#ocs: sacred oasis

[basilpaste]

i havent ever actually written out how perries extra eyes work? so heres me doing that. they emote but not always consistently with how perrie is emoting.

theyre also solidly usually closed, but always open when hes asleep! how fun!

[ghostsprobably]

Hi there .Seen and watched your Winx reboot videos and they are just so good . I love it so much

In one of your videos,you mentioned an oc that you made that would probably rule over Domino in the modern day (I’m guessing if the country is revived in your rewrite)

Mind sharing some info of them because it seems really cool 😎

Thank you so much!!!

I'm trying to take an approach to this rewrite that sort of feels like the three seasons I have planned out for the story, and this character wouldn't come around until season three, but I can talk about her a bit!! If you don't want to be spoiled on my silly little rewrite don't read!!

I don't have a name for her yet, but she is likely going to be the Fairy of Forests or Mountains or something like that.

Basically, my idea is that when Valtor failed to steal the dragon flame from baby Bloom because of Daphne's little maneuver, he went ballistic. He killed her on the spot when he realized what she had done and then took to the streets basically taking out his frustrations on soldiers and civilians alike. He leveled trees and demolished homes until he thought there were no survivors.

But there were. A very small group of civilians had survived, and eventually returned to the capital where they rebuilt a small village. Their descendants still live there to this day, remaining isolated from the world and living in hiding.

The leader of these people would go on to be Queen after a piece of the dragon flame is returned to the Sacred Hearth, and Dominoe becomes a magic oasis in the freezing mountains once again.

[theblindarcher]

Incoming pixel art time lapse! To go with the upload of Krystal, here's a time lapse of how her portrait was made. Music featured: Star Fix: The Expedition into the Dark Beauties of Space ~ Mr. Kapow (Harmony of Heroes/Shinesparkers) - https://harmony.shinesparkers.net/alb...

Fossil's Oasis ~ Level 99, LulzA (OC ReMix) - https://ocremix.org/remix/OCR02008

A Sacred Place ~ Tremendouz (OC ReMix) - https://ocremix.org/remix/OCR04341

Voice clips

The Sounds Resource https://www.sounds-resource.com/gamec...

[crackinglamb]

You Have Chosen Nydha To Be Your Companion!

Hopping off @little-lightning-lavellan's idea to take a DA:I OC and turn them into a companion, may I present Banal'ras Nydha (from Hope Is a Fragile Thing) and her wiki page.

General

Banal'ras Nydha looks human, although there is something that doesn't seem quite right about her. She has dark hair and skin and startlingly green eyes, and speaks with a low, raspy voice. It is often difficult to find her in a room. Nydha first appears, and is available to recruit, in the Temple of Sacred Ashes before attempting to close the Breach. She offers knowledge and combat tactics against demons. If dismissed, or never spoken to, she will then be spotted in Haven behind Solas's cabin. She will not be available to recruit at that time, although once the Inquisition is relocated to Skyhold, she will make an offer to travel with the Inquisitor. If dismissed again, she will become a non-interactive NPC in the Rotunda, usually found near the mural or atop the scaffolding. If she is never recruited, she will disappear from Skyhold after the final battle with Corypheus.

Nydha is not romanceable by any Inquisitor, but can engage in a relationship with Solas if a female Dalish Inquisitor has not done so. She is friendly and bonds well with most of the other party members, especially Cole, Dorian and, of course, Solas. She prefers diplomacy and tends towards mediation rather than confrontation. If a Dalish Inquisitor has romanced Solas, and has high approval, Nydha will offer comfort and sympathy upon termination of the relationship. If low approval, Nydha has nothing to say.

She has strong opinions on the plight of elves, slaves and mages. She is supportive of any measures that would improve the lives of them. Her early banter with Dorian revolves around debating Tevinter's practices and trying to get him to see a better way. She will also speak with Iron Bull about the shortcomings of the Qun, although never with the same level of disdain as Solas. While she never openly mocks the Chantry or Andrastianism, she isn't a strong supporter or believer and has no opinion on who becomes Divine.

Location

In Haven, Nydha can be found behind Solas's cabin, usually in the darkest corner. Once the Inquisition relocates to Skyhold, she can be found in either the Arcane Library or the Rotunda.

Approval

Nydha's approval level is based upon empathy. An Inquisitor who is helpful, respectful and curious will gain approval. Nydha has no opinion on quests such as Wicked Eyes, Wicked Hearts or the outcome of Here Lies the Abyss, but approves diplomatic resolutions to judgments. She will greatly approve allying with the Free Mages, and only slightly approve conscripting the Templars. Conscription of the Free Mages or allying with the Templars will result in full disapproval. She will greatly approve Iron Bull becoming Tal-Vashoth and keeping Cole as a spirit. Actions that are ruthless or cruel will lose approval.

A high approval Inquisitor will learn that Nydha was born in another world and 'crossed over' through the Veil when the Breach opened. She will tell the Inquisitor that her name was given to her as a gift from someone she met in the Fade. She does not, however, say that it is Solas (see below for unique Trespasser dialogue). She will say that her name means 'Shadow of Night', according to her translation. A Dalish Inquisitor can have special dialogue to recognize the name as being Elvish and can question how a human came to have it. Nydha will answer that it is because the native language of the Fade is Elvish, a remnant from when elves held all of Thedas before human arrival.

A low approval Inquisitor will not learn this part of her history and she will remain an enigma. If approval falls to zero, she will refuse to speak to the Inquisitor, although she does not leave and is still available as a companion.

Quests

Survivor In the Shadows – the quest for meeting Nydha initially at the Temple of Sacred Ashes. It begins upon speaking with her, and ends with either recruitment or dismissal.

From the Ashes – only available after either In Hushed Whispers or Champions of the Just, but before completion of In Your Heart Shall Burn, Nydha will ask the Herald to accompany her back to the Temple of Sacred Ashes to search for her few belongings. The Herald will find a journal, a bundle of unusual clothes and a single unmarked vial. Nydha will approve completing this quest.

A Better Form – Nydha will ask for help in stabilizing her corporeal body if Dagna is brought into the Inquisition. Resolution of this quest will involve having Dagna create a unique amulet that will act as a permanent grounding source, rather like a lightning rod. Components for this amulet are: 1 blank rune stone, 1 wisp essence, and either 5 dawnstone or 5 volcanic aurum (both imbue constitution bonuses). It will act as an Amulet of Power, granting Nydha an extra skill point. This is the only time such an ability will be available to her. This will also allow her to wear other amulets throughout the remainder of the game. She, and Solas, will greatly approve completing this quest.

Twice-Born – available during the Jaws of Hakkon DLC. Nydha, if in the party, will ask to speak with the Augur of Stone-Bear Hold once relations with the hold have been established. If she is not among the Inquisitor's party, she will be found in the main scout camp near Professor Kenric. What the two speak about will be unknown, but at the end of the quest, Nydha will inform the Inquisitor that she has been given the legend-mark Twice-Born from the hold's 'gods'. Cole will greatly approve completing this quest, regardless of whether or not he is in the party.

Note: This quest is not dependent upon approval, but is the only time she will speak with a zeroed out Inquisitor, should that level of low approval be reached.

Ability Tree/Specialization

Nydha is technically a rogue, and can utilize either a bow or double daggers. She has an autolevel preference for the Subterfuge tree, and has an additional, unique starting skill in Fade Cloak. This does not require further leveling to be active. It is the only skill that cannot be deactivated from her skillset.

She can specialize in either Tempest or Rift Mage, due to her nature as a being from the Fade. She is not otherwise a mage. Her decision on specialization can be influenced, as she will ask the Inquisitor's opinion. If no opinion is given, she will default to taking Tempest.

Combat comments

“Come get some!”

“Catch me if you can!”

(If specialized in Tempest) “Burn, baby, burn.”

(If specialized in Rift Mage) “Ooh, the stuff of nightmares.”

Kills an enemy

“Another one bites the dust.”

“Cool story, bro.”

“Then perish.”

Low Health

“This was not on my agenda today.”

“A little help?”

Low Health (Companions)

For all general companions: “I have your back.”

If in a romance with Solas: “Take a breather, fenorain.”

Fallen Companions

For all general companions: “I'll make them pay!”

If in a romance with Solas: “NO!”

Location Comments

Ferelden:

Hinterlands: “Why is it so big? Why is everything so big?”

Fallow Mire: “I have mud in unmentionable places. Can we go now?”

Storm Coast: “I must go down to the sea again, to the lonely sea and sky.”

If companions question her: “It's just from a poem I once read.”

Orlais:

Exalted Plains: “So much death. Can't you feel it?”

Emerald Graves: “This forest is old. Very old.” [laughs] “I always wanted to say that in proper context.”

Emprise du Lion: “Stay away from the bloody lyrium. And wear a hat.”

At Suledin Keep after Imshael, if Solas is in the party: “Ir abelas, lethallin.” (If romanced) Ir abelas, fenorain.”

Solas's reply (only translated if the Inquisitor is Dalish): “Ma serannas. Ea lam'an.” (It is in the past)

At the Pools of the Sun, regarding the trio of dragons: “Can't we just leave them alone? They really won't hurt anyone if we keep our distance.”

Hissing Waste: “You know, if you ignore the endless vista of sand, it's really quite beautiful. In a bleak kind of way.”

Western Approach: “Hot. Hot and blighted. I need a drink.”

Forbidden Oasis, upon reaching the second camp: “That's it, I'm never leaving.”

Arbor Wilds: “Mind your footing. This place is full of secrets.”

In Val Royeaux: “Pretty place.”

Frostback Basin: “I could stay here forever. Even with the varmints.”

The Descent: “Nice and dark, just the way I like it.”

At the Wellspring: “Wow...that's amazing.”

Trespasser: “Now it all ends, my friend.”

If the Inquisitor questions the statement: “You'll see soon enough.”

Companion/Advisor comments

Varric – Gotta watch out for Spooky, there's something about her I can't put my finger on.

Cassandra – She is an able fighter, but I would not trust her out of my sight, which is far too often.

Solas – She is secretive by nature, but I would assure you that she means no harm.

Iron Bull – She's a tricky one. Good fighter, lotta secrets. Good at keeping them too. I don't think I've cracked a single one that she didn't tell me herself.

Dorian – She's fascinating. I am not at liberty to say why, of course, if you don't already know.

Cole – Bright as the sun and scattered as the stars. She wants to help, just like I do.

Vivienne – She seems capable enough, my dear. But I would not dare to trust her. She is an accomplished player of the Game, for all her smiles and good cheer.

Sera – She's as bad as Creepy, although she's better at jokes. She's better at hiding than I am!

Blackwall – She knows something. She knows too many somethings.

Josephine – She keeps to herself and has caused no diplomatic incidents. I wish I could say the same for some of the others gathered here.

Leliana – I find it curious that I cannot find any solid evidence of her existence before the Conclave, but that does not automatically mark her a spy. However, her nature makes me no more inclined to trust her. I would be wary of her.

Cullen – Who? Oh, the...shadowy...person. I hear she can handle herself. I can't say I've spoken with her, so I don't have an opinion.

Trespasser

There is a unique dialogue tree available to the Inquisitor while speaking with Solas if Nydha was recruited as a companion.

“Did you know about Nydha?”

“Yes, I am the one who gave her her name. I found her while I yet slept, and she became corporeal after the Breach.”

(First branch) “Is she one of your agents?”

“No. She has only ever been my friend.”

(Special, if not romanced) “Your friend? It seemed to be more than that.”

“In another world, perhaps.”

(Second branch) “Is she joining you?”

“No, I would not wish her on this path.”

(Third branch) “She knew this whole time. Why didn't she tell me?”

“She had her reasons for not telling you. (If high approval) I hope you will not hold them against her.”

Regardless of approval, Nydha disappears after the Exalted Council. She settles in the Frostback Basin among the Avvar. A high approval Inquisitor will receive correspondence from her from time to time, but she will refuse to come back to the 'civilized' nations of Thedas, preferring privacy and isolation.

Trivia

If in the party during Here Lies the Abyss, the Nightmare demon will speak to her in Elvish. Her reply is a scoff and nothing else.

Nydha can be a third option at the Vir'Abelasan if she is in the party. If she is chosen to drink from the Well, Abelas does not object, although he will still point out that she will be bound as they are. If Nydha drinks, she will summon Flemeth and work with the Inquisitor to tame the dragon for the final confrontation with Corypheus. If she is in the party during Trespasser, she will be able to provide the password to the spirit guards, preventing a fight.

If Morrigan is allowed to attack Abelas, she will attempt to defend him and will argue that the witch is not worthy of the knowledge she seeks if brutality is her only way to get it. If there is a peaceful alliance with the Sentinels and Morrigan is chosen to drink, Nydha will slightly disapprove but hold her tongue on the matter.

If the Inquisitor drank from the Well, and succeeds in finding enough clues to determine that Solas is Fen'Harel, Nydha will appear saddened when the Inquisitor rebuts to the Viddasala that they already know. She will state that this was what she'd been waiting for. The Inquisitor will have the option to accuse her of knowing the whole time. She will answer yes, but she won't explain.

If Nydha is never recruited, and remains an NPC in the Rotunda, one will hear her occasionally speak with Solas. These conversations range in topic from books they are reading to the mural. Never about Inquisition business. There is a slight chance to hear them speaking in Elvish, and their words are not translated, regardless of Inquisitor's race. Solas's replies appear to be noncommittal.

Nydha will remark upon the Inquisitor's romantic choices, usually with something supportive and a hope that they are happy together. She will also comment something generally pleasant about each companion if asked. The exception to this is if Iron Bull remains Ben-Hassrath. Nydha will caution the Inquisitor to be careful of telling him too much since his loyalty is now unknown.

It can be implied from various interactions and from high approval conversation that Nydha was in fact aware of everything that would happen during the course of the game. She never gives a reason for keeping her silence on matters pertaining to what foreknowledge she had, although any input given during the game events is sound and often given in such a way so as not to risk suspicion.

It can also be implied that regardless of what Solas says during Trespasser, Nydha has actually left the Inquisition to join his ranks, or at least does not stand opposed to him. This is not confirmed, however, and according to her epilogue card, she is enjoying a quiet life in the Frostback Basin with no intention of ever interfering with Thedosian politics or events again.

[choiceskatie]

Gone Girl (Liam x MC ~ Leo x MC)

Premise: Riley Brooks came to Cordonia to find love, but instead left heartbroken with a life changing secret. Two years later, her secret is out and ready to change the lives of all involved as she returns to face her past.

Gone Girl Masterlist

Before Sunrise (Liam x OC)

Premise: Prince Liam and Sofia had a dream night together that they thought would be once in a lifetime. Fate had other plans.

Before Sunrise Masterlist

Envy 🍋 (An unfortunate encounter with a royal guest has Liam throwing courtly decorum out the window.)

Sacred Oasis 🍋 (Drake’s forced to take matters into his own hands as his wife’s emotions get the best of her.)

Meet My MC - Dr. Teddy Valentinos

Both Sides Now (Ethan x MC)

Premise: A sudden illness brings Teddy back to Edenbrook, back to the halls that haunt her, and back to the man she left behind.

Both Sides Now Masterlist

Almost Is Never Enough - Miniseries (Tobias x MC ~ Ethan x MC)

Premise: Casey finds comfort in a handsome stranger when Ethan leaves for the Amazon.

Almost Is Never Enough Masterlist

The Blessed Unrest (TNA/OH • Sam x MC ~ Ethan x MC)

Premise: Anna thinks she’s prepared herself to face the inevitable, but something no one could have predicted shakes her to her very core.

The Blessed Unrest Masterlist

All fics are Ethan x MC unless stated otherwise!

Fracture (Teddy’s friends find out about her secret relationship in the most unorthodox way.)

Lights Out (Teddy’s desire for her new boyfriend comes back to scald them.)

A Million To One (Inspiration strikes for Ethan as he watches his friend and colleague get married.)

Take Me Back To The Light 🍋 (A trip back to Miami awards Ethan the chance to make up for past mistakes.)

Dinner with Chief Ramsey 🍋 (Ethan gets a special visitor when he fails to come home from the hospital.)

Keep You Warm (Ethan steps in when Teddy struggles to take care of herself.)

After Hours 🍋 (Teddy shows Ethan just how much she misses being under his control.)

That Would Be Enough (Teddy gets creative as she finds a way to tell Ethan important news.)

Date Night (Ethan x MC)

Valentine’s Day (Ethan x MC)

Your Honour (Thomas x MC) 🍋

Invasion of Privacy (Thomas x MC x Sam) 🍋

The Blessed Unrest (TNA/OH • Sam x MC ~ Ethan x MC)

Premise: Anna thinks she’s prepared herself to face the inevitable, but something no one could have predicted shakes her to her very core.

The Blessed Unrest Masterlist

Invasion of Privacy (Sam x MC x Thomas) 🍋

Extra Credit (smut-tember) 🍋

The Night Shift 🍋 (A work injury forces Emilia to get creative.)

My Favourite Pixels by @misadrawss

Thomas x Tara by @bayleedrawsx

Thomas x Anna by @miyeoncey

Tobias x Casey by @/artbyainna on Instagram

Ethan x Teddy by @shazrystyles

Ethan x Teddy by @/irdeinfierno on Instagram

Liam x Ivy by @/irdeinfierno

Family of 3 by @/artbyainna

[agustdomain]

A Slideshow of Road Lines {3}

Synopsis: They say oil and water don’t mix. What about oil paint and engines? He’s an artist reaching toward his dream while the girl with an engine heart is too busy trying to get her hands on the wheel. Is there a way for them to hold onto each other?

Word Count: 7k words

Pairing: Chris x Reader

Genre: college!au, artist!Chris, angst

Warnings: Language, Mentions of sickness (OC’s dad)

Author’s Note: You ready to meet Chris? (; He’s officially in the next part. Or is he? She won’t face him in the present for the while, but her past is filled with Chris. I’m really excited for you to get to know him!

! IMPORTANT NOTE ! This story is taking place in TWO DIFFERENT TIMES. When you see these flowers ❁, the story is shifting from present to past. There will also be a “Then” next to the day in order to further indicate that. If you have any questions, let me know!

> Part Two <

DAY 8

Every time she steps foot in this sacred oasis, guilt floods her vision. Every single time, the guilt’s almost enough to make her turn around and head back downstairs. Almost. 

“Hey, Y/N. It’s been a while.”

She’s startled at the familiar voice, having not seen him when she first came up the steps. Once pinpointing where he’s crouched behind the bar, she takes her time as she trudges over. It’s been too long since the last time she’s been here. What, three or four months? It isn’t anyone’s fault but her own that she got herself in a predicament like this one. 

It’s her fault she’s feeling guilty, and it’s her fault for having gotten attached to this rooftop that once held all the answers.

“Sorry, I’ve just been busy,” is her vague explanation. He isn’t the type to push.

Seungmin finally rises from behind the bar, box of tall wine glasses in his arms.

Placing them on the bar, he offers a sweet smile. Any other time, it may have eased her pain. Now, it slams her with unwanted memories.

“It’s all good- hey. You okay?”

She gives herself a moment. With each breath, she hopes to rein in her uneven breathing, for the tears and memories to subside, and for the memories she built here that are heavily stained with Chris to disappear. 

“Everyone’s asking me that. To be honest,  There’s not enough time to even pinpoint what’s wrong with me.” Yes, there is. It’s just one word. “So, instead. I’m going to sit at this bar. Hopefully, you don’t have any prior obligations. Maybe, just maybe you can make me your delicious ass Shirley Temple. And maybe I can just hear about how you’ve been.”

Seungmin studies her for a moment, continuing to wipe down the glasses one by one. Nodding in understanding, her shoulders sag, although she already knew he would agree. These past few months, in some twisted declaration of fate, she had forged a connection with the man whom Chris adored. In her memory, when Seungmin was just a foggy face in the background of some of her most intense moments with Chris, she never would’ve guessed he’d be her friend now. Life is funny that way.

At the sound of his throat clearing, her ease fades, aware he’s never been a pushover. 

“I can get behind that. First, let me finish up all the closing procedures. While I’m putting these up, maybe you can grab a broom?”

A smile she isn’t expecting finds her lips. “That’s fair.”

“Your Shirley Temple will be waiting for you when you’re done.”

Rebel Corner has stood the test of time as one of the most beautiful places Y/N’s ever had the honor of witnessing with her own eyes. It’s a family-owned, "underground” rooftop restaurant. Not many know about it, mostly because it’s exclusive and important to the owners, and she had the honor of being one of the lucky few who was welcomed. 

Even after all these years, it still drew her in like the scent of homemade cookies. 

As she sweeps the wooden floors, her eyes do what they always do on their own accord. Trailing across the floor. Left, left, left, up. To the very table that sometimes finds its way in her dreams. If she listens hard enough, she can still hear Chris’ giddy laughter. 

She forces herself to look away as the tightness in her chest returns. 

When she finishes up, she slowly makes her way over to Seungmin. He’s in the midst of wiping down the bar counter, humming a tune underneath his breath. 

An escape from her life, a confidant she never would have expected. After all, she already has enough mutual friends with Chris. Seungmin is another story. 

Several months ago, her heartbreak had snuck up on her when she had least expected it. It was a night where she had entertained Minnie’s and Yeji’s terrible advice, agreeing to being set up on a date with a stranger. 

She didn’t even remember the poor guy’s name anymore, barely even remembered what he had said to set her off. Maybe it was because she wasn’t ready, or how his eyes kind of resembled Chris’ beneath the restaurant light. Who was she kidding? No one could ever compare to the stardust in his irises.

One sentence had sent her running back to this place, her favorite spot prior to everything falling apart. 

To be honest, she figured they wouldn’t let her up here. Seungmin had an impeccable memory, seeing the past her caved in on herself and allowing her roof access without so much as a glance.  

Their friendship was unlikely, but it was born after many nights of her sorrowful solo dinners. He was a sweetheart in disguise, distracting her with trivial problems. He was a breath of fresh air from her otherwise stifling life. 

“... And I told him, ‘Look. If you don’t start using your own bar of soap, you really aren’t going to like what I have planned for you’.”

Y/N bursts into ugly laughter, almost spilling her drink all over herself. “Are you serious? You know that sounds so wrong, right?”

Seungmin feigns nonchalance as he shrugs, throwing his rag across his shoulder as he declares, “That’s why you don’t fuck with me.”

The curse word sounds wrong on his lips, not suiting him at all. They share a look before settling on a mutual distaste for his tough guy act. 

“What did you really tell him?”

Seungmin rubs the back of his neck shyly. “Well. I just started buying two soaps. He leaves mine alone now.”

“Seungmin! You can’t just let him take advantage of you like that.”

“What am I supposed to do? You know I hate confronting people!”

Y/N shakes her head, finishing off her Shirley Temple and slamming it down dramatically. “Do you want me to kick Felix’s ass?”

“No.”

“Come on. I have fighting experience!”

“Yelling at your phone screen when it freezes doesn’t count.”

“You’re insufferable,” She points a finger at him, making him giggle like a child. Silence finds them then, the kind she had been aching for since the moment her past came showing up at her door. 

Tipping her cup back, she welcomes the rough ice cube stinging her tongue as she settles into her frigid thoughts. Now that she’s calm, she figures it’s time to face her demons.

She laughs at herself. If this is how she melted down when hearing he was back, she couldn’t imagine what it would be like when she came face to face with him.

“Y/N.”

“Hm?” Something about Seungmin’s tone quickly snatches her attention, her composure dissipating at the scared look frozen in his features. “What is it? What’s wrong?”

In slow motion, he looks up from his phone in his hands, swallowing heavily. “It’s… it’s Chris. He said he’s here.”

Oddly, a memory finds her then, one she hadn’t thought of in over two years. A memory of her and Chris running down the street late at night, hands clasped tight and road lines a blur, his dimpled smile brighter than the street lamps guiding their path. She can’t remember what they were doing that night, likely goofing off, she just recalls the bliss he brought her when life was too terrifying to face. 

All she felt now was dread at the sound of his name- to the point of vomiting all of the cherry 7-up churning in her stomach.

“What do I do?” Her body moves into action, rushing to her feet and knocking the bar stool onto its side. The crash makes him wince, but he’s just as panicked as she is. “Where is he?”

“I-I don’t know. He’s probably on his way up the stairs-”

She never would have pictured the sound of a rooftop door opening being the sound to freeze her blood. The last sight she sees before dropping to the floor and crawling around the bar is Seungmin’s eyes wide with fear. 

“Chris! W-wow! I almost can’t believe my eyes!” If she could, she’d kick Seungmin for his lack of acting skills. 

“Is this a bad time?”

If she were an artist, this would be the point in the process where her hand slips and makes an irredeemable mistake across the canvas. She supposes that’s why Chris is the artist, not her. The sound of his voice is a dent in her plans, a deeper pothole in the road than she realized. No, not a pothole. A ditch. And her car is heading for it at 120 mph. 

“No! That’s silly. What makes you think it’s a bad time? We’re closed, man! I’m the only one here! Don’t be ridiculous! I’m alone!”

Squeezing her eyes shut, nausea bubbles in her stomach and toward her throat. If Seungmin blows this- no, Chris couldn’t possibly know she’s here. She’s not ready. And how is she going to explain this to him if he sees her? He probably doesn’t even know her and Seungmin are friends.

“Okay,” Chris drags it out, sounding a distance away even though there are mere feet separating them. The tense atmosphere spills into the floor and snakes around her ankles as the boys greet each other normally, sounds of reunion and happiness filling the air. How is this possible? Y/N really went and dug the ditch herself. “How’ve you been, man?”

“I’ve been… well, the same. Rebel has been booming with the usual guests. Boss hired a new hostess though and she’s a pain in my ass.”

The second worst sound-the song of her lover’s laugh- fills the night air. The same night air that offered her answers moments ago now closed in on her. “I’ll never get over seeing you mad. It’s like watching a baby throw a tantrum. Precious.”

“I see you’re your usual chirpy self.”

“I try.” There’s a pause, one that makes Y/N start sweating. As if she hasn’t made too many, she makes another mistake. She can’t help herself. Chris is here in the flesh, and it’s been two and a half years since she was last near him. Before she knows it, she’s peeking around the corner of the bar. 

Her heart nearly gives out at the sight of him looking in her direction, throwing herself back behind the bar. Her back’s painfully pressed into the wood behind her, praying silently and heart slamming. Pleading that he didn’t see her, she sighs in relief when he says, “Hey, Seung? Why is there a stool knocked over?”

“Oh. That.” Her eyes widen, sweat gathering all over her body. Clenching her teeth, she mentally spews out all of her anger at Seungmin. “Well, what do you think? You think I snuck a girl up here or something? That when you told me you were here, I told her to scram and she knocked that stool over in a rush?”

Silence. 

Her heart’s beating so loud, Chris must hear it. Instead, his laughter plays like the piano chords it is. “You’re something else.”

“I’m going to take that as a compliment.”

“You should.” Chair scraping. Like a child and an electrical outlet, she can’t help tempting the danger as she peeks out again, promising herself it’s the last time. How stupid can she get? Seungmin’s blocking her vision, her heart yelling at him to move out the way and her brain telling her not to look. “I just wanted to drop by. I’ve missed you. And, well, I’ve been visiting all the people I haven’t seen. It’s been a minute. Too long of one”

“It really has. Are you back for good?”

“I am,” It’s a mistake, peeking to see him that second time. Once Seungmin moves, unveiling the man that took her heart hostage, she can’t submerge from the tsunami anymore. She’s lost at sea. 

His hair’s the color of the marshmallow cake he made for her birthday once. Cut short on the sides, bangs framing his forehead. He used to complain about having bangs. 

And she always used to tell him how effortless he made beauty look. He would only laugh it off, never one to dwell on appraisal. 

His style hadn’t changed, a dark red dress shirt with a couple buttons undone off the top. The Venus chain necklace he had never taken off still hanging around his neck and glimmering beneath the rooftop’s fairy lights. Even from here, she can recognize that necklace anywhere. 

Eyes welling with tears, she scoots back to her previous spot. Pulling her knees up to her chest, she claws at the knot around her heart, threatening her. In the span of his absence, she somehow managed to fool herself into believing she’s fine. 

“Well, that’s good to hear. I imagine you’ll be dropping by to get your usual dinner one of these days.”

“Yeah…” A stifling pause, “Shame the food won’t be perfect anymore.”

“What do you mean?”

“Food only tastes perfect when the perfect person is with you to share it.”

Y/N slowly raises her head, a storm spilling on her cheeks, wondering if it muddled her hearing somehow. Did she hear him right?

“Ah. I see.” Ask him, Seungmin. Ask him what he means. Ask him about it.

Ask him anything. 

“Sorry, man. I don’t mean to dump anything on you. I just got caught up for a moment. This place brings up a lot of buried memories, you know.” A clap, likely on a shoulder. “I’ll be going now. Have some other stops to make before I call it a night.”

“Alright. Don’t stay away too long. I need to hear all about what you’ve been up to. I remember how excited you were about the expedition.”

She doesn’t. All she remembers is the despair raw on his face, his pain on display like a true tortured artist. 

“Definitely. I’ll catch you later.”

“Looking forward to it.”

Even after hearing the rooftop door slam closed, she doesn’t move. It’s almost unreal, being so close to him with the distance of two years between. She wonders what it would be like if they had somehow made it work all this time. Would she have been the one to pick him up from the airport? She would have been the one to plan the party for him that she’d missed yesterday. 

She needs to move on. 

Chris Bang is her past, and even if he chooses to reappear in her present, there’s no future for them.

“Hey.”

She looks up, Seungmin kneeling in front of her with a hand outstretched. It’s a humiliating moment when she realizes she’s been lying to herself all this time. Now’s the time for her lovely friend logic to return home, gone for so long she barely remembers its voice. It’s a shame, because without logic, all of the improvements she’s made in the last couple of years go out the window. 

Without logic, how will she protect her heart?

With a watery smile, she ignores the look of sympathy on his face as she shakily grabs his hand. She answers the question in his eyes.

“I’ll be fine. Don’t worry.”

                                                        ~~~~

Closing the front door chases off the small ounce of energy left. Sighing heavily, she stays facing the door for a moment. She had spent most of the ride with Seungmin in silence, thankful for his offer and taking it in her vulnerable state of mind. Just like Chuu, he always knows when not to prod, unbothered by her distance and silence.

Hearing a bag zip up, her gaze trails to the living room where Chuu’s in the middle of shouldering her backpack. Without acknowledging Y/N, she moves to walk past her and to the stairs. Odd, even for Chuu.

“Hey,” Slides from Y/N’s mouth awkwardly, confused. 

Startled at the greeting, Chuu looks at her wide-eyed before blurting, “I forgot I have to call my mom! I’m headed up to my room.”

“O-kay,” Y/N mutters, eyes following her as she rushes up the stairs. Before dwelling on it any further, Minnie comes down the stairs past Chuu, her gaze clouded and filled with warning. 

“Is Chuu okay?” Y/N treads carefully, walking over to the couch and throwing herself across it, all of her efforts in trying not to think about Chris. Trying to block his voice out, his face, him. She’s completely drained. 

“She’s fine,” Minnie’s voice is clipped, cold. Y/N doesn’t bother to figure out what she’s upset about this time. She’s surprised when Minnie hovers over her from the back of the couch, cup in hand and eyes staring down at her.

“What?” Y/N says, utterly defeated.

“Are you okay?”

“It seems like that’s everyone's favorite question these days.”

Minnie keeps on staring at her. Taking a sip of her drink, she takes her time before speaking again. “Yeji told me about Chris. Makes a lot more sense now why you got wasted and embarrassed me last weekend. I’m sorry I… haven’t been around to be there for you.”

Y/N doesn’t know what to say. Truth be told, she wouldn’t have expected this type of response from her. Ever. “It’s… fine.”

“I mean it,” Minnie walks around the couch and takes a seat near Y/N’s head. She stares at her roommate at an awkward upside-down angle, noticing her voice is uncharacteristically soft.“I haven’t really been myself. I never thought I would be one of those girls that changes when she’s in a relationship. It’s no excuse, but ever since I met Hongseok, he’s all that fills my mind.”

Sitting up, Y/N’s hand gently squeezes Minnie’s shoulder. “You haven’t done anything wrong. That’s normal. You’re in love.”

“Yeji would disagree with that. She always has something to say.” Sometimes Y/N wonders how the two of them haven’t killed each other.

“You know her. It’s not hard to make her shit list.”

“True,” Minnie stares forward, sipping from her cup every few moments. The longer Y/N sits with her, she realizes how nice it is to be around someone who’s unafraid to be themselves. Minnie can be overbearing more often than not, but on the flip side she’s as honest as they come. She doesn’t tiptoe around Y/N or make her feel like she’s a ticking time bomb. 

“It’s just been a lot to process. I feel like since I’m on the go with school and work, with all of these things on my mind, I can’t even begin to process that he’s back. It’s hard to describe. The last time I saw him was… well, it’s stained in my head like a bad tattoo. And I thought the wound had healed. I’m such an idiot. I thought I’d react well if I ever saw him again. That’s… definitely not the case,” Strangled laughter bubbles past her lips. 

Minnie peers at her for a couple seconds before lying her head on the back of the sofa. “I’ve never been in your shoes before. I’ve never dated anyone like you have, never had a bond like the one you had with him. I mean, it’s so rare these days for there to be guys like Chris…” Quickly, she continues, “I don’t mean to make it worse. I’m just bringing it all up because why are you being so hard on yourself? Everyone moves on at different paces. Even if you moved on, it doesn’t make it any easier when you see someone you loved for the first time in a long time. You’re human, Y/N. He used to be the guy that had power over your heart. It’s not something you can just bury.”

“I just wish… I don’t know.” Y/N hates that she feels the urge to cry again. 

“You’re not going to figure everything out in one night. Go easy on yourself. Just promise me that.”

Easier said than done. Regardless, she knows Minnie’s intentions are pure. “Okay.”

Minnie stands up, hand finding Y/N’s thigh and squeezing comfortingly before rising to her feet. She takes her time heading for the stairs, pausing at the bottom before looking over her shoulder. “It’s not your fault that he left.”

Those words haunt Y/N long after their conversation, repeating in her head like a jammed radio. 

As she lay in bed that night, a blanket protecting her from the smiles of her ghosts, Minnie’s words replay. 

She understands the sentiment, even recognizes the sincerity. 

Only problem is, she doesn’t agree at all. 

After all, it’s her fault everything fell apart. If it wasn’t for her, she and Chris would still be together. 

That’s what’s poking at her, why it’s so hard to imagine facing him. How can she face him when she can’t even face herself? How can she confront the reality that she’s the reason he’s left with a scar, one she imagines have darkened his hands and his paintings?

His muse? Please. She must be his worst nightmare.

❁     ❁     ❁    ❁     ❁     ❁     ❁

Day 10, Then 

The pop music flowing from different stores contrasted with the gloomy weather overhead. Glancing up at the rumbling clouds in dismay, she found herself wondering why anyone in their right mind thought it was a good idea to build an outdoor mall. 

Looking around at the passersby, it would seem like they didn’t care if it was moments from raining. Bundles of teenagers gathered, filming videos on their phone and talking way too loud. Older couples were the only ones rushing for cover, complaints falling in the space between her and them as they rushed past. 

The longer she spent wandering aimlessly, the more close she was to giving up. Yes, her dad insisted on her going out and spoiling herself. The thought only filled her with guilt. Even when he was far from being healthy, he still wanted to take care of her. He worried about her, when he should’ve only worried about getting better.

At the thought of her dad, weights built up and suffocated her chest. She couldn’t do this, not now. Sighing heavily, she turned on her heel and headed back the way she came. If she rushed, she could make the next bus back to campus. 

Right as the edge of the mall came into view, a large neon sign snagged her attention, pausing in her footsteps. 

Painters. A soft neon pink sign, more inviting than any other sign she’d seen so far. Its soft letters reminded her of pink lemonade. Unlike the name, it appeared to be a shoe store rather than an art supplies store, which is what she expected. 

Shaking her head, the rain began its gentle dance on the concrete around her. Not long after, gentle kisses found her exposed skin. Y/N moved to walk past the store, but her legs came to a stop without much thought. Glancing at the bright array of shoes in the window, she realized that maybe she might find something in there she’d like. That, and it would make her dad insanely happy when she called home tonight, telling him she already bought something for herself. 

Stepping in, she recognized the sad serenade of a Post Malone song playing overhead. The shoe shop was smaller than the more popular brand stores, colorful paper maché lights hanging low from the ceiling. The longer she studied the shop, the more she appreciated it for its individuality. Even the shoes weren’t all the same, offering varieties and brands she never even heard of. 

When she first entered, the first thing to catch any customer’s eye was the big chalkboard in unnecessarily bold letters that read FIRST COME FIRST SERVE FOR EACH PAIR. ONE SIZE ONLY PER PAIR.

“That makes things more difficult,” Y/N uttered to herself.

Wandering down the nearest aisle, an uncontrollable smile tugged her lips at the kids section. Reading the sign above the shelf, her heart tugged in fondness at the realization of just how different Painters was. 

Children designed the collection of kids shoes before being placed out in the store to be sold. More intrigued, she turned the corner and stumbled upon the next section titled Kollege Kids. Their designs were more professional but had just as much character. Personally, she preferred the kids’ designs.

She scoffed in disbelief. Prior to this moment, she had no idea stores like this even existed. Her eyes trailed to the top right corner of the shelves in front of her. A pair of high top converse, all white save for the drawings of the milky way galaxy in blue and orange ink. 

Taking them off the shelf, she was launched back into her conversation with her dad a couple nights ago, a younger version of her racing down the road holding her daddy’s hand wearing her favorite orange and blue sneakers. 

Staring down at the sneakers, she realized how important it was for her to get them now, the uncanny nostalgia from them pressuring her into the purchase. Just then, she was reminded of the obnoxious sign at the front of the shop about how each pair had one size only. 

Closing her eyes, she willed the sneakers to be her size before pushing the tongue back to see. Deflating, all hopes of having these special shoes washed away as she slammed them back down on their designated spot. 

“I understand the frustration.”

She turned then, eyes finding the guy who was staring at her from the end of the aisle. Her eyes washed over him quickly, eyebrows rising in curiosity at his button up pushed to the forearms and an art apron tied loosely around his hips. She connected the dots a beat too late that he was an employee. 

Noticing her confusion, he smiled slightly as he grasped the apron with two fingers. “This? Yeah, it’s an… interesting choice of uniform. My boss is an eccentric gal. It fits the theme, don’t you think?”

Y/N nodded, unsure of what to say. Turning back to face the shoes, all sense of desire to buy anything was completely gone. Those sneakers were it, and since they weren’t her size, there was no use. The eccentricity of the store was fresh and amazing until a person realizes the shoes they love don’t come in their size.

The employee stepped closer, putting up a pair of sneakers near her. Stepping aside a bit, she found her eyes found his again as he continued to observe her. What was this guy’s deal?

“I was just looking around. I’m not going to buy anything,” Y/N decided on, hoping it was enough to get him to leave her alone. It wasn’t.

“Really?” He sounded unconvinced. Nodding at her- well, the pair of shoes- he crossed his arms as if he were all-knowing. “Seems like your heart was pretty set on those. I can see why. They’re pretty kick-ass. I’m assuming they weren’t your size?”

“Yeah, they weren’t,” She said wistfully, ready to go back to her dorm and never come to this shop again. 

“Hate when that happens.”

Turning to him, ready to snap, her mouth shut on its own as her eyes found his face. There were no ill intentions behind his gaze, only empathy. Her eyes wandered on their own, his dark hair short and neat but his eyes suggesting a more wild existence. Even the way he wore his uniform suggested he was barely following the rules. 

Her eyes trailed to his shoes, dark maroon boots with doodles drawn on it with- was that brown sharpie? Feeling his eyes on her, they quickly jumped back to his face. Dimples appeared and softened his presence even further, catching her in the act. 

Mouth parting, trying to justify what probably looked like she was checking him out, she didn’t need to say anything as he headed back the way he came. 

“There’s plenty of magnificent shoes in here. I hope you find another pair that makes you feel the way those did,” He called over his shoulder. Stopping at the end of the aisle, he turned back and gave her a look she didn’t quite understand. “It might be hard, but some shoes just aren’t the right fit. And it’s because the ones that are will own your heart more than you realize.”

Her heart was racing after he disappeared from view and she couldn’t figure out the cause. Was it the guy? No it couldn’t have been. Was it the shoes? Definitely not. His words… how could someone be so wise when they were just talking about shoes?

Afraid to be seen by him again, she peeked from behind the aisle she was in, and once the coast was clear she made a beeline for the door. Just as her hand pushed open the door, she felt the strong urge to look back. So she did. 

The guy from before was in the middle of placing another pair of shoes on a nearby rack, arm outstretched above his head. Instead of his attention on the task at hand, his eyes were watching her as she left. 

Heart jumping, she caught the edge of his smile before she rushed out the store.

Day 14

Another day, another night of drowning in assignments.There were points where thoughts of her dad crept in, but she buried it as the stress of her work washed over. Sometimes, she craved a break.

She didn’t have the time for that. 

The break would be possible if she didn’t have a job interview in two hours with the bakery down the street. Gogo’s  was its name, and she had been looking for a part-time position that had flexible hours and leniency. Since it was nearby, she hoped she was set for the school year. To keep herself from panicking, she put all of her energy into trying to finish some homework beforehand.

For once, she was grateful for the distraction when Yeji called her. As she typed away at her laptop, she put her on speaker.

“Y/N! Come out with us!”

“I can’t today. Sorry.”

“Hold on.” There was the usual sound of crinkling and she shook her head, knowing what was coming. Like clockwork, there was Hyunjin’s signature confused sounds before he greeted her. 

“Hey.”

“Sorry, the answer’s still no.”

“Why, though? It’s been ages since we hung out.”

“I feel like I experience déjà vu whenever I talk to you these days. College has made you two really clingy,” She held back a smile at Hyunjin’s sound of disbelief.

“And college has made you really crabby and mean!”

“I’m flattered,” Y/N said, coming off a lot more colder than she intended. She hoped he understood. Being an engineering major was kicking her ass. The silence made her feel guilty, so she added, “I probably would but I have a job interview in a bit.”

“Oh. Well, why didn’t you just say that?”

“Because if I told Yeji that, she’d want me to skip it. You know her tendency to think everything’s a game.”

“True.” 

The two of them chatted for a few more minutes before she hung up, signalling it was time for her to get ready. Her stomach was a bundle of nerves as she attempted to mentally prepare herself for the interview, heading for the shower. 

When she got out, Chuu was on her own bed scrolling through her phone. Every now and then, she would glance over at Y/N as she shuffled back and forth throughout the room. 

“You seem nervous,” Chuu quietly noted.

“I am. But things will be okay. Whatever happens, happens.”

“Right.” As Y/N did a onceover of her hair, Chuu came up behind her in the mirror. Her head tilted up, nodding firmly at her. 

“You got this.”

Somehow, in the short time she had gotten to know the girl, she had the uncanny ability of making things feel okay- even if for a moment. With one gesture, with brief exchanges- Chuu’s strength filtered through her veins.

“Thank you.”

                                                        ~~~~

By the time Y/N made it back to her dorm, Chuu was nowhere to be found. Knowing her, she was probably holed up in the nearby library- she was the type that couldn’t get work done anywhere else. 

She weighed her options, knowing she should probably work on her homework. For once, she allowed herself some time to relax. Changing into her favorite pajamas, she grabbed her keys and left her dorm, heading for the convenience store downstairs. It really was handy to live on campus. 

After she grabbed her favorite Jalapeño chips and an orange juice, she got in line. Her thoughts wandered, not really paying attention to her surroundings. That was, until she heard two very familiar voices. Before she could even look for the source, an arm wrapped around her shoulders as Hyunjin’s citrus lip balm filled her nose. 

“I thought that was you.”

“Hey, Honey,” she said, pushing him off of her. Looking dejected, his attention was snatched by something nearby, disappearing as quick as he came. Yeji sidled up next to her in line, shooting a dirty look to the person behind Y/N. As if the person waiting in line was the one in the wrong. 

“How was your interview?” She asked, smacking the gum in her mouth. 

“It was good,” It really was. Y/N didn’t want to jinx it, but she was confident she got the job. 

“You probably got it. It’s you,” Yeji sighed, stretching her arms out. Little comments like that always reminded Y/N that as loud and aggressive she could be, Yeji tried her hardest to show her affection in other ways.

“Thanks,” Y/N coughed out, reaching the front of the line. As she paid, Yeji filled her in on her night. At first, she wasn’t paying too much attention to her words, expecting her to complain about Jisung again. When she realized that wasn’t her friend’s topic of choice at all, she tuned in. 

“...And I’m actually surprised. I really did have fun. I think I won’t mind if I have to spend time around Jisung, after all.”

“Glad you had fun,” Y/N deadpanned, leading the way out of the line and trailing over to Hyunjin. He  was at the dessert aisle and having trouble deciding between a Twinkie and an Oatmeal Cookie. 

“You weren’t listening, were you?” Yeji accused.

“I was!” She responded, but Yeji didn’t believe her.

“It’s kinda weird, though. I thought Jinnie here was being dramatic when he said Chris makes everything better. The guy actually does.”

Y/N nodded her head at her words, wondering what Chris could’ve possibly done to get in Yeji’s good graces. It was hard to please her. 

Hyunjin grabbed both desserts in one hand before turning to Y/N and placing a hand on her shoulder. “Bummer you couldn’t meet him tonight.”

“Come on, he can’t be that great. You’re hyping him up like he’s Tom Holland or something.”

“Okay, don’t take it that far,” Yeji gasped. 

Hyunjin shook his head at her before hitting them both with, “Well, I-” slamming down the sweets in front of the clerk- “think he’s better than Spidey boy.”

Yeji blew a breath out. “I’ll admit he’s cool but no one tops Tom.”

“Not even Tobey? Give me a break.”

“I’ll break your arm and we’ll call it a day.”

The clerk watched the two, wide-eyed, and Y/N could only pretend she wasn’t their friend as she headed for the door. As they all headed for her dorm, she listened to them continue to rave about this guy. It was almost ridiculous how much they idolized him. 

There couldn’t be anyone better than Hyunjin, at least in her book. Though she didn’t like him like that, her best friend had set the bar high for her in how she expected good guys to be. Hyunjin was kind, selfless, and did the best he could to make anyone feel like they belonged. He was the lantern that everyone was drawn to in the dark. 

So, yeah, maybe this Chris guy was cool. But to Y/N? It seemed like they were just buzzed about getting along with someone new. 

“...You’ll like him, Y/N. I know you will,” Hyunjin gave a firm nod, stuffing his entire cookie in his mouth, “Swell guy,” he added, crumbs flying out and toward the girls. Yeji shrieked, hands reaching out and slapping him hard on his arm. 

Y/N scolded him, but not before she laughed at his puppy dog face, hands up to block Yeji’s hits as he still continued to mumble with a full mouth.  She laughed, “You’re so gross.”

“And so are you! Don’t forget I have dirt on you,” He pointed at Y/N before moving over to Yeji, “And you, too.”

“Whatever,” She sighed, leading the way off of the elevator. She wasn’t surprised at all when they followed her. “Anyways, I’ll meet him next time.”

As she unlocked the door, Yeji leaned in and tried to be quiet as she whispered, “He’s so fine, Y/N. He’s going to be the man of your dreams, watch. I’m going to be dreaming of him tonight.”

Hyunjin choked on his twinkie, shoving Yeji right into the doorway. As she yelped, he shouted, “Ew! You’re so thirsty! Go find someone else to fantasize about. You’re not allowed to like my friends.”

“Why not? You gotta admit he’s hot!”

“And? You’re my cousin. I’m trying to save him from your crazy ass.”

“You’re such a brat. I don’t even want him like that. But finally you have a fine ass friend. Thought having a family member my age meant more hot friends. Guess not.”

“Both of you relax. Didn’t expect a guy to come between the two of you,” Y/N grinned at her own joke as the two of them proceeded to aim their fire at her. After a while, the fire went out on its own as they lounged lazily on her small bed, chatting about random things that came to mind. 

Even though they drove Y/N crazy sometimes, she knew that without them, her life would’ve taken a completely different path otherwise. 

“Hey, I forgot to mention! Not sure if you remember, but we made plans with the guys on Saturday to go to Kev’s. It’s for Chris’ birthday. I really want you there,” Hyunjin announced out of the blue, Y/N’s eyes leaving her computer.

Kev’s was an entertainment place that had blown up over the past couple of years. It was a mix of an arcade, sports bar and bowling alley- talk about indecisive. She had only been there once back in high school for a birthday party.

Tilting her head back and forth in thought, she eventually nodded. “I think I can make it. I don’t have much due this weekend, surprisingly.”

“Nice! Okay, I’ll ask CB if he can scoop you up.”

“Why can’t you pick me up?” She asked, not liking the sound of riding with a guy she barely met. 

Hyunjin avoided eye contact, which led to Yeji answering for him. 

“He’s picking up his new girlfriend, that’s why. He’s ditching us and handing us over to his weird friend,” Yeji blurted, before gasping and exclaiming, “I need to think of what to wear.”

“Wait, you have a new girlfriend?” Y/N asked, spinning in her desk chair to face him.

Hyunjin gave his cousin a look before he sighed and said, “No, I don’t. Not yet, at least. I’m just seeing where things go.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Well-” Hyunjin looked ashamed- “I don’t know if it’s anything serious yet. I just want to test the waters, you know. And I didn’t tell Yeji, she’s just nosy and happened to overhear me talking to Jisung about it.”

Y/N nodded in understanding, turning back to her desk. It was weird, not because Hyunjin didn’t date, but because it was unlike him to not tell her these things. For the sake of her homework, she decided to let it go. 

“I think I’m going to head to bed,” Yeji yawned, “But maybe I’ll see you before Saturday.” 

“Yeah, I think I’ll head out too,” Hyunjin added, and Y/N rose to her feet to walk them to the door. 

As they said their goodbyes, Hyunjin lingered as Yeji slowly walked down the hall without noticing. Just as Y/N was about to close the door, Hyunjin caught it.

“What’s up?” Her voice came out slow, noting his nervousness.

Licking his lips, he took a deep breath as he searched her face. “I really am sorry I didn’t tell you. It wasn’t like I was hiding it from you I just… yeah, we’ve all had things to do and I just didn’t want to stress you out. You know, with all your schoolwork and… and your dad.”

Up until his last words, Y/N was pretty understanding. At the mention of her dad, she shut down. Hyunjin noticed, too, trying to backtrack.

“W-what I meant by that is-”

“It’s fine, Hyunjin. I’m not even sweating it,” She said, and even to herself she sounded cold. 

“Wait, that was insensitive of me. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean anything by that. I just didn’t want to put anything else on your plate.”

“Telling me about a girl you like is something to add on my plate?”

Closing his eyes, he inhaled deeply, before saying, “Yeah.” Even he must’ve known how ridiculous that sounded.

Wanting to be irritated, she realized he was only being considerate of her feelings, right? Even if this was the first time he had kept something from her, it wasn’t a big deal. It couldn’t possibly mean anything else. So, she decided to truly let it go.

“Don’t worry, Honey. It’s all good.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah.”

[powertothefan]

Coffee

A Stanford Pines x Original Character Fic

Hazel DeForest belongs to @evaroze

Stanford Pines is property of  Alex Hirsch

This was something tossed together after discovering the adorable OC known as Hazel, she’s so cute and I love the design of her~ So, I did a little dabble of when both her and Stanford were in college and their first official conversation. I hope I wrote her write, as I have been a little rusty in my writing, Far too long since I posted something here that was worth the read. Anyway, please share any thoughts or feelings you have as long as it’s constructive. 

Hazel was wandering the commons of the college that morning, a little on the early side. She left the door early that morning to do some research at the library for one of her papers. Just because Backupsmore wasn’t her first college pick didn’t mean that she wasn’t going to put in the effort! She wasn’t as dressed up as she usually would be, just a simple blouse and shorts. She had pulled on a pair of flats as well before herring her hair up in a big ponytail and tossing on her bright pink glasses. With her messenger bag full of notebooks and pens, she was ready to go anywhere

Glancing to her watch, Hazel checked the time. Her first class of the day wasn’t until mid morning, so she’d have plenty of time to get some work done before classes that day. Most of her dorm mates were sleeping in from yet another party. She honestly couldn’t believe it. Just because they were at Backupsmore University didn’t mean they could party the semester away. Who did that anyway? Not her! No, definitely not. 

Hazel was terrible with social interaction. In truth, she would have probably never gained any friends unless they proactively were the ones to speak with her first. She knew a few other people, mostly from those forced social circles they did as an ice breaker during the first weeks in the dorms. Otherwise, her friend group was very, very small. She was fine with that though, most of the people she did know the names of were not people she would actively spend time with. They drank and partied and blew off their classes as if they could afford to do it. Hazel didn’t have that luxury. Every penny counted! Still, a very itty bitty part of her wished that she didn’t have such terrible social anxiety. 

It would have made trying to introduce herself to a certain someone easier. 

Huffing to herself, she let her thoughts pass on as she got to the library door. Stepping inside, it was calm and quiet. It was a massive place too. For a second choice college, it had an outstanding collection of literature. Likely because they didn’t have much of a sports team to spend money on. Either way, the ability to have such a vast collection of books at her disposal made her studies all the easier. Especially with her focus on mythology. She never would run out of resource material for her papers. 

As she walked further into the library, she realized that it was very empty. In fact, there was really no one around at all, save for the librarian. Then again, it was a Monday. No one ever got up before classes on Monday, unless they were someone like her and super focused on their studies. It was all the better really, she’d have the whole place to herself. Wandering further into the library, she hurried to the folklore and mythology section. It was her element, her one true oasis. No one and nothing could take it away from her-

“Oof!” Hazel sounded as she smacked right into something. She hadn’t been looking where she was going, instead skilling the shelves as she walked past them. Just as she was stepping back out into the open areas beyond the shelves, she collided with someone, and hard. Books were flying, paper scattered by the ceiling fans, and the two moving forces pushed off the courses and onto the thin and worn carpet. Laying there, Hazel had to take a moment to breath, that impact hurt! Carefully, she groaned while sitting up, rubbing her side where he was sure she was charged into an elbow. 

“Oh, gosh. I”m so sorry. I wasn’t looking where I was going!” A deep voice said, A shadow overcoming her as a hand was offered up. “I was carrying too many books, and couldn't see a thing. I shouldn’t have assumed I was the only one here.”

The tone was upset, clearly more so at themselves than her. There was some obvious disappointment in their own carelessness. However, it was also very familiar...too familiar. 

Not really thinking as she grabbed the hand, she was dizzy and shaken still, she was easily pulled right back up to her feet. With the bright ceiling lights no longer glaring down right into her eyes, Hazel could focus on the man who helped her up. As she locked her gaze on their face, about to give them a stern talking to for being so reckless in such a sacred place, her throat swelled and her heart stopped. 

Stanford Pines... It was like an arrow to the heart, struck by a cupid with a sniper rifle. So accurate that it fried her brain. Stanford Pines was everything Hazel had ever wanted since high school! Originally, he was supposed to get a scholarship of some kind and head off to some amazing college. Instead, he ended up going to her only affordable pick. She had wanted to try and be good and say hello. He had been her obsession throughout all of high school after all, not that he even knew she existed back then...Hazel never had the heart to speak. Now, as an adult, and independent, she had told herself she’d try.

And boy, did she try. 

They had gotten classes together, unknowingly of course because she hadn’t realized that he had any interest in the fields of mythology or folklore. They were English heavy studies after all, not the wonderful sciences that he seemed to be skilled in. Part of her knew that he was aware that she existed, he often waved at her with that handsome smile. However, every time that she saw him, with that grin and cute sweater vest, the ability to talk was replaced with the need to nervously vomit. In all cases since the semester began, she flat out ran away before she could lose her lunch to her anxiety. Not exactly the best way to say hello. 

Now, here he was, his glasses skewed off a bit from the impact and his large hand wrapped firmly around her’s. Only a foot apart, both a little shaken from the impact but still breathing...or at least Ford was. Hazel couldn’t get her body to continue their usually automatic functions. As Ford seemed to get himself resettled by fixing his glasses, Hazel felt herself just melt at his touch. They were rough, but not painful, Just worn from all his tinkering and building. They were so large too, and not just because of the extra finger which she had always found to be an adorable addition to an adorable man. 

Ford had really grown up, a lot more than she was prepared for. 

“Oh! It’s you!” He said suddenly, bringing hazel back down from the second hand high of his existence. Breathing in suddenly, she blinked, her mind rushing forward to catch up to the conversation. “M-Me?” She weakly said, her voice still a little breathless from the lack of air in her lungs. 

Stanford turned a slight shade of pink, giving a nervous smile of sorts as he tried to correct himself. “I mean, I recognize you from the folklore seminar class. ‘Folklore and Its Effects on Modern Development.’ You..ah, You sit in the row behind mine.”

His tone had gotten a little meek, almost as if the man was becoming uncertain of himself as he addressed her. Why was he getting nervous? She was the one having an internal battle between heart and brain!

Wait.

He was talking to her...Stanford Pines was physically talking to her! He knew she existed! The man she had been obsessed with for years knew they were in the same class. Holy crap! She needed to speak, to say something, anything. For the love of god open your mouth Hazel DeForest! 

“Ah- RIGHT!” She said very loudly, her face going bright pink as her mind finally caught up to current events. “Rightrightrightrightrightright. I remember! You did the opening argument statement about how folklore was only lore until people could collect it! It lost the folklore touch when people found out it was all fact.” She blurted out, saying just about anything to show that she wasn’t a brainless zombie. 

“Ah, well, it's true! Once something is discovered to truly exist, it isn’t lore. It’s Science. That in turn means it can’t be categorized as lore but as a truly existing species. The professor was not really impressed with my reports for that debate session but he didn’t flunk my report either so I guess my point was valid enough!” Stanford said, seeming to pick his tone back up while in a subject he could work on. “Anyway, sorry for running you down. I was walking to my table with more books and...clearly got over zealous.” It was then that Ford looked around, causing Hazel to pause and do the same thing. Oh, they had made a bit of a mess...The books were scattered all over, some having flown far enough to land on top of the shelves! His notebook was crumpled nder a couple and the pages from it seemed to have scattered to the winds, still being carried off by the breezes of the fan. 

“H-here, I’ll help clean up.” Hazel said, pausing a moment as she then looked down at their hands, which were still tightly held together. Ford noticed this too, and quickly let go with a nervous chuckle before roughly clearing his throat. “Yeah, thanks. I’ll start over here.” 

The pair turned away from each other, Ford kneeling down to grab and gently fix the books near his feet. Hazel did the same, grabbing a couple and fixing the pages before gently setting them on a nearby table. She then also started to snatch up the flying papers, trying to keep them from wrinkling any further as they continued to flutter at her feet. It took a minute, but with the two of them collecting they were able to get it cleaned up easily. The last book was picked up by Hazel, her eyes a little dazed until she read the title. Instantly, she was back to her usual self for a second. 

“Ah, It’s here!” She said suddenly, causing ford to look up as he grabbed the last few books from their places on top of the selves. “Hmm? Something catch your eye?” “This book, I’ve been trying to get it for ages but every single time I get here it’s pulled off the shelves! I need it for my report on the correlations of folklore creatures and their real life potential counterparts. It has a segment on how folklore creatures and mythological monsters are created based on a person seeing something for the first time and using other animals to describe it! I wanted to read it for my paper and reference some of it’s points on how artistic interpretation cannot be trusted unless done while actually in front of the creature.” She rattled, her tone serious and smooth as her intellectual side kicked in, a finger moving up to adjust her glasses for a second. “Oh, You’re referencing it as well?” Ford asked, coming closer and putting the last of the books on the table. “I originally grabbed it because I’ve been trying to get it as well. Whoever has been hoarding it just got it back over the weekend. I’m using to further my argument that just because we depict creatures in a certain way does not diminish their potential existence. The author has a wonderful part about the statues of medusa actually and how they believe that medusa is a real being, but her hair was misinterpreted.” “I came here this morning to borrow it...Looks like you beat me.” Hazel said, suddenly feeling herself getting shy again. 

Damn it, Hazel. This was your first real conversation with Ford and you were going to blow it because you couldn’t keep the talk going! What was worse, she had gotten up for nothing. Ford got the book first. Even if she wanted to, she didn’t have the heart to try and ask him to let her borrow it first. So much for getting a head start on that report. 

“Do you wanna borrow it?” Ford asked suddenly. 

“What?” Hazel squaked, not prepared for that statement. 

“Well, I don’t have classes until mid-morning. That’s our Folklore course. If you don’t mind just using it this morning, you’re more than welcome to take whatever notes you need from it while I’m referencing other books. I technically already checked it out but if you need it now you can keep it until after classes. Then meet up later to give it back?” Ford asked, his tone strangely hopeful. 

Was he- Nooooo, naw he couldn’t be...maybe? 

“Um, well...I really do need the book for a few other things besides just the research. If it's not an issue I guess we could meet at the coffee shop off campus? The one with the big tables? It’s very dead in the afternoon on Mondays, so we could meet up after all our classes for the day and I’ll try to quickly get the notes I need before giving back the book. The library gets too busy later in the day anyway for me to focus.”

“Heh, yeah, I have to move my work back and forth from the dorm to here because the afternoon library people. However, I can get coffee later! I’ll need it anyway for my second wind of research. So coffee, after the day's classes?” 

“Yeah, coffee!” Hazel said, suddenly finding herself smiling as her cheeks turned a bright pink. 

Ford seemed to also, his own lopsided grin making Hazel’s heart flutter harshly in her chest. Stanford quickly stacked his books back up again, still grinning a little before carefully turning so he could see Hazel beyond the still massive stack of literature. “Alright then, I’ll get back to my work. I’ll see you for coffee.”

With that, Ford smiled again and headed off, hurrying back to his work table but making sure to take the time to check each eye before moving past. Hazel stood there, clutching the book to her chest as the gears in her head turned, trying to comprehend what just happened.Coffee, she was going to get coffee with Stanford Pines. A cute cafe~ Where people sat together close and chatted over lattes and teas. So, she didn’t actually drink coffee, as she preferred tea, but that didn’t matter! She was getting coffee with Stanford Pines!

Slowly, she took a few steps into a shelf area so that she wouldn’t risk being seen, before falling to her knees in giddy delight, covering her mouth to make sure her excited giggles and squeals did not echo throughout the whole place. Looking back to the book that she set down, she snatched it up again before darting out of the place with a high skip in her step. She had to get as much note taking done as she could, as she knew that she probably wouldn’t be able to focus on her work if she was sitting across from Stanford...But that was a problem for future Hazel, current Hazel had work to do!

[thewnchstrs]

Bugs

Pairing: Winchester!Sister(OC)

Summary: Sam, Dean and Ellie investigate a town’s history and find that a new housing development is being built on sacred Native American land.

Disclaimers: bugs, very minor mentions of rape, if it’s in the episode it’s in here

Word Count: 8.2K

S E R I E S  M A S T E R L I S T

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Sam and I sat on the hood of the car, our backs pressed up against the windshield outside of the bar Dean was in, trying to score some extra cash for the week. Sam read the newspaper held out in front of him, most likely about another possible case.

“Sam, why don’t we just take a break, huh?” I asked, my hands folded over my stomach as I stared up at the stars. “Go on a mini vacation, go somewhere warm, stick our toes in the sand-”

“You know we can’t do that, Ellie,” Sam said without taking his eyes off the paper. “We’ve gotta find dad.”

I huffed, closing my eyes as I let my mind wander. A thought crossing into my memory as I laid there, “Sam...you remember that wendigo hunt we were on a few months ago?”

“Yeah,” Sam said as he continued to read. “What about it?”

I struggled to find a way to bring it up, unsure if he would even remember. “Did you really mean what you said? Do you think I’m like dad?”

It was the one thing that made Sam set the newspaper down, his eyes trained on mine. He searched my face, opening and closing his mouth before sighing, “I didn’t mean it-”

“Sure sounded like you did.”

“Ellie, I- I was scared, okay? I’ve said a lot of things I don’t mean. I don’t think you’re like dad...maybe the good parts of him, of course. But not in the way you thought I meant.”

I bit my lip, twisting my hands in my lap as I silently nodded. I would be damned if that was the one thing that kept me from having a good relationship with Sam.

I had just settled back into my spot on the car when the bar door was thrown open, Dean smiling ear to ear as he waved a wad of cash at us.

“You know, we could get day jobs once and a while,” Sam said, looking at Dean over the newspaper.

Dean began counting the money, “Hunting’s our day job and the pay is crap.”

“Yeah, but hustling pool, credit card scams? It’s not the most honest thing in the world, Dean.”

“I don’t think honesty is one of Dean’s three virtues,” I said, shaking my head as I turned to Sam, gesturing to the newspaper. “You find anything?”

Sam slid off the hood of the car as he read from the paper, “Oasis Plains, Oklahoma. Not far from here. Gas company employee, Dustin Burwash supposedly died from Creutzfeldt-Jakob.”

“Human mad cow disease?” I said, raising my eyebrows, eliciting confused looks from both of them. “What? I read.”

“Mad cow?” Dean said, thinking about it. “Wasn’t that on Oprah?”

“You watch Oprah?”

Dean watched the two of us, probably cursing himself for letting it slip as he quickly changed the subject, “So this guy eats a bad burger. Why is it our kind of thing?”

“Mad cow disease causes massive brain degeneration,” Sam said. “It takes months, even years, for the damage to appear. But this guy Dustin? Sounds like his brain disintegrated in about an hour, maybe less.”

“Okay, that’s weird,” Dean agreed.

I nodded, sliding off the hood of the car, “Alright. Oklahoma.”

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Oasis Plains, Oklahoma

Dean pulled up to the Oklahoma Gas and Power Company where Travis Weaver, the guy who found Dustin dead in a ditch, was getting out of his car.

“Travis Weaver?” Sam said as we approached. Travis ducked from out of the trunk of his car, tucking his long hair behind his ears as he held a white box close to his chest.

Travis looked at us, confused, “Yeah, that’s right.”

“Are you the Travis that worked with Uncle Dusty?” Dean asked.

“Dustin never mentioned any nieces or nephews,” he said, eyeing us suspiciously.

“Really?” I said, trying my best to play it off. “Well he sure mentioned you. He said you were the greatest.”

Travis smiled, “Oh he did, huh?”

“Yeah, yeah,” Dean nodded. “So, we just wanted to ask you...what exactly happened out there?”

Travis shrugged, the items in the box rattling, “I’m not sure. He fell in the sinkhole, I went to the truck to get some rope and, uh, by the time I got back...” Travis hesitated, shaking his head as he looked away from us.

“What did you see?”

“Nothing. Just Dustin.”

“No wounds or anything?” I asked. Guy falls into a twelve foot sinkhole and doesn’t get scraped on the way down? Nearly impossible.

“Well, he was bleeding from his eyes and his ears, his nose. That’s it.”

“So, you think it could be this whole ‘mad cow’ thing?” I asked, hoping for a bit more insight, however the question only caused Travis to shrug.

“I don’t know. That’s what the doctors are saying.” 

I shook my head, it didn’t seem right, “But if it was, he would have acted strange beforehand like dementia, loss of motor control...you ever notice anything like that?”

Travis immediately shook his head, “Nah. No way. But then again, if it wasn’t some disease, what the hell was it?”

“That’s a good question,” Dean said.

“Can you tell us where this happened?”

Travis nodded, “If it gives you three some closure. Sure.”

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Dean pulled in through Oasis Plains Estates, a neighborhood that looked like it was becoming a very expensive one. Houses on each side of the street were being built from the ground up.

The sinkhole was surrounded by caution tape just off the side of the road. Dean looked down into it, “What do you think?”

“I don’t know, but if that guy Travis was right, it happened pretty damn fast,” Sam said as we ducked under the tape, squatting down so we could get a better look.

“So what?” Dean asked. “Some sort of creature chewed on his brain?”

I shook my head, “No, there’d be an entry wound. Sounds like this thing worked from the inside.”

Dean shown his flashlight to the bottom of the hole, “Huh. Looks like there’s only room for one.”

I continued to look down into the ground when I felt them looking at me. I widened my eyes slightly, “Oh no, no, no-”

“C’mon, El! You’re the smallest,” Dean said.

“Hey, if that guy Dustin can fit down there, you guys can, too.” 

Dean groaned, “Fine, you wanna flip a coin?”

“You guys, we have no idea what’s down there,” Sam tried to reason as Dean picked up a coiled up rope just next to the half-built house we were at.

“Alright, I’ll go if you guys are scared. You scared?”

“Flip the damn coin,” Sam shot back. I ran a hand over my face as Dean flipped it.

“Call it in the air, chicken-” Dean began as Sam snatched it just before Dean could catch it.

“I’m going,” Sam began to tie the rope around his waist. Dean smirked, not protesting Sam’s agreement to go in. “Just don’t drop me”

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Sam held one of the small bugs in the palm of his hand, rolling it around with his finger as we drove away from the neighborhood.

“So you found some beetles, in a hole, in the ground,” Dean said. “That’s shocking, Sam.”

“There were no tunnels, no tracks, no evidence of any other kind of creature down there. You know, some beetles do eat meat. Now, it’s usually dead meat, but-”

“How many did you find down there?” I asked, not wanting to hear the details.

“Ten.”

I raised my eyebrows, “You mean to tell me that ten of those ate that guy?”

“It would take a whole lot more than that to eat out some dude’s brain,” Dean said skeptically.

“Well, maybe there were more,” Sam said. He seemed pretty hellbent on these bugs being the reason for Dustin’s death. 

“Sounds like a stretch to me-”

“Well, we need more information on the area, the neighborhood...whether something like this has ever happened before.”

I looked out the back window at the houses on either side when a sign on the sidewalk caught my eye, two red balloons tied to the top of it.

“Think an open house might be a good place to start?” I asked as Dean read the sign that advertised open models and a lunch for new buyers.

“I could go for some barbecue,” Dean said, raising his eyebrows to Sam who gave him a look. “What? We can’t talk to the locals?”

“And the free food’s got nothing to do with it?”

“We’re professionals, Sammy,” I said, patting him on the shoulder.

“It’s Sam.”

Dean pulled up to the curb, the three of us walking down the sidewalk as Dean looked at each house, “Growing up in a place like this would freak me out.”

“Why?” Sam asked.

Dean motioned to the house next to us, “The manicured lawns, ‘how-was-your-day-honey?’ I’d blow my brains out.”

I widened my eyes slightly at Dean’s remark, “Dark. You’re not wrong, though. Can you imagine how many bake sales they have around here?”

“There’s nothing wrong with normal.”

Dean shrugged, cringing at the houses around us, “I’d take our family over normal any day.”

Sam knocked on the door of the house at the end of the street when a middle-aged man wearing a tan suit answered the door, beaming at us, “Welcome!”

"Is this the barbecue?” Dean asked immediately as the man nodded.

“Sure is,” he smiled, shaking each of our hands,\. “I’m Larry Pike, the developer here, and you are?”

“Dean, this is Sam and Ellie,” Dean introduced.

“Sam, Dean, Ellie, good to meet you. So you three are interested in Oasis Plains?” He asked, eliciting a nod from the three of us, letting him hear whatever it was he wanted in order for us to get more information on the case. “Let me just say, we accept homeowners of any race, religion, color or...sexual orientation.” Larry said, as he smiled as Sam and Dean. I looked away in order to hide my laughter. “And to adopt! Not many young couples are willing to take teens in these days.”

I watched as Sam and Dean widened their eyes in realization, “We’re siblings.”

“Our father is getting on in years and we’re just looking for a place for him,” Sam said. 

Larry’s smile didn’t falter as he motioned for us to come inside, “Great! Great, well, seniors are welcome too. C’mon in.”

Larry waved us into the pristine house, white washed walls with polished hardwood floors making me feel so out of place it was unreal. Larry walked straight through the house to the back doors where people in suits stood around under tents, mingling.

“You said you were the developer?” Dean asked which sent Larry into a full blown story as to how he’d found the property.

“Eighteen months ago I was walking this valley with my survey team. There was nothing here but scrub brush and squirrels. And you know what, we built such a nice place to live that I actually bought into it myself. This is our house,” he said, gesturing to the area around him. “We’re the first family in Oasis Plains. And this, is my wife Joanie.”

Joanie was a petite blonde woman who was exactly the kind of cookie-cutter wife you’d expect to live in a place like this with her developer husband, “Hi, nice to meet you.”

“Tell them how much you love the place, honey. And lie if you have to because I need to sell some houses,” he laughed before being pulled away by another group of house hunters. “If you’ll excuse me.”

“Don’t let his salesman routine scare you,” Joanie said once Larry had left. “This really is a great place to live-”

Joanie was suddenly cut off when a woman came up behind her, her bun stiffer than the pole that seemed to be stuck up her ass, “Hi, I’m Lynda Bloome, head of sales.” Her eyes were piercing as she watched us. “I take it you two are interested in becoming homeowners,” she said to Sam and Dean, ignoring me. “Well, let me just say that we accept homeowners of any race, religion, color or...sexual orientation.”

Dean chuckled lightly, “Right, um, Ellie, why don’t you go find somewhere to play and I’m gonna go talk to Larry. Okay, honey?” he said before turning, slapping Sam’s butt as he retreated back into the house. I slowly turned on my heels, glad to not have to be in conversation with Lynda Bloome any longer than I had to.

I wandered over to the tent where people were crowded around a picnic table lined with food. I picked over it, grabbing a couple things before spotting something in my peripherals, quickly crawling toward me. 

The tarantula was about the size of my fist, stopping once I’d noticed it. I looked up around the yard, spotting exactly who’d put it there in the first place. He was young, maybe a few years younger than me, trying to hide his laughter as he watched it scurry across the table. 

I scooped the spider into my hands, his hairy legs tickling my fingers. The boy across the lawn looked disappointed as I walked it back to him, “Is this yours?”

“You gonna tell my dad?”

“Depends. Who’s your dad?” I asked as I let the spider crawl back to him.

The boy scoffed, “Yeah, Larry usually skips me in the family introductions.”

I raised my eyebrows, “Ouch. First name basis with dad sounds pretty grim.”

He let the spider crawl over and over in his hands, “Yeah, well, I’m not exactly brochure material.”

I nodded slowly, “Hang in there, alright? It gets better. I promise.”

As if on cue, a booming voice came from behind me, “Matthew.” Larry, followed by Dean and then Sam came up to us. “I am so sorry about my son and his...pet.”

“It’s fine,” I said, watching as Larry pulled Matthew into the house.

Sam laughed unamused, “Remind you of someone?”

Dean looked in between Sam and Larry who was now reprimanding Matthew, his hands on his hips as he no doubt lectured him about attempting to ruin his open house, “Dad never treated us like that.”

“Well, dad never treated you like that, you were perfect. He was all over my case,” Sam said, making Dean shrug at the thought. “You don’t remember?”

“Well, maybe he had to raise his voice but sometimes you were out of line.”

“Right, like when Ellie told him she’d rather play soccer than learn bowhunting.” 

I nodded toward Sam, agreeing, “He’s got a point, Dean.”

“Bowhunting’s an important skill.”

Sam rolled his eyes, “How was your tour of the house?”

“So, you might be onto something,” Dean said. “Sounds like Dustin Burwash wasn’t the first strange death around here. About a year ago before they broke ground, one of Larry’s surveyors dropped dead while on the job. Get this, severe allergic reaction to bee stings.”

“More bugs,” I said, thinking out loud.

Dean nodded, confirming what I’d said, “More bugs.”

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

“You know, I’ve heard of killer bees, but killer beetles?” Dean said from the passenger side as Sam drove. “What is it that could make different bugs attack?”

“Well, hauntings sometimes include bug manifestations,” Sam offered.

I shook my head, “Yeah, but I didn’t see any evidence of ghost activity.”

“Yeah, me neither.”

We sat in silence for a few more minutes before Dean offered another theory, “Maybe they’re being controlled you know, by something or someone.”

Sam scrunched up his nose at the idea, “You mean like ‘Willard’?”

“Yeah, bugs instead of rats.”

I thought about the possibility, not passing it off too quickly, “There are cases of psychic connections between people and animals. Elementals, telepaths.”

“Yeah, the whole Timmy-Lassie thing...hey, what about Larry’s kid? The one with bugs for pets.”

“Matt?” I said, shooting my eyebrows up as I thought about it. “He did try to scare me with a tarantula.”

“Think he’s our Willard?”

“Anything’s possible, I guess.”

Sam continued to drive down the road when Dean suddenly pointed out the window to one of the vacant houses in Oasis Plains, “Hey, pull over up here.”

“What are we doing here?” Sam asked, confused as he looked up at the house. Dean immediately got out of the car, pulling up the garage door.

I nodded, “Yep. He’s officially gone crazy.”

“It’s too late to talk to anyone else,” Dean said, lifting the door open. “I wanna try the steam shower. C’mon.”

“We’re gonna squat in an empty house?” Sam said, only making Dean wave him into the garage.

“Come on!”

Sam shook his head but nonetheless rolled the car into the garage, Dean pulling the door closed behind us.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Sam and I sat in the middle of the empty dining room the next morning, sitting cross-legged on the floor as we ate the breakfast sandwiches he picked up for us. We listened to the police scanner like it was the morning news.

“Is he still in the shower?” Sam asked as he threw his wrapper into the paper bag. I nodded, taking another bite of my food as I rolled my eyes. Dean had been in the steam shower all morning.

It wasn’t until something filtered through the scanner did I stop chewing, a call over dispatch that made Sam and I look up at each other. Someone else, just a few streets down, was dead.

“I’ll get Dean,” I stuffed the sandwich in my mouth as I bounded up the stairs, pounding on the bathroom door, steaming rolling out from under it. 

“You ever coming out of there?” I shouted.

“What?” Dean shouted back, the audible sound of the shower loud over his voice.

“Dean, a police call came in on the scanner. Someone was found dead three blocks from here, c’mon!”

A few seconds passed before Dean opened the door, towel on his head, smirking, “This shower is awesome.”

I rolled my eyes, “Hurry up.”

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The coroners were already rolling the body out of the house when we pulled up. The pouring rain did nothing to lighten the mood.

Larry was out in front of the house, nodding at us as he hung up the phone, “Hello, you’re back early.”

“Yeah, we just drove in, wanted to take another look at the neighborhood,” Dean said.

“What’s going on?” I asked as Larry hesitated.

He threw a look over his shoulder where the body was being lifted into the back of the coroner’s car, “You three met Lynda Bloome at the barbecue?”

I raised my eyebrows slightly, “The realtor.”

Larry nodded, “Well, she, uh, passed away last night. I’m still trying to find out what happened...I identified the body for the police...look, I’m, I’m sorry. This isn’t a good time. Excuse me.”

Larry turned as he retreated back into Lynda’s house where two police officers stood on the porch, waiting to talk with him, no doubt. 

Dean turned to Sam and I, “You know what we have to do, right?”

Sam and I nodded, “Get in that house. See if we have a bug problem.”

I looked down the sidewalk to the side of the house where a tall brown fence lined the back lawn, a straight shot all the way up to a second story window. “I think I found us a way in.”

Dean lead the climb to the window, then Sam, and then me. Each of us silently swinging ourselves inside, right into Lynda’s bedroom. A tape outline of a body was on the floor followed by pools of blood straight from the bathroom.

“This looks like the place,” Dean said as he stepped over the outline of the body and into the bathroom where glass shards littered the floor from the broken shower door. Picking up a towel from the middle of the room, twenty to thirty dead spiders dropped to the floor. “Spiders. From spider boy?”

“Matt,” I corrected, thinking that the possibility wasn’t that far of a stretch. “Maybe.”

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Sam, Dean and I sat at Matt’s bus stop as it rolled up, it’s brakes airing out as Matt was let off.

“Isn’t his house that way?” Dean asked, gesturing over his shoulder in the other direction that Matt was walking in. “Where is he going?”

We watched as Matt crossed the street to the other side of the sidewalk before slowly descending down into the forest. The three of us waited for the bus to pass before leaving the car, following him through the trees.

Matt wasn’t hard to miss as he stood in front of an open circle, examining a grasshopper that crawled across a tree limb. We continued to walk toward him as he gently placed the grasshopper into a container, poking holes in the top so it could breathe. I instantly had a feeling he couldn’t be the one behind all of this.

“Hey, Matt,” I said as we approached, startling him. His eyes bounced between the three of us. “Remember us?”

“What are you doing out here?” Matt asked. “You’re not here to buy a house, are you?” Dean pursed his lips, shaking his head as Matt pointed at us, suddenly frightened. “W-wait, you’re not serial killers, are you?”

Sam scoffed, “No, no, I think you’re safe.”

“So, Matt, you sure know a lot about insects,” Dean said accusingly, making Matt shrug.

“So?”

“Did you hear what happened to Lynda? The realtor?”

Matt nodded slowly, “Heard she died this morning.”

I watched as Sam and Dean eyed him suspiciously, “Mm, that’s right. Spider bites.”

“Matt, you tried to scare me with a spider,” I said. “Were you just trying to scare her, too?”

Matt’s eyes widened as he realized where we were going with the interrogation, “Wait, you think I had something to do with that?”

Sam shrugged, “You tell us.”

“That tarantula was a joke. Anyway, that wouldn’t explain the bee attack or the gas company guy,” he said defensively.

I stood up straighter at the mention of the string of leads we were following, “You know about those?”

Matt nodded, “There is something going on here. I don’t know what, but something’s happening with the insects. Let me show you something.”

Matt picked his backpack up from the ground as he lead us back into the forest. We were walking for at least a half mile before Sam spoke.

“So if you knew about all this bug stuff, why not tell your dad? Maybe he could clear everybody out.”

Matt sighed, “Believe me, I’ve tried, but, uh, Larry doesn’t listen to me...too disappointed in his freak son.”

Sam snickered bitterly, “I hear ya.”

I watched as Dean raised his eyebrows at Sam, knowing full well this would probably end up in a full-blown argument later, “You do?”

I ignored the two of them, only being able to handle enough family drama in small increments when Sam kept it up, “Matt, how old are you?”

“Sixteen.”

Sam smiled slightly, “Well don’t sweat your dad too much because in two years something great is going to happen.”

“Oh yeah?” Matt raised his eyebrows. “What?”

“College,” Sam said. “You’ll be able to get out of that house and away from your dad.”

“Here we go,” I mumbled right on cue as Dean shot back at him.

“What kind of advice is that? Kid should stick with his family.”

Sam suddenly stopped in the middle of the trail, looking to Dean as he clenched his jaw. 

“How much farther, Matt?” I asked quickly, hoping to get there before our nature hike turned into a wrestling match. 

“We’re close.”

I nodded as I let Matt walk a little farther ahead before turning to Sam and Dean, “You two can either duke it out right here and now in the middle of a freakin’ forest or you can stow your crap until we’re done with this case.”

Sam and Dean pulled their glares away from each other, not saying a word as we followed behind Matt.

The last trek of the hike lead us to an open area in the dense forest where, if you were quiet, you could hear the low buzz of what sounded like millions of bugs swarming the area. 

“I’ve been keeping track of insect populations. It’s, um, part of an AP science class.”

“You and Sam are like peas in a pod,” Dean mumbled as Sam ignored him.

“What’s been happening?”

“Well, a lot. I mean, from bees to earthworms, beetles. You name it. It’s like they’re congregating here.”

I looked over the area when a large patch of upturned grass caught my eye, “What’s that?”

Dean lead the way toward the grass, but as we approached, we realized it wasn’t grass at all. Instead, it was a pile of earthworms, slowly sliding over each other. Dean used his foot to tap lightly on the pile which quickly gave way to a deep hole in the ground.

Grabbing a stick, Dean squatted down, poking in the dirt until he hit something solid, “There’s something down there.” I recoiled at the sight as Dean rolled his sleeve, digging deep into the hole as he fumbled with whatever was inside. “Oh, c’mon.”

After struggling for a few more minutes, he was finally able to pull loose what’d been lodged in there: a dirty, rotting skull.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Digging up all of the skulls took nearly an hour, pulling up one after the other out of the dirt and carefully placing them into a cardboard box that I was now carrying into the university’s entrance. My jacket was slung over the top of the open box, concealing the skulls inside.

“So a bunch of skeletons in an unmarked grave,” Sam said as we walked from the car. I subconsciously pulled the jacket over the box tighter.

“Yeah, maybe this is a haunting. Pissed off spirits, some unfinished business,” Dean agreed.

“Why bugs, though?” I asked, shifting the box on my hip. “And why now?”

Sam and Dean both shrugged, none of us able to come up with an explanation. The topic of conversation was quickly changed however when Dean turned to Sam, “Hey, about the kid back there, how could you tell him to just ditch his family like that?”

I resisted the urge to turn around and walk straight back to the car but Sam seemed unfazed by the question, as if he knew it were coming.

Sam shrugged, “I just know what the kid’s going through.”

“How about telling him to respect his old man? How’s that for advice?”

Sam suddenly stopped in the middle of the lawn in front of the anthropology building in front of us, “Dean, come on. This isn’t about his old man. You think I didn’t respect dad. That’s what this is all about.”

Dean ran his tongue over his teeth, obviously fed up, “Just forget that I said anything, alright? Sorry I brought it up.” Dean turned back toward the building before being stopped by Sam again, making Dean turn back around on his heels.

“I respected him,” Sam said, “but no matter what I did, it was never good enough.”

“So what are you saying, that dad was disappointed in you?”

“Was?” Sam scoffed. “Is. Always has been.”

“Why would you think that?” I asked even though I felt like I already knew the answer. Unlike Dean, I could see exactly what Sam saw in dad. The guy who left Dean to take care of Sam and I for weeks at a time. The same guy who shouted and cursed at Sam as Sam packed to leave for school. The same guy who handed me a gun before ever thinking about taking me to soccer practice. 

“Because I didn’t want to learn how to melt silver into bullets or hustle pool because I wanted to go to school and live my life, which, to our whacked-out family, made me the freak.”

Dean smirked unamused, “Yeah, you were kind of like the blonde chick in ‘The Munsters’.” 

I shook my head, knowing that Dean wasn’t even considering a word Sam’d just said. I watched as Sam shook his head, too.

“Dean, you know what most dads are when their kids score a full ride? Proud. Most dad’s don’t toss their kids out of the house.”

My heart clenched as I thought about that night at Bobby’s house. The dinner that what supposed to be a welcome home for dad who’d been gone for nearly a month that turned into a full-blown fighting match. The plates that were thrown to the ground, the fists that were pounded on the table. The red faces that screamed at each other. It was the night that I don’t think I’d ever be able to forget, Sam and dad’s fight playing through my head nearly second to second if I thought about it hard enough, was etched into my memory forever. I could remember the way Dean tried to break it up and the way Bobby tried to usher me upstairs, not wanting me to see my brothers and my dad in a way I’d never seen them before. I remembered resisting against Bobby, not wanting to leave until it was resolved.

I looked to Dean who seemed to remember it just as clearly as I had.

“I remember that night,” he said, a hint of sympathy in his voice for a split second before going stoic again. “In fact, I seem to recall a few choice phrases coming out of your mouth.”

Sam looked down at the ground, chuckling beside himself in bewilderment, “You know, truth is, when we finally do find dad, I don’t know if he’s even going to want to see me.”

“Sam, dad was never disappointed in you,” I said, making Sam only shake his head, not believing a word I was saying. “Never. He was scared-”

“What are you talking about?”

“He was afraid of what could happen to you if he wasn’t around. But even when you two weren’t talking...he used to go by Stanford whenever he could. Kept an eye on you. Made sure you were safe.”

Sam’s eyes bounced from mine to Dean’s as if confirming what I’d said. Dean gave a small nod, but Sam still didn’t look like he was sure what to believe, “Why didn’t he tell me any of that?”

Dean shrugged, “Well, it’s a two-way street, dude. You could’ve picked up your phone.”

A twinge of guilt seemed to hit Sam when Dean said it. After all, it was true. The number of times him, dad and I tried to get in touch with Sam while he was at school was countless.

“We should get going,” I said finally. “We’re gonna be late for our appointment.”

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The lecture hall was large, rows and rows of wooden seats all lined up the rows of the room like a movie theater. One set of lights at the front of the room were illuminated when the professor, an old man walking with a cane came into the room, “So, you three are students?”

“Oh yeah,” Sam nodded as we crowded around the box of skulls the professor had taken nearly half an hour to analyze.

“So what about the bones, professor?” Dean asked as the professor rested one hand on his hip, the other picking up one of the skulls.

“This is quite an interesting find you’ve made,” he said, slightly giddy. “I’d say they’re 170 years old, give or take. The time frame and the geography heavily suggest Native American.”

I scrunched my nose slightly. From the research we’d done, there wasn’t any record of any type of Native Americans living anywhere close to where the Oasis Plains neighborhood was being built, “Were there any tribes or reservations on that land?”

The professor shook his head, “Not according to the historical record, but, the relocation of native peoples was quite common at that time.”

“Right,” Sam nodded. “Well, are there any local legends? Oral histories about the area?

The professor ran a hand over his chin as he thought about it, “Well...there’s a Euchee tribe in Sapulpa. It’s about 60 miles from here. Someone out there might know the truth.”

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The diner in Sapulpa was where a member of the tribe pointed us to someone who thought could help. Joe Whitetree was sitting in a booth alone, a stack of playing cards in front of him. His silver hair laid in long waves down his shoulders, his dark skin and printed native clothing stuck him out more than anyone else around him.

Sam, Dean and I came to a stop, “We’d like to ask you a few questions if that’s alright? We’re students from the university-”

“No you’re not. You’re lying,” Joe said instantly, making my eyebrows shoot up.

Dean quickly shot a glance to Sam and I before continuing, “Well, you know, the truth is-”

“You know who starts sentence with ‘truth is’?” Joe asked, not looking up from his cards. “Liars.”

I hid my laughter as Sam took over, “Have you ever heard of Oasis Plains? It’s a housing development near the Atoka Valley.”

At the mention of the valley, Joe’s eyes flicked to Sam’s before looking to Dean, pointing at Sam, “I like him. He’s not a liar.” Dean rolled his eyes, stuffing his hands in his pockets as Joe continued. “I know the area.”

“What can you tell us about the history there?” I asked.

“Why do you want to know?”

I sighed, knowing that the truth was all this guy was going to take, “Something...something bad is happening in Oasis Plains. We think it might have something to do with some old bones we found down there. Native American bones.”

I could physically see Joe struggle with how much to tell us, “I’ll tell you what my grandfather told me what his grandfather told him. Two hundred years ago, a band of my ancestors lived in that valley. One day, the American cavalry came to relocate them. They were resistant. Cavalry, impatient. As my grandfather put it, on a night the moon and the sun shared the sky as equals, the cavalry first raided our village. They murdered, raped. The next day, the cavalry came again and the next and the next and on the sixth night, the cavalry came one last time and by the time the sun rose, every man, woman and child still in the village was dead.”

Sam, Dean and I looked at each other, the information a hard pill to swallow knowing what’d exactly happened to these people when Joe went on.

“They say on the sixth night as the chief of the village lay dying, he whispered to the heavens that no white man would ever tarnish this land again. Nature would rise up and protect the valley and it would bring as many days of misery and death to the white man as the cavalry had brought upon his people.”

It was all beginning to fall into place now as Dean looked to us, “Insects. Sounds like nature to me.” Dean looked back to Joe, confirming what he’d said. “Six days?”

Joe swallowed roughly, “And on the night of the sixth day, none would survive.”

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

“When did the gas man die?” Sam asked as we slid back into the car.

“Well, we got here Tuesday, so Friday the 20th,” Dean said.

“March 20th. That’s the spring equinox.”

I raised my eyebrows, “So?”

Dean stopped midway into putting the key into the engine as realization dawned on him, “The night the sun and the moon share the sky as equals.”

My eyes widened slightly, “So every year about this time anybody in Oasis Plains is in danger. Larry built this neighborhood on cursed land.”

“And on the sixth night...that’s tonight...if we don’t do something, Larry’s family will be dead by sunrise.”

I nodded, it was true, but I knew there was a lot of leg work that still had to be put in in order to stop it, “So how do we break a curse?”

“You don’t break a curse,” Dean said as he started the engine. “You get out of its way. We gotta get those people out, now.”

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Dean raced toward the house, the trees flying past us at full speed as he spoke to Larry into the phone, frantically trying to get them out of the house before something irreversible happened, “Yes, Mr. Pike, there’s a main line gas leak in your neighborhood...Well, it’s fairly extensive. I don’t wanna alarm you, but, we need your family out of the vicinity for at least 12 hours or so just to be safe...This is Travis Weaver, I work for Oklahoma Gas and Power-”

Dean’s story was suddenly cut short as he quickly shut the phone, more than likely being caught in his lie. Sam quickly grabbed the phone, dialing a number I didn’t recognize.

“Who’re you calling?” I asked but my question was answered when the person on the other line picked up.

“Matt, it’s Sam, you have to listen, you have to get your family out of that house right now, okay? Something’s coming...Matt, you have to make your dad listen-”

I pulled the phone from Sam’s hand knowing that the longer Sam bickered with him the less time they’d have to get out safely, “Matt, under no circumstances are you to tell the truth, he’ll just think you’re nuts.”

“But-but he’s my-” Matt began, terror filling his voice.

“Tell him you have a sharp pain in your right side and you gotta go to the hospital, okay?”

“Okay, I will.”

I ended the call, handing Dean the phone back as he raised his eyebrows at me through the rearview mirror. I shrugged, “Only thing I could think of.”

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Pulling up to the house, my stomach nearly fell into my shoes as I saw their cars still lining their driveway. Dean let out a frustrated noise as he pushed the car doors open, Larry meeting us out on the porch.

“Get off my property before I call the cops!” Larry said, pointing a finger at us.

“Mr. Pike, listen-” Sam tried before Matt pulled the front door open.

“Dad, they’re just trying to help.” 

“Get in the house!” Larry shouted at him. I gave Matt a look over his dad’s shoulder as if to ask what’d happened to our plan. Matt shrugged sheepishly.

“S-sorry. I told him the truth.”

“Look, it’s 12:00am. They are coming any minute now,” Sam said fervently. “You need to get your family and go before it’s too late.”

Larry scoffed, “Oh, you mean before the biblical swarm?”

I tried to bite my tongue for as long as I could but I knew at this point, there was no use, “Larry, what do you think really happened to that realtor, huh? And the gas company guy? You don’t think something weird’s going on around here?”

Larry shook his head quickly, anger piercing his words, “Look, I don’t know who you are, but you’re crazy. You come near my boy or my family again, we’re gonna have a problem.”

“Well, I hate to be a downer, but we got a problem right now,” Dean said.

“Dad, they’re right. We’re in danger.”

“Matt, get inside, now!” Larry screamed louder than ever before, but to both our surprise and even Matt’s, he stood his ground. His feet planted on the spot on the porch.

“No! Why won’t you listen to me?”

“Because this is crazy! It doesn’t make any sense!”

Suddenly, a low buzz began to form overhead, making Dean and I look up toward the sky.

“This land is cursed,” Sam said this time, oblivious to the noise. “People have died here. Now are you really gonna take that risk with your family!?” 

“Wait,” Dean said, cutting Sam off. “You hear it?” The buzz was growing louder by the second, making Larry, Matt and Sam all look overhead.

“What the hell?”

The sound of hundreds of bugs colliding with the windows of the house was enough for Larry to look to us as if pleading for help. The idea of what we’d been telling him all along didn’t sound so crazy anymore.

“Alright, it’s time to go,” Dean said. “Larry, get your wife.”

The plan to take the Pikes out of Oasis Plains was cut short when a swarm of what looked like tens of millions of insects flew overhead just above the treeline.

“We’ll never make it,” Sam said before we ran up the porch steps. “Everybody in the house!”

Dean slammed the door behind us once we were inside, “Is there anyone else in the neighborhood?”

Larry shook his head, “No, it’s just us.”

Joanie came from the living room, startled by our sudden appearance, “Honey, what’s happening? What’s that noise?”

I looked toward the front door, my eyes immediately going straight to the gap between the floor and the door frame, “I need towels.”

Sam pulled Matt up the stairs, “We need to lock every door, every window every fireplace, got it?”

Joanie desperately tried dialing 911 on the house phone, “The phone’s not working.”

“Must’ve chewed through the phone lines,” Dean said as he helped me stuff the front and back doors with towels when the house was suddenly bathed in inky darkness. “And the power lines.”

“Maybe my cell,” Larry said as he picked up his phone, shaking his head. “No signal.”

Dean looked out the window, “You won’t get one. They’re blanketing the house.”

Sam and Matt came back down the stairs, all of us staring out the front window as the bugs flew straight into the glass, desperate to get in. I turned to Sam and Dean, whispering, “What do we do now?”

“We try to outlast it,” Sam said. “Hopefully, the curse will end at sunrise.”

“Hopefully?” Larry asked, overhearing Sam. Dean left the room and into the kitchen momentarily before coming back with a black and yellow can. 

“Bug spray?” Joanie asked, eyes slightly wide, looking at Dean as if he were crazy. 

“Trust me.”

A creaking sound came from the living room to the left of us where the fireplace sat. The sound of something piling up just through the walls. 

Dean began to usher everyone up the stairs, “Alright, I think everybody needs to get upstairs.”

We hardly had time to move before the grate of the fireplace burst open, thousands of bees swarming into the living room. We desperately swatted them away, covering our necks and faces as they danced around us. Suddenly, a burst of light filled the room as Dean lit a lighter in front of the bug spray canister, spraying it at every bee in the vicinity, “Everybody upstairs now! Go!”

We sprinted up the stairs, stumbling over each other in the dark as we blindly followed Larry who led us straight to a hallway, pulling down the stairs to the attic. Matt, Joanie and then Larry filed up followed by me, Sam and then Dean as the incessant buzzing only got louder.

“C’mon!” I yelled over the buzz, pulling Dean up as Sam and I pulled the stairs back up, Dean using his homemade torch to spray any bees that tried to make their way in. 

We were able to close the latch just in the nick of time, leaning against the attic walls as we panted. However, it was far from over as we looked up, bits of wood dust falling from the ceiling to the attic floor. 

“Something’s eating through the wood,” Dean said as we examined it.

“Termites,” Matt said.

We watched helplessly as the hole in the ceiling became bigger and bigger until it collapsed in completely, thousands of more insects filling the small room. They swarmed around our bodies, stinging everything they could get to. Dean used his torch to kill as many as he could as Sam and I searched the room to patch the hole, settling on a beam of wood and the cover to the electrical box.

I kicked the beam into place, successfully covering the hole when another one opened on the other side of the room. Me, Sam, Joanie, Larry and Matt crowded into a small corner as Dean continued to use his torch that seemed to become less and less useful when the beam Sam and I put into place splintered in the middle from the weight of the insects outside, the hole reopening. 

“You’ve gotta be kidding me!” I yelled, swatting the bugs away as Dean came to crouch down next to us, his torch no longer of any use anymore.

We used our jackets to hold over our heads as best we could when sunlight began to pour into the room. The insects no longer interested in us as they flew back up toward the holes in the ceiling. 

Sam, Dean and I looked to each other, standing as we stared out into the sunrise. The swarm of bugs disappearing behind the trees.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The Pikes already had a moving truck parked outside of their house the next day. Matt and Larry carrying boxes one at a time out of the house, Sam, Dean and I raising our eyebrows as we approached them from the car.

“What? No goodbye?” Dean asked.

“Good timing,” Larry said. “Another hour and we’d have been gone.”

“For good?” Sam asked.

Larry nodded, “The development’s been put on hold while the government investigates those bones you found. But I’m gonna make damn sure no one lives here again.”

“You don’t seem to upset about it.”

“Well, that has been the biggest financial disaster of my career, but...” Larry looked over to where Matt was carrying a box out of the house. “Somehow...I really don’t care.”

Sam, Dean and I smiled as we nodded to Larry who finally seemed to have his priorities straightened out. 

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Dean and I leaned up against the car as we watched Sam say his goodbyes to Matt, the two of us sitting in a silence I should’ve known would be broken with a question I wouldn’t want to answer.

“You’ve been pretty quiet every time one of us brings dad up,” Dean said. I continued staring ahead. “You do want to find him, right?”

Of course I wanted to find dad. I wanted to find him like I wanted to sleep in a decent bed that wasn’t in a skeevy motel or spend my free time doing something other than researching for another case. All of those things I wanted, but they all felt so out of reach. “Of course I do,” I said, looking at Dean now. 

Dean nodded once, knowing that there was more to it. I knew his nod was his way of egging me on, pushing me to open up just a little bit more.

I sighed, crossing my arms, “Dad, for his whole life has been so focused on finding what killed Mary, which I get, I mean- of course, she was his- his wife, and your guys’ mom, and I’ll do everything I can to help-”

“But your mom was killed, too,” Dean finished. I looked up to him, my heart twisting. He nodded, looking down at me.

“I just need to know he cares about her, too,” I said. “I need to hear it from him. I need to know if he’s willing to help me find out what happened to her.”

“You’ll always have us,” Dean said immediately. “We’ll help you find the son of a bitch that killed her. You have my word.”

A bit of relief flooded through me at his words. There was no doubt that it was hard to accept that Sam and Dean might have a little resentment toward me, no matter how much they would deny it. The fact was, their dad was with another woman after Mary died. A secret that was kept from them until the day I showed up at their doorstep. However, hearing the reassurance from Dean made me feel like maybe that wasn’t the case.

Sam began making his way back over to us, standing at the car next to me. He sighed, the three of us watching the exchange between Matt and his dad. 

“I want to find dad,” Sam said, eliciting a nod from Dean and I.

“Yeah, me too.”

“Not just that, I- I want to apologize to him,” Sam said. I looked up at him as I listened. “All the things I said to him...he was just doing the best he could.”

Dean nodded, “Well, don’t worry, we’ll find him, and you’ll apologize, and then within five minutes, you guys’ll be at each other’s throats.”

Sam laughed, nodding, “Yeah, probably.”

I stuffed my hands into my pockets at the thought of finding dad again. I want to, I really do. But something, deep in my gut, told me that the circumstances we would get to see him again wouldn’t be the greatest.

I pushed myself up from the car, “Let’s get out of here.”

Sam and Dean nodded in agreement as they pulled the car doors open, taking one last look at Matt and Larry, a fresh feeling of hope that maybe, just maybe, we’d be able to fix things with dad.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

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*DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN SUPERNATURAL OR ANY OF ITS CHARACTERS.

[skekiss]

my gelfling oc under the cut

Name Fifen

Clan Dousan

History Fifen was bought up in the sacred lands of the Wellspring by the Shamans of the Dousan Clan, wherein she was drawn into a spiritual life typical of the Dousan gelfling, who live simply and religiously out in the harsh but beautiful remoteness of the Crystal Sea.  As she grew up nurtured by the collective of Shamans, Fifen flourished into a talented singer, storyteller and dancer, a member of the Dousan choir, singing the songs of gelfling kind, telling their tales, high and thrumming to the tuneful voice of Thra. Sheltered and naive, Fifen dreams of the day she can start her training into becoming a Shaman for her clan – though still so very young and having never ventured from the safety of Wellspring – or the Circle. Fifen has an awful lot to learn about the way of the world before she is able to take on the disciplines and perception necessary to prove worthy for the role. 

Fifen’s first steps towards realising her dreams of mastery are dashed as the Lord’s of the Crystal’s betrayal throws Thra into imbalance and turmoil. And so, Fifen must put her training on hold to apply her teachings and spiritual touch where it is instead most desperately needed. The trials and tribulations, the threat of war, the suffering and pain – Fifen is thrust into the fray.

Personality Fifen is undoubtedly naive, full of wonder & curiosity. Though she is used to the contemplative, mellow ways of the Shaman – she has yet to find the flow herself. She can often find herself to be conflicted and confused and is sometimes unable to control the ebb of her emotions, Fifen can be spontaneous and a tad reckless. Fifen is kind and compassionate. Loving, passionate and full of feeling, Fifen’s purpose is for what is true and good even if she is a tad quirky.

Appearance Fifen is small, slight – her hair is silvery blonde, her skin is lilac and freckled. Her eyes are the pink-gold of the Rose sun. Though the war between the skeksis and gelfling disrupts her chance at getting her tattoos (common for the Dousan as it tells their life story) click here for the tattooed variant of her, though she receives them much, much later.

[that-witchy-pan]

You know what, screw it. I'm writing a cute Urbosa x a new OC

Chapter 1

Just a warning a few details might be off, I apologize in advance for any grammar mistakes, or setting mistake or anything about a character. I myself have not played the game enough to learn all about Gerudo Town, I only know tidbits because I 'borrowed' my brother's switch a few times. Just a warning.

~ ~ ~ ~

"Ugh, these Bokoblins just keep coming! We gotta get out of here, Penny. Let's get to Gerudo Town, okay?" The tawny horse simply whinnied in reply. "Come on, let's go."

And off the two went, riding faster than the wind. The Hylian stalked her prey, silent and waiting. The hind's head bolted up, and her legs carried her quickly away. "Dammit. I guess I'll just have to get some food at the market in Gerudo Town." Em's stomach growled in protest. "I'll just have to suffer in the few days it'll take to get there." Em laughed at her mare, eating the grass to her heart's content. At least Penny had something to eat. But soon the Hylian regretted her choice.

"I need food. Just. Food. Anything. I'm so hungry." Em sighed as more sand filled her shoe. She had left Penny back at the nearest stables, not wanting the horse to get exposed to such heat, and if one more grain of sand got in her eye she was going to lose it. "You know what, I'll go over to the pool over there and change into better clothes. Maybe there's food there." The brunette shook the bit of sand out of her hair as she realized she had terrible sunburn. Her skin was blistered and peeling. "Ah- oh no. Oh no. Ápo tí theá." A whimper escaped her lips as the pad of her finger brushed the peeling skin. It was so painful, she couldn't walk without wincing because her clothes rubbed against her back.

"Oh! A spring!" Em smiled wistfully, walking over to the pool of beautiful azure water. Palm trees grew all around the water, providing shade over the oasis. Em carefully took off the bothersome outer garments that covered her body tightly. She needed to feel something cold, and the water was the perfect temperature. Left in a pair of black shorts and a loose fitting Gerudo-like top, Em sank into the cool water. She sighed, relief pulling her deeper into the cobalt depths. Soon she was fully submerged, and when the Hylian came up for air, a tall, imposing figure stood near the water's edge. It was a woman, probably seven feet tall, with flaming red, voluminous hair, an excess of golden jewelry, and colorful clothing. At her waist a beautifully encrusted shield and scimitar hung. She was beautiful. What startled Em was the expression on the woman's face. Her eyes were slits, and her lips were pressed into a thin line. Em quickly swam out, afraid of the woman immediately. However, the swimming had done it's toll on the Hylian woman, and she felt ready to faint. Despite her body protesting, she approached the woman. "Why were you in the pool of Naboris, Hylian?" The woman's arms crossed as she awaited an answer. "I...forgive me for not knowing who you are, and please forgive me for my lack of the knowledge of this oasis. I am deeply sorry that I intruded up...upon the sacred....p...pool..." Em felt herself begin to sway, and the last thing she remembered were the woman's emerald eyes widening as she fell into the sand.

~ ~ ~ ~

Em woke to a dim room filled with sheer curtains, the only light coming from a large balcony. It seemed the day was merging to night when she awoke. But Em felt she was not alone. She felt eyes on her. The Hylian looked around with caramel eyes, and finally found the emerald pair staring back at her. "Are you alright?" The woman asked, her voice anchoring the thoughts in Em's head. "I...don't know... what happened and would you mind telling me where I am?" The woman raised an eyebrow. "You fainted as you spoke to me. So I brought you to the place I live. Gerudo Town. Luckily you're a vai, otherwise any medical care for you would've been scarce." Em looked back to the woman. "And I presume I'm in your quarters, Lady....?" The woman smiled. "Urbosa. I am the Gerudo Chief. And you're quite correct." Em pushed herself off the scarlet sheets, wincing again as a curtain brushed her shoulder. "You've got a very bad looking sunburn, don't you?" The Hylian glanced at the Chief, lowering her eyes. "Yes, do forgive me but that is the reason I was in the pool of Naboris, my shoulders ache in the sun and the water was cool." Urbosa chuckled. "Indeed, I too have done so. The reason I asked you why you were there is because, usually, only the Chief is allowed to bathe herself in it's waters. But it seems you were allowed to swim in it as well as I can. Strange." Em nodded, dumbfounded.

"I- would you happen to have anything for sunburns or are all Gerudo born with a tan, and they don't burn?" Urbosa laughed and stood to her full height, strutting over to a table made only of the finest gold. She took an orange elixir from the table and handed it the the Hylian, who was quite embarrassed at how short she was. The Chief was two feet taller than her! How was she not going to feel intimidated? Em took the potion from the Gerudo gently, and downed the bottle. The sunburn went away with ease, and Em smiled. "Thank you, Lady Urbosa. I'm at your service if you need me. My name is Em." Urbosa smiled. "Em. What a lovely name. Do you know its origins?" "It is short for Émpeiros, which means skilled in an Ancient language most have forgotten. Though it is a beautiful name, I feel it does not suit me. The only reason I fainted was because I failed to hunt a hind for meat, she escaped me. I do not feel skilled." Urbosa looked at the Hylian, her stare penetrating. "I think your name suits you perfectly, though you may be great in a certain area, you have less honed skills in another. You are definitely good at something. You yourself must find out what that something is. Now, how about some food?"

[basilpaste]

"Nothing." He starts, simple. "I'm not hiding anything."

perrie is not a very aggressive character but its fun to doodle a guy with his eyes covered by shadow sometimes

[imagineaworlds]

(1) brandewyn

summary: Thais Bolton lives in the OASIS. Well, sort of. Her dream is to one day live in the OASIS as Brandewyn with her best friend Wade. But he’s more concerned with the three keys James Halliday left behind after his death. The two of them embark on a familiar journey through the OASIS to save it from corporate assholes who want to take it away.

pairing: wade watts x female!oc

word count: 2,725

warnings: cursing. panic attack. ptsd.

(1) - (2) - (3) - (4)

My nose wrinkled back at the smells of 2045 Ohio. After all of this time, one would think I had gotten used to the rotten food, the spreading rust, and the chemical fumes surrounding me in every step; but, no. Every morning I still wished that I could smell fresh air for once, see the sun as it once was, and run in the grass. My parents would tell me stories of them chasing each other in the meadows, pushing each other on a swing roped to a large tree branch, and watching the clouds when they got tired. But then they moved here. Well, really everyone did. Ohio was the place to be once the OASIS opened.

All of my life I’ve lived in the OASIS. Every day was the same. I got out of bed, got dressed, and headed out for the day. When I walked out of the house, I noticed that Wade had already left, the rope tethered down to the first level. From the ground, he was waving at me, inviting me to join him. Like my parents, Wade and I had been friends since we were born. My parents knew Wade’s before they died, and they even offered to take him in, but his Aunt Alice wanted to look after him. Unlike my parents, however, we didn’t have some epic love story about love at first sight and growing up with your soulmate attached to the hip. Instead, Wade and I were just close friends. And I promised myself that I would never tell him that I wanted more.

I grabbed at the rope, and slowly lowered myself towards Wade. As I got closer, I could see his disheveled dark brown hair more clearly, and his index finger pressing the bridge of his glasses further up on his nose. Another thing we shared, our poor eyesight. Wade had these terribly small glasses with no frame, while I had big glasses with large white frames. He teased me about it, saying I looked like I was from the 70’s. Just a decade shy of what he considered to be the best decade of all time. Wade was obsessed with everything 80’s, and that was mostly to do with his obsession with Halliday. His fascination showed by his badly stained Star Wars: A New Hope white t-shirt. He tried to hide the embarrassing stains under a blue flannel, but I knew that shirt well enough. I had bought it for his birthday a few years ago.

As I tethered the rope, I listened to Wade dig the toe of his shoe into the dirt while he waited impatiently. I rolled my eyes at him. It wasn’t like he had to wait for me. He always chose to wait. I kicked his shin playfully before walking past him. Wade shook his ankle out as he hopped after me. “Morning to you, too, sour pants,” he joked. I responded with a fake laugh. “So, what’s your plan today?”

I looked at Wade, watching as his hands gripped onto his backpack straps to keep it high on his shoulders. In the OASIS you could do anything you wanted. Dancing, singing, racing, sports, shooter games, etc. You name it, Halliday created it. “I dunno,” I told him. “Probably join the race.” That was something I hardly ever did. I left that kind of stuff to Wade and Aech because they were always better at it than I was.

First time I ever raced, I nearly zero’d out; and if it weren’t for Wade, I would have. Thing was, I had just gotten past the dinosaur when an IOI car rammed into mine, sending me spinning into a brick wall. The car was totalled, and more IOI cars were approaching, I’d be hit again, and zero’d out. When I tried to jump out of the car, I found my legs stuck. I couldn’t move. My heart was racing in my chest, and I kept glancing over my shoulder to watch the cars getting closer. All I could do was keep trying to pull my legs out of the wreck, and scream for help. In the craziness of it all, I hadn’t even noticed that Wade turned around to come get me.

Too close for comfort, I would tell Wade every time he encouraged me to give it another try. So, I thought that I would never try the race again. But what else was I going to do to pass the time?

The rest of our walk was quiet— unusually quiet. But it was close to Wade’s parents’ anniversary, so I tried not to pry. When we got to the junkyard, Wade went to his bus, and I went to mine. Wade was first to discover the junkyard as a great place to hide out all day, so he got the bigger bus. Coincidentally, there were only two buses there, but they were on opposite sides of the pile of trashed cars.

I had only been in Wade’s bus a couple of times because he claimed that it was his “sacred place”. I didn’t blame him, though, for not wanting anyone to invade his privacy, I didn’t want that either. The few times I had been in there, iti was to help him look over some new information he found about Halliday. His entire bus was covered with news clippings, magazine covers, posters, pictures— everything Halliday.

We weren’t separated for long, of course. Once I was logged into the OASIS, I tracked down Z, who last logged off at the Halliday’s Journals. A friend of mine named Soyzie passed me, she was wearing her famous Rosalina from Mario Kart skin. Everyone on the track knew her because it was nearly impossible to get Rosaline, yet she did.

“Brandewyn!” she called after me, her blue dress flowing behind her.

I turned towards the tracks to look at her. Alright, I’ll be honest. No one played Mario Kart anymore… unless you were under the age of twelve. The two exceptions were myself and Soyzie. Both of us had a rough time at Halliday’s race, so we found comfort in the little kid’s sport which we dominated. “Hey, Soy,” I high fived her. She asked if I was staying for the next race, claiming that Black Power Ranger, as we knew him, was back. He was our only true competitor, but he loved to troll us. “No, I’m actually meeting up with a friend of mine. I’m gonna give Halliday’s race another shot.” Soyzie looked shocked. “I know, but someone has to get that key, right?”

Soyzie nodded, “Have fun,” she waved as racers dressed in Mario and Pokemon outfits lined up.

When I arrived at Halliday’s Journals, Z was waiting for me at the portal. “Wasn’t sure if you’d actually come.” I shrugged. “You’ll be fine. Just bail if something’s wrong.” Z put a hand on my shoulder, “Aech can fix a car, not a zero’d out player.”

As we jumped through the portal together, we found ourselves in the midst of complete chaos. Sixers were marching in their ordered lines, and there were few Gunters left, so they filled the other spots. At the front we found Aech standing proudly with his monster truck. It was infamous on the race track for squashing other cars underneath its large tires. For the most part, Aech only tried to get the Sixers, but there was always the one unfortunate noob who thought it would be smart to go under him.

Next to his large truck was an empty spot. Him and Z shared a handshake, “I saved a spot for you,” he said to his best friend. Then he looked to me, “Sorry, Brandy, didn’t know you were coming.”

“That’s alright, Aech, I’ll head to the back. Probably safer, anyhow.” Both boys nodded in agreement. As Z was about to set up his car in the free spot, he froze. “What is it?”

Z shook his head, “I have to go in the back. You can have this spot, Brandy.”

“Oh, man, really?” Aech laughed, “You have to steal gas coins from zero’d Sixers. That’s a new low, even for you.” Z hit Aech’s large arm.

Aech pretended to be hurt, whining like a baby, while I set up my car in the front spot. Quietly, Z walked away from us. I only had two cars, the one from my old racing days, and my Mario Kart bike. There’s only one rule amongst my friends at the Kart tracks, bikes only. Everyone knows that bikes are better than cars, only the little kids used karts. But that bike wouldn’t survive this track. That bike was used to dodging banana peels, not wrecking balls; and skidding along paved tracks, not normal streets. There was only one other option.

As the car set up, I thought about how Aech fixed it for me after the wreck. It was totalled, but with Aech’s mods and coins, he made do. The car was a GTA based maroon Jester sports car with the number 53 on the sides, and the number 8 on the hood. The 53 was obviously based on Herbie the love bug, but it also represents feeling free to do what you think is right even when the world is telling you no. That number is on the sides to remind me to stay grounded and level headed. The number 8 represents power, which is why it’s on the hood of the car.

I opened the car door, and jumped in. Every sound set my teeth on edge, the engines revving and the cheering from Gunters were just a few small examples. But the minute the light turned from red to yellow, nothing else was on my mind except getting to that finish line. No fucking this up. I thought to myself just before the light turned green and green fireworks shot into the sky. At the same time, everyone pressed on the gas pedal and we were off. Aech, having a heavy truck, started a bit slower, but sped up.

Off the bat, Sixer cars were crashing all over the place, and we weren’t even off the bridge. Old Gunter friends of mine were catching up to me. And soon I had to start weaving through the sea of Sixer and Gunter cars. I pushed my car as much as I could, eyeing the broken, twisted ramps ahead. Everything was moving fast— faster than I ever recalled. Against the wheel, my hands were shaking, and my palms were sweaty against the leather.

One by one, cars flew off the ramps; and some crashed, while others made it across. My grip tightened, and my foot pressed harder on the gas, and then I just prayed. For a fleeting moment, it was peaceful. I didn’t have to weave, curse other drivers who cut me off, or worry about any upcoming obstacle. I was free flying through the air, and then the car dropped back onto the track on the other side of the jump. I cheered loudly as I made a sharp left turn.

“Guys, are you seeing this?” Z asked myself and Aech. I didn’t know what he was talking about, but Aech did. He described a bike from Akira, a movie I had seen only about a thousand times. And then I realized who he was describing.

My eyes shot wide, “Art3mis is here?!” I exclaimed.

Aech scoffed, “No way is it her.”

“No, I have seen all of her Twitch streams, read all of her blog posts. It’s her.”

“Where are you guys, anyways?” I asked while driving under a bridge. Around the next corner would be the obstacles before where I crashed last time.

Z sounded like he was in a struggle as he spoke, “Just landed off the ramps. Where are you?”

I looked ahead. Swinging from the sky, seemingly attached to nothing, gigantic wrecking balls rained down upon us. To my right, a Gunter got scooped away by one, coins falling from where they once were. I didn’t think twice before collecting the coins. I looked around to see who my nearest competition was, thinking it would be a Sixer, but I saw no one. Just in case, I looked in the rear view mirror. Nothing. Over my shoulders. Nothing. What the hell? I thought to myself.

I jumped the construction sight small ramp with ease, and started to slow my speed. I didn’t mean to, it was just instinct. Ahead, there was China Town, where I crashed last time. If my heart wasn’t pounding hard enough in my chest from adrenaline, it was about to explode from anxiety. In my stomach, I felt a pit growing like I was about to puke. My breathing was short and wavering, and my eyes started to water. “I can’t to it…” I muttered as I bailed. Just before I reached the trigger for the T-Rex, I came to a halt, my brakes shaking under my shoot, and the tires tried to grab the ground as I skidded to a stop.

“What are you talking about?” Z asked worriedly.

A Sixer car zoomed past me, triggered the T-Rex who picked up the grey car and crushed it between its large teeth. “I can’t pass the dinosaur,” I said as more cars started passing me. It hadn’t even occurred to me that the Akira bike had passed me, and then the Back to the Future car passed me. My head hit the steering wheel, the siren sounded like a whisper compared to loud clamor of cars and roars from the T-Rex. “I’m sorry…”

“It’s okay,” Z said, determination now ringing in his voice.

“I had to bail to,” Aech added angrily. Then his voice cheered, “Go! Go! You got it! Go, Z!” The way he was cheering, it sounded like Z was about to win, and I wasn’t even there.

Suddenly, it didn’t seem like I needed to worry about that. “Shit…” Z growled. “Art3mis isn’t going to make it,” he said. “King Kong will zero her out.” Quiet. “Bail!” he shouted at someone. “Bail!”

I put the car in reverse and started slowly heading back to the start where we would always meet up after bad races— and all of them were bad races. I waited for Z and Aech, sitting on the hood of my car, playing on my in-game Gameboy. In the real world you could never find old technology, it was really hard and expensive. But in the Oasis, I had three Gameboy’s, two of which were customs. It was weird to be playing a video game inside of a video game at first, but I got used to it, and it’s how I started passing the time.

More and more Gunters trudged back with low health and their damaged vehicles pocketed. Some were drinking healing potions and putting “bandages” on for more health. Others, who had nothing, slowly let their health come back. In the exodus, I saw Aech’s giant avatar next to two smaller avatars. I recognized one as Perzival, and the other as the Art3mis.

As the neared, I pocketed the Jester after dismounting it, and greeted the three of them with a smile. Z was glowing with excitement, and Aech was rolling his eyes at every other word. “Oh!” Z exclaimed, “This is my friend Brandewyn,” he said it like I was an afterthought before continuing on his nerd rant. I couldn’t blame him, though. Who could? He was meeting one of the greatest OASIS streamers, someone he aspired to be like.

I cleared my throat to grab their attention. “I’m headed out. But I wanted to give this to you, Aech.” I threw the miniature figure of my car at him.

He caught it and looked at me, bewildered. “The Jester?” he questioned with both excitement and disbelief. I nodded. “You’re giving me the Jester? Are you sure?”

“I’m sure. My Copper Key Race days are over. I figured if anyone was going to take good care of it, it would be you, Aech. Treat her well or I’ll cut your balls off in the real world.” I laughed as I waved goodbye and took my OASIS visor off, Z saying something about wanting me to stay. I didn’t hear him.

[pixelz01]

I would to know more about swift, About his likings and everything else- Most Ocs nowadays are just to ship with a CANON character - Oh wait- But regardless, I wanna see how deep and meaningful he is- Like i just wanna see how much depth you put to this character-

Oh boi dose my boi got depth take a seat this is gonna be a long on oooh boi!Yeah first off I don't make characters just ship, that'd just a waste of potential (in my opinion)Okay let's start off with swifts family birth and adopted We start the family tree off with his great great ancestors on his father's side (and before I start I know what your gonna say... "OP OP SO GARY STUE HOW LAZY OMG!"- now hear me out quit judgin! before I say it this family or the powers and gifts he'll revive from it, while yes make him strong they also make him extremely weak and will eventually be his downfall!)So his ancestors were deities or in a sense they were technically gods but hear me out! They didn't have all of the powers and we're very small ones so they weren't OP they just lived up there with cob- well not really they have a religion all they're own but I don't know if you want to hear it this is going to be long enough as it isAnyway there were three of the Tirich the youngest Azuna the eldest and Orious the middle child of the three They are considered the original shapshifters or the first shapshifters they could all change forms and become what ever they desired as well as the powers that came with it Now because of this they were very full of themselves and we're quite vain considering all other life forms unequal and lower than them All three of them had an animal that represented them tirich claimed the wolf as his animal for its strength and pack leadership Azuna had claimed the owl or bird for her animal for its wisdom and intelligence Orious had claimed the snake for its stealth and venom as well as its ability to charm These three had a mission sent to them by their creator Ursa or other wise known as the mother bear She was a giant cosmic bear that contained all of the powers of the cosmos and she gave birth to the three gods She had sent them down to rule and command over the planet earth along side other deities and gods to create a utopia for life and death a world in which they would make they're own a homeAnd so the three had done as told each were given the "seeds of life" in Which to plant into the earth and create the first generation of shapshifters They had planted these seeds and grew what was considered the first signs of life on the planet and these little life's they had grown would grow up and create more stronger lives and spread the legacy of they're kind And seeing as how the three siblings had grown life they were worshiped and given great homes to live in with they're people Tirich was given a golden cave filled with treasures and weaponry he was also given a great white wolf which was then blessed by Ursa and became immortal now being tirich's loyal companion and his symbol he named his beast Deus Azuna was given a home in the biggest strongest oak tree she was gifted with books upon books of knowledge and wisdom as well as a river besides it that was sacred and could bless anyone with the gift of infanite wisdom she was also given a great horned owl as her companion and it too was blessed And given the name Iccarus Orious was given a pyramid temple as his home in the great deserts named after him in the desert of "Osirus de Orious" this desert is actually located near by the danger zone but is hidden accept to those of shapshifter kind or blood relative those who search for it end up dead by being trapped in the deadly storms But why would some die to find this desert? Well inside the desert is an oasis of treasures and gold as well as magic and most importantly the fountain of youth created by cob and Ursa a gift to the middle child since he was unfortunately cursed to age he will still live but he will become old and crippledAnd finally inside the temple were rooms and rooms of women (men too 2k18 baby these gods didn't care if you catch my drift ;3) and rare exotic foods from the gods inside as well as the jewel of power those how gad it could have all of the powers of the universe but it was cursed those who have it will lose there minds and die of insanity only a god could posses it Orious was given a giant cobra snake blessed by Ursa this became his symbol he named the snake Raja These three had become legends tales of how they created the lives on the planet spread far and wide they were loved by many but soon they would be feared and hated by others Soon other creatures human demons ect. Became jealous of the shapshifters and wanted to be not only treated equal but have the powers they possessed too Umong those was a witch she was named Alainus she and her sister Rias were extremely jealous of the gods wanted the powers they had all to themselves in fact they wanted to be gods them selves They would soon in act a plan that would change everything The personalities of the three areTirich was very secretive and tended to be alone he was a very patient man who cared very deeply about his people and the lives he created he loved them very deeply and he would often be seen in the mountains watching over them and guarding them at night Azuna was a very wise and Noble woman she was extremely proud and she belived in justice and order she didn't very much care for her people only using them for pleasure in the persuit of knowledge she could be seen in her home or outside reading a scroll or writing a new law Orious was a very mischievous and provocative man he was blessed with unimaginable beauty and he used that to his advantage he loved to mess with other and cause problems for everyone he was very childish but he messed with the goddess aphroditie he challenge her beauty and when he lost she stole it from him and replaced his head with that of a black hound he is considered the god of death in other religions they had given him a new name "Ra" which he took on well seeing it as a new way to mess with people The three got along as well as siblings tend to they cared about each other very much they were a big happy family but that would all change very soon....Alainus had planned to meet one of the gods and charm her way into they're liking she had completed tasks and rituals for each she was considered a messanger for the gods and soon one of the three Orious had fallen for the woman against the better judgement of his family he married the woman and claimed her as his bride When requested to become a goddess Ursa had refused seeing darkness in her heart she had turned down the request This had angered Orious and he vowed to Alainus to turn her into a goddess so they could live together for all eternity He had gone to seek the help of his sister Azuna for help in his quest but she refused she knew well that this woman was up to no good and she refused to help this thorn bush invade the rest of her garden of knowledge Orious had to steal a scroll that contained the information he needed to turn his wife into a goddess and when he left he read it He would need the blood of another fellow god in order to turn his wife immortal and he knew which one of his siblings he had to chose his little brother tirich seeing as how he was the youngest he would be an easy target so he went to his brothers cave he at first asked for his brothers blood, but like his other family members he refused, tired of being rejected he attacked his brother. the wolf versus the cobra it was a violent and horrendous battle blood was spilt and town and caves were destroyed all the while Alainus laughed and enjoyed the fight impressed by how easy it was to turn gods against each other When Orious eventually pinned tirich down he cut his arm and gave the blood to his wife to drink but when she didNothing happenedOrious read the scroll again When it read the blood of another god it Ment the death of a god and they're blood Orious still having his brother pinned to the ground he was about to strike with his iron sythe but he couldn't he could not kill his little brother whom he loved so much but his wife however could not accept this she grabbed her husband's hand and with the force of a witch she forced the blade into tirich's heart killing tirich and giving her immortality Orious looking at his wife transform into a deer like woman he was horrified as she as soon as she had landed struck him with a spear of rose thorns and blood He watched as she then turned her sister into a goddess as well he began to lose conciousness when Azuna burst into the cave and she summoned her owl to take the two of them back to the temple of gods where they're mother had lived Back on earth Azuna had fought the two goddesses and was able to defeat the youngest sister and wound Alainus when she returned she saw her brother tirich dead on the ground as her mother weapt for him her other brother Orious was tied onto a pillar or moonlight being tortured by the stars as they healed and then wounded him over and over Azuna had come to her mother's side as she wept for her brother then Ursa had told her sister her brother would be restored but at a great cost She would give him his life back but in return he would need to give up his own decedent's life for his a life for a life Azuna questioned this enraged by this solution but Ursa told her there is an order to things that not even we the gods are in control ofThen Ursa gave tirich his life back when he woke he was in pain and agony not over his wounds but the betrayal of his own brother who he looked up to and trusted Ursa then looked upon Orious in anger and fury but most of all disappointment and no heart breakAs punishment for what he had done Ursa had banished Orious to hell or a hell like domain he would rule there for eternity never to see the light again After he was banished Ursa herself had gone down to earth and she defeated the remaining sister Alanis and she had cursed her she stripped her of all her powers and had forced her to be reborn over and over again each time she would suffer in one way or another but as order goes she would slowly gain her powers back she would have to be defeated again and again by a decedent of Ursa's children Now there were only two siblings left tirich had become cold and distant with everyone he had a hatred in his heart and became a lone wolf he knew what he would have to do one day but he tried to stall for as long as he could one day his older sister Azuna had entered his cave she had a gift for himShe had given him her eyes the eyes she had used to read and write laws and order her Nobel heroic eyes that could see everything in the cosmos She gave them to him as a gift to his decedent so that they could stand a fighting chance against himTirich had hugged his sister so great full to her and her kindness he in return gave her a seeing eye hound named anubis the hound was one of his finest wolves being second to Deus his companion WolfBut still tirich would try to stall for thousands of years Until one day he met his future mate/wife Roca (swifts mother) tirich had been stuck in his cave for centuries keeping himself locked away in order to prevent a child to be born only to be slaughtered at his hands when a wounded woman had entered the cave She was very weak she was holding a sword and she had formed a shield she raised the weapon to the god and challenged him to a battle but before he could make a move she had fainted He cured her wounds and when she had awakened she tried to fight him on the spot!Tirich had asked the woman why she would dare challenge a god she replied by saying that if she defeated a god she would be more than worthy of being a tribal leader She then explained how she was rejected by her people for the role of tribe leader since she was not only the younger sister of the tribal chief but she was also unskilled in battle she was told that if she could defeat him in a battle and bring him back to her village dead or alive she would be granted the chief to the village of Dious There was passion and determination in the woman's eyes as she looked upon the god with she golden eyesTirich laughed at the shapshifter the thought of a mear woman taking him down was ridiculous but he needed the laugh it had been so long since he had a good laugh even since his brother was banished So he let the young "Warriors as she called herself go or he kicked her out but every time she came she would alway come back bruised and tattered and on the verge of death He admired her determination and her strong will he also found entertained by her stories of her tribe as he healed her wounds he soon got to learn more about herHer name was Roca Analis she was the daughter of the chief Motain and his wife Yuna and they're first child Absinthe Roca was a bright bold and courageous woman with a heart of gold she was very kind to others and thought of what was best for her people which was why she even came to the cave In the first place she did not belive her elder sister had her tribes best intrests in mind and she wanted to take her place and rule her people her father was Ill and was about to pass away very soon Roca wad desperate and she thought she stood a chance Tirich saw pity on the poor woman and he decided to help her Every night when she arrived on the mountain they would train constantly until she could take him down every night for 4 years they trained they got to know each other and soon they fell in love When her father did pass away she ran back to the mountain to challenge him once more he accepted and after a long while she was able to get him to his knees Tirich congratulated Roca on his defeat when Roca then began to attack again and again was she trying to kill him?Then before she could strike a final blow another Roca appeared and struck the Roca on top of tirich and caused the imposter into the river The two held an embrace as Roca explained what happened apperently every night she had been followed by someone they didn't know who and would never know as the could only see an antler float down the stream Roca was about to leave in defeat when tirich convinced her to take him with her to the village When they arrived tirich demanded that Roca be the new tribe chief he claimed that she had taken him down and showed his wounds as proof The tribe was shocked but they had all bowed to Roca and she was claimed chief She then decided to ask for tirich's hand in marriage which after another 3 years of asking he finally said yes They were we'd and soon Roca became pregnant but during this time there was a war between tribes over which was better started by a new founded tribe led by a deer leader Alaini and her little sister Gaia Tirich and his hounds fought along side the newly formed shadow tribe against these terrorists and they had eventually won And right on time his son swift was now born into the world he was so happy and filed with joy and happiness his son his little wonder was here he would raise him and guide him through life when he remembered He would have to kill his own sonHe couldn't do this no he wouldn't he went back to the temple of gods and pleaded with his mother for him to spear his sons life and retake his own But Ursa with a heavy heart could not the deal had already been made It would be best for tirich to end the child's life early before he gets too attached but by that point it was too late he had loved his son too much to do such a horrendous act And before there was a chance to do anything they were attacked his village was attacked by an organization called P.O.I.N.T there had been claimes that his people were murderers and had killed innocent peopleWhen he had arrived he saw chaos as he's people were being slaughtered and arrested he fought back as well as he could when a point member had attacked him and sent him flying into the forest This was his chance he used this as an excuse to flee not out of fear but to save his sons life he fled into the mountains never to be seen againUrsa and Azuna became enraged by this and they knew that if in the next century if they did not kill the child then tirich would seize to exist So Ursa had cursed swift by giving him a horrible adoptive mother fern who murdered his mother and Azuna had decided she would be the one to finish of the child she would send monsters and creatures after swift So yeah that's his family now for the boy himself Swift in int he beginning was a kind happy child who was caring and brave as well as very wise for his age he was also extremely shy But after the attack on his village and being sent off with his abusive insane adoptive mother fern he had lost all that light and positivity becoming a shell of his former self he is very distant and cold and now that he has two literal gods after him yeah his not doin so goodHe wants to be a villian not to be evil no He wants to avenge his mother and his people and take down P.O.I.N.T he knows that if he does this and succeedes he would be come the world's greatest villian on earth But then he meets ko and Dendy as well as all of the other plaza citizens and he slowly begins to like people and learns to trust others But after his adoptive mother finally snaps and almost kills him his friends save him but he is mentally scarred he sees a visson of his mother and she explains everything her death everything and she gives him her powers that were sealed in the gem on his cloak That's why his hair grew so long and why he had the scarsAfter he was saved he stayed with ko for a while but soon he left he felt too much guilt for having everyone look after him so he left he was about to head into the forest when he was stopped by ko and everyone from the plaza they tried to convince him to stay home but he refused his last words to everyone and k.o "Don't forget me:And he left for five whole years he went into the forest to train and to look for someone the person who started the attack on his home village Alaini So yeah that's our boy so far I would write more but this is all ready super long but I hope i hope got the point across I don't make characters just for ships

[vaesha-draecon]

Tyr’na Draeg, Land of  Dragon Fire

I came across a song that gave a lot of vibes for my OC, Tyraleza, a fandomless OC of mine. She currently has an AU where she is in Azeroth and the song gave me the vibes of what if her homeland was a zone in WoW? So I made this map and I picked a few songs and other misc. info that would be included as a zone:

Tyr’na

Sanctuary and Trade hub, here you can find your profession trainers, vendors, inns, ect.

Contains one dungeon, The Catacombs

Something has stirred the ancient bones contained within, you must find the source!

6 bosses and is available in Normal, heroic, Mythic, and Mythic+

Contains an arena for PvP!

Zone Music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTsG60BtFyQ

Tyr’na Terrn

A sun baked Peninsula with a vast environment and 4 questing hubs

The gathering nodes contained here are the Tyr’na Lily, Redstone, and Sun-baked leather

One Dungeon is here, the Oasis

These pools are sacred to the nomads of the peninsula, but something dark has began tainting the pools, killing the already sparse plant and animal life!

4 bosses and is available in Normal, Heroic, Mythic, and Mythic+

Zone Music: https://youtu.be/8l-OjqnzQzw

Draeg na Terrn

The valley just below the Tyr’na Terrn, this is one of the places that supplies food and livestock to the land. Contains 3 questing hubs and contains a few rares for players to hunt for mounts, pets, or toys.

Gathering nodes contained here are Aloe, Opalstone, and Earthen Hide.

Zone Music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Gj7Fq42AE0

Plains of Tyr’na

The vast valley that the denizens of Tyr’na Draeg specialize in raising livestock and growing the less hardy crops of the land. This valley isn’t as harsh as the other parts of the land and is more temperate in climate. Contains 5 questing hubs.

Gathering Nodes contained here are Silver Lotus, Veridian, Rare node: Azurestone, and Toughened stone hide.

Zone Music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOfivwkt1Tk

The Draegor Desert

An uninhabitable desert that was once the capital of the land, long ago there was a shift that caused the climate to drastically change, forcing the inhabitants to abandon the area for a more inhabitable place. Only the truly stubborn of denizens choose to live here. Contains 6 questing hubs.

Gathering nodes are The Bonewood flower, Hardened Sandstone, and Bonehide.

Contains two dungeons and a Raid

Ruins of the Ivory Palace (Dungeon)

Rumors of a treasure buried below has drawn various treasure hunters, however there are rumors that this ancient relic is cursed and will cause a great threat if it were to fall into the wrong hands

Available on Heroic, Mythic, and Mythic+

Sandstone Pits (Dungeon)

Once a profitable mine, Sandstone pits is now inhabited by the sun crazed denizens that prey upon the travelers of the wastelands. Their leader has plans to invade the Plains of Tyr’na to claim the land as their own. If the plains were to fall, life in the land will struggle!

Available on Heroic, Mythic, and Mythic+

The Tower of Bone (Raid)

This ancient tower was once home to the land’s sorcerers when magic was at it’s peak in the land. Everyone with the affinity for it came here to train under it’s sages. It was also the home of various relics, both mysterious and dangerous. It is rumored that the cause for the Draegor Desert’s inhabitable nature came from one of the relics contained within. ancient spirits guard the tower and will stop anyone who attempts to steal the relics within.

Available on LFR, Normal, Heroic, and Mythic

Zone Music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ml1CkyomCM0

[calamity-writes]

The World(s) of Entropic Horizons - Nations

Ferelden

A rocky earth-like Planet, Ferelden  is at the outer habitable edge of the Thedas System and has a moderate to cold weather overall, with both poles capped with ice. Ferelden cities often make use of geothermal energy and hot springs are popular with travellers and locals alike. Ruled by King Alistair and Queen Rythlen, Ferelden exports natural resources such as steel, fresh water, and lyrium that is mined by Orzammar transplants.

Noteworthy Locations

Haven - A station dedicated to serving and hosting pilgrims to the Temple of Sacred ashes that was on Frostback, Ferelden's lone moon. Both are now destroyed, and debris periodically falls into Ferelden's atmosphere causing blazes of light as they burn up. These are now called 'Andraste Tears' and are rumoured to be signs of the dead passing into the Maker's arms.

Denerim - The Nation's capital and seat of power. Home to the Royal Couple, both veterans of the Fifth Blight.

Redcliffe - Ferelden's primary mining city, near to Kinloch hold, a former circle.

The Blight Lands - (including Lothering and Ostagar) Lands ravaged and poisoned by the Fifth Blight

Noteworthy Fereldens

Rythlen Theirin - Queen of Ferelden and Hero of the Fifth Blight, Rythlen's become somewhat of a celebrity in Thedas as footage of the heroic (and beautiful) woman saving her planet spread to Orlais and beyond. Now married to fellow Grey Warden and Blight Veteran, Alistair Theirin, Rythlen is back in the fray, working with the Inquisition to make her planet safe once more.

OC belongs to @picchar

Haylan - A former Templar Hound, Haylan was born in Ferelden but was transferred to a Starkhaven Circle when her magic appeared. She now works with the Inquisition as their main doctor and healer.

OC and concept of Templaric Hounds belong to @siriusdraws

Leliana Nightingale - Spymaster of the Inquisition, veteran of the Fifth Blight

Garrett Hawke - Former Champion of Kirkwall and instigator of the Great Mage Rebellion

Carver Hawke - Grey Warden and reluctant brother of Garrett

Orlais

Ferelden's nearest neighbouring planet, Orlais is closer to the Sun, and is significantly larger and richer. Formerly spanning both planets, the Orlesian Empire contained to it's titular planet and it's two moons. Officially ruled by Empress Celene, Orlais has been embroiled in a brutal Civil war as General or the Orlesian army Gaspard attempts to take the throne.

Noteworthy Locations

Val Royaux - The Capital of Orlais and seat of the Divine, Val Royaux is a picturesque city. Everything about it is manicured and ornate. The slums are kept in an undercity, kept out of view. Elves are rarely seen above ground.

Halamshiral - The true heart of Orlais. Halamshiral was built on the blood of elves, and had one of the worst alienages among the outer Thedan planets. Unlike Val Royaux, Halamshiral's slums are still above ground, although Celene had the Alienage purged shortly before the War of the Lions broke out. Construction to tear down the Alienage and build a gentrified neighbourhood has ceased in the meantime.

The (Hissing) Waste - The larger of Orlais's two moons, whatever greenery and life once covered this moon, now there is only poisoned sand and ruins from the Second Blight. It was renamed after the Blight.

Approach - The smaller of Orlais's moons, Approach is similarly tainted by the Second Blight and little survives on the arid surface. However, there is an oasis on the far side of Approach where something has kept the Blight's Poison at bay.

Adamant Fortress - A station built above The Waste by the Grey Warden Corps ages ago, Adamant was one of many staging grounds the Wardens used to fight back and defeat the Second Blight.

L'Emprise du Lion - A province-continent towards the northern Orlesian pole, L'Emprise is temperate, and was formerly known as a resort getaway for Orlesian Nobility and the nouveau Riche.

Noteworthy Orlesians

Milliara Lavellan - Unwilling Herald and reluctant Inquisitor, Milliara is a former 'pet' bard (a bard sponsored by a singular patron and looked down upon by others in the profession). She grew up in Halamshiral's Alienage before meeting her Patron and eventual lover, Frederic. When their son, Nils, exhibited magic, she abducted him and fled to reconnect with her father's Dalish clan. Bargaining for them to instruct Nils in magic and take them both in, Milliara offered her services as spy to the clan, and wound up at the Conclave. Brusque, short tempered and bitter, Milliara has a soft spot for family and a habit of throwing herself headlong into danger.

Nils DuLion - The son of Milliara and Frederic, Nils is sweethearted and kind. Like all Half-elves he exhibits no elven traits aside from slightly more pigmented irises and a predisposition to magic which he revealed at a young age. He's currently being tutored in magic by Peanut Adaar, Dorian Pavus and Solas.

DuLion is a common name given to bastard children of nobles.

Frederic Rousseau - A Captain of the Chevalier Legion and Baron in his own right, Frederic is loyal to Gaspard, and even considers him a close friend. However, Frederic's love for his son drove him to renounce his ties to the Orlesian Empire and join the Inquisition so he could spend time with Nils. He holds Milliara accountable for stealing away their son, but old feelings resurface the longer he's around her.

Empress Celene - The Empress of Orlais (contested).

Grand Duc Gaspard - The General of the Orlesian Army and head of the Special forces the Chevaliers Legion.

Galaren DuMarc - a bastard son of the nouveau riche family the DuMarcs, Galaren was sent away to live with a great aunt rather than bring shame to his family. He's been rather forcibly recruited into the Inquisition.

OC belongs to @fangrl-esque​

Skyhold

Stronghold of the Inquisition, Skyhold is a large and ancient fortress found in the asteroid belt beyond Ferelden. Built before Tevinter influence, it runs on spells and mechanisms that have been lost to time but maintain a planet like atmosphere and barrier to help protect those that live inside. Now it's home to the remnants of the Lavellan clan, and other wayward souls that have joined forces with the Inquisition.

Noteworthy Skyhold Residents

(Who are not otherwise listed as part of another nation)

Clan Skyhold - What's left of Clan Lavellan

Fiowyn Lavellan - 'Auntie Fi' to Nils and often the volun-told babysitter, Fiowyn is actually Milliara's cousin, not her sister. Sweet, awkward, and with a love of books and pretty people, Fiowyn's happy to stay in Skyhold caring for the residents. After all, there's bears out on Orlais and Feredlen

OC belongs to @shyquisitor

Aldes Lavellan - A hunter and consummate flirt, Aldes and his sisters survived the purge of Lavellan's clan by being out on a salvage mission when the Marcher nobleman's forces attacked.

Aldes, Karya and Kalieth belong to @kingsdragonage

Karya Lavellan - The youngest of the lavellans, Karya is shy around strangers. Quiet and thoughtful, she's still reeling from losing her family, although being at Skyhold helps. Especially around so much knowledge and this sweet android who she keeps seeing around.

Kalieth Suryana - A warden mage, half sister to Aldes and Karya, veteran of the Fifth Blight. 

Tevinter

The closest habitable planet to the Sun, Tevinter is only habitable in sub-polar lattitudes and above due to the proximity of the Sun's rays. once the centre of an empire that conquered nearly the entire Thedan system, now Tevinter is a crumbling shell of the glory it once was.

Noteworthy Tevinters

Dorian Pavus - Pariah Altus, wonderful, sparkly, sassy man.

Kenslynn - a half-elf from Tevinter, she's now joined the Inquisition. Often seen hanging out with Clan Skyhold.

OC belongs to @megan-mayhem

The Free Marches

Composed of different stations and colonies scattered throughout the asteroid field between Nevarra and Orlais, the Free Marches are a collection of independent nation-states that often band together to bargain with and defend against the larger planetary nations. Each colony has it's own culture, from Kirkwall's reputation as a Sin City (and now anarchy and terrorism) to Ostwick's trade hub and Starkhaven's.... accents.

Noteworthy Marchers

Theseus Trevelyan - formerly a Templar of Ostwick, Theseus, the 'spare's spare' of the Trevelyan family was attending the conclave when the Breach exploded, destroying Ferelden's moon Frostback. He joined the Inquisition shortly after.

OC belongs to @perditionxroad​

Maeve Trevelyan - A distant cousin of Theseus, Maeve is one of the two Heralds that emerge from the Breach after the Conclave is destroyed. A trained assassin, Maeve worked for a time with the Antivan Crows. In a relationship with the Commander.

OC belongs to @klc-journei

Peanut Adaar (and brother Tanim) - A Vashoth mage, Peanut was always an apostate, but she's as far from the snarky tourtured stereotype as you can get. She's sweet and prefers baking to fighting. Often seen giving hugs to those who need it, like Clan Skyhold. Part of Team Nanny with Aunti Fi.

OC belongs to @cupcakelogic

Par Vollen

A large flotilla of stations and ships that appeared in Thedas in recent times. In an endless war with Tevinter, with the Tevene moon Seheron as the main battleground.

Home of the Qun.

The Dalish

A nation with no homeland left to them, Dalish elves travel in clans, using special ships with solar sails called aravels. The main ship's systems are powered by magic-infused animals called Halla, who are sacred to the Dalish.

Dalish elves are easily identifiable compared to 'city' elves by their glowing facial tattoos called vallaslin that are made with luminescent ink that often will visually pulse in time with their heartbeat.

Orzammar

A dwarf planet (hah), Orzammar is between the Astroid belt of the Free Marches and Orlais. It's surface is barren and the residents live in vaults and cities carved out of the planet's caverns. However the continued excavation over millennia resulted in an unstable crust, and after a massive quake, Darkspawn erupted from an undiscovered cavern, overrunning most of the Dwarven kingdoms.

Now, only a few cities remain, and the dwarven diaspora has spread across the whole Thedan system, with many dwarves creating new cities in the crust of other planets. Unfortunately, it appears darkspawn have followed.

[im-sacred67]

Whatever happened to that scared initative?? (i came from DA if ur wondering)

Oh yeah, I mentioned that a while ago.

So, the original idea was that my persona was kidnapped as a child by a cheap science group. It’s original purpose was to see how much stress one could put on a child, but when people started donating, it got out of hand.

Out of hand as in they discontinued the stress tests, and tried to see if they could do gene modifications, like pigments of skin, eyes, hair, etc. (I don’t know jack shit about science, so idk if this can actually be done.)

Sacred’s original name was supposed to be my name, but I already had an OC with my first name, so, as of now, it’s Maria Abreo.

Sacred showed much promise to the scientists, but why stop at one child? Why not two, or ten, or even one hundred? (They stopped at 14, makes it less suspicious.)

Sacred was the only one who had grey skin, black eyes, and black hair.

Everyone else had splotches of their original skin colour with different shades of white/grey/sometimes black, one eye could be white/grey/black while the other was normal, and their hair looked like a bad hair dye, colours being, you guessed it, white/grey/black.

(Side note: her DNA was used for trying to make the rest of the children like her. Again, have no clue whether this actually works or not.)

The scientists jokingly called them “stick figures”, but they mainly called them “Stigures”.

One of the more important ones were Kathy Grace, whom was #6, and Jolene Oasis, whom was #7. Since I’m not making this, I’m saying right now, they die trying to escape.

Sacred, now in her full Stigure form, was heartbroken about how little they cared of their own escape, but how much they deeply cared about her. (Their brains recognized Sacred as an important figure in their lives, but it’s not like Sacred knew.)

Long story short, Sacred ran off with her remaining “siblings” and started her own rule, which is where the book idea of ‘The Game of Life’ comes into play where Sacred and an older boy, (whom she dubbed her brother), are the princess and king, respectively.

But these are all discontinued, and now Sacred’s just from another universe where Stigures replaced humans, and has a twin sister named Holy, along with a shit load of friends, some of which are half animal and ghosts. :)