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jadelynlace · 3 years ago

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Ink Drinker / Modern Vikings AU [Ivar x F!Reader], Chapter 6

catch up here!

synopsis: Ivar was only meant to be a friend with benefits, but he caught feelings for his older brother’s best friend, and co-worker: you.

pairing: Ivar x F!Reader

***content warning [PLEASE READ]: this chapter has the after effect of the trauma call, and too many emotions. surgical mentions and medical terminology are in this chapter as well. anything in italics indicates a flash back.

author’s note: I’m so sorry.

“Floki, why can I be left alone?” Ivar asked.

“Because the last time you were left alone you ended up with fifty thousand milligrams of pain killers in your stomach. Now, come here—do you know this?” Floki replied with his fingers taping the photo copied image.

“I drew that.” Ivar said back.

“Yes, you did. Where do you want it?”

“What do you mean?”

“You hate your body so much why don’t you cover it in something you like?”

It is sixteen hours that Ivar is in surgery. His world is dark, nothing but, with pierces of noises that he can recall. But trying to decipher them only makes the surroundings dull, caked in black and muffled with a buzz of an unruly bee hive. There are pokes of pain, he remembers the green light, and he remembers the pot hole he swerved to miss. He doesn’t remember how fast he was driving and the second he was over the yellow line made no difference for the sudden beast of a truck to find him.

Everything below Ivar’s powdered knee caps are reattached. Grueling hours on the table while he’s sewed back together like a monster. Enough time for Hvitserk to get clothes, to get you clothes, to pack a bag for his brother per your request. Even in the presence of clean laundry you can’t take your blues off yet—they’re holding you proper because you just saw Ivar that morning. You two made love in the low morning light, filled with ecstasy, his seed and then he made you eggs with extra hot sauce and hugged you tightly you were sure you stopped breathing. He told you to be safe, baby, like he did at the dawn of each shift and that he would call you when his last appointment was finished, and on his way back from shopping for supplies for the parlor and that you two would make lunch plans. In his speed, his haste to make sure he didn’t miss you before the two tone song of death would sing in the radios, he instead, became the reason it did.

Your chief shows up when you tell him the nature of the emergency. Pulling additional personnel on for overtime and they take the rig out of service and from your hands. Words don’t spare any differences and although he offers you a hug, when you take it he slips you a piece of paper.

“Remember the job you’re doing. And the change you’re making.” He whispers in your ear and you look at the folded sheet. It’s a photocopy of a poorly drawn fire truck with an even worse sketched stick figure, and you had scribbled it when you were five. Back when you met chief for the first time because now you hold the same badge number your father once did.

“If I give you your Dad’s old badge number, are you going to act like a jack ass like him?”

“I can’t make any promises chief.”

“I have a partner in mind for you, you’ll like him. He’s a good kid. A good medic.”

“This good kid got a name?”

“Yeah, Hvitserk. I’ll introduce the two of you.”

This is the call that shapes you as a medic, as a provider, and changes how you see things. This is the call that sends a new person out into the street, whether Ivar lives or not. This is the call that forever holds terror in your heart because he was laying in the back of your ambulance, and that was the one spot you never wanted him to occupy.

Aslaug walks through the doors and she’s already two tissues deep into a soggy mess. Hugging Hvitserk and hugging you and you wish you were meeting this woman for the first time under any other circumstance. Floki thanks you and you don’t quite know why, even though the words fall heavily and un-calming, he still thanks you. And when the surgeon returns before the four of you, you’re the only one that doesn’t stand. But he calls your name because you know him, he was lab staff that tested you for your certifications and he told you that you’ll make a damn good medic one day.

“Remember what I said on the day of your exam?” He asks and you nod, puzzled and impatient looks on the other faces. “You are a damn good medic—you both are.” He adds, eyes jumping from yours to your partners. “And it shows on this call, of all of them.” Hvitserk’s shoulder nudges you and you only nudge him back, perhaps little too hard in your delirious state. “Essentially what we did, was replant the lower portion of each leg. Now, given the extent of his injuries and how his body handles such, I don’t have a clear cut answer for you on his overall mobility. He may need to have screws implanted, he may need prosthetics. He’s going to be in the ICU for the next 48 hours for constant monitoring. We’ll have him sedated so his body can focus on what’s at stake. He’ll need physical therapy for a long time, and he’ll likely be disabled for the rest of his life, given again, how his body handles this. It’ll be a long road. But, like I said—you two are damn good medics and that is the one reason his legs were able to be saved. I will let you know when he’s moved to the ICU.”

You look back at your partner and his face is as blank as yours; influx of emotions just ready to dive from the void but your minds are still churning, still processing all of what boomed from the doctor’s mouth. Ivar’s chance at returning to a normal life was resting in your hands and you two gave the best damn efforts and they worked. The countless hours of dissection, wondering if you’re cut out for this career, these responsibilities, hours of trauma and blood and vomit all fizzle away because you now know that you are. And it just took Ivar to prove it.

When your eyes open again there’s a sharp pierce in your temple, scrunching eyes together and slowly moving, your head rises from Floki’s shoulder and the lights in the ICU have dimmed in the late hour. Impressions stood between his nostrils, falling like petals over his cheekbones, bleeding through split brows and pink flowers through the depths of his neck. His chest sinking and fainting with time, there was a moment of deafening silence when you are looking at his body; seemingly so small under the contraptions. The depths of earth, and the worst hell was seeing him lay on this cot. He’s only sedated now, even though Ivar looked of death, he was still alive under the harvest of wires. The words of how “we’re doing all that we can” do not bring any more comfort, they just take Ivar like a wave rapidly back out to sea. And now you understand how your patients, and their families feel when you speak the same phrases to them. The clinical assessments do not stop a rigorous schedule, motoring for the possible failure. The room is kept warm, and every so often when you will yourself to peek in, you can see the sheen of sweat that’s over Ivar’s forehead, dancing across his chest under the stickers, the monitors. The capillary refill on his toes show promise, and when the nurse says that to her doctor, you find yourself attempting the same motions on your thumb nail. Pressing the pink away and making room for the white, and then in a quick release, the pink swarms back. The ultra sound machines reminds you of the new equipment in your rig as it assess arterial blood flow every hour.

IV bags drip, slow and agonize and the change of wrappings, dressings and cleaning of both the limbs and Ivar himself collect. You spend hours watching the fluid levels sink, his eyes flutter, his fingers in his hand dance and you grow cold because you just want to hold him. To lock him in a steel tower and to constantly remind him how strong he is, because you know the longest road will not come from learning to walk. It will come from Ivar trying to find that he is worthy to live on.

Blackness had retired across your cheeks, wrapping a veil of makeup that melted into battle scars and you could not move if your body depended on it. Aslaug sits next to you; she takes her time wiping the makeup off from under your eyes, the soiled mascara and she’s humming to you. She had been telling you how when Ivar was young, she would sing to him and it would calm him down. How she sang to him in the hospital after he tried to overdose, tubes pumping his stomach as she blamed herself for such wrong doing. How Hvitserk blamed himself because he gave no one a warning cry. And how she’s singing to Ivar now, even though he can’t hear it, because it comforts the three of you as a whole.

When your eyes follow the nurse into the room, you can hear her say something to Ivar and you watch his head turn in confusion. Grogginess and a fog on his brain as she talks to him like it’s a normal conversation; wishing him a good morning, how the weather looks promising for a beautiful day and you wish you had that level of bed side manner. You never get the promising parts of the journey; you get the patients that are coding and in a rush to the life saving team in the hospital. You love the ones who tell you their entire live’s story in the back of the rig on the way to the emergency room, sharing details and calming your mind with how simple, and yet how different every walk of life is. The nurse says something about you, about Hvitserk and Aslaug and Floki, out and waiting and ready to see him when he’s fit. You wave through the glass and there’s the tease of a smirk on Ivar’s face, even in his slightly sedated state. A dastardly, bastard smirk and his hand lifts off the bed slightly, wiggling his fingers back to you. The tears start up again, pounding a sledge hammer through your skull after all of the unruly pressure and messes of crying as your body tries to go numb.

“Where’s my mom?” You hear Ivar say in a voice that muted slightly as the nurse stands in the door way to exit. “Can I see my mom?” And the nurse nods. Aslaug stands and kisses your hair line as she walks into the vicinity, Ivar watching her and you need to back up, you need to walk away from the room, this hall way and this battle. A faint wheeze goes through your chest and Floki catches it first before Hvitserk has a chance to lift his head and open his eyes.

“Let’s walk, dear,” Floki says and his voice is not authoritative but it still demands you to comply as he loops an arm around your shoulder. “Walking can help to clear the mind.” It’s your first time outside in almost three days, and the sunlight burns you like you had been its victim on a sand covered shoreline for one too many hours. The hospital grounds are manicured, they’re neat and arranged with an abundance of flowers and colors in the open air but everything to you still feels so dull and lifeless, pointless and hopeless and walking only churns your thoughts to double, triple in size like a snow ball rolling down a hill.

You’re finally allowed in to see Ivar and you approach slowly, like touching him will seer you suddenly, stain you with a unremovable pattern and you’ll forever be reminded. His blue eyes are dull and groggy when they open, the nasal cannula wrapping his face and your eyes dance over the scurf collecting on his jaw, and the faint bruising, cuts and scrapes on his skin.

“Hey baby,” His voice rasps and you kneel by the bed, tears already on their journeys to streak your tried skin and Ivar’s needle poked, IV covered arm comes to wipe what he can reach. “You were there, weren’t you?” And you can only nod, eyes still damp and you relish in the touch he gives you only if it’s for a second. “You saved my life, baby,” Ivar finally adds and that makes the whimper start again, the choke of a sob in your throat and he tries to quiet you, slithering a quick noise from his lips and you rest your head against the bed, his hand still on your hair.

“I drove the ambulance over a hundred miles an hour,” You finally say and they’re the first words you can use to process the trauma you two had lived through together.

“That’s my girl,” Ivar smiles, speaking with a voice that sounds like sandpaper.

“I love you Ivar—no matter what happens, I love you so much,”

“I love you too, Y/N,” Ivar says and his voice is weaker now and he needs rest. “Kiss me before you go?” He says with eyes scanning your face, and you can’t deny that now. Pressing your lips softly against his, your hands cupping his cheek and you hope it’s not the last kiss you’ll ever get from him. “I’m not going anywhere, baby,” Ivar tells you. “I’m afraid. But I’m not going anywhere,” You nod as he speaks, a forehead against his for a second and his hand is still trying to reach on you where he can. This is the man that would pull the tubes and the wires from his chest if he could, if that would make him get closer to you. “You’re stuck with me,” And there’s a faint snicker after his words, weak and drowned out from the normal tone but you’ll take it after not hearing his voice for three days.

“I’m stuck with you,” You say back with a small smile. But it still doesn’t bring enough hope.

Ink Drinker Tags:

@smileysam13579 @dreamtherapy @heisentwerk @angelofthenightposts @ill-skillsgard @youaremyfamiliar @unbetaedimagines @kathryn-jane @readsalot73 @skrsgardspam @lihikainanea @queen-sarang @anastasiaskarsgard @andmyannabellee @walkxthexmoon @flowers-in-your-hayr @peachyboneless @heavenly1927 @istorkyou @victoria-styles @quantumlocked310 @xbellaxcarolinax @mighty-ragnarssons @alexhandersen-marcoilsoe-fandom @queen-of-upshur @nanahachikyuu @fandomlifeandeverythingelse @ivarhoegh @a5hl3y5ibley @hashimily @youbloodymadgenius @love-all-things-writing @theanxietyqueen17 @trip2themoon @tgrrose @synnersaint @kataphine

*please message me to let me know if you would like to be added or removed from my tag list. specifications for series/etc. are also welcomed, as well as feedback.*

full masterlist can be found here.

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astrolocherry · 4 years ago

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Transiting Mars in Taurus Horoscope - Surrender Aphrodite

January 9 - March 5, 2021

Transiting Mars in Taurus asks you to measure the value that you place on your heart, the cost of your bruised self-worth, and the sum of detesting your self and your body. Silver and gold cannot hold your heart in the way that you need, but good love and company will make you feel golden. What is the true price of accepting much less than you deserve?

The inner experience can be quite tumultuous and volatile, considering the inertia of Taurus and the breakneck speed of Mars. The physical body can feel tired or drained for no reason, the appetite can increase, and there is little energy left for anything but resting and relaxing more

-The body can wake before the mind.

-There may be a sense of frustration or agitation stemming from inner tension

-The sexual appetite increases, the sensory experience is rich and tantalising, the body takes control of intimacy with carnal passion and desire

-There may be impulse spending, one may feel more confident in taking financial risks. It’s a beneficial period for converting one’s natural joy and talent into capital, starting or growing a personal business, making money from one’s own crafts and creations

Use the rising sign if you know it x

Aries sun or rising: The physical body is highly stimulated, you may feel very restless or jittery inside your skin, there may be the desire to adopt new health or fitness regimes.

Taurus sun or rising:Your presence becomes inflamed and influential, and people are drawn to a heated magnet of seduction and forbidden desire. People may appear to be ultra sexually intrigued with you.

Gemini sun or rising: You are supplied energy for alone time, sleep, and dreams- your vitality is internalised and directed inside, you may feel extremely tired following socialising or doing nothing at all.

Cancer Sun or rising: Your friends are sources of regeneration and inspiration. Get in touch with those people who love your company and love your soul again.

Leo Sun or rising: The public perceives you in all of your power and beauty. Let your energy flow and follow its direction - it will lead you toward high places.

Virgo Sun or rising: This Mars cycle is all about stopping and appreciating the beauty of your surroundings and the universe within your body. It heightens the senses and awareness to open new avenues of learning and experience that bring you into a greater harmony with the earth.

Libra Sun or rising: The raw, physical, and carnal desires and senses rise through the physical body and set fires of pleasure into the depths of intimate connections.

Scorpio Sun or rising: Prepare for old lovers and your battle scars to return by repeating history in your current relationships. Now is the time to perish these ones and for all.

Sagittarius Sun or rising: Your surroundings may appear to be more chaotic or intrusive than usual. There will be a good energy for repairing, re-organising, and refreshing your workspace and environment.

Capricorn Sun or rising: The beautiful, raw and visceral senses and desires come under extreme activation. Passion for sexual and romantic pleasure burns in you like a hotplate.

Aquarius Sun or rising: Longterm domestic tension or familial issues are bought to the surface in order to be resolved. These may be in the form of confronting yet unifying encounters. Unstable moods or rages can be caused by hunger, so your sugar binges won’t help in an hour’s time.

Pisces Sun or rising: Your immediate environment may appear to be very chaotic, conflictual, and frustrating… stop, breathe, and settle.

Cherry😘

#mars in taurus #transiting mars in taurus #mars transit #horoscope #transit #mars

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writeyouin · 4 years ago

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Swerve X Reader – Changes - Chapter 7

Chapter 7 – A Rescue Without a Plan

A/N – Finally back to this baby, and boy am I glad to be back.

Warnings – None.

Rating – T

“Making your way in the world today, takes everything you've got. Taking a break from all your worries, sure would help a lot.” You sang the Cheers song quietly in your cell, concentrating heavily on the cell bars.

Ever since you had forced yourself to calm down, streams of information had come flooding across your optics, revealing structural strengths and weaknesses to everything you looked at. You hoped to find something about the electrified bars that might lead to your escape, but so far, all the weaknesses were ones you couldn’t exploit from within the cell. You had long since given up on desperately trying to contact the Lost Light, figuring that something was blocking your comms.

You sighed, giving up on your song, a childish idea coming to mind. You knew nothing would come of it, but a smile reached your lips as you stared at your hand, “Go-Go-Gadget, Lock Pick.”

Naturally, nothing happened, but at least you were entertained, so you continued the game, taking comfort in the familiar words. “Go-Go-Gadget, Gun. Go-Go-Gadget, Scanner. Go-Go-Gadget, Blow Torch-” You jumped back in shock as one of your fingertips split open at the command, a strong blue flame roaring up from the split. You didn’t know whether you should be praising Brainstorm, for this was most certainly his addition, or cursing him for the cartoonish way you had accessed the tool. You were almost afraid to wonder how many of your body’s other commands were linked to the phrase Go-Go-Gadget.

Without wasting any more time, you put the flame to the bars, beginning the laborious process of escaping your cell.

As you worked, you had one more idea which you hastily tried, “Go-Go-Gadget, Manual.”

Before your optics, a string of writing cropped up, instructions on how your Cybertronian body worked. “Play audio,” You said, having been introduced to the opening menu. Perceptor’s voice filled your audials, starting your tutorial on your new body. You vented air through your systems and got to work, studying during your attempted escape.

Once he had been released from his cell, Swerve spent all of his time at the Lost Light’s shooting range, his aim never improving despite his efforts. He knew he had little hope of becoming a soldier in the time it would take to get to you, but he didn’t care, so long as he had something to keep him occupied. How could other humans be so cruel as to throw you of all people in a battle arena? You were kind and compassionate, and you would never have even considered harming another species, claiming that all were equal.

Swerve had often found you crying over books wherein humans had treated others terribly, mostly among their own species. He remembered asking you why you chose to read such books as The Diary of Anne Frank or Boy Erased, if they only served to make you upset, and you had replied that they were important to read lest history be repeated from ignorance. It was awful to think that you, the most empathetic of souls, were going to be scrapped for the entertainment of others.

Swerve knew they didn’t have long to rescue you. If the Arena’s advertisements were to be believed, you would be entering one of their battles in less than three cycles, when the new contestants would arrive to scrap you.

Swerve couldn’t forget the picture they had uploaded of you on the advertisement. You had been harmed in ways he never wanted to see, deep gashes in your arms and visible dents everywhere, yet in the picture, you were defiantly angry. He alone could recognise the fear beneath, but he couldn’t be prouder to see that you weren’t giving your captor the satisfaction of your apprehension.

He reloaded his gun, aiming it at the target, imagining it was your captors. Despite his anger, he missed, hitting a spot on the wall at least six feet from the target. Coolant sprung to his optics. You were in danger and he was completely useless. He couldn’t pilot the ship, he couldn’t shoot, it wasn’t even him that had discovered your location; that had been Nightbeat while he was too busy feeling sorry for himself. He was useless.

Rodimus’ voice rang clear through Swerve’s comms. It was a channel he had left open until you were found; that way anyone who needed him could contact him.

“Swerve, get to the board room. We have news on (Y/N).”

Swerve brusquely wiped the coolant from his optics, throwing the gun on the table before leaving. As soon as he was in the hallway, he transformed, speeding to the board room, eager for any information he could get, yet also terrified about what it could mean for you.

He didn’t say anything as he entered, his attention, like everyone else’s drawn to the video-feed of the Arena, where a human woman in acid-green armour was speaking.

“Greetings to fans, peasants, and nobles alike. It is I, Lady Ouida, your adored host of the Arena.”

Lady Ouida. Swerve glared at her holographic form, now having a name and a face to put to his enemy.

“As all of us betting royals know, there is to be a new competitor here. The foul-mouthed mini menace has refused to state her name, but we don’t care about that. We only care about one thing and one thing only. Which of our noble competitors will be the one to take her out?”

Banners depicting different armoured competitors unfurled around Lady Ouida; the scumbags that would try to take your life.

“In this message to all of you, my lovely subjects, I would like to make a special announcement. Although we had planned to set the battle for three cycles time, we have hit a little snag.”

Warmth flared in Swerve’s spark, as he hoped that the battle would be delayed even further, giving the Lost Light more time for your rescue.

Lady Ouida snapped her fingers, motioning for someone off-screen to do her bidding. The hope that Swerve had dared to feel was quickly extinguished as several trucks with chain attachments drove forward, dragging you behind them, the chains affixed to your arms.

“Our little menace here was caught roaming the halls of our fair kingdom, trying to escape her fate. She may not look like much, but she has proved to be very resourceful indeed, which I am sure you’ll keep in mind when betting.”

It looked like you desperately wanted to retort, but a modified gag stopped you from doing so. It didn’t stop you from attempting to kick at several of your captors, your pede falling short of its mark.

“NO!” Swerve cried out as you were electrocuted, making you fall to the floor. The others in the room spared him looks of pity before their attention returned to Lady Ouida.

“Spirited, is she not?” The Lady continued, spurred on by your attempted attack. “Alas, that brings me to my next point. We cannot keep her subdued for long and as such, we will have to cut betting short. You will have till the end of the cycle, for at dawn THE BATTLE BEGINS.”

The feed ended with a screen of competitors and their odds against you.

Rodimus wasted no time in addressing the room, all traces of his usual playfulness gone. “ETA to the Arena?” He asked no one in particular.

“Two cycles at most,” One of the Co-pilots answered.

“Not good enough. If you have to burn out the engines, you’ll get us there tonight. Strategy?”

Megatron brought up a hologram for the planet, pointing out the building on the map, a modernised castle with plasma-turrets as its main defences. “If it were me, I’d have the turrets hacked. The fastest route to the Arena itself is by the West wall. The ship is far too big to hide, so our best option is an outright assault. We could blast through the walls with an Alpha team. Meanwhile, a smaller Beta Team could attack the Northern ramparts, where we believe the prison cells to be located, in case (Y/N) is still being held there.”

“Who’s our hacker for this?”

“We have an accomplished team that will be led by Skids.”

“What will we need to get through the castle’s walls?”

“Ultra Magnus assures me that he has a supply of confiscated weapons from Whirl and Brainstorm.”

Rodimus nodded in acknowledgement, “You know Megatron, it’s rare, but on occasions such as this, I’m glad that you’re a crazed war-lord with a lot of strategic experience.”

Megatron looked uncomfortable at the compliment but didn’t comment.

Swerve raised his hand in what he assumed was a military fashion, “I’d like to be in the Alpha team.”

Rodimus took in some air with an awkward hiss, “Yeahhh, about that. Don’t you think you’d be better off, uh waiting to comfort (Y/N) in the med-bay or something? You’re um- You’re not exactly a good shot.”

Swerve bristled at the veiled insult. “THAT IS MY CONJUNX ENDURAE. I’LL BE GOING DOWN THERE EVEN IF I HAVE TO STEAL A POD-SHIP!”

“Okay, yep, cool. You’re there to rescue (Y/N), got it. Just… Maybe stay behind the rest of us, okay? Wait no. You go in front, I don’t want to be shot in the back or anything-” Rodimus stopped talking when he noticed more than one bot glaring at him for his lack of tact. “I mean, uh- You just go where you think is best, buddy. You got this.”

“Let’s just continue going over the plan,” Megatron interrupted, turning his attention back to the planetary holograph.

Thankfully, nobody questioned Swerve further, and he was free to remain undisturbed as the meeting went on.

Once again, you were behind bars but this time you were outside of the prison block. You were now in the centre of the Arena, which greatly resembled the Ancient Colosseums of Earth. You cradled your servo close to your body, the pain immense where your captors had crushed it after they had caught you trying to use the blow torch a second time; if there was any hope of returning to Swerve, it wouldn’t be the same way you escaped before.

With nothing else to do, you resumed listening to the recorded manual. Theoretically, you knew how to scan a vehicle and transform, so long as you found something to scan. Maybe you could convince Ouida to show you a vehicle in order to make the games more interesting. You doubted that plan would work, but if Ouida thought you were going to die in her games anyway, she might grant the request.

“In the event that you are in danger and need to record a message into your processor for an ally to discover-”

You focused on Perceptor’s instructions. Now seemed like the perfect time to record a message for Swerve, should he ever find your body. You tried to focus as your processor informed you that your voice and surroundings were being recorded.

“Swerve, I wish I could see you right now to tell you everything that’s on my mind, but if you’re watching this… Well, we know what’s happened.” You tried to keep your tone happy, but it proved to be impossible when thinking of the last time you had seen Swerve and how badly that had gone. You couldn’t stop from crying as you continued.

“Swerve, you are my whole world. I love you so much and I’m so sorry about how I acted. I was scared and confused, and… That’s no reason for the way I was. I’m terrified of what might happen to you if I die. Please, don’t think sadly on this. You have so much time left in the universe, and it’s a brighter place with you in it. No matter what happens, I need you to remember, I’m sticking with you. Never forget that you have my heart, always. I’m sorry that this is goodbye. I love you.”

Ending the feed, you hugged your knees to your chassis with your good hand, while you sat in silence and wept.

Swerve gripped the base of his chair, in the cruiser that the Alpha team had taken, hard enough to dent it. Upon reaching a close enough proximity to the planet’s surface, he had received a few dozen delayed private comms from you, the last of which was time-stamped only one hour prior. You were being kept in a cage, telling him how sorry you were and how much you loved him. If you were sticking with him, then he was going to stick right back to you.

Turbulence hit the ship, but Swerve’s determination didn’t waver. He knew it was just the first volley of attacks from the turrets, until Skids’ team would be able to disable them. Swerve remembered feeling like this thousands of times in the war. The feeling that you could be shot down at any moment on the way to your goal, but that you couldn’t think about death, lest it leech into your processor, freezing out all other thoughts. Swerve wouldn’t die. He couldn’t. Not while you were in danger. You were his mission and this was just another, smaller, war.

Swerve remembered his very first mission. His entire squadron had died, except for him. Being a mini-bot, he’d managed to hide without being discovered; he’d spent centuries hating himself for living as a coward instead of dying a hero with the rest of his squad. As it turned out, many bots had had similar experiences which haunted them. This time, he would not hide, his team would survive, they would rescue you, and Swerve would tell you every minute of every day that he loved you.

“SKIDS,” Rodimus yelled over the comms, “A LITTLE HELP WITH THE FRAGGING TURRETS.”

“Working on it,” Skids replied frantically. “They have one hell of an IT team there, Rodimus. The turrets are encrypted at least five times over.”

“Great. I’ll pass on the compliment when I meet them. Can you stop the turrets or not?”

There was a sharp silence on Skids end which was answer enough; the team would have to go in under fire.

“Okay,” Rodimus looked to his team. Ultra Magnus, Tailgate, Cyclonus, and Swerve were there, along with a few other volunteers that made their number twenty. “Plan B. We drive fast and furious, ploughing through their defences.”

The team were less enthusiastic at the thought of being shot, but none of them buckled under pressure; everyone was ready to go to your aid.

“Beta team, in position?” Rodimus asked, as they had planned to do before the Alpha Team dropped down onto the planet’s surface.

“Negative,” Megatron replied. His team comprised of Drift, Nautica, Nightbeat, and Brainstorm. It was decided that a smaller team would be better for infiltration. “The blueprints were wrong. We landed right in their armoury and are facing heavy fire.”

“HEY, NO, NOT COOL. WE WERE FACING HEAVY FIRE FIRST.” Rodimus pouted. “THAT’S OUR THING. GET YOUR OWN THING.”

“Don’t be a sparkling,” Megatron hissed. “Rendezvous here. We need backup.”

Swerve crushed another part of his chair. Meeting up with the beta team would lead them further away from you. They should face the turrets, consequences be damned. Swerve imagined reaching over to the control panel and forcing the team to drop. If he wasn’t afraid to have their energon on his servos, he’d do it. However, frustrating as it was, he left the planning up to the Co-Captains, itching for the moment that he would finally be useful. So far, everything in the plan was falling apart.

“Get ready to fight, crew,” Rodimus warned as the cruiser approached the Beta Teams location. Everyone stood up, heading to the back of the ship, “Dropping in three, two, one.”

The doors opened, leaving all the transformed vehicles to drive out on the ramp, jumping the gap onto the planet. There, the battle began. A handful of Cybertronians against a few hundred organics, none of whom seemed to be human; perhaps Lady Ouida was the only human among the organics that inhabited the planet.

Swerve raged with every shot he took. In hallways full to the brim of enemies, even he couldn’t miss. His blaster kept ringing off with compliments. Good job. Nice shootin’ Tex. You’re my hero.

However, as many shots as he got in, the enemies didn’t drop. It seemed that they were immune to most of the weapons, only stumbling slightly before they got back up to fight.

“This isn’t working,” Cyclonus growled through gritted teeth, him and Drift being the only ones to do any real damage with their swords, though they kept getting pushed back by the horde.

“Tell me something I don’t know,” Rodimus said sardonically. “Time for plan C.”

“We don’t have a plan C,” Ultra Magnus reported.

“Then improvise.”

From the corner of his optic, Swerve saw a flash of green and he spun around to see Lady Ouida herself. She was climbing over the rubble, apparently trying to reach the fast-firing ballista behind the invaders of her castle. Full of rage at the human who had dared to harm his Conjunx Endurae, Swerve rushed at her, screaming. He tackled her to the ground, grunting as she stabbed a plasma dagger into his side. He would worry about the pain later, when you were safe. For now, he didn’t care, as that was the only weapon she had and she couldn’t retrieve it from his side now that he had her arms firmly in his grasp.

Swerve had always prided himself on being gentle with you, his beloved human. However, with Ouida in his grip, he was all too aware of how easy it would be to crush every bone in her body with only the slightest bit of pressure.

“WHERE IS MY CONJUNX?” He spat at her.

“Dead.” Lady Ouida lied. “As you will be soon enough, robotic scum.”

Swerve didn’t bother to press her on her deception, knowing instinctively that she wouldn’t talk, no matter what he did. Instead, he carried her towards her army, making sure the creatures could see her.

“I HAVE YOUR LEADER,” He roared at them. “LET US PASS, OR I’LL CRUSH HER.”

The organics stopped shooting, eerily expressionless as they lowered their weapons. Ouida shot her captors a disgusted look, hating that they had bested her experimental mutants. They were made to follow orders and protect the castle, but they had also been designed to ensure that she wouldn’t be harmed; with her as a captive, they were useless.

Swerve made his way forward, but Rodimus grabbed his shoulder-plate, pulling him back.

“Hey, loving the energy buddy,” Rodimus complimented Swerve. “Great improv and all, but uh, the Arena is the other way.”

“Oh,” Swerve looked at the mutant army, who were watching Ouida like a dog watching its master. “In that case, don’t follow us, or I’ll crush her.”

“YEAH,” Rodimus fist-pumped the air. “LET’S GO RESCUE (Y/N).”

You didn’t know what to say as you were faced with the many faces of the Lost Light that you thought you’d never see again, but most importantly Swerve. For a moment, you were half-convinced that you were hallucinating again, but then he had pushed Lady Ouida into Drift’s arms and he was holding you.

He kissed your helm, pulling you into his chassis, checking over every inch of you for injuries. “(Y/N),” he murmured. “My (Y/N).”

“Swerve,” You cried his name. “Swerve. I was so scared I’d never see you-”

“Shh, it’s okay, I’m here now. I love you. Always,” He repeated your message to you, letting you alone know that he had received it.

“Not to interrupt this reunion,” Megatron said sombrely, “But enemy reinforcements could arrive at any moment, and we need to get you two to medical treatment immediately.”

For the first time, you noticed the gash in Swerve’s side, coated with freshly congealed energon; he had taken the dagger out prior to seeing you.

“She hurt you… She-”

It was your turn to scream at Ouida, “YOU HURT MY CONJUNX ENDURAE.”

You reached out to crush her with your good arm, but Drift dragged Ouida into safety, “Sorry (Y/N), but she’s our ticket out of here. If we kill her, we have no leverage.”

You glared at Ouida, “You’re lucky he values all life, you hateful witch.”

Ouida rolled her eyes, unperturbed by the raving antics of a non-organic.

“Come on, (Y/N),” Swerve ushered you ahead of the group. “It’s time for us to go home.”

Home. You thought of your hab-suite aboard the Lost Light where you had built your life with Swerve; you couldn’t wait to get back to it. Letting Swerve cradle you in his arms, you leaned on him and took your first steps back towards home.

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what-the--curtains · 4 years ago

Text

Alliance

Chapter 5 – The Outsiders

(Mando x f!reader)

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Summary: A new lead brings you to a new planet where you search for any trace of the child. Unable to locate him the two of you stop in at a Cantina and when a fight brings the two of you to a hotel new information comes to light, and not just about the childs whereabouts

Notes:Happy new year! Hope your all treating yourself and others with kindness! As always thank you for the likes and shares❤️❤️

TW:swearing, drinking, mentions of drug use/abuse

Tagged: @crazycookiecrumbles

Word count: 6.3K

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Nar Shaddaa, Hutt Space, S-12

Exiting the ship you take in your new surroundings. The city was highly technological; filled with high speed trains, sky scrapers, constant noise and the richest and poorest members of the galaxy. It was a true Ecumenopolis and there’s no mistaking that you’re out of your element in it.

“You’re right.” You remark, causing Din to look over to you “I do hate it.”

“Here” he says, handing you a set of knives to go with the blaster he’d previously gifted you. “Bow and arrow would stand out and it’s best we blend in.” You take them, concealing the blades in the sleeves of your cloak.

“Anya, stay close” you whisper, pulling up the hood so as to shield the majority of your face from any passersby. The likelihood of you being recognized was exponentially higher than it had been during previous visits and anonymity was something that needed to be taken seriously here. Anya sniffs at the polluted air, miraculously picking up the child's scent in minutes.

The two of you pursue her with heads down, maneuvering through the crowded sidewalk lining the busy highway where speeders rip up and down the tarmac towards their destinations. She leads you off the main road and down a side street backlit by the various neon hues radiating off the signs attached to the strip of cantinas and clubs. Anya sits down and you and the Mandalorian exchange a look of confusion.

“There's no way the kid’s in a strip club,” he states.

“Ya I figured,” you snap back, the unintended harshness catching you off guard, “the water must have washed off some of the scent”

“What does that mean for our plans?” he queries.

“It means they just got more difficult.” You reach out through the force hoping the child may have caused a ripple in it recently, you can feel he’s one the planet, but there’s nothing to suggest his whereabouts. The situation wasn't being helped by the intermittent noise coming from the groups of intoxicated people moving between bars. You let out a groan of frustration causing a few nearby garbage cans to rattle and fall over subsequently startling a couple who were making out near them.

“C’mon, let’s find a cantina, cool off, maybe someone’s seen the scavengers that ambushed the base.” he offers, not wanting any more attention drawn to the two of you.

“Best idea you’ve ever had Mando.” You say, slapping him on the shoulder as he escorts you into one of the many cantinas lining the streets of the city.

The club was packed full of creatures from all across the galaxy. You’d seen places like this before, having even been inside them on more than one occasion. Sometimes clients wanted to take the gladiators out to show them off as a demonstration of power and wealth. The clubs were usually loud with dark corners, expensive drinks, illicit drugs and company you could pay for.

This place was no exception and honestly you’re surprised the Mandalorian had set foot in the cantina, you thought this would have quantified a den of sin to him and his creed. You push through the crowded dance floor taking a booth in a far corner in an attempt to disappear into the background. This task was helped by the dim lighting, loud music and general drunkenness of the patrons.

“What do you want?” you ask, pulling your hood down, feeling confident no one would recognize you.

“I don’t drink in public,” he explains taking a seat.

“And I don’t drink alone” you state, staring down at him.

“When was the last time you had to drink alone?” he asks. If it wasn't for everything you knew about his personality you would have thought that was some kind of line. Unfortunately, you must have been speaking too loud as your statement had drawn the attention of a nearby Balosar.

“Well I can make sure that doesn’t happen” the Balosar slurs clumsily placing a hand on your hip and moving his groin too close to your ass for your, or Dins liking.

“I wasn’t talking to you leave” you state calmly, and the man releases you walking off as if nothing happened, before the Mandalorian could even formulate his next move.

“Here’s the deal, I'll drink if you tell me about that trick of yours” he offers, watching the Balosar disappear back into the crowd.

“Deal” you say, turning to the bar. You make your way over through the mass of what we’re likely criminals or the ultra-rich, though oftentimes they fall hand in hand. This club didn’t smell like the lowbrow places you’d been to early on in your career, no it had that perfumed soaked scent of a millionaires mansion trying to masquerade the smell of fraud and blood that built it.

“Hey can I get two retsas, one with a long straw” you shout over the synthetic music blaring throughout the club to the Togruta bartender. You rest your elbows on the counter leaning forward, biting gently on your thumb as you turn your head, gazing over the crowd to where the Mandalorian was sat, absentmindedly stroking Anya’s head.

“Here ya are love” the bartender says, you turn back around to face her smiling as you hand her the credits and take the drinks back to the table.

“What’s this?” Din asks, picking up the straw slightly.

“Straw.” You say as if it’s obvious, taking a sip of your own beverage as you pull back into the booth “you can stick it up under your helmet. Then no one has to see your face”

“So how do you do that.” He asks referring to your ability to seemingly send people away.

“Do what?” you ask innocently, causing him to push the drink away,

“Fine.” you say, and he pulls it back towards him “the truth is I don’t really know how it works. Just does”

“Like magic” he states, maneuvering the straw under the helmet.

“Not a witch” you return, watching some of the liquid drain from his glass.

“The kid can heal can you?”

“No, I never learnt, I think only certain Jedis can. My specialities lie elsewhere.”

“Like the mind tricks.”

“Amongst other things but mind tricks are the simplest. Heads are easily influenced afterall.”

“Jedis'' he laughs audibly. It was the first time you’d heard him do so and you were taken aback by how pleasant it was. Sometimes it was easy to forget a human being was underneath all the metal.

“Why are you laughing? They exist.” you say smiling, still caught up in his laugh.

“I know I’ve met three now. I just think it’s funny that the kid is more qualified than you” He jokes. Your mouth opens, somehow feeling both admired and insulted by the man sat across from you.

“Say aren’t you a Mandalorian” a passerby interrupts

“No he’s not.” You say, sending him on his way with a flick of your wrist.

“You have to teach me how to do that.”

“You just have to put your mind between a state of complete serenity and complete control. Once you tap in, it’s easy enough to use, but you have to keep at it, it’s a skill and it's remarkably easy to lose.” You say gesturing for him to continue drinking. “Well that and a genetic predisposition for force-sensitivity.”

“Oh seems very easy,” he says.

“Well if it’s easy enough for a child to do.” You return.

“Did you use it to get the upper hand on me when we first met?”

“Maybe.” you respond finishing the last of your drink, only just noticing how lightheaded you were. It has been a while since you’d had a proper drink, but even so being this much of a lightweight wasn’t something you wanted the Mandalorian to know about.

“But you don’t use it all the time?” he prompts.

“No, not always safe. That why I was kept on Vryssa. Guess the empire, or ex-empire or whatever the hell they’re calling themselves these days, were hunting down any remaining Jedi” you explain, lightly tapping your fingernails along the empty glass.

“Can you choke people?” he asks, causing you your eyebrows to raise involuntarily.

“Only if they buy me dinner first,” you quip, watching as he finishes the last of his drink evidently not bothered by what you had just said “ but yes, I try not too unless absolutely necessary.”

“The kid tried it on Cara once.” he says laughing for the second time that evening.

“Fuck,” you snort, partially coughing up your drink “what’d she do?”

“She was beating me in an arm wrestling match.” he chuckles, more so at the sound you had just emitted than anything else.

“So you also need a kid to help you win an arm wrestling match?” you tease.

“Don’t start with me, I’d snap your arm like a twig if we went at it.” Did he know how what he was saying sounded? If so, what was he hoping to achieve by it? He’s about to ask another question when you put a finger up “More drinks” you say scooting out of the seat and making your way back over to the bar.

“Back so soon?” the bartender asks

“Drinking’s a specialty of mine” you say with a smile “Same as before please”

“Of course” she wipes her hands on a towel before heading back to make the order. You rock back and forth on your heels until she returns, but not with the drinks.

“If you’re looking for something stronger” she offers, pulling out a packet of what you recognize as spice. You’d done your fair share of it in the early days of the arenas. Trainers used it to control their more unruly fighters, and you found yourself falling under that classification more often than not. It had also come in handy when you had to deal with some of the less pleasing clients who were paying for your services. After you made it to the big times you were weaned off it by San who couldn’t have you overdosing and losing him money. Your hand reaches out for it but you stop yourself, knowing if you took it the Mandalorian would find out and you’d lose his trust. Something which you hadn’t realized mattered so much to you.

“I’m good for now, thanks though” she nods putting it back and returning with your drinks “If you change your mind, names Ynre come find me” you smile grabbing the drinks and moving back through the crowd. Sitting down you decide it's your turn to ask a question.

“How did you know I was a tracker?” you slide the drink towards him and he catches it with ease.

“ A bartender told me you’d helped him find his daughter, I thought you were isolated from the rest of the world.”

“Living has its cost even if you're off the grid” you begin “we needed credits as well, we offered our services to find those who had been taken, most of the time, all memory would be removed before they returned to the real world.”

“Why did you let him remember.”

“Somethings need to remembered, so they don’t happen again” you say, absentmindedly moving your index finger around the rim of the glass

“What’s it like.” He asks “Being one with the galaxy.”

“Pretty uneventful until you showed up in my life.” you say pointing a finger at him as you take another swig.

“Well I can’t imagine anything much happening on Vryssa. Is there anything on that planet except for mud and trees.”

“Some people like the mud and trees, it’s the poverty that stops most people from staying long. Mining isn’t the industry it once was.”

“So that’s what the planet is known for fuel?”

“That and the most hangings during the war, tall trees make for excellent gallows.” Having finished another round of drinks you go to stand up again, hoping when you went back you wouldn’t be offered the spice again. You weren’t sure you’d be able to deny it a second time.

“I’ll get the next ones'' he says standing up. You sit back down, breathing out a sigh of relief as you watch him walk over to the bar. As he reaches the counter you watch him order placing his hand on the bar turning to talk to a Twi’lek, Arkanian and human who had appeared around him. You take note of the body language, it’s plain to see what their intentions were.

Whether it was for the armour or something else you weren’t sure, but there was no denying the Mandalorian had something about him that made him undeniably attractive, even if his face was hidden. He allows a few of them to trace their hands over his armor, the helmet disabling you from gauging what he was thinking. As you watch the scene unfold you smile to yourself finding it somewhat amusing, but at the same time you feel a knot form in your stomach. You brush it off as you see him returning back to your table.

“Armour kinks really a thing then?” you ask nodding your head to the women who were still staring at him from the bar, as he hands you a drink.

“You have no idea,” he says,sitting back down. So he was experienced, you hadn’t been sure what his creed had said about sex. Your mind drifts back to the cave, causing you to wonder what else was going on under that armour. It was hard to say you wouldn’t if the opportunity presented itself, not that it ever would, most days you were unsure if he was even indifferent towards you and vice versa.

“Any more questions” you ask, freeing yourself from your thoughts, which you chalked up to the alcohol, not enough sleep and too much time alone.

“Are you sleeping?” you're taken aback by this question, why had he asked that. Noticing your concern he continues “When you fall asleep in front of me it’s hard not to notice the night terrors. You ask for me in your sleep. Do you know that? ” You did, but the nightmares were none of his business.

“Well if it’s your name I’m saying it really must be a nightmare, either way I couldn't tell you about them if I wanted to” you lie, hoping your smile would snuff out any suspicions.

“Are they about the fighting rings?” he asks, a sense of guilt hanging in the air.

“No, those stopped a few weeks in” You mumure, refusing to make eye contact with the helmet. He’s about to press for more information when a group of Zabrak walk in. You hadn’t noticed how late it had gotten and trouble usually starts after 1am.

“We should leave, gangsters and you’re too drunk to be of any use.”

“Shut up” you say, downing the last of your drink and cocking your head as if you had just proven some kind of point before pulling your hood back up. As you stand your foot gets caught in your cloak and you stumble. With one strong arm he stops you yet again from plummeting forward, catching your waist just in time.

“I’m not drunk, I just tripped!” you exclaim, trying and failing at hiding a smile as you stare up at him. If it wasn’t for the helmet you’d have seen the grin that had been plastered on Dins face for most of the evening as well. The two of you are almost out the door when you feel someone pull your hood down. The culprit, a tall, handsome man, has moved in front of you, blocking your exit.

“The huntress, you got out,” he exclaims moving towards you causing you to take a step back.

“You have the wrong person” you lie, trying to move past him but he steps in front of you again.

“I wouldn’t forget you, not after what we did,” he looks from you up to the Mandalorian “She’s worth every penny you spent Mando, the best,”

“She says she doesn’t know you. Now move.” Din interjects, succinctly cutting him off. You try again to move towards the door but once again the man steps in front of you.

“C’mon for old times’ sake.” He goes to pull you into him. Tiring of the interaction you drop down one of the knives with an aim of shanking him. Before you can, you hear the distinct sound of metal against skin as Dins fist connects with the man's face, knocking him out.

“Let’s go” he says, pulling your hood back up and ushering you quickly out the door, having now gained the attention of the group at the bar.

“Someone’s following us” you whisper, as Anya begins to emit a low growl. “bounty hunters. Five of them, I can take two if you get the rest.” Without looking at each other the two of you turn, in sync, to face your stalkers.

“Quite a bounty on you two.” One shouts, spitting out chew onto the street, “between the underground, the empire and the gladiators you’re the galaxy’s most wanted duo.”

“Walk away. While, you still can.” the modulated voice says as Din moves his cloak back, revealing the blaster at his side.

“Five versus a drunk Mandalorian and a girl. I like our odds. You don’t mind sharing do you Mando, we like to try the merchandise before we” The lead Zabrak drops to the ground before he can finish his sentence. One of your knives embedded deep in his throat you maintain eye contact with the other four Zabrak as their leader sputters out the last of his breaths. They draw their weapons and an array of blaster shots sound throughout the alleyway until only two of you remain standing,

“You okay?” The Mandalorian asks, giving you a once over.

“Ya, but you’re not.” You say gesturing to the knife currently lodged deep in his side. He reaches up to pull it out.

“Don’t,” you exclaim, grabbing his hand in yours, causing him to look down at you. You quickly release it, worried you may have just crossed a personal boundary. “ It needs to be removed carefully, it’s close to a vein. If you take it out you could bleed to death before we can patch it up.” you explain quickly. “C’mon there’s got to be a place around here somewhere.” The good news was there was a hotel in sight as you turned the corner, but the bad news was that it was upscale. Security would be increased and the knife currently embedded in the Mandalorian would stick out like a sore thumb.

Noting Din’s slowing pace, and aware of the knife's close proximity to a vein and how more movement could dislodge it, you opt to head into the hotel. You enter through the high reaching, stained glass doors depicting what appeared to be a ball of sorts. You sit the Mandalorian down in an armchair near one of the romanesque pillars lining the foyer, hoping to obscure him from the front desk.

Leaving Anya with him you make your way towards the desk, fortunately, due to the late hour late the lobby was essentially vacated. You look up, making eye contact with the concierge as you do, you pull down your hood hoping it would make you appear less threatening. You realize your error when you see a look of panic plastered on his face, likely caused by the flecks of blood marking your hands, neck and face. You see his hand reach for the phone. You make it to him as he's dialing, placing a finger on the hook switch ending the call before it starts.

“Please, we were ambushed on our way back from town, I’m here on a trip for my father. He's an ambassador, the Mandalorian is my bodyguard. We need a room, we can pay any price.” You plead apparently convincingly enough for him to place the phone back down on its receiver as he begins the process of checking you in.

“Seperate rooms I assume.” He says inputting the information

“No ones fine” you say. Noticing the look of judgment coming from the concierge, you continue “He doesn't sleep.”

“Don’t worry, everything here is kept very secret even from your father.”

“No... we… we’re not..” you decide to quit while you're ahead. He ends up offering you a cheaper rate for the room, you being an ambassador's relative and all.

“Thank you” you say sincerely as he hands you the key.

“How’d you manage that?” Din asks upon your arrival

“What can I say I’m an impressive negotiator” Helping him slowly to the elevator, looking back to the concierge offering him a look of thanks once again.

“You sure are.” he says as the elevator doors close, reopening again on the 21st floor.

“Not bad,” you murmur, taking in the room as you sit him down on the king size bed. “I’m going to get some medical supplies, don’t take that knife out until I’m back, and try not to die.” you say, tossing him one of two room cards before exiting the room, descending in the elevator to the main floor and exiting back into the street with Anya at your side.

The two of you dart through the alleys the street lamps illuminate the puddles forming on the pavement beneath your feet. You turn into the first pharmacy with an open sign and begin gathering the necessary supplies from its shelves. One of the benefits of being on a planet run by crime lords was the availability of cheap, illegal and oftentimes more efficient medicines. You’re reaching for a bottle of Shesharile Vodka to use as an antiseptic when you feel something watching you. You turn just in time to see a black cloak disappear into the adjacent aisle.

You follow it over to the next aisle but it moves just out of your view. You carry on into the next aisle, then the next, following the shadow frantically until you reach the cashier who gives you a side eye suggesting to you that there was definitely no one else in the store. You pay for the supplies and make your way back out into the rain which hits against your hood lightly. The soft padding helped to drown out the sense of foreboding that had been with you since you left the hotel. A nearby rib cat runs into a garbage can, making you jump. Startled, you look behind you, but there’s no one there. You shake your head, what was going on with you. It must just be the drink, or the lack of sleep.

You continue to tell yourself it’s just your imagination even when you hear your name whispered into your ear as you re-enter the hotel. Making a bee-line for the elevator you manically press the close door button, the elevator opens once you reach your floor and you swipe the key card. You rip the door open at the sound of the beep, briskly closing it behind you, chest heaving. Your panic worsens when you look to the bed and notice the Mandalorian was not where you had left him. Your eyes scan the room uncontrollably until you hear a faint buzzing coming from the bathroom. You swing the door open and look down to the floor where you see Din sitting. The knife lays next to him as he works at cauterizing his abdomen's broken skin back together. You bend over slapping his hand hard enough for it to retreat away from the wound.

“I said to leave the knife in.” You chastise stepping over him and squatting down to get a better angle of the gash.

“It’s fine, I've done this a hundred times,” he says nonchalantly, once again picking up the pen. After a few minutes of playing tug-of-war you manage to wrangle the cauterizer out of his hand taking it with you as you make your way back to supplies you’d bought. You pull the vodka and return to his side pulling the cork out with your teeth before applying a small amount of it to a towel.

“This might sting” you say as you wipe it against the lesion with gentle strokes. As you do he remains stoic, there’s not even a flinch. A notable sign of someone who was used to being in pain.

“I” he says, but you cut him off, preventing him from making a case for cauterization.

“Shut it, it could get infected, we have no idea where that knife has been. Plus stitches heal better than burns.” You state matter-of-factly, fetching the needle and thread from the supply bag.

Mandos POV

He can’t stop looking at your face as you stitch him back up, you were focused, but there was no sign of stress. You were calm, relaxed as if it was a second nature to you, something that was to be done absentmindedly. You must have done this before, maybe in the early days of fighting. Low brow gladiatorial battles were often messy and crude, you must have had your fair share of wounds when you were just starting off. His mind wanders to the comment you made about burnt wounds healing poorly. Had you seen the many that covered his body that night in the cave? Did you think he was hideous? Why did he care so much, seemingly all of a sudden?

“There. All done” you say, biting the string and applying some bacta to the now closed skin. As you stand up he notices a dark stain glistening through the back of your shirt.

“Wait,” he says quickly, trying to get your attention.

“What?” you ask, turning to face him still wiping his blood off your hands. He’s shocked you hadn’t noticed, based on the amount of blood the laceration was deep.

“You’re bleeding” he says, watching as you casually turn to look at your back.

“Come here” he says, taking another step towards you, concerned you don’t seem bothered by the news that you were bleeding profusely.

“I’m fine, it’s just a reopened old wound. I’ve had worse in the arena.” You say. Every time you brought up the arena, a twinge of guilt came over him. He wouldn’t let any harm come to you again, not while you were with him.

“Stop being stubborn.” He says. He’s about to grab you and force you down, but he rethinks his approach. Instead he places a leathered hand gently on your shoulder, turning you to face him.

“Let me help. Please.” This does the trick and he looks away as you remove your shirt which was now soaked through with blood. As you make your way over to the bed he sees the large open wound going up your back, it was red, swollen and bleeding. He puts some towels down on the bed and you lay down on your stomach. Upon closer inspection he notices the markings going up your spine. They were still prominent even amongst the healed over scars. His hand hover over the ancient scripture which matched up with those on your arms and face.

“Is it bad?” you ask, pulling him out of his trance and stopping him from tracing his fingers over your skin.

“Yes, it’s reopened a few times by the looks of it, did this ever heal?”

“Don’t know can’t reach back there” you mutter.

“It’s infected, it needs to be cleaned, and closed, it’s not deep but it’s too wide for stitches so it’ll have to be cauterized.”

“Just leave it. It’ll heal” you say pushing yourself up onto your elbows. He places a firm hand on your shoulder stopping you from fully extending upwards.

“Or it won’t and you’ll die and I’ll be back to square one.” He says, hoping it's enough to convince you to let him help you. He sighs a breath of relief when you lower yourself back down onto the towels. He positions himself over you, pouring some of the opened vodka into the lesion to cleanse it, noticing your back arch slightly as it does. He takes off one of his gloves, offering it to you.

“Bite down on this”

“This some kind of thing for you.” you ask, taking it from him.

“Or don’t cauterizing isn’t a walk in the park.” he says watching as you reluctantly place it in your mouth before turning your head back to face out the window overlooking the city below. Apparently it was a thing for him, but he shakes his head of any kind of desire in order to focus on the task at hand.

“This will hurt.”

Your POV

You feel the flame hit your skin, but you refuse to flinch, not wanting to appear weak in front of the Mandalorian. You remain still as he cauterizes your skin back together as the smell of burnt flesh fills the air around you. You find yourself wondering how high his tolerance for pain was, if he could essentially melt his skin back together without so much as a twinge. You found yourself exceedingly grateful for the leather which was likely stopping any noises being emitting unwillingly. He closes it up and you feel his hand go to your neck.

“I’m not dead” you say unmoving, your body was still in shock.

“You hadn’t moved in a while, I just wanted to make sure.” He says reaching for the salve,

“Leave it we may need it later.” You protest, but he ignores you, putting it over the wound, evidently not in the mood to argue with you. After a while you stand up and make your way to the mirror to check out his handiwork, not too shabby you think.

“Well now you’re not going to bleed out, you should get some rest” you say, throwing him his glove back before picking up your shirt and rinsing it out in the sink. You lay it out to dry over the radiator in the bathroom.

“You rest i'll take first watch” he says

“Seriously” you say emerging from the doorway “you lost a lot of blood.”

“I won’t be able to rest until the kid’s found.”

“No use to it if you're half asleep, off your game and get shot down one parsec in.” you retort. With that he accepts defeat and gets on top of the bed spreading out his legs and placing his hands behind his head. Careful not to disrupt Anya who was curled up on the bed's corner. You pour yourself a glass of the leftover vodka, swirling it around as you gaze out the window of the 21st floor. The city lights illuminate the sky as if it was daytime, you couldn’t understand why anyone would choose to live in such a place.

You gaze over to the Mandalorian, was he really asleep? He looked like he was, you’d never seen him splayed out like this before. Must be the only comfortable way of sleeping in all that clunky armour. You still couldn't wrap your head around how he kept it on all the time. Staring back out the window you imagine what life will be like once you’ve gotten the child back and you're free to lead a calmer life. After a few hours you hear the rustle of bed sheets. Turning your head you watch as the Mandalorian maneuvers off the bed with ease.

“Batteries recharged?” you joke, finishing the last of the vodka.

“I'm not an android” he replies, not having caught that it had been a joke. You make your way to the bed and get under the covers which were still warm from where he had been sitting a few moments ago. You rest your head back onto the pillows and shift to your side pulling the covers over your head to block out the lights of the city.

“What are you doing?” he ask

“I’m trying to get it dark enough to sleep.”

“I can close the curtains”

“And you'd just sit in a chair in the dark like some kind of weirdo?” he doesn’t respond after that and you doze off before another conversation can be started.

You wake up with the sun in your eyes, you must have de-cocooned yourself sometime during the night. Shit, you’d slept through the night. Not something you’d usually be upset at but you felt guilty for making Din take the majority of the watch.

“You should have woken me up, I would have taken another watch” you say sitting up in the bed and stretching your arms up to the sky, the tightness of the closed wound pulling slightly as you do.

“It seemed like a restful sleep. I figured you needed it.” You hop out of the bed and go to the bathroom pulling your blood stained shirt back on, muttering out a gross. The heat from the radiator had crusted the residue into the fabric.

“I’m gonna go get some towels from the front desk do you need anything” you ask scratching Anya’s ears and grabbing a room key. He shakes his helmet no.

You make your way to the desk, taking note of the assortment of well-dressed creatures moving throughout the lobby in the light of day. They stare as you pass through the lobby either disgusted by your bloodied appearance or suspicious of your intent.

“Must be a bounty hunter. I wonder if she has any idea what’s being auctioned off tonight. Should I ask” You overhear a woman ask as you pass by

“Good morning” a new concierge says.

“Morning, can I get some towels.” You ask, nonchalantly rifling through one of the many pamphlets littering the desk.

“Of course anything else madam?”

“ No, that's all thanks” you say, taking the towels. “actually yes this auction what’s that all about.”

“Oh yes the collector, he's having one tonight. Its location has been kept top secret. It changes each year to add to the excitement.” they explain.

“How would one go about getting an invite?” you implore, placing the towels back down on the counter.

“They usually find you. If you're rich, important or dangerous enough that is.” They say offering you a smile.

“Thanks” you say, formulating a plan the second you start your walk back to the elevator.

“I’m, so sorry” you say bumping into a woman who had been flashing around an invite when you had first entered the lobby. Slipping your hand into her shawl you grab the thin piece of paper pocketing it as she exclaims something along the line of how they're just letting anyone in these days.

As you re-enter the room you hear the shower turning off.

“You shower in that thing” you ask when the door opens.

“Not the towel.” He says “where are the clean ones?” he asks, tossing the bloodied fabric onto the floor.

“Got something better. A lead” you say throwing the invite on the table.

“We won’t get past the door, looking like this” he says. You hold up a finger and dial the front desk putting on the voice of the woman in the lobby.

“Hi it’s Mal Ytha” you say looking at the card, “the dress for tonight should be delivered to room 2108, yes its changed, thank you” you say hanging up the phone.

“How do you know it’ll fit?” he asks.

“She looked about my size.”

“If you’re planning on going in alone to get the kid, think again.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it, invites got a plus one which means you get to be my bodyguard.” This gets a laugh.

“What” you say, his laugh still taking you by surprise, its sound not quite matching up with the gruff Mandalorian you knew.

“ It’s just a funny thought, you needing a bodyguard.” He says as you open the knock at the door.

“Thank you”, you say, taking the towels and garment that had just been delivered by a member of the hotel staff.

“Shine up your armour princess, the event starts in an hour and its inner city, so we should probably drop our stuff back off at the ship before we head in ” He nods in agreement.

You get back to the ship and drop Anya off with the rest of your stuff, not willing to risk bringing her into another auction room. You change in the cockpit, the bathroom was too small and you didn’t want to devalue the constitution of the dress, afraid it may cause you to stand out. If the rich could spot anything it was someone masquerading as one of them. Fortunately your ability to guess proportions were right and the dress fit almost perfectly. Dins rearranging the armoury as you lower yourself down his helmet doing a double take when you enter into his line of sight.

“Don’t worry I can still run and fight in this thing if needed.” you say, assuming that’s why he had been staring for so long. Little did you know he was staring because he’d never seen something so beautiful in the entire galaxy. He couldn’t take his eyes off you.

“I’m not worried.” He says clearing his throat, trying to get a hold of himself.

“Good”, you say slipping the knives into the pants concealed beneath your dress.

“Shall we” you say, gesturing to the door in front of you.

#mando x y/n #mando x you #the mandalorian #din djarin x reader #din djarin x you #din djarin x y/n #star wars #alliance #chapter 5 #two idiots in love #slow burn #din dijarin x reader #din dijarin #din djarin #din dijarin x you

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trumantomlinson · 3 years ago

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the-headbop-wraith · 4 years ago

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3 _ 39 The Land Time Forgot

A rebounding thunder of cries tumbled across the vibrant blue sky, terror gushing forth, metal grinding and mashing and rattling. The clank and rasp howled forth, and then a yellow blur winked out as it hurtled through a subterranean burrow. Further wailing echoed within, until the terror-stricken voices extinguished, and silence curdled forth.

“Oh my god, did you see that!” A blue blur dashed to the side of a rail and peered over into the hollowed pit, she leaned far over with her leg slung up high behind her. “That had to be sixty mph!” She’s joined at the shoulder by a snazzy dressed figure, his grin dazzling.

“Vii, indoor voice. Save it for the rides, or you’ll go hoarse again.”

She snickered. “Neigh!”

Further from their station, another wail of cries exploded, hooting as a small train cart blazed across the tight woven and spiraling track. As far as the eye could see, the colorful flashes and whirls of other attractions, laughter and screaming – though a few of utter horror wound through the wild rush of adrenaline junkies. The theme park was a popular tourist destination, long established and flocked by trees and clean-cut brush winding among the many pathways dominating the sprawling acreage.

It was slow season, a good time to take a vacation for young people who could nail down a select date that would allow minimal competition with typical season swarm. This was one of the rare occasions that the Mystery Skulls crew could set aside some time for a much needed vacation, in-between assignments and on the road. They totally did not travel a hundred miles out of the way for this.

“Where d’we even start?” Vivi bounced at the rail. “Do we work our way up, or just hit up the biggest, scariest, heart attack?”

Mystery borked. Maybe… work your way up. He gave his whole body a shake, his collar twittering with the vigorous motion.

“C’mon guys” Arthur beseeched, hands in his pockets. “I think we’re gunna get evicted from the place before we even get through a line. This is not gonna work.”

Vivi looked at him innocently. “What’s not going to work?”

He pointed to the Mystery hound. “Stick a vest on Misty. It won’t work, they’ll figure it out. And he hates it.” On that note, Mystery gave himself another rigorous shake. “Knock that off, or they’ll catch on you’re not a real service dog.”

Vivi went over to Mystery and wrapped her arms around his chest, lifting the hound by his front. “But we can’t exile our most devoted case worker.” She swayed Mystery. “This is as much our vacation, as it is his.”

Mystery gave Arthur a snarky grin.

“Lighten up, Art.” Lewis set his hands on his hips. “The park and staff don’t want to deal with regular puppers. Mystery’s better behaved than some teens.”

Ruff!

“It’s not an insult. Work with me.”

Arthur groaned and ran his hands over his head, pushing his spikey hair back. “Mind you, if we get caught this’ll be the fifth theme park we’re blacklisted from!”

Lewis winced. “The ghosts in the spook house were so lifelike!”

Vivi defended with, “You can’t tell me that magician wasn’t actually turning his audience volunteers into rabid hyenas!”

Mystery barked! That whole buffet was going to waste!

“You guys are nuts!” Arthur slapped his arms over his face and groaned. “I give us a half hour. We’re gunna beat our best record.”

Lewis threw an arm over Arthur’s shoulders. “You worry too much, Artie. Relax for once.” He swept his other arm out, across the expanse of the theme park set before them. The looping coasters, the spinning gyros, lush fields of trees for the aesthetic. “This is our day to scream, not because crazy freaks in masks are chasing us. But because we’re having fun. You remember fun, right?”

Vivi plucked Mystery up in her arms. “And I read the rules and regulations in-depth. No one’s allowed to ask invasive questions about our lovable teammate. All we have to do, is remind them he’s very important.” She did pouty eyes. “You wouldn’t say no to this face.”

Mystery did pouty puppy eyes and made his lip quiver.

Rolling his eyes, Arthur checked Lewis – who did eyebrow waggles – then returned his eyes to Mystery, who leaned forward and gave his nose a lick. “I get ‘Told you so’ rights, and unlimited churros, IF we get caught.”

Vivi laughed and let Mystery drop out of her arms. “In the meantime! There are rides to check out and an assortment of foods to sample.” She bolted off, chasing Mystery.

Lewis gave chase. “Vii! Honey! Don’t eat before the really big rides!”

Arthur was not far behind. “Guys! Wait. Mystery! You can’t run, they’ll get wise to our illegal activities!”

For the benefit of Arthur, the gang started off on some of the less thrilling rides. They tried the high-speed coasters, with tight turns and mild dips. In between the crazy coasters, they tried the wicked spinners or the high-flying swings that soared above the parks landscape. Most of the ride selection was based on Vivi spying the next tallest spire, and the group navigating towards that through the winding paths, and then getting distracted by rides or shows along the way.

Though Mystery couldn’t go on some of the rides, there were a few picked out specifically by the group that he could participate on. Those being low speed with minimum restraints, the bumper cars – which he enjoyed excessively. There was a log ride, that allowed him to sit aboard and ride alongside Arthur. Or the leisure car ride, where Vivi let him drive his car; due to the karts being on magnet tracks, and not a lot he could sabotage.

None of the ride attendants questioned the dog presence. The most they got was a ‘well, he seems large enough for this ride’. He was so well behaved, but it helped that the park was having a relatively quiet day. The lines for some of the main attractions were nonexistent, and even in the mellow themed districts of the park, there were not a lot of kids.

At around eleven, the crew stopped in one of the Ages Gone district for some eats. The aroma of sauces and simmer meats enticed Mystery, and when it came to food Vivi tended to trust the canine. Each member of the Mystery Skulls elected a preferred food item from the one stop cafeteria they were drawn too, and then took trays off for a secluded space under a tree. It put them on the edge of a cool plot of land, which divided their location from a nearby coaster track Vivi was adamant about riding right after.

“We’re not doing that,” Lewis denied. “We’re going on the low-key rides, have a little down time.”

“Aye-aye,” Arthur chimed. He dug into his ultra-saucy, meat burrito, getting sauce all over his hands. “No rush anyway. I can’t believe how much free time we got, without every other family not coddling Mystery boy here.”

Woof. Mystery dipped his nose into the Styrofoam box, nosing at some toasted apples.

The group finished their meal, Vivi somewhat in thought and a little quiet. Lewis gathered up the trash and dumped it in one of the trash reciprocals. Then, they went on their way scoping out the rides on this side of the park. They strolled on one of the paths near the river rapids, where a circular boat transported riders across frothing waters and through tunnels with theme appropriate critters.

“I know this is off season,” Vivi mentioned, while watching an empty boat sweep through, “but I’ve seen more people in line at the dentist for root canal specials.”

Woof. Mystery gave a large yawn. He wasn’t fond of big, congested crowds bumping and brushing against his doggy shoulders. All that static was a nightmare.

“Maybe that’s the latest attraction,” Arthur muttered. He was still sipping the liquified ice of his beverage from lunch. “Scariest attraction yet! The dental experience! Check it out, people are already fleeing in terror.”

The group stalled, Arthur choked on his flat seltzer coffee. “Wait—”

On the other side of a high fence, a roller coaster train thundered by, momentarily drowning out the factual and alarmed shrill of park goers vaulting through a small garden plot. People launched over fences, darting across pathways, someone landed in a small decorative pool but kept going, drenched.

Lewis sided up by Arthur, pointing. “Um, is that supposed to be happening?” Upon a better examination of the action, the initiator of the stampede became apparent.

A dinosaur! A legitimate dinosaur was rampaging across one of the attraction landscapes; one decorated with lush plants and tall fronds, elephant ears, and palms. Ride goers burst through the greenery, as the feathered and toothed monster lunged or ducked through the flora. The species of prehistoric nuisance was game for debate, but one factor was certain – it was a biped, with a sharp snout, dozens of teeth, and claws. It roamed to the edge of the boarder set around the acreage and gave a theatrical roar.

Arthur frowned. “Oh crumb, it’s just one of those costume meet-and-greets. Ignore them.” He swung away and began walking. “I hate those, I always get heckled.”

Mystery tilted his head, whining.

“Those are screams of legit horror, not glee,” Vivi pronounced. She ran back and snagged Arthur by the shoulder. “You should know screams of horror! You’re a connoisseur.”

Arthur stumbled backwards. “It’s a skill I’m not proud of!”

Lewis had his head tilt. “Is that a dinosaur?”

“It’s a guy in a suit!” Arthur spat.

The dinosaur clambered over the fence and flopped to the pavement. With some effort, it righted itself and crawled across the pavement. It used the shorter front arms to lift up on its large, muscular back legs and trotted forward. It hissed, turning its snout and many teeth toward one of the tourist that had not scampered out of range. With a snarl, the prehistoric nightmare lunged at the man.

Despite the clear panic and full retreat, the person now under attack made an attempt at snapping off a picture. He wound up dumping the camera in his newfound occupation of retreat, and darted across the pavement a rock formation that served as a makeshift barrier. He made it over the top but tumbled, and crashed into a bush on the other side.

The dinosaur didn’t fool around with scaling the boulders, it charged at a section of fence built up beside the rocks. It bit through the decorative wood barrier, the glittering claws splintered chunks of bark. The fence collapsed, and the dinosaur prowled in among the shrubs.

“Whoa!” Lewis yelped. He snatched Arthur’s drink and abandoned his group. “Hold up now!”

Vivi tried to snatch his shirt back. “Lew! Wait! Art, Mystery! C’mon!” She charged after him. Mystery yapped and wasted no time.

With a sigh, Arthur ambled after them. “No, Lew. Don’t. Ahh. Scary. Come back. Danger-Danger. Eek.”

In seconds flat Lewis reached the destroyed barrier and chucked the drink at the dinosaurs shoulder. “Hey! Pick on someone your own size!”

The dinosaur gave a low, cackling growl and spun away.

“I said hey! You!” Lewis braced and leapt. “I said, pick on someone—” Before he could clear the brush tangled around the dinosaur, it lashed out with its tail and smacked the would-be hero clear off his feet. He hit a portion of fence that remained standing and flopped to his side, groaning. “Ow….”

“Arf-Arf!” Mystery dove in and snagged his collar, with every intent to haul the large mortal back. His fur bristled as the dinosaur shoved its snout through the brush and growled through its many sharp teeth.

Still a distance away from the drama, Arthur stalled in his tracks. “Wait! Holy shit! That’s a lawsuit right there!” And nearby, Vivi shrieked:

“Arthur!”

On her way to assist Lewis, she happened by a cafeteria and caught sight of a fire extinguisher attached to a panel on the side of the building – along with a fire hose, and one of the emergency phones. The phone box was locked tight. How practical. She rolled her eyes and delivered a high kick to the fire extinguisher box. The glass shattered, and the door popped open.

“That… was unlocked. Wasn’t it?” She sighed and took the red cylinder and unclipped the nozzle. “Good to know.”

Meanwhile, Lewis kicked back from the snapping jaws. The dinosaur clamped down on the standing fence and the whole pole cracked. Lewis pushed Mystery back, while he scooted away from the thrashing menace.

Right as the beast lunged, Vivi dove in with the fire extinguisher. “Eat therma frost, extinct reject!” She unleashed a torrent of white froth, making sure to cover the eyes and get as much as she could into the mouth. When she tried to move closer, Lewis snagged her leg and the back of her shirt.

The dinosaur shrieked and sprang backwards. It shook its body and appeared to be trembling. One final roar, directed the groups way, signified its withdrawal. Lewis heaved Vivi backwards, before the tail could slice out and knock her down. The dinosaur didn’t hang around, and stormed across the pavement back to the attraction it may have emerged from. The Land that Time Forgot ride.

It was only when Vivi allowed the mist to clear that the three could see, the creature had retreated. Arthur came over and barreled through the mystification of what occurred.

“For that, we should get dibs on every ride in this darn park!” Arthur stooped and patted Lewis on the shoulder. “C’mon. Ya gotta check the guy.” Lewis grumbled confirmation, and let Arthur with Vivi haul him to his feet.

Vivi inquired, “How you feel?”

“Mostly shookin’ and stunned.” Lewis flexed his arms and stretched. “It takes more than that to rattle me.”

Together, the group ventured into the thicket to check the guy that fell. For the most part he was well, a little scratched up from the brush but that broke his fall and saved him a broken bone or two. Not long following, the security force showed up like secret service agents to assess the damage. Secret service agents dressed in dark blue and sweating through their uniform. They gave out checks to everyone who signed a release form, in the presence of one of the parks attorneys, alleging they would not press charges or speak about events, or anything. The affidavit was vague on details.

“So,” Lewis rolled out, pointing to one of the guys clearly younger than him and getting minimal wage. “This kind of thing happens often?”

“Um… no?”

The park attorney, a short lady, pushed her glassed up on her face. Then, pushed the park security aside, and stood up to Lewis. “They’re not authorized to say.”

Vivi pulled Lewis back and got before the attorney, and pushed her own glasses up. “Y’know what I smell. I smell corporate cover ups. You guys do a lot of that?”

The attorney glared at Vivi. “I’m not allowed to say.” The two had a stare off, the electricity sparked between them threatening to ignite.

Lewis got his hands around Vivi’s arms and hauled her back. Park security took ahold of the attorney and ‘escorted’ her aside. “Vamos arándana, don’t antagonize the staff.” Under his breath, “We might yet not get blacklisted from this park.”

Vivi tried to look back. “I don’t like her.”

Nearby and with Mystery, Arthur sat on a rock. “Honest, what attorney type are you chill with? I say, don’t sign the slip. Munnies or not.”

Mystery reached a rear leg up and scratched at the strap of his vest. Woof.

“Are we going to get back to our vacation?” Arthur harped. “Didn’t really sign up for dino-wrangling.”

Attorney lady pried out of securities hands, and approached the group. “You three won’t be able to continue your stay with Fanatical Hypes ™, unless you sign the release forms.”

Lewis looked down at Vivi. “Could it hurt anything? Signing away our souls for corporate profit?”

Vivi stroked her chin. “Depends.”

Arthur jumped off the rock. “Oh boy, I know that look. Vii, please. Vacation.” He pressed his hands together. “I’ll sign—”

“We’ll sign,” Vivi blurted. She went over to the attorney. “On one condition.”

The attorney sighed. “I am not legally allowed to speak of anything, regarding… this.” She gestured to the damage, and the work crews arriving in golf carts and supplies to begin clearing up the area. Another work crew was off beside the attraction entrance, clipping a chain across the yawning portal.

Vivi shook her head. “I don’t want to hear what YOU have to say. I want to speak to your manager.”

Arthur dropped his face into his hands. “Lew, don’t let her do this. Speak some sense into her.”

Lewis rubbed the back of his head and turned to Arthur. “I think we’re gunna go ahead and do this.”

With a wet sob, Arthur hauled up Mystery and buried his face in his neck. “We’re getting blacklisted for sure, buddy.

Mystery sighed and rolled his eyes. He patted Arthur on the head. There-there.

It wasn’t so easy convincing Ms. Attorney lady that her employer should have a chat with the Mystery Skulls. What this all came down to, was they wouldn’t sign the release forms, and they were suspicious of the dinosaur creature which attacked visitors. Arthur had to pull up their work credentials on his phone, and show off some of the cases dealing with masked people getting into trouble and all that shenanigans for a profit. While Vivi handled pressuring the attorney with her shrewd businesses conduct, and disinterest with discussing further details with attorney lady until she spoke with top management. Lewis backed up his team, being kind of tall and scary when irritated, but mediating the two parties when his team got a little overbearing. The bottom line of their negotiations came down to:

“And even if they won’t speak with us,” Vivi concluded, “We’ll sign your… sinister contract anyway.”

Attorney lady blinked. “It’s just a release form.”

“It’s a legally binding contract! Ya can’t fool me!”

Now, the group sat in the large and luxurious office. A replica model of the Fanatical Hypes ™, theme park, on the table beside the large desk. A door off to the right led to another room, where the attorney lady vanished into. The trio sat in chairs, and Mystery lay curled beside Vivi’s feet. They examined the room over, gauging the personality and temperament of the manager-owner. Some photos hung in order on one wall, underscoring debut attractions through black and white lens.

“Daylight’s a’wasting away,” Arthur mumbled.

“How are we going to enjoy the remainder of our day, if that thing comes roaming again?” Vivi snarked back.

Arthur leaned back in his chair, letting his head recline on the headrest. “We can’t be like those storm chases, but we’ll be dino chasers. We should get pay per encounter.”

Lewis leaned a little his way. “We already do that professionally.”

Arthur twitched. “So why are we tryin’ to get tangled in this mess, on our one day off?”

Woof. Mystery raised his ears toward Arthur. We’ll get benefits! His bob tail wagged.

The back door opened, and a man emerged. He wore a nice suit with stripes, along with a bright electrifying tie. He surveyed the group, a set of small but trendy sunglasses fitted over his eyes. Following him was the Ms. Attorney lady. She shut the door and stood to the side.

“I’m told you three refuse to sign some release forms,” he stated. The attorney nodded.

Vivi shrugged. “We’re willin’ to sign, but we want to know what that… nasty thing was first. It’s for a little insurance. Your people seem to have a problem, one which my crew is prepared to assist you with.”

The manager took his seat at the desk. “You think the three of ya’ll can help with an issue my park staff is prepared to amend? With our standardized procedures and dozens of work crews, on standby?” He leaned forward over the desk. “What’s your pitch?”

The group exchange glances. Lewis stood up. “To start, your go to solution for this gig is have people sign the ambiguous release form. So I ask you, sir, what have you managed to accomplish with all your resources and park staff?” He crossed his arms and grinned.

Manager blinked and edged back in his seat. “Er, well, my people are adequately trained—”

“Adequately ain’t cutting it.” Vivi stood up. “My people are experts in this field of work, and we’re gunna save you so much money.”

Attorney lady inched toward her boss. “Sir, you don’t need to listen to them.” She brought her arms from behind her back, and revealed the sinister clipboard with the forms. “They agreed to sign, if you afforded a short audience. You need not go further with this discussion.” She jolted when Vivi snatched the clipboard away.

“Oh dear, you’re tots right. Guys.” Vivi set the clipboard on the desk and twirled the pen around her finger. “Guess we’ll be signing and leaving. We’ll just head off to some other amusement park, one with better rides, and the less likely hood of getting mauled. Though I love-love-LOOOOVVE the thrill of danger!” She cackled.

Lewis brightened. “I love her when she gets like this.”

“You would.”

Mystery put his paws up on the desk and looked up at her. Vivi gave his head a pat.

“A shame, isn’t it Misty?” She put the pen to paper. “He’s so excited to solve mysteries. It’s our raison d'etre. Isn’t that right, Mystery?”

Lewis reached over and pulled Arthur up by the collar of his vest. The whole group standing, ready to sign and be on their way. When the manager looked his way, Lewis dropped the big grin on his face.

“Hold on a moment,” Manager stammered. “Let’s not be hasty. Your group is qualified, in this field of work?” He snapped his fingers, looking to the attorney lady. “The Mysterious Stalls?”

“It’s Mystery Skulls,” Vivi huffed. “And that requires some assessment. What exactly is your problem here? We’ve seen the results,” she gestured around the room, “damaged property, terrified guests—”

Arthur piped up, “Potential lawsuits. If that thing tangles with the wrong people.” He shrugged, “Those checks won’t cover an amputation, and our guy nearly lost his feet to the jaws of death.”

Manager groaned and touched his head. “All right-all right.” He reached over the side of his desk and fumbled with the drawers. After a brief spell, he pulled up a pill bottle and a bottle of water. “Ms. Carter,” he turned to the attorney lady. “Can you draft up some new affidavits?” To the Mystery Skulls:

“You won’t be signing these.” He took the clipboard from Vivi.

“Sir?” Ms. Carter posed. “Are you certain? These are freelance….”

“Investigators,” Vivi offered. “And we don’t have a long list of clients, since we are thorough with our work.”

Manager waved her off. “A brief work contract, swearing their silence if they so choose to work for me. The details of compensation will come later, with the results. Go to it now, I’m paying you.”

Ms. Carter cast her eyes towards the group, then her employer, before exiting the room by the back door.

“Now,” Manager replied. “Where to begin?” Again, he rummaged around on the side of his desk. This time he brought forth some folders stuffed with files, and from between the documents tumbled blurred photographs.

The attraction for The Land Time Forgot, had several independently mobile and free roaming dinosaur animatronics. Models were based around prominent carnivores and herbivores of the cretaceous period – such as stegosaur, the tyrannosaur, raptors, spinosaurus, to name a few. Guests partaking in the ride, rode in a small buggy that navigated through a preset path. The ride was always fresh and exciting due to the primary attraction, the dinosaurs, roaming around or other times interacting with each other. Naturally, certain fail safes were programmed in, which prevented the animatronics from becoming unruly with one another or getting into traffic jams, which would shatter the existence of a natural ecosystem. It was also imperative to keep the imposing machines from wandering through the buggy’s trail, or exiting the park – these features self-sabotaging, since the mobility of each animatronic was limited.

Save for one.

“It was a gimmick, an innocent error,” Manager admitted. “One animatronic, the baby Allosaur, began to… deviate from it’s program parameters. At first it was considered an acceptable risk, it was almost real with its behavior. Reacting to lights, the sounds, other animatronics – the flash of a riders camera. But now, it’s an issue.”

The allosaur deviated further, no longer reacting to only flashing lights or screaming guests. It began lunging at the buggy’s, though it remained within the programmed barrier which kept it from passing onto the road. This as well changed, and now the machine was routinely venturing out of the attraction itself. It was fine for a while, but now the theropod was attacking guests and the outside rides. For the time, the park staff managed to keep a low profile on these events, but rumors spread that one of the rides went haywire and now attendance was dropping.

“Before,” the manager went on, “Profits boomed. People wanted to come by and see where the Allosaur would appear next. What mischief it’d get up to. But now, it’s damaging property, and I have to pay a higher commission for my attorney to handle guests who encountered it. Profits have plummeted, and thus far we have not been able to contain it. The artificial interface is out of control.”

While the park manager spilled his tale of woe, the Mystery Skulls crew had resumed sitting. When he dallied on further exposition, they sat quietly, brooding through the context of their situation. Arthur did not look impressed.

Vivi cleaned her glasses, and spoke, “So… stupid question. Why don’t you, I dunno, shut it off?”

Manager nodded. “I wouldn’t say that’s a stupid question, more intriguing if anything. There’s a remote kill switch, along with a switch on all the animatronics which cuts power flow. The remote, I guess signal – I’m not good with the technological tactics – the animatronic overrides it. It refuses to shut down.”

Now Arthur spoke, “That’s some hella AI game there.”

“It’s cutting edge!” Manager gushed. “The ride was refurbished recently. When I purchased this theme park, I was told it was because the latest innovations went well beyond the anticipated recurring profits the original owner intended to make. Now though? I’m not certain if that was the genuine issue.”

Lewis held up a hand and began counting off fingers. “Okay, so that we’re on the same page. One, you can’t shut it down. Two, you haven’t been able to catch-slash-stop it.” Manager nodded. “Cool. I think we can manage one of those two things. How ‘bout it Vii? You think we can handle this?”

Vivi crossed her arms. “I actually think we should. We can handle it sir….”

“It’s Klayton.” He rose from the desk and extended his hand.

In due time, Ms. Carter returned from the back room with the paperwork for the short-term contract. It was a few pages long of formality, barring the Mystery Skulls ™ from speaking about the park, or do anything aside from detaining the Allosaur. There was a termination order, should they fail within a week to fulfill their objective. The group signed, as with Mr. Klayton and it was notarized by Ms. Carter.

From there, the Mystery Skulls exited the managers headquarters, and returned to the attraction which housed the disastrous Allosaur.

The first stop was the small disaster zone, where the Allosaur rampaged. Caution tape and some mobile barriers had been set up, barring guests from the traumatized site. Arthur slipped under a slant of the tape and examined the splintered pole from the fence. A couple meters away, Vivi stood examining the blocked entrance of the attraction. On the pavement, Lewis checked a muddy footprint.

“What’d you take from all that?” Lewis called. “About the AI going haywire, and targeting guests?”

Arthur dropped a splinter of wood. “Utter bullshit. I think it could still be some guy in a costume, like those meet-and greets.” He pulled out his phone and began swiping through the internet. “Allosaurs are much bigger, so why not make an animatronic to scale? Also, the movement was too smooth for a machine.” He approached Lewis and gave him a show of the images. Lewis nodded.

“What about the Walking with Dinosaurs show? They mix people in costume and animatronics.” He poked Arthur’s phone, swiping away the images.

Arthur muttered under his breath, “I can’t believe we’re doing this.”

Lewis grinned. “C’mon, it’ll be fun. And we can bargain in free food and lifelong passes.” Mystery came over to them, and he reached down to pet the hound. “And there’s no way we’ll get Blacklisted.” He unclipped the vest from Mystery and folded up under his arm. “You won’t be needing that.”

Mystery had a full body shake. His hair poofed up all across his formerly lean dog shape, making him look vaguely pufferfish.

“This was our holiday.” Arthur snorted, and pulled up some more search sites with images. “Let corporate avarice deal with berserk Jurassic Park gone exactly as expected.” When Vivi came over, he handed his phone to her and gave a brief of the speculations.

“Don’t get confused,” Vivi stated. “We’re not doing this for Park Avarice. We’re doing it for the people that come here, unaware that the ride is dangerous ‘cause of the coverups. Still, someone is out there spreading the rumors, and persuading people to stay away. That’s definitely not done out of any kind of Whistle Blowing moral obligation.”

Lewis cooed, “You think someone tampered with the animatronic.”

“Yup. Someone wants to sabotage the park, and they don’t care if anyone get’s hurt along the way.” She turned to Arthur and handed back his phone.. “You wanna help people, right? And you’re good with electronics, maybe better than the engineers enlisted here.”

Arthur pocketed his phone. “I work engines. There’s a distinct difference between circuits and engines.”

“Anyway,” Vivi announced. She brushed past the guys and climbed onto one of the lower rocks, within the small garden plot. “We’re gonna solve this case, and prove once again you don’t mess with professional investigators!” She pointed her finger high, a playful gust whipped around her hair. Mystery hopped up onto the rock beside her and posed.

Arf!

Arthur leaned into Lewis. “She’s doing the pose again.”

Lewis slipped a hand beside his face, and stage whispered, “The pose is empowering. It speaks to the spirits, beseeches their protection.”

Arthur sighed. “We’re cursed now. Our quest is doomed.”

#mystery skulls #mystery skulls ghost #msa #mystery skulls fanfic #mystery skulls fanfiction #fanfiction #fanfic #msa fanfiction #msa fanfic #mystery skulls alive!Lewis #mystery skulls arthur #mystery skulls vivi #mystery skulls mystery

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bluescarfvivi · 4 years ago

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what aesthetically pleasing, ultra specific thing are you?

street lights reflecting on wet asphalt at night

Your language is deep, late night conversations and meaningful songs. You have a chameleon-like ability to shift from "life of the party" to "alone in the quietest corner" in the house party of life. You thrive when you are around like-minded individuals and you can be very charming and outgoing when you feel most comfortable. But sometimes you feel like this is just a persona you've created to make yourself appear more put-together. You can be moody and self-isolating, and it is easy for you to get stuck inside your own head. In reality, others are drawn to your vibrant, magnetic energy. Your unique sense of style and a wide variety of interests makes you an easy person to vibe with if you can just get out of your head.

the deep colors of forests after rain

You are like nature herself. You feel just as a part of it all as grass pushing through the earth's surface. Those around you would describe you as an easy-going, grounded person. While the world around you is moving at a lightning fast speed, you find yourself wanting to slow your breath, soothe your mind, and take one day at a time. You have often fantasized about running away to some remote location and leaving behind the stresses of life. Your happiest moments are the quiet ones, surrounded with the people you love or doing the things you love. In those moments, it feels like nothing else matters but this. Life, you feel, should always be that simple and easy. We were not made to slave away, but to enjoy the beauty of this life we've been given.

tagged by: I STOLE IT AHAHAHAH!! (hope you don’t mind me swiping this from you @demaskuer) tagging: @theheartxthief, @yetremains, @viviskull, @msaluna, @askmilomsa, @ghxstgal and @hells-handbasket (pick a muse!)

#ic #ic info #Vivi #Mystery

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transform-or-treat · 4 years ago

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Treat from Anonymous!

Treat for @synthesizeher! Your gifter wanted to remain anonymous but they really hope you enjoy this!

Prompt: "G1 Dinobots and the Technobots, Halloween Fun, Grimlock tries to take the Technobots out for their first trick or treat, cue disastrous costumes and jumpscares and candy trading" for @synthesizeher on Tumblr.

"They're asleep," Grimlock said, coming to sit beside his conjunx. Misfire sighed and draped himself across the Dinobot's lap, wings twitching with exhaustion. Grimlock rumbled in amusement and started rubbing his back. "I've been thinking…," he said softly. "Mhm?" Misfire asked, optics closed in bliss, giving him however much time he needed to order his words. "I want them to have more Earth culture. I am from there." "Did you have anything specific in mind?" Grimlock tilted his head, considering. "There are so many festivals." "You could ask the Witwickys." Grimlock grinned behind his mask and leaned down to nuzzle the back of his conjunx' neck. "You have the best ideas." "Halloween!" Daniel cheered. "I'm going to be Lance from Voltron." Grimlock made an inquisitive noise. "Halloween is when you dress up as other people and go knock on people's doors and ask for candy by saying 'trick or treat!'," Daniel explained, grinning. "The better your costume, the more candy you get." Lightspeed shared an excited look with Afterburner. "I call Buzz Lightyear!" Wheeljack laughed and stood from the seat where he had been lounging. "Guess I'll be dusting off the old tools of the trade." "You don't have to do that, Ri," Grimlock protested. Misfire nodded. "We'll just use temp paint." Wheeljack spluttered. "Nonsense! You have to really get into the spirit of the holiday! Alright, kiddos, give me your requests!" The Technobots all started babbling over each other in excitement. Very carefully, Scattershot approached his grandcreator and tugged on his arm. Wheeljack leaned down, tilting his audial as the Technobot leader whispered. His optics crinkled at the corners as he grinned. "You got it, kiddo." "Okay, hold still," Wheeljack said, as he carefully pinned the steel wool he had lovingly spun and woven into the kind of fabric Cybertron hadn't seen since the Golden Age. "How come you know all this stuff?" Nosecone asked, staying indeed extremely still. "I used to live on a cybersheep farm," Wheeljack said, his fins flashing cheerfully. "It was my great-great-great-grandsire's farm. We had sheep and zap-ponies and mineral fields and an energon distillery." "Can you teach me?" "Maybe. I don't know, I still like science better. But I am the only one who still knows this stuff, as far as I'm aware, so I probably should pass it on." "It's okay," Nosecone said. "You don't have to decide right now." Wheeljack chuckled and patted his hand. "I appreciate that, kiddo. Alright," he said, rocking back, "that ought to do it. Just gotta get it all sewn together, and then all the costumes are ready." Nosecone grinned as Wheeljack helped him out of his costume. "Did you get to make the visor?" "Yep, but no lasers, okay? It's a safety risk." Nosecone nodded solemnly. "I understand." Grimlock chuckled as he watched his creations file out of Wheeljack's back room. Lightspeed zoomed out the door, shouting "To infinity - and beyond!" Strafe followed at a slightly more sedate speed, but that was due to the long "mustache" that reached almost to his feet and the giant oversized hat that was nearly as tall as he was than anything else. He swung toy pistols from his hips. "Pew, pew, pew! I'm the fastest gun north, south, east, and west of Ibex! Pew, pew!" Grimlock smiled and nudged Misfire over their bond. He's a better shot than you. Misfire collapsed into giggles, losing it even more as a suction cupped foam dart hit him between the optics. Strafe grinned sheepishly. "Oops." "Raaaarrrr!" Afterburner screeched, jumping out, completely enclosed in some kind of monster costume. "Radiation breath! Radiation breath!" Grimlock laughed. "See, I told you the radiation breath could be invisible and still work!" Nosecone called, adjusting the yellow sash over his blue jumpsuit. "I don't have any eye lasers cause that would be a safety risk." Misfire and Grimlock nodded solemnly, then waited for Scattershot to make his appearance. There was a crash from the workshop. "Everything alright?" Grimlock shouted. "Fine!" Wheeljack called back. "Just forgot a very important costume element!" Another few minutes passed, and then Scattershot burst out of the door, dressed in silver, red, and yellow, and waving an orange sword in the air. "Me Grimlock, King!" Grimlock's jaw nearly hit the floor, and Misfire's optics just about bulged out of his faceplates. Scattershot yelped as the Tyrannosaurus Rex head on top of his helm slid down, covering his vision. He pushed it back up and grinned sheepishly. "Do you like it?" Grimlock laughed and scooped his creation up into his arms. "I love it!" He looked up as his creator walked out, hands still covered in various shades of orange paint. "You did a good job, Ri. What do we say, sparklings?" "Thank you, Grand-carrier!" the Technobots chorused. "Are we ready to go trick or treating?" Grimlock asked. The excited yells that earned him were nearly deafening. They met the Witwickys outside the Earth embassy. "Here!" Daniel called, waving. "I made a list of everybody I know for sure will give us candy. We've got to get these guys first so we have something to snack on." Nosecone rushed over to review the list and come up with a plan of attack. "Are you ready for your first Halloween as parents?" Carly asked, eyes sparkling. Grimlock crouched down to greet her and made a non-committal hum. "As much as we can be." Carly laughed. "Sounds about right." "How long are we staying out for?" Misfire asked, putting a hand on Grimlock's back as he straightened. Spike shrugged. "A joor maybe? We want the kids to have fun but not get overtired. At the very least, we'll be able to hit everyone on Daniel's list. First I think is Rodimus." He raised his voice to carry over the sound of excited younglings. "Everyone ready to go?" A chorus of affirmatives rang out, and the party slowly moved down the broad street that ran in front of the embassy. They didn't head to the Primal Palace or the Senate Hall like most would to meet the Prime, instead with the privilege granted to them as friends, they strolled leisurely to a nondescript apartment in what was decidedly a middle-class neighborhood. Bluestreak answered the door and promptly fell over himself laughing. "Radiation breath!" Afterburner yelled, pointing at the giggling Praxian. "No!" Bluestreak yelled, clutching his spark. "Not radiation breath! I'm dying - I'm melting - tell Rodimus… I love him. Blergh!" Afterburner stared in shock, then glanced at his creators, completely out of his depth. "Trick - Trick or treat?" "A trick!" Bluestreak sat up with a shout and grabbed Afterburner, fingers diving for ticklish seams. The Technobot collapsed in fits of laughter, pouring sheer delight down the bond with his brothers. Rodimus stepped out into the doorway and laughed at what he found. "Alright, alright," he said, patting his Conjunx Potentia on the head. "Who wants candy?" He made quick work of passing out energon goodies, chocolate, and compliments on the children's costumes and then dragged Bluestreak back inside. "They're trying to have a baby," Daniel said when everyone looked confused at the normally affable Prime's hurry. "Rodimus told me cause he wants me to be an uncle." The parents exchanged knowing glances. "Oh," Scattershot said, as if that explained everything. "Well who's next on the list?" Ultra Magnus turned out to be next, peering out at the Technobots through a comically large door. He gave each sparkling precisely two goodies, and Daniel precisely two goodie-sized chocolate bars. "An excellent choice of costume," he congratulated Lightspeed and Nosecone. "Peacekeepers are always noteworthy." "Especially when they're corrupt," Misfire interjected, smiling saccharinely. "Then you have to watch them to make sure they don't hurt you or your friends." Ultra Magnus stared at him for a moment, then wisely chose not to engage any further. "As you say," he said, and then closed the door. "Why don't you hurry on ahead?" Grimlock asked, putting a hand on his conjunx' lower back. Carly nodded and she and Spike gathered the children together and started walking. Grimlock waited until they were out of sight before dragging him into an alley. "We will never let what happened to Cybertron before happen to our children," he promised. "You weren't there," Misfire snapped, attempting a rare dig at his partner's age. "Stop that," Grimlock chided him. "That doesn't mean I don't know it was wrong. It just means I don't know what it was like to live it." Misfire sighed and shuttered his optics, burying his face in Grimlock's chestplates. They caught up to the others just outside of Jazz and Prowl's hab, and the Technobots immediately swarmed Misfire with hugs. Grimlock eyed the walkway suspiciously, something off about the serene look to it - tall crystal trees and soft tingrass, a path made of Earthen bricks that cracked beneath Cybertronian feet. "Everything alright?" Spike asked. Grimlock huffed and shook his head. "Yes," he answered. But he couldn't help but be on edge as they walked up to the door. He did have to admit the brick was an effective early warning system. Out of curiosity, he started counting the number of footsteps he could hear, tapping out the number on his fingertips. One, two, three, five, seven, the humans made barely a sound but they were there, and eleven. Wait. He stopped, turned around, sword drawn. With a yell, Scattershot ran back and started attacking something with his own little sword, leaving streaks of orange paint on - "Argh! I have been vanquished by a ferocious beast!" Mirage's electrodisruptor cut out as he fell to the path, pretending at a mortal wound. Scattershot huffed and pushed up the slipping dinosaur head. "I'm not a ferocious beast! I'm sa! Afterburner's a ferocious beast!" "Radiation breath!" the sparkling in question screeched as he pounced on the former spy, followed quickly by the rest of his brothers. "What are you doing?" a voice called from the door. Mirage was too busy wrestling the sparklings to answer, so Misfire opened his mouth to step in. "It was my idea, Prowler." Misfire shrieked and turned around, unsubspacing a gun to shoot the enemy that had appeared out of thin air. True to form, he missed, the bolt being absorbed by a crystal instead. Prowl surveyed the disheveled party and sighed. "Well, come get your candy." The Technobots shouted with joy and quickly abandoned Mirage for the treats. Jazz reached down to help his former second to his feet and grinned. "You look good covered in younglings." Mirage smiled and put his haughty airs back on like a cloak, patting Jazz' cheek affectionately. "You're getting ahead of yourself, darling." The human adults stared open-mouthed as Mirage sauntered up to the door and greeted Prowl with a kiss before sashaying inside, then turned to Jazz for an explanation, much more shocked at the idea of him and Prowl and Mirage than the idea of three. Jazz simply grinned and shrugged. "Towers courting. What can you do?" "Look!" Lightspeed called, running up with a small toy car. "We get one of these, too!" "Did you say thank you?" Grimlock asked. Lightspeed darted back away to do exactly that. Jazz patted Misfire's arm sheepishly. "Sorry about the scare, man." Misfire did what any Scavenger in their right mind would do and bolted for the goodie bowl. Grimlock chuckled at his conjunx, glad to see he was back to himself. Kup was next on Daniel's list, and he laughed at Scattershot's costume, patting the dino head. "You're gonna grow up to be just like your creator, huh?" "I hope so!" Scattershot said, grabbing handfuls of goodies out of Kup's bowl. Grimlock beamed at his eldest and leaned down for helm pats from Kup for himself, sneaking a goodie or two for himself while he was at it. Springer and Arcee were last on the list, and the Amica pair were waiting out on the stoop of their townhouse, dressed up in costumes themselves, though not as well-made as the ones from Wheeljack. Springer leapt to his feet and pointed imperiously at Afterburner as they walked up. "There can be only one!" Afterburner gave a mighty battle cry, and then the two Godzillas were dueling for supremacy. Grimlock was pleased to notice Afterburner was winning. Arcee laughed as she bounded over, spinning so her skirts flared out. "Isn't this fun, Grim?" Grimlock beamed under his mask at his friend. "What's this?" he asked, pointing to the gauzy fabric. "Just some princess," Arcee said, waving her hand. "She routinely gets captured by a giant lizard, but Springer didn't want to be that giant lizard." She grinned. "She kicks aft in the PVP games, though." Grimlock nodded, not having a clue what she was on about. "Suits you." Misfire grinned at her, bowing playfully. "You do look excellent, m'lady." Arcee giggled. It was disturbingly similar to the slightly maniacal cackle she gave in the middle of combat. "Radiation breath!" Afterburner yelled at the very top of his volume threshold. Springer cried out in mock pain and fell to the ground, defeated. Afterburner put a foot on his back and put his arms up in victory. "I am the one true Godzilla-aaaaa!" Grimlock chuckled, but then gestured the Technobots nearer. "Last stop," he said, "get your candy and give Auntie hugs, and then it's time for bed." There was a chorus of disappointed groans. "That's okay, guys!" Daniel said. "We still get to do this again next year!" Mollified, the Technobots formed an orderly line for goodies and hugs from Arcee, and then trooped on home. "Can I keep my costume on?" Scattershot asked. "Me, too!" Afterburner piped up from where he was trading candy with Nosecone and Lightspeed. Strafe had already shucked off his giant mustache and was working on the boots. Grimlock and Misfire shared a look and then shrugged in unison. "Sure, why not?" Scattershot bounded over to wrap his arms around Grimlock's knees. "Love you." Grimlock smiled and squeezed his creation back before tapping him gently on the shoulder. "Two goodies and then time for recharge." The Technobots rushed to consume their chosen treats and finish up their trading, and then they filed orderly into berth, already pleasantly exhausted by the outing. Grimlock and Misfire each took an end of the row of berths and started giving last hugs and kisses of the night. Meeting back at the door, they looked back over their creations. Grimlock turned off the light and closed the door, and then he pulled his conjunx close for a kiss. "Thank you."

Costumes: Scattershot - Grimlock Strafe - Yosemite Sam Lightspeed - Buzz Lightyear Afterburner - Godzilla Nosecone - Cyclops (X-MEN) Arcee - Princess Peach Springer - Godzilla

#treats #transform or treat 2020 #fic #halloween

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automaton-otto · 4 years ago

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which aesthetically pleasing, ultra specific thing are you?

sticky, stained fingers after eating cotton candy

you are the embodiment of the word "soft". often your mild nature can be mistaken for timidness. in reality, you are just a gentle soul. you have a tremendous amount of love to give and a heart that seems to expand infinitely like space. you surround yourself with trinkets and things that hold sentimental value to you and your personal space is personal & cozy. you are a fiercely loyal friend and are always a shoulder to cry on, a hand to hold, or an ear to listen. unfortunately, you may encounter those who take advantage of your kindness and willingness to help. but you are worthy of just as much love that you put into this world. do not let the world taint your sweetness, but also know that you do not have to be there for those who will not do the same for you.

low-hanging mists in a graveyard before dawn

you are fascinated by the complexities of life and death and find yourself drawn to things that are dark. perhaps it is your way to make sense of the world and your place in it. or perhaps it is simply fun for you to explore the parts of life that most tend to ignore. despite your interests in the macabre, you are not a scary person. in fact, you are very sensitive, passionate, and curious, and you care deeply about things. those around you will have a friend for life if they allow it. you are interested in the arts and aesthetics, and you have a wide knowledge of lesser known niches and subcultures. you do not shy away from difficult topics and you are refreshingly honest to talk to. you are always trying to find the deeper meaning of something, even if one doesn't exist.

And because why not!

the deep colors of forests after rain

you are like nature herself. you feel just as a part of it all as grass pushing through the earth's surface. those around you would describe you as an easy-going, grounded person. while the world around you is moving at a lightning fast speed, you find yourself wanting to slow your breath, soothe your mind, and take one day at a time. you have often fantasized about running away to some remote location and leaving behind the stresses of life. your happiest moments are the quiet ones, surrounded with the people you love or doing the things you love. in those moments, it feels like nothing else matters but this. life, you feel, should always be that simple and easy. we were not made to slave away, but to enjoy the beauty of this life we've been given.

tagged by - @thelittlestdemon

tagging - Anyone who just read this-MADE YOU LOOK!

#life's little games (tagged)

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tothedevilsshowclosed · 4 years ago

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which aesthetically pleasing, ultra specific thing are you?

the way time feels altered in an arcade you often find yourself reminiscing about the past, lingering on memories of a time that made you feel safe and loved. you are bright and fun to be around, but there is a melancholic side to you. at your best, you have an idealistic, childlike optimism for the future and have a lot of ideas about how to make your life fulfilling. sometimes it feels like you will forever be chasing feelings you might never experience again. but because of your hopeful nature, you are capable of building a beautiful life filled with laughter and bright moments of love for yourself and those blessed to know you. the future might be scary, but you don't have to think about that right now. now is the time to make more happy memories and have a little fun.

low-hanging mists in a graveyard before dawn you are fascinated by the complexities of life and death and find yourself drawn to things that are dark. perhaps it is your way to make sense of the world and your place in it. or perhaps it is simply fun for you to explore the parts of life that most tend to ignore. despite your interests in the macabre, you are not a scary person. in fact, you are very sensitive, passionate, and curious, and you care deeply about things. those around you will have a friend for life if they allow it. you are interested in the arts and aesthetics, and you have a wide knowledge of lesser known niches and subcultures. you do not shy away from difficult topics and you are refreshingly honest to talk to. you are always trying to find the deeper meaning of something, even if one doesn't exist.

the deep colors of forests after rain you are like nature herself. you feel just as a part of it all as grass pushing through the earth's surface. those around you would describe you as an easy-going, grounded person. while the world around you is moving at a lightning fast speed, you find yourself wanting to slow your breath, soothe your mind, and take one day at a time. you have often fantasized about running away to some remote location and leaving behind the stresses of life. your happiest moments are the quiet ones, surrounded with the people you love or doing the things you love. in those moments, it feels like nothing else matters but this. life, you feel, should always be that simple and easy. we were not made to slave away, but to enjoy the beauty of this life we've been given.

tagged by @ofimaginarybeings

#long post ts #;i am half sick of shadows ;; layla byrne #;call me a safe bet i'm betting i'm not ;; francis de valois #;cover me with manic fame ;; ivar ragnarsson

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aubiz1 · 4 years ago

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5 WEB DESIGNING & WEB DEVELOPMENT TRENDS

Web Designing Trends

In the field of web designing, 2020 brings with it a box of surprises by embracing a seamless mingling of the best of 2010s and futurism. From that perspective, the designers are moving back and forth on a time-travel machine for inspiration. Thanks to the contrasting styles and trends, 2020 is going to present eye-catchy visuals, 3D effects and the OLD WINE IN NEW BOTTLES from the past decade. The trend is, interestingly, not limited to the SCREEN OUTPUTS but goes beyond that to ensure a more user-friendly experience with the nice and naughty elements of less soothing dark designs and minimalist navigation.

Let’s now take a closer and serious look at the SIX elements that have already become BIG TRENDS IN 2020 and will go beyond the year to rule the NEXT DECADE. A well-known web design and development company in Kolkata incorporates these trends in their creative thoughts and work to present an embellished and enriched output.

1. DARK MODE

Forget about those eye-straining ghostly silhouettes. Dark mode in its new AVATAR looks as ultra-modern as it could be. They tease your eyes with popped-up colour palette and design elements without causing any strain on your eyes.

Dark themes are most suitable for OLED screens by saving power and adding to screen life spans. But that functionality does not come at the expense of visual appeal. In fact, dark backgrounds enhance the visibility of other accent colours to make the presentation more decent and dynamic.

2. PERSONALITY-PROJECTING IMPERFECTIONS

Everyone wishes to look and feel optimistic with a fresh breeze and bout of positivity in their life. And it is something strongly to do with your brand’s unique personality. Aesthetic, attractive, hand-drawn icons and other design elements highlight the unique personality of your brand and make it a standout in the competition.

This revolutionary trend countermoves the pixel-perfect flat look from of the bygone decade. And yes, when it comes to personification and personality projections, some imperfections are fine to show how human-like your brand is. Don’t be ashamed of open shapes and scratchy edges. Remember that just like you, your brand is too born to be REAL and not to be PERFECT.

3. IMMERSIVE 3D EXPERIENCE

3D brings with it enormous, extensive and eye-teasing possibilities. What prevented it from becoming a sweeping trend in the last decade was a combo of technology and a high price tag. But the technology has now reached a point where it’s opening the floodgates to more and more possibilities for the skilled designers.

Until VR becomes a new NORMAL and low-cost choice, hyper-realistic 3D consuming the entire screen is the BEST SHOT to hit a sixer. That’s not only good for visual appeal but also for user-friendliness. Interactive and immersive 3D design elements will trigger visitors’ interest and encourage them to stay longer on your website.

With six months to go to bid adieu to 2020, the web designers are looking forward to more immersive and inspiring 3D concepts drawing traffic in and slowly obliterating the boundary between the digital world and reality.

4. A MIX OF GRAPHICS AND PHOTOGRAPHY

Giving a creative touch to the visual contents by layering the original graphical works on the real photographs creates stunning visuals. The digital collage stimulates your creative fertility and allows your innovative thoughts to go wild.

The trend is characterized by versatility. It adds a special crispiness and charm to otherwise bland presentation. You can use its less explored but more serious features to communicate abstract, complex or boring concepts in a far better and more interesting way. It’s a great way to customize your imagination and personalize your web design outputs.

5. SOFT SHADOWS, FLOATING ELEMENTS AND LAYERS

The collage of all three creates an interesting depth. If you want to tone down the loud 3D effects, it’s an effective way to achieve the look. Soft shadows in combination with floating elements lend your website a “3D Life” look by adding magic and mysterious depth to the final presentation.

Web Development Trends

Each year, new technologies and trends are sweeping the web development industry. Keeping up with changes and challenges is not easy. In fact, most companies are so accustomed to old-fashioned ideas and imagination that adapting to new trends is what they are averse to adopt. But there are many companies that feel encouraged at the news of the new-age trends. For those, who belong to this bracket, followings are five important trends in 2020 to accept and apply.

1. MODULAR DESIGN & CHEAP DEVELOPMENT COSTS

The concept of modular design allows web developers to reuse modules and components to develop a webpage – a trend that is way different from the tradition of webpage creation on the framework of a restrictive template. Visually, this rising trend in design is a step up from template-based creation. Developers can exploit its advantages to develop content blocks in a more powerful way to dish out information.

It’s important, in this context, to note that composing a modular design webpage is akin to developing a lego set. Interlocking between the pieces is a signature of the trend but that does now weigh you down with the worries about how to reshape the lego piece.

Another point of comfort is modular web design cuts corners on web development costs.

2. RESPONSIVE WEB DESIGN

Responsive web design is no longer limited to a nice-to-have option but already stretched to a must-have compulsion. With the number of smartphone users registering a sprinting growth every year, it’s worth a deep consider for the business owners to switch to mobile platforms in order to direct more traffic to their websites. A more effective solution is to straddle across different platforms from computer to tablet to smartphone to reach out to more potential customers scattered across diverse browsing platforms.

There is no doubt that mobile websites will ultimately emerge as the be-all and end-all of your Google rankings. Many companies have already embraced the change. And if you already own a mobile responsive website, you’re surely in the clear.

3. CHATBOTS AND CUSTOMER SUPPORT

Would you believe that 57% of consumers appreciate the instantaneity of chatbots? As per a prediction by Gartner, over 85% of customer interactions will take place without a human by the end of 2020. If you think it’s an exaggerated hype as human beings don’t love talking to a bot instead of fellow sapiens, here is another statistics to change your perception. A little more than 45% of consumers love interacting with a company via live chat – a fact that contributes to its importance.

Hold your breath as some more surprises are awaiting you. Nearly 95% of consumers consider chatbots the best way to engage with customers. Clearly, consumers have no issues with chatbots and businesses are equally eager, if not more, to use them.

4. ACCELERATED LOAD SPEED

For the best web development company, there is no way to ignore the point. Google, with AMP (Accelerated Mobile Pages), is trying to trigger business leaders’ enthusiasm and activities to create websites that load instantly and function smoothly across the mobile platforms.

AMP is restrictive by its nature. It increases speed and decreases bandwidth by imposing stringent limits. Though creative minds never feel comfortable with such restrictions, advantages of AMPs are very real and so cannot be overlooked.

Also compare between the standard mobile version and AMP version of your website. The visible differences will do all the talking for why talks on AMPs deserve a deep listen.

5. VOICE SEARCH OPTIMIZATION

Voiced-based search registered a 35% increase from 2008 to 2016. The Point? It’s ground-a breaking trend in online search. And you can easily see that the big names have already started multiple initiatives to make searchers more comfortable with the advanced feature. Google Assistant from Google, Siri on iPhone, Cortana on Android and Alexa and Echo from Amazon are cases in point.

Why not to jump onto the bandwagon and reap the benefits of voice search optimization? Go smart and get the results.

#webdesign #trends #webdevelopment #web development trends #web design trends

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astrolocherry · 6 years ago

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Transiting Mars in Taurus - February 14 - March 31, 2019

Taurus is uncomfortable in the chaos of Mars. The combination replays the old script of Ares and Aphrodite’s great love story tragedy. Relationships are inflamed with passion, the body is delirious and seductive... but those forgotten scars can begin to pain as a reminder of what we once had and lost. Transiting Mars in Taurus asks you to measure the value that you place on your heart, the cost of your bruised self-worth, and the sum of detesting your self and your body. Silver and gold cannot hold your heart in the way that you need, but good love and company will make you feel golden. What is the true price of accepting much less than you deserve?

The body can wake before the mind

There may be a sense of frustration or agitation stemming from inner tension

The sexual appetite increases, the sensory experience is rich and tantalising, the body takes control of intimacy with carnal passion and desire

There may be impulse spending, one may feel more confident in taking financial risks. It’s a beneficial period for converting one’s natural joy and talent into capital, starting or growing a personal business, making money from one’s own crafts and creations

Aries sun or rising: Mars has entered your 2nd house. The physical body is highly stimulated, you may feel very restless or jittery inside your skin, there may be the desire to adopt new health or fitness regimes. Eat something spicy so the sensory heat distracts from the internal fire, sex as therapy if possible, use your play money to spend and indulge, and don’t let yourself near your valuables or any incomplete artwork because you are liable to tear it into shreds

Taurus sun or rising: Mars has entered your 1st house or ascendant.

Your presence becomes inflamed and influential, and people are drawn to a heated magnet of seduction and forbidden desire. People may appear to be ultra sexually intrigued with you. You may experience headaches or even migraines. Splash cold water on face and reset body temperature and equilibrium, hold your hands over your ears and eyelids and just shut the world and the noise out for a moment. You will come back to baseline soon enough, you also need plenty of sunshine - the sun is your form of serotonin

Gemini sun or rising: Mars has entered your 12th house. You are supplied energy for alone time, sleep, and dreams- your vitality is internalised and directed inside, you may feel extremely tired following socialising or doing nothing at all. Remind yourself not to keep provoking and re-inducing the bad thoughts, fear, and panic in cycles because it’s the state you believe you need to be in at that moment. You can’t sleep or drink every bad feeling away, it will just result in you fighting these beasts in your nightmares

Cancer sun or rising: Mars has entered your 11th house. Your friends are sources of regeneration and inspiration. Get in touch with those people who love your company and love your soul again. People’s unfair beliefs and attitudes will frustrate you more than ever, so best to avoid too much online interaction and reconnect with people face to face.

Leo sun or rising: Mars has entered your 10th house or midheaven. The public perceives you in all of your power and beauty. Let your energy flow and follow its direction - it will lead you toward high places. There may be past issues with the father that have been simmering away and suddenly rise to the surface. It may be time to confront self-worth issues that stem from the relationship with the father

Virgo sun or rising: Mars has entered your 9th house. This Mars cycle is all about stopping and appreciating the beauty of your surroundings and the universe within your body. It heightens the senses and awareness to open new avenues of learning and experience that bring you into a greater harmony with the earth. Mars energy equally distributes between the mind and physiology, so there may be an experience of restless legs, sudden anxieties, or sensations of feeling claustrophobic or suffocating indoors

Libra sun or rising: Mars has entered your 8th house. The raw, physical, and carnal desires and senses rise through the physical body and set fires of pleasure into the depths of intimate connections. Self-reflection is necessary. 8th house energy is only active on internal, unconscious plains. The task is to find and fight the wars inside, or else you risk destroying the people closest to you, rather than the parts inside you that are ready to die

Scorpio sun or rising: Mars has entered your 7th house or descendant. Prepare for old lovers and your battle scars to return by repeating history in your current relationships. Now is the time to perish these ones and for all. When rage and fury simmer to the surface, try to stop and self-reflect on whose rage this is, where did it come from, and who is coming to reclaim it... who are you really angry at? The person who provoked it, or your lack of self-respect in assertion?

Sagittarius sun or rising: Mars has entered your 6th house. Your surroundings may appear to be more chaotic or intrusive than usual. There will be a good energy for repairing, re-organising, and refreshing your workspace and environment. Try not to take rage out on your own body, learn what it is to practice self-care - you are injured from war. Self-improvement can involve something like training yourself to do the opposite action, for instance if you feel urged to critique, you say a compliment instead

Capricorn sun or rising: Mars has entered your 5th house. The beautiful, raw and visceral senses and desires come under extreme activation. Passion for sexual and romantic pleasure burns in you like a hotplate. Practice breathing and relaxation exercises that keep your heartbeat down or reduce the panic of a strained or anxious feeling in the chest. The inner child is longing to be free and demonstrate its whole self without limitations. Just put on your red-hot performance, you are the master, show us all how its done

Aquarius sun or rising: Mars has entered your 4th house or IC. Longterm domestic tension or familial issues are bought to the surface in order to be resolved. These may be in the form of confronting yet unifying encounters. Unstable moods or rages can be caused by hunger, so your sugar binges won’t help in an hour’s time. You need to get out of the house that is closing in on you. Go outside beneath the stars, and perform a ceremony with your old memories... write a letter to your inner child, let those reminders replay in your mind and burn them at the same time

Pisces sun or rising: Mars has entered your 3rd house. Your immediate environment may appear to be very chaotic, conflictual, and frustrating… stop, breathe, and settle. People may appear to be very confronting, it may be difficult to respond without a heated reaction. Your mind can seem overly active but repressed at the same time, like something is blocking a tremendous supply of creative inspiration

Cherry

#transiting mars in pisces #transit #mars in pisces #transiting mars

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