#pain and panic in the island of woe

[the-v-lociraptor]

Welcome... to Elysium.

Proudly presenting.... The Ignihyde Demons.

Information sheets: here (wip)

Twsited from: Pain and Panic (Hercules)

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Template belongs to @unfinished-projects-galoreand bc you wanted to see it, @siphoklansan

[gingacat]

meet the imp twins, Paisley and Panini!

Paisley is twisted from Pain and Panini is twisted from Panic. Their designs might change.

Paisley

birthday: March 27

age: 1000+

height: 162 cm (current form)

homeland: Island of Woe

pronouns: Any

grade: Junior

class: 3-F

club: Occult Sciences Research

best subjet: Practical magic

hobbies: Playing with fire

pet peeves: Stairs

favorite food: Spicy noodles

least favorite food: Ice cubes

talent: Plotting

Random stuff i wrote about him:

Paisley is always accidentally hurting himself by tripping on things, since he can't pay attention to his surroundings. This happens especially in crowded places, as his brain just overloads from the bunch of information happening at the same time and he just stops functioning. Paisley also hates stairs, because he always trips and falls. His clothes are always messed up because of his clumsiness.

Panini

birthday: March 27

age: 1000+

height: 164 cm (current form)

homeland: Island of Woe

pronouns: Any

grade: Junior

class: 3-F

club: Occult Sciences Research

best subject: Animal languages

hobbies: Reading

pet peeves: Drawing

favorite food: Cotton candy

least favorite food: Pickles

talent: Hiding

Random stuff i wrote about him:

Panini is very distressed towards drawing/painting, since his hands are always shaking, so his drawings never go the way he wants. She also can't sing because her voice is also always shaking. Panini is very paranoid and often gets into anxiety spirals, but she is also very smart and clever. She is logical, yet really bad at reading people and getting social cues, so she often misunderstands what people want to say.

Background

Paisley and Panini are imp twins, servants of the Shroud family, and have been serving them for over a thousand years. They used to be imprisoned in Tartarus, but were able to get out by "selling their souls" to the Shroud family. They might not live in Tartarus anymore, but are still prisoners and it is their obligation to serve all members of the family, from each passing generation. Their current boss is Idia.

They originated from an experiment that went wrong in the STYX lab. After the people who work in STYX realized this creation was potentially dangerous for the society (the twins are demons after all), Paisley and Panini were imprisoned in Tartarus.

They are manifestations of blot, not phantoms, but demons that resulted from experiments with blot (don't ask me how). This means both Paisley and Panini don't originally have a human form, but they can morph into whatever they want. Currently, their chosen form is of teenage boys so that they can accompany Idia in his school journey, but if they want to morph into idk... an old lady, a kid or a huge buff man, they can.

[just-patchy]

Twst OC: Anthea Laverne

Art by Lizz @thetwstwildcard bc she hates me

ღBasic Informationღ

Name: Anthea Laverne

Nickname(s)/Alias(es): Thea, Flying fish, Mademoiselle Flowers (草花)

Age: 18

Gender: Female

Sexuality: Bisexual

D.O.B.: 26th January

Horoscope: Aquarius

Homeland: Island of Woe

ღNRC Fileღ

Dorm: Ignihyde

School Year: 3rd

Class: 3-A

Class No.: 16

Occupation: Student

Club: Board Games, but occasionally helps out at the Horse-Riding club

Best Subject: Astronomy

ღAppearanceღ

Height: 7’10”/240 cm

Weight: Secret ♡︎

Hair Colour: Pink

Eye Colour: Purple

Jewellery/Others: Winged ears, centaur features, flowers

ღPersonalityღ

Anthea fancies herself as a “big sister” type person who is often seen gently chastising other students, especially her own dorm members. She is a bit on an airhead who is open-minded and will accept anything, which makes her a popular person to approach, whether it’s manual labour or a shoulder to cry on. Anthea prides herself on being a reliable senior and wants to be of service to everyone.

Unfortunately, however, Anthea tends to not mince words on occasion, especially when it comes to people she’s close with like the Shroud brothers. Her way of scolding can be described as “fast and furious”; extremely efficient as she’s straight to the point and her comments are short. It should be noted that while Anthea is generally a kind and warm-hearted person, she’s not above finding amusement in watching people crash and burn, following up with a lighthearted “I told you so.”

Favourite Food: Rare steak

Least Favourite Food: Eggs

Dislikes: When people mess around too much

Hobby: Herbalism

Talent: Mimicking

ღTriviaღ

Dominant Hand: Right

CV: Hayami Saori (Yor Forger)

Twisted from the Centaurettes in Fantasia but also technically from the fake pegasus in Hercules (so also Pain and Panic)

The winged ears are theorised to be a form of genetic mutation/evolution from pegasuses

Anaemic

Idia’s underpaid therapist, on her way to becoming the students’ unpaid therapist

She is rather easily startled

Tends to underestimate her own strength so sometimes she accidentally breaks things with what she thinks is a “light kick”

A bit of an oddball given her sorting into Ignihyde compared to the general image of centaurs

Quite voracious, needs to snack throughout the day

[cecilebutcher]

♡⊰𝓐𝓲𝓴𝓪𝓽 𝓢𝓹𝓪𝓷𝓸𝓼⊱♡

Based off Pain from Hercules

More info

⊱Bᴀsɪᴄs⊰

Name: Aikat Spanos

Age: 17

Date of birth: August 19

Zodiac sign: Leo

Hight: 160cm

Dorm: Ignihyde

Class: C1

Place of birth: Island of Woe

Mother: Penelope Spanos

Father: Ajax Spanos

Brother(Twins): Phobes Spanos

⊱Aᴘᴘᴇᴀʀᴀɴᴄᴇ⊰

Aikat is 160cm. He has light brown skin with bruises all over from being an idiot. His his hair is dark raspberry colored with a dark turquoise streak. He has bandages over his arm and face because of the bruises and wears glasses. His eyes are a grey-ish yellow color.

⊱Sᴘᴇᴀᴄɪᴀʟ Mᴀɢɪᴄ⊰

Pain of the heart. The ability to cause severe pain to anyone is a 20 mile radius. The pain can go as far as causing someone to black out.

⊱Fʀɪᴇɴᴅs⊰

Idia. Ortho. Phobes. Several Ignihyde students. Vil. Epel. Tao(oc). Cater. Lilia. Kalim.

⊱Tʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛs Oɴ Cʜᴀʀᴀᴄᴛᴇʀs⊰

𝚁𝚒𝚍𝚍𝚕𝚎: he keeps collaring me and saying that I “need to follow the rules”. What is he the fun police?

𝚃𝚛𝚎𝚢: have you tasted his cooking?? They are so good!!

𝙲𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚛: Cater is great!! I like to hang out with him and the music club whenever I can!

𝙰𝚌𝚎: Doesn’t care what people think of him which I respect. He also doesn’t care if he says something that might sound mean. I feel like Phobes would like him.

𝙳𝚎𝚞𝚌𝚎: Haven’t met him. Phobes says he’s ok so ig he’s ok.

𝙻𝚎𝚘𝚗𝚊: Has too much of a temper in my opinio. But Phobes looks up to him so eh, he’s ok.

𝚁𝚞𝚐𝚐𝚒𝚎: oh Phobes has the biggest crush on him. Don’t see the appeal in him though. But if he hurts my brother I’ll personally see that he dies :)

𝙹𝚊𝚌𝚔: don’t know don’t care. Tao says he has too many morals though.

𝚃𝚊𝚘(𝙾𝙲): Is always up for some mischief, And always ready to talk or fight our way out of Trouble. But he’s also the 2nd highest student in terms of grades which honestly shocked me.

𝙺𝚊𝚕𝚒𝚖: He’s super fun and his parties are awesome! I can talk to him for hours on end no problem!

𝙹𝚊𝚖𝚒𝚕: not my cup of tea. But he’s nice to Phobes so all’s well ends well.

𝙰𝚣𝚞𝚕: Idia says to stay away. So what will I do? Get on his nerves>:)

𝙹𝚊𝚍𝚎: Phobes seems to dislike him a bit, so I dislike him a bit.

𝙵𝚕𝚘𝚢𝚍: Too tall in my opinion, he could use to loose a few inches. Other then that meh, don’t care.

𝚅𝚒𝚕: His royal highness is great!! He gave me tips to keep my skin and hair better and always looks out for me in practice.

𝙴𝚙𝚎𝚕: Phobes likes him a lot so he’s cool with me.

𝚁𝚘𝚘𝚔: if you think I’m weird wait till you meet him. I don’t know why Vil keeps him around.

𝙸𝚍𝚒𝚊: Boss is, well, he’s boss! He gives me stuff to do and I have no problem doing them ever since we were kids and I’ve always looked up to him. All in all he’s awesome.

𝙾𝚛𝚝𝚑𝚘: Ortho is adorable!! He’s super nice and super cool.

𝙿𝚑𝚘𝚋𝚎𝚜(𝙾𝙲):My cute baby brother<3 I would die for him. He’s always there and never leaves me. I do tend to worry about him a lot but hey, what do you expect from me?

𝙼𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚎𝚞𝚜: He’s alright, abbot stuck up but hey, what do you expect from a prince?

𝙻𝚒𝚕𝚒𝚊: Lilia is amazing! He knows a lot and is super cool! Just don’t eat his cooking…. Please.

𝚂𝚒𝚕𝚟𝚎𝚛: Met him a few times. He sorta reminds me of fairy tale princesses

𝚂𝚎𝚋𝚎𝚔: He’s so loud!! And not in a good way>:(

⊱Pᴇʀsᴏɴᴀʟɪᴛʏ⊰

Aikat is seen as the bold one of the twins. He does whatever he wants whenever he wants as long as his brother is cool with it. He has abandonment and trust issues so he’s prone to panic attacks when the people closest to him are away. He’s cheeky and a bit too honest at times but he means well and just doesn’t realize he’s being a jerk sometimes. He’s kind and generous and a bit of a genius when he wants to be. He’d also very reliable and dependable and Idia sees him as his no.1 go to guy. He’s quite brave and confident and likes to challenge himself. He’s also super cheerful and can always be seen with a smile on his face. He’s also easy going and open minded, and can be funny at times. He’s friendly charismatic and social.

But he can come off as rude and disrespectful because of how blunt he is at times. He can also be quiet clumsy with stuff. He’s impatient and doesn’t like to wait much for things. He can also be really naive and foolish at times and can be seen as childish.

He’s also energetic but has a calming demeanor to him. And as I mentioned is truthful(but can lie and will lie if he wants) and lighthearted.

⊱Fᴜɴ Fᴀᴄᴛs⊰

Aikat is the eldest of the two Spanos twins. He was born 20 minutes before his brother.

He has severe attachment issues and abandonment issues due to his parents disappearing when he was 8.

He’s been living with the Shrouds for so long he considers them family.

He tends to lie to get his way, especially if he was in trouble.

He tends to be calm and nothing can tic him off, except when his brother is sad

He LOVES singing and dancing. So when Idia and Ortho heard he joined the film club they were confused.

While he likes playing video games he also enjoys doing calligraphy, something that a lot of people(including himself) find weird

He has ADHD

Likes to play pranks on people a lot.

Has gotten into trouble with teachers and the head wardens on several occasions.

He is so oblivious to relationships and romantic love it hurts

Loves loves LOVES sea food.

But hates spicy food.

Put him in a dark room with no light and he’ll just die, right then and there, on the spot.

Has sensory issues so he always has headphones on him.

Can’t see for shit but refuses to wear his glasses correctly

Calls Idia “Boss” and Vil “Your Majesty”

Has a weird hobby of trying to figure out if he sold someone how much will he get

Continuing the last point: has told people what they’re worth like talking about the weather.

The most reckless person ever. Safety? What is that an energy drink?

Has Fangs

[kaymarie-bell]

Ignihyde Chapter Spoilers: a brief summary of how the students are doing

[pomefiore side translation]

Pometrio + MC:

we've been trying to get down to Tartarus but the elevador is out of service until Ortho decides to make his move

his move: declare this situation as a Quest, RPG-style

the students have to play Star Rogue to please Ortho so he can let them use the elevator

once we're alone again Vil decides to speak about Rook, Epel, and MC coming to the Island of Woe on their own

he scolds Rook for being a terrible vice-leader by abandoning the dorm when it needed him the most. Rook says he'll accept being dismissed from his position as soon as they get back

Epel tries to protest but Vil turns his anger at him and MC. He says that we have no business playing hero when we don't have enough ability to follow through

Everyone is kind of sad but then Vil says that's all he had to say as "Pomefiore's Dorm Leader," and he will now speak as "just Vil"

He smiles and says he was very happy when Idia told them about us breaking in, and he has been holding back since he saw our faces

he gives everyone a hug and a kiss as a thank you for chasing after him

he promises he will get everyone back to school safety, and Rook says he stole his line

Epel promises he won't lose this time, especially because he has awoken his unique magic

Vil is surprised. Rook praises Epel and says he wishes he could record with his eyes so Vil could've seen it too. Vil gets serious and says that he probably will get to see it soon. Rook understands what he means and turns serious as well.

Epel is confused, but then Vil announces that something is coming at us from below.

first attack from the phantoms. Vil warns us to not touch the leftover blot since it could cause an OB

they keep following the map. MC says they're worried about more enemies bit Epel is confident about his UM. Vil is proud of him

We go into the [Asylum] and have to fight the phantoms trapped in the boxes(?) in order to clear the "2nd stage"

we fight a bunch of phantoms (including the OB'ed Pain and Panic from Hercules)

They realize that the reason the Shrouds are making them do this as if they're playing a game is that they want to buy time for the phantoms to unfreeze

I will Not perceive the Shrouds' angst atm

Vil thinks Ortho would be a great actor, he says Ortho should become a child actor focused on playing villain roles since he's very convincing. Rook wants him to join the film club when they get back (😭)

Rook tells MC they should trim Grim's nails since big cats like him need it. Vil starts talking about manicures.

Rook had cracked nails and calloused fingers due to his archery, but didn't care about it because he wears gloves. He started taking better care of himself after meeting Vil.

We almost get a RookVil backstory but we get interrupted because we find the door. Epel and MC are disappointed (me too)

I only have some highlights for the other teams because I was focused on Pometrio, I'll try to make individual posts for them later

Leona + Jamil:

Leona asks Jamil for one of his hair ornaments, then he proceeds to yeet it down the tower to see how deep it is

Jamil: dude wtf why did it have to be something of mine

They get to play the Hydra's Counterattack game

Leona is either taking everything as a game or being annoyed over Jamil's warnings of "stay behind me" or "don't go too far away from me"

Jamil is kinda worried about NRC since Kalim and Malleus are the only dorm leaders left (😭) but Leona insists he's not worried about Savanaclaw

Leona is annoyed over Jamil acting like his mom, Jamil is annoyed by Leona telling him he's like Azul 😭😭😭

Riddle + Azul

they have to play the Ferry game. Riddle is about to either knock the door down on his own or have an aneurysm

if saving the world depended on these two alone everyone would be dead tbh

they're five seconds away from throwing hands

girl help the nerds are fighting

this exactly why NRC always loses against RSA smh

that's all for now because I gotta level my cards up to defeat the Titan rip

some spoilers I saw on twt:

apparently Leona has a mega chad moment where he is the only one capable of using the weapon to defeat the Titans on his own. Vil and Riddle have to ask the others for help.

Azul and Riddle finally remember their house training after defeating their titan. They even high five each other.

now we just have to wait a bit more until we can finally see the Shrouds again

[lucenties]

Oooh I see your fav is Joseph and I've been so soft for him lately so I'd like to drop a request! Fic or headcanons, idc, whatever comes to ya! And female or neutral reader, if that matters? Reader has been subject to wearing the training mask, just like Joseph, but is handling it horribly. And Joseph finds them hiding somewhere to stress cry, because they don't want anyone to think they're weak? 🥺 (but now they're double embarrassed cuz their crush caught them crying?)

— training woes

such a cute concept I love it!

battle tendency!joseph x gn!reader

⤷ fluff, slight angst (lack of self confidence)

⤷ 1.2k words

You always knew becoming a hamon master would mean you would have to endure hellish training. Every day you took blow after blow that was thrown at you, putting every single bit of your skill on the table so that Lisa Lisa could finally see that you were ready to go out and battle on your own. It was painful, yet the years worth of bruises and sore muscles were nothing compared to the tightening growing in your chest when Caesar emerged from the oil-slick hellhole, shortly followed by Joseph.

It just wasn’t fair.

You always expected Caesar to finish his trial long before you; he was already growing proficient in his Hamon training upon your arrival on Air Supplena Island. Although you’ve always worked your butt off, it was thanks to his support that Lisa Lisa even considered giving you the training mask. He never turned down your request to be a sparring partner, even if he went easy on you most of the time, and despite his own training, he always gave you pointers on how to improve.

Joseph, however, was a prodigy. In the short time that he spent on the island, he managed to conquer the very pillar that took the lives of many previous hamon users. He never seemed to let anything get him down; even when things didn’t go his way and his sharp tongue got the best of him, his wit and skill managed to get him out of any situation. Conquering the Hell Climb Pillar was only his most recent accomplishment. This was only the beginning. His skill was impressive and he was so cool in your eyes; he was everything you only dreamed of being. 

He confused you. On one side, you couldn’t help but feel intimidated and slightly jealous of his abilities and his knack for quick learning. On the other hand, that same skill and resiliency is what led you to look up to him and strive to become better. Although Caesar was your go-to for help with training, with Loggins and Messina assisting here and there, you couldn't bring yourself to ask Joseph for help. Feeling too weak in comparison, shame always seemed to overcome you and pulled you away from even asking for his help. You not only looked up to him, Joseph had you head over heels and wrapped around his finger without even realizing it. However, the attraction you felt towards him and the fear of disappointing him were too great to allow yourself to get too close to him.

"You have to move faster if you want to gain the upper hand against the Pillar Men, [Y/N]." Despite Lisa Lisa's corrections, the balls of hamon launched your way were only narrowly being avoided, if not crashed into you entirely. 

Stamina training was harsh, especially with the mask latched on your face restricting your air flow. You managed to redirect some of the energy away from yourself in an effort to catch your breath, yet the orbs kept coming, each leaving aches in your body that were sure to be felt tomorrow. 

"You have to push yourself!" your mentor shouted, taking note of the slight improvement in your form. The stinging, wet feeling in your eyes only grew stronger the more her corrections were thrown at you. Despite the pain, you did your best to step out of the way and focused what little energy you had left on dodging the attacks.

"You're doing pretty great, [Y/N]!"

Just like that, the single thread of motivation you were hanging on ripped. Joseph's voice was meant to be encouraging, but the thought of your crush seeing you in such a weak state, not being able to overcome such a simple task, hindered your concentration. A last concentrated bit of hamon rammed against your leg, knocking you over. With a sigh and sympathy in her eyes, Lisa Lisa reached out a hand to help you stand up.

Without even waiting for her dismissal and with a quick mutter of gratitude, you scurried off towards the center of the island and turned the nearest corner. Making sure you were alone, you slid down the wall, the tears finally spilling as you wallow in despair.

You were never going to reach the end of your training. What felt like an eternity spent learning how to channel hamon, practicing how to wield it, and surpassing the stamina techniques was beginning to seem like a waste. It was a waste of Lisa Lisa's time and it was a waste of potential on your part. Now that a new trainee had arrived, far better in every aspect, you began to feel as though there was no point in continuing your trials. Between your blubbering cries muffled in between your legs and the ringing in your ears from exhaustion, you failed to notice the figure closing in on you. 

"There you are. Lisa Lisa was concerned when you ran off like— hey, why are you crying?" Again, Joseph's voice only acted as a trigger for your panic. Your head shot up in surprise and mild disbelief. Every single attempt on your part to avoid him seeing you in such a weak state proved to be not enough. It was almost certain his opinion of you shattered in the instant he looked into your sore, bloodshot eyes.

And yet, he slid down on the wall beside you and laid a hand on your shoulder. 

"You did pretty good back there," he looked away, still keeping his hold on you. It was firm but not tight, a silent assurance. "The way you held yourself against Lisa Lisa was pretty impressive."

"Yeah right." A mix between a scoff and a squeak leaves your throat. Rolling your eyes, you feel the heat in your cheeks rising at the thought of being pitied. "You're just saying that to make me feel better."

"I'm serious!" This time, Joseph opts for placing your hands in between his and lifting them up towards him. "Even though you weren't able to avoid her attacks, you took each hit like a champ, and there were a lot of hits," he teases. "Lisa Lisa wasn't holding back, either. I saw fire in your eyes that shook me to my core."

At his praise, you finally look up to meet his gaze and you feel a twinkle in your eyes. The heat on your cheeks doubles, and this time it is because you realize this is the closest you've ever been to him. Joseph lets a hand go to reach it up to his head, scratching at it awkwardly. "Don't stare at me like that, it's kinda weird…" he chuckles jokingly.

Wiping away the tears from your face, the tightness in your chest subsides. Joseph stands up and extends an arm to help you up. Without a second thought, you engulf him in a hug that holds all the things you wish you could tell him. His chest rumbles with a hearty laugh and you feel his arms tightly wrap around your smaller frame, offering a sense of peace you haven't felt in a long time.

"Thank you." It's muffled in his shirt. You find comfort in his smell, sharp and sweet but not overwhelming.

For now, it'll have to do.

[writeforself]

Phantom Song

Kassandra x Reader

Warning: angst, gore

A/N: Inspired by a dream I had the other day.

When you realised, you were alone on the battlefield. Flames scorching the field; soldiers shouting at the top of their lungs, crawling and wailing with their dismembered bodies, fertilizing the earth with their abundant blood. Yet sounds of weapons clashing against each other sounded so far away. It seemed near yet distant. You seemed there but not.

Your arm felt like it’s burning. When you looked at it, it was mere red. The scarlet gleamed under the blazing sun. A weight on your shoulder became heavier, and vision seemed hazier.

Raising your sword, you cut down the enemy running towards you. His armour was covered with dirt and blood. When he fell onto the muddy ground you couldn’t hear anything, but you could feel something inside you fell along with him, down the earth.

Then you heard a familiar voice, a shout that cleared your sight.

Turning your head toward the source you saw a familiar figure, wielding the golden spear in her hand, cutting through waves of enemies. You wouldn’t mistaken that braid anywhere, which twirled in the air like a dancing nymph when its owner turned her torso and stroke another blow. Her golden crown shined under the daylight, giving her the glow of a goddess.

You would recognise that move everywhere. It lifted your spirit.

Exuberance filled you up. Suddenly you heard a familiar melody in the air. It sounded like humming in the wind, which seemed close yet distant and vague. Ignoring it, you slashed your way through waves of enemies like slicing down soulless cardboards.

As you approached closer and closer to Kassandra, covered in crimson, and suffered with weariness. The melody became clearer and clearer; eventually you were able to figure the words in the wind that at first sounded like humming.

‘Look at the stars’

You’ve heard it before.

‘Beyond the mountains and the wild sea’

But you didn’t remember where.

It didn’t matter. Kassandra was right in front of you, separated only by a couple of soldiers. Yet before you realised, it was too late.

One.

You saw a sharp spear broke out from your stomach. Blood splattered in front you. Yet beside losing strength and collapsing on your knees, you could not feel a thing. No pain, no grief, not even a sound crept into your ears, but the song that lingered ghostly in the air.

Two.

A sword wielded in the air, a shining blaze blinded your eyes. Then there was nothing.

***

Maybe you were always blinded by the confidence Kassandra represented, never in your wildest dream, did you imagine having to fight on the burning Adrestia. Yet you could not see Kassandra. Instead, you saw the crews being cut down by pirates swarming onto the ship. Fire swallowed up your vision.

Engulfed by panic, you tried to seek Kassandra in this sea of suffering. One by one you witnessed your fellow men fell down under vicious blades.

Then you saw her.

At the far end of the ship, wielding her spear as graciously as usual, fighting a pirate twice her size who is slamming the deck with a gigantic axe in hands. Without a second thought you set foot onward, eager to become her aid.

‘Follow your dreams’

Why did it sound familiar? The music in the air, penetrated through the screams and shouts, came into your ears clear as wind chimes. You stopped, dumbfounded.

‘The bravest hearts’

Looking around, you found yourself surrounded. Their faces you could not see, covered with the suffocating smoke, and the shadow of their darken helmets. With a desperate attempt you tried to fight your way through the crowd. Your lung blazed, full of dark smoke and the burnt odour of flesh and woods.

She was so close.

The giant pirate fell under her swing. The broken spear radiated with vigour and strength. You met with her eyes, drowned in frenzied fear. Before she took a step, you felt something piercing through you. A sharp object across your shoulder.

Your sword clashed on the deck. You heard her shouting your name in the midst of chaos. But you could not see her. You could only see the grand blue sky, with smoke like a black thin silk covering up the sky.

You were flying. At least it was what you thought, before your senses being swallowed by a gentle coldness, seeping inside you, until the melody faded away into the void, along with your sensations.

***

You’ve heard of this place. Kassandra once shared her childhood story in the dark of the night, when there was nothing to be heard but her quivering voice in the dead of the night. Taygetos, a name you will never forget. At the edge of the world, a child’s life was taken, only to be reborn and took her life into her own hands.

However, you had never been here. The fact that you identified this place puzzled you.  The height frightened you. The world unfolded in front of you. But fear crept inside you, tearing you sanity and pushing you toward the edge. Trying to stand still, you closed your eyes. In your mind you saw a valley of death, wails of children made the sky tremble. The lightning in the dark tear the world into half.

But there were movements in the air.

When you opened your eyes, all you could see were villages lying in tranquility in the field below; all you could hear were the trees rustling in the breeze that sounded like a calling from reverie.

Yet there it was, again. Yes, again.

You found familiarity in the air. There it was again, the melody with a soft chanting, drifted into your ears and landed in your mind. You felt your muscles tightened, stiffened, as if you were chained by a giant snake, until the last of air was extruded out of your lung. The view in front you was breathtaking.

Suddenly you were terrified, of death.

‘The gods will favor those who dare to see’

The unknown voice in the atmosphere sang, but all you could think of was Kassandra. Where was she? You needed her. The urge to see her, to touch her, to hold her, or being held in her arm, the desperate desire consumed you like waves of fire.

You could not breath.

‘Courageously’

[Y/N...] Before you lost your sanity to the alluring song, you heard your name being uttered, by that voice you admired, from the lips you craved.

Turning around, there she was, the living goddess in your life, Kassandra. However, when you met with her gaze, you saw no joy, no affection, no love; you saw only anger, resentment, and devastation. Her eyes were blazing with an impulse. You could see it clearly, like a bear in confinement, which is about to break out a cage which was on the verge of collapse. In her hand was the spear you always stared with reverence. It gleamed with a crimson lustre.

Staggered with her expression, you tried to move. Yet at the edge of the cliff, there was nowhere to run, and your feet was locked on the ground, petrified, as if you met the gaze of Medusa.

‘For destiny’

The melody continued to linger. You tried to scream, but the image of a valley of dead children frightened you. In your mind the wails of those children merged with the ghostly song in the air.

One.

There it was, the precious spear of hers, now digging deep into your stomach. There was no pain, only bewilderment.

You could not recognise her face. There was no woe in her eyes. That was not the person you love.

Two.

You felt the breeze rushing across your skin. In front of you was the sky that was as enthralling as ever.

Then it was darkness.

***

You wake up, full of sweat, eyes wide open. At first you can see nothing in the darkness.

But soon you recall where you are.

It is night. You reassure yourself. A peaceful night, summer’s breeze dances in to the room from the open window. You can hear the callings of owls from far away, cicadas singing in the thick dark woods, and the melody you’ve heard for countless times.

You jump up from bed, move to the window.

There she is, humming the melody light-heartedly, swinging her body along with the rhythm, sitting by the balcony with her feet dangling in the night air. Moonlight sprinkles its gentleness on the ground, the edge of her silhouette radiates with a hypnotizing glow. 

You sneak out to the balcony, but are soon uncovered with your weary treads. Then she turns, surprised, and smiles.

“Why are you up?” She chuckles. The last time you heard this melodic voice seems like ages before. “What are you singing?” You take a seat by her side, notice the spear in her hands. You shiver, remembering the fearsome nightmare you just woke up from.

“Oh that? It’s a song my mater always sang when I was little.” You finally realise it. You have heard it for hundreds of times. “Don’t you remember?”

She puts down the spear and turns to you. Soon she notices the hesitation, and the fear hiding beneath your faraway look.

“Are you okay?” She puts her arm around you, wrapping you with delicacy, laying tender kisses on your skin. “I’m fine.” You put on a tired smile. “Can you keep singing that song?”

“Of course, my love.” She whispers into your ears. You feel a loving weight lands onto your head, her voice and breath sweep across your skin.

The night falls into silence, waiting for the soothing melody to rejoin with the symphony.

“Beautiful Island, bathed in the rising sun.” Nightmares fade away with her voice.

“Faith’s hand will guide you, travel in path alone.” As your muscles loosen, you feel your eyelids grow heavier and heavier, until you finally fall back into a gentle slumber.

“Back to the warmth of home.”

[tvstarkuma]

Teddie will definitely need to ask Sylvia about where she was from someday. He's never been to any country besides this one and already each city seemed so drastically different. Inaba, Okina City, Tatsumi Port Island, Tokyo, each one was unique in its own way. Teddie enjoyed exploring each one. If Teddie can show Sylvia around Japan then perhaps she can show him around her country as well? Now there was another plan that made the bear smile.

"That means a lot to me, Vi-chan. Thank you bear-y much!" A soft grin accompanied his appreciation.

He would've continued on his current train of thought further, then Sylvia's next text arrived...Sylvia was sad most of the time? Teddie looked down at his phone in silence. Ever so slightly he pursed his lips as he read through her last four texts again. Outside the screen he noticed a faint blush on her cheeks but she didn't appear sad to him. Was there a deep sadness his friend was hiding from him?

"Vi-chan...are you...-"

Teddie rushed over to be closer to Sylvia's side as soon as she began to cough. Her pain, again, clear on her face. Looking ever closer as she held the tea he made, even that couldn't help with her woes. Teddie could recognize that tongue fanning anywhere as a sign of a tongue burn.

"Oh no! Was it the tea?! Did my tea make it worse?!" He made no attempt to hide the panic in his voice as he frantically looked between her and her small kitchen. Should he find a way to make the tea cooler? Putting it in the fridge could work but that'll take way too long and Sylvia needed it now. There was ice as well but he didn't know if her dorm room had any ice cubes. Then again, that also takes a little while and would dilute the tea.

Oh! If tea wasn't the answer then what was? More cough drops maybe...?

With no more options in his mind, Teddie went up to Sylvia before slowly sitting down on her bed next to her. He wrapped his arm over her then gently began massaging her upper back. This helped with coughing, right? Or was it nausea? Or chocking?

"I'm here for you. Whatever it is, I'm right here..."

Disney_Princess: ASL is american sign language

Disney_Princess: and i agree

Disney_Princess: i wanna learn more abt the world too

Disney_Princess: thats why i came to japan tbh

Disney_Princess: also bc it fascinated me. language, culture and all. i love the japanese anime art styles so i was hoping to learn more abt that

Disney_Princess: if i can expand my artistic repertoire while im here, id like to

Disney_Princess: also japan is just cool. like in general.

Disney_Princess: i like to think everything has the potential to be inspiring.

Disney_Princess: any place, any person, anyTHING, any experience

Disney_Princess: like ive definitely found myself inspired by you a lot fr

Disney_Princess: uve been rlly inspiring and happy and just. overall so overwhelmingly positive that even i cant stay sad forever

Disney_Princess: and im super sad like. most of the time lmao

Disney_Princess: so uh. just.

Disney_Princess: thank you

Disney_Princess: so much

As she finished typing, her fingers growing more and more hesitant with each passing message, she finally set her phone down and occupied both her hands with her lovingly made tea, though the blush on her freckled cheeks was something she struggled to hide, even after looking away. Eventually, she couldn't hold it in anymore. She had to cough.

And god did it burn. In just a few moments, she was approaching tears again, desperately gasping for breath. When she finally managed to inhale normally again, she took several more gulps of her tea. Unfortunately, she drank the tea so fast that it scalded her tongue, to the point she couldn't even feel it burning for a hot second.

When it hit, she fanned her tongue and reached for the water, but then she hesitated. Swallowing still hurt. Drinking water still hurt. What was she meant to do in this situation?

[theonceoverthinker]

OUAT 3X09 - Save Henry

It’s time to save Henry...or everyone, save Henry!

See what I did there? Stealthy pun. I can do those on occasion.

Anyway, under the cut you go for the semi-smart stuff, unless you want to save yourself!

Press Release

While Henry’s life hangs in the balance, the race is on to stop Pan from gaining full magical powers from the heart of the truest believer. Meanwhile, in Storybrooke of the past, Regina decides to fill a void in her life and, with Mr. Gold’s help, sets out to adopt a baby.

Main Thoughts - Characters/Stories/Themes and Their Effectiveness

Past

Wow, Loving Lana’s acting in this first scene with Archie. She’s so muted and given how Regina’s usually up there in the extra squad, it’s so noticable. She looks while not unhealthy, still sickly in a way because of how miserable and lonely she is. It’s a fantastic way of showing just how badly her life needed love and how much of a change for the better Henry was for it. (Not to beat a dead horse, but THIS is the kind of acting a lack of a heart should grant one, Graham!)

Pre-redemption post-childhood Regina flashbacks tend to fight an uphill battle of making Regina sympathetic while also not turning their backs on the fact that she was a legit villain, and this one, like the best of them, handles that concept well! Regina does some bad and illegal things. She casts a curse, chews out basically every Storybrooke character she interacts with, and has Sidney steal Emma’s medical records. But this flashback isn’t about those things. It’s a story about how love started the trajectory of Regina’s redemption.

That’s where the focus is on and appropriately so.

Watching that story is adorable. It’s the first time we see Regina soften to someone immediately and in such a loving way. We see the struggle Regina went through to acclimate herself to motherhood. Look, I’m the daughter of a single mother and I was a bit of a problem child myself: This shit hit home.

The ending story of the segment even shows post-early early signs of her redemption by just showing how Henry’s happiness takes precedence over an ensurement of the safety of her vengeance.

“Sometimes, being a good parent can mean having the strength to give him up.” This line is so important. I like how someone in the real world gives this extra level of validation to the “your best chance” mantra of the series. OUAT has some questionable morals and questionable redemptions. I feel comfortable saying that while I do really enjoy the redemptions we see throughout the series, that statement applies to pretty much everyone in the main cast. Someone (I think @justmilah) put it best at the convention: They’re a bunch of people who probably don’t deserve happy endings but are given them anyways.

Now where am I going with this?

The one message that was always spot on was “your best chance” (Or rather, the giving up line). Parents should put their children first. To give it that real world validation, even if it doesn’t happen in the scene in question, was such a good idea. It’s not that I care about legality in this series.

Present

”You have everything and yet you claim to know what I feel?” I was really torn about how I felt about that line. On one hand, I’ve talked a fair amount about how I dislike Regina’s “woe is me” thing, Emma having a lot of people in her life does nothing to move Henry from being her number one priority, and I don’t think comparing pain is conducive to anything. However, the scene with the Lost Boys where Emma brings up this conversation is a fantastic point for her character and her reaching the Lost Boys with that idea of unexpected love and family is incredibly effective.

Regret vs. Remorse. I think the difference between these two camps is so important, both for this scene and Regina’s legacy. Even as far into the future as Regina’s Good Queen coronation, those vines never would’ve stood a chance against Regina. Regina grew to feel remorse for her actions. That was quintessential to her redemption. If she didn’t, Regina may not have garnered the fandom that she has today nor deserved the happiness she found. BUT, Regina’s path, for as evil as it was, did lead her to Henry, and that is something she’d never go back on. He was the encounter she needed to happen in order to redeem herself and more to that, she loves him. Meeting and getting to know her son was worth it all to her and I get frustrated seeing this line get occasionally misconstrued to saying that Regina regrets nothing because she got something she wanted, like Henry was just a salt shaker on a shelf when the actual situation is nothing like that.

And it makes for a truly badass moment that simultaneously doesn’t take away from her redemption. That was really hard to do, and without going too heavy handed with it, the scene by the tree worked out flawlessly!

Insights - Stream of Consciousness

-Those establishing shots set the perfect mood of panic and urgency just before the curse hits.

-”He would’ve understood.” He was begging you not to kill him! XD

-Rumple is such a little shit and I love it. Like, if Regina’s gonna come and gloat, he’s gonna make sure she doesn’t get to celebrate her victory and push every button he can while he still has the chance. And all without leaving his cell!

-I just had a thought. So, as soon as Regina says she’s going to kill baby Emma, Rumple starts talking about the hole in her heart. And Regina and her guards just BARELY miss Emma. Was Rumple stalling to ensure that Emma got away?

- @ussjellyfish, I finally get what you were talking about with Regina’s love of paperwork! Her desk more loaded with paperwork than Smash Bros is loaded with characters and death!

-”What are you feeling?” “Nothing.” The subtle honesty of that line hits me HARD!

-”A child. That can provide so much meaning.” Archie, one shouldn’t have or adopt a child in order to solely give their lives meaning.

-”I need a child, Gold and I need your help.” “Well I’m flattered, but uninterested.” “Not like THAT.” One of my FAVORITE exchanges in the series! XD

-”Well, a mother of some sort.” Even cursed, Rumple is out for fucking BLOOD! -”When you become a parent, you must put your child first.” So Rumple is cursed during this scene, but one has to wonder what exactly, if anything, is his relationship to Bae under the curse. Are they estranged or is he straight-up dead? I use the dead angle in my Golden Hook fanfic, but I’m curious to hear other thoughts.

-Fun fact: If Emma yields a sword, that sword can hurt the unhurtable in exactly the way she wants to! (See also: Season 6)

-Rumple went to fucking bank for you, Regina! Like, not a single flaw!

-Damn! Amazing acting on Lana’s part again! Like, the SECOND she sees baby Henry, she falls in love with him. The gasp, the way her eyes bulge, the softness of her form! It’s amazing!

-Gotta HAND it to Killian! His hook is really doing a good job of keeping Felix in place!

-Awww! Beverly Elliott!!! She just makes me smile!!! <3

-I love how Regina just knows that Mary Margaret is the best person to stick her baby with! <3

-”Well, as long as your plan holds together, she will.” FUCK MACHISMO ISLAND.

-Baby Henry’s reaction to Gold’s shop is EVERYONE’S initial reaction to this little shop of horrors!

-”My memory’s not what it used to be.” *Sighs* Fucking Rumple. I love you.

-”Oh you really know nothing of what I’m talking about.” I love how even when Rumple actually is cursed, even with Regina’s confidence in the opening, she doesn’t buy that it actually happened for a second.

-”Look at what motherhood has done to you.” I love how Rumple’s line (This one and the ones that preceded it) is basically praising the makeup department and Lana’s acting! That’s actually so adorable and deserved on the writer’s parts! <3

-Okay, everyone’s wash of relief upon seeing Henry wake up genuinely had me choked up. The smiles on everyone’s faces and the deep breaths and the music...I think I need a minute *Sobs into eternity*

-”Young sir.” And letting him stay in the captain’s quarters?! Killian, you fucking adorable softie!

-Okay, now THAT’S the Archie who doles out great advice!

-”A glorious curse.” Regina, I love you! XD

-”Too much pizza.” I love the implication of this line that Henry DID have pizza before his trip to New York, but it wasn’t REAL pizza. XD

-Damn, the Jolly Roger’s captain’s quarters are so fucking fancy!

-”I’m sorry it had to come to this, Henry.” No you’re not, you little bitch!

-*Neal and Rumple hug* Sorry, I think I’ve got something in my eye...TEARS! Like, that entire resolution got me choked up.

-*Pan fails at taking Henry’s heart* Yeah! Suck on that, you little bitch!

-”You raised him well.” Awww! Golden Queen contrast!

-Stupid thing to point out, but after all of that hullabaloo in “Dark Hollow,” why were we using the fucking lighter?

-”A hero, a villain, a pirate.” I love how David doesn’t classify Killian as a villain despite being fairly justified in it! Captain Charming FTW!

-”You have a dad now. Now and for forever.” I’M NOT CRYING! YOU’RE CRYING! “I’ll never leave you. Okay, buddy?” THAT JUST MADE IT WORSE!!!!! AND IT’S NOT EVEN BEING SAID TO HENRY!

Arcs - How Are These Storylines Progressing?

The Mission to Save Henry - There’s such a good feeling of payoff here! Everyone’s working together, communicating, and making risks for each other. David and Emma’s conversation towards the end of the episode about how they all accomplished this is just a testament to how far they’ve come.

Regina’s Redemption - What else is there to say? Regina’s redemption was such a big part of this episode and I already talked in length about why! Well, I guess I want to say that this arc is where Regina really takes her form. She knows she’s done bad and she’s still pretty selfish in a lot of respects, but love pushes her to new emotional heights that neither she nor the audience ever expected!

Emma Accepting Her Parents - Just look at the relief on Emma’s face when she hugs her parents who can both go home with her! <3

Rumple Finding Bae - We finally get to see a big reconciliation between Rumple and Neal! I really liked it, but that having been said, I wish there was more to it than simply “You saved Henry, now I forgive you.” Call me angsty, but that slow rebuilding of their relationship was really great. The fact that they have so far to go is part of what made “Nasty Habits” the fantastic experience that it was. To see it all over so soon after that makes me wish for more. That said, one can make a case that they haven’t fully reconciled AND that at the time they wrote this, Neal was on the chopping block and that resolution with Rumple was best off happening here for that reason.

Favorite Dynamic

Regal Believer. Who else could it be? Just...I love these two! Now, part of me feels bad because Henry plays a much more passive role in this episode than he does in other cases where Regal Believer’s won. In the past, he’s just a baby and in the present, he only has one or two scenes where he talks to anyone. But Henry’s effect on Regina just by the sheer fact that he exists is so much in and of itself. Just by being Henry, he inspires Regina to be her best self.

Writer

Christine Boylan and Daniel Thomsen come off of “Good Form” to write today’s episode! And you know that I loved it. “Solid” is the word of the day here. There’s so much that has to be resolved here and it’s paced so well that one would be surprised by all that was accomplished! Like, Henry is “saved,” Emma recruits the Lost Boys, Rumple is recovered and reconciles with Bae, we see Regina and Henry’s origins, and we see the plan to escape Neverland enacted. That’s a lot for forty four minutes! But the writing and pacing make it feel so natural and while fast-paced, never rushed.

Rating

Golden Apple. What a fantastic episode! It’s beautiful, emotional, tightly written, and has some solid character work! It’s just enjoyable as hell!

-----

I’m all caught up...with last week’s entries! Still three left to go, but I’ve got this!

Thank you all for reading and to the fine folks at @watchingfairytales!

Next time, we relocate from Neverland...to The New Neverland. See you guys then!

Season 3 Total (86/220)

Writer’s Scores: Adam and Eddy (19/60) Kalinda Vazquez (17/40) Andrew Chambliss (17/50) Jane Espenson (10/30) David Goodman (20/40) Robert Hull (20/40) Christine Boylan (20/20)* Daniel Thomsen (20/30)

* Indicates that their work for the season is complete

Operation Rewatch Archives

[rosccte]

&&.  smert' prikhodit takim obrazom

The children prayed, the preacher preached Time and mercy is out of your reach I'll fix your feet so you can't W A L K  I'll lock your jaw so you can't T A L K

SELF PARA: As chaos had erupted in the ballroom, Hélène was caught in the panic of fleeing bodies, and fairly abruptly knocked to the ground unconscious (by guest or attacker is unclear), receiving minor head trauma. Awakening an hour or two later to a scene of death, she is disorientated and confused by what danger presently resides in the palace.  

TRIGGERS: Blood, death, animal harm, graphic content

“У тебя есть нож?” Hervé nodded, looked to the rabbit in his sister’s hands as he pulled the dagger from his pocket –––– extending its engraved hilt, one they’d stolen from their father, out to her. The trap they’d set on the grounds earlier lay empty a few feet away. “Сделай это, Эрве,” Hélène said, shaking her head at the knife and holding the rabbit out. Hervé didn’t take it. “Вы делаете это, сестра. Пришло время учиться.” With a shaky hand, Hélène took it from his hand, her grip tightening around its hilt, and she looked to her brother with a nod.

“Существует только один Бог.” She brought the blade closer to the rabbit, hand shaking. Hervé steadied it with his own. “И его зовут Смерть.” She replied.

“Что мы говорим Богу смерти?”  

A maxim the twins shared, an inside jest –––– normally spoken when the two practiced hand-to-hand combat together, or hid from their violent father...but it seemed fitting at present. Bringing the knife flush against the rabbit’s throat, Hélène finished the phrase, before drawing the dagger in a fluid movement, the small body in her hand falling limp, blood staining small fingertips.

“Not today.” 

Seconds, minutes, hours after chaos had erupted, and her world had been rendered black –––– a memory in the darkness stirred Hélène from where she lay frozen. A conversation shared between siblings, not yet ten, on Hélène’s first ‘hunt’ ––––– her first taste of death, and bloodshed. She roused with the words ringing in her ears.               

                                                              Not today. Not today. Not today.                   

                                                                  She was not dead. Not yet.

As her senses returned, what hit her first was the S M E L L ––– all at once coppery and sweet and nauseating ––– bile rising in her throat as it filled her nostrils. Eyes flickered open, blinded by the white ornate ceiling above as she gasped for air, the rancid smell still choking her lungs, strangling her –––– and she coughed. But as her senses returned ––––– with it came pain: the burning and stinging at her browline, the aching and tenderness of her cheek, the swelling of her eyes, ringing in her ears, and the piercing, throbbing of her head.

––––– What had happened? She remembered dancing with that gentleman with his charming conversation and shining eyes...but what happened after? A flash of red? A clang of metal? Her body protested, the ache in her head only intensifying as she strained to remember something else...anything else that might offer reason...But it was no use. Eyes flickered down at that moment...only to land upon another figure, still wearing their mask, laying not far from herself. She didn’t notice how eerily still they lay. Instead, relief surged in her, for the stranger surely would have an explanation. She rolled over, inch by inch, biting down on her lip as she did to suppress the pain as she came to lay on her stomach. Bones groaning, body protesting as she steadied herself, she slowly crawled forward, still coughing, choking on air, as she did.  “–––––Sir?” She rasped. The man didn’t stir. She tried speaking louder as she continued to crawl slowly forward. “–––Can you hear me? Do you know what happened” Nothing. “Sir?” She repeated upon reaching him, placing a hand on his shoulder to shake him...placing another on his chest...She wondered why there was no rise and fall...no H E A R T B E A T...only then noticing the W E T and S T I C K Y feeling on her hand.

Snatching her hand back, she turned over, to see fingers stained a startling, sickening crimson red. Realisation hit her like a bullet, and she retched, lifting her head –––– to the bloody scene before her. Bodies strewn about the room like ragdolls, a once-marble floor marked both of spilled blood and spilled wine, painting a sea of red with corpses like islands. She felt faint, and began whimpering, the pathetic sound reverberating around an otherwise still room. Perhaps she were dead, after all, perhaps this were her very own H E L L – she would readily prefer and endure both instead of the chance that her eyes did not, in fact, betray her, that she wasn’t dead. Yet, somewhere, in the pit of her stomach ––– she knew it to not be so, knew that what she was seeing was real. 

Cheeks wet with silent tears, Hélène directed her attention back to the man before her, a hand again reaching forward, only this time to remove the mask which he still wore. The triviality felt cruel at this point, robbed of his identity ––– when it was all he had left. But with the mask gone, she became paralysed in the E M P T Y eyes staring towards the heavens. The man’s face was boyish, unmarked by wrinkles, worries and woes, too lively to have yet lived – and the longer she stared, the more it seemed the man’s features were morphing, distorting into familiar golden curls...dark eyes...till she was no-longer staring at a stranger, but Hervé. She quickly forced her eyes shut, banishing the image from her sight. Her mind was playing cruel tricks on her...yet she again felt the crippling dread she thought she’d buried, a thought she couldn’t bear –––––– Hervé had died in this way, too...alone...nameless...forgotten. 

The duchess proceeded to crawl around the room, from body to body, stranger to stranger, discarding masks –––– as if each were a sliver of atonement, to do penance for what her brother has been deprived, for what she’d not been able to give him.  Her hair pulled from its pins, curls matted with dried blood, eyes swollen, skirts stained and skin dotted with bruises that had already formed ––––– she looked G H A S T L Y. With a grunt, Hélène finally rose to her feet, swaying as she did, knees buckling under her weight, and limbs slow from the alcohol which still tainted her system –––– feeling somewhat in a trance. What had happened? What had brought on this death? The answer to that, she still didn’t know, still could not recall.  But Death had not claimed her yet.  

Not today.