#she had (and still does have) a lot of paranoia about stuff getting stuck in her teeth so she would just refuse to eat most solid foods

[arolesbianism]

I am having a delightful time plotting out hcs for Euphraise's childhood and young adulthood and it's making me wanna revamp the looper Euphrasie au concepts I made a whole back because I need an excuse to explore different aspects of this woman so badly

[crabbytrolls]

Branches Backstory in order????

I don't even have this account fully set up, but I'm truly trying to figure out the timeline of the trolls movies, for myself as well as somewhat rant, about mostly branches backstory and his brothers. This might come out as late night mad scrawling on a wall in a dark cave.

Is this important? To me at 2:34 am with only a few hours before I need to be up? right now? it is.

I will be assuming a lot, but whoops. a Lot of rambling under here. Spoilers ahoy for those who haven't watched Trolls Band Together.

So From what we know, Branch and his brothers were raised by Their Grandmother, we can assume that their parents got eaten by Bergens.

Now seeing as how their Grandmothers house was still in the old tree the Bergens had imprisoned them all in before they became buddy buddy, we can assume then that the Brozone stuff happens when they are all still stuck in the tree.

How did they get out?? Did they all wait until The day that everyone escaped? If so. shitty of them all Did they each manage to sneak away from the tree and go their own ways? For this I'm going to assume that most of them snuck away in single pairings, which would probably make sneaking away from the Bergens easier.

However I'm going to assume Clay stuck around for a bit seeing as he knew the whole situation with Viva, and her backstory. Probably stuck around for his sad book club.

(Which if that is what happened that makes me angry as can be, because that would mean not once did he check up on Branch or Their Grandmother, seeing as how he didn't even know she had been EATEN. unless she got snacked on the day right before trollstice. Even then that's shitty. Now, could he have thought Floyd was with them still? yes. But still You would think that he would try to find his siblings and Grandmother if they were going to be escaping.)

Now more assuming on my part, seeing as in the first Trolls movie Branch isn't in diapers, and in the beginning of Band Together, he is, I'm going to assume that the difference between the break up and the grandmother being eaten thing is maybe at the most 2 if not 3 years. (which also damn troll minds must be as strong as can be if Branch can actually remember all of his siblings after 20 years of not seeing them.) Anyways I'm setting Branch to be at the most 5 if not 6 around the time Grandma Rosiepuff gets eaten. Which leads to Branch loosing his colors.

Now we don't know how far from Grandma Rosiepuff the Escape on Trollstice, but for this We'll say it was rather close, if not the day before because Chef wanted to taste just one troll before the king to continue to feel like they were important.

Then King Peppy manages to take the trolls, and loose Viva and some other trolls, and Branch goes through those tunnels without any family (which probably didn't help his Paranoia at all.) Then John Dory Went to the tree, and found it empty. (does this make me forgive him any? no.) But seeing as he he might have seen the tree gone and thought the entire kingdom and all of his siblings, maybe, if he hadn't watched them leave, had been eaten and traumatized by that so he gets a pass small pass. For Now.

That means for almost all his life so far, Branch has not seen hide nor hair, of his sibling, and only has been able to hear their music to hear their voices.

it's late but I think that's everything that happens before the movies pretty much right? Anyways. Branch makes me sad and I will fight his brothers. Including Floyd thought not as much seeing as he's probably one solid punch away from turning back to a crystalized state.

I think John Dory was probably the only one that came back to the tree because he was the oldest, and he had 4 siblings he was taking care of, and did care for them in some form. Clay was busy being stuck with Viva, Floyd was doing whatever Floyd was doing before getting trapped, Maybe he came back but can't be certain, and Bruce was busy getting his life going. Anyways rant done.

[wisegirlandseaweedbrainforever]

The chapter 2 I didn't know I needed to write.

Leo frowned as he leaned against the kitchen table April was sitting at and writing a grocery list.

There was an overgrown vegetable garden in the back and some chickens in the barn but there was still only so far they could make green beans, zuccini, tomatos, and eggs go.

Next to her Donnie was going over a potential plan for retaking New York, they were still a long way from being able to even think about going back (as his on fire knee was curently reminding him), but this was how Donnie delt with the stress he knew.

Raph pulles out a chair next to him and pushes him into it, then takes the seat next to it. Leo flinches when Raph pulls his leg up, and rests it on his knees, then puts the makeshift ice pack they made with old rice from the pantry and a sock of Casey's on his knee.

April looks up from her list at the sound and gives them a small smile. "How did training go?"

"As good as can be expected" Leo replies.

"So Raph didn't take you on a five mile hike and put you back by three weeks then?" Donnie says bitterly.

Leo puts his hand on Raph's thigh when he growls in hopes of heading off the fight.

"We stuck to gentle katas like you instructed don't worry, and you know neither of us knew better with that Donnie." Leo says. "So April we need another grocery run?" Leo changes the subject.

"Yeah, we need rice and flour at least, but I think some sugar and oil would be a good idea too. And I'm still hoping there will be dried or condensed milk this time." She says

"You know if they don't I can still make a substitute with the rice" Donnie says offhandedly

"I know but we are going through the rice way faster because of it." She answers.

Donnie hums in affirmation at that.

"What I wouldn't give for a cow right now" April says bitterly.

"We're lucky enough your chickens survived being free range like that Apes" Raphael says.

"Yeah, I thought for sure dad sold them when we moved to the city" she says thoughfully.

They sit in silence for a minute, Donnie working on his plans, April adding up how much rice they need, Raph carefully masaging Leo's knee, and Leo just watching everyone else.

"I've been meaning to ask, how are we buying this stuff, anyway? Or at least I'm assuming you're buying it, you're not going at night like you would a raid so-" Leo asks

Everyone looks at each other, sidelong, reminding Leo once again how much he missed, and how much time he lost.

"Some of it's my dad's cause well you know how paranoid he got after everything-" April starts.

"It's not paranoia, if they'r actually out to get ya." Raph points out, and Leo winces as his movements get a bit harder on his knee.

"Sorry" Raph whispers and gentles.

"-right, well anyway he had a lot of money out of the bank and hidden in the van glove compartment just in case, and well the rest was from Casey's dad."

"I thought Casey wasn't able to find his dad?" Leo says

"Casey's dad is in the foot" Donnie says bluntly.

"Smooth, Don, real smooth" Raph says

"Yeah well, it's true, and while the rest of you are either in denial, or grieving like Casey. I have to figure out how to take back a city, save everyone from horrific mutations, and somehow not be killed or kill not only Karai but now Casey's family! So forgive me if I'm not a fan of pussyfooting around the subject!" Donnie hisses, stabbing his pen at Raph.

Leo blinks "what does this have to do with money again?"

"Case's dad apparently ran off to tha foot durring tha invasion, said we were now his new family, and left him with only three bags of survival equipmenan' some money! The idiot seems to have forgiven him, but I for one will be having words with tha man when we get back to the city" Raph says

"Aaaand that is just one more eventuality I have to plan for." Donnie says sassily "not that I don't want to slap the man too, but still."

This is obviously an arguement they'd had before cause April had, just kinda gone quiet and hunched in on herself. Leo felt bad for her with her psychic abilities high tension conversations like this must be ten times worse.

"Maybe we should calculate how much more rice we'll need for rice milk, in case they don't have the condenced? Donnie can you write down the recipe so April and I can do the calculations?" Leo said

I started thinking about what it'd be like if all the Casey's had a Cassandra Jones like parent like in rottmnt and this fic happened.

Casey Jones sprinted from the van and up the steps of the apartment he lived in with his dad and little sister, praying they were here and he wouldn't have to search the city. He bypassed the elevater for the stairs not willing to wait for the ancient machine, making good time. The door wasn't locked, Casey wasn't sure what to make of that, they never left the door unlocked, this wasn't a safe part of town after all.

"Dad! Angel! Are you here?!" Casey called

"In the kitchen, Jr." He heard his father say, sounding far too calm for an alien invasion, maybe he hadn't seen yet?

"Dad, there's an alien invasion, you need to look out-"

His dad was at the counter by the sink, seemingly packing Casey's school backpack "Case, I know. I need you to listen to me. Your sister and I are going to live with the foot clan-"

"The foot? Y-you know about the foot?! They're the bad guys dad!"

His dad sighed shoulders sagging, and turned around to face Casey.

"Casey, you know how before your mom died, I wasn't around alot?" He said gently puting his hands on Casey's shoulders.

"Yeah dad, what's tha-"

"Everything Jr. I was a lieutenant for master Saki, for the Shredder. When your mom died I was alowed to retire and raise you two, they will take me back, and the foot are always looking for recruits they will be happy to have your sister, but you are Hamato now-"

"I'm not-" Casey started, but stopped after seeing, his dad's look. "How did you know?"

"The same way the Shredder knows the Hamatos survived, I found a kunai with your symbol among your things while gathering laundry. You all have to be more careful about leaving weapons around like that." Casey sr. Said turning back to the bag on the counter.

"Dad the guys would protect you too, you don't have to go back to the Shred head-"

"Jones don't go back on their oaths Jr, that's why I'm not asking you to come with us. Now, there is enough food in here for two days and ten people if you are careful, and there are bags by the door with first aid and survival equipment, I also packed all the money I could get out of the atm, we won't need it with the foot. But I'd feel better if you did. Help me pack it into the van you took here."

"Dad-"

"Don't argue with me son"

"Yes sir" Casey said swallowing around the lump forming in his throat. "Where is Angel? Can I say goodbye?"

"She's already at the compound, you know she'd never let you leave, if she was here. Come on grab a bag" his dad said ducking around him.

Casey hurried to do as he said.

The walk down to the van was silent, except the sounds of explosions and screaming from the streets, Casey tried to think of something to say, but the fear, confusion, and betrayal was overwhelming and words wouldn't come. This felt way too much like he was being disowned, and he didn't know what to do with that. In the back of his mind though the realization that his father was already dressed in foot garb registered. That didn't make him feel better.

Casey pulled open the back of the van, and they started packing the bags in. Casey desperately trying to not let unshed tears fall. A hand fell on his shoulder, and turned him around. Suddenly he was enveloped in his father's arms.

"I love you son, don't doubt that"

"I love you too, dad"

His dad pressed a kiss onto the top of his head, and pulled apart.

"Now Casey Jones of the Hamato clan, you will go gather your brothers and sisters, and get out of the city. I don't want to find any of your bodies, when we are cleaning up after, you hear me, I know I have trained you well enough for that." Casey Sr said eyes steely.

Casey lost the battle against the tears, but managed to choke out a "yes sir"

His dad's face softened, but he gently pushed him towards the drivers side, and said "now go, and know I am proud of you."

Casey nodded, wiped at the tears so he could see, climbed into the seat and started the engine. His had dad backed up to let him pass. Casey made up his mind, and rolled down the window.

"Hey, dad! I'm proud of you too!" He shouted over the engine.

His dad's face broke into that shit eating grin he knew so well, and said. "That means more than you know son. Now go!"

Casey nodded, and put the peddle to the metal. He had brothers to save.

[max33imagines]

17. ‘I know you still love me.’ — Max Verstappen X Reader.

Nine days. Nine long lonely days and long lonely nights had passed since you were last with Max. It's no secret that Max has a temper on him, and it's no secret that he's met his match within an argument, but you didn't expect him to throw four years away.

The past few months had been hard on both of you. You had finally gotten a huge promotion at work, you remember when you told Max and how happy he was for you. How happy he was that all of your had work and late stressful evenings had paid off. Despite the fact you had added responsibility, you now also had the flexibility to work from home, Max instantly planning every race weekend you'd get to spend together. It was perfect.

"Babe can you pass me my hat please?"

"Yeah good luck babe." You replied, still frantically trying to send an email back to your boss.

"Thanks, but.. my hat?" Totally ignoring Max this time he leaned over you to grab the hat sitting beside you. Max sighed, continuing to grab his things he needed from his motorhome to get going towards the track.

"Are you planning on putting your laptop down at any point this weekend?" Max spat. You tried to explain how important it was that this particular job was done before the deadline but Max scoffed, shutting you down and saying something about him wasting his time. You put his frustration down to pre race nerves, knowing he had a bad qualifying yesterday and was stuck behind the two Mercedes. You didn't reply to him as you watched Max walk out of his motor home, not forgetting to slam the door behind him.

More responsibility became more work for you. A lot more work. Deadlines, meetings, emails upon emails, your home soon became your office and so did everywhere else you went. Max on the other hand had bad race after bad race. If it wasn't a bad race then it was a bad qualifying, if it wasn't a bad qualifying it was ridiculous questions and accusations when he got to the press. To top it all off, if the weekend went his way, it was a falling out with you. An argument, a disagreement, a falling out.

'Why are you always glued to that laptop?'

'Why are you always glued to that simulator?'

You'd both distanced yourself from each other without really realising it. When you both had a day off, any deadlines, any bad races, it was all forgotten about it was as if whatever had happened within the past week, simply didn't. Always apologising to one another, spending as much time as possible with each other and making up for the time you had missed over the past few days. Your separate jobs were coming between you, and because neither of you were seeing too much of each other while working, Max's jealousy came out in full force, as did your paranoia.

'Who's he?'

'Who's she?'

'Have I met him?

'Have I met her?'

Max would always put you at ease. 'She's just a friend babe.' 'She works around the paddock I can hardly avoid her'. You knew he loved you. He knew he'd never look at another woman the same way he looks at you, and despite his jealousy, he knows you're all his.

Hence why the last argument left you in shock. Work was mentioned, guys were mentioned, girls were mentioned and at the end of it Max threw his hands up.

"I'm done with this shit now."

"You cannot accuse me of that kind of stuff Max to just say you're done." You shouted, following him into the bedroom.

"What are you doing?"

"What does it look like Y/n? I'm done, I'm going."

"Going where, what are you on about Max? And you say I overreact?" Max continued packing his bag as you co tinged to scream at him, him screaming back at you in response.

"This okay ! Us ! I never see you anymore, you can't be bothered to give me the time of day and I'm done watching you parade around other guys when you won't give me a second look. Enjoy your nice job and whoever it is this week that has caught your eye." You run after him as he heads towards the front door, trying to tell him how ridiculous he's being, trying to defend yourself that there's no one else, there never has been and there never will be.

"We're done." The door slams shut and you're left alone.

You wasn't sad straight away. You were angry. Angry that he left, angry he took it this far, angry he clearly doesn't trust you. You waited up for him, knowing he'll come back once he's calmed down, but you woke up the next morning on the couch still to an empty apartment.

The first day you were sad. You spent the entire day crying, tears of sadness and still of anger that he's thrown about your entire relationship over something that could've been spoken through.

A few days went by and you finally showered and took Max's T-shirt off, throwing it into the wash basket and finally putting on your own clothes.

Day four was when you saw it. Your best friend had warned you not to look, but you asked her to send it. Needing to see it for yourself. You opened the link she had sent you to see Max and the typical girl you were told not to worry about. Is that why? Questions were running through your head and all the answers were in the photo. Max in some club with her. You threw your phone across the room. Your head in your hands and you can't help but thinking where exactly did it all go wrong. Was it the promotion? Was it before then? Was it your fault? Did Max cheat on you? Was he just jealous or going behind your back the whole time, not wanting you to do the same to him. He cheated on you.

Your friend came to stay with you for a few nights, trying to say all the stereotypical things.

'You'll find someone so much better.' You didn't want better, you just want Max.

'You don't deserve to be treated like that.' You can try and fix what you had.'

It was day nine when you started to feel as though your head had began to clear a little bit. You can't get over four years in nine days, you still love Max and fear you always will, but you can't get the thought of him out of your head. Did he really cheat on you? Why? How could he do that to you? Is he thinking about you too?

You tried to keep yourself occupied, trying to take your mind off of him, but all you could do was lay on the sofa watching reruns of whatever show you could find. You were pulled from your thoughts when you jeans the jingling of keys coming from the other side of the front door. Your heart dropped immediately as you began to panic, sitting up and and quickly trying to think of anyone else with keys to your apartment. Your parents? No. Max's parents ? No, and that's be even more awkward than if it were Max. A friend ? No. You walked towards the door, stopping when it opened.

"Y/n." You didn't know what to say. What can you say? Max didn't look great, his eyes were red, puffy and tired looking. His hair was a mess and he was just wearing sweatpants and a t shirt. Max looked awful, but you didn't look much better.

"We need to talk, I mean uh, can we talk? Should I have knocked ? I don't really know what to do." Stumbling his words he began looking around, not wanting to look at you but also having no where else to look.

"This is your apartment as much as it is mine." You mumbled as you walked towards the couch, Max took this as an invitation to follow you, watching as you turned the TV off and quickly moved some things around to make the apartment look somewhat neater than the mess it was.

"Listen, I- well I- I suppose I don't know what to say other than I'm sorry. I'm so fucking sorry Y/n." He began. He was a mess. Just like you. Your eyebrows were furrowed as you looked back at the man now sat next to you.

"You walked out on me. Literally." You took a deep breath, not trusting your voice with elaborating.

"I know I did and I feel horrible. It's been nine days without you and they've been hell, I was having a shit time racing and I felt like I was having a shit time here, I just wanted out. But I've just made things worse-"

"Wait, wait, wait. So you were having a shit time with me so you break up with me, go out with you're friends, have a good few nights and now.. you're back?" Your tone was cold, sharp almost and Max was taken aback.

"What?"

"I've seen the pictures." You pulled up the article on your phone showing it to Max. He always told you not to believe everything you read and it's true. Over four years you saw first hand how the media twisted things, but this was different. Max saw the photo and it as if you could see his heart sinking.

"Y/n, it's not what it looks like." That typical line. You rolled your eyes as you laughed a little bit, excited to hear what he was going to come up with.

"I've been miserable, I know how it looks. I know it looks like I've left you to go out with her without any repercussions but it wasn't like that. Some of the guys thought I needed some sort of a pick me up and came up with the idea of going out-"

"Did you sleep with her?"

"Fuck Y/n! No! Of course I didn't fucking sleep with her !" Neither of you were shouting at each other with made a change. You could see Max was hurting, he was frustrated and looked almost desperate to be heard and understood.

You on the other hand was simply heartbroken. Upset and the anger you've felt over the past few days was lingering as he continued.

"I was mad at first. Mad that all you'd do is call that John guy, email John, talk about this fucking John guy and wouldn't pay attention to how I was. I didn't even make the podium Y/n and all you could say was you were busy emailing fucking John!" Max's frustration from nine days ago came back. John was your boss, he was only a few years older than you. Max accused you of sleeping around with him, which was comical considering he was happily married with a son, but Max didn't let you get that far.

"He's my boss Max. I have to speak to him." You said bluntly. Max still looking at you in desperation as he leans slightly forward, closer to you.

"I got jealous okay. Jealous you'd talk to him all the time. I spent three days in a hotel room mad at you, mad at myself too. The fourth day I was just upset, thinking about you, and him and, fuck! It got the better of me. I hated it Y/n. Just the thought of it. The guys came to see me and somehow convinced me to go out, I didn't know she'd be there I swear. We went to a club and after a few drinks I didn't feel sad or angry anymore, I didn't really feel anything. Then she showed up and decided to join us with some of her friends and we got talking, she asked how you were and I told her we were over, I don't know why I told her that. I guess we were, well are, but I don't want this to end Y/n-"

"What else happened?" You asked, ignoring the end of his sentence. Max paused for a moment, sitting back as he looked down to his hands.

"I'd had a drink, I was with the guys and I thought I'd lost you. You didn't even call me Y/n. No call, no text-"

"What else happened?" You said again, he didn't talk to you either. Where was he going with this.

"I was with her, we were talking and we kissed. She thought it'd be a good idea to go back to my hotel so we did." You stayed silent, Max shattering your heart with every word.

"We got back to my room, but I couldn't do it Y/n. All I could think about was you, I pushed her off of me and told her to leave and she did."

"So you went out, was with her all night, took her back to your hotel to sleep with her but backed out at the last second? The girl that was always 'just a friend?' She's the person you went running to !? I can't believe this." You stood up and walked to the kitchen pouring yourself some water as you tried to wrap your head around what you've heard. You heard Max come behind you but you continued to have your back facing him.

"That was day four, right? So if you were so upset why did it take you another five to come back?"

"I needed time Y/n."

"What, to work out if you wanted me or her?" You spat as you turned around to face him.

"No Y/n, fuck! To think about what's best for me and she was never in those thoughts. Just you. I got in my head so much about you and your boss that it kept me away, today I guess I had to just come here and find out what we are now.."

"We're broken up."

"Please give me another chance Y/n, listen, I was wrong okay. I was wrong to let jealousy overtake me, I was wrong to not just speak to you about what was going on in my head.-"

"You were wrong to kiss her." You added.

"John is my boss. That it. Line drawn. How many times have I asked you about her? How many times have you told me to stop being paranoid ? That she's just a friend. That you love me?"

"- I do love you. Y/n, fuck you know I do, and I know you still love me."

"These nine days have been horrible for me too Max. You've hurt me so bad, giving up on us so quickly and easily. I've hardly eaten, I've hardly slept, I haven't left this apartment once because you've broken me Max. Of course I'm still in love with you." Max's eyes lit up as they met yours. You could see a sigh of relief as he walked closer towards you.

"But the difference is when I was sat here heartbroken, I didn't go out and nearly fuck John. I can't trust you Max. I can't trust that you're not going to leave again, or you're not going to get mad and kiss someone else again." It was your turn to break Max as bad as he broke you. You wasn't saying anything to hurt him intentionally, just the truth.

"Please give me another chance Y/n, I can't do this without you. I'm so fucking sorry, I can change, I'm never going anywhere again, I've seen what it's like and I fucking hate it, I'm here now aren't I? I'm fighting for you, I'm fighting for us."

"Then you need to fight harder."

***********************

Part 2

[palimpsessed]

Hey. You post a lot of great stuff about Carry On. Can you talk about the biting in AWTWB. The Baz/Simon scenes.Trying to wrap my head around it to understand why Simon did that. Why he bites Baz and keeps biting. Bites his fangs through his cheek. Is it because Simon wants to be bitten? That he wants Baz so much and Baz can't be harmed? I'm really trying to understand it but . . . what do you think?

Anon, thank you for this ask, and also for liking whatever I'm doing on my blog.

Can I talk about the biting? You bet I can!

Why does Simon bite Baz? Is it because he wants to be bitten? In a word, yes! But of course, there's a lot more to it than that. And this went off in another direction than I thought it would, so I hope you can stick with me on this journey! Under the cut because it’s a bit long.

There is a motif running throughout the trilogy of love being a consuming force. So much of Simon and Baz's identities are tied up in hunger very early on: Baz, as a vampire, constantly craving blood; Simon, as the Humdrum, constantly sucking up magic; both of them starved of love and intimacy. There's also a lot of fire imagery, going all the way back to when they first met, and fire is another consuming force.

Simon and Baz are obsessed with each other. The only thing they think about is each other. ("Trying not to think about you…S'like trying not to think about an elephant that's standing on my chest.") They are consumed and they want to consume, and, at least in Simon's case, they want to be consumed.

In WS, Simon reflects on misunderstanding his feelings for Baz prior to eighth year, and the way he does it has always stuck out to me: "I thought about him all the time. I missed him so much in the summer. (I thought I was just lonely. I thought I was hungry. I thought I was bored.)" The second item on that list is what catches my attention. Simon missed Baz and he thought he was hungry. I think it says a lot about how Simon's love for Baz feels if he mistakes it for actual hunger.

In the biting scene you mentioned, Simon says to Baz: "If it were me, if I were you…I'd drain you fuckin' dry, Baz, and it still wouldn't be enough." That's intense. And it's absolutely Simon. We know how much hunger he's capable of; his hunger was so potent, it became a whole other being! I've long maintained that his hunger for magic is a metaphor for his hunger for love. Because Simon is so full of love, and just utterly bereft of people to give it to, and once he has people to love, he doesn't know how to do it without also hurting them. He's never had good relationship modeling. (He thinks Baz should know he loves him because of how many things he's killed for him.—He thinks about teaching Baz how to break someone's neck like it's a fun couples' activity.—He gets turned on by killing things and watching Baz kill, too.—Date night is helping Baz hunt down rats.) Simon is a mess. He wants to love so badly, but he just doesn't know how to do it. ("Is this what people do?")

Simon loves Baz so much, he can't fathom ever getting enough of him. Ever being able to consume enough of him. He can't stop biting and smelling and grabbing because he wants more, more, more. He fits his teeth over Baz's old scars because he needs to claim him—make his own mark on Baz, possess him.

Part of this, as you said, is the fact that Baz is a vampire. Baz can take the roughness (which is not to say that he should just because he can). Simon's fixation on Baz's vampirism, which used to play out as paranoia, has changed into a desire to be bitten. Simon is thinking about Baz's vampirism, thinking about draining Baz dry if he were the vampire, and Baz, the human.

The other part of this is that Simon is unfettered, but really only in the aggressive, physical sense. He's long hidden his desires behind aggression without realizing that's what he was doing. (In CO: "I just want to run him down and knock him over and figure it all out." In AWTWB: "I wanted to jump on you, I didn't really think past that.") He doesn't know how to be unfettered in the vulnerable, emotional sense, and that's what keeps him from being able to be intimate with Baz. ("I don't know how, Baz…To get enough.")

Simon desperately wants to have sex with Baz. Which is what he's trying to do in the biting scene, but all of his desires are warring for control, and he can't sort out what he wants, and what he should be doing in that moment, with Baz.

What this is all leading me to may be a bit off topic, but I think it's all tied up in Simon's head.

Simon doesn't know how to be gentle.

His hunger and his desire for Baz have never been gentle. It's aggression, it's violence, it's possession; it's a forest fire, it's not a hidden waterfall.

Simon has never learned how to be at peace. In a recent interview with Vanity Fair, Rainbow said she made Simon "fight of flight"—literally, he has wings! There's a reason that Simon couldn't handle the inaction at the beginning of CO and before the events of WS. There's a reason that Penelope thought that they were "being lulled" because there was no war actively being waged. There's a reason Penelope tells us in WS: "Lesson learned: Relaxation is the most insidious humdrum." These are characters who are so traumatized by childhoods being foot soldiers in a war waged by the adults they trusted, they don't know how to live without fighting! They don't know how to live in peace.

We all have "I can touch you less gently, but I won't love you less kindly" burned into our eyeballs by now, but let's move earlier in that conversation to what sparks this: "What if I asked you to be less kind to me?" —What if I asked you to be less kind to me?— Simon doesn't feel comfortable with Baz's kindness or gentleness, because it "makes me feel like I'm being turned inside out. Like I need to get away." Let's sit with this for a bit. Baz's loving touches make Simon want to run because they're kind and gentle and he doesn't know what to do with kind and gentle. His mind isn't programmed for kind and gentle.

It makes complete sense that Simon would show Baz affection in a way that Simon understands, considering, as I said before, that he hasn't had anyone in his life to show him a healthy way to do this. What does Simon most want from Baz? Love. What does Simon understand love to be? Consumption. He wants roughness and aggression, he wants the inferno, because these are things he understands.

Simon wants Baz's teeth, so he gives Baz his teeth.

This is how Simon feels comfortable. I made this post while processing my feelings about AWTWB. It talks about Simon trying to love Baz the way he wants to be loved, and Baz trying to love Simon the way he wants to be loved. They want to give each other everything, but they haven't actually communicated their needs to one another, and that's what keeps them from being able to work through their problems. It isn't until they voice their needs that they're able to be intimate. This is what I'm really trying to get at here.

"Is this what people do?" Simon asks, over and over again. When Simon was in therapy, he learned a technique to break up "life into bites you can swallow". He tells us he's doing this again in AWTWB "because [the future] is too terrifying. Too uncertain. There are parts of it that are too bright." —There are parts of it that are too bright.— Simon doesn't know how to be happy. He doesn't know how to cope with happiness. "Is this what people do when they're in love? Do they just keep touching and talking? And then what? Like what is it all leading to? I don't mean sex, I mean… If I knew what I meant, it wouldn't be so frightening." When Simon is having all these overwhelming feelings about his future with Baz, they're on the Tube, and Simon sees a guy giving him and Baz "a dirty look". He interrupts his introspective on therapy to tell us that he wants the guy to cause trouble "because I would dearly love to punch something right now. That's a decision I could wrap my brain around." He can wrap his brain around punching someone, but not around a bright future with the man he loves.

Simon doesn't know how to be at peace. He doesn't know how to be in love. He doesn't know how to be happy. I think this is what we're seeing at play when he bites Baz. He wants something so badly, but he doesn't know what it is, can't articulate it, can't get at it. In a way, when he bites Baz, Simon is trying to ask for what he wants, without words, and without really knowing what it is that he does want.

He can't figure out how to let himself be happy and feel good while being happy. He can't stand gentleness, or softness. In his head, he can't give that to Baz, because he can't handle it himself.

So, yes, Simon bites Baz because he wants to be bitten. And he bites Baz because he knows Baz can handle it. And he bites Baz because there's an emptiness inside of him that he's still trying to fill, and he doesn't understand how to do that. Someday, he will fill it. He and Baz are going to figure that out together.

I hope this makes sense. With your indulgence, Anon, I'm going to tag in @theflyingpeach who is all around brilliant, and I know has their own thoughts about this scene (and demon Simon 👀👀👀) that I would like to see more of. 🥰

A follow up to this ask can be found here.

Further reading on the relationship between consumption, food, and love compiled here.

[protectmylifelibertyproperty]

Okay so I have this whole head cannon about Alya accidently finding out that Marinette is secret best friends with Chat Noir. Let me explain:

So, after Lila has messed with Marinette’s stuff one to many times (whether that be stealing her sketchbook, slipping stuff in/out of her backpack, etc.) Marinette decides to get rid of her physical diary. There’s probably a lot of paranoia that leads to this decision, since it’s not like Marinette was planning on taking her diary out of her room any way, but also, Marinette knows that Lila is a slippery snake so it’s better to be safe than sorry. 

  But, especially after becoming Ladybug, writing in her diary each day is an important and necessary habit for Marinette to keep. As someone with a lot of anxiety, way too many things going on, and a lot of critical thinking skills, it’s nice to have a way to work through her thoughts. Otherwise she’d probably find herself getting stuck in her head, thoughts running in circles, trying to relax. Plus, it’s a nice for her to have a place to write down all of the fears and worries that come with being Ladybug. Tikki is nice to talk to, but she doesn’t understand humans fully. This leads to Marinette needing something else to confide in about being a teen superhero and since she can’t do that with an actual person, the diary works. 

While it might seem out of character for her to write down her biggest and most dangerous secret somewhere someone could fine, Marinette is shown to have a very trusting relationship with her parents, so she probably wouldn’t assume they would read her diary. Also, she is a fourteen-year-old girl and sometimes, especially at that age, we do things that are irrational just because we feel we have to (being angsty is an unavoidable problem that comes with puberty). Anyway, that is all to say that even if Marinette does get rid of her diary, she would still need a place to put her thoughts down. It helps her stay sane enough to avoid akumas. 

She decides to start making a video diary and enlists Max to help her hide it. She doesn’t tell him what it’s for, just that she needs to know how to hide things on her computer. (okay and I know nothing about technology), but he’d help her learn how to encrypt it or lock it or something, so it’s hidden from anyone who’s actively trying to find it. That way anyone *cough*Lila*cough* looking for it would not only have to have the knowledge it exists but also enough computer skills to get through password protection and into the file. Either that or steal her whole computer. 

Now that is a whole long introduction for the idea that a lot of these video entries have Chat popping up in the background asking to watch a movie, play a game, stumbling over to take a nap in her bed, etc. And maybe Marinette sometimes forgets to turn off the camera so there’s hours of footage of them playing Jenga or scratching behind his ears while he describes a cool bird he saw or any other friendship goals BS they get up to.

(For this head cannon to work we are also going to ignore how much space recordings take up on a computer BUT, because I’m nothing if not practical, even when thinking about teenage superheroes, I do actually have a solution to that too.

Maybe chat finds out and instead of telling her to delete he gives her a fancy smancy hard drive (with his rich boy money) to keep her recordings on since: 1. He sees how much it helps his friend and wants to support her 2. Marinette is the first friend he feels like he really shows himself to and he really likes the idea he can go back and watch their more mundane times together (Nino is his friend but even he doesn’t get to see the full Chat side of him, which Adrien probably feels is more who he is since it’s not something his dad can control. Also, especially when he starts getting closer to Mari and they start talking more about their emotions and he lets her see his softer side, she gets to see sassy chat and sweet Adrien mixed together.)

When he gives her the hard drive he tells her this and she’s super touched, and she doesn’t want to tell him that having a hard drive like this is against the whole point of getting rid of her physical diary in the first place. So, she starts putting the files on it and works with Tikki to find good places to hide it. She sees so much death and destruction as Ladybug, so she understands wanting to hold onto things like this. It’s a lot better than having to cut out the hours and hours long video of Chat helping her to make a maid outfit that he then refused to take off for the rest of the night.)

One day, Marinette is probably super stressed and has not been sleeping a lot, maybe has a lot of assignments due the next day. So, when she gets home from school she decides to just start her afternoon with a video entry to help calm herself before getting started on all of her work. Then, as a surprise, Alya just bursts in to hang out, they probably haven’t been seeing as much of each other since Lila is trying to drive a wedge in their friendship. Marinette would quickly turn off her monitor and overall look sketchy but would tell Alya she was just working on a project and not to worry about it. Alya would be super curious and would probably push Marinette on it but she’d stay resolute. Then, Marinette’s Mom would call that she needed her help really quick, Marinette would steal a glance at the computer but still go down to help.

Alya’s a good friend but she’s a journalist at heart, she would really want to know what was on the computer. Additionally, she would feel that Marinette has recently been pulling away from her and changing as a person, maybe looking at the computer would help her learn what has gotten into Marinette? She would turn the computer back on and the files wouldn’t be labeled with anything but maybe the date, so she’d click on one to see what these videos were for. It would quickly become obvious what they were and Alya would know she should turn them off, but Lila told her the other day that Marinette had been saying some nasty stuff behind people’s backs. Watching her diary could help Alya to understand Marinette’s motivations a bit more. It was a crappy thing to do as a friend, but she knew Marinette was a good person at heart and she was so sick of being confused by her new, troubling personality. 

Alya would click on a random one and—due to some fantastic Ladybug luck—it wouldn’t have anything incriminating on the Ladybug front. It would instead just be Marinette discussing all of the projects she had coming up for school, her designing goals for the week, and her upcoming plans with friends. Overall it would be pretty mundane and would lack anything that would justify Alya invading her friend’s privacy. Alya would be starting to feel pretty bad and would be just about to close out of the video when there would be a muffled thump from off screen. Video!Marinette didn’t react but Alya wanted know what it was. Her confusion would be eased moments late when Chat busted through the trapdoor in the ceiling, already talking, “Mari! You have to teach me how to paint! I stayed up watching Bob Ross videos until 4 last night and I bet I could do that too!” 

Alya would then watch as Marinette casually (looking happier than she had since Lila returned) respond to her “kitty” about how painting was a lot harder than it looked. The video would cut off soon after, showing a still frame of Chat hugging Marinette from behind, rubbing his head against hers and begging her to teach him. The computer would stay on that image until Marinette returned to find her shells hocked best friend. “YOU’RE FRIENDS WITH CHAT AND YOU DIDN’T TELL ME????”

[vegalocity]

Secret kisses and Touching 2, 14, 22, 23, and 44. Secret Silktea relationship, except both spider fam and Monkey fam actually know! Half of them don’t care enough to say anything (Pigsy,Tang,Spider Queen,Wukong,Syntax) while the other half wants them to reveal it when they’re ready (Min Yi,MK,Mei,Goliath,Sis) - Pixel Anon

Affection meme

49. secret kisses

2. running fingers through hair

14.putting an arm around the other’s waist

22.falling asleep on the other’s shoulder

23. carrying the other one in their arms

44.sitting on the other’s lap

this took me forever to put together because for some ungodly reason i couldn't figure out the scenario

so i decided on a little vignette compilation of sorts

--

They knew what they were doing.

Of course they knew what they were doing. It was in either of their best interests to keep this a secret. Just because the clan had stopped their crusade to take over the city and their queen had dialed down the ‘revenge’ ideas, didn’t mean there wasn’t still bad blood between his clan and Sandy’s family.

And it wasn’t too difficult, it just meant that when they were all working together for some greater threat or whatever that they’d have to be sneaky. It was easy stealth was one of Huntsman’s greatest Attributes and suspecting Blue of anything was like suspecting a small dog of knocking over a bulldozer.

It wasn’t too hard to simply keep their hands to themselves. Or at least, it wasn’t hard for Sandy, Huntsman was quickly finding his self control lacking in regard to being in such a situation with his… well, with him. But could anyone blame him? Blue was more or less the hottest guy he’d ever ran into before and he was kinda-sorta DATING him! How could he not want to climb that like a tree at all times?

Especially when he was always being so stupidly fucking charming. Sure the ‘needlessly nice’ stuff wasn’t something he particularly appreciated, but it was starting to grow on him, if only on the amount of restraint he must have to keep it up all the time.

Soooo yeah maybe he was purposefully pushing their luck a little, but in his defense he wanted to see how much desire based frustration it would take before ol’ Blue would just pin him against a wall and make him regret wondering.

--

Syntax had shooed him away from being a nuisance at his worktable, so naturally, Huntsman had to go be a nuisance at someone else’s worktable. Thankfully Sandy was far more agreeable to the company, and thankfully the bid of ‘Bugging Syntax first’ kept his alibi solid. He wasn’t just going over to see Blue he just wanted to be a louse and his normal target had already locked him out of his room. And so nobody really suspected anything when he started to peer over Sandy’s side to watch him tighten this or that thing on this or that device.

And it was pretty damn fun to see just how much of a ‘nuisance’ he could be. This particular bout resulting ih Huntsman being pressed against the car engine Blue had been working on, feeling the orange hair slide between his claws and messing up the stylized mohawk and shuddering when he felt those huge hands almost entirely encompass either of his thighs while keeping him aloft. He hissed through his teeth as he felt Blue give one of his legs a testing squeeze and rolled his hips forward a bit-

“Fish Demon? I need to get another set of eyes on these schematics or I'll actually go insane.” By the time Syntax looked up from his clipboard Sandy was working on the engine again and Huntsman was leaning against his work area and had barely had the opening to whip out one of his knives and his portable sharpener.

Though Sandy’s hair was unable to be fixed and fell to a side as he smiled at Syntax and took the offered blueprints from him.

--

He wasn’t a big fan of those domestic snatches of time, he wasn’t.

It was mostly an instinctual response, Spiders were pack bonders, so of course when his internal senses started categorizing Sandy as ‘pack’ then he’d relax without intending to while being pulled in with a hand on his waist.

Which was definitely the reason why he was curled up to Sandy’s side, the cool slick feeling of his scales strange against his more leather-like skin. That stupid instinct was the only real reason why he felt so comfortable and like he could practically fall asleep like this.

He felt Blue’s hand gently start running up and down his side and dammit that wasn’t playing fair, it wasn’t his fault that he had been having sleeping problems lately and was rapidly getting drowsy.

He could feel Blue’s hum as the world started to drift away-

“Hey Sandy what do you think- Uhhhh”

“Oh, hello Xiaotian.”

“You know you’ve got a spider on you, right?”

“Oh yeah, Looked like he was having some paranoia problems, took a bit of wheedling to get out but Huntsman here was up for like four days straight ‘till now!”

“Did… Did you slip him your sleepy tea?”

“Of course not! That would be super unethical! Also I'm pretty sure he’s still semi conscious and passively listening without any critical thought right now since he only just dozed off and would probably wake up angry if he overheard anything like that!”

“....right… so anyway-”

--

The brat knew.

Dammit he knew the brat knew. She definitely fucking knew.

He should have known better than to try anything with that Professional Snoop underfoot. But He’d had plans with Blue before having to get stuck with the brat tonight because the Queen needed Syntax’s expertise and the Sister was on shift at work and Goliath already had plans doing who knows what, and he was stuck with Minyi since he ‘didn’t have any plans’

He’d dragged his feet on the idea of cancelling with Blue, but he’d fucking done it so nobody could say he didn’t contribute to the upkeep of their clan’s youngest. It was just his luck that Sandy had been fine with coming over instead, and the brat had overheard some of the conversation and got excited about ‘Mr Sandy’ coming over to visit. The brat had insisted on stringing some of her fake flowers into his hair before he arrived, after dubbing him ‘suitably pretty’ (her words) she’d done up her own hair as similarly as she could because he certainly wasn’t helping her with her weird pre-’company is coming’ rituals.

And… Blue was a hit with the brat. He had an infinite amount of patience for the inane childish babbling, stooped low so she could string the remaining fake flowers in her possession (why did she have so many fake flowers?) into his beard, and offered to fix dinner for the lot of them (which was for the best since the brat was such a picky eater she could barely stomach some of his specialties)

And… he was not jealous of a six year old for how she was able to crawl into Blue’s lap while the lot of them watched some inane mystery show for the character drama alone since the brat called and explained the mystery within the first three minutes.

Blue was a bit awkward on the sofa, it made sense, Goliath would normally sit on the floor for how the height and width of the couch was not designed with bigger demons in mind, and Blue was considerably bigger than Goliath. So while the brat was cozy as could be in the place of honor, Huntsman was stuck perched on the arm of the couch as to not be crushed into it trying to squeeze in beside Blue.

Not that that would be a wholly unpleasant experience, but the presence of the brat made it go from tempting to awkward. Nonetheless, part of Sandy trying to get comfortable had included one of his arms resting on the back of the couch, and while it seemed the brat wasn’t paying attention, it slid down to wrap around his shoulders.

When the time came Minyi didn’t need to be told it was bed time for her, she loudly announced it herself, changed into her pajamas, and after saying goodnight to the both of them went on with a

“I am going to sleep now! And I will not be out of my room until morning so if anything were to be happening I certainly won’t know it, because I will be asleep.”

She smiled widely at Huntsman and closed her door.

Nosey little brat.

--

Tang huffed a quiet laugh as Sandy gingerly began to lift Huntsman into the air, his broken leg not quite able to be splinted just yet, let alone looked at properly. It seemed the lot of them had suffered some pretty nasty injuries from this last threat (and no doubt it would have been worse if their team and the Spider Clan hadn’t joined forces) including Tang himself despite being on the sidelines for most of it, he was pretty sure his shoulder was dislocated, and the cut on his forehead was still sluggishly bleeding all over the right side of his face, but compared to some of the others he was basically fine.

So once He was able to pop his arm back into place (Ouch) he took to handling cleanup with the only other ‘perfectly normal person’ here, a woman maybe a few years his junior, he’d seen her every so often with the Spider Clan (or rather, with Syntax) but he didn’t know her name.

“Do you think they actually think they’re being subtle?” Her words caught his attention and he turned to glance at the woman. She was in the middle of splinting Xiaojiao’s broken wrist and at Tang’s questioning glance, she nodded at Sandy and Huntsman. Oh!

“I’m sure Sandy thinks he’s the pinnacle of subtlety” Tang responded. He was pretty sure the ‘thing’ that had developed between their friend and the most brutal of the Spider Clan was the worst kept secret on the team since Red Son had started hanging out with Xiaotian and Xiaojiao on the weekends.

“They are so cute when you just walk in on them.” Xiaojiao said around a snicker. “Like how they jump apart like when you flip a magnet over to the matching side.”

“Does your team have a betting pool? My brother organized one for the clan, and if they do anything damning within the next month i win the pot.”

“No! Ohh man we should get one started up! Hey Pigsy! You wanna make a betting Pool for Sandy and Huntsman’s secret romance?”

“Why the hell would i want to do that?”

“Finally have dirt on Sandy after decades of him never being embarrassed about anything ever?” Tang offered with a shrug.

Pigsy thought for a moment and shrugged back before going back to fussing over Xiaotian. “Sure. Who’s bettin’ what?”

--

send me stuff!

[sepublic]

Barrel’s Warhammer!

           YYYYOOOOOO SASHA!!!!

           She really is the epitome, the pinnacle, of gaslight, gatekeep, girlboss! I love Sasha, she’s such an utter mess, morally ambiguous and then downright terrible in so many ways, and genuinely unhinged in just as many! She’s a freaking riot and SUCH an amazing character, y’all!

           In general, I adore how Toads are handled in this show! Yeah, they’re big and brutish and used as thugs… But the show still clearly portrays them as people, and some of them are terrible like Bog, but others are just trying to live their lives, like Percy and Braddock! And how they’re all clearly working with this ascribed role as Andrias’ enforcers and iron fist across Amphibia, how they’re encouraged to be cruel brutes… But they’re still people and they’re still oppressed, which is why Grime is leading his rebellion! Good for him, good for THEM!

           Also… GRIMMITY?!?! Beatrix?! Grime LORE! I like how Beatrix and Grime have blind eyes on opposite sides, and Sasha roasting Bufo by naturally connecting his name to Buffoon, WONDERFUL! Aldo’s also a legendary, killer design, he reminds me of VLD Zarkon, old and decrepit and fanged and clearly has seen a LOT of stuff, a real warrior of his time… Honestly, getting a look into the Toads and THEIR complicated role in this story, as the ‘bad guys’ but not really, there’s more to them; It’s such a fit to Sasha’s character, and I LOVE how she’s such an utter brute for someone who normally seems accustomed to using honey over vinegar to attract flies (to feed her Toads)! She’s nuts, she’s great.

           I love the explanation for the eye symbol, I love Sasha really getting to appreciate Percy and Braddock, and for a moment I thought she really was learning her lesson… When she gave them an out, I thought maybe she took what happened with Anne to heart, but now…! Maybe this is what she’s always done; Made empty promises. God, I love this little arc for her character, how she wants to be a good friend, but she keeps valuing power and control over all else…

           AND HER RAGE! HER JEALOUSY! At Anne and Marcy being with each other, leaving her out, Sasha’s mind jumping to all of the worst conclusions, and how THAT anger is what unlocks her gem power, not heroism or anything else! Sasha’s such a complex and messed-up character but you can’t help but root for her, she really IS a Problematic Fave! God, with how she’s going to meet Anne in a volcano, and the whole “Sasha is Anakin and Anne is Obi-Wan” just WRITES itself, with Sasha angrily accusing Anne of turning Marcy against her, Anne retorting that Sasha did that herself, etc.!

           God Sasha’s such a complicated mess and ball of unresolved emotions and contradictions, denial that’s insisting everything’s fine when it’s really not… She’s a manipulator who prefers to be hands-off, yet is also somehow the raw brute with unthinking, unyielding strength! She’s utterly terrifying, no wonder all of the Toads are in awe of her ferocity and power!

           Also, I like how Barrel’s Warhammer was included; At first I wondered WHY the Narwhal Worm would guard the weapon used by the Toad who fought it, but as we can clearly see… Barrel must’ve conked it out BADLY with his Warhammer, knocking it out, and the hammer has been stuck since! And once more, the hammer has been slammed into the worm… And in general, I love seeing the Toads just ROOT around Sasha and Grime, I love seeing villainous characters get to go feral and unhinged as you root for them, as THEY rise up and fight against all odds as the underdogs!

           Percy and Braddock and the gag with the kawaii poses was great, but it’s also sad to see them go! They’re definitely a wake-up call for Sasha and I like it, I wonder if you could parallel them, one-by-one, to Anne and Marcy respectively? Perhaps Anne and Marcy were initially not taken seriously by Sasha at first, but ultimately she DID grow to care for them and not just as ‘tools’, who knows? With Anne and Percy and Braddock, I think Sasha’s going to have to reconsider things… And GRIME, how he just sort of accepts that, yeah, you gotta lose people to achieve a goal! I could see him being a bad influence to Sasha, unintentionally- Like her, he means well, they’re really great parallels to one another!

           Like, Sasha and Grime are both brutes, power-hungry, and wanting control, but Sasha prefers subtlety and manipulation, appeals to both her and others’ emotions, while Grime prefers to be raw and unthinking strength, he’s a seasoned veteran from combat, while Sasha is likely a rich kid, young and learning… They’re such a dynamic duo with a lot to teach one another! Maybe Grime sees himself in Sasha; Himself when HE was a kid… Maybe when he was a gladiator, he had friends but left them behind to be promoted to Captain? I wonder if Beatrix has anything to say on this, too…

           Could Beatrix provide insight to Grimmity? Did Grime leave her behind in a sense…? Does SASHA have a sibling, and that leads to her weird power complex, as another parallel to Grime! Either way it’s sweet, I adore the dynamic of two horrible people who are good friends and bad, enabling influences to each other… Being problematic faves, you can’t help but cringe at their mistakes but also cheer as they win as underdogs and turn the tables on their enemies! I like how Sasha is still supportive of Grime and vice-versa, Grime’s guiding this kid, but Sasha’s fully supporting Grime as the de-facto leader and backing him up, not trying to seize control!

           I think it really parallels Anne, how she just wanted to get back home… But somewhere along the way, she realizes how much she loves and enjoys this, and values her friend! And maybe it could lead to Sasha not wanting to head back home after all, especially if there’s nothing there for her; Which could play into her keeping all of her gem powers as she opposes Andrias openly, while Anne has some of her power because again, she’s more neutral, and then Marcy has none because she’s fully bought into the Newt King’s schtick!

           Also, it’s funny that Sasha is no doubt feeling betrayed, like her trust has been jeopardized by Anne and Marcy, considering she did the same to Anne in Reunion! Lying to her about what she intended to do with the Frogs… It’s wonderfully hypocritical and this kid does NOT want self-awareness, she’ll toy with it for a bit, but then immediately backpedal! Get better and well Sasha, for everyone’s sake… The confrontation and paranoia as she loses her friends and only has Grime, who means well but isn’t so great himself, is also nice!

           Honestly, there’s even a parallel to the idea of Sasha meaning well, only to be ruined by her own toxicity… And Grime wanting a better life for Toads in his revolution, but still allowing a hierarchy to exist by the end of the day, instead of abolishing it for all! They both have good ideas and initiative, but it’s ruined by Sasha and Grime not backing down on certain things and not listening to others, being SO sure they’re right… Very compelling stuff. Now I’m starting to wonder if Sasha will be open to Anne about her suspicions, if they WILL get along for the Third Temple…

           …Or if she’ll try to manipulate and fool her again, thinking that SHE’s been betrayed herself! And maybe Sasha will realize her faults in the battle of Newtopia, only for it to be too late, Anne has been too betrayed, Sasha has only herself (and, well, Andrias) to blame! In the meantime, as Sasha no doubt embraces her role as a rebel, but also unknowingly as a hero against Andrias and his master… I can see her tapping more into her gem powers and actually using them as part of her rage, hence the shots we see from the Third Temple! She’s going to be terrifying, y’all, and even more of a match for Yunnan at this point… And Anne, poor Anne’s going to be caught between TWO toxic friends!

           Both mean well, but both have other bad points… And it just means Anne’s gonna have to forge her own path, make her own decisions and group and faction, be her own person and take initiative once more! But it’s also gonna be lonely and could contribute to more trust issues along the way… And maybe she’ll think she can only trust herself, only do things on her own, and how this might pair badly with her selfless martyr-complex. We’ll have to wait and see, though… We’ll have to wait and see.

[lesbianmonsterlover]

Under New Skies (Female Lizardfolk x Female Reader)

Three days into your little solo camping venture, you were regretting not paying more attention during that one astronomy class you took to fulfill your science gen ed in school.  The little clearing where you’d set up was about a mile down a dirt path off of a main thoroughfare, and only the fact that it was midweek and getting into autumn kept things relatively quiet.  You hadn’t come across another camper since you set up your tent and fire pit, spending your time pretty happily alone.  Something has felt off all day though. It was so misty when you woke up, damp tendrils coiling along the ground and into the trees, so dense you couldn’t see past the treeline at all.  You felt electric, almost like what you’ve read about before lightning strikes, all of your hair standing on end.  Nothing happened though, and by late morning the sun had taken care of the mist leaving the day unseasonably warm. 

Now, though, it’s nighttime, and something definitely seems wrong.   You should be able to see the big and little dipper at this time of year, but they don’t seem to be anywhere in the sky?  None of the constellations you can name seem to be anywhere actually.  You don’t want to dwell on it, chalking it up to ignorance, but it leaves a niggling in the back of your brain.  You wish you’d paid more attention to a lot of things, now.  Were these forest sounds familiar?  You want to say you’ve heard these bugs before, and birds, and frogs, but really would you notice if they were different?  You think you would, hope you would.  Something feels off though, but you put it off to deal with it in the morning.

That lump of lead hasn’t gone away by morning, and even though you’re meant to spend another night here you decide to cut the trip short and trek back to your car.  It’s a ten mile hike from where you are to where you parked, a straight shot once you make the mile back to the main trail.  You take care to clean, making yourself a thermos of coffee for the road before putting out the fire, and leaving the campsite behind with nothing to signify your presence other than a small ring of rocks surrounding cold, damp ash.

The first few minutes of your hike, you keep telling yourself you’re cutting you trip short due to paranoia.  But you promise yourself a treat to make up for it, maybe some pastries and a gourmet coffee to make up for the freeze dried instant stuff you’re currently drinking, with enough powdered non dairy creamer to choke an actual cow.  You don’t notice how long you’ve been walking, until you’re pretty sure you’ve walked well over a mile on this dinky little pathway through the underbrush, and you really should have come across the main trail now.   Sitting on a downed log you pull out your map and your phone.  You curse the lack of bars, regretting not bringing your little handheld satellite GPS receiver, but you’d thought it would be overkill for a short and straightforward hike like this.  That will show you to never do that again, you suppose.  Still, your compass says you’ve been walking the right direction, and you wonder if maybe you just haven’t gone quite far enough.  Still, you keep your phone out, knowing that you should at least get a bar or two on the main trail, considering you were using it on the hike in.

By the time lunch rolls around, you haven’t made it anywhere it seems like.  Sure you’ve made progress, but you know you’ve walked at least half a dozen miles, and you still have no cell site, you’ve seen no main road, no other travelers.  You sit, resting against a tree, and study your map while you eat a protein bar.  You’re scrutinizing, trying to figure out where you might be if you’ve gotten turned around.  You wonder briefly if you should head back for the clearing you came from and wait it out another night, but what would that do really?  You left at the only trailhead leading out of the clearing, that leads onto the same straightforward little trodden path that should have hit the main trail hours ago.  There are no paths branching off of that one, and you haven’t stepped foot off the path since you began walking.  You finish your protein bar with a grimace and have a few sips of water before angrily folding your map and continuing to follow the path.

The sun is just touching the tops of the trees when the little path you’ve been walking down all day finally intersects with a trail.  You say a trail and not the trail, because this road that you’re now standing on looks completely unfamiliar to you.  It looks like an old through road, unpaved and with two well worn ruts for what look like cart wheels running along it.  You don’t see any sort of civilization either direction, and you’re contemplating climbing a tree to see what you can make out from up that high, but you really don’t want to be stuck in the middle of nowhere in need of an ambulance and you aren’t exactly a spry young child anymore, capable of climbing trees on a whim.

You wrack your brain, trying to figure something, anything out.  You know that when you left the main trail onto what had been a small path to your campsite you’d turned right, so you should turn left down the trail to get back to your car.  You head that way, despite all contrary evidence you keep hoping that if you just push through it you’ll reach your car and be headed back home.  Maybe you’d go see a doctor, or maybe you’d just sleep off this experience, but it would be over and you could go back to the regular world.  

When it’s well and truly night, and you still haven’t seen hide nor hair of another person, you let yourself settle down for a good cry.   The moon is full, and you can at least see where you’re going, but all that does is illuminate everything that’s wrong.  You should be able to see some sort of light pollution nearby, the sky shouldn’t be this full of stars, why is there no noisy civilization.  You should be close enough to hear cars on the road, so where are they?  You know you should settle down and wait for morning, but you know your brain just won’t let you sleep.  So why rest?  You keep pushing forward, and by the time the sun is rising you just want to collapse into another sobbing heap as the road continues ever on in front of you.

You aren’t hungry, anxiety eating at your stomach as much as it is your head.  You do make sure to choke something down though, knowing that if you’re going to keep walking you need to keep calories in you.   You’re thankful that the road runs near to a running source of water, you can hear that at least sometimes in the background and it’s easy enough to find once you go looking.  Filling up your large canteen, you drop a water purification tablet in and continue out on your trek.   Running on fear and anxiety, you stagger on for what could have been hours, or maybe only minutes, or maybe even days (okay that’s a bit of an exaggeration) until you reach a fork in the road.

Now, do you go the Robert Frost take the road less traveled with its overgrown footpath and dark canopy, or do you listen to the horror trope screaming at you in the face and take the well maintained and nicely lit pathway?  Your desire to not wind up murdered wins out, and you take the brightly lit road with its well worn ruts.  Robert Frost will have to wait until you aren’t in an actual life or death situation to come in with his wisdom.  Although when you trip in one of those well worn ruts and sprain your ankle two miles later you’re rethinking your decision. So, you break down, and I mean who can blame you?

-------

Two days ago, and a handful of hours, Rha’ss felt her chaining for the first time.  Usually sometime around reaching maturity one’s chaining would make itself known.  Some bloomed slightly earlier, some later, but most who made it into their thirtieth year without it knew that they would not find themselves being called by their other half.   It wasn’t unheard of at all for these unfated pairs to still love and live together, but the connection of a chained couple was known to be unrivaled, such that even high born nobles would take their fated regardless of status.  

At thirty-eight Rha’ss had resigned herself to life without a chain, becoming a sellsword content with the knowledge that there would be none to truly mourn her when the time came.  So imagine her surprise when she woke in the middle of the night to feel that gentle pull in the center of her chest, a yearning wrapped ‘round her heart that would not be fixed until the subject of her desires was with her.  Between contracts as she was, it didn’t take long for her to be fixed on her horse and following the gentle pull in her chest.  

She wondered then what had happened to have brought the bond to life so suddenly.  Were you just coming of age?  How would she handle that, and the differential that comes with such a difference in life experiences?  Was there something else that had kept the bond dormant for so long?  Were you merely far from her, and only now in close enough proximity for it to kindle?  She hopes you won’t be disappointed by her, a hardened and jaded mercenary.  She long buried her love and affection beneath a tough veneer of indifference, necessary for the blood she traded in.  How would you handle holding hands that had dealt death?

Rha’ss isn’t sure what to make of you when she first comes across you.  You’re curled in the middle of the road, sobbing, with your hands pressed against your face.  From what she can see you’re too tall to be a gnome, but your ears are round so you can’t be an elf.  Maybe half elf half gnome?  You’re dressed so oddly too.  In bright colors and materials she’s never seen before.  Your shoes are odd to her, your coat, your bag.  Everything is so strange.  But when you look up, and your watery eyes sparkle against the sun as you stare up at her, she can’t find it in her to be upset.  

“What’s the matter sweetling?”

-------

You find yourself staring up at an imposing creature astride a rather large dapple grey horse.  They look like a lizardfolk out of a fantasy game, their reptilian face gleaming like jade in the bright sun.  Their head is crested with pink and teal moving down their spine in impressive pointed frills almost like a mohawk.  Their slitted eyes are a bright yellow, matching some of the scales that look almost like freckles across their shoulders and down their arms.  Their throat leading down into their shirt is a pale cream, and the whole look is rather impressive.  You wonder briefly at the edge of your consciousness if you should be scared, but something in your chest that’s been tight since two mornings ago seems to have relaxed now that you’re thinking of it.

Still, this...person?  Person.  This person is definitely not a human.  And isn’t that something to think about?  You wonder briefly if you’re in shock, did you actually break your ankle?  Is this some weird fantasy your brain has stirred up to keep you from passing out and dying?  Is all of this some weird fever dream where you’ll wake up in your campsite after a bout of food poisoning vowing to never eat rations again?

“What’s the matter sweetling?”  Their voice is rough and feminine, low and rasping but with a lilt and timbre that makes you think of your grandmother in some odd way.  They’re off their horse now, kneeling over you and looking down at you with such tenderness that all you can do is start sobbing anew and throw yourself at them.  They shush you with quiet murmurs of nothing, taloned hands gently sifting through your hair to scratch at your scalp soothingly.  Somehow, you choke out everything.  From the changed pathway, to the different stars, to the different bugs, even to themselves.

“I don’t know what’s going on.  Everything is all wrong, none of this makes sense!  I can’t - I don’t know where I am, I can’t figure out how to get home.  What do I do?”  The being surrounding you gives a low, soothing hum, and their cool skin helps ground you.  

“Well, sweetling, I can tell you that you’re at the border between the riverlands and dragon’s spire.”  They give a thoughtful hum when your face remains as confused as ever.  “In Xanthalan?”  Your brows knit together further, and she huffs a little.  “Why don’t we start with where you’re from, sweetling, and maybe your name at that.  I am Rha’ss, daughter of Sharath, protector of the dragon’s spire.”

When you introduce yourself, with much less pomp, she finds herself confused.  “I’ve never heard of that land before, and I have traveled across the great East sea to the basin of the world, and across the great North sea to the kingdoms of ice.”  She frowns in thought, staring down at you heavily.  “Where is your map?”  When you fumble your map out of your bag and hand it to her she frowns again as she unfolds it.   “This doesn’t make much sense…”  She studies the map with you caged in against her chest, her arms still wrapped around you.  “I think we need to pay a friend of mine a visit.”

Rha’ss moves to stand and pull you up with her, and you go with it completely forgetting your ankle.  Until, of course, it decides to give under you when you try to put your weight on it.  You’re pleasantly surprised by Rha’ss’ strength, as she catches you easily without stumbling.  You mumble a shy apology, but she just gives you a warm look and caresses your cheek with her thumb lovingly.   She helps you onto her horse, mounting behind you and wrapping her arms around your waist to take the reins.  You feel small in front of her, she must be at least seven feet tall the way the top of your head doesn’t even graze her chin.  You don’t have much riding experience, and it shows, but she’s patient with you, and the way she guides your hips into the rhythm of riding is surprisingly sensual.  

It’s only a two hour ride at a moderate pace before you come across a small town built alongside the road.  There’s an inn, and what looks like a general store, but that’s all you can make out before Rha’ss is pulling you bodily from the horse’s back and carrying you into the inn like a bride over a threshold.  After settling you gently in a chair by the fire she greets the innkeeper and barkeep like old friends, complete with embraces that make you suddenly and unexpectedly jealous, all in a hissing sort of language you don’t understand.  They’re both lizardfolk like she is, so you’re guessing it’s their own language.  

You take a few moments to look around.  There are a few others in here, not lizardfolk so this isn’t a planet purely populated by reptilian people.  It looks like some orcs, and something furry with round ears - maybe a gnoll?  And then a pair of short but intimidating looking...you’d have guessed humans but who knows at this point, both with impressive beards.  So dwarves?  You’re brought out of your reverie when Rha’ss walks back over to you carrying two frothy mugs and a roll of what looks like linen.  “Let me bind your ankle sweetling, and then we can talk more.”  The care with which she handles you makes you feel secure down to your bones, but you’re dreading trying to come to terms with whatever it is that’s happened to bring you here.

Under Rha’ss’ watchful stare you take a long sip of the drink she’s brought you, thankful that at least honey mead is honey mead regardless of whatever else is going on around you.  “I don’t even know where to start…”  You sound exhausted even to your own ears, the kind of weary that extends past physical tiredness and into the realm of a soul deep exhaustion.  “I was camping, having a fine few days in the woods, but the other night I noticed the stars didn’t look quite right.  I couldn’t find any of my landmarks.  And then my trail disappeared, and I don’t know where I am.  I don’t know how I got here.  None of this makes sense.  I’m just a normal human, from a normal family, lizard folk and orcs and stuff, none of this should be real.  I can feel you’re real like I am though, and I’m starting to think I’m not hallucinating all of this…”  You take another deep drink of your honey mead before placing your tankard down on the table and resting your face in your hands tiredly.

When you look back at Rha’ss she’s staring with a confused look on her face.  “What’s ‘human?’  Is that your clan?”

You give her an equally confused glance.  “No?  It’s my species?  My race?”  

She doesn’t look appeased by that.  “I’ve never heard of ‘human’ before.”  She hums thoughtfully.  “You’re softer than an elf, but bigger than a halfling or a gnome.  You’ve got the rounded ears too.”  She jerks her chin in your direction and you touch the rounded top of your ear a little self-consciously.  She drinks from her own tankard and stares away in thought, you can almost hear the gears working in her head as she tries to puzzle things out.  “That map you showed me earlier, you said that was from your home?”  You nod at her and she hums again.  “But you were camping just along the dragon’s spire, I know that land better than almost any and your map is fully foreign to me.”   She frowns in contemplation, mumbling to herself before pinning you with a serious look.  “Tell me what you know of heart’s calls and chaining.”  You stare at her as confused as ever, you aren’t sure what you’ve done wrong as her face falls while you look on.  Her sigh is weary and resigned, but she gives a grimace of a smile that doesn’t reach her eyes.  “Worry not sweetling, all will be revealed in time.  Qruz has told me that the Wizard Gorux has made himself comfortable in the inn as of yesterday.  It seems we were expected, we’re to meet tomorrow.”  

You just nod your head tiredly at this point, too overwhelmed to even question it any longer.  You can’t lift your head again though, crashing hard after the stressful past days.  You’re already half asleep when Rha’ss picks you up again and settles you on a rather comfortable straw mattress in an upstairs room, and you’re out completely with barely enough time to mumble your thanks.  

-------

When you wake the next morning, the first thing you notice is that you aren’t alone.  While you’re alone in your little bed, you can see the lizard person, Rha’ss, from the day before, along with a somehow even taller and broader orc sitting across from her at a small table.   They’re conversing lowly, and you can’t understand them over the crackling of the fire.  The orc is dressed in ornately embroidered robes, and has a plethora of feathers and glass beads woven through his black hair.  He looks wizened but not old, his hair lacking even a single streak of silver but his eyes carrying the weight of centuries.

You don’t really pay attention as he comes over and asks you a few questions, you can tell from them that Rha’ss has shared your story.  He smudges you with some fragrant herbs, although you can’t place what any of them are and that sends a pang of sadness through your heart.   Whatever he sees though makes his face go grim and he settles the lizard woman in the chair with a heavy look.  “Aye, lass, it’s as ye thought. It isn’t the first time a bond has made it across time and space, but this is something I’ve only read about.  It hasn’t happened in a millenia at the least.  Do not take this gift lightly.”  He turns to fix you with an inscrutable stare, dark eyes searching your face.  His eyes soften though, and with an exhaled puff of air he places one large hand on the crown of your head and mumbles something in a language you’ve never heard before.  “Blessings on you little one, I do not envy your position, but I know Rha’ss, I know she will love you and cherish you until the end of days if you let her.  Do not ignore your chaining, the both of you will suffer for it.”  

He’s gone before you can ask him about it, and Rha’ss is staring at you guardedly.  “I guess it’s time for me to explain that eh?”  She pulls a small leather pouch out of her pack, removing a pipe and what smells like it might be tobacco.  You watch as she packs the leaf into the bowl of the pipe, soothing herself with the practiced repetitive motion.  “Never thought I’d find myself doing this.  See, sweetling, from the time we’re babes we hear about our calling.  Our heart’s calling, or we call it the chaining.  Because it’s said to feel like a chain pulling us together.  I’d never felt it, my whole life.  I dedicated myself to my sword, to battle.  But I woke three nights ago to a feeling in my chest I knew with certainty was it.”  She stands from the table then, leaving her pipe abandoned and unsmoked as she moves to kneel before you.  “I was trying to fathom who might be waiting for me at the other end of my chain, and sweetling, it was you.  Please, tell me you feel it.”  Her hands are on your knees, and her yellow eyes are full of open affection and fear it won’t be reciprocated.  

You reach up to stroke over her reptilian snout, soft little fingers skating up the butt of her jaw.  “I know that I was panicking until I met you.  That as soon as you held me I knew I’d never been safer in my whole life.  I can’t promise this will always be easy for me, and that I won’t make mistakes, but I can promise to try.”  Rha’ss relaxes against you burying her head against your stomach and gripping tightly at the back of your shirt.  You lean down to kiss the top of her head between her eyes, and she curiously nuzzles up against your breasts when they crowd in against her.  Your soft giggle at the action makes her face light up, and she begins rubbing against you with her jaw trying to make you laugh again.  

Once she has you laughing you tug her face up to your own, kissing along the top of her nose.  Her scales are cool and smooth against your lips, and she lets out an affectionate chittering noise when she feels your soft mouth on her.  She strokes her tongue over your cheek and throat, letting out a high, throaty sigh at your taste.  The gentle prick of her talons at your hips barely keeps you grounded as she laves over your skin with her dark, forked tongue in repeated strokes.  You can’t help letting out a sigh of pleasure when that curiously dextrous appendage presses down the front of your shirt and skates over the cup of your bra.  She seems intrigued by the garment, and with questioning eyes she tugs at the hem of your shirt.  

You let Rha’ss strip it from you wordlessly, lifting your arms over your head until you’re left in your bra and hiking pants on the bed.   Her talons gently trace the cup of your bra and up the straps to your shoulders.  “This looks much nicer than a corset sweetling, not that I’d know much about that either way.”  She leans down to lick a hot stripe down between your breasts before sneakily pushing her tongue underneath the front busk between the cups.  You’re thankful to be wearing a front closing bra, and with only a little bit of experimentation she’s used her hands to pop it open, letting it fall aside to bare your chest to her.  Her taloned hands have been smoothing and stroking up your sides, from your hips over the side of your chest and back down, gently massaging at your hips at they sit there momentarily before repeating their journey.

When you cry out Rha’ss’ name in frustration as she merely gazes down at you, she repeats yours back to you in a smitten sigh.  Her knuckles gently graze over the peaks of your nipples, and she watches your face to learn what you like and how to touch you.  She gently pinches them between two fingers, giving an experimental tug before fondling your breasts in earnest, her tongue licking stripes along your shoulders and throat.  She has one firm thigh lodged between yours, and you can feel her cool skin heating beneath the languid thrusts your hips make up searching for friction.

Her head soon replaces her hands, that prehensile tongue coiling around one breast before giving a firm lick up the center to rasp over your nipple.  You barely notice her hands as they skate down your stomach, talons dipping into the waist of your pants before she tugs at them softly, looking up at you with hopeful eyes.  You lift your hips in assent, feeling bereft for a moment as she moves away only long enough to tug your pants and panties down in one fell swoop.  She tugs her own garments off then too, a simple tunic and linen pants that whisper to the floor as she tosses them carelessly aside.  

Rha’ss is on you again then, and over you.  Her face is tucked into your neck, tongue scenting and tasting your skin as she presses your soft breasts against her cool, firm torso.  The give of them against her is enticing, and she relishes in the way that you arch up into her when her thigh finally makes contact with your bare core.  The heat is so intense against her cool skin, and she presses up against you harder in an attempt to feel more of it.  You’re burning hot and so slick.  She grips your hips, just careful enough not to prick you with her talons, although you may be sporting bruises later.  She uses this leverage to move you up and down against her, drawing your slick heat over her flesh and painting her with your essence.  

Your head is thrown back, baring your neck up submissively.  One of your hands is caressing down over her head and neck, skating along the base of her frills.  They had been tucked down against her back, but as she loses herself to pleasure you find them occasionally flaring unconsciously.  Your other hand is at her back, at the base of her tail.  You hadn’t really noticed it until now.  Reaching down for a handful of her buttocks you instead catch the base of her tail, although the way it makes her stutter and cry out against your throat has you abandon your original goal in favor of stroking over where her tail meets her back with your soft hands and blunt nails.

Your orgasm sneaks up on you, one moment you’re lost in your partner and the next you’re almost whiting out as the heat licks down your spine and your back arches.  You cry out Rha’ss’ name, toes curling and thighs cramping as you reach your ecstasy.  She spreads you out before her, and as you’re fuzzy from your pleasure you watch as she teases something from a slit at the apex of her thighs.  It’s not quite as large as a penis, although it’s much thicker at the base and tapers to an odd blunt, angled tip.  “When you’re ready, sweetling, I’ll fill you with my brood, but this will do for now.”  She sighs happily when she slips the cool organ between your labia to rut against you.  The oddly cool and slick sensation against your clit has you clenching again, and you cry out loudly when the tip prods at your hole only to just barely slip inside.

Rha’ss lets out a guttural noise when your hot body surrounds her, and you can feel the organ lengthen inside you even as it gets thinner. One of her hands comes down to stroke at your clit, touching you in just the right way that has you clenching harder.  You’re still so tight around her, gripping her in all the right places.  You’re surprised by her orgasm, a cool fluid gushing from the tip inside of you and flowing out to coat your inner thighs.  It smells strangely sweet and heady, and the feeling of her coming inside of you along with her incessant fingers on your clit has you reaching your peak again.

Rha’ss falls beside you, pulling you in to lay on her chest.  She feels blissfully cool against your heated skin.  There will be more to work out and talk about, this is only the beginning of something after all, but you find yourself feeling oddly at peace with things.  You know there will be trials, and that things won’t always be easy for you considering the abrupt and complete change of your lifestyle.  But in this moment, you find you’re more excited than anxious.  You’re pulled from your contemplation by Rha’ss fingers gently sifting through your hair to reach your scalp, lulling you to sleep with gentle touches and soft words.

[itonje]

hey sexy stranger who is not me would you like to talk about therese

hello sexy stranger who is not me i WOULD like to talk about therese aka theresa but i changed her name a little bit cause it didnt sound like. idk french enough

anyways therese florien is louis florien (oc)'s younger sister and also the last monarch of the northern empire (actually when she became queen she was the last monarch of just the north because the south and the west had broken off by that point but we'll get to that).

in the main story, 20-30 years after all these events ill be telling later take place, samira and the rest of the continent know her as 'The Coward Queen/Tea-time Queen' because she only ruled for a couple days and immediately forsook the throne when the southern and ko'bi army approached the capital. currently, she resides in the florien ancestral home (summerhead) on the northern continent, and she's converted the castle into both a prayer place and a place where travelers and vagabonds and so on can stay for safety. and she's basically become like a priestess . long long long backstory under the cut

anyways . the first we know of her is that she's louis' younger sister, she's very religious, she's very timid, and she's very close to her father gareth...there are reasons for the last two that have to do with her late mother lorete. so like. louis is a sorcerer which lorete discovered when he was just a child (northern sorcerers are believed to be willingly practicing dark magic against their religion or whatever) and the florien family is already in some deep shit with the royal family (tldr floriens used to be the royal family, were deposed and murdered and so on and also gareth pissed off his cousin back when they were in their twenties or whatever, this will all be relevant later) and so lorete knew that her son would be taken away/the family wld be punished or whatever adn devoted all her attention towards her son and towards concealing his magic from everyone, including his father.

and when she gives birth to therese, her attention is still all lazer focused on louis, and gareth, who doesn't know why she's ignoring her in the first place basically raises his daughter alone up until lorete dies of an outbreak of plague or whatever when therese is four and then he's raising the eight year old louis AND therese alone. therese's timidity comes from both the paranoia her mother exuded when she was little, lorete's death, the fact that when she was young she saw a jousting accident involving her father in which a man died. her piousness comes from the fact that the only thing she really did when she was younger was pray and read while her father was out doing knightly duties (cough cough colonizing) and it provided an outlet for her to vent her emotions ab her upbringing

also, there's a conspiracy the floriens were involved in with a couple other families set up by gareth's grandmother to restore the florien family on the throne (re: louis would become king when the time came) so like even then everyone always gave her brother attention over her because they were convinced he would be king and she was just the second child they didn't care about. in this world like women are as eligible to inherit and own land just as much as men btw louis was just the eldest

anyways because of her very like. kind of stuck up religious nature, her fear, and because the floriens are already kind of pariahs her first friends are just louis' friends, charicle elaphin (the elaphins are a family close 2 the floriens) and the strange iloro girl whos in training to be a knight (kidlat, but her 'northern name' is claire), but they get along very well, making a little sort of friend group.

as the years get on, therese really keeps herself busy just by taking care of her, who's very infirm, and reading more theological stuff (like by her hero, her ancestor aveline florien who was a priestess and religious reformer) and even writing a bit of her own stuff. to the outside world though, her interiority is looked down upon and royal family supporters (ie, against the floriens) even spread rumors about her, like that she's a secret sorcerer or something (the florien family has always had accusations of sorcery flung against them, little do they know there is a witch in her family but it's her brother who's actually the sorcerer)

we mostly either see her thru the perspective of kidlat, who likes her but feels a bit alienated to her like how kidlat feels alienated by everything northern, or louis who is like. apathetic towards her like he feels some affection for her because they're siblings of course but he's not really close to her and he thinks her piousness is self righteous and finds her deep fear and timidity unpleasant to deal with...tho, his greatest resentment towards her comes from the fact that he's always felt his father has preferred her over him (he does btw. like louis isn't wrong lol)

anyways the royal family sets up a wedding for her because louis refuses to be married, and claims this is out of love for their cousins, but this is just really a ploy to royally piss off gareth by taking his other child away from his household (something they already did to louis), and therese is um. well she's very angry and upset about this, which louis (and no one else, except for her father ofc) doesn't realize until the day of her wedding when he's getting her ready. she doesn't want to leave her father and summerhead, she wants to devote her life to the Goddess instead of some random husband, and she, like the rest of the floriens incl louis feels very humiliated and cheated by the way she's being treated when she has the right to the throne, when she and co should be in charge....this surprises louis because. he didnt know other people had feelings. also at some point therese wants to ask charicle to marry her instead because he's very religious as well and he's gay so neither of them would have pressure to feel love for the other, but louis tells her to not do that by saying oh well he's half western you're a florien almost-princess which convinces her to not do that

anyways she does get married to this guy, and has a kid (eventually), but continues to constantly visit her own family and gareth dies of like. natural causes or whatever (also stress because of louis being a cunt asshole or whatever and therese leaving him and colonizer guilt and a bad leg infection and honestly the man had a lot going on tbh) which really really bums her out, louis also yells at her because again, poorly hidden resentment over his father's preferential treatment of her which makes her even more upset

also later on when the king is dying she tries to pray for him at his bedside but the queen, who again, does not like the floriens, gets mad, calls her a witch and devil or whatever whos killing him, tries to beat her etc, and finally therese has had it she's HAD it and her big joker breaking point moment is. throwing a shoe at the queen and calling her a 'very godless lady'

anyways later later after aeetes (yeah remember him) kills prince edouard, who was about to be crowned king, and the west, galvanized by the south breaking off and the death of the Sort of King, breaks off as well and starts waging war against the northern forces, the remaining northern lords are like. well shit. whos going to be in charge. maybe the floriens again? but..... louis has already ran off chasing after the deserter kidlat (and unbeknownst to everyone, has died in a tragic mysterious Axe Murder Accident) so the crown goes to...you guessed it....therese! anyways she's crowned, only of the north, which is the only nation the crown has juristiction over at this point, but when the southern and ko'bi forces annihilate the remainder of the loyal northern knights (many northern families have tried to start their own factions to try to reconquer the continent, even fighting each other..this is not working) and move up to take the throne a couple days afterward, her deep fear that she's always carried with her leads to her immediately forfeiting the crown and running away....

i wrote a little something from her perspective on her coronation, basically she believes that the goddess has put this in her hands for a reason, she believes and knows she's truly the heir to the great florien kings and queens, she's apathetic towards the (supposed) death of her brother because um. the way he treated her for all of her life, though she does feel a great emptiness now that he's gone, she wishes her mother and father were there to see her, but there's always that. undercurrent of anxiety and uncertainty she's always had. so you can kind of see what she eventually does coming from a mile away

[itsbenedict]

Two-Faced Jewel: Session 13

The Morning After

A half-elf conwoman (and the moth tasked with keeping her out of trouble) travel the Jewel in search of, uh, whatever a fashionable accessory is pointing them at. [Campaign log]

Last time, while waiting in Barley for the high-level adventuring party to slay a dragon for them, the party found themselves in the middle of a small apocalypse wherein they had to fight an army of barley-monsters animated by echoes of ambient blood-feud hatred. They handled that just fine, though! Saelhen only almost died.

This time... well, with everything dealt with more or less smoothly, it's time to get back out on the road. This is a pretty short one (because my second vaccine kicked in halfway through and I had to break.)

They'd like to get on the road immediately, if they can- they've got cover of darkness and plenty of distracted and tired villagers under which to, uh, kidnap a child. Only problem is... Vayen has just slipped into drunken unconsciousness, and part of their kidnapping plan was to have him turn Kensa invisible.

But it's fine! Looseleaf has a plan! She's a spirit mage- she can magically heal people's wounds, right? Surely she can handle a little bit of alcohol poisoning! It'll just take a little arcane improvization...

Saelhen du Fishercrown: WELP Looseleaf: i'm drunk too now Benedict I. (GM): Okay, so, what does a critical failure on trying to undrunk Vayen look like...

So Looseleaf's like, okay, just identify the foreign contaminant in his bloodstream and tell it that it wants to get out, right? Ain't nothing can go wrong with that!

What goes wrong with that is that Vayen vomits all over the bar- and what comes out is not vomit. Or alcohol, for that matter. It's some sort of... pitch-black, sticky substance. And he's still not waking up.

Benedict I. (GM): So I think now you quite conclusively have the problem of "Vayen is out cold". You have technically never had a better opportunity to just ditch the guy, I guess! Looseleaf: Yeeeeah, let's, uh, get him upstairs. I think ditchin' him is out of the question right now. Saelhen du Fishercrown: Oh he's way too narratively interesting for that now Boy is stuck in the roller coaster called player curiosity

As they take him up to bed, they- well, of course they go through his pockets. They have to, to find his room key! And if they just happen to find notes written in indecipherable rectangles of opalescent black ink, and a diagram of the circle on Saelhen's bracer- well, that's just unavoidable.

In the morning... well, first I ask them a bunch of suspiciously-detailed questions about exactly how they disposed of the black goo Vayen vomited up, which ratchets up their paranoia a few levels. Turns out they just wiped it up with some old rags and threw them in the trash.

So when he wakes up, and Looseleaf asks him about the black stuff he threw up... well, first, he pulls some of his notes out of his pocket, stares at them in confusion, then panics and demands to know what happened to the goo. On being told, he rushes down to the kitchen, stares horrified at the contents of the trashcan, and then steels himself to begin sucking furiously on the nasty goo rags. He's barely able to suppress his disgust, but apparently this is really important.

So, Vayen's got problems. What else is new?

Well, Kevin's back, and gives them the lowdown on what happened with the dragon:

They set up camp inside the bedroom, using a lead-lined duck hide sort of situation, and waited for the dragon to show up for the scheduled corpse drop with Arnie. When the dragon arrived, they sealed the whole tower in a forcecage, and got to town with "patented methods". The dragon managed to use some sort of magic item, though- a weird straw doll looking thing that they weren't sure about the effect of. They tried burning it, but it didn't seem to help that there was an army of weird plant golems charging the tower and trying to break down the forcecage. Lady Greatholder's maids were just barely able to fend off the attack- one half of the invading forces was strangely more meager, and they were able to concentrate their attacks on the ones attacking from the east. He mentions that if they'd had to deal with just a few more of them, the barrier might've broken and the dragon could've escaped.

So, Doon's been sent off to track down the dragon's lair (and thereby hoard), but the rest are headed back today. As for Arnie...

Benedict I. (GM): The contact, he says, has decided to come quietly. And he says it funny, like he's implying something else. Saelhen du Fishercrown: 3 - INSIGHT (1) Benedict I. (GM): Not sure what, though. Saelhen du Fishercrown: can't read into it! Benedict I. (GM): Yeah, he might've been assuming you knew what he meant- oh well.

Since the Deathseekers are to be their ride back, and sneaking a child onto a "horse" without the high-level adventurers noticing seems... difficult at best, Looseleaf opts for honesty- explaining that "there's a child in this village who has expressed the desire to flee an abusive household", and that Saelhen wants to bring her. Kevin doesn't pry too much into this, and agrees- he probably assumed they'd done their due diligence on that.

The party comes up with a pretty simple plan for getting Kensa out: the town is surrounded by fields of tall barley, which means getting out of town without being seen is just a matter of making it to the fields and going the long way around. Delivering Kensa's letters is similarly pretty easy after some thought- they leave the pile in the care of the general store, to be discovered after they've fled town.

So, they meet up with the Deathseekers, who're all chuffed about their successful dragonslaying. The maids are kind of bandaged up from their scrap with the Justice Echoes, and Arnie is... tied up on Lady Greatholder's back like a backpack, seemingly pleased as punch about his circumstances. What... exactly... do they have planned for him?

Orluthe and Looseleaf offer some magical healing to the maids- who seem relieved and thankful for it, since apparently they've turned down magical healing from John Human. That guy does healing, apparently! There's something intensely unpleasant about it, apparently! Which is unfair, John claims, because "wasps never hurt anyone", apparently.

Also there's a colony of parasitic wasps under the eaves of the tower that wasn't there before, apparently!

Those things being utterly unimportant, the party gets back on the road. And immediately runs into... the forest. Remember the forest? The one with lots of weird identical trees that Looseleaf's spirit-senses determined weren't, like, exactly alive?

After poking the trees and determining that they're not coming to life and attacking anyone, they decide- eh, this can be a problem for later, or perhaps for someone else. The high-level adventurers know about it now, so it'll be fine!

That thing being utterly unimportant, the party gets back on the road. The trip to Cauterdale is pretty uneventful, and on arrival... well. First, Arnie is thrown in jail.

Looseleaf gets some demonsbane seeds from Kevin's garden, and next time... it's time to catch a boat!

[poorlytunedukulele]

Day 13 - Night of the Hunter

September 13, 2872

It had all started with a cryptic message.

Andal Brask: Party.  Tuesday.  29°30'57.2"N 147°42'28.2"W.  ;)

Azra didn’t have much going on that day, so she figured why not?  If it didn’t end up being her scene she could always just leave.

Still, some paranoia (it wasn’t not paranoia if it was useful, she had to remind herself) made her want to check out the place beforehand.  Or maybe she was just bored.  In any case, she found herself staring at an empty patch of Pacific Ocean at around 1pm local time.  Andal’s coordinates had her smack dab in the middle of nowhere.  There weren’t even any islands nearby.  She flew her jumpship in lazy circles, wondering exactly what kind of prank he was playing.

It took her a good fifteen minutes to realize that Andal had never specified the coordinates were on Earth.  A quick check with her maps revealed that 29°30'57.2"N 147°42'28.2"W was at the peak of a very prominent mountain on Venus.

But there wasn’t a party site at the mountain, either.  There was a cache.  A cache with a cheeky note (written in unfamiliar hand) and another set of coordinates.  Those lead her to a cave on Mars, then an archive in Freehold, then a weird spire on Venus. 

Azra was having so much fun she almost forgot about the party.  There was a clue in a dead zone so full of interference even the GPS failed and she had to navigate by her map alone.  She had to go diving in a cenote for another.

Then one clue dropped her off in the middle of nowhere.  While she’d been galivanting about the system, night had fallen on the Appalachian Dead Zone.  She was in some unremarkable stretch of forest in the mountainscape.  There was nothing.  No tracks, no trail signs, no notes with hints, just the cooling night air.

Azra closed her eyes and listened.  And though there wasn’t any sounds to be heard over the wind, she did smell something.  Just the barest hint of smoke.  It grew stronger as the breeze picked up, so she followed her nose upwind.  She paused to listen frequently.  After a few minutes, she heard… something.  Were those voices in the distance?

Azra had finally found the party.  She hadn’t seen the fire because it was in a deep gully, hidden by foliage.  She crested the ridge and watched for a few minutes below as figures talked, danced, gestured, lit by the roaring flames.  It was hard to recognize anyone from the distance, but this had to be the right place.

Azra picked her way down the slope, social anxieties forgotten.  Why she’d needed to go through a scavenger hunt to get here she had no idea, but she wasn’t about to complain.  It had been fun.

The ground was slippery at the bottom of the valley (there was mud beneath the dead leaf cover).  Azra would have normally paused to gather herself before approaching, but she was robbed of the opportunity when she tripped and slid the last few meters.

She stumbled into the light of the fire.  A ragged cheer went up from those gathered- all Hunters, she noted.  Azra was mortified for a second, all eyes on her-

Then everyone went back to their conversations.

Almost everyone.  There were a few familiar faces in the crowd.  Andal ambled over, drink in hand, hood thrown back.  “Hey, you made it!  Wasn’t sure you would.”

“Liar,” Cayde called from across the clearing.  “You bet she’d get here before the night was up.”

“Didn’t mean I knew,” Andal countered, then turned his attention back to the young Hunter.  “How long ago did you start looking?”

“Uh… four hours ago?”

Andal raised an eyebrow.  “Scoping out the site early, I see.  It’s not even dark in the Pacific yet.”

“I was bored.”

“You bored now?” Cayde asked as he also came over.  He slung an arm over her shoulders and gestured.  “Welcome to the cool kid’s club.”

“Is that what it’s called?”  Azra asked.  “With capital letters and everything?  The Cool Kids Club?”

“No,” Andal sighed, “but it should be.”

“Only the cool kids get invites,” Cayde explained.  “Only the good kids actually find the place in time.  So here we’ve got ourselves a bunch of good, cool kids.  That includes you, now.”

“Who arranged all of this?” Azra asked. 

Andal shrugged.  “Someone from Dead End Cure, this time.  Sometime tonight there’ll be a contest to see who has the honor next year.  Speaking of honor, did you remember your party etiquette?”

Spark answered by transmatting two bottles of rum into his Guardian’s hands.  She waggled them in a proud boast.

“Brought the good stuff, I see!” an unfamiliar voice said.  “Though I don’t recognize you.”

Azra turned as a stranger approached.  They were half a head shorter than she was, leanly muscled, with dark skin and a camouflage-patterned cape.  Azra glanced for half a second at Andal, who shook his head.

“You’re going to have to do a lot of introducing tonight,” the Gunslinger said.  He clapped her on her shoulder and wandered off to talk with Shiro and another unfamiliar Exo.

Message received: you stand for yourself here, no help from me.

“I’m Azra Jax,” she said, transferring the bottles to her left arm so she could stick out her right hand.  “My Ghost is Spark.”

“Name’s Puck,” the Hunter said, taking her hand and shaking it firmly.

“It suits you,” Azra said without thinking.  They had a certain mischievous air about them.  That didn’t stop Azra from immediately regretting opening her mouth.  These were new people, she couldn’t go around saying whatever asinine thing came into her head first.

But instead of taking offense, the other Hunter just smiled.  “Thanks!  I picked it myself.  I think I have heard of you before, but I can’t recall when.  You frequent the ADZ?”

“No more than anywhere else,” Azra replied.  “Um.  I did some stuff at Twilight Gap.”  She really hoped it was that and not the other thing people always recognized, but the other Hunter’s face remained contemplative.

Puck shook their head.  “Fun story, actually.  I was stuck on Venus that whole time.  My ship got shot down and nobody could come pick me up.  I don’t think that’s it.”

Azra realized she’d be having this conversation a lot tonight.  She considered just leaving.  Booze and a bonfire didn’t really outweigh hours of curiosity she’d have to entertain.  “I’m the Arcstrider,” she said, aware of the weariness in her voice.

“Oh, yeah!” Puck’s eyes lit with recognition.  “Say no more.”  A pause.  “Damn, aren’t you like, four?”

“Yeeeessss?” Azra said.

“Andal!” Puck barked.  The Gunslinger ambled back over with Cayde and Shiro in tow.  He was trying to suppress a grin and failing. 

“You didn’t break the rules, did you?”  Puck demanded.  “No hints.”

Andal bowed.  “No, ma’amsiree.  Just the starting coordinates.  And a winky face.”

“I told you ‘sir’ is fine,” Puck sighed.

“I think mine is the more elegant solution,” Andal said with an air of superiority.  “Rolls off the tongue.  ‘Sir’ sounds like ‘zir’ and then we all get confused about how formal we’re being.”

Azra had already lost where the conversation was going.  “I ended up staring at the Pacific Ocean for a while before I realized what was up,” she offered.  “Also I have no idea what you’re arguing about.”

“Listen,” Puck said.  “Zavala uses ‘sir’.  Sloane uses ‘sir’.  Nobody is going around saying ‘him yes him’!  It’s never going to get confused.  Yours just sounds dumb.”

Azra turned to her Ghost for help, but he just did a shrug-twirl and floated closer to her shoulder.  “I didn’t spend a lot of time with people before meeting you,” he whispered.  “I have no idea either.”  Puck and Andal continued their debate, to Azra's befuddlement.

“Somebody please explain it to the newbie before she gets an aneurysm?” Shiro interrupted.  "She's turning red."

Puck turned to face her, dark eyes flashing in the firelight.  “Okay, fine.”  Azra knew that tone of voice.  It was identical to the one she’d used earlier, a weary ‘let’s get this over with’.  Puck spoke slowly.  “So I’m not a ‘ma’am’.”

“You’ve made that very clear, sir,” Azra said.  

“I’m not technically much of a ‘sir’ either,” Puck explained.

Azra’s brain plugged the new information into her equation and threw up an error message in response.

Andal cackled.  “I’m not sure we’re out of aneurysm territory, my fey friend.”

Azra held up her hands.  “You just spent like two minutes arguing-“

“I’m sure we could drag this on for another few,” Shiro said, “but let’s not.  Puck uses ‘ze’ and ‘zir’.  Andal always complains about honorifics because he likes smashing words together in terrifying new ways.”

“That’s it?” Azra said.

“There is no widely accepted gender-neutral honorific,” Andal said.  “But one day…”

“Really trying to change the world, this one,” Puck muttered.  Ze looked at Azra with a question in zir eyes.  Does this have to be a conversation?

“Uh.. it suits you?” was all Azra could think of.

Andal grinned and nudged Puck with an elbow.  Puck rolled zir eyes. 

Azra turned on her Gunslinger friend.  “Your solution to the ma’am/sir issue was ma’amsiree?”

“It’s in beta,” Andal said.  “Still working out the kinks.”

“It’s a wonder you haven’t come across this problem before if you’ve been running with him,” Puck said.  “Referring to people in… interesting ways is kind of his thing.”

Azra shrugged.  “That’s the trick.  I just don’t refer to people in general.”

“If it really bothers you, Puck, I’ll stop,” Andal offered.  “I was getting the vibe that you liked that bit, but I’m always willing to be proven wrong.”

Puck just laughed.  “As long as you don’t teach the newbies any bad habits.”

“I am sorry to inform you it is far too late for that,” Shiro intoned.  “The puns, Puck.  They get so much worse when she’s around.”

“Well see if I share my liquor with you,” Azra groused.  “I had to go into the City proper to get this stuff.”

Puck eyed the bottles she still cradled in her arms.  “Well, since you brought two, you deserve a present.  Come on.”  Ze swatted her shoulder until she moved to stand by a mostly-empty folding table.  Puck vaulted easily on to the table and stood.

“Hey!” ze shouted, clapping zir hands once.  All conversation died immediately.  “Public service announcement!  This,” ze gestured down to where Azra stood, frozen in shock, “Is Azra Jax.  She’s an Arcstrider.  Oooooo.  Big mystery.”  The Hunter waved zir hands in a spooky gesture, voice dripping with sarcasm.  “Here’s the deal: if any of you bug her about it, she gets permission to stab you.” 

“She won’t stab anyone even if they bug her,” Cayde called.  “She’s shy.”

“Then I give Cayde permission to stab you,” Puck said blithely.  Cayde made a silent gesture of celebration, which Puck ignored.  “I just eliminated a lot of boring conversation.  You’re welcome.”

“Is giving Cayde permission to stab people a good idea?” someone asked.

“Better not toe the line then, shouldya?”  Puck waggled a finger, then jumped nimbly down from zir table.  The hum of conversation resumed after a few seconds.

“Thanks,” Azra said.

Puck waved her off.  “I’m the host, it’s my job.  Drinks go over there.  Ashton left to get pizza like two godsdamned hours ago, you’re welcome to some whenever that gets here.  No explosions or ordinance unless some Fallen show up.  Be nice.  No bothering Azra about being an Arcstider.  That’s all the party rules as of now.”  Ze fixed her with a stern glare.  “Don’t make me add any more.”

There was a loud crack- a branch snapping under someone’s foot.  A cheer went up as an unfamiliar Hunter walked into the clearing. 

“That’s my cue,” Puck said, giving a sly wink.  “Have fun.”  The Hunter strode off to welcome the next person to the party.

"Come on," Cayde urged.  "I don't think you've been introduced to Mot Balek.  I have to be there to see that."

AO3 Linky

[murasaki-murasame]

Thoughts on Higurashi Gou Ep9

Ah yes, the long awaited “Fuck Teppei. All my homies hate Teppei” arc :)

Fun times :)))

Anyway, thoughts under the cut.

This whole episode is mostly just slice of life stuff from the VN so there’s not much to comment on there, but there’s a couple of differences we can see already that might change how this arc plays out.

For one thing, we haven’t seen Rina’s dead body yet, and it sounds like Teppei moved to Hinamizawa this time because of getting evicted by his landlord. So if Rina’s still alive, we might see some Tsumihoroboshi type stuff happen in the background with Rena, but it’s possible she’s still dead and we just didn’t see it. For all we know, maybe the smell from Teppei’s apartment was coming from her corpse. Although I don’t think he’d have any reason to hide her body there if she died.

Other than that, the other big change is that Shion seems to have retained her character development from after Meakashi, so this time around she’s close with Satoko and presumably remembers the promise she made to Satoshi. I probably should have seen this coming, since we’ve also seen how Keiichi seems to be getting affected by memories of the past arcs as well, but either way it probably means that Shion will play more of a role in this arc compared to in the VN. Judging from how Minagoroshi played out, I could totally see her being the one to snap and kill Teppei this time around, or she might team up with Keiichi to kill him. Which I think also happened in one of the console arcs, but I haven’t played them yet.

Considering that Shion [probably] didn’t do a whole lot in Watadamashi, it’d make sense if we get to see her murderous side in this arc instead to make up for it.

There’s also the reference to Teppei apparently taking prescription medication in this arc, but who knows if or how that’d be important. Maybe he’ll end up getting killed via a sabotaged overdose, or maybe they’ll just try and make him seem more sympathetic this time around.

I’m gonna assume for now that Keiichi will still follow the same general path as Tatarigoroshi, but it feels like in Gou he’s leaned more towards trusting his friends and avoiding paranoia in each arc, so maybe he won’t. I still like the idea of him acting like he did in Onikakushi, especially since one of the PVs had a line from his letter at the end of that arc, which hasn’t shown up yet.

He doesn’t seem particularly paranoid about the curse in this arc yet, but with this arc seeming to be five episodes long there’s a lot of time for that to change, especially if Shion does end up getting more screen-time. If she starts getting paranoid about the curse, it might rub off on Keiichi.

Which also makes me think that this arc might end up having some references towards Meakashi in it if we see Shion go crazy over a situation that’s at least indirectly related to Satoshi, so that could be neat.

I’m still expecting that the next arc will probably be Gou’s version of Meakashi, but since it’ll probably be four episodes long, I think it’ll focused mostly on the flashback parts. I think they’d want to avoid being repetitive by having the second half of that arc be really similar to an arc we’ve already gone through like in the VN.

And on that topic, we also get out first official references to Satoshi in Gou, and it’s pretty obvious at this point that him not getting directly referenced before this arc was just a matter of them wanting to avoid the redundancy of bringing him up in multiple arcs. Out of the question arcs, he was always most important to Tatarigoroshi, so they clearly just decided to consolidate his material into this arc in Gou.

Anyway, I get the feeling this might be the most ‘different’ of the Gou question arcs compared to the VN out of the show thus far, but we’ll have to see exactly when and how things start to diverge.

Thus far Rika hasn’t really done anything I can notice to try and change things, but presumably she’d try and change things once she realizes what scenario she’s in, since this is such a bad one.

Though that reminds me that I like the theory I’ve read that maybe Rika hasn’t actually ‘started’ this loop yet from her perspective, and what we’ve seen here is just ‘pre-Gou Rika’, in a sense, which might explain her seeming weirdly passive and casual about everything.

There’s also still the fact that I think Gou is intentionally avoiding having Rika be super pro-active because functionally they want this to be more of a remake than a sequel, and they don’t want to alienate and confuse new viewers. So it’s kinda hard to tell how much of it is an intentional writing choice that plays into the story, or if it’s just them pushing Rika into the background so new fans can get as much of the OG Higurashi experience as possible.

Anyway, I’m also gonna be keeping an eye on Satoko this arc now that I’m becomingly increasingly convinced that there’s something going on with her. I don’t think she did anything notably suspicious in this episode, and for now she seems to be going along with the Teppei scenario, but I’m still suspicious of her.

Also, even though I’m not really a huge fan of the way they decided to translate nii-nii and nee-nee in the subs, I think the translator was stuck between a rock and a hard place on this one, so I can’t blame them. This is one of those times where I think it would have worked better if they didn’t try and replicate the same vibe in English since it doesn’t really come across in the same way [like how anime characters sound super weird in English dubs if they keep referring to themselves by name to be cutesy, since that’s not how people talk in English]. Either way I think there’s just a lot of people who are Way Too Online [tm] about this sorta stuff, and the vast majority of new fans don’t seem to care at all, lol.

[we-want-mini-mini]

I’m currently listening to like, old FNAF songs because nostalgia and they’re fuckin’ bops y’all don’t @ me.

Anyways, because of this, I new prompt/oneshot came to mind. The Batfam somehow end up being kidnapped and they enter a version (of the version) of the first (or whichever game) FNAF game.

Like, say that the creator of the game was a Robotics engineer who had hopes of creating a game. So, they create this horror game, and get hella into it, so much so they wrote books, created a sort of real life version of it (miniature tho) and etc etc. Then the Dev presents the game to another branch of the company they work at and it gets shut down. They get laughed at and everything being told that the game would never succeed and etc etc. And adding onto the Developer’s tragic backstory is that they got back stabbed and got their designs stolen by a coworker and got fired for whatever reason.

Anyways, the Developer not only got humiliated, got their work stolen but they even got fired from their dream job. Resentment breeds and then they cronstructe a real life version of the game(s) they created. They went so far as to stay as close to their games lore (in FNAF the animatronics were possessed by kids, same thing applies here). So, this Creator got jilted, back stabbed and humiliated and went a bit crazy and killed a couple kids who “possessed” the animatronics (the kids could actually possess the animatronics or not, up to y’all, but let’s say in this prompt/oneshot, that they did).

Anyways, let’s say Red Hood heard about five kids from Crime Alley that went missing in the exact same location at different dates. This catches his eye and he researches it some more. The more he researches the more he finds out. For one, more then ten kids went missing at this one location (which is this kids pizzeria party hall). Jason, whose known to protect kids, especially if they’re from Crime Alley or are street kids. But, he finds these series of suspected kidnappings/disappearance of these kids really particular. Something is off and he wants to investigate it.

Switch to Red Robin’s POV were he’s out on patrol and finds crates full of various mechanical/robotic parts. He’s, rightfully so, confused as all hell and tries to investigate were the fuck these robotic parts are being shipped and who shipped them. Unfortunately, he couldn’t find anything of substance as whoever ordered these hid their tracks very well. He takes a couple of the parts to analyze back at the Batcave/the Nest. He opens a couple more crates but finds other shit, like painting equipment, marble titles, plaster and other shit that is usually used when someone is renovating a place. They all have the same markings and the like and RR is confused but starts to suspect that one of the Rogues might be up to something. He also has a theory that this might be the work of a new, and upcoming Rogue as the stuff he found doesn’t fit any of their current Rogues MO but he doesn’t ignore the possibility this might be one of their other Rogues work.

Then we switch to Batman’s POV where he was working a different case but then notices something. He notices that someone is skimming money (a fuck load of money) off of this one companies branch and no ones noticed as its covered up pretty well (but Batman caught some minor, but significant inconsistencies). He tried to track the money transcations as he’s worried one of the Rogues might be planning something or something akin to that. The more he digs, the less he can find because everything leads back to shell companies and to stuff that doesn’t exist. The trail is covered up pretty well but this is Batman, he’s the worlds greatest Detective so he manages to find out that the money is being used to buy... paint, titles, chairs, and various other household renovating items? He’s a bit confused but then thinks that this might be Mad Hatter but when he looks into all the stuff that’s being bought, it doesn’t fit Mad Hatters Wonderland Aesthetic/MO. Still, he keeps on eye on the transactions.

Cut to Nightwing & Robin out in Blüdhaven. They’re out on biweekly patrol together. It’s a rather slow night but Robin and Nightwing are having fun (and bonding ofc!). Then, at one point, when the duo stop a mugging, the lady that they saved made an offhand comment about some kids going missing. Robin’s instinct goes off and he asks the woman whats she’s talking about. The woman explains that some street kids she knew from her job at a youth center just stopped coming. She chalks it’s up to her paranoia but she thinks they might have been nabbed. Nightwing cuts in and offers to walk the woman home which they do. Robin is thinking back on the woman’s comment about a few “missing” street kids. He tries to rationalize it as these kids probably just leaving or ending up in a Dention Center but he can’t help but think about it. He remembers something RH said about street kids going missing at this one specific place. He can’t stop thinking about throughout the rest of his and Nightwings patrol. Nightwing notices that Robin isn’t very focused so he asks what wrong. Robin dances around the topic but eventually does tell Nightwing what’s on his mind.

“That woman we saved earlier said something that stuck with me.”

Nightwing raises his eyebrow. “What did she say that stuck with you?” Nightwing knew that trusting ones gut instinct is important. There’s a reason why something’s that might send alarms off. He just hoped Damian could trust those instincts.

“She offhandedly remarked about missing kids. She told us that some kids she knew from the youth center she worked at haven’t showed up in three months. I remembered, earlier something that Red Hood said about streets kids going missing from a specific location, all at varying times.”

Nightwing is a bit surprised, but he’s heard Jason talk about the case. He makes a note to investigate the missing kids in here and compare notes with Jason afterwards. He has a feeling that the missing kids in ‘Haven might be related to the one in Gotham (considering street kids are the ones going missing. That stuck out to him). He reassures Robin that he’ll investigate it, and Robin replies that he wants in. Dick sighs but let’s him (it’s be a great bonding experience! No matter how morbid in retrospect...).

Batgirl (Stephanie!) is out on patrol with Red Robin when they talk about any recent activity they’ve seen. Red Robin makes an offhand comment about how he found crates filled with house renovating shit but he couldn’t trace them back to anyone. Batgirl stops, as she remembered when two weeks back she was at the Harbor and found crates filled with tech and... house renovating stuff. Batgirl then asks Red Robin for the serial number that the crates had, he’s but confused but tells her. Batgirl then realizes, those weird ass crates she found and she couldn’t trace back were the same one Red Robin were investigating. She tells him this, and tells him that she found were one of the crates were being hauled off to. They both decide to cut patrol short (it was almost finished either way, but tonight was uncharacteristically quiet). They both head off to Red Robin’s Nest. They both exchange info about the weird ass crates and theories. Batgirl thinks that this might be the work of a new up and coming Rogue as everything she found in the crates doesn’t suit any of their current Rogues MO. Tim agrees with her, but can’t find anyone that could be their new Rogue.

Now with everyone having different cases, which are all interlocked together let’s get into...

Five Nights At Genni’s

Ft. The Batfam, the Developer, FNAF Case Fic AU, fuck canon because everyone is on pretty good terms, Lots of Dead Kids (👀), And Scary Ass Probably Possessed Animatronics!

COMING SOON!

because I’m to lazy to continue on with the prompt/oneshot but I’ll finish it don’t worry lol

Now, if anyone wants to write a whole ass AU case fix stemming from this prompt/oneshot, go ahead! I’d honestly love to read the Batfam try and piece together the FNAF lore, while within the game itself, while trying to figure who tf is doing all this shit. It’s perfect for like, writing a great case fic, an exploration of the Batfam’s relationship and the Batfam themselves. But, it doesn’t have to be serious! Like, if y’all don’t want to write the part about several dead kids and want to write a semi crack fic centered around the Batfam being within the FNAF games then go for it!

Anyone who sees this, tag your fav Batfam writer! Because I haven’t found when fics where the Batfam ever interact with the FNAF games (whether them as actual games or something like what I wrote above). I’d love to see their takes on this prompt!

[pi-cat000]

MSA: Take Two (part 12)

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9, Part 10, Part 11

Part 13: here?

..

Lewis clears his throat and Arthur glances away, searching the room for inspiration. Nothing comes to mind and they both shuffle about in awkward silence.

“Well,” Vivi starts, drawing out the word to break the stiff atmosphere, “This is nice. We’re all getting along and no one is mad at anyone.”

Lewis coughs, appearing somewhat guilty, “Yeah…ah… sorry about freaking you out back in the van. It must have been strange…to see me.” They’d definitely figured out that his alternate-version-Lewis had died in that cave. That was fine. As long as they never found out how Arthur had died then it was all fine. The only one to ever know would be Mystery and, going off experience, he knows Mystery can keep a secret.

“Not your fault,” Arthur is quick to reassure, “It was just… a shock.”

A spark of electricity emphasises the statement and Lewis blinks, surprised at the joke. It does help to lighten the mood somewhat.

Vivi lets out a snort, “Nice.”

“What can I say, there’s a whole field of electricity-related jokes.”

“Stop that,” She teases. Lewis's mouth twitches into a smile. Vivi seems to take that as a queue to elbow Lewis forward a few more steps so they are no longer standing in the doorway. As they inch their way into the room Arthur realises he has inadvertently drifted back into the far corner again.

“…I’m surprised my counterpart didn’t beat me to it,” he comments both to distract himself from his nerves and because he’s curious.  Vivi has already mentioned the other Arthur and, seeing as Lewis is very alive and acting normal, he wants to know how the younger Arthur is handling everything. Surely, if his younger self is alive and well, then he would have tested out a range of jokes by now, being stuck in the hospital and bored out of his brain.

The troubled expression on Lewis’s face and Vivi’s sigh has him thinking it might not be all sunshine and roses. What if the other him was sick and dying of an infection… or something worse! What if the reason this Lewis cared so much was because the other Arthur wasn’t long for this world and he needed a convenient Arthur replacement!

“He’s okay right?” He asks anxiously, trying not let the sudden paranoia overwhelm him. The other Arthur can’t die! If he did, then everything was for nothing.

“Oh, he’s doing fine, physically at least. He’s being discharged from hospital in a few days.”

He slumps with relief. “That’s good to hear.”

In his timeline he had spent almost a month in the hospital, fluctuating between catatonic and various states of panic. Then there had been another month of visiting every few days for therapy. He could see how, with the support of both Vivi and Lewis, this Arthur would be better equipped to bounce back from the horror that had been the cave. And yet…

“He’s been quieter…” Lewis mutters, scanning him, making Arthur twitch, “You know what’s bothering him?”

Damn. He had forgotten how perceptive Lewis was. He scans the other man, searching for the rage he knows isn’t there. All he sees is concern. Arthur frowns, turning his thoughts inward, trying to ignore Lewis’s presence. If his hazy memories from before the cave were accurate then this current Arthur was going through his weird ‘Vivi and Lewis don’t actually like me’ phase. All overdramatic nonsense in hindsight because it was pretty obvious, going off the affection in Lewis and Vivi’s voices, that they cared for their Arthur immensely. But, his younger, idiot self wouldn’t be picking up on that. He would probably notice if Lewis and Vivi starting keeping secrets.

“You told him what happened right?”

“…” The uncomfortable expressions worn by both Lewis and Vivi sits like a led stone in his non-existent stomach,

“…About what happened with the possession, mind control stuff? You told him about it right?” He continues, agitated.

“Ah. No. Not yet. He didn’t remember any of it when he woke up.”

“We thought it was better to let him recover a bit more,” Vivi finishes, before continuing cautiously, “Does he remember?”

“No. I mean, I didn’t…not at first. But trust me when I say that whatever conclusion he comes to won’t be good. He’s probably thinking it’s his fault or something. Don’t wait. Tell him. Tell him as soon as possible. It will help. ”

“We will,” Vivi placates, worried, “We wouldn’t lie about something like this.”

“Good,” Arthur nods, happy he can save them- and his younger counterpart- this small amount of heartbreak.

Lewis, who has lapsed into contemplative silence gives an upset exhale. “It’s not your fault.”

Arthur freezes.

“Lewis…” Vivi tries to intersect but Lewis continues.

“You said Arthur would blame himself…Well, it’s not your fault either. Whatever happened before, in that other time, I’m sure I didn’t blame you.”

Crack. The electricity around him buzzes, sizzling, agitated. It feels like his whole head is filling with cotton, muffling his thoughts. Slowly, he processes the words, staring at Lewis. At his concerned expression. At his sympathy.

The regret, which had been sitting at the back of his mind in a haze of static, ramps up, drowning out Lewis’s confused follow-up question

“Arthur?” Vivi also questions, noticing him freeze.

“Stay back,” he snaps, more for his benefit than worry for her safety. That intense emotional pressure is back and growing steadily stronger. Lightning flashes and his whole form flickers. The desk lamp sparks then explodes like the ceiling light. The air crackles angrily.

There is a flash of red and the sound of books and furniture being knocked over as Mystery’s kitsune form fills up the room, forcing Vivi and Lewis away. Next comes the unpleasant sensation of having his heart-thing yanked and sudden loss of his solid human-like form.

“Mystery! What are you doing?”

/Apologies. I will return shortly./

“Where are you go….”

Arthur becomes vaguely aware of space moving around him. Vivi’s frustrated voice is lost in the quick movement as Arthur is whisked away through the window. Houses, pavement and streets flash by. A second later, they stop. Mystery plonks him down and Arthur reforms so he is floating outside amidst low growing shrub and patches of cactus. The horizon is empty and flat plain in all directions.

It happens almost too fast to process and Arthur spends a second staring at it in confusion before the pressure becomes too much and he explodes. The sudden release of compressed energy ripples around him in a shockwave. Now he is no longer in Vivi’s room he doesn’t have to worry about breaking things. Crack. Long lines of jagged yellow lightning tear the earth up in long groves.

Why?

Whywhywhywhywhy.

Why did it end up like this!

Under him, the ground glows, superheated where the lightning strikes it. Several potions of dirt and sand solidify into a glass-like substance.

Why couldn’t this be his! WHY! Why is he still here!?

Bright white and yellow electricity arcs up into the sky like a lightning bolt in reverse, exploding into a shower of sparks. Arthur doesn’t even bother trying to real the power in, letting it run wild until he’s floating in the middle of a blackened circle. Serrated, upturned earth and shards of that glass-like substance surround him, leaving Arthur feeling hollowed out and increasingly tired.  Eventually, he runs out of juice and the electricity splutters out. A familiar heavy sensation descends upon him and he finds himself lying on his back staring up at a pale, slowly darkening sky. 

“I’m a hazard,” he mumbles. All that work Vivi did in proving that he was safe to be around and he went and did that. Honestly, he shouldn't be surprised that he messed up. 

/If it is any consolation, I believe it went quite well. Better than expected./ And Arthur thought his expectations were low.

“Lewis and Vivi probably hate me now.”

/I very much doubt that./ Mystery’s elongated fox snout appears above him to block out the sky, head cocked to the side. Arthur twitches in unease, leaning away.  

Mystery shakes his head, taking is Arthurs discomfort with a concerned frown and backing up. /How do you feel?/

“Terrible. All I had to do was keep it together for one measly conversation.” He wants to go to sleep and never wake up. The air shimmers as Mystery transforms back into his dog form.

/The fact that you seem instinctually disinclined to injure Vivi and Lewis is significant. I have never personally witnessed a ghost with that level of control./

“Nice to know I’m clearing the lowest of bars,” he mutters, struggling against the unnatural weight to sit up.  Mystery watches, maintaining a respectful distance. Arthur examines his soundings to avoid eye contact, moodily poking a piece of solidified ground. Maybe it’s the sudden exhaustion, but all that pain and grief seems barely noticeable. Now he’s not around Lewis all that turbulent emotion has settled back into a familiar buzz of regret.

“So…what now?” What were they going to do now? Go back to Vivi’s house? Apologise for almost destroying her room? She was probably worried. He glances up at Mystery, uncertain. 

A long exhale follows, /It has come to my attention that I may have been overly presumptuous in our first meeting and caused some unneeded stress. I have since been informed on the importance of ‘bedside manners’ and ‘taking things slow’ in aiding a human’s mental recovery./

Was it him or did Mystery look a whole lot more unsure than was normal?

“Yeah, well, better safe than sorry,” he responds, unsure where the sudden admission has sprung from. It kind of sounds like an apology, maybe? Not that he thinks Mystery has much to be sorry about. Sure, Arthur’s not thrilled with some of Mystery’s poking and prodding but it is to protect Vivi and that’s a pretty good justification.

/True...However, I believe I could have been less…/ The dog pauses as if searching for a word, /pushy…/

Arthur would be frowning, you know, if he had a face. “Don’t worry about it?”

Mystery gives a curt nod like they’ve just settled some sort of disagreement. Arthur goes back to examining the destruction around him.

“I don’t want to explode again. Is this going to happen every time to feel any sort of strong emotion?” Gosh, that would suck.  Unsteadily, Arthur struggles back into a standing position.

/All part of the learning curb I am afraid. There is a lot of hard work ahead before you attain any sort of stability./

Arthur sighs, “Yeah I figured. But I‘ll get better right?” 

Mystery hums, scanning him up and down, /I believe so. Of course, it is always hard to be certain, but your chances are.../ A pause /optimistic./

Arthur lets himself feel a small amount of relief.

/For now we shall return. Both Lewis and Vivi will most likely be worried and have a few choice words to say about me running off in such a hurry./

“Do you think I can go back into the heart thing…I’m beat and that grabbing thing you did was…really uncomfortable.” He reaches up to cover his heart again, eyeing Mystery for any sudden movements.  A few hours or ‘recharging’ sounds pretty good. This isn’t running away! He’ll apologise to Vivi and Lewis later when he has more energy. Now he knows that Vivi - and maybe Lewis- does care about his wellbeing, dissipating back into the void doesn’t feel like he’s completely giving up. The change is subtle but no less important.

Mystery apparently thinks so too, because he easily offers the information without any further warnings, /Simply envision yourself sleeping or resting. The process should be instinctual./

“Right…” That sounded simple enough. Arthur thinks of his van back home in his own timeline. He thinks of curing up in the back with Vivi, sleeping bags next to each other, isolated on a stretch of unnamed highway in the middle of nowhere. A safe place, away from everything. He must be more tired than he thought because the world around him disintegrates into comforting darkness.

.

NOTE: I’m not dead, just super busy. 

[druid-for-hire]

new Hadestown au, ICARUS!ORPHEUS, wherein orpheus is not the world’s greatest musician but rather the world’s greatest inventor/mechanic/tinkerer. his creations are wondrous and beautiful and a miracle. Orpheus his mission is to create something that will repair the world--take what’s broken, make it whole.

Orpheus is still very much an artist--only his art in this AU is visual instead of auditory. and he’s still poor! not everything he makes is immediately useful for survival and y’know, hardly anyone has the money to buy things, and he has a propensity to just. give things away, especially the smaller trinkets he makes. and they take a Long Time to make. so he still works at hermes’ bar

SO!!!

this orpheus is body pain solidarity KDSKFJH

he has a fucked up back from all the heavy lifting he does around the workshop, being hunched over while he works on stuff, and being stuck in weird positions for extended periods of time when he’s working on machines and whatever, especially the bigger ones

also he’s got a wrist brace

he has a set of gear he wears a lot especially when he’s in his workshop

1) his wing pack! he built it himself and he’s proud. the pack was also made to help with his back problems. he doesn’t wear his mechanic gear when he’s working at the bar, but sometimes he’ll leave the wings on because back hurty. also, following w icarus, the wings are kept smooth & together and waterproofed w wax, kinda like a gloss. he reapplies every so often

2) his goggles! every part about the design is impractical (the red lenses and the beak) but i like them. they protect his eyes from flying bits and sparks and sawdust etc. when he’s working and wind when he’s flying

3) his boots! they’re sturdy workin’ boots, and have a talon function to clasp onto and lift things up. especially useful for moving bigger things around the workshop, up to higher levels and what have you, and he gets to flit around the whole space with minimal usage of ladders. (yes, they’re inspired by Vulture’s boots from Spider-Man: Homecoming)

(ALSO. the model of his wings are white crow wings, bc of the myth of Coronis)

because in greek mythology, crows started out white and had beautiful voices and the reason they turned black and got croaky calls is because a crow had to tell Apollo that his lover, Coronis, left him to marry a mortal 

and Apollo got so upset he burned the crow and then burned Coronis to death, or burned the crow and then turned Coronis into a crow, depending on the version

(thanks to @princessponies81 for helping me figure this bit out)

so there are some... parallels here

also, IIRC crow wings are elliptical-type wings, meaning they’re good for a lot of control and maneuverability in tight spaces. good for the workshop

also he makes automata too! he has this little mockingbird to help him around the workshop. lots of calls for lots of signals, like how a car will have diff beep signals for low gas or parking brake on or door left open or key left in etc... little bird can measure and alert for lots of things

he’s also less noodle-y than canon orpheus because of how much he uses his arms and legs doing lifting, work, and flying

he’s not like. Built or anything. but hes got some strength to him

he doesn’t just make really good machines either; he’s absolutely as skilled in fine, delicate things as much as the big pieces—he sees the details himself, has to make it himself, he’s as skilled in silversmithy or goldsmithy as he is in mechanics, and i imagine he has skills in metallurgy too. maybe even a bit of glassblowing? just for piece assembly. all his pieces will fit most perfectly if he makes them himself

things like the Silver Swan automaton (i’d link a video but external links are illegal on tumblr)

also... i don’t know if they manage to get married this time, but they at least get the wedding bands

lover, tell me, if you can--who’s gonna make the wedding bands?

@supercantaloupe: the river gonna give us the wedding bands -- he draws the mineral, the stones from the silt, and crafts them himself

SO, he charms eurydice with one (or many) of his dazzling creations that also have usages in practicality and survival

as is the youzhe, she leaves when he gets to obsessive with working on something, holed up in his workshop instead of like. Surviving the winter

they last longer into the winter this time though because again, he does have a couple of machines good for tiding over the winter and surviving, and eurydice can operate them. but he’s too caught up with creating something to fix the world to repair them when they break down

when he leaves, he leaves his mockingbird to take care of his workshop while he’s gone. make sure there’s not leaks or fires, etc., keep everything in working order

the trip to hadestown still takes a long time, but less time than in canon, given that orpheus gets there on a pair of wings, though he gets grounded plenty of times due to bad weather. plus, his wings aren’t really meant for long-distance

so in the end the time still matches up; the events underground still happen on the onset of proper spring

he sails over the wall of the Styx on his wings, but it’s a feat easier said than done; it really is high and wide, just... hundreds of feet tall, and i headcanon that the “wall” is in fact seven layers of fortification because some myths say the River Styx wraps around the underworld seven times

and he is not a high altitude flier

uhhhhhhhhh blah blah something something ... i’m not clear on all the details but here are a few things:

orpheus gets the shit kicked out of him in Papers as usual and the fates hold his wings over him instead of his guitar

i have no idea how If It’s True goes

SOMEWHERE there’s Hey Little Songbird II (thank you to @supercantaloupe​ for authoring this idea);

it's Hades to Orpheus this time. Ironic, as he sings and flies, a real songbird.

and orpheus, that inspired inventor, that mechanic, that engineer, blessed by Hephaestus himself, being tempted to stay. It's a marvel of engineering, those factories. But they're rough around the edges, dirty, inefficient, unrefined. Imagine all the work he could do. Imagine how grand it would be, with just his help. And imagine how much fun it would be to fix it all!

but since he's fallen in love - and lost her once already - he has to pause and think. it's too good to be true, isn't it? Is it true? Can he really stay here forever, with parts and tools and endless projects worthy of his skill and attention - at least, without her?

ok back to me writing stuffs

there is no Epic I / Epic II / Epic III; the titles are now Trial I / Trial II / Trial III, like trial runs of prototypes, and on the third one it has a double meaning as a trial of judgement

Trial III goes as such:

(and thank you to @ferretteeth for this)

Hades orders him to build.  An impressive invention in turn for his life – a chance he gives only because his wife is smitten with interest. 

Orpheus gets three days and no more, and when he is finally ordered to come before the throne of basalt and steel he brings his invention. And Hades gives a curt, mocking laugh, because all Orpheus has in his hands is a simple box of bronze, cheap and adorably human. 

 He almost orders for Orpheus' death the moment he sees it, but then the boy lifts the lid and reveals a mechanical flower. Petals made out of metal rusted rosy, nectar of flecks of fool's gold. 

Delicate and beautiful; extremely finely spun, as if the metal were only woven fibers. It is as soft as any silk.

"Where did you get that," the king snaps in a hurry. "How did you know–" 

And then, with the twist of a key, the invention reveals to be a music box and long lost chords fill the Underworld.

(i originally had the idea that he builds a planetarium that replicates the summer above, a caught snippet of the thing that hades could never make on a large scale. a beautiful thing with flowers that blossomed and played the old song as hades brushed his hands across them, sun above. but i figured it’s probably more in line with the sensibilities of Hadestown if orpheus had created something less... grand)

so eurydice and orpheus are granted their chance to leave.

i’m not sure what the test is, because he’s got to fly out with eurydice clutched in his talons, and i want him to be as much a victim of his doubt as in canon

but he has to follow this flight path with absolute perfection, down to the flap. you fly too high, the flames of hadestown will catch him. he flies too low, the flames of hadestown will catch her.

i think, in his paranoia, he flies too high, and his wings catch fire

his wings are on fire--his arms are strapped in to them. he’s burning up. he’s burning.

he’s slowing down in his ascent. in a moment, he knows that if they’re going to make it, it’ll only be one of them, and... he’s not going to drop eurydice. he can’t do that to her.

when his wings can no longer climb, he throws her the final distance to the surface. she turns around and reaches desperately for him, but he’s too far away.

he falls. a comet.

he breaks.

the fact is, he dies

but he dies in hadestown. so now he’s just... well, one, no chance of going back aboveground. two, now he’s... sitting at the bottom of that long climb, broken and in pain, surrounded by the charred skeleton of his wings, broken and burned feathers, drips of melted oil and wax, and blood

he’s... there for a long time, just suffering, before someone comes to see if they made it out, and finds him at the bottom

hades sees this as an opportunity to bring him back, let him heal, and put him onto projects, perhaps “to get your mind off of it all,” but. orpheus doesn’t want to work. he doesn’t want to do anything

thanks to supercanteloupe again for co-authoring this section:

Hades says he'll squander his god given talents to just sit around all day but Orpheus won't listen

hades has just zero fucking clue how to deal with a depressed human

"have I not given him all he could want, metal, tools, a workbench? Bed, bread, fire? Strength in his bones? And yet he refuses still? The boy must be mad," he cries, angry

@s-aint-elmo: "i got a new mechanist" 

“you ruined a perfectly good talented young man is what you did. look at him, he's got depression"

persephone herself is a mess (less so after Trial III) but she has at least some sense—she is more in touch with mortals than him, spending time with them up on the surface and throwing revels, but also greeting those who lost their lovers/sisters/brothers/mothers/fathers in the winter before

persephone encouraging orpheus to build, not for her sake or for Hades', but for his own. little flowers, little birds, wind up toys and music boxes. something to keep him going

s-aint-elmo: she brings him pressed flowers from the surface, little trinkets, tokens of the green. orpheus only lets the first few wilt and rot at the corner of his table.

flowers bloom until they rot and fall apart

it's a sad, painful reminder

he eventually has the resolve to rebuild his wing pack—better this time, because really, he feels crippled without them after living w em for so long

edit: (and the feathers are black, a la the crow myth)

when hades first sees him like, passing by w wings on his back, he turns to persephone like “what have you been saying to him?” “only what he needs to hear, husband”

he has a great fear of actually getting off the ground at first, though

he’ll perch at the edge of a rooftop, but... doesn’t move. it’s a leap of faith he doesn’t feel like he can take

he always saw air as just a medium to move through, that it would support him, as easy as swimming

now he sees straight through it to the ground

he has burn scars across the entire back of his arms, hands, and fingers

it’s a reminder every time he gets to working

rough patchy skin. calloused fingers from work

big sigh

eurydice goes home.

there is the empty shell of his workshop. his many machines and trinkets and tools and his hundreds of unfinisheds and thousands of scraps of plans, and… his bird left to care for the shop after god knows how many weeks or months.

it flies down and greets her, some string of whistles and beeps she only half understands. then it asks for orpheus

she tells it that he fell; he’s not coming back, it’s too late

the bird sticks by her from there on out, the last “living” remnant of her lover, besides his shell of a workshop

ok i haven’t thought farther than this, please have fun with this au i think it’s a new favorite alongside Unswayed AU & Apartments AU