#rocky mountain is always a safe bet too

[orionlancasterr]

If I don’t visit a national park at least once a year I swear to god I’ll die

[loudclan-clangen]

HEY so the last ask reminded me that this is set in Alaska! As someone who used to live there it makes me very happy to see, so just for fun I brainstormed lore ideas/questions for a Clan there n I thought id share :) this is Long lmao i apologize

The terrain for one thing. Growing up I remember all the horror stories of people getting stuck in muskeg and not being able to get out before the tide comes in. so that’s always freaky, but i imagine that if theres any in the area then the cats might try and take advantage of it as safely as they can? for prey and such. on that note whats their water situation like anyways? braided rivers?

any specific ideas for what area of mountains the cats are in? are they in the higher ranges, the ones wrapped up in clouds, the rocky kind like the ones around Denali? the greener ones with all the trees? is their territory frequented by hikers and/or tourists or are they relatively untouched wilderness? I think i remember it being said that LoudClan is somewhere more towards the south, is it intended to be generally vague? :0

Predators!!!! The cats can deal with all sorts of unique stuff in a setting like this, bears n lynxes n wolves… eagles… possibly even wolverines since theyre up in the mountains? i’d be curious to see how a clan would react to a wolf pack passing through the area lol. also ive always just loved the concept of a queen finding an abandoned lynx kitten or smth and unknowingly adopting it and it just keeps… getting bigger… whoops… oh well its the clans weird child now

So many fun lil prey animals too, ground squirrels n ptarmigans n such!! I bet ptarmigans would totally harass cats during breeding season and that could be funny. maybe standard apprentice training is to learn the different ground squirrel alarm calls. maybe they even sometimes encounter dalls or caribou or moose on patrols (perhaps moose have even been known to kill before, so theyre considered dangerous).

Also just….. the day-night cycle??? I’d honestly be pretty interested to see how that ties in, like it’s daylight forever in the summer-early autumn and pretty much perpetually nighttime in the winter-early breakup. do the cats have any thoughts or beliefs towards that? do they like to look up at the northern lights, and listen when theyre so clear that they can hear them?

Okok thats all now sorry. I got way too excited lol i miss AK sm, i left when i was little 💔 if any of this has been discussed already in a lore post then ignore me its been a hot minute and i rattled this off on a whim!!!

Love this! Okay, let me try to hit all of these questions in a way that will hopefully be understandable for everyone so if you're the asker please skip past the definitions/backstory.

A 'muskeg' is like a swamp or a bog. I assume that you're referring to the area outside of Anchorage that we always called the 'Mud-Flats", because that's where I heard stories of people getting stuck. (Specifically there's a very famous urban legend of a soldier stationed in Anchorage who went out with his buddies, got stuck up to his waist, ended up tied to a helicopter, and when they tried to pull him out with the helicopter he uh... separated. And his legs can supposedly still be found in the flats. (I WANT TO CLARIFY THAT THIS IS NOT TRUE. THERE WAS A SOLDIER, HE GOT STUCK, HE DROWNED, THE SEPARATION HAPPENED AFTER HE WAS DEAD AND THEY TRIED TO RETRIEVE THE BODY. THEY DID GET HIS LEGS BACK TO MY KNOWLEDGE.)) It's pretty much a long stretch of quicksand (but it's like more mud and silt than sand? idk how to really describe it i haven't been there much cause ya know, hearing stories like that will kinda cure your curiosity as a kid.)

Anyway, Ghostclan's territory used to be Mud-Flats, but long before the cats moved in twolegs came and installed the Rip Rap (big jagged rocks that are placed on the coastline to keep it from erroding) that make up Freezingclan's territory and that kinda took some of the danger out of it. Since the tide no longer comes up so high, while getting stuck is certainly not a good thing, it's not a death sentence as clanmates have time to gather help and dig you out. Though it does make it hard/near impossible to launch an attack on Ghostclan without an insider to lead you around the wet spots. Larger prey can sometimes be found stuck in the mud, having died from exhaustion, but the wetness causes the meat to rot quickly, and what is left draws the attention of larger predators, while also adding the issue of having to avoid getting stuck as you retrieve it, so it's not really a reliable source of food as much as it is a last resort. Ghostclan also contains the territory's braided river, which the cats call the "Friendly River" because it's three smaller streams that meet up into one large one. (I didn't do the best job rendering this on the map but that is what I was trying to represent. I'm not a landscape person, I'm doing my best.) Because the territory is a narrow valley set right on the coast they don't have a ton of room for the rivers to braid, but the thought was there!

It is intented to be generally vague, because I'm not an expert on geography and I live a couple of hours from this exact area, I didn't want to say "yeah it's here" and then have people correct me with minute little things. Plus if it's entirely made up then I can alter things to my liking. But the territory is inspired by the land along the Seward highway, where on one side it's these big mountains and on the other it's just a short sloping coastline. It looks like this in real life:

(You can even see the railroad and layer of rip rap that I included in the territory map) I imagine it's a place where the road veers inland so that the clans can have more space to roam. While the railroad runs through the mountain the highway is just on the other side of it. The mountains here are nowhere as tall as Denali, but they aren't anything to scoff at either. I imagine them being something like this, (which I believe is Exit Glacier?):

The lower areas are densely forested with tall trees and thick shrubs, but the greenery gets thinner and shorter as the elevation rises until you get to the higher ridges and peak which is pretty much just rock. Loudclan camp would be located at the transition point between grass and rock, so that there is no place above them where their enemies might hide and wait to pounce. As for humans, the territory used to belong to a small mining town. They dug the mine, installed the rip rap, built the buildings, and leveled the area of the mountain that Loudclan camp is set on, but over time resources dried up and people left. Now it's nearly untouched save the railroad, which still runs through the mountain regardless of whether there's a stop there anymore. The fact that you have to either cross railroad tracks or mountains to get to it, and its remote nature mean that hikers don't usually put in the energy to venture that way. (My mom grew up in Sutton, a former coal mining town and railway hub that was long past it's glory days by the time she was born and so this fictional town is kind of an omage to that).

The cats absolutely will interact with unique predators! The game has done me the favor of adding in wolverines already (and let me tell you, they cause PROBLEMS), but the cats might also face off against an aggressive little ermine (which are much fiercer than their appearance would have you believe) or even find themselves stumbling upon a blackbear gorging on blueberries early in the fall. They aren't really in the correct area for a wolf pack (and to my knowledge i don't remember writing about any) but who knows what's to come? Okay, now onto Lynx. Up until about 30 seconds ago I was under the impression that domestic cats and lynx could hybridize. Why did I think that? Well because everyone and their mother up her SWEARS that their female cat got out and mated with a lynx at one point or another. That or their big long hair tom cat is part lynx. So who was I to question whether that could even happen? Well apparently it can't but oops, too late, already headcannoned that several characters are part lynx so fuck it. These cats are special. They've speciated. Juneaucliff's dad was a Lynx. What are you gonna do about it? Huh? Regardless, yes, the cats do interact with Lynx, but they speak the same language, so it's a bit of a different situation. It probably won't be mentioned unless people ask about specific characters, but anyone with ear tufts/unusually large stature/big paws may have been descended from a lynx at some point.

The prey animals I think are more dangerous than the predators honestly. So many of them are specifically adapted to the terrain in ways that the cats aren't. Imagine chasing a snowshoe hare across the mountainside, following directly in their tracks only to suddenly feel the snow fall away beneath you, because while their big feet allow them to skid across the crevasse without disturbing the crust of the snow, you're just a little bit too heavy and you sink a bit to far and now you're falling to your death. You're sitting on the edge of the river during a salmon run, watching an eagle dive down to grab a fish. What are the chances it changes it's mind and grabs you? A cat weighs a lot less than a king salmon. And moose would be a danger. 9/10 they won't even glance twice at you but the one time you get unlucky enough to jump down from a tree and land between a cow and her calf? Maybe with no snow a cat could outrun a moose but those long legs mean that there's no feasible escape in the colder months. Even in the warmer months a cat can be trampled by a herd of caribou if they aren't vigilant while walking along the flat lands of the valley. Ptarmagins are easy food, but they're annoying and they spook off every other kind of prey within their designated "territory" and are just generally a nuisance. Some of them are useful, though, Dall sheep wool is is great for insulating nests and shed antlers from moose and caribou can be used to strengthen camp walls and build dens or can be broken into smaller sections to splint broken bones.

The day/night cycle absolutely plays into it! That's why starclan moved into the Black Water Pool. It's the only place where night always exists. In moon 14 Part 2 Twistedtail explains to Wildfirecry that starclan had to move, saying "We couldn't survive there. Not when the sun silenced the stars for seasons at a time". Many cats believe that their ancestors can't see them while the stars are hidden, that the light of the sun blinds them, and therefore are more likely to do devious things in the summer when the sun never leaves the sky in order to avoid punishment. They don't live far north enough to experience perpetual night but even so, only having 6 hours of daylight in the winter does make patrolling and hunting much more difficult. As of right now, the northern lights mean something different to every cat. They each interpret them/were taught to believe something unique about them. Are they the last words of dead cats frozen in the air? Are they the souls of your ancestors dancing across the sky? Maybe they're a sign from starclan, demanding that the lead healer come speak to them at the black water or a sign of good luck for a little born beneath them. No one really knows, except for that they're something important. (I'm not committing to anything cause they could be used in so many interesting ways that i don't wanna limit myself ya know?)

anyway, thank you for the ask, this was so fun to talk about! My apologies for not answering as many asks as I had hoped to over my break, I was on a trip and then had to buckle down on school work and then got sick (just a cold. im fine) but things are looking good for a beginning of July return time still! (Note because I know what tumblr reading comprehension is like: I'm not returned quite yet. I still have to write a paper for school. But soon! Yay!) If you have asked an ask in the past month: I'm so sorry please be patient. There's so many of you. If you were sending me actual, physical mail I would be completely buried in it. I love it, and hope you keep doing it, but... just know it might be a minute... or two... or ten.

[kth1]

kth1 Wip Poll (221108)

Here is where tumblr user, kth1, is requesting feedback and interest in their list of active floating wips I have running around in my documents and head. Please, if you have the time and patience, follow through the poll and fill out the necessary areas! Thank you so much in advance and Happy Reading! 🧡

i completely cut down on a handful of wips too... like seriously... a handful! (honestly, like I cut about 9 fics) full descriptions and ideas aren’t labeled due to laziness and other reasons. please don’t take the ideas i have laid out. but if something inspires you, like we could totally work together and make a lil mini collab. bet. hit me up!

Below the cut are the list of fics I am currently ready to elaborate more on! The poll is located at the end of the post!

total wips: 11

Amalgamation [MYG]

⁀➷ Idea: Beautifully based off the Underworld film series. Events are very similar but more in the OC perspective! Like, I can’t express this anymore. Yoongi is basically Selene in this and OC is Michael. ⁀➷ Pairing: Vampire!Yoongi x Fem Human!Reader ⁀➷ Themes: fantasy/supernatural, action, thriller, romance, smut

To Find the Sheep [JJK]

⁀➷ Idea: Based off of Red Riding Hood film (2011) which is adapted from the original Little Red Riding Hood fairy-tale. ⁀➷ Pairing: Jungkook x Fem Reader ⁀➷ Themes: fantasy, angst, mystery, romance, smut

Power Hour [KNJ]

⁀➷ Idea: OC works at the HYBE gym and falls head over heels for the beefy hunk who works out routinely every week. They develop a nice little crush on another (kind of) and then they... well... you know. ⁀➷ Pairing: Namjoon x Fem Reader ⁀➷ Themes: strangers to lovers, smut

Safe Haven [PJM]

⁀➷ Idea: Jimin is a royal guard for your family. Proving his loyalty and dedication to you once your family gets attacked by rebels. This one I do have coming out in a collab in 2023! But please give royal guard jimin a chance to sweep you off your feet and save you from the rebels! He’s got the moon sequence tattooed down his back! ⁀➷ Pairing: Royal Guard Werewolf!Jimin x Fem Princess!Reader ⁀➷ Themes: semi-modern day au, forbidden love au, smut

Game Point [KTH]

⁀➷ Idea: Basically, OC is the new assistant coach for the Korea men’s national volleyball team. She quickly learns that someone on the team was one of her last drunken hook ups, but it unfortunately isn’t the handsome ambidextrous right side hitter by the name of Kim Taehyung. This one is scary for me to write and I come back to it ever so often. I love volleyball and would love nothing more than to see Taehyung in a volleyball setting. I just don’t know if anyone else would care. ⁀➷ Pairing: Volleyballplayer!Taehyung x Fem AssistantCoach!Reader ⁀➷ Themes: strangers to lovers, smut

Haven’t Had Enough [KTH]

⁀➷ Idea: When things begin heading down the rocky path of bad behaviors and habits while on the road to success, the two of you struggle to keep the heartwarming connection you once shared. Where countless reminders of not having another serves you every single second in each others presence. Even though the two of you collectively agreed to the split in the first place, neither one of you are comfortable enough to give up on another. Apart of a future collab! Yes they break up but they get back together. ⁀➷ Pairing: LeadSinger!Taehyung x Fem MerchManager!Reader ⁀➷ Themes: established relationship, angst, smut

Feeling Frisky [PJM]

⁀➷ Idea: Hybrid!!!! Jimin purposely hunts oc for fun, a casual encounter between the two of them. The thrill of the hunt and capturing his prey is always arousing. ;) Snowy mountain caves with secret hot springs are the thoughts here. Just a nice little frisky fun loving. ⁀➷ Pairing: SnowLeopard!Taehyung x Fem BlueSheep!Reader ⁀➷ Themes: fwb, fluffy, smutty

Lessons Learned [KTH]

⁀➷ Idea: Aight, here me out. Pokemon themed. Taehyung runs an Eevee/Pokemon daycare/breeder facility and OC is trying to get her Eevee to evolve! So OC and Taehyung work alongside another to help OC’s Eevee become comfortable to change. Blue hair Taehyung is the need. I won’t ruin the innocence of Pokemon here, I promise! ⁀➷ Pairing: Taehyung x Fem Reader ⁀➷ Themes: pokemon au, strangers to lovers, fluff, smut

Pursuite to Articuno [PJM]

⁀➷ Idea: Surprise, another pokemon themed one! This one is basically Jimin as a trainer, looking to collect himself an Articuno so he travels to the Seafoam Islands in hopes to battle and capture one. However, the one he finds already has a trainer. OC. Purple hair Jimin is the vibe.⁀➷ Pairing: Jimin x Fem Reader ⁀➷ Themes: pokemon au, strangers to lovers, fluff, smut

Velvet Voice [JJK]

⁀➷ Idea: Uprising lead singer Jungkook has never had a problem finding himself a nightly companion to share a bed with. What he doesn’t expect is that he finds himself with a true nightly companion after his set. Yes, oc is a vampire in this one. ⁀➷ Pairing: LeadSinger!Jungkook x Fem Vampire!Reader ⁀➷ Themes: supernatural au, strangers to lovers, smut

No Title* [PJM]

⁀➷ Idea: Jimin is attached to a very rare and exotic flower which OC ends up buying to spice up her apartment decorations. Throughout the days, she begins running more and more into this very seductive, beautiful man which she never had met before. ⁀➷ Pairing: Incubus!Jimin x Fem Reader ⁀➷ Themes: supernatural au, strangers to lovers, smut

I am very willing to chat a little more about each fic, but I will not give the whole run down on what I plan on doing with them. Me asking for your feedback is me looking for reassurance and hope. Interest and excitement. I don’t normally reach out like this, but I am willing to try and see exactly what some of you guys may be looking forward to seeing!

Just shoot me an ask if you have any questions! 

Other than that: HERE IS THE POLL FOR THE FICS

[w00wzerz]

🚃Ticket back to Life🚃

(All that matters in Titans s3 ep 9)

There is so much to talk about, so without further ado, lets get into it!

The episode begins with a seemingly defeated Bruce scanning over his will for a few seconds - hinting at the fact that he will harm himself or is planning to soon move on to the “other side.”

At this moment I had crinkled my bag of Doritos, placed them in the crack of my lap and sat in silence for a few seconds. My mind was working overtime to try and piece together just what the hell was going on. These were my initial thoughts: I would like to sincerely apologize to Dick Grayson and Jason Todd for ever having to put up with Bruce Wayne’s crazy ass. The man is coo coo, he’s unhinged! He’s deranged!

However, upon further evaluation of the scene, I came to the realization that this was simply Bruce’s call for help. He had lived his entire life by attempting to mask his pain, using anything in the book to deter his emotions. Until one day, he ultimately settled on taking in kids who he presumed had developed under similar circumstances.

What Bruce failed to realize is that playing the role of a parent is an upmost emotionally draining task - just ask my mother… By raising his own kids with a shit ton of baggage he would also be signing up to mountain theirs atop his own, crafting an incredibly unstable terrain that would inevitably come crashing down.

Now we know where Dick and Jason get their compartmentalism from.

Moving on to my girl Rachel in Themiscyra! You know things are pretty bad when Rachel starts to complain about training too much, seeing as that was all she ever did over at Titans tower.

However, it seems that her hard work has paid off as she has awakened a heightened sense of urgency in her movements - her coordination skills have also improved significantly, as shown below.

Such a badass scene! ☀️

Upon their very first introduction, it is safe to say that Donna establishes an instant connection with the terrified kid who jumped from the train - Tim Drake. It could be the gravitational pull and familiarity with his fear that peaked her interest because of how similar it was to her own, or she could’ve just wanted to make sure that he was okay. And I am willing to bet on ALL OF IT.

Secondly can we all just take a minute to celebrate Donna’s long awaited return! I have never been more excited for the revival of a character. Now Kory can finally have some grown up friends 🥂

After Tim and Donna linger for a-bit in the woods, they meet up with none other than Hank himself. Of course he would be the one to appear out in the middle of nowhere, in an old fashioned car after his death. I wouldn’t have accepted it any other way.

I also have to admit that I was pretty psyched to see Hank again. Do not quote me on this, but a tiny piece of me had missed his annoyingly snarky ass.

Was anyone else feeling some serious 21 jump street vibes from this lttle road trip scene? No… just me? Okay.

Once they’re all familiar with one another Hank begins to take a subtle interest in Tim. As my senses began tingling once more, the pieces had somehow found their way together. Despite the tough ass persona he displayed for the other members of the Titans, Hank has always had a soft spot for kids. Which would also explain why he was killed by Jason in the first place - because he thought he could save Jason from himself. A part of him still feels like an idiot for falling for the false vulnerability that was expressed by Jason on the phone that day.

And no I wasn’t crying at Hank’s farewell, you were 🥲

I was disappointed at first after treading on the idea that they would all return back together. But after viewing Hank’s reunion with his brother, I think it’s safe to say that I’m pretty glad that he decided not to miss out on that drastic part in his journey. Plus who knows, maybe another portal will open again after a few years and they’ll both be back to kick some ass. 🤷🏽‍♀️

Below is another example of Donna’s rocky, yet emotional connection between herself and Tim. And I say rocky because it doesn’t seem that she even realizes it herself, but she loves my little Tim baby!

Tim just has a way of interacting with folks that evokes a sense of urgency to protect him. I also believe that it must be fate that is drawing them all towards each other, especially when taking into account that Tim has practically met almost every member of the Titans dead or alive - by accident.

As you can see below, a teary eyed Donna watches as young Tim fades away into obscurity from her very own finger tips.

And as his body slowly disintegrates she makes it her mission to assure him that he is fact not a coward and that above everything else, he is a hero in her eyes. Now if that doesn’t get the waterworks flowing, I don’t know what will.

————————————

A recurring theme that I’ve noticed throughout the past three episodes is the current writers obsession with fire.

Fire = destruction. 🔥

Even as Bruce set a flame to Wayne’s manor he intended to destroy not only his home, but as well as himself along with it. Could fire represent what is to come in the near future for the Titans? Or am I sipping too much gatorade? I guess we’ll have to wait and see folks. Until next time! ✨😙💜

[szchaql]

Total Opposite (part 4)

PAUL LAHOTE X SWAN READER

Part 3 Masterlist

(Y/n)'s POV

The journey home with Jacob full of silence. He didn't say anything, just driving the car. The memories of big grey wolf, baring his teeth, growling, keep appearing on my mind. What exactly happened? I glance at Jacob who focus on driving, trying to ask him.

"It'a okay, (y/n)... it's fine. We all will be waiting for you until you are ready to listen the whole story. And Paul didn't have any intention on hurting you.. you are too precious for him..." Jacob beat me in breaking the silence.

"But the look on his face was like he want to murder someone.... will i be fine??"

"He just angry.. Paul is known for his hot head and short tempered man. But he really try his best not to let his temper exploded when he near you. But today, i think he just couldn't help it and phase..." Jacob glance at me. "I may not like Paul... but i know he will protect you at all cost... believe me.. you will be safe with him rather than with any of us."

I raise my eyebrow, confused. "Why??"

He shake his head. "It's not my place to tell you that. Be patient. Right now, all you have to do is calm down and take all of this slowly.. we will tell you when you're ready.. don't force youself to understand it in one day.."

"Take a hot shower and calm down, okay?? I have to go pick up Bella and maybe tell her about it." He said as we arrive at my home.

I nod and get inside, luckily Dad isn't home yet. I immediately go to my room and lay down the bed. There's must be something, and it's a serious one. But why Jake said that i'll be safe with Paul? He nearly killed me today...

I decided to take a hot shower to clear up my mind. Taking a hot shower help me to calm myself. I drift myself to sleep soon after my body hit the bed after shower.

In the next 2 weeks, i totally ignored Bella, Jacob and all of the wolves. Seeing them just keep reminding me of that grey wolf. I just keep hanging with the Clearwaters and Tiffany. Even at school, when Jared, Paul, Jacob and Bella try to approach me, i always took different path and avoided them. I'm not ready yet.

Today, having nothing to do at home, i decided to walk on the forest. I know it's stupid because it's dangerous, but i need some quite moment. Seth and Leah are having a short vacation to Washington with Sue and Harry, Tiffany is having a family day. Bella is out with Jacob, as i keep refusing to talk to her. Part because what happened that day at Jacob's and part because she's having a relationship with vampires despite she knew about my traumatized. I bet Edward is a vampire, knowing they had a relationship before.

I keep walking deeper into the forest while thinking about everything that happened to me. Not realize that a massive creature are walking behind me, watching me. Until the sound of a broken twig that i immediately look behind. My breath hitch when i see the same grey wolf, standing not to far, eyes lock at me.

I gulp and freeze. What should i do? If i run, will he chase after me? Or should i just stand here? Without realize, i step back slowly.

Seeing me like that make the wolf whine loudly while he lay down on his stomach, ears flat, slowly crawling into me, eyes keep looking at me. When he close enough, he poke my leg with his large snout. He whimpered when i didn't give a respones.

"You won't hurt me, right? You won't kill me, right?" I ask as the wolf shake his head, whimpered. I slowly reach his head. When his suprisingly soft fur meet my hand, i can't help but to stroke it and without realize, i smile. He lean more into me and whimper softly, enjoying the interaction.

After quite some moments, he retreat and walk into behind one of the tree. The sound of bones make me flinch and short after Paul walk with his human form, shirtless, wearing a cut short jeans, and old shoes.

I look into my feets, embarased. "Hey..." his soft voice make my look up at him. He smile softly at me, hands on his pocket.

"Hey..."

"What are you doing in here, alone? You know that it's dangerous." He scolded me softly.

"Sorry... i just want to have some quite time and forest is always my place to think too.. so.. yeah... Bella is out with Jake, the Clearwater are out to Washington. And i'm alone." I chuckle and look up at him.

I realised that i'm so short compared to him, just barely reach his wide shoulder. He has this brown eyes that confusingly full of love and adoration.

"Mind if we walk together? I can't leave you alone on the woods, there're so much dangers.. and i know some amazing place." He ask, blushing.

I nod at him and we walk side by side in the forest.

"Mind to tell me what exactly happened? What are you guys?" I look at him. He look hesitated. "Is this really a serious matter?"

"More or less.. are you sure about this? We can wait until you are ready. No pressure at all.. we decided to ask Harry to tell you all about this thing.."

"Uncle Harry?"

"He is one of our tribe elders, alongside Billy, Sue and Old Quil. Since you are close to the Clearwaters, we thought that it best to have him tell you about the legend and the tribe." He explained, looking slightly hope that i listen to him.

"I think it's better you who tell me first. Later i'll ask Uncle Harry if i have questions that you can't answers. Okay?" He nod.

Paul tell me the tribe legend and everything behind the shifting into wolf. How they are decendants of the first shape-shifters. The Quileute.

"So, you are all wolves? Shape-shifters?"

"Only the lucky one who have the gene that can phase."

"Then... Seth and Leah can shift too?"

"Yeah.. maybe not with Leah, since we never have a female shape-shifter. Seth can phase one day, even if we don't want that to happen."

"Poor, Seth... but isn't it great to have an ability to shift into wolf? It's cool, you know.." i chuckle softly.

"Yeah, but we always put our life in dangerous, to protect people and the tribe. And imagine children shifting into one.. how hard is it for them. It's already hard for us, but the children.. can't even imagine it."

"Anything else? About the tribe or the wolf thing?"

"Then there is one more thing about being a shape-shifters..."

"I'm still listening."

"There's something called an imprinting. It's not like love at first sight, really. It's more like… gravity moves… suddenly. It's not the earth holding you here anymore, she does… You become whatever she needs you to be, whether that's a protector, or a lover, or a friend. To sum it up, it's like our way of finding a soulmate." He look down at me as we stop walking, standing in the middle of a forest.

"Why are you telling me all of this? All of this are secrets, right?"

"Yeah. But you are part of our tribe member. Since the day on the beach..."

The beach? What happened at the beach?

"You are my imprint, (y/n).. when we looked each other at the eyes on the beach.. it'a the day that i imprinted on you... as an imprint, you have the right to know everything about us, the world around us. Even the vampires thing.. you have to know about all of this, so you are aware of the world you are living as an imprint." The word imprint shock me even more.

Me? An imprint? How? Why?

"Why me? How?"

"We don't know.. and we can't help who we imprinted on.." he shrug and we continue walking.

"I want to ask about something.." i look down at my feet as we walk. He hum as response.

"Maybe this is a little out of topic, but is... Edward.. a vampire??"

"Yeah.. all his family, the Cullen are vampires.. but they considered themself as vegetarian. They only drink animal blood..." Paul explain about the Cullen.

So, Bella was having a relationship with a family of vampires. I want to be mad at her, but i can't. The way she so heartbroken when Edward leave her, they must be had a very good relationship before. And most importantly she's happy.

"Bella want to tell you about the Cullen.. but she never found the time to explain it. You already find it by yourself, so maybe it'll be easier for her to explain. She want you to be safe, (y/n).. don't be mad at her. Yes, she was wrong to had a relationship with vampires, when she alone is a human. But the reason she didn't tell you is because you past. She afraid that you can't accept it and she didn't want to loose you."

"Even if i want to be mad at her, i just can't. She's happy with Edward and to me, her happiness is everything.." Paul chuckle softly.

Short after, we arrive at a beautiful sceneries, the cliff. The ocean beneath it is so beautiful. "We used to cliff diving in here. But when we walk toward the other side, it have the most beautiful sceneries. Come on, hold on to me, okay. It's dangerous." He strecth out his hand and i take it. The warm from his hand make me comfortable and feel safe. No wonder Jacob said that i'll be more safe around him. Even if he has an anger issue, I believe that he don't have any intention to hurt me. The way he talk and treat me with so much love and adoration is great.

"Here we are." He said after we walk about 10 minutes. My eyes lit up when i see the scenery. We can see the mountains around us and forests beneath us. It's so beautiful. Well, beside the cold wind, everything is great.

We both sit down, near the edge. Paul sit really close to me, giving his warmth to me. "Do you like it?" He look over me, smiling softly.

I smile back at him. "Totally.. how did you guys found this place?"

He shrug. "When we are doing patrol, Embry found this. But we rarely gather in here, we usually doing cliff diving. But never going alone, okay? The road is rocky and steep. Ask the boys if you want to come here, if i'm unavailable. Okay?"

I chuckle softly. "Is all of you always this protective? Not in a bad way, though.."

"Of course. Imprintee is always our number one priority. They are our everything. Even alpha order didn't work on us if it regarding of our imprint. And after what happened to Emily, we usually always be careful around them."

"I never knew we are this valuable... what if the imprint die? Or reject you?"

"We cannot live without them. We will be so heartbroken, so lost. It's like we lost our other half... that bad.." he look at the scenery ahead us, looking serious.

Even though imprinting is an amazing thing, it also hold a very important factor on the shape-shifter life. I can't imagine how much it hurt if their imprintee reject them or die.

We talk with each other, getting to know each other well and enjoying each other presences, until it's dawn and we head back home. Paul walk me back to my house as it almost dark.

"Let's see each other again?" I ask as i look into his beautiful brown eyes.

He nod. "Tomorrow i'll pick you up? Let's go to Emily's and since tomorrow is Sunday, we always have picnic at the beach. Want to come?"

"Of course."

He smile softly and kiss my forehead. "I'll pick you up at 8, in the morning. Okay?" I nod, smile at his behaviour. "Get inside. Don't forget to eat okay? And sleep well."

"Okay.. see you tomorrow, Paul. And thank you for today, for everything.. i totally enjoyed it." I said as we then say goodbye and part ways.

As i lay i bed after took a shower and did my homework, i can't help but smile at what happened today. First i was so scared around Paul, but now i totally love being with him. Maybe it'a the imprinting thing, i don't know. I should ask Emily about this.

Tag : @calling-dips-on-j-hope @ivettt

[plainbrunettelbl]

ABO (A) Aizawa Shota & (A) Yamada Hizashi x (O) Reader Road Trip

Word count: 1977

Warnings: None

Title: ABO (A) Aizawa Shota & (A) Yamada Hizashi x (O) Reader Road Trip

Summary: Your Alphas and you go on a road trip and things start off a little rocky. 

(Gif is not mine credit to the lovely owner) 

💤🎤-It was going to be a relaxing weekend. Your Alphas and you were gonna head up towards the mountains and relax in a cabin you rented. It was supposed to be a blissful break from work and stress.

💤🎤-Packing everything in the car and waking up super early to start the drive over was a tab bit stressful but once everyone was in the car things settled down.

💤🎤-Hizashi drew the short stick and had to drive the first half of the way.

💤🎤-You spent the first half of the drive cuddling with Shota in the back seat. The whole back seat had an abundance of pillows and blankets since you had to take some nesting materials with you.

💤🎤-You had snuggled with your sleeping Alpha for a while before pulling away after an hour. Even asleep your Alpha knew something was missing. He kept shuffling around looking for you.

💤🎤-To calm him you took off your hoodie and put it on a pillow.

💤🎤-As soon as it was in his arms he calmed down and slumped back against his seat. You played on your phone and talked with your blond mate for a bit before he decided it was Shota’s turn to drive.

💤🎤-He pulled off at a gas station and turned around in his seat.

💤🎤-“Sho! It’s your turn to drive, babe.” He smiled, poking his mate awake. The dark-haired male used to his mate’s abrupt wake-up calls merely blinks his eyes open and sends him a soft glare.

💤🎤-You lean over and give him a peck on the lips. “Wake up, mate. I can’t wait to get to the cabin and have us all snuggle in front of the fireplace.” You hummed, scenting him a bit.

💤🎤-Your sleepy Alpha purred at the thought. He tiredly nodded and went to open the car door.

💤🎤-“I’m gonna go get some coffee to wake me up.” He climbed out of the car, holding your hand when you followed him out.

💤🎤-Your blond mate had taken to filling up the car. You leaned up and gave him a kiss too. He was all too eager to pepper your face in kisses in return.

💤🎤-“I’m gonna go to the restroom.” You informed, walking with Shota into the gas station.

💤🎤-You asked the Alpha at the counter where the restrooms were and he gave you a key before pointing you outside to the side of the building. You thanked him and left.

💤🎤-Shota made himself a steaming cup of black coffee before paying the cashier and leaving. He also bought a couple of snacks he knew you and Hizashi would like once you guys felt peckish.

💤🎤-His brain was still trying to wake up. Shota climbed into the driver’s seat and sipped his coffee. He placed the bag into the driver’s seat.

💤🎤-He put his cup in the cup holder and rested his eyes for a bit. He heard the car door open and then close. A few seconds later he heard it open again before shutting a final time. He took a quick glance at the rearview mirror and saw two hooded figures cuddling in the back.

💤🎤-His loud mate was already entering dreamland. With a small sigh, he turned the key and drove off.

💤🎤-What he didn’t know was that you were still in the bathroom washing your hands.

***

💤🎤-You had walked out of the bathroom swinging the keys around on your finger. You walked back into the store and handed them over to the cashier. You eyed the chocolate bars and chips and browsed your way through them.

💤🎤-You picked out your favorites before walking back up to the friendly cashier.

💤🎤-“How’s it going?” You asked, reaching into your back pocket to get your wallet.

💤🎤-“It has been good. Not a lot of customers come around here.” He answered, ringing up your purchases.

💤🎤-“Ya, I bet.” You nodded, before realizing your back pocket was empty. You must have forgotten it in the car. You knew you didn’t need to bring a purse on this trip so you just decided to travel light and bring your wallet if you needed it.

💤🎤-Your mates were all too quick to pay for whatever you wanted.

💤🎤-“I left my wallet in the car. Let me go get it.” You awkwardly laughed, nodding your head towards the door.

💤🎤-“That’s fine.”

💤🎤-You walked out and headed towards the car that should have been at the gas pump. The black car SUV was nowhere to be found. You thought they might have pulled up to the parking lot while they waited for you so you looked left and right.

💤🎤-Not a car in sight. Your Omega was kinda shocked into silence at your mate’s abrupt absence. How could they forget about you?

💤🎤-You were in a state of shock as well. You walked back in and blankly stared at the Alpha. He smelled your slightly distressed scent and leaned over the counter trying to see what caused your shift in mood.

💤🎤-“Is everything okay?” He asked he peered down at you.

💤🎤-“My Alpha’s seemed to have left without me.” You could barely get the words out.

💤🎤-“Oh.” The Alpha didn’t know what to say. Did they leave you on purpose? The Alpha had heard of such occasions happening before.

💤🎤-“Can I use your phone? I left mine in the car too.” You asked, clutching your arms around you.

💤🎤-“Yeah. No problem.” He handed it over.

💤🎤-You called a few times but no one answered. You softly handed it back.

💤🎤-“No answer.” You mumbled, not knowing what to do now.

💤🎤-“We get pretty bad service so it might not be going through if they are heading up the mountain already.” He explained, offering you a soft smile. His Alpha was honestly confused about what to do with the lone Omega.

💤🎤-What if they started chirping? The Alpha she came in with was pretty intimidating as is and you had two! He wasn’t ready to die if they came in to see you chirping in distress with him nearby.

💤🎤-“Yeah. I guess so.” You accepted his words.

💤🎤-“Would you like to sit in my office until they come back?” He offered, hoping it didn’t come off as creepy.

💤🎤-You felt pretty safe with the kind Alpha. You kinda got a brother-like vibe from him. Plus Sho had taught you how to get a guy on the floor in under five seconds so you felt safe with that knowledge.

💤🎤-“Sure.” You agreed, looking down at the pile of snacks on the counter.

💤🎤-“I should probably put these back first.” You uttered, reaching to grab them.

💤🎤-“You don’t have to. You can pay for them when your mates get back.” The Alpha picked up a few and lead you to the back.

💤🎤-“Thank you.” You beamed, your Omega really wanted sweets to help comfort her.

💤🎤-With that, you joined him in the office.

***

💤🎤-It was an hour later when Shota started nearing the entrance to the lodge you would have to get your key from and then drive up to the cabin that you rented. The unopened bags of snacks caught his eye and he looked in the rearview mirror.

💤🎤-“Do you...” The words died on his lips when he only saw one mate sleeping in the back seat. His foot instantly hit the brakes. The car screeched to a stop. He was glad no one was behind him.

💤🎤-Zashi was instantly awake and frantically looking around for danger.

💤🎤-“What?” He rushed, looking out the windows. He clutched the pillow with your hoodie tighter.

💤🎤-“Y/N is not here,” Shota shouted, looking around the car like you would suddenly pop up.

💤🎤-“What!?”  Zashi’s seat belt caught as he bolted forward. He looked to the front seat and saw only a bag of snacks occupying it.

💤🎤-“I swear I heard the door close twice! I thought she was cuddling with you in the back!” He was quick to whip the car around.

💤🎤-“My hair got stuck on the door, that was me! I thought she was in the front seat with you!” Hizashi was hysterical, he started breathing deeply into the pillow. Taking in your scent to calm him down.

💤🎤-Both of their inner Alphas pacing around at the news.    

💤🎤-“How long have you been driving?” Zashi yelled, hopping into the front seat shoving the snacks out of the way.

💤🎤-“An hour.” Shota’s voice cracked, he was deeply upset that he didn’t notice until now. What type of Alpha was he?

💤🎤-“An hour!” Hizashi nearly fainted, his mate was at a lone gas station for over an hour. His hero job always made him think of the worst when it came to situations like this. You weren’t helpless but still, his mind raced with all types of horrible things that could have happened.

💤🎤-“See if you can find the gas station and call them.” Shota tossed his phone at his equally frantic mate.

💤🎤-He did just that but the calls went unanswered.

💤🎤-You and the Alpha who name you found out was named Akio were too busy playing poker in the back office. You had a mountain of chocolate bars on the line and you weren’t about to lose them.

💤🎤-“They’re not answering!”  Hizashi cried, sniffing your pillow even more.

💤🎤-“Hand it over.” Sho rushed, reaching for the pillow.

💤🎤-The rest of the ride Sho wore your too-tight jacket while Zashi cradled the pillow. Shota might have been speeding over the limit on his way back down the mountain.

***

💤🎤-You had just won a mound of candy when you heard a car screech outside and the gas station door slam open.

💤🎤-“Y/N! Omega!” Zashi yelled he might have slipped and activated his quirk.

💤🎤-You peeked your head out from the back. Your Omega was happy that your Alphas were finally here but she was a tiny bit more excited about all the sweets she just won.

💤🎤-“Alphas?” You tilted your head.

💤🎤-“Omega!” You usually quiet Alpha shouted, barreling towards you.

💤🎤-You were instantly pulled into a tight hug. Your Omega instantly purred. Maybe they were a little bit better than sweets.

💤🎤-“I am so sorry I left you.” Sho’s voice wobbled, he buried his head in your hair.

💤🎤-“It’s fine.” You soothed, not liking that your Alpha was tearing himself up. You had felt a little hurt when you found out he forgot about you but you knew he would never intentionally drive off without you.

💤🎤-“I nearly had a heart attack when I woke up and Shota said you weren’t in the car with us.” Zashi leaned down to scent you.

💤🎤-“I swear I am gonna start taking attendance now before I even set my foot on the pedal,” Shota mumbled, holding both of his mates tighter.

💤🎤-You just giggled, glad to be back in your mate’s arms.

***

💤🎤-All three of you laid down on the plush couch that sat in front of the fireplace. A pile of sweets scattered the coffee table. You were lazily chewing on a chocolate bar.

💤🎤-“This is great. I am glad we took this trip.” Zashi stretched spreading his arms to reach his other mate on the other side of you. Shota wasn’t gonna leave your side anytime soon,

💤🎤-“I can’t wait to hike up the mountain tomorrow. I heard the scenery is beautiful.” You hummed, leaning your head on your blond mate’s shoulder.

💤🎤-“Yeah, we have to make sure we don’t leave you on the top of the mountain before heading down.”  Zashi chuckled, he only stopped when he noticed Sho’s deadly glare.

💤🎤-“Too soon, babe?”

This was the draft I accidentally posted. Lol For those who knew this was coming thanks for your silent support. I hope you enjoy! 💛🖤 Please reblog and leave a note if you enjoyed it!

[gospelofme]

Super Nova

Chapter 3

So It Begins

The capital city of Valencia on Jelucan was cold. All the time. This whole planet was cold. All the time. Why Varex had decided to move here was beyond her. She walked down the rocky road towards the location of the safe house. She passed a group of Muunyak that were all packed for a trip down the mountain on which Valencia sat. She had always found their furry little faces adorable. She stopped and rubbed the cheek of one of the creatures, warming her hands a bit in the warm, woolly fur. The creature snorted and nosed at the pockets of her coat for treats. She lingered a little bit longer, but moved on when the cold started to seep through her layers.

She hurried to the safe house which was located in the side of the mountain with numerous other dwellings. The door to the apartments slide open and she entered a rather modest lobby. There was a droid at a desk in the middle of the space, his job was to answer any questions residents might have. Sayr didn’t need him, she walked past the droid and to one of the three lifts. When the one became available, she stepped in and pressed the button for the fifth floor. The trip was a long one, at least five minutes total, which made sense. Floors between levels probably had to be thick to support the weight of people living inside a mountain. She exited the lift and found the correct apartment number. She pressed the buzzer on the side of the entry pad and waited.

Moments later the door slide open and a Rodian greeted her at the door. He stepped aside to allow Sayr to enter the apartment where a Wookiee and a Chiss sat in the main room. Varex was no where to be seen but that didn’t surprise her. Sayr took a seat next to the Wookiee on the long sofa.

“Darr, how’ve you been.” She asked the immensely tall black-furred Wookiee. Darr responded with a low grumble. Sayr nodded. She looked over at the Chiss who glared at her.

“Krev, I see you haven’t forgotten our last encounter.” Sayr acknowledged.

“My knee still hurts from time to time.” The Chiss muttered, tapping a hand on his right knee. Sayr gave him a sympathetic look but didn’t have anything to say. The Rodian, Avi, took a seat next to Krev, both sharing a smaller couch. Krev looked irritated at his personal space being invaded.

An uncomfortable silence fell over the group. That’s the way it tended to happen when you were sitting in a room with at least two beings that you’ve double crossed. At least Darr enjoyed her company, she did get along the best with the Wookiee. The door slid open again and Varex arrived with food.

“Nova! Glad you could make it!” Varex said cheerfully, it was like he had gathered some old friends together together a reunion. He set the food out on the table, it was an assortment of some local delicacies. Utensils were passed out and the group dug in, Sayr finding herself hungry for food other than freeze dried rations and caf.

“So what’s this special assignment you’ve come across Varex?” Krev asked, apparently Varex had been lax on the details with everyone else too, which made Sayriel feel better. She didn’t like being the only one left out of the loop. Varex sat back in the armchair he had chosen and finished chewing his food before he spoke.

“Well, they’re a few ancient artifacts of a…knowledgeable and secretive nature.” Varex said, choosing his words carefully. Krev set his utensils down on the table and got up to leave.

“No no, okay fine. They’re holocrons.” Varex said hurriedly, Sayriel almost choked on her food, Darr giving her a large thump on the back. Krev stared at Varex for a moment and then sat back down. Sayriel coughed a couple more times and took a swig of water. He certainly didn’t just say what she thought he had. She had to have misheard him.

“So that’s why you’ve included Nova then?” the Rodian, Avi, asked. Yup, he had said holocrons.

“Well, yeah, but she’s fun to have around too.” Varex said, giving Sayr a sideways glance. Krev coughed at that statement and Avi just took another bite of food. Darr was the only one who gave a agreeing growl.

Sayriel couldn’t care less about what the others thought of her. She just glared at Varex, who was trying hard not to meet her gaze.

“Holocrons?! Are you crazy? What makes you think that’s a legitimate opportunity?!” Sayriel finally said. She knew Varex took risks with his job choices but she didn’t think he was downright stupid about them. Holocrons were a thing of the past. Even she didn’t have access to any during her training in the sect on Yavin IV. She had read about them, but had never seen one before in here life. She had no idea what type of energy they gave off in the Force anyways, how was she supposed to know they were on the right path? She put her utensils on the table and leaned back on the sofa, rubbing her face with her hands.

“How do we find them?” Krev asked, Avi seemed interested as well.

“Yes Varex, how do we find them?” Sayr asked a bit more sarcastically. Varex cleared a spot on the table and set down a holopuck. He pressed a button on the side and a list of locations popped up. Sayriel recognized them as planets that all had one thing in common, they each had had a temple on it that was either Jedi or Sith.

“We use the process of elimination.” Varex said. “Each of these planets had at one time a Jedi or Sith temple. From what I’ve been able to research, holocrons could be found in the temples. The most common one would be the temple on Coruscant. However, that one was converted to Emperor Palpatine’s palace after the Republic fell, so it’s unlikely any holocrons remain there. Next there was one on the ice world Ilum, but that planet was destroyed. This is where Nova comes in, since she’d know more about possible locations.” The group then looked at Sayr who had been trying to focus on her food. She looked up at them and took a moment to swallow what was in her mouth. She looked at the list Varex had compiled, finding herself rather impressed with his research.

“Well, the one on Yavin IV is gone too, and this one is just a few blocks and statues left.” She said, removing two more from the list. She had been to what little remained of the temple on Yavin IV and it was just a pile of rubble. Apparently Jedi Master Luke Skywalker had torpedoed it into oblivion with his X-Wing. She looked at the list a bit longer, “how many holocrons does this collector of yours want?” She asked finally.

“Well he said he wanted two of each, I’m assuming he means two Jedi and two Sith.” Varex said with a shrug. Sayr studied the list. She didn’t think just visiting all the Temple ruins was a good idea. Many were unstable and some were guarded by locals who didn’t want people like them poking around.

“Well, these two here are Sith, and Moraband contains two possible sites we can check. From what I remember from my studies a long time ago, Vader’s castle on Mustafar was built on top of a Sith cave and what was rumored to be a temple site. But that area used to be guarded by a Sith cult, however I’m not sure if they exist anymore.” Nova found herself becoming more and more invested in this the longer she examined the list of possibles. It could be fun to look for something she had only read about in books.

Varex looked pleased as he watched her participating. He had hoped she’d be all for this a little bit more than she seemed, but he knew Sayriel well enough to understand she tried to distance herself with jobs related to the Force.

“Just to add a little bit more excitement, this guy is willing to pay 200,000 credits for all four holocrons!” Krev, Avi, and Darr all looked particularly happy. Even Sayriel found herself more interested, that was a lot of credits for things this collector couldn’t use. Unless…

“This collector, why does he want these?” She asked, a thought suddenly striking her. Holocrons contain ancient knowledge and secrets and could be dangerous if in the wrong hands, even in this era.

“He just wants to add them to his collection, which is rather extensive. He took me on a tour of part of it. He has lightsabers from both Jedi Masters and Sith Lords, he has some ancient Jedi armor, pieces of the original Jedi temple on Coruscant. A set of robes supposedly worn by Jedi Master Mace Windu when he was killed by Emperor Palpatine. He even has a whole set of original Clone Wars Era clone armor, the paint job is still intact.” Krev whistled at that notion. Varex went on but Sayr has stopped listening after the mention of Master Windu’s robes. While it was highly unlikely those were real, anyone could buy a brown robe and call it a Jedi robe, the collection seemed a bit morbid to her. She wanted to ask Varex if the collector was a Force User, but there was no way Varex, himself a non Force sensitive, would know.

Within the hour, Sayriel’s ship was locked up tight in the ship yard down in the valley below the mountaintop city. She was sitting in one of the jump seats on Varex’s ship, The Grand Orbiter, next to Darr. She had to admit, she really enjoyed the Wookiee’s company. She wished she worked with him more often, but she was used to being a one-woman show. They had decided to check out the Temple of Eedit on Devaron, figuring that one would be their best bet to try first. The temple was largely in ruin thanks to orbital bombardment back in the day, and it was largely picked through. But there was still a chance something was missed. Holocrons were small after all.

Little did the pirate crew and their Grey friend know, they weren’t the only ones headed to Devaron.

Tag list

@jgvfhl @nelba @leias-left-hair-bun

@baby-queen-zen @halzore @escapedthesarlacc

[giant-sketches]

Guardian Naga Chpt. 5

Thank you all again for liking my Guardian Naga au thus far. For this chapter we are looking back on past events through the perspective of the Naga and then by the end switching back to Roman’s per usual.

This chapter contains 2 sketches and one super surprise that I hope you all enjoy! P.S. all the sketches I did for this one are at the end...sorry but those were like the best parts!

Chapters: 1/2/3/4/

Naga’s Perspective:

Roman hasn’t returned to the caves for three days now and the Naga has begun worrying that he may never return after their last awkward encounter. A bundle of nerves, the Naga slithered around the caves aimlessly and peeked out to see if Roman had shown up unannounced. Sadly, he was never there waiting for him. Distraught, the Naga was left to reflect on past memories of the first King.

He had no idea what had become of him, let alone that Virgil had known about his feelings for him. The time they spent together was similar to his and Roman’s meetings, but different in that he didn’t have to hide himself. Though, this last time Roman appeared to be happy with his presence. If not shocking, the Naga was pleased to see Roman not retreat in fear as he neared him. He had even taken the risk of holding Roman in his hands.

Luckily, Roman was not disgusted by his scaly digits. In fact he appeared to have enjoyed his touch.

“I was frightened that he was going to flee at the mere sight of me, yet he let me touch and hold him. I haven’t touched another person in centuries, not since Virgil.”

The Naga’s time spent with the first King was now a bittersweet memory of a one-sided love he knew would never come true. He chuckled at the thought of this time being any different.

“It’s funny how the humans once believed I had the power to grant wishes, when I can’t even grant my own.” he sighed.

It was time for the Naga to go out and sunbathe. He had been curled up in the cave for too long sulking and his body temperature was making his movement sluggish. The day was clear and the air was warm, a perfect day to bask in the light. The Naga slithered about the forest looking for a comfortable perch. After a short search he spotted a sizable cliff-side above a lake for him to lie on.

“Ah. Now this is a delightful spot to bask upon. There’s fresh water for me to enjoy if I overheat and the moss has kept the rocky surface cool.”

The Naga was pleased with his selection as he stretched out his tail. The location was scenic and he wondered if Roman knew of it.

“I bet he would greatly enjoy this place. If he returns I shall introduce him to it.”

However, would he return? The Naga couldn’t help think back to their first encounter in the caves. He had been woken by an unusual sound, only to find a human had trespassed into his nest. Yet, he was too dazed from sleep to react before the human fled from his sight. He thought only to let it go just this once and returned to his slumber. Curiously, the human returned the next day so the Naga set a trap for him in order to scare him off for good.

He was angered to find out that the human had only come to seek his power. Yet, as he stared down at the sobbing human begging for its life in his hand he knew he had gone too far and quickly released them. The human was obviously confused by this, so in a last minute stunt the Naga shouted at the human to run and it did. Humans should always run from monsters, he thought. Now that human was gone forever...or not.

“He’s here again. What is that he’s carrying?”

Slowly the human set down a basket of sorts and immediately left.

“He’s just going to leave? What did he place down there?”

Carefully, the Naga stuck out its hand and pulled the basket into the cave. The contents was made up of small cookies that smelled of fruit.

“They appear to be a confection of sorts. I wonder if they are safe to eat? Well if they are poisoned it wouldn’t affect me regardless.”

Without hesitation, the Naga poured the entire basket of cookies into his mouth. Spontaneously, a flavorful sensation danced in his mouth. He loved them! Had the human made these himself, but why? He pondered until the human returned the next day to retrieve the now empty basket. The Naga wanted to converse with him to find out why he continued to visit, but held his tongue in fear. The fear of uncertainty and rejection. He had now found himself looking forward to the human’s visits, but took notice of their solemn expression. This couldn’t last, not if he kept quiet.

Mustering what courage he could, the Naga asked why the human kept coming back only to receive a startling apology. This was unexpected. He had assumed they were simply trying to win his favor, but this human was different. After the apology the human started to take his leave, but the Naga called out to him. Curious they wandered closer to the cave entrance after hearing his call. This action surprised the Naga as he bolted further into the darkness. He was worried his ghastly figure would cause the human to flee. Nervously, he made them a deal, but in reality he just couldn’t say goodbye yet. He wanted to know more about them, to talk with someone.

What he wasn’t prepared for was learning that the human he had taken a liking to was the current King. His body chilled at the thought of history repeating itself? No, he wouldn’t let that happen. Shaking he placed his hand over the hole in his head and told himself to never forget the cruelty of humans. However, this human had compassion and sympathy. They knew it may just be a deceitful ploy, but he was willing to take a chance if it meant not being alone anymore.

Not to keep the human waiting any longer he accepted their apology and watched sorrowfully as they left once again.

From then on the Naga grew more and more attached to Roman as he continued to visit every other day with treats. He was cautious as to not let the human catch a glance of his form hiding in the shadows. Despite that, their time together was enjoyable and as it continued the Naga made a promise to himself that he would help Roman with the upcoming war. He just didn’t have the heart to tell him in fear the human would stop coming to see him.

“Why is it always the same? I’m so afraid of losing him, but he’s not mine to keep. I have to be willing to let him go when the time comes. His kindness in only a mask to cover the fear he’s hiding deep inside. I’m nothing but a monster to them.”

However, after their most recent exchange the Naga couldn’t help being optimistic. He had finally admitted to himself that he loved Roman. The Naga hummed as he recalled Roman’s sweet words,

“No one has called me beautiful since Virgil. Even after I grew to such a size there was no fear in his eyes. It’s hard to believe, but could our feelings for one another be...mutual?”

Snapping back from his reflections the Naga had let himself bask for too long as the majority of his tail extended far into the forest and he was on the verge of plummeting into the lake below. He had grown to an enormous size, much larger than last time. The Naga stretched and began to lift himself off his perch when a familiar voice rang out through the trees.

“NAGA!”

It was Roman, he was looking for him.

“No, no, no ,no!” he whimpered.

Now was not the time for him to be found. Though Roman had not been afraid of his stature last time, there was no way he would not freeze up in terror at the sight of him now. The Naga needed to get away quickly.

“Naga! Where are you?”

The voice was closer now, too close! Time was up as he heard Roman pushing the brush aside and walking towards him through the forest.. This was it, he was doomed! He was going to be found and he would once again lose the person he cared for the most due to his monstrous form. Overcome with grief the Naga began to weep softly. ------------- Roman’s perspective:

Roman could hear the soft sound of crying coming from a nearby clearing. Was that the Naga, why is it crying? Growing concerned, Roman quickened his pace and pushed his way through the thick brush. He squinted as an intense light flooded his eyes. Something sparkly was reflecting the sun's ray right at him. Quickly, he rubbed his eyes and adjusted his vision only to be astonished by what he saw. There by the lake, lying on a small cliff was the Naga sobbing. It had been its scales that blinded him when he first stepped into the clearing due to their size. Oh man the size! The Naga told him that it shifted when its body temperature rose, but from the looks of it he had been basking for a while.

The Naga had grown to a size where Roman would struggle greatly just trying to climb onto one of its fingers. The overwhelming difference in size was mesmerizing and Roman couldn’t help himself from walking over to gingerly stroke the Naga's glittering tail. It was like a mountain of jewels!

Despite showing no fear the Naga continued to cry, not noticing Roman’s attempts to garner its attention. Lost as to why the Naga was even sad, Roman jogged his way up the cliff-side and stood by the Naga’s anchored hand.

“I’m unclear as to why you are so sad, but please don’t cry anymore. You have me here now and I will never let any harm come to you.”

Charmingly, Roman planted a kiss on the Naga’s hand. Unlike with its tail the Naga immediately noticed Roman touching him and froze.

“Wh-why are you...yo-you shouldn’t be here. It’s much too dangerous to be near me at this size. Please g-go away. I don’t want you getting hurt.” he stuttered through his tears.

The Naga covered his mouth worried that Roman would find his gigantic fangs horrifying. Yet, Roman only smiled and continued kissing the Naga’s hand. He refused to leave until the Naga stopped crying. Flustered, the creature succumbed to Roman’s kisses and began wiping away its tears. Abruptly, the moment was cut off by the Naga’s size continuing to increase. Roman was amazed to see that the Naga could grow past its already colossal size as he toppled over, now under the shade of the Naga’s nail.

In a panic the Naga softly spoke to Roman,

“I’ve been in the Sun far too long. Please make haste to leave my side for a moment while I cool myself in the lake. If you so wish it we may continue to converse there. Though I understand if this encounter has frightened you and you wish to leave.”

“I’m not going anywhere. I have something very important to tell you.”

Puzzled by Roman’s remark, but not wanting to waste anymore time, the Naga watched as Roman returned to the treeline before diving into the lake. Instantly, the water flooded over the edge, but receded back as the Naga began to shrink.

“Now what is it you’d like to tell me Roman?”

End Chapter 5

@crystalk17​ @soviet-speck​ @valentin0vkc @legendsgates​

[flirting-with-psychology]

1. I own a ferret. 2. My best friend is my boyfriend 3. My best friend is a girl 4. I use the word super way too much 5. I am a boy 6. I like My Chemical Romance 7. I own more than 100 CDs 8. I like discussing politics 9. I collect state quarters 10. The Legend of Zelda is my favorite video game. 11. I have Cingular 12. I love MAC makeup 13. I smoke too much 14. I own more than 5 bandanas 15. My favorite movie is Kill Bill 16. I watched Lamb Chop when I was young 17. I have my ears gauged 18. I can do HTML without guidance 19. I watch Spongebob Squarepants regularly. 20. I go to the movies at least once a week 21. I play guitar or bass 22. I love Elvis 23. I’ve had a mo/bi/trihawk before 24. I have met my favorite band 25. I like to hardcore dance 26. Something’s outside my window 27. I believe in ghosts 28. I do drugs regularly 29. I am straightedge 30. My favorite feature about myself is my lips 31. I have never consumed alcohol 32. I want a tattoo. 33. My favorite actor is Will Ferrell. 34. I have seen Conan O'Brien live. 35. I hate MTV 36. I used to watch Cheaters every week 37. I have my own vaccuum 38. Frank Sinatra is awesome 39. I sleep with a stuffed animal 40. I am scared of werewolves 41. I watch hockey regularly 42. I am originally from New York 43. I own an iPod 44. Some people aren’t funny. 45. I hate school. 46. My favorite vegetable is lettuce. 47. Tickle fights are fun. 48. I am currently unemployed. 49. I have my license 50. I hate spelling mistakes 51. I love Spanish class 52. I live in a big city 53. I have been to the Grand Canyon 54. I listen to music to fall asleep 55. I watch TV to fall asleep 56. I only get a few hours of sleep each night 57. I’m relatively innocent. 58. I am a size 3 or smaller 59. I’m bored. 60. Purple is my favorite color. 61. I hate flossing 62. I have a car. 63. I believe in God 64. I’m in love. 65. I used to love Unwritten Law. 66. Reno 911 is my favorite show. 67. There is a mini stapler on my computer desk. 68. Cuddling’s my favorite. 69. For sure. 70. I have a flip phone 71. I love my handwriting 72. I own a Louis Vuitton handbag 73. I want to be an astronaut. 74. I love the song Dragostea Din Tei 75. 50 Cent is not talented 76. I like scanners better than digital cameras. 77. I own at least one Punk-O-Rama CD 78. My room is sound proof. 79. I’m 5'5 or less 80. Lying pisses me off 81. I backstab people. 82. I have been in a fist fight. 83. I have PaintShop Pro. 84. It’s almost midnight 85. My nightlight is cracked 86. I only listen to Dashboard Confessional when I’m sad 87. And I feel like a pansy when I do so 88. I hate metal 89. I’m in a band. 90. Napoleon Dynamite is annoying now. 91. I love hickeys 92. I want to lose weight 93. My favorite channel is the Food Network. 94. I don’t have a CD burner. 95. Pixar is stupid except for the Incredibles 96. I own an apartment/house 97. I am engaged. 98. My computer’s a Gateway. 99. I hate driving. 100. I like watching boys sleep. =========================== 01. I miss someone right now 02. I don’t watch much TV these days 03. I love olives 04. I love sleeping 05. I own lots of books 06. I wear glasses or contact lenses 07. I love to play video games 08. I’ve tried marijuana 09. I’ve watched porn movies 10. I have been in a threesome 11. I have been the psycho-ex in a past relationship 12. I believe honesty is usually the best policy 13. I have acne free skin usually 14. I like and respect Al Sharpton 15. I curse frequently 16. I have changed a lot mentally over the last year 17. I have a hobby 18. I’ve been told I can suck the chromes off a trailer hitch. 19. I carry my knife/razor everywhere with me 20. I’m smart 21. I’ve never broken someone’s bones 22. I have a secret that I am ashamed to reveal 23. I hate the rain 24. I’m paranoid at times 25. I would get plastic surgery if it were 100% safe, free of cost, and scars. 26. I need money right now! 27. I love Sushi 28. I talk really, really fast sometimes 29. I have fresh breath in the morning 30. I have semi-long hair 31. I have lost money in Las Vegas 32. I have at least one brother and/or one sister 33. I was born in a country outside of the U.S. 34. I shave my legs 35. I have a twin 36. I have worn fake hair/fingernails/eyelashes in the past 37. I couldn’t survive without Caller I.D. 38. I like the way that I look sometimes 39. I have lied to a good friend in the last 6 months 40. I know how to do cornrows 41. I am usually pessimistic 42. I have a lot of mood swings 43. I think prostitution should be legalized 44. I think Britney Spears is hot 45. I have cheated on a significant other in the past 46. I have a hidden talent 47. I’m always hyper no matter how much sugar I have. 48. I think that I’m popular 49. I am currently single 50. I have kissed someone of the same sex 51. I enjoy talking on the phone 52. I practically live in sweatpants or PJ pants 53. I love to shop. 54. I would rather shop than eat 55. I would classify myself as ghetto. 56. I’m bourgie and have worn a sweater tied around my shoulders 57. I’m obsessed with my Livejournal 58. I don’t hate anyone. 59. I’m a pretty good dancer 60. I don’t think Mike Tyson raped Desiree Washington 61. I’m completely embarrassed to be seen with my mother 62. I have a cell phone 63. I believe in God/ a higher being. 64. I watch MTV/Vh1 on a daily basis 65. I have passed out drunk in the past 6 months 66. I love drama. 67. I have never been in a real romantic relationship before 68. I’ve rejected someone before 69. I currently have a crush on someone 70. I have no idea what I want to do for the rest of my life 71. I want to have children in the future 72. I have changed a diaper before 73. I’ve called the cops on a friend before 74. I bite my nails 75. I am a member of the Tom Green fan club 76. I’m not allergic to anything 77. I have a lot to learn 78. I have dated someone at least 10 years older or younger 79. I plan on seeing Ice Cube’s newest “Friday” movie 80. I am sometimes shy around the opposite sex 81. I’m online 24/7, even as an away message 82. I have at least 5 away messages saved 83. I have tried alcohol or drugs before 84. I have made a move on a friend’s significant other in the past 85. I own the “South Park” movie 86. I have avoided assignments at work/school to be on Xanga or Livejournal 87. When I was a kid I played “the birds and the bees” with a neighbor or chum 88. I enjoy some country music 90. I think that Pizza Hut has the best pizza 91. I watch soap operas whenever I can 92. I’m obsessive, anal retentive, and often a perfectionist 93. I have used my sexuality to advance my career 94. I love Michael Jackson, scandals and all 95. I know all the words to Slick Rick’s “Children’s Story” 96. Halloween is awesome because you get free candy 97. I watch Spongebob Squarepants and I like it 98. I have dated a close friend’s ex 99. I’m happy as of this moment 100. I was born in the 80s but I am truly a child of the 90s  101. I have slapped john dasaro and chris burke in the face..on the same night 102. I haven’t showered in two days… and I like it. 103. i own every f***er here 104. I procrastinate all the time 105. I’m a nerd 106. I LOVE the movie The Wedding Singer. 107. i hate corn. 108. i’ve attended the rocky horror picture show 109. i’ve never seen Bambi the movie 110. Thinking about the future terrifies me 111. Without music there would be no point in living. 112. If I could change one thing about myself I would 113. If someone of the same sex liked me, I would date them. 114. I went to the mall today for 5 hours ================================ Would do Have Done

001. Bought everyone in the pub a drink 002. Swam with wild dolphins 003. Climbed a mountain *004. Taken a Ferrari for a test drive 005. Been inside the Great Pyramid 006. Held a tarantula. *007. Taken a candlelit bath with someone 008. Said ‘I love you’ and meant it. 009. Hugged a tree *010. Done a striptease 011. Bungee jumped *012. Visited Paris 013. Watched a lightning storm at sea *014. Stayed up all night long, and watch the sun rise several times *015. Seen the Northern Lights 016. Gone to a huge sports game 017. Walked the stairs to the top of the leaning Tower of Pisa *018. Grown and eaten your own vegetables *019. Touched an iceberg *020. Slept under the stars 021. Changed a baby’s diaper 022. Taken a trip in a hot air balloon *023. Watched a meteor shower *024. Gotten drunk on champagne *025. Given more than you can afford to charity 026. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope 027. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment 028. Had a food fight 029. Bet on a winning horse 030. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill 031. Asked out a stranger 032. Had a snowball fight 033. Photocopied your bottom on the office photocopier 034. Screamed as loudly as you possibly can 035. Held a lamb 036. Organized and planned a surprise party for a loved one *037. Taken a midnight skinny dip 038. Taken an ice cold bath 039. Had a meaningful conversation with a beggar 040. Seen a total eclipse 041. Ridden a roller coaster 042. Hit a home run 043. Fit three weeks miraculously into three days 044. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking *045. Adopted an accent for an entire day 046. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors 047. Actually felt happy about your life, even for just a moment *048. Had two hard drives for your computer *049. Visited all 50 states 050. Loved your job for all accounts *051. Taken care of someone who was really sick *052. Had enough money to be truly satisfied 053. Had amazing friends 054. Danced with a stranger in a foreign country *055. Watched wild whales 056. Stolen a sign 057. Backpacked in Europe *058. Taken a road-trip 059. Rock climbing 060. Lied to foreign government’s official in that country to avoid notice *061. Midnight walk on the beach 062. Sky diving *063. Visited Ireland 064. Been heartbroken longer then you were actually in love 065. In a restaurant, sat at a stranger’s table and had a meal with them *066. Visited Japan 067. Bench pressed your own weight 068. Milked a cow 069. Alphabetized your records 070. Pretended to be a superhero 071. Sung karaoke 072. Lounged around in bed all day 073. Protested something you feel strongly against 074. Scuba diving *075. Got it on to “Let’s Get It On” by Marvin Gaye 076. Kissed in the rain 077. Played in the mud 078. Played in the rain *079. Gone to a drive-in theater 080. Done something you should regret, but don’t regret *081. Visited the Great Wall of China 082. Discovered that someone who’s not supposed to have known about your blog has discovered your blog 083. Dropped Windows in favor of something better 084. Started a business 085. Fallen in love and not had your heart broken 086. Toured ancient sites 087. Taken a martial arts class 088. Swordfought for the honor of a woman 089. Played D&D for more than 6 hours straight *090. Gotten married 091. Been in a movie 092. Crashed a party 093. Loved someone you shouldn’t have *094. Kissed someone so passionately it made them dizzy 095. Gotten divorced 096. Started an office war 097. Gone without food for 5 days 098. Made cookies from scratch 099. Won first prize in a costume contest 100. Ridden a gondola in Venice 101. Gotten a tattoo 102. Found that the texture of some materials can turn you on 103. Rafted the Snake River 104. Been on television news programs as an “expert" 105. Got flowers for no reason 106. Made out in a public place 107. Got so drunk you don’t remember anything 108. Been addicted to some form of illegal drug 109. Performed on stage 110. Been to Las Vegas 111. Recorded music 112. Eaten shark *113. Drank an entire 6 pack by yourself *114. Gone to Thailand 115. Seen Siouxsie *116. Bought a house 117. Been in a combat zone 118. Buried one/both of your parents 119. Shaved all of your hair off *120. Been on a cruise ship 121. Spoken more than one language fluently 122. Gotten into a fight while attempting to defend someone 123. Bounced a check 124. Performed in theatre 125. Read - and understood - your credit report *126. Raised children 127. Recently bought and played with a favorite childhood toy *128. Followed your favorite band/singer on tour *129. Created and named your own constellation of stars 130. Taken a bicycle tour in a foreign country 131. Found out something significant that your ancestors did 132. Called or written your Congress person 133. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over 135. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge 136. Sang loudly in the car, and didn’t stop when you knew someone was looking 137. Had an abortion 138. Had plastic surgery 139. Survived an accident that you shouldn’t have survived 140. Wrote articles for a large publication 141. Lost over 100 pounds 142. Held someone while they were having a flashback 143. Piloted an airplane 144. Petted a stingray 145. Broken someone’s heart 146. Helped an animal give birth 147. Been fired or laid off from a job 148. Won money on a TV game show 149. Broken a bone 150. Killed a human being *151. Gone on an African photo safari 152. Ridden a motorcycle 153. Driven any land vehicle at a speed of greater than 100mph 154. Had a body part of yours below the neck pierced 155. Fired a rifle, shotgun, or pistol 156. Eaten mushrooms that were gathered in the wild 157. Ridden a horse 158. Had major surgery 159. Ridden on a passenger train 160. Had a snake as a pet 161. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon 162. Slept through an entire flight: takeoff, flight, and landing 163. Slept for more than 30 hours over the course of 48 hours 164. Visited more foreign countries than U.S. states *165. Visited all 7 continents 166. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days 167. Eaten kangaroo meat 168. Fallen in love at an ancient Mayan burial ground 169. Been a sperm or egg donor 170. Eaten sushi 171. Had your picture in the newspaper 172. Had 2 (or more) healthy romantic relationships for over a year in your lifetime *173. Changed someone’s mind about something you care deeply about 174. Gotten someone fired for their actions 175. Gone back to school 176. Parasailed 177. Changed your name 178. Petted a cockroach 179. Eaten fried green tomatoes 180. Read The Iliad 181. Selected one "important” author who you missed in school, and read 182. Dined in a restaurant and stolen silverware, plates, cups because your apartment needed them 183. …and gotten 86'ed from the restaurant because you did it so many times, they figured out it was you 184. Taught yourself an art from scratch 185. Killed and prepared an animal for eating 186. Apologized to someone years after inflicting the hurt *187. Skipped all your school reunions 188. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language 189. Been elected to public office 190. Written your own computer language 191. Thought to yourself that you’re living your dream 192. Had to put someone you love into hospice care 193. Built your own PC from parts 194. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn’t know you 195. Had a booth at a street fair 196: Dyed your hair blue 197: Been a DJ 198: Found out someone was going to dump you via LiveJournal 199: Written your own role playing game 200: Been arrested ====================== 1. I have self-mutilated before. 2. I still love the song Dragostea Din Tei 3. I used to like New Kids on the Block 4. The 80s was funny. 5. I have realtones enabled on my cellular phone. 6. Public bathrooms scare me 7. I have keys on my belt 8. I’m not wearing a belt 9. I hate writing 10. I hate reading 1. I love compilation CDs 12. My favorite teachers have all been guys 13. I think Bad Religion’s only been around for ten or so years 14. I don’t know who Bad Religion is. 15. I don’t wear my hood unless it’s raining 16. I enjoy smaller clubs rather than big ones 17. I’ve put a song on repeat for more than 8 hours 18. I have sound on my computer  19. Someone wants my hiney. 20. My mom loves Elvis 21. I have my own computer 22. I live on the east coast 23. My favorite animal is a kangaroo 24. I’m on vacation 25. I don’t own a pair of ripped jeans 26. I am very insecure somewhat 27. I love to dance 28. I curse way too much. 29. I choose the pansy way and star out my curse words (f*ck) 30. I feel dumb because I was just called a pansy 31. I have a flatscreen computer 32. I collect something. 33. I’m married 34. I won’t date someone who’s smaller than me smaller, as in also shorter? 35. Brass knuckles are the shit. 36. I own a hand puppet 37. I write with blue pens 38. I wear eye makeup almost every day 39. I wish I lived somewhere other than here 40. I don’t own a band shirt. Not yet anyway.. 41. I love techno. 42. I have my nipples pierced 43. I’m shitty at wrapping presents 44. I know someone in the KKK 45. I’m racist/anti-semitist. 46. I don’t know what those mean. 47. I love life most of the time 48. I have posters all over my room 49. I’ve never been a camera whore with someone.. And I want to. 50. I’m halfway done 51. I wish I lived in the 80s 52. I know what the term borgie means 53. I’m interested in social hierarchy. 54. I love music videos. 55. I have a DVD player 56. I’m drunk right now 57. I’m listening to music 58. I have a big screen TV 59. I have an STD 60. I know the singer of the Clash’s name 61. The only IM program I have is AIM 62. I skateboard regularly 63. I live on the north side of town 64. I have been to Alaska 65. I’ve worn a cowboy hat 66. I watch late night infomercials for retarded, unnecessary things 67. I LOVE DOING THE DEATH GROWL TO MY FAVORITE METAL SONGS. 68. That last question was dumb. 69. I know what the word “peligroso” means in English 70. I speak another language fluently 71. I’ve been in a limo 72. I own a bong 73. My lungs hurt 74. I know someone who’s committed suicide 75. I’ve got a six pack and I don’t need you! 76. I know what band sung the above line 77. I like strong boys. 78. I’m sick right now 79. I know someone who’s currently enlisted in the army 80. I do not own a color phone 81. My birthday is in September 82. I hate mall cops 83. I hate most cops in general 84. I’m wearing blush 85. I live in an apartment 86. I’m still in high school. 87. I own something from Victoria’s Secret 88. I don’t know a boy that wears girls pants 89. I’ve had the same best friend since I was 8. 90. Brownies are my favorite 91. So is cake 92. I’ve heard the song “Looks Good in Leather” 93. I own some sort of propaganda, fake or real 94. I deny the Holocaust happened 95. Kisses are my favorite sign of affection 96. I need to charge my phone 97. My purse could pass for a suitcase 98. I take birth control 99. I only buy what’s fashionable

1. I love bolding 2. I know someone named Mimi 3. I hate my old best friend 4. My favorite alcoholic drink is Jack n Coke 5. I have a digital camera 6. I’m talking to at least one person online 7. I like watching college basketball 8. I have never moved. 9. I have at least one cat 10. I have at least one dog 11. I’m going to see a movie tonight maybe 12. I make my own AIM icons 13. I’m in pain 14. I watch more than five shows a day 15. I love the Cure 16. My parents like some of the same music I do 17. I have never been to the dentist 18. I listen to the radio 19. I do my own laundry 20. I’ve made at least one article of clothing 21. I have/want something on my face pierced 22. I go to at least one concert a week 23. I’ve written a story 24. I’ve dyed my hair every color of the rainbow 25. I own a Grand Theft Auto game 26. My favorite pattern is camoflauge 27. I know someone who does/did cocaine 28. I have too many game systems 29. I love scary movies 30. I hate scary movies 31. I’ve had sex more than 5 times 32. My favorite chips are Lays Original 33. I think butter is unhealthy 34. I hate the Osbournes 35. I used to have dreadlocks 36. I need to take medicine for something 37. I suffer from insomnia 38. I speak ebonics 39. I’ve gambled 40. And won 41. I have at least one gay friend 42. I like going to pet stores 43. I own a dog toy 44. And I don’t have a dog 45. I own more than ten candles 46. I’ve smoked a cigarette in the shower before 47. I’ve flunked a class 48. I listen to music every day 49. I have more than one nickname 50. I wear pajamas when I feel like it 51. I’m wearing more than one jewelry item 52. I haven’t washed my hair in a week 53. I watch the Grammy’s every year 54. Along with the Macy’s Parade 55. My favorite season is winter 56. I have seen the All American Rejects live 57. And I’ve enjoyed it. 58. Boobs are nothing special 59. I go swimming at least once a week in summer. 60. I have a pool. 61. I’ve gone skinnydipping 62. I’ve played strip poker 63. And lost 64. I want a nautical star tattoo 65. My cell phone turns off when it’s charging 66. And it pisses me off 67. I used to buy my entire wardrobe from Hot Topic 68. I’ve been to albinoblacksheep.com 69. My favorite subject is History 70. And/or math 71. I am a republican 72. I am a democrat 73. I listen to the Used occasionally 74. I have been to the Warped Tour 75. I am part Mexican 76. I am part German 77. All of my grandparents are still alive. 79. I love bowling 80. I know that there is a South Park, Colorado 81. I love Dairy Queen 82. Sometimes I think I’m crazy 83. I own a Moffatts CD 84. I own a Backstreet Boys CD 85. I want plastic surgery 86. Operation, operation, snip and tie, snip and tie 87. I know what song that line is from 88. I have killed something [bugs!] 89. I’ve never had a Nokia cell phone 90. I’m never sarcastic 91. Light eyes turn me on 92. I have never been to a foreign country 93. I don’t eat enough 94. I own illegal weaponry 95. I know someone who has overdosed on something 96. And lived to tell about it 97. I don’t own a pair of mittens 98. I love the heat 99. I’ve never had a steady boyfriend/gf 100. I want to makeout.

[hylian-champion]

Link’s Letters, the last Champion’s Diary

The first few entries are old / posted before but I decided to post them all together in one place anyway!!

        Aryll,

        I know I haven’t been able to see you for a while. I hope this letter makes up for it. People look at me differently lately. They treat me differently too. But I don’t feel any different. Am I different to you too? … Is it because of that sword?

        They say I’m the reincarnation of the hero of legend. As such, it is my duty to fight and win against the beast that threatens Hyrule.

        That hero… he was said to have tremendous courage. He must have in order to face such a terrible demon. If that’s the case, I don’t feel like a hero either. But I’ll try. I’ll keep up a brave face for everyone’s sake. Though, honestly, I’m terrified…

        P.S. Don’t tell dad I said that.

        I met the BIGGEST Goron today. Though I can’t tell what’s bigger: him or his appetite. I never knew Gorons ate rocks either. Weird. He offered me to try something called ‘rock roast’ which is apparently a local delicacy on Death Mountain. It’s… crunchy.

        Daruk is a very warm and friendly soul. It feels like you could have known him for ages when you’ve only just met. I really like him, and the Gorons in general. They’re pretty straightforward people. Incredibly strong too. Daruk seems to think I’ve got Goron-like strength as well. Maybe if I eat more rocks I could be as strong as him one day.

        It’s been so long since I last saw Lady Mipha. I heard that she was the one chosen to pilot Divine Beast Vah Ruta. To imagine her on the front lines of this battle… I was hoping to talk her out of it.

        When I arrived she told me about a Lynel on Polymus Mountain that has been terrorizing the Zora with its shock arrows. If you didn’t already know, those arrows can be deadly to the Zora. So I set off straight away to deal with it but Mipha… she followed me. Despite how dangerous I insisted it was, she wouldn’t turn back and we argued. I never knew she could raise her voice like that. The Lynel must have heard us and got the jump on us from behind. I took an arrow or two to the back though I didn’t actually feel it until after the monster was long gone. I’m alright, though, don’t worry.

        Having Mipha there… her support means a lot to me. I don’t know what I’d do without her.

        Today we have all been formally appointed as Champions. After the ceremony, I wanted to see those relics—the Guardians—up close. They’re meant to help us in our fight against Ganon, and… I have to say I’m glad they’re on our side. One of the ancient machines went out of control and started shooting a deadly beam at anyone who came close to it. I only had a pot lid to reflect its attack, but it worked!

        The king saw what happened and wanted to have a word with me. I thought he was upset because I broke one of the relics meant to save us…

        As if being a Champion wasn’t enough, it seems your brother is now the princess’s appointed knight.

        I should feel proud, shouldn’t I? It’s a great honor…

        The princess and I have arrived at Rito Village. I bet you would love the Rito. They resemble birds, though I don’t think they bear any relation to your cuccos. It may be rude to ask.

        Oh, but I did get to talk to the Rito Champion, Revali. Or… more like he talked to me and flew off. I can’t help but feel he looks down on me for some reason. Maybe it’s because of his height. Or that he spends a lot of time in the sky. You would have no choice but to look down on people from up there.

         If I were up there, I would never look down. For the most part because I’d just get terribly dizzy from the view. Do you remember when one of your birds got itself stuck on top of that old flagpole? I never want to climb anything like that again for as long as I live.

        We set out for Goron City today. The princess is intending to help Daruk with his control over Divine Beast Vah Rudania. It’s really quite admirable how determined she is. When she sets her mind to something she’s so focused on it, it’s like I’m not even there… Or, rather I get the feeling she wishes I wasn’t. Maybe I’m overthinking it?

         Still, the first time she addressed me, she wanted to know about the sword. Of course. The old legends say there is a voice that’s supposed to guide the chosen hero. She asked if I could hear it. I didn’t know what to tell her. So I said nothing. But I imagine she already knew the answer… She must despise me.

        It was nice to see Daruk again. I wanted to ask him for some advice about… you know. Turns out he needed some help too. His control over his Divine Beast has been a little… rocky. Honestly how can a big guy like that be so hesitant? All he needed was a little push to get the boulder rolling. Now, his handle over Rudania is rock solid.

        By the way, the postman can’t carry a whole rock roast all the way to Hateno for you. I asked. But I got you another Goron specialty: Goron Spice! Try it with some Hylian Rice and Goat Butter. It’s delicious!

         I always had the feeling that the princess hated me, I just never realized how much she did. I don’t know what to do. She does everything she can to get away from me, even travel alone despite the dangers. She’s made it very clear that she does not want my company, and yet it’s still my job to protect her. I can’t disappoint the King.

        But… I can’t stand being the reason she’d put herself in danger in the first place. I guess I can’t do anything right.

        I can’t ask Lady Urbosa for help. I mean, you make a very good point, Aryll. But what do I tell the longtime friend of the Royal Family? ‘I lost the princess… again!’ She’s way too smart for me to keep up. She does everything in her power to avoid me. And, worse, she’s really good at it.

        Though, I suppose if she keeps abusing Gerudo Town’s laws to separate us, the one person who has any way to address it is the Chief of the Gerudo…

        I hate when you’re right.

        It’s been days. I’ve searched every corner of this desert for the princess. Lady Urbosa said if she saw her she’d send word immediately. I get the feeling she knows exactly where she is. At least I hope so. The Yiga Clan has been all too active lately. But if she stays with Urbosa, then I know she’ll be safe. I just have to trust her. 

        Until then, I’ll stay close by at the Bazaar to keep an eye on things.

        That reminds me I got you something. There’s a lady in Gerudo Town who makes all kinds of jewelry from circlets to earrings to pendants—don’t ask me how I got it—but I hope you like it.

        Urbosa sent word last night that she’d found the princess but today, just like that, she was gone again in an instant. By the time I caught up to her I was almost too late.

        She’s safe, now. A little shaken up, I think, but unharmed. Though this all started because she tries so hard to avoid me. I think… Tomorrow I should tell her… If she would rather have another knight accompany her, then I will send in my resignation to the King. Regardless of the shame and disappointment that will come with it. If my job is to protect her, then I have no other choice than to leave. She should be a lot happier with whoever ends up my replacement. Less inclined to run away too.

        She… apologized… for everything. I think I get it. The princess carries such a heavy burden, and she does it with her head held high. She’s working harder than all of us to stay ahead of this prophecy. She’s so brave. I wish I could be more like her in that regard. 

        I could fight anything from lynels to hoards of moblins, but when it comes to… speaking… There’s so much I want to tell her. I’ve made up my mind, I’m going to try.

        P.S. Maybe I should offer to cook for her? I could make her grandma’s famous pumpkin stew! Do you think she’d like it?

        Zelda is staying at the Castle today to further her studies. With the whole royal guard there, she granted me some time off. This time I know it’s not just to get rid of me. I’ll be home soon, but I hope you don’t mind… I made a quick stop at Zora’s Domain to see Mipha. She took a look at that scar from the attack on Death Mountain and healed it right up.

        Out of the blue, she started telling me about the namesake of Divine Beast Vah Ruta. Apparently it’s named after a Zora princess and one of the legendary sages from an age far older than the Great Calamity. Legend has it she fell in love with the Hylian hero of that time.

        Do you think my past life married a princess? I can’t imagine.

        We got caught in a rainstorm by Lake Hylia.  

        I’ll be honest. I used to hate this destiny stuff. But… sharing it with Zelda the Princess isn’t so bad. As long as we have each other, we can face anything.

        By the way… How is father doing?

        Is it wrong to butt heads with the King? I guess that’s a very stupid question. Of course it is. It isn’t my place to interfere and yet… You have no idea how much I wanted to say something today. To stand up and tell him he’s wrong.

        Can they throw a Champion– a “hero of legend” in jail for speaking out of turn? I don’t know why that should even stopped me. I really am just too much of a coward.

        It’ll be Zelda’s birthday in a couple days. She’s working harder than ever to unlock this sealing ability. The day she turns 17 she’s heading straight for Mount Lanayru without even a moment’s rest. 

        That’s right, you’re coming to Castle Town with father, aren’t you? It’s a national holiday, but the one person who doesn’t get the time off to enjoy it is the one who needs it most. Maybe meeting you will cheer her up before we head out to the Spring of Wisdom. I’m counting on you! I’ll see you soon.

Love, Link

[siderealxmelody]

More Info on Titans

If you both don't want to read any of this the tl;dr is Apollo is everywhere and has his hands in many things. 😅 @sigynofficial @loki-of-asgard-god-of-mischief

They were a peaceful people who worshiped their ancestors and lived in small tribes. The tribes traded with each other and frequently intermarried.

Their home planet of Zeter was a rocky mountainous landscape with canyons and valleys. Much of their livestock grazed in these small valleys but Titans lived up high in mountainous caves.

It was too dangerous to stay in the valleys at night. Because of their lifestyle they were built strong and brand shouldered.

When The Shedim (Jinn/Asgardian) came upon them they offered them money to become their soldiers in their wars.

The Titans while adept at fighting refused, they fought only when it was needed. They refused to kill in cold blood.

The Shedim didn't like that answer and enslaved and colonized the planet. They carefully mapped out those favored by The Titan gods and bred anyone else.

Eventually the Titans revolted and made the Shedim flee.

But by this time their planet had become a wasteland so they settled on the earth planet they'd been placed on.

The one who lead them was named Alveus and he was descended from the royal line. Though the Shedim vowed to leave that line alone, they eventually began to subsume that as well.

Alveus wad bloodthirsty and wished for more, to help free other colonies of their kin. The other Titans grew wary of his power and banished him.

His brother Attero later fled to a remote satellite moon to avoid persecution. Alveus mate Ferus fled as well, she promised Alveus to meet again. She needed to stay safe for the child growing inside of her.

She came to a satellite bar that offered her sanctuary. It existed in its own pocket dimension and was apparently invite only.

She stayed there till she heard Attero's signal to come home.

Alveus was persuaded to come home, to rule their people. Attero had never wanted that responsibility but Alveus was always so good at it, he'd be wonderful leader.

Daisy Johnson hated this idea and refused to allow this to happen. She threatened to kill them all and said Alveus was a threat to all Titans.

Before any of this could happen Apollo came to earth, and gave Alevus a seat on their council. He recognized Titans as their own people and wished to reconcile their people.

The only stipulation was that Alveus and his kin not help the Wisps in their uprising.

Alveus was torn he remembered how good it was to be free, to finally plan his own days. But he didn't want to drag his people into another drama.

He finally agreed under the condition that Shedim help restore Zeter to what it once was.

Apollo begrudgingly agreed. He warned Daisy to not go through with her vendetta as it would only hurt her in the end.

His patron had allowed him to see the future and her son and Alveus daughter would unite the Titans together.

@armandlucienduval - I am loving Agents of Shield

@continuingthefamilyname - Ah! Poor Wisps

@ckingsbury1967 - also I bet Apollo only got involved because Cearl told him if he didn't find a way to get the Titans off of the human colony Cearl would declare it an act of war.

@candy-addicted-angel

[spideyspoods]

Promises

Pairing: Steve Rogers X F!Reader

A/N: I posted this and edited to add some tags and it deleted the ENTIRE (tout) the text. screw you, tumblr. Anyways I hope you enjoy this as much as I enjoyed writing it!

Warnings: Endgame spoilers & angst!

Word Count: 2,129

Masterlist!

Part One!

Part Two!

--

The minute each of them pressed the glowing blue button, they floated through the quantum realm. Admittedly, Y/N thought it was quite beautiful; blurs of blue and red circles whizzed past as they traveled at lightspeed. Beyond the beauty, she couldn’t quite shake the fear off her shoulders. Missions were never easy or safe, she knew that. But the realm itself was open. It spanned for who knew how long until you drift off into nothing.

It seemed that in an instant, they’ve reached Morag. Isolated and gloomy, a red beam of light was blocked by the dark clouds looming overhead. Rhodey looked over to Nebula, uneasy. “You’ve got this. Now go and kick some alien ass.” Y/N winked. Over his shoulder, Rhodey muttered, “Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.” Both of them stepped foot on the rocky terrain and the remaining three still on the Benatar swapped positions. “Sorry, Y/N; Elders in the front.” Clint said as he dashed to take the passenger seat. Defeated, Y/N buckled up behind Natasha as she swiftly input the coordinates for Vormir. The ship trembled with turbulence once they sped through the universe at the speed of light.

“Looks like we’re a long way from Budapest.” which earned a chuckle from Nat. For the amount of times they’ve referenced it, no one truly knew what it meant. “What the hell happened in Budapest?”

The trio touched down on Vormir and it wasn’t any more welcoming than Morag. “With all of the alien invasions, you would think each planet would be crawling with them.” Y/N said. She stepped out of the spaceship and her sole of her boots slid amongst the mounds of sand. Natasha scoped, looking for the soul stone and ultimately pointed to the top of the only mountain on the planet. “Doesn’t look so bad.”

“Famous last words.”

It seemed like an endless trek to a summit that didn’t even exist. As they continued climbing upwards, it started to snow and the temperature dropped. At the top, each of them stopped to catch their breath. “Bet the raccoon didn’t have to climb a mountain.”

“Technically he’s not a raccoon.” quipped Clint. Y/N rolled her eyes, “You know her point, Barton. Let’s get this over with-”

“Who comes here?” A strained, hollow voice whispered. Like second nature, all of them pointed a weapon and turned. A ghostly figure floated in the air, a black cloak covering its features.

“Natasha, daughter of Ivan. Clint, son of Edith. Y/N, daughter of-”

“Let’s skip the pleasantries, shall we? Who are you?” Y/N stated rather impatiently. The figure seemed to drift closer.

“Consider me your guide. To you and to all who seek the soul stone.”

“Great. You tell us where it is and we’ll be on our way.” Natasha’s gun was still aimed at it, unwavering. Stepping out of the shade, it’s gaunt features sent a chill down her spine. With red skin and no flesh, it seemed to ring a bell in Y/N mind. She had remembered Steve mentioning Red Skull a few times, but wasn’t he already dead?

“If only it were that easy.”

At a slow and haunting pace, he stepped forward and gestured towards a cliff. Y/N shared an uneasy look at the two of them, feeling her heart drop to her stomach.

“What you seek lies in front of you, as does what you fear.”

“The stone’s down there.” Clint joined and looked down to the black abyss below.

“For one of you. In order to take the stone, you must lose which you love. An everlasting exchange,” he announced “a soul for a soul.”

Moments later, Natasha sat on a boulder deep in thought while Clint stood still. On the other hand, Y/N paced back and forth. “Maybe he’s joking, wouldn’t be the first time we’ve been played.”

“No. Thanos went here with his daughter and left without her.” Y/N turned around, grasping for anything. She couldn’t lose either one of them.

“Maybe it was just a coincidence, Nat.”

“Well I’ve never come across a coincidence I’ve liked.” She stood up as Y/N took a shaky breath. “Whatever it takes.” she echoed Steve’s words from moments ago, the weight of it all finally setting in. The pieces clicked together in Natasha and Clint’s minds and rushed towards the younger Avenger. “Y/N you can’t-” Clint grasped for her hand but she shook it off, “You can’t either! They can’t lose you, either of you!” she blinked away her tears before they could fall “The original six, there’s no way I’m letting you do it. Part of the journey is the end, isn’t that what Tony said?” Shaking her head, she defiantly stepped closer to the edge. “Y/N stop!”

“Your journey is just beginning, Y/N.”

“Clint, you have a family. Nat, you can finally find the peace you deserve. Safety. Home.” To that, the woman with red locks looked down, not being able to meet her gaze. Y/N had always been special to her. While they joked around, Y/N was always there for her no matter what. Clint held his head up. Ever since the day she joined them, he took her under his wing and made her feel at ease. He considered her one of his children, and he couldn’t possibly imagine saying his jokes to no witty responses anymore.

“What about Steve? You can’t leave him like this.” At the sound of his name, she stopped walking. Her heart ached, knowing that they’ll never reach their happy ending; but maybe happily ever after never existed. She thought back to their conversation just over a week ago, how they would reside in a small cabin in the woods and watch their children run around. She knew he would have done the same thing in her shoes. Maybe they were both reckless. It brought a somber smile on her face, to remember her last conversation with him.

“Wait for me?”

“I will.”

“Tell Steve to take all the time he needs. I’ll wait for as long as he wants.” with a teary eyed smirk, she composed herself.

“No! Y/N!” and she ran off the ledge, without looking back.

Present Time

With the press of a button, all of them were back in the Quantum Tunnel. Scott raised both his arms in the air and cheered, “Hell yeah! We did it!” shortly before everyone noticed someone was missing. Steve looked to his right, where Y/N should have been standing. Empty. “Clint, Nat? Where’s Y/N?” His blue eyes tried to find some answers in theirs, but to no avail. Clint dropped to his knees and Nat spoke barely above a whisper, “she’s gone.”

Hollow. That’s how Steve felt. He thought he knew what pain felt like; deep cuts and hits that would leave a mark on his skin. But through the entire century he had lived, he had felt nothing like this before. Steve felt absolutely shattered, depleting anything of his energy remaining dedicated to letting his anguish out on a few punching bags. Sometimes, he’d avoid walking past her old room in fear of reliving the times they spent together, not okay with the fact that they were nothing but mere memories now. He would grimace at the irony that he helped people cope with their pain, when it seemed that he lost any idea on how to. He heard a soft knock on his open door and he didn’t bother turning to check who it was. He found a photo frame perched atop the dresser. It was taken at the first ever Stark Gala they attended as a couple. Each of them smiled wider than ever as they looked into each other's eyes. God, he missed her.

“Steve, I miss her too.” Natasha sat on his bed, right next to him. His eyes were glossed over and bloodshot, dark circles around his eyes. She knew that he wouldn’t say anything, he hasn’t for the entire day. “You know she wanted me to tell you something before she,” she coughed “sacrificed herself.” He lifted his head up a little over an inch while turning to face Natasha. “She said ‘take all the time he needs. I’ll wait for as long as he wants.’” and to that, Steve let a tear drop onto the glass frame.

After collecting himself back together again, he jumped straight back into the mission. Y/N died for this, and he wanted to honor her. He vowed to give her a proper funeral afterwards, once the world went back to normal. After Bruce snapped with the gauntlet, their goal was over; save everyone else. The clear skies only lasted for so long before each of them realized that Thanos’ army would resurrect and wreak havoc. Steve didn’t really remember what happened, or if it even did. In the moments he would fall down, he’d think about Y/N and stood back up again. From the corner of his eye, he could see Tony wielding the gauntlet. He achingly got back up on his feet, in time to turn away from a blinding white light that lasted for a few seconds. Around him, aliens were reduced to nothing but dust. Thanos looked at his defeat, before his ashes fluttered away. For the first time in a while, Steve smiled. Quickly, he took in Tony’s pale and lifeless face. Steve watched from a distance, not wanting to interrupt his last few moments with the people he loved. Pepper pressed a lingering kiss to his cheek before the remaining life in his eyes faded away.

Tony’s funeral was merged with Y/N’s. Each avenger paid their respects as wreaths dedicated to them floated above the still water. A photo of Y/N was displayed on top of the wooden dock. Steve remembered how much she hated the photo; she would say that it wasn’t her best angle, but he loved it anyways. Her eyes sparkled and her smile brought the sun to shame. Steve finally came to peace with it, he’d meet her again soon; he just knew it.

With a briefcase filled with stones in hand, Steve looked to Bucky. He had told him of his plans already and with reluctance, Bucky ultimately let him. It was the least he deserved. “Don’t do anything stupid ‘til I get back.”

“How can I? You’re taking all the stupid with you.” They shared a brief hug before Steve stepped back into the tunnel. “How long is this gonna take?” “For him, as long as he needs,” Steve suited up hearing Y/N’s voice echo in Bruce’s words “but for us five seconds.” Five seconds pass and he hasn’t appeared. Calmly, Bucky pointed to a bench where an old man sat. Tentatively, Sam approached him.

“Hi, Sam.” Steve’s hair went gray, and his voice grew old.

“So did something go wrong or did something go right?” Sam immediately took in the fact that there was a solemn smile on his face. “Well after I put the stones back, I thought maybe I should try some of that life Tony told me to get.

“How’d that go?”

“It was beautiful.” Steve slowly reached for the circular bag and unzipped it to show a shield, in mint condition. “Try it on.” Carefully, Sam held it on his arm but it didn’t feel right.

“Thank you, Steve.” He caught a glimpse of a glimmering object on Steve’s ring finger; a golden wedding band. “Are you gonna tell me about her?”

“No. I don’t think I will.” Sam stepped back to Bruce and Bucky, giving the old man space. From a pocket on the inside of his jacket, Steve pulled out a photo that yellowed over time. He looked upon the figures on the sheet.

Y/N and Steve with their two children in their arms, relaxing near a picturesque lake similar to the one in front of him. 

He smiled, remembering the promise they’ve made to each other.

--

Thank you for reading! Feedback is greatly appreciated, but not required! My taglist and requests are open! :)

Taglist (sorry if you got the notif again!) @editsbyjenny @fashionlive15 @straightforwardly

[damaless]

Instead Of Getting Hit, Don't

Chapter Six: A Good Night's Rest

Being killed by his father never gets easier. He comes back shaken to the core every time. The only bright side is that he inevitably arrives back at the House before his father, so he can openly accept comfort from Izuku.

Once, victory had seemed to be within his grasp. He'd fought with everything— everything he had; he'd been blessed with the power of All Might, Selkie, and Recovery Girl, and he had managed to drive his father to his knees. It had seemed like— he had seemed to be on the brink of death.

But then his father had stood back up. More powerful than ever. Attacked Shouto with renewed vigor. Until Shouto had nothing left.

He’d floated there in the pool, tears streaming down the sides of his face and mingling with the blood, until Izuku had waded in and pulled him out.

“Maybe he can’t be beaten,” he’d whispered into Izuku’s shoulder.

Since then, demoralizing thoughts have swirled in his mind incessantly. Relentlessly.

Maybe his goal is simply impossible. But his mother had escaped, somehow — maybe his father hadn’t been able to bring himself to kill her.

Maybe he had… loved her.

But she’d still left. Left Shouto, too, before he had even been old enough to remember her. Maybe Momo had it right — maybe his mother hadn’t… wouldn’t love him, even if he did manage to find her.

Maybe she doesn’t want to be found.

And when the Olympians find out that his reason for escaping isn’t really just to join their ranks, maybe they won't want him, either.

“You know, I have a lot of experience talking to people who have just died,” Izuku says, carefully, after Shouto’s most recent resurrection.

“Uh-huh,” Shouto says, raising an eyebrow.

“And I can't imagine it's good for someone to die over and over again like you've been doing.” Izuku twists his mouth, brows drawn together in sympathy.

Shouto sighs. “Are you telling me to give up?”

Izuku shrugs. “I know better than to try that. But you could take a break, at least? Get yourself, I don't know, more centered, or something.” He puts a tentative hand on Shouto’s knee. “Seems like your nerves have been little bit frayed, lately.”

Shouto rolls his eyes. “Oh yeah, know any good spots to relax around here? Maybe a spa?”

Izuku sighs. “You could try sleeping, for once. How long has it been?”

Of course Izuku would suggest sleeping.

Shouto busies himself picking at the skin around his fingernails. “I'm not sure. I don't remember. It's not like I need to, anyway.”

Izuku nudges him under the chin, capturing his gaze. “Have you slept at all since you learned of your mother's existence?”

“Does losing consciousness due to death count?” Shouto blinks slowly. His eyelids are just so heavy. Everything seems so distant, suddenly. He yawns. Izuku’s eyes are so green.

“No,” Izuku murmurs, at the edge of Shouto’s awareness. “That doesn't count.”

***

Shouto inhales sharply, opening his eyes to darkness. He's tangled up in something. Had he died again? No — he's not immersed in blood. He's… comfortable? He's in his bed. He's tangled in his blankets.

“Please don't kill me, Shouto,” Izuku says, in the darkness. “I mean, I know I would just come back, but still, I'd rather not go through all that.”

Shouto sits up and squints, pushing his blankets down to his waist and willing his eyes to adjust. “Izuku?” Sleep has made his voice raspy. “Why would I want to kill you?”

“You were just so tired. You really needed to sleep.” Izuku takes on a vague shape in the dark room, and Shouto reaches out in his direction.

“You used your powers on me?” Shouto makes contact, and Izuku grasps his hand gently, squeezing a confirmation.

Something about having Izuku here with him in the dark is making his heart race. He tamps down the impulse to tug on Izuku’s hand, pull him closer, lie back down with him. He shakes his head to clear the fog — he must still be disoriented from sleep.

“Shouto…” Izuku starts, after a few moments. “If— if you decided to stay, maybe…” He trails off, falling silent again.

Maybe what? Shouto blinks. Izuku sighs heavily.

“I'll bet you can beat him now, after a good night’s rest,” Izuku says, too cheerily, and apparently abandoning his previous thought. Something's off.

“Good night's rest… It's always night, here. How long was I out, really?” Shouto frowns. “Is Endeavor back? What if he finds out you're in my room? It's not safe for you here, Izuku.”

“I have a— a good feeling about the next time you try,” Izuku says, voice wavering. He— sniffles? “Remember: instead of getting hit, don't.”

He releases Shouto’s hand. “Goodbye, Shouto.”

“Wait, Izuku—” Shouto stops. The room is empty, now. The vague shape of Izuku is gone. His sudden absence is painful, hollow.

He's nowhere to be found in the House, either.

***

Instead of getting hit, don't.

Instead of getting hit, don't.

Instead of getting hit, don't.

He makes it all the way to his father again. He borrows the powers of the gods. He brings him to his knees, again.

His father stands up. Shouto could scream in frustration. Instead, he doesn't. He takes a breath, refocuses.

And then next time he brings him down, he doesn't get back up.

“If you… leave,” his father wheezes, “you can… never… return.” Coughing wracks his father's hulking body, wet with the blood in his lungs.

Shouto strikes the final blow with all the fury of a thousand deaths.

He won. He won! He actually did it; took down the Lord of the Underworld!

All it had taken was a little bit of sleep. He can't wait to tell Izuku that he'd… been… right.

Oh. Right.

His chest hurts.

His mother. He'll find his mother. He has to. That's why he did all this in the first place.

***

The living world is so big. The land sprawls out — rivers, plains, mountains, ocean — with no end in sight. And it's so bright — it's hard to keep his eyes open against the relentless assault of the sun. How can the Olympians stand it? How can the mortals stand it?

He doesn't… he doesn't have any idea where to start searching for his mother.

A mountain, looming huge even in the distance, catches his eye — Olympus. It must be. All Might and all the other gods had said he would be welcome there, but if he tells them his true purpose, will they be willing to help? Would it turn them against him entirely? They are already inherently suspicious of the ‘denizens’ of the Underworld; they may not take it well if they interpret his lie by omission to be equivalent to active deception.

But with no clear goal in mind, wandering the land is unlikely to be fruitful. The mountain, with its overwhelming domination of his field of view, makes an appealing target. He'll have to take his chances with the Olympians.

He just needs to wait until he's healed enough to make the journey — he hadn't made it out of the fight with his father unscathed. Far from it.

In the meantime, he finds a suitable little cave — dark enough to feel like home, and lights a fire. His flames aren't as powerful as his father's, but they'll do for something as simple as this. The flickering of the firelight against the walls is much more comfortable on the eyes than the flaming monstrosity in the sky.

He leans his sword against the wall of the cave and huddles close to the fire, shivering. He hadn't exactly been able to bring along an abundance of supplies. There's weather on the surface, and it's cold. Really, really cold. He's lost a lot of blood.

Can he die of starvation? Hypothermia? Infection? What would happen if he did?

His father had said he could never return — had he meant that literally, as in his dying will no longer result in returning to the House? Or is he just no longer welcome there? Would he end up in Erebus, awaiting judgement like a mortal soul?

Is he mortal now? No — his father couldn't change the fundamental nature of his being, no matter how much he might want to… could he?

If he dies… will Tokoyami come for him? Or would he just… cease to exist? He shudders.

He should try to get some sleep. He lays down on the cold, rocky floor of the cave, and closes his eyes, wrapping Inko’s shawl around himself.

The ache in his chest returns. Sleep finds him immediately.

Read this chapter on Ao3

Read from the beginning

[fableweaver]

Arc of the Bastard Mage

*Back on track

She sat under the shade of a sycamore tree, the summer shade dappled and the tree whispered with the wind. In her lap sat a flute carven of green stone, intricate work that made it a master piece. As she gazed at it she felt a longing for something she couldn’t quite grasp.

“Grandmother Rane,” she turned and looked down at a young child at her side. He was Aldan his ears pointed and hair a pale blonde. His face and features were so youthful he almost seemed to glow with it. His bright indigo eyes burned with color, like the twilight sky.

“Absalom,” she said kindly. “Do you know what this is?”

She handed over the flute to the child who took it with reverence though no obvious idea of what it truly was. He was her grandson, her future and the future of her kin. She could see his power in his eyes; his spirit was strong and burned almost as brightly as her own.

“No,” he answered puzzled.

“It is a singing stone,” Rane said kindly to him. “It can call back our lost kin, the Phay to this world.”

“Can I keep it?” he asked excited. Sadly she took back from him shaking her head.

“The outlanders are growing in power,” Rane said sadly. “Your great uncle Rena my twin is taking it to our long distant kin They Who Delve Deep. There the stone will be safe until the world is ready once more for the Phay to return.”

“When will they march?” Absalom asked with the solemn eyes of a child.

“I fear not for a long time,” she answered wearily. “Miread is in much turmoil and I do not foresee a time where peace will reign.”

“Then I will make peace,” Absalom said. “So that the Phay will return.”

She smiled at him, the smile of an adult indulging a child in his fantasies. Absalom then took the flute to his lips and began to play broken notes with no melody. She fell asleep to the garbled notes and the rustling leaves of the Deep Woods.  

Xavier woke to the sound of gurgling and dripping water. For a moment he could not remember where he was, lost a moment in the dream. It came back slowly and he woke enough to sit up. The cavern was a natural hollow formed by the tides, there was only one way in or out through the pool of water at the far end. At the moment the cave was dark except for the slight glow from the mage children.

Xavier stood and knelt next to the children, all asleep in a big pile on the large carpet. In the middle lay Martel, her ambient glow just a bit brighter. Xavier had never thought a mage capable of such power; she had saved his life with a miracle. He still felt a mix of guilt and pride at the thought of her saving his life; and he decided to let pride rule over guilt. Not that he had much to do with it, but he felt proud of her.

A soft splash of water drew his attention and Xavier turned to see Keone floating in the pool. He stood and walked over, but dared not brave the icy water. Keone swam up and he pulled her up on to the rocky lip over the water.

“I have brought food,” Keone said producing the bucket he had given her to collect muscles. “Do I get a kiss?”

“Of course,” Xavier said used to the ritual now. He gave her a kiss on the lips, neither small nor overly long. She smiled winningly all the same and he wondered at her for a moment. “Keone, do you love me?”

“Of course!” she laughed.

“Only me?” Xavier asked.

“No, I love many others,” Keone said with a grin. “There is Akoni, he is of my kind, and Kaleo, he is a sailfish that I had relations with just a few tides ago. And then…”

“Alright I get it,” Xavier said, deciding not to ask how she had gotten along with Kaleo. “But you keep coming back to me.”

“You are fun Xavier,” Keone said. “But I never abandon those I love. I go to Akoni tomorrow we are to swim in moon beams under the sea. You do not grow heartsick over this do you? Lokelani says that human men can be strange with love.”

“No Keone I’m alright,” Xavier said. “I just didn’t know Merrow women were so free with their love. I wanted to make sure you were alright.”

“Thank you,” Keone said beaming. “You always say nice things Xavier.”

She gave him another kiss and slipped back into the water. Xavier could only shake his head as he walked back to the little camp they had made. It was little different than the one they had in the roost, except a bit more damp and dark. Xavier walked past several gnomes, ignoring the little creatures as they ignored him.

He drew a fire sigil in the fire pit; they had no wood in the cave, and set the bucket of muscles over the sigil to cook. He sat back on his heels as he waited, staring at nothing lost in thought. His dream lingered at the edge of his memory; he knew it had been something important, something he needed to recall.

“Xavier?” the sound of his name broke his concentration and he turned to see Lycus awake. He had healed from his broken bones and cut and once again moved with the ease of youth. He detangled himself from the other children, pulled on his tunic and joined Xavier by the cooking muscles.

“Did you sleep well?” Xavier asked and Lycus nodded.

“You?” Lycus asked.

“I dreamed, but I can’t remember it,” Xavier answered.

“Was it a nightmare?” Lycus asked.

“No, I’ve had plenty of those,” Xavier said lowly. “This one I want to remember.”

“Can you remember any details?” Lycus asked. Xavier tried to think of anything from the dream, concentrating on the feelings he had.

“Trees, I think I was in a forest but…” Xavier trailed off, his breathing coming heavier. “I’ve never been in…”

Details started to surface, the sound of the wind through the canopy of leaves, the smell of the loamy soil, and two solemn indigo eyes looking up at him. He had called him something, Grandmother Rane.

“Rane!” Xavier said remembering something else suddenly at the name.

“What?” Lycus asked.

“Rane, She Breathes Deep,” Xavier answered. “She was Absalom’s grandmother. When I was in Myr a while ago I was in the Tower of Balal, the greatest library in the kingdoms. I was just browsing the books, but one had been her journal. She mentioned a treasure, a song, passed down through her family by their ancestor Eileen. She wrote that her brother took the song to the Dwarves in the northern mountains.”

“So the song is there?” Lycus said.

“Maybe,” Xavier said shaking his head. “That was centuries ago, over seven hundred years since it was before the Kingdoms formed. But my guess is the song resided in Alda until that time, Rane sending it away with her twin brother to the mountains. Only I don’t know if it reached it there. The Cursed Age of the kingdoms was a chaotic and dangerous time; it could be that he never reached the mountains.”

“So what are you going to do?” Lycus asked.

“Continue dreaming,” Xavier said. “That dream I had, I was Rane. I think she is one of Eileen’s incarnations. If that is true then that means that I just gained a memory from one of my past lives. Not only that but Rane had contact with the song after all that time. Kalyani said that I will be drawn to the song. I bet that I’ve encountered it through my past lives, and so if I gain those memories back I can find out where it has been and where it might be.”

“Does that mean we won’t be going to Myr?” Lycus asked and Xavier looked at him to see the boy looking disappointed.

“No, the opposite,” Xavier answered. “It means we are definitely going to Myr. I found one clue there but it is centuries old. We need more recent information, and we may find that in the Tower of Balal. My memories tell me some but not enough.”

“But what if the song did make it to the dwarves?” Lycus asked.

“I’ll tell Kalyani to send griffins to the northern mountains,” Xavier answered.

“Kalyani is outcast like the others,” Lycus said.

After the fight that had nearly claimed his life they had barely escaped with the aid of the griffins that were sympathetic to the mage children. Unfortunately, none of the Elect were among them. Kalyani and the group of Griffins, Raja, Shankar, Vasu, and Kavi along with ten other griffins had been declared outcasts by the Elect. Kalyani had told Xavier that Anik had lived but he would never fly again, a terrible blow for any griffin. The Long Talons were debating on choosing their new leader since Anik was too injured to lead them.

Kalyani had managed to get them to this sheltered sea cave a few leagues away from the Broken Isle, and with the help of the Merrow they had food at least through the winter. The outcast griffins, now calling themselves the Wild Braves as if they were a new clan though they were a mix of all the types of griffins, were roosting on the island above them. There was little shelter there as it was a windswept bare rock, but Kalyani said they could endure it for the winter. Xavier and the mage children however could not, so they had taken shelter in the submerged cavern the Merrow had found for them.

“Kalyani said that Yama has at least met with her on occasion,” Xavier said. “I’m sure she can get him to at least consider sending griffins to the mainland and investigate the mountains.

“Once the winter storms are over Kalyani assures me she and the other griffins can fly us to Myr. Then you’ll get to see what has become of the mages.”

“What then?” Lycus asked and Xavier hesitated. “Xavier you’re our savoir and guardian, but we deserve to know what you have planned for us.”

“I wasn’t planning on staying in Myr,” Xavier answered. “I have enemies there and if they caught me death would be a mercy. So, we won’t be able to stay there long.”

“You can’t stay there long,” Lycus said. “But what about us?”

Xavier looked at him in the eye to see his red eyes burning.

“If I could leave you with a mage family that would adopt you and love you as all of you deserve I would,” Xavier said. “And I am sure such a family exists, one that wouldn’t be seeking elevation simply because of your power. But Lycus I don’t know who they are. There is no way to be sure I’d be leaving all of you in good hands. Only time would tell me that and time is something I don’t have the luxury of.

“After Myr I was planning on going to Alda where my father’s people live. They will take you in if I ask it of them, and there I am sure you can at least be safe until the world gets its footing again.”

“Why?” Lycus asked bitterly. “Why do you trust the Aldan more than the Dridians? You said you’ve never met them.”

“That is probably why,” Xavier said with a sad smile. “I know the mages all too well and what they are capable of. I could leave you with a kind family, but most likely it would not be a powerful family. Once other mages learn of your power they will all want one of you for their own. Not because they love you for who you are, but because you can sire children of power and elevate their house in political standing. Those powerful ones, the cruel ones, will take you from the kind ones. I’ve lived in a cruel house; you do not want that Lycus.”

“And the Aldan won’t do that?” Lycus asked, but some of the sting was out of his words.

“No, because they don’t seek power like the mages,” Xavier answered. “In all sense of the word, they don’t seek power in the High Magic, in the Elder Magic, or in any political power play. They have withdrawn from the world into their forest. I know you won’t be fully accepted there; I’ve heard that the Aldan have only been accepting to other Aldan. But they won’t abuse you like the mages will.

“It isn’t forever Lycus, once the Phay march and the kingdoms are stable again you can go wherever you please.”

“The world will never be stable Xavier,” Lycus said cynically. “It will never be safe, and you know that.”

“You’re right,” Xavier said after a moment. “Fine, then once you reach eighteen you can go where you please. The same for the other children. But no matter what age you are you can come and ask me for help any time you need it.”

“Then you can do the same with us,” Lycus said with a grin.

“Thanks,” Xavier said dryly and Lycus chuckled. “About the Phay marching, what do you think of that?”

His chuckle died and Lycus grew pensive again, he was thinking seriously but Xavier sensed he wasn’t displeased.

“I don’t remember the island at all,” Lycus said. “Martel said she hardly remembers it anymore either. I just remember the adults always being afraid and sad. I never actually saw Atlas, but my mother told me terrible stories about him and the monsters he made. So, when we were alone, trapped with the monsters our parents told us stories about, I was afraid.

“Then you came and said they weren’t monsters. I could see it too, how Kavi was like us just as scared but trying not to show it. It was like all the stories evaporated for me, all the terror of those unknown monsters, and I was free. To us they were the unknown dark terrors of the night, but then you brought them into the light and we saw they were nothing but big kittens. I’ve never experience anything so wondrous before, even the High Magic couldn’t compare.

“So now you’re telling me there are just as many new and different creatures waiting to come back to the world? I can’t wait. I’m no longer afraid of them because I know all I have to do is get to know them and they won’t be scary anymore.”

Xavier stared at Lycus feeling over whelming pride and a sense of accomplishment then.

“I did that?” Xavier asked.

“You did,” Lycus said smiling at him. “And I hope I grow up to be like you someday.”

Xavier felt a blush at that and turned to the bucket of muscles which was boiling now. He took it off the sigil, busying himself with the task to hide his embarrassment. Lycus had started to turn to wake the others but Xavier stopped him.

“Lycus,” Xavier said and the boy turned to look at him. “You’re a far better man than me. Thank you.”

Now Lycus blushed and he nodded to him as he went and woke the others. The children woke and joined Xavier by the fire sigil to eat. Xavier finished his meager share first and stood.

“Where are you going?” Martel asked.

“Out to talk to Kalyani,” Xavier said. “And to look at the weather.”

Martel nodded as he left, though she looked like she wanted to follow. Xavier noticed Lycus lean close to her then, her light getting a bit brighter as he got close to her. Xavier smiled a bit, leaving Lycus to fill her in on their conversation.

He walked to the pool and slid in, gasping as the cold water closed over him. He didn’t bother undressing, he had stripped his work clothes of the mage enchantments. He dove under the water and swam for the light he could see. Just before he could surface he saw someone waving at him. Xavier looked to see Keone in her Merrow form, her great green tail making her move fluidly in the water. Next to her was a male Merrow, Akoni Xavier guessed.

The two waved at him before circling each other and swimming off into the dark water, Keone chasing Akoni. Xavier shook his head and surfaced, gasping for air. He pulled himself out of the surf and onto the rocky island. The island was bare of even trees, a great finger of rock reaching up towards the sun. In the lee of this finger Kalyani and the other griffins had taken shelter.

They had made about five big nests with rocks and other debris in which they could curl up and sleep together. This offered them some protection from the sea winds, but it wasn’t meant to be a permanent place for them. Xavier cast a sigil to dry his clothes; glad he had learned the sigil from the books they had gotten from the mage ship. He walked towards the griffin camp only to duck quickly as a shape came hurtling at him from the air.

“Xavier!” Kavi screeched as he landed in a gangly pile of limbs before righting himself. “Good morning!”

“Good morning Kavi,” Xavier said used to the young griffin’s enthusiastic greetings. If Kavi was bothered by being exiled he didn’t show it, though his parents had stayed behind in the roost. “Is Kalyani awake?”

“She is,” Kavi said following Xavier. Kalyani had become Elect now of the Wild Braves, though she seemed to dislike becoming leader. Their band was almost evenly dispersed with two of each from the clans of the Griffins accept the Long Talons of which there were three. Raja had been joined by a couple, Nila and Jaidev. Nila was a sea eagle breed with a great large beak, unlike Raja and Jaidev who were both crowned eagles.

Besides Kavi there was an older Feather Tail Griffin by the name of Nagendra, he was a serpent killer so Kalyani had told him and revered warrior of the Griffins. Vasu had been joined by a female Griffin called Sati who was a peregrine falcon mix. Kalyani was joined by a Bone Eater called Reva. Reva was a condor griffin, her head covered in fine gray fuzz that made her look older than she really was. Shankar was joined by Durai, a snowy owl griffin whose entire body was white except for the black spots covering his wings and coat.

There were two Wise Wing Griffins, Rishi and Arjun, two brothers who were the oldest ones here according to Kalyani. The two Marked One Griffins were unrelated, Esha and Lila, but both were young females that had latched onto Kavi as their plaything. Esha was a goshawk while Lila was a sparrow hawk, both stripped as was their kind. Xavier wondered if the Griffins could breed between their tribes, he hadn’t seen any couples that were not of the same tribe.

He walked up to Kalyani’s nest and ignored Esha and Lila as they squealed and pounced towards Kavi. Kavi fled with his ears against his head and tail feathers tucked in, the two females in hot pursuit. Kalyani only shook her head at their antics.

“Good morning,” Kalyani said as she stood and stretched like a cat.

“It looks like it,” Xavier said looking to the sky. The day was clear; they had been storm free for almost a week now as spring was starting to take hold slowly over the northern sea. It was just after the equinox, a day of power so Kalyani said thought they hadn’t celebrated given their current residence.

“We will be ready to fly soon,” Kalyani said following his gaze to the sky.

“About that,” Xavier said and related to her his dream. “I’d like to travel to the dwarves to see if they have the song but I doubt it made it through the kingdoms. All the same contact should be made again between the Phay that are still here in Miread. I was hoping you’d have a word with Yama about this.”

“I would and I am sure he would listen,” Kalyani said. “But the other Elect will not listen to him. They know he has been talking to me. As an Elect he has this right to choose to talk to us, but he has said he has lost some of his voice in council when it comes to us.”

“I see,” Xavier said frustrated.

“Anik has recovered from his wounds but he will not fly again,” Kalyani said. “I fear Mahavir has been chosen as his replacement. He was one of the Griffins in the front lines against the ghost people; he lost an eye to one of their spells before he killed seven of them. He makes Anik seem levelheaded when it comes to the ghost people.”

“Do you think he was one of the Griffins that attacked Martel and Lycus?” Xavier asked.

“He was seen with a wound on his left shoulder after the attacks, so Yama told me,” Kalyani said gravely. Xavier seethed with rage, but quickly suppressed it. It was that rage that had nearly killed not only him, but his comrades as well. He had to learn to control his temper, he didn’t mind if it led to his death, but he had more lives to consider now than just his own.

“No doubt he has ordered a hunt for us,” Xavier said.

“Yama and Indira have managed to stave that off,” Kalyani said reassuringly. “But their blood is high for a fight now.”

“All the better reason to get them focused on something else like going to the dwarves,” Xavier said. “If only they would listen.”

“They may listen to you,” Kalyani said, and Xavier looked at her surprised.

“After what I did, they would want to eat my liver,” Xavier said.

“Martel interfered and broke the sacred law of battle,” Kalyani said. “A good thing she did, and I do not fault her for it. She is not a warrior but a healer, and it is the duty of healers to stop the bloodshed. You fought valiantly and the Griffins still hold some respect and awe of you. They won’t attack you on sight, and you might get a few words in through their thick skulls.”

Xavier wasn’t sure he wanted the respect of the Griffins, yet he felt a glow of pride at the thought.

“Alright you win,” Xavier said. “It will give me the chance to stretch my wings.”

“Want me to come along?” Kalyani asked.

“No, all of you have been declared exiles,” Xavier said. “The punishment of your return is death if I recall. I wasn’t charged with anything.”

“Only because you are Eileen and of a different kin of the Phay,” Kalyani said gravely. “Just because I said they won’t attack you on sight doesn’t mean this is a safe trip.”

“I know that Kalyani,” Xavier said. “I’ll be careful don’t worry.”

Kalyani’s ears flattened against her head and her eyes narrowed, her tail lashing showing her irritation. Before she could say more Xavier stepped away and let the aether wash over him. In the months of their winter exile Xavier had learned the Elder Magic at a frightening pace, the aether came to him so naturally it was like breathing.

In a matter of heartbeats, he had woven a skin of aether, picturing a bird form. He stepped into the skin and found himself in the skin of a giant osprey, three times the size of an ordinary osprey. Kalyani snorted unimpressed as Xavier took to the air. He lacked the natural elegance granted by a creature that lived its entire life in one form, but he took to the sky just fine. The skin had its own natural rhythms which Xavier had learned to listen to in order to control the body he wore.

He flew out over the sea, turning north. It was a short flight, only an hour, to the Broken Isle. The Griffins seemed to tolerate this distance, only because they knew the exiles would soon leave when the winter had passed. Xavier flew over the isle getting the literal bird’s eyes view of it. His vision had improved with the skin and he could see with the distance of an eagle’s vision. Looking down into the bowels of the roost he could see the Elect had gathered.

Unable to resist the dramatic entrance and the chance to ruffle the feathers of the Elect, Xavier dove. He dropped like a stone, his heart racing as the ground rose towards him at an alarming rate. He dove through the roost entrance and startled several flying griffins, aiming for the conclave of the Elect. A meeting had gathered, a number of griffins gathered around the Elect.

Xavier spread his wings, when his decent had slowed enough and he was close to the ground he stripped off the bird skin, landing gracefully in the middle of the meeting. The Elect cried out in surprise, wings flaring and heads turning at his sudden appearance. Xavier stood calmly regarding the Elect; his arms crossed over his chest.

“Xavier!” Jaya said flaring her wings. “Do not just charge into our meetings!”  

“Easy Jaya,” Indira said calmly and looked at Xavier. “So what has brought you here Xavier?”

“Do not think you are welcome here,” Mahavir said snidely. Xavier looked at the griffin, he was bulky and muscular, his one eye his distinguishing feature. “We only tolerate your presence among us because you are the only one to help our kin march.”

“Eat horse shit you over stuffed turkey,” Xavier growled and Mahavir stared at him agape. “I came here to tell you I had a dream of one of my past lives. In it I saw the song, it was being sent to the dwarves in the Weir Mountains.”

“Then go get it,” Mahavir said flaring his wings.

“What Mahavir is saying is that now you know the location of the song you must go find it,” Indira said smoothly.

“I know what he was saying,” Xavier said still glaring at Mahavir who glared right back at him. “I do not know however that the song is there. My dream happened centuries ago and in a time of political upheaval for the lands of men. There is no guarantee that the song reached the dwarves. I feel I must continue to try and regain more of my memories to see if I can locate the song more accurately. Or if that fails to search through records and legends of men and gage what they know of the song.”

“Very little I would doubt,” Mahavir answered.

“And you who are Phay don’t know anything,” Xavier said his voice rising.

“WE were sealed away for millennia because of those ghost people!” Mahavir shouted.

“Enough,” Yama said in a papery voice, waving his great wing in a gentle sweep as if clearing away unwanted dust. “I tire of this bickering. What did you come here to say Xavier?”

“That I think it wise you go to the Weir Mountains and make contact with your kin the dwarves,” Xavier said. “You’ve gotten together with the Merrow and Selkie, but they are not able to travel inland like you can. The Phay will need to stand together if they are to aid the Elder Phay in the march. Checking on the status of the dwarves is imperative.”

Silence reigned for a moment, only broken by the slight slap of Mahavir’s tail against his stone perch. At last Manisha spoke.

“We will take your recommendation to heart and bring it to the Merrow and Selkies for their consideration as well. Until a decision is made we will stay here.”

“That is at least something,” Xavier said frustrated, but knowing that was all he was going to get from them. “But don’t spend too long making up your minds about it. I thought you were warriors, those who charge ahead into battle instead of sitting around in laziness.”

Mahavir lost his temper then, hissing viscously and leaping to his feet. Xavier stepped into his bird skin before Mahavir could pounce on him, taking to the sky. Thankfully Mahavir did not follow; Xavier feared what a griffin could do to him in the air. He flew up into the sky feeling free in the sea wind. He caught a thermal and floated there among the sylphs who rode the wind like he did.

He flew to the mage ship then; the craft was still trapped as it had been since he had first seen it. They had long since taken what they could from the ship, but Xavier knew there were still many more enchanted objects and books that needed to be preserved. The enchantments on the ship that he had renewed would work to preserve them, now all he needed to do was protect the ship from the griffins.

They had yet to try and cause harm to it, probably because they were unaware of any of the power that resided in it. If they ever learned of that power, or if Mahavir chose to act petty in light of Xavier’s taunts, they would use their wings to tear away the sigils that protected the ship. Since Xavier could not use the High Magic to seal the ship, he decided to set and Elder Magic ward.

Warding seemed to be the one device the two magicks had in common. High Magic often had seals to keep something in just as much as wards to keep something out; Elder Magic had the same principle. Warding in the Elder Magic however was much different than the High Magic. Setting a protective ward in the High Magic was easy. A mage drew the power to them, wove it into a sigil, and set it around what they sought to protect. Most sigils worked that way; it was the lettering and formula of the sigil that determined what the sigil was meant to do. Once a Mage knew and learned a certain sigil and its formula they could form it. Errors would result in the sigil failing to work, or in some cases the power to explode out of it.

Xavier had learned with the Elder Magic that the act of commanding the power itself was different for not only every art, but every undertaking of an act of casting. So flying around the ship now he had to be creative in how to set a ward around the ship. Most wards of the Elder Magic needed to be anchored to the earth; this made them stable and resilient to the passage of time. That wouldn’t work here since the ship was exposed to mostly the sea and wind.

Soaring around the ship Xavier had an idea then, the wind. There were many rituals to forming wards of the Elder Magic, in order to form the aether to a specific purpose a caster had to perform a ritual to set their mind in the right order. The aether would then take on the will and intent of the caster, protecting what they desired to protect. Wards of both magicks could be made to let some elements in and keep some elements out, or they could be entirely exclusive. The High Magic did this with lettering, the Elder Magic did this with ritual.

So Xavier began the ritual of one ward of a high level of protection. If he were on the ground he would have started by drawing a circle which was the basic ritual for all wards. Since he could not draw the circle he began by circling above the ship. He set his mind to the ship he was protecting, those he was defending it against, but most of all he set his mind and will to the wind.

The Wild Kin were simply spirits that had manifested out of particularly powerful elemental lore of earth, wind, water, or fire. There were still the basic powers of the elements that could be tapped into and commanded by a witch with Elder Magic with the control of the aether. Xavier let the aether flow into him and empower his will to command the winds.

The winds were slow to answer; they were strong here over the sea and open air. It took Xavier ten cycles to get them under his control and set in the ward, but at last it was complete. He flew back to observe his work. Though little could be seen he could sense the change in the air as the winds blew about, nothing was going to be able to fly to the ship now. Sylphs also floated on those winds; their eyes sharp as they rode the circular path that Xavier had made.

Earth wards depended on walls often, but sometimes they depended on the very vibrations of the ground to deter people and animals from entering the ward. The wind now blew to keep any flying creature away, much like a wall of wind.

Xavier nodded satisfied and turned his beak back towards their refuge. He arrived back to find not much had changed, other than the time of day.

“How did it go?” Kalyani asked and Xavier told her after he stripped off the bird skin. He couldn’t talk in animal form, though he had learned to understand certain animals when they spoke.

“Good, I also set a ward around the mage ship, using the wind,” Xavier said.

“A ward set in anything, but the earth is impressive,” Kalyani said. “I’ve only seen such things from when the Phay were in high power. You are improving.”

“Yes, but at what benefit?” Xavier asked. “I still can’t sense the song, and what good have I done with this power? Every time encounter a battle, I resort to my fists instead of the power inside of me.”

“Maybe that is because Eileen was never a warrior,” Kalyani answered. “You have been formed into it through your life, but maybe in all your past lives you had a peaceful existence. That is why it is hard for you to use your powers in combat, because the nature that it is drawn from only has the experience of peace and healing. This is not a bad thing Xavier; this power could be misused greatly. I believe you are wise enough to know that.”

He only sighed and ran his hand through his hair.

A few days later had seen enough clear skies and warm winds that they decided it was time to set to wing and head for the coast. The mage children were brought out of the cave with the help of the Merrow, as well as their things wrapped in sigils to protect them from getting wet. When they had first decided to fly to the mainland, they had been presented with the problem of how to go about it.

They had tried a griffin towing a magic carpet behind them, but this resulted in Xavier being thrown off the carpet and having to transform midair into a bird. It had actually been his first time managing the transformation, he offered nothing but sympathy to the Griffins who were sometimes taught to fly by being tossed off cliffs.

Xavier had turned to the one material the mage ship had in plenty, sail cloth. He was amazed at the sigils woven into the great swaths of canvas, sigils of wind and speed. They were sails that had carried ships across oceans no one thought capable of crossing. He had thought of trying to make a ship or maybe a kite out of the material, but multiple experiments soon yielded the same results as the magic carpets.  

So, then they had tried harnesses made from leather straps gathered from the mage ship. This worked, but the Griffin’s feathers ruined any of the sigils the children wore. Since they needed a lot of the magical items that they wanted to bring they were left with the problem of how to transport them. Xavier found that when wearing his bird skin, he had a similar effect on sigils as a Griffin’s feathers, but not as strong. The touch of the skin of aether often caused the sigil to become corrupt, no longer functioning as it needed to or even ruining it beyond repair. Even sigils covered by something else that wasn’t enchanted, like canvas or leather, were corrupted or ruined.

To everyone’s surprise an old cooking pot had proven the solution. Xavier had brought back the pot to use for their usual meals. One day while cooking above ground as she sometimes did, Martel had shouted at Kavi to be careful of the fire sigil she had drawn to boil water. Kavi’s wing had brushed the pot and sigil under it, but the sigil had remained intact and Kavi’s feathers unharmed.

It turned out that iron was the solution. A sigil protected by iron could not be cut, damaged, or corrupted though Xavier had no idea why. So, he had the children melt down cook pots gathered from the mage ship using sigils, and then he forged them using tools from the ship as well. He made them into thin plates which the children then stitched into the lining of canvas bags.

The bags were attached to the harnesses they had made for the Griffins and filled with the books and other enchanted objects. They had to experiment a little with the weight and were forced to return some things to the mage ship when there wasn’t enough room for it all.

Xavier now stood out in the open sea air looking over the rag-tag group that he had somehow found himself in command of. Fifteen Griffins and thirteen mage children looked back at him. Some looked at him with hope, some with the simple trust of their young lives, some with admiration, some with interest, and some with the simple affection of friendship. Xavier smiled at them, feeling suddenly like a family with all of them.

“We are lost exiles,” Xavier said. “Our choices have brought some of us here, and some the choices of others. But we are here together joined by the desire to help those that need us and do what needs to be done to protect the world we live in. So as one, let us fly.”

With that he pulled on his bird form and leapt for the sky. Though he was a much smaller creature than the Griffins they followed him reverently and respectfully. They flew in a double skein, Xavier in the lead for a while until Kalyani took over as the lead wind breakers for the rest.

Xavier soared along with the other Griffins, feeling small in comparison to them. Yet it was much easier to fly in their wake, a boon to one who was not born to the wind. He wove between the Griffins checking on the children clinging to their backs. The children lay prone and strapped into the Griffins, yet all seemed to be enjoying themselves. Kavi and Nagendra were the only ones without passengers since they were the smallest, they just carried packs. Martel rode on Kalyani and Lycus on Raja, they had worked out which Griffin should carry which child by weight.

They flew for the whole day, Xavier flying between the griffins to make sure the mage children were all safe on their perches. They stopped for the night on an island little better than a spit of rock with a sandbar. The night was uncomfortable and in the morning,  spirits weren’t as high as when they had left. They flew for five days over the ocean, stopping at islands or rocks when they could. The fourth day saw no island and they were forced to fly on through the night, Shankar and Durai taking the lead through the night.

Dawn rose on the fifth day and on the horizon spread the dark line of land. The griffins all let out a cheer of relief at the sight and raggedly they flew for the coast. They landed on rocky cliffs among wind swept rough grass, Xavier quickly shedding his osprey skin. He shivered as it left him reluctantly; Kalyani had warned him that wearing an aether skin too long or often could change him into more animal than man if he wasn’t careful.

“Where are we?” Martel asked excited as she climbed off Kalyani.

“First see to the Griffins and help them out of their harnesses,” Xavier said. He hadn’t spotted any villages nearby so they had time to consider where they were without worrying about other people. Martel nodded and helped Kalyani out of the harness and packs she wore. Kalyani was panting, her beak agape as she took in great gasps of air. Once free of her harness she lay out on the grass and let her wings drop around her.

“You alright?” Xavier asked. She only nodded unable to answer verbally. Xavier went to help the other Griffins, the older of the children helping him as the younger stroked the Griffin’s in comfort.

“I think we should worry about food now,” Lycus said as he carried over one of the packs. It was full of smoked fish they had saved from the island. Xavier knew the Griffins could probably finish off the whole pack as they were, but he nodded.

“Go and get water from the sea and purify it,” Xavier said. “Feed the Griffins and help them rest, I’m going to go look around.”

He hurried off though his own muscles and fatigue called for rest. He went to a cliff that rose up over the sea and surrounding land stopping at the top to look around. At first all he could see were the cliffs spreading along the coast before it occurred to him to look inland. Sure enough he spotted a small village nestled in the arms of a dale in the middle of the grass swept hills.

“Do you know where we are?” Martel asked having joined him.

“No, I don’t think you understand how big the kingdoms are Martel,” Xavier said. “From what I read the island the mages came from was only a tenth of the size of Dridia. Dridia is the smallest of the Nine Kingdoms, or it was until Regis claimed half of Alda’s lands after the King’s Wars.”

“I don’t remember how big the island had been,” Martel said. “I only remember the Broken Isles.”

“Well those are even smaller,” Xavier answered. “A spit of land compared to the whole of the Kingdoms. It would take you at least a year to travel from Daun to Xin, and there are plenty of parts left undiscovered.”

He looked at her to see her eyes shining with both fear and anticipation.

“So, if you don’t know where we are what are we going to do?” Martel asked.

“I’m going to go over to that village and get information and maybe food,” Xavier answered. “Would you like to come?”

She nodded enthusiastically and they went back to the Griffins. He told Kalyani where they were going and left Lycus in charge of the children, though it looked like all the children wanted to come as well. Xavier set off at a fast pace over the sandy grassy ground, Martel struggling to keep up with his pace.

“Will I be able to understand the people here?” Martel asked. “I only speak Dridian.”

“Those translation amulets I made you translate everything,” Xavier answered. “But leave all the talking to me.”

He remembered then that the mages probably used those sigils all the time for themselves but had never sold them to others. It was one of the many petty ways they manipulated their powers to say useful.

They reached the village a few hours later, Martel breathing heavily though Xavier was barely winded. It felt strange to him suddenly walking back into civilization after being away for so long, it must have been even stranger for Martel.

The village was the typical Elmerian settlement, crude huts of turf and wood planks. The village had managed to only merit a post, not even an inn or Sect. The villagers were just coming out of their homes going about their chores and daily lives, all were Elmerian stock. Xavier walked along the main dirt road and the villagers stopped to stare at him and Martel. Xavier kept his hand off his sword but he made sure it was in plain sight as he led the way over to the post.

A few Rhodin wagons were sheltered by the post, their owners staring just as much as the Elmerians. Martel walked closely to him, looking around at the village wide-eyed. The post was distinguished by the tall steeple that stood over the small cabin, trade flags of various guilds flying in the wind from the flag pole. Xavier could smell the birds that roosted there, the sides of the tower stained white with their droppings.

Entering the cabin he was greeted with the earthy smell of grain and herbs. The space was full of trade goods from other kingdoms, grain and wool from Daun, Markian cloth and cheese, Nyrgardic furs and steel. Most seemed to be local produce and goods, but none told Xavier which Kingdom they were in exactly. The man at the bar was Elmerian, his face pudgy and skin swarthy.

“Greetings,” Xavier said in the trade tongue as he walked up to the counter.

“Greetings,” the man answered eyeing him with interest. Xavier first took out one of the blank silver coins and placed it on the counter but kept his finger on it.

“My mistress and I were blown off course at sea and I’m afraid we’ve lost our way a bit,” Xavier said. “Could you tell us where we are?”

“Mages, are you?” the man said looking at Martel.

“My mistress is a mage sir, but I am just her Aldan servant as you can tell,” Xavier said. “We left our party and boat at the cliffs so we could get directions back to Myr.”

“Well you’re just into Dridia,” the man answered nodding. “The border is only about a day’s ride to the west. If you follow the coast east, you should reach Myr in about ten days depending on the wind.”

“Thank you, sir,” Xavier said releasing the coin. The man took it and Xavier took out another. “We are also in need of supplies, food and meat.”

“The spring slaughter is in so there is plenty of meat,” the man said.

“Any fresh animals?” Xavier asked.

“I’ve a pig up for sale,” the man said.

“I’ll take that and what food I can carry,” Xavier answered. The man helped him fill a few bags with a couple of cabbages, potatoes, apples, onions, and some ears of corn. He also got some salt, herbs, and lard to cook with. Xavier also bought some trail bread and smoked sausages for the road. He paid the man in silver, knowing he was grossly over paying but he had silver to burn. He turned to Martel to see her examining a cloak of Daunish wool in amazement. “Mistress.”

She turned to him and he signaled her to follow him. Outside behind the post was a pig pen with several black and white pigs grunting around in the mud. The shop keeper caught one, tied a lead around its neck and it followed him out.

“The butcher is just down the way,” the man said.

“Thanks, but I know how to do it,” Xavier answered though he didn’t plan on butchering the pig himself. It was a medium sized pig but he hoped it would be big enough to feed the Griffins.

“Suit yourself then,” the man said as he shrugged. Xavier shouldered the bags and took the lead of the pig, walking back down the road with Martel hurrying after him.

“Should I take one?” Martel asked and he grinned at her.

“No, mages never carry things,” Xavier said. “Thank you for the offer, and I will take you up on it once we get out of the village. But right now the villagers would think it odd that you would carry anything.”

“Why does that matter?” Martel asked and Xavier laughed. He liked that she wasn’t like real mages.

He was so preoccupied with his burden however he almost walked into someone. He stopped in time, an apology on his lips when he stopped dead. The man was Elmerian, dressed in a dirty smock with a boil on his face. He was thin and Xavier didn’t recognize him personally, but he knew the signs of a Legionnaire of Kal Ba’el when he saw one. His blood ran cold as the man looked up at him with dark brown eyes.

“Watch where you’re going,” the man growled.

“Sorry,” Xavier said, lowering his eyes to seem less threatening. The man stared at him however, his dark eyes narrow.

“You’re Aldan?” He said puzzled. “Strange thing to see an Aldan outside of the forest now a days.”

Xavier could have lied, bluffed his way through it and kept going on his way. But he had already caught the man’s interest; he would report this sighting back to Tobias for sure. Xavier didn’t bother drawing his sword or dropping his burdens. He drew a dagger from his belt and stabbed the man in the heart before he could move. For a moment Xavier feared even that hadn’t killed him by the look of malice in his eyes, but then the man shuddered and fell to the ground dead.

“Run,” Xavier said lowly to Martel before he took off at a dead run. The pig smelling blood ran with him squealing. Martel followed a few moments later stunned as shouts followed them over the grassy hills. They ran for some time, leaving the road and heading back the way they came. At last they slowed to a stop in the lee of a hill to catch their breath.

“What was that?” Martel asked her eyes wide with terror. “You just killed that man for no reason!”

“There was a reason,” Xavier said dropping the bags. “I told you I have enemies and he was one of them.”

“He didn’t seem to know you,” Martel said.

“Not personally but I knew he was part of an order that is hunting me,” Xavier answered. “They call themselves the Legion of the Creed and worship an evil spirit as a god making human sacrifices to him. I recognized that man as one of theirs. He would have reported seeing me if I had let him live.”

He looked at her to see her staring at him in horror, the same look on her face that Zaire once had. Only Martel seemed afraid of him rather than Zaire who had seemed afraid for him.

“That man was evil Martel an evil far worse than Atlas,” Xavier said. “I know you only have my word for it, but my word is far better than you having to see it to believe it.”

She took several deep breaths and at last seemed to calm herself.

“You’re right,” she said at last. “I’ve trusted you this long, I should keep trusting you. I just never…”

Despite everything she had faced Xavier knew Martel had never seen anyone violently killed before her. All he could do was pat her on the head and shoulder his bags again. Martel took one and Xavier led the pig away from the tuft of grass it was inspecting. They arrived back to find the children and Griffins had made a little camp in the shelter of one of the hills. The pig nearly bolted when it saw the griffins, but Esha and Lila chased it down with enthusiasm.

“Thank you for the meat,” Kalyani said pleased, and then she noticed the look on his face.  “What happened?”

Xavier pulled her aside as Martel went to begin making dinner out of the supplies he had brought. He told her about the Legion and the man he had killed.

“Will they follow you?” Kalyani asked.

“The incident will be reported to several channels both legal and illegal,” Xavier said. “Since I never gave my name all they have is my description, which is prominent given I am Aldan. It will take some time however for the authorities to get word and just as long for the Legion to learn of it. The villagers will do nothing themselves.”

“Good, we have time to rest for the day and leave tomorrow then,” Kalyani said and Xavier nodded. She of course was taking this in much better stride, though something occurred to him.

“Kalyani have you ever killed?” Xavier asked. “I mean killed another thinking creature.”

“I’ve killed two other Griffins in battle,” Kalyani answered. “It is rare but it happens and our kind are built to deal with such things. But out of all here only Raja and Nagendra have also killed another Griffin. While we all say we are warriors few of us have killed others.”

“It is never easy is it,” Xavier said lowly and Kalyani sighed.

“No, it is not, but we know how to keep living in the face of death,” Kalyani said.

“Xavier!” Melissa shouted as she came running over with a steaming ear of corn on a stick, finely roasted. “This is so tasty have some!”

“Thank you,” Xavier said smiling at her as he took the corn from her. He took a bite as he started to walk over to the fireside.

“What’s it called?” Melissa asked. “I’ve never had that fruit before.”

“It’s a vegetable and it is called corn,” Xavier answered handing it back. “Eat up.”

She smiled at him and began munching on the corn oblivious to the darkness of the man that stood over her.

[vaguely-concerned]

McHanzo Fantasy AU

Jesse McCree/Hanzo Shimada, PG-13, 2 400 words

Heavily inspired by the art of @nickutried, in particular this post right here — please check it out if you haven’t already, it’s good stuff!

On AO3 

The dragon is watching the sunset as its twin lies curled up asleep next to it, letting out a low humming snore that sounds like nothing so much as a giant cat purring. When it spots Jesse it ducks its head in acknowledgement, a formal yet oddly cordial gesture.

Jesse tips his hat and takes up position next to a gnarled tree valiantly clawing for purchase on the craggy hillside. Beneath them the valley is dappled with golden light, patterns shifting as the sun goes down.

“Nice view,” Jesse comments eventually.

“Indeed. I trust you are well?”

The rumble of the dragon’s voice is like distant thunder in his mind, even as its mouth doesn’t move.

“Sure. Thanks for askin’.” Maybe he’s just going crazy but he thinks he’s getting used to the sheer size of them; having them towering in his peripheral vision has somehow gone from deeply unsettling to comforting over the last half a year or so.  

The dragon tilts its head as if in polite inquiry. “You two have seemed busy today. Is he still doing better?”

Now that they seem confident their master’s wounds will all heal they have dialled back on the mother henning, to Hanzo’s obvious relief, but they still grill Jesse about how he’s doing from time to time as if he is privy to something they’re not.

“Yeah, think so. He’s just finishin’ up some training stuff,” Jesse says, gesturing with a thumb over his shoulder towards the tent. “Apparently tossing me around like so much lint doesn’t quite cut it on its own.”

To be fair to himself it’s not like he’s really a pushover when it comes to the hand to hand stuff — he has survived enough bar brawls unscathed to prove that much, at least — it’s just that Hanzo seems to be made of different stuff than mortal men that way. Jesse has a sneaking suspicion that Hanzo considers him a sort of glorified free weight in these situations, but he can’t really say he minds. The sparring is nice, actually; it’s been a while and when you find him in the right mood Hanzo’s a surprisingly patient teacher. Never too late to pick up some new tricks.

(If Jesse has some less honorable reasons to not mind Hanzo pinning him to the ground with amused, fluid ease… that’s neither here nor there, and no one ever needs to know.)

“Have you decided where to go from here?”

“We’re looking to head north tomorrow. Mark seems to be tryin’ to shake us through the mountain passes, so we’re gonna cut him off half way.”

Considering that only one of the involved parties has the advantage of actual flying dragons… Jesse’s not too worried about this one. He’d almost feel bad for the guy, if he made a habit of feeling bad for men who have lined their own pockets by sending children to their deaths in unsecured mines.

It makes a vague sound — the dragons seem wholly disinterested in the details of any job beyond what’s needed to keep Hanzo safe. Jesse guesses that if he were a hundred feet long and could generally fit anyone trying to mess with him into his mouth in one chew he’d take the long view more too. “You are staying with us, then.”

Jesse clears his throat and rubs the back of his neck. “At least until the end of this job, sure.”

The dragon blinks its huge eyes at him with indulgent amused knowing. Jesse feels the tips of his ears grow warm and tilts his hat into his face slightly. Man, he needs to work on getting his poker face back in place.

“This is good,” the dragon says simply.

“Yeah, well.” He’s still smiling, though, doesn’t quite know how to make himself stop. Folding his arms over his chest he stands there a while soaking up the last warmth of the setting sun. The air is clear and sharp up here, like autumn’s making an early guest appearance.

He lights a cigar, trying to gather both the courage and the words he needs. As nice as all this has been — is, he supposes — he still doesn’t know the why of it, and it’s been bothering him.

Finally he says: “Y’know, I keep meanin’ to ask… Back there, when you found me. Why’d you choose me to help him, of all people? I’m hardly the kinda guy you reach for when you need a medic.”

The dragon takes some time to answer. “There was a recognition; there is something alike in you. You feel the same.”

“And how might that be.”

No pause this time, no need for deliberation: “Homeless.”

Jesse leans back against the tree, crossing his legs at the ankles and not looking away from the horizon. “...well.”

The dragon tips its head to one side pensively. “Does this surprise you?”

Jesse buys some time by breathing in a lungful of smoke and letting it out slowly. “No,” he says. “S’pose it doesn’t. Could’ve just asked me, though, instead of trying your claw at kidnapping.”

“Would you have said yes?”

“Well, I sure as hell almost said no after bein’ dangled by the scruff of my neck over twenty miles of rocky countryside, you might as well have given talking a shot first and gone from there.”

The dragon chuckles. It sounds a little like a jovial earthquake. “Your insight, as always, is most illuminating. I will take it under consideration for next time.”

“What, you got plans to snatch someone else? Lookin’ to replace me with a better model so soon?” He means it as a joke.

Lowering its head the dragon bumps its snout against his chest, absurdly gentle for such a humongous thing.

“No,” it says, gazing down at him. This close you can’t help but smell it, like the scent in the air just before a thunderstorm and the sharp used fireworks tang of magic.

Jesse tries to meet its eyes but has to look away — still, he reaches out and lets his hand rest on its head, hoping that says what he doesn’t know how to. The dragon closes its eyes and turns into the touch like a cat. An enormous, scaly, startlingly-hot-to-the-touch cat conjured out of inexplicable arcane forces. Brushing his thumb over the smooth blue scales he wonders again where the hell Hanzo comes from to have ended up here, this wealth of magic bound to him and full up with ghosts like a haunted house of a man. He’s seen enough to know it wasn’t anywhere good, but then that’s a safe bet for anyone living the way they do, drifting from place to place and job to job.

Everyone out here carries their own ghosts with them, yeah, but Hanzo seems uniquely loyal to his.

Jesse’s left hand looks less unnatural against the pattern of the scales somehow, like the metal could have grown into the shape organically instead of under a hammer. Perhaps he should’ve asked Torbjörn to add in some filigree or engravings or whatever when he’d had it made, soften up the look of it a bit.  

“Hell, what do I know,” Jesse sighs, letting his hand fall away. “Maybe kidnapping was the right call in this case. Not like anyone’s gonna miss me.”

“No?”

“No.”

Not now, and perhaps, in truth, never; for a while there he’d thought… well, easy mistake to make. Happens to the best of us. Half of them are dead now, anyway.

“He would. If you left.”

Jesse looks at his feet and doesn’t answer.

“He has been alone for a very long time,” the dragon says. “He has never let anyone stay before.”

An image flashes through his mind: Hanzo lying broken on the ground the first time he saw him, all that blood slicking the grass. Jesse flinches a little, shaking his head to make it go away. “He ever get hurt like that before?”  

“Never. Before this I had not even seen anyone land a blow on him if he did not intend them to. He closes off his mind and refuses to tell us why he let them…” The dragon trails off. “Hm. I suppose his reasons are his to share or to keep as he wishes. Perhaps you could ask him, though.”

Jesse snorts, scuffing his heel against the ground. “Sure, that’ll go over well.”

“Hm?”

“Listen, my ma used to tell me both that you don’t gamble with somethin’ you’re not happy to lose and that only idiots go around opening old wounds expecting anything but blood. Smart lady — never had reason to doubt her before.”

“Could one question really change everything? You think yourself so insignificant?”

…I don’t want to have to leave again. Not this time.

“I’ll think about it, how ‘bout that,” Jesse says. “If the… moment seems right or whatever.”

The dragon lets him off the hook, giving a thoughtful hum and gazing back out over the valley.

After twenty minutes or so Hanzo turns up, clearly having had a quick wash in the nearby stream, shirt carelessly open and his hair down, still damp and tangling over his shoulders — it’s grown out a bit in the time they’ve known each other. Jesse takes a deep pull on the cigar.

“Hello again,” Hanzo says as he reaches out to absent-mindedly stroke the head of the sleeping dragon, who stirs amicably and cracks one eye open. You can see the pink lines of the scars on Hanzo’s chest through the opening in his shirt when he lifts his arm like that, too raw for Jesse’s liking even now but still healing.

“Hey,” Jesse says, giving a little wave with the cigar. Hanzo glances at him from behind a curtain of dark hair, his mouth soft with a small smile — he always looks more relaxed after a workout, as if he’s managed to burn away some of that tight terse restlessness he carries himself with. Those first few weeks of bedrest must’ve damn near killed him, in hindsight. “All wrapped up?”

“Mhm. You two — we have a long flight ahead tomorrow. You are free to hunt the rest of the night,” Hanzo says, giving the dragon’s flank a friendly slap. “Be back before dawn.”

The newly awoken dragon gives an anticipatory shiver, and were it just a smidge less draconically regal and dignified you get the feeling an excitable ‘fuck yeah’ might enter the picture right about here. It uncoils itself, exchanges looks with its twin and then gives a blithe nod to Hanzo and Jesse before rising up.

They take off and as always it’s disconcertingly quiet — some part of Jesse’s brain is still trying to argue that nothing that massive should be able to fly, never mind so silently. One of them twirls in a loop in the air on the way up, seemingly in a simple fit of joie de vivre. Jesse chuckles.

“Someone’s about to have a fun night out, anyway.”

Hanzo gives a noise of agreement as he folds his arms and leans against the tree next to Jesse, close enough that Jesse can feel the warmth of him along his side. It’s a peculiar, delightful sort of torture.

“So long as they do not overdo it and get careless again. If we are set upon by another huddle of villagers with pitchforks and torches I will be less than pleased.”

“I dunno, being mistaken for an evil sorcerer was kinda flattering, in a way. A class above the stuff people tend to want to arrest me for on sight.”

Hanzo huffs. “If not for your quick thinking we might have had to fend them off by more direct means. They should have fallen to their knees and thanked you.”

“Hell, if everything could be solved so easily by settin’ off some fireworks and shouting a lotta mystical-sounding mumbo jumbo…”

Grinning down at his feet Hanzo gently bumps their shoulders together. “It was an inspired move, I grant you that. If… characteristically unorthodox.”

“And I’ll stop bragging ‘bout it when I’m dead, that’s the one fuckin’ thing I’ve gotten right in years.”

His shoulder feels warm for much longer than it should from the brief contact, his chest even longer from the sound of Hanzo laughing. They watch the dragons fly away until they’re just faint pinpricks on the horizon.  

Hanzo pulls his hair away from his face, the fading light playing over the silver at his temples. He shoots Jesse a look as he ties it back.

“Dinner?”

“Yeah, sure,” Jesse says, kicking away from the tree. “Let’s get some stew goin’. You cut the cabbage, I’ll do my best with the spice we got left, it’ll be good.”

Hanzo grins a little as he does up a few buttons on his shirt. “Mhm, no hunting for us until tomorrow. I fear our evening may have to be a little more mundane.”

“Guess we’ll just have to make our own fun,” Jesse says, feeling all blood leave his face as his brain hears what his mouth just said and in what tone.

“Perhaps if we drink for long enough you could even beat me honestly in a game of cards,” Hanzo says breezily, thankfully sauntering off like he hasn’t picked up on the innuendo Jesse hadn’t quite meant to slide in there.

“Hey, that’s lies and slander, I’ve won my fair share of rounds,” Jesse protests, scrambling to follow him when he throws a glance over his shoulder.

“Because you cheat.”

“Because I cheat,” Jesse agrees, slinging his arm companionably over Hanzo’s shoulder. “That’s half the game, the gettin’ away with it. Doesn’t get more honest than that. I could teach you some of the tricks of the trade, if you’d like, never know when you might need an ace or five up your sleeve.”

“Who could turn down an offer like that?”

When he’s honest with himself Jesse can admit that the way Hanzo’s eyes narrow when he laughs makes him want to go all in with a bad hand, even if he knows he should by all rights have folded and walked away from the table months ago. Amari had been right all those years ago; he never did figure out how to quit while he’s ahead. It can only be a matter of time before his bluff is called and Hanzo realizes he’ll always be more trouble than he’s worth — but, well. He’s not proud. He’ll take what he can for as long as his luck will let him.

“We’ll make a proper scoundrel of you yet,” Jesse promises, the twilight settling around them as they walk.

  Needless to say while Jesse’s freaking out about this, Hanzo lies awake at night staring up at the inside of the tent going ‘But how do I let McCree know how loved and wanted he is???’ haha, I am nothing if not predictably On Brand at all times  

I’m not sure yet if I’ll write more for this AU or not, I just wanted to write something inspired by nickutried’s art for such a long time! If I do end up doing it it’ll likely be a longer more involved affair so please don’t hold your breath, you WILL die and I can’t be responsible for that D:

[the-wheel-comes-full-circle]

New Fic! The Bargain

Thought I’d start another feysand fic, this one actually staying only a few chapters though! Not as light hearted as my other stuff, I really wanted to try writing an angsty fic so sorry if this doesn’t work out as well as I hoped.

Set after ACOWAR, an unseen threat forces the magic depleted inner circle to flee Velaris along with their high lord and heavily pregnant high lady. With Feyre’s newest bargain to Rhysand laying heavily on her mind when she goes into early labour.

“We need to keep moving.” Cassian said grimly, shooting an apologetic look at his high lord who had just readjusted his extremely pregnant mate against a tree.

“Feyre needs more rest.” Rhys insisted.

“Our inability to winnow means we can’t move quickly Rhys, whatever beasts have been unleashed on us now can’t be far behind.” Mor spoke softly.

Behind Rhys, Feyre heaved herself to her feet, her long flowy dress in shambles as it protruded over her rounded stomach. When Rhys made to help her she waved him off. “I’m okay, I can keep going.” She said, lightly kissing Rhys on the cheek when he looked about to protest.

“The smoke’s getting thicker. I can go scout out how much of Velaris was damaged?” Azriel asked, seeking his high lord’s permission to melt back into his shadows, back towards the pillars of smoke rising from their home. 

Rhys nodded. “See if anyone still needs help and evacuate them with us if you can.”

Azriel melted into the shadow of a nearby oak tree disappearing quickly. Flying had proven useless with their legion of Illyrians who had all been cut down quickly by some of the beast’s magic and they hadn’t dared try flying since.

Rhys turned back to his family, trying not to notice their various scrapes and bruises from the recent fight which nearly hadn’t allowed them to escape the city. “If we can get to the mountains and find shelter, we may be able to replenish our magic enough to send for help from another court, Tarquin would be our best bet.”

“What are we standing around for then? Let’s go.” Feyre said determinedly, setting off through the trees.

When Mor brushed past Rhys he grabbed her arm gently and whispered in her ear, “Watch Feyre. She’s trying not to let it show but she’s struggling. I can feel it through the bond.”

Mor nodded and went after her friend, wrapping an arm around her back as if to seek comfort, but Rhys could see Feyre gladly shifting some of her weight to his cousin as she stepped over a large tree root.

Cassian limped behind Rhys, being supported by Nesta who insisted Cassian needed help despite his grumbling protests that he was fine. His foot dragged along the ground as his thigh muscles were too ripped and damaged from a large gash to allow him to lift it or put weight on it properly. 

Rhys only remained grateful that at least Feyre’s other sister, Elain, had been away with Lucien at the time of the attack. Feyre was already stressed out enough over the fate of the Velaris civilians who hadn’t managed to evacuate in time, let alone the welfare of her closest friends and family.

Rhys had been so happy when Feyre had told him over a private dinner one night that she was pregnant, but now with all the danger they were in, Rhys couldn’t imagine anything worse. While Feyre had already reminded him several times mentally that she wasn’t due for at least a few more weeks, it didn’t stop him from worrying.

By midday the sun had reached its peak, hovering relentlessly over them. Sweat dripped freely from foreheads, down necks and backs. Feyre’s loud, and heavy breathing the loudest of them all. Mor had been joined by Amren in supporting Feyre the last hour when it became obvious that Feyre was weakening.

Rhys signaled for them all to stop. Feyre sank gratefully to the ground, not caring where she sat, beginning to massage her lower back.

“I don’t hear any sound of pursuit.” Cassian announced. 

“Not yet, you mean.” Amren muttered under her breath.

“We needed to stop anyway.” Rhys countered. “We’re still waiting to hear back from Azriel.” 

His friends looked at him knowingly as his eyes crept back to Feyre. Rhys made his way over to her and sat gently beside her, an arm gathering her to him. Feyre made a contented noise against his chest as he began rubbing small, soothing circles across her lower back.

Rhys knew that the extra weight of carrying their child hurt Feyre’s back and made her swelling feet ache, so he did his best to rub and massage the pain away for her at night, even if she tried her best to not complain, telling Rhys it would all be worth it in the end.

“I could always carry you?” Rhys asked delicately.

Feyre only huffed. “You need to save your strength in case...” In case whatever had destroyed half their city finally managed to catch up to them Rhys didn’t need to add.

“At least let me carry you for an hour?”

“Both me and the baby are fine, I promise. We can make it to the mountains in the next few hours if we leave soon.” Said Feyre. 

“What if Rhys just flew you there quickly, keeping low and out of sight?” Nesta asked.

“No.” Both Rhys and Feyre said in unison. 

“We don’t know how this thing operates. It managed to take down in minutes every single trained Illyrian in the sky. An entire legion. I won’t risk Feyre or the baby.” Rhys said determinedly.

“So we keep walking?” Mor suggested.

Rhys gripped Feyre around the waist to help her to her feet this time, easily pulling her up without her having to strain herself. When Mor and Amren came forward to support her Rhys waved them off. “I’ve got her.”

It was another hour before Azriel returned with a grim report that half of Velaris was still burning and that the monster was nowhere to be seen. Rhys swore under his breath, “Can you try and make it to Tarquin? Ask him to send help and someone to winnow us all out while our magic is depleted.”

Azriel was already moulding himself back into the shadows at his feet, when Feyre let out a low moan from behind Rhys and a sharp pain came crackling down their bond.

Rhys whirled to see her bent over with her hands on her knees, bracing herself. “What is it?” He asked, his voice cracking with worry.

Feyre waited a few breaths before pushing herself back up, a forced smile on her face. “Nothing. It’s fine.” She said too quickly. “The baby just kicked a little too hard, in a place that shouldn’t be kicked.” She added when Rhys only continued to stare hard at her. 

“Feyre you don’t need to pretend everything’s fine if you’re in pain.” Cassian interrupted. “We don’t want to put you or the baby at risk.”

Feyre of course knew this. Knew that if she made a complaint about her aching, feet, calves, back, neck, or practically every part of her body, her friends would stop to help her. She knew that all she had to do was mention to Rhys about the sharp stabbing pain rising in her abdomen and he would immediately let her rest.

But Feyre also knew the danger they were all currently in. Being chased by a dark and dangerous creature with little magic of their own or place to hide. Her friends would not allow her to put herself, or the baby at risk, but she also wasn’t willing to risk the lives of her friends over a little discomfort of her own.

“I’ll be better when we’ve found a safe place to rest for the night and we’re out of danger.” Feyre said soothingly, placing a hand on Cassian’s arm reassuringly. 

So the group continued onwards until dusk began to fall just as the landscape began changing, tilting upwards as more rocky terrain appeared, replacing the leafy foliage of the forest floor.

“I’ll start looking for a cave for some shelter.” Amren offered, seeing Rhys glance uneasily between Feyre and the nearby slopes that would offer safety.

It wasn’t long before she returned with news that there was a cave just up ahead, but it was a steep climb.

Mor and Amren took an arm each from Feyre as they began their climb upwards. Rhys moved ahead, searching for the least treacherous route, calling out directions for both Feyre and Cassian who had begun to lean more and more heavily on Nesta as adrenaline from the fight left him and his senses returned to normal. 

Amren called out that they were nearly halfway when a roar erupted behind them from the forest, making the trees tremble and the ground shake.

“It’s picked up our scent.” Mor whispered in horror.

“Quickly!” Rhys urged them. “If we can get to the cave we can pool our leftover magic enough to put up some spells to hide ourselves.”

Their pace doubled as the angry growls of the monster sounded out behind them.

The climb had gotten particularly steep when Feyre began stumbling, feet slipping down rocks that normally wouldn’t have caused her any problems. Rhys swung around after her third stumble and barreled down towards her where she hung limply between Amren and Mor.

“I’m carrying you the rest of the way. You’ll slip and take out Cassian and Nesta behind you if you’re not careful.” He said sharply, fear making him sound colder than he had meant to.

Feyre sighed gratefully as he held his arms out to her. She reached up to take his hands, her foot lifting onto the boulder he stood on above her. With one foot up, she strained to bring the other up too, stretching upwards, when suddenly she doubled over, nearly falling if it hadn’t been for Rhys’s strong grip on her forearms. 

“Feyre!” Rhys cried out, pulling her up to hold her in his arms. 

When she finally managed to look up at him her eyes were wide with pain and fear. “I think the baby’s coming.” She whispered.