#my codename is tango

[danyasblogsblog]

MY LIVING LEGEND KEEGAN RUSS

warnings : SUICIDAL THOUGHTS, death, grief, gunshots, sad ending, SOO angsty, probably more

- after y/n’s best friend, ajax’s death, they havent been the same. in the end, all they want is to die. until they dont want too.

based off the lana del rey song, living legend

a/n: magpie is your codename!! finallyyyy im doing a gender neutral reader!! hope u guys enjoy. sorry if it all moves too fast. im not very used to writing long fics.

‘tangos. next building.’

the afternoon horizon glistened as gunshots reverberated through the air. the burgundy hats worn by federation soldiers fell off as they dropped to their knees, crimson blood rippling out of their chests. you held your sniper scope up to your eye, holding your gun in a white knuckle grip. as soon as you spotted one of those maroon hats, your trigger went off. the gunshot was loud, but your headgear stopped the sound from blowing out your eardrums. you watched as the solider fell backwards, blood pooling out of his bullet wound. a sigh escaped your mouth as you pulled the scope away from your face, holding it against your chest.

‘nice shot kid, almost getting better than me.’ keegan’s voice was like an angel call from behind you, and his calloused hand went to grip your shoulder. ‘almost? wow, could you be more narcissistic?’ you chuckled.

‘just watch and learn.’

you stared as keegan removed his firm grip on your shoulder and pulled out his gun from his back. he brought it close to his face, and his hands lingered over the trigger. of course, you thought to yourself, safety is already off. his eyes scanned the nearby buildings for federation soldiers, and within a matter of seconds, he spotted one. pulling the trigger, the man was dead on impact. the death rattle shook his body, as a pool of blood circled itself around him.

‘thats how its done, kid.’

keegan looked down at you, waiting for your approval. ‘wow, mr living legend. that was a beautiful shot.’ you quipped, silently clapping for him. before he could respond, merrick’s voice erupted out of your radio. ‘everyone, move forward. enemy contact ahead in further buildings.’

you huffed out of your mouth as you and keegan made your way out of the abandoned house. you thought about the memories that were once created in the very room you and keegan were killing people in. were those people who lived there even alive anymore?

‘whats on your mind, magpie?’

keegan’s voice slightly startled you. ‘nothing.’ you muttered. it really was nothing- you didnt have time to be worrying about the people who once lived in the houses you and your team ended lives in- especially when your life was at stake.

keegan looked bothered by your answer, but nevertheless, you two continued walking. side by side, arms lightly grazing eachother when you wandered a bit to his direction. soon enough, you met up with the rest of the ghosts.

‘keep working with the people you’re with now, don’t split up. there are too many of them for us to risk it.’

merrick’s barked orders were copied and obeyed as everyone slowly split up with their partners. keegan’s footsteps echoed yours in a rhythmic manner.

you knew why he told everyone to not split up.

‘theres a building up there- high enough to see everything. we set up there to prepare. be quiet though, because sometimes federation soldiers are surrounding the building.’ his words were confidently spoken, and you followed pursuit.

*+:｡.｡　　｡.｡:+*

‘imagine falling off this thing.’

you looked down through a broken window in the building, the ground seeming so far away.

‘well you better not, im not dragging your dead ass back to fort santa monica, y/n’

‘you’d cry if i died, i know you would.’ you imitated a crying face, and wiped imaginary tears from your cheeks. you chuckled and keegan rolled his eyes. your hushed voices could only be heard by each-other as the shuffling of footsteps from keegan echoed off the walls, bouncing back to you two quietly.

the sound of gunshots and spanish orders being screamed frantically switched a flip in the two of you- your joking demeanours suddenly serious and concentrated. you pulled your gun out of your back sling, taking off the safety. you glared as you stared into the scope, searching for the familiar burgundy hats that you had learned to hate.

‘see anything, magpie?’

keegan pulled up close behind you, and you could feel his breath on your neck as he leaned down to your ear. his silent whispers to you were like a mantra you wish could be repeated thousands of times. ‘nothing. not a single solider in sight.’ you mumbled.

he leaned back up, straightening his back.

you put your scope down, your eyes finally resting, and the tension in your jaw relaxing. you sighed. spanish was heard below you and keegan. you immediately pulled a pistol out of your holster, your reflexes making your body move fast. footsteps and creaking floorboards could be heard, and to say you were on edge would be an understatement.

‘its fine, kid. they wont come up.’ keegan’s hushed voice soothed you, but you were still unable to shake the feeling of the need too protect him and yourself. ‘did you hear me? its fine.’ he was a bit louder now, but there was still not a chance in hell the enemy could hear him. the floorboard creaking and quiet voices stopped after a matter of seconds. ‘better safe than sorry.’

silence.

you raised an eyebrow at keegan, wondering why he was suddenly muted.

‘i know you still blame yourself, y/n.’

first mistake.

your silence indicated you knew exactly what he was talking about. something that killed you inside. ajax’s death.

you had blamed yourself for it- you took one minute apart from him and when you had returned, a bloody trail and a missing ajax were all to be seen. the multiple nightmares you had had the days following his disappearance plagued you, even to this day, it still did. thinking about how, maybe, his death could’ve been avoided if you had just listened to your gut.

you still remembered the day he died. when keegan held him as he died in his arms. when you guys had gone between hell and earth to find him- just for him to die the minute you got your hands on him.

you still remembered sobbing in keegan’s arms with your head pounding, blaming yourself and wanting to just die. since that day, suicidal thoughts carried around you. you just wanted ajax back. he was your best friend- the first ghost you met. he was the first person you told about your crush on keegan. you would do anything for 5 more minutes with him- to tell him how sorry you were. to tell him how much you cared about him.

‘it wasnt your fault. you know that.’

you were silent. the way keegan’s smooth voice talked about it made something rattle inside of you. you felt weak. you were distracted. your airway felt tightened- as if you were being choked. tears threatened to fall but you couldnt dare yourself to let them roll down your cheeks. you had to focus. you had too.

keegan thought about what you had said earlier, about dying. come to think about it, he liked you a bit to much for your death. he didnt want you to be just another funeral he’d have to attend. he wanted you to be alive. he’d miss the concentrated face you made when you were on a mission. all the memories you two had together.

*+:｡.｡　　｡.｡:+*

‘i saved you a chocolate bar, kee.’

‘how healthy.’

‘i know, right?’

*+:｡.｡　　｡.｡:+*

you fell silent. gunshots could still be heard, and it was the only thing that was stopping you from falling apart. the fact that you were on a mission, and it wasnt the time to fuck around.

‘keegan, this isnt the time.’ you huffed. you so badly wanted to talk about it, but how could you? it simply wasnt the moment, and both you and keegan knew this subject wouldnt come up again for a long time. you thought keegan would stop pestering you with questions, that maybe, he would just leave it. but oh, how wrong you were.

his strong, broad frame walked over to you, and his wintry blue eyes stared down into yours. his hands firmly gripped onto the back of your elbows, not too tight, but he had a stable grip. god, you thought, i forgot how stubborn this man is.

‘i wanted to talk about this with you, and i know its not a good time too right now, but i dont get another opportunity like this again.’

keegan was a man of very few words- his eyes and actions speaking more than his mouth did, but now, you could tell he was serious. you pulled your eyes away from his, but the intense glare he carried still was focused on you.

‘keegan-’

a louder gunshot could be heard- one closer to you and keegan’s position. immediately, you felt on edge. but keegan’s grip on you tightened, and you felt compelled to stay where you were. that was your second mistake.

‘ajax wouldnt want you to blame yourself. you.. you doing this to yourself is hurting you. its distracted you for months i can tell. you’re always on edge, you just arent the same. the jokes you make arent the same. you just aren’t right.’

‘keegan stop. youre not.. youre not a fucking therapist. just leave me alone, i dont want to talk about this.’

third mistake.

your annoyed tone set something off in keegan- you’d never been like that with him. you had always been even-tempered, something the rest of the ghosts admired. your words, enunciated by the way your voice seemed sharper to him now, made him furrow his eyebrows as he stared down at you. he let go off your arms, but for some reason, you longed for his touch still. you shook off the feeling, and stepped away from him.

*+:｡.｡　　｡.｡:+*

you didnt know how it happened.

the spray of blood sprinkled itself over the walls as it erupted from you like a fountain. the ringing in your ears felt like the devil screaming at you as you fell back, your head hitting the wooden floorboards.

a wail of pain escaped your lips as your hands travelled your stomach trying to find the bullet wound, and when you finally laid your fingers on it, your body felt stiff.

suddenly, all your fantasies of dying and killing yourself were gone. now, you just wanted to live. your life was fading, and it was fading so quickly.

keegan had rushed over to you, screaming into his radio, telling merrick you got hit. over the incessant ringing in your ears, you could hear the panic in his voice. his trembling hands went to your wound, examining it. birds sung as he begged you to open your eyes- the sun’s light slowly fading, just like you.

‘magpie, y/n, open your eyes, open your fucking eyes, please.’

keegan’s eyes were horrified when he saw what he was looking at. blood trickled from your mouth, falling off your chin, and your uniform was stained with crimson.

‘kee-’

you tried to say his name, but only half came out. blood spluttered out of your mouth as you wailed in agony. ‘speak to me, y/n, solider. come on, talk to me.’

keegan ripped open his medical pouch, taking out some gauze in an attempt to prevent more blood from spilling out your wound. it pooled around you as you tried to speak. ‘i- i just want to..’

you were appalled at how difficult it was to talk. it was like your vocal cords had been ripped out, and all that was left to leave your mouth were gasps that made your lungs ache. ‘keep going, magpie, come on.’

‘i- i always wanted to.. die, after aja..ajax.. but i just want to- to live.. now’ every few seconds you had to pause your speaking so you could cough out blood. it blocked your airway as if it was trying to silence your cries. ‘i dont- i dont wanna di..die im not- not ready.’

keegan’s hope of you living was slowly disappearing. the bullet was still lodged in your stomach, ripping at muscle and letting its molten heat play with your flesh. ‘you’re not gonna die, im not letting you, im not. youre gonna live, for me and for merrick and the other ghosts and ajax, especially him, okay?’

even though keegan was trying to calm you, he could barely keep calm himself. his breathing felt difficult and forced as he watched the life escape from you. your eyes were still fluttered closed, but tears ran down your cheeks, mixing with blood as they went further. ‘please.. p-please keegan, i dont want too di-’ ‘stop talking like that, youre gonna be just fine, i promise.’

it was a ridiculous thing to promise. oh, how keegan wished he hadn’t said that. he knew. he didnt want to think about it, but he knew deep down what was gonna happen. ‘im not ready, god. god.. im not ready… i wanna.. i wanna..’

‘come on, keep talking to me, please.’

keeping you talking has keegan’s way of making sure you were still awake- that, atleast your body could keep your lips moving with phonics.

keegan felt so weak. wrapping the gauze around you felt like covering your corpse with a cloth. ‘i wanna live.. and be.. with- with you.’

keegan was taken back by what you said, to say the least. his heart thumped against his sternum, as if it was trying to escape. blood mixed with phlegm coughed and spluttered itself onto his balaclava from your mouth, but he couldnt care less.

he tightly wrapped the once white, but now, deep ruby red gauze around your waist. he stared at your face as your lips trembled, his hands tying a tourniquet at the end of the gauze.

‘i.. i wanna be with you too, y/n.’

*+:｡.｡　　｡.｡:+*

they say hearing is the last sense to go. however, speaking was the last thing you ever did.

‘you re..really are, my living legend.’

[aspenlovesmedia]

The fact that the superhero au would let me write 3 of my favourite powers (shapeshifting, teleportation and super speed) is so funny to me like it feels like this is an au I was supposed to write.

I’ve altered some of the powers a little to give me a bit more variety to work with. Like I’m having it so that Etho has an enchanted mace he can summon at will and that allows him to manipulate air since I didn’t want it to feel too similar to Joel’s ability. It also means someone has a more long range combat ability. There’s a few others I’m tweaking just to make it more fun for me and to help round out the team a bit since several of the abilities are very similar.

I’m also working on the worldbuilding. It’s going to be a modern/futuristic setting since I want cool tech and also that’s how the original vigilante group was a thing. It also means that Scar gets an exosuit to help him walk (he has to be careful as it can break and if he uses it too much it will wreck his health), Grian will have robotic wings (he keeps them even after he gets powers and can mimic Pearl’s ability because aesthetics), and I’m thinking of giving Pearl a robotic dog. I just think it would be funny to include Tilly for when Pearl’s a vigilante since I’m leaning into Scarlet Pearl for that.

Also I can have so many of them work in animal care or a tech company. Like Grian, Pearl, Gem, Bdubs, Lizzie and Scar would all make sense in an animal care setting (I’m thinking Grian, Scar and Gem in a zoo and Pearl, Bdubs and Lizzie at a rescue centre) and Mumbo (before he died), Impulse, Etho and Tango would all make sense in a tech setting. Scott would be an architect as well btw, it came to me and it’s now a thing. I haven’t figured out the others yet I just thought it would be funny that like half of them are in the same 2 industries. Also I work in animal care so I know how to write it which is very helpful.

This is far from the first superhero story I’ve made so I’m in my element right now lol. Soon I will have to deal with my nemesis: unique superhero codenames (if you’ve ever written a superhero story you know the problem).

This is just another thought dump, sorry if any of it is a bit confusing I had a migraine earlier so my brain isn’t fully working still lol.

[twiksayshi]

Happy Tree Friends ship code names

Are you in the HTF fandom and want ship names that aren't just a combination of the character's names? Well, then this is the post for you!

I have created a list over the past few months of HTF ship codenames that I have either made up, found in the fandom or were made by @notdrygravitas (thanks to them.) and I decided to post it here for your (and my) convenience. in the read more. To avoid disturbing/interrupting your scrolling if you're not interested...

Also, feel free to suggest more. You can give me suggestions via sending them as asks on my blog and I would put them here.

Flippy x Flaky | Pincushion/Spiked Grenades/ Warspike

Nutty x Sniffles | Smarties

Handy x Petunia | Garden tools

Pop x Disco bear | Smoky Groove

Disco bear x Lammy | Shepherd's Tango

Cuddles x Giggles- | Meadow Frolic/Hugs n' Laughs

Splendid x Splendont | Reversed Hero/ Didn't

Cuddle x Toothy | Cheery Dental/ Cotton crunch

Lumpy x Mole | Blind Bumble

Giggles x Petunia | Bowquet

Giggles x Cuddles x Toothy | Sunset Trio

Nutty x Chocolate box | FAKE love/

Mime x Lifty/Shifty | Con Artist

Disco Bear x Pop x Flippy | Traffic light

Mole x Handy | Blind Builder/Myopic Construction

Russel x Lumpy | Dizzy Shanty

Mime x Cro-marmot | Ice show

Lammy x Mime | Purple Circus

Cuddles x Flaky | Spiky Cotton

Giggles x Flaky | Thorny Bow

Flaky x Petunia | Thorny flowers/Roses

Splendid x Flippy | Super Soldiers/War heroes/ Soldier justice

Toothy X Flaky| Sharp Freckles

Lammy x Truffles | Woolly Sailor

Nutty x Flaky | Sugar Flakes

Lammy x Flaky | Fluffy Quills

Splendid x Shifty/ |Lifty Heroic Heist

Petunia x Shifty |Clean Cash

Handy x Cuddles | Fuzzy Tools

Mime x Sniffles | Silent Science

Splendid x Nutty | Heroine

Mouse Kaboom x Flippy | Twisted explosives

Mime x Russell Sailor's Silence

Splendon't x Flaky | Timid Saviour

Flaky x Sniffles Smartly shy/ Shy smarts

Cuddles x Flippy | Friendly fire/ Bear hug

Lammy x Mime | Purple Circus

Disco Bear x Mime | Instrumental

Mime x Mole | Blindfolded Act

Petunia x Toothy | Breath Mint

Sniffles X Lumpy | Clever Fool

Sniffles x Shifty/Lifty | Sly science/Street smart

Russel x Toothy | Gold Tooth / Pirate teeth

Giggles x Flippy | Pink explosion

Mouse Kaboom x Flippy | Stealth Mission

Mole x Flippy | Flash bang/ Blind battle

Flippy x Mime | Silent Battle

Truffles x Russel | Sweetsea

Flaky x Disco Bear | Sharp notes

Flippy x Pop | Fatherly Veteran

[journeysfable]

Life Series members as Running Gags from Red Vs Blue

Martyn: Permission to _, sir?

Scar: Ridiculous protocols "Commence operation point my gun at Doc" "Sir, thats a codename for operation point my gun at Grif" "Everyone knows about the international dibs protocol"

Jimmy: "You don't want to end up like Georgia""What happened to Georgia?""You DON'T want to know"

Bigb: "This doesn't seem physically possible"/Private Jimmy

Gem: part woman part [insert op animal]

Pearl: Caboose's accidental team killing

Cleo: Bitchpants mcrabby/ Mrs/ms mccrabby /fussy britches

Grian: Tucker never getting the sniper rifle

Etho: Six pedals, four directions

Bdubs: Simmons's daddy issues

Scott: "I'm lover, not a _"

Impulse: D batteries: incredibly rare, expensive and probably the solution to a problem

Tango: Ran track in high school

Joel: Vehicle names "why warthog? It looks more like a puma to me" "what in sam hell is a puma"/"why mantis?" "See its legs? They kinda resemble the legs of a praying mantis" "...no they don't"/"chupathingy, how about that?"

Lizzie: Confetti gun

Mumbo: "Would you like me to run the tutorial program?"

Skizz: Church's horrendous aim

Rendog: "Today is a good day to die!"

[royallygray]

Slowly getting more and more intrigued by @ty-bayonet-betteridge 's 18s9hau (18 souls 9 hearts)

(here's the fic. scroll through the tag #18s9hau for other stuff)

Here are the soulmate duos and what I presume everyone's codenames in the poetry stuff is and my assumptions for the explanations are:

Grian & Jimmy

Grian is referred to as the Watcher, Jimmy as the Phoenix.

Pretty simple, Grian's a Watcher. I'm assuming Jimmy's a Phoenix and not a canary because he gets revived or something. Rebirth and all that jazz.

"The Watcher and The Phoenix, Those against us surely perish;"

BigB & Skizz

I'm assuming that BigB is the Liar and Skizz is the Lover, but it hypothetically could still be the other way around.

Skizz was a part of the Heart foundation, and is generally just a bundle of joy. BigB did like manipulate the entire server for the hole task in SL, and he also was secret soulmates with Grian in DL.

"The Liar and The Lover, - One to cheat and one to cherish."

Tango & Martyn

Tango is the Speaker and Martyn is the Puppet.

In this au, from what I can gather, a Speaker is a sort of Listener thingy and Tango is that. And Martyn is like the Watchers/Listeners/Probably Speakers's puppet. rip martyn

"The Speaker and The Puppet, To bring the game its spark;"

Scott & Joel

Scott is the Dissident and Joel is the Maniac.

Had to google what a dissident is: noun - a person who opposes official policy, especially that of an authoritarian state. So Scott defied the Watchers in Last Life and also sacrifices himself too much and the watchers just kinda hate him for skirting around the rules. And for the Maniac. Well. If you've been watching HC10. He took that Reddit comment and sprinted.

"The Dissident and Maniac, How long to break apart?"

Bdubs & Mumbo

Bdubs is the Faithless, idk why. Mumbo is the Inventor.

I'm assuming Bdubs is the Faithless bc of 3rd Life where he turned on Impulse for a clock, and probably also some other things. Possibly the Boogeyman in LL. And Mumbo's just the redstone guy.

"The Faithless and Inventor, Chaos reigns and shadows grow;"

Ren & Scar

Ren is the Honorbound, and Scar is the Swindler.

Pretty straightforward, Ren was the king and swears his loyalty eternally to people just. always. and Scar. Scar's a scammer. we love him.

"The Honorbound and Swindler, Once both kings and now brought low."

Lizzie & Cleo

Lizzie is the Lonely, Cleo is the Betrayed.

No one showed up to Lizzie's birthday party. Also I think Cleo got betrayed by Fairy Fort, but I'm not sure. And it could also reference how Martyn left them at the beginning of DL.

"The Lonely and Betrayed, Allies once, that broke in twain;"

Etho & Impulse

I assume Etho is the Trickster and Impulse is the Faithful, but I'm not sure.

Impulse stays with his alliances (ex: Crastle) and devotes himself to them even when they're mostly falling apart. And Etho? idk what Etho does. But nothing else works for him.

"The Trickster and The Faithful, Neither shows their truest face."

Pearl & Gem

Pearl is the Wounded, Gem is the Trespasser.

Pearl gets abandoned in DL, and in SL, she sees Scar fall the same way she did, I think. Gem just kind of showed up to help Cleo in LimL and didn't leave. She wasn't invited, but now she can't leave.

The Wounded and The Trespasser, For something wicked this way comes;

"They kill and fall and love and die,

The game begins, our will be done."

(all the quotes are taken from chapter two of the fic)

[chongoblog]

Whats red kraken

Short version (after writing this, I realize it’s not lol): It’s the story I’m writing. It’s also the name of the pirate crew that consists of the main characters of said story, so really they’re my OCs

I have a few posts talking about them, but the short version is this. In their world, an eldritch fog has covered half of the world, but has recently been lifted. The Red Kraken are a pirate crew that are exploring this brave new world, discovering new lands, dark secrets, and vast treasures and the like on their ship, known as The Crimson Melody. They each wear a piece of iconography of a sea creature chosen to represent them once they have proven their loyalty (such as a tattoo of a shark, shrimp-shaped earrings, a scarf with a dolphin, etc), and they each go by a codename named after a type of dance (the three listed before being Tango, Dougie, and Twist). My dog, Waltz, is named after one of the characters.

I’ve been hoping to create things with them at some point, with the only tangible thing being an old incredibly outdated podcast where they were first introduced. But I love them

[cammie-morgan-goode]

If solomon is nice guy, what do you think are the codenames of Rachel, Abby, Zach and Townsend?

Hi friend! So here’s a list of code names we do have:

Solomon—Wise Guy

Cammie—Chameleon

Bex—Duchess

Macey—Peacock

Liz—Bookworm

Eva—Chica

Now here’s what I think everyone else’s codenames are:

Zach—Boy Wonder or Tough-Guy (because of his mother he’s “Boy Wonder” but also I think “Pick it up tough guy,” or something like “you gonna hit me tough guy?” Was used a lot And idk why but it like stuck plus it’s kinda like Joe’s orrrrr Maverick because he’s a risk taker! Or maybe Shadow? I’m so conflicted on Zach’s codename

Abby—Cherrybomb (because let’s be real Abby is go big or go home)

Rachel—Buttercup or Foxtrot (I feel like that stuck because of a mission with Matt where they had to foxtrot or something)

Matt—Haystack (farm boy and he’s hard to find like a needle in a haystack) or M&M because reasons. What about Shadow? Or maybe that’s Zach’s….

Townsend—Tagalong (when he went through training he followed behind everyone else so he got called “tag along Townsend”) (I originally thought of something along the lines of Tango or Doomsday??)

Anna—Teacup

Kim—Possible or Stoppable or KP, because of Kim Possible and you can fight me on that

Courtney—Cocoa

Tina—Cosmo(s) like cosmopolitan magazine (not my idea so credit goes to the gals in discord)

(Written by: @cammie-morgan-goode)

[writingwithaglassquill]

I am intrigued by Hermit Pirate Radio, what that? 👀

Hi mate! :D Thanks for the ask! HPR (temporary WIP name) is a oneshot I've been plotting for a while- at least, I hope it'll be a oneshot. My plans might be getting too big to fit it into one chapter.

The concept is that in this modern AU, the Boatem crew of Season 8 have a boat they sail on Hermit Lake- which is actually a base for their pirate radio station. They broadcast all kinds of things: music, interviews, news, and more! And of course they all have codenames: Grian (Red), Scar (Wizard), Impulse (Duke), Mumbo (Spud), and Pearl (...Unnamed as of right now. I'll get there, I swear.)

Unfortunately for them, the authorities are just a little miffed that these hooligans are broadcasting on an illegal station. Officers Tango, Keralis, and Bdubs are determined to catch them red-handed- which proves to be difficult when every time they step foot on the boat, all evidence of illegal radio stations has been squirreled away from view.

It's a funny little concept I'm really excited to write! I'll probably start working on it after TAXI finishes, so keep an eye out! ;) Thanks for the ask, my friend <3

[getittogetherk]

Sunday, December 1, 2024

A new month! I'm not sure why, but seeing a 1 for a date made me feel different today. Somehow the last few months have felt long, so it felt like a new beginning to have a fresh month.

i'm happy to be writing again. not as much time has lapsed between this writing and my last, relatively.

week in review: last sunday: Didn't go to church because i was watching tango and was afraid that he would cry/howl the whole time, like he did in the other times i was watching him and kristin would tell me about it. i also checked in on thor a few times. for maybe the first time, i really enoyed tango's company. he wasn't that needy, would take naps while i worked, and pretty much sleep whenever i wanted to sleep and would curl up on the bed and sleep through the night and i would feel his little warm body down by my feet. we'd go out for short walks 4-5 times a day and only occasionally would he sort of put his paws up on me and look at me, and so i'd get down and give him such attention, but that was it. monday: work, and then to patti's, where i met up with patti, jeff, matt, and alex, and we chatted and played some of the best, funnest, and funniest rounds of Codenames to date. despite telling myself that i wouldn't stay past 10, i ended up staying until around 11 or 11:30 and getting home around midnight. tuesday was rough since i was so tired and was also an in-office day, and joyce provided lunch; this time it was costco sandwiches, homemade salad, potato salad, chips, and maybe something else. matt was invited and came along and of course got along with everyone. afterward i went to chinatown and got a haircut and an eyebrow threading, and then to the arts district for happy hour with the ceo folk, which then switched venues two more times, ending with drunken karaoke and dancing at The Mermaid bar in little tokyo, followed by the requisite sobbing and having to be consoled/talked down by cesar in his car. wednesday was work at home where i was dead tired but also very embarrassed by the previous night's antics. thursday: thanksgiving. i bought some things at ralphs, then went to my mom's around 1pm. she had acquired a chunk of turkey breast which she had baked and some honeybaked ham, and i made green bean casserole, mashed potatoes, and mac and cheese (the latter two from scratch). then we had some pie and coffee and i trader her one episode of Brooklyn 99 to one episode of the travel show with Kian 84 before i headed out, absentmindedly ate a bunch of leftover mac and cheese, and then rolled around with a stomachache until i puked around midnight. friday: fishing with sov and the kids at the Hansen Dam basin. no catches, but some sightings and bites. the kids amused themselves when not fishing with playing in the dirt and collecting little pod things and stacking rocks, that kind of thing. i went home and shortly thereafter joyce called and then we played pickleball in LC around 3. saturday: am walking/hiking behind jpl with danielle and snicks, followed by the requisite tacos, nachos, and margaritas at Homestate. great conversation and company. i think then i just sat around and ultimately finished the last two episodes of Brooklyn 99 which was kind of sad but also done in such a way as to make it as least sad as possible. sunday (today): did not go to either church or pickleball as i had slept very poorly and didn't get out of bed until 9:30 am, but then was productive until about 4pm. i washed three loads of dishes, took out a bunch of trash and recycling, posted a bunch of free things on the buy nothing group, scrubbed the tub, swept the bathroom floor, put away a bunch of things including any clothing lying around, sorted some papers, that kind of thing. then at 4 i put on some joggers and took a 45 minute walk as the sun set, listening to The Read and chatting with lana. though i didn't see anybody or talk to anyone besides lana, today was a pretty good day. i felt it once i sat down in the morning with my coffee and filled out all of my little trackers. my daily to do list, my tracking journal, the last few days' of expenditures. i'm realizing that i like this, that it's calming, that i like putting things on paper, filing things away in a way that feels systematic and organized. i like seeing how the dollars and time are spent. i like checking off boxes and setting small achievable goals.

some other things i've noticed lately. i'm getting a bit sick of youtube. i used to be able to watch it without stopping, one after another. the downfall of this or that celebrity, youtuber, tik toker, some self-improvement, minimalism, reality tv recaps, murder mysteries, etc. but lately i've gotten a bit bored. after scanning the usual news, tmz, and slickdeals, i find myself a bit wondering what else to do. i'm reading a bit more than usual but not loving the book i'm reading, Jitterbug Perfume. it's well-written, but it feels like i need to read larger chunks at a time, and that i'm not really getting it when i just read a few pages at a time, which is lately mostly all i have the patience for.

i want to go more analog. i want to look at my phone less and maybe when i want to be serious about researching something, use my laptop. i'm starting to use my field notes journal more, and i want to use it more than the "notes" app on my iphone. i also want to write more. journal or maybe even that memoir i've thought so often about. again, i feel the shifting. my infatuation with anh has waned, and i'm again looking around the condo and addressing things that have long since needed to be addressed. i removed a lot of the tacky wrapping paper and old scrapbooking materials and put them up on facebook. i put away manuals and the "sentimental" items into their boxes. i replaced my bathroom vanity mirror yesterday with a similar style but wood instead of the stainless steel/nickel that was there before, that matches my floors and warms the place up a little. i bought bouquets of mums at whole foods yesterday, of which i gave one to my mom and one for myself. i wrapped christmas gifts, made christmas lists, and bought a few things on amazon that i've wanted/needed for a while, like a wooden sleeker queen bedframe.

yesterday joyce took a photo of me at pickleball and when i saw it, i looked so bad. my stomach was practically hanging over my pants and i just looked unhealthily overweight. i watched some youtube videos on fat/weight loss but i also knew that i knew enough to lose the weight. i just needed to commit more.

i'm reading a consensus that diet is one of the biggest things to focus on, much more than exercise, so i want to focus more on my diet. other items more important than exercise is less stress and better sleep, and i think those things might be easier for me to do than exercise, and i've already been working on healthier sleep habits. maybe that's why the idea of a new month and soon, a new year feels uplifting to me. another opportunity for a fresh start. a reset. a new hope. and this time, i'll do better, but if not, there will be another new month.

i think another part of tackling long held-off things at the condo is getting rid of things, and not just the daily and weekly trash, recycling, packaging, and mail, etc. but things i've been holding on to for no particular reason. i want to focus on 1-2 items a week or 3-4 items a month in which i get rid of things or tackle chores that i've been off for more than 3 months, like working on the fishing closet and researching prices for my dad's cameras. i want to get rid of some of the things from my relationship with j, like picture frames and maybe gifts i received. she is married, there is no return, and that is long-gone chapter and i do not need souvenirs of those times. i think i'm ready, or at the least, significantly readier than i once was. i want the condo to be cleaner, emptier, less cluttered, and i want my mind to be as well. i actually stopped reading a book and put it away to return to grace because i just didn't want to read it anymore, and that's not something i've done in the past. i just didn't want to continue spending my time on such poor writing like it was homework that i just needed to grit my teeth to get through, when there were so many books out there that i would much rather be spending my time on.

one more interesting "revelation" i had was regarding travel. i feel like i don't enjoy traveling as much as i thought i did, or perhaps once did. i look forward to getting back to wherever i'm staying to look at my phone and lie down, which is what i do most of the time i'm at home too. i don't like how i have less control of my meals and that i eat out so much and i get frustrated that i can't have the particular things that i want, like an in n out burger or pho when i want it. there are always hassles like uber costs, public transportation annoyances, random walking, sometimes to nowhere. i occasionally like eating good food and i enjoyed walking around mt. rainier and a nature path/hike near portland, but a lot of it was otherwise uneventful and unimpactful, and made me question if i even liked traveling. i find, when traveling, i'm more reminded of things i should get to improve the quality of my life, particularly as it comes to travel. a shirt that breathes, shoes other than tevas, a nicer head/neck pillow for the plane. and i get more self conscious about food as previously mentioned. i suddenly want more fruit and vegetables, or specific niche foods that are not available. and i often think about ways i want to improve "once i get home" and "once i'm back to my routine". i think about how i want to lose that weight and dress better as i'll see myself in photos and be very unhappy with what i see. i basically become more aware of how my daily routine could be improved, and i think more about getting back to it than i necessarily enjoy the moment.

ironically, when i'm at home and in my daily routine, besides the structure from the daily lists and mechanical chores, etc., i don't really eat better, or cook healthier, and i spend so many hours staring at my phone. the past 2 weeks have averaged about 8.5 hours/day, which is bad considering 8 hours is supposed to be sleeping and 8 in working, which means that at least for a part of my sleeping and working hours, i'm staring at my phone. it's like this constant state of dissatisfaction where the grass looks greener on the other side, and i can't seem to enjoy where i am when i'm doing it.

except for maybe now, and maybe the last few days. the reading, pickleball, walks, organizing. maybe the travel is helpful in that it encourages to make more of the time that i spend at home. it almost makes me miss it, to romanticize it. i think people like traveling because it's a break from the monotony and strain of daily life, but when my daily life is not particularly strained, the vacation feels less like a vacation, and more like a different type of strain that i am less familiar with.

interesting times. interesting insights.

signing off, ghil

[auraispurple]

So I’ve had an amount of wine that might be described as either “delicious” or “too much” but I just need to let you all know my Whiskey Cavalier feelings.

Episode 4 “Mr and Mrs. Trowbridge” aired last night and they served us Fake Married to distilled, fanfic perfection. I didn’t even know that I could love fake married this much and I already loved it a great deal. Like, Fake Married on a French chateau with spies on spies and an actual wedding and people catching feels but not at the right time and We Have A Job To Do. One of them is just trying to get through this job, consummate professional, and then another is like Hey So I Have Thoughts About Our Fake Marriage, and I Kinda Just Assumed We Would Share The Bed But Ok You Are Not Into That Let Me Head To The Couch Thanks. And then the consummate professional catches feels and it’s SO GOOD and SCOTT FOLEY’S BEAUTIFUL FACE and there’s meta and tracking devices in champagne and shit man, wine is wonderful (I am drinking a lovely fumee blanc by Ferrari Carano).

ANYWAY watch Whiskey Cavalier if you love tropes and fun and joy and before the fake married stuff even started they had a LASER BALLET DANCE OF UNNECESSARY CLOSENESS and it was WONDERFUL. I need more people to watch this show because it is basically the change I wish to see in the media and hell yes I am quoting Gandhi. He would watch Whiskey Cavalier, probably.

Come join us here in Whiscav. We have all of the tropes and none of the bullshit. 

[kyber-heart-writes]

Callsign ideas!

(I've been coming up with codenames for a book im writing and coincidentally they all make great call signs)

Atlas (I've always loved the name Atlas)

Axis (anatomy joke pairs with Atlas)**

**atlas is the vertebrae (c1) holding the head, axis is the vertebrae (c2) just below it, which allows pivoting motion

Almanac (the lesser Atlas)

Equinox

Midland

Kilroy (listened to mr roboto and inspiration struck)

Huntress

Raiden (Metal gear reference)

Honey

Kepler (I like astronomy ok)

Texas (it sounded funnier in my head, can only be used on texans)

Chaser (because tracer was taken by an overwatch character)

Destiny (Miles Teller said in an interview he flew with a pilot with that callsign)

Density (destiny but a bad speller)

Deepthroat (the intrusive thoughts won this time, also apparently the Watergate informant was nicknamed deepthroat and I happened to remember that useless piece of trivia)

Mania (??? I don't remember how I landed on that one)

Radar (i rode a horse named radar once)

Joe ( who's joe? Joe mama)

Duck (i have a bird named duck also since there's a goose there's probably someone named duck)

Killer (honestly stole the nickname from the wing-maker for the Victoria's secret fashion show)

Coolio (don't tell me there isn't a pilot out there named coolio)

Computer (idk i thought someone would be a 2001 space odyssey nerd)

Midas

Four-eyes (Bob's original callsign until they told him it was too long)

Mustang (ngl, got it from Roy Mustang, the flame alchemist)

Ocean

Ender (Ender's game)

Wheels (doesn't have a drivers license)

Tango (horrible dancer)

Blue (Sad Boy. I literally watched a movie where this guy's friends just call him blue cause he's always sad)

Stinger

North (ngl I stole it from that android lady in Detroit Become Human)

Baby (my friend couldn't figure out what to name her kitten so we named it baby.)

Hawk (I'm gonna be totally honest, stole this one from mha's Hawks)

Falcon

Dream (sandman)

Disco

Alloy (those guys from super smash training mode)

Vortex

Mop (idk fam it sounded really funny in my head)

??????

Honestly I'd probably be called something stupid like "frizz" or "eyebrows"

Feel free to take from this list for OC's in fics and whatnot. I'm constantly stealing cool names from media and memory.

[dawndelion-winery]

ACCO

750?!?! FOWJKSKSWN CONGRATS :DD

Is it alright if I request a small + sparkling water + Kaeya??

I love this man’s voice sm

YOU DESERVE 1K ACCO ISTGDISJSOSJ /lh

Hope you have a wonderful day :]

- tired

HSJWUDZF HENLO TIRED, BESTIE MWAH💕💕I bringeth thy tiddified husband

Keep Talking

"I just like the sound of your voice" Ft. Captain Kaeya Alberich

Ever the charmer, he had a way with words and he knew it. It didn't help that he had a pleasant voice as well. The combination of the two made for quite the frustrating person to deal with as a close friend - someone who pulls you into a dizzying verbal tango.

Of course, that would leave it to you to knock him down a peg, leading the two of you to bicker like an old married couple, a fight too mild to even be considered a fight and thus lacking in entertainment as Rosaria would put it.

"You must truly dedicate yourself to my annoyance to always seem to find something to get on my nerves," you told him in jest.

"Well that's because you talk the most when you're annoyed," he mused. "And frankly, I just like hearing the sound of your voice."

Taglist[send an ask to be added/removed]: @myluvkeiji @pluvioseprince @aqui-soba @euphoric-author @paradise-creator @favonius-captain @tiredsleep @raincxtter @serenenation @loverofthe-stars @gensimping-for-all @irethepotato @almond-adeptus @mx-kamisato @yuzuricebun @chaosinanutshell @howlantic @codename-hiraeth @andreiling01 @callmemeelah @stunningstratagem @sadlonelybagel @plinkuro

[dearophelia]

"Your coping methods are terrible, and I know they're never going to change, so I will instead just bring you a snack (and also a hug)," a big part of Garrus' experience dating and being married to Olivia

[writing-the-end]

LoL Chapter 49- The Underground

Masterpost

A Wizard Hermits tale (AU, designs, ideas belongs to @theguardiansofredland)

Ecto belongs to @cooler-cactus-block (new computer and I still can’t fuckin at you)

Turns out the hermits aren’t the only ones who wish to get rid of Magistrate Dolios.

____________________________________

Etho drops into the canal below, water rippling without a single drop to disturb the silent cave. Heterochromatic eyes rove across the dark, dank tunnel, waving one hand for the others to follow. Scar comes next, much less gracefully as he misses the last rung and tumbles into the canal with a heavy splash. 

They were beneath the noble district of the city. Grown above the canals like most of Milliara, they built up beyond the lifeblood of Lairyon. Left it behind, to pass through in these underwater canals, until they lead to a fountain, messenger canal, or the rest of the city.

Once Xisuma’s boots are in the water, he sloshes forward without pause. He knows who he saw, he’s just not sure if he believes it. Ex never gets involved with anything. He always waits, watches from the sidelines. When X wanted to fight, it was Ex that stayed behind. When X wanted to be a guild, Ex went on his own. 

He continues on, following the distance sound of scraping and scuffling, harsh against the soft patter of water and trickle of running water. Xisuma rounds the corner, white light reflecting in the distance off the damp walls. He’s so focused on the light at the end he doesn’t notice the movement in the shadows. At least, not until it’s too late. 

A warm hand claps over Xisuma’s mouth, muffling any attempt for him to cry out. Another arm drags him into the darkness, and a wave of fear keeps Xisuma from trying to escape. A warm, low voice growls in his ear, full of menace. “You had your chance, now let the big kids play.” 

“Tris, we’re just supposed to stop the guard, not-” A second, similar voice fractures through the darkness, and Xisuma notices a lock of pink hair, bright against the stone wall. 

“I’m Nightshade!” The one holding Xisuma snaps, loosening his grip on him. “Do you want half the city to know who we are?”

Xisuma manages to wriggle free, and instead the twin faces wrestle each other into the water. Tackling and pulling hair, calling each other names that grow louder and louder. Loud enough for the other hermits to find them. 

Stress realizes who she’s looking at first. “King Sor?” 

“What am I, chopped liver?” one of the two growls, his blue scarf soaked.

“The king?” Tango splutters, snapping his fingers. A flame appears in his hand, and he raises it higher. Sure enough, wrestling in the muck and mud of the swampwater was the King of Lairyon and his twin brother. Yin and yang, dark and light. Their tan skin and rainbow hair- though the king’s much brighter- was instantly recognizable, even if the all white and black suits weren’t enough. 

Grand Advisor Tris, currently holding King Sor in a headlock, glares at the hermits. “Do you mind?” 

“We are in the middle of something.” Sor adds, looking at their audience as he grabs hold of Tris’s fingers and yanks. 

“What are you-” Xisuma starts, confusion clouding his prerogative. Why is the Twin King, monarch of Lairyon, in the canals beneath his own city, tackling his brother and arguing over codenames? Xisuma shakes his head, trying to avoid the fact that he’s standing in front of the king. “Where did he go? My brother?” 

“Where’s Doc?” BDubs adds, bouncing from foot to foot. They have to find their friend. Is he still alive? What do the kings want with a criminal? Why all this, when King Sor has more power than even Dolios? 

“Three lefts then a right, there��s a staircase carved into the wall. It’ll take you to-” Sor has gained the upper hand, sitting on top of Tris, but the advisor isn’t afraid to kick his brother into silence. 

“You are, by far, the worst spy ever.” Tris hisses, but the hermits leave the twins to their squabble in the sewer. Following Sor’s directions, they wind through the secret caves, Tango, Grian, Ren, and Iskall illuminating the darkness. Jevin can’t help but think about when they first began this journey, way back in Gildara. How they wandered dark, wet caves like this. Only to become enraptured into something so much bigger than they could ever have known. 

But rather than a corrupted crystal at the end of this dive, they find the carved steps Sor had mentioned. 

They also find the trail of blood up the rough hewn stairs. Every step up is slick with the ochre, a different size and shape from the one before. At the top of the stairs, a hatch remains closed. Xisuma presses up against the metal hatch, but finds it too heavy to lift. Looking up, he notices a symbol burnt into the metal. 

Ex still uses their shared mark. Even after their estrangement, the swirl and the star remain easily visible. Not like how Xisuma scratched it off everything he owned. “It’s blocked. Stress?” 

“Not a problem, dearie.” The ice mage squeezes her small, limber body between Xisuma and TFC, rolling up her sleeves. Without even breaking a sweat, she forces the hatch open. Light blinds them for a second time, though this much softer than before. Lamplight, enough to illuminate the wooden building, but still soft enough to cast shadow. A chest full of books has been tossed aside, the rug covering the hidden hatch flipped over. 

The hermits crawl out, like an army of ants from the seams in the wood, filling the small bookstore. Ex’s arrival surprises no one, and neither does the twenty something mages in his bookshop. The twin brother of Xisuma looks up, purple eyes meeting the hermits. A lock of pure white hair covers over one eye, and the red fabric of the cloak covers Ex from the nose down. But even with his face covered, the hermits can see the discontent in his expression. 

“He’s in the back. I’d… I’d be prepared.” Ex’s voice remains low and tempered, a bit deeper than Xisuma’s own. He turns away, running fingers across the shelves of books around him, before pulling free an encyclopedia of medicines. 

Scar doesn’t wait, bursting through the curtain into Ex’s living quarters. He follows the trail of ash and blood, until he stops dead. The other hermits crowd in behind him, desperate to see their friend. For a week, he’s been in jail. Just being able to be in the same room was a blessing.

Doc was rested on a cot, bandages covering his legs, his arms, his chest, his face. Blackened skin beneath white gauze. He lays still, eyes closed, clothes in burnt tatters. For a minute, everyone holds their breath, waiting to see Doc breathe his own. When a shallow rise of his chest, followed by whisper of an exhale, escapes from the puppeteer, relief floods the hermits. 

Doc is alive. Hanging on by a thread, but alive. Scar grabs Grian, yanking him to the front and shoving him into the room. “Fix him!” 

“Don’t need to tell me twice.” Grian may be rivals with Doc, but they’re still friends. Family. He walks across the silent room, each step a loud creak through the wooden building. The hermits follow in after, a concave audience watching, hoping for a miracle. 

Grian’s eyes begin to glow, and another set of wings appear from his back, and another. A halo rings above Grian’s blond hair, sharp shafts of light piercing the air around him. The archangel kneels beside Doc, lost in the overwhelming power of his magic. A mere pass of his hand over the unconscious criminal begins to heal him. An angelic miracle, Grian simply brushes a wing, and it eases the blackened burns across their friend. 

Doc’s breathing deepens, though he doesn’t wake. Brought back from the brink, from the precipice of death. Mumbo carefully sidles up beside Grian, placing a hand on his friend’s shoulder. “It’s okay, Grian, you can let go of your aura.” 

The soothing voice does the trick, as light fades and wings disappear. Grian’s exhausted but forces the glow and sleep from his eyes to see his success. Doc was alive. Doc was stable. 

Doc was safe, with his family again. 

Ex appears in the doorway, hands full of books, potions, herbs, and crystals. But when he sees his patient, no longer bleeding out and struggling to hang on for dear life. He looks at Doc, then Grian, then Xisuma. Dropping his armful of supplies, he waves his hand. “You really have one of everything, don’t you?” 

Xisuma takes a deep breath. He hasn’t spoken a word to Ex in years. What does he say, after so long? What does he tell him, or yell at him, or cry to him? But only one word manages to escape from X’s lips, through his mask. “Thanks.” 

The word surprises both twins, blinking back in surprise. Ex’s lips press into a thin line, and he turns his head away. A white ponytail of hair cascades over his shoulder. “Never say I didn’t do anything for you, brother.” 

“Xisuma, this is your brother?” Keralis questions. They were almost identical twins, in fact. From the structure of their face, the intensity in their eyes. The only difference between the two was Ex’s snow white hair. Hell, they even had them both in ponytails. 

“If he still considers me a brother.” Ex snips, picking up the mess on the floor and carefully placing the books in a stack. 

“I thought you said getting into things would only lead to trouble.” Xisuma looks down at his friend, then to Ex. 

“And by the looks of it, I was right.” 

“But you saved Doc. You used your magic in front of half the city, to save him from burning at the stake.” Xisuma shakes his head, still in disbelief. “Why?” 

Ex stops moving, going silent. His shoulder tense forward, until his head drops. “Because he means so much to you. You may not consider me a brother, but I still care about you. Whether or not this disaster could have been avoided, we’re all in on it now.” 

“We?” Cub picks up on Ex’s words, raising an eyebrow. Of course, there were the royals, but he also remembers the water magic appearing from nowhere, the cactus growing from the woodwork, the black wings in the smoke. 

Ex snorts. “What, you think you guys have been this lucky the whole time? That it was only you idiots taking on the magistrate?” 

He turns, walking out of the room. Assuming the hermits will follow. He assumed correctly. Only a few stay behind to keep watch over Doc, the others squeezing through the aged wooden shop, up the rickety stairs and into a dining room. 

They aren’t alone. Inside, three people are sitting. One with short brown hair, cropped to the side and laying on the top of the table, earthy colored clothes and scarves wrapped around her. Sitting crosslegged in the seat is a small kipling, rocking in place with curious eyes as he looks upon the large group entering into Ex’s study. Finned ears flick against black and orange locks, a slight glow appearing under the kipling’s clothes in the dark room. And in the corner, perched on the flat booth’s backrest, a blonde mane drapes around a serious face, and a pair of jet black wings rustle against the wooden walls. 

The last faces they expected to see were those of the Wanderers.

“Red? Ecto?” Zedaph tips his head to the side, surprised. The last time they saw the three of them, it was before the labyrinth challenge. When the hermits celebrated with Team Crafted, they had already left. Disappeared just as fast as they appeared. And now, they’ve reappeared. Sitting in the middle of Ex’s kitchen, sipping on tea. As comfortable there as they were in that ratty old inn. ‘How do you guys know Xisuma’s brother?”

“It was you three who rescued Doc.” Scar whispers, his voice soft and almost reverent. Water, desert, and dragon. 

“Ex approached us while you and Team Crafted were within the labyrinth. He told us about things we already had suspicion of, but no connected dots.” Avon tips her head back, looking down her nose at the hermits. “We decided the best way we could help Lairyon was to cause as much nuisance to the magistrate as possible, as well as handle certain missions.” 

“This entire time, you were helping us?” Xisuma turns, looking at his brother. They’re the exact same height, purple eyes locked in some years long argument.

Ex snorts. “What, you think you idiots did that all on your own? But it wasn’t just the wanderers that have been helping. Team Crafted has had their hand in this underground rebellion as well. Turns out, they make a lot of trouble all over the place for the arcane guard to deal with, as well as encourage people to tell their stories and speak out against the magistrate.” 

“But then that leaves…” Mumbo trails off, and he turns around at the sound of bickering behind them. Sure enough, the twin rulers are still arguing over their codenames. Mumbo bows, his hands shaking as he remembers all the rules he was taught when in presence of the king. 

King Sor presses one hand over his twin’s mouth to shut him up, and uses the other to wave off Mumbo’s bow. “Please, there’s no-” Sor’s interrupted when Tris retaliates, licking his hand. The king curses, rubbing the spit on his white outfit. “You’re disgusting, brother.” 

“Go on, finish the story. Don’t forget to tell them who’s idea it was to reach out to the mysterious white haired man with connections to Eremita.” Tris scoots in beside Red, and Ecto pours tea for the royal advisor. 

“It was Tris’s idea to contact Ex. I honestly don’t know how he found out about him, but he’s been the conductor of it all. We help fund in any way we can, and he does the research before sending the wanderers and Team Crafted to play support roles.” King Sor doesn’t look like the man the hermits are used to seeing. The king, the ruler of Lairyon. He’s thriving with people, just another person, another friend. 

“But...you’re the king. Why can’t you just depose of Dolios?” Beef questions, the confusion in his voice matched by all of the hermits. Only Ex and the wanderers act as if this was evident. 

They expected Sor to answer, being the king, but with a loud crash of a metal teacup against the wooden table, all attention is turned to Tris. “That monster, that....bastard has been using us all against Sor. Especially me.” Tris grits his teeth hard, jaw tight and set. “You’re too damn soft, Sor.” 

“Soft?! Tris, he was going to kill you!” Sor gasps, tears beginning to streak from teal eyes, across tanned cheeks. His breath hiccups and catches in his throat. “Dolios made sure he had control over everything, including me. In order to do that, he… he tortured Tris. My brother. Threatened both our families. Hurt our closest friends in the royal guard. Sometimes… I had no choice but to let it happen. The things he would have done to the kingdom were so much worse but...at what cost? Did I make the right decision, letting him do that to my own brother?” 

Sor’s knees fall out from under him, and in the aged wooden floor of a bookstore, the King of Lairyon is brought to kneel. Tears fall, all he’s been forced to endure breaking down. And the hermits, despite hardly knowing King Sor, understand and sympathize with him all the same. His family is at risk, the same way their own is. Dolios will stop at nothing to tear both families apart, all for his gain and rise to power. 

Red clambers over Tris’s lap, breaking every taboo and rite to approach the king. She runs over, and hugs the king tight and close. A warm hug, like a mother’s embrace, just enough to calm down the monarch. Such a young man, forced to make so many horrible decisions. After a moment, the king recollects himself. Through puffy, tearstained eyes, he looks to the hermits. “Lairyon needs a hero. There are no chosen ones, there is no prophecy. No knights in shining armor, no kings and our awesome power. This time, the heroes need to be made. And you, the Order of Hermits, were the brave souls to choose to be heroes.” 

“Dolios is using his darkness to gain power. After what you dealt with, we were sure you’d give up.” Tris adds, standing and placing a hand on his brother’s shoulder. Now, the scars on the royal advisor’s body are clear as day. “But you really are the heroes that will bring back the Light of Lairyon.” 

Silence falls over the room. The hermits, heroes? Just for wanting to help, to do what no one else knew to do? They were caught up in all of this, and multiple times death waited to claim them- if Dolios had his way. They weren’t heroes, just people who chose to fight back. Who chose to make the stand. 

“Dark magic isn’t new.” Ex breaks the silence, hefting a massive, ancient book onto the table. The wood rocks, dumping Avon off it and into Ecto’s lap. “There have been insurgences all throughout history, though the past thousand years have been relatively quiet. Unfortunately about that, almost all information how the dark magic was defeated has been… lost to time. To make matters worse, no reported insurgence has ever been so prolific as this time around.” 

“Alright, how does this help with anything?” Xisuma rolls his eyes. His brother always has such a flair for the dramatics, always getting way too deep into history and his books. Next to the massive tome that Ex is flipping through, Avon stops pestering Ecto. She goes still, even when the desert wizard dumps her onto the floor. A look of fear spreads from her eyes, rippling like a drop of water across a lake. 

“Well, if this happened before with the ancient ones, then it’s likely the answer may lie with the history of Lairyon itself. Perhaps if you-” Ex is interrupted when a massive black pair of wings extends, one smacking him in the face. 

“The spirit dragons are in danger.”

[blackhakumen]

Mini Fanfic #864: The Disco King (Super Smash Bros Ultimate)

6:45 p.m. at Smash Mansion, Outsode of Luigi and Daisy's Bedroom......

Daisy: (Flexing her Muscles in Front of the Mirror Door While Wearing a Female Berserk Outfit) Heh Heh!~ Still got it. (Gives Both of her Muscles a Kiss Each Before Calling Out to Luigi) How's the costume going in your department, babe?

Luigi: (Inside the Bedroom) Pretty good! Just need to finish the final touched....aaand....Done!

Daisy: Sweet! You ready to come out here and show me whatcha got?

Luigi: Yeah. I'm still not sure if it'll look nearly as good as yours though....

Daisy: Oh come on, 'hon. You're being too modest again. I'm sure your costume is gonna look great this year.

'Door Open'

Daisy: Hell, it might even look better than mi- (Eyes Widened in Complete Shock at What is in Front of Her) OH... MY GOD!

Luigi smiles sheepishly and shyly while wearing a green, disco like attire.

Luigi: This.... isn't too much, is it?

Daisy: (Almost at a Loss For Words) Luigi, you look amazing.......The clothes....the shoes...the hair! Where did you get all of this?

Luigi: Professor E. Gadd gave it to me back when I was at the hotel two years ago. I wore this as a disguise to infiltrate the ghost party at the disco ball room. And....since I was given "Disco King" as my codename, I had to prove the title is real by disco dancing for three and a half minutes. Which was kind of pretty fun to do in hindsight.

Daisy: That is so cool and hot at the same time......

Luigi: Really? I figured you would find all of this lame and boring.

Daisy: Are you kidding? I love Disco! We used to throw those kinds of parties back at my kingdom, when I was a little munchkin. Been in love with the culture ever since....('Click Tongue') Ah man....

Luigi: What's wrong?

Daisy: If I'd knew you would be wearing that for Halloween this year, I could've brought a disco costume of my own a long time ago. We could've been known as the King and Queen of Disco Dancing! And I could've wore a sick afro!

Luigi: You would look pretty groovy in a afro......(Smiles Softly) But I'm sure we can wear it together some other time. For what it's worth, I think you already look amazing in the costume you're wearing right now.

Daisy: You think so? It's a costume I usually wear for Dungeons & Dragons night with the ladies. (Begins to Smile Proudly While Showing Off her Muscles) Not to brag or anything, but I just so happen to be the only, strongest Berserker of the entire party.

Luigi: (Chuckles Lightly) I can tell. Your muscles are looking better than ever.

Daisy: Thanks, sweetie~ I knew my workout routine would pay off eventually.

Luigi: Well, you are the strongest princess I know after all.

Daisy: (Smiles Bashfully) Weegie, you're giving me too much credit here~ I'm sure there's like a ton of other girls in the world that are lot stronger than I am.

Luigi: Yeah, but....(Holds Up Daisy's Hand While Giving her a Bit of a Seductive Smirk on his Face) You'll always be my #1~ (Starts Kissing the Top of Daisy's Hand)

Daisy: (Giggles Ticklishly by Luigi's Kisses Before Pulling him Into a Tango Like Position) C'mere, you!~

The princess is about to give her man a kiss on the lips. When suddenly......

'Gopsel Keyboard'

Dedede: (Comes Out Of his Room With a Slug Like Figure While Singing Wearing his Preacher's Cloak and an Elvis Wig) YEEAHEH YEAHEYEAHE YEAH! YEAHEYEAHEYEAH! YEAHEYEAHEYEAHEE YEEEEEEEEAAAAH!

Daisy: (Eyes Widened at What is In Front of Her and Luigi) Dedede?

Luigi: Are you..... Dressed as Elvis?

Dedede: Close. I'm a Preacher NAMED Elvis. I was debating which of the two I wanna be this year for Halloween until I say....(Sings While the Slug Plays the Keyboards Again) WHY NOT BOOOOOOOOTTTTTH!!!~ Praise the one and only Elvis Dedede!

?????: Amen.

Daisy: (Points at the Slug) Hey, who's that?

Dedede: My partner & crime, Escargoon.

Escargoon: (Smiles Brightly at the Couple) Pleased to meet ya lovely folks today.

Luigi: Ah yeah.... Dedede told me about you a while ago. (Happily Pulls his Hand Out For a Handshake) It's so nice to finally meet you in person.

Escargoon: (Gives Luigi the Handshake) Likewise. Love the costumes by the way. Couldn't decide which one is my favorite already.

Dedede: Yeah. I have to agree. Y'all look good.

Daisy: Why, thank you~ (Starts Flexing While Speaking in a Manly Like Voice) I AM KNOWN AS THE STRONGEST BERSERKER OF ALL THE LANDS AND SEAS!!! (When Back to Smiling Brightly While Hugging Luigi From Behind) And this here is my handsome Disco King!~

Luigi: (Smiles Sheepishly Again) I-I wouldn't exactly call myself a king or anything, but....I am pretty groovy!~ Speaking of which, what are you dressed as, Mr. Escargoon?

Escargoon: I'm Joe Esposito. Elvis's manger and right hand man. It's not much, but....I think it suits me pretty well. It's a lot better than the first costume the former sire suggested me to wear

Dedede: (Glares at Escargoon) Ah come on, now. Being a T-Rex isn't so bad.

Escargoon: (Glares Back at the Former King) Dedede, I am not gonna wear a T-Rex costume just to make your Elvis Preacher impression look more good than it already was. Did you forget that I literally have no legs?

Dedede: Then you can just wear the head. It wouldn't be any problem with that.

Escargoon: Yeah, expect for the fact that I couldn't see anything clearly out of it! I mean, seriously, how much does it cost anyways? $1000?

Dedede: (Slowly Starts Looking Away in Silence) ....................

Escargoon: (Eyes Widened) Oh my god. You actually spent money that stupid thing? Why!?

Dedede: (Went Back into Glaring at Escargoon) Hey, that costume ain't stupid! And the only reason I brought it was because it looks interesting!

Escargoon: What? You thought about wearing it for yourself or somethin'?

Dedede: NO!........ Probably. But that's beside point!

Escargoon: (Facepalms While Groaning) ('Ugggh') You are SO impossible to deal with all the time.....(Turns to the Couple Behind Him) Has he always been this stubborn to you guys?

Daisy: Oh yeah. Big time.

Luigi: Almost at a daily basis even.

Dedede: (Immediately Glares at the Duo) TRAITORS!

Escargoon: (Already Has a Deadpinned Look on his Face) Hey, don't blame them for speaking the truth. I bet everyone else in this mansion will say the same.

Dedede: HUSH UP! You know what? Forget y'all! (Angrily Walks Way) I'mma go downstairs and show everyone on my swagger on my own! PEACE!

Escargoon: (Watches Dedede Walk Away While Walking) Once a spoiled brat, always a spoiled brat......(Turns Back to the Duo with a Soft Smile) Thanks for looking out for him for me. It means a lot that you care.

Daisy: No problem, man. Annoying as he is, he's still family.

Luigi: Always.

Rest in Peace Elvis Presley & Joe Esposito

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[thetruemek]

𝖄𝖔𝖚𝖗 𝕹𝖊𝖜 𝕭𝖔𝖘𝖘 𝕱𝖗𝖔𝖒 𝕳𝖊𝖑𝖑  has updated!!!

44. The Crawling Chaos

You’re still just sitting there in a growing puddle of your own blood when your captors turn back around to you, their triumph written all over their stupid faces. Your defeat and the hopelessness of the situation amplifies the pain you feel in your entire body and now even the bruises Blackhat left on you ache and burn in addition to your throbbing knee. Happy exhales another relieved breath, wipes his sweaty brow and props his hands on his hip.

   “I’m sorry, Ghost, but your boss won’t be able to help you in here, we made sure of that with some precautions. And now that we know they actually work, we can be a little more open with you, since you’re going to be our guest for an indefinite amount of time.”

   “Oh yeah?” you hiss, baring your teeth at him in newly kindling fury. “Well if you think he can’t find me, he’s already on his way and if you think you’re safe from his wrath, you’re as good as dead!” Tango gives you an arrogant sneer and crosses her arms.

   “Oh he’s been trying his damnedest to eradicate us for years now. But as you can see, he failed in hunting us down!” You scoff out a haughty laugh yourself, unwilling to let her act superior to you for even a second.

   “Please, why the hell would he even feel the need to concern himself with a bunch of pathetic clowns like you? He’s got better things to do! He never even bothered to mention you to me, you know, like: Oh, ______, make sure to be on the lookout for Tweedledee and Tweedledum, those parasites are my worst enemies! And by worst enemies I mean they’re about as annoying as stubbing my toe would be!” You fail stupendously at mimicking his raspy voice, but you don’t even care. Happy rubs his chin.

   “So that’s your real name, huh? ______?” he asks and you flinch, wincing double at the sting of pain that shoots up from your leg at the thoughtless motion. Shit. Already fucked up. Then you realize it wouldn’t do them any good. You’re from a different dimension entirely, and if they didn’t know which one, or that they even existed, they would come up empty handed trying to look for any connections you had.

   “Sure, let’s go with that. I don’t suppose you’re going to tell me yours. You know? Since I’m not going to leave anytime soon as you put it. Personally I think your codenames are stupid.” Happy steps closer to pick you back off the ground and throw you over his shoulder again, the motion making you sick to your stomach and you groan at the flaring pain in your leg.

   “For now, let’s go with Happy Feet and Tango. We’ll have all the time to get to know each other in the interrogation room. Think about whether you want to cooperate or not until we’re there.”

   “If I haven’t bled to death by then!” You yell over your shoulder and jerk your bound arms to the side on your back, hitting his temple with a sharp elbow. He pushes you further over his shoulder in return, making the blood pool inside your head and adding to the gruesome pain still throbbing there.

   “Don’t be dramatic, we’ll patch you up once we’re there. Can’t have an important guest like you die under our hands… Tango told the truth by the way, when she said that we’re not the enemy, ______. I can’t imagine what you must’ve been through, but none of that can get to you while you’re here with us, I promise.”

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