#tree storm damage repair

[onlinewordworld]

Storm Damage Tree Removal by Dynamic Arborist

Trust Dynamic Arborist for swift and reliable tree removal services in the aftermath of storm damage. Our skilled arborists prioritize safety and efficiency, ensuring prompt resolution to mitigate risks. Count on us for professional and dynamic arborist solutions to restore your landscape after nature's fury

[livingstyleup]

Storm Damage Tree Removal Services

When Mother Nature strikes, and your property in Australia is left with storm-damaged trees, immediate action is crucial. Our storm damage tree removal services are here to help. Our team of experienced arborists is ready to respond promptly to assess the situation and safely remove damaged trees, limbs, and debris. We understand the urgency of storm-related tree issues and are equipped to handle them efficiently. Let us restore safety and tranquility to your property with our reliable storm damage tree removal services.

[slashingdisneypasta]

Damnnnnn, people still don't have power around here. I'm good, but other people are being told it won't be til Saturday, or god forbid- the end of bloody march!?? I hope not, for their sakes 😬 /:

[homeimprovementrefferal]

Get Ready For Storm Season: Essential Steps To Protect Your Roof And Property

Get Ready For Storm Season: Essential Steps To Protect Your Roof And Property - #homeimprovementreferral #Cleaning, #HomeImprovement, #Roofing, #Tips - https://www.homeimprovementreferral.com/get-ready-for-storm-season-essential-steps-to-protect-your-roof-and-property-2023-05/

[vivalasthedas]

new video game, my beloved. You’re so smol.. The creatures are so good.

[charlesoberonn]

My take on the Avatar origin story:

About 50,000 years before the show, humanity learned how to bend the energy within themselves. This allowed them to perform feats of strength and ability beyond their physical limits. And using these abilities they started expanding across the globe.

Wherever they came to dwell, they dominated over the other lifeforms, eventually leading to the extinction of many species. This angered the spirits, especially the Spirit of the planet itself, whose long-standing balance was thrown off.

In retaliation to rid herself of this nuisance, the Spirit of the world caused great volcanic eruptions, storms, tidal waves, and earthquakes to kill the humans. Humanity was driven to near extinction, with only 10,000 humans remaining. These humans gathered in an isolated valley, the last safe place on the planet.

But rather than finishing them off there and then, the Spirit of the world grew curious and even empathetic towards the humans. The compassion they showed one another, the care in which they cultivated their new home. The Spirit didn't understand how humans could be so ignoble and violent and at the same time so virtuous and kind.

And so the Spirit chose to be reborn as a human, to try to understand how humans work. And thus the first Avatar was born.

Her name was Hizda, and she was born with a frail body to a family of little means. Despite this disadvantage, she was loved and cared for by her parents and her community.

As she grew, she struggled with leaning to bend the energy within her. She thought she'd be weak for the rest of her life. Until one day she extended her energy outward, and rather than bend the energy within, she bended the elements without. A feat only a few animals were thought capable of.

Word of the miraculous girl quickly spread across the valley, reaching the ear of the Great Chief. An old man who remembered the outside world, he was wary of the girl. He believed her to be an agent of the Spirit which killed their people not a generation prior. And so he sent out his son to kill her.

Not wanting her community attacked, Hizda fled the valley into the outside world, with her closest friends coming with her despite her protestations. The Great Chief's son pursued them with his own agents.

Across her journey she met many spirits and creatures who had reclaimed the abandoned lands the humans left behind. Naturally, they were apprehensive of humans, but Hizda convinced them she meant no harm. She learned of the damage her ancestors had caused and vowed to help repair it. And she met the creatures of the elements and learned from them to control her powers.

After a year on the run, she confronted the Chief's son who pursued her all the way to the North Pole. The two fought and Hizda won. But instead of delivering the killing blow, she spared him. And she convinced him to help her convince his father that a new way was possible.

Hizda and her friends returned to the valley and confronted the Great Chief. He rejected her and ordered her dead still, but she could defend herself. Half of all humanity sided with her, but half still sided with the Great Chief. It seemed like humanity's destructive nature could not be changed.

But then the Chief's son surprised everyone when he proposed to Hizda. Aghast at his son's behavior, the Great Chief had a change of heart. He abdicated his responsibility, making Hizda and her husband (the new Chief) and leaders of humanity.

Under their leadership, humanity made peace with the spirits and began the long process of rebuilding the scarred world.

Later in life, Hizda and the Chief had four sons. Each of them inherited one of their mother's elements. And in time, their children would inherit that element, and so on and so forth. And thus benders came into the world. Each son would become the forefather of one of the four nations.

In her old age, The widowed Hizda returned to the valley of her birth. She found a Banyan tree and meditated under its shade, trying in her dying days to understand the nature of humanity, the world, and herself. She realized in the end her nature as the reborn Spirit of the world. But she also knew that there was so much still left to do. More to build, more to resolve, more to heal.

And so, instead of returning to her spirit form, the Spirit of the world's Avatar chose to stay human. And as her life as Hizda ended, the Spirit was reborn in a new human body, and the Avatar cycle was born.

[blueiscoool]

Rome’s Ancient Arch of Constantine Struck by Lightening

During a storm on September 3, lightning struck Rome’s Arch of Constantine, chipping the structure’s marble surface. The 1,700-year-old arch and its neighbor, the Colosseum, were two of several sites affected by the thunderstorm, which produced 2.36 inches of rain in less than an hour. Usually, the city sees a similar amount over the entire month of September.

“A lightning strike hit the arch right here and then hit the corner,” a tourist at the site told Reuters’ Alberto Lingria. “We saw this fly off,” the tourist added while pointing to a fallen block of stone.

Finished in 315 C.E., the Arch of Constantine is one of Rome’s three surviving ancient triumphal arches, each erected to honor a person or event. This arch commemorates Constantine I’s 312 victory over the emperor Maxentius. That same year, Constantine devoted himself to Christianity—the first Roman ruler to do so.

The fierce storm also felled two large trees near the Circus Maximus, flooded the Trevi Fountain and flooded the Colosseum’s subterranean tunnels, reports CNN. After lightning struck the arch, staff of the Colosseum Archaeological Park quickly gathered its dislodged pieces and placed them in a secure location, according to a statement from Italy’s Ministry of Culture.

In the days that followed, some tourists stumbled upon additional pieces on the ground.

​​“My American group found these fragments, and we’re handing them over to the workmen,” tour guide Serena Giuliani told the London Times’ Tom Kington on the morning of September 4.

Specialists are now examining the condition of the fragments. Officials say the damage was limited to the monument’s southern side, where unrelated restoration work had started just days earlier, allowing for quick repairs.

At roughly 70 feet tall and 85 feet wide, the Arch of Constantine contains three separate arches, each framed by columns. The intricately decorated structure is adorned with recycled fragments, or spolia, taken from other ancient buildings, including monuments honoring Trajan, Hadrian and Marcus Aurelius.

The arch is also decorated with carvings of Constantine, including a series of reliefs depicting his victorious fight against Maxentius in the Battle of the Milvian Bridge.

In 306, Constantine was leading Roman troops in Britain—then part of the Roman Empire—when his military declared him their emperor. His brother-in-law, Maxentius, also declared himself the emperor around the same time. After years of complex power struggles, the two rulers ultimately faced off in 312 at Rome’s Milvian Bridge, which overlooks the river Tiber. Panels on the Arch of Constantine depict the battle’s conclusion, showing Maxentius’ troops drowning in the river.

The arch’s recent encounter with lightning may have carried spiritual significance for its ancient builders, as “the bolts were believed to be the work of the gods,” per the Times. These spots were sacred for the Romans, who sometimes erected temples at such sites.

By Sonja Anderson.

[creations-by-chaosfay]

Emergency Roof Repair and Storm Cleanup Commissions

As mentioned in previous posts and pinned @anotherdayforchaosfay , we have just been through a natural disaster. Please read the pinned post on that blog. Updates will be added once we get outside and photograph the damage for our insurance claim.

I have opened commissions three months earlier than planned because we need to raise money to cover our insurance deductible as well as hiring someone to remove the tree from our roof and yard. The tree is owned by a lazy landlordlord who owns the property next door. We have told him repeatedly it needs to be trimmed or there will be damage. His property got a quick install sunroof.

I have four slots available across the board and prices start at $150 USD.

I have made the option of commissioning me for a quilt available. Three finished quilt tops are listed as commissions because they're ready for handquilting. Several people have inquired about one of the tops, so now's your chance to have it done sooner than later.

If you can do only a partial payment right now, DM me. I'll write up a contract for payments, and will require 50% upfront and weekly/monthly installs after that. You will then receive an invoice.

Commissions will begin immediately because we now have power.

I will close commissions when all slots are filled or June 1st, 2024. Whichever happens first (hopefully the former). If slots are filled, I will reopen them again after I finish all the commissions. I work fast and may complete six quilts netween now and then.

Donations are accepted,and there are four listings available in my shop with the option to pay more than my asking price (if you add an extra zero, I may very well cry).

Samples of my work below as well as in my gallery.

[808airsoftbros]

Missing 411 (Female Idols)

Author: This special chapter is also posted on my wattpad and decided to post it here too to help revive this dead Tumblr account. Also if you want to see more check out the Masterlist.

Y/N's POV

It's been ten years since that stormy night... Where everything went to hell... Awakened something that was never supposed to be in this world. What is it? We will never truly know and perhaps it's for the best.

Now you all must be asking what I'm talking about. I don't know much since I'm a foreign government agency from America to help with the Korean National Police Agency.

All these accounts and stories are based on reports filed by the KNPA, witnesses, and survivors of their encounters with this... thing.

I cannot disclose everything as this case is classified and under investigation by the Republic of Korea National Military and the National Intelligence Service.

It all began ten years ago on August 19, 2019, when a massive typhoon struck the Korean peninsula turning Seoul into a rubble mess than ever in history.

Everything was in total devastation, small businesses, and homes were destroyed, and families pretty much lost everything so much so that even K-pop idols began lending a hand, and those who were on tour or elsewhere donated money.

I will start with the first case... The unsolved case of the disappearance of Jennie Kim and Jeon Jungkook...

~

Flashback

Date: August 21, 2019 Location: Seoul, South Korea

Jisoo's POV

It's been two days since the massive typhoon struck the city of Seoul, I was in the safety of the dorm when it struck and thankfully nothing was damaged or lost but the same cannot be said for the unlucky ones.

Some were caught in a bad time and the street vendor's property has been damaged beyond repair including those I always visit.

"I can't believe mother nature is capable of such devastation..." I muttered looking at the rubble of fallen trees, flipped cars, and broken street lamps.

"Well, that's nature for you, come on, those people need all the help they can get," Chaeyoung replied and I nodded.

Walking around the streets, determined to help those in need as much as possible, other idols have joined us in our efforts helping where they can, and offering assistance to the rescue operatives.

The streets were flooded in some areas, especially the underground parking lots, the sewer systems were overflowed and clogged causing the sewages to flood the streets.

Everyone worked hard to guide the survivors to shelter camps to tend to the wounded and sick. My arms and legs ached like hell but if it's for the people, I must keep going.

"Jake said this is all we can do for now until firefighters and Coast Guard crews clear up the debris in the heavily impacted parts, I'd say we take a break," I explained to the girls and they nodded.

As we sat down under the shelter camp, we saw BTS covered in mud and sweat approaching, they all looked equally exhausted and worn out.

"Ah, I see you boys managed to make it, I thought you all were on a tour," I greeted and Namjoon chuckled.

"Hey, this city is our home, we can't just simply watch by as the people suffer. We lend our hand wherever we can," Namjoon replied.

"Right, there are so many children lost from their parents, I heard some of them didn't make it out," Jennie mentioned and he sighed.

"Real shame, I pity those poor souls, nobody could've expected a typhoon like this, throughout my years, I have never seen anything like this," Jungkook commented.

As the boys joined us under the tent, Taehyung was kind enough to give us water to quench our thirst, and I couldn't feel more relief as I sipped down the water.

Suddenly, Jungkok and Jennie stood up but before they could walk away from the tent I stopped them.

"Hey, where are you two going?" I asked curiously.

"I overheard there are some cabins in the woods, possible someone could've been sheltering there during the storm and will see if we can help or not," Jungkook answered and I nodded.

"Alright, be safe out there," I warned them and they nodded.

"Don't worry Jichu, we're always careful~," Jennie assured and walked away with him.

Though I had a bad feeling about it, I shrugged it off as I didn't have much time to think about it as the fire chief called us over requesting our assistance with the water pumps.

In the next several hours as the sun was starting to set and dusk was approaching, however, Jennie and Jungkook had yet to return.

"Hey, you heard from Kookie any chance?" I asked Jin and he shrugged.

"No idea, no call on the radio or anything, I was about to ask you," Jin answered unsurely and I was growing concerned.

Deciding to investigate the cabins as a group, we went to their last known location which is the cabins in the woods, we kept our guard up for any wild animals that may loom in the area, and as we reached the cabins, I felt dread as the cabins were dead quiet.

Looking around, there was no sign of any wild animals or birds in the trees anywhere and the area wasn't as damaged as the rest of the forest.

"I don't like the looks of this..." Suga commented.

"Yeah, it's too quiet for my liking, I feel like something is gonna pounce on us at any second," Hoseok replied.

"Let's make this fast and find those two before it gets dark," Namjoon said and we agreed.

Immediately, we began searching the cabins and the surrounding nature but as time went on, we couldn't find a single trace of them anywhere or signs of life.

I was now growing even more worried as they somehow disappeared like they never existed... Until...

"Hey, I think I found something!" Lisa called out and we went up to her.

"What is it?" I asked.

Lisa showed us Jennie's phone and wallet along with Jungkook's wallet containing his bank cards and IDs inside one of the bedrooms in the cabin.

"Is there anything else?" I asked and she shook her head.

"Nope, not any sign of footprints or traces, it's like they vanished like a ghost," She sighed and looked at the time it was getting dark.

"Will report this to the police when we get back, for now, there's nothing more we can do for them until morning, it's too dangerous to search at night," Namjoon explained and I felt devastated.

"W-We can't just abandon them, they're like family to us," I begged and he shook his head.

"I understand how you feel, Jisoo, and I feel the same way for Kookie but will be no good to anyone if we're attacked by predators," He replied in a sympathetic tone.

Reluctantly agreeing, I felt shameful and guilty as I felt like I had to abandon Jennie as she could be seriously injured or God knows what I knew Namjoon was right but it was my fault for letting them go in the first place.

"I should've stopped them..." I muttered to myself as we left the cabins.

~

Present

Y/N's POV

Since then, the group went to the nearby police station which was still intact, and reported a missing person case, a search was later held the next morning but despite their best efforts, no traces were ever found besides their wallets and Jennie's phone.

We couldn't turn it on as the screen was cracked and it was damaged but we did manage to extract the data but found nothing out of the ordinary.

The search went on for some time until...

~

Date: August 30, 2019 Location: Seoul, South Korea

Y/N's POV

Arriving in Korea at the airport, I was greeted by one of the agents of the NIS and he drove me over to the police station in Seoul.

"So, I was told I would be briefed on this investigation, what do we have?" I asked.

"Well, two idols vanished without a trace just a week ago when they were helping clean up the city after the typhoon hit, they went up to the cabin area in the forest but never returned and the group decided to investigate themselves to find nothing but few of their belongings," The agent explained and I nodded writing them down in my notepad.

"I see, what about the search party? Any news?" I asked and he nodded.

"After several days of searching, we did find their remains... It's quite a grizzly and disturbing sight, to say the least, and it's hard to describe it so it's better if you look at them yourself," He answered.

The rest of the drive was silent as we went into Seoul giving me the chance to look around at the devastation the typhoon had caused and it was surreal than the pictures on the news.

Once we finally made it to the station, I walked through the backdoor leading downstairs to the evidence lab, and I was led into the forensics lab.

One of the experts bowed before leading me into the lab, laying on the operation table were the bodies of Jeon Jungkook and Jennie Kim and my eyes widened as it looked like their souls were sucked out of them.

They were skinny to the bone, there was no blood within them, and they looked almost skeletal making this the most disturbing case I've ever worked in.

"What the hell happened to them...?" I asked shocked at the sight.

"We're not sure, we ran all the tests in the book but found nothing out of the ordinary or pointers of how they died, no wounds, scratches, nothing, just their souls sucked out dry," The expert explained grimly.

~

Meanwhile...

Jisoo's POV

I couldn't sleep well ever since Jennie's disappearance, we always missed her and it didn't help that the police already found her dead body not far from the cabins along with Jungkook.

YG and BigHit sent condolences letters to their families and the funerals were held as soon as the rubbles were cleared from parts of the city.

Their remains were cremated to ashes with Jennie to be sent home to New Zealand in her hometown and Jungkook to the family cemetery.

"O comforting One, compassionate One be with us all when we suffer loss and ache with the pain of grieving. Give us a glimpse of the way it will be when love will never be taken away, when life itself will not be diminished when all that we hold most precious will live and remain with us forever. Amen." The priest said his prayer as the urn of the ashes of Jungkook was slowly lowered into the hole dug before his gravestone.

The funeral was small only consisting of myself, Lisa, and Chaeyoung, along with BTS and Twice who had just returned from their tour, and of course Jungkook's family.

To this day, I still feel guilty as I could've stopped this all from happening, now two idols were lost to the Heavens, and everyone grieved their deaths.

Jin who would always boast about being flirty and ladies man was now all silent, I can tell the loss of what he considered a brother deeply affected him.

"T-Thank you for coming, Jihyo, I didn't think you'd show up," I thanked her and she nodded.

"Hey, this is more important than our idol lives, I knew them both and they were quite exceptional and talented individuals, it's a shame they went out like this," Jihyo replied and I sighed.

"Are you okay?" She asked conerningly.

"No, not really, I could've prevented this from happening, Jennie and Jungkook would still be alive if I hadn't stopped them from going to the woods alone... I'm such an idiot..." I grimly answered and shed a tear as the guilt became too much to bear.

Instead of an angry reaction, as I expected, Jihyo gave me a sympathetic look and placed a comforting hand on my shoulder.

"It's not your fault, my dear, none of us expected anything like this would happen," She assured and I sighed.

"Speaking of which, they never disclosed their cause of death nobody knows what happened to them, they found no wounds or indication of how they died considering they were young and healthy at the time," I mentioned.

"Well, all we can do is leave it to the authorities to handle this, I am confident they will find a trail eventually and we can soon get to the bottom of this and hope Jennie and Jungkook will be the last victims of this mess," She explained and I nodded knowing she was right.

After the funeral was finished, we all left for our vehicles, our driver picked us up and drove us back to the YG building as we needed to discuss some things about our upcoming comeback.

We headed to the top floor of the building where YG's office was located and knocked on the door.

"Come in!" He called out and we opened the door.

"Please have a seat you three, we have urgent matters to discuss," He instructed and we sat down in front of him and he sighed.

"As you all may know, Jennie was found dead, now not only has this heavily saddened the Blinks and fans around the world, but it also hurts our business as our comeback is scheduled to release soon, and without Jennie to finish her lines, we might have to cancel it and start from scratch without her or one of you will have to take her place," He explained.

"Sir, are you going to find a trainee to debut and replace her...?" Chaeyoung asked and he shook his head.

"Not anytime soon, none of the trainees so far have the skills or talent or experience like hers to substitute her absence and this will surely tank the reviews and our income, that is why I'm asking you all what you wish to do at this time," YG explained and we pondered.

As we all discuss among ourselves how we're going to finish this comeback or if will just cancel it entirely, I cannot help but feel like I'm being watched, and when I glanced out the window my eyes widened as I saw... Jennie standing on a platform...

She was unrecognizable, her body was skinny to the bone, her eyes were white and her skin was pale like she was a ghost, and was staring directly at me.

"Jichu...? Are you okay?" Lisa asked waving her hand across my face snapping me out of my trance.

"H-Huh?" I stammered as I regained my senses and when I looked out the window all I saw was the cleaner wiping down the windows.

"Is there a problem, Miss Jisoo?" YG asked.

"N-No, sir, I'm fine... Just tired is all..." I nervously replied and he nodded.

"Alright, how about this? I'll leave you all to rest for the day, and by tomorrow you all can come into my office with your final decision, is that okay with you all?" YG asked and we nodded.

As we are dismissed from leaving the YG entertainment building, we head over to the dormitory to gather our thoughts and hopefully my sanity as I feel nothing but dread.

There is much pressure added to us now that Jennie is gone and Rose and Lisa were thinking about splitting the extra work evenly but that will be difficult as fans will feel disappointed about the comeback without her.

That night, my sleep was anything but peaceful, I woke up in a grassy land, and there in front of me was Jennie wearing a white dress and Jungkook wearing a black tuxedo. They were both warmly smiling as if nothing ever happened.

"K-Kookie? Jen? What are you two doing here?" I nervously asked.

"Hello, Jichu... We are waiting for you..." Jungkook spoke but his voice sounded off.

"We are waiting for you Jichu, join us... And you will be free of guilt..." Jennie spoke up.

Without warning, I woke up panting out of breath, I was covered in sweat trying to figure out what I just dreamt of but I didn't get a chance when I heard strange crackling noises like bones cracking.

I looked around, my stomach dropped seeing what appeared to be Jennie in that same white dress walking disfigured to the front entrance.

"J-Jennie... Is that you?" I softly called out as I got out of bed.

Quickly I got dressed in casual attire grabbed a black mask so nobody knows my identity and followed Jennie out of the dorm quietly without waking up Lisa and Chaeyoung.

I followed Jennie around the city which was strangely quiet and desolated as people are superstitious about walking at night, but I can't help wondering why Jennie was walking so awkwardly like some of her bones are broken or worn.

Eventually, she led me to what appeared to be an abandoned mine long forgotten to time.

"Why the hell is she going to a mine...?" I asked myself as I watched her from the distance in the bushes.

All of a sudden, the entrance of the mineshaft was glowing crimson red yet Jennie continued walking but she stopped right at the entrance and came out of what seemed to be what I describe as the gate to hell.

Coming out of the entrance was Jungkook in that same black tuxedo from my dream but his eyes were anything but normal as it was all white, he reached out his hand and Jennie took it before walking together through the mineshaft entrance.

"Dear Lord you are our shepherd and defender please protect me from all evil..." I prayed as I decided it was time to leave.

I continued repeating the prayer all the way back to the city and I saw some planks on the ground and decided to seal off the entrance to the best of my ability.

After the work was done, I ran the hell out of the forest as fast as I could until I reached the safety of the city and the dorm.

What I witness is just something I cannot explain nor could anyone and I do not want to go near that God forsaken mine ever again.

~

Present

Y/N's POV

And that is the end of the story of what the people and the authorities know... However, what Jisoo said in the interview isn't exactly clear and straight-up bullocks to most.

The military dispatched a company of soldiers to investigate the mine and sealed off the area with electric fences and barbed wire to keep everyone out... Or something in.

I don't know what the military is doing at those mineshafts to this day as the reports are all classified and they want nobody going in there.

Jennie and Jungkook were declared dead after their bodies were found but idols do report seeing them at night or in their dreams similar to Jisoo.

Sadly... Those two would not be the only missing victims...

[onlinewordworld]

Strengthen Your Trees with Professional Tree Bracing Services by Dynamic Arborist!

Dynamic Arborist is a leading provider of tree bracing services in the Australia. We offer a wide range of tree bracing services, including tree cabling, tree splinting, and tree anchoring. Safeguard the health and beauty of your precious trees with our expert tree removal services. Dynamic Arborist offers reliable support systems to reinforce weak branches and prevent potential hazards. Trust our skilled team to preserve the natural charm of your landscape and ensure the longevity of your trees.

[fatehbaz]

On the night of April 30, 1541, the Ming Ancestral Temple in Beijing was struck by lightning and burned to the ground. [...] 

[T]he fires forced the Jiajing Emperor to resurrect one of the dynasty’s most expensive, difficult, and destructive projects: the logging of old-growth timber in the far southwest of China. Disaster struck again in 1556, when fires burned the Three Halls that form the central axis of the Forbidden City. The Three Halls burned yet again in 1584. [...] Yet the lightning strikes in Beijing were also a disaster for the old-growth forests of the southwest, where the logs to build the palaces had first been cut in the early 1400s. As logging supervisors soon learned, ancient trees could not be felled on a regular basis. Officials pressed ever deeper into the gorges of southern Sichuan and northern Guizhou to find them, bringing massive transformations to the environment in the process.

---

The foundations of Beijing were laid between 1406 and 1421 by the Yongle emperor, a junior son of the Ming founder, who moved the court to his personal appanage in north China. [...] Grasping the sinews of power that connected his court to far-flung regions of the empire, Yongle pulled one million laborers to Beijing to build his palaces. Because the weight of Chinese buildings is carried by their pillar-and-beam frameworks (liangzhu), monumental buildings required monumental trees (Figure 2). So Yongle also dispatched a similarly large labor force to the old-growth forests of the far southwest to cut the fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata) and nanmu (Phoebe zhennan) that grew straight and tall enough to be used for imperial construction.

We cannot be certain just how many logs were cut to build Beijing, but the figure must have been astounding. In 1441, two decades after the completion of the project, 380,000 large timbers were left over from the earlier construction. By 1500, these too were gone, used for repairs or too damaged by rot to be used for construction purposes.

---

In the sixteenth century, logging officials wondered how their predecessors had been able to obtain so many giant timbers. Li Xianqing, who supervised more than 40 logging sites in the 1540s, noted that large trees could still be found, but they could only be transported out with great difficulty and at great expense. The majority had to be discarded as hollow or insect-damaged. Even when a quality log was found, it took five hundred workers to tow a log over mountain passes.

Skilled craftsmen were on hand to build “flying bridges” (fei qiao), stone-lined slip roads, and enormous capstans (tianche) to tow the logs up slopes (Figures 3 and 4). In the remote forests of the southwest, loggers faced attacks by snakes, tigers, and “barbarians” (manyi); “miasmatic vapors” (yanzhang, probably malaria); storms, forest fires, rockslides, and raging rivers (Figure 5). Labor teams had to carry their own food and often starved. At the rivers, logs were tied into massive rafts bound with bamboo for buoyancy, towed by teams of 40 men, and then launched on the three-year, three-thousand-kilometer journey to Beijing (Figure 6). Only a small fraction of the trees reached the capital in a condition where they could be used for palace building.

---

Expeditions exceeded their budgets up to fiftyfold.

One official remarked, “the labor force numbers in the thousands; the days number in the hundreds; the supply costs number in the tens of thousands each year.” Another saying held that “one thousand enter the mountains, but only five hundred leave” (rushan yiqian chu shan wubai). To make matters worse, logging mostly occurred within territory that was under only loose Ming control [...].

---

The Yongle Palaces were said to replicate the otherworldly atmosphere of the old-growth forests where their pillars originated. The presence of these timbers in Beijing linked the capital, materially and symbolically, to the southwestern landscape of cliffs and gorges where the trees had grown.

But ancient sentinel trees could not be reproduced on demand. The fifteenth-century logging project was a millennial event, removing the growth of hundreds or even thousands of years. Later officials were forced to come to terms with the transformations their predecessors had wrought in the ancient forests. Eventually builders had to switch to smaller, commercially available timber, using ornate artisanship and commercial efficiency to substitute for the austere majesty of the early Ming palaces, and the thousands of years of tree growth on which they rested.

---

All text above by: Ian M. Miller. ���The Distant Roots of Beijing’s Palaces.” Rachel Carson Center for Environment and Society, Environment & Society Portal, Arcadia no. 39. Autumn 2020. [Bold emphasis and some paragraph breaks/contractions added by me. Presented here for commentary, teaching, criticism purposes.]

[violettduchess]

A/N: It's been a long haul but it's finally done! Thank you to @lorei-writes for all the encouragement and advice and for helping me take a step into an area of fanfic I never really considered exploring before!

OC Captain Leyla Quinn x Silvio Ricci

Their first meeting

WC: 4k

The sight of sunlight glistening off the waters of the bay never fails to bring Leyla a sense of calm. The brightness dancing along the wavering surface feels like it echoes through her bones, steadying and strengthening her, as real and solid as the wooden dock beneath her boots or the hand that suddenly clamps down on her shoulder.

What the….

With a sharp intake of air, she turns to find Kai, her trusted Quartermaster, has joined her on the pier. The sunlight winks off his bald head and the gold hoop in his ear. Leyla isn’t a short woman but next to Kai, anyone would feel small. He reminds her of the giant Oak trees found in the forests of his native Obsidian: tall, broad, imposing. He gestures with one muscular arm and the orange kraken tattooed from wrist to elbow undulates with the movement.

“Shipwright says repairs will be done by tomorrow.”

Siren’s Call, her ship, took some minor damage before reaching the Tourmaline port thanks to a particularly nasty storm that harrowed them on the last day of their journey. She knew the damage was minimal but keeping the ship in tip-top shape was one of Leyla’s biggest concerns. She had seen firsthand what could happen when a captain became lackadaisical with the care of their ship and when she had become Siren’s Call’s owner, she vowed to never be so complacent.

She shifts her sky-blue gaze over to where the ship is docked. Several figures can be seen scurrying around the deck. She recognizes several members of her crew and grins slowly when she notices Amani, her boatswain, is among them. 

“Amani's got a handle on things, I’m sure.” Fiery Amani from the mystical land of Tanzanite with her explosion of lilac curls and stormy gray eyes sometimes scares Leyla with how well she knows Siren’s Call, almost as if she and the ship share a mind and a soul. She wouldn’t let them get away with so much as an off-center nail.

Kai’s laughter greets her ears like a roll of jolly thunder. “She’s probably the reason they’re almost done, the little terror.”

“Captain Quinn!”

Leyla and Kai both turn at the same time to see a grizzled man with a thick white beard and skin like aged leather approaching, his arms held out wide in jubilant greeting.

“Rumford, you old pirate!” Leyla’s voice is warm with affection as she claps the old man on the back heartily. Kai’s large hand grips his arm in greeting, his smile also welcoming.

The older man’s green eyes twinkle like sea glass as he nods towards the docks. “Ship’s lookin’ good, Captain. I heard ‘bout your troubles with the storm but it seems Lady Luck still favors ya.”

Leyla throws the dark waves of her hair over her shoulder as she glances at her ship and then back to Rumford who is now leaning against one of the nearby wooden pillars.

“Ah, but that's less to do with luck and more to do with the skill of my crew.” Her voice swells with pride. Her crew is her family and it's obvious to anyone who speaks to her how fiercely she treasures them.

Rumford scratches at the edges of his worn blue bandana, shrugging one bony shoulder. “Fair enough, lass, fair enough. Lord knows ya got one of the best…” He pauses, eyes bright as he remembers something and he motions for her and Kai to come closer. “I do have a bit of interestin’ news for ya both.”

Kai can never resist gossip and immediately moves a step closer. Leyla, a bit more skeptical, crosses her arms slowly and grins. 

“Go on then, old timer.”

Rumford clears his throat. “The storm wasn’t the only thing makin’ waves around here." He lowers his voice conspiratorially. "The Red Queen herself was around these parts not several days ago.”

Leyla’s dark brows rise. “You don’t say.”

He nods sagely. “Aye. Ya see, a slave ship carryin’ cargo from the Peridot Islands was sunk not that far from here. One lone crew member survived and he was scared shitless. Claimed the ship moved silent as a ghost and the attack was so brutal it was over in a matter of seconds. All the captives disappeared. No other crew members survived.” Rumford’s voice is a loud, stage whisper. “Folks say that ship and her Captain are cursed but I say, they’re doin’ the angels work, takin’ out scum like that.” He punctuates his words by spitting on the dock. 

He rambles on for a few more minutes before excusing himself with a hiccup and a wave. Leyla watches him amble back towards the ramshackle wooden buildings that make up the portside town.

“I told you one had gotten away.” Her voice is low as she watches Rumford’s frame grow smaller with distance.

Kai crosses his burly arms. “It was dark. He wouldn’t have seen much. Besides.” He turns, mouth tilting in a grin. “That’s what we wear the fancy red scarves for.”

She snorts, biting back a laugh. Kai hated the red silk scarves they all wore on the bottom halves of their faces when they were on The Crimson Scorn. He knew they had to protect their identities. Some of the ships they had taken down belonged to powerful people, black market merchants or corrupt government officials who would love to find the Red Queen and her crew and send them to a watery grave.

“We should be hearing from Morganite in a few days then.” The small country of Morganite was where they had sent those they freed. A contact was waiting for them there and would help relocate all those who had originally been heading for the torment of slavery. 

Kai nods. “I’ll let you know the minute I do.” A seagull cuts a dark figure across the clear sky, its loud call directing their attention towards a ship in the distance, heading towards the port. Even from far away, every part of it screams wealth, from its many billowing white sails to the rich color of its wood.

Leyla squints and then shakes her head. Her disdain for the fancy ship radiates off her like heat waves and Kai laughs, patting his captain on the shoulder.

“C’mon. There’s a pint in The Loaded Cannon with your name on it.”

She watches the gaudy merchant ship for another moment, something uneasy fluttering in the pit of her stomach. A feeling that she can’t quite pinpoint. Like that ship is a harbinger of some kind. But of what....she doesn't know.

“Captain?” Kai is looking down at her with concern in his hazel eyes.

Leyla clears her throat, turning on the heel of her black boot.

“Let’s go. We got some celebrating to do.”

The Loaded Cannon isn’t much, but it has warm food, strong ale and good service which is more than one can say for many seaside taverns. As the sun sinks, painting the sky in dramatic pink and orange, Captain Leyla Quinn is squinting, one blue eye focused with blazing intensity on the crude chalk outline of a person against the far wall of the tavern. Those who are seated nearby or leaning against tables watch, slanted forward in anticipation but not daring to make a sound.

Right……there……

The small dagger leaves her hand, flying with a precision that belies the amount of drink she has consumed already. It strikes the wall right where the painted man’s heart would be with a loud thunk. The grizzled seafarers cheer, sloshing their ale as they raise their mugs in a toast. Leyla whoops with joy, throwing her arm up in celebration before reaching for her own tankard and taking a long, deep pull.

“And that’s how you do it, folks!” Her eyes shine as she sets down her mug, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand and laughing at a joke one of the craggy patrons makes about never messing with Captain Quinn.

“You’re good."

A voice cuts through the crowd and she turns, her radiant exuberance slowly shifting from smile to frown as a stranger approaches. In the hush that falls over the tavern, she can hear the sound of his ornate clothing jangling before he even steps into the hazy orange light of the overhead lantern.

Even in the dim room his blue eyes gleam like molten sapphire.

“But I’m better.”

Heat swarms inside her veins, an immediate buzzing that has her straightening her shoulders, lifting her chin as he comes fully into view. He is staggeringly handsome with pale hair the color of moonlight and a face made to be sculpted in marble. His body is long and lean, lines that beg the eye to follow them. His lips are quirked in a smile painted in equal shades arrogance and confidence. A smile that has her suck in a breath and there it sticks, right in her chest, as she finds herself locked into that brilliant gaze.

She could drown in all that blue, sink into it like a wrecked ship into the hungry ocean, all without putting up a fight.

Attraction has unexpectedly roared like a beast unearthed, sinking its claws into her heart and stomach, driving heat across her skin.

But she is also very aware of her surroundings, of the many gazes jumping with bright interest between her and this tall stranger with golden jewelry that drinks in the ochre light.

Fighting the shocking tidal wave of sudden desire he has unleashed, she slips into a pose of casual interest, her head tilted as she regards him, hoping in the back of her mind that she has managed to look mildly intrigued.

“Aren’t we sure of ourselves,” she says loudly, lifting her mug of ale and taking a sip, grateful for the cool rush of liquid. Her eyes never leave the stranger and he seems amused, head cocked to one side, waiting to see what she’ll do.

She sets down her tankard, turning to face him fully. “You have a very loud bark, sea dog. And it’s my experience that dogs that yap the loudest are the least dangerous.”

A collective chuckle rolls through the patrons as they continue watching the exchange. It gives Leyla a boost of confidence as she winks at the sailor seated just to her right, a gesture of comradery and conspiracy. 

The stranger grins slowly, placing a hand on his hip.

“Brave enough to make a bet of it, lady?”

Leyla scoffs. “I don’t make bets with strangers.”

He takes a step closer, looking at her as if she is the only person in the whole tavern.

“We ain't strangers. We’ve been talkin’ for at least a minute.”

“You can take him!”, one of the men calls from the back and the patrons all nod, yelling their support, some banging their mugs on the scarred wooden tables.

Leyla glances around, bolstered by the sight of so many supportive grins, then turns back to the pale-haired man. Alright then. This may be a way to temper some of the heat tornadoing through her. Focus that energy on competition.

“What’s your bet?”

He reaches up, rubbing his chin as if in thought. She can’t help but notice his hands. What a paradox they seem to be. He has the calloused palms of a sailor but with long, elegant fingers bedecked in a variety of expensive rings.

“One throw. Whoever gets closest to the center of the heart, wins. When I win….” There’s a pause as he allows himself the liberty of drinking in the sight of her, from her knee-high black boots to the ends of her wavy ebon hair. “.....you kiss me.”

The patrons in the tavern roar, some with protective annoyance, others with astounded delight. There are an equal number of “Now wait a minutes” mixed in with “He’s got guts, I tell ya.”

That tornado she was hoping to temper rips through her at the thought.

Goddamn it.

Leyla holds up her hand to quiet the room, ignoring the wild hammering of her heart and keeping her breathing as even as possible. However confident this man is, she knows her own skill with a dagger.

“And when I win….” She pauses, imitating the way he looked at her a moment before, then smiles slowly. “I get that fancy sword of yours.”

His hand automatically comes up the sword at his hip, to touch the beautiful gold hilt inlaid with elegant azure gemstones. She’s struck a nerve, picking something that obviously holds value to him. Their gazes meet and lock, like the antlers of stags locked in combat.

“It’s a bet.” His voice is light, easygoing but she notices the way his hand is still possessively wrapped around the hilt of his sword. “Ladies first.”

She reaches down, slipping her fingers into the inside of her boot and removes the dagger she has carried with her ever since her first journey across the sea. She has wielded it a thousand times, knows its heft, its dynamics, its length. She could throw it with her eyes bound and it would hit its mark.

The patrons hold their breath. Never has she experienced the tavern as quiet as it is now. She turns, facing the chalky outline of the man on the wooden wall.

The only sign of nervousness is the slight press of her lips, the thin line they form as she breathes in deeply.

Once.

Twice.

And then she throws. The dagger sails from her hand as sure and steady an arrow from Diana’s bow where it lands with a satisfying thunk right where the man’s heart would be. The tavern erupts into cheers and she feels a wave of pure relief wash over her as she steps aside, unable to keep from grinning. 

There’s no way–

He moves with the litheness of a predator, elegance and unbelievable speed blending together in the extension of his arm as his jeweled dagger flies towards the outline. There is another thunk, followed by the hollow thud of Leyla’s dagger as it is dislodged from the wall and falls in a dramatic swoon to the dusty floorboards. In its place, the silver and sapphire dagger gleams victorious.

The tavern erupts again, this time louder than before. It sounds like one loud roar as patrons jump up, some cheering, some in shock, some even clapping this stranger in his elegant clothing on the shoulder.

Well, fuck. 

He passes her, going to retrieve the daggers and she’s hit with the smell of sea salt and something else, something tangy and expensive. Her heart thunders in her chest as the crowd around her calls out teasing words and praise for them both.

The stranger flashes her a smile, all white teeth and triumph, as he holds out her dagger to her, hilt first.

“Told ya,” he says in a low, infuriatingly attractive whisper.

She takes the dagger from him with a loud exhale. She can’t help but notice the eager look on many of the patron’s faces. After all, she did agree to kiss him if she lost….

“Not here,” she snaps, turning on her boot heel and marching straight out of the tavern and into the cool night air. Losing has temporarily doused some of the heat his presence had ignited in her.

Maybe he won’t follow her. 

He follows her.

And she has to admit to herself….she’s not sorry.

When she reaches her destination, he barks out a laugh. She’s literally marched across the street, stopping on the wooden portico of the boarding house directly across from the tavern. The raucous sounds of the patrons within The Loaded Cannon are still audible as they float along on the cool sea breeze.

“Too good for a room in the tavern?” 

Now they are ostensibly alone, standing in the dim light of the single lantern hanging next to the wooden sign of the boarding house. She thought he was handsome before but now, up close and away from other people, his presence swallows everything else around her, as strong as the unyielding pull of the bright moon on the tide. Has she ever, ever been so immediately drawn to a person like this? 

“I like my privacy.” The word hangs in the air between them, sparkling like a gemstone, smooth as silk. 

He takes a step towards her and for the first time, she can see the effect she is having on him. His eyes are dark as the sea at midnight, his body radiating an electric tension as he draws closer to her.

So it's not just her. He feels it too.

“Ya lost, sea witch. Time to pay up.”

Something inside Leyla bursts. 

Like a sea anemone opening its explosively bright body to the current. 

Like cannon fire. 

Like lust.

She reaches out, grabbing him by the wrist, feeling the softness of his white silk tunic under her palm and pulls him to her, stretching up to press her mouth to his.

Oh……

……..oh…….

………………fuck.

He tastes sweet as rose liquor and twice as potent. She wraps her arms around him, immediately wanting to get closer, drinking him in like he might disappear at any second as something ferocious is let loose. Something wild that winds itself around them. Something blistering. Something that feels like vague danger and crystal-clear want. Those long fingers are curling themselves into her black hair, wearing it like his golden rings. He pulls slightly to shift her head, giving him a better position to plunder the heat of her mouth, to swallow every gasp she makes. And when she groans, he yanks her even closer, like he can’t take it, and she swears she can feel his heart banging like drumfire in his chest.

A loud whistling breaks through the feverish haze and she sees several sailors grinning as they exit the tavern, having spotted them wrapped in each other’s arms.

“Fuck,” she murmurs as the rowdy, ale-drunk group continues with playful catcalls and whistles. Drawing a deep breath, she tilts her head to meet his gaze straight on. “Let’s go to my room.” She starts to reach for his hand but then stops. “I mean….if you want to.” Maybe he doesn’t want to go any further. She shouldn’t assume–

He grins and the sight of it has her heart resume beating at breakneck speed.

“If ya think my answer is gonna be anything except ‘yes, immediately’--” He’s cut off by her yanking him through the doors of the boarding house, hand now held confidently and very firmly in hers.

She kisses not with lips and tongue, but with fire. 

Silvio didn’t see her when he walked into The Loaded Cannon. He heard her. A laugh that broke through the smoky din like a burst of sunlight through faded gray clouds. It immediately turned his head, diverting him from his mission to see what he could find out about the captain he would be meeting with tomorrow concerning his trip to Pyrite.

That laughter wound its way through the air, danced over the rumble of low voices, the drunken cheers, the mumbles until he found its source. She was standing, shoulders back, stance wide, wavy hair the color of a moonless midnight sky falling in waves past her shoulders, and a grin so cocky he felt his own lips curving upwards in response. She was jerking her thumb towards the wall where a dagger was embedded within the outline of a person, defying anyone to deny what skill a throw like that would take.

She wasn’t the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. There wasn’t any physical feature that stood out as extraordinary. And yet here he was, unable to tear his gaze away from her. He watched as she lifted her tankard, turning in a way that he got a good look at the pale blue of her eyes, the cloudless sky at midday, and he noticed the small black beauty mark at the corner of her left eye. His fingers curled with the sudden, inexplicable urge to touch it.

“And that’s how you do it, folks!” Her voice surprised him. Deeper than he expected, huskier than he would have imagined. He wanted to hear more.

And then he was on his feet, walking towards her.

“You’re good……but I’m better.”

And those five words lead him to this moment, right now. To this woman who has invaded every one of his senses with lightning speed, her fingers brazenly roaming through his hair as she leaves a trail of kisses across his bare shoulder like droplets of lava. A tornado of hunger tears its way through his body, tangling his veins and burning up any thoughts other than how much he wants her, this blue-eyed siren who smells like orange blossoms and feels like heaven under his palms.

Her name…..it doesn’t matter. Who needs something so unimportant? His mouth has other things to do. Like an unspoken agreement, neither one of them has said a word since stumbling into her room. The seconds are for tasting as much of the other as they can, as quickly as they can. They fall in tandem onto the bed, never letting go. Two people drowning and grasping each other as they sink down into the storm of need. 

Has he ever been so lost, so completely immersed in another person like this? Has he ever felt so frantic from just a touch, a sigh?

And then she wraps her arms around his shoulders, her legs around his waist and there is room for nothing else in his mind. Just her. And he plans to enjoy every second he has, swimming in this tempestuous sea of lust and longing, until the dawn kisses the night and the sky turns pale with morning’s glow.

Leyla’s eyes open just as the last blush of peach is fading from the clouds and the sun continues its climb through the morning sky. Her body feels languid with the memory of the night, heavy with satisfaction. She stretches with a slow yawn, running a hand over the side of her neck and down the tender slope to her shoulder, an expanse of skin peppered with the rosy echoes of a stranger's passionate kisses. Her hips are marked by the strong grip of his nimble fingers. Ah, but it can't be just her. Oh, no. His body must carry the same evidence of their night together. She remembers well the feel of his muscular back under her fingernails, the softness of his earlobe between her teeth.

A shiver runs through her at the thought. One of the most memorable nights of her life and she doesn’t even know his name.

She turns towards the nightstand with the intention of checking the time on her pocket watch and freezes.

There, leaning against the wooden night table, is his sword. A parting gift. A thank you.

Her grin rivals the brightening sky.

“Had a good night, did you?” Kai glances at his captain as they head down the street towards the Merchant’s Guild, one of the better constructed and larger buildings in the entire town.

Leyla adjusts her fitted long coat. It is a deep royal blue and decorated with gold filigree, the one she always wears when she needs to make a strong impression. Her blouse is white and crisp and a black leather sword baldric is strapped across her body. And hanging at her side is the sword, its golden handle and sapphire stones winking cheerily in the sunlight.

“That is for me to know. And you to never ask about again.” But she knows he can read her like a seafarer can the stars. He notices the extra bounce in her step, the white silk scarf tied strategically around her neck, the small, secretive smile that hasn’t left her lips since he picked her up.

He laughs as they approach the building, the sound buoyant and warm.

“Alright, alright. Let’s focus on the task at hand then. Remind me who exactly set up this meeting?”

She pauses at the foot of the stairs that lead up to the wide, ornately carved double doors. 

“An emissary from Benitoite has been sniffing around different port towns. Some prince is looking for a crew who knows these waters. Apparently he’s been searching for a captain willing to take him through Blackwater Strait. He’s got cargo that needs to be delivered to Pyrite.”

Kai nods in recollection, now remembering the first time she told him this story. “I only know one captain who is crazy enough to do that.” 

They share a grin and Leyla adjusts the blue velvet tricorn hat on her head, fingers brushing against the elegant white feather it boasts. “Should be easy money.”

They walk in step with each other through the heavy double doors and are immediately met by a slender man with dark curls and glasses. He's dressed in the elegant clothing of a royal adjutant.

“Ahh Captain Quinn, right this way.” He glances at her and then up up up at Kai nervously before leading them down the hallway and through another set of doors that open into a large, airy meeting room.

Kai steps in confidently but for the second time that morning, Leyla freezes.

The man waiting by the window, the one dressed in ornate finery, absurdly trimmed with white and black fur. The one whose golden jewelry jangles as he turns to face them. The one with pale hair the color of moonlight and a face made to be sculpted in marble.

“Prince Silvio of Benitoite,” the aide says formally.

It can’t be……

He’s the prince?

“Captain Leyla Quinn, of the Siren’s Call.”

Silvio’s shocked expression is a mirror of her own.

She’s the captain?

The same word leaves both their lips, at the same time.

“Fuck.”

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[awkwardgtace]

Almost Stranded

Another prompt for @gtgotcha4gaza this time an anonymous donor! Donations are still open until June 30th 2024!

Rare occasion of fanfic. We got fire emblem with Saber and Celica, hope I did the prompt justice!

Saber goes inland to look for people and resources after a shipwreck. He returns with something very different.

Almost Stranded

Saber had only signed up to help the lass and her group cross the sea. Not to wind up on some island with no way off. The ship was damaged, enough they couldn’t just find a way to put it back in the water and move on. The hole from the rocks near this island would just make them sink. They needed to repair it. Which meant they’d need food and water.

“Lass,” Saber said. Celica turned to him, she wasn’t panicked like the others. “I’ll head inland, see if I can’t find some help. The rest of you start setting up a camp for us. Can’t run the risk on the boat if a storm rolls in.”

“Saber, wouldn’t it be best if we all sought out help or a solution?” she asked. He sighed, they’d merely slow him down. He knew places like this. 

“That will be later, lass, for now I’ll go see what I can find. I’ll move faster on my own.” Saber turned to walk away, pausing a few steps away. “Besides, we’ll need to be able to rest after the pirates we already fought. If we all tire ourselves out we’re ripe for an ambush.”

“That is a good point, be cautious Saber.”

“I will be lass.”

Saber walked straight into the brush. There would be something to find inland. At least clean water. This wasn’t what he’d expected the pirates to do. The choice to strand them wasn’t unheard of, but he thought they’d rather see him dead. It was all too likely they’d show up once supplies had run low. A fight he didn’t want to see.

He let out a heavy sigh as he kept walking. Deeper into trees that felt out of place. Not the right kind to be near the water. Too tall for the island too. Wrong. If he let the others out here they’d likely get lost. He’d stay close to the lass, make sure he got his payday once they reached Valentia. That golden dagger had to be worth it after all this.

Trees kept getting taller. Saber huffed as he started to find vines he could barely step over. He’d never seen plants like this. He didn’t want to risk his life out here in a mess. Just before he turned back he heard a sound. A kind of screech that almost reminded him of metal being sharpened. That wasn’t something to ignore.

Saber found a path between the massive plants. It almost seemed to clear out for him. Saber grumbled a few curses under his breath. The screech grew louder, he prepared for a fight. Sword drawn he walked and walked until leaves bigger than he was tall blocked his view.

With a deep breath, Saber pushed through the leaves. The sight before him made him freeze. What looked almost like a desecrated place of worship for Mila sat before him. Statues broken, pieces turned to dust. Vines, trees, weeds, undergrowth of all kinds grew over the marble. If he didn’t know better he’d assume they’d arrived at Mila’s temple a few thousand years late.

“What do I tell the others?” he whispered. “The lass won’t be happy to see this.”

The screech of a sword sharpening died down. Saber took the silence to inch forward. Investigate the ruins that appeared to grow as he walked. Statues bigger than he’d seen made by the most skilled artisans. Roots and vines that were thick enough to reach his waist. He tried to cut a vine next to him; his sword barely scratched it.

In an attempt to find the source of the sound he no longer heard, Saber kept moving. The place almost seemed to get bigger. The statue of a hand sat on the ground, partly disintegrated, but still bigger than him. Bigger than anything he wanted to picture. That didn’t deter him. Someone who might be after him or the others could be here. He was going to damn well earn that payday.

A swish that reminded him of an arrow shot from a bow came from a large cavern. Part of him considered retreating. If he left he could warn the others. Prepare for battle when they’d have a bunker prepared. That didn’t sit well when he hadn’t seen the enemy. It could lead them all to death when a minor army marched on them. He wasn’t dying on some forgotten rock in the middle of the ocean.

Saber entered the impossibly large cavern. Almost missed the rubble that looked eerily like a door. The sound of arrows flying didn’t stop. In fact it increased. As though a battle raged inside, one he’d witness at least. 

“Remember,” he whispered as he stepped through the darkness, “you were paid to protect them. Can’t earn your pay when you turn tail at the first sign of trouble.”

That reassurance spurred him on. Step by step into a darkness that left him on edge. A green light began to coat the hall he was in. Another part of this place that reminded him of Mila. Maybe some long forgotten blessing could get them out of this mess. Back to the mainland where he could get his pay and move on.

Either way the sound of arrows grew louder. It was joined by the swish of swords. Quickly met with the clang of metal clashing. Saber slowed his pace. Moved beside the wall, stuck to the shadows. Prepared to escape.

The green light grew brighter. The noise louder. He swore there were voices echoing in front of him. Yet the source was found and the room empty.

Saber found a room so big he couldn’t even see the other side. The ceiling above him was merely darkness. In the center sat a glowing green light. One that felt inviting. Against his better judgment, he walked forward. 

The sound of battle surrounded him again. An all too familiar sound. Saber could picture his last major battle. Before the duel, before he ran. It pushed him forward. Towards the glowing in the center. A promise to fix it. To change it. To become what he needed. To protect those under his care.

Before he knew it, Saber stood in the green glow. Inside was a gem. A brilliant emerald. Shaped like the mark the lass had on her palm. This place was too dangerous to bring her. Even with her allies. He reached out to it. The gem looked gigantic next to his hand. Impossible to hold, yet it was easy to grab. Almost… small after the fact.

The light died. The noise gone. Saber moved to leave. His body felt strange, light and heavy all at once. The room felt smaller than when he’d first entered. All of it had to be a trick. The light of Mila’s artifact merely made it feel huge. Even the presence of the artifact itself could be it. Gods were powerful, she could make that happen… probably.

The entrance hall through the cavern felt shorter. The dilapidated statues looked  more as he expected. The vines up to his waist made it just over his ankles. Strange, but clearly the work of the magic he held. Once he brought the gem back there’d be an explanation.

Saber kept repeating that thought as he walked. As the impossibly tall trees felt more normal. As they started to feel small. As the ones he had recognized in the beginning only reached his knees. The island had greenery because of Mila’s power. The gem was the source. He’d taken it, but someone would know the best option. The lass was a priestess after all.

His denial ended at the beach. When the boat looked small enough he could hold it in one hand. As prepared as he usually was, the surprise made him stumble back. Which brought out screams from where he now saw the tents he’d told the group to set up. Too small… or was he too big?

“Stay calm everyone!” the lass called. Her voice was still easy to hear at least. Saber crouched down, arms on his knees as he tried to get a look at them. The red hair stood out to him first. The others were more of a blur. “Saber?! Is that you?”

“Lass, I don’t suppose you’ve heard of any strange artifacts Mila left behind,” he said. While squinting, he could see the arms move to cover small ears. How the books held in Boey and Mae’s hands shook. The staff Genny held painfully close. All prepared for a fight, one against him that he knew they couldn’t win. They knew it too.

“Saber, I couldn’t quite understand you.”

Still polite. Collected. He didn’t have to see her clearly to know she was likely more terrified than the others. Saber held his hand in front of his face. In the center of his palm he could see the gem. The one that he thought was a remnant of Mila’s strength. That changed him, not the world. Maybe did change the world until he took it for himself.

As carefully as possible he set his hand down. Tensed at the way all his charges stumbled. He was still on the job. Paid to protect this group. Whatever did this to him wasn’t going to change that. Although that gold dagger wouldn’t do much when he was too big to even see it clearly.

“Lass, I found this inland. Do you recognize it?” he whispered this time. The weapons stayed ready, but the lass didn’t let that stop her. She approached him, too collected. The small shake of his head was too obvious, but he couldn’t hold it back. That made her pause.

“I… can’t see it from here, Saber,” she said. A simple nod from him. 

He tilted his hand towards himself. There wasn’t a chance he’d risk hitting the lass. The gem didn’t move. Saber lifted his hand off the sand. Shook it a bit in the air, but the gem stayed. He used his other hand to pry it off, but couldn’t get a grip. Reached for his sword only to realize two things. He didn’t remember sheathing it and if it was there it was too small to be of use.

“I can’t get it off, lass,” he said.

Silence. Unending silence. Until suddenly, “Then you’ll need to put me in your hand.”

“Lass, what are you thinking?” 

“I can’t see it on the ground and if it’s something from Mila I might be able to help. I can’t leave you like this.”

Saber thought about it for a bit. He could try grabbing her. The idea of her small body held between two fingers. Dropped on his palm that made her look as big as a bug. A part of him was confident he could do it safely. A part he’d ignored for too long wasn’t willing to risk it. So he took another route.

Saber reached over her to the boat. Lifted it out of the water with ease. Set it down next to her, or rather close to her. Then placed his hand down beside it. This was safer, no need for him to pinch her to get her on his palm. To risk a bad estimate of his own strength and killing the one he’d been hired to guard.

“Climb on by using the boat. It’s safer, lass,” he said. The others looked almost calmer when he said that. Maybe trusted he hadn’t lost himself to the sudden change in his size. At least this way… “Wait… Lass we should look at this later.”

Celica had already started to climb up the ladder to the deck when he spoke. The way the rope ladder acted like his voice was a storm wind bothered him. At the same time, his task was easy. Like this he couldn’t fail to protect his charges. The faint promise of the green light echoed in his head. He couldn’t fail.

“What do you mean?” she cried out once the ladder stopped. Saber used his other hand to put a finger under her. Lift her up and onto the deck. She weighed nothing against his finger. Nothing could fight him. He could defeat the gods like this… That might be pushing it.

“Lass, there’s no way off this island. You were in a rush. I can get us to the mainland,” he mumbled.

“What if you need something from here to get back to normal?”

“We’ll add that to what you owe me for the protection.”

“Saber, are you sure? We could repair the boat.”

“If you want to spend the time here we can lass. I thought you had some mission to see through.”

He could feel her stare from the deck. A glare that burned him. She was feisty. Strong, determined. He didn’t mind working for someone like this. Maybe he’d stick around after the job was done. Especially if they got him back to normal.

“Boey, Mae, Genny, climb on the boat.” Celica called. “Saber’s right, we can’t wait for rescue here.”

Saber smirked. The other three kept wary gazes on him. They’d get where they needed to go. Maybe not to a port town, but near enough. Although it wouldn’t be easy to hide himself from people on the coast even avoiding cities. That was a problem for later. Might even get the pirates off his back.

The three were slow going. The finger closest to the ladder twitched. Quiet screams came from the three. Clearly he couldn’t lift them as he did the lass. Rather he could, but he didn’t want to see how a mage’s spell would react to him right now. If they were unlucky it could bounce back and hurt the one who cast it. 

As soon as they were on the ship, Saber stood up again. Like this he couldn’t imagine being the size of the others. The ship fit in a single hand, hearing and seeing them didn’t even make sense. The magic that changed him had to be the cause. 

A quick stretch for his back before bending over to grab the ship. All four of his charges watched him. The idea of this seemed like a strange dream. He’d wake up to the lass telling him to get to the deck. Watch for pirates. Question himself how he’d fallen asleep in the first place.

That wasn’t the truth. Cemented by the prick on his skin of the splintered wood of the ship. Saber placed the part with the hole on his palm. Over the gem that had gotten stuck to his skin. His other hand wrapped around to keep the three safe from water and air. He brought the ship up to his chest. Near his heart where he could make sure they were safe from the water.

“Lass, I put the hole over the gem. Feel free to take a look, but I wouldn’t try anything until I tell you we reached land,” he breathed. This close he tried to keep his voice as quiet as possible, worried it could hurt the others.

“I’ll take a look,” she yelled. It made him smile. The lass showed no fear.

Saber wasted no time in starting his trip. His steps small and slow. Until the waves were under his feet. He’d never considered the depths of the ocean. His guess was he could walk them to safety, but there was no guarantee. He could try holding the others and swimming. Abandoning the boat completely.

Those thoughts didn’t matter as he waded into the water. It stopped rising just above his waist. He barely repressed the shiver that sent down his spine. His eyes widened when he felt a tickling sensation on his hand. Near the hole in the boat.

Saber focused on his steps, not the tickling. He knew it was the lass, her friends too probably. It was lucky he knew these waters. Knew the dock they needed. Steady focused steps. Every other step he tested the area ahead, making sure he wasn’t about to drop into the sea. He begged for the tickling on his hand to stop. He wanted to curl his fingers in to stop it.

It wasn’t clear how long he’d been walking when the tickling stopped. It was more of a relief than he wanted to admit. A bigger relief was the sight of the coast he wanted. Valentia was in sight. The sun was low already. Saber decided it was best to wait for nightfall. The others would ask if they got concerned, but it wasn’t far off. Maybe an hour of standing in the water before he moved again.

Careful, soft steps to reach the mainland. Ones to avoid drawing too much attention. He paused near the coast. He had to find a cove, a place where he could sit to hide. They could deal with the rest later. A few sweeping glances found what he wanted. Saber took long, gentle strides to the area. Scanned for signs of people before resting his own back against a cliff.

A sigh left him. They made it. He just had to get his payday, which would hopefully include fixing his size. Carefully he lifted the ship. He planned to set it down next to him. He paused when he found the source of the tickling on his hand. All four of his charges sat near the gem. Papers and books spread all around.

Boey had fallen asleep hugging a book tightly. Genny and Mae hugged each other. Celica had fallen asleep on the gem. In a way that didn’t look comfortable. Saber gently put the ship down nearby. Hole on land, the rest in the sea. Then brought his free hand close

“Lass, that can’t be comfortable,” he whispered. All four stirred for a moment then returned to a blissful rest. He smiled to himself as he brought his finger up and gently pushed the lass off the gem. She curled up quickly. “We’ll deal with my payment tomorrow.”

Saber chuckled to himself. Held his hand with the four near his chest. Used his other to protect them from cool air. If he could at least get smaller maybe he’d hang around. The lass was reliable. Could use someone who saw through her collected nature. That was something for tomorrow.

[cyncerity]

Finally! The Store Shifter AU dad story!!

Holy shit this took so long, i’m still not fully satisfied with the ending but this story has been like genuinely over 5 months in the making so i’m leaving it as is. also this will need a part 2 so expect that hopefully in a shorter period of time than this one took!

guys this thing is like almost 5k words lol

tw vore: don’t like it don’t read it

“Bad, are you sure this is the best idea?” “Yes I’m sure, now be quiet, we’re almost there.”

Skeppy huffed, blowing a few loose strands of hair out of his face. Bad always got like this when they went on retrieval missions. The kind and funny (if not somewhat naïve) man he married buried beneath a stoic, focused outer shell. He couldn’t blame him, though. Humans were horrifying to be around, and if Bad felt like he needed to turn off everything to get them all out of there safely, so be it. Usually it was just the two of them, Skeppy and Bad against the world as it always seemed to be, but Sam was with them today. He’d been pretty silent through their walk, but Skeppy could sense the unease practically radiating off him. Sam was a builder, after all; he almost never went near humans. But, according to him, some homes in their colony had been damaged by storms and needed repair work that would be significantly easier with human tools.

So, here they were. Bad, Skeppy, and Sam, headed towards a human market. Skeppy had been fully opposed, but the hunt and crops had been poor at the colony, and their supplies likely wouldn’t be regrown until a few months from now if they were lucky. Bad suggested the human’s market, where he’d heard other borrowers say they’d seen humans come in with nothing and leave with bags full of god knows what. He was confident they’d be able to find the necessary rations there, and even if he was scared, he wouldn’t let Bad go to some human infested place without him. Then Sam had joined them and off they’d gone, promising the rest of the colony to be back in a day or two.

As they neared the market, Skeppy could see Bad tense. Anyone else wouldn’t have noticed the slight crease of his brows, the minute shaking of his hands. That’s part of what made him a great leader for their colony; he was able to stay calm and collected no matter what. But having known him for so long, Skeppy could read him like an open book. He was scared. Sam, meanwhile, wasn’t even trying to hide it. He was quaking, clearly terrified of going into a space filled with creatures he knows could and likely would kill him if given the chance. Skeppy, honestly, was equally terrified. They almost never ventured this far into human society, and certainly never into human inhabited spaces. But, all for the good of the colony.

They approached the building and saw humans leaving the store, making Skeppy’s stomach turn in fear. He was sure that his fear was just as noticeable as Sam’s was, and he wasn’t sure how Bad was managing to keep his cool while him and Sam were panicking right next to him. But somehow, Bad pressed them forward, and they had little choice but to follow. They’d already made it this far, and like hell Skeppy was gonna back down and leave Bad to do this alone now.

They managed to get in the door right behind a human before scurrying back to the shadows for safety the second they entered the building, and holy shit was it bigger than he’d thought it was. There were dozens and dozens of rows one hundred times bigger than any one of them, even if they were small compared to the trees of the forest. “We’ll have to search from above,” Bad whispered quietly, breaking the unspoken vow of silence that the three had been following since nearing the shop. “Skeppy, lend me a rope. We can hoist each other up on each level.”

So, that they did. One of them would climb, then throw a rope for the other two to climb to meet them, only occasionally having to hide behind whatever human product was nearest to avoid being spotted. Thank god there weren’t as many humans in the place as he’d initially thought there would be. After a while, the three had made it to the top, overlooking pretty much the entire shop. Skeppy took note that most of the food they’d need was farther back in the store, unfortunately, but at least the platforms they stood on were close enough together that they could jump them. He also took note that a good number of humans were leaving, which was great for them, but also meant that night was likely coming soon, so they had to be fast. It wasn’t safe to travel the woods at night. Bad seemed to recognize this, as he gestured for Skeppy and Sam to follow him, leading them towards what they’d need. After a few more minutes of the three heading to the back, almost all the humans were gone except for a few in bright green vests. Skeppy reasoned that they were the ones who operated the place, if they all dressed the same and stayed when no one else did. But he wasn’t worried; what were the odds that the humans would look up to see them?

“Hey, Nick, you wanna head home early? You don’t look so good, I’m sure Dream wouldn’t mind.” Skeppy heard a human say. He knew it’d be best to stay back, but Skeppy was nothing if not stupidly impulsive. He leaned over the edge of the platform they’d been walking on, catching the attention of Bad and Sam too late to stop him. The human who had spoken was wearing a white sweater and gold chain with blonde hair and pale skin. He was talking to another human, “Nick” apparently, who was slumped over some boxes he was putting on a shelf, back turned to where the borrowers were. This one had a dark red hoodie and black beanie pulled over his head that almost matched the shade of his hair. The first human was right, though; if human body language read anything like a borrowers, this guy really wasn’t looking good. Nevertheless, he responded. “Hm? No, no, I’m fine, Punz, really.” He mumbled, barely looking up. The blonde one, “Punz,” didn’t look like he believed it for a second. “Bullshit. C’mere, let me take your temperature.” He said, pulling the other human to face him, and-

No.

No fucking way.

Skeppy could feel that Bad at this point had noticed his absence and had come over to drag him away from the conversation by force, but he shook himself free from his grip, eyes never leaving the scene in front of him. That was him. There’s no way it wasn’t. His hair was different, far different from the hazel brown he remembered, the same shade as his father’s, but it was him. He even had the discoloration around his eyes to prove it, the scar that had nicknamed him “Pandas” all those years ago. He looked older, much older, no longer the teen Skeppy remembered, and more tired. Worn down, even. He really did look sick.

Bad wasn’t letting go, and now Sam was trying to help him. Punz and Nick- no, Sapnap, he was sure of it- were still idly chatting below, Punz trying to convince Sapnap he needed to go and Sapnap insisting he was fine. At another insistent yank from Bad, Skeppy finally snapped, pulling away and grabbing Bad by the front of his hood, dragging his face close. “Bad,” he whispered as quietly as he could with tears threatening to spill from his eyes, “it’s our son.”

He saw Bad’s eyes light up for a moment before fear masked his expression. He looked down at Sapnap, who was now sat alone, staring at the ground. Punz must’ve left at some point without him noticing. Bad sat in stunned silence, and for once Skeppy couldn’t read his expression. An expression he could read, however, was Sam’s. He looked an odd mix of confused and mortified. Skeppy was confused at the odd reaction before it hit him; Sam didn’t know Sapnap was a shifter. “That’s Sapna-mph?!“ “Shh!!” Sam whisper yelled before Skeppy slapped a hand over his mouth. “Ok, i don’t know what he’s doing here but yes, it has to be. He can…do this. I mean, he can look human. But he’s not! It’s…it’s a long story, dude.” “I- He..what?? Bad, you knew about this?” Sam whisper yelled again, quieter. “…Yes.” Bad took a moment to answer, like it pained him to admit out loud that the ‘human’ down there was his own son. “How can…how long has he-“ Sam cut himself off as Sapnap’s head snapped up, revealing that his eyes were almost black with how large his pupils were. He looked out of it entirely. He looked…predatory.

Bad gasped, stumbling back from the edge of the platform he’d been watching from and fell to the ground, clutching his chest, unable to control his ragged breathing. Skeppy and Sam were immediately right there beside him, Sam trying to lead him through breathing exercises as quietly as possible as Skeppy asked him what was wrong. After a few moments, Bad managed to choke out words. “We- we need…to go. We..we need t- to go now.” “Why? What’s going on?” Skeppy asked. Before Bad could give any semblance of an answer, they heard boxes be knocked over. To curious for his own good, Skeppy went to see what it was, and Sam and Bad reluctantly followed.

Sapnap was stood again, back turned to the three as he looked up at one of the shelves near him. And there stood- “Alex?” Skeppy heard Sam whisper, hope full in his voice. Skeppy had almost forgotten that the day Sapnap ran away was the last time Sam had seen his own son. Quackity looked older, too. His hair was longer and he looked more well nourished and muscular than the scrawny, scrappy little boy Skeppy had watched grow up. He also still wore his stupid little bandana and the face covering Karl had made him after he’d got that gash through his mouth. But even with that mask on, Skeppy noticed the confusion and pity in his eyes as he looked at his boyfriend.

“Sapnap?” Quackity asked, but there was no response. He kept looking for a little bit before sighing and looking around. What for, Skeppy didn’t know, but what he did find was them. Skeppy saw Quackity’s eyes go wide as he noticed the three, and he looked horrified. Sam stood and waved, moving to say something before Quackity violently charaded to keep quiet. He then started to shoo them, and Bad immediately took the hint and tried to pull the both of them away, but Skeppy and Sam held their ground. “Why?” Sam said just barely loud enough for Quackity to hear across the aisle, but also loud enough for Sapnap to notice apparently, as he started to turn around towards them. “Just go!!” Quackity screamed, drawing Sapnap’s attention back to himself as his head snapped back. Quackity took a step forward about to yell something else before time froze.

Faster than he could blink, Sapnap had reached up and roughly grabbed Quackity off the shelf, holding him to his face for a short moment before stuffing him in his mouth. He could hear muffled yelling, too distant to make out any words, and could see indents of Quackity pushing against Sapnap’s cheeks trying to fight his way out. Bad was silent, ghastly white and completely unmoving, not even breathing, which left Skeppy to turn his attention away from the scene in front of him to keep Sam quiet. He quickly and forcefully wrapped his arm around his mouth and pulled him back, using his other hand to push Sam’s head into the crook of his elbow to muffle him. Sam was yelling and screaming; clawing, kicking, doing anything just to make Skeppy to let him go, but he endured it. It was all he could do to not think too heavily into what he’d just seen. There was no way Sapnap would…eat him. He’d watched Quackity and Sapnap grow up together. Before Karl came along, it’d really just been the two of them. They were best friends from the start, and early in their teenage years, it turned to something more. Sapnap cared more about Quackity than himself, he knew that for a fact. There had to be something he was missing here, right?

All at once, Sam fell silent. The screaming, kicking, everything stopped. Everything but his crying; Skeppy could feel his sleeve growing wet with tears. Maybe this was a good sign. Maybe Sapnap had spit him out, maybe it was all a prank, a joke, anything. Sapnap was raised by him and Bad, after all. He’d seen his fair share of trolling from his fathers. Sapnap couldn’t do this, he and Bad hadn’t raised a monster. This wasn’t happening. Everything was ok.

As he looked up, the sight ahead of him said otherwise.

Sapnap had his head tilted up, one hand lightly pressed on something- no, someone in his throat, while the other was holding something just outside his mouth; a tail. Quackity’s tail. Quackity was moving under the pressure; squirming, thrashing even, under Sapnap’s skin, yet the expression on his son’s face read nothing but bliss. Skeppy could even swear he saw drool seeping out of the corners of his smile. He couldn’t watch this. He couldn’t stay here and stand to see the boy he had raised, had loved his entire life, kill someone that Skeppy had thought he’d watched him grow to love. But he couldn’t move. He stood frozen, tears welling in his eyes and his body cold from fear with Sam limp and silently sobbing in his arms. Sam, poor Sam, who sat here watching his son be eaten alive not only by his previous future son-in-law, by his own best friends’ son. Bad, who’d been so silent that Skeppy had nearly forgotten he was here, barely seemed to be breathing. His only signs of life were the tears pouring down his face and the violent shaking that wracked his entire frame. He looked so scared Skeppy was surprised he was still standing.

The three of them watched in silent horror as finally, after what felt like hours, Sapnap let go of Quackity’s tail. They watched his form fall farther and farther down Sapnap’s throat little by little until finally his struggles had disappeared beneath his lover’s collar bones, sealing his fate. Sapnap dropped his head and sighed, the blissful, at peace expression he wore making Skeppy sick. He watched Sapnap seemingly subconsciously trace a line down his torso, no doubt following where Quackity was within his body, until he finally placed a palm on his stomach. And if there was any doubt (which at this point could only be chalked up to wishful thinking) as to what fate Quackity had truly met, it had all been dispelled as the three heard horrible, violent gurgling sounds coming from Sapnap’s stomach. Sapnap covered his whole midsection with his arm, face tinged pink in apparent embarrassment as he whipped his head side to side to make sure no one was around. Luckily for the three of them, he still didn’t think to look up. He blinked a few times before looking down at where his arm laid for a few seconds and subsequently sighing, rolling his eyes (which Skeppy belatedly realized were back to normal instead of the horrifying all consuming black). He began rubbing his stomach as a few more gurgles were heard and he pulled a little thin black box from his apron, tapping it a few times before holding it to his ear.

A few seconds of silence later, Sapnap was speaking. “Hey, Dream! Did Punz tell you I was sick? He said he was going off to find you like 10 minutes ago.” More silence. “Yeah, yeah, I’m fine now. I think I just needed something to eat, if you know what I mean.” Skeppy’s heart skipped a beat hearing Sapnap so nonchalantly refer to his own species, to someone he loved, as food. “I’m just gonna go on break now if that’s ok. Could you meet me by the security office? I need you to help me, uh…get rid of something.” Another break. “Ok, sounds good, I’ll meet you then. Bye.” He said, tapping the black box again before slipping it back into a pocket and moving to leave the aisle. At that, Skeppy decided it was far past time to go. He went to grab Bad before realizing that he was fully unconscious, likely having passed out from fear. Sam, on the other hand, lay sobbing. Skeppy could do nothing but try to drag him to away, but ultimately failed. “Sam,” Skeppy whispered, voice cracking through tears and shivering, “We…we have to go.” “I failed.” he responded, not bothering to whisper since Sapnap was gone. “I failed as a father. I couldn’t save him. I- I couldn’t save them. Either of them.” He chocked out, tears pouring harder. Skeppy stood shocked; Sam rarely mentioned his other son anymore. It’d been so, so long since he’s been around that Skeppy (as much as it pained him to admit it to himself) had almost forgotten he existed completely. And didn’t that just make this all the more sad; Sam didn’t deserve to lose another kid. He didn’t deserve to have these old scars ripped back open again. “You couldn’t have known.” Skeppy said, sitting down beside him. “There’s nothing you could’ve done. I…I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry, Sam.”

Skeppy wasn’t sure why he felt the need to apologize, but in some way, this felt like his fault. Sapnap was his son. What had he done wrong? How long had Sapnap been planning to do this? What would Karl say if he saw this? Is Karl even still alive, or did Sapnap get to him first? How were they gonna tell Tina that her younger brother got killed by his fiancé, of all people?

Skeppy was only snapped out of it when a hand rested on his own, and he turned to see Sam looking at him. His tear-stained expression held no anger, no contempt for the man who had raised the person to have just killed his son, just…pity and sadness. Sam didn’t hate him. Sam felt…sorry for him. Sorry that his son had turned out like this after so many years being away from home. Sorry that the boy who they’d both loved growing up was gone, twisted into a psychopath and cannibal. In a way, they’d both lost their kids today. Skeppy couldn’t do anything but break down, clinging to Sam and sobbing as he finally processed everything that he’d seen today. Sam just hugged back tightly, like Skeppy was his only lifeline, and sobbed with him.

“We should get going.” Sam sighed after what felt like hours. “We need to help Bad, and I’m sure the others are wondering why we’re not back yet.” Skeppy, still numb, just nodded and helped sling one of Bad’s unconscious arms over his shoulder while Sam took another. The walk back to where they had come from was silent, neither of them willing to bring up the fact that they hadn’t actually retrieved any supplies and the whole trip was kinda pointless, but were met with a sight that neither had been expecting.

The doors were tied shut with chains. They couldn’t get out.

They were stuck there till morning.

~~~~~

Sapnap sat in the break room fiddling with his phone when he saw Dream come in, twirling a set of keys on his finger. “You said you needed access to the security room?” “‘Bout time.” Sapnap responded sarcastically, standing up off the beanbag chair with a hand over his stomach to keep the extra weight in his gut from swaying as he moved. Seriously, no matter how many times or how often he’d done this, he was never going to get used to it, was he? “Sorry I needed to lock up the store, asshole.” Dream replied, leading him out of the room to the security office down the hall. “Ranboo is staying at my place tonight so Tom and Tubbo aren’t alone, so I had to lock up from inside today cause someone invited me to stay the night to work on parkour stuff.” “Don’t pin this on me, I’m being nice to you for once.” Sapnap replied, lightly elbowing Dream as he tried to unlock the door and messing him up. Dream flipped him off without even moving his vision away from the lock before getting back to work. “Are you at the security office yet?” Quackity asked, startling Sapnap which in turn startled Dream, who gave him an odd look. Sapnap just pointed to his stomach and Dream rolled his eyes and went back to work on the lock.

“Yeah, we are. Holy shit, dude, you scared the fuck outta me, I thought you were asleep. You haven’t said anything like this entire time.” “I couldn’t fall asleep. Something…something happened, man.” “…Well that doesn’t sound ominous at all. What kinda something? Something bad?? Are you ok, did I do something?” “I’m fine!” Quackity quickly responded, picking up on his fiancé’s nervous tone. “It’s just…well I don’t know yet. You’ll be able to see for yourself on the video camera. I don’t want to freak you out if it’s nothing.” Sapnap went to ask what that meant before Dream finally managed to open the door with a little cheer of celebration. He ushered Sapnap in as he started to log into the camera’s system.

“Ok, so can you tell me what happened?” Dream questioned. “It’s been a while since I did the instinct thing, so I guess I looked kinda sickly, so Punz ran to get you. After that I started to feel nauseous and sat down and passed out. When I woke up again, Quackity was in here and I felt a lot better. I think my instincts just fully took over so I wasn’t conscious, like, at all. I figured I would see what exactly happened and then delete the footage so no one else could see me lose it.” Dream nodded. “Yeah, I figured that’s what you meant by ‘needed something to eat.’ Kinda also figured that instincts had something to do with why Punz said you looked sick, so I asked Quackity to go and look for you.” Sapnap vaguely heard Quackity confirm what Dream had said. “Oh, thanks dude.” “No problem. Now, where and when was this again?”

Sapnap gave a few more specifications on what had happened, and at this point he could feel Quackity nervously pacing in his gut, which felt…weird, to say the least. “Quackity, dude, are you ok? You never move this much in there, it’s kinda freaking me out. And it feels weird.” “Sorry.” He heard as he felt Quackity drop back down to sit, almost immediately starting to tap his foot. “You’re nervous about something.” “No I’m-“ “You’re sitting with your eye sockets pressed into your knees while tapping your foot. I’ve known you my entire life, I don’t need to be able to see you to know what you’re doing. You only do that when you’re really anxious, what’s up?” “Like I said, you’ll see on the video.” Sapnap was about to respond again, but was agin cut off by Dream. “Found it! Oh shit, yeah, you look really out of it, I’m surprised you made it as long as y- what the fuck is that??” That bit caught Sapnap’s attention. He moved closer to the tv and noticed what Dream was questioning: on the grainy monitor, there were 3 small silhouettes on top of an aisle in front of Sapnap. “Are those…borrowers?” Dream asked, looking over to Sapnap. “They have to be. What the hell are more borrowers doing in the store? Q, is this what you were worried about?” “…Mostly.” Quackity responded, and Sapnap nodded to Dream so he could follow along. “…fast forward, see if you can tell when they leave.” Sapnap relayed the request to Dream, who did as he asked.

“Oh no…” Sapnap whispered. “What?” Dream asked, but Quackity was apparently more than aware of the issue. “They didn’t listen, did they? They didn’t go when I told them too?” “No, no they didn’t…” Sapnap whispered again, in shock. He felt Quackity stand and start to pace again, but this time couldn’t care to correct it. “What? Who didn’t what?” Dream asked. “The borrowers on the aisle. Quackity was signaling for them to leave so they wouldn’t see me do..that, but they didn’t. They’re seeing everything.” Sapnap gestured back up to the screen, where at this point he could see Quackity entering his throat and the borrowers backing up, one even kicking and fighting another to do something. “Well…thats not good, but it can’t be that bad, right? I mean, what are the odds you’ll ever see them again? I mean, sure they can tell a colony about a human that ate a borrower, but you guys have always kinda been under the impression we did that anyway, right? At the absolute worst, they’ll have another horror story to get kids to bed on time.” “Dream, I just traumatized 3 random borrowers for life.” “I was under the impression you were all just kinda traumatized from shit in general, is this really that much worse?” “Sapnap, tell him to shut up.” Quackity interrupted. Sapnap obliged by smacking a hand over Dream’s mouth and putting a finger over his own lips. “…I need you to let me out.” Sapnap looked confused for a moment. Quackity had only been in there for a few hours; normally when this happened he would just stay the night since it was more of a hassle to get dry and clean just to put on pjs. Something was wrong, still, Sapnap would never hold the man he loved against his will.

Sapnap quickly brought him up, placing a hand under his mouth as Quackity climbed out. Quackity’s head snapped immediately to the security footage. At this point, Sapnap could see himself finally swallow Quackity down, and the 3 borrowers react accordingly with varying levels or fear and distress. One of them even went unconscious. Quackity watched with a look of worry that made Sapnap anxious; in all the years he’d known Quackity, he’d never seen him like this. Why was he this worried? He barely registered that in the video he had regained control, only focused on what could have caused the fear in his fiancé’s eyes.

Until one of the borrowers turned enough for their face to be seen in the camera.

That…that was his dad. That was Skeppy, holding onto someone who had to be Sam. His other dad was taller than that. That means that the last one, the borrower who’d passed out when Sapnap had swallowed Quackity was…

Sapnap felt his breath speed up. He quickly set Quackity down on the desk as he clutched a hand to his chest and his vision started to blur. “Sap?” Dream questioned, hands hovering around him in concern, “Sapnap are you ok??” “That’s…Those are…” He couldn’t get the words out. Fuck. No, fuck, god no, this wasn’t how this was supposed to go, they weren’t supposed to know, they weren’t supposed to ever see him again but now they knew everything.

They knew he was a monster.

“…those are our dads.” Quackity whispered, barely audible as dreams eyes widened. “The one crying is my dad, the other two are Sapnap��s.”

[thefandomwritersblog]

Ghost of the Ten Horizon: Forbidden West Hekarro x Fem!OldOne OC Action/Adventure/Romance/Hurt/Comfort Chapter 23

Part 3: Ghost of the Ten

~~

“All time ever does is pass and all I do is remember.” - Sue Zhao

~~

Much like Dekka predicted, the storm from the west swept in without warning and without mercy.

That first night, Victoria couldn’t help but agree with Hekarro’s concerns. The wind howled with a ferocity that was nothing short of terrifying, shrieking through the Grove like a vengeful spirit. It tore through the trees and tangled underbrush without a hint of mercy, sending debris crashing against the crumbling stone walls with such force that she feared they might collapse under the storm's fury. The tempest continued for days on end, seemingly unrelenting until it finally gave way to a steady downpour that transformed the jungle floor into a murky floodplain. Only then did the Tenakth venture out from their shelters, evaluating the damage but largely ignoring the persistent drizzle as they set about repairing and strengthening their home—an endeavor made significantly easier by the Oseram residing there. When the rain finally lightened, Petra and her crew were among the first to walk through the Grove, ready to offer their expertise and assistance. By the time they finished, everything was more or less back to normal; only a few collapsed walls remained, posing no real threat to the overall structure of the Grove.

But the constant rain left Victoria in a rut. She listened to it patter relentlessly against the canvases that covered her room, sheltered beneath the one that covered her desk. The candle on the corner flickered in the breeze that swept through the Grove, cool against her skin despite the humidity. She stared at her journal, its pages filled with her sketches, and Victoria couldn’t help but scoff at it and push it aside. There wasn’t much to do with the rain constantly coming down, and there were only so many Strike matches against Dekka she was willing to lose before it started to wear on her patience. Her routine walks were no longer an option either; Beta wasn’t accustomed to just casually strolling through the rain like the Tenakth, and neither was Victoria, making it impossible her to join Hekarro on his daily patrols through the Grove.

Victoria’s stomach growled then. She glanced up at the dimming daylight and sighed. The hallway was deserted as she stepped out of her room, turning left towards the arena. The usually lively atmosphere was muted by the rain. A stark contrast to the usual hustle and bustle of Petra’s workers. As she made her way into the Maw, the silence followed her until she reached the dimly lit mess hall. A few sets of eyes turned towards her as she walked in, but she ignored them and headed straight for the counter where Rikka, the Lowlander cook, greeted her with a smile.

"Stew tonight," Rikka announced. "I saved a special bowl just for you."

"Thanks," Victoria replied with a grumble, taking the proffered bowl and shuffling off to find an empty seat. She found a spot with a good view of the room and the door, her back against the wall as she huddled over the table to eat. The rain pattering away against the roof was a constant above the low hum of conversation, and the bustle of Rikka in her kitchen. There was an occasional glance from the nearby Tenakth, curiosity burning in each glance despite Victoria’s best attempts to ignore them.

She understood their curiosity - she was the Old One, after all. The still living daughter of their revered ancestor. A miracle made real.

If only they knew the truth. But even if they did, would it change anything?

Sudden movement caught her eye as a Tenakth woman entered the room through the door. She vaguely recalled her as the same woman who had caused a commotion when she first woke up. Victoria couldn't quite remember her name, though she was sure she was a marshal. Shaking her head, she refocused on her meal, but her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a strike board hitting the table in front of her. Looking up, Victoria was surprised to see the marshal standing next to her, studying her with a stern expression. A hush fell over the room, all eyes turned to the pair of them.

Victoria leaned back in her chair lazily, still holding a spoon as it played with the edge of her bowl. "Last I heard, the Chief said none of his clan were supposed to approach me." The marshal blinked and then sat down at the table, throwing a bag of strike pieces and tiles onto the board. Victoria chuckled under her breath, "But I suppose rules don't matter when they get in the way of what you want, right?"

The marshal set up the board while Victoria chose her pieces, and they began their game in complete silence. As they moved their pieces across the board, Victoria couldn't shake off the feeling of being constantly judged by the marshal. Their game had also caught the attention of others in the room, and slowly a crowd gathered around their table. The marshal proved to be a formidable opponent despite using simple pieces. It was clear that she was utilizing every advantage she had, even with just the basic tile board. And though Victoria put up a fierce fight and took shots whenever possible, she ultimately lost.

With a slight smirk on her lips, the marshal turned her evaluating gaze to Victoria and commented, "You fight until the very end."

"Why would I make it easy or enjoyable for anyone else to beat me?" Victoria retorted. Laughter rippled through the crowd and the marshal chuckled, motioning to a nearby warrior.

“Bring a round of Stalker’s Bite, I get the feeling it’ll soothe the sting of her loss.”

The order was quickly carried out, and before long, a flask was thrust into Victoria's hand. The smell alone made her nose hairs curl and her stomach churn at the thought of drinking whatever concoction this was. But Victoria wasn't one to back down from a challenge, so she took a big gulp when the marshal offered her the drink.

“Thousand years must have made me a lightweight,” Victoria grumbled, a hand to her head as a sudden rush of warmth and wooziness fell over her, “What the fuck is this stuff?”

The Marshal chuckled and followed suit by taking a large swig herself. Flasks were passed around the group, and several warriors even pulled up chairs to join in. A man next to Victoria nudged her arm, and she handed him the flask as he explained

"We call it Stalker's Bite. It's a favorite among us Lowlanders. We make it from honey collected in the trees just south of Thornmarsh and mix it with fermented fruit. It's Chief Hekarro's favorite."

He handed the flask back to Victoria for another drink, feeling the burning sensation down her throat all the way to her stomach. "This stuff definitely packs a punch. Is this the only thing you guys make?"

Another man, just to Victoria’s left, perked up and grinned, “The Desert Clan makes a drink from the innards of the Spikestalks.”

A voice from the back of the room shouted out, "The Sky Clan has a special drink made from a rare flower! Sweetest brew I’ve ever had!"

The crowd laughed and talked loudly, surrounding Victoria with their noise. Flasks of strong drink were passed around. This was a familiar routine for Victoria; she enthusiastically joined in on each toast, savoring the taste of the sweet liquid. As the night went on, time seemed to slip away, fluid like the drink in her hand, marked only by another round of brew or a rowdy cheer. Faces became blurry and voices blended together in a chaotic symphony. Then came the challenge - another game proposed by an eager warrior seeking glory. He stood up, taking the place of the Marshal, and all eyes turned to Victoria once again. The crowd pressed closer, their excitement almost tangible despite Victoria's intoxication. Yet amidst it all - or perhaps because of it - Victoria found herself reveling in the energy where only two things mattered: the drink in her hand and the undeniable thrill of victory.

The games continued well into the night, long after the last drop of Stalker's Bite had been consumed. Slowly but surely, the clan cleared out of the mess hall at Rikka's insistence. Victoria stumbled through the Maw, accompanied by the drunken Marshal she had befriended, both of them soaked from the pouring rain.

As they turned the corner towards the back bedrooms, Victoria slurred, "I don't think I ever caught your name." The Marshal chuckled,

"Ivvira," she replied, steadying herself by clutching onto Victoria's shoulder. They walked past the bedrooms towards the Throne Room. "And you are the Old One, Victoria."

Victoria couldn't help but laugh. "You all really like to call me that," she said. "It's been months but I still don't know what it means."

Ivvira frowned, “I guess I’m not really sure what it��s supposed to mean either.” They paused before Anne’s exhibit, and after a long moment of silence the Marshal eventually scoffed, “It’s funny how you changed everything.”

“That a good or bad thing?”

“I’m not sure yet,” Ivvira replied, “Before I even knew you existed, I was confused and angry. It wasn’t like Chief Hekarro to keep secrets from us. Even Marshal Kotallo, our champion and her sister, they wouldn’t tell us anything. It went against the Tenakth way." She turned her gaze towards Victoria. "And then you appeared out of nowhere. You were just as angry and confused, and so frightened. But despite it all, you stood your ground with me and asked a question that has haunted me ever since." Another pause before Ivvira spoke in a whisper, barely audible, "What did Anne Faraday sacrifice for peace and unity?"

Victoria's gaze shifted to the empty space where Anne's exhibit used to be, bringing back memories of her childhood. Birthdays missed, sporting events where her mother's seat was always empty. Christmas morning spent alone with a poorly wrapped gift because she had foolishly hoped her mother would come home.

“I think you already know the answer to that, Ivvira.”

A long pause passed between them before Ivvira nodded, “I figured.” She turned to look at Victoria then, “You could always join the tribe.”

Victoria blinked, shocked, “Fuckin’ excuse me.”

Ivvira responded casually with a shrug, "Why not? You don't have anywhere else to go." Victoria felt herself bristle at the statement, but Ivvira quickly amended, "Wait, that sounded worse than I intended. What I mean is, everything you know is different now, and we could learn so much from you. Is it really so bad to stay with us and teach us?”

Would it be such a terrible thing to find purpose once again?

Victoria wasn't sure how to respond. Ever since she woke up, she had been struggling. Angry, lost, and depressed. She swallowed hard, trying to push back the lump in her throat.

Do you even deserve it?

Tears welled up in her eyes.

You couldn't even protect your family. You didn't even have the decency to die with them. Why should you get to live when they didn’t?

"Just think about it," Ivvira said earnestly. "You've already made a huge impact on us just by being here. We all talk about you, even though we're technically not supposed to speak to you. And we've heard you talking with Chaplain Dekka about our history and way of life. Plus, tonight you played games and drank with us like one of our own." she smiled warmly, "I really think you'd fit in well here, and you could do so much good for us."

You don’t deserve it.

You’ll kill them just like everyone else.

Ivvira retreated, her departure leaving Victoria alone with the rhythmic drumming of rain against the Grove. Her gaze was drawn to the void left by Anne’s exhibit, a hollow space that echoed with memories and unspoken words. Her fingers moved of their own accord, activating the display. Anne materialized in front of her, eyes that felt both intimately known and achingly distant scanning the unseen audience. They never settled on Victoria, always looking past her - not the first time, she hated that it wasn’t the last. Even in death her mother always had a way of making her feel small.

The anger was raw, visceral. It gnawed at her insides like a starved beast, fueled by countless instances of the same question: why her? Why had she been singled out from all others to bear witness to humanity's downfall? Anne would have been a better choice. She would have made a difference, shaped order from chaos. But no, it was Victoria who remained while Anne became nothing more than a ghostly projection on a screen. A god in the eyes of the Tenakth.

Worthless

So easy to feel worthless in comparison to Anne's legacy, and Ivvira’s suggestion was just another reminder of this inadequacy. They wanted her as a messiah when she could barely keep herself from drowning.

Useless.

"Victoria?"

A voice cut through the haze of alcohol-fueled self-loathing, pulling her back from the precipice of despair. As Hekarro descended the stairs from the throne room, her gaze snapped towards him. She felt a surge of fury course through her veins at the sight of him. He was no different from Ivvira - in fact, he was worse. His only concern was what she could offer him. Did he wear that mask of kindness for show? Victoria couldn't help but curl her lip in disdain as she looked at him. - they all wanted something from her, all because she was Anne Faraday's daughter, their supposed Goddess. It only added to her anger and bitterness, another burden placed upon her shoulders and an excuse to exploit her mother's legacy.

“What?”

[melanieph321]

Ruben Dias x Reader - A House Is Not A Home Part 2/8

Ruben's wife dies during childbirth along with their son. Ruben hasn't been in a relationship since. Y/N is a single mother to a four year old boy. She buys a house in the small town that Ruben lives in. The house needs alot of fixing which Ruben helps with, resulting in him slowly falling in love with Y/N. However, falling in love with Y/N makes Ruben feel like he is betraying his dead wife.

Enjoy!

The day after the storm.

To you it had only seemed like a bit of light rain, however Katarina and David, who was kind enough to let you stay with them for the night, explained that the storm hit bad for the farmers and their animals living out by the fields.

"But I live out by the fields?" You questioned.

The two of them shared a look of concern.

"What?"

Your questions answered themselves as you pulled into the driveway of your house. Your heart sank at the sight of it, the sight of destruction that had befallen. The once-sturdy oak tree in front of the house now lay across your roof, its branches tangled and broken. You parked the Cheevy and stepped out onto the porch, tears streaming down your face as you surveyed the damage.

"No. This can't be happening."

Just then, a pickup truck pulled up behind you, kicking up dust and gravel. A tall, lanky man with sharp eyes and a dented frown hopped out of the driver's seat. "Hey, you alright?"

He approached you with rushed steps.

"No. Look at my house." You sniffled, wiping your nose with the back of your hand. "It was just a normal storm," you said, trying to make sense of it all. "But this...this is just..."

"I'm sorry." The man said. "Do you live here alone?"

You nodded, feeling a fresh wave of tears threatening to spill over.

"You're the new owner?"

"Yes, why?" You fretted the man's judgmental glare.

"But you're a woman." He frowned.

"Um...glad you noticed."

"No, I mean." He shook his head, letting himself get over the slight shock. "I recall selling the house to a Mr Johnny Marshall..."

"Oh...right."

You were thankful that you hadn't put make up on this morning, you would've looked a mess in front of strangers. "Johnny is my husband. I'm his wife,  Y/N." You offered the man your hand, he took it, shaking it firmly.

"Ruben,  Ruben Dias."

Your hands let go.

"You're Ruben?"

"You've heard of me?"

Heat rose to your face as the man's sharp eyes turned soft, curiously inspecting you.

"Um...Katarina and David." You stuttered. "I stayed with them during the storm. They told me that you would come today."

"They did?"

"Yeah. I arrived yesterday but there was a power outage in the house and so I called the number you gave me. To the bar?"

"You were at the bar last night?" A peculiar expression came across his face but was quickly wiped away.

"Y...yeah, I was at the bar. It's where I met Katarina and David. That's when they told me about you."

It felt like you were repeating yourself. It was becoming annoying.

Ruben stood with his hands on hips, looking to ponder what to do with you. "So where is he?"

"Who?" You frowned.

"You're husband?"

Somthing in your chest tightened. For a second breathing wasn't possible. "Johnny is ...um he's...."

Ruben raised a brow.

You exhaled, clearing your airways. "My husband...Johnny. He is working abroad actually. He's in the military."

"Okay, so you came to live here by yourself?"

"For now." You nodded, in a way, indicating that you were done answering his questions.

You watched Ruben take walk around the house, examining the fallen tree and the damage it had caused. After a few minutes, he returned to where you were standing on the porch, your arms crossed tightly over your chest.

"Well, the good news is that the tree didn't cause any structural damage to the house," he said. "But the roof will need to be replaced, and there's some serious cleanup up work to do before you can even think about repairs."

You felt a sense of relief wash over you. At least the house itself was okay. But the cost of repairs...you shook your head, feeling overwhelmed. "I don't know how I'm going to afford all of this," you admitted.

Ruben nodded understandingly. "Well there is no point in putting anything off."

"Put what off?"

"I have a pair of gloves in my trunk if you want to grab them?"

"And why would I do that?" You frowned.

Ruben chuckled. "You didn't think I'd clear all the damage for you. I mean, It's your house."

"Right...of course." You hesitated for a moment, unsure if you should trust this stranger. But there was something kind and genuine about him that put you at ease. You went over to his truck and popped the trunk, grabbing the gloves.

"Alright. Where should we start?"

You joined Ruben's side as he overlooked the property. Alot needed to be done.

"The only way we can start. " He sighed.

"From the bottom?"

Ruben bent down to pick up some broken wood. You shrugged your shoulders and did the same.