#thea's quest

[attendsquoi]

Thea's Quest ~ Ch. 5

Chapter 5: Downtime

Summary: Thea and Kaldur have a heart to heart after a long mission.

Warnings: No warnings for this one. 

A/N: Short chapter bc this episode is so Kaldur-centric, but I already have the next chapter written, so I'll be updating soon. So sorry for the delay in posting this, I’m so happy that people are actually reading lol!

Word count: 1.3k

~~~

Thea preferred living in the cave to Diana’s apartment. It’s not that the apartment was a negative space, but it had been a long time since Thea had left camp, and as much as she relished the privacy of having her own room, the quiet was often too much. As a result, she moved many of her things into a room in the cave. Living with M’gann and Connor was still a far cry from Camp Half Blood, but it was better.

After the team’s unfortunate mission with Clayface, M’gann and Connor had retreated into their rooms. Everyone needed time to decompress and clean off from the fight. Thea had taken a long shower, working to rid her body and hair of any possible remnants of clay, but afterward she quickly found herself restless and bored. She didn’t have to meet Diana to attend to other hero duties until that evening. Searching for something therapeutic to do, Thea decided to bake some brownies as a treat for the team.

The demigod got to work, pulling together the supplies she needed and climbing on stools to reach ingredients in the high counters.

“Damn martian telekinesis, putting the flour on the top shelf.” She muttered to herself with a chuckle.

As she worked – mixing the batter, lining the pan, putting it in the oven – Thea’s mind wandered to Kaldur. He was clearly off his game, making hasty decisions and appearing distracted. Thea had only been with the team for about a month, but she and Kaldur were friends, and she worried for his well being. Not to mention whatever lecture he got from Batman after the rest of the team hit the showers. 

“What are you doing?” 

Thea jumped. 

Speak of the devil… She thought to herself.

“Making brownies.” She replied as calmly as she could to the Dark Knight. 

Thea couldn’t help but notice how out of place he looked in the cave’s small kitchen. Batman nodded but said nothing as he walked through the room and into the mission area.

Thea let out a breath, checking the timer and seeing just a couple minutes left. Just then, a zeta tube in the other room announced Aqualad’s arrival. Thea busied herself by wiping down the counters, working hard not to eavesdrop. Even so, she heard them discussing Kaldur’s alliance to the team. When she heard the zeta tube signifying Batman’s departure, she paused, then walked over to the doorway to the mission room. Kaldur was standing in the room by himself, eyes closed, taking a deep breath.

The kitchen timer went off with a shrill ringing, startling Kaldur and Thea out of their thoughts. Thea smiled at him sheepishly.

“Would you like a brownie?” Thea asked.

She didn’t wait for a response as she turned around and beckoned him into the kitchen.

As Kaldur walked into the kitchen, Thea had pulled the brownies out of the oven and was grabbing two bowls. She spooned some just-too-warm, melty brownie into each, setting Kaldur’s down in front of a stool by the kitchen island, then leaning on it from the other side. For a few minutes, neither of them spoke. Then Thea stood up to fill a glass of water.

“So, you’re staying with the team?” She asked, breaking the silence.

Kaldur looked up at her.

“Yes,” He said after a beat, “I am.”

Thea felt relieved.

“I’m glad.” She responded, moving to rest her elbows against the island.

“If it’s okay, can I ask why you were considering leaving?” Thea asked.

The question hung in the air for a few moments, but Thea knew Kaldur wasn’t ignoring her. He was deep in thought, and Thea let him be.

“There are multiple reasons, I suppose.” He began, looking down.

“Stress from leading the team, and a lack of confidence in my ability to do so –”

“You are a great leader, Kaldur’ahm.” Thea interrupted.

“I may be new to the whole “superhero” world, but the Greek warriors of history are far from lacking in both positive and negative examples of leadership. You’re doing a good job.” She concluded.

“I am grateful for your kindness, and your approval,” Kaldur responded. “But it wasn’t just that.”

Thea said nothing, but raised her eyebrows warmly.

“I won’t push. But you are my friend, Kaldur. And I’m here if you want to talk.” Thea said.

There was a peaceful lull in the conversation and Thea moved to refill her glass of water. Kaldur stood up, walking to grab his own glass from the cabinet and filling it as Thea stepped back from the sink. He leaned his back against the island and Thea hopped up to sit on the counter across from him.

“When I came to the surface, I left behind my family as well as my friends.” Kaldur said, still deep in thought.

Thea smiled knowingly. She knew that look.

“As well as your more-than-friends.” She guessed.

Kaldur ducked his head and chuckled; Thea grinned as he blushed.

“I suppose that too. Her name is Tula.” He admitted.

Kaldur told Thea the story from the very beginning – studies of sorcery at the conservatory, a growing crush on his classmate, saving Atlantis with Garth, becoming Aqualad, leaving everyone behind, returning only to find his two friends had gotten into a relationship without him knowing. Clearly, the pain was still raw, but Thea could tell he was at peace with his decision to stay with the team.

“That’s hard.” She acknowledged first. Then she paused. “I can relate – in some ways at least. Complicated relationships with childhood friends, secrets getting in the way.” She summed up vaguely.

“Your offer extends from me as well.” Kaldur said.

“What do you mean?”

“I won’t push, but I am here if you want a friend to talk to.” Kaldur echoed her words from earlier. 

Thea’s face softened.

“It’s a long story.” She warned.

“My schedule is free.” He replied, not missing a beat.

A moment passed.

“When I was 12, I ran away from home. That’s when I met Luke.” Thea began, looking down at her feet. 

She proceeded to tell Kaldur her story – many parts of it which she had never said aloud before. Meeting Luke in the alley, traveling to camp together, fighting monsters and protecting each other, losing Thalia, their quest battling the aurae, their first kiss during capture the flag, running the Hermes cabin – an unstoppable duo. Then things changed. First it was Luke’s failed quest, then the nightmares which he refused to talk about, the lies he started telling, the way Thea felt she was going insane – losing her closest friend and unable to do anything to stop it. She told Kaldur about the breakup a year prior, and finally the fight that made her leave camp. 

“It’s going to sound dramatic, but it feels like he pushed me out of my home.” Thea concluded, glassy eyed.

Kaldur had been listening attentively, nodding along to her account, humming to let her know he was listening. Now, he didn’t say anything. He set his glass down gently and stepped closer to the other counter where Thea sat atop it. Kaldur rested a hand on her knee. Thea slid off the counter to stand, still looking down at the ground. As soon as her feet touched the floor, Kaldur pulled his arms around her shoulders, wrapping the girl in a hug. No tears were shed, but the two clung to each other, each an outcast in their own way. They stayed like that for some time, just resting in the solidarity and gentleness of the moment. Finally, they pulled away, Kaldur’s hands still tracing circles over Thea’s back. 

“Thank you.” She whispered.

“Thank you.” He whispered back.

Thea fully stepped back, rolling her shoulders and standing straight. Glancing at the time her eyes widened. 

“I need to go meet Diana.” She said regretfully.

Kaldur looked over his shoulder at the clock, equally taken aback.

“I will see you tomorrow.” He said quickly, turning around to observe Thea gathering her things.

She glanced up at him and waved as she walked toward the zeta tubes. 

“Thea!” Kaldur called, causing the girl to turn back in surprise.

“Thank you for the brownies.”

Thea smiled.

“You’re welcome.” 

[doodlesdreaming]

Me and my girl, Thea, hope you guys had a very good Easter. ^^

[ausdo]

Who do you recognize here?

Ps: 10 of them are my ocs

[emily-prentits]

being a humanities major is so unserious. i've done all my hw for the day. i just published a chapter of my fanfic and now i am winding yarn into a ball. for fun

[shiredwarf]

[seafloweredmoved]

Talkng with A was such a good idea because Shi Yun is able to experience her own kind of rehatching in becoming Thea because of their blessing and in turn Yaoshi gets a follower that loves them and their ideals whole heartedly and i WAIL BECAUSE THEA GETS A CHANCE TO LIVE WITHOUT BEING A BLIGHT

[faerune]

<3 good job ladies

[ariveth]

❝could i sit here? all the other tables are full.❞ (From Thea!!)

                  WITHOUT LOOKING UP AT FIRST, Ariveth waves her tankard in a careless gesture, voice bored but not unkind despite her choice of language. "Sit wherever you fuckin’ please, I don’t own the place.” She bothers herself to look up at her would-be table companion a second later, and suddenly her foul mood and slouching posture all but dissipate.

                   "Oh— excuse my manners.” She wipes the wet corner of her mouth with the back of her hand, kicking her seat back to give the other space to sit in the free chair, trying not to gawk at the woman who was, apparently, Dibella’s favourite. “Please, sit.”

                  Ariveth watches her for a moment, mind blank of any word or action in the face of such beauty. Then finally, ( lamely ) defaults to one of her more common phrases: “Can I, uh, get you a drink?”

random sentence starters!

[nurseryofmuses]

Everything just felt so big and scary and out of control for Thea, but as her brother picked her up and carried her into a brightly light and soft looking nursery, Thea started to calm down. As she was laid on a changing table and given a soft plush toy she held it close to her chest for dear life, a she held it she felt better, she felt much better once her thumb made its way into her mouth. “Yes.” Thea sobbed behind her thumb as the crying slowed to just small sniffles. She did have to admit that this was so much nicer than what she was going through before her brother saved her. “W-what is that?” Thea stumbled from behind her thumb wondering what it was her brother was telling her that she had to do something to keep the soft sweet treatment coming. 

The fake Thea was defeated as she laid across Emma’s lap being continuously spanked by the woman, this was a rarity, it was so rare that the tables were turned on her in such a way that she was becoming the baby. “You say that, but do know whats out there, responsibilities, expectations, hard times, isn’t it better to be here? To be loved and wanted and cherished and taken care of?” The fake Thea posed to Emma, she girl couldnt want to be out there where the world could be hard on her and make her miserable. Sure this took some getting use to, but it would be better than what was waiting out there. 

Diaper Quest

Thea didnt remember much, she just remembered being on a mission in her red garb before she blacked out. She didnt even remember anything hitting her or taking anything just her vision and mind went blank. The next thing she knew was that she was waking up on the cold concrete floor, she slowly opened her eyes and looked around. The room she was in looked like a little girl’s room almost a toddler’s room as though it were done in a castle of some sort. It was really strange, not to mention the fact that she was naked as well, she covered herself as best she could and then looked around more.

She noticed a pink wardrobe against a wall and she got up quickly and ran to it and opened it up, inside she felt a few babyish diapers in her size which surprised her. She also found cute white and pink training pants with little butterflies on them, a pink onesie that seemed to bulge out at the crotch and a a white tee shirt that said ‘cry baby’ on the front across the chest. “You’ve got to be kidding me.” She said with a blush, but she couldnt go around naked either so she picked the lesser of two evils.

Thea pulled on the training pants and the tee shirt, she felt very embarrassed by them but she didnt have much of a chance. However something she hadn’t encountered is that this combination of clothing was cursed, because she was wearing a lot of white and like items they vibrated and changed while on her body. The training pants balled wildly and made her stand bow legged, the print stayed the same. The shirt she was wearing turned into a very sweet and frilly baby girl dress that did nothing to hide her diapered state, the print on her chest stayed and still read ‘cry baby’, lastly her hair suddenly was styled into pigtails with white ribbon, “What the hell?!” She cried out as she saw what happened, the clothing as a part of the curse could not be taken off until a task could be completed.

What Thea didnt know was that she was not alone in the room, she didnt notice a blonde woman who was in the room with her, who was now waking up because of all the noise she was making.

@ocenitram

[leiatalon]

Ink and Intrigue: Romantasy IF

It's here! It's here! 🎉

The game is out and you can play it now! ❤️‍🔥

Play the demo for free!

Heed magic's call! Find love on a lush tropical island among immortal warrior-mages as you explore ancient mysteries, craft dragon-rune tattoos, and discover your true loyalties. When mystery tempts, how do you answer?

Ink an Intrigue is a standalone Heart’s Choice IF fantasy romance adventure set in the same world as Their Majesties' Pleasure.

Plunge into a world where magic calls the passion in your soul.

Choose your kindred: a powerful dragon, a shapeshifting griffin, or a blue-lightning phoenix.

As you train to become a warrior-mage, do you romance or befriend a sexy tattoo artist, a feisty initiate, a playful sage, or a maverick with an unfulfilled quest?

Ink and Intrigue is an interactive high-heat fantasy novel by Leia Talon, where your choices control the story. It's entirely text-based—300,000 words and hundreds of choices, without graphics or sound effects—and fueled by the vast, unstoppable power of your imagination.

As a seasoned spy from the kingdom of Minare, you have been sent as an emissary to the Kitherin warrior-mages of Ra'zai, whose tattoos give them supernatural abilities and whose magical rites bond them to powerful creatures from another world.

But, as soon as you enter Ra'zai, you hear the call of the Kitherin. The magic has chosen you, and now, your fingertips tingle and your heart pounds. An unnamed need grows within, like a thirst that can't be quenched. Magic infuses your very breath.

As your magic expands, so does your heart. Which of your new Kitherin companions calls to you?

TEO: Are you attracted to Teo, the soft-spoken tattoo artist whose muscular body is covered in tattoos and whose eyes blaze with amber fire? When he paints dragon runes onto your skin, do you feel the power of his heart as well as his magic?

KAI: Or to Kai, whose dark hair contrasts with brilliant blue eyes: his mastery as a warrior is unmatched, but his quest to overturn a corrupt regime has earned him the opposition of the Kitherin Council.

RAE: Perhaps you prefer Rae, a feisty fellow initiate, with her dark skin and wicked smile. Rae's determination is legendary—she has failed the trials before, but never stops trying—and her boisterous spirit is unbreakable.

THEA: Or maybe Thea is the one for you, with her sea-green eyes and copper hair. Elegant and serene, dedicated guardian of the temple—but if you earn her trust, she will show you her playful side, and sing the songs of her Fae ancestors.

What does the call of the Kitherin mean for your duty to the crown? Will you confess the clandestine role you've played for your king, or keep your secrets and leave your past behind? What information will you send back? Will you use your position to build alliances with the Kitherin Council and other nations, or will you use your spy skills of blackmail and poison to get what you want?

Play as male, female, or nonbinary; gay, straight, bi, and/or asexual.

Romance a passionate artist, a serene sage, a feisty initiate, or a determined warrior.

Choose high-heat or sweet options, or avoid sex scenes entirely.

Form a psychic bond with a magical creature: choose a dragon, a griffin, or a phoenix.

Learn how to craft dragon-rune tattoos, and infuse your art with powerful magic.

Explore a lush island paradise crowned with ancient temples, peaceful healing gardens, a hidden library, and sun-swept beaches with the perfect waves for surfing.

Indulge in magic elixirs and delectable food as you revel under the full moon.

Dive through portals to strengthen your ties with your bonded creature, and explore other worlds!

When magic calls, where will your heart find its home?

Play the demo of Ink and Intrigue and try the first three chapters free to see if the adventure sucks you in!

Big shout out to everyone who has given feedback on the WIP demo and during beta testing. Thank you so much for your suggestions and for sharing in the excitement for this game!

I can't believe Ink and Intrigue is 300k words! It's actually upwards of 375k words including repeated text (much of which still has to be edited for different situations). I meant to write it much shorter, but I accidentally wrote a whole extra chapter during beta testing and added to all the paths.

There are so many gems to uncover in this game!

If you have any asks, hit me up! I'll do my best to answer. Just please be patient as sometimes I forget to check socials for days at a time. 🤣 After working for a year straight on this game I'm taking a breather. I'll rest, you play. Let me know what you think!

Play the first three chapters for free!

Ink and Intrigue is published by Heart's Choice, the romance division of Choice of Games. Game art by Adrien Valdes.

[bixels]

hello! i have a question about GG20's sunset! i think she is very interesting and her design is so awesome!! okay the question, what would you think her and celestia's relationship would be in the au? would it be similar to their show relationship or would it differ more?

Very similar to the show, actually. AU Sunset was Celestia's pupil, similar to Cadance (although not an adoptive daughter). However, Sunset always felt like an outsider and was eager to gain a Canterlotian title and join Celestia's court of witches. She grew resentful and bitter after Celestia denied her, stating she wasn't ready. After unleashing the sirens, Celestia banished Sunset to Earth, only to return once she's defeated the sirens. Sunset loathes Celestia and blames everything on her. Celestia feels guilt and regret similar toward her sister. After the incident, she fell into a depression (only to be taken out of it when Thea enters the story). Celestia still cares about Sunset though and sometimes secretly sends tributes to aid her quest, like Sunset's rapier sword and magical horse, Shimmer.

[attendsquoi]

Thea's Quest ~ Ch. 6

Chapter 6: Bereft

Summary: Thea wakes up in the desert. She doesn’t know why she’s in the desert. She also doesn’t know anything that’s happened in the last six months. 

Warnings: canon typical violence, memory loss?

Word Count: 3.1k

When Thea woke up, she was in the desert. This was particularly concerning because she had no recollection of going to the desert. 

Immediately, she wondered if she was having a nightmare. It wasn’t a typical scene for her nightmares – they typically centered around monsters and friends dying and fights with Luke – but there was a first time for everything. If it was a nightmare, though, nothing was happening in it. She walked a few paces forward, finding herself on the top of a dune, nothing but sand as far as she could see. 

It was off putting. 

“Well I need to do something.” Thea said, muttering to herself.

She pulled her satchel around her waist. 

Maybe I was on a quest? She wondered.

She pulled out her canteen and peered inside. There was a little water left, probably not enough for an Iris message back to camp. And she wanted to save the resource; she would need to be careful not to get too dehydrated. Even if she was going to send a message to camp, who would she call? Luke was off the table, so who? Grover? Chiron?

Putting her water bottle back into her bag, Thea examined the other things she brought with her. A minimal first aid kit, a few cubes of ambrosia, and a small bag of drachma. Typical quest materials, but also stuff she normally carried on her person.

Some movement out of the corner of her eye caught her attention. She instinctively crouched down at the top of the dune, angling her body to avoid being seen. Looking over the ledge Thea squinted her eyes, seeing a group of tanks come to a stop before firing a missile.

“What is going on?” She questioned aloud.

“Why don’t you tell me.” A voice replied.

Thea jumped, muscle memory engaging and pulling out her sword. She swiveled on her heel, coming face to face with — some kid?

“Who are you?” Thea asked, wary of fighting a mortal – not that her celestial bronze would do much damage anyway – but also unsure of his threat. 

He was short – judging from other campers, Thea guessed he was probably in his tweens – but he was dressed in some sort of colorful suit with a cape and a mask over his eyes. He reminded Thea of some pictures she had seen years ago before she even left for camp.

“Wait, are you that hero guy’s sidekick? The Gotham one – I – is he called Batman?” Thea questioned, lowering her sword.

The kid’s eyes narrowed.

“Who are you?” He asked.

His suspicion made Thea defensive. She didn’t really know who this kid was or what was happening. For all she knew, he could be the reason she was in the desert in the first place.

“It doesn’t matter.” She said calmly, then snapped her fingers, using the Mist to cloud his judgment and accept her answer.

The boy blinked. 

“What are you wearing?” He asked her. “Are you an Amazon?”

Thea looked down at her outfit, noticing for the first time that she was in full ceremonial armor. It was more than she would ever wear for capture the flag, and definitely more than most quests would warrant. 

She looked up, realizing the kid was still staring at her expectantly.

“It’s armor.” She replied, curtly.

“Why?” he asked. 

“I – I don’t remember.” Thea said

The boy’s eyes widened and he stepped closer to the girl. 

“What’s the last thing you do remember?” He asked.

A memory of the Stoll brothers recruiting the Hermes cabin for pranks flashed across Thea’s mind.

“I’m not sure. Maybe the beginning of April.” She said.

The boy frowned.

“We’re both missing six months.” He said, examining his watch.

“What do you mean?” Thea asked, growing only more confused and concerned with the boy's curt responses.

“It’s September.” He told her gravely.

~~~

Realizing they’d both lost the same amount of memory, and given that neither of them were actively trying to attack each other, Thea and the kid decided to work together. He told her to call him Robin, they were in the country of Bialya, and that he had run into her while he was on the way back to some tracker he had no memory of placing. 

“So you really don’t recognize me?” Robin broke the silence as Thea followed behind him.

“Not well. And I already tried asking you about what I thought – not that you answered me. Why? Should I?” She rambled.

Robin chuckled.

“You were right. I do work with Batman in Gotham City. I just wonder why you were so hesitant.” He said.

“What? Did you think I was going to ask for a signature? What an ego.” Thea teased, working carefully to avoid his question. Hero or not, she wasn’t about to expose Camp Half Blood to a mortal.

“I’ve been doing this for five years. It’s not an ego – it’s statistics. Most people, especially Americans, know who I am.” The boy defended.

“I’m not most people.” Thea said curtly.

Robin stopped. He turned around to face her.

“Why is that? Who are you?” He questioned seriously.

Thea’s gaze hardened.

“It doesn’t matter.” She said, snapping her fingers. 

Robin’s eyes glazed over before he turned back around, continuing on as if nothing had happened. 

By evening, the two had made their way to the tracker’s location. They approached when suddenly a group of soldiers rose from the ground in an ambush. They were all carrying guns and started yelling in a language Thea didn’t understand.

“Oh my gods!” Thea exclaimed, jumping out of the way.

She pulled out her dagger, taking a defensive stance.

“Heads up.” Robin said before throwing down a smoke bomb.

With their vision impaired, the soldiers paused and Thea finally had room to move. Sensing a man to her left, she swung around and knocked him out. Her hand to hand combat was good, but even with her and Robin, there were too many guys. 

They opened fire, and as good as Thea’s combat skills were, they weren’t a great match against bullets. Suddenly a blur passed by her face, grabbing the weapons from their attackers. Thea and Robin got back to work, incapacitating who they could. 

Suddenly, Thea felt the hairs on her arm raise up and she turned around just in time to see a soldier who had snuck up on her being raised into the sky. Above her, a green skinned girl appeared, hovering in the air. Out of the corner of her eyes, Thea saw one of the guards running away before his legs were caught and he fell to the ground. On the dune behind him stood a girl with a bow and arrow. 

“KF!” Robin said in recognition once the fighting had stopped.

“Man it’s good to see a familiar face.” The new boy, some sort of speedster, responded.

Thea sheathed her dagger and moved to stand by the other girls.

“Hey, Rob. Memory loss?”

“Six months. Let’s hogtie these creeps and compare notes.” 

~~~

The others introduced themselves as Kid Flash, Artemis, and M'gann – who explained that they had all been working together, and somehow they lost the memories.

“So we're a team?” Robin asked.

“Wait, but what am I doing here? I’m no hero. At least, not like you all.” Thea intervened.

“I don’t remember everything, but I know we work together. It’s the five of us and Superboy.” M'gann replied.

“Who?” Thea asked.

“This must be his.” Robin realized, handing her a piece of fabric.

“Yes. Did you see him?” M'gann asked.

Robin and Thea shook their heads.

“I think we did.” Artemis realized.

“Feral boy? Some teammate. He attacked us.” Kid Flash added.

“He didn't know who we are. I don't know who we are.” Artemis said.

“I remember Batman ordering radio silence. Our team must work for him.” Robin concluded.

“How do you know we don't work for my mentor?” Kid Flash argued, pointing to himself. 

As he touched the symbol on his chest, his suit morphed from black into a bright yellow color.

“Whoa, this is so cool!” He said, continuing to switch the colors of the suit back and forth.

Artemis and Robin attempted to do the same, but neither of their suits changed. Thea glanced down at her armor, then looked back up. She met eyes with M'gann and shrugged. 

“We look ridiculous.” Artemis said after a moment. 

Kid Flash continued.

“Quit touching yourself.” Artemis complained. 

She sighed at the unintentional innuendo. 

“We need our memories back.” She insisted.

In a flash of light, Robin, Kid Flash, Artemis, and Thea were transported into some sort of glowing space, with shards showing images of memories floating above their heads.

“What in Hades?” Thea wondered aloud.

“I've brought you into my mind to share what I've remembered so far, but I need your help. Together, our broken memories can form a whole if you open your minds to mine.” M’gann said, appearing from a glowing white light.

“You wanna paw through our private thoughts?” Artemis asked sharply.

“I have no wish to intrude, but–” M’gann started.

“You need to hack our minds to grok what happened to us. Go.” Robin interrupted.

Thea was not quite as enthusiastic. 

“My brain's all yours. Try not to let its brilliance overwhelm you.” Kid Flash said.

“Or underwhelm you. Hey, why isn't anyone ever just whelmed?” Robin asked.

M’gann turned to Artemis and Thea.

Thea didn’t think she had anything to hide, but she didn’t know how much she could trust these people. Whatever crazy lives they may have lived, no doubt hers was vastly different.

“Last six months only. And only what you need.” Artemis finally said.

“Agreed.” Thea said, glancing over at Artemis only to find her and Kid Flash holding hands.

Four glowing arms extended from M’gann, landing on each of their heads. There was a blinding white light, and then they were seeing their memories.

“The Watchtower detected an immense power surge in the Bialyan desert. Spectral analysis revealed elements non-terrestrial in origin. Find out what happened at that site. What landed there.” Thea saw Batman giving the mission assignment to the team back in the cave. 

“Bialya is a rogue state ruled by Queen Bee and not a member of the league's U.N. Charter. All communications are subject to interception. Maintain radio silence at all times.” He continued. “You'll land in Qurac, on Bialya's border, two clicks from the hot zone.”

The scene changed and they were in the desert.

“All clear.” Robin said as the team got off the ship.

“The Bialyans control the site.” Artemis reported as she and Thea overlooked a tent surrounded by soldiers.

They were flashing between different memories, all blurring together. It was becoming hard to tell whose was whose as they worked together to see the bigger picture.

“Set up here.” 

“We'll be up and running in no time.” Said Robin, typing away at the site monitor.

“Jackpot! This site's lousy with Zeta-Beam radiation.” Kid Flash said, looking over his shoulder.

“Detecting non-terrestrial trace elements from the tent.” Robin announced.

“I'll check it out in camouflage mode.” Miss Martian suggested.

“Good idea. Go. Be careful. And maintain telepathic contact.”

“I will, Aqualad.” M’gann replied.

The visions ended.

“Aqualad!” They all shouted.

“Where is he? What happened next?” Thea questioned.

“I don't know. That's the last thing I... We remember.” M’gann said.

“Uh, we landed 24 hours ago. If Kaldur's been wandering the desert that long, that's not good for a guy with gills.” Wally added.

“Now that I know to look for him… He's close! But he's not moving.” Robin said.

~~~

When they found Aqualad, he was lying on the ground, mumbling in Atlantean and unable to open his eyes. Thea knelt by his side, not sure about their physiologies, but having spent enough time in the Apollo cabin to pick up on basic first aid. She checked his pulse and felt his forehead.

“I can't restore his memories in this condition.” M’gann told them, leaning over Thea with a hand on the girl’s shoulder.

“He needs immediate rehydration. Call the bioship.” Robin said.

“It's out of range, but you can get him there fast.” She said to Wally.

“He's too heavy and I'm too low on fuel. Right now, I couldn't even carry her.” He told them, gesturing to Artemis.

“Hey!” The girl protested, hitting him in the arm.

“Why don’t you levitate him back?” Thea asked.

“I can't. I have to find Superboy.” M’gann said. “Six months ago, he didn't exist. He has no memories, just animal impulse. I'm the only one who can help him.” She explained.

“Superboy's indestructible. Just ask those tanks. It's Aqualad who needs your help. Like, now.” Wally objected.

M’gann clutched her head.

“No! Superboy's in pain.” She cried before flying away.

“M'gann, wait!” Artemis called.

“We still don't know what erased our memories! It could happen again!” Robin yelled.

Thea wanted to get up and scream at the girl, but then Aqualad mumbled and rolled around in her arms. Yelling at M’gann wouldn’t do any good. Thea could be mad later, right now she needed to figure out how to get her friend help. She thought back to her medical training.

“I have something that might be able to help, but it’s a risk.” She said, moving to rummage around in her satchel.

“What is it?” Robin asked as the girl pulled out a ziploc bag with small yellow cubes.

“Ambrosia.” The girl responded.

“The food of the gods, and a healing food for demigods. But it’s incredibly potent – we have to eat it in small doses – too much makes us feverish, and if a mortal were to eat it they would die. Kaldur is Atlantean, so it seems likely that it could work. But I don’t want to attempt it unless we’re absolutely desperate.” Thea explained.

Robin looked down in thought.

“I don’t think we’re there yet. But let’s keep it as a backup option. In the meantime, we might as well try to make a stretcher.” He said.

~~~

The group followed Robin as he navigated toward the bioship, taking turns carrying their makeshift stretcher with Aqualad lying on it. After a while, they heard trucks. Quickly they found a hiding space behind a rock.

Kaldur started mumbling in his sleep. Thea was panicked. 

“Shh, Kaldur, quiet now.” Artemis said.

His babbling continued.

“Rest.” Thea said in Greek. 

Thankfully, the man stopped speaking.

Thea could feel Robin’s eyes on her. She could tell he had questions, not that he’d be able to articulate them. She never would have used the mist on him earlier if she’d known who he was. Robin turned away to peek at the Bialyans over the rock. Thea felt guilty for not explaining, but she didn’t want to justify her actions or create suspicion. 

“We can't risk a firefight with Aqualad KO'd like this.” Robin reported

“Ugh. It's not just him. I'm way out of juice.” Kid Flash said.

“And I'm almost out of arrows.” Artemis added.

“My sword won’t be much use against their guns.” Thea said, not looking up from Kaldur.

There was no response. Thea glanced behind her, and Robin was gone.

“I forgot how much I hate it when he does the ninja thing.” Kid Flash complained.

Kaldur shuddered. His breath was getting shakier. Thea took out her canteen and poured the remaining few drops of water into his mouth. Wally and Artemis started to quarrel behind her, but she closed her eyes and muttered a prayer to Apollo.

“So I'm your ninja boyfriend, huh?” Wally said as Thea finished her plea.

Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

“Hey, amnesia, remember? Completely forgot how truly annoying you are.” Artemis responded.

“Oh, like you're the goddess of congeniality.” He complained.

“Yeesh. Get a room.” Thea jumped as Robin appeared.

“Dude, where were you?” Wally asked.

“Breaking radio silence.” Robin replied smugly.

Thea heard beeping and faint laughter, before an explosion echoed around the space.

“That's our cue. Move!” Robin commanded as they hurried to pick up Aqualad and run away.

~~~

Too many miles later, the team – minus M’gann and Superboy – made it back to the bioship at the Quraci border. Thea and the others worked together to get Aqualad onto a cot and hook him up to an IV. Thea was monitoring his vitals while Artemis dabbed a damp rag on his forehead.

Hey, everybody! I’ve got Superboy! M’gann’s peppy voice rang out in their heads.

He’s back to normal and we’re on our way. She concluded.

Kaldur jumped up, suddenly awake.

“Who are you, and how did you get inside my head?” He asked.

Thea quickly moved over to push him back into a lying position. 

Hello, Megan. Aqualad's memories! I knew I forgot something. M’gann said.

Oh, man, me too. I didn't get a souvenir from the mission. Wally whined.

Don't worry, got the souvenir thing covered. M’gann assured.

~~~

Thea changed clothes quickly after the mission. It was the middle of the week, so she was staying in the cave, but she had one more thing to do. The demigod walked into the mission room just as Artemis went through a zeta tube.

Oh no you don’t. The girl thought, jogging toward the portal and following her through.

Thea emerged in an alley. Artemis was only a few paces ahead of her, but she turned around, startled, when she heard the zeta tube announce her presence.

“Thea?” She asked, walking back toward the girl.

“We need to talk.” Theal responded.

“Why? What’s this about?” Artemis asked, annoyed but getting a little concerned.

“I know I was teasing, but looks like I was more right than I realized.” Thea said jokingly.

Artemis’ posture relaxed with Thea’s playful tone, and she rested a hand on her hip.

“What about?” She teased back.

“Full of it or not, you seemed pretty cozy with Wally back in the desert.” Thea said.

Artemis groaned, dragging her hand down her face.

“Not you too.” She complained, though Thea could see a hint of a sheepish smile.

Thea grinned. She hadn’t felt this comfortable with a friend in a long time.

“I’m just saying, I’m here if you ever want to talk.” Thea said with a smirk, but both girls knew she meant it.

“I appreciate it.” Artemis said with an eye roll. 

“Well, that’s all.” Thea said.

It was true. She hadn’t expected Artemis to confess to anything, she just wanted to tease her a little bit.

“Oh, fuck off.” Artemis laughed, causing Thea to giggle. 

“You know you love me.” The demigod said, walking back to the zeta tube. 

“Whatever. I’ll see you later!” Artemis called fondly.

“After a while, crocodile!” She heard as Thea disappeared in a burst of light.

Both girls returned home with smiles on their faces. 

[radiansjort]

BEST PARTS OF 2024 OLYMPICS (as someone in the US)

all the buzz around the cardboard beds. idk why the whole idea is so funny 💀

lebron hoisting that flag like george washington crossing the delaware. him and coco were perfect picks for flag bearers fr

POMMEL HORSE GUY. mr clark kent who got picked for the men’s gymnastics team JUST FOR THAT ONE EVENT, showed up, served cunt, and ensured us their first men’s gym medal in 16 years. stephen nedoroscik you will forever be iconic. (the whole team really— i also love seeing fred richards’ parents reactions LMAO)

THE USA WOMENS RUGBY TEAM 🗣️ being down 5 with 7 seconds left to go COAST TO COAST TO SCORE AND WIN THE BRONZE FOR THE FIRST US WOMENS MEDAL IN RUGBY!!! also ilona maher you will forever be iconic. 

flavia saraiva falling in warmups and being like ok bet, slaps a band aid on her black eye and goes out to help brazil win their FIRST MEDAL IN WOMENS GYM OHHH YEAHHH

GUATEMALA EARNED THEIR SECOND MEDAL EVER 🔥🔥🔥‼️‼️GRACIAS JEAN PIERRE BROL CARDENAS 🗣️🗣️🇬🇹🇬🇹🇬🇹🥉LOS CHAPINES FTW ‼️(if it weren’t for the new bib number rule instead of a shootout we could’ve gotten higher but i digress 😔)

THE WOMENS GYMNASTICS TEAM EATS ONCE AGAIN. 🐐🐐🐐

kim yeji’s AURA???!??? she came out there and shot with her hand in her pocket like she graduated from the university of servington, which she did, all while holding her daughters toy elephant 🥹

suni lee’s, simone biles’, and brody malone’s comeback stories were all so heartwarming to see, especially rebeca andrade’s coming back after THREE ACL TEARS?!!?

henrik christiansen (aka muffin guy) is literally so funny 😭🙏 bro actually has SO. MANY. tiktoks about the olympics village chocolate muffins and i give all credit to him for the fact we have the recipe now 😋

GUATEMALA WINNING ITS FIRST GOLD 🥇🥇🥇 ADRIANA RUANO 🐐🐐 PRIMER BRONCE Y AHORA ORO 🥉🥇🇬🇹🇬🇹🇬🇹🔥🔥🔥‼️‼️‼️🗣️🗣️🗣️

that turkish guy who just came out there in a t shirt and rawdogged the olympics 😭😭 imagine doing the shooting event with no eyewear, no ear covers, and just eyeballing it and winning SILVER??? bro is a hit man tryna not be suspicious by winning gold 🤨🤨

snoop dogg just chilling?? bro is participating in trials, trading pins, going to like every event and cheering, wearing FULL equestrian gear with martha stewart 😭? watching skateboarding finals w tony hawk? my guy is on the side quest of all side quests

katie ledecky my GOAT 🐐. i always love seeing her as the only swimmer on screen!! she lowkey has time to get out of the pool, do some interviews, get a snack, and come back to watch second place finish fr 

i do not usually watch cycling but i got so sad when remco evenepoel’s bike broke down BUT he had such a. huge lead he STILL MANAGED TO WIN GOLD!!! 🔥🔥

loving all the countries making history with their first medals!! julian alfred (st. lucia) and thea lafond (dominica) SHOWING UP FR!! also a lot of countries got their first medals in gymnastics specifically like kaylia neymour (algeria), carlos yulo (philippines), ángel barajas (colombia), etc. LIKE OKAYY THE GYMNASTS ARE NOT HERE TO PLAY

all the noah lyles haters been real quiet after he won gold in 100m 🤫🤫

the french pole vaulter who LOST because his peanits was too big. LIKE??!!?? sure you have a big wiener but at the cost of LOSING THE OLYMPCIS LMFAOOO

the women’s balance beam podium was so cute 😭😭 the two italians, alice d’amato and manila esposito, biting their medals together, and zhou yaqin from china looks over and does it too 🥹

armand duplantis hit the turkish hitman celly after breaking the pole vaulting wr AGAIN and winning gold 😮‍💨😮‍💨😮‍💨 tuff. he actually built different cuz tell me why he’s broken the wr LIKE EIGHT TIMES IN A ROW???

YEAHH BRAZIL BEAT FRANCE AND SPAIN EVEN WHEN THE REFS WERE TRYING SOOO HARD TO MAKE EM LOSE ‼️ like they were NOT slick we could tell 🤨

bro the figure skaters from beijing 2022 FINALLY getting their medals like??? i really took two years for the IOC to investigate? okay. AT LEAST THEYRE FINALLY GETTING THE BAG H 🗣️🗣️

imane khelif getting a gold despite ALL THE SHIT BEING THROWN AT HER‼️ she faced all these brain dead critics yet came out to win it, and saying without her haters the win wouldn’t have been so satisfying??? QUEEN SHIT 👑👑

women’s soccer SLAYED SO HARD. like i’ve seen enough build the alyssa naeher statue. that shootout against sweden awakened that dawg in her and she LOCKED IN. 

men’s and women’s basketball wins over france 🔥 imagine being the host country and both ur basketball teams go to the gold medal match just TO LOSE TO THE SAME COUNTRY LLL

usa winning the most medals 🔥💪 they not like U.S. fr 

shoutout to that guy who tried to climb the eiffel tower without ropes at the closing ceremony 😔✊ arrested before he could achieve greatness 🕊️🕊️🕊️

[this-lovely-universe]

WATCH IT ALL CRUMBLE

Chapter 1: As It Burns

In which, Lovely makes everyone suffer

Finley felt sick. Generally sick.

No, this couldn’t be happening. She refused.

Another goddamn quest. It had been 2 weeks. 2! This didn’t feel real.

The worse part (well, there were several worse parts but we’r not going to focus on that) was that Finley wasn’t involved.

Normally, Finley would be glad to not have to be on a quest. She had been on her own quest for the past 10 years, but, the other girls were, including a 13 year old.

She wasn’t all that upset that a 13 year old was going instead, she could care less, she was mad that a 13 year old was going on a quest in general.

Dorothea is a literal child. Finley was certain that girl could kick ass, but she knew just how badly it could affect her.

She didn’t want her experiencing that. Especially with seem so final as the prophecy they just got.

As all these thoughts ran through Finley’s head, she started to tune back in on the moment.

All four of them were emotional, as anyone would be.

She turned around at the sound of crying.

“Ah-”

The scene she saw was not pretty.

Dorothea was sobbing, and Brook and Anastasia looked to be getting angry as they cried.

They continued walking, leaving both Her and Dorothea in the dust.

“You’re joking, right?” Brook asked.

“Why would I be joking?”

“Jesus Christ…” Finley muttered. Dorothea looked at her with wide eyes.

Poor kid.

“I wouldn’t suggest following me in there.” She warned, looking at the Chaos cabin.

“Wha- no!”

“Thea, please. Just, wait.” The talking turned more into yelling.

“But-”

“No buts. This isn’t going to end well.”

Dorothea looked upset, but didn’t object. “Fine.” She continued walking to her cabin.

Finley sighed, before going in.

“Are you really saying I shouldn’t do this?!” Anastasia yelled.

“I’m saying you’re young.” Brook shot back.

“Yeah, no shit, sherlock. We’re all young!”

“uh-” Finley started, but was met with a monsterous glare from both of them.

Fuck- jeez

“You think I want to go on this?” Anastasia asked bitterly. “There is no way in hell I want too, and I would rather pluck my eyes out with a toothpick and eat it then let Thea go. But I don’t get a choice.”

“I know that, I’m trying to help you.”

“Help? How? Cause there is no soluation! We are stuck in this situation!”

“WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME TRYING TO HELP YOU?!” It got more heated.

“BECAUSE WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO?! ONE OF US IS GOING TO DIE! WE CAN’T DO ANYTHING!” Anastasia yelled, tears rolling down her cheeks. “You could die. Don’t you understand?!”

Finley felt tears of her own roll down her cheeks.

“Yes! I have things to live for now! I know damn well what I’d lose!”

“Really? Cause you don’t act like you do!”

“Neither do you!”

“Let’s just-”

They both shhed Finley, not even turning to look at her.

“I’m fine.” Anastasia told her.

“Bullshit. None of us are fine. We haven’t been fine in a while.” Brook stated.

“What do you want me to say?”

“I want you to let me help!”

“I don’t need your help!” Anastasia turned away.

“Stop making it harder for yourself-”

“I’m not. I don’t need help.”

Brook sighed. “You do. You’re just being stubborn at this point.”

“I’m not!”

Brook just gave her a look.

“Stop that.”

“Stop being stubborn.”

“You can’t do anything! You can’t fix it!” She snapped.

“I’m just trying to offer support-”

“That was not what you were doing 5 minutes ago.”

“What is your problem?!”

“My problem?! what’s my problem?! My problem is everything! Two people I care aboout might die!”

“You might die.”

“I don’t care! I would rather you two be okay.”

“Well, you should! You were just telling me that I didn’t act like I had something to live for and now you’re acting like this!”

“Because it matters when it’s you!”

“It matters when it’s you too!” Brook yelled.

“No, it doesn’t.” Anastasia said with enough certainty it broke Finley’s heart.

“Yes it does! Why wouldn’t it?!”

“Because your more important!”

“Anastasia, who on earth told you that?” Finley asked, finally having the courage to speak.

“No one needed too.”

“Annie…”

“Don’t. I don’t need anymore pity.”

“I am not more important than you.”

“Yes you are!”

“Please don’t lie to me.”

“We’re not lying!” Finley cried.

“I’m not stupid!”

“You’re acting like it.” Brook told her.

She went to say something else, but Anastasia cut he off.

“Sorry that I don’t want to pretend that it’s not happening.”

“It’s not happening, Anastasia!”

“You can both get out if you’re going to lie to my face.”

They both fell silent in shook.

“Anastasia-” Brook stated.

“I mean it.” She said harshly.

“You’re being childish-” Brook tried once more.

“Get. out.”

“Fine.” Brook stormed out.

Anastasia stared at Finley.

“I hope you know that we weren’t lying.” She walked out the cabin.

She felt tears roll down her cheeks once more.

She headed towards her cabin, she wanted nothing more than to pass out in her bed.

She spotted Dorothea sitting on the steps.

“What happened? Are you alright?” She stood up and ran over to her. FInley could tell she had been crying.

Finley quickly wiped her tears. A part of her wanted to pretend everything was a-ok, but she wasn’t the one that had to deal with the aftermath of that.

“It was… explosive, to say the least.”

Dorothea frowned. “Explosive?”

“Annie kicked us out.”

“Oh gods…” Dorothea wiped her tears.

Finley tok a shaky breath, trying to figure out what to say.

“I’m sorry you have to deal with that.”

“I’m sorry you had to deal with that.”

She looked down at the ground for a moment. “Are you okay?”

“I guess.” Dorothea sighed. “No ones really okay after everything that’s happened today.”

“Good point.” She chuckled weakly, trying not to cry more.

She could see Dorothea shaking. She wanted to tell her it would be okay, but it wouldn’t. She knew it wouldn’t. It wasn’t okay. Nothing about this was okay.

She wrapped her into a hug. She felt her start to cry into her.

“I’m scared.” She sobbed.

“I know… You have every right to be.”

“I don’t want to do this. I don’t want watch anyone die. I dont want to die!”

Finley felt her lip quiver. Gods, this was hard to watch all of them go through.

“I wish I could take this away from you.”

“I do too.”

OOC:

only took a few days to write this, which is the quickest I've ever written a first chapter.

Anyways will cook an open starter after this cause why not have more angst?

Yall have anyone in particular you want for the open starter???

@arisdaughter / @letsbelikethewindtogether @childofthewargod @dianedantedominic @kaiaalwayswins @theorphicforest

@that-girl-cupid @delilah-isnt-dead-yett @daonedaonlyskh @hispanic-child-of-hermes

@aria-pane @wine-cooper @i-am-persephones-daughter @unhinged-waterlilly

@seed-of-the-pomegranate @istglevi-gotmesimping

@if-chaos-was-a-boy @ariathemortal @i-was-never-sane @gaygirldoodles @superbstarlightsheep

If you want to be added, removed or if I forgot to tag you, let me know :)

[blueiscoool]

The Hunt: Cleopatra’s Long-Lost Tomb

The Egyptian queen may rest in the ancient city of Alexandria, which now lies at the bottom of the Mediterranean.

She has one of the most captivating and enduring mythologies of any leader in history, yet the true end of Queen Cleopatra’s story remains an enigma. Archaeologists might be able to offer some clarity, if they could only find her final resting place.

The location of the Queen of the Nile’s tomb has eluded experts for centuries. Napoleon famously led an expedition searching for the crypt in the early 19th century. Egyptologists widely believe it is hidden somewhere in Alexandria, where the missing tombs of all 14 of the Ptolemaic Pharaohs, the final dynasty of ancient Egypt, are expected to be. Alas, much of ancient Alexandria now lies at the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea.

Greek historian Plutarch indicated that when Emperor Octavian ended a civil war by defeating Cleopatra and her beloved husband, the great Roman general Mark Antony, he allowed for them to be buried together. Though the prospect of finding both of their physical remains is thrilling, Plutarch wrote of their death and burial several decades after their occurrence, which casts his words into doubt.

Many Egyptologists accept that both the Queen and her royal consort died dramatically by suicide, she by snakebite and he by his own sword. Others speculate that she died by intentional drug overdose, or by stinging herself with a poison-tipped hairpin. A growing number of experts suspect the suicide is a cover-up—that perhaps the queen was murdered. Much of the contemporary understanding of Cleopatra is based on the accounts of ancient Roman and Greek historians who undoubtedly held a bias towards her. An autopsy of her mummy might reveal different truths.

Dominican archaeologist Kathleen Martinez.

Today, the quest for Cleopatra VII Thea Philopator’s elusive burial place has been taken on primarily by Dominican archaeologist Kathleen Martinez, who has dedicated two decades of her life to this mission. Martinez subscribes to the snakebite ending. She believes the ancient queen’s suicide was a ceremonial act, part of a ritual apotheosis: shedding her mortal coil so as to ascend to the status of goddess. The ritual, Martinez theorizes, culminated in moving Cleopatra’s body from her palace to a temple 25 miles west of Alexandria, Taposiris Magna.

In 2022, Martinez announced the discovery of a tunnel running under the temple that she believes could have served as a corridor for delivering Cleopatra’s body. The tunnel is widely agreed to be an aqueduct, an exact replica of a similar structure found in Greece.

After working with Martinez for 11 years at Taposiris Magna, Zahi Hawass, former Minister of State for Antiquities Affairs of Egypt, now categorically disagrees with her. For one, it would be incredibly anomalous for a pharaoh to be interred at a temple. Furthermore, he asserts that there is “no evidence at all” to indicate that Cleopatra, ancient Egypt’s last pharaoh, is buried there.

“I believe now that Cleopatra was buried in her tomb that she built next to her palace and it is under the water,” Hawass lamented. “Her tomb will never be found.”

By Adnan Qiblawi.

[shiredwarf]

literally cannot stop thinking about this :(((((( maybe it's just that the writing is a bit off, maybe they just didn't know what to do with him while also needing to justify why rook is in charge I dunno.... but I've basically come to the conclusion that he's dead :/ that this is some sort of hallucination or a spirit (they are in the fade after all and he said something about hating to be stuck here which COULD MEAN ANYTHING) or something, I dunno :( I just need to mentally prepare myself in case he is really dead and if I'm wrong and it's just awkward writing I'll be so damn happy to eat my words

i really wish companions would hang out with varric too instead of just each other :( he needs friends around him, he’s always so sad and small when i drop by 😞