#paranoid dooms us in the cage

[fortune-maiden]

Went through The Princess and the Dragon route

*deep breath*

OPPORTUNIST YOU BASTARD!

[collapsedsquid]

The way J6 failed is also instructive, and helps us understand the reason far-rightist streetfighters declined in relevance as of January 7. Yes, many people brought guns to the Capitol. Yes, many hoped their victory would result in the invocation of the Insurrection Act or some other signal to begin massive retribution against traitors and subversives. But nobody shot at the cops, and exactly one person was willing to stare into a cop’s loaded handgun and step forward. The kitted-up tactical team that emerged from a stairwell in the wake of Ashli Babbit’s death encountered a crowd shocked and demoralized, not energized, by the presence of death and the blood of martyrs. The J6 insurrectionists largely returned to their hotel rooms - some full of firearms - and then their homes, to be later arrested by the FBI. There was no need to shoot or shell holdouts at the legislature, no attempts by sympathetic actors to seize control of other government or media institutions, no militia revolts in the countryside, no effort to sustain or capture the momentum. The J6 prosecutions knocked these organizations back to actions of primarily local relevance as the far-right almost immediately began making gains on more favorable institutional terrains, efforts to mobilize on a national scale, and in DC especially, elicited paranoid theories of false flags and FBI machinations. Neither did hardcore subsets of these groups successfully build violent underground organizations - there were no cagoulards carrying on the leagues’ struggles against the victorious left wing government. Street-fighters became liabilities to classic fascist movements because they became too powerful, and arguably, too fascist. The fascist squads became their own bases of power within the classic fascist movements, capable of threatening party officials and even the leadership cult. There is no Trumpian equivalent to the Pact of Pacification or Stennes Revolt because streetfighters wielded no similar political power within the Trump coalition and advanced no coherent agenda with which to discipline Trump. Nor did the public square - largely demobilized after January 6 - offer much of an opportunity for streetfighters to demonstrate their relevance to the Trump coalition outside of localized demonstrations and confrontations. While the Proud Boys (more so than the Oath Keepers) may have sought to build a kind of neofascist élan, with their vague gestures towards uniform, hazing rituals, and the relative centrality of physical force confrontation to their identity, these efforts largely failed. Contrast with the streetfighters of the interwar era: the old fascist squads, especially the most militant ones, were useful organizational cages for younger members whose belief in force, revolution, and disillusionment with the system left them uninterested in conventional politics and who in many cases saw more to admire, or at least imitate, in revolutionary Communist structures than bourgeois right-wing parties. While the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers certainly attracted a cast of characters ill-suited for conventional politics, they were (and are) more likely to be relatively older men with families, truck payments, and decent jobs; the kind of people you would expect to react to a defeat in the streets and government repression by spending more time harassing people at school board meetings, rather than uncompromising radicals willing to give their lives for a doomed cause (and let alone radicals willing to find a new cause if the old one proves too inclined to compromise).

[gretavanlace]

Sugar II (part 8)

Jake Kizska x reader

18+ only! Minors do not interact!

Warnings: adult content, language, brief illusions to sex, angst, jealousy, etc.

Only two chapters to go and an epilogue, everyone. I’m so grateful that you have taken this little journey with me. Thank you so much for all your kind words, support, and care. You’re all so wonderful ❤️

“Oh my god, Jake,” your eyes are darting around the room like a mouse with a rabid alley cat slinking, famished and cruel, into its path.

Your unease trumps his delighted gloating instantly, “What do you want me to do, sugar? Tell me and I’ll do it.”

When you steal a glance at the window, longing to climb out and disappear, he hops on the train of your thought process right away, “You want me to duck out?”

You know Jake through and through, and staring into his eyes as your heart drums paranoid vibrations into your rib cage, you’re stunned to watch him offer to give up this chance to square off with whom he has come to see as his most bitter rival. That he would do that for you? That all you would have to do is ask and he would crawl out and wander off into the golden afternoon sunshine like an afterthought…

You really do own his whole heart, you realize at the most inopportune of moments. Your grip on his soul is just as tight as his fingers have always clawed down inside yours…fierce and beautiful in their unrelenting grip.

But haven’t you always known? Hasn’t it always been written across his skin? Etched in his gaze? Sculpted into the bow of his lips when he whispers your name? Evident in his touch?

“No,” you shake your head, willing the mess inside of it to go away, rejecting the thought of him leaving. You want him near, you need him near. To let him go right now, even for a second, seems an agonizing punishment that you cannot bear to suffer. No matter the consequences.

“Stay. But please…” you rush over to him, helping him to his feet while stealing glances at the doorway, “Please just behave and follow my lead, okay? Please?”

”Normally, I like it when you use your manners,” he sighs, smoothing out his clothes, as well as a lock of your hair that has fluttered out of place, “But that’s too many pleases and you look petrified. Why?” His voice is suddenly intense yet careful, as is his grip on your arm, “Does he hurt you?”

They idea is entirely laughable, but there’s no time for that, so you brush him off with a swipe of your hand and a flippant, “Don’t be stupid, Jake.”

Without allowing yourself to think it through, you begin ushering him down the hall towards the front room, but what will you find there? Doom or salvation?

How will these pieces fall together? Something solid and heavy in your heart tells you Jake will do as you have asked and play nice, but another facet buried even deeper inside is rocked with anxiety and screaming that it’s only wishful thinking to believe such a fairytale.

”Hey hon,” jovially rings out as he steps in through the garage, “I saw your car! We’re both home early? Looks like the universe knew how much I missed you!”

Jake turns to catch your eye as you shove him along, but you refuse to meet his gaze. You're unsure of what you’ll find there and this isn’t the time for uncertainties.

Would you find sadness threatening to roll hot tears down his cheeks? Anger threatening to boil over in his fiery chocolate irises? Accusation and resentment for what you’re about to subject him to?

Oh god, you can’t do this! Suddenly, and absurdly, you wish you could fade into the gentle, lush, green paint that you had once rolled upon the hallway walls, paying meticulous attention to detail. Build this home, had been the plan…bury him away under paint and sanded cabinets. Art perched on the walls and throw pillows piled on the bed.

You’d love to disappear and leave them perplexed and confused, wondering what became of you. To vanish into nothing like a dust mote blown away upon the lightest, softest breeze.

You’re a coward.

While your thoughts are busy with that, Jake’s are grappling with each other. Tangled up and struggling. He’d very much like to stomp into the front room and shut this man up. With his booming voice calling out how much he’s missed you like he has some claim over you. Like you’re his. Like he doesn’t understand that you could never really be anyone’s because you’re much too good for this whole goddamn world. That you’re precious, like the rarest of stones and anyone who is lucky enough to hold you in their palm should fall on their knees in thanks.

He sounds so fucking common. Does he think you’re common as well? Jake can’t stomach the thought.

So, yes, he’d like to stroll into the room, casual as you please, and announce that he is taking you away from this ridiculous illusion where you play house and pretend to be satisfied. He longs to tell him how he’s made love to you, how he’s fucked you. How you’ve begged for him and swore no one could ever be him. Jake wants to tell him that the ring he put on your finger has been in his mouth, that he spat it out and you didn’t even care. That you hardly even noticed. Jake would almost kill to watch Mr. Wonderful’s face crumple in defeat and loss…

But he loves you far too much, and to say all those things would hurt you, too.

Scar your heart he will not.

He’s shrugging off his suit blazer when you both appear. It’s a mundane action, one that repeats itself nearly every evening, but you stand still and shellshocked, unable to jolt yourself into some semblance of normalcy until Jake subtly nudges you with a ginger elbow.

“Hi,” you begin, a touch too loudly, “Yeah, you’re early! I actually didn’t end up going to work today. Old friend in town. We went to the movies. And then we came here. He wanted to see the house. I…I told him about it. I was just giving him the tour.”

You sound robotic and ridiculous, but he doesn’t appear to notice. Rather, he looks delighted when his eyes land on Jake and recognition settles in.

”Ah, I know you!” He laughs, marching forward with an outstretched hand. “The almost brother in law. Good to finally meet you.”

His grasp on Jake’s hand is strong and sure as he pumps it up and down. The genuine gladness in his gesture makes you want to tear your own hair out in penance.

Or is it the ‘almost brother in law’ moniker that has made you nauseous?

Yes, that’s what you boiled Jacob down to. You had held nothing back about your relationship with Josh…but Jake? You just couldn’t. To speak of him, to share him that way…it had seemed incomprehensible. And how could you ever put it into words, anyway? How could anyone ever understand what he was to you? What he is to you? No, it had seemed best to keep him locked away, silent and safe in your memories. Tucked away in your heart. The boy in the bubble.

Jake’s face is unreadable as he sizes up this opponent before him. This rival who has just unknowingly stepped into the ring. This blissfully unaware adversary. He is a doe who has wandered idly into the path of a dangerously ravenous mountain lion, and he doesn’t even know it. Ignorance really does seem like bliss in this moment, and you long for it.

“Yes, the almost brother in law,” his tone is slightly clipped, but no one, aside from you - and perhaps his brothers - would ever notice. “That’s me. And you are?”

Here we go. He’s going to love this.

They drop hands and a friendly clap lands on Jake’s shoulder. “I’m Jake, too. What are the odds?”

A sharp, satisfied laugh bursts out of Jake, head tipped back, adam’s apple bobbing gleefully, and you long to tell the smug bastard to just shut the hell up, but it’s over quickly enough.

”Yes,” he sighs, with a shake of his head that ends in his eyes blazing holes into your soul, “What are the odds?”

”’Course this one over here calls me by my middle name, James. Says it fits me. No one else does, though, so choice is yours. Man, it’s so great to finally meet you.” He’s prattling on now, never having met a stranger, “You know we’ve got all your work over there in the case. You’re a hell of a guitar player. I tried to learn in high school, mostly to impress girls…never could get it. Anyway…”

Jake is eyeing him like he doesn’t know what to make of this man standing there, cordial and warm, tossing out compliments and bids for conversation.

His eyes are traveling over this unfamiliar being, now so tangible and real, who has had his hands all over you. Who has had his mouth pressed to your precious body, who has whispered against your skin, who has made love to you in the still of the night, and held you, and rested beside you, breathing in tandem. Who has gotten down on one knee and asked you to be his wife.

And you said yes...you said yes.

He wants to hurt him. Both physically and emotionally. He wants to level him. To crush him into nothing. And though this Jake, James, or whatever his name is, isn’t to blame, he wants it all the same. He wishes he could lure him into his palm like a revolting insect and squeeze until he was no more than something vile to be wiped away with a Kleenex.

Instead, he tilts his head in the direction of the vinyls and shrugs off the accolades, “Fuckin’ Zeppelin cover band.”

James laughs uproariously and gestures into the room welcomingly, “Why are we all standing around like this? Have a seat…please. Make yourself at home. Can I get you something to drink? Water? A beer? Whiskey? I know it’s early, but special occasions call for special circumstances, I always say.”

Eyes on you, he shrugs out a response that would be lost on anybody but you, “I’ll have what you’re having.”

Once you’re alone for a moment, he shakes his head with a gorgeous, if not self-satisfied, smirk sparking to life upon his face. “His name is Jake? Oh, sugar…” he’s laughing softly now, and sinking down into the cushions of the couch, “creature of habit, aren’t you, pretty girl?”

”Shut up!” You hiss, eyes flickering towards the kitchen doorway, “Coincidence. That’s all. Don’t be so fucking full of yourself. Now, please just be nice.”

He quiets down, drawing the back of his forefinger beneath his eye dramatically as if he has laughed himself to tears, “I’m being very nice and you know it. Don’t push it.”

You sit, as far away from him as the couch will allow, but instantly he’s leaned in close. “What do you think he would do if I got down on my knees right here and buried my face in that gorgeous little cunt of yours? Showed him how it’s really done.”

”Jacob!” You barely make a sound as you admonish him with a clipped shove to settle him.

He slinks back into his seat with another laughing shake of his head, “This is perfect.”

”I hate you.” You lie.

”Sure you do, sugar,” he winks, crossing his legs to get comfy, “Sure you do. Almost brother in law, huh? Is that what I’ve been reduced to?”

He’s still chuckling quietly to himself while a strange mix of panic and tears begins to churn around inside of you like a slow moving summer storm. He’s gearing up, you can feel it, and the thought of it all is too much, your metaphorical knees are beginning to shake. This could end so, so badly.

“Later, Jake…” you’re beseeching without shame, pleading with your watery gaze. “We’ll talk about it later. Please just stop.”

His palm cradles your cheek so softly you wonder if anyone has ever touched someone as gently as he touches you, “Settle down, baby. I won’t make trouble for you.”

How laughable that he can’t seem to recognize that you’ve brought this trouble on all by yourself. No help needed.

He has moved to create a respectable distance between the two of you by the time James is sweeping back into the room bearing a tray flush with drinks and snacks.

”Here, sweetie,” he drops a kiss upon the top of your head, presenting a glass. “Made you a mimosa…I know you like to keep it light through the week.”

You somehow manage a thank you and sip at the sweet, bubbly mix, praying it calms your frayed nerves.

”For us,” he extends the tray and you watch as Jake plucks a low ball glass from it, “bourbon. Unless you’d rather browse the bar. Plenty to choose from.”

”Bourbon is fantastic,” Jake nips at his glass. “Thank you.”

There is a palpable disdain hovering around Jake like a murky aura, but there is heartbreak there too. Aching and black. Heavy and weighing down the light that normally follows him around like a strange shadow…and you’d give anything to take it away.

For just a breath, you intend to do just that. To rise to your feet and stomp all over James’ open, trusting heart. To tell him the truth. To tell him you’re leaving. You nearly take Jake by the hand and drag him towards the door and leave everything else behind without explanation…simply to end his suffering.

Your lips nearly part to say the words when you’re cut off.

“Oh. I almost forgot,” James leans forward in his chair and grabs for your hand, absently running his thumb against your own, “Erin called. She said you guys had a great time the other day, said you’d planned something for this weekend? Wedding planning?”

Erin. His sister. You’ve grown close but it wouldn’t hurt to leave her behind. It wouldn’t even sting…not for Jake.

You squeeze his hand with a tiny smile and fight rolling nausea at the mere mention of the wedding in Jake’s presence. From the corner of your eye, you watch him tense, but he recovers quickly and drains his glass to the dredges in one pull.

”Well,” suddenly, he’s on his feet. “I’ve taken enough of your time today. It was good to see you.” His eyes are unreadable and shift quickly away from your own. “James, good to meet you and thank you for the hospitality.”

”Don’t run off on my account,” James is on his feet now as well, “We’d love to have you stay for dinner. I make a mean chicken Kiev, and…”

”No,” Jake interrupts, gaze jumping towards the door as if he can’t get away fast enough. “I’ve got a flight to catch in just a few hours, need to head back…you know how it goes.”

He sounds ineloquent and so unlike himself… and you can feel it - his heartbreak - in your bones as though you’ve crawled inside his body and curled up beside it like a clinging lover.

“Jake,” you can’t seem to move from your seat, your body uncooperative and rebellious, “Your car is still at the theater, let me drive you…”

”Drive me?” He is staring at you, white hot and desperate…the mask is finally slipping. He has played pretend all he can for the day. “And then what?”

”And then…” again, you are a coward. A fucking coward. “I don’t know. What do you mean, and then?”

The room is silent for a beat - with words unspoken crashing into the space between yourself and Jake, and James struggling to understand this strange exchange.

With the slightest nod of his head, Jacob silently encourages you. Urges you. Come with me, sugar…it seems to say, come home.

But still you sit, frozen and paralyzed. A horrified doe staring down the hunter’s muzzle.

Another nod, clipped and more obvious this time, responds to your inaction. “I’ll walk. Again, thank you for having me.”

The door closes behind him in a blink, and he is gone. For a moment, you wonder if you’ve imagined him completely…

Looking down at your shaking hands in your lap, you realize you never even made it to your feet. You sat, unmoving, and watched him go.

~

Hours later, you’re standing outside an unfamiliar door, anxiously clutching at the straps of the bag tossed over your shoulder.

And when that unfamiliar door swings open, your heart unclenches, for there he stands. Showered, smelling of soap and warmth, hair curled into dampened, loose ringlets, beat to hell jeans riding low on his hips.

“Well, look what the cat dragged in,” he smirks, leaning against the doorframe. “If it isn’t Mrs. Wonderful…”

“Hi,” it comes out meek and small, but flush full of the comfort that is being near him.

”How’d you find me?” His arms cross loosely, with a faded smile that doesn’t reach his eyes.

”Were you hiding?” Why hasn’t he turned to lead you in?

”From you, pretty girl?” He scoffs as if the very idea is preposterous. “Never.”

Yet, on he stands as though barring your entrance…as though he intends to send you on your way any moment.

”I called Josh,” you offer, wringing at your bag’s handles idly, simply for something to do with your hands. “He told me where you were staying.” Your gaze skitters over the house. “It’s nice. Cozy.”

He nods, “Airbnb. You mentioned something about us always being in hotels, before. I thought, if there was a chance I’d be hosting you, you might like something a little more…domestic. Though, I see now that you have plenty of that going for you already, right? Domesticity?”

“Do I deserve that?”

His shoulders hunch inwardly slightly, he knows you’re right, and he knows he’s being a bit of an asshole as well. “No, I suppose you don’t.”

”Are you going to invite me in? I feel a little stupid standing out here.” Vulnerability seems of such insignificance when it is Jacob in question. He knows your bare soul so well anyway.

Still, he allows you to dangle on his string, twisting languidly in the soft, evening breeze. “Why’d you call Josh to find me? Why not just call me? Missing my better half now that you’ve had a bit of fun with me?”

Now there’s a slight irritation traipsing along your nerves, and damned if you’re going to mask it. “Alright, either let me in or tell me to go to hell. I’m not going to beg for your good graces.”

”Are you coming in to stay? Or are you here to say goodbye? Because my heart has had enough for one day.”

”Oh, fuck off, Jacob.” You huff, pushing past him into the house. You slump your bag off your shoulder and onto the floor and then turn on him. “Sorry to have interrupted your pity party, but what did you think was going to happen today? Did you think it was going to be spectacular and wonderful to walk around in the life that I live with someone else? You practically fucked me in the bedroom I share with him. You lit up like a goddamn Christmas tree when you realized he was home. You wanted this, and you know what I think your problem is? I think you liked him.”

”Fuck you!” He slams the door closed and looks you over like you’ve lost your mind entirely. “You think I liked him? I couldn’t give a fuck less about him. He made my skin crawl. Do you know what it was like for me to watch him touch you? The way he looked at you…”

He falls silent and suddenly refuses to meet your eyes, and your heart breaks right alongside his.

Tentatively, you reach out and rest your palm against his cheek, “The way he looked at me doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter. It never really has.”

His hand floats up to meet yours, “He looked at you with so much love. Like he would give you the entire world. It made me feel not good enough. It made me feel like I should leave and let it be. Like I was wrong for showing up and rattling your whole life around.”

You’re backing him up against the door now, his gorgeous, stricken face held fast in your sure and gentle hands. “Not good enough? You? Oh, Jakey…” you pet at his face worshipfully, “We have a garden, remember? And you help me harvest, and I know you feed me those tiny tomatoes I like. You know? The little yellow ones? And they’re all gone before we even get inside.”

He’s nodding along as you pepper kisses upon his cheeks and forehead.

“And we have a porch swing, and a piano, and beautiful babies, and a cat…and you sing to us, and love us hard every single minute of every single day. And you make us so, so happy. And I wake up every morning with a smile on my face because I packed this stupid bag,” your foot darts out and kicks it, “and shoved my way inside when you refused to invite me in.”

”Don't say things you don’t mean, sugar…” his hands are in your hair now, guiding your mouth to his own so that he can lick inside it. He needs to taste you - needs to feel the silken velvet of your tongue, “I can’t take it, baby.”

You’re breathing each other's breath, lips like feathers dancing together soft and sweet, holding on to one another as if you might both just vanish into nothing in an instant, “I mean it, Jake…” you promise, “I mean it. You are everything,”

You can almost hear the pounding of his heart as the heat of his need begins to radiate and warm you, “Because I can’t stand the thought of leaving, of thinking you’ll follow, only for you to change your mind. It would kill me, sugar. So, please don’t say these things to me if you—“

You silence him with a deep, feverish kiss and then break away, forehead to forehead, “I’m not following later. I’m coming with you. This is where I am now…with you.”

Tears well in his eyes and spill over, hot and saline, as you lick and kiss them away. “I love you, pretty girl…” it chokes out of him, rasping as he swallows thickly, “I love you so fucking much. I’ve imagined this moment in so many different ways, but it was never as perfect as this. Tell me you know how much I love you.”

”I know, and I—“ it is he who interrupts with a desperate kiss this time.

And you know that later he will ask, and when he asks you will tell him what was said back at that house that broke his heart in two - how you ended things with the one who really never mattered at all…

…but for now all that matters is the taste of him on your lips. His air-drying hair looped through your searching fingers. Your hearts and lungs syncing, with his tears like brackish diamonds in your stomach because you have finally swallowed his sorrow and unburdened him from it.

He seems lighter in your arms already…closer now to the sun than he had ever been to the moon before.

Taglist: @gretasintrees @greta-van-chaos @celestialfauna @s0livagant @groggyvanfleet @kiszkathecook @brokenbellz @llightmyllovee @doodle417 @seventieswhore @jake-kiszkas-smirk @weightofdreams-gvf @imdepressedaf1996 @alisonwonderland29 @gretavanfleas @gretavangroove @sparrowofthedawn @xserenax-13 @tbagggvf @obetrolncocktails @tripthelightfandomtastic @tripthelight-fanfic @jakeslovehandles @poofyloofy @70sgroupielovr @age-of-nyahh @sammiboo162 @spicedandicedtea @jakekiszkasleftnutsack @saoirsemaeve @mywickeddivinity @thelvnternskeeper @paintmyhouse @mckenna4 @sarakay-gvf @theweightofjake @thewritingbeforesunrise @joshsmama @sammysvanfeet @rhythm-of-space @highladyofasgard @calumspretty @sad1lynn @demolitionndann @gvfpal @starcatcher-jake @gretavangroupie @hugorobinson @jaketlove @josh-iamyour-mama

[valentinesparda]

here we are, reminded of how we're doomed.

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

the walls are far too close together, every inch of surface covered in plastered posters and ripped paper. this part of town is juniper's least favourite, but marble was the only place to be where they could be themself. and maybe it was because they'd recently seen a few more dead bodies than they're comfortable with, maybe it was the desperate crush that they'd managed to fall into, but being by date's side was the safest place they could be as of late.

"maybe i should find a place to stay tonight. the kumakura boys know where i live, and you seemed to make a bad first impression on them by asking a bunch of questions." juniper waddles past an overfilled trash bin, trailing behind date by a few feet.

"just doing my job, you know." he turns to face them while still walking, yellow eye glowing in the dark. jun skips a couple of steps to be closer to the detective, and date cringes at the sound of how heavy their boots are against the stone walkway.

"you could be louder," he jokes, and jun immediately halts in response to his dry words. perhaps they had been a tad bit annoying. their small "sorry" is second nature to them, and they're worried date is about to scold them even more when they notice he's stopped walking as well.

a pause. date snaps his head toward the lamplight parting two buildings ahead of them, and as quick as he had done so, he's taking tentative steps back towards juniper. their head is tilted, and before they can even ask what the hell he's doing, he has his hand in theirs and pulling them deeper into the darkness they had barely just emerged from.

juniper feels their heart jump in their chest, a kickstart of paranoid thoughts and quickened pulse as they find a particularly shadowy area out of sight to nestle into, date's body caging them in without a second thought.

a meek noise sounds out from the back of their throat, a question that will not receive an answer, and for several quiet moments the two of them stand there, unmoving, as they hear the sound of heavy footsteps and muffled chatter. and for those several moments, starting from when date braces himself with a hand against the wall next to their head, juniper feels uncomfortably warm.

they don't dare make a sound, because who knows who could be traipsing about after hours? or maybe they would be able to think better if they weren't able to smell the kind of body wash date used. they're sure they recognize it, but--

dammit, this isn't the time to be distracted. some goon with a gun could turn the corner at any moment, and they'd be caught unawares. juniper knows they can't handle themself in a fight, and it's possible date would prefer to not engage any criminals, which leaves them scant for options - and thus, pressed firmly against a heavy wood panel.

"aiba says we're clear," date whispers, his sights still focused on hazy lamplight ahead of him. when he finally tears his worried gaze away from it to check on his small florist friend, he realizes what he's done.

their hair is wild as ever, close enough that he can smell their shampoo, and their thick brows are furrowed, lips downturned and jaw set with anxiety. date feels his throat is dry at the same time that he's realized that he's spent possibly too long looking down at them. he feels as though he might start hacking up a lung when juniper casts a curious glance up at him.

oh.

juniper feels their breath hitch in their throat. date's artificial eye is a blazing yellow in this proximity, making his naturally green one seem oddly drab in comparison. they notice his lips pull into a thin line, mirroring their own, and against their better judgement they let out a shuddering sigh into the cold air between them.

oh.

date tells himself to relax, to not clench his jaw so tight, to not stare too long, and his lips part in a shaky breath. but now that they've locked eyes, it's impossible not to feel himself drift closer and closer to them, like magnets drawn together. he can feel the grain of wood beneath his palm, even through the fabric of his purple gloves. juniper has ridges digging into their back with how far they've pressed themself into the wall.

oh, no.

juniper can feel his breath fan across their face, cooling the warm blush that has bloomed beneath the pale skin of their cheeks. they're scared stupid, but not so stupid that they give in to the urge to pull him as close as they could, to press their chapped lips against his, because from this distance his lips look so soft in comparison to their own.

before they can do anything dumb, date squeezes his eyes shut, his face scrunched in a look of annoyance.

"um, date, are-are you okay?" they stutter, the question barely audible enough for themself to know they've asked it, what with their heart hammering in their head.

"I'm fine. just...." he hisses, tapping his left temple with a single finger, "have an unwilling audience."

juniper lets out a small snort of a laugh, still a bit dazed from nervousness. they tilt their head, and with a gentle voice, they coo, "aiba, are you making fun of him?"

date feels like the wind has been knocked out of him, a breathless chuckle leaving him lightheaded. "she is. says my hormone levels are spiking or whatever."

juniper nods. it's a sour feeling, knowing that they have to be the one to ruin the moment - if that was a moment, they double back around to overthinking. "maybe we shouldn't be out in the open like this."

in a last bid for some sort of contact, some sort of flirtation, they push themself from the wall, and date is taken off guard by this. he watches them with an astonished look in his eyes, pulling his arms back down to his side as he takes step after step in time backward while they move forward. perhaps it was too bold of them, to hold his attention the whole time, a suggestive tango of push and pull until they're left standing in the middle of the alleyway the way they had been before.

there's a moment's hesitation on date's end, where he looks back towards the light at the end of the alley and then drags his gaze back to juniper. with his hands shoved into the pockets of his coat - for fear of his hands wandering, finding something to grab, with his body aching for the touch of their skin having been ripped away - he finally breaks the silence.

"do you still want to get a drink?"

[theorangerangers]

While Jack remains the leader I think he would a bit more quite in general similar to Raph at the start generally he’d have strong leadership skills but also be more aware of what Miko and Raph can do and at this point he probably knows them well enough that he can can probably make a signal with his hand or just make a face and the other two would understand immediately leading him to need to talk less. He would be more stoic in general trying not to let his feelings about what he would prefer get the better of him since he knows there’s no real out for a life like his and his friends after what they’ve done helping the autobots. He’s kinda like Optimus as he ages but he’s also more focused on what’s in-front of him and dealing with whatever organization wants to rise and take mech’s place since it’s never as easy as just Silas killing everyone. He’s kinda paranoid due to this but he manages.

Raph would probably be a bit more like Miko, more willing to kinda of jump people like a caged animal with his skills due to burn out. I think there would be a degree of underlying anger about what he’s experienced at such a young age. He’s not mad at the bots per say more so at life at times but as he gets better at looking at the situations he knows if not for autobot ethetics they could have a much higher edge

Miko would probably end up being the most personable but more in a “I can kill everyone in the room easily” kind of confidence. She’s probably trained in martial arts and different weapons at this point and has used the apex armor plenty of times. She would be the one who acts “normal” at that point but more so to serve her own ends to help her friends and autobots. She still loves heavy metal, hair dye, and monster truck rally’s but she more in touch with how to get what she wants from others by listening more.

Rachet is still on earth and he’s kept an eye on them and he knows they mean well and are doing whatever they can to help the autobots when they visit as well as protect their planet but he laments every now and again the innocence they could have still had. He hears Raph bring up how his roommate got his hair stuck in a salad spinner or Miko talking about how some of the girls on her dorm floor got kicked out for flooding the flow below with purple paint and being dumb enough to not pay attention to where the cameras were in the comunal areas. The little adventures that the kids could have had themselves without the weight of the world on their shoulders. It kind of hurts to see so much of himself in Raph, and so much of Optimus in Jack along with what he can only imagine was how Wheeljack was in his earlier days in Miko. They’re doing a great job and he’s proud but sometimes when he’s alone he wonders if they’ve doomed the kids to repeat their mistakes later down the line.

If the autobots came back like in RiD I think Raph would be good at tracking them down while Miko would be good at actually catching them if they resist. Jack would make sure whatever remote weapon Raph is using to help Miko is in place and just make sure everyone is on the same page in general and maybe set a few things on fire in the process. He would also be the first to try and talk them down before anything else though. He tries not to raise a hand before first extending it.

nah man you know what

enough with the 'uwu humans are fragile' in the transformers fandoms

gimme humans that are FERAL and are literal space orcs on a hell planet that tries every day to kill them even when its a nice day!

our games as children teach us hunting/evading/pursuit skills. Hide and Seek anyone? we learn to hide from enemies, how to track them down, and how to run them down if playing hide and seek: tag edition.

lets take Earthspark for example.

yes the cybertronians are Much Larger than us and that's Scary bc we're just a Little Guy but also once we get over that fear they become jungle gyms. you literally cannot tell me that (willing) autobots would not have at least 20 soldiers climbing all over their frames, using them as a the 'quick route' to get onto tall walkaways instead of having to go down the hall a quarter of a mile, take a left, take an elevator, and then climb stairs to reach the correct catwalk.

Wheeljack introduces a new weapon? the humans go "ooooo NICE but add a flame thrower."

"Why"

"bc i want to be able to toast marshmallows while i shoot shit with this thing"

just humans being their little weird humans selves and giving cybertronians on both sides heart attacks with the stupid shit we do

[novemberthecatadmirer]

My Very Personal Probably-OOC Headcanon Take on Idril:

OH I LOVE HER

She was a sun that didn’t want to be a sun but constantly felt that she was given no other choices than to be the sun

She was the princess of this pure white city that was slowly dying from inside, the daughter of this king who used to be fair and wise but was now slowly being eaten alive by despair

In this wonderful city that caged itself with white bloodied walls against the darkness slowly growing outside, everyone desperately needed a sun, so she gritted her teeth and decided she had to be the Sun, she had to be the Hope, she had to make herself to be a fucking symbol instead of being herself.

In reality she had crippling anxiety because she could just see the doom coming, she did not know how but she knew the end was coming. And people who were actually close to her actually sensed it but they did not understand it. They did not believe her worries not because she was a pretty woman but because they deemed her paranoid and overthinking.

Like, the girl needed some break and go have fun creatively with her very hot husband.

And I cannot believe she would ever be okay with her son becoming saver of the world, no she never wanted her son to be the prophesied hero who sailed the void holding the star of hope. Yes she wanted the world to be saved but she did not want her son to become just ANOTHER FUCKING SYMBOL.

I kind of believe she sailed to the West in the hope that she could somehow convince the Valar to ACT so that HER SON DID NOT NEED TO. Which did not work out the way she wished though.

Even more personal completely-made-up headcanon:

(Inspired by that post from someone else pointing out that many Noldor elves may actually had encountered Morgoth (as Melkor) in very casual, daily circumstances (you know what I sold him lemon flavored cupcakes) before the whole spider drinking trees thing happened)

She was little, she saw this strange Vala named Melkor who was very beautiful (on his way corrupting Noldor) a couple times when she was playing, and she disliked him but she could not explain WHY. However everyone else seemed to welcome this Vala so she thought she should at least be polite. 

So she tolerated this creepy Vala handing her candies, patting her head and praising her very beautiful golden hair. No line was ever crossed, but she was deeply uncomfortable to be touched and praised by this strange Vala. 

(Melkor knew she was upset and enjoyed it, to the point that he would “accidentally” bump into her in public and pat her head with other people around smiling at the scene of friendly Vala being nice to little girl. He enjoyed messing with her, and the interaction was used by him to endear Noldor elves to believe he was so kind and good-with-kids.)

Then the trees thing happened, her grandfather was murdered by this VERY HANDSOME VERY NICE Vala who handed her candy patted her head and she was polite to this fucker. She was disgusted and she wondered if things could change, her grandfather could still be alive HAD HER TOLD HER PARENTS that this Vala was creepy as fuck. But she did not dare to tell this to anyone, and she felt guilty and tainted and disgusted with herself.

Then her parents decided to leave home to fight this creepy fucker, and decided to leave her back home because she was so very young, but she insisted to follow because she had to go with them because it was all HER FAULT.

Then when crossing the ice she and her mother both fell into the icy water and her father was only able to save her. And she regretted, she REGRETTED, if she did not come with her parents probably her mother could be saved. 

Basically she had a severe case of survivor’s guilt. And people just KEPT. DYING. AND. SUFFERING. AROUND. HER. in all her fucking life.

(Valar were really nice to at least let her keep her very hot husband, that’s the fucking silver lining.)

(Also when she saw Maeglin-weird-creepy-child-son-of-evil-father-with-evil-color-palette-actually-just-fucking-traumatized: Okay I AM NOT GOING TO REPEAT MY MISTAKE. I am not going to trust this one NO MATTER HOW. I am going to tell EVERYONE do not fucking trust this FUCKER.)

(I just enjoy headcanonning that all these beloved light-side characters actually had their minds messed-up this-and-that creative ways)

[tssidesfics]

TSSides Anti-Fairytale AU

I’m not coming for fairytales. They have their place, but as an aromantic person...I do not feel seen. And then I decided to re-watch Enchanted (pirated, of course, because fuck Disney). And then this idea happened. 

Patton was a child-king who married his best friend when forced to, and then she died in childbirth. He’s given Roman everything he could, but he’s lived his life dictated by the advisors who’ve used him as a puppet king his whole rule. He’s miserable because he doesn’t like how the system functions but he thinks he’s chained to tradition.

Roman copes with his complicated relationship with his father by questing and almost dying, like, every other week. Anxious attachment for days. Boy keeps trying very hard to find a princess and can’t seem to figure out why nothing will stick. To which Patton goes “oh. He got it from me. Oops.”

All I know is Remus is aromantic and aplatonic and exactly as chaotic as he should be.

Roman’s birthday. Ball. The classic. He greets all the noble families and he’s seen those losers a bunch before, but this time, he meets a new “girl” with a family he usually hates who intrigues him. He is not a girl and I will not be misgendering him because ew, but, gist: Virgil, transphobic rich parents forcing him to conform to gender roles, absolutely miserable, in Peak Bitch (gender-neutral) form. Roman mistakenly believes he’s cured and talks Virgil up a lot. Convinces himself he’s fallen madly in love.

Problem is, he tells Patton, who’s shocked he found a “girl” but absolutely is on-board, and then goes to the family to ask for Virgil’s hand and there’s no Virgil.

Thus begins the Mulan ripoff but openly trans where Virgil poses as a boy servant at the castle because his parents can’t get into the castle willy-nilly and it’s the safest place to be. Absolutely loathes Roman’s very existence because that dumb bitch flirted with him while he was a girl and therefore VIrgil thinks he is The WorstTM. Then Roman catches him grouching about and decides to solve this by teaching him sword-play, mostly to give him the excuse to beat on a dummy with a sword-shaped stick. 

Meanwhile Roman is just le sigh I did it again. I connected more with a boy than a girl. Why did she have to run away? Now I’m doomed to be weird.

Well then assassins break into the castle and Ever-Paranoid Virgil immediately susses them out as bad news and uses the remnants of the ball to absolutely wreck them when they try to kill Roman and his father while they’re taking a rare opportunity to chat and bond. Patton decides he is Adopting This Child, fuck you, advisors, he’s as thin as a stick, and Virgil now gets to eat with the royal family. 

It’s the first time Patton has ever actually told his advisors to go fuck themselves. It’s the first step toward a positive turnaround and it happened because Patton’s dad instincts took over and nothing in the world is more valid than that, fight me.

Enter genderqueer icon morally neutral witch, Janus, all pronouns, who’s trying to topple the monarchy to enact lasting change and didn’t want to dirty her hands right away, but honestly people are so unreliable. So he gets onto Patton’s crew as a handmaiden and excuse you who gave the king permission to be actually endearing?

Roman feels slightly weird because Patton’s calling Virgil “kiddo” and he’s not calling him his son but he also treats him very similarly as he does to Roman and Remus, which isn’t great but is significantly better than it could be, but Roman’s got a crush. 

Then Janus finds out Virgil’s trans and reveals this. Virgil thinks he’s about to get blackmailed into murdering the only people who have ever cared about him and then Janus just rolls their eyes like “excuse you I’m evil not psychopathic. I can give you a potion to make your body reflect your mind. You in?”

“Great, so my only cure to stop feeling like frozen trash reheated in a forest fire is to accept the highly dangerous bribe of a definitely evil witch! Thanks! I hate it!”

Yes Virgil memes even in a fantasy world where Tumblr doesn’t exist.

Also Virgil and Roman are bonding. A lot. They’re getting very close and Virgil even lets slip that he loves Roman and then tries to fling himself out a window. Roman gets touched, stops him, and tries to kiss him, but Virgil leans away. Roman expresses confusion.

“I...I love you, but I don’t want to kiss you.”

“I don’t understand.”

“I don’t either. But I’ve...never wanted to kiss anyone. For any reason.”

“But...you still love me?”

“I do. I’m sorry.”

Roman...doesn’t feel as rejected as he thinks he maybe should? Honestly, it’s not totally a relief, but it’s just kinda...neutral. It’s not even a disappointment. 

Well, Janus is not evil and actually wants to run a kingdom (instating a committee mixed of educated rich fucks and working class receiving education) a whole lot more than Patton, who thinks she’s just...kinda awesome and very misunderstood. There’s a lot of hissing and grumbling that they’re not misunderstood, they’re evil, they don’t even have a tragic backstory, they just kill people to enact the change they want to see, just because they got ditched in a forest as a baby and was raised by a magic snake means nothing. The snake was a very loving and supportive parent.

Roman talks to Patton and Patton is like “fuck marriage rules. Fuck heteronormativity. Fuck my advisors. My kingdom is a haven for the gays. All the gays. Of every color. Come here and be merry and queer.”

Virgil’s just like “yo no reason but in this new world where it’s okay to love whatever gender is it maybe cool to be a boy when the world says you’re a girl?”

Janus draws a knife and glares at Patton and Patton’s just like “even if my partner wasn’t threatening to kill me I’d say it was fine why?”

“No reason.”

“Virgil.”

“What?”

“Is there something you want to share?”

“No.”

“Is there something you need to share?”

“Fuck you.”

“You’re being defensive again, Storm Grouch.”

Virgil sticks his tongue out. “Fine. People used to think I was a girl and I have a stupid body. Happy?”

And Patton learns from Janus the fine art of Validating The Fuck Out Of Gender.

The advisors stage a coop and lock Janus in an anti-magic cage, and then at the same time Virgil’s biological nightmares track him down and steal a spelled green apple from Janus’ shop they give Virgil. You know the drill. Deep sleep like death, yadda yadda.

Well, they immediately claim the body making a big dramatic deal about how they have to bury “her” and they’ll take “her” home to see her off and it’s so tragic, just as they were reunited, when the reality is they have the antidote back home, they’re just looking for control over his life again.

Except Roman goes off. “He is staying here where he--where he will be buried under the name Virgil dressed properly and if you came anywhere near his body I’ll kill you myself.”

Guess what constitutes a totally platonic, non-kiss related act of queerplatonic true love, bitch? Fighting your transphobic partner’s parents over their dead body.

Kingdom’s retaken, sweeping reform while Patton retires to be a stay at home dad to fix his relationship with his kids. Virgil gets formerly adopted. The stepparent is actually a morally neutral genderqueer witch who runs the kingdom fairly and justly, the central love story is trans and aromantic, and my queer ass is something resembling happy.

Logan is probably one of the advisors and the only one with sense who probably starts knocking off his coworkers after the coop because they’re all deeply, deeply stupid. Remus probably spends half the story making friends with a troll he brings in to save the day in the third act.

[mentallydatingahotcelebrity]

LOKI SHOW AU:

Sylvie is a 16/17 year old character called “Nokka” (which is Norse feminine for No One). Loki reluctantly takes her under his wing when he meets her. After some time running from the TVA, and dealing with issues where Nokka “wants revenge” but struggles with hurting people when it comes down to it (esp from the TVA because she knows they’re all mind-controlled variants) Loki sits her down and demands to know the truth “because for a Loki you’re a terrible liar”.

Nokka admits/reveals that she’s NOT a Loki at all, just an Asgardian orphan who messed with the time-stream by accident (overhearing Loki tell a guard to inform Odin Thor was going to Jotunheim and running ahead to tell the Allfather when the soldier sneered at Loki’s back or smth else trivial). Loki asks her why she never chose a name for herself aside from what others gave her, and she says she didn’t really have time while being on the run to think of anything but Loki.

Loki is semi touched by this (but says nothing). (Nokka wistfully mentions in passing that while hiding on Midgard she heard the name Sylvie and thought it was nice too). Loki comforts her with a bit of awkwardness, then announces he’s going to help her with her powers and how to fight “less like an alley cat and more like a warrior from Asgard”. He also tells her that if she truly wants vengeance, she’s going to have to kill people. Nokka rebuts this with the declaration that she’s already killed people—citing those she’s had to kill to survive. Loki acknowledges that, but states that those killings are different from what she’s going to have to do if they want to win and get out with their lives.

(Aside: Kang wants Loki captured because OG Loki is different from the rest of his variant selves because he ADAPTS and grows his personality and character—whereas other Lokis do not. Kang feels OG Loki and Nokka are a threat to his rule, and he wants to permanently erase them to keep his rule over the Timeline secure)

Loki and Nokka make their way through the worlds and pull off a heist and crash the TVA with Mobius’s help. Ravonna prunes Mobius and Nokka out of rage and bitterness for destroying the order/TVA she loves—Loki, though he could escape, prunes himself too (showing how he can change his character from the other variants of himself).

In The Void, Loki stumbles among other loki variants, and finds Nokka moping by herself in one corner of Kid Loki’s underground palace. At the same time, Mobius arrives and busts them out of “Loony Loki Jail”. Impressed and amused, once they’re safe Loki asks how Mobius found them. The TVA agent declares that he found a trail of “complete and utter chaos, and followed that”. The trio share a laugh over this before growing solemn and trying to figure out what to do. Loki discusses Alioth and the strange energy the monster gives off, as well as the malevolent eternal purple mist. Mobius makes the offhand remark about going into it, or Nokka using her “wacky mind-controlling powers” on Alioth to get passed the giant to explore the mist.

Nokka hedges, nervous because she’s never controlled anything that big before. She walks away to sit by herself, staring out at the undulating violet mist. Loki likes the plan and irons out some details with Mobius before wandering down to Nokka. He sits beside her silently. Nokka announces “you can’t manipulate me like Thor—no Jotunheim trip 2: This Time Alioth.” Loki agrees that he can’t. Nokka smiles but hugs her knees to her chest with a shiver, rocking slowly. Loki asks what’s wrong—if she’s scared. Nokka shakes her head “just cold”. Loki magicks a blanket and gives it to her kindly, petting her hair (in a dad way lmao). They sit in silence staring at the mist. Loki quietly messes around beside her, magicking knives and bracers and other small pieces of armor for himself (we’ll give him an Asgardian tunic somewhere along the line because BURN the fugly TVA clothes). Nokka glances at him as he does this. Loki catches her and they share Looks.

Nokka shrugs and turns away. Carefully, as he cleans a dagger with a cloth, Loki wonders about two people controlling Alioth. Nokka eyes him warily. Loki briefly demonstrates/elaborates on how he can reveal or illuminate thoughts and parts of the mind, but can’t control it like she can. He quietly declares that if she shows him how, perhaps they can do it together. Nokka hesitates, but agrees.

So Mobius goes to distract Alioth. Classic Loki sees this (and as the only one actually paying attention to Nokka and OG Loki, runs in to help, doing the same thing he did in the show, allowing Mobius to escape). Nokka falters with the mind control, but Loki takes her hand and encourages her (insert some witty line about “only learning that day himself, after all”) and Nokka presses on. They succeed, and stare at a pathway through the mist.

Loki glances at Nokka, and tells her to “lead the way”. Grinning, but quickly sobering, Nokka heads toward the path. Mobius catches up to Loki then, and informs Loki he’s going back to the TVA to “raise more hell”. Loki grins, and Mobius “thanks him for the spark” like in the show. They embrace (to Loki’s surprise) before Loki follows Nokka. Mobius watches them until they disappear into the mist and then summons an orange portal and vanishes himself.

Walking through the mist, Nokka declares something “off”, and Loki agrees “like being laid in ambush”. Unsettled, they continue—but draw blades. At last they reach a half-burned and dilapidated castle at the edge of a cosmos. They come up to the black doors but nothing happens. Nokka blasts the doors off their hinges, increasingly paranoid. Loki criticizes the action but they proceed anyway. (Everything basically happens as in the show, but Kang is Not Friendly—menacing and ominous (think horror movie character—something off but not obvious) due to him wanting to destroy both Loki and Nokka). Loki catches on before Nokka to Kang’s intentions, and stands, lashing out at Kang. Nokka is confused and feels lied to (let’s say there’s some truth twisted into lies Kang said about Loki “and his lust for power” so she feels uncertain). A fight ensues between Kang and Loki but Kang uses Loki’s Frost Giant heritage against him. Kang says he’d accept Nokka as a prot��gé “because I’ve watched you—you’re teachable” but wants her to kill Loki “to prove she’s not as worthless as he is”.

Loki looks at her as she walks up to him, and he tells her “you only grow as far as you allow people to cage you” (or some other philosophical elegant line). Making the realization that Nokka will truly be just an imitation of all the other Loki variants if she kills Loki for her own self-succession, she drops the knife and instead frees Loki from whatever magical/enchanted snare Kang got him into. Kang lashes out, but Loki jumps up in front of Nokka, and takes whatever blow it was (maybe permanent obliviation, maybe transport to another timeline idk yet). Looking triumphant at the empty room, Kang turns around and wanders back to his desk “another mess all cleared up” he hums to himself.

Nokka appears out of the shadows and grabs his arm as he moves to sit, whirling Kang around. Angrily, tears in her eyes, she stabs him twice in the chest with one of Loki’s daggers he’d dropped. Kang collapses back into his chair, and laughs at her. He says some things about his alternate selves being even more cruel than him, that he’s “a kitten” in comparison, and she’ll never defeat them—“just a little nobody. Doomed to fail because you don’t have a name to be remembered by. A No One.” Nokka stoops over him, wielding Loki’s knife.

“I’m not no one—I’m Sylvie. Lokidottir.” She stabs Kang. After he dies, she wanders to the window, staring out at the splintering multiverse. She collapses, crying, because she’s alone. “You promised we’d win together,” she whispers to herself, a little broken.

(Opening to Consider for a potential Part II: a large flash of green out in the multiverse. Sylvie jerks her head up and stares—before grinning.)

Some notes:

The whole “love yourself” angle in this AU of the show is Loki learns to care for Sylvie even when she lashes out—and treats her as he would have wanted to be treated when he lashed out.

Kang is Not Nice. He’s not as bad as other versions of himself, but he is absolutely the bad guy in this AU.

Loki isn’t an idiot. Full stop. And he uses magic A LOT.

Loki takes a mentor role in this. HE IS THE MAIN CHARACTER, and Sylvie is a secondary role that morphs into an MC. He doesn’t get run over by Sylvie’s girl!pain backstory.

Sylvie isn’t a shitty annoying asshole kween. She’s a scared teenager. She’s not capable of huge fights or dumb shit like the canon shitshow.

This is Very Much a sibling or father/daughter relationship between Loki and Sylvie. No romance. PLATONIC ONLY!!!!

The TVA is EVIL. Not “a necessary evil” but completely, absolutely, reprehensibly evil. Autocratic and fascist, if you will. The interrogation Loki endures in the first episode (and then with Sif in episode ???) will be framed as torture.

Can’t really think of a faceclaim to the Nokka/Sylvie character (cuz DiMartino would be WAAAY too old for this one). But I’m thinking like a young Maia Mitchell or Mackenzie Foy type teenager. Gotta be brunette—cuz the blonde is stupid as shit and makes no sense. We want a Lady Loki lookalike here, folks (even if she’s NOT Loki; Nokka made herself APPEAR like him after taking his name so she could to be called one of his variants).

This makes room for a Loki “replacement” so Hiddleston could bow out, AND makes it “feministy” for the ladies; but ALSO allows for GOOD WRITING and Loki to keep his dignity/agency as a main character/antihero.

This whole thing was fully and completely inspired by this song while I drove home from work:

@fast-and-the-curious what say u to this AU?

[colehasapen]

(ONE SHOT) buycika STAR WARS

Rating: G

Warnings: Fantasy AU, Past Abuse, Referenced Childbirth

(belated) Comfortember no.23 - Exhaustion

Sequel to oya'karir

The newest members of Alpha’s pack are born as the first snow of the year begins to fall over the mountain sanctuary they call their home. It had been a long, hard labour, and all Alpha had been able to do was bring his mate water and food when he needed it, and mop away the sweat on his brow while Obi-Wan did all the hard work. Alpha had worried for a long time that something would go wrong, that he’d lose his mate or the pups he carried inside of him, or even both, and it made a sort of anxiety he hadn’t felt since Kamino crawl up his throat and grip his chest like a vice, a fear he hadn’t felt since Rex had been introduced into his pen, a sickly little thing and the only survivor of his ill-fated litter. He’d spent days curled around his pups then, baring his teeth and snarling at any of the alchemists that dared to get to close.

Back then, he hadn’t known what freedom could be like. He didn’t know what life beyond his cage could feel like, beyond the foggy dreams of when he himself had been a pup, barely weaned from his mother.

Now, he knows what it’s like to run free, to hunt and provide. He knows what it’s like to truly teach his cubs how to live, and he’d learned alongside them, taught by the very man who became his mate. Obi-Wan was a gentle teacher, a good one too, willing to teach Alpha and the cubs anything they didn’t know, always happy to answer any questions they had - and there were a lot of them, with curious cubs under foot. Alpha himself could barely hear ‘but why?’ anymore without wanting to launch himself into the fucking sun, but Obi-Wan had weathered it all with a kind smile and kinder words.

Alpha had fallen fast and hard for the sweet-smelling druid, watching him interact with his boys. At first, he had kept an eye on them at all times because after so long of being the only one looking out for his cubs, he didn’t know how to brush away the anxiety and aggression when others got too close, used to the furious fear of the Kaminoans taking his cubs from his and bringing them back hurt and scared.

Or not bringing them back at all, like Doom, Gree, Bacara, and Neyo.

Then, his hypervigilance had turned into something else. Watching Obi-Wan with his cubs did funny things to his gut, made him ache to pull the man close and claim him as his own. It had set off a primal desire in him for more - a desire he’d always had, but never aimed at another person. It made him want to see the redhead with pups, little ones born to the both of them that could grow never knowing the cages and the alchemists of Tapioca City. Pups who could be Free-Born. Little pups that would follow behind his older cubs, that would give Rex the chance to have vod’ike. He wanted to experience the gentle, comforting milk smell of pups again, a smell that had long since faded from his cubs’ fur, one that never failed to soothe the ragged parts of him.

He had pushed those desires away, at first. He had pushed away his more primal instincts because Obi-Wan wasn’t a Mandalorian, wasn’t a pack-animal, so he’d had to figure out other ways to interact with the man. At the time, Alpha had known nothing about humans, hadn’t known how to talk to them - it hadn’t exactly been something he was taught in the zoo. It wasn’t something the Kaminoans cared about. He had been gruff, tense, and often aggressive, but as time passed, as he continued to learn, Alpha had softened. Obi-Wan had brought out something in him that had before been for his boys. As time had passed, it had gotten easier, they had grown closer, until they had finally given a name to what had grown between them. They had talked, whenever the boys were asleep, about their desires for the future. It had been Obi-Wan who had breached the question of children, had shared his love for them and told him about the creches from the place he had once called home. He had told Alpha that he loved his cubs as if they were his own, that he always would, even if they had children of their own one day.

And then he had been told that his mate was expecting.

All the members of their small pack had been excited to welcome their newest members. As the pregnancy had progressed, it hadn’t been uncommon to see Wolffe and Fox prowling the edges of their territory, and the twins often ended up dragging small bucks between them back into the house, tracking blood across the wood; they’d been so proud of themselves, the blood blending into their red aliike, that the heat of the scoldings they got had lessened. Ponds and Bly had accidentally trampled Obi-Wan’s herb garden while trying to help by tending to the plants, and had ended up in near tears from the guilt when they’d seen the mess they’d made, but Alpha’s mate had just laughed and showed them how to salvage the remains. Attentive, loyal Kote had been waiting on the redhead hand and foot, and had ended up stepping up as a secondary alpha among him brothers, keeping them in line as the pregnancy progressed to the point that it was hard for Obi-Wan to leave his bed for too long and most of Alpha’s attention turned to helping his mate. Rex had followed behind his closest brother, a little white and blue shadow to contrast against Kote’s black and orange-gold fur.

When the time had finally come, they had been prepared, but it hadn’t stopped Alpha’s paranoid fear that something would go wrong, and he’s never been more thankful to be wrong. The labour was long, but it had gone smoothly, and the pups had been born small, but healthy. Now, Alpha is the only one awake, standing by the foot of the crib that Obi-Wan had shown him how to carve, and watching the snowfall outside.

It’s peaceful, listening to the sound of his mate and cubs sleeping, all bundled together on one bed until there wasn’t any room for Alpha to join them. Exhausted, Obi-Wan had succumbed to sleep not long after the pups had been born, and the cubs had arranged themselves around him, a solid mass of colourfully marked fur and light breathing. Milk-scent is heavy in the air, and Alpha feels more at peace than he thinks he ever has; it brings back fuzzy memories of squirming among his brothers, searching blindly for his mother’s teat so that he could suckle until he’d had his fill and fell back to sleep.

A whining has Alpha stirring from his thoughts, and he turns to see the older twin, Fie-Vel - named for Obi-Wan’s culture but affectionately nicknamed Fives by Rex - awake and squirming, face scrunched up grumpily. It makes Alpha chuff out a gentle huff of breath, reaching in to gently lift the pup into his arms.

Already more advanced than a human infant, even at hours old, Fives’ dark eyes stare up at him as he coos. Alpha rumbles sub vocally, rubbing a thumb across the pup’s lips, watching them part so that the small infant could chew the limb with needle-sharp milk teeth. Soon he’d be crawling, shifting, and Alpha would be there for all the milestones.

Still in the crib, little surprise-baby Echo, the younger of the twins, stirs with the loss of his brother from beside him, whimpering, and Alpha reaches into the crib to rub a hand through downy-soft black curls. Echo wiggles in response, flailing his limbs, uncoordinated but determined, and as Alpha watches, the pup gives a full-body shiver, eyes shifting to golden-amber. A wide grin spreads across his face as the pup’s body morphs seamlessly, black and silver fur marked with patches of white and cyan aliike sprouting, and bones shifting to accommodate his new form. In his arms, Fives squeaks in surprise at the sight of his brother, as Echo flails puppy-large paws, tail thumping, and within moments, the larger twin is following his littermate’s example, small body shifting and twisting in Alpha’s arms until he has a small black and grey pup with similarly coloured aliike to his brother gnawing on his bicep.

Alpha had never gotten to witness his oldest cubs’ first shift, never gotten to witness so many important milestones in those first years of their lives. He wouldn’t take this opportunity for granted.

Taglist: @a-mediocre-succulent

[kittymaverick]

It’s that time again. MCF: Black Crown commentary

 I’m actually watching AdventureGameFan8 this time instead of Pazu first. (I intend to watch Pazu later for his commentary.) Anyhow, spoilers under the cut...

1. Skulls... skulls everywhere... HELP. Note: Kitty has a chronic fear of skulls since childhood. It’s bad enough that she still can’t finish 13th Skull even after all these years. 2. Her Majesty: You remember what happened last time... MD: ...A ghost drowned some people that were holding me hostage, and then I drowned that ghost again with the help of his crew? By the way, are you sending me on this case again just so I can come back with a good story? Her Majesty: Now why would I ever do that? *plays innocent*

3. Chapter 0. XD I like how it straight up acknowledges it’s a chapter 0. And we’re collecting... CRABS this time. (Better than skulls!)

4. Huh, interesting, for once this is a puzzle I would have needed to solve with a piece of paper nearby. I don’t think we’ve had that either forever, or for ages.

5. MD: Huh, so the asylum’s benefactor is Crown Estate Holdings... ...Is there such a thing as pissing off the descendants of a ghost you came across??? MD: I guess I’m about to find out...

6. I still don’t trust this Dr. Norton, and I SWEAR we’ve heard the name Nathaniel somewhere... MD: I should have kept a notebook of names just in case...

7. This patient file is giving me so many warning bells. MD: shiny round object-- MUST BE THE CRYSTAL BALL. *Paranoia max*

8. That’s a lot of lollipops you’re carrying doctor. I expect them to show up later. MD: Also, this pocket watch, if you so much as put them in yourself... Dr: ...I see you are still incredibly paranoid, much like you were on your last visit. MD: Can you honestly blame me given my line of work?

9. WAIT A MOMENT THE MD SIGNED THEIR NAME LEMME SEE IT I CAN READ CURSIVE-- MD: NEXT. If that actually says Phineas Crown I’m going to scream because WHERE IS THE REAL MD THEN.

10. Dr.: The last thing we need right now is the whole wing getting agitated. Me and MD: And then the whole wing got agitated... *sighs*

11. MD: Speaking of, I swear I did some property destruction while I was here last time. Has that been fixed? I’m starting to see why the Crown Estate might have a beef with you.

12. Dr.: I’ll be right back! MD: Really? You’re really going to just leave me here in the dark?... Good thing I swiped a torch from the table earlier. I was wondering why you just took that...

13. MD:...Okay seriously, if the WHOLE WING OF PATIENTS is in on the puzzle I seriously thing we’re doomed. You don’t know that. It might just be a game they like to play together. :P

14. MD: I just got chills. Something isn’t right, all of a sudden. Wow, understatement of the year. Glad to see that paranoia finally kicking in. MD: ...I did always have a late spider sense...

15. How convenient it is that there’s a museum to visit-- Um, MD?! MD: WHO TOUCHED MY BUGGY AND TAMPERED WITH THE BRAKES??? I TOLD YOU THE MUSEUM STAFF WERE BAD NEWS!!!! MD: And they even left a postcard telling me about it. Okay, they’re just taunting me now.

16. Um, MD, is your buggy technically the company’s? MD:................. They’re going to dock your pay for this, right? MD: That thought ALMOST made me just want to just stay in the car and go with it. 17. Ah, getting keys from other people’s incompetence. MD: If only all doors and puzzles were like that... To be fair, the last time the main antagonist was somewhat incompetent, we nearly broke space-time, and also almost got stuck in their hallucination. MD: ...Yeah, on second thought, never mind.

18. MD: Wow there, boy! Calm down. I’ve just notice that you’re not very good with animals. MD: You would think I would have learnt to keep a bag of treats handy by now, but alas. ...Wait, is this why you were never allowed a pet? MD: ...*changes subject* Hey look this map over here’s very interesting!

19. Another fact about the MD learned: They can rock-climbing. Somewhat. MD: I almost joined my car... People usually take their gloves OFF and put CHALK on  for a reason, you know. Like, the chalk you just used 5 seconds ago. MD: If I grounded up the whole thing, then it’ll be obvious someone has been here. No duh! As if the open lock and dog in cage didn’t clue them in! /8D

20. This whole “let’s follow the most-definitely not evil artifact” is REALLY doing wonders on your chance of survival. MD: ...Look, it’s an occupational hazard... Mh-hmm. MD: ...And okay I do get a bit too into the mystery. So more like an occupational addiction.

21. Oh no, a person! Gotta stay hidden! MD: Uh, I think I’ve failed that already, with the fountain now 2 stories high and what not.

22. OH NO THE DOCTOR AND NURSE ARE HERE. RED ALERT! RED ALERT! MD: I’m armed with my fists and a sharp badge, don’t come closer. Doctor: Actually, we’re here because the patients all broke out during the black out... Nurse: And they took the girl with them here, using a stolen ambulance. MD: ...As much as it was the reason I managed to get out myself, your asylum REALLY needs better security. Also, how did you get in with the front door locked? 23. Doctor: By the way, they were screaming about a crown. Can you keep an eye out? MD: And I just all of a sudden remember a story about some villains who tricked me into finding something for them while I was on a case. Would you like to know what happened to them in the end? 8D (Spoiler alert: they drowned.) Doctor: Anyway, let’s split up. MD: That sounds like a “Let’s get the MD to do a the work while we just sit back and relax”... but sure, I’m in. Also doc, can you just give us one of those lollipops already? Like, it’s so obvious we’re going to need it later...

23. MD: Man, this watch sure is handy-- Um, did you already forgot what all of your supernatural/mechanical fancy gizmos have done in the past few games??? MD: ...Look, we detectives need our companion cubes, okay, especially the ones who can’t handle animals. Who happen to also VANDALIZE historical paintings. My GODS. MD: There was a THING, okay?!

24. SHADOW FIGURE DETECTED. ALERT, STRANGE PRESENCE DETECTED. MD: Yeah, it’s probably the doctor. They all end up weird sooner or later. You are REALLY to calm about this.

25. MD: Haha, funny note. Curses aren’t real! ... MD: ...Okay that was out of character. Yeah... let’s open it anyway though. 8D

26. ???: The last time we met, you killed my parents! MD: ...Oh, it’s you. Should have guessed, though I thought you were dead too. Phineas Crown: WELCOME TO MY HOUSE. MD: And YOU, are most definitely dead. Seriously, didn’t you get dragged back under water?! You REALLY have a lot of crime families coming after you, don’t you? Also, CAN WE NOPE OUT OF HERE?! MD: Yeah, prime time to be stuck in a corridor right now. So, um, HELP? Dr.: I got this! This way! MD: Wait, YOU?! Nah, ah, I’m not falling for-- okay, fine, you better not get possessed later thought!

27. Doctor: We better find the nurse and get out of here, so... I’ll hold the door, and you... figure a way out for us. MD: It’s so strange having an ally so early in the game. I’m so suspicious... *Finds a way out* Doctor: Is that... you car in the distance? MD: *sob* yes... Doctor: I’m sorry, it was a nice car. Oh for once someone compliments the car! Doctor: At least you didn’t go over with it. ...MD, I think you have competition in the sarcasm department now.

28. Nurse: HELP! Dr. and MD: ...welp, better find her quick. *Dog shows up* MD: AAAAHHH! *Dog whines* MD: ...good doggy, nice doggy... please remember me giving you treats and not me locking you up... Hey, maybe you WILL get a pet after all!

29. So, we probably should avoid the patients and that women-- *MD walks right back into the building* REALLY?! Doctor: ...I do believe that our detective hasn’t been the most self-preserving after all those traumatic events in their life. MD: Look, if I don’t take some risks, I’m not going to earn enough money to eat, okay? Doctor: True enough, that said, let’s go into this maze and look for the nurse. MD: Now hold on, that’s way too dangerous! ...You two are perfect for each other, in the worst of ways. 30. MD: Well, thank god for that dog. Aaaand the Doctor’s lost. Bet you he’s the one going to be in distress next. MD: ...On account of him calling my car nice, I’ll highly consider rescuing him in a moment. 31. Skull patient: ... MD: ...Um, hi? *Skull patient attacks!* *MD uses block! It’s super effective* *MD uses punch! It’s also super effective!* MD: I personally prefer not to use violence, but oh well... ...Since WHEN have you been able to knock a guy out with one punch?! MD: Violence is a last resort, okay? Says the person who would have probably gotten out of MANY MANY situations if you’d had thrown more punches in the past! 32. Another unconscious patient?! MD: Not me! Nurse: ...That was me, sorry. Also, they said something about what was up here before you knocked them out. Might help before the police get here. MD: You guys keep on saying police like they will actually show up in time to be helpful, when usually, that’s not the case... 33. MD: Aaaand got the starchart-- WAH! Doctor: Hi, I’ve rescued myself from the maze! I also know the way back now though. MD: ...This is SO new to me. Tell me about it. People actually saving themselves now? What is this?! Nurse: Well, there’s still the girl, if you want to rescue someone. Doctor: Yes, I agree wholeheartedly with that. The two of us would only get in the way, but you should rescue the girl, detective. We’ll wait outside! Bye! ...Wait, so we’re rescuing the villain now??? MD: ...again, this is SO new to me. [Part 2 coming soon.]

[macbetha]

Preview of SouRin Supernatural AU: IKIGAI “Chapter 3″ feat. NatsuNao

Given that Rin’s monarchy of a family resides underground in the sewers, there aren’t many places in the subterranean castle in which natural light thrives. Nao found this part of the sewers like he was drawn to it, and when Natsuya realized that Nao could feel warmth, it devastated him. Nao is old; he tastes and feels more than other vampires do because even immortality has a timestamp, and the more his body recalls human sensation, the less time he has on this earth as a walking corpse. Rin’s gaze sweeps the conservatory, which has the splendor of romantic catacombs rather than bleak sewers. The ground is patterned in diamond-shaped cobblestone; the walls are towering and lead up to a street gait above. He listens to heels clacking across the sidewalks overhead, smells asphalt and the reek of pollution that grows fouler as the years tick by. Listening to pedestrians converse is like going to the library, though their stories are rarely interesting; most commonly, Rin hears work complains or dull gossip. Sunlight streams down in roaming pillars like spotlights and Rin tenses each time the light creeps a bit too close – he is superstitious to a fault. Though he is paranoid about being in daylight, Rin can admit that the conservatory is enchanting with its palette of greys and greenery – there’s stone benches with a curtain of vines framing them and a fountain that holds no water but is still charming as it is guarded by a circle of statuses toads. There’s some fruit trees and tropical plants which are saturated with magic; Rin’s favorites are a fat gourd slumped with fatigue, but if you dare to pry it open, the plant will swallow you to cage you in its belly until suffocation takes you. He also has a particular admiration for a Venus Fly Trap that stands taller than Rin with fangs just as sharp. He enjoys the smell of this air – this sundew doesn’t conjure up any specific memories, but perhaps that’s why he’s so charmed with the place. After walking this planet for five-hundred years, there aren’t many new or different things to smell, and the conservatory holds its own atmosphere of eerie tranquility, much like Nao himself. Nao sorts through a table of voodoo lilies and basil, the herbalism of spells. His robes are white like a biblical rose, his eyes moonlit with blindness. Nao smirks, “You’re bobbing your ankle something fierce.” Rin looks down at his ankle and stops. Nao chuckles and gestures to the side, calling, “Gloom, come help me with this, would you?” A dark mass comes from beneath the table and stirs into the light; the fox is bigger than her natural counterpart and far more ethereal with her fog-grey pelt and beady, red eyes. She slinks up to Nao and grabs a basket with her teeth, holding it up for her master to drop few plant trimmings inside. Gloom takes them over to the monstrous fridge in the corner, which is built like an industrial safe, and Nao walks over to Rin. He easily remembers the path to the bench in the familiar space, and he sits down while settling his robes. His motions are ginger – weak. Rin used to stare at him whenever they were in close proximity or standing across the room. Nao’s bangs cover the scar gouging across his forehead, clawing through his eyes and down to hook under his jaw – Rin always feels a dull spike of sympathetic pain at the sight of him. He often wonders just how powerful the werewolf must have been to leave a vampire blind and doomed to wear such scars. Nao doesn’t talk about it and Natsuya won’t let anyone ask. But since Natsuya isn’t here – “How long has it been since you saw a werewolf?” Rin asks. The elder vampire lifts his brows in humored surprise. “I haven’t seen much of anything in millennia, child.” “Forgive me,” he rushes, face burning with mortification, but Nao waves him off with amusement. Nao crosses his legs with a faint wince, the halter chains of his cape glittering like black stones underwater. “What’s brought forth such a question in your mind?” Nao sounds curious rather than offended, though a knowing look creeps over his features. “Have you gone and enamored yourself with some trouble or do you intended to seek it out?” “It’s just a question.” “It’s never just a question, Rin.” He relaxes with leisure posture as he drinks in the sunshine. Nao props his head on a hand, absently coming through his silken hair. “If you gain no knowledge from my time residing amongst you royals, trust that no question ever comes without a motive.”

Rin works his hands between his knees, flustering. “You’ve taught me more than just that,” he grumbles. Nao’s smile is endeared in a backhanded sort of way. “You learn what you want to.” He tucks his hands together so that his long sleeves close over them. “Werewolves and vampires are two sides of the same coin; lycanthropic metamorphosis is a disease at the base of it all, much like vampirism.” Defensiveness works through him. “Pray tell.” Nao considers. “Well, we both started out as humans – vampirism began as a reanimating disease that possessed corpses; the sickness originated in the bloodstream of the deceased. Back in my day, if you’ll humor me –” Rin cuts a brief smirk. “— The phenomenon of the lycans spread like rabies because it’s simply a mutated strain of the sickness. Lycanthropic metamorphosis is a disease much like vampirism, though their contagion originated from wolves and mutates their genomes with that of wolves.” Rin says, “Shouldn’t werewolves be easy to fight, then? If they are nothing more than animals.” “Werewolves are unpredictable fighters; the only form of knowledge you can bring to such a fight is that if a werewolf gets ahold of you, it’s all over.” Sympathy runs through Rin’s chest. “I’m – I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to resurface grim memories.” Nao surprises him by chuckling, though it is a tired sound. “Bitterness if no way to live, I made my peace with my circumstances many moons ago.” His voice grows quiet with thoughtfulness. “I never once felt anger toward that wolf despite that I was supposed to, perhaps. Both vampires and werewolves are lost to the ideal that we are mortal enemies – how interesting it would be if we both as a species realized that concept was glamorized by the authors that depicted us as fantasy.” He turns one of his rings, a band of fool’s gold that won’t char him. “Kind of poetic that silver harms both vampires and werewolves, don’t you think?”

“We’re nothing alike,” Rin scowls. Nao’s smile is slow and pitying at the blind lash of resentment. “Werewolves might heavily rely on their instincts, yes, but they are not mindless – more importantly, they are not heartless. If you harm a single one, their pack will not rest until your insides flow.” He lifts his brows. “They love one another and it shows in the way they fight.” “I want to kill one,” Rin says, squaring his shoulders. Nao rolls his eyes in grand exasperation. “Trophy hunting is not exactly the appropriate way to blend into modern society.” “I don’t care. I’m going to do it.” “Then I’m assuming by your enthusiasm that you’ve never killed one before?” Rin curls into himself and Nao smirks like he knows. “No,” Rin mumbles, looking away. “I’ve fought them in brief squabbles but father always orders me to flee before it can get fun.” “You mean dangerous.” Rin pouts. “Father’s killed pack alphas before; it’s not fair that I don’t have a wolf’s head mounted above my bed when Gou’s got dozens of them all over the castle.” “Gou is more talented as a warrior than you are.” Nao’s expression doesn’t change even though Rin’s agitation is tangible. Gloom hops onto the elder vampire’s lap and he pets her tail in dragging strokes. “Gou takes orders well; you, on the other hand, storm into battle just like Natsuya.” He shakes his head with a playful tut. “You bored fools.” Rin laughs before his ears prick at the sound of the doors groaning apart. Natsuya strides in, his curls disheveled and his gait sluggish since it’s daytime and most vampires in the castle are sleeping at this hour. Evening is nearing; Natsuya must have just awoken, since his night tunic is stuffed into his trousers and he’s still adjusting his leather suspenders. Natsuya clambers down the stairs with a metallic echo and his posture straightens when he notices Nao. Natsuya rushes to kneel before his mate, hands fretting over him. “What the devil are you doing up here alone?” “Rin’s right here,” Nao smiles, letting himself be petted. “Or have you gone as blind as I am?” Natsuya gives him a flat look. “Your cynical humor is hardly appropriate.” He adjusts Nao’s robes tighter around his middle, knotting the sash again and brushing out the wrinkles. “Imagine my horror when I woke up only to realize that you had vanished.” He rises and goes over to the hulking fridge; the door hisses open and Natsuya takes out an ornate pitcher before fetching a gauntlet from under the table. He bows the pitcher and blood oozes into the cup – Rin thinks it smells like O positive. Natsuya calls, “Would you like any, Rin?” “No thanks.” He’s a glutton for Type A through and through. Natsuya hands the gauntlet to Nao before pointing a finger at Gloom to address the fox. “You and I discussed this, I told you to wake me up the instant Nao is discomforted.” She tries to nip his fingers and Natsuya yanks his hand back with an offended pout. “I apologize for worrying you,” Nao says before taking a deep swallow from his gauntlet. His dainty fingers rearrange his husband’s mess of curls. “I’ve been asleep for a week; you knew that I was bound to wake up eventually.” Natsuya is hardly quelled. He stands behind Nao to rub his shoulders in gentle circles, pulling his hair into his fist to massage his neck. His throat is blotched in little plums from where Natsuya’s drank from him. “I wish you would not have exerted yourself with the climb up here.” “You’re more than welcome to carry me back to bed when I’m ready,” Nao smiles. That won’t be long, Rin thinks – nowadays, Nao can barely stay awake for a few hours before falling into a disturbingly long slumber. To reassure him, Nao traces the mating scar on Natsuya’s wrist – it’s a crescent bite in the shape of Nao’s teeth. His sleeve rolls down to reveal his mating scar from Natsuya, and that bite is deeper. Natsuya’s fangs probably drove in with a fit of passion, earnest in the pain he gave because it would bind them for eternity. The mark Nao left on Natsuya’s wrist is clean and precise, perfectly aligned on the inside of Natsuya’s forearm. Natsuya regards Rin, canting his hip as he crosses his arms. His motions are far more spry than Nao’s; from the whispers of gossip that travel through the vampire court, Rin’s heard that Natsuya is ancient but he’s a few centuries younger than Nao. He’s got a while before he loses his vigor – the wicked glint in his eye says as much. “Rumor ‘round the castle is that you’re going on a little hunt tonight.” He lifts his chin. “I want in.”

Rin bristles. “Who –” He groans when he realizes. “Goddamn you, Haru.”

“It was wise of Haru to inform me of your plan,” Natsuya says, eyes half-lidded with a lazy sort of confidence. “You’ve never took on a werewolf by yourself.”

“A werewolf has never faced me alone,” Rin counters with excitement brewing in his chest.

Natsuya rolls the heel of his boot back and forth in a subtle taunt. “So, your darling plan was to charge into this supposed uprising, throw yourself on the back of the nearest rabid thing and slice its throat in one fell swoop?”

“Sounds like something you would do,” Nao drones into his gauntlet as he gives his husband a pointed look of amusement.

[tumblunni]

Randomly thinking some more about that old game idea of mine that i just call Dark Pokemon for now, lol

Basically a monster catching game where they're treated as monsters? Normal people are all terrified of them and trainers get treated with a 50/50 mix of reverence and hatred. Because trainers are the only way that humans can try and exterminate the monsters, yet theyre seen as cursed people who dont even count as human anymore. Sort of a way to explain little cliches of the genre like kids being thrown out completely alone to travel the world, and you never really having any reason to revisit past towns after you beat the gym. I was thinking itd be a cool way to do it if the game started off seeming like a normal mon catching game and then before you get the big reveal of the darkness you can get subtle hints if you try and turn around and reenter the starting area. Because it goes against expectations it might be missed by a lot of players.

Also the towns are so small and the routes are so straight and narrow because thats how humanity builds society in a world of monster fear. 90% of the world is uninhabited wilderness where only monsters live. Human towns are sorta like sci fi dome cities without the scifi? Surrounded by protective salt barriers and charms and stuff. And if a monster even touches anything its considered cursed, so if one of them makes it past a salt barrier that town is abandoned and any people caught up in the chaos of the barrier's collapse are left to die just in case they've been corrupted. And the roads between the towns are manned by armed guards who are constantly vigilant to repair the salt barriers. But this means they have to live their entire life alone in these limbo spaces between society and the wild, and often most narrier breaches are caused by the guards getting paranoid from the pressure. You need to keep watch for monsters so any movement in the shadows could be one of them, right?? You get situations of roads being blocked off by some crazed guard who starts seeing people as monsters, or one of them pulling the alarm and getting a town falsely burnt down for being corrupted when the monster was really just a leaf blowing in the wind. Or the worst case scenario where nobody ever knows WHAT happened! You just find the road destroyed and the guard gone. It might have happened days ago and nobody knew until a merchant tries to travel between towns and discovers the only road of escape is gone and everyone is doomed to slow starvation. And you can still see the other end of the road just a few meters away, but the superstition is so strong that nobody will risk taking that single step into monster territory. You'll be cursed and that's worse than death, right? You don't want to turn into a trainer...

And then also nobody really knows what determines who's chosen to be a trainer. Inevitably whenever someone shows signs of powers the town will turn on them and make up any excuse that they somehow invited the curse by being promoscuous or athiest or something. And you need to be removed for everyone's safety! Thus begins the ten year old's journey walking the earth in search of a place they can belong...

Tho usually its not just kids, the protagonist and rival is a rare case. All your neighbours are torn between 'its so tragic it happened to kids' and 'they must be REALLY evil to get chosen despite their age!' And i think maybe the rival would be like a sympathetic gary type? Theyre so determined to be better than you because they think if they can prove theyre good then their parents will let them go back home. And this desperation leads them to make bad choices and reject the only friend they have left :( Also them being bad to their monster pals would feel more justified when they were raised in a society that says monster pals are evil and you cant let your guard down cos theyre just trying to tempt you. Listen to the assholes who dont care about you, because anyone being nice is a lying sinner!

Also i was thinking maybe you catch monsters with a magic song or throwing herbs at them or absorbing them into a jewel pendant or something else more magicky yknow? Maybe magical bandages enscribed with spell runes that wrap arpund them like a collar? And so trainers are divided up into weavers who make these catching tools, and then the actual kind of trainer who uses them to catch mons. Weavers are able to stay in human society and act like the pokeball shops, theyre sorta like a 'town witch' or something. Like 'we will tolerate your magic if you never actually make a contract with a monster'. But then of course catching monsters is necessary to defend against monsters, so weavers have to be allowed to make the catching threads and sell them to travellers. But only travellers are allowed to do that sinful mon hugging! But also hey sinful traveller will you please save us from our doom? Basically this is why most trainers work as mercenaries, all this bullshit means that you gotta be employed by some asshole who hates your guts just cos u need food to eat. But blablabla town limit of X days before you have to leave, etc etc...

Also i was considering an element of different towns having different mythology around monsters and trainers? So you never really know whats real or if all of it is bullshit. Every time you go to a new place theyre equally fanatically convinced that some new thing is the real sin and everything the last guy said is eeeeeevil corruption. Sigh! And a subplot i was thinking of is a town with very sexist mythology, where the roles of weavers and tamers are seen as one gender only. And the town weaver is this nice grandma thats trapped in an abusive relationship with a super misogynist gramps. And one of those cloyingly fake-softspoken "rational" sexists who's all 'im just trying to protec u, wrong gender roles are bad for your immortal soul'. And has a million "logical" explanations for why his bigotry is true. Like technically he's "valuing her as important" by not letting her leave the house or socialize with friends, because yknow "im a nice guy who's nice to you trainers, i know your job is important so shouldnt the weavers be working 24/7 to support you?" The frustrating feeling of starting to trust a guy cos he's not bigoted against your particular minority, but then finding out he's bigoted against someone else... Ugh. So ultimately in the end you can succeed at this sidequest and help the grandma make a pact with a cute fairy monster and kick his ass and leave. And possibly get into a cute and mutually healthy relationship with another grandma in another town, so you get to see that and have a bonus happy note to the sidequest, yknow? Also they give you a hug and bake u cookies. (The monster is wearing a cute chef hat!) And then you'd have a place to stay in that town that doesnt have the 'it gets more expensive every night to try and make you leave' bullshit of all the normal inns. And you get to see a cute animation of your monsters all cuddled up in bed too cos they dont force you to leave them outside in the Designated Monster Containment Cage.

Oh! Also randomly i was thinking of another way of foreshadowing! Like when you go to the first inn you dont know any of this stuff about people hating monster tamers and not trusting your tamed mons even if theyre tame. So you'd probably just think that you not seeing your monsters when you sleep is just the game's limited graphics or you keep them in some pokeball equivelant thing. But when you walk arpund the outside of the inn you can see a door to a basement cellar that's got weirdly heavy duty chains and bars even if you assume they store their valuables down there. And maybe when you heal at the inn it never restores your mons to full health, always 10hp away from maximum or something? Or other small hints that theyre afraid of going to the inn and your protagonist is wary about doing it even if you'd think theres no downside to healing. Or maybe you can see another monster tamer visit the place at one point and you can hear banging and growling from the basement...? Or see some of the chains have bite marks in the morning. And the townsfolk wpuld be all 'can you believe how much noise they made?' and expressing fear about monsters being in the town, though itd have to be written carefully to remain vague. But yeah 'lets mistreat these small animals because we fear them' -> they panic and cry for their one human friend in the world while theyre forced to sleep in a damp dark tiny room -> 'that just proves theyre inherantly violent!' Also the trainer is an ungrateful bastard for acting so sullen when they couldnt sleep from worry over their friends :(

But it wont be all depressing yo!!! All the darkness of the setting is dark but the monster pals are still just as pals! I give u grimdark world so i can give u a protagonist of kindness who fights the system and saves people in every town who eventually rise up and are swayed by their kindness into fighting The Old Ways and making a better world as the story goes on! Its like an adventure of creating the pokemon world? You try and sell everyone on the idea of trusting cute monsters instead of being so damn paranoid you inflict all these atrocities upon other humans and even yourself because 'sacrifices are necessary to keep the monsters away'. Fight the symbol of all bigotry!!! The evil team is Team Bad Dads And Politicians!!!

...sorry lol my story ideas are Weird.

[sssrha]

Complications || Naruto Fanfiction

Everyone is dead except for Team Seven, and Naruto considers time travel a viable option. So, of course, his teammates ruin it for him. [au, oocness, one-shot, crack-fic, dark humor, gen]

[You can also read it on AO3, FFN, and Wattpad]

Begin:

Today was not a good day for Sakura Haruno. Actually, most days haven’t been good for Sakura, nor for the rest of Team Seven. One couldn’t blame them, though, seeing as the whole world was kind of wiped out and they were probably the last humans left. Well, maybe some remote tribe off in the Land of Whatever was still thriving, but as for the rest of civilization—poof! Gone in an instant.

Try as she might, though, Sakura couldn’t really bring herself to care. True, she felt sad but it was kind of a detached sadness. Occasionally, she would look around the dark cave that she and her teammates had holed up in and think, Huh, I used to have a house.

As of right now, however, she was oddly fascinated by the little spider in front of her. It climbed up the wall, its legs somehow finding a grip on the slippery surface. Carefully, Sakura prodded it with a nearby stick, and the spider started to climb up the wall faster. Resilient, then. Determined. Sakura’s smile grew. He’s the perfect friend! Absolutely convinced that Sasuke would be as excited as she was, she yelled, “Ke, look who I found!”

Sasuke, who had been devouring the leg of some animal or another, looked up. He squinted, wiping some of the blood off his cheek. Maybe I should cook it next time. Nevertheless, he called back, “What is it, Ra?”

“A spider!” Sakura turned to look at him, smiling. “You know, To told you to not eat raw meat anymore,” she said offhandedly.

Sasuke scowled and took another large bite from the chunk of meat in his hands. “To’s paranoid, and I don’t care about the spider unless I can eat it.”

Sakura got a thoughtful look on her face. She took her stick up and once again prodded at the arachnid. “I mean, you could theoretically eat him. He’s not poisonous.”

Sasuke paused. He looked up and squinted at Sakura. “Really?”

“He probably wouldn’t fill you up very much…” She stared off into space, lost in her own head.

Sasuke, meanwhile, looked back down at the unfortunate creature that had wandered into the cave. It was a little larger than his abdomen; he could probably finish it in a few more minutes, and it definitely wouldn’t fill him. A spider might help. And so, Sasuke Uchiha stood up, walked right past a contemplating Sakura, grabbed the spider on the wall, and swallowed it whole.

For a moment, there was nothing but silence in the cave. Then, Sakura let out a horrified screech. “Ke, you ate him!”

Sasuke swallowed a second time, satisfied when the spider finally stopped trying to scurry back up his throat. Then, he gave Sakura a confused look. “You said I could eat it.”

“Theoretically!” Sakura snapped. “We had a friend, Ke, and you ate him!”

Sasuke scowled. “It was a spider and I was hungry.”

“You don’t just go around eating your friends!”

“I don’t,” Sasuke agreed. “I go around eating food!”

“Friends aren’t food!”

“My friends aren’t, I don’t know about your’s!”

“You don’t have any friends!”

“Neither do you!”

They both glared at each other, full of venom. Nearly in unison, they both pulled their arms back, hands fisted, ready to throw a punch, when a voice yelled, “Not again! I swear, you two will be the death of me!” Naruto Uzumaki stomped into the cave, his shirt missing and nearly every visible inch of skin caked in mud and blood. He stared at them, scowling. “I left for twenty minutes and you two are already ready to kill each other!”

Immediately, Sasuke and Sakura pulled back. Sakura hung her head in shame but Sasuke just looked away, not making eye contact. “I’m sorry, To,” they chorused, and Naruto sighed.

“Yeah, whatever, I guess I should have—” Naruto froze, eyes zeroing in on the bloody carcass in the middle of the cave. “Sasuke! I thought I told you not to eat raw meat! Either cook it or wait for me to cook it!”

“I could cook it,” Sakura said.

“Yeah, I don’t trust you with fire.” He turned back to Sasuke. “What do you have to say for yourself?”

Sasuke scowled. “I was hungry cooking it would take too long.”

“You’re always hungry. Sasuke, you could have gotten salmonella—is that what it’s called, Sakura?”

“Yeah,” she muttered. “It can be deadly.”

“See, Sasuke? You could have died!”

“I’m not going to die.”

“Says who?”

“No one.”

“Exactly—no one because everyone is dead!”

Sasuke waved his concern away, flushing a bit when he realized that his hand was still stained red. Clearing his throat, he said, “You’re exaggerating.”

“Exagger— Oh my god, Sasuke, you’re insufferable.” Sighing, he sat down on the floor. “Whatever, it doesn’t matter. What does matter is this!” He pulled something out of his pack and placed it on the floor, smiling. “It changes everything.”

Sakura examined it closely. Her eyes widened. “It’s a scroll!” she said, delighted. “I can keep all my friends in there now—”

“No,” Naruto interrupted, “you cannot. This is not a storage scroll, it contains a jutsu.”

“You mean it’s storing a jutsu?” Sasuke muttered.

Naruto ignored him. “The jutsu...is a time travel jutsu!” There is a bit of silence, and Naruto took that as a cue to continue. “We can go back and save everyone! Sai and Yamato and Kakashi—”

“Kaka-sensei’s fine,” Sakura interrupted.

Sasuke nodded, though Naruto noticed him eyeing the rotting carcass again. “Yeah, he’s over there, like always.”

Against his will, Naruto turned toward the corner of the cave. There sat a skeleton, propped up against the wall. Its legs were folded, in its arms was an orange book, and a hitai-ate was slanted over one of its eye sockets. More importantly, though, a rusty kunai was jammed into its rib cage. Naruto glanced at it, then glanced back at Sasuke and Sakura. Flatly, he said, “Oops. Sorry, easy mistake.”

Sasuke snorted. He turned to Sakura and muttered, “And he calls us the insane ones.”

“Yeah,” Sakura agreed. She turned to the skeleton and called out, “Hey, Kaka-sensei, how are you?” The skeleton’s head promptly tumbled off of its body and shattered into a hundred pieces. Naruto stared, wide-eyed, but Sakura just nodded. “See, he’s fine.”

“...I’m not having this conversation with you two. Look, let’s get back to the scroll. We could...we could save Itachi! That’s great!”

Sasuke tilted his head, considering. “How would we do that?”

“We could kill Danzo!”

“But wouldn’t that create another complicated slew of problems?”

“But we can survive them!”

“No, I really don’t think we could.”

Naruto scowled. “You just said that you weren’t going to die!”

“Don’t twist my words.”

“Sa— Ugh, whatever. Look, this scroll is a good thing. Let’s do it.”

“Do what?”

“Go back in time!”

“We could,” Sakura agreed, “but what if we cause some kind of rip in the space-time continuum?”

“That won’t happen.”

“How do you know?” Sasuke asked.

“I just...what’s the point of having a time-travel jutsu if it just destroys everything?”

“Then how come we didn’t know that it existed before?” Sasuke said. “If someone has a time-travel jutsu, then they could go back in time. They could sell it and make millions.”

“They might want to keep it a secret.”

“But wouldn’t they fix everything?”

“I...maybe they fixed things for themselves.”

Sasuke rolled his eyes. Sakura hummed. “What if we end up in each other’s bodies by accident? What if we end up in someone else’s body?” A pause. “What if we end up in the body of a sea slug?”

Naruto stared at her. “I...whoever made this probably—”

“And what would happen if we were shoved into the body of a dinosaur right before the meteor hit Earth?” Sasuke asked. “Because that would be bad. Do you know how to control how far back we go?”

“I’m sure—”

“What if,” Sasuke continued, “we ended up in one of our parents’ bodies while they’re having se—”

“Stop it!” Naruto snapped.

Sasuke shrugged. “It could happen.”

“But—”

“It could.”

“Ke,” Sakura said, “stop it. You’re ruining it for To!”

“I’m sorry, I’m just laying out all the possibilities.” He sighed and turned to Naruto. “Sorry, To, you can do the jutsu.”

Naruto, however, was just staring down at the scroll in his hand. “I don’t think I want to go back anymore…”

Sasuke shrugged. “Fair enough.” He grabbed the scroll out of Naruto’s hand and threw it to Sakura. “Here, use it for your friends.” Sakura squealed in delight. Naruto stared blankly as she opened it, scratched out the jutsu that was written on it, and started to draw a storage seal. After a few moments, Sasuke awkwardly patted him on the back. “Don’t feel too bad, To. It was doomed to fail.”

“...yeah.”

Realizing that he hadn’t really cheered him up, Sasuke sighed and rummaged through his pack. Finally, he pulled out a deck of cards and said, “You want to play Crazy Eights?”

Sakura’s head snapped up. “I do!”

Flatly, Naruto said, “I refuse to play cards with you two.”

Sakura smiled. “You can play with Kaka-sensei. You haven’t been talking to him much lately—I think he’s starting to get worried.”

Naruto stared at her, then looked back at Kakashi’s skeleton. Well, I could get some peace and quiet for once. “Give me the damn cards.”

And that is how Naruto found himself sitting in front of the headless skeleton of his dead Sensei. A bit too late, he realized that he forgot how to play Crazy Eights. Hey, Kurama, do you remember?

There was a low growl followed by a groggy No, and Naruto’s head was once again filled with loud snores. Normally, Naruto would kick and scream and do everything in his power to get the fox to wake up—and it would never work—but he didn’t really care at the moment and, quite frankly, he was tired of being the sane one. So, he looked up to where the skeleton’s skull would have been and asked, “You got any twos?”

.fin.

[vanquisher2099]

Part Seven: A Hacker Walks into a Club

Jade left the office with a feeling of impending doom hanging over her head. The sun had already set, but the night really never had a chance to take any sort of hold in the city, not with so many lights all over the place. Normally, she considered the bright city lights something of a comfort, but at the moment she would have welcomed the darkness. She felt far too visible out here, watched by eyes that she knew were probably unfriendly. Still, the important thing was not to panic. Her mind was running through any number of scenarios, all of them unpleasant.

Vanishing was out of the question, of course. The whole point was that someone had to keep an eye on Camila, and step in at the first sign of trouble. Except if her cover was well and truly blown, it was only a matter of time until Camila figured out who she really was, and while there was no guarantee Camila would take the opportunity for revenge (in fact, there was a much better chance she’d be willing to help), Jade just as soon would not find out. But to vanish would be to utterly admit defeat and, as far as she was concerned, resign herself to a life on the run. Still, it would at least give her the opportunity to hunt down Alayna. That was a tempting thought.

Jade shook her head, as if to clear it of the temptation. Alayna was, for all intents and purposes, dead. It wouldn’t do to go haring off after her and placing the both of them in danger, even if it would be immensely satisfying to see her face. File that away under plan B, Jade decided as she ordered a cab. A few minutes later, and she was sitting comfortably in silence as the automated cab took her to her destination: a small, out-of-the-way bar and (occasional) dance club on the west side of the city. While the cab drove, Jade pulled up a program on her computing rig that effectively functioned as an advanced privacy module – which was a fancy way of saying it blocked anyone from seeing her location. Normally, she didn’t bother with it, as it blocked everything, including navigation assistance, but as she’d called a cab (and as she really, really didn’t want anyone to be able to easily locate her at the moment), she made an exception.

With that accomplished, she began steeling herself for what would, inevitably, turn into a fight. What she was doing crossed a line that she and the others had all agreed they would try very hard not to cross. It was downright dangerous to even accidentally encounter one another, and they had drawn up plans to make certain that such accidents did not happen. There was, in essence, danger in the wrong person seeing more than one of them in one place, and while they’d both undergone some serious work to change their appearances, well… an AI was difficult to fool, after all.

Still, if anything was worth taking the risk for, it was this – and it was, after all, part of their contingency plan for any sort of emergency. Jade simply wasn’t sure what the next move should be. There was, simply put, not enough data available to her to be able to make the right call, and while getting the right data was possible, it was also far too much of a risk for her to declare herself so openly back in business. She needed, in essence, someone who was already pulling down the data, and that meant going to see Maesin.

The cab rolled to a stop and chimed to let Jade know her account had been debited the amount. Her hand hesitated over the door handle. “You could just run,” she thought to herself again. “You could run and find Alayna and find a nice place to just settle down and get out of this whole fucking business.” It was a tempting thought. Then she was getting out of the cab and heading into a sea of pulsing bass, bathed in a cool blue neon light that, if she was being honest, really was a bit much, even for a bar aiming for a grimy techno aesthetic.

It was crowded, which made Jade even more uncomfortable. She swallowed back her nerves, putting on the same professionally bored persona that she used at Ceres Industries, and hoped that she came off as stressed and in need of a drink rather than terrified and in need of a drink. Jade waved to catch the attention of the bartender, a younger-looking woman with short green hair.

“What can I get you?” Said with cheery professionalism.

Jade raised an eyebrow. “Aren’t you a little young to be working in a bar?”

The bartender snorted. “Look at the eyes, lady. They make us look as young and attractive as they want.” Bright green eyes stared back at Jade, and there was an almost imperceptible flicker to one of them. “Now that your conscience re: corrupting the youth is salved, do you want a drink or not?”

“What’s the strongest drink you have?”

“Too expensive for you, probably.”

“I don’t know, I make quite a lot.”

“Your funeral.” The bartender shrugged and began mixing.

“You’re pretty good at that,” Jade said, conversationally.

“Just like they programmed me to be,” the android replied, depositing the drink in front of Jade with a flourish that was, if they were being honest, completely unnecessary.

Jade nodded her thanks and scanned her credit chip to pay for the drink. As she picked up the drink, she palmed the small chip stuck to the bottom of the glass and slid it into her wristband. A message popped up on her heads up display with a time and location data. After finishing her drink (which was in fact as strong as advertised), Jade felt some of the tension in her shoulders ease slightly. She did not, in spite of her desire to do so, order another drink. Instead, she waved the bartender over and ordered something nonalcoholic, which she sipped slowly, keeping an eye on the time and generally trying very hard to relax.

Eventually, Jade headed back out of the bar and hailed another cab, which took her to the meeting place the chip had indicated. It was a blind alley, of course, the sort of place where people tended to either do shady deals or murders. Jade peered into the alley dubiously, and looked around for a security camera to hack into. Unsurprisingly, there was nothing in range. Taking a deep breath, Jade walked down the alleyway, doing her level best to keep an eye out for anything murderous.

She noticed the movement to her left a split second too late for her to do anything about it. An electrified club came sweeping out of the darkness and quickly accomplished three things: first, it scrambled her computer, making sending any kind of distress signal impossible; second, it overloaded her night vision, effectively blinding her; and third (and perhaps the only one that mattered) it knocked her out cold. Jade’s body jerked and went limp, allowing her assailant to hoist her easily over their shoulder and walk into the night.

When Jade regained consciousness, she was unsurprised to find her computer was unable to send or receive any sort of signal – although the clock did let her know she’d been unconscious for only around five minutes. She also noticed that she’d been tied to a chair, which was bolted to the ground, and she was in what she was pretty sure was a basement. She was, in fact, inside a Faraday cage, which explained the lack of any signals to her computer.

The sound of footsteps on the bare cement floor caused her to refocus, and she was thoroughly unsurprised to see the bartender striding toward her.

“You know Maesin, this is a little over the top, even for you.”

“Is it? Because you know, one of the last times I got summoned to a meeting someone wiped my fucking memory. Forgive me if your sudden reappearance has me acting with an overabundance of caution.”

Jade rolled her eyes and tried to focus past the pounding headache. “Wiping your memory was your idea.”

Maesin’s fist slammed into the cage wall, causing Jade to jump. “It was not my idea, it was some past version of myself’s idea who was, I think, a fucking idiot. She knew I’d hate her for it and fucking did it anyway.”

“Well, I don’t know what to tell you then,” Jade said, sighing, “You know she did what she thought was right. Besides, you weren’t the only one she was hiding things from – at least some version of you had a say in it.”

Maesin smiled mockingly. “Would it help if I told you it was for your own good?”

“No.”

“Then we’re even, aren’t we?” Maesin said, a little acidly.

Jade snorted. “I guess.”

An uncomfortable silence stretched out between the two women for a while, then. Just as Jade was beginning to think she should have gone with plan B to begin with, Maesin opened the door to the cage and walked up to the chair to let Jade loose. Jade stood up, rubbing her wrists gingerly. Then she punched Maesin in the face, as hard as she could. Her hand exploded into pain, and she swore loudly.

Maesin didn’t really react, choosing instead to watch impassively as Jade cradled her hand. “Sorry,” she finally said, “I guess I deserved that.”

“Remind me to use a weapon next time.” Jade said through gritted teeth.

There was another long pause, before Maesin gave a performative sigh. “Do you want to tell me why you’re here, or would you rather we just glare at each other for a little longer?”

“You’re the one who knocked me out and stuck me in a Faraday cage.” Jade pointed out.

“Yeah, well, I would’ve put you in here even if I wasn’t being paranoid. There’s too many people with a lot of time and less respect for privacy.”

“Fair enough.” Jade took a deep breath, and decided to jump right into it. “D3m3t3r contacted Camila today.”

It was unfair, Jade thought, that Maesin had perfect control over her expressions. She remained completely stone-faced, although Jade knew it had to come as a surprise as she did not immediately respond to the news. Finally, “Did she?”

Jade nodded. “Sent a letter with a warning that there were spies in the organization. It included my ID and complete family history.”

“Your real family history?”

“No, no. But everything we put together? It was all there. And she highlighted it. Specifically.”

This got a frown out of Maesin. “Okay, so you’re blown.”

Jade wanted to agree and start talking about running, but something – maybe the thought that Alayna wouldn’t have given up, maybe not – got her to disagree. “Not quite. Camila didn’t seem like she bought the idea of me as a spy.”

“But you aren’t sure.”

“No, not really. I… she wants me to help track down whoever sent her the list. Except, obviously, I already know it’s D3m3t3r.”

Maesin hummed to herself thoughtfully. “Well, that’s something at least. But D3m3t3r… I mean, you know it can’t be her, right? She went dark years ago, and trust me, I would know if she was active again.”

“Well who else would have any interest in exposing me? And who else would sign off D3? Those seem like pretty firm indicators to me.” Jade ran a hand through her hair, exasperated. “What if she’s back up but somehow laid low enough to keep off your radar?”

“It’s super unlikely.” Maesin said. “Don’t forget, I took over as Madame Midnight for you. There’s nothing that goes on out there that I don’t at least get a rumor of.”

Jade frowned slightly at the memory of giving up her info broker persona. “Okay, so in that case, we’ve got someone trying to trade on D3m3t3r’s name. That doesn’t explain why they’d try to expose me. I mean, how did they even know our contingency plans? Not even D3m3t3r knew about those.”

“True, but if you knew where to look – and it was no secret in D3m3t3r’s organization that we were keeping an eye on Tower, remember – you would just need to look in the right spot. Could be they just assumed personal assistant was a good spot for a spy and flagged you to see if you’d get spooked.”

Jade’s face fell. “Which I did. Shit.”

“You followed the plan.” Maesin said, reassuringly, “I wouldn’t worry about it too much. You and I are nothing more than bartender and customer as far as anyone else knows. Well, unless you were tailed on your way to the alley, but I’m reasonably confident you weren’t. Any observation of you stopped the moment you stepped into the bar, according to my own surveillance. It’s frowned on in there.”

Jade felt a measure of relief. “Of course. We picked it specifically for that reason, didn’t we?”

“Yes, we did.” Maesin seemed at to think she’d done her best at mollification, and shifted subjects. “Back on topic though – Camila still trusts you?”

“At the very least, she wants me to think she still does. Like I said, she wants my help tracking the source of the message. Like, I’m supposed to bring her a list of potential private investigators who could help.”

“That is…” Maesin trailed off, thinking. “Not the worst thing you could do, really.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean that we need to know who the hell is running around claiming to be D3m3t3r as much as Camila does – I mean, probably more than she does, if we’re being honest. If we have to warn Alayna…”

“You know where she is?” Jade somehow managed to keep her voice even. “I sent her a note when I found out she was… you know. But I don’t know if the courier ever found her. I uh, I specifically told him not to tell me if he did, honestly.”

“Smart move. But no, I don’t know where she is.” Maesin said, only being slightly dishonest. “I know where to start looking,” she clarified, “but there’s a number of different identities we’d have to chase down to be sure.”

Jade nodded. “Okay, so then our plan is… I see what I can find with Camila’s resources? And we warn Alayna if we have to?”

“More or less. I’ll see what I can find out on my end. If there’s someone out there trying to use D3m3t3r’s name, it’s a sure bet they’re not going to be particularly friendly to us.”

“Right, well, I guess that’s a plan, then.” Jade gestured to the door of the cage. “I assume you’re going to show me the way out?”

Maesin nodded, and the two headed out of the cage. She led Jade up a flight of stairs to the ground floor of what turned out to be a storage facility, full of lockers for apartment dwellers to keep the things they couldn’t fit in their apartments (but couldn’t bear to part with) secure. Maesin opened one such locker and stepped inside, where Jade could see a set of power cables and a workstation humming quietly.

She couldn’t help a last comment. “You know, I liked the old HQ better.”

Maesin laughed. “Yeah, me too. Exit’s over there. There’s a bus stop two blocks south – it’ll take you back into the center of the city. Do me a favor and don’t reconnect to the network before you’re well away from here.”

Jade bit back a comment about how she was hardly in need of a lecture on proper spycraft, but thought better of it. Instead, she settled for, “Wouldn’t dream of it.” A pause. “You know, it was… good seeing you, somehow. Assault aside.”

“Yeah,” Maesin said, “It’s nice to see a familiar face once in a while, I guess.” Then, as Jade began to walk away, she called after her. “You know… I miss her too. She was my best friend.” There was an almost pleading tone to her voice.

Jade didn’t trust herself enough to turn around. “I know,” she said. “I’ll be in touch.”

Part Eight

Part Six

[rockinchicagomag]

Erik Oldman’s Top 10 of 2017

Erik Oldman is the founder of Rock in Chicago and guitarist for instrumental progressive fusion trio, Sons of Ra.

1) Without Waves - Lunar

This release is was a long time in the making, by arguably one of my favorite bands from Chicago. I've been following Without Waves since I first heard them back in 2011 at the Bottom Lounge.

I don't hear many bands that are able to cover the diverse sonic territories of doom, progressive metal, space/post-rock AND jazz fusion. Yes, all of that! That's something that is a direct hit with me. I love diversity. I love bands that are comfortable in expressing themselves in multiple styles and have well-written songs with dynamics that turn on a dime. That's the sort of stuff that gives me the chills.

Lunar is the first release by the band on Prosthetic Records. It's quite a diverse set of material. Each song really stands on its own. The pacing of the material on the album is a little jarring at times, but overall its an enjoyable listen and like most well-constructed art, each listen reveals something new.

The persistent threads within the material, in how each song relates to each other, are craftsmanship of each tune, multi-layered with a balance of texture, dynamics, and hooks while being able to push arrangments into differing time signatures, blistering dynamics and weaving contrasting moments of controlled chaos and orchestral bliss.

The brutal songs, from the opener "Sewing Together the Limbs", "Victorian Punishment", and "Memento Mori" in particular roll out some amazing modern technical/progressive death metal with some nice mathy and noisy touches.

The more chilled out songs, particularly "Us Against", "Never Know Quite Why", and "Fractals". Are steeped in 90's alternative and space rock, yet still feel fresh, and modern instead of derivative. The last song of three could pass as a single on a modern rock station.

Recommended Track: "Us Against"

2) Voice of Addiction - The Lost Art of Empathy

Fantastic full-length from politically charged and socially conscious Chicago based punk-rockers. The album kicks off, immediately hitting the listener with the anthem, "Rust Belt" and taking them on a roller-coaster ride through different variations of their sound and take of the current world we live in. I absolutely love the production and pacing of the album here. It really works, keeps the listener going with a number of solid hook anthem style choruses.

Other highlights on the album include "Unity", "Petty Schemes", "I Can't Breathe" and "Eviction Notice"

Recommended Track: "Petty Schemes"

3) Black Sites - In Monochrome

This is another local release I was really looking forward to for 2017. Black Sites comes out of the tradition of late 70's/early 80's hard rock and heavy metal. With this new project, Mark Sugar's writing is as intense as what he wrote with his previous project in Trials, however the material on In Monochrome has a more mature aspect in the writing and lyrical content. Its refreshing to hear hard rock and heavy metal with these references, not dated or derivative but more of a sonic lineage in the arrangments and emphasis on hooks.

Recommended Track: "Dead Languages"

4) Bent Knee - Land Animal

With this release its like watching the rose that is Bent Knee blossom into something special. The arrangements seem a bit more polished and sophisticated. The album focuses on more accessible pieces, and still heavy, but not overbearing. I really love the production values, its a good balance of polish and immediacy/rawness. There's still the quirky pop sensibilities that come through with Courtney Swain's vocals and keys that counterbalance the crunchy guitars and rhythms.

This is a band where you put on an album and listen to the entire album, instead of a particular track. Each one is a journey, mesmerizing, hypnotic. Land Animal is no different and is another journey in the band's saga.

Recommended Track: "These Hands"

5) Nonzoo - Wazoo

I saw the band name in passing on Facebook with a video link. My mind was immediately blown. I can't really explain what they do. You just have to take it in. Here's a band that exists in a space that I've been looking for over the last 25 years. It's a space where Bjork, Oingo Boingo, Bungle, and Sonic Youth, a little Slint and some prepared instrumentation ala John Cage all work.

Recommended Track: "Great American Trough"

6) In the Presence of Wolves - Of Two Minds, Stages 1 - 2: The Ape And The Cage

Solid modern, melodic, progressive, post-hardcore with some strong jazz and math flavors. Parts Coheed and Cambria, Between the Buried and Me, The Mars Volta, and Porcupine Tree with a bit of Dillinger Escape Plan’s sensibilities.

The EP is part of a conceptual album based on the story of twin brothers, one a paranoid schizophrenic and the other normal. The schizoprhenic twin takes his life while the other tries to piece together the cause of the suicide during his grieving process.

The flow of the EP really draws the listener into the story line. An album that plays from start to finish, I don't ever feel the need to skip around.

Looking forward to the next part.

Recommended Track: “As We Speak”

7) Only the Bones - Death and His Brother Sleep

They bill themselves as a post-Fugazi band. I fuckin' love Fugazi. They do some really interesting odd-meter post-punk.

Recommended Track: "Trophy Room"

8) Tigran Hamasayan - An Ancient Observer

Some really gorgeous modern jazz piano. This offering isn't as adventurous as 2015's "Mockroot" in terms of composition and ensemble approach. It's a solo piano record. Compositionally its incredibly polished. The execution is airtight, and really showcases Hamasayan's classical chops and modal sensibilities in his arrangements.

Recommended Track: "The Cave of Rebirth"

9) Akku Quintet - Aeon

Hypnotic polymetric modern minimalist jazz with progressive and noisy flourishes.

Another album I listen to from start to finish and has been on my daily playlist over the last few months.

Recommended Track: Flying Low

10) Coyote Man

I've played shows with these guys a good number of times over the last year, and they are really tight and intense live.

The album is another animal altogether, the groove and tightness are there, but the progressive side of the band comes out along with the skill and arrangement of guitarist Augie Portugal's piano and keyboard playing. Another album that's in my daily rotation.

Recommended Track: Majestic Vixens

[alexandercollas]

Into The Wild - Chapter 26

Chapter 26 “I’m impressed,” commented Devon as he pushed away his tray. “That wasn’t bad.” “No meat. I really wanted that steak. Otherwise, I’d have to agree. Wonder if we can get seconds,” laughed Mat. “At least they feed their prisoners well.” “Do you think they’re all druids?” asked Devon. “Doubt it. I think this is that Lok guys own private town.” They both heard rustling in the trees above their cell. Looking up, Devon observed, “Is that Darth? He’s not very stealthy.” “He’s staying hidden. He just rattled a branch to let me know he was responding to my summons. Get some rest if you can, this might take a while,” answered Mat as he closed his eyes. Devon knew he was communicating with his pet bat. He watched for a while and could tell his friend was really concentrating by the way he chewed the inside corner of his mouth. Devon had seen his friend work with his minion several times, but this seemed more intense.  “Master, what is your command?” asked Darth as he flew low over the canopy with his Master watching through his eyes. “We need to get you as big as we can,” answered Mat noticing how much better his minion’s mental capabilities had grown. “I will need to feed then, Master.” “I know. If I recall, you will need to feed extensively.” “Correct Master. Livestock is abundant a short distance away, shall I feed there?” “No need. If we are going to increase your size, we might as well work on your abilities at the same time. For that, we will need souls. Fortunately, there’s an abundance around us right now that I’m not too fond of. Hunt down the guards and use them. Don’t take any unnecessary risks. If multiples are patrolling together, try to lure one away. If you can’t, ignore them and move on.” “Yes, Master. Do I have a limit?” “No, take what you need. I need you huge,” explained Mat. The souls weren’t necessary for size. They were more for cognitive and magical abilities. Mat wanted his minion not only huge and fast but powerful as well. “Yes, Master.” This was one of the first times Mat had used his skill to see through Darth’s eyes for any length of time. Devon, being a druid, could do it with any animal, Mat could only see through his minion’s eyes. Mat marveled at how Darth flew over the trees. From this height, he didn’t think the bat would be able to see anything, but he was quickly proven wrong. As he banked to the right Mat saw a faint glow obscured by the branches. “What is that?” “That is a guard, Master.” “They glow?” “My vision lets me see the warmth of their bodies as well as their life.” “It’s alone?” “Yes, Master,” answered the minion. Boy, these guys were smug thought Mat. He smirked as he felt joy surge through the minion’s mind as it dropped out of the sky in a steep dive. Mat had to put a hand on the ground to steady himself, vertigo sucked. The guard never realized his doom. His shock was visible when the bat slammed into his chest and ripped his throat out with his teeth. Not a sound, perfect. “That was good.” “Thank you, Master,” thought Darth as the elf fell backwards still alive. The minion placed his mouth against his prey’s and lapped up the fine mist which rose past his lips. Mat could sense the ecstasy. That must’ve been the guy's soul. It didn’t take long for him to realize the downside to eavesdropping through Darth’s eyes. He watched as the bat, with one effortless fluid motion, sliced the guy’s head off with a talon. Mat felt his stomach lurch as the bat drug the head a few feet to a rock and used it to crack the skull. He felt a shiver of excitement travel through Darth as he began devouring the guard’s brain. Mat’s stomach did another summersault, and he tasted dinner in the back of his throat.  “It’s clear you’ve got this. Just keep going till morning and remember to space the kills out, not all in one spot. I want the compound to get paranoid. Take what you need and then hunker down before sunrise. Repeat this tomorrow night as well. I’ll contact you then and we’ll see what progress you’ve made.” “What is the size do you wish me to be Master?” asked Darth. Mat realized the minion was becoming way more intelligent. He was now interested in intent and not just following blindly. “You're going to be taking someone for a trip.” “I will need to be large enough to be ridden?” “I’ll explain when I have the plan more flushed out.” “Yes, Master.” Mat broke the link and went over to take a piss. So far, no stink from the little toilet. He stayed up a few more hours in the dimness of their prison and worked on his revenge. He had to correct himself several times, not revenge, escape. He couldn’t make the mistake of calling it revenge in front of Devon; he’d freak. He yawned and walked to the bars and studied the sleeping compound. This world was amazing at night. Off to his right, he found what he was looking for and smiled. That was plan number two. Just as he started to turn, he noticed hidden beside a nearby tree, someone watching. They had a guard. He faked a yawn, stripped off his clothes and laid down on the ground in front of the bars in clear view of their overseer. Rolling his neck on its axis to relax, he took a deep breath as his hand found his cock. If the fucker wanted to watch, he might as well give them a show. Closing his eyes, he enjoyed, as he always had, the feel of his attentions lavished upon himself. When he brought himself to climax, he was sure to kick his hooves and let out several loud grunts as he covered his stomach with a generous load. Hearing grumbling, he turned to see Devon rolling over but not awake. He smirked. When Mat finally rolled over for the night, he made a mental note to remember how hard he’d cum. He tried to remember if being watched during sex was a kink back in his old life, but sleep took him first. When Mat awoke the next morning, he found Devon standing over him, looking out the door. Reaching up, he ran a finger over his friend’s bulge. “You want to move or sit down? It won't take long to get the ol boy up,” he said as he looked down. Morning wood. “Never mind, he’s already up.” Mat heard screaming and crying. “You might want to get dressed somethings happening in the camp.” As Mat was pulling on his tights, he heard yelling from outside their cell. “What’s going on?” “No idea,” answered Devon shaking his head. “Hey, you guys over there, what has everyone in an uproar,” yelled Talvar from the other cage. “No idea,” answered Devon again. “It’s clear somethings going on, and it appears to be bad. Oh wait, here comes Lok, oh shit, he doesn’t look happy.” “How can you tell? Move, I’ve never seen a pissed off cow,” added Mat shouldering Devon out of the way. Privately he knew what was about to happen and didn’t want his friend screwing it up. “Greetings, oh mighty hoofness. What’s all the hubbub about?” “Where is that creature of yours?” barked Lok before he even made it to their cage. “Creature?” “The giant bat.” “I have no idea. In case you haven’t noticed, we’re being unjustly imprisoned. And I know you know that because you had guards watching us all night.” “So you admit, it is your creature?” “I’ll admit it’s a tag along. We feed him scraps, and he follows us, why?” Asked Mat as he watched Lok look back at the guards he’d brought with him. “You have no control over it?” “Rouge, remember. I can’t control animals; you guys are the animal lovers.” “What about him,” barked Lok pointing past Mat to Devon. “Hey, don’t get me involved in this. You’re a fucking druid, does that look like the kind of creatures we could control?” “Hey, you’re a druid too right, why are…” added Mat. “He knows we can influence, not control. He’s trying to see if I know that. What has the thing done to cause such an uproar?” asked Devon. It was now his turn to shoulder past Mat, who let him. “It spent the night killing guards?” “Here!” barked Devon, just barely stopping himself from turning to look at Mat accusingly. “Over a dozen,” answered Lok as Devon finally gave in and turned with a confused look on his face. “Have you ever known that thing to do this?” “No, in all the time it has traveled with us, it has never attacked anyone. I’ve seen him hunt small prey for food but never people…,” answered Mat before stopping himself, “…do I refer to you cow guys as people? Is that racial profiling?” “So you had nothing to do with it, on your honor?” “And you want us to believe you think our honor means something,” answered Mat. “It probably doesn’t see us as part of its colony. That’s the best guess I’ve got,” added Devon as Lok turned and marched off cursing. Mat watched as the leader disappeared back into the compound. When he returned his attention to his friend, he found Devon staring at him with “that” look. “What is Darth doing?” “Your responses were perfect, btw, which is why I’m not telling you what Darth’s up too. You need to look as confused as you did just then.” “He is killing people.” “Yes, he is, and he’s not finished. You were warned.” “I know, but still. How do you know those he’s attacking aren’t innocents? I reluctantly agreed to keep my mouth shut if you attacked Lok, but these are just guards.” “One of the things you’re going to have to learn at some point is that capitulation is the same as acceptance. There are no innocents here as far as I’m concerned.” “But…” “No, no buts. The innocents are the ones getting sucked into this bullshit, and we’re going to stop that. Do you want to make a difference? Do you want to leave a positive mark? Well, getting rid of people and groups who openly victimize travelers and anyone else they can find not living up to their arbitrary standards. So just sit there and look confused. It’s going to get worse before it gets better.” Mat watched as Devon slumped down against the back wall of the cell, “At least they don’t think we have any control over him. What happens if they capture and kill him? What will do you then, oh Mat, with all the answers?” “In the short term, go to plan two. As for Darth, I’ll just make a new one.” Read the full article