#shepard is like a granny

[scratchandplaster]

Birdie why do you think Ben ran away?

Shepherd what do you plan on doing with Lukas?

[Masterlist] | Ask game

・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・

"I think he missed his brother," Birdie mused.

The group Sam joined today was busy preparing fruit slices, mostly apricots, apples and figs, as a midday snack. They were mixing pumpkin butter with a scoop of fresh honey into a paste, meaning if Sam took one fact away from their stay here, it was that these people loved their dips.

"If that's all, why didn't he stay in contact with you guys?"

"He probably had a little rebel phase," she laughed and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, "and wanted to prove himself out in the world."

Sam hummed: "Doesn't seem like the type to rebel."

"You're absolutely right! But if I'm being honest, Lukas has a pretty strong influence over him. On his first day back, he acted like we would tear him to shreds for leaving, I-" Birdie shook her head as if to let her thoughts out, "I can't imagine what kind of horror scenario they convinced themselves of."

Sam never dared to acknowledge it, but given what kind of social structure Birdie and friends were trapped in, they had always been friendly and welcoming to even the one who strayed off their vision of life. Normally, at least during their research, Sam expected a good portion of shunning and shame. 

Lucky Ben.

"Perhaps he regretted his choice, but was too embarrassed to ask for our help. Just look at him, he flourishes a bit more with every day."

--------

The old man's eyes lit up when asked about his son.

"Oh, the only thing I want is to see if he's doing well! Since he left without a word, I live in constant worry, especially because Luke... Well, he is very vulnerable when it comes to everyday stressors. And before you say it: I know. I know he's an adult and can make his own choices in life, but I'm not sure if that also applies to the people around him." A beat of silence followed. "I only wish for him to live in a healthy environment with friends that can be trusted."

"That's it?" Somehow, Sam didn't buy it. To be fair, he had been very upfront with them about Ben and their role in his return. 

"That's it," Shepard assured, "and if he doesn't want contact, I will have to respect his decision. But maybe, just maybe, he feels prompted to visit once or twice. For his brother's sake, at least, so we can live with the knowledge that he is safe."

"Is Lukas like him?" Their head nodded over to Ben, trapped outside the cabin gathering and whittling new twigs for today's campfire bread.

"No, not at all." The man's smile dragged a certain sadness along. "That's the magic of raising children; witnessing how these little minds full of potential grow into their own person. It's a gamble, but every score is a win."

Whipping out a crumpled Polaroid picture from his wallet, Sam was greeted by a child waving at them from behind the stained foil - hair black as a crow was tucked under a horribly knitted beanie. The boy, visibly younger than the triplets, stood next to an RV that was parked in front of a spitting geyser.

"That's Luke's first time at Yellowstone," Shepard spoke rather wistfully, "he loved watching the fountains for hours. Read about it beforehand, so of course, I enjoyed a whole tour of the place for free and afterward..."

Sam had braced themself for a lot during their time among the residents, but a whimsy trip down memory lane wasn't accounted for. Nothing against free information, but they feared Shepard was about to pull out the ultimate time waster.

"Here, I'll show you!" From under his desk, Shepard presented a thick photo album wrapped in leather.

Too late.

・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・

[cosmicrhetoric]

too many witch books are about granny's battle with mortality and end with the I ATENT DEAD card.....im literally never reading the shepards crown haha

[kandyshoppe]

So! I’m going to school to (hopefully) become a farm vet, and I also enjoy those hybrid Aus, SO! Farm Hybrid Au! (Or just farm au!)

Riddle: a rooster, specifically a red cornish. Cornish are known to be a bit aggressive, and finicky. I think he would have been a neglected chick and didn’t get to the full size, instead staying kinda small instead of becoming big like other Cornish.

Trey: Highlander cow, soft, sweet babys! They’re just happy to be here, and are stocky tough cattle. Their coats are double coated, so they can get matted but it’s rare with a proper diet and care.

Cater: a part indoor part outdoor cat, a beautiful orange tabby mix, who goes through moods of cuddle monster and hates everyone. Never a hiss from him, but a grumpy huff and he trots away.

Deuce: mastiff, a guard/live stock guardian dog breed. Big, aggressive to strangers, but love bugs once they get to know you. Specifically a Pyrenean mastiff, they’re polish, and suited for cold weather best.

Ace: definitely a Nubian goat, head strong, rebellious, LOUD, but they’re not aggressive! They’re actually very friendly, to their detriment since they will try to befriend predators!

Leona: farm cat, probably a Maine coon mix, cause he’s so big and fluffy! Maine coons are also very “dog like” and can learn tricks, to play fetch etc. They also tend to have a resting mad face, which Leona seems to have sometimes!

Ruggie: a stray dog that helps hunt vermin on the farm. I feel he wondered up once, and made sure to avoid the live stock (and their guard dogs) and got some rats or something. He doesn’t live on the farm by nearby in the woods with his pack of strays (including granny!)

Jack: another guard dog! Anatolian Shepard, a middle eastern breed suited for colder climates, and lovingly called “nanny dogs” and they will happily let goats jump on them. They’re a bit dominant, preferring to do their own thing vs what others say though.

Azul: cull duck! They’re a bit noisy, enjoying the sound of their own voice. They’re the white ones most people think of for ducks, small and fairly friendly but they do enjoy nibbling to show affection…

Jade: runner duck! They can’t fly, but enjoy scrabbling among rocks to find grubs, or in Jade’s case, mushrooms! They don’t waddle either! They run! They’re not as friendly as other duck breeds, being stand off-ish sometimes.

Floyd: just like his brother, a runner duck. He lives up to the runner in his name! Prances around, and enjoys tormenting the other animals on the farm. Someone stop him! Sneaks up on others and nips their feet. Has been kicked before, it didn’t stop him.

Kalim: brown Swiss, in the top three cattle breeds! They’re known for being fairly docile, calm and friendly. They’re very affectionate, and can get upset when not given affection from their handlers! This boy is BEGGING for ear scritches!

Jamil: Brahman bull, he can get aggressive much easier than Kalim. He’s also a very intelligent boy, as his breed usually is. But they’re also known to be shy, preferring to be alone or with a specific quiet few vs a large herd! Brahmans also are sensitive to the cold, so his hoodie is a need!

Vil: a jersey cow (my favorite!) they’re so pretty, but also the divas of milking cows. But it’s worth it for their thick, buttery and fatty milk! They’re also very curious, choosing to follow new comers vs hiding. They’re very social, but sassy things!

Rook: a trained hawk! (I’ve never seen a trained hawk around chickens but he is!) he was found as a baby and ended up bonding with the farmer I bet, so now he protects the others from birds, and more sneaky attacks! He enjoys sitting with Vil, a strange pair but it works.

Epel: a Southdown sheep, also known as “baby dolls” cause they’re so little and cute! He’s still a ram though, and hates being called cute! Head butts at will! Is mad that Vil has chosen him as their “calf” and follows him around, keeping him out of trouble. Vil’s no fun.

Idia: a British soay sheep, but he’s got a genetic mutation that makes him a deep blue instead of a dark brown. British soay are shy and flighty, they’re timid even among sheep breeds! Idia probably struggles with joining herds because of his color, which makes him more nervous about predators!

Ortho: à shetland sheep, another smaller breed, but quite friendly and inquisitive (which is rare among sheep, I’m sorry they’re dumb) Don’t let his size fool you though! Shetlands are one of the hardiest breeds out there! Small but mighty!

Malleus: a big black shire horse, now I don’t know as much about horses, but shires are docile and friendly draft horses! I bet cause of his size though, many of the other farm animals avoid him cause he’s scary. Shires are sometimes used for riding, and I bet he REALLY enjoys riding!

Lilia: a fell pony! They’re one of the smartest ponies, and while they can be finicky at times because of their intelligence, they are sweet ponies. He’s too intelligent for his own good I bet, enjoying to open the gates and wander out, but doesn’t close it and now EVERYONE is out and about!

Silver: an Icelandic horse (my brother’s favorite), they’re super sweet and hardworking sweethearts, with a beautiful grey coat! One of the friendliest horse breeds in the world, he’s just a big old love bug! Loves rolling around and laying in a nice patch of grass I bet.

Sebek: a shetland pony, but he’s one of the ones who give shetlands a bad rap. He’s nippy, and stubborn, and loves to whiney whenever he can! Likes the sound of his own voice. Is entranced with Malleus, and wants to be a big horse like him one day!

[bearlytolerant]

Fandom: Starfield

Rating: T

Pairing: Sam Coe x f!Spacefarer

Word Count: 1241

somewhere close to me

Sunset washes the balcony in warm orange hues where Sam leans against the railing, sipping from his glass of Chandra Melbec. Wine isn’t his regular go-to. But this one isn’t half bad. The waiter’s description—if he’s remembering correctly—was a full bodied red wine with notes of chocolate and fresh earth.

Apparently he likes the taste of bittersweet dirt.

The sight of Shepard’s hand lingering on a very tall and very bald man, he does not like so much. Not that he blames the man for doing so. Shepard is a sight to behold and it isn’t fair.

“Hey, you look just like Sam Coe.” Everything in him wants to ignore the comment. But he plasters on a charming smile and turns to address the gala attendee. Just a kid, maybe pushing twenty, probably not unlike him at that age. Most likely being dragged around and forced to attend fancy events, riding the coattails of his wealthy parents. Sam softens.

“You know, I get that a lot.”

“Huh, weird. You’re not him though, right?”

“What if I told you I am?”

“Nah, you look too old to be him.”

Doing his best not to laugh he tells the kid, “well, we don’t all age gracefully.”

The kid stares at him a little dumbfounded but then his eyes light up and his mouth kinda hangs in an O as he processes the information.

“You are him! Can I get a selfie?”

Sam obliges, setting his glass of wine on a nearby table. Smiling big, the kid pulls out his phone and snaps a shot of them side by side. “My grandma’s going to love this! Thanks man!”

He wanders off and Sam sighs. Honestly, he never considered he might be popular amongst the elderly. Learn something new everyday.

Sam grabs his wine again. Takes a sip. Swirls the glass and watches the kid move on to the next conversation. Then his eyes drift back to Shepard where the tall man’s hand is settled just above the swell of her ass. His fingers barely graze the exposed skin on her back and he practically chokes on his next sip of wine.

It’s none of his business but his feet are already carrying him over there.

Shepard is all smiles, more than she usually is. “Oh, Sam, this is Dalton Fiennes, Ryujin’s Chief of Security. This is—“

“Akila’s very own Sam Coe,” the stoic man says while sticking his hand out.

Sam switches the wine to his other hand. There’s a little surprise that this man—Dalton—would be familiar with the Coes. Maybe his fan base consists of more than just grannys. Or, more likely, it’s his job to know anyone and everyone worth knowing. His job to stick his nose where it doesn’t belong. He extends his hand to Dalton. Of course, the guy’s got a firm grip. It’s crushing but at least Dalton’s large and surprisingly soft hand isn’t on Shepard’s back anymore.

“So how did you two meet?” Sam asks, trying not to be too obvious as he flexes his fingers.

Shep says, “you know when you and I first met and I had just started working at Ryujin to make ends meet?”

Sam nods.

“There was a bit of a security issue which required us to work closely together. I was able to become well acquainted with Dalton through that.”

The emphasis isn’t lost on him nor is that smile that’s thrown at Dalton.

“Have to applaud her. Without her assistance, Ryujin would have had an insurmountable mess to clean up. She’s truly a unique and remarkable woman.”

“I wholly agree,” Sam says.

“Keep the praise coming, it’s nice to have the ego stroked every now and then,” Shepard says with a small laugh.

“I would gladly give you well deserved praise all night.”

Sam nearly chokes again, the wine burning as it goes down. They don’t notice. He watches as the two of them exchange a meaningful glance and then she looks away, taking a sip from her own glass of wine. Sam wants to tease her and he would if they were alone. Or maybe with their friends. Certainly not as the third wheel to whatever dynamic he’d found himself in.

The half beat of silence is interrupted when Dalton says,”excuse me. It appears I am being summoned.” He’s looking past them, listening to someone speak on his earpiece. Then he gives Shepard a charming smile and brushes his fingers down her arm, briefly squeezing her hand before letting it go. “It was lovely seeing you here tonight, Zero.”

Her name is a number and Dalton makes it so intimate and personal. Sam practically has goosebumps on his arms and he’s not even the intended audience.

“Hopefully, I will have the pleasure of crossing your path again.”

“Likewise. Have a wonderful evening Dalton,” she says.

Sam’s heart is in his throat. He downs the other half of his wine in an instant and follows Shepard back to the balcony.

“Was it just me or was there some heat between you two?”

It’s not some and there’s no question. But how else is he supposed to ask if she’s taken and that’s his competition?

Shepard’s cheeks are a lovely pink and he doesn’t remember ever seeing them like that before. She’s not really the blushing type. Usually she’s the one causing the blushing.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean for that to happen.”

Sam leans over the balcony railing, though his attention is fully on Shep. “So you two—uh—“

“Do you really want to go there?”

“We don’t have to. But I would like to remind you of a certain someone who was really pushy on the subject of Jacob Coe.”

“Fair point.” She sighs. “It’s a yes—after I stopped working there. I—he, well.” She clears her throat, lost for a moment in what he can only assume is a memory. The blush blooms brighter, and she chuckles a little.

There’s a moment of regret as he hangs onto her every word. Not sure if he can handle the details that she might lay on him but to satisfy his curiosity, he needs to know.

“The simplest answer is we were—something but weren’t cut out for that something long term. Mostly myself to blame for that.”

He silently thanks whatever gods might be out there for sparing him.

She breathes deep and meets his gaze. “I realized that it wasn’t fair to be with him when I’m madly in love with someone else.”

“Oh.” Sam deflates.

Who the hell is she in love with? Someone from Constellation? Another random person that he has yet to meet? Even though a tiny voice in his head hopes that someone is him, he doubts it could be. But he doesn’t ask and she doesn’t tell. Everything about her is unreadable. Still, he thinks of the kiss on his cheek earlier. Makes him wonder. But he’s seen her kiss Walter on the cheek too. Something like that isn’t enough to go on when making bold and grandiose declarations of his—feelings. Not to mention—oh no—the revelation dawns on him. Did she see him as another father figure?

Though time suspends for him, everyone around them is shuffling to their seats. The gala performances are to begin. There’s more food to eat, wine to drink.

“Come on, let’s go find Walter and Issa.”

Sam follows, setting his muddied mind aside, hoping for something stronger than a glass of wine.

[wrathbites]

HUEHUEHUE I SHALL MAKE YOU CHOOSE 🌹🌹🌹 but I’ll be nice about it and give you three to play with c:

for every "🌹" received in my inbox i'll post one random sentence of a random WIP i'm currently writing

Surprising absolutely no-one, these are from various stages of the main vampire verse, Sunlight and Stardust ;)

One

She wraps herself in the guise of harmless librarian but Anderson knows the weapons tucked under that violet shawl, can still see the gore smeared across her grin in his nightmares, those manicured nails dipped in turian blood.

Two

"Do you intend to kill my grandson, Lieutenant?" Granny Shep asks out the blue, as if that's a normal conversational starter one might have in the middle of the garden section, on a bright Tuesday morning, with... with pretty damn sharp shears close to hand.

Three

Kaidan crumples in on himself without a word, odd-shaped legs giving way at the joints as he hits the bench with a thump, fingers like claws around the little box Shepard asked her to deliver in person, and Tali's never heard him make a noise so raw and wounded, not even at the cruel mercy of a migraine two years ago, locked in a tiny escape pod with her.

[fandomsandfeminism]

If you haven't read this book (oh gods, please do) or any Discworld (please. Please it will change your brain chemistry), I feel the need to add- often these books capture so perfectly the crushing disappointment and frustration of people being people in the worst ways.

But, importantly, Sam (and Granny and Tiffany too) still fight for them. Still go out into the dark and the rain to protect people from the worst they might do to each other. Even frightened and stupid and small minded, Discworlds protagonists will do the thankless work of being the Shepard in the field and the light in the dark, because someone has to.

The key part of that first quote, I think, is the "when you saw people as things to be measured" because-

"There's no grays, only white that's got grubby. I'm surprised you don't know that. And sin, young man, is when you treat people like things. Including yourself. That's what sin is." "It's a lot more complicated than that--" "No. It ain't. When people say things are a lot more complicated than that, they means they're getting worried that they won't like the truth. People as things, that's where it starts." "Oh, I'm sure there are worse crimes--" "But they starts with thinking about people as things..."

--from Carpe Jugulum, by Terry Pratchett.

"People on the side of The People always ended up disappointed, in any case. They found that The People tended not to be grateful or appreciative or forward-thinking or obedient. The People tended to be small-minded and conservative and not very clever and were even distrustful of cleverness. And so, the children of the revolution were faced with the age-old problem: it wasn’t that you had the wrong kind of government, which was obvious, but that you had the wrong kind of people. As soon as you saw people as things to be measured, they didn’t measure up."

[portmantaur]

I wonder if, in prioritizing The Shepard’s Crown the way he did at the time he did, Pratchett was thinking about his daughter. I wonder if he was thinking about his readers, especially the younger cohort.

I wonder if Pratchett was thinking of Granny Weatherwax as she was in Equal Rites, haltingly and begrudgingly ushering the first girl into wizarding, while he wrote about Tiffany Aching uncertainly but unwaveringly ushering the first boy into witching. I wonder if he was thinking about how, much like life, stories tend to be cyclical. I wonder if he was thinking about loss from the point of view of the one doing the leaving.

Tiffany Aching once told a strange, ancient, and frightened creature that she was made up of little parts of “everyone who ever changed the way she thinks” right before she taught that creature, at its request, how to die. Later, not very long after losing Granny, she asks You the Cat, “where is Granny Weatherwax?” to which the cat seems to reply, “everywhere.” I think about that a lot - about the lasting nature of love, even hard love, even love that seems fleeting. Clumsy love and deliberate love and love that surprises. Unrequited or embraced. How love sticks around, how it lingers even after it leaves.

I think about how the first handful of Discworld books have a different tone than the rest of the collection, and how this is also true of the last handful. I wonder if Pratchett was thinking of the irreverent “what if we do this?” premises of those first few books while he was writing (or dictating) the last few that seem distinctly haunted by a more pressing theme of “what if we don’t?”

I read somewhere that one of Pratchett’s last requests was that his unfinished works be destroyed, and that the hard drive containing that work was in fact obliterated. I’ve never actually had the heart to look up the truth of this, because it feels so appropriate when you think about The Shepard’s Crown being his last Discworld installment, published after his passing. I wonder if he was thinking about the last thing he wanted to say to the world at large before he retreated to the privacy of his loved ones’ company.

And I think about what a big question “where is Granny Weatherwax?” is, in a world where existence-after-death is possible but uncertain, in a world where time can be overlapped and stitched together, in a world where a man made nearly evil by circumstance can be reincarnated as a root vegetable that began growing before he even died, in a world where Death will bargain with a talking cat, in a world where “hereditary” is a metaphysical concept, in a world where there are known to be many - maybe infinite - other worlds. In all of that, where is Granny Weatherwax? Where is all of the work she has done, the effort she has expended, the love she has engaged in, the changes she has brought about in other lives?

And I think about how big and unknowable, how warm and comforting, how vast and frightening, how infinitely far away and close-as-your-own-skin the answer is:

Everywhere.

[hazelcephalopod]

The Great Hunt Ch 31: On the Scent

Cairhien Sun symbol.

Reunions are had and plans are lay what new adventures await our poor little guys and very cool autistic granny?

disclaimer: there will be spoilers, I will tag them but this is a book from 30 years ago that I am desperately trying to finish. I am very ADHD and this helps me do that. Also, it’s my first read thru but I am somewhat familiar with the story and what is going to happen, probably not enough to not be surprised tho. Happy reading! 

All WOT spoilers. 

Rand POV

OH! Verin is the Reader. Well that’s not a Wisdom, but an Aes Sedai kinda is! (Sp: this is wrong)

“Lord Rand of House al’Thor.” Tragic main character disease and a nice coat continues to plague this poor Shepard. 

Oh no he thinks he’s done. Oh you poor sweet dipshit

Love how they do behave like a DnD party but we get the narration that no, NPCs are listening and reacting to this very suspicious and concerning conversations happening in the middle of the street. 

Mat: (summarizes the last few weeks for him)… & where the hell have you been? Rand: Perrins a what?!

Ah. Nvm Verin and the Reader are in fact separate people. Still Verin is here!

Inn found: The Great Tree. Innkeeper: Mistress Tiedra. 

Hurin didn’t smell any Trollocs and tbh I’m not sure there ever were any. Sry Rwnd my guy, I still support most of your wrongs. 

… I don’t think Rand is doing well. Like, this is a lot of suspicion. Which is somewhat reasonable but… idk. This is all a lot for anyone and uh, he’s more than anyone regrettably for him

Warm baths are nice tho aren’t they! 

“…he chose the black coat, to suit his mood…”

Fucking “Selene”… this poor guy (just in general not just her, but also her). 

I almost envy Rand. Got mail? Just burn all of it. No mail. Nor responsibilities. Nor choices to make. Just burn it! It’s flammable! 

“Mat was juggling three boiled eggs and trying to appear nonchalant.” A) how? He’s juggling!; b) who is he trying to nonchalantly impress here exactly? 

Really enjoy Loial having pockets large enough for presumably sizable books. 

Switch POV: Perrin. 

Really appreciate leaning into “who knows what and how do they view those things?” Here. 

I am astounded still that it is book 2(!) and magic portals and different worlds have just been dropped like “yup there’s countless other worlds sorta like ours. And teleportation. Anywayyyy….!”

Verin hearing about “Selene” and the portal stones and shit thinking: this is weird and fucking suspicious. “Hey—”

Mmm delicious meal. Oh and we are back to remembering Mat is dying and other sadness? 

Hey! It’s “The Travels of Jain Farstrider”!

Lord Barthanes… hmm. Familiar…

“There are Darkfriends among the high as well as the low.” -Verin. What an interesting thing to say my beloved autistic granny.  

Barthanes Damodred?! Well of course the rumor would be enough. Tbh if the king was smart he’d have the rumor started for the express purpose of destroying Barthanes. You’d think it would make the king suspicious but I’m not so sure anymore that anyone would care or notice. 

“The more he found out about kings, the less he liked them.” -Perrins thoughts. Yup, a shit for sure. 

Rand like: dammit Hurin how will I burn those letters now! 

It’s like a heist thing! Gotta get in and do the things to the rich guy/s! 

That’s not dignity Perrin it’s fear and discomfort. With a good dash of “I hate this” but because of the former. 

Amazing! Verin: looks at the kings letter “well this is trash” burns it. I love her. 

“People see what they expect to see.” -Verin. Truer words madam. 

5!? These fuckers are obsessed with Rand! Rand! (I mean I think he’s adorable but really?)

Oh oh right. So, uh Barthanes has the horn. That’s what the heist is for. It is a literal heist. I mean, this book has almost everything. We got to a heist, we started with an adventure novel, survival, several other things, and now also a heist. I probably should have mentioned -or tbh realized- this earlier. 

Oh right the giant ass buried statues. Which are apparently the largest of the sa’angreal which can be used by channelers and seem very powerful. The one we’ve seen can only be used by men. There’s two in total. Hmm… I’m sure they couldn’t be important at all. The womens one is on Tremalking. Wherever that is. Apparently they were created as weapons which were never used. So. Probably not important at all. /s

I am sure rn Rand is terrified but this is overpowered by him suspecting the ancient statutes are (somehow) part of the plot to control him and still trying to convince himself he is not the Dragon. Mmm mmm nope. This is all part of the plot to frame him as a false dragon. Nothing else. 

Well what a relief they must be used in tandem to Break the World but one wonders how much damage they could do alone?! /s (the big ass sa’angreal)

… you need to be very powerful to use them. Whose that powerful? No *widely* known man, and several women including Moiriane. No worries until the Dragon proclaims himself. *stares off into the distance suspiciously close to Rand* surely no Aes Sedai would help with that tho right? (Yes sure Verin. Wait did she lie…? No… no I think not)

Perrin, Rand knows less than you think you do. By far. And you admit to not knowing much. I mean technically Rand knows a lot, but tbh I feel like he’s too in denial to actually use that information. 

Another great chapter. Bands back together. Verin is here. They are going to do a heist in a nobles house for the Horn which rests on Rand’s shoulders, and his impeccable half-hated new wardrobe of three very nice coats. More letters were burned. Everyone is loosing it a little bit imo. Absolute a+’s all around. 

[a-gem-in-the-rough]

@from-shepard-to-prince

As per usual, Granny's was packed full for dinner, with the charmings sat at a table across from the large booth that the dwarves have taken up, Grumpy making a fuss as David continuously messes with him, almost always singling Grumpy outside Grumpy spends the most nights aside from Hook in the jail for drunken antics

“Oh David. It’s not like you’re an Angel either. I could tell you all some stories…” Snow smirks.

She’s interrupted by a loud screeching sort of roar outside.

Emma is the first one out the door.

She’s surprised to see a knight brandishing a sword in the middle of town. Probably a bit more surprised than she should be.

This surprise is followed by terror as she located what’s making the roaring.

A massive pissed off dragon.

Seemingly one that had been engaged in a fight for a while. Judging by the damage.

The knight stands poised as the dragon charges. Swinging the hefty sword with elegance and grace. Almost like it’s a sort of dance.

Emma watches in shock as the Dragon notices the crowd gathering. And starts to charge towards them.

The knight leaps into the air and lands on the back of the injured dragon. Plunging the sword into it a few times.

The dragon skids to a halt just in front of Granny’s. And heaves a final breath.

[myriadxofxmuses]

Her smile dropped slightly when he spoke his dad's fate. It made her think of her mother, whom she hadn't thought of in years, but the mention of a parent being a disappointment brought her right back to the forefront of her memories. And the idea to utilize his profession to once again try and track her down followed shortly after - although the desire to connect with the woman was fleeting at best.

"And have you? Salvaged the Shepard name?" she asked genuinely, forcing what little memories she had of Shay back to the depths of her subconscious. "You definitely get brownie points from me for looking after little old ladies like your granny and for taking me out for drinks, so I'd say you're on your way," she added assuringly with a softened smile.

------

After ordering their first round Ivy found a table tucked away from the hustle and bustle of the bar, giving them a more private seating away from possible eavesdropping ears. "I want to apologize," she started, momentarily glancing around the bar. "I feel like I've given you the thrid degree and you haven't gotten a chance to have your burning questions for me answered. So," she continued, taking a drink. "What would you like to know about the infamous Ivelina DeLuca?" she asked with playfulness.

He had a point. Meeting for voluntary drinks was hardly grounds for a kidnapping. It'd be a missing person at best. "I guess not, Theo," she agreed with a mischievous smirk.

She had fully expected an alias given his profession. Not his actual name. But it was good to know he was honest when it mattered.

"I'm Ivy," she introduced herself, softening her smile. "Or Ivelina if you're feeling fancy," she added playfully with a short wiggle. "So, Theo, what made you want to be a cop? Is it some kind of generational thing or were you a hall monitor in school and just couldn't give up the power it gave you?" she teased lightheartedly.

[cosmicrhetoric]

the discworld queen of the elves is so fucking tragic like ok she lost to granny. that's fine, everyone loses to granny. death lost to granny. but magrat was able to rough her up?? like actually punch her out?? magrat??? and then YEARS after all of that she gets her ass handed to her by an actual nine year old. like this lady is just a punching bag to witches at this point if the series had continued i bet petulia would've given her a noogie or something

[thisisasideblogforbooks]

sO

a lot of people are upset with some— choices — made in wayward son. and let me tell you— same. buT there were also several times i found myself laughing out loud and truly enjoying it. i just finished it and i’m still feeling ~pains~ in my chest but i wanted to make a list of the things i did like (there are heavy spoilers!!):

shepard. enough said honestly

baz lookin like a granny with the scarf on his head but simon describing him as a “boy marilyn monroe”

the whole faire scene. i loved every bit of it. baz being mistaken for being in a costume bc he’s too posh. simon’s wings just flying out and people applauding. the foam sword fight and baz reciting shakespeare. the fight and penny literally decaptitating a vampire in front of a crowd of people. “we’ll be back at 6 and 9 for more shows.”

baz teaching simon how to drive stick and simon being a natural

baz and penny singing amazing grace to get their stuff and baz’s belongings randomly flying up to him throughout the novel

baz thinking his magic doesn’t work in america but he’s really just too british

agatha being unable to let go of penny’s hand after the battle

agatha’s banter! i feel like we got a lot more of who she is in this book

any scene with baz and penny. they were my favorite relationship in this book tbh (penny crying on his shoulder in the cheesecake factory!! baz kissing her cheek and basically calling her family!!)

showing that nobody’s okay after years of trauma

agatha being heroic and knowing how to do something penny doesn’t! basically agatha being a badass

simon flying!!! simon laying in the truck bed and just enjoying life and nature!! simon still being a badass with weapons!! simon flYING!!!

all the new spells! especially the one penny used to make simon’s wings go away

the in-depth descriptions of every expensive piece of clothing baz wore

so would i say i’m satisfied? not at the moment. but there were also a lot of parts i enjoyed!!

[wrathbites]

Sorrow shared...

... is a sorrow halved.

They're the hands of a killer and the hands of a healer.  For some they offer aid, and others only pain.

Here, now, confronted with a vampire gargling extra-strength mouthwash and scrubbing his skin raw... here, now, they're gentle, same as his voice, catching Shepard by the wrist and guiding him away from the sink, sitting him down on the floor.

Talk to me, Kaidan says without uttering a word, settling cross-legged opposite him.  Tell me what's wrong.  What could possibly rattle a vampire so?

Waiting out said vampire's stubborn avoidance of an issue is no easy feat, an exercise in patience that has Kaidan watching him comb fingers through the length of his hair and braid it back, only to tease it out and start again no less than five times.  Three times he intercepts Shepard on his return to the sink with a well-timed barrier and raised brow.  And twice he kicks out a leg and taps toes with him, just to draw his attention away from his fingers.  But Kaidan's eventually rewarded, no sign of Chakwas giving up and demanding custody of her medbay back, and Shepard breaks the silence between them with a sigh, loud and sudden, fixing him with a glower that'd be more convincing if it actually remained on him.

"You're not gonna let this one go, are you?"

"Nope.  Whatever that was back there?  Seemed pretty intense."

"That's one way of putting it," Shepard replies, a grumble he directs at the ceiling.

"If you don't wanna talk about it —"

"Do you know how vampires are made, Alenko?"  That shuts him up quick, sits him up straighter.  No.  No, he doesn't.  He knows shockingly little about them considering he's supposed to oversee the life, and potential death, of one.

"I don't, no."

Shepard snorts.  "Of course you don't.  That'd require they pass on accurate intel.  So there's the part everyone and their granny knows — you die.  But after that..." back at his hair again, gaze growing distant.  "After that the memory goes fuzzy.  Understandable, I suppose, given your death, but.  Well.  Some small part of your brain knows."

His tone...  "Did the, uh, mind-meld with Liara knock something loose?"

Silence.

"Look, if you need time to process it —"

"I wasn't the only survivor, Alenko."

"On Akuze?"

"Mn.  There was another —" was "— Strutten.  You know I can't even picture his face?  His eyes?  Whether he had a beard or not?  But he was screaming.  And bleeding."

"Did you kill him?"

"I... think I did?  I remember... well," Shepard lifts his hand to his mouth, gestures to it and the fangs just out of sight, "I remember.  We need blood to complete the change, so I've been told.  Figures death'll come collect one way or another if you cheat."

Shepard's biotic settles then, as if every word spoken has gradually decreased the strain on elastic pulled far too tight, from a roiling mass of icicles stabbing at Kaidan's awareness every second to a smooth expanse of ice he'd be able to skate on, were it real.  But there's something off about it, something... forced.  Like someone knuckling down and bracing for bad news, terrible news, black suits knocking on the door and saying we're so sorry for your loss.  His hands have gone still in his lap, no yarn to fidget with, no dark energy rolling over his knuckles instead of an old-fashioned coin, no fingers twisting or tapping together.

So at odds with the standoffish, in your face approach he'd normally default to.

Then again, letting an asari dumpster dive through the overcooked pasta bowl his brain's been smushed into by alien technology?  Probably also not normal.

In for a credit...

Kaidan thunks his head back against the cabinet, closes his eyes against the overhead light dimmed low on account of Shepard's heightened sight, and goes picking at wounds he'd cauterised years ago.  "If I told you I'd killed someone, would you judge me for it?"

"No?"

"And if I told you I didn't have orders to do so, would you report me for it?"

"Alenko —"

He ploughs on ahead.  "And if I told you I'm the reason BAaT was shut down, that I killed the instructor in self-defense when he pulled a knife on me, right in my face, would you see reason to treat me as an unstable biotic to be locked up and forgotten about?"

Shepard doesn't answer, but it's clear in the horror on his face when Kaidan cracks an eye open to glance at him.  Why would I? Kaidan doesn't tap toes with him this time so much as actually kick his foot, and Shepard reacts with a tingle of dark energy shoving him in the shoulder.

"You wouldn't, would you?"

"No.  I — Alenko you were a kid."

"And you'd just been attacked and turned by a vampire."

"It's not the same."

"Maybe not entirely, no, but it's not far off where it counts, either.  I didn't die, but we both wanted to survive.  We can't hide what we are under scrutiny, but we try to blend in all the same.  And flashbacks, no matter the cause, be it trigger or nightmare or alien meddling, are no fun for either of us."

~

He approaches Liara later, after hiding the mouthwash and soap and tying Shepard's hair back in a bun for him to give his hands an excuse to fixate on literally anything else, to suggest a block on any further mind-melds.  A suggestion she's quick to agree to, shaken in her own right, fingers to her pulse as if to monitor it, eyes still wide and stricken from whatever she witnessed in Shepard's head.

"He can hear every heartbeat on this ship when he's in range, Lieutenant.  It's a torment, a... a temptation, he subjects himself to daily.  I don't think... I don't think he meant for me to see that."

There's a lot you weren't meant to see, he thinks, biting down on it much like he does his tongue.  "Did you learn anything about the vision implanted in his brain?"

"No.  I — I was not... prepared for how loud his... nature would be.  It was... most distracting."

And disturbing, had she witnessed the memory unearthed during the meld, taken a front-row seat to instinct's demand to survive by any means necessary.

A meld neither of them can afford to repeat.  Damn.

~

You're not a monster, Shepard.

Neither are you, Alenko.

[sanctuarysparrow]

I’ve been reading books but I haven’t had much time to process them outside of my own head. I’d love to write some thoughts down soon. Writing things down, makes them feel more anchored. For now just a quick ramble about the books next on my list, I finished the last of the Earthsea books, The Other Wind. I love this series with my whole heart and soul. I want everyone to read it, no joke! I’ve recommend it to three people already and I just bought all the books as a birthday gift for one of them eventhough their birthday isn’t for two more months lol. Now that I’ve finished Earthsea, I ordered The Left Hand Of Darkness and the book arrived Last week. I wasn’t sure if I had to start from book 1 (LHOD is book 4 I think?) of this series but the way I’ve understood it, all the books are seperate in one world setting so it should be fine. I just love that title. “The Left Hand Of Darkness” That title has been stuck in my head since I first heard of it. I couldn’t help myself and get that one first. I’m so hyped to read it! However since it’s october I want to keep things spooky and witchy so it probably won’t be for this month just yet. *I mention spoilers in this paragraph!! particularly for The Shepard’s crown!* Instead I’ve just finished the second TIffany Aching book (Terry Prachett’s Discworld) and it made me so happy, I literally had tears in my eye on my morning commute lol. What can I say, haha, sometimes I fucking miss Terry Prachett! I dunno man. I got so emotional because these books feel like a passing of the torch. Not just Granny Weatherwax to Tiffany but also Terry Prachett to us. I’ve unfortunatly read a quote online by accident so I know that Granny passes away in The Sheperd’s Crown and I feel like Terry Prachett took Granny with him. We are Tiffany, He left us his lessons and now we have to do it on our own. He speaks with such love of his homeland in this books, The chalk, the sheeps ect. I feel there is such care and love in these books. And he gives such important wisdom too. Not with -chosen ones- and -wave your wand magic- but with real life, everyday struggle as magic. It all matters so much to me. This is important stuff for kids to learn when they are young. The next book, Wintersmith, arrived today so I might start that one. She is a witch after all so october is the perfect month to read more Tiffany! *end of spoilers!* I also bought Eight Days Of Luke by Diana Wynne Jones. I can’t get my hands on the Earwig book that is being turned into a Studio Ghibli movie. It was first on my list to read after Chrestomanci. However the bookcover of Eight Days Of Luke is so good. It’s the right level of creepy and cool. When I first saw it, it really got my attention and I knew I just had to read it next. The only thing I still have to do is find the right background song and then I’m good to go! I’m planning on changing up my authors soon though. I’ve mainly been alternating between Ursula K Leguin, Terry Prachett and Diana Wynne Jones and that’s been great but I think something new will do me good. So with that idea in mind, I bought The Potter’s Field by Ellis Peters. It’s one of the Cadfael books (and a murder mystery so appropriate for the spooky season). I have nearly all of them. I usually hunt for them on secondhand book markets or secondhand shops but with the pandemic I haven’t had the chance to do that this year. I found a copy online, also secondhand, but a bit pricier then what I’m used to paying. It’s in great condition though and it has the same cover as all my other books. I prefer the covers with the medieval style (think book of Kells, medieval miniatures...) letters and the gold details. I think aside from 2 books in my collection, all of them have that style of cover. They are all still wildly different edition so the spines aren’t the same but honestly, I don’t really care about hardcovers or special editions ect. If I can get my hands on it for a good price, I’m happy! It’s the inside that matters most after all. I love the thrill of finally finding that story you have been wanting to read on a bookshelf in a shop where you weren’t expecting it or were you hoped it would be but didn’t think you’d get that lucky. That’s the best. That just brightens my whole day. I hope we can soon get back to those days. For now however, I’ll be reading about monks solving crime and witches in all sort of alternate worlds doing all sorts of magic. May the world be kind to you my friends and may you enjoy a good book!

[storybrooke-and-cinnamon]

“Ooooh… I didn’t even see that cocoa. Make that two I guess.” She smiles at granny.

“And I’d like to try your famous Shepards pie please.”

Ruth pulls the car over to the side of the road with a panicked look on her face.

“You felt that too right? Marie, Tell me you’ve either changed a tire before. Or you have signal so we can YouTube it.” She frowns as she parks the car.

They end up parked right next to the sign for what appears to be a small town.

Storybrooke.

@storybrooke-and-cinnamon

"Not since I was a kid, and I almost smacked myself with the tire iron then." Marie pulls out her phone, "not much, but my phone is pretty shit, I'm sure if we got further in town we'd get signal." She takes a look at the tires, "oh, I don't need to be able to change a tire to tell you we're fucked... That's something we gotta take it in to a shop for, the rims all busted up," she points to the busted tire. "The axel might be out of alignment too... If we can push it into town we can jack it up and I can take a better look, stuff like that's not hard to spot, but the local mechanic might still try to price gouge us simply cuz we're from out of town." I glance to the sign, "we ain't far though, shouldn't be too hard to push..."

[wrexidentalinsurance]

Been thinking about the Batarians.

•have lots of eyes. Wonder what their vision is like.

•their skin looks soft? Like old granny washing dishes a lot type soft. This is weird bc Batarians. Or is it weird? Maybe it's not and they like their skin soft. Maybe they like being touched. Maybe they have an equivalent to cocoa butter in their planet and maintain skin healthcare regimens to stay moist.

•seem religious

•might be a stretch for Elysium Heroes and Torfan Butchers as well as Council Space and everyone who hates slavery and isn't a bigot because they're straight up written to be the asshole race whose caste system beliefs include enslaving other individuals by force and even sedating biotic slaves with red sand so they're too fucked up to fight back. Also they're responsible for the indoctrination of the research team that consequently destroys their planet because they hid the discovery of the Leviathan. They have committed hundreds of atrocities and caused hundreds of deaths. Always the terrorist. Always the bad alien guys.

•give me a soft Batarian child, who develops a fetish for weird human stuff like fluffy angora sweaters and fuzzy slippers and shows up on social media with a cat like creature on their shoulder, drinking a hot cup of whatever and flashes deuces because they hate the hegemony. Shows up in public with 3 sets of sunglasses, custom made for their facial structure. Maybe one that likes old technologies and has some of the weirdest Asari, Turian, Drell creations. Maybe they like space ships. Give me a Batarian rebel child who is infatuated with a paragon Shepard and the Crew bc of how the deal with Balak went down.

I don't know. It's just a thought.