#onward fanfic

[justamessedupdisneyprincess]

Lost in labyrinth mall! An onward fanfic! This fic focuses on Izzyley, a SI x Canon ship!

Part 3!

Izzy and Barley happily chatted during the drive to the mall. Along the way they had exchanged music, which was a little activity they tend to do during any road trips. Barley may introduce Izzy to a song he likes whilst Izzy would do the same. The elf was quite surprised to learn about Izzy’s preferred genre. He didn’t know exactly what she might like but it certainly wasn’t something so loud and full of energy and melody. Her love of dubstep was quite ironic given how she tends to hate most loud noises around her. She even introduced him to a new type of genre he has come to really like, even purchasing some of those songs for himself! Metalstep. Which is exactly what it sounds like. Izzy enjoyed many of his songs as well, she liked rock and metal as well. But she has a weak spot for a “sick” drop. Which would be the last thing one would expect from her.

“So ummm…I’ve actually been having some weird dreams where I can make music.” Izzy started at some point in the conversation.

Barley laughed a little. “Pretty much anyone can make music if they pour their heart’s fire right into it.”

“Yeah, but I mean like with mind powers. Like I can make my own dubstep out of thin air.” Izzy added.

Barley laughed a bit harder, he can see what she meant by weird then. “Now that would be one heck of a skill! Y’know I would listen to anything you make.”

“Well they actually sounded super good! Which kind of makes me wonder if I could become a DJ or something…but then I try to make music and it’s so much that I don’t have any idea what to do.” Izzy sighs. “I can hear the drops perfectly in my head but I can’t figure out how to make them a reality. It gave me a newfound respect for musicians.” She sounded a bit frustrated. In some cases Izzy had dreams where she wished so hard for it to be real, these types of dreams were one of them. Of course there are ones she is grateful that are not only real but she hopes to never ever have again, such as anxiety dreams about her teeth falling out, those ones always unsettle her.

Barley shrugs a bit. “You might be able to one day with enough practice. Actually ya know what. I know you totally can do that.”

Izzy chuckles a bit. “I dunno, it all seems pretty complex to me. I guess one day I might try and learn more about it.”

Her creativity, that was just one of the many things Barley loves about her. She is talented with quite a few things, such a writing, drawing and even sculpting. But the main thing that made her stand out were her ideas. She had so many of them, so many it can get overwhelming for her at times. She would often describe how she doesn’t get art block or writers block, but rather she gets so many ideas she doesn’t know where to start. She calls her brain a factory for concepts and that it’s both a blessing and a curse. Because of how bizarre and unique her ideas are though, Barley has grown obsessed with hearing any stories she may come up with.

They finally arrived at the mall and managed to find a park as well. Izzy looked on ahead and noticed a large tree just in front of the entrance, but this was no ordinary tree…it was alive! But alive in the sense it was sentient and aware. She saw the movement but this was her first time seeing anything like this! “Barley…Is it just me or is that tree moving?” She says nervously, worried if it may be a sign the ancient mall was haunted. Then she thought…’wait…this place could totally be haunted if it was literally a bizarre labyrinth where hundreds of explorers died in horrific ways!’

Barley nodded her head and couldn’t help but giggle as he saw the unease on her face. “Yep, he sure is!” He says.

Izzy looked over at him with a puzzled expression on her face. “He?”

“Haven’t you ever met a whispering elm tree before?” Barley replied with a little teasing smirk.

The imp’s blue eyes shot wide open. “No, I haven’t met one before! I did see them in movies before though- to be honest I actually thought they were fictional.” Izzy says, clearly amazed.

“Yeah, they are actually pretty rare now. They were rare in the olden days but now…it’s like shiny Pokémon sorta rare.” He says, just to give Izzy a better idea.

The couple began to walk towards the entrance. “I…kinda feel sorry for them though. Do you think they ever get bored or lonely being stuck like that?” Izzy asks, as usual she was the type to overthink things but in this case she did have a good point.

The grin on Barley’s face grew larger, as he had more knowledge to share. “For saplings maybe.”

As he had expected, his inquisitive girlfriend cocked her head to the side like a puzzled dragon pup. “Eh?”

As usual, Barley was happy to enlighten her, after giving her a little teaser for it first though of course. He just lots to see her little reactions! “Old elm trees can pull themselves out of the earth and use their roots to walk around.” Barley stated. “However, they can’t walk too far for too long because of how big and heavy their bodies are. So basically, they prefer to be sitting in the soil but they are not bound to it…or at least most of them are not.” He looked a bit saddened as he said this. He then leaned down to Izzy and whispered into her large pink ear. “Don’t bring it up but…the stupid idiots who decided to modify the place built tiles all around this guy and now he can’t move anywhere at all…he is a bit touchy bout it…rightfully so…but best to keep quiet.”

Izzy’s blank expression changed into an extremely exaggerated look of utter rage. Little wrinkles could be seen around her frown and eyebrows, her scowl was that intense. “Those thoughtless, inconsiderate ****s…!” She says with a growl, she has a very dirty mouth and tends to curse without even releasing it.

It actually took Barley a while to get used to her unique language. “Ok, I think ****s is a bit much. But I pretty much do agree with ya.” He says, smiling as he came to admire her feisty personality. She had a real strong sense of right and wrong and he loved that about her as well.

Although upon arriving it seems like Izzy completely forgot about Barley’s warning to not speak of this topic around the old tree, she was just too worked up! The whispering elm looked over to her in shock as she suddenly asked him a question that came from the heart. “Ummm…excuse me? Are you feeling ok?” She asked, worried for the tree’s mental health.

Barley gulped as he immediately clings onto Izzy, almost protectively. “Haha…pssst…don’t provoke him…” he whispered.

The tree spoke in a loud and booming voice, which caused customers who came and go to stare intensely as they pass. “Well if it isn’t the poor excuse of a knight! Think you can whisper around a whispering elm, can you?” He says, sounding angry.

Barley smiled awkwardly. “Aha…so you remember that do ya?” Izzy looked puzzled as her head flung back and forth between the two.

The talking tree had not only a mouth but eyes and a nose as well! His little face scowled, like an angry bitter old man. “How could I forget the man who broke my favourite branch?!” He says bitterly.

“Aww, c’mon, buddy! That was just an accident!” Barley pleaded.

Izzy looked more and more puzzled but the negative energy was starting to make her anxious. She was desperate for answers but had been cut off by the furious old tree. “Um- what’s-“

“If I tore off an arm of yours will you say it’s an accident?” The tree swayed around, a few leaves fall down to the tiles that were placed over him, locking him in place forever.

“Well that depends. If you tore off my arm with the intent to do so that sure as heck won’t be any accident…but-“

“Don’t play games with me! I’ve had enough of you youngsters! Always treating us elm folk as if we were nothing more than mere objects.” The tree sways more, the creaking wood echos around the parking lot in an unsettling manner.

Poor Izzy’s head kept snapping between the two who seemed to have been arguing. She got more and more anxious as she is still left in the dark. Barley continued to defend himself as best he can. “Hey, I was the one trying to help you, remember?”

The whispering elm scoffs. “Some help you were.”

“What is going on?!” Izzy suddenly shouted out. Every living soul quickly glanced towards her, but she ignored the unwanted attention from strangers who passed by, she was just desperate to figure out what was happening.

That is when the whispering elm finally seemed to acknowledge her. “Well young lady, this man here decided to sit his fat rump on my favourite branch and he broke it right off!”

Barley frowns a bit. “I told you it was an accident! Besides…it’ll grow back.”

The tree laughed sarcastically. “Grow back you say? That branch has been part of me for over 50 years! Do you really think it will even grow back the same? It will look completely different! Not only that but for it to simply “grow back” would be decades worth of waiting! Might I remind you time feels even slower being stuck in this retched gloomy place forever?! Why, with the lack of sunlight I am surprised I haven’t even died by now from malnourishment.”

As the tree angrily went on a rant Barley grabbed ahold of Izzy and dragged her inside the mall. Izzy looked back at Barley, still confused. “What was that all about?” She asks, she knew there was more to the story than that. Barley may be reckless but she can’t imagine he would climb all over him and break branches without a valid cause for it.

Barley groans a bit, seemingly embarrassed. “It…wasn’t my finest moment. I was trying to dig out the tiles and help him escape but…the mall cop got to me and I tried to climb away from him and uh…you can probably imagine the rest….argh! I should have done it by nightfall!”

Izzy angrily glared back at the direction where the tree is. “You were just trying to help…Hey, when a whispering elm’s branch breaks off does it hurt them?”

Barley looked quite surprised to hear her ask more questions so soon. It was not like her to move on so quickly. “Erm…well it doesn’t not hurt, but it sure as heck isn’t like getting an arm torn off. From what I have studied it’s more like a small sting, like a paper cut if you will.” Barley says, he smiled a little at the little joke he made towards the end. After all, paper is made from trees.

“Did he need that branch as an arm to grab things?” Izzy asked next.

Barley thought for a moment. Whispering elms can use their branches to swat at things but they could hardly be used as extra limbs to assist them. “Eh…not really. I mean he can move it for a bit but he can’t actually use it for much of anything other than swatting enemies away in Quests of Yore.” Barley stated casually.

Izzy suddenly turned around and stomped her way back towards the grumpy tree. Barley quickly realised why she asked such questions, to try and figure out if he had any right to be angry or upset. She was already furious to see the way he spoke to her boyfriend, but she needed more answers to try and see his point of view. As she had suspected, the tree was just vain about the branch’s appearance, nothing more, nothing less. “Oh no…Izzy! C’mon, just leave it alone!”

[dogdaysareover365]

whumpril day 16

I Will Scream Them Loud Tonight

fandom: Onward (2020)

rating: teen

It started with an innocent cough…

@whumpril day sixteen - coughing fit

[ancha-aus]

RealAge AU Drabble - Parentalbond Dust

I am back :3 Another drabble for the RealAge AU (Thanks @spotaus as always for starting this treat by treating me to the first prompt that got this ball rolling)

First drabble Prev drabble Next drabble

Remember how in the last drabble I uploaded i mentioned those parentalbonds? (honestly if you read my drabbles in order these before things won't make ANY kind of sense... anyway!)

I had been thinking about how all of them bond with they new tiny boss and finally settles on how. The question then was. Who goes first?

I decided to go in order of who bonded with Nightmare first :3

So, big surprise. Dust. (everyone was surprised by this)

Warnings as always, unedited and unbeta'ed. We are here for a good and fun time.

Slight warning for Ghost/hallucination Papyrus being rude and mean and intrusive thoughts.

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

Dust can admit that Nightmare is fast. Dust is just faster, by a lot.

As soon as Nightmare shifts Dust has an arm around him and drags him back to his side.

Nightmare glares at him, and it would have been terrifying and effective.

If Nightmare wasn't tiny.

Fuck DUst is still not over how TINY his boss is now.

Can Dust even still call him boss? That would be weird. Kiler tends to call Nightmare Tiny Boss now but Dust isn't quite set on a name yet.

Nightmare grumbles nad glares to the side once it becomes clear once again that Dust isn't going to get intimidated.

Nightmare glances at him before crossing his arms as he looks to the side "This is stupid."

Dust nods "I agree." Dust did not want to be here just watching Nightmare and keeping him from wandering and getting lost.

A cackle and then a whisper Really? First kidnaping and now keeping him a prisoner? How low you have sunk. Keeping a child captured and locked away.

Dust's hand forms a fist as he tries to ignore the muttering. They just need Nightmare to see he can trust them. That is all. That takes time. The chackle just chackles on.

Nightmare shoots him a look "It is stupid. I don't need supervision. I am fine on my own."

Dust goes to nod before blinking and shooting him a look "Yeah no. Nice try. I am staying right here."

Nightmare looks beyond annoyed but it is justified that one of them watches over him. Mostly because Nightmare had already managed to almost escape three times.

Look, it has been an hectic week since they euh... found Nightmare again.

Even more laughter that no one else hears Oh? That is what you call it now? That is what you call stalking a child? Following him everywhere? Finding out where he feels safest and surprising him there? Hah! Found! You are a liar and you even lie to yourself.

Dust glares harder at the dark wall as he pulls his knees up and leans on those as he watches the wall, still being a physical barrier between Nightmare and the door.

Nightmare glares at him but Dust just keeps glaring at the shedwall. Waiting. Hoping one of the others will come to relieve him of this babysitting duty. He hates it. He feels useless and stuck.

A huff Wow? Really? You decided to capture him and now you are annoyed you have to watch your prisoner? And even better the one you captured was the one to save you before? You really are thankless and impossible to please. You will never be happy or content and you don't deserve to feel other of those things.

Dust takes another deep breath. He needs a distraction. But what?!

Dust takes out his phone and scrolls through what he has on there. He sees a few movies and gets an idea.

He needs to wait while the others get supplies anyway. Cross is getting information about the multiverse, Horror is getting them food and Killer is getting them overall supplies.

Which means they should still be busy for a while.

Dust pauses as he shoots Nightmare a look. Nightmare had just been sitting there staring at his own feet as he wiggles his feet a bit. Distracted for a bit.

Dust grins as he reaches for Nightmare and quickly grabs him.

Nightmare immediantly freezes for a moment before glaring "What?!"

Dust grins and just turns him around and his old hoody that Nightmare had taken and stolen ages ago. and as Nightmare has his arms crossed he puts the hoody on him. He yelps but Dust doens't give him time to try and get his arms in the right sleeves. Instead Dust ties those together.

He thinks for a moment before grabbing his scarf and using that to tie up the slippery skeleton.

Dust takes a step back to watch his handy work and can't help but snort.

Nightmare looks shocked down at his state. The hoody already making it harder for him to move and now the scarf kept him even more from moving. The problem was. With Nightmare just being tiny and looking like a babybones... He looks plainly adorable. Fuck Dust kinda wished he had made a bow instead of a knot but he has a mission.

Dust nods and looks at Nightmare "Don't move. I am going to grab some food." He turns and leaves the shed.

It should take Nightmare at least a little while to escape that situation. And Nightmare hadn't tried another teleport after he butchered the last one and got them all thrown into a river. Which means that Dust doubts he will try another one soon.

Dust follows the road and by memory finds the pizza place they walked by not too long ago. He only has to wait for a little while before a delivery boy goes by on bike. He kicks off the guy and snatches the bag. Dust is already in the bushes again before the human has time to form a completely sentence.

Dust has to take a bit of a longer way back to make sure he doesn't go over the road. But as he cuts through backyards and gardens he can't help but feel a bit anxious. What if Nightmare escapes? How is he going to explain that.

By the time he is by the shed again he is close to shaking. He opens it and snorts as Nightmare seems to have fallen over. Less funny is the fact he has almost wiggled his way out of his trappings.

Dust puts the bag to the side and silently joins Nightmare's side "And? Is it working?"

Nightmare freezes before a mutter "I hate you."

That.

Dust isn't sure how to explain how much that hurts.

A sneer Really? Are your poor feelings hurt? By just that? What? Are you sad your so-called boss finally hates you? After all the disappointment and betrayal? And yet you feel sad? You truly are nothing but disgusting and disapointing trash.

Dust ignores it as he pulls Nightmare back upright and undoes the scarf binding and unknots the sleeves. Dust has already helped Nightmare with getting on of his arms into the right sleeve before Dust realises what he is doing.

Dust freezes and Nightmare ignores him as he quickly finishes dressing himself. After which Nightmare glances at him with an expecting look.

Dust instead just sits down on his spot on the ground. Opens the bag and fishes out the food. Oh nice. two pizzas instead of one. He lays both open near him before spotting some weird shake things, three of them. Dust shrugs again and places them near them. Next he grabs Nightmare again and pulls him right by his side as he opens his phone and scrolls through the movies.

Dust very quickly realises he deosn't really have movies without a high rating on his phone.Dust isn't even sure how far Nightmare's mind is at the moment.

Dust knows that Nightmare knows who they are. But Dust doens't know how old Nightmare is mentally at the moment. It isn't like Nightmare is sharing any of that information with them at the moment but Dust thinks he is at least a child again. He just also still has his adult form's memories and that is causing a bit of a disconnect.

Dust sighs and looks at Nightmare "Do you like horror movies?"

Nightmare shoots him a suspicious look before answering "I don't dislike them. They can be..." a frown as Ngihtmare thinks for a while before answering with some difficulty "interesting."

That was another thing that is slightly adorable. Nightmare is trying to still speak like he used to before but it seems that some of his knowledge has disappeared after regaining his true body.

Dust nods as he puts on the horror movie. It is one he thinks is okay even after seeing it four times. And only one of those four was because Dust had wanted to watch it.

He presses play and the movie starts.

Nightmare at first tries to keep his distance but it is a matter of time before he is focussed fully on the movie.

Dust grabs some food and eats it. He makes sure it push some towards Nightmare including one of the drinks.

The movie plays and they watch as some dude bro guy walks through the froest. Shouting about how he isn't scared and to come get him!

"... Why?"

Dust blinks and looks at Nightmare. Nightmare stares at him.

Dust looks back at his phone and the now paused movie "Why the guy is screaming? Mostly he is stupid?"

Nightmare frowns beofre looking away "No. I mean... Why.... this?"

Dust looks at the pizza and his phone "I just wanted to watch a movie?"

More frustration on Nightmare's face before he sighs. He then just looks back at the phone with a resigned expression. "okay."

Dust hates that. No. That isn't right. Nightmare doesn't give up and certainly doesn't give up getting answers to questions he has. Dust doesn't press play and looks at Nightmare "What why?"

Ngihtmare glances to the side. To all their things. "You don't... want to be here... with me. Why..."

Dust frowns "I told you? To make sure you don't escape."

More frustration on that tiny face and Ngihtmare looks away "it's not..." another sigh "whatever. When will you kill me?"

dead silence.

Dust turns sharply "What?!"

Nightmare shrugs "I figured... I wanne know."

Dust stares at Nightmare "What the hell? No we don't want you dead?! Why would we go out of our way to find you just to hurt and kill you?!"

Nightmare sits very still before shrugging again "it is the normal thing... normally."

The book. The fucking story. Fuck! He is a fucking idiot!

Nightmare is a child again! Nightmare is in the middle of his fucking trauma! To him the trauma happened days ago! Of course he thinks they would hurt him. That is what always happens.

How long has Nightmare thought that was the only reason anyone ever came to him? How long had a six year old have to fear the sound of someone approaching.

Dust looks away "We... aren't going to kill you... or hurt you." but... why would he beleive his words? Why would he believe anything any of them say after they arleady betrayed him once?

"okay."

It didn't sound like an okay in the way that he heard and believed what Dust said. it was an okay in the sense of a child being afraid to disagree.

Fuck.

Dust isn't sure how to... how to fix this mess. The mess he had partly created. He isn't even sure this can be fixed...

Dust glances back at him and speaks quieter "I mean it... we aren't going to hurt you. We don't want that." wait... he never... "I am sorry."

a long silence but he forces more out "we shouldn't have left. I shouldn't have left. I just... figured it wasn't my place anymore. I was wrong. I am sorry i left you." and it won't happen again.

Even just saying those things. Apologising. Dust feels lighter. It feels good. He needed Nightmare ot hear that Dust now realises.

Ngihtmare doens't say anything about it but does relax a tiny bit next to him. A very very fragile and tiny show of trust and Dust wants to grab it with both hands but he does't know how!

For now he turns the movie on again and makes sure the babybones is near him and eating and drinking.

Dust isn't even watching the movie anymore. He just listens out in case there is anyone who will try to hurt Nightmare or tempt this uneasy peace they have managed to create.

THe movie plays on and Dsut suddenly feels a weight against him. He turns and stares. Because Nightmare is asleep while leaning against him. Out like a light.

It doesn't even surprise Dust. As Dust doubts that Nightmare slept at all in this last week. Maybe even not before they took him with them.

Dust can't help but notice the very dark marks under those sockets. clear sighs of lack of sleep.

Dust moves slowly and carefully as he picks Nightmare up and puts him in his lap. Fuck he is freezing. Dust wraps his own hoody around him and it helps him relax.

He is safe. He is asleep. And while getting Ngihtmare to trust them again will be a long time and healing will be even longer... For now Dust is happy with his arms full of babybones.

-----

First drabble Prev drabble Next drabble

[nevermindigotthis]

A very peaceful image for a not very peaceful fic: https://archiveofourown.org/works/50217619/chapters/126832042 (I have finally found a Drarry fic that is to my tastes. Beware the tags though.)

[pancakeke]

there's a season 7 episode of house where a patient is all like "I've done horrible things im irredeemable and god wants me to suffer" but the mary sue med student member of the team convinces him that there's always hope. and then they send his dna off to a lab for a genetic test to confirm his diagnosis.

but the patient runs away. and then the FBI shows up. and it turned out that patient's DNA was found at the scene of 13 murders where the murderer ate his victims. the episode ends zooming in on the mary sue med student's horrified expression and then next episode no one acknowledges this serial killer again.

[intermundia]

so!! i am thrilled to be able to shared the next chapter of war drums! thank you so much to everyone who has supported me over the past few difficult years and expressed enthusiasm for the story. it means the world to me. please enjoy!!

[adoaraism]

hey, little songbird (a farcille fic)

(spoilers ahead)

Marcille realised, as she held Pipi’s fragile body in her palm, that things would never be the same; that she would never be the same. She stroked those beautiful yellow feathers one last time, and though they were as silky as ever, those sweet chirps of contentment that she used to hear daily were but all but echoes in her mind. All that was left behind was an empty vessel of her avian soul. 

Answer me, she wanted to beg. Just let me see you fly one last time, away from here, away from my sight, so I needn’t mourn, so that my heart will stop aching the way it is right now. 

But the words never parted from her tongue, and nothing but choked sobs erupted from her quivering lips. Even as her mother’s warm arms embraced her entire frame, even as sat down to eat her favourite meal of grilled pork, even as she lay in bed that night wrapped in her soft duvets. 

Unfair, unfair! Why did life go on, even without her beloved bird? Why was it that the world continued turning, and that her life would carry on far longer than Pipi’s, far longer than her friends’, far longer than all the humans she ever loved? 

Tears continued to spill from her eyes and onto her pillowcase, almost as if she hoped that if she poured enough of herself into them, the gaping hole in her heart, and the empty space in Pipi’s cage could be filled once again.

—

“Marcille, Marcille,” a soft voice roused the girl from her uneasy slumber, and gentle hands shook her awake. She blinked sleepily and rubbed the bleary remnants of her dreams from her eyes, and instinctively reached out to grab the sleeve of the one who woke her. She raised her gaze to meet Falin’s and her breath caught in her throat as her mind grasped how close they were; her short blonde hair brushed against Marcille’s shoulder, and she could almost feel her breath against her cheek.  

“Falin?” she whispered, praying that the dark would veil the growing warmth in her cheeks from her classmate. She mentally shook herself, her grip on Falin’s sleeve loosening. “What are you doing up at this hour?”

“I’m sorry for waking you,” Falin immediately apologised in a hushed tone. Marcille could see her head hanging in apology, and found herself smiling in exasperated fondness as she pet her friend’s head. 

“Shhh, it’s alright,” she combed her hand through Falin’s locks, letting her hands linger for just a moment before dropping them back into her lap. “I was just worried, that’s all.” 

Falin fell silent for a moment, and Marcille felt warm fingers slipping through hers, and a thumb brushing against her palm. “Could I sleep here with you, just for tonight?” 

Marcille nodded without so much as missing a beat as she scooted over to make space.  

Once Falin had laid down next to her, Marcille used her free hand to cocoon the both of them under her blanket, still holding onto her hand with her other. All that cut through the night’s silence was the sound of their breathing, slowly falling into rhythm with one another. 

“Are you comfortable?” Marcille asked. The question transcended their new sleeping arrangement; it was one that made Marcille feel more bare and vulnerable than ever, in spite of the sleeping garments she donned, and the blankets that kept her safe from the cold’s embrace.

She could almost see those apple-red cheeks bunching into a smile sweeter than honey as Falin replied, “I always have been, with you.” 

An ache etched itself into Marcille’s chest, one that felt both familiar and not; it was as if she’d felt this way about Falin all her life, even before she knew her, even before either of them existed. 

That was the first of many nights they’d spend lying together, sharing secrets, spells and stories, and letting their hushed voices weave into the darkness of the night, making everything feel lighter than it’d been before. 

—

Marcille’s hands shook as they grazed against pure, white feathers - whether it was in awe, fear or anticipation, she wasn’t sure anymore. She lifted her head, her heart hammering against her chest as she gulped. 

“Falin,” she whispered, as if it were just another one of those nights back in the academy dorms. Feathers ruffled, and sharp amber eyes met her tired sage ones. “You’re home.” 

[velociheroviridi]

just finished rewatching all of Danny Phantom so now I get to read A Glitch in Time for the first time! So excited (also it's a lot thicker of a novel than I was expecting)

[variousqueerthings]

I think it's also interesting to see how things change depending on the time in which they're being engaged with. so I see things about rose today that point out that she's written to be 19 when she meets the doctor and that's a big age difference (which... I understand the point is it's a big age difference because billie piper was 23 and eccleston was 40, and then dtennant was like 34/35 when he started which isn't so big of a shift but anyway the optics I get what people are getting at, but also I think it does oversimplify a lot of what's actually going on in the written dynamic, anyway-)

and also that the rtd run's Themes start coming together properly around s3 (although they are present from day one), and in some ways at this point, because nu!who has been running for... fuckn. actually quite a few years, which is wild to me as someone who started watching as a kid, and I wonder if classic!who fans felt the same way about their show and anyway -- she shifts from being Literally The First Companion You'd Seen For 17 Years (not counting the movie and fan things and the sketch) Who Was Defining A New Era For A New Generation to... a companion

comparable to other companions, comparable to the rest of the show

we sift through the writing to see what worked and what didn't (in our opinion), and we know how the ten-and-rose storyline Really ends, and how the ten storyline ends (sort, of because now that doctor and donna are Back), and we know what happens afterwards, and we talk about tenrose with a 2020s eye, and rose is "just" one of the people that travels with the doctor, one of several, and notably the one who gets most of the sunshiney doctor that buries a lot of the (wonderfully portrayed) angst of the latter half of the rtd show, and doesn't have as much lore as everything after that, so the story is "just" more simple overall

and to me she's kind of incapable of being just that. doctor who was still a risk that first season, it wasn't a done deal that it would have legs at all, never mind that it would continue for as long as it has. rose was created to be the Face of what nu!who was, moreso than nine/eccleston, because even with the extra angst and the eccleston gravitas, we know the doctor, the doctor is established, it's not actually the doctor that needs to sell what the new show is going to become and what the Feel of that new show is going to be (I mean, partly ofc, but-)

rose was doing so much heavy lifting and she succeeded! she was the face of who before dtennant or any other doctor or companion of his era and subsequent eras. she was created to appeal to a demographic of girls who wanted someone relatable in science fiction, because rtd wanted this to be for the girls, and billie piper came into it off the back of being a popstar and it changed her entire trajectory (for the better I think/hope -- there's a lot of bad shit in billie piper's past and I'm always sending her a fond thought)

nine/ten-and-rose were It! not calling it romantic or platonic or any secret third thing (haunting the narrative), but simply It! that's why it has so much staying power as a ship (which, my opinion on shipping has been somewhat *eh shrug* in later years, but in early-days when that was how you engaged with dynamics that got to you, of course it was going to be massive). it's so hard to properly describe how "for the time in which it was made" that this dynamic was written for, and how successful it was. it was rose that breathed doctor who -- and the doctor's character -- to life, as much as herself

she sets the stage for everything that comes next, both within and without the show proper

and I'm always so pleased that rtd at the time was thinking about what was needed to create this character and he opened with a shot from a girl on the estate with messy hair, clumpy eyeliner, and a minimum wage job, and went "that's the girl who's going to go on the adventure of a lifetime, that's the girl we're seeing the story through and relating to, because that's what girls (and uh... those who were girls at the time - and their parents and the boys) should be seeing."

I know rose isn't the first working class companion including classic!who, but she set the tone for nu!who and her family and background are important to why she is who she is, and is explored

"I've got no A-levels, no job, no future-" said the girl about to see the universe

she was very much for teenagers, and so she reads differently when you're an adult watching it back (much like those "teenager saves the world," novels you loved as a kid), but that's why she's 19 at the beginning. that's why she's billie piper (who does a perfect job). she was there to bring a new generation into this story, and it was perfect. and then she grows up. and we grew up. and she had adventures and it was brilliant and she survived and she made a life for herself. that's her story

[justamessedupdisneyprincess]

SHORT ONWARD FANFIC

Lost in the Labyrinth Mall (an Izzyley story)

This is a fluffy slice of life sort of short fic with bits of comedy here and there and perhaps a bit of an adventure as well.

Part 1

Barley had always been wild and reckless. Because of this it wasn’t terribly uncommon for him to ruin his clothes during his little adventures. He may have some keen sense of style but overall he did not care much for fashion. If he felt comfortable and looked cool it was enough. It wouldn’t worry him if he wore the same outfit when going out or if there was a little hole here and there. Although those holes can grow…and the already torn thread can tear further apart. He had quite a few shirts that had very obviously seen better days.

One morning he walked out wearing a simple black shirt with a battle axe on it…or what was left of it. There was a rip so large that the bottom of his right pec could be seen! The remains of the fabric blanked around his body but there were very huge holes scattered across. He wore this during one of his “testimonies” against old facilities being torn down and ancient treasures being mistreated.

Laurel’s eyes shot wide when she saw what her oldest son was wearing. It definitely wasn’t that bad last time he wore it, each wash seems to make it worse. “Barley what in the world are you wearing?!” She cried out.

Barley looked a bit confused at first before looking down at himself. “My awesome old battle axe shirt and some jeans?” He says, sounding confused.

Laurel sighs. “Barley, that shirt is unwearable now. You’ll have to throw it out.”

“Throw it out? But I like this shirt!” Barley whined as he lightly pulled at it.

Despite how he made it clear he still saw some value to it, Laurel remained stern. “Barley. It is covered in holes and is all torn up! It makes you look like a homeless person. Worse than that it makes it look like I never take care of you.”

Barley chuckled a bit as he examined the wounds in his wear. “Oh but this adds to the style, mother! A few tears here and there make it look all the more metal. You wouldn’t understand. It’s a whole other level of fashion.” Barley says this jokingly but immediately regretted it after seeing his mother’s horrifying glare. He swallowed a bit as he prepared for the scolding. To his surprise though she managed to calm herself before the storm had hit him. It seemed like an idea popped into her head.

“Well then if you care about fashion so much you should go shopping for some new clothes.” Laurel says. This may seem like an exciting proposal to some but to him it sounded like a chore. He would rather go on another adventure! Not to wonder around looking at clothes all day. He seemed quite taken aback by that response.

“Wha? But I don’t need any.” He says after a pause.

“Yes you do.” Laurel replied with a stern look.

Barley groaned, he loathed the idea of having to go shopping with his mother. He had feared that if he doesn’t go himself then she will watch him like a hawk the entire time they are there. That will take the fun out of everything. “Alright, alright. Fine I will venture into the labyrinth mall and pick up some new clothes.” He had hoped that this would be the end of the conversation. At least if he manages to go himself he can indulge himself in other activities.

“And NO trying to look for ancient treasure.” Laurel added. Barley looked absolutely baffled.

“But MOM! It’s THE labyrinth! Not just A labyrinth but THE labyrinth of ALL labyrinths! Who knows what other secrets could still be buried-“ as passionate as he was, he noticed the look in his mother’s eye. Grown up or not she was still NOT afraid to ground him if need be. “Alright, fine. I will go shopping for some clothes and only some clothes.” He says with a defeated groans. A mischievous thought in the back of his mind. What she doesn’t know won’t hurt her.

Laurel however was on to him. “Then we will go together tomorrow morning.”

Barley felt his heart sink. It would just be hours of agony for him! Clothing store after clothing store for hours on end?! “Uh- that won’t be necessary mother! You can totally trust me, y’know!” Barley cried out. “Don’t ya wanna…y’know…take it easy?”

Laurel once again knew exactly what was going through Barley’s head. “Really? To me it just sounds like you’re trying to get me out of the picture so you can sneak off and get into more trouble.”

Barley pouts a bit, he tried so hard to think of some other excuse. Then finally he thought of something. Or rather…someone. She wouldn’t even trust Ian to monitor him due to his timid nature. She wouldn’t let Barley wonder with a friend who has a knack for getting into trouble. But there was a part of Laurel that was a hopeless romantic…maybe…he can convince her to bring his girlfriend along instead. “Actually- I was kinda thinking…it MIGHT actually NOT be so boring if I go shopping with Izzy.” Barley says.

Barley can tell that she was already considering on allowing it. Her expression did not change much but he noticed the subtle signs in her body language. Izzy had also been able to get Barley out of trouble a few times. She was a loving girlfriend but she is the type to tie Barley to a chair and lock him in a cellar if it meant it would keep him from doing something so reckless that it may hurt himself. Although she didn’t mind a bit of mischief here and there but that was something Laurel did not know about at the time. For Izzy it all came down to morals and the well being of her loved ones. Chaotic and curious yet cautious and anxious she was like an odd combination between the two brothers themselves. “Well…I suppose when your father and I were still young we did go shopping together before… I trust she will make sure you won’t get into any trouble.” Laurel says.

Barley looked shocked as she mentioned the word trouble. She always assumed he was in it before he even started to do anything…which was not entirely incorrect as he does tend to be rash. “Hey! You’re supposed to say “It would be such an awesome date” or “You two have fun”!” Barley says, sounding the tiniest bit offended.

Laurel knew her son well though. She knew he was desperate to try and do things other than simply pick up clothes, things that were dangerous and reckless. She knew he was merely trying to find a way to escape her watchful eye. Although she knew all this she did remain calm, calm yet firm. “And I’m sure it would be an awesome date and that she would love to tell me all about it after. But Barley… if I hear any word of you weaselling your way out of this or getting into any trouble you’ll be doing every single chore around the house for a month.”

Barley groaned a bit as he crossed his arms. Frustrated to begin with before he began to think of ways to work around this. ‘No matter…I will just simply tell Izzy not to share any details with her.’

Yet again, it was as if his mother can read his mind. “Oh, and don’t think that Izzy won’t tell me if you’ve misbehaved. She wants you to stay safe and to learn to take better care of yourself just like the rest of us.”

Barley sighs, he was more than just a little annoyed by now. “Yeah, yeah.” He says.

“I think you’ll find you will enjoy it more than you think though, dear. You have fun.” Laurel says as she walks off. Her smile was sweet and friendly in spite of how agitated Barley felt. She gave him a little pat on the shoulder as she wondered past him.

[vadlings]

the memories of the boy i’ve been (801 words) by vadlings

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Assassin's Creed - All Media Types Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Ethan Frye & Jacob Frye, Evie Frye & Jacob Frye, Ethan Frye & Evie Frye & Jacob Frye Characters: Jacob Frye, Ethan Frye, Evie Frye Additional Tags: Character Study, Emotional Baggage, Bad Parenting, Family, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Jacob Frye Has ADHD

Summary:

Before Ethan, it had been just him, Evie, and their grandmother. Obviously they’d competed, but nothing like they did later on, when every word of praise to Evie and look of disapproval to Jacob felt like the driving force of the rift growing fast between them.

[weaselgirl]

A Matter Of Chance (30408 words) by Weaselgirl1988 Chapters: 6/14 Fandom: Dungeons and Daddies (Podcast) Rating: Explicit Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Nick Close | Nicholas Foster/Lark Oak Characters: Nick Close | Nicholas Foster, Lark Oak, Glenn Close (Dungeons and Daddies), Taylor Swift (Dungeons and Daddies), Sparrow Oak Additional Tags: Name a character they are probably here somewhere, Marriage of Convenience, Fake Marriage, AU No forgotten realms, canon typical generational trauma, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Eventual Smut, ex friends to husbands to lovers, Slow Burn, Nick has no idea what is going on, But this is not new for him, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Grief/Mourning

Chapter 6: Nick and Lark meet with their family lawyer, then search for a place to start their married life

[opheliajupiter99]

The Rotten Maiden

(I hope you all shall permit me a bit of nostalgia during my birthday month, as this story shall be a reimagining of the first Batman Villain I ever made up)

Once upon a time, there was a young girl named Exella, with hair as black as pitch, and blue eyes as bright as dawn. She was a sweet, adorable little angel of a girl, and while her parents were hardly wealthy, and they were often overlooked by the residents of Gotham, the ever-optimistic Exella was content.

That is until one fateful day. At only five years of age, her and her parents found themselves in a truly horrific car accident, the vehicle crumbling like it was papier mâché, and so violent that it set their car ablaze.

She was left with horrific scarring and deformities all over her body from the accident, but by some miracle, survived. She was left akin in visage to the living dead, gaining the cruel nickname of 'Romero' amongst the other children at the orphanage.

In the orphanage, she came to truly learn just how much of a popularity contest the cruel joke that adoption can be. She felt akin to an ugly puppy at the pound, doomed to watch everyone around her be taken into loving, shallow embraces, left to wither and die without even being acknowledged.

Perhaps in another life, the young girl would've herself in the care of a certain cowled billionaire and found true comfort and fatherly love. Sadly instead, a different billionaire came to the orphanage, adopting her and swiftly giving her an expensive surgery, that completely reshaped her into looks akin to a goddess, the man getting widespread attention for his generous deeds towards such a poor soul.

Sadly, the young girl quickly found that this 'kindness' was purely for the man's own publicity, bathing in the praise and adoration he got from treating her, only to neglect and ignore her whenever eyes weren't pointed towards them. She began to realize that her past beliefs that ugliness was the worst fate were false, that the true damnation was beauty.

It wasn't just her father either; all around her treated like a doll, only taken out of its case to be stared at and admired, only to be shut away and forgotten about when they grew bored. Such a situation only grew worse as she grew into her teen years, and the admiration turned into twisted fascination.

More and more did she long for her days at the orphanage, making her own fun in the form of riddling the other children with fear and paranoia - scratching at the windows during a slumber party, jumping out from the darkness, even one time where after a particularly ruthless tirade of insults from one particular girl, she bit as deep as she could into her arm, and watched the child's imagination riddle her with anxiety over the possible result of the bite.

So, on her very own sweet sixteen, a tragic 'accident' took place at her father's mansion, a malfunction of the heating system leading to an explosion and rapidly spreading flame that engulfed everything in its path. Her father and all of his servants were slaughtered, and Exella herself presumed dead.

However, residents of Gotham have since reported sightings of a walking corpse, clad in a tattered black dress and veil as if attending her own funeral, wandering the graveyards and back alleys at night, preying on the flesh of anyone that dare draws close.

[venusaturns]

forever frustrated over how little the show's writers actually seemed to care about helaena targaryen. like yes, they made her a dreamer but at what cost? we could have gotten at least one scene with her and dreamfyre because my girl is a dragonrider!! she claimed her dragon by the age of eleven and according to a semi-canon source, riding on dreamfyre was a great joy for her.

why did we not see a single scene with helaena in aegon's small council?why did they not even introduce maelor in the show? it was said that viserys read fictional tales to her children and that she took them to his chambers the night before his death but not a single scene of them bonding or viserys acknowledging her existence was shown at all.

and what about queen helaena who was loved by the smallfolk? honestly just the fact they completely ruined blood & cheese, not even giving helaena a proper chance to grieve but rather having her rationalize loss of her own son and turning it into an accident tells you all you need to know about how little these writers actually care about helaena and giving her characterization justice.

[cuephrase]

i have like so so so many comics i desperately want to read AND YET, the urge to re-read tim's og robin run + young justice + red robin is so strong like ??? i am genuinely torn.