#sending the archivist back (possibly) | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

varlaisvea · 20 days

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You said it was OK to send you asks about eso npcs so...

There's an archivist in Summerset, Meredil at the Illumination Academy. He essentially gets possessed by the collective spirit of all the trashy romance novels he reads, but after the spell wears off he's terribly embarrassed of how forward he was with the Vestige.

Would you consider writing something where the Vestige visits him again afterwards? :3

Ah, thank you for the request! I had to go back and re-play that quest, so thank you for that too :)

I should warn you: unless requested otherwise, I think it's fun to write the Vestige as The Vestige, ie the race-less, genderless PC, the person with no memories who asks questions like what does a high king do, exactly? And for the record I don't mind writing ~spicy things, but I usually keep anon asks on the lighter side unless requested otherwise.

So, this is cheesy enough for [i am shot to prevent sheogorath jokes]. I HIGHLY doubt this is what you had in mind, but... enjoy?

Thank you so much for the request, anon! Anyone reading this should feel free to submit more, if the spirit moves you.

(2k words, PG-rated, allusions to sex)

----------

We check up on all the students and faculty as we’re leaving the Illumination Academy. A lot of them are embarrassed after being transformed into book characters, but Bastian and I had a great time here. For me, it was because I got to mess with people a little bit, which I rarely get to do when I’m Serving The People Of Tamriel. For Bastian, it was because we took the time to stand around and read dozens of musty books. I mean, the ones I read were interesting, but he was reading things with titles like The Quarandil Theses and Perspectives on First Era Pastoralist Poetry. I love the guy, but how would I even know if one of those books suddenly possessed him and became his personality, like happened to the students today? At least I learned a lot from everything I read.

I get distracted by the fish pond near the gate, and soon someone appears next to me—Meredil, the archivist I spoke to in the school.

“I'm glad I caught you—I really must apologize again for my forward behavior earlier,” he says, laughing a bit nervously. "This is not the first mishap we've had with the Library of Shrieking Terror."

“Oh,” I say, waving my hand dismissively. “It wasn’t your fault. I don’t care at all. Your version of the curse actually seemed kind of fun.”

His laugh gets more nervous. “Well I’d never deny that, though ironically what remains of it gets less fun by the moment... Anyway, look, I realize this is quite awkward, given what I’ve just said about my… current state of affairs, but let that only serve to underscore the fervor of my curiosity.” He swallows uncomfortably, and looks away for a moment. “I must ask you: how is it that your armor is glowing like that?”

I’m not sure what I’d expected him to say, but it wasn’t that. “You know, I don’t know? I guess I assumed it was enchantments?”

He looks astonished. “You can’t possibly tell me no one has asked you before, in your line of work.”

I shrug. “I don’t really know what my line of work is. Lots of people call me ‘adventurer’—do you not see many adventurers in these parts?”

“Oh, goodness; I am only a hundred fifteen years old, but I have seen a fair number of adventurers in these parts.” His eyes go wide. “Oh, don’t listen to me,” he says playfully. “Since the Queen’s decree, we do see travelers and wayfarers of many sorts, but, well… I can’t say too many of them go into the depths of the archives.” He sighs. “Stars, I need to get out more.” He shakes his head. “Anyway, I’ve certainly seen some fancy adventuring gear but that…” He looks at my outfit in admiration. “Well-designed, well-fitting, and glowing! I’ve never seen a glow enchantment quite like that—I spent several long moments trying to calculate how one might go about amplifying an enchantment for such purposes before my curiosity got the better of me, and I hoofed it out here to see if I could find you to ask about it.”

“Ha, I really hadn’t thought about it much,” I say, now keenly aware of how brightly my gear is glowing, even in the late morning sunlight. “I’m sorry I couldn’t give you a better answer.”

“Oh, don’t apologize at all,” he says. “Really, I had to know if it was something simple I hadn’t thought of, and otherwise, I couldn’t miss my chance to talk with someone with access to something like that. I don’t mean to be off-putting, but I imagine you must be a wildly interesting person.”

“Ah, well…” For some reason I’m more honest with this mer than I usually am when people say stuff like that to me. “Actually, I don’t think I’m all that interesting, as a person. When that guy’s bored of you?” I gesture to Bastian, who’s behind me staring up at the sky in abject boredom. He doesn’t even hear me. “That’s dull. At first when I got here, I was trying the same boring tactics to un-curse people as the mer who cursed everyone to begin with, whom everyone only-semi-affectionately described as boring.” I turn around. “Hey B, sorry for taking so long bud, you can take five if y—” Bastian’s gone before I can finish the sentence. “See?”

Meredil huffs. “If you’ve managed to obtain adventuring gear like that, you automatically have at least one interesting story, no? Likely many more than one."

“Oh, yeah. I have a ton of ‘em.”

“Then, I am interested to know how one could live an objectively interesting life and not be an objectively interesting person.”

“Well, I don’t remember most of my life—long story—but I could tell you a few tales about fighting dragons, or rescuing royalty?”

“Wait!” Meredil laughs. “You’re not just some adventurer, are you! You’re the Vestige of Coldharbour!” He grins wide. “Am I right?”

“Lots of adventurers fight dragons and rescue royalty. Right?” You’d think this conversation would get easier.

“Handfuls of people, but yes. But most of them have songs sung about them—you know them when you see them.” He makes a thinking face with his hand to his chin. “You stopped the Planemeld.”

I nod.

He stares at me for a few moments. “I’d assumed that when you won your soul back from Molag Bal, you’d gotten your memories back too… But, your memory begins when you became a hero?”

“Pretty much,” I say, smiling as I do when I’m reminded that strangers know details about my life from bard songs and rumors. Several moments of uncomfortable silence pass.

“So, those dragon-slaying and royalty-rescuing stories are the only ones you’ve got,” he says, meeting my eyes.

“Uh, yeah…” I sit down beside the fish pond. “And now I have a pretty good one about this place.” We share a pleasant laugh. “So… what do you think is interesting? I’ve got vampire lords, risky assassinations, multiple giant crabs… One time the ghost of a pirate turned me into a skeleton for a little while.”

He shakes his head. “I may spend my days in a place that could be mistaken for a mausoleum, cerum, but this tomb has books in it—I’ve read and catalogued all sorts of monster stories and political plots. Of course it is my honor to do so, but that has been much of my exposure to the world.” He sits down next to me. “But a perspective like yours, I don’t think I’d find in a book. Stumbling into an extraordinary life with no memory of an ordinary one. Learning about the world by saving it. Learning about people while constantly seeing them at their worst.” He smiles expectantly.

I just stare at him. “Ah, well…” No one says stuff like that to me. “I’ll be honest, I still don’t know what’s going on a lot of the time.”

“How would you? There are little children older than the length of your memory.”

Why have I never thought of that? “Most people ask about the ancient temples and Daedric demi-planes I’ve seen—or if they’re drunk, they ask how many famous people I’ve slept with.”

“Oh, I hate when I’m asked that question,” Meredil says dryly.

“People ask me about stuff they’ve heard I’ve done. I guess I’ve just always figured that means I’m not very interesting as a person? But honestly, it doesn’t bother me—I don’t have any memories to compare it to. And I can’t really blame people for asking about my adventures instead of asking about me—today was a fairly slow day for me, if that tells you anything.”

Meredil stares at me with a sad sort of look I can’t decipher.

“Um. I actually read a lot of books." Why am I lying to this mer? “Well, I skim some of them. But, uh… they’re a surprising amount of my exposure to the world, too.”

“You’re learning about statecraft and magic at the same time you’re learning, er… how to… socialize, make friends!" Meredil smiles at me, amused. "You’ve had to figure out the plots of Princes while you figure out how to navigate small talk.”

I nod slowly. “I have to ask a lot of stupid questions, but I’m learning.”

Meredil laughs. “Cerum, that is far more interesting than slaying dragons! And you wear armor fit for Auri-El himself!”

“Thank you,” I say, not knowing what else to say. “People don’t usually…” I trail off as I meet his eyes.

“Well, it’s wonderful to meet you," he says excitedly. "If not for that curse, I’d never have hit on the Vestige of Coldharbour, eh? Imagine! Ha! I can’t wait to write Mother. It is an honor to have flirted with you,” he says, bowing his head.

“Ha, I don’t know about that,” I say. “Flirting is one of those things I’ve had to learn along with slaying undead and such. I’m way better at re-killing liches. I mean, sorry, you were great at it, in my opinion—you’ve definitely read the books."

“I’m flattered that you appreciated my technique, ceruval. Those steamy books certainly increased my skill and potency, though; I could feel it. And the confidence they gave me…” He looks at me with a seductive grin. “Oh, imagine if you’d come upon me after I’d had a chance to read a bit more? I might be asking you a thousand fascinated personal questions with far fewer clothes, and from the comfort of a warm feather bed.” He looks away with faux innocence. “That offer is still good, of course.”

People say things like that to me all the time. I usually laugh and change the subject, but I find myself just staring at Meredil, trying to think of something funny to say. Why am I trying to think of something funny?

Meredil notices my lack of response, and hastily clears his throat. “Sorry,” he says, “the curse has been broken, but the downside of my particular variant is that its effects still very much remain, with no magic necessary.” He laughs nervously. “If you’ll excuse me, I must see to the situation.” He doesn’t move. “Uh, but… I can’t quite stand up just yet. You’ll need to walk away first, I’m afraid.”

I don’t move. “I realized something... interesting,” I say, after what feels like a very long pause. “I need to learn more about flirting and, uh, you know, all of that. I remember you saying you know where each and every one of those steamy books is filed. Don’t you?”

He stares at me in utter fear for just a moment, then says, quietly, “It would be my deep pleasure to guide your hand to them, of course. But I am in no state to assume I have taken your full meaning correctly, cerum. Tell me, am I being propositioned by the Vestige of Coldharbour?”

I panic a little—I wanted to read the steamy books; I wasn’t propositioning him. Was I? He was uncommonly kind to me… Was I? Guess I really don’t know anything about flirting. But… come to think of it, I do have several friends who can flirt their way into a bank vault or chieftain’s tent. What would they do? Razum-dar would instantly think of some wordplay that is simultaneously threatening, solicitous, and clever—I try to do that. First I shoot Meredil my best Jakarn eye-twinkle. “Hm, even if you are being propositioned by the Vestige of Coldharbour,” I say, with sultry Naryu nonchalance, “do you really think anyone would believe a story like that?” This marks the first time I have ever propositioned someone using that title, or any of my many titles. Feels slimy. Probably won’t try it again.

Luckily, Meredil is not put off. “Why assume I’m in it for the story?” he says. “Perhaps you’ll be the one telling the tale. Tales, preferably—especially after that curse, what I have to share could fill volumes, Vestige.”

We only get through one book, but it takes the rest of the day and evening. Meredil's feeling much better now, and he says I am welcome to return to Illumination Academy anytime I need more study. And it seems I’ve misjudged my dear friend Bastian Hallix: it turns out, Perspectives on First-Era Pastoralist Poetry is graphically sexually explicit and, in places, lyrically erotic. Interesting.

#elder scrolls online #eso #tesblr #meredil #bastian hallix #fic request #requests welcome! it takes me a few days but then you get... uh... this #love this quest lol 'i don't know why we even HAVE a library of shrieking terror' —guy who took a book from the library of shrieking terror

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mylordshesacactus · 10 months

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Suncrest Campaign Character Epilogues

Audie (Human Wizard)

About a month after the final battle, as repairs are underway, the party gets a random Sending message from Max's friend Ihava the punk-rock tabaxi, namely, “Hey, did you do something with time travel? Because some dead heroes just showed up in the city and they’re very confused.” As an archivist, and also as the member of the party who's done the most reading and research into the Bastion of Life's specific adventuring party from 50 years ago, Audie is far and away the one that they want to talk to most--especially Rochelle Willowfeather, the tiefling monk who led that doomed final stand. Audie, once she stops stammering, is able to help her find records of the aarakocra settlement where her wife had lived--but sadly in the fifty years since Rochelle was frozen, her wife has passed away. She takes it hard, though her friends help her through it. Seeing as how she just helped to save the world, and how she has glowing letters of recommendation from the incredibly famous, miraculously resurrected heroes upon whose legacy was founded the entire Spellbound Dominion, Audie finally gets a full-ride scholarship to wizard college. Unlike her sister Summer, she completes her degree and starts only the occasional fight with administration. She applies for a work-study position. Her apprentice at her old archive is VERY confused but also very supportive.

Andromeda (Aarakocra Paladin)

Andromeda joins the City Guard. Deeply affected by Olassa's sacrifice, and having seen in the Violet Guard what a city guard can look like without honest people keeping its power in check, she wants to honor her mentor's memory. She enlists as a recruit, starting from the bottom. As an experienced and honest mid-level paladin, however, she climbs the ranks quickly and joins the officer track. While she, UNDERSTANDABLY, keeps her god-touched flail Morningstar (a legendary weapon) as her primary weapon, when she becomes an officer she commissions (possibly from Farrah!) a halberd as well. It's mostly a ceremonial weapon, but she trains with it and learns to wield it regardless. (Throughout the campaign, while she also wore a longsword for emergencies--Olassa's signature weapon was always the halberd.) Eventually, within a few decades, Andromeda is named Guard-Captain of the city of Suncrest.

Farrah (Tiefling Fighter)

Farrah, very excited to meet The Legendary And Miraculously Resurrected Heroes Upon Whose Legacy Was Founded The Entire Spellbound Dominion, happily invites them home to meet her mom! They all immediately start fangirling and asking for Brenda's autograph. This is the BEST running gag in the campaign. Farrah, after speaking with her blacksmithing master, transfers her apprenticeship. Instead of learning to make weapons she trains under a silver-and-goldsmith and learns to make tiny, beautiful things that require a lot of patience. Once she's satisfied she has basic skills in this area, she takes the armor of the fae commander who led the occupation of Suncrest, melts it down, and reforges it into a statue--an excellent likeness, in solid silver, of the Wolves of the Wild Court of Winter. This ninth-level casting of "Fuck You" is casually gifted to V, to display in the Sigil Rampant. In fact, the party periodically drops by with souvenirs from their travels to hang up there, now that V owns the place. Farrah also returns to the smithing guilds in Requiem for a while, learning how to forge enchantments into items, before ultimately returning to Suncrest as a mage-smith.

Max (Human Bard/Rogue)

Max never uses that last Wish. Consideration was given to using it for a resurrection--bringing back Olassa, or even the village of Little Ivywood. Ultimately however, Max's caution won out. He remains attuned to the scepter, but puts it in a chest and buries the chest in an unmarked, undisclosed location, sharing its coordinates with only Audie and Ihava in case of catastrophe--Ihava because she can be trusted to use it wisely, and Audie because she can be trusted to overthink any potential Wish so badly that if she ever goes mad with power the next generation of adventurers will have plenty of time to storm her evil fortress and take it from her before she can do anything diabolical with it. Also because he trusts his friend or whatever. In the meantime, he finds that bardic wanderlust again. He splits his time on the road between Suncrest and Requiem, spending--reluctantly--some time with his family. His route isn't regimented, but it's predictable, so that his friends can always find him if necessary. Eventually, about five years after the final battle, the two fae warlocks--Max and Farrah--wake in the middle of the night with a sharp pain in their serpent marks. Peering into the 'eye' of the peacock feather, they see the image of a plain, battered, half-rotten leather diary...which slowly pans out to show its location in the false bottom of a chest...being rolled and tossed....into a rickety cart......in a cave....in the Underdark. They understand, inherently, that this is their first mission as eyes of the Feathered Serpent. And the adventure continues. But first...

Nimbus (Human Ranger)

Nim also remains in Suncrest--or around it, rather. He doesn't join the Guard outright, but he's on their payroll regardless as a woodland scout and makes regular reports. He often talked about wanting to be able to send his sister to wizard school--Paisley Salvia is incredibly smart and "wizard" is the smartest thing Nim knows. They start by bringing her to study in an academic apprenticeship at one of the government programs in Suncrest to, essentially, get her gen-ed requirements in. When given the opportunity, however, Paise actually ends up not wanting to learn magic--she's much more interested in the mechanical and the mundane, using the real world around her to do great things. She wants to become an artificer...and unlike wizardry, which can only be really learned in Dumplinmere, there's no better place to do that then the rugged and resource-rich city of Suncrest. Nim is, of course, delighted. Paise is also extremely happy to be pursuing her dreams close to home, and of course that's mostly due to proximity to her family...but there is, of course, another consideration. Thesh Nightshadow, the young bugbear girl that she kinda sorta got outed as being in a relationship with when they were [checks notes] kidnapped by werewolves while meeting each other in the woods and had to be rescued by her older brother. (Thesh, when they found her, was barely conscious and half-delirious from fever. When the were-cult, mistakenly believing that torturing a maiden would force Albion the unicorn into their killzone, grabbed Paisley, Thesh tried to fight them. They broke her jaw. It had been left untreated for, at that point, nearly a week--she could very easily have died without Andromeda's intervention. Nim didn't even have the heart to tease them very much.) Anyway. Thesh is the daughter of the chieftain of the Talonholde clan and is training to follow in his footsteps. That means learning politics, logistics, military tactics, conflict resolution, and woodsmanship. For some of those, Nim gets her into the academy in Suncrest--but for the latter, even her village's best hunters unilaterally agree that Nimbus, who has class levels to their "Bugbear Commoner" stat sheets, is the best possible teacher. She ends up training under him a lot, and they get very close as a result. And about five years after the world nearly ended, the party attends their wedding--but the bugbear wedding ceremony I wrote for myself will be its own post ;)

#d&d #suncrest

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lostonehero · 7 months

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I have too much time on my hands off from work so uh another wip self indulgent breekon and hope adopt Martin

This was suppose to be crack but it's bow too long to post fully here so uh have a preview till I finish it and put it on a03

Gertrude stared at the two delivery men. She was well acquainted with the pair who call themselves Breekon and Hope. However, she didn't think she was due for a delivery, especially considering she was planning on traveling to disrupt a ritual in America, taking Micheal with her. "What do I owe the pleasure?" She replies dryly.

Breekon smiles, unsettling to look at. "Evening Archivist, we appear to need your help."

"We've run into an issue with a delivery." Hope finishes.

Gertrude raised a brow, intrigued. "And why would you need my help?" She steps back as a child reveals themselves from behind Breekon. She honestly couldn't tell if it was a little boy or girl, but it wasn't a stranger, just a normal human.

"We tried to return it..." Breekon trails off.

Hope continued. "The things mother refused it."

The small child clings to Breekon, looking up at Gertrude. They were small, malnourished, and filthy. They had matted red hair and freckles or dirt she couldn't tell. Their clothes were hastily stitched together, and she had a feeling the mother had just left the kid for dead without clothing. The kid couldn't be more than 2 generous. She didn't want to think about the fact she knew that was a lie.

Gertrude blinks. "I'm not taking the child. Just send them to an orphanage or police."

The two strangers look at each other and frown.

"I reckon we help you." Breekon grabs the child's shoulder who doesn't seem startled more confused.

"Then you help us. We ain't fans of Nikola and that circus." Hope smiles.

"We tell you how to stop the unknowing." Breekon matches the smile.

"You tell us about human children." Hope finishes.

Gertrude can't help but have a shocked look on her features. She wouldn't pass up on an opportunity like this. "I suppose I can give advice on a child's needs and wants."

"Perfect"

"Glad we have a deal."

The child just stared at Gertrude.

......

Gertrude learned about the unknowing and how to stop it. She was shocked, to say the least, that they were so forth coming with information.

Breekon narrowed his gaze, and Gertrude wasn't sure that was possible. "You're end of the deal."

Hope adjusts the child on his lap. "Teach us."

Gertrude leans back. "For starters, how old is the child, and are they a boy or a girl?"

The two starters exchange a look then look back to Gertrude.

Gertrude sighs and rubs her temples. This was going to take a while. "Ok, to start, do they talk?"

"The child has not said a word." Breekon gives a look to his partner then to the child.

Hope nods. "They have tried, but no sound comes out. It appears the child has damaged parts."

The child looks between them and decides to yawn silently and curl up in Hope's lap.

Gertrude sighs. "Before you ask, humans need sleep, and it appears the child trusts you enough to sleep in your lap. Humans need sleep to function." She sighs and gets up. "You two can read, right?" The two strangers nod. "Good, I'll be back. I'll have books on human health and biology and parenting books that will have all the information for you."

The two strangers watch the archivist leave.

"The human is defenseless." Breekon points at the small child.

"I don't think it understands it should be scared." Hope points at the sleeping child.

"Too small, I reckon." Breekon tilts his head.

"I don't understand why I desire to protect it." Hope rests his hand on the child's back.

"To raise for the stranger like the desolation?" Breekon responds for an answer, but it sounds like a question like they don't believe it.

"Never been human." Hope pauses.

"Don't think that matters now." Breekon reaches out a hand to the child.

"Is this fear?" Hope sounded quiet.

"I don't know." Breekon matched the quiet voice.

......

Gertrude sets down the large stack of books down. "Read these, and I'll get the child as clean as I can using the archives supplies." She approaches Hope to retrieve the child, and to her surprise, he pulls the kid closer to him. "Now don't do that, humans have to get clean or they get sick you know of the corruption. Good now, I'm going to clean them and tell you if they are a boy or girl, yes, it matters for human development due to hormones." She picks up the child who wakes up, but they don't cry. "An odd thing, aren't you." She watches the two strangers reach for the books and begin to read.

The small child waves goodbye to the strangers as Gertrude carries them off to a bathroom outfitted with a shower and, thankfully, a towel.

Gertrude places the child down and takes a breath. "I wish I knew your age and if you understood me. Alright, I'm going to unclothed you and wash you to the best of my ability."

The child blinks as Gertrude strips them.

"Ok diapers, you're quite little then, and ah, you're a boy. Ok, I can work with this." Gertrude sighs as she watches the boy, and it is freckles, not just dirt. She shaved the boy's hair with the buzzer she understood why they had due to an incident with the Leitner. Thankfully, one of the librarians brought a diaper bag with them rather than a normal purse, and she managed to get a diaper, which again thankfully matched the boy's needs. Overall, he was still too skinny and small, but he looked better.

The boy was wrapped in a fluffy towel since Gertrude didn't have clean clothes to put him in.

"Hopefully, the time it took to clean you, they have gotten through at least one book." Gertrude picks up the small boy. "Maybe I can get some food in you. I'm sure they don't understand the concept of food."

The boy blinks his impossibly blue eyes at her.

Gertrude sighs. "I'm not cut out to be a parent."

.....

"He's a boy." Gertrude places the boy down on her desk with a plate of cut-up bananas. "By the amount of teeth in his mouth, I hazard a guess that he's nearly two or approaching 2 years of age. I hope you both got some of the reading done while I cleaned and gave him food."

The boy was eating the cut-up bananas as he waved again at the two strangers.

"We've finished the books." Breekon tilts his head.

"We understand what has to be done." Hope hums.

Gertrude pinched her brow. "Don't kill the child."

The two strangers looked offended.

The boy continues to eat quietly.

.......

A rough knock on a yellow door. The door creeks open, and a man that is tall, unsettling, and hair that seems to curl unnaturally. Hands longs and sharp clawed.

"Evening." Breekon tips his hat.

"We reckon we can leave him with you." Hope nods as well adjusting his hat.

A small boy looking healthier and bigger stares up at the twisted tall man.

"Excuse me?" The man from the yellow door stares at the strangers.

"You were human.... once" Breekon laughs.

Hope nods.

"I, yes?" The spiral tilts their head.

"We have work and can't bring him." Hope mutters.

"The archivist is unavailable." Breekon sighs, pushing the boy forward.

The boy waves.

The spiral man matches the movement.

"The boy is Martin." Hope continues. "He is 4 and can't be left at school. Humans have tried to steal him."

"His mother has harmed him when we tried to return him. We request help on watching him as we work. The boy doesn't speak." Breekon pulls his hat down.

"Don't harm the boy, and we will help with any request." Hope crossed his arms.

The spiral nods, but it is a more confused reaction.

"Good." Breekon smiles.

"Well, be back tomorrow." Hope hands a bag to the boy.

The boy stared up at the spiral man.

The spiral stared at the boy as the strangers left. "Hello."

The boy waves and holds up his lunch box with a cow on it. He grabs a clawed finger and smiles.

"Micheal.... I'm Micheal." The spiral felt sanity bleed into his mind as a sense of self returned like an infection.

The boy tilted his head, watching him return to his tall human form.

"Martin?" Micheal watched the boy nod. "Ok, how about lunch? Although I don't think time really exists but a boy needs food like you."

Martin nods and hugs Micheal's leg.

Micheal blinks and realizes he is now both the spiral and Micheal. Has this ever happened before? He didn't know or care he was an uncle now, and he also now had a bond with the stranger. That was good he thinks he wasn't used to coherent thoughts.

Martin tugged on Micheal's arm and held up a candy bar Micheal could not recognize.

"Do you want me to open it for you?" Micheal stared down at the bow who shook his head. Martin pushed the bar into his hand. "Ah.... thank you."

Martin grins and follows Micheal through the yellow door.

......

Micheal scowls, and he forgot he was capable of anything but a smile. "Do I have to?"

"We finished our job." Breekon holds his hand out, and Martin takes it and waves at Micheal.

"What is the payment you like?" Hope shows off teeth that shouldn't exist in his mouth.

Micheal blinks, grabbing his yellow door. "I would like to watch Martin again." He can feel himself grow taller and more twisted.

The two strangers share a look and a silent conversation.

"Humans call it babysitting." Breekon picks up Martin on his hip.

"You want to watch the human child? He is ours." Hope brushed a curl out of Martin's face.

"Yes, that is agreeable." Micheal smiles. "I won't keep him if you agree."

The two strangers nod.

......

"The act of babysitting requires the guardians to not be available to care for the child." Breekon seems to narrow his gaze with eyes he doesn't have.

"We are home to care for the child. You shouldn't be here." Hope adds matching a scowl.

Micheal laughs, and it echoes unnaturally around the room. "I see no harm in visiting...." He shifts back to looking like a normal human as he looks around. "This is a very sterile apartment."

Martin wasn't paying attention following a spider around who led him to one of his "toys," which were crude plastic mannequin parts and a blanket that he wrapped around a plastic arm.

Micheal frowns. "I uh huh you two are doing ok..."

The two strangers glare at the spiral avatar.

"Ok, so I have experience raising my siblings and making me babysit has given me back my humanity kind of? I'll help you guys. Have you've even enrolled him into school yet?" The blank stared answered Micheal's questions.

.......

"I reckon we understand." Breekon has grabbed Martin and placed him on his lap.

"Very informative to train a human." Hope nods.

"Not train." Micheal can feel his hair grow out and spiral. "Raise. Now I don't know how you got a phone, and I'm not one to ask questions anymore, but calling around, I got Martin registered for classes next year. Having friends is important, and I set him up with a doctor about the talking thing and general health examination. Also, he needs normal toys unless you want people to get suspicious, and yes, you can feed on the fears of other parents if they upset Martin."

Breekon nods. "So Martin is set?"

"We don't want to hurt the little guy." Hope fusses with Martin's hair and finds a spider who he places gentlely on Martin's shoulder.

"Not hurting him. Just to avoid suspicion from normal human people. Martin, do you like the strangers?" Micheal leans over to face Martin.

Martin puffs out his cheeks. "Not strangers." His voice was quiet, and the three men stared at the boy stunned. He points to Breekon as he sits in his lap. "Breekon." He then points to Hope. "Hope." He furrows his brows pointing to Micheal. "Mik- Mike - Micheal?" He was having a hard time producing Micheal.

Micheal blinks. "Ye-yeah, I'm Micheal."

"I'm never going to change my name again." Breekon and Hope say at the same time as they embrace Martin.

Martin smiles.

.......

The teacher sat nervously at her desk. It was a normal meeting it had to be a normal meeting. She swore she saw a yellow door in the corner of the room, and she knew she didn't have yellow doors in her classroom. The two men that sat in front of her desk they were unnatural. They wore the same uniform, but that's the only normal thing she can see on them.

The larger man with straight black hair and a frown, maybe she couldn't tell it didn't look natural on the pale skin even if the color of his lips was wrong. "What are we here?" His accent sounded fake, but she was terrified to ask or even comment.

"I reckon the boy has done nothing wrong." The smaller man had lighter hair, and it curled, but it also didn't. His eyes were purple, but like as if his eyes were doll eyes.

The teacher laughs nervously. "I uh nothing is wrong." She stiffens as a creak of a door is heard. "I just wanted to share some concerns I had... nothing bad." She swallows her fear the best she could. "Martin is excelling at his schoolwork and already reading books made for kids older than him. He really likes spiders and dolls, but uh he hasn't been talking to any of the other children, which is concerning. A boy his age should be more. Have you had him tested if he's on the spectrum?" The door that shouldn't exist was open and what.... she let out a breath of relief.

A tall blonde man rushed between the two other men. "Hey, sorry, I'm Micheal. I'm helping these two with Martin."

She didn't care what their relationship was he looked normal and she could breathe again. "R-right."

"Get the boy tested for what?" The larger man growls.

"Our boy is healthy." The smaller one adds.

Micheal smiles. "Not that kind of tested. No, no, it's fine ma'am, he just started talking last year, and the doctors are aware of it. He loves his books on spiders and dolls. I'm sure Martin will come out of his shell."

The teacher nods. "Great, and that's really great, but that's all I needed to speak about. He's a very smart and sweet boy. Just needs to be a bit more social, that's all for healthy development." She sighs in relief, watching the blonde man guide them out through the yellow door.

"You can't scare that woman to death. Martin likes her." She chose to ivory that from Micheal and how his voice started to echo. She needed to warn the teachers for older students.

.......

Martin waves as the yellow door creeks open as the three step out. He gets up and shoves a drawing into Hope. "Present!"

Hope held up the drawing and showed it to Breekon. It was a crayon drawing of the two, and Martin has written their names. "Reckon our boy is an artist."

"We will hang it up." Breekon smiles as Martin giggles.

Micheal sighs, returning to a more human look. "Martin, have you made any friends?" The two strangers glare at him.

Martin shakes his head. "The other kids think I'm weird."

Micheal sighs. "You'll find friends who appreciate the weird."

Martin shrugs and looks down.

.......

"You're weird." A blonde boy sits next to Martin. "You don't have any weird fleshy tendrils around you."

Martin blinks and tilts his head. "What?"

"I see them in my dreams." The blonde boy huffs, pulling out red crayons. "You're a mystery. Mommy says they don't mean anything, but they do. I swear they do."

"What do they do?" Martin watched him draw.

"They give me dates and time, dunno what that means yet, but I think it's important." The boy was drawing red tendrils.

Martin pauses, Uncle Micheal told him to make friends. "I'm Martin."

"Oliver." The boy smiles, holding out his hand. He was cold like Hope was he wasn't good at keeping himself warm like Breekon was.

"Are you a stranger?" Martin blinks his blue eyes at the blonde boy who looked confused.

"No, you know my name." Oliver hums.

Martin hums. "Breekon and Hope are strangers, and I know their names."

"Then what does stranger mean?" Oliver hums raising his brow.

"Dunno Micheal won't tell me, and neither will Breekon or Hope." Martin shrugs.

"Huh, do you think they know what these are?" Oliver holds up his drawing.

"Wanna ask after school?" Martin smiles.

Oliver matches his smile. "Yeah! Wanna be friends, the other kids don't like me."

Martin nods excitedly. "Yeah, I wanna be friends."

........

"Uncle Micheal!" Martin ran out holding the hand of another boy as they approached.

Micheal smiles and forces himself to look even more human. "Martin, did you make a friend?"

"I'm Oliver. Do you know what these are?" He shoves a drawing up at Micheal. "Mommy says dreams don't mean anything, but they give me a date and times for the people I see in them with the tendrils. Martin doesn't have them."

Micheal takes the picture, and he can smell something off about the boy. It hit him suddenly that the smell reminded him of a mourge, and he knew what that meant. The End took a child avatar. Is everyone copying the Desolation? "This is important. You should tell everyone their date and time."

Oliver eyes widen. "Thank you, mister Micheal. Oh wait, can I hang out with Martin this weekend? I wanna meet his pet spider." He stops. "I have to ask my mommy though..."

"Oliver!" A woman huffs as she made her way over.

"Hi, Mommy!" Oliver smiles, holding up Martin's hand. "I made a friend. Can we hand out this weekend?"

The woman sighs and smiles. "You made a friend?"

"Hi, I'm Martin, and that's my uncle." Martin points up to Micheal, who smiles nervously, adjusting his glasses. "My mommy doesn't like me. Breekon and Hope tried to bring me back, and she threw a knife at me."

The woman stared at Micheal. "Go talk to your friend for a moment, Oliver." She watches the two boys run by the odd yellow door. "I uh..."

"Everything is fine, legally speaking Breekon and Hope didn't adopt Martin, but everything they tried to return him to his biological mother er she responds with violence. However, Martin has a safe home with them, and I help out when I can." Micheal gives a nervous smile.

"Geez, I thought my situation was shit." The woman chuckles. "You can call me Kat. My husband died recently, so it's just been us, so I'm glad he's making friends. Uh, how about the park this weekend? I have time off on the weekend thanks to my government job, and I'm sure it will help Oliver to have a friend." Kat smiles.

Micheal nods. "Oh, that sounds lovely. Martin hasn't been the best with other kids since they single him out. Did you guys just move here?"

Kat nods. "Is it that obvious? Yeah, we did, but we have to get home." She sighs. "Oliver, come here it's time to go home."

Oliver runs up to his mom. "Yes."

Martin runs behind him. "Cannwe hang out?"

Kat nods. "Yeah, this weekend the park is a nice place, and I can meet uh Breekon and Hope?"

"Life partners." Micheal raised his brow, gauging her reaction.

"Oh huh, I understand the adoption problems. Ah, no worries, I'm sure they are doing great. He seems like a good kid." Kat waves and picks up Oliver.

Micheal smiles and feels his hair curl. "You made a friend."

"I made a friend that isn't a spider." Martin corrects.

"Of course, little Mr. Web avatar. I don't know why Breekon and Hope encourage that. Please warn me when you grow new eyes." Micheal sighs, holding his hand out.

"I got new teeth?" Martin opens his mouth to show fangs.

"Don't bite anyone." Micheal smiles. "Unless it's a nasty adult."

"Ok." Martin smiles and follows him into a yellow door.

......

Kat freezes as the two men approach her. She puts her son behind her and swallows. The taller man she didn't think he had eyes but she couldn't see through his hair. The smaller man was smiling, but it looked all wrong. "Can I help you?"

The larger man smiles, and it somehow looks worse than the smaller man. "I'm Breekon."

"And I'm Hope." The smaller one finishes, and their accents sounded so fake and unnatural.

Kat gkes to speak before a boy pops out from between them.

"Hi!" The small red head covered in freckles relaxed Kat.

Oliver ran in front of his mom. "Hi Martin!"

"Hi Oliver!" Martin points to the larger one. "That's Breekon." He points to the smaller man. "That's Hope. They help care for me. They are strangers."

"Are they strangers because they look weird?" Oliver tilts his head they didn't look right, and he couldn't place why.

"Dunno." Martin shrugs.

"Wanna watch me tell people dates and times like your uncle said I should?" Oliver smiles.

Martin nods. "Yeah! I wanna help you." Oliver grabs his hand, and they run off.

Kat relaxes slightly. "Boys, you know. I, uh, mean well kids, they tend to grow up fast." She gives a nervous smile but doesn't feel the fear like last time. "Right, my name is Kate, but I go by Kat. It must be hard raising a boy like that all by yourself, poor thing rejected by his mother. I'm sure he cares about you both deeply."

Breekon raised his brow, but Kat wasn't entirely sure. "We were told having him form a bond with his mother would help."

"She doesn't seem to want him, but he's a good lad." Hope finishes and grabs Breekon's hand.

Kat smiles at the pair. They were probably nervous, probably the first public outing as a couple. "How long have you've been together?"

"Ages." Breekon hums.

Hope smiles.

"I miss that. My husband passed recently, but I'm glad you both have each other." Kat hums. "How did you guys adopt Martin? I know there isn't anything official, but I won't tell the boy is happier with you two. Oh, where are my manners? There's a bench off to the side. We can sit and watch them play. I don't like being out in the open either." She leads the pair to a bench where they sit, and she sits in between them. "I apologize if this is forward, but I don't want anyone giving you guys dirty looks. People aren't too kind to those like you both. This way, we can keep talking and not separate you two."

"You're a kind one." Breekon pauses.

"I think it would be beneficial to keep in contact." Hope nods at Breekon.

"Oh, that's great. So how long have you two been guardians?" Kat smiles, waving at her boy in the sandpit with Martin.

"He was 2 when his mother left him with us." Breekon hums. "Wouldn't let go of Hope's leg."

"You wouldn't put him down after you wrapped him up in a blanket." Hope smirks.

Kat smiles. "A sweet little thing. I'm glad you both found him."

The two strangers have a silent agreement to protect this human. They made a friend like Martin. It was a lot less messy than using actual parts like they thought was needed.

......

Kat was worried, which was an understatement, Oliver just turned 13 a little over a week ago, and that's when the problems started. She just thought his complaining was just normal teen stuff she knows she annoyed her parents. Then, she started to find bloody handprints around her home. She knew Oliver and was complaining about his hands hurting, but she brushed him off, explaining that he would see the doctor for his physical soon.

Oliver wasn't fast enough to hide his hands when his mother burst into his room. "I uh..."

Kat covered her mouth, staring at her son. His hands were bloody, and his skin seemed to slough off. She swallows her work isn't supposed to follow her home, let alone affect her own son. She knew her son's friend Martin, his adopted parents weren't human, but they seemed harmless, but she knew better than to go to work for help, and they seemed to understand the inhuman nature of things. "Oliver, are you ok?"

Oliver was crying. Blonde hair fell in front of his eyes as he got up and ran to his mom. He clung to his mom. "I couldn't stop it, and it hurts so much. Am I dying?"

"Not if I can help it." Kat hugs her son. "Alright, we're going to visit Martin, and I'm going to ask his guardians for some advice. Now, don't argue with me. I'm going to get you some gloves and I'm sure they can help."

"Did i... did I get Martin sick?" Oliver hugs his chest.

"No, sweetheart. Well, I hope this isn't contagious. However, his guardians can help. I just know it, so let's head over there." Kat smiles.

......

Breekon answered the door, Kat only knew this because he was the bigger of the two she couldn't tell you any stand-out features. She made it a point to not stare at them she knew it made them uncomfortable. "Kat and Oliver. What brings you to our humble flat?" He gave a smile that didn't look right.

Kat smiles back. "Look, I know I've never brought it up, but I know you two aren't human, and uh... where's Hope?" She shakes her head. "Not important, but I don't think I should ask my place of work for help. Oliver, please take off your gloves."

Oliver nods, and flesh comes off with the glove along with blood sluggishly seeping out of the wound.

Breekon's lips thin to a neutral expression." Aite, come in. Don't touch anything living, Oliver."

Kate pushes her son inside and follows behind him. "I apologize for the sudden interruption as well. Do you know what's happening?"

Breekon turns to his side as if he was waiting for Hope to answer, but he wasn't here. He grimaced. "Martin is going through the same...." He bites his lip with mismatched human and animal teeth. "Different patron.... preparing their bodies for becoming fully fledged avatars not..." He huffs, crossing his arms.

"You can stop. I know it's hard without your other half." Kat smiles softly. "Oliver, go find Martin."

Oliver nods and dissapears deeper into the flat.

"You serve the stranger?" Kat knew it was true, but the nod eased her suspicion. "Are yes and no questions ok while Hope isn't here?"

Breekon nods as tension drains from his shoulders. "We didn't want to leave Martin alone..... the Web never made a fully fledged avatar before. Let alone so young."

"You don't have to talk without your partner. You're probably curious why I'm not freaking out more. It's uh complicated." Kat smiles and follows him to the couch. "I work for the government never lied about that, but it's a secret branch, and thankfully, there are more safeguards than the Magnus Institute or just the normal police. I don't want to lose my son but I have a feeling that the End chose him."

Breekon nods, sitting next to her.

"I mean, I didn't think they would start going after children. It's pretty clear these fears enjoy adults more than kids. Uh, no offense, but uh, Martin is a different patron than you." Kat pauses at the small nod. "I see you didn't want him to be like you?"

Breekon frowns. ".... He wouldn't be our Martin anymore..... we didn't want him to be a Stranger like us..... no, that isn't right." He swallows. "We were never human to begin with."

Kat reaches out and holds Breekon's hand. "Don't force yourself to speak without him. It's ok to be stressed. You both are basically Martin's fathers. He's changing just like my boy is just different gods?" She smiles at the nod. "I'll keep your secret. Of course, if you promise, you'll help keep my boy safe."

Breekon nods eagerly.

"Good now, do you need to eat....?" Kat pauses at the odd hand movement. "Ok, wrong question." A nod. "Do you want to eat?" Anotger odd hand movement. She sighs. "If I make food, will you eat?" That earned her a nod. "Ok I can work with that."

Breekon pauses for a moment before deciding it was ok to speak again. "We don't have to eat like humans.... we can eat like humans... we feed on fear to sustain us."

"Ah OK that makes so much more sense than the theories we had at work. I assume all of the other types feed on different fears, then? OK, good going to have to figure out how to help my Ollie, but that's a future problem. Right now, I'm going to make them some food, and could you check on the boys?" Kat, let's Breekon's hand go and get up.

Breekon nods. "You are a good human..... we uh Hope will be happy to hear."

"Maybe it would be better if you both got cellphones." Kat pauses. "You don't know what that is.... ok, check on the boys, and I will explain it to you they are still kind of new."

Breekon nods and gets up to head to Martin's room.

......

Martin was shirtless laying on his bed with his arms up. He had four open sores, two on each side of his body. "You're lucky."

"How? I'm a freak look at my hands." Oliver huffs, sticking his hands back in his gloves. "I can still feel them."

Martin raised his brow. "Breekon and Hope said I'm getting new arms."

"That's cool, though." Oliver sighs, looking over. He makes a face. "Er, well, it doesn't look cool now."

"I don't really understand it, but apparently, the female voice I've been hearing is the mother of Puppets and the spiders, but uh, technically, they are the same thing, kind of. I dunno." Martin sits up. "My actual mom is a lot meener than her."

"Really?" Oliver frowns. "You don't talk about your mom."

"She doesn't like me. Breekon and Hope try to bring me to her at least once a year, and it doesn't go well. I don't tell them to stop because maybe one year she'll be happy to see me." Martin hisses in pain as he puts his arms down. "Ugh, can't I just get the new arms already?"

"I don't think it works like that." Oliver holds up his bloody hands. "You know I started to hear a voice too, but I can't tell if it's a boy or a girl. My god seems weird. Yours is at least a mother."

"I just think that's a title. They're known as the Web." Martin shrugs. "I like spiders, though."

"I like spiders too. Why can't I be a spider creature?" Oliver hisses and pulls up his shirt, showing off a rash starting on his chest. "I probably should tell my mom."

"I've got a rash on my back and legs if that makes you feel better." Martin sighs, looking up seeing Breekon in his doorframe. "I uh nothing I said nothing."

Breekon chuckles softly. "It's too be expected both of you are the first....." He huffs. "The first fully fledged avatars of your patrons who picked you...... we will help you hide after you're done.... Kat is making food...."

Martin smiles. "Thank you, Breekon."

"Can you help us?" Oliver can feel his glove slip off with a wet splat on the floor. "Sorry...."

Breekon shakes his head.

Martin smiles. "It's ok, Oliver. It's just blood and flesh."

"Still kind of gross." Oliver frowns.

.......

The front door opened, and nobody made a comment on how Breekon rushed for the man who entered. "Deliveries went well?"

"As well as it can without you." Hope smiles as they share a kiss. "Is Martin ok?"

"Bleeding is sluggish. Kat is here." Breekon locks his arm with Hope, and they relax in each other's presence. He led his other half into the kitchen where the two boys were eating, and Kat was getting then their third helpings.

"Welcome back. I kind of stormed in earlier, but Breekon insists it's ok. It's probably better if Oliver stays while he is changing, or at the very least, he stops visibly bleeding and losing flesh." Kat smiles. "I also made you both some food you guys don't have to eat, but the offer is there."

"Kat has been very understanding." Breekon smiles unnaturally wide.

"We are in your debt." Hope tilts his hat at her.

"Right well again, I'm cashing that in. Please look after my son. I don't want to alert anyone at work that something is amiss, and he will be safer here because of you two." Kat sighs. "And Oliver insisted that freaks stay together."

Oliver nods and so does Martin.

Breekon and Hope share a laugh. "We would happily look after him with Martin." They speak in unison.

.......

Martin pulls his hood over his head. Kids were awful, and he knew he was only 16, but the statement held up. They always had a comment on how he looked or just his stutter or his shy behavior. Oliver doesn't live near him anymore his mom had to move due to work they still hang out during the weekends, but now that meant he was alone at school. It didn't help that he was big and tall and he was still growing.

A short teen bumped into him. "... can't you see with those glasses." He had a bright blue scarf and was trying to hide a scar on his cheek that seemed to travel down extensively to his body.

Martin stopped. "....cool scar." He covered his mouth and turned on his heel and tried to walk away when the boy reached out and grabbed his hand. He had impossibly green eyes that seemed to have a ring of sky blue around them.

"What did you say about it?" He scowls, and Martin didn't recognize him. He stepped back, and Martin knew why.

Martin blinks and covers his face. "I'm sorry!"

The teen raised his brow. "Who are you?"

"Martin Blackwood, and I'm sorry. I didn't mean to point out the scar. I just thought it looked cool, and I don't know."

"Mike Crew." Mike shakes Martin's hand he was already holding. "You like falling?"

"I uh... huh." Martin tilts his head. "You've been claimed by a fear, haven't you?"

Mike let go and furrowed his brows. "No, I was struck by lightning."

"Same thing, I think. Uh, my guardians have been trying to teach me about all of them. I can tell you if you want?" Martin shifts nervously.

Mike nods. "Yeah, my dad doesn't really care what I do after school. I just have to be home before sundown."

"Ok, yeah. Is the library a good place?" Martin smiles as the other boy nods.

......

A yellow door creeks open, and a blonde teen jumps out. "Martin!"

Martin places a finger over his lips. "Shhhhh, we're in a library."

"Not fair. I can't sneak up on you anymore." Oliver huffs and stops raising his brow. "Oh, uh hi...."

Mike looked over his chair. "You another fear freak?"

"Mike!" Martin huffs.

Oliver raised his brow. "You've got weird eyes, and... no time... huh, then yes, I am. Did you figure out what?"

Martin shakes his head.

Mike rolls his eyes. "You've got dumb blonde hair."

"Rude." Oliver hops in a chair next to Mike. "Anyway, have you narrowed it down?"

"Yeah." Martin holds up the list. "Obviously not the dark since he can still see, and not the corruption because he isn't dirty and invested with any sort of bug. Not the web, Mother would have told me, and I would be able to see strings he also doesn't have extra arms."

"You've got more than two arms?" Mike smirks. "Show me."

Martin pulls up his sweater to show the two pairs of arms wrapped around his chest and stomach. "I have to wear baggy clothes, can't really hide them like my spider half, or extra eyes or mandible. Oliver just needs gloves because he can use hide with normal clothes."

"I'm mostly just a spooky skeleton." Oliver chuckles as Martin pulls down his sweater.

"I wonder if I'll get anything cool." Mike hums grabbing the paper.

"Well, we got to figure out what picked you first." Oliver takes the paper from Mike. "Maybe the Desolation."

"He hasn't set anything on fire." Martin puffs out his cheeks.

"I need a lighter." Mike raised his brow as it's crossed out.

"Ok, that answers that...." Martin stops as a elderly man approaches them.

"Huh, I thought it was just rumors from the stranger from all things. The desolation should have just waited for their God to pick than." He chuckles, adjusting his glasses. "Now, now, no need to stop on my account, or I can solve this little conundrum for you three."

The three teens stay quiet.

"Now, now I won't bite." The old man laughs. "I'm Simon Fairchild, and I believe your friend developing the blue eyes has been picked by my patron."

"Who do you follow?" Oliver was the one to speak up.

"Oh my dear boy, I would show you, but I'm not one to pick fights with the other patrons. I am part of the great Vast." Simkn smiles and lowers his glasses to show off impossibly blue eyes.

"But don't people get a choice?" Martin frowns. "We didn't get a choice in this."

"Aha, that's right, you three are complete anomalies. Never happened before, the patrons don't exactly choose, but you three are the exception to the rule, old Jonah will be pissed, well he already is dealing with his own anomaly. Anyway, enough of that, I'll be your teacher and show you the best ways to feed our lovely patron. You know feed them before they feed on you." Simon chuckles and hands a card over. "Call me when you start feeling peckish."

Mike hesitated but took the card with a number on it. "Do you guys feed on people?"

"Kind of? I don't really need to scare people about death. I did accidently kill a few animals before I figured out that I can't touch them without gloves." Oliver frowns.

"People tell me their deepest secrets, or I can control them. I really don't enjoy controlling people, though, but sharing facts about spiders and showing them off seems to work, too." Martin hums. "I can make webs too."

"All I'm able to do is tell people how and when they will die." Oliver huffs.

"Deaths touch seems pretty cool." Mike hums.

"Only on my hands." Oliver sighs.

"I mean, it's pretty obvious. I meant hands you don't touch with your foot." Mike snickers.

Simon chuckles. "Oh, the folly of youth. I'll see you guys again." He seems to vanish as he looks through the open window.

"Whoa... do you think I'll be able to do that?" Mike gasps.

"You guys get all the cool shit." Oliver huffs crossing his arms.

"You have all the medical knowledge on like everything." Martin smiles.

"Maybe I'll be a doctor. Easy to feed the End that way." Oliver shrugs.

"That seems a bit on the nose." Mike raised his brow.

"Oh fuck you." Oliver huffs.

"I would say you can, but you can't seem to use your hands." Mike smirks leaning forward.

Oliver blushes a deep red. "I uh... well I...."

Martin looks away, trying to ignore the red thread between the two.

......

A eerie voice echoes around as it laughs. "You're new." A long crooked finger points till it glitches and looks normal. "Sorry, sorry, I didn't mean to surprise you."

Mike steps back from the yellow door and the blonde man.

Martin waves. "Hi Micheal, what brings you over?"

"You made a new friend." Micheal smiles. "I apologize then for scaring you again uh..."

"Mike." Mike gives a nervous smile.

"He's the spiral, but also Micheal." Martin smiles.

Micheal nods. "That is correct, I just wanted to pop in and say Breekon and Hope are out on delivery and won't be back till next week. Nikola is giving them problems, and they don't want them to find out about you."

"Oh, alright." Martin frowns and looks away.

Micheal frowns and looks over to Mike who just shrugs.

Mike nudges Martin. "What's wrong?"

"My adoption day is in three days, I just I dunno I wanted them there." Martin sighs. "It's fine."

Mike frowns. "Maybe next year will be better this Nikola sounds like a bitch."

Micheal's frown deepens.

"It's whatever. I'm getting too old for that stuff, right, so I'll be fine. I'll uh head to the store to pick up food and stuff for the next week or so don't know how long they will be. I'll see you later, Mike."

Mike holds his hand out watching Martin go. "I wouldn't if I was you. He doesn't want us to interfere." He sighs. "He talks about them, Breekon and Hope like they're his dad's yaknow. I haven't met them yet, and Simon tells me I should be careful, but if they are the ones to raise him, I don't see why I should be worried. He's probably the best influence I've got left."

Micheal crosses his arms. "I helped raise him too."

"I don't think it's a competition." Mike sighs. "It's nice to meet you, though, for what it's worth."

Micheal watches Mike walk away as well. He was going to find the two strangers and rip them a new one.

......

It took Micheal three months to find the pair. His voice was twisted and angry, echoing off nothing. "Where the fu- oh... ah, " He seeming poofs into a normal human form in an instant.

An older teen boy and a preteen boy hide behind Breekon and Hope.

"Why do you have two kids?" Micheal tilts his head, trying to get a better view.

"Younger kid found Nikola exploring..."

".... we handled breaking him from the mark....."

"...older lad wouldn't leave..."

"....followed the boy..."

"....Nikola thinks we ate them...."

"..... we didn't...."

"... we had to hide..."

"... we have to return them...."

Micheal holds his hand up, stopping them. He knew they were panicking their voices completely identical to each other. "You both. .. you both changed...." He adjusts his glasses, walking around the pair. He doesn't even look at the two boys. "You two are changing."

Breekon and Hope grip each other hands tighter.

Micheal smiles softly, and his door opens. "Time to go home, and you boys are coming too. Martin will forgive you both, and I'm sure we can find some clothes for the two of you that aren't dirty."

.......

The creek of a yellow didn't distract Martin from his work. He started to knit and crochet, having multiple arms helpful for his new hobby, and Micheal got him a lot of yarn. He hoped that when Breekon and Hope came back, they wouldn't be too upset. He wasn't mad at them he's worried and trying to distract himself. He wants to tell them about Mike and that Oliver was moving back closer.

Two pairs of strong arms wrap around Martin. "We're sorry for abandoning you."

Martin gasps and shakes tears falling down his cheeks. "Dads?"

The embrace is tighter.

Micheal clears his throat. "Sorry to interrupt, but Martin, can you spare some clothes?"

Martin pulls away and turns around. "I uh oh new people hi I can make tea." He drops his needles and yarn. He hugs two pairs of arms to his chest and forces his extra eyes to close. "I uh, I'm sorry."

The younger boy approached eyes wide as he got close to Martin. "Are those real?"

"Danny!" The older boy hissed.

Martin blushes and nods. "Y-yeah, most people are scared of them."

"Can I touch them?" Danny looked up at him.

"If you want to. They're just normal arms. They even have my dumb freckles." Martin gasps softly as the boy touches them.

"That's so cool." Danny smiles and waves to the other boy. "Tim, come on, he isn't going to bite you!"

Tim, the older teen, walks cautiously over. "I'm sorry, my brother can be a bit touchy, and I uh..."

Martin blushes a bright red, spotting a red string around the older boys wrist, and it connects to him. He stumbles back. "It's fine. You're probably scared it's fine. That's normal. I heard Nikola is quite nasty right, yeah. I'm going to make some tea, uh, right clothes, uh, the dryer, the dryer has some stuff, too." He rushed out to the kitchen.

"Tim, you scared him!" Danny crossed his arms. "His dad's saved us, and you scared him."

Tim sputters. "I did not scare him." He huffs. "You probably scared him since you rushed at him."

"I did not! I asked him first." Danny pouts.

Breekon grabs both of their shoulders, pushing them together. "That's enough, lads."

Hope smiles. "One of you shower I'll get you clean clothes."

Micheal laughs. "Boy wasn't scared." He slips back through his door, and it vanishes.

......

Martin pauses watching Tim from the doorway. He was looking into some history books about Robert Smirke, Breekon, and Hope, who said he was the first human to categorize the fears into separate entities, and he was right. Tim was odd he was the opposite of himself, outgoing and loud. He was strong and athletic. He had that red string too, and he was honest when he finally had the courage he told him, then ran away.

Tim waves spotting Martin. "Hey Martin, still fighting fate?"

"N-no, you deserve a choice." Martin stutters but approaches. "I uh are you ok?"

"Danny is fine, and I'm ok. Just because Breekon and Hope are strangers, they are nicer than the clown." Tim shuts his book. "Can I ask you something?"

"I uh, I have no control over the red strings. Mother can't even control them. You know, I thought it was only fear and secrets we fed on, but it's connections too, and I uh...." Martin stops. "Sorry, I'm rambling."

Tim shakes his head. "Don't worry about it. I uh wanted to ask about the avatar thing."

"Oh, uh... ok?" Martin crosses all his arms. "I didn't have a choice in it."

"How did you know? I mean, did it just happen? Was it a slow change over time? I uh..." Tim adjusts his glasses. "I uh dunno I feel off since the theater."

Martin frowns and sits down next to Tim. "You don't look different."

"I feel different." Tim frowns. "I don't want to accidently hurt Danny."

"Ok, well, I think I can help." Martin smiles softly, reaching one hand out.

Tim sighs in relief. "Thank you. I just I don't know."

"Well, what are the things that are different?" Martin tilts his head. "You look normal, and I suppose I do too. People are born with extra limbs."

"Well, I mean, once the lights are off, I'm different." Tim frowns. "That's the dark, right? But I'm not a little kid, and I mean I'm not even afraid of the dark."

"I'm not afraid of the spiders that the web controls, and I'm still an avatar of the Web." Martin tilts his head. "I don't exactly think being afraid is a prerequisite."

"If that was true, I would be a stranger." Tim shudders. "No offense to Breekon or Hope. They seem pretty cool, all things considered, and they did save our lives."

"You're changing?" Danny poked his head through the door.

"Danny!" Tim huffs. "How many times have I told you not to spy on me?"

"Doesn't matter. Are you going to get extra harms like Martin? Can you feed on my fear? Oh, oh, do you get a weird pocket dimension like Micheal? It's like a video game fast travel!" Danny rushed into the room, dropping himself down next to his brother.

Tim sighs. "Danny, I don't even know if I am. What about you? I'm not going to feed on your fear."

"But that would be so cool." Danny huffs.

Martin chuckles.

"Don't encourage him." Tim huffs but was smiling.

"Well, we have 14 choices to get through." Danny was practically vibrating with excitement. "Oh, once we figure it out, you could be like a fear superhero."

"That is the opposite of what the fears are... uh... wait." Martin pauses. "Being more well known could get more food and stuff, and maybe fear could evolve into a different emotion to feed on, but I dunno."

Tim smiles softly, staring at Martin. "Well, once we figure it out and I get a handle on it, we can go home, and then well, I can protect you guys."

"See superhero fear avatar." Danny smirks.

Tim rolls his eyes. "You read too many comic books."

......

A yellow door creaks open slowly, and Micheal steps out. Well, he tries before a hand grabs him and drags him out.

"Explain away this then!" It was Kat she looked annoyed and Micheal didn't exactly know where he was.

"I must say the dramatics are excellent look at his costume." A dirty blonde hair woman crossed her arms. "You really think I'm that gullible to believe that? It's almost as absurd as my brother being the head of an institute."

"Uh..." Micheal glitches to look human. "Um Kat, what am I doing here?"

The dirty blonde hair woman steps back.

"Two things, one to prove to Miss Bouchard that there is actual meaning behind what we organize. Secondly, why do Breekon and Hope have Diane's kids with them?" Kate huffs.

"Two boys...? You know where Diane's boys are?!" The dirty blonde haired woman growls. "That woman has been breaking down for the past 4 months."

Micheal pauses and in a soft voice. "Uhhh, Breekon and Hope stopped the boys from being killed from Nikola, and it doesn't matter Elias has a sister?"

"You know Eli, too? Don't tell me you also say he's the head of an institute. Last time I've talked to him, he left after college and worked in artifact storage. That man is not built to run anything except a drug deal if I'm being generous, which I'm not."

"Gwen shut up for a second. What do you mean the boys were almost killed?" Kat crossed her arms. "I thought I asked you guys not to involve my coworkers if I didn't ask."

"Ok, first off, technically, they aren't your coworkers they are your co-workers' children. Secondly, the two stumbled upon where Nikola was by exploring and would have been killed, and there parts used for the stranger if Breekon and Hope didn't interfere. Tim is becoming an avatar for the Dark, so they are waiting until he has some control until they come back." Micheal frowns. "You already knew the second bit."

"Oliver told me, but I'm glad you've also confirmed it." Kat smiles. "Also, thank you again. See, I told you! I swear what we go through the actual accounts and things are connected to fear creatures. Also, I really don't believe the bit about your brother, though. You've decided him as a pot head."

Micheal waves his hand. "Wait, wait, wait. Again, I can not stress this enough. You're Elias's sister?"

"He's ten years older than me and has a different mom." Gwen raised her brow.

"Time isn't real." Micheal says automatically. "I used to work with him, well we worked on the same building. I was in the archives, and he was in artifact storage and then the head of the institute."

"Bullshit." Gwen throws her hands up. "You show me proof of other avatars, and in exchanged I can tell you stories about Elias, and you'll understand how now qualified he is."

"Please." Micheal's door opens automatically.

"We have to pick up my son first." Kat sighs. "And probably Diane."

"Sure, sure tell me about Elias, though." Micheal drags them through.

.......

"TIMOTHY, DANIEL!" A woman rushed out of the yellow door, tackling her two sons. "My baby boys." She checks over both of them.

#not finished #currently too long to post here #when finished #I will be on a03 #breekon and hope #tma #the magnus archives #martin blackwood #oliver banks #mike crew #tim stoker

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ravendruid · 11 months

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Food, Friendship and Comfort

This fic is part of the @critter-genfic-events Bingo to fulfill the Comfort and Cooking slots. [Check my bingo card and other works here.] Set post-Campaign 2 and Mighty Nein Reunited. Read on AO3

Beauregard Lionett’s days as a Cobalt Soul Expositor are either dreary and dull with endless paperwork or exhausting with back-and-forth trips to Rexxentrum to track the Cerberus Assembly. Today is one of the latter days where she trades a warm, sunny Zadash for a gloomy and cold Rexxentrum.

Beauregard scheduled to meet her friend Caleb for breakfast this morning, so as soon as she steps out of the teleportation circle connecting the Rexxentrum and Zadash archives, she speeds past the guardians and archivists without a word and exits the dimly lit library onto the bustling street of the capital of the Dwendalian Empire. The feeling is immediate as the cold hits her uncovered skin and makes her curse between her teeth. Beau doesn’t have time to linger, so she follows the familiar cobblestone streets, ignoring the people rushing to and from work, the colorful buildings, and the heavy presence of crown guards in the more seedy areas.

The cottage that appears when Beauregard turns on another crossroad is a sight that makes the corners of her lips curl and her skin tingle in anticipation of warmth. She should have known better by now and brought a warm jacket along. The two small planter boxes out front are still full of tall, green plants, possibly kept alive in the cold by some arcane means from the owner of the cottage, and as Beau approaches, she notices that it either has recently been harvested or is yet to produce green beans.

Beau knocks at the rustic door, and where the motion would usually be followed by the sound of a chair scraping the wooden floor, it is now followed by silence. Weird. Caleb knew she was coming. Even if he is still in his arcane tower, he would have certainly set up alarms that would have triggered by now. Beau knocks again, louder this time, but still, no answer comes from the other side. She tries to peek in the side window through the small gap in the curtain but can’t see anything out of the ordinary. The house is intact, with no signs of a struggle (or worse, an attack). Beauregard doesn’t want to expend the single use of her sending stone yet, lest it be needed later. However, the cold is bothering her right now, so she does what any good friend would do if they suspected their friend might be up to something or in a difficult situation: she picks Caleb’s lock. What are the chances that he has arcane wards against thieves? Highly, Beau tells herself as the lockpick clicks. Too late now. However, the door opens with a creak, but nothing explodes in her face. Beau sighs in relief as she steps into the musty interior and relocks the door behind her.

“Caleb?” She calls out to the empty house. It’s cold inside. The hearth is full of ash, and there is a layer of dust on every surface as if someone hasn’t cleaned in weeks. Beau inspects every room, each darker and emptier than the one before until she finally reaches the back room where she knows Caleb often tutors children who didn’t get accepted to the academy. This room, too, is empty and dark. Dust covers the desks and chairs, a few pieces of old parchment are spread out, and empty and dry bottles of ink sit forgotten. At first glance, this would be an average room. Messy, yes, but ordinary. But Beauregard knows better. She knows what to look for and finds it in a corner, slightly obscured by a tall bookshelf, a shimmering door that leads into Caleb’s tower.

Beau is welcomed by a lit fireplace in the study, a spectral Bengal cat rubbing at her legs, and a mess of Caleb lying on the soft, plush couch by the fire, reading a book about Dunemancy. He is alive but looks almost as bad as he did when they first met. Caleb’s shiny red hair is full of knots, although still in a ponytail, his beard is shaggy and unkempt, his clothes are wrinkly, and there are a few coffee stains on his shirt. Caleb is indeed a mess, which can only mean one thing.

“How long?” Beauregard asks in a harsh tone that means she will take no bullshit. Caleb lifts an eye from his book, finally acknowledging his friend’s presence, but he doesn’t reply. “Caleb, how long has it been?” Beau presses on. She strides confidently to where the man lies on the couch and effortlessly removes the book from his hold, closing it with a thud. Caleb stares at her for a moment, then finally greets her with the hoarse voice of someone who hasn’t spoken in days, “Hello to you too, Beauregard.”

Beau does quick math in her head. It hasn’t been that long since they last saw each other, perhaps two months, not even that long. She remembers Caleb saying then that he was waiting for a visit from Essek, but those were usually short and never resulted in a depressive mood like this. Something must have happened during their Xorhasian friend’s stay, and if the empty look in Caleb’s eyes is any indication of it, then Beau is determined to help and comfort him in any way she can.

“Clean up before I message Jester to tell her you smell and look like a hobo again. Just when she was starting to let it go away…” Beau threatens, scrunching her nose at him. Caleb nods and rises from his nest of pillows and blankets with the groan of someone whose joints are stiff from being in the same position for a long time. Beau shakes her head in displeasure and stares at the back of the man’s head as he lifts through the arcane elevator and disappears above the central iris.

Caleb meets Beauregard an hour later, freshly clean and bear-trimmed, in the dining room, where they plan their day over eggs, pancakes, and pocket bacon. Caleb doesn’t mention Essek, and Beau doesn’t ask questions about the state she found her Empire friend, so the only names said aloud are those of the Cerberus Assembly, particularly Ludinus Da’leth, who is up to no good. Caleb shares with Beau the detailed information he gathered since their last time together, information that cannot fit the 25 words of the sending spell they use for their daily reports. Beau is glad he took the official position at the Soltryce Academy, not for his proximity to the Assembly members, but for how much happier Caleb has been since he was allowed to teach and shape young minds.

When they separate hours later at the gates that lead up to the school, Caleb’s shoulders are lighter, and his smile brighter. Beau knows whatever happened is still lurking in the shadows, but she won’t pull unless he wants to push. So, before she turns her back to him and returns to the archives to fill out report after report, Beau throws her friend an invitation, “Why don’t you stop by later to have dinner with Yasha and me? She would love to see you.”

“I’ll think about it,” Caleb says, but from the look in his eyes, Beau knows he will knock at her door with a bottle of wine and apple tarts. So be it. She waves him goodbye and leaves.

—

Caleb is happy to find that Zadash isn’t as cold tonight as Rexxentrum. The smaller city’s lights are already sparkling against the dusky sky, and the aromas of food and burning wood fill the residential area around him. He knows he could have teleported directly to Beauregard and Yasha’s house, but he would hate to intrude on them, so Caleb teleported into a narrow alleyway not far from the center of town and strolled to their friends’ abode. The house is just as he remembers it. Not large, but cozy. The garden that Caduceus has been teaching Yasha how to care for is dormant as the first signs of winter approach, but the ivy growing up the front of the house is still there, larger and taller than the last time Caleb saw it. He stops at the iron gate, peering through the open curtains to see Yasha stirring a pot on the stove. He knows she has been learning how to cook from a neighbor, not always successful, according to Beau’s reviews in the few words they share about their day. Meanwhile, the tall Aasimar’s wife is just finishing setting the table for three people. How Beau knew Caleb would show up, he doesn’t know. Maybe she hoped? Perhaps she just… knew. Either way, Caleb is here now, crossing the iron gate, walking down the pebbled path towards the ivy-framed door, and knocking twice.

Beauregard opens the door with a smirk. She is wearing different clothes than Caleb saw her wear in the morning—more casual, comfortable clothes—her hair is still up in her signature bun, and she is still wearing some of her golden jewelry. The woman in front of him is not an Expositor of the Cobalt Soul anymore, but his friend from adventures that have been almost forgotten in time.

“Hello, Beauregard,” Caleb greets her sheepishly. Beau’s smirk gives room to a bright grin as she greets him back and steps away to let him in the house.

It’s a cozy, lived-in house (although a bit too messy for Caleb’s tastes) that smells of stew and sweets, where a small fireplace crackles in front of a comfy couch and a shaggy rug. The walls are adorned with art, paintings done by their tiefling friend of the Mighty Nein and their allies. Caleb’s favorite piece is definitely the large painting above the mantelpiece of their group of misfits, one that includes Mollymauk at one end, Kingsley at the other, and Essek smiling next to Caleb. Caleb has the same painting in his office in his small cottage (Jester painted one for everyone so they wouldn’t forget about them. So they could look upon it and smile, remember the memories of what they have been through, and soothe the sorrow of missing their friends).

“I’m glad you could join us, Caleb,” Yasha greets him, bending to give the man a bear hug. Beauregard must have told her wife the situation she found him in that morning because he sees compassion and comfort in Yasha’s eyes. Caleb merely nods and drapes his coat over the back of the couch. He produces a bottle of wine and a plate of apple tarts—not homemade today, though—that he kept in his private pocket dimension and hands it to Beau, who tuts at the wine label reprovingly but promptly uncorks it nonetheless.

Dinner doesn’t take long to be served, and it’s not half-bad (a vegetable stew with harvests from Beau and Yasha’s garden with a side of rustic bread also made by the latter). The conversation flows nicely between the three, sometimes pausing to sip on wine or to change the subject. Caleb listens attentively to Yasha’s tales about their neighbor, Martina, who has been teaching her new recipes to use their produce (she was, apparently, the one who taught Yasha the stew recipe they are eating). The conversation changes again to Beau and Caleb’s work tracking the Assembly, and the three discuss and share theories about Ludinus’s plans. Through it all, no one mentions the name of their drow friend, the war criminal who has been running from both the Empire and the Dynasty, which makes Caleb relax.

Essek doesn’t get the opportunity to visit often, and when he does, it’s in disguise, so Caleb has learned to cherish those fleeting moments. However, things seemed to have calmed down for a while, and Essek’s stay was extended to over a fortnight before chatter began, and the man departed again under the light of the moon. He hasn’t heard from his Xorhasian friend in weeks, which is not uncommon, but this separation has taken a harder hit on him. Beau clearly saw it that morning. She guessed from the state she found Caleb’s house in but didn’t ask, and neither did Yasha. Caleb knows the women will wait until he’s ready to share, and he’s thankful for that. He makes sure to give them a smile to convey his gratitude, and, in response, he is offered a place to stay overnight so he doesn’t have to return to his empty house and empty cold bed. Here, surrounded by two of his dearest friends, chatting happily about vegetables, fertilizer, and power-hungry mages, Caleb is still far from healed but on the mend, and the dark loneliness in his starts to vanish.

#critical role #cr fic #mighty nein #caleb widogast #critter genfic bingo #beauregard lionett #yasha nydoorin #shadowgast #<- mentioned #beauyasha #<- background relationship #Post-Campaign 2 #Post-Mighty Nein Reunited

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3ris-d1st0rtionnn · 5 months

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StoLE tHiS fILe FroM THe aRcHivES… dON’t TeLL @speyeralling-down-thy-majesty , bUt i JuST WantEd a LittLE MemENtO oF ThEsE EvENtS… eVEn ThouGh tHeY’Re StiLL iN My HaLLwaYs SomeWhErE :)

Statement of Jade Connor, regarding a strange theme park attraction. Recorded by [REDACTED], head Archivist of the Magnus Institute.

I don’t even know why I decided to send this your way. I know you won’t believe me, nobody does, I just… I need to feel sane for once after last week.

It was last Saturday, if I’m remembering right. I had taken my friend Emma out for a day at this small theme park at the edge of town. Emma Davis… That was her full name. I have to keep reminding myself.

The park was really nothing special, just a small place with a few standard carnival rides and food stands. In all honesty, we were just coming up on finals at university and needed to relieve the pressure with some mindless entertainment, but I had a sort of nostalgia for that park. I had been going there since I was around 8 years old, so I know the place like the back of my hand… It’s no wonder that I picked the new building out so easily.

It looked a bit like one of those old “ghost train” rides, but none of it was visible from the outside. The building was just a small, weathered black box with faded murals painted on the front that I couldn’t make out at all; if I looked closely, I could have sworn I saw the remnants of painted faces, but the paint had streaked and bled too badly to see any details. The only legible text was the word “FUN” in pink and green block letters above the singular entrance door. No information, no name, just “fun.” That should have been my cue to stay away, paired with the sense of paranoia I felt just seeing that damn building, but Emma was already heading in by the time I noticed, shouting her usual lighthearted mockery of me being “too scared.”

I can’t explain how, but I knew I couldn’t let her go in there alone.

The interior of the building was… strange. It definitely wasn’t a dark ride like I expected, more like some kind of funhouse. The entrance led us into a dimly-lit hallway; the walls, ceiling, and floor were all painted black, but it looked… unnaturally dark, as if we were standing in an endless void. A series of doors were painted on the walls, each one skewed oddly in perspective and painted in neon colors so bright, they hurt my eyes to look at too long. I could have sworn there were ultraviolet bulbs set up somewhere, but I couldn’t see any visible light fixtures… or anything, for that matter. No fire sprinklers, no exit signs, no electrical panels… Nothing.

I don’t know how long I was lost in my thoughts. My mind was screaming at me to turn around and leave, that something just wasn’t right here, but I was forced back to my senses by a low creaking sound. One of those doors, the ones that couldn’t possibly be real… somehow opened. It had been replaced by an opening in the wall that looked like it had always been there, with no trace of the door itself to be seen. I could hear Emma’s voice laughing in the distance, calling for me to “find her” and “catch up” before blending in with a cacophony of indistinct background music.

All I could do was run after her.

The hallway opened up into… I can’t even say if it was a room, a hall, or something completely different. It looked like the interior of a dark ride with no track, just a winding path surrounded by these strange props and cutouts, each one painted in those same, blinding neon shades. None of them looked like they were supposed to be animated, but I could have sworn I saw them moving from my peripheral vision. Everything around me was just… constantly shifting and changing, even the path itself was winding off into oblivion. And the music… That damn music. It sounded like 5 tracks of frantic cartoon music looping over each other. I couldn’t make out any words, any instruments, whether there were actual voices or if it was all an instrumental, but I felt like there was something in there, like a message I was supposed to understand. Did I hear Emma’s voice up ahead, or was it part of the audio? There was no way I could tell, but I could have sworn I heard her laughing.

I had to have been walking for hours, maybe even days. My ears were ringing, panic building up in my chest as I broke into a run, screaming out Emma’s name, struggling to navigate this deteriorating maze of lights and colors. The walls had faces. The props were pointing at me and laughing. The path was narrowing, trailing off into oblivion and herding me in one direction until… Until I reached the room. Until I saw it.

It was a small room, completely filled with doors. They were all stacked on top of each other, defying logic and space, the walls extending upward infinitely like some twisted rabbit hole I was at the bottom of. I somehow knew not to touch them, that they wouldn’t let me leave yet. And in the center of it all… God, I can’t describe the thing.

It was twice my height, this… complete mockery of a person. Its arms were far too long, allowing its clawed, twisted hands to scrape the floor as if they’d been dislocated from their sockets. The thing smiled, the corners of its mouth extending past its face, exposing what had to be around 7 rows of teeth. Its eyes constantly shifted in color, spiraling voids that pierced right through me. It said nothing at first, but I could hear the audible snap of its neck as it tilted at a painful angle, motioning toward one of the doors nearby.

Just past that door, I could hear Emma’s voice. I couldn’t tell if she was laughing hysterically or screaming, but the sound was… completely unnatural, a noise that came from the very depths of insanity.

“Don’t worry, she’s having fun.”

The thing’s voice felt like broken glass scraping my brain, like a voicebox that was nearly out of battery. My head pulsed with pain, a primal instinct of panic overwhelming my body.

The next thing I knew, I was sprinting down another hallway. My vision was fading in and out, the ear-bleeding soundtrack returning to laugh at me as that figure blinked in and out of my peripheral vision, always behind me as if it knew I wouldn’t get anywhere. The last thing I remember was dropping to my knees, my nails sinking into my arms as I screamed, and…

..and then I was back outside. The second my eyes snapped open, I was lying on the pavement, surrounded by concerned onlookers and emergency personnel. I can barely remember what they claimed had happened, something about a “spontaneous breakdown” leading to me collapsing.

It had only been two minutes since I apparently “broke down.” The building was nowhere to be seen.

Asking about Emma led to the same response of concern… There were no records of her ever entering the park. There were no records of her anywhere; trust me, I checked. Not in the contacts on my phone, not online, nowhere. It’s like she was just… erased as soon as that thing took her.

I haven’t left my home since then. I can still hear that damn music looping in my ears, I can see that thing in the corner of my eye… It’s only a matter of time before it comes for me next, and I know it won’t let me go this time.

Statement ends. A follow-up has been requested, but we can find no records of a “Jade Connor” or their contact information in our databases, except for this transcript.

#the distortion #the spiral #tma #magpod #tma rp #the magnus archives #tma rp blog #spiral avatar #tma oc #tma statements #fan statement #tw unreality #tw delusion

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dramioneasks · 10 months

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I know that we all love a smart Draco but is there anywhere he gives off himbo vibes? Not necessarily like.. stupid or whatever just goofy and a lil dumb that gets Hermione to take herself a little less seriously

Butter Beer Bongs and Other Questionable Choices by sweaterweathergirly - not rated, WIP - “Hermione, I think I accidentally joined a frat.” Immediately, Hermione choked mid-sip on her latte, sending droplets of coffee splattering onto the pages of their open textbooks. Between her rattled attempts to stop the coughing attack, she managed to gasp out a disbelieving, “I’m sorry, what? You must be joking!” *** After the war, Hermione and Draco decide that they need a break from the Wizarding World. So obviously they decide to go to a large public university in Texas to get away from it all... and Draco accidentally joins a frat after a night of drinking. What could possibly go wrong? Follow along as the two embark on a journey full of fun shenanigans, midterms, personal growth, wise counsel from everyone's favorite professor, and (maybe, possibly) even falling in love!

A Little Whiskey by furious_gold - E, 2 chapters - Draco is on a horrific date when he suddenly runs into Hermione Granger. He has no choice but to kiss her.

Season Pass (To This Ass) by mightbewriting - E, 6 chapters - “What do you mean you didn’t get me a ticket?” Ron’s hand flew to the back of his neck, massaging a red splotch just above his collar, flushing out his freckles. “I mean, I—well, it’s not like you enjoy Quidditch all that much.” “I went to every match you or Harry played in at school.” “Quidditch is my hobby, not yours.” [In which Hermione dumps a Quidditch fan and dates a Quidditch player instead. Spite is a beautiful motivator.]

Egyptian Dust and Wanderlust by Ash_ling_ook, Maria81 - E, 11 chapters - Why on Earth did I write a sexy adventure/horror story starring Draco and Hermione with a heavy-ish side of (platonic) Ron? Lord help me, I don't know…but it's 'The Mummy' AU that I didn't think anyone cared for but I needed to write. As it begins, Hermione is in a career she always dreamed of as an archivist who travels to foriegn countries. So why is she feeling so stuck? Draco is wasting his time in a prison cell in Azkaban after a less than desirable business venture he pursued out of boredom and maybe a bit of rebellion. Is he truly feeling apathetic about life post-war or has he just not been challenged by the right person? Ron makes an outlandish discovery bolstered by the enticement of riches. His need for help on his quest brings him to Hermione. The curious circumstances of his discovery lead them to Draco. What they uncover in the hidden sands of Egypt sets forth an unexpected mission to save the planet. A Dramione romance set in the world of 1999's epic blockbuster story, The Mummy. (Some original characters from The Mummy have been used).

The Muggle Telephone by gloivy - T, one-shot - Draco finally caved and bought one of those muggle telephones everyone is going on about, though he doesn’t quite understand how it works yet. A social media AU.

-Lisa

#anonymous #humour #au #romance

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systastic · 2 months

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hiii uhnmm.. odd request, but would it be possible for us to get a headmates based off of task manager, like, the computer application? roles and everything up to you ofc!

no level given so we went with level 2 -🌲

name :: binary, static, n0va, spark, alpha, delta, theta, cypher, echo, sophia

age :: ???

pronouns :: it/its, shx/hxr, hx/hxm, they/them, xe/xir, ze/zim, xyz/xyzs, 01/101/1101/101011self

roles :: manager, overseer, admin, architect, archivist, all-seeing eye, ghost traveler

species :: robot, holographic projection

gender identity :: nullgender

orientation :: aroace

source :: brainmade ; task manager program

aesthetic :: webcore, abstract tech, robotcore, y2k futurism

appearance description :: similar to other robots of its generation, binary has a grey outer shell with reinforced plating to protect it from harm. both pupils are light blue in their entirety and glow when nova is utilizing hxr abilities. spark doesn’t really have a gender; it can change its outer plating to appear as whatever gender it wishes, although it opts to stay in “base form” a majority of the time. it appears to be wearing a business suit at all times; even when sleeping, it doesn’t seem to change clothes. in terms of abilities, theta can generate blue semi-transparent squares on which to record information that can be remotely accessed afterwards. cypher uses these screens to see everything in the headspace: the location other headmates, remote access of memories, changing layout or architecture, to even being able to lock other headmates’ abilities or prevent others from fronting.

personality description :: sophia is, at hxr core, a purely robotic being. it does not have much of a personality nor does it experience human emotions. it is for this reason that other alters may feel uncomfortable around theta; hxr unending drive to complete tasks and care for the body comes first compared to interaction with others. it does feel a sort of loneliness when others do not interact with it, and will mimic back behavior and emotion to form some sort of connection with other headmates. beyond this, though, echo is vey no-nonsense and cuts right to the chase when dealing with issues. persecutor in front? alpha sends them to the back. little crying? shx summons a caregiver to tend to them. physical problems with the body? hx researches possibilities online, takes a overhead view, and does what the articles or websites recommend. no one in static’s system is more capable at controlling headspace and the body than it is; it is the end-all be-all in an argument and will make decisions for the good of the body no matter what state static may be in.

image source here

#banner creds: @animated-glitter-graphics-and-more #alter packs #baa blog #bah blog #build a alter #build a headmate #build an alter #headmate creation #headmate pack #kitty creations #🌲 post

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mamaito · 8 months

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What are your favorite videogames?

Thanks for the great question, I have so much to say! I will avoid mentioning any VN as I don't consider them games really..

I am a fan of surreal and weird games in general, if it's out there then I will be interested and play it; I also constantly search for raising sims where you raise a character (Typically a daughter or son.) till they turn into an adult.

Menagerie Series -> I love this series, I am very thankful that it exists as I love the game's art style and atmosphere it gives:

Presentable Liberty, I consider this game as one of the best, it is a first person story driven game where you play as a prisoner that has no choice but to wait for someone to send you a letter and play through the games given to you just to pass time. It is part of a Menagerie series created by the creator.

Years ago, this game changed my god damn life. I was so invested in it, it is rare to find something that understands what it feels like to actually be helpless and depressed. The need to tell those few people left that you're still alive and can't is a frustrating hurdle.

Exoptable Money, Another part of the Menagerie Series, this time it is a point and click format. You play as a business man trying to find ways in how you earned your fame and piece together what happened to the world in itself. I also recommend recommend as I do like the creator's style.

It is also quite depressing but if you like strange visuals then I'm sure you'd enjoy it.

Menagerie Archive, The last part of the Menagerie Series, another point and click format. You play as an archivist in a dystopian world where you are forced to share your earnings between three citizen from each status. If you don't have enough funds, they will go hungry for a week while at the same time, keeping yourself also fed.

There are multiple endings, and it is also part of the worldbuilding from the two games, Presentable Liberty and Exoptable Money.

Mogeko Castle -> RPG, just pure unfiltered dark humor.

Hylics -> RPG, just straight up surreal and aesthetic fun.

The witch's House -> RPG, a good horror game, I consider it a classic so you should play it, I don't wanna spoil the fun.

Zelle -> Occult Adventure, 2nd person dungeon crawler/point and click game where you are a young boy trying to escape the grim reaper's castle in order to get back to your mother.

TMGS Series -> Otome, a stat raising dating game where you have 3 years in high school to get close to the guy you like; (I also want to play the original ones where you date the girls eventually.)

LovePLus -> DS, another stat raising dating game where you have a virtual girlfriend. My sister and I used to fight over the DS because we wanted to collect dreams and go on dates with the girl we chose lol.

Princess Maker Series -> Raising sim, stat raising game where you raise a girl till she turns into an independent adult, either from a princess or any job you want her to get.

Teaching Feeling -> Raising sim, you take care of an abused girl and have a relationship with her. (I am still upset to this very day the creator blocked me all because he had a tantrum over his english speaking fans and that I was speaking in english.)

My Child Lebensborn -> Raising sim, story driven where you're raising a child of a german soldier in norway after the war and try your best to give him/her the best childhood as much as you can.

Harvester -> Point and click adventure, classic surreal and just weird game where you play as a man who has amnesia and has to figure out the world he's in.

LION -> Life sim, dosbox game. You just play as a lion lol

WOLF -> Life sim, dosbox game. You play as a wolf, that's it lol.

PETZ -> Life sim, old game where you just take care of pets till old age in your desktop. That's it. I cherish this game to the bottom of my heart.

Creatures Series -> Life sim, my favorite of all time as possibly the best out all life simulations. You take care of these alien creatures, teach them how to talk and watch them interact with their surroundings. The person who made this is an actual roboticist btw, and it has a complex system where the activities in their brain are monitored to even their genetic make up. I remember one of my norns kept calling me mama and then taught it to the others to also refer to me as that.

Yames Games -> Best horror games out there, there's a lot to say but I suggest you check it out yourself if you're into the eldritch variety.

Rimworld -> Colony sim, a sci-fi management game where you try to survive the planet and get out of there with the rest of your colony. It is also a classic, especially with mods.

Crusader Kings Series -> Strategy game where you try to keep your dynasty from dying as much as you can. I play it to see how far I can turn my family into a family circle, basically incest. But the fun is making your own story and messing around. Be warned, to this fucking day the devs cannot be bothered to fix their shitty loading screens. A spreadsheet of a game shouldn't be asking for large fucking specs just to play.

Tale of Immortal -> Open world sandbox game, Wuxia shit and cultivation.

ELONA -> Rougelike game. You can do so many things in this game that I can hardly list it, just go play it.

Amazing Cultivation Simulator -> You know what it's already about based on the title, wuxia and cultivation shit except it is a colony sim this time. Inanimate objects can come to life, your furry will turn into a literal demonic animal and grief you if you take too long to cultivate him/her, your character will turn into a loli/shota when turning near immortal. It is fun but fuck that chat mechanic. You need mods.

I don't think I've listed all of my favorites but these were the ones I thought from the top of my head. If you're ever interested in any of them just try it out.

Virtual Villagers Series -> Real time simulation management game, you take care of a bunch of people in a lone village and do your best to improve their life. You act as a god, at least in some of the other sequels, and try your best to find ways to find better food resource and unlock the mysteries of the island.

Be warned as this isn't the kind where everything you'll be able to unlock everything in one go as it where you'll need to wait real time for it to unlock on it's own.

#ask #i geeked out but here you go lol

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marisramblings · 1 year

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Here’s how I’d change The Owl House Finale(s)

(Because everyone cares what I think).

Thanks to Them

I actually like this episode for the most part. I think a slight reprieve from the previous season finale makes sense. I would focus more on developing Gus and Willow as characters. This would be a good time for Willow and Amity to truly talk and create a friendship outside of Luz.

King’s dad should start appearing periodically throughout the episode. Not visibly, but in little hints and glimpses to Luz. He’s trying to get them back home because they have the advantage of not being in the collector’s sights. He comes in her dreams, makes nudges to lead her and the squad to the remaining blood. Something along those lines.

We get a visual glimpse of the Wittebane backstory. Maybe Belos reminisces while possessing Hunter, during the hayride, and Hunter sees the flashback, confused and scared. Hell, for the Lunter shippers, when Hunter comes back to reality have the visage of Evelyn fade into Luz. Parallels ✨

I have no clue what to do with Vee. I love her though.

For the Future

This episode sucks.

King’s dad is still communicating with Luz

First, the Hexside detour should be completely removed.

The focus should be entirely on resolving the collector arc. Whether he’s a capricious cosmic entity or the equivalent of a child, end it here. There’s little time to delve into the archivists, so it can be skipped, I guess. We don’t know what the lore is so I can’t comment on if it could be condensed.

Willow, Amity, and Gus can still continue their arcs. Have Willow still crack and these two resolve it, not Hunter. Hunter doesn’t need to be with Luz but he needs focus on his new powers and discovering Caleb and Belos’ history. If there’s a connection between the Clawthorne’s and them, reveal it here, a little. Sprinkle a bit 🤏🏾

Belos is the devil on the collector’s ear. He sends them to fight Luz and Co. We get a battle which is Kikimora’s original + the games from Waking and Dreaming. We can even add Eda, Lilith, and King can go over to help. Regardless, our kids put up a fight and get thrashed.

At this point things seem grim. Depending on the characterization, the collector is gleeful over suffering or having a change of heart once he realizes his “games” are dangerous. Belos reappears, now reinvigorated/moss powered whatever, and kills the collector.

Waking and Dreaming

It can be here or the tail end of FtF, but Luz is killed by Belos trying to defend Hunter. This is not shipping fodder, I just think Belos really hates Caleb and by extension Hunter. There’s a lovely drama in him killing the parallel of his brother’s wife, if he didn’t kill her originally.

Now she’s in titan ville

We get the detailed and full version of the Wittebane story. If the Clawthorne’s are involved, bring it in. The titan wants Luz to know the full story so she can decide if she’s willing to kill Belos. We don’t get a handed down moral, but we see her earnestly think about this.

Meanwhile, Belos might let somethings slip about Hunter and Caleb. Everyone’s justifiably losing their shit and going ham. There’s no way they can beat him so they retreat.

Since the collector’s dead, everyone is freed from being dolls. Maybe bump brings everyone back to hexside and our group meets them there.

Belos is progressing slowly but he’s coming. This is the time for little character interactions like Amity and Boscha, Eda and her parents. Wrap up as much as possible swiftly. No high school politics.

Time doesn’t progress the same in the in between dimension. The titan and Luz talk. We truly close the collector’s arc. He explains what happened or gives a glimpse into their motives. There isn’t enough time to properly resolve it.

Luz talks about King

Eventually she agrees, gets her super awesome monster form.

Hexside peeps prepare for one final showdown. We have the coven heads including Raine, our main squad, the harpy sisters, and King and Hunter with their strange powers.

They fight and Luz returns

Battle, battle, battle. Little character interactions

Belos dies. I have mixed feeling on whether Hunter needs to confront him. So maybe he tells Belos to choke and Eda and Lilith stomp him out. It shouldn’t be played for laughs

The day is saved!…sigils are gone

Extended epilogue. Amity and Luz talk about things. Willow isn’t a sports player…wtf was that about?

Gus gets to travel the human realm or something besides being the same human club person.

If Hunter is carving palismen, can we learn why?

Eda being a teacher…is debatable at best. Raeda wedding though 😎

We see Luz finish out high school in the human realm while visiting the isles. There’s still the quinceañera.

I clearly didn’t hit every single detail of each episode. There are sections that are fine or not worth the effort to edit. I’m not a hardcore fan of any of the ships. I do like Lunter but I’m not going back to rewrite the whole show. My efforts are more focused on developing Amity as a character so the relationship feels more real. I do love my girls. Huntlow is not my thing. It feels hollow and a waste of Willow’s time.

These are my ideas for the finale episodes only. Some of these would be better if they started in earlier seasons but, like I said, I’m not here to rewrite the show. I hope it’s clear that my criticism come from a place of loving the show. Critical tags kind of annoy me because it seems to imply that this wouldn’t belong in the main tags. Opinions that aren’t attacking people should be able to stay in the main tags.

#mari’s rambles #tv review #the owl house #toh #toh season 3 #the owl house season finale #toh season 3 spoilers #luz noceda #edalyn clawthorne #king clawthorne #toh belos #hunter toh #amity blight #toh criticism #toh critical #the owl house criticism #the owl house critical

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avoidingcertaindoom · 2 months

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July Break Bingo

It has been a month ^^;; I did want to do more but I airways get tied up irl whenever I get excited for a writing challenge! Luckily I was able to knock out several prompts in this one entry but I think that'll be it for me. I don't regret it when it got me to write!

Dearest Mione,

I feel like I ought to lose count of how many years I’ve missed your annual visits. I know to get ahold of your former guardian is as possible as moving water uphill in a sieve, but is there no one willing to travel with you so you can come and stay in much more befitting accommodations while you wait for them to return? I would like to do so myself if my family weren’t so flippant about it!

Forgive my frustration, I didn’t realize it would be so disheartening not to see you for so long. There have been traveling stars that have made their way back to Trufulla sooner than you have me, and I think I’m sick of hoping. At least those important to the temple are treating you well, I’d hate to think you were surrounded by any other disappointments as I am.

Mama has heard from Ihui’s counselors that another space has opened up at the academy, and they are pushing me to take the entrance exams. Do you think it insolent of me to hesitate? My abilities over the elements have only grown in the six or so years since your last stop with us and I know I should be honoured for the opportunity to further hone my skills with scholars… but Elemental Magic bores me. Truly bores me. I have three siblings, surely my parents will survive if just one of us were to stray from the path traced by our bloodline.

I suppose… sometimes I feel trapped. Trapped by the expectations of my parents, trapped by the mountains I call home that separate us, just trapped in the mull that this is my life and I half expect that this is all I really have to look forward to. Life isn’t long enough to give me any sense of appeal towards this. I’d give my left leg to be able to do something else.

Please do tell of something in Cyklam that can be called endearing. We can’t both be bored to tears.

Yours,

Tlalli Corax

PS; I preserved some of the sulfur shelf fungi from one of my last hikes. If the package isn’t included, report the delivering courier, I am not one for sharing and especially with strangers

Dear Tlalli,

I do believe the High Priestess has spoken fairly often of whether or not to send me to one of the former places Nini and I have stayed, but the outcome is often the same. I don’t suppose there is really any place I must be, and so here I am to stay. To ask them it seems much more befitting to house an aasimar in a house of the gods.

Things are… the same, I would say. They have allowed me to look into healing classes so I can get the sense of being useful, though translating Cantrellian Cant seems to be what they really wish I were interested in. It wouldn’t be so dull if you were here to help me piece together all the in between and the meanings, and I’m sure you would have much more constructive commentary than the archivists I’m compelled to do so with.

Your parents are vexing, but perhaps toeing the line to their wishes and taking the exams could have some use to you. If nothing else to show that you have no need for further studies, perhaps high enough scores could get you a reference to someone who has exactly the intrigue you are looking for. A more mischievous person might even suggest sabotaging your scores, but I know you wouldn’t be interested in looking quite so foolish.

Little in Cyklam seems as interesting as Yuzcal sadly, though I have enclosed an anklet I was able to make while experimenting with weaving. Did you know people could make beads with flower petals and ash? I believe the pink ones are zinnias, though the brown ones seem to be a much simpler clay. Not very exciting, but it’s kind of charming.

All the best,

PS; I think of changing my name, but it’s hard to find much that resonates. Suggestions would be much appreciated.

Dearest Mione,

I appreciate you thinking better of me than to seriously suggest I make a fool of myself. My family already treats me like an idiot, I don’t need to give them a broader target. Perhaps playing along until I find someone like minded is for the best. If it works for you surely I can find something of value. Until then, I might have to satisfy myself by outdoing the lot of them.

Healing classes? There’s no doubt you’ll take to them well, but you don’t think they’re a little… lowly for your abilities? I know you have little to do, but surely something more befitting is attainable, no?

Cantrellian Cant would be loads of fun to decipher! If I had more of a natural bent towards it I’d enlist as an acolyte myself to have a chance at a scroll or two. If you run out of texts, maybe a few from here could be moved along. I’m not as familiar with the books they keep with the Adyriz temples, but I do hear whispers at Solange’s near the colleges that I’d love to sink my claws into.

I did notice a hum of energy from the beads, and they are quite easy to use as a charm for abjuration. Especially with water magic. Was the clay from one of Ljuba’s springs perhaps? The pink ones were rather fragile, so I might have to repurpose the remaining ones for something useful. Though I will say the cloud nymphs were envious.

Yours--

I almost forgot about your last request. I’m not sure honestly, Mione suits you so well. I’ll have to think on it while awaiting your next letter.

Yours,

Tlalli Corax

Dear Tlalli,

I do quite enjoy the healing classes honestly. They get me out of the temple, and it is much more grounding than translating in my opinion. How lowly could it be when people are so grateful for the effort?

The Cant may be more interesting at Solange’s temple, but I just don’t see it as all that stimulating. It might be different for others, but I’m often called upon for it because the words are clearer to my eyes without having to channel any divinity, and it just feels odd. Maybe I’d have more reverence if it didn’t feel taken for granted.

I hadn’t even considered the beads could hold magic, though I suppose that makes sense. I’m sad to hear the ashen ones broke already, I’ve grown quite fond of the colour. Perhaps transit did them poorly, if I send you any other projects I’ll be more selective about the materials.

I appreciate your honesty. I guess I’ll have to keep looking on my own. Maybe even in these old scrolls since that’s where my use evidently lies. I hope you find what you’re looking for when your own classes start, maybe we can compare notes on what counts as fitting then.

M. Z.

Dear Mione,

Do they appreciate you so little in the temple? It makes even less sense not to let you move on from there. I hate to think of you being wasted like this.

If you like, I can help draft a request for Solange’s texts? I'm sure there's some legends that intersect between the two, such as the passing on of the Night's Veil. Or even the older texts about their relationship before the Great Conflicts. Maybe I ought to take more notes during the next week of Memoria.

Perhaps suggest that the colurant could be added to the wellspring clay if you'd like them sturdier? I think that would weaken the bonds, but you hardly need charms for your bent of magic.

Speaking of which, I don't actually hate my lessons. As limited as I thought they'd be, some of my professors are quite open to helping me look into other subjects. There's a course on abjuration in talks that I might be allowed into rather than free period--which would cut into my time for letters, but you've always been more patient than I. If I'm lucky this letter won't miss the next messenger in the market.

I have given some thought to other names, such as Aurore or Soledad or some such. But I must confess they still do sound odd to me, I doubt you'll ever be anyone else other than Mione to me. My own dear friend and delightful penpal.

Yours,

Tlalli Corax

Dear Tlalli,

Waste is a strong word. I think I'm the only one with sense in my classes considering how careless my peers are, I'd have thought you could relate.

I don't believe the Priesthood needs more work to give me. If it weren't for Grace Terran I think they'd kick me in the archives. I'll kindly take that in moderation and pray to Adyriz and Solange both that their mysteries find a more suitable conduit. There's a reason I went for healing rather than continuing down the paths starting as an acolyte.

The beads suit me as they are. I've used a few in my hair alongside the bracelets and I'd rather not add wellspring clay to the opalite, amber, and other blessed stone everyone keeps suggesting. At least not at this time.

Speaking of beads… someone offered Riki when I brought up names. It's a lot more simple than others, old orcish if I was told correctly. I think I'd mind it less than Zoïe.

Please do focus on your classes, I'm not going anywhere and if you like I can simply write more often without waiting. All I've got outside of the Healer Center is time to myself after all, if you don't mind hearing from me even More.

Regards,

R. Z.

Dearest Mione,

If you're satisfied with the Healer Center, I won't needle it further. I'm thinking like a bookworm, the archives would be a delight to me, but you've always been of a more hands on sort. You'll probably be good for the other healers in training anyway, who else is going to hold the lot of them accountable?

Opalite is an odd choice… I mean, not so odd considering Adyriz herself prefers them. Just ironic. I'll check the marketplace for beads when I post your letter to give you more variety.

Let me know what you do end up settling on. “Riki” will do as well as anything else.

I promise I'm paying attention! Last week a Teaching assistant brought in a charmed box and I was the first to figure out how to unlock the magic binding it locked. It was almost like the escape room attractions at festivals, I don't remember the last time I felt so pleased. Professor De Sylvan says I have an eye for this sort of thing, I might ask if she's open to independent tutoring to focus on more like it. I sense a brighter path ahead, I simply MUST find a way to see you to show it off.

Yours,

Tlalli Corax

#july break bingo #july break bingo 2024 #jbbingo2024 #original work #project; trufulla #epistolary format #ch: riki zoleil #ch: tlalli corax #pre canon

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