#the chameleon's tree only having one branch for herself

[dracocheesecake]

I thought of a really fun parallel for Han/The Chameleon.

You know how the Chameleon has that golden tree?

Han, when the Den ran their game aboveground, had a real tree, hidden in one of their hideouts. He mostly used it to sleep on during the day (yes because he's a Sunda pangolin and they tend to be arboreal and are also nocturnal, which lends itself useful for easier thieving under cover of darkness)- however, it also acted as a council chamber, where everyone could meet up and climb into the branches for a seat, to have their voices heard.

The underground was just one of their hideouts, and it became their only hideout after Zhen handed in the rest of the aboveground ones to the Chameleon. The one with that tree?- It became a rather lovely little blacksmithing factory for the weapons and cages she needed- and the tree was the perfect kindling to start up the forge!

Zhen didn't know that was what she was planning to do with it. When she found out, she was absolutely gutted. She had a few memories involving that tree.

[haneulseukai]

𝙊𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙜𝙧𝙤𝙬𝙣 𝙂𝙖𝙧𝙙𝙚𝙣

Oh colours? I wish i never saw them because of you.

- Camilo Madrigal x fem!reader

- Colours au!

- angst no comfort

Idk what to feel about this one im ngl but enjoy!

PT1 , PT2

"Mami, how can you see colours?" the boy asks, gripping his mother's yellow dress, his eyes round and curious. The mother chuckled and picked him up "well little one, by finding the person you're sure to live with the rest of your life, your world will be vibrant and never dull. They call them soulmates when both parties can see colours."

"However, there are cases where we can only see some parts of the world coloured. For example, see that flower over there" she points towards a red flower in front of their house "those who see only a part of the entity's colour can only see, let's say, one or two red petals of the flower. Usually happens when you have crushes and sometimes more than average of colours can be seen during love at first sight. That does not mean you have found the love of your life, you'll have to figure that out yourself."

"What if i saw colours because of two people mami?"

"Well, that is something you should decide yourself. Who do you love? They asked. But listen Camilo, choose what you think is right for you so you could be happy, okay? Nothing is ever final even if you saw something more of anything than the other"

"Okay mami!"

I forgot mami said that.

𝘏𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘯'𝘴 𝘊𝘭𝘰𝘶𝘥

The weather? Ah yes, not too cloudy, not too sunny. A beautiful day indeed. Y/n was at her usual place , a little further behind the casita has an area where the river flows from the mountains. A tree grew beside the river where y/n usually naps or write songs in her spare time and the area was filled with vibrant flowers. Sometimes she thought that Isabela might have went here before.

‘Maybe Tia Pepa’s in a good mood,’ y/n assumes, ‘I wonder why’

-

Y/n had climbed up the tree and sat on it’s branch when around dawn rolls in, writing lyrics, crossing and rewriting the drafts he had on her notebook. Tapping the pencil’s eraser on her cheek as she comes up with lyrics when the sudden noise of leaves and grass being stepped on was heard.

Y/n closed her book quietly and cautiously looked down from the tree to see the yellow wearing chameleon wandering around the grass, he looks like he's searching for something.

After a few more walking back and forth and left and right as if something would show up "That's weird, Dolores told me I'd find her here"

The girl stifled a laughter as he sat down under the tree, deciding to just wait for y/n to appear. Y/n grinned as an idea floats in her head. She maneuver herself on the branch as quiet as possible and hung upside down from the tree.

"Hey chameleon" she approached and made her poor victim startled, he jumped away from her.

"OH MY-" he shrieked "y/n?"

"Pfft- yOU HAHAHAH YOU SHOULDVE- OH MY GOD SHI-" she lost her balance in the end and slipped. Y/n closed her eyes upon impact on the ground instead she was greeted by a soft fabric and warmth.

Camilo caught her out of reflex to lessen the impact from the fall.

"Okay you deserved that" Camilo snickered as y/n got up and hover herself above camilo and covered her face out of embarrassment "why does it always backfire for me"

"I mean, it was fair" he chuckled and lift his hand to grab y/n's wrist and pulled it away from her face.

His curls were brown, the yellow on his ruana flashes in her eyes, the chameleons patterned on it lined up, she found it cute but even cuter with colours.

'colours?' she turned her head to an orchid bush, the pink and it's yellow accent bloomed in her eyes. She was stunned, the area was even more beautiful in colours than she had imagine.

"Y/n?" Camilo questioned her sudden silence, the orchid tucked in her ear was loose, he tucked back the 1 coloured petal orchid which grabbed y/n' attention.

Y/n snapped back towards camilo, still trying to process what just happend. Her eyes flickered towards his, silently asking if he saw what she saw.

His eyes were confused and worried instead.

"Ah, crap- sorry" she pushed herself to stand up and bent down to lend camilo a hand and pulled him up.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, uh do you..." she looked up at his eyes again, hoping his expression would change, it didn't. "Nevermind, come on. Were you about to show me something since you were looking for me?"

Camilo lit up once again, nodding his head and excitedly held your wrist to drag you towards the casita. "You're going to love it!"

Y/n just nodded and smiled at him.

Thats how she was able to witness colours bursting like fireworks with him.

--

The news travels fast, no doubt. Camilo insisted y/n on following him to greet a kid their age who had just moved back to Encanto. It took camilo a week rental of the stage in his room for y/n to comply with his request. It's not like he mind of y/n used it anyways, he always thought her music was nice to listen to.

"Dolores said the family's house is about.... Here!" Camilo stops in front of a green house, he pulled y/n by their already held hands to lead her. Y/n raised and eyebrow "do you know them personally?"

"Nope! But i think i should welcome them back"

Y/n hummed, she examines the house's exterior, the paint was a little peeled, probably from the old age and there were a lot of plants around the house. It was common to see them around the houses in Encanto, it looked like new plants. She assumed isabela might have gifted them flowers and greenery.

"Come on!" Camilo pulled y/n towards the door and knocks.

A few seconds later, a girl with wavy hair opened the door. Y/n could see how beautiful the stalks of green leaves stitched onto her blue skirt.

Camilo loosens his grip on y/n's hand, he seemed to have frozen before introducing himself "hi! My name's Camilo Madrigal, nice to meet you."

Y/n smiled and introduced herself after. The girl standing in front of them smiled "My name's Alvaline, nice to meet you too!"

Y/n felt herself letting go of Camilo's hand as he started to chat with Alvaline. Y/n occasionally joined of course but the chemistry between camilo and alvaline made her heart dropped.

'ah' is all y/n could think of when she saw them together.

--

"Camilo? Hey, i completed that song you wanted to hear" y/n opens the shapeshifter's door to see him putting on his ruana in a hurry "Camilo?"

"Oh! Y/n, you can show me later, abuela told me to show Alavaline around the town. To show her anything that has changed since she had moved" Camilo smiled brightly and slips pass y/n and out the door "we'll hang out later! I can't wait to hear the song"

Y/n heard his very evident excited footsteps down the stairs. She sighed and walked towards the stage, passing by the abundant of mirrors. The brown wooden stage and red curtains makes her fumed everytime she came here ever since she was able to see colours. It reminded her of the day she obtained the ability to see them, she resented that moment.

'why cant i just tell him' a thought pops in her head and another answered 'alvaline and camilo looked better together than camilo and i ever will'

'damn it'

𝘛𝘶𝘳𝘯 𝘉𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘛𝘪𝘮𝘦

Days and weeks passes without camilo by y/n's side as usual, to the point pepa even asked y/n about it to which y/n just politely answered "I'm not too sure either" everytime she would ask. Of course, y/n felt dreadful from camilo's recent simple hi's before slipping away to meet alvaline. She was never jealous of alvaline, just immensely pissed at the chameleon.

Y/n decided to push away her entire feelings and distracted herself by reading under the tree at her usual place. The more days passed, the more she subconsciously avoids the sun. Settling in the shadows and the shade, the only reason she was able to even get to know the people around Encanto was because of camilo but since he was not around, she saw no reason to actively interact with them.

Y/n woke up one morning feeling better than usual, jumping out of the bed excited. She felt giddy, it was one of those mornings where everything just joys her.

The bed was yelling at her to just stay home but y/n felt guilty if she just stayed in her room to read, it wont be as fun as reading surrounded by nature.

The walk to casita was eventful and actually made her feel better. She greeted everyone she knew and even got herself a free snack for her walk.

'Maybe i should really tell him about seeing colours' y/n considers as she bites into an empanada.

She reached the back of casita and easily find her way to her private place. Upon reaching, a chorus of laughter can be heard, she stopped her tracks and hid behind a flower bush.

What she saw was absolutely horrible. Alvaline was sitting with a boy- camilo, they were laughing to their hearts content. Camilo bit into his arepa after he told Alvaline a joke that made her laugh, y/n could see his eyes screaming hearts at the girl beside him. Her stomach twirled.

Y/n's eyes wanders towards their intertwined hands, she knew what was happening right at that moment. She knew how late she was, she knew she would never be able to turn back time.

She has nowhere to go now.

She held her cries and quietly left the place, she was hurt about something? Everything? She doesn't know except she felt terrible.

--

A few months went by and words obviously has reached you about camilo and alvaline's relationship. Y/n had gotten used to this whole relationship and chose to ignore them, she hasnt talked to camilo ever since THAT happend and she hasnt gone out much either. Even if she did, it was just to run errands, as much as she wanted to go back to her favourite place behind the casita, she couldn't and she wont.

Eveyday she wishes to never have met camilo. She wished to not see colours because of him period. Y/n knows better than to slump over a guy and gotten over him a little. As long as she doesn't see camilo, she would be just fine and dandy.

She accepted the fact that all these memories, discoveries and fantasies she had will stay with her.

taglist: @camilos-mivida @cralaaa @obsessed-with-a-fictional-man

Unable to tag: @annccss @breadglasses

I was thinking of writing a bonus fighting scene between camilo and y/n where he confronted her about not telling him that she was able to see colours. Because of him nonetheless but i could tell how bad that'll look so i scraped it entirely. Let me know some if you have any constructive criticism please!

[runningracingdancingchasing]

Not Bad For a First Save

Tangled/Hercules AU

Fandom: Tangled

Word Count: 2517

Summary: Okay, so last night after watching Hercules with my boyfriend, I proposed a Tangled/Hercules AU. I didn’t expect to speak it into existence (that doesn’t usually happen to me), but @kingreywrites and @dreaming-in-seams came through for me in an unexpected big way here and here, respectively. Well, since it was my idea and they each tackled different parts of the story, I figured I’d throw my own hand in as well! (A lot of my minor details were inspired by/used from “I Won’t Say I’m In Love”.)

A bloodcurdling scream tore through the air, and Rapunzel’s green eyes lit with eagerness. It was one thing to say she was ready to prove herself a hero, but it was another for an opportunity to do so to present itself almost right away! “It’s time!” she squeaked fervently.

“Sounds like your typical CID - Citizen In Distress!” Pascal informed her from his death grip on her sleeve. Traveling was certainly easy when your personal trainer was a talking chameleon.

Without a second thought, Rapunzel directed her winged steed Maximus downward, zeroing in on the source of the cry so she could rush in and help. It seemed to be coming from a forest below them, so she landed Max in a small clearing, hoping it wouldn’t take long for them to locate the person in trouble (and hoping, possibly more than she should, that it was kind of a lot of trouble, so she’d be able to help an extra lot). The roaring sound of a nearby waterfall caught her attention, and she led the investigation that way.

Parting the branches of the dense shrubbery, she soon located the pool that said waterfall fed into. It was magnificently wide, a lengthy curtain of water, its cool spray filling the air with refreshing mist and rainbows. A massive laurel tree cast its shade onto the rippling water from the nearby bank. But she didn’t have a chance to marvel at the natural beauty all around her before a young man only a few years older than her came running through the water from past the tree. He tripped and fell in the silt under his feet, and looked behind him in alarm. And with good reason.

Here came a massive centaur, all muscles and blond beard and glowering eyes. “Not so fast, pretty boy,” he growled. The man-beast lifted his victim with ease, chuckling menacingly.

“Come on, Baron! We can work something out!” He hedged nervously, then aimed a kick, which his captor easily dodged, pulling back with another laugh.

“Is that the best you’ve got?” he taunted. “My Stalyan likes them fiery.” He tightened his grip around the young man, who looked uncomfortable for more reasons than just physical pain.

“Not the nose! Not the nose! Not the nose!”

Rapunzel saw red.

“Alright,” Pascal told her from the branches of the bush they were all peering through. “First, analyze the situation. Don’t just go barreling in there without thinkin--” It was at that moment that he realized that Rapunzel, indeed, was just barreling in there without thinking.

In fact, she was stomping through the shallow water towards the centaur and his struggling human captive, ready to pick a fight. No one got to just treat people that way! Not on her watch! She was a hero, and she was going to prove it by rescuing this poor man! She was so angry, she couldn’t even take a moment to enjoy the squishy mud between her toes!

“Halt!” she demanded, planting her feet and taking up a strong, squared off stance, just like Pascal taught her. (Much easier not to be randomly knocked down this way.) Halt the two did, staring at her in confusion. The centaur, who the man had addressed as Baron, came trotting towards her intimidatingly. Despite the fact that he absolutely towered over her, Rapunzel stood firm, craning her head back to continue looking him sternly in the eye.

“Step aside, little girl,” Baron snarled at her, leaning down to meet her eyes.

“Pardon me, my good, uh…” she looked the creature over, suddenly realizing that she wasn’t positive how to address a centaur, “ruffian. I’ll have to ask you to release this young--”

“Keep moving, Blondie,” said young man interrupted.

“-- man…” Rapunzel faltered. This situation was getting more perplexing by the moment. “But… wait, aren’t you a Citizen In Distress?” she clarified. After all, he was currently being held in the centaur’s gigantic hand.

“I’m a citizen,” he confirmed, struggling against Baron’s iron grip while the centaur just watched the futility of it all, “I’m in distress, I can handle this. Have a nice day!” He graced Rapunzel with a condescending smile that didn’t reach his eyes.

“Um…” Rapunzel cleared her throat awkwardly, trying to regain her mental footing. Some first job this was turning out to be! “Sir, I’m afraid you’re too close to the situation.” She pulled her frying pan from her belt and twirled it a little. “I’m going to have to ask you to--”

But  she never got to say what it was she was going to have to ask the poor victim to do, as she was backhanded through the air by Baron’s free hand. Her hair had reacted in time, protecting her from the hit, but she was still sent flying. She landed in the shallow water with a splash, and her hair fell limply around her.

“What are you doing?!” Pascal squeaked from the safety of the bush. “Get your pan!”

“Pan!” she echoed back, and suddenly realized that she’d lost her grip on it when she landed. It was currently somewhere in the water. Frantically, she began to feel around for it, kicking up silt and making it all the harder to see what she was doing. “Right, right. ‘Rule #15: A hero is only as good as their weapon!’”

Just as she finished reciting the rule, her hand closed around something and she drew it from the water, brandishing it at Baron. It, unfortunately, was not her frying pan. It was, however, a bedraggled crow, which cawed merrily at the thing he was being pointed at. What had he been doing in the water?! Baron grinned menacingly, a deep chuckle rumbling through his chest. The young man (who Rapunzel still didn’t have a name for) looked positively mortified, practically dying of second-hand embarrassment.

“Oop! That’s not my-- Here you go, little guy!” Rapunzel said, and awkwardly tossed the crow to the nearest shore. He landed on his head, but after only a few moments of just sitting like that, he rolled over and stumbled away.

“No!” Pascal cried. “Don’t take your eyes off the fight!”

But too late. Baron took Rapunzel’s moment of distraction and slammed his fist into her. Her hair reacted again, protecting her, but sending her ricocheting like a ball off of several boulders in the area. 

Pascal groaned. She was going to have to learn to pay attention to her surroundings! It was Maximus’ turn to get angry, and it was all Pascal could do to calm him down, holding his little claws up as a miniscule barricade. “No, whoa! She’ got to do it on her own!” He turned his attention back to the fight, back to coaching his little heart out. “Come on, Punz, concentrate! Use your head!”

Dizzy from her recent excursion and soaked to the skin, she took a moment to actually listen, actually think. “Use my head? … How about my hair?”

Leaping back into action, Rapunzel grabbed fistfuls of hair and began to fling it about, wrapping it around tree branches and rocks, grappling Baron’s arms, his middle and all four legs. Using the leverage she’d created, she was able to put a great amount of tension on her hair. She could practically hear it hum under the unbreakable stress. “Get out of there!” she cautioned the young man, and he took the moment of Baron’s distraction and discomfort to wrench himself free of the centaur’s hand at last.

Scrambling his way over to a fallen log, he pulled himself out of the water with a whined, “Awww, my hair’s ruined!” and started to ring out his chocolate locks as best as he was able, while keeping his eyes on the show. “Is Sunshine here for real?” he chuckled to… apparently to a talking chameleon. Right nothing weird about that.

“She’s more than real! She’s the brightest star in the sky!” Pascal informed him, and shot his tongue into his ear to teach this cheeky guy - this distraction - a lesson in manners!

As soon as Rapunzel was sure he was clear, she flicked her wrist, and all the tension she’d put on her hair recoiled, sending Baron flying as though released from a slingshot.

“Going, going, and he’s gone! Out of the park! Home run for the home team!” Rapunzel cheered. She cupped her hands around her mouth to mimic the sound of a crowd’s roar. Sliding her pan back into her belt, she strutted her way to the bank and to Pascal.

“How was that?” she beamed, extremely proud of herself.

“Bring it in, rookie! You can get away with mistakes like that in the minor league, but this is the big time!”

As he chastised her, Rapunzel’s smile fell away to a look of hurt confusion. She’d done well, hadn’t she? She’d achieved her goal, right? “Well, at least I beat him!” she pointed out.

“Next time, don’t get distracted by a flashy set of shiny teeth!”

Rapunzel looked guiltily over at… at the Citizen In Distress. He was currently smoothing his wet hair out of his face. Now that she was getting a good look at him, she was suddenly taken by how very attractive he was. The wet look was actually pretty good for him, the way his hair fell in tendrils against his forehead, and how his sleeves clung to his biceps, the water turning the linen sheer... Glancing her way, the stranger gave her another grin, this one a little more sincere than the previous one, and… wow. He really did have a dazzling smile, didn’t he? She felt her ears warm.

“It’s like I keep telling you!” Pascal went on, but she barely heard him as she cautiously made her way over to her rescuee. “You gotta stay focused and-- and… you’re not listening again.”

Rapunzel was so distracted by said dazzling smile that she completely failed to notice that Max wanted to high five (high… hoof?) her for a job well done. The winged horse knew immediately that he did not like that man. It was a sentiment that he and Pascal shared.

“Are you alright… mister…?” she hedged, trying to strike up an actual conversation with him (and maybe finally get his name).

Her wish was granted when he stood up straight and upturned the boot he’d just been removing, pouring water (and that same bedraggled crow) out of it. “Rider,” he answered. “Flynn Rider. How’s your day going?” he asked, giving her another smile. This one, however, was a little too big, a little too awkward for Rapunzel to take seriously. When it failed to charm her, he cleared his throat. “So! Did they give you a name along with all the blonde hair in Sweden?”

“Rapunzel,” she answered.

A beat, then, “Gesundheit,” he answered. “I think I prefer ‘Sunshine’.” He made his way over to a tree so he could sit down and put his soggy boots back on.

Max hopped down from a tree branch and put a wing up between Rapunzel and this “Flynn Rider,” trying to distract his best friend away from the devilishly handsome and obviously untrustworthy rogue. Rapunzel absentmindedly pushed his wing out of her way.

“So, how’d you get mixed up with that, um…”

“Powderkeg with hooves?” Flynn guessed. “Well, you know how doting fathers are, they do everything their little girl wants! Their daughter hears your name is Rider and all she wants is for you to ride her.” Yeah, that was an awkward joke, even for him. Stalyan wasn’t even human. No wonder Blondie didn’t laugh. “Don’t worry, the frog there can explain it to you.”

“Chameleon.”

“Nuance.” He straightened his doublet. “Well, Blondie, I’ll just be getting out of your hair now.”

“No, wait!” Rapunzel nearly begged. “Can we, uh… can we give you a ride somewhere?” She gestured at Max, who downright scowled at the idea, glaring daggers at Flynn.

“Heh, I don’t think your pinto likes me very munch.”

“Who, Maximus? He’s nothing but a big softy!” she assured him, hugging the winged horse around the neck. “Aren’t you, boy? Aren’t you?” Despite his every desire to not appear weak before this… guy, Max’s tail began to wag at her attention.

“I’ll be alright,” he assured her. “I’m a big, tough guy. I can buckle my own doublet and everything.” He gave her an affectionate little squeeze to her chin, tilting her head up to meet his gaze. And then he did it. Sweet in the eyes, sour in the mouth, the perfect Smolder.

And Rapunzel just blinked at him.

“Uh…. wow, you broke my Smolder. Okay! On that kind of off day, I bid you adieu, fair maiden. Perhaps our paths will cross again one day!” With a flourish and a bow, Flynn turned on his heel and strolled away, trying to save face after such a miraculous failure. Two miraculous failures, really.

Rapunzel watched him go, feeling strangely… warm. And definitely fascinated. “What was that face he made?” she wondered absently. Pascal just shrugged, and the two of them mounted up on Maximus and took off, heading for their destination.

From a nearby rise, Flynn watched them go, leaning against a tree. That Sunshine was a strange girl. Cute! But immune to the Smolder? Was she even human? Sensing eyes on him, he turned and headed back into the forest until he came across the two he’d been expecting to find: identical twin brothers, but completely distinguishable thanks to various unique facial details. One sported sideburns and the other had a patch over one eye. A meaner-looking couple of thugs he’d never personally known.

“There you are!” he greeted brightly. “I’ve been looking everywhere for you! Hey, the sideburns are really coming in! You must be excited about that.”

“You been holding out on her?” the one with the sideburns asked.

“Holding out? Moi? Would I do something like that?”

“Flynn Rider…” The voice was sultry, but sent a chill all the way down Flynn’s spine. He turned and saw the Goddess of Chaos lounging in the shadows, and eerie green-lit mist pouring around her feet.

“Ah, Lady Gothel,” he said. “Gracing us with your presence.”

“What happened, Rider?” she demanded. “I gave you the simplest task: to persuade the River Guardian to join my side before the equinox. You said you could do it. I trusted you to do it!”

“Well, you know how it is,” he scoffed. “He wanted to give me to his daughter as a play thing, but you already own my soul, so I just had to refuse.”

“Don’t be cute with me,” she snipped. “It takes too much effort on your part.”

“Look, everything was going fine until this embodiment of sunshine Rapunzel showed up to wreck the mood!”

Lady Gothel’s face froze and she stared at Flynn. “Say that name again,” she commanded.

“Rapunzel,” he repeated. “I know it’s kind of a mouthful, but you’ll get the hang of it, I’m sure.”

“Boys!” she turned with a dramatic flare of her cloak, sending the green mist billowing about. “She’s left her tower!”

[sirfluffig]

(Sir) Silvio Durante

Chosen of Laverna

"I'm dishonest, and a dishonest man you can always trust to be dishonest. Honestly. It's the honest ones you want to watch out for, because you can never predict when they're going to do something incredibly … stupid."

- Captain Jack Sparrow

Silvio Durante is the first son of a rather big family which originates in Rome itself. While their family tree is able to spread into hundreds upon hundreds other families, there is one consisting line of Durantes throughout almost all of history and it doesn't seem like there is going to be much change in the future. It is a family tradition that the children of said family branch are sent to the locally very known Olympia School of Magic to get educated under a specific gods guidance. While Family Durante is known for mostly being guided by the gods Mars and Iuno, there always were a few outsiders. Nonetheless, they accept any honorable Guide with welcoming open arms.

As part of this particular family branch, the young Silvio Durante was born in Rome and was homeschooled in fight and wisdom by his respective tutors, seeing that his parents never got the time to actually care for him. But these tutors were merely anyhow successful in their work and ethics. Silvio is a rather mischievous and cunning student, his overly developed charisma allowed him to charm his way out of problems, for example when he forgot to do his homework or mocked the teacher... while his bright and resourceful mind helps him coming up with a plan B if his silver tongue won’t be enough. 

If not forcefully tutored, Silvio spent a lot of time alone in his dark and shadowy room reading, drawing or partly also singing in foreign tongue that he picked up along the way. He also is very fascinated by muggle stage magic which lead him to train cards tricks and other classical manners of illusions and manipulation.

While many people may consider it unhealthy, Silvio actually did a lot of things under the cloak of the darkness, which can be dated back to the earliest days of his childhood, when he turned off the lights as soon as he entered a room, claiming that he would see better that way. 

Later on, when Sir Cyrus Durante and his wife Lady Fiona Durante got suspicious of their son's unique behaviour, they took him to see a children's doctor. Said doctor discovered that bright and pure lights lead to unspeakable painful headaches for the noble adept. From this day on, Silvio mostly slept through the day and rose to act at night. When he was awake during daytime, Silvio often wore and still wears sunglasses to protect his sensitive eyes. The general lack of sunlight made the boys skin turn very pale and prone to sunburns if not covered in cloth.

Now you might think that such an extroverted character shouldn't be all alone every day, only having himself around and even though he appears to be a social chameleon, Silvio prefers to keep away from the warm and bustling cities.

So it is indeed no wonder that when he attended the Olympia School of Magic, upon the sorting he was chosen by nobody less than the infamous and often quite mistrusted  Goddess of Lies, Trickery and Darkness: Laverna. Also known as the Matron of Criminals, Mother of Thieves and Protector of Charlatans.

The Durante family had to endure a lot of outsiders in their noble family, where honored warfare and educational wisdom are the top priorities and yet they gladly accepted these breaks but being chosen by such a disgraceful and unhonorable deity, couldn't be left unpunished in the eyes of Lord and Lady Durante.

Silvio was disowned and renounced all connections to his yet so "loyal" family that very day. Who takes care of him now, is broadly unknown and not an easy to access information. Some students mumble about the rumour that Silvio has been taken in by the Darkness or Laverna herself, but these are all just theories.. 

While receiving the blessing of said generous trickster, Silvio got a lot of helpful abilities bestowed upon him. For example, his most used talent is Shapeshifting. The possibility manipulate his Appearance or his voice to appear to his bidding. Bending the reality to his will and making people believe what he deems them to believe. He already stopped counting the amount of friendships he destroyed and hearts he broke. Because if the entire school judges and villainize you from the start, why not giving them what they ask for?

This pairs well with the fact that he is almost impossible to be spotted when standing in the shadows, engulfed in the darkness, Silvio is accustomed to live in. It is almost like he is invisible and decides himself who is allowed to see him and who is not. These two abilities of Laverna have been proven more than handy for tricking other students or teachers, countless of times. And the tendency is still rising

Alongside other minor traits and talents that may prove valuable for a trickster, Laverna granted an irresistible charm on the young student, making his already honeyed words, sound even smoother and trustworthier. This trait was one of the few things that lead Silvio to become one of the more infamous and generally mistrusted students.

Silvios deepest desire is love and acceptance but due to his parents betrayal and general lack of empathy, the jokester has no idea how to achieve this wish and uses his nefarious abilities to gain attention of people that he likes, often making his Chance of friendships even worse.

The pendant which was granted Silvio when he was sorted into the house of the ones chosen by the Matron of Thieves, takes the form of a rather big open lock in various silver tones and adorned with countless jewels across it. Silvio not only wears this sign around his neck, but also has it engraved on his belt buckle. As for his appearance, there always are a few violations of the dress code, that he has to talk his way out, but all in all, his uniform looks like everyone else's. 

While he still wears the long draped robes, he is supposed to wear while being in class, he somehow gets through with having the pieces of cloth magically coloured in a darker and more purplish burgundy than other students alongside with having long sleeves, covering the entire arm. But this is not the only difference to a uncustomized school uniform. Unusually for other students, Silvio's long and fine adorned robes don't end in fancy golden sandals with ornamented straps, the trickster is known for wearing more steadfast and secure brown leather boots around the courtyard. Seeing as he is almost allergic to sunlight, the teachers dont see s problem with that at all.

Thank you very much @kathrynalicemc for this amazing school and this even better challenge. It is my obligation to Tag @upset-hufflepuff because I know you will forget this otherwise. Anyways. Enjoy my Bastard boy, who will steal your kneecaps.

[headfulloffantasies]

Haunted Destiny

What if the magic of Rapunzel’s tear had not worked? Eugene is dead, and someone is haunting Rapunzel.

Link- Ao3

Rated-G

Major Character Death (Eugene, off screen/ pre-fic)

Chapter 1

It happened like this: Mother’s knife slid between Eugene’s ribs. Rapunzel bartered her life for Eugene’s. She opened her lips to sing and he asked her to wait. A shard of mirror sliced through the golden magic hair. Mother fell from the tower window, reduced to dust. Rapunzel cried out, but there was nothing to be done. Her hair was gone, shorn short by the man dying before her. They said their good-byes. Eugene called Rapunzel his new dream.

Eugene died.

And though Rapunzel wept, and sang her healing song, the magic was gone. Eugene was gone.

Rapunzel didn’t immediately leave her tower. The secret stairs waited, the door unlocked, but she couldn’t bring herself to leave just yet. She’d only descended those stairs once. To bury Eugene at first light the day after he died.  The dirt at the edge of the pond was soft enough to dig. Rapunzel threaded flowers through his hair and made a cross for a marker. She painstakingly carved the Corona sun into the wood and painted his name in blue like his vest.

Rapunzel looked up at the path that led to the city. It pulled at her. Her new life, her parents, the kingdom.

Her new dream was dead, and Rapunzel needed time before she could face the rest of her life. The next day she woke to the sun streaming through the window and she knew. Today was the day. Time to go.

Rapunzel packed slowly. She’d lived here for eighteen years. Though she’d hated parts of it, it was home. She needed things. Her paints, her books, her frying pan. She packed them into Eugene’s satchel, the one thing of his she’d let herself keep.

Rapunzel gathered Pascal onto her shoulder. His scales turned a dull shade of blue.

“Me too, buddy. But it’s time to go,” she said. She turned to the stairs.

A crash startled Rapunzel. She whipped around. A ceramic bowl lay in shattered pieces on the floor.

Rapunzel cast her eyes about, but she didn’t see any reason for the bowl to have fallen.

“That was weird,” she mumbled to Pascal. Rapunzel turned back to the stairs. The door, a little wood trapdoor set into the floor, creaked.

“The wind?” Rapunzel muttered.

The door slammed shut.

Rapunzel jumped. “Not the wind!” Rapunzel clutched at Pascal. “What is it?”

Cold like frost crept up the back of her neck. Rapunzel dashed for the trapdoor. She yanked on the handle, but it didn’t budge. Something tickled the hairs on her arms.

“The door is stuck!” Rapunzel grunted, throwing her weight against it. Pascal leaped from her shoulder and tried pulling with her.

Something moved in the corner of Rapunzel’s vision. She snapped her head up. A pale figure flickered in the center of the room. Nearly transparent, it was impossible to make out any features.

“A ghost!” Rapunzel screamed. She tripped and fell back, her hand colliding with the broken bowl. She hissed as the shards cut into her palm. The ghost vanished and reappeared an instant later, close enough to touch.

“Back off!” Rapunzel swung her uninjured fist. It passed through the apparition like air. The ghost faded like mist with a sigh.

Rapunzel cradled her bloody hand to her chest, breathing hard. She stood and spun, searching for the ghost. It seemed to have disappeared for now. Rapunzel’s heartrate doubled.

“It’s trapping us here, Pascal,” she whispered. The thought hit her like a sledgehammer. “It must be Mother’s ghost. She doesn’t want me to leave.” Rapunzel’s breaths hitched into hiccups. Tears ran down her face.

“I’m going!” She shouted to the empty tower. “You can’t stop me anymore!”

Nothing answered.

The cut on Rapunzel’s hand was deeper than she’d thought. It took ages to stop bleeding. Finally, she bound it tight and approached the trapdoor again. She tugged and strained, but it didn’t budge. The sun was dying crimson on the horizon when Rapunzel finally gave up. Panting and worn out, she trudged up to her bedroom.

“We’ll find some rope tomorrow,” Rapunzel promised Pascal. “I’ll tear up the bedsheets if I have to. But it’s too dark to travel right now. We’ll start in the morning.”

Rapunzel fell into exhausted sleep immediately. She dreamed of rolling green fields, swirling sunbeams, and laughter. She danced in the town square again, whirling from partner to partner. Every time she changed hands, she looked into their face and felt disappointment cloying her stomach. Rapunzel turned her head, searching the clapping and laughing crowds for a face she could not name. Brown hair, brown eyes. Every flash of blue drew her, but it was never who she was looking for. The spinning was making her dizzy. Rapunzel closed her eyes.

“Blondie,” a voice sighed in her ear. Rapunzel opened her eyes and woke up.

“Eugene,” Rapunzel whispered into the grey dawn. Tears spilled down her cheeks. Her heart ached. How long would she feel this? How long was it going to hurt before she could look back and smile at the dream they’d shared? How long until it stopped feeling like the blade Mother wielded had pierced Rapunzel’s heart?

Pascal chirped on the pillow beside her. His tail flicked away the tear that had trailed down her cheek.

Rapunzel gave him a watery smile. “Thank you, Pascal.” She sat up and stretched. “We’re getting out of here today. Let’s go.”

Rapunzel ended up tearing the sheets. She knotted the linens together and tossed one end out the window, leaning out to measure how far. The makeshift rope didn’t quite reach the grass, but it was close enough to jump the last bit.

Rapunzel secured the rope on the hook above the window and gave it a tug.

“Ready Pascal?” Rapunzel brushed her new bangs out of her face. The little chameleon let out an excited chirp.

“Here we go!” Rapunzel leaped out the window. The soaring air rushed through her hair and lungs. It was almost as good as the first time. The sheets slid through Rapunzel’s fingers. The grass came up to meet them. Rapunzel tightened her grip and slowed their descent. The last five feet or so ended in open air. Rapunzel held her breath and let go.

Rapunzel’s feet hit the ground hard. Something in her left ankle gave with a stomach churning pop. Rapunzel cried out as she hit the grass, her legs giving out under her. She lay still for a second gasping on pain. She gritted her teeth and pulled herself to sitting. Her ankle didn’t look broken. She tried flexing it. A spasm of pain lanced up her calf. Rapunzel hissed. It was definitely sprained.

“Great,” Rapunzel mumbled. How was she supposed to walk through the woods on a sprained ankle? She glanced back up at the tower. There was no way she could pull herself back up the rope. Maybe she could make it to the stairs, but then what? The door was barred by the ghost. A shudder ran through Rapunzel. She wasn’t staying here. She had to get away from the ghost of Mother.

With a wince, Rapunzel pulled herself to her feet. She tested her injured foot. It hurt, but she could limp on it. Rapunzel gathered Pascal onto her shoulder and set her sights on the cave beyond the meadow. If she could make it to the woods, she could fashion a crutch out of a tree branch.

The sun crested the tops of the trees and fell on the fresh turned earth beside the pond. Rapunzel’s heart sank. She knew deep down she was never coming back here. Time to say good-bye.

Rapunzel knelt beside the marker she’d made.

“Eugene Fitzherbert,” Rapunzel ran her fingers over the letters.

Tears splashed down her face. Through the haze, she suddenly noticed a pale form standing behind the grave.

Rapunzel leaped to her feet, her ankle protesting.

“What do you want?” She asked, her voice shaking.

The ghost did not answer. In the sunlight, Rapunzel could see the green meadow right through its form. It stepped closer.

“I’m leaving, Mother,” Rapunzel lifted her chin defiantly. “You can’t stop me.”

The pale figure’s fingers closed over the cross. Red hot rage spiked through Rapunzel.

“Get away from there!” She yelled. “You already killed him, you don’t get to touch this place.”

The figure flickered and vanished. Rapunzel let out a wobbly breath. Her head was spinning with adrenaline and emotion. She quickly dried her eyes.

Casting one last long look at the grave, Rapunzel clutched her satchel strap and hobbled towards the cave entrance.

It took all day to limp into Corona. At last the bridge to the island was in view. Rapunzel leaned heavily on the crutch she’d made. The sun striking the parapets of the castle glowed like a jewel. She sighed happily. She’d been so excited the first time she’d been here. Pulling Eugene along the bridge, prancing around Maximus, spinning in the sunshine. It had been the perfect day.

Getting to the castle was easy. Convincing the guards that she was the Lost Princess was another thing. Well aware of her disheveled hair, crutch, and dirty dress, Rapunzel still thought they could at least listen to her.

“Fellas, I’ve walked a long way today,” Rapunzel explained with a winning smile. “And I just want to see the King and Queen. They’ll know it’s me.”

The guard on the left, Stan, shared a glance with his partner, Pete.

“I have proof!” Rapunzel dug into her satchel and produced the missing crown. The mustached guard’s jaw dropped. Rapunzel felt a twinge of pride that at last they believed her.

“Come here!” Pete the guard snatched Rapunzel’s arm in a vice grip. “You’re under arrest for the theft of the crown jewels.”

“What? No,” Rapunzel’s spirit dropped in dismay. Stan yanked the crown from her grasp.

Pete frog marched Rapunzel down the cold stone steps to the dungeons. “Please,” Rapunzel begged. “I’m telling the truth. I’ve been in a tower for eighteen years. I’m the Lost Princess.”

“Sure you are,” Pete growled. He shoved Rapunzel into a dank cell. “And I’m the Queen of Geneva.”

The cell door slammed shut. Rapunzel sank onto the damp bench that served as a cot. Pascal wiggled out of his hiding spot under her collar to chirp at Rapunzel.

“How did this go so wrong?” Rapunzel asked. “I thought… I thought they’d welcome me. I thought they’d love me.” Rapunzel pulled her knees up to her chest. “I was wrong. I was naïve, Pascal.” She turned to her little green friend. “Do you think… do you think my parents gave up on me? It’s been so long, maybe they think the princess is gone for good.”

Rapunzel fell into a fitful sleep. She kept hearing a voice calling for her, but every time she turned around, no one was there.

Rapunzel woke with a start. Nighttime whispered through her tiny barred window. Something had woken her. A noise. There it was again. A scraping of metal on stone. Rapunzel sat up. The cell door swung open.

Rapunzel gasped. The torch light was faint down here, but she could just make out a white figure at the bars. Rapunzel whimpered and curled in on herself.

“Go away,” she whispered. The ghost vanished.

The door remained open. Hesitantly, Rapunzel stood and poked her head out. Pascal chirped on her shoulder. She glanced down. A worried frown tugged the corners of her friend’s mouth.

“I know,” Rapunzel whispered. “There’s got to be guards around here somewhere, right? But if we can sneak passed them-,”

A scream cut her off. “Ghost!”

Rapunzel cringed. Heavy boots thundered down the long stone hallway. A pair of guards hurtled passed her cell, too intent on the shriek still emanating from out of sight to notice Rapunzel was no longer secure.

Rapunzel crouched in the dark corner of her cell until their footsteps receded.

“C’mon,” Rapunzel tucked Pascal into the crook of her neck and slipped out of the cell. She made to limp away from the screaming, but an approaching glow of torchlight illuminated the hallway from that direction. Stomping footsteps brought the light closer. Rapunzel scrambled to stay ahead of the light. She frantically scoured the hall for a door, a corner, anywhere she could escape the chasing guards. The wailing grew louder.

At last Rapunzel came to a fork in the hallway. The yelling came from the left, the right was dark and quiet. She dove to the right just as the torch caught up to her. Three guards whirled passed, heading to the left.

Rapunzel panted and slid to the ground, taking the pressure off her ankle. The voices around the corner grew louder. Rapunzel held her breath and listened.

“Shut up, Stan!”

“Tell us what happened.”

“What did you see?”

The screaming finally died into blubbering. Through the panicked sobs, Rapunzel heard Stan stammer, “A ghost! It attacked me. Flew out of the rafters. Flew through the wall!”

Muttering accompanied Stan’s account.

“I saw it!” Stan yelled, making Rapunzel jump. “White as bone and floating. It didn’t have a face.”

Rapunzel shuddered. Mother’s ghost had indeed followed her, it seemed. She had to get out here. Rapunzel groped her way along the stone hallway. Eventually, limping, she came to a set of stairs leading up. Rapunzel followed them, her bare feet silent on the steps. A massive door sat at the top of the stairs. Praying it wasn’t locked, Rapunzel tried the latch. It opened under her hand.

Rapunzel crept out into pale moonlight.  Her feet sank into lush carpet. A long corridor spread before her, lined with white doors to the right and soaring windows to the left. Rapunzel looked down at Pascal. He shrugged. She’d just have to try the doors until one let her outside. She couldn’t stay in the castle any longer.

Rapunzel’s hands shook as she tried the first door. It was locked. She opted for the next one. Locked. Every door was barred. Rapunzel’s heart pounded. Each passing second was a chance for the guards to discover her missing. Finally, Rapunzel tried the last door in the corridor. The latch gave. She slid inside with a sigh of relief.

The ceilings of the room soared. A balcony window let an ocean of moonlight bathe the room. Rapunzel hobbled towards the balcony. Maybe there would be some ivy to climb down. Her eye caught on the center piece of the room. A baby basinet. Curiosity piqued; Rapunzel tip toed closer. A purple blanket draped over the crib, emblazoned with the sun of Corona. A tiny rattle lay in the crib. Rapunzel plucked it up with shaking fingers.

This was mine, the realisation hit. Rapunzel stood in the Lost Princess’ room.

“Who’s there?” The voice startled Rapunzel. She dropped the rattle. It clattered against the marble floor.

“I’m sorry,” Rapunzel stuttered. “I’m, uh, I’m lost. I didn’t mean to-,”

Out of the shadow stepped a huge man in a robe of flowing purple. On his head, a crown winked in the moonlight.

Rapunzel gasped. “You’re the King.”              The King frowned under his mustache.

Rapunzel dropped into a curtsy to hide the expression on her face. Her father. She was facing her father.

“Come here,” a match struck and the King held up a candle. “Let me see you.”

Rapunzel limped forward. She kept her eyes respectfully downwards.

“What are you doing here?” He asked. His voice was gruff, but Rapunzel noted the lack of anger.

She took a deep breath. Now or never. Rapunzel lifted her head. “I’m the Lost Princess.”

The frown darkened to a scowl. “Young lady-,”

“My name is Rapunzel,” she interrupted. “Eighteen years ago, a woman named Gothel stole me away. I’ve been in a tower ever since. She stole me because I had the power of a magic flower. But,” Rapunzel stumbled over her explanation. “I don’t anymore. Eugene, my… my friend, he cut my hair to save me. He saved my life,” she whispered the last phrase to herself.

Rapunzel watched the King’s face. He remained frozen, with his lips parted, staring at her. Suddenly the candlestick dropped from his grasp. Rapunzel flinched as it hit the marble floor.

“Can it be?” The King reached out for Rapunzel. “Is it really you?”

He cupped Rapunzel’s chin and lifted her face. A breathless laugh escaped the King. “You have your mother’s eyes.”

Tears flooded the King’s eyes. He wrapped Rapunzel in a crushing hug. She clung back, her heart soaring. This was all she ever wanted. Years of dreaming. With a pang, Rapunzel wished Eugene could see this. He had sacrificed himself for this moment.

The King pulled back. “Come with me,” he tugged her hand. “We have to tell your mother.”

[the-bentley]

Fall of a Serpent (G)

Read on AO3

Although they don’t remember it, Aziraphale and Crowley met before their fateful encounter in the Garden of Eden.

The little golden-white mouse with blue eyes scampered along the tree, not paying any attention to anything other than keeping his tiny feet balanced on its twisting branch, eventually running headlong into the snout of a green tree snake coiled there.  The surprised snake reared with a hiss.

“Hey!  Watch it!”  

The mouse backed off in a hurry, sitting up on his haunches to wave his front paws in apology.  The mouse backed off in a hurry. “Sorry.  I was too busy exploring.  I wasn’t really paying attention to where I was going.”

“So I noticed,” the snake replied, yawning.  “Who are you?”

“Aziraphale.  What’s your name?”

“Everyone just calls me Crawly.  Of all the animal forms the Almighty could have given me, she made mine a snake.  I don’t care.  I don’t really like my given name,” the serpent-shaped angel replied. He stared down at a toad and a chameleon having a discussion by the trunk of the tree and said rather loudly. “But at least She didn’t make me a stupid frog.”

The amphibian in question glared up at him.  “Ha ha, how funny.  I’m a toad, you idiot.  But joke all you want, Crawly.  At least I have opposable thumbs.”

The chameleon laughed.

“We all do in our natural forms.  Now who’s the idiot?” Crawly called back.  To Aziraphale he said, “You’ll have to excuse those two.  Apparently there weren’t enough brains to go around by the time She made them.  So what brings you to the Garden?  I don’t think I’ve seen you before.”

All the angels were encouraged to visit the Garden in animal form.  The Almighty planned to one day fill it with real animals and something called “humans,” and She wanted her angels to be able to help her keep an eye on her new creations while incognito so not to frighten them with their true forms. Aziraphale didn’t quite understand why their angelic forms would scare these new humans, but he didn’t question God. That was not his place.

“Just exploring like we were supposed to.  Usually I’m in the Archives helping out by creating new scrolls.  It’s my job to help write down our history.”

The toad and the chameleon had moved on.  Crawly uncoiled himself, hanging headfirst off the branch.  Aziraphale watched him, whiskers wiggling.  “I was out making stars until there were enough of those, then we all got put on other duties.  I create plants for here now.  But I need to go bask.  Stupid cold-blooded form.  Want to come?”

“Some time in the sun does sound lovely,” said the mouse.  He delicately scampered down the tree trunk to the soft grass below.

Crawly just let go of the branch and crashed to the ground in a pile of coils. “The lazy way,” he said with as much of a grin as a snake could give.  “Don’t tell anyone how ungraceful I really am, ok?”

“I won’t.”

They headed towards a rock, coming across a grey and lilac peacock preening his feathers along the way. The peacock glared at them as they passed. Aziraphale ignored him, scampering ahead, but Crawly paused, glaring back.

“Don’t you have anything better to do with your time, Gabe?” he hissed.  “Ruin any more of my plants and I’ll bite you.  Again.”

The peacock pointedly snubbed him.  Gabriel, as one of the Archangels, thought himself above just another plant-creating Virtue.  He started up a conversation with his friend Sandalphon, who was currently a chimp and had just strolled over from observing those working on the waterfall.

Sandalphon wasn’t about to take the barb at his friend lying down, though.  He grabbed a nearby clump of flowers and ripped it out of the ground with a sneer. “I’m destroying your creations, Crawly.  What are you going to do about it?”

“Actually Aniel created those.  She’s not going to be happy with you,” Crawly laughed, showing off fangs that made Sandalphon think twice about approaching him.  “Why don’t you go pick fleas off of someone before the Almighty gets angry at you for messing up Her Garden?”

Aziraphale was waiting for him over by the rock, which was far enough away from the others they weren’t going to be bothered.  Gabriel wasn’t one to pick fights he couldn’t win and Sandalphon wouldn’t mess with the snake, either. They had discovered very quickly they weren’t immune to Crawly’s venom in either animal or angel form.  Raphael would just lecture him again for not remembering his rank and turning the other cheek when he sought him out for healing.

“Why do you taunt them?” asked the mouse when the snake finally curled himself up on the rock with a contented sigh.

“Gabriel actively destroyed my creations when he was able to get away with it and Sandalphon bullies everyone he comes in contact with,” Crawly replied. “They don’t mess with me much anymore now that I’ve tagged them a couple of times.  God made me venomous.  Nobody wants to go running to Raphael saying how they were bitten yet again.”

“We’re angels.  You’d think we could all act like it.”

“It doesn’t seem to work that way.  They find the different one and pick on them.  Unfortunately, that’s me a lot of the time,” the snake said bitterly. “Twenty million angels and I’m the only one with red hair.  What was God thinking?”

“She must have Her reasons,” Aziraphale groomed himself, smoothing down the hair on his back, scrubbing those little mouse ears.  “But maybe that’s also why she made you venomous.”

“If you get hot, just sit in the shade of my coils,” offered Crawly.  “I won’t bite you.  You’re one of the few who’s actually been friendly to me.”

“Oh.  Thank you.”  Aziraphale saw no point in being mean to anyone.  He took his role as a being of love very seriously.

They sat for a long time in companionable silence, breaking it occasionally with small talk until night fell and it was time to transform back to angel form to return to Heaven. Uncoiling, Crawly reared up, changing into a tall thin angel wearing an emerald green robe that complimented his long curly deep red hair.  His eyes were a golden amber colour set in a long face with well-defined cheekbones and an aquiline nose.

He curiously watched the mouse transform into a slightly plump angel with a round face, button nose and beautiful blue eyes the exact colour of the sky on the sunniest of days. All of it was surrounded by a cloud of curly white-blond hair kept short in an attempt to tame it.  His robes were of a sky blue that exactly matched those eyes.

Crawly felt his heart stir.  “Shall we?”

Unfurling white wings, they lifted off, heading for Heaven.  Crawly, showing off, did a few tricks as they flew, laughing at the freedom flight provided him. Aziraphale flew carefully and with little grace, but watched his companion with shining eyes.  Unfortunately the flight was short and they soon passed into the ethereal plane, landing at the edge of Heaven.  

“Well,” said Crawly, a bit embarrassed upon realizing how much of a show-off he was being.  “I should get back to the test gardens.  I got some ideas I want to try out.  Why should trees grow all the fruit?  Why not bushes?  It’ll be easier to reach.”

“That sounds like a grand idea,” replied Aziraphale with a shy smile.  “I’ve got some cataloguing to do myself.  Maybe I’ll see you later.”

“Bye.  I hope I do catch you around sometime.”  He really meant it.  Those sky blue eyes and that blond hair were really quite fetching and he had never seen hair so light.  There were some dark sandy blonds out there, but no angel he had encountered until Aziraphale had hair that bordered on white.  

He took to coiling up in the same tree every time he was in the Garden in snake form hoping he’d see the mouse angel again because suddenly the thought of having an actual friend rather than just acquaintances was very appealing.  He got along well with his fellow star makers and later the plant crew, but they weren’t friends.

If Time had existed, a week would have passed before his patience paid off.

“Hello again,” he said to the blue-eyed mouse who had scampered up the tree’s trunk to the branch he had met Crawly on, pleasantly surprised to see him there.

A hawk flew over, turning quickly on its tail to land in the tree with them.  Stern almost colourless eyes stared down both of them, Aziraphale looking away quickly to nervously groom.  Crawly, having the advantage with his snake form, easily stared down the hawk. Hawks eventually had to blink.

“What do you want, Michael?” he asked.

“I have my eye on you. Rumour has it you’re asking too many questions. There’s unrest in Heaven and I hope you know what side you’re on.”  She launched herself into the air again.

“Unrest?  I hadn’t heard,” said the sheltered Aziraphale.

“Yeah.  Lucifer’s thinking of starting a revolution.  Says he doesn’t like following God’s rules anymore,” Crawly shrugged the best a beast without shoulders could.  “I just wanted to know what he was up to.  I wonder about the Great Plan sometimes.  I just . . . have questions why everything has to be all planned out. What’s the point if you know how the story’s going to end?”

“Don’t say such things! You could get into so much trouble!” chided Aziraphale. “It is not our place to question Her Plans.”

“Let’s talk about things other than the Plan.  How did you not know what’s going on around here?”

“Umm, I don’t get out much. I like the Archives.  I read a lot about what’s happened in other parts of Heaven and the bits of the Plan God has let be known,” Aziraphale replied, his whiskers twitching excitedly.  “I’m a Principality. It’s going to be my job to pass on knowledge to the humans.  All of us Principalities are holed up studying all we can so we don’t fail them.”

“Why?  There’s more to life than reading.”  Crawly cocked his head to one side. “Don’t you learn things getting out there and doing stuff?”

“Well, somewhat, but . . .”

“Then let’s do some stuff.”  The snake uncoiled and started to slither off down the tree trunk.

He taught Aziraphale what he knew about the Garden.  He showed him interesting plants, pointed out clouds in the shapes of the flora and fauna that had been created, instructed him to close his eyes and really feel the breeze and what his sensitive mouse nose could pick up about it.  

“Live, Aziraphale. Gather knowledge this way, too,” Crawly said.  He had slithered up to a creek.  “Here. Feel it.”

Aziraphale dipped a paw it. “It’s cold.  And my paw feels different now.”   He pulled it out, noticing it was wet.  “Interesting.  So that’s what wet is?  I knew the word but not the application.  Nothing in Heaven is wet.”

Crawly nodded. “Welcome to the world.  This is so much more to learn about down here.  And yet they get angry when I want to know more.” His tongue lazily flicked out.

Aziraphale’s ear twitched as he became uncomfortable.  “Well, maybe there are some things we aren’t meant to know.”

Crawly dropped the subject. Instead they found a wonderfully sunny spot for him to bask in while Aziraphale rested in the shade of his coils. Content, they spoke of the humans to come and the newly created world just waiting for them, wondering what these new beings would be like.  Crawly expressed his hopes and desires for them and Earth.

“I think I want to be stationed down here,” he said.  “It’s more exciting than Heaven.”

“Mmm,” replied Aziraphale, not wanting to commit to any desire for himself, even though he found Earth interesting.  He was an angel.  His job was to do as he was told.

He allowed Crawly to talk about his budding love for Earth, happy to listen without voicing his own opinion.  He really didn’t have much of one.  He had duties to attend to and that was that.  It didn’t matter what he, or any of them, thought about Earth, Heaven or humans. They would be assigned tasks and expected to carry them out without question.  That is how the Plan would run smoothly.

Later, they returned as night fell on the Garden.  Standing there alone at the edge of Heaven in angelic form, Aziraphale found himself liking Crawly even more.  The feeling was not one he could put his finger on but something about Crawly’s smile made his soul feeling even happier.

The snake angel must have felt the same thing.  He grinned sheepishly at Aziraphale as he played with a lock of his hair.  Suddenly he was placing his lips on Aziraphale’s cheek before he blushed a red to rival those spiral curls of his. He fled before the Principality could react or even say anything.

“Crawly?” he blurted out to the thin air.

 ~*~*~

 Near by, God watched them both sadly.  The time was rapidly approaching when the two who were bonding would be separated.  But all this had to happen.  They were to be Her champions.  The ones who set everything in motion.  The domino effect they started together would give the future Antichrist the free will and upbringing needed to make his own choices about Earth’s fate instead of following a script.  It was cruel, but it was the only way the world had a chance to be saved.  

 ~*~*~

 It came to pass that Michael and her army cast Lucifer and his off into the Pit. Those who were on the fence about sides found themselves rounded up and imprisoned.  They awaited their trials where it would be decided if they were loyal to Heaven or enough of a threat they needed to be cast out as well.

Crawly sat in a cell, awaiting his fate for continuing to ask questions.  He looked down at his own shackled hands, wishing now he had kept his curiosity to himself.

Aziraphale found himself escorted to an interrogation room where Michael asked him questions.  He sat as still as possible on his chair while she paced around the table in front of him.  Slamming her hand down on the top of it, she startled him.

“Did you know what Crawly was up to?” she asked quietly.

“No.  I just knew he asked a few questions.  I told him that was not a wise idea and he never mentioned another thing to me about it.”  Aziraphale trembled as he answered.  Was he going to be tried?  Was he going to Fall?  And what about Crawly?  How much trouble was he in?  Would he ever see him again?

“To be honest, I believe you.  You’re just a scribe.  None of you are capable of really doing anything rebellious.  Scrollworms, the lot of you,” replied Michael. “Go back to your Archives, Principality Aziraphale. You’re confined there until all this is over.”

So there Aziraphale stayed until Heaven was secure again.  He kept himself busy reading and transcribing news brought in by other angels for history’s sake.  But Crawly’s fate remained a mystery to him.  He resigned himself to his duties trying not to think about his friend. What happened to him would remain a mystery for Aziraphale had learned not to ask questions.

Little did he know that Crawly was put on trial, found guilty of being a skeptic and considered too dangerous to keep in Heaven.  He was taken to the edge of Heaven at sword and spear point where he was told by his armed guards to keep walking because he was no longer a citizen of Heaven. Swallowing his fear, he sauntered nonchalantly off the edge as if leaving was no big deal.  He managed to hold in his screams of pain as he flamed downward like meteor towards the Pit until he was out of earshot.

 ~*~*~

 Tears in Her eyes, God performed one last act of mercy for them.  Reaching out, she touched both of them, making them forget about each other but leaving their bond in place – dormant, disremembered, waiting for them to reunite.  It would be an invisible foundation on which their rekindled friendship would grow as they once again got to know each other even though they would never recognize they once were friends in Heaven.  Finally, She blessed them both.  They had a long road ahead.  Every little bit helped.

She then went to Gabriel. “Aziraphale is to guard the Garden of Eden.”

“I will assign him there, Lord,” replied Gabriel, thinking the Principality was an odd choice.  But he knew better than to ask Her why. Questions only got you into trouble; the Plan did not suffer skeptics.  The only problem with that line of thinking was it came from angels themselves, not the Almighty, and such blind devotion to the Great Plan would almost destroy Her Creations.

 ~*~*~

 It would start again in the Garden where a mouse once met a snake, beginning a journey that ultimately would end in the two of them finally getting their long-deserved reward – the freedom to love each other and stay together on the Earth they adored almost as much as each other.  

Aziraphale currently stood on the eastern wall of Eden watching sorrowfully as Adam and Eve headed off into the unknown with his flaming sword.  Clouds gathered on the horizon and it looked like rain was coming. Still he stood and watched.  It was the least he could do after he failed in his mission to guard the Tree.

He should have been frightened when the Serpent slithered up to him, transforming into a demon, but he wasn’t at all.  And oddly enough, from the demon’s point of view, he felt comfortable addressing this angel, his enemy.  So they talked, building on a bond that was begun in more idyllic times; one that would carry them through many trials, triumphs and would slowly blossom over thousands of years from a friendship to an outright love that defied the odds. Little did they know how that bond had started or that what began with a mouse colliding into a snake would last for eternity.

[frenchie-sottises]

Angele Headcannons. (Updated.)

I mentioned somewhere previously that I was gonna do updated headcannons for Angele, so I’mma do them now. Also, FLORIDA’S BEING A B RN CAUSE I WOULD’VE POSTED THESE SOONER IF IT WASN’T FOR THE WEATHER-

- Never had a clue that she wasn’t fully human till she got struck by lightning when she was 15. “Popcorn” storms tend to happen quite a bit in Florida, so one popped up at her home one day and managed to strike her in the back of the neck. It didn’t kill her, but it caused the nerves in her forearms and lower legs to slowly die and lose function. A group of scientists saw this and decided she was an interesting enough subject to be fitted with prostheses. (Prosthetics and Prostheses are actually two different things.) They were made of better material than the usual material found on normal prostheses cause why not?

- Physically transforming to look more like a hybrid didn’t happen on the spot. As the wound on her back began to heal, scales began to slowly accumulate in that area. Every month, there were about 4-5 new scales. They started where the lightning made its entry, which was the back of her neck, and slowly made their way down to the base of her tail. They also separated off from there and have now made their way to the sides of her thighs. They stopped forming once she hit 18, so more than likely her body won’t make any more. They’re smooth and highly reflective, much like a snake’s scales.

- She didn’t earn her wings and tail till a few months after being given prostheses. They were frail and thin, so she immediately went into intense exercising and slowly built up the muscle over time. Her wings are about as buff as her arms by this point. She treated them much like how she treats her arms cause wings are also arms, but they’re structured differently for flying. Her tail, however, needed something completely unique to be as physically fit as her wings, so Angele used herself as a weight. There was a tree stump in which she wrapped her tail around and slowly lifted herself over and over again. They’re both the deadliest parts of her body. Her wings can easily lift things much bigger and heavier than she is while her tail can send people flying for yards/meters if she strikes them in the gut just right.

- Speaking of wings and tail, she has oversized wings and a very long tail. The wings have a very simple explanation: her bone structure. Birds have hollow bones in their bone structures. Of course, it isn’t completely empty space, there are “braces” in the cavities to allow durability against pressure changes in altitudes. Angele, however, doesn’t have this. She shares the same exact bone structure with her human species, so it’s clear that somewhere along the line, her DNA recognized this and made up for it by giving info to make the wings much bigger. Although DNA in a normal human being changes due to mutations overtime, it has not been reported to “recognize” a flaw and change voluntarily. At the same time, she’s half of a species that was reported in the scrolls to not be from Earth, so it’s possible that some alien species can do this and it was just passed onto her. Her tail, on the other hand, is a mystery of its own. No one knows how truly big Kindled dragons are, so there isn’t much evidence to try and explain why the tail she was given is ridiculously long. The tail is well over 10′6, 320cm long, which is exactly twice her height, which is 5′3, 160cm. Because the tail is so long, she often has it rolled up like a chameleon’s tail. The only times she uses it outside of battle is to: catch and hold larger prey, position herself to sit in a way where it looks like she’s levitating off the ground, to grab things from a further distance, and to wrap around a branch and sleep upside down like a bat.

- That’s another thing she can do: sleeping upside down. There’s been many reports of people asphyxiating from being upside down for too long. If it’s not asphyxia, then there’s pooling in the brain since a human’s circulatory system is built so blood won’t pool at the feet. In much less serious cases, some people can suffer temporary blindness due to gravity inversion. All of this should apply to Angele, but the worst she’s ever suffered is dizziness and that was just from her getting back into an upright position far too quickly. Upon further inspection, even though she’s very much a human being and shares all the basic traits as the rest, her organs are far more durable to altitude pressures, gravity inversion, and other forms of pressure. While a normal person’s lungs get weighted on by the other organs in the body from being upside down, which leads to asphyxiation, her lungs manage to stay intact. When it comes to possible pooling in the brain, her body seems to recognize the change of position and the circulatory system can work the other way around. This also explains her heart’s position, as it points straight down and not to the left like a normal human being’s. Her lungs are also the same size, which allows more oxygen into the blood and further lessens the chance of asphyxiation. 

- She has the slowest heartbeat of any human being, which is reported to rest at 23bpm, beating the bpm of Guinness World Record holder, Martin Brady, who’s resting bpm was 27bpm. Although a bpm lower than 60 could be considered bradycardia, which is a condition where the heart just beats too slow, for highly trained athletes, they can have a bpm around 30-40 and have no issues. However, Angele isn’t a highly trained athlete, but she did exercise rather intensely on her own accord. This, combined with the fact that she’s half-alien, would possibly explain the slow heartbeat. The highest it has ever reached was 90bpm, and that was when she was running her max speed of 75mph down the highway all because she forgot to delete her Internet history.. Okay, I’m joking on the last part, but she did think leaving her wallet in the store’s freezers would be funny.

Okie, I’mma stop here for now.

[solheira]

@piraticalwit // original

Blue eyes study her as if trying to pierce the wall she’s suddenly built as well as she does his. Head cocks to the side, tongue pressing to the inside of one cheek as the pirate finds himself momentarily taken aback - he should press, should coax the truth out of her … but Killian Jones is well aware of skeletons that might lie in one’s closet, so shoulders decide to shrug instead.

Gaze finally tears away from her, studying the horizon instead as if getting the bearings of where they are - but still he watches, aware of her presence at his side. Their whole venture has been something he doesn’t quite understand - the reasons for her leaving have yet to be shared with him .. but any pirate worth his rum knows a yearning heart when he sees one, and he can understand that, can feel the own longing in his own chest. The sea is out there somewhere, and not for the first time he entertains the idea of leaving his companion to her fate. of letting her see the damn bloody lights herself - but something stops him each every time. The gold that had been promised on her safe return, aye, that was it. He would accompany her on whatever travel she wished - but at the end, fingers will be full of the treasure promised him - for something as simple as delivering Rapunzel to the older woman’s hands.

A swallow from his flask gives him a moment to recover his discomfiture - again he wonders if he should press further, dig into the source of secrecy she’s suddenly confronted him with… but Captain Hook has never been fond of the effort required to climb walls, so thoughts turn away from the question, looking for their next distraction. A few of her words so strike a chord with him, however, so gaze turns once more to settle on blonde hair as a smile threatens to play across salt flavored lips. “ For me to find out, is it?” The smile comes full force now, eyes flashing in amusement as one brow quirks. “Aye, I’ve always loved a challenge.”

Brow stays cocked as he glances at the sun, huff of breath meant to disguise a laugh at Rapunzel’s desperation to change the subject. Dark , as she called it, was still a few hours off yet - but Killian just nods in feigned seriousness as if taking her suggestion to heart. “You’re right, love - after all we wouldn’t want to run into brigands.” As if he wasn’t already one of the few she loathed to run into. Silence stretches between them for a while, the only sound the breaking of twigs under their feet, and the occasional stumble from the pirate as he trips over a root .. and despite his best intentions, the pirate finds he misses his companion’s endless chatter .. so he does something he’s never thought himself capable of doing - he starts a conversation with a question that, if someone looked closely enough, could almost make it seem as if he cared.

“Why the lights?” It wasn’t any of his business, aye, even in his daftest moments the pirate captain knew that to be true - but there was an insatiable curiosity there, a sudden urge to make the blonde’s voice chatter incessantly into his ear once more. “If one is so interested in glowing things against the night sky - there’s always the bloody stars.” Black boots stop where they stand, head turning to the woman at his side, not trying to hide the smile that etches itself across features. This time. “I’ve heard others say they’re damn near beautiful.”

The distance between them wax and wain as they walk through the forest. She sticks to the areas with the most sun, sometimes jumping from one beam of light to another. When she speaks, it’s to the chameleon on her shoulder who seemed to be magical in how it can appear and disappear at a moments notice. When Killian trips she pauses and looks back, preparing to apologize for… or rather if, her playful trot was at all the cause of his balancing issues on dry land.

However, for whatever reason, he asks her a question and she debates on whether to take the bait or not. It is the searching look in his sky-blue gaze that breaks down those flimsy walls she keeps trying to build around herself. The not yet found and still unrevealed princess slows her speed just enough to let him catch up and then falls into step at his side. When he stops she does as well.

“Stars are constant,” she hears herself explain over the sound of branches rustling in the breeze. “I spent years charting them, naming them, making up stories for the shape I found in them. I thought I was so smart and creative but apparently people have been doing that for years. I know the stars as well as I know the freckles on my face, the creases in my palms, and even the ratio of how often your smile goes to the left in comparison to the right. I could even tell you what date it is with a single glance up at the sky. They are beautiful and yes, glowing, but that’s just it they don’t change.”

Her bright green eyes, reminiscent of a summer’s day, shone gently as Rapunzel spoke. It seemed like his plan, if there was a plan, to get her to open up was working and she was relieved when he didn’t belittle her thoughts or dismissed her feelings on a matter that meant the world to her. There wasn’t much that she held dear to herself but her dreams seeing the lights were as tangible as the braid of hair at her back.

“There was another constant in my life, you know, like one more in the thousand or so that made up my days, and those were the lights. Every year on my birthday, all these lights would come from beyond the trees, all sporadic. They would fly up into the sky like a billow of fabric and hover and go off whichever way they wanted. Studying the movements I noticed they moved a lot like leaves but instead of moving down it moved up? And although I’m still not sure how they go up I know it has something to do with the wind; at least in a directional sense. The more I thought about it the more I knew they just weren’t stars. So what were they and why did they only appear on my birthday? I just couldn’t shake the feeling, and it might seem stupid to someone who’s known more of the world than I could ever begin to understand but… they’re meant for me. I need to see them in person. I need to know where they come from because maybe that’s where I came from too.”

[phantomphangphucker]

Something Clearly Went Wrong In The Build-A-Ghost Workshop - Phic Phight

Prompt Creator: @imdeadtiredtm Prompt: Danny discovers that Ghosts find his mostly human-like appearance (even in ghost form) is, to them, extremely disturbing. Summary: Why are all your body parts like that Phantom? What cruel god designed you?

Warning: Mild cannon typical body horror, mentions of injuries, mentions of broken bones

Danny Phantom is just chilling in a tree watching the night stars, as a long black haired ghost pops her head up beside him. “Where the? Uh, do you mean harm lady?”, Danny’s a little startled that she showed up before his ghost sense went off, but decides not to start shit.

“Naw, I’m chill, just wanted to invite you to scare a bunch of young ghosts”, she props her head and arms up on a branch close to his face.

“I’m not in the business of scaring and nothing about me is scary anyway? I’m, like, the most inoffensive ghost out there”, for emphasis Danny runs his hand up and down his small friendly form.

She shakes her head at him but snickers, “you’re thinking like a human. Nothing about you isn’t horrifying, except the eyes and glow. Hair’s ok too I guess, kinda fucking hard for hair to be scary”.  

“Um, what? That doesn’t even make sense?”, Danny sits up properly while the other ghost gets herself settled on another branch; looking plenty amused.

“DP, just last week there was gossip around saying that Skulker managed to snag your glove, and while fighting him you scratched him. But you don’t have claws, so the scratch marks were all blunt and shit. Even heard your freaking nails bent off the nail bed, that is straight up disturbing”, she shivers a bit as if to prove a point. Before wiggling her very sharp and long claws at Danny, “we’re supposed to have claws not freaking nails, and they’re not supposed to bend off”, she’s laughing a little now, even if it’s a bit off.

Danny rubs his neck a bit bashfully, “hey now, even I though the nails coming off thing was fucked, any human would too. I don’t go around yanking off my nails though and I’m definitely not doing that just to scare some ghostly kids”. Tilting his head curiously as he continues, “though I don’t see how blunt nails is scarier than sharp claws. Claws cut and slice, that’s far more terrifying”.

The girl shakes her head, “nope, that’s useful, not terrifying. Nails are completely useless and only serve to hurt yourself, ripping them off in fights and shit. Plus, I’d rather be slashed by a sharp knife than a dull one. Claws are a sharp knife, nails are a blunt knife”, she makes stabbing motions at her arm which just makes Danny slightly unsettled.

“Well yeah, nails, in general, don’t serve much purpose, not everything has to have a purpose. But I can at least see your point there”, Danny nods a little while inspecting the tips of his gloves. “But it’s not like they’re even visible, usually. Literally the only visible things you implied were scary is my jumpsuit and skin, how the hell is my freaking skin scary?”.

She smacks her cheeks in reference to the fact that the only skin on Danny that’s even visible is on his face, “well, ignoring that you actually have skin under the suit, which is just plain wrong. Your skin colour is bland, it blends into everything. Like some creepy ass chameleon, ghosts are supposed to be flashy things. Our greens and blues are safe colours, you’re like a tan/yellow caution light”. Fiddling with the end of her ghostly tail, which is wrapped loosely around the branch, “then there’s the whole your ghost skin is darker than your human skin, like you’ve been fucking fried or burnt. One of the running rumours is that those rings of yours literally burn your skin when you transform”.

Danny stares at her incredulously, “what? Hell no that would be awful! My skin’s probably darker because I was electrocuted to my half death. Peach is a warm colour, safe. Blue is pretty sickly looking, so not sure how that’s supposed to be better. And so what none of you have skin under your clothing? If you ask me that’s fucking weird”.

“Ghosts aren’t supposed to be warm, we’re cold things. Looking warm when you’re not is so deceptive and that’s kind of creepy. Blue is cold”, she then makes a point of yanking off her collar showing nothing but floating semi-solid ectoplasm. “Our clothing is our skin. Zone knows what your “clothing” even is!”.

“Pretty sure it’s just ectoplasm taking a specific and solid form based off what I half died in”, Danny proves his point by yanking off a glove, letting it dissolve into ectoplasm and slowly dissipate away. Promptly forming a set of mini rings to reform it.

She watches the glove as it dissolves and disappears, “so it’s skin then, you have two sets of skin. That is fucking freaky”.

Danny blinks a couple times before staring down at his hand, muttering, “I never even thought of it that way before, huh”.

She nods curtly before bending her body and head down to look him in the face, “that’s not too mention the fact that your suit looks like a ghost hunters suit. Hell, the others who wear the same sort of thing actively try to actually destroy all of us. The flaming DP is cool though, the rest, not so much”.

“Ok yeah, I’ll give you that for sure, especially since that is literally what it is. Originally, it had my dad’s face on it too; so glad that got torn off before I half died”, Danny physically shudders at the thought of having to fly around with that thing stuck to his chest for the rest of his half-life and possible death.

She grimaces in suit, “that’s both creepy and gross”. Danny can’t help but nod and pat his DP symbol affectionately.

“Speaking of shit you shouldn’t have”, she holds up and wiggles her arm about like it’s a ghostly tail, “bones. You still have damn bones. At least half the zone has horror stories of seeing your bones jutting out of your skin or suit. Like what the fuck? Literally everyone comments about how it’s utterly sickening to hear the cracking sounds your body makes”. Shaking her head and shivering, “and like, what’s even the fucking point of them? To hurt you? Is your body just horrendously masochistic? Ghosts don’t need them to be stable so what?”.

Danny doesn’t really have an answer as to why himself, “can’t say I know why but unlike you guys, I can remain stable indefinitely outside of the GZ. So consider that a use. And I can’t say anyone enjoys broken bones but humans have them, I’d be fucking disturbed if my bones suddenly disappeared whenever I’m a ghost”.

She taps her chin a bit, “well at least that sort of makes sense. Still creepy though”.

Snapping her fingers at him before pointing at her ghostly tail, “what about your leg bones or whatever? You have a ghostly tail, I know that for sure”.

Danny blinks at her a bit because yeah he had no bones and shit in his tail, “and there’s something else I never really think about. But yeah, no bones in my tail and thinking of it I can pretty much negate my bones”. To prove his point, he wiggles his arms like a ghostly tail and spins his head around, which earns some laughs from her.

“Now see that’s some proper ghost shit, that means your bones are just a straight up enigma then”

Returning to normal Danny shrugs, “my very existence is supposedly against the very laws of the universe and nature so”. He can’t help but bring his attention to his impossible, but still there, pulse; showing a small toothy smile.

She points at his mouth, “yeah see, that’s creepy too”.

“Uh what? My damn teeth? If I had extra teeth then I’d get that, but they’re pretty damn normal and average”, Danny runs his tongue across his teeth, never having actually paid any attention to them before and now officially wondering if they were weird.

She opens her mouth wide at him, showing off her rows of sharp pointy teeth and four large sets of fangs, snapping her mouth shut with a loud clack sound before speaking, “teeth are for biting, so again with the sharp knife verse dull knife thing. You couldn’t even make a clean bite through someone’s arm if you tried, you’d have to like, naw it off”, both of them shudder but she’s shuddering at the feeling of blunt teeth slowly grinding away on her arm until it severed. While he’s shuddering at the idea of biting a part of someone’s body off at all.

“Who the hell goes around biting people?! Teeth are for biting food, and maybe catching shit when my arms are full, not for biting people!”, Danny stares at her judgingly while she laughs at him.

“Ghost do, that’s who. Like I said, you think so very human. Plus, not having fangs is like not having fingers on your hands. It’s not horrifying, just very off”

Danny rolls his eyes, “I mean I could see how fangs might be useful but they’re predatory, predatory usually implies scary or threatening”.

“Ghosts are predators, so be more of a damn predator then. It’s like you’re a lamb behaving like a wolf. Your form screams prey but you’re a predator. Combine that with your power and it’s even worse. You’re a straight up super predator”.

Danny rubs his neck bashfully, knowing full well he’s easily one of the strongest ghosts out there, “while I won’t deny my power, I think I look more approachable by looking less like a super overpowered being”.

Switching out her tail for legs and crossing them, “That’s only to humans! Which really shouldn’t be comforting to them either, since that makes you quite literally a wolf in sheep's clothing; in a heard of sheep. Your form doesn’t reflect your power at all, strength is supposed to be palpable. Seeing a strong form is comforting and far less embarrassing to lose against, but you just look like a failed predator. The sight of a lamb maiming a wolf is just fucked up and all kinds of disturbing”.

“You keep saying predator but I wouldn’t call myself a predator at all. I’m not running around devour things or some shit”.

“Oh so you don’t prowl the night looking for trouble, getting into fights and protecting your territory? Could have fooled me”, her words are thickly laced with sarcasm while Danny looks rather embarrassed. Smirking at the green glow coming to his cheeks, “that’s what I thought, Mr. Predator”.

Danny makes a pouty face at her while she rolls her eyes, “so party? Literally, you could just show up and throw your gloves at them. Bare your teeth or smile or whatever. And congrats! A bunch of disturbed, slightly terrified little ghost brats. Who maybe learn a little life lesson about not underestimating people for their looks or some shit”.

Danny groans but decides why the hell not, they’ll all met him eventually at some point. Might as well play around a bit, pointing at her aggressively but playfully, “fine, I am so not breaking a bone or tearing off my nails though”.

End.

[sunnylildragun]

The Lion- doesn't- Sleep Tonight

Day 4 of the Bumbleby Week- AU Day.

No one truly knew how Yang Xiao Long had lost her right arm. There were rumors, speculations, and a lot of gossip. Some said she did it by protecting her house from Grimm. Others said it was in a motorcycle accident. Some speculated that it had been fighting a bunch of bandits. None of those were accurate, and the blonde always just brushed it off. She didn't pay much mind to what people said about her arm, as long as they didn't ask her awkward questions. Like, it was funny when it started, but why were people so interested in knowing if it had a vibration function? Geez, chill, people.

There was also a discussion over what she hid under her cowgirl hat. Team CRDL once tried stealing it from her head, which resulted in broken noses and bruised ribs for them. After that, no one explicitly talked about it. The subject was buried in the same grave as Cardin Winchester's ego. And Yang was glad for that. What she had under her hat was nobody's business, and whoever she wanted to know, would know. And for now, it was no one but her sister, her father and her uncle.

Blake Belladonna couldn't help but wonder, too, what it was that the taller girl hid. Every time purple eyes fell upon her own yellow ones, she knew there was more to Yang than anyone could tell. Blake had, throughout her life, learned to read people very well. Her parents were influential activists in the Faunus Rights cause, although being humans. They found it very important to treat everyone as equals, so that's what they taught her since a very young age. It gave the raven haired girl the opportunity to make many friends, and to interact with all sorts of people.

Her partner was still a mystery to her. As curious as she was, though, Blake couldn't bring herself to ask Yang about it. She was afraid of hurting their growing friendship, or worse: permanently harming their partnership. The two of them had a duty not only with each other, but also with their team. Blake just couldn't risk losing both her relationship with Yang, and the functionality of the team.

So she held herself back, only talking out her frustrations when she was with her friends from outside the team. And those were Sun Wukong, a monkey faunus who she had befriended in the early months at Beacon, and Ilia Amitola, a chameleon faunus girl whose family was supported by the Belladonna family, and who was her childhood friend. They were in a cafe in Vale, Blake and Sun drinking tea, while Ilia enjoyed a capuchino.

"It's just..." Blake started. "I really wanna know more about her. She's always cheerful, and nice, and sweet. But I can see a longing in her eyes... as if she's hiding something. Something that hurts her deep inside."

"Blake... maybe you're just reading the wrong signs." Ilia said, after sipping from her cup. "From what I could see, she's a very open person. Perhaps she just likes the hat."

"Yeah!" Sun agreed. "And Yang trusts you a big deal. I mean, I've seen y'all do that combo... what was it again? Something bee related..."

"Bumblebee?" Blake raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, that thing! You literally throw her at the enemy. No offense to Neptune, but I would never do something like that with him."

"Sun, Yang and I are partners. We're different people in combat than what we are in our casual, day to day life." The human girl sipped from her tea.

"I think she likes you." Ilia smirked at Blake as she said it, and it grew to a grin when the taller choked.

"What?!"

"And you like her back." Sun joined the teasing.

"No, I don't?" Blake's voice was indignant. "And how would you two know that she likes me? Has she told you anything?!"

"No, she hasn't. But Ilia and I both crushed on you."

"Yeah, we know what it looks like." The chameleon faunus added. "She eyes you whenever you have your head buried in those books of yours. And that means all the damn time."

"That's true. Not to mention how she watches you train."

"How she lets you win most of your wrestling games after you two spar, even though she's physically stronger."

"How she puts herself in harm's way whenever the White Fang is near, because she knows your parents are a threat to their violent ways."

"How she shamelessly flirts with you and you flirt back."

"I get it!" Blake finally broke. "I just... never thought of it that way. Yang is just-" she sighed, not knowing how to explain her thoughts. It wouldn't work anyway. "Has anyone else ever mentioned any of that?"

"Weiss complains about it all the time." Ilia drank a bit more. "She says you two should get a room already."

"Schnee..." Blake said through gritted teeth, just before an idea popped in her head. A devilish smirk took over her features. "So... you and Weiss have been talking a lot?"

"Yeah, yeah. She's coming around. I think living in the same room as you had an influence on her." Ilia answered dismissively.

"Ilia." Sun called, knowing where Blake wanted to get with her teasing. These two had been his friends for a while, and he loved their shenanigans. "We all know that's not what Blake is talking about. You and the Ice Queen... you're seeing each other, aren't ya?"

Immediately, the darker spots on the faunus girl's cheeks turned a bright pink. "I-I... w-we... uh, we're kinda..." she sighed, trying to control how flustered she was. "We've gone on a few dates. She's actually... a pretty decent person when you get to know her."

"I think you look cute together." Sun smiled, supporting.

"I think so, too." Blake smiled too, and she saw Ilia relax and lighten up. The ravenette's mind was far from there, though, all the way to Beacon. She couldn't help but think of Yang, and of everything her friends just said.

Maybe se did have feelings for her partner...

-+-

Some weeks later, Blake and Yang were sent in a training mission. They were alone, as it was a project in which they should develop their partnership, and their field skills. It was supposed to test their abilities far from the comfort zone that was being under one of the professors' wings. As huntresses in training who were in the beginning of their second year, they appreciated this opportunity of experiencing actual independence. It was nice.

And Blake lowkey wanted to have some alone time with her partner. She had decided that she would confront Yang about... whatever it was. She kept it in mind to not make any assumptions, and to not go too fast with her questions. Blake didn't want to scare Yang off, she wanted to be let in.

The two of them didn't have time for that right now, though. Exploring the forest in the outskirts of Mountain Glenn had given them a bit of trouble, as they were intercepted by a bunch of creatures of Grimm. They had cleaned most of them, but three remained, giving them a bit more of a fight. Out of the corner of her eyes, Blake saw Yang duck an Ursa paw, and then punch the beast in the gut, sending it into a tree. The black haired girl herself was facing two Beowolves- an Alpha and a regular one. She jumped back as one tried to take a bite at her.

'Shit,' she thought. 'I can't let myself get distracted like that.'

Blake put her katana in pistol mode, shooting at the exhausted, weaker one's head. It was soon gone in a fuzz of smoke. The only one remaining was the Alpha, which got it all fours, ready to lunge at her. The girl readied herself too, grabbing the sheath of Gambol Shroud. The monster attacked, and she slid under it. Then, she got her weapon back into a sword, and attacked it several times.

Yang was not doing all that bad, either. The Ursa she had chosen to unleash her fire upon was not far from becoming ashes. She kicked its face, then punched it repeatedly in the stomach. The sound of her gauntlet and of the gun in her prosthetic firing filled the clearing, and it was all she could hear. She did capture, though, the moment Blake grunted in pain as the Alpha she was fighting pawed her, throwing her a few feet backwards, her back and her head hitting a tree. Her purple aura shone as the impact shattered it, since she had received many blows earlier that night.

The blonde turned to see what happened, her eyes widening and turning red. "Blake!" Came the almost feral cry. The growl behind her got her back to her own risky situation. She had to act fast.

Yang blocked the Ursa's claws with her right arm, and with the other she punched its head. The monster finally vanished, and the girl could finally focus on helping her partner. She fired her guns, jumping in the direction of the Beowolf. It was jumping at Blake, who was supporting herself against the tree. Her hand was on her forehead, eyes closed as her head started aching. When they opened, they immediately went wide. Just as she thought it was done for her, a mess of fire and blond hair changed the beast's trajectory, both going into the forest.

Blake got herself up, still dizzy from the impact. She heard a few gunshots and walked slowly there, trying to ignore low ringing in her ears. In the way, she found Yang's hat, which apparently was taken out of her head by a tree branch. She grabbed it, and followed the track of destruction left by the blonde and the Grimm. When she found them, Blake's shock was written all over her face.

"You. Ain't. Ever. Touching. My. Partner. Again!" Yang shouted between punches, her voice almost a roar. The girl's rage wasn't what shocked Blake the most, though.

On top of Yang's head was a pair of lion ears, that were back and low as she striked the creature multiple times. Even in the dark, Blake could see the lines of the faunus trait very clearly. When it was finally over, the faunus was sweaty and gasping for air. Her dark brownish-gold ears were up, as the danger had vanished and her anger was slowly coming to an end. Blake accidentally stumbled back, the shock from the sight in front of her and the hit to her head affecting her body. She stepped on a stick, and Yang's left ear turned to her, followed by her head.

As red eyes became violet once again as they stared softly into Blake's own. Then, when she realized where the yellow orbs were, she panicked. She noticed the hat in Blake's hand, and her eyes widened even more, almost taking her whole face.

"Blake, I-" she wasn't able to finish the sentence, as the other girl tried walking to her, only to lose her balance and almost fall. She supported herself on a tree, and tried to stand still. "Blake!" Yang ran to her, trying to think of what to do. She put a hand on the girl's shoulder, worry all over her features. "Hey, what's going on?"

"I... I'm not feeling all that well." Blake closed her eyes, as the pain in her head got even more intense, her ears ringing with even more intensity. "My head..."

"L-Let's get you back... to the camp." Yang gulped. "Do you... can you walk there?"

"I... don't think so." Blake answered, groaning in pain.

"Would you like me to, you know... um... carry you there?"

Blake was silent for a few seconds, but then nodded. She whined in pain, as it made her head hurt more. Yang just nodded back, putting one of the other's arms over her shoulder, and one of her own arms went to the girl's back for support. The other went under her knees, and soon she was walking back to their camp. It was in another clearing, a bit to the north of the one where they battled the Grimm. Blake still had the hat in the hand that wasn't holding on to Yang's shoulder. Her head was against her partner's chest, and she listened to her heartbeat as she gave in to sleep.

-+-

Blake woke up a few hours after that. She was inside the tent, in her sleeping bag. The headache had dulled a bit, and she guessed it was because her aura was full again. The young woman sat up, rubbing her eyes with her left hand. She then sighed, deciding to get out of the tent and see how Yang was holding up. It turned out the sky was already gaining the colors of dawn, and she had to cover her eyes as they tried to adjust to the light.

When she was finally able to see again, she spotted Yang sitting on a tree trunk they found to use as a bench. She was staring at Blake with a sweet smile, and her ears were free from the prison of the hat. Her whole being looked amazing in the light, and showing her faunus trait like that made her look... whole. It was like the hat covered the missing piece of a puzzle, and the entirety of Yang's beauty was unlocked by having them out.

It was not that Blake thought her partner didn't look good with the hat. She actually looked awesome with it, too. Yang looked beautiful all the time. It's just that this part of the faunus girl made her look natural, and like the greatest masterpiece ever created. The most beautiful being ever born. Yang looked exactly how Blake thought her heart would look if it were a person.

"Um... you can come sit with me. If you want." Yang finally said, her eyes going down and her pale cheeks turning red. Blake gave a nervous chuckle, and walked to the bench. She sat beside the blonde, "accidentally" bumping her shoulder against Yang's own. The taller girl didn't move away, brushing her hand against the ravenette's own instead. Her pinky was over Blake's own, and the smaller girl blushed.

They were silent for a few moments, until Yang spoke again.

"So..."

"So." Blake said, looking at her partner, and Yang looked back at her. The violet eyes held an emotion that Blake had not seen there yet. The blonde's metallic fingers came in contact with the other's cheek.

"I was so worried. So scared that..." Yang sighed, her eyes closing and her head low. Blake's hands shot up, taking the other woman's cheeks in them.

"Hey." She called softly. "Yang, look at me." Violet eyes opened to show unshed tears. "I'm sorry I put you through that."

"Just... be more careful, please. I don't want anything happening to you. I know we're being trained to that kind of fight, but..." the girl trailed off, looking at her yellow, mechanical fingers. Blake noticed the change, and put her left handover the one in her cheek.

"Is there... do you wanna talk about it?"

"No." Yang said, pulling away. Blake's heart dropped to her stomach and a lump formed in her throat. She had done exactly what she didn't want to do. She had made her partner push her away. She- "I never want to talk about it. But... I guess I have to. Now that you know about them," golden ears twitched in emphasis, "you may as well know the story behind it all."

"Yang... you don't have to. Not if you're not ready. I'd never want to push you into talking about it, not if it makes you uncomfortable."

"You aren't pushing me. I've... actually been meaning to talk to you for some time now. I know what your parents do for people like me. For the faunus. I was gonna ask for your help to... encourage myself to get out of hiding my heritage."

"Oh..." Blake let out in awe. Yang wanted her help with something like that? It made her chest feel warm, and butterflies fly all over her stomach. "I'll do anything my power. Just tell me how I can help, and I will do it."

"Well, I think we can start with what happened. As you know, from that time you went White Fang crazy and I told you about my obsession, my mother left and I went after answers for her whereabouts. The story I told you is not exactly all that happened, though."

Blake felt her body temperature drop a few degrees, knowing what she was about to hear would not be a happy story at all. "And... what happened?"

"It was almost night...

Ruby and I had entered a small diner by the woods. We were just kids, so I guessed no one would mess with us. Dad always taught us to not talk to strangers, so I thought only doing that would work. In my head, it was all pretty simple. Walk in. Ask the bartender- who, to me, seemed to be someone we could trust- for the information I wanted. Walk out with what I needed, and find that damned house.

The part of going in went alright, but the adults in there looked... scary. Shady. And they stared at me and at my ears like I was some kind of abomination. They seemed to want to take Ruby from me, so I held her close. I didn't know why they were acting like that, since to me a faunus and a human being sisters wasn't something weird. Besides, as you know, Ruby only looks human. Those claws of hers are killers. I've always loved and protected her with my whole being, I didn't get why anyone would ever assume I would do something bad to her.

"Sis... I'm scared..." I remember Ruby's small voice saying as she clinged to my arm.

"We'll be out soon. I promise." I answered, and kept walking to the balcony. "Sir," I called the bartender, who was cleaning some glasses, and he looked down at me.

"What is it?" His voice was rough, and rude.

"Um... do you know this woman?" I showed him a picture of Raven, and he leaned down to look at it.

"Never seen 'er around." He shrugged. "Now get out, before you get me in trouble."

My eyebrows furrowed, and I wondered what kind of trouble a little girl and a toddler could cause. "I'm already going. Just one more question-"

"Didn't ya hear the man, little beast?!" A tall, black haired man punched the balcony, his green eyes shining with anger, spite and violence. He was smoking, and he smelled like alcohol. Everything about him was scary, but the worst part was... that he was a huntsman. "Can't you read a sign to save your life? Huh? Right by the door, it says 'no faunus allowed'. I don't come to this bar to find your scum of a race!"

"S-sorry, sir..." my whole body was shaking, and my ears were glued to my skull, seeming to want to vanish. "I-I just wanted s-some information. I-It's very importan-"

"I don't care what you want!" He started walking in our direction, and I put myself in front of Ruby as we walked backwards. "Just get the fuck out of here, you small, filthy abomination! Go, and never fucking come back!" His voice filled the whole building, and I grabbed Ruby's hand and ran out of that terrible place.

Once she was in the wagon, I started running the way I'd never run before. I ran for what felt like hours, until I was exhausted, and most likely lost. Ruby was sleeping in the wagon, and I was glad she wasn't hurt. My mind was filled with thoughts, though. Why did he treat me like that? Why do people hate faunus? Did I do something wrong?

As I let these demons roam my mind freely, I kept walking and didn't notice the monsters outside. Beowolves were watching us, waiting for the right time to strike. They were probably attracted by the negativityof my thoughts. But all I could see was the path in front of me, the trail leading somewhere. That darned abandoned house from that photograph I had seen. The building that got me into that mess. For a moment, I forgot all the hardships of the day, and felt fulfilled as my goal was apparently achieved.

The nightmare wasn't over, though.

I took one more step, and hell broke loose. The pack of Beowolves jumped out of the dark trees. I was too tired to react. Ruby was basically passed out in the wagon, so shouting at her to run would do little to nothing. So I stood there in horror and shock, as death stared at me with shining, hungry orange and red eyes. One of them- the Alpha- was the first to jump at us, and it was going for Ruby, specifically.

"No!" Came the cry from my dry throat. Out of impulse, despair, and the desire to protect my little sister, I put my right arm in front of her. The Grimm took it, the bite sending pain through my whole body. It shook me around a few times and my yells woke Ruby up. Everything was a bit messy after that, but I still remember her silver eyes looking at me in shock and in fear. I remember her shouting for help. I remember when it threw me into a tree, and I remember Uncle Qrow calling my name and telling me to hold on.

After that, I never went out showing my ears again. I felt like my heritage was the responsible for all that happened after I set foot in that bar. To me, everything went wrong after that. And I... I blamed myself for that man's prejudice. I blamed myself for the fact that I was so terrified I didn't notice my surroundings. I blamed myself for putting Ruby's life in danger. I thought it was my fault I was born a faunus and I never wanted to go through what I went through that day again."

Blake felt her heart clench as she looked at Yang, who had her eyes on the yellow prosthetic. Her ears were a bit dropped, and the purple eyes had sadness, pain and some anger in them. From what she just heard, the black haired girl assumed the anger wasn't towards the man who'd been so ruthless to her when she was just a child. Yang was angry at herself.

Blake couldn't watch that any longer, and put a hand on her friend's shoulder. "Hey," her voice was soft, caring. "It's not your fault that people like that exist. Your heritage isn't a crime either, and you shouldn't feel the need to blame yourself for having it." Yang looked at her, a small smile forming. Her eyes started shedding the tears she had been holding back, and Blake reached out to whip them with her unoccupied hand. "I actually think they're gorgeous. Your ears." Her voice was just a bit above whisper.

Yang let herself relax, exhaling slowly and nuzzling against Blake's palm. Her lion ears captured how fast the other girl's heart was beating, and it was just as fast as her own. She then closed her eyes again, leaning in to rest her forehead against Blake's own. A low chuckle echoed from her throat, and Blake could hear the relief in it.

She decided to pull Yang into a hug, holding the girl close, arms around her shoulders. Yang hugged her back after the shock wore down. Blake didn't start contact very often, so she wanted to make the most of it. The blonde nuzzled against the shorter's shoulder, sighing in relief to find comfort in somebody's arms. As Blake's hands descended to her back, rubbing up and down, the blonde could feel all the tension leaving her.

"Did you get any sleep?" The raven haired girl asked softly. "You seem so tired..."

"I kept on watch all night. I thought you needed some rest after everything that happened."

Blake's heart beat a bit faster with that. Yang was always so thoughtful, and it made her chest go warm. "Well... I'm awake now. You should get some rest, too."

"Are you alright, though? I mean, you hit your head and back really hard." Yang pulled away, and looked at Blake with a smirk. Her hands were in the human girl's waist, thumbs rubbing her sides, and Blake's hands were in Yang's shoulders. "Wouldn't want princess here to faint."

"Princess?" Blake raised and eyebrow, looking around. "Did we bring Weiss to the trip?"

Yang laughed out loud at that, and it was music to Blake's ears. "You're a jerk. But don't worry, I won't tell Weiss. My ears kill me when she throws her tantrums when we call her princess."

"Thank you. And if I had feline ears, I wouldn't want to have someone yelling near me, either."

"That makes me wonder what would be your heritage if you were a faunus."

"Panther ears, maybe?"

"More like cat ears."

"Why cat ears?"

"You would look even feistier with cat ears on your head when you're upset."

"Panther ears would make me look intimidating. Wouldn't that be better?"

"Nah, your death glares are scary enough."

Blake slapped Yang's shoulder lightly. "Jerk." Both giggled, touching foreheads again. They knew exactly what they were doing, the lines they were crossing. They knew they would have to talk about it later, and they knew it would bring some changes to the way they act around each other. In that moment, though, they didn't pay much mind to that and just enjoyed themselves.

They stayed in a comfortable silence for a few minutes, until Yang yawned. Blake didn't say anything, just putting her hand on the back of the blonde's head. The faunus let her head be lightly pushed to Blake's shoulder, and her eyes slowly closed. Her breathing was soon steady, and her partner could tell she was sleeping.

Blake kept caressing the blond locks, some times brushing lightly against Yang's ears. She still couldn't believe that such a sweet, caring person as the woman in her arms could have a past this tragic. She wasn't sure if she would be able to remain uncorrupted if she had experienced anything anywhere near what Yang went through. It made Blake love the blonde even more, knowing her soul was kind to the point she didn't hate the world, even after being forced to hide. Even after losing a part of herself. And she knew there was still much work to do on getting Yang's confidence to let her ears free more often back. She wouldn't give up, though.

She would help Yang. She would fight beside her. They would win against the chains of discrimination.

And Blake made a promise to always do everything in her power to not let anything ever harm Yang like that. She would protect her partner to hell and back, and she knew the faunus would do the same for her.

Because no matter the circumstances, no matter the hardships. No matter the world, or the universe they were in. They would always be there for each other.

[dreamy--dolly]

we interrupt your usual pinkblogging to bring you some angsty one-sided salmiko

After the coronation, Mikotsuhime knows that something was torn out of her that cannot be replaced.

Well, that is not quite how it works. The mirror breaks under fingers into splintered shards of glass, and beads of blood dot her fingers. The candle she has in her room has been snuffed out; along with everything else here Mikotsuhime has been swallowed up by shadows. You can repair and replace, she realizes, but it’s not going to be the same. It’ll be a twisted, distorted mimicry of what you used to have and be - a doppelganger that stands as a reminder that things are not the same and never will be.

She knows that she did not need to be the one seated on a gilded throne wearing a golden crown, but it is at least what she wanted. She never got that, but what does she care? Titles, titles, titles - they mean nothing, gold can be tarnished and dented, she’d just be surveying the same depths of blue as her father before her and her sister would do now. No, Miktsohime decides, let the Sea Kingdom be swallowed up by red before the bright stars and the bold blue waves fade.

“I got you flowers today,” Sal says, and hands her a bouquet of periwinkle hydrangeas tied neatly together with a ribbon of pink silk. Mikotsuhime pulls at the ribbon, brushing her hands over the delicate little petals - it is almost as if they could crumble or wither away in her hands just like that. But she’ll make sure to fill a crystal vase up with water and keep them for as long as she can, because at least flowers look pretty before they wither, and also because it is Sal who gave them to her.

“Thank you,” Mikotsuhime can’t quite look into his porcelain blue eyes. “Thank you” isn’t enough, but they’re the only words she has.

“The neat thing about flowers is that they can have special meanings. Roses mean love, sunflowers mean dedication… things like that.” Sal laughs, soft and wavering. “Not all of them are happy, though - striped carnations mean refusal.”

“What do hydrangeas mean?” Mikotsuhime asks. It’s only a fleeting theory, but she hopes that the intent behind these flowers is the intent she wants it to be.

Sal smiles, pale cheeks tinged in pink. “Hydrangeas mean heartfelt emotion, and can be used to express gratitude or being understood.”

It isn’t the intent she quite hoped for, but it is what she needs. Because they met amongst the stars, a forgotten princess and a boy surrounded by friends who has never been more alone. But they both know what it means to be distant, and now they have each other amongst the sea and stars.

She should have known from the beginning that she would never be the one to succeed her father.

The sleeves of her itchy kimono are long enough to hide her bloodied hands. But the sound of blood dripping onto the floor and staining her sleeves red will betray her. She does not think on it, though. Her hands sting from when she broke the mirror, but as long as she manages to break everything else it will not matter in the end.

The Sea Kingdom is a garden. It may have been green and lush and teeming with life and color, but that was long ago. The leaves on the trees have started to turn to wrinkly brown and are wrenched from branches by the slightest of breezes, the flowers have already begun to wither and the warm colors that once saturated their petals is fading. Even the butterflies that floated in the pollen-perfumed air dwindle and don’t stop by as often anymore.

So she’ll tear apart the garden - it was already decaying in the first place. She will rip off every petal, withering or still fresh, till she sees nothing but red.

“You’ve been sneaking out again.”

Silence stifles the air when Uomihime finishes speaking. They sit alone in their room, fluffing up pillows and undoing the sheets folded neatly across their plush beds to go to sleep. Mikotsuhime pretends that the words were lost to deaf ears, and runs a comb through her tangles of dark cobalt-gray hair.

“You’ve been sneaking out again,” Uomihime says again. There is no sting to her voice, but she is not wrong.

“What do you mean?”

“When you came down for dinner, the sleeves of your kimono were torn up. Like you’d been outside.”

There are times, Mikotsuhime decides, that she wishes her sister would not focus the glass lens of the magnifying glass on the minute details. But she keeps those thoughts to herself and flops onto the bed, arms fumbling to wrap around one of her pillows.

“I’m not going to tell anyone,” Uomihime says. “I just know. But I won’t tell.”

“Don’t tell Father, will you?” Mikotsuhime’s words are plaintive and shaking - she does not want her father to know about Sal with his bright smile and white hair because he is below them - he is nothing but an animal and will never be more in her father’s eyes. She knows that she is already pushed into the background and forced into the role of a chameleon - blending into the walls so that she is barely seen and never heard - and does not want a reason to disappear entirely.

Uomi nods her head, and squeezes her sister’s hand. “I won’t tell.”

Mikotsuhime’s rest is fitful that night, struggling to escape the brightness of the sea with its stars and the prying eyes of her father and a sister who knows her secret.

“Your Highness?” She watches Sal falter, and how could he not when she comes to him like this: Eyes pink-rimmed and scaly from crying no one would hear, droplets of blood staining her kimono sleeves.

“He chose her during the coronation,” she says and pulls him close. Her sister’s already turned her back on her - she did not let a word leave her lips during the coronation, no matter how pleading and glassy with tears her black eyes were during the ceremony, she still did nothing and let herself be used as a marionette. “Not me - because he knows.”

“Your Highness…” He lets her press her head against his shoulder and wet his jacket with tears.

“It should have been me!” She says. “It should have been me…”

She poisons Sal that night. Poisons him with the decay that will dim the stars in the sea, that will eat away at the garden from the inside out. The words she wants to say are on the tip of her tongue - “I love you” - but she knows that for Sal that he’ll never say those words back. And it is being broken all over again, because the one person who she needs to fix her the most never will. At least, not in the way she wants him too.

He blinks down at her with dark blue eyes when she pulls away. He has been infected, contaminated, and like everything else she touches will see red.

“I want my sister dead,” she tells him. “She doesn’t deserve to sit on a throne - my father’ll just keep doing his work from behind the scenes, and she’ll just carry out his every whim. And she didn’t say a damn thing! She didn’t say anything! She didn’t try to stop him when he picked her instead!” “We can fix this,” Sal says. “We’ll kill them both. They won’t hurt you or make you cry anymore, Your Highness-”

“No,” she says, “Call me Mikotsuhime. Or Mikotsu. You know me well enough. You don’t have to keep calling me that.”

“I’ll help you.” He takes her into his arms again and it is the closest she will ever get to feeling warmth and mending again.

He starts visiting her when he realizes that Uomihime knows. This evening he has brought her sweets - the chocolates that glimmer with little chunks of sea salt. He always brings her milk chocolate because she has always preferred its soft texture and gooey sweetness to dark chocolate - it should not have to be entirely bitter. Mikotsuhime knows what she wants to say - it has been long enough - yet she just can’t. Because there is the unknown.

“How’s the chocolate?” he asks. He looks very unlike his usually immaculate self, she realizes, with sea-salt sprinkled chocolate smeared around the corners of his mouth. It makes Mikotsuhime giggle, and she has to stop so she does not choke on her candy.

“It’s good,” she says.

He reaches up a hand to scratch at his fluffy white hair. “I… You were laughing. Is something wrong?”

“You!” she chirps. “You look kind of silly with chocolate all over your face… Here, let me clean it off for you…”

When she lifts the napkin and begins to wipe off the chocolate that stains his lips and cheeks Mikotsuhime wonders if she could clean it away with a kiss. But she knows that she will not, because she wants to ask him first. And because she knows that Sal does not see her through the same rose-colored lenses she sees him through, he will say no, and it will maybe jumble the threads that they have sewn together.

“It’s kind of strange, really,” she says when she finishes cleaning Sal’s face off, “That my sister and I are so different but we still love each other. It’s kinda ‘cause she likes dark chocolate and I like milk chocolate, but we’re also just different aside from that.”

“What do you mean?”

“She’s always studying and likes to be by herself, and I just like to play out in the garden and look at the stars and talk to people. That’s why I’m happy to have you as a friend - it doesn’t get so lonely when there’s someone else to talk to, and Uomihime’s usually reading or studying by herself. She does have a lot to do, though.”

She wishes that she does not have to use the word “friend” with Sal - “lover” is the word she’d want to use, or - maybe if there really is a future out of reach that’s perhaps within the slightest grasp - “husband”. The princess has to stay locked away in a tower in this story, where she has someone who will stop by as often as he can, but never to whisk her away to the world beyond. And Sal is hardly a prince.

“I have a brother, too,” Sal says. “But we don’t get along as well as you and your sister do. We used to get along as little kids, but we just keep fighting a lot more now.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.”

The room’s poisoned with silence. Then-

“Hey, when I get older, I’d want to travel around. I want to see what the world’s like beyond the Sea Kingdom - Meikai tells us a lot about his travels, but I want to see all those things for myself! And I’d want you to come with me, too.”

“And I’d be happy to come with you, Your Highness. I’d want to see everything the world has to offer, and I’d be happy to keep you company. I’m sure you’d make plenty of friends, though - you’re so extroverted and try so hard to be nice to everyone.”

He squeezes her hand tightly.

“And I’m glad you’ve shown that same kindness towards me.”

The next time she sees her sister she brings out a knife to hold against her throat. Mikotsuhime could use magic to get rid of her, but there is nothing in that to leave a mark behind. Better to dirty her hands, she decides, so that she can lock this moment in a music box so she can replay it in her mind and dance in tandem in the charred remains of her garden.

“You didn’t do anything,” she spits. Uomi tries to pull herself away from her sister’s grip, but she is frail next to her sister. Draw it out, Sal advised her, Make her hurt. Make her feel the pain she brought upon you.

“I know,” Uomihime says. “And I’m sorry.”

While Mikotsuhime’s hands are stained in blood, her sister’s face is stained with tears, glimmering on her pale face in the sea that’s slowly becoming overtaken with dark red.

“Sorry won’t be enough, Uomihime. You could have stopped him.” She moves her hand to squeeze her sister’s throat, and drags the blade down her cheek.

“You could have said something.” She drags down the knife on her lip.

“And you didn’t. You just stayed there.”

She does not deserve the crown or the throne she sits on. Uomihime should not wield the scepter she’ll inherit from her father. Mikotsuhime raises the red-painted knife over her head - she’ll plunge it into her sister’s throat, watch the blood bubble up from the gaping wound in her skin to match the slowly decaying sea’s color—

There comes a flash of bright blue in the red, and it hits her in the eye. She can’t see out of her eye, and sets down the knife to clap her hands to her face. Blood drips from where her eye used to be, and with what she can still see there is Meikai in his deep blue robes and star-bedecked hat.

“Your Highness, this ends here.”

“Let’s run away,” Mikotsuhime pleads, “I don’t care we end up so long as it’s far away from here. I hate it here—I hate being told that I’m not going to survive because I keep seeing the best in people, I hate how everyone always tells me my sister will be better than me, I hate that Father has to constantly push me to the sidelines even when I’m trying my best.”

He rocks her gently in his arms, fingers combing through her pigtails. She knows from the wide eyes and the mouth pressed into a thin little line that he had heard. He had heard the ugly words they’d flung at each other, heard her father strike out every word she’d uttered, heard her slam the door and run far, far away from the throne room, away from her father and her sister.

She has Sal, but not in the way she wants. And she can’t push any further for things to change between them both: She knows. So she has to keep her distance even as he hugs her close, whispering empty words of “It will be alright” and “I’m sorry” because those are the only words he knows.

“Let’s run away,” she repeats. “I can’t take this anymore.”

She looks up at him, face a mess of tears and snot. Her words are garbled from crying. With a gloved hand, Sal wipes away the stray tears from her face.

“I know. We should. But I still have my brother. What if things get better?”

“What if they don’t?”

“We can try, right? That’s what you’ve always told me. And we’ve always tried before. Things worked then.”

“I don’t know if I want to try anym—”

The door clicks open. There’s an intruder that Mikotsuhime wishes was not there—with his blue and white robes and gray horns looming large on his head. He is as cold as the deepest depths of the ocean.

“Mikotsuhime.” He draws out her name.

She knows what will come afterwards—how could you be involved with a commoner, a familiar even? And Mikotsuhime will take it all in silence, because her father will cut her down as he has time and time again before, so she should not even try anymore because he will not listen.

Sal tries to speak for her, though. “Your Majesty, I—”

“You may leave now,” her father says. “That’s an order.”

Sal leaves them behind, looking back at Mikotsuhime pleadingly as he makes his way down the hall. Then her father closes the door, and she knows that she is alone and the punishment she will have to face.

The seal placed on Mikotsuhime and the people she managed to infect is draining her. She is sluggish, collapsed, almost lost to an unwilling sleep. The lapis blue the sea was before is painted over the red, and it is taking every bit of Meikai’s will to seal her away.

She won’t be alone in the Sea of Death, though. She will have the shark that towers over her, dressed in black. She’ll have the blonde boy with a fishbook speared through his bloodied head, the tired-looking little girl made of stars, the prisoner with tangles of long gray hair and a toothy catlike smile.

She will not have Sal, though, because he does not deserve to be sealed away here.

It breaks her even more when she lets go of his hand and pushes him through the seal. If she cannot roam the world like she said she wanted to so long ago, then he should be able to. She knows that he will not hear her words as she pushes him through the seal, but that’s why she says them—at least she’ll know she got the chance, even if her confession falls on deaf ears.

“I love you,” she says, and watches Sal fade away.

Maybe there will be another story, and even though she wades through a nightmare’s sea Sal is the one trying to pull her out of the water’s depths. She cannot see everything he does, but against everything Mikotsuhime hopes that she will get another chance at a happy ending—ruling over a sea that’s colored red, with her loyal ambassador at her side. She knows that it won’t happen quite the way she wants to, though—she will never hear Sal say “I love you back, will never get to feel his lips on hers—but simply knowing that he can travel the world is enough, and at least one day they will be together again.

So as she drowns in her nightmare, voice silenced and hands reaching out towards empty air, the princess hopes and waits.

[cookiem1996]

Once Upon a Dream Pt. 2

AN: So...here we are! This is the second and final part. I may write an epilogue or a part 3..who knows?

                                    Zelda just...she just had it.

        She had enough of thinking about that foolish dream. It was a recurring one, and such a nuisance might she add. She had been humming that strange tune not just for weeks-oh no, for months! Months!

         She paused in her steps and took a deep breath. Someone must have been messing with her, toying with her mind. Was it, perhaps, the actual Mother of Demons trying to tell her something? Was she toying with her? 

        Never has the Dark Lord or Lilith reached out to the pious witch even when she prayed to them. She tried her priest, Father Blackwood, hoping he would help her, help her find her release, so to speak. It surprised her to think that in a way Lilith was invading her dreams in order to give her some sign.

      What was she trying to tell her? She hated to think it meant that her association with Father Blackwood had been a mistake and suppose it was. Hell, red flags blew everywhere when she even thought of kidnapping his daughter. 

     What was the point anyway? She only spent just a few moments with the babe before deciding it was best if she was somewhere else in good hands. It broke her heart to part with her; it was another chance for her to be a mother. Sabrina didn’t even say it often, that Zelda and Hilda were her mothers. 

    The strange thing was, the only comfort Zelda found now was that damn dream! She felt like she had been floating on air every time. She let herself be touched, be lulled by this mysterious stranger, only it wasn’t just a stranger.

   Zelda’s eyes were shut, fighting back the urge to cry. She thought it was silly. She would see Leticia again, one way or another. Part of her realized though, that wasn’t just it. Hilda was off on her own, Ambrose had Luke, Sabrina had her witchhood ahead of her. 

  Zelda felt truly alone. Yes, that was one of her fears (aside from losing her sister or family for that matter). Was she, though, truly alone? 

   Not just metaphorically, but in these very woods? At this moment?

   Zelda turned quickly, greenish eyes searching about. Her golden red locks whipped behind her as her breathing quickened. There was something ominous in the air. She swore she recognized it. It was as if the trees bowed to whoever was just around the corner. 

                “Who’s there?”, she called out.

    She heard footsteps nearing her. She stood tall, saving face. Zelda Spellman wasn’t frightened. She was the bravest and eldest of the Spellman. She stood by her very own philosophy. 

           “I thought I might find you here...”, a voice crept up softly

     Zelda knew that voice. She knew the voice that carried a false sense of security. She still found that woman very peculiar, though she had been a great help and a mentor to her dear niece.

      At times, she was envious of her. Ms. Mary Wardwell had some strange affect on her niece, she couldn’t place what it was. 

             “Ms. Wardwell. What brings you here?”

         I know you I walked with you once upon a dream...

    The brunette, who now stood in front of her, gave her this wicked grin. There was something off about this woman, Zelda knew that for sure. Zelda was unsure whether to be curious or cautious of her. Was it...dangerous to follow this dark rabbit down the rabbit hole?

            “I could ask you the same. These are my woods.”

       Zelda scoffed softly and tilted her head observing the woman. For an ex-communicate, she was proud, even as she stood. 

          “Your woods? I’m sorry I wasn’t aware you laid your claim to it.”, bit back the red-haired bonnie.

        The demoness in disguise found no offense in Zelda’s approach. She found it rather amusing and alluring. She found herself lost in those chameleon- like eyes. Her icy blues even traveled down to watch how those red lips moved, how strong her jaw was as she spoke like a spit-fire. 

             I know you, the look in your eyes is so familiar a gleam...

        “Believe it or not, we’re on my trail. My cabin is just right around the corner, dear.”

       Zelda’s brows raised at this. She had never been to Mary Wardwell’s home, didn’t know she was stepping on her property. She glanced back, eyes peering between the branches only to see just a bit of the cabin from afar.

                          “That’s yours....I see.”

          And I know it’s true, that visions are seldom all they seem...

      Both of them were silent then. Zelda wasn’t up for social interaction. She had desired her alone time, but once again, someone had to invade her space, very much like the mysterious demoness from her dream.

    “Well, I shall be off. I have a class to teach and as do you I imagine.”, Zelda spoke up after some time of silence.

    Mary Wardwell didn’t budge from her stance. She stood there still observing the eldest Spellman as if studying her. She had no intentions of going to Baxter High this early and she knew Zelda just didn’t want to be near the ‘ex-communicate witch’. She could feel her..uneasiness. She knew what she was thinking about. It made her smirk.

    “This early? You know we don’t get paid by the hour.”, the dark-haired woman mused. “Stay, why don’t you? Maybe...come over for some tea?”

    Zelda was unsure about her. Her icy blue eyes stared at her as if she was her prey. Those eyes...they couldn’t be, could they? Those lips too. It must be nothing.

    “I musn’t. I do believe in a timely attendance even if it is quite early. Now, if you’ll excuse me.”

      As Zelda prompted herself to go forward, Ms. Wardwell’s hand gripped her arm, firm, but gentle. Those eyes just kept piercing, deep into her soul. It caused Zelda’s red lips to part, whether it was just in surprise or in awe from the way she eyed her down. It reminded her of this hungry gaze Faustus would give to her, but this was different. This gaze was foreign, it was concentrated, a wee bit...forlorn? Surely, Ms. Wardwell wasn’t fawning over Sabrina’s aunt. 

      “You have time. You’re always so...tense, aren’t you?”, her voice spoke up so dangerously.

     Ms. Wardwell slowly released her arm, nails scraping against the dark fabric of Zelda’s coat. She slowly made her way behind the witch and the touches didn’t end there. No, she swept her golden hair aside and pressed her fingertips against her shoulders. Zelda gasped softly, eyes heavy-lidded as those magic fingers felt their way around her shoulders, getting some knots.   

           “I was right...tense. Must you always be this way?”

       Zelda found herself leaning her head back, relaxed. Why did this feel familiar? She paused and backed away realizing she was letting herself go around this woman. She didn’t trust her, at all.

            “What do you want with me?”, was her almost stupid question.

        This question brought that smirk back on Mary’s lips...those tantalizing red lips. She practically beamed with that smirk.

             “I think you already know. You’re smart.”

         Zelda’s heart rate picked up. This...couldn’t be happening. It was all coincidental right?

“No...you...”

She could barely find the words. The dream was playing now, in reality! It was if her feet had been rooted to the ground. That damn devilish woman approached her again. How dare she eye her down like this like she didn’t affect her the way she did. She took her hand and pulled her close.

“Say it. Who am I?”, she purred against her ear.

It made sense now. Why didn’t she add it all up before? Zelda’s heart raced every time that woman appeared even in the dream. Her eyes shut as she prepared to speak.

“Lilith, Mother of Demons.”

This made the other woman’s smile grow. She didn’t intend to let the eldest Spellman know her identity so early in her game. She couldn’t help herself, she wanted to hear her say her name. Madam Satan was becoming a bit more greedy by the minute. The redhead did that to her.

“Good girl.”, she praised as she hummed that goddamn tune.

Before Zelda knew it, Madam Satan twirled her, toying with her once again- if it was toying at this point. The devil’s mistress craved this, needed to feel her close. The real feeling was always better. She indulged in the looks Zelda gave her. It was like a mixture of awe and her fighting with herself. She didn’t want to give in.

Madam Satan loved the competition.

Zelda narrowed her eyes as the dark-haired woman dipped her and stared at her bosom, then up into her eyes. Zelda’s neck and chest turned red under her coat. She couldn’t believe this at all.

“So? Nothing to say?” sneered the demoness.

Zelda was lifted up by the demon. She narrowed her eyes and stepped back.

“What do you expect? Do you want me to bow to you and praise you? You lied. You lied to me and my family. I want you to stop invading my dreams and most of all, my family that’s including Sabrina. I don’t know what you have planned, but it ends now.”

It wasn’t quite what Madam Satan expected, but this was Zelda Spellman. That woman fought hard for her family. It was her fault that she wanted this woman, her desires to hear her name come from her lips clouded her choices.

The demoness said nothing else and watched Zelda storm off. She just...let her go. This wasn’t over though, no far from over. She smirked to herself. She at least got to hold her, even if it was for a short time.

She had her ways. She would get Zelda to say her name again...in other circumstances.

“What is she doing to me?” She murmured.

But if I know you, I know what you’ll do, you’ll love me at once the way you did once upon a dream....

[alessavias]

ALESSAVIA NORTH. 

﹙a human member of the thieves guild,  alessa currently lives in the  IMPERIAL COURT.  she’s twenty four, and notably quite quick-witted, bullheaded, irresolute and ambitious. she can often be seen snacking on fruit or climbing trees with a stolen book to read. ﹚

statistics

name —  alessavia north  ( born phoibe aretino )

nicknames —  alessa. rarely & with only her favorite people, she goes by allie.

age, d.o.b —  twenty four.  she doesn’t know her birthday, but she celebrates it whenever she feels she needs it most

sexuality — bisexual, no preference between similar / other genders

birthplace —  undiscovered / unknown ( imperial city )

physicality —  long dirty blonde hair often braided with a spiked strap. wide hazel eyes. five feet and a few inches tall, and athletically built. not quite slender. 

family —  two adoptive mothers, arcadia & edda, members of the thieves guild. both human.

basics / backstory

then unknowing of her own name, she seemed to appear out of nowhere in muck-soaked cesspool at age thirteen, feverish and shivering, in relatively well-made clothes, and with fingers free of calluses. 

picked up by two lovers members of the thieves guild on a late-night stroll, she’d come to call those women her mothers. 

they nursed her out of the delirious fever they’d found her in and named her. then they taught her to foist and to pick locks and to walk on the very balls of her feet in a way that didn’t stir even the dust around her

the mysteries of her circumstance grew as she did-- first it was found that she somehow knew she could read. and then that no one seemed to be looking for her, though she hadn’t been dressed like the starving orphan child one might expect to find in a cesspool

although she found a new family to be a part of, life is hardly easy in poverty, let alone as a child of criminals living in constant transience and fear of discovery. 

eventually alessa gave up on finding the truth about herself and threw herself into her career in the thieves guild, following her mothers’ footsteps and wishes. though she’s often-times a stubborn child with too much lip in her, her loyalty is unquestionable and she doesn’t flinch at an order

her size, skill and determination made her a perfect candidate to train for the shills and heists that took place in gaudy manor homes. later, when she began to branch out and find jobs for herself, she started to work in the business of creating, learning and selling secrets

it’s lucrative and enjoyable. it gets her past locked doors and introduces her to the strangest of people — and it’s a kind of sabotage that leaves little trace and makes her clients very happy.

though she still steals and plants goods on others for the chaos of it, ( mostly out of a desire for fun ) her currency these days is secrets and sabotage. she’s taken down entire merchant families by making contracts disappear, changing numbers in ledgers, and by giving their rivals the perfect blackmail material.  

as a member of a guild, she’s determined to be one to watch. she wants to find herself a step away from the guild master someday — though she doesn’t want the pressure of leading, she wants to prove her loyalty to her people and bring the thieves guild power like it’s never had.

as a human looking forward to war, her feelings are a bit more complicated: both of her mothers have tightly-held prejudices towards immortals and especially high lords. 

while alessavia’s never been able to find out what happened to instill hatred and distrust that deep, she’s a loyal creature, and she owes everything she has and everything she could be to her mothers. 

often times her beliefs fall along a similar line -- that under no circumstances can she trust an immortal. the treaty means very little to her. raised to believe the worst of far-away enemies, she believes it is neither a force of good, nor much more than a piece of paper. she believes that when the time comes, war will.

personality / misc

character inspiration:  leliana (dragon age), vex (skyrim), koramin ingensra, beka cooper (tortallverse)

she’s very much a chameleon. as her job requires some form of finesse, both in her official rank  ( infiltrator )  and in the side projects she’s nursing to life,  ( spywork )  often times her persona changes many times depending on who is looking

in one of her favorite roles, she likes to use the girlish, sad-eyed face to get what she wants and play a helpless street urchin grown. she also loves to play a spoiled merchant’s youngest brat on occasion

those closest to her know her as a playful, albeit high-strung young woman. she’s got a mouth on her, and often finds the darkest humor in situations she shouldn’t.  

she’s got this mean, icy, “excuse me? i’ll wait” thousand-yard stare she’s perfected over years and years of being somewhat of a people person. it’s usually enough to shut someone up mid-sentence and she’s lowkey known for it among her friends because it’s intimidating

she’s been through a lot, raised from amnesia onto the streets, and it’s taught her to be wary of who knows her complete story. she’s often lying and it’s not difficult to catch her in them — the truth is that what little she DOES know about herself is precious to her, and she fears her missing past more than anything.

DISLIKES:  people who harm children, large chunks of meat in her food, stale bread, slavery / indentured servitude, immortals / especially those with superiority complexes, thick ales, being cold, sickness, skinned knees

LIKES:  fruit, fresh bread, the underdog, pretty things & pearls, fortune tellers, tavern music, large and soft shawls, cats, children, swimming, rain, sleeping in

alright, pHEW. i typed most of this out with a raging migraine so if there’s a ton of typos i’mma be real they might not get fixed xD but i’m so freaking excited to be here!! i’m e, i’m also in the discord, and i love my girl so far. she’s gonna be really fun : ‘ )

i’m gonna put some feelers out before i type up a list of ideas for connections, but PLEASE come plot! i’m so excited to get to know everyone and their characters, you can’t even believe. i’m open to anything plots-wise, literally hit me with the wildest shit and i’m down. 

[big4girl]

Bonfires and Bridges

Hello, all you lovely Fourevers out there! I tried my hand at some extreme crossover fanfic so don't judge it too hard, okay?

RotBTD Crossover Fanfic with Tangled the series/Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure characters as well.

****

Cassandra snapped the reins as she drove the caravan down the dirt path. Hiccup and Astrid on Toothless next to her, Merida riding Angus on her other side, Rapunzel and Jack chatted on the roof, and Eugene, Lance, and Hookfoot were inside doing who knows what.

It was an odd arrangement, no doubt about it, and Cassandra had been skeptical when Rapunzel invited all these extra people along on their excursion. But after getting to know them all a little better, Cassandra realized she actually liked the band of misfits they had become and all the people apart of it.

"Hey, Cassie!"

Cassandra frowned. Well, almost all of them.

"It's Cassandra," she snapped.

Jack grinned. "I know, it's called a nickname,"

"For your information, the last person who called me that ended up being a revenge seeking maniac." She replied, snapping the reins.

Rapunzel dropped her head down next to Jack's. "It's okay, Cass, Jack's just messing around,"

"Yeah," Hiccup said, pulling Toothless up next to the driver's seat. "You'll have to get used to it eventually,"

Cassandra grunted in response.

"Don't cha worry about it, lass. He annoys the livin day lights outta me, too," Merida added on Cassandra's other side.

"I agree with, Merida," Astrid said from behind Hiccup. "Jack's extremely annoying."

"Hey!" Jack exclaimed.

The group laughed and Cassandra cracked a smile, casting a glance up at the treeline.

The sun set a little below it, casting the sky in a mixture of orange and blue.

"All right, this should be a good spot to make camp," She stopped the horses, Maximus and Fidella complying happily. "Rapunzel, Merida, you're on firewood, Jack, Hiccup, water." She threw the boys a canteen.

"What? You realize I can make water right?" Jack asked.

"No, you can make ice. And I'm pretty sure nobody wants to have their tongues stuck to the canteen." Cassandra snapped.

Astrid laughed, making Cassandra smirk and Jack frown.

"Fine," he retorted, stalking off into the woods with Hiccup.

"Lance, Eugene, Hookfoot, fishing duty. Astrid and I will set up the rest."

****Rapunzel + Merida****

Rapunzel skipped a ways ahead of Merida who struggled to keep up with the princess.

"What's yer hurry?" Merida asked.

"No hurry!" Rapunzel replied. "Just enjoying the journey."

"We're just going ta get firewood. Not sure I would classify that as a 'journey',"

Merida sighed softly, staring at Rapunzel. She was everything a princess should be. Petite, graceful, beautiful; annoyingly so. Merida knew from her own experience that she could sing and dance and she a wonderful artist.

When she first met her, Merida was sure Rapunzel would only be interested in flowers and rainbows; what kind of person wore a pink dress and put flower in their hair?

“I should bring my paints and easel out here.” Rapunzel mused. "You'll remind me, won't you Pascal?” The chameleon merely croaked in response.

Merida frowned. That was another thing; she could speak to the reptile like she was talking to a person. Out of all the princesses Merida had the 'pleasure' to make acquaintance with, Rapunzel was certainly the most interesting.

Merida adjusted her bow on her back and fiddled with the belts of her quiver as they walked. "We're supposed to be getting firewood, ya know."

"Yeah, I know, but we've got plenty of time for that later." She stopped at an apple tree. "I wonder if we're low on apples."

Merida eyed the ripe fruits hanging in the tree. "Couldn't hurt. I could use a snack anyway."

Merida, clad in a pair of pants under a knee-length skirt and boots, started scaling the tree to retrieve the fruit.

Rapunzel, barefoot and in a long skirt, followed closely behind.

Merida looked down at her. "I didn't know ya could climb, too,"

Rapunzel smiled. "There's a lot you don't know about me,"

The two settled themselves on a sturdy branch and picked a couple of apples, biting into them.

"How are we going ta get these back along with the firewood?" Merida asked.

Rapunzel put a finger to her chin, humming in thought when her eyes settled on Merida's quiver.

She smiled. "Mind taking out your arrows?"

****Hiccup + Jack****

"I haven't been on a walk in the forest since I lost my leg," Hiccup said. "I didn't realize I missed it until now,"

Jack walked next to him, staff balanced on his shoulder and feet leaving a trail of frost in his wake like breadcrumbs. "I've never walked in the forest. Too calm for my taste."

Hiccup smiled at his friend. "I think you'd come to appreciate a little calm sometimes after jetting from place to place all the time,"

Jack shrugged. "I spent most of my first years as Jack Frost by myself. Now that I have some company, I try to spend all my time with them. Who knows when you all will stop believing in me."

Hiccup stopped abruptly. "Jack," He started. "We won't ever stop believing in you. You're our friend and we've known you since we were kids, we won't let you go that easily."

Jack smiled sadly. "Yeah, I know, but...what happens when you're gone?"

Hiccup put a hand on Jack's shoulder. "Then our descendants will carry on our belief and you won't ever have to be alone again."

"Thanks for trying to cheer me up Hiccup, but I'm sort of immortal and you can't guarantee what the future will hold." Jack replied.

Hiccup frowned then smiled. "Ah! The river."

Hiccup unscrewed the cap of the canteen and dipped it in the water.

Jack smirked, swinging his staff off his shoulder and tapping the surface of the water, freezing it.

"Jack!" Hiccup yelled making the frost spirit laugh. "Jack we need to get this water back to camp un-frozen!"

Jack just laughed again and winked at him. "Cassie said I couldn't make the water, she didn't say I couldn't do anything to it!"

Hiccup rolled his eyes, but he was grinning anyway. "You're a pain in the neck,"

"Only in your neck, Haddock. And sometimes Merida's."

It was Hiccup's turn to laugh this time. The mood switched 180° from what it was on the walk to the river.

****Eugene, Lance, & Hookfoot***

"Lance we're supposed to be fishing! Not swimming!" Euguene yelled to his friend as Lance waded into the water.

"That's what I'm doing! Don't you remember when we caught these things with our bare hands?" Lance replied.

"Of course I do, but now we have fishing pools to save ourselves a bad hair day."

Lance ignored Eugene and rolled up his sleeves, eyes searching the water for the perfect opportunity to make his move.

Hookfoot's jaw dropped as Lance pulled a fish from the water swiftly.

"Swift as a coursing river! With all the force of a great typhoon! With all the strength of a raging fire! Mysterious as the dark side of the moooooon!" Lance sang.

Eugene rolled his eyes. "Lance, I happen to know you are none of those things. Now get out of the water!"

****Astrid + Cassandra****

Cass and Astrid rolled up fallen tree trunks for the group to sit on and pulled the caravan, toothless, and the horses (who were tied to a nearby tree) in a circle.

"So, you're a viking," Cassandra said, dropping herself down onto a log.

"And you're a lady-in-waiting," Astrid replied. "What about me being a viking?"

"Well, I've just heard a lot of stuff about you guys and not a lot of it is exactly good."

Astrid frowned. "Berkians aren't exactly like other Vikings if you hadn't noticed."

"I know, I'm just curious about the life style. I always envied the way you guys lived. Sometimes I wondered if my parents were Vikings because of how much I enjoy similar things. Fighting, tough love, things like that."

"Well, I guess that is one thing." Astrid said. "We're not the most lovable bunch, but we get along with most, but wars have been started over silly things in past years. I like to think we've matured a bit since our dragon fighting days."

Cassandra was about to say something else when she was interrupted by Rapunzel's cheery cry of "We're back!"

"Hey, guys," Astrid said.

Merida and Rapunzel ambled out of the woods, arms full of wood, Merida's quiver full of apples, and Rapunzel's pockets filled with strawberries.

"Stop for some snacks?" Cassandra teased, eyeing the pocket fruit.

Rapunzel laughed. "The apples: yes, but the strawberries were a split second decision."

Merida nodded, dropping the wood and taking her apple from her mouth. "Should be appreciative. Ya have somethin' ta go with the fish now,"

"Jack froze the water!" Hiccup exclaimed as he ran out of the woods, covering the canteen so that Jack couldn't freeze it any further.

"Frost, if I wanted frozen water I wouldn't have sent you to the river!" Cassandra yelled, finger pointed at Jack's nose.

Jack laughed. "Sorry, Cassie -"

"No, you're not,"

"But I couldn't make the water so."

Cassandra threw her hands in the air. "I give up with this one."

"The triumphant returns!" Lance called, three fish hanging from each of his hands, Eugene and Hookfoot trailing behind him with upset looks on their faces.

"Dread Pirate Roberts here ruined our catch," Hookfoot complained.

"Yeah, turns out fishing with your bare hands scares the fish a bit," Eugene added, tossing down his pole.

"At least we have some fish," Astrid said. "And Rapunzel and Merida brought back some apples and strawberries."

"Ooh, that sounds good," Lance said, discarding the fish and reaching for a strawberry in Rapunzel's pocket until she turned away. "Hey!"

"Fish fingers!" Rapunzel said. "You have to go back to the river and wash them!"

****All****

Merida stoked the fire as she roasted the fish over it, Rapunzel set the fruits in a bowl, and the others sat quietly around the fire, listening to the sounds of the night.

Cassandra observed everyone as she lounged on a log.

Astrid and Hiccup cuddled up across from her, Lance and Hookfoot sat lazily next to her, Eugene kissed Rapunzel's forehead as she sat down next to him, Jack laid on top of a log on her other side, his eyes closed, and Merida stared into the fire, the ambers lighting up her blue eyes.

[rwbydrivels-blog]

Please do pardon me, but could I pretty please perhaps request something for a dear friend of mine? The prompt I had in mind was Ilia Amitola, Weiss Schnee and Yang Xiao Long comforting their significant other who has a very low self esteem and feels absolutely worthless. My apologies if it is quite the sensitive subject, but she desperately needs it right now. Thank you oh so very much in advance ❤

of course, i am here to support in any way i can. i do hope your friend doesn’t mind these imagines i had for these three; it’s also a bit lengthy, and i wanted to make them all different, so i am hiding the bulk of the text underneath “Keep Reading”. in the future i’m going to make them much shorter just to make thing a bit easier. enjoy!

ILIA AMITOLA

The two of you dashed from tree top to tree top, carefully eying your surroundings while pursuing your target. Her whip in hand, your daggers in yours, you closed in on the seemingly evasive individual. You were focused, eager to finally catch the thief until a flash of light distracted you from capturing them. Lifting your head, you lost your footing as a large burst of electricity rapidly charged your way. Ilia shifted between looking at the target, then at you, and chose to direct the hit by pulling a loose branch with her whip and sending it into the bark, absorbing the attack.

The target in question turned back to the both of you, with bags, before disappearing in the distance with a smirk. You held yourself up on a separate branch, your body swaying loosely as you caught your breath. Ilia slowly looked to you, standing above you on a thicker branch and watched as you dropped to the ground. You gritted your teeth, jamming your daggers into the bark next to you and slumped to the ground, pressing your gloved hands to your face.

“It’s OK, we can catch up with them. He wasn’t expecting us at his extraction point, and we were-”

”I keep messing up,” you growled, removing your mask and tossing it to the side. “Every. Single. Time.”

The chameleon Faunus paused. “It was a mishap, yes, but that doesn’t mean we cannot catch them and retrieve back what they stole.”

”No, Ilia-” you stood up and glared at her. “I mean, I keep messing up. I’m useless, I can’t do anything right. Ever. This? This right here? I should’ve caught him!”

”It was a mistake,” Ilia watched as you went to the bark and removed your weapons. “I will explain that–”

”No, there’s no need for any type of explanation. I keep messing up, and you will get in trouble because of my mishaps. My mistakes. My faults. Nothing I ever do is right – and this isn’t the first time. I can’t have you get in trouble for something as careless as this. And I…”

You could tell she had a concerned expression, even through her mask, but didn’t want to meet her glance directly.

“You should just… Leave me.”

Ilia walked closer to you, shaking her head and finally removing her mask. “No.” She knew your flush of emotions was coming from somewhere deeper, but she didn’t want to press it, as you both were pressed for time. “You are valuable. We all have faults, and things happen. Please don’t beat yourself up over this. … And like I said, we can still catch up with him.”

You rubbed your temples but stopped as you felt your partner place her hand on your shoulder, only to look to see her with a smile. You expression shifted from conflicted to slightly lighter after seeing a gentle expression from your fellow White Fang colleague. “It’s OK. I believe in you, and we can do this. I’m with you.”

WEISS SCHNEE

”You deserve better, Weiss,” you stated, placing your weapon on the couch of the temporary home the bulk of you resided. Your anxiety had been eating at your mind for quite some time, and while the two of you were finally alone, you felt the need to be even more honest with the beauty. “You really do.”

”Excuse me?” The white-haired Huntress turned to you and furrowed her brows, not taking kindly to your comment. Quickly she looked you up and down, and arched an eyebrow. “I deserve what now?”

”… Better,” you repeated with a sorrowful expression. “I’m nothing special. You’re a Schnee, after all – Not to mention you probably have much, better people to choose from out there. You’re insanely gifted: you can sing, are beautiful, come from one of the most important families in all of-”

”Enough.” The former heiress narrowed her cerulean orbs at the figure next to her and crossed her arms. “I’m going to pretend you did not just say that; especially if that was supposed to be a compliment.”

You blinked, placing your hands in your lap as she stood up. “I’m sorry, I just–”

“No, listen,” Weiss met her eyes with yours. She placed one hand on her hip and gave off the appearance as if she were a teacher reprimanding a student. “and look at me. If I wanted to be with someone else, I would’ve.”

You were hesitant to reply and instead slowly began to look away. “I’m… Sorry, Weiss. It’s just… I’m not… Good enough for you.”

You had known Weiss for quite some time, even before the both of you attended Beacon Academy. After The Fall, you were unsure of if you would see her again, considering the extensive state of disarray Vale was in. It was only by chance you were able to spend time with her before, and discover how the both of you felt with one another; though as more and more individuals were introduced to the middle Schnee, you became increasingly defeated by having her heart.

Not that you didn’t care for her, but just the fact that she cared so deeply for you. You couldn’t process it. Why would she…

“No,” she placed her hand on your shoulder, snapping you from gradually drowning in your pool of self-doubt and pity, “I don’t care what other people think. And I don’t want you saying things like that. Frankly, I’m more concerned as to why you think I deserve better, when I don’t. I deserve you. That’s what I want.”

”But, Weiss-” you began.

”I don’t want to hear it.” Her expression changed from frustration to concerned frown. “I care about you, a lot, and that’s that.”

You blinked, watching her cheeks grow warm momentarily before she returned to her seat, crossing her legs. She placed one of her hands over the both of yours in your lap, and closed her eyes before exhaling. She held your hands tightly, remained silent. You opened your mouth to speak, but were momentarily distracted by just how swiftly Weiss reassured you – in her own way.

YANG XIAO LONG

Tears streamed down your cheeks as you hurriedly made your way from the living room, jerking your arms from touching any of the surrounding walls as harsh footsteps followed behind you. The muscles of your chin trembled as you struggled keeping quiet, ignoring how hot your face was from how worked up you were. Every part of you wanted to just break apart; to break away, but you knew you wouldn’t be left alone, and instinctively tried to distance yourself even further from her.

As you entered your room, you hastily tried to close the door but averted your eyes as you heard an all-too-familiar figure stick her boot through the door and narrow her eyes at you. Her mechanical arm caught the door, easily pressing it open and trying to make direct eye contact with you. Her lilac irises carefully watched as you turned away from her, hugging yourself tightly and shutting your eyes closed.

”Leave me alone, Yang,” you spat, refusing to make eye contact, “I don’t want to talk to you.”

”Trying to avoid me isn’t going to make the situation any different,” she retorted, walking closer to you with narrowed eyes. “Talk to me.”

”Why?” you turned after some time with reddened eyes and puffy cheeks, “Why do you keep doing this?”

The blonde remained quiet and stationary as she watched you unravel yourself. You stared at her with widened eyes, your dark lashes brimming with heavy tears the longer to returned her gaze. You shook your head, struggling to find the words, and only felt the sadness pour outward. Beads of water rested at your chin as you clenched your fists.

”Why do you… Why me?” You released, exhaling while attempting to blink the water from your vision, “I am disgusting, and ugly, and useless, and-”

”No, you aren’t.” The fighter interrupted and walked closer to you with a sternness in her voice. “You are none of those things.”

”Yes, I am, Yang–” you replied almost immediately, bringing your hands to your eyes and clearing your cheeks, “you’re too good for me, and I don’t deserve you – at all. Look at you, and look at me. I’m pathetic, and worthless–”

Your breath was taken from you as you felt yourself become absorbed by Yang’s warmth in a tight embrace. You froze, nearly choking on your tears as you felt her grasp you tightly and remain silent. Her hands calmly but firmly kept themselves around your figure. You didn’t move your arms, as you thought of doing, and instead remained puzzled by her sudden action. Why would she; someone who was gorgeous, powerful, reputable – ever want to hug you? To be in your presence? To be with you? You lowered your head, shaking.

”You mean so much to me. Don’t you ever think you are not worth anything to me.” Yang pressed herself closer to you, moving her head so that she was centimeters from your face. Her voice soft, but audible enough for you to hear. “You are not ugly, you are not pathetic. None of that. I love you, for you. And nothing will change that.”

[wanna1studio]

REQUESTED: one outta 3 hearts // disney!au // Minhyun+Woojin+Taehyun // PART 1

genre: fluff+comedy // angst is for part 2

ficstyle: bulletpoints // LONG LIKE RAPUNZEL’S HAIR 

summary: INTRODUCTION OF CHARACTERS // anons asked: “gonna request another one ummm noh taehyun angst pls but happy ending #disney” “ can you do an angst minhyun scenario about wrong timing and missed chances like that but with happy/open ending it's okay if you cant c: “ “WOOJIN AnGsT pls :((( i just finished my eng exam HUHU im so sad i need sOme Woojinnnnnnssss”

note: as you can see I have compiled 3 different requests into one; THIS ONE FOR ALL MY ANGSTY READERS (taehyun as flynn rider (tangled), woojin as pascal (tangled), & minhyun as prince phillip (sleeping beauty))

you’ve been locked up in a tower since you can remember

your mother occasionally visits you but other than that you only had Woojin, your chameleon companion

tomorrow was your 18th birthday

you saw your mother every month and this month she was going to visit you before your birthday

hopefully she will let you see the flying lanterns this year

they always light beautiful paper lanterns and let them fly into the night skies on your birthday

Woojin was running back and forth on your window still

indicating that your mother was coming up

you’d released your hair so your mother would climb up

“mother!! how was your trip?”

the reason why she didn’t live with you was because she possessed strong magic to defend for herself

you only had your magical hair that heals stuff

with Woojin as your personal trainer, you worked out and practiced martial arts everyday to show your mother you were capable of the outside world

“exhausting as usual.. y/n.. won’t you sing me your song? mother is tired..”

you wrapped your hair around your mother’s shoulder as if it was a shawl and sang your song

as you finished; your mother got up and went to Woojin

with a flick of her wrist, he’d turn in a clothed human

“wha..what?”

you were baffled

your mother put her hands on his shoulders 

“when you were 5, little Woojin, who is the same age as you, wanted to be your friend. but I didn’t trust him. after all, these days you don’t know who will come and take you away from me. on the spot, I turned him into a chameleon”

your mother told you that people out in the big world were seeking for your hair and that she’d protect you from all dangers

“since he told me he had no where else to go, I told him if he could prove to me that he can be by your side without harming you until you were 18, I would undo the spell”

you looked at Woojin and at your mother

how could she do this to him when he was 5?

“h-hi y/n..” he ruffled the back of his head nervously

“ANNNDDD with that, I will take my leave..” your mother kissed you on the top of your head

“but mom... i-”

she pushed her finger against your lips

“don’t worry, you have a talking companion now and a body guard! see you next month honey! happy birthday~”

she began to walk towards the window

“I WANT TO GO OUT AND SEE THE LIGHTS!”

your mother stop and turned around

at this point, Woojin put his hand on your shoulders, he was shaking, he’s been afraid of your mother, and you wouldn’t blame him

“y/n-ah... you would listen to your mother won’t you? even if Woojin, it’s not safe out there. I can’t lose you okay?” she ran her fingers through your hair and left

you sunk onto the floor, on the verge of tears

Woojin was just there rubbing your shoulders, weird

even though he’s not in his chameleon form, his presence was still a familiar one

Woojin got up and reached out for your hand

“let’s go! to the see the lights!”

you were hesitant

“but.. what if mother finds out..”

he bent down to face you 

you felt weird for having your heart beat so fast... seeing Woojin in human form was weird.. especially when he’s this handsome 

“your mom won’t come back in a month. didn’t you say you wanted to see the lights?”

without another word, you grabbed your pan and Woojin’s hand at the same time

he lifted you up bridal-style and ran towards the window

“WAAIT WOOJIN WTF ARE YOU DOOOIIINN-”

that’s it

Woojin jumped out of the window

you glued your eyes shut

but you didn’t feel impact

you opened your eyes just to see a vast scenery that you could hardly see from your little window

“how...”

Woojin smirked, “let’s say being a chameleon for a while, helped me jump to and from things”

“WHAT IN THE HELL?!”

you both turned to see a gruff-looking, young guy

you lifted up your pan

“who the hell are you?”

Woojin stepped in front of you in case the guy wanted to pull something from up his sleeves

the guy raised both of his arms up

“i’m just a guy.. trying to get my bag.. yeah that bag that is caught in between your feet? yeah that bag.. i need it”

he looked really suspicious 

so you and Woojin both nodded at each other and opened the bag 

you both saw a crown and jewels 

“ahhh... so you’re just a little thief” Woojin started to twirl the bag around

“hey hey hey WATCH IT!! my name is Taehyun AND! do you know how much is worth in there? the crown in there belongs to the lost princess!!” he frantically ran towards the bag

CLANG

you smacked him in the face with your pan

it took him a while to get up

he looked at you with a smolder on his face

“oh? hey there young lady, how are you doin-”

CLANG

“OK CAN YOU STOP IT WITH THE PAN??” 

you and Woojin interrogated the guy

“you’ve been to where they have the lights, have you?”

Taehyun starts to back away but Woojin wraps his arm around his shoulders from escaping 

“well yes but I can’t go back there .. because you know.. I’m a criminal and all and I’ll get caught if I go back ya know? huh? huh?” 

you thought about it for a second 

“we will give you back the bag, ONCE YOU BRING US TO THE PLACE”

you walked off with the bag

“uh the kingdom is the other way”

“I KNEW THAT”

you turned to walk the other way

Taehyun chuckled, “she’s pretty cute”

Woojin eyed him, “don’t pull anything funny” and pushed him along

you swore you saw a shadow run off into the darkness or maybe it was just an illusion

“did you hear? every year the prince from the neighboring kingdom scours the land to find his destined/lost princess? every since he was born, the kings from both lands have arranged marriages for them. i think that’s sad. you should find someone you love rather than the have someone appointed to you” Taehyun jabbered with a straw in his mouth

you nodded

“i agree.. i hope he can find someone he truly loves.. the princess is probably dead now..”

“I DON’T THINK SHE IS DEAD AT ALL!”

you all saw a man jump from the branch of the tree in front of you

what’s with all these weird guys popping out of no where?

“you guys look like a lively bunch, will you help me find this kingdom’s lost princess?” he bowed slightly

“hmph, there’s nothing in it for us, let’s go guys” Taehyun raised his hand and signal us to move forward

funny how someone who didn’t want to have to do anything with you and Woojin are talking to us like a team

“i’ll pay you” the guy said curtly

Taehyun swiveled around, “you must be the Prince Minhyun from the neighboring kingdom, I am Taehyun at your service”

“you low scum..” you whispered

“if you are heading back to the kingdom, we will join you,” Woojin said with his head bowed 

Prince Minhyun looked at you as if you needed to say some word of approval

“sure”

he cocked his head a little, “well, I know that the princess won’t be you, with the way that you act and .. well.. you look a little plain”

Prince Minhyun gently placed his hand on your head

you weren’t gonna lie, it made your heart skip

“at least I’ll be able to spot you from afar with that extremely long lion’s mane of yours”

“EXCUSE ME?!” you take back about how you felt .5 seconds ago 

Woojin held you back

Taehyun was laughing

and Prince Minhyun was looking into the distance

that’s how your journey began with those 3

TO BE CONTINUED