#regardless of if he has any reason to be there or if a shadow focused story is really the best choice right now

[sonknuxadow]

i love shadow the hedgehog but he truly does not need to be in everything

[thebiscuitlabryinth]

Perhaps, if he had bothered to ask for a second opinion, Shadow Milk Cookie would have been told he shouldn't be doing this. Luckily, he hadn't, so he manages to confidently prepare the magic circle with very little concern towards the appropriateness of his own actions.

He steps back to look over it once more, checking for any errors, before finally setting the chalk down. Brushing off the dust from his hands, Shadow Milk admires his handiwork in the light of the crescent moon, his dough crawling with accumulated anticipation.

He noticed it a long time ago, the suffocating blanket of churning emotion that often drapes itself over him, heavy and dark. It isn't his own emotion, he realised that quickly, because it weighs over him instead of burrowing into his chest, and nothing happened to him personally to prompt such tumultuous feelings. This realisation was soon followed by another – namely, that some sort of external being must be the cause, and it must be following him, if its presence is plaguing him so strongly. It comes and it goes, but it always returns, and he is finally going to find out what it is.

So Shadow Milk is looking forward to this. It is his specialty as the holder of the Light of Truth, after all, to reveal unknowns, and this unknown has long become personal.

With the magic circle ready and the moon in the sky, there is no reason for him to wait any longer, so he doesn't. He steps carefully into the circle, making sure not to disturb the lines as he makes his way to the middle, and with a sweep of his robes, he settles down into a sitting position.

This spell is a difficult one because it was found incomplete, the rest of it either lost to time or unfinished. It had taken quite a lot of reworking to finalise something feasible, in between all his other duties. There is also the added caveat of it being a Black Magic spell, but Shadow Milk had found a compromise for that, which is precisely why he chose to perform it under the smiling crescent, mere days away from the new moon, instead of the full moon.

Regardless of the effort required, if everything went well, this spell should allow him to make contact with the being that had been following him, whatever it may be. More specifically, it should open a mental connection, allowing them to have a conversation even if this being was something incapable of speech.

That alone was worth all this effort. After all, Shadow Milk had plenty of questions to ask it.

He plants his hands on the ground, drawing power from the moon tentatively like unspooling a thread. It starts to spill in quicker, wilder, and he makes sure to remain calm as it seems to buzz and writhe through him, focusing on redirecting it into the magic circle. It begins to glow a cold white, and Shadow Milk feels his dough prickling like it is being watched, that familiar presence growing heavier around him like a blanket. He bites down on his excited smile.

Don't worry. Just a little bit more, and we'll finally meet.

Shadow Milk's hands twitch with the force of the magic coursing through him, and he watches out of the corner of his eye as the shadows in the room seem to congeal, growing thicker and pooling out of their hiding spots. They eat away at the magic circle, closing in on Shadow Milk swiftly, and he welcomes them as they eagerly swallow the circle, the floor, the walls, the room, everything.

What happens next is difficult to describe. He doesn't feel the ground fall out from under him, he just realises it is no longer there. It is so dark that it makes no difference if his eyes are open or closed, and they don't seem to adjust no matter how many times he blinks. It only makes the surrounding darkness begin to squirm in strange patterns, as if alive. He suddenly feels strange and cold.

But most importantly, he feels like he is submerged in those restless emotions, his every move weighted like he is underwater. They nearly choke him, stronger than he has ever felt before, and delight bursts in his chest in jarring contrast, thrilled that the spell seems to have worked.

"Hello?" He calls out, his voice echoing in a way that makes his ears ring. For a moment that feels like forever, there is nothing but a deafening silence around to greet him.

And then, he is attacked with blinding light.

Shadow Milk rears back as much as he can manage, instinctively shutting his eyes at the assault, and raises a hand to shield them when he immediately tries to open them again, curious of the source. Squinting past the shade of his palm, he finds dozens of white suns glaring down at him, their light doing nothing to penetrate the overwhelming black of the void.

"How are you here?" A voice calls back, hoarse and whispery and frantic, as if it had never been used before, and Shadow Milk's breath catches.

Upon closer inspection, the suns surrounding him are actually the pupils of a dozen huge eyes, bearing down on him with wide-eyed focus from all sides. Shadow Milk soaks in the attention, joy bubbling nauseatingly in his stomach like soda, his mind running so fast that his thoughts become incomprehensible.

"Who are you?" He asks, the question almost bursting right out of his chest with how suddenly it comes. He can't quite look at the eyes directly, with how blindingly bright they are, but he does his best to hedge in quick glances.

There isn't a response, not from the voice or the eyes, but that doesn't deter him. Now Shadow Milk has unshakeable proof that the being is here, capable of conversation, he doesn't need any more encouragement to keep going.

"I'm Shadow Milk Cookie, though you must know that already." He introduces himself with a polite nod of his head, somewhat entertained by the thought of his eldritch companion being shy. When that doesn't garner any meaningful result, he tacks on, lightheartedly, "Isn't it a bit rude to not introduce yourself back?"

The eyes blink at him, the syncopated movement rippling through the nothingness.

"...There is nothing to introduce." The voice replies reluctantly, though it sounds more stable than before, slightly stronger as it curls around him. "I don't have a name anymore."

"You must have a name," Shadow Milk urges with a creeping smile, "or at least something I can call you."

There is another stretch of silence, long enough that Shadow Milk is forced to reconsider his approach, before it is graciously broken by his companion, who must have come to some kind of conclusion.

"You can call me the Beast of Deceit, if you must call me at all." The Beast offers, and if Shadow Milk's attention hadn't already been fully devoted to it, that certainly would have done the trick. "That is all anyone calls me now."

"The Beast of Deceit." Shadow Milk repeats the syllables carefully, tasting them as he brings a hand up to the warm pulse of his Soul Jam. Something clicks pleasantly in his mind, like a perfect solution to an equation that has been bothering him. "Then you're almost like my other half, aren't you? Since Truth and Deceit are direct opposites." The thought is nice enough, he supposes, but more than that, it is intriguing. "Is that why you've been watching me?"

This must be the wrong thing to ask, because the Beast skates past his question entirely, eyes squinting as if pained. "You shouldn't be here."

"And yet, here I am. It took quite a lot of work for me to get here too, so you'll understand that I'm not in a hurry to leave." Shadow Milk explains amicably, hoping that if he was clear with his intentions, the Beast might entertain a more fruitful conversation. He pauses, looking around at the surrounding infinity. "Where is here, anyway?"

"Nowhere you would want to be." The Beast says cryptically, its voice slowly moving, collecting somewhere in front of him. It's a bit disorienting.

"...You aren't very good at holding a conversation, are you?" Shadow Milk sighs, not unkindly but certainly with growing frustration. Still, he has considered this possibility before, of his unknown companion being uncooperative, so he tries again. "Isn't it unfair for you to not answer any of my questions, after following me around for so long? I think I deserve an explanation, at least."

"I have no explanation to give." The Beast's tone is flat. It's… a disappointing response, frankly, but Shadow Milk smiles through it.

"But you can't deny that you are the one who has been following me." He counters, his voice light and pleasant so it doesn't come across too heavily as an accusation. "Your emotions are very palpable, so your presence isn't subtle. There is no mistaking it."

The coiling thickness of those emotions seem to shift around Shadow Milk now, almost self-consciously, but they do not lighten. Such strong negative feelings - he is fascinated by them, the researcher in him wanting to know what exactly could cause them.

The Beast sighs as if it is carrying the weight of the world on its shoulders, and the sound finally settles in front of him entirely as some of the eyes slide closed. The clashing light and dark begins to morph before him, a faint silhouette forming and rising out of the nothingness.

Shadow Milk watches, enraptured, as the shape of a Cookie emerges, dripping with the void itself. He looks battered, wrapped in dishevelled black robes with equally dishevelled dull hair. It is covered by a dark hat shaped like a crown, with what must be his Soul Jam set in the middle, its blue the only splash of colour to be seen. His eyes are covered in a thick black blindfold, and he holds a staff protectively in front of himself with both hands, eerily similar in style to the one Shadow Milk left outside of the magic circle, if not for the vertically oriented eye.

All in all, he does not look intimidating. If anything, he looks like a chess piece.

"I apologise for that, then. I wasn't aware my presence would disturb you so much." The Beast mutters, as if he would prefer not to be speaking, his form not quite fully formed. "But you shouldn't be here. Please leave."

"You don't look like much of a beast to me." Shadow Milk comments warmly, extending the friendly compliment in the hopes of distracting the Beast from his complete lack of intention to leave. Even so, his words are genuine. "That title doesn't fit you at all."

The Beast frowns, ducking his head lower. "Don't act so familiar with me. I am called the Beast of Deceit for a reason." He hisses, but it holds no malice, only tiredness. Then, after a beat, he repeats, firmer than before. "Please leave."

The title really doesn't suit him, though. Shadow Milk ponders this for a moment, before mentally renaming him as the King instead. A poor excuse for a king, perhaps, but that still felt far more appropriate than a beast.

"...Will you really not tell me anything?" Shadow Milk asks finally, growing more subdued. "You must know, since you have been following me, that I have worked hard to be able to contact you like this."

"I have nothing to tell, I have already told you that." The King reminds him quietly, unimpressed, turning his head away. "I apologise for your wasted time, but it was unnecessary to begin with." Then, after a beat, he repeats, an attempt at a lacklustre command. "Please leave."

Shadow Milk hums under his breath, pondering this too. This isn't going exactly how he had hoped, that is true, but to call his time wasted is completely incorrect. On the contrary, all this encounter has done is make his curiosity peak, even more invested in this mystery than he was before.

Maybe it was for the best that the King refused to tell him anything. Thinking about it now, wouldn't that have been too simple? It is more fun to unravel some things himself, and Shadow Milk is certainly capable of uncovering the truth behind this odd apparition.

It is his virtue, after all.

"...Alright." Shadow Milk nods, taking one last lingering look at the King, before closing his eyes. "If you insist, I'll leave."

The King doesn't reply. That's fine. Shadow Milk focuses on searching himself internally for the tether to his physical body, for the anchor that is the magic circle. Since this is his first time casting this spell, and the way the magic twists is unfamiliar, it admittedly takes him a moment to get a hold of it, but he does.

Concentrating on that anchor, he calls himself back to his body.

Much like leaving, returning is just as hard to describe. There is no jolt, or impact. Everything simply returns – his senses, the floor beneath him, the sound of the wind outside the window – from one moment to the next. He shudders as he gets reacquainted with his body, or rather, his body gets reacquainted with him.

The chaos of those negative emotions are awfully thick in the air, squeezing around him tightly like they hope to crumble him. Shadow Milk relaxes into it, releasing his grip on the flow of magic and the spell itself, and opens his eyes.

There, in front of him, the King is suspended in the air above the outer edge of the circle, unmoving. His form flickers, translucent and blurring at the edges. Slowly, unnervingly slowly like he doesn't know how to use it properly, he turns his head.

"...What is this?" The King whispers, the words almost dissolving into the ambient noise, his grip on his staff visibly tightening.

"The spell I used to make contact with you forged a connection between us." Shadow Milk says patiently, making sure his expression is open and welcoming, the same one he uses when introducing himself to new students. "If my presence could be projected to wherever we were previously, then naturally your presence can be projected here too. It's only fair, since you were watching me anyway, weren't you?"

Shadow Milk rises to his feet, brushing dust off his robes with both hands. The King says nothing, but he can practically feel the frown directed at him.

"I understand if you don't want to tell me anything. That's okay!" Shadow Milk assures, lifting his gaze back to that blindfold, that staff, that Soul Jam, near identical to his own. His curiosity burns.

"You don't have to tell me," he smiles like a promise, "I'll find out for myself."

[darkpoisonouslove]

Something You Can Do

Summary: Alicent goes to Helaena to tell her about Jaehaerys' funeral and try to comfort her as best as she can. A rewritten scene from 2x02 "Rhaenyra the Cruel" that pays more attention to the awful choice Helaena was subjected to and her feelings in the wake of her son's murder. The idea of rewriting scenes from the second season of HotD is a great way to engage with the show despite its flaws and I would like to thank @aegoncarney for creating this event. It got me to write my first HotD fanfiction! AO3

The eyes of the Red Keep are like knives in Alicent's back, in her ribcage, in her mind. She wants to turn to the seemingly empty hallways and scream, yell at them, demand their accountability. Always watching, at least a dozen pairs shadow her every movement now but where were they when her daughter had been all alone against the monsters in the night?

They are only here to confine her, stop her from going two steps back for every three steps forward like she's lost her mind. She has to leave herself to the motion of walking, keep her mind on other things to let her feet take her to the quarters where her daughter and granddaughter had been moved on their own.

The thought of what she'll see when she gets there only makes her slow down as she wrestles with the impulse to turn around and storm the Small Council again to countermand her father’s commands. But she can't run from this forever. She has to be there for her daughter, as close as Helaena will allow her.

She had been in shock last night, staying in Alicent's chamber. They'd hardly talked her into letting go of Jaehaera and she'd remained perched on Alicent's bed and watching over her the whole night. The alertness in her posture had been disturbing, her hands stroking Jaehaera despite the distant look in her eyes as if to make sure the girl was still there. Alicent had barely convinced her to lie down and rest her body at least if she refused sleep, gaze penetrating the space in front of her as if she could see something in the distance the rest of them were unaware of.

The knight in front of Helaena's door opens it for Alicent, a little too quickly as if he's ashamed of how little use there is for him, now. She thanks him regardless – for guarding her precious girl, for saving her from agonizing over whether to knock and startle Helaena or risk frightening her if she walked in without warning, and for the sake of announcing herself to her daughter. Maybe even for her own sake, to earn herself another second to steel her nerves and bear the sight of what had become of her sweet girl, all because of her.

Helaena is on her feet again, holding the bedpost for support. She has Jaehaerys' blanket in her hands, hugging it to her to feel any trace left of him – his scent or the warmth that is no longer there. Something leaves her throat but it is unintelligible.

Alicent's heart pounds in her ears frantically despite her resolve to listen in, to never let Helaena feel alone or unheard again. She tries to ask… something but the possibility that a sob would be the only response she gets is an insurmountable lump in her throat. Helaena has every reason to weep and never stop. Why should she herself be allowed anything different?

Helaena turns to her, head snapping in her direction so fast that Alicent almost gasps in fear that she's hurt herself. Her eyes are focused now, her gaze so intense as it lands on Alicent that she nearly collapses to her knees. Whatever her sweet girl is looking for, she will fail to provide.

"I had nothing to give," Helaena's voice is so hollow – as if she knows her mother won't have what she needs.

Alicent chokes down her own sobs but her words are still wet when they come out, bathed in the tears welling in her eyes, "No, you are so loving and warm. A great mother-"

Helaena goes on as if she did not speak, "I couldn't offer myself. They only wanted a son."

Alicent freezes. The blood drains from her; she can't breathe. Her arm only shoots out to brace her against the wall when her knees buckle.

"I only had a necklace they didn’t take." Helaena's fingers are bunching the blanket, digging into it in search for her baby, or at least for an answer to settle her heart and mind. "Did I have something else to give?"

She whips around, eyes running over the room.

"This was my son's," she holds up the blanket. She steps towards the table and picks up one of Jaehaerys' toys. "This was my son's. All of these. He had many things. Why did I not…?"

Her arms fall next to her body, limp, the blanket pooling in her feet. She looks up at Alicent, her lips trembling. "I must have had something to give. If I am the queen."

Alicent runs to her. The moment she opens her arms, Helaena collapses in them and they fall to the floor, the blanket barely softening the thud their bodies make against it. The toy in Helaena's hand clatters to the ground and her nails sink into Alicent’s shoulders like she'd slip away if she doesn't burrow herself under Alicent's skin. She is only grateful for that pain.

She tries stroking Helaena's hair and only continues when Helaena doesn't push her away. Though, she doesn't really seem to notice, still clutches at her and her breaths come in irregular gasps. Like she's stifling the cries before they can form in her body.

Alicent doesn't know what to say, how to encourage her to let it out. She wants to tell her she'll remain with her as long as Helaena needs her but Helaena speaks first.

"What else could I have done, mummy?"

Alicent's heart breaks. She bites herself to blood to keep from weeping; the tremors of her body are already shaking Helaena. That's all she can give her. Not an answer but her own pain reflected back at her.

She has to remind herself not to cling to Helaena like that's the only thing keeping her head above water. She's supposed to be the one consoling her baby.

She has nothing to give.

"I didn't see them," Helaena's voice is so thin, like she'll break under unbearable weight. "Just the rats. In every hallway, swarming together, with a big shadow behind them swallowing the light. They were coming for us and I couldn’t pick him up, my boy…" She buries her face in Alicent's neck. "They were running from it."

Alicent can't help the pangs of guilt cutting through the relief of having Helaena nestled into her neck, safely in her arms where nothing can take her away. It's a comfort only to her while her sweet girl is twisting her mind inside out, looking for a way out of a tragedy that's already happened, that none of them could have foreseen. She has to soothe her, has to find a way to lead her out of the maze Helaena is wandering in her own head.

"There is to be a funeral for Jaehaerys. We’ve been asked to… accompany the procession."

Helaena has gone still, stiff, in her arms. She has to tread very carefully.

"If we show we need them, the people will help us. With them on our side, it will be easier to defend ourselves. You can protect your girl."

Helaena pulls back to look at her and Alicent tries to find her own conviction. She'd do anything for her sweet girl but this doesn't feel right. She's not lying; they need the people. She still feels like retching just thinking of standing next to her daughter while her pain is paraded around.

Her sweet girl needs a second but understands. Her eyes search Alicent’s face and she feels like she's failing her. Tears have already started to blur her vision and she knows her jaw trembles; she doesn't even have the strength to clench it hard enough to stop that. How can she harden herself when Helaena is in her arms? Only gentleness should ever touch her girl.

Only when she sees her tears mirrored in Helaena's eyes as she nods, she knows her girl is braver than her.

Her heart jumps when Helaena leans into her again. She tucks her under her chin immediately and strokes her back.

She wants to say, "I'm sorry."

All she says is, "There is something you can do."

She's not sure if she's talking to Helaena or to herself.

She repeats herself over and over again.

Maybe at least one of them will believe it.

[tgrailwar-zero]

"No matter what your opinions on the matter are, the universe is moving on. You can either cling to a civilization that will go extinct and will never acknowledge you even if you champion it, or you can be a herald of humanity's end and a different future for the planet. Still, take whatever path you please. You're unbound to anyone or anything but yourself, after all."

"If you want to understand accepting inevitable ends and worldly destruction, take a closer look at your 'Invader.' She took up the artificial Extra-Class Archimedes gave Sefar for a reason. That Spider… ah, that 'serpent'… she has the power to grab the food chain of any world and tear it apart."

"Regardless, you're going to be very busy soon. This place is beginning to respond to your magical energy. Take care not to die."

And with that, he was gone.

You finally had a chance to look around. It still felt unsettling, being here. Less disgust filled your body, though you could still feel that foreign data, or rather that 'remnant' data, clinging to you. It was odd. You felt powerful here.

Your other Servants walked next to you-- none of them any the wiser of what you had just experienced. He was right about the amount of time that had passed- a second, maybe less.

You heard your AVENGER's voice.

SALIERI: "Look."

Focusing elsewhere-- well, everywhere... you saw shadows forming. Shadow Servants, all dragging themselves and manifesting themselves out of the dark mana staining this place.

The second one of the shadows spotted another, it lunged at one of its counterparts. The two shadows began to engage in combat, before a burst of magical energy.

It was clear why this place was restricted. Any attempts at summoning were rendered mad, and lashed out at the first thing they could see. More shadows manifested- and all of them began to engage in combat, ignoring your presence.

KUKULKAN: "They're fighting each other…?"

NERO: "Better them than us. Still, these are far from proper Heroic Spirits. They're phantoms, wild and obsessive. Summoning a real Servant here will take focus."

SALIERI: "Think again."

He pointed as a massive shadow wrenched itself free from the darkness, manifesting. The air warped around it, its massive frame covered with bulging muscles and white fur. Magical energy crackled around it, seeming less like a human Heroic Spirit and more like a Magical Beast given form.

The other shadows turned towards it, a few making moves to attack, but they were swiftly knocked away. Other shadows kept their distance, as the massive beast looked around.

MONSTROUS BULL: "Urroohh…"

It looked at you, before its mouth split open with a terrifying bellow.

MONSTROUS BULL: "UURRROOUAAAHHHH!"

It swung its massive weapon down towards you- a blur of light shooting past your eyes as KUKULKAN caught it, though her footing seemed to shudder a bit from the weight of the impact. Her heels dug into the ground, cracking the hard stone as she yelled and pushed it away, the massive monster stumbling backwards.

NERO: "That's… that's the Minotaurus! What- was he drawn by the Master's magical energy? Is this the summoning capability of this hellhole?!"

The massive minotaur swung his axe again, KUKULKAN grabbing you by the waist and ducking you out the way before a blast of magical energy fired towards it, knocking it square in the chest. Your eyes snapped towards your CASTER, who had summoned a pair of Mystic Codes that were orbiting her.

NERO: "How dare! Did I say you could draw blood from my Ensemble? You're in the presence of an Emperor, so you'd best behave yourself."

KUKULKAN: "There's more incoming!"

SALIERI: "Servants summoning themselves for the sake of your crusade. Well… your old crusade. These don't seem like peaceful types."

His magical energy flared outward, his armor manifesting.

SALIERI: "…On your call, Masters."

Another set of figures- both of them heavily armored, clawed their way out of the darkness.

ARMORED TANK: "HYAAAAA-HAHAHAHAHA!"

The larger armored warrior thundered towards you, deceptively fast even considering his massive frame. He drew his weapon, spinning it wildly as he moved-- thrusting it forwards.

There was a crash of lightning as the charging armored figure was knocked backwards, a figure landing in front of you. The girl from the tavern, who had been adorned in that bridal gown. She was still wearing it, the white fabric fluttering behind her and stained a bit by the dust, but your eyes were drawn to the massive weapon tightly grasped in her hands.

Her weapon had smashed into the ground, causing a massive indent as energy flared around her. She spun her massive maul over her head, her feet settling back as she adjusted her body to its weight.

She turned towards you, her voice coming out as a strained, violent growl as electricity sparked from her body.

QUIET BRIDE: "…Ru… n…! Nnn... not… s... afe…! People can't… be here…!"

[beautifulbows924]

Words

Kaz Brekker x Gender Neutral!Reader

Masterlist

A/N: I can’t believe how long it’s been! Writer’s block has been a nightmare the last 6 months, but I’m really excited to jump back into it—especially with Shadow & Bone requests (hint, hint). I wanted to leave the reasoning for their conflict open to interpretation, so I hope I succeeded! As always, I hope you enjoy. Feel free to leave any feedback you have in the comments and if you like my work consider leaving a tip! Thanks:)

Rating: General

Word Count: 300+

Warnings: Angst, Death Mentions, Touch Aversion, Implied Friends to Lovers, a smidge of Fluff.

Kaz felt trapped, pinned by your steady gaze, smothered by the silence. He didn’t look at you. He couldn’t.

A bastard like him could never be known, not in any way that held meaning.

Without his permission, his throat burned and his lips suddenly twitched with the urge to form the words.

He wanted to tell you to leave Ketterdam. He wanted to tell you how twisted and wrong he was, in all the ways that you were good. He wished to tell you that he wanted you—regardless of his own failings, regardless of how selfish it was. He wanted to convince you that you should run and never look back, because he knew the mere thoughts of longing were enough to put a target through your soul and a price on your head.

Bile bubbled in his gut as an image of you with a bullet between your eyes flashed across his vision. Gloves straining under the tension, his grip on his cane tightened, abating the waters lapping at his ankles.

Kaz Brekker’s decision wasn’t fueled by spite. He didn’t speak from a place of revenge. But the words that finally escaped his grasp were crueler, more heedless than anything else he could have said.

“Stay”, his eyes met yours, a depth to them you had never known before, “Stay in Ketterdam.”

You stepped close enough to feel his warm breath fan your face, your fingers tentatively wrapping around the cuff of his shirt, the pressure just light enough for him to feel along his wrist. A silent question.

Kaz drew in a sharp breath through his nose, fighting the waves of memories that loomed over him like a storm in the distance, focusing instead on the steady sensation of the pulse that lay beyond your fingertips.

He ached with the unbearable urge to return the touch, but for now he knew his words would have to be enough.

“Stay with me.”

Thanks for reading! Let me know if you want to be tagged or un-tagged down below. <3

Shadow & Bone Taglist: None Yet!

[prestonfm]

⊹₊⟡⋆ nuno gallego + he/him ⊹₊⟡⋆ blasting i am a god by kanye west through their airpods is preston pruitt. oh , you don’t know them ? they’re the 23 year old ceo who just went viral for dumping a lukewarm cup of coffee on an intern (allegedly!!!). yup , the one that drives a rolls royce phantom . i hear they’re pretty diligent, but others have claimed that they’re quite volatile. that makes sense , considering they’re often labeled as the green-eyed monster.

stats:

full name:  preston reginald pruitt

nicknames:  prefers preston or mr. pruitt, will probably be snippy about it if anyone he's not especially close to tries anything else with him

gender:  cis man

pronouns:  he/him

sexuality:  bisexual, biromantic

age:  23

date of birth:  june 10th, 2001

zodiac sign:  gemini

height:  5'8"

occupation:  nepo baby ceo of pruitt yacht sales

interests:  interior design, mixology, watching old game shows (a pastime shared with his favorite nanny growing up), perfectly tailored suits, getting his way

visual inspo:

pinterest board: https://www.pinterest.com/aron_piper/oc-preston/ home: the styling of his mansion is very much this kind of vibe (i'm not too sure on exactly what the homes they live in here look like, but the decorating of his would be very similar to this) office: similar sort of look to the styling of his home, something along these lines. as mentioned above, he has an affinity for interior design, and would have worked closely with a decorator to get everything to his standards - regardless of the cost.

resembles:

scar (lion king), patrick bateman (american psycho), regina george (mean girls), hunter clarington (glee), dennis reynolds (it’s always sunny in philadelphia), light yagami (death note), sebastian valmont (cruel intentions), stewie griffin (family guy), plankton (spongebob), tashi duncan (challengers), lucille bluth (arrested development)

mini bio: tw - drug addiction of a family member

for as long as he can remember, preston has lived in the shadow of his older brother, playing second fiddle to a man, who, in his opinion, was totally incompetent, too focused on the dollar bill at the end of his nose to properly run the prestigious corporation that is pruitt yacht sales. despite it not being his birthright, preston believed he was the one destined to take over, going so far as to graduate from yale with a business degree to make sure he’d be ready – as well as sabotaging his brother’s newfound sobriety the night before his father was due to announce who would be taking over the company post his upcoming retirement. finally, he’s at the top, where he belongs, in charge of a multimillion dollar company, with little care for who he had to step on to get there.

family:

ward pruitt (father)

sabine pruitt (mother)

pierce pruitt (older brother, age 29)

peter pruitt (younger brother, age 17)

paisley pruitt (younger sister, age 16)

wanted connections:

older brother (m) - they've never been particularly close, but i'm assuming things would have only gotten worse after preston stole his ceo title (regardless of whether or not the brother actually knows the reasoning behind it yet)

ride or die (m/f/nb) - best friend, lowkey would love a sebastian/kathryn from cruel intentions kind of vibe (fully platonic or otherwise) but definitely open to other dynamics for sure!

frat brother (m) - he went to yale university; i don't have any sort of specific/actually existing fraternity in mind, it would just be a fictional one, definitely snobby, old money, legacy vibes (ik the odds of another muse already in play here having also attended yale/at the same time as preston/& could be in the same frat as him are pretty low so i'll most likely be sending a wanted connection into the main for this one, but just in case anyone was already thinking about bringing in another muse or hasn't fully fleshed out your character's educational backstory just yet, i figured i'd put this here!)

& friends with benefits, hookups (as in, fwb without the friendship), friends in general, family friends, exes, cousins, gym buddies, clients (those he's done business with in the past / potentially an influencer who has some sort of ongoing deal with the company?), next-door neighbor, rivals, enemies, ex-friends, one night-stand gone wrong, unknown half-sibling, younger siblings (down for changing their ages to make them work as playable muses here!), - all pretty self explanatory, and all open to muses of any gender ! i'm also more than down for filling any connections you guys are seeking / stuff not listed here !

taken connections:

everett finch - frenemies with benefits

imara gill - unlikely friends/drinking buddies

noa barclay - ride or die

sebastian guerra - one-sided (preston's side) rivalry

victoire grimaldi - fake friendship (preston feigns warmth towards her out of fear of pissing off a member of royalty)

wesley levine - ex-friend/one night stand gone wrong

zaire solace - preston takes advantage of his generosity and uses him as a makeshift personal assistant

[elains]

Some ideas on Theia, Fionn, Pelias and the High Lords

Since House of Flame and Shadow is coming out soon, I want to leave this registered here for posterity hahaha. I'm doing most of this by memory, I haven't really reread, so any mistakes you find that's probably it lol. Also this is WAY more focused on CCity and its character's than ACOTAR proper.

ACOSF introduces us to the Daglan and Fionn, the First and Only High King of Prythian. According to the Prythian side of the legend, he has a sword called Gwydion which was dipped into the Cauldron by the High Priestess Oleanna, which he used to defeat the Daglan. Milennia of peace followed, the land was divided in the precursors to the courts, but then they were at the brink of war. He became High King and was betrayed by his best friend and his Queen, who was also queen of her own territory in her own right.

In Crescent City, we are introduced to the figure of Queen Theia, the Starborn Queen who led the Fae out of their homeworld and brought them to Midgard. She had two daughters, Helena and an unnamed second one. She was betrayed by her most trusted general, Pelias, who then married her daughter and forced her to bear his children. Her other daughter escaped, never to be heard from again. The Starsword beloged to Theia. Come HOSAB, we learn it and Gwydion are one and the same.

Applying Occam's Razor to these two characters, the simplest outcome is that Theia was Fionn's wife and the one who betrayed him, Helena and Nameless Daughter are their children, and Pelias is the best friend and general who betrayed him. Fionn probably wasn't a great person because let's be real, Theia found Aidas later and SJMs has a thing for making past love interests looking bad when a new one is in town (example: Shahar for Hunt).

I don't want Fionn to have been evil! And I guess this is what these ideas boil down to. I'm not even gonna call them theories because they aren't really based on hard evidence. Just fun What Ifs, possible parallels, headcanons. Who knows? So without further ado:

What If Pelias played the role of Iago?

We all know Pelias is utter trash. He betrayed his Queen and forcibly married her daughter so she could be the mother of his now royal children. If he was Fionn's best friend, I have exactly zero reason to think he wasn't trash and power hungry then too. All in all, regardless of what Theia and Fionn's relationship was like (and I want to believe they were both good people), I believe Pelias was the root of all evil.

I can see him feeling inferior to both: Theia with her blazing starlight compared to his meagre one and Fionn was probably remarkable in his own way. I like to think that though they didn't love each other, there was respect and trust and even camaraderie. They both played their part in expelling the Daglan. Fionn got to be High King and married Theia, who was Queen of Dusk. He was their friend, relegated to their shadows.

This gets even juicier if we accept as true that Pelias was always a Starborn Prince. Maybe he was Theia's illegitimate brother, maybe a distant relative. I can see him wanting everything his friends have: the crown of High King, the title of King of Dusk, everything. Greed and Jealousy that drove him to manipulate his closest friends into turning against each other and ended with Theia slaying Fionn.

He never got to reap the rewards in Prythian, though: Theia's killing of Fionn sent the realm into disarray. We are told the Fae were lured to Midgard, and I think that's because Theia took the chance to flee a whole land that wanted her dead for her crime either for justice or their own greed (we will come back to it). Theia escaped believing Pelias was her friend and trusted general. I don't think they were ever lovers. Maybe that too played a role in his jealousy and anger, how Theia never loooked his way and found love with Aidas.

Regardless, he betrayed and murdered her anyway, dooming her daughter to a lifetime of unhappiness.

What if Fionn and Theia were siblings?

Frequently, across Crescent City, we hear that the Starborn have intermarried to keep their bloodline pure (how utterly Targaryen of them). We have yet to hear about any historical examples of such unions, but Fionn and Theia provide a fine opportunity for this to be brought to the table. The Last Starborns marrying out of duty to keep their bloodline pure in their old world. It also goes well with how Gwydion and Truthteller are siblings blades, one belonging to each.

Could Theia have been a Queen of her own territory in her own right then if they were siblings? Why not? Plenty of queens in history were queens in their own right, regardless of their husbands. She could have been the oldest and heir to the Dusk Territory, Fionn the younger sibling who was chosen as the High King. Or maybe he was the eldest and gave up the throne to her. Maybe the territory passed down in the female line or to the strongest starborn. In any case, it's not really a hurdle.

In this scenario, Pelias as their best friend (distant relative/bastard half-sibling/wtv) still works. In fact, it complements it because it highlights Pelias's hatred and envy for them both. They get everything, he gets nothing. Taken further if Fionn didn't have the Starborn's light, but was a legitimate prince.

It would also create an interesting parallel between Ruhn and Bryce. Siblings, one dark and one light. "Maybe there's a knife for me out there", Bryce herself says. Ruhn's the older brother and as far as we know, the heir, but it's Bryce who is most often compared to a Queen. Not him, though if I recall, Bryce think she will be a good ruler. She is right. Ruhn might carry Pelias light, true, but his shadows are Fionn's.

This time, it doesn't end in tragedy.

What if Theia was Fionn's daughter?

This is VERY far-fetched, I freely admit to it, and was born out of me trying to rationalize the difference between ACOSF and CCity: Gwydion is Fionn's sword, but it'salso the Starsword, which is Theia's.

Simplest solution is either: it was Fionn's and Theia took it all after she killed him and Midgard doesn't have the full story or it was always Theia's and Prythian remembers it incorrectly. The Dread Trove we know was likely made by the Asteri and it wasn't originally Fionn's.

Crackpot theory: Fionn was the Starborn King, hero to the Fae, and married the Night Queen to secure his rule (that's where shadow power would have com into the bloodline). Fionn and his Queen have a daughter, Theia, and Theia herself has two daughters of her own. Who fathered these kids is 100% irrelevant. Sarah didn't give the Archeron sister's father a name, I'm not holding my breath he isn't just a no one.

Pelias is Fionn's best friend and general, and madly jealous of the man. Likely wants to marry his daughter, too. In any case, he and the Queen betray and murder Fionn, intent on setting Theia on the throne. In the end, Pelias tricks Theia into believing it was all her mother, and he is on her side. The Night Queen, ruler of Nightmares, was always a means to an end. Maybe she was aligned with the Asteri too, considering the Wild Hunt imagery in the CoN.

Or maybe the Queen was dead by then, and history has conflated her with Theia. Maybe Theia, Queen after her mother, thought her father was becoming a tyrant and decided to kill him. Maybe Pelias pushed her into it, thinking he could marry her. We actually never know how long Fionn reigned. Theia never stole anything at all: it was always hers by right. She was to be the next High Queen.

And then the High Lords intervened.

What if the reason Theia fled to Midgard was because of the High Lords?

Theia was lured by the Asteri to Midgard. But why? Why did she gave up everything in her former world to a new one? What could have driven her to take such a risk? I think she wouldn't have, had she any other choice. Theia was, to put it simply, pushed against a corner because she had a rebellion in her hands.

If she killed Fionn and he was recognized as the High King and well loved, this may as well have started a rebellion. Not even because he was a good king (maybe he was), but for their own power. The Royal House is in disarray, regardless of its familial arrangement, and what better place to strike? They do not want a High Queen whatsoever.

So they attack Theia. Maybe at some point she loses parts of the Dread Trove, which is why Helion has the reaction he has to the mask: it's an echo from when his ancestor used it against Theia. In any case, she's fighting a losing war. Her people will be eliminated. She's losing and desperte, and the Asteri's call is her salvation. She doesn't notice the trap.

Victorious, the High Lords weave history to be whatever he wanted, twisting or erasing the role she played. And, perhaps, this is why there have been no High Ladies: there's magic preventing it, magic which the first High Lords established to keep the power at bay, because Fionn's only heirs were women.

And this closes the bunch of ideas I wanted to write down lmao. Probably none of this will become canon but hey, it's fun to think of other possibilities! Again, this was all by memory, incosistences galore, self-indulgent, I don't really expect any (except Pelias is the Iago but that's pribably what EVERYONE thinks, but I needed to write it down for the rest to make sense you know).

[thatonesonicfanfictionwriter]

Sonic and Shadow with a mobian reader that comes out as a lesbian? Platonic

I love your writing!!!, it’s so cute

“Nervousness at It’s Finest”

“Pairing”: Sonic, Shadow, and Mobian Reader (platonic)

Requested: Yes (by an anon).

Description: You feel like it’s finally time to tell your best friends your biggest secret; you’re a lesbian.

Notes: EEEEE I’m glad to hear you like my writing!! Note that I decided to add a couple headcanons in there, but I hope you like it regardless! Reader will probably use She/They pronouns in this.

(Not proof-read/beta-read.)

– – – – – – – – – – – –

“You’ve got this, [Name]. They’ll support you.” You say to yourself in the bathroom mirror. “They’re your best friends. Of course they’ll be supportive.”

You were hyping yourself up for a good reason; you planned on coming out to your friends, Sonic and Shadow, today.

And boy, were you stressed.

They were going to be the first ones you would come out to.

Sonic, being your childhood best friend, you weren’t as worried about him being supportive, but Shadow? You hadn’t known him as long, sure, but that’s not what you were worried about. It was the fact that he was made fifty years ago, isolated from humanity and anything to do with sexuality.

So you were stressed.

But with both of them there, you hope it will go well.

You take one more deep breath before leaving your apartment, locking the door behind you, and heading off to your desired location.

You arrive there not long after you leave, and the sound of clashing causes your ears to perk up.

Seems like Sonic and Shadow are sparring again.

You shrug; might as well watch until they notice you.

Focusing your eyesight, you see the two rushing at each other, their hands pushing the other’s with determined expressions on their faces.

Shadow suddenly does the unexpected and pulls Sonic closer, quickly kneeing Sonic in the stomach, causing Sonic to kneel over in pain, before trying to sweep Sonic’s legs, but Sonic gets out of the way in time, kicking Shadow in the back of the head, causing Shadow to fall to the ground on his stomach.

“Ha-ha! That’s another victory for Sonic the Hedgehog!-” Sonic starts, only to let out a surprised yelp as he suddenly gets tackled to the ground by Shadow, Shadow pinning Sonic’s hands above Sonic’s head.

“Actually, that’s a victory for me.” Shadow corrects.

“Cheater.” Sonic grumbles.

You clap your hands, the two hedgehogs finally noticing you.

“Oh, hey [Name!]” Sonic says.

Shadow gets off of Sonic, crossing his arms, and Sonic gets up, dusting himself off.

“How long were you watchin’ our spar?” Sonic asks.

“Eh, not that long.” You state. “But I…wanted to talk to you both about something.”

Sonic tilts his head to the side out of confusion, and Shadow raises an eye ridge.

You take a deep breath, exhaling sharply.

“I’m a lesbian. I…felt like you two should be the first to know.” You tell them.

“‘Lesbian’?” Shadow asks.

“It means she likes girls, Shads.” Sonic clarifies. “In a romantic way.”

“Oh.” Shadow mutters. “Good for you.”

“We support ya!” Sonic states. “Soooo, got any eyes for anyone yet? Maybeeee Amy? Or Rouge?”

“Leave her alone, Sonic.” Shadow states, harshly elbowing Sonic in the side, causing Sonic to wince.

You smile at the both of them, happy to have finally gotten that off your chest.

You’re happy to have friends like them.

[henrysglock]

Why do you think Henry and Brenner never really interacted in season four? Like, the closest thing to an interaction between them in the show was Brenner glancing over at Henry after he wished El good luck and when Brenner was watching the two guards electrocute Henry in NINA.

Considering how closely connected both characters are it seems really weird that they never properly interact or say a single word to each other in the show.

Okay, so. This one can be explained pretty easily. We simply haven't had an arc that's "about" Henry, yet.

NINA was not about Henry; it was about El. El obviously isn't privy to everything that went on between Henry and Brenner, and most of the juicy, dramatic interactions would have been behind closed doors so as not to disrupt the conditions of the experiment. None of the other orderlies have notable interactions with Brenner for the same reason. That's why we seemingly see a lack of interaction between Brenner and Henry in the NINA arc. We have to glean their relationship from what El is experiencing and what Brenner is willing to offer up, and all that is unreliable at best.

Then, the only other arc that was "about" Henry was the Creel house arc, and even that was more focused on Victor, the "demon", and the Creel family dynamics sans Brenner...and when we do see Henry with Brenner, it's the sole scene that Vecna wants Nancy to see. It's all secondhand, and none of it is focused past Henry at age 12-13.

With TFS and the VR game being unreliable as well, it's hard to say that we've seen any genuine Henry + Brenner interactions as they would apply to the Hawkins everyone else is living in.

Overall, though, we can tell that Brenner had some kind of messed up "love" for Henry, and we can see that Henry may not always have been averse to receiving love from Brenner. We can tell this by the way Brenner relates the story to El and the emotions that crop up before he can quash them (See: the "missing his wife" breather that he has to take before he continues talking to El about what happened in 1979, and Brenner's constant assertion that he loved and cared for Henry (regardless of whether Henry may have perceived Brenner's actions as loving or caring)), and we can tell it by the way the Shadow taunts Henry about wanting to please Brenner, alongside Henry's hot-and-cold love-hate relationship with Brenner in TFS.

So...yeah! We haven't had an arc that's showed us Brenner and Henry on screen because none of the arcs have been about him, let alone him in that part of his life in reality.

I think that kind of arc is coming to us in ST5 as the gang finally uncovers the actual truth of HNL, the UD, and Dimension X.

[pyropsychiccollector]

Natsu Harem: Fairy GET! 10/14

We're getting there~... (人◕ω◕) Last five? Hmm~... (人◕ω◕)

Yes, the next spotlight goes to the last "Li'l Sis" type~.... Meredy. (人◕ω◕) ... If you wanna be kinky, Meredy Milkovich. (人◕ω◕)(人◕ω◕)(人◕ω◕)

When did they meet?

Officially, Natsu met Meredy-chan after Fairy Sphere sent the Fairy Tail members seven years in the future. (人◕ω◕) While training for the Grand Magic Games, Crime Sorciere approaches Team Natsu to offer them support... For the sake of tracking down a Zeref-esque person during the games. But also to repay Fairy Tail a little for giving them a second chance at life. (人◕ω◕)

Meredy was one of the Seven Kin of Purgatory, taken in by Ultear after they wrecked her village. Though Meredy was crushed to eventually learn the truth of the tragedy that plagued her childhood, she forgave Ultear and wished for her to live. Technically, Meredy viewed Ultear as a mother figure... But as I've been changing things for this harem-verse... Well, put simply Meredy-chan sees herself more as an imouto for Ultear. (人◕ω◕)

At any rate... Natsu never got to meet Meredy in the initial conflict on Tenrou Island. Ultear granting Team Natsu the power of Second Origin is the first time he met Meredy. (人◕ω◕) And put simply, Natsu wasn't focusing on her too much... He was too busy, uh...

... Too caught up in his "crossdressing Ultear" misunderstandings. (人◕ω◕);;; But that's... fine. Meredy was happy to see Juvia again. I mean, just look at these goobers~...

Still, during this time together between Crime Sorciere and Fairy Tail... There's nothing that says Natsu and Meredy couldn't have talked some. After all, Erza was being weird with Blueberry again, and that makes Natsu sour and bitter... He could have been doing something to distract himself, and Meredy noticed he was gloomy and not like his usual self. Natsu knows Meredy as a friend to Juvia, and thinks she's a pretty sweet girl. She shouldn't hafta worry about his problems with Jellal, though.... So Natsu does his best to pick himself up and not show the strain~... Meredy's not a dumb-dumb, tho. She can tell Natsu's suppressing his feelings... But she doesn't pry right away. They'll have plenty of time to get to know one another.(人◕ω◕)

When did they get closer?

Another change to the timeline is that during the dragon invasion, Ultear doesn't use Last Ages. Like... I understand the "need" to with characters dying, but if you're going to undo all those deaths with one character's sacrifice... Why not just go all the way and have situations where they nearly die, but manage to survive against all odds? Ultear can still feel pressured to use Last Ages with everyone's lives at stake... Remember, there's no drama between Kagura, Millianna, Erza, and Jellal. Simon's still alive. And while Ultear still claims to be responsible for "possessing" Jellal, there's not hatred from Kagura or Millianna over it... So really, Ultear leaning toward casting Last Ages to save everyone, it's really just the uncertainty of seeing so many dragons overwhelm the capital. That's all.

... Which is why Natsu talking Ultear out of using Last Ages is pretty important. (人◕ω◕) Through dumb luck, Future Rogue knocking him off of Motherglare led Natsu to encounter Ultear during that crucial moment of consideration, pondering what to do... And Natsu can tell Ultear's at her wit's end; he knows whatever she's thinking about doing, it'll be throwing away her life. After she and Meredy helped save him from Future Rogue's shadow... Natsu doesn't want Ultear to die. (人◕ω◕) So he gives her the courage to keep fighting, regardless of what happens here. Natsu declares they'll win. Somehow. And Ultear believes him. (人◕ω◕)(人◕ω◕)(人◕ω◕)

I bring this up because Natsu keeping Ultear alive, that's a big reason for Meredy to grow more curious and interested in the Dragon Slayer. Natsu didn't have to take a moment to raise Ultear's spirits; not with how crazy everything was with all the dragons around... But he had a big enough heart to see Ultear was in a sensitive, vulnerable moment... and he helped her out. He helped save Big Sis. (人◕ω◕) This leads Meredy to sneakily visit Fairy Tail sometimes. Just cuz Crime Sorciere is branded as criminals, doesn't mean Meredy can help restrain her curiosity. Besides~... She can learn about Natsu and visit Juvia. Win-win, right? (人◕ω◕)

At first Natsu doesn't know what to make of Meredy's visits. He rolls with them cuz it's what she wants to do, but it's still weird to him to see a non-guild member around so... "frequently". (Okay, so Meredy's visiting him every couple weeks, but she just looks so perky whenever she's hanging around him - how can Natsu say no to that?)

Sooner or later Tartaros rolls around. Then the one-year training trip with Fairy Tail "disbanded", and even with Natsu travelling around with the Strauss siblings... He still ends up seeing Meredy a lot more often, in addition to Sayla. (人◕ω◕) And after the war with Alvarez, Crime Sorciere is pardoned, and they wind up officially joining Fairy Tail. Natsu and Meredy's friendship very much deepens after that. (人◕ω◕)

When did friendship turn to something more?

I've talked at length about Meredy making frequent visits to Fairy Tail... and Natsu... before eventually being pardoned. (人◕ω◕) But every time, Ultear is there to round Meredy up and get them back on the road before the Council or Rune Knights cotton on to their presence around Magnolia. (人◕ω◕) Neechan is very grouchy about Meredy always finding some way to sneak off to Magnolia... But it's not for the upstanding, responsible reasons that she claims... Nah. Neechan wants her time with Natsu, too. And Meredy taking that frequent initiative to go see him... Well, how could Ultear not capitalize on that? (人◕ω◕) Natsu hugs her every time they meet. He's very warm. ... And affectionate. ... And maybe Ultear doesn't mind Natsu's head nuzzling into her chest~... Accusations of crossdressing be damned. (人◕ω◕)(人◕ω◕)(人◕ω◕)

I bring this up cuz Meredy and Ultear grow pretty fond of Natsu during their time together in the months and years after the GMG. Especially after joining Fairy Tail and Team Natsu. (人◕ω◕) Sure, Erza and a few others are rather grumpy at the two getting so close to the Pyro.... But you can't blame them. Natsu has much love to give, and he's rather charming. He's the cute type of pervert, the oblivious type and not the womanizing type. (人◕ω◕)

It doesn't take much negotiating between Meredy and Ultear to share Natsu. They can both tell he means a lot to one another. Meredy wants loads of pink-haired babies between them, and is eager to share with Juvia and Ultear. (人◕ω◕) Natsu finds it cool to share the same hair color. And Meredy is rather voluptuous herself, and he frequently takes up her offers of hugs, too. Planting his face first into her lovely bosom, too. (人◕ω◕) It's not really known "when" these two first fell for each other... It just happened. Eventually they came out as a couple, which everyone already knew about long before them.

... Needless to say, Meredy's use of Maguilty Sense is very useful... and deadly... during kinky time. (人◕ω◕)(人◕ω◕)(人◕ω◕)(人◕ω◕)(人◕ω◕)

[eclipsecrowned]

LAERION + THE SEA.

Unironically, the sea is a part of Laerion's blood. His House has always been tethered to it, sailing proudly across the Narrow Sea even before his mother's family fled the ruin of Valyria. He was raised in the custom of a Velaryon, learning to be an able seafarer, traveling with his father as a boy to get a taste of the family trade.

Though for some in the family this is only a rite of passage, for Laerion, it became a calling. Too timid as a boy to have claimed a dragon, he instead focused on the heritage of his father. By twenty, he had sailed around Westeros a fair few times, and even braved Essos as far as one could reasonably go. He has seen the Vale of Shadows at noon, and has traded with merchants from Braavos to Yi Ti in pursuit of family fortune and acclaim.

The sea is home to him, as much as his family is.

He has not always been fortunate. I allude to an incident off the Stepstones when he was a young man, where a ship he served on went down and he was assumed lost, only to turn back up weeks later positively bedraggled in the east of Dorne asking that someone please write to his mother and get him a ship home. He's known losses as a captain during various conflicts, but he seems simultaneously unable to drown and capable of navigating his way back from any defeat.

Of course, no man sails alone, and Laerion is always happy to speak at length about the assets available to him.

His pride and joy in all things is his ship -- The Queen Rhaenys. No relation to the canon ship I just found out about. Ostensibly named for one of Aegon's queens, but with Laerion quick to counsel those who say so that they can believe that origin if they like, this is a ship Laerion had personally built for his command. Sleek, fast, and roomy for riches or assets alike, she's made to serve whatever need Laerion has at home or abroad. He loves this ship more than several relatives. If this ship goes down he might sincerely try to go down with it. You'd have to sedate him if anything happened to her. It is my own personal lore that Laerion dies having reunited with this ship long after it sailed on without him as an old man.

She houses a revolving door of hands and sailors, but there are a few faces familiar to her.

Lysyros is an Essosi sailor, who joined up as a young man with Corwyn Velaryon, then sailed with Corlys, and is now the old hand trying to steer Laerion from his position as First Mate. Hard old bird, shuts shit down efficiently and is too old to care about politeness. He'll defer to Laerion out of respect but in private is not afraid to pull age over rank. For his part, Laerion is always keen to listen to an old veteran. Has a family back on shore -- Laerion has been in a flirtationship with one of his granddaughters for years, but all involved know nothing serious is going to come of a lord's son flirting with a common girl, no matter how outrageously at times.

Thoren Drumm is... an odd duck. Pulled from the water after his own ship ran afoul of pirates, this Ironborn considered the intervention of Laerion and crew to be something of divine intervention. he puts his life in the hands of the heretical captain to whatever end. Laerion has tried for years to pawn him back to Dalton, or to the Drumm family proper, but they view it as Thoren's path to remain with the mainlander crew for now. Somewhat touched in the head after his sole survivor of his last ship fiasco, but does well as Chief Steward, and outpaces most of the crew short of Lysyros and Laerion for experience. First one ready to meet the Drowned God whenever there's an issue at sea or in battle, which is very unsettling, actually.

Bander was picked up from the Reach, shortly after the indignity of the last cook's demise. No one wants to talk about it. Poor man deserved better than that. Regardless, Bander has been a formidable force on the ship, working meticulously to keep this crew of fools floating on through whatever voyage. He is miserly with his ingredients and perfectly measures and hoards what is available to him to make it last, despite the grousing of certain crewmen. He's skilled enough at the craft when stores runneth over that Laerion has on occasion gotten the man to cook for him while ashore. No, he does not like you, and yes, you will know it. Devout follower of the Seven who just looks exhausted whenever Thoren is on hand.

Then there is the indisputable most important member of the crew, the realm's true delight, it's her ship and Laerion and company are simply sailing it: Dragon. A stowaway from White Harbor, her name is ironic, her arse fat, and her resting face most displeased. There is not a man on that ship who would not die for their lady, and she, potentially, for them. She hunts vermin throughout her demense, and her amber eyes make a perfect clock for the wayward shipmen. Indisputably Laerion's baby, and even endures the curious and sticky hands of his nieces and nephews when they are children. She once abandoned ship while in Braavos and the crew absolutely refused to leave port until she would get back on.

Laerion is, of course, captain of the vessel and commander of all men who sail on it. Yet on the water, he prefers to be simply the captain -- He's of the firm belief that titles don't matter as much so far from land. Respect him as leader of the ship, not the son of a Lord or Queen, and everything will be fine. He's not exactly buddy-buddy cuddly with his crew, he knows to be professional and be a leader rather than a friend. All the same, he's grateful to his crew, a reasonable and gracious leader. By that same hand, he isn't haughty with them at all, and simply demands owed respect that can be returned in kind. Is not afraid of direct discipline, but favors mind games over the physical, which several returning sailors learn to fear.

[starrook]

[ beckon ]  your muse beckoning mine to them without speaking . (reverse)

Lambert was not oblivious to his surroundings, particularly outside of the Abyss where there were no sharp corners and shadows to aid someone’s concealment. He had already spotted that kid a few times here and there by the corner of his eye, the glint of that silver hair clip shining just right for the professor to tell it was him.

He would give kudos to the boy though, Lambert hadn’t been able to see his face properly so far. He relied simply on the sun’s grace to give his general location out to him and the specific memory of his silhouette.

Perhaps it has been just a sequence of coincidences. That kid, despite his age, seemed to be one of the Academy’s knights rather than a student. Maybe Lambert just happened to always stumble through his patrol time.

Or maybe not. Who knows.

The moment he spotted that silver glint in his peripheral, azure pools immediately focused on the boy. Dark blue hair, silver clip, warm eyes framed by a gentle look but that surely hid a raging inferno. Archer.

He reminded Lambert of a fawn, in all honesty. Harmless-looking, scrawny, easy to startle. But only a fool would underestimate a cornered prey animal, as they can be more lethal than any predator could ever hope to be.

After a quick assessment, Lambert waved with a smile, and motioned for the boy to come closer. Regardless of intentions, it was polite to properly greet a knight in service. 

“I have spotted you in my vicinity a couple times by now, so I figured I should at least greet you this time.” A chuckle. “Worried about a teacher wandering around?”

Countless people offered Alcryst advice on how to endure his father's loss. None mentioned what he ought to do if the man happened to come back from the dead as if nothing ever happened. It's uncharted territory, one that Alcryst isn't sure how to navigate. With no rules to fall back on, the young prince ends up inventing his own.

The very first one: Father may well die again. The thought never haunted Alcryst before the way it does now. All he wants is for his father to live out his natural life as he should have done the first time. If something horrible claimed his life again... Alcryst can hardly stand the thought.

It's good that Father is making friends with those Alcryst recognizes from around the monastery. But the one he seems closest to, he doesn't quite know who that man is. Odd. Alcryst follows him for a few days, compelled to find the truth, only to come up dry. That's the only reason why he answers the man's invitations, stepping out from around the corner to approach him.

...So Alcryst tells himself. He's imagined dozens of ways he'd confront his man about his father, but put on the spot like this he can't remember any of them. Alcryst remains guarded to hide his growing uncertainty.

Getting called out for following the guy breaks his silence. "I, I," Alcryst stammers, "I... yes, I was following you. I'm sorry. It's because..." That guy you talk to a bunch? That's my dad. And he should only be around trustworthy people. As if he could honestly come out with all that without sounding insane!!

"I wasn't sure who you were," he admits. "I see you on monastery grounds sometimes but can't put a name to your face. You say you're a teacher, but..." Alcryst frowns, allowing his doubts to lead his questioning. "What sort of classes do you teach?"

[clinically-obssessed]

You Kan't Believe Patton's Philosophy

Over the past couple of Sanders Sides episodes, Patton's morality has been called into serious question. Thomas and the Sides have pointed out that it is too strict, impractical to follow, and potentially damaging to Thomas' mental health. But Patton's morality doesn't come from nowhere. In fact, it is almost identical to the ethical theory of Immanuel Kant. Furthermore, several additional characteristics suggest that Patton may represent Kant, and these clues can give some insight into the ending of the show.

First of all, what is Kant's philosophy? There are two important concepts to remember: the categorical imperative and good will. The categorical imperative is a universal law of reason which Kant states everyone must follow. He expresses it in two ways, which he says are equivalent: firstly, one must only act in a way such that the principle which guides their action is universal (essentially, would you want to live in a world in which everyone followed the same principle?). His second formulation states that one must treat people always as an end and never as a means to an end. Secondly, one must use reason to understand the moral law, and the purpose of reason is to create a "good will." This good will motivates one to follow the moral law for its own sake and for no other reason, regardless of personal desires or potential consequences.

Now, you may remember Kant from the episode "Is Lying Wrong?" in which Janus, disguised as Patton, brings up the famous counterargument about whether it is wrong to lie to an axe murderer. The purpose of this example is to demonstrate the failures in Kant's philosophy so that Thomas will agree to lie, but when Patton reappears, he agrees with Kant's position - that lying is absolutely wrong. However, it is not subjected to the same level of scrutiny at that time, likely more because of who is saying it.

Patton has many similarities to Kant. As revealed in "Putting Others First" and "Selfishness vs Selflessness," his morality is very rigid. It is not enough to do the right thing; you have to do it for the right reasons (the desire to follow the moral law for its own sake rather than to get any personal gain.) His principles are also very absolute, and he does not pay as much attention to the consequences of potential actions as he does to whether or not they follow the universal laws.

Kant is also known famously as the "father of modern ethics." It seems no accident, then, that Patton also assumed the role of a father. But Kant died a virgin and never married. This mirrors Patton's child-like innocence and lack of knowledge about sex.

With the knowledge of these parallels between Patton and Kant, we can now examine the implications. As the other sides become more critical of Patton, leveraging arguments against him that have also been used against Kant, perhaps they will soon realize that his morality is a sham. This would indeed reflect the reality of Kant -- he is a father who has two children, one of them being ethics and one of them being scientific racism. His ideas about race were unique for his time, and his classification of non-whites as subhuman and incapable of reason went above what was typical of the time (which was still undoubtedly racist, but they believed that other races could be "civilized" whereas Kant argued they were made for slavery). Kant's children were not loved equally; the racism was his golden child, and during his life, his lectures and books were primarily focused on anthropology. His moral philosophy was only a side note in his career, never able to escape the shadow of its brother.

Perhaps the dark side of Patton will become visible in the finale. The revelation of Stirner's racism in the courtroom caused his arguments to be discredited immediately, so perhaps it will be the same way for Patton. I speculate that in the finale his moral theory will come under fire from all of the Sides, who will raise all of the objections made against Kant's theory. He will try to defend himself by saying he is the father of morality and the others can't criticize him because he is an expert, but then Janus will reveal Patton's racism. The others will be shocked at Patton and shun him. He will become seen as a Dark Side, and his morality will be replaced by Logan and Janus. Perhaps they will even take a Nietzchean approach and declare morality a fraud that simply justifies a will to power. However, if they do take this approach, it is likely that they will fall into the same problems as Patton, as Nietzche's work was read closely by the Nazis and used to justify the reign of the Third Reich.

[kayetra-spade-queen]

YDA AU One-Shot: Light Through The Window

Note: Please keep in mind that this story will had headcanons and variety of non-canon things that do not happened in the series. This is purely fanfiction, and this fanfiction is set on an alternate universe of the original universe of the series.

Everyone knew that Squad 17 is no ordinary team Faulad Singh had made.

Aside that it consists of children who's not even 10 years old yet.

And that they have abilities that shouldn't have been made possible for normal human beings.

Shivaji with ice powers.

Chinnu with the power of plants and nature.

Veer with shape shifting and super strength.

Little Singham with powers resembles real lions and fire.

They're an unusual bunch.

No, it's not those that made them stood out.

It's the aura they gave out whenever all the squads from squad 1 to 20 had gathered in the same room together.

Everyone expect that they'd be slightly loud, but still polite. They are children after all.

But oh how they're surprised.

The attitude, and the air surrounding them, felt like...

Intimidating, terrifying even.

Although of course, they're not actively trying to look intimidating (and succeeding in the process without themselves even knowing) to everyone, they're just being polite because they're aware they're younger than everyone else.

2 of the members do look familiar.

Little Singham, and Veer.

It clicked; Little Singham looks so much like the special agent Black Shadow, hence his mother. He really do look like an exact copy of her, from appearance to his no-nonsense attitude. The scorn look in his face that could send anyone a shiver down their spines is the exact same one Black Shadow has.

While Veer looked like the retired military man, Sujjan sir, aka his grandfather. He was a tough one to crack in his past, strict and always focused on the target.

All of the members of Squad 17 are powerful by their own rights.

Their own individual auras are quite powerful itself, but for different reasons.

Shivaji's is cold, yet pleasing. His personality is one of a social butterfly anyways, so it's no surprise people are always around him.

Chinnu's is fresh and somewhat melodious. People will have a sense of calmness when they're around her.

Veer's is tough, but he's still approachable. His slightly gullible nature makes people find him cute, and he is free as a bird, so he mingles with people fairly easily.

Little Singham is a different story on his own. Of course, it's not like he's unapproachable, it's the opposite. But he's a lot more quiet and reserved, and there's this certain aura of mysterious elegance surrounding him.

All of them together create this domain within them, a world completely different from anyone else. The air will suddenly change if you're near them.

Although they're not necessarily intimidating, or even trying to, it doesn't stop other people from being intimidated by them in any other forms.

They are capable of doing incredible feats that no other people could do, and treated it like it's another Thursday for them.

Of course, sometimes they can be a bit goofy at times, but it's part of their charms. They're still children regardless of how you look at them.

They could be what the world feared the most and made all evil tremble by just their presence, or your regular neighborhood children playing at the parks after school.

But one thing's for certain.

Piss one of them off, piss all of them off. Escaping from their grip is futile.

End of One-Shot.

[howdy-folks-its-showtime]

"Howdy folks! Take your seats please and get ready, cause It's Showtime!"

Welcome to It's Showtime! The tumblr ask blog for the BATIM inspired story of the same name! Here we have the characters in the studio, before the events of the story take place, ready to answer your questions and get into all kinds of antics! Want to learn more about the characters/story of It's Showtime? Check out its wiki/site right here! Or check out it's Gamejolt page if you want to see the game being made for it!

This blog is run by two mods, mod Whirly who goes by They/Them/It/Its and mod Roddy who goes by any pronouns! Below there is more information such as an FAQ which should help you with any question you have and elaboration on the content within the story! But if we missed anything please feel free to send asks about the project and ask blog!

It’s Showtime Is A Bendy And The Ink Machine Inspired Story That Completely Rewrites The Events And Timeline Of The Games. With The Same Characters Put Into Brand New Contexts And Relations To One Another. It Has A Character Focused Narrative And Focuses On Themes Of Abandonment, Grief, Family And Trauma, With Heavy Influences From The New York 1930s Setting.

The story follows Henry a retired animator, who after ten years comes back to his old workplace to find the place abandoned and staff missing. The walls are soaked with ink and the entire place smells of death and misery. Despite that, Henry journeys deeper and deeper into the dark abyss below, discovering what remains of his coworkers and the way grief can tear people apart…

But not even the shadows of his past, clawing at him from the dark puddles is enough to deter Henry from his attempt to find out what happened to his family and making things right…

Assuming he’s not too late to do so…

This story is meant to be rated R, the warnings below elaborate on this.

Warning this project contains: Cursing, blood, gore, body horror and death. Themes of internalized bigotry, depression, discrimination, abusive family members, grief, trauma and self hatred. Mentions of nsfw topics, alcohol and recreational substances. Traumatic flashbacks and panic attacks are depicted but abuse, suicide and self harm are discussed/implied. It should be known the ask blog may not contain these things but the story and larger project does.

FAQ:

Who are the mods? The mod team is me, Mod Whirly and my romantic partner, Roddy, we’ve been together for years and are very in love with this project and story! We have our own art blogs for personal art, but keep in mind art shown off here, even if it contains characters from It’s Showtime, should not be considered official art. Anything not posted by this blog regardless of who drew it, is considered non-canon to Showtime. If you want to look into supporting us as artists and creators you should check those out though! Obviously for legal reasons, we can’t advertise any ways to support us in a monetary sense on this blog <3. Roddy’s art blog is here and Whirly’s art blog is here!

What is this project for? It’s Showtime is currently beginning development as an indie horror game, no promises on scale or when it will come out as we are both very busy, Roddy with school and me with figuring out post high school life stuff, but I have been learning 3D animation and modeling in preparation for it. All work I’m doing currently isn’t really game ready or worthy, but every small step in development makes me more excited to one day maybe make this project a reality <3 Currently the plan is to build it in Unreal Engine. [at first it was gonna be Unity but well… If you know you know.]

Are you okay with fanart? We love fanart! If you tag us in any of your fanart we are sure to share it on the blog and sing its praises! It’s so flattering how much fanart we have already received and it makes us so happy and excited to work on Showtime when we see how beloved our designs are! If you want to make fanart please do! We would love to see it!

Who did the character designs? Who made the site? Mod Roddy did all the refs you see on the site and on the blog! They are based on my old character designs and notes I made on changing them, but overall they are very much the creation of my wonderful darling! It was the work of Whirly however to make the actual website! It’s a bit rough but I do like it a lot <3 I hope to expand it and make it better with time but for now I am very happy with it as a wiki for It’s Showtime.

What is Encore? Encore is the catch all name for all stories based on the world of It's Showtime, currently there is a BATDR inspired story we are also writing called Curtain Call that doesn’t take place in the normal timeline of It’s Showtime. So Encore is just the general name for this universe! Think of it as the franchise name.

I still have a question after reading this? Send us an ask! We’re almost sure to answer it and the more activity in the inbox the more activity in the project as well! Don’t ever feel bad for sending us questions or inquires! We like to talk to you guys!

[powered-universe-official]

Draft 1, Part 2: Virtue; bathroom community

Virtue finds Malcolm.

Over the next few weeks, Virtue spent any possible free moment to see if they could find Malcolm. If the band was just practicing a few songs, they were scanning the whole garage for a hint of orange hair, or if Bug was leaving, they watched its car leave to see if Malcolm was possibly, hopefully, in the back seat.

Every time, without fail, in the moments they weren’t paying attention, someone would yell “bye Malcolm!” as the door clicked shut, and they were needed again. It was frustrating, it was aggravating, and for some reason it bothered Virtue to absolutely no end. Maybe because they prided themselves on being so observant, that not seeing someone who apparently was around a lot was a failing of that in some way. Or because Malcolm seemed to be doing it on purpose, if Bug’s constant snickering had anything to say about it.

Regardless, it’s annoying the hell out of Virtue. What started as them wanting to just meet their band member’s sibling has now turned into a personal goal that if they can’t accomplish it,  they have failed. At what? Virtue doesn’t know yet, but they know it’s a failure of something.

“Bye Malcolm! Make sure to bring food next time you decide to hang around right after school!” Bug yells to the door that just clicked shut, and the irritation rises through Virtue’s core. Again, they just missed him.

“Hey V, can you make sure he closed the door all the way?” Michael asks as he checks over his guitar. “You know how the latch is on that one.”

Sighing, Virtue nods and walks over to the garage door. They tug on it, and it falls open easily, making a slip of paper flutter slowly to the ground. After latching the door shut soundly (it’s still cold out, after all), they pick it up and unfold it.

Get good and just find me already, I’m getting bored :p - malcolm

The paper crumples in Virtue’s hand as they slowly turn around and see Bug’s wide and borderline malicious grin. So that’s how it is, then. 

Game on.

-

It has been two weeks, and Virtue is no closer to finding Malcolm than they had been on day one. And it’s getting beyond frustrating, it’s beyond aggravating. It’s absolutely maddening, and they’re about at their fucking limit.

Doors shut and the band choruses a “bye Malcolm!” over and over and over again, and they haven’t seen the little shit once. How does he do it? What is he doing? It’s like he’s a fleeting shadow of a person.

A thought creeps into Virtue’s head, and settles itself deep. Their eyes scan the garage, focusing on the dark corners, and find nothing. He’s not here. He never is in their line of sight…

They spin around on their heels and see a small young teen leaning in the corner. His hair curls tightly to his scalp, dark black that cuts into faded orange, which frames dark eyes that look at them without an ounce of amusement. He’s clearly related to Bug with how they have the same face, his is just untouched from burn scars and holding onto the vestiges of baby fat.

Even so, Malcolm couldn’t look more different to his older sibling. Bug is covered in tattoos and art, and is looking into piercings. Not to mention the chaotically and carefully crafted look and aesthetic of some kind of grunge punk anti-hero. Malcolm, on the other hand, has a hoodie and soft jeans and slip on shoes and big headphones wrapped around his neck. 

He steps away from the corner, and walks towards the door that leads outside. Virtue follows, and when the door clicks shut behind them Malcolm shoves a piece of paper to their chest.

Virtue looks at him as he retreats back against a wall and watches. They carefully look at the paper, and unfold it slowly.

You never look behind you when you need to, especially when you’re actively looking to achieve something. Good job finding me.

Virtue looks up to say something, and Malcolm is gone.

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