#viridi (mentioned)

[subjectively-incorrect]

tell us what your thoughts are on the whole project MV thing is, and the people behind it. Lets see your analysis :3

I've given many of my thoughts already. Check my tagged posts.

In short:

The Dog is.. dangerous. Projects an image of fun and uncaring, but it's clear that isn't the case. The rest of the internet doesn't seem to care. (Are they idiots? Or am I missing something?) Oddly, he seems to have been exposed as a means of further hurting the Snake. It doesn't appear to have worked.

The Snake. Fairly clear cut. Enacting vigilante justice and a repeat murderer. Clearly has an extensive history with the Fox that I haven't looked into yet.

The Fox is unwell. Has a deep hatred for the Snake, and submits to suicidal ideation. Supposedly will create more games for us, so we have that to look forward to.

Nokia is doing exactly as she's told. Perhaps the only true victim in it all. I try not to get attached but I was somewhat relieved to learn she will not be modified.

[velociheroviridi]

coloring some new oc sketches 🌌🥰

[fox-the-artist-fruit-canid]

They were so happy...

The family photo! Of when everything was fine and no one was hurt back then and when mama ikarus was still alive photo takes place when the quadruplets were 4 and take 2 years old.

This is how the bebes looked back then without scars or complexes,smily mis my beloved,everything was so fine back then...

Sad/sensitive/spoiler part undertcut

Till they weren't

Im sorry and at the same time i regret nothing =)

[halodwolf]

just beat legends arceus, behold my team of god slayers. they are all asleep

[blackhakumen]

Mini Fanfic #1038: First Day of the Christmas Month (SSBU X Kingdom Hearts)

Pit: Goooooooooood Morning, One in All!~

Sora: How are we doing on this fine day?~

Ren: Pretty good on my end

Mona: Same here.

Yoshi: Yep.

Pitto: Tired as all heck, but I'm fine I guess

Pit: Sweet! Cuz guess what day it is today?~

Yoshi: December 1st?

Sora: Yep! Which meeeeeeans?~

Pitto: Oh God here we go...

Pit: THE FIRST DAY OF THE MONTH TOWARDS CHRISTMAS IS UPON US, FELLA!!

Sora:

Mona: Wait, you guys celebrate the first day of month?

Sora: Only when December comes around. It helps us get more excited for Christmas to come around in a few more days lol

Pit: And we figured what better way to start the day off than to wake our wonderful girlfriends up with the sweet sound of Mariah Carey!.....Which.... haven't really worked out for either of us in the end....

Ren: They caught you two red handed, didn't they?

Sora: Yeah....With iron grips

Pit: And creepy smiles to boot.....

Sora/Pit: (⊙_⊙) (⊙_⊙)

Pitto: Serve you dumbasses right lol

Pitto: No one wants their eardrums blasted by that dumb song all morning

Pit: We knoooow, but it's such a classic tho!

Sora: The slow, beautiful start up, the jingling bells, the upper instrumentals, the catchy lyric, what's not to love!

Pitto: How overrated it gotten

Pitto: I swear, I see people play it everywhere in the past two years!

Yoshi: Yeahhh the song's great and all, but even I gotten tired of it at some point.

Yoshi: I'm more of a Jingle Bell Rock person

Ren: This Christmas will always be one of my Top Holidays Jams

Yoshi: The orignal or the one made by CB?

Ren: Orignal. Although, I am starting to warm up to the newer versions of the song in particular

Morgana: I like Silent Night quite a lot

Morgana: More specifically, the Temptations version.

Pit: Yesssssss! Their take on the song was soooo good to listen too!

Pitto: Have u guys heard their version of Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer?

Pitto: Smoothiest Christmas song I've ever heard in my life

Ren: Agree with you on that one, Angel Brotha

Yoshi: Yeah. Temptations always knows how to make their hits smooth. They even made a Garfield song the most catchy thing ever like wth!?

Mona: Seriously? What's it called?

Yoshi: Shake Your Paw. It plays once Jon starts busting moves on the dance floor, it's incredible

Sora: Ooooh I wouldn't mind seeing a video of that at one point

Pit: Yeah me too

............................................................................

Riku: (In the Kitchen Room) Guys! Breakfast is Ready!!

Sora/Pit: (Turns to the Kitchen Room Way While Sitting on the Living Room's Sofa with Kirby) 'Kay!

Viridi/Kairi: (In the Other Room) Coming!

Kirby: (Happily Raises his Hands Up in Rejoice) Poyo!~

...............................................................................

Sora: Hey guys, my BF Riku has just finished cooking breakfast for us, the girls, and Kirby

Sora: Wanna dig in with us?

Ren: Sounds nice, but I can't

Ren: I'm already making breakfast of my own and for my Queen back home

Ren: Just a little somethin' the celebrate for completing the N.N.N. Challenge for the first time!

.........................................................................

Ren Amimaya: SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETES THE CHALLENGE

........................................................

Pitto: Oh God, you seriously took part in that dumb challenge?I

Ren: Yep. Ryuji dared to me to it actually

Ren: Not the easiest challenge I've ever taken, but it wasn't too hard either

Sora: Wait. What's the No Nut .November. challenge again?

Pit: Yeah. Does it really involve not eating anything nuts related for a whole month?

Ren: Yeahhhh......

Ren: Something like that.....

Ren: Anyways, Makoto's waking up, so I gotta go now. Ciao.

Big Bro Ren Has Left the Chat.

Mona: Riiiight.....

Mona: But anyways, I gotta get going too. I promised Futuba I would help and Boss open up shop this morning.

Mona: Plus, I kinda need to think of a gift to give to Lavenza for our first year anniversary....

Sora: Awwwwwwww that's so sweeet!!~

Piyt: Do you want us to help you look for anything someday this week?

Mona: Sure! I could use all the help I could get really lol

Mona: Anyways, have a great rest of the morning and see you all later

Mona Has Now Left the Chat.

Pit: What about you and Yoshi, Pitto?

Pitto: That depends.

Pitto: How's good is his cooking?

Sora: Godly

Sora: His meals and craftsmanship are compared to that to many gods and powerful beings alike

Sora: My only wish in life I'd that my cooking skills will be close to being as good as his someday......... (˘_˘٥)

Pit: Oh my gosh, everything you said just now was beautiful and all inspiring!

Sora: Thanks. Bro. I only speak from heart and mind of a Keyblade Warrior

Pit: Preach, Spra, PREACH!

Pitto: Uh.....huh

Pitto: But yeah, I'll take you losers up on the invitation

Yoshi: Me too

Yoshi: And also......

Yoshi: I think I might have an idea of how we can all start the first day of December off.

Pit/Sora: You do!?

..........................................................

Dark Pit: (Raises an Eyebrow in Confusion at Yoshi While Sitting Next to Him on the Living Room Sofa) You do?

Yoshi: Yeah, I do. (Turns to See a Mistletoe Hanging Up From the Ceiling in the Distance Before Turning Back to DP) You'll.....probably won't like this one though.

Dark Pit: (Immediately Puts on a Deadpinned Look on his Face) What makes you think that exactly?

Yoshi: Welllllllllllll.........

To be Continued

@keyenuta

@princekirijo

@cyber-wildcat

@ma-lemons

@khtext

@26shann

[pkmacabre-shadow]

Captain N: Adventures in Smash

Chapter 7

Melody is pacing back and forth in the training room, looking a little worried. Pit noticed this and came up to her.

Pit: Hey Melody, what’s wrong?

Melody: Hi Pit. It’s just that I have a bit of a problem…

Pit: Problem?

Wren: Her birthday is coming up.

Pit and Melody turned to Wren.

Pit: Birthday?

Melody: Yes, that’s the problem! I wanted to celebrate it with everyone here but I also wanted to keep the cyber world a secret from my mom.

Pit: Oh… Well I’m not sure about the mom part, but I could help you out with the birthday part. I could send out invitations and reminders to everyone in the smash house. Oh, maybe some other stuff like music and food-

Melody: Okay, Pit, thanks for the suggestions. I might even give you some ideas I want for my party after training.

Pit: You’re welcome, Melody!

Pit walked to Megaman who just finished target practice, telling him about his trainee’s birthday coming soon. Melody sighed turning back to Wren.

Melody: Well I got one issue out of the way, now for the second one.

Wren: Any ideas Mel?

Melody: Would Chester mind if we celebrate my birthday at his place? As a sort of ruse to my mom to keep cyber world a secret, I mean.

Chester: Sure, but I’ll tell my folks that it’s a small party and that we’re just playing some games.

Melody: Oh hey Chester, thanks for that man.

Wren: That’s nice and all, but what about your sister and other friend?

Chester: They’ll be fine. I’m sure Samuel, mom and dad won’t mind. Maybe Irene would give Melody a present.

Wren: That’s great. Anyways, break is over so we should go back to our spots. Little Mac and his trainer is waiting for me, so see you two when the sun sets.

And with that, they returned back to their posts. Melody is continuing training with Pit and Megaman with her aim and powers, along with some small talk on the way. Chester is currently sword fighting with Marth, with the Prince giving some corrections in the way. Wren is currently training with Little Mac and Doc Louis, both having done some exercises like jumping jacks and pull ups and taking turns punching the sandbag.

Both teens decided to take a breather. Little Mac, now having the opportunity, turned and spoke to Wren.

Little Mac: So, I heard about the birthday party you’re planning for Melody.

Wren: Really? Did you already heard that conversation?

Little Mac: Yeah. It seems like Pit is pretty excited about it, which I don’t blame him for it. Besides, I know a person who has some pretty good taste in music. He’ll be more than happy to help with that party.

Wren: That’s nice.

Little Mac: If Doc allows us, we should go to the WVBA and meet the boxers there. They’re pretty interesting themselves. I’ll ask him later.

Wren hummed. Meeting the WVBA boxers sounds like a fun idea to her, even if she has to train with Ryu and Ken tomorrow. Once training is over, Pit spoke to Melody on what she wanted on her birthday.

Pit: So you wanted to celebrate your birthday with us. How do you want it to go?

Melody: Hmm… We need some good music and food. Oh! For the cake it’s gonna be a red velvet cake that’s shaped like an armadillo. If you cut it, it looks like it’s bleeding! And don’t forget about the candles, I feel like only the numbered ones work best.

Pit: Got it. I’ll send your requests to Isabelle. Not sure how I’d go with the armadillo cake knowing how Viridi would feel about it, but I digress. Also about the candles: How old are you gonna turn anyway?

Melody: 17

Pit: 17?!

Melody: Yeah, I’m turning 17 soon. I’m a straight up summer baby with parents who had me fairly young… well only one now…

Pit: R-right-uh-a-anyways I’ll be sending your birthday requests to Isabelle on the way. See you tomorrow. Also you want something for your birthday?

Melody: Hmm… I don’t know, maybe some new gadgets or something. I may need to try using my goggles to see how they worked. Maybe sometime.

Pit: Alright, good to know. Bye Mel!

Melody: See ya Pit!

A day has passed. Isabelle already got the message from Pit, commissioning villagers in helping to get and create the much needed things for the party. At the same time, Doc Louis decided to allow Wren to visit the WVBA on the behest of Little Mac. Both of the teens being very excited.

Doc Louis: You two excited?

Wren: Heck yeah! I wanted to know what it’s like. I’ve heard the boxers there are pretty colorful, in terms of personality of course.

Little Mac: I’m sure you’ll like it. I knew some of them well enough, even one of them is a good friend of mine.

Wren: Nice. Also, how can we go to New York? It seems far away from here.

Little Mac: Don’t worry, this house is between New York and Monsteropolis so all we have to do is travel by car.

Wren: By Monsteropolis, you mean-

Little Mac: Yep! The city where Megaman lives. Oh hey, seems like Doc called an uber. Let’s go Wren!

As all three went to the uber, they all went off to where New York City is. Wren became fascinated by the entire city, especially with the state.

Wren: I’ve always seen how New York is depicted in cartoons that I used to watch, even getting some souvenirs when my mom went to New York when I was 15. I kind of wished I could go to here, so being here is like a dream come true. I mean look at these structures, they’re so big!

Doc Louis: That’s New York for you. You’ll be getting used to it once you view more of the cities. *laughs* In fact, both New York and Monsteropolis have large structures.

Little Mac: There’s a lot of stuff New York City has in store. There’s a ton of food, festivals, markets, restaurants, you name it.

Wren: Huh, interesting. We have something similar to that in California, too. It’s just that they’re a little different to New York City.

Little Mac: You’re from California?

Wren: Yeah, aren’t my friends and I Californians? Then again I haven’t told you or anyone else much about us considering, well, a ton of stuff has happened and some training too.

Little Mac: Ah I see. We do have a Californian in the WVBA, but he’s pretty pompous.

The car has stopped, letting the three leave. They’ve entered the subway station, already finding their seats, albeit a little cramped.

Wren: I kinda forgot that there’s subways in New York. Especially with the overcrowding of them.

Once they made it to their stop, they finally exited. To Wren, it feels like freedom to have her own space back after some overcrowding of the subways. They do tend to feel a little claustrophobic to her.

They walked on until they made it to the WVBA and entered the building.

[splatsys-sizeshift-shenanigans]

seeing the large influx of people reblogging our vore is not a kink post, we want to mention this;

we are no longer active in the mcyt fandom for many reasons, and by extension are no longer comfortable writing for that fandom.

that post is Very Old LMAO so. its a little outdated on our hyperfixations!!

[eldritch-spouse]

Jayde falling into a parasocial relationship and an obsession with a late night radio hostess, when he's doing those night hours while everyone else in the sloth mansion is asleep or dozing off. Thinking that those messages are just for him in that seductive voice.

[Fem reader. Not full parasocial delusion yet, but it'll get there.]

Everyone in Sloth "goes to bed" much earlier than in the other Rings. If you can even call it that, considering royals have the privilege to rot in their rooms all day -Honestly, Jayde doesn't know how they don't fuse to the mattress- Regardless, his point is that days are therefore much shorter, and his window to be productive is very small, enough so that he has to spend it running, so he can maximize results.

But it's worth it, he thinks to himself as he turns the corner to settle down at a small table in a balcony, because he gets to listen to your show without being bothered by anyone.

The view is nice too, he can listen to your sweet, lulling voice as he looks down onto the dimly lit streets of Sloth and pretends you're out there somewhere.

Jayde can't imagine you get many listeners at this hour, probably only people like him tune in, the residents of this Ring who aren't slothful or can't afford to rest at these hours. Besides, he's going to be real, not everyone likes hearing segments about the economy of Sloth. Jayde does, it's part of his job, and a greedy one's duty.

The imp lets himself curve on his seat, elbows on the table, head in his hands, a thin tail swatting while he waits for you to get done purring your introductions. He's really looking forward to tonight's show. You said you'd be doing something special a week ago, a personal Questions and Answers segment right at the end of the show.

Apparently, you've garnered a sizable portion of fans, something that seemed to baffle you when you mentioned it live -Which is puzzling to Jayde, you're clearly extremely charismatic, this was inevitable- And they're all very eager to learn more about their favorite radio host.

But honestly, they're a bit late to the party. Jayde is anything except lazy, so he already got his hands on the dough and figured out a good chunk of your personal information. Jayde knows your full name, your age, he's this close to pinpointing your residency here on Sloth, he's dug through a few of your pretty barren social media accounts to acquire one whole picture of you too.

Honestly, he wishes you had gone for a more modern alternative to radio. Not because he dislikes it, not at all- In fact, Jayde thinks you're passionate and unique to stick to such a traditional and well-loved medium. It feels... Intimate, even. It's just that it's so hard to gleam anything deeper about you when your presence online is so diminished.

He supposes this Q&A will come in handy.

Which is why he submitted more than a few questions for the occasion.

You won't mind that, right? If some of those questions happen to be a little bit more personal, than that's fine, right? After all, you're so down to Earth when you speak to your audience, so level, so close. Jayde thinks of you as an old friend that's always there when things are starting to head down the drain. He pictures you sitting next to him, with your endless wisdom and always updated views on the state of the world, and those pretty eyes. He imagines how they shine when your tone rises in excitement as you cover a particularly interesting topic.

And Jayde likes to think that maybe you'd be interested in knowing a few tidbits about Sloth. More exclusive things only someone in his position could give you...

Jayde could give you a lot of things, actually.

You're not struggling financially, he knows this, but you also can't afford some of the things he regularly helps himself to. He knows this because he's helped out your radio before, hefty amounts, under the pseudonym of "Viridis", which you lovingly call out to in thanks the next night. You respond to these quantities of money that are trivial to him like they're some kind of Lord-send.

And Jayde feels warm inside.

Because the imp knows he could have you starstruck with a few gifts he's thought of. Maybe one day you'll start accept donations through mail, or something similar... Lords, how he'd really love to meet you one day. He bets he can, if he words the request well enough when he reaches out with his next donation.

As for now, he's content to look at that one picture of you he managed to find while he listens to you get through your segments, enjoying his coffee.

" And now, well, I really can't put this off anymore, can I? I thought about doing a break before this, but I'd probably lose my nerve, hah. "

His posture straightens.

" So welcome everyone, to a very special segment! Tonight, I'll be answering all the questions you lovely folk have sent in throughout the week! And my, I have to admit I have quite the bulk of them sitting here on my inbox, hoo boy- Buckle up, it's about to get real embarrassing real fast. "

" But I'm committed to it, because I love you people, and I've gotten to know many of you during these nights, so why not give a little bit of myself in return? "

Jayde's chest feels warm, like it's melting.

" So don't ever say I never did anything nice for you... "

The first few questions unfurl, detailing mostly things Jayde already knew, though he's quick to scramble for his notepad when you talk about your favorite food, favorite movie genre and one of your hobbies. Precious information.

He's looking up how much it costs to maintain said hobby when you move on to the next one.

" Ah, this one here is funny. Someone asked- Would you ever date an imp? "

If Jayde's heart wasn't lodged tightly in his throat before, it is now.

He asked that one.

" Honestly, I don't see what the fuss in ranks is all about. People, we aren't living in medieval times anymore, where you have to marry the same race and the same rank, what would I care if my partner is an imp? I'm not even a demon, that doesn't matter to me! "

" So long as they make me happy, you know? Yeah, I'd date an imp. "

He laughs, damn near cackles on the balcony.

Jayde springs up from his seat and fists the air wildly, beaming in victory.

" YES! " He shouts, immediately remembering where he is and doing the walk of shame back to his seat.

It had been a concern tugging at his heart strings for a while, the thought of you rejecting him due to his rank. Now that that's not an issue, he almost feels overqualified.

Or maybe he's just high from that one little victory.

" I'll tell you more- I have a friend of mine who actually dated an imp for the longest time and they had such a good time together, she felt much safer than she did with some high-rankers who had tossed her eyes. "

" I don't know guys, I think people make way too much of a big deal about this. "

Yes. Yes, they do.

But you're not like them. Jayde knows you're so much better.

There's some silence from your part.

" Huh... There's a few of these. "

The greedy imp's smile wobbles. Yeah, Jayde might have overdone it with the romantic questions.

" What's your ideal date, someone asks- Hmm, well I can't really say I have a very defined idea in mind! Sometimes you get the best moments of your life in totally random circumstances, right? I guess, maybe,... "

Jayde readies his pen.

This Q&A thing is really useful, you should do these segments more often.

Tonight's really going to help when you two plan your first date.

He's asked enough questions that it just can't go wrong!

[tifa-simp]

Sephiroth has always had a grudge against Tifa.

Some ppl say that Sephiroth sudden changes his target to Tifa in Rebirth is weird and I say they just have selective memory cos that mf has been after Tifa's ass since Remake. It's just more direct in Rebirth.

So, Sephiroth can control 3 things: the black whispers, the black robed men and his Jenova monsters, occasionally Cloud too. And sometimes Sephiroth appears as a clone or an illusion to get things done himself.

Now let's take a look at Remake.

At the beginning of Remake, Tifa takes care of a robed man named Marco with the number 49 on his left arm. Later, in Shinra HQ, we're shown that he's Jenova Dreamweaver, which is said by Aerith to be the source of everything. Tifa was living next door to something that dangerous for god knows how long.

The morning before the mission, a swamp of whispers appear in Sector 7 and attack Avalanche. We know their purpose is to hurt Jessie so Cloud will replace her. But before that, the whispers attack Tifa, separate her from Cloud. This move seems pretty unnecessary because if they want to, the whispers can push Jessie down the stair without having to do this to Tifa. So I assume the devs put it there for some foreshadowing purposes.

Ah yeah, have I mentioned this?

Later, at Destiny crossroad, the gang has to fight Whisper Harbinger. Cloud, Barret, RedXIII fight Whisper Viridi and Croceo , while Tifa and Aerith fight Whisper Rubrum. As the boys finish their fight and on their way to help the girls, Tifa's distracted by a vision of future and can't react to Rubrum's attacks. Fortunately, Cloud saves her on time.

Now, some fun facts about these Whisper monsters, they're supposed to represent the Remnants of Sephiroth. And Rubrum takes after Kadaj.

But it isn't the only one that has something special for Tifa.

So 2 out of 3 Whisper monsters have an attack specifically aim at Tifa.

In short, in Remake, we have a robed man close to Tifa, black whispers harm Tifa for no reason, illusion of Sephiroth kills Tifa, Whispers monsters direct hit at Tifa.

Now onto Rebirth!

Open with a bang, the Nibelheim accident, where Sephiroth gives Tifa her the scar on her chest.

In Kalm, after the flashback, Tifa asks Cloud for a private talk. This is where Sephiroth starts gaslighting Cloud that Tifa is Jenova

After Junon, they sneak on a ship to Costa Del Sol, there's a breakout of monsters and robed men. The robed men have developed the ability to merge with monster and each other to become more powerful. This is all according to Hojo's plan. Tifa and Cloud have to fight a chimera between robed man and Hojo's monster. When the fight almost ends, the Necrotic Entity collapse in front of Tifa. Before it can harm her, Cloud delivers the finishing blow.

Now it's just me but this looks kinda similar to Rubrum fight. The gang then have to fight Emergent and look, another attack aims at Tifa in cutscene just like Rubrum.

This is the second time Sephiroth appears and "warns" Cloud about Tifa, also when he drops the line "That she can become those you hate. Those you fear. Those you love. And they call her Jenova." (btw in JP, there's only fear and love, no hate)

In Corel, Tifa asks the gang to visit doctor Sheiran-the one saved her from Sephiroth's slash. Once again, Sephiroth appears to warn Cloud in the clinic.

In Gongaga, where Sephiroth's scheme unveils, he's planned a meticulous plan to isolate Cloud, who's extremely weak under influence of Mako, and Tifa, who's in danger, from the rest of the gang. Out of desperation, Cloud gives in his anger and lets Sephiroth take over his body and kill all the Shinra troops sadistically, to the point Tifa has to shout at him to stop. Now this where Sephiroth's grudge is most apparent.

Firstly, we have Cloud fully believes Tifa to be Jenova, forces her to show him her scar and repeats Sephiroth's words on the cruise: "Those we hate, those we love, those we fear- Jenova could be anyone to fool her prey." Pay attention to how he switches love-fear compared to Sephiroth's fear-love. Also looks at this Devil-Angel on shoulder implication, chef kiss.

Secondly, we have a 1:1 recreation of Sephiroth's attempted murder on Tifa with Cloud as the executioner this time.

Thirdly, after the WEAPON saved Tifa, black whispers attack the WEAPON that holds Tifa and Sephiroth manifests in his real body to attack her but misses, or maybe he misses on purpose.

And finally, when she gasps for air, he mocks her that her words won't reach Cloud.

Like damn, this mf is an expert at tormenting Tifa. This has to be the most effort he's put in throughout 2 games that I've seen. Black whispers, illusion, real self, he pulls all the stops for Gongaga, ok?

BUT HE'S STILL NOT DONE!

After the temple collapses and Cloud goes full on puppet mode, obeys Sephiroth's order to give him the black material, Tifa shoves Cloud and tries to wake him up. This mf Sephiroth mocks her AGAIN and commands black whispers to hold Tifa back from reaching for Cloud, which look similar to the black whisper attack in sector 7 in Remake .

In conclusion, in Rebirth, we have real Sephiroth attacks Tifa twice, forces her to show her traumatic scar twice, makes Cloud accuse Tifa of being Jenova twice, makes Cloud to recreate the exact way he permanent scared Tifa, mocks her connection with Cloud twice, his monsters attack Tifa twice, black whispers attack Tifa twice.

This is personal for Sephiroth. With Cloud, he toys with him in flirtatious way. With Aerith, he just dismisses her words, kinda quarrels with her over the Planet true wish.

But with Tifa? Straight action. He always maxes out his resource when it comes to fuck with Tifa: black whispers, robed men, whispers monster, robed man monster, Jenova monster, his illusion, his clone, his real body, Cloud, EVERYTHING. If he has it, he'll use it against Tifa one way or another. I feel like whatever he has for Tifa is pretty nasty compared to Cloud. At least with Cloud, we know that Sephiroth wants to convince him to join his side. We have no idea what's his intention with Tifa to mess her up this much beside for the sake of torture her. Whatever it might be, one thing for sure is that Tifa has an incredible mental fortitude that can survive all of this and more. She'll only grow stronger and tougher in part 3, makes it even harder for Sephiroth to knock her down.

[chimcess]

→ Chapter Nine: Landscapes Pairing: Jimin x Reader Other tags: Werewolf!Jimin, Witch!Reader, Shifter!Reader, Shifter!Jimin, A/B/O Dynamics, Alpha!Jimin Genre: Supernatural!AU, Werewolf!AU, Angst, Mutual Pining, Fluff, Smut, Word Count: 10.2k+ Synopsis: Within the four realms of Lustra lay the Bangtan forest home to the Foxglove pack of the south and known as the “land of magic.” It is also home to the Bridd, a powerful witch from a cursed bloodline who is one of the sacred guardians of the forest. Y/N is the newest Bridd, a young girl who was given her position too early. Now a woman, Y/N is revered amongst the wolves as the most powerful witch they have ever known, but hiding under the surface is a woman who has to battle between her duty and her heart. Warnings: ANGST, strong language, PTSD, flashbacks, self-hate, self-depreciation, talks of death, nosey birds, Moland is a lot of fun to write about, (sorta) theft, home sickness, magic, very tame A/N: Don't know how I feel about this chapter. It was a bit difficult to write. I think you'll understand why in a moment. Thanks for reading!

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Namjoon pov

I stood in the cramped boat house, the scent of Bridd lingering faintly but unmistakably fresh. It was a small concession I could offer Jimin, a flicker of hope in a sea of frustration. Hoseok had instructed me to search outside and follow the trail, a task I’d already performed yesterday. Jimin, in his usual manner, insisted on a double-check. Today’s search yielded better results; I could discern the subtle shifts in the scent. Bridd had stood exactly where I was standing no more than forty-eight hours ago.

“She’s long gone,” Hoseok’s voice echoed clearly in my mind, despite the distance between us—five miles at least. “Wonder where she went.”

“Taehyung mentioned Viridi Gramine,” Hyuna interjected, her focus sharp and unyielding as she scanned for any trace of Bridd. “Do you think she might be headed that way?”

“Doubt it,” I said, tracing the scent from a small cot on the floor to a rusty fridge. “I don’t think she was ever planning to visit our cousins.”

Hyuna mulled over this, while Hoseok wrestled with guilt. We had all chided him for it, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that if he had been able to speak to Bridd and Jimin, none of this would have happened. Apologizing for his perceived failure, the younger wolf returned to pondering Bridd’s whereabouts.

“Not far,” Hyuna mused thoughtfully.

“She could be out of Moland by now,” I said, my tone edged with concern. “I have no clue which direction she might have taken. She could be lost out there.”

The thought unsettled us all. Hoseok, knowing Bridd’s limited experience with the outside world, worried about her lack of navigational skills. Without a map, she was likely adrift. Hyuna, however, believed in Bridd’s survival instincts. If she had to fight, she could, and her shifting abilities would serve her well. Most likely, she had flown over the swamps and into Clarcton—an efficient and practical choice.

“That makes the most sense,” Hoseok agreed, his mental voice tinged with resignation.

Following her scent outside, it abruptly stopped at the small deck adjacent to the house. She must have shifted from there. We had hit a dead end. Hoseok let out a frustrated huff, while Hyuna attempted to calm him. I could now catch my sister’s thoughts, fraught with anxiety and worry. Yeong-Mi had always been prone to migraines and panic attacks; her stress was palpable.

“Shut up,” she snapped at me, her irritation clear but tinged with underlying stress. “He’s right, oppa,” she addressed Hoseok. “You can’t blame yourself. We all know who’s really to blame for this.”

Sol’s face flickered in her mind—distorted and unfamiliar. Yeong-Mi’s memory of Sol was tainted, a far cry from reality. She had no intention of facing the Luna again anytime soon, a sentiment Hyuna echoed with a delighted giggle. Hoseok mumbled something about Sol only trying to help, but none of us paid it much mind.

“Sol can’t bear all the responsibility,” I gently rebuked my sister. “Bridd still made the choice to run off.”

“If she had just minded her own business,” Mini barked, her frustration boiling over, “Bridd wouldn’t have fled! God, how could she say that to Jimin Oppa when we all know how stressed he’s been?”

“An idiot,” Hyuna snapped back, her anger flaring once more. “Between Bo, his brother, and the copiae, the guy hasn’t had a moment’s peace.”

I had tried to remain neutral but found myself agreeing with Hyuna. Sol had overstepped her bounds. Taehyung’s reaction to her misjudgment offered some solace. The boy had yet to touch his mate since Jimin’s frantic panic the night he discovered Bridd’s empty bed. Rumors of their constant arguing since her disappearance were spreading through Bangtan.

“Eun-Jin mentioned that Jimin said Bridd was heading to the Ozryn mountains alone,” my sister added. “I haven’t been around him since she left, so I don’t know the full story, but he’s devastated.”

Hoseok growled at Jimin’s name. Mini defended her favorite alpha while I reminded him of the bigger picture. Sol’s misleading information had set off a chain reaction. Jimin’s reaction, driven by incomplete information, had resulted in his current turmoil. Hoseok vehemently disagreed until Hyuna asked him how he would have reacted if he had believed she was going off to harm herself after recovering from an injury.

“She’s alone out there,” Hoseok grunted, his resolve wavering in the face of his wife’s reasoning. “He should have never let that happen.”

“It’s not his fault,” Jong-Hyun, Jungkook’s older brother, chimed in, having returned from his eastward search. “They’re both stubborn, and I doubt Bridd would have allowed him to come along. Ji-Hyun mentioned they had an argument the afternoon she left. He feels partly responsible for what’s happened.”

I growled, “That boy’s attitude is going to get him hurt. Is that why Callisto’s been even more irate than usual?”

Mini laughed, “I think that’s just how she is around you.”

We shared a laugh, the tension briefly easing. Hyuna and Hoseok had found each other, and my sister was their next stop. She was almost to Syrena, and the couple wanted to go for a swim. We declined their offer—I had no desire to be a magindara’s next meal. Yeong-Mi chose to wait with us, keeping an eye out for any elves.

I drowned out the cacophony of voices, focusing instead on the faint, elusive trail I was following. The swamps were vast and treacherous, a labyrinth where finding Bridd seemed almost impossible. Fear gnawed at me. I hoped to God she was out there, safe and vigilant, though I knew she wasn't invincible.

I sat by the murky water, staring into its depths as if it might offer some answer, until Hyuna’s voice broke through. Taehyung was looking for me. My father was worried about a group of elves spotted in the northwestern corner of Moland and needed me out of the forest. Jimin, stubborn as ever, refused to come home. Taehyung needed my help to strategize. Hyuna had looped back to meet me near Bridd’s now-destroyed cottage.

“We’re leaving him out here alone?” I asked, a hint of disbelief in my voice.

“Of course not,” Hyuna replied, her small red form bristling slightly. “Jong-Hyun and Hoseok are keeping an eye on him. He’s deep in the forest somewhere.”

She was disappointed about their postponed beach trip but chose not to dwell on it. I tried to offer some comfort, imagining them swimming and laughing together another day, but she waved it off. She was grateful, but the thought of discussing it further would only trouble Hoseok.

“And he hasn’t found anything?” I asked.

“Nothing,” Hyuna confirmed.

As I stepped into Bridd’s clearing, the sight of the wildflowers struck me. Her garden was a riot of colors, an oasis of beauty amidst the desolation. Her cottage, surrounded by a lush garden of vegetables, fruits, and herbs, seemed almost surreal. A porcelain birdbath stood at the front, perpetually full, as though enchanted. The perfect, curated meadow seemed a divine attempt to keep Bridd from sinking into despair. Hyuna lay in the grass near the ruined house, her face etched with sadness. Taehyung had said an elf caused the damage. Bridd’s scent still clung to the remnants of her home, but it was fading.

“I wanted to go inside,” Hyuna said, her gaze fixed on the gaping hole in the cottage’s front. Her sadness was palpable. “But I don’t think Jimin would appreciate it. This is the only place that still smells like her.”

“He’s been here,” I said, noting the strong, fresh scent of Jimin. “Is he sleeping in there?”

She nodded. “I think he’s trying to fix things up. Jungkook mentioned it to Cadoc. Jimin’s obsessed with getting everything right before she comes home.”

We exchanged a look. Neither of us held out much hope that our little bird would return soon. I had more faith in Bridd’s survival skills than Hyuna did, but neither of us knew when—or if—she would come back.

Hyuna recalled her trips to Bangtan when she lived in Viridi Gramine. The Ozryn mountains were harsh, unforgiving, and lethal. Despite her royal lineage and traveling with the most skilled guides, there was always a risk she might not return. After finding Hoseok, the thought of crossing those mountains had never crossed her mind until her mother fell ill.

I had never traversed the Ozryn myself, but Hyuna’s memories sent a chill through me. Bridd might very well perish out there, and no one could prevent it. I considered suggesting that Jimin and I abandon Foxglove to search for her, but a single glance from Hyuna wiped the thought clean. We couldn’t leave the village without more information.

Bridd’s death would shatter Jimin, and Taehyung and Sol’s marriage—already strained—would likely fall apart completely. The Park family would never be the same. I desperately hoped she would return to her senses, but deep down, I knew she wouldn’t. The fierce determination in her eyes when I visited her cottage after Sol’s birthday spoke volumes. Bridd had more fire in her than Hyuna realized.

“She’s never seen so much of the world before,” Hyuna whispered, her voice as if confessing a forbidden truth. “How can she know where to go if she doesn’t even know what to look for?”

“She has maps—”

“Maps that predate the industrial revolution,” Hyuna cut me off sharply. “That girl is lost, and you know it.”

I didn’t need to say more; we were in agreement. I reminded her of Bridd’s tenacity when threatened, recounting our fight outside the cottage. Hyuna chuckled, acknowledging Bridd’s fighting spirit but still worried. When Bridd was in the infirmary, the witches had mentioned her fainting spells. How could we be sure she wouldn’t collapse out there?

“We don’t,” I admitted. “We just have to have faith. For Jimin’s sake. For her friends’ sake.”

“And Bridd’s,” Hyuna added.

“And Bridd’s,” I agreed.

A distant howl pierced the forest, signaling it was time to move. Taehyung rarely shifted anymore, so it had to be urgent. Hyuna decided to accompany me and wait for her husband at the Temple, her thoughts wandering to the prospect of confronting Sol, though I chose to ignore it.

As we neared the village, I heard the voices of the other copiae joining the search. Ji-Hyun’s loud complaints about his sister-in-law’s dramatics stood out. Hyuna fought to suppress a snarl, her thoughts simmering with anger. The younger wolf quickly dropped the subject, but my distaste for him remained. Taehyung shared my sentiments and told the Park boy to head home for the day. Ji-Hyun managed to keep his thoughts to himself long enough to change, severing our connection.

“Irrumator,” Hyuna grunted, her thoughts shifting from Ji-Hyun to Sol.

I chuckled. “He’s young. Cut him some slack.”

“He’s older than Taehyung!” Hyuna snapped. “He should know better. What he said to Bridd was out of line. How can you defend him?”

I bowed my head, conceding. I respected Hyuna enough to avoid an argument, especially with the looming threat of war. Disagreements with her would mean disagreements with Hoseok, and that was something we couldn’t afford right now.

“It’s not defending him,” I said, trying to keep annoyance out of my voice. “I just think this is a time for unity. Arguing over something we can’t change is pointless.”

Hyuna huffed but let it go. I felt a small victory in that, knowing we needed to focus on more pressing matters. Taehyung’s thoughts reflected his inner turmoil. While he agreed on the need for unity against our shared threat, he was hurt and betrayed by his closest friend’s disappearance.

Sol stirred complex emotions within me. My yearning to lead had once blinded me to her true nature. When Taehyung was chosen over me, I was disappointed, but any lingering romantic feelings vanished. I was genuinely happy for him, even if my actions didn’t always reflect it.

Sol had always been obsessed with Jimin, her infatuation apparent in her teenage ramblings. Ahn had asked me to escort her while she shifted, and her incessant daydreams about Jimin were the last thing I wanted to hear. I found myself wanting to be at her side, to lead, and her thoughts of me were less than flattering.

Sol’s heartbreak over Jimin’s lack of interest was palpable. She had desperately sought his affection, willing to overlook her mates. Jimin, though kind and cordial, had rejected her advances. I understood now, and it made sense. He was deeply devoted to another.

Sol’s life took a nosedive into chaos the moment she found herself wrapped in Taehyung’s arms. At first, confusion and disbelief painted her world in shades of gray, but soon, that confusion melted into something pure, almost ethereal. It was as if she had been in love with him all along, as if it was written in the very fabric of her being. For Taehyung, the feeling was a mirror image of hers. Before Sol, his heart had been tethered to a local girl named Minji. But love, it seems, has a way of changing the script.

Still, Sol’s obsession with Jimin was almost automatic, a reflex she couldn’t control. They were closer in age than most of us (except Taehyung), though Jimin was still seven years her senior. He was always kind and thoughtful, qualities that drew her in like a moth to a flame. When she heard he might be in danger, she rushed to his side. What she told him, which I knew only because Jimin couldn’t stop replaying that night in his head, was meant to soothe him. Yet, she shoved her friendship with Bridd aside, put her trust with Taehyung on the chopping block, and risked straining her bond with Jimin himself—all to protect his fragile heart. It would have been admirable if she’d taken a moment to think, rather than barreling into his house like a bat out of hell, spewing melodramatic, and frankly, distorted versions of the truth.

The fallout was catastrophic. Jimin’s argument with Bridd was fueled by Sol’s words. The man was already on edge. His pack of fifteen had dwindled to seven, the newer recruits too green to be of much use. Stress and frustration boiled over the moment Sol’s dramatic tale hit his ears. She painted Bridd as a suicide-bound lunatic, claiming the witch was deceiving everyone about her intentions, determined to atone for her past sins. It was absurd, though not entirely untrue, but it came from a teenage girl who hadn’t truly listened. To Jimin, all he could hear was his mate marching to her death to atone for her silence.

The whole situation with Bridd was surreal. I was irritated by her reluctance to share her visions, but that frustration faded when I realized the depth of her fear and helplessness. We weren’t on good terms. Foxglove had distanced itself, and Ahn had been vocal about his plans to visit her cottage. I couldn’t blame her for hesitating to speak up when the threat was uncertain. Ahn might have had her killed.

“He would have been a fool,” Hyuna mumbled, breaking the silence.

“When wasn’t he?” I shot back, my tone dry.

Everyone shared my sentiment. Bridd was the last person to blame. Her actions, once she understood the gravity of the situation, revealed her true care. Cadoc’s account of waking up to find the little witch, broken and bloodied, but still determined to reach Foxglove, was enough to reduce even the toughest to tears. The second her eyes opened, all she could think about was getting back to Foxglove. Any lingering doubts about her intentions evaporated. Only a few, Ji-Hyun among them, remained wary, but they were making an effort for the pack’s sake.

At the village’s edge, I parted ways with Hyuna. She gave me a brief farewell before I shifted. I was more private than the others, especially Hoseok and Hyuna, and they were accustomed to giving me space during the shift. It was my most vulnerable moment, and I loathed feeling exposed.

Bangtan had various items of clothing stashed away, none of them tailored or particularly stylish, but they were functional. My mother was responsible for keeping the copiae clothed and cared for, a job she took very seriously. It was one of the few things my father felt proud of. He often demeaned her, telling her she needed to do better, be better, spouting the same old demeaning slogans the older men in town were fond of. I could never see the faults in any of the women, especially not my mother, but she never commented on it, and neither did I.

I found a pair of large, baggy pants and shifted. After putting on the cotton garments, I decided to forgo a shirt and made my way to the Temple. Taehyung was waiting for me, and I didn’t want to add to his burdens. I felt I had done enough of that already.

As I walked through the town, I saw Jimin’s mother, Mi-Jeong, helping Jungkook’s father chop wood for his roof. The Parks were an unusual family. Mi-Jeong was outspoken, fierce, and refused to bow to men’s expectations. Her stubbornness was rivaled only by her youngest child. My own family often criticized her ‘atrocious’ behavior, but I had always been fond of Mi-Jeong.

Ji-Hyun, on the other hand, was a quiet boy, favoring his mother with his sharp features and moss-brown eyes. He followed his brother around for years without complaint. That quietude lingered into his teenage years, but when he fell for a human girl, it sparked a fierce possessiveness. He fought for her, both verbally and physically, a devotion that changed him. His attitude was often defensive and quick to judge, but his love and loyalty for his family were unparalleled, even surpassing his older brother.

Jimin had always fascinated me. From the moment he was born, he had the village at his feet. His father had been a formidable figure, embodying the strength our people revered. His choice of bride was unusual, but everyone believed Ji-Won was up to the challenge of handling Mi-Jeong. Jimin, like his father, possessed all the traits of a Park: charm, wit, courage. What set him apart was the hidden sweetness he kept from the world. I saw it. I had always seen it.

The first glimpse I got of that sweetness was when he chased butterflies in his backyard. He was no older than four, but even at that age, boys were expected to show maturity. In public, Jimin was the epitome of a perfect child. Yet, watching him blow bubbles and giggle as he chased a monarch butterfly, I knew his public persona was an act.

Now, that same sweetness was on display once more, though in a far more public and painful manner. Jimin had shut himself off, avoiding conversations and shunning his closest friends, hiding away and waiting for the other piece of his heart to return. It was a strange sight: Park Jimin, usually so strong, now weak and in agony.

As Mi-Jeong’s eyes met mine, I saw the same sadness and worry reflected in her. I hoped her family would pull together, but I doubted it would happen until Bridd returned, if she ever did. The thought of the Park family’s fate if she didn’t come back sent a shiver down my spine. 

I didn’t stop to talk to anyone, as I usually did. My mind was too scattered, and frankly, I was done with conversation. A constant stream of thoughts and voices in your head will do that. Fortunately, no one seemed put off by my silence. We were all grappling with uncertainty since losing one of our strongest fighters.

“Anything new, dog?”

The voice slithered through the air, smooth and grating, a rasp that scraped against my nerves. I clenched my teeth, trying to ignore the familiar sting. With a deep, slow breath, I turned to face the source of my irritation.

Seokjin was there, of course. He had become my personal Dante’s Inferno over the past few days. The man had a grudge that could outlast a vampire’s curse, and he still hadn’t forgiven me for taking a swing at his friend. His face was a storm cloud, eyes dark with disdain. Beside him, Yoongi was a ghost of his former self. He looked worse than ever—thin and ragged, like a paper doll battered by the wind. His hair was a disheveled mess, and his once vibrant blue eyes had dulled further, his pupil barely visible.

“Unfortunately not,” I said, keeping my voice even, though I wanted nothing more than to escape this confrontation. “A few are still out searching, but I was pulled away.”

“Hmft,” Seokjin crossed his arms, a gesture that seemed to tighten the knot of irritation on his face. “Figures.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” I snapped, irritation bubbling up.

I never did like much about him.

“You don’t give a damn if you find her or not,” Seokjin’s voice was thick with anger, each word dripping venom. “None of you do.”

My patience was fraying, “That’s not true—”

“It’s that bitch’s fault she’s gone,” Seokjin shouted over me, his voice cracking like a whip.

“Stop yelling,” I said, struggling to keep my composure. The scene we were causing was spiraling out of control. My father would lose his mind. “I know what Sol did. None of us are happy about it, but I’m not a god. I can’t rewind time or bring her back. What’s done is done.”

“Yet you still follow her orders like some lapdog.”

“I follow Taehyung,” I corrected, my voice tight with restrained frustration. “By extension, that means I follow his wife. We’re at war, Seokjin. I’m sorry about Bridd, truly, and I hope she’s safe, but my life doesn’t revolve around her. I have a village to protect, a village she isn’t in. I won’t abandon it to chase shadows.”

Seokjin’s face was a furnace of rage now, tears brimming in his eyes. I couldn’t help but feel a pang of pity for him. Bridd was a close friend of his, and she had abandoned them—harsh words, but accurate in the rawest sense. The others had voiced their disgust when she vanished, their anger directed at our governing bodies. Sol had barred them from the Temple after one of Seokjin’s entourage had lashed out. Since that night, they’d remained cloaked in silence, not a whisper of their departure from the Park house.

“You’re going to let her die,” Seokjin’s accusation was a punch to the gut, raw and brutal.

Yes, if it meant saving my own. Bridd was a distant concern compared to the stakes at hand. I barely knew her; respect didn’t equate to prioritizing her over my sister. In this high-stakes game, I had to trust that she could handle herself and accept it.

“Jin,” Yoongi’s voice cut through the tension, soft yet firm. I had almost forgotten he was there. “Let it be. Namjoon has done what he can. Let’s return to Mi-Jeong’s.”

I was relieved that Yoongi seemed more composed than Seokjin. I sneaked a glance at him and was glad to see his hair growing back, a sign he was getting enough to eat. It was a small comfort, considering the grim reality of his condition. Yoongi’s blindness wasn’t just a loss; it was a nightmare. I remembered how his pain had been described—a brutal assault on his senses, panic attacks ripping through him like storm winds. Samanya had said the spell should have killed him, and his survival, with only his eyesight lost, was a cruel twist of fate.

“But—”

“Drop it,” Yoongi said, his voice a low rumble, stopping Seokjin before he could unleash another tirade. Without turning his head, he addressed me. “I apologize for his callousness. We’re all on edge. I hope you understand.”

This was the most I’d heard Yoongi speak, even during our time at Bridd’s cottage in the Spring. “It’s not an issue. I hope you’re feeling better.”

It was unnerving to talk to someone who couldn’t meet my gaze. Yoongi’s eyes, unseeing and vacant, stared blankly at the village’s edge. His voice was gruff and monotonous, a strange contrast to the depth of the situation.

“I am fine,” he replied. “We’re here because my mother wanted to know how far you believe she could have gone. I’ll tell her that she must have shifted and lost her scent.”

“Thank you,” I said, relieved by his ability to keep Seokjin quiet. “She was on a houseboat for a few hours before she left. Any ideas?”

“Thelma,” Seokjin grunted. “She must have rested and then taken off. Was anything missing?”

I shrugged. “I couldn’t say. Sorry.”

Seokjin shook his head angrily, a futile gesture.

“No need to apologize,” Yoongi said, raising a hand in a dismissive motion. It was unclear what he intended, but I chose not to dwell on it. “We’ll leave you alone now.”

Seokjin opened his mouth to argue but thought better of it. I smirked, feeling a bit of triumph. Yoongi’s presence was a useful deterrent for the annoying one. Scowling, Seokjin wrapped an arm around Yoongi and turned towards the residential district, their figures fading into the distance.

Taehyung was pacing when I finally found him in the Temple library. Books were strewn across the tables like fallen soldiers, pages ripped from their bindings stacked haphazardly at the edge of a massive oak table that had seen better days. His blonde hair was a shaggy mess, the back grazing his neck while the front hung just past his ears. Thick, wavy bangs spilled over his eyebrows, so long they were kept at bay by a headband.

The sight of him worried me. Taehyung was unraveling, a fraying thread in a tapestry of stress. He managed to keep it together during the elder meetings, putting on a brave face to avoid giving Ahn any satisfaction. But anyone could see the cracks beginning to show. Jimin was doing his best to keep Taehyung from falling apart, but he had his own demons to battle.

I had taken it upon myself to pick up the slack where Taehyung faltered. I owed it to both him and Jimin after my role in their exile. Taehyung, ever the forgiving soul, was more generous with grace than Jimin. But I knew I was skating on thin ice. Others might have taken my head for the disrespect I’d shown. Jimin might have if he wasn’t so focused on keeping the peace with his mate.

I needed to focus on the task at hand. Taehyung had summoned me for a reason, and I had to be there for him. His pacing showed no signs of stopping as I entered, a bad omen for the kind of conversation I was about to have. He seemed to find a semblance of calm when we discussed strategy, a fleeting solace in the chaos.

“Sorry for the delay, Tae,” I said, my voice soft and steady, hoping to cut through his distress.

He paused, his eyes bloodshot and glossy, cheeks flushed like someone had poured a pot of boiling water on them. His lower lip quivered despite his best efforts to steady it. Taehyung’s emotional rawness was always a puzzle. He was kind, gentle, a giant child who laughed at his own clumsiness and played with his younger siblings as if he were still a child himself.

He never shied away from tears. When Jimin’s father died, neither he nor Ji-Hyun shed a tear in public, though I knew better than to believe they didn’t grieve privately. Their show of stoicism was celebrated, a mask of bravery they wore for the town. Taehyung struggled to wear that mask as seamlessly as Jimin had.

Taehyung’s father hadn’t died in a blaze of glory. No heroics, just illness. Ahn had called him weak for succumbing to an infected wound, a sentiment not widely shared but unchallenged. My own mother, a loyalist to Ahn, had called him cruel for further tormenting a grieving family.

“I didn’t realize it had been so long,” Taehyung mumbled, resuming his restless pacing.

In that moment, he looked more like his father than ever. Dong-Min had been respected and wise, but he wasn’t the sort to attract crowds. An artist from Viridi Gramine, his works were beautiful, but he remained in the shadows. He’d found his muse in Hana, who had come from an abusive home. They had fled Withertusk together, and their troubles had melted away in Foxglove.

“You’re upset,” I said bluntly. Taehyung preferred directness. “What’s wrong?”

“Have I done something wrong?” His voice cracked, the tremor betraying his tears. “I want your honesty, Namjoon. Have I done anything horrible to her?”

“To who?” I asked, stepping closer to comfort him. His shoulders shook with quiet sobs, an effort to hide his pain from the world. It never occurred to me that he was trying to conceal his suffering so well. I had always misread him. He could only shake his head, eyes squeezed shut as new tears poured forth.

I wrapped him in an embrace, feeling the weight of his grief pressing into me. The last time he had cried on my shoulder was at his father’s funeral, a day when Ahn’s cruel words had cut him to the bone. Taehyung had stumbled out of the building, bleeding and torn, begging me to hold him. My father, showing rare kindness, had taken him home to clean up.

“You could never wrong her,” I said, not great with comfort but hoping my words would help. “Whatever happened between you two is just a wrinkle in time. Sol is angry with herself. She loves you, and she knows how much you love her.”

Tae sniffled, his cries muffled against my shoulder.

“Not Sol,” he sobbed. “Y/N.”

That was a harder pill to swallow. I could spout meaningless platitudes about his mate all day. Their love was a given. Taehyung had been furious with her for talking to Jimin behind his back, but I knew they’d work through it. Their bond was strong. His relationship with Y/N, though, was a different matter. I had never witnessed it firsthand, but I knew it was meaningful. Taehyung saw her as the older sister he never had, but I felt ill-equipped to guide him through this grief.

“You didn’t do anything to her, Tae,” I reasoned. “She made a choice to leave. She didn’t harbor ill will towards you. She even left you a note with your necklace. Doesn’t that say something?”

The red gem from Bridd’s gift pressed against my skin, a bittersweet reminder of her kindness. Taehyung had worn the necklace since reading the note, a gesture he hadn’t truly earned but had been given nonetheless. I had my own connection to Bridd through that journal she gave me, which had turned into a poetry book. I respected her, and that respect guided me in my attempt to console Taehyung.

“I told Sol,” Taehyung whimpered. “I told her after she asked me to keep quiet. It’s all my fault—”

“I’m done with the blame game,” I sighed, gently pushing him back to arm’s length. I gripped his shoulders. “Everyone’s been wallowing in self-pity. Y/N left to find help. No one forced her to do that. You and I both know she’s capable. Stop acting like she’s dead. She’s out there trying to help us. We need to stay focused.”

“What if she…” His voice faltered, unable to utter the word “death.”

“Then we make sure her sacrifice isn’t in vain,” I said, releasing him. “We plan, strategize, and fight tooth and nail against those things. For Bridd.”

I didn’t relish invoking her name this way, but I knew Taehyung would cling to it. Her name was a beacon of hope in this dark time. His eyes ignited with a renewed fire, the heat returning to them.

“For Bridd,” he echoed, as if making a solemn vow.

Inside, I prayed for her safe return. I was unsure how long this newfound fire would last, or what would happen if it burned out of control. Taehyung was obsessive by nature. As a child, he painted like his father, sculpted like our grandmother, and later, dived into gardening. Now, I feared his focus would be consumed by this war. He wasn’t ready for what was coming, but I had to believe in his strength.

“You should go see your mom,” I said sincerely. “I’m sure Jong and Jin miss you.”

I left unsaid my concerns about him being cooped up in the Temple since his return.

He nodded, “I will. Let one of the maids know I’ve left. I don’t want Sol to worry.”

“You’re not telling her you’re leaving?”

He frowned. “We’re not on speaking terms at the moment.”

Oh, Bridd, why did you have to leave? Why did Sol have to stir things up? Seeing Taehyung so defeated was a blow. The fire I had ignited in him didn’t soothe my worries. He was still adrift, and I feared my attempts at comfort had done more harm than good. Maybe it would have been simpler to let him cry it out. Navigating whether I’d said or done the right thing was a far more daunting task.

The day slipped through my fingers like a handful of sand, the minutes eroded by the grind of endless work. After my talk with Taehyung, he had gone off to find his siblings, while I remained buried in the heavy silence of the library. Despite our grim business of war, we still had our East Coast obligations to handle. Hours ticked by as I drafted warnings and travel advisories, scribbling frantically until my hand ached. 

When the time came to face the maps spread across the tables, I hoped the change in scenery would spark a breakthrough. The library was a cavern of paper and ink, and I dived into its depths, searching for something—anything—that might tip the scales in our favor.

But the talk of war had become a cacophony of angry voices. My father and Jimin were at each other’s throats, each stubbornly clutching their own version of strategy. My father wanted to march straight into Northorn, to meet our enemy head-on. Jimin, with his uncanny knack for seeing beyond the obvious, thought it was nothing short of idiocy. He argued that the elves would have the upper hand on unfamiliar ground. Our pack knew the forest better than anyone; it was our home turf, and it should be our advantage. 

Jungkook and I were on the same page, much to my relief. We didn’t want to die, but if the situation demanded it, we would. He leaned towards Jimin’s strategy, favoring a defensive stance in Bangtan. It made the most sense—until the elves found a way to stir up trouble.

The witches from Syrena arrived in the late afternoon, a storm of anger and despair. Their leader had fallen during the attack, leaving them in the care of the swamp witch. I felt a pang of sympathy for them, as they stumbled into our midst. Their rage was palpable, their grief a raw wound that bled into everything they did.

Yoongi was on my mind again. He was adjusting to his blindness, but the idea of him fighting was laughable. He was a fantastic fighter when he could see, but now he was little more than dead weight. It was a shame—he had been a force to be reckoned with, even if a spell had temporarily taken him out. I had no doubt he’d be back, even if it meant defying orders. His death, when it came, would be a dignified one.

Then there was Seokjin. He surprised me in ways I hadn’t anticipated. Despite my dislike for the witch, I had to admit the man could fight. He had defended his girlfriend, taken down countless elves, and even saved his father’s life. I hoped we could set aside our differences and train together. It was crucial that we learned to fight as a unit. I planned to discuss this with Jimin later.

Before I could lose myself further in thought, I caught her scent. The sweet, cloying aroma of Sol was unmistakable, a stark contrast to the damp, cold air of the library. Her bare feet were a whisper against the marble floor, and I braced myself for the encounter. Sol’s attempt to mask her natural scent had always been a losing battle, but I couldn’t fault her for it. Ahn had stripped her of her self-confidence, leaving her to second-guess everything about herself.

She appeared before me, her small figure framed by the ornate grandeur of the library. Her hair, unbound and flowing, was a cascade of dark waves, a sharp contrast to the cold sterility of the surroundings. I couldn’t help but feel uncomfortable with her exposure. Modesty was an old relic, but Sol had been taught its importance, and Ahn had made sure she lived in its shadow.

“Luna,” I greeted, my voice tentative. “Your hair…”

She sighed, as if resigned to my reaction. Her tone was edged with annoyance, but I couldn’t decipher why. Ahn had instilled in her a warped sense of propriety, and the way she wore her hair now seemed to mock it.

“Does it matter?” she murmured, a hint of bitterness in her voice. “We all know I’m no longer virtuous.”

I frowned. “Your virtue isn’t tied to your virginity, Sol.”

I could feel the discomfort between us, the unspoken boundaries crossed. Sol’s presence was like a weight on my chest, and I had to force myself to remain composed. Taehyung would be devastated if he caught us in such an awkward position. I stood up, putting a respectful distance between us, and turned my attention to the doorframe, trying to look anywhere but at her.

“What’s bothering you?” I asked, keeping my voice steady. “Aside from the obvious.”

I leaned against the doorframe, peering into the hall, grateful for the distance it offered. I heard Sol take a seat in the chair I had vacated, the sound of her movements marking her presence more than her words.

“You must think I’m pathetic,” Sol’s voice was a fragile whisper.

“Why would I think that?” I countered, genuinely puzzled.

She laughed, a hollow sound that resonated with self-deprecation. “You’ve been a constant in my life longer than anyone. You were there before Taehyung. You and I were almost betrothed, according to my father.”

The mention of Ahn made my skin crawl. He was no father of hers. The real truth was darker—Ahn had taken her from her real parents, Cho Haneul and Bong Ha-Yun, who had vanished from the village under suspicious circumstances. Whispers hinted at banishment or worse, but I’d always taken my mother’s word that Ahn had been behind it all. 

“I’ve never been fair to you,” Sol continued, her voice trembling. “I was mean, rude, and cold. I wanted Jimin so badly that I mistreated you. I’m sorry for that.”

I listened, indifferent. Sol’s words were a weak balm to old wounds. I knew her well enough to understand her manipulations, her selfishness veiled under layers of false remorse. 

“Why are you telling me this?” I asked, trying to keep my tone neutral.

“You knew me before Taehyung did. I know you didn’t like me, but I trust your opinion. I know I don’t deserve your kindness, but I’m asking for it anyway.”

Her voice was weary, and I found myself disenchanted with her pleas. I reminded myself of her age and the naivety that came with it, but it didn’t soften the irritation I felt. She had made mistakes, breached boundaries, and caused chaos, all while thinking she could remain unscathed.

“Am I a bad person?” she asked, her voice barely more than a breath.

“No,” I said firmly, though it was hard to mask my irritation. “But that doesn’t mean I’ll lie to make you feel better. You’ve caused enough damage, and it’s your responsibility to deal with the consequences.”

Her soft sniffles were a distant echo to my frustration. She had stirred trouble and failed to take responsibility for it. I wasn’t here to placate her. I was here to get through the day.

“I’m not the one to offer you comfort,” I said, turning away. “Seek solace from your maids. They’re trained to dry tears; I’m not.”

With that, I left the library, my mind already set on finding a place to rest. The Temple was no refuge from the turmoil of the day, but it was all I had. Maybe Sam would be around, and her company would be a welcome distraction. Her beauty and confidence had always been a bright spot, even if I wasn’t ready to entertain any advances. Tonight, though, I’d take any semblance of normalcy I could get.

I had no desire to return to my family home. Spending too long around my parents was like slowly going mad. The pretense I maintained with my father was exhausting, and my mother—well, she never had the backbone to stand up to him. My childhood was a grim carousel of beatings, with my mother watching, her own misery forgotten as long as she avoided the brunt of his rage. By the time Mini arrived, those days were behind us, and my father had stopped drinking. Our relationship had improved, but the bitterness lingered, festering like a wound that never fully healed. Sometimes, I wondered if I truly hated them both.

Lately, I had been crashing at Hoseok’s place. But he’d asked for some space, and I was buried in work, too tangled up to find another spot to crash. It was a far cry from the opulent room I had at the Temple, but the Temple had become a place I loathed. I’d have joined Jimin and the rest of the copiae, but the weight of my responsibilities kept me tied down. Stepping down as head council would mean my father or Bo would handle public relations, and the thought of that was enough to make me want to gnaw my own arm off. Taehyung would go berserk if those two were left in charge.

I racked my brain for other friends to stay with. The Parks would welcome me, but their home was overflowing with guests. Yoongi and the swamp witch’s families were still there, Jin’s group was with Taehyung’s family, and the Syrena witches were scattered among the wolf families and humans. They’d planned to stay at the Temple, but Sol had made a mess of that arrangement. Everything had spiraled out of control faster than I could keep up with.

“Lost in thought?” Jimin’s voice cut through my musings. 

I stopped in my tracks, realizing I had wandered into the copiae grounds. Jimin lounged on his porch, a large glass in hand, his face shadowed by a dark expression. The sharp scent of alcohol reached me even from the street. I approached him, trying to ignore the tumultuous thoughts of my father.

“You’re drunk,” I observed, taking the glass from his hand and sniffing it. Mead, probably from Jungkook’s stash. “This isn’t going to help.”

He shrugged, a gesture of defeat. “I know. Just needed a distraction.”

Here I was again, being dragged into someone else’s emotional wreckage. Even if Jimin hadn’t asked outright, I knew I’d end up hauling him inside and making him sleep. At least, I could crash here afterward. Tomorrow, I’d make sure he ate something and then convince him to help me go over documents at the Temple. He was the battle strategist, after all.

“I’m not in the mood for a heart-to-heart,” I said bluntly. “I’ve already dealt with two sob stories today, and my patience is shot. So you’re going to let me help you, and we’ll talk in the morning.”

Jimin leaned back, sweat glistening on his forehead and his hair a tangled mess. He looked uncharacteristically disheveled. I rubbed my face in frustration.

“Fine,” I sighed, “how about this: I need a place to sleep. I can’t stand Taehyung and Sol right now, and you—” I gestured at him, “—look like hell. Obviously, you’re a mess, but the pack needs you to pull yourself together so we can get through this.”

Jimin didn’t move. He remained like a statue, eyes fixed on something distant. “I’ll stay the night. Tomorrow, we’ll talk feelings or whatever. Then, we’ll come up with a plan to get you back in the game. Sound good?”

He rolled his eyes, a humorless laugh escaping his lips. “What’s the point?” His face crumpled in despair. I felt lost at sea, unable to handle his sorrow. Thankfully, he composed himself, though the heaviness lingered. “What’s the point of anything? Without her... it just doesn’t matter.”

I sat down beside him, the cold, rough wood against my legs. I tried to focus on this as a conversation between friends. Jimin had never asked me for anything before. When Taehyung was chosen, Jimin had been the first to urge me to stand firm against Ahn. I had been foolish, ignoring his advice. Now he needed me to be the rock, and I couldn’t let him down.

We couldn’t keep going like this. Jimin wasn’t in the right frame of mind, and I knew the only way to get him back on track was to think of something drastic. My mind was already spinning a plan, one that had seemed hopeless earlier, but now felt like a desperate gamble. Maybe, just maybe, giving him a glimmer of hope might help him pull himself together. Feeling a pang of guilt, I decided to go for it and face the consequences later.

“I know you’re hurting,” I said, trying to soften my tone, unsure if it worked. “I can’t even imagine what you’re going through. When you and Taehyung were gone, the guilt nearly ate me alive. It must be worse for you.”

“You don’t have to say anything,” he started to protest, but I brushed it off.

“I think I do. No one else seems to be,” I said, placing a hand on his shoulder. “We’re in deep trouble right now, Park. We need you.”

Jimin shook his head. “I wouldn’t be much help right now, Joon.”

“I don’t believe that,” I replied. “Honestly, anything you do would be better than the mess you’ve got going on. And by the way, your girl’s on my side. She’d be furious if she knew how much you’ve been slacking.”

That made him chuckle softly.

“That’s fair,” he said, a wan smile spreading across his flushed face. “She’s such a little firecracker, isn’t she?”

I nodded. “She once tried to set me on fire.”

We shared a laugh, remembering that day. Truth was, she scared the hell out of me. If she had really wanted to hurt me, she could’ve. I’d barely escaped with just a few scratches and bruises. Jimin had beaten me senseless when she got hurt, but I had a lifetime of memories that made me untouchable. Bridd, however, was another story.

“What if I made you a deal?” I asked, catching his attention.

He perked up. “What kind of deal?”

“If we make it through the next wave on top, I’ll help you find her.”

His eyes sharpened, a flicker of hope lighting up. “Really?”

Guilt twisted in my gut. I didn’t truly believe we’d reach that point. The elves were everywhere, their grip tightening on Northorn with each passing day. We were far from ready, and with traitors in our midst, the situation was dire. The alliance with the quietus was fragile, and the witch problem was something only Jimin could fix. It could be weeks or even months before we could search for Bridd. Still, I had to use her as leverage. We needed strong leadership, and the witch was the best motivation I could offer.

“I’ll go with you,” I said, doubling down. “We can take a small group. I’ve got connections with a quietus who knows the lay of the land. Finding her could be straightforward.”

“You’d do that for me?” He looked genuinely surprised.

I nodded. “If we’re in a position to do it, why not?”

I watched as he mulled it over, the distant look in his eyes dissolving into something clear, almost serene. He was on board. Hope unfurled in my chest like a fragile flower reaching for the sun. With Jimin on my side, dealing with Taehyung would be a breeze. The older alpha’s desire for redemption would give us a leverage, and if Jimin and Taehyung could join forces, we’d have Hoseok back in the mix too.

Things were starting to tilt in our favor. Soon, the elementals and witches would be joining our discussions, the elder council would be edged out by a new generation of leaders, and the war would start to feel like something we could actually manage. I might even be able to recruit a fresh wave of warriors to the copiae once the village saw Jimin’s renewed determination.

“Stay here as long as you need,” Jimin finally said, and I was doing a mental victory dance. “You can crash on the couch.”

I sprang up, ready to hit the sack, and gave his head a playful shove. He chuckled, swatting my hand away. We used to mess around like this all the time as kids—Jimin always had a knack for winning our wrestling matches. He was slippery as an eel.

“Let’s go, kid,” I said, stretching my arms above my head. “We’ve got an early start tomorrow. Council meeting.”

He nodded, reaching out for my help to stand. He must have imbibed more than I realized; it took a lot for alcohol to hit us this hard.

“Hopefully, Taehyung will deal with the two ancient relics in the Temple,” he slurred, stumbling inside and mumbling about how his bed felt like it had swallowed him whole.

A/N: So Joon pov??? How do we like? He's not the only pov switch we're going to have, but we will be seeing a lot of our favorite (to hate) alpha joining our main squad. I thought he would be a good outside mind to get inside of since he's not as emotionally connected to Bridd as the others. Any guesses as to who our other switches might be?

p.s. These pov chapters will be a bit shorter than our normal, reader pov ones, but not by much.

Taglist: @greezenini@adventures-in-bookland@kthstrawberryshortcake-main@zae007live@jimin-neverout@nikkiordonez12@canarystwin@yamekomz @chimthicc@michiiedreamer@amorieus@mima795@yunki-yunki-yunki

© chimcess, 2024. Do not copy or repost without permission.

[winola-heart]

The Win-Winverse Color Gang!

I just realized I never actually described how my interpretations of the Color Gang were like. I'll admit, I DID take a few liberties on some of them, but for the most part I tried to keep their initial personalities in tact. Well, here we are then.

and YES i gave them last names. Why? Why not

With that out of the way, let's get to these goobers shall we?

From left to right:

❤️ Red Akamatsu (They/Them): Seen as emotional by many, Red is highly affectionate towards any living thing they even so much as just say hi to. This is coupled with being the most energetic of the gang- the smallest thing excites them, and they're almost never seen staying still. They also like to pull mischief- you'd better keep alert lest they dupe you!

Their main flaw is acting before thinking. Their impulsiveness has gotten themself or others into trouble in some way or form. Not once do they stop to consider the dangers of what they might be doing- if it's there, and it presents itself as a problem, they're rushing into it headfirst to stop it. Common sense be damned.

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💚 Green Viridis (He/They): Ladies, gentlemen, everyone in between, meet Green! With a cool and nonchalant attitude, he goes about everything with boundless confidence. Always looking for an opportunity to impress anyone, they're talented and they WILL make it known. It's hard to miss him with his charisma, his skill, and his... big ego...

As you might guess, said ego can get the better of him. Arrogance is one of his weaknesses, and he often gets under others' skin this way. It's easy to do the same with him, though- mess with him enough and his confident attitude may break, but not after brushing it off and pretending it didn't happen. They didn't mess up. They never mess up!

- Blue's older cousin.

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💙 Blue Aoki (She/They): On a normal day, Blue prefers to go with the flow. She's easy to interact with, being laid back, calm, and polite to everyone she meets. They're what you'd call the "parent friend", assuring the wellbeing of the others and defusing personal conflict whenever they can. While she can be dense and dimwitted, that doesn't stop her from being kind.

They are genuinely nice and caring, but the other side of them is neurotic and full of worry. Scared of the bad things that could happen, she fears that misfortune could be around any corner. They will go to great lengths for people's safety- even at the cost of their own.

- Green's younger cousin.

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💛 Yellow Soleil (They/Them): There's so much things they want to do, many more on their mind, yet so little time! Passionate about the things they love, they will not hesitate to show that fact- whichever the topic may be, there's a chance they know at least three things related to it. They love coming up with new ideas, and while normally focused on work, they can loosen up and have fun, too.

When talking with people, Yellow has a tendency to be blunt with their words, and as such may accidentally come off rude or mean. They also don't have a good sense of foresight, as said bright ideas mentioned earlier can get the others into trouble... some way or another!

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🧡 Orange "The Second Coming" Tachibana (Any Prns): Reliable and headstrong, The Second Coming is a person one can lean on and trust to be there for them when needed. He is outgoing, full of tenacity, and fiercely loyal to the people he loves, willing to go through hell and back for them if it means they are safe. In terms of their friend group, he's the one with the most braincells.

She of course isn't without her flaws. They tend to have some snarker tendencies and have a habit of riffing on others, even during the best of times. On the other hand, when things are rough, they can become cold and snappy, taking on a no-nonsense attitude. You don't want to tick them off further when that happens...

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💜 Purple Murasaki (He/Xe): At first glance, Purple may appear awkward and secluded. His grasp on communicating with people isn't the best, and as a result he's quiet and shy upon meeting him. You wouldn't be blamed for thinking xe's one of these people who wants to keep to xemselves. And for the most part, he does.

However, get past this initial shyness and underneath the layers of standoffishness is a genuinely friendly individual. As it turns out, xe's actually quite nice and willing to interact- if with an air of awkwardness around xem. It's easy to leave him alone, but when you approach him directly to even just have a chat, he'll appreciate it. A lot.

[velociheroviridi]

"man I need to find more time to watch anime" I say, as I sit on my bed reading webnovels for hours at a time

[bridgeportbritt]

The Goths got away with many proclamations, laws, and raises in taxation in the years they had ruled over the land. While they bled their citizens dry, they used the funds to live a lavish life that starkly contrasted that of the everyday Pendite. Beautiful clothes, handmade furniture, the best ingredients for the most luxurious meals. But most of all to fund their army and prepare to conquer more land. The Goths had ambitious dreams of creating one of the most powerful nations in the world. By force. So, they thought little of how their own citizens viewed them. Just as they did the rest of the world. They especially never even considered that the poor, downtrodden Pendites would revolt against them. How could they when they barely had enough to survive?

But, the Goths underestimated the people of Pendula View. Each day, the revolution grew as more and more villages joined. Farmers, carpenters and bards alike became soldiers training to fight. Old laws like how to dress and curfews were broken. Soon, the refusal of goods and services like crops and housekeeping, and even taxes. It was getting harder to suppress what was happening and The Goths were running out of ideas.

Lord Crumplebottom: All I want to know is how I can protect my family. I'm sure it won't be long until the rebels target the wealthy.

Mortimer: Bah! I wouldn't be concerned about that. I have yet to see them even think about such a thing!

Lord Crumplebottom: But they are preparing, so we must be prepared! Your soldiers can only make them fear you so much. It's becoming less effective. Plus, you can't contain them all!

Lord Landgraab: And why not?

Lord Crumplebottom: Because not every poor is a rebel. Some are our farmers and maids and still want to work! We can't keep them from their service. Do you expect us to tend to the crops, chores and the children?

Lord Landgraab: Needn't you worry about my soldiers. They have strict orders and can identify who is and is not apart of this abomination. What we need to focus on is funding more weapons.

Mortimer: More? But we've just acquired a large shipment from Vernick and Viridis! Not to mention Druzar. We cannot ask for more aid. I'm afraid our enemy countries might catch on and begin aiding to the rebels. I'm sure Whitmore, Armorica, Trenton and Pierreland would all love to see us fall.

Lord Landgraab: Afraid? Since when are you afraid, Morty? We must show strength at a time like this! We can't finally start our plan to conquer other nations if all our weapons are tied up in some civil war! Certainly, you can use your connections with Druzar to ask for more.

Mortimer: Absolutely not. My sister may be the Queen, but the more I use her, the weaker I and Pendula View looks in her eyes. And therefore, in the King's. We need to be strategic about using them to our advantage.

Lord Crumplebottom: Did you say civil war? I knew we never should've gotten into this mess in the first place. You've pushed the peasants too far! My poor wife has just been beside herself worrying that the maid will leave her for the rebellion.

Footsteps approaching

Bella angry: That's enough!

The men all gasp

Bella angry: To think men the likes of you help lead this country! You sound no better than a woman with your whining and your inability to come to a resolution.

Lord Crumplebottom nervous: Y- Your Almighty Excellency, I-

Bella: I don't want to hear it! If your wife or others of the ton are so concerned about their help, do something regarding it! I don't care if you have to trap them on your property!

Lord Landgraab nervous: Your Almighty Excellency, there's no need-

Bella: Oh, there is indeed no need! No need for a general to ever question his King! If Mortimer says no more aid, then that is final. Make it work with what you have.

Lord Landgraab: Yes, Your Almighty Excellency.

Bella: You men have one duty and that is to support my husband wholeheartedly! Especially with the ton. All this bickering is nonsensical and is of no use. We must act.

Mortimer: Thank you, my love. What would you suggest?

Bella: Well... as always, I try not to waste a frown on political matters and save that for you men. But it's obvious that what we're doing now isn't working. We can't just sit back and watch them form an army against us. If they want war, we have to give it to them.

Lord Landgraab: But, Your Almighty Excellency, our army is almost ready to move on Sulani. We shouldn't halt our plans for-

Bella: Good, if they're near ready than this will be perfect training. Take out the rebels, then get the army ready to march on Sulani.

Mortimer: A brilliant idea from a brilliant woman.

Bella: You lot make it so much harder than it is. Now, I must get to my stroll. All this thinking is simply not good for a woman! Good day, Gentlemen.

beginning | previous | next

Thanks for being apart of SimDonia history! @housekonig @royalmedani @trentonsimblr @whitmoreroyals @officalroyalsofpierreland @armoricaroyalty

[trashbag-baby666]

Between Tridents and Knives-Finnick Odair

Chapter One

Summary: Fawn Viridis, victor of the 68th games from District Four. That's where she got to know Finnick and they fell in love for each other fast. Snow put no time between them announcing their relationship at the end of her victor tour and beginning to sell their bodies together to the capitol. Now it's been six years of trying to live in solitude together in the victors village. Then the 75th quarter quell is announced. Both are worried for each other as they're reaped. Things change of course, Fawn isn't ready to let her lover die for Katniss.

This Work Is More Based On The Books Rather Than Movies.

Word Count: 2,069

C/W: Mentions of violence, blood, and trauma.

Series Masterlist!

“Fawn,” Finnicks voice was small as he choked on his own blood. A spear in his chest as he bled out.

“No, Finnick stop it.” Fawn held her hands over the wound trying to stop the bleeding. Finnick laid on a beach in an arena, blood soaked sand around them. A dead fellow victor nearby who just speared Finnick.

“Fawn just let go, there can only be one of us.”Finnick was trying his best as the blood seeped down his chin. Fawns hands covered in blood.

His blood.

“Finnick stop saying that, I can fix this.” Fawn grabbed a part of the pants she was issued and ripped a chunk off stuffing it into the wound.

“I love you,” Finnick let out a long breath. As she added more pressure her light brown bangs fell into her face. She pushed them aside, soaking her hair and her skin in his blood.

“I love you too.” Fawns voice was desperate as she grabbed another chunk of her pants holding them tighter.

“Finnick?” panic ran through her body as she saw his chest not moving.

She grabbed one of her knives from the slots in her belt and held it under his nose. Not fogging up he definitely wasn’t bleeding.

“Finnick!” Fawn screamed, shaking him.

“Fawn, Fawn.” Finnick sat up grabbing onto her. She shot awake with a gasp tears streaming down her face, “I’m right here.” Finnick held her in his lap stroking her shoulder length sandy brown hair.

“I’m sorry,” Fawn sobbed into the loose, thin gray sweater he wore. They’d announced the third quarter quell during the mandatory broadcast that night.

President Snows’ voice echoed through her head, "On the 75th anniversary, as a reminder to the rebels that even the strongest among them cannot overcome the power of the Capitol, the male and female tributes will be reaped from their existing pool of victors."

“Fawn,” Finnick kissed her head, wiping her tears away with his thumb, “It’s not guaranteed our names will get drawn.”

“For you, sure. It’s between me, Mags, and Annie. I’m the only one out of the three of us that has a chance to win. But if we both go in, one of us has to die…” Fawn rubbed her eyes moving further into Finnick as he laid them both back down.

“Annie can’t mentally handle that, Mags will for sure die in the blood bath.” Fawn sighed as she met the eyes of Finnick. His seafoam green eyes

“Sweetheart,” Finnick pushed some of her bangs out of her eyes, “We don’t know what's going to happen yet. There's uprisings going on here, maybe something will change. The capital's people will be too sad and upset thinking about their favorite victors going up to kill each other.”

“We can hope,” she yawned. She was tired but if she shut her eyes she’d see Finnicks lifeless body, the small boy they had mentored last year getting blungened within the first few minutes of the 74th games, having to get up close with her opponents in her games.

Fawn sat in their kitchen as her stylists prepared her doing a soft makeup look on her face. A soft pink blush to highlight her cheek bones and give her color, soft sparkly sunset orange eyeshadow brushed onto her eyes to bring out her green eyes with a dark red lipstick on. The stylist came in with a cream colored sweater and deep blue ocean-like pants.

“You and Finnick will match with the sweaters.” She spoke quietly, she had to style the three female victors of district four. She handed the carefully folded clothes to her then the stylist laid her necklace on top. A choker-like style of brown and white shells around it, a small blue heart pendant in the center. After she won her games Finnick gave it to her. She wore it almost daily but now the stylist is basing outfits around it.

“Thank you Nava,” Fawn gave her a sad smile as she went to her room to change. Everyone was somber, no one wanted to see any of the District Four victors go. Especially Fawn and Finnick.

Fawn was reaped for the 68th games at the age of 17, Finnick was her mentor that year. He also was freshly 17, both of them knew of each other. They were in the same grade and attended school together. Fawn also worked for Finnicks fathers fishing company. When Fawn was young, probably 9 or 10 she saw a girl in the games who threw knives. Since then she was hooked. She started taking kitchen knives from her parents and throwing them at trees for practice. Then it became a hobby, or maybe a way to keep her worry down that if she was ever reaped she had a way to defend herself.

Then she was reaped.

She remembered the way the girl next to her rested her hand on Fawns shoulder when they called her name.

She was just hoping anyone would volunteer. But no one did. She shakily walked towards the stage with peacekeepers following her. She looked at her family as her mother began to cry, her father comforting her. But no one was there to comfort Fawn as she stood on the stage as the district four escort pulled a boy's name from the reaping ball.

Fawn kept to herself during her training. She didn’t really show what she was good at in training. Finnick taught her that, then during her private with the game makers she managed to pull a 10. She did a near perfect display of knife throwing in an interactive training session.

But while she was training she could admit she was distracted.

Distracted by him.

She knew of Finnick but didn’t really know how charming he was.

They were able to grow close quickly, he would offer small touches on her. A hand on the small of her waist, taking her hand in comfort.

The night of her interview with Caesar she portrayed herself as this gentle girl from district four. Her brown hair still long at the time tied into space buns down at her neck to give her a more young look.

She wasn’t stupid if by some crazy miracle she won she would most definitely have her body sold to the capitols people. Just like Finnick and Cashmere.

Finnick told her that after the opening ceremony so many people were lined up to sponsor her.

Then she was in the games and as she proved to herself she was lethal. The arena was desert-like with lakes.

Killing within the first few minutes of the blood bath. That had plenty surprised, the plates were on the edge of a sand pit with the cornucopia in the pit. They had to strategically slide down then there were two sets of stairs to escape. Fawn did a few killings there.

The capitol was fast to name her the wolf in sheep’s clothing.

Her partner was fast to join the career pack of district one, two, and him from four.

She decided being alone was her best chance. She saw the district one and two tributes as unpredictable, they could snap at any moment and kill each other. Fawn took up a small hiding spot by a lake. It took her about two days to find one. Each lake had a different quality, poisonous electric, stuff like that.

She lived off of fish she caught in the only safe lake and sponsors. During the day she would seek out areas looking for other tributes. She quickly was sought out by the careers.

By the end of the ten day mark it was just her, district four partner, a girl from 1, a boy from 2 left, the boy from four, and a girl from 8. That was the feast day. For the last two days there were no deaths, just people hiding out. Caesar announced that the bags in the cornucopia would have the district numbers on them.

So before sunrise Fawn made her way to the cornucopia and hid in there. A strategy advised by Finnick. It happened most years.

By dawn the career pack came into view. There was only one bag for four, she was going to take it.

The boy from four came running at the cornucopia as she put her hand on the bag as she emerged from the cornucopia.

“Let go,” he let out a hiss as he put his hand on it.

“Sorry,” was all Fawn could say as she grabbed a knife from the holister on her chest and threw it into him. His eyes went wide as his hand came close as he hit the ground. The canon going off not long after. She grabbed it and ran for the stairs. She had no time to think or mourn or how District four would take it.

She heard footsteps behind her as the girl from one readied to throw a spear at her. Fawn grabbed another knife throwing it at her just as threw the spear both of them dodged the opposers weapon and Fawn lunged at her taking her down at the legs. She hadn’t had to have any hand to hand combat yet and the games.

They both rolled each other around trying to scratch or grab at anything.

Then Fawn was able to wrestle her so she had the girl from One pinned over her as they laid on the stares. Fawn spent no time slicing her throat then rolling her off as soon as the canon went off.

She ran back and opened up her bag. A fresh set of a dozen throwing knives and a bag of dried fruit. that night in the sky saw, District One girl, The boy from four, and the girl from eight.

It was just her, the boy from one and the other boy from 2 left.

Wonderful two careers to take on, on her own. It had gotten hotter in the arena and the lakes started to lose water and fish. She was disoriented; they also had to be as well.

She decided that night she would get a good night's rest, eat half of what she had left and go out tomorrow to hunt them down.

Fawn walked through the sand dunes looking for other tributes when she heard a canon go off and she flinched.

This was it, the capitol's finale. They would probably release some kind of mutts to drive them together. Fawn could feel her heartbeat in her ears. There was a 50/50 shot now that she could make it back home and be with Finnick. He heard a male scream and a series of barking. She began running for the cornucopia sliding down the sand carefully. She was able to see the other tribute and the mutts as she climbed onto the top of the cornucopia.

The mutts barked and jumped at it as the boy climbed on top. Then the mutts all ran towards a glowing circle. Leaving just the two of them standing there.

Fawn could feel every twinge, tingle, bruise, everything as they stood there staring each other down. He wielded a sword and she grabbed out one of her longer knives.

They fought, fought hard.

Rolling off the top of the cornucopia both of them getting swipes at each other. Both bleeding off into the sand as they were both hanging on by hopes and prayers.

Finnick was the only thing she could think about as she grabbed a knife flinging it at the boys hitting him in his calf.

There’s no way she could beat him in hand to hand combat. He had height on her and he was much stronger. She just had to land the perfect shot with a knife.

Then she did, she threw one right into his neck as he wielded the sword up to slash it into her. He coughed up blood as he fell back dropping his sword. Fawn pinned his shoulders down with her knees and grabbed the sword slicing his throat wide open. The canon went off and the trumpets sounded.

The adrenaline stopped and she fell into the sand clutching her side that bled. Claudius Templesmith came over the speakers, “We present to you the winner of the 68th Hunger Games: Fawn Viridis!”

[gavroche-le-moineau]

Bird time! As a certified Bird Nerd I loved all the references to bird species in this chapter so I figured I would show them off in case you want a visual in your mind.

To try to figure out exactly which species are mentioned (even though I know Hugo was not concerned with what genus and species he was referring to), I looked up the frequency of bird species seen in the Luxembourg Gardens in the first quarter of June on eBird! Granted, I have no idea how much avian diversity has changed in the city of Paris from the 1800s to now, but I don't know my European species very well so this was a huge help.

1. "fauvettes" / "linnets" According to wikipedia, "fauvette" is generally agreed to refer to the family Sylviidae , specifically the genus Sylvia, though it can refer to other passerine species. "Linnet," meanwhile, seems to refer to the family Fringillidæ (true finches). I'm going to go with the original French and say that these are what in English we would call "warblers" rather than finches. The only member of the genus Sylvia seen in the Luxembourg Gardens in early June on eBird is the Eurasian Blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla) (pictured). The other Sylvia species seen in the gardens but more rarely is the Garden Warbler (Sylvia borin).

2. "passereaux" / "sparrows" In ornithology, "passeraux" in English would be "passerines" which is the biggest order of birds, comprising about half of all bird species! However, the TLFi states that "passereau" can be a synonym for "moineau," or "sparrow." So I think Hapgood is correct in that translation and we can narrow down the species a bit. The only sparrow that is seen in the Luxembourg Gardens at any time of year is the House Sparrow (Passer domesticus).

3. "pique-bois" / "woodpeckers" Finally a straight-forward translation! According to eBird data, there are two species of woodpeckers seen in the Luxembourg Gardens. The only one seen at the correct time of year is the Eurasian Green Woodpecker (Picus viridis) (pictured), although the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (Dryobates minor) has been seen just a little earlier in the year.

4. "les hirondelles" / "the swallows" A species I know quite a lot about! This is undoubtedly referring to the Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica), which I had the privilege of studying for a few years to research their movement patterns. The line in the text is so wonderful and shows that Hugo has definitely watched these graceful birds before, as he captured the nature in which they glide and skim with speed near the ground, foraging for flying insects: “the swallows indulged in the charming threat of flying low.”

5. "le ramier" / "ring-dove" I believe this is pretty straight-forwardly referring to the Common Wood-Pigeon (Columba palumbus) which is the most commonly seen bird overall in the gardens in early June!

6. "le pinson" / "chaffinch" According to wikipedia, the term "pinson" is another common-name term given to multiple species of grain-eating passerines, however, there are two "true" pinson species, one of which is seen in the Luxembourg Gardens at this time: the Common Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs).

7. "le chardonneret" / "goldfinch" We're once again dealing with an ambiguous term here for birds in the family Fringillidae. Unfortunately, the birds that have "Chardonneret" in their common name do not appear on any eBird lists for the Luxembourg Gardens. The only other Fringillidae species that are recorded in the gardens (besides the Common Chaffinch) are the European Greenfinch (Chloris chloris) and the European Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis). While neither have been seen in early June, the European Greenfinch is seen more commonly. However, I think this could be a toss up.

8. "le rouge-gorge" / "red-breast" This one is pretty straightforward, "le Rouge-gorge familier" is none other than the European Robin (Erithacus rubecula) (aka extreme borb).

9. "le verdier" / "the green finch" We've already discussed all of the finches that have been documented in the Luxembourg Gardens, and since "verdier" refers to birds in the genus Chloris, this last bird mention is again talking about our friend the European Greenfinch (Chloris chloris).

After reading this chapter I thought Hugo was listing so many bird species... which he certainly did, but after poking around on eBird for what's been seen at the Luxembourg Gardens in the past I want to know why he focused so much on the finches and didn't mention any thrushes, swifts, tits, wrens, treecreepers, or so many more!

[upthewitchypunx]

I'm reviewing text for my zines about the Viridis Genii Symposium and how the keynote speaker mentioned the concept of "code witching" instead of code switching. I really love that idea that you can learn different practices enough to be able to speak to them, even when it is not your practice. It was in reference to all the different kinds of witches, magical practitioners, herbalists, and plant lovers at the symposium and how we all came to the plant from a different place, but can have a shared language to talk about them.