#you will all learn about the crow road or so help me

[chocolatepot]

rated G | 2,350 words | one-shot

Crowley & Muriel

Additional tags: Bookshop Owner Muriel, Cute Muriel, Sad Crowley, The Crow Road

When they finished, Crowley was sitting in the armchair opposite theirs, without a glass in his hand. They got the sense that he’d been there a while, watching them read. “Good book?” “Oh, it’s,” Muriel said, and then paused, looking down at the cover where the book rested in their lap. “It’s very interesting. It’s about … humans?” Muriel learns how to manage the bookshop from Crowley, and learns how to better understand humans from Iain Banks (as well as Mark Twain and Charlotte Bronte).

[millenialfanfictionaddiction]

Being Karasuno’s Manager

🧁🍩Miss Manager loves to Bake 🍪 🍰

Karasuno featuring Seijoh x female! manager (she/her pronouns)

Warnings: pure fluff

AN: This is probably the cutest anon request ever 🥹

Let me just say this

Kageyama might be “king of the court” but YN is “Queen of Karasuno” 👸

Honestly these boys absolutely worship you

Literally, they act as if they don’t have three managers

They literally will lay down in a puddle of mud while you step on them

Will do the above 👆 for any of their three managers

But you, you my love are super special to our boys

Why you ask?

Well it’s because you provide them with nutrients to survive 😌

That’s right, your love of baking and the fine art of culinary creations only helps you out with our beloved crows

You’ve learned to cater to all their needs

Filling recipes with top tier ingredients for success

Things like fruits, nuts, and even sneaking some veggies in there

Like zucchini bread or carrot cake

Listen, even if it’s in a desert, it still counts as a fruit or veggie

I don’t want to hear “tHe SuGaR cAnCeLs It OuT”

Because like these boys need the sugar to run and jump all over the place ok 🤚🏻

You bake almost daily as a form of stress release and therapy

Please you need it with the team you manage 🙄

And you always bring in the treats for the boys!

And they ALWAYS eat them up

“These are fantastic Yn what are they called?” Hinata asks

“They are Fudgy Pumpkin Brownie bites! It’s a new recipe!” You exclaim as Kageyama and Noya go in for thirds

“You fit a whole pumpkin in here Yn?!?” Hinata : D

You 👉🏻😐

“I think she means that there is pumpkin in the recipe not one per bite,” Ennoshita explains

I never claimed they were smart Yn

Anyways, you are always there to help our precious boys fill their bellies

You are in charge of snacks for games and practice, often finding joy in everything you do

So when the prelims for the road to spring nationals start, you are busy whipping up some goodies

You bake the entire weekend before, preparing for every possible scenario

Protein muffins for in between matches

Chocolate chip cookies for after they win matches

You even prepare some of your famous Strawberry shortcake cookies just incase the boys happen to lose

Not that we think they will, don’t get me wrong but it’s always nice to be prepared

Anyways, the prelims start and Karasuno dominates

Like, did we really thinking they wouldn’t 💅

Anyways, tensions run high as the boys go into their match with Seijoh

You remember the first time they fought against Seijoh and how the loss crushed them

But fueled up on your high-protein muffins, these boys are ready to kick butt!

And kick butt they do!

They beat Seijoh and prepare to meet Shiratorizawa in the finals

After the game, you notice how upset Seijoh is after their loss

You knew this was the third years last tournament and seeing them cry hurt

You thought about if it was your boys

And with that, there was only one thing left to do

So you pulled out a piece of paper and wrote a little note and stuck it in the box of cookies

As your team was preparing to leave, you grabbed your box of Strawberry Shortcake cookies and ran over to Seijoh

Karasuno rn 👉🏻👀

“Excuse me?” You said as the entire Seijoh team turned around and looked at you

“You guys played an excellent game and you deserve these,” you said handing Seijoh your expertly wrapped cookies

Oikawa accepted, saying nothing

Please you left him speechless

Too bad Kunimi’s too sad to even record this moment 😭

You smile and wave as you run back to your team

Meanwhile, back the gym the Seijoh boys are extremely sad

“Hey what did that manager from Karasuno give you Oikawa?” Kindaichi asked as Oikawa reached for the box

He reached for it, opening it as the note slipped out

Iwa picked the note up and began reading it

It read “Thank you for playing your hardest! You deserve these. Xoxo YN, Karasuno’s Manager”

“It’s cookies,” Oikawa said as he began to pass them around and Iwa showed Oiks the note

Oikawa rn 👉🏻😐🥺😭

Please the entire Seijoh team is eating your cookies and crying Yn 😩

The next few days go by

You are in the gym taking notes when a teacher comes to get you

“Excuse me?”

“Yes,” Takeda asks

“Umm there is a team of boys at the front gate here to see Yn,” the teacher says

Karasuno 👉🏻 a team…. OF BOYS 😐😑

Tanaka and Noya 👉🏻 FOR YN?!?? 😡🤬

“Oh my ok!” You say, getting up and walking towards the gates of Karasuno

Tanaka, Noya, Kags and Hinata are ready to go

It takes the entire rest of the team to hold them back 🙄

“WHAT IF THEY KIDNAP YN??” Noya shouts

“They literally showed up at the front of school in broad daylight, like that’s gonna happen,” Suga say, rolling his eyes

“Someone has never watched dateline before,” Tanaka adds

Of course, you ignore them and head for the gates

As you approach, you see the white track suits

You 👉🏻😐😳

“Umm hi,” you say as the boys of Seijoh all look at you

“Team!” Oikawa shouts and they all scream

“THANK YOU FOR THE COOKIES YN!” while bowing

You rn 👉🏻😐😳🥹

“You are so welcome! Thank you for coming!” You say smiling and going to hug them

You hug Iwa first and boy is he stiff 😅

It’s safe to say the entire Seijoh team is now in love with you Yn 🥰

Bonus

“Omg is Oikawa crying?” Kageyama says, shoving Hinata out of the way as they watch around the corner.

“Hey watch it butthole!” Hinata shouts as he pushed Kageyama out of the way.

“I’d cry too if YN hugged me,” Noya added as Tanaka nodded.

“You guys are about to have something to cry about if you don’t get your butts back to the gym RIGHT NOW!” Daichi shouted, looming over them as the boys all turned and ran back to the gym.

[mockerycrow]

CHIROPTOPHOBIA (Roommate!Gaz x GN!Reader)

roommate!gaz masterlist

summary; you meet kyle’s team for the first time and bond over his suffering. 2.9k words! note; the flashback is implied to be past "the day we met"!

[WARNINGS; alcohol consumption, pre-relationship, phobias of bats and rabies, near panic attack from gaz, fluff, humorous overall.]

The pub Kyle dragged you to—the tables have turned it seems, as you’re usually the one dragging him when he’s on leave—is fairly loud and smells like peanuts and alcohol, but has such a comforting vibe to it. It’s familiar. Messy, but honestly for a meeting like this, there’s no other pub he would have chosen. Of course Kyle is the one driving with you in the passenger seat. You’re controlling the music this time, the radio turned to a comfortable volume where you can still hear each other if one were to speak. 

Tonight is the night. You’re meeting his team for the first time and for some reason, you have this nervous itch under your skin. You’re bouncing your leg in the car, chewing your lower lip and looking out of the car window. Kyle nudges you after taking his eyes off of the road for a moment to check on you, considering how silent you’ve been. “Hm?” You hum, your head snapping to look at him. Kyle’s leaned back comfortably in his seat, one hand on the wheel and the other leaning on the center console like an arm rest. He’s wearing a delicious dark red button up, his facial hair minimal like always.

Fuck.

“I asked if you were alright.” Kyle murmurs in response, his eyes glued to the road. You catch a glimpse of a necklace dangling in the neckline of the button up—you avert your eyes to the road ahead of you, the car slowing to a stop at a red light. “Yeah, just..” You let out a slow breath in an attempt to calm yourself, but of course, it only makes the flighty feeling underneath your skin worse. Your eyes read the license plate of the car in front of you absentmindedly. “Nervous, I guess.”

Kyle’s thumb taps against the steering wheel at your response. “Nervous?” Kyle echoes with a questioning tone. “No need to be nervous, sweets. They’ve heard a lot about you, they’re excited.” He assures you, smile evident in his tone as he speaks. You roll your shoulders for a moment before groaning as all attempts to chill out have failed thus far. “Okay, but what do we even talk about?? Like, I’m horrible at talking about myself. Ask me my favorite color and I’ll tell a lie out of panic.” You complain, glancing over at him as the car starts moving once more. 

Kyle lets out a chuckle, the sound heard clearly over the music playing in the background. It warms your stomach for just a moment before the beat passes. “I’m sure we’ll figure it out, yeah? There’s going to be five of us there.” Kyle hums, your eyes hovering on his charming soft smile. He says your name before continuing. “I promise you won’t have to carry the conversation. You’ll be fine; now, cheer up, we’re nearly there.” 

Right. Everything will be fine.. Everything will be fine.

Kyle only regrets introducing you to them slightly. The ever so slightest, littlest bit. He should’ve known the conversation would go like this. Go to.. That.

“So,” Price had uttered, his voice hoarse and low before he took a small sip of his glass of alcohol. “How long have you known about Kyle’s problem?”

Kyle’s head snaps to his Captain, his eyebrows pushed up the farthest they can go. “My problem?” Kyle gawks, shock evident in his tone. You can’t help the laugh that leaves you, the laugh that causes Johnny—Soap, who you learned him to be after Kyle’s stories—to lean forward with a grin. Ghost seems reserved, but you’re certain you see his crows feet. “His problem?” You echo with a smirk, side eyeing Kyle as you sip on your own drink. You set it down, your eyes landing back on Price, his Captain. “You mean his bat problem?”

Kyle groans, rubbing his face. “For the love of God.” He hisses, holding no venom in his tone. It causes everyone’s amusement, to his disappointment. Ghost shifts in his seat as Price lets out an amused huff, his fingers twitching around his glass. “Ye mean he’s always had a fear of—” Johnny begins to speak, but is interrupted by Gaz shoving at his arm playfully. “Oi! It’s not a fuckin’ secret noo’, is it?” Johnny says, his accent thick and accompanied by a winning smile. “No, it isn’t.” You agree, sending Kyle a grin who is sending back a “please don’t” look. Of course, you don’t listen.

“So, it all started at this summer camp Kyle and I attended together..” You begin with a smug tone, which makes Kyle sigh in defeat. You glance at him and he motions for you to go on. You stifle a laugh before taking a sip, glancing between the men. “We were young, I don’t remember how young but we were over the age of thirteen.” You begin, gears turning in your skull to attempt to recall the story. Your fingers tap against the table for a moment; mindless fidgeting. “We were partnered up since the camp had a buddy system for anything exploratory. Now that I’m thinking about it, I’m sure it didn’t start here, but anyway…”

“Do you even know how to navigate the map?” You question Kyle, who is standing on a large rock that sits in the middle of a split path, holding out a giant piece of paper that had worn down fold marks; the map. He huffs, glancing down at you, where you’re standing in the midst of the split path with a worried expression. “Of course I do! I did pay attention to the navigation classes, you know. Did you?” Kyle asks you with an accusatory tone, but you know he’s just jabbing at you due to worrying so much. Always the person to try to calm you, hm?

“Yes,” You utter, telling a half truth. It’s not that you didn’t pay attention, but at the moment you were running on maybe three hours of sleep minimum and barely processed anything that was being taught to you. You have half a mind to blame Kyle directly for this, as you stayed up nearly all night, secretly playing games with him. “Just.. didn’t grasp the concept as well as you.” You pout, making Kyle roll his eyes and turn his eyes back to the map. You look around the forested area; the only sign of humans being the man made gravel paths beneath your worn down hiking footwear.

You take a deep breath, the lukewarm air entering your nose and filling your lungs. It smells like.. Well, outside. You can smell the scent of the pungent soil, the woodsy smell of partially rotted wood from the century old trees that surround you. You can smell some sort of animal excrement that makes your nose wrinkle—you also focus on that sweet, sweet, annoying cicada zing that constantly rings through the air. The sun is high in the sky, right in the middle of the blue. The air smells clean and when you Kyle, a little voice in your head says that there’s nowhere else you’d rather be.

“Alright!” Kyle exclaims, the sound of his voice and the map crinkling between his fingers back into an imperfect square snaps you out of your thoughts. You glance at him where he’s stuffing the map into the water bottle holder, between the bag and his water bottle. Probably a bad place for it, but you don’t get the chance to correct him. Kyle hops off of the rock, his feet landing onto the gravel below, making you back up half a step. “It’s the left path that’ll lead to the hill.” Kyle continues, looking at you as he loops his thumbs between the straps of his backpack and himself. 

You blink for a moment, raising a brow. “Are you sure?” You ask, some residual worry remaining. Kyle’s eyes dart for a moment before they meet yours once more. “Yes, I’m sure. Bloody hell, makin’ me doubt myself.” He laughs for a moment, reaching for the handle of your backpack and pulling you closer. You huff and shove him gently, but you fall into a nice pace next to him, walking the left trail together. You glance around the trail, your eyes scanning the trees and the assortment of plants, poking out just enough into the path to brush by your exposed femurs. You hope none of it is poison ivy or anything of that sort.

The walk is nice, but it is long. You find yourself drinking much more water than you anticipated, which when the opportunity presented itself, you paused Kyle by putting a hand in front of him. He stops when his chest presses against your palm and he looks down at you with a questioning look, his brown eyes scanning your face. You throw a thumb over your shoulder at a little area of fluffy, concealing plants. “Gotta piss.” You utter, making Kyle groan. “We only have a little ways t’go. You sure you can’t hold it?” Kyle attempts to negotiate, which causes you to look at him. “I’d prefer to not piss myself.” You respond.

Kyle groans and looks around, finding himself a rock to sit on while you do your business. You roll your eyes playfully as you make your way across the trail and behind the plants you spotted before. You set your pack down and took out a travel sized pack of tissues from the front pocket. In the middle of you doing your business, you hear a sound you never wanted to hear—Kyle’s scream. Your heart nearly jumps out of your throat hearing it and your mind races a million miles an hour.

“Kyle??” You shout, swearing under your breath as your fingers struggle to button your pants back together. Your hands are trembling because you’re quite literally out in the wilderness with only pocket knives and walkie talkies as defense and communication. You nearly trip over the backpack that rests on the ground, but you catch yourself and stumble out to the path, your chest feeling tight. You look around, your eyes wildly moving to spot your friend. You find him on the ground, scrambling backwards, dirtying up his backpack in the process. “Kyle!” You shout, exasperated. You run towards him, putting a hand on his shoulder when he screams again, his arms coming up and flying around his head like something is attacking him. 

“Jesus—Kyle, what’s going on??” You grab his wrists to stop him from hitting you. He looks up at you with pure fucking unadulterated fear. Fucking hell, he’s already broken out into a worse sweat than the heat previously gave him. You look around, ready to rip out the knife sticking out from the other side of his backpack, but you don’t see any active threat. You let out a harsh breath, putting a hand on your beating heart. “Kyle, what in the hell made you scream like you were bein’ chased by a damn bear??” You curse him, lightly kicking his backpack. Admittedly, you feel a bit frustrated at his.. Joke.

“Bats,” Kyle gasps out, scrambling to his feet, so fast he almost topples back over onto the gravel below. Which, by the way, is all over his backside now. “Fucking bats—Oh my God, I didn’t get bit, did I? They were fuckin’ everywhere t.. the second you were gone, please check my head, they didn’t, right? No bites??” Kyle rambles, grabbing onto your upper arms. He quickly shoves his backpack off, thumping against the gravel path. He hurriedly contorts his neck in different ways, presenting his skin to you, even pulling at the collar of his shirt to show you more skin. You blink, standing there for a moment before he says your name desperately.

“Bats.” You repeat, your eyes roaming his neck for bites. Kyle pulls back and you hold eye contact with him for a moment. A beat passes. “Do not laugh at me,” He hisses, seeing the way your shoulders are moving up and down, the way your eyebrows quirk and the way you press your lips together in an attempt to hold down a smile. “Oi!” Kyle shouts as you aren’t able to contain your laughter. It’s not a joke! Even better.. It’s a fear. “You’re such an arse!” Kyle snarls for a second, going to pick up his bag. You reach and grab his wrist, pulling him to prevent him from stomping off like you know he would have.

“Wait! Wait, wait—” You choke out another giggle before waving your free hand in the air. “I’m sorry, Ky. I am.” You murmur his name, feeling his wrist flex underneath your fingers. “Let me check your neck, yeah?” 

Kyle huffs. His face is burning from embarrassment. He knows it’s stupid, but he genuinely isn’t able to help it. He relents, turning around. You pull at his shirt a bit, your fingertips brushing over his skin. You let out a soft sigh. “No bites, right? They’ve got rabies. Can’t be bit.” Kyle pushes out, showing how panic is still running through his veins. You let go of his shirt and pat his back. “No bites, Kyle. You’re fine.” You assure him, more serious this time but the humor running through your words is not lost on him.

He turns back around and lets out a relieved sigh, his eyes nervously looking in the sky, in the trees. “So..” You begin, picking up his bag for him, grunting as you hand it to him. Kyle slides his backpack on with a huff. “What happened?”

Kyle rubs the back of his neck as you fetch your own backpack, using the remaining water in your first water bottle to rinse your hands, then using a small travel pack of hand sanitiser to clean your hands thoroughly. “Bats happened,” Kyle says your name afterwards, grumbling in his tone. “They surrounded me, they did.” You let out an amused noise, your lips curling into a grin despite his look of warning. “Uh huh. Let’s get a move on, bat boy.”

“Oi!!”

Johnny lets out a whistle, interrupted by a loud, boisterous laugh of his own. His hand comes slamming down on the table a couple of times, jostling the drinks and wallets sitting on it. Price has such an amused smirk, his eyes glued to Kyle who is sipping on his non-alcoholic drink, hiding behind it. “That’s also how I found out he has like, a chronic fear of rabies, too,” You add, glancing at Ghost who is leaning forward a bit, showing his interest in your story. “Yer pullin’ my fuckin’ leg!” Johnny exclaims, causing you to smile and shake your head. “Honest.” You utter, putting your hands up for a moment.

“I appreciate the origin story.” Price breathes, his smug and amused smirk remaining. Which reminds you, something has had to happen for Kyle’s phobia.. Phobias? to be triggered. You make a noise in the middle of a long sip of your drink—the drink being alcoholic, and you can feel a light buzz behind your face. “That being said.. What happened, Captain?” You say, emphasizing his rank. Price huffs out a noise, wrapping both of his hands around his glass. 

“This was maybe..” Price pauses for a moment, his eyebrow quirking as his brain takes a moment to think. “..Maybe two years ago by this point. We were in the middle of nowhere, to be frank. Just me and Kyle, an’ it was getting dark.” Price pauses for a moment to take a sip of his drink. “Found a cave.” You let out a snort, immediately picturing Kyle’s face contorting with paranoia. “It began to sprinkle a bit and we didn’t want to sit in soaked knickers. Despite being his CO, Kyle nearly decked me for tryin’ t’pull him into shelter.” 

Your jaw drops and your head snaps to look at Kyle, who looks more relaxed under the influence of everyone getting looser—for the exception of him—from alcohol. “I apologized, I promise.” Kyle chuckles, seeing the look on your face. “Mm, that he did. Nearly took back his apologies when I had to include his fear in the reports.” Price retorts, his smirk widening when Kyle lets out a sigh, obviously embarrassed about his behavior. “It’s irrational, I swear. I genuinely don't have the foggiest idea why they petrify me,” Kyle admits, making eye contact with Ghost for a moment. “Well, I think it’s the threat of rabies, but wouldn’t I be scared of every animal, then?”

You space out as the boys quietly debate the route cause of Kyle’s phobia of bats and rabies, your finger circling the rim of your glass as your eyes are just lingering on Kyle. You’re not really paying attention to what anyone is saying, but Kyle’s face sure is interesting due to the alcohol in your blood right now. Your eyes slowly move down to the necklace dangling between the open folds of his button up. You quietly curse yourself when you realize you’re practically staring right at his chest, downing the rest of your drink. You put the glass down onto the table and you look directly at Johnny. “Guess what I dressed up as for Halloween the following October?”

“Wha’?”

���Batman.”

Johnny howls, slapping the table once more, knocking his knees against Ghost’s, causing an elbow to fly into his ribs and a lazy smile to appear on your lips.

🏷️; @kivino @mlmxreader @soapybutt17 @microwavedcheetos @frazie99 @narcolepticduck @ch3rrykoolaid @kimdiedlater @glossysoap @thisuserloveshalloween @ornateorchid @missborntodiex @indefenseofkara @lieutenantlashfaz @queen-leviathan @specter319 @theunplannedvariable @spacelia @1117sblog @snoowply @dumb-fawkin-bitch @abigatorchomp @s8nsbride

this is from my overall taglist which you can find here. if you would like there to be a roommate!gaz taglist, comment below! mistakenly tagged/wrongly tagged? let me know, no hard feelings.

[katskitscat]

If they ever make a DLC for TOTK, I want them to add two or three cutscenes that have Queen Sonia in it.

(I gotta emphasize real quick. I'm not gonna claim that these are inherently good or would make everything better, they just would make me very happy to see. Even just one of these or something similar would make me pleased, because in the end what I crave is lore above all else.)

We learn from the Steles that Rauru was more of a fan of hunting then ruling, so to me that implies that he often left governing to Sonia.

1) One idea I had is a scene of Zelda learning to use her recall ability in Sonia's study. She is trying to make the small blade come back to the air when she sees Hyrulian tapestries of how Hyrule's monarchy was founded. One of marriage, one of alliance, one of conflict, one of coronation. Rauru and Sonia's wedding, their alliance with the other races of Hyrule, the war with the Gerudo, and then the crowing of Rauru and Sonia as king and queen.

The one I would use for this scene is a tapestry of Sonia securing their alliance under Rauru's reign with the Zora. While Rauru is front and center, it is Sonia's diplomacy that secured their support.

(This also helps give the opportunity to add more info about the ancient sages, especially the Zora sage who in this context might very well be the same Zora that Sonia made a alliance with)

Sonia is a priestess, possibly a diplomat, and likely was already a person of influence in hyrule before her marriage. So I would like to think that Zelda takes notice of this, and Sonia tells her that wars must be fought but that a good kingdom is built, or rebuilt, on strength, courage, and wisdom. All three depend on the monarchy's ability to make connections with their people.

Zelda takes on a more political apprenticeship of Sonia, being reminded of a broken kingdom and a Queenhood that is waiting for her back home.

2- It's my own personal feeling that Rauru was over confident and Mineru similarly resonating. As Zonai, I strongly believe that they were treated like Gods or positions of authority even in their infancy. The last of a mighty dynasty. I think it makes them blind to the present, especially because it looks like to me that Rauru and Mineru had very little interest in the past and is possibly enthralled by the future.

In the throne room tear memory where Ganon swears false allegiance (or even a new memory of their first meeting), I think that Rauru should accepts the oath but carelessly agitates the Gerudo by standing quickly after, staying some informal words to Ganon, and leaving. Ganon and his company probably viewed this as rude, like the swearing of a whole culture to his reign was not as important as his hunts. Like he is so above them and their conflict even tho a entire proud warrior race just bent the knee to him in defeat.

This is mostly fed by the claim Ganon makes in the game that Rauru is arrogant. Considering that Ganon doesn't actually hate Link in the games, and honestly seems to respect him or otherwise is amused by him despite having conflict, it kinda tells you he may have good reason for this claim.

This scenario gives Sonia the opportunity to mend some broken or miscommunicated social etiquette. She stayed seated despite Rauru leaving as the Gerudo bow their heads. She has a expression of disbelief and slightly annoyance, of which turns soft and sweet when addressing the Gerudo. She thanks them for their time, and orders her guards to take them to comfortable sleeping quarters where they can stay before they take the long road back to the desert. She says that she looks forward to their budding friendship as they turn to leave, of which a singular Gerudo woman, possibly the future sage, looks back to her before following her king out.

Zelda probably has been trying to tell him about the calamity Ganon in the past, but he brushes that off as a villain he, a powerful light bringing Zonai, can fight off. He speaks to her in a comforting tone her like she is a frightened child who is scared of a monster in her closet, despite Zelda having actually thrown hands with said closet monster for 100 years. I would imagine he does this rather gently, if he was completely delusional instead of slightly overzealous it wouldn't be the same Rauru. He has never seen anything like the calamity or the demon king yet, so of course he himself is probably the strongest thing he has ever known.

Zelda tries to tell Rauru that Ganon shares a aura and name with the beast that she trapped for 100 years, thought conflicted since her history books claim the Calamity had never had a host or it's own body. This uncertainty makes Rauru dismiss the theory that Ganon is more then just a fellow king. He prides himself on being a king who acts on certainty, which likely would Upset Zelda since she was forced to share a body with Calamity and could be theorized that a part of her Triforce energy being depleted because her own body was infected with Ganon's aura.

Sonia confronts him on his blunders, he does not listen very well and has forgotten that different gestures are interpreted differently by the other races. They have a slight argument, where Nintendo finally gives us the confirmation of a child that they share together. I strongly believe that it's a daughter that Sonia sent to train in light magic, being watched over by three ppl who I believe should be Sonia's sisters who all reside in the ancient goddess Shrines protected by the dragons. Sonia talks about her divine heritage, her ancestor being the goddess Hylia's reincarnation during the legendary Eras. She believes that Rauru coming to the shrine of the light god all those years ago was fated, their souls bound by the divine light of the goddess who gave them their gifts. (My personal belief is that the stones were created by the primordial goddesses when Hylia took a human form centuries ago, and protected by Hylia's descendants in a shrine forgotten by time. The sacred stones were in the possession of Sonia before they were given to the sages)

She urges him to think of the legacy that their daughter will inherit once she activated her powers, and to not think that just because Zelda exists that it means that their legacy is prosperous by fate alone. Rauru hears her and accepts her critique, and he hints that he is thankful for his queen to keep him on track. Sonia jokes that he better shape up, since Zonai out live Hylians she won't be there forever to steer him back on course (foreshadowing of her early death). In the back, we see Zelda but this is the appearance of Puppet Zelda.

3- the Last idea I had. Sonia's funeral. We should be given a opportunity to see more Hylian culture before Rauru had them temporality take the culture of Zonai. Sonia's funeral involves interring her body in a ancient crypt that can be revealed to be the time shrine that we start off in (being the only one that has a Hylia goddess statue) or a crypt that had collapsed on itself on the normal earth. The memory included Zelda being farther away from the ceremony, and watching as Sonia's sisters, Rauru, and a hidden 6 yr old daughter and heir bury the queen.

I like the idea that her grave has a stone slab statue on-top of it that looks like Sonia sleeping. The statue has a sundelion in its grasp.

I think it would help out more of a impact on the viewer about Sonia's end. If Link awakens all the bright bloom and shrines, he should not only get the ancient hero aspect but discover the hidden tomb of this queen. Better yet that it was once kept there as part of Sonia's own personal blessing, likely put in the crypt by her own daughter who may have been the first Zelda to fight the Calamity with the Legendary hero.

That's pretty much most of my thoughts for Sonia and the royal family. I love TOTK for what it is, but I understand that Nintendo is a game mechanic first kind of company instead of story driven one. I would love to see comics or even a dungeon mini series for this timeline of Zelda where the reward is knowledge about the Zonai and the workings of the goddess Hylia. (even tho the guy in charge of the game is saying he's exhausted everything for it, I personally think he's wrong and Nintendo needs to have him work with someone who prioritized story telling first.)

[theminecraftbee]

25 for the wrapped drabble!

25: "Bremen", PigPen Theater Co.

It was part of the plan, everbody would stand On their hind legs, hands holding high the other Like a tower of brothers, and the one on the top Would crow warnings and call in the morning And call out the storm that was coming The one on the bottom would steer 'til the road was clear And people would learn to rejoice and to fear our coming

It is, ironically, a mild, wet temperature over Dogwarts, the sort of weather that mostly feels dreary rather than being properly cold, or snowy, or icy, or any of the sorts of things that the kinds of people who claim to bring forth winter would be expected to have over their fortress.

"Oh, come on, you've gotta be cheating!" says Skizz, throwing his cards down on the table. They're stained a strange purple. "Dippledop, tell them that he's cheating."

"I mean, I don't know, Skizz," Impulse says. "You aren't good enough at cheating to have taught me how to spot it..."

"I mean, you're the one marking cards," Martyn says idly.

"You know I can't help it!" says Skizz. "It's my ender-what's-its. My purple scales. My, my general, uh, what's a good word for it -"

"Ourple," Etho says.

"What?" Impulse says.

"He's ourple," Etho says, and then doesn't elaborate at all.

"You know, if you're going to accuse me of cheating, why not accuse him?" Martyn says. "I mean, look at him. He's wearing a mask while we're playing poker. That's basically against the rules."

"I don't have a face, man," Etho says.

"Did you mean -" Big B starts. Impulse puts a hand on his leg. Big B stops.

"I'm just saying," Martyn says, as he takes the distraction as an excuse to palm one of the cards using and replace it with a king he's been keeping in a pocket. He knows the king won't be suspicious largely because he's been keeping track of the cards Skizz has had, and the king he's about to put in his hand is the same one that Skizz had three hands earlier.

Martyn is going to win, like, so many meaningless favors from people who are all definitely going to die before Martyn can call them in, but hey. He's definitely going to die before he has a chance to worry about it, either.

(At one point, it had been about winning. He's good at cheating.)

"You know what, yeah! That is cheating! Show us your face, huh, Etho?" says Skizz, pointing dramatically. Big B snorts into his cards.

"Uh, I mean, I don't know, man," Etho says, putting his hands up and nervously backing up. "It's like - you know I don't take this off..."

"Actually, yeah," Impulse says. "I sorta wanna see you try to keep a poker face. Take it off, Etho."

"Woah, woah boys. I know we're all friends here, but I don't know if I'm ready for a strip tease," Martyn says, which makes Etho turn bright red, and also makes Big B flustered enough that Martyn can see his hand. Okay, that's not a threat. Not that Big B's a threat to anyone, really, but he's still green for a reason.

Skizz isn't a threat for a completely different reason. His heart's right there on his sleeve. He has a shit hand this round. He gave that given that well away the moment he drew it.

That leaves Etho and Impulse to figure out.

"I - oh, geez, guys," Etho says. "I -"

"Take it off!" Skizz starts chanting. "Take it off! Take it off!"

"I'm - I like you guys, but I'm not taking off my mask!" Etho says. "Impulse, Impulse, we're buddies. You should understand!"

"Yeah, but like..." Impulse says, before shrugging. "I mean, if it really upsets you, I guess... Guys, maybe we should stop."

"Naw, don't try to talk him out of it!" Skizz says.

"Haha, you know, I want to see it too," Big B says. "It's a bonding thing, right?"

"Oh, well you can't argue with the bonding thing, now can you," Martyn says.

"Guys," Impulse starts saying, and then there's the sound of a creaking door, and everyone stops at once as the courtyard changes from dreary and wet to a certain chill. If Martyn didn't know any better, he'd say it's the chill of the grave, but there hadn't ever been any for him, so. Probably not.

Instead, it's just...

"My loyal Dogwarts," says Ren, quietly. "What is all of this commotion about?"

"We're playing cards, My Lord," Martyn says immediately. "See?"

He shows his hand to Ren. Ren chuckles.

"Well, laddie. Show me how you win at cards."

Well, the answer to that's 'by cheating'. But he can't really show Ren that, now can he? He's got to keep some things in his pocket. Besides, it's not like any of the favors in the pot matter.

They're all gonna die before they matter. Some of them already are.

Martyn loses the hand to Impulse. He collects the favors with a sheepish grin. Ren barks out a laugh. "You'll get them next time, laddie."

"I'm sure I will," Martyn says.

"Mom, Ren's playing favorites," Etho whines.

"That's - that's unbecoming a knight of -"

"Yeah, Ren's playing favorites," Big B says.

"I mean, dudes, uh, I mean - my loyal Dogwarts -"

Martyn laughs so hard that he forgets to pay attention, and loses the next hand too.

[deusexlachina]

Wannabe Warden Part 4 (Anders, Fenris and Isabela): Make good impressions by setting half my friends on fire

In which I exploit my police connections to safely recruit fugitives so I can get strong enough to convince a Grey Warden to come out of a retirement he wasn't allowed to have in the first place.

With Other Aveline in charge of the police and in my pocket, she gives me a bag of money and looks the other way to the numerous very illegal things I am about to do, all to get the muscle needed to get into the Deep Roads and become a Grey Warden. I take the money and tell her I look forward to working with her.

I use the money to pay a visit to Xenon the Antiquarian, an apostate with eternal life but without eternal youth, so unfortunately he cannot help me in my quest. At least, he can't accompany me. In fact, he helps me tremendously. In exchange for Other Aveline's "thank you money" to fund anti-aging research so he can not be a husk, he sells me the Anderfels Cleaver, an axe that deals fire damage. I don't mean it has some bonus fire damage. I mean all of its damage is fire. That means it's not affected by armour. Conventional defences mean nothing to the Anderfels Cleaver. Best of all, mabari are immune to fire, so me and my obscenely large hurtbox can safely swing away without killing my own dog. (Nightmare Ultra mostly doesn't have friendly fire, except for allies - only your squad is safe!).

I hear my mom's family home is now a front for Tevinter slavers, so I serve them an eviction notice in the form of the Anderfels Cleaver. Slavers are not immune to fire - in fact, they take extra damage, I guess because racist people can go burn in hell. All their heavy armour just serves as a shell to cook them in. Having cleared the slavers out of the family home, I scrounge up every penny, getting over 7 gold - a 140% return on the axe. This makes the Anderfels Cleaver a sounder investment than venturing into monster-infested tunnels and hoping to find treasure instead of monsters and diseases. But I'm not in this for the treasure. I'm in this to become a Grey Warden.

I invest the new gold into Maker's Sighs, a potion that resets all a character's skill choices so you can give them good ones instead of the literal garbage they were saddled with by default. I ditch Pommel Strike to get Cleave, a balanced skill that nearly doubles your damage for ten seconds on a twenty-five second cooldown. Bethany becomes a deadly ice mage. Other Aveline gets sick of tanking for me and goes offence by jumping on the Cleave bandwagon. Varric learns how to hit things when he shoots. My squad is an efficient fighting force, armed to the teeth and with Antivan Crow-level tactics. Unfortunately for Anders, he isn't part of my squad yet, so he hasn't learned to STAY OUT OF THE WAY OF THE MAGIC AXE THAT SETS PEOPLE ON FIRE. Anders Cannot Die Here because he is animated by a demonic version of Justice, which is good because otherwise I would have burnt him to a crisp several times over.

Anders' boyfriend, Karl, was already made Tranquil, which is like a whimsical equivalent of the lobotomy. Anders' possession by Justice temporarily unlobotomizes Karl, suggesting that there may be a cure for Tranquility. However, Anders unilaterally decides that There Is No Choice But To Kill Him, and Karl agrees, because being Tranquil falls in that Thedas euthanasia threshold between a stomachache and immediate death.

After this harrowing ideal, I flirt with Anders, hoping that being a Grey Warden can be transmitted sexually. He's impressed that I'm brave enough to flirt with a demon-possessed mage who just killed his last partner.

Unfortunately, he's not impressed enough to immediately induct me into the Grey Wardens, not least because he quit being a Grey Warden after they made him give up his cat.

To be clear, you're not allowed to quit being a Grey Warden. You're so not allowed to quit that Duncan stabbed a guy to death when he backed out in the initiation. This doesn't stop Anders from quitting, just as it doesn't stop Alistair from quitting if you hire Loghain, who doesn't attempt to quit the Grey Wardens despite his being recruited at least partly out of sheer spite for previously trying to kill them all.

In any case, Salrokka! Anders is back in the game. And with a Grey Warden in the party, replacing currently-weak Varric, things are starting to go in our favour. I help Fenris, a fugitive from Tevinter who was enslaved until sometime after his master infused his skin with powerful lyrium enchantments that make him a living superweapon who is especially resistant to magic, because sensible people don't own slaves in the first place. To put it mildly, Fenris has had a hard life, so I give him some shiny dark armour like he has in Blue Wraith. It's the least I could do.

With my help, and with Guard-Captain Other Aveline pointedly looking away, Fenris storms his old master's house to try and kill him. Unfortunately, instead of metaphorical monsters, all we find is literal monsters, who are not as cathartic to skewer. Because Fenris joined my squad, he is coordinated enough to stay out of the way of the friend-slaying Anderfels Cleaver. He is KO'd anyway because there's an Arcane Horror, but I save the day.

With Fenris, my squad is even stronger. I meet Isabela, who, just as she did years ago, single-handedly defeats several armed men in a cutscene. This is a nod to how overpowered she is. Trained properly, she's extremely deadly but also difficult to hit. Just like Good Queen Morwen.

Isabela has more mods than any other companion, but in accordance with Sturgeon's Law most of them are for making her white, because they were made by the real-life equivalent of Tevinter. Fortunately, you don't mind digging for treasure through piles of literal garbage like Hawke & Friends, you can find some neat stuff for Bela. One of my personal favourite looks is a combo that makes her heavier and armoured instead of her default look with a corset and a buttflap. ("That's just silly," I say, one run after making yet another goth girl PC) I could be sly and argue it's to reflect her amazing potential as a tank, but honestly, I just think this look is rad as hell.

Isabela is challenged to a duel by another pirate, but she expects him to cheat, so she hires me to protect her. This I sort of do. She is attacked, and I do engage her attackers, but she is not safe at all because I am using the Anderfels cleaver and repeatedly set Isabela on fire, with the Anderfels Cleaver, in the Chantry. I could make some laborious joke about Isabela being hot, or the fires of hell, but this is not a blog that makes cheap jokes. This is the caviar of Dragon Age 2 Let's Plays. You and me, we're refined people, and you deserve better. We don't laugh at cheap puns. We laugh at Isabela getting hit with a flaming axe and set on fire again and again and screaming and still not thinking to move away from the fire.

Isabela is a jolly good sport about this, perhaps because she lives in a world with powerful healing magic, making full-body burns the equivalent of a sprained ankle. After discreetly leaving the mass grave with a roast pirate aroma the Chantry has become, Anders patches her up and, I assume, gives her a sympathetic "first time?" smile. Who's to say he doesn't? I'm telling this story, and I can embellish as much as I please. I see why Varric does it. It's addictive.

[dream-meister-translations]

ITSUKI - VOICE COLLECTION

━

"The Moon Road is complete. Come on, Emma. Let's go."

"I've been finding myself looking for you as of late. As for the reason why… Even I don't know…"

"Let us walk the Moon Road together."

"Allow me to be your guide."

"This is quite an interesting place…"

"I hope it doesn't rain."

"Emma… I was wondering if I could buy this… And that… And also-- What? No…?"

"Even when I find myself in a place as mysterious as this… As long as I'm with the Moon Wanderers, I know I'll find my way…"

"We will be coming upon the next Moon Road soon… Oh, sorry… What can I do for you?"

"Something's off, I'm often told, but I don't see it myself. The placement of the ornaments? No, it's not about that…"

"What's the temperature and humidity today? Hmm? Oh, when you said you could read the air, I… Thought that was what you meant."**

"Let's do this together."

"I will lead the way."

"We have to go here next."

"Phew!"

"I'm okay now."

"Are you hurt?"

"I'm not going to let you guys get in my way."

"I wish upon you, Moon. Decend gently and shower blessings down upon us."

"You saved me. Thank you."

"I'm… Sorry…"

"Oh, it's over. I'm glad everyone's okay."

"I wanted to help them…"

"When it comes to treasure hunting… Leave it to us."

"Growing stronger each day… Right?"

"I will light the way for us all."

"I see… So we're friends now, too. Then I ask for your continued support."

"Little by little… I think I'm beginning to see exactly who you are."

"I care a great deal about each and every one of the Moon Wanderers. Of course… That goes for you, too."

"I really want to make my dream come true. Even more so, now that I've met you."

"I need to tell you my secret-- No, I want you to know…"

"You are a part of the Moon Wanderer family. Just like Crow and the others. You are my friend, and I love you."

"I'm a Moonlighter. I'll take you wherever you want to go."

"There's something I need to tell you. I want to be brave enough to tell you everything there is to know about me."

"I want… To walk beside you all. Not ahead of you. Not behind you. But alongside you."

"The moon shower… It was supposed to be cold, but… But now it feels strangely warm."

"The idea of exposing what I really am… I'm scared, but… If it's with you… Then maybe it won't be so bad."

"Even if you look different…"

"I run my thoughts into the night sky. I ask that you shine an equal light on me. I want to be with you all…"

"So… Where are we heading today? We can go wherever you want, just let me know."

"Late at night. After work. Just you and me. Hanging out. But then that means… Was this… A date?"

"I like to cook, but I'm usually with Gran, so I rarely get a chance to show people what I can do."

"…I like the guild home. Ever since you joined the Moon Wanderers, this place feels... Warmer... Somehow."

"There are few clouds out and no light in the area. It's easy to read the moonlight here…"

"…You're a keen listener… Oh, you know one thing I've been noticing lately? I like more things when you're around."

"I like talking to you. You know so much and I have a lot to learn."

"If you wouldn't mind… I'd like to talk to you like this more often from now… How does that sound?"

"Weather, the direction of the wind, the brightness of the moon… There are many things to consider when reading the Moonlight."

"You want to know more about moon readings? Hmm… This cane is one of the tools I use, would you like to hold it for a moment?

"Moon readers are the ones who guide us on every journey. I, too, take pride in this."

"That is why we must constantly seek out new wisdom, and become more and more capable, each and every day of deciphering the truth from fiction. Teaching you is itself a learning experience."

"I'm not very good at teaching, but… If you really want to learn, I will try my best."

"You want me to lend you my ear? I… I'm sorry, but… My ears cannot be removed."

"A secret to tell you? Oh, umm… No… Sorry… I was just playing around…"

"What do you want to talk about? Oh, Rouge. Is it about his debt? He asked me to keep it a secret."

"I was just thinking… You have the most beautiful voice."

"Beautiful and warm. Even when you speak softly, it's nice to hear your voice."

"…Hm? Oh, shit! I'm getting off-topic again. Okay, please… Tell me the rest of the story."

"E-Emma…? You don't have to get so close. I can hear you, okay?"

"Is there something on my face? Oh, no, you're just so close, I… Thought there was something wrong."

"I think you're a little too close, but… I can see your face now… It's not bad."

"Where do I want to go? Well… Anywhere you want, so long as you're here with me."

"Next time, why don't we spend a little longer out on the Moon Road? …I'm not sure I'm ready for that."

"Hm? What is it? My cheeks are so soft? I think… It's the same for you, too, isn't it?"

"…? Are you looking for something? I don't see anything. If I had to take a guess, I'd say you were looking at my chest."

"…Oh, you're worried that my chest is cold? Don't worry, it's hot enough now."

"Oh, do I have something on my face? I thought I cleaned up after eating…"

"You're acting weird, are you okay? Did I do something wrong? I… I hope not…"

"I feel our bond has deepened considerably. Hm… Would you like a hug or something to show my affection?"

"Such a special gift… Are you sure you want to do this? Th-Thank you… Birthdays… Are happy things…"

"Hey, Emma… I only have two arms… I mean… Thank you, but I can't take it."

"You know what I like… That's amazing. Are you--… Are you psychic?"

"Hmm? A gift for me? But I didn't do anything to-- No, I'll take it. Thank you."

"Oh, my God! What is this? Have I… Have I done something to offend you!?"

"--Mm… Someone's getting a little playful, aren't we?"

"Emma, this is for you--… For you, who was always there for me."

"You've always been looking out for me. I… Thank you…That makes me strangely happy."

"Thank you for everything. For today and every day from now. I cannot thank you enough."

"Hm? This is… I'm sure there's someone out there who would appreciate this more than me?"

"It's getting late. We should head back for today."

"Take it. Please. I can't promise you'll like it, but I can guarantee you one thing: I put my heart into it."

━

ITSUKI : …Uhm!? Na-Navi! W-Why are you pulling so hard on my clothes. H-Hey! Stop that! NAVI : Oh my God, I'm in trouble, so much trouble! Anyway, you didn't have to make a big deal out of it! You could've just fallen over like you were supposed to!

━

CROW : Hey, Itsuki, where do you want to go explore next? There's a place I really wanna visit! Let's go! ITSUKI : We just got back yesterday. Fufu, that's so like you… Well, let's get on with the next moon reading!

━

ITSUKI : Noah, I've been wondering… How do you know I'm happy, even when I haven't said anything to you? NOAH : It's pretty obvious. The corners of your mouth are reaching a little higher than usual…

━

CROW : Hey, Itsuki, let's do this again today! ITSUKI : Just like always.

━

NAVI : I'm going to play a prank~ ITSUKI : Even at a time like this?

━

ITSUKI : Navi! NAVI : What is it~

━

ITSUKI : Brilliant, Navi! NAVI : Can you praise me some more~?

━

CROW : Nice assist, Itsuki! ITSUKI : I'm used to supporting you.

━

NOAH : Itsuki, if you're just gonna be lazy, I'm leaving you behind. ITSUKI : You're such a hardass, Noah…

━

**A common phrase “Ba no Kuuki wo Yomu”(場の空気を読む), “understanding the situation without words” or “sensing someone’s feelings”, is a very important concept for understanding Japanese culture. The literal meaning is “reading air”. Because of this cultural trait, many foreign visitors feel that Japanese are very kind and thoughtful towards them during their short stay in Japan.

[thewittyphantom]

I got another Z-one event in Duel Links, the final one so far!

Yusei: Z-one! You can’t save the future if you’re willing to sacrifice millions of lives! Don’t just think about the people of your era! We need to find a better way to save everyone - both in the future and the present! Z-one: There can be no salvation without sacrifice. The goal you speak of is impossible. Yusei: Can this future of yours be as wonderful as you claim? Destroying the Ener-D Reactor won’t make people more compassionate. A true peace is achieved by changing hearts for the good - not through destruction. If you allow the world to be destroyed now, the future will be destroyed as well! You know I’m speaking the truth, Z-one! Z-one: ............!! Yusei: I promise to protect both our eras! I know I can because I found a new path ahead of me! But to get there I need to break my boundaries - which I can’t do on my own! I need my friends to help me! They make everything I do possible! The friendship within Team 5Ds is what gives me strength! Jack! Crow! Akiza! Leo! Luna! Bruno! Let’s forge our bonds to save the future! Jack: Yusei!! Crow: Yusei!! Akiza: Yusei!! Leo: Yusei!! Luna: Yusei!! Antinomy: Yusei!! Yusei: I’ll rev it up to blast through my limitations! The stars unite to brighten the future! Form the road of light! Limit Over Accel Synchro! The evolution of light! Shooting Quasar Dragon! Z-one! This is the symbol of our friendship! This is Team 5Ds! Z-one: Limit Over...Accel Synchro? This was never written in the history books... Yusei: Ready, everyone! Antinomy: Go!! Jack: Shooting Quasar Dragon! Leo and Luna: Attack the Timelord! Akiza: From the dawn of time! Crow: The Burst of Creation! Z-one: Aaaaaaagh! I am the last survivor of humanity...I am the one who had to suffer for very long! I have the right to change history! Yusei: No you don’t, Z-one! No one has that right! If you’re telling the truth about the future, then maybe there is no hope for mankind. But that depends on the choices we make now, and you have no right to take that away from us! Every person on the planet has the potential to change the future. You need to believe in us! Z-one: I don’t have time for that! This potential you speak of...You will learn that it’s meaningless! Witness my true power! The essence of all! Beyond the light of the Timelords lies the true secret. Where emptiness transforms into the infinite! I Special Summon Sephylon, the Ultimate Timelord! You will learn...Just how powerless you are!

[eelifnazfirat]

The Mist

Do you know that quiet girl who always reads in classes? Yes, I am her. But the quality that differentiates me from a huge part of the population is the way my imagination processes the things I read. My favorite genre is fantasy because I feel like it opens thousands of different portals with each novel. The problem starts here, a normal person goes on with their life after finishing a great book right? Well, I can’t. Most of the time I find myself spacing out, feeling the world slipping through my fingers. I wake up to a new reality, and even worse, I don’t know what to expect. Sometimes I find myself having a cup of tea with Percy Jackson, walking through the glorious halls of Hogwarts with Hermione Granger, trying to live a generous life with Peeta Mellark after being a victor in the Hunger Games, pulling off an impossible heist with the Crows, accompanying Cress Darnel in her endless exilation around the Luna…  It sounds nice, but it isn’t when you are trying to focus on something important. I mostly feel like I am not my body, my mind or my thoughts. Before you go, “Oh, you don’t have to be like everyone else.” I would like to remind you how humans react when they see something different. This is probably how racism, ableism, sexism, and tons of discriminative states of mind were created and I don’t expect people to understand me. These aren’t the only problems with me, I have an imaginary friend. Her name is Melinoe and she is the constant voice in my head. I named her. Melinoe is the Greek goddess of spirits and ghosts so I think it fits. (Did I mention my obsession with Greek Mythology?) The problem is, even when I want her to disappear she is always in the back of my mind and she is so unstable. She is my best friend but she can also destroy my self-confidence in seconds by whispering negative thoughts in my ear. I keep hearing and seeing things that aren’t real. I hear people whispering mean things about me every single time I walk through halls, order at restaurants or even when I am just trying to cross the road! I know those people aren’t talking about me, it’s a part of my visions but it succeeds to hurt me every time. I think all my imaginations are a coping mechanism. I used to deal with a lot of problems. (Mostly parents arguing and not being able to resolve anything without involving me in their issues, my mom kicking my dad out whenever she feels like it, my mothers monthly states of depression in which she refuses to cook and clean…) As you can guess my relationship with both of them is destroyed. I don’t have friends so my only activity is sitting in my room and opening the same magic portals over and over again while my lack of human communication keeps decreasing my ability to love myself, to get out of this state of mind that I can’t feel like I belong in my body. The worst part is, I have repeated this unhealthy pattern so many times that it became comforting. Do I feel like I hate myself? No problem! I will just blame it on Melinoe instead of seeking help because she's the one that whispers mean things in my ear anyways! I know this is wrong and quite pathetic but I never learned to deal with it healthily. Also, I can’t help but realize that I am the one holding myself back. Time and spirits whisper in my ear that I have to let them go but as always, I choose to ignore it, trying to save time before even they abandon me, leave me to suffer in this agonizing pain that keeps growing every time I realize how little time I have left with my comfort zone. Whatever I do, I can’t help but realize the mortality of time. I force myself to make my thoughts flow to text so I can amplify the emotions I am feeling. I am forcing myself on something that isn’t a pattern. I am preparing myself for the inevitable end. Only mortal time will tell what the ending will bring. Will I destroy myself before it gets to me or will it catch me unarmed and shatter me to the littlest bits?   

[iloveanimalsmorethanhumans]

Modern Day Monsters VI

He gazed out from the podium into the lecture hall.  The seats would be full soon.  All of them. He sighed heavily.  He was growing weary of this life.  It was time for a change.

 He heard them coming. The first wave of students. The group of over eager young people. Early for two reasons.  To see the iconic professor himself, and to do nothing but stare in wonder and ask inane questions as if he hadn’t heard them all before. Then there were the other ones.  The ones eager to learn from the one person who could best describe the way life really was.  Only he couldn’t exactly remember all of it, could he.  Frustrated by his reliance on books written by English explorers.  It made him ill, disgusted with himself and circumstance. 

The footsteps and excited whispers entered the hall. He turned his back to them, shuffling pages and keeping his head down. Shuffling feet on cheap floors, Books recklessly dropped on desks papers shifting and crackling in excited fingers.

The doors swinging shut. He turned to see the first group, the rest would be here before long, he knew.

Mostly women in this group, it almost always was.

His mind felt suddenly hazy.  The room blurring before his eyes, the young women seated in the front row growing distant and indistinct, what was happening?

*********************************************

I sat at the table, the breeze refreshing on my face.  I looked out at the mountains in the distance, and listened to the cars passing on the nearby road.  My favorite little spot tucked at the base of the mountain.  A shadow crossed the table, blocking the sun in front of me.  I looked up.

“I figured you’d be here soon.  Have a seat.” I said, indicating the bench across from me.  He eyed it skeptically. 

Carefully he picked up one foot and slid it between the bench and the table, lowering himself until he straddled the bench awkwardly.

“This will do, I think” He states.  His deep voice accented, but not by any accent familiar to me, which was odd given the circumstance. “What is it you wish from me?” He asks, sounding slightly irritated.

“Look….I’m a writer, okay?

“A noble endeavor” He inclines his head.

“Right, but here’s the thing, you have  to help me out a little.”

He turned his body towards me, folding his hands on the table in front of him and leaning awkwardly forward.

“I’m not sure how you propose  I do that.”

I huffed, irritated. “I don’t know either, but you could start by making up your damn mind! I mean, are you a professor of archaeology?”

“that’s a bit, on the nose…don’t you think? So very, predictable, boring really.” He looked at his fingernails, then stretched his fingers out and turned his palm to study it more closely.  “My hands are quite large.  Is that really necessary? Also, No lines on the palms…” he turns his palm towards me showing the bare clean skin, nut brown and free of lines.

“Not the point!” I squirmed under his intent gaze.

“right. Of course.” Well, suppose I was a traveler.  Perhaps going from place to place, carrying only a bag with a few belongings, finding people in need, dropping wisdom like pearls upon their troubled minds before moving on, mysteriously.  I’ve got lots of wisdom, I’m sure.  I’ve been around for how long now? Since what, 1932 was it?”

“Hoky crow, you’re a pompous ass.” I say in wonder, gazing at him.  “Besides, that sounds too much like Kung Fu. Great show but it’s been done.

He smiles benignly.  “Great show indeed.  I could do Kung Fu.  Makes sense I’ve picked up some form of fighting skill, No?”

“hmmm.  Right….”  I say distractedly, taking out my phone and typing furiously. “Ha! Tahtib! Traditional stick fighting….the art of being straight and honest through the use of stick….”

“booooooring….predictable…….come ON, give me something interesting!” 

“Well. I’d certainly never heard of it.  No need to be a snot about it.”

“Are you really going to do that much research for a few hundred words? It’s a short story.” He yawned loudly, putting his hand over his mouth dramatically. “So much work for such a small story.”

“Ehrm….You are the story? I’d think you’d like a certain amount of accuracy? Some small effort at the least?”

“Accuracy? I’m a fictional character.  I’ve never been real.  What’s to be accurate about? I live in your head.”

“No, Sir, you are an established fictional character.  There has to be some level of authenticity or no one will buy it.  Figuratively and literally.”

“Literally…heh!” he snorted. “Nice”

“You were so dignified just a few moments ago…”

He reached across the table and tapped my forehead with one finger. “I live in there.  You laughed at your own joke. I’m as dignified as you want me to be.”

I swatted his hand away angrily

“Look, just focus for like, two freaking seconds, OK?!? What do you want to BE?”

“Kung Fu”

“NO! Dammit!”

“A writer.  I wrote a book, everyone loved it, I’m in that lecture hall preparing to charm their socks off with tales of my escapades over the past 91 years of existence.  Hell, make it longer.  Since ancient Egypt.  That’s the concept, right? I wrote a book about what it was like to be buried alive and resurrected hundreds of years later.  People love me…”

With disgust I slammed the notebook shut.  The mummy’s weird accent echoing in my mind “Hey, wait!”

“Nope.  I guess it’s just not your turn.  I wonder what the Wolfman is up to….”

I turn my gaze to the mountains once again.  The sun is starting to set.  It’s going to be a pretty one.  I forgot the camera, again. I sigh heavily.

Time to go for a drive and think some more.  Maybe I’ll see some cows.

-ADL

[casspurrjoybell-31]

The Consort - Chapter 3 - Part 1

*Warning Adult Content*

Finn

My fingers lazily slide along the frayed carpet in search of my beer.

The glass bottle is more to the left than I remember it being.

I frown as I bring it to my lips, silently chiding it for trying to make an escape.

There's not much left, so I'm forced to lap up the bitter froth caked around the rim.

Kelly strums his guitar in the background.

Every once in a while he stops abruptly and pulls the pencil from his ear, scribbling notes across a sheet of paper with the ferocity that borders on madness.

I used to get envious of the way he could write music.

Now I just see it as a secret treasure that I'll be privy to enjoy before anyone else.

Truthfully, I used to be envious of a lot more than Kelly's musical abilities.

We were four years apart in high school but even back then, the differences between us were notable.

Where he was popular and adored, I was gangly and blended in with the background.

Where he was intelligent and athletically inclined, I was middle of the road and shamefully uncoordinated.

Where he was good-looking and charming, I was plain and boring.

It wasn't until I graduated high school that I just stopped caring.

Even though I knew he surpassed me in... well, just about everything... I got the prize of being able to call someone like him my best friend.

That seemed to make all the rest irrelevant.

"Did that last hook sound like the one in 'Horseshoes and Hairpins?'"

I pull the beer bottle away from my lips and squint.

"Play it again?"

Kelly strums a few chords and his converse shoes tap along to the unique beat.

I try to compare it to the hook in question and shake my head when he's done.

"No," I confirm.

"They're completely different. They're both in 3:4 but that's about the only similarity I can tell."

Kelly smirks and jabs the end of his pencil in my direction.

"You're learning."

"Yeah," I scoff.

"Only took me about seven years to pick up a thing or two about music."

He shrugs, the very embodiment of patience when it comes to my mediocrity.

"Everyone learns at their own pace."

I roll my eyes and force myself into a sitting position.

"Speaking of pace, I need to pick mine up if I plan on being buzzed by the time Fiona and her gaggle of crows come over. I'm way too sober to deal with that shit right now."

Kelly snorts but doesn't look up from his music notes.

Once a month Fiona takes over their apartment and invites a handful of her friends over for a night of girl bonding.

I'm not exactly sure what it entails but it usually ends in high-pitched squeals and sickening gossip that tastes worse than the warm beer staining my lips.

"You want me to grab you one too?" I ask, standing and stretching my torso.

He doesn't answer right away.

He's lost in the musical realm and based on the early hour of the evening, he won't be joining me again for a while.

I round the corner of the living room and pad my way across the kitchen floor.

The refrigerator seems to beckon to me as I pry it open and reach for two more beers.

When I bring them back out to the living room though, Kelly is standing and frowning at his phone.

"What is it?" I ask.

"I got an alert from my vamp," he mutters.

"You need to go feed sometime soon?"

"Not soon," he answers.

"She needs me now."

If I didn't know any better, I'd say that he almost sounds worried.

It's hard to tell, though.

Kelly isn't the type of guy to let fear edge its way into his mind.

He's known for always dealing with situations using a clear mind and a sense of ease.

"What's wrong?"

"She wants me to go to the Village."

My eyes widen.

Whenever vampires and their consorts meet for a live-feeding, it's usually in a setting closer to other humans.

Or at the very least, it's in a chosen setting that's neutral to both parties.

That way if something goes wrong, the human is always close enough to get help.

But the Village isn't a part of our world.

It's a part of theirs.

"Why does she want you to go there?"

Kelly stands, scratching at the back of his neck.

"I dunno. She marked it as a code red, though. She needs a feeding."

As much as it pains me to see the torment in Kelly's features, that old, familiar feeling of envy resurfaces.

I know how much it annoys him to be a vampire's consort but at least he has a vampire.

The one assigned to me fled the scene, sent me a nast-o-gram rejection email the next day and hasn't responded to my sarcastic reply in almost a week.

I know, I know.

Why am I complaining?

Most humans would pay for this type of outcome.

It'd be like winning the lottery.

There's something seriously wrong with me for thinking otherwise.

Yet for reasons unknown to me, I just can't shake the desire to fulfill my role as consort.

"Let me take you," I offer.

Kelly snaps his head up.

"What?"

"Seriously," I continue.

"I'll drive you into the Village, wait until you're done and then I'll drive us back."

My best friend vehemently shakes his head back and forth.

He wraps his hands around the neck of his guitar so tightly I wonder if it'll leave an indent.

"You can't do that, Finn. What if something happens? I can't. I... "

"Well you're sure as hell not going alone," I argue.

"And if you even tried, I'd tell Fiona. How do you think she'd react knowing you traveled to a place like that by yourself?"

Kelly's eyebrows arch with surprise.

"You wouldn't dare."

I grab my keys off the coffee table and dangle them in the air.

"Try me."

[lostinthewoods-kristoff]

country roads (take me home) || oneshot

Swyntask: Vacations All I Ever Wanted Summary: Kristoff's family arrive in Swynlake for their first family holiday Dated summer 1996

Kristoff wasn't really paying any attention to his parents as they stood by the bonnet of the rental car, leaning over the map. He was only glad to be out of said car, even if the sun was almost uncomfortably hot on the back of his neck. At five years old, he had no idea how long they had been driving round in circles for, only that it felt like forever, and he was bored.

"Aha!" His father cried, jabbing a finger at the map. "It was the second left, not the third left, see?"

"I told you to take the map," His mother sighed. "You're better with them than I am - and I'm a better driver than you are."

"Kristoff, lille sjef, let's go!" His father called.

Kristoff didn't move, however. He looked over at his dad, who Kristoff was quite sure knew every species of animal and insect, and said, "Pappa, these ants are blue."

Promptly abandoning the map - earning him a disgruntled huff from his wife - Ole Bjorgman crossed to the side of the road and crouched down beside his son, watching the trial of ants that were dutifully carrying cookie-cutter leaf chunks back to their nest. "Hm." He said. "So they are."

Kristoff waited for his father to tell him what they were, but all he said was, "Must be magic ants - now come on, back in the car, kiddo. Places to be, eh?"

Anna, his mother, was waiting by the door when Kristoff hopped up into the car, leaning in to help buckle his seatbelt. She almost hit her head off the roof when the driver's side door opened, whipping her head around to look at her husband. "Ole - I'm driving! Get in the other side."

"Alright, alright," He huffed. Kristoff watched him walk around to the other side of the car, distracted by his mother when she yanked on the belt to make sure it was in position, pressing a kiss to his forehead before she ducked out of the back and into the driver's seat. "Off we go!" Ole crowed, turning to look at his son with a grin.

Kristoff grinned back, already eager to get back out of the car.

~*~

The holiday cottage they were renting was close enough to town that there was no need of the car until the end of the week rolled around and they had to go back to the airport. They had spent the first few days shopping and sightseeing and doing very many boring things that apparently his parents had been looking forward to.

Kristoff, however, had been wanting to go to the forest ever since he had clapped eyes on it. He had never really been in a forest before; Hardangervidda National Park, where they lived and his father worked, was characterised by a landscape of barren moorland, frequently interrupted by various bodies of water. Kristoff knew that fact off by heart, because he had learned it for Parents Day at Kindergarten, when they had talked about what their parents did for a living. But all that meant was that he had never seen such a dense cluster of trees, tall and foreboding, looming over the town.

Kristoff had asked again that morning if they could go for a hike, the words garbled around a mouthful of toast.

"I don't see why not." His dad had said, around his own mouthful of toast. "I've got a map of the trails--"

"We're having a picnic by the lake today," Anna said, gesturing with the butterknife in her hand to the picnic basket on the bench. "I'm halfway done making all the food."

"We can take it with us!" His father grinned, nodding encouragingly at his son, who beamed back. "We'll need food if we're going on a proper hike."

"We'll hike tomorrow - how does that sound, darling?" His mother offered, though Kristoff knew it wasn't actually an offer. He also knew that there might be more bickering if he twisted his face, so he nodded around another mouthful of toast, and tried to hide his disappointment.

That had been this morning; it was now afternoon, and Kristoff had already been swimming, caught a few fish (and set them back), and eaten his fill. His mother was reading her book, and his father was still set up fishing, and Kristoff? He was bored.

He dug into the sand in front of the shady spot he was sat in, and frowned. This holiday was boring. They had only really done grown up stuff - gone on tours of old buildings and visited all the little weird shops on the main street. Kristoff didn't want to sit around next to the lake all day doing nothing. He wanted to explore! He wanted to go on an adventure!

The forest lurked at the edge of his vision. He kept trying to remind himself that tomorrow they would go -- maybe his Pappa would let him choose the trail, and they could look at all the strange plants and animals in the forest that they didn't have at home. It was exciting to think about what might be lurking in it. Kristoff propped his head on his hand, looking at the treeline, when he saw movement -- it was something small, grey. It looked like a pile of stones at first, but it was definitely moving. In fact, it was scurrying, toddling along on stumpy legs back into the trees.

"Mamma, I saw something!" Kristoff cried, jumping to his feet. He looked over at his mother, but she didn't seem to hear him. Well, he didn't want to disturb her, so he said, "I'm going to go look!"

"Alright, darling," Anna said, turning the page of her book. "Ask your father to go with you."

Kristoff huffed; that seemed like it would take too long. The thing would be long gone by the time his dad had put his fishing stuff away and followed him into the forest. But, still, he knew better than to disobey his mother, so he hurried along the edge of the water to where his father was stood.

"Pappa, I saw something in the forest!" He said, reaching up to tug on his dad's arm.

"What kind of something?" Ole asked, looking down at his son.

"It was small, and sort of fat, and gray, and it was walking like this--" Kristoff began to demonstrate the strange way of walking the creature had when there was a tug on his father's fishing line. Ole leapt to life, beginning to reel it in, pulling back on the rod.

"Well, go have a look, but don't go too far." He said. "This is a big one--"

Kristoff didn't need to be told twice. He ran to the edge of the forest, skidding to a halt just before the trees.

He wasn't sure what direction the thing had gone in. He couldn't really see it anymore, though he scanned the forest for it. He hadn't really wanted to go in or anything, he just wanted to try and catch a glimpse of it...

And then he saw it. A flash of gray, a few words spoken in a strange language. The sound of pebbles clinking against one another.

Kristoff looked over his shoulder. His mother, still reading. His father, still fishing. He wouldn't go far. He would be back before they knew it.

Kristoff took off into the forest, and didn't look back again.

[marcholasmoth]

OSRR: 3232

today i slept in because my alarms did not wake me up at ALL. i slept until 12:20. my alarm went off (or should've gone off) around 9:30 or 10:30. i don't know. i wasn't up for it.

but i got up and showered and grabbed my painting stuff and launched myself up to manchester to work with the kiddos.

it's been on-and-off raining for the last few days here, and my way up to the city was no different in that regard. what was different, however, was the fact that i encountered hail.

i have never driven through hail before.

i've driven through rainstorms where i couldn't see the people around me or the road ahead of me except for their lights.

i've driven in conditions so dark and thick i could've sworn i was gonna die.

but never have i before expected my windshield to shatter under the force of precipitation.

traffic basically was at a standstill. the hail was sudden; it was raining real heavy, and then it was LOUDLY raining real heavy. the loud part was the ice bombarding my poor car. it was so significant and so severe that i was afraid my windshield was gonna crack and break inward. but thankfully it didn't, and i managed to make it off of the highway without incident.

on the road below, the hail stopped and the rain slowed. the sky ahead of me was blue. i looked at the road and the hail on it that floated in the current from the still-flowing runoff. there was hail covering the road and crunching under tires, and i looked out my window in wonder.

when i got to the house, i got out of the car and i picked up some hail. half of it was perfectly clear ice. the other half was filled with gas bubbles. i wonder if the opaque part froze last on the way down. i wonder where in the clouds ice crystals conglomerate to the point of forming hail.

i dropped that one piece and walked around my car, where i picked up a handful of other hail pieces. some were small, like a BB, some were larger like skittles, and others the size of a pretzel m&m. i know objects have certain terminal velocities based on their surface area, but pieces that size hitting my car could've done real damage. it was surprising and fascinating. i was more than happy to look at it all while the sky above me was crystal clear and bright blue. the sun shone on my back as i carried two tote boxes up the stairs to the front door. crunches with every step made me remember to be careful where i put my feet.

the kids and i painted today. i brought paints and canvases and brushes and the four of us sat and painted out of the way for a good two hours. i can only guess nancy was happy to have some quiet as we worked in the other room.

when we were all done and everything was cleaned up, we sat and ate lunch. i don't know what it was or what was in it. if i knew, i likely wouldn't have eaten it. i've learned to not ask questions when it comes to nancy's cooking. it's delicious. it's good for you. she uses natural and unprocessed ingredients. if i knew what was in it, i probably wouldn't eat it. i learned to not ask about it. my life is a little more delicious for it.

after lunch we brainstormed ideas for the summer, and i gave the kids sheets of paper to write questions on so i could do some research and stuff. we don't always have to do geometry or grammar. fun stuff is required.

after that, i made my way back to milford, where i stopped at the farm stand down the road. i got strawberries for tomorrow and a few other things that are good. dad got chinese for dinner and arrived three minutes after i did, just as i was sitting down at the table.

dinner made my tummy hurt. it happens.

i played games with my friends tonight! crow and cricket are wonderful friends and i love them both. we played mini games from mario party superstars because last week the wi-fi kept getting cut off while we played a whole game. so we made it a little easier.

after playing i went and took care of a few things, like helping my mom get comfortable, minimizing old balloons, and eating something cold and sweet.

now i'm in bed, and i'm exhausted, and my back hurts. i would see joel tomorrow, but it's my mom's birthday and i'm the one responsible for dinner and everything. why i'm the one who's responsible for it, i don't know. i really need to talk to my therapist about that shit. it's not my problem. why do i always take it on? i don't know. i'm always the one that does the prep and the decorating and the everything for birthdays. it's frustrating and annoying because i don't want to do that for my own birthday. but i do anyway, because i'm the one that does it for all of the birthdays. sigh.

i want a joel hug. i'm tired.

[holdmygum]

fanfic origin story

another tag game that the lovely @bigfootsmom tagged me in like a couple days ago listen i've been BUSY

What was your first fandom (reading and/or writing)?

the first fanfic i ever read was probably in like, 02/03 when i was 9 or 10 - maybe earlier than that? it was a card captor sakura fic that was hosted on it's own website, a behemoth with like 52 chapters that the author illustrated and everything. i wish i could remember literally anything else about it so i could go back and read it and see if it's as good as i remember.

first fic i wrote was for either american idol (lol) or yuugioh (LOL) i was so uncool as a child. i started writing fanfic when i was 10 or 11 i believe.

What was the first story you ever wrote (even if it was never posted) and what made you decide to write it?

i'm not entirely sure what the first thing i ever wrote was, but i think the first thing i posted was on the yahoo american idol message boards and it was about the judges going on a road trip. like i said, i was deeply uncool.

What’s a piece of advice you would give to your younger fic-writing self?

don't let people judge you for reading and writing fanfiction because in 20 years they're going to be publishing thinly veiled fanfic and if you would have stuck with it instead of being embarrassed that could have been you.

What’s an early fandom interaction that stuck with you (be it a nice comment, a friend you made, a fic that got a lot of feedback etc.)?

i think very fondly on all early fandom friends i made because they were all super helpful and supportive to me, especially about being bisexual (as i identified at the time when i was like 10-13). i lost touch with most of them but still think about them a lot and wish them well. possibly the most influential group of friends i met i am still in touch with, which is everyone who hung out on the fall out boy message boards from like 2004-2007 (and later, that's just when i was there frequently). my depressed preteen ass would not have survived without them, and my depressed adult ass is glad to still have their friendship and support.

Post a sentence or two from one of your older fics, and a sentence or two from a newer one (if you want).

so here's something from the oldest file on this computer, which is 2018, a little mcu/queer as folk crossover conversation for a treat:

"Sorry to blindside you a bit - I mean, I'm not, I've been waiting for a chance to talk to you, but it sounds nice to say. I know you don't talk about this, either of you, ever, and I know that because I'm very close with a very respected queer studies professor who has spent a lot of time pouring over this issue. He's probably read every Captain America comic that was put out during the war, read every article, watched every news reel and tracked down every document he could."

Bucky leaned back in his chair, pulling his cigarettes out of his pocket and lighting one after Justin nodded him on. He considered him for a moment - clocked his wedding ring, noticed a lot of the art on the walls were actually comic book panels in process, saw the picture of Justin smiling next to tall brunette with crows feet and some tasteful gray hairs taped next to the computer. He didn't trust a lot of people, and he didn't trust this kid, but he didn't think he was going to record him and sell the tape to TMZ or some bullshit either. Maybe just make some random queer studies professor very happy.

"It can be a sore subject," Bucky starts, choosing his words carefully. "The reasons they hid it, fabricated a new story, are the same reasons Steve was hesitant to have me on his team in the first place. He was angry a lot, when he first came back, for all sorts of reasons - it was hard, for him. To learn that people have been taught things about him that weren't true, and to also learn they had changed parts of his story so drastically even if it was for...solid, logical, if not necessarily ethical reasons."

as for most recently i've been working on my steddie big bang, which i can't share with you, and i think i've posted the most recent work on my other current-est WIP (the steddie modern au) so...idk, have this, it's from last fall and will be part of a steddie through the years fic i'm working on as personal therapy and also because the world needs as many of those as possible:

"Hi guys," Will greets them with a slightly confused smile.

"Robin is causing trouble already," Steve sighs, "which I appreciate but she needs to turn it down so that Eddie doesn't get suspicious and pissed at us."

Robin rolls her eyes and motions for the bartender, "Fine, but I still think he's too skinny. And I thought Eddie didn't date people he worked with? And since when did he like beards?"

"I like beards," Will says, which is also unhelpful. Steve groans.

"Three tequila shots, please." 

[vivifrage]

Eido Learns Vines

(I said I wanted to write something quick and @roxygobyebye hucked this idea at me at mach speed.)

Misraaks peered into his daughter's room. It had, blessedly, become almost like an adolescent's ought to be; writing and recording equipment piled on a run-down desk, trinkets she had collected herself and received from various friendly parties arranged on shelves he had helped her put up, strange accessories and articles of clothing from some "shopping trip" with the Guardian Crow heaped by her closet, waiting to be put away. (In his opinion, they were much darker than her usual tastes, and he did not know if any of the skull- and stripe-heavy designs would keep her interest, but she had loved the experience.)

Eido sat curled up on the bed, feet dangling off it despite how small she had made herself. She stared at the datapad held in two hands, occasionally glancing down at the notes she scrawled with the notebook and pen the other two held. Short bursts of sound emanated from the datapad; every once in a while, she accompanied it with a giggle.

"My hatchling," Misraaks called, watching her startle. He winced at her fumbling with the datapad, laugh cut off with a surprised chirp. "Apologies."

She shook her head, glanced between him and the datapad, and tapped it so the sound went silent. When her eyes returned to him, she said, eyes narrowing in a smile, "Sorry. Hello, father."

"Dinner is ready." He nodded towards the datapad. "I see you have found something of interest?"

Her smile grew deeper, eyes bright but narrowed to near slits, the skin around them all crinkled. His heart warmed at the sight. "Yes! I was speaking to the one known as Drifter, and he shared some videos from before the Humans' Golden Age!"

All heart warming ended right then and there.

She set the datapad, notebook, and pen down (thankfully), and hopped out of bed. "Would you like to watch with me?"

He sighed. As she approached, he set a hand on her shoulder and leaned down to nuzzle her, his mandibles tapping against the tubing of her mask. "I would, beloved, but I must meet with Ikora tonight to go over what we have learned about Eramis's location and motivations."

The fact he would likely come home in the dead of night, too tired to think, went unspoken but entirely understood. Her shoulders sagged a little under his touch, though Eido reached up to return the nuzzle. "Okay. Perhaps another time?"

"Yes, of course."

___

The two of them huddled together on the shuttle, Misraaks folded over Eido, holding her secure, his head resting on her shoulder. If he tried to sit just about any other way, he would either whack his head on the ceiling or take up even more space than he already did. Granted, the Humans had largely migrated away from the two of them, only shooting them looks that ranged from wary glances to lingering gazes, touching upon things such as his hands on his daughter's back and her sleepy, contented expression.

The shuttle slowed. Rumbling a low note, Misraaks craned his head forwards. The optics of his helm zoomed in, focusing in on the text on the bright orange sign placed in the middle of the roadway.

Construction, as evidenced by the workers buzzing around behind it.

"It seems there is road work ahead," he told Eido, "I suspect we will need to take a different route, and will be delayed."

She popped up, poking her head into the gap between his head and shoulder. "Oh! I sure hope it does!"

He was not the only one giving her a quizzical look. Though someone snickered, off towards the front.

She blinked, front eyes then back then front again, then all four at once. "...I timed that improperly," she said.

He nudged her back down against his collar. "You'll get it next time."

Whatever it was.

___

Of all the places for them to end up working, an illicit bar housing a fugitive Spider and... whatever the Drifter counted as was not high on Misraaks's list of places he would enjoy doing so. But they had good information, and the Guardian kept coming around as well.

Spider leaned over in his throne; to its merit and that of its builders, it did not squeak or groan when it bounced at the movement. "Surely you've made some progress deciphering that knickknack Eramis was slavering over," he grumbled.

Misraaks waved him off. Spider's ideas of progress were of no interest to him.

Eido, however, turned to face him, eyes still on her datapad as she worked to run some formulas. "We have, actually! For example..."

She flipped the datapad around and held it up for him to see. "Look at this gra-aph," she said - or sang? Her voice cracked partway through, turning decidedly offkey.

Spider roared with laughter, slapping the arm of his throne while Eido shrunk down. "Hah! I thought you were too old for that part of puberty! I must have misjudged!"

Drifter grabbed Misraaks's wrist before he could take one of the bottles and fling it at Spider's head. With a wink to soothe his seething, he called out in response, "Better her voice than her mind, like certain parties in this room!"

Spider's sputtering made a nice balm to the soul.

___

"All right. Bring her home, Hero!"

The pirate ketch keened. Light swelled, flooding the display as, from what the readouts showed, the Guardian reduced the ketch's captain into little more than ash on the solar wind.

Eido broke her transfixion on her own cast of the display to grin at her father. "That was legitness."

He blinked, then nodded. It sounded like appropriate praise, at least from her tone. He'd never catch up with her vocabulary, he swore. "Indeed it was."

___

He scowled. Rage thrummed in his chest. Will refined it into fuel, steeling his resolve. "Eramis!" he barked, "Cease now, before you destroy what peace we have found!"

"In your so-called unity?" Each word dripped with poison. The growl to her voice eclipsed the well-trained fury kept in his heart. "Truth will crush your fantasies underfoot, cowardkel. Only when you stand shall you see the dust on your knees from groveling."

The comms clicked. Someone had unmuted. He frowned, only for horror to flood into anger's place as Eido's name came up on the readout.

"You have very... Jared, nineteen energy," she said. And, just like that, she muted herself again, as if she had not just spoken to the reigning queen of the old crews.

Eramis, in a most uncharacteristic turn, was quiet for a moment. When she spoke again, it was in confusion. "I... what?"

Drifter's snickering cut through, taking the comms' focus as Eramis went quiet again.

Approximately six seconds later, she screamed, "You pathetic, Awoken-raised brat-"

Drifter's snicker became a howl.

___

Eido ran up to him, her claws clicking on the linoleum. "Father!"

By the time she was tapping his shoulder with two hands in rapid succession, he was already turning around. His eyes fell to a bundle of small green sticks - pet treats, he supposed.

She grinned. It looked eerily like Drifter's smile. "It's the good kush."

He glanced around. They were in, as far as he could tell, a grocery store with no particular rules on pricing. But still, he said, "It's the dollar store. How good could it be?"

Her delighted shriek was worth it all.

[jackoshadows]

Favorite Jon Snow quotes. There are so many!

Different Roads sometimes leads to the same castle.

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

We look up at the same stars, and see such different things.

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

"The more you give a King, the more he wants. We are walking on a bridge of ice with an abyss on either side. Pleasing one king is difficult enough. Pleasing two is hardly possible."

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

Are you certain that I have not forgotten some? The ones about the king and his laws, and how we must defend every foot of his land and cling to  each ruined castle? How does that part go? [...] I am the shield that guards the realms of men. Those are the words. So tell me, my lord -- what are these wildlings, if not men?

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

They know nothing. And worse, they refuse to learn

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

“A chain needs all sorts of metals, and a land needs all sorts of people.The Night’s Watch needs all sorts too. Why else have rangers and stewards and builders? Lord Randyll couldn’t make Sam a warrior, and Ser Alliser won’t either. You can’t hammer tin into iron, no matter how hard you beat it, but that doesn’t mean tin is useless. Why shouldn’t Sam be a steward?”

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... a road of no particular promise, yet the sight of it filled Jon Snow  with a vast longing. Winterfell was down that road, and beyond it   Riverrun and King's Landing and the Eyrie and so many other places;  Casterly Rock, the Isle of Faces, the Red Mountains of Dorne, the   hundred islands of Braavos in the sea, the smoking ruins of old Valyria.  All the places that Jon would never see. The world was down that road... and he was here.

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Sometimes there is no happy choice, Sam, only one less grievous than the others

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It had been so long since he had last seen Arya. What would she look   like now? Would he even know her? Arya Underfoot. Her face was always   dirty. Would she still have that little sword he'd had Mikken forge for her? Stick them with the pointy end, he'd told her. Wisdom for her wedding night if half of what he heard of Ramsay Snow was true. Bring her home, Mance. I saved your son from Melisandre, and now I am about to save four thousand of your free folk.You owe me this one little girl.

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“They will garb your brother Robb in silks, satins, and velvets of a hundred  different colors, while you live and die in black ringmail. He will wed some beautiful princess and father sons on her. You’ll have no wife, nor  will you ever hold a child of your own blood in your arms. Robb will  rule, you will serve. Men will call you a crow. Him they’ll call `Your  Grace’. Singers will praise every little thing he does, while your  greatest deeds all go unsung. Tell me that none of this troubles you,  Jon… and I’ll name you a liar, and know I have the truth of it.”

Jon drew himself up, taut as a bowstring “And if it did trouble me, what might I do, bastard as I am?”

“What will you do?” Mormont asked. “Bastard as you are.”

“Be troubled,” said Jon, “and keep my vows.”

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It took the better part of an hour before the impossible became possible, and another hour before they could agree on terms. The flagon of mulled wine that Satin delivered helped them settle the more  nettlesome points. By the time Jon Snow signed the parchment the Braavosi drew up, both of them were half-drunk and quite unhappy. Jon thought that a good sign.

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The roar was all he could have hoped for, the tumult so loud that the two old shields tumbled from the walls. Soren Shieldbreaker was on his feet, the Wanderer as well. Toregg the Tall, Brogg, Harle the Huntsman and Harle the Handsome both, Ygon Oldfather, Blind Doss, even the Great Walrus. I have my swords, thought Jon Snow, and we are coming for you, Bastard.