#me: so interaction with common ground have been low

[taskforce420]

tap out. simon 'ghost' riley

it didn't take a genius to know that simon riley, had been through hell. no family, close to no friends outside of his line of work. he was the shell of a man, a living ghost if you will; but people knew he was not one to be taunted or made fun of. sure he was a broken man, but he'd never take disrespect.

it did take a genius to know that you, had been through hell. no family, close to no friends outside of your line of work. you were quiet, always kept to yourself, never caused much trouble, unless you were on the field getting your hands dirty- bloody even. no one knew about your past, your story. but you liked it that way.

so, here you and ghost stood. arms behind your back, standing at ease, looking straight ahead.

as of right now, a common army tradition was ongoing, 'tap out' it was called, where the soldiers stood at ease as they waited for their loved ones to tap them out, letting them move, talk, interact with their family etc.

your gaze slowly shifted from the ground, to the families crying tears of happiness as they saw their son or daughter again after months or years of them being gone. mothers held their sons close to them, fathers cheered and praised their daughters for their accomplishments.

and you? well, you stood there, wishing to yourself, that maybe seeing your mother and father pass away was all a dream and that you'd see them walking over to you any minute, with wide smiles and excited cheers.

and ghost? well, he didn't care about the fact that no one was there to see him, to congratulate him; he cared that you, his closet friend since the beginning of training, was stood there. alone.

he didn't understand why, but he could probably guess. nonetheless, he watched as you uncomfortably shifted your weight from one foot to the other. he noticed you didn't want to be there, didn't want to have to listen to the laughs and 'hellos' of mothers and fathers.

ghost could relate, he let out a deep sigh; letting his arms drop to his side, he moved from his spot. he knew full well that he was breaking rules but as of now, he didn't care. not one bit. he walked over to you, eyes meeting with yours almost instantly.

"come on, luv." he said, as comforting as he possibly could. he raised his hand to your shoulder, officially tapping you out. he could see the hurt in your eyes.

"thanks, si" he nodded as you thanked him, he felt horrible knowing your pain.

you let your hands come to your sides, subconsciously, you started to fidget. your rough fingertips played with the hem of your t-shirt. "its not fair that they make us do this.." you said softly, head hanging low, watching your feet as you both walked back into the base, knowing you had nothing better to do.

"mhm" is all ghost said as he looked down at you, clearly seeing your defeated mood. "i wouldn't dwell on it, sweetheart. i know what your thinking" you nodded, not really bothered to speak. you appreciated ghost walking with you though, keeping you company.

"your family is here now, us, me...soap, gaz, price. the whole force, your brothers, your sisters" ghost spoke. you knew he was right, you got along incredibly well with the members of Task Force 141, there were many years full of core memories with the lot of them.

like the time when you and soap got bored one night so you snuck out of the base and found yourselves at a water bank, completely soaked from jumping in. you both laughed uncontrollably as you splashed one another.

or even when you and price sat in his office, having a deep conversation about previous missions, his past, life in general. you two agreed that you had bonded, ending the night with a simple hug.

or that time when you and gaz decided to go a nearby bar, its safe to say that you both got absolutely hammered from the mixed alcohol in your system. you laughed with one another as you stumbled back to base, holding onto one another. laughing even harder as price and soap caught you in your drunken state.

or...or even the time with ghost.

when you two lay on his dishevelled bed, your back to his chest, his arm lazily thrown around your waist, holding you against him for comfort. his hand traced the scars on your waist, your hips, your legs. you stared out the window, smiling to yourself. nothing serious had happened...you both just adored the company of one another, which is why you found yourself falling asleep to the feeling his breaths on your shoulder, and his hand caressing your skin. "you okay?" he had asked you, moving to lie on his back. you had turned to face him. smiling when you saw him already looking at you, his arm rest behind his head. "mhm, always" you had softly spoke.

you smiled to yourself as you finally walked into the base, simon still by your side. "yeah..you're right" you said looking up at the large man. he happened to look down at you, you swear you could see him smile beneath his mask.

"i know..."

lemme know if you guys would like a pt. 2 :)

[slytherinslut0]

MATTHEO RIDDLE- Beg For Me

Chapter Eight-Info: You and Mattheo have been butting heads for months, since you were assigned as his tutor, and one day during a session full of tense bickering, he has enough.

(This will essentially be a toxic book where we are Theós fucktoy. No love here, very minimal fluff.)

Tags: 18+, Sub!Reader, Dom!Mattheo, Dirty Talk, Toxic Behaviours, Jealousy, Possessive Behaviours, Manipulation, Angst, Kissing, Sadism, Grinding.

***FIND THE REST OF THE CHAPTERS HERE.

Monday dawned, heralding the return to the comforting rhythm of routine. It was the day that marked the return to navigating through a series of classes, where the majority of students seemed disinterested--their attention merely a sliver of the fervor you felt for the subject matter being presented.

Strangely, Monday held a special place in your heart, a day you embraced with boundless enthusiasm. As the sun stretched its golden fingers through your window, you sprang out of bed, brimming with a vitality that could rival the sunrise. Every cell in your body hummed with energy, enough to fuel you through the day and perhaps even run a marathon around the school grounds before your legs begged for respite.

However, on this seemingly mundane Monday, time seemed to drag its feet, the minutes stretching into endless hours as you maneuvered through class after class. Familiar faces that once held no significance now sent a shiver down your spine, tightening your stomach into knots so constricting they threatened to suffocate you whole.

Normally, classes with Mattheo, Tom, Enzo, and the rest of the Slytherin boys were unremarkable--a monotonous routine where you blended into the background. However, after the tumultuous events that unfolded in the Slytherin common room that past Friday night, it felt like every single pair of eyes in the room bore into your skin with an unsettling intensity, leaving you acutely aware of the weight of their scrutinizing glances.

The memories of that evening hung in the air like a lingering mist, casting a somber aura over your every interaction. Each sidelong glance felt like an interrogation, and hushed conversations reverberated with the unspoken questions that hung between you and your peers. Their collective scrutiny bore down on you, and as the day wore on, you found yourself yearning for the respite that the night would bring, where you hoped to escape the watchful eyes and find solace in the darkness.

With the finesse of a skilled acrobat, you expertly maneuvered through the day's treacherous waters, keeping your head low and your presence inconspicuous. The weight of wary eyes and whispered rumors hung in the air, yet you managed to evade their grasp, emerging unscathed by nightfall.

As darkness cloaked the castle, you found sanctuary in the Astronomy Tower, something you done quite often. There, beneath the celestial tapestry of the stars, you immersed yourself in your weekly research, finding solace in the quiet solitude of the night. The distant hoot of an owl and the gentle rustle of leaves provided a soothing backdrop as you delved into the captivating realms of celestial phenomena.

With parchment and quill in hand, you meticulously documented the positions of stars, planets, and constellations, observing their intricate dance across the night sky.

Your research focused on celestial events, planetary alignments, and their potential impact on magical energies. Guided by the wisdom of ancient texts and your insatiable curiosity, you sought to unravel the cosmic mysteries that intertwined with the magical fabric of the wizarding world. Each Monday night since the start of the fourth year, you climbed the tower's spiraling steps in order to gather documentation and compare with the previous week.

Lost in the ethereal dance of the stars, your quill moved across the parchment as if guided by some unseen force. Each stroke of your pen felt like an incantation, weaving together the threads of magic and the celestial realm.

Suddenly, the soft echo of footsteps on the stone floor snapped you back to reality. Your head whipped around, eyes wide and heart pounding, only to find Mattheo Riddle sauntering over without a sheer care in the world. His cheeky grin mirrored the mischief that danced in his eyes as he slumped down on the ground in front of you, his back resting against the cold railing.

For a moment, the enchanting allure of the stars faded, replaced by the enigmatic presence of the boy who always seemed to tread the line between trouble and fascination. His eyes glittered with amusement, and you could sense there was more to his presence than mere curiosity.

The stars held their secrets close, but Mattheo Riddle was an enigma you were yet to decipher.

"Stargazing, Raven?" he asked, his voice a smooth melody in the quiet night. "Or might you be decoding the secrets of the universe?"

"What the hell are you doing here?" you retorted, your heart still pounding in your chest, nerves still recovering from the fright he had given you. "You scared the bloody life out of me."

The moonlight cast eerie shadows across his features as he nonchalantly pulled out a pack of cigarettes, the metallic glint catching the dim light. He skillfully extracted one, placing it between his lips, the end glowing briefly as he lit it with the flicker of his lighter, the scent of smoke wafting through the air. Amused indifference danced in his eyes as he exhaled a plume of smoke into the night, his gaze meeting yours with a teasing glimmer.

"What's the matter? Thought I was Berkshire?" he teased, his voice a low murmur, the cigarette smoldering between his fingers. "I came up because I knew you'd be up here...you're quite the creature of habit, even after all these years."

The tension between you hung in the air, thick and palpable, the silence broken only by the distant rustle of leaves and the soft crackle of the burning cigarette.

"You knew I'd be up here?" you huffed, irritation lacing your words, the annoyance palpable in the air. His Berkshire comment had struck a nerve, and you felt the sting of it. "What, are you stalking me now?"

Mattheo let out a low chuckle, smoke curling around his lips like a ghostly veil.

"Hardly stalking, princess," he said, the corners of his mouth quirking up into a smirk. "This used to be my smoking spot. Had to find a new one ever since your prissy little ass decided to take up stargazing as a bloody extracurricular."

His voice slithered with a playful venom, a tantalizing blend of sarcasm and arrogance that only Mattheo Riddle could master. Each word was like a silk thread, wrapping around your senses, leaving your skin prickling with irritation and your pulse quickening with an unsettling desperation. The emotional whirlwind he stirred within you was as intoxicating as it was maddening--a dizzying concoction of annoyance and desire, a sick dance that left you both infuriated and oddly enticed, your heart pounding in your chest like a caged animal desperate for release.

Your eyes narrowed, a flicker of realization washing over you as you caught on to his unspoken admission, your lips curling into a devilish, twisted smirk as you tilted your head in challenge.

"Oh no...how utterly tragic, Riddle," your words dripped with sarcasm, each syllable carefully enunciated, as you arched an eyebrow in mock surprise. "I'm so sorry for the inconvenience I've caused you--please, tell me, should I get on my fucking knees for you now, or later?"

A wicked smirk curved Mattheo's lips as he took a leisurely drag from his cigarette, the ember glowing brightly in the darkness. His posture oozed unfazed arrogance, his sharp features highlighted by the soft glow, casting a sinister shadow across his face.

"Now...later...doesn't matter to me, Raven," he purred, exhaling a cloud of smoke. "You'll end up on them for me eventually."

"Just charming, you are," you retorted, rolling your eyes to hide the flicker of arousal that his words ignited. "Look, I appreciate the company...but if you don't mind, I'd like to get back to my 'prissy' little activity in peace."

You chewed your cheek, your tone laced with sarcasm as you turned your attention back to your celestial research, not bothering to look up at him as you tossed him another jab, seemingly unable to control yourself.

"And no, I wasn't worried you'd be Berkshire," you muttered, focused on your parchment. "I was worried you'd be your brother, you know, the prefect...getting caught by him is the last thing I need right now."

Mattheo's eyes narrowed, a glint of annoyance flashing in his gaze like a stormy sky. "Sorry to disappoint," he retorted, his voice low and laced with irritation. "Bet you'd love a punishment from him, huh? He'd make you face the wall, maybe even bend you over and have you lift up your skirt...the sixth years certainly seem to fucking love it."

Your stomach twisted, the weight of his words sinking in as you peeled your eyes away from your work. You met his gaze, desperately assessing him for any sign of bluffing, but not finding even a shred. His words hung heavy in the air, and you couldn't shake the unsettling feeling that he might be telling the truth. A scoff escaped your lips, a mix of disbelief and nervous tension.

"Don't believe me? Maybe try crawling out from under your little rock for once and listen to the talk." He took another drag of his cigarette, his lips curling into a half-smirk. "Consider me your guardian angel tonight, saving you from that terrible fate."

"Guardian angel?" you muttered, your voice dripping with sarcasm as you tried to brush off the uneasy feeling settling in your gut. "So that's why you're here...you're worried Tom is going to find me and touch me without your fucking permission, aren't you?"

Your words carried a biting edge, challenging him to reveal his true intentions. His half-smirk deepened, the corners of his lips tugging upward in a way that made your skin crawl. Mattheo's gaze bored into yours, his eyes flickering with a mix of amusement and something darker, something possessive that sent a shiver down your spine.

"I prefer to be the one that decides who gets to play with my toys," he said, his voice low and laden with a subtle threat. "And as it turns out, I don't like sharing what belongs to me, Raven."

The way he said your nickname sent a shiver down your spine, his voice wrapping around you like a dangerous promise. A predatory edge underscored his words, a warning wrapped in seduction, making you acutely aware of the dangerous game you were playing with the messy, brown haired boy in front of you.

And in the aftermath of his words, something inside you snapped, tired of his games, a fierce energy propelled you forward. With swift purpose, you cast your parchment and quill aside, shifting across the unforgiving stone floor, each movement deliberate, until you found yourself nestled in the space between his legs, the cold stone biting through your robes. Your eyes bored into his, your gaze intense and unyielding, as if you could find the answers to all of your questions painted on his skin.

"You're going to give me grey hair, do you fucking know that, Mattheo?" you whispered, your voice laced with frustration as you locked eyes with him, searching for any semblance of truth in his gaze. "When are we going to talk about what you said in the library? When you-"

"What's there to talk about, Raven?" He cut you off, leaning his head back against the railing, his expression nonchalant as he brought his half-lit cigarette up to his lips, taking a slow draw while his eyes remained fixed on yours. "I already told you, I was drunk."

Your stomach plummeted like a stone, a sickening mix of disappointment and hurt gnawing at your insides. Despite your efforts to conceal it, to suppress it so deep that it diminished into absolutely nothing, the sinking feeling was undeniable, overshadowing any semblance of composure you tried to maintain. Each shallow breath you took seemed to echo the hollow ache within you, amplifying the aggravating vulnerability you felt.

"So when you said I'm not just your toy, you didn't mean it..." your voice wavered into a barely audible whisper, trailing off into the unspoken ache. "When you said I'm the one girl you can't get enough of...you didn't-"

"Perhaps I meant one of those things," he said, his voice carrying the weight of the world. "I'll leave which one up to your interpretation, Raven...you're a bright girl, yeah?"

The dim light from the tower's single lantern cast uneven shadows on his face, highlighting the contours of his features. His eyes, usually a bottomless abyss, now held a glimmer of something you couldn't quite decipher. Mattheo's gaze flickered, darting from your eyes to your lips and back to your eyes, brows pinched in focus. His lips, once so teasing, tightened into a thin line, and the playfulness that usually danced in his eyes was replaced with a shadowed intensity.

His hand found your arm, the touch feather-light, yet still somehow managed to send shivers down your spine, as if the grip had the power to unravel every thought you harbored. You felt the weight of his fingers, warm against your skin, a stark contrast to the cool stone beneath you, and you exhaled; a long, trembling breath.

"Why do you have to do that?" You couldn't contain the frustration in your voice, the pent-up emotions breaking free. "Why do you always deflect everything? It's impossible to-"

Your words were cut off abruptly as his touch tightened ever so slightly, his grip firm yet still strangely gentle. His eyes drilled into yours, now, as if daring you to continue--the silence between you speaking louder than any words could, the unspoken tension lingering in the air like a storm on the horizon.

"Raven," he said, his voice low and measured. "You said you didn't want to make things complicated-"

"Too late for that, Riddle..." you cut him off, now. Your voice was edged with frustration, your emotions swirling like a storm inside you. "You already blew that door wide open when you started getting possessive and then said we should just forget about everything-"

His grip tightened further, tugging you closer, the tension between you palpable. "Yeah, and how long did that last?"

"Are you blaming me for that, Mattheo?" you said, your voice a mere whisper, your gaze flickering to his lips, almost involuntarily.

"I'd never blame you for any of this, Raven." He retorted, voice tight and controlled. "But you didn't stop me...you didn't push me away..."

Your lungs stalled in the wake of his words, your chest constricting, every syllable bouncing around in your head like a basketball. His words rattled your brain, a heavy truth you couldn't deny. The weight of your own desires and the reckless dance you both had engaged in settled upon your shoulders.

"You called yourself a monster..." you whispered, your voice barely audible, as if you were afraid of setting him off with too loud of a pitch. "You said you'd never deserve-"

"I am a monster, Raven," he spat, his throat working as he swallowed. "I have blood on my hands in ways you could never imagine…and that doesn't even do it justice…it’s on more than my hands…it's not as though it stops there, at my wrist like a fucking glove..."

His words hung in the air, laden with a haunting ache that resonated in the nighttime silence. A defeated exhale escaped your lips as you shifted against the cold stone, feeling Mattheo's hand slip around your back and pull you into the warmth of his chest. Your head nuzzled involuntarily into the hollow of his neck, seeking solace from the frigid night, every inch of your body tingling against his. You didn't understand what this was between you two, what the fuck you were even doing, but the biting cold seemed to fade away in the embrace of his body, offering a fleeting sense of comfort in the midst of uncertainty.

As the silence settled around you both, broken only by the steady drumming of his heart, you couldn't escape the profound curiosity that gripped your thoughts--you wondered what he'd gone through, what he'd done, or perhaps even what he'd seen--but even more than that, you couldn't help but to wonder--was it better to out-monster the monster, or allow yourself to be quietly devoured?

"What's your story, Mattheo?" you asked, your voice tinged with a bitterness you hadn't meant to unleash, shattering the silence between you. "What the hell made you such a complicated asshole?"

"What's yours, Raven?" His body tensed at your words, his Adam's apple bobbing against your head as he swallowed, a subtle tremor betraying the calm facade."Actually, don't even tell me...I'm pretty certain I've already got it."

"Is that so?" You cocked an eyebrow. "Let's hear it then."

He leaned closer, his lips brushing against your ear, sending a shiver down your spine. "You're the girl who craves chaos but hides it beneath a veneer of perfection."

His words almost immediately made you tense, and yet, you knew he wasn't finished.

"Silver spoon-fed, parents too busy climbing social ladders to notice their own daughter drowning in their expectations...private schools, debutante balls, a picture-perfect life that's paralyzing you. You're the good girl, always following the rules, always striving for the unattainable...classic overachiever clawing for perfection just to win daddy's fucking approval," he pressed his mouth to your temple, dropping his voice into a low, growling whisper. "Tell me, how does it feel to wear that suffocating mask every day?"

"Fuck you," your gaze hardened, the words slicing past your teeth like a razor, pulling yourself off his chest as you shifted to face him. You couldn't believe how scarily fucking accurate he was, but you refused to give him the satisfaction."If I didn't know any better, I'd think there was jealousy in your tone, Riddle."

"You can't deny it because you know I'm right," he shrugged, voice as cool as ice. "I see the look in your eyes...eyes don't lie, Raven."

"You think you have me all figured out, yeah?" You huffed, irritation flooding through you now, searing your skin. "Well you're not the only one...I fucking see you, Mattheo Riddle...the black sheep of a prestigious family...daddy's little disappointment, constantly overshadowed by your genius brother...a rebel without a cause, desperately seeking validation in all of the wrong places. The reckless bad boy facade is merely a shield to hide the cracks in your own pitiful self-worth."

You couldn't even believe the words leaving your own mouth, but if they affected Mattheo in any way, his expressions would never show it. You let your words linger for a moment before you countered his earlier question with one of your own.

"Don’t you ever get tired of pretending, Mattheo?"

A flicker of vulnerability crossed Mattheo's eyes, swiftly overshadowed by a simmering anger. His lips tightened into a thin line, the muscles in his jaw clenching visibly. The silence that followed your question was thick with tension, pregnant with the weight of unspoken emotions. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he managed to draw out a composed response, his voice laced with a bitter edge.

"Tired?" He spat. "I don't have the luxury of exhaustion, Raven."

"Grow up, Mattheo..." you physically had to refrain from rolling your eyes. "It's about fucking time you got over yourself, don't you think?"

"I'd be careful with your next words, princess..." he spat, his tone sharp as a dagger. "You don't know anything about me…it's bold of you to think you can make assumptions like that."

"You fucking started it," your voice was low and laced with intensity, leaning in closer until your breath mingled with his. "You don't know half of the woman you stare in the face."

Mattheo paused, his eyes, deep pools of intensity, bore into yours, drawing you in with their magnetic pull. Every glance exchanged with him was like plunging into the depths of a storm, your heart racing with the force of the emotions he stirred within you. The pause stretched, the silence thick with unspoken desires and unquenchable passion as you held his gaze, feeling the unrelenting pull that seemed to tether your souls together.

"You know what I think, Raven?" The tone of his voice switched to a seductive purr, his calloused palm finding your thigh, slithering higher. "I think we're more alike than you'd care to admit."

Each word dripped with a venomous mix of arrogance and seduction, carrying the weight of the truth you both refused to acknowledge--the touch of his hand on your thigh rid any desire you had to speak, seemingly possessed and silenced simultaneously, clinging to his voice.

"I think we're two sides of the same coin, struggling to find our place in a world that demands we choose a path..." Mattheo continued, his gaze locking onto yours with an intensity that sent shivers down your spine. "We both wear masks, Raven. Yours might be polished and refined, but it's still a mask. Underneath, we're both drowning in expectations, haunted by our own ghosts."

His fingers traced circles on your thigh, a touch that sent electric jolts through your skin. "We're both searching for something, aren't we?" he murmured, his voice low and intimate. "Maybe that's the point of all of this...after all, it is equally as fucking inhumane to be totally good, as it is to be totally bad, don't you think?"

A charged silence enveloped both of you as Mattheo pulled you closer, his fingers trailing a fiery path along your skin. His lips hovered inches away from yours, teasing but never quite fulfilling the promise of a kiss.

"Maybe...we make each other feel alive...does it matter if it hurts?" His thumb brushed gently over your bottom lip, a touch as soft as a feather but laden with an undeniable intensity. "It’s a risk…for both of us…but I tried to fight it and didn't even last a fucking day...it's wrong, Raven, it's so fucking wrong...but I just can't stay away from you..."

In the wake of his touch, his words, his fucking voice--you found yourself utterly breathless, frozen in a moment where time seemed to stand still. In the silence that followed, his eyes bored into yours like twin obsidian orbs reflecting a stormy sky, and you were rendered powerless, your every sense overwhelmed by the intoxication he effortlessly wielded.

His presence was a potent elixir that seeped into your veins, setting your blood on fire and entangling your soul in a web of desire. You were caught in a whirlwind, a chaotic dance between anger and need, a tempestuous passion that only he could incite. Every fiber of your being rebelled against the pull he had on you, yet you found yourself irresistibly drawn to the very source of your turmoil.

He was a living contradiction, an enigma wrapped in layers of darkness and charm. His presence was suffocating and intoxicating, a potent mix that left you both exhilarated and vulnerable. In that moment, you realized he was more than just a person; he was a force of nature, a hurricane you couldn't escape, even if you wanted to.

As the truth hung heavy in the air, you admitted it to yourself--despite the chaos he brought into your life, despite the risks and the dangers, you fucking craved him. A dark villain you found yourself strangely drawn to, unable to outrun the allure of his darkness. His touch, his words, his very essence--they made you feel alive in a way you had never experienced before, in the most chaotic and exhilarating way, and in the midst of this internal battle, you acknowledged the undeniable reality--you wanted him, fiercely and recklessly, consequences be damned.

You inhaled a shallow breath, drawing in his exhales like a forbidden addiction. "You're going to be the fucking ruin of me, aren't you, Mattheo?"

"Yes." Mattheo huffed, his breath mingling with yours as he grazed your lips once more. "Does that scare you, princess?"

"Yes," you admitted, your hands instinctively slithering around his neck, words leaving your lips without thought. "Everything about you scares me."

Your confession hung heavy in the air, your fingers instinctively curling around the fabric of his jacket. His response was a low, rumbling purr that sent shivers down your spine, the intensity of his gaze burning into your soul.

"I can't believe you just said that, Raven..." he husked, his grip on your waist tightening possessively. His lips brushed against your jawline, sending electric currents through your skin.  "You don't even know how fucking hard that just made me."

Your eyelids fluttered, heat pooling between your thighs, as his touch ignited a wildfire within you.

"You're fucking insane..." you breathed, your fingers digging into his jacket, desperately trying to ground yourself in the midst of the overwhelming desire he stirred. "I don't know how you do this to me..."

"It's useless to fight it, princess," he purred, his teeth grazing your pulse, each touch seemingly branding you as his. "I've already made you mine."

"Your toy," you whispered, your voice barely audible over the pounding of your heart. "You've made me your toy."

"Yes, my toy." He growled, his grip intensifying. “Mine...all fucking mine..."

Under the moonlit sky, the Astronomy tower stood silent, the night air thick with a dark lust. His teeth sank into the sensitive skin of your neck, the cool breeze caressing your heated skin, intensifying the pleasure-pain sensation coursing through your veins. Your head fell to the side instinctively, the distant twinkle of stars above bearing witness to the passion igniting between you. Your body trembled under his touch, the night itself seeming to shiver in response to the escalating desire enveloping you both.

With a sudden intensity, he cupped your face in his hands, his touch both possessive and oddly gentle. His dark eyes bore into your soul, their intensity searing into your skin.

"Are you sure you're good with that, Raven?" he demanded, his voice low and raw. "You're good with being my little toy? You're good with continuing this with no strings attached?"

"Yes," you murmured.

"Say it." He said, vibrations of his chest rumbling through you. "Say you're good with it."

"I'm good with it," you said. "I'm good with being your little toy, I'm good with no strings, no bullshit-"

Cutting you off, his mouth crashed onto yours, a hungry, fervent kiss that seemed to convey years of pent-up desire--it was as if he had waited his whole life to kiss you, his lips molding perfectly against yours, igniting a fiery passion that consumed the both of you with ease. His lips moved with a purpose, a desperate need that mirrored your own--the air crackled with anticipation, your heart pounding in your chest as you surrendered to the intoxicating pull of his lips, the heat of his body pressed against yours.

You were lost in him, your senses overwhelmed by the intoxicating blend of pleasure and need. The world ceased to exist, and there was nothing but the electrifying connection between your lips, binding you to him in a way that felt inevitable, unstoppable, and undeniably right. His kiss was a storm, wild and unrelenting, consuming you entirely, moving with a fierce hunger, his tongue seeking entrance, and you welcomed him eagerly, your mouths dancing in a heated tangle of desire.

As he deepened the kiss, the intensity grew, an inferno raging between you. Every touch, every taste, every second seemed to set your skin ablaze, leaving you breathless and aching for more. Your fingers threaded through his hair, pulling him impossibly closer, as if trying to merge your souls through this kiss--the two of you shifting positions until you were straddling his lap, the feeling of his erection pressing against your centre pulling a guttural groan from your throat; his fingers digging into your skin in response.

With a gasp, he broke the kiss, his lips leaving a trail of searing kisses down your neck, igniting a fire wherever they touched. Your head fell back in response, exposing the vulnerable curve of your throat to him. His hot breath fanned over your skin, sending shivers down your spine, as he pressed soft yet possessive kisses along the column of your throat. His lips moved with purpose, exploring every inch of your neck as if it held the secrets to the universe, his tongue flicking out occasionally, teasing, before his teeth grazed your skin, a promise of both pleasure and pain. Each touch sent shockwaves through your body, amplifying the intensity of your connection, as you clung to him, lost in the whirlwind of desire and need.

"I want to make you cum again..." he murmured against your skin, his hands gripping your hips and pressing you down against his crotch. "I want to make cum over and over, fuck..."

"Matty..." you moaned, his teeth grazing your pulse, your hips rolling against his lap involuntarily, a soft gasp escaping your lips as his hands moved to your ass; squeezing with malicious intent. "Shit...we can't...not here..."

"I know." He groaned, his hot exhale showering your skin. "Wednesday."

"Yes..." you breathed. "Wednesday."

—————

Here’s chapter nine->

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

✨ let’s do a twst trade ✨

Hello ^^;;

This might be coming out of the blue. I’m typically a very private person and tend to stick with social circles I’m already familiar with.

Recently, I’ve been thinking that it would be nice to put myself out there and interact more! I can get easily overwhelmed, so I thought a good way to go about this is to do a handful of art/writing trades. This keeps the number low and conversation approachable, and I think that’d help slowly ease me into being more comfortable interacting and participating in community events.

***UPDATE: Trades now closed, thank you all for the interest!***

Here are the parameters and other important notes (setting these for my own comfort and lifestyle):

This will be a Twisted Wonderland themed trade because that’s the one thing we can guarantee to have in common.

I’ll write a fic for you! Minimum 1-2k words (but I tend to ramble so it could easily go higher than that), starring at least 2 characters (I can write more, but let’s not go too crazy and ask for all 22 NRC students in one fic).

I CAN write platonic, romantic, angst, fluff, yandere, AUs, etc.

I’m okay with writing any and all TWST characters, including staff, RSA students, family members, and other NPCs.

Of course, OCs are also welcome! I’d love to learn more about yours.

Be prepared with references for your OC(s) if applicable. This could include illustrations, but at the bare minimum should include a written explanation of who the character is, their personality, likes/dislikes, and relationships with canon characters.

There are limits to what I will write, as I am uncomfortable with some subject matters. For example, I’m not willing to write anything pregnancy-related. We can discuss my “no goes” in more detail if we decide to trade!

Upon request, I can do a simple digital piece of art OR a washi tape illustration (you won’t receive the physical piece, just a picture of it) for you. I believe most people know me more for my writing, but I wanted to keep these options on the table!

You trade me a fic of your own OR an artwork of roughly the same quantity/quality. As the saying goes, “what you give is what you get.”

We will talk and agree before we start on our pieces what each of us will generally provide at the end. (For example, a 5k word fic for a full color waist up illustration, 1k word fic for a black-white doodle, etc.)

You have to be okay with receiving a vague prompt. I like to be surprised, so I’ll probably just give you a list of general themes, ideas, and characters I like, then set you loose to see what you come up with.

You can be as specific as you like with your own prompt for me though—I’m flexible. Let me know what you don’t like as well so I can avoid including those elements.

To keep things fair, we’ll both hold onto our pieces and exchange them at the same time.

Regarding my written piece, it will be in a Google Doc for you to access.

This is NOT first come, first serve. I can only realistically take on 3-5 trades at this time depending on interest and complexity. If I turn you down, it’s nothing personal!

Priority will be given to mutuals (chances are that there’s more likely to be common ground if we’re already following each other).

Preference will be given to those indicated as adults in their blog intros/profiles (this is just what vibes the best with my personal communication style)

Be patient!! It may take me a few weeks or more to complete my part.

Be aware that doing a trade with me does NOT necessarily mean we will become best friends, and nor should this be the expectation 😅

If you’re okay with the above and are interested in a trade, please DM me! In your DM, you should indicate some prompts/ideas for what you’d like me to write. Please wait for me to respond; do NOT assume that I’ve accepted the trade request just because you’ve messaged me.

[mondaymelon]

the first time you hold hands.♡

(liyue genshin impact x gn!reader)

written headcanon style! enjoy✩

(a/n) gift for @lume-nosity ♡ feel free to comment or reblog characters you want next!! (the xiao part took so much out of me i cant stop fucking squeeallinggg please hoyo give us soft xiao interactions next lantern rite pleaseee)

˚*ੈ✩‧₊˚*ੈ✩‧₊˚*ੈ✩‧₊˚˚*ੈ✩‧₊˚*ੈ✩‧₊˚*ੈ✩‧₊˚˚*ੈ✩‧₊˚*ੈ✩‧₊˚*ੈ✩‧₊˚

xiao ♡

he never was an affectionate person, but he tried to change that for you.

it was common knowledge that the adeptus was cold and typically uninviting to mortals, but to you, he was a completely different person.

he was never harsh to you, never yelled at you, not even when he was raging mad, because he didn't want to scare you. he never told you anything differing from kind words or praise, because he knew that doing so would make you happy.

and it did.

recently, xiao had agreed, albeit reluctantly, to come with you to liyue harbor to have a small meet up with you. it wasn't often that you got breaks from your job, but when you did, you would spend them at wangshu inn, excitedly conversing with the dark-haired man as the moon rose and shone overhead. This time, you had invited him to come to you instead, and that you would show him around modern liyue.

he never liked mortals, but you were different.

"xiao! there you are!" you gave the male a wave from where you stood, beaming. above, the sky was just beginning to get dark, the horizons tinted with hues of violet and crimson.

you could see him clearly from where you stood, the adeptus walking at his usual brisk pace. as he reached you, he paused and hesitated. "what do mortals call these things again?"

"dates?" you giggled, laughing at xiao's innocent and silly nature.

"that's it." the dark-haired male nodded, before glancing at you and then downward with his warm amber eyes. "then... can we hold hands?" he stares down at the ground, face and ears tinged red from embarrassment. xiao extends a hand toward you slowly, waiting for a response.

and you gladly take it, intertwining your fingers with his gloved ones and smiling. "of course."

the night is cold, but with the two of you interlocking hands, suddenly, everything seems all the bit more warm.

childe ♡

"comrade" had always been his title for you.

and the two of you had always been close. you had been childe's friend, advisor, and companion for longer than you could remember. the two of you had braved the harsh winters shneznaya, and when the male had received orders to head to liyue for some unsettled matters, you were more than willing to pack everything and leave with him.

after all, without childe, nothing could be the same.

you watched silently at the interaction between the northland bank receptionist and the familiar ginger, before making a quick motion to childe to mention that you were heading out. it was just too stuffy inside, and you needed some air. it had been a busy past few weeks, and the times where you did have rare solace, you decided you maximize the most of.

pushing open the heavy door, the cold night breeze greeted you. it was chilly, but it did help clear your head. the moon is full tonight, you note to yourself, staring up from where you're leaning on the side railings and smiling.

then there's the sound of footsteps behind you as low and behold, tartaglia himself comes out to check up on you.

"hey, comrade. what are you doing all alone out here?" his voice is nonchalant, but you could decipher the worried undertone in his words.

"i needed to clear my head." you glance back at him, before gesturing to the empty space beside you with a grin. "the view is great here, childe. come take a look."

and he does, stepping over to your side gently with the ghost of a smile still lingering on his face. he follows your gaze quietly, up at the round, shining moon and glittering stars that light up the night sky. then he turns to look at you, and his gaze softens.

then warmth shoots through you as he grasps your hand, fingers brushing yours before he clasps them tightly.

"it's okay if i do this, right, love?"

kazuha ♡

it was in his notebook that you saw his true feelings, displayed for you to see, and you knew how much it meant for him.

you hadn't meant to stumble across journal - really. it was by complete chance that kazuha had decided to go for a walk and you hadn't realized, and so had gone into his room to speak to him only to find him gone.

thinking that he might be holed up somewhere in the space, busy writing something, you searched high and low and only found a leather bound journal with a red maple leaf on the cover that had clearly been stitched on. opening it, you were astonished to find pages on pages of endless haikus, poems, all sorts of rhymes and tales, all written in kazuha's graceful, flowy handwriting.

a smile upon the breeze, cruelties done out of fun. that out of so many people of these my lover is none.

the rising sun brings forth new morn still, the memory fades yet, for even though your face was forlorn, your smile i shall never forget.

for as long as we play this game, i wish our paths will never part. would you say you felt the same? if i told you what lied in my heart?

the poems and easing verses run ceaselessly from page to page, and you can only feel your eyes widen and face burn as you keep reading, albeit a bit guilty for going through his personal things like this. but as you turn the page to read the last poem, you can hear footsteps resounding from somewhere down the hall.

someone's coming.

immediately, you hastily scramble to place the journal back where it was and then dive on top of kazuha's bed, hoping that no one would spot you underneath the covers. the steps stop at the door, and you can hear the hinges squeal quietly as the door gets pushed open.

"hello?" kazuha's voice is confused and quiet, and you already know that he's suspiciously scanning the room. heart racing, you hear him walk closer to the bed, pausing before-

"what-" the male threw back the covers, and you can glimpse his startled expression from where you're pressed flat against his mattress. "what are you doing here...?"

"uhm... surprise?" you sit up awkwardly, scooting off the bed and getting onto your feat nervously. "a-anyway- don't think about this too hard- let's just..." you clasped kazuha's hand in yours, smiling frantically. fingers locked together, you tugged kazuha to and out the door. "let's just forget about it, okay?"

poor kazuha's so embarrassed, he can't even say a thing except mutter a quiet:

"o-okay."

ganyu ♡

working overtime was something ganyu was accustomed to. however, she was still unfamiliar with many concepts, namely you, and your seemingly endless affection.

you were a peculiar person, in ganyu's eyes. you always, no matter how late she got off work, waited for the adeptibeast patiently, usually handing her a gift or drink of some sort before walking her back to her house.

the evenings the two of you spend together at what ganyu considers the best moments of her days.

The warm evening glow reflecting off of your face, the lanterns lining the streets, the hustling murmur of excited in the background only convinced ganyu that she cared for you more than she would ever let on.

"ah..." ganyu turns to you, and you blink at her questioningly in return. "speaking of which, was there anything you wanted?"

"huh...?"

"well, you're always waiting for me after work... and bringing me all sorts of things too... so i wanted to pay you back for all of the effort." ganyu glances away, deciding to look anywhere but you, glancing at the food stalls, buildings, and the stone path the two of you are walking on. however, her efforts were fruitless, as you were able to see a clear view of her flushed face.

"aw, that's so sweet of you!" grinning, you let out a little giggle at her mannerisms. "but i didn't give you those hoping for something in return. its because i care about you!"

i care about you.

those words rang in the blue-haired girls ears as her warm eyes widened. "then..."

she walks closer to you, tugging at your sleeve with red tinged cheeks. as you turn to look at her questioningly, she takes your hand in hers, intertwining her slender fingers with you.

"can i do this?"

shenhe ♡

she had never really understood humans, nor wanted to, until she met you.

no one ever called shenhe a human. it was only ever adepti this and adepti that. maybe it was her lack of present emotions, or maybe it was just her cold demeanor, but her words fell upon deaf ears whenever she tried to explain.

"eh? you seem pretty human to me, shenhe. it's pretty hard to get it wrong, honestly." you glanced up at the white-haired girl curiously. the two of you were seated at liuli pavilion, upon your request to share lunch together.

"hard... to mistake me?" shenhe smiled airily, an expression that was seen by few. "just as i thought. you're different than everyone else. in a good way."

"...th-thanks...?"

shenhe merely let an relatively amused expression cross her face. "let me ask you something. to you, what makes a human human?"

you thought about her question for a long pause before answering. "i'd like to say... emotions. humans are egotistic and greedy, i'll admit to that, as i'm guilty of it myself, but humans also are thoughtful. they're kind, caring, genuine and understanding. that's what makes communities so powerful too. it's because everyone as the mutual trust and belief in each other that they can do great things." you grinned at the girl. "you have emotions too, they just don't get shown as often as the emotions of others. but that doesn't mean you don't have them."

the white-haired woman stayed silent for the count of three, her multi-colored eyes sparkling as she stared at you with a level of affection you didn't know was possible.

a light blush began creeping across her face as well, although she didn't seem to notice her red cheeks and ears. instead, she just beamed at you.

"caring, you say? then, tell me, is this something a caring human would do?" with that, she reached down at took your hand with hers as a faint smile began to form on shenhe's face. her slender hands were cold to the touch, a pleasant feeling in the warm liyue heat as she intertwined her hands with yours.

"yes, it is."

"good."

prev masterlist ✩ next

[brujahinaskirt]

Just some lil' thangs you might not notice about the level of detail RDR2 puts into Arthur's interactions with horses if you aren't personally experienced with horses:

[Sorry if this has been done! I couldn't find a post like it in recent tumblr history, and hope I can at least add some thoughts that haven't been analyzed to death already!]

(First, a note about me: I was raised on a quarter horse ranch and trained by a cadre of old-school cowboys in the Western tradition. Some of them were excellent teachers and some of them were crabby-faced bastards who thought "horsemanship" = engaging in a constant war with your horse... which gives me a little insight into positive and negative horsemanship styles on display in RDR2.)

(Second, thanks to fellow horsegirl @mangocats for helping me compile this list!)

(Third, a simple note to say that although I playfully use the term "horsegirl" in this post, the notes here apply to any gender. Same goes for the use of terms like "horsemen," which is not commonly used in the Western equestrian world to indicate a rider's real gender.)

Now, without further ado:

Press X to Calm. Arthur uses a tried-and-true low-stress, gradual escalation method of approaching and calming a spooked horse that begins with establishing physical contact with one hand and slowly increasing contact until the horse is fully calm and is once more amenable to human direction & commands. This is usually a preferable method to getting a frightened horse under control imo, but it's a "soft hand" method, and not something you always see in machismo-loaded equestrian circles. I've written about this a little in another meta post, so I won't get too deeply into it here.

Overall Horsemanship Style. You'll notice that while he does occasionally drive them hard in emergencies such as escaping the law or chasing a train, Arthur never "forces" his horses to comply with commands; in other words, he doesn't use his strength to try and bully a horse into doing something, like crossing a river, or physically punish a horse to "desensitize" it. "Forcing" horses to do things using tack designed to create discomfort or using raw bodily intimidation + fear & pain-motivated negative reinforcement is a tragically common tradition in old-school Western riding (and still advocated by some popular TV equestrians whom I think are straight-up animal abusers... if you know you know). It's dismal, but for a lot of the cowboys I know/knew, when a horse isn't obeying, you need to "show it who's boss." Arthur never approaches animals this way. By contrast, especially for the time period, he is exceedingly patient with horses and animals in general. We can even see this in his dialogue to wild horses; when they gradually calm down after the initial "breaking in" process, Arthur usually says something companionable like, "See, we're friends now."

And a sub-point on that: Horsemanship Temperament. Arthur never gets mad at or yells at his horse. Even when he gets chucked to the ground, he'll yell DAMN, THAT HURT, and then it's back to trying to calm the spooked horse. Which is exactly the right attitude to have. (Though if you've never been hurled face-first into a pile of sun-baked manure because your horse saw, idk, a twig on the road, you might not appreciate how even-tempered a character Arthur is for never succumbing to the temptation to yell, "COME ONNNN GIVE ME A BREAK IT'S A STICK YOU SILLY BITCH!")

Horse responsiveness. The horse emotional cues in this game are incredible, from their reactions to other animals and weather events to their reactions to Arthur. You can see the horse's neck muscles tense and relax when being calmed, their eyes changing in size, their head drop and raise in response to the reins, and their annoyance seeping through with stomps and pinned ears well before they start to spook. When Arthur speaks to his horses, you can even see a subtle ear flick backwards as they listen to him. When he gives certain commands (such as a mild squeeze of the knees to speed up a bit), a calm and attentive horse will often issue an affirmative snort; this is incredibly lifelike and essentially a "roger roger" between horse and rider. I was also impressed that Arthur uses his thighs and his knees to cue his horse more than his heels. Usually you just see the dramatic heel cues in in video games, but in real life, a rider gently but firmly squeezes their knees/thighs far more often than laying into their horse with boot heels, which is a fabulous way to get sent to the moon. One thing I would have liked to see is more riderless idle horse animations. Lazy or bored horses do a very classic pose where they rest their weight on one side, cock a hip out, and jauntily kick a back hoof up. It would have been right at home at the hitching posts in RDR2, and the horses are otherwise so lifelike, I find myself missing this little pose.

Historical bits. As players, we don't have much choice with this, since Rockstar matched bits to saddles rather than letting us customize them. With that disclaimer out of the way: Arthur uses a wide range of bits, some of them much harsher than others, designed to offer more control over a difficult horse's head through pressure points within the mouth. This is historically sound and far from obsolete in modern horsemanship, though I would certainly avoid using some of the harsher bits in RDR2 on my horses to avoid hurting them accidentally. That said, it's important to note that "harsh" control bits (like those wickedly straight-shanked bits you see with some of the cooler saddle styles) aren't instantly or automatically painful. While many of us modern horsegirls may frown upon the just-for-the-hell-of-it use of many styles of old-school, Wild West bit, in the hands of an experienced horseman with a good sense of appropriate rein pressure (which we can assume Arthur is), even a curb bit should not be a tool of pain. In the hands of a novice, however, some of those bits would absolutely hurt a poor horse's mouth and are typically reserved for troublesome (potentially dangerous) animals who may need to be curtailed quickly. I'm assuming Rockstar chose them for style more than characterization... but I do wince when I see those hard stops with the straight shanks, every time.

Horsetalk. We all know Arthur baby talks horses, and that his babble to his horse increases in affection with bonding level and varies a little depending on the horse's sex. But he also does something peculiar and frankly delightful with his vocal modulation on certain horse chatter lines. In those moments where he seems to go a little vibrato, warbling his voice as he talks ("waiaiaiaiaiaiaiat! come bahahahahack!" he calls after a fleeing mustang), Arthur is actually mimicking calming/positive horse sounds (usually a friendly nicker or a greeting whinny) in an attempt to communicate in horse language. While I think a TON of horsegirls have secretly nickered at our horses when no one else is around the stable, making horse noises at your horse is not a "traditional" training technique, and imo is something other gang members would definitely make fun of him for. It is also very adorable. I wanted to add that while horses are excellent at noise commands (like whistles, clucks, kisses, etc.), they usually aren't very good at identifying spoken word commands, including their own names. Therefore, the majority of the talking Arthur does to his horse is just free companionable chatter, much like we babble to our house pets. The command is in the cluck, the leg pressure, the yah, the rein slap; it's not the spoken, "Come on, girl, here we go!" That's just Arthur being a horsegirl.

Saddle checks. If you pay close attention, in cutscenes and in the map, Arthur will occasionally reach down and test various pieces of his saddle. This is particularly true with checking the cinches (those big straps that loop behind the front legs and under the belly), which good riders often do, as saddles can adjust during a ride. Straps that are too tight or too loose will cause a horse discomfort, since they change the way the saddle rests upon them and distributes the rider's weight. You can even watch the saddle shift when Arthur mounts and dismounts, reflecting the changed distribution in weight! This honestly floored me the first time I saw it. Rockstar really consulted people who know their stuff.

Bad Habits. IMO, Arthur's a little slouch-backed in the saddle. This is noticeably worse if he's hungry or sleepy, but even well-fed and rested, his shoulders drop and curve out his spine more than is ideal. This won't hurt his horse, but it will come back to bite him directly in the lower back as he ages, and I argue it's probably biting him in the ass a little now. (More on that below.) Arthur's "behind the horse" etiquette isn't particularly lifelike. In RDR2 (as in life), sometimes idling or benignly messing around behind a horse will cause them to randomly kick, and any equestrian knows not to hang out aimlessly in the kick zone. IRL, if you're about to walk close behind a horse, it's good etiquette to reach out and gently lay a hand on a horse's hip to let them know you're going to pass behind them before you step into the kick zone. I would have liked to see an animation for this, but I'd guess this would have been a real pain to animate without "locking" Arthur in place (as with the petting and brushing animations), so I can't really count this against him in good conscience. He also holds his reins in a full fist rather than between the appropriate fingers. This is a novice mistake, but I'm guessing this is an animation choice more than a characterization one, because I can't imagine getting those wobbly rein physics to rest perfectly between a model's wee little fingers. Which brings us to...

Reins. Arthur keeps a pretty tight (though not oppressive) grip on the reins when he has a horse in motion, facilitating quick communication from rider to horse and increased emotional response from the horse, and he tends to use both reins when he isn't holding something else. This increases control and often allows for clearer communication between horse and rider in comparison to the laxer "rein knot" one-handed Western style. More on that point: Arthur sometimes holds the reins in one hand. This is not lazy horsemanship, but rather a mainstay of the Western riding tradition; holding the reins in one hand allows for a rider to keep one hand free for whatever they might need... usually rope/weapons. Using two hands, one rein in each, does deliver much more refined control (especially with a nervous or inexperienced horse), which is why you often see Arthur switch between one- and two-handed riding. Rockstar also makes the clever choice to make reins “stretchy” so they move with the neck and simulate rider give and restraint, rather than having them just flop around at a static length. This makes reining feel a lot more dynamic and responsive, in my opinion.

Bareback vs. Saddle: To Rockstar's credit, riders' carriage when bareback is entirely different from the saddle carriage animations, and displays a lower center of gravity.

This note is a bummer, but it is, I feel, an important one to know. Arthur is WAY TOO BIG to ride a significant number of horses in the game. Horses are not bikes or cars. In real life, it's extremely important to consider a rider's weight and height and general carriage when matching them with a horse, especially for long-distance rides... and unfortunately, Arthur is prohibitively huge. If I saw a man Arthur's size astride that teeny little Morgan, boots tips damn near dragging, I'd give him a piece of my damn mind. That said, it's just a video game, so if you love that white Arabian or that sweet little Morgan, ride without shame; you are not hurting a pixel horse! But if you're into max realism or a horse an experienced rider like Arthur might conceivably choose for himself, go for something larger, leggier, and stronger. Though Rockstar fictionalized their breeds a little bit, I think one of their taller well-balanced styles like the Dutch warmblood, standardbred, Hungarian, Andalusian, or even one of those svelte Americanized Belgians suits Arthur much more comfortably. Online's Kladruber would also be an excellent choice for Arthur. (Ain't nobody saying SHIT to Arthur Morgan on a heavy breed like a Shire, though they aren't well suited for everyday long-distance all-terrain riding, and I feel sympathy pains about that leg spread just thinking about it. Speaking of...)

Real talk about Arthur's "swagger": Though I'm 100% sure it's a dominance thing for some crusty ol' cowboys, most equestrians don't saunter around Like That TM because they are listening to Rod Stewart croon If You Want My Body And You Think I'm Sexy at all times. That "swagger" is just... well... to be blunt, it's sort of what happens to your gait after you spend all day with your legs straddling a big animal moving on rough terrain. Hang out with some adults who have ridden horses daily since they were wee beans and they'll tell you allllll about what it can do to your posture. Contrary to cowboy jokes, it's not so much about being bowlegged (which is massively exaggerated as it pertains to horseback riding) as it is about lowering one's center of gravity to compensate for things like muscle strain, spinal compression, and lower back pain. Due to the high impact nature of riding, many career horsepeople develop chronic back problems and "swaggers," and for some it's eventually more comfortable to ride than to walk. Not saying you can't hc an Arthur who struts his stuff, of course! Just saying that, for those of you who might struggle to reconcile Arthur's blisteringly low self-esteem in his physical appearance with his "swagger," here's a horse world answer.

Knights Templar'ing it. This is another bummer for a ton of cute fanfic scenes, but riding two-to-a saddle is really not good for a horse. It's not just about raw weight, but about the distribution of that weight and where the pressure rests on a horse's back/organs. A bean like Little Jack sitting right in Arthur's lap isn't going to add too much stress to a horse big enough to carry a tanky dude like Arthur comfortably, but a whole second adult sitting behind a saddle is a very different story. Imagine the difference between carrying someone piggyback versus having someone stand on your spine! It's all about the position. Larger breeds can tolerate riding double for a while, but it should not be done for long distances, and it definitely should not be done if a rider expects to need heavy exertion from the horse. Adults riding double doesn't happen too often in RDR2 (usually just during an emergency), so this isn't a critique of Rockstar or Arthur; it's more so a helpful realism note for fanworks. An experienced horsegirl like Arthur is sure not to ride double casually. Pro-tip: If you want someone to teach your (non-bean-sized) OC how to ride a horse, consider having the teacher controlling the horse from the ground via a lead/lunge line while your OC sits in the saddle.

Oof, that smarts... When Arthur picks up hay bales with short sleeves on/bare hands, he makes a soundless "OOF OOOH EEEE OUCH" face. The first time I saw this, I absolutely lost it with glee. Anyone who has moved hay (or straw; they're different!) with bare arms knows how prickly and scratchy and itchy it is, and it's loving little touches like this that make RDR2's horses feel so darn real.

That's all I can think of for now! I hope this list was at least somewhat helpful, even if it's far from an all-encompassing resource on horsey stuff in RDR2. Happy riding, meatverse horsegirls & virtual horsegirls, and remember to always thank your horse :)

[hollowwrites]

How Charming

Ominis x MC

Summary - I want more interaction between Ominis and MC damn it!! This has made me want to rewrite the Hogsmeade quest to which I’m already doing for Garreth so…throw Ominis in there too. Let Ominis get slapped around by a troll.

This is just pure Ominis in denial. I like to think the reason he’s distant is because he doesn’t know how to feel towards MC.

And I have plans to rewrite the Undercroft argument too so that’ll be fun.

Warnings: None just a rewrite, feel free to change Evelyn to MC or Y/N

Word Count - 1604

~

“Time for a proper Hogwarts Welcome”

Oh for heavens sake

Ominis heard the low chuckle from Sebastian as he took up his duelling position against the new girl.

He’d heard him sound like that before. He spoke to Imelda like it sometimes when he was feeling brave and every single time, Ominis cringed.

Usually, he didn’t care. The thought that perhaps he’d have been better off born deaf instead of blind passed through his mind but other than that, it’s just Sebastian being his usual irritatingly charming self.

But something about this duel made Ominis’ teeth itch.

The sounds of exertion from the two of them helped Ominis keep track of what was happening. His wand alerted him to their basics movements across the raised plinth. She was graceful. And deliberate. Impressive considering she’s never been around magic.

He listened to her cast Levioso confidently and accurate, not ten minutes after she had learned the spell even existed.

Remarkable.

“Good Form” Sebastian purred, and Ominis rolled his eyes.

Even in the middle of a duel.

“I know” she retorted, cockily and he heard Sebastian gasp at her brash behaviour.

Not nice is it, Sebastian

Ominis found himself rooting for her. He heard her effortlessly lift Sebastian off the ground for the fifth time, followed by a thud and the sound of air being forced from Sebastian’s lungs. Ominis chuckled.

Sebastian walked back over to Ominis with his tail between his legs.

“Did you see that?” Sebastian asked in a hushed voice as they stood at the back of the class

“Surprisingly Sebastian, I did not” Ominis waved a hand in front of his face. Merlin, how does your best friend forget you’re blind?

“You know what I mean! That was definitely not her first duel…” Sebastian spat as he stared daggers towards Evelyn “…and I thought she was so sweet in the Common Room”

“She is” Ominis answered far too quickly. He could feel Sebastian smirking beside him, but decided to ignore it “She survived a dragon attack on her way here, she must know something even if it’s just the basics”

Sebastian mumbled next to Ominis about how it would take more than basics to best him and how he almost certainly held back so as not to crush her spirit.

Ominis didn’t listen.

~

“If you want to get the most out of your time at Hogwarts you’re going to need to break the rules now and then” Sebastian had pulled Evelyn aside at the end of class to discuss something with her. She listen intently as he playfully jabbed at her abilities. “Whether it joining a secret duelling club or sneaking into The Restricted Section of the Library-“ he looked at her with a smug smile and a glint of mischief in his eye. “You just have to be clever enough not to get caught”

“And you’re clever enough?” She looked him up and down with an eyebrow raised “Thank you Sebastian I’ll keep that in mind”

“Good, I-“ Sebastian started before she spied Ominis leaving the classroom

“Sorry Sebastian, have to go. See you later” She bounced happily away towards the door.

“Look for Lucan Brattleby near the Clock Tower Entrance” Sebastian called to her as she waved back at him.

What was that about?

~

“Ominis!” Evelyn called out past the little sea of students filing out of the classroom. He stopped and turned towards her voice.

“Evelyn? Am I remembering correctly?” he asked as she skipped up to him.

“Yes, I was wondering if I could take you up on that offer of showing me around the castle. This charm doesn’t work as well as Fig thinks” she stared down at the field guide in her hands and watched as the tiny golden spark bounced from her pages and behind her, leading her back into The DADA Classroom.

“Of course. The lesson being cut short leaves me with some time before Charms”

“Oh you have Charms too? Ah, how charming……oh I understand Sebastian’s joke now!” She felt stupid as she recalled her earlier conversation in the Common Room. Ominis chuckled. He had a pompous laugh but it was sweet and endearing in its own way. She found herself smiling up at him as he laughed at her.

“I do” he smiled and took a step to the side gesturing for her to walk along side him. “Follow me”

“So…As you know, I am unfamiliar with a lot of the things in this world” Ominis could hear her fumbling with the cuffs of her robes as they walked together “Charms, Spells, Dragons…I don’t know what is normal and what isn’t…”

Where is she going with this?

“…And in the muggle world…” she said the word as though she was trying it on for the first time “…there are people whose eyes glaze over when they’re blind for a while so I guess I was-“

“Are you trying to ask me if I’m blind?” He says, his voice heavy with amusement

“Yes…in as tactful way as I possibly can” he could feel the awkward way she was walking and it made him chuckle.

“Yes I am blind” He tries to hold his tongue from making a smarmy remark. After all, she was trying so hard not to be rude about it, even though he knows it is obvious he is blind….But she’s right. Maybe these eyes were commonplace in the Wizarding World…they aren’t but she isn’t to know that “My wand helps me navigate around the castle”

“Fascinating” She says peeking at his wand. She had wandered why he took it out when they started walking. After all he was perfectly content in the Common Room. No wand in sight…She leaned in towards the blinking tip of the wand and he flinched “Oh I’m sorry…”

“Don’t worry.” Ominis could feel his face getting warm. The heat rising from his collar caused him to rub the back of his neck, willing the encroaching blush away. “Consider my wand an extension of myself. You just leant…very close to me.” He laughed again “It just startled me is all”

“I’m so sorry”

“Honestly, it’s okay. I’m just not used to people being so near to me”

Why is it so hot in here?

“Oh you’re going to just hate me then. I quite like being close to the people I like…” she gasped “Not like, but you’ve been kind to me so…”

He tried to listen to her babble on. It was endearing. But his mind kept wandering to the increasingly loud voices behind them.

“Look at them sauntering around like the King and Queen of Slytherin!”

“As if she didn’t have enough attention she’s leeching off of Gaunt now”

“Did you see her in Defence Against the Dark Arts? Thinks she’s all that cause Sallow went easy on her”

“Ominis?” Evelyns voice bought him back

“Hmm? I’m sorry I…couldn’t help but overhear some of the students they’re…perhaps it best I not say”

“Talking about me? I’m sort of used to it now. It’s all I could hear in the Common Room” her voice sounded so defeated. Her sadness hit him like a tidal wave.

“You shouldn’t be used to it” he put his hand on her shoulder, bringing them to a stop just outside the Charms classroom. His eyes were sympathetic as he stared down at her.

“Ah there you two are? You look like a right pair”Sebastian said, his voice appearing out of nowhere as he was lost in Evelyns turmoil. Ominis knows him well enough to hear the slight tint of jealousy in his voice.

“How so?” Ominis said his cheeks burning yet again.

This is abnormally warm weather for this time of year

“You’re both have an air of... austerity. No offence, Evelyn, but you did scare me in the Common Room earlier. Your face looked like thunder”

She giggled and Ominis twitched. His face twisted up into a stern frown as he gazed in Sebastians direction.

“You know, if you needed guidance to your next lesson you could have asked me. I know we’ve just had…a rather exhilarating fight but…I won’t hold it against you”

She was giggling again.

“Well Ominis had already offered to show me around earlier” she said and he felt her gravitate slightly towards him. His steely expression calmed to a coy smile.

“Did he now?” Sebastian said. “Well I shall extend you the same offer then. Speaking of, Professor Weasley has asked me to accompany you to Hogsmeade later.”

“Oh…that’s kind of you. She did mention about going with someone, I was going to ask-“

“Excellent. We’ll head out after class. Maybe some time in the afternoon?”

~

The students all filed into the classroom when Professor Ronen showed. As they took their seats, Evelyn was called away, leaving Ominis a short period of time to chastise Sebastian before class started.

“What are you doing?!” Ominis spat

“I can assure you I have no idea what you’re talking about” Sebastian said honestly.

“You…ugh…” Ominis realised at this point he was overreacting, but he’d already started his tirade. He couldn’t exactly explain why he was angry. Just that the moment Sebastian turned up, his mood had changed. “Smart little remarks in the duel, offering to show her around the Castle AND to Hogsmeade”

“I’m just being friendly” He said, sounding distinctly pleased with himself

“You know exactly what you’re doing”

“Why does it matter? I- Merlin’s Beard! Are you jealous?”

“Don’t be ridiculous” Ominis snapped, that blush rising from his collar again

“Godrics heart…I have never seen you jealous before”

“I am not jealous”

Oh gods, What if I am?

Masterlist

[surr3al1sm]

My Brezziana & Jack (best) friends headcanons

I've had these in my brain for a hot second now (aka ever since I saw them interact bc I was like 'yup besties') but it's time for the world (tumblr) to know.

Everythings below the cut bc there are a lot.

My headcanons about the type of duo they are:

🧡 A true ^^ (Brezz) & :| (Jack) character trope duo

🌹 Brezziana is an extrovert and Jack is an introvert (which automatically makes them even better friends)

🧡 Brezziana has a very high social battery while Jack has a very low social battery.

🌹 Brezziana is an optimist while Jack is a pessimist, but they always manage to find a middle ground.

🧡 Brezziana is a heavy yapper and Jack just sits there and listens.

My headcanons about what their (best) friendship looks like, they start silly but they get more funky at the end:

🌹 One of Brezziana's main love languages is physical affection, while Jack dislikes (I wouldn't say hates but he could live without it) it. Eventually they managed to find a compromise where Brezziana is allowed to offer him a high five daily and a hug once every two days (unless Jack instigates it first)

🧡 Brezziana will send Jack her entire feed, and he takes time out of his day to look at everything and respond to it/like it. Jack rarely sends her anything but when he does she responds within minutes.

🌹 Whenever they're ordering food Jack will say he's not hungry, so Brezziana orders him something anyways. So whenever the food comes out she's just like "Oh but what's this quarterpounder with cheese doing in my pocket?"

🧡 Brezziana encourages Jack to be more confident outside his preformances. (This one I got from @mimikyuu-x so thanks pooks)

🌹 Brezziana always cooks (more cultural) dishes she likes or has been wanting to try whenever Jack's around because she knows he'll at least try them since eveything is better than the bland food they serve at the Swan Tower.

🧡 The only language they have in common is English, but the second someone pisses them off they start roasting them to each other in their respective languages. They don't speak a lick of each others language but understand every word that's said.

🌹 Brezziana's apartment is very brightly decorated, so whenever Jack comes around she dims or turns off all overhead lights to make everything more bearable for him (he grew up as a sad black-and-pink baby, he isn't used to all that colour).

🧡 When they hang out they tend to partake in some sort of active activity (like dancing). Brezziana is just happy to have someone that can keep up with her, and Jack is relieved he doesn't spend time with her in ways his mother would consider useless (he doesn't see it as useless activities himself, but hearing the same opinion about stuff like that your entire life does something to a man).

🌹 Jack has a little voice in his head (specifically Night Swan's voice) thats constantly criticing his every move, and Brezziana is slowly trying to chip away at this by constantly giving him compliments and telling him he's doing a great job.

Jezus christ this is another long ass post. Honestly, if you came this far: I thank you for listening to me yap for so long. I hope you enjoyed my head canons and maybe you even agree with some.

[jamiesfootball]

What are your thoughts on Ted? Is it good he went home?

These are two separate answers but I'm gonna try to combine them into one thought bubble (bear with me).

My short answer regarding Ted's ending is that you can't create a fully fleshed out character for 2-3 seasons and then in the final hour decide he was Mary Poppins all along. The Mary Poppins is meant to be strange, not-quite of normal ilk. She's the static character who leads the change in others, the one who inspires. You don't usually see the inner thoughts and workings of a static character.

From the very first time the audience meets Ted, we understand that this is not a static character because he is literally one of our starting POVs. We see his uncertainty about flying across the globe to go teach a sport he doesn't understand. We see him turning to Beard for reassurance. We see him stick his hand out where it isn't wanted while he tries to find common ground with people in a new country. We see the beginnings of a panic attack at the press conference.

That is is episode one. He is not a static character. He is not a strange and unusual person impossible to understand. He is inspiring, yes, but that is because of his humanity- his kindness.

He is not a Mary Poppins.

Ted is at his most interesting when he is a complicated, struggling, but ultimately kind man who tries his best to show genuine empathy and compassion towards others. The fact that this same trait doubles as a flaw is equally intriguing.

Ted can reassure Sam that Jamie won't be coming back, or Ted can reach out to Jamie when he's struggling and ask him to come back. Both are acts of kindness. He can not do both.

Ted can show Rebecca empathy and understanding for her trying to sabotage Richmond, but it ties his hands on being honest to Jamie about why he was sent away in the first place.

In trying to balance kindness, Ted struggles to be direct. He struggles to come right out and tell people how he's feeling about situations. Despite encouraging other people to talk about their feelings, he dances around his own and avoids awkward confrontations. I think that is the flaw that Ted most needed to explore. At the same time, I hesitate to say he could have learned too much given how he was struggling to process his own trauma with his dad and how it effected his relationships with those around him. (Put a pin here, I'll be back for it in a later.)

Pivoting back to Ted's purpose in the narrative, unfortunately as the show ran through season three, it became too near-sighted on The Message and in turn lost sight of making sure the characters had fulfilling interactions with each other. This especially becomes apparent when it comes to Ted, whose motto in season one is 'be curious not judgemental.' I maintain that season three was a low point for Ted emotionally, and if I were to assign a reason in-universe as to why Ted seemed so off from his usual self, it would be that in his depression, he no longer had the energy to realize he wasn't being curious. One indication of this would be how many times Ted casts assumptions on people in season three, compared to his hey-do-you-think conversational openers from earlier seasons. Some examples would include:

-never trying to figure out what makes Zava tick (this is a big one to me. I think season one Ted would have been all over trying to crack Zava like a nut)

-assuming he already knows why Jamie is upset about Zava joining the team and brushing it off

-assuming that Dr Jacob would propose + assuming that Michelle would say yes instead of trying to ferret out whether

-his assumptions about Henry being bullied (the knee-jerk reaction as a parent to protect your kid is understandable, the lack of delving into the situation and why it happened are more what I mean here)

-his whole conversation with Jamie about his dad. Other people in more succinct words have pointed out how it feels like he fully projected what he needed to hear onto Jamie's situation, and I think that's fairly accurate. This was not a 'talk to me and tell me what's going on so I can better understand how i need to help you' conversation. This was a 'oh that's whats going on? how about you do this? that work? alright then' talk.

So the finale struts back around and Ted has made a decision. He's going home. And it's meant to feel like closure. They play the Cat Stevens song and it's supposed to feel like Ted has finally made a step in the right direction (which is certainly one take on those lyrics but I digress). He's going back home. He's going to be with his son. He's letting go of the damage his father leaving did to him. He's giving up on something and he's finally okay with that. He left Richmond better than he found it and that's what matters.

Everyone else can cry but he's not crying. He's finally with Henry again.

So here's my two cents. And this is definitely just my opinion but-

THAT'S FUCKING STUPID.

Because the only way that Henry OR Richmond exists is in a false dichotomy wherein the two cannot possibly coincide, despite the fact that there are MANY KIDS' SHOWS ABOUT CHILDREN MOVING TO NEW LOCATIONS EVEN NEW COUNTRIES because that is a NORMAL THING THAT HAPPENS IN THE NORMAL WORLD ALL THE TIME.

Like holy shit that is. That is just the plot of a Disney channel show. 'My dad the football coach moved to england to coach the other football.' That is just the plot of a Disney channel original movie with a $300 budget that magically gets a sequel. Is that what I'm supposed to say 'oh no, that could never happen' over? Because I"m already watching a TV show. You can put a show in another show- I'm fine with that.

Remember that pin above? Time to pull it out. Because you know what would have been a more narratively satisfying conclusion?

If Ted had actually asked Henry and Michelle if they'd liked to move to London to be closer to him. If he had actually expressed his fucking need to have both his Kansas family and his Richmond family close to him. Maybe they would have said no, maybe they would have said yes, but you know what? It would have at least opened the door to the discussion about what Ted might need as a person moving forward, whichever way the chips fell. At least he would have done the one thing we didn't see him do all show:

Ask for something for himself. Because he wants it. Not for the good of his family, or the team, or anyone else. Just for Ted.

I am not saying his son isn't the most important thing in his life. I am saying as a goddamn adult person, you can NOT mold your life around your kids. You can't. Full stop. It is not healthy. You put your kid's needs above your own, but as a parent your needs have to come second. You have to take care of your own emotional health so that you have the bandwidth to give them support. You have to set the example of what healthy boundaries and taking care of yourself looks like.

Could Ted make new social connections back in Kansas? Well that's the thing isn't it- season one Ted could have. Easily. Season three Ted? The one who's checked out and looks tired all the time and isn't even following his own motto anymore and didn't even cry like he'd miss his friends when he was leaving? I'm not sure about that Ted. I'm worried about that Ted. I'm worried he's going to put himself in a situation where for the next 9 years of his life his only priority is going to be keeping Henry happy by giving Henry the attention he never got from his own father. And after that? Henry's an adult. Henry has to go live his own life.

And Henry's going to be able to tell, by the way, if his dad is struggling. Whatever Ted's emotional health is like, Henry is going to pick up on it. This isn't a one way road. Kids notice.

Ted untangled himself enough to admit that what he wants is to be close to Henry. I commend that. But then he decided that there was only one way to do that, and he didn't look any further than that. The narrative didn't look any further than that. For a show that itself raises the topic of mental health, it feels tone-deaf to pretend that Ted moving away from his entire support group is a happy ending. He doesn't even have Beard!

So to summarize: what do I think about Ted? I think he's a fascinating character. I think he has a genuine kindness to him that is rare. I think he is flawed, and a little bent up on the inside, and he's got a lot of issues to work through. And I think the show did him a disservice by painting him going back to Kansas as a sign that everything was going to be okay.

[fragolar]

Quite the manners || Geralt Of Rivia - The Witcher

Hello darlings, Back to this for a second round. Previous part. Summary: Lexa and Geralt have a tense meal, teasing each other over their differing manners and backgrounds. They agree to share their secrets in their own ways. Despite their initial judgments, they find common ground in their burdens and responsibilities, beginning to understand and respect each other. They realize that perhaps they are more similar than they initially seemed.

She was eating rather slowly, enjoying the lunch in peace, utter silence after quite a long day. However, the sounds coming from across the table were making it hard for her to continue her meal.

Geralt was eating quickly, clearly hungry, but his movements, while hurried, were not entirely unrefined.

“It’s not like I’d remove the food I just granted you from your plate, Witcher. Show some manners and respect for those who are feeding you instead of letting you rot in the pearly white snow.” Her voice was gentle, though it slightly betrayed her irritation.

Geralt paused, looking at her with a calm, measured gaze. He wiped his mouth with a napkin and slowed his pace. “Apologies, Princess,” he said, his tone even. “It’s been four days since my last proper meal. This is the best food I’ve had in a long time.”

The princess sighed, still somewhat annoyed but appreciating the change. She put down her napkin and stood up from the table. “If you’ll excuse me, my appetite has been satiated.”

“You’re a terrible liar, Princess,” Geralt muttered in a low, husky voice, causing her to pause. Despite her irritation, she found herself momentarily captivated by his presence. “I meant no offense. The food is excellent, and so is your hospitality. I respect your efforts to keep your people safe.”

“Take a bath afterward. You smell like horse manure.” Lexa shifted her attention elsewhere, making Geralt smirk.

“Do you always change the topic when—”

“Careful, Witcher,” she interrupted, trying to mimic Geralt’s manners. However, it only backfired as his little smile grew wider. He rested his back on the chair, his forearms on the edge of the table. Suddenly, her breath was short. They shouldn’t interact like this. Yet it was exciting. Thrilling.

“How come your father decided to keep you a secret? Aren’t royals supposed to embrace as many connections as they can?”

Lexa stood still, debating whether to sit down and talk or to end this interaction. He was dangerous, and his smirk too.

“Because of monsters like you.”

“Touché,” Geralt hummed, pleased with her words. “But I’m asking you for a more elaborate answer.” He leaned forward slightly, his gaze steady. “Secrets can be burdensome, Princess. Trust is hard to come by. But sometimes, sharing them with the right person can lighten the load.”

“Tell me first why you’re suddenly so interested in the promised child after years of neglecting her.”

Geralt’s gaze softened, his expression betraying a hint of remorse. “I’ve been searching for Ciri for years. She’s like a daughter to me, and I made a promise to protect her. But I’ve failed her before, and I won’t let it happen again. The world is a dangerous place, and she needs me now more than ever. So, despite years of searching and neglecting her, I’ve realized that I can’t abandon her. Not again.”

Lexa sat back down on her chair, staring curiously into his yellow eyes. Did she feel empathy? It was hard to tell. The only certainty was that she trusted his words.

“I wish my own Father asked himself such questions.” Her chuckle echoed in the room. “I’ve been but a mere shadow for decades now.” This time it was Geralt’s turn to listen attentively to her words and observe her expressions. Maybe she wasn’t so spoiled after all. “I never understood why, but it doesn’t matter anymore.” Her eyes greeting his. “Finish the food, and go wash yourself. I wasn’t being disrespectful on purpose, you indeed do emanate horse manure.”

“Speaking of horse…”

“Your horse is alive, worry not. She’s in our gardens alongside other horses.”

“That’s a relief, thank you Princess.”

As Geralt finished his bath, he found amusement in the Princess's provocation of adding all kinds of flowers to the water. He felt rather relieved. Upon exiting the bathroom, clothed in the generous garments provided by Lexa's stylists, he encountered the Princess, her hand midair, about to knock.

“Impatient, Princess? Couldn't wait for me to finish?” Geralt's smirk was unmistakable.

Lexa's cheeks began to color as she cleared her throat. “No, not interested. My lovers are finer than your grotesque mannerisms.” Geralt raised an eyebrow, the smirk growing wider. “I'm not here to discuss such scandalous topics. Rather, to inform you that there's a violent storm coming, which will delay your departure.”

“And here I thought I was welcome,” his voice lowered, husky and pungent.

"Partly."

"Partly?"

Lexa hummed softly, holding his gaze, her mind beginning to wander away from her duties. It was a terrible idea to come after he had showered. She should’ve sent a servant to invite him for tea instead. “Remember, I've got your horse and swords,” Lexa warned.

“And what exactly would that entail?” Provocation after provocation. Why was Lexa letting him have so much fun? Did she enjoy it too?

“There's this recipe that involves a horse head stabbed with a silver sword.”

“Lay a finger on my girl and I'll murder all of your livestock.” His tone became unfriendly, clearly not amused by her words. Who knew a Witcher could be so affectionate towards a horse?

“Then don't ask me stupid questions, Witcher. Nor insult my pride.”

Geralt hummed slowly, his voice vibrating in his throat as he looked away and began to walk down the hallway.

They were like cats, wanting to get to know each other but too cautious. Deep down, they both knew how this would end, but they had too much fun to continuously bicker.

Next part.

[fandom-smut-shots]

I'm Sorry Kiss - Katsuki Bakugo

A/N: Based on a dream I had where I got into a fight with Bakugo and ended up in the hospital. I know that Bakugo rejecting someone because he wants to focus on being a hero is kinda overdone but it was the first thing I thought of and I tried to embellish it. Also, I know that Dynamight is his official hero name, but I refuse because I like Ground Zero better. Gender neutral!reader. PS, I generally suck at fight scenes, and I’ve never written for any of the pros before, so I apologize if anything seems off. Words: 3,410

“Bakugo… I like you.”

Bakugo Katsuki stared at the confession in his hands. The letter was long, nearly three pages front-to-back, and the paper was beginning to wrinkle from the intensity of his grip.

How did this happen?

You’d insisted upon befriending Bakugo during first year, despite having been placed in class 1-B and therefore hardly getting to spend time with the blond. You found ways around that; sparring sessions, homework nights, even the occasional movie night in the 1-A common room. You’d spent so much time around Bakugo that they’d adopted you as an honorary classmate, and they were ready to crown you royalty when you’d shown up for one particular game night with the explosive blond in tow. You’d become friends – close friends. Bakugo supposed he hadn’t minded that. But now, here you stood, two years later, presenting him with a letter of your true feelings.

“Uh… Bakugo?”

How could you let that happen? How could he?

“I’m going to be the number one hero,” he murmured gruffly, refusing to meet your eyes. The spark of hope that sat in your chest flickered weakly in response to his tone. You’d spend enough time around Bakugo to know his moods from a single grunt, and right now, he didn’t sound particularly enthused.

“I’m going to be number one,” he repeated. “I can’t do that if I let extras like you weigh me down.”

The flame in your chest was extinguished in an instant, suffocated by the stomp of Ground Zero’s boot. “Bakugo, I-“

“I don’t want to hear it,” he grumbled. His voice was low, nearly unrecognizable. It was a tone you’d never heard from him.

“Just go,” he growled, turning away from you. All you could do was stare at his back as he stalked down the hallway, footsteps heavy with anger. Tears bubbled in your lash line, blurring your vision, but you choked them back, standing pathetically in the middle of the hall.

The rest of the school year blurred into one muddled block of time. Your visits to the 3-A dorm had ceased nearly immediately upon Bakugo’s rejection of your feelings. You passed your friends in the hallway every now and then, and you didn’t shy away from a sparring match during mixed training days, but you kept your distance from Ground Zero and avoided discussing what had happened to your friendship. Mina and Kirishima had known the cause of the rift as soon as you stopped coming around, and they offered sympathetic glances and attempted words of encouragement whenever your classes trained together.

Graduation sneaked up on you before you’d even realized the school year had ended. You walked through the ceremony in a haze, barely tuning into the speeches and announcements. Friends, classmates, and pro heroes congratulated you on your success, as well as your impending position at Fatgum’s agency. You could only hope that Bakugo had accepted a job literally anywhere else, preferably at an agency that rarely interacted with Fatgum.

You weren’t working at the agency long before you were called to join Fatgum on patrol. Your heart hammered inside your chest as you strolled beside the BMI hero down the streets of Esuha City, keeping your eyes out for any lurking danger. This was your first patrol as a fully-fledged hero, and you were determined to make a good impression.

“So, (hero/n),” Fatgum beamed beside you, “what made you choose my agency? Word around the hero ranks is that you had quite a few offers by the time you graduated!”

“Oh!” you fumbled in surprise, heat rising to your cheeks. “Well, I’ve always admired you, Mr. Fatgum, sir. The way you always keep such a positive attitude even in the midst of a dangerous battle is inspiring. A lot of pro heroes are really intimidating, but you’re more genuine than that.”

“Aw, thanks kid! You’re making me blush!” the hero let out a laugh. “But please, just call me Fatgum! No need for that ‘Mr’ nonsense. You’re working with me, after all!”

“Not to be pedantic,” you countered, lifting a hand to scratch awkwardly at the back of your neck, “but technically I work for you.”

Fatgum shook his head. “I know a lot of pros see it that way; they like having subordinates to boss around. But you’ve seen how I interact with Suneater, haven’t you? I like to think of you guys as colleagues rather than employees.”

“I appreciate that si- Fatgum,” you replied with a soft smile. “That’s another reason I chose your agency. You respect all heroes, regardless of their rank or experience.”

Before he could respond, a scream sliced through the otherwise quiet afternoon. You shared a look with the BMI hero before you both took off towards the sound, the local citizens parting the way as you approached. The source of the scream was revealed to be a young woman, maybe a few years older than you, cowering on the pavement beneath a much larger man. Your footsteps alerted him to your presence, and he spun on his heel to face you and Fatgum. His mouth was open, his large tongue hanging down to the ground, tapered at the tip and barbed all the way down. His face appeared disfigured, his eyes pitch black and his jaw unhinged.

“He looks like something out of a sci-fi movie,” you commented, grounding your feet and preparing to activate your quirk.

“Keep your distance,” Fatgum warned. “That tongue looks like a long-range attack, and I don’t think those spikes would be too comfy.”

You nodded in agreement as the man, if he could even be called such, screeched at you, the sound akin to a pterodactyl. Looking lower, you found long claws taking place of his fingers, and a thick reptilian tail extended from his backside. Fatgum stood tall and firm as the mutated villain lunged forward, tongue extending to wrap around the hero’s frame. Once he collided with the hero’s belly, he bounced backwards, landing roughly on the ground. You dashed to the side, out of the villain’s sight, to check on the woman whose scream had caught your attention.

“Are you hurt?” you asked her quietly, checking for any obvious injuries.

“I’m okay,” she insisted. “You two came just in time. I think he was about to eat me!”

You took her hands in yours, helping her stand. “Get as far away from here as you can. We’ll take care of this guy.”

She nodded and bowed her head in thanks before running down the street, blending into the crowd. Just as you turned around, the mutated man turned his attention towards you, having lost interest in his one-sided fight against Fatgum. You could see tears in Fatgum’s costume, evidence that the reptilian villain had attempted quite a bit of damage. But now his focus was on you, and you barely had time to jump out of the way before his barbed tongue lashed towards you. You activated your quirk, but before you could charge in with a single attack, the villain spun around, his tail sweeping the ground where you stood, knocking you off your feet.

Fatgum charged forward, enveloping the villain with his fat and restricting his movements. The villain screeched again, leading you to weakly cover your ears before a flapping sound echoed through the air. Your gaze lifted to find what appeared to be another mutated man in the sky, flying with large, leathery wings. Upon spotting his restrained comrade, he dove down towards Fatgum, his sharp beak-like face stabbing into the hero’s shoulder. Fatgum grunted, stumbling backwards from the impact.

You rose to your feet, ready to rush to his aid when something wrapped around your torso. Looking down, you found what appeared to be scaled fingers as long and thick as your leg secured around your body. Struggling against its grasp, you turned your head to look behind you, coming face-to-face with a third disfigured villain.

Lunchtime found Ground Zero and Red Riot sitting on the roof of their shared apartment building, bento boxes packed by one Bakugo Katsuki in hand.

“What happened between you and (y/n), man?” Kirishima inquired suddenly and with all the subtlety of a stampeding elephant.

Bakugo fixed his garnet gaze on the sky above them. “We’re not friends anymore.”

The redhead huffed a humorless laugh. “Yeah, I know that. I want to know why. You two used to be tight; tighter than you and me, and that’s saying something.”

The blond remained silent.

Kirishima watched his friend, coworker, and roommate for a moment. “What? Did they confess to you, or something?”

Bakugo’s gaze fell to the food he no longer had any desire to eat.

Kirishima’s own eyes widened. “Shit, man. Isn’t that a good thing? You’ve been in love with them since that first movie night they convinced you to join.”

The blond quickly turned towards his friend, brows furrowed as though he hadn’t been obviously pining over you for three years.

The redhead laughed, loud and genuine. “Did you think us extras didn’t notice? You never joined movie night for anyone, not even me. Plus, you let them sit on your lap, and you were practically vibrating when they fell asleep on you. Everyone knew how you felt about them, except for them. And maybe you.”

Bakugo’s expression turned sorrowful and his eyes fell back to his lap. “I know how I feel about them,” he murmured, his voice lacking its usual gravelly edge. “I didn’t want to admit it, but I know.”

“Then why didn’t you accept their confession?” his friend questioned lightly. When Bakugo didn’t respond, Kirishima exhaled a sigh. “You gave them the ‘number one hero’ speech, didn’t you?”

The explosive hero flinched. That was all the response Kirishima needed.

“When are you going to stop using that bullshit excuse to push people away?” he demanded. When Bakugo faced him with wide, surprised eyes, he continued. “You’re going to be number one hero. Everyone knows that. Why can’t you be number one while having a loving partner at your side? (y/n) has always supported you, even back before you were social. They understand how important this is to you. And I know how much you care about them. Why push them away?”

“That’s not why,” came Bakugo’s soft response. “That’s what I told them, but that’s not why I rejected them.”

Kirishima waited, quietly and patiently, for his friend to continue, knowing that encouraging him would only make him shut down.

The blond inhaled deeply before speaking again. “I’m going to be the number one hero,” he reiterated, and the hardening hero knew that it wasn’t just his ego talking now. “What if they get hurt? Being close to me means that villains can use them as leverage, or worse. And it’s like you said - they were there before I was social, when I thought everyone was just in my way. They don’t deserve that. They deserve to be with someone nice, someone like Deku maybe, someone who doesn’t treat them the way I did.”

Only Kirishima ever saw this side of Bakugo - vulnerable, honest, insecure. He knew there was always more to Bakugo’s emotions than the explosive, sandpaper surface.

“That’s exactly why they deserve you, and you deserve them,” he responded softly, earnestly. “You’ve never cared this much about how you treat anyone. You’ve grown so much since our first year at UA, man. You’re a mature hero now, and when you become number one, you’ll have the power and resources to protect people like (y/n). Do you think they would have confessed to you if you were still that antisocial asshat from first year? They’ve watched you grow as a person, grow closer to them. And then you just ripped all of that away.”

Bakugo flinched again. He knew that rejecting your confession must have gutted you, if how miserable he felt about it was anything to go by. But before he could fathom a response, a distress call came in through their earpieces.

“All nearby heroes summoned to Esuha City,” came Fatgum’s staticy voice, and Bakugo’s heart raced in his chest. “(hero/n) and I were attacked, and when the villains realized they couldn’t hurt me, they all launched at (hero/n). I need someone to take them to the hospital while the rest of us take these villains down.”

Bakugo’s heart dropped to his stomach. You were hurt. He jumped to his feet, Kirishima following suit, leaving their bento boxes unopened on the rooftop as they sped to your location.

The steady beep of your heartrate monitor echoed in the otherwise silent hospital room. Ground Zero sat, still in his hero costume, in an uncomfortable chair beside your bed. His elbows rested on his knees as he hunched forward, holding his forehead in his hands. He’d refused to leave the hospital after reluctantly handing you over to the staff so that they could tend to your injuries, demanding an update on your progress every half hour. Were he not a newly popular hero, security would have escorted him away. Thankfully, Red Riot stayed close by to keep the explosive hero grounded while they waited for the doctors to finish patching you up.

As soon as you’d been assigned a room, Bakugo had stationed himself at your bedside and refused to leave. Friends and colleagues had come and gone to check on you as well as Bakugo, knowing that he was irrationally blaming himself for your current state.

“You need to talk to them,” was Deku’s first response upon seeing the blond in your hospital room. Once the villains had been neutralized and Fatgum had been checked over, green hero had made his way as quickly as possible to the hospital to ensure that you had survived your injuries.

“I know,” Bakugo grumbled in response, refusing to look his childhood friend in the eye. He lifted his head from his hands and gazed sorrowfully at your sleeping face, littered with scrapes and bruises. His garnet eyes traveled down your form, taking in the number of bandages and casts wrapped around various parts of your body. He couldn’t help but think if only he’d been there-

“This wasn’t your fault,” Deku commented, his gaze darting between Bakugo’s self-loathing and your peaceful face. “There was nothing you could have done. (y/n) is a capable hero; there were just too many villains. You did exactly what they needed by bringing them here to get help.”

The blond exhaled a deep sigh, as though he’d been holding his breath. “I know.”

A soft gasp sounded in the nearly silent room, and two sets of eyes turned towards you. Your lips were parted and your eyes began to flutter, and Deku took it as his cue to leave. He closed the door behind him, offering the two of you some much-needed privacy.

Bakugo jumped to his feet, but his legs suddenly turned to lead as he attempted to approach your bed. He watched as your eyes opened and you blinked wearily at your surroundings. Hesitation gripped every bone in his body and all he could do was stare helplessly.

Your head turned, catching sight of the blond at your side, and your eyes widened. “Bakugo?” you whispered, your voice raspy. “What are you doing here?”

The sound of your voice was enough for the blond to push himself forward, walking closer until he stood directly beside your bed. His hands gripped at the railing as he looked at you, brows furrowed and mouth agape, his brain struggling to form words.

“I’m sorry.”

Well, shit. He wasn’t planning to jump into an apology. He was hoping to prepare himself a little more first.

Your brow furrowed as you gazed at your former classmate and long-time crush. “Sorry? What are you sorry for?”

“Everything,” he exhaled, dropping to his knees as gazing into your tired eyes. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there when you were hurt; when you needed me. I’m sorry I pushed you away when you confessed to me. I’m sorry I just threw away everything we had.”

Your face turned stoic, and Bakugo’s heart pounded in his chest.

“You don’t have to apologize,” you murmured softly, your gaze drifting away from the blond. “You didn’t return my feelings. You wanted to focus on being a hero. I understood that; I never blamed you for it.”

Bakugo shook his head. “I lied,” he admitted, and his chest fluttered. “That wasn’t why I rejected you, I was just too afraid to be honest with myself, or with you.”

You turned back to face the explosive hero, eyes widened with surprise and the smallest sliver of hope. “Why... Why did you reject me, then?”

He inhaled deeply, steeling his nerves before holding your gaze. He reached up with one hand, gingerly placing it atop yours, squeezing gently when you didn’t pull away.

“If I’m going to become the number one hero, I’m gonna make a lot of enemies,” he explained, his thumb rubbing across the back of your bandaged hand. “With my personality, the media would be all over any kind of relationship I had. They’d find out everything they could about you, and villains would use that to their advantage. They could hurt you to get to me, and I refuse to let that happen.”

“Bakugo...” you breathed, your heart breaking as you considered how he must have been carrying this weight with him since the day you confessed. You squeezed his hand in return to the best of your ability, drawing his attention.

“Bakugo, you forget that I’m a hero too,” you smiled softly. “I’m already in danger, and dating a pro hero is much safer than dating a civilian. We’d be able to protect each other, and I knew when I confessed to you back at UA that being number one was your only goal, and that it would be a dangerous lifestyle. I still loved you then, Bakugo Katsuki, and I do now.”

“It wasn’t my only goal,” the blond murmured, his gaze dropping down to your joined hands. “My main goal, yeah, but I had another.”

You waited patiently for him to continue, teeth gnawing at your lower lip.

“I always wanted to make you happy,” Bakugo admitted, refusing to meet your eyes. “When I let you drag me to those stupid movie nights, or sit on my lap, or snuggle into my chest. The smile on your face was more than worth dealing with my classmates and their stupid stares.”

He rose to his feet, standing before leaning over your figure. Your eyes followed his every move, your free hand lifting to gently brush his cheek. He inhaled shakily at your touch, his hand coming to cradle your face. He leaned closer, his lips ghosting over yours, and your eyes fluttered closed in anticipation.

“I’m so sorry,” he murmured before finally closing the gap and capturing your lips. A hum sounded in his throat as the feeling of finally kissing you washed over him. You hummed in return, your hand drifting down to tug at the collar of his hero costume.

“I love you,” he whispered against your lips, and you chased his words with another kiss.

“I love you too,” you responded before opening your eyes and gazing up into his garnet eyes.

“How about I go home and change-“

Bakugo was cut off by your grip tightening on his shirt, your head shaking adamantly. His brow furrowed as he waited for a verbal response.

“You’re not allowed to leave me anymore,” you murmured softly, and he deflated at the expression on your face.

“Okay,” he smiled softly. “I promise.” He took a step back in order to remove his boots. His gauntlets, mask, headpiece, and neck piece had already been discarded during the hours he waited for you to wake up. His boots soon joined the collection on the floor before he turned back to you and watched as you shifted to make room for him in your hospital bed. He crawled in as gently as possible, outstretching an arm for you to lay on. You curled into his chest, careful not to apply pressure to any of your wounds. His arms wrapped securely, protectively around you, and the next time one of your pro hero friends came to check on you, they’d find the two of you fast asleep and wrapped up in each other.

Writer's Block Masterlist

Writer's Block Fandoms and Characters

[zvtara-was-never-canon]

i think the reason why people don’t like mai for zuko is because zuko is already a very grumpy, angry, pessimistic person and so is mai soo they reasoning is that he needs somebody with a more opposite and optimistic, personality like jin and katara who are more nice and caring than mai idk cause zuko does cheer up a little at the end aand katara is more supporting at the end at least oor that’s what people say idk what do you think? why does zuko chooses mai and not jin or katara? and what do you think of the people who “knows whats best for z ??

Anon, I'm gonna be honest here: the people that genuinely dislike Mai with any kind of bias affecting their judgement are very rare. Anyone who tells you the overwhelming hate she gets, both as Zuko's girlfriend and as her own character, are not 99% the result of zutarians being bitter that she "stole Katara's man" are either lying to you or were lied to.

Mai, alongside Ty Lee, is one of the most chill antagonists of the show. Zuko was far grumpier and MUCH more furious than she ever was. Hell, her main deal is that she is always too chill because she was taught to repress her emotions and not voice her opinions.

THIS is why she is Zuko's true opposite, the yin to his yang. When he is letting his emotions cloud his judgement, she's the voice of reason. And in turn, when she's getting too distant, he makes get out of her shell and connect. They've had their issues, sure, but by the end of the show they were all pretty much fixed.

Also, I would NOT call Zuko a pessimistic character. He has low points and moments of panic, but that boy kept himself mostly sane during three years of exile by holding onto to hope that, maybe, just maybe, this supposedly dead enemy of his nation that had been seen in 100 years was not actually dead, thus his mission wasn't pointless, and he'd have a way home. Just look at how over-confident Zuko is battle and at how many life threatening situations he got himself into because he acted without a plan, assuming that everything would turn out alright somehow. That boy is an optimist. A grumpy, moody, reckless optimist, but still.

Again, that's the kind of situation where he and Mai would ballance each other out. She likes the thrill of these adventures as much he does, but she will NOT act without thinking. Hell, she won't even put up with stuff that is not dangerous but that she considers beaneath her (see her refusing to follow orders in "The Drill").

This is thing that really bothers me about shipping, not just in this fandom: people forget that no one wants to date their clone, but no one wants to date their COMPLETE opposite either. You need common ground.

Katara and Zuko have the same temperament - proud, strong-willed, stubborn, wearing their hearts in their sleeves, and willing to get VERY mean when pissed off (never forget the "The stars look beautiful tonight. Too bad you can't see them, Toph!"). Then being a couple would just BEGGING for them to have some very ugly fights. As for their differences? Like I've said a million times before, their goals in life are so different they wouldn't even live in the same country. How could a romance between EVER work?

Ty Lee's temperament would be a good ballance for Zuko's, but the most common ground they have is they hang out with the same two girls and maaaaybe Zuko believes in auras too since he basically demanded Mai to defend herself when Ty Lee insulted her aura (this is totally not me letting my headcanon of Zuko taking that stuff 100% serious and writting down everything Ty Lee says on the topic cloud my judgement). Other than that, we see that Zuko clearly wants to be Fire Lord, and while Ty Lee just wanted to go back to the circus or travel around with her new friends. We barely get any interaction between them, so acting like there's evidence for her to be his perfect match is quite the stretch.

Same for Jin. They got along well enough on their date, but that was just for short bit of an episode, not even the entire episode itself. That's too little to claim she could be "the one" for him.

With Mai meanwhile, we had a ton of episodes, in which we got to see their relationship's ups and downs, and see that they managed to bounce back from some pretty serious conflicts and still clearly adore each other after it all.

As for Zuko choosing her over any other girl, it's simple. He likes her. He likes her dry/sarcastic humor, how badass she is, how much she enjoys physical affection, how she doesn't put with any bullshit fro anyone (including himself), how she was bold enough to basically tell him, Azula and Ty Lee to fuck off, how pretty she is when she hates the world (unbelievably iconic line) etc.

Mai is Zuko's type of girl, she likes him back, and they are compatible, and thus they ended up together. It's not rocket science.

[ubejamjar]

☆ Common Ground ☆

A little interaction I imagined between my WoL who loves dead civilizations a little too much and a literal fossil living, breathing primary source. Word Count: 311

By the time Ajisai finishes copying the murals in her journal, her friends are long gone. It's an obsession really. Ever since her first visit to the floating ruins of Nym, she’s had a hunger for ancient civilizations that will never be satisfied. Nym, Amdapor, Mhach, the Allagan Empire— all of it fascinates her. Mostly it’s the stories of a people long gone she loves. How did they live? What did they eat? Was floating in the sky a matter of security or aesthetic? She refuses to admit she craves their knowledge, their power. “The hero has an affinity for the arts, I see,” Emet-Selch says. She forces herself to stay perfectly still, determined to not give him the satisfaction of startling her. “History, actually.” “And what is art, if not a reflection of history? A mirror to the soul of a civilization, capturing its highest highs and lowest lows?” Ajisai rolls her eyes; she isn't in the mood to debate philosophy.

It’s been a long day. After only a few seconds of silence, the Ascian sighs, “It was my hope that, bereft of your companions' interjections, we might engage in a more… fruitful exchange. Alas, it appears I afforded them too little credit.” Surely an eternal existence would teach a person patience. She hears his footsteps moving away. “Wait,” she says. The footsteps stop. Ajisai looks over her shoulder to make sure he’s still there. “Oh? Have another task you won't bother to thank me for completing?” His every word drips with sarcasm, "Well? Out with it then." She considers whether or not she actually wants this. I don’t want this, she decides, I need it. He knows a world I never will. I have to know. And though she will not say it out loud, she pities the man who lost everything. He just seems so… sad. “Tell me more about your world. Please.”

[sillywormz]

THEME OF BEGINNINGS AND ENDS YOURE SO RIGHT!!!!!

can we also briefly talk about poor fucking Sam lmao. he is Under Attack by creatures for most of the show. I also low-key. would have loved for kamen and Sam to talk. both of them apologize. maybe that's out of character but I just really wanted some resolution for them. i really like the thought of Ursula talking to him after he dies, she's alone in the captains room or whatever and just talks to him about what's going on. tell him "we're not leaving, but we'll survive"

also. consider. levi painting I think she would enjoy trying all sorts of creative hobbies but I Know her paintings would be stunning!!! AHHH OMG LEVI SINGING TO HER BABIES. KNITTING THEM LITTLE CLOTHES!!! whittling little toys.

sam is literally the show's punching bag poor fella.......... i loved sam sm he's a good guy he didn't deserve what happened to him :-( part of me still hopes that if there's a s2 he could come back somehow even though i know that's completely unlikely lol. i'll miss him a lot

a resolution between him and kamen would've been so interesting, but imo i highly doubt either of them would apologise. kamen is still probably too prideful to apologise bc apologising would mean admitting he's fully responsible for the mess they're in, and i don't think he's ready to accept that yet, or at least he wasn't while sam was alive. and given that kamen got them into that mess and has continued to do shit that makes things worse for everyone i.e., the hollow shenanigans, i doubt sam would see a reason to apologise to him or accept an apology from him........ maybe if they had some time where they were forced to work together and learn more abt each other they'd find common ground and make up but i think it's probably a dynamic that would've been permanently antagonistic, even if sam had survived 😔

I LOVE THE IDEA OF URSULA STILL TALKING TO SAM........ he was her only companion for months and i'd imagine it'll be hard for her to adjust to not having him around anymore. even though they weren't even friends before the crash they ended up relying on each other for survival after it, and imo there was even a spark of romantic chemistry starting up between them............. and then ursula lost him when they were so close to the demeter. i think sam was often a grounding presence for her and they did a lot of mutual mediating and helping for each other, filling each other's weak spots etc. it makes sense that she'd maybe ask him for advice etc even after he's gone, as a way to think through in her head what kind of decisions he might have made in the same situation.

I LOVE THE IDEA OF LEVI BEING AN ARTIST SO MUCH......... she already sings and composes her own music so it makes sense that she'd branch out into other areas as she explores her independence and sentience........... THE IDEA OF HER MAKING THINGS FOR HER LITTLE BABIES IS SO CUTE. i love the idea that even though she was originally just a robot and is still partly robotic, she'd do little kind nurturing things for her kids like other animals do for their babies. bc i guess she kinda IS an animal/organic being now. she's a whole new Thing altogether really, and her babies are the first generation of that Thing after her........ i'd love to see them interact with her more........

[river-muse]

Next round of wall-of-text commentary arrives! This turn is In leaps and bounds.

Gotta say, the POV change in favour of Dante here is a gamechanger. The repressed desire to shake some sense into Vergil is extremely present in each scene, wonderful job there.

ch1. Oh you just FEEL it in the first chapter how hard Dante is concentrating on the jukebox instead of whatever Vergil wants to ask. Well done, well done my fair lady.

The entire 'Nero distraught and Vergil calming him' scene is great. It's a low blow that Dante automatically expected things to go south, even after he saw for himself how much Vergil cares for his son, but that's just how the twins do of the beginning of this. At least Vergil was spared that blow by his own wrong assumption, which Dante quickly adapted to, otherwise it would have been even more heartbreaking.

ch.2...this is just pure miscommunication pain. Thing is, Dante was actually genuinely curious there... Ooof. Also a good pain response check on Dante there, he's been badly burned and that pain is still blinding him. Vergil cornered himself into the worst questions there, and then got on the aggressive defence. Double ow. Delicious pain, all of this.

ch.3 pfff good child story trope, and the final line says it all really xD

ch4. solstice chapter. It's funny how the twins know what's illegal but don't mind about doing it anyway xD. Again, delicious pain at seeing the two let their sleeping dogs lie, in fact, they are actually forcing those dogs to the ground.

No idea where Vergil learned strategy, but I think the best move when hunted down and when your positions are known (as he and Dante confirmed for each other) is to go on the defence, instead of endlessly running himself into the ground, corners and ambushes. Especially, if he thinks he is targeted more. Bait and switch might've worked if there was only one pursuer, but that would require knowing of the attack beforehand, and cooperation between the twins, which they are not yet capable of, I don't think.

Obviously, this silence is brought on by emotional issues too, I just wanted to point out that strategy-wise Vergil is an idiot. It's also very clear to see how much Dante is struggling to keep this thoughts to himself there, he tries so hard just to enjoy the holiday with family together (instead of shaking some sense into Vergil, which has frankly never worked and never will, he is an idiot through and through, impenetrable to common sense from the outside)

ch. 5 Everything about the park chapter is my favourite thing. Absolutely everything about it is perfect. Little Nero on the playground, how he really wants to do everything himself to impress Vergil, but ends up asking for help, which he may not like, but needs to learn how to do. Dante's little brother instinct to annoy his bro at the mention of pizza. The way Nero nails that Vergil wanted to spend time with Dante too (kids can be so smart like that). The way Dante still cannot believe his fortune at having his bro and nephew in his life (even on rare surprise occasions), extremely bittersweet. Everything is great here, and while the bridges are most certainly building, the present and slowly rising tension between the twins is very evident.

(Birthday three-parter commentary next, this is long enough as it is)

Hello again!!! Waking up to these really gets my brain buzzing and ready to do my actual job faster than normal you have No Idea. xD I'll try not to write too many paragraphs in return but OOUUGHH you had some really good commentary here and I won't be able to address it all.

There was a response I gave a comment a long time ago along the lines of "DMC is just Miscommunications: The Musical to me" and it still holds strong because Wow the shit twins are having to re-learn how to interact with each other in this fic.

Reading the line "they are actually forcing those dogs to the ground" for the Winter Solstice chapter knocked me tf out and rewired something in my brain that is SUCH a good way to put it. Chewing on my phone because it's going to live rent free in my head for quite possibly the rest of the series. There are just some things that have to be left alone to keep the peace, and they very much want to try to do that even if it ends up being topics that they're going to have to talk about eventually. Vergil's also still stuck in the travel to survive tactic, which as he spent his youth like that and about five years after the Temen-Ni-Gru doing the same it's become a case of "old habits die hard". He's not aware that his tactic is flawed as all hell. But also both times he's spent extended time in a place where he's felt safe has Always Gone Bad(his childhood home and [redacted (: ] even though the second time he wasn't present for the "going bad" part), so I forgive him for thinking that defending a place is deadlier than keeping on the move.

The POV swaps are fun for me! They're also entirely fuled by my own ulterior motives. Either to hide another character's motivation/thoughts, to show someone else's perspective, or because the POV character's inner conflicts need to be understood because those color how they interact(I'm looking at you, Lady.).

I'd actually felt like the park chapter was the weakest of them with how many times I had to edit it, so I'm flattered that you enjoyed it as much as you did! Some scenes are entirely to get a point across even if they're handled in character and those stand out like a sore thumb to me because I see through my own goals.

Thank you for the comments!! I'm going to rotate these in my head as fast as possible while working on dice <3

Take care, have a good day, and I look forward to your next ask!

[neoyi]

Whats your favourite deltarune character?

Normally, the answer would have been this motherfucker with the frustratingly hard-to-spell-name:

Like anyone familiar with me would understand why I'd assumed he'd be my top pick: Rouxls Kaard has that gentlemanly, dandy appearance and the eccentricity that comes along with it. He's also hinted to be something of a stepfather and a better parental figure (though comparatively, that bar was ridiculously low for the longest time) to Lancer and I do love DILFs. He's even got that whole pirate thing going in one segment in Chapter Two that automatically hits my button.

Buuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuut alas, Rouxls just misses the mark on virtue of not appearing as much for him to land a bigger impression on me, and having some other quirks that I find more annoying than sexy (He's not "roguish", more of a pathetic, overambitious fop and I'm not really into that.) He's close, but doesn't quite land for me.

To my utmost surprise, my favorite character happens to be this little bugger:

I don't like prankster characters, I don't like shitty little children, I don't find little gremlin-like characters appealing, and I certainly don't care for obnoxious schoolyard bullying types either. Lancer, by all accounts, should have been the absolute worst character for me to appreciate, endear, and adore. And yet, here I am, screaming and kicking and pulling the "if anyone so much as hurt him, I will kill everyone and then myself" meme card.

And I think a lot of that is owed to Chapter One's short 4-6 hour length where he gradually developed into a character whose compensated his loneliness and traumatic abuse through bratty behaviors and misdemeanors that no one's taught him to better handle otherwise. I love his interaction with Susie because she, too, isolated herself through bullying and mischief, so she found common ground and a genuine friend she would die for, especially once they do realize how much they mean to each other, and how they can grow out of any antagonism that did routinely harm others. Also, Lancer is damn funny whenever he fails as a villain. It's peak comedy. I imagine if his character grew slower over the course of the currently planned seven chapters of the game instead of just one, I'd be less tolerant of his presence and might have taken longer to warm up to him, if at all.

It reminds to be seen if he'll remind my favorite character by the time Deltarune is complete. The nature of Lancer's character is that his growth was already finished on the first chapter. He didn't get to do a whole lot in the second for me to form much of an opinion, but I've noticed he's mellowed out a lot without losing his scrappy little personality. I'm a little wary if he'll continue pulling a fast one on the main cast (presumably harmless fun at this point) since, again, not a fan of pranksters, but for the time being, he's my fave. I'm also concerned if they'll have much for him to do if any since his character development is complete, but maybe the game will surprise me with another layer of depths that has yet to be unlocked.

I think I could see Queen as potentially taking the rank of favorite character depending on where the game takes her. So rarely do we ever see powerful women who can be eccentric and clownish, but still dignified. She's awesome. I fucking love her.

Goals.

My biggest prediction, though, is that I'm going to come off the eventually completed Deltarune with Susie as my favorite. I do love rough-edged character who simultaneously turns out to be a big, awkward softie.

[emptyblog7]

Dreamlight Adventures: Book 2 Part 1

Here's the second addition in my Dreamlight Series!! @uva124 @signed-sapphire @chillwildwave @oh-shtars This story will focus more on Phoenix, but you may find someone familiar within this second story. ;) This will have three parts so I may just do both this second story and the third story I have today. I hope you enjoy it, and I can't wait to hear your thoughts on this series. :)

DREAMLIGHT ADVENTURES: ROOT OF EVIL

“How’s that, Woody?” Phoenix called breathlessly.

Woody pulled a lever on the side of his Carousel, and the music and lights flickered back on as a result. The wooden horse began to move and the Carousel itself began to spin again. Woody jumped excitedly, “Woo howdy! It worked, Phoenix!”

Phoenix chuckled a bit as she closed the Carousel’s power box and came back to where Woody stood. It had taken them a few hours to find the right parts to fix the broken bits of the Carousel, but thanks to Wall-E’s stash of electronics, both Phoenix and Woody had found what they needed.

As Phoenix knelt down to Woody, he thanked, “I can’t thank you enough for getting this place back up and running, Phoenix! I remember when this place used to be such a wonderful place that reminded the other villagers of what being a kid was like!”

Phoenix smiled kindly. “Happy to help, Woody. If you encounter anymore issues with the mechanics of your Carousel, let me know.” Woody tipped his hat in response, and Phoenix left him to his home.

Phoenix took a route that led to Dazzle Beach, wanting a bit of time just to relax after her busy morning. It had been weeks since she’d returned from her adventure in Rosas, and it didn’t take long for her to get back into the swing of things with her villagers. Some needed help with problems they couldn’t solve, others needed to be guided away from their evil intentions, and still others just wanted to hang out with her. While she truly enjoyed interacting with her villagers (some more than others), she was equally grateful to take a moment to relax. As the ground beneath her went from grass to sand, Phoenix took a deep breath and let out a sigh of contentment. “Wonderful! A moment of peace.”

She came to a dock on the left side of the beach and sat on the edge, letting her legs fall into the water below. She gazed at the horizon and let the sound of the surrounding waves fill her ears, allowing herself to relax from all her duties of the day. All was quiet and peaceful.

“Hi Phoenix!”

Phoenix nearly jumped out of her skin when she heard that until she saw Ariel swimming to her right. Phoenix placed a hand over her heart as she declared gustily, “Gracious, Ariel! You scared me!”

Ariel chuckled. “Sorry! I just wanted to come over and say hello! How’s your day been so far?”

Phoenix sighed, “Busy, but good. I just finished fixing Woody’s Carousel after searching high and low for the parts. Thankfully, Wall-E had some we could use.”

Ariel hummed in understanding. “Wall-E always has the best gadgets and gizmos! It’s funny how a creature like him and myself have something in common. We both love to collect things.”

Phoenix smiled in amusement. “That’s true! Have you two been able to trade with each other?”

Ariel nodded. “Just the other day, he gave me a strange metal thing with a claw-like head in exchange for a tick-tock!”

Phoenix blinked in confusion at the strange terms. “Uh…do you mean a wrench in exchange for a clock?”

Ariel tapped her chin in thought. “Is that what they’re called? Oh, how interesting!”

Phoenix couldn’t help but laugh at Ariel’s curiosity. Her perspective on land life was refreshing to listen to, even if her terms needed correcting.

Suddenly, something in the horizon caught Phoenix’ eye. She turned away from Ariel and squinted towards the horizon. “What in the world?”

Ariel noticed Phoenix’ expression and asked with concern, “What is it, Phoenix?”

Phoenix wasn’t sure. She could just make out a green and black cloud hovering over the water towards the shore. Something about it didn’t seem right to her, and a troubling resemblance came to her, “Why does that cloud remind me of someone?”

Phoenix stood up on the dock and prepared to confront this anomaly. Before she flew off, she urged Ariel, “Could you wait here for a moment? I need to look into something.” Ariel nodded, and Phoenix flew towards the cloud.

As she grew closer to it, she saw the cloud stop its advance and begin to solidify a bit before morphing before her eyes. Phoenix hovered in place just above the water in front of the cloud with her Starlight Staff ready in her hand. The cloud grew taller and more defined in front of her, and her expression went from concern to horror as a familiar staff materialized in the form’s hand. “It can’t be!”

The cloud had turned into a shadowy version of Magnifico! His form was made of the black and green cloud, and his eyes were sharp and eerily green. He looked at her with an evil grin and declared with an echoing voice, “Well, well, well! We meet once again, little phoenix!”

Without a second thought, Phoenix quickly whipped around and shot a magical blast towards the Valley, creating an ethereal dome all around it. The villagers, upon seeing this, were shocked at this development, and some came down to the Beach to see what the commotion was. Phoenix turned back to the shadow as he remarked, “Sorry to burst your bubble, little phoenix, but that dome won’t prevent me from going into your precious Valley.”

Phoenix held her Staff defensively and demanded with a fire in her eyes, “What are you?!”

Magnifico cackled, “Come now, everyone remembers me!”

Phoenix knew who this person was, but she didn’t understand what he was or why he was here. She shook her head in denial. “You…you can’t be real! The High King defeated you!”

Magnifico twirled his staff around and gazed at her with a mischievous grin. He whipped his staff at her face, hitting her right eye with the tip of his staff. Phoenix cried out in pain and faltered in the air as she held her eye. When she regained her bearings, she heard Magnifico declare in a low voice, “Is that real enough for you?!”

Phoenix couldn’t believe this. “But…how?!” she whispered.

Magnifico revealed haughtily, “Looks like playing with that portal to your precious Valley paid off! Perhaps you remember that night, when you humiliated me and took away some of my powers.”

Phoenix did remember that night. Magnifico had tried to force Aster and Asha to surrender Rosas back to him in exchange for the safety of her Valley as he held the portal to her home at staff-point. He had toyed with the portal, and she had attacked him in a fury, resulting in his banishing and his loss of some of his abilities.

A sudden realization dawned on Phoenix. “The green distortion!” She looked at Shadow Magnifico and declared in bafflement, “Some of your corrupt magic escaped into my Valley!”

Magnifico made a flourish, “Correct! And I’ve been making myself at home here in the shadows.” He then thrust his staff towards Phoenix’ neck and seethed, “You will pay for your meddling in my affairs, both you and your precious villagers!”

Phoenix swiped his staff away with her own and retorted, “I will die before you lay a single hand on my villagers!”

Magnifico just shrugged, ill-impressed. “That’s…generally what my plan entails.” With that, he swung his staff towards her side, and Phoenix blocked it with her own with a grunt, and an intense duel ensued.

The villagers who had gathered on the Beach watched worriedly as Phoenix fought for her life against the shadow. Merlin in particular was especially troubled. He tried to use his magic to break the barrier, so that he could help her, but the barrier rejected the spell, and he grumbled, “Oh, confound it all!”

Fairy Godmother, who was nearby, asked worriedly, “What is going on, Merlin?”

Merlin recollected, “I remember that form from my earliest days in learning to become a wizard. He was a dangerous enemy to my mentor, as well as to Phoenix when she found herself in Rosas a few weeks ago. Now it seems, somehow, Magnifico has returned for revenge.”

Meanwhile, Phoenix ducked as a green bolt flew just above her head before firing a Starlight beam at Magnifico. It exploded up against his chest, forming a shadowy hole that quickly put itself back together. Dumbfounded, Phoenix breathed heavily, “What?!” Before it fully put itself together, Phoenix caught sight of a pulsing, purple orb in his chest.

Magnifico made a low chuckle as his eyes sparked. “Nice try, little phoenix.” He then revealed casually, “You know, I learned a new trick while I was lurking under the radar. Perhaps you would like a demonstration?” Without waiting for an answer, the head of his staff began to glow with bright green and purple light, causing the water below them to churn. Phoenix looked worriedly at the sea below her. “What is he planning?”

BOOM!!

One, large Night Thorn exploded from the water’s surface and backhanded Phoenix across the water and towards the Valley’s barrier. She crashed against it with a loud grunt and fell into the shallows, with a handful of muffled, worried cries from her villagers just beyond the border. Magnifico slowly closed in on her and pressed the tip of his staff against Phoenix’ neck in victory and stated, “What was that about you dying before I touch one of your villagers?”

“SHE WON’T PERISH AT YOUR HAND, MAGNIFICO!!”

Magnifico turned around in surprise just as he was met by a new adversary who was sprinting across a magical path above the water towards him with a large magical blast in his right hand. Shadow Magnifico prepared his staff, but he wasn’t quick enough, and the stranger shot the blast at Magnifico’s chest. The light of the blast overwhelmed the Shadow, and Magnifico disappeared with a growl of anger. “I will be back! You won’t get rid of me that easily!”

Silence soon fell as the giant Night Thorn disappeared, and Phoenix used the side of the border to stand herself up. She groaned from the pain in her eye and her midsection until she felt someone help her up. “Are you alright, miss?”

Phoenix turned to the stranger and blinked in surprise. She had never seen this person before! He wore a red-orange princely suit and had brown hair that was tied in a small ponytail. He seemed just a little bit older than Phoenix, and his eyes were a fiery orange.

Phoenix stuttered, “I…I’m okay.” A stinging sensation came over her eye and she groaned in pain. Seeing the issue, the stranger waved his hand at the barrier, causing it to disappear, and led her back to the beach towards her villagers.

Her friends swarmed her with worry, but the first to meet her were Merlin and Fairy Godmother. Merlin cried, “Stars above! Are you alright, Phoenix?!”

Before she could answer, Fairy Godmother fussed, “Oh dear! That scoundrel did a number on you, child!” She then took Phoenix’s hands and led her to a bench. “Come now, let me take a look at your wounds.”

Phoenix submitted to her care as the fairy sent several streams of magic towards her eye and midsection, cleansing her body from the poison of the staff, and slowly healing her wounds. Phoenix exhaled in relief and looked at the fairy with a tired smile, “Thank you, Fairy Godmother.”

The fairy nodded as she urged, “Now, you just rest here until the spell is complete.”

Phoenix sat in silence as Merlin shooed the rest of the villagers away. She was dumbfounded at the fact that a shadowy version of Magnifico had managed to penetrate into her Valley, and though he was gone for now, something deep inside her knew that this wouldn’t be the last time.

Soon, a comment brought Phoenix out of her contemplation. “I don’t think we’ve met, sir. I am Merlin, one of the most powerful wizards!”

Phoenix looked up as the stranger replied with a smile, “A pleasure to meet you, Merlin. I am Yaron. I was traveling to this Valley when I stumbled upon the fight.” He turned to Phoenix as he added, “I’m glad I came when I did.”

Phoenix was rendered speechless. “Who is this person? Why was he traveling to MY Valley?” Remembering something, Phoenix mused, “How did he break my barrier when I’m the only one who can wield this magic?”

Fairy Godmother soon answered Yaron, “And we are glad you came when you did as well, Yaron! Have you come to stay long?”

Yaron nodded, “That was my desire, yes.”

Merlin then purposed, “Well, then, you will need a place to live! I’ll go see if Mr. McDuck has anything from his construction company.”

Phoenix soon began to stand up as she interjected, “I can take care of that, Merlin.”

Merlin gently pushed Phoenix back down on the bench with his cane and countered, “No, you need to rest from that duel.”

“But you know how much McDuck charges for that stuff,” Phoenix protested, “I just recently sold a bunch of minerals, so I have the money to—”

Merlin wouldn’t have it. “No, no. I can take care of it this time, Phoenix, and there’s no argument, rebuttal, or whatever that can change my mind.” With that, he walked off towards McDuck’s store.

Phoenix shook her head as he left, and Fairy Godmother placed a hand on her shoulder, saying, “I suggest you take it slower today, my dear. The spell healed your wounds, but you will still feel a little weakness until tomorrow.” Phoenix nodded in acknowledgement, and the fairy remarked, “Well, I must be off. I still have a few wishes to take care of.” With that, she left, leaving Phoenix alone with Yaron.

After some silence, Yaron came over and gestured to the space next to her on the bench. “May I?” After some hesitation, Phoenix consented, and Yaron sat down next to Phoenix. He then greeted, “I’m glad to meet you, miss.”

Phoenix smiled slightly, “It’s a…pleasure to meet you, Yaron. I’m Phoenix. Gesturing to the ocean, she stated, “Thank you for your help against Magnifico.”

Yaron smiled kindly, “Of course, Phoenix. Magnifico was a dangerous man, and his corrupted magic is even worse.”

Phoenix was momentarily amazed that he knew of Magnifico, but she pushed it aside, agreed with him, and soon stood up. She suggested, “Would you like me to show you around the Village?”

Yaron thought for a moment before stating, “As long as you are strong enough.”

Phoenix waved it off. “Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine.” Taking it as satisfactory, Yaron arose and joined Phoenix as she led the tour.

They walked up towards the Forest of Valor, and Phoenix named each villager that passed by. Yaron greeted them warmly before continuing on. When they came to the steps leading to the Frozen Heights, Phoenix caught sight of a large stump that was hiding around the corner of the stairs. She groaned, “How did I miss that this morning?” She then manifested her Royal Shovel and went to dig it away and turn it into sticks. However, her magic was depleted from the fight with Magnifico and the impact of the Night Thorn, and she leaned her head against the shovel in fatigue.

Seeing this, Yaron urged, “Here, let me. If you don’t need them, I might need the sticks for later.” Without waiting for an answer, Yaron formed his own shovel out of his magic. He dug and transformed the stump with ease, and he picked up the sticks that had appeared.

Phoenix watched this all happen in utter surprise. “How in the world?! I thought only my Royal Tools and my Dreamlight magic could remove debris like this.”

Once Yaron was finished, he turned to Phoenix and asked, “Are you sure you are alright enough to show me your Valley? I can always wander around and get a feel for where everything is that way.”

Phoenix caused her shovel to disappear before answering, “It’s alright. I should be back to normal soon enough.” She then gestured to the Frozen Heights and remarked, “Up here is where Anna, Christof, and Olaf live, though I’m not sure if they’re home right now.” Yaron acknowledged and they continued onward, leaving the green grass for the snow-covered landscape.

As they crossed the bridge leading to Anna’s castle, Phoenix caught sight of a small Night Thorn that had been hidden by a few trees. She sighed as she muttered, “It’s amazing what I miss these days.” She then prepared her magic to blast the thorns. Much to her chagrin, however, her magic sputtered, unable to remove the Thorns.

Yaron noticed the issue and encouraged, “Allow me.” He then shot his magic at the Thorns, disintegrating them in an instant. Once finished, he remarked, “There. Much better.”

Phoenix’ eyes widened with even greater surprise. “Wait. What?! Merlin told me only Dreamlight magic could remove these Thorns! How is Yaron able to remove them?!”

Yaron brought her out of her contemplations and urged, “Please, Phoenix. Why don’t you go home to rest. Fairy Godmother said you would be weak until tomorrow; I can find my way around the Village, and if I find any more debris, I can take care of it.”

“Unbelievable.” Yaron had caused more questions to pop up in her mind than any magical mystery she’d encountered! However, Phoenix had to concede to Yaron’s argument. She did feel weak from Magnifico’s attack, and forcing herself to continue wasn’t helping her. “Perhaps I can find answers after I rest. This Yaron character is truly strange!” With that, she submitted to Yaron’s urging and went home to rest.

LATER THAT DAY…

Phoenix exited her house just as the sun was descending in the horizon. She exhaled in relief, refreshed from the rest she had taken. “Ah! I feel so much better!” She thought of going to Remy’s restaurant for dinner, but then she remembered something, “I wonder if Merlin knows anything about this Yaron character, or at least how he has magical abilities similar to mine. If anything, I should at least see if he can figure out why this Shadow Magnifico is here.” With that, she set out to find Merlin.

After a bit of wandering, Phoenix found Merlin outside his home reading through a book of his. She made her way to him and greeted, “Good evening, Merlin!”

Merlin looked up from reading and smiled. “Why Phoenix! Good evening! You are looking much better than when you did earlier today.”

Phoenix nodded, “I took a bit of a rest in my house at Yaron’s urging. That helped a lot.”

Merlin hummed in understanding. “And how is our new friend adjusting?”

Phoenix rubbed the back of her neck. “Well, I’m not sure, actually. I really haven’t checked up on him since I woke up.” She then faced Merlin squarely and revealed, “Actually, that’s what I wanted to talk to you about.”

Merlin quirked a brow. “Oh?”

Phoenix explained, “Well, before he urged me to rest, I was showing different parts of the Valley to him, but there were bits of debris that I missed in certain biomes. I found that I was too weak to clean them up, but Yaron was somehow able to create a version of my Royal Tools to take care of the debris! He was even able to remove a stray Night Thorn I had missed, something I thought only Dreamlight magic could remove.”

Merlin was surprised. He stroked his beard in thought. “My, my! That is peculiar. And he doesn’t look like another Valley Ruler; his attributes don’t quite fit one. In fact, with all my memories, I don’t believe I’ve seen his realm within the Dream Castle!”

Phoenix was amazed. “Then where in the world is he from and how did he get to my Valley?”

Merlin shook his head. “I’m afraid I don’t have the faintest idea, Phoenix. Regardless of that, Yaron seems to be quite friendly, so I doubt his strange abilities or his mystery are of much concern.”

Phoenix hummed in indecision. “I suppose he does seem friendly. It’s just that…well…I don’t know! Do you think you could still look into this, just in case?”

Merlin seemed concerned. “Well, this is rather peculiar of you!”

Phoenix tried to explain, “Well, it’s just that none of the other villagers have abilities like mine, but suddenly Yaron comes along and does exactly what I can do with Dreamlight magic. It’s a little…disconcerting.”

After some thought, Merlin declared, “I will have to do some research on this topic. I need to do research anyways on that Shadow you fought, so an additional topic wouldn’t hurt.”

Phoenix thanked Merlin. “Thanks, Merlin. I do appreciate it.” She then turned towards Remy’s restaurant and revealed, “Well, I need to get something to eat before I can think of anything else.”

Merlin acknowledged, but before she went her way, Merlin challenged, “Phoenix, I do sympathize with your concerns about Yaron, but I want to challenge you to get to know him on your own. That’s the only way you got close to the rest of the villagers here; Yaron is no different.” Phoenix, though skeptical, acknowledged and went her way.

The bell above the restaurant’s doorway rang as she entered, and she was soon greeted by the mouse chef himself. “Bonjour, Phoenix! What can I do for you today?”

Phoenix smiled. “Just a table for one, Remy. Thanks!”

Remy nodded and led Phoenix to a table that was on the left side of the restaurant. As she sat down, Remy stated, “I’ll be back to take your order.” Phoenix acknowledged, and Remy scurried back into the kitchen.

Phoenix then opened her menu and perused the options for the day. Remy was always the best cook in the Valley, so she never went wrong with any of the meals she picked. Still, she had a hankering for something fried today and searched the menu for the best option. “Hmm…maybe the fried fish entrée would be good tonight?”

“Excuse me, Phoenix?”

Phoenix flinched in surprise until she saw Yaron coming to her table. She relaxed a bit as she spoke, “Oh! Um…good evening, Yaron. Are you enjoying the Valley so far?”

Yaron smiled kindly as he answered, “I am. This place has quite the character, and many of the villagers have been very welcoming.” He then gestured to the seat on the other side of the table and asked, “Do you mind if I join you for dinner? Remy said that you wouldn’t mind, but I figured it was best to ask you before assuming.”

Phoenix hesitated before supposing, “I guess it wouldn’t hurt to get to know him a little.” She nodded in consent, and Yaron sat on the other side of the table.

Right then, Remy came over to take their order. “Have you two decided on what to order?”

Phoenix nodded. “I think I’ll have the fish entrée, fried please?”

Remy asked, “Does it matter what sort of fish? Moana caught quite the variety today.”

Phoenix hummed, “Why don’t you surprise me. I trust your palate.”

Remy shook with excitement before turning to Yaron. “How about you? Or did you still need a minute?”

Yaron thought for a moment before answering, “I think I’ll try what Phoenix is getting with the same parameters.”

That took Phoenix by surprise, but Remy nearly jumped for joy. “Something tells me you’re going to be another one of my favorite customers, Yaron!” With that, he went into the kitchen to prepare the meal.

Phoenix and Yaron sat in silence as he did. Phoenix wasn’t sure how to start a conversation with him, unlike her interactions with the other villagers. To her, Yaron seemed quite different than the rest, and she just wasn’t sure how to handle his mystery. “Someone who suddenly appears and is able to do exactly what my magic can do? This is utterly bizarre.”

Soon, Yaron spoke, “How are you feeling after your rest, Phoenix?”

Phoenix answered politely, “I’m feeling a lot better, Yaron. Thank you.” Yaron acknowledged with a smile, and Phoenix mused, “I’ll have to wait and see what Merlin can come up with as far as this new Magnifico problem is concerned.” Remembering what happened in Rosas, she added sharply, “Shadow or not, he has another thing coming if he thinks he can endanger my villagers.”

Yaron hummed, “I don’t disagree, but it doesn’t seem like they are his main concern. I would advise caution in how you handle this crisis. Magnifico’s corrupted magic is formidable, and this Shadow seems to have his eyes set on you.”

Phoenix quirked a brow. “You…seem to know a lot about this.”

Remy soon brought their food, and the two of them thanked him before he went to take care of other customers. As they started eating, Yaron answered, “I’ve come up against many things like Shadow Magnifico.” Phoenix hummed in response, and they ate in silence.

After the meal, the two of them left the restaurant. Night had fully fallen in the Valley, and Phoenix sighed with a realization. “I slept a good portion of the day away! I might have a long night ahead.” Then she had an idea, “Magnifico said something about being underground. I wonder if I can pinpoint where he’s hiding.” With that, she started towards Dazzle Beach.

Yaron, upon noticing her head away from her house, asked, “Where are you going at this time of night?”

Phoenix stopped for a moment and answered simply. “I’m just…checking on something. I slept most of the day away, so I don’t think I’ll get any sleep tonight. I figured I’d do a few things to pass the time.”

Yaron asked, “Do you need any help?”

Phoenix shook her head. “No, I’ll be fine. Thanks anyways.” Though hesitant, Yaron said farewell to her before she headed down to the Beach.

Once she made it to the far-left side of the Beach, she entered one of the deeper caves and walked cautiously through in search of any clues on Magnifico’s whereabouts. She held a bright Dreamlight orb in one hand to allow her to see in the dark cave halls, giving her path a little bit of a purple-blue hue. She brought out her Starlight Staff from her mist just in case Magnifico decided to jump out at her. An unsettling silence hung over the cave halls as Phoenix descended deeper and deeper. She focused so heavily on what was in front of her that she didn’t notice another light begin to follow her from behind…

She soon found herself in the deepest part of the cave. It was a large room with a pond towards the back and a few rock spires jetting up from the cave floor. Seeing that it was darker than before, Phoenix tossed her Dreamlight orb up and swung her Starlight Staff towards it like a baseball bat, sending the orb up into the cave ceiling. Upon impact, the orb brightened the cave room, allowing Phoenix to see comfortably. She scanned the room for any signs of Shadow Magnifico, hoping to get the jump on him and end the crisis before it started.

Unbeknownst to her, however, she didn’t notice that the shadow that was cast from the lightning was morphing into Magnifico from behind her. His eyes soon flashed to life when he saw her back turned to him, and with a low chuckle, he pointed his staff at her, preparing a large blast at the tip.

SCHWISSH!! BOOM!!

Phoenix gasped at the noise and whipped around just in time to see Shadow Magnifico disintegrate from a white blast, and Yaron enter the room. Phoenix’ eyes widened. “Yaron?! What are you doing here?!”

Yaron explained, “Letting you go on your own didn’t sit well with me, so I decided to follow you.” Gesturing to where Magnifico once stood, he added, “It looks like my gut was right.”

Phoenix wasn’t sure how to respond except with, “Well, thanks…again.” She then went to leave. “I should probably check on a few other…things.”

Phoenix went to pass Yaron, but this time, he didn’t let her go. He placed his hand on her shoulder and urged, “Phoenix, wait!”

Phoenix looked at him in surprise. “What is Yaron getting at?” She turned to him as he stated, “Listen, I know I’m new to your Valley, but I cannot in good conscience let you go alone. Magnifico clearly has a desire for your demise and at the first chance he gets, he will take it.”

Phoenix pointed out, “Seriously, Yaron, you don’t have to worry.”

Undeterred, Yaron replied, “All the same, Phoenix, let me accompany you tonight. I’d feel a lot better knowing that you weren’t wandering around this Village at night on your own.”

Phoenix thought about his proposition. Nearly everything about Yaron was either confusing or surprising her, and she had hoped to wait until Merlin knew more about him before fully interacting with him. Still, she had to concede that wandering around the Valley was a lonely pastime, as everyone had turned in for the night. So, with a sigh, she answered, “Alright, Yaron. You win, but I can tell you that you don’t have to worry about me.”

If Yaron had a comeback, he chose not to say it. Instead, he thanked her, and the two of them walked out of the cave and back into the Valley.

THE NEXT MORNING…

Phoenix arose just as the noise of the morning reached her ears. Though she was more tired than most mornings, due to last night, she forced herself to get up and get ready for her morning chores. Last night, she had wandered around the Valley with Yaron accompanying her, since she had slept the day away after the Magnifico incident. The time had been quiet, as Phoenix didn’t know how to start up a conversation with Yaron, but he didn’t seem to mind. Once the moon was at its peak, Yaron had escorted her to her home and thanked her for allowing him to accompany her. Phoenix had acknowledged with a tired smile, and the two of them went their separate ways.

Once Phoenix was fully ready, she left her house and wandered around in search of any debris that had appeared the night before while she had slept. A few villagers were already out and about, and they greeted her warmly; most villagers, however, were still sleeping.

Phoenix started with the Plaza, as it was the first place she came to after leaving her house. Today, there were a few rocks jetting up from the paths, but nothing too ridiculous. She then moved down to the Peaceful Meadows and caught sight of several dark mushrooms that had grown around Goofy’s house. Using her Royal Watering Can, she disintegrated the mushrooms and transformed them into smaller, edible mushrooms.

That’s when Goofy exited his house. When he saw Phoenix, he greeted, “Good morning, Phoenix! Gawrsh, what a lovely morning to be out and about!”

Phoenix chuckled. “Good morning, Goofy! Any plans for the day?”

Goofy scratched his head in thought before answering, “Well…I might do some fishing today, but other than that…I might just see what the day brings. Who knows, I might get a few customers at one of my stalls!”

Phoenix remarked, “Well, perhaps one of those customers might be me later on. I think I might be low on one of my crops, so I’ll need to check that later.” Goofy agreed, and Phoenix continued on her rounds.

She eventually came into the Frozen Heights. Once she scaled the steps leading there, she gasped at what was before her. “These ice spikes are larger than usual…and of course, this is where the Night Thorns chose to sprout.” With that, she brandished her Pickax and got to work.

As she delivered blow after blow to each ice spike, she was grateful to see that it didn’t wake up Anna or Christoph. With every impact of her Pickax, the ice spikes were transformed into unique snowballs that didn’t melt. These often proved helpful when Phoenix crafted decorations for the Frosted Heights; for now, however, they served as a modest means of income. When she finished destroying the ice spikes, she turned her attention to the Night Thorns, using her Dreamlight magic to remove them from the snow and ice.

She eventually came to the last Night Thorn, which had latched onto a nearby tree. She exhaled in exhaustion, but she found that she had just enough strength left to remove this last one before needing to take a moment to rest. “Finally, one more!” With a flourish, she sent her blast towards the Night Thorn.

RRRRUMMMBLEE!!! BOOM!!

The small, yet powerful, explosion sent Phoenix staggering backwards and grasping the Dreamlight Tree for support as she saw a troubling sight. “What?!”

The Night Thorn that she had blasted had grown in size and was slithering about in the general vicinity, as if looking for something. Shadow Magnifico then appeared next to it, cackling at having caught Phoenix in his trap. He glared at her and declared, “Surprise!”

This wasn’t what she was hoping for this morning. Phoenix manifested her Starlight Staff in her hand and prepared to attack, but her exhaustion overcame her so that she couldn’t cast a spell. Magnifico then sent the Night Thorn towards her, which coiled around her in a tight grip and brought her to him. Phoenix tried to wriggle out of the Thorn’s hold, but her arms and wings were cut by the barbs, and she groaned from the pain.

Once she was face to face with Shadow Magnifico, he grinned evilly and revealed, “I told you that you hadn’t seen the last of me, little phoenix. No amount of your Dreamlight magic can stop me from taking my revenge on you.” He looked around before adding, “And it seems like your ‘hero’ can’t do anything about that.”

“Think again, Magnifico!”

Magnifico looked up just in time to see Yaron jump from a cliff and drive a bright ethereal javelin through his shadowy form. He faded away in an instant, and the Thorn disappeared with him, releasing Phoenix. She collapsed onto her hands and knees and struggled to stand up from the pain and exhaustion.

Yaron came to help her and led her gently to a nearby bench. Phoenix held her right arm gingerly as Yaron asked, “Are you alright, Phoenix?”

Phoenix nodded. “Yeah, I’ll be fine.” She then went to leave. “I’d better get something to eat before I get any weaker.”

Yaron protested, “But you are wounded! Let me take care of those cuts for you before you go.”

Phoenix waved it off. “No, no, I’ll be alright. Thanks!” Without waiting for a response, she walked away.

Sometime later, Phoenix came to Ariel, who was waiting by the dock, with a recently found diamond from the Forgotten Lands. Phoenix bent down and handed it to Ariel and declared, “Here we go, Ariel! I hope that helps your collection!”

Ariel squealed with glee. “Thanks, Phoenix! This helps a lot!” She then chuckled, “You know, as I’m a mermaid, I can’t really find gems like these on my own. Thanks for your help.”

Phoenix smiled, “Anytime!” She then left Ariel and wandered towards the right side of the beach until she saw a strange sight in front of her. “Wait…what?!”

Yaron was conversing seriously with Scar. Scar appeared to try and wave off the topic, but Yaron wouldn’t let him go until the lion heard him. Judging by Yaron’s countenance, he was dealing with another misdemeanor from Scar. She mused, “I usually handle that stuff. What could’ve happened?”

Right then, Yaron noticed he had company and turned to her. “Phoenix! How are y—”

Phoenix didn’t wait for him to finish. She walked up the steps leading to the Peaceful Meadows.

At noon, Phoenix was going to Remy’s restaurant to get some lunch. When she came close to the entrance, she stopped short when she saw Yaron handing Remy some ingredients. “There we are, Remy,” he stated. “These should be what you were looking for to make that special recipe you were remembering earlier.”

Phoenix’ eyes grew wide. “Remy had a recipe he needed help with? How did I not find this out?”

Remy thanked Yaron. “Thanks a lot, Yaron! This will help a lot. I’ll make this new recipe the special of the day tomorrow!”

Yaron chuckled until he noticed Phoenix just standing there in bafflement. He greeted her, “Good afternoon, Phoenix! Since you’re here, would you like to have lunch with—"

He didn’t have time to finish before Phoenix decided to get leftovers from her house for lunch.

Later that day, Phoenix was helping with repairs on Christoph’s sled on the Frosted Heights, adjusting some of the underlying structures to make the sled’s base more secure. After straightening the last center beam, Phoenix slid out from under the sled and exhaled, “There. That should keep it from wobbling anymore.”

Christoph helped her up as he thanked, “Thanks a lot, Phoenix.” He patted the front of the sled as he explained, “This baby has been with me since my first ice delivery, so it’s very special to me.”

Phoenix was glad she could help. After saying goodbye to him, she made her way across the bridge until she caught sight of another interesting exchange.

Olaf stood closer to mountainside and urged Yaron with a playful chuckle, “Come on, Yaron! Do it again!”

Yaron made a slight smile before asking, “Are you sure falling apart like that doesn’t affect you?”

Olaf was bouncing with excitement. “Oh no. It’s actually funny when I fall apart. I mean, I always get back together anyways.”

Yaron shrugged, “Good point. Are you ready then?” Olaf nodded, and Yaron sent a stream of magic that swirled the winds around Olaf, causing him to float and flutter in place. The lack of gravity caused his three parts to separate, and Olaf giggled with glee as he floated higher and higher. After a few minutes, Yaron caused the winds to subside, and Olaf slowly dropped back down to the ground. While Olaf’s bottom half landed on its feet, the other two parts tumbled to the side. Olaf’s head was on its side, and he quipped, “Look at that! I’m all over the place again!”

Yaron laughed outright as he came over to put Olaf back together. As he straightened Olaf’s head, he remarked, “That was quite fun, Olaf!”

Olaf answered with a grin, “See, I told you it would! Thanks for playing with me, Yaron!” he then laughed, “’Yaron’. What a funny name!” After composing himself, he added, “I would’ve asked Phoenix to play with me, but she seemed really busy with something.”

That comment hit Phoenix a little harder than expected. Had she really been that busy?

Yaron sympathized, “Cheer up, Olaf. Phoenix has had a lot of things to deal with as of late, but once that clears up, I’m sure she’ll be able to play with you again.”

Olaf remembered. “Oh, you mean that weird cloud man?”

Yaron nodded, “That’s right, Olaf.”

Phoenix placed a hand over her heart at the heaviness that suddenly came over her. Olaf was always such a kind soul and a burst of sunshine! “I…didn’t mean to neglect him!” Her face soon felt hot, and she began to walk away before tears could form.

SNAP!!

Phoenix’ breath caught, and she turned to see that Yaron had spotted her again. Concern flitted across his face when he saw her flushed countenance, and he called, “Phoenix? What’s wr—"

Phoenix—not wanting to engage with him at the moment—bolted.

“Phoenix!” Yaron called, “Wait!” He arose and went after her. He was quite done with her running away from him, and he intended on catching her this time. “Why does she keep doing this?”

Phoenix swung around the incline that led down to the Plaza and turned around for a moment to see that Yaron was pursuing her. Having an idea, she waved her hands and teleported away just before Yaron caught her.

Yaron stopped at the end of the incline when Phoenix disappeared. Undeterred, he sprinkled a bit of magic where she had stood, and the white sparkles began floating from that point towards the Dream Castle, betraying Phoenix’ whereabouts. Yaron breathed, “You’re not getting rid of me that easily, Phoenix.” He then jogged up the bridge leading to the Castle.

Meanwhile, Phoenix had reappeared on the highest floor of the castle and collapsed onto her knees next to the large fountain, crying over what she’d witnessed. There were so many needs she had missed, and Olaf’s sadness hurt her even more!” She wondered to herself, “How can I possibly cover every single villager’s needs?! I still need to check with Merlin on what he’s learned concerning the Shadow Magnifico and Yaron and it’s almost the end of the day!” No solution came to mind, and she wept at her apparent negligence.

Unbeknownst to her, Yaron had found her in the castle. He followed the sound of her crying until he came up to where the main fountain stood. When he saw Phoenix crying, he sighed as he slowly came to her. “Phoenix?”

Phoenix looked up with surprise and saw Yaron kneel by her side. She wiped some of her tears away before asking, “How did you find out I was here?”

Yaron smiled slightly, “I have my ways, Phoenix.” He then became serious as he asked, “What’s wrong?”

Phoenix shook her head, “I’m…fine.”

Yaron remarked, “That is a lie and you know it.” Phoenix sighed, and Yaron urged, “Please, Phoenix! You’ve been avoiding me all day, and frankly, I’m a little tired of it. I want to help you, but you keep fighting me!”

Phoenix retorted, “Well, what do you expect! You suddenly appear in my Valley and make it your home, and then you do what I tend to do as the leader of this Valley!” She groaned, “I hardly know you, and you’re already inserting yourself into everything!”

Yaron’s eyes widened at the implied accusation, “I’m not seeking to replace you, Phoenix! All I ever wanted was to help you, to get to know the villagers, and to be your friend! You have so much to take care of in Dreamlight Valley, and with the added crisis of Magnifico, you can’t handle all of that on your own.”

“Why do you care so much?!” Phoenix cried flabbergasted. “I only just met you yesterday!”

Yaron replied, “It is my nature to care as much as I do, Phoenix. Beyond this…well, it is as I said: I want to be your friend.” Phoenix sighed loudly, and Yaron continued, “Listen, I know my introduction to you was a bit…abrupt, but if you would just please give me a chance, I’m sure you’d find that your reservations about me are unfounded.”

Phoenix thought about Yaron’s proposal. Though she didn’t understand who or what this Yaron character was, she couldn’t deny that he had been nothing but kind to her and her villagers since he first came. Without turning to Yaron, she admitted, “I…heard how Olaf felt about my busyness, when you were playing with him. When I heard it, I felt so terrible about having neglected, not only his needs, but the other villagers who you were helping that I just…”

Yaron groaned in understanding. “You didn’t neglect any of your villagers, Phoenix. Take it from me, a ruler’s work is never done, and you in particular can’t possibly cover every villager’s needs all at once. Olaf was just…not understanding what was going on, in his own innocence, but he does now, and I’m sure that like Olaf, none of your villagers hold it against you.”

Phoenix felt a little better at his encouragement. Still, she wondered aloud, “But what about this Shadow Magnifico problem?” She clenched her fists as she revealed, “I’d never forgive myself if he somehow targeted one of my villagers in order to get to me.”

Yaron calmed, “You don’t have to face this on your own, Phoenix, and frankly, I don’t want you to.” Phoenix turned to him as he urged, “Please, give me a chance!”

Phoenix sighed. After he had risked his life to defend her from Magnifico twice, she couldn’t deny that she owed him that much at least. Facing him squarely, she stretched her hand out to him and conceded, “Alright. I’ll give you a chance.”

Yaron was pleased. He shook her hand sincerely as he said, “Thank you, Phoenix. That means a lot.”

Phoenix then added as she rubbed the back of her neck, “And…I’m sorry for running away from you today.”

Yaron smirked as he answered, “It’s alright, my friend. I know this has been a little difficult for you.” His eyes then sparked as he added, “And…since you’re here, perhaps I can now tend to those cuts you still have.”

Phoenix looked at her arms in slight surprise. She had nearly forgotten about the cuts she received from that morning. She answered, “Oh, right. I suppose I owe you that much.”

The two of them arose, and Yaron remarked as they walked down the stairs of the castle, “You don’t owe me anything, but I’m glad you’ll let me do this.” They then stopped, and Yaron took Phoenix’ hands in his, allowing a bright light to engulf her arms and wings. Phoenix gasped as she watched her cuts disappear when the light touched them. When the light subsided, Yaron released her hands, and she said in a small voice, “Thanks, Yaron.”

Yaron beamed, “Anytime, my friend.”

THE NEXT DAY…

Phoenix walked out of Scrooge McDuck’s store after doing her routine perusing of the morning. Before she completely walked out the door, she turned back and called, “Thanks, Scrooge!”

Scrooge called back, “Always happy to help a loyal customer, lass! Bye bye!”

Phoenix couldn’t help but chuckle a little bit as she looked through her Dreamlight mist that held her new purchases. It was times like these that she was grateful to wield this sort of magic, as it made it easier to carry large furniture and a larger quantity of stuff if she needed. “It makes shopping so much simpler!”

“Good morning, Phoenix!”

Phoenix turned to her left and noticed Yaron coming to her to greet her. She responded, “Oh! Good morning, Yaron! How are you?”

Yaron, visibly pleased that she was engaging with him, replied, “I’m doing fine, my friend.” He then added with a smirk, “Though I did wake up to the sound of Donald having a tantrum near my house. Something about a ‘little blue rascal’.”

Phoenix groaned. “Stitch!” She sighed gustily, “He must’ve pranked him or something. Donald is his favorite prank victim.”

Yaron hummed. “I’ve seen this blue fella. I know he does care about how high his ‘badness level’ is, but he certainly is a mischievous little villager.”

Phoenix stated, “I may need to look into that later, but for now, I have a few things I need to take care of.”

Yaron suggested, “Perhaps I can take care of the debacle between Stitch and Donald. The issue did happen in front of my house, so I think it makes sense for me to look into it.”

Phoenix was hesitant. “Are you sure? Donald has quite a short fuse.”

Yaron chuckled knowingly, “It’s not a problem, Phoenix. It’ll free you up to take care of—” he then became thoughtful and asked, “What do you need to take care of?”

Phoenix hesitated to say it. She had planned on going into the Mines in the Sunlit Plateau to investigate any other clues concerning Shadow Magnifico. His taunts and threats had made her think that he might be lurking deep below the Valley, and though the cave in Dazzle Beach didn’t yield many clues, the Mines might. However, Yaron had already expressed that he didn’t want her to take care of the Magnifico problem on her own, among other concerns, so she worried about his protest to her plans.

Finally, she stated, “I…need to go into the Mines for something.”

Yaron looked up at the Plateau where the Mines were located as a bit of concern crossed his face. He hummed, “I’ve walked through those Mines the first day I came into the Valley. Those large Thorns and unsteady walls concern me.”

Phoenix dismissed it as she began walking away. “Don’t worry. I’ve been through those Mines lots of times when searching for Vitalis Crystals and other minerals; the large Night Thorns and the cracked walls haven’t been a threat to me.”

“This is different,” Yaron mused. “We have a shadow who frequently uses Night Thorns on the loose.” His eyes widened at a thought, and he addressed Phoenix squarely, “You aren’t going to try and find him, are you?!”

Phoenix’ colored at the abrupt question. “He has quite the intuition!” She stuttered, “I…uh…”

Yaron reminded, “Phoenix, I thought we agreed you weren’t going to try to handle this crisis on your own.”

Phoenix wasn’t sure how to answer Yaron. “Well…I mean…”

Right then, Phoenix heard her name being called. She turned around to see Merlin coming to her, and she greeted, “Merlin! How are you?”

Merlin answered, “I’m doing just fine, Phoenix, but I need to ask a favor of you.” Phoenix agreed, and Merlin revealed, “I seem to be completely out of Vitalis Crystals for an experiment I’m conducting. Could you possibly spare any?”

This was exactly what she needed! “That gives me a reason to go to the Mines!” With that, Phoenix replied, “Of course, Merlin! I’ll just go into the Mines and grab some.” Merlin thanked her and went back to his house to supervise his experiment.

Once he was gone, Phoenix turned back to Yaron, who still was expecting an answer from her, and stated, “Well, I gotta run.”

Though reluctant, Yaron let her go…with one condition. “Just promise me you will go in to get the Crystals, and then go straight out to Merlin?” With a sigh, Phoenix agreed, and they went their separate ways.

It wasn’t long before Phoenix entered the dark Mines that ran underneath the Sunlit Plateau. There was very little lighting, but it was enough for Phoenix to move around comfortably and get what she needed easily. Brittle rock spires dotted the sides of the Mines, revealing Vitalis veins that glowed in the dark Mines. Manifesting her pickax, Phoenix picked a tunnel and got to work.

Merlin hadn’t specified how many Crystals he needed, so she figured that about ten or so would do the trick. When she was about five Crystals into the job, she came across the suspended railway that used to serve as a mining car rail before the Forgetting. The rusted tracks swayed ever so slightly in the breeze that came up from the depths below. Phoenix couldn’t see the bottom as it was blocked by what Merlin had called “Vitalis Fog”, which had been formed from unstable Crystals below. Phoenix groaned as she slowly crossed the divide. “One of these days, I’ll need to get this repaired, so it isn’t so hazardous!” As she glanced below her, she hummed in thought, “I wonder how deep it goes…Perhaps after I get Merlin his Crystals, I’ll have time to check.”

She soon made it to the other side of the Mines, which looped back to the beginning, and after a few blows to a couple of rock spires, she found enough Vitalis Crystals to give to Merlin.

Once out of the Mines, Phoenix made her way down to the Peaceful Meadows and found Merlin just leaving his house. She met him and gave him the Crystals she found. “I don’t know how many you needed, but maybe this will be enough for your experiments?”

Merlin received the Crystals thankfully and replied, “That’s more than enough, Phoenix. Thank you.” He then turned back to his house and declared, “Now I must be off. Discovery waits for no one!”

Phoenix chuckled a bit as he reentered his house. She was always amused by how passionate he was about discovery and knowledge. Phoenix then checked to see if Yaron was around before flying off to the Sunlit Plateau and reentering the Mines, thinking to herself, “I’m just searching for clues on Magnifico’s whereabouts. I’m sure I can handle at least this on my own.”

She soon made it back into the Mines and retraced her steps until she found herself at the divide once more. With a deep breath, she spread out her wings and dove into the fog.

TSSS!!!

Phoenix faltered a little in the air before making a rough landing on the dirt floor below the fog. Looking up, she discovered that bits of the fog had gotten in between her feathers, messing with them in some way. She grunted from the sensation as she thought out loud, “Merlin might know why this fog is making my wings act up. I’ll have to ask him later.” With that, she stood up, brandished her Starlight Staff, and looked around.

MEANWHILE…

Yaron had just finished settling the dispute between Donald and Stitch and was coming up the Beach stairs leading to the Meadows. He thought to himself, “Those two are something else! Stitch definitely is mischievous, but he means well. Maybe Donald will see that later.” He then looked around for Phoenix, hoping that her errand was just as successful as his. Though, he mostly hoped that she did as she promised. “Those Mines are perfect for an ambush!”

He then saw Merlin walking out of his house, having finished his experiment. Yaron met him and asked, “Hello, Merlin! Have you seen Phoenix anywhere?”

Merlin stroked his beard in thought. “No, I haven’t. I just finished experimenting with the Crystals she gave me, but beyond that, I haven’t the foggiest idea where she went.”

Yaron seemed a bit relieved. “So, she did keep her promise.” He then said farewell to Merlin and went up to the Plaza. He sent out his magic to search for Phoenix, so that he could find her more easily, and the sparkles floated up the incline leading to the Plateau. Curious, Yaron followed the trail as it made a sharp left, floating deeper into the Plateau. “Hmm…I wonder what else she needed in the Plateau.”

He got his answer when his magic made a sharp right…into the Mines! Yaron’s eyes widened. “She went back?!” With no time to lose, Yaron jogged into the dark Mines, hoping to catch up with Phoenix before anyone else did.

BACK IN THE MINES…

Phoenix turned a corner and came into a large, circular room. She gasped as she saw how many large Night Thorns encased the walls of the cave room and eventually converged at one spot in the middle of the room, creating a makeshift pillar of Thorns. The strangest thing was that some of them had a green hue to them, an unnatural color for even Night Thorns. As Phoenix cautiously entered, she wondered to herself, “I wonder if this pillar connects to a root of some sort.” She held her Staff defensively as she ventured further into the room, unsettled by the eerie silence within.

“Hello, Phoenix!”

Phoenix froze when she heard that voice and whipped around just in time to see more Night Thorns cover her only way out of the cave. A moment later, smaller Night Thorns arose from the ground and slithered close to her, intent on trapping her. Phoenix drove her Staff into the ground, sending out a powerful wave of magic that caused the smaller Thorns to disintegrate.

The attacks didn’t end there, though. When the smaller Thorns withered, a larger Thorn from the wall shot out towards Phoenix. She parried the attack and fired a powerful blast from her Staff, sending it back to the wall. She then shot up into air and flew around the room to get away from Night Thorns that had sprung up from the ground. As she did, she growled, “Show yourself, shadow!!”

Shadow Magnifico cackled, “Oh, but I’m just having so much fun watching you try to defeat my Thorns.”

A large Night Thorn soon emerged from the ceiling and batted Phoenix out of the air. She groaned as she crashed onto the ground. The impact loosened her grip on her Staff causing it to disappear in Dreamlight mist. As she stood up, she prepared to summon it again.

THWICK!! THWICK!!

In a flash, two large Thorns from the wall shot out and caught her wrists. They each pulled on their end, yanking her arms out and digging into her wrists. Phoenix grunted from the pain as she was forced onto her knees from the Thorns. She tried to pull her arms back, but the Thorns grew tighter, and the pain in her wrists worsened.

It was then that Shadow Magnifico showed himself. He materialized in front of her and smirked, “You haven’t changed a bit, little phoenix. Always looking for trouble and always needing your friends to rescue you out of trouble.” He then swung his staff towards her face and lifted it to face him as he declared in a low voice. “Only this time, no one will be coming for you.”

Phoenix had no answer for him. As far as anyone was concerned, she was anywhere but in the Mines and certainly not this far down. Still, she wasn’t going to give Magnifico the pleasure of seeing a defeated Phoenix, so she retorted, “And you haven’t changed either, Magnifico! Always making evil plans but never succeeding at them.”

Magnifico snapped his fingers, causing a green vein to run along the Thorns holding her wrists until they crossed over them. Phoenix flinched and groaned at the draining sensation that came over her, and Magnifico cackled, “You know what they say. If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again! Once you are gone, I will take over as ruler of this Valley, and all your villagers will by my slaves.”

Phoenix gritted her teeth as she answered, “They’ll…never submit to you!”

Magnifico shrugged, “Maybe not all, but I know how to handle insurrectionists.” He then laid the tip of his staff against Phoenix’ forehead as a charge was forming inside of the staff’s head and stated, “Now, since I am a merciful opponent, I’ll make this end quick. Be a good girl and hold still for me?”

ZZZIINGG!! BOOM!!!

It all happened so suddenly that it took Phoenix a moment to realize what happened. A burst of white light shone from behind Phoenix, and a sudden blur shot into the room and tackled Shadow Magnifico to the ground in a rage. Phoenix gasped as she saw who it was. “Yaron!!”

Yaron pinned Magnifico’s arms and staff to the ground and caused a bright aura to flow from his hands straight into the shadow. The aura burned through the shadow with a TSSS, and Yaron thundered, “I told you, Magnifico! Phoenix will not perish at your hand!!”

Before Magnifico fully disappeared, he retorted, “I will not relent until I gain satisfaction! You’ll see! First your friend, then her Village!!” He laughed evilly as his form disappeared.

When he disappeared, Phoenix’ bonds released her, and she grimaced from the deep cuts in her wrists. Her shoulders sagged in exhaustion from the draining, and Yaron knelt in front of her in concern, “Are you alright?”

Phoenix looked up at him and, for the first time since she met him, she shook her head. Yaron sighed as he quickly pulled her into a tight embrace exclaiming, “Oh Phoenix! Don’t you ever do that again! You almost got killed!”

Phoenix was surprised by the embrace, but she accepted it nonetheless. She stuttered, “I…he…I thought…”

Yaron calmed, “Easy, Phoenix. Just relax for a bit here; then we’ll both leave these Mines together.”

Phoenix nodded in agreement and relaxed in Yaron’s hold. After a bit of silence, she stated quietly, “Merlin and Fairy Godmother are going to have a fit when they hear about what happened.”

Yaron seemed to chuckle a little as he answered, “Perhaps.” When they separated, he grasped her hands gingerly as he added, “I imagine Fairy Godmother fussing over these wounds exponentially more than she has fussed over you in the past.”

Phoenix groaned. She loved her fairy friend, but she didn’t want to trouble her with these wounds that were more severe than when she first confronted Magnifico. She whined, “Do I have to show her these?”

Yaron hummed in thought for a moment before suggesting, “Well, the way I see it, you have two options when we leave. Either you go see the fairy for your wounds, or you let me take care of them instead.”

Phoenix considered her options. “Honestly, he saved my life! I think it’s obvious what I should choose here.” She then looked up at Yaron and asked, “Could you maybe…”

Yaron smiled kindly and answered, “Of course, Phoenix.” He then helped her stand up and supported her as they exited the cave. As they went, he pointed out, “Notice I didn’t say the fussing would be different…”

Phoenix chuckled and groaned at the same time. “I should’ve seen this coming.” Though, after today, she didn’t oppose it either.

They soon made it to the entrance of the Mines, but instead of walking straight out, Yaron created a portal that led to the common area of his house. Phoenix was amazed but allowed herself to be led through into his house. Once the portal was closed, Yaron had her sit on one of the armchairs before going into another room to get supplies. Phoenix shook her head in amazement and bewilderment. This sort of attention was somewhat foreign to her, apart from Fairy Godmother whom she always considered as a grandmotherly figure, and a humbling sense overtook her heart. “Yaron was right about this Magnifico problem just like Aster and Asha were!”

Soon, Yaron reappeared with a bowl of water that seemed to unnaturally sparkle in the light, some salve, and bandages. Once he pulled up another chair near her and placed his supplies on a nearby side-table, he took her wrists and got to work tending to them, saying, “I’ll take care of your wrists first before I check your wings. I noticed an irritant between your feathers when I intervened in the Mines.”

Phoenix nodded. “Yeah. I think that might’ve been the Vitalis Fog.” She flicked her wings slightly as she added, “I guess feathers and unstable magic don’t mix.” Her breath caught from a sudden sting in her wrist. “Ugh! That smarts…”

Yaron sighed, “I know. A piece of the Thorn was stuck to your wrist so it was bound to sting.”

Silence soon fell between them as Yaron rubbed the salve over her wrists and bandaged them tightly. Once done, he stated, “There. Now to see to your wings.” He then stood and came behind Phoenix. His hands began to glow with the same bright aura as in the cave, and he placed each hand on the joints of her wings. Phoenix could feel his magic running through her feathers, removing the invisible irritant and soothing her wings as a result.

As he did, Phoenix addressed Yaron in a quiet voice, “Yaron?”

“Hm?”

Phoenix confessed with a sigh, “I’m…sorry I went behind your back for this. I should’ve listened to your concerns instead of choosing to fight you on this.” She looked at her wrists as she concluded, “I really can’t stop this Magnifico crisis on my own.”

Once Yaron was finished, he came around and knelt in front of her so that he was eye-level with her. Softening towards her, he replied, “I forgive you, my friend. All I wanted was to protect you.”

Phoenix nodded. “I know, and…I do want to be a better friend to you than I have.” She shook her head as she added, “I know I said I’d give you a chance, but I haven’t been giving you much of a chance.” Phoenix then asked, “Do…you think we could…maybe…start again?”

Yaron beamed. “I would love that, Phoenix.” Then, in an exaggerated manner, he cleared his throat and began, “Good afternoon! I am Yaron; what is your name?”

Phoenix laughed outright, as did Yaron. Playing along, Phoenix answered, “My name is Phoenix. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Yaron! Welcome to my Valley!”

Yaron laughed harder, and Phoenix couldn’t help but laugh as well. He pulled her into another embrace and said with sincerity, “I’m glad we can be friends now, Phoenix.”

This time, Phoenix hugged him back. “Me too, Yaron.”