#we were not actually fighting the beholder believe it or not

[mik-arts]

flora keeps getting charmed - in this instance by a beholder - and she tried to convince Fanaedar to stop fighting by standing in front of his bow

[amazingmsme]

Restless ‘Til We Reach Home

Suffering So Endless (ch. 4)

AN: this one’s been locked & loaded for around 2 months, I’ve been keeping it in my back pocket cause I had a feeling there’d be another saga announcement & lo & behold here we are! Happy Halloween & happy vengeance saga release day! This might just be my favorite chapter so far, & I have big plans for what lays ahead! I’d been looking forward to writing this chapter ever since thunder saga, & I’m so excited to finally share it with y’all!

WARNINGS: unlike the previous chapters & my usual works, this chapter is fairly heavy. Trigger warnings for hallucinations, gore, body mutilation, possession & body horror. So again, happy Halloween!

Ch. 1 Ch. 2 Ch. 3 Ch. 3.5

Things were good. They were as good as they could be, given the circumstances. Most of the crew still avoided him, but that was okay. Odysseus finally accepted him, and that was all he really wanted.

He was much nicer than he had been, but Polites wouldn't go as far as to say he was being nice. Oh he was definitely kinder when addressing him, but he was nothing but bossy and dismissive to the rest of the crew. But he knew better than to call him out on it; he'd only just gotten back on his good side. Let Eurylochus handle it.

Eurylochus... didn't handle it. He was just as irritable as Odysseus, yet he seemed more on edge than usual.

"Hey there," Polites announced his presence as he floated up through the floor on his way to the upper deck. "Sorry, didn't mean to come through your room. I'm still trying to get used to these short cuts."

Eurylochus sat frozen at the foot of his bed, gripping the laces of his sandals tightly, relaxing as the initial fright began to fade. "It's alright. You know you're always welcomed to drop by."

"Thanks," he chirped, drifting closer. "So how've you been? You seem, I don't know, anxious."

Eurylochus heaved a deep, heavy sigh before he collapsed forward, burying his face in his hands.

"Are you alright? Eurylochus?" he called his name when he didn't respond to his question. Then, his shoulders began to shake, as if he were crying. Wait, he was crying.

"I did something awful, Polites."

He rushed over to sit beside him on his bed, and even though he wasn't fully there, the thin mattress still bowed beneath his "weight."

"Hey, it's okay. Whatever it is, I'm sure it's not that bad."

Eurylochus shook his head frantically. "No, no you don't understand. We were almost home, none of this would've happened, it's all my fault," he confessed in a rush.

"Whoa, slow down. What do you mean you were almost home? I know it can feel that way, but I promise it's not."

"It is," Eurylochus wheezed in between sobs. He took a deep, stabilizing breath and began to explain. "After the cyclops, we were plagued with a storm the likes of which we'd never seen. We'd been fighting it for so long, and we finally reached the eye of the storm. As the clouds began to part, we could make out an island in the sky. We managed to anchor to it with some harpoons, and Odysseus went up to bargain with Aeolus." Polites listened on quietly, his brows knit together with a mix of concern, disappointment, and most confusingly, understanding.

He continued, "When he came back, the sky was clear and he held a large burlap sack. It looked heavy, so we asked what was inside, hoping it was something valuable. He snapped at us, warning that the bag held the storm. "It must remain closed at all times," he had said. We all thought he had gone mad. Truth be told, I don't know if anyone believed him. We were all blinded by greed and curiosity. No one thought the bag could actually hold the storm..."

"Oh Eurylochus, don't tell me you-"

He cut him off with a solum nod. "He didn't let that bag out of his sight for over a week. We were so close to home, we could see it on the horizon. But, Odysseus finally drifted off to sleep and I..." he trailed off, his head hung low. "I took the bag and looked inside."

Polites was shocked. He expected this kind of behavior from some of the other crew members, but Eurylochus? Calm, obedient, reasonable Eurylochus?

"Why didn't I just wait until we were home?"

"You didn't know," Polites said for his sake as much as his own.

"I betrayed him, and it cost us everything."

"So, I'm guessing you... haven't told him?"

He deflated at the question, staring at the floor. "No. I tried once, back on Circe's island, but... he was busy. He said whatever it was could wait. And, well, there hasn't really been a good time to do it since."

"There's never gonna be a good time to tell him."

"I know. But there is such a thing as a bad time, you know."

"I know," he said gently. When he didn't answer, Polites took his hand in his and gave it a comforting, reassuring squeeze. "Hey. You can't hide it forever." Eurylochus let out a sarcastic snort at that.

"Thanks, I wasn't planning to, smart ass," he teased, hoping to lift his own mood. It only halfway worked.

"Hey, I'm just saying what you're thinking," he quipped back. Eurylochus sighed, but it didn't sound as heavy as before.

"Thanks for that," he nodded. "For everything, honestly."

Polites offered a warm smile. "Of course! Anytime, okay?"

Eurylochus returned it with a half smile of his own. "Okay."

~~~

At this rate, they were never going to reach home. Any direct path on the open water was blocked by impassable storms and tidal waves, curtesy of the Sea God himself. They were forced to tread shallow waters and dodge massive rocks, taking every overlooked detour that might help them to evade Poseidon's watchful eye.

A thick fog rolled in, settling just above the choppy surface of the water lapping at the ship's hull. The fog continued to spread before them, concealing any obstacles in their path until they are dangerously close.

The men below deck rowed slow and steady, careful of the rocks on either side of the ship. The closed sails whipped and snapped against the mast as the wind caught the fabric. Odysseus steered the ship while Eurylochus stood on the look out for any incoming rocks.

A large shape took form in the distance, concealed by the fog. Eurylochus yelled for him to turn right, but as they grew closer, he realized what lay ahead.

"Captain! It's a ship!"

Odysseus grabbed the nearest soldier and handed them the wheel, making his way over to his first mate.

"What?"

"There, look," he pointed. Odysseus squinted as the large ship finally emerged from the mist. It rested on the surface, dangerously close to the rocks protruding from the water. Atop the deck, there were no signs of any life.

Odysseus held up a hand, stopping him from speaking further. "Something's off. This doesn't feel right."

"I agree, Sir. What do you suppose we do?" he asked genuinely. Odysseus shrugged.

"Come with me. We'll board the ship, and take what we need. It doesn't look like there's any survivors, but it doesn't hurt to check."

"No, no harm in looking," he agreed, purposefully avoiding his gaze. Odysseus didn't seem to notice.

"Polites? Polites, you there?"

It only took a moment before he appeared in front of them.

"Yeah, you need something?" he asked curiously. He caught Eurylochus looking his way before he turned back to look at the water.

"You're in charge of the ship while we're gone. Eurylochus, gear up. You and I are gonna check it out," Odysseus ordered. He stood up straight, giving a curt nod.

"Yes Sir." Eurylochus rushed off to grab his sword and armor, leaving the two of them alone.

"What's going on?" Polites asked, following the captain's line of sight.

"There's a ship by those rocks, but something doesn't feel right," Odysseus said, not taking his eyes off of it for even a second.

"Then is it a good idea to check it out?" he questioned, brows furrowed.

"We won't get answers if we don't look for them. Besides, there could still be someone left on that ship."

Polites smiled softly. "You have a good heart, Odysseus." He snorted in amusement at the comment, and Polites smacked the back of his head on instinct. "Don't laugh, I'm serious!"

Odysseus grinned sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head even though it didn't hurt. "Yeah well, I'm glad someone still thinks so." Polites placed a hand on his shoulder, offering a comforting squeeze.

"It's the truth," he insisted.

Odysseus heaved a sigh, "If you say so."

Footsteps approached from behind, and they both turned to see Eurylochus returning. He wore his battle armor, save for his helmet, and his large sword was slung over his shoulder.

They grabbed a long plank, connecting the two ships. The crew had gathered on the upper deck, curious as to what was happening. Uneasy whispers murmured throughout the crowd.

"Alright everyone, we'll be back soon. Now, get back to work." When no one moved, he repeated himself louder, "I said get back to work!" That seemed to do the trick, and the crew dispersed amongst themselves.

"Be safe you two. And don't do anything stupid," Polites bid them farewell, chuckling at his own joke alongside Eurylochus.

"With this one? No promises," he said, shooting a wink.

"Okay smart ass," Odysseus rolled his eyes, grabbing Eurylochus by the arm and dragging him off. He looked back over his shoulder at Polites, and gave a solum nod.

His breath hitched and he returned the gesture, saying a silent prayer for the both of them.

~~~

Odysseus lead the way as they walked across the narrow plank between the ships. Dark, choppy water splashed against jagged rocks below, spelling certain doom if one were to slip.

He made it to the deck and jumped off, waiting for Eurylochus to follow suit. He landed with a heavy thud, kicking up a thin layer of dust. They shared a concerned look.

"Well that's not a good sign."

"No, it's not," the captain agreed. He scanned the ship with a harsh, skeptical gaze. "Come on, let's look around."

They carefully explored the abandoned ship, swords drawn and ready. It was eerily quiet. Too quiet. Odysseus called out, but received no response. He was walking along the railing when he suddenly stopped and held up a hand, signaling Eurylochus to do the same.

He knelt down, inspecting deep claw marks along the edge of the deck. The rails were broken and splintered, leaving wood shards scattered around the area. Eurylochus squatted down beside him, running his fingers over the scratches.

"What happened to them?"

"If I had to guess? Sirens," Odysseus answered. He stood abruptly, heading towards the stairs. Eurylochus grabbed his wrist.

"Where are you going?" he asked, voice tinged with concern.

"We should check if there's any food or supplies below deck. They're not using it."

He sighed in relief and let him go, nodding in agreement,  "Good idea." He followed close behind, making sure to keep the captain in sight at all times. This place was unsettling, and they didn't know for sure if anyone, or anything was still here.

While rummaging below, they were able to find a spare sail along with a mending kit, and a crate half full of spoiled food. Spare weapons were strewn about the ship haphazardly, indicating that they were willingly discarded.

"Let's just gather what we can and leave," Odysseus ordered as he picked up a shield, slinging it over his shoulder. He turned to his first mate, noticing that he didn't move a muscle. "Eurylochus?"

He startled and snapped himself out of it, "Yes Captain?"

"You alright? Been pretty quiet," he noted, bending down to pick up a spear. "Y'know, this'll go a lot faster if you help," he teased. Eurylochus took a shaky breath, shoulders sagging in defeat. In shame.

"I need to tell you something."

"You can talk and work at the same time, can't you?"

"Ody, please." The nickname caught his attention, and he paused in his gathering. "I need you to listen."

His heart raced in his chest as Odysseus took a step closer. "I'm listening."

Eurylochus closed his eyes and looked away. He didn't even know where to start.

"I have a confession to make."

Odysseus felt himself grow tense. He steeled himself for whatever he was about to hear. A strong sense of dread boiled in the pit of his stomach: he prayed he was wrong about this.

"What is it?"

Eurylochus focused on his breathing. Inhale. Exhale. His chest heaved with each breath, and he could feel a thin layer of sweat gathering on his skin. Just relax.

"I'm the one who opened the bag," he forced it out in one breath. Best to get it over with. He heard a small gasp just as metal clanged on the floor. Both the spear and shield laid unceremoniously at the captain's feet. His eyes slowly trailed up to look Odysseus in the eyes, but he really wished he hadn't.

Odysseus wore a look of shock and complete and utter betrayal. His brows were knit together tightly, mouth slightly agape. He shook his head, taking a step back.

"No. Tell me it's not true."

Eurylochus was crushed under the full weight of what he'd done.

"I'm so sorry, I-"

Odysseus turned away, wanting to leave, to go anywhere that wasn't here.

"Wait! Don't go!"

Odysseus froze where he stood, but didn't turn around.

"I should've believed you, I should've trusted you. I should've made them trust you."

"Yeah, you should've." He drew in a deep, shuttering breath. "But you can't change the past. What's done is done."

"I really am sorry."

"I'm sure you are."

"I tried to tell you on Circe's island, but..."

"I wasn't ready to listen," Odysseus cut him off when it seemed he was at a loss for words.

"That's not what I was going to say."

"But it's the truth." They stood in a tense silence, Odysseus still with his back turned. "I think deep down, I knew. I didn't want to, but I did."

"Please," Eurylochus pleaded. Odysseus finally turned around and forced himself to look at his first mate, his brother, his dear friend. "Can you ever forgive me?"

Odysseus felt his heart ache. From the betrayal, from everything. He gave the only answer he could.

"I don't know." Odysseus turned away wordlessly, walking in a daze.

Eurylochus followed behind, desperate for his forgiveness. "Ody, please-"

The affectionate nickname stung like saltwater in a fresh wound. He reared back, marching up to Eurylochus as he yelled, "You don't get to call me that!"

Eurylochus backed away, a look of hurt and understanding in his tearful eyes. Odysseus held strong for all but a second before he deflated, "Not... not right now."

He supposed that was the best he could hope for.

Though his head hung in shame, a tremendous weight was lifted from his shoulders. He just wished he felt better about it all.

They looked around the empty vessel in a tense silence, interrupted by a hauntingly beautiful, drawn out note. A beckoning call.

Odysseus whipped around to look at him, panic clearly written on his face.

"We have to get back to the ship. Now!"

Eurylochus didn't need to be told twice.

~~~

Odysseus called an emergency meeting as soon as they made it back. He dispersed the newly acquired weapons while explaining the situation at hand. Then, he started giving orders.

They were to set a slow and steady course forward, and everyone was to stuff their ears with beeswax to block the siren's song. Everyone except-

"I'm going to ask them for directions. I'll need to hear what they're saying, so you'll need to tie me to the mast to make sure I don't jump overboard."

Eurylochus and Polites stared at him as if he grew a second head.

"I'm sorry, what?" Polites immediately questioned the same time Eurylochus muttered, "Are you sure you want to do this?"

"We only have so much wax, I'd rather make sure that everyone else is safe," he reasoned.

"But what about your safety?" Polites asked, clearly concerned for his friend.

Odysseus barked out a laugh, brushing him off. "That's what the rope is for!"

"Rope can break."

"Not if you use enough of it," he argued. Polites threw his hands up in the air.

"You can't be serious!"

Odysseus didn't answer. Instead, he grabbed a coil of rope. Polites looked to Eurylochus for help.

"You're just gonna let this happen?"

He glanced nervously between his two best friends. "It's ultimately his decision. I personally advise against it, but..." he tilted his head in thought, "It could pay off."

"Have you both gone mad?"

"I think it's for the best. We'll never make it past Poseidon without their help. But they won't tell me if I don't play along."

"It's not playing along if you're hypnotized!"

"I'll keep my wits about me."

"You don't know that!"

"Captain-" Eurylochus spoke up, and the arguing pair turned to him, speaking in unison, "What?"

As they had been talking, the crew passed around the can of beeswax, stuffing their ears until they couldn't hear a thing. By the time it came around to them, it was almost completely empty. "There's barely enough left for one person."

Odysseus stared down at the last of the wax. "I figured as much," he sighed deeply. He picked up the large, heavy coil of rope from the deck and shoved it at Eurylochus. "Be sure to tie me up good and tight."

"Yes Sir," he nodded curtly and began securing Odysseus to the main mast. He started by binding his wrists together, pulling his arms back as far as they would comfortably go. Once he was confident that he wouldn't be able to pull his arms away, Eurylochus started wrapping the length of the rope around both Odysseus and the mast. He walked around in circles, stopping occasionally to pull the rope taught before continuing.

As Eurylochus worked, Elpenor and Perimedes stood on either side of him, taking the chance to annoy their captain while he couldn't fight back. Elpenor gave him a hard noogie, the wax blocking out his orders to stop. Perimedes chuckled and pinched his cheeks, squishing and stretching his face into funny expressions.

Any time Odysseus yelled at them or Eurylochus tried to chase them away, they only pointed at their ears, taunting them about how they "couldn't hear them" and "didn't know what they're saying." It was some much needed levity among the crew, and he didn't mind being the butt of the joke.

The ship continued cutting through the water, moving at a slow and steady pace. The fog rolled in thick and low above the water's surface, concealing what lurked below.

By now, everyone had returned to their stations. Odysseus stood at attention, his head on a swivel the longer they sailed. He began twitching in his bonds, shaking his head and gritting his teeth. They were close, and there was no turning back now.

~~~

Polites was scared. Not just for Odysseus, but oddly enough, for himself. Sure, he was already dead, but he had no idea how the sirens would affect him, or what they would do to a spirit like him- if they could do anything at all.

He was hiding below deck when he first heard it...

"La la la la la la..."

His head snapped up at the lilting, distant sound. "Eurydice?" he called out hopefully. She sounded so close, yet so far away. A flower sprouted between the floorboards, bright red and velvety soft. He bent over and picked it, bringing it up to his nose. He inhaled deeply, a light sweet scent filling his nostrils. The petals were thin and ruffled, and he swore it was growing in his hand.

When he looked up, there were lush vines hanging from the ceiling.

"La la la la la la..."

It was louder now, impossible to ignore. Without thinking, he floated up, through the thick foliage; through the wooden planks. Instead of seeing the crew navigating the ship, he stood beneath a massive pomegranate tree in the underworld.

No, he couldn't be here...

"Polites, over here!"

He turned to see Eurydice sitting on a nearby rock. She looked absolutely radiant, her short dark hair fluttered in the gentle breeze as she flashed a dazzling smile.

Voices danced around in his head.

"Eurydice."

"Eurydice."

"Don't you miss me?" she chirped, crawling closer along her rock.

He smiled, fighting back tears. "More than you know," he insisted, floating closer.

"Don't you wanna come greet me?" she asked as sat up on her knees, arms outstretched and awaiting a hug.

The illusion flickered, and for a moment, he was standing aboard the ship. Men frantically moved around him, distracting him before the illusion slipped back in place. He hesitated, "Eurydice, something isn't right. I know that you shouldn't be here-"

For a split second, anger flashed across her face as he questioned her. It was gone so quick, Polites thought he imagined it. "Relax, everything will be okay. Jump in the water and we can wash your fears away."

"Well I would, but I already died, and you know you did too."

"I would take the suffering from you." She leapt off the rock, almost freezing in the air before slipping beneath the surface. She emerged with a genuine grin, pushing wet hair away from her face.

Polites wanted nothing more than to jump in after her. And yet, he still floated at the edge of the railing. "As good as that sounds, it's just too good to be true."

"I can take the suffering from you." She spun around in the water, twirling in a tight circle as a water spout brought her up to his level.

"You stayed under ground, and we said our goodbyes." He tried to cling to logic and reasoning, but Eurydice reached out to him, cupping his face in her gentle hands.

"I will take the suffering from you." She pulled him in closer, pressing their foreheads together. She ran her fingers through his hair, holding him as if she was afraid he'd disappear. He hasn't been held like that in so long...

"I wish I could do the same for you," he said, reaching out to cup her face as tears filled his eyes.

"Won't you shelter us?" she belted, grabbing his hands and pulling him towards her. He took another step, walking through the air to follow. "Harbor me with your open arms, from the wind, the wind, the wind."

The wind. That's right; she had died in a terrible storm. The Gods themselves caught her in their wrath and tore her asunder. Poseidon wished to do the same, which was why they had sailed through such dangerous waters.

That's not her, no matter how much you wish it was.

"I-I'm sorry, I have to go..." he slipped free from her grasp, floating backwards to keep her in his sight. Her eyes filled with fear as she reached out for him, her hand phasing through his wrist this time.

"Don't leave me again!" she begged grabbing the railing to hoist herself up. She crawled towards him on the deck, the illusion beginning to fall apart around them, but she stayed the same. A perfect replica. "Wait for me! I'm comin'. Wait I'm comin' with you," she reached out, lacing their fingers together.

This wasn't right. This wasn't real. He took a step back, and she held on tighter, utter desperation clear in her voice, "I'm coming, wait for me! We hear the walls repeating!"

She wasn't real...

"The fallin' of our feet and it sounds like drummin'!"

Polites doubled over, hands over his ears as tears began to flow. He shook his head, "You're not her!"

"And we are not alone," she sang, her voice invading every thought. "You hear the rocks and stones, echoing our song!"

She sounded so desperate, so pleading, Polites could barely stand it. And then a blood curdling scream shattered what was left of the twisted mirage.

~~~

Polites was back on the deck. He supposed he always had been, but it had all felt so real... until it hadn't.

Eurylochus had stabbed a siren straight through the tail as it crawled towards Odysseus. It looked exactly like Penelope, yet he never so much as flinched when she was skewered right before his eyes.

The crew had caught the rest of the sirens in large nets and threw them on the deck carelessly. They writhed and flopped around, tangling themselves in the net and with each other. Elpenor wrenched the Eurydice siren away from him, despite his pleading protests.

"Whoever she is, it's not her! You're fucking dead and she still tried to kill you!" he hissed as he wrestled her down, allowing Perimedes to pin her to the deck with a spear through her tail.

"No wait!" he called out helplessly, but a voice from behind stopped him in his tracks.

"He has a point Polites," Odysseus said as Eurylochus cut him free with a swift slice at the mast. "They don't care if you're dead or alive; they only want one thing. Isn't that right?" he asked, addressing the Penelope siren and lifting her chin with the tip of his sword.

"We're sorry, we'll let you pass! Please spare us, and we can all be on our way!" she tried to bargain for their lives. Odysseus stood emotionless and unwavering.

"Why, so you can kill the next group of sailors who dare to pass by? Yeah, I don't think so," he said, stalking closer, his sword gripped tightly in his hand. "We saw what you did with the last crew. You would've killed every last one of us and stripped our bones clean."

"But that didn't happen! So just-"

"No, it didn't happen because I refused to let it," he spoke in a low, dark tone. Polites had never seen Odysseus look so determined and angry. And yet... there was a sick satisfaction underneath it all.

Odysseus stood up to his full height, yelling out for all to hear, "I'm done granting mercy to those who don't deserve it!" The crew burst into loud cheers, yelling out their agreement and support. "We're through suffering at the hands of monsters like you!" The war cries grew louder, they raising their swords in the air, beating their chests. Polites stood in shock, unable to move.

"This ends here and now!" The men whooped and hollered, and Odysseus had to raise his voice even louder to be heard over them. "Cut off their tails! Throw their bodies back in the water, let them drown," he ordered, and the sirens immediately began wailing and pleading.

"What? No, you can't! Odysseus, please don't do this!" Polites tried to reason with his friend, but he refused to listen.

"If I don't, they'll kill everyone. On our ship, and the next, and the next. I'm ending this now, whether you like it or not," he held firm in his decision as the slaughter began. Polites could only watch on in absolute horror at the scene before him.

"That's not your friend, that's not my wife, and that damn sure isn't my sister," he spat as he pointed to each imposter.

All Polites could hear were earth shattering screams and ear piercing shrieks. Swords swung through the air and came crashing down on the deck, sending blood splattering every direction. The sirens crawled over each other as they tried to escape, getting trapped in the nets and choking themselves as they tried to force their way to safety. They amputated their own limbs as they failed to squeeze through the nets, the rope cutting through their skin and flesh like water. Fully formed arms and hands splattered against the deck in a bloody shapeless mass. Their tails laid limp and gelatinous once severed from their bodies, and the sirens began to morph and loose form. Blood, as well as a clear, viscous liquid spilled from their wounds, and their bodies deflated and flopped around lifelessly, slowly becoming nothing more than vaguely human shaped water sacks.

"See Polites? They were never human," Odysseus spoke calmly, as if that would put him at ease; as if that was the point, as if any of that mattered.

The carnage spilled over the deck was inhuman, but that didn't make it any less wrong.

"You think that's the problem? That they weren't human?" Polites asked, barely above a whisper. He stared at the twitching, moaning blobs on the deck as his friends kicked and shoved their bodies into the ocean below. "That was brutal a-and cruel, and-"

"Justified."

Polites stared at his friend in horror. "Who are you?"

"The man who's going to get us home. No matter what the cost."

~~~

Polites was restless. He spent most of his time invisible and out of sight, but he paced constantly.

He couldn't stop thinking of the sirens.

Sure she might not have Eurydice, but she was her own person, with her own life. They all were. They probably had friends and family lurking below. What if they had been mothers. Even without a stomach, the thought made him sick.

He couldn't let himself spiral. Eurydice is safe in the underworld. She's safe and sound, underground. See? You still have a sense of humor. You're still you. And she's still safe, that wasn't her. It was someone else.

And yet, he couldn't let it go.

~~~

It was strange: no matter where he was, he could always tell when someone was looking for him. Regardless if he was on the opposite side of the ship, he could hear his name being called as clear as day. Which was why he knew Odysseus was wanting to talk to him.

"You called?"

"Yeah, I need your opinion on something," he said, eyes never leaving the map spread out before him.

"Sure. About what?" he asked, drifting over to the desk. He peered over his shoulder, scanning the path ahead. It looked like they were headed straight for...

"The sirens said the only way home was through the lair of Scylla," Odysseus confirmed his fears.

"And you believe them?" he questioned.

"They were about to kill me, they had no reason to lie."

"It's too dangerous!"

"Poseidon's worse! You weren't there, so you didn't see it first hand. But sailing on the open water would be a death sentence for every last one of us. Scylla... at least she's a gamble."

"Odysseus, I'm telling you, it's not worth the risk!"

"So you're saying I should test our luck with Charybdis?"

"No!"

"Then Scylla is our best bet. I don't know, maybe we could kill her if we just-"

"I'll do it."

"What? Polites, you can't-"

"I'm already dead, there's nothing I have to worry about. But she could kill you, or any one of our friends. And trust me, dying isn't fun!"

"I know that!"

"Then act like it!"

Odysseus gripped the edge of his desk, taking a deep breath. "I don't know what to do, and I'm scared Polites. I'm fucking terrified. That's why I need you to weigh in here."

"And I said I'll handle it!"

"Care to elaborate? 'Cause I don't like how vague that sounds."

Polites thought long and hard about the problem ahead. An idea suddenly came to him, but he didn't like it. But... it was the best chance they all had.

"Maybe I could... I don't know, posses her? And hold her off until you make it through," he suggested hesitantly. Odysseus stared at him in shock.

"You really think you could do that?"

"I possessed Eurylochus without even trying-"

"That's not the same thing!"

"I know it's not, but do you have any better ideas?"

Odysseus remained silent.

Polites let out a heavy sigh. "I know it's not... ideal. But you have to trust me on this, okay?"

"Okay," he said hesitantly, nodding slowly, "Okay," he was nodding faster now, seemingly more sure of himself and their plan. "Yeah, this could work."

Polites smiled and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, icy and cool to the touch: it felt relaxing. "It's going to."

~~~

They only had a day to prepare for Scylla. Odysseus told no one where they were going, knowing it would send them into a panic. He had considered warning Eurylochus, but after some heavy consideration, he decided against it.

Polites was nowhere to be seen, but that was pretty typical behavior now. Yet instead on remaining aboard the ship, he lurked deep below the waves. He'd recently discovered that he can travel through water as if it were air. He didn't have to worry about breathing, so he could stay for however long he wanted. But it was colder, much colder.

He was hunting. Not for food, mind you, he was hunting for something to practice on.

It took him a while, but he happened upon a great fish; slick gray with a mouth full of razors, and more than half the size of their boat. He "swam" behind it, observing it from above. Finally, he dove into it, seizing control of the massive body.

Confusion. Fear. Anger.

The shark thrashed about, dashing left to right and cutting tight circles through the water. He tried his best to calm it down and fight against the creature's natural instinct to force him out.

We just want to hunt. I'm not hurting you, we're just going to act natural. Take me where the fish are.

It seemed to listen, slowing down as its swimming pattern became less erratic. It silently guided him, and Polites sat in the back of the creatures mind, waiting to strike. Out of the vast endless blue, a shape took form. A large sword fish, chasing a school of mullet. Perfect.

Don't be scared.

Polites was in full control now, and he felt the rush as animalistic instincts kicked in. He flew through the water, striking the fish from behind. His vision went white and milky as teeth tore into flesh, ripping off a large hunk and letting the shark swallow its prey. Polites thrashed his head, biting over and over, becoming familiar with the act of possessing a beast. 

He made quick work of the swordfish.

As the feeding frenzy came to an end, Polites relinquished control, allowing the shark to regain its body and mind. It swam away in a panic, disappearing into the cobalt abyss. Polites shuddered at the thought of what other monsters lurked just beyond his sight.

~~~

They reached Scylla's lair just before noon the next day. The sky grew darker as they sailed closer, large black clouds looming overhead to block out any sunlight. Polites shared a look with Odysseus from across the deck, and the captain gave him a subtle nod. He returned the gesture and disappeared, slinking off the ship unnoticed. Being invisible was awesome.

On board the ship, Odysseus stood stoically at the wheel. He had already given out his orders, and they were to sail slow and steady straight ahead. He split the crew in half, sending one group to row while the rest of the men closed all the sails and prepared for a storm. He didn't know what they were about to face, but he knew they needed to be ready.

"You're quiet today," Eurylochus must have snuck up behind him while he was lost in thought.

"Not much to say," he answered with a shrug.

"Do you even know where we're going?"

Yes. "I'm pretty sure."

His first mate arched a brow. "Just pretty sure? That's not the Ody I know," he teased, throwing an arm around his shoulders to loosen him up a little. "You can relax, there hasn't been a storm all day. I think Poseidon has finally given up on us."

If only. "I think he's just taking the day off," Odysseus joked along. Eurylochus chuckled. Odysseus hesitated before asking, "Can you do something for me?"

"Anything," he complied.

"It's gonna be pretty dark through the passage way, and we need to see what's ahead. Light up six torches and pass them out."

"Yes Sir." He turned away to go do as he was asked. Odysseus heaved a tense sigh, gripping the wheel tightly. He closed his eyes, and for the first time in years, he sent a prayer to the gods.

He prayed to Athena- for her forgiveness, to grant them all her protection and strength. To Hermes for his good fortune and speed. And to Thanatos, to please spare them for another day, and if they weren't so lucky, to make it quick and painless. He didn't know if they were listening, or if they even cared. Hermes cared, or at least he thought he did. He seems like he genuinely wants to help, even if he has a funny way of showing it. Thanatos has always been an indifferent kind of God, and he doubted he cared about the outcome either way. But Athena... he had no idea where her head was at. They left on bad terms, she said things that cut deep, and he returned the favor in full. He didn't blame her if she hated him, if she never wanted to see him again. He knew he didn't deserve her help, and yet, here he was asking.

They entered the mouth of the cave, and with each passing second, the remaining light slipped away. Soon, the torches offered the only light by which to see.

~~~

Polites had found Scylla a while ago, and she's just as monstrous as they all say. Even asleep, she was a ghastly sight: her face was gaunt and sunken with wet, stringy black hair fanned out around her. Six other heads protruded from her neck, her back, stretching and morphing itself into sickening blobs of flesh where they connected to her body. The heads themselves were sharp, almost angular in shape and resembled eels. Polites hated eels. Where she should have legs, slithering tentacles writhed amongst themselves, and from her lower stomach grew the heads of wolves, fur fusing with sickly gray scales, morphing into each other and with her.

She had no clue he was there, and he needed to keep it that way up until the last second.

Polites could see the outline of the ship come into view. One of the long necks rose into the air, taking a few long, deep sniffs. He watched as the head grew frantic, awaking Scylla and the other heads. She focused her large, black eyes on the ship and smiled. Her face nearly split in half, revealing rows upon rows of razor sharp teeth. Her skin began to crack and her hair finally fell over her shoulders, concealing herself behind a curtain of black. She silently slipped into the water and Polites followed suit.

~~~

Odysseus stood as still as a statue, eyes scanning the water for any sign of Scylla, but all he could see were shapes in the darkness moving across the deck. Six held torches.

Eurylochus stood watch at the front of the ship, holding his torch higher when he thought he saw something moving in the water. The firelight reflected off the surface as he leaned over the railing, watching as something sleek and slithering dipped below the gentle lapping waves. He turned to look over his shoulder, calling out, "Captain! Something approaches..."

Before he can continue, he hears Perimedes speak up from beside him, and the utter horror in his voice makes his blood run cold. "What the fuck?"

Eurylochus whips around to face whatever it was and drops the torch in sheer terror.

"Hello."

Her voice is raspy, unnatural, like it's more than just her talking. Her massive black eyes flash white as she bares her teeth, and her neck stretches out to its full length, completely towering over the ship as the rest of the heads grow.

Odysseus stared on with a cold gaze. Now.

"Row for your lives!" he screamed the command as loud as he could, hoping to snap them out of their fear so they could get out as fast as possible.

This was the gamble of a lifetime.

One of the heads dove straight for a torch, and the deck ignites with the screams of men. But before it can clamp its jaws around anyone, it makes a sharp right turn and lunges at another head that was headed straight toward Eurylochus. He snapped out of it and picked up his torch, running away.

Huge, powerful jaws snap down on its own throat as Scylla and the affected head let out a piercing shriek.

~~~

Polites has never been more afraid. Even when he was fighting the cyclops, it wasn't as bad as this. He was dead, and yet he didn't know what she'd do to him if she ripped him out of her body. But all of that paled in comparison to the fear he had for his brothers.

The extra head was mostly thoughtless, focusing solely on an insatiable thirst for blood. Even its confusion over his presence was vague.

He saw its twin set its sights on Eurylochus and he shot forward, mouth open wide. He felt his teeth, far too many, pierce through thick, armored skin. An ungodly noise ripped free from the beast as both heads screamed. She began to writhe and squirm, and Polites felt a hand grab him by the neck, desperately clawing at him to pull him away.

"Who are you doing?"

Polites clamped down harder, hot blood gushing down his throat and pouring out of the sides of the monster's mouth. As the head got a taste of the blood it craved, it ripped more ferociously, guzzling the hot, thick liquid with a desperation Polites had never seen before.

When Scylla was successful in pulling him away, he jumped to the injured head and began attacking the one still in her grasp. Another painful wail echoed off the cave walls as she stumbled in the water, creating large waves. The ship struggled to navigate them without slamming against the cave walls or submerged stalagmites.

This head wasn't much different, but it had an insatiable hunger for flesh. Polites gave it exactly what it wanted, ripping off large, meaty chunks and swallowing them whole. He tore into it until he felt his teeth scraping bone. With each bite and thrust, his own wounds throbbed and oozed more blood. He grew hungrier as the beast grew weaker. When he left, it let out a gurgling death rattle and fell limp. Scylla's screams shook the cave, and rocks began falling.

He possessed the next head that tried to grab Leander, attacking another that had cornered Perimedes.

"What are you? Get out!" She was trying to tear him away by the base of her neck. Long, sharp claws dug into her own skin as she frantically tore deep, bloody gashes into herself.

Thirst.

The monstrous instinct took over and teeth puncture through scales and arteries to drink its fill, making sure to shred its prey to pieces in the process.

Hunger.

This one acts completely starved, slashing through thick muscle and bone with ease. It shook its head ferociously as it devoured its brother until its dying breath.

The other two heads were circling the boat as Scylla cried out in pain. The wolves grew anxious and angry, snarling and howling in sync with their mother's mournful wails.

Bloodlust.

It was easier by now. He knew what to expect as hot blood burst beneath the pressure of his jaws, splattering on the deck with a satisfying wet slap.

Feast.

He bit and ripped with everything he had, swallowing chunks of meat bigger than he was. Large hunks fell to the deck with disgustingly heavy thuds while others still hung on by a thick strand of tissue.

"Stop! Let go!" she commanded, but she sounded scared, frantic. The wolves sensed her unease and began fighting amongst themselves, baring their teeth and nipping at each other, until one finally tore into her own stomach. Then, they all dug in.

She screeched so loudly, the Gods themselves could hear her pain. And somewhere on her island, Circe smiled.

Polites wasn't even doing that... Okay maybe he was the first to bite her, but he didn't expect for them all to turn like that.

Tears trailed down Scylla's face and blood gurgled inside her throat as she tried to speak. Red began to drip past her lips as she struggled and gasped for air. "W-what are you?"

The question made him feel sick.

Who was she to be so horrified of him?

Finally, he slipped inside her mind to answer her question. I'm just a man protecting my friends.

"And I-I'm just trying to survive," it sounded painful for her to talk. "But... I'm tired of that. So tired." Her breath was shallow and raspy.

Polites was bombarded with glimpses of a beautiful young girl, with a rich, fulfilling life of her own. One with family and friends... a deep love and a wicked curse born from jealousy.

An immense guilt began to drown him.

She looked up at him with dull, hollow eyes, pleading, "Please... finish it. Let me rest."

With shaky hands, Polites raised her arms up and cupped her face. He closed her eyes, and with one swift jerk, she fell completely still.

~~~

Every man stood on the deck, petrified with fear. Pieces of flesh the size of boulders littered the blood soaked deck. The men themselves were drenched red, some still trembling in shock. Eurylochus felt dizzy and he dropped to his knees. He caught himself, hands resting in a sticky puddle. He lifted an arm, and the blood dripped off in thick gooey strands. He tried to scramble back to his feet, but he kept slipping, and the more panicked, the more he fell. Asterios and Elpenor rushed to his side, helping to steady him.

Polites appeared on the deck, and everyone was staring at him just as they had that first day back. He pretended like it didn't hurt.

He looked at all of them, then looked at Odysseus, frozen in complete shock.

He thought of the sirens, how they begged for their lives, how he begged for their lives. How he had looked at all of them the way they were looking at him now. And then, he bowed.

"Polites, just what the hell was that? That wasn't what we talked about!"

"Oh, I'm sorry. Is excessive violence only okay when you're the ones doing it?"

[sl33py-day]

SAGAU Yet They messed up the gender

What I mean by that is everyone, the archons the people even the traveler themselves, thought the creator was a girl, a female. But the creator is a boy, they got it wrong.

In this idea you are teleported into genshin and you didn’t think much of it. To find out what AU you are in you decided the most stupid but ok-ish idea. You cut yourself to see if your blood is gold or not. Well lo and behold it’s fucking gold like the sun.

Not really wanting to handle the responsibilities of the creator, and because you just don’t want to talk to people. You decided that you’re just gonna get a job and make sure you don’t get hurt! What’s so bad about that?

It’s bad once you realize the only thing you’re good at and enjoy is cooking. People like your cooking in your world and maybe they will in genshin. So you opened a restaurant in Liyue and as soon as one person ate your food people would come and eat your food.

As time went on the traveler and paimon arrived in Liyue to help with the archon situation. It was funny to say the least. You were working at the restaurant when the rite of dissension happened. People were buying your Chocolate Italian soda that people seemingly love when the dragon fell from the sky. Everyone gasped In shock while you whispered a small “Oh shit.” Watching from where you are, you saw Aether run away and pass by your restaurant.

“Welp, we all know how this ends. Childe is gonna be a child and have a messy tantrum.” You muttered while wiping the tables, people just looked at you weird but didn’t question anything. Rumors started about how they are keeping the archon or whatever you didn’t pay attention when people gossiped in your workplace.

After a long day of many many random Karen’s and people flirting cause they’re lonely you closed the shop. Walking home you passed Zhongli without noticing him but he noticed you. His amber eyes closed a bit as he followed your figure pass by him.

Once again after the whole archon thing happened and many visits from Aether and paimon, who you became friends with. People started to go back to normal meaning that work is gonna get even busier. Aether still made time to come and see how you’re doing and Zhongli started to come by with Childe making him pay for his food.

Today work was a bit slow and Aether was here so you decided to just talk to him for the time being. You both talked about different things from favorite food to if a cat and a frog can be friends. The two of you had a small friendly fight over it that almost ended with you throwing a chair at Aether.

“Uh, M/n have you heard about the news?” Paimon spoke up when she saw the h/c male reach for the chair. Aether thanked paimon for saving his life for a moment before seeing M/n smile that is almost saying ‘I will throw the chair at you but not right now’.

“No? What’s the news?” The floating girl gasped in shock when he responded. “Paimon can’t believe that you haven’t heard! Her grace is gonna arrive to Teyvat tomorrow! There’s gonna be a HUGGEEE celebration!” She threw her arms high in the sky towards the end of her sentence as her and Aether did not noticed M/n freeze for a minute. But after awhile he just chuckled nervously when it got to quiet.

“I can’t wait for that to happen…!” His voice sounded a little fake but what is he supposed to say? “I’m sorry, you got the gender wrong and I’ve been here for years now!” He just started to actually enjoy his life! Hell he’s even dating a guy named Akashi! You continued to sulk in you mind once Aether and Paimon left.

It’s the middle of the next day and people were waiting for ‘her’ holiness to arrive. Some people got food and drinks others got presents to give to the creator. You noticed that a small flash of red ran passed you with a blond haired male following after as panic flashed across his face.

“Excuse me sir, have you by chance seen a small blonde and red eyed girl pass by?” He asked and you nodded pointing to the direction Klee went. He thank you with a smile before running off. Sounds of people whispering where heard and yells of angered men was thrown here and there. Ah, they realized that the Creator isn’t gonna come. Welp that’s sad.

“Hey love, do you think her holiness is actually gonna come?” Your boyfriend Akashi walked up to where you were with a smile. His black hair was curly and his red eyes looked like pools of blood or roses you like both. Smiling back to him before shrugging your shoulders.

“I don’t know ‘kashi, maybe they got something wrong?” Your e/c held some sort of mischief in them as you looked at Akashi. The red eyed male only looked at you with a curious gaze before laughing softly. He loved that you were mischievous at times and kind at others. He sat next to you as you leaned against him.

“Like the date?“ Akashi asked as he watched people start to freak out while the Archons tried to calm them down. Humming in agreement before sighing. “I gotta get going home. I’m tired from the days work.” Akashi offered to walk you home but you gently said no. Well gently shouldn’t be the right word…..you did try and throw a chair at him when he asked again.

Walking through the crowed of people not noticing someone pull out a small knife. You walked by that person and got cut deep enough that gold blood began to drip out slowly. You didn’t realize as quickly as everyone else because people started to gasp.

“The creator!”

“She’s actually here!”

“Wait….That’s not a girl. The creator is a boy!”

People began to yell out that they found the creator and how the Archons were wrong about the gender. Venti was the first archon to get to you, his eyes widen in shock before his face was covered in red.

“Your grace! We are so very sorry for getting your gender wrong! How should we ever repay such a price!” He said as he knelt down with the other archons and everyone near by following after him. You only looked at them then where Akashi was sitting. He looked shocked yet happy, he was dating the creator for Celestia sake!

“You don’t have to do anything…..uh. I’ve been here for a few years anyways.” Once you said that the archons gasped in shock then immediately felt guilty for not noticing that the all might creator was and has been here for years without them knowing.

Zhongli or the geo archon spoke up after minutes of silence. “If anyone has been rude to you the past few months or years we can get rid of them for you.” He said that with such truth that it makes you scared that even if you say no he will look to see if anyone was mean to you. Calmly, or nervously, you said that it was fine and no one has been mean to the point of killing.

Venti started to hug you out of nowhere and began to get all touchy. For example he was rubbing his face against your arm. He or anyone else who didn’t know you before you were found out didn’t know you were dating someone. Aether knew and was jealous even before this whole event happened, but know he was extremely jealous and outraged. He should’ve killed that guy long ago!

“Uh, Barbato’s,” Venti’s face was even more red after hearing you say his archon name. “Can-Can you get off me? I’m dating someone and this feels like I’m cheating…” it seemed like everyone froze the once happy look in Ventis eyes went away and was replaced with a darken look. He looked up at you before asking who’s dating you.

“Hey Love! Didn’t know this would happen!” Akashi walked through the crowd as people made a path for him. Red eyes met blue ones both looked at the others with a burning hatred. Oh and Akashi is taller than Venti, he’s about 6’1.

It seems like the archons and all the devotes hated the guy and the same could go for Akashi. I mean, Akashi didn’t even know that you were the creator and still loved you. While everyone else was only gonna love you because you’re the creator.

[it-happened-one-fic]

An Odd Sort of Family - Xiao

Author Notes: It's my birthday so I decided to post something super self-indulgent. So behold, a found family fic with Xiao and Qiqi. I didn't actually use a specific song or anything while writing this fic. It was purely just me writing something that I felt like writing. As per usual, reader is gender-neutral. I hope you enjoy.

Type: Fluff/ found family/ featuring Miss Qiqi/ romantic feelings implied towards reader from Xiao/ gender neutral reader

Word Count: 1131

Xiao stood atop a rock, watching silently as you knelt next to Qiqi. Talking quietly as the two of you collected herbs. 

It was a common sight. The two of you working together as peacefully as could be despite the dangers that Xiao knew abounded throughout Liyue.

You always made time to assist the little girl in collecting herbs after running across her in various perilous situations, and Xiao always stood watch. Ready to go off and fight for Liyue’s safety or to guard the two of you.

He scanned the area, looking for anything amiss, as he kept up his eternally vigilant watch over Liyue even in this peaceful moment.

The only thing that managed to distract him was when you straightened. Nodding with a smile down at the little girl next to you before trotting off in the direction she’d pointed. And Xiao watched you; his stance relaxed as he watched your form disappear just behind yet another rocky outcropping.

You always managed to distract him, though. It was something of a talent that you had, even if you didn’t know it.

Normally, Xiao was constantly aware of his surroundings, but when you were around, a tiny bit of his attention was consistently devoted to you. And Xiao had a sneaking suspicion that he knew why that was.

“Xiao,” The yaksha glanced down at the tiny and eternally stoic little girl, who now gazed up at him with an unreadable expression from where she’d approached.

It was surprising that Qiqi had remembered his name, but she seemed to be recalling both you and him better the more time you both spent with her. Though, to be fair, Xiao was almost positive your name had been added to her journal of things she wanted to remember.

And he couldn’t blame Qiqi. He wouldn’t ever want to forget you either, and at this point, he doubted such a thing would ever be possible. Even as time wore on for however many years he remained, he didn’t think he would ever forget you.

Xiao didn’t have to respond for Qiqi to continue in her usual monotone seriousness, “I don't want Y/n to get hurt. We need to protect them.”

Her bluntness was not surprising, but Xiao was at a loss for words as he stared down at her. It was true that he came along to guard you, but he didn’t entirely know how to respond to Qiqi’s words. They were unexpected, after all. 

You had started accompanying Qiqi to protect her, and now the little girl wanted to protect you. It was almost an ironic situation.

But after a brief moment, Xiao nodded. Matching the little girl’s seriousness as he agreed. Because you did deserve to be protected.

It was an unspoken understanding that the three of you had, even if none of you actually realized it. Qiqi and Xiao both protected you from any lurking damage because they didn’t want to see you get hurt. You were a home of sorts to both of them when each had, in their own way, believed that no home would ever truly want them.

You and Xiao gave Qiqi the love and care she needed. Warming her life without smothering her. Because even if she was a zombie, she was also just a child who needed love, even if she didn’t realize it. And while Baizhu did adore her, he could only do so much for the little girl.

And finally, you and Qiqi ensured that Xiao was no longer alone. And that was why he would also accompany you. He wanted to be with you, no matter where that place might be.

Without even entirely intending it, the three of you had become a family of sorts that cared for one another by providing the things that each of you needed and deserved.

In truth, Qiqi didn’t even have to ask for Xiao to protect you. Xiao would protect both you and Qiqi without any requests or thanks. In part, it was because it was his duty as a guardian Yaksha, but in part, it was because you were both important to him.

Xiao had experienced losing family before, and his relationship with them had been different. The other Yaksha had been like siblings, but you…. You were different. Losing you would be painful, just as losing them had been, but in an entirely new way. And you were far more fragile than any of the other Yaksha had ever been.

And with Qiqi, in many ways, he felt like he’d already failed her once. It was true that she had died in an accident during the archon war, and though it might not have been Xiao directly who caused the accident, it was also true that if he’d been better at his job, then it might have never happened.

It was possible that the guilt he felt towards her death was simply the condensing of the guilt he felt towards everyone who had been lost during the war. But it was also possible that he looked at her and saw a fragility, unlike yours, but also one that had not been possessed by the family he had once had.

Though you, Qiqi, and Xiao were an odd sort of family, that family was still precious to the Yaksha and something that he would dearly protect.

“Xiao?” Your call sounded clearly, without a hint of fear. In fact, it sounded more like you were just simply calling out to him. 

Almost like you somehow knew the somber path his thoughts had taken.

But even though there was no urgency to your tone, there was also no hesitation to Xiao’s actions as he appeared by your side. Reaching out and steadying you as you balanced on the rocky, slightly treacherous ground.

You smiled at him as soon as his hand grasped your arm, as if there were nothing odd about the sometimes awkward care he always showed you or the way he always had time for you.

“I found a good spot for us to have lunch and made sure to pack some almond tofu earlier today… Would you like to join us?” You smiled peacefully, and Xiao exhaled in amusement. Only you would be quite so carefree about making such a request. But Xiao only nodded, smiling slightly to himself as your own smile grew.

He watched silently as you called out to Qiqi, beckoning the little girl over to eat as you settled down and started unpacking the food. And as Xiao glanced around, surveying the area once more before allowing himself to fully relax into the peaceful atmosphere you’d created, he knew for a fact that he would always protect both you and Qiqi. 

Because you were precious to him.

[meowzilla93]

If you would be so kind, headcannons about Baxter between the end of step 3 and the beginning of step 4? How he handled the breakup, what he was like in college, etc. ☺️

I apparently cannot give this man a break

I love him so much but gods he was just such a moron

Alright

Lets go

So night of the breakup, where he is being a prick and making excuses to leave you

He goes back inside after that line ‘if I could take back the days we spent together I would’

Oh you better believe that he is trying to justify all the cruel things he said

‘it was never going to work out’ ‘they deserve better’ ‘they were going to forget me anyways’

All this is happening whilst his heart and gut are doing somersaults

But he follows his stupid brain because of course he is right

Cant sleep that night, pulls an all nighter before he needs to call the taxi to take him to the airport

 Try as he might, he cant get that sick feeling from his stomache

Doesn’t really eat for a few days, until he has to

Gets to Virginia, unpacks his bags and lo and behold

There is the souvenir you got him

He just sits on the bed holding onto it, numb

After a few moments of fighting with himself about what he should do, he puts the gift away

From prying eyes, from his own eyes

A treasure to be kept safe

But one to leave alone until maybe he is ready one day

And so start the flings once again

One night stands just so that he can rid his mind of you

Surely a 3 month summer romance shouldnt keep a hold onto his heart as much as it had

So he will do anything to shift it

So he focus on schooling, and being sociable, and dealing with his family

After a while, everything else takes precedence and you don’t occupy his thoughts as often anymore

He gets notifications that you sent a message, but he wont allow himself to read them

You will forget him, there is no point reading the messages, besides, they could be hurtful to him and gods he just doesn’t want to know the truth of what you feel for him

It could actually break his heart

A few years pass, our man can drink without issue now!

And maybe one night he has a bit much

Meets up with a pretty someone at a function, goes back to their place for a fling

But there is a problem

There is just something about them that reminds him of you

But no, that’s not possible so he pushes it out of his mind

That is until he inadvertently whispers your name

Mans goes from 100 to 0 real fucking quick

Apologizes, goes back to his place and just sits on his bed

He takes out his phone, considering to look at those messages you sent him time and time again, but he just cant

So instead he goes looking for your gift, and takes it out to look at once again

And the memories flood back to him, and he just quietly sits there and cries

Once he is done, he puts the gift on display, he doesn’t want to keep those memories hidden anymore

He hurt you, he knew he did but he cant help but be so grateful for the time he had with you, the fun and laughter and love he had during that time

He should at least keep those memories alive and not hide them away

That doesn’t mean he will go out of his way to make new friends, no sir

Twice now, he made friends with people, cared about these people, and hurt them with his antics

He cannot do that again

So he puts on the air of the professional fancy man, puts on the mask of the perfect gentlemen and finishes his schooling and starts his career

One that of course that doesn’t require him to make friends, just work acquaintances

Throughout uni, he was that really sociable, affable guy

Touch strange, very elegant but nice regardless

Some of the other students found him very attractive, some got to spend the night with him and experience the slight cold shoulder afterward

It was only for fun after all, and he made sure that they went into it with that knowledge

Was known for being a top tier student once again, but there just wasn’t a bad rumor circulating around him this time

Probably the most amount of peace he has had in a while, if lonely

Oh but his parents

Try as he might, some holidays he just couldn’t get out of seeing his parents, mainly because they wouldn’t spend it in Golden Grove and they would find a way to twist his arm about it

One such outing, his parents where their obnoxious selves and they finally said something that snapped that thin string of patience he had with them

Without raising his voice, he advised he wanted nothing further to do with them, he doesn’t hold the same ideals as they do and never wants to

Cuts all ties and removes himself from their funds, forcing himself to fend for himself and earn his way in the world

I think this was the first official time he was happy after all that he did in his life

The first time he did what HE wanted and what made HIM happy, he is just sad he didn’t do it sooner

And so a few years passes, he finishes uni, starts working at a company, and repeats the cycle of being affable enough for people to feel comfortable around, but put up walls to avoid having anyone get too close to him

Though Xavier has something to say about that and start to slowly chisel away at those walls of his

He picks up an event that needs to be prepped and completed in 5 days, a worthy challenge for him

But low and behold when he meets for dinner with the party, there you are, 5 years on

You look as beautiful as the day he walked away, and you walk with an air that would make anyone stand to attention

And your eyes meet, and all there is, is shock

He really hoped you would never meet again, not because he didn’t care but gods he cared too much

Seeing you again tore at him, it was like a waking nightmare, he didn’t want to hear what you had to say or what you really saw in him, he just wanted out

So he runs, like he ran 5 years ago and kept running

But this time, running just kept making him run back into you

keep em coming, i have so many thoughts i need to put to paper

[chiropteracupola]

now that I have finished watching All The Sharpe That There Is, we have made a Tier List of our Very Strong Opinions. behold.

further (condensed) commentary from yours truly and usual partner-in-crime @sailorpants under the readmore:

S: Eagle, Company, Battle

Eagle: 'the plot of this one makes sense,' 'it really does show (well!) that this was the first book,' 'one of the ones we rewatch,' 'a good episode of television!'

Company: 'Pete Postlethwaite is a great actor -- Hakeswill made me want to throw up,' 'the lads and also the horrors,' 'genuine emotions were elicited,' 'well-established team dynamic at this point'

Battle: 'bad men! good men! beautifulest ladies!,' 'if Perkins must die then at least he gets a really cool death and to be bridal-carried by Harper and mourned by everybody,' 'the fucked-up love square,' 'plot hangs together well,' 'this episode has the most women of any Sharpe episode: four,' 'I have watched this episode three times', 'these rewatches were with lust (for the beautifulest ladies)'

A: Enemy

Enemy: 'decently written,' 'all the lads are there,' 'type of enemy Hakeswill becomes isn't as compelling and the inconsistency brings down both his episodes,' 'egregious women-tossing,' 'it is cool that there are other women; however Sharpe would not do That,' 'French people allowed to be interesting as a treat,' 'Sharpe and Teresa SOULMATES quote [screams]'

B: Rifles, Honour, Sword, Siege, Waterloo

Rifles: 'bit of a rough start,' 'the first half is good and then it gets Weird... phobias of sorts are In There', 'TERESA!'

Honour: 'extremely cool fights in this one,' 'Ramona!!,' 'some of the best Chosen Men banter in the whole series,' 'fake-Sharpe's-death plotline is quite well done,' 'unfortunate nonsense'

Sword: 'epic Harris moments cannot earn this episode a better ranking,' 'good casting and the background characters are cool,' 'the Lass deserved much better than this episode gave her'

Siege: 'oh, the chemical warfare episode,' 'they've learned to workshop their plans since Honour,' 'made me believe that Sharpe and Jane's relationship could have worked out, 'plot hangs together well (rare in a Sharpe episode)'

Waterloo: 'the scale of it doesn't quite sit right,' 'pretty good episode,' 'Paul Bettany is uncanny and I don't like whatever it is is going on with him,' 'getting the gang back together for one last Lads Adventure!'

C: Regiment, Mission, Revenge, Justice, Challenge

Regiment: 'more time with the Chosen Men could have saved this,' 'Company was a better 'the army sucks' episode,' 'the wet soupy episode'

Mission: 'it takes me two minutes to remember what happens in this one whenever I think about it,' 'again epic Harris moments cannot save this episode,' 'quite a high SCUM score,' '[impact font] MARK STRONG'

Revenge: 'ehhhhhh,' 'Lucille's nail-gun is the only thing that is cool and fun,' 'weird vibes about it,' 'Ducos' Bond-villain stuff is needless escalation,' 'Frederickson's ending is fun'

Justice: 'he's a cop in this one,' 'don't like Hagman's mustache,' 'Jane plotline no good, '[from sailorpants] when I actually watch this one I'm gonna have THOUGHTS'

Challenge: 'would rank this higher but I do have receipts on the fact that I was having a Bad Time throughout,' 'Toby Stephens makes this worth watching,' 'almost everything else about it is bad,' 'high points in every SCUM category,' 'four whole named plot-relevant speaking-role-having women! haven't had that many since Battle!,' 'TOBY STEPHENS CUNTSERVACIOUS LITTLE OUTFITS'

D: Gold, Peril

Gold: 'we don't need to discuss why we are ranking it like this'

Peril: 'the secret good Peril that lives in my head is so cool but unfortunately it is not real,' 'they are trying to have Themes and it is not working,' 'casting director is now finding conventionally attractive men instead of weirdguys with interesting faces,' 'Daniel Deever should have his own entire show but unfortunately this is a show about Richard Sharpe (I would write about him so much if I felt that I could do him justice but therein lies the Research Pit)' 'most important point is that he has a locket with Antonia's picture but the rest I could take or leave and I will probably leave it'

[inosukenumberonefan]

How to catch Kokushibo's eye

Unlike upper rank 2 and 3 I belive he would go for a demon because they're isn't any circumstances where a human would cross his path and live.

You'd have to upper rank 2 or 3 because I feel the only way to get to really talk to him would be challenging him to a blood battle or being assigned a mission with him (Or you could harm one of the demons that are above you but he prolly would dislike you for that)

In these two scenarios you'd have to be about the strength of upper 2 or 3 because

In a mission you have to be as close as you could be to be able to keep up with him and not hold him back.

In a blood battle if you were upper 4 5 or 6 he' wipe the floor with you and absorb you for being so naive and stupid and if you somehow managed to beat him and leave him alive bro would never recover and never talk to you again. (Inferioty complex gonna hit hard)

In both of these scenarios you'd have to be have a specific personality for him not to despise you.

His ideal personality:

Queit: Hes not much of a talker but that does not mean he's a listener after about 30 seconds of you raving or talking about someone not "work" related he gets annoyed. (I headcanon him as not liking loud noises either)

Most of your time spent with him will be in comfortable silence and small talk so you need to be down for that

Loyal: This has been established in the manga that he very highly believes in the hierarchy of the demons so he would not like someone who frequently does not listen to Muzan or complains (I belive the reason he let Akaza live was because of his loyalty to Muzan)

Serious: This is pretty self explanatory. Bro does not like goofing around and he takes getting stronger and being a demon VERY serious so someone who doesn't he'll label them as a distraction and annoyance

Calm: He prefers queit and tranquility so someone who doesn't freak out and get hyper or whatever is VERY MUCH preferred. He needs someone who will address him calmly instead of freezing up in fear (still gotta treat him with respect)

Extra points!

Sharing the same ideals as him which is doing anything to get stronger and training very hard.

Being a training buddy (will elaborate more on this later)

Using a katana as a weapon.

Being turned into a demon by Kokushibo

For age you can either be a super old demon 300-500 years (like him) were you've slowly climbed the ranks maybe going up a rank every 50 or so years until finally you challenge him.

Or....

You can be a baby demon 0-50 years. (The younger you are the more impressed he is) it takes a demon roughly 55-100 to devour enough humans to become an upper rank so being able to climb the ranks faster then most, to him that condems respect.

NOW I HAVE A VISION!

Imagine you're a baby demon just recently turned, you were a previous demon slayer a Hashira or Kinoe. Your skills and powers were already great but now they're out of this world. You've climbed the ranks fast and managed to secure a position in the upper ranks.

Now stick with me... Your BDA is related to your swordsmanship (like Kokushibo's 😽) so you seek him out here's the scene.

"Am I right to assume you used to be a demon slayer Kokushibo-sama?" He stands there contemplating his response or whether or not he should respond.

"As were you." You nod.

"Your blood demon art and sword skill truly are something to behold." You compliment and he tenses up at the praise. "Mines actually quite similar-."

"I have important matters to attend to. Please don't waste my time with formalities." He interrupts.

"I was hoping to find a sparring partner." He wasn't very expressive but you could tell he did not want to do that AT ALL. "I understand your reservations but I do belive its been some time since you've gotta a proper fight and not that I don't find you immensely strong but the Hashira's of this era are out of the world especially with them unlocking the mark, it would be a terrible for any of us to die because we haven't gotten proper practice."

It takes him a while but he agrees because you're also fighting with a katana like a demon slayer and you're matching the power of a hashira so it's a good agreement!

[talentisntgenius]

Bottoms (2023) but instead of a fight club they have a gaming club — Part 1.

headcanons(?), loose plot, and shenanigans.

The club was established a long time ago by Josie, PJ, and Hazel when the school started to require every student to be a part of a club.

PJ didn't want to partake in any club as they all seem to involve physical exertion and community service so she thought they could just make up their own and they ended up with a gaming club.

They had high hopes for the club in the beginning bc who doesn't like video games?! But it turns out three nerds endorsing the club didn't seem too appealing to the many students of Rockbridge Falls High.

They used to play different types of games until they decided to exclusively play Tekken bc it's PJ's favorite and everything PJ's demanding ass wants, she gets (/pos. she's princess).

Also bc there were only three of them and Hazel always seemed to go with whatever PJ wanted.

They play local tourneys... Oh, and they never win!

They get a ten dollar budget from the school which they use to buy food after participating in a tourney.

PJ is Lili main because duh! She's gay and dramatic.

PJ's adamant that she mains Lili bc she's 'hot and sexy' but really she just thinks her outfit is pretty </3

Hazel is Asuka main mostly bc PJ is Lili main lol she also mains Lars.

PJ thinks Hazel purposefully choses Asuka to piss her off bc Hazel always beats her.

Josie is Jin main but sometimes she plays Josie just because :)

Josie draws Tekken fanart/comics.

Sometimes Josie draws Asulili fanart to piss off PJ. She gives them to Hazel who puts them up in her bedroom <3

PJ believes Josie's a show-off for being a Jin main but Josie thinks it just shows how much of a loser shut-in she is.

PJ spams single moves when she wants to piss off Josie.

And yes PJ was definitely a button masher. When they were younger Hazel beat her twelve times in a row and she got so mad that she didn't talk to Hazel for a whole day until Hazel showed her what practice mode is actually for.

She grinded so much that time that she failed a test but it was all worth it when she finally beat Hazel. It wasn't that long until Hazel was, yet again, unbeatable to PJ.

Josie is defo the best out of all of them, she's naturally great at remembering combos.

Josie and Hazel loves discoursing/theorizing about the plot and characters with each other.

Hazel makes them club shirts every year bc she's the rich one.

Hazel loves experimenting with/building fightsticks.

Hazel likes to write down combos she find on YouTube and she shares it with the club when they meet.

Hazel also takes notes about what everyone needs to improve during their sessions. Josie takes notes when it's her turn.

And PJ thinks it's stupid, "You guys don't need to do all that. Literally, no one cares about this club but us. We could be not doing any of this and no one will care,"

When they got to senior year they were given a notice by the school telling them they were gonna shut them down and m cut off their budget if they don't rack up at least ten members and gain any significant achievement for the school.

"Fuck this stupid fucking school. Why can't we be ugly, gay, and untalented in peace?! Does that mean it's one dollar for each student? Do they think my Tekken expertise costs a dollar?!"

Luckily Hazel got Sylvie and Crystal to join. Annie's also there, she doesn't play, she just sits there and complain the violence.

Sylvie is Panda/Kuma main. Crystal is King main. Annie will play Julia but only if she's playing against Sylvie.

Hazel also got Stella Rebecca to join too but only cuz she told her about the tourney prize money.

Stella started out as a Chloe main until she saw PJ playing as Alisa once and got into her bc chainsaws ^-^ !

They're still missing three members and lo and behold— Isabel and Brittany joined the club.

[will80sbyers]

Brett unapologetically believes what he believes. This makes criticizing him less worthwhile to people, cuz if it doesn't affect him, then what's the point?

With Noah, it's clear he's a lot more apologetic about what he believes. We've seen how quickly he backtracks and it's cuz his beliefs were never that strong in the first place. He's a total sponge. He's not confident about his beliefs whatsoever in the same way Brett is because his beliefs largely stem from the beliefs his loved ones have, who he trusts to have good beliefs. This makes tearing him down a lot more entertaining to people that love a good downfall.

I remember after 10/7, there were a few days where Noah did not say anything. So many people were waiting for the ball to drop. I was curious how his Israeli friends were reacting, and low and behold they both had instagram stories that were very obviously directed at him, crying and saying how they were disappointed that someone who they thought cared about them, who has millions of followers, hadn't said anything. And predictably, the next day he started being vocal about it.

And now we just saw how quickly he took down his copypasta after filming started. Im guessing all it took was a few days filming on set among the cast, away from his family and inner circle, for them to talk some sense into him, because he. is. a. sponge!!

It's crazy to think how much appeasing the people around him has probably played a big role in this. And how him now backtracking is only going to make them hate him now too, all the while not even getting the people that hate him already to even consider forgiving him anyways.

I agree with you I think he's VERY easy to suggestion from other people and that's what brought him to say certain things, I feel like propaganda does work and people just undermine that or like to talk about it theoretically but then when they see someone that actually did fall for it or that feels pressured to do things and is clearly influenced they don't take it into consideration and start jumping to the worst possible conclusion that they are heartless monsters etc even when they didn't idk commit direct crimes themselves because of it

I also feel like ignoring that there are LOTS of people that take the meaning of Zionism with a complete different meaning than what we take it as (because of what it is doing in the practical way of expressing that philosophy) is being disingenuous

In the same way that people saying that "from the river to the sea" means that you're saying that you want Jewish people dead is disingenuous

There are two different meanings that people have and not all of them mean that in the sense that they want to kill or keep opressing the other side EVEN if that is born from that, you know people don't mean it in that way, especially people that are not even living in those places themselves, like if you know that - you have to explain to them why that name to you has the same connotation as for example "fascist"

If you think about it, the words fascist and other similar words of political movements are not born with the people giving them inherent negative meaning but that meaning got attached there because of what they did as a movement, which is the same thing that happens with Zionism, but people that are born inside that culture where you get told that that word has a different meaning OBVIOUSLY are not going to tell you that they agree with the negative meaning unless they have been freed from propaganda and can actually see that there can be no distinction anymore because of what they have done... But again we're talking about deprogramming someone, it is just not easy to do!

They will refute that idea because it's a complete shift of the belief system you had since your were born... It's obvious to me that you can't just throw them in a box of "evil" just because they fight to make peace with that idea or refuse it

And online there's a jump from rightly asking for clarification or an apology with accountability when necessary to literally wanting that person dead or in complete misery immediately and never forgiving them or at least letting them live their own life without abuse and harassment

No matter what they actually did or didn't do, like a serial killer is put on the same plane of someone that says a fucked up thing and to me that's kind of insane... I feel like we lost measure (?) idk how to explain this in a better way I just have started feeling like it's all too much online it wouldn't be how you help people to change in the actual real world

And to be clear I'm not against people being called out and having to demonstrate that they did change, (I'm not even a "non violent" person... when needed. Like, I would punch a nazist if I needed to for example) but I feel like now the type of harassment is extreme no matter the "crime"

and instead of it being about helping our world to get better it has become about piling on to pile on and have the most liked post at the same time and these people don't care at all if that person changes or not, they are in the "evil" list now and there they must stay

[matchibee]

A Web of Their Own Design (pt. 2)

I’m not spoiling anything, nope. Not me. (Not proofread)

A backpack clad in a cacophony of compartments weighed heavy on your back, trudging through the halls of Newer York’s most prestigious university.

The only university that allowed you access to your job.

I suppose that amounts to something.

The final stretch, the finish line. Soon enough you’d be out in the world, a fledgling taking first flight.

What would happen then? You couldn’t possibly pursue this life forever, could you? Eventually the sleepless lights would manifest into something more sinister, fighting against you as you fought to abolish crime. Your body would age, slowly, but noticeably. Would you be capable of protecting the people while knitting webs in the retirement home?

You shook the thought from your head, running your fingers through your scalp, tapping your foot with impatience as you awaited the call of your name — a morning coffee, a pick me up. Not that tackling a bank robber on your way to the subway station wasn’t exhilarating enough.

Soon enough, you order was called, a student like yourself handing over the mug with a soft smile — a forced one, no doubt. Who wants to work? In this economy?

Thanking her, you tapped at your phone to check the time. A few minutes to spare, your class the building adjacent to the coffee shop, a stroke of luck in the most unfortunate times.

Your name was called, you cringed, not keen on the impending scolding you’d receive, the halls whispering prayers.

After all, you’d ditched karaoke to fight a villain you’d never encountered before.

They kept glitching in a rainbow of colors you’d never believed the eyes capable of beholding, insisting they were in the wrong universe, a portal swallowing them and spitting them out in a foreign realm.

An entire nut, case intact.

You’d defeated them, thankfully, but found at the conclusion of your battle they’d entirely disappeared, not a trace left to remain. Was that even possible?

“Aubrey… what’s up?” Your finger tapped against the rim of your coffee in a beat of your own design, nervous smile on full display without the majesty of your mask.

“What’s up?” Her voice was laced with vines, on edge. “You totally ditched us and all you have to say is what’s up?” The pink ribbon fashioned in her hair and bubblegum dress ceasing mid-calf did nothing to deter the terror she exude. “You totally missed Alador’s solo! He went all out, y’know.”

Alador, a restless Biochemistry major, stood behind Aubrey —the resident Pre-Law student on her way to Law School come next Fall.

“You sang a solo?” You were astonished, looking to Alador with disbelief, a man of little words typically unwilling to perform such a task.

He mumbled something under his breath, your neck craning to listen, asking him to repeat himself one too many times.

“Aubrey said if I didn’t she’d hide my monitor again.”

“…Again?”

Aubrey looked to you with a satisfied smirk on her lips, not an ounce of shame. “Last time we went to the arcade he didn’t want to win me a stuffed Panda! I mean, who does that?! Worst friend ever…”

Sometimes you could understand why the dwindling generations of the past were worried for the imminent rise of your own generation.

“And because he didn’t win you the Panda… You hid his monitor?”

“Don’t look at me like that, it’s not like I took the actual PC! If it was such a nuisance he could’ve hooked everything up to his laptop, I made sure of it!”

Alex whispered under his breath, as he always did, “At the expense of my frame rate.”

The two broke into an argument. Well, more like Aubrey bullying Alador into submission. A lighthearted exchange, one that’d occurred since the beginning of high school, lifelong friends bonding over the lack of brain cells dominating the student body.

You looked to your watch, class beginning in a matter of moments, taking the opportunity to slip away without a word.

“I’m not done with you!”

Maybe not.

“I know you’ve been like this since we were kids, jumpy and always on the run, but don’t you get tired of it?”

Whoa. You hadn’t had nearly enough coffee to process her psychoanalysis this early — you checked your watch — in the afternoon.

Shit. Class was starting.

“Aubrey, listen. I have class right now and I really—“

“You’re the star student, as always. You can listen to me for a few minutes.”

You conceded. Less out of compliance and more out of sheer terror. Only someone as headstrong as Aubrey was capable of bringing an arachnid vigilant to their knees.

“It feels like we’re seeing you less and less. We don’t have much time together before graduation, before we’ll definitely hardly see each other. Doesn’t that scare you?”

A prickle itched at your throat, burning with bile. It did, the entire situation terrified you, pained you with every waking moment. There wasn’t a day that went by you didn’t feel for your friends, a day that went by you didn’t regret how you’d last left your family.

How you yearned to tell them, to tell everyone.

You just couldn’t. Not if you loved them as much as you convinced yourself you did.

“I know I haven’t been the best friend to you guys but…” The confession was on the tip of your tongue, grip on your coffee unrelenting.

A crash.

Screams echoing down the hall, students rushing to get away as papers flew haphazardly behind them, foregoing assignments that’d likely kept them up all evening.

“What’s happening?” You called out to a passing student, their scream bursting your eardrums as they gestured down the hall.

A man dressed to the nines in a velvety green pantsuit trudged down the hall, mechanical tentacles clacking against the floor, uplifting polished marble flecked in gold.

Doc Ock.

Except, this looked nothing like the Doctor you’d fought previously. No, this man was far more distinguished, refined. Well into his years and wearing them well.

Your Doc Ock was nothing more than a child with an inattentive father and mommy issues on his sleeve, seeking validation wherever it could be found.

“You wouldn’t happen to know of a Peter Parker?” He was looking to Alador, entirely disregarding yours and Aubrey’s presence.

Alador shrugged his shoulders, adjusting his glasses before producing a book from seemingly thin air.

The Doctor’s kindhearted smile dwindled, “Then you’re of no use to me.” He swatted Alador away, your friend landing against the wall with a thud, wind knocked out of him and consciousness faltered. Aubrey rushed to his side, calling out to you, begging for your response.

Doc Ock traveled further down the hall, upheaving students in his path, uncaring for anyone except… Peter Parker?

His parents must’ve had a thing for alliteration.

You broke out into a sprint, traveling down the halls, maneuvering past students. “I’m gonna get help!” You called out to Aubrey.

No matter how badly you wanted to stay, tears pricking the corners of your eyes, hands bunched into fists.

You just couldn’t, not when everything seemed to fight against you.

Slipping into an abandoned classroom you were surprised, given professors cancel class anytime except important matters — Hungover? Exam next week! Space-Time Continuum collapsing? Don’t forget to turn in that essay at 11:59!

It proved a tedious task to change into your suit, opting to wear it under your clothes most days, the chilly weather forgiving.

Summer, not so much.

You kicked open the classroom door, webbing one of the man’s mechanical tendrils just before it could find purchase amongst another victim, he glitched, a pain ripping through his core, web falling through. You webbed him again, double, triple the amount.

“What’s up, Doc! Been a minute since we last fought.”

He scoffed, “You’re not Peter Parker.”

“Peter can’t come to the phone right now, but I’m happy to take your call.”

A tendril made its home against your chest, enhanced strength paling in comparison to the machinery, but you made it work. Freeing yourself from its clutches you sent webs it’s way, thoroughly coating it before moving on to the next, rendering them useless with every thwip of web. Two down.

“I thought doctors were supposed to help people — prescribe antibiotics, suggest some rest.”

Your quips were doing nothing more than fanning the flames of his anger, Doc Ock seething with rage. “I’m not that kind of doctor!”

“My bad! Thought you’d be able to help me with this raging headache I’ve been having.”

You thwipped another tendril in the midst of Doc Ock’s frustrations, useless. Three down.

This was too easy.

“I don’t know what happened to Peter Parker, but if you’ve taken his place, I’ll kill you all the same.”

Crash.

Out the window your bodies tumbled, the asphalt there to break your fall, back feeling as though it’d been shattered in a million different place. You strained to move, lifting your arm to produce a web in the man’s face, a move that should’ve been attempted sooner. Your body too weak, movement too slow, Doc Ock pushed your arms to the floor, slowly crushing them with his mechanical majesty.

“I want you to suffer in your last moments,” He pressed down, a groan hiding behind your teeth, Doc Ock far from satisfied. “I wish to hear your screams, the cries of the people, as their beloved Spider expires.”

No matter how hard you fought you were no match for his strength, straining to sit up, to do anything. It was futile, entirely. And suddenly you wished you’d revealed your secret identity to your loved ones, after all. At least then they’d know peace.

But at least this way, they were safe.

Pressing the back of your head to the asphalt, the screams of the people fading into nothingness, you decided it was your time to hang up the mask.

You’d been in this business since your first year of High School, a freshman bitten by a radioactive spider, forced to navigate puberty and the life of an arachnid vigilante. So many years, too many years of fighting for the people, being their savior when it felt nobody was there to save you.

Perhaps there wasn’t, never would, and as much as the thought plagued you, it also allowed you a moments rest.

The rev of a motorcycle, gasps from the crowd, the blur of your vision suddenly less persistent. The pressure of Doc Ock’s many tendrils had lifted from your chest, air rushing to your lungs.

“You alive down there?” A heavily accented voice, someone whose costume appeared just like yours except… flickering? Constantly in a state of perpetual color change?

Your spider senses tingled, mind overwhelmed with his presence, multiple presences. So different, so unique. Yet entirely the same.

“I’m…”

“Look out!” A motorcycle decorated in bright hues zipped past you, a woman with hair you envied greatly throwing you onto the back of the bike, the character from earlier hot on your tail. “You alright, kid?”

“Confused, but I’m breathing.” Were these Spider-People?

The Spider decorated in spikes spoke up through the whir of the cycle, “That’s all we can hope for, yeah?”

You nodded, looking around for Doc Ock, blob of green a generous ways down the road, the motorcycle heading straight for it. You stood up on the seat of the bike, fellow passenger and driver speaking words of warning, their caution taken with a grain of salt.

Something about their presence empowered you, made you feel invincible despite the burn of your back, a possible breakage persisting somewhere.

When you were in range you hopped off, gasps and hollers following the movement, limbs tingling with the urge — no, the need — to unleash your webs.

Doc Ock hadn’t a moment to register your presence, caught up in battling a spider-man with webs akin to the hue of a flame, muscles built high as he towered the citizens littering the streets.

I mean, seriously, didn’t people know how to run?

“Thanks for the help with the not-so-doctor Doctor!” You stood in a crouched position atop one of Doc Ock’s tendrils, the spider-man looking to you without a word, nodding his head.

Tough crowd.

You hopped down, side to side with the spider-man, the height difference even more shocking up-close. Your webs thwipped from the mechanism you’d designed the summer preceding your sophomore year, webs more controlled, precision calculated. It was far easier than the initial prototype, and despite its age, you’d hardly tweaked it.

Doc Ock came down with a crash from your joint effort, weight imprinted in the street, a damage tax payers weren’t keen on beholding.

Being a hero had never been so easy, joint support, everyone pulling their weight. It was as though you hadn’t even tried, elated as a burden was thrusted from your shoulders.

A cage of crimson encased Doc Ock, a team emerging from a portal of the same hue, dragging him away, ignoring his hollers, glitching as he shouted his final words — “Peter Parker!”

Some of these villains had serious codependency issues.

“Thanks for the assist,” You turned to the spider at your side, Spikes. “Didn’t know there was more of me, of us.”

“There’s an infinite number of us, you’ll find.”

“No way!” You tingled with delight, unable to contain the joy you felt. “Where have you guys been this entire time?”

“We’re part of a—“

Spikes was waved off by a blue and red hand, the muscular spider from earlier, stoic as ever, regarding you with hardly a word. “Follow me.”

“At least take me to dinner first.”

The woman, who you observed to be heavily pregnant, and Spikes laughed at the remark, Spike clutching at his stomach as the woman coughed into a fist.

“I don’t have time for jokes,” He crossed his arms over his chest, “Your universe is one of many experiencing inter-dimensional anomalies.”

“Anomalies? Is that why they were glitching?”

The man turned to the woman, back rigid, “They?”

She raised her arms in mock defense, “You never asked.”

“I shouldn’t have to—!“ He groaned, cutting himself off as he pinched the bridge of his nose through the mask. “You’d be making this a whole lot easier if you’d come with us.”

You contemplated a few seconds, hands crossed over your chest, tapping your foot against the pavement. Your mind suddenly fluttered to Alador and Aubrey, whether or not they’d gathered medical attention, what his condition was.

“I really shouldn’t, I—“ The portal was steadily closing as Spikes and Spider-Lady fell through, leaving you on your lonesome with Spider-Dude.

“You really don’t have much of a choice.”

He was right. If these things, these… Anomalies, kept trickling into your universe, there was no telling what consequences would follow.

To protect Aubrey, to protect Alador. To protect your family and the people of your universe, you had to get to the bottom of this.

One foot in front of the other, heart wrenching, you stepped through the portal. But not before one final question, a few words to seal your fate.

“What’s your name?”

“Miguel. Miguel O’Hara.”

[caputgeratlupinum]

In which I (re) watch Robin of Sherwood

In the dim and distant past (of a few years ago) I started watching Robin of Sherwood. I dropped out after the end of season 2, when *events* happened (if you know, you know).

Anyway, this to say that I started watching it again, and I thought it would be fun to record my reactions to it. I remember it as being a good if slightly silly show, so... we'll see how it holds up.

EPISODE ONE - ROBIN HOOD AND THE SORCERER (PART 1)

We are starting off strong with the Ominous Bad Guy theme that sent me back to the last time I watched this with the force of a hammer (this show has about five soundtracks and they all come up like once an episode).

Our introduction to adult Robin is him running to the top of a... something, I'm not sure if it's a hill or a ledge or what. Anyway he runs there, stops, and screams 'MUCH!'. Which must be wildly confusing if you're not familiar with Robin Hood.

ITVX doesn't let me take screenshots (tragically) but I need you all to know that Guy of Gisborne looks about twelve and speaks like he went to fancy boarding school.

Hi Will Scarlet I have fond memories of you from last time! And I think this might be the first time he's 'scarlet' as in 'bloody' rather than named for his hair or clothes. Also the second Will tells them his name another man steps out of the shadows to introduce himself like he's desperate to get in on the action.

ROBERT! ROBERT! BY CHRIST ROBERT I WILL NOT LOSE MY FISHPOND! 10/10 introduction no notes. Genius move to give the Sheriff an annoying brother in the form of Abbot (??) Hugo.

Sheriff duties: keep on top of the poachers in the forest, and meet with the evil sorcerer baron and his... possessed slave? I'm vague on what position Little John holds here.

Sorry, Sir Evil Baron (yes I know his name is Simon de Bellame. I'm ignoring that), but I don't believe for a second that your wife taking her own life was nothing to do with you.

Did I mention Marian and Tuck are here? They are! I love them both very much.

I can't believe they that they just leave Rat Man and Arthur behind. I demand a spin-off about what happened to them.

'You're like a May morning.' *climbs out the window without another word* I mean to be fair to Robin if I tried that line I'd probably also flee immediately afterwards.

I really wish I could do screenshots because Herne the Hunter's vision of various events with Evil Baron's face over it all, slowly getter bigger and bigger, is truly a sight to behold. Robin honestly took that pretty well.

The classic bridge fight is very enjoyable but I am haunted by the knowledge of the blooper reel where Michael Praed gets hit in the balls. And Robin's dramatic scream as he falls off the bridge is sending me.

Last time I wasn't really sure how to feel about the Herne the Hunter stuff, and right now I'm in the same place. uhh... stag-man. With vague prophecies. I dunno... 'when the horned one possesses me' ok but who are you when he's not possessing you? How does one become possessed by the horned one in the first place (I know none of this is the point. I just have questions!)

If I were one of the merry men, I would find it easier to agree with Robin's Heroic Inspiring SpeechTM if it hadn't started with him explaining how he's been 'awakened' by a deer-headed man.

I feel like Will saying, 'You should have killed him. You'll have to someday.' is setting up for a conflict down the line where Robin has to make a Choice about Gisborne some day, but I don't remember any such plot.

aaand that's it! I didn't mention every single thing that happened, there's a lot happening in this episode. Genuinely had a good time though! Despite my poking fun at stuff, I do actually like this show.

[oopsarboreal]

Were trading lore like Pokemon cards now

Taurice lore/facts?

Oh jeez what have I not said here uuuhhhhhh

I guess I’ll just drop the entire story of how he joined the Foundation

If I already posted this here I’ll explode

ok so basically he lived in Telluride Colorado for most of his life (look it up, it's literally RIGHT NEXT to the Rocky Mtns) and after he was going thru a sort of crisis (that's a different story) involving his connection to his childhood and by extension his late mother, he was looking to become less jaded

This is when he became a full-time trail guide and trailblazer, hiking basically always. It scratched that "See more!" itch he has

For a time, anyway. It wasn't long before he hiked every established trail twice and started, as said, trailblazing.

As he was going into the unknown, there was a Foundation research project coined The Mountains are Wild led by Dr. Angie Samosin. The theory was that more anomalies are recovered in mountainous areas due to some natural anomaly, so the crew was keeping close eye on the Rockies specifically.

Eventually, Taurice stumbled upon an anomaly under observation. Think uhhh talking wheelbarrow in levels of freakiness. And rather than run off (his fight-or-flight is messed up) he approached it and spoke to it. Meanwhile the Foundation operatives are like "Well that's a dumb civilian. Amnesticize him, boys."

To avoid a fight, they basically pull him aside, vaguely explain the situation, and offer him amnestics to take orally. Notably, he outright refused every time and they had to tackle and forcibly amnesticize him.

Anyway, he's mind-wiped and back home. And lo and behold he does it again at some point, stumbles upon another anomaly. Think lizard thing. And he does the same thing, just waltzes right up to it and starts interviewing it (because he was an interrogator thats all he knows)

It's at this point that Dr. Samosin notices there's somethin a lil different about this guy, but they forcibly amnesticize him again anyway

And guess what youre not gonna believe it but Taurice did it a THIRD time, this time with some freakish super tall shadow thing that forced the operatives to tackle him before he could walk right up and be vaporized by it. And finally Samosin's like "You know what we could use someone who wouldn't say no to anything." So they pull him aside, lift the veil, and offer him a job. Either that, or take amnestics again.

They see value in the fact that he did it three times, despite not remembering the previous encounters. Clearly there’s something innate in him that keeps him pouncing on the unknown

Taurice has a big decision moment, weighing common sense and his current life (he's never even left Telluride) against his childhood self and need to see the unknown and "believe in dragons"

ultimately he says no, takes the amnestics, and drives home. Because they're pills, they take a bit to set in (he's being watched from afar obviously)

ad ofc while in his car and imagining all those fairy tales his mom used to tell him he decides waIT NO ACTUALLY TAKE ME WITH YOU and swerves back, nearly ramming into the Foundation van as they leave the site

[taruchinator]

🌾 General Audiences

🌾 1k Words

🌾 For the @bycmykae Light Screen Pokémon Zine!

Red never considered himself to be the nostalgic type.

Many of the battles won across his adventures throughout the regions were thanks to his meticulous thinking and calculating strategies. Of course, he believed in the strength his Pokémon gave him and vice versa due to their strong bond, but at the end of the day it never stopped being about logic.

And yet, as he stood in front of the Viridian City Gym, there was something about this old building that tugged at his heartstrings.

Hey everyone! Alice here! ^^

Ready to deliver the 2nd fic I wrote for the Light Screen Pokémon Zine! This time focused on the color “Purple” & a ship that has recently taken over my sanity—Namelssshipping! What can I say? Rivals to friends to lovers is a classic 😍

Also we stan ASL!Red in this household~

Maybe reminiscing wasn't so bad every once in a while.

Red never considered himself to be the nostalgic type.

Many of the battles won across his adventures throughout the regions were thanks to his meticulous thinking and calculating strategies. Of course, he believed in the strength his Pokémon gave him and vice versa due to their strong bond, but at the end of the day it never stopped being about logic.

And yet, as he stood in front of the Viridian City Gym, there was something about this old building that tugged at his heartstrings.

He couldn't help but reminisce on the beginning of his journey—when he'd traveled across Kanto far and wide challenging the strongest of trainers—among them the leader of Team Rocket himself, Giovanni.

It was actually amazing how little had changed since the Gym transferred ownership to Blue.

His boyfriend didn't see the need to remove any of the regulations Giovanni had set up in the past, since they were surprisingly efficient and helped the Gym thrive in the city. Blue only gave his own spin by adding little things here and there that made the place unmistakably his.

After taking in the sight one final time, Red let out a sigh as he made his way into the building. The double doors opened up automatically and he was instantly greeted with the sight of hustle and bustle of other trainers, all talking amongst themselves about all things Pokémon. It put a small smile on his face.

As he approached the front desk, the woman standing behind it immediately took notice of his presence, causing her to turn to him with a smile of her own. “Welcome, Champion Red! I assume you're here to see Gym Leader Blue?”

Red nodded in response. The woman however gave him an apologetic look while fidgeting with some papers. “Well, unfortunately I must say he's not here at the moment. Everyone is actually waiting for him to return to get a chance to battle.”

Red's brows furrowed in confusion at that. Why would Blue ask him to come if he wasn't even gonna be here? As if reading his thoughts, the woman gave him another smile as she put the sheets of paper away in a cabinet. “He asked me to tell you that he'd be waiting for you on Route 22. I apologize for the inconvenience, but would you be so kind as to bring him back as soon as possible? Slacking off on his duties as Gym Leader isn't setting a very good example…”

At the request, the raven could only sigh and nod as he turned to take his leave. This guy would be the death of him one of these days.

It wasn't like the path to Route 22 was far by any means—only a couple of steps west from the city in fact.

As soon as the teen set foot on the familiar terrain, an exasperated groan resonated from the tall grass.

“Why do you guys keep popping up?!”

Lo and behold, there stood Blue in all his glory, scratching at the back of his neck in annoyance at what appeared to be a wild Rattata. The purple Pokémon let out a squeak that seemed to be his battle cry, completely adamant in continuing with the fight, regardless of what the human had to say.

Accepting his fate, the brunet let out a sigh as he prepared to command his companion. “Alrighty then, guess tenth time's the charm, huh Squirtle?”

It was only then that Red noticed the smaller than average Squirtle accompanying Blue, its tail perked up and fiery eyes shining with passion. A mere Bubble attack was all it took to knock the mouse down.

“Yes! We did it! You're getting the hang of those move sets, little guy!” Blue turned to his Pokémon in praise while Squirtle cooed in return, pleased with the compliments it was getting.

Red decided to finally make himself known with a slow clap, having to hold back the snort threatening to make its way past his lips at the way Blue jumped. Once he turned and saw who it was, his expressions changed into that of feign annoyance. “What the heck, Red!? Where did you come from!?”

The raven rolled his eyes as he gestured behind him, then proceeded to move his hands in what others might consider as nonsense, but Blue understood as Red's way to communicate. “Viridian City? You asked me to come over, remember?”

“Yeah, but there's no need to be all sneaky about it.” The brunet approached him with his Pokémon following close behind. A small blush dusted his cheeks the closer he got. “How… much did you see?”

“Enough.” Red smirked in the way he knew got under Blue's skin. He used his index and middle finger to rub at his chin. “You were cute.”

If he wasn't blushing before, Blue was definitely burning now, averting his gaze to the ground in a way that no one else got to see. Only Red. “S-Shut up! Who describes a battle as ‘cute’? It's not my fault this place is swarming with Rattatas, otherwise I would've left a long time ago!”

Red could only roll his eyes at the comment. They both knew this area was highly populated with the lavender colored mice Pokémon, so if he didn't want to run into them, he should've just avoided the route altogether.

Which suddenly reminded him of the woman waiting for them back at the Gym. “Why are you even out here? People are waiting for you back at the Gym.”

At that, Blue finally seemed to regain some of his confidence, because he turned toward the Pokémon who was accompanying him proudly with a smirk. “It's the whole reason I called you. I stumbled upon this little guy on an expedition, but haven't been able to get him to evolve no matter how much training we do. Figured two heads might be better than one at solving this!”

Red laid eyes upon the small Squirtle, who returned the gaze with a smile as he shook off the droplets of water from his previous battle. He couldn't help but be reminded of their starter Pokémon—a Charmander and Squirtle—fighting against and alongside each other through thick and thin no matter the odds.

“What? Getting nostalgic?”

The raven was brought back to reality by Blue's voice, who had already made his way towards him and even linked their pinkies together in the closest thing to hand holding that Red was willing to do. That charming smile that shone like the sun was sent his way, and all Red could think of was how lucky he was. “C'mon! I've got a few theories I wanna crack with you once we get back!”

As they walked side by side on the same path their younger selves took all those years ago, Red couldn't help but smile as he looked at the road ahead.

✦𝐂𝐡𝐞𝐜𝐤 𝐌𝐲 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐝 𝐓𝐨 𝐅𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐌𝐲 𝐒𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐬!✦

[llynwen]

Oh don't worry about the ask getting eaten, tumblr has killed 2 of my blogs in the last damn month this website is held together through sheer collective willpower. Soooooo about hoodie-stealing gf Rust: something about his clothes seemed weird to me when they went to Carcosa, and during a rewatch I realized that crisp white shirt is rather too big for him. He threw out all his 'professional' attire years ago when he quit being a cop but something about this work--not the job of police officer, I mean the work of seeking justice for the innocent--demands a certain ceremonial importance in what he wears. And rather than go buy a shirt he seems to have raided Marty's closet like he did in 95. Thoughts???

Hi! First of all I am so so very sorry for how long it’s taken me to answer this and also for the. Let's call them technical difficulties. I actually have soooo many thoughts about the costumes on this show. 

Let's start with the shirts. Every time we see rusty wear a dress shirt in 2012 it is slightly too big. Now, I totally agree with your take about him having thrown away all of his work clothes before the move. I don’t think he cares about appearances all that much anymore (I mean. As much as I adore the hair, it is not very professional). I like to think he only dresses up when they go to question people to fit into the part of a PI, to be more believable. 

As far as I know he wears two different shirts in episode 7

and one in 8

In both of these they are kinda loose on him, the waist is tucked in but it’s all bunched up in the back, even the collars seem a bit too wide. 

I also love this fit

At first glance I was convinced these were the same suits, but they are not, though they are eerily similar. The jacket looks too big for rusty, too, and maybe a bit tight on marty. I really want to believe that rust is wearing marty’s hand me downs the entire time.

All this thinking about the clothes had me looking at other outfits we see throughout the show, and what I noticed were the flannels. Prior to 2012, we almost exclusively see rust in formal wear. He wears work clothes seemingly 24/7. He will occasionally take his shirt off and run around in the famous wifebeater, but even that is just a stripped down version of his work clothes. He mows the lawn dressed like that. Even during The Event with maggie he is still in his work clothes, even though he just got suspended and has been drinking for hours.

There are very few exceptions of him wearing something different. If we ignore crash, prior to 2012 we see him out of his work clothes exactly twice.

First time is when he talks to maggie at the diner. He’s wearing a blue flannel in this scene, and I was like, this shirt looks familiar. Then I had me a closer looksie, and lo and behold, i found this.

Again, for a second I was sure it was the same damn shirt. It isn't, but it's close. Both of them wear a blue flannel when they go to talk to maggie, which is very interesting to me. Additionally, since we've established that rusty doesn't own any casual clothes, I think it is fair to assume the flannel he is wearing at the diner is actually marty’s. This isn't so far fetched, since at the time marty is staying at rust’s house, so they probably have a shared laundry pile.

The other time we see rust wear a flannel is during the parking lot fight. I don't think marty wears anything similar at any point (but if I'm wrong please come let me know), but it is definitely something he would wear.

The parking lot fight takes place the morning after The Event, we know that rust is not in the best of mindsets. 

(I actually think he came over to the station that day precisely because of what happened the night before. I don't think he came to pick up his things, since we know he had all the files at his apartment, and I don't believe him to be the kind of man that keeps personal belongings at his desk. No, I think he went there to punish himself. He knew that marty would react badly, and he knew he would probably attempt to beat him up. This could be why rust doesn't really fight back, and lets marty tackle him and land a few good punches.) 

The shirt he wears could be something that marty left behind. I think he might have worn it as a kind of armor, something with positive emotions attached to it. He knows that marty and him are done, no going back, so he wraps himself in the comfort of their friendship. 

If you have any other observations, please let me know! I’ll have another look at the clothes during my next rewatch, but I’m sure I'll miss something anyways, this show is so jam packed with detail. Thank you again for sending me this ask!

Let me leave you with this, though.

Why is rusty’s ass wet in carcosa? If he was just sweaty, wouldn't his shirt be wet too? Did he piss himself? What is going on. 

Love you bestie xx

[edennill]

Comparative Studies, or Twice on the Verge of Falling  

The Rimôn fresco of Elwing is considered to be one of the greatest artworks of the Late Classical Era. Found in the courtyard of the old Helcaril Villa (itself a marvellous example of architectural trends during the reign of Tar-Elendil), it occupies a relatively modestly-sized, but excellently exposed niche across from the entrance. Aside from the considerable fame the artist had later gathered, it remains remarkable both for its vividness of emotional expression, contrasting to the usual art style of the era, and for the number and fame of its copies.  

The best known of these is the one gracing the lesser courtyard of the villa Surë-or-Falmar. Indeed, the glory of the two is so closely interwined that it seems impossible to ascertain which had contributed to the fame of the other more. And yet the effect of the copy wildly differs from that of the original artwork.

The Rimôn Fresco depicts the figure of the young Elwing standing on the cliff with her back to the churning waters below. She is poised halfway toward the drop, as if on the verge of throwing herself in, one hand clasping the Silmaril at her neck. Wind whips at her torn dress and loose hair. A rarity among artworks confronting the subject, it depicts neither the enemy she is facing, nor the the transformation into bird itself. The figure stands alone - and seems strikingly young. Beholders oft remark that it is hard to believe she is meant to depict a wife and a mother.  

The wild and violent atmosphere of the fresco, even though, as with most Classical works, it depicts no blood, and despite the aforementioned lack of actual fighting shown, made its artistic quality fall under scrutiny in its day. From diaries, journals and letters of the period we can, however, see that it proved intriguing enough that people would come visit the Helcaril Villa only to see it in person - and that it won over many of those who were originally critical. Thus it is difficult to ascertain whether the changed nature of the Surë-or-Falmar villa Fresco was intentional on the part of the copyist, or the sign of an inexperienced hand.  

The name of the copy's painter has unfortunately escaped history. The style is typical to the reign of Tar-Meneldur, though an exemplary of its genre rather than a dull attempt at imitating fashion. The colour combinations are soft, slightly more so than in the Rimôn Fresco, the lines clean, and the light hazy. The figure depicted is in the exact same position as that in the original artwork.  

Viewers of both frescoes predominantly agree, however, that despite the technical skill the painter has exhibited, the Surë-or-Falmar Fresco lacks something of Rimôn's Elwing. The posture is just a little less dynamic; the cliff's edge (perhaps unconsciously or accidentally) removed slightly father from Elwing's feet, making her situation seem something less desparate. The wind's effects hardly seem those of a real gale, and more an aesthetic choice. One of the most interesting judgements has been pronounced by Herunimon of Eldalondë in a letter to his cousin, Rilendur, son of Verahil, dated 24th Nárië, 901: "The S.o.F. figure seems less the Lady Elwing fenced in by foes and making a tragic choice, but more the heroine of one of those new romances, unsure whether to flee the scene after a man has confessed his love to her, or to accept his proposal - or, I hardly know, perhaps such heroines lead more exciting lives than I would guess (...) - but anyhow, the fresco seems more like a coloured plate in a rich novel, than a mural depcting a tale of the Elder Days. All in all, there is not one element which does not fit. But taken together, the effect is incongruous." (Collected Letters, volume II, as accessed from the Royal Library in Romenna)  

(from the Romenna Journal of Artistic and Literary Studies)  

***

Editor's note: Remembering the considerable public outcry after the publication of Songs of the Elder Days: Lyrics, History and Analysis, the University of Romenna along with its subsidiary organisations seek to make it understood that the views of authors, as regards the addition or not of Lord and Lady before the names of Lord Eärendil and Lady Elwing, do not necessarily represent its own. Were the University to be flippant, it might also seek to ask why proper respect being accorded to the Lord and Lady seems to be held in greater importance than that it be accorded to the Valar, but the University understands that this would bring on public outcry against it from people on both sides of the moro-political divide, so it shall keep its silence.

[clare141312]

MHA X READER WITH ATOM EVE´S POWERS

Words: 3,735 Warning: cursing

Chapter 4

The day goes by pretty normally: English with Present Mic, math with Ectoplasm, and literature with Cementoss. Now, it’s finally time for lunch, and I’m with Jirou, Yaoyorozu, and Mina. We all stand in line, chatting. “I still can’t believe Lunch Rush is the school chef,” Jirou says, shaking her head. “I know, right!?” Mina exclaims, practically bouncing with excitement as she gestures wildly.

“Well, having top heroes as our teachers does suit U.A. perfectly,” Yaoyorozu adds calmly as we move closer to the front of the line.

I smile, thinking back on my first impression of Yaoyorozu. At first, I thought she was just a typical, stuck-up rich girl, but she’s actually really sweet and caring. In fact, she’s kind of like the mom of our group.

We grab our food and find a table to sit at. As soon as we settle in, we pick up our conversation right where we left off.

“I can’t wait to meet All Might,” I say, smiling. “He was one of my favourite heroes growing up. “

That sets us off, and soon we’re all excitedly sharing stories and gushing about our favourite heroes from childhood. Soon lunch ends and we go to class. Now we have basic hero training.

"I am... coming through the door like a hero!" All Might announces grandly, and everyone in the room sounds super impressed. I must admit, I’m just as excited as everyone else seeing him in person feels surreal. But when I take a closer look at All Might and examine his genetic material, I notice something strange—his quirk genes are identical to Midoriya's. Could they be father and son? No, stop thinking about it. He also appears to be injured.

"So, he is a teacher here, this year is going to be totally awesome!" Kirishima holds up a fist excitedly.

"Hey, look. Is he wearing his Silver Age costume?" Tsuyu askes looking at the costume as he marches in.

"I'm getting goosebumps, it's so retro." Ojiro voices.

"Welcome to the most important class at U.A. High. Think of it as "Hero-ing 101." Here, you will learn the basics of being a pro. And what it means to fight in the name of good! Let's get into it. Today's lesson will pull no punches!" All Might announces showing a card with battle written on it.

"Fight in the name of good." I wonder if All Might truly believes in the concept of good and evil. The idea that good and evil exist feels like a delusion to me. Not everything is simply black and white. How would one even define what is truly good or evil? At what point does a good deed cross the line into something harmful? I wish I could ask him these questions, but I don't want to come off as a troublemaker or make him dislike me. I think for a long while, lost in my thoughts, but Bakugo’s voice suddenly snaps me out of it.

“Fight Training!" Bakugo enthused.

"Real combat?" Izuku askes surprised.

"But one of the keys of being a hero is... Looking good! These were designed for you based on your Quirk registration forms and the requests you sent in before school started." All Might announces as the panels in the wall pull out revealing numbered cases. "Get yourself suited up and then meet me at Training Ground Beta!"

We all head to the locker rooms to change. The girls' locker room is filled with chatter and excitement. As we step out onto the training grounds, we hear All Might's voice.

"They say that clothes make the Pros, you ladies and gentlemen, and behold, you are the proof! Take this to heart, from now on you are all... Heroes in training! This is getting me all ramped up. You look so cool! Now, shall we get started, you bunch of newbies?"

The clothing allowance. Before we enrolled in U.A. we submitted our Quirk registration forms, which included physical measurements and any desired costume designs to an exclusive clothing company designated by the school. With all that info, they created state-of-the-art costumes for us.

This is My Suit:

I walk over to Midoriya. “Hey, your costume is a tribute to All Might, right? You look like a super cute bunny in it,” I say, and he starts to blush, quickly denying that he looks cute.

“It is a tribute to All Might and I—” He’s cut off by Bakugo.

“Hey nerd, you better pray that they don´t make us fight against each other,” Bakugo says as he walks off.

“What is his problem?!” I ask, furious on Midoriya’s behalf and ready to confront Bakugo.

“He’s always been like that since we were kids. Please don’t start a fight because of his comments,” Midoriya says timidly.

“Wait, you guys were childhood friends? And even if he was, that doesn’t mean he gets to treat you like that!” I yell, then realize I’ve raised my voice and quickly apologize. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to yell at you. Sometimes I get really opinionated and speak without thinking. I’m trying to work on that, and anyway, it’s none of my business.”

“No, you have it all wrong. Thank you for being angry for me. Besides, trying to get justice for people is what a hero does,” he says with an adorable smile. “And I’ve been meaning to ask, what’s your quirk?”

“Oh, my quirk is Subatomic Manipulation. It allows me to sense and alter matter and energy at the sub-atomic level, but it drains the fat and nutrients in my body,” I explain.

He starts scribbling in his notebook, muttering about the potential of my quirk. “What have you got there?” I ask, curious.

“Oh, it’s my hero analysis notebook,” he replies, showing me the notes he’s taken about our classmates. We chat a little longer before I leave.

"Whoa, your costume is super cute!" Mina says, adjusting her own suit.

"Thanks! Yours is great too—it has a retro vibe," I reply, turning to face All Might.

"Sir," Iida raises his hand in his hero suit, which completely covers him, "this is the fake city from our entrance exam. Does that mean we’ll be conducting urban battles again?" he asks.

"Not quite." All Might holds up two fingers like he's making a peace sign. "I’m moving you two steps ahead. Most of the villain fights you see on the news happen outside, but statistically, run-ins with the most dastardly evildoers actually happen indoors. Think about it: backroom deals, home invasions, secret underground lairs. Truly cunning criminals hide in the shadows. For this exercise, you’ll be split into teams of heroes and villains."

"Isn't this a bit advanced?" Tsuyu asks.

"The best training happens on the battlefield! But remember, you can't just punch a robot this time. You’re dealing with actual people now," All Might points out.

"Sir, will you be the one deciding who wins?" Momo Yaoyorozu asks.

"How much can we hurt the other team?" Bakugo demands.

"Do we need to worry about the losers getting expelled, like earlier?" Uraraka asks nervously.

"Will you be splitting us up based on chance or comparative skill?" Iida suggests.

"Isn't this cape très chic?" Yuga Aoyama comments.

"I wasn't finished talking!" All Might interrupts, though I think they’re all fair questions. I’m starting to notice our class doesn’t have much regard for raising hands or waiting to speak.

"Listen up," All Might continues, "The situation is this: The villains have hidden a nuclear missile somewhere in their hideout. The heroes must try to foil their plans. To do that, the good guys either must catch the evildoers or recover the weapon. Likewise, the bad guys succeed if they protect their payload or capture the heroes. Time is limited, and we'll choose teams by drawing lots!" All Might holds up a box.

"Isn't there a better way?" Iida questions.

"Think about it! Pros often have to team up with heroes from other agencies on the spot, so maybe that's the reason we're seeing that here," Izuku suggests.

"Yes, I see. Life is a random series of events. Excuse my rudeness." Iida bows, and All Might turns away from us.

"No sweat. Let's draw!" All Might says. I draw “I”team and see that I’ll be teaming up with Mashiro Ojiro, whose Quirk is his impressive tail.

"I declare that the first teams to fight will be..." All Might begins as he reaches into two boxes—one marked "Villains" and the other "Heroes"—and pulls out names. "These guys!" he announces. "Team D for villains: Bakugo and Iida, versus Team A: Uraraka and Midoriya as the heroes. Everyone else can head to the monitoring room to watch," All Might instructs.

"Yes, sir!" We all respond in unison. It´s little moments like these that make feel like I´m truly a part of this class. I watch the monitors as the battle begins, squeezing my hands together as Bakugo attacks, coming out of nowhere. Midoriya dodges, his mask shattering as he tackles Uraraka out of the way of the attack.

"He almost got the jump on them," Mineta remarks.

"A sneak attack, Bakugo? What kind of man pulls cheap moves like that?" Kirishima complains, clenching his fist and punching his other hand. “There is nothing as dishonourable in a real fight.” I tell Kirishima.

"It's a smart strategy. He’s playing the part, acting like a true villain," All Might suggests.

"It didn’t work! Midoriya dodged him!" Mina cheers.

"Look, there he goes!" Denki points out as Bakugo charges at Midoriya. Bakugo yells, swinging his right arm, but Midoriya rushes in and grabs it. Uraraka cheers as Midoriya flips Bakugo over his shoulder, slamming him onto his back. I watch in awe, amazed at the display.

"Hey, who’s Bakugo talking to? I can’t hear anything. Can we get some sound on this video?" Kirishima asks.

"He’s got a radio in his ear so he can communicate with his partner. I gave it to him before the match started, along with a map of the building. Also, this." All Might explains, pulling out a roll of tape. "A roll of capture tape! And now they’re out for the rest of the game."

"So, there’s a 15-minute time limit, and the good guys have no idea which floor the nuclear weapon is hidden on, right?" Mina adds.

"Correct!" All Might agrees.

"Then the heroes are clearly at a disadvantage here. A big one!" Mina points out.

"Real pros have to outwit villains on a daily basis. That’s life. Even when the odds aren’t in our favour, we fight! All together!" All Might exclaims, raising his hand.

"Let’s hear a Plus Ultra!" we all shout.

"Monsieur, he's on the move," Aoyama points out, watching the screens as Bakugo charges at Midoriya again. Uraraka is likely off to find Iida while Midoriya uses the capture tape to catch one of Bakugo's wrists. Bakugo turns and tries to kick at Midoriya midair with an explosion, but Izuku dodges once more.

"The little guy's really good!" Sato says, clenching his fist.

"He's holding his own, and he hasn’t even used his quirk yet!" Sero adds. "Probably because he breaks his bones every time, he uses it," I reply.

“It can’t last. Even if Izuku uses his knowledge of Bakugo´s moves to predict what he’ll do, Bakugo´s already adapting to that knowledge. He may seem impulsive, but that’s because he thinks so quickly. The second he breaks from his pattern, Midoriya won’t be able to react fast enough in close quarters to avoid the explosions. He’ll seek distance,” I say, and as I do, Midoriya turns and starts to run. For once me being nosy and liking watching people has come in handy.

“That guy has some real anger issues. Kinda scary,” Kaminari voices.

"I said Midoriya would seek distance, but I never said distance would work." I warn, and as Midoriya steps out, everyone turns back to the screens. We watch as Bakugo lifts his arm, pulling back on the trigger, revealing a pin.

"Young Bakugo! Don't do it! You'll kill him!" All Might yells, but Bakugo ignores him that little shit, pulling the pin. The explosion erupts, destroying the hall and shaking the entire exterior of the building, even rattling the viewing room where we’re watching.

"Whoa, this is nuts," Kirishima says, clearly amazed.

"Come on, come on, Midoriya!" All Might calls out.

"How the hell did he do that?" Mina asks, her voice filled with confusion.

"Nitro-glycerine. Bakugo sweats it, and the gauntlets are designed to store his sweat. His quirk sparks the sweat, so the more nitro sweat he has, the bigger the explosion," I explain.

Everyone looks at me strangely, so I quickly continue my analysis. "Midoriya showed me his hero analysis notebook. There were several pages with information about Bakugo and his quirk. And his costume has gauntlets on his arms. At first, it seems like a stylistic choice, but he doesn’t seem like the type if you look closer, you can see some that it is kind of storing device. This is how I came to my conclusion."

Wow, when I say it out loud, I sound so smart. But this was just a lucky guess. I really hope they don’t think I’m some kind of genius and start asking me questions. I can’t handle these kinds of expectations. “How Smart,” Yayorozu Complements.

"Sir, isn't this getting out of hand? Bakugo is acting insane! He's going to kill him!" Kirishima voices, worried.

"Bakugo, use that stored-up power again, and I’ll stop this fight. Your team will lose," All Might warns. "To use such a powerful attack indoors is risking the destruction of the very stronghold you’re supposed to be protecting. That’s poor strategy, whether you’re a hero or a villain. The penalty would be a massive loss of points."

Bakugo screams, flying at Midoriya. Midoriya closes his eyes, bracing for the impact, but then Bakugo suddenly faints, changing trajectory midair. He flies over Midoriya, blasting him in the back with an explosion.

"What was that move?" Kirishima asks, confused.

"He doesn't seem like the type to strategize, but he's actually quite intelligent," Todoroki says calmly.

"What do you mean?" Kirishima responds, still puzzled.

"He changed his trajectory mid-air using a blast that doubled as a smokescreen. Very clever," Todoroki explains.

"A feint like that requires extreme precision. He had to calculate the physics and show control over his Quirk," Yayorozu adds. So, he really is smart after all.

"Ugh, Bakugo is so talented. I hate it," Kaminari complains as Bakugo punches Midoriya in the back, then grabs his arm, throwing him over his shoulder and slamming him into the ground, just like Izuku did to him earlier.

"This is hard to watch. All he has to do is wrap tape around him, not beat him to a pulp," Mina complains.

"Bakugo’s definitely acting more like a villain," Tokoyami suggests. "I thought Midoriya was pretty amazing at the start of the fight, but he’s completely outmatched when it comes to combat power. Not to mention, Bakugo seems like a natural at all this," Kaminari voices, and I frown as Midoriya gets up and crawls—then runs toward the wall.

"He’s running away," Mina voices, shocked.

"Not very manly, but he doesn’t have a choice. He’s outgunned. Unless he’s got some kind of plan. It’s possible..." Kirishima suggests. Bakugo keeps marching toward him, and then Midoriya suddenly runs at Bakugo, his arm glowing.

"They're gonna kill each other, sir!" Kirishima yells.

"Both of you, stop!" All Might calls into the mic. Midoriya´s hand changes direction mid-air, punching upward just as Bakugo blasts him. The force of the explosion shatters the building, sending shockwaves through the entire structure. In the chaos, Uraraka uses the blast to propel debris at Ida, quickly reaching the weapon and touching it. The timer hits zero, and we all stare in shock.

“You did it. The hero Team wins!” All Might announces. Damm that was Intense.

"Your indoor combat training is over! The Hero Team wins!" All Might cheers.

"What a weird way for this to end. The losers are practically untouched, and the winners are both on the ground," Kaminari points out.

"How does the old saying go? They may have lost the battle, but they won the war," Tokoyami quotes.

"This class is intense," Tsuyu adds.

"Well, despite the results, the MVP of this exercise is young Iida," All Might suggests.

"Uh, that's weird," Kaminari complains.

"Shouldn't it be one of the heroes instead, since they’re the winners?" Tsuyu points out.

"Mm! Valid question. Why didn’t I choose one of those two?" All Might asks, raising his hand.

"Sir! I can tell you why! Iida embraced this challenge. He was the only one who truly adapted to his assigned role one who truly a Momo informed raising her hand, "I'll explain. Bakugo's judgment was clouded by a personal grudge against Midoriya. As you pointed out earlier, launching a large-scale attack indoors was a foolish move. It could have been disastrous Similarly, Midoriya's plan was also poorly thought out, considering the amount of damage that he received, he rendered himself helpless. Not smart. As for Uraraka... She let her guard down mid-battle, and her final attack was much too reckless given the hypothetical stakes. If she'd treated the fake as though it were real, she never would've risked using such an imprecise move. Iida was fully prepared for his s opponent's arrival. arrival He had a strategy and never lost s sight of his mission to protect the dummy weapon, even if he was foiled in the end. Technically, the hero team won, yes, but they took advantage of the fact that this was training, they didn't respect the spirit of the trail." Momo explained and then looked at All Might.

"Yes, well, you missed a few things. Young Iida could have relaxed a bit more during the exercise, but other than that, you nailed it!" All Might says, giving her a thumbs up.

"One should always start with the basics and devote themselves wholeheartedly to learning. That's the only real way to become a top hero," Yaoyorozu explains.

"Now, then. Time to move on. Let's get to the next match! Think about everything we saw and discussed as you approach this training for yourselves," All Might orders.

"Yes, sir!" we all respond in unison.

After the first match ended, it was now my teams turn.

"Match two! Team B will be our heroes, and Team I will be the villains!" All Might announces as we stretch.

"Ojiro, your tail's pretty strong, right? you could use it to attack and block any heroes from reaching the weapon," I suggest.

"Yeah, sounds good," Ojiro agrees.

"So, what’s your quirk? Ojiro asks.

"it is called subatomic manipulation. I can pretty much bend Matter to my will.," I reply.

"Look alive, kids! Show us you're the embodiment of good... or evil! Let’s go!" All Might cheers.

"It kinda feels like even our teacher is rooting for the other team," I complain to Ojiro.

"Well, everyone wants good to prevail," Ojiro shrugs.

"Not today, we don’t. Let’s crush them," I encourage, a determined smile on my face.

Before we can react, the ground suddenly freezes, trapping our feet in place.

"Ojiro!" I shout.

"My feet are stuck," Ojiro informs me, struggling against the ice.

"This quirk is insane," he mutters, glancing around, trying to figure out how to break free.

"Don't worry, I’ll unfreeze you," I say, focusing as I activate my quirk, turning the ice beneath us into water. Slowly, the ice melts, freeing our feet.

"Whoa, your quirk is amazing!" Ojiro exclaims, impressed.

I smile, but just as I do, I hear footsteps approaching and I make a shield around the weapon.

"I didn't expect you two to break free so quickly," a voice say. “But it doesn’t matter. I’ll still beat you." Todoroki comes into view. God he is so good looking.

“Cocky, much?” I mutter under my breath. Ok just remember the plan.

Flashback:

“Both our quirks can be used in offense and defence”. Ojiro says

“It would be best if I made a shield around the weapon and we both attack.” I say deeply in thought.

“Why not just make a wall so no can come inside?” Ojiro questioned.

“The shields I make are not indestructible they will eventually break especially if shoji and Todoroki attack at once.”

“Oh yeah, we have to account for our enemy’s strength. Shoji would be the scout because he can make more ears on his arms.”

“And Todoroki would probably attack. I can melt his ice”

End of Flashback

"Wait, where's Shoji?" I ask, firing a ball of energy at Todoroki. He responds quickly, creating a wall of ice to block my attack.

"I don't know. Maybe they're planning a sneak attack," Ojiro says, scanning the area.

I focus, melting Todoroki's ice wall with ease, while Ojiro lashes out with his tail. Todoroki dodges, then freezes Ojiro’s tail mid-swing.

"Ah!" Ojiro yelps as he crashes to the ground, his tail stiff with ice.

"Hang on, I’ve got this!" I say, forming a quick shield around Todoroki, trapping him in place. I immediately focus and melt the ice around Ojiro’s tail, freeing him.

But Todoroki, ever resourceful, breaks through the shield with a series of powerful strikes. Just as he does, Shoji rushes in, appearing from out of nowhere.

"What are you doing here?" Todoroki asks, surprised.

"You were taking too long, so I thought I'd lend a hand," Shoji replies calmly.

Ojiro and I launch our attack, but Todoroki and Shoji dodge easily, and I accidentally get too close to Shoji. He seizes the chance, landing a punch that sends me stumbling back. “Shit!” I yell as I hit the ground. Meanwhile, Todoroki and Shoji double up on Ojiro—Todoroki freezes his feet again while Shoji throws another punch. I scramble to my feet and quickly blast both Shoji and Todoroki, creating just enough space to unfreeze Ojiro.

Seizing the opportunity, Ojiro and I coordinate our moves, launching an attack together. Todoroki quickly creates another ice wall to separate us, but I melt it with a wave of my hand. I trap him again with Todoroki temporarily blocked, Ojiro and I trap Shoji with the capture tape, securing him.

As the timer hits zero, I hear the announcement ring out, confirming our victory.

“We did it,” Ojiro grins, relieved.

After classes end, we all start cleaning up, and Midoriya finally comes back from the infirmary. Everyone rushes over to him, eager to talk, but he gets overwhelmed and quickly asks about Bakugo before leaving. I wait for about 20 minutes before heading out with Mina and Jirou. We decide to go home together, chatting along the way