#oh he did some things and worked some magic to be able to get horror's blood and dust's dust

[triglycercule]

guys its finally done

after exactly like 3 months the killer analysis is FINALLY done......oh my trio we're so back WE'RE SO BACK!!!!! in exchange for this long awaited victory i will be working on a little comic.........killer WILL be featured there will be no more of excluding him here ‼️

here's a wip panel from it x3

[tumblingxelian]

No Pit Madness - What the Lazarus Pit might actually do to a human brain:

So, I hate the whole "Pit Madness" BS but I do find how the brain works fascinating and ended up wondering how something like the pit might effect the brain and if it could influence behaviors in a none ableist or "Evil magic" way. So please join me as I outline a fun little thought experiment about how the Lazarus Pit could influence someone's personality, but not in the way you'd expect!

Let's begin with a fun fact!

When we experience trauma is can leave a physical mark on our brain even if it wasn't physical trauma it still mars the fleshy sponge that is our brain.

This can be useful, like learning fire = hot & the ensuing pain = bad!

It can also hard-code in a lot of really bad stuff which is why when it comes to certain mental illnesses medications to suppress certain parts of the brain need to be taken for upwards of ten years. This is to ensure the damage does not keep perpetuating itself while the brain builds new neural pathways until the source of the sickness is gone.

So, now imagine if you get dumped in a Lazarus pit and and EVERYTHING comes back in perfect clarity. That's likely why people coming out are so initially panicked and wild, they are experiencing total sensory overload on a level never before imagined!

But, the influence of the pit likely lingers as it works its way through the body and so its still repairing damage as it happens. Which is key to my next point and we'll use Ra's as an example.

Ra's was a doctor, a healer, a man who wanted to better the world. But in that journey he saw and eventually did terrible things. Things that would forever change him, quite literally in this case.

Because imagine if you will, all that stuff coming back all at once, but then imagine the Lazarus pit remnant going "Oh the brains getting damaged real fast, better fix that!"

Put simply, it effectively heals the damage done to the mind via traumas as the brain is trying to process and learn from them.

This happens be they brought up by the pit or simply on the persons mind in the immediate after effects. The brain is trying to hard code in "Thing bad" but the Lazarus pit won't allow the brain to experience that kind of damage and wins out for at least a time. Essentially fortifying the mind against taking this kind of damage.

Using Ra's as an example the longer he lives, the more he sees and does, the more this stuff compounds and the more the pit has to heal when he goes in and comes out. By virtue of getting that healing, those actions no longer have the same kind of mental or emotional impact they once did. Causing him to become increasingly alienated from the human condition and the horrors he inflicts on others.

Now, for someone who went into the pit once this is likely not a huge deal but let's go over some example using this current model:

1: Cassandra Cain was killed by Shiva and thrown in a pit, she came out and killed Shiva, something she would normally be so violently opposed to she'd die rather than do it. This isn't merely philosophical for Cassandra it is also rooted in intense trauma. But this act did not impact her the way it should. Cassandra retains her intellectual and emotional morals, but the trauma that comes with seeing or causing death no longer hits her the way it once did, because her brains now been hard-wired to be able to handle that without taking damage.

2: Bruce has if I recall been in the pit at times, so wouldn't the trauma over his parents be lessened? No, because Bruce tends to go in the pit when he's on missions and thus compartmentalizing. Thus instead the trauma is just as bad or slightly worse because its in a sense been refreshed once he's out of mission mode and the Lazarus Pit effects wear off. IE, he got factory reset but kept all his memories, now they are just clearer than ever before and that's worse.

3: Much like the the above, Jason was factory reset as far as is brains physical trauma went and so confused when he came out that he wasn't entirely clear on having died over just getting injured. By the time he did know the pits effects had worn off, so this was his brains first major "new" old trauma, and thus it responded the way a new brain does to trauma with "This is the worst thing because its the first bad thing" magnifying its impact and solidifying it in his brain.

This hasn't made any of them new people, they retain agency in their actions and beliefs. But for a physical comparison, its like how some stories have someone coming out of the pits feet be baby smooth and thus needing to build up calluses, except for the brain.

The difference is, because one retains the memories, if they are in a calm scenario and ideally unconscious when first coming out of the pit, they could wake up, calmly meditate on things and come out more or less the same as before save maybe a little more level.

Most people cannot do that and so their brain gets a jagged, clumsy, often entirely unhelpful wave of protective film over major horrors, or get to experience them again like they are brand new with no in-between. Thus meaning the results tend to be either:

"Huh, that used to fuck me up but now it doesn't."

Or

"Oh gods this is worse than I remembered it, aaah!"

Or in other words you either get over stuff you probably shouldn't or get super re-traumatized with no middle ground and neither is ideal.

[obsidianpen]

What's so great about Harrymort, anyway? This ship basically consists of Stockholm syndrome, power inequality, and abuse. The same can be applied to Tomione but I understand that last one and I even started to appreciate this ship a lot. Hermione is the character most similar to Tom, if she had the ambition that Tom had, she could have become something similar to Voldemort in canon. But beyond that, Hermione is someone Tom/V could respect and have as an ally. She is someone who would be able to rule alongside him, and everyone would benefit from that, since she is fair and good. Also if Tom/V had her by his side, he would be a more stable version than the one in canon. So.. I understand why you like this ship so much but.. the more I think about Harrymort the more I feel disgusted. Harry is not a character that people respect and fear, he is just Harry. Just that. Some random boy. There's nothing special about him, and if it weren't for the horcrux he would already be dead since chapter 1 of the books. Tom/V is a prodigy, one of the most powerful wizards in the books, he wouldn't be interested in someone so ordinary. But let's say yes, that Tom/V is interested in Harry precisely because he is common and average, since they have a similar background - This is difficult to happen, V is not an empathetic character but let's pretend so - and because of the horcrux, of course it's because of the horcrux, that's the only reason, the only thing that makes Harry stand out among the others -not even that came from him lol so sad- If our hypothetical scenario happened, Harry would be a toy for Tom /V -he already is- "ah, but the fun is in how much Harry fights, he was going to fight, that's what he is" oh yes, this argument is the favorite of the Tomarymort fans, huh? He wouldn't be able to fight forever, this character has been in fight or flight mode since the beginning, he'll get tired eventually, V would be able to break him, and do you think V is the type to keep things broken? I don't think so. My point is Tomarymort is a ship that explores abuse, toxic and destructive relationships, physical and psychological torture, Stockholm syndrome etc. And that's fine if you like it but I think we can all agree that this ship and love should NEVER be put in the same sentence . Because love and respect would never exist between these two characters. No matter how good the writer is, some things just don't work. Just become them ooc, that's what happens most lol

Preface: I’m breaking this one down point by point, and then I am never responding to anything similar ever again. I will also not be posting anonymous responses to this. I hate being the middle man for a tumblr shipping war, so I’m not going to participate in that. If you want to respond, you can leave a comment or reblog it into your own page. 💖

What's so great about Harrymort, anyway? 

The drama, the intensity, the wrongness, the clashing of opposites, the most extreme version of enemies to lovers…

This ship basically consists of Stockholm syndrome, power inequality, and abuse. 

In some fics sure, yeah. But these are all really interesting - terrible, yes, but super interesting to dive into. There is a reason people like to read/watch psychological thrillers, horror, etc. I don’t feel like I should have to explain this very massive, common human drive, so I won’t. Go google it!

The same can be applied to Tomione but I understand that last one and I even started to appreciate this ship a lot. 

Cool, you like these things too! And you’re completely allowed to prefer Hermione to Harry. Whatever you want to read.

Hermione is the character most similar to Tom, if she had the ambition that Tom had, she could have become something similar to Voldemort in canon. 

Strong disagree here - she did have that ambition imo, she just… wasn’t evil, and she became Minister of Magic in canon, so. Pretty ambitious and somewhat similar, just in the legal, ‘good’ way.

But beyond that, Hermione is someone Tom/V could respect and have as an ally. 

Mm, no, she was a muggleborn, so in canon, a LOT of major shifts would have needed to happen for her to simply not be killed, or maybe tortured a hunch for fun, first, before eventually… being killed.

She is someone who would be able to rule alongside him, and everyone would benefit from that, since she is fair and good. 

Again, LOTS of things would have had to happen in canon for this to be even remotely possible. Unless you’re imagining some kind of AU where Tom Riddle is the same age as the trio, and they grow up together and can therefore influence each other on more equal footing…? But that’s Tom, not canon Voldemort, and you started this referencing Voldemort.

Also if Tom/V had her by his side, he would be a more stable version than the one in canon. 

Uh, would he? Assuming we’ve jumped over the impossible canon hurdles to get Hermione by Lord Voldemort’s side, by the time Hermione is even in the magical world, he’s been a bodiless spirit with a shredded soul for years. It would be a tall order for Hermione - or anyone - to make him more stable. I like arguing that Harry could sort of manage this in canon because of the horcrux connection, but that’s me making things up that are FAR from canon, and Hermione doesn’t have this. 

So.. I understand why you like this ship so much but.. the more I think about Harrymort the more I feel disgusted. 

Cool, your feelings are valid! You should probably stop thinking about Harrymort for your mental health. You can block tags/keywords/etc on tumblr so that you see less of it.

Harry is not a character that people respect and fear, he is just Harry. Just that. Some random boy. There's nothing special about him, and if it weren't for the horcrux he would already be dead since chapter 1 of the books. 

Well, that’s not true, imo. Harry was the best at Defensive Magic, he was an amazing flier, he is brave and bold and puts his life on the line for others without question - even people who don’t deserve it and who tried to harm him, like Draco. Those are all extraordinary traits that maybe some people make the mistake of ignoring and underestimating. 

Tom/V is a prodigy, one of the most powerful wizards in the books, he wouldn't be interested in someone so ordinary. 

If not for the horcrux, maybe not. But also, maybe. We don’t know what Harry would have been like if he grew up with a normal happy healthy family. Maybe he would have thrived in many ways, and he would have gleaned some interest. But even without that, see above comment to take note of some of Harry’s traits that he has despite growing up in an abusive home. Voldemort said himself that he values bravery. 

But let's say yes, that Tom/V is interested in Harry precisely because he is common and average, since they have a similar background - This is difficult to happen, V is not an empathetic character but let's pretend so - and because of the horcrux, of course it's because of the horcrux, that's the only reason, the only thing that makes Harry stand out among the others -not even that came from him lol so sad- If our hypothetical scenario happened, Harry would be a toy for Tom /V -he already is- "ah, but the fun is in how much Harry fights, he was going to fight, that's what he is" oh yes, this argument is the favorite of the Tomarymort fans, huh? He wouldn't be able to fight forever, this character has been in fight or flight mode since the beginning, he'll get tired eventually, V would be able to break him, and do you think V is the type to keep things broken? I don't think so. 

None of this logic adds up to me. How can you say all this about Harry and not apply it to pretty much everyone else, including Hermione? Voldemort WAS far from empathetic. Canonically. And yeah, sure, no one would be able to fight forever. But if anyone has a fire that would last an infuriatingly long time, I’d argue that it would be Harry. 

My point is Tomarymort is a ship that explores abuse, toxic and destructive relationships, physical and psychological torture, Stockholm syndrome etc. And that's fine if you like it but I think we can all agree that this ship and love should NEVER be put in the same sentence . 

Obviously this depends on what the story is. If it’s a story that explores all those former themes, then it’s probably not a lovey dovey romance anyway. But there are definitely stories that don’t have all those dark subjects, and if someone wants to write a platonic romance where the word love shows up between these two, more power to them! But you don’t get to say everyone in the world can never do a single thing in their fiction. People can write whatever they want! And you get to decide not to read it! Everyone wins.

Because love and respect would never exist between these two characters. No matter how good the writer is, some things just don't work. Just become them ooc, that's what happens most lol

I feel sorry for you. Where is your sense of curiosity, open-mindedness? Maybe you could never write these things convincingly, but some people are more talented than you (don’t take this too personally; no matter how good we are, there are always people more talented than us). It’s okay to not like things and to avoid them based on your comfort level/interest/etc etc, but just because you’re not looking doesn’t mean that such amazing jaw-dropping works that make you believe in the unbelievable aren’t out there.

💖

[theholmwoodfoundation]

Q: I must ask you, Ms Harker, how did Bram Stoker’s story of Dracula get published? Is it true you and your friends were the inspiration?

[MINA LAUGHS] Oh, my dear Bram! I remember when we first met in Cruden Bay in Scotland for a trip and we got on so well. I then invited him to visit me in Whitby, which is where I moved to support Arthur’s new venture after the Carpathians. Bram was very curious about our story,  and we…well, I suppose one thing led to another, and he was anxious to tell a version of it, mostly fabricated you understand, of his very own. To incorporate it into a tale of horror he was already writing. I must admit I was sceptical at first, but the idea intrigued me. Of course, in our real-world story, there was no monstrous being known as Count Dracula, no vampires, and no magic. Just a group of unlikely individuals and a rather terrible set of circumstances. But Arthur convinced me it would aid us in establishing the Foundation, and nothing in the world meant more to us than that. So we gave Bram permission to use our likenesses, and he even studied our writings and manners to ensure he could capture us on the page. I remember discussing with Arthur if we should have changed our names, changed who we were, but the release of the story, outrageous and horrifying as some of the details were, did introduce more people to the importance of blood and blood work. We were able to find many patrons to support us due to the release of Dracula, and while it has certainly made my life much stranger than it could have been, I was never truly upset by the book's legacy. I know Abraham - Professor Van Helsing's – nieces and nephews love to see how their uncle is presented as this dramatic vampire hunter! Sometimes, I wish Bram hadn’t changed so many details, particularly the ending, but I am not myself a writer, so I had faith in his words. Given the loss of my dear husband, Jonathan, at just 24 years old, I sometimes feel that a part of him lives on, caught like a pressed flower between the pages of that book. All I know for sure is that I have faith in what Arthur, Abraham, Jack, and I have created. We are honoured to work with the public to save lives, as we have done for the last 40 years.

-Transcript from BBC National Programme Radio Interview with Dame Mina Harker, Pub 1930

[ancha-aus]

RealAgeAU - Reunion

Fun fact. I was planning on going through these drabbles to see where I still had a bit of a blank spot timeline and story wise. and I did NOT get far.

Because I realised. I never made a tiny drabble about how I pictured the guys reuniting to go back to Nightmare!

So. That is this! (also yes i am hinting at bad sans poly but we will see where that all ends)

First and Prev Drabble (with the original prompt by @spotaus ) Next Drabble

*-----------------*

Cross frowns as the knife once again can't cut through the universe.

This... is an issue.

Cross had managed to get close but for some reason the knife could not connect with Nightmare's universe and castle.

Had... had Nightmare banned him?

Cross hopes not. He knows he had been stupid for running away but he had just! He needed! He had just needed a moment for himself!

Cross tries to take a deep breath and relax. It is fine! Think! Think there is probably another reason!

NIghtmare had been shrinking and losing his form... maybe he is just tired and resting and that affects the universe he is in? Maybe?

Cross wishes Dust was here, Dust knows so much more about magic stuff than he does. Sadly Cross was an idiot and just went out on his own without saying goodbye.

He looks at his phone and opens the message screen again. He clicks Dust's contact and considers typing a message.

Just a quick one to ask for help getting back?

He sighs and puts the phone away. No. This is his mess up and he can fix it himself! He didn't need them or Nightmare to fix his messes!

Again...

Cross shakes his skull and looks to the notes in his phone. He finds the right one. It is a small list of items that should help connect him to Nightmare's universe.

When he first started working for Nightmare the god had told him that the castle and the universe it is in can be hard to find or connect to because of his magic. The items would help the magic in his knife, or the teleportation crystals, locate it and focus on it.

Cross pulls out the list and reads it again.

seven candles, unscented

autumn leaves

a very sweet apple

a dreamcatcher

a way to light a magical fire

be in an universe as close as possible

Cross checks his list and bag and groans. He had only managed to get the apple and the leaves so far. this stupid universe only had a few very small and old towns and it is honestly getting on his nerves!

Cross had just been nervous about leaving this universe. He didn't know this one and just because he managed to jump to it didn't mean he would be able to do it again.

The phones had an extra feature to make it known to them if they were near the castle. it had lit up at this spot after quite a few universes that didn't do it.

Meaning he was not leaving it!

Agh. he could ask if Horror is having more luck and-

WAIT!

Cross looks back over his shoulder and sees Horror walk past.

Cross doesnt think and rushes after the large skeleton "Horror! wait up!"

horror blinks and looks over "Oreo?"

Cross pulls a face at the nickname but catches up to him "What are you doing here?"

Horror looks slightly sheepish as he rubs his neck "You know... regret... trying to get back..."

Cross frowns "Get back- wait... did you leave as well?!"

Horror frowns at him "As well?" then his sight finds Cross' bag and cross can see Horror take note of the items in there. Horror looks back at him with a frown "You can't make the jump either?"

Cross feels both better and worse. Maybe he isn't banned! Or at least he isn't alone in being banned! which just makes him feel like a jerk. He nods and groans "not having much luck with getting the things i need. only got the apple and the leaves..."

Horror blinks but gets a small half grin on his face which Cross thinks should be criminal with how goo- OKAY he is stopping that line of thought.

Horror calmly gets his phone and turns it to enable Cross to see the items in his inventory. a lot of foods and- oh! a sweet apple. and unscneted candles!

Horror keeps grinning "Seems like we are getting close."

Cross grins and nods as he walks with the taller skeleton "Any idea why we can't get in?"

Horror shrugs "multiple options. dunno which."

Cross nods as he looks down "Yeah i figured."

They walk and search together before a loud gasp and Cross is suddenly tackled form behind. Cross yelps as he loses his balance. The only reason he doens't fall over is because Hroror manages to catch both him and whichever idiot rushed into him.

"Criss-Cross! H!"

Ah. nevermind. Cross knows that idiot. Cross glares over his shoulder at the grinning Killer "Why would you tackle me?!"

Killer grins but the grin turns sharper then just friendly "Had to make sure you guys didn't up and leave again without a single fucking word Criss-Cross!"

Cross winces and looks to the side "Yeah... I guess..."

Horror looks guilty as well before looking at Killer "Why are you here? instead of at the castle?"

Now it is Killer's turn to look away and he shrugs "After all of you guys left I figured i would try it myself. the whole solo-rouge-vagabond dealio. I didn't like it. So I am going back ot Nightmare and see if he needs a right hand still...." more thoughtful "or maybe babysitter? If that whole shrinking thing kept up."

Yeah and that line causes more guilt than before. because they really just all left Nightmare alone to deal with whatever was affecting him. Instead of at least offering help as they should have as his henchman and teammates. Nope! instead they all just left!

Cross rubs his arm "Yeah... we are on our way back too... You got stuff for the ritual?"

Killer sighs "Only the lighter. But that is because i already had one."

Horror frowns at Killer "All of us? Dust too?"

Killer nods "Just walked away. not a word or grabbed anything as far as i know."

Cross covers his face "We are the worst. terrible people." thankless, untrustworthy, unloyal. Cross can think of quite a few more words to describe them.

"We knew that already."

Cross, and Killer for that matter, curses as he jumps back. Only to see Dust standing by them, hood up but face visible with his bored expression.

Killer is by now standing behind Horror and glares at Dust "Don't do that! My soul is already fragile!" the soul shaped floating soul wiggles but stays steady.

Dust raises a brow and looks unimpressed "Don't talk about others then."

Horror chuckles and smiles "Good to see you dust. join us?"

Dust nods "Can't make the jump. what are we mission still?"

Cross takes out the list and after comparing what they have they realise they are only mission the dremacatcher, which Dust pulls out of his pocket.

Cross gasps "Where did you find that? I checked every store!"

Dust shrugs "stole it."

... right. that is also an option.

They take the items outside of town and get it ready.

The dreamcatcher as base with the candles all around it. The leaves used to wrap the apple, the only use one and Horror eats the others as they work.

Killer holds up the lighter and after focusing for a moment flicks it. instead of the normal yellow flame a bright pink flame appears. Killer lights all the candles adn waits for a moment until the smoke circles one another. Last Killer lights the leaves enclosing the apple without disturbing the smoke trails.

The new smoke trail joins the other seven and the whole pile bursts into flames but no heat comes off it. the flame remains pink for a moment before turning purple and then turning black.

Killer grins and looks at Cross "cut away!"

Cross nods and cuts right above the flame and the universe shimmers. The smoke finds the small slice and fills it, moments later the flame and fire travels up towards the slide using the smoke and it opens a black portal, still smoking.

They rush through it and manage to get through it before the portal burns up.

Cross looks over his shoulder "And there shouldn't be anything left?"

Dsut shrugs "small pile of ash."

Killer grins "it burns up very quickly as soon as a portal is established."

Cross frowns as he looks around. they are in the late autumn forest around the castle. He can see the shadow of it in the distance. He starts walking and the other three join him.

Cross huffs "Still think it is a deceptively easy list..."

Killer shrugs "People don't expect there to be an easy way. Not like they will just test things until they hit jackpot." Then Killer grins wider "Not that anyone knows about Ngihtmare's sweet tooth. and no one knows about the apple, hell we don't even know it."

Cross nods as they walk through the forest. Cross can't help but feel like it feels... empty. Whcih is weird because Cross always knew there was nothing else in this universe or forest but them. but still it feels...different.

Horror seems to notice too as he glances around "feels weird..."

Dust nods immediantly "magic is different."

Cross nods as well "I noticed too..."

Whatever is going on it is big... because either it is affecting the universe, it is affecting nightmare enough that it affects the universe. or Nightmare is affected enough that he made these edits.

Hopefully they can clear all this up once they see Nightmare and apologise to him. The exit the forest and spot the castle in the distance.

Time to go talk wiht him.

*-----------------*

First and Prev Drabble Next Drabble

And as we all know, Nightmare wasn't there. woops. turns out that apology will have to wait a bit Cross.

And the tiniest bit of Bi-panic for Cross (I believe he canonly is Bi in like Xtale so he is still Bi here) ((And yes I am slightly hinting at BSP because I like them but They are kinda too busy to really focus on that in these drabbles but there some interest! but it can also be seen as pureply platonic with just some curious interest honestly *shrug* It is june after all!))

[nescaveckwriter]

Lighthouse

A/N: 🐞... Okayz my dearest love bugs, 💕 another one done for @jacklesversebingo 🥰 yayaness, I know its been a while though, But I hope y'all are gonna enjoy this one, I must say I'm super proud and, a little terrified as this is 'Supernatural' based 🫣🤭, so let me know what y'all think.🥰 Okayz much love🥰❤️🩷

Warnings: *18+ Only* Horror, Thriller, Mentions of blood, violence, angsty, little fluff, heartbreaking, drama.

Line: Tree, Clock, Rope

Characters: Dean x Fem Reader, Sam, Benny, Cas, Crowley

Words: 6700 😱🫣 I know I'm sorry.

Cover & Pictures: Pinterest, Canva, Google

Side Note: Please check out my Masterlist for more, epic stories🐞💕

The sky has turned into grey, dark clouds threatening too cover the earth with its darkness, the smell of rain is everywhere as it nourishes the earth, as you stand under the pouring rain, listening too him say, goodbye, letting the rain mix with the tears on your cheeks. Not being able too move a muscle, you just stood there unable to make a single sound, unable to ask him why, why after this long, did he want to break up with you, did he want to throw away the life you built. Weren't you enough for him no more,? Is there someone else? Why Now?

The way he said goodbye wasn't with a voice filled with anger, no, his emerald green eyes was sad, his voice almost breaking when he said "I need too let you go sweetheart" and his lips found yours instinctively, it was a soft, kiss, mixed with the taste of him, salt and rain. You didn't want him too leave, you wanted to grab ahold of him, and beg him too stay, but before you could, he got in that Chevy Impala, the engine roared and the tires screeched, as he drove off into the darkness, not a single star in the sky, its almost as if the magic of the moonlight left with him.

Its been a little over three months since he left you standing in the rain, like some dumb country song, but you somehow found a way too move through your everyday life, you were a hunter before you met Dean, and you still are, well in all honesty saving people is the only thing that got you through the days.

It isn't really a job you tell everyone about, oh heck no!, its more a work you keep too yourself, letting your family believe, your just a traveling failure, well you always did kind of feel like you lost your way over the years, but these days your numb. Your best friend Sam doesn't even talk too you anymore, you don't really have a lot of folks who you could call, and say "hey, ya know I'm not really doing well, I need a pick me up or a damn hug" no you always kept too yourself, not trusting anyone, but the day you met Dean and Sam on a hunt it changed.! Sam quickly became your best friend and well Dean soon became the only man you'll ever love, even though he had his issues. And then there was Castiel the angel, he has always felt like a beacon of hope, making you laugh with his "I don't understand that reference" sayings. But the day Dean walked out they all left, leaving you completely alone in this damn scary world. It's not the monsters that scares you, no that you get, but it's the people. Every single person you have met in your life has a hidden agenda, why can't they just be good people.

Sitting at the diner in the small town, were you were investigating strange disappearances, ordering a black coffee, the display with the different pies catching your eye. Your mind wanders off to Dean's birthday... You prepared all his favorite foods, burgers, bacon, fries, the greaser the better, and then you started with the making of his favorite pies. But somewhere along the way you forgot about the pie's in the oven, letting them burn to a crisp, after you rushed in, trying to save what's left of the charred goods, seeing it was disaster, you wouldn't be able to save it, you burst into tears, cussing yourself for messing up what's supposed to be the perfect day, you felt his strong arms pulling you towards his chest, staining his shirt with the wetness of your cheeks. He's breathe hot as he kissed you, in a loving, comforting way, reassuring you everything will be okay, it's just pie's not the end off the world.

He always did know how too comfort you, how too chase the darkness away, he was your lighthouse, so to say, showing you the way, back too the light. And now, now there's no more light too go home. No more home, just nothing.

Taking a sip of the now cold bitter coffee, that kind of taste like, old shoes, not that you'll know how that would taste like, but betting its something like this. Placing the cup down, sliding the dollar's underneath the half full cup on the diner table, you get up, throwing your ball cap on, hair hanging loose on your shoulders, taking your leather jacket and phone, you start too head out of the small town diner.  Walking towards your Harley Davidson, you've always liked the way, that bunch of metal, felt roaring as you sat on that leather seat, the wind rushing through your hair, the way those gas fumes, flowed through your veins, not even to talk about the adrenaline that went with it, oh damn, you felt about your Harley like Dean felt about his impala. Seeing a giant creep checking out your bike, leaning on it, irritation in your voice "excuse, what are you doing?"

His voice rough and unpleasant "why do you care, little missy"

Walking closer, your eyes darker than usual "that's my bike"

The bald man, with his long beard, hiding his tatted neck, started to laugh "No way such a small little thing can handle that sort of horse power"

"I'm only going to ask you nicely one more time, get off my damn bike!"

Crossing his arms in front of him, "Or what? You gonna call the little cops"

"No! I'm going to make you get off my bike"

"I'd like to see you try missy"

She really wasn't in the mood for this. So she tried to shove him off, but he was on the larger side and didn't really move a single damn inch. It just made him irritated "hey come here missy" he said as he grabbed a hold of your arm, you smiled, that made him look at you all confused, but he soon realized, he should not have messed with you, as you took his fingers, and started bending them backwards, bringing the big guy down to your size. With your free hand, you punched the sucker in the face. Got up on your bike, and drove down the road too the nearest bar you could find, for information and while you where there you might as well get something to drink.

The Black Chevy Impala roared as it parked in front of the diner, Dean and Sam got out, a big guy, with a black eye, just got off the ground as they started making their way towards the door, Dean looked at the guy a smirk on his face "What happened to you buddy?"

The man mumbled "crazy biker chick"

Dean just laughed, as he figured this chick was probably part of his gang, as the beaten up guy had a biker jacket with their logo on. He still smiled but he felt stabbing pains in his heart. His sweetheart was a 'biker chick' a swell, she could handle that roaring horsepower better than most men, and man!, was she tough, so fierce and fiery, so passionate and yet so gentle, vulnerable at times, so fragile, she cared more than most, people, and beautiful, so freaking beautiful, her smile could light up a room, he fell hard for her the first time he saw her, and it just grew from there he loved her , he still loved her, but he just had too walk away, for her own safety, everyone close too him get hurt or dies. And especially with everything going on, he couldn't risk it, if someone found out, that she wasn't just another hunter, no she was the love of his life, he'd never forgive himself if something would happen too her. Sam calling his name for the fourth time pulled him out of his deep thoughts, "Hey man, you with me?"

"Yeah, yeah, just thinking I need a drink not coffee"

Sam gave him a sympathetic smile, knowing his brother probably thought of her again, he just nods and says "okay sure let's go"

The only information she got was that, some of the missing folks were last seen close too a pig farm , on the outskirts of this town.

And now, now she just sat here swallowing the vodka, it was easier than too think that Dean aren't coming back, hating how she felt , how alone and miserable, how heartbroken, she really thought that she was stronger than this, but no, she's weak and pathetic, sobbing about a man, a damn man who left her in the pouring rain. What the hell was wrong with her, she never was the kind, to be good little wife material, who would cook for her husband and bake brownies for her children's school, but the sad truth was she wanted too be all that with Dean, she would've gave up hunting, too be his wife and the mother of his children. But clearly he didn't feel the same. Thumbing away a stray tear, she gestures to the bartender , for another. The music was loud and the alcohol made her slightly lightheaded, she knew she needed some air, sliding off the barstool, walking towards the exit, fumbling in her pockets for a packet of cigarettes, she only smokes when she drinks. Some guy, lit her cigarette, she just nods, thanking him with a smile as she stood in the crisp evening air, the air mixed with nicotine hit her lungs, letting a little cough escapes her lips. As she blows out the smoke, she heard that damn Chevy pull in, she couldn't miss it , Dean had a certain way if driving and it was him for sure. She just stood there, frozen in the darkness. "What the hell is he doing here" whispering underneath her breath. Hoping that he doesn't see her, knowing that she will burst out in tears the moment she tried to speak too him.

He wales past a couple of bikes, that's when he saw it, her bike, hard too miss it, on the rear bumper the lyrics of her favorite Bon Jovi song. He elbows his brother "Sam, she's here"

Sam looked at him shocked, "What? Are you sure"

Running his hand over his face "Of course I'm damn sure" clearing his throat "I can't see her, man, I just can't, I've missed her so much, it was hard enough too walk away from her that night, I won't be able to do it again"

Sam places his hand on his big brother shoulder "Don't you think, this whole protection thing your trying is dumb"

Dean's jaw clenched, "No, Everybody around me dies, and there's nothing I can do about it, I have to let her go"

Sam just shook his head, his known his brother felt like this for a while now, but it's gotten worse, his unsure why, but he will try and get through too him, Dean's only been happy, whenever he was with her. "Okay let's go"

Dean and Sam made their way towards the car, they're about to get in when they heard a spine chilling scream , Dean recognized her voice. He searches in the darkness, when he catches a glimpse of four men, throwing her in a black van. He didn't even realized it but he started running towards the van, as the last of them jumped in, he saw a glimpse of her, the last thing he heard, was her screaming his name and a gun shot, which brought him to a stop as he fell to the ground, chanting her name over and over, until his eyes fell closed.

Sam fired his gun towards the van, but couldn't get decent shots from that angle. He fell to his knees next to his brother, glancing at the bullet wound in his chest, the blood gushing out, he applied pressure on the wound, he could feel the life draining from his brother as he begged Castiel to come. Sam's eyes damp with tears, his heart pounding in his throat, a silent scream escaping his lip "Cas, please man, I need you Dean need's you"

You could hear the flutter of wings, when the celestial being landed, his face struck with concern "What happened?"

Sam glanced at the man in the trench coat, holding his brother in arms, "please, just help him Cas"

The angel approached his best friend, there was nothing quite as bad, as seeing him, in pain, placing his hand on Dean's shoulder and Sam's, the three men found themselves in a motel, Dean was still unconscious but breathing, Sam glanced at the angel, mouthing a "thank you"

Traces of the tears still evident on her cheeks as she recalled Dean getting shot, he was there, running towards her, he stilled cared. The four men watched her like a hawk, she cradled her legs in the corner, as if she's a animal trying too hide herself from the prey.

The van came to a stop, she knew something had to be done, so she took the knife she hid in her boots, covered it in her hand, she knew taking all four men was asking to much, so she'll have to isolate them. Take them one by one. The men double, maybe triple her size, but she aren't going down this way, without a fight.

As the two men , opened the door, she saw what looked like a barn, there where cages, with other people inside, seeing she's not the only one that needed saving, she slid the knife back in her boot. She needed more information than this, so she went with it. The man held her by her hair, threw her into a cage which had two other girls probably about round about 16 and 18, and much older man, in his late 60's maybe. Hitting the the floor, scraping her palms.

The older man helped her up, "you okay?"

"Yeah thanks never been better" the sarcasm rolled over her pressed lips.

A big guy, came standing against the cage, with a stupid smug on his round face. "When Ricky there told me about this little woman, who punched him, just for leaning against her bike, I knew I had too throw you in the ring"

She got to a standing position, striding closer, too this gigantic man, "What are you? A human trafficker , organ? What"

He laughed "None of the above, just a business man," he started walking away.

"What is he talking about?" Her eyes intensified "Does anyone know why we are here?"

She heard a man's voice coming from another cage, he was beaten pretty bad, "We are here too fight against each other, like the movie Condemned, apparently it happens in really life" he let out a defeated laugh. The whole barn filled with chatter, people gasping for air, as the initial shock took over. Those who haven't seen the movie, quickly got enlighten by those who have, the rich of the rich, places bets on the person, who they think will survive and it gets streamed on the dark web for everyone to watch.

There's a clock with a timer and the one who have killed all the other 'players' in that amount of time, gets to live another round. Some just cried, the others just quietly, sat in the corners of their cages, holding on too their knees, as if that's going to help, everywhere in that barn there's cages filled with silence and then those with chatter.

Then in the cage she's in, the two young teenage girls just hold on too each other, clinging for dear Life. The grey old guy, just kept mumbling too himself, "I can't kill these people" over and over.

Probably not the most polite thing in this situation but damn, it worked on her nerves, she's trying think of a solution, a plan something to save these people. But she was all out of ideas, to be honest, except maybe one, her back was against the cage, she silently started to talk to Cas, asking him to come and find her, but nothing, he didn't hear or he didn't want too, either way it was up too her.

Glancing down at the ground, then her leather boots she remembered the knife, she could use that too unlock the cage door, then start freeing the others, she took the last bit of hope in her hand, starting to put the blade in, turning and wiggling it, until she heard the click sound, she was overjoyed, she slowly opened the screeching steel door, every noise sounded as loud as thunder.

She could see the different keys, close to the barn entrance, almost walking on the balls of her feet, so that she didn't make a single sound, reaching for the keys, her fingertips barely touching it, she jumped into the air, grabbing ahold if it, she started making her way towards the first cage. Searching for the key that fits, the barn doors flung open, she recognized the guy, Ricky from earlier, and some other dude, who made her skin crawl , "Hey how'd you get out?" Ricky shouted.

"What you can see me?" She joked, something she always did, when she was very nervous.

The other guy ran to her, but she kicked him before he even could touch her, she still had the knife in hand, this big fella didn't say, much, he charged towards her, when that silver blade touched his arm, it made him squirm, "Oh that's just freaking lovely, what are you, a vamp? A wolfie?" She sneered

The moment he showed his, teeth she knew it was a werewolf, the other folks in the cages screamed, as they never saw such a creature.

"So this games rigged? Normal human being and creatures from the night, joining the game"

Surprised the wolf looked at her , a growl "your a hunter?"

Mischievous smile on her lips "why would you say that?" The wolf growled once again, as he charged towards your position, clawing your back, as he flung you against a cage, everything is swimming before her eyes, all you could make out was that she was flung against the beaten up man, he had the bluest eyes, which kind of reminded her about Castiel's eyes.

The wolf like creature came closer, looking for your blood, that's when the man stood up, black coat drenched in blood, unsure if it was his own, or some of the creature's his killed, the last time, his blue orbs, illuminated, bloodshot veins stretched like a roadmap in his eyes , his fangs came out revealing that his a vampire.

Laying there, you where left at the mercy of these two, but you were surprised when the vamp, took ahold of the wolf, smashing his head against the bars, he had this deep old time southern voice "leave her alone"

The man, glared at her and the vamp, picking her up, letting her sway like a sack of potatoes in the air. Ricky quickly came to open the cage, throwing her in by the vampire, "You can have her".

Knowing the open wounds made the situation worse, as it was like a magnet for the vamp, she tried too get up, too defend herself but, in that moment she was too weak.

The vamp, came closer towards her, his features returned to those of a man, his voice kind "I'm not going to hurt you, I'm Benny"

Shocked "Benny, like in Benny Lafitte? Dean's friend?"

He smiled, "I thought I recognized you, saw you once on his lock screen, asked him about this new women in his life, he told me you are the love of his life"

Smirking, "Yeah that's awhile ago I guess"

Confusion written all over his face, but before he could ask, the barn filled with gas, hearing Benny say "its to knock us out so they can take us to the next location" before you could find out more, the knock out gas started taking its toll.

His eyes flutter open, Sam and Cas both sharing the same concerned facial expressions, his voice croaky "what did something happen? Is.." struggling to form the words "is she gone?"

Sam spoke quickly, trying to reassure his big brother "No! We don't know, Cas can't pick up her location"

 Cas spoke "Wherever she's at, must be warded off with sigils"

Dean groaned when he sat up, "we have to save her, I can't loose her"

The three of them turned their heads when they heard the familiar phrase from Crowley "Hello Boys"

Dean immediately got up, pointing a finger at him, "Do you have something to do with her disappearance, tell me now!"

 Crowley gave him a sympathetic look, that lasted about an second "Squirrel I had nothing to do with her, but I know where you can find her"

Dean could not control the anger that intensified in his chest, he smashed Crowley against the nearest wall, his arm pressing against his throat his forest green eyes pierced the black ones, his voice low, and stern "Crowley if your messing with me, I will kill you, I swear I'll kill"

 With the flick of Crowley's fingers Dean flew across the room, he shouts, this whole situation clearly upsetting him as well. "She saved my damn life, why would I want something to happen to her, she cared enough to save me, ME!!!" Crowley shouted.

Sam hurried to help Dean up, recalling the saving Crowley is talking about, he was stuck in a devils trap, bounded with chains around his hands and neck, as some other hunter took out all his anger on Crowley, stabbing him over and over, when she came in, tried talking the man down, but he didn't see any reason as he thought Crowley was to blame for the death of his family, but he wasn't, he had nothing to do with it. As she was talking to this guy, she slowly started  to scratch the round red chalked circle on the floor with the heel of her boots, so that Crowley can break free, the line was finally broken, by clicking his fingers the chains shook loose and fell into a thousand pieces, the other hunter saw what she did, ran towards her, pushed the blade right through her upper torso. That's when Dean and Sam ran into, her for the first time, they where hunting the hunter who they thought was possessed but turns out he had such an amount of rage inside him, that whom ever got in his way, he'd kill.

Dean's harsh voice pulled Sam out of his thoughts, "Where is she Crowley"

"Well not only her , but other people as well, even Werewolves and vampires, you named it they have it, I know the location, but we have to go now," he clears his throat, "there's only one snag, neither can I nor Cass get in their, the damn sigils on the barns wall, wont let us through"

Dean's already halfway across the room, towards the door, "what are we waiting for"

In a matter of seconds the four of them stood In front of the barn on the pig farm, Sam is busy discussing a plan of action but Dean, already pushed the barn doors open, "what the hell Dean" the loudness in Sam's voice makes Dean face him, but he just shakes him off, not answering, too determined to safe her, he walks in, gun in hand, ready for anything, everywhere you look, all the cage doors stands open, not a single trace of anyone, something glistening on the floor catches his eye, its a rose gold chain with a heart shaped locket, he didn't need to turn it around, to see the engraved 'love you always D.W' to know its hers, he opens it anyways, glaring at the picture, both off them laughing, the way they looked at each other, you could feel the electricity, the love they shared, he folds it closed in his fisted hand, his eyes damp with emotion. He runs outside, punches Crowley straight in the face. Cas takes ahold of Dean's arm's demanding him to stop. The defeated look on his face is too much too bare for the three men looking at Dean, disappointed and unsure where to look next they start looking around the farm for clues, for something that can give him a glimpse of hope.

The strong sunrays, burning her eyes, as she opens them, the pain from last night's fight, let's her realize what's happening, she tries too move, but can't, searching for the reason, she sees the rope wrapped around her arms, and waist, too a tree, she tries too wiggle, to get out off the tight grip, that's when she hears a ticking of a clock tick-tock, tick-tock, it sounded incredibly loud, looking up to where the sounds came from, seeing giant speakers blaring the sound of a clock. A rough unpleasant voice spoke, game rules: "Everything goes, you can use any weapon you can find, to kill your opponent, and also remember the last one standing gets too live" he lets out a snotty laugh. "Oh yes, and contestants, we made the first kill very easy, if you can find contestant five, she's tied up and ready to kill, oh and give us a show" he laughs harder, then all of the sudden its dead silence, figuring she's contestant no: five, she'd better think of something to get out if this situation. Her words barely a whisper, "I don't even know why I try, but Cas are you there, Crowley, can someone hear me? Please I need someone"

The rustling of the leaves, let's her know there's someone, maybe it's Cas or Crowley, maybe its someone's who wants to take her as their first kill.

The large man with his black coat walks towards her.

He's voice hushed, "let me get you outta here"

"Oh darn, I'm so thankful its you Benny"

As he unties her, they hear rustling in the bushes, he hands her a knife, and they stand ready for action, back against back, three people came closer, it's the three she shared the cage with, she and Benny suggested they walk behind them, so that the two of them can protect them.

The further they walk the more danger they seem too run into, Benny takes the most werewolves, windigos and Leviathan's , as for you, you take most of the other human beings, who wants to attack the two teenage girls and old man.

You are bruised, beaten and torn up, unsure if your body is covered in your own blood or those of the enemies, you keep on going, grateful, that you had these people to protect, because if you had to be honest, if it weren't for them, you wouldn't fight so hard to survive, every now and then you get flashbacks of how Dean got shot, knowing it was fatal, you don't want to allow yourself to think that he could be really gone, there's this glimmer of hope that he might still be alive, maybe Sam helped him, maybe Cas or Crowley.

 Resting against a tree to catch your breath, you see the blood gushing down your arm, one of the men came at you with a damn axe, and in the fight he threw the axe towards you, pinning you against a tree, it must've been the adrenaline but you wiggled that axe, out of you arm, screaming while throwing it back at him, which ended up between his eyes.  You fell too your knees, the emotion welling up behind your eyes, you get caught off guard when someone or something picks you up in the air. A little weak, and confused all you can see is that your draped over the large man, with multiple tattoos shoulder, it didn't take long, too lose consciousness.

Dean could not believe what he just heard, both Cas and Crowley told him, that they heard you call out too them, they knew where you were, you where caught in Purgatory, damn Purgatory. What the hell is going on. It felt like someone took his very last breath. His been too Purgatory, It's no joke for sure, it changed him, the only person who made him whole was her, his sweetheart and now, now she's going through all of that.

Crowley spoke with his people, which revealed, that the one and only Dick Roman sits behind it all, with a connection in the real world, who takes normal people, of all ages just to make money, and feed his obsession of killing people.

His quiet, as he drives too the place where the portal opens to Purgatory, thinking about all the things there, so many monsters, dangers around every corner. He just hopes, his going to make it in time, she just has too be okay, has to be alive, squinting his eyes as he recalls what he had too do, too survive.

"Sweetheart you awake?" Rolling over too the right side of the bed, emerald green eyes looking back at you, "Baby?"

"Why do you look so surprised sweetheart"

"Uhmmm I'm not really sure, it feels so right yet so wrong" she smiled

Without a single word, Dean cups your face, places his lips on yours, its sweet, it's sensual, yet filled with passion. Breaking the kiss, you look at him, studying his face, the speck of hazel around the black pupil, the way, his freckles runs across his nose, almost like the milky way, the corners of his mouth, that is slightly curled in a smile, his plumps lips, that's slightly swollen from the kiss, the little stubble on his chin and cheeks, the way his jawline just kind of frames his picture perfect face, the way his deep smoky voice fills the air, and your body with a exhilarating energy, "Why are you looking at me like that?" He asked.

Your voice barely audible and brittle, "I just love you, I love you more than life itself"

 His voice calm, but certain "Marry Me"

Your jaw dropped, "What?"

He started to kiss your lips softly, his breathe hot as he said "Yes babe, I want you to be my wife?"

Searching his eyes your lips crept upwards into a smile, your voice sounded more brittle than you intended "Yes, yes Dean Winchester, I'll marry you"

The joy dancing in his green eyes, made you happy, even though a few stray tears rolled over your cheeks.

Feeling like your walking on cloud nine, then all of the sudden, you get this sharp pain in you ribs, unwillingly your eyes flutter open, gasping for air "what the hell?"

Looking around you, seeing your in some kind of room, chains around your wrists, hanging from what looks like the ceiling, clothing blood-soaked. Hair sticking to your face, sweat mixed with blood. Your feet barely touching the floor, it feels as if your arms is getting pulled out of their sockets if you move to much, your throat dry, realizing you must've been passed out, it wasn't really a dream, more like a memory, Dean did ask you too marry him, and then outta nowhere, two days later, you where left standing in the rain, the tears streaming down your face, unsure if it's about the way Dean left things, or the situation your currently thrown in.

Sighing, whispering to no one really "I'm tired, I'm so tired, I can't anymore and I don't want to anymore" head hanging down, looking at the floor, closing your eyes, wishing all this could be over, you heard heavy footsteps, laughter filling the dark air.

His voice smooth "All this turned out better than I could've imagined"

Confused you glare at him "okay, fine you win, get it over with"

Walking closer towards you, big smug on his face, "see, I can't deal with you yet, I know who you are" getting angrier now "I'll finally get my revenge, Dean will watch you die, he wanted to send me here, now I will take something precious from him"

Shocked to hear that he thinks Dean is still alive , she plays along maybe, it's her way out, Scoffing "Well sorry to hear you think he'd be coming to look for me, because we aren't together no more"

He laughs, "oh no, he is already here, searching for you, my men left him a little bread trail, as to where you are"

Furious now, you shake, trying to get loose, shouting "You leave Dean alone, kill me , but let him go please"

Clapping his hands together, "Ah, young love" he laughs harder "I am going to kill you, but Dean needs to watch, then I'll kill Sam, Cas and even Crowley, all while Dean has to watch"

Eyes wide, barely audible "They're all here"

His smug smile never leaving his face "oh yes, all of them, clearly they care, its so pathetic, you humans, you know that?"

Squinting her eyes, trying too fight the tears threatening to spill over, you care about all of them, more than you care to admit.  He just simply walks out of sight. The silence is deafening, the only thing she can hear is her heart racing, Dean's alive, he came looking for her. Somewhere between the excitement of hearing Dean's alive and the spine chilling silence, she lost consciousness.

 They hardly had too beat the crap out of some of the men, on their road to this half torn down, factory like building, all of them agreed, it felt like a trap, but Dean didn't give a damn, he needed to find her, save her and bring her home, he has been cursing himself internally, the whole damn way, if only he didn't freak out, but the moment he realized he wanted to marry her, be her husband, wishing he never said that, went on that hunt, saw how that ghost threw her against the wall, the pain she must've felt, he couldn't bear the thought of her getting hurt or worst getting killed, just because that's what he did, so saying goodbye, felt like the best thing to do, hoping she'll give up hunting, but he should've known better. He should have stayed by her side, he should have discussed his fears, the way he felt, but instead he went and broke her heart.

The four of them split up, there's to many halls, and doors too search, mostly the halls are filled with darkness, its filthy and disgusting, dried splattered blood on the walls, scattered human bones on the cement floors. There's scratching sounds coming from one of the rooms, the gun in Dean's hand is loaded, opening the door, unsure of what he's going to find, he's skin crawling as a bunch of rats, runs past him, some over his feet, slapping against his legs, whispering underneath his breath, "damn filth". He's heart, beating out of his chest, the more he walks in the darkness the more he can feel the darkness entering his mind, his heart, every grain of his very being.

He stopped in his tracks, the moment he saw her, hanging by chain's, her whole body is slumped over, hair covering her face, he can't make out if she's still breathing, for what felt like an eternity, he froze, almost too afraid to take a closer look. Striding closer till he's right in front of her, he gently takes her face in his hands, concern painted on his face, a burning pain in his chest, her beautiful face is bruised, and bloodied, her breathing faint, but still there, his voice hushed "Sweetheart, can you hear me"

Watching her open her eyes, was a beautiful site, she looked tired, a smile across her busted lips, "Dean,"

"Yes sweetheart I'm here, I'm sorry, I love you" he declared.

Sobbing now, "I... I thought I lost you forever"

"Baby, you'll always have me, always you hear me" he pleaded

Before she could answer a couple of men appeared out of the shadows. There were maybe six or seven, Dean got up, in a fighting stance ready to beat the crap out of them, he started punching and kicking his way, through the men, it wasn't until the last one hit the ground that he'd stop, blood splatters across his face, glancing over at her, he hears the familiar voice of Dick Roman "crashing the party are we?"

"Yeah well I didn't receive an invite so thought I'll invite myself" Dean smirked. He drew his gun, knowing it won't really help, but it's more a habit, "What do you want?" He questioned

Crude laughter fills the air, "I want you to pay Dean" he snapped his fingers, more men came running towards Dean, he tried his best, but he was one against, all of them, they over powered him, one clocked him against the head, in his unconscious state, they were tying him to a chair with chains, facing you.

It didn't take long before they were beating you, biting your lower lip, not wanting to give them the pleasure of seeing you in so much pain, you could taste the blood on the tip on your lip.

Dick Roman came walking towards you, dagger in hand, hoping he couldn't see the pain, and fear in your eyes, your eyes pierced his, he didn't say a single word, he pushed that dagger, through the skin and bone, wedging it between your ribs. Your scream filling the dark room.

Dean's eyes flung open, he's jaw clenched, he's voice angered and defeated "NO BABE" he shouted.

"Ah poor Dean Winchester" he laughed

Dean's green eyes, now almost black, "I'm going to kill, I promise you that"

Laughter filled the air, once again, it didn't last long though, surprised he glanced at them, Sam, Cas, Crowley and Benny, all four off them stood their bloodied and beaten, but ready to fight. All four of them started fighting and killing their way towards Dean and you, Crowley was the first one to stand next too Dean, his British voice almost inaudible "This belongs to you" he's face lit up with a sly smile.

Dean looked at him all confused, "I thought you threw this in the sea somewhere"

Crowley just shrugs his shoulders. The moment he placed that blade in Dean's hands he could feel the mark, turning a fiery red, the power pulsing through his veins, it didn't take long for the effects to take control of him, breaking loose out of the chain's, he faces Dick Roman, a smirk on his lips, he's features darkens. Taking that blade right too his chest, he kept going over and over, not stopping for a second, driving the blade further and deeper into his now lifeless body.

Sam tried to make him stop, even Cas, Benny and Crowley, but it didn't work.

Your voice brittle, revealing the pain, "Dean stop, please Baby"

Immediately stopping, he threw the blade down, running towards you, his eyes pleading, his voice soft "Sweetheart I'm so sorry" cupping your face, kissing your lips, holding you close to him, as Cas and Sam unlocks the chains, your body went limb, all you could feel is his hands holding you upright. Staring into his emerald green eyes, mouthing "I love you" the last thing you catches a glimpse off, was the light in his eyes as he replied "I love you too, Sweetheart, come back to me, come home please"

 It's been almost three years since that dreadful day, smiling now, if it weren't for Dean begging Cas to save you, you wouldn't be here baking your husband his birthday pie, getting ready for the barbeque, with your good friends Sam, Cas, Benny and yes even dear old Crowley.

Did you and the Winchester Brothers stop hunting, no, of course not, but the two of you have each other and that's all you'll ever need, whenever your lost, knowing Dean's your lighthouse showing you the way home, with those beautiful green eyes.

[msunitedstatesjames]

I just finished up most of Emmrich's companion quests and oh my god that was amazing. I chose the human ending, and I loved it. Once again, my favorite string of scenes yet in the game.

First of all, Emmrich's voice actor did amazing. Like, wow. We've heard Emmrich be the self assured academic, we've heard him be anxious, we've even heard him be angry, but we got whole new shades of Emmrich in the final Hezenkoss confrontation and Lich choice scenes. We got outrage, we got desperation, we got grief and pain. When Emmrich first tries to stop the lantern and realizes it could kill him, when he begs Manfred to come back as he goes after the lantern, when he begs him to come back again when he searches for his spirit, when he admits that he wouldn't trade Lichdom for having Manfred back, it's all so movingly acted. And you can't forget the "Magic, like you" joy. It can be easy for video games to make you feel excited or interested or generally just content, but feeling joy and grief are harder, and this string of quests pulled it off beautifully, largely because of the voice acting and also the character writing.

I found Emmrich's animation to be really good in these scenes as well. He does a lot of dramatic gesturing, and for whatever reason it just really worked for me. The way he gestures when pleading with Hezenkoss and admitting she was right was great. The hug when Manfred was back was adorable. The look on his face when he realizes he's talking about Manfred like a child was precious. But the one that really got me was when Manfred "dies," and Emmrich puts his hands over his face with that look of utter disbelief and horror. Seeing Emmrich look like that, when he's always so put together, really hits hard.

The little romance moments were great, too. Having Hezenkoss be so pissed off that Emmrich has a lover is gratifying. Rook getting called his "paramour" was amusing. Also, I have to give Hezenkoss some props for at least admitting she would have entombed Rook and Emmrich together when she killed them. That's really a pretty decent thing for a villain to promise, like, she didn't have to do that. It was nice to be able to stand up for Emmrich, too. And that you got to help him make his big decision. But of course the sprinkle on top of this delightful cake was getting to surprise Emmrich into realizing that you're parenting together. How many other Dragon Age couples get to parent together? Only a few that I can think of.

Emmrich's character growth was stunning too. He has to acknowledge that, at least in one way, Hezenkoss was better than him. He admits that he misses her friendship. He has to face down his greatest fear, death, more than once, and while doing so choose the lives of others above his own in a very real way. First he chooses to risk himself to save Hezenkoss's enemies, and Rook, and Nevarra City. Then, he literally chooses eventual death in order to save Manfred. He also realizes that he was stronger than he believed himself to be, both in magic and in courage. And in the end he can admit that though he has regrets, he knows he made the right choice. I haven't played or watched the other ending, but it feels right somehow for Emmrich to embrace his deep compassion this way.

As for Hezenkoss, there's a certain poetic justice to her being ended by a ragtag team of Emmrich's "ridiculous skeleton," Emmrich's lover, spirits she personally tormented, and her former friend turned foil, Emmrich the death fearing necromancer. I still love her as a whacky villain. Who knows what evils her escaped undead hand is getting up to now?

If I haven't blabbed enough about how amazing these quests were, they were also just the most exhilarating in the game for me so far. I think all of the reasons listed above just combined really well together to make this quest super suspenseful. I really cared about Emmrich as a character, so I really cared about his fate. Even though you logically knew he wouldn't die in this quest, it still felt very high stakes. There was exciting music, dozens of lives at stake including Emmrich and Manfred, and as I've mentioned before, top tier voice acting. I was gasping and kicking my feet in excitement at all the right moments. It strings you right along from suspense, to excitement, to dread, to shock, to triumph, to grief, to joy, to a pleasant contentment.

I couldn't stop playing this string of quests, which was extremely unfortunate for Bellara because right before this she told Rook they needed to go after her brother immediately, and then I instead forced her to tag along and help Rook defeat her boyfriend's rival.

Anyway, I'm still reeling from the excitement of it all. I hope the end of this game is really good because it's gonna be hard to live up to this bunch of quests.

(Sidenote: How horrified would the Southern Templars be to find out an extremely powerful death mage, his Spelblade Tevinter mage girlfriend, and their reanimated skeleton son (inhabited by a spirit of curiosity and gifted with death magic) are running around Thedas fighting gods?)

[osleeplessflowero]

Day 1: Decorating + Pumpkin Carving🎃

You wake up in your bed a liiiittle bit too early, but once you remember that it's now officially October, you couldn't bring yourself to go back to sleep.

Since the universe decided to wake you up on its own, you're gonna make it everyone's problem.

You get up from the bed, changing into your clothes for the day and immediately walking to Killer's room, knocking on the door for a bit before it opens to reveal a just-woken-up Killer, rubbing his eyesockets.

"huh- what- what's going on- did nightmare need us to go out or something-"

"Good morning, Killer-"

"oh, hey. so what's the reason for waking me up?"

"It's October- We must decorate for Halloween!"

"..this early?"

"Yes, this early. We should decorate the castle before everyone wakes up to surprise them. And you were the first person I could think of to join me." 

"...can we set up pranks for everyone-"

"Yes, Killer- But they have to be on theme, remember that."

"i can work with that. okay, let me change-"

You wait outside his door as he changes into his usual attire, before walking out of his room and spinning his knife around.

"where to first?"

You eagerly grab his hand and run to your room, grabbing a few boxes of decorations you've been saving since you started living at the castle. 

"we're probably gonna need more than that-"

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it. Now hold this." You hand him a fake spider web, moving the boxes out into the hall.

He simply chuckles and walks out after you, leaning back a bit before jumping up and hanging the spider web along the wall.

You take some smaller props and place them around, like small obviously-fake spiders in the most random places you could think of.

"what are the pumpkins for? like these are real."

"We're gonna carve them, obviously-"

"you still carve pumpkins?"

"Uh, obviously- come on, it could be fun. And I'm sure you'd be able to carve one with ease considering your skills."

Killer looks at his knife before looking back to you.

"yeah, alright. just let me move 'em before they get smashed or something."

You look through the box, putting up some mini (properly clothed) skeletons. (If they weren't, that'd certainly be scandalous..)

Killer takes some more of the spider web material, hanging it around Dust's doorway and taking some mini spiders from you, placing them in it. 

"How's this one gonna work?"

"simple. opens the door, face-to-face with spiders in a tired state. let the chaos commence."

"I like it-"

You take some toilet paper and throw it around, jumping up and trying to make sure it stays in place, dangling above the two of you. You tend to fall a few times until Killer just uses his magic to lift you up via your soul, which makes things easier. Once you've hung it up properly, you give him a thumbs up, and he puts you down to grab something else. 

You dim the lights in the halls, hanging up some pumpkin lights once Killer lifts you again, illuminating the hallways with a calm orange glow. A nice contrast to the usual color. 

You place some bats above the skeletons' doors as Killer sets up a can of silly string to go off in front of Horror's.

You pour out some fake blood under your door, putting some caution tape around it for both the effect and so no one steps in it while it dries. 

"Oh, I missed a bat- Killer, help me-"

"again?" 

"Yes."

He lifts you up. 

"where?"

"Nightmare's door."

"you got a death wish?"

"Might. It'd be fun-"

"if you say so." He lifts you over to Nightmare's door, and you carefully hang the bat above it. The door to his room is fairly big, so it's difficult to reach the top without assistance. 

As you carefully adjust the bat, Nightmare's door opens and you pull your knees up. 

"The hell's going on out here?" He observes the decorations you've placed. 

Killer, having not been paying attention, is startled and loses focus, letting go of his hold on your soul. 

You fall down with a surprised scream, before Nightmare catches you in his arms. 

"Morning, Night. Nice save." You smile at him before he puts you down. 

"Morning. Now answer my question."

"We're decorating for Halloween since it's October. So far we've only decorated this hallway, but we're gonna move to the other spaces." 

"Isn't it awfully early for something like that?"

"It's never too early."

"If you say so. Just don't decorate my office, I like keeping it clean."

"you've got it, boss-" 

"ah fuck- KILLER-"

"oh hey, dust woke up-"

"I didn't think you enjoyed Halloween this much." Nightmare turns to you.

"Halloween's super fun! Eating candy, dressing up in costumes, decorating, watching horror movies, carving pumpkins- there's lots you can do."

"Hmm..fair enough. Well, just keep doing what you're doing, I'll allow it as long as it doesn't mess up my work."

"You got it." You give him a mock salute as he makes his way to the kitchen to get some coffee.

"i thought he wouldn't like it."

"Same-"

Dust walks out of his room after cutting down the webs around his doorway, stepping out.

"like that one, dust? i put a lot of work into it."

"not your best work."

"oh COME ON-" 

Horror exits shortly after, unfazed by the amount of silly string that just shot all over him. 

"oh..is it halloween? did i miss a couple of days?" He puts his head up to the side of his skull that doesn't have a crack in it. 

"No no, it's only the first of October, Horror. You're good." 

"oh, good. can i help you?" He looks at you specifically, ignoring the other skeletons in the room.

"Of course- before we continue decorating the rest of the castle..why don't we take a break to do some pumpkin carving? We could show off our work to each other."

"i haven't done that in..years-"

"come on guys, we can see which one of us has the best design."

You motion for everyone to follow you, picking up one of the pumpkins you bought. Killer grabs two of them, and Horror holds one with ease. Dust didn't care to carry anything, so he just followed along. 

You make your way into the kitchen, sitting the pumpkins down on the table in there, before grabbing some knives and carving kits. You lay out some old newspapers and place the pumpkins on them.

"So do you guys wanna just wing it or follow a pattern on one of these sheets?"

"wing it, it's more creative." Killer points finger guns at you.

"Improvising it is." You close the small book of patterns, cutting the top off of your pumpkin of choice. 

Horror stands beside you to watch, the other skeletons across from you doing the same thing to their pumpkins. 

"Alright, time for the gross part." You reach your hand into the pumpkin, beginning to remove the seeds. 

"don't they make like..scoops for this-" Dust observes you.

"Yeah but it's kinda fun to do it with your hands, even if it's a bit gross. There should be scoops over there with the kit if you guys wanna use them, though."

Horror completely ignores them and just shoves his hand into his pumpkin, doing the same thing you are, pulling out the seeds and guts.

This process continues for a while until everyone's cleaned out their pumpkins, beginning the process. 

Killer decides to go for a cat design, Dust keeping it simple and carving out a classic face with triangle eyes. Horror decided to make the pumpkin into a house, adjusting it to build a small door on the side. He then places a mini pumpkin you got as a decoration in there, drawing a face on it with a sharpie. 

"is that a reference to the one meme-"

"yes."

"nice-"

"mhm."

You stand there a moment, trying to think of what you want to carve onto your pumpkin. What to choose, what to choose..

Then an idea hits you, and you get to work, using the carving kit for more precise carving. When everyone finishes theirs, they try to peek and see what you're working on, but you turn the pumpkin away. 

"Eyelights off until I'm done."

"the curiosity is killing me- let me seee-"

"Nope, not until it's done, Killer." 

Nightmare enters the room, leaning on the counter to observe the group. 

"Alright, there." 

You turn your pumpkin around so everyone can see, showcasing some mini skeletons, each carved to look like members of the group. 

"Like it?"

Killer gives you some thumbs up, Dust gives you a small smile, and Horror admires your craftsmanship. 

Nightmare puts his hand over his mouth, not showing the smile beneath it at your goofy little carvings. 

"I've succeeded then- we've got our pumpkins for the month. Let's go put them outside- last one out's a rotten egg!" You run out holding your pumpkin, the others chasing you down, and Nightmare walking behind each of you with an amused look. 

Everyone having fun is a nice change of pace. He'll let them have this.

[ao3 link :)] <

// WOW y'all like this one. Maybe I should make more "Bad" Sanses oneshots while I work on LOVE AND JUSTICE since it's focused on them-

Part 2 here!

[misseviehyde]

REMOTE REWRITE

Part 1 - Finders Keepers

Cindy laughed when she found the weird remote control in an old cardboard box in the attic. Someone had gone to a lot of time and effort to add new buttons and wires to it - sellotaping extra batteries and bits of random electronics onto the housing.  They had even changed out the original buttons and put new ones on that said strange things like, "Body swap" and "Memory transfer"

"What's that you found?" asked her boyfriend Jack as he walked into her room and saw her playing with the remote.  

"This?  Oh just some weird remote I found hidden in an old cardboard box.  I knew there was lots of old wires and junk in here and I needed some stuff for my science project."

Jack frowned, "Is that the same science project the teacher paired you up with Kenna for?  Did you speak to him about changing partners?"

Cindy's face wrinkled at the name of her bully. She'd tried to explain to Mr Brown that Kenna had been picking on her since she was little and to request someone else to work with, but the teacher had insisted she go through with it.

"Yeah, but he just said it would be a good opportunity to try and get to know her better.  Gah - I hate that bitch - she'll make me do all the work and she won't show any gratitude for it."

"Pity you can't work with someone else," he shrugged.  "Look on the bright side. Maybe she'll go easy on you for a while if you work with her."

"And maybe she'll just be an even bigger bitch to me cos we're stuck together," muttered Cindy still looking at the remote.  She experimentally pressed a button and to her surprise the remote lit up.

"Hey this thing has juice.  Shall we try it out? Imagine if we really could swap bodies.  It would be pretty fascinating I guess." 

Pointing the remote at Jack she pressed the body-swap button and it beeped. She was just messing about and she didn't really expect anything to happen of course.  But suddenly there was a flash of light and in an instant her world went dizzy.  There was a dull rushing in her ears, then a feeling of weightlessness. To her horror she could feel herself being dragged out of her body. For a moment she was moving very fast and being pulled sideways...  then WHAM, the world reoriented itself

"Cindy, what happened?" squeaked a panicked voice and she whirled to see her own body looking down at itself in horror.   "Oh my God, we actually swapped bodies.  The remote actually works!"

Cindy was stunned.  Looking down she saw that she was now in her boyfriends body.  She walked over to the mirror, staggering slightly at the unfamiliar way her hips now seemed to work, and she gazed at herself in astonishment. She ran her now larger hands over her new body, not quite able to believe that this was real and she was now a man.

"Oh my God Jack, this is incredible."  

Jack gulped and prodded his face.  He ran his fingers through Cindy's long black hair and shook his head in denial.  "This has to be a dream or something.  Body-swapping isn't possible."  He looked down at her chest and gulped.  "I... I have your boobs."

"Apparently body-swapping IS possible when you have a magic remote," mused Cindy. "You still have the remote in your hand, you'll need to swap us back."

Jack looked down at her hands then stabbed the controls. There was another moment of dislocation - a sense of disembodiment before the two of them were safely back in their normal bodies.

Cindy felt her skin prickle as she settled back inside herself and she patted her body and grinned.  Her heart pounded with excitement as she looked at her boyfriend who was looking completely bewildered by the experience.

"Oh my God," sighed Jack in relief, "I can't believe that really happened."

"Neither can I," laughed Cindy her eyes shining brightly as she held up the remote. "This device is going to revolutionise our lives. I just need to figure out how!"

    **************

Part 2:  Bullied

Cindy was nearly late for school.  She'd spent far too long gloating over the remote but at the last minute her Mom reminded her she was running late and she hurriedly got ready.  She quickly shoved the remote into her bag, deciding it might be useful at school - and ran to the bus stop; only just getting on board in time.  Panting for breath she quickly sat in her seat, hearing the sniggers from her classmates as they looked at her red face.  The temptation to take out the remote and zap some of them was strong, but she restrained herself.  The power of the remote was immense and she'd promised herself she'd use the power responsibly. Using the mind control button to make them all believe they were dogs or something might have been amusing, but it would have drawn unwanted attention.

It was hard to think about school when she had such an amazing secret. Her head was spinning with all the possibilities she could explore with the remote- but her joyous mood was instantly crushed as she found her new lab partner Kenna waiting for her and she remembered that she was partnered up with the bitch.   

Kenna looked amazing as always, though her uniform was hardly regulation.  Nor was her hair, makeup or nails - but unfortunately her Daddy had donated huge amounts to the school - which meant she got away with pretty much whatever she wanted.  Now Kenna was eyeing Cindy like she was a piece of shit on the bottom of one of her high heels.

"OMG - I can't believe that idiot Mr Brown put me with the biggest fucking loser in the class," snorted Kenna as she sat next to Cindy and eyed her with disgust.  "Why a freak like you should get to work with someone like me, I don't know."  Rudely ignoring Cindy, she turned her body 90 degrees so that it was clear she wanted nothing to do to her and promptly got out her phone and began to browse it. 

Cindy stared at the back of Kenna's beautiful blonde head.  The bitch was infuriating.  She was one of those irritating sluts who had it all.  Her Mom and Dad were rich and well connected... she had been born with natural good looks and athletic ability.  Sure, Kenna's grades were average - but she was no bimbo and with her Daddy's connections, she would definitely go to college.

For someone like Cindy who had, had to work hard all her life - sitting next to this pampered blonde princess was as frustrating as hell. It was true that Kenna was beautiful.  Other girls would kill to look like her, and the blonde bully knew it.  It was partly why she acted like such a bitch. Cindy grit her teeth as Kenna waved at Olivia and Madison her two best-friends and made a fake holding-her-nose gesture as if to suggest Cindy smelt bad.  The other girls dutifully giggled as the bully turned back to Cindy and twirling a piece of gum around her finger.

Seeing her friends were watching her, a malicious smile crept over Kenna's face and she winked at her subordinates.  "Hey Cindy, your hair could do with a wash," she laughed as she pushed the gum deep into Cindy's hair so it tangled and caught in the strands of her hair.

"What - you bitch!" screamed Cindy as she tried to pull the gum out and sobbed as she realised it had stuck to her hair.  She'd probably have to cut it out to get it off.  She sobbed harder as the teacher began to walk over.

Leaning over to whisper in her victims ear, Kenna hissed as she whispered, "You say anything and you're fucking dead.  Me and the girls will get you after school." She dug her claw-like acrylics into Cindy's leg as she spoke and looked up with fake concern in her pretty face.

"Mr Brown, my friend is upset about something. I think she needs to leave the class for today. Can Madison sit with me instead?"

Mr Brown sighed as he saw the weeping Cindy. "No Kenna, I told you.  You aren't working with your friends this time.  You and Cindy need to work as a team."

Kenna scowled and rolled her eyes.  "Whatever."

"If you need a moment to go to the bathrrom, you may do so Cindy," said Mr Brown and with a final sob, Cindy turned and fled.  

******

It was after class and a red-eyed Cindy had finally managed to cut the gum out of her hair with some nail scissors.  Feeling a burning rage inside, she realised she couldn't go through another three weeks of this hell.  She couldn't be partners with Kenna - it would kill her.

She was walking home from school dejectedly when Jack caught up with her.  He sighed as he saw her. 

"What's wrong?  Why didn't you wait for me. Ohhhh is it Kenna again?"

She nodded, a determined angry look in her eye.  "Yep.  Only this time the bitch doesn't know who she is messing with.  Not now we have the magic remote."  She told Jack about the gum and the bullying she'd endured in Science that day.  His jaw grew grim as he listened.

Jack nodded in agreement as she finished her tale.  "What a fucking bitch, we need to use the remote on her to get revenge.  But how?  Mind control her with the remote?"

Cindy thought for a moment.  "I guess the remote can force people to follow instructions - but it doesn't change how they are inside.  For instance you could tell someone to be nice to everyone they met, but inside their head they would still be mean. I want to force her to change. We need a better idea."

Jack's eyes suddenly lit up with inspiration.

"Hmmmmm, the thing that Kenna would hate most in the world is losing her beauty, wealth and status and having to slum it with the rest of us.  How about a body-swap? We could make her switch with me!  She'd hate it!"

"Really?" gasped Cindy suddenly nervous.  "You'd really want to swap with that slut?"

"It would only be for a few days. We swap bodies and set some instructions that means she can't tell anyone she's not really me or get any help.  After being me for a few days till she'll be desperate to switch back.  She'll soon have realised the error of her ways."

Cindy bit her lip uncertainly.  It sounded like a good plan, but there was something about it that made her feel uneasy.  Maybe it was the thought of her loving boyfriend being inside her worst enemy.  It was definitely weird.

"I'll even be able to work with you on the science project," grinned Jack.  "Come on, let's go find Kenna and make this happen."

****

Part 3:  The swap

Getting Kenna alone was easier than they'd thought.  She was constantly posting on social media and after triangulating her location via the photos and places she'd checked into - Jack worked out she'd been to the Mall with her flunkies and was heading home.  Kenna's house was a little further than everyone else's and sure enough she was walking down the road on her own with a load of shopping bags. 

Stepping out into the street, Jack grinned as he pointed the remote at Kenna.

"Eugh, what the fuck are you losers doing in my street?" sneered Kenna.  "What the fuck is that?  Am I supposed to be scared or something... did your dumb girlfriend Cindy put you up to this bitch-boy?"

Jack ignored the insults and just pressed the buttons.  There was a beeping noise and then both of them shook as the body-swap began.

Cindy watched nervously as both Kenna and Jack's body's suddenly went limp.  They remained standing, but arms and heads dropped forward like they had both been put into a trance. She caught the remote control just in time as it slipped from Jack's open hands and she stood back to watch in fascination.  

The transfer only took an instant, then both bodies jerked like puppets.  Groaning in unison and blinking rapidly, both bodies began to move again.  'Kenna's' was the quickest to recover - or at least Jack had been more prepared for what to expect. 

"Oh my God, it worked," he groaned as he looked down at his new body and saw he was now in a tight white top and short black skirt. "Quick, use the remote on the real Kenna before she works out what is happening."

Cindy whirled and blasted the startled and slightly horrified 'Jack' with the mind control button on the remote before he could react and a blank, empty expression appeared on his face.

"Okay listen up Kenna.  We've body-swapped you and Jack as a punishment and you aren't getting your body back till you learn some manners.  So here are some instructions.  One - you are physically unable to tell anyone what we've done to you, by any means - written, verbal or un-verbal.  Two - from now on you can only refer to yourself as Jack.  Three - you can't hurt, threaten or bully either me or Jack in your body.  Four - You have to do anything me or Jack in your body tells you to do.  Five - you can't touch or use this remote under any circumstances. Six - you can't do anything deliberate to hurt or embarrass Jack's body or reputation at school."

There was a beep as the instructions locked and the hypnosis deactivated.  The dazed look vanished from 'Jack's face and he looked down at himself in absolute horror.

"You... you fucking losers," groaned the new Jack in outrage - his eyes wild and the anguish on his face almost heart-wrenching to see.  "This is disgusting! Give me back my beautiful body."

The new Kenna laughed and shook her pretty blonde head.  "No way - not after the way you've treated Cindy today.  I'm going to stay in here until you've learned your lesson. Now stop being a brat and calm down.

"You freaks!  You'll never get away with this," raged 'Jack' as he fell to his knees in shock.  "This is like totally illegal.  I'm going to fucking sue you both once I get out of here.  My Daddy is going to fucking kill you both."  Jack's voice was several octaves higher as the possessing spirit of Kenna forced it talk in a ditzy way.  It sounded so weird.

"Jack - no one is going to believe that is you if she keeps talking like that.  She's got such a dirty mouth and she talks like a dumb Valley girl.  What are we going to do?"

Jack pursed his new soft lips,  "I suppose people will rumble me too unless I start talking like her, but I don't have the first idea of how to impersonate her.  Hmmm, maybe we can use the memory transfer to swap our styles of speaking?"

Cindy hesitated.  The memory transfer sounded a little dangerous to her.  The button allowed you to swap memories with another person - gaining their knowledge and experience - but the downside was you lost some of your own memories as they went into the other persons head.  Jack could use the remote to change his way of talking to be exactly like Kenna's, but he would lose his ability to talk like himself.

"It's okay, I can change it back before we swap back," he grinned taking the remote from Cindy and pointing it at the real Kenna in his body.  He pushed a button and groaned as his eyes rolled up slightly into his head.  

"Ohhhh fuck, that's like such a total fucking rush..."

Jack's pretty new hand flew up to his sexy mouth at the hot filth coming out, then he giggled and grinned. "OMG - I sound like totally like her!"

"What! I'm sure I do not sound like that," grunted Kenna from her male body as she put her hands on her hips in a super feminine gesture.  "Oh goodness, maybe I do?  Hey, why am I talking exactly like you?"

"Duuuuuh, cos we fucking swapped memories you dumb bitch," laughed Jack.  "And that's not all we're like swapping.  There's no fucking way anyone is like gonna think you're a boy when you're walking around all hips and hand gestures like that."

He stabbed the remote again and Kenna and him both groaned as their memories exchanged.  A life-time of experience of a female body posture was instantly transferred and Jack's uncomfortable posture in his new body faded as his body language became instantly feminine.

"Oooh that's totes better," he giggled strutting backwards and forwards effortlessly in Kenna's wedge heels.  "I feel like soooo much more comfortable in here already."

"No!  Give me back those memories," sobbed Kenna as she looked down at her now masculine body posture and the reality of what was happening struck again.  "Why are you doing this to me you bullies?"

Jack giggled again - the sound grating slightly on Cindy's nerves - and he tossed back his new blonde hair with an effortless gesture.  "Cos you were a total fucking skank who deserved to find out how it feels to be a nobody loser." 

Cindy was shocked at how mean her boyfriend sounded now he was Kenna, but she continued "What she... I mean he, is trying to say is that you're the bully, not us.  You've picked on me since I was little and now you're going to learn some humility.  A few days as Jack should teach you a lesson you'll never forget.  Now you're going to spend a few days as my boyfriend and at the end of it, if you can show us that you've changed - then we'll put you back.  It's not like you have a choice."

"Okay - fine," spat Kenna.  "I'll behave and be a good girl... I mean boy."

"You better bitch," giggled Jack. "Now like lets go look at Kenna's house. Now I'm inside her, we can finally get a look at her fancy mansion home.  I'll just tell her parents you're my friends come for a study session."

The real Kenna pouted, "Do we have to?  I don't want to go home like this."

"That's too bad loser," laughed Jack.  "Come on - it's only over here..."

******

Part 4: Home sweet home

Cindy's heart was racing as Jack used Kenna's key from her handbag to open the door and let them into the huge mansion she called home.  A beautiful woman appeared in the hallway instantly, eyes partly glued to a tablet as she casually looked up to take in the trio and without preamble launched into conversation. "Kenna I want you to tell me what you think of these dresses, I want to buy a new summer wardrobe. " 

"Mom," gasped the real Kenna in Jack's deep voice as the woman lifted a beautiful eyebrow in confusion to see the gawping boy.

"Excuse me young man, do I know you?"

For a moment Cindy felt panic, the real Kenna was going to blow their cover completely.  Then she remembered the instructions she'd put into Kenna and felt relief as her bully realised her mistake and the prohibition against revealing herself intentionally, kicked in.  "No, I'm a friend of Kenna's.  Sorry Mrs Jones."

Kenna's Mum snorted,  she was clearly as rude and self-absorbed as her daughter.  "Darling, who are these strays you've brought with you.  Where are Madison and Olivia?"

"Oh these are just some people from school, Mr Brown is making me work with them on a science project."

"Oh really," sneered Mrs Jones.  "Do you want me to get your Daddy to speak to the school.  I don't want my daughter being forced to associate with her lessers."

"No it's fine Mommy, we're just going up to my room to study."

If it was a problem that Kenna was bringing a boy to her room, her Mom didn't show it and Jack, Kenna and Cindy made their way upstairs to Kenna's amazing bedroom.  It was huge... with a massive bed and full length wardrobe space.  Expensive clothing and makeup were neatly arranged and there was an entire section of cubby holes for Kenna's sexy shoes.  It was like something a spoiled princess would have for a room.

"Oh wow, this is totally amazing," giggled Jack as he excitedly ran into the room.  "Look at all this fucking stuff, and it's all MINE!"

"Get real. You don't even know what half this stuff is," sneered Kenna folding her arms in a masculine posture.  "You probably don't even know how to use makeup to contour properly!"

"Like maybe I don't right now bitch, - but I totally will in a second," grinned Jack blasting Kenna again with the memory swap button.  "Oooooh yeah, all your memories of how to do makeup, how to dress like you and how to be a spoiled Princess are becoming mine. Mmmmmh, your memories are so fucking tasty Kenna.  Think I'll take all of them."

"NOOOOO!" screamed the real Kenna as she gripped her head and tried to remember who she was.

"Yessss, give me more of your memories bitch. All those years of being a mean, stuck-up bully.  All that experience of how to manipulate people, coerce them and make them fucking crawl to serve you are mine now.  Mmmmh I love it."

Jack's eyes were rolling in his pretty new head and Cindy shivered. It looked almost like he was having an orgasm and every time he took more memories from Kenna, he seemed less and less Jack and more and more like her.  By contrast, the real Kenna seemed subdued and calm... much like Jack normally was. 

Cindy frowned and took a step forward to her boyfriend.  "Don't you think you better stop swapping memories with Kenna.  Surely you have everything you need now?"

"You have no idea how delicious it feels to be Kenna" grinned Jack.  "I wanna suck out all her memories.  The more I become like her... the more I absorb of Kenna, the more I realise how superior and hot it feels to be her.  Mmmmh, it feels great to be the bully. I feel like such a hot fucking bitch. It's sooooo addictive. I want more!"

"Jack I think maybe you went a bit far, maybe we should stop this..."

Cindy reached out to try and take the remote from her boyfriend.  This was getting out of hand and she was starting to feel afraid.

"Oh I don't think so loser," giggled Jack nastily as he pushed a button on the remote and Cindy gasped as her entire body froze.  "I'm just getting started!"

Cindy squealed as she tried to move, but her entire body was frozen rigid.  She watched helplessly as her boyfriend advanced on the original Kenna quaking in his body.

"Yessss! No one can stop me now. I'm going to transfer EVERYTHING!  I'm going to take every remaining memory from your head Kenna. You'll forget you were ever the hot slutty bully and you'll believe you were always Jack. You and I are going to completely swap personalities and it's going to feel so fucking good.  Well for me anyway.  I can't wait to over-write the remaining parts of Jack's pathetic personality with your own.  Then when I'm fully ME again, I can deal with that bitch Cindy.  The remote is mine now and I'm going to have so much fun using it."

Cindy wanted to scream in her head, her boyfriend... her beautiful boyfriend had been completely corrupted by Kenna's evil memories.  She watched as he pressed a button and the remote beeped.

"OH FUCK YES!"

Jack shook in Kenna's hot body, his mouth wide open in a scream of pleasure as his eyes rolled up into his head.  Pink light surrounded him whilst in Jack's body the original Kenna thrashed and moaned as her memories were torn from her mind and everything that had once been her was transferred to Jack. 

As their identities fully exchanged, their sense of self shifted.  The new Kenna moaned as her corruption completed itself and the final remnants of Jack's personality and mind were ripped from her brain.  She was finally complete.  The memory and body transfer were finally complete.

"Mmmmmh, it feels so good to be whole," giggled the bully as she examined herself happily whilst the new Jack steadied himself against the wall.  "God, I can't actually believe that I was once a stupid nerdy boy.  So glad all those memories and thoughts have been deleted from my mind."

Pointing the remote, Kenna laughed as she froze the new Jack and looked at her two victims.

"Well, I think it's like totally time to wipe your memories of this remote and what has happened. Neither of you are gonna remember anything about any of this.  Haha, ohhhh and I have some great ideas for some extra programming to put into your minds.  Here we go!"

There was a blinding flash as Kenna pushed the buttons and both Cindy and Jack groaned as their minds went completely blank.

**********************************

Part 5 - New lives

Pulling back the sheets to her bed, Cindy blushed and sobbed as she saw she'd wet the bed again. "No, no NO!" she cried unhappily at the mess she'd created.  Why did this keep happening to her?  She'd never had problems like this before, but it was like something had changed recently and now she was a nervous wreck.  It felt like an evil voice was in her mind whispering into her subconscious and making her into a pathetic victim.

Maybe it was Kenna.  Since that bitch had stolen Jack from her she'd really struggled to cope.  She couldn't believe her formerly nerdy boyfriend had become such an asshole seemingly over-night. He'd lost all interest in his former hobbies and started working out down the gym.  Within a couple of months he'd been the most ripped boy at school and had turned into an aggressive, over-confident jerk.  Now he and Kenna were the schools power-couple - he'd dumped Cindy as soon as he possibly could and was dating that bitch instead.  

Meanwhile Kenna seemed more powerful than ever.  It was like she had some sort of increased power over everyone and she was twice as mean and evil as she used to be. She loved to flaunt her sexy body and spoiled life more than ever and anyone who got in her way seemed to have terrible accidents or develop strange nervous ticks, habits or interests.

If Cindy hadn't have known better, she'd have said Kenna had someway to mind control and manipulate people however she saw fit.  But of course that sort of thing was impossible.

Wasn't it?

THE END

[jinnie-ret]

oddinary house pt 6

fairy!felix x reader

genre: horror

content warnings: none

word count: 1.5k

summary: y/n finally finds a moment of peace amongst all of the chaos, and gets more information about Oddinary House

ODDINARY HOUSE MASTERLIST

MAIN MASTERLIST

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Y/N continued to trudge into the foresty depths, bringing a storm of anger and grief with her. She kicked a rock angrily, watching as it flew towards some willow trees. With a closer look, she realised she very nearly hit someone who was crouched down on the ground beneath them, but they seemed too engrossed into something to notice her watching them.

Could it be? No, there wouldn't be a fairy amongst the other residents she had met here, right? They were too big to be a fairy, but she couldn't deny the beauty she saw in its nearly translucent wings, which sparkled underneath the light of the moon, the slightest pink hue to them. As she stepped closer, she could see the bleach blonde hair that adorned the individual, and some fireflies which flew around them in the ultimate scene of peace. Y/N hoped she'd find some peace there too.

The fairy, she had come to the conclusion of, seemed to be making something, tinkering away with concentration. When she gently sat down on the ground, in order to not distract them from their work, Y/N could just about make out their lips pursed in concentration, and she could hear them humming as their hands did all the magic.

"There, all done!" the fairy cheered to himself, standing up in victory but then shrieking at the sight of Y/N who had been sat there for the past 5 minutes. Because of this, as a defense mechanism he shrank into a much more smaller fairy form and darted upwards into the trees, the mini project he had been working on abandoned on the ground.

"Oh, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to scare you!" Y/N felt guilty as she scrambled up, moving forwards a few steps before looking up into the trees as she did so. "It was just, umm, calming watching you work," she sighed as she sat back down.

Realising she wasn't a threat, the fairy flew back in front of her, landing beside her and morphing back to his original size.

"What were you making?" Y/N asked the man in front of her, who had big brown eyes that didn't only bare into her soul, but her heart too. There was something about him that told her he would never let her get hurt, kindness shining through.

"I was making a satchel for my Binnie hyung. He always ends up losing some stardust and then he feels guilty after not being able to give dreams to children," the fairy shockingly had a deep voice, making Y/N internally laugh at the contrast between his innocent appearance and low voice.

"Oh... Changbin?" Y/N double checked, wondering if they were talking about the same person. It made sense after all, he had granted her a dream of her own.

"You know him?" the fairy stared at her shocked, absentmindedly fiddling with the strap of the satchel as he was feeling curious at who was sat in front of him.

"Yeah he helped me realise a lot of things..." Y/N breathed out, fiddling with the leaves on the ground and ultimately shrinking into herself more with fear when she couldn't even feel the coldness of the damp ground anymore. Was her life slowly but surely fading away?

"Oh my!" the fairy suddenly gasped, making YN jump out of her comfortable silence. "I haven't even introduce myself! I'm Felix," he grinned at her, eyes disappearing from how big his smile was.

"Hi, I'm Y/N," she politely greeted back, not able to return the warmth as much with all the things going on in her head.

"You're Y/N? Oh why didn't hyungs tell me you were here, stupid..." Felix began to mumble under his breath before speaking up once more. "Wait, but you're... you're..."

"Dead?" Y/N let out a bitter laugh. "I know, didn't really score lucky did I?" she huffed. If this house was promised as a place she was meant to be, like Changbin had told her, then why? Was this her fate?

"Jisung better have kept those candles lit!" Felix tutted as if the chupacabra was right in front of him, cutely huffing as his small fists scrunched together.

"Why?" Y/N rose an eyebrow at Felix, not quite understanding the significance of the candles.

"They help preserve you, Y/N," Felix explained seriously. He had noticed her ghostly glow straight away, it was hard to miss.

"Oh, yeah he did do that..." Y/N realised with a smile on her face, realising Jisung really did have pure intentions and was trying to help her, despite their bickering. "How did you end up here, Felix?"

"Ah, well, to cut a long story short, I was sent away from my homeland as a sort of task? Chore? I needed to use my magic to heal, and ever since then I sort of just remained here. We've... we've seen a lot in our time here," Felix reminisced as he spoke, his last words with an ominous tone. His wings even wilted and pointed downwards making Y/N feel as if something bad had happened.

"Healing? Oh, but you're making something I didn't think you'd be able to..." Y/N trailed off, confusion lacing her voice as she wondered if she had gotten the wrong end of the stick.

"Crafting, making things, it's my secondary power. I, umm, there was a time when I had to use my healing powers too much, it drained my magical core and..." Felix shook his head, brushing away his dark memories he had faced in his time of living at Oddinary House. Yet with a small shake of his body he brought a smile back onto his own face, not wanting to delve too deeply in that moment.

"Oh Felix I'm sorry!" Y/N gasped, feeling upset for him. His magical core being drained didn't sound like a good thing at all.

"It's ok, Jisung brought me back, just like he will with you. The only issue for me was that my secondary power became my primary one. So now I've sort of got myself a little workshop for the guys. Just the other day I made Minho hyung a claw sharpener... And Jeongin a pretty glass," Felix proudly spoke of how he used his crafting powers to help out the other residents. A sparkly glow seemed to emanate from around him the more happier he was.

"Oh, who's Jeongin? I haven't met him yet," Y/N pondered, looking off to the side as she thought, who was Jeongin?

"Really? I would have thought he'd reveal himself by now... what is he up to..." Felix was clearly shocked that she hadn't met Jeongin yet. "I'm sure you've seen him around you just haven't realised it yet!" Felix added on.

"Hmmm, maybe..." Y/N thought out loud, but she was sure she would have remembered meeting the other resident.

"Who have you met so far?" Felix pushed for an answer, feeling curious as to who was left. So much so, he shifted how he was sat to be directly facing her.

"Chan, Minho, Changbin, Hyunjin..." Y/N shuddered before she could finish.

"Classic Hyunjin," Felix sighed, putting two and two together as to why Y/N felt so uncomfortable even at the mention of his name.

"What?! Pushing people to their deaths? Is that his go to greeting, huh?" Y/N said incredulously. Felix waved his hands as if to try and quieten her before explaining further.

"Hyunjin has a particular... he has his own morals, let's say," he wore a sheepish expression on his face, wanting to defend his friend who could often be cold to new people.

"Ok... I'll take your word for it then," Y/N moved on from the topic of the snake like man. "And then I met Jisung and now you. I feel like I've only met a small amount of you and there's so many more to see. This place is massive!!!" Y/N always had that lingering thought in the back of her mind. For such a big place, she had only met 6 people that inhabited it.

"Ah, it was once bustling with lots of monsters but... you've only got 2 more left of us to meet," Felix bluntly stated, giving away a bit more on the house's history.

"2 more? That's it?" Y/N's mouth gaped open, before it snapped shut and her head turned so quickly to the side it's a shock it didn't fall off. There it was again, that hauntingly beautiful voice...

"Uh huh, but I think it won't be long until you... Y/N?" Felix was gathering his tools on the ground before he realised Y/N was on her feet, slowly padding away from him in a trance like state.

"Paint a pretty picture for me

Swim in the depths

You'll forever be home.."

"Y/N?" Felix gently called out to her again, but it was no use, she was already on her own path leaving the serenity of the willow trees. "I swear to god, he does this every time a new person arrives," he huffed to himself, before shrinking himself and his tools and flying back up into the branches.

tagged: @skz-streamer @kiraisastay @hannahhbahng @backintomykpopphaseagain @sakufilms @hanjiquokkaaa @arloo00 @dunno-wut-to-do @splat00z @cheesemonky @amararosesblog

[maithefluffychicken]

Astarion/Gale or Bloodweave.

BG3 SPOILERS // AFTER MEETING THE BLOOD-OBSESSED DROW AT MOONRISE TOWERS.

SFW but mentions to past sex scenes.

Gale. Human. A wizard. A powerful one, sure, but still... a human. A man whose pride once cost him his life as he knew it - never, ever, fall in love with a deity, or, well, at all.

A weak man...

And he just stood up and said that ridiculous - and scary - drow to fuck off, that Astarion was free to choose.

Free.

Gods, what a thought, to be free. To simply decide and say no and that's all. No punishment, no immediate effect to Astarion's negative. Except...

When Astarion said to that drow that he wasn't biting her, that he wasn't going to transform her into a vampire, the pale elf looked at Gale and, good gods. Astarion could swear that the man was smiling at him proudly. Chest swelled, head tilted up, a smile that reached his eyes, soft wrinkles appearing then...

Oh. Oh.

At their camp now, with their stomach fulls - even Astarion's, who had left dry some Absolut's cultist earlier -, it was hard for the vampire to simply keep ignoring that his relationship with Gale had shifted during the last weeks.

Flirt. Seduce. Fuck if needed. Survive.

But with Gale it was different, it is different. Gale hasn't asked him to... well, they did it already! Twice! First time after killing that gur hunter that was lurking near the Tea Shop.

That time, Gale had been so hot, letting Astarion to kill the monster hunter who was chasing him. Back then, Astarion thought that he had to show Gale how interested he was in him.

Then, once the tieflings were safe, with no goblins behind their backs, at the party in their camp...

Those times, Astarion felt it was still his duty, his only way to stay alive. He offered his body to Gale and he...

It's not like he hated it.

But...

But it felt like it was the only thing to do, to seal the deal with Gale, to have him on his side. Fuck it all, Astarion doesn't need to keep lying to himself. It was his plan, to seduce someone and keep moving forward. It was a plan then and Gale was his knight.

Now, though. Now Astarion can't help but smile whenever Gale is... being Gale, basically. Sitting by the fire, the man is putting an horrorized expression at something Karlach just said, while Shadowheart and Wyll laugh at their antics. Gale is wearing his awful purple... pyjamas. Who in the whole Sword Coast wears a stupid purple velvet pyjamas.

It looks cozy, though. Astarion almost can feel the fabric in his fingertips, the soft, soothing fabric, the warm of Gale's body, how his well hidden muscles give in under Astarion's touch...

"Oh, dear," Astarion gasps to himself, closing the book he was trying to read. He's not... worked up, but he's not completely desinterested either. He finds himself craving some alone time with Gale, maybe not-

Astarion sighs. He wants Gale, he wants to be with him, just... He doesn't know how, then. He wants to be more than a pretty face for the wizard, he wants- He wants to kiss Gale, that's nice, Astarion liked how Gale kisses. Thoroughly, passionately, hungrily. Gale kisses the same way he threads the Weave to conjure magic from his fingertips. He does it as if it's effortlessly. Like as if kissing Astarion is natural to him.

Astarion liked those kisses.

Maybe... Maybe he could talk to Gale. Maybe he could- and Gale seems to like him as he is, no more, no less. Maybe if Astarion tells Gale what it meant to him, maybe if Gale understands... maybe he could want to be with Astarion for real.

If Gale gets upset about Astarion not wanting sex for now, until he feel like, owner of himself again, then. Well, then fuck Gale of Waterdeep. It'll hurt, but Astarion has been through worse, right?

As if Gale were able to read his mind - oh shit, thanks to the tadpole and the stupid amount of spells he knows he actually can read Astarion's mind, fuck -, Gale is looking at him from his spot by the fire. Astarion freezes for a second before smiling at the man. Gale smiles back at him and stands up, closing the distance between them.

Astarion feels his stomach doing a funny little thing inside him. All those winks directed at Gale, all that flirting, gods, they already have had sex! There's no need to be this nervous, and yet.

And yet, when Gale is getting closer, Astarion has to breath deeply to calm himself, and clears his throat.

It's time, Astarion thinks.

-

Moments later, with Astarion's nose pressed to Gale's pulse point, his arms awkwardly wrapped around the broad shoulders of the man, and Gale hugging him tight and protective, Astarion allows himself to be optimistic for the first time in 200 years.

Gale wants him, wants this between them to be real, and it's easy to forget for a while all their problems when you're being surrounded in a warm, purple velvet hug.

To be continued...?

[pillowspace]

Hi! Hey! Hello! I just finished chapter 7 of Celestial Sundown and oh my! It was fenomenal!

I love that CSDy/n is getting more and more comfy in relationship with sun! They are getting bolder and trust each other more! Sun getting into their room is showing the big progress and trust on both parts! I don't know how CSDy/n but for me to tolerate someone in my room is a big thing. I see it was caused by his anxiety but still its the barrier they crossed one way or the other. It was so lovely and well written, what CSDy/n went through was traumatic and painful but while reading I couldn't stop think about the horrors Sun went through this entire time. If everything is okay with him the prayer should get to him and, correct me if I'm wrong, from what I understood the exact words won't come through It but the feelings and some basic meaning will be send to the God.

Therefore he could easily understood something went terribly wrong, not only that but the prayer suddenly stopped, He is far away, and from what I get without his crown he cannot teleport or manifest in different places. What happened? Are they scared? Hurt? Or maybe it was false alarm! They got scared prayed for him, and then they realised there is no danger so they stopped! But then the other call was sent and I bet If the first didn't, this one send him running. Not only that, the time has passed so he wasn't sure what state they are in, if all this time they were in danger,  but the urgency of the prayer expanded. Did something happened in the house? Was it the woman he showed himself to? Why he can't go any faster? I'm sure at this time he would curse himself out... For needing to see this mural. For not waiting for the morning so they can go with him. For being so weak. If he had his crown he could do something, and now he was useless, couldn't even get to this damn forest as fast as he wanted. He is so slow. Are they hurt? Are they dead? Did the thing that attacked him came back to finish the job and found them instead? He knew them, they wouldn't panic like that over something small. They wouldn't call  him for something small. The terrified calls of their heart  would be fuel for him to keep going. And what would he find getting back? The empty house, with the doors left wide open. He knew something bad happened but for them to leave their beloved belongings exposed like that it was worse then he hoped. And if your shredded blanket covered with human blood, nearby was telling anything it wasn't getting better. They helped him so much, they still are trying to get him home. And he wasn't there. He should have been there. He just had to be emotional again hadn't he? What to do now? Where to go? Their prayers stopped. Is he alone again? He can't locate them. Are they alive? Mortals are fragile, and there is blood nearby but no human, no. The blood of one of his kind, a big puddle. He had to do something, he searched this forest for so long with them, he had to manage! Had to find his friend. And the trail of blood left on trees and ground was the perfect start.

Ajshshs, I'm sorry I just love it so much! Can't wait to see what happens next. The emotions your fic gives me are not from this world, you are so talented and inspiring! I can't get enough of your content. And also you created my hyperfixation of sea slugs! I didn't even know something so pretty existed and in so many forms! Keep up the good work and being amazing! Get yourself a blanket and hot tea you deserved it after blessing us with such a brilliant chapter and so soon!

Sun comfortably being able to enter Y/N's room was something I thought about, but didn't really expect anyone to notice, so I love that you did

I. I. OH MY GODDDDDDD, I JUST READ THE REST OF THE ASK. STARING AT YOU WITH THE WIDEST OF EYES RN. I DRINK YOUR ASK LIKE SOUP !? WOW

Yayyyyy sea slug liker!! YEAH, there is something so wondrous in learning what sea slugs look like. It's like learning magic's real, for me anyway

THANK YOU SO MUCHHHH

[saribrum]

Love seeing all of your Curse of Strahd work! Atropa is so so cute! Hes a vampire yeah, how did that happen? Sorry if you have already explained im just super curious!

Oh gosh, hi! Thank you so much, that’s so nice of you to say, I’m glad you enjoy my lil guy! He brings me a lot of joy, and no you’re totally fine! I think I only talked about it in the long recap doc I did but you’d have to dig for it haha. You can find a more in depth answer in there with the play by play, but I’m happy to answer any questions! 🥰

So, this is kind of a long explanation, so bear with me!

From the beginning for context, Atropa and Strahd worked together to “unlock” Atropa’s magic, and their pact was formed from Strahd drinking Atropa’s blood, and Atropa drinking a mixture of their blood in return. Strahd then did a ritual linking the two of them together and empowering Atropa’s tome with the ability to communicate directly with Strahd as pen pals. Strahd has also done a few experiments to give Atropa blood magic and what not by injecting his blood directly into his veins. So that’s the base of everything.

Later in our campaign, SABR had an encounter with a group of vampires in a cave outside of Vallaki, and a ton of them were targeting Atropa because they loved the smell of his blood. When we came face to face with an old vampire in the cave who had been imprisoned for a super long time, he got his hands on Atropa during the fight and ended up killing him. He drank Atropa almost dry, and though he was only dead for a couple seconds before he was brought back up again, and the vampire (Lacomie) was killed, that encounter started a chain reaction.

The next few days, Atropa wasn’t feeling well, but they chalked it up to all the blood loss, until he was helping to escort a guard back to Vallaki (another long story for another time). When Atropa didn’t come back for a while, the rest of the team went looking and found him acting feral in a small cave, drinking the unconscious man. Luckily they were able to stabilize the guard and get him back to Vallaki, not remembering a thing, but Atropa was distraught.

All of our Vallaki shenanigans and horrors happened after that, so he hasn’t really had a chance to process everything or even tell Strahd what happened, but he is going to be sending him a letter about it soon. He and I are both kinda nervous to see how he’ll react lol I’m pretty sure that Atropa is a vampire from Strahd’s influence with all the blood drinking and injecting, but in game Atropa thinks it was because of Lacomie draining him. He’ll be pissed if it’s because of Strahd, cause he told Strahd specifically that he didn’t want to be a vampire right now

We are just kinda getting back into playing and some more stuff has happened that is still being uncovered, but has basically turned this strange form of vampirism Atropa is experiencing into a homebrew Sorcerer subclass that I have the option of taking. I’ll let you know how that pans out when I know more, but yeah that’s the circumstances right now!

Thanks so much for asking :>

[theholmwoodfoundation]

Do you have an Instagram? Or a Tiktok? You can also find the Holmwood Foundation there, sharing art and information about the project to reach more likeminded people.

If you have accounts there, do give us a follow! We’ve also been sharing the extracts in a sexy visual format. Here’s a version below, along with the alt text:

INTERVIEW: Q: I must ask you, Ms Harker, how did Bram Stoker’s story of Dracula get published? Is it true you and your friends were the inspiration?

[MINA LAUGHS] Oh, my dear Bram! I remember when we first met in Cruden Bay in Scotland for a trip and we got on so well. I then invited him to visit me in Whitby, which is where I moved to support Arthur’s new venture after the Carpathians. Bram was very curious about our story,  and we…well, I suppose one thing led to another, and he was anxious to tell a version of it, mostly fabricated you understand, of his very own. To incorporate it into a tale of horror he was already writing. I must admit I was sceptical at first, but the idea intrigued me. Of course, in our real-world story, there was no monstrous being known as Count Dracula, no vampires, and no magic. Just a group of unlikely individuals and a rather terrible set of circumstances. But Arthur convinced me it would aid us in establishing the Foundation, and nothing in the world meant more to us than that. So we gave Bram permission to use our likenesses, and he even studied our writings and manners to ensure he could capture us on the page. I remember discussing with Arthur if we should have changed our names, changed who we were, but the release of the story, outrageous and horrifying as some of the details were, did introduce more people to the importance of blood and blood work. We were able to find many patrons to support us due to the release of Dracula, and while it has certainly made my life much stranger than it could have been, I was never truly upset by the book's legacy. I know Abraham - Professor Van Helsing's – nieces and nephews love to see how their uncle is presented as this dramatic vampire hunter! Sometimes, I wish Bram hadn’t changed so many details, particularly the ending, but I am not myself a writer, so I had faith in his words. Given the loss of my dear husband, Jonathan, at just 24 years old, I sometimes feel that a part of him lives on, caught like a pressed flower between the pages of that book. All I know for sure is that I have faith in what Arthur, Abraham, Jack, and I have created. We are honoured to work with the public to save lives, as we have done for the last 40 years.

-Transcript from BBC National Programme Radio Interview with Dame Mina Harker, Pub 1930

[slusheeduck]

Kidnapped

Astarion's siblings succeed in getting him back to the manor--but he's stronger now. Plus he has a very, very pissed-off partner. Another canon deviation because I was NOT happy with how this scene played out in game. Warning for egregious dialogue-lifting.

One lucky shot. Just one, in the blink of an eye. That was all it took for Astarion to go down, and Leon was on him in an instant.

“I’ll take Astarion to the master. The rest of you, deal with the witnesses.”

“No!” The word came out as a snarl, and Falerin lunged at Leon. But he and Astarion were already gone, and Aurelia was able to get a lucky slash in to send him stumbling back. “Astarion!”

He slammed his glaive down, sending a Shatter through the remain vampires. From there, it was easy work making them puff away to safety. Once the last of the spawn were gone, he bolted to the door, only to get caught by several pairs of hands.

“Let me go,” he shouted to the others. “We have to get Astarion! He’s…Cazador’s going to…”

“It’s the middle of the night, Falerin,” Gale said, trying his best to be the voice of reason. “Storming a vampire’s fortress now is suicide.”

Falerin grit his teeth. “We can manage it. We’ve managed worse. If we can just go now, we—”

“We will rescue him,” Wyll said, straining to keep Falerin in place as Halsin readjusted his grip on him. “But in the morning. Otherwise Cazador will—”

“I’ll put Cazador’s head on a fucking pike myself!”

There was no getting him to see reason. With a pained look between the group, Gale quickly cast Sleep under his breath. Falerin fought it as best he could, but still, he could only do so much before the magic overtook him, going unconscious in Halsin’s arms.

~

The moment Astarion’s consciousness came back, he knew exactly where he was. The cold stone beneath him, the acrid smell of dried blood, the creak of bones—he was in the Kennel. He’d done something wrong again. If only he could remember what—he’d gotten fairly good at figuring out how long he’d be left to Godey’s whims based on how he’d angered Cazador.

“Nasty little runaway. But you always find your way back to Godey, hmm?”

Wait. Astarion’s eyes flew open. He wasn’t Cazador’s pet anymore, not with the tadpole. He’d been stolen. He scrambled up to his feet, breathing quickly as the skeleton looked over him.

“If I had my way, I’d saw off your legs—that’d put a stop to your wandering!” Godey spat. “But the master says no. Says he needs all your blood on the inside for the Mass.” He raised his hand, pointing at Astarion as he stepped closer. “But he needs you obedient, too. No barking, no biting, no struggling—a well-behaved little doggie.”

Astarion’s lips drew back. “I’ll never do what he tells me again,” he spat out, ready to strike. “I’d rather die.”

“Oh, you’ll do both,” Godey shot back, red light flooding his sockets. “You’ll do whatever he requires!”

With a flash of red magic, Astarion found his arms bound and raised up over his head, like they had been so many times before. A familiar fear clenched his throat shut, body already bracing for the pain. Cazador’s will probed at his mind, searching for just the right place to strike to make him his well-behaved little spawn. All Astarion had seen—the horrors, the wonders, the triumphs of battles, the comfort of the fire, a hand wrapped tightly around his—all of it was suddenly inconsequential. Only one thing mattered: Cazador. It was as if he’d never escaped him. Astarion grit his teeth, waiting for the bindings of servitude. Cazador would win. He always did. He always would.

Except…not with him.

He was his own master now. His agency, his will, his desires, all of it was stronger than anything Cazador could do. As he felt the tendrils of Cazador’s command try to take hold of him, he shrugged them off, easy as breathing, and he wrenched his hands free of Godey’s restraints.

Godey stumbled back in shock. “Impossible,” he growled out. “You’re a spawn—know your place!”

Oh, he so wanted to give some pithy little comeback to that, but this moment was two centuries in the making. He was stronger, smarter, and free, and the first thing to do with that freedom was to get rid of Cazador’s favorite dog trainer.

As red flooded Godey’s sockets again, Astarion was quick to cast mirror image—three Astarions in the kennel, and the skeleton didn’t know which one to hit. It bought him a bit of time to think—his weapons were probably locked away, and with his shirt gone, he was terribly exposed. But he had a few things he could work with.

As Godey went to strike one of the mirror images, it dissipated. Before the skeleton could whirl around, a sharp “Ignis!” sent a fireball right at his skull. As he stumbled, Astarion grabbed a rusted mace from the ground—he had no idea how to use it, but that didn’t matter. It was heavy, it was swingable, and it would hurt. He slammed it right into Godey’s ribcage, and the skeleton went to pieces on the ground.

Astarion stayed tense until he was sure the bones stayed still. Well. Godey wasn’t all that durable, was he? But then, he never had to be.

He dropped the mace, then walked over to Godey’s skull. It had rolled a few feet away from the body, sockets staring overhead. He stared down at it for a long moment, then, with a snarl of rage, he slammed his boot right onto it, shattering it. Then he stomped down again, and again. Over and over until the bone was nothing more than dust under his feet.

Astarion panted as he finally stepped back, chest heaving. That felt good. That felt so immeasurably good. He wanted to bask in it, but there was no time for that. He took a deep breath to steady himself, then went to the rest of Godey’s remains, searching through them. There, a key for the chest. That was all he really needed, but he couldn’t resist sliding off the Szarr signet ring as well. A little trophy for himself.

Now to see about getting the hells out of here. ~

Falerin had been silent as they went through the streets of the Lower City, leaving the others to ask about the whereabouts of Szarr manor. He was having a big to-do soon, apparently, so getting answers wasn’t as hard as it should have been.

“Heading to Szarr’s place?” one man had called after a woman pointed them in the right direction. “You’re just in time. He’s about to ascend, and he’ll be raising up all those with his favor.” He grinned. “I’m one of ‘em.”

“Then if I were you, I’d leave town now,” Gale said flatly.

The man scoffed. “And miss the eternal gift? Hardly.” He gave a little chuckle. “One of the whispers going ‘round is we’ll be able to get some quality time with his favorites. One of ‘em’s a prissy little elf—curly hair, smart mouth. Wouldn’t mind putting that mouth to some good—”

He didn’t get to finish his thought. As he spoke, Falerin strode right over to him, grabbing him by his shirt. Before any of the others could stop him, he slammed his head against the man’s forehead with an unpleasant crack.

The man went down, and Falerin stumbled back, hissing in pain as he cradled his head. “Ow, ow ow. Fuck, that hurt.”

“Well, what did you think would happen?” Gale said, though he wasn’t nearly as exasperated as he’d normally be. Karlach went to (gently) pat his back.

“He deserved it. Wish I’d thought to do that myself.” She gave a little smile. “Bet Fangs’ll love hearing about this.”

Falerin let out a sharp breath, then stood up straight. “Then let’s find him. We know where we’re going now.”

~

It was odd, and he’d never be able to explain it, but there was something almost giddy in Astarion as he let himself out of the Kennel. He smoothed down his shirt, looking around. No sign of any of his siblings, just the fanatics tending to the manor. It must be daytime, then. Good.

It wouldn’t do to stride about like he’d been doing out in the wilds. Even the servants would know that he’d gone missing—they probably lost a few from the fit Cazador had no doubt had—and so seeing him back would be noticed as well. And there was no doubt that some eager vampire-hopeful would mention that to Cazador.

But they still deferred to “the favorites”, and none of them would interact if there was nothing suspicious about him. So, as he stepped into the hall, he made a show of holding his arm awkwardly, as if he were nursing a break, keeping his chin high but eyes hollow. He’d walked just like this plenty of times before.

He just had to get out to the sun. He’d be untouchable during the daytime—and if he could get to the others, he’d be safe. They could plan their next move then. He didn’t dare try and think of anything in detail. He’d thrown off Cazador’s control, but who knew what he might glean if he tried again? Gods, if he found out about Fa—

No. No names. If he must think, he’d do it in Thieves Cant. If it worked against the Absolutists, it’d work against him.

He nearly made it to a door, but was stopped dead in his tracks by a dwarf bustling in, cleaning like her life depended on it. She looked up at him and gasped.

“O-oh! Master Astarion, you’re back!” She clapped her hands together. “Master Cazador will be so pleased.”

Shit.

He could kill her, but that’d leave a mess. Talk his way out of it? He’d been known to be cruel to the fanatics—all of them had, from time to time—but that might still get around. Wait. Oh, he was an idiot—he had a tadpole.

He fixed his eyes on hers, feeling the familiar surge of power in his head. Just a little Charm, just to get her to back off.

“I’m surprising him,” he said, voice low. “He’ll be so glad I’ve found my way back. You wouldn’t want to ruin the surprise, would you?”

The dwarf’s eyes went glassy; the charm took. Thank fuck.

“No…” she said vaguely.

“Of course you wouldn’t. That’s why you’ll forget I was here. Now, scurry along. There’s lots to do before the Mass, isn’t there?” He shooed her off, watching intently as she bowed her head and went back through the door she’d come through, muttering about how much work there was still to do to make the Mass perfect.

He waited a moment more, listening, then quickly opened the door. The bright gold of daylight greeted him, and he slipped out into the sun.

~

“Let us pass,” Falerin hissed at a halfling lounging against the ladder in the property’s south tower.

“All are welcome,” he said, voice sing-song with drink. Apparently Cazador’s favored had started the celebration early—everyone in the tower stank of cheap ale. It was easy to get in; it was harder getting them to register anything they were saying.

“I know I’m welcome. Let us pass,” Falerin said through his teeth.

“Mm, you’re fine right here,” he said. “All of Baldur’s Gate’s gonna get to see it. I can’t wait. Been scrubbing down this tower for nearly a decade, and it’s paying off.”

“Listen here, I am this close to…” Falerin trailed off as Karlach patted his shoulder.

“I’ve got this one, soldier,” she said. She nudged him back, then heaved up the halfling straight into the air. He didn’t seem all that bothered, even as she dropped him off to the side. The others in the tower just laughed—what great fun.

Falerin made a note to thank her later; for now, he climbed straight up the ladder. Where would Astarion be? There must be some…torture chamber or prison cell or something, but would that be beneath the castle? Or maybe a tower? Gods, what if the ritual started? What if Astarion was…?

“Falerin?”

He just barely caught the voice, but he knew that voice better than anyone else’s. His head shot up, and his eyes widened as he caught silver hair glinting in the sunlight.

“Astarion!”

He didn’t wait for the others to come up the ladder; he sprinted across the top of the wall, nearly stumbling in his haste to get to the vampire. Astarion ran to meet him, and the two collided in a hug so tight it was nearly painful. Falerin’s hand immediately went to stroke Astarion’s hair as the elf buried his face into his shoulder, clinging to him.

“I’ve got you, I’ve got you,” he whispered, voice breaking. “My gods. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” For a long moment, he simply held Astarion as tightly as he could, cradling his head and pressing his cheek to his temple. Finally, he let out a shuddering breath as he gently brought Astarion’s head up to look over his face. “Are you okay? Are you hurt?”

Astarion shook his head. “I…I pushed back against him,” he said, giving a weak little laugh. “Cazador tried to take me back, and he failed.” He pressed his cheek against Falerin’s hand, looking up at him. “I really am free…for now, at least.”

Falerin swallowed, thumb stroking Astarion’s cheekbone. “Let’s go,” he said quietly. “Let’s just go. Get away from this. He can’t do the ceremony without you.”

Astarion looked up with soft eyes. He was considering it. But his mouth went into a straight line, and he shook his head. “No. No, we’re ending this before nightfall. Every second that cunt breathes is another chance he’ll try to do this again. We have to kill him now.”

Falerin looked over him for a moment, then pulled him in to press a long kiss to his forehead. “Okay. Let’s end this. I'll be at your side the whole way.” Casual Banter Masterpost

[nautilusopus]

surprise self-rec time! pick 3 of your favorite things you’ve written/drawn and share them here, then put this in the inbox (anonymously or not) of your fellow creators to spread the positivity and help celebrate already posted works 💞

Oh geez uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Obvious pick but check out TNI if you follow me, are into VII, and haven't already. It's the thing I'd say I least have the urge to go back and fix (in part because of the length lmao). This had no right to turn out as good as it did considering I started writing it as a 500 word joke about a terrible terrible headcanon I read but them's the breaks I guess, and then people started drawing stuff from it??????? (Hosted largely at @thenumberi.) Insane. Made a lot of friends through it too (you're one of them hi). Copying my synopsis here:

Cloud, now four years out from Meteorfall, struggles to adjust to civilian life given he’s still gene-spliced with an Old God, and begins losing control of his body to a heretofore seemingly unknown entity with inscrutable goals. As it gradually becomes clear that the events of the previous four years aren’t as they seem in more ways than one, things start to go off the rails completely as Cloud winds up enmeshed in conflict between multiple parties: an international initiative studying cosmology and the two doctors leading it; the WRO, who has considered him a Jenova-based liability from day one; interpersonal friction with his newfound family stemming from the residual baggage of everything he went through; and reality itself beginning to deteriorate. It’s slice of life, it’s cosmic horror, it’s a character study, it’s about grown men crying and legacies and grief and trauma and intimacy and autonomy and gender as a microcosm for broader truths about the nature of the self, it’s got angry tearful fistfights, bottoms that haven’t figured out you can take it in turn to service top, Cloud telling everyone his strong and correct opinions about magic and materia and bikes, found family shenanigans, and me talking about garlic for way way way too long. Something for everyone! I wasn’t kidding about any of that by the way, heed the warnings at the top of the chapters because I do NOT pull punches and we get into some heavy shit. Go hard or go home.

I shat Replacements out in six hours day-of and it's the only time in my life I've ever had something as a very clear vision in my head and realised it more or less exactly how I wanted without stumbling at any point. (I guess New Traditions was like that also but that feels like cheating a bit since I literally had to write that in an hour on paper for a contest and then was able to clean it up a little bit when I typed the thing up.) A story about how Cloud figures out where Hojo was getting his backup organs from, and the grieving process.

Cloud goes digging in Nibelheim and finds more than he was ready to.

Another thing I kind of vomited out all at once. I fucking love writing Yuffiefic and she is criminally underutilised by the fandom, as the only member of Avalanche that I think would actually have a social life outside of them. Also it was kind of a fun way to exorcise some of my own feelings about some cultural obligations I never like being dragged to (and feel guilty about hating) and why I hate participating them in the first place. Plus this one has like TNI has GORGEOUS ARTWORK THANK YOU TOFU

Also I put Halloween in the summer and added red bean buns and fireworks to it, fuck the police.

Yuffie appreciates her culture together with some friends, even if said "appreciation" is practically mandatory.