#my god this unlocked a plentiful of memories I had

[thebean-17]

I feel like he would be those younger gen Zs I used to see worshipping questionable figures, talking about politics and anything related to World War II, have the edgiest profile picture in the world, and absolutely DOG on anyone with opposing views, calling them "dumbasses."

if euronymous was gen z, he would start arguments on tiktok and say “im neurodivergent and a minor. you’re literally arguing with a fucking minor.”

[tourturestarradio]

𝐒𝐖𝐄𝐄𝐓 𝐋𝐈𝐊𝐄 𝐂𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐘

“𝐒𝐡𝐞’𝐬 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐲, 𝐬𝐡𝐞’𝐬 𝐬𝐨 𝐬𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐭.”

☆ ★ ✮ ★ ☆

Prompt: Wolverine x kind reader x Deadpool 

Warnings: suggestive, sexual jokes, spoilers (kinda? after the time stuff) injuries, 

☆ ★ ✮ ★ ☆☆ ★ ✮ ★ ☆☆ ★ ✮ ★ ☆☆ ★ ✮

You couldn’t remember the last time you talked with Wade, it’d been a while. Longer than normal. He’d come into your shop asking for sweets all the time it was nice talking to him he was pretty funny.

You met him after he basically saved you from a creep trying to attack you. After that he’d visit you at work getting a discount for saving you, you grown to like him a lot but it took a while for you to get out of your comfort zone.

With his very vulgar language, very….out there personality you grew close with him, Wade telling his friends about you any chance he got which lead to him introducing you to his friends making you insanely nervous.

The interaction was odd for them not you. There stared at you “…you’re Y/n?” A teenager with a long name asked, you nodded happily a friendly smile on your face. They glanced at you then at Wade then back at you “…if you were forced to be here blink twice” 

You chuckled nervously but they seemed to be dead serious “I’m here on my own will, I promise” you clarified, Wade wrapped his arms around your shoulder “you think I forced her to be my friend! You hurt me” you glanced at him “will you kinda did-“ “alright let’s go meet Colossus!” He dragged you away from the moody teenager to continue to interact with his friends.

You thought back on the memory pouting missing your friend. You finished cleaning up your cafe about to leave when there was knock at the glass door, turning to look at it you saw a person standing their it looked like an older man.

You placed your bag down you grabbed your “baby knife” Wade gifted you, you didn’t like  violence but after what happened last time you stayed out too late  you slid it up your sleeve slowly unlocking and opening the door “hello do you need some help?” You asked.

The older man stumbled nodding “f-food please…” he almost fell onto you but you caught him “uh…um…okay just…just sit down please” you hummed carefully helping him sit down. 

You went to get treats that no one had bought, usually you’d give that to Wade but he wasn’t here so you’d give it to the old man. 

You turned to hand him the bag but he was standing up straight “um are you alright….sir?” Gripping onto the knife tighter you stepped closer to him, he chuckled lowly “to nice for your own good.” Before you knew it he jumped towards you. 

You screamed in surprise pulling out your knife you stabbed him “ahh you bitch!” He fell back clutching him chest “I-I’m sorry!” You didn’t know what to do you felt bad for stabbing him but he was going to attack you.

He pulled the knife out standing up, bad choice you gulped knowing the outcome of this situation.

That night you went home with plenty of injuries and no money. Great. You had unlocked your front door going inside you flicked on the light “surprise! Welcome home honey bun-“ he froze in his spot.

He’d waited to surprise you when you got home. He thought you’d be in-static to see he was home from his thrilling mission and was going to tell you all about it but he was shocked to see you with a busted lip, black eye and bruises covering your face and arms. 

“Oh my god what fuck!” He hurried up to you grabbing your shoulders “Wade nice to see you” you greeted, he was panicked but didn’t want to show it “how exactly can you see me? Looks like someone had a run in with Chris Brown, what happened” he joked.

You let out a dry chuckle “some jerk…I thought he needed…I thought he needed help but he was just trying to rob me. And he took my baby knife” Wade gasped “not the baby knife!” 

As you went to get in the shower Wade clenched his fists “Honey bun I’ll be right back to tell you all about my adventure and the new friends I made!” He shouted into the bathroom earning a “alright��� from you. 

Leaving your house he went into his apartment slamming open his door gaining a odd look from the rest of the group. 

Logan raised a brow “what’s your deal?” Wade grabbed his swords and guns “some tiny dick loser attacked my friend” Logan stared at him with his usual annoyed face “so?” Wade stopped at the door looking back “so? That girl is one of if not the nicest and hottest person on the planet and some dickwad attacked her!” He turned and left the apartment slamming the door. 

“Who’s he talking about?” He asked Colossus got up “one of his close friends Y/n, she’s very important to him” he stated Logan was just confused but didn’t really care.

After a few hours Wade had returned dropping his weapons down at the floor “handled that, I feel so much better” he hummed, Logan glanced at him “you killed the guy didn’t you?” He asked. Wade smiled “yeah duh if you knew Honey hun like I knew her you’d do the same, well actually!” An idea popped into his head.

“Whatever your thinking. Don’t think it.” Wade laughed “oh come on you’ll love her! Not as much as the reader loves us but still” Logan looked at him confused “what?” “Oh come on peanut!” 

“If I go will you shut the fuck up?” Wade smiled leaving the apartment “no promises!” Logan rolled his eyes and followed. 

Wade knocked on the door “Honey bun! I’m back and I’ve brought a friend!” He continued to knock until the door opened revealing you now patched up and holding a ice pack up to your eye.

“Oh hi Wade, hello Wade’s friend” You smiled politely moving out of the way to let Wade and his friend in “I’m not his friend.” You shut the door “oh well what’s your name? I’m Y/n nice…nice to meet you” you greeted.

He stared down at you, he wasn’t to fond of physical contact and if he was touching someone it was usually stabbing punching slicing. But he grabbed your hand shaking it before letting go quickly “Logan.” He stated, You smiled at him “nice to meet you Logan- wait like Wolverine Logan!” You wanted to scream.

Wade watched as you hurried to your room, “she was a big fan of the X men Wolverine was her favorite you’d be surprised at the amount of edits she and probably the reader has saved on Tik tok” 

Logan looked at Wade confused “you wouldn’t get it, I never had the guts to tell her he died. I mean look at her” you hurried out of your room holding an X men comic “if…if you don’t mind could you sign this…please…” you gulped nervously.

Wade leaned over “come on, look how excited she is, kinda like how I was seeing her naked for the first time” Logan scoffed “shut it. Look I’m not that Wolverine…” he huffed, that look of excitement faded from your face almost made him a little sad.

“Oh…wait I’m confused…” Wade held your shoulders “time to tell you all about my adventure!” He pushed you over to your couch.

After telling you about everything that happened you sat with a frown “so the Wolverine from our world is gone…” Wade nodded “yep but yaknow Hugh jackmen just couldn’t get enough of this roll so now he’s alive again.” 

You glanced at Logan “so you’re still Wolverine…just from a different world…?” He nodded “that’s still so cool!” You stated excitedly, Logan looked at you a little surprised by how enthusiastic you were.

But he knew how this would turn out, he’s not gonna engage. You seemed like a sweet girl but he knows how this goes so he wasn’t going to even try. 

“Yeah I’m not all that great.” He huffed, you lightly nudged him a playful tone “well you still saved the world, and you’re still cool to me” you hummed, Wade’s smile widened “Honey bun” he called out, you looked at him “you got any cookies?” You nodded “sure I’ll go get some.” 

You got up leaving the two “see what did I tell you, she’s amazing!” Logan rolled his eyes “fuck off” he grumbled, Wade laughed “ha! You know I’m right! She’s perfect in literally every way!” Logan huffed crossing his arms. 

You came back holding a plate of cookies Wade pulled you down onto his lap grabbing a cookie shoving it into his mouth. 

You gulped “so um…can I….can I see your claws?” You asked nervously shuffling Wade held you still “no shuffling too much I haven’t got some in a while and the head downstairs misses you” you ignored his comment an stayed focused on Logan.

He held up his hand you lightly touched in between his knuckles feeling his claws under his skin “cool…” you muttered. He wouldn’t tell you but your reactions were somewhat cute. 

He clenched his fist his claws coming out a cheesy grin grew on your face as you hit Wades arm “look, look” a small laugh exiting your mouth “trust me babe I’ve seen them and felt them inside me multiple times” Logan glared at him “don’t word it like that.” 

Wade shoved another cookie in his mouth “don’t deny what we had!” You touched his blades “cool” he retracted them “well at least I can die happy” you joked.

Wade wrapped his arms around you squeezing you tightly “I won’t let that happen!” 

Logan looked at you and how nice you were, maybe you weren’t so bad after all…

☆ ★ ✮ ★ ☆☆ ★ ✮ ★ ☆☆ ★ ✮ ★ ☆☆ ★ ✮

A/n: I fucking loved Deadpool 3!!!! RAHHHHHHHHHHH

[suiana]

i spent the whole day reading and watching fianl fantasy 7 and guys pls imagine yandere! creation

you're an evil scientist and because you can and you want to, you created this absolute beast of a man.

he's perfect in every single aspect. height, strength, build, even his cock is huge.

anyway the evil corporate shitheads steal your creation from you when he was still newly created because they wanted to use him as a weapon. that... worked out well for them because when they took your perfect man he was still fresh like a newborn baby and didn't know shit.

they brainwashed him into thinking his parents had died and they took him in because you know. they took him in and raised him on his parent's behalf... a sad backstory makes a good hero am i right? it'll also give him more motivation to 'kill' the enemies that 'killed' his parents.

meanwhile you didn't really care that much that they took him away. sure, you were annoyed because he was expensive to make. but if you really wanted to, you could just make another version of him that was even better.

one day while you were doing your silly little things in your silly little lab... your creation burst into your office with a few of his teammates following beside him.

"give up you evil..."

his voice falls flat, eyes widening as the long sword he pointed at you slowly got lowered. you merely raised an eyebrow, frowning at him as his teammates continue to point their weapons at you. oh, did the corporate people send these guys to kill you?

you were going to willingly give up, cause, well, there's no way you were going to win in a fight against your creation. not when you created him to be a god in human form. he'd kill you before you even got the chance to stand up.

however...

you could only stand in silence as his sword pierced his teammates and ended their lives brutally. what the? he's killing them??

their screams of pain and terror ring through your ears as your creation steps towards you, blood on his hands and face as he drops in front of your legs. he kneels on the ground, his cheeks a beautiful shade of red as he takes your hand in his and presses a kiss to the back of your hand.

"my creator."

he mumbles, getting you all bloody as well. you didn't dare to move from your spot, fearing that he might kill you if you resisted him. damn, did he remember you or something? did seeing you unlock some sleeping memory that you created him?

you didn't know, and you didn't want to know. especially not with how he looks crazed for you now. did growing up as a soldier of war make him lose a few screws? it probably did. because why is he now carrying you in his arms and treating you like you're some sort of god?

"um-"

"hush now, we'll have plenty of time to talk once this is done."

your creation then kills everyone in the vicinity, bringing the palce where you work to ruins and making it totally uninhabitable.

...then he floats away awkwardly with you in his arms to some deserted far off island.

"i've finally found you, my creator."

"erm-"

"we'll be happy together. i'll take care of you."

oh well, at least he has big boobs.

[nebulaafterdark]

Sooner Or Late (Part 2)

Summary: Y/N flees to the north before the start of the war. When it is over, Aegon will stop at nothing to get her back.

18+ ONLY targcest, implied dubcon, mental illness & violence

Part 1

Y/N wakes without Aegon’s warmth, something she has grown accustomed to in these past years. She craves his touch, like air to breathe. Pacing through their chambers, until voices can be heard just beyond the door.

“I love her, mother.” Aegon says, in a hushed tone.

“This is perverse, Aegon.” Alicent hisses, “she scarcely recalls her own name. Or what befell her mother, let alone her husband-”

“I am her husband!” Aegon shouts, “I am.”

“Because you slaughtered the first.”

“She needs me,” Aegon whispers.

“That is not her.” Alicent insists. “She wants nothing but what you impose upon her to want.”

“If you speak such slanders again, I will have your tongue removed.”

The cruel nature of his tone sends a chill down Y/N’s spine. Unlocking something within her she’s long since forgotten. The first…her first husband. She collapses to the floor, digging the heels of her hands into her eye sockets. Conjuring the memory of him.

Jonathan.

The man who loved her, truly. The man she now betrays, growing Aegon’s children in her womb. And her mother…her mother hasn’t come to see her because-

The door swings open and Aegon storms in, finding his wife curled around herself on the floor. “Oh, my dearest love.” He coos, sinking down to join her. “Come here, darling.” He pulls her into his lap. “Are you alright?”

“I could not find you.” She tells him, clutching his tunic in her fist. “I was frightened.” Y/N is making a show of it, surely. She does not need Aegon. She can’t.

“There, there, my love.” Aegon tuts, “I am so terribly sorry.”

“I fear something has happened to me.”

“How do you mean?”

“I have been here too long and I’ve changed.”

“That is what you were meant to do.” Aegon assures her. “This is where you’re meant to be, that’s all. Nothing to fear.”

Y/N forces herself to nod. Knowing now more than ever she must leave, before it’s too late.

————————————————————————

Her son, Jon, is the only one made privy to her plans. The younger children she will leave to Aegon. Despite it all, she’s come to care for him but she cannot stay.

“There is a ship leaving port tonight.” Y/N says, holding her son’s hand as she breaks the news. “I should like for us to be on it.”

“And father?” Jonathan asks.

Gods no…they have been here too long. “Just us. This will be our secret.”

He nods, though he doesn’t understand.

“Go now, enjoy your toys. I must ready for the journey.”

————————————————————————

It is nearly time, Y/N makes for her son’s rooms, with nothing more than the clothes on her back. She knows the guard’s schedule well…and Aegon’s. There will be plenty of time to board the ship.”

“And where do you think you’re going?” Aegon.

Her blood runs cold, turning to him with a forced smile, “to find you, my love.”

“Mmm,” he hums closing the distance between them. “Were you now?”

“The babe is restless,” Y/N takes his hand, resting it on her belly.

Aegon smiles, feeling the child stir beneath his palm, “missing their father, I’d wager.”

“Mayhaps.”

He leans in closer, until his lips brush her ear. “Imagine how terribly they’d miss me, had you gotten away with it.”

No, she shrinks away from him.

“Ah, ah, ah.” Aegon drapes both arms around her waist, holding her close, their child pressed between them. “It’s over. These fantasies you have of leaving me.” He spits the penultimate word like venom.

Y/N whimpers.

“It was our boy who warned me of your plotting. I have never been more proud. He will be rewarded handsomely.” Aegon muses, “I hope this helps you to understand, you can never leave.”

“What more do you want of me?” Y/N sobs, shifting between feet, in the small space between them.

“Everything.” Aegon takes her face between his hands.

“You have taken everything!”

“Your life should be miserable. One tragedy after another, until you learn that only my hand can spare you. But I do not wish to torture you to death.” He scoffs. “I want a life with you, why won’t you give me that?”

“You filled my head with lies. You seek to carve out all that I am, to make way for who you want me to be. Docile and subservient. If you truly love me, how could you?”

“That is the only way you’ll stay with me.” Aegon strokes his thumb over her tear stained cheek. “It is such a shame that I’ll have to break you all over again.”

Y/N shoves at him. “To the seven hells with you.”

His mouth traps hers, in a searing kiss. “There she is.” His tongue traces the seam of her lips, only to be met by her teeth. “My fiery girl.” He chuckles, “it is a pleasure to see you again.”

Aegon taglist:

@oh-you-mean-me @niyahnotnia

[roguerambles]

A Moment of Respite

Blood of Zeus - Heron x Hera's!Daughter Reader

Warnings - 18+Only.

I've had this sitting in my drafts for ages and I want to get it out before I try any Season 2 stuff. Plus I just like the idea of these two, okay--

Kind of a Part 4 to Trouble.

Enjoy the Rambles!

-

Training was not going well.

You cringed as Heron flew across the arena, crashing into the sands with a pained groan. The automaton returned to its standing position dispassionately, and beside you Zeus sighed heavily.

It had been days since Mother had left Olympus, taking some of the other Gods of Olympus with her to the Underworld. Hades had apparently allowed them sanctuary, although he declared he would be taking no further involvement than that.

...your wrist ached as the memory of Mother’s hand grasping you, Hera and Zeus’s raised voices, Mother’s betrayed expression melting into a fury you had never had directed at you before flashed across your mind.

You had chosen to stay on Olympus, and Mother and Ares had left, others at their heels.

“Zeus.” Hephaestus spoke from behind you, his voice low and gruff. “This isn’t working.”

Zeus’s jaw clenched as Heron went hurtling across the arena once more, kicking up a dust cloud of sand as he crashed into the ground with a loud, painful sounding thump. “He needs to unlock his potential.” His large hands gripped the stonework of the balcony in front of him. “Soon.”

You were not much of a warrior, but you were fairly certain that if Hephaestus’s contraptions broke every bone in Heron’s body, that would be rather counterproductive to improving Heron’s combat efficiency.

As Zeus and Hephaestus continued to bicker in hushed voices, you felt a warm presence appear at your side. Apollo sighed as he leaned against the balcony, peering down into the training ground where Heron stumbled to his feet once more.

“He doesn’t give up, at least.”

“Is this really the best approach?” You nervously played with your hands as you watched Heron get up and be knocked down, over and over.

Apollo shrugged. “Athena is too busy preparing the defences, and Ares is with Hera. We don’t have a lot of options, training wise.”

You both continued to watch for a while, and you could feel your stomach sinking the longer it went on. Heron barely glanced your way.

You had not spoken since the night Mother had left, but the memory of Heron shocked expression as he looked at you – really looked at you – and the blind panic it had created in you made your stomach churn. You had fled to your room and would probably still be there if Hermes hadn’t forced you out.

“You should say hello.”

Your head snapped around to stare at Apollo, you was still looking out over the balcony. “I should what?”

“You should go over and talk to him.” Apollo replied casually, as though he were suggesting something completely normal. “The staring is getting a little old.”

“I am not—I am not staring.”

“Heron!” Apollo called out abruptly, loudly, and to your horror Heron actually looked up towards you. “Would you like some water? We have plenty over here—”

You turned to flee somewhere far, far away, only for Hermes – where in Tartarus did he come from – to appear, blocking your way with a small, but noticeable smile.

Traitor!

Zeus sounded displeased. “Interruptions are not—”

Apollo grabbed his father’s arm and began tugging him towards the stairs, so suddenly Zeus stumbled. “You are correct, Father, we should check the equipment on the other side of the arena—”

Zeus looked confused as Hermes joined Apollo in practically dragging the King down the stairs. Hephaestus rolled his eyes and stalked towards the automaton, muttering something about “those bloody sons of Zeus”. You were rooted to the stop as Heron slowly approached, his head low, as though he were struggling to meet your eye.

Your heart clenched as Heron busied himself gathering water, taking somewhat longer than was required for the task. The silence was so dense you felt it were almost choking you. You scrambled for something, anything, to say, but your mind was a void of disjointed words. I’m sorry. I wanted to tell you. I couldn’t tell you. Please don’t be angry. I’m sorry for Electra, I’m so—

“…you’re short.”

You were yanked from your frazzled thoughts when Heron finally said something. You looked at him in confusion, while Heron cringed, looking frustrated with himself. “I…pardon?”

“I just mean….” Heron rubbed the back of his neck, looking anywhere but directly at you. “You…the others are….you look different. Not bad, you’re beautiful, I just mean—”

“Oh. Oh! Right, yes, well, I wasn’t born like the rest of them. Mother—she made me out of clay.” Heron lifted his head to stare at you blankly. You felt your cheeks burn. “It is…unusual, I know.”

“…I’m sorry, was that rude—”

“No, no, not at all, you should hear how Apollo and Artemis were born—”

Silence fell over you again as you both fumbled over your words. You were torn between fleeing the arena altogether and staying exactly where you were because awkward or not you and Heron were talking. Over his shoulder you could see Zeus and Hephaestus by the automaton, and knew Heron would be pulled away soon. You inhaled deeply, steeling your nerves. I am the Queen of the Heavens daughter, by the Fates, act like it. “Heron….I am so sorry. About…about your mother.”

Heron looked pained, his fingers clenching around the waterskin in his hand. “…it was Hera, wasn’t it?”

It wasn’t a question, and you both knew it. You bowed your head, yours eyes beginning to sting. Do not cry. This isn’t about you.

“…yes.” You forced out, your throat feeling thick. “Heron…Heron, I know it’s not enough, but I’m sorry—”

“Why?” Heron cleared his throat, tossing the waterskin down. “It’s not your fault. You weren’t even there.”

“But….” You bit your lip. “Mother…I mean… Hera is—”

“Your mother, I know.” Heron wasn’t quite looking at you again, but he didn’t sound angry. Grief clung to his voice, and you fought the impulse to reach for his hand. “And Zeus is my…father. That alone made mother and I targets for Hera’s wrath. You had nothing to do with it.”

“Heron—”

Heron started to laugh.

You faltered, and watched as Heron hurriedly clamped a hand over his mouth, eyes wide as though startled by his own reaction. “I…I am sorry.” He choked out, eyes wide even as you caught glimpse of a mirthful smile behind his fingers. “Please…please continue…”

Your anxiety was briefly overpowered by confusion. “What…what is so amusing…?”

Heron’s shoulders began to shake. “I…I assumed your parents would disapprove of me.” He said, and the words seemed to break something in him. He doubled over, grasping his knees, eyes squeezing shut as he began to laugh even harder. “Now…now it turns out your mother is Hera. And…and I am the bastard son of her philandering husband….!”

You stared owlishly at him as his laugh grew louder – you could see Zeus and Hephaestus watching from the side-lines, their expressions suggesting concern that the automaton had hit Heron harder than they had feared.

“That’s…well yes, that is….Heron….Heron, it’s not funny!”

Heron tried to reply, but it came out as a wheeze. “I…gods…I had no idea…!”

You could feel a smile beginning to creep onto your face and tried to squash it, but Heron’s laughter was infectious, and was the most happy you’d seen him in…well, a while. “Well…no, I suppose…I suppose you are not what my mother would consider an ideal suitor…”

That brought on another wave of near hysterical laughter, and you found yourself giggling along with Heron, until you were both cackling like lunatics in the middle of the arena. You slumped against Heron’s shoulder, clamping a hand over your mouth as you saw Zeus heading towards you both.

“…if you are both finished?” He asked dryly, his eyebrows raised. Heron’s laughter stuttered to a stop, but he didn’t move away from you, the feeling of his body against yours leaving warmth against your skin.

You reluctantly straightened up, brushing away non-existent creases in your dress. “I suppose….” You gestured wordless at the arena. Zeus eyed you cautiously, before clearing his throat and turning back towards the automaton, as though he were examining it. Heron rolled his eyes slightly as you bit down a chuckle – you supposed he was trying to give you both a moment.

“Wish me luck.” Heron gripped his sword, his free hand rising to sheepishly rub his neck. “I think I’ll need a fair share of it…”

You laughed slightly, reaching out to gently pat his arm. He smiled in response, before sighing and trudging after Zeus.

“I think that went well.” Hermes said cheerfully from behind you. You nearly jumped out of your skin. “Don’t you think that went well, Apollo?”

“Indeed!” The Sun God chirped, appearing at your side. “See? All is well that ends well.”

“You two do remember…” Artemis sighed from somewhere behind you – when did she get here? – “…the approaching civil war, yes?”

“Small victories, dearest sister.”

You flushed and turned to stride back towards the stands, while Hermes and Apollo snickered to themselves. Artemis rolled her eyes as you sat beside her, although a small, teasing smile began to tug at her mouth. “Although….I did notice he didn’t deny it when you described him as a suitor.”

“Artemis!”

You blushed furiously as the Goddess of the Hunt laughed, and your stubbornly kept your gaze ahead, focusing on Heron on the sands below, feeling just a little bit lighter than before.

[puff0o0]

your barrage fic is chef kisses, immaculate!! <𝟑 would you be willing to make another fic of him, where it’s the date ?? because i’d totally die peacefully if you do ♡ ( no pressure )

A/N: I ABSOLUTELY WILL I LOVE BARRAGE OH MY GOD I LOVE HIM SO MUCH

It had been weeks since you and Barrage last talked

With being on deployment, it made it harder to even see him. You glanced at eachother, sharing smiles and quick glances. There was a meeting once and he had his eyes on you the whole time, you're not even sure he was paying attention

Now that deployment was finally over and you were in the comfort of your own home, you realized you never actually said when the date would be- or make plans of where to go

You started panicking, the excitement and nervousness for the supposed upcoming date slowly fading into anxiousness and disappointment

It was like you got stood up without even going on the date

Then your phone buzzed

You quickly grabbed it, unlocking your phone and clicking the notification. You read the message, it was from an unknown number, which you assumed to be Barrage. But how did he get your phone number?

You thought for a moment before you realized

Gaz

You'd thank him later

'Rain water Cafe. 20 minutes.'

You didn't waste a moment getting ready, choosing an outfit, thinking about what you'd say, what he'd wear

You were filled with excitement

☆-♡-☆

The date was very stiff

The air was awkward as you weren't sure what to say and neither did he

"What would you like to eat?"

You looked up from the menu, quickly telling him your order with a smile. He stiffened from that, which made you wonder if something was wrong with your smile

God, you were anxious

The air was silent for a while longer until the waiter came over and took both of your orders. Then Barrage decided to make conversation

"You look pretty"

He said, the confidence in his voice completely fake as he was nothing but nervous. He had gone on plenty dates, sure, but never has he gone on a date with someone he feels so in love with

Is love the right word for something so soon?

He doesn't know

"Thank you, you look handsome"

That took so much confidence to say outright- You didn't even mean for it to slip out. He stiffened again but his eyes gave away how he was feeling completely.

Speaking of eyes, you'd never seen them before. He was still wearing a face mask, but his goggles were completely discarded

Another lapse of silence before you decided to make a move and put your hand on top of his, noticing it on the table

His hands quickly gripped yours, hesitating at first. If you had been paying attention, you would have noticed how his other hand shaked. You were so beautiful, so close.

The air slowly started becoming less stiff and more loving

A comfortable silence

You couldn't help but look back at the memory, finding it endearing at how nervous you guys were on your first date

Now you next to him, your head on his shoulder as you both enjoyed eachother's embrace as you both watched a show that had come out recently. His arm was wrapped around you, making sure you felt comfortable

You couldn't stop smiling from the memory

[paused-waterfall]

Philza lore theorizing time!

I think the biggest open question right now about how Philza's qsmp lore and his hardcore world match up, is the timeline. q!Phil has said that he dreamed he was in his hardcore world-- was that a memory of the past, or are his dreams somehow transporting him between worlds?

Maybe he's remembering in his sleep a world that has been lost to him, like it was lost to all of its other inhabitants long ago. A world whose gods have decided they're not done with him.

Or maybe his mind has been moving between two worlds for the whole time he has been on Quesadilla Island. Every time he goes to sleep in one place, he wakes up in the other, with each transition fuzzing his memory just a tad. He seems confident in his older memories of hardcore-- he told his kids stories of the times before he came to the Island. But his recent, shifting experiences are more confusing.

And then we come to the Birdcage. The Federation is most likely to blame-- they had a motive and Cucurucho was there to laugh in Phil's face. But that might've been a hallucination Phil's mind came up with to make sense of his fear and confusion. My best guess is that the Federation tried to tamper with Phil's head or put him on ice for a while, the way it has for plenty of other Islanders. But in doing so, they jostled something free. Either Phil's memories of his world, or some mental tether to it, has been slightly unlocked. And suddenly, the gods of that place have a little Phil-shaped window in to Quesadilla Island.

[novanoms]

New vore ocs + story:

(Tw: Murder, gore, body horror) [Please lmk if you think any more need to be added!]

The whole imposter pred and crew mate prey will always be close to my heart, but I love the idea of the two imposters being pred and prey.

Imposter “lime” is a saboteur that’s payed by outside sources to… well sabotage a mission. Their job can be anywhere between breaking parts of the ship to ensure they don’t meet a deadline, stealing or destroying something the ship is carrying, or even figuring out a way to destroy the entire ship from the inside out.

Imposter “white”, however, is an alien shapeshifter that’s more keen on survival than anything else. They view these ships as a type of hunting ground, allowing them to kill and eat those unfortunate enough to get caught alone. Anytime they’ve been ejected from the craft, they simply grapple onto outer part of the ship and wait for it to pass another vessel.

At some point, the two end up on the same ship. Though everything was is going smoothly, things took a quick turn when Lime was caught by one of their crew mates tampering with the comms. It didn’t go too far though, as Lime is always prepared to get rid of a witness. Though it wasn’t without struggle, Lime was able to come out successful. The person silenced and the long-distance comms out of commission, all they needed to do was get rid of this body and quick.

As they’re dragging it towards the vent, they don’t notice the guttural noises emanating from it. It was only after they managed to open the metal grilles did they see it. A horrible amalgamation of teeth and flesh sprouting from the tunnel, its tendril-like tongue ready to spear at any moment. Beyond panicked at the sight, Lime throws the body into the vent as a distraction as they scamper off in the opposite direction. Whatever cash they were making off this was NOT worth encountering whatever that thing was! They managed to make it all the way to their room in accommodations and lock their door shut, taking care to block whatever vents they could without constricting airflow in their room.

By the time people started to grow concerned for their crew mate, Lime had calmed down enough to wash off the dried blood and muck, their door now unlocked as they went about doing their “ship job”. That wasn’t to say they were calm at all, they kept rolling the memory around in their head until it melted into mush. Lime had managed to convince themself that it wasn’t real, despite everything else screaming at the saboteur to listen to reality. They still refused to cave, until the next evening.

A full day had passed since the event, and as the ship had begun to settle down for the night, Lime’s door slid open with a small sound. At first, they were annoyed. “Hasn’t anyone told you how to kno-“ Then, they were frozen. It was the same crewmate they killed, white suit and all. There were a few notable traits, there wasn’t any rips in the suit from wounds, nor cracks in the visor. The most noticeable was how much taller they were now. It wouldn’t be noticed by many as something of concern, there were plenty of individuals out here that were considered freakishly tall due to their planet of origin. But what made this so terrifying was the fact that Lime knew for certain that White wasn’t this big. They wouldn’t never won if they were.

The door slides shut as “white” takes another step inside. “W-who are you. W-what do you want?? I-I won’t tell anyone what I saw, I swear! I’ve got some c-cash I could share! Hell, you can have it all if you leave me alone!” They yelped as the figure grew closer, they could hear the deep rumbling from this…thing. Trembling in fear as the figure stops no more than a foot away, Lime shuts their eyes and prays to whatever god they’ve wronged that they’re at least given a swift death as they feel the shadow loom over them.

…

Nothings…happening. A minuscule spark of courage ignites in Lime’s chest, as their eyes creep open after hearing a weird shuffling of the suit’s fabric. They’re met with the pitch black visor of a space helmet staring back at them, head tilting to the side in a curious manner. They’ve also noticed that the individual has crouched down to be at eye level with the saboteur. After a few moments of caution, Lime’s tense form starts to ease. “White” seems to appreciate this to some degree, shuffling an inch closer as the rumbling grew louder.

As it turns out, the creature within the vent had thought that Lime had gifted the creature the body, rather than dropping it out of fear. Excited by this possibility of having another member to hunt with, the entity consumed their ‘present’ and quickly took its form to blend in. Now it was happily purring at the small human, brimming with curiosity.

While Lime doesn’t quite pick up on why this entity has a sudden interest, they’re not really in a spot to protest. They can only assume what it’s capable of, which could be anything really. A terrifying possibility. All they can really do is attempt to continue their work, subtly breaking small bits of this ship to force it to land somewhere. All the while they have White trailing behind like a lost duckling. A lost giant duckling.

Over time, White started to learn many things from Lime, more so about the individual than anything actually from them.

First off, the entity was quite worried when Lime didn’t eat any food it offered, confusion quick to set in as to why. It was meat, sustenance, was there more that needed to be said? White was practically gurgling out whimpers as they fretted over their ‘starving’ friend after they were denied a fourth time. While Lime couldn’t exactly explain it to the entity, they tentatively settled the creatures by simply taking whatever was offered to…do something with. They weren’t too sure but Lime doesn’t like to show their face, let alone eat in front of someone, and they felt it a bit cruel to throw it out an airlock. Besides, who knows if it’ll get angry at this act if it ever found out.

Secondly, their human is still fragile! Very fragile! Just because they’d gotten it food before, doesn’t make them stronger than the others. In fact, they’re smaller than many other humans, which caused the entity great concern. By this time, Lime was at least letting White touch them, though it was still very sparse due to the saboteur’s mistrust. White still wants to keep the human calm, keep their friend happy! Even with little experience outside of hunting, it knows that the way their heartbeat flutters in their chest is not calm, nor is the acrid scent of fear that subtly emanates from their form when it makes too sudden of a move. Even still, it can’t help but loom over Lime from behind, almost curled as close as it can be without touching the human. It wants nothing more than to split open its chest maw and lovingly bury the human inside, safe and sound within the very center of its being. It’s releases happy rumbles at the very thought, something that seems to be occurring more often Lime’s noticed.

The first time it happened was when the small saboteur got caught. Caught caught. There were only a handful of people left, after months of things going haywire and people going missing, they finally caught onto them. Confronted and cornered, Lime knew the only way they’d come out of this would be in cuffs or dead on the floor. For a second, they see a glimpse of White in the back, as it started arching backwards with a soft crack. The others noticed a little late, but the sound of ripping flesh and guttural screeching instantly grabbed their attention. The space suit’s center was torn apart, an opening of the fabric-disguised flesh revealing its horrible insides, pulsing and writhing as tendrils squirmed from its wound and countless sharp teeth lined the sides. A much larger tendril sports from its core, lashing out like a grapple as it grabbed onto Lime’s suit. They didn’t really have much of a thought in this moment, only shock of what they’d just witnessed and the suddenness of being pull towards the awaiting maw. Lime didn’t really have a moment to resist before being fully encased with a clamp of teeth and resealing of flesh. White was quick to flee the scene as the others scrambled, it wasn’t worried about anything the others could do now, only that its fragile friend was now safe and secure in its grasp. Speaking of, Lime was stunned. They didn’t even know what emotions to feel as White moved, the hot flesh that surrounded them, pulsing and churning. Its tendril-like tongue was still holding them, but instead of it being clamped onto the saboteur’s suit, it was curled around the already curled human in a strange embrace. There was little room to move in the moment, the surrounding unforgiving as Lime squirmed.

It wasn’t until White made it to a small and dusty storage room that it finally settled. It could feel the fearful heart beating in their chest, the way they pushed at the insides for space. As much as White wanted to hold onto this moment for as long as it could, it was smart enough to know that that would only make the human more afraid. Huffing a small warped breath, the entity’s gut splits open, the maw widening to reveal the human tucked inside. Lime was still very frightened by everything happening, but being able to move a little easier was helping to calm things down a bit. The cooler air made the heat feel a little less suffocating, and the rumbling purr White was making their body feel heavy. The alien appendage was still wrapped around them, like a pseudo hug as they could feel their exhaustion take hold. The adrenaline spike between getting caught by their colleagues and the whole…everything else had sapped them of whatever energy they had left. Besides, if it wanted to do any harm, it would’ve done so by now. A little rest couldn’t hurt…right?

White would’ve held its breath had it needed to breathe in the first place. The feeling of its human falling asleep within its confines, that fluttering heart easing because of it. It couldn’t purr any harder if it tried, the happy feeling in its chest practically bursting with affection for the human that rested right below it. The entity’s belly maw slowly closed, the sharp teeth intertwining like a gleaming cage, just enough to separate the human from anything that might try to harm them as the creature watched over their slumber.

[ask-missparker]

And all I've seen, Since eighteen hours ago / ONCE UPON A TIME AU

This continues the trend of the series 1 finale —> click here to read it

Pairing: Snow!Amelia x Charming!Nikolai, Rumple!Cole x Hook!Jeremy

Extra characters mentioned: Ethan, Liane, Cassie, Bella, Marlene, Melissa etc

Note: I tried my best with this one but i like how it turned out

A/N: I might need new songs for titles very soon 😂

———

—————

The streets were full with the dim lighting of the gray skies. The clouds covered each and every square of sunlight that tried to keep entering the town with such intensity just like the people in it.

A light blast waves through the air and past people who were simply walking around, trying to enjoy their day as that sudden explosion of light came through them. A shock wave of smoky memories entered folks from across the streets, as it all came from the hospital where Liane was just woken up from her slumber by her Prince. Ethan, Ace Of Hearts.

Mia was nursing a killer headache with another stroke of Advil, she might as well pass out from the tension on her forehead, that’s when she felt a shocked sensation come across almost immediately dropping her bottle of water.

Memories slowly started to brace for impact like being unlocked from a tightly packed closet. She looked over her shoulder gasping, rushing to swing the door open as the others followed suit.

“Snow?” Liane said with a hush tone, her eyes watered.

“Mal!” She replied rushing to carefully pull her into a gentle embrace.

She smiled at Ethan who winked at her remembering Cassie and watching Belladonna. Her mind was still fuzzy herself from the day she has had, trying to piece together what happened. She listened to Liane and Cassie joked with each other as Bella went to hug mother.

Still being a nurse and noticing herself as Amelia, she caught wind of Liane’s concern placing the patient staff in front of her.

She remembers Cole leaving that staff here for some reason before waking up then left without telling her anything else. She wondered where he headed of to now…

“Col—Rumple, left it here if you believe that. Found it a supply closest of all places.” She added.

“Is it still magic? Am I still magic?” Liane asked with a hopeful hint of wonder in her eyes.

“Uh, no one knows yet. But everyone is waking up. Wait—Nikolai!”

Oh shit her husband?! Amelia quickly tugged off her white coat and went rushing out the door hearing her friends laughter. She yelled at her fellow nurses Judy—who was really one of the knights wives of their land—oh dear god was her head was foggy, that she will be back later.

She raced out of the double doors into the main streets of the town finding people, who were her other friends running around looking for their loved ones, tripping over things.

She found Marlene crashing into her frantically trying to wrap her head around this whole thing and asking for Melissa. Mia blinked saying she’s at the hospital, as the tall brunette thanked her with a hug running over to find her girl.

Amelia—Snow, she walked around wondering if she will find him and her—oh my goodness gracious her son! She placed a hand over her stomach at the feeling started racing back to her body. She remembered a couple of things before passing around back in the enchanted forest, one of them being the last few moments with her son as Jeremy and Nikolai took her to the wardrobe.

Joshua…

~~~~~~~

Meanwhile Nik was sitting on the rooftop of his home thinking over his crazy week. From plenty of customers coming to get a tattoo to his kid being kidnapped by his brother. He took him to the hospital a couple hours ago to get a quick check-up after the bomb dropped at home.

Just as he was about to open the bottle of beer in his hand a sudden burst floated past him and crashing down his head. He sucked in a large breath as he moved backwards in his seat, his eyes closed then blinked open looking around confused for a split second. Like a light switch, the memories came pounding down at him.

Both Prince Charming and Princess Charming. Jeremy being Captain Hook, Cole being a wizard of their land, Ethan as Ace Of Heart, Melissa as Belle and the list went on. He was in pure shock and surprised scrambling off the rooftops, down the stairs and into the window that led him into of his loft. He went searching for his jacket then paused as his eyes caught the baby blanket in the hallway behind the wall, inching over his memories start to forward onto that day.

Flashbacks and echoes never wanting to let go. The laughter, the cries, the pain and faces. He reached the edge of living room where he found him sitting on the couch flipping across the tv screen for something entertaining to watch, locking eyes with him.

Joshua. His beautiful boy was now 16 years old with a small bruise of his arm and two tiny cuts on his face. He smiled and nodded sitting down beside him, cupping his face and just held him in his arms. All he wanted to do was apologize for leaving him alone for so many years. His son looked at him oddly as of trying to pick up the piece seeing the glimmer in Nikolai’s eyes.

“You remembered..? Y-you’re awake?” Joshua asked, not knowing weather or not to believe it.

Nikolai just nodded, “Y-yeah, bubba. I’m awake..oh god I am so sorry I didn’t believe any of you kids in the beginning.”

“It’s alright..it’s okay, does that mean everyone else is?”

“Y-yeah, it’s gotta be. You found us. You found really us…oh my god your mom and friends!”

“Mom?”

“I’ll go find your mother and my friends. You go check on the others.”

~~~~

The two stood up grabbing their coats rushing out of the loft. Nikolai knew there are so many things he needed to do later on, but his thoughts came rushing down to his wife. Joshua smiled running out the door as a glimpse of hope started to emerge from his eyes noticing the chaos of the streets rushing to find Bella and Ethan. He helped a couple of others that were still trying to desperately find their loved ones.

Rick and Luna were even seen reunited with their family at the diner.

Nikolai went around the corner, searching for his friends as the crowded streets went cold. His mind was running a miles a second faster than his body can handle, noticing couples running into each other’s arms, kids looking for their friends and some of his teammates piling up. He looked over his shoulders to notice the stack of bouncing brown curls in black jeans and top that seemed to be light blue scrubs.

He allowed a breathless smile reach his cheeks and yelled out, “Snow!”

She paused turning her head standing next to the pair of trucks, taking a breath as she muttered, “Charming…”

The two stumbled onto the middle of the streets, falling into each other’s arms. Amelia cupped his face for a split second, as her hands reached to grab the collar of jacket breathlessly taking in his features. His cheekbones were covered with a layer of cold blush and his curls acted a little wild but beloved nonetheless. Nikolai held her close, embracing her touch pushing the short brown layers out of her face, scanning every inch of her face like he was lost in translation and drowning, finding coming up for air.

“I missed you…you found me again..” She said joking softly

“Of course I would.” He responded with a small laugh, “You have you no idea how much I missed you..”

“God, it was right in front of us this whole time.”

“It’s okay. We were just as blinded as they were.”

Without a second thought, the couple pulled the other into a long awaited kiss, every bit of longing was brought into that moment. A hand was placed on the back of Amelia’s neck as they kissed, meanwhile a small hand stayed on Nikolai’s chest.

A small muttering voice was heard causing them to pull apart, reconnecting the very same thought to their son. Joshua stood there awkwardly smiling at his parents who pulled him into a tight embrace, hushing whatever worries or concerns he had. Amelia saw her baby again, that’s all that mattered to her as she kissed his forehead, the same forehead she stitched up a couple of hours ago. She had so many questions and things she wanted to truly know about him. Nikolai rested a hand on his head and pressed a kiss onto his forehead, remembering the last moment they shared together when he was just born, now he had another memory—another chance to rebuild up that list of moments lost.

~~~~

On the other side of town, Cole and Jeremy were talking about something, hiking up a hill near the woods. The two reunited in the middle of the streets a couple of minutes ago, telling one another how much they missed their husband very much.

As the two embraced it clicked for Jeremy that his husband he woke up first and didn’t think of waking him afterwards. He wasn’t too upset about it, just questioned how handled waking up to wake up from the curse and didn’t try to knock some sense into him.

Cole was holding his husband’s hand and sighs, “For the last time, I’m sorry for not waking up you up sooner!”

Jeremy softly glared returning the favor of keeping him closed as he responded, “You let me go on for more than a few weeks, under this spell as the most doe eyed husband known to man. With a damn prosthetic hand!” 

“Oh hush, you were happy under the curse for years and not taking my ear off! It was kinda funny coming home to you not wearing your leather and red vest.”

“I was wearing blue jeans, flannel and sneakers every day for years. I miss my thick boots..and I love prosthetic hand, but I kinda my hook, babe.”

“I know you will like the flexibility to use both. We’re going to go searching for it in my shop after we’re done. And I’ll take you out to dinner for an apology, I promise.”

Jeremy grinned hearing that part, knowing he more than deserved a whole week alone with his husband now that the curse was over. He knew he has to find their friends afterwards but first he wanted him.

Cole smirked and pressed a kiss to his lips, missing that cheeky grin of his loving man as they reach the wishing well closed to the town. The water of run below are set to have the powers to return what once was lost. Yes there was magic small enough to sprinkle in tiny corners of the town, but not as much as they would like.

They just needed a little more.

Cole let Jeremy to the honors, holding a small bottle of mist that was coated with true loves magical elements. The two were able to take a few flowers from the store across the pawnshop, crush the seeds within to create a misty powder, mixing with the other elements they could find.

It didn’t have to be a lot of magic. A trickle to a certain roar would do enough to breathe life back into the town. Cole rested his head on Jeremy’s shoulder as his husband poured the powder down the well.

They waited for something to take place.

“Nothing happened.” Jeremy said blunted, with a humorous tone.

“Wait for it, love.” Cole added inching for them to take a step back.

A mere two seconds later, a lower misty cloud crawled up the well and out pouring its down the slope of hills and mountains below, seemingly leading itself across town like a light blue sea of fog.

Sometimes the grandest gestures came from all packages. The misty clouds floated over the floor of the buildings and streets catching a slight breeze of attention for everyone. It wasn’t huge, but effective nonetheless.

It was subtle. 

The couple grinned at the sight, it was wild and soft whisper. Oh boy were they gonna have a nice dinner tonight.

~~~~~~

The town slowly but steadily noticed the glimmer of light blue smoke that reached above their feet. Even if none of them noticed, others have felt in their bones. Some people felt it quicker than the rest.

Good chance some might’ve gotten the bouncing feeling of magic surrounding them the moment the curse broke and others, the would’ve touched that side of themselves later on.

Liane felt it in her back as she lay across in her hospital bed, Ethan was more than concerned with their friends to notice. Bella noticed something small out of the corner of her eye, so did Cassie.

Alexander was in his office, glancing out the window to notice the blue smoke coming across the streets, he stood there confused then smirked wondering what would happened next.

Citizens of the town looked over their shoulders to notice the mist crawling from the ground like a breeze.

Nikolai’s eye widen grabbing his eye and son’s hands ushering them to somewhere else safer than the middle of the street.

Joshua’s narrow his eyesight as his mother held him close to her chest, watching the smoke start to pour onto the edges of town then slowly disappear. Amelia kept a hand on his head watching the smoke clear, leaning against her husband.

She knew whatever happens next, all that matters is they’re alive and kicking. Weather they have magic or not in these streets…

———-

—————

Th-th-that’s all folks! Hopefully more will be revealed soon hehe. 😜

Anyways I hope you guys enjoy it, tell me what do you think?

Thank you @missstrawbs2001 for coming on this journey with me! I honestly didn’t expect this to grow and become what it is haha it was originally intended to be a one off thing. 💕 Thank you @gcthvile for creating such amazing content to bounce of off, I love your work and taking time to explore this universe of storytelling 💘

Tags: @rooster-84 @cherrysft @gaminggirlsstuff @purpleprincessonfyre @luna-d-marsh @rickb-chaos @sherloquestea @thecavalrywife @thisgirlisonfayeeer @cherrykissthings @mera-xebella and etc

[shebeafancyflapjack]

A Slip Through Worlds (Part 7)

Amy ( @idiotwithanipad 's oc) searches for answers. Silver searches for help.

-

Not again. Not back here again.

Bang. Bang. Bang.

The polished oak walls shake from the force. The lock is sturdy but won't hold forever. Curse him for not investing in more iron. Had he known he had a family to protect then perhaps he'd have had some incentive. His wife should have been enough, whether she loved him or not. He'd made a vow. Honour and protect.

Where was she? Had she already fled? Usually, in this dream, she was always there, begging him to flee with her. That glimmer of gratitude, regret and a flicker of affection, hidden potential of what might have been, heavy as the tears in her eyes after she lay that kiss on his cheek.

And then she left. Left him alone to hold the door. Hold them back.

Bang. Bang. Bang.

She must have already fled. He'd missed that part. No matter. He throws his back against the door and steels himself.

"Leave us alone, you dogs! Just leave us be for one sodding-."

"Humphrey!"

He froze.

That was no royal guard's voice.

"Humphrey, it's me! Open the door!"

How was that possible-? How could she be here, now, in this time, five hundred years before she was a glint in her biological dad's (rat bastard!) eye?

It must be a trick. A clever lure to get him to hand himself over.

"Ugh, don't make me say it...Please, Dad, open the door!"

Dad. She called him Dad.

But it was more the reluctance, the hesitance to be so open and emotional, that convinced him as his heart felt fit to burst.

"Amy..."

Throwing caution to the wind and the God damn furnace, he turned and unlocked the door, opening it as a small body threw itself in and collided with his front.

Exhaling with relief, he quickly shut the door after her, frowning at the whisps of mist that tried to follow his daughter into the room. Odd.

Forgetting them for now, he smiled down at Amy, wrapping her arms around him. And...shivering.

"Bloody hell, Poppet, you're freezing!" He frowned, placing his palms to her cheeks.

Teeth chattering, she threw him up a look.

"No f-fucking shit." She responded.

Chuckling at her typical foul mouthed sarcasm, he quickly flung his cloak around her, bundling her up and bringing her to the fireplace, which he'd only just noticed was alight in this version of his memory, as it fortunately hadn't in reality.

Grabbing some of the cushions off the chairs, he tossed them onto the floor for them to sit close to the flames.

"Ah, lovely, I was hoping you'd pay your old dad a visit tonight." He smiled, the joy at seeing his little girl again quickly erasing the anxiety he'd relived minutes before.

Amy used the fur trim of his cloak to wipe the tiny cold droplets from her face.

"How's your little project coming along? Don't worry, I shan't ask you to spoil what it is!" He said, his palms raised.

"Humphrey-." She panted, sounding like she'd just run 5k.

After she tugged down her hood, he couldn't resist the paternal urge to give her hair a stroke.

"You all right up there, yeah? Mary and Annie still taking care of you? You eating good? Drinking plenty of water, not just chugging back your Monsters? Not that you have to worry 'bout that stuff, I know, but gosh if I were there I'd be prepping us pheasant and venison-."

"HUMPHREY! I love you but please shut the fuck up!"

He recoiled a bit at that and he could see the regret on her face. Rare for her to ever look remorseful for using her 'weapon' to silence anyone.

But he wasn't mad or even hurt. There was a look of fear in his little girl's eyes that chilled him.

"What's wrong?" He asked. She's in paradise, the next layer, how could there be anything there to scare her so?

"For starters, I just had to wander through the worst shitty fog to try to reach you! It never takes me that long to get into any of your dreams! Not to mention I was freezing my arse off!" She chittered, hugging his cloak tight around her like a blanket.

"Oh...Yeah I noticed that was a bit more dramatic than how you usually enter. C'mere."

He pulled her halfway onto his lap in order to wrap his arms around her, rubbing her back. Perhaps taking a little advantage of a given opportunity to cuddle his daughter, to which she was usually reluctant to let anyone do for very long.

Humphrey kissed the top of her hair, taking in that smell of carbonated fruit drink and cigarettes, hoping for it to stay in his senses long enough until her next visit.

"There's more...I wish this was just another social visit but it's not." She gulped when she finally began to warm up; "We're having trouble seeing you all."

"Ey?" He asked, pulling back a little to look down at her.

"You know that waterfall I mentioned? The one that let's us who've passed on look in on you all? It's...broken." She explained.

"Broken? How does a waterfall break?" Sounded like a crap riddle.

"Who the fuck knows." She sighed, "I didn't notice it at first because I've been trying to...restrict my screen time, I guess." At Humphrey's confused look, she clarified; "I try not to sit watching you and Silv and Kitty for too long. I've been trying to focus on exploring what's up there with Mary and Annie, as well as working on that...surprise, for you, that I mentioned."

He blushed at that, smirking somewhat. If it took him another five hundred years to wait and see what it was, it would be worth it.

"I've been keeping myself busy. Getting out my own head and all that." She shrugged.

"Good girl. I'm proud of you." He gave her hand a squeeze.

"Yeah for all the fucking good it did because something clearly happened while I wasn't watching and now I can't see any of you!" She frowned, almost as if she could blame him and any other adult she wanted who had given her said advice; "And it's not just me. Mary is going out of her mind because she can't see Silver. Even Will and Liz didn't have any luck when they had a go to check in on Robin."

He tilted his head; "Will and Liz?"

"William and Elysabeth. Old friends of Robin. Haven't I mentioned them before?"

"You 'ave, it's just....'Will and Liz'. Huh. Makes it sound like you're making friends up there." He teased lightly.

"No I'm not!" She frowned, cheeks pinking at the look he gave her; "I mean...they're all right, I guess. And I might have let Will convince me to try a swig of pirate 'grog' to see what it tasted like."

"And?"

She pulled a grimace as her answer; "I'll stick to Mango Loco. Liz had five cans and was bouncing off the trees. I guess there's a reason some shops age restrict them. Anyway, stop letting me get off topic."

"Sorry, Poppet." But he couldn't help be chuffed for anything he heard of what she was getting up to in that place, knowing she was content, if not...happy. "I'm sure the mirror's just lost it's...signal, or something. Ain't there anyone there to fix it? No God or angels or anything?"

"Nope. Not exactly someone we can ask to fix the WiFi either." She said with a sigh; "And it's only this house. I could still look in on my mate Shan. And even Alison and Mike in their place. But every time any of us tries to look at Button House, we just get...well, I thought it was some kinda static at first, but then..."

She turned her head to the windows. A white essence floated through the night air, stroking against the glass, as if asking for an invite to come in.

"I think it's the mist."

"Mist? Huh. It has been a bit misty past few days. Unseasonably so. Cold enough for us to notice too." He remarked.

"Mist that's strong enough to cut you guys off and even get into your dreams? I had to fight my way through to get to you." She stressed; "At least I did manage to find you."

"What d'you mean?" He asked.

"Don't take this the wrong way but you weren't the first dream I was meaning to enter. I mean, I was always gonna come see you, but, I'm trying to find Silver."

"Silver?" Oh hells.

If Amy hasn't been checking in via their little window then she has no idea...

"Like I said, Mary's sick with worry. She's even starting smoking again."

"Really? I never knew she'd had the habit. Pipe or cigar?"

"No, dummy." Amy almost laughed; "I mean her body is emitting smoke again. She told me she didn't think that was possible anymore since she got sucked off but...Well. She's kinda like how I was when I was in my bad place up there. Her mood is changing the environment around her. Making it all...dark and rotten."

"Christ. Poor thing, I don't even have to imagine how that feels...." His own grief when he'd lost Amy, before she came to find him again, could have crumbled the very house to its foundations.

"Of course, I can't get to Silver because the moon is still full so she's still wide awake! So I tried to get to Robin instead, and he's also just a big No Entry sign."

"I doubt Robin is going to be sleeping much for the next few days, Poppet." He said, sadly.

"Why?" Amy asked, peering up at him. She reached to clutch at his hand; "What's happened? Tell me, please. I just need to know if I can tell Mary that Silver's okay. She is, isn't she?"

Humphrey took a deep breath and put his arm around Amy's shoulders.

"Brace yourself, love. This won't be pleasant to hear."

-

She isn't sure why she's running. It takes her a while to realise no one is chasing her.

But after what she'd just seen...Holy fucking Hecate.

Eventually, the witch has grown weary of keeping up the beautiful fantasy world Silver had awoken in. The trees and mountains, as well as her stunning yet comfy dress, had dissolved, returning her back to the woods.

Silver had scanned around to see there was no sign of Nary or Nobin either.

Grabbing the opportunity with both hands, she'd raced towards Button House, sprinting as quick as she could over the empty golf course. If this world had a Mary, a Robin, an Amy and a Humphrey then it stood to reason the house held within all the other ghosts as well. One of them must be willing to help her.

The first one she'd ran into in the lobby was Pat, and she'd been so excited to recognise his short, stout form from the back that she'd tackled him with a hug.

And then she heard the squeal, followed by the gurgle and wheezing. As she'd released him, he'd turned to face her, mouthing inaudably, the arrow in his neck splurting blood at the sides. And yet still his kind eyes had looked at her with that familial, helpful expression.

"Pat? Do you know who I am?" She'd tried, hating having to see him like this. In her world, she barely noticed the arrow anymore.

He shaken his head, sending a tiny spit of blood into her face.

And then there was Cap, walking towards her, gasping and clutching at his arm.

Asking her if she'd seen a 'Leutenant Havers'.

"Sweet maiden, with hair like cherry blossoms on wings of night, what brings you here?" Thomas had attempted to swoon her, taking her by the hand and ignoring her attempts to explain she wasn't interested.

"Think she might be looking for someone more mature. Hello there. Aren't you a pretty thing?" Julian slurred, seeming drunk as a skunk and high off his tits as he looked Silver up and down.

Just like Cap, he had one hand clutching at his chest. Even constantly reliving his heart attack, he still found time to be a perv.

She'd ran. None of them were interested in helping her. All mentions of Alison made them stare at her as if she had two heads.

There was no Alison in this world? No, she calmed herself, there must be. But chances are she simply inherited the house...but the ghosts never banded together to try to scare her off. Julian had no incentive to push her out the window. Alison never found her ghost family.

Somehow, that made her as sad as any of her friend's alternative states in this universe. Even if she still had Mike and Mia and managed to make a fortune selling this place...She would never have what her Alison did.

But perhaps that was for the best. If Thomas was enough of a headache for her back home, he was ten times more persistent here.

Eventually she'd found Kitty's room. The Georgian had been fast asleep on her bed, not showing any obvious wounds like the others, only a sheen of sweat on her brow, laboured breathing and drops of blood trickling from her hand.

"Wake up! Kitty, please, wake up, I need you! I need someone, anyone!" Silver had tried, climbing on the mattress and shaking her friend by the shoulders.

"Intruder! I told you to leave my ward alone, you little harlot!"

When Silver had turned around, she'd had to cover her mouth in shock at the bent shape of Fanny's neck.

"Oh god. Lady B, I..." she'd tried, reaching out.

"I SAID LEAVE!"

The woman's booming voice had hit her like a sonic boom. It sent her flying towards the window and pushed her straight through the glass. She fell down, two stories, landing in a heap on the gravel.

As she'd climbed to her feet and began to run, the matriarch continued to shout after her, calling her all the best Edwardian insults in her vocabulary.

Only when she returned to the woods, did the sound of Lady Button's shrill voice finally fade out.

Exhausted and dejected, she collapsed to her knees beside one of the trees.

This was Hell. Actual Hell.

She hadn't even had time to check the other wing of the house to look for Amy and...this world's Humphrey. Had they heard the commotion? She hoped that Amy would come to find her again...If she still wanted to...

But the others? It was nothing like her group. They were all trapped in their mental states from the moment they died. There had been no evolution over the years, no growth, no developments. They weren't a family here. Just a splintered set of different pairs, it seemed.

Releasing a lamenting breath, Silver held herself, feeling more alone than ever before.

A whisp in the air brought a rise in the temperature and the scent of burning toast.

"Pleasant trip, was it, little'en?"

Silver raised her head to glare at the wraith, who seemed to be tilting her skull at her.

"You let me go there. You knew what I'd find." She scoffed; "There was me thinking I'd escaped."

"Escaped? From whats, dear girl?" Asked Nary, "You be no prisoner here. You mayst visit the hotel and it's occupants at thy pleasure. My own darling girl often sneaks herself in recent times to visit her companion, Amy, and sometimes little Kitty, shoulds her Ladyship be outs of sight."

"And what about stopping me from going back to my own world?"

The witch didn't answer that, merely floated on the tendrils of smoke at the base of her dress to move forward.

"Hath ye made an attempt to go home?" Nary asked, almost casual.

"No, but...I dunno how. I don't even remember..." She rubbed at her own muzzy head.

Amy. Her Amy. They'd been playing together in the bedroom she'd reconstructed for them to meet. They'd had a laugh. Same as always. And then the rest is a blank until...she heard her.

The witch turned to her.

"Doth thou suffer the same migraines as my own little'en?" She asked, softly, floating towards her; "There be many ailments I coulds offer ye..."

Raising her bony hand, smoke coiled around her wrist like black snakes until they melded together to form a glove.

"Come now. Let me take away thy sufferin'."

Silver ducked her head away and stood up against the tree.

"No thanks." She scowled, deciding that enduring a slight headache is preferable to whatever magical lobotomy the witch might have planned.

Nary lowered her hand; "Please. Do nots be frightened of me, sweet child."

"I shouldn't be afraid of the woman who stuffed me into a cage, throttled me and stuck her fingers in my brain to have a good poke around?! What should I do then - love her? Call her 'Mum'?!"

"You dids to the one who tried to burn thee."

Shit. Silver winced, wishing to all her gods that people would stop bringing that up.

"My Mary is ten times the Mum you are." She dares to accuse; "You might wanna spend more of your time trying to find the daughter you claim to love so much, rather than brainwashing someone else's!"

Nary's ember eyes glowed again, a short burst of flame from the top of her spine. It was hard for Silver to tell if she was glaring at her, given the lack of lips.

"There be no use me searching for my little'en. I ams awaiting till the time be right." She informed Silver.

"When's that?"

"N'er you mind, sweetling." Not Mary dismissed, as if Silver were a child too young to comprehend anything important; "All Is can promise is, by the time you wake at the next fulls moon, your sister will be arising beside you..."

Some time in the next month? While Silver will be asleep. While they'll both be asleep...

Nary cupped her chin and smiled, possibly; "And wes shall be a family."

-

Humphrey watched his daughter's expression as he finished retelling the events of the past couple of days. It was awful enough to have to explain to her, even if most of what had happened he only knew second hand.

Carefully, he stroked the back of her hair as the information sunk in.

"It doesn't make sense." Amy whispers, shocked as any of them; "I saw her. Literally, just a few hours before she woke up, I was with her. We'd just played some old school Sonic in her room. She was fine. She was...She was Silver."

"You didn't notice anything different? I know from experience sometimes folks dealing with mental health make a habit of covering it well with jokes and laughing like everything's fine. But it always feels a bit forced."

Of course he's talking about Robin, mainly. He'd been around the guy long enough to know when a 'bad spell' was on the horizon. The way he'd suddenly be a lot quieter and then, when approached, pretend to be the life of the party.

Amy shook her head; "Nothing. We just did our usual shtick. Played games, told stories about what's been going on, I passed onto her some messages from Mary. They seemed to cheer her up."

The teen rose from their little cushion pile by the fireplace and paced before him, rubbing at the arms of her hoodie.

"Slicing up her own face? Fucking hell, Silv. Did you get that idea from..." She was muttering to herself.

"What's that, Poppet?"

"N-nothing. I just...I'm trying to make sense of it. Why she'd go from typical cooky Silver to full blown crazy like that." She emphasised with a snap of her fingers.

Humphrey sighed; "There might not be a logical reason, Amy, love. Chances are she was just burying all that grief and depression for too long until it just boiled up inside her. And all it took was one little trigger, probably something we didn't even see and...."

"She loses her eyesight?"

He met her eyes, understanding the scepticism. There was a part of him that had wondered, with dread, if she had somehow blinded herself.

"Yeah, that....That is a bit of a strange symptom, I know. But she did have that aneurysm. Maybe the worse she gets, the more what killed her manifests? Robin reckons it's like when Kitty gets excited, she starts vomiting pineapple. Or how when he gets upset, all the electrics go bonkers."

"Right. I guess that might be it." She didn't look too convinced, "And you said Thomas noticed the mist was coming from Silver?"

"Did all seem to start after she woke up in that state."

"So...she's the one cutting us off?"

He hadn't put it together like that. Humphrey looked at his daughter with both surprise and a hint of pride. She was a smart cookie really.

"I don't think she knows she's doing it." He said as he connected the dots himself; "But, maybe subconsciously, she doesn't want to be seen in that state. Not by you and....especially not by her mum." He sighed; "People suffering through these sorts of things tend to hide it from those they love."

That seemed to break Amy's shell a little. She winced, her face creasing as tears forced their way up.

Humphrey quickly got up and went over to her, pulling her into a hug.

"Hey, hey, it's all right, Poppet. It's all gonna be okay." He did his best to console her, patting her head as she nestled it against his doublet; "Your friend is far from alone. Robin's with her, he's not leaving her side. Think he feels so guilty about everything lately. He won't let her down again. His friends helped him get through moments like this, we'll all help Silver too."

Amy sniffed, wiping her nose; "What the fuck am I gonna tell Mary? W-what would you wanna hear, if it was you?"

The very idea of Amy suffering some kind of major psychotic break, a victim of her own mind, broke his heart. It was devastating enough to see it happen to Silver, and Robin...

"What I'd wanna hear and what I'd need to hear are two different things, love." He said, sadly; "You gotta tell her truth. That her little girl's not in a good place but...we are all taking care of her. Promise."

He could tell that his daughter was not looking forward to have to deliver that news.

Hopefully, Mary's reaction would not have too devastating effect on the next layer.

[gear-project]

Annon-Guy: Apologies if I already asked this, but what're your thoughts on Dynasty Warriors and Musou Games (Samurai Warriors, Dynasty Warriors: Gundam, Hyrule Warriors, Fire Emblem Warriors, Berserk: Band of the Hawk and Attack on Titan)?

Think Guilty Gear (Overture doesn't count sense it's more of a Strategy Action game) and BlazBlue would make good Dynasty Warriors/Musou Games?

I could make commentary on that, but I won't.

Koei-Techmo has their own takes on various ideas when it comes to the Musou games, and I'd argue that some of the Musou games are better constructed than others.

In other words, you can't judge all the Musou/Dynasty games the same way because each has their own nuances.

There's also plenty of games out there that enjoy copy-catting off the Musou idea for their battle engines... even Final Fantasy 16 got away with it in recent memory.

And they don't exactly make games that are fully optimized with the latest console tech if you know what I mean... Most Musou games don't put much emphasis on graphics as much as they would put emphasis on stability (since it's you versus a legion of enemies).

I'd say my experience with the Gundam Musou games and Berserk Musou were okay as a distraction, but I wasn't as motivated to play the games in-depth compared to other games in my library (not even talking about fighting games per se, here).

The unlockables usually have a gauntlet of very difficult bosses or enemies to cleave through, so gaining the benefits of a victory isn't always easy in those games. Nor is there much motivation to do so in some cases.

I do think Hyrule Warriors has an extensive amount of content, however... probably because Nintendo devs insisted upon it. I'd argue it's nearly twice the size of your average Dynasty Warriors game in comparison.

As for Guilty Gear or BlazBlue... Ishiwatari tried to simulated a wartime simulation with Guilty Gear 2 Overture (real time strategy)... and BlazBlue has had various game modes over the years that involved teams of characters (I think the PSP version best expressed what Mori was trying to do with that idea... it's too bad it wasn't used in later games).

If the Crusades was ever expressed as a Musou game, that could definitely work in some ways, but not quite as much as a game like God Eater or Monster Hunter might in terms of a comparison.

[anxiousanteaterr]

Finally getting back into d&d and i got the hugest bomb dropped on me. my dm just came out swinging as my character slowly discovered that their life was pm a lie and my sweet, sweet robot The Beekeeper may not have actually been bought on clearance by a hopeful and humble farmer, but instead was BUILT by him! And that the blueprints used to manufacture the war droids going on a crusade for the Spider Queen ARE BASED OFF OF THE EXACT UNIT MODEL FOR THE BEEKEEPER. 😭😭. WHICH WAS THE ONE EXACT FEAR HE HAD WHEN HE FIRST SAW THEM.

the dm even pulled our god cleric into another chat to show him the lore legend stuff, and then the cleric showed me after, and it turns out this little farmer guy who made The Beekeeper has been like, gutted and hooked up to a mainframe and is being used to create and power the evil ones 😭😭

so now we gotta go and stop him (the overarching goal is to basically give the army their own sentience so they hopefully wont work for the Spider Queen anymore + kill your first best friend ever haha 🙂) and im NOT!!! LOOKING FORWARD TO IT!!! The Beekeeper has only the sweetest and happiest memories of his owner/builder?? and neither he or I as the player are prepared to have to pull the plug!

The Beekeeper has also apparently been able to think and care and feel THIS WHOLE TIME? We all thought it was like, gained sentience. That's what I initally intended. Built over time. A weird quirk or a marvel of some kind. But apparently FROM THE VERY BEGINNING he was PLANNED to be able to do this. But so much of it was erased and/or locked for reasons he does not know and/or cannot remember.

I'm assuming it was to protect him, seeing as he's the only one of his unit that wasn't forced to be evil (unless THATS just bc its the newly built ones, not the old ones). I'm bracing myself for the gut-wrenching monologue both me and the Beekeeper are going to have to endure as he goes to end this poor man's life and free the robots.

This all just hit SUPER HARD in SO MANY WAYS because a huge part of the Beekeeper IS his sentience and freedom! He's very unique in this! The world this campaign takes place in has plenty of Warforged, the planet we started on is v futuristic, but the Beekeeper is not a Warforged. He is a ROBOT. Built for BEE KEEPING. Who gained (or I guess unlocked) sentience all on his own. And it started all the way back (20+ years ago) when he was first made. Part of his sentience gaining too, was getting files from the other Beekeeper units, whomst of which many of THEM gained sentience as well, and we're trying to help awaken the others. He didn't even really see the signs until after he was sentient enough to really look back on his old files and actually think on them.

THIS IS ALSO HUGE because The Beekeeper's class is "Barbarian". The way we made this work is he is just built with special kits to get juiced up and "rage". Programmed to know how to fight with Barbarian skillsets. Special mods and all that, and skills that "unlock" once the proper experience is gained (this is something he had from before meeting the party, too. His current memory for it is "a friend of the farmer modded me to be this way to help protect him from robbers", but uh... we'll see...)

His subclass though, is the "Path of the Ancestral Guardian", which I specifically picked bc of the previous Robo-Agri robots that also gained sentience. And also bc the Beekeeper's main goal in battle is to kill fast in order to protect his family (the rest of the party). He has on multiple occassions dove headfirst into battle while everyone else stays back, shielded others, and overall tries to be the main target. That part was not planned, but worked out well in the end. I also implimented the subclass in a more traditional Barbarian way.

Meaning that, for The Beekeeper (and he unlocked this when we were in the middle of an illithid dungeon), he flew into his semi-robotic, semi-sentient soul powered rage one fight when things were looking bleak, and the ghosts of previous Robo-Agri robots who had also gained sentience but paid the ultimate price for it, rose up to help out by protecting the other party members.

EVERY TIME The Beekeeper goes into a rage THE GHOSTS OF HIS FALLEN BRETHREN come to aid him! Being one of the few of robot-kind to awaken, they are willing to follow and aid a fellow sibling! And they help protect his family because thats what he wants the most! And The Beekeeper is aware of this and is very grateful for the help!

So OFC The Beekeeper going to want to help the robots who were built and/or converted to be evil! ESPECIALLY since the blueprints for them are ALMOST IDENTICAL to him, and The Beekeeper KNOWS that Aknor must have taken his creator and... did that to him... BECAUSE he saw how useful and versatile The Beekeeper is! The bitch had FRONT ROW TICKETS to see The Beekeeper NOT be an apiary tender, but be a fucking WAR MACHINE that did the job WELL.

And for The Beekeeper to just ignore that?? To just brush it off and go "eh not my problem" ??? That would be THE most ooc thing I could do.

I just RRARRRGH. This whole session has been a fucking CRISIS for The Beekeeper and for ME!!!

... i need to go lay down.

[dani-unicorn]

Don't you just love it when you unlock a bad core memory?

I saw a meme about a GenZer not understanding how people burned CDs, and there were plenty of comments by folks who recorded songs off the radio using a tape.

When I was in middle school, my dad worked for a local radio station (not where we currently live).

For reasons he's still unsure of, they let him go. Obviously, listening to that station was no longer permitted in our home.

This happened to be the only English-language radio in the area (we had access to CBC, but they're not the same), and, as such, played the popular bops of the 90s which I enjoyed. I had, as such, recorded songs from it on a tape.

One such song, because I wanted to make sure not to miss it as soon as I heard the DJ announce it, was preceded by the radio station jingle.

One day, as I was listening to this tape, dad happened to be walking past my door, just as the jingle played.

He opened it suddenly, shouting at me to turn it off (tall man, huge voice, IYKYK). I was eleven.

I tried to explain, that it was a tape, that I had recorded it WEEKS ago.

He bellowed again to turn it off, and I did, bursting into tears, as he stomped off.

As with many moments which I wish to the gods didn't affect me so much, I never go an apology for this, and asking for one at this point feels so useless, not only because of how long ago it was, but because dad has never apologized to me for anything.

[storylocke]

Alolan Dusk 5

[Aether Paradise certainly is making headway, but there's still a lot to do before reaching their destination. For Gladion, it's hard to believe it could still be so far to land when they can already see the southern tip of Ula'ula entering the map. Strange in a way, wasn't it? To feel like coming home when the mansion was just a short stroll away. Maybe it would take another day or so at their current speed. He should let Lillie know. ...If he could ever get Colress out of his office.]

Colress:

[Flipping through the folder he found as he brims with curiosity.] Ultra Megalopolis had to seal Necrozma away in a massive tower, didn't they? Lusamine took it to mean we should help them to fight it, but I wonder if what the Ultra Recon Squad were after was our technological ability to store large creatures and objects in a much smaller space. 

Gladion:

If we could somehow capture it, we wouldn't need this mass emigration we're working on. 

Colress:

Only if we could do both. While we still have plenty to learn about the Shadows, they're the ones the people are fleeing from lately. Now, I don't suppose the Ultra Recon Squad left any physical information about Necrozma before leaving us. I know they spoke about this "Blinding One" as if it were some sort of god, and seeing the havoc it's caused in Alola, I dare to say it may even be stronger than our own. 

Gladion:

You want the full story? 

Colress:

Oh, yes, I need to know everything. [Takes Gladion's swivel chair at the desk as he quickly starts to tap on the device on his wrist. Ready to take notes.] 

Gladion:

[Tch. He'd read over these pages so many times while trying to make sense of this mess, he feels confident he could tell him everything from memory. ...But he’s not in the mood and unlocks one of the bottom drawers on the desk to reveal folder after folder of photocopied texts.] Take your pick. Dulse’s word on how Necrozma went from being treated as a god to a menace in their world. Notes on Alola’s legends of how Solgaleo's coming here was likely from trying to escape Necrozma’s wrath. Notes on how the legends of both worlds match up to show some larger event between the two lead to Necrozma being sealed away. My father’s theories on how several of the smaller worlds in Ultra Space may have been a single world at some point that was literally torn apart. And Mother’s thoughts on how Necrozma’s rampant creation of Ultra Wormholes could have been the cause of that, reducing a previously recorded world called Auricanty to just Ultra Megalopolis. Or maybe, if Father was right, Megalopolis is the only one we're aware of. There’s also quite a few of my notes, but I’m not sure I’d call myself qualified as any type of expert. Especially when it's starting to feel like I'm the only one of our resistance group who's never seen the damn thing.

Colress:

[That'll be fun to read through then. A bit thoughtful at something Gladion mentioned] Auricanty… I believe I've heard that name somewhere before. 

Gladion:

[Thoughtfully] Possibly. Zossie once said she had a feeling that their people had been Trainers like us at some point, but, after capturing Necrozma, the people drew close to the tower as the sole source of energy. And having access to such power, they must have become complacent with their technology and had no need to ever explore beyond the city’s borders. Of course, if my mother was right, then there wasn’t anything left to find outside the city anyway. The problem in either case is we'd still have to weaken it before we could capture it. And, given the number of Shadows, I think it's safe to say many have already tried and failed. I almost wonder if Necrozma has somehow gotten stronger now than when it first left Megalopolis. [Crosses arms with an air of suspicion as he leans back on the desk to look up at Colress] Didn't you make some infernal device that was supposed to restore Necrozma to its full power?

Colress:

Correct. I was given the task by Madam President herself since part of the plan to stop it from coming here was to try to restore it to its original form. And I succeeded~! To an extent. The twin devices only serve as a temporary solution since you can give Necrozma the burst of light it needs, but it can't sustain its original form very long outside of battle. 

Gladion:

[Uh...huh. Dark tone] And what ever happened to those devices?

Employee:

[Runs in] Mr. President! 

Gladion:

[Sighs with restrained frustration] Can it wait?

Employee:

I… I don't know. I don't think so. We've detected a small vessel heading our way, and it's not answering our calls. Looks like a private cruiser, but we want orders for how to proceed. 

Gladion:

[Gives an uneasy glance at Colress.]

Colress:

[Seems to be sparkling with intrigue when he notices the president's gaze] Hm? If you'd like to investigate, I've got plenty to read here before you return.

Gladion:

In your own room, please. Go. [Shuts the folders and moves the stack to the researcher's arms. Presses a button to radio the control room while the man is being escorted out.] We're taking a boat to try to meet the unidentified unit before allowing it into the bay. I need you all to keep watch and be ready for any new instructions. [To the Employee] I'm going with you.

=+=

[Lillie quietly slips into the hospital wing to see for herself what all of the news was about. The Employees were in a bit of a tizzy today, and frankly, she was no exception. A halfhearted smile crosses her lips as she spots Gladion towards the end of the line of beds, though it wasn’t hard since the room was thankfully mostly unoccupied for the time being. Her tread begins to slow as she approaches, seeing her brother thoroughly engrossed as he flips through a passport book.]

Gladion:

[Finally looks up before she reaches them and snaps the book shut.] Ah! What are you doing here?

Lillie:

Word travels fast around here. I… I really needed to talk to you. [Nervously glances at the bed. The young man looks familiar in a way, though it's hard to tell through the IV tubes, the breathing mask, and the bandages. She scolds herself in her mind not to stare. Deep breath] I… Um… Since we were getting so close to the islands now, I thought I might, you know, give Professor Burnet a call to tell her we might be able to anchor by tomorrow. [Shakes head] She said our timing couldn’t have been worse. Something terrible has happened. Some kind of accident at the lab, [adds quickly] not her lab, Kukui's. You know that storm we had earlier this week? It seems it kept on north and eventually hit Alola the other day. And apparently Kukui called to say he was going to stay the night on Melemele to be safe… but then… they found the Pokemon Lab in a complete wreck! And she didn't want to worry me before, but since we’re so close, she knew I had to find out... [shakes head again as it was impossible to imagine.] They're starting to think there was some kind of foul play. They haven't found any sign of him anywhere, so she hoped, maybe with us being so close, he might have tried to come this way, because… … … [She glances again at the bed, though she already knows it can’t be him*] I heard you and some others went to meet a ship that was heading towards us… and I hoped…

Gladion:

I'm sorry, I hadn't heard anything about that. [Knowing how the pair had been like a second family to her, he really has no words to help her at the moment. In fact, the grim news only made his own findings all the worse.] I'm glad you're here though. [Hands her the passport he found, opened up to the first page.] He's the only one we found on board. It says he's a member of the E.I.A. branch of the Interpol, so his name here is probably some alias, but you've been keeping in touch with them. Maybe you could recognize him or remember something that would help identify him. If not, I'm sure the agency will be able to tell with the informa-

Lillie:

[There's a soft hitch in her throat as she stares at the photo, then to the bed, and back again. He was different than she remembered, sure, but the picture of their guest cleaned up and well dressed made it so much harder to deny.] It's… It's Ilima! He was a Captain while we were there, remember? I'd be surprised if you never met since he seemed to be involved with everything. Helping with the school, and the police, and Kahuna Quips, and… and Professor Kukui… and… [Her hands start shaking as she gets more choked up] Was Ilima at Melemele when he…?

Gladion:

… … …Come here. [Moves the bundle of clothes on the seat next to him to the floor and eases her into the chair.] The doctor said Ilima is going to be okay. I'm not gonna lie. He was in really bad shape when we found him, and we need to keep an eye on him for a while, but he should make a full recovery. [She nods softly and looks down at her hands in her lap. He kneels down and places a hand on hers.] Now, are you going to be okay? [He feels her tighten up as he's sure she's debating how to respond.] If you need to stay here, you can. We both knew it was going to be hard coming back here, but you and I had very different experiences in Alola. [Somberly as he closes his eyes] Just about anyone I cared for is long gone now. But you still have a lot of connections that... they may not be there anymore. I wouldn't be upset if you wanted me to go alone. 

Lillie:

I can't ask you to do that.

Gladion:

You wouldn't have to. All of your friends will get here eventually, so it only makes sense that you should be here to make them feel welcome. 

Lillie:

I know… [Hands him back the passport] But Alola is still a big place. And, um… I'm not sure a lot of people trust Aether after all that's happened. Even this mess is partially our fault. I need to be there. [Braces herself as she can just about imagine it already.] I need to see Quips and Burnet and… And I need to see the damage for myself. [Nods in a bit of determination, even as she still looks to be on the verge of tears] I'll be alright, I promise. We're a lot stronger than when we left. I'm all grown up now. 

Gladion:

Just as long as you don't act like Mother and force yourself to keep up appearances. [Rises to his feet again and goes to gather up the clothes to take with them. Might as well have them cleaned for when their guest woke up.] You don't have to make a decision now, you know, since we're not leaving right this second. [There comes a small clatter on the floor and he pauses to look at the bundle in hand. Something had dropped out of the vest pocket, a small black stick with several colorful buttons on it. He stares at it, half wondering if he'd drop more trying to pick it up.]

Lillie:

[She's got it. Cracks a bit of a smile] Ilima really likes his electronics. I wouldn't even be surprised if there's more they missed in all of those pockets. [Curiously stares at it as she notices a tiny window screen. It's simply flashing an error message. Presses a button and it starts scrolling a message that it's full.] Some kind of storage device, I think?

Gladion:

Given his line of work, I think we'd better look at that in my office.

~~~~~~~~~

A/N: These two have definitely been through a lot over the years, I almost feel bad. Unfortunately, as we move between Ultra Sun and Randomized Ultra Moon in this, even while things only get weirder from here. Speaking of weird runs, even if only a name drop here, Auricanty was from our playthrough of Pokemon Ultra which is certainly a hack that exists. Yup.

Archive

[countenanceblog]

Chapter 71

Chapter 71

As the Old Gods stood together on the transparent telekinetic floor above Air Town, the weight of their powers and the responsibility they carried were palpable. The city sprawled beneath them, empty of civilians who had been safely evacuated.

"Nyx," Helion called out, using her godly name, "Why don't you make us a floor? Something sturdy to stand on."

Nyx, with her eccentric flair, grinned mischievously and nodded. Concentrating her telekinetic abilities, she solidified the transparent energy beneath their feet, creating a firm platform for all ten of them to stand upon.

Varasta, always the playful one, couldn't help but express his awe. "This is incredible," he exclaimed, his green eyes flickering with excitement.

Aireyon, the level-headed god, shared Varasta's enthusiasm. "Indeed, together, the ten of us are an unstoppable force," he said, his voice full of conviction. "But, Helion, I can't help but wonder about our past lives. Why is our memory of them so elusive?"

Helion's expression turned wistful, a mixture of sadness and determination in his eyes. "We will unlock the memories of our past lives in time," he reassured Aireyon. "For now, let's focus on the task at hand. Materiya, have they completed the evacuation successfully? Are there any civilians left?"

Materiya, her ability to see anywhere aiding her in this endeavor, confirmed, "Yes, all the civilians have been safely evacuated. The city is empty now, except for us and the vampires."

Chronus, oozing coolness as always, interjected with a touch of dark humor, "Then let's hope there are plenty of vampires down there for us to deal with."

The passionate and fiery goddess Venuzia couldn't help but let her emotions surface. "I hope there are," she said fiercely, her dark eyes flashing with determination. "I want to make them pay for all the lives they've taken."

Grindall joined the conversation with a smirk on his face. "Well, I hope there are some left for us to fight," he said, crackling with electric energy. "I want to show off my lightning skills!"

Mandala chimed in with a hint of excitement in his voice. "Oh, don't worry, Grindall," he said, his eyes glinting with anticipation. "I'm sure there will be plenty of action for all of us."

Materiya spoke up, "I hope we can do this without too much violence. It's sad to think that some of them were once human too."

Helion nodded in agreement. "You're right, Nook," he said, his voice soothing. "We'll do what we must to protect the innocent, but let's try to find a way to end this peacefully if we can."

Varasta rolled his eyes playfully. "Oh, sure, Helion," he said. "Because vampires are well-known for their love of diplomacy."

Despite Varasta's sarcasm, Helion's determination remained unwavering. He turned to Nyx. "Nyx, are you ready?" he asked.

Nyx, her eyes shining with an otherworldly glow, nodded eagerly. "Yes, Helion," she said, her voice tinged with excitement. "Let's lift this city together."

With a surge of power, Helion and Nyx extended their hands towards the ground below. The raw energy of creation and telekinesis intertwined as they concentrated on their task. Slowly but surely, the city of Air Town began to rise from the ground.

The ground trembled beneath them, and buildings and structures ascended into the air. The city seemed to float mid-air, supported by Helion and Nyx's combined strength. Nyx's telekinesis reinforced the structures, ensuring they remained intact during the lift.

Mandala, the god of flight, fire manipulation, and forcefields, soared above the city, creating a protective barrier around it. His forcefield acted as a shield, preventing any debris from falling to the ground.

As the city continued to rise, Helion could feel the immense strain on his powers. His brow furrowed with effort, and he felt a bead of sweat forming on his forehead. But he remained steadfast, his determination unwavering.

Nyx, ever attuned to the energies around her, sensed Helion's struggle. She placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, offering him her support. "You're doing great, Helion," she said, her voice gentle and reassuring. "We're all here with you."

Helion smiled gratefully at Nyx, feeling the warmth of her encouragement. With renewed resolve, he channeled his power once more, lifting the city higher and higher into the sky.

As the city floated above the ground, the gods looked down upon it with a mixture of awe and determination. The battle against the vampires awaited them, and they were ready to face it together.

Their united efforts had lifted an entire city, a testament to the strength and power they wielded. But beyond that, it was a testament to the bond they shared, the trust they had in each other, and the hope they carried in their hearts.

The fate of Air Town and the world now rested in the hands of these ten gods, and they were prepared to face whatever challenges lay ahead. With Helion and Nyx leading the way, they descended towards the city, ready to confront the vampires and bring an end to their dark reign.

[samethyst01]

Through The Window

Chapter Two

They all told me it was a fool’s errand.

They didn’t use those words exactly, but it’s not untrue. Each friend I consulted on the matter earnestly informed me that it was a bad idea. I hadn’t been obsessed with the whole thing since my father’s death, but it had never left me. It was just one of those strange tales I’d tell people, more often than not in order to make myself feel special. It was certainly more unique than most of my friends’ stories, but that’s not to say I wasn’t also called a liar plenty of times.

I liked to pretend it was because they were scared of the alternative, if I wasn’t one.

More to the point, I couldn’t convince any of them to join me on my trip. You might think I’d want to solve this on my own, but I was scared for my life, in all honesty. If my father’s talents had gotten him killed, who’s to say that wouldn’t happen to me too? So, with none to turn to but my mother – and I assure you, I was never taking her back to that place – I put on my brave face and drove down alone.

It fascinated me how flat everything was on the journey there. It was just one long plateau stretching on and on until the land met the sea. Occasionally I passed by a forest or field, specks of people or animals dotted around the place. It was all very dream-like and surreal. After a few hours, I eventually came to it – the town.

A pit had formed in my stomach as I drove up the narrow roads, past the houses and the single church. I felt afraid. I had begun to associate this place with my nightmares, infinite planes of sand and water, populated by monstrous creatures whispering gibberish into my ears. More than that, however, I was starting to notice just how much it reminded me of a particular fictional seaside town in a story I’d read a few years ago. It felt uncanny. More than that, it felt like the two were one and the same.

Before I reached the cottage, which itself is a subject I shall go into much more detail on in a moment, I was startled momentarily by a procession of children crossing one of the narrower roads. I slammed on the breaks immediately, my entire body frozen in a moment of pure instinctual shock. Adrenaline flooded my veins and I was afraid I might scream and frighten the children, but I managed to collect myself. It took a few seconds, and I must’ve appeared so strange with my gasping breath and terrified expression.

There must’ve been about twenty of the little ones, led by a single young woman who was dressed in a set of multi-coloured flowing robes. For some reason, one I have still yet to grasp, I was transfixed by her garb. The robes were stitched in bizarre patterns, the colours weaving in and out of each other’s embrace in a cosmic dance that reminded me of something distant. There was a symbol on the coat’s front, one that stirred within me a great deal of recognition.

As the children crossed past my car the woman’s gaze turned to me, a smile spread across her lips. For some reason I became greatly disturbed, and immediately I turned away. Whatever it was I saw in her, it was the same naïve, primal fear that gripped me whenever those wretches the Lorelys were around. I hoped to God that they were the one sole part of the town that had died.

Driving further up the road, I came upon the cottage. It lay on a road that led upwards out of the town, its door mere feet from the quay. I parked and, with trepidation, approached the gate, hidden memories slowly beginning to unlock from the corners of my mind. With every step upon the cobbled ground I recalled a glance here, a whimsical stare into the distance there. I felt akin to an insect treading the path of someone’s dreams.

Having retrieved my keys from the locked box beside the gate, provided to me by the owner, I entered the cottage with a shallow breath. Immediately, the smell hit me. To be clear, it was not a putrid or foul stench, nor one of any great significance to those who had never been in this place before. To me, however, it was overpowering. With it came yet more recollections, my six-year-old self running headlong through this door and into the kitchen, panting for a square of chocolate.

I kept the door open as I beheld the first sight ahead of me: a key box. Tempted though I was to survey its contents, I decided against it, moving instead to the left and into the kitchen. The place was certainly different to how I remembered it but, and this unsettles me even as I sleep now, not nearly as different as I expected.

The kitchen had been updated with modern technology, with a much shiner fridge and an electric oven. There was a bowl of fruit placed on the countertop, filled with apples, bananas and oranges, which was very unexpected. I had assumed I’d be responsible for getting all my food and for the most part I would be, but it was a kind gesture nonetheless. I grabbed a granny smith and turned the corner towards the stairs.

On the left side was the front door that led directly onto the road itself. I likely wouldn’t be using that one as much as the back gate, much as I did on previous visits. I’m not exactly sure why. On the right was the downstairs bathroom, which I paid barely any mind to. Instead I began ascending the stairs, though I couldn’t help but notice that there was an odd sound coming from the sink. It almost sounded like a whisper.

The first floor consisted of a bathroom with both a bath and a shower, as well as two bedrooms. The first one was coloured a modest baby blue, with a queen sized bed and a cupboard against the wall. I recalled my parents staying in that room before their relationship deteriorated, and my father sleeping there alone after it did. It looked out onto the courtyard and driveway, and as I regarded it for a moment, I noticed a tabby cat staring up at me. Its gaze could have either been interpreted as indifference or hostility.

I checked the other bedroom, which was coloured a subtle pink. My mother slept here. I hesitantly, tentatively, approached the bed, my eyes fixed on something beneath the quilt. I pulled it back to reveal a tiny, rusted coin covered in dirt. It was staining the sheets. I picked it up, twirling it around between my fingers as I surveyed its design. On one side was the disembodied head of a handsome older man, and on the other was a symbol. It was the same one stitched into that woman’s robes.

I knew something was amiss. That symbol felt familiar in one way or another, though I knew I’d never seen it before in my life. It’s like staring at those pictures of empty shopping malls and dimly-lit backrooms and knowing, for certain, that you’ve never visited them before. And yet… and yet there’s a distant, almost comforting sense of nostalgia. It’s all deeply liminal.

I pocketed the coin and ascended the last set of stairs. It was a little more cramped, as I remember, and especially now given my increase in height and mass. At the top of the stairs, on the right, was one of the top floor bedrooms. I only slept in this one once, just for a change of pace, and while it was nice to do something different once in a while it never felt the same as my usual bed. I surveyed the room and found nothing out of place from how I remembered it. That was, until I saw the painting.

It was one I recognised. It was tall and wide, depicting a rolling grass field with a grey sky, the emerald blades swaying in an invisible wind. On one side was a wooden fence which stretched on into the distance, and on the other was a long patch of sand that signified the edge of the beach. This place likely existed, further up the land, and in all likelihood I’d probably been there. I recognised this painting and remembered glancing at it as I slept in this bed that one night, but what I most certainly did not recognise was the apparent new addition to it.

There was a figure standing in the middle of the grass. Unlike the rest of the piece, which was painted with a meticulous but subtle style, this figure was smudged and faded, as if it flickered in and out of reality, between dreams and the waking world. It was dressed in pale brown rags, stood on two stilts, its head and face obscured deliberately. What disturbed me most about this addition, disregarding the fact that it had suddenly appeared on this painting with no explanation, was the fact that I knew exactly where I had seen it before.

That night. That night on the beach. That night on the beach when I was a young boy, and the wind howled and the rain lashed and the night strangled inwards, it was on that night that I saw it. A forked bolt of lightning cracked across the sky, its winding fingers igniting the dark for a split second and giving me a glimpse of it.

There it stood on the wet sand, wooden stilts sunk just slightly into it, tattered rags blowing in the wind, its face impossible to see, blurred out by some kind of ever-present flickering effect. There it was, there that bastard memory stood on the sand, and there it stood in that painting, as if mocking me with its presence alone.

Disgusted, I recoiled and left the room, closing the door behind me firmly. I planned to lock it after I’d checked every other space thoroughly for rogue memories.

Opposite that room was the one I remembered far more fondly. Two beds, a small table between them, and windows that looked out over the rooftops towards the quay… and the ocean. I had a great view of the small tree-speckled islands in the distance and the endless ocean that succeeded it. And further still were the wind turbines, the giant ocean-people. I chuckled at my former childish presumptions and sat down on the bed with a soft sigh.

For a few minutes, I laid back and simply thought about everything. What was all this for? What was the ultimate purpose of all this searching? The answers to my burning questions – about my parents, this place, the things in it – might not even exist. If they did, they could be stranger and even more frightening than I could’ve imagined; they could drive me to madness.

And what of the works my father produced? I had decided only last year that I would not destroy them, instead keep them in a safe place that only I could enter, and bear the burden of their secrets alone. You too will be privy to a few of these, but the whole will be kept securely guarded. There are some things in there, certain accounts and ideas and concepts, that I dare not unleash upon the world. It’s irresponsible at best and pure evil at worst.

Just as I was beginning to fall asleep – I felt exhausted for some reason – my eyes caught something in the left hand corner of the room. I sat up and looked at it properly. It seemed to be a small doorway, right up against the wall. I assumed it was just a storage cupboard but, to be sure, I went over and tried to open it. Nothing. There was no keyhole, so I assumed it had been painted shut, and for a good reason. I decided to leave it be.

The day went on as I had envisioned it. I unpacked everything and, rather than cooking for myself as I had planned, I order a takeaway. I ate in the living room as the sun dipped below the horizon with the arrival of the twilight hour. The Food tasted amazing. I put on the TV to pass the time, half paying attention to an episode of The Simpsons and half focused on dipping naan bread in curry sauce.

After I finished my food, and after I retrieved a beer from the fridge to sip on, I fell asleep in front of the TV. I recall very little of the dream that I had, only that I was back at the beach, standing on the infinite plane of sand as water surrounded me. The figure was there, out in the distance… but not as far as it had been that night. It was closer. I heard it begin to scream as a hand curled around the back of my neck.

I awoke slowly to the sound of yet more Simpsons reruns. Homer was complaining about something, as he usually does. My body felt stiff, my throat dry, almost as if I was experiencing a hangover. I had barely finished my first drink, and as much as my friends liked to tease me, I was not that much of a lightweight. I hoped I wasn’t getting sick.

The darkness outside was thick and choking. I could barely see the streetlights ahead of the house. With a slight grunt, I got up and cleaned away my mess, turning off the TV and heading towards the stairs. And that’s when I passed the key box.

I remembered when I was young and curious about the basement, and remembered the door within that I could never unlock. A burning excitement overtook me as I realised I had the power to answer that childhood mystery. Without thinking, I opened up the box and surveyed the keys. Almost immediately I found the one labelled ‘basement’ and grabbed it, though finding the next key would prove to be far more difficult.

After almost a minute of searching, I gave up. Seems it wasn’t something I had the power to solve. Just as I turned away, I caught a glimpse of a fold in the material at the back of the box. Curious, I pulled on it, and the entire thing peeled back to reveal a hidden compartment. Inside was a long, spiked key, jet black and completely creepy. That had to be it. With a slight smirk, I grabbed it. It was ice cold.

I opened the front door and headed down to the basement’s entrance. It was on the left, down a small set of stairs. I heard an owl hoot in the distance and the slight skittering of an animal nearby as I crept down the stairs. Despite the chill night air, my palms were moist with sweat. Even a tiny increment of childhood fear still remained in me, and rationality be damned, it seemed.

As I placed the key into the lock, I heard a loud meow behind me. It was the tabby cat. It sat on the brick wall around the gate, silent and judgemental, staring at me with warning in its green eyes. We glared at each other for a good few seconds before I turned the key, causing the cat to raise its hackles and let out a lower-pitched mewl. It didn’t seem pleased.

“Fuck off,” I muttered under my breath as I opened the basement door, descending the second set of steps into the cloying darkness. I lit my torch and surveyed the place. It was as I remembered it, filled with swimming, rowing and other water-adjacent equipment, as well as a few plastic pool toys and even a beach towel or two. It was extremely quiet inside, and I could feel myself begin to grow agitated at the lack of any sound.

And then I saw it.

There it was. The door itself was a little shorter than me, curved at the top and with many metal bolts thudded into its wooden surface. In one hand I held the key. In the other, my light. With a deep breath I approached the door and searched for its lock. When I found it, I pressed the jagged metal inside and turned. A moment later came the satisfying click, causing a smile of both excitement and nervousness to cross my face.

I decided not to waste any more time and pushed the door open, revealing something that made my stomach drop with intense dread.

What I saw were steps. They led downwards into an infinite black, nothing at the bottom but more darkness. I swallowed anxiously. I knew how stories like this went. Hiding in the shadows at the bottom of that staircase would be a haggard old crone or a many-mouthed demon or perhaps just God Himself. It was within my abilities to turn around and leave the basement, to never again venture down here and simply forget this door ever existed. Ignorance would be far preferable to the possibility of pain and death.

But I couldn’t leave.

I’m still not sure exactly what compelled me to descend those stairs, be it madness or blind hope or that burning curiosity, but regardless, I walked. My footsteps echoed as they made contact, the darkness growing thicker and thicker the lower I descended. Even the torchlight couldn’t make out the bottom. There was nothing but the yawning chasm below, and me, its unwelcome guest.

As I walked, I began to realise how long I had been descending for. It had been at least ten minutes, if not fifteen. How deep did this tunnel go? For how long would I be spending my days treading through stygian blackness, for a prize that could corrupt or kill me? There was no telling, at least, that’s what I believed… until my feet hit the bottom floor.

There was a resounding silence as my pace stopped suddenly. There it was. I had reached the end. But the question of where this tunnel led to kept nagging at me. I turned around and tried to spot the entrance through which I came but it was useless. I was trapped down here until I could find an exit. Taking a few shaky breaths, I began to walk slowly, edging along towards whatever was at the end of this place.

Just as I was thinking about how far underground I’d have to be, given for how long I descended, I realised the passage was getting smaller. The ceiling started to lower, the walls constricting, and I found myself crouching as I walked, my torchlight illuminating nothing. The walls began to transition from black stone to wood and plaster, and very soon, I was crawling on my hands and knees.

Paralysing dread swept through my body as I pictured myself being crushed to death in this cave, or getting stuck with no way to turn around and having to simply wait for my body to kill me. I could only imagine what that would be like, wasting away in a claustrophobic nightmare, alone, for days or perhaps weeks on end. I’d rather bludgeon myself against the cave wall. Anything but that.

And then, right as I was convinced that it was over and I had consigned myself to a horrible death, I saw a tiny, tiny sliver of light peeking out ahead of me. I crawled desperately along the ground, feeling it change from hard concrete to soft blankets. Blankets…? What the hell? I crawled further, and faster, and after what felt like hours I finally reached a dead end – a small wooden door.

I put the flashlight between my teeth and pushed against the door with both hands. It was tough, very tough, and I feared I wouldn’t be able to get it open, my position limiting me from applying much force to it. Thankfully, with a few more mighty shoves, the door creaked open with a spray of dust and a slight creak.

I can’t quite explain to you the feeling that overcame me when I saw where I was. It was the kind of bizarre terror that floods your veins when you’re in the midst of a nightmare and seemingly awaken, only to realise you’re just in another layer of its grip. That was the feeling that took me when I crawled out of that door and stepped into the dim light cast by one of the lamps I had forgotten to turn off.

I was in the top floor bedroom. I turned around and, as I feared, there it was.

I had come through the storage cupboard door.