#spoiler warning: skyrim

[fanvoidkeith]

holy fuck i love the new spiderverse movie. i'm going to incorporate it into my personality now

[rurpleplayssims]

[myhandsarentsmudgediusedigital]

So!

Delphine.

One of the last Blades, undercover as an inn owner, hates all things dragony, bossyass old Breton lady. Like all Skyrim characters, she's underused and underdeveloped in the vanilla game.

I have thoughts on her now.

Warning: SPOILERS FOR A BARD'S TALE BY GABBICAV (link to the story here)

I was going through and revamping one of my old Dragonborns I hadn't worked with in a while*. And I got an idea for a scene that happens right after the fight at Kynesgrove. Minerva and Michel** drag Delphine out of town to finally get an explanation as to who she is.

And as I was writing her dialogue, I realized that her motivation isn't just about the Blades.

Of course she wants to reform the Blades, that much is obvious, but I don't think that's the end of it. It's not just the Blades she wants back, she wants everything back: the Dragonborn, the Empire being whole, and the Blades being the Emporer's most trusted bodyguards.

Delphine wants the Third Era back, or at least the idealized version of it she has in her head. As far as she's concerned, everything started going wrong as soon as Martin died.

Here's a quick quote from what I wrote that I think helps lay it out:

“That’s what we’ve been doing since the fourth era began. We’ve been waiting for a new Dragonborn, a new emperor, to appear, and become the true heirs of the Empire.” Michel let out a low whistle. “True heirs, huh? The Mede dynasty might have an issue with that.” Delphine scowled. “The Medes can go suck an egg. Ever since Martin Septim sacrificed himself, the Empire has been going downhill! If there’s one thing these past two centuries have proven, it’s that only a Dragonborn can keep Tamriel together!”

Of course we know this isn't entirely true. While the Empire did fall apart in the Fourth Era, cracks were already starting to show even back in the Third Era, what with the Simulacrum and the War of the Red Diamond and all. The Third Era might have been more stable, but it was hardly peaceful.

But Delphine either doesn't know this or doesn't care. She wants that idealized vision back.

A while back, I read A Bard's Tale by Gabbicav on AO3 (if you like bards, intrigue, sibling rivalry, and a new perspective on dragons, this is for you).

Delphine is (probably unsurprisingly) an antagonist in the story. I'm going to put what exact actions she takes between spoiler warnings just in case.

In the story, Delphine, not the Dark Brotherhood, assassinates Titus Mede on his visit to Skyrim. At the time I believed it was simply for narrative convenience and to make her more villainous, but thinking about it from this new perspective it makes sense: Delphine views the Medes as imposters unworthy of the throne. They're not Dragonborn, that's why the Blades didn't serve them and why the Penitus Oculatus had to be created.

Plus, y'know, she probably hates him on a personal level for signing the Concordat.

Anyways, I forget if she and Esbern work with the Stormcloaks in the story or if they just happen to also be an antagonistic force, but her working with Ulfric wouldn't be out of character.

You see, Ulfric:

a) Hates the (current) Empire

b) Hates the Thalmor

c) Has charisma enough to have at least a cult following

d) Obviously doesn't agree with the Greybeards because he left their order

e) Idolizes Tiber Septim/Talos

Add to that the fact he can Shout, even if he isn't actually Dragonborn, it might be tempting for Delphine to forge an allience.

Hell, maybe that was her original plan before the dragons and last Dragonborn showed up.

And now she has someone better then Ulfric: a real live Dragonborn that can absorb souls and kill dragons. Who can shout naturally. A true heir to the Ruby Throne.

All that goes a long way towards explaining her behavior. First, she makes sure you're the real deal. Then she sets you on the path to seeing the atrocities the Thalmor commit (even if they're not actually behind the return of the dragons) and reopening the old Blades temple.

And it explains why she's so huffy about Paarthunax. She and the Blades are supposed to be your most trusted advisors, not a dragon who's committed several atrocities (let's ignore that was thousands of years ago and he's been trying to make up for it since)! She has the very specific idea of what a Dragonborn is, and when you inevitable don't measure up to that for whatever reason, she gets angry.

Delphine is a frustrating character, even with development. She longs for a bygone era of peace that didn't ever exist, where she and those in her organization were held with the highest respect and not hunted down and killed, where the Thalmor don't exist, and all is right with the world (in her view).

And that is why you will never change her mind.

...sounds pretty familiar. Maybe she and Ulfric should team up after all...

*Minerva, if you're curious, may post art of her and her brother soon...if I remember...

**Previously known as Gildas, he's become Minerva's twin dragonborn instead of her older mundane brother

[kaidanworkshop]

Workshop Progress: November Update

Happy Holidays guys, gals, and non-binary pals! Firstly, apologies for the delayed update! Flu and COVID season is in full force this year, and it seemed to have it out for not only the Workshop staff and families, but for our VA Paul Warren! We're happy to report that everyone is on the mend and returning to our regular workflow. Learn from our follies; make sure you're taking care of your own health as well! Last update we focused on our alpha and beta testing progress with the Creation Kit and Assets Team -- progress on that front continues as we add in more recorded lines and refine the new systems we've implemented; this update will be a deep dive focusing on our Writing Team and their workflow process in organizing, evaluating, and proposing changes to the base script via our peer review system. Besides this, we have our fourth recording session with Mr. Warren in the coming weeks; after this session, our business lead is projecting one more session will be enough to complete the rest of the original script, and we can begin to finalize what options the community has towards allocating the remaining funds. We've been compiling a few synopses of what those bonus content options will be, so stayed tuned on that front! Finally, we're very excited to show off some of what we've managed to implement, so one of our Community Team members will be streaming some of our current 1.3 beta for our Discord community this upcoming Wednesday, November 15th, 2023 at 3pm CST, and Thursday, November 16th, 2023 at 10am CST! With that out of the way, here's our Writing Team Workflow Deep Dive! Warning: The below contains spoilers!

The temperatures might be cooling down outside but we're staying nice and warm working on the Kaidan romance lines commission. As we move towards the more emotionally charged dialogues the player can have with Kaidan (i.e. his friendship and romance quests), we realized that our previous script notes for our VA needed to be a bit more robust in order to really convey the tone we're looking for. As much as we all love this silly little 10+ year old game, the reality is that Skyrim's engine has its limitations with regards to NPC emotivity and expression, so the onus falls on the voice acting to carry the extra emotional weight. While Kaidan is, on the surface, a rather reserved person, a major part of the growth he experiences with the player character is allowing himself to more vulnerable and forthcoming with his emotions. For prior commissions, our script to Mr. Warren was aggregated into spreadsheets broken up by quest name and dialogue path, with brief notes on delivery/different quest paths as needed.

For each commission, we have two members of our staff sit in with Mr. Warren and offer direction as he works his way through the script. We tend to get around 3 to 8 different takes of each line, with around 250 - 300 lines per commission. Once complete, Mr. Warren sends us the full audio, and the next leg of processing begins. Our absolute savior of an audio tech gets to work splitting all the hundreds of different takes up into individual cuts, as well as processing the audio for any latent sounds or fuzziness in the background. Once separated, they're placed in an associated thread for staff members to listen to and vote on.

Sometimes we are very lucky, and there's a clear winner for the individual take. Sometimes.

Other times, ties must be split. Or not.

It is also during this process that we'll identify lines that might've been misread or otherwise need a retake. We aggregate a list and discuss our feelings on it, then shoot them back to Mr. Warren with further clarification on what we're looking for in his delivery. The process of receiving, splitting, and voting on the retake lines then begins again.

This method of breaking down these emotion-fueled dialogues really helps us as a staff keep a firm grasp on the original presented characterization of Kaidan, and not get wrapped up in trying to unnecessarily change or otherwise alter his dialogue. There's a reason this follower remains one of the most popular within the Skyrim community, and the last thing we want to do is damage LivTempleton's magic with arbitrary wordsmithing. Still, sometimes changes are needed. We try to keep them as minimal as possible, but some lines stuck out due to strange wording or odd delivery. For example, Kaidan's response to this line was originally "You do, eh? Well keep digging there, you might make it to Akavir." We felt that it didn't flow very well, and depending on how far the player has progressed in his personal quest, it might not make any sense for him to be mentioning Akavir at all yet. The below change smooths out the transition in this conversation.

Another example of a change we're adding in is creating a path for players to exit the romance path completely -- as it is now, if you wear an Amulet of Mara and initiate the romance path, there is no way to change your mind. However, we always felt that the below line pathing was very harsh; after all, Kaidan exits the conversation completely and shuts down. Working in a way to 'break up' with him via this dialogue path (sorry Kai!) felt like an easy way to work in a new mod function without having to create entirely new dialogue -- it saves money for extra content in the future, something very near and dear to our business lead's heart.

Finally, one of our favorite changes is rewording the "How do you feel about me?" dialogue tree. Given that not all players will be following the 'hot' or 'warm' romance paths, this line of questioning from the player felt like the LDB was fishing for compliments -- not a good look in our opinion. We changed this to instead be a more equitable exchange of compliments between the two ("I think we make a good team" & "Can I tell you something? I'm glad we met"). Also, we use this format to track which lines will have multiple nickname/pronoun takes.

As we approach the final sets of scripts to wrap up the revoice section of the Workshop timeline, this process may undoubtedly change again when we begin discussing how we'd like to work with the community in producing Workshop original scripts -- which is exciting! In using a peer review system from start to finish, we keep ourselves open to workflow improvement suggestions that ultimately makes the process easier in the long run. While this method of group voting and review undoubtedly adds extra time to production -- especially given the logistics of scheduling multiple staff meetings to accommodate all the different time zones our staff members live in -- we feel that it results in a more polished product, and one in which all the members of each team feel empowered to discuss and offer their insights for our favorite CVF. We'll see you for the beta 1.3 livestreams on Wednesday, November 15th, 2023 at 3pm CST, and Thursday, November 16th, 2023 at 10am CST!

[starwriterulia]

Tomb of the Goshenite Stargazer Dragon - Chapter 4

SUBJECT MATERIAL WARNINGS FOR THIS FANFICTION ARE INCLUDED IN THE MASTERLIST POST OF MY BLOG AND THE FIRST CHAPTER OF THIS FANFICTION.

Bat dividers by @violetbudd

Minors DNI, scene cut and creator support banners by @cafekitsune

Latest revision: August 18, 2024. Added minors DNI, scene cut and "Support your creators by reblogging" banners. Added ⏭️ emoji below end of chapter banner with text explaining its function as a navigational button.

Chapter summary: Faith, nude, is experiencing a lucid dream when Ra's, also nude, appears, and holds her left breast from behind while talking with Faith about how she could make this easier on everyone if she submitted to him. Faith reminds Ra's that it was a shared wet dream, and she follows her curiosity and sexual hormones, and allows Ra's to use her mouth. Before Ra's moves on to her vagina, the eight pairs of neon red eyes of a spider-demon appears in the darkness, and uses a tentacle to throw Ra's far into the sky. Faith flirts with the demon, who speaks Nerobzal, the language of the Nero Sprits of Faith's fictional galaxy, Thalassic Space, and they have sex using the demon's tentacles in Faith's mouth, vagina and anus. But Faith loses motivation and dispells the illusion, revealing to her that she had burned part of the forest near Wayne Manor, and is in shock.

Urania comes down from the sky in a beautiful cluster of stars within a beam of light, and scolds Faith, and inserts a finger into Faith's vagina to remove residue from the dream world to prevent a Nero Spirit from manifesting or possessing Faith. She leads Faith into the forest, where Batman was waiting, telling him to call if she's needed and Zatanna is unavailable, and they go to the mansion, where Urania departs. Stephanie waited inside, and helps Faith dress before making breakfast for the two girls, during which Faith tries to talk about her Fairy Persona, Solas, and her Mermaid Persona, Ønske, but instead talks about the alphabets and translation and pronunciation rules of Neofom and Nerobzal. Batman interrupts after this, saying they were late to the Belfry, and the girls put their dishes in the sink with water and leave with Batman. After Faith's training, while Barbara escorts Faith to the bathroom to shower while Tim and Stephanie prepare dinner, Dick reflects about the session, Ra's' actions earlier that day, and the other world-ending disaster that Ra's could initate with knowledge of its ritual. The Batkids eat dinner together, then Stephanie and Faith go upstairs to have some fun.

Fandoms: DC Comics, Batfamily, no Batcest, Thalassic Space (OC; takes inspiration The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Assassin's Creed: Black Flag, Silent Hill 2, Silent Hill 3, and other sci-fi, fantasy and horror titles, as well as original concepts, such as the science and lore of the galaxy.)

[In order of appearance] Characters: Faith Lawson (TBA; self-insert), Stephanie Brown (The Spoiler), Bruce Wayne (Batman), Barbara Gordon (Batgirl), Dick Grayson (Nightwing), Tim Drake (Red Robin).

Word Count: 11570 (Back to having a long chapter due to how much dialogue I tend to write, WHOOPS.) 15439 (August 10 revision, HOLY SHIT, I mean of course it got longer 'cause I added part of Chapter 3 onto it, but HOT DAMN)

Chapter 1 - Chapter 2 - Chapter 3 - Chapter 4 - Chapter 5

Content warnings: Nightmare related imagery, brief non-consensual breast holding, oral (male receiving), vaginal and anal teasing and penetration with a lucid dream manifested tentacle, face teasing (female receiving) with a lucid dream manifested tentacle, rough consensual vaginal and anal sex with a lucid dream manifested tentacle, dirty thoughts à la Dick Grayson about Faith's ass, thighs and boobs (it it may be slightly OOC, but then again... it's probably fine LOL)

I approached my high school that was also UNBC Prince George and the most horrifying yet thrilling indoor water park that could ever exist, taking large strides towards the front doors of the school and entering, slowing my pace as I neared the gymnasium hallway. The canteen to the left was open and tended by familiar faces, and to the right was a Japanese subway station clad in neon pink, and down that way, on the left side of the hall, was a McDonalds. The way its white, red and yellow lighting merged with the neon pink gave me a headache. I entered the gym, which no longer captured its appearance as I remembered it, basketball hoops, metal support structures, the laminate flooring and the bleachers with an opening to the locker hallway, and from there two stairs to the mezzanine, and displayed the water park with white tiles and blue tiles of various shades, cautionary signs on the floor and walls, and two massive pools that were probably from Vancouver or Surrey. I had flashes of going down the waterslide of too many impossible tubes, the drain-slide of doom, and the shocking feeling of my foster dad not quite catching me, and the curiosity of what would have remained if I had died, that day. Would my subconscious be trapped in the pool, or would it become one with the water and cease to exist?

I heard a man hum lustfully behind me. He slithered an arm over my left shoulder and cupped his hand around my breast. "Are you usually naked in your dreams?" It was Ra's, of course. I didn't even need to turn around to confirm that.

"No." I felt my body awaken as we were transported to the street in front of the high school at night, the yellow light of streetlamps keeping away the creatures and spirits that I couldn't name or describe, but the goosebumps on my skin had felt. Ra's had attracted an audience of Nero Spirits, and they would love a show. I rubbed my eyes and yawned while I said, "But, yawn, whenever I check what I'm wearing, or make any conscious effort to get information or change the Script, things break, and I wake up violently." Ra's hummed. "Are you bothering me because you've found my dragon tomb on Earth and want to tell me you're coming back for your new wife?"

"No, although I do very dearly want that. I was wondering if you could tell me how to get past that spider of yours so I can make that come true, and you won't have to worry about training for what would be a short, futile and rather painful battle, for you."

"Like hell I'm telling you that. Ra's, when I say, 'Stop, or it'll kill you', I mean it, and it won't be me who kills you."

"Oh, aha ha ha, how cute. You think anything in your little galaxy can hurt me or take my life?"

"You brought this upon yourself. You should have recognised how dangerous Platonia is, when you first stared into it. If you continue, and if you manage to defeat me, or whatever, I literally will be unable to stop what comes next until I'm resurrected, and Earth won't have much time for the heroes to gather the Four."

"What are you talking about?" Ra's said, curiously. He moved to stand in front of me. He was naked, too. I couldn't help how my face reacted, my lips parting and my eyes locking onto his cock, six inches and quite girthy. "You like what you see."

"I mean, I do like older men, and it was a shared wet dream."

"Then make this easier on yourself," R'as took hold of my shoulders, and forced me to my knees. His dick was becoming erect, and was close enough to my face that I could smell his pheromones. "And let me fuck you, Faith."

I was lost for words. And I was really curious. Also, it might make Ra's stop pursuing me. "I have a gag reflex, by the way." I said, taking his dick in my right hand and stroking it as I licked and kissed around his tip.

Ra's moaned in his throat. "Yes, mm. Why don't I help you with that?"

"I'm open to that." I said. Ra's started to insert his cock into my mouth, his left hand holding the back of my head. I sighed, my shoulders relaxing.

"Feels good, doesn't it?"

"Better than my dildo. You have a pulse."

"Oh, yes. Relax, relax everything, and just breathe through your nose calmly. I'll do the rest."

"Do you want me to swallow?" I said, making eye contact.

"Yes."

Oh God, my hormones. "Mm, fuck me." I slackened my jaw, inhaling. R'as pushed his dick into my mouth, and as I gagged and my eyes fluttered, he laughed with a smug expression.

"Good?"

"Mhm." It kinda hurt and was really awkward, but holy shit if wasn't a good hurt.

"Good." Ra's said. He grunted, and began to fuck my face. I moaned and concentrated on the rough feeling of his cock using me like a fleshlight. Breathing through my nose was so, so awkward and uncomfortable for the first fifteen seconds.

"Yes, like that. You've got it, now." I moaned, and reached my arms to hold the back of Ra's' legs. "Yes, good. Good, girl."

Ra's persisted, never easing up on his treatment of my mouth, and I felt the wetness of my cunt, and imagined how it might smell with the scent of Ra's' dick in my face. "You're wet for me, Faith." Ra's said, sultrily. I nodded a little, softly moaning. "Are you going to get on your hands and knees so I can fuck your little pussy?" I moaned.

"Nanoz." Said a masculine voice from the darkness behind Ra's.

"What was that? What did he say?"

I pulled my face down, removing Ra's from my mouth. "He said 'no'."

"Who was that?" Ra's looked over his shoulder as eight pairs of neon red eyes appeared.

"The demon I call Nerobzal. I don't know his actual name."

"It isr toz' preciozuzsr phzozr yabozuz toz knanozwz, labozve." I fluttered my eyes and blushed. I looked at Ra's face. He looked pissed.

"He said, 'It is too precious for you to know, love'."

"Well, get in line, pal."

"I azmam thze labinane."

"He is the line." I said. Ra's scoffed.

"Iphz yabozuz ever tryab toz tozuzchz mamyab labozve azgazinan, I wzilab' give yabozuz pazinan eternanazlab."

"'If you ever touch my love again, I will give you pain eternal'." I translated.

Ra's scoffed louder. "No pain you could ever give would qualify as pain to me." The eight-eyed demon was silent. "Makes you think twice, doesn't it?" Six. "Your 'love' is my bitch now, you hear me? I'm going to take her home a-AAAAND!" Ra's was lifted into the air by a scraggly neon red arm with a clawed hand, and swung about in tight circles like Thor winding Mjölnir.

"Send him home, honey." I said, kindly.

"Glabazdlabyab." 'Gladly.' The eight-eyed demon threw Ra's, whose scream followed his body into the silence of the dark.

"And the next time he tries to search for my dragon tomb, hunt him, and do anything but kill him. Batman wouldn't be happy about that."

"Yabesr, I uznandersrtaznand. Wze mamuzsrt plabazyab bzyab thze ruzlabesr ozphz ozthzersr, srozmametimamesr." 'Yes, I understand. We must play by the rules of others, sometimes.'

"Thank you. Do you… want anything from me as payment for this?" The demon hummed seductively. I felt his voice vibrate throughout my body, and I moaned loudly, my torso suddenly so heavy that I had to bend forward, leaning on my arms with my ass raised as I looked into the highest pair of the demon's eyes. "Labet mame plabeazsre yabozuz phzozr thze timame wze hzazve labephzt." 'Let me pleasure you for the time we have left.'

"Oh, yes! Yes, please!" I opened my mouth wide, licking the air. Three neon red tentacles, each with a tip the size of a naval orange and growing in width as they disappeared into the darkness, and another lanky arm came from the shadows. One tentacle placed itself in front of my face, and I desperately licked it and used my lips and jaw to put it my mouth to suck on, moaning. The demon grumbled four times. "Does that feel good, honey?"

"Yabesr." 'Yes.' I continued licking and sucking on the tentacle as the other two slathered my feet in the demon's liquid. The two tentacles traced up my legs, covering them in slick. When they reached my ass, the two arms he had produced grabbed my ass cheeks tightly. I moaned, sticking my tongue out. The tentacle I had been sucking on playing with my tongue, and moved around my face.

"Ohhhh, yes, honey, yes. Use me, honey, use me!" I pleaded. The tentacle pushed itself into my mouth, and I relaxed my jaw as it entered, flickering around, making me drool onto the asphalt. The hands spread my ass cheeks, and the two tentacles teased my holes, around and in the beginning of each opening. I moaned and gasped in pleasure, looking into the highest pair of eyes, and the demon hummed to me.

The tentacle lingering around my cunt entered, and I released a long, sputtered moan around the tentacle in my mouth. "Yes! Ohhhh!" The tentacle in my pussy began to thrust, the liquids that began to fill me making my head light with ecstasy. I tilted my head to the right with the sensation, the tentacle in my mouth beginning to pass into my throat, and I moaned softly.

The tentacle near my ass hole plunged in. "OH!" I gasped, moving my head back suddenly, leaving behind the tentacle in my mouth. "Oh, fuck yeah!" The tentacle in my ass worked quickly. "Oh, yes, honey, yes!"

The demon's tentacle that had been in my mouth travelled around my face, and I grabbed onto it with my left hand to lick it. "Wzhzazt wzilab' yabozuz doz wzhzenan hze chazlab'enangesr yabozuz azphzter yabozuz hzazve received trazinaninang phzrozmam thze mamozrtazlabsr yabozuz hzazve bzephzrienanded?" 'What will you do when he challenges you after you have received training from the mortals you have befriended?'

"I will try to win."

"Wzhzat iphz yabozuz labozsre?" 'What if you lose?'

"Will I not wander the darkness and find you?"

"Yabozuz wzilab', iphz thzazt isr wzhzazt yabozuz truzlabyab wzaznant." 'You will, if that is what you truly want.' The demon moved the tentacle from my face to my breasts, bringing forth two more tentacles. "Bzuzt yabozuz azre nanozt wzhzozlab'yab mamazde phzozr mame, labozve." 'But you are not wholly made for me, love.' The new tentacles wrapped around my waist and upper right thigh, hoisting my leg. "Yabozuz azre mamozrtazlan." 'You are mortal.' The tentacle that was in my cunt moved rougher, but not violently, aiming downwards and making me moan.

"Oznanlabyab yabozuzr srpirit isr eternanazlab." 'Only your spirit is eternal.' I hummed in acknowledgement, nodding. "Iphz yabozuz wzaznandered thze dazrknanesr' wzithzozuzt cozmamplabete cozmam'itmamenant toz phozrever be boznanded wzithz mame, azsr thze Labazdyab Wzhzoz Srozuzghzt thze Azrmamsr ozphz az Nanightmamazre, yabozuz wzozuzlabd never labeazve Inanphzernanoz." 'If you wandered the darkness without complete commitment to forever be bonded with me, as the Lady Who Sought the Arms of a Nightmare, you would never leave Inferno.'

"Wze wzozuzlabd be tozgethzer inan thze Perimameter ozphz thze Naninanthz Circlabe, buzt yabozuz wzozuzlabd be uznanazblabe toz die toz beginan ozr enand Red Srtozrmam Eazrthz, mameaznaninang wze wzozuzlabd hzazve creazted thzazt srcenanazrioz phzozr nanothzinang, aznand Thzalabazsr'ic Srpazce wzozuzlabd labozse oznane ozphz itsr Plabazyabwzrighztsr. I doz nanozt thzinank yabozuz srhzozuzlabd sreek mame." 'We would be together in the Perimeter of the Ninth Circle, but you would be unable to die to begin or end Red Storm Earth, meaning we would have created that scenario for nothing, and Thalassic Space would lose one of its Playwrights. I do not think you should seek me.'

I sighed. "You're right. Ra's has learned about Red Storm Earth now, right?"

"Yabesr, hze hzazsr. I hzeazrd hzimam labazuzghz phzrozmam thze roz'mam wzhzere yabozuz aznand Azrgozphzazelab wzere labazid toz resrt. Hze szazid it wzazsr perphzect." 'Yes, he has. I heard him laugh from the room where you and Argophael were laid to rest. He said it was perfect.'

"Thanks for letting me know. If I lose, Red Storm Earth will have to be ended, as it normally would."

"Yabesr. Aznand I wzilab' azccept mamyab rozlabe azsr oznane ozphz thze demamoznansr yabozuz mamuzsrt depheazt." 'Yes. And I will accept my role as one of the demons you must defeat.'

I nodded, and raised my cheeks to smile. "Oh, to finally see the climax of Thalassic Space!"

"Yabesr, it wzilab' bze quzite thze srpectazclabe." 'Yes, it will be quite the spectacle.' I nodded more. "I labike thze nanazme yabozuz gazve mame, labozve. It hzazsr aznan inanteresrtinang buzt srimamplabe ozriginan." 'I like the name you gave me, love. It has an interesting but simple origin.'

"Thank you. You won't leave me after this, will you?"

The demon laughed. "Nanoz. Wze hzazve beenan tozgethzer phozr srix hzuznandred aznand eighztyab srevenan yabeazrsr, aznand I hzozpe wze azre tozgethzer phzozr srix hzuznandred aznand eighztyab srevenan mamozre. Azsr equzazlab creaztive maminandsr wzhzoz srozmametimamesr mameet toz hzazve srex, inan dreazmamsr." 'No. We have been together for six hundred and eighty seven years, and I hope we are together for six hundred and eighty seven more. As equal creative minds who sometimes meet to have sex, in dreams.'

"Hm," I smiled. "This isn't a dream."

"Nanoz, it isr nanozt az dreazmam. Raz'sr azlab Ghzuzlab creazted az pazthz ozuzt ozphz thze tozmamb azsr hze phzlabed, wzhzenan hze wzozke mame phzrozmam mamyab wzeb aznand reazlabisred mamyab srize aznand pozwzer. I phzozlab'ozwzed hzimam toz az mamaznansrioznan aznand enantered thze roz'mam yabozuz srlabept inan azsr hzisr shzazdozwz. Wzhzenan hze remamozved hzisr clabozthzesr, I mamozved bozthz ozphz yabozuz hzere. I wzazited phzozr hzimam toz be nanuzde sroz hze cozuzlabd phzyabsricazlab'yab phzeelab mamyab Lawbzal, wzhzenan I grazbbed hzimam." 'No, it is not a dream. Ra's al Ghul created a path out of the tomb as he fled, after he woke me from my web and realised my size and power. I followed him to a mansion and entered the room you slept in as his shadow. When he removed his clothes, I moved both of you here. I waited for him to be nude so he could physically feel my Lawbzal, when I grabbed him.'

"Cool! Big, strong demon!" I giggled.

The demon hummed. "I azmam sroz veryab phzozrtuznanazte toz hzazve phzozuznand srozmameoznane sroz kinand, bzeazuztiphzuzlab aznand inantelab'igenant toz hzazuznant." 'I am so very fortunate to have found someone so kind, beautiful and intelligent to haunt.'

I smiled with my cheeks. "I'm glad to have met you in person, in this life. And I'm glad that we love each other."

"I azmam glanazd phzozr thzazt, toz', labozve. Nanozwz, hzozlabd oznan. Labet mame phzinanisrhz inan yabozuz." 'I am glad for that, too, love. Now, hold on. Let me finish in you.' I hummed, eagerly. "Labet mame cozmamplabete yabozuzr wzisrhz, aznand I wzilab' tazke mamyab pazyabmamenant." 'Let me complete your wish, and I will take my payment.'

"Let's do it, honey." I said, cheerfully. The demon pushed the tentacle in my vagina as far as it could go. I laid on my stomach from the overwhelming situation. "Oh! Oh, oh!"

"Isr thzazt toz' mamuzchz?" 'Is that too much?'

"Oh, I think you're right against my cervix, please try not to go further, it hurts as it is, and I don't think I would enjoy a dance with death that intimately."

"Veryab wzelab', labozve." 'Very well, love.' The tentacles continued to pump into my pussy and ass. But I was having trouble staying in the fantasy, and three seconds later, I released the illusion. I laid on a small clearing in the forest near Wayne Manor, and my solar magic had melted the snow and scorched the grass, and six layers of trees had been turned to ash.

"Oh my God, I did that!"

A cluster of golden stars spanning fifty kilometres (31 miles) gathered in the sky, and from the cluster came a golden beam of light that shot to the ground, four feet away from me. Urania must have given a Celestial Globe to Batman or the League. "Daughter," She said melodically, as she closed the distance, standing with her arms on her hips at my feet. "Were you not only pretending to have self-cestuous intercourse with your Animus in the forest, but role-playing as demon-spider and its wench?"

"Yes." I said, sitting up and crossing my legs. "I don't feel sick anymore, though."

"Tsk. Do you need me to look at your vagina and make sure you are not dying?"

"No, Mother. I lost motivation, just now. I didn't finish, or penetrate myself too deeply."

"Good. Still, I will clean you of any residue from the Dream World on Paper so that no Nero Spirit possesses or follows you." Urania knelt before me, and inserted a finger into my vagina. A soothing warmth captivated my body. Five seconds later, Urania removed her finger, and wiped it on her toga. "Oh, look at what you have done, in two minutes! You know how quickly your O-star eye burns everything around you, if you have lucid or waking fantasies without supervision! We are fortunate you had a sexual fantasy only involving yourself and your Animus instead of a destructive one like Red Storm Earth!"

"Yes, Mother. I'm sorry, I was dreaming and forgot I'm not on Earth-33 anymore, and that I have magic now."

"Mhm." Urania nodded firmly.

"I should have recognised the illusion I created, but I didn't because I wanted the fantasy so badly."

Urania held my hands in hers. "I know why you fell into the design of your subconscious, sweetheart. You are a lonely woman, and yes, most fault lays with your foster parents and some with your adoptive parents for not guiding you or talking to you about the how and why of relationships so you could at least use that knowledge to better your life. This was true during your life as a demigoddess, too. This dilemma of loneliness is also in part your fault, in this life. You understand the rules of monogamy, and the reasons for those rules, but when presented with online dating, you broke the rules of trust and exclusivity. You have not dated since August of last year, though that was two boyfriends later."

"Yeah." I exhaled. "Yeah. I keep making myself fictional love interests, but it never has, and never will, fill the hole I made."

"Precisely. Tell me, how did it actually feel to have intercourse with your Animus, in that form? What did your narration not describe?"

"I felt the strange, heightened sensation of having sex in a dream, but it went on for too long. That's when I remembered I don't have any real experience to base the scenario on. My depression broke me out of it, and, uh, I think that's fortunate."

"Yes, you are fortunate that your consciousness remembered its truth, albeit heavy on your emotions and health." I nodded, looking down. Urania sighed and lifted my chin with her left hand. "Ulia, I know you were only trying to please yourself and not have to ask for help. You have always had a hard time asking for help, even as a demigoddess. But this is something you should ask for help with. You are very lucky that your Animus has a tether of five kilometres (3 miles) to your physical location so that this short-sighted decision could not take you into the city, where all of the world would have beared witness to your debauchery and the natural horrors that the solar fire and gravitational vaccum sealed in your eyes that you were gifted to use for creation by your father can bring. Ask for help, next time. And not just when you need to be touched."

"Yes, Mother." I said, meekly. "I will ask for help, next time."

"Thank you. And I better see it! I do not want to see you put yourself in any more compromising situations, situations that will make the people who are supposed to trust you doubt your intentions, who you want to use your powers for, why you want to use magic, and I know this is especially important to you right now, why you are worthy of being Batgirl, if part of the Batfamily at all." I frowned as Urania said the last clause of her argument.

"You're right." I said, defeated but not broken. "I won't do this again."

"Thank you, Faith. Thank you." The second time, softly. Urania inhaled, stood up by pushing on her knees, and offered her left hand. I lifted my cheeks in a smile, and accepted the help to stand. "Let's get you back inside." We walked into the forest, where the grass became snow.

"Thank you for coming to help, Mother."

"It was my pleasure, Ulia." Urania wrapped her left arm around my right, and leaned close to whisper into my right ear, "When you do have sex with a penis, your IUD, Kyleena, won't do anything because of your reawakened spirit." I groaned into a laugh, smiling. Urania laughed in the way a mother who knows she's won would. "I love you." She said, melodically.

"I love you too, Mother." I said, kindly, and leaned into Urania, smiling with my cheeks and eyes. Urania hummed, pleased, and moved her weight away from me.

"Is all well, Batman?" Urania said, looking to her right. I inhaled and looked that way, and saw Batman emerge from the snowy trees.

"Yes. The only thing affected was the clearing, and those trees."

"Good. Her flu has been conquered, so I expect you will give her a meal and proceed with training?"

"Yes."

"Good. If she does anything like this again, but in the city, and you for whatever reason do not want to ask for Zatanna's assistance, or are unable to have her aid, please summon me with the Celestial Globe that I gifted you."

"I will, Urania. Thank you."

"Thank you, as well. For your patience, this morning, certainly." Urania said. Batman hummed. We reached the front yard. "All right, daughter. I will leave you, now. Until next time. Please try to behave yourself."

"Yes, Mother." I said, blushing bright red. "Thank you, Mother." Urania sighed with content. A smile came to her face, and she hugged me. I returned the hug, and several seconds later, Urania separated her body from mine.

"I will be on my way." Urania left for the sky the same way she appeared.

"Come on, Faith." Batman said, and walked with me inside the mansion.

"You're friggin' crazy, girl!" Said a feminine voice from upstairs. I looked, and there was—

"Stephanie!" I called out, beaming. Stephanie was not in costume, and leaned against the centre railing of the great hall stairs.

"Hi, crazy!" Stephanie replied. I laughed. "So like, you pretended to fuck your male-self, and you went out in the cold snow naked?"

"Yeah. I mean, I was sleeping naked, so."

"Faith!" Stephanie parkoured over the railing, and came towards me and Batman. "Faith, Faith, Fa-hey-haith." She put her hands on my shoulders with a smug grin. "You're crazy." I laughed. "And I will eat you out, tonight."

"Stephanie." Said Batman.

"Shut it, Bruce. Let's get you not naked, some food in your stomach, and then we'll get you to the Belfry."

"Oh-kay." I said, in my silly-time-at-work voice.

"OK?" Stephanie tilted her head forward, eyebrows raised.

"Yes, OK." I said, normally, with a light laugh.

"OK!" Stephanie linked her right arm with my left, and tried to skip, finding immediate resistance. "La—! Hey, why—?"

"I can't skip, either."

"Oh, right! Physical disability! You can't do shit, right now! I'm sorry."

"It's OK." I said, laughing. "We'll just walk, briskly, like the gays do."

"YES!" Stephanie and I began to walk at a fast pace. "Yes, we will walk briskly, like the gays do!"

"Woo hoo!"

"WOO!" Stephanie and I laughed. I heard a little something from Batman.

—

Faith and Stephanie entered the guest bedroom, and Faith searched in her dufflebag for something to wear. She chose black leggings and a full-length sleeved olive green shirt, vivid blue boxer briefs, a light blue sports bra, and black socks. Stephanie looked at the contents of the bag without touching anything. "Hm, you like earthy and jewel tones, eh?" Faith had brought a short-sleeved olive green shirt, a burgundy tank top, a dark blue shirt with a large rose pattern, two purple shirts, one full-sleeved and the other a T-shirt, and a brown tank top. She had brought two other pairs of black leggings, two pairs of black shorts, a grey pair of shorts, a pair of dark grey jogging pants, and a brown skirt that caught Stephanie's eye. Faith had brought two weeks' worth of black or dark coloured boxer briefs and a handful of loose-fitting bikini briefs, also black or dark coloured, black and grey socks, a pink sports bra and a purple sports bra that were the same style as the one Faith had picked to wear, and a grey sports bra with spaghetti straps and two darker shades of grey and black making a pattern of small lines.

"Yeah." Faith said, putting on the undergarments she picked. "Check out that brown skirt with the brown tank top, that's my favourite outfit."

"Yeah, I was looking at the skirt, lemme get a better look at it." Said Stephanie. She produced the item, letting it unfurl. "Ooh! That is so cuuuute!"

"Right? Thrift store find, along with the top I pair with it."

Stephanie pulled out the top, and gasped, seeing the dark olive green crochet work on its front. "Oh, that's so cute! I bet you look fabulous in it, with the skirt."

"Oh yeah!" Faith said, putting on the shirt she had chosen. "They look so good together that I get asked if it's a dress, and then I pull on the top of the skirt to show it's a skirt."

"Oh yeah." Stephanie said. Faith pulled on the leggings. "All good?"

"Uh, lemme brush my hair and wash my face."

"Sure, baby." Faith's cheeks reddened as they rose to smile, and Stephanie smiled in acknowledgement. 'I don't think she's ever been flirted with by a girl. This must be really special to her. Don't fuck this up, Steph!' Faith picked up the black vented hairbrush in her bag, strode to the bathroom, and went to work. "You're being so rough to your hair!"

"Yeah, well, if the curls win, it's a rat's nest, except for some parts in the back and front that stay curly."

"Mind if I help?"

"Sure!" Faith said, extending her right arm backwards. Stephanie entered the bathroom and accepted the brush. "I haven't had someone else brush my hair in a long time, that would feel nice."

"Yeah, it does, doesn't it?" Stephanie said, beginning to gently work the brush through Faith's hair.

"I'm getting it dyed, on Thursday."

Stephanie gasped. "Ooh, what colour?"

"Red."

"Ooh, that'll look nice! Are you just getting it on what's grown out for a bit of an ombre look, or are you getting it all bleached and dyed, or just some streaks that'll get done?"

"What's grown out, plus a bunch of streaks."

"Nice!"

"Yeah. It'll be bright, but when I do it again, it'll be burgundy."

"Oh, that's going to look amazing on you."

"Mhm." Faith nodded, humming and smiling with her cheeks.

"You should let Bruce know, so he can make your costume match!"

"Oh, I will."

"Good." Stephanie continued brushing Faith's hair for another minute, then dangled the brush over Faith's right shoulder.

"Oh, you can put it back in my bag, if you want."

"Sure." Stephanie exited the bathroom, and Faith opened the cupboard under the sink. She found a white face cloth, and ran it under hot water as Stephanie returned. "You don't use soap, or anything?"

"Eh, I use a face-cleaning wipe in the evening, if I feel gross or put on makeup for once, but this is usually enough to wake me up." Faith wrung out the cloth and applied it to her face.

Stephanie laughed. "You're not already?"

"Sorry, should've said "clean my eyes". I get eye mucus pretty bad."

"Oh yeah. So you don't sleep well?"

"No. Even with my meds, it takes about three hours if I'm on my phone, which I usually am, just to watch a YouTube video." Faith folded the cloth, and set it on the edge of the sink. She walked out of the bathroom with Stephanie, towards the door to the hallway. "It takes two, or less, like, sometimes I'm asleep in the first half hour, if I'm really tired and just need background ambiance."

"What do you like to watch to help you sleep?" Stephanie asked, as Faith opened the door, the pair leaving the bedroom. Stephanie closed the door, and the girls went downstairs.

"People playing or talking about video games, horror analysis videos, be it about a movie, game or what have you, and now and then I'll watch something funny. I usually gravitate towards whatever SMOSH uploads I've missed."

"Oh yeah. You like their modern stuff?"

"I like their modern cast, yeah." The two crossed the open part of the hallway, passing the great hall stairs and nearing the reception room. "I think they're funny, and they seem friendly enough. Sometimes I watch a MARVEL movie on Disney+, or an episode of Young Justice, Justice League or Justice League: Unlmited on my TELETOON+ subscription through Amazon Prime."

The girls rounded the corner, to the right, walking through the servery to a narrow hallway, and taking the first door on the left to the kitchen. "Have you watched the Netflix Gotham show yet?"

"I watched two seasons, I think? I forget where I left off. I thought it was really good." Faith opened the door to the kitchen, Stephanie following and closing it.

"It was! Whatchu in the mood for?" They stood near the island.

"Good question, my stomach doesn't like eggs, but it does like hashbrowns and meat."

"How do you usually cook your eggs?"

"Uh, well-cooked? The yolk is hard. I flip it over to cook it."

"That's over-hard. Have you tried scrambled?"

"That's sort of how I make an omlette? It doesn't make a difference."

"Maybe your tummy just doesn't like eggs."

"Yeah, it doesn't like lactose or gluten, either."

"Well, that's a bummer."

"Gluten is more of just a pasta thing though. I feel bloated, and if it's not cooked all the way and I don't eat carefully, it gets stuck in my eusophagus and I have to puke so I can breathe again."

"Aw! Why do you eat like that, then?"

"'Cause I'm usually trying to get back to writing, or solely watching whatever I was watching."

"Ohhh, OK."

"Also yes, gluten and sugar are why I'm overweight."

Stephanie clicked her tongue. "Hey. Your weight is just fine, Faith."

"I mean, I guess it is, but my joints and feet don't like it. I can stand for even less time because of my weight."

"Hm. And I guess you don't work out because of your disability."

"Yep, that's the thing."

"Aw, that sucks. Well, we'll take it slowly with you, and we'll get you into a shape that works for you!"

Faith lifted her cheeks to smile. "Thanks."

"So, no egg?"

"Well, I do need the iron."

"Meat has iron."

"Honestly, with my anxiety today, anything I eat this morning might not stick with me."

"Ah, that's why your stomach doesn't like eggs, or breakfast, I'm guessing, in a more broad term."

"Yeah." Faith nodded.

"Well, you should still eat." Faith nodded more. "How about I do the cooking, and you do the dishes?"

"Sure!"

"OK, have a seat at the island." Stephanie said, walking to the fridge as Faith rounded the corner of the island.

"Yeah, no."

"'No', what?" Stephanie placed ingredients from the fridge on the counter.

"I can't sit here." Faith sounded stressed. "They're too tall, and they don't have backs. My back'll get sore, and I'll have anxiety from sitting high up."

"You know we're gonna work on that, right?"

"I know."

"Oh, who am I kidding? There's a little table set, over in the corner, baby." Stephanie obtained a frying pan from the cabinets.

"Oh yeah, I saw." Faith went and sat at the table.

Stephanie laughed, turning on the burner. "Why didn't you just go there instead of stopping to have a panic attack about the stools?"

"Because I always make things difficult for myself."

"I think you told me that before." Stephanie opened the butter plate and cut into the butter with a spatula, plopping it on the pan.

"Oh, probably. If not, you figure it out pretty fast, from knowing me."

"Yep." Stephanie turned and leaned her back on the counter as the burner heated up.

"Haven't watched Titans, and I think I'll keep holding off on that."

"Yeah." Stephanie and I laughed. "Do you have a favourite Batman or DC movie?"

"Ooh, honestly? I thought Matt Reeves' The Batman nailed what it was going for. It was nice to see Robert Pattinson have a role that he was good at, well, at least I think he was good at." Stephanie turned to move the melting butter on the pan. "Sure, you could argue he's missing the massive build that Batman has, but he got the eye expression and mannerisms pretty spot-on, and they actually wrote Batman to care for people, that time. I'm looking forward to the next one."

"Nice." Stephanie cracked two eggs on the edge of the pan, and opened their contents onto the butter, tossing the egg shells into a green plastic bin beside a wood panelled bin under the island.

"I haven't watched any other DC film besides the first Aquaman movie with Jason Momoa."

"Oh, OK." Stephanie stabbed one of the yolks, and reached into a cupboard for seasonings. "What seasonings do you like?"

"Garlic, and a little bit of seasoning salt."

"OK!"

"It wasn't bad, honestly. Yes, seeing a whore with no common sense made me wanna eat her intestines every time she was on screen,"

"Pffft, oh my God, Faith! Savage!" Stephanie was placing bacon on the pan.

"Oh, bacon?"

"Yeah, you don't like it?"

"I'm picky with it. Do you have something else? Like Canadian bacon, or sausages?"

"I think I saw sausages in there, yeah." Stephanie sealed the Ziploc bag that held the package of bacon, and went into the fridge. "Yep! How many do you want?"

"Two, please!"

"And how much hashbrown?"

"Oh, it's the cut up kind?"

"Yep. Is that OK?"

"Yeah! I usually buy the patties. Um, but go with about a quarter of a cup."

"Sure, baby." Faith exhaled happily, Stephanie watching her happy expression and smiling back before focusing on opening the Ziploc bag containing the package of sausages and placing two on the pan.

"But she could have been a worse actress. She did the minimum, but I know sure as fucking shit that Mera deserved better."

"That's for sure." Stephanie leaned her back against the counter, glancing at the pan.

"I think a new star with the same beauty and a lot more talent would've made all the difference."

"Oh, absolutely."

"But other than that, it was not a waste of my time. It scratched the itch I had of a decent underwater fantasy adventure, but the itch was still there."

"Ooh, nice way of putting it."

"I hear Lost Kingdom was a mess, and I don't wanna waste my time when I could read something on Tumblr or AO3 that would be so much better."

Stephanie laughed, and turned to flip the eggs and meat. "Do you mostly reblog DC and MARVEL stuff?"

"Mostly DC, and now and then a smut fic with the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare or 2023's Mortal Combat 1 men."

"Pffft!"

"I have a type, but I also don't. It depends on what the horny needs." I laughed.

Stephanie removed the food sealing clip from the bag of hashbrowns and shook its opening over the pan. "Sorry, but I'm eyeballing this."

"Oh no, that's fine, I do that too."

"I couldn't see what you were doing, after your shadow-spider-demon disappeared and there was a beam that came down from a cluster of really pretty stars," Stephanie turned to Faith as she replaced the clip on the bag. "Which, hey, um, why did it have tentacles?"

"Because I wanted tentacles. My Animus is a shapeshifting Neo Spirit."

"Right, OK." Stephanie put away everything into the fridge. "Are you still a virgin, though?"

"Yeah, it was just an illusion."

"Ah."

"You know how, when you hump something, for me it's my bed or maternity pillow,"

Stephanie choked on air. "Yeah."

"Your body like, really gets into the fantasy?"

"Mhm."

"It was like that, but it was me and the ground."

"Ah, OK. How did you not wake up while crawling out of the window à la Kayako into the cold snow when the sun was just barely rising and then scampering off I think almost 1000 feet away to then hump and not only melt the snowy ground, but burn it along with a bunch of trees?"

Faith laughed with Stephanie. "Expert-level Dreamer mages, really meaning you have the skills equivalent to twenty years of training, are able to be so entranced by their own spells that they won't wake up without outside interference. But, like with sleep-walking, you must only wake a Dreamer if they're about to harm themselves, another living being, or a residential building, or have already done so. The best way to do this is with your voice and gentle physical contact, though the latter may not be effective or safe for the interrupter, and the former may not be effective with a normal voice. This is one of the reasons that Dragon Kin who can use the Thu'um and merfolk who can use the Mother Chords are so useful in Thalassic Space."

"Ooh, so someone like you, or a mermaid?"

"Dragon Kin include Dragon Form, Dragon Skin and Dragon Born people. Each are self-explanatory. Merfolk are, too, but some are born directly from Mother Mermaid and are called Mother-Born, and some Dragon Kin are direct offspring from Father Dragon and are, of course, called Father-Born. I'm not either of them."

"Oh, OK. I was gonna ask, 'cause that sounds cool!" Stephanie turned off the burner, reached up into a cupboard for plates and down into a drawer for cutlery, and filled the plates with food. "Do you want juice, milk, no, sorry, no milk for you," Faith laughed. Stephanie chortled. "Or just water?"

"What kind of juice is there?"

"Uh, let's see." Stephanie looked in the fridge. "Orange, apple, and peach mango."

"Orange."

"Same." Stephanie grabbed the jug and placed it on the counter. "Do you want a big glass or a little one?"

"Eh, a little one." Stephanie located a tall glass and a short glass from the cupboards, and filled them, then put the juice back. She brought the plates over, a fork on each plate, then the glasses of juice, Faith saying 'thank you' each time. "Wow, you've got really good table manners."

"For that part." Faith said, cutting the burnt pieces of egg away with her fork as Stephanie sat in a chair across from her. "Everything else I take after my dad, R-I-P."

"Pfft." Stephanie cut into her egg, and ate it. "So you eat like a redneck?"

"I eat like I'm in a hurry, again because I've got things to do,"

"Mhm."

"And because of my little arms and how I can move my wrists," Faith put down her fork and touched the area of her forearm above her wrists on the underside of her arms with the pinkie and ring finger of both hands. Stephanie's jaw opened. "I sometimes make messes when moving things. Even at work, that's how I drop stuff. Plus, having small hands." Faith cut into her egg, this time to eat it.

"I see." Stephanie chuckled, eating more egg. "What does that feel like?"

"It feels like I'm pulling on a muscle. My wrists are little sore, now, but it's not bad." Faith shook out her hands, and massaged the underside of her forearms.

"Are you flexible elsewhere?" Faith scooted back her chair, held her left foot with her right hand, and held it up to her head, her back barely having shifted. "Damn! Not bad."

"Yeah, my leg ain't straight, but it can go there."

"Nice. So really, the only issues here are your hypotonia, scoliosis, and your weight."

"No, my deformed feet, too."

"Right. I saw, when you were walking around naked. It looks painful."

"Only when I walk for too long, or I bump it against something."

"Right, I think you said that in the group chat." The two were silent, for about ten seconds. "Oh, how does your Fairy Persona work? 'Cause your Mermaid Persona works with your magic pearl, right?"

"Yep! Do you remember her name?" Faith drank some juice, then began eating her sausages.

Stephanie paused, chewing bacon. "I don't think you said that, in the group chat."

"Oh yeah. It's Ønske. And my Fairy Persona is named Solas."

"Ønske. What's that mean?"

"Desire."

"Ooh. Does they have their own stories, like your Dragon Persona?"

"Solas was earned by my demigoddess self after she saved some people for Danu, the Celtic Fairy Queen. Sunrise coloured wings until a new moon, then black and sparkly.”

Stephanie hummed with a mouth full of food, and swallowed to talk. “Cool!”

“And Ønske’s story is Anastasia, but in Thalassic Space."

Stephanie gasped. "I love that movie!"

"Honestly, who doesn't? Losers, that's who."

"Real."

"People who don't like musicals."

"True."

"And probably some guy named Daren."

"Ha! Some guy named Daren, ha ha!"

"No offense to my uncle Daren, he's a nice guy, I'm talking about the neckbeard Daren."

"Mhm."

Faith rested her fork, still in her hand, on the plate, just before she move onto the hashbrowns. She looked into Stephanie's eyes, making the other pause. "Do you want me to try and tell Ønske’s story, or is that enough for now?" Faith released her fork, and drank juice.

"Yes! Yes, I want to know the story, hee hee hee." More of a cackle than a giggle. Stephanie stabbed some hashbrowns and ate them. Faith giggled at Stephanie's cackle. "Ønske was born on planet Bafsina, meaning 'basin' in Neofom." She began to eat hashbrowns, too.

"What's that?"

"Oh, I think I only told this to Bruce, so I'll say it again. Man, I hope the others read the lore from TSRPG so I won't have to say this a third time. You know the rule for repeating exposition, in stories, right?"

"Yep! Three times is the max, unless you want your readers to get annoyed and bored."

"Unless it's for comedic affect."

"True."

"Neofom is the language of Neo Spirits, who are the opposite of Nero Spirits, who speak Nerobzal, and originate from the Suspensions of a person's Soul Bridge, while Nero Spirits are from the Underside. They represent self-love, dreams, and good memories, and again, Nero Spirits are the opposite."

"And you said your Animus is a Neo Spirit?"

"Yes. My Shadow would be a Nero Spirit. My Ego, which is just me, is the Canon Spirit."

"Oh, so the Map of the Soul is part of the lore, too?"

"Yeah, it helps to explain what everything is in terms that people would be more familar with."

"Who are 'people'?"

"The future readers of my novels."

"Ohhhh, oh, of course, sorry."

"It's fine." Faith chuckled. "Oh, I should say, though, since Bruce is definitely listening right now,"

"Yep."

"Argophael was speaking Nerobzal."

"He was?"

"Yes, but in character, because we were role-playing."

"Oh, OK. So Neo and Nero Spirits know each other's languages."

"Yes, and there's a petty rivalry over which is more natural for the Soul Bridge born Spirits of Thalassic Space to speak. As a reminder, and please repeat this to everyone, when anyone is doubting if I'm doing this to torment people, or if the Spirits are actually in control: the characters of Thalassic Space, meaning those named in the novel, are all Actors of the Rondo Theatre, and some come from the other eight Theatres that are run by the other muse children. All of us are friends and colleagues, and most of us are dead, in a coma, or are lucid dreaming. The only person, right now, who could potentially ruin the Theatres and their Actors is Ra's."

"Right. I'll remember that, Faith, thanks." Faith nodded. "Can you run me through the alphabet of each language, if that's not too complicated?"

"Sure! It's just a letter substitution language. Each has twenty-six letters, like the English alphabet. Rule number one: when writing and speaking either language, if you would repeat a translated letter, you do not write or speak the second letter, and put an apostrophe in the place of the second, and speak a light exhale, like," Faith vocalised a short exhale through her mouth. "Which you would right out as h, if you were to substitute the apostrophe for a letter." Stephanie mimicked the exhale. "Yes, just like that."

"Cool!"

"Rule number two: when reading or speaking either language, keep the tone of the word in English while merging the pronunciation of the translated letter, unless it conflicts with the tone of the syllable in the translated language. For example, mommy and daddy in Neofom is mam-ot-mam'-yab af-nad dafd-dyab. Note how the translated words now have more syllables, as we are wanting to speak each translated letter, secondly, that the expected e sound associated with the letter y becomes the translated letter entirely, which is common but not always applicable, hence why we keep in mind the tone of the word in English to guide how we speak a translated word, and third, that the accent and pace becomes breathy, slowed, and romantic, in the case of Neofom, or intimidating, in the case of Nerobzal. This is also meant to evoke memories of the bonds between Neofom and Neo Spirits, and Neofom when used in Elevifeb spells, as it is with Nerobzal and Nero Spirits, and Nerobzal when used in Eledisfeb spells.”

"I think you lost me, there."

"Oh, that's fine. It's in the planning document. I think the only people in the group that this will be interesting to are Bruce and Tim."

"Yeah." Stephanie laughed with Faith.

"So, for Neofom: af, spelled a-f, in reference to the word after, b, c, d, e, ph (fuh), spelled p-h, pronounced like the Vietnamese pho, again referencing the word after," Stephanie hummed. "G, ho, 'cause Santa, and yes, spelled h-o," Stephanie giggled. "K, la, chosen because it's a melodic word, ma, associated with motherhood, na, sounds like the babble of a baby, ot (oht), spelled o-t, and you say the o like a Skyrim Nord, not aught,"

Stephanie giggled more. "Not aught, OK."

"And chosen because the English word it sounds like, oat, of course, is associated with deities of agriculture, p, q, r, si (sigh), not see, because when you first come to the North Pole, you will sigh in relief that you are literally in the safest place in the galaxy,"

Stephanie hummed. "Wow, two Santa Claus references."

Faith giggled. "I dunno if I told you this, or Bruce, or none of you, but Santa is one of the eldest three Astral and Ebony Giant Elves, specifically an Astral Giant Elf. Do you know who Nerobzal is?"

"Yeah, he's the big bad of Thalassic Space, right?"

"Yes. Do you remember what his angel name was?"

"Uh. Uh."

"I'll take that as a no. It was Erophael, like ey-ro."

"Erophael. And your Animus is Argophael."

"Yes. Do you know what Argo was, in Greek Mythology?"

"Uh. No." Stephanie heaved a laugh. "I'm so sorry!" She swallowed the last of her hashbrowns, and drank more juice.

"Oh, it's fine. It was a ship built with the help of the gods that Jason and the Argonauts sailed from Iolcos to Colchis to retrieve the Golden Fleece. Part of the main novel is supposed to be an analogy of that because Thalaassic Space has pirates, and the captain who sails some of the main characters from Canada to England has a similar life story." Faith finished her meal. "Her deadname was Jason." Faith chuckled.

Stephanie laughed. "Oh, OK. Cool! Are there lots of trans and gender-queer people in your stories?"

Faith nodded. "Oh yeah, lots of 'em."

"Is ero Greek, too?"

"It has multiple meanings. In Creek, it means squirrel. In Esperanto, it means 'a bit, a single element, piece or component of a large mass or collection'. And in Finnish, it means 'difference, distinction,' is an ellipsis of avioero, meaning 'divorce', and also 'resignation, discharge, dismissal, separation, parting, and rid'. All relevant to who Erophael was, and became as Nerobzal."

"Huh. Wow, that's really well-thought out."

"Honestly, I typed out something that sounded like Argophael, and then I discovered it meant all those things, so I've kept it."

"Is that how you come up with everything?"

"Yep!"

Stephanie went limp in her chair, jaw open. Faith laughed. "Are you serious?"

"Yeah, most of the lore is me picking up a random thing from either Norse, Greek or Egyptian mythology, and rarely Buddhism and ancient Chinese mythology, even though Vishnu and the Four Symbols are most powerful, I don't actually have much fleshed out for them. I see if it fits, and try again if it doesn't. I usually get it right on the first or second try. And I connect things as I go, taking inspiration from my actual dreams and from all the media that I like, all so that people can both find familiar things and new things when they discover Thalassic Space."

"That is brilliant and so fucking cool, Faith!"

"Thank you! Uh, where was I? Oh! ut (ooht), like in root, v, wa (wah), like the baby from the "Look at the little baby" asdfmovie,"

"Wah!" Stephanie giggled.

"Wah!" Faith giggled. "X, yl (yihl), z."

"Mm, no footnotes for yl? Also, I wanna see all this written out, so I can see it in my mind."

"Yeah, nothing to note about yl. Also, uh, sure, I didn't bring my phone with me, though."

"I did! Here, lemme give you my Notes app." Stephanie produced her phone, unlocked and interacted with it, and offered it to Faith.

"Thank you."

"Mhm!" Faith typed on the phone. She set it down on the table.

"Ohhh, OK, I see. You even typed out the other language, and labelled them for me."

"As you can see, for Nerobzal: az (ahz), which doesn't have lore relevance but is supposed to sound like Black Speech from The Lord of the Rings,"

"Hell yeah!"

"Bz, which is literally part of the word-slash-name Nerobzal, c, d, e, phz, the sound of insect demons, collectively called The Hive, and is where lots of the rape porn comes from,"

"Eugh."

"Yeah, as a monster fucker, I actually fear infestation. The phallic parts I'm OK with, but they're always too big, and then there's the whole nesting part, and I just," Faith shuddered with her whole upper body. "Nope. No thank you. Sex is not supposed to be painful or life-endangering, much less non-consensual."

"Damn right."

"Next is g, hz, again, insect noise, k, lab, mam, nan, all three are Black Speech inspired, oz, which, if you say awz instead of ohz, fuck you," Faith said, casually. Stephanie guffawed. "P, q, r, sr (sir), which is relevant lore-wise because sometimes Nero Spirits call the Four Princes of Hell Sir or Sire instead of Master or Prince, t, uz (ooze), which evokes images of plague, relevant because of the undead of Nerobzal's army, also insect demons again, because ew," Stephanie made a vomiting noise. "V, wz (whz), meant to remind of the wicked voice of the Domain of Platonia, somewhere between a whisper and a rumble, x, yab, Black Speech inspired again, and z."

"Wow! That's cool! Thanks for the big, fun lesson, he he."

"You're welcome! You now know a little more about the chaos in my brain, yippee!" Faith mimicked the meme.

"Yippee!" Stephanie echoed. The girls giggled.

"And, uh… oh. Oh, we got here because you wanted to know the story of my Mermaid Persona, and then I was also gonna tell you Solas' story."

"Oh yeah, right." Stephanie laughed, Faith joining.

"You can do that later." Bruce said, stepping into the room. "You wasted almost ten extra minutes, just talking about lore, and we have to get to the Belfry."

"Whoops!" Faith said. She moved her eyes to Stephanie. "Later."

"Yes, later. Let's go." The girls put the dishes in the sink, Stephanie running water over them, then they exited the mansion with Bruce. Faith stared, mouth wide open, as the three walked to the black 2024 Rolls-Royce Spectre.

"Have you ever been in a car like this?" Bruce asked, a little smile on his face.

"You mean one that probably costs at least half a million?" Faith replied.

"Yes, actually, it was over half a mil'."

"No, never."

"Hm, well. Do you want to ride in the front?"

"Yes, please." Faith said. Stephanie giggled, and entered the right back door as Bruce and Faith entered the driver and passenger doors.

The Spectre slowed as it rolled into the Belfry and came to a stop and its ignition was killed. Stephanie quickly left the vehicle and opened the passenger door while Bruce exited at a normal pace and walked ahead. Faith's laughter echoed in the garage as Stephanie helped her out. Faith stumbled, and Stephanie, already holding her arm, snapped her other hand to support Faith's back.

"Is she OK?" Dick chuckled, as Bruce stopped at the computer screens, where Dick, Barbara and Tim had gathered, Barbara giggling along.

"Oh, just ask her." Bruce said. Stephanie guided Faith for a few strides, then released Faith. She was still laughing as the girls came to the others.

"YOU GUYS GO THAT FAST ALL THE TIME?!" Faith said, laughing. The others laughed. "I mean, I guess you do, with all the stuff you do on the rooftops, but holy unsprayed cat in a crate," More laughter from the others. "That was insane, and really fun!"

"We were running late because Faith decided to yap about the languages of Thalassic Space, and almost was going to yap about the stories of her Fairy and Mermaid Personas, which is what she was originally going to yap about." Bruce said.

"I'm still kinda confused on the rules, but Faith just confirmed to me how friggin' cool and smart she is." Stephanie laughed.

"Thanks." Faith giggled.

Tim said, "Yeah, I read, like, everything in your planning document, and you were super thorough with every possible detail, but all of it was easy to understand. Well, at least to people who can see the whole picture as you describe every last detail."

"Thank you! Yeah, big brains are who Thalassic Space was made for."

"Oh, it shows."

"I bet the rules of the languages made sense to you immediately."

"Oh yeah, that was easy to understand. And I mean that as a compliment." Tim said. Faith nodded.

Dick said, "You ready to start, Faith?" Faith nodded more. "Awesome." He gestured with a hand for Faith to follow him and Barbara to a more open part of the room. "First things first: stretching."

"She's actually kind of flexible!" Stephanie said. "She can touch her head with her foot, if she holds it."

"Oh?" Dick said, eyes returning to Faith.

"Not standing up, yet." Faith laughed. Barbara chuckled.

"Well, that'll make things a little easier, even if you can't do it while standing, yet. Still, this is day one, so we're just going to see what you can and cannot do, and do some exercises together. If you feel like it, we'll show you a few moves. We'll get to making you stronger and faster as the days roll on, 'kay?"

"OK!" Said Faith.

Faith dropped onto the couch on the upper level of the Belfry with a cold, wet rag on her forehead, wiping it around her face and neck, the pits and neckline of her shirt wet with perspiration, her chest heaving but slowing down. Barbara sat beside her, and Dick beside Barbara, Stephanie taking a seat on the arm of the couch to the right of Faith, Tim and Bruce standing in front of the couch. The sun was beginning to dim. Bruce handed Faith a bottle of water. "Thank you." Faith said.

"You're welcome."

"You still feeling OK, hon?" Said Barbara.

Faith nodded. "Yeah. Still feels better, but also super strained."

Dick said, "You only fell from your knees popping five times."

"That's a lot for one day, much less a week."

"And hey, we caught you, the other eight times." Tim said. "And! No knee dislocations!"

"Woo hoo!" Faith raised her stiff, tired arms in celebration, only able to reach her forehead. "Ow."

"Woo hoo!" Tim raised his arms at the elbow. The group laughed.

"Like we said," Said Dick. "At some point, you should be able to carry on, despite whatever your body does. Even if that's to safety." Faith nodded. "But you did good, today! Really good!"

"Yeah!" Said Tim.

"You sure did, Faith." Barbara said.

"Yeah, that was kind of impressive, your legs obviously aren't weak right now, you've just got a situation." Stephanie said.

"If you keep this up, it shouldn't be long before you'll able to go out with us." Said Bruce. Faith smiled with her cheeks. "How's that sound?"

"Sounds great! Thanks, everyone."

"You're welcome."

"You're very welcome!" Said Dick.

"We're here for you, hon." Barbara said.

"Heck yeah!" Said Tim.

"Always, baby." Stephanie said.

"'Baby'?" Repeated Tim, with a chuckle.

"What? I told you I'd pick her up, if she wanted." Stephanie said. Faith giggled.

"Yeah, you did." Tim, Dick, Barbara and Faith laughed.

"I brought your bag in the car, Faith." Said Bruce. "I thought you might want to stay here, so we don't have to bring you back and forth."

"Oh, perfect. Thanks, Bruce." Bruce hummed.

"I'll get it out for you and bring it up here, and then I think I'll head out."

"Thank you." Bruce nodded, then walked to the stairs to the lower level.

"All right, who's hungry?"

"C'est moi." Faith said, with a scoffed 'moi'. The group laughed.

"All right, you and me, Steph, let's get dinner out of the oven, and make a salad."

"OK!" Stephanie slid off the arm of the couch, and went with Tim.

"Shower time, miss Faith?" Barbara said, making eye contact.

"Yes, pliz." Barbara giggled, then rose to her feet, offering her hands to Faith. Faith accepted the help, and the two walked to one of the doors upstairs. Dick watched. Watched.

Hummed to himself. 'Babs has a perfectly formed ass, but Faith has a lot of ass. So much that it's part of her thighs, and mm, her thighs! Barbara's thighs are so, soooo good, don't get me wrong. And I'm not trying to say I'm going to jump into Faith-alley just for a taste, a feel. But I would. I totally would, if I wasn't trying to be loyal to Babs, for once, aaaand if she wouldn't beat the crap outta me.'

Bruce had ascended the Belfry and knocked on the bathroom door, giving Faith's dufflebag to Barbara, who closed the door afterwards, Bruce leaving for the stairs and his car.

'Barbara's got nice boobs, though.' Dick almost whistled, releasing the breath as an exhale instead. 'Hoo, that was close! Bab's got an even bigger personality, though, and a big mind and heart. I know her. She's just a beautiful, gorgeous woman.'

'Faith had a reduction for a very valid reason. I'm not saying I wish she hadn't had work done. I am curious to look at what she looks like, though. They bounce just as well as any other boobs do. She kept frowning at her legs and stomach, and Faith said she feels so bulky and bloated.'

'Babs told her that was OK, that it's a normal thing to feel that even she and Steph feel. It's a womanly experience, to do something and feel your body do something you don't like. Hell, even men feel that way, but in different places and with different thoughts behind the 'ick'. And Faith looked at her arms, and told us that she hated them 'cause it was taking more effort to connect hits with them. She has to lean and lunge for it to work, and right now, it's arguably her hardest task, aside from re-learning how to run and jump. But she'll get there. We all know that time is key, here. She's got a good attitude about it all, aside from that. She sure likes to make jokes.'

'Tim, Babs and I talked before Bruce, Steph and Faith got here. I'm sure Steph has realised this, too. I don't even need to think if Bruce has, I just know he has. But the reason Faith does it so frequently has to be her way to cope with anxiety. Her experience as a child who was told to stay in her room and be quiet, sometimes without toys or even permission to read or write. She had to sit and think until her mom came in, or called her out, and…' Dick sighed. 'All of us know what isolation like that is like.'

'I'm not saying we should steer her in the direction of using comedy less often, no, that's a part of her that we all enjoy, and she's not bad at comedy, either! She makes herself laugh because silence reminds her of that isolation, and she wants to make others laugh to try and make friends. It's not a stretch to think that's why she became a stortyteller, too. Friends; that's something we all know, including Faith, that she desperately needs. I think our strategy of not just going along with her jokes but guiding her back towards the relevant topic has been working out. And, while Faith was in the bathroom earlier, Bruce said that in a casual conversation where she isn't using laughter she might say something really out of nowhere that might hurt our feelings, and respond to that being called out with anger. I don't think so. Neither does Tim, Barbara or Stephanie.'

'Tim and I think she would freeze up and be unable to even apologise, but her face will say everything, and Babs thinks the frozen state will have a break, but her face will stay the same, except for her eyes, and she'll say 'sorry' then. Stephanie said Babs had taken the words right outta her mouth. That made sense to Tim, Bruce and I, too. Bruce told us what she did, around 5 AM. Hoo, wanna talk about someone who needs Zatanna as a tutor! And I mean that respectfully. She has Sagittarius A, a black hole for her left eye, and the O-type star from her now non-fictional galaxy for her right eye, if she uses, I think, her demigoddess powers! That's just wicked cool!'

'Sure, she burned some of the forest near the mansion, but as a creation dragon, she could have reversed the damage, right? And we haven't even seen her use the black hole, yet! All of us agree that, if Faith can be taught to control when and how much she uses her magic, and gets her strength back plus whatever else we can give her, she'll be golden! And that's really, really exciting. All of this is probably on her mind too. She'll be counting on us to remind her of it, until she won't need it, or at least as often.'

'Let's be honest, it'll be the latter. And that's OK. We all know that the past isn't something you can just leave behind. We carry it in different ways. Faith carries it in her heart, and is trusting enough to share it with others, as is in great need of doing so. She's a wonderful fit into the team.'

Dick sighed, Ra's face and retellings of his actions flashing into Dick's mind. 'I sure hope all of this will be enough to tell him to leave her the hell alone. If not, and he actually kills her in that one way, we're all going to be in deep trouble. We talked about who could summon which unicorn, too. It's one hundred percent possible to stop Red Storm Earth before the one hour mark, hell, the ten minute mark. But I have a sinking feeling that it won't be that easy. And I don't even know why. Tim doesn't either, and he read all of the lore.'

'Oh. It's that Ra's could use Platonia again, right? Is that how he entered Faith's dream? That led to her Animus leaving the dream world to defend her, among other things. I'm sorry, are we sure that was an illusion? It probably was just an illusion, Dick.'

'Platonia recognises Ra's as a demon, not a human, so after the first time he passed through, and found Faith's dragon tomb, it stopped trying to eat him. And, if he has a Nero Persona, it sounds like we're royally screwed. The Invitation of Nerobzal sounds just as scary as Red Storm Earth, even if it works differently. I have to make the comparison that I know everyone else has probably made: Faith is like Raven, in that if things aren't under control, things will be really bad. Could we even prevent all of that? Could Faith prevent all of that? We were going to ask her, during dinner. I bet there's lore that Faith hasn't written down, yet. She should write it down, and some more, so it's all there and Ra's can't cheat. Or cheat again.'

Dick's eyes were drawn to the bathroom door as it opened. He drew in and held a breath as he beheld Faith: her hair was very curly and voluminous, although the lower half was mostly still wet, and, bra-less, Dick could make out what her boobs were like, better than he had before. She had changed into black shorts and a purple short-sleeved shirt. 'Damn! Oh my God, her legs are so yummy looking.'

Barbara cleared her throat. Dick closed his mouth and blinked, making eye contact with her. "Sorry." He said to Faith, "Sorry."

She giggled. "You're fine with me, I'm too tired to sing Ashnikko lyrics right now."

Barbara said, "Pffft."

"And I'm not the probably slightly angry redhead." Faith walked to the stairs.

"Oh wow! Would you look at that!" Barbara said, approaching the couch, Dick swiftly standing up. "That would be me!"

"I swear that my eyes are the only thing that will go anywhere near her, Barbara."

"Oh, good! I'd hate to have to punish you for infidelity." Barbara patted Dick's upper chest. Dick just nodded. He followed her downstairs and to the table.

They heard Faith cheering, Stephanie echoing her and Tim laughing at them. Dinner was ready. Barbara sat at the left head, next to Tim, Stephanie at the right head, Faith occupying the chair to her left. Dick had three options: take the empty chair beside Tim, and play it safe but always have to look at Faith when he raised his head, or sit beside Faith, and accept Barbara's challenge. 'Oh, hell.' Thought Dick.

He sat beside Faith, who had her right foot crossed over her left thigh. She looked at him, her hair thankfully too wet to graze his arm, and she smiled with her cheeks at him. He returned the smile, then Faith sighed, looking at the meal before them. They were having chicken wings, salad and baked potatoes. Dick looked at Tim, who made an expression with one side of his face, looking at Barbara. Dick looked at Barbara, who rested her chin on the back of her hands, elbows on the table, and flashed a smile at him as they made eye contact. 'Oh boy.'

Barbara mouthed, 'I love you.' And scrunched up her eyes, smiling.

'I love you too.' Dick mouthed back, and smiled, his eyes failing to get with the program, blinking for help to the ceiling instead.

Barbara parted her lips to respond when Faith said, "Man, ya'll didn't think to get fixings for the baked potatoes?" There was only butter. No ranch dressing or sour cream, and no cheese, green onions or bacon bits. Stephanie wheezed a laugh.

"Sorry, we were on a budget." Tim said.

"Fair enough. Still, my dad would be sad." Faith giggled. Stephanie and Barbara laughed.

"OK, well, dig in!" Said Tim. Faith unfurled her leg onto the ground with a thud, and used her hands to move four chicken wings onto her plate. Tim laughed. "You know there's tongs, right?"

"Yeah, but this is faster." Faith said, while the others began to fill their plates. "Also, I don't care. I'm not putting them back, and I didn't lick my fingers or touch a dog or cat, or have a dog or cat lick my hands, and I just got out of the shower." Faith took a bite, the others laughing.

Dick thought, 'I guess she's also just a natural comedian. I'm sure she's learned how to be this funny, but it's still a good part of her personality.'

"OK, all right." Tim said. "Are you gonna scoop the salad with your hands, too?"

"No! What am I, a dog in a sweater controlled by a human?" More laughter from the group. Faith reached over the table. The group started to chuckle. Her arms were short by about a foot. "May I please have the salad?" Faith said, chuckling. Barbara and Stephanie giggled with her.

Dick laughed and said, "Sure." He moved his plate a little to make room for the bowl, then Faith used the salad tossers to put salad on her plate.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome." Dick moved the bowl back. Faith picked up the chicken wing she had started. She stared at the wall for one second, and the next second, she tucked in her lips and her cheeks became red. "Uh-oh. What are you thinking, miss Faith?"

"I'm not a dog in a sweater," Faith's sentence devolved into wheezing laughter. "Controlled by a human." She pointed at Tim. "Silent Hill 2."

"Oh God." Tim said. Faith laughed. "The dog ending." The others laughed.

"I'm gonna write in the planning document that the next time Ra's goes into Platonia, it shows him the Door of Nonsense and triggers that ending, but the credits all say names of the Batfamily."

"Oh-ho-kay!" Tim laughed with the others.

"A-ha-and," Faith sniffled. "When he exits, the door will keep cycling him through different horror and JRPG titles until he demands to go home." She giggled, and bit into the chicken wing she held.

"OK, hon!" Said Barbara, the others laughing a little.

Tim asked, "Do you have any ideas on how to cut Ra's out of Thalassic Space that would work long term?"

"Mm, besides the Invitation of Nerobzal? We all know he won't agree to have the Departed take his memories and knowledge of Thalassic Space." Tim and Barbara hummed in agreement. "But if Ra's doesn't find out about the ritual, which is the only other disaster-level event he could learn about and trigger that I implemented in the lore so that zombies and demons felt more natural and important to the possible events of Thalassic Space,"

"It fits nicely." Said Barbara.

"Thank you. Uh, yes, I have one other idea, but it's not in the planning document."

"What's your idea?"

"I would commission the Father Born and Mother Born to hunt him non-lethally, and not only remove that information from him but program his brain to ignore it and deny it as true, no matter what methods he or others may try to use to restore it." The others hummed in interest, Faith taking another bite of her chicken wing.

"That sounds like it could work. You should write it down." Barbara said. Faith nodded.

"How would you convince the Father Born and Mother Born to help you?" Dick asked.

"I would give them each a treasure or sexual pleasure, or assist them in other ways, in exchange for this. I wrote down the names of the current Father Born and Mother Born somewhere."

"Yeah, it's not in the document." Tim said.

"I think it's currently exclusively in a story called Realm of Album, in which I'm summoned to help the Mages Guild there because the elf king is having problems that only a Jester Playwright like me could help with." The group hummed in interest. "I can't remember their names, off the top of my head. I'll open the document later and tell you before I put them in the document, Tim."

"Sure, OK."

"Like I said, the idea isn't written down, but it would work because of how the Guilds serve the people, and that's why it would pass the legislation of At'fman Lawbzal."

"What's that?" Stephanie asked.

"It means 'Amen to the Fate of Man, Law of Beyond Zone Acceleration Lord'. The first clause-word is what people who worship the O-type star's spirit say while raising their right arm, then left arm, diagonally." Faith did this motion. "It's the 'Praise the sun' gesture from Dark Souls, but as steps of a contemporary jazz choreography." Barbara wheezed, choked on her food a little. "Da da da," Faith sang breathily, lowering her right, then left arm, the others laughing and Barbara drinking water from a glass. "Da da, da da." Faith ended the routine with her arms raised, two da's per arm. Faith rested her arms and took a second to eat again.

"The second clause-word reminds worshippers of the O-star's spirit that Nerobzal is not evil and is actually an Actor, who is so dedicated to and perfect for his role that he fools hateful people, who I'll just call Kaleido because it's accurate to the lore, into believing he's real and the true God, hence the 'Lord' part of the clause-word, and why he's called Hebzal, Himbzal and Hisbzal by Kaleido, who believe in a literal theatrical act. Other Actors, like Neo and Nero Spirits, call Nerobzal's Actor he, him and his because they're Actors, too. The idea is for the Neo and Nero Spirits to shock Kaleido time and again by using those those pronouns and revealing that he's just an Actor, discrediting their claims that Nerobzal is God." Dick and Barbara hummed with intrigue, and Stephanie hummed in awe. Tim hummed, nodding. "'Beyond Zone Acceleration' is a reminder that the magic Kaleido are using is from Sagittarius A, meaning it's Eledisfeb, and Kaleido want to use it for evil instead of to naturally balance out Elevifeb, because that's just how magic systems works, and ecosystems, hence why Kaleido are so crazy and unwilling to listen, just as radical right-wing people are."

"Oh OK," Stephanie said. "So, the politics in Thalassic Space that you're arguing for is left wing."

"Yes." Faith gave a firm nod.

"That makes sense."

"You can't be gay or an ally, much less dress alternatively, in particular goth, and be conservative."

"That's right!" Said Barbara. Tim hummed in agreement.

"It is the people who take advantage of the Actor's in-story powers as a Fallen Angel who are the enemy."

"Right." Dick said.

Faith started her second chicken wing. "Kaleido was chosen as the name that conquered the mostly vampire cult of Kitsch in northern Italy, which worshipped demons and Satan respectfully and safely, because the people who abuse and murder those who don't fit their expectations of a human and-or a Christian look into chapels of God through the kaleidoscope created by the painted glass often used in churches rather than looking at the Bible and recognising its merits and faults in modern times."

"Ohhh. I actually really like that."

"Thank you! That confusion and misdirected anger is what the Cult of Asherah was supposed to clarify so the crimes that have happened across time could be prevented. But the Yahwehists, all those years ago, proclaimed Asherah to be an idol and the people who served her idol worshippers. The career of prostitution has been bastardised by too many men and women for too long."

"That's true!" Stephanie said.

"Even in modern times, when prostitution makes a lot of money, it's not safe to be a prostitute." The others hummed and nodded. "So, I fixed that, in Thalassic Space." Faith bit off and chew more chicken. "The Thieves, Assassins and Mages Guilds all support and shelter prostitutes and those at risk, allowing the revived Cult of Asherah to educate people about safe sex and how to protect themselves and others from predators."

"Kitsch wasn't a malicious organisation until the Cànova siblings fulfilled the Fool's Promise, which is the part of the Fool's Poem that describes what happens to people who submit themselves to Nerobzal. It was just supposed to be directions for the makeup artists and costume designers of the Theatres in the Dream World on Paper to use for Actors. Magdalene and Malakai took it seriously, and they roped Mamazsr'azcre into it too." Faith looked at Dick, Barbara and Stephanie. "His name means 'massacre', in Nerobzal."

"Oh!" Said Dick.

"Grand Vampire Lady Brunetta heard Father Dragon shout it in the sky in the dream she had, the night she went into labour, and she and Grand Vampire Lord Müth interpreted it as a challenge to overcome, which he was doing until Magdalene and Malakai came to drag him into their plan to murder their parents and seize Kitsch. They didn't know why Müth and Brunetta were in the master bedroom and didn't fight back. The reason was hidden by the Four Symbols of Chinese astrology until the third incarnation of the O-star's spirit returned to Thalassic Space to help the people stop Kaleido once and for all."

"Oh!" Said Dick, as Faith ate more. "Sorry, are you the third incarnation of the O-star's spirit, and that's why you have it for your right eye, when you use your demigoddess powers?"

"Eh, sort of? I'll get there."

"No worries."

"Why were Brunetta and Müth vulnerable?" Barbara asked.

"Brunetta was pregnant while Magdalene and Malakai counselled with dark sorcerers to find a portal to the Lightless Realm, where Krampus used to reign over the Astral Elves and where the siblings discovered a copy of the Fool's Poem in Krampus' hut."

"Oh, that answers a question I had." Said Dick.

"Oh, good." Faith giggled. Dick chuckled with her. "So, if you're wondering, there's no way for Ra's to learn about what he's getting himself into, in my dragon tomb."

"He deserves to find out the hard way."

"I hear that, yep. Um, the flight of the Astral and Snow Elves from the Lightless Realm and Lightful Realm, which Santa used to reign, is a story for another time. Believe it or not, I can stay on topic, when it comes to my lore." The others laughed. "Brunetta had an intersex child named Maury, a derivative of Maurice, which means 'dark skinned', because they were the first and only Obsidian Infant, their body made from one of the Eledisfeb-filled asteroids of the asteroid belt to the west of Sagittarius A. Its existence was seen as proof that Sagittarius A was not a destructive astral object as it is in the Milky Way galaxy. There's an asteroid belt of Elevifeb-filled asteroids to the east of the O-type star, too, but I can't tell you who has the first Goshenite Child because spoilers."

Barbara said, "Wait, is it your demigoddess-slash-dragon self?" "Nope! It's a child born in The Double Eight of Thalassic Space, but it's not my child."

"Hm, all right."

"There's also lore about the Oracles finding out what Sagittarius A* actually is, thanks to Hirokou, a member of the Cloud Casters, seven students who met when they enrolled at Cedillo Imagination Magic Academy in Princess Georgina, which, yes, is UNBC, Prince George. The Cloud Casters volunteered and were chosen by the Oracles to help the third incarnation of the O-star's spirit feel more welcomed. Again, skipping the lore."

"Thank you." Said Tim. The group chuckled. "As simple and good as the reveal is, thank you for skipping it this time."

"Maury had been sensed by the Four Symbols upon his conception, and when they were born, had split them into four Crowns, which they gave to the Guilds to present to the people of Thalassic Space for them to hide until the third incarnation of the O-star."

"Where was um, Mamaz…?"

"Mam-az-sir-h-az-cre. There's an apostrophe after the translated s, so there's a short breath."

"Mamazsr'azcre."

"Yeah, you got it!"

Dick said, "Mamazsr'azcre."

"Yep!"

"I don't even need to try." Tim said.

"Yeah, I don't doubt that." Faith said. The group laughed.

"I'm gonna skip on that, thanks." Stephanie said. Faith giggled. "Mamazsr'azcre was helping his cat anthro friends, Dohannar and Wysherah, free anthros and elves from the human traffickers that Magdalene and Malakai had wriggled into, thanks to their vampiric charisma, before they got frustrated with certain human traffickers for being fake radical right wingers and decided to find the Fool's Poem to put everyone under their boots."

"Right." Said Tim. "Faith, why don't you eat for a couple minutes, and I'll take it from here?"

"OK, yes, thank you." Faith sighed. The group chuckled.

"No problem. Magdalene and Malakai started a fire on the farm that Mamazsr'azcre, Dohannar and Wysherah sheltered people at."

"Uh-oh!" Said Dick.

"Malakai disembowelled Wysherah, who was nine months pregnant."

"Holy smokes! That's just evil!"

"Magdalene and Malakai won a mixed magic and melee duel against Dohannar and Mamazsr'azcre, and as Dohannar laid unconscious, Magdalene whispered into her brother's ear the Fool's Poem. Mamazsr'azcre tore off his jaw and gouged his eyes as Magdalene and Malakai had."

"Eugh!" Said Stephanie.

"That's what the Fool's Promise demands of the living to accept Nerobzal's as their God. Before the siblings returned to Italy to kill their parents, Mamazsr'azcre gifted Dohannar's soul to Nero Ba'al Berith, a demon whose name means Lord of the Covenant. Like Baalzebub, he's called the Lord of Flies. Ba'al Berith is a red-skinned soldier in red who rides a red horse and wears a crown."

Faith said, "It was literally the decisions of two awful people that began the First War for the O-star’s Spirit."

"Yep. She was first incarnated as Nith, the first daughter of Santa Claus, born September 4th, 1949."

"Oh, that's your birthday!" Said Stephanie to Faith.

"Nith was murdered by Magdalene, disguised as a Glacial Fairy, at two days old." Dick, Barbara and Stephanie clicked their tongues and made noises of pity. "The Snow Elves, Astral Elves, Santa and Mary Claus cast a spell at the catacomb chapel of Kaleido, directly hitting Magdalene. Malakai was doing his thing, which I can tell you about next, and Mamazsr'azcre worked with dark sorcerers to grow and improve the army of undead, vampires and werewolves that festered in the catacombs of the chapel until the end of the Third War. The elves and anthros came together to form the Guilds under the command of Father Dragon and Mother Mermaid and the Father Born and Mother Born, after the first war, and their human allies helped them. The O-star's spirit was quietly reincarnated twenty years later as Eal Volen, the first child and daughter of a mermaid mage named Eerie Glory and an astral elf mage named Lanech (ech is pronunced ehk, like echo) Volen who worked at the circus at the southern harbour of England, together."

"Hey, circus mentioned!" Dick said. The group laughed.

"Eerie had been stalked by Malakai since her early teenage years, but she had known Lanech for even longer, and she never faced Malakai alone, in the dreams where Malakai tormented and raped whoever he wanted." Barbara, Dick and Stephanie sounded disgruntled.

"Sorry," Faith said. "It was the most natural way for me to make Malakai a horrible person. Same with Magdalene."

"No no, it's fine, it works well for him."

"How was Magdalene a horrible person, besides killing a two-day old baby?" Dick asked.

"She got off on watching people get kidnapped and tortured by human traffickers."

"Oh, geez!"

Tim said, "She was a control freak, just like Malakai. Both were racist, sexist, and homophobic. Faith wrote Thalassic Space so everyone would feel safe and welcome, but some people learned about the awful things that happen on Earth through Nero Spirits who watched criminals from Earth that visited the Dream World on Paper. It's like how Ra's found out how to open a Door to Platonia, and all that's led to Faith being here, and the situation we're in."

"Ohhhh, OK."

"I hope it makes sense." Faith said. “Nero Spirits relaying information that wouldn’t have been otherwise available to people through the functions of the Soul Bridge.”

"Oh, it does, absolutely. You did a good job with that."

"Yeah, that's good writing, Faith."

"Thank you."

Tim said, "The Oracles were afraid of Malakai because he effortlessly and brutally manipulated Dreamer mages who were close to the power of the Oracles, many of them family members of the Oracles. Faith wrote a bit more about the crimes of Malakai, but we'll skip that for now. Eal was in the arms of Eerie after the circus had closed, Malakai having taken the disguise of a large black dog, and he leapt up with such force and speed to bite Eal's neck that neither Eerie or Lanech could react in time."

Barbara clicked her tongue. "Aw! No!"

"May I ask why the O-star's spirit died as a baby, twice?" Dick said.

"Yeah, yeah." Faith said. "Because babies are vulnerable. That's it."

"Oh OK, so it's a simple thing, this time."

"Yes."

Tim said, "Eerie and Lanech tore Malakai apart, each destroying a quarter of his spirit with their magic, but the other half of his spirit and his entire soul escaped to the Ninth Circle of Inferno, joining his sister and the demon they were actually giving souls to: Canon Lucifer."

Faith said, "If Ra's triggers either event, that's who the souls will be working to free from the ice."

"Oh shit." Said Stephanie.

"Yeah, that's bad." Dick said.

Faith said, "And why either has to be stopped as soon as possible."

"Right." Said Dick.

Tim said, "Specifically, the number of souls needed is 8^8 (eight to the power of eight), which is 16, 777, 216. In the First War for the O-star's Fate, 1, 809, 178 people were killed in the span of one month, two weeks and two days, though the ice barely melted, and the souls were freed to the afterlife of the 28 Mansions at its end."

"Oh OK, so it resets."

"Yes, it has a twenty-year cooldown, which coincides with how long it takes the O-star's spirit to reincarnate. In the Second War for the O-star's Fate, 2, 391, 955 people were killed over the course of two months and three days, and the ice melted a little more, but Lucifer still could not move, and the souls again were freed to the 28 Mansions. This won't be an issue, if he triggers Red Storm Earth or the Invitation of Nerobzal."

"Scary." Said Barbara. The others nodded.

"The third and current incarnation of the O-star's spirit—"

"That's you, right?" Said Dick, looking and pointing at Faith. She and Tim shook their heads. "Oh."

"It's Faina Laward, one of my Soul Fragments. She's autumn, I'm winter, Solas, my Fairy Persona, is spring, and Ønske is summer."

Dick said, "Oh, OK wait. So, your memories have like, fragments, and that's how your Personas are connected to you, and how you have the O-star as your right eye?"

"Yes."

"Ohhh-kay. Cool."

Barbara asked, "Why are you winter, and not autumn, if you're the Canon Persona?"

"I'm winter because of my depression and mental health, and that my physical disability means I can't enjoy the outdoors. Faina is autumn because she's my memories of having a working body and my hopes of having a happy mind."

"Ohhhh." Said Barbara, Dick and Stephanie. Tim nodded.

"Solas and Ønske are both seasonal expressions of the joys I associate with each season. Solas is my lesbianism, and Ønske is my desire to have adventure." Faith said. Stephanie giggled. "Faina was born on Earth because the Four Symbols realised she would be killed again if born on Yotutrnaeyl. She's summoned by Dohannar to the Dream World on Paper instead of to the throne of Nero Ba'al Berith, who is one of her possible love interests, as Dohannar and the Demon Hunters who patrol the Perimeter of the Circles finally met after eighty-three years of trying to free Dohannar so the O-star could fight for the people again instead of for evil. That dream is the first chapter of the novel, and in the second chapter, Faina settles in to CIMA, meets the Cloud Casters, and falls in love with Karma Brestin, who, major spoiler alert,"

"Ohp!" Dick covered his ears, then laughed and lowered them. The others laughed.

"Karma is the youngest of Bartholomew's triplets."

"Oh, she's an Astral and Ebony Giant Elf?"

"Yes, an Ebony Giant Elf, like Bartholomew is. Krampus is an Ebony Giant Elf, too. Santa is the only Astral Giant Elf, of Nerobzal's sons. Bartholomew's triplets and Krampus' twins are mixed race. Karma is a dark mage, not to be mistaken for a dark sorcerer,"

"Ah, OK."

"And it's olive green to signify that she's not evil. Earth tones are always a good sign. It's the neon colours you have to be scared of."

"Right, OK."

"Karma is also a vampire, and the companion star of the O-star."

"Huh?"

Tim said, "O-type stars have smaller, companion O-stars that orbit until eventually merging with the larger star, creating a bigger and brighter star."

"Ooh, OK. Does that happen when they meet, or later?"

"Later, when they hook up." Faith laughed. The others joined. "The Third War starts because Mamazsr'azcre is commanded to lead an attack on CIMA by Nero Ba'al Berith, but it goes too far, and a lot of students and teachers die. Sorry, spoilers."

"Sheesh, woman!" Dick said. The group giggled.

"And, uh, I think that's all the lore you need to know, regarding every branch of the main topic? Whatever it was."

"We started when Stephanie asked what At'fom Lawbzal was." Said Tim.

"Ohhh, right!"

"It was more 'the main topic and its family relatives'."

"Yeah." Faith said. They all laughed.

Dick said, "Well, thanks for all of that! Always fun to learn more."

"Oh yeah." Barbara said, nodding.

"And I get to eat the ass of this creative genius!" Stephanie said, the others laughing loudly. "Lucky me!"

"Real. Real." Faith said. The laughter quieted down. In the next two minutes, everyone had finished eating and washing their food down, and wiping their hands on napkins or getting up to use the kitchen sink.

"Well, you going to sleep right away, Faith?" Barbara asked, as Tim and Dick began washing the dishes.

"I think so." Faith said, yawning.

""Sleep", in quotation marks." Stephanie said with a smile, coming up behind Faith and squeezing her left ass cheek.

"Aa!" Faith exclaimed, and laughed with the girls. "Are you that spicy, baby gorl?"

"Mm, yuh," Stephanie replied. Faith and Barbara laughed, Tim choking out a laugh from the kitchen. "Yuh, I'm real spicy righ' now, gorl. Mm, le'go."

"Le'go." Faith echoed. "Goodnight, everyone!" She and Stephanie began towards the stairs.

"Goodni-ight." Said Barbara, walking towards the computer.

"Goodnight, Faith!" Said Dick.

"Don't worry about the noise, OK?" Said Tim. Faith giggled.

Click emoji to navigate to next chapter. ⏭️

[aetherialavenger]

Im allowed to talk about skyrim spoilers with like zero warnings right? Right?

Can we all just laugh at how funny it is that we ask savos aren if he knows about the staff of magnus and he just goes

"Uhhhhhhh ask mirabelle lol"

Then sprints to her the moment we leave and hands her the fucking key to labarynthian THEN DIES

[thequeenofthewinter]

The Walls of Windhelm

You asked, so you shall receive. I have no WIP Wednesday. Instead, here is the cursed smut from the next chapter of my fic. (Which I guess technically makes this whole 2234 word monstrosity a WIP.) Obviously, if you plan on reading the chapter, you're going to spoil yourself for this. (I mean...unless you want to read it again. ;) ) There are no REAL spoilers here or anything you NEED to know other than I have an OC whose name is Dahlia, she's married to Ulfric Stormcloak, and this is self-indulgent smut.

Hiding this under the cut. Please don't interact if you are a minor. I'm warning you that this is rated E. Shout out to the fabulous @oblivions-dawn for proofreading for me. <3

Don't feel obligated to read this, but as I am using this as WIP Wednesday, I guess I will tag some people. Please do tag me if you have something. @dirty-bosmer @bougainvillea-and-saltwater @vivifriend @bostoniangirl21 @umbracirrus @skyrim-forever @changelingsandothernonsense @ladytanithia @throughtrialbyfire @inkysqueed

“Ulfric, what are you—”

Dahlia doesn’t finish her sentence as suddenly her back is pressed up against the rough stone walls of some abandoned alleyway of the Valunstrad.

The hour is late and no one and nothing so much as stirs as the temple bells chime their midnight chorus. When Dahlia had suggested a moonlight stroll after dinner, this is not what she had pictured: Ulfric’s beard scratching almost abrasively against her throat as his tongue licks at the skin of her neck, his hands under her thighs, fingers digging into her skin almost painfully as he hikes up her skirt—body pressed flush against her own, strong evidence of what he wants pushing against her heat.

“You know what I am doing. Don’t play coy with me, Dahlia.” His voice whispers in her ear before taking the lobe into his mouth and sucking on it. “And don’t tell me you haven’t thought of this.”

“I—”

She is cut off again. This time by Ulfric’s fingers sliding their way over the silken fabric of her undergarments.

“Tell me,” he asks, his voice low but tone teasing, “did you put these on for me?” He doesn’t hear her response as he pushes beyond the fabric as two fingers glide into her with ease. Ulfric tsks as he curls them up into her walls. “Have you been dreaming of this? Me pressed against you and taking you against these walls.” He tests her as he pumps his fingers in and out of her wet cunt. “From how wet you are now, I think you have.”

Despite the frigid temperatures of Windhelm at night, heat blooms through Dahlia’s body as she throws her head back, her husband’s actions eliciting a moan from her.

His mouth descends on hers, swallowing the sound as he bites down on her lip. “Quiet, my heart, or they will hear us. You don’t want that, do you?”

“Why—”

“Shh,” his lips brush softly over hers. “Because this is my city, and I’ll have you wherever I please, my Queen. Now, stop asking questions.” As if to emphasize the point, he presses against her harder, his fingers stroking languidly against her walls.

Her hips spread wider around him, giving in to his wants and not really caring to think beyond the thick fog of pleasure descending upon her. She tries to rock her hips against his fingers, squeezing tightly around him, but it is of no use. He will give her no more.

A self-satisfied smirk makes its way onto his face. “If you want more, you’re going to need to ask.”

“You are insufferable.” She rolls her hips over his fingers to no avail.

“And I am yours. I’ll remind you that you chose to marry me despite my flaws.” He retorts as he curls her fingers into her again.

“I will—”

“You will what?” He asks, not even giving her a moment to finish, and he lowers his mouth to her neck, biting down on her delicate skin.

She gasps, surprised by the sensation, and he does it again, this time hard enough to leave a mark. It stings but not unpleasantly, and her head moves to the side to give him better access to do as he pleases.

“What? No more protest? Have I won then?” His fingers suddenly stop. “Will be doing this my way?”

Damnable, self-centered, teasing prick.

She whines, a pathetic sound which falls from her lips unbidden.

At this, Ulfric’s smirk only grows wider. He knows exactly what she likes, and he will play her like a pawn across a chess board. His thumb soon finds its way to her clit and rubs against it.

Dahlia’s eyes fall closed, and she bites down on her tongue to keep herself quiet, the action unexpectedly drawing a little blood. “Fuck me.” 

“I thought that this was beneath you and entirely inappropriate for a King and Queen.” He pushes her further, loving the frustrated anger he finds dancing behind her dilated pupils.

“Fuck me, Ulfric.” She hisses as she reaches down to his pants, stroking a hand over the bulge there before pulling his cock from trousers. “Take this,” she strokes him ever so gently, “and put it inside my cunt.” Dahlia grinds against him.

“That’s my wife.” His lips find hers again, kissing her insistently as he pries at her mouth. 

There is no fight left in her, and she opens for him automatically, the taste of iron coating her tongue and tinging their kiss with the hot taste of metal and salt; however, he doesn’t mind. He pushes his tongue against Dahlia’s more, trying to get a better taste of her. He would consume her whole body and spirit if the Divines would let him. Perhaps he will at another time.

For now, he presses against her firmly, both hands now under her thighs to hold her against the wall as he pushes his cock roughly into her.

This time neither of them can help the moan which springs forth—nor do either of them care at this point. Dahlia’s hands reach out to Ulfric, pulling him to her by the collar of his cloak as he fucks her until her back presses against the wall behind her. While both of them normally enjoy a bit of romance, there is no space for it at the moment.

“Harder, Ulfric.” She pants, her legs spreading wider for him as she reaches under his shirt to scratch her nails against his chest.

His hips dig into hers further as he slows down his pace, hitting her harder just as she asked. “I will bury my cock so deeply into you that you’ll still be feeling me as you walk in the morning.”

“Is that a threat?”

“A promise.” He growls into her ear and nips at her neck.

Heat rolls through her slowly, building up from her core in waves, and she is left helpless against them as she moves her head to the side, little gasps falling from her lips. “Ulfric…”

“Say it again, love. Tell me who is fucking you against this wall.”

Dahlia bites down on her lip, swallowing the moan bubbling up from within her. Surely, if she is any louder, the late-night watch will investigate and—

“Eyes over here, Dahlia. I asked you for something.” His hand comes up to cup her cheek and her eyes snap open to look into his vivid blues. He moves into her more quickly, picking up to a punishing pace. “Say my name.”

“No.” Despite her refusal, her voice comes out as only a breathy whisper.

Stubborn as always, but that doesn’t matter. He’ll have his way eventually. He knows her.

Leaning forward, she catches his mouth, tongue meeting his in a sloppy kiss as she fights against the feeling welling up inside of her. But he is ready for her. He lifts her higher suddenly to set her down on top of a stack of abandoned crates. Now, his hands are free, and they move up under her skirts to drag over the folds of her wet cunt.

“Say it.” 

Dahlia clenches around him defiantly, fighting through the pleasure which quickly dulling her other senses. A smirk forms its way onto her lips as he groans; however, her victory is short-lived. Calloused fingers soon find their way to her clit, swirling around the bundle of nerves, and she bites down onto his one of his shoulders to keep herself quiet.

“Damn you to Oblivion, Ulfric.” She manages between breaths as she gasps for more air.

He nips at her neck again, sucking on the skin there until he is sure it will bruise. He is ruthless when he wants to be, and now is not the time for him to give in. Not a chance. “Only if you go with me, wife.” He whispers low in her ear before taking the lobe between his teeth. “Come with me.” 

At that, the pads of his fingers circle the bundle of nerves again as he presses his cock into her with rough, erratic thrusts. He is slowing down, but he will make her go with him over the edge.

Hands fist and grab into his hair, and then slide down his neck to his chest, touching everywhere she can grasp as he strokes her languidly—as if he could do this all day.

“Please,” she looks up at him, pupils dilated and eyes half-lidded, but he only continues his slow torture. There will be no mercy for her. Not now.

“I want to watch you come undone in front of me, slowly unravel you until all you can think about is me.” His voice rasps, hot breath tickling her ear as he groans.

“Ulfric…”

His name passes from her lips against her will. Between his fingers playing with her nerves and the fullness she feels inside her cunt, she is warm putty—molding to his will easily as she loses herself in him.

“Again, Dahlia.” He slides out of her, slick with wetness before driving back into her. 

She was always going to be the beginning and the end for him, his fate as intertwined with hers as their bodies—and he wouldn’t have it any other way. There is no sweeter way for him to go and no greater desire than to spend the rest of his days with her just like this.

Ulfric’s hands reach out to explore her further, leaving no inch untouched as he pulls her closer to him to lick at the sweat of her skin. Salty and pungent, with a hint of something uniquely hers, his tongue travels down the side of her neck all the way to her exposed collarbone.

Half-broken gasps of his name continue to fall from her lips, and her fingers tighten around his shoulders desperately trying to dig into the muscles underneath his cloak. 

“Ulfric, I—”

“Shh,” he quiets her and nips at the side of her neck before looking into her eyes. A wickedness flashes behind his gaze as he smirks.  “I know, my heart.”

Ulfric readjusts her to push her against the wall, the roughness of the stone behind her scraping against her back.

“Why has it been so long since we have done this?” Dahlia asks him as she snakes both arms around his neck.

He chuckles. “I asked myself that same question numerous times over the last few months. You frequented my daydreams in all sorts of sordid ways.”

“I always knew you were a dirty old man.”

“Perhaps.” He leans forward to whisper in her ear, hot breath fanning out around the shell. “But you’re no better. Come for me, Dahlia, and show me how much I know you like it.”

She arches against him as if to prove his point, and her hands reach towards him running down his back to then trace a trail up his chest. No place is left untouched as Ulfric continues to slide into her, his rhythm becoming increasingly erratic. The pace leaves both of them gasping and trembling as they fight to mark every inch of the other’s exposed skin with sloppy, open-mouthed kisses.

Soon thereafter, the waves become too much as they swell and finally break, a lazy warmth slowly overtaking them like the first rays of Summer’s heat only to build up into the fire of Midyear. Dahlia gasps as her walls begin to flutter around him, her lips meeting his in the middle in a desperate kiss.

Mouths, hands, tongues, and teeth all crash together as a low groan springs forth from Ulfric’s lips. He can hold on no longer, and he finally gives up the last of his control to her at feeling her end, his body responding to hers as his cum spills down her thighs. However, his wife doesn’t stop. She pushes her hips against him as she kisses him all the way through his orgasm—first, her lips meet his own, then his cheeks, and finally she leans forward to touch his forehead, the salt of the sweat there coating her tongue sweetly.

There is no place Dahlia would rather be than right where she is as she coaxes him through the many sensations flowing through their bodies to come back to Nirn. Her hands reach up to wrap around his neck, bringing him forward. “I love you. I hope you know this. Always and forever from this plane of existence to the next. I’d follow you anywhere…even if you are a smug bastard.”

Ulfric laughs, a low rumbling which makes her stomach flip. “Good, because you will not be rid of me—not anytime soon at least. I’ve been told I’m too stubborn.” 

“I wouldn’t have it any other way.” She smiles but then a more serious look clouds her gaze. One of her hands reaches up to cup his cheek as she tilts his face down look at her. “Do you think we will get many more moments like this?" 

His eyes meet hers unafraid, yet conflicting emotions rock through his core like sea waves against safe harbors. “I will take as many of them as I can get until I cannot any longer.” He leans forward to kiss her softly before pulling back, his lips barely brushing against hers. “You know I am selfish when it comes to you, and I’ll not let you go without a fight.”

[phoenixtwin96]

If you play Skyrim and haven’t checked out the Gore companion mod, I highly recommend. Absolutely fell in love with his character. Lots of talent and love put into him. Here’s a machinima I made of him and my character experiencing Vigilant by Vicn. Another great mod.

Goredev, his creator actually created an integration addon for Gore to have his own dialogue and experience with Vigilant. You will see a good chunk of it in this video, so spoilers are ahead, you have been warned!

If you are wondering why Gore looks so different it is because I am using Eekie’s replacer! And Fuse’s hair.

[miraakulous-cloud-district]

This was supposed to be a fun Valentine's day tag game, but alas, I hadn't had the time to do it until now. Anyway, I found these cute make-your-ship games and I thought what better way to see what my friend's ships are than to make this tag game!

Doing this for WYGTYA and HOTHS, I'm gonna ramble about my ships from my fics for a little bit because I love them, but first, I'm tagging: @bougainvillea-and-saltwater @kiir-do-faal-rahhe @illumiera @thelavenderelf @dirty-bosmer @sheirukitriesfandom @bostoniangirl21 @nerevar-quote-and-star only if y'all want to, of course!💖 Also, to whoever else sees this and wished to participate, consider yourself tagged (and tag me in your post, I want to see everyone's ships!)

The links are as follows: F/M F/F M/M

First off, since WYGTYA was the first fic I started posting, it's only fair to start with the ships from there!

One the left, we have the Ravvyraak! She's making Miraak hold her lute because she wants to get another fancy goblet of booze, of course. She's probably teasing him and calling him a lightweight.

And on the right, we have Rumcurio! I haven't picked a background because I can really see Rumarin and Marcurio sneaking off into a dark corner to make out :)))) Maybe both ships are at the same party.

Do Fenrik/Miraak and Rumarin have the same haircut? Yes, but consider this: they got ready for the party together because they're besties, and ever since Chapter 10, Rumarin wants Fenrik to always braid his hair.

And here's a little bonus! My Nerevarine (the red-haired one) and her girlfriend, who is a great-aunt (adoptive) of Ravonna! She is the one who brought a literal emerald bar for the Tavern when the family business started in Blacklight, thus giving it the name "The Emerald Bar"! Aaaand, Ravvy's adoptive dad named her after this woman! I can never have enough Ravonnas, underused name tbh.

***

And now for the pirates that are rotting my brain (SPOILER WARNING FOR THE HOTHS SHIPS, I guess)

In order of appearance, we first have Rhaim, everyone's favourite werewolf, with Edward, this annoyingly competitive Nord that's really good at cooking and throwing knives. (the apple is a reference to a dumb line of dialogue that Rhaim says in the upcoming chapter!)

Up next we have Rajeena, skilled warrior, very well-trained, is used to the pirate life, and the crazy Breton named Iresette, who just got a taste of freedom and she realized that she's been starved of it for all her life. (These two haven't appeared yet, but the brainrot is too strong not to include them here)

I know this next one is basically the first ship that appears in HOTHS, but it's not really a canon ship and this is all I'll say on the matter. The redhead is Anne, the voice of reason, endlessly loyal to the woman who introduced her to piracy, which is none other than the captain herself, Signe! WYGTYA readers already know how important Signe is for the plot and which iconic Skyrim NPC she secretly is ;) ALSO, THE ONE-EYED CHARACTER DESIGN IS NOW MY FAVE SIGNE TRAIT!

[tinhatfangirl]

NECESSARY SPOILER WARNING

So I heard apparently soon one of the main 6 is gonna die?! At first I assumed "oh god its gonna be Angel" simply because thats how my luck runs. I get attached and have a favorite and they're the one who dies. (Spoilers for anyone whos never seen/played the following shows or games) Lavitz (legend of dragoon), Shadow (sonic...yes i know he came back but still), Yandu (guardians of the galaxy), Veezara (skyrim) to name a few of many.

But then i was told apparently theres gonna be a slowburn for Huskerdust so Angel and Husk are both probably safe.

That got me wondering who else it could be. If Husk and Angel are gonna slowburn to canon, theyre safe. I really dont think it could be Charlie or Alastor. Not that soon anyway. They're both too important to the plot. And Niffty I feel isnt important enough to the plot to kill off. That leaves one person. Vaggie.

A very crucial reveal was made about her that I wont mention due to not wanting to spread too many spoilers. But suffice to say that because of this reveal and some other things that were said/done, she unfortunately makes the most sense to me.

[hazardous-who]

Can i ask more abt ice and snow cuz the summary hasn't me hookedbut i love your writing so how is the plot ?(spoilers are fine)

I’ll try and answer this as best I can without spoilers, since I don’t want to ruin this for anyone in some way- but just as a warning to those reading “What You Think You Know, Among Ice and Snow,” scroll on past this if you care ! Or, read the fic here if you’re curious - > Click

⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️

Ultimately, it’s a fantasy adventure fic that of course has a large focus on the slow burn relationship that is Wizard!Kakashi and Demon!Obito. More than that, however, it’s a fic of self discovery that revolves around Kakashi. “What you think you know” stemming from being born and raised into a life where you think you know things, such as good and bad for instance, but being incredibly wrong. Finding yourself learning everything from square one and realizing, ‘Oh- I didn’t know anything.’ or even ‘I’ve done so much wrong without even knowing it until now.’

So you end up going through this story, learning the world with Kakashi while he personally unlearns things. Painting an unreliable narrative about the world, it’s people, it’s creatures, and it’s magic, but also watching how it changes.

It has a good portion of found family elements in it too, of course a little drama and violence ( I’m a sucker for a good fight, this is a fantasy fic, I’m gonna have my bloody fantasy fights 💕 ) but also a good dose of sugar and comedy is present. The main side characters are also heavily comprised of the Akatsuki and Rin too, as well as other familiar faces later on.

I’m a huge nerd when it comes to the fantasy genre, so there’s a lot of world-building in this fic I’ll warn. Things that may be well known to some people, new to others, or a new twist I’m putting on things, affecting things such as spirits and monsters, potions, weather, biomes, flora and fauna, and so much more. There’s also a whole magic system that’s a bit of a mess to get into, but is explained carefully throughout the story slowly but surely.

With fantasy, I’m a big fan of all sorts of things from The Hobbit/Lord of the Rings, Dungeons and Dragons, various games such as World of Warcraft or Skyrim and PLENTY of other media, so if you’re also an enjoyer of such things, you’ll probably get a sense of familiarity with this fic while also being introduced to a lot of new things. At least, that’s what I hope- though I’m trying to craft my own world without too much influence from others.

I hope this is a sufficient enough answer for you ! If there’s anything more specific you’d like to ask, you know where to find me.

[rurpleplayssims]

[ridreamir]

My grief addled heart wanting to draw parallels between Dagoth Ur and the Nerevarine to the Last Dragonborn and Nebarra... This is overly complicated I understand if you don't want to read it lol

Warning: Some Morrowind and Skyrim spoilers/ lore ahead, mumbo jumbo I'm sorry if I'm not making sense. Same for Nebarra's backstory but the spoilers are very vague.

Nebarra, descended from the true Aldmer, potentially mixed somewhere along the way with the last of the true Chimer.

(The Chimer: Dagoth Ur's and Nerevar's extinct race, closely descended from the Aldmer) that could account for Nebarra's so called 'racial impurities'. The irony there being he'd have a close genetic link to the original Aldmer that the modern Altmer wish to emulate. (The Chimer were cursed by the Daedric Prince Azura and are now modern day dark elves, but they used to look like Altmer with fair hair and skin.) His quest is rooted in Solstheim. Maybe his soul is called to the Heart of Lorhkan still. Maybe it still longs for their past lives in Morrowind. The Last Dragonborn, bloodline unclear or sullied in reincarnation like the Nerevarine. Given a bad lot in life. Always the toy of higher powers.

They are both ill-fated individuals, reincarnations. The Dragonborn containing the essence of 'divine' dragonblood. Perhaps Neverar was also a dragon-hearted individual, drawing parallels to the divine heart of Lorhkan that corrupted Dagoth Ur. Much to do with hearts which pump blood, and divinity.

Many mortal incarnations that come in times of great strife.

The previous outside lover that prevents the two souls from connecting, once Nerevar's wife the betrayer, then Nebarra's grief-stricken heart who lost his first love to a tragic death. Again the parallel of the broken and betrayed hearts. Big emphasis on hearts here.

The parallels aren't a perfect one to one but all the elements are there. Mortals desperately wishing to return to divinity. Reincarnation. Betrayal, death, obstacles. Man and Mer. Lorhkan as a good and evil force. A betrayer. A life giver.

The accursed realms of Mundus and themes of the dead rising to life. What if this has been the tragic love story (friendship? Longing?) of two souls fragmented from before the world of man and mer, meant to incarnate and find each other again and again? Aspects of the dead divines now incarnated to haunt the divine corpse of Lorhkan that is now the Earth they walk on?

Same seeds, different soil. Different times, different places. Same souls, different bodies. The horrific part about this is that they're always separated. Sometimes not even born together or surviving long enough to find one another. In the tragic one in a million chance they do, often they'll eventually have to wrench themselves from the other in order to fulfill a prophecy and sacrifice themselves by the will of the divines (or the daedric lords as their toy puppets.) The Aedra are dead. You are in spirit the whispers of their corrupted dream. In flesh, he as an Altmer is what has become of their blood. Two halves of the same coin. Mortality and Divinity.

I could really stetch this so far, but I see how I'm kind of dragging Nebarra out of his intended role. Just an AU thing I thought of. You could technically place anyone in his role but I wanted to write more Nebarra content lol

I could definitely write a quest that hints to past lives forgotton and the karma/shared fates of these two tortured beings as a romance storyline if we're being honest here. Big emphasis on broken hearts.

They are so sad and love each other your honor.

[oblivions-dawn]

im inviting you to ramble so hard <3333

You know what FUCK IT. I'm going to ramble about their kiss! If you're not caught up YEAH THEY KISS! IT'S TRUE!! But when? At what cost?? Well. Guess that's for me and those of us caught up to know and you to read and find out eh

But anyway that's your warning for me talking about spoilers regarding my Skyrim fanfiction because I. I just need to talk about it I NEED! I MUST!!

Because--as some of you know--it happens from Serana's point of view. We get an idea of what she's feeling in that moment, but what about Vigdis? Sure, we read about her thinking back on it in the next chapter . . . but we don't actually know. And she gave so much of it away in what probably comes across as insignificant to most:

Bushy red brows knit together as if pained, and Vigdis clumsily shifted back towards her. “Serana—”

She turned towards Serana. She started off with her back towards her, not looking at her, drinking her fucking sanity away. YET . . . when Serana shows that she's angry, that she's had enough, that she's not going to back down . . . . .

Vigdis faces her.

It's important if you've read it because you already know that Vigdis had spent all of this running away--from her past, from herself, from Serana, from her fate. This is really the first time that she stops fucking running. And it's so fucking important that the first thing she finally stops and faces is Serana herself, the vampire she tried so fucking hard to hate, who has been with her through so much fucking bullshit DESPITE that. Not to mention the fact that Vigdis here looks pained. YES that is purposeful and YES she IS hurt. Serana's words have cut her--upset her. And Vigdis sort of knows in this moment that her pushing Serana away has ultimately hurt her, too. But when you're a monster, you convince yourself that you're not worthy of love, and in Vigdis' case, she's utterly terrified of repeating the same fate--of the possibility that Serana will meet the same end as her father if she even dares to love her. Which is why her nightmares have shifted, why she's that much more adamant to shove Serana away, even if it ultimately just . . . lead to a much worse outcome.

Did it take pure alcohol and being fed up with Delphine to get her there YEAH but. You know. It also took the next morning and murder for her to figure out that she's repeating history by running away because you can only delay shit for so long and delaying makes everything worse. Because Vigdis, at some point, fell in love, and there's no turning back. Not for her.

Anyway thank ye for inviting me to incoherently scream ramble. I love my girls and I truly don't talk about them enough out of fear of spoiling things for my fic and people being upset but you know what THIS IS MY BLOG and I'm the Empress of Virana I CAN DO WHATEVER I WANT

[lethalknight]

Ethan Landry headcanons!

some general ethan headcanons, probably pre ghostface stuff, no spoilers!

i love my nerdy dork

warnings: none! all fluff

-he is oblivious but he really wishes he was not

-ethan is a gamer we all know it

-saw someone say he plays dark souls and i know damn well he does

-i could imagine ethan playing skyrim, resident evil, zelda, the last of us, the walking dead, detroit become human, final fantasy, pokémon etc.

-he has definitely played all the zelda games

-i can't imagine him playing competitive shooting games though

-for multiplayer games, he would always play with chad or get chad to play other games

-LOVES going to the arcade

-is a god at dance dance revolution

-his ddr partner is tara and they go all out!!!!

-sometimes a small crowd would gather to watch them

-nerd

-insanely in love with marvel, dc, and star wars (including the comics)

-other comics (or shows based from comics) i think he'd be into are invincible and the walking dead

-obviously collects comics

-collect other merchandise from those franchises and series

-collects figurines and funko pops

-since jack said he has adhd (like me) i want to add that to ethan!!

-absolutely loves it when he gets to talk/rant about his hyperfixations

-has a lot of "well actually ☝️" moments that their friend group, especially mindy, find very annoying

-he goes to the gym with chad, usually in the morning

-he was really close with quinn but when they started college, they kind of drifted but every now and then they would hang out

-chad and quinn always try to get ethan to try and talk to new people in hopes of getting into a relationship

-chad's his wingman, always hyping him up

-at times, girls (and boys) go up to ethan but he screws up a lot and makes a bad impression on them

-ethan does not like going to frat parties much, but figures he go to some anyway for the sake of "living up to the expectation" of his fellow peers and age group

-other times he'll go if chad and the gang are going

-and when he does attend frat parties, he doesn't drink or is at least sober because he knows he'll be the one driving his friends home

-a small hobby of his is drawing

-likes drawing art of characters from shows and series he likes

-as oblivious as he may be, if any of the girls need to talk to someone, they would go to ethan

-not for advice or anything, but just for someone to listen

-he isn't the best with words but through acts of kindness and reassurance, he tries to be there for his friends

-ethan also tries to be understanding when his friends are venting or going through something

-prefers math over english classes, he is good in his english classes but he finds math more interesting and easier

-loves building and collecting legos

-mostly collects star wars lego sets

-sometimes him and chad will build legos together as they talk or watch tv

-can actually cook, he's decent at it

-after a rough interaction with a girl that he tried to talk to, ethan felt self conscious about the way he dressed

-went to mindy and anika for help

-honestly he dresses pretty decently but occasionally he will wear a really nice outfit he liked when mindy and anika took him shopping

-when he's feeling down and needs someone to talk to, he usually goes to chad, quinn, or sam

-he has a hard time being vulnerable in front of people, even his friends

-but he's glad that his friends always assure him that they're there for him like he is for them

-is unintentionally funny

-on halloween he ALWAYS goes all out

-growing up he used to always match with quinn or richie

-but as they got older, both quinn and richie stopped dressing up with ethan :(

-really wants to go trick or treating but thought it was weird if he wasn't with a little sibling or relative to be with

-he stopped trick or treating after high school, thinking that people who gave out candy would think it's odd for someone his age to trick or treating

-i could see him collecting mixtapes, dvds, and vhs tapes

-into film and cinema in general

-either he tries to comment on stuff when watching movies or analyzes it all in his head (could make a whole essay about it if he wanted to)

-uses letterboxd

-ethan and mindy like talking about film and usually like to defend their opinions about it

-can binge watch a lot of movies or shows without getting burnt out

-although quinn and ethan are siblings, i can see mindy and ethan fighting like siblings do

that's all the headcanons i have for now! i am most likely going to make another one at some point. hope you all enjoyed this :)

[starwriterulia]

Tomb of the Goshenite Stargazer Dragon - Chapter 2

SUBJECT MATERIAL WARNINGS FOR THIS FANFICTION ARE INCLUDED IN THE MASTERLIST POST OF MY BLOG AND THE FIRST CHAPTER OF THIS FANFICTION.

Bat dividers by @violetbudd

Creator support banner by @cafekitsune

Latest revision: August 18, 2024. Added "Support your creators by reblogging" banner. Added ⏭️ emoji below end of chapter banner with text explaining its function as a navigational button.

Fandoms: DC Comics, Batfamily, no Batcest, Thalassic Space (OC; takes inspiration The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Assassin's Creed: Black Flag, Silent Hill 2, Silent Hill 3, and other sci-fi, fantasy and horror titles, as well as original concepts, such as the science and lore of the galaxy.)

Chapter Summary: Faith tells more lore to Batman and Robin, and a bit more about herself to the group chat.

[In order of appearance] Characters: Faith Lawson (TBA; self-insert), Bruce Wayne (Batman), Damian Wayne (Robin), Tim Drake (Red Robin), Barbara Gordon (Batgirl), Stephanie Brown (The Spoiler) Dick Grayson (Nightwing).

Word Count: 6744 8381 (July 30 revision) 8303 (August 10 revision)

Content warnings: N/A, unless I've forgotten something while transferring and adding lore. Let me know if I did!

Chapter 1 - Chapter 2 - Chapter 3

"You've got nice, big beds, eh?" Faith said, lifting the blankets and climbing into the bed. Hawkman and Hawkwoman had left the room, leaving Martian Manhunter to sit in front of the monitor to listen.

"Of course." Batman brought the wastebin next to the bed, then sat on the bed while Faith made herself comfortable with the pillows, putting one under her chest.

"I've only got a twin. My apartment is small. One bed, one bath, shared living and dining room with a connected kitchen."

"You live by yourself?"

"Yeah. I have work on Monday."

"Uh-oh."

“It should be fine?” Faith squinted her eyes. "There’s a Scripted event in that, if I leave Earth due to summoning or forced departure to another galaxy, such as Thalassic Space or this galaxy, I duplicate myself once so that I may continue life on Earth. But it might not happen. It's a Suggested Script, really. Not sure if it makes sense, so it’s not confirmed."

"What would it take for it to be confirmed?"

"You could comment on that part under the Unconfirmed Ideas heading of the Thalassic Space Planning document, saying it sounds fine, then I'll move it to its appropriate heading and mark your comment as resolved, and remove your comment. In this case, the heading is About the Great Little Starwriter. Here, I’ll share the TSRPG app with you, send you a friend request, and then a link to the document. It's encrypted and protected by another muse child, Chandra, whose mother is Calliope and father is Michael. Her Dragon Persona is part Android, SOFFFIAA: Simulacra of Friendship for Future Insight and Aspirations. Sophia, spelled with ph, is also the name of one of the Four Legendary Unicorns, and yes, Chandra is the type of person Sophia favours and allows to ride on her." Batman hummed. Faith woke up her phone and did some tapping. "Accept the download, please." Batman looked at his glove.

Thalassic Space Roleplaying Game would like access to your device.

Decline – Accept

"The loading screen of the app will explain its purpose. You can delete it at any time like you would any other mobile app, and you can share it with anyone through the Share button via your Profile with a QR code or device sharing, like I did with you. You’ll have access to all publicly known lore of the galaxy, and what isn’t there is in the Planning Document. You can see the Profiles of your Friends at their respective tab, and review their Health, Magic, Equipment, Status, Abilities, Skills, Personas and Soul Fragments, if any of the latter four Assets are applicable or known to you or your Friends."

"Alright." Batman selected Accept. The download and installation required three seconds. The app's icon was an eight-coloured sigil Batman had never seen before.

Four thick black circles forming a vertical number eight and a horizontal number eight, joined to create four angular teardrop shapes, perhaps better described as leaves, morphing the outward sections of the eights into fan shapes. The upper half of the vertical eight was sky blue, the lower half white; the left half of the horizontal eight was yellow, the right half red. The upper left leaf was emerald green, the upper left peacock or mermaid blue; Batman wasn't one hundred percent sure. The lower left leaf was ice blue, and the lower right leaf was a light red.

"That was very fast." Batman said.

"You don't sleep, and you're at peak physical and mental condition. It was fast for me when Ra's and I were in Platonia because I registered when I started lucid dreaming in the dream world of Thalassic Space at fourteen."

Batman opened the app. The loading screen, seen for ten seconds, displayed a white-blue O-type star that rotated, surrounded by magic circles depicting religious symbols. A blue lotus, a red eternity knot, a purple oak tree, an orange bolt of lightning, a golden eye of Ra, a blue David’s star, a red sigil of Baphomet, and the eight-coloured sigil. The title, in white-blue, read Thalassic Space Roleplaying Game and below it, in white, read:

Serving citizens and visitors with memories and immersive gameplay in the galaxy created post-mortem of "Tony" Richard Lawson in November 2021 by his adoptive daughter, Faith Lawson, the mortal name and memory-bearing soul of the Author of Thalassic Space.

Faith is revered as Ønske Ulia Χαμένος (Chaménos), daughter of Skuld and Víðarr, fostered by Frejya and Freyr, and mentored by Urania and Uriel. Faith, through Ulia, is the Great Little Starwriter of Thalassic Space, and Playwright of the Rondo Theatre in the Dream World on Paper, the dream world of Thalassic Space.

Connection is possible thanks to your knowledge or introduction to the dream world’s mechanics and lore, Thalassic Space’s history, and intention to participate in adventures in the dream world and-or Thalassic Space.

Batman noted the loading was taking longer than the installation.

Verifying files…

Registering user's memory-bearing soul to Santa Claus' Snow Globe Room…

Registering user's magic-bearing spirit or lack thereof to the libraries of the pantheons…

Registering user's physique and attributes…

Creating a personalised Room for user at the Pàrras VLFS Hospital and Hotel…

The app made three jingle bell sounds. Batman was presented with a 3D room suited to his aesthetics with a two-screen monitor computer on a desk, a queen-sized bed, a nightstand, a wardrobe, a vanity desk, a bathroom, and a door with the label (HOLD 3s) Leave planet; Go to Pàrras, planet Youtrnaeyl beneath it. The black UI in the bottom of the screen said Room, Map, Journal, Friends and Party in white text. A pictograph of a camera with a label in white below was at the upper right of the screen. The upper left had a white letter B on a black background for his profile photo. Batman was written above a green bar that read HEALTH that was almost full, a bar beneath that read MAGIC that was a greyish blue and had the words DISABLED at its right end.

"Are you in?" Faith asked.

"Yeah."

"OK, I’ll send a friend request."

Batman received a green notification banner on the app.

Ulia Χαμένος has sent a Friend request! <TAP TO GO>

"Feel free to explore your Profile and App Settings. For example, if you don't want jingle bells, you can change the ringtone, or set it to different levels of vibration, or a tickling sensation on your hand, nose or neck. Your Foes list shouldn't have any information you don’t know to be true. If it does, report it, and SOFFFIAA will purge it, so a paradox doesn’t occur."

Batman tapped the notification and was sent to the Friend Request screen of the Friends tab. He accepted Faith’s request, then backed out. He was in his Profile tab, showing his Health points were 480, 000; a question mark at its right end. Batman tapped it, and the pop-up read:

HEALTH is calculated by multiplying the user's age by 100 thousand, if human and non-magical, 150 thousand if human and magical, 200 thousand if non-human and non-magical, 250 thousand if non-human and magical, plus 1 million per decade if immortal or demi-immortal via demi-demonhood or demi-godhood.

"You came up with all of this too, right?" Batman said, as the game jingled and showed a notification.

Ulia Χαμένος has sent a message. <TAP TO GO>

"Yeah! The logic is supposed to be solid, like well-made video game worlds are." Faith said, while Batman clicked the link. "There's no password, for now."

"Thanks. I'll help you make a password later. But yes, just reading how Health works shows how much thought has been put into this."

"Thank you. You can use your Journal to view your life story as described by an angel, and you can search by date. If you have questions and are uncomfortable with talking to SOFFFIAA, but I'm not nearby, shoot me a message. If you'd prefer to not use the app or it's down for weekly server maintenance for an hour on Sundays at noon PST, my phone number is 778 [XXX-XXXX]."

"Will do. Thanks, Faith."

"You’re welcome!" Faith held her finger down, tapped, exited the app, and clicked to turn off her phone.

Batman’s TSRPG gave him a notification, and he opened the respective document. "By the way, your email for this is hilarious. I know it’s just a bunch of numbers, letters and symbols, but I can’t look at it without thinking how Matt Rose would read it, full send."

"Who’s that?"

"A YouTuber who reads Reddit. He’s British, so it's funnier." Faith started coughing. She heaved and swallowed. "Ew."

"What was the last thing you ate?"

"I tried to eat a banana and apple sauce. Threw it up earlier. Tastes sweet.'

"Lovely."

"I know, right?" Faith giggled.

"I have your tea, Faith." Damian said, not wearing his mask, entering with a teacup and putting it on the nightstand. "It's hot, so be careful."

"Thank you, Damian."

"You’re welcome."

Batman asked, "Faith, what's the eight-coloured sigil?"

"The Double Eight of Thalassic Space. It tells the story of the O-type star's spirit. The white and blue spheres are for the O-type star, and the yellow and red for the G- and M-type stars. The inner leaves are for factions and locations involved in the story: emerald for the Emerald Thieves, who were the elite of the Thieves Guild and returned to greatness during the main novel, mermaid sapphire blue for the merfolk of Thalassic Space, who were corrupted by Nero Poseidon through Nero Dionysus and became the only known sirens in Thalassic Space, ice blue for the Ninth Circle of Inferno, as Lucifer was the one who told Nerobzal about the Door to Platonia and as a reminder of the evil that Kaleido wished to release, and blush red for the blood of the anthropomorphs of Thalassic Space. It's blush red instead of blood to evoke thoughts of gentleness and love after the struggles they faced." Faith said, and picked up the teacup, blowing on its tea. "Any other lore related questions?"

"Where do the Departed come from? You told the ones who were harassing Ra's to return to the Underside."

"Well, then I must explain a Soul Bridge, which Dreamer Mages can access, and sometimes the owner of the Soul Bridge in dreams can too. It's a soul-bound Landmark in the Dream World on Paper, which I think you've the name of heard before." Faith sipped the tea.

"Yes." Said Batman. "Just the name, though."

"It's named so because I had a dream where I saw that I had drawn a simplified version of the three areas of the dream world on paper I had glued to coloured construction paper as a kid, and it blew my friggin' mind." Faith giggled.

"That's cool." Damian said, not doing so well in hiding the tone that showed how he actually felt.

"These areas are: a desert with mountains where there's mines, Egyptian ruins and a massive sinkhole in the dunes, a forested mountainous island with a dojo surrounded by an ocean, and a town with a city within a short distance that is actually Vanderhoof and Prince George, surrounded by a forest." Faith sipped. "Neo Spirits hang from the Suspensions of a Soul Bridge and whisper, speak or sing to the High Mind part of the subconscious, the sky of the dream world, to remind us of dreams, self-love, and good memories, all to make us smile and improve our quality of life. Nero Spirits cling to the Underside of a Soul Bridge and snarl, shout or scream to the Low Mind part of the subconscious to induce of nightmares, such as panic attacks, self-hatred, which can be expressed in many ways, and bad memories, which come from experiences related to the former two aspects." Faith sipped again.

"In the waking world of Thalassic Space, the army of Nero Spirits include the undead, which can take the form of draugr or zombies, and evil vampires, werewolves and sirens, though the latter is quite rare, and I don't think Urania mentioned them as a result. They only appeared because of Nero Dionysus, and they weren't around for long after the events of the main novel." Faith sipped. "Nero Spirits have neon red, orange eyes or yellow to evoke the imagery of fire. If they're toxic, their eyes are neon green, neon blue means electricity, neon purple means corruption of mind and decay of body, and neon pink means nightmares."

"Neo Spirits have pastel, jewel or earth-tone eyes, and depending on what the narration describes that colour as, you can associate the meaning of that rock or plant as relevant to the purpose and sometimes the personality of a Neo Spirit." Faith sipped more. "Both are bound to a Soul Bridge but can be seen in dreams or nightmares, and Neo Spirits can be summoned to the 28 Mansions to provide a source of comfort to a person when they've passed on, and Nero Spirits can be manifested, which is terrible news. Ask me about that later, unless I bring it up naturally through more exposition."

"Will do." Said Batman.

"Any other questions?"

Damian said, "Yeah. Why did you spare Grandfather?"

“If I killed him, he would fight his way out of Inferno, and from Mansion 0 and the 28 Mansions of the Four Symbols of Chinese astrology learn about the existence of the Earth-ruining events he so desperately wants and of the nearest reincarnation Realm, the Realm of Tree Peoples." Faith sipped. "Bartholomew, or maybe Krampus, would seek Ra's and promote him to General, giving Ra's permission to command Nerobzal's army. Ra's would bring them back here, occupy all the heroes, and then, all he would need to do to trigger Red Storm Earth is to cut me with my tooth and dagger, stuff my necklace down my throat or injure my throat with it, and have me fall to my death from at least three stories onto a cluster of manmade or natural spikes and thorns, a death vaguely reminiscent of Sailor Venus from the first season of Sailor Moon. 'Cause you know I gotta shout out the O.M.G." Faith giggled, and sipped.

"Nice." Said Damian. "Uh, nice reference."

"During Red Storm Earth, the 200 Fallen Angels are released from Dudael to kill, burn and rape humans and animals as they please while a rainstorm of black clouds with neon red lightning pours down at all times, and the movement of the Fallen Angels will create hurricanes, tornadoes, tsunamis and hurricanes. It will last for two days, and then Yahweh will send a massive, fiery planet to reset Earth to the beginning of the first day, but everyone will remember what happened." Faith sipped. "It can be stopped if the Four Legendary Unicorns are summoned from Thalassic Space, their Earthly riders win a race against the Wild Hunt, and brought to resurrect me. They are Bella, who is white with gold in her mane and tail and golden hooves, and she loves people with childish joy and love in their hearts who have forgiven themselves and others who have wronged them and those they love; Sophia, who is a dark liver chestnut with a light chestnut mane and tail with silver hooves, and she loves people who are wise about Earth, oceans and space, and who wish to spread that knowledge and sow inspiration to create a healthier world with the world and our neighbours; Pärla, who is baby blue eyed, her body pearl pink and her mane and tail lavender, is fond of magical people who use their gifts to help others, especially fairies and demigods; last is the stallion, Bedöma, who is black with orange eyes, and a red mane and tail alight with yellow lightning, and he allows heroic people who have never killed a god or fairy or the child of a god or fairy to ride him, but will deny people who have never saved a life."

"If the Four are gathered and I am resurrected in time, the day or days will reverse as if Yahweh had cast the fiery planet onto Earth, saving lives and the planet." Faith said. Batman hummed. "There's a second catastrophe he could cause, but the people in the 28 Mansions would only tell him about Red Storm Earth. Ra's could only find out about the Invitation of Nerobzal from Bartholomew or Krampus."

"Tell us about the Invitation of Nerobzal."

Faith nodded as she sipped. "So, I live as my Ego, as do all people. This is equivalent to a Neo Persona. We all also have a Nero Persona. While Neo Spirits and Nero Spirits are from the Suspensions and Underside of a Soul Bridge, our Neo and Nero Personas are Roles that we can each assume. Like you, as Batman and Robin, are Neo Personas, but Zur-En-Arrh and Robin before you properly settled into the Batfamily, no offense," Damian grunted. "Are examples of Nero Personas."

"These can be dangerous on their own, but at times aren't nearly as dangerous as manifested Nero Spirits. Manifested Neo Spirits are not an issue, unless you're an angel, in which case you expose people to your real form and voice, and that'll fry people's brains and kill them." Faith sipped. "Manifested Nero Spirits torment people’s minds, and their bodies react with seizures or possession by the Nero Spirit, and the possessed may injure themselves or become paralysed and vulnerable to a dark sorcerer, demon, or the manifested Nero Spirit. They’re dangerous, even to gods."

"A Nero Spirit can be manifested by a dark sorcerer through a ritual in which eight buildings containing at least eighty people are set ablaze with the blue fire of Naglfar." Faith sipped. "As the fire kills people, so does the newly spawned Nest of Naamah and its insect demons, which can quickly spread to other buildings if the windows and doors are not sealed or covered by fire. Drown the insect demons with boiling saltwater or burn them until they and the Nest are eliminated. Red fire reminds the demons of the volcano from which Father Dragon was made by the seraphim, and it's not blue, so it does not count towards the fire of the Naglfar. If the insect demons have Nested in a person, death by boiling saltwater or fire is the only mercy and way to prevent further reproduction of the Nest."

"Ew, they nest in people?" Said Damian.

"Uh, think of the fetish. It's like that."

"Ew!"

"Yeah, it felt right to make that creative decision, sorry." Faith sipped.

"No, uh, yeah, it works."

"If the Naglfar fire is not extinguished before the last person in the eight buildings dies, Nerobzal will rise from the ashes of the buildings and laugh, repeating the insanity that Earth felt when he laughed at Emperor Nero’s death. To return Nerobzal to Sagittarius A*, where he was banished to be torn apart for eternity at the end of the main novel, the archangels Michael, Gabriel, Raphael and Uriel and the muses they each bore a child with must be summoned by a Jewish man of pure heart, whoi is brave, kind and masculine in all ways applicable to the definition of a man under the eyes of God across all eras of mankind,"

'I immediately know who she thought of, when writing this.' Batman thought.

"And a cultist of Asherah must be present as well. " Faith sipped. "The Jew and the cultitst must each throw a spear, the Jew of lightning and the cultist of ice, into the eyes of Nerobzal. Blinded and frozen by the power of God and Asherah, Nerobzal will retreat for five years, and be unable to be summoned during that time. It’s also written that the person responsible for the ritual will be punished by the archangels, and made to forget all that they know about that night, and all knowledge of Thalassic Space."

"Ah, so that's your plan to remove Ra's' knowledge, as we all know he won't agree to the Departed taking it from him."

"Yes." Faith sighed, and sipped. "I'm sorry, I-I can make another that isn't a disaster, if I have an Editor. Proper noun, he he. Same with words like Landmark, uh, well, you're Batman, you get the idea."

"I do, yeah. Do you have any other ideas to get this out of Ra's' head?"

"Well, I am a wish-granting creation dragon. I dunno if Urania or I told you that, already."

"No, that's actually new information."

"Oh! Well, I accept gifts."

"What gifts do you, sorry, does your Dragon Persona like?"

"Rocks, gemstones, flowers, seeds and saplings, and traditional, performance and digital art."

Batman hummed. "Are you in danger of being killed by Bartholomew again, now that your dragon powers have returned?"

“No, Ra's is the only danger. Bartholomew only wanted to kill me because he's transphobic, and I was with Argophael when he found Argophael."

Damian asked, "Why did you chose to write a story like that?"

"Because too many trans people have died because of awful people, and in fantasy and horror, we get to emphasise and explore different ways to express history and emotions." Faith said. Damian and Batman hummed. "Oh yeah, I should say: if Ra's doesn't want to bother with Platonia, he could travel to Andøya, Norway to find and solve the hidden puzzle to reveal the door to my dragon tomb that the Snow Elves and Astral Giant Elves will have arranged by now. Planet Yotutrnaeyl is just a bigger Earth with magic islands, after all."

Batman asked, "What are the Departed going do with your hair and blood that you gave them?"

"They’ll give to Analise, one of the twin girls of Krampus, to advance Odeya’s strength. She's not evil, she's just a biology girl."

Damian said, "Soooo, what are you going to do when you're not sick?"

"I'll use Platonia after I’m done being sick to get my other Relics and my Costume, unless you want to take me to Norway."

"We'll go to Norway." Batman said.

"Sweet, OK!"

Batman hummed. "You should be proud of Thalassic Space. It's really well done, Faith."

"Yeah, it's really cool." Said Damian.

"Thank you!"

Batman said, "You should try to sleep. I'll read over what’s available in TSRPG and your planning document."

"OK! Goodnight, Bruce. Goodnight to you too, Damian."

"Goodnight, Faith." Batman patted the blanket where her right arm was, then rose and walked to turn off the light.

"Goodnight." Damian said, leaving with his father. Batman closed the door.

"Do you want the app too, so you can read?"

"Sure." Batman interacted with his gauntlet, sending the app to Damian. "Thanks."

"You’re welcome. I'm going to read in the drawing room. I might have a conversation with Watchtower, while I'm in there."

"OK. I’ll be in my bedroom."

"Oh, and you can tell the others about our new member."

"Already?"

"Why do you think she’s unsuitable?"

Two second pause. "You have me there. I have nothing against her."

"Thank you."

"I will add her in the group chat, as well."

"Good idea. Thank you, Damian." Batman said, as Damian reopened the door of the guest bedroom.

"Sorry to bother you."

"No, no, it's fine. What's up?"

"What's your phone number? I'd like to add you to the group chat." Faith gasped with a smile. She repeated her phone number. "Thanks." Faith nodded.

"Um, what's the WiFi name and password? I like to listen to ocean ambience to sleep."

"VKR3L17WE is the name, and TREACLE0743, all caps, no spaces, is the password. That’s T-R-E-A-C-L-E, 0743."

"Thank you."

"Mhm. If you need anything, just text me or Father." Damian told Faith their phone numbers.

"Thank you so much."

"You’re welcome. And don't worry about making a mess. You're sick. You're allowed to be gross." Faith smiled a little. "I will brief the others on what's happened. You can say whatever else you'd like, after that, OK?"

"OK!" Faith said. Damian exited, went to his bedroom, and closed the door. He took off his costume and put on a comfortable shirt and pants. He opened the Batfamily group chat and added Faith to the group.

Damian added Faith Lawson (StarwriterUlia) to the group.

Faith Lawson (StarwriterUlia) changed their display name to Faith.

Damian: Everyone, meet Faith from Earth-33. Grandfather had a naughty dream and wanted her body and power and brought her to Father's mansion to taunt Father, but he cut himself with Faith's dragon tooth so Faith had to come along.

Damian: Some ghouls called Departed seized Grandfather and put him in a room of the domain that Grandfather and Faith used to travel from Earth-33 to here. The Departed harassed him while Faith and Father talked.

Faith: *Room, Domain. Sorry, author things, proper nouns need to be capitalised.

Damian: Yes, thank you.

Damian: Faith opened the door and requested for Platonia to show Grandfather. Faith told him to back off or face her full power later, and that a Departed would come to him after a week of nightmares and offer to take his memories and knowledge of Thalassic Space.

Damian: He won't agree, of course.

Tim: Yeah, no.

Faith: Aaaa, hi!

Tim: Hi Faith, welcome to the Batfam 😇👋

Faith: Thank you!

Faith: But yeah, and because he's a demon, he could not only use Platonia again, the Departed and Umbrella Man will just ignore him. He could go to Mansion 0 and any of the 28 Mansions of the Four Symbols of Chinese astrology, the afterlife of the people of Thalassic Space that has many doors to the afterlife Realms of the real religions that have magic circles surrounding the O-type star of the galaxy, protecting its planets from its massive heat and magic output, and find out about Red Storm Earth and the Invitation of Nerobzal.

Tim: Umbrella Man?

Faith: Do you know the TF2 ARG Project Skybox?

Tim: Oh! Yep.

Faith: Ra's isn’t considered an interloper now. I didn't mention this to Batman, but Ra's was attacked because he *was* an interloper until it realised he was a demon.

Damian: Father will read this too, don't worry.

Faith: OK!

Faith: Anyway, Platonia won't try to devour him again.

Tim: I'm sorry, what's Platonia?

Faith: It's the Navidson hallway from House of Leaves, defined as Julian Barbour's platonia. You summon a Door to Platonia with the door opening ritual seen in MyHouse.wad.

Tim: Ooooh, that's so cool!

Faith: Thanks, I’ve been working on Thalassic Space for four years.

Faith: Ra's could learn everything the public knows and the history of Thalassic Space and me, and the closest Realm in the world of the living is the Realm of Tree Peoples. Bartholomew or Krampus would gladly promote Ra’s to General upon meeting during Ra’s would-be trail of destruction in the Realm of Tree Peoples. Bartholomew is the Ebony Giant Elf who murdered my Dragon Persona, the Goshenite Stargazer Dragon, and my Animus/lover, a trans boy named Argophael who was Bartholomew's eldest triplet and fled from home because of his dad.

Tim: Bartholomew sounds like an evil wizard LOL

Tim: Is Santa evil too?

Faith: Oh yes, he’s a pirate warlock with a serrated black sword of blue Hell fire. That’s what he killed us with, as we enjoyed the night life of the Carnival of Seasons, on the Realm of Tree Peoples. He mutilated our bodies as we died, and he raped me. The Carnival is between the Stretch of Heart, the forest where the Oak Dwarves, Spruce Humans and anthropomorphs people suitable for the forest live, and White Sun Harbour, where Fir Elves and fish-anthros live. Astral Elves and Snow elves live in the villages around the Pivot Day Monastery, the Domain where the Astral and Ebony Giant Elves live.

Tim: Wow, this lore is SO GOOD!? 😮

Faith: Also, no, Santa is an Astral Giant Elf, not an Ebony Giant Elf; he's the good one of Nerobzal's sons. Bartholomew and Krampus are the other, older two. Nerobzal is the big bad evil of Thalassic Space. At least, in the Script. Backstage at the Rondo Theatre, where I'm the Playwright, he's just an Actor, like everyone else who's named in Thalassic Space who isn't a deity or demon.

Damian: OK *that's* an important detail you should have mentioned earlier. Urania didn't say that, either.

Faith: Sorry, it's so easy to get carried away with my own toys!😛 It's a blessing if a chapter for anything I write is less than 20 pages LOL

Tim: LOL

Faith: Nerobzal was Erophael, a Court Fool of Yahweh, until Emperor Nero off'd himself, then Erophael laughed so loudly that all living things went nuts for five seconds until Yahweh cast him out of Paradiso. Oh shit, I forgot to tell this part of the lore, aaaaa, but Yahweh had also been affected! Michael stuffed that malice into Nerobzal's throat, literally, so Yahweh's OK now, but still.

Tim: Oh geez!

Faith: Michael stuffing Nerobzal's throat is where the Siren's Knot comes from. If a siren has a Siren's Knot in their throat, they can't sing or talk well, even in Neofom or Nerobzal, and are more likely to choke to death. Sirens are characterised by yellow eyes and a tail belonging to any fish that is unfriendly or toxic, manages to leave the hive, always bulit in or nearby the den of a sea monster, such as those on planet Bafsina (bahf-sin-uh; means 'basin' in Neofom, the language of Neo Spirits, who are friendly, unlike Nero Spirits; both come from Soul Bridges. OH GOD, LATER, OOPS. SAME WITH THE NAMES OF THALASSIC SPACE'S SIX PLANETS. Also yes, Damian, there are three more planets! They were created by the massive amount of magic used in the Third War for the O-star Spirit, and they are Judge, Little Path and Sia; Tim, the original six are Yotutrnaeyl, meaning 'journey', Bafsina, and Grace, the *OG* of the entire series that I made before my adoptive dad died, motivating me to make 8all of this* LOL)

Tim: LOL, "OH GOD, LATER, OOPS". Also, thanks for the quick lore drop this time around!

Faith: I girlbossed too hard with the lore in four years LOL

Tim: LOL

Barbara: Are there unicorns and pegasi in Thalassic Space?😮

Faith: OMG hi!

Barbara: Hi there! Welcome! 🥰💖

Tim: Tell us about Soul Bridges, while you're at it!

Faith: OK!

Faith: The Sanctuary of Gla’si’ (Glass, in Neofom, the language of Neo Spirits; Nerobzal is both the name a character and the language of the Nero Spirits), on the Realm of Album. Thanks to the formation of the Oracles, the twelve most powerful Dreamer Mages from different universities on the original three planets of Thalassic Space, the population's questions of how the body is able to or unable to use magic from the O-type star and Sagittarius A* was finally answered. The names of magic in Thalassic Space are Elevifeb, unscrambled as 'believe' and 'belief', in reference to what a person believes in, be it themselves, their family and-or friends, and belief being a more divine-centric term for a person's faith; good, solar magic; all three words are used interchangeably, and Eledisfeb, unscrambled as 'disbelief'; references the same terms as Elevifeb, but with negative connotations; dark, singularity magic; again, all three words are used interchangeably.

Tim: I'm sorry, but couldn't you have just called it Elevib or Elefib?

Faith: Yeah, but then I'd be one syllable short.😛 Symmetry or lack thereof is important to the bards and Playwrights of Thalassic Space!like me, the Playwright of the Rondo Theatre in the Dream World on Paper, a term I came up with after I had a dream where I saw childhood drawings of the dream world I glued onto coloured construction paper, and I REMEMBER DRAWING THEM. It blew my friggin' mind. 😵

Tim: Fair. Also, cool!! 😮

Faith: People who live in, have visited or acknowledge the existence of Thalassic Space have Five Mortal Qualities: the memory-bearing soul, which dies with a mortal and immortal, but their memories are archived in Santa's Snow Globe Room. Memories from a past life can be restored via resurrection by a divine or demonic entity who has their Snow Globe at whatever ritual the entity is conducting. Snow Globes *can* break, but they respawn in the Snow Globe Room if broken. Yes, this is stolen from the Santa Clause movies. Also, this is how my Animus literally gifted me Thalassic Space for Christmas when I was a demigoddess LOL

Tim: LOL!

Barbara: LOL I love that.

Faith: Second is the magic-bearing spirit, which can be disabled or awakened due to many circumstances depending on the person's status as a human or non-human, their physical and mental status, and even if they're alive or dead. The spirit stores knowledge related to magic, including any physical motions or verbal phrases required to cast a spell.

Tim: Can the spirit die?

Faith: Nope. But it *can* be stolen, and drained, by dark sorcerers.

Barbara: Ah.

Tim: Ahhhh.

Faith: Third is the mind, which is directly connected to the soul, and that's how impulses and protective actions are communicated to the fourth, the body, which acts out what the mind instructs it to. The heart is technically both the fourth and the fifth, according to some faiths.

Faith: The Soul Bridge is where Neo and Nero Spirits are born; Neo from the Suspensions, and Nero from the Underside. I use different specific verbs to describe the emotions, but both whisper, talk, shout or sing to the High Mind (the sky, exclusively interacted with by Neo Spirits) or the Low Mind (the river, exclusively interacted with by Nero Spirits) to influence or remind the Five Mortal Qualities of whatever the frick that Spirit was born for.

Tim: Ha ha!

Barbara: This is a fun read!

Tim: Heck yeah it is!

Faith: Soul Bridges can be accessed by expert Dreamer mages, and in the dream world by a person. Mine starts out like the bridge in Vanderhoof near Riverside Park and connects to Old Loop Road, but it's *so broken and twisted* that it's literally the most impossible roller coaster my subconscious could come up with. That's how it views my memories, my magic, my body, heart and mind; they're all out of sync, and it's dangerous and nonesensical. But I remember a dream where I was riding on it like in a crazy mine cart mobile game mixed with an arcade railgun shooter with Final Fantasy elements thrown in there, and I've come to accept that, if I ever go downtown, I will have a very violent awakening, literally. It'll be one of those dreams I wake up from in a hot sweat, shaking and letting out a loud scream.

Faith: And that's all about Soul Bridges and how they work, with a bit of info. about Neo and Nero Spirits! I had to throw the Five Mortal Qualities in there, 'cause that's just how I explain it in the planning document.

Barbara: Holy crow, your mind, girl! 🤯

Faith: Thanks LOL

Faith: That being said! If made General, Ra's would have access to Nerobzal's army of undead, Nero Spirits, and evil vampires and werewolves. There are also dark sorcerers, but Ra's wouldn’t order them around. All of that is the cult of Kaleido, or what remains of it after the Third War for the O-star Spirit. Kaleido was Kitsch, now Kaleido has been freed again and is Kirei. Instead of Italian vampires, the Japanese control it now!

Dick: All of *this* is what you've been cooking for four years? 🤯 I think we have a creative genius in the group now, holy smokes!

Faith: Oh geez, hi! Also, thank you! The complexity of Thalassic Space is me trying to emulate the masters of fantasy LOL

Dick: Hi Faith, welcome 😊 Also yes, it shows!

Faith: Uh, and I've been cooking soup.

Tim: Soooouuuup!

Barbara: Sooooouuupppp!!

Stephanie: (smacks lips) good soup.

Faith: Aa! Aaaaa!

Stephanie: hi 😉

Faith: I'm gonna freaking explode aren't I? LOL

Barbara: Please don't explode. 😜

Stephanie: so you've got magic dragon powers? :ooo

Faith: Yes! I can use the Thu'um, and my dragon tomb has my other two Relics. One is a white ebony dagger that can become Uriel's fiery sword (he’s my spiritual father; Urania is my mother), which Ra's cut himself on 'cause he was being greedy, and he ran out with only the dragon tooth 'cause he woke up my ten Dragon Priests. :D They're technically just guarding Argophael, now.

Barbara: Ooooh, was he your dragon boyfriend?😮

Faith: Yes! And trans! I've always been pansexual lol.

Tim: Eyyy, another gay in the family, woo hoo!

Faith: 🎉Let's freaking go, lesbians💅✨

Tim: LOL

Barbara: LOL

Stephanie: lmao

Dick: Ha ha ha!

Faith: Do I have to say what Bartholomew did again?

Barbara: Nope! We scrolled up 👍

Faith: OK, THANK GOD LOL

Barbara: LOL

Tim: Also, why did you name him Bartholomew?

Stephanie: LOL you named him Bartholomew

Faith: Bartholomew Roberts.

Barbara: OH RIGHT he's a PIRATE WARLOCK

Stephanie: a good fit for a transphobe, ngl

Faith: Yeah! And he's captain of the Naglfar because why the fuck not? XD

Dick: Whoa! We're tossing f-bombs out, now?

Faith: I'm always tossing f-bombs out. I just get bored of it sometimes. Also, it's not always time for an f-bomb.

[Faith sent an audio message.] [Singing merrily:] Ohhhh, fuck fuck, fuckity fuck fuck! A-fuck fuck, fuckity fuck fuck! Fucking fuck, fucking fuck! Oh, fuck fuck fuckity fuck fuuuuck! Fuck.

Dick: Nope. Not listening to whatever that is.

Dick: Nevermind, Barbara played it on her phone.

Barbara: LMAO

Tim: LOLOLOL

Stephanie: BEAUTIFUL. SAVED. THAT'S MY RINGTONE FOR YOU NOW FAITH LOL

Faith: I'd like to thank Casey Jones from the comic that was in the back pages of the manual for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2012 for the Wii for introducing me to 'fuckity fuck'. Fucking is just a normal verb form for fuck.

Barbara: LOL

Tim: Oh no, noooooo, that game *sucked*!

Faith: I had some fun with it, playing with my brother, and it and the movie it was based on introduced me to the fandom I wrote my first fanfic for, OK? I wouldn't be here without it! Muchlessbeamonsterfucker. Anyway!

Tim: LOL

Barbara: OMG FAITH 🤣🤣

Stephanie: PFFFT GO OFF I GUESS

Faith: The other is a white-blue gradient scallop seashell necklace that works like the Mermaid Princess pearls of Mermaid Melody Pichi Pichi Pitch, but I can also dance, and my genre is Tohou Eurobeat.

Stephanie: (gasp!) so you're a magical girl too!! :oooo

Faith: Yes! :DDDDD I also have a Fairy Persona named Solas. My birth demigoddess name is Ønske, but when Urania became my mentor, I also got Ulia Chaménos, the surname to tribute the people I'd go on to save. And I got invited to Paradiso, where Uriel greeted me as my patron angel, and I was told my mortal name, which is, well, Faith!

Stephanie: coool :o what does your fairy 'sona look like?

Stephanie: wait no!

Stephanie: you can just show me some time!! right?

Faith: Also yes, I can! Dragon powers awake = everything is awake.

Faith: I also have a magic Costume, formally called my Astral Jester Costume. The styles of the pieces can change, but by default, it's a T-shirt crop top, shorts, cuff-bracelets lined with jingle bells, a choker with a cluster of jingle bells, hiker shoes (I have a deformed right foot, and my feet are naturally wide, so no flip-flops, flat shoes or high heels!) with a cluster of jingle bells, and, of course, a jester hat with four “ears”, each with a cluster of jingle bells. The entire outfit is white but can change colours as it changes styles. It's a magic cosplay piece LOL

Tim: OK cool but *why a jester?*

Faith: Look, Harley didn’t make me gay, LEGO Catwoman did, but I gotta do one for the clown gays, all right? Harley is an iconnnnn

Stephanie: lol truuuuueeeeee

Tim: Go off, girl! 🤣

Faith: When LEGO Catwoman used the diamond to cut the window, and was caught in the spotlight? And then we saw it again after the villain level? I was like "Oh, she’s cool! …Is she hot, too? Is that just her thing?" There's a reason my imaginary friends were fairies and mermaids and I've had my first imaginary friend, Bella, since I was like 6 🧚🦄🌈✨

Tim: yaaaaassss! ✨🌈✨

Stephanie: yes, miss gurrrlll!! 💖💖✨✨

Barbara: I love that for you!! /gen

Dick: Yeah that's cool 😁

Damian: You can all read about the Four Legendary Unicorns in the app's lore or the planning document.

Faith: Thank you, Damian!

Damian: You're welcome.

Dick: Hey Faaaaaaith

Faith: Yeeeeees

Dick: Who's your favourite Robin? 👀

Faith: He's not present. (throws a peace sign, vanishes)

Dick: GAAAAASP! (holds chest)

Tim: Eh, fair.

Stephanie: lmao

Faith: (Reappears with the sound of a tendon going over bone) But uh, the Four represent the emotions and head-spaces of the people they allow to ride on their backs. Two Italians, and two Swedes LOL

Stephanie: aw man, not the swedish!

Dick: LOL why that sound??🤣

Faith: I've got hyptonia from my dwarfism, OK! I make it a lot!

Tim: Oh cool! How tall are you?

Faith: 4'6" (146 cm)

Faith: Just know that it was supposed to be Polish as a Witcher reference. 💀

Stephanie: bruh 💀💀💀

Tim: LOL the opposite of the Wild Hunt

Faith: Literally 💀Anyway! I have the flu right now so please don’t visit, thankssss

Barbara: No. ❤️

Faith: OK! I believe you! Jump in the line, rock your body in time.

Faith: OHHHHHHH!!!

Barbara: LOL!!

Faith: I know that song from Just Dance 2. Or was it 3? I don't remember and I don't care to ask SOFFFIAA right now LOL

Dick: You’re so energetic, I love that.

Stephanie: oh you're *def* a Just Dancer.

Faith: Thank you! (ihaveareactiveattachmentdisorder)

Steph: felt that

Tim: LOL

Barbara: LOL oh hon, you're perfect 🤣

Dick: 🤣🤣

Damian: I can hear you laughing from across the hall…

Faith: Also, I haven't played since I broke my knee in March 2015 ☹️

Stephanie: awww, that sucks! but we can get you back into shape!

Faith: It's gonna be a *real* challenge.

Dick: We can do it, though 😊

Faith: And heck yeah! Oh, also.

[Faith sent a voice message:] Damian climbs out of bed, takes a decent stride away from the furniture, and does a backflip.

Damian did as told. He held in his scream of fury, and sat back on his bed.

Damian: Never do that again. Whatever that was.

Faith: Wow, he didn't scream in anger! I'm glad /gen. Also agreed

Tim: Girl is OP af💀

Faith: It’s the power of the Thu’um, but I just speak English >w<

Stephanie: i kinda wanna try 😮

Faith: Also yeah, sorry for being a Mary-Sue, everybody blame Ra's for bringing this shit into DC Comicsssss

Tim: Nah, don't apologise.

Dick: Do you *remember* the magic users we've got?

Faith: Oh yeeeeah, sorry, too used to being mean to myself

Stephanie: mood honestly

Barbara: Well, *that's* going to change, Miss Faith!

Faith: Honestly, that would be nice.😄

Barbara: ❤️

Faith: Are you sitting or standing, Steph?

Stephanie: i’m laying in bed bored as shit

Faith: REAL XD

Faith: Also feel free to get this on video for evidence, up to you

Stephanie: oooh bet, lemme record this, go ahead!

[Faith sent a voice message:] Stephanie runs to the wall, runs up the wall, does a cartwheel as she reaches the ceiling, and lands firmly on her feet.

[Stephanie shared a video.]

Stephanie: THAT WAS SO MUCH FUN!!!

Barbara: Nice flip, Steph!

Dick: Good form 👍

Stephanie: Thanks!

Tim: I mean, I wasn’t doubting your dragon powers were real, but hey! They’re real!

Faith: But uh yeah! I think the magic should be easy for me. It'll be trying to get my body to work like it did in high school that'll be the problem 🙁

Dick: How fit were you in school?

Faith: I could lift 420lbs on the leg press.

Dick: Nice!

Barbara: Wow!!

Stephanie: damn!

Tim: You had strong legs!

Dick: You had an injury?

Faith: Yeah, I broke my left patella in tenth grade. I'll spare y'all the story for now, but it gave me anxiety and depression, and that led to a rough last semester and an even rougher grade eleven and twelve. I tried homeschooling, but Internet and fanfiction writing hooked me, and I would have been just fine at the high school branch near the police station, but then I met the one IRL boyfriend I’ve had, and then I was even more depressed. Another story for another time. I used to play volleyball and dance, and now I can only dance while sitting down. It’s not quite the same to make a choreography and be unable to do it. Hence my magic pearl!

Dick: You fit right in with us. You had a rough life too. And now you've been given the opportunity to take your life back.😊

Faith: Yeah! I mean my job is going fine, and Bruce just approved the idea I had for my Earth-33 self to return and continue her life, so no worries there. But I've spent so much time reading and consuming media just trying to understand how people make friends, and what family is like! Not that my adoptive family didn't love me, or try to teach me. My foster parents just screwed up *bad*. I was a Benadryl kid.

Dick: That sucks. Sorry to hear that.

Barbara: Awww, yeah, sorry. 😢

Faith: Again, I could literally go on, but you get the point.

Stephanie: yep.

Barbara: You're welcome to talk to us about yourself anytime, Faith! I'm sure you know plenty about us already ha ha.

Faith: Maybe not plenty, but enough to be very comfortable.

Barbara: Good!

Dick: Awesome.

Tim: So, are you aiming to get your 420 lift back?

Faith: I mean, that'd be *amazing*, I'd like to try!

Dick: Well, when you're not sick, we’re abducting you from the mansion. 🤪

Faith: Woo hoo!

Stephanie: i have a question!

Faith: Shoot.

Stephanie: where are you from? like, the country

Faith: I’m Canadian. Yes, I've been to America. We visited my adoptive dad's family in Gilmer, Texas in Easter of 2008 or '9. It was *so hot*. We flew kites, had authentic iced tea that Mom only let us have a bit of 'cause it had caffeine, there was a wasp on the bathtub that was in the backyard, and I remember briefly playing Tetris and one of the galaxy shooters with one of our cousins. And we went to the zoo! I vaguely remember the black panther, the birds, and the rhinos. We took a weird route there, but a more expected route back. I *think* that's the trip we stopped in Seattle or something to sea the ocean? I remember seeing the trees you used to be allowed to walk/drive through.

Barbara: You're just so full of stories. ❤️❤️

Faith: Aw, thanks!

Stephanie: deadpool or wolverine?

Faith: Smash both but Deadpool first unless the chemistry isn't there, ditto reasoning for Wolverine, marry Deadpool, talk history with Wolverine, I don’t think he’d like me enough to marry me; no killing here, folks.

Stephanie: wow. what a slut /aff

Faith: Thanks, I learned it from the cult of Asherah that the Yahwehists tore down, but before then, R34 and Bayonetta. Also Catwoman, again. Poison Ivy, too. OH and Her Imperial Condescendence from Homestuck.

Barbara: Oh my Gooood…

Stephanie: oh she’s *chaotic* gay!

Tim: Not Homestuck!! 😭 😭 😭

Faith: I used to be a Nepeta kinnie. Now I’m an Eridan sympathiser and fucker.

Tim: NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!

Stephanie: AAAAAAAAAAA!!!!

Dick: (Points at the cuss) Get outta my sandwich!

Faith: (Mine turtle) Hello!

Dick: LOL

Stephanie: lmao!

Barbara: LOL!

Tim: oh of course you like asdfmovie /aff

Faith: Anyway yeah! This will be fun if my body stops breaking after the first couple of weeks or so!

Barbara: Oh, we get hurt aaaalllll the time.

Dick: Yep.

Tim: Yyyyyep.

Stephanie: uh-huh!

Damian: Yeah.

Faith: I know, I've seen the panels… I don't usually save time or money to buy or even pirate comics tbh.

Stephanie: Fair.

Tim: Yeah.

Faith: OK! I'm gonna try to sleep now! Nice meeting y'all! 👋

Stephanie: Byyyyeeee!

Barbara: TTYL!

Dick: Bye! 😄

Tim: Sleep well, Faith!

Damian: See ya.

Faith has changed her status to Do Not Disturb.

Faith has changed her status to flu needs the z’s.

Tim: She’s got a good sense of humor.

Dick: Yeah, she seems easy to get along with.

Barbara: I think we're her only friends, though. 😉

Dick: Yeah.

Stephanie: yeah

Tim: Yeeeeah. Not that I mind, though.

Barbara: Neither do I.

Stephanie: same

Dick: Ditto. Some people just need the winds of fate to blow differently for something to go their way.

Barbara: Oh, for sure.

Tim: True.

Stephanie: i'm excited to help her, though! and be her friend. 😊

Tim: Heck yeah!

Barbara: Bruce, could you take her to the Belfry when she's not sick to start with the basics?

Bruce: Sure. 🙂

Dick: Yes, great idea.

Damian: Is it mandatory?

Dick: Nope. If you don’t feel like it, you don't have to, Damian.

Damian: 'Kay.

Dick: I think that's all for now, yeah?

Tim: Yeah.

Barbara: I think so!

Stephanie: yeah, no ideas for now.

Dick: All right. We'll let Faith know when she's done snoozing and go from there. [Multiple people Liked this message.]

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