a joke or an attempt to blend in until whoever had it out for her had come to pass. Mai thinks that it is mostly her own fault for humoring the woman and then getting her hopes up. For putting her faith in someone who clearly takes few things seriously. But she has quite stupidly brought an excess of flowers under the impression that she’d be having help.

She turns around and lifts the first few flower pots to be arranged and scoffs when she finds that one of them has broken, spilling dirt everywhere. She hears the shuffle of feet on cobblestone. “I’m not open yet.” She grumbles without averting her gaze from the mess.

“‘S fine, I’m not here to buy anything. But I can clean that up for you, my hands are already dirty.”

“I didn’t think that you were going to show up.”

“Me neither.” She shrugs. She stoops down and begins pushing the dirt into a neat pile.

“I have a broom.”

“And I have hands that work just fine.”

Mai rolls her eyes, “If that’s how you want to do it.” She shrugs.

“It’s already done.” The woman declares.

Mai looks at the woman’s dirty hands and sighs. “You’re going to have to clean them…”

The woman quirks a brow, rubs her hands on her pants, and lifts them up.

“Close enough.” Mai grumbles. “Help me set this up.” She gestures to the flower pots.

The woman nods. “I’m pretty good at arranging things.”

“I usually put the poppy and violets in the front and…”

The woman is already arranging them in her own way. “I think that these yellow ones look nice by these orange ones. Pinks also go nice with them. Like a sunset, ya know? And we should put the bright ones in front because they’ll draw more attention.” She moves a few deeply colored violets and poppy and switches them out for the dahlia, marigold, and fire lily.

“Ugg, the bright ones make me nauseous.”

“But they make your customers notice the stall. See.” She points to a couple wandering near.

“I guess.” Mai shrugs before turning to her customers. For some time they mutter between themselves occasionally pointing at one flower or another. The woman seems to watch them with much more intensity than she ought.

“I don’t know…” Says the man as he strokes his chin. His companion shuffles on her feet and shrugs. “Well what do you think she’d like?” He asks.

His companion gives another shrug. “She’s your sister.”

Mai drums her fingers upon the counter, she wishes that people would decide what flowers to get before they approach her stall.

“What are the flower for?” The woman asks.

“My sister just had a baby.”

“Lilies!” The woman declares and picks up a potful of white lily.

“Why lily?” Asks the man’s companion.

“They’re soft and pretty like babies.” The woman declares quite boldly. Mai rolls her eyes, much too boldly for something that sounds like improvisation. “Lilies are supposed to represent innocence.”

“Really?” The man asks.

The woman nods. “Back in Hira’a I knew a woman who had a garden. She always said that lilies are pure, especially the white ones.”

“What do you think?” The man’s companion asks.

Mai shrugs. “Yeah, lilies are soft and pure.”

“Sounds good to me.” The man passes her a few coins as the woman hands his partner the flowerpot.

Mai watches them wander back into the crowd. Truthfully, she doesn’t think that she has ever gotten a customer so soon after opening. “Maybe you’re right about putting the bright flowers in front.” She admits. She also finds herself admitting that the woman reminds her of her aunt in a way, prattling about what characteristics each flower represents.

“It’s all about presentation!” She declares. “You arrange them all nice and pretty and then you talk about what each one is supposed to mean, draws people right in.”

“Have you sold flowers before?”

She shakes her head. “I sold other things though. Rocks and trinkets, stuff I found laying around, and fireworks. Lots of fireworks.”

So the woman is a scavenger. “I swear to Agni, if you’re one of those people who gets all crazy over shiny things, I’m gonna puke.”

“Want me to get you an empty flowerpot?”

“Seriously?”

“Yeah, I got lots of shiny things, see.” She pulls her necklace out from under her shirt. Each charm--though she uses charm quite loosely--is fixed on a thick rope cord. She sees a bent and slightly rusty spoon, a key, a few beads, a dull razor blade, and small shards of metal. The woman tucks it back under her shirt before she can pick out any more knick knacks.

“Interesting.”

“Thanks, I made it myself.”

Mai nods and folds her arms across her chest. “So you really don’t have a name?”

“That’s right.” The woman nods.

“Then what am I supposed to call you?”

“Most people just say, ‘hey, you!’ or ‘streetrat!’ Mohi and her sons usually just tap me on the shoulder or something.”

“Do you actually answer to streetrat?”

“Sure. I don’t really care what people call me.” She gives a dismissive hand gesture.

“I’m not going to call you that…” Mai trails off. Something in her stirs with discomfort or maybe bitterness on behalf of the woman. She’s much too energetic, disorganized, and somewhat grubby but she’s got determination and diligence. Truth be told, Mai thinks that she has an intelligence about her, one that might be lost on even she. “I don’t think that you’re a streetrat.”

She gives a hum. “Not entirely, no. Coulda been though.” She pauses. “You can name me if you want.”

Mai blinks, “you want me...to name you?”

“Sure, if that makes things easier.”

“I can’t just come up with a name for you on the spot.”

“Sure you can, people do it all the time.”

“Well I want to call you something that fits you.”

“How are you gonna decide what fits?”

“I guess it’ll come to me when I get to know you better.”

Her eyes seem to light up. “I can take you to the industrial park after you close the shop.”

“What?”

“Yeah, I don’t have much going on and Mohi doesn’t mind me going there as long as I come home first, ya know, so she knows that I’m not dead or something. She gets worried that the Iwaken are gonna get me.” She pauses. “So I’ll say hello to Mohi and then we can go to the industrial park.”

Mai very nearly groans; she hadn’t meant to talk her way into a spontaneous outing with a bizarre character, and at an probably dirty and shady industrial park of all places. She opens her mouth to decline but the woman is looking at her with such delight…

“I haven’t been able to make many friends since coming to Capital City, everyone is so uptight here.”

This time Mai does groan. “Alright, fine. We can go to the industrial park.” She very well could suggest a trip to a restaurant or to a nature path or something of a more mundane variety. But Agni if she hasn’t been longing for a break from the monotony. Things have been rather drab without any national catastrophes and with TyLee having off with the Kyoshi warriors again.

The woman flashes her a grin and Mai thinks that she might have just made the right decision. “We can always close early and…”

“Nice try. You have a full day of work ahead of you.”

#Avatar The Last Airbender #Azula #Mai #Maizula #Fanfiction

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lukesvangelista · 5 years ago

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𝐓𝐎 𝐇𝐀𝐕𝐄 𝐀 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐁𝐄𝐀𝐓

in which two childhood best friends find comfort in each other after getting their hearts broken.

pairing; topper thornton x reader

requested; yes

warnings; none that i can think of

Topper Thornton has always been your best friend. That was a known fact. You guys met in kindergarten, really got to know each other in first grade, and your friendship just blossomed over the years. That all changed, however, when he began hanging out with Rafe Cameron.

It had happened so suddenly. You guys had just graduated eighth grade, and had promised to do everything together during the summer. But that all changed in the blink of an eye. Topper had been growing more distant, began hanging out with Rafe and Kelce instead of you, and had gotten a girlfriend - Sarah Cameron, Rafe’s younger sister and the Kook princess.

Instead of fighting to earn the friendship, however, you decided to get some new friends - the Pogues. You had known Kiara through school, but had never been that close to her. One day, you were eating at The Wreck when you had spotted her bringing out a customer’s meal. Before she could make her way back to the kitchen, though, you stopped her.

“Kiara!” you yelled, catching her attention.

“Y/N?” she asked, walking over to you.

“Um, hey,” you greeted, continuing shortly after, “how’s your summer been?”

Kiara shrugged, “It’s been alright, I guess. I’ve been spending most nights here and the days with my friends, so it’s been pretty good. What about you?” she shrugged, keeping the conversation going.

“I wish I could say that it’s been better than it has been,” you replied honestly, “Topper ditched me for Rafe and Sarah Cameron, so I haven’t really been doing anything.”

Kie nodded, looking down. She had also seen you around school, but she noticed that you were different than most Kooks. You weren’t stuck up like most of them. Of course, you were grateful that your family had enough money to live on Figure Eight, as the Pogues were pretty poor and a ton of them barely had enough money to afford a lot of luxury goods. Knowing you, Kie made an offer, “That sucks, I’m sorry. You’re more than welcome to hang out with my friends and me, if you want to, though.” she smiled.

Your head perked up at her words, “Really?”

She nodded, “Yeah, of course. They won’t mind. You can join me here tomorrow at 1:00 and tag along with us for a ride on the water?” she asked.

“Yeah, that’d be nice. Thanks, Kie.” you smiled.

“No problem, Y/N. I’ll see you tomorrow. Bring a suit.” she returned the smile, heading off to get back to work.

And so your friendship with the Pogues began. They were a little skeptical of you hanging out with them at first, but you didn’t blame them. A Kook had just randomly joined their friend group, so they had a reason to be a little suspicious.

As you began to hang out with them more and more, they became more accepting, realizing that you were a lot like Kiara. A rich Kook by nature, but a Pogue at heart.

As time passed, you began to grow smitten with JJ. You didn’t let anyone know that, however. In fact, the only person who knew that was Pope. You weren’t going to be the one to break the no Pogue on Pogue macking rule that Kie had told you about. You had earned her trust, as well as the trust of JJ, Pope and John B, and you certainly weren’t going to let go of that any time soon.

That didn’t mean that it was easy, however. It was hard to keep your feeling for JJ quiet, especially as you noticed him falling in love with another person. You could see the way he looked at Kiara. She didn’t seem to notice how he looked at her as if she was the most beautiful thing on earth, but you sure did. It hurt to see the person you loved most fall for a person that wasn’t you, but despite the pain, you were going to be happy for them if anything happened.

When the five of you headed back to the château that night, you all collectively agreed to have a camp fire in the yard. John B and the boys went outside to set up the fire and gather some tree branches for the wood, while you and Kiara stayed inside to grab some beers and ingredients for s’mores. You found most ingredients pretty easily, but you had to rummage through all the cabinets to find some graham crackers that weren’t expired. After awhile of looking, you found some.

“What took so long?” JJ shouted when you and Kie finally made it outside.

“Ask John B why he never throws any of his food out,” you remarked, turning to the brunette, “Seriously, do you know how long it took me to find graham crackers that weren’t expired?”

He only chuckled and muttered, “Sorry, Y/N.”

You rolled your eyes and sat down next to him, handing out skewers and marshmallows to everybody. As you all toasted your marshmallows over the fire, the five of you had worked up some small talk, but you noticed the way JJ was looking at Kiara again. Your heart shattered once again, but you tried to ignore it.

After your first s’more, however, you couldn’t take it. So you made up some half-ass excuse, pulling out your phone, “Shit!” you yelled, staring wide eyed at the screen of your phone.

Everyone turned to stare at you, confusion and concern displayed on their faces, “What’s wrong, Y/N?” Kie asked you.

“My mom really needs me home. I forgot that she needed me to distract my little brother while she decorated his birthday cake for tomorrow.” you lied, everyone giving you a look of skepticism. Especially Pope.

“Can’t you just have your sister distract him?” JJ asked, but John B spoke before you could answer.

“She’s two, dumbass. You think that a two year old is going to keep a nine year old interested?”

“Sorry, guys. I’ll see you tomorrow.” you replied, rushing to get up off the ground to go home. As you were leaving, Pope gave you a look of sympathy. He knew why you wanted to leave, but he didn’t stop you.

As soon as you knew you were out of sight, you began sprinting, a few tears streaming down your face. Even though you knew that you and JJ were never going to happen, it didn’t make the pain that came with it any less sharp.

As you entered Figure Eight, you decided to take a short cut through a park so you didn’t have to walk the usual length it took for you to get back to your house. You could’ve had John B drive you, but that would come with an interrogation and you weren’t in the mood for that. As you walked through the park, you could faintly see a figure sitting under a tree.

Shit. Your mind raced with thoughts, remembering all that came from these situations from the numerous true crime documentaries you watched. You were about to turn away, but a familiar voice made you stop in your tracks, “Y/N?”

You could recognize that voice anywhere. You turned around on your heels and began walking towards the boy, “Topper?”

You made your way to the tree and sat next to him. You weren’t quite sure what he was doing here at this time of night, “Why are you here?”

“I, uh... Sarah broke up with me,” he said calmly, but his voice was full of sadness. Although he had ditched you for her two summers in a row, you couldn’t help but feel bad for him, “Apparently she was macking on a Pogue. John B, to be exact.”

You were shocked, and you were definitely going to confront John B about this later, “Great. Sarah Cameron is macking on John B and the boy that I’m in love with is in love with someone else. I’m sorry, Top.” you offered sympathetically.

“There’s nothing you can do about it, but thanks, Y/N,” he whispered, turning to look at you, “Who’s the guy?”

You sighed, dropping your head, “JJ Maybank. I like him, but by the way he looks at Kiara, I know he’s in love with her.” you muttered.

“I’m sorry, Y/N. You don’t deserve that.” Topper said, an attempt to make you feel better.

“Thanks, Top. Neither do you.” you replied, the two of you turning to look at each other.

He seemed to contemplate what he was going to say next, not wanting to hurt you even more, “Is there... do you think we could be friends again? I know that I fucked up by ditching you for Rafe and Sarah. You didn’t deserve that, and I understand if you don’t want to. I just... I realized how much I missed my best friend, and I know that this apology is small for what I did to you, but I just want you back.”

You sighed, looking down once more. It hurt you seeing him like this. Even though he had left you for the Camerons, you didn’t hate the boy. You had worked up a friendly love for him for nine years, and that doesn’t go away overnight, “We can try, Top. It’s not going to be easy, but we can try. If you still want to hang out with Rafe and Kelce, I understand. I’m still going to hang out with the Pogues, and if we can be understanding of each other’s other friendships then I wouldn’t mind trying this again.”

He smiled, “Deal. I’d like that.”

The two of you stood up, pulling each other into a hug. The Pogues were great, but you had missed Topper. He was your best friend, of course you had missed him.

After hanging around Topper for the next few months, you slowly felt your infatuation with JJ beginning to fade. Instead, you had fallen for another boy. A boy named Topper Thornton. Little did you know, he had gotten over Sarah and had fallen for another girl. A girl by the name of Y/N Y/L/N.

It wasn’t long before he asked you to be his girlfriend. Of course, you said yes.

You two had managed to make each other feel their heartbeat again, and look where that brought you.

another a/n; whoo, another unedited imagine! i hate the ending, but i hope you guys enjoy.

taglist; @jjmaebank @jiaraforever @outrbanks @obxfics @heywards @jjmaybnks @jjtheangel @thatsme-johnbookerroutledge @johnbrroutledge @johnbroutledge @johnbstwinkie @sweetestdolan @obx-sos @maybankiara @jjouterbanks @downbytheouterbankss @downbytheouterbanks @drewstarkey @supremestarkey @johnbsflowr @kiespogues

#topperthornton #topper #topper x reader #topper obx #topper outer banks #johnbookerroutledge #jjmaybank #kiaracarrera #popeheyward #rafe cameron #sarah cameron #outer banks imagine #outerbanksimagines #obx imagine #obx #outerbanks #obximagines #kelce obx

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aion-rsa · 4 years ago

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The Simpsons Season 32 Episode 12 Review: Diary Queen

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This The Simpsons review contains spoilers.

The Simpsons Season 32 Episode 12

The Simpsons Season 32, episode 12, “Diary Queen,” may be the sweetest offering of the series. It’s not only sentimental and self-esteem-positive, it’s downright edumacational. At least for Bart, who certainly learns a lesson. Thankfully, as the episode explains by example, he probably won’t retain it.

“What’s the matter, Bart? I figure you’d be used to failing by now,” Edna Krabappel once consoled the spiky haired kid who seemed so determined to get through school without schooling. Marcia Wallace, who played the Springfield Elementary teacher, died unexpectedly in October 2013. Edna’s death was first acknowledged in “Four Regrettings and a Funeral,” from season 25, when Bart wrote “We’ll really miss you Mrs. K” on the chalkboard. He only wrote it once. Her death was punishment enough. Both the character and the voice actor were instrumental in the chemistry of The Simpsons, and chemistry happens to be one of the few things Bart’s ever excelled at in school, even pranking a talent show in the “Haw-Haw Land” episode. But he gets his beakers crossed in the latest installment.

“Diary Queen” opens with an inspired West Side Story song parody, “Too Nice” replacing “Tonight.” It’s time for Ned Flanders’s annual yard sale, and he’s on a holy mission to undersell eBay. Comic Book Guy is looking for a broom to play Quidditch on, Waylen Smithers is going to score some kitsch, and Ned will finally toss those fuzzy dice Maude bought him to the bottom of an impulse item box of jokes he did not get. The Flanders family are parting with their humble possession in a public bid for humility, in case no one notices. Ned gives up Rod’s teeth. Todd consigns his toys to the auction block on the grass. “Playing is a sin that we regret,” one of the Flanders kids explains.

Ned’s bizarre outdoor bazaar is the only segment which has any meanness in it. The Springfieldians want to take advantage of Ned, and openly mock him. Carl and Lenny turn the yard sale into a yarn brawl, and Jimbo’s gang buys commemorative plates just to smash them. It’s enough to send Ned looking for the fans he always carries around in case of stress-induced hot flashes. As Patty and Selma are flicking ashes into Rod and Tod’s baby shoes, it seems Nelson, Bart, and Millhouse are the only ones worthy to buy Ned’s treasured mementos. And, of those, only Nelson’s purchase is authentic. He buys all the bad words, like “adultery” and “fornication,” which Ned cut out of his old religious texts. Nelson has a genuine use for them, you can just tell.

Bart and Millhouse buy the books. Even without the offending admonishments, they swear they’ll still find useful ways to better themselves. Their haul winds up being the fiery centerpiece for a supercool skateboarding feat which no one will ever see. It’s an old joke, but we do get to notice how big Millhouse’s nose looks when he’s picking it. One book, which gives the title to the episode, is spared the conflagration of Bart’s daredevil jump: Edna Krabappel’s diary. Bart recognizes the Ds and Fs, and Millhouse recognizes the smell of Parliament Lights 100s. It’s very telling how these are the most recognizable clues. They are each ready-made character punchlines.

The diary is a font of information. Bart and Millhouse learn all the teachers work night jobs during school hours, and the many lonely secrets of Groundskeeper Willie. But their first use of it is inspired gaggery. Bart learns Superintendent Chalmers keeps his car keys behind the visor. The two kids not only steal the car but take advantage of a free yogurt offer at a car wash. The idea that taking the yogurt and ditching the car is a “perfect crime” is great kids’ logic. It is a little odd, however, that Springfield’s Chief Wiggum sees fourth grade car thieves as inspiration for a little personal time with Officer Lou, but it works within Simpsons logic.

The central point of the episode is Bart’s relationship with his dead teacher, and his relationship with himself. He actually believes someone he thought only saw him as troublesome also considered him “smart as a whip.” It leads him to believe he actually has potential, which he translates to: all the time he was showing his butt he was showing promise. This spurs him into thinking about getting seriously educated. Not only does he try but he succeeds on his first dry run, resisting the urge to draw a skeleton head on a multiple-choice test grid, and getting an A. Not only does he finally understand how his sister Lisa doesn’t suck, but he puts himself on the same level.

Lisa goes through all the stages of jealousy, and even realizes she’s on the verge of obsession when even her imaginary comfort pony begins to look like Bart. This makes it worse, because realizing he is the only thing she can think about only makes her dwell on it. Lisa is usually the family genius, and how she reacts to Bart doing well really depends on the circumstance and need for story conflict. For instance, when Bart had to apply geometry to miniature golf in an early episode, Lisa brought a Zenlike understanding of all things which putt. Lisa does Bart a disservice tonight in the guise of doing the right thing. It’s her MO.

Of course, Marge and Lisa don’t trust Bart’s recent good grades, but while he comes up clean to Marge, Lisa digs up the dirt. Bart correlates “cruel” with “lying” because “they’re both great.” He thinks he’s going to win a Spelling Bee just because he has the potential to do it. Would it have been less cruel for Lisa to let him see how far his belief would get him? She’s set him up for worse humiliations just for an edge at science fairs.

Millhouse gets a few good gags tonight. When Lisa starts developing a rash because of the stress of not crushing her brother’s potential, he pulls cream out of his fanny pack labeled “rash stash.” Groundskeeper Willie is a highlight of the episode. His character has one of the most interesting takes on passive aggressive behavior in comedy. It’s not that he gets it backwards, so much as he pays it forward: Terrorizing Bart with the idea of simmering a new pet into rabbit stew when all he’s thinking of is how much bunnies love stewed carrots.

The Simpsons Season 32 Episode 11 Review: The Dad Feelings-Limited

By Tony Sokol

The Simpsons Season 32 Episode 10 Review: A Springfield Summer Christmas for Christmas

By Tony Sokol

Subtle social commentary makes its way into the episode. As this is the first episode since the Trump presidency, it opens with a Bald Eagle flying a sign asking “Is it safe yet?” We learn Ned doesn’t find Bill Maher funny. A priest tells Bart and Millhouse reading someone else’s diary in church is not the worst thing you can do within the hallowed walls. Moments later we see the priest handcuffed and escorted past the pews by the police. We can only wonder what offenses are happening at Reverend Lovejoy’s competition.

Fat Tony (Tony Montagna) tells his henchmen his crime family doesn’t kill children, “We wait till they’re 18.” Lisa is kept up at night by the cold dead eyes of Mike Pence. Subtle subversive commentary can be found when Principal Skinner declares the drug-free portion of the school assembly a success because Lisa, the only one in the auditorium, tells him she doesn’t do drugs. But the scene comes shortly after we learn Dr. Hibbert is pushing kiddie-Xanax “sleepies” and “dopies” on her. The best bad side effects are “Portuguese insolence” and the “tendency to see yourself as others see you.”

The episode has quite a few sight gags which work well. The sign outside the Spelling Bee contest reads H-E-A-R, and we see one of the losing contestants ripping up a dictionary on the way to the exit. When Ned starts to preachify in the treehouse, he only stops because Bart is drawing back a trigger finger on his slingshot. Mrs. Krabappel’s beloved cat not only was not harmed during the making of the episode, but was a willing participant, according to the closing disclaimer. One of the stills in the photo montage is of Krabappel watching The Bob Newhart Show, which Marcia Wallace was a regular on.

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For the majority of The Simpsons’ run, Mrs. Krabappel was a sexually independent woman who was often “looking for a substitute to teach me a lesson I sorely need.” She began dating widower Ned in “The Ned-Liest Catch” from season 22. They married in secret and stayed together until her death in “The Man Who Grew Too Much.” The cause of Edna’s death has never been revealed, except in a non-canon, future-set episode. For this installment, Wallace’s two lines are taken from earlier episodes. “Diary Queen” will be her last appearance.

This is a different kind of arc for The Simpsons. “Diary Queen” is on an uplifting trajectory until Lisa knocks it off course, and ends in a sudden life-affirming crash. Bart’s final warning to Marge, “I’ll go over the edge if you try to make me feel better,” is wonderfully skewered, but the final twist is a dose of treacle. The episode was originally slated to premiere on Valentine’s Day, and is a sweet sendoff.

The post The Simpsons Season 32 Episode 12 Review: Diary Queen appeared first on Den of Geek.

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abjectaspiringfailure · 5 years ago

Note

Not so much of a specific question, but what are your thoughts about Matsumae?

TG;re 23, 35

I like Matsumae. She fits the role of the “shield” of the Tsukiyama family that holds it all together rather well - I don’t think it’s coincidental that the moment she gets taken out by Hairu, is the moment members of the Tsukiyama family start getting captured by the CCG. Although she says she sees herself as the “big sister” of Tsukiyama, she acts as the big sister to all of the other servants, from what I saw. Her interactions with Kanae are great. Like with the capture of Yuuma, Kanae’s decision to pursue Chie Hori’s advice to awaken Haise’s memories only occurs once Matsumae has been incapacitated and physically removed from the picture.

TG;re 36, 48

Her rivalry with Hairu is also well done. Matsumae’s pretty clearly not as powerful as Hairu, their first fight establishes this very well. But, the ease at which Hairu overpowers and defeats Matsumae makes her overconfident. Both come off as being... emotionally reserved?

TG;re 36, 48

But in reality neither is, and this hits its climax in their battles. Matsumae harvests her emotions and takes Hairu more seriously first, and thus wins the exchange. This leads into Hairu finally losing her cool and taking the fight seriously, but far too late for her to survive. If Hairu had her other quinque on her going into the fight and used that from the onset like Arima would have, I think it’s obvious she would have won.

The brutality involved in Matsumae’s death on the part of Furuta is stuck out to me, but excessive brutality and sadism is a calling card of the Clowns. More than that though, how underplayed it was. It’s entirely unnecessary on Furuta’s part. After Hairu and Kijima are out of the picture, he could have revealed his identity to Matsumae and killed the investigators and then faked his own injuries as he did in canon. Instead, he hints to his true identity as he’s making the killing blow on her. Her last thoughts are probably absolute bafflement and frustration.

It contrasts with Kaneki giving both Kanae and Tsukiyama a way to survive - because it was entirely possible for Kanae to arrest her motion using her kagune, as Kaneki did with Banjou in OG TG. I think in Kanae’s case, Eto’s sleep deprivation and Kaneki’s stabbing her in the brain through her eye and then skewering her like Arima would have was too much for her to think clearly. In both cases, it just gets worse the more you think about it. But for Matsumae I think it gets passed over how Furuta just sorta. Chose the most incredibly violent option possible because it was the least risky for himself.

I have more I wanted to say but I feel like I spent so much time racking my brain on things I wanted to say about Matsumae that it lead me to thinking about a bunch of things and then I didn’t answer the question.

#tokyo ghoul #tg meta #tokyo ghoul meta #tokyo ghoul analysis #matsumae #KANAE VON ROSEWALD #ken kaneki #shuu tsukiyama #hairu ihei #Nimura Furuta #eto yoshimura #quinque #banjou #shiki kijima

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hitchell-mope · 4 years ago

Text

(Third film. After “I’ve gotta be me”. Uma looks around nervously)

Uma: I really hope nobody in there heard that

Ben: nah, don’t worry, I shielded and soundproofed is from them

Uma: surprisingly thoughtful, uhhhh, aheh, at this point I usually call you derogatorily by your last name

Ben: Le Roi. Well legally it’s Bach. But officially it’s Le Roi

Uma: Benjamin. Florian. Le Roi. Do you have any idea how fucking ridiculous that sounds?

Ben: and your last name would be

Uma: Facillier. She doesn’t have a last name

Ben: ah.

Uma: oh. Oh my.

Ben: what’s up? Oh. Yeah he does that.

Uma: s’clever.

Ben: that’s Doug for you

Uma: why am I interested by that

Ben: we’re eighteen. And therefore weak to his power.

(They’re watching Doug eat a bowl of peanuts with just his tongue. Ben snaps out of the stupor first)

Ben: moving swiftly onwards. Hit me

Uma: heh?

Ben: hit me, sock me one, deck me, gimme a knuckle sandwich. Any variations the phrase retains the same meaning. Punch me in the face.

Uma: why?

Ben: I’ve got a theory I wanna test out.

Uma: but aren’t you...

Ben: ...more powerful then you? Yes. So make sure to give it you’re all then. C’mon, cahmon. C’mon, cahmon. HitmehitmehitmehitmehitmeWOOOO

(Uma slogs him around the face do hard he flips horizontally in midair and lands flat on his back right next to where the gazebo was. A full three feet away)

Uma: Z’that what you wanted?

Ben (utterly jubilant): as a matter of fact. Yes

Uma: so now what? Gonna Tell the missus?

Ben: nope. I’m gonna offer you a job.

Uma: ahahah that’s funny. I thought you said you were offering me a job?

Ben: I figure. If you put that much effort punching me. You’ll put the same effort into protecting me.

Uma: n-no, no, you’re not supposed to do that. You’re supposed to hate me. I had you kidnapped. I almost had you thrown to sharks. I hypnotised you. I almost capsized your stinking yacht. And you wanna give me the job of protecting you? Who the fuck does that?!?! For all you know I could do that again?

Ben: now why would you do that when our interests align? Besides the fact that I forgive you. I want to get kids off the island. You want to get kids off the island. What better way to do that then by working together? And yeah. You could probably do that again. But I’m willing to take that chance.

Uma (as Ben’s saying all this, and devolving into tears): no, no, shut up I your forgiveness that’s not how it’s supposed to go you’re supposed to hate just like I hate her will you SHUT UP

Ben: ooh. (Through a Cheshire Cat grin) Finally

(She’s skewered Ben in the stomach with her sword. He smiles, bends the blade in half, pulls it out of him and throws it upwards. He leaps up ten foot in the air and gives it a flying kick, shattering it into a chunky powder. He lands next to Uma, conjures an umbrella, pulls her close and lifts the umbrella over them just as the powder lands on their heads. In response she blasts him away with magic. What follows is a very violent, very acrobatic duel that trashes the garden, obliterates what’s left of the gazebo and Harry, gives Uma a broken arm, Ben a broken nose and leaves both of them missing a foot each. As a form of foreshadowing, throughout the entire fight the instrumental for “superhero” plays)

Uma: god I hope you’re happy

Ben: I am actually. Cause now I know I’m right

Uma: what?

Ben: we are both almost perfectly evenly matched. My twelve months of sheer power with your eighteen years of practice and look what we managed to do?

Uma: give your future sister in law a coronary?

Ben: fight to a stalemate. Please? For six months. You’ll get paid to yell at people and beat them up if necessary

Uma:...no

(This is when “superhero” happens. After the song Ben starts fixing the garden)

Uma: ok then. Let’s say I did take the job? Wouldn’t one of your own be more trustworthy?

Ben: Jane’s still in school. Lonnie’s going off to college with Gil next year and she was only filling in for the summer anyway. And Doug’s my major-domo. So can’t choose them even if I wanted to.

Uma: and the other three?

Ben: conflict of interest. Carlos is legally my son and he’s also still in school. Mals my fiancé and Evie’s her sister. So again. No go.

Uma: couldn’t you...

Ben: duplicate myself and have him as my bodyguard? I could. But then I’d be breaking my promise to my mother

Uma: huh?

Ben: she was ok with me having magic so long as I legitimately practiced it, didn’t use it for schoolwork, didn’t use it for paperwork, didn’t use it for personal gain, and it didn’t give my subjects cause to worry. For a year at least

Uma: personal gains the best part of magic though

Ben: last time a king used the power he’d been afforded for personal gain...well. You grew up in the result so telling you wouldn’t achieve anything

Uma: oh. But...

Ben: I could use my magic to quicken the relocation? Like I said. Paperwork, personal gain, worrying the subjects. It’s definitely something that needs to happen. But I’m not taking shortcuts because it needs to be done properly and through the correct channels.

Uma: well that’s bullshit. Wait. What was all that fighting singy thing for then?

Ben: loophole

Uma (snickering): oh beasty boy you are perfect

Ben: why thank you kindly captain

Uma (flatly): Don’t push it

Ben: ok, ok

Uma: I’m serious though. The best part about magic is that you can do anything you want

(This is when “everything is not what it seems” happens. After the song they go back into the house to find it in chaos. Doug has Cj in a full Nelson with her head near the lit stove. Elsa’s downing an entire bottle of sambuca. Evie’s preventing Harriet and Hades from trying to patch up Harry. Mal has stuck Hadie to the sofa so he can’t help Harry. Jane’s drunkenly yelling about how much she loves her friends. Carlos is on Jay’s back, Celia and Dizzy are hanging off Jay’s arms and all four are chanting “kill her” at Doug. Lonnie’s eating a sloppy joe omelette and watching the events unfold intently. Gil is swirling round a smoothie. He notices them first)

Gil: oh you’re back. Finally. D’you wanna...?

Ben: yeah. Um...ooh. Yes that’s it. Uma. Take half of this sceptre and follow my lead

(He snaps his own, collapsible sceptre in half, hands one of those halves to Uma, jumps onto the kitchen island, helps Uma up and together they spin each half until they make a high pitched screeching sound that makes the chaos stop)

Ben: could all my friends please come over to my side

Uma: alright you useless fuckers, SIDDOWN!!!!

Ben: now, what happened

Uma: yeah ceej, what did you do?

Cj: why do you assume I did anything when it was clearly this heterosexual imbecile

Uma: cause I know you kid, since you were five in fact, so I know it was probably your doing

Ben: what happened Doug?

Doug: she insulted Evie and I in our own house, belittled our relationship and tried to stab me in the head with a rotisserie blade. And I f that wasn’t bad enough

Evie: she called me a traitor and slapped me around the face

Doug: and that is how the situation you walked in on transpired.

Cj: bald faced lies

Uma: eh I believe it. What about you beasty boy?

Ben: sounds airtight

Cj: I cannot and refuse to believe that

Uma: that I believe him over you? Well get used to kiddo. Ya just like Harry, no matter how much ya try to deny it

Ben: one question tbough. How are you a traitor

Mal: oooh yeah, you dunno do you? It’s ugly. Just like every Hook in existence

Evie: if everyone must know. When I was fourteen she flirted with me. And I turned her down

Cj: her mother braINWASHED HER

Everyone except for her siblings: shut up!

Evie: I turned her down. Because. A. I’m straight. And. B. Even if I wasn’t, I have higher standards then filthy pirates

Ben: were you rude?

Evie: pardon?

Ben: were you rude? Sometimes you can be a little bit rude.

Evie: if I remember correctly my exact words were “I’m very sorry but my gang sent me on a mission so I must go”

Ben: that was very polite

Evie: thank you. Plus. I even withheld the information from Grimhilde cause I know she wouldn’t take it well.

Cj: What has that got to do with anything?

Evie: Quinn Harts

(The room seems to grow colder as hades and the Vks, including the hooks, all look at each other uneasily)

Cj: oh. So it’s not because you’re

Evie: homophobic? God no. It was incompatible orientation pure and simple.

Cj (chuckling nervously now because the eggs on her face): but you see I thought

Doug: all straight people are jackasses? Quite a few are. But Evie and I aren’t. If we’re being wholly honest. Your sexuality is literally the only thing I respect about you. If you weren’t a pirate I might’ve even introduced you to my cousin Sadie. But you’re an asshole. So I won’t

Ben: good to hear that’s all cleared up

Evie: we are as well. Now. You three. Get the fuck out of my house. You stray bitches have been here too long. I’m sure there’s a nice posture ruining rock outside for you to sleep on

Harriet: we’re family

Hadie: actually. No. You and straw girl aren’t our family. Harry is. But not you.

Evie: nah. He can piss off too. I’m still waiting for a dna test. Until then. He can rot from the inside for all I care.

Mal: even when the test is confirmed he can still rot. (Uma scowls at her) What? It’ll be funny

Elsa: Jay. C’mere. Would it be completely out of the question for you to replicate your previous spell.

Jay: uhhhh....No. But I’d need a living conduit. Like a performer.

Hadie: I’ll do it. The party’s dying and that won’t do. What? I’m a disciple of Dionysus. Partying is literally my job description.

Elsa: as well as loose morals.

Hadie: harsh much?

Jay: she means you sleeping around with any dude that looks at you nicely. Ready

Hadie: fire away

Jay: To get rid of these ants in their pants/I command thee all to get up and dance. Again

(This is when “shut up and raise your glass” happens. After the song everyone but Hadie, Jayand Elsa looks very disgruntled)

Mal: seriously? Again? That’s like twice in one hour

Jay: had to be done. And it’s of my professional opinion that every time you guys get uppity I’m gonna help instigate an impromptu rave

Ben: well it worked. And it was funny. So two birds one stone. Now. I believe Doug and Evie asked you three to leave

Harriet: ya cannae do that man. Ya don’t have the authority

Doug: ok then. Get out of our house. NOW!

Harry: no I. I don’t think we will.

Celia: get out. Or I’ll throw you out.

Cj: you and what army?

Celia: this one

(Here is glow fuchsia and the wall is washed down in shadows)

Harriet: d’ya really think I’m scared of a little girl like you?

Ben: to hell with this. May I?

Doug: please

Ben: thank you. (He jumps off the kitchen island, lifts Harriet off the ground by her coat collar with one hand, morphs his face into that of a beast and screams in her face) GET OOOOOOOOOOUUUUUUUUUTTTTTTTTTT!!!!!!!!!!

(There’s a moment of deathly quiet. Harriet whimpers. There’s a sound like a leaky faucet. And Ben morphs back to his human face which now bears a look of disgust)

Ben: did you just...?

Harriet: it’s been a really stressful day with no let up

Ben: uh-huh. (He drops Harriet on the floor and turns to his brother) Gil, buddy, uh

Gil (stony faced): burn the shoes then burn them again then throw them out.

Ben: on it

(He poofs out. Celia turn to Doug and Evie)

Celia: my turn?

Evie: yup. But don’t break the glass

Celia: perfect (she grabs Harriet by the back of her coat) out ya go rummy. (She throws her towards the window making her dissipate into shadow before contact). I’ve wanted to do this for years (she slaps Harry around the face, he too turns into shadow) buh bye you fatuous egotist (she pulls Cj’s hair and the final pirate disappears into smoke) that felt good

Uma: where did you put them?

Celia: eh don’t worry. I put them in the nautilus. Now. Shall we crack on with the party?

Everyone but Uma: HEAR HEAR

(Mal inches over to Jane and Lonnie)

Mal: what do you say we get some air for a while

(They nod and two minutes later they’re all on the bench laughing their asses off about certain unsavoury topics)

Lonnie (crying due to laughter but still trying to speak): all I’m saying is going to my grans seventieth in my ROAR uniform is nothing compared to you and Ben and his you know what

Mal (in the same state as Lonnie): its still pretty damn funny though

Jane: my mother should be here

(The other two stop laughing)

Mal: I know hon

Jane: but if she were here she’d complain. “Leave room for Jesus”. “Time for the lobster quadrille”. “I know you can now but you shouldn’t drink when you have guests”. The only ones I wanted to invite are here. Plus the four stooges. And she didn’t even show up to the party she made me have!

Lonnie: oooh please can I call the squid a stooge M? Pretty please with merlot on top?

Mal: you shouldn’t really be calling her a squid or a stooge. But if you do. Ok not responsible for what happens to ya.

Lonnie: fine.

Mal: now Janey. What say you we try and get all these annoyances out huh?

Jane: errrr...I’m game if you are.

Mal: perfect. (She gets up, goes to the midpoint between the bench and the gazebo and magically constructs a model version of Verna) now. What do you wanna say to her?

Jane: I ha...I can’t. I can’t. I’m sorry.

Mal: it’s ok bud.

Lonnie: could uh could music help? Possibly?

Jane: it might. I dunno.

Mal: shall we try it?

Jane: yes. And uh. You can vent too, I mean, if you want.

Lonnie and Mal: well alright then

(Mal clicks her fingers, a copy of Maleficent and Fa Li appear and music starts up. This is when “you don’t own me happens”. After the song they look and feel better. That’s when they hear Evie scream a profanity and a slap rings out from the kitchen)

Mal (heaving a heavy sigh): and once again. Chaos reigns supreme.

Lonnie: I’ll stay with Jane. You go.

Mal: I’ll send Hadie out to keep you company

(She goes back inside just in time for Evie to stalk past her. Hades is on the floor with a slightly shocked expression, a handprint on his face and he’s apologising profusely to Doug)

Mal: you got it down here? (Doug nods). Good. I’ll go kick her head into gear.

(She heads upstairs. Doug turns to back to Hades)

Hades: I’m so sorry my boy, I was just trying to help, if I caused——

Doug: yeah, no, my opinion of you doesn’t matter. Only Evie’s does. I want to ask you a question.

Ben: uh. Doug. Can I eat what’s left in the freezer? Only I can smell somethings about to go out of date

Doug: yeah sure. There only meat products in it. Go crazy. But please please mute the chewing.

Ben (brightly): thank you!

Hades: what is it you want to know

Doug: Maleficent

(Up in the guest room. Evie enters in a huff and slams the door to show Mal hiding behind it)

Mal (sardonically imitating a British accent): hello Harold (Evie screams in surprise) we need to talk

Evie (fed up): what? What now? What could we possibly have to talk about?

Mal: what I thought you got over earlier toady

Evie (cackles hollowly): THAT? That! Was a fluke. And then he tried to “help” me by getting in my way

Mal: has it maybe occurred to you that he actually WAS trying to help?

Evie: if he really wanted to help then he wouldn’t have abandoned me with Grimhilde sixteen years ago

Mal: oh Christ. You know why he did that

Evie: I know why he did it but it still hurt though. He could’ve taken me with him. He could’ve taken us with him

Mal: they wouldve hunted us down and made him watch as they killed us. Or worse

Evie: that doesn’t make me feel any better

Mal (in what she hopes is a comforting voice): look on the bright side. You got me as a sister. That’s gotta count for something, right?

Evie: no, not really.

Mal: urrrrgh. Would me making a fool of myself help you feel less of a loser?

Evie:...mayhaps

Mal: fine. Remember back before graduation we got paired up for the senior class showcase because verna wouldn’t let you and Doug dirty dance?

Evie: yeah

Mal: Bea Arthur or Bette Midler?

Evie (chuckling slightly): surprise me

(Mal clicks her fingers, they’re transported to a music hall stage with an invisible audience and the song starts up. This is when “sisters” happens. After the song Evie looks briefly empowered. Then deflates and flops onto the bed face first. Mal chuckles at this)

Mal: uh. Sis. Your remember that apart from being the guest room, this is Lonnie and Gil’s room as well, right?

Evie (in a muffled tone of voice): what’s your point?

Mal: well besides both being very sweet they’re also a pair of incorrigible gym rats who always forget to clean up the bed before they leave for home. So it wouldn’t be entirely out of the realm of possibility that there’s still a certain amount of used up gym wear under the covers you’re currently laying on...

(Evie’s eyes snap open cartoonishly, she screams, jumps up from the bed, makes claw hands at Mal in an attempt to throttle her, flails at the window, then looks down at her clothes and screams again. Throughout all this Mal is calmly amused, silently watching her sister crisis. When she’s had enough she grabs Evie by the arm and hurls her into the en-suite. Evie re-emerges two seconds later in new clothes and a cloudy expression)

Mal: lemme guess. Doug make that sweater?.

Evie: of course. I can sew. Doug can knit.

Mal: mmkay. Now are you going to get over yourself and let go of this ridiculous grudge you have against our father?

Evie: you just don’t get it do you?

Mal: probably not so enlighten me

Evie: this isn’t something I’m gonna get over in a day. This isn’t mamma Mia. I found out who my father was in the middle of a crappy day with even more crappy events piled on it. The man I love was put in a coma. My daughter was missing for most of the day. Ive had to fight for my life at least twice. I’ve had no time to process any of this. And you’re expecting me to get over this massive family reveal instantaneously? No. Something like this will take a lot longer then a day to get over. He abandoned me. I understand why he did it. But it still hurts. And as much as you say that you’re not like me. You have to understand that I’m not like you either. I’m angry. I’m angry he could’ve been there for me and wasn’t. And that anger’s not gonna go away any time soon. Either accept that or get out of my face

Mal: ahhhh. Ok. Now I understand. Katara

Evie: what?

Mal: you’re acting like katara. She was mad that her dad went off to war because she was a kid who needed him but felt like she couldn’t be because the reason for him leaving was noble. Dad let us go to save our lives. So you feel pissed that he left us. But you also feel like you can’t be cause of the REASON he left. It’s ahh, it’s a dilemma for sure

Evie: that’s not a dilemma. A dilemma is deciding between chicken and fish at your wedding. This is an impasse

Mal: mhmm, mhmm, uh huh. You know what would help.

Evie: what?

Mal: talking to him. And I mean not just calling him a rat bastard abandoner. Actually talk to him.

Evie: it’s not that easy M. Not when you were raised by Grimhilde. Not when every time you try to talk something out your met with scorn.

Mal: ohhhh. So that’s where “when in doubt, don’t” came from.

Evie: yup.

Mal: you were the good child. The golden daughter. You never misbehaved and you never spoke up for yourself. And now it come back to use your posterior as an entree.

Evie: yup. So you understand why it’s difficult for me. I can’t. I just can’t. Not after how my upbringing went.

(This is when “here I am” happens. After the song Evie confronts Hades in the kitchen just as he’s finishing his talk with Doug)

Hade:...I’m sorry my boy that’s all I know. Hello dear

Evie: I’m mad at you. I’m always gonna be mad at you. But. I don’t hate you. If I’m being honest, to protect Dizzy, I would’ve done the same. But it’s going to take time for me to...accept you.

Hades: I understand

Hadie: per...perhaps it would help if she saw it. The uh...incident in question, pops, maybe she’d understand a bit more if she saw what happened?

Evie: what, what incident

Mal (who’s been listening in): when he made the decision to stop contacting us.

Hades: I’m going to need a wand. And...A hat.

(Mal takes the sceptre, shrinks it down so it resembles a wand, ignores Uma’s incensed expression and hands it to her father while Hadie hands him his top hat. Hades sticks the wand handle in his right ear up to the emitter, to the teenagers collective disgust, roots around for a minute, then pulls out what looks like ash grey smoke tinged with midnight blue and pours it all into the top hat)

Hades: there you go. Just put the hat on the floor and spin

Doug (taking the hat): thanks. I think.

Mal: that looks worse then the hair ball Dude coughed up at his birthday party last month

Doug: how can...

Mal: don’t ask

Doug: ready

Evie: I guess

(In devies room. They’re sitting in the footlocker at the bottom of they’re bed)

Doug: now remember. No ones pressuring you into anything. You can stop any time

Evie: you’re very sweet. But I need to do this.

Doug: well ok then

(He sets the hat on the floor and spins. It goes faster and faster until it’s a blur. Light fills the room and replaces it with an alleyway on the island. They see Hades in his John Barrowman guise arguing with Grimhilde. He obviously loses since he gets a horrified expression on his face and leaves as Grimhilde smirks. There’s no sign of Evie. In Hades’s lair)

Anastasia: it couldn’t have been that bad

Hades (now Sebastian Stan): they both said the same thing. Iris and Hestia will be imperilled if I remain in contact. I have no choice. Please Antoine. For me

Facilier (wearily): only if you’re sure

Hades: yes. It doesn’t matter about me. Do it. Now.

(In the foyer)

Doug: are you ok?

Evie: no. But I want to keep watching

Doug: as you wish

(Anastasia pours Hades a drink and Facillier gets started. This is when “losing your memory” happens)

#disney descendants #zendaya!mal

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out-of-this-town · 5 years ago

Text

The will to protect

Inuyasha AU, InuKag, romance & adventure

Before dying, Kikyo ties Inuyasha’s life to her little sister, Kagome, in order to ensure her safety.

Inuyasha is not too pleased about getting dragged into this mess and demands that Kagome undo the spell. Unfortunately for him, she has no idea how to do that. As danger draws near, Inuyasha has to find the willingness to keep Kagome out of harm’s way as Kagome tries to find a way to release Inuyasha from the spell.

Chapter 4 (ao3) (ff)

“Could you slow down?” Kagome snapped for what felt like the hundredth time that day. The sun had barely been up when Inuyasha had demanded that they leave for Mushin’s temple. He had wanted to go last night, but Kagome absolutely refused to travel when the sun had already been setting. From the speed he was traveling with now, Kagome assumed he was either trying to catch up on the lost time or trying to take revenge on her. Probably both.

Every time she had asked, Inuyasha refused to slow down. If Kagome tried to sit down to take a break, he would grab her arm and drag her after him until she agreed to continue. Now she was tired, hungry and mad. And it was all Inuyasha’s fault.

“Pick up the pace! I’m already going at a crawling speed because of you and I ain’t about to slow down any more,” came the shout from a half-demon that was nothing but a red silhouette in the distance. Thanks to his hearing, she didn’t have to raise her voice to be heard whereas Inuyasha had to yell out his replies, making it sound like he was mad... he probably was.

“I’m just a human you know! I can’t run all day in order to keep up with you.” Kagome kicked a small rock in frustration. They had been traveling less than half a day and she was already done with this, never mind that the journey should take at least three more days. There was no chance that they were both coming out of this experience alive, one of them would end up murdered by the roadside during the next few days. Maybe even by the end of this day.

“Ain’t my fault that you’re just a lousy human, and I sure as fuck ain’t suffering the consequences of it. Now, pick. Up. The fucking. Pace!”

“No! And stop cursing at me!” Kagome stopped her walking and glared at the reason for her bad mood.

She could see Inuyasha turning around and heading back towards her. Kagome rolled her eyes and sat down on a rock next to the dirt road. She set down her bow and quiver, before starting to dig through the sack in which she carried food as well as other things she might need for this trip.

She was just about to take a bite out of her peach when Inuyasha came to a stop in front of her and grabbed her wrist. “No you don’t. No breaks until I say so, and there won’t be one until the sun starts setting. And that’s only if I’m feeling generous.”

Kagome tried to tuck her wrist -and her food- free from his grip while giving him her best stink eye. “If I don’t eat and rest, I will pass out. And if that keeps happening, I won’t be in good enough shape to undo the spell.”

She could see his jaw tensing as he mulled her words, and then -at last- he relented. With an angry sigh, Inuyasha let go of her and drop down to sit on the ground, legs grossed and chin resting on his hand. Kagome could practically feel the annoyance radiating off of him.

She might have been a little pleased about that.

“You better be quick about it, were wasting time whenever were not moving,” he grumbled. Kagome hummed as if in agreement, but in her mind she decided to take all the time she wanted just to spite him.

“What’s your hurry anyway? It’s not like the temple will disappear if were not there in the next few days.” She took a careful bite out of the fruit and made a little noise of delight when the juice hit her mouth. Gods, she was thirsty but she had run out of water by the fourth hour of this trip. She’d have to convince Inuyasha to find her a stream soon... or she could just die of dehydration, which honestly seemed like a more pleasant thing to do.

“This mess has already take far too long to clean up. I ain’t spending any more time on this than I have to,” he scoffed.

Kagome snorted and rolled her eyes. “Oh, I’m sorry, do you have some urgent half-demon things to take care of? Not enough villagers getting scared without your presence? A rabbit you have to hurry home to kill? Maybe there are some trees in your territory that you haven’t pissed on yet?”

He whirled around to face her, looking a little murderous. “What the fuck do you think you know about my life?”

“Nothing,” She shrugged. “That’s why I asked.” She did her best to adopt an innocent look on her face.

“Listen here you bitch,” Inuyasha barked. “we’re going to get to that temple and you ain’t gonna open you mouth again until we get there. Got that?”

“Or what, you’ll kill me? I thought you said yesterday that you weren’t suicidal.”

“I swear to the fucking Gods, I’m going to break your goddamn legs and drag you to that temple. See if that shut you up.”

“So, your plan is to drop a half-dead, severely injured priestess to a temple inhabited by powerful monks?” She raised an eyebrow. “Yes, that does sound like a great idea. I’m sure they will welcome you with open arms.”

Inuyasha’s lips started to peel back, revealing a set of sharp canines accompanied by the sound of a bone-chilling growl. The show of aggression would have probably freaked her out if she hadn’t known he couldn’t risk harming her. Also, her own anger and frustration did wonders in pushing down her natural instincts of ‘don’t piss him off, he can kill you in a blink of an eye’.

When, instead of answering, he just kept snarling at her, Kagome rolled her eyes. “It’s not like I want to talk to you either. Just let me rest and eat when I need to and we don’t have a problem.”

He didn’t ease up.

Kagome took an angry bite out of her peach and shook her head while swallowing, beyond annoyed with his attitude. “You seriously think I want to be here? I just found out my sister died and instead of dealing with that, I’m traveling with a complete jerk. I’m not planning on spending any unnecessary time with you, but I’m not going to get myself killed from sheer exhaustion just to keep you happy. So quit your growling and calm down, your the one wasting time arguing about this.” She grabbed her empty waterskin and threw it at him. “If you wan’t to be productive with your time, find water and fill that while I finish eating.”

To her surprise, Inuyasha did take the waterskin without another word and got up to head for the forest. He was, of course, glaring at her and muttering some less-than-kind words as he went, but that didn’t surprise her.

Dumb jerk, was what she was thinking about while watching him go.

Trying to calm her anger, Kagome ate her food and watched as the clouds rolled past in the sky. She was really starting to regret deciding to help Inuyasha. He had said that, according to Kikyo, Kagome was the only one who could break the spell. And yet, he treated her like dirt. She should have just told him to get comfortable with his new way of life and to leave her be.

She was in the process of stretching out her legs and dreading the amount of blisters she would have by the end of this day, when she felt the shift in the air. It made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up, and a cold feeling of dread pool at the pit of her stomach.

Something bad was closing in. And that something wasn’t alone, there was a whole horde of them.

Kagome slung the quiver over her shoulder and picked up her bow, ready to shoot as she felt the horde of demons coming to a stop as they reached the edge of the forest. She felt the mass of demon energy splitting up, no doubt they were planning to surround her before attacking from all sides.

Kagome kept herself facing towards the direction where the demonic energy was the strongest. Her accuracy was good, but unless these demons were extraordinarily slow she didn’t stand a chance against so many coming from all around her. Not to mention the limited amount of arrows she had.

Even though she was sure Inuyasha had sensed the demons by now, and -unless he wanted to die- was on his way to make sure she survived this, she was still a little nervous. Kagome had never seen him fight, she didn’t know how well he would handle this. Add in the fact that they weren’t exactly on friendly terms, he probably wouldn’t mind if she lost a limb or two during this, as long as she remained alive.

As soon as she saw the first glimpse of a demon, Kagome let loose an arrow. It sunk into it’s target, the sacred light purifying the demon and a few others that were close enough to be affected by it. She was quick to turn to the side where another demon was trying to catch her off guard. The arrow did it’s duty, but Kagome cursed the fact that no other demon was close enough to be purified by the light. By her estimation there was at least forty different demonic auras, and her quiver could only hold 24 arrows -currently 22, so the more demons she took out in one shot the better.

Quickly, she took aim again, this time towards a grouping of demons, hoping to take out them all at once. Her concentration was broken when a loud, pained screech startled her. A fast glance told her that Inuyasha had arrived and was ripping off a demon’s arm and using it to skewer another. Charming.

Kagome returned to her earlier targets and cursed out loud when she noticed that they’d scattered and were running for her from three different directions. She let loose two arrows in quick succession, but the third demon was too close by the time she yanked out a new arrow. She gripped the arrow in her fist, preparing to duck from the demon’s claws and trying to spot a soft place on the demon that she’d be strong enough to stab her weapon into.

Just as the demon reached her, it collapsed to the ground as the result of a half-demon dropping down on it’s back.

“What the fuck are you standing there for!?” Inuyasha yelled as he ripped off the offending demon’s head.

Kagome chose to ignore him in order to step away from the blood splatter and shoot down another group of demons.

“Put the fucking bow down! I’m getting us out of here.” Kagome yelped as pair of arms came around her, ready to whisk her away.

“No!” she yelled and let her powers flare a little. Inuyasha cursed and jumped away from her, shaking out his hands that had touched the purifying light.

“Did you already get hit on the head in the five fucking seconds I was away?” he growled at her while turning around and using his claws to slash at a demon that had tried to sneak up on him. “Or did you forget that you’ll get me killed too with your stupidity.” As soon as he was done with his opponent, he whirled back towards Kagome, who had gone back to aiming her bow.

“I didn’t forget, but if we run they’ll just follow us. Or they might move on to the nearest village. We can’t let that happen.” Kagome avoided looking at him, keeping her focus on her targets.

“What the hell do I care about some human village.” He stomped over to her and wrapped his fingers around her arm. “Now, put a fucking leash on your powers and quit being stupid. I’m getting us out of here.”

Kagome tried to free herself from him but he wasn’t letting up. “No! If you don’t want to fight then leave, but I’m not going anywhere until these demons are dead.” The demons in question were getting close, screeching and trying to find the best angle to attack from. Kagome was a little surprised at how smart they were being. Usually, a low-level demons like these would attack without much of a strategy, but these ones were taking their time, waiting until her focus was somewhere else before trying to charge at her from behind.

She had a bad feeling on exactly who was responsible for teaching these demons.

“I’d get all of three steps away before keeling over because you got yourself gutted.” He was forced to let go of her so he could attack another demon that had dared to come too close. Kagome wasted no time before aiming again, now that her arm was free.

“Then I guess you’ll have to stay and help.” The only response she got was a string of insults and curses, as Inuyasha did just that.

It took a while and a few close calls, but they managed to kill all the demons. Neither of them were celebrating though, since they were busy glaring at each other.

“What the hell was that, wench? You nearly fucking shot me!” Inuyasha yelled and stomped towards her.

“I told you to get out of the way!” she snapped back while trying to shake off the demon goo from her sleeve. “Besides, I nearly got squashed by that demon corpse you threw!”

“If you don’t see a massive, dead demon flying your way, maybe you have no business being on the battlefield.”

“I shouldn’t have to worry about getting hurt by the person whose fighting on the same side as me!”

The arguing continued for a while longer until they had exhausted all their insults and accusations. After a long moment filled with more glaring, Kagome finally had enough and marched off, declaring that she needed wash off the demon blood from her hair.

Surprisingly, Inuyasha didn’t fight her on that. Probably because he too was covered in demon entrails. He even showed her the way towards the river he had found earlier. Kagome had started to think that maybe they could get along, but as he walked past her, he made a comment about how awful she smelled.

Unsurprisingly, they argued some more after that.

#inuyasha #inuyasha fanfiction #inukag #inukag fanfic #My writing #the will to protect

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justadram · 5 years ago

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A terrible song

[part two] [part one]

Summary: Jaime x Sansa on the eve of the battle for the dawn. An AU where Jaime arrives in Winterfell, previously having been married to Sansa instead of her being married to Tyrion.

...

Theon’s chin lifts to spy something over Sansa’s shoulder, straightening up as he squints into the darkness. The slight movement of his body puts a small distance between them, whereas they had been bent, heads close together, awaiting the end of all things. It’s the smallest of distances, but one she instantly resents. An almost overwhelming feeling hollows her out at the realization that she would pull him back in close if she could do so unobserved. Her hands fist in her lap, until her nails dig into the flesh.

Things might have turned out differently between them if there was more time. As it is, these few hours are all they have left.

Precious time someone has disturbed. She twists around to see who it is, and though the guttering torches provide the barest of light to cut through the claustrophobic murk, she can make him out: tall, broad with muscle, hair golden, but grey now at the temples, a grey that catches the low light just as well. The halo of the closest torch throws his face into relief as he cocks his head at the pair of them. He’s wearing a grimace, and she has no doubt that it is his glare that forces Theon to his feet. But she won’t stand for anyone making Theon feel unwanted, when he is.

She blindly extends her hand to stop Theon with a grip of his wrist. “Sit back down,” she says without looking away from the interloper.

Theon hesitates to follow her command; a vacillation that leaves him awkwardly bent at the waist somewhere between sitting down and standing to excuse himself.

“Pardon me. Do I interrupt a private moment, my lady?”

The lilt of Jaime’s voice narrows her eyes. “Yes, clearly.”

Her curtness is not enough to scare him away, however. She knew it wouldn’t be. He’s carelessly, stupidly stubborn, born of a lifetime of being too certain of his ability to fight his way out of whatever bad situation he’s stumbled into.

“Did you need something, ser?”

“I do in fact.”

She gives Theon’s wrist a tug, and he finally eases back into his place beside her. She bestows on him a soft smile: it’s as much for him as it is for Jaime Lannister’s benefit. The manipulation is petty, perhaps, but it serves him right for marching over here, spoiling her contentment.

Her smile broadens at Theon’s stiff shoulders and how his brows reach for his hairline, when she settles her hand on his knee.

Her attention swings back to the man throwing a shadow over them both. “Yes, what is it?”

His mouth purses, as his chest rises slowly on a purposeful inhale. “I require reassurance.”

“On what count?”

“Your safety.”

“That presents something of a difficulty, as none of us will be safe. Have we not already decided as much, ser?”

His boots scuff the stone floor, as he moves to stand feet astride next to her, his good hand on his hip. “Humor me with a little prudence. You’ll be safest in the crypts. You agree, don’t you, Greyjoy?”

His own desperate stab at manipulation.

Theon doesn’t venture to speak, but the sidelong look he gives her feels like a minor betrayal. He’s not allowed to side with her former husband. Sansa pulls back her hand.

Next he’ll have Jon up here, trying to order her about.

“I will stay where the people of the North can see me and take heart in my presence.”

“What comfort do you think they’ll gain from watching your pretty chest skewered atop the battlement?”

“I wear a breastplate.”

“Sansa,” Theon says, low enough that it could be a plea and not an order.

Either way, the two men are of one mind. She rolls her eyes.

Dying doesn’t sound pleasant, but then, she only wants to do the right thing. She wants to do what her lady mother would have done at a time like this. Or her father.

“Think of the women,” Theon continues. “They’ll be in the crypt, and they will need you.”

“Not all of the women will be hiding,” she argues, pulling her hands in closer to her middle.

Not Brienne. Or her sister. Not fierce little Lyanna Mormont. Or Daenerys atop her giant dragon.

“Oh very good, you and Brienne of Tarth then will protect the gate.” Jaime nods. “Can you lift a sword?”

“I have a knife if it comes to that.”

“Pray it won’t.”

Theon repeats his raspy plea, just her name and a shake of his head, and she replaces her hand on his knee to gently shush him.

Jaime’s gaze follows her movement, his jaw tensing. “See reason or I’ll haul you down there myself. Throw you right over my shoulder like a sack of grain. You wouldn’t like that.”

He sounds eager enough at the prospect that she suspects he’d do it.

“How gallant.”

Theon's lips part, as if to warn Jaime away from such an action, which only makes Jaime’s head tilt down in unconcealed mirth.

“Come now, don’t force Greyjoy here to come to your aid. We’re not supposed to be fighting among ourselves.”

“That won’t be necessary,” she says tightly.

“Good, you’ll swear it? My brother will benefit from your pleasant companionship as much as the women, you know.”

She looks from the stones beneath his feet up into his smirking face. It doesn’t reach his eyes: all this teasing is forced and fake. His eyes are painfully sharp with seriousness, the whites shot through with red.

Other people’s pain still finds its way into Sansa’s breast, urging her to acts of kindness. A concession to his wishes might be the wisest move. It also might be a kindness.

“I swear it.”

“Once the dead are upon us, you ought to lead a prayer. For all of us.”

That he’s playing a part even now, while the world hangs in the balance, is a pathetic kind of comedy, she has no desire to watch play out. She can be herself here alone with Theon. Who has Jaime to be himself with here? There’s only ever been one answer, and he left his twin. For her. Or his honor.

“You think the gods will listen?” she asks, straightening her skirts as she stands.

“No. Almost assuredly not.”

“Then my pious efforts will be as useless as you claim your martial ones will be.”

“I don’t like to think of my former wife showing me up, you understand.”

Theon schools his gaze to the floor, when she reaches up to brush at Jaime’s shoulder, as if to remove some perceived impurity. There probably will be no chance to tidy him into a semblance of his former self, despite her girlish notions to the contrary.

His figure is not so shabby in spite of it.

She pauses to commit him to memory. Like this. Not as he was when first she saw him in Winterfell at the king’s pleasure, not on their wedding day, when she could hardly make her feet move down the aisle of the sept and he looked nearly as miserable. Just like this, standing before her of his own volition.

“Fight bravely, ser.”

His smile falters, as his brows draw together. It’s too serious a look with the downturn of his mouth matching the sad severity of his green eyes. It harbingers things she can’t bear to hear. If he means to speak on things she hasn’t the strength to shoulder, she’ll be forced to take Theon by the hand and abandon the sanctuary of their quiet corner.

“Don’t die here. Do you understand?”

Yes, she understands. He’s advising flight if there is still some chance of it, should the battle go as badly as most of them fear. She doesn’t wager it will be possible. Every horse has a rider intended for battle.

“I shall do my best.”

“For the future of House Stark of course.”

As focused as she has been on preserving the North’s independence, she has given precious little thought to the future and Bran’s inability to produce an heir. That responsibility will necessarily fall to either her or Arya. Jon is a Stark, but his queen is not. Nor does Sansa have much hope for Daenerys’ security of the North’s freedom, which makes any child of theirs a threat. There’s Alys Karstark, but the Karstarks are a cadet line separated from her house too many generations ago for Sansa to feel satisfied with that solution. Never mind that Alys also might die tonight.

No, if they survive, Sansa will need to consider marriage again. Her stomach swoops. An odd thing to realize, while standing before the best of her former husbands, the one who seems so determined for her to live.

“Yes, you being so fond of my house.”

“Always. Or at least of its lady.”

A pretty lie. Jaime is capable of those—pretty lies from a handsome face. Sometimes he believes them too.

She presses her hand to his cheek. Once she would have had to stand on her toes to do so, but she’s not the little girl he once wed against his wishes. Her thumb arches over his cheek.

“They might not be listening, but I’ll pray for you nonetheless, ser.”

If he must die, let him die wrapped in whatever lies that might warm him. Some truths are too unkind.

#jaime x sansa #gotfic #fanfic #game of thrones #jaimsa

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teamvnla · 5 years ago

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Cutscene ; Atlas bound

Russet tapped his fingers against his thighs from his seat in the back of the car between Kashmere and Van. The adults had headed out first while Jae had taken the others to their loft to grab their things.

"I didn't think they'd take me this seriously...." He muttered his ears shifting anxiously.

"Give yourself some credit, apparently it was a connecting piece for the information they've got." Van reached over tussling Russet's hair.

"Where are we heading?" Kash shifted forward in his seat towards the front where Lye say in the passenger seat and Jae drove.

"Atlas." Jae stated bluntly.

"Before that."

"We're going to the warehouse where Opal stashed the ship we used to get here."

"We could get in trouble for this stuff so that's why we're heading out so late and far." Lye explained turning in her seat.

"Kinda shady if you ask me." Van commented looking out the window.

"Like you're one to talk..." The response Jae made under his breath reminded the other three Faunus of the tension between the two boys. They had thought it had simmered down after the week and few days that had passed, but clearly it was still there. The remainder of the drive remained quiet.

Upon arriving at the warehouse they all hopped out and began unloading their bags from the car, Lye and the boys already traveled light considering their main means of travel was by foot. Jae had what he deemed his essentials, he came to learn that what he didn’t bring with him could be provided by the agency Tarragon worked under. He assumed he’d follow the path of a freelance Huntsman after graduation, but working under and agency didn’t seem like too bad of a path.

“We aren’t bringing HZ with us?” Kashmere asked glancing around noticing the lack of lizard Faunus, he assumed that Opal and the other would have brought him along.

“He under the custody of some friends of mine, it’ll be easier to keep an eye on him that way while we continue the investigation.” Tarragon explained as she loaded the cases that held Opal equipment into the airship.

“And he’s a pain the ass.” Leo added on with a puff of smoke as he worked on finishing a cigarette before having to fly.

The group loaded into the airship, it seemed something along the lines of a passenger transport. Judging by the insignia plaster everywhere this was an Atlas ship, from Russet’s knowledge none the adults were under the Atlas military so how’d they manage to get their hands on this.

———

The trip got bumpy the moment they hit the storm that they had received a weather warning upon when they had taken off. Jae pressed his body back into his seat trying not to focus on the jerk of the airship, his motion sickness wasn’t typically this bad perhaps it was the lack of sleep. A rough hit from the side knocked the airship off course, causing it to drop briefly. Leo cursed under his breath flipping a few switches as he fought the console to return to their path.

“What was that?” Lye’s ears stood up, even she could recognize that wasn’t a hit from the storm.

“A Teryx.” Opal stated simply as she stood up to look out the windshield trying to spot the monster, she flipped her coat as she turned on her heals.

“There’s a hatch up top, Van, Kashmere, Lye, go help Opal take care of this.” Tarragon ordered as her gaze looked over some of the monitors in the cockpit, she didn’t know how to fly as well as Leo but she still could provide some assistance.

The four made their way to the top of the airship, Kashmere went to work at collecting the water from the snow guiding it around the top of the ship where they stood.

“Van, you have that tracking Semblance don’t you?” Opal questioned, looking towards the rabbit.

“I’m already on it.” He responded as he squinted his Semblance searching for information among the haze of the storm, for a brief momment he saw a silhouette before it disappeared. “I think it’s usin’ the storm as cover!” He called to open pointing out where he had seen the silhouette.

“That means this is probably an ol-“ She was cut off at the jolt of the airship under their feet. “Hold it steady!” She yelled into the hatch.

“I’d like to see you try!” Leo responded with a faint growl.

With the wind whipping the hair around her face, Lye squinted trying to find the Grimm among the snow and clouds that seemed to blend into one another. “There!” She shouted seeing a glint of ice and red eyes, Van turned his attention locking onto the beast. He lined up a shot firing as the beast dove causing his bullets to catch on the ice on it’s back. The beast flapped it’s wings as it dove before shooting back up.

“Kash! Me and Lye will keep it’s attention on us, wait until its drawn in close enough to and skewer it!” Van ordered looking to Lye with a nod, the Teryx flew high before lunging down at the airship. Both twins fired shots at the grim while Kash worked on collecting the ice from the back of the beast. It flew off trying other tactics only to continued to be pelted by bullets, seeming to have made it’s decision after attempts to flap it’s wing to try and throw them off balance. The Grimm lunged forward claws out grappling onto the ship. “Now!” Van shouted taking a step back shooting a hand out to pull Lye back with him, Kashmere arms flexed eyes a sparkling blue as the water he had collect from the snow and from the Teryx itself spun turning into jagged spikes. He brought his hands down the spikes piercing all over the beast’s body, it let out a screech thrashing in it’s final momments. The final thrash jerked the airship, the slick surface throwing the twins off the side.

All she felt was falling, her pistols didn’t have enough power to get her back up to the ship. Her eyes widen a stark yellow as she felt herself panic, she could see Van shouting for her but the wind pounding in her ears drowned him out. Instinctually she reach a hand out, the moment his fingers brushed her he grasped tightly to her hand. He felt his body jerk as a whip of blades wrapped around his waist, he glanced up seeing Opal hanging off the edge holding onto Kashmere who had used ice to lock his feet to the craft. Van flipped Crosshare around firing to aide Opal in hoisting them up, he realized the reason why Tarragon had sent her up with them.

Kashmere was the last to enter closing the hatch with a sigh, he wasn’t cold but his close were wet. The twins moved to their seats, Lye felt a relief wash over her. Van felt the familiar rush disapating, the jobs that had been taking up hadn’t been that exciting in a while.

Opal moved to the front pushing wet hair out of her face. “They did well.” She stated. “How much longer before this clears up?” She asked gaze shifting to Leo.

“Best guess? Maybe an hour..” He stated brows furrowed has he focused on navigating through the storm especially watching for any more Grimm.

———

It felt like the momment they had cleared the storm and caught sight of a cliff of Solitas, the radio kicked on a voice coming over rattling off the code for the ship requesting for it to dock nearby. Lye and Van sat up looking to one another, despite the static of the radio the voice sounded familiar.

“They’re going to search the ship? What are we going to do if they find us?” Lye asked ears shifting slightly.

“Just leave it to me, all you four gotta do is stay out of sight.” Leo responded visibly at ease as he began to head to dock, upon landing Lye and the boys found various spots to hide certain light dimmed to imply that some of COAL had been sleeping during the ride. Tarragon was first out of the airship walking down the ramp, followed by Opal and Jae. Three soldiers stood waiting, two in typical uniforms and one in a specialist uniform with a familiar black scarf.

“Leo!”

“Leo Cornell?!”

The pair of soldiers excitedly called out upon seeing the blonde, Titus rolled his eyes.

“Mika! Melo!” He called out with a wide grin. “My two favorite faces!”

“What are you doing all the way out here?”

“We’re heading back from a mission, you know how long this stuff takes with the borders.”

“On border duty, Titus?” Opal questioned with a quirked smile.

“Quite the coincidence I know.” He knew it was not a coincidence, he turned to the other two to tell them where to search.

“Oh, come on Titus. It’s Leo, this is our easiest inspection so far.” The pair began chatting with Leo excited to see and catch up with the Huntsman, Titus folded his arms looking over the other three before a flash of white caught his attention out of the corner of his eye.

“I’m going to do a run through on the inside of the ship.” He didn’t wait for a reply as he began walking to the ramp.

“If you spot any dirty mags they’re Jae’s!” Leo called after him.

“Wh-what?!” Jae looked to Leo in surprise.

Van and the others had tucked themselve’s into various spaces in the ship, with the added stealth of Russet’s semblance to conceal any noise they could make. Russet and Kashmere didn’t recognize the man, but something did seem oddly familiar. They watched as he inched around the ship, continuing towards the back unviewable from outside. Kashmere uncapped the pouch of water on his hip preparing his Semblance as the man grew closer to where Lye was hiding, he paused seeing Van hold up a hand signaling for him to hold.

Titus hand went to his gun holster under his coat the moment he sensed a presence, he pulled the gun as the front of his jacket was pulled. He was about to aim his gun but came to a halt upon coming face to face with someone he didn’t expect.

“Lye?” He whispered brows furrowing, he felt a built guilty having aimed a gun at his baby sister.

“Razz, I’ll explain everything later, but you need to let us through.” She pleaded in a whisper back fingers grasping the front of his jacket, he held her gaze for a moment. He reholstered his gun with a sigh, removing her hands from the root of his coat. He turned back towards the enterance and for a moment Van thought that their cover was blown.

“It’s all clear.” He called out walking out of the air ship.

“See? You’re so serious, its fine to relax.”

“Especially when it’s such a trustworthy guy like Leo.” He added nudging the older man.

Leo laughed with a grin. “Alright we‘ve got a schedule to keep, so we should head out.” He stated as he swung the keys around her finger, the group passed Titus as they walked back to the ship. Opal reached out grabbed his shoulder, she leaned in.

“We’ll be spending a few nights in Atlas, you’ll be able to find us at Tarragon’s agency’s building.” She informed lips quirked. “See you later, Titus.” She bid farewell before walking up the ramp, the airship took off with ease and soon enough the group was approaching the main city of Atlas.

#cutscene #🌿Weeping Willows🌿#[Muse;Van Marigold]#[Muse;Lye Marigold]#[Muse;Jae Aryl]#[Russet Bron]#[Kashmere]#[Opal Amas]#[Cherry Tarragon]#[Leo Cornell]#[Titus ‘Razz’ Marigold]

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