#which logically means his magic power was contained in the hair

[crysdrawsthings]

The most important piece of lore I got from the Veilguard so far is that Solas' god power was contained in his hair

[henry-fox-biggest-stan]

@loverboycharlie @delusional-mess @hijustanotherfangirl @insecuregodcomplex

YOU ALL ASKED SO YOU ALL RECEIVE

So obviously, Henry is Rapunzel, Alex is Eugene, and Mary is Gothel.

Just from the start we see how Rapunzel is a princess (first similarity), how she has glowing magic hair, and how Gothel wants the powers her hair contains. And because she can’t get them by cutting a piece of her hair, she kidnaps her and raises her as if she was her own, on a high tower away from society.

Rapunzel is artistic, she likes the arts (second similarity just on the start of the movie. Even though Rapunzel is a painter, and Henry is a writer, these are both art forms).

The first song introduced on the movie is When Will My Life Begin, where Rapunzel basically sings about what she does in a day and how she wonders when will her life start because she feels as if she’s not truly living. This is something than also happens to Henry. Meanwhile Henry is not literally stuck on a tower in the middle of nowhere, he do is metaphorically stuck on the castle, on a royal life he never wanted but couldn’t avoid (just as Rapunzel never wanted to be kidnapped —obviously—, and how she couldn’t have done anything to avoid it, since she was a baby).

And then i'll brush and brush

And brush and brush my hair

There’s this thing with Rapunzel and her hair than parallels Henry and his status so much it hurts.

We can see (or rather hear) than Rapunzel takes a long time brushing her hair, not only because it’s logical since it’s so long and it’s always detangled somehow, but because in When Will My Life Begin she says so, she brushes, and brushes, and brushes, and brushes her hair. She repeats it several times, which means she does it repeatedly, and a lot. Her hair is the theme of the movie you could say, it’s called Tangled, she’s kidnapped and used for her hair, etc. She always has her hair in mind, and makes time to brush, and brush, and brush, and brush it.

Rapunzel’s hair=Henry’s status.

Meanwhile Henry does several things all day, his status is always there. He does things because his status, he gets treated in a specific way because of it, etc. And just as Rapunzel takes care of her hair, Henry takes care of his status. He has a public persona, he follows rules, he plans on having a miserable future where he marries a woman and can never truly be himself, and where his status stays the same. The thing with Henry and his status is than it’s what people see when they look at him, which is the same as Rapunzel with her hair. Mother Gothel sees her not much as a person, but as her hair. Sure, she knows Rapunzel is a person, in the same way everybody knows Henry is a person, but they don’t really see him in the same way they would see someone else, the see him as The Prince of Wales. Mother Gothel objectively knows Rapunzel is a person, obviously, and she’s not mean and horrible to her (at the start of the movie), she “cares” for her, she tries to get her the special paint she wanted, she acts as if her locking Rapunzel on the tower was an act of love and care. Mary knows Henry is a person, obviously, and she’s not directly mean to him, she “cares” about him, she claims she only wants to protect him (will dwell into it more below).

Also, when Rapunzel gets her hair down the tower all than can be seen from the outside is her hair, not her. She is inside the tower, anyone that’s outside wouldn’t even see her, just her hair. Just as people don’t see the real Henry, only his public image and status.

Then we have Eugene and how he is a thief who has issues with the palace. Alex is pretty against monarchy, so, similarity.

Now, Mother Knows Best.

Mother knows best

Take it from your mumsy

On your own, you won't survive

Sloppy, underdressed, immature, clumsy

Please, they'll eat you up alive

Gullible, naive, positively grubby

Ditzy and a bit, well, hmm, vague

Plus, I believe gettin' kinda chubby

I'm just saying 'cause I love you

Mother understands

Mother's here to help you

“I’ve always thought of myself as a problem that deserved to stay hidden. Never quite trusted myself, or what I wanted. Before you, I was all right letting everything happen to me. I honestly have never thought I deserved to choose.”

The whole songs fits, but I chose that specific part for a reason. She’s pointing out all of Rapunzel’s worst traits (some are not even real, but she makes her believe they are. We will get into that now) and claiming than because of them, she can never go outside, they would eat her alive.

Mary made Henry believe than he was a problem than deserved to stay hidden, than he should do not what he wanted, but what he had to do, than he didn’t even deserve to choose because that was not the way things were.

There are many quotes I want to put her to demonstrate my point, but they fit better with Mother Knows Best (Reprise), so we’ll wait.

Mother Gothel made Rapunzel believe than she would not be able to survive by herself outside, and (on Mother Knows Best (Reprise)), than Eugene couldn’t possibly like her (Why would he like you? Come on now, really! Look at you, you think that he's impressed?).

Also during the Mother Knows Best scene, there’s a part where Rapunzel is lighting candles and as she lights them, Gothel extinguishes them. Could represent Rapunzel / Henry having hopes of a different life, one outside the tower / palace, and mother Gothel / Mary breaking these hopes. And after the song, Gothel says “I love you very much dear” (also, she calls Rapunzel dear, just as Mary calls Henry dear), to which Rapunzel replies “I love you more”, and Gothel says “I love you most” while touching her hair and kissing the top of her head (her hair). She does not love her, but her hair. Just as Mary doesn’t exactly love Henry, but Henry obeying and giving them a good image.

The next scene, we have Eugene running from the guards and finding his WANTED poster, and the scene of how they just can’t get his nose right. He doesn’t seem to care much for them, just than they are not a good portrayal of him. And when the others (I forgot their names) say “who cares”, he answers “well it’s easy for you to say, you guys look amazing”. This could be referring to the public perception of Alex vs of June and Nora. Now, I’m not comparing June and Nora to those two guys, because of obvious reasons, but this specific conversation does look like them.

I talk a lot about Alex’s public persona, and how he’s the most private one out of the White House Trio (I have a whole fanfic just analysing every sentence of the book. Please read it. It takes me a lot of time), and I feel like this could show it. He doesn’t care about the tabloids and rumors (after all, in the first chapter we see Nora and him having fun with them), but they are not him, they are not good portrayals of him at all. Alex has a public persona, more than one. One for the public, one for the people he’s closest to (at the start of the book, not at the end). We can also see this in Eugene during Tangled, Flynn Ryder isn’t his real name, but most people know him by it.

June and Nora are not so secretive, and while June doesn’t like tabloids and stuff, she is not as secretive as Alex is, so media always has a more accurate portrayal of June and Nora than of Alex.

While running from the guards and Maximus, Eugene finds Rapunzel’s tower. The thing is, he wasn’t looking for her. He climbed the tower, but not to find her. Reminds me of Alex going to Philip’s wedding not for Henry, but because he kind of has to.

Instead of asking Rapunzel to let down her hair (since he doesn’t know her at this point), he climbs the tower by himself, alone.

Then Rapunzel hits him with a pan (for a second time) and hides him in a closet (ha). When he wakes up again, he’s tied to a chair by her hair.

The first time she hits him (immediately after he gets there) might be Rio and the horrible first impression he gave Alex. The second time is the cakegate. After all, the cakegate happened because Henry panicked.

When Eugene wakes up in a chair tied by Rapunzel’s hair, is Alex spending the weekend at Kensington. After all, this happens while he’s inside the tower / palace, and he’s surrounded by Rapunzel’s hair / Henry’s public persona (at this point, Alex still saw Henry as his public image, not the real him). Also the first thing he noticed when he wakes up is the hair, rather than her, so.

When Eugene first talks to her, he says “Hi, how you doing? The name’s Flynn Ryder, how’s your day going, huh?”. Just as how Alex talks to Henry, very unprofessional and like he would talk to anyone.

“Something brought you here, Flynn Ryder. Call it what you will, fate, destiny”

“A horse”

Alex and Henry’s different perspectives. Henry is more romantic, believes in fate and destiny and has a more romantic view of the world, for good and bad (his fate is to live an unhappy life, he can’t do anything to stop it, that’s just what he has to do), Alex is more realistic.

I’m not going to go scene by scene, because I would never end, so

I don’t really see a correlation with Rapunzel wanting to see the lanterns and Eugene agreeing to take her, but that’s because rwrb isn’t based on tangled, so everything isn’t going to fit.

We get to the I’ve Got A Dream Scene

I have dreams like you, no, really

Just much less touchy feely

They mainly happen somewhere warm and sunny

On an island that I own

Tanned and rested and alone

Surrounded by enormous piles of money

I've got a dream (she's got a dream)

I've got a dream (she's got a dream)

I just wanna see the floating lanterns gleam

Shows a difference between their dreams and them.

Alex wants to be president, Congress before 30 (at the start of the book), while Henry simply wants to be a writer and have control over his life.

Also this reminds me of this scene

“If your mum weren’t the president and you were just a normal bloke living a normal life, what things might be like? What you’d be doing instead?”

“Ah,” Alex says, considering. He stretches one arm out in front of him, makes a dismissive gesture with a flick of his wrist. “Well, I mean, obviously I’d be a model. I’ve been on the cover of Teen Vogue twice. These genetics transcend all circumstance.” Henry rolls his eyes again. “What about you?”

Henry shakes his head ruefully. “I’d be a writer.”

When they’re walking through the tunnel Eugene says “Didn't know you had that in you back there. That was pretty impressive”. He also begins to ask her questions about herself. Alex slowly knowing the real Henry.

When they are almost dying from drowning, Eugene confesses “My real name is Eugene Fitzherbert.” Alex breaking down all of his walls around Henry.

And after, Rapunzel says “For the record, I like Eugene Fitzherbert much better than Flynn Ryder”, to which Eugene responds “Well, then you'd be the first”.

You cannot tell me that isn’t Alex-coded because it is. Alex insecurity runs deeps, which is why he hides himself so much. Henry shows him otherwise. This could be “You’re good” scene.

Finally, Mother Knows Best (Reprise). This could be after the e-mails.

Don't be a dummy

Come with mummy

Mother…

No!

No?! Oh, I see how it is.

Rapunzel knows best

Rapunzel's so mature now

Such a clever grown-up Miss

Rapunzel knows best

Fine, if you're so sure now

Go ahead, then give him this

This is why he's here!

Don't let him deceive you!

Give it to him, watch, you'll see!

Trust me, my dear

That's how fast he'll leave you

I won't say I told you so

The queen purses her lips. “Henry,” she says, returning to him, “wouldn’t you have a more pleasant go of it without all these unnecessary complications? You know we have the resources to find a wife for you and compensate her handsomely. You understand, I’m only trying to protect you. I know it seems important to you in this moment, but you really must think of the future. You do realize this would mean years of reporters hounding you, all sorts of allegations? I can’t imagine people would be as eager to welcome you into children’s hospitals—”

“Stop it!” Henry bursts out. All the eyes in the room swivel to him, and he looks pale and shocked at the sound of his own voice, but he goes on. “You can’t—you can’t intimidate me into submission forever!”

///

“We can entertain hypotheticals, but the fact of the matter is that anything but maintaining the royal image is out of the question,” the queen says, setting down her teacup. “The country simply will not accept a prince of his proclivities. I am sorry, dear, but to them, it’s perverse.”

///

“I have been ruling this country for forty-seven years, Catherine. I believe I know its heart by now.”

The Kingdom Dance could be the V&A museum

Now, I See the Light (this song made me see the rwrb similarities for the first time)

All those days watching from the windows

All those years outside looking in

All that time never even knowing

Just how blind I've been

All of Henry’s life he has been stuck on this royal life, watching from the windows to a life he had no access to, or at least thought so.

All those days chasing down a daydream

All those years living in a blur

All that time never truly seeing

Things, the way they were

Alex having a “fire under his ass” for years.

If you notice, Eugene keeps on pushing Rapunzel’s hair out of her face, because he doesn’t care about it, but about her. He wants to see her. Just as Alex doesn’t care about Henry’s public persona, but about him.

UPDATE I CAN’T BELIEVE I FORGOT ABOUT THIS

The “you’re my new dream” scene, is really similar to

“You’re really not frightened of what might happen?”

“No, I mean, of course I am,” he says. “It definitely stays secret until after the election. And I know it’ll be messy. But if we can get ahead of the narrative, wait for the right time and do it on our own terms, I think it could be okay.”

///

“I know I need to start rehabilitating my image if I want any chance in politics, but part of me is like . . . really? Right now? Why? It’s weird. My whole life, I was hanging on to this imaginary future person I was gonna be. Like, the plan—graduation, campaigns, staffer, Congress. That was it. Straight into the game. I was gonna be the person who could do that . . . who wanted that. And now here I am, and the person I’ve become is . . . not that person.”

Nora nudges their shoulders together. “But do you like him?”

Alex thinks; he’s different, for sure, maybe a little darker. More neurotic, but more honest. Sharper head, wilder heart. Someone who doesn’t always want to be married to work, but who has more reasons to fight than ever.

Going freak about the similarities between tangled and rwrb tbh

[simpforsimeon]

NAME

William De Van Dalzell

BIRTHDAY

July 16 (Cancer)

AGE

??

HEIGHT

175 cm

DOMINANT HAND

Right

HOMELAND

???

FAMILY

• Yuu (Last Name) [considers Yuu as his sibling]

ALIAS/NICKNAMES

• Liam/ old man (by Yuu)

• Roi des mystères (by Rook)

• Salmon/ Sāmon-chan (by Floyd)

GENDER

Male 

Appearance

William is a lean young man with long indigo-red hair—a part of it is tied in a single braid on the right side of his head—black fingernails, with fair skin. Surprisingly, he has aqua green eyes, which he used to keep hidden under his hair.

William often dresses in a white-collared, cleavage-revealing blouse with rolled up to the elbows sleeves, a red short waistcoat, adorned by a light gray cape with gold outline, which is colored a red-golden gradient on the underside, the cape only covers his forearms and is held together by a gold string.

Under his cleavage-revealing blouse, he wears a long sleeved black shirt that has tailcoats at each side of his hips and his back. He is also wearing a black with gold outlines fake corset.

He wears dark, tight-fitted trousers and knee-length boots. He also wears a loose brown belt from which his magic pen hangs. He has a necklace with a lavender stone.

Personality

William is almost always depicted as calm and composed, but when angered he is quite the force to contend with, often sadistic in his retaliation. 

He can also be a little eccentric, sometimes an enigmatic individual who giggles and grins frequently, appreciates laughter, enjoys frightening others and provoking reactions with his strange mannerisms, but wastes no efforts hiding his dark nature.

William is also a determined, strong-willed individual who seeks to prove his worth.

William later reveals that not only is he good with strategies and planning, but also a cruel and merciless person capable of infusing fear into his enemies.

While a largely logical person who knows how to use words to his advantage, William is not above threats and intimidation typical of a cold, experienced ??.

He is quite sadistic and has aggressive tendencies, with a glare that can scare even the most fearless man when he is angry.

According to everyone, he can be stubborn at times, especially when he isn't easily convinced. While almost all of his plans are effective, they tend to be complex and rather bizarre.

Willam's use of manners and polite conduct mostly attribute to maintaining a sense of control and power in any situation.

For the most part, acting like a 'normal' person makes those around him less wary, as when he's in public and needs to avoid suspicion.

Otherwise, it creates a certain distance between him and others, as if nothing they say ever fazes him (mostly to the ones he doesn't particularly like, actually, all of the first years except the braincell duo, Epel, Sebek, Jack and ramshackle duo)

This manipulation and usage of knowledge is the core of William's decision-making and tactics, making him dangerous.

(Here, have some basic information about William!

• Most people call him William Dalzell for short than saying "William De Van Dalzell" which can be quite mouthful to say.

• William could actually be almost the same age as Lilia [old man]

• Lilia, a powerful fae who is an old man 🤝 William, a powerful immortal human(?) who is also an old man

• Ajhsjsz

• Yuu thinks of William as either a father figure or an older brother figure

• William isn't his real name [Not telling at the moment what is his real name, as it will be known along the story of Child!Yuu and a fanfiction that I'll start which will contain the adventures of the Ramshackle duo {Grim and Yuu} and the first years]

• Lilia may or may not have known William before going to NRC.

• Yuu doesn't know how their family met William.

• Yuu is practically adopted by him.

• ✨Yuu, a human with short life span, adopted by an immortal being 🤝 Silver, a human with short life span, adopted by an immortal being✨

• Roi des mystères means King of mysteries, because Liam is considered a shady and mysterious individual by everyone.

• He knows a lot more than he lets on.

• Malleus is curious about him and Yuu.

• Floyd calls William as Salmon/Sāmon-chan because salmons are associated with wisdom and knowledge

▪︎ Also tell me in which dorm he should be in, as he is a lot like my irl self [which is also an Idia kinnie and Leviathan kinnie-] and I took a few quizzes and the results were always Diasomnia, Ignihyde and Scarabia)

[maximons]

Into The Sanctum

Chapter Summary: Doctor Strange brings Y/n into the sanctum as he explains to her the situation at hand. However, the introductions to the team don’t go very smoothly.

Word Count: 3,021

A/N: Here we are with chapter 2! This one is a lot shorter than the first, and honestly the rest of the chapters will likely be around this length lol Hope you enjoy!

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

“Y/n Fenton. 26 years old, acquired her abilities in 2019 after a lab accident.” Wong started explaining as he brought up multiple images and video clips of you throughout the years, using his magic. “Known abilities; Able to switch between human and ghost form at will, Invisibility, Intangibility, Flight, Able to overshadow other humans, Super Strength and Speed, Can summon ghost energy in a ‘ghost ray’, and Cryokinesis.” The sorcerer finished, leaving everyone in a moment of silence, not sure how to proceed after all that information.

“Whoa, that’s awesome.” Peter said in awe, but no-one else shared his excitement.

“We’re going to recruit a ghost...to fight other ghosts?” Loki was the first to ask.

“Fight fire with fire and all that.” Strange responded.

“How do we know we can trust her? Isn’t she one of them?”

“Yes, but she’s also human. Besides, just because she’s a ghost, doesn’t mean she’s automatically bad.” Wanda now piped up. “And you’re one to talk, Loki. Aren’t you technically a Frost Giant?”

“Yes I am, and look how well I turned out. Not exactly a good sales pitch.”

“Alright, that’s enough.” Strange interrupted. “This isn’t up for debate. The ghost realm is bleeding into our world more and more every minute, and Fenton is our best shot.” Strange slipped on his sling ring and began opening a portal. “I’m going to talk to her.” Before anyone could respond, Strange stepped through, portal closing behind him.

Everyone stood in silence for a moment, before Peter spoke up. “C’mon, I can’t be the only one who thinks this is cool.”

“The very fabric of our reality being at risk and our world being overtaken by ghosts is ‘cool’ to you, Peter?” Wong asked, causing Peter to scratch the back of his neck shyly.

“Well, when you put it like that...”

Amity Park

You and Tucker were walking down the street, heading to your favorite donut shop. You stared at your phone as you walked, not really worried about bumping into anyone or anything as you used your powers to subtlety phase through them.

“Hear anything?” Tucker asked and you shook your head.

“No, haven’t heard in hours now. She’s really mad.” 

“Well, you did manage to almost get yourself killed the other day.”

“I’ve been doing this for years now, I know what I’m doing. Besides, I’m already literally half dead.”

“Not the point.” Tucker sighs. “C’mon, you’ve been dating her for over a year, and have been best friends for even longer. You should know her by now. She’s scared.”

“I’m not faulting her for being scared, but I can’t keep going through fight after fight with her for just doing my job.”

“Is it really your job though?” Tucker shrugged, causing you to stop in your tracks. Him following a second later. “I’m just saying, there are a bunch of heroes back now after the blip. It wouldn’t kill you to take a few days off.”

“They can’t do what I do. And they don’t know what we know.”

“You don’t gotta be all cryptic” Tucker laughed and you couldn’t help but chuckle along.

“Yeah, maybe not.” You shrugged. “I don’t know though, we’re the only ones who really know how to deal with these ghosts. I love helping people, but I’m tired of this too sometimes. I’d love to be able to leave Amity Park, really start my life, but...I can’t. All the ghosts come from here, and I gotta do my best to keep it that way.”

Tucker opened his mouth to form a response, but before he could, a bright orange light appeared. The light began to form into a portal and a man with white and black hair, dressed head to toe in blue robes and a read cape, appeared.

“Y/n Fenton?” He asked, which took you and Tucker aback. You looked to your best friend before looking back at the man.

“Uh, who’s asking?”

“Oh, sorry, I’m Doctor Stephen Strange, and-”

“Wait, that’s you?” You interrupted, eyes wide.

“Yes? I assume you’ve heard of me then?”

Your eyes hardened at this. You knew the name Dr. Strange a little too well. He, along with Iron Man, had been part of the reason behind the death of your parents, having been part of that fateful fight in New York. You knew logically that this man didn’t go out of his way to kill your parents, and that he likely didn’t start that fight, but still. You didn’t appreciate the reminder. 

“Yeah. I have.”

Strange noticed the shift in your tone and tilted his head in confusion. You two stood in a stand off for a few moments before Tucker coughed beside you.

“Sorry, but uh, you’re one of the Avengers right?” He asked as he started to fanboy.

“I guess you can say I was, though they aren’t really around anymore.”

“Still, that’s so cool! Hey, did you know Iron Man before he-”

“What do you want?” You interrupted as you crossed your arms, eyes still glaring at the wizard.

Strange regained his composure as he continued. “I need you to come with me. It’s quite literally a matter of life or death.”

Your hard glare faded and in turn you furrowed your eyebrows in confusion. “What do you mean?”

“Ghosts are pouring into our world, their reach is now far outside of Amity Park.” Your eyes widened when the wizard said this. You figured you shouldn’t be surprised that Strange knew of this, but you really weren’t sure how to react. “And I know you’re a little more than familiar about ghosts...considering your biology.” Now you really didn’t know how to react. You dropped your arms as you tilted your head towards Tucker.

“So much for that day off.”

Sanctum Santorum

Wanda stepped out of the room as the back and forth between the boys started. She needed a moment to herself to think, she needed air. She made her way to the rooftop and leaned on the edge, looking over the city.

She knew that her life would always entail having to deal with potential world ending threats. It was that way when she was an Avenger, and even more so now after becoming the Scarlet Witch. It got tiring, but she wouldn’t give up the responsibility. Not after Westview. Besides, it beat the alternative that Agatha had predicted for her, destroying the world.

But damn, a break would be nice.

Ghosts? Seriously? She guessed that she really shouldn’t be surprised that they exist, over the last year she’s seen some crazy stuff, but ghosts seemed like a scary concept. And not in a ‘Halloween spooky’ kind of way, it was more of a fear of the unknown. If all ghosts had the same capabilities as the Fenton girl had, she had no idea how she would be able to combat that.

Speaking of the Fenton girl, she couldn’t help but be intrigued. From what she’s seen and heard, the girl knew what she was doing, so she failed to see why she and the rest of the team had to get involved. Still, she figured that they should do whatever they could to help stop this threat.

She also agreed with Peter in that she was ‘awesome’, but she wasn’t about to voice that.

She took a deep breath as she bowed her head, calming her nerves. Maybe this wouldn’t be too bad. Maybe it could be easily fixed and they could all get back to their lives quickly. She knew that was unrealistic, but she had to have a sliver of hope every now and again or she’d go insane.

“Wanda!” She heard Peter’s voice in her head, way too loudly. She cringed as she held her head.

“Peter, we’ve talked about this. You don’t need to be so loud.”

“Sorry, Wanda. Doctor Strange told me to tell you to come back down. Y/n is here.”

“Okay, thank you Peter.” She felt the boy’s presence leave her mind as she picked her head up. She shook her head, ridding herself of the pain while preparing herself as she headed downstairs.

A Few Moments Before

The telltale orange sparks started forming in the main hall of the Sanctum. Soon after, a portal opened and Strange had stepped out, but this time was followed by two people. A woman who was looking around in a mix of confusion and awe, and a man who seemed to be bursting with excitement.

“Whoa! What was that!? That was so cool!” The man turned to the woman in excitement. “Was that magic!?”

“Yeah Tuck, but we gotta be cool here, okay?” The woman told ‘Tuck’ in a hushed whisper.

“Right, sorry.”

“Don’t worry, I had the same reaction.” Peter piped up with a smile. He walked over to the two new figures, hand stretched out. “I’m Peter Parker.”

“Tucker Foley.” Tucker’s smile reappeared as he shook the boy’s hand excitedly.

Peter turned to the woman standing next to him. “And you’re Y/n Fenton, right?” You chuckled as you grabbed Peter’s hand, shaking it as well.

“I guess I’m famous around here.” 

“We just found out about your existence an hour ago, but I suppose you can call it fame.” Loki piped up, and you turned to him. Eyes widening a second later.

“Holy shit! Aren’t you the guy who led the alien invasion in New York?”

“That was over ten years ago, darling, let’s leave the past in the past.” Loki shrugged. “Besides, I’m doing the whole ‘hero’ thing now.”

“And how’s that working out for you?”

“It varies.”

“Okay that’s enough for the introductions, now-” Strange started before Peter cut him off.

“Wait, what about Wanda?” 

“Get her down here while I catch our new guests up.” Peter nodded as he began to call to Wanda with his mind. “Now, Y/n, you’ve done a lot of good over the last few years. Keeping the ghostly threat contained to Amity Park while the rest of the world remains none the wiser is quite impressive.”

“Aw, thanks.” You smirked with a shrug.

“However, those efforts might have only delayed this.” Before you could ask what the wizard was talking about, he brought up an illusion showing ghosts starting to spill through tears that were seemingly in mid air. “The Ghost Realm is starting to tear into our own.”

“Wait, the what?” You asked, causing Strange to falter slightly.

“The Ghost Realm?” He responded with a raise of his brow.

“Yeah, what’s that?”

“Um, where all of the ghosts are coming from? The source of your powers? You’ve been dealing with it for years-”

“Oh!” You shouted, finally realizing. “Yeah, we’ve been calling that the Ghost Zone.” You started to chuckle, Tucker joining, but everyone else remained silent for a moment.

“Right...” Strange proceeded. “Well the ‘Ghost Zone’ is starting to become a problem everywhere. We need your help.”

You coughed as you regained your composure, turning serious. “How is this even possible?”

“We were hoping you knew.”

“Look, I might know a lot about the Ghost Zone, but I don’t know everything. I’ve kinda just been dealing with it as it came for the last five years.”

“Well, it looks like you’re about to get a lot more proficient.” Loki said. Before Y/n could respond though, a new presence entered the room.

Wanda walked into the main hall where she found everyone in a heated discussion. She walked in further when she finally spotted the two new faces. A nerdy looking man, and the woman who she recognized as Y/n Fenton. She took a moment to observe her. She was in casual clothing, a white t-shirt covered with a red sweat jacket with jeans and red sneakers. A brown messenger bag slung across her body, indicating that she was on her way somewhere before she was brought here.

Wanda had only really seen Y/n in her Phantom form, since that was the only relevant part of her that they needed to know at the time, but she couldn’t help but think that the human side was captivating as well.

Wait a minute, what?

No, she wasn’t supposed to be looking at other people like this. Not after Vision. She never even thought someone else could turn her head again for one, but she also felt like she was betraying Vision and all they had by even simply staring at someone else for too long.

She coughed, as she tried to get rid of those thoughts, but in doing so she garnered the attention of everyone else in the room.

“Oh, good. Y/n, this is the Scarlet Witch. Otherwise known as Wanda Maximoff.” Strange had introduced her, and she gave a small smile along with a shy wave in response.

You, however, did not have the same welcoming response. You straightened up as your face tightened, eyes widening slightly. You recognized that name. “Wanda Maximoff...as in ‘Westview’ Wanda Maximoff?” You asked the room, however your eyes never left Wanda, who’s face now dropped.

The room stood in silence for a moment before Peter spoke up. “Yeah, um, we don’t really bring that up.”

“Yeah? Well, I am.” Before anyone could register what was happening, You changed into Phantom and blasted a powerful ghost ray towards Wanda. 

The blast hit her square on, knocking her to the ground. The witch shook the attack off quickly as she stood up. The awe that she had previously while staring at you was now replaced with anger, as she shifted from her current outfit into the Scarlet Witch. Hands and eyes glowing red, as your own hands and eyes glowed green. The two women stared each other down as the men stared in varying states of shock. 

Tucker was the only one who seemed to know what was going on as he brought his hand up and grabbed the bridge of his nose. “Oh man.”

“What the hell was that for!?” Wanda asked, almost shouting in anger. Your face didn’t waver however. You gritted the next words out, as you were also seething in anger.

“My sister was there.”

Everyone stood in silence for a few moments after the revelation, not sure how to continue. Wanda remained standing, but the red faded from her eyes and hands. Her gaze fell downwards for a moment as she straightened up. After no-one spoke for several moments, you continued. “I hope your little sitcom fantasy was worth it, cause Jazz is still going to therapy because of you.” You scoffed. “You didn’t even have the decency to give her a speaking part. Just one of your little extras.” 

Wanda sighed as tears started to spring to her eyes at the reminder. She shifted back into her normal clothing. “Look, I really am sorry for the pain I caused. I truly didn’t know at the time.”

“Sure you didn’t.” You scoffed before turning to address the rest of the room. “She’s a fucking terrorist. Actually, now that I think about it, what the hell am I doing in a room with all of you!?” 

You looked around briefly before pointing at Loki harshly. “You’re a fucking psychopath who almost took over the world!” Loki shot his hands up in surrender as you turned to point at Strange next.

“You were part of the fight in New York that killed my parents!” Strange’s eyes widened slightly at the revelation, but he didn’t get to say anything as you turned to Wong. 

“I know you were there too!” You finished by landing on Peter. 

“And you-” You cut yourself off as you realized you didn’t have anything against the kid. Still, you were stubborn and too into your rant to stop there. “I actually don’t know anything about you, but I’m sure you’re no good if you’re hanging around these freaks!”

“We’re the freaks?” Loki asked incredulously, as he couldn’t help himself. “Sweetheart, you’re basically dead.”

“Better being dead than a fucking murderer.” You seethed out. “I don’t know what’s going on, and I don’t care. My responsibility is to my home and to those I love, that’s it. I never signed up for this life, and even if I did, I definitely wouldn’t wanna work with any of you.” You began to float and move over to Tucker, who had been watching the whole exchange in silence. You grabbed his arm, taking you up with you. “Good luck, sounds like you’re gonna need it. I’m out of here.”

With that you began to fly up, Tucker in your arms. You sped up heading towards the ceiling. You were about to go intangible to phase out of the building, when suddenly, your ghost ring appeared around your waist and separated, turning you back into a human.

Your eyes widened as you and Tucker began to plummet back to the floor, but before you both hit it, red wisps surrounded you both, breaking the fall. They didn’t last long though, as a second later the disappeared, making you both hit the ground harshly. Tucker rubbed his arm as you brought your hands up to look at them, wondering what happened.

“What the hell was that!?” You asked as you looked back up to the people in the room.

“I went into your mind and triggered your transformation.” Wanda answered, and you could’ve sworn you saw a slight smirk on her face. Your face hardened once again.

“Stay the hell out of my head.”

“Alright, enough!” Strange shouted, finally putting an end to this. “Y/n, I understand your hesitation. I do. You don’t have to like us, you don’t even have to trust us, but believe me when I say we cannot do this without you. You may be angry at the world, hell all of us are, but we need you to put that aside.” 

You stood up, offering a helping hand to Tucker, but your gaze remained on Strange. You sighed, knowing you couldn’t ignore the severity of the situation. No matter how much you wanted to. You hesitated for a moment before finally speaking up.

“Okay. So what do we do now?”

[minli-daughter-of-wukong]

Welcome everyone to my funky little fanfic with my OC Min Li (which if you haven’t had the pleasure of meeting her, you can do so here) and Macaque! Now I’m not really looking to do this for likes or reboots but both would be appreciated. I really just want to write this and just get the ideas out of my head. If anyone has any ideas for how the story could go feel free to send some asks, but otherwise I’m just doing this for fun and I hope you enjoy nonetheless! Thanks and have a great day!

Chapter 1

Min Li was lounging on flower fruit mountain by her dad’s request to “watch over the monkeys for me and make sure they don’t get into trouble!” Which sounded dumb, why would she need to watch the monkeys? They can handle themselves, but she was never one to argue!

Min Li was drawing in her sketchbook in her room when she heard some people talking at the entrance,

“So what do you think we should be looking for? Like a magic crossbow? Or a cannon? Or a—?” She heard a younger, familiar, voice say, only for him to get cut off by an older voice,

“A vase,” said the older voice.

Min Li raised a brow and snuck to the main area of the cave to see an older man with glasses and a young adult boy with spiked hair who looked unimpressed.

“Come again?” Said ‘spiked hair’ as ‘glasses’ groaned tiredly,

“That dumpling looks to be more of a Guàn tāng jiǎo, meaning that it is potentially filled with some kind of delicious soup! Simply blasting it won’t do!”

‘Spiked hair’ crossed his arms and raised a brow, “and a vase is gonna help, how?”

‘Glasses’ then turned away from ‘spiked hair’ and started speaking in an ominous tone, “legends say Monkey King sought help from Guanyin to defeat a demon I…don’t remember the name of. He used the vase that contained pure water, enough to flood a whole mountain range. It seems logical we should use THAT to suck up the soup and save the world from third degree burns.”

‘Spiked hair’ shrugged with a smile saying, “sounds good enough to me! We can probably find that with all of Monkey King’s other junk behind this GIANT DOOR that I never even noticed before!”

Min Li giggled, startling the two as she hopped down, “seems like you two know your stuff. Now mind telling me who you are?”

‘Glasses’ yelped and jumped behind ‘spiked hair’ as he looked at her in shock!

‘Spiked Hair’ raised a brow, “um…I’m MK? The Monkie Kid?”

Min Li smirked playfully, “so YOU’RE the infamous Successor my father talks so much about?”

‘Glasses’ started sputtering nonsense before yelling, “FATHER?! There are no legends of Monkey King having a child! How is that possible?!”

MK looked at Min Li skeptically, “yeah, if you’re really Monkey King’s daughter why hasn’t he talked about you? How do we know you’re not some demon pretending to be related?”

Min Li thought, “fair point kid! Tell ya what, hand the staff to me for a second and I’ll prove it!”

MK laughed, “not a chance! Only someone with Monkey King’s power can hold it!”

“Then why are you scared? Worried I’ll be able to hold it and replace you?” Min Li raised a brow.

“No! Fine here!” MK snapped and tossed the staff to her.

Min Li smirked and expertly caught the staff, twirling it for a second before slamming it on the ground and hopping on top of it to balance, saying with confidence, “that proof enough for ya?”

‘Glasses’ and MK stared in awe as Min Li tossed the staff back to MK and said, “so what’s this I hear about a Guàn tāng jiǎo?”

‘Glasses’ cleared his throat and said, “I’m Tang. And—.” MK cut Tang off!

“Monkey King contacted me through telecommunications and told us a giant dumpling was gonna crush us all!” He then pointed to the dumpling in the sky!

Min Li looked and scoffed “of course, couldn’t fix it himself. C’mon, let’s go grab that vase, I know where it is!” She then led the way to the door.

Before Min Li could open it however, Tang put an arm out and said, “allow me.” And went to try the barrier.

MK sighed tiredly and looked at Min Li, “sorry about him. He’s kind of unbearable right now.”

Min Li just snickered and said, “it’s fine, I wanna see this.” She then leaned against one of the pillars and watched Tang with an amused look.

When Tang was thrown back Min Li started laughing like a little kid would at something dumb, she then smiled at MK and said, “go ahead kid, if you guys got in here without me and HE can’t open it, then it has to be you of course!”

MK smiled, “thanks” and he then opened the barrier and went in with Min Li and Tang.

When Tang saw the room he shoved past MK and Min Li, grabbing a mirror and saying, “that’s the legendary demon revealing mirror,”

“Hey—.” Min Li tried to get Tang’s attention but was cut off by Tang’s gasp of excitement,

“And the fire tipped spear!”

“Excuse me—!”

“And,” he screamed like a school girl, “MONKEY COP’S LIMITED EDITION 1982 ACTION FIGURES!” He then turned to MK and Min Li with a childish smile and said, “this could take awhi—,” but was quickly cut off by Min Li screaming,

“HEY! DROP THE ACTION FIGURES!”

Tang then immediately did so and looked at Min Li like a child in trouble,

Min Li looked at MK, “follow me, YOU! Stay put!” She then led MK to find the vase as Tang looked in his spot for the vase.

Min Li started scouting through the room when MK picked up a box and made a noise as he set it back down, she turned to him about to ask a question when Huntsman crashes through some of the rubble and MK starts screaming, “ah! He just looked tiny ‘cause he was far away!” And slid back

Min Li immediately stood on defense and looked at MK, “who is this guy?”

MK laughed nervously and said, “one of Spider Queen’s goons.” Making Min Li groan and seen Huntsman looking at the demon revealing mirror.

When Huntsman webbed the mirror MK stopped him with the Fire Tipped Spear, only for Huntsman to gut check MK and send him flying.

Min Li then growled and grabbed Huntsman by the wrist, throwing him back harshly as she grabbed the mirror with her tail, saying “you want it? Come and get it!” Then grabbed a few strands of hair and blew on them, sending clones towards Huntsman as she climbed a pillar and yelled, “MK! Help your scholar friend while I keep him busy!”

Tang then yelled, “MK! I CAN’T FIND THE VASE ANYWHERE!” Only for MK to snap,

“UGH! DO I HAVE TO DO EVERYTHING?!” And use his gold vision to find a box a vases, yelling, “THERE THAT CRATE IF FULL OF THEM!”

“WHY DIDN’T YOU DO THAT SOONER?!”

“BECAUSE I FORGOT I COULD OKAY?!”

Min Li then snapped, “NOT THE TIME YOU TWO LETS GET THIS DONE!” As she yelped and was thrown back by Huntsman as he took the mirror from her!

He then webbed two swords as he crashed through rubble to attack MK and sent them flying!

MK used the fire tipped spear to block the sword attacks as he slid backwards.

Huntsman sent one of his swords towards Tang, making MK shove Tang out of the way and almost getting cut in half!

Tang crashed into the vase filled crates and looked at the vases nervously.

MK continued to block the sword attacks as Huntsman said, “I can smell your fear, boy!”

“It’s my conditioner!” Yelled Mk!

Huntsman sent the Fire Tipped Spear flying and tried to slice MK, only for Min Li to tackle Huntsman and start trying to hold him down, yelling, “MK GRAB THE VASE AND GO! I’LL MAKE SURE HE CAN’T GET WHAT HE’S AFTER!” Min Li yelped as Huntsman shoved her off then kicked her into a pile of junk and pin MK down!

MK yelled to Tang, “TANG HURRY!” Causing Tang to look for a weapon and find a sword!

“Time’s running out little Chimp!” Sneered Huntsman

“You know if we don’t stop that dumpling you die too right?!” Said MK, throwing Huntsman off in enough time for Tang to shoot him away from MK!

Tang dropped the sword and threatened Huntsman!

Huntsman then proposed a truce and took off.

Min Li got up and ran to the two heroes, “what happened? Is he gone?”

Tang looked proud of himself, “yep!”

MK then started fanboying and Tang threw the sword away, grabbing the vase and saying, “this is it! The legendary vase that will save the-no wait hold on!” He then started digging for another, and held one up saying “yep, that’s it! That’s the guy!” And MK and ushered Tang out yelling “LETS GO!” And Min Li followed quickly!

When they got back to the city the dumpling was almost seconds away from impact as they landed and hurried to Pigsy and Mei!

Pigsy looked at the two worriedly, “did you find somthin’ to stop this thing?”

MK looked at them with determination, “yeah! I mean, maybe?” He laughed nervously as he looked to Tang who just shrugged.

The two then started fumbling over words and laughing at each other as they tried to explain to Mei why they grabbed the vase only for Pigsy to snap, “would you Morons hurry up?!”

MK then opened the vase and started to use the water from inside, but he started to slip so Pigsy, Mei, Tang, and Min Li helped him stand his ground as the dumpling was sucked up into the vase…only for the vase to shatter from so much of the dumpling!

Tang, MK, and Min Li started looking embarrassed

Tang laughed nervously “maybe we should have grabbed a few more vases” only for MK to laugh nervously and agree.

Pigsy and Mei then realized that there was a newcomer that looked a lot like Monkey King!

“um, MK? Who’s this?” Asked Pigsy.

MK glanced at Min Li then smiled at Pigsy, “oh! This is uh…what did you say your name was?” He looked to Min Li confused.

Min Li smiled and held a hand out to Pigsy, “Sun Min Li at your service sir. I’m the daughter of the Monkey King!”

Pigsy stared at Min Li for a moment before shouting, “WHAT?!” Then passing out

Min Li sighed tiredly, “this is gonna take a moment to explain.”

|Next

[phantasmagoriaoriginals]

Here There be Monsters: Mage Basic Intros (Part 1)

Hyousa

She/her, Red Mage.

Her history is fairly normal. While her mother died in Hyousa’s early childhood, she was close with her father and lived happily enough even after the loss. She joined the Organization willingly for the sake of making a difference in the world, even mostly unaware of how difficult that would be. Cream was given to her as a Familiar a couple years in. 

Cheerful, energetic, and persistently optimistic, Hyousa is the kind of person who aggressively sees the best in the world and everyone in it. While some people consider her hopelessly naive, her determination can’t be beat. Hyousa is actively, willingly kind to everyone who crosses her path, whether they deserve it or not. She chooses to see the best. 

Her magic is the typical Red— pure power made of her own magical energy. It’s completely suited for physical combat, but somehow, Hyousa manages not to make it violent. She fights to help people!

5′5, 19. Thin, girlish build which nonetheless carries quite a bit of lean muscle. Short, cinnamon brown hair worn mostly slicked back and out of her face, with only a few strands escaping to fall on her forehead. Wide, bright brown eyes, fair skin. She constantly fidgets around. 

Sinclair

She/her, Purple Mage.

After growing up at an orphanage following the death of her parents in an unfortunate accident, Sinclair willingly joined the Organization as a way of making use of her magic. She’d mostly taught it to herself as a way of looking after the orphanage’s children, and once she had access to a real way to improve it, she wanted to learn how to use it properly. 

Sinclair’s personality is best defined as motherly. She’s an incredibly kind, soft person who others feel innately comfortable around. However, she’s also strict on those who do wrong and wants to see people improve, not be coddled. Caretaking is in her nature. She looks after those around her and does her best to keep everyone happy and well. 

Her magic primarily operates around charms imbued with curses and blessings. While she generally prefers to use the blessings to help her allies, when she sets her mind to a curse, it’s deadly. 

5′6, early 30′s. Fat, with a pear-shaped, soft build. Wide through the hips and all-around soft. Black, frizzy hair worn around shoulder-length, with shorter-cut bangs. Black eyes, round glasses, and soft, sweet features. Moderately dark brown skin. 

Livva

She/her, Yellow Mage.

Born with an innate magic known as the “human sealing container”, Livva was highly valued even from childhood. She spent her early years being passed between “homes” and different people who owned her— usually to use her for her magic or to own an expensive prize—, until the Organization took possession of her instead. 

Serious, cold, and disinterested in the world, Livva is the kind of person who rarely shows fondness for anything. She’s seen some of the most selfish sides of humanity, so her worldview is quite corrupted. The things she does are only because she’s forced to, and she has no real attachment or loyalty to anyone or anything. She just exists. 

Her magic, as mentioned above, is sealing-based. A seal on her tongue allowed her to hold “objects” inside of her body and release them at will. These things range from artifacts to spells, to even offensive energy. 

5′10, mid 20′s. Tall, slightly pear-shaped build with notable curves. White, fluffy hair that falls to her shoulders and has considerably more volume towards the ends. Dark brown, somewhat lifeless eyes, fair skin. Posture is always stiff and near-perfect. 

Madeleine

She/her, Orange Mage.

An amnesiac, she lacks any memories from what she assumes to be almost twenty years of life. She only remembers her time with the Organization, and is currently in the process of trying to discover more about her past— including a large, mysterious scar across her chest. However, she doesn’t necessarily want to look too deeply. 

Madeleine is friendly, open, and upbeat. Despite her internal issues, she tries to make life better for herself and the people around her. She’s close friends with Sinclair, likes to use her magic for other people’s enjoyment, and is generally a very kind-hearted sort. However, when it comes to missions, she has a serious, brutal side that comes out. 

Her magic is similar to Sinclair’s but involves food (specifically sweets) instead of handmade charms. Her desserts have a variety of effects and are more useful in a conflict situation than you’d expect. 

5′9, early 30′s. Tall, athletic, curveless build with wide shoulders and strong legs. Dark brown, thigh-length hair worn in thick box braids and a high ponytail. Dark, warm-undertoned skin and sparkling brown eyes. Large, diagonal scar across her chest from collarbone to navel. 

Aurora

She/her, Green Mage.

Born without her left leg from the knee down. It took a while to find her a suitable prosthetic, but after getting a highly functional one and practicing plenty, she’s completely adjusted to it. She’s always lived in the shadow of her older sister, Rosaria, who she both adores and resents thanks to a feeling of having to live up to her success. 

Strict, intense, and serious, Aurora is the picture of ambition and hard work. She’s always felt a need to compensate for her self-perceived weaknesses and feeling of being “second best”. However, her cold exterior hides a warm heart and burning passion. She’s the type to never give up on anyone or anything when she sets her mind to them. 

Aurora’s magic, as Green magic always is, is derived from the world around her. The main way she uses it is to increase her speed, agility, and mobility through absorbed energy from other moving objects. 

5′7, early 20′s. Slim, straight build with long legs and a narrow shape. Long, hip-length, white hair worn loose and straight with bangs and shoulder-length sidelocks. Intense gray eyes with pale lashes. Black and silver, high-tech prosthetic from below the knee down on her left leg. 

Ranisha

She/they, Blue Mage.

The oldest of many siblings, Ranisha had to grow up fast and take on a lot of responsibility. Developing excessive maturity so early gave her a jaded, logical outlook on the world, where she prioritizes what needs to be done instead of what she wants. She joined the Organization for money as well as something to do with herself that felt like success. 

Ranisha is most notably aloof, cold, and efficient. She takes her work very seriously, places her job before any personal desires, and doesn’t make friends easily or well. Seemingly uninterested in anything but what’s assigned to her, many people feel intimidated by her strict nature and harsh standards. She butts heads with Vash quite a bit. 

Her magic turns written symbols into weapons manifested solely from her energy. Ranisha favors guns over bladed weapons, can use anything from small pistols to larger rifles, and her accuracy is near-unmatched.

5′8, early-mid 20′s. Fairly average build with slight curves. Somehow petite despite her height. Black, thick hair styled in a short, natural faux hawk with close-cropped sides. Black eyes, dark, cool-toned skin, and pleasant features that are always set in a stern, neutral expression. 

Katz

He/him, Brown Mage.

While he grew up as a relatively normal Mage, Katz considers getting involved with the Organization to be the worst mistake he ever made. The job is stable and suits his skills well, but the people he has to deal with drive him absolutely insane. He developed a stress-related drinking habit from a young age, which did nothing to help his nasty attitude.

Katz is the kind of person who’s hit his breaking point. He’s an angry, bitter man who’s perpetually exhausted, short-tempered with everyone around him, and a raging alcoholic on top of all of that. While he’s very good at what he does, Katz is the type who most want to stay far away from. His dead-eyed glare is incredibly intimidating. 

His magic focuses on sealing. Specifically, sealing the powers of others. Katz creates items that, when placed on someone’s body, restrain some or all of their magic to whatever extent he crafted them to. 

5′11, mid 30′s. Thicker build that’s on the stockier side of muscular. Reddish taupe-colored hair worn in a short style that falls about to his ears and is often slicked back. Fair skin, dark eyes, and a good amount of stubble on his upper lip, cheeks, and chin. Perpetual scowl. 

Emilio

He/they, Purple Mage.

A lot of Emilio’s life has been spent wishing he was something other than himself. He grew up relatively average, but underwent a fair amount of bullying for being shy and reclusive. When he learned magic, his main goal was to change himself— and he did that completely. He’s always trying to hide from the person he used to be. 

Emilio is best described as a charismatic jokester. Despite being very much a “class clown” type, he exudes so much pleasant, cheerful energy that people can’t help but be drawn to him. However, underneath his sunny disposition is a serious, capable man who wants to give his best to the people close to him... as well as something of a dark side. 

The magic he uses revolves around shapeshifting. Emilio can change his own appearance at will and is known to constantly be doing so. No one is sure what his original appearance is, and Emilio isn’t telling. 

Mid 20′s. Everything about Emilio’s appearance varies. He can change his height, hair color, eye color, features, build, and more with a simple spell, and he does that frequently. He seems to favor taller, more handsome looks, though, and usually retains bright hair and eye colors. 

Vash

He/him, Orange Mage.

Trained in magic from a young age, Vash made it his mission to be as good at it as possible— and gather all the admiration and respect he can. He’s never experienced much in the means of personal hardship, but the standards he’s placed on himself do plenty of damage. He’s been in the organization since he was fifteen, thanks to his family’s choices. 

Short-tempered, viciously ambitious, and high-strung to a fault, the main things in life that drive Vash are gaining the approval of everyone around him and making himself look as impressive as possible. He’s a hot-blooded teenager in every sense of the word, and painfully unaware of his own inexperience and how dangerously reckless he can be. 

Vash’s magic is typical for the Orange kind. He uses elemental powers; in his case, fire. Despite being made of magic, this fire burns just like the real thing and is every bit as destructive and hard to control. 

19, 5′8. Skinny, lanky build with less muscle than you’d expect. Straight, chin-length, black hair usually worn covering one eye. Pale skin, orange eyes, and numerous silver piercings all over his body. Extensive burn scars covering him from his magic going haywire.

Alexander

He/him, Brown Mage.

Born to a prestigious and high-class Mage family, Alexander grew up in the lap of luxury. He was spoiled to a fair extent, but the consequences are fortunately mild. Told from a young age that he’s destined for great things and incredibly capable, Alexander has always felt like he doesn’t have to do much of anything to be successful and loved. 

Alexander is friendly, sociable, polite, and generally pleasant to be around. He’s the kind of charismatic person who draws others to him whether he tries to or not. However, he also has an unfortunate tendency of viewing people as lesser than him and expects things that he shouldn’t more often than not. He’s also worryingly naive. 

The magic he uses relates to forcefields. Alexander can generate and manipulate forcefields out of his magical energy, and uses them for defense as well as offense. Their purposes are quite varied. 

6′1, early 20′s. Tall, broad-shouldered, elegant build. Dark red, wavy hair worn in a short-ish cut and sometimes styled with a low ponytail or pins holding the side back. Dark hazel eyes, handsome features, and fair skin. A perpetually welcoming smile and the posture of a trained nobleman. 

[everafterkeiji]

Song: About the Boy by Little Mix

Summary: Wherein a red head manages you to act like a fool in love

Pairing: Eijiro Kirishima x fem! reader

Warning/Genre: CRACKTIVITIY AND FLUFF

Word count: 5.4k

Quirk: Enchantment / Magic

Abilities : Flight, can cast spells, your emotions help you increase the amount of energy you blast, when you use your quirk your eye color changes to your favorite color (Y/F/C)

Symbols: Bold+Italic = lyrics , Italic= memories/text/thoughts

A/N: PLEASE this song is a bop and it just goes so well so pls listen to it!!❤️

You were just walking, a coffee in your hand with earbuds in blocking out the noise of the streets. You were on your way to your dream school, UA, while mindlessly scrolling through your phone thinking that you could reach your school earlier than you expected. You were nervous to say the least to meet the people that literally brought down the bots like it was nothing. Even if you aced the test, it was still intimidating to be in the same room with such powerful people. Do they even recognize me? Fuck I can't hold a conversation on my own. You thought. You took in a sip of your coffee in hopes that it can calm down your nerves.

Yet the universe regards your wishes when a body hard as a rock came in contact with yours. With one hand holding on to your hair and the other on your waist protecting your fall as you screamed in surprise when you both land on the street with a thud. The hardness of what you felt softens when you see bright red hair in your vision. The stranger- actually very handsome stranger that was on top of you looks at you with red wide eyes.

Did I die and heaven gifted me my dream boyfriend?

"Miss? Miss? Oh my god- I'm sorry for being in this position- I mean- Some guys weren't looking and their car was heading your way and you couldn't hear me so I had to save you- Are you okay?" He says panting, you take in the view in front of you as he helps you stand up brushing off the dust in your clothes, you silently thanked yourself for not dressing into your uniform knowing you can change into it with a spell. You were holding his hand. At the sight of it you immediately blush, ignoring the giddy feeling in your chest.

Man is he cute. You thought.

"Can you hear me?" You nod but you were loosing your cool when your shirt was drenched in coffee. You also frowned at the sight of your now broken earphones laid out on the street. You thanked the heavens that you had iced coffee. His eyes turn to your outfit, biting his lip in regret wishing he could've pushed away the coffee before ruining your outfit.

"I'm so sorry about your shirt! I can buy you another one-"

"T-thank you." You managed to say while he gives you a shy smile with a hand to his neck.

"It's nothing! Heroes should always save people shouldn't they?" You smile at his words.

He actually saved me.

You couldn't help but compare the events to some fairytale when a dashing young man saves you-that part alone was true but your imagination stops when you check the time on your phone.

"H-holy shit I'm gonna be late! I'm so sorry, I have to go! Thank you!" Your eyes glowed as you flew, not looking back to the red heads reaction to your sudden action. To say he was surprised was an understatement. You, in mid air, recites a spell to teleport your way into school. You landed in front of the gates of UA as you quickly utter a spell to freshen your appearance as you enter. When you arrive at front of the classroom, your hand couldn't reach the knob with how it was shaking yet you took a deep breath opening it to see people chattering away.

You decided to take a seat at the left row when a sudden red head comes running in the room.

"Hey! I'm so sorry I'm a bit late something came up and-" his eyes lock with yours and you teleport in front of him and he jumps a bit when you appear, the class looking at you two curiously. They were taken aback by your quirk.

"It's you."

From then on you swore on your life to avoid the red head but seeing his warm smile, his kind eyes, his charm, how can you do such a thing? As far as the class knows, you are by far the most powerful one knowing you can do anything just by a spell, basically everything you wished for can be handed to you in a silver platter. However, how can one Kirishima Eijiro make you weak to your knees? Was it his physique? His personality? His kindness? You couldn't pick your poison on what exactly drawn you the red eyed teen.

Something about the boy

Trying to find a logical reason on what makes this man so interesting to you was the most troublesome thing to do. Why is that when he talks to you every function in your body stops? Whenever you open your mouth you tend to loose track of what you wanted to say and end up mix matching your words.

It's the verse in my head

The words that make me stutter

Ever since you met him, it was like his presence took away your ability to speak. Nothing has ever drawn you to such a being before but acting weak in front of him wasn't something you wanted to do. You're basically a witch, seeing you fly the first time you met him he already knew he was curious about you too. You were already outstanding in his eyes, what else can you possibly do? Shapeshift? Make him fly? All you can do was try to avoid him like the plague so your heart can contain itself from letting him have it yet even with a smile on his charming face, it already makes your surroundings filled with such vibrant colors.

The change from gray to color

You often use your flight to catch up with him sometimes, knowing he was always intrigued with how easy it was for you to float around like that. Sometimes you use your quirk whenever he drops something, that's when you raise a finger while the fallen objects simply follow your finger as you placed them back on his hands. No matter how much you used your magic in front of him it never fails to make him stare in fascination.

Even his little buddies were interested in you, Mina always making you do tricks in the air while Kaminari begs you to lay a spell on Bakugo. Which of course you granted Minas request instead of Kaminaris knowing how powerful and pissed off Bakugo can be, it can possibly lead to your grave. But of course, whenever Kirishima had a favor you were bound to do it in a heartbeat. He once requested to teleport with you finding it so convenient and absolutely captivating how you can just pop up in different places.

"Do you trust me?" You asks helding out a hand in front of him, he nods happily while you utter a spell setting you're destination to be outside of UA. His hand tightens around yours and you smile while you zap out of the classroom seeing flashes of light before landing just in front of the gates of UA with a swoop sound. Kirishima raises his fists to the air with adrenaline filling his body.

"That was so cool, Y/N! Man, your quirk is literally something else. How can you do that so easily?-" His next words became a blur to you when you just stand there admiring him. With a smile to your face, you just nod at his words not even bothering to listen. You were sure he was rambling on and on about your abilities and once again your heart speeds up taking in his compliments.

A guaranteed bet

Oh, I found my lucky number

Even when you found yourself bruised and exhausted, the worried red head would always check up on you after training. At times when you felt like you weren't giving your best at your battles, he would manage to change your perspective on yourself making you push your limit. Which causes you to overuse your power making you unconscious in the middle of the fight while Kirishima and the others crowd around you, bringing your drained body to Recovery Girl. He would be right there along with Kaminari once you've regained strength.

The feeling that you get

Can't help but make me wonder

You will do the exact same thing to him. Bakugo will test out his powermoves on Kirishima and Kirishima will take it like the man he is but Bakugo ends up overworking the boy leaving burns on his skin. Watching him fight was something so intriguing to you. He knows he isn't good with long distance fights yet you offer him with your kind words edging him to do better. You would wrap bandages on his arm whenever they were ugly with scratches and burns or cast a spell to supply with him food and beverages when he missed lunch.

No need to try

He's just right

Oblivious to your actions, you continued to show how much you care for your little angel, earning teases from Bakugo and Sero yet you disregarded their comments and kept casting spells just to see his winning smile fall upon his face and that alone completes your day. You've gone to malls together, Kaminari, Mina, Sero, and Bakugo tagging along. Even if you intended to be with him only.

"Hey Kiri?" You asked tapping his shoulder gently while you flew above him leaning downwards to reach his shoulder. He turns around with a smile in his eyes when he sees you above him, you were in a sweater and leggings so whenever you flew above anyone, no one could dare to land their eyes under your shirt or your skirt, which everyone respectfully turns away -but Mineta? He was obviously the reason why you were conscious on your outfits.

"Hey Y/N! What's up?" He asks while you circle around him before you floated just in front of him with your cheeks pink from gaining the courage to ask him out.

"I was wondering if we can hang out at the mall if you're um available or if you want to- it's okay if you say no though-" he cuts you off with a chuckle before you landed on your feet, lowering your head thinking it was the best way to hide your flustered state.

"I'd love to Y/N! I'm down for anything plus I think there's a new movie out so I'm excited to watch it with you guys!" He says excitedly and you sighed thankful that he didn't reject you but you tensed up when you felt an arm wrapped around your shoulder. You turned your head to see a smirking Kaminari with his eyes on you as you rolled your eyes while he pulls you closer.

"A NEW MOVIE? I'M DOWN! What about you guys?" Suddenly Mina and Sero pop up behind Kirishima as you nudge Kaminari with you elbow, glaring at him while he laughs at you.

"Ooh we're going to the mall? I'm coming with~" Mina says clapping her hands while Sero chuckles beside her saying he wanted to come as well.

"Bakugo?" You only hear a grunt from him then you lower your head while Kaminari laughs at you. You raised your head shooting daggers his way and his eyes widened making him remove his arm around your shoulder before hiding behind Kirishima, scared you were gonna lay a death spell on him.

Nonetheless, you enjoyed their company even if it didn't go as well as you planned. When you were caught staring at Kirishima, Bakugo rolls his eyes before grabbing you to the corner pulling you away from the rest.

"Oi, look at me." He says and you look up at him, thrills running down your spine knowing you were never this close to Bakugo before. Soon, you were questioning how you were even alive at this point.

"W-what is it Bakugo?" You asked shakily yet he smirks at you.

"You got the heart eyes for shitty hair, dumbass?" Your eyes widen before you look away and he teasingly chuckles at your dismay.

"Ah, shitty hair huh? You might wanna lessen that stare of yours. Everyone knows you shit head." You cover your face in your hands and Bakugo chuckles again at your state. You stare at him- well it came more as a glare when you tried to appear stronger to the explosive boy.

"D-do they? Look, as much as I like him, I really couldn't care less if he doesn't notice."

He's got that something

I can't let nobody tell me no

"You wanna mutter a love spell on him, cupid?" Bakugo teases laughing at you. Your eyes glowed before making him turn to you with his eyes rolling. He covers your mouth before you can even cast a spell on him. His smirk resurfaces on his face.

"So you're willing to die so you can cast a spell on me huh extra?" You roll your eyes at him before removing his hand on your mouth.

"I'm not making him fall in love with me, stupid. I can't and I won't. Its against the use of my quirk."

Even if you were able to cast spells, you weren't allowed to cast a spell to make someone fall in love with you or for someone to die upon your spell not because of some forbidden chant, but it was because you couldn't handle the pressure and power of it. Casting death upon someone was not something to take ever so lightly. You were well taught enough to know the spells needed for death but your emotions and morals won't allow you. The amount of energy for you to even obtain to cast a spell that strong will certainly make you pass out not to mention to enormous guilt that will weigh on your shoulders once you do so.

"Y/N?" A voice appears beside you and Bakugo. You both turn around to see Kirishima with curious eyes. The sight in front of him suddenly marking a memory in his mind seeing you so close to Bakugo, especially when Bakugo had a prominent smirk on his face while he was staring at you. He only broke the conversation when he felt a tug on his heart seeing you two.

Bakugo leaves you two alone with yet another smirk tugging on his lips.

"No wonder that dumbass likes her." He mutters under his breath.

You believed that even without a love spell, there was no way you weren't going to succeed. Even if you had to cast a dozen spells just to make him smile, just to see his eyes lit up whenever you show him magic, just to see him be happy because of you, it was all worth it. But how far can your patience reach when he's gone busy with internships?

You knew that him, Midoriya, and the others were quite busy because of their internship and the more days pass by you, the less you see Kirishima. You were stuck in class paying attention to whoever was up front, or just fighting with Kaminari to test out some new spells you learned. Sometimes, you would choose to hang out with Bakugo and Sero just to avoid your thoughts whenever you worried about him.

Yet on the other side of the field, he misses you as well.

He misses to be able to feel your presence around him, he misses to see how powerful you were, he misses your little gestures or gifts that you bring to him. Though, in the back of his mind, he can't help but think of you and Bakugo. Seeing you two so close at the mall, made him feel small all of a sudden. What were they talking about? Why was he smirking like that? Are they secretly dating? His mind was filled with questions but then again he thinks that Bakugo wasn't a dating person. He was conflicted if he should just ask you directly or just observe on the sidelines.

Bakugos words were ringing in your head about a love spell. You've never casted a love spell. Yet alone even find a spell to do it since you feel guilty meddling with a person's emotion towards someone. Now that Kirishima had his hands busy, there's no harm done if the person you badly wanted to cast it upon wasn't here. You just wanted to try since a love spell was much easier to conjure than a death spell. All you had to was utter the designed chant but you were questioning if it even works without the potions or herbs. You were indeed a powerul being so you did skip ahead on the steps.

Having a heavy book on your hand was laid out in your bed just switching back and forth between pages. Your fingers drag across the surface of the paper reading the chant in your head. You sighed, this isn't gonna work. This chant is literally older than All Might. You thought. As your fingers brush against the rough surface, your eyes landed on a love spell that required no potion or exchange. It was said to be a spell that enhances the attraction but some pages were torn off making the sentences confusing, yet the chant was still there.

Meanwhile, an excited yet nervous boy was on his way to your room. Kirishima finally had the time to be with you and he was more than anxious to face you knowing the tightening in his chest was making his mind race at the thought of finally seeing you. Though the thought of seeing you with Bakugo, had the poor boy rethinking his actions.

The chant only had one requirement, and that was nothing more than your emotions. If your emotions portray what you desire, the chant was sure to work on whoever your target was. You felt that without Kirishima around your emotions weren't as deep than you thought, putting you at ease. You sigh as you brace yourself for a chant, taking in a deep breath. Your hands placed on top of the spell with your eyes glowing before closing them as an aura surrounded you.

"Fall upon me and obey with bliss, as he whose heart shall belong to me, with the name that lie on my lips, to love and intertwine his heart to me, you are mine to be-"

"Y/N?"

"KIRISHIMA?!" Your eyes widen as great winds surround the two of you before the once crimson red eyes of the teen stood in front of you glowed pink as the wind surrounds him. It happened so rapidly that you were off your feet flying towards the teen that lay unconscious on your room, shaking him with worry.

"Kirishima?! Hey, hey wake up!" You shout shaking him up and Bakugo walks by your room to see his unconscious friend flat out on the floor. His vermillion eyes widen as he takes Kirishima.

"OI SHIT HEAD WHAT'D YOU DO?" Bakugo shouts and you shake your head as the blonde helps Kirishima stand up, his arm on Kirishimas shoulder being a wall for him to lean on.

"I d-don't know! Come with me." You grabbed Bakugos shoulder as you utter a spell teleporting you to Recovery Girl. Bakugo was surprised at how fast you landed but he only laid down Kirishima before grabbing your arm harshly pulling you outside her room.

"Mind telling me why the shit head is passed out on your room?" You fidget with your fingers, your heart racing. Did it work? It was an accident! Why didn't I lock my fucking door? Why was he here anyway? Your mind hurting from the power that you released, and it was most definitely hurting because of the worry.

"Fuck Bakugo I don't even know! I was just practicing a s-spell okay! And Kirishima just came in okay and the spell was directed to him-" You were cut off when Bakugo when raised you by grabbing you by the collar of your shirt, making you float so you don't loose balance at how he easily lifted you off your ground before you flew.

"It's the love spell isn't it?" You gulped as he stares at you, bringing your face closer to his before you give him a silent nod lowering your head, then your feet reaches the surface now that he sets you down.

"Ain't that desperate huh extra?" He smirks but you punch his chest, catching him off guard.

"Oi shit head what'd you-"

"IT WAS AN ACCIDENT OKAY! I'm not fucking desperate for Kirishima to acknowledge me or like me back, Katsuki. He just came in my room, I didn't even know he was coming back!" You shout back but he only shake his head.

"Dumbass you don't need a fucking spell-"

"Y/N? He's looking for you." Recovery Girl comes behind you two and you jump at her voice.

"I- thank you ma'am." She nods at you but before you can open the door Bakugo stops you midway.

"Oi, don't you think that stupid spell of yours have a shitty side effect? Who knows what shitty hair will act like." He scoffs and you sigh, running your hand to your hair.

"So what? I can't talk to him?" He flicks your forehead with his fingers and you hit his shoulder while he smirks.

"Ah it's a love spell isn't it? Isn't he gonna act all clingy and shit?" You shrug your shoulders and Bakugo grabs your head shaking it lightly while you slap his hand away.

"And they say that you're the smart one." You roll your eyes at his comment before opening the door nonetheless. You were face to face with a sat up Kirishima with a hand to his head.

"K-kirishima?" Bakugo almost wanted to laugh at your stutter but you nudge him with your elbow earning an annoyed groan from the blonde.

"How are you feeling shit head?" Bakugo asks and Kirishima just eyes you two but once his eyes leave the blonde, Kirishimas eyes linger on you more.

"I don't know what happened, my head just really hurts but Recovery Girl says nothings broken so I'm fine! What's got you guys so worried?" He asks with curious eyes and you both shake your head.

"I'm just glad you're doing okay, Kiri. Are you sure you're not feeling anything weird?" You ask, your heart pounding. Kirishima shakes his head and looks at you.

"Nah, I feel okay! I guess I was just exhausted and passed out. I'm fine, Y/N, I swear. What about you? I haven't seen you in days." He gives out a small chuckle and you sigh in relief.

It didn't work, you and Bakugo thought.

"I'm fine, Kirishima." You smile at him and returns the gesture back at you, yet the guilt was now weighing over your shoulders knowing you casted a spell on him. Kirishima took notice of you had your head hung low and you were playing with the ends of your skirt. His hand reaches your hair, gently caressing your hair and while your wide eyes and flustered cheeks were hidden from him, it was no denying that you were shaking.

I've got it bad. Kirishima thought.

You look up at him while his hands were still caressing your hair. You were searching for traces of the spell on his eyes but you found nothing but the glimmer in his eyes when he stares back at you.

"I'm glad I get to hang out with you again, Y/N." He says and you just simply wanted to faint at his kind words and you hear a very displeased scoff behind you.

You and Bakugo just observe Kirishima for the rest of the week. You two would sometimes discuss if you accidentally conjured it onto someone else that was named Kirishima but you think otherwise. You even asked your parents but they said love spells were always a hit or miss. You even thought about asking help from Midoriya, which you knew he would accept, but this issue was between you three. Kirishima was just being his usual self, nothings changed. Everything was the same as before but for Kirishima, his feelings were weighing down his heart. The more he saw you and Bakugo have your little conversations in a corner, he already knew his chances were slim to none but he still wanted to be with you with every chance he gets. Thankfully, Kaminari delivered the news that you two weren't dating when he saw Bakugo hit you in the head.

I won't stop until the girl is mine. Kirishima selfishly thought. Finally realizing he wasn't gonna waste his time anymore. He knew it was selfish, but were your little gifts and tricks to him could mean you liked him too?

Months of being with you, admiring you from afar, denying the feeling in his heart whenever you flew around him grabbing his attention, the care you give him when he's injured, it was all to overwhelming to finally come to a decision that he is in fact, in love. Maybe the spell didn't work and he's come to the light or perhaps the spell actually worked and it increased his attraction towards to you. But the way his breathing came to a halt whenever you were in the air fighting against his classmates, or whenever he feels this warm feeling in his heart whenever you laugh or check up on him, he knew he felt something else.

For you and Bakugo, he was just being his usual hero self. Helping you here and there and following you wherever you went making excuses just to be around you. It looks as if the roles were reversed now. You were once the love sick puppy following him around but now your cautious and almost distant still afraid of the spell. Now it was Kirishima that was falling under your spell. Volunteering to help you with training or even carrying your things. Bakugo took notice of his actions but didn't pay any attention to it knowing Kirishima already told him his little crush for the magical girl.

Got me running around like I'm a lovefool

Taking me down I can't stop

But the guilt was unbearable on your side.

You knew even if the chant was a fail, you still directed it to him. Who knew what side effects could have been given to him? What if you never revert the spell? Is his soul tied to yours? While the guilt was eating you away, you're fingers hover over his contact texting him finding no more excuses to hide what you've done.

hey kiri! do you think you could meet up with me at the mall?

In which he responded to rather quickly.

heyy! yea sure be right there in 15 mins!

He got me feeling like a girl gone mad. You thought while you patiently waited for the boy. Meanwhile, Kirishima had his feet on the ground ready to be with you but his nerves quickly shut down wondering what's gotten you to meet up with him so sudden. When you spot his figure, you signal him a wave and he sits next to you with a warm smile.

"Hey Y/N! You good?" You bit your lip, anxious to tell him the issue you've had for weeks. He frowns at your state and takes a step forward landing his hand on your shoulder, giving you sympathetic smile.

"You can tell me anything, Y/N. It's just me." He says the concern in his voice evident. You take a deep breath before finally speaking.

"Kirishima, I'm so sorry for casting a l-l.. l-love spell on you. It was accidental though! I wouldn't think about putting a spell on you! Y-you just came in so suddenly and I lost control over my power- I didn't know if it worked though but-"

"Wait wait.. a love spell?" He tilts his head in confusion and you lower your head still trying to relieve the stress.

"It didn't work though! You're not showing any signs of love or anything.. right?" His eyes widen and his cheeks blossomed with the color the same as his hair. He lets his hand reach the back of his neck before staring at you, his heart pounding at how anxious he was.

"I- I don't think you need a love spell for me to like you cause I already do." You've never whipped your head much faster than now. You look at him, searching once again for any traces of the spell yet nothing. Nothing but genuine feelings.

He liked you.

You.

"A-are you sure? I'm assuming it's because of the spell huh? I promise I'll try to revert the spell-"

"No amount of spell can make like you the way I do. Even if the spell was accidental, I don't think it was accidental for me to fall for you." Did you past away? What sweet heaven was this? Taking notice of how tensed and quiet you were, Kirishima sighs before looking at you.

"If you're with Bakugo, I completely understand. If you don't like me-"

You stopped his sentence when your hands found its way around his neck and your lips finding its home with his lips. He had his eyes open but once he registers what's happening he immediately pulls you closer, hands to your waist like how you first met, his eyes closing at the sensation of your lips in sync. Everything around you was a blur except for feeling of having him this close to you. You were too overwhelmed and contented with what was happening, you let loose of your quirk. You two were floating and he seems to smile even more as he continues to lay his love on your lips. You pull away resting your forehead on his with a smile that no one can ever tear down.

"God, Kirishima I- I like you so much. Just from the moment we met and no spell can ever change that." You say before you two landed on the ground and your hearts were screaming for joy at this point. Kirishima chuckles in front of you before he pushes a strand of your hair behind your ear making you blush even more.

"Guess I can say I'm under your spell then huh?"

"Oh god."

[thiswasinevitableid]

for mermay, 9 indruck nsfw?

Here you go! #9 was folklore, Indrid’s design is based on a blue-ring Octopus, and I borrowed from one of the Discord convos we had about mer Indrid recently.

Content note: there is implied transphobia/misgendering in the reason Duck ends up in the water.

Duck goes to the depths still protesting, hands and ankles bound in rope and dark water closing over his head. 

No amount of insisting he was the man he said he was or appealing to logic was enough; a woman aboard, even when he isn’t a woman, is bad luck and must be gotten rid off. So here he is, drowning for the sake of superstition, folklore and nonsense the reason his lungs scream in protest, denied air. 

Whoever said drowning was like falling asleep was a damn liar; he’s in agony, reduced to his most basic state of a creature that wants to stay alive and cursed with the knowledge that he won’t. He shuts his eyes, as if that might make it more dreamlike, and circles past him, he feels fingers on his cheek and then, and then....

Then he’s waking up, chest rising and falling with ease. No more than a nightmare, then, he’s still on the ship-

No, wait, his blanket is floating where he kicked it away. He’s alive, he’s in some sort of bedroom, and he’s fucking confused.

Voices float in under the door, a lilting one reaching him first, “...most stubborn set of legs I ever encountered. A kiss is supposed to be enough, yet while his body can survive in our realm, it insists on remaining like itself.”

“Indrid, his majesty is going to be unhappy when he finds out.”

“I am aware, Vincent. And if my brother finds a drowning man, he may rescue him or not as he sees fit. He does not get to dictate my conscious.”

“I mean, I think you did the right thing” A woman’s voice now, “but he’s still pretty angry at you for the whole giving me legs incident.”

“You wanted to see your beloved, and I am almost as fond of Aubrey as I am of you. A charm that allows you to go between worlds is hardly cause for such a fuss.”

“It was the no-voice thing that bothered him.”

A sigh, “Time and again I have reminded him that strong magic comes with a price. In your case it was easily paid, because Aubrey recognized you instantly and kissed you. As if I would send my own niece into a situation where she might be trapped.” The last sentence is muttered, like the speaker knows no one will listen.

“I know that. That’s why you're my favorite uncle.”

“I am your only uncle” the smile is audible, “and I am just glad the two of you will be married soon. Now if you will excuse me, my foresight tells me my guest is awake.”

A door opens and shuts, and a moment later the curtain of kelp at the end of the room parts. Duck’s never believed in mermaids (or mermen), but that’s what swims to him now, human face and torso giving way to eight silvery tentacles dotted with deep blue rings. They’re almost as striking as his face, his features sharp and alien, crowned with silver-white hair. 

“Hello” The mer smiles with sharp teeth, “How are you feeling?”

“Uh, not as confused as I could be on account of what I heard, but still tryin to work out why the fuck you saved me at all.”

“Three reasons: for starters, I dislike having corpses floating around the kingdom. I also do not see the point in having the power of foresight if I cannot use it to prevent suffering when possible. And finally I…” The calm smile on his face falters a moment, “I saw the moments that lead to your being thrown into the waves. You were condemned for being something you are not. I, ah, I could not let such an injustice come to pass.” His mask remakes itself, “and so here you are, Duck Newton.”

“And the kiss?” Duck raises his eyebrow.

“Ah, yes. If a mer kisses a dying human, that human will become a mer themselves. Except in your case, you have-”

“-Stubborn legs?”

A light laugh, “And here I thought I would be the one interrupting you. Yes, exactly. I have no idea why. I’m simply glad the magic worked well enough to help you breathe. There is a, ah, an issue however. My visions show that in your current state, you will not be able to survive on land.”

“But you said somethin about a charm to your, uh, niece?”

“That worked because it simply had to take her from mermaid to human; you’re stuck between forms in a way that, were I to apply the same approach to you it would end badly. As in accidentally turn you into a fish badly, at least in most timelines.”

“Huh” Duck worries the inside of his cheek with his tongue, “so I’m stuck here.”

“Indeed. I’m sorry.” Indrid sits on the foot of the bed, tentacles moving this way and that to fidget with the blankets, the bedposts, and the stray shells on the floor, “This has never happened before, and I did not mean to trap you in this way, I only meant to save you, to give you freedom.”

“That’s more than a lot of folks’ve tried to give me lately.” Tentatively, he touches the tentacle tip nearest him. It weaves between his fingers, the pressure from the suckers on the underside oddly pleasant. He rubs his thumb over a blue spot, which draws Indrid’s attention. His face goes pink and he pulls the tentacle back.

“Apologies, they have a mind of their own at times.”

“Don’t bother me. I, uh, I was just tryin to show you I ain’t mad. Feel a little adrift, but that’s a damn sight better then bein’ dead.”

“Adrift--OH, oh I see, you are going to say you do not know what to do now. The answer is heal; even though you are alive, your body and mind suffered before I saved you. You need rest and care, and I promise you shall want for neither. You are my honored guest, Duck Newton. My home is yours. I, ah, I would offer to let you leave the instant you are feeling able, but as you heard there are some issues with you being seen in this state.”

“Used to layin low.” Duck sighs, flopping back on the bed (or trying to, as he floats down onto the mattress instead).

“I gathered. If I had things my way, you would not need to do such things here. Alas, until my brother gets eaten by a shark, we may be dealing with this arrangement for some time” he gestures to the room, bathed in blues and greens as light filters down from the surface and in through the windows. Two tentacles gather the blanket, spreading it back up Duck’s body and smoothing it down. 

“Rest now, Duck Newton. In the morning I will have much to show you.”

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Duck wakes up clawing at the water above the bed, heart beating fast enough he fears it might eject itself up his throat. 

The nightmares a fewer these last two days, but whenever they want to be done for good is fine by him. 

He gathers seaweed green robe Indrid gave him and makes his way out of the bedroom and down the hall. Indrid gave him a bracelet of cowrie shells that’s enchanted to let him walk without floating away. He’s a strong swimmer, but without a tail to aid him he tires quickly against the force of the water.

The merman’s house is huge, an attempt by the king to keep him happy without giving him any useful power. Most rooms are cluttered with etchings and drawings or items salvaged from wrecks or the shoreline. There are spare beds, but after the night where Duck awoke in a panic and could not calm down, where Indrid found him the next morning exhausted and shaking, the mer offered to sleep in the same room with him. Duck pointed out that it was technically Indrid’s bedroom anyway and he could sleep there if he wanted to. The mer dragged a variety of comfy pillows into the corner and declared he would be quite happy there. More than once Duck’s woken up first to see him sprawled out on the cushions, always clinging one against his chest. Duck wonders what would happen if he offered to take it’s place. He suspects he could  do so without issue. 

He’s no stranger to being admired, though the last time someone eyed him so approvingly he ran off to sea to avoid marrying them. Indrid’s red eyes contain the same desire but none of the entitlement. The merman’s been staring at him since that first day, though it’s only recently that he let’s Duck seem him doing so, after Duck caught his eye and stared right back. 

Teasing Indrid is more fun than he expected, because while the mer usually gives as good as he gets, some days he blushes and wiggles his tentacle tips under Ducks attention. Indrid is obviously high status and, in Duck’s view, the most captivating mer in the kingdom; making him go pinker than a virgin at a striptease from a little flirting is gratifying. 

His absolute favorite part of his new home, aside from Indrid, are the gardens at the center. Coral glistens and rainbows of fish flit across his path, sea flowers bloom and wave as he passes by. The best place to sit is in a massive clam shell with an excellent view of the grounds and the city beyond. It also happens to be Indrid’s preferred location to draw. 

The mer takes one look at him and extends a tentacle, guiding Duck down to nestle close to him. When they’re with arms reach, one hand leaves his drawing to pet Duck’s thigh soothingly. He tilts his head, intending to study the sketch and ask about it, but ends up with his head on Indrid’s shoulder, slipping back into sleep. 

“Oh dear.” Indrid murmurs, closing the book as a flurry of voices swim towards them. 

“So, the rumors are true; you’ve brought a human into our domain.”

“Good morning to you as well, dear brother.”

The king crosses his arms, glaring at them, “if you cannot provide a decent reason for your having him here, I will make exile him myself. Right now.” 

Indrid’s expression and voice remain calm, but one tentacle coils around Duck’s ankle and his hand clings to the loose trousers, “He, ah, he is, ah”

“I thought as much.” The king swims forward.

“Pet!” Indrid grins triumphantly, “he’s my pet. You keep saying you wish I would find a way to occupy my time and stay out of trouble, and here he is.” Indrid pulls Duck into his lap, patting his head with such exaggeration Duck has to stifle a laugh, “I have been so busy with him the last few weeks I’ve had little time for anything else. Isn’t that right, Vincent?”

Their friend nods, “Yes, your highness, the prince has found Du--, uh, the human most diverting.”

The king narrows his eyes, “Very well. The human may stay in that capacity.” With that, he swims from the gardens, trailed by his advisors. 

“I gotta start wearing a leash now?” Duck teases, realizing too late that he’d do so in an instant as long as Indrid was holding the other end. 

The blue of the rings deepens, “Not at all. Apologies for referring to you as my pet, but the timelines shifted so heavily in the direction of him casting you into the open sea that I panicked.”

“Aw, you lied to the kings face just for me. Must really like me.”

“I do! I, oh dear have I not made that clear?” Indrid gathers Duck’s hands between his own. 

“You have, I was just teasin you. I don’t mind playin your spoiled pet to get one over on him, provided you keep spoilin me.”

Indrid’s grin returns, “I’m certain I can manage that.”

-----------------------------------------------------------------

“I hate it when he calls my bluffs.” Indrid glowers into the jeweled box just delivered to their doorstep. Right before Duck asks what’s wrong, the merman hands him a small piece of parchment. 

Prince Indrid, 

Included is a gift for your ‘pet,’ as you are apparently in need of it. It would be a shame for him to get lost, after all.

The note ends with the kings seal. Duck looks up as Indrid turns the box his way, revealing a collar studded with abalone shells and a leash woven from dark, sturdy seaweed. So many obscene images flood his mind it takes two tries before he can focus on Indrid’s words.

“...Thought I kept us clear of anyone who would bother to report us. I’m sure there’s a way around it, ruse aside you are my friend and equal and I will not ask you to humiliate yourself. Hmm, oh goodness, we will need to send word to Dani and Barclay that we cannot come to dinner to tonight, that’s not enough time to draw up a solution, though perhaps we can invite them here instead.” His tentacles trawl the ground as he paces the room.

“‘Drid?”

“Yes?” The mer stops, then his eyes widen, “you are serious?”

“Gotta let me offer first.” He replies with fond exasperation, “I fine with wearin it while we’re out. I know how you really feel about me and, uh, it, uh, makes me feel...safe?” It’s right on the border of a lie by omission, but he manages to get it out. 

“I see” Indrid swims casually towards him, as if that will distract Duck from the pink creeping up his cheeks, “in that case, may I put this on you, pet?”

“Uh huh.” Duck tilts his chin up, shuts his eyes with a happy sigh as Indrid latches the collar in place. The mer stays chest to chest with him, testing to be certain the collar is comfortable. 

“How is that?”

“Woof” Duck deadpans.

Indrid blinks, confused.

“It’s the noise a dog makes.”

Another blink.

“Y’know those things that are like sea lions but on four legs instead of flippers?”

“That’s what those are called. Fascinating.” Indrid loops the leash into place and Duck growls playfully. The mer pats his cheek, fingers lingering on his skin as he purrs, “good boy.”

-------------------------------------------------------

“Are you ready?” Indrid tips to vials of purple powder into a bowl, causing sweet smelling swirls of color to fill the room. 

“Yeah. Been ready for years.” Duck stands opposite from him, drumming his fingers nervously on the rim of the bowl. 

A week ago, Indrid asked in that blunt way of his if Duck wanted his human form to be different than it was. When he said yes, the mer immediately swam from the table and into the library to pull books from shelves. 

“It will take a few days to prepare; I am careful in all my spells but, well...well I suppose when it is you I am inclined to take even more care than usual.”

It’s not the spell that’s making his nerves bubble up his chest; it’s the component of it he has to contribute. A secret, a precious one, because powerful magic will not give something for nothing. 

“Whisper it into the foam.” Indrid gestures to the golden bubbles on the surface of the bowl. 

Duck keeps it short and sweet. Then blinding light surrounds him, pure white spiked through with pink and blue, and he collapses to the ground, unable to do anything but hold himself as the spell courses through him. When the colors fade and the room returns to view, it’s all he can do to make his legs stand. 

“How, ah, how do you feel?” Indrid taps his fingers together nervously, four of his tentacles following suite. 

“Like I got trampled by a horse and came out a new man.”

“Oh. Good.” The fidgeting intensifies. Duck can only think of one reason for that.

“‘Drid? Did, uh, did the spell mean you learned the secret?”

“Yes.”

“Does it bother you? What I said, I mean.”

“No.” 

A pulse of water, flourish of blue and silver, and Indrid’s lips find his. Arms and tentacles lift and hold him as they spin slowly across the room, the mer moaning when Duck drags his hands up his chest. He keeps kissing him as he speaks, mouth growing needier after every pause, “I, there were only a few timelines where you confessed your feelings for me and I, I wanted them so badly but I swore I would only act on your feelings if you used them in the spell, not simply because I saw futures where you might.” Tentacles slide under his shirt and up his pant-leg, “ohhhh, touching you in visions is nothing compared to feeling you for real.”

“Can feel me as much as you want, darlin. Got some things I wanna get my hands on too.” He tangles his fingers in Indrid’s hair, glides his mouth down to kiss his collarbone and tease a nipple with his tongue. 

“Oh my sweet little human, the things I am going to do to yo-”

The doorbell times and Indrid nearly drops him. 

“Damn it all, I forgot we were hosting game night.”

“Don’t worry ’Drid,” Duck pinches the base on one tentacle, “I ain’t goin anywhere, we can pick this up another time.”

----------------------------------------------------------

“I call that a success.” Indrid ushers Duck into the house. They’re returning from Aubrey and Dani’s engagement party (Indrid having provided Aubrey with a mer-charm of her own. As much as he loathes the idea, King Woodbridge has had to give the marriage his blessing; Dani is his only heir. If he disowns her, his throne passes to Indrid, a scenario he hates even more than a human/mer wedding. 

Duck wore his collar all evening in case one of the king’s toadies got it into their heads to tell on him. It also matches the clothing Indrid bought him exceedingly well, and he’s not ashamed he admired himself while passing the mirror. 

Indrid doffs his cloak as Duck closes the bedroom door, “You can remove that now my sweet.”

He leans against the carved driftwood, “And, uh, what if I don’t wanna?”

The mers hand pauses where it’s setting the leash on a table, “then I suggest you come here at once, pet.”

Not for the first time, Duck longs for a tail so he could speed through the water into Indrid’s arms. The mer is impatient as well, gives a wickedly charming grin as the lease whips out on it’s on to connect with the collar so he can yank Duck flush against him. 

“Better, but you are still not as I need you.” Keeping the leash wrapped around one hand, the other starts on the buttons of Duck’s shirt. The human tries to help, only for tentacles to trap his wrists together, “thoughtful, pet, but I do so enjoy unwrapping you myself.”

“‘Drid, pleaseplease hurry.”

“Manners, pet” A tentacle thwacks his ass just as two others pull his pants to the ground. 

“I said please” Duck laughs as Indrid nibbles his neck. 

“Is that sufficient for someone who spoils you as much as I?” Indrid flutters his eyelashes.

Duck bumps their noses together, “Please, ‘Drid, want you to fuck me, you take such good care of me, wanna take care of you right back, I’ll make you feel so good darlin please.”

“Much better”

His remaining clothing falls away. Out of habit, he moves to cover himself, only for his arms and legs to be pulled outwards, leaving him spread-eagle in Indrid’s hold. 

“Do not so much as think about hiding this perfect form from me, pet.” In the front folds between his tentacles, Indrid’s dick begins to emerge.

“Someone get off on admirin his handiwork?”

The smile softens, “I am admiring you, sweet one. You have the finest body I have ever laid eyes on; you did when we met, and you do now. I delight in holding it, touching it, these days I delight in seeing your comfort in your own skin.” A predatory glint returns to his eyes, “and of course, I like fucking you in it. In fact, that gives me an idea.”

Tentacles spin Duck in a half circle as Indrid swims to the mirror, meaning the human sees their reflections as the mer purrs in his ear, “I want you to see just how perfect you look on my cock, pet.”

“Jesusfuck, ‘Drid, yes” His own cock is hardening between his legs as small tendrils part and prod his ass; Indrid’s cock resembles a human one until it reaches it’s base, where the tendrils wait to push his partner further open or coax them to climax. They took some getting used to at first, cool and slick as the teased into Duck’s ass. Now he welcomes them, savors the tenderness with which they ready him. 

Indrid coos and purrs in his ear, chirping whenever his cock grinds between Duck’s cheeks. The hand not holding the leash caresses his face while the tentacles see to everything else. And he means everything

“Fuck!” One coils around his dick as another rubs gently at his balls. The first time they tried this they were cautious, unsure how human anatomy would respond to the pressure and suckers. In Duck’s case, the answer was “cum so hard and fast it takes them both by surprise.”  Indrid had taken one look at the cock with cum still beading at the head and swallowed it to the root, not relenting until Duck came a second time. 

“Ohhhnnnyes” The head of Indrid’s cock presses into him, “oh I never tire of how you feel, pet. So warm and welcoming for you, ah” he whispers in Duck’s ear, “master”

“‘Drid you, you keep that up I’m gonna cum any second.”

“Not before I show you something important. Look” Indrid forces his head forward with the collar. His reflection writhes and bounces eagerly on a cock he can’t see but can definitely feel, lips parted in a prolonged moan as Indrid lays claim to every inch of him. 

“My perfect, handsome pet, letting me play with him as I see fit.”

“Damn rightAHfuck, I’m close, if you twist like that again I’m gonna-”

“Cum” Indrid orders. Duck obeys, spilling into the water with a groan of thanks. The mer waists no time, traps him in place with his tentacles so can fuck him hard and fast, one hand tugging the collar and the other fisted in his hair, “oh yes, yes pet, just a little more, you can take a little more, you must, because you are my spoiled little treasure and I can cum in you whenever I please.”

“Fuuck” Duck turns his head for a messy kiss as the mer empties into him with a muffled trill. 

One by one, the tentacles relax, Duck’s feet gradually meeting the floor as Indrid trails kisses down his spine. 

“Goodness, whatever did I do to deserve you, Duck Newton?”

“Save my life?” Duck turns, gathering the mer into a hug.

“I did that because it was the right thing.”

“You’re right. Hmmmm” he peppers Indrid’s face with kisses, “must be because you’re so damn perfect.”

Indrid hums happily as Duck maneuvers them into bed, “I doubt that’s it, but I am too tired to argue.”

Duck lays down beside him, looping his leg over Indrid’s waist as tentacle twines around his ankle. Maybe one day it will cling to his fins instead, but he’s not all that worried about that now. However he ends up, as long as he’s with Indrid, he knows life will be perfect. 

[omgreally]

The Apprentice - Chapter 5

The Apprentice Rating: E Words: 13k+ Summary: Peli Motto took you off the streets of Tatooine to become one of the best apprentices she's ever had - but honestly, the DUM droids are setting the bar pretty low. Still, you work out well for the first few months until an armored Mandalorian stranger lands with a busted-up ship and a strange magic baby and, well, you're intrigued. Even though you know you shouldn't be. Peli's always teling you to keep away from anything hot but sometimes, to fix something, you have to stick your hand straight into the fire.

previously: Chapter 4  

Chapter 5 - The Demonstration

Content Warnings: Oral (m receiving), praise kink, masturbation, swearing, general smutty filth - enjoy?

---

“Mando?” 

The ship is somehow darker, quieter than before as you duck your head through the hatchway. The shadows stretch into deep, hidden corners, a faint beeping from somewhere niggling at the edge of your awareness - an alarm? Another system malfunctioning that you’ll have to deal with? You’re amazed you can still think about that when you feel like you can’t draw a full breath, anticipation and dread warring states in the pit of your stomach.

You don’t know what to expect. You half-expect the Mandalorian to be gone , shirking his darkly-uttered promise - This isn’t over. For your sake, you hope it isn’t, but you think you might be a bit in over your head with this one after all.

Despite your name, you are a woman, old enough to make your own decisions, but you’re a fool if you think you haven’t made some really kriffing bad ones. If this is one, you’re about to find out.

You set the heating coil elements aside on top of a crate and peer into the gloom, feeling the sweat of anxiety prickle on your forehead, the back of your neck, on your chest. You should just turn round and go, you decide, pretend the scene with Mando in the cockpit of his rusty ship never happened - he’ll probably be glad enough to escape your hormonal interests. He never seemed that interested in the first place, you tell yourself. You tell yourself it’s better to keep things business.

Feeling a bit better about the whole thing, you turn to leave, and you nearly collide with a wall of Beskar. Again. 

You’ll never understand how he can do that - appear out of nowhere as if by magic, without disturbing so much as the air around him, soundless and spectral. You feel like a lumbering bantha next to him, all heavy boots and breaths. But right now, you feel a whole lot smaller than that.

Looking up at him, the visor gives you nothing - not even a cant or an angle to tell you what he might be thinking. His stance is neutral, tall and imposing without even trying to be. He’s directly in between you and the port hatch, and with the crates on either side of you, you’re going to have to go through him to get out.

If you even want to at this point. You’re wavering again, unsure, his presence speeding the travel of your blood through your veins, making you feel almost drunk with it. With him. It’s like you forget when he’s not around, what he’s like, and then suddenly he’s there and you experience it all over again for the first time. The immensity of his presence. The raw power he exudes without even trying. 

No wonder you feel like this. 

“Heating coil’s’re almost worn out,” you croak, by way of explanation. “Replacin’ the element for you. Free of charge.”

“Thank you,” he rumbles. Polite. At odds with his effortlessly threatening bearing. It’s like he represents the very potential for violence at any time and that, more than anything else, is terrifying.

Exciting. Enticing. You feel heavy with it, like you’ve swallowed molten durasteel, and your cunt aches and all he’s done is pop up behind you and say two words.

He takes a step towards you, and you back up, crowded deeper into the ship. Into the darkness. You feel your shoulders butt up against the bulkhead and the curve of his pauldron obscures the light coming in from the hatch. It’s close and warm in here and not just because of the worn-out heating coils.

“Did you mean what you said? Before?” the Mandalorian asks, keeping his hands by his sides. Deliberate, cautious, dangerous. You wonder what would happen if you say no, if you tell him you’ve changed your mind - would he just take what he wants, regardless? He doesn’t strike you as the type. Peli wouldn’t trust him if he was. But he’s such an unknown quantity that the possibility fills you with equal parts apprehension and excitement.

You swallow past it, lift your chin. And you say, “Yes.”

He’s on you so quickly you don’t even register the movement - stepping into you, he grabs your hip in one hand and yanks you against him, and you feel him then, hard and straining against your stomach. Oh, Force , you think, Peli’s stolen prayer repeating in your head as silver eclipses your vision and arousal floods your system like never before.

“Show me,” the Mandalorian demands with a growl, and you forget how to think for a moment.

“But -” You’re not even sure why you’re protesting, but you do, some shred of logic remaining in your system, fighting against want. “The hatch - Peli might see, or the droids - “

Mando chuckles. He fucking chuckles, the sound a warm buzz through the vocabulator that makes your heart skip a beat. “You didn’t care about that up in the cockpit.”

Shit, you think. The viewports. Of course. You can’t refute his reasoning, even as you fight to keep some of your own. It’s a losing battle, eroded by the awareness of his hand, his hips, the outline of his length jabbing insistently into your abdomen. You have no idea where defeat will land you, but you can't wait to find out.

Fuck it, you decide. You’ll scrap any droid that comes in here and Peli - well, Peli knows better, by this point.

You don’t miss the way Mando’s breath stutters in his helmet as you lower yourself onto your knees on the deck. He lets you go and suddenly it’s like he doesn’t know what to do with his hands - they hover around your shoulders, your head, but don’t touch. 

Now, eye-to-crotch, you get a better idea of what you’re dealing with and Gods above , you were right when you estimated his size. He’s probably not even fully erect yet and the line of him spans such a space in his pants you’re impressed by the strength of the fabric keeping him contained. You glance up as you reach for his belt, and the chin of his helm is pressed to his chest as he looks down at you, and you can see his chest heaving now - he’s not so unaffected as he pretends, and that fills you with a smug pride that you, and you alone, have achieved that. 

“You don’t have to-” Mando says then, and the sudden softness in his hard, scratchy voice threatens to be devastating. “I didn’t mean-”

“You said to show you,” you counter, and the belt opens and sags around his hips, holster and armor and explosive charges and all. “Can’t think of a better way to do that. Can you?” He doesn’t answer. Instead he lets you pull it all from his body, and you set his gear aside on the crate with the elements. Carefully. Almost reverently. Mando seems to appreciate the gesture, staying still as you return to his feet.

It’s a struggle, with your hands threatening to shake and the strength gone from your fingers, but you approach it with the precision of a mechanical problem as you pop the button and lower the zip on his trousers. And when you reach in and free his cock from his undergarments, Mando freezes, his fists clenching at his sides.

You have to take a moment, too, if only to appreciate what’s in your hand. Heavy and thick, you can feel the pulsing of his veins beneath the tanned skin, and the head is flushed dark with blood and already glistening at the slitted tip. Your mouth fills with saliva at the sight. It’s the most beautiful cock you’ve ever seen.

Human, too. That’s a bit of a relief.

You don’t go in for the kill straight away. Instead you lean forward just a little, letting the velvety length drag across your cheek, nuzzling the tip of your nose against the  base and the thatch of wiry, light brown curls there. The masculine scent of him fills your senses, musky and dark, but not overly strong - which you can appreciate. 

Mando seems to be appreciating this even more, for you hear the smallest of sounds escape the modulator - a tiny, broken murmur that goes straight to the growing ache between your legs. With the lack of visual cues your body hones in on the sound, and encouraged, you pull back, because you’re already dying to get him in your mouth.

Evidently, he feels the same way, for as soon as you part your lips and let your breath play warm over the tip, he reaches out and fists a hand in your hair with a sudden roughness that makes your eyes water. But then he loosens his grip with a stuttered sigh, and you reward him by moving forward, opening your mouth and extending your tongue to swipe the moisture from the head of his cock.

Mando groans, a sound that reaches all the way through you and tugs at the tingling warmth already forming in your clit. Your coveralls feel too restrictive, and you wish you’d thought to change before returning to the Crest, but it’s too late now. And you don’t want to stop for anything.

He’s thick, and long, and you’re not sure how much of him you’ll be able to fit in your mouth but Maker, that doesn’t mean you aren’t going to try. You tease him a little longer first though, with your lips and the tip of your tongue drawing expanding circles over the head of his cock, and it’s only when he starts to rock his hips and tighten his hand in your hair that you open your mouth wider and slide him in.

“Ah, fff- fuck,” you hear from above you, and when you glance up past the shining plates of Beskar, you see his helm rock back as if struck. Smug triumph sings in your veins, but not for long, for the Mandalorian thrusts forward into the waiting heat of your mouth and you choke a little as his dick impacts the back of your throat. You take it, though, widening your jaw and flattening your tongue against the underside of his shaft, your nose pressed tight against the back of your hand as you grip what you can’t fit in your mouth in your fist.

You’ve always wondered why the girls - ahem, women - in the cantina and on the street complained about doing this kind of thing. There’s nothing more powerful than having a man helpless with his cock down your throat, although the Mandalorian is doing a good job trying not to appear helpless.

You let him fuck your mouth for a bit, let him think he’s earned it. You don’t mind - you hold your breath, inhale and exhale through your nose when he pulls back, and absorb yourself with learning each vein and ridge of his cock with your tongue, committing it to a memory that’ll keep you warm in your cot for nights to come. Soon your throat gets a little sore from the constant impact, and you slow him with a soft sound and a hand on his thigh, your fingers curling around the edge of the Beskar guard. Maybe a little surprisingly, Mando takes the hint, panting softly through the modulator as his thrusts slow, and he lets you take back control of the movement of your head.

As a reward, you bob over him, hollowing your cheeks and sucking him down in a move that has him gasping, and pulling back to twirl your tongue around the plush head of his length. He throbs in your mouth, and you wonder how pent up he’s been, how frustrated - from the feel of things, from the salty-sweet taste of precome flooding your senses, he has to have been wanting this as much as you have. If not more.

The knowledge fills you with a sense of power that makes you brave, and you begin to work him with your hand too, drawing him tight through the ring made by your fingers as you pull back, pumping him hard on the downward plunge. You feel his grip flex in your hair and the burn of the tugging at your scalp makes your cunt clench. You let go of his thighguard to snatch at the zipper of your coveralls, getting it down to your navel, working your fingers inside the suit and finally to your underwear - and Kriffing hell, you can’t believe how soaking wet you are just from getting him off. If he ever does anything to you, you’re going to explode.

“Such a fuh - fucking clever mouth,” Mando says then, his voice low and scratchy through the vocabulator, broken by a hiccup of breath that makes your hair stand on end. “Should’ve known you’d be - sss- so good -”

His praise does something to you, something that amplifies the touch of your fingers on your clit, and you think you could come just from this and the sound of his voice alone. You make a garbled noise of approval around his cock and Mando starts moving his hips again. Your lips hurt, stretched so tightly around the thick of him, and your throat burns; tears have formed at the corner of your eyes and your whole chin is soaked with your spit but you’ve never felt better in your life.

And then the helmet tilts above you, the visor fixed on the movement at his feet. Mando stops, cock pulsing against your tongue, as he gasps - “Shit - are- are you touching yourself?” and you have just enough time for one more plunge of your mouth before he’s coming down your throat, flooding your tongue with the heady, salty taste of his load.

His cock swells further, if that’s even possible, and he shoves himself all the way to the back of your mouth, holding himself there with his grip on your hair as he gasps and his cock jerks and twitches, seemingly endlessly, expelling rope after rope of come against your tongue. You swallow, because it’s either that or drown, he comes so much. 

Eventually it stops, the throbbing of his dick fading to the occasional twitch and Mando stills, the ragged sound of his panting breath filling the space. Your knees are sore and your fingers are cramping, clamped between your thighs, and you hurt with how fucking worked up you are. Kriff, he was so much louder than you expected him to be, so much more vocal and expressive than the blank stare of that black visor could ever lead you to believe, and that alone almost had you coming against your own hand. Not to mention you - just you - actually managing to make him come so hard.

Slowly, you let his length ease free from your mouth. His hand finally releases the fistful of your hair, and you’re surprised when he strokes the back of your head almost tenderly , at complete odds to the vicious face-fucking he just gave you. He is a Mandalorian of many layers, it seems.

“Sorry,” you croak, your voice more than a little hoarse, pulling your hand from your suit despite your aching cunt and the warmth still spooling in your tummy.  “Couldn’t...help myself.” Finally, you let go of his softening cock, wiping spit and come from the corners of your mouth as you ease back onto your haunches.  When you look up to meet the visor, it’s staring down at you with an unfathomable expression - of course - but his chest is still heaving like he’s been running and his fists are clenched at his sides.

“You,” Mando begins, and you think he sounds angry - furious, in fact. When he reaches down and grabs your wrist, hauling you to your feet, your arousal mixes with a cold shot of fear that does nothing to tamp it down like it should. But then the Mandalorian is spinning around and shoving you face-first against the bulkhead. “You’re - dank farrik -”

“I’m sorry,” you gasp out, but then he’s yanking your suit down your arms, with such force that he nearly rips it by the time he gets it over your hips. “You - oh - what are you doing?”

“Quiet,” he snarls, and your floor muscles flutter in direct response to the dropped octave in his voice. You shudder as you feel his gloved hands grope you - and he’s not shy. They’re all over your body, kneading at your stomach, your hips, your breasts, pulling and twisting without preamble at the pebbled hardness of your nipples. You gasp and tremble under the assault, letting out a moan, and you think that Peli could walk up that fucking ramp right now and you wouldn’t care, you’re already too far gone.

You were right. He hasn’t even touched your pussy yet and you’re about ready to explode.

You feel rough leather at your sore lips, and you blink in confusion for a moment before you realize it’s his gloved fingers. Mando shoves them into your mouth unceremoniously, butting up against your teeth until you open for him. “Bite,” he says in that same dark growl, and you obey unconsciously, clamping down on the seam above his middle finger. Then he tugs his hand free in one swift movement and stuffs the leather deeper between your lips, gagging you. All you can taste is his come and the leather but you don’t spit it out because you’re so fucking turned on by it and you don’t have time to reflect on that before you feel a strong, broad, naked hand trailing down your stomach and into your underwear.

Two callused fingertips press against your clitoris, so much rougher than your own, but it’s the right kind of rough, the best kind, the kind that makes you moan and drool around the glove in your mouth. Your legs shake beneath you, and Mando loops his other arm around your waist, holding you up between him and the bulkhead. 

He rubs short, deep circles into the swollen bundle of nerves, and if you weren’t wet before you’re soaking now, the crotch of your underwear sticking to your folds uncomfortably - right up until his fingers leave your clit and trail lower, a long middle digit working between them. You gargle out a sharp cry into the glove as he slides a single finger all the way into you with barely any effort, the passage eased by your arousal. So much longer and thicker than your own digits, you think you’ll be able to come with just one instead of your usual three, and when he finds that spot inside you that has you seeing stars and curls against it, you’re sure of it. 

You feel the weight of his helm press into the back of your shoulder as he echoes your groan. “So tight,” he rumbles, his finger prodding at your walls, exploring, relentless. “So wet. Is this all for me?” You nod wordlessly, your eyes rolling back into your head as his thumb finds your clitoris again, and he begins to work his finger in and out of you with a deliciously firm, sliding motion.

“That’s it,” he whispers, and his encouragement coils heat in your stomach. “Good girl.” From anyone else, it’d be patronizing, but from Mando - fuck -

You whine against the leather stuffed between your lips, grabbing at his wrist with both hands, terrified his might stop. You’re so close that your orgasm is no longer just wishful thinking - it feels like an inevitability, a surety, like the laws of aerodynamics or gravity. It’s so much better than it was in your bunk, alone; the weight of the Mandalorian at your back makes you ache as he relentlessly plucks at the taut string of your pleasure, drawing it into a single sharp, singing chord.

It rushes through you before you know what’s happening - before you can brace yourself against the sudden blazing surge of heat that has your back arching, your toes curling in your boots and your pussy clutching around the intrusion. You come sobbing through the leather in your mouth, your knees buckling with the strength of it, the feeling between your legs momentarily shorting out all other sensation. Mando holds you up, his finger pumping steadily through your clutching insides, his thumb a constant, devastating pressure on your throbbing clit. 

It is ruinous, and it seems to go on forever. Just when you think you can’t stand it anymore, his hand slows and stops, and you go limp and gasping, leaning back against the body of the Beskar bounty hunter behind you. 

You’re not sure how long you stand there, limp and listing. Your heartbeat takes forever to slow, and your skin feels flushed and too-tight everywhere. You reach up and slowly ease the crumpled leather of Mando’s glove from your mouth, wincing as you flex your aching  jaw. Now that awareness has returned, you’re far too aware of his helm pressed to your cheek, of his hand still in between your legs, of his arms caging you in against the bulkhead. He does not seem overeager to let you go, and that suits you fine. You’re not sure you’ll be able to walk just yet anyway.

“Girl?” His voice is a buzz from the modulator in your ear.

“Hmm?” you manage, feeling dumb and heavy and slow, and better than you have been in a long, long time.

“Just checking you’re alive.” He withdraws his hand from your pants and you lament its loss with a soft sigh. He squeezes your hip once before he lets you go entirely, and you brace a hand on the bulkhead in front of you as he steps back. You hear his clothing rustle as he fixes himself up. Then, surprisingly, he lifts your coveralls up, eases them up your arms and zips it up, smoothing the rough fabric over your sides and belly. Almost proprietarily.

“‘Course I’m alive. Don’t flatter yourself too much,” you say to him as you turn, leaning back against the cool metal of the ship’s interior. The Mandalorian looks...like the Mandalorian, all silvery Beskar plates and poise, although you don’t miss the way his chest moves as he breathes, still a little hard, or the bared flesh of his hand as your eyes track downward.

Long, golden fingers. Still shiny with your slick. He notices you looking, and he brings his hand up - you can’t figure out what for until he holds his fingers to your lips.

You part them and he slides two inside, and you make a soft noise around them as you tongue your taste from his skin.

He withdraws them and wipes your saliva off on your cheek. “Good girl,” he says again, and again you shiver. Force. You don’t know why you like hearing him say that, and you hope to all the unknown gods, above and below, that he hasn’t noticed. But you think you catch a hint of amusement in his voice when he says, “Glove.”

Dazedly, you press it back into his hand, and you don’t miss the way he flinches as your fingertips brush his palm, his bare skin. You don’t point it out, though. That would be crossing a line.

As if you haven’t crossed enough lines with the taste of his come still lingering on your tongue.

You pick up his belt slowly and the visor tracks you as you gesture with it towards his waist. He looks at you for a moment, and then he nods. You step close, and loop it around his hips, the shiny silver dome of his pauldron filling your vision as you click the fastenings shut and make sure his holster and armor sits right against him. It feels strangely...intimate, almost like a hug, although you can’t imagine actually hugging him. 

“Thank you,” he says softly, and you nod as you step back. “You did...take good care of me.”

Oh, he has to stop doing that. You weren’t made for kind words and you don’t know how to deal with them. His indifference was one thing, but this? This is a whole other game of Sabacc and you’re pretty sure you’re losing.

You try, though, clearing your throat and offering a wan smile as you cant your head back to look up at him. “Any time,” you say in an attempt at slyness. Mando lifts his covered hand and thumbs your chin, and your smugness dissolves instantly.

“We’ll see,” he says, and you bite the inside of your cheek. 

“I guess I better...better get back to the repairs,” you manage after a moment, after he lowers his hand, forging on despite the waver in your voice. To your surprise, Mando shakes his head.

“Go wash up. I’ll install the new heating coils. You can check the system when you get back.”

There it is again - the kindness you don’t expect, nor deserve. You swallow past the lump in your sore throat, eye his visor for a moment, then shrug.

“Okay.”

Your steps are a little wobbly, but you manage as you skirt around him and head towards the open hatch. It seems darker out, and you wonder how long you were - occupied. You glance over your shoulder on the way down, but the Mandalorian is already gone, like nothing ever happened at all.

You could almost believe it, but for your stinging throat and the moisture sticking your underwear to your skin under your coveralls.

The DUM-droids are working on the outside of the ship, making a mess, and you give one an idle kick as you pass. It chatters angrily at you and you roll your eyes as you drift towards the interior. Peli is nowhere to be seen, thank the Force.

But she does make herself heard as you try to creep past the control room.

“Have fun in there?” Your chin sinks to your chest and you turn slowly, bracing a hand on the doorframe. Peli sits leaning back in her chair with a snoozing Grogu on her lap and a look like she knows exactly what you’ve been up to.

“What?”

“I said, you have fun in there? Gettin’ those coils installed?”

“Oh, right…” you mutter, your face burning. “Sure. It, uh, got a bit hot and sweaty though, so I’m just gonna hit the sani’ real quick.”

“Hot and sweaty, huh,” says Peli, raising her eyebrows. “Right.”

“I won’t be long,” you assure her. “I’ll get straight back to work.”

“I’m sure you will. Be careful, Girl.”

“In the shower?” you question, bristling a little bit at the condescension. Peli really has to stop telling you that. It doesn’t make you want to be careful at all . “Okay, sure.”

“We’re gonna have a talk later, you’n I,” your boss adds as you turn away, and you feel the force of her gaze boring in between your shoulderblades. “Be done after sundown.”

You sigh. A Talk. That’s exactly what you need, you think to yourself. But you only nod once before moving off towards the refresher. 

Peli’s a buzzkill, but it doesn’t erase the memory of the Mandalorian’s hands on you as you stand under the hot spray. You follow the remembered path of his touch with your own, and sigh as you recall that all-too-brief brush of his bare fingers against yours.

You’re in trouble.

[scarletarosa]

Durga

Hindu goddess of power, strength, courage, war, justice, righteousness, determination, protection, salvation, and divine wrath

Maa Durga is the power of the Universe and is Mother Shakti herself. She is Jagdamba, Mother of the Whole Universe and one of the most powerful manifestations of the cosmic mother, Shakti. She is also known as Ambika (Mother) and Chandika (Fierce). She is beyond everything, beyond all space and time. It is this devi who brings peace, compassion, love, and justice into disorder, while punishing all those who bring evil. Durga is the Divine Mother Goddess who presides over the cycle of life, death, and rebirth and contains absolute power. Her name means ‘the invincible, unconquerable, and unassailable one’ and she is completely free of fear, allowing her to accomplish whatever she desires.  

With the guidance of Maa Durga, we can be filled with her courage and determination so that we can face any obstacle in our paths and become strong at heart. She is blindingly beautiful, with footsteps that shake the very Earth. Her roaring laughter fills the skies and sends chills down the spines of her enemies. Durga is known to be so powerful, that in one myth, she is even described as destroying an enemy with a mere sigh. She was born from pure power and righteous anger, with unmatched might. As the annihilator of pain and fear, she holds the name Durgatinashini, which means “The One Who Eliminates Sufferings”.

Durga is said to be the truest manifestation of Adi Parashakti along with goddess Parvati. Though it is Durga who not only plays the role as the unbeatable warrior, but also as our Mother. So while Parvati represents Shakti’s peaceful and nurturing aspect, Durga is her active and fiery aspect. Durga is deeply nurturing, loving, and protective, but is a terror to her enemies. She is connected to fire, and so is called Jwala or Jyotawali Maa, meaning “Mother of the Divine Flame”. Durga is Karma, Mahamaya, and Moksha (enlightenment). 

Maa Durga’s appearance is that of an alluring young woman dressed in a red silk sari (symbolizing action) and is sitting upon a lion or tiger, representing that she is ready to battle evil at all times and that she is ultimate courage. She has either ten or eight arms with which she holds her magical weapons- a trident, a rope, a thunderbolt, the shield of knowledge, a chakra, a lance, a bow and arrow, an axe, a mace, and a conch-horn for heralding her victory in battle. She may other times be holding a lotus flower and a sword along with the other objects. Durga is shown with having three eyes, which symbolize the earth, moon, and fire. Her many arms represent the fact that she constantly protects everyone from all directions.

                             Durga Slays the Asura King, Mahisha

When the buffalo-asura Mahisha was causing turmoil, none of the gods were able to defeat him due to his boon that he would not be harmed by any of the gods’ weapons. So the gods then came together and combined their powers, which created a blindingly radiant golden light which then formed into the invincible Durga- a direct manifestation of Adi Parashakti (in some versions, the goddesses Parvati, Lakshmi, and Saraswati merge to form Durga). The Matrikas then began to arm the warrior goddess with their magical weapons- a trident to awaken the fullness of her inner-power, a rope to bind illusion, a thunderbolt, the shield of knowledge, a chakra, a lance, a bow and arrow, an axe, a mace, and a conch-horn with which she would blow to herald her victory in battle.  

Durga then rode to the top of a mountain upon a lion and awaited Mahisha to see her. As planned, when the asura king saw the goddess, he was dumbfounded by her beauty and majesty, becoming completely intoxicated by her sexuality and raw power. This caused Mahisha to lose all logical thinking and he proposed marriage to Durga. To which the warrior goddess announced, “I will marry only he who can defeat me in battle.” Lost in his lust and eagerness, Mahisha attacked the goddess with his army without much focus. Finally, after a long and fierce battle, Durga struck down the asura king and blew her conch in triumph. Thus, peace was restored and the gods held Maa Durga in great praise. The tale of this great battle is a metaphor for the war we wage against our ego (represented by the asuras) in order to bring our Divine Selves to light. 

                                Kali emerges from Durga’s Rage

In the Devi Mahatmya, Kali is described as manifesting during Durga’s great battle against the asura Raktabija. As Durga battled him, each time a drop of Raktabija’s blood hit the ground, it formed into a clone of himself. This deeply frustrated and enraged Durga so much that from her forehead emerged the fearsome Kali, with a beautiful youthful form, pitch black skin, wild hair, and wearing nothing but a garland of human heads and a girdle of human arms. The destroyer Kali then began to devour every drop of blood from Raktabija, and fiercely slew all of his duplicates, allowing Durga to finally be able to vanquish him. With help from the eight Matrikas, the entire asura army was annihilated. However, Kali was still drunk on blood-lust and began massacring onlooking worshippers, drinking their blood. Here we see the uncontrollable nature of Kali, how she consumes all in the end of time, sparing none. 

Seeing this act of slaughter, Shiva came to the battlegrounds in order to calm his wife (as he is wed to Shakti). He lays himself on the ground before her as a corpse, symbolizing how Shiva is lifeless without Shakti. When Kali ends up trampling onto his chest, she realizes that she is standing upon her great love. This causes Kali to calm down and take the form of Bhadraka, the tranquil form of Kali whose skin is the colour of a dark blue lotus, and is pleasant in expression. She steps off of Shiva’s body and thus ended the battle’s slaughter. In triumph, the Matrikas danced and became drunk on the blood of their enemies. This glorious battle serves as a metaphor that Durga, Kali, and the Ashtamatrikas (eight mother goddesses) have complete power over life force, symbolized by blood.

Thus, Durga the Unlimited Power and Mother of the Universe is the eternal protector of mankind. She is beyond weaknesses and fears, and assists us in our struggles to help us to become strong as well. She destroys vices from our hearts and purifies us with her love. 

Epithets: Abhavya (the fearful goddess), Anantaa (infinite one), Bahula (she of many forms), Balaprada (giver of strength), Bhavini (the beautiful one), Bhavani (mother of the universe), Brahmavadini (the omnipresent), Buddhi (embodiment of knowledge), Buddhida (bestower of wisdom), Chandi (fierce one), Ambika (mother), Chita (preparer of the death bed), Vaishnavi (the invincible), Sarvasuravinasha (destroyer of evil), Jaya (victorious one), Bhavya (the magnificent)

Offerings: honeyed tea, cow’s milk, lotus flowers, passion fruit, red berries (any), figs, pineapples, ghee, red sandalwood, mahogany wood, tiger eye stone, orchids, pearls, red jade, silverware, gold emblem of the Goddess (Shakti), Durga statue, vanilla flowers (and incense), cobalt element; incense of dragon's blood, cinnabar, jasmine, or musk

[hage-potato-hog]

Mereoleona Vermillion x f.reader (with some NSFW)

@vermillionflames (insert a ton of needless information on why I suck) If you get bored of reading the non nsfw part, scroll down to the highlighted zone , lower it is the a bit more mature content. As I have mentioned before, sorry, Becca! Also, it’s like 3 a.m for me now, I haven’t edited a single thing, I am not even sure it’s written in English, lol. Goodnight! __________________

"I am afraid!" 

"There is nothing to be afraid of, you are a proud lion, aren't you?"

Mereoleona looked down at a young man laying his head on her lap, a profound puddle of red liquid seeping into her clothes. Another handful of blood and he won't be able to recover. For most of her life, the proud lioness lived alone, had to fend for her life in the wilderness where only the fittest survive and back when she still lived in the capital, her family, friends, other royal knights, all of them seemed at least decent enough not to get killed in a battle. Today though, she was facing a different type of reality. For the first time, she felt lonely and desperate amidst the cruelty of this world. 

"You shall not die," a low growl vibrated in her throat. "MEDICS, WHERE THE HELL ARE THEY?!" 

Her shouts were wasted. A couple of Crimson Lion knights standing beside her had neither healing powers nor the mental capacity to comprehend that their teammate is surely dying right in front of them. 

There was nothing anyone could do. Only wait. Observe the skin turning paler until they cannot make out another plea of help through the blood spilling into lungs, throat... Reality hurts. 

"I am useless," whispered the ginger female slightly shaking. 

A droplet fell. Then another one and another. Suddenly, the scene was engulfed in a rainy mist. And so, the tragic end came. 

Interposed in the thunder, puddles began echoing. The next instance Mereoleona was pushed to the side with a "move it" said in a calm demeanor. A young woman looked the bleeding man up and down and after a brief evaluation began moving her hands through the injuries. Several strands of unruly hair fell onto her focused eyes, sticking to long black eyelashes. 

"I am sorry to be asking this of you," she began without unnecessarily moving a muscle. "could you please wipe the hair out of my eyes? It feels irritating, but I cannot move." 

Mereoleona reached out her hand. A bloody trace of two fingers was left on the woman's forehead, but she simply smiled and thanked.

Usually, when every second counts and minutes can determine whether a person lives or dies, the time passes slowly. This time though everything was over in a wink. Triumphantly, the mysterious lady leaned back. Her face gentle and smiling. The man won't die.

Dense rainfall wouldn't stop, seemingly unable to read the lightened mood, it kept on falling to mourn a loss. 

"TAKE HIM AND HURRY," the substitute captain roared gaining her sanity back. The party came upon an abandoned shack in the middle of the fields and decided to take shelter there, the woman from before still tagging along. 

A nicely burning fire and a roof above their heads, they have decided to stay here for the night. Having finished the roasted boar Mere caught for dinner, they now where sound asleep. Still feeling restless, the ginger-haired woman decided to go out and take a breath outside on the porch, her, now clean, hands reached out towards the everlasting stream of sky water. She could still see blood on her skin, feel how sticky and different this blood was from that of her foes. 

"Some things are inevitable," a voice said from behind her. Wrapped in a blanket sat the woman from before. She felt uneasy to stay in the same room with unfamiliar men and chose to come out onto the porch. "Even if you do everything in your power, there comes a time when it's not enough," she came closer and put the blanket over the taller female which earned her an eyebrow raise. Voice as soft as a prayer for the peace in the world whispered "sometimes... you just have to see them off with a smile." 

"I reject this kind of logic." 

"Eh? Miracles do not happen!" the girl protested. 

"You say that as you popped out like one yourself. Although yes, I agree with you, miracles do not happen, but you can prevent mistakes from happening." 

"Eventually you will break. The future is set in stone." 

The ginger-haired woman turned around with a huge grin, "I will break the stone it is set in," she bolstered flaring up her mana making the blanket burn off in cinders. 

Her companion simply stood there admiring the ashes fly off. The one in front of her was certainly not your everyday person, something was captivating about her, to the point you get intrigued to see them in any state of mind. "I want to be there," she said.

"Hm? You want to be where?" 

"When you lose the battle against fate or... when you run to set the heavens ablaze, I wish to be there and see you, you are fascinating!"

Mereoleona blinked for a moment but the very next second got back her confidence retorting, "If you want to be there, then you must reach my level first." 

"Mmm. I will, do not worry. As a fact, I am traveling to the capital right now," she took out her grimoire and proudly tossed it up a few times into the air. 

"Oho? What for?" Mere felt a sadistic intent rise deep within. 

"I plan to join the magic knights. You people are magic knights, right? You must have heard of the Crimson Lion King, the squad led by the famous Vermillion family? Aaah, I have been admiring them for so long and I finally get the chance to see them." 

"What's so good about them?" 

"How can you be a mage and not understand it?! They don't base their judgment on your status or your wealth even the current level you are on isn't as much of a factor as the potential and your determination. And the new captain, Mereoleona Vermillion, I have heard so many fantastic stories about her, though everyone is saying she is terrifying. I wish to feel what it is like to be under her guidance one day." 

As the girl kept on ranting about the idolized female sorcerer, her partner couldn't contain her laughter anymore. What an interesting creature she found along the path. One moment she is consoling her, acting superior, next she's ranting about her beloved Mereoleona without knowing who she is talking to in the first place.

"Ah, I like you, girl!" she looked back thrilled. 

"I am very pleased to have met you too... Um... did we exchange names?" 

"Mereoleona Vermillion. Welcome to the squad, from today on, you are a member of the Crimson Lion King and soon enough you will feel the pleasure of burning under my guidance!"

*** *** ***

"Hm, it seems we have five days off starting tomorrow," a female chimed walking down the street. 

"Perfect for some vigorous training," another one responded to her. 

The first woman stopped and looked back with dead-bored eyes, then gazed away and kept on walking without saying a word. The atmosphere turned cold instantly followed by silence stinging painfully. 

It has been over 2 years since the fateful day when Mereoleona met a strange yet charismatic woman out on a mission. 2 long years filled with hard work to prove herself and years of Mere's admiration growing until it finally blossomed in love. They now were dating, but even though their love vows have been said after getting to know each other in and out, incidents like this still kept on occurring between them. Someone as bright as the ginger-haired female's lover doesn't go silent unless they are genuinely hurt. For Mereoleona, other people's feelings were a mystery. Even though normally she wouldn't feel even the slightest bit bothered, when it comes to her most important person, she couldn't stand seeing the smile vanish from her face. 

"Ahaha, yea, you are right, I still have a long way to go," the girl laughed and turned around to face her lover with a huge grin. Which was fake. 

"Tell me straight... I am not as good as you with humans and their emotions," this time, Mereoleona's voice indicated pain. 

"Ah, I did not mean that, I am sorry," with a quick motion she stepped in front of Mere and took her hand lifting it to her lips, gently planting a kiss and then putting it against her own cheek. "I want to spend more time with you," she smiled with an honest sparkle in her eyes. "I was thinking that the two of us could run somewhere, anywhere really, as long as it is you and me." 

Both of them stood there blushing. The hand pressed against the woman's cheek turned around holding her face still. Then, two lips met in a soft kiss that seemed to be too sweet for the girl to handle. Right before her knees could give out, they parted. 

"Leave it to me," the eldest Vermillion said leaving her girlfriend still in shock. 

It did not take long for them to reach the approximate location of their 5 days long logging, but before getting the privilege to rest in a warm bed embracing each other, they had to go through a forest that even thieves pass in a circle. By the time their hands landed on the doorknob of a hut in the middle of a plain, surrounded by thick bushes, it was already a dark orange evening with sun way bellow the horizon. Tired, dirty, and sweaty the woman overlooked the energetic one with jealousy. 

"A challange, how else," she chuckled to herself dropping the bags down.

"Are you disappointed?" Mereoleona studied the girl's face. 

"No. It wouldn't be you if these things weren't included and I couldn't love you any other way. Though, I must insist that from now on, no more special-monster-challange-deluxes, okay, love?" her voice took up a threatening note. 

"Yes, I know. Don't worry. From now on, there's only rest. Do you want to go take a dip in the the hot stream?" 

"There is one?" the woman asked turning around excited. 

"Of course, did you expect we will be enjoying a freezing lake?" 

"... I mean, even a freezing lake can turn into a volcano with you..." she said recalling various instances.

Mereoleona yanked a towel off a wooden rack by the door and turned back to her girlfriend "I will be going first, don't stay here too long. Do not forget, I will be waiting." Her step did not lack the usual confidence nor seemed tired even the tiniest bit. Far from it. She seemed to be standing straighter with her shoulders and neck tense as if a beast ready to jump its prey.

It certainly was warm inside the cabin but the temperature magically rose higher as Mereoleona closed the doors as she walked through. The young woman, now left alone, began touching her blazing cheeks, then fanning at them. In her mind, the moment she walked out the door, any layer hiding her bruised skin will be ripped off and even more skin will be broken from Mereoleona's overbearing kisses. Even as she was thinking that, her hands dug deeper into the bags searching for the negligee she bought exclusively for this occasion. Various garter belts flew on the bed with dark, white and burgundy laced panties, some nightgowns, meant to be used during summer and as such more revealing, scattered all around the floor, yet, nothing seemed good enough until her attention was caught by the second white towel hanging on the wall. Sometimes, the simpler way is the right way, she thought snatching it with more force than her beloved minutes ago.

"Hey! Don't tell me you cannot move anymore! Should I make you?” a roar resounded from the outdoor bath.

Flustered and in a hurry, she threw off the clothes, wrapping the piece of cloth around her. This sweet type of anxiety made the woman's hand tremble as it pushed the door open. 

The nightly breeze swiped past the heated body standing in the doorway cooling it down a mere bit. Mereoleona was in the water, facing towards the door, but her eyes wandered through the shape and texture of a sake bottle which she held high towards the sky. There was no way she did not hear the door opening, nevertheless, the melancholic sight of her did not change into the usual rowdy one.

Taking a shy step forward, the other female looked around admiring the untouched nature while breathing the aroma of the vespertine flora surrounding them deep into her lungs. “How gorgeous,” a whisper passed her lips making the ginger set the bottle aside and look back. They both were looking directly into each other's eyes.

“Are you going to join me?” an extended hand offered a cup to the girl on the shore. 

As if on a cue, the moment the towel dropped down to the floor, Mereoleona turned her attention to the side gulping down her own cup.

//////////////// THE RED ZONE ////////////////

They sat shoulder to shoulder in water, facing the crescent moon, enjoying each other and the sake. Or so it seemed. Previous teases from the lioness made her partner assume that they will be embracing one another immediately after their bodies came close enough. Unlike her, the ginger was leisurely sipping on sake, talking about things that entirely passed past her ears even if all the concentration was solely on her. The way her lips move, how they touch together, and then part again giving a glimpse of the tongue which should be on her. Her eyes ran through the peaceful silhouette of her lover, going down her collarbone with water droplets racing to the plump chest which seemed as soft as ever, then to the side, muscular arms resting on top of the rocks, long slender fingers tapping on them. She could almost feel them provoking a moan out of her lips as they play with her nipples indulging the idea of seeing her squirm underneath. Mereoleona must have had no clue what was going in her girlfriend's mind. As she has mentioned before, she's bad with human emotions and sometimes, even the great lioness needs to be shown the way.

First a single digit, then a whole palm touched to Mereoleona's cheek and gently cupped it capturing her attention. Just as slowly, keeping her eyes low, she moved onto her Mereoleona's lap and impatiently clung to her neck locking their gazes again.

“Is something the matter?” the ginger's voice void of any distinct emotions questioned. 

“Mere...” 

A puff of air, hotter than the steam from the hot spring flied out into the air. One of the woman's hands clung to Mereoleona's shoulder when the other was pulling towards her by the neck, then relaxing and letting her slide back down the lioness's legs in a motion which made her tingle with further excitement.

“Could it be that you are having certain cravings right now?” 

“Mhm,” was all the girl was able to mutter.

Mereoleona cast her eyes downwards. The clear water allowed her to see the repetitive motion which has not ceased on her lap. Going up, the curves of the younger woman's torso swayed hypnotically, asking to be held. Prominent breasts kept on making contact with hers, both pairs so earnestly excited. Finally, eyes brimming in lust, hunger, passion and most importantly – love. She moved her hand to the girl's lips, traced them gently, “I don't think you want me hard enough,” her eyes creased as she smiled uncovering her white canines. “Prove that you want me, tell me what I could do to stop this growing frustration in you.”

“Your hands... Mere, you know...”

“Show me, what you want them to do, my damsel in distress,” her eyes shimmered and the woman took Mereoleona's hands and slowly made them travel up her tights towards her bottom. “Huh, that's all?”

“Squeeze it.”

Doing as she was told, she squeezed it but seizing the opportunity, also pulled her even closer. The woman's chest and neck were in her reach. “Should I kiss you on the neck?” she chuckled nuzzling her nose closer.

“Bite it.” 

“Ha, usually you are annoyed saying I bite too much. But if it pleases you...”

She gripped at the curves she was admiring before as she lovingly left bite marks on her neck and areas around, coming back to leave a more serious mark on each. Every time her lips made contact with the heated skin, she'd peek at the girl gripping her shoulder and now somehow her hair as well. “What if I did this?” her fingers slid across the most sensitive area which was surely wet from more than the water and taking their time, kept a steady pace stroking it. 

“Did I prove it to you?” the woman asked catching her breath.

“I am merely giving you a small free-by, you will have to work more to prove yourself.” Mereoleona took back her fingers and licked them. “I can barely taste you, everything washes off. We should go to bed. You walk first.”

Mereoleona sat back waiting, letting the girl rise from her lap quivering. Walking, she stopped to look back only to see two blue irises appraising her backside. When she made it past the door and stood in front of the bed, she could feel the other female behind her leaning forward though eagerly waiting. Mereoleona's hand caught her chin forcing it to the side just a bit more. Their lips joined for a rough kiss which was more becoming for the lioness than the gentle teases out in the pool. One of her hands slid to the front and once again began working its way around the woman's sensitive lower abdomen. Hungrily she pushed her forwards making the two of them topple onto the bed. She inserted one of her fingers inside the woman making her arch her back, pushing her ass up. There was a great deal of frustration involved making this experience more ecstatic than usual. And when she began feeling her premature orgasm coming by shouting Mereoleona's name into the duvet beneath her, the woman took her fingers out. Both of them were panting heavily.

“Didn't we come here so I could taste you properly?” she said grabbing one of the garter belts that flew on the bed earlier. Mereoleona helped her lie on her back after tying her wrists together. “A good knight always sticks to their word,” she smiled again lowering her face to her lover's dripping sweetness. Like a feline, she licked gently, tasting it at first, then again, and again, until her lips were sucking and tugging as her hands held tightly on the woman's hips constantly pulling her sensitively bolting body back.

The cabin drowned in screams of pleasure not even stopping once she orgasmed. Satisfied, Mereoleona pulled back, coming next to her girlfriend and untying her bound arms. The woman had some tears rolling down, “Was it too much?” the lioness asked with a hint of unrest.

“No, you were amazing.” She pulled Mereoleona closer. They kissed not rushing anywhere. Parting, coming back just like the wind passing nocturnal meadows; gently and in waves. “I never knew you were such a great actor,” the two of them laughed.

“It certainly was hard not eating you out then and there. Still... You certainly seem ready for this trip,” she picked a pair of thongs from the pillow. “I would like to see a little show now, would you mind?” Mereoleona extended the garter from before along with the panties. “I am still as hungry as I was moments ago."

[aros001]

Going in blind: Watching season 5 for the first time. Random thoughts.

Episode 1: Well...that dinner got dark. From what other fans have told me apparently Glimmer gets a lot of hate for her decisions during the series and I just find that odd. I was more annoyed with her in the early seasons where her actions were more harmless simply because she had no patience and wouldn't listen because of her immaturity. Season 4 and here though? Even her most reckless and risky actions have at least been fueled by the genuine desire to keep people safe during a very hard situation. Even here, yeah, she tells Prime something it's very bad for him to know but he was going to have Adora and everyone else literally murdered before her eyes if she didn't. I can't really be mad at Glimmer for making a bad choice when it flows logically and fueled by the desire to keep the people she cares about from being slaughtered.

I don't think we've ever seen Catra this completely at the mercy of another person before, save maybe for Shadow Weaver when she was a child. She has nothing to offer that Prime doesn't already possess. Nothing he wants that he can't get for himself. Her relationship with everyone these past few seasons have been either "I'm your commander and you have to do what I say" or "You are my commander and here's the reason you have to keep me around". This time she has nothing to protect herself behind and the only reason she's still around is because Prime might think of a use for her later.

I love having Scorpia on the heroes' side.

Episode 2: That ending though.

I think what helps elevate Entrapta for me and keeps her for being annoying or irritating is that the show really sells that she just genuinely has trouble understanding why she should/shouldn't be doing certain things. It's not stupidity or even pure self-absorption, she just struggles with people and social ques while machines and science is a lot more straightforward. Heck, she was probably able to bond so well with Hordak because work together in the lab was them meeting on a common middle ground she could understand and relax in. The way she's trying to overcome the issue to help save Glimmer reminds me a little of Mob from Mob Psycho 100, feeling a little frustrated in not understanding something that she knows she should be.

Episode 3: Anybody else get a Disney's Hercules vibes at the end there?

Catra: "Besides, O Oneness, you can't beat her! She has no weaknesses! She's gonna kick your...!"

Prime, smiling: "I think she does, little sister." [Strokes Catra's hair] "I truly think...she does."

This episode really sold how completely isolated Catra is. With the sole exception of Glimmer, she's in space, no idea where exactly she is, onboard a ship filled with nothing but Prime and hundreds of cultist clones. Throughout the entire series we've seen Catra push everyone away and now that she's in a situation where she is almost well and truly on her own with no power, freedom, or authority, she seeks out the one other person around to find any sense of comfort in. Despite everything, Catra doesn't like being alone.

Little child Catra lashing out because she didn't want Adora to have any friends other than her kind of reminds me of Glimmer and Bow during the Princess Prom episode. I imagine it's the same mentality. Growing up in isolation, even if in different forms, and finding only that one person they feel thay can really lean on, there is that fear that they'll find someone else they like more and start caring about them less, or even outright stop. The difference is Bow set Glimmer straight, assuring her he'll always be her friend no matter what but he's not going to be just solely dedicated to her. Her fear was understandable but she was not respecting him as a friend either. Adora never really had that with Catra, one because she was much younger and less mature than Bow, and Catra was probably all she had too, to an extent. As we saw season 1, she was always trying to look after her, even when Catra needed to take responsibility for herself. Bow is not Glimmer's keeper, while Adora too often was that for Catra, so Bow and Glimmer have a better foundation of mutual respect while Adora and Catra's dynamic has been really screwed up for a long time.

Kind of tying into that, despite all that's happened between them, the minute Adora hears Catra's in distress she starts panicking and tearing up. The last time they saw each other they were very much enemies and Adora was done reaching her hand out to her. I suppose you could make the argument she's really been hoping all this time that Catra would finally do the right thing for once, just probably didn't expect it to be like this.

Prime better not mind wipe Catra like he did Hordak.

Episode 4: See, calling the heroes the rebellion now makes sense since they are rebelling against the established power, which is Prime.

Love that trick with the reflections, where you can sort of see/sort of can't see She-Ra. A nice little tease for what I imagine will be a big reveal later.

I really like that explanation for what Bow's going through. Last season's finale was the last he'd seen Glimmer and was desperately trying to save her, and he's been consistently worried for her since then. Now that she's safe he's starting to let himself process his other emotions towards her, and I totally get it. It's hard to be mad at someone when you're also terrified over what might be happening to them, even if your anger is justified. While I get why Glimmer last season did what she thought she had to, it was still a big risk that Bow warned her about and she didn't listen, putting them all in danger. This situation and Glimmer's words is a very mature way of handle this topic. He's not wrong for being mad and it's not a contradiction to what we've been seeing from him this season. Humans and emotions are complicated.

Episode 5: SHE HAS PAAAAAAAAANTS!!! (I will miss the cape though)

That almost makes up for them cutting Catra hair. Seriously, that mane was beautiful!

But boy, speaking of Hercules, that return of She-Ra definitely felt like Hercules emerging from the pool of souls to save Meg.

With the one clone being disconnected from the hive mind and having a breakdown over it, that does make me wonder if Hordak has been connected to it. Wasn't he deemed a defect because Prime couldn't connect to his mind? I suppose it's possible that flaw was corrected. Clearly Prime can take over minds other than just his clones, like with Catra. But if he could do that I'm wondering why he just didn't when Hordak was first created and he instead cast him out to Etheria.

Was Catra purring at the end? I swear there was a sound that sounded like purring.

Episode 6: Assimilation is easily one of my biggest fears in fiction, be it zombies, Borgs and Cybermen, Get Out, the freaking Sapphire Dragon from Xiaolin Showdown that scared the hell out of me as a kid! Just the concept of having your free will and autonomy completely ripped away from you, potentially with you still being aware but unable to do anything about it, is horrifying! At least with Prime's chips the process is reversible.

Anyway, in lighter plots, I kind of love Wrong Hordak. He's really funny. I feel bad that he's being deliberately misled, but he really shouldn't be following Prime anyway, so...

I do like that Adora is being a little more tough on Catra. She needs kindness, yes, but she also needs honesty and discipline, the kind that has actual love and care behind it, unlike what she got from Shadow Weaver. Adora is genuinely trying to help so Catra needs to stop acting like a brat and LET HER HELP.

Episode 7: Catra was definitely purring.

I'm going to go out on a limb here and assume people probably ship Scorpia and Perfuma. Not that I have any problem with that. It's like the Midoriya/Todoroki ship; I don't ship it myself but I totally get why others do. It's a relationship based in mutual respect and one of the characters having a significantly positive effect on the life of the other. As long as the shipper themselves is not horrifically toxic, I don't care.

Also, I don't think I've ever been so intimidated by Mermista before than I was with that one shot of her in silhouette, just before the reveal she was chipped.

Episode 8: Okay, I definitely love Wrong Hordak. Just that realization of his. "Horde Prime...lied to us..." There's just something about it that's so full of character. Obviously he's a brainwashed clone but he was truly devoted to Prime and just to find out that he would keep something so big from them, from the hive mind that's supposed to be so open to him and each other, it destroys everything he ever believed in. It's hilarious to watch him prepare to lead his brothers in a revolt against Prime.

I assume magic is Prime's "weakness" in that he himself cannot control it. Obviously he can control magical beings like Spinnerella and have them use magic but magic itself is too free and too powerful for him to contain and fully fight back against. He's all about order and stillness and magic is basically chaos.

Episode 9: I like to believe the mushroom kingdom they saved is a Mario reference.

Something I like in hero stories is "the power of a name" or "the power of a symbol". Something as simple as Superman's S-shield can have so much weight and meaning behind it just because of the person it's tied to. She-Ra isn't just a powerful warrior to the people of Etheria, she's a hero of legend. We saw it touched on even back in season 1 how much Adora returning She-Ra to the world meant to everyone. She-Ra to them is a symbol of hope. If they have her on their side, then they believe they might be able to win and with that ordinary people can find the strength to fight too. It's something I think the Green Lantern put best with how the Blue Rings of hope supercharge the Green Rings of will but lose a lot of their functions when the greens are not around. Hope is useless if you don't have the will to also act, but in turn hope can give people the will to act. The more hope they have that they can win, the more they will fight to win.

That was the nerdiest comparison I've ever made.

Episode 10: I appreciate a good bad dad joke and that's why I can't approve of "punderstand". It's too much of stretch to flow well. "Ruined" was good though.

I'm less surprised that Scorpia's been chipped and more that she's even alive. She was at the bottom of the ocean when the roof broke and she's a scorpion woman. I don't think water is a very friendly element for her. She's even commented on how good the desert was to her.

I wonder her She-Ra mode is not working for her simply because Adora is exhausted; mentally and physically. I don't think she's ever used the form this continuously before, and she's been doing it without the First Ones' sword that she has experience with. Her new sword and its transformations may be made out of her own energy for all we know. And then there's just the emotional toil of having Catra back in her life while it feels like more and more of the world is being turned against her.

Episode 11: Oh, I'm definitely shipping Hordak and Entrapta.

I think Re:Zero has spoiled me on dark magic. While Micah with his dark magic is a threat, in this show and many others dark magic basically just equates to "spooky, evil, bad stuff" magic that isn't that different from most other kinds of magic other than being either harder to control or more geared towards causing harm. In Re:Zero, dark magic was DARK. It felt unnatural, like a perversion of how their world's magic is supposed to be and that it didn't belong in this reality. Micah's dark magic is basically "I'm attacking you with shadows, oOoOoOo so scary!"

Not really surprised Catra left. She just got Adora back and now she's potentially about to let herself die. Perfuma said it best, letting people in and letting herself be vulnerable is hard. Caring about Adora and watching her die would be a huge blow, so Catra would rather curl back up into her shell and block out Adora again than have to risk taking that hit.

Episode 12: I keep saying it but now having them right next to each other, yeah, Mara's She-Ra outfit is better than Adora's. I don't know, there's just something grander about it. Anyway, on topic, I'm a big fan of superheroes and legacy and all that and I really like Mara's words to Adora. All she did and sacrificed was so that others, especially the next She-Ra, wouldn't have to do the same. It doesn't matter how noble and heroic it is, tragedy is tragedy and anyone who knows that kind of pain doesn't want anyone else to have to go through it.

I'm not surprised by the love confession between Glimmer and Bow. I felt it could go either way with them either hooking up or just staying really good friends, but that in itself is a sign of how good and natural their friendship is. I can easily buy how it would evolve into something more between them. The situation they're in probably helps. When Glimmer was taken they both thought they might never see each other again and that fear and worry probably caused them to reevaluate how they feel about the other. They've been clinging to each other since getting back, as every day could be their last. Something like that is naturally going to push two people together.

Episode 13: So...are there any plans for a season 6? Or a comic continuation like Avatar and Korra got? Because this was a good finale...buuuuuuuuut I feel there are definitely some things that needed a bit more exploration.

This is typically why I like stories with epilogue endings, especially those set some number of years in the future. Little glimpses of what everyone's doing now, allowing the audience to fill in for themselves what happened in-between. There's nothing wrong with this episode but it does just kind of...stop. They beat Prime. Everybody's cheering and happy. Adora suggests they bring magic back to the universe. And...that's it. We don't see anything more. No aftermath, no post-war, nothing. We end on the moment of victory, and while it's not a bad moment it leaves the ending feeling a little incomplete.

It kind of feels like the writers either really had to rush to the ending to make the 13 episode deadline or simply didn't want to address whatever happens with Catra and Hordak now. With the bigger threat of Horde Prime it makes sense why everyone puts aside past issues and works together. But now that the crisis is over, naturally everyone would have to address everything the Horde had done to Etheria for years with Hordak and Catra leading it. Don't get me wrong, I believe that Catra loves Adora, I believe Adora loves her, and I believe Catra wants to be a better person. It's not like I'm saying she needs to be locked up or executed. But she did cause a lot of damage and put Adora especially through hell, and just because Shadow Weaver is the one who screwed her up so bad doesn't mean she doesn't have any responsibility for her own actions. So it just would have been nice to get even a little bit of lip service to show that Catra would be trying to right her wrongs from this point forward, instead of just "Prime's gone, everyone's happy, bye!" At least with Entrapta she seemed to genuinely not understand why what she was doing at the time was wrong and Scorpia, like Adora and Huntara, defected from the Horde to do the right thing despite it being even more part of her upbringing than anyone else. I can't even imagine what happens with Hordak now.

Don't get me wrong, this is far from the worst I've ever seen a redemption handled. I haven't read/watched any of Boruto outside of the movie and Gaiden tie-in but I've read all of Naruto and there is no reason that Orochimaru should just be walking around and casually talking with people after all he's done. Kaiba in the Yu-Gi-Oh manga built an entire theme park to try an murder Yugi and his friends and they bring it up like twice after that arc. Kylo Ren turning back to the light was one of the potential paths for his character, so that made sense in TROS, but they essentially did "He died heroically and therefore totally redeemed himself for every terrible thing he's ever done."; basically a cop-out. Catra's alive and can at least potentially still own up to her actions and work to redeem herself. And I love Steven Universe, but kind of like with Catra nearly killing everyone (including herself) via the unstable portal, fans have naturally pointed out that the Diamonds enslaved and committed genocide on multiple planets and really faced no consequences for that other than "Stop it". Catra's not at the gold standard of redemption stories, which for me is probably Zuko and Endeavor, but she's far from the bottom. I think the best way to describe it is that Catra had as good, if not better, reasons for being so bad and screwed up as Zuko did, just as good step-up for turning good as Zuko did, but she didn't have nearly as much payoff afterwards to make it feel like a full journey like Zuko did.

But enough about all that. Love the basically goddess She-Ra Adora became. Given the emphasis on healing powers with She-Ra we've had, I'm guessing that's essentially how she destroyed Prime. She purified Hordak and Prime was basically an infection within him. I like when heroes snatch victory from the jaws of defeat but I also when there's an implication towards the villain that "Wow. I never stood a chance." She-Ra's power just dwarfs his. Full potential realized by Adora and he was just gone.

Also I don't know how I forgot that Prime could jump into the bodies of his clones but his possession of Hordak got me. I genuinely couldn't think of how he'd survive after Hordak shoved him off the edge (set free by the power of love!).

And even if the ending feels a little incomplete, the episode itself still did well with my emotional investment. I was gripped by during Catra's confession and the tension within the heart.

Season 5 and overall series verdict: I'm very glad I saw this series. Even though its ending falls a little short for me, this was still really good. Seasons 3 was probably my favorite overall but this story had a very good flow to it. It steadily built up bigger each season, with Catra and Hordak being really compelling villains driving the whole thing. Not that Prime was bad. He was a genuine threat and his cult of clones is a good creepy concept. He's just not as good as the other two. I'm sure part of what elevates him up is because I'm thinking of the JL director's cut but Hordak really is just better Steppenwolf. Everything that worked about that character, Hordak is that to an 11.

Given how I've talked about her more than any of the others, Catra is probably my favorite character. Just the damage that girl has been through. I always understood why she was doing what she did, even though there was rarely a moment I'd agree with exactly what she was doing. Again, it's one of the reasons it feels like the series just kind of ended. There's a lot to be seen with Catra's character now, a lot that can be done, and it just feels like a shame to really not show any of it. This isn't a fault of SRPOP itself because so many series, especially animated and anime, are guilty of but it always bugs me when a series ends on two characters hooking. Relationships are interesting, I'd argue more so than the build-up to them, but no writer ever wants to actually explore them after the hook-up. I never cared about Korra and Mako being a couple but I still found their relationship as a couple more interesting and character building than any of the will they/won't they build-up to it. And I actually like the idea of Adora and Catra as a couple. It's a big reason why I'm so happy the Harley Quinn animated series got renewed for a third season, as it otherwise would have just ended on a hook-up between two characters who, like Adora and Catra, love each other but have had a complicated dynamic for a while. I believe Adora and Catra love each other, but they've got a lot of stuff to work out and I want to see that! Catra's got abandonment issues and that in turn caused her to be unhealthily possessive over Adora. Just seeing the two of them try to work through that alone would be fascinating.

Like I suspected early on, Scorpia's my favorite supporting character. Entrapta's a decent 2nd. Took a small dip when it seemed like she was joining the Horde over feeling abandoned by the princesses when they thought she was dead but that picked back up once it was made more clear "Oh, okay, you're not being petty or stupid. You genuinely don't understand." It made her a more interesting character, and I love her and Hordak's relationship.

Least favorite characters...probably Sea Hawk and those three former Horde friends of Adora and Catra. I never hated them but I never cared about what was happening when they were on screen. They fill out the world a bit, they drive the plot, they're not wastes of space, they even get some laughs. There are just so many other characters in the series way more interesting than them.

Biggest surprise for me was definitely Glimmer and Bow. I never thought I'd dislike them but the best friends characters in series like this can kind of go one way or another with how relevant or deep they are. Glimmer especially I was surprised how much I was invested. She really grew a lot as a person throughout the series and I thought the dilemma over the Heart of Etheria was a good one.

Honestly there's a lot more I could talk about but I have only so many words and my thoughts are a jumble right now so I'm going to leave it at that. I will say I really appreciate how supportive you all on this Reddit have been. It's something I hate about some other fandoms I'm in where they basically are so toxic that they make no one else actually want to watch/read the thing they're fans of because they can't help but associate it with them.

Original Reddit post: https://www.reddit.com/r/PrincessesOfPower/comments/o2p6wq/going_in_blind_watching_season_5_for_the_first/

[sabineelectricheart]

The Oracle Vault [Pt. 1]

Summary: Byleth and Sylvain take refuge from the cold and prying eyes at the Abyss.

Rating: K+ - Suitable for more mature childen, 9 years and older, with minor action violence without serious injury. May contain mild coarse language. Should not contain any adult themes.

Words: 2435

Notes: So, a new series. I hope you enjoy this one, too.

The Oracle vault.

The large, stone salon was tucked somewhere on the face of the stone that held up the monastery main buildings. A wrong turn away from the Abyss settlements, the chilly, mysterious room had always elicited some strange regard from the new Archbishop.

Before the war, Rhea would use the room to make predictions about the future and the wishes of her mother, trying to communicate with the Blue Sea Star. The monks tasked with the prophecies used all sorts of methods, from magical objects, narcotic substances and, mainly, ritual dancing. So much so, the White Heron Cup was usually held to identify students with a particular talent for it, as, upon victory, they were brought here to further education in magic.

Of course, the former Archbishop’s attention to it was uneven. At the dawn of the Church of Seiros, Rhea would invest heavily upon the art, hoping to bring forth Sothis through their magic. After the Four Apostles failed so shamefully and were purged away from the religion, the woman started investing in Crestology and alchemy instead, returning every so often, after another failed experiment and lidden with guilt for perverting her mother’s creations in such a manner, hoping for absolution and guidance.

Byleth does not know why she cares for this room, as she is unsure about its power to predict the future and the will of the Goddess. She understands why she appreciates the gardens and gazebos, and do have fond memories of her old classroom, but, prior to the war, she had never even heard of this place.

It was far more contrasting from the others, consisting simply of stone walls and arched ceilings, a large empty space in the middle, as if what should go there was yet to appear. On the dark and damp corners, mismatched tapestries draped in ruffles from the walls in bursting colours, equally so in the various sizes cushions and chairs with rugs to match. Other objects as pebbles, scales, magically-infused items and strange clothing were discarded around, as well.

Regardless, it laid empty and forgotten. The Oracle mages and dancers were seen by Edelgard as the consubstantiation of everything that was wrong and corrupt about the Church, just short of the Immaculate One in foulness, and so made her personal business their systematic persecution and murder. Seteth said it was unlikely any of them managed to survive, and if not, they had no news of any of them. Their art is mostly lost, and it elicits a bit of a melancholy in Byleth’s heart, knowing that.

“Why is it that we are coming here?” Sylvain asks with a sigh, trailing behind her as Byleth ascend the last few steps of the winding spiral staircase.

The green-haired woman turns to him with a slight wicked grin and a raised brow, a look he soon returned as he grasped her hand in his own.

“I think we could do with a change of scenery, after all.” She responds with some ease. “I am growing rather tired of the Goddess Tower and the Star Terrace.”

“What is wrong with the Goddess Tower?” He scoffs in faux offense, his brows furrowing as she tugged him along with her into the vacant room as he looks over his shoulder once more.

“It is far too cold and cloudy to go up there tonight. Besides, this is one of my favourite rooms in the whole monastery if you must know. You will survive mingling with the Abyss people just this once, Sylvain.” She jests light-heartedly, releasing his hand to skip ahead of him as he groaned at her sudden absence and he had no choice but to follow her.

Though, he felt that he would follow her anywhere, and this was a proven fact with the conflict that came to a head only a few Moons prior.

“And if I do not?” He calls after her just to be difficult, pinching a piece of red velvet fabric between his fingers before his eyes roam back to her.

Byleth turns on her heel and purse her lips at him, narrowing her gaze as she fights her bemused smile. She shakes her head as he holds her stare in just the same manner, his head tilting and eyes squinting as he challenged her and she readily gave up on suppressing her grin for a moment longer.

“You did not have to join me if this is not to your taste, you know?” The Archbishop says, and he rolls his eyes as he tugs her close to him by a gentle grip on her hand. “If you have such a strong opinion of my wards, you are more than welcome to turn around and leave, but I have a feeling you would miss me too much if you did.”

The horseman silenced her very logical words with a kiss, her chuckle dwindling as she relaxed against him. His kiss was soft and tender as he hummed against her lips, his hand coming to brush her hair behind her ear as his lips moved from her own to sweep across her cheek. They linger just under her jaw before pressing chastely under her ear, his nose brushing over her skin.

“Must you always pick on me, darling?” Sylvain murmurs, his breath tickling against the shell of her ear.

Her soft laughter starts up again at his words, pulling his attention back to her gaze as he pulls back to look at her. She rests her hands on his chest, her fingers splaying across the azure fabric of his wool-lidded coat and smoothing over his furred collar.

“Yes, I think I must.” The woman concludes and, with that, she turned away from him and left his loose embrace much to his dismay.

She walks over to the centre of the salon, and twirls around slowly, taking in the static air buzzing on her skin. She knows her companion can feel the magic, too, and was just being a contrarian for sport. Besides, they were deep underground, behind complex magically-protected doors. If there is a private, unassuming room in all of Garreg Mach, this is probably it.

Sylvain watched as she smiled contently, her eyes falling closed as she tips her head back and bask in the peace that came with nightfall. In the enchantment of the room. For it was the time where they could love one another as freely as they would like, for as many hours as the moon remained in the deep navy sky. He wanted desperately to love her in the light of day, without fear of prying eyes and listening ears, but she knew why things were the way they were.

The House of Gautier were devout followers of the Church and loyal subjects of the Kingdom. The Margrave’s assistance on the Homefront during the war against the Empire was undeniable, and absolutely invaluable on their struggle for resistance.

However, for all the decoration and respect the family has amassed throughout their existence, and above all the more recent achievements, are believed by the current house head to be thanks to their Crest, and its consequent ability to yield the Lance of Ruin. As such, the blood must be protected with all zeal.

In Fódlan, that usually meant inbreeding, but the House of Gautier has not birthed a girl in one hundred and fifty years, and so incest was a material unpracticality, even between cousins. So, it was established a rotation between the Crest houses of the Kingdom: Blaiddyd, Dominic, Galatea and Fraldarius. It was believed that, through this system, the family would profit from the influx of blessed blood, but no one other Crest would be able to supplant the Gautier, as it happens from time to time with noble children.

In this regard, while Byleth carries a valuable and powerful Crest, coveted by many houses throughout the continent, a match between her and the only heir to Gautier seemed like an existential threat to the Margrave. Not only she carried the Crest of Flames, the sign of the Goddess’ favour, the Church documents seemed to indicate that both her parents carried the Crest of Seiros. They would certainly overpower the Minor Crest of Gautier the old noble and his son carried.

While Byleth cannot say for certain which Crest her children would bear, or even if they would bear one at all, or even still if she is able to have children of her own, the Church does know of ways to make one carry any Crest. From blood reconstruction surgery, to Crest Stone rituals, to even a valuable collection of Dragon Seals hidden away, if there is a pressing need for a bearer of the Crest of Gautier, she is guaranteed of its supply.

Nevertheless, it was widely agreed amongst the war generals that Crests were an undesirable feature of their society, and they should be let naturally purge away in the coming centuries. She cannot go back on such an important and consensual position for her own personal gain, especially if it means announcing to the world that the Church could have granted Crests to anyone all this time.

So, Sylvain’s father pressured him to sever his ties with his girlfriend, he is constantly pressured to wed either Annette or Ingrid, and they continue their liaison under the clandestine guard of the Garreg Mach nights. It was not a situation that would be left standing for long, but the dices will fall where they must, and Byleth has decided to deal with them as they do.

For now, to his great delight, the nobleman watched the way the torchlight glowed against her divine beauty as it shines against her verdant hair, falling like a protective veil over her head. It danced across his girlfriend’s unmarred and soft skin, as soft and jovial as a new-born’s, in bitter spite of the many years of probations she endured.

Such an ethereal beauty left him wondering how someone so perfect could love someone so flawed. He found himself to be an anchor tied to her at times, his grievous mistakes and current standing in the nobility something he felt kept her from thriving the way he knew she would, the way she deserved. She already was, far more than he could say for himself.

His girlfriend still had that unsettling unfazed look on her face, that tendency of over-rationalize what is said, but, as he grew accustomed to it, he found it more endearing than disturbing. In her own way, she radiates warmth and, above all, acceptance, something he so desperately craved and found he could not keep himself from. To him, she was the embodiment of sunshine and he felt he was quite the opposite, rather bringing storms and rain. Yet still, she chose to love him in spite of it.

He felt guilty, really.

Guilt for having a father who made her feel like their relationship was in jeopardy without ever having the displeasure of meeting the man. For not being able to love her as fully and openly as he so desired.

“Are you going to join me or are you going to stare all night?” Byleth quips, breaking him from his pestering thoughts.

His gaze flickered from the vacant spot she once stood in to where she sat on purple velvet cushioned stool. She smiled as the crystal sphere flowed before her and a grin of his own tugged at the corner of his mouth. He took a seat on the small crimson stool right next to her, finding himself a bit too tall for such a small seating arrangement but he decided against complaining.

The sphere before she contained a fog-like haze that swirled around much like the clouds many floors above their heads.

“Just what are we doing?” He asks, an amused smirk on his lips as he raised a brow.

The green-haired woman shrugs. “As the Archbishop, I suppose I should be proficient in every aspect of the religion I am expected to lead. Perhaps I would be able to see something on these. I was told they were quite easy to operate, in fact.”

“Are you having any luck with it?” He asks, as his girlfriend peers ever closer to the object.

“Unfortunately, no.” She says, laughing at his scrunched nose and the way he gripped her stool and tugged her closer with one swift pull. “Tell me, what will our future be in five years’ time?”

He chuckles, shaking his head fondly as he looked from the crystal to her. “That is quite simple, I do not need some silly crystal to tell me that.”

She raises her brow in amused curiosity. “Is that so? What lays ahead, Oracle?”

The redhead nobleman looks at her attentively, his smirk softening to an adoring smile. “Of course, Your Grace. The future is that I will love you as long as you will have me, and even more.”

Byleth nearly rolled her eyes at his sappy words, but she found them too earnest and the look on his face far too endearing to do so. She cannot deny the fact that she appreciates his steadfastness, too, but she also did not have it in her to miss an opportunity to tease him.

“Is that so? The crystal ball seems to disagree from you. As I see here, I shall sustain a wart on my nose in the next five years, and you, heartbroken from the lost beauty of mine, shall flee with a travelling minstrel.” She jests, and he rolls his eyes as he fights his smile.

“I am convinced you love to torment me.” He frowns, even in spite of his half-amusement from the stupid joke.

Despite the light-hearted moment, he finds he cannot enjoy it fully with the worry weighing heavy on his mind. Her question was merely playful, but it had been one that frequented his thoughts far more than he cared to ever admit, more than he ever will admit.

In a perfect world, one there were no Crests, that there was someone to shoulder the responsibilities he is so eager to shirk, Sylvain would have felt confident with the idea of loving her for the rest of his life. Would have felt rather excited for their future together because he loved she entirely too much for his own good.

However, it was much too difficult to indulge in thinking of such dreams when there were things in particular pressing down on his shoulders.

That one night in particular, to be specific, he would never forget that.

*_*_*_*_*

The Oracle Vault Masterlist

Fire Emblem Masterlist

Three Houses Masterlist

[magical-readathon-diaries]

Djali’s Log 1

So I guess this is the beginning of it? The big adventure I always dreamed of? Braving the Novice Path, heading towards the Academy to meet new people, learn new things, see fantastic places. Wait, should I do an introduction here? Do journals even need introductions? Well, what if one day my journal is saved for posterity for some historical reason? Maybe someone venturing onto the Novice Path in the future could benefit from reading this log and learn how to better navigate it themselves? Yes, yes, then an introduction is in order.

Hello, this is Djali, of the Great Underworld Library of Darkmeadow. I am seventeen years of age, of Iltirian heritage, and tutored in the realms of history, geography, biology, archivism, and certain magics, such as conjuration and illusion. I have spent my entire life beneath Darkmeadow and was raised by the curators of the Library, though my main overseer is, at this moment, Archivist Caddigan. My knowledge of the world and its inhabitants is limited solely to my own personal research, as this log contains my first voyage away from home, so any discrepancies or misunderstandings found within are solely the fault of my own inexperience. That’s a normal thing to put in a journal, right? Okay, focus, time to move forward.

My journey to Orilium was relatively uneventful. Caddigan arranged passage for me on a ship, which carried many other residents of Darkmeadow looking to take on the Path. I was eager to speak with them to learn how they would approach this challenge, knowing that not all who undertake it come out alive. While I did get the usual pleasantries, no one was willing to talk for long. They were still planning, preparing, or fretting for what was ahead of them. Not that I can blame them, of course. With all the stories one hears, it would be foolish not to do everything in one’s power to make sure they were one hundred percent ready. It’s just….I thought things would be different. Less…. solitary. That we would all recognize our common goal and work together, like the stories of heroes long ago. But, those stories are the past, not now, as Caddigan always tries to remind me. Still, why can’t then be now also?

I spent most of the time reacquainting myself with the map of the Path, its general layout, as well as practice some magic that may be of use during the test. I had it all down to the best of my ability, I didn’t think I can take much more of it. My head was so full of what ifs, contingency plans, and just general information it feels like it was going to burst. I think the only time I felt any solace was at night.

Though I was unable to chance a flight that night, I did fly up the mast to sit in the crow’s nest. It was made for crows after all. I haven’t done too much study into nautical topics, so that’s my best assumption. I stared for a while at the stars, still admiring, my mind wanting to focus on a single point, rather than the chaos currently bouncing around my temples. It was a nice moment, one that I will treasure always and take comfort in. Of course, I eventually fell asleep, so the morning after I needed a bit of help getting down since the blasted sun was ruining my eyes again, but we won’t dwell on that.

This was my first time leaving the Library, meaning this was probably the longest time I have been on the surface in a while. I’ve ventured out onto the topside of Darkmeadow a few times, giving Caddigan multiple heart attacks in the process, but those excursions were never that long, not enough for me to get a good sense of the outside. Being on the ship, however, exposed me to what life is like in the open air. Before I left, Caddigan gave me a blindfold, as my eyes are not used to the sun and I really would not like to spend my days in a total blinded stupor. During the day I mostly spent time below deck, just wandering aimlessly. But at night, I emerged to see a sky flooded with stars.

I’ve studied stars in the past, learned their names, positions, and what constellations they create, but actually seeing them was almost indescribable. The light was soft, gentle, unlike the harsh light of day that I unfortunately have to get used to. They were celestial pinpricks in a velvet tarp of night, the world made more beautiful just by their existence. There was no moon unfortunately, but it was still a sky worth looking at. Everything felt so still and quiet, the lap of the waves against the ship making the only noise. A salty breeze tousled my hair and for a moment I was tempted to shift into crow shape just to feel what it would be like to ride it. The captain had expressly told the Iltirian passengers not to do so, something about us “land-dwellers” not knowing how to “bend to these ferocious sea winds,” but I think it may just be his superstition of not wanting too many ‘birds of ill omen” near his ship. Not very logical thinking if you ask me, but we all have our quirks.

It wasn’t too long after that the ship made it to Orilium. Thankfully by that time I could travel fairly well in the day without my blindfold, something I was extremely grateful for as the time to start the Novice Path was drawing near. We disembarked and made our way to the campsite near the entrance to the Path. A good amount of people were already there, setting up tents, getting a lay of the land, writing messages to loved ones should they not make it out. It was honestly depressing to think about, but it was a reality. There was no certainty that we were all going to make it out of here alive. Though we were all looking for adventure, for a chance to prove ourselves worthy, that all came with a price, one that some may have to pay in full.

I don’t think I find myself particularly worried. I think it’s more like I can’t allow for failure, so I can’t even accept the possibility of it. I can’t come to grips with the fact that I may very well die in the near future. Call it the reckless abandon of youth, but It just seems so impossible. That confidence will either be my greatest asset or my ruin. But enough of that! This is supposed to be exciting! That’s what readers like! A dragging down to earth is necessary in certain parts, but only so that we can rise up again!

Clearly the mood was starting to weigh heavily in the air, as an old elf came before us and delivered a well, I think it was intended to be a rousing speech about the merits of having danger in an adventure, which I suppose is true, but doesn’t alone soothe anyone’s worries. The song he performed afterwards did a lot more in stirring up the revelry of the crowd. It’s a song we all know, a song that was practically born in our minds at birth. In that moment, all those feelings of fear, doubt, and anxiety melted away, as we raised our voices as one and came together to celebrate the calm before the storm of our journey.

The night that followed was one I admit that I will be hard pressed to forget. The archivists of the Library are, surprisingly, not the most mirthful of people, so I’ve never actually been to anything resembling a party. It was very..loud to say the least. Lots of drinking, dancing, shenanigans, which I guess is normal? They don’t exactly have any academic material on this subject, though such a text would probably be very helpful to people like me. The utter pandemonium of it all was hard to navigate at first, but I think I managed to fit in rather well. I danced the best I could with some other Iltirians. I’m not much of a dancer, another thing they fail to teach you when you live at the Library, but no one pointed and laughed so I’ll take that as a triumph.

And that has been my journey up until now. Tomorrow I begin my adventure on the Novice Path, along with the others who want to prove their worth to the Academy. It’s hard to believe that the time has finally come, that I’m only one sleep away from the most important day of my life. Here’s hoping that it’s also not the last.

I mingled through the crowd, politely taking a drink now and then. I got a few names, had a couple worthwhile conversations, some a little one-sided, but I don’t think anyone’s eyes completely glazed over as I went on about the magical properties of certain gemstones. I’m not sure if I would call anyone friend just yet, though something in me desperately wants to. There’s still the fear that the people I met tonight may very well be gone tomorrow, but tonight was for enjoying this glorious moment, not dreading the future. So, the night passed thusly, with wine and song and the hope that tomorrow is a guarantee.

When the party died down and people retired to their tents, I rolled out a pack on the ground, completely content to sleep under the sky. The stars were shining bright as ever, the lovely constants of the sky, and now there was a slight sliver of moon to accompany them. Though there was little to see, she sure was beautiful.

I’m sorry, I really can’t end the log like that. So depressing. Uh, what else to end it on?

Well, the moment I wrote that a literal tumbleweed blew past me, perfectly summarizing the emptiness of my mind.

Okay, on that note, this log is complete.

[anncanta]

The imagery of BBC ‘Dracula’: mythology, alchemy, literature. Part 2

Part 1 is here.

Mirror

One of the cross-cutting images of the entire work, which underlies the very narrative structure on which it is built, the image of the mirror is one of the most ancient in European culture. Which is not surprising – a reflective surface capable of showing a person himself was probably initially perceived as magical – not by chance, as in the situation with photography, the earliest myths and fears associated with mirrors speak of soul abduction.

In Dracula, the image of the mirror is presented at the same time as a literal object that the protagonist fears, his main phobia, a metaphor for his ability/inability to look at himself, and the resulting all this motive of duality that unfolds the story as a drama of reflections.

Let's start with a literal mirror. I don't know if you noticed, but in the first episode, with the exception of the scene in Jonathan's room in Dracula's castle, there are no mirrors at all. And even that only thing of Harker Dracula instantly breaks. It is interesting how he does it – not as a negative character, grimacing angrily at the sight of a hated object, or an unforgettable queen in various versions of the story about Snow White, destroying a mirror showing her not what she wants. Dracula breaks the mirror instinctively, doing it in one movement as if delaying or trying to think about it could be almost more dangerous than the object itself is. It is possible that this is so. He then tells Jonathan that he cannot provide him with another mirror in return, as he does not keep such things in his house. From that moment on, not once during the two episodes did he look at his reflection, including the scene with Dorabella, where the Count shows a young woman what could have been in her life, reflected in the water, but does not look into it himself.

The third episode looks in huge contrast to the first two. Now Dracula, who woke up in the twenty-first century, looks at himself constantly. In fact, if you peer closely, he does just that throughout the episode. And not only literally, but also metaphorically. Which, in general, is logical: given the events that took place in the castle, and then on Demeter, we can assume that for the first time in many years Dracula plucked up the courage to see himself, to meet with himself and think about what he was.

Judging by what the Count sees in the mirror, the answer is not very inspiring.

It turns out that there is nothing majestic, bright, and attractive either in himself or in his life. His spectacular charming appearance is a mask, an illusion, and an old man with gray hair and sunken eyes looks to him from the window glass, his house is a pompous empty room, trying to replace the unattainable sun with an excess of artificial light, his woman is a silly girl who is not afraid of death because she is unable to appreciate life.

The ruthlessness and brightness of the reflections leave no chance for false interpretations. In this sense, the relationship between Dracula and his new lawyer is especially eloquent. You need to understand that the reflection of Jonathan Harker in modern reality is not Jack Seward, but Renfield. Obsequious, stupid, pitiful, ready to do anything for the sake of influence and power. It is the worst mirror the Count has ever seen, and, as he begins to conjecture, perhaps just the one he deserves.

The reflection in Renfield and in Lucy leads Dracula in the end to what he fled from for so many years.

To the needle and the sun.

Needle

When you talk about images in works of art, you always have to keep in mind that images are inseparable from motives and plots with which they travel through time and that every time you discover a particular object and symbol in a text, you, like a fisherman in an old fairy tale, can bring the whole world to the surface. And it doesn't matter at all whether the image is large or small, is it constantly mentioned in the text or is the central one in a single short episode.

In Dracula, the needle occurs only once, but its appearance can serve as an example of how a single image, arising, ‘gathers’ an archetypal story around itself.

Globally, in Dracula, there are two central archetypal plots: the plot of the beauty and the beast and the plot of the sleeping beauty. I suggest looking at how one of them works at the image level.

I'm talking about the plot of the sleeping beauty. 

Let`s recall the episode in the isolation ward. What does Dracula do before making an incision in his arm and filling a test tube with blood? That's right, he gives Zoe a needle. The same spindle, which in a fairy tale makes a sleeping beauty fall asleep (symbolically, like a caterpillar, plunge into a transformative state, from which it will emerge as a butterfly).

In the film, Dracula plays both the role of a witch taking revenge for the fact that she was not invited to the party, and a prince called to wake up the beauty. This is literally shown in the scene when, in a vision of Zoe, who drank the Count's blood, Agatha and Zoe look into each other's eyes, connected by Dracula and standing on opposite sides of him. Moreover, pay attention – Zoe stands behind the Count's back, symbolizing the past, while Agatha is right in front of him, metaphorically meaning the future.

Well, and if this is not enough for someone, a little later they will show us Zoe, lying in bed, and Agatha, entering the door.

And what comes after her?

Sun 

Author`s note

This part of the article contains thoughts that I unexpectedly discovered a few days ago in a beautiful text The Petruvian Man by @devoursjohnlock. I highly recommend this article to those who are interested in the topic of images and the structural construction of Dracula.

In the first episode, the sun rarely appears, in the second it is hidden almost all the time behind clouds or fog, and in the third it crosses the hero's path several times in a row – first in Bob's house, where Zoe threatens to collapse the roof if Dracula does not surrender, then – in the form of golden light, hugging the building of the Jonathan Harker foundation, where the Count is brought in a box, until it finally bursts into the window of Dracula's own house, categorically and victoriously, putting an end to all the vague games.

We will not talk here about the meaning of the sun as reason, consciousness, openness, new life, clarity, and realization of an integral personality. This is understandable, and we talked about this earlier. Let's look at it as an image that is used in this text a little unusual, but that's why it is no less interesting, creating depth and additional context where you don't expect it.

We are talking about the scene at the very beginning, in the first episode, which at first glance seems to be nothing more than a joke, an attempt by the writers to ‘dilute’ the drama, so to speak. But it's not that simple.

Remember how Dracula leads Jonathan Harker to his room and walks past the portraits of Petruvio and the architect’s wife? Remember what he says to Jonathan?

‘This castle was the Widower`s final work. A monument to his lost love and the sunlight, to which he could never return.’ And then Dracula adds: ‘...he died here in the arms of his wife,’ – in response to Jonathan's remark how this could be possible, as Petruvio was a widower, saying: ‘It must have been a cold embrace.’

Reflecting later on this gloomy joke, Johnny concludes that Petruvio considered his wife his sun: ‘What else is sunlight, but the face of one`s beloved?’, and guesses that behind her portrait is hidden a plan of the castle. And then words follow, which, in combination with what was said earlier, create an image that becomes a kind of symbolic prologue to the entire text and at the same time a brief description of the plot.

Finding the plan, Johnny deciphers it and discovers a way out behind Petruvio's portrait. Then he says: ‘Petruvio’s wife was the sunlight, and he stood guard at the door.’

Does it remind you of anything?

What happens in the last scene in the third episode?

The catharsis of the uniting of the two, which became possible only because both realized and accepted their – as we could see from the very beginning – natural roles in this play. Agatha took the role of the sunlight and the liberating power of love and mind, and Dracula – the role of the door.

And on a figurative level, this was laid down from the first minutes of the film. Spoken in words for those who do not read visual messages. Down to the smallest details, like the architect who died in the arms of his wife, who by that time was already dead. As well as Agatha, who was physically dead for one hundred and twenty-three years by the end of the third episode.

Rather, as in the case of the needle, and in many others, here words only confirm and express directly what is said at the symbolic level, and it is impossible to separate one level from other. Reading them at the same time, moving between them, and looking at them together, you can see the whole story, and even guess what is it about.

But more on that later.

Part 3.

[ask-gothc-lit-aus]

Mha Frankenstein au Chapter 3 : Find your way home

With the loss of his mother Fresh in his mind bakugou Gos to college Even though his Beloved Insist that he don't go

Also U.A Is a university Only accepts the most smartest Civilians and heroes There they get To train on there quirks And learn Regular stuff

Also also This will contain lyrics from Frankenstein and new musical Find your way home is the song

I remember the day vividly in my mind Hawks me Todoroki and Denki We're playing outside Catching butterflies When my father call us into my house My mother had not much time left And she has it requested to see All of us Even Deku

"My dearest son I'm sorry I have to leave you so soon, You have such a promising feature ahead of you, You my son are very special You eventually will become pro hero #1 There is 1 thing I need to say to you though"My mother said Placing Todorokis Hand in mine

"I will rest in peace When the 2 of you are joined with 1 Another in Marriage"She said then She looked at my 2 brothers And took off her Necklace a miniature of herself And gave it to Denki And looked at hawks And gave him Headphones Then She looked at me And underneath the her pillow she pulled out A book, an Expensive Coat Made from the finest Hide of skin, And What I At 1st thought to be Grenade launchers Was actually My hero costume Fixed up With the blasters I had so desperately wanted

She turned it to face Dabi And gave him A pair of gloves To help his Claims and going everywhere When he was mad

She looked at Todoroki And gave him 2 pairs of rings and in her eyes she said On the fine evening Proposed to my son And at the wedding the both of you will Where are these rings as your wedding bands

Then She look at my closest friend And gave him In ultra rare AllMight Poster Figurine, And a new costume for him to Cosplay in With his mother Like he was a child again

Lastly She looked at my father And gave him the deed to the sewing business He was not that old From what I can remember He was 37At the time Then my mother Whispered goodbye And passed on to the next life The following Months I spent in seclusion From the rest of mankind I even pushed my dearest Todoroki To the back of my mind The only times I Left my room was to eat And get Drinks But even then At Times I would ask my faithful servant Dabi To bring the food to my room Because I did not want to leave it under any circumstan 5 months into this endeavor It finally struck me "I am a gifted child" I thought "So I should be trying to apply for U.A University, I'm sure I'm strong enough and smart enough"I Went online Then the realization hit me This university Was all the way in Tokyo japan Meanwhile We lived in Canada! Which means I would have to leave Canada to study overseas! Well I didn't care They asked about What electives I would like to take

There was your usual stuff English, Japanese, Science, Social studies, Mythologies, Speech communication, Human psychology, Personal finances, Computer science, Professional Writing, Statistics, Philosphical logic, Technology, engineering, math, Programming, Design, Online Marketing And so much more All I had to do was prove myself Smart enough I had to tell my family So For the 1st time in 5 months I stepped out of my bedroom Not just to eat or drink But to talk to my family When they saw me And heard me calling a family meeting, they probably thought It was something bad

"Dear family I'm going to college I have chosen U.A University Because I believe it would be most productive to My education Even though it is in Tokyo japan"I said they Stared at me

"That's so far away are you sure you want to go there my love" Todoroki Asked I nodded My head To let him know I was Help and on getting to this college

The day came The day before I was supposed to leave for University I had passed the entrance exam And There was a celebration For me But Before The celebration Todoroki And I were in A different room Together

"No day since Adolescents has found us apart But now you must leave us to follow your heart Let your spirit soar, and your genius find wings But know that if ever you fall I will be there through it all!"He said

"Ever my angel, the light of my soul We have been always two parts of one whole Anywhere I go you will always be near And someday I'll make you so proud"I Replied He looked at me and giggled

"You've already made me so proud!" Todoroki said Pushing my hair out of my face and He looked at me With those eyes The please don't go I love you eyes

"There is a place at the end of the journey With every good thing you have known So many hopes that you bear for so many"We said in Unison Spinning around Hand in hand

"I have but one hope of my own That one day you'll find your way home"He said resting his hand on my chest I smiled

"I will return to you one day, Todoroki swear it"I said As I changed into my suit

"I ask for no promises, Bakugou. We know not what the future holds for us"He said Finally I had put on my suit And come out my hair

" I do "I said We walked out into the living room there was everyone we had ever met ever It was a good party Finally As the night grew colder We poured Apple juice because we couldn't really afford alcohol at the moment My best friend Deku stod up on the podium

"To Katsuki, who leaves us now for a journey of discovery, carrying with him our hopes and dreams"He said every1 raised there glass And they Drank a lot

"This golden age is yours for the taking Your magical place in time We raise our hearts, and hail with pride To the house...To the house...To the house of Bakugou!(Yes Bakugou Is The last name I have but everyone calls me by it)"Everyone said As I walked out the door I had to walk to the train station And I want to by myself Without my escorts

I stumbled upon My mother is grave And put a single round rose on there

"How can someone who was the light of our world... be suddenly gone forever? Mother... I vow to do all in my power to one day see us reunited again. I have discovered the secret of life!"I said Finally getting To the train station getting on the train to the airport