#the ghost stories anime is GOLD

[weeblmaodotcom]

Ghost Stories dub is gold , Meme by Weeblmao.com

[tallsc]

Seeing Ghosts ~ AvM Short Story Pt 2/3

Decided imma just post one per day for these three days so you can get the whole thing pretty quickly ^-^ Plus I'm just about done with the third part other than a final round of editing which I'll be doing tomorrow.

So anyways, here's the second part!

~Mango

Gold.

My little sibling. The kid I've spent their whole life taking care of. My whole world for years. Who's death led to the worst decision I ever made.

They're here. They're back.

And I don't know what I'm supposed to do now.

I want to see them.

I have to see them.

But...

I look up as Purple kneels next to me. I didn't notice them follow me over. "... Mango, you holding up okay?" They ask after a second, looking nervous.

I can't help but laugh at the question - which probably isn't at all reassuring to them. "Okay? I spent so many months thinking my sibling was gone, and now according to that ghost thing they just show up out of nowhere but still won't let me talk to them. They could be sitting next to me right now and I couldn't even tell! That's not okay."

Purple looks at me for a moment before drawing their knees up to their chest. "That still means they're here... Right? If... If the ghost tells you what they say, you can talk to them again..."

"Talk to them about what?" I snap back. I know this isn't how I should be acting, especially not to Purple, but I just... I can't think straight. "About how I failed to stop them from DYING? About what I've done after they were gone? How many people I nearly killed?"

Purple's gone quiet, but I'm too preoccupied to pay much attention. "I spent so long after their death on some stupid plan for revenge. You know, I thought it was a good response at the time, but now I'm pretty certain they wouldn't have wanted that! They'd never want me to hurt anyone, if they don't know about it already I can't tell them now."

Though... I pause for a second, looking back the way I'd came. That ghost I was talking to was gone, which meant...

"... That's all unless they're here right now and just heard me talk about it. Or if they were there when I..."

I go quiet again, my mind clumsily flitting from thought to thought, from plan to plan. Purple doesn't offer any input, their gaze on the ground. I can hear Orange and their group murmuring to each other but I can't make out what they're saying.

Finally, my mind settles on a plan. "... If their... their spirit is here, if some part of them is here, maybe there's a way to bring them back completely. Maybe I was looking at this all wrong. I had so much power with my staff, but maybe I was using it for the wrong thing."

Purple looks up at me with a nervous expression. I keep talking, lowering my voice a little so nobody else could overhear. "Gold can't hate me if I use that power to bring them back. Then they'd be alive again, and - and what I did wouldn't have been for nothing, because otherwise I wouldn't have made the staff, I wouldn't know about that power. They can't hate me for it if I bring them back!"

"Mango." Purple speaks up, looking worried.

I keep talking. "I just need to get the staff back from Yellow, find more icon blocks - I know Orange hides theirs when I'm here, but I'm sure I can find it, and I'll figure out where the other one went. I doubt I'll need any more power than that, and with enough research, or experimentation, I'm sure I can find some way to bring Gold home. Some way to make things normal. Then -"

"Mango!"

This time, Purple's voice pulls me out of my racing thoughts. They almost look... scared. "Mango. Stop. Please, just... stop."

"...What?" Why do they look like that? I'm not... I'm not doing anything.

But Purple still looks upset, worried, maybe even frightened, as they hug their knees to their chest. "Mango, I... I know you want your old life back. Trust me, I get it, I do. I'd do anything, y-you KNOW I'd do anything, to have my parents back, but..."

Purple's gaze drifts from me to the portal we came through. The portal that led near my old kingdom. "I'm just worried that... if you try too hard to bring back the past... you might end up in a past you don't want to be in."

"That's not true." I protest, though their words make my rushing mind falter. Gold would want to be brought back, right...? This wasn't... wrong... "I'm not planning to hurt anyone, I just - I just need that power back."

"You were just talking about stealing the staff and icons again!" Purple hisses, lowering their voice with a nervous glance at the other five.

"Mango, look. We've just figured ourselves out, we've both finally found friends. Green, Orange, Yellow, Blue, Red. Each other. If you go through with this, I'm not going to fight you. But I don't want to be part of any more schemes. I've - I've had enough of that for one lifetime."

Purple looks away, rubbing their eyes. They had been crying. I didn't even notice... "You still should talk to them. You - you get the chance to do that, you should take it. I wish I could've..."

Purple's voice broke off for a moment with a quiet sob. "... You get to do something most sticks can't ever do. Take it, make the best of it, but p-please, don't hurt people again trying to reach for more. That's not a good way to live. And I don't think that's what Or... what Gold would've wanted."

...

Purple's right.

I hate to admit it to myself, I hate giving up like this, I hate not being able to do anything, but...

This is more important.

"... Okay. I won't touch the staff, or blocks, or any of that. I won't go back to how I was. I promise, alright?" I reply quietly.

Purple sniffles, rubbing their eyes again, but gives me a small smile. "Thanks."

I wearily smile back, then tip my head up to look at the digital blue sky. "I'll talk to the ghost soon. I'll... I'll talk to Gold soon. Figure everything out."

I glance at Purple again. They don't look as scared, but... I can still tell this whole thing has been hard for them. And I didn't miss their slip-up a moment ago. "But before then... we should take some time. We should make sure we're both holding up alright."

"We're alive. We're okay. We need to protect that."

Previous

Next

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

🎉 happy 4th anniversary, twst! 🎉

***Spoilers for the Grim groovy and new animated PV below the cut!***

This year features no anime-style PV, but rather a reel of various (groovy) pictures that we have taken over the years. You can watch it here!

While it features all 22 of the main cast at NRC, there is a focus on dorm leaders at the very end. All seven (yes, including Malleus!) gather for a group photo.

There is also this special ad that aired on Shinjuku screens. It features 3D models of Ace and Deuce carrying supplies over for the celebration, only to drop them. They spell out a "Happy Anni" message before exploding into white and gold confetti. It's interesting to see TWST using 3D models in their advertising; these were only previously seen at a TWSTFes where they performed some songs with them for in-person attendees.

Additionally, a special website has launched where you can design your own key.

And now… Grim’s groovy!!

OMG 😭 I’m so glad they included Lucius and the Ramshackle Ghosts in here too, they’re unsung heroes finally getting the spotlight!!! I love the touch of Grim and the ghosts posing with an open palm because those guys only have four fingers on each hand www

It’s nice to see the staff out of their usual element. They play such a minor role in the main story and only occasionally step up during events. You can see each of their personalities really coming through in the way each poses!!

Sam and Crowley are more on the chipper side, especially Crowley who is front and center (and living for every moment of it, just look at that wink)! Crewel is looking cool and confident, and Trein continues that energy but is much more stern. I imagine he’s trying to smile for the camera but maybe isn’t used to having his picture taken so he comes off as unintentionally upset 😂 And, of course, Vargas is flexing off to the side.

This was a nice way to celebrate the fourth year of TWST~

[moongreenlight]

Ptolemaea P. 1- Huntsman!Ghost x Runaway Princess!Reader

CW: BRIEF mentions of animal death, description of gore and violence, noncon implied. No smut yet.

Your kingdom was once powerful, revered by others for its political prowess and strong army, but it does not have the sway it once did. Hordes of wealth dwindled into something unrecognizable. Subjects growing poorer and more restless with only wormy apples and stinking meat and moth-eaten fabrics to barter at the market. War raging to the East, word of civil unrest in the West. Your father was left with few other options than to auction off what little possessions of worth he had left.

He was given four daughters, you, the youngest and the last to be married off. Sold like swine to the highest bidder with no consideration for character or condition.

All your other sisters went gracefully save for a few tearful goodbyes in the privacy of their quarters. Bowed heads pushed together, shaking hands clutching and grabbing at others for stability. Weeping softly for the loss of company, for the fate that awaited them, for the mystery of when you’d be reunited. Four, then three, then two, now one.

You’d been trussed up in your best dresses and jewelry. Made a spectacle of for a few days as suitors came and went from the great hall. Slobbering their way through promises of riches or alliance or armies in an attempt to win your father’s favor.

Their eyes were wild and hungry when they threw spare glances at you. Lecherous smiles showed sharp, clenched teeth. And each offer of an extra five men to an army or hundred gold pieces more than the last brought you closer to being shoved to their chests. A twine-wrapped packet of mutton scraps tossed to a pack of starving dogs.

It was a heavy feeling, sinking ever deeper as each new suitor strutted down the long walk toward you. Peacocking and vying for favor. You imagined it felt like watching the executioner approach the stand while you waited with your head laid on the chopping block.

You’d read your sister’s letters after they left. Poured over every word and learned of their new realities. Their dogs and horses slaughtered, gowns burned, all former possessions seized and thrown to the river to be replaced with tokens of their new kingdoms. Branded over their old marks like cattle in a trade. You noticed that as the weeks and months drew by, the letters became more and more censored. Stopped detailing the further horrors and discomforts they faced at the hands of their husband and opted to regale you with detailed descriptions of their gardens or their plans for children.

The same wretched sickness you felt when you read the letters ate its way into your belly as you watched the funeral procession of suitors and remembered the way your sisters’ neat, loopy writing slowly turned into something rushed and sloppy. You imagined the way it would happen to you.

Perfect cursive lettering that had been learned to you for years by a sour schoolmarm that rapped your knuckles with a ruler when you dawdled during your lessons shoved from your mind to make room for brainwashing. You sat on your hands and dug your nails into your palms until they bent backward to keep your attention away from the scream packing itself into your chest.

You were promised to a king from the South. Some larger country near the capitol that wielded far more power than your kingdom, even at its pinnacle. The new king brought to you from across the channel because of his surliness. You’d heard stories of him whispered among the maids. He was cruel and choleric by all accounts. Not to mention fat and old and ugly and impatient to produce an heir. Made it all but impossible for him to find a bride.

He brought lavish gifts with him to sway the vote. Chestfuls of diamonds and precious stones and gold that his men laid at your father’s feet. Thick furs, expensive perfumes, and silks in colors you’d only ever heard of for your mother. A new dress in his kingdom’s colors for you.

You were escorted from the room by your father’s guard when he began negotiating a deal with the new king. You’d tried to sink your slippers into the stone, tried to kick and scream your desperation for your father to reconsider. But you were thrown from the room. Dragged out under the armpits by knights whose armor shone so brightly you were able to see your teary, crumpled form on the floor reflected in their chest plates before the heavy door was snapped shut on your nose.

You heard your maids and the castle guards whispering after the new king left. Saw your mother gracefully swipe away a single tear after dinner when she kissed you goodnight. The new king’s guard would be by early the next morning to snatch you up. The narrative you knew to be true only confirmed further by gossip. Two or three days of showboating, a decision made, negotiations, and then the next sunrise another sister is plucked up.

So you waited until darkness was cast over the castle. Until you were certain your maids and the guards at your door had gone to their own quarters for a few hours rest. You made your escape barefoot and in your thin nightdress. Stole one of your mother’s new fur cloaks to help protect yourself from the bitter cold that had settled over the land. Padded down the winding halls and staircases until you were able to slip through the grand double doors of the front. Evaded the indolent guards that were no doubt sneaking a smoke or a nap in the garden and moved quickly down the path to the stables. Tacked your horse with a knight’s saddle and took off into the night.

It took no more than four hours for the castle to know of your absence. Your maid had gone to wake you up in the wee hours of the morning, pack a bag before you were picked up by your new husband, and all but flew to your father’s quarters to alert him of your empty bed. It wasn’t half six before both your father’s and the new king’s men were set out on the land in search of you. Horses and hounds kicking frost off the lawn as the sun rose.

You managed three days without capture. Traveled through the skirts of the forest. Slept for a few hours at a time huddled close to the belly of your horse wrapped in your fur cloak. Ventured into small villages and cities to see if you couldn’t convince a vendor to spare you a cup of soup or a stale loaf of bread. Heard snippets of the news of the nearest kingdom who’d lost their last princess and tucked your chin close to your chest on your ride out.

The deep woods were unforgiving. Thin, winding paths that connected kingdoms littered with wolves and marauders and hunters. It was safer to stick to the edges where trees were younger and light could still filter in. Moving West as long as you could with no real plan as to what the permanence of your situation could look like. Maybe find a city far enough away from your kingdom to settle. It was a half-cooked idea from the beginning, you knew that. Born out of fear and anxiety and bull-headedness. Freedom without direction was better than being forced into the arms of a man that would sooner cage you like an animal than see you leave.

So you followed the wood and the few slow-flowing creeks that were not dammed by slush or ice. Kept your head on a swivel and your guard up. Anyone you ran into was presumed foe, so you set a punishing pace to minimize the chance of an encounter.

–

It was an act of desperation when your father called on a huntsman. Needy for the power trade tied to the contract of your marriage and looking to stop the simmering of his people under him from boiling over. His guards had returned in couples every few hours to give him bad news. They’d sent ravens to ally cities asking them to look for you and still they’ve come up empty.

Ghost refused to meet with your father or the new king directly. Sent a tawny hawk with a scroll tied to its leg that detailed the conditions of his employment. Your father promised anything for the return of his youngest princess. The new king offered obscene riches and painted whores. And privately, in a post script penned in tiny font on the back of the scroll, he promised an opportunity for Ghost to lay with you after you’d produced an heir.

Ghost sent his hawk back a few hours later. His letter was short, only responding to your father like he couldn’t be arsed with the superficial promises of the new king. He requests ten gold pieces, some of your perfume, and a cutting of fabric from one of your dirtied gowns.

–

It’s the eve of your fourth day out before you run into trouble. Great plumes of thick black smoke alert you to either a brush fire or a village close off your side and it drives you further into the forest. You move slowly through the dusk, even slower as the light stops being able to filter through the dense leaves and branches. The ground is lost to darkness, and you’d already made the mistake of trying to stumble your way over the uneven terrain barefoot, so you opt to stay on your horse’s back until you find a clearing to settle in.

In the blanketed silence of the wood, it was easy to remember how alone you were. How defenseless. You cursed yourself every night for not swiping a kitchen knife or a hunting blade so that you had some security. Not that either would have done you much good, but it would have served to give you some peace of mind.

You were torn from your thoughts when you heard heavy footfalls in a thicket a few yards in front of you. Snapping of felled branches, two low voices carried to you on a breath of wind. You stopped your horse and tried to lay down close to its back, tuck your head in behind its big neck. You held your breath as the voices grew closer, tried to will your shivering muscles to still. But your horse is a massive beast; stark white and practically spotlighted by the faint light of the moon. It did nothing to hide you.

You weren’t sure if the men were poachers or thieves or member’s of the guard patrolling the area for you. It really didn’t matter because everything happened so fast. There was the distinctive thwack of an arrow burying itself in the tree just next to you. Bark exploded out like a bomb, grazing your cheek and spooking your horse. Somewhere in the chaos of the shouting of the men, and the hurried sounds of boots trampling crisp leaves and your lame sounding yelp of surprise, you were thrown from your horse. Sent crashing to the ground and landing so hard on your back that it knocked the wind out of you and left your vision spotted.

You would have cried out if you had any air left in your lungs. Your chest was burning. Legs weak and awkward from hours on hours of riding. All you could do was scramble back. Bury your fingers deep as you could into the semi-frozen earth and try to drag yourself away. Gasping for air, blinking away the flashes and pops of darkness that camouflaged your assailants.

You hit something hard, knocked your head on it in your rush and nearly went unconscious. It made your ears ring, adding yet another layer of distortion to your senses. A tree, probably. Or a boulder. You recoiled, pulling your knees to your chest and trying to make yourself small under the mass. Tried to make out where the footsteps and the muffled shouting were coming from. Your shaking hands felt clumsily along the ground, looking for anything you could use to defend yourself. A rock, a stick, a hard clump of mud.

There was a flurry of movement from a few yards in front of you, specifics of limbs or bodies lost to the inky darkness. And then your hands found something large and warm. Disturbingly so. Maybe a rodent or a stray animal caught in the crossfire. It takes two hands to lift the thing. You bring it closer to see if swinging the carcass of what could have been a hefty pest would provide you any defense.

Not an opossum or a raccoon struck down by an arrow. Not quite. It’s the head of a man. His face stuck eternally in a look of putrid shock. Mouth gaped wide, eyes bugging out, eyebrows shooting up to his hairline. He’s got a decent stump of what used to be his neck. Hot blood trailed down your wrists and arms and dripped onto your nightdress.

Someone was screaming. A tortured, twisted sound coming more and more clearly to you as you caught your bearings. The kind of mangled cry that tore its way up out of someone’s throat so ferociously that you were sure you could feel it in your own chest as well. The kind of scream that left your tongue bitter and filmed with iron.

You’re not sure where it’s coming from, but it’s loud. Almost deafeningly so. You wish it would stop. Wish whoever was making such a spectacle would realize the severity of the situation and pull themselves together for a moment so you could think. Maybe you’d find them and work together to get out of this mess. Get away from the forest and find your horse and get back on your path.

You think that maybe it’s the head still clutched in your hands. You remember a cook telling you stories when you were young about how the chickens from the farmers used to be able to run around for nearly eight minutes after they’d been decapitated. You wondered if their heads still squawked after they were severed. You wondered if humans operated the same way. If this poor man’s body was stumbling around meters away in search of his head.

A big hand clamps over your jaw. Forced your mouth shut with such punch that your teeth clack together. You taste blood and you’re not sure if you’ve taken off the tip of your tongue. The screaming stops. It takes you a long moment to piece the situation together. Sat there huddled in on yourself, still gripping at the head and letting the thick blood dripping from its- his- neck sludge down your shins and pool at your feet.

You almost forget about the hand shutting your maw in your daze. Muzzling you with the bitter taste of iron and leather and the vice grip of a bear trap. You’d almost returned to your mind. Remembered that this was not a friendly situation and the body attached to the hand was likely not of pure intention. But you were jerked up by the scruff of your neck. Another strong hand fisting a good portion of the hair at your nape in the process. It lifted you clear off the ground, left your feet dangling inches above the earth. Shocked you enough to get you to let the head tumble out of your hands and back to the ground from where it had come.

You tried to cry out, but your voice was shot. Shredded by the dryness of your throat or the screaming or pure exhaustion. You clawed at the hands, but they were wrapped in thick leather gloves that branched up the arms of your captor. Tried to kick out, but they were wearing thick armor that deflected the force of your blow straight back up into your leg.

You yowled as best you could from under the thick covering. Clawed and grabbed at the air feebly until you were shook by the neck like a rag-doll.

“You’ll quiet or I’ll cut out your tongue and quiet you myself.”

[starberry-cupcake]

Me reading this book is like trying to pin things to a cork board with red thread but the things I'm trying to pin down are fog and they vanish before I can grasp them.

Here's a visual representation of me finishing a chapter:

previously, in harrowbeenie the ninth:

this happened

currently, after chapter 5 (you're gonna have to be patient with this one):

we're moving back and forth between the second and third person

knowing now the content of the letters that yandere twin had talked about in the prologue, it makes some sense

but we aren't there yet

I need to point out something I don't think I specified enough last time

ice cube barbie changed eyes

people be changin' eyes here

she used to have eyes like harrow and now she has, and I quote: "ever since you had writhed in Lyctoral agony, her eyes had turned a yellow that made you dizzy to behold: a bronzed, hot, animal yellow, as amber as the inside of an egg"

this is from gideon's last ch.: "Gideon's eyes, as they always did, startled her: their deep, chromatic amber, the startling hot gold of freshly-brewed tea"

just gonna leave that there

but now, moving forward...or backwards to ch. 3 flashback of sorts

we got a recap of most of the events we knew, but in a gideon-less ver.

I'm gonna also point out that harrowbean mentions her mother holding her wrist the same way she said ice cube barbie did when they were in the coffin hangar

another addition to the clown emperor's story is that the Resurrection is described in harrow's memories as "ten thousand years ago had given them all release from death that none of them had deserved"

I don't know about any of this

we've got a disturbance in the force when harrow describes her parents finding out about the tomb thing

it says "her parents had...found out...about what she had done"

interesting edit of the story there

there's a gideon-sized hole in this story

there's also an interesting new count of nooses??

she says they tied five, two for mortus (???) but in gideon's book she said they tied their own nooses and then helped her tie hers, what's up with mortus having two??? is this nothing and I'm just obsessing about every detail???

I'm gonna start seeing palmolive's force ghost roaming around my house

at the end of ch. 3 it says "there had been another girl who grew up alongside Harrow—but she had died before Harrow was born"

this is a VERY INTERESTING wording

if someone dies before you are born, they can't grow up with you

UNLESS

I'm not gonna dwell on that yet

let's put a pin on that

ch. 4 has the re-apparition of yandere twin

*live studio audience cheers, maybe*

she gives her a letter addressed to her from her

the letter has a lot of instructions of things she doesn't remember at all and also are supposed to be opened at specific times/events

one of them says "in the event of the emperor's death"

another says it's in case she sees regina george twin, which makes a whole argument happen and knives are used to settle it

yandere twin will not hear someone imply her sister might be no longer with us

she probably isn't dead, this I know for certain, people wouldn't be confusing my names for them if that was all we got from her

the most important letter, though, is the one in case she sees camilla, who harrow claims not having interacted with ever

this is a very important thing to note, but most importantly, CAMILLA MENTION

very important to be noting who harrow remembers interacting with and who she doesn't

very important as well that she remembers yandere twin losing an arm in battle but does not remember gideon or camilla

I haven't mentioned it yet but, in the letter, past!harrow tells present!harrow that she needs to check yandere twin's tongue and lower mandibule

to which I think to myself "I bet she's gonna kiss her"

and that she did

which makes me want an edition of this book but with gideon commentary

like a dvd commentary but it's gideon commenting on all this stuff

and cracking jokes

because I bet she'd be cracking jokes about this

remember when she joked that yandere twin would marry mayonnaise uncle?

and then both harrow and mayonnaise uncle were like "ew the third's magic is weird"

imagine if she saw this display

another CRUCIAL thing is that harrow is doing like an oath to yandere twin as requested by past!harrow

and she says "by the ripped and remade soul of ortus nigenad"

and yandere twin goes "who? oh, yes—the cavalier"

I mean, mood at not remembering the names, but also SUSPICIOUS BEHAVIOR

she also tells present!harrow "I gave you something you cared about very deeply at the time"

side note, there is yet another moment in which chad is read for filth

get obliterated even in undeath, chad

last detail from this chapter is that harrowbean almost gets assassinated

maybe I should have started with that

at this point there's so much going on, death seems like a normal one

so yeah, she's gonna get killed with a pillow to the face and then she defends herself and discovers at the end of the chapter that she didn't hallucinate the whole thing and it was hidden from her on purpose that somebody tried to end her

so what's the point in being in this clown death star and surviving big brother canaan house if you can't even sleep peacefully???

moving on to chapter 5

remember the timeline I was making?

yeah, about that

chapter 5, in the third person continuity, establishes that what I saw previously was not necessarily a memory but an au memory

if we can call it something at this point

so my calculations were made as if the timeline was one

but this is not one timeline, it's a sort of parallel gideon-less one

of course my heart is making me believe the gideon-less one is the one that isn't real

and that past!harrow might know what's going on with that

maybe gideon's existence needs to be protected

maybe the emperor doesn't have to know about her

(I'm still holding on to the gideon hope, leave me alone)

but, in any case, present!harrow doesn't know

let's remember the prologue begun with harrow doing something she shouldn't and yandere twin saying something like "was there something in those letters I don't know about?"

I'm just gonna have to throw my timeline in the trash and start over with multiple timelines for now

ALSO, I didn't say anything about it yet, but it's mentioned that harrow is "in love" with ice cube barbie

take that as you will

which is another joke gideon has made in the past and would be stellar in a commentary of this

and, talking about things gideon would be awesome at commenting

in the new ortus-inclusive (?) narrative, ortus is talking about the epic of Matthias Nonius, who we know because harrow has compared gideon to him in the past

and also there's is a comment made about how ortus looks down on people who read "prurient magazines or pamphlets"

I really need gideon confessionals commentary over here

she also says that "the ninth house character, she was forced to admit, had always been low on wild and confident fucks"

yeah, well, how about that

and we end with THE FLIMSY

lots of important flimsies in this

she finds a note that reads "THE EGGS YOU GAVE ME ALL DIED AND YOU LIED TO ME"

ortus says he can't read it

but, in any case,

that made me stop in my tracks because I was reminded I forgot about the writing on the walls of canaan house?????

I filed it under canaan house weirdness but then, it was never talked about?????? again????

also the paper gideon found with her name

which I assumed was addressing the other gideon that not!dulcinea mentioned knowing

but who tf knows at this point

who knows what time and space are anymore

time to leave it for today...this is getting wild, you guys

[bitethedustfools]

TWST Story Idea (10)

Twisted Wonderland is a very unique world. Their world has magic, and they have different species living together, ranging from mages, beastmen, fae, merfolk, and so on.

Yuu's world had something like those, but obviously, that was just in a story, a fiction, a drawing on walls and pots. Something that almost all people heard of but did not believe in their existence. Which is understandable because Yuu's world is just humans and animals, and that's it. There are no werewolves, no vampires or mermaids, not even a dragon, and so on.

Yuu had been the type of person who always has been interested in these kinds of things: mythology, folklore, and cryptozoology, and maybe a little bit of history. That's what Yuu loves in the whole world.

They know many things and the history of how it came to be. You can ask Yuu if they know about skinwalker, and they'll put up a presentation that they prepared for years, which somehow leads to other cryptids. The Beast of Gévaudan? Yuu's got a conspiracy board with a bunch of pictures of animals to prove this beast is actually so and so and where it ran off to. They are also very knowledgeable about Greek mythology, followed by Norse, Aztec, and so on.

So imagine Yuu got transported to Twisted Wonderland and got the shock of their life when they saw a beastman. Yuu expected to see a furry animal standing on two feet, the face a mix with man and animal followed by animalistic growls and piercing eyes. Not… not a goddamn handsome man with a pair of ears and tails!

Sure, they had seen this type before, but that's on some people's fantasy that they have written and drawn! Yuu is absolutely stupefied when they're face to face.

Every time Yuu met a new species, Yuu didn't fail to feel disappointed in what they saw. The dragon by the name of Malleus got a human form that he likes to use, and that has the most ridiculously handsome face Yuu has ever seen. Where is the fire-breathing dragon? Where is the gold they hoard? The wings? Yuu is not satisfied with this.

Yuu met Hades next, who was hailed as one of the prominent seven figures seen as a hero or something, which just conflicted with what Yuu knows about the Hades of their world.

Yuu took a look at the multiple figures next to him like the Fairest Queen, the Queen of Hearts, Maleficent, and Ursula, and was astounded to see that they also were hailed as heroes. Their story is so much nicer than the original story Yuu read that at least, 2 out of 4 stated above died horribly if Yuu is not mistaken.

The dwarves are just toddlers that can speak perfectly, the eels from the Little Mermaid are humanified, what was supposed to be a werewolf is not a werewolf at all. The ghosts are all the same as though they are copy and pasted many times, some had different clothes. Yuu saw Grim, and they're not sure what he is, but he's cute, so that's alright.

Halloween comes, and Yuu is ready to be the most terrifying monster of them all, and they did, but that's because the rest dressed prettily and not terrifyingly like Yuu expected!

Where's the horror? Where are the screams of terror and the nightmare fuel appearance?? Yuu wanted to see someone getting traumatized, and all they got is sparkles and annoyance. Those magicam monsters must be stupid and blind to be scared of such pretty faces.

The only highlight of the Halloween was the Spectral realm like yes! The gloomy atmosphere is here! The graves! The very gothic architecture is everywhere! It was what Yuu imagined where the wandering and unrest souls will go.

It got crashed by a disco ball, though.

In short, Yuu didn't like it.

This world is sh*tty and against everything Yuu believed in. It's like meeting an idol you like so much and find that they are not the same as your expectation or something.

Dissatisfied, Yuu complained to themself, unaware that NRC heard it. "This is not what I imagined them to be. What a let down…"

Seeing that NRC are full of prideful kids, naturally, they get offended being told by a magicless human that Twisted Wonderland filled with wonder doesn't excite Yuu in any slightest.

Now this. This made Yuu perked up, but at the same time, Yuu is also offended that the others think their world is nothing special.

Yuu made up their mind to take it as a challenge. Yuu won't lose to these rip-offs of their world. They're gonna prove their world is superior, and that's Yuu's pride as a human being from that world.

Twisted Wonderland might have 7-8 prominent figures, but Yuu's world has more, although they may not exist today. Yuu is gonna show them how there's charm in being a mystery and history.

Yuu proceeded to drop snippets of a bunch of mythology, folklore, and cryptozoology randomly in the different places.

Yuu would go camping with the friends and said in his world there used to be a Wendigo roaming around in the woods. They would describe vividly about its appearance and how it eats flesh and the origin of how it came to be, taking sadistic delight when said friends looked at each other shakingly.

Yuu would mention out of nowhere about how beautiful people would have been sacrificed to the gods to a rather vain person and said it's lucky they are not in Yuu's world.

They even talked about Salem witch trials down to the details when a group of their friends has a fight or something. Magic doesn't involve in that, of course, but they looked terrified that even humans would accuse and execute their own kin. A very dark history indeed.

The mer eel would have threatened Yuu about squeezing and biting and so on, and Yu would drop a myth in their world about eating mermaid would bring immortality and maybe that's why they don't exist anymore.

They even mentioned casually that the faes would replace human kids with theirs and also kidnapped humans as pets. They can also be invisible to the eyes so no one would know or even find them.

The others are terrified to hear what story sprouted out of Yuu.

[corvusasteris]

the sands of time is a fantasy interactive fiction where you play as the mage of a small provincial town who, in the process of investigating into strange magical phenomena, finds themselves embroiled in a far-reaching political intrigue with potentially deadly consequences. and ghosts.

themes/tags : intrigue, fantasy, effects of time, power, magic, ghosts

You are a mage who, after being forced to flee from the capital for a crime you may or may not have committed, has taken refuge in Kemorlen, a small, unremarkable town ideal for keeping out of the political reaches of the Illyosian Empire. But when an apparently straightforward investigation into bizarre magical phenomena forces you into conflict with figures from your past and powerful forces that care little for you, how will you navigate through the oncoming storm that shatters your fragile calm ?

The continent of Aiolos has been dominated by the Illyosian Empire, with its back-stabbing nobles and complex court politics, for generations. Yet their hold is beginning to fray, and its rulers will do anything to take back their former power, sparking events that quickly spiral far out of their control.

Aiolos is a land at the crossroads of the mortal and spirit realms, where the effects of the underworld are felt keenly, and the delicate balance between mortal and spirit realms is ever on the verge of tipping over.

worldbuilding info

Flee from the capital under dubious circumstances: choose whether you were a spy or scholar when in Melera.

Meet five characters (one male, two female, one nb and one selectable: either male or nb) and choose to pursue romance, friendship, or rivalry.

Navigate a world of complicated politics, spirits that frequently won't stay dead and magic that permeates everyday existence.

Choose your name, pronouns, gender and place of origin.

Pick which area of magic you are strongest in, out of four (warding, enchantment, healing and transmutation).

Try not to get assassinated, arrested or possessed.

detailed character info

Jasper (m) :

A familiar face from your past, and not one that you expected to see again. He's a snarky, obsessive researcher into spirits and, during your time in the capital, your closest companion. After getting caught up in the incident that provoked your rather abrupt exit, you presumed him to be dead, and he you.

Leonora (f) :

The owner of the alchemists shop next door to you in Kemorlen. Despite her saving your life (numerous times) and helping you to create a new life for yourself there, she remains a figure that you know surprisingly little about. She's blunt, impulsive, skilled with a sword, and definitely hiding something. All in all, you don't quite know what to make of her.

Augustine (nb) :

A quiet, unassuming healer who arrived in town shortly after you did. Surprisingly squeamish and possessing a dry sense of humour, they have quickly become indispensable in helping you deal with the everyday magical difficulties of Kemorlen. Their past remains a mystery to you, and you suspect there may be more to them than first appears.

Mira (f) :

A charismatic bard who wanders the roads of Aiolos collecting stories, gold, and animal companions after being exiled from her home kingdom. She seems to attract trouble, but as long as the resulting chaos makes for a good tale she doesn't appear to mind much.

Theodorus (m/nb) :

A spirit with patchy memories and a thirst for revenge after being accidentally brought back from the underworld. They're awkward, restless and struggling to reconstruct a life for themselves in a world where they are supposed to be dead.

demo : here currently 17k words, prologue

release medium : twine & itch.io

rating: 16+

pinterest: here

[satsuma-unshiu]

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ shobio fic recs

i like the way your clothes smell by Mysecretfanmoments ✰

Relationship(s): Hinata Shouyou/Kageyama Tobio

Rating: M

Word-Count: 75k

Summary: `Power outages, ghost stories, and the presence of a certain orange-haired boy lead to bad decision-making on Tobio's part. He'd planned to keep his crush a secret; the universe has other plans.'

Additional (Reader's) Notes: a given, i know. but if you haven't read this yet and are a sucker for good writing and kghn, i implore you, please do, because this one's pure gold

somniloquy by emleewrites ✰

Relationship(s): Hinata Shouyou/Kageyama Tobio

Rating: T

Word-Count: 12k

Summary: `

“Hi-Hinata…”

The spark of awareness ignites and Shouyou blinks his eyes open again fully, humming in response to his name. Kageyama doesn’t reply, as he’s still completely asleep, shuffling slightly as his breaths start to catch in the beginnings of snores.

“Kageyama?” Shouyou stage whispers.

“Hinata,” Kageyama grunts back, before smacking his lips and devolving fully into snoring.

(In which Shouyou falls in love slowly during his high school years, and Kageyama talks in his sleep.)'

Additional (Reader's) Notes: ugh. so cute!!

summers spent in your light by yu_writes

Relationship(s): Hinata Shouyou/Kageyama Tobio, Tsukishima Kei/Yamaguchi Tadashi

Rating: T

Word-Count: 10k

Summary: `The final scores flash up on the screen. Kageyama gapes at the cheerfully-blinking animations. “There’s no way you’re that good on your first try.”

Hinata grins. “Who said it was my first try?”

“You—!”

Hinata sticks his tongue out at him as the arcade machine spits out a small stack of tickets.

And glancing over, next to their drumset—both of their mouths drop—sits a flushed, triumphant Yachi and a thoroughly-trounced-looking Tsukishima.

“Wow, I didn’t realize how easy it is to get the hang of this!” Yachi beams at them as the machine spits out a small mountain of tickets. Yamaguchi, who has been watching over Tsukishima’s shoulder, muffles his laugh at the petulant look on Tsukishima’s face.

(the karasuno first years, who are then second years, and then third years. and, of course, kageyama and hinata, who are... well, kageyama and hinata.)'

Additional (Reader's) Notes: summer hangouts with the karasuno first years - love how their dynamics were written in this one :3

life is a highway by emleewrites ✰

Relationship(s): Hinata Shouyou/Kageyama Tobio

Rating: T

Word-Count: 98k

Summary: `Kageyama Tobio is a professional racing driver, the new rookie sensation who's about to take home the Piston Cup in his first year.

But a race run recklessly leads to an unprecedented three-way tie, and a tie breaker race is set for a week's time. On the way to the International Speedway, Kageyama gets lost, and ends up crashing into Karasuno Springs - a small country town in the middle of nowhere, ruining their main road in the process. Forced to stay and fix it, Kageyama feels the whole thing is a waste of time, until he meets the town's handyman - Hinata Shouyou, a local dirt track racer.

They're very different, but a shared passion for racing draws Kageyama in, as he tries to work out why Hinata is just a handyman in the first place despite his talent for racing. And over the course of the week he ends up discovering that maybe there's more to life than winning races all by himself.

(A racing AU; based on the story of Pixar's Cars, but everybody is human.)'

Additional (Reader's) Notes: such a vibe, honestly. very well-written to the point that it manages to place you inside the cars universe (except as the summary stated, everyone is human here lol). all the other works in the series are worth a read, too!

Saffron and Cayenne Pepper by dontsaycrazy

Relationship(s): Hinata Shouyou/Kageyama Tobio, Shimizu Kiyoko/Yachi Hitoka (Mentioned)

Rating: T

Word-Count: 30k

Summary: `Cooking is hard. Even if you have your very attractive, very grumpy neighbor there to help you.

In which Hinata's lack of cooking skills are a danger to him and others. Luckily (or not), Kageyama is willing to teach him, if only for the sake of avoiding any burned down apartments.'

Additional (Reader's) Notes: hinata is me as in i can't cook for the life of me either. love kghn's dynamic!!

You Can't Play Volleyball In A Blizzard by KingsHighway ✰

Relationship(s): Hinata Shouyou/Kageyama Tobio

Rating: T

Word-Count: 12k

Summary: `The "blizzard of the century" comes bearing down on Miyagi Prefecture, closing down schools and trapping everyone in their homes. With nothing to do to pass the time, and an unlimited amount of energy, Hinata finds an unlikely texting buddy in his volleyball partner Kageyama. But it's just texting, it can't matter that much, can it?'

Additional (Reader's) Notes: such a sweet and wonderfully written one-shot with an adorable concept (seriously, go read it)

burnt by sunbeams by emleewrites ✰

Relationship(s): Hinata Shouyou/Kageyama Tobio

Rating: T

Word-Count: 12k

Summary: `Tobio drops his hands from his face at Hinata’s bright voice and looks down. Hinata beams up at him, wide and blinding, a ball of sunshine on a gymnasium floor. Tobio kind of feels like he’s burning when Hinata looks like this – sunbeams personified – but that’s okay.

He’ll happily spend the rest of his life getting burned by Hinata Shouyou.

(Kageyama thinks that being in a relationship seems to be simple at first. It's just Hinata; there's just a lot more kissing involved. But no relationship is without challenges. And for Kageyama, he'll weather them all, so long as he gets to bask in the sun.

Hinata and Kageyama: a relationship study.)'

Additional (Reader's) Notes: another lovely read from emleewrites :) the way they write kghn is aaaaaaaa

thirty-three days of mist and mountains by tinygumdrops (curryramyeon)

Relationship(s): Hinata Shouyou/Kageyama Tobio

Rating: T

Word-Count: 36k

Summary: `Tobio runs by himself every day. Even though he can't shake off that awful feeling that something's closing in on him, he still does it. It's habit now.

When he gets a phone call that Hinata Shouyou is thinking of coming to Italy, Tobio feels like he has to run even faster.

(Or: Tobio has a month to prepare himself before his high school rival comes to visit him. They haven't spoken to each other for two years, and Tobio can't even remember what food Hinata likes. He's got a lot to think about.)'

Additional (Reader's) Notes: kageyama uses sticky notes as a means to prepare for hinata's visit - another wonderfully written fic with a great concept

In Transit by Mysecretfanmoments ✰

Relationship(s): Hinata Shouyou/Kageyama Tobio

Rating: T

Word-Count: 4k

Summary: `Hinata finds that he likes standing close to Kageyama on buses and trains. It doesn't mean anything--probably. Maybe.'

Additional (Reader's) Notes: they're so cute and dumb and ugh

a long distance type of love by xllx (exasperatedmoron)

Relationship(s): Hinata Shouyou/Kageyama Tobio

Rating: T

Word-Count: 42k

Summary: `shouyou and tobio learn about the world and each other from 17,380km apart.

(two dumbasses and their ability to maintain a long distance relationship despite being absolute wrecks when it came to everything else in their lives. (oh, and they’re engaged))'

Additional (Reader's) Notes: engaged long-distance kghn and texting shenanigans with the karasuno first years

Olympic Thirsting Hours by Kelpiejz

Relationship(s): Hinata Shouyou/Kageyama Tobio (Minor)

Rating: T

Word-Count: 4k

Summary: `Alone in Brazil and desperate for some kind of human connection that won't make him homesick, Hinata Shouyou decides his best bet is to communicate in broken English with strangers over the internet. They only have one thing in common - volleyball.

sunshinetangerine: not watch olympics now, at work sunshinetangerine: but kageyama very good setter AnArchyCountry: he really is, wow thirstea: just snuck my phone in class to see a photo and holy hell he’s hot sunshinetangerine: yes sunshinetangerine: playing volley a lot get hot sunshinetangerine: drink lot of water after!! (＾▽＾) thirstea: oh sweetie, not that kind of hot

(Or: a look at Hinata's growth after high school from the perspective of people who don't know who he is.)'

Additional (Reader's) Notes: cute lil fic in which hinata is bad at english and still manages to connect to others who know nothing about him

discovering the smile of one kageyama tobio by emleewrites ✰

Relationship(s): Hinata Shouyou/Kageyama Tobio

Rating: T

Word-Count: 8k

Summary: `Kageyama blinks once before a grin of his own spreads over his face. Shouyou’s breath halts in his lungs at the sight, and he wills for time to stop, just so that he can drink it in. He sees it sometimes when they’re playing - Kageyama’s fierce smile when they pull a combo off just right, when they show their opponents how possible the impossible can really be. But then there’s another serve, another rally, and the moment is gone.

'Shame,' Shouyou thinks to himself, as he lets his eyes roam over Kageyama’s stupidly happy face, taking in the creases that are from joy rather than frowning for a change. 'It’s a really nice smile.'

(In which it's their third, and final, year in high school and Hinata has only one goal: to make Kageyama smile outside of volleyball.)'

Additional (Reader's) Notes: you should know by now that i love anything emleewrites writes

[shady-swan-jones]

August Rec List!

So, it's August after April, right? RIGHT?

Today is Author Appreciation day so that ties in nicely, thank you @4getfulimaginator2022. Show your appreciation in the comments, it's mandatory. I have no way to enforce this but come on, spread the love!

She's Perfect But You're Mine (3/3) by me

Killian has a girlfriend. Emma handles it with the utmost maturity and grace. Or not.

Dark Swan Story by isaballerina89

What if Emma is pregnant as Dark Swan? Based in season 5 captain swan love story fanfic. It is different from the show.

What if... (Season 4) by Kml19

What if Captain Hook turned into the Dark One to get revenge on Rumplestiltskin? What if he only met the heroes in Neverland?

I can’t love you in the dark (oceans apart) by weareforeverstarlaced

Emma had long resigned her role as princess and Killian did the same, having left piracy. But now, as the mist covers their cliff side cottage, Emma and Killian say their final goodbyes when Rumplestiltskin steals the former pirates heart. And all they could do is wait it out until Rumplestiltskin’s torment was done and it’s crushed. Not knowing when it would happen. However, when morning comes and Killian is gone, Emma has one final idea to bring him back.

Ties That Bind (6/20) by Anonymous

When Killian Jones returns home after years away, it's not for a warm reunion—he’s there to confront his adoptive father, the powerful and rich politician Mr. Gold. Desperate to free Milah from his clutches, Killian finds himself ensnared in one of Gold’s infamous deals. In exchange for Milah’s freedom, Killian must carry out a dangerous mission that puts him on a collision course with Emma Swan, a sharp and determined agent for a secretive government force.

Into the Parallel by CSColifer

Emma and Killian are Travelers with and ability to travel through time and across parallel realms. A chance meeting will change their lives forever.

Cann I Be Your Werewolf? by @belovedcreation

After a particularly nasty encounter with a criminal, bounty hunter Emma Swan's friend convinces her to adopt a guard dog from the shelter. Little does she know that the massive dog she brings home is really the werewolf Killian Jones, who's laying low in wolf form to hide from danger.

Heart Bound by @4getfulimaginator2022

CS historical AU (mid-19th century), real world setting, teacher!Emma and artist!Killian. After years of private tutoring, Emma goes to teach in a village by the sea in a desperate bid to escape her heartbreak and the outside world. She thinks that she'll always be lonely and out of place, but the local lighthouse keeper, a fellow recluse and the town outcast, makes her see that she is right where she belongs.

Animal Instincts by @hookswench

Killian Jones noticed the moment Emma Nolan walked into the tavern. She was innocent... and she was trouble. As a lone wolf, he wanted no part of her pack politics. But when rival Neal Cassidy attacks, Killian can't just stand by. One quick escape later, and Killian finds himself alone with temptation. And Emma isn't one to back down from what she wants.

The Secret Romance by CaptainSwan02

Emma Swan and Killian Jones have been hiding their relationship for a while now, not wanting anyone to find out. The two have navigated treacherous waters and clandestine meetings, all to keep their love hidden from prying eyes. But as their feelings deepen and the challenges they face grow, the strain of their secret weighs heavily on them.

haunted by the ghost of you by @exhaustedpirate

Killian is cursed - cursed to lose Emma over and over again. He is doomed to live, to lose his love forever until he can break it.

For All Life and For All Time by @snowbellewells

Having lost her dearest friend and with her own life on the line, Emma Swan joins a noble band to face an ancient evil. Three of them stand by her in honor of the one they loved and lost. The other might be the first man she could love. He might love her as well - even more than life itself. Time will tell... if they both survive the fight against their immortal enemy.

Pan Says... (13/13) by @hollythecurious

After waking up in a strange room with a naked stranger, Emma and Killian must endure the twisted game their kidnapper insists they play in order to gain provisions and avoid punishments.

Flight 815 (3/?) by @honey77bun

Emma moved into a new, incomprehensible world for her, in 1986. What to do? Unclear. And in this chapter, she'll have to find the strength to figure out what the hell is going on.

Too Well Tangled (12/21) by @myfearless-love

Killian Jones, the enigmatic Marquess of Hookstone, has more than earned his sinister sobriquet, the "Prince of Darkness." His past, a stormy mosaic of rejection and rebellion, has forged a man both feared and revered. Yet, the indomitable Miss Nolan proves an unexpectedly formidable opponent for his infamous charm.

Dracula in Storybrooke (6/?) by @grimmswan

“You don’t seem to be a vampire like the ones Dracula made.” Emma said softly, tracing her fingertips along Killian’s jaw. They were laying in bed. Holding one another. Gazing at each other lovingly.

Yet another villain had tried to tear them apart. And had failed. 

Not Broken At All (17/?) by @donteattheappleshook

A season 1 Neverland AU. Emma is still trying to adjust to her new life as Sheriff of Storybrooke and mom to Henry, who still believes everyone in town is a fairytale creature. When she finds a badly beaten, one handed man while patrolling, she’s convinced he’s crazy. But when Henry is suddenly taken out the window of a house everyone believes is haunted, the madman in the hospital might be her only hope of getting her son back. Whether he likes it or not.

I’ll Wait a Lifetime or Two by @hookedonapirate

At forty, Emma Swan is living her best life. She's happily single and owns a thriving art gallery with her best friend Elsa. And of course, there's the love of her life, her teenage son, Henry. Since the divorce three years ago, her carefully curated life has been quiet, peaceful, ordinary. So why does the one guy she ends up falling for have to be the rockstar her son has a poster of on his bedroom wall, whose life is nothing short of extraordinary?

Independence Day by @whimsicallyenchantedrose

With the Black Fairy defeated and the final battle won, Storybrooke is enjoying it's happily ever after and trying to make new memories. Emma has some exciting news for Killian.

Timeless (4/?) by @killiansprincss

Season 3 divergence - When Zelenas time portal works, Henry wakes up alone in Storybrooke and must travel to the Enchanted Forest to get his family back. Only once he gets there he quickly realises its not like the one in his book, theres no Evil Queen and his mother Emma wasn't put through a wardrobe, theres even a poster inviting the entire kingdom to her engagement ball, to Hook. What will happen once Henry gets them to break this new curse and they get their memories back?

@caught-in-the-filter @allons-y-to-hogwarts-713 @the-darkdaughter-blog @teamhook @justanother-unluckysoul @karlyfr13s   @snowbellewells @xarandomdreamx @klynn-stormz @omninerdgirl   @facesiousbutton82 @finmnsoh56  @followbatb @killianxswan @booksteaandtoomuchtv @exhaustedpirate @anmylica @hollyethecurious @winterbaby89 @undercaffinatednightmare @resident-of-storybrooke @tiganasummertree @stahlords @darkshadow7 @fleurdepetite @captainswan-kellie @motherkatereloyshipper @soniccakes @jonesfandomfanatic @zaharadessert @bluewildcatfanatic @once-upon-a-happy-end @ultraluckycatnd @spartanguard

[thatoneluckybee]

Okay, so lemme ramble about the Wild Hunt for a sec, given the new episode, because I am certain there is/will be symbolism at play

Essentially, the Wild Hunt is this germanic (though there's many similar ones around the world) myth. It's this horde of spirits/ghosts that travels through the night on an eternal hunt. Crossing their path is generally seen as a big no-no and a good way to become part of the horde of hallowed dead stuck in the eternal hunt. The same goes for copying their sounds of howling wind (and sometimes barking dogs). However, either of these can be rewarded (usually with something that seems worthless and usually turns out to be gold)

Now, for that sweet symbolism. First of all, the Wild Hunt usually consisted of the hallowed dead. They didn't get to pass onto the afterlife, instead bring swept up by the hunt. In the story this more than likely is replaced by those floating eyeball thingies - the souls of those who got stuck in this world before the afterlife

What I'm more curious/concerned about though is who leads it. It's most certainly someone's Phantom, given the little card with abilities. But who could it be? Let's use some clues from both the episode and the myth

First, the episode. There's 3 main things to consider here. 1) this phantom was outside the gate (and thus also unlikely to be a dean or student). 2) your phantom has to do with how you die (this also ties in with the myths). 3) looking at it's abilities, it has something called 'overclock', and while this could be some sort of rage mode, I think it'd make more sense if it means that this Phantom form can stay up either for a long-ass time, or straight up indefinitely

Now, for the myths. The figure who leads the Hunt actually changes a lot depending on the specific telling, and it's been both men and woman. A largely common factor though is that they get stuck in the Hunt after exclaiming their love for hunting, and something along the lines of wishing they could do it forever (potentially specifically instead of an actual afterlife). Given the thing I said before, I think it's a fairly safe bet the person who's Phantom it is died hunting, or at the very least pursuing something

The person who leads the hunt also seems to be searching for Lenore specifically, which is interesting to me. The Wild Hunt generally hunts animals, not people. So I propose 2 possibilities:

1, mythological: The Wild Hunt, like I said, should generally not be interacted with according to most myths. A possibility is that Lenore or on of her predecessors did do that in some way, shape, or form. Maybe in the real world, but Phantoms can't really be there I think? Maybe someone else like her brother or parent were also in this between dimension and messed with it, though I don't believe that's how it generally works. But maybe that thing at the start of the story, where they got noticed by those monsters, was actually them getting noticed by the Hunt, which is why it's now after her (and likely Annabel too in that case)

2, relationship driven: Essentially, my other idea is that the Phantom that is the Hunt is going after Lenore specifically because of who she is. Maybe her father died or something? But in that case I think her brother is way more likely. Think about it, Theo was first looking for (pursuing?) Lenore. The tree got knocked down by lightning (one of the Phantom's abilities). And he was riding his horse when he was killed. Just saying, it could be possible

Also, interestingly enough, both Lenore and Annabel have a certain degree of connection to the Night Hunt? Lenore has already denounced the 'natural' way passing onto the afterlife is supposed to go in favour of having herself and all her friends coming back to life, somewhat reminiscend of the leaders of the hunt commonly rejecting the afterlife in favour of their hunt. And the woman that led the Hunt in some stories likely all stem from the same figure, the supposed Old Mother Frost (and what, if I may ask you, is Annabel's ability?)

No matter who it is though, I'm hoping they touch on that idea of someone who crosses the Wild Hunt (and shows cleverness/boldness) sometimes gets rewarded. And while is generally looks useless at first, it often turns out to be valuable. Who knows, this endeavor just might be the key to escaping...

...well, that or I'm looking way too deep into it and the writer just chose the Wild Hunt because it looks/sounds cool and vaguely fitting of spirits of the night coming to get you. I mean, most thing I just said are honestly closest to incoherent rambling with vague connections, but who knows...

This is nevermore, you’re NEVER looking too deep into it

IM MAIN TAGGING THIS THIS IS AMAZING

I think it could be Theo? We know SOMETHING happened to him as he was at the top of his class. Was he reincarnated? I doubt it. Theo is also connected with deer and hunting. Would also explain why the Wild Hunt (which Lenore thinks is her curse) seems to be targeting her and her family.

[zee-rambles]

A Fellow Fan reached out to me on Twitter about this awesome show. I love Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur! If you are a fan of Rise of the TMNT, you’d love Moon Girl as well! They were produced by the same studio! Moon Girl is in danger of being cancelled for good! Season 2, which was divided in half, may be the last season we see! Now is the time to raise awareness about it across social media! Don’t let Nickelodeon cancel another great show! Every little effort counts! Here are some things you can do to help!

1. Spam the hashtags to save Moon Girl across social media. #SaveMoonGirl #SaveMM&DD #SaveMoonGirlandDevilDinosaur #SaveMoonGirl&DD #Disneyletdown #Istandwithanimation #CancelledCartoons

2. Constant Disney across their social media and hound them about this show. Don’t be rude, but vouch for Moon Girl and why it deserves to continue! The animation is great, the main characters are great! The music is wonderful and it is SO RARE to see such an inspiring marvel superhero, who is both a girl, African American, AND a STEM genius! There are so many little girls out there that need that kind of representation, that want to get into science and math, but never see any little girl on TV with the same interests! Be their voice! We failed The Ghost and Molly McGee. Disney was once the forefront of animation, once the gold standard! Now, they make live action cash grabs and treat their 2D animated works with little respect. Prove to them that there is still love for hand drawn animation! Fight for Moon Girl!

Contact Disney Plus

Disney’s Instagram (@ them! Demand that they do better! Flood their Instagram accounts with demands for better!)

Moon Girl’s Instagram (FLOOD them with sudden followers!)

Contact Disney Channel (Email and demand that they show Moon Girl on their channel more often)

Disney’s Twitter (@ Disney. Tell them you want more moon girl and that it deserves to continue! Use the hashtags!)

Disney’s TikTok (Make art, edits, spread the word about this show!)

Don’t let Moongirl go down without a fight. Animation deserves better! Animators deserve to tell their full story, not have their work cut short, sabotaged, or cancelled by the studio that depends on OUR viewership to make money and not reward us with quality products. The age of cancellations and disrespect for animators WILL continue, if we audience members do not prove that we respect animator’s work, that we want quality animation to continue, and that we are tired of these companies ending shows before their time.

Either we band together, raise our voices for animators now, while they’re striking for fair wages, good treatment, and against AI, or we keep letting big companies get away with this kind of behavior. Disney wants to open an AI division. I know that there are fans out there that are desperate for more hand drawn Disney Films. We will never defeat Disney’s plans for AI nor get any more animated works if we don’t prove that is demand for their smaller hand drawn animated works!

SAVE! MOONGIRL!

[recentadultburnout]

Info for writer in Thai series fandom: More language thingy

Swear words and metaphor

*Some words may have more meaning than what I mention.

ไอ้ Ai and อี ee = words to be added in front of other words (a name or swear word), showing contempt or closeness (in a rude way).

Ai is masculine and ee is feminine, but nobody actually cares at this point.

เหี้ย hia or เชี่ย shia = Varanus salvator

These two words are the same. Hia is an original, and shia is a word that is born from distorting the voice in order to reduce vulgarity. It's kind of like referring to an f-word with any other word starting with f. We also used many other words that mean "Varanus salvator" as a sensor version of the "hia" swear word. little crocodile or chicken eater, for example.

They can also be used to empathize by adding to the end one or two times, for example, "super cool" would be "cool hia hia".

Tbh, whenever I read in English and see the word "hia," I always think of this word before a word that means "older brother." And to make it worse, the placement of both of them in the sentence can be exactly the same. Sometimes it took me an embarrassingly long time to realize the writer intended it to be an older brother.

สารเลว saraleo = miscreant, bastard, swinish, vile, caitiff, rascally

If you are 2gether fan, this is the word Tine calls Sarawat.

There are many similar words, such as

rayam-ระยำ-wicked, disgusting, inauspicious

chanrai-จัญไร-vile, unfortunate, ruined, crush

chatchua-ชาติชั่ว-lowlife

เสือก sueak = to meddle in matters that are not their own; to meddle in other people's affairs

ห่า har = infectious disease (cholera), pestilential disease (plague), and the evil spirit responsible for disease epidemics. 

สัตว์ sus =animal

พ่อง pong=your father

แม่ง maeng =your mother

They are shorten from por(father)/mae(mother) mung(you)

ดอกทอง dok thong=whore

This word sounds like a golden flower, but it's just a coincidence as far as I know.

ส้นตีน son teen=heel=lowest point of your body

ควย kyua=cock

หี hee=vagina

สันดาน san dan=in-born traits

as in bad inborn traits. The "bad" is omitted on the assumption that everyone understands.

ตอแหล tor lear=liar, fake

-->sato (สตอ-Crudia chrysantha Schum)-->strawberry

เปรต pret=The hungry ghost, frequently described as a very tall monster with a needle-sized mouth. = tall(negative meaning) or a bad person

อ้อย oi=suger cane=อ่อย oi=attempt to entice something or someone to be caught (typically used by a woman seducing a man).

For example, a cane truck has overturned here.=Someone here is trying really hard to seduce someone.

งิ้ว ngiw=bombax anceps (thorn-covered tree)

In the story, when sinners go to hell, the adulterer must climb this tree naked.

Mark from Love Mechanics asks on Facebook how hurtful it would be to climb a ngiw tree after having sex with Vee, implying that he is at least interested in someone who is not single.

Gold fish=short memory

Tiger=flirtatious person who is good at getting who they want (typically a guy)

A tiger with faded stripes=old tiger=someone who used to be flirtatious but is no longer. 

Dog can be alot of things depent on the context but usually a bad things.

"Dog with a rotten head" means someone nobody wants to get close to or interact with.

If someone looks just like a dog, that means their current state is bad. Too drunk = like a dog. Crying too much = like a dog.

Giving someone dog food means making someone, usually your friends, a dog. Used when you complain about your love life to someone, ask them for advice and they tell you to leave your current partner since the partner is being awful to you, you say so! Then you turn around and reconcile with your partner. So now your friend is a bad guy whom your partner won't want you to associate with anymore because they incite you to be at odd witn your partner.

Temple's dog = low status, usually used for a low-status man who likes a high-status woman who would be called ดอกฟ้า(dokfha) which translates directly to "sky flower." Use something like, "You are a temple's dog yet want to pluck a sky flower, you should know your place!"

A dog that serves someone means someone who only cares about serving their boss (who is a bad person) and nothing else, like morals or other people. A lackey

Bird(quite a new slang) = Can't get what you want, typically means someone you want as a lover.

Phonix = immortal bird = repeatedly failing to get what you want *We do use phonix as a poetic expression too, not just for this meaning.

Buffalo = idiot/fool. 

You can say A is putting horns on B when A is cheating on B; this means A makes B an idiot for believing in A.

When you fail your exam, you might say that these days you eat grass instead of rice (like a buffalo).

There is a saying that goes like this: "One who remembers when they get hurt (and leaves or does something to not get hurt again) is a human; one who is willing to endure it is a buffalo." If you put up with something you shouldn't, you are a buffalo.

Pig

fat

weak/easy to win against

Fox

Cunning

Sedusing

catfish,termite=ugly

rhinoceros=Someone who tries to steal someone else's lover or just acts inappropriately in general according to the traditional feminine standard. Originally, it was only used to call women, but it is no longer the case.

barking deer=gay man

gibbon=woman

It was originally used by trans women to refer to cis women. can be seen as rude, but like many other words, many people don't actually take offense if it is used playfully. These two words, "barking deer" and "gibbon," are usually used together.

The reason why a character does not always know information stated in the subtitle

Gender of someone

The Thai language, for the most part, is gender-neutral. The she or he in the English subtitle usually has to be chosen by the translator.

Who/what the speaker is talking to/about

Many times, sentence structures in spoken language won't require a subject or object. I guess when that gets translated, it looks weird, so the translator has to pick something to add in. In a lot of situations where I am not sure how to address my interlocutor, I can simply avoid doing it, but when I'm writing in English like this, I have to pick something, right?

When

There are no tenses in Thai the way there are in English. We have words for determining whether something happened in the past, present, or future, but you can say something without using any of those and it will be just fine.

Rice

When someone asks if someone has eaten rice(ข้าว-khao) yet, the word rice usually means meal/food and not strictly rice. The word rice can mean food in general a lot of the time.

Polite words

There are a lot of words that mean the exact same thing but have a different degree of politeness. You may already have noticed it with the way there are so many words that mean you or I. You may also notice it when you watch alot of any Thai series. Like, how when a character says "eat" in the subtitle, there are some varied sounds, such as daek(แดก-rude), kin(กิน-common), than(ทาน-a bit more polite-shorten from rapprathan), rapprathan(รับประทาน-polite).

Meaning of polysyllabic words

Some polysyllabic words, when each syllable is separated, still have a meaning, but their meaning may not be consistent with the meaning of that polysyllabic word. So even when you recognize the meaning of each syllable, the meaning of the polysyllabic word you deduce from it may not be correct. I mean, if we look deeper, we should be able to make it make sense, but yeah.

For example, the word "witch" in Thai is mae mod(แม่มด). Mae means mother or something you can used to indicate that a word it is in refers to a woman and Mod means ant when it's a separate word, but when combined, they mean witch. Or for the word whose meaning is more similar to the words used to create it, the word khun nhu(คุณหนู), which means "young master/mistress." used for address the child of the boss, when sperate khun is a prefix to show politeness or respect, and nhu means mice or a word used for calling children. You can see that while some of the single-syllabic words are arguably related to the meaning of the polysyllabic word, some aint so much.

I hope this explanation doesn't make you more confused.😅 But if it is, do tell me. I will try to do better.

Thai alphabet

Our letters are named after words they used to spell. Like, both letters ญ and ย sound the same(yor), but the word woman (หญิง-ying) uses letter ญ and the word giant (ยักษ์-yak) uses letter ย, so letter ญ is named yor ying and letter ย is named yor yak.

Think of it like if A's full name is "A apple".

Index

[koalatysleep]

That time Togashi sneaked in a same-sex Soul Bond romance in Shonen Jump, in 90's uber-conservative Japan 😆❤️❤️

Somebody give Togashi a friggin' award for the Sneakiest Genius to ever Sneak, coz I'm not even kidding, he straight out created Kuwameshi as a Soul Bond romance in the subtext of YYH, where he tells us the real story is hidden! 🤩🤣😍

Full meta's on AO3 with proof points & screenshots, but here's the teaser!

When put together, Yusuke 幽助 and Kazuma 和真 means Souls (幽) in True Harmony (和真) who Help (助) each other which our heroes continually do throughout canon!

Kuwabara's last name is drawn from the Japanese phrase "kuwabara kuwabara" くわばら くわばら to ward off Lightning aka Bad Things like death, danger and bad luck, but written with the characters for Mulberry Field 桑原 instead, and GUESS WHAT - Mulberry has Divine significance in Japanese culture, is associated with the Sun God (Kuwa’s Reiki is Gold, like the sun), and items made from Mulberry wood are traditionally gifted to Japanese royalty, which Yusuke turns out to be!

Yusuke literally gets struck by Suzaku's lightning, tortured and nearly killed the minute he's separated from Kuwa in 4 beasts arc - more signs that Kuwa really is Yusuke’s Divine Protector who's been warding off lightning (Bad Things) from Yusuke just by being there, and their separation has immediate catastrophic impact on Yusuke coz Yusuke's not yet strong enough to fend off these threats on his own!

I know Togashi claims he came up with the Mulberry Field 桑原 characters for Kuwa's last name by combining characters from baseball players' names, and he very well may have done so, but considering the depth of Mulberry references throughout canon that we'll see in the full meta, you be the judge whether Togashi was also thinking of Mulberry's connotations when he picked these characters! Especially since at the end of the manga, there's a lot of seemingly throwaway lines about how both the Sky and the Sea are the same blue color, and how Yusuke told a half-truth about his real reason for picking the blue button in the 3-buttons mission! (This deserves its own meta another time!) I read this as 4th wall hint that Togashi was drawing from both Mulberry's divine symbolism and baseball players' names when he picked the characters for Kuwa's name, but he told a half-truth that he was only thinking of the baseball players! 🤣

Given the double Divine Protector symbolism in Kuwa's last name (from lightning ward and Mulberry) and the True Harmony meaning of his first name, Kuwa's literally made by his creator to be Yusuke's Divine Patron Saint who protects Yusuke from Bad Things coz Kuwa's in True Harmony (True Love) with Yusuke!

I read Yusuke's Good Luck in his fights throughout Genkai's succession trials as Kuwa's High Reiki unconsciously or semi-consciously increasing Yusuke’s Good Luck to save Yusuke from death or serious injury, as per the mini meta in the End Notes of The Good Fight Chapter 7!

Even if you choose not to take this read, who can forget Kuwa's SOUL literally left his body to save Yusuke from the demon fish in Rando fight? 🤯

Seriously, I L❤️‍🔥ve Togashi's audacious True Harmony soul bond subtext! 🤣

There’re SO MANY times when Yusuke's opponents are outright surprised that Yusuke somehow has Reiki reserves when he shouldn't have any left, or they straight out say Yusuke's protected by stronger Reiki than expected (e.g. Rando fight, Suzaku fight, Toguro fight) - I read this as canon BOTH foreshadowing Yusuke's Mazoku heritage AND hinting that Kuwa's protecting Yusuke as his Divine Patron Saint by contributing his Reiki to Yusuke through their True Harmony Soul Bond connection! 

Of course, this can be read as just Yusuke's Mazoku heritage giving him deep Reiki reserves & protection, but consider this! Yusuke's Mazoku Reiki is Red! In all these instances when Yusuke has unexpected Reiki reserves, his Reiki is BLUE!

Guess what else is the exact same blue? Kuwa's SOUL is literally blue when he saved Yusuke from the demon fish in Rando fight, and immediately afterwards, Yusuke escapes the demon fish in a spectacular explosion of Blue Reiki, the same color as Kuwa's SOUL! We only see Kuwa's Soul return to his body after Yusuke escapes!

In final Toguro fight in the Dark Tournament, after anime Yusuke fires his last Rei Gun and has no Reiki left, Hiei tells us Rei Gun's power is still going after leaving Yusuke's finger! There's a mysterious background music when this happens, and key characters look surprised! I read this as Kuwa (who was playing dead 🤣) contributing his Reiki to Rei Gun!

Their Reiki literally becomes ONE after Kuwa gives his lifeforce to save Yusuke post Suzaku fight as per the pics at start of this post! and it's Gold, Green, and Blue to represent Kuwa, Yusuke, and their Soul Bond respectively! Reiki is basically the energy of your heart, spirit and SOUL, so this is canon visually showing us they have a True Harmony Soul Bond! Just look at how epic our heroes are with their ONE Reiki!

Greek culture even has a star-crossed lovers story associated with Mulberry trees (which inspired Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet), where the lovers are thwarted by family circumstances, life-threatening danger, bad timing, and one party jumping prematurely to the wrong conclusion, which then leads the other party to follow suit -- all these elements appear in the Kuwameshi Love Story! Proof points in full meta!

The COUNTLESS times Yusuke and Kuwabara are in sync and mirror images of each other, and how they’re literally Two Souls in One Body when Yusuke possesses Kuwa’s body pre-revival, and then One Soul in Two Bodies for the rest of canon when Kuwa stands with Yusuke through thick-&-thin, and Yusuke follows Kuwa's moral code right back, eventually setting up the Makai Unification Tournament with Kuwa's 1-1 fight code, which prevents an all-out war, all its unnecessary bloodshed, and brings about Peace!

Preventing a war that's hundreds of years in the making is as good as Divine Intervention warding off catastrophe, just like saying "Kuwabara Kuwabara" wards off death and lightning strikes!

Even birds as symbol for Kuwameshi romance has Divine connotations in real-world Japan!

Sacred Mulberry wood symbolically expels evil in real-world Japanese rituals, same as how Kuwabara (literally Mulberry Field) expels the "evil" of Yusuke's inner demons from Yusuke's heart, the inner demons being Yusuke's distorted view of himself as a "bad, violent, good-for-nothing fuck-up unworthy of love", deep emotional pain, anger, and self-loathing.

There's even a manga pre-revival story (the 2 female best friends) that parallels this! Not to mention Kuwa literally manifests his Gold Rei Ken for first time using a broken piece of Musashi's wooden sword made from sacred wood!

And in the manga pre-revival story of the Old Man & the Raccoon, a wooden branch prevented the trap from closing fully around the raccon, thus preventing death or serious injury, foreshadowing how Kuwa likewise prevents the trap of the Dark Tournament from closing fully around Yusuke, preventing death of Yusuke's SOUL and True Self! Sacred wood, divine providence, and soul references abound throughout canon! Deets in full meta!

Given the massive weight of evidence that we see in the full meta, what else is Togashi showing us, other than two lovers forging a Soul Bond and becoming ONE?

What is True Harmony, other than another way to say Soul Bond?🤣

If you'd like to read how our heroes forged their Soul Bond in an Alternate Canon fic which has no constraints on what we can show in the main text, try The Good Fight on AO3! Most chapters have End Notes that gush about the canon subtext that inspired it!

If you're as intrigued by canon subtext as me, read the full meta for the mind-blowing depth and details! As always, meta is based on the canon versions that hew as close to original Japanese canon as a non-Japanese speaker can get!

Now on to the mind-blowing symbolism of Mulberry (kuwa 桑) in Kuwabara's last name!

[enbysiriusblack]

What do you think modern marauders favourite shows would be?

sirius- (he'd have the best taste), orange is the new black, interview with the vampire, santa clarita diet, the mighty boosh, life on mars, arcane, hannibal, taskmaster, kaos, the gentleman, american horror story

james- taskmaster (him and sirius watch it together), grace and frankie, arrested development, community, the clone wars, friday night dinner, its always sunny in philadelphia, rick and morty, white gold, ackley bridge

remus- big boys, doctor who, skins, the mandolorian, great british bake off, everything now, locke and key, dead boy detectives, good omens, sweet tooth, the it crowd

peter- the batman animated series, smallville, you, gotham, killing eve, my hero academia, inside job, the society, breaking bad, white collar, the end of the fucking world,

lily (assuming you only meant the marauders but i wanted to say lily's too)- derry girls, anne with an e, grace and frankie, yellowjackets, half bad: bastard son and the devil himself, shadow and bone, the umbrella academy, fleabag, ghosts

[vodika-vibes]

Congrats on the milestone! May I have Crosshair x gn! Reader in a western AU? Thanks, and love your work!

Ranger

Summary: Two years ago, your entire family was killed by a madman with a gun. As the only survivor, you did your best to survive on your own, in the house they were killed in, but it was just too hard. So you left to start your own life. Now, two years later, and mostly healed from your loss, a ghost from your past has come to haunt you.

Pairing: Past (and hints of future) Crosshair x GN!Reader

Word Count: 1417

Prompt: Western AU

Warnings: None

Tagging: @trixie2023 @n0vqni @imabeautifulbutterfly

A/N: Thanks! So I wasn't sure where to go with this story for a while, but I think I like the way I wrote it this time. I hope you like it!

You’re content with your life.

You’d never claim that you were happy, happiness belongs to other people, but life is good enough. 

It takes you over an hour to reach your nearest neighbor. No one bothers you at your home, you have a greenhouse for fresh fruits, veggies, and herbs year-round, and you have animals that provide you with meat.

You make two trips a year to the town. No one knows you, or where you live. 

And this is how you prefer it.

Two years ago, you were the sole survivor of a bandit attack that saw your entire family, as well as your family’s livestock, killed. Slaughtered to the last kitten.

When you were in the hospital, recovering from the attack that left you near death, the Rangers swore to you that they would catch the people who killed your family. That they wouldn’t rest until they were behind bars or in the ground.

It never happened.

A year after the attacks, the Head of the Rangers came to your home, your home, your father’s home, and told you that they had no evidence and no trail to follow. And so, the case was closed.

You remained in your father’s home for three more months, until the ghost became too much to bear, and you sold it to the first person who showed any interest and moved hours away, to the mountains.

A cowardly action? Maybe. 

But you couldn’t live with the ghosts of your family any longer, and the fear of the killers returning to finish what they started almost paralyzed you.

You like to think that you’re doing well now.

The injuries that nearly killed you two years earlier healed nicely, though they ache when it gets cold. Your nightmares have reduced to one every couple of weeks. And you’re no longer afraid of leaving your house.

Ironic, really, since the isolation should have terrified you. 

It’s late autumn now, and you’re a busy person. You have so much that you need to do to prepare for the harsh winters of the mountain region that you chose to live in. Starting with hanging the guide ropes that will help you find your way from your home to the barn and to the greenhouse if the storms get too bad.

You’ve already done your shopping in town for the long winter, and you’ve already prepared the house for the cold winter weather, now you just have to do the outside stuff.

So focused on making sure that the ropes are hung at a good height, that won’t hurt you or any of your livestock, you don’t realize that you have an audience until your dogs start barking. 

At first, you think it might be a wild bird, the turkeys are bad this time of year, but as you straighten and head to the front of the house, your heart sinks when you see the man standing at the gate.

Even after two years, you still recognize him.

Crosshair, a Ranger. One of the men who investigated the murders of your family.

He looks the same as the last time you saw him. Still clad in the black duster and holding the black hat that he prefers. His hair is still silver, and it’s longer than you’ve ever seen it before. The top is pulled into a neat knot.

He looks very handsome…and you don’t want to see him.

Still, your mama raised you right, so you whistle sharply, “Silver! Gold!” You call, “Heel!”

The twin Great Pyranese dogs, turn to look at you, and then scamper away from the gate, returning to their patrol.

There’s a familiar squeaking noise, and you turn your attention back to Crosshair as he pushes the gate open and steps onto your property.

“Silver and Gold, huh?” Crosshair asks as he approaches you, a small smirk on his lips.

“They came with the names,” You counter as you fold your arms over your stomach, almost defensively. “What do you want?”

“Can’t I come and visit an old friend?”

“We might have been friends once upon a time, Crosshair. But I haven’t seen you since my parents died. You didn’t even come to their funerals.”

“I was busy.”

You’re quiet for a moment, “Right. Of course.”

“I…” He sighs, “I’m sorry. I should have been there.”

“Yes, you should have been.”

“May I come inside?” Crosshair asks, “I need to talk to you.”

“No, you can’t.” You reply immediately, “But you can follow me while I work.” You turn to head back to where you were working, and you hear him fall into step next to you.

“You built all of this?”

“No. I bought it from someone.” You reply as you make your way back to the barn and kneel to pick up the rope that you were working with.

“Well, it looks nice.”

“Thanks.”

The pair of you fall into a slightly uncomfortable silence as Crosshair watches you work.

Once upon a time, you and Crosshair were lovers. You were happy together, or so you thought. You thought that you and he were going to get married. At least, that was the impression that you got from him.

And then he broke up with you. He said that the pair of you were moving too fast and that he wanted to focus on his career for a little bit. He swore, up and down, that there wasn’t another person.

At the time, you weren’t sure you believed him.

Honestly, to this day, you’re not sure you believe him.

You only had a day to mourn your relationship with him before your family was attacked. You know he visited you when you were in the hospital, but that was the last time you saw him.

“You look good,” Crosshair says suddenly.

“Yeah, well. Not being in a hospital bed with my throat ripped open will do that.” You reply.

“No, I mean. Just in general.”

You sigh heavily and stand, “Why are you here, Crosshair?”

He’s quiet for a moment, “There was another attack.” He finally admits, “Only, this time, there were no survivors.”

You scoff, “Lucky them.”

“You don’t mean that.”

“Don’t I?”

He falls silent for a moment and then he sighs, “I know that it has been years, but I need to ask you some questions.”

“Let me guess, this was Tech’s idea.” You counter as you focus your attention back on your work, “Sending you to come and question me.”

“No. I came on my own.” Crosshair replies, “Well, Tech mentioned you, but I’m the one who volunteered to come and see you.”

“Of course you did.”

“Is it so hard to believe that I would come up with this on my own?” He asks, offense written in his voice.

You sigh tiredly, “Crosshair, I have a lot to do. I can’t tell you any more about the people who tried to kill me than I already did. And I really don’t appreciate you coming here to make me relive the worst day of my life.”

“I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t important.” Crosshair counters sharply.

You recoil, as if he slapped you, and Crosshair closes his eyes, “I’m sorry, I…that came out wrong.”

“You know,” You say softly, “It took me a long time to get to the point where I can leave my house without being afraid that someone will come and finish the job. And it took me even longer to come to terms with the fact that I meant less to you than your job.”

“Wait—”

“I’d like you to leave, Crosshair. Now.”

“Will you let me explain?”

“I don’t owe you anything. And if I was a lesser person I might wonder where you were the day that my family was killed.”

He stares at you, slack-jawed, “You can’t possibly think that I had something to do with it?!”

“Of course not, but I’d still like you to leave.”

He doesn’t move for a moment, “I still love you, you know.”

“Sometimes, Crosshair, love isn’t enough.”

“It could be if you gave me a chance.”

“Please leave.”

“Alright,” He walks over to you and presses a light kiss to your temple, “I’m going to come back though. I messed up, two years ago. I’m not going to do it again.”

And then he’s gone, and you clench your hands into fists. 

Just because you still love him doesn’t mean you have to let him back into your life, right?

[insane-brit]

Royalty (Ch. 4)

Muzan Kibutsuji x Soulmate!Fem!reader

Chapter Links: Prologue, Chapter one, Chapter two, Chapter three

Next scheduled Royalty update (Ch 5.): I’m not on hiatus for this story or any others, however, my semester has started so updates will be slower and I cannot give a true update schedule at this time. Thank you for your patience.

Tags/Warnings: Dark, dark story/themes, enemies to lovers, semi slow burn, Muzan, talk of death, mention of gore, insulting/degrading words and names, anger/hatred, planning/scheming, light teasing (not the NSFW kind), dialogue, dialogue heavy.

MINORS DO NOT INTERACT

Word Count: 2.4K

Steam wafted from the pile of white jasmine rice. Generating a warmth that relaxed her muscles and coaxed an exhale from the depths of her chest. Gingerly gripping the sides of the ceramic bowl, she pulled it towards her form. The plushness of the cerulean cushion cradled her bruised knees. 

“I hope you like Karē Raisu. It’s the first thing I thought of to make you.” 

She looked up at the older woman standing in the doorway. A tired smile graced her wizened face as she looked over (F/N). 

“I do. Thank you, Mrs. Aoki.” She whispered and grabbed the spoon next to the bowl. 

The clinks of the metal hitting the ceramic resounded in the otherwise quiet room as she mixed the darkened spiced roux with the rice. Thick cuts of beef with onions, carrots, and potatoes raised a potent aroma that made her stomach growl. Aoki beamed and the wrinkles around her mouth became more prominent. 

“I’m glad.” she meandered her way to sit across from (F/N). Setting her bowl down before slowly lowering her body onto a cushion. (F/N) studied Aoki, noticing the dark blemishes that almost looked akin to welts blooming across her arms, sun-kissed patches dotting her face, the droopiness of her skin as it weighed from aging, and the slight tremble of her hands. 

She sucked in a breath as the corner of her mouth ticked a ghost of a smile before settling back into a line. “Thank you for helping me. I am in your debt.” 

Aoki hummed as her shaking hands grasped her spoon. “Nonsense, I was merely passing through and heard your distress,” she blew gently on the pile of rice and broth. “If I didn’t know any better, I would’ve thought you were a dying animal.” (F/N) choked on her rice. Feeling it lodge itself in her throat as she coughed and flushed from embarrassment. Thumb grazing the corner of her mouth as she covered the lower half of her face.

“I apologize.” 

“No need. You were quite shaken, and I couldn’t leave you there,” Aoki sighed. “How are your bandages? Not causing any trouble?” 

(F/N) looked down at the carefully wrapped dressings. Her hands were covered in the cream-colored woven fabric. “They feel great,” she reached over and gently grazed the wrapping on her elbow. “What did you use?” 

“A salve I got from a nice young woman in Asakusa. I wish I could’ve acquired more things, but the young man accompanying her seemed less than pleased for me to be near her,” Aoki looked down at her bowl dejected. “But I’m happy this finally came in handy.” 

A benign smile crossed (F/N)’s lips as she set her spoon down. Today’s events weighed heavily on her mind, and it seemed her body was just now catching up. Fatigue settled into her bones and her eyes burned. The pads of her fingers rubbed the feeling away as she raised her head to look around. 

Aoki’s Minka was simple but pleasant. From the moment she helped her and Seiichi, paranoia, and all, to the front door of her home she was a delight. The lanterns adorning the rooms gave off a hue of glittering gold and sparks of amber. Exactly like most fixtures in people’s homes, but Aoki’s was much more inviting. It reminded (F/N) of flames licking at chopped timber; a sentiment to the nights her and the other Hashira would gather and reminisce, and the musty, earthy smell of pages being turned; memories of when her grandmother would read her old fairytales. 

The older woman even had bundles of wisteria hanging here and there in rooms. A few shrubs of the woody vine clung to her home and (F/N) wondered if she knew of demons. If she did, Aoki didn’t mention it to her. Nor look at her with any difference as she took the haori off her shoulders and set her katana off to the side before inspecting her wounds. In a way, she was grateful to not be looked upon in awe and bombarded with questions. She didn’t have the energy to answer or feel deserving of such a gaze. 

The rustling of fabric and slight grunt had her snapping her neck towards Aoki. The woman was standing with her empty bowl and picking up the miscellaneous things scattered on the table. (F/N) reached her arm out to aid her, but Aoki held a hand up, effectively halting her extended arm that was about to grasp a ceramic teapot. 

“I can do it dear. You’re my guest.” 

(F/N) furrowed her brows and her tongue ran over her dry lips as she spoke. “I insist. Please let me help you. You’ve done so much for me already.” 

Aoki shook her head and arched her brow. A teasing look in her eye. “I don’t think so. If you move an inch from your spot, I’ll make sure that crow of yours never hears the end of it.” 

The younger woman gawked at Aoki before a small snort sounded from her nose. (F/N)’s body shook as she tried to contain her laughter. The back of her hand rested over a smile that cracked over her face. The older woman teetered between scowling at the girl and joining in on her amusement. 

In the end, she hummed and chuckled to herself before staggering away to another room. “I’m being serious.” 

(F/N) took a deep breath trying to reel in her merriment. When Aoki was tending to her, Seiichi busied himself by stealing pieces of jewelry and even coins from the older woman. Flaunting them around and hopping away when either of them would try and snatch the items from his beak. She could still hear the older woman berating the bird in her mind, and she swore from the look on Aoki’s face that she was ready to wring his neck. 

“I hope you know how to play.” Aoki hobbled back into the room with a bag in her frail hands. She handed the cloth over to (F/N). The Hashira opened and poured its contents onto the table. Eyes widening a fraction seeing it was Men’uchi. 

“Of course, I do,” she said staring at the engraved clay pieces. “It’s been a long time.” The kind gestures from the older woman had allowed (F/N) to momentarily forget everything. She felt warm and something akin to safe here. 

“Then I suppose we should change that,” Aoki began separating the pieces before pausing. “Right, here.” She reached into her pocket before placing something on the table. It clinked when it touched the wood, and she slid it over to the young woman. (F/N) trailed her hand before seeing a thin gold pin poke out. The metal curved up like vines wrapping around a pale sea foam-colored gemstone, jade. An even thinner gold chain dangled from the stone and branched off into mismatched lengths. A cerise-colored bead held the trains at the branching point and at the end of each, a milky glass teardrop hung. 

Her mouth parted and she held up her hands as if afraid to touch the ornamental hairpin. “Why are you giving me this? I can't take it. It’s too much.” 

Aoki made no move to take it back and hummed. “Well, I’m not taking no for an answer. I promise it's fine so don’t question or fight me on this.” 

(F/N) gingerly picked up the delicate item and ran her fingers over the smooth metal. “Thank you.” 

“Of course,” the older woman continued to separate the pieces. “Oh, and please share it with that crow. Maybe he’ll stop taking my stuff.” 

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Muzan stood on the tatami flooring. His body hunched over his desk as his nails pierced into the wood grain. The vastness of the Infinity Castle caused echoes and creaks to magnify and drone. The sleeves of his shirt were rolled up past his elbows. His eyes were sharp and shrewd as he glowered at the line laying in pristine condition across his workspace. Books were thrown open and some pages torn; shredded to ribbons. 

The surroundings felt suffocating. Desolation whispered sweet nothings in the expanse, and a looming presence stood stoic and ominous not far away from Kibutsuji. His aura felt heavy and stifling. As if zapping any energy or spirit from one’s body.  

“To think, after all this time,” Muzan said straightening up his posture and turning to face the man behind him. 

Kokushibo did not waver. His fist circled the hilt of his blade and the other rested at his side. All six eyes that resembled carefully soldered stained glass bored into his master's slitted claret ones. 

“It is… strange.” He drawled. His eyes flickered from Muzan’s to his wrist. A very thin thread, only visible in certain angles of light, shone and connected his lord to someone far off. It glittered like a spider’s silk. Spindly and thin; stronger than steel but looking as if it could break with the slightest tug. 

Muzan’s face remained constant upon looking at Uppermoon One. Though, the warmth that fury carried crept along his collar. “You can see it?” 

“Yes,” Kokushibo shifted slightly. The fabric of his purple-and-black kimono ruffled against his hakama. “I suspect…it is the lifeblood’s doing.” 

The progenitor’s brows dipped downwards but an inch. Festering anger bubbled like molten lava. The ambrosia: rich velvety fluid that ran through his core, that had Oni’s imploring their master for more, was what granted them the sight of what he despised. Slipping a pen ornamentally engraved from his pocket, he clicked it open. The tip scratched the smooth paper in the book he now clutched. His apprehensiveness showed faintly from the bone-breaking grip he had around the cool metal. 

It made perfect sense. His creations were an extension of himself. Remade into cutthroat violent things with the weight of his ichor circulating in their undying bloodstream. They were him, but also themselves. 

“How does it appear to you?” Muzan hissed through his teeth. 

Six eyes and their cracked black pupils focused studiously on the filament. “Like… a phantom. Clear and… barely visible.” 

The sound of ripping reverberated through the endless wooden rooms as Muzan’s pen tore through the paper. His knuckles were white, and his jaw clenched. This did not bode well for him; however, a trace of possibility crossed his mind. If the upper ranks, who pulsed with his vitality, could barely bear witness to the tie, then maybe beings less fortunate to receive generous amounts of his blood could not at all. It was a stretch, but one that seemed likely. 

This thought eased Muzan’s pride. He would not be perceived to have a weakness of any sort. His Kizuki knew better than to assume such foolishness, but others he could not be so sure of. Muzan would be damned if some sly little vermin thought they could exploit something the progenitor had no control over appearing. Much less presume that he cared for the woman connected to him. 

“The woman… was a Hashira, was she not?” Kokushibo queried. 

“Yes, but I doubt her abilities considering the cowardice she expressed,” the book slammed shut with a loud crack. “She must not be very valued.” 

Kokushibo’s voice thrummed in his throat. “Valuable or not… she poses a threat. Or… an opportunity.”  

Muzan’s lip curled back into a snarl and his eyes narrowed. He was not blind. The desire to sever the bond even if it was in vain, and the ire that overcame him when he saw the mockery that was the slayer consumed him, but he remained conscious of the possibilities. If that spineless woman were to open her mouth, it could be detrimental to everything he’s worked towards. 

“That Hashira can lead the corps to us. Ubuyashki will make sure of that.” he bared his teeth. 

“Even so… if he were to be eliminated… they will tuck their tails between their legs and run to the hand that feeds them. Without him, they are nothing.”  Kokushibo uttered lowly.

His subordinates’ words weighed heavy on Muzan’s mind. Ubuyashki was skilled in eluding even his most capable forces, however, the slayers had a weak spot for him. It was clear in the way they held themselves, and it was no secret how deep their loyalty ran. He could see it on their faces and when they would speak. Granted, it was rare that Muzan ever came across a swordsman that would divulge anything regarding their master, but in his over one thousand years of existence it has happened, and once was all it took. 

They were soft at their core, and regardless of whether he located Ubuyashki’s estate and sunk his claws in his tender flesh, tasting the coppery substance on his tongue, or dangled an empty threat over their heads they would scramble and wail to his side. 

“You propose a possibility that none of you have been able to achieve. Yet, your strategy pervades you Kokushibo.” 

The man in question tilted his head down slightly in acknowledgment. 

“Misleading the Kisatsutai into thinking their lord is in danger would divert their attention to him and not locating us but preventing the woman from speaking would sever the chances completely,” Muzan took a few steps towards Uppermoon One. His posture was rigid. “In turn, the wretch could provide an advantage.” 

Kokushibo studied his lord’s stature. The abhor was formidable and bled through his skin. He had seen Muzan’s wrath many times but the moment he had disclosed what the Uppermoon had understood upon being summoned, he had never felt animosity such as this. It was explicit as to why, and he would feel the same if he was bound to a mere mortal. 

“What are your orders?” he asked easing the grip on his blade. 

“Follow the thread. Find the slayer and do what you must to ensure her silence, but don’t kill her,” Muzan growled. “Don’t disappoint me.” 

“I will not… is there a reason why I can’t end her life?” 

“Don’t be daft,” Muzan seethed. “You know why, and I will not leave it to chance.” 

Kokushibo mulled over Muzan’s response before it clicked. “I’ll see it done, my lord.” He lowered his head in respect before his aura faded. His presence no longer there to cast a baleful weight. 

Muzan curled a finger under his tie and pulled, loosening the silk. He had the notion to take care of this matter himself, but he was not about to risk revealing himself more than he already had. The boy with the Hanafuda earrings and now the Hashira woman was enough to pose a risk. His hair flitted over his jaw as he ruined the tomes sitting on the umber shelves before moving to tear into the desk with his nails. The timber screeched in agony as long marks were formed on the unblemished surface. 

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