#cannot wait for all this info to surface

[goldensunset]

hi welcome to holiday inn ^ - ^ grandpa genocide and zombie flower will show you to your room

[babieken]

I was expecting so much more from Again My Life considering lee jungi was its main character but it was such a let down...

[redtsundere-writes]

Chapter 32: Like The Rest

King!SukunaRyomen x Servant!FemReader

Summary: You used to be just another servant among the army of humans operating under the command of the terrible king, Sukuna Ryomen. An ordinary human who only knows how to wash, clean and cook. Until one day, he notices something in you that you hadn't seen before.

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"A domain expansion is an advanced barrier technique where cursed energy is used to construct an enclosed space where it manifests its innate domain. Within this barrier, cursed techniques imbued within the domain cannot be avoided. This technique is very personal to the user, so you must create it yourself from scratch."

Naoya forced you to sit on the ground, eyes closed. His voice swirled around you like a distant echo, enveloping, like a spell. You only focused on that sound, which usually bothered you, but now it seemed hypnotic. It was a strange form of voluntary surrender, as if by listening to it, you were surrendering a part of yourself.

From a distance, Ranta watched, perched in a tree, attentive, ready to intervene if anything went wrong. Because there you were, vulnerable, with your eyes closed, facing your mortal enemy. Nothing about that seemed like a good idea. However, if you wanted even a chance of surviving this war, you had to obey them for now. A small sacrifice for a great reward.

"This barrier needs a specific place to be manifested," Naoya explained. "Think of the place you know best. It could be your favorite place, the place where you grew up, a reality you'd like to see..."

Your mind embarked on a silent journey through all the places you'd once crossed paths with. The cabin where you grew up, permeated with the smell of firewood and memories. The small castles you'd attended, dressed in your best clothes, to dance among lights and promises of safe futures. The Impossible Belt, so vast and indecipherable. And, finally, that hill you used to run up just to watch the sun set behind the mountains.

You dashed toward the familiar stone at the top, the one that had accompanied you through so many silences and laughter with your sisters, with an emotion tinged with nostalgia. But just before reaching it, you tripped over a root hidden in the grass and fell face first to the ground. As if the past, however beautiful, still knew how to make you bite the dust. Wait... that wasn't there before.

"It has to be a place you know like the back of your hand."

You lifted your head up, still dazed from the fall, and the first thing you saw was a red carpet spreading out beneath you like a tongue of fire in the gloom. You recognized it instantly. When you sat up, you noticed that the hill had completely disappeared. You were no longer among tall grasses and nostalgic winds, but among cold marble and dangerous echoes. You were in the king's hall.

It made sense. You knew every corner of that place like the back of your hand. It had been the scene of your worst nightmares and your most intimate moments. Where, Sukuna had almost killed you. It was also where he hugged you for the first time. Where you saw Yorozu again, as if fate wove its threads with cruel precision. It was also the place where the best night of your life happened. And that's not even counting the countless times you wiped that same floor, cleaning as if the past could be erased with effort.

Even though the room was completely clean, you could never erase from your mind how horrible it was to experience it for the first time. The fresh blood dripping from every surface, the human remains scattered at your feet, and the whisper of death tickling your neck. The screams invaded the four walls. They became so intense that you covered your ears, so your eardrums wouldn't burst. Servants, the elderly, children... Humans of flesh and blood like you had left their mark the only way they could, with the pain from the depths of their throats.

"Where are you?" Naoya's voice echoed in your mind, just in time to silence them.

"The king's hell in Sukuna's castle," you replied, taking your hands off your ears in fear of their reappearance.

"Describe the place."

"It's a huge room with black mosaics and a long red carpet running from the entrance to the king's dark throne, hidden between layered, translucent curtains." You peered through the black curtains to see if he was there, but he wasn't.

After all, this was nothing more than a fragment of your imagination. An alternate world woven by your mind, where the rules could be bent to your whim. So you did. You walked purposefully to the throne and sat down.

It was immense compared to you, colossal and disproportionate, having been made for the largest and most terrible creature of all. You had to stretch your legs completely just so your back could rest against the backrest: a structure made of crossed swords and blackened skulls, as cold as the idea of ​​the power they represented. And yet, for an instant, you fit in. As if you'd always been destined for that place.

"There are three chandeliers, several columns, and a large window to my left, overlooking the snow-covered parade ground." 

"What does it smell like?"

"Incense. Burnt candle wax and blood." You took another deep breath. The image of that child with his throat cut came to mind in a flash, then quickly disappeared. You swallowed the lump in your throat as you held back the tears that threatened to spill out. "So much blood," you replied with a shaky voice.

"What can you hear?"

"The echo of my voice," you said softly before letting out a scream, listening to the echo reverberate through the walls.

"You scared me, stupid!" Naoya scolded you.

For some reason, that distracted you from your deep thoughts of pain. You gave a mischievous little smile for having scared your teacher with your unexpected scream. That was what you needed right now.

"Oh, sorry," you said sarcastically.

"Whatever..." Your teacher mumbled, mad. "I think you've got it, now you need to make a hand sign that will act as a key. Try something easy for you to do and replicate."

"Something easy..." You told yourself as you moved your hands.

You spread your fingers, brought your palms together, clasped your hands in different ways, but none of the gestures felt natural. Everything felt foreign, as if you were using a borrowed body. It was understandable: you were just exploring, testing the edges of sorcery.

You tried something different. Your hands formed scissors with your index and middle fingers and cut the air in front of you. Immediately, a thought struck you: Sukuna. You remembered how he executed his victims with that same sign. Always two fingers. Always precise, lethal. A simple gesture that heralded death.

You brought your two fingers forward and drew a vertical line in the air. You did it again. And again. Yes. You liked that sign. There was something clean, definitive about it. As if by doing it, you could split the world in two just as Sukuna wanted to.

"I think I've got it," you told Naoya.

"Good. Now do that sign with your physical body."

You repeated the gesture, but this time with your real body. You felt something activate deep within you, as if an invisible floodgate had opened. Then, for the first time, you unleashed your domain expansion.

A sphere of energy erupted from your chest, vibrant and alive, illuminating the air with an unnatural glow. The sphere hovered briefly in front of Naoya, then expanded violently, like a devouring wave. In the blink of an eye, it consumed him completely. There was no time for him to react. His figure was swallowed by the barrier you had created, dragged into the world that now belonged to you.

"Open your eyes," Naoya asked.

You opened your eyes to find yourself sitting on the floor of the king's chamber instead of the throne. Naoya stood before you, extending his hand so he could help you up. You took it with some misgivings.

"Welcome to your domain expansion." Naoya pulled you to your feet. Without letting go of your hand, he guided you around. "Any attack you make in here will have one of two qualities: 'automatic sure-hit' or 'instant kill.'" You'll decide which one you want to use depending on the occasion.

"Is this really a domain expansion? It looks so real," you asked, feeling the softness of the carpet beneath your feet, the warm glow of the candles, and the chill of the dangerous winter you'd claimed with its whiteness.

"You're using all your energy to create this small space," Naoya explained. "Is this really the place you know best? It's kind of grim."

"It's quite sad, don't you think?" You sighed. "Remembering so well the place where I experienced my first massacre."

Naoya immediately noticed the sadness in your eyes, the slight trembling in your hands, the meaningful pause in your words. He wasn't exactly the best at comforting others; his natural instinct had always been to mock men and denigrate women. That cruelty was, in many ways, his hallmark. But there was one thing he still kept intact: the bond with his family.

And at that moment, he remembered. He remembered the words he'd spoken to Ranta after his first mission with the Hei, the one where he'd been a hair's breadth away from death. Words that had marked him more than they had his little cousin.

"No, this only makes you stronger. It's proof that your mind can handle this and so much more."

His words took you by surprise, wrenching you from the spiral of thoughts you'd been lost in. Before you could help it, a small smile escaped your lips, soft and sudden. Naoya noticed it instantly and, against all odds, reciprocated it with one of his own. He'd made you smile with disconcerting ease. Almost like a reflex. Normally, he would have mocked you for something like this. He would have let out a scathing comment, one of those jokes he used to protect himself from the world. But this time, he didn't. This time, he just let you smile.

"Okay, let's see if your domain expansion works. Give me a good hit." Naoya broke the moment before he blushed.

"What? That's the only way to confirm it?"

"It's the fastest. It'll hurt, but I'll survive." He showed you his cheek.

You looked at your fist uncertainly and took a deep breath. You wanted to hit him, but you couldn't afford to seriously hurt him so he'd keep lecturing you. You threw a punch so soft that he didn't even flinch.

"Really? Is that all you've got?" Naoya groaned angrily.

"I'm not good at attacking; I only use violence for self-defense." At that explanation, Naoya had a malicious idea.

"You asked for it."

Naoya walked past, unconcerned, and just as you were about to turn around to follow him, you felt the sharp, resounding blow of a brutal spank across your bottom. The echo reverberated throughout the room like a slap to pride.

You let out an offended cry, more out of surprise than pain, and reacted without thinking. Your eyes focused on his face like a precise dart, and your body moved on pure instinct. The punch you threw was so powerful that Naoya was thrown backward. The barrier of your domain shattered as soon as his body crossed it, crumbling into invisible fragments. Naoya fell to the ground with a couple of muffled groans, dazed and speechless.

You, on the other hand, could barely stand. The return to reality hit you like an avalanche: gravity seemed to have doubled, your stomach was a whirlwind on the verge of collapse, and, worst of all, your buttocks ached. You stumbled, searching for balance, while your wounded pride tried to recover beside you.

"Son of a bitch..." you rebuked him before fainting. Luckily, Ranta caught you before you could hit the ground.

"Naoya, she fainted!" Ranta exclaimed, paranoid, to his poor cousin, who was still on the ground, his eye stinging.

"Worth the shot..." Naoya sighed when he saw the hand that had spanked you.

➽──────────────❥

The Impossible Belt was one of the deadliest places on Earth. Not only did it harbor thousands of curses, exiled there after Sukuna expelled the Kamo, but its very geography seemed intent on devouring anyone who dared to set foot there. It was a supernatural parade of towering mountains, impossible to cross alone. Vegetation was sparse, stifled by the density of the rock; hundreds of caves pierced the mountains like gaping mouths, and a thick mist hovered most of the day, covering everything like a mockery of the sight.

Sukuna moved between the rock formations with a firm step, searching for any curse that might offer him information about the recent attack on his castle. But it wouldn't be an easy task. The problem was simple, if frustrating: most of the curses in the Impossible Belt couldn't speak. They only growled, hid, or attacked without saying a word, as they moved solely by instinct.

He stopped at the entrance of a cave, taking a brief rest before continuing his ascent up the mountain. Although he could go days without eating, today he had a particular reason to pause: he wanted to try the snack you had instructed Uraume to pack.

He reached into his pants pocket, hoping to find the wrapping. Instead, his fingers touched a folded sheet of paper. He took it out curiously and unfolded it. It was a drawing: a sketch of you, delicately drawn, along with a small note written in a handwriting he had learned to recognize the hard way.

“So you don’t miss me too much. -Your daisy.”

A loving smile curved his lips. He gently caressed your paper face with his thumb, with a tenderness that belied his reputation as the King of Curses. It was comforting to think that someone other than Uraume worried about him when he went on his travels. Although Uraume blindly trusted that he would always return, you watched over him differently. You asked him to take care of himself, even though you knew of the monstrous power he possessed.

He carefully put the drawing away and resumed his pace, moving deeper into his territory. It was then that he heard something unusual among the stones and fog: laughter. Mocking voices emerging from within a nearby cave. If they could laugh, perhaps they could also speak. And that, finally, was all he needed.

"Food," they asked each other.

"Yes, I know you're hungry, but who's going to stay and watch the baby?" the other replied.

The two curses froze instantly. A primal chill ran through their bodies as they felt the crushing presence that loomed behind them, like a living shadow that obscured even the mist of the Belt. They turned slowly, almost in awe, and their gazes rose until they met Sukuna's eyes.

He looked down on them from above, with the icy expression of a predator contemplating insects. Pure disdain. Absolute superiority. To Sukuna, those creatures were nothing more than insignificant remnants of a decaying era. And yet, if they wanted to preserve their miserable existences… they'd better serve him well.

"The king!" they both exclaimed, kneeling before him.

"Introduce yourselves," Sukuna ordered.

"My name is Esou." A curse with an almost human appearance appeared. Tall, stocky, with tanned skin, piercings above his thin eyebrows, and wearing a strange bow tie. "And this is my little brother, Kechizu." This other curse was very different, as it looked more like a curse. Sky-blue skin, black holes for eyes, and a large snout with crooked teeth.

"Little brother? Why do you call him that?" Curses are rather solitary creatures, which is why it seemed strange to the king that one curse saw another as family.

"Because he's my brother," Esou answered, obviously.

Sukuna kicked him in the face with contempt, cutting short his attempt at grace. The impact was sharp, brutal, and Kechizu let out a high-pitched scream, as if the pain pierced him as well. It was as if they shared the same flesh, the same misery.

Without even bothering to look at Kechizu, Sukuna swung his foot and smashed Esou's head into the ground. The crunch of bones resonated like a judgment. He didn't need to use his hands to finish off someone so insignificant. Doing so would have been an insult to his own power. It was a silent warning, clear as a blade's edge: they weren't standing before an equal, but before a king who didn't even consider those he stepped on worthy. 

"If you're not going to take me seriously, I'll tear you and your shitty little brother to pieces."

"No, I'm serious, oh, my almighty king, Sukuna. We're brothers. We have the same father."

"And who is your father?"

"Noritoshi Kamo," Kechizu replied.

Sukuna stopped in his tracks, his expression hardening like the edge of a sword at the mention of that name. An icy chill ran down his spine, not of fear, but of recognition. He knew him. Of course, he knew him. That name didn't belong to just anyone. It was the King of the Kamo himself.

A figure so steeped in history, hatred, and power that its mere mention was enough to make the air tense. Sukuna narrowed his eyes, silently meditating. This revelation was far more valuable than he had expected to find in this forgotten corner of the world. And that meant only one thing: his journey had just gotten a lot more interesting.

"If they're technically Kamo, what are they doing hiding here?" Sukuna asked, puzzled by the circumstance.

"Because we're curses. The Kamo don't like curses," Esou replied.

"Choso no," Kechizu reminded him.

"What? Is there another one?" Sukuna inquired.

Esou pointed to an old makeshift bed, barely held together by rotten planks and scraps of cloth stained with dried blood. Among the tattered rags, one seemed to be hiding something. Sukuna approached with a heavy step, guided more by suspicion than curiosity. He removed the bundle with a firm movement and discovered a small body curled up underneath.

It was a boy, no older than six, with dark brown hair and a thin horizontal mark across the bridge of his nose. His chest rose and fell with difficulty, as if each breath cost him too much. His lips were cracked, dry, and his skin was too pale for a living child. Sukuna took his pulse. Weak… but present. Human.

A flash of rage crossed his face instantly. Seeing him there, trembling and fragile, stirred something deep and poisoned within him. It was like staring at a distant shadow of himself. A reflection of that part he had buried, weak, unwanted, pathetic. For a second, he raised his hand, ready to crush the life out of him. But he stopped. Not out of mercy, but out of calculation. This child, like the strange trio surrounding him, was a mystery. And mysteries, sometimes, came in handy.

"Is it just you?" Sukuna questioned.

"Yes, the rest of us were killed when we ate our mother," Esou replied.

Sukuna took the child by the ankle and lifted him as if inspecting a forgotten object, a broken and battered thing. He held him in the air with a mixture of disdain and curiosity, sizing him up and down. He was in a sorry state. His clothes were too short, frayed at the edges, and covered in dust and dried blood. He was visibly malnourished, his skin stuck to his bones, and a rancid stench enveloped him, a mixture of dampness, misery, and curse. He stank so much of oblivion that Sukuna wrinkled his nose.

Who knew how long he'd survived under the care of those foul curses. Or worse, how long they'd kept him alive with only the elements of the dangerous Impossible Belt. Despite everything, he was breathing. And that... was saying something.

"Mom..." Kechizu whimpered.

"I know, I miss her too." Esou tried to comfort him with gentle pats on the back.

That gave the king an idea. If they had information about the Kamo and what was happening in the Impossible Belt, they would be great additions to his army.

"Do you want a new mother?" Sukuna slung the boy over his shoulder. "In exchange for working for me, I can give you one."

➽──────────────❥

You woke up with a fierce throbbing in your temple, as if your skull were squashed between two stones. The pain forced a sigh from you before you even opened your eyes. When you finally raised them, you discovered you were neither in the forest nor in the king's hall.

Above you, a wooden ceiling slowly rotated in hypnotic spirals, as if the entire world were reeling with your breath. Every fiber of your body ached, heavy, and numb, as if the gravity was against you while you slept. Your hands fumbled at your sides, recognizing the rough texture of a straw mattress.

"You're finally awake," Naoya groaned before placing a wet cloth over your head.

"What happened? Where am I?" you stammered.

"We're at your friend’s, the toucan, hut," Naoya sneered. "You fainted after that." He said, then pointed at the black bruise you left on his eye.

"That's great." You smiled when you realized he was in one piece. "Does that mean I was able to create a domain expansion?"

"You've already done the difficult part of building a domain expansion, now we have to do the complicated part: hold it up," Naoya explained.

"Well, at least I made good progress today." You sighed before covering your eyes with your forearm to block out the light.

"But you still have a long way to go," Naoya said pessimistically.

They sat in silence for a while, in the resting calm. Naoya continued sitting next to you like a good guardian. As if you shared the same brain, you both replayed the scene as soon as he made you smile inside the domain expansion.

"Thank you." You broke the silence.

"I didn't do anything," he replied. "I'm doing this for my own benefit."

“It’s not true. You said something nice to me to make me feel better. You didn’t have to do that, but you did it anyway.” You sat up in bed to look him in the eye. “I even thought you liked me for a moment.”

“Oh, don’t get me wrong. I still hate you. You’re as slow as a turtle, as dumb as a rock, and uglier than a fly.” Naoya held back for a moment, as if he were about to explode. “But sometimes you have your moments.” He glared at you, as if you were forcing him to tell you how he felt.

“Thanks for that.” You gave him a smile despite the physical pain.

“Shut up,” Naoya grumbled before covering your face with the wet rag.

You laughed at the prank, unable to contain your smile. For a moment, Naoya reminded you of Yorozu, in those rare moments when she put aside her ferocity and was simply your sister: mocking, free, human.

You turned your gaze toward the window, and the warm hue of the sky made you frown. The sun was slipping toward the horizon, tinting the clouds orange and pink. It was already beginning to get dark. You were going to be late arriving at the castle. You jumped out of bed, overcome with impulse, but the world spun as soon as your feet touched the floor. A stabbing dizziness forced you to brace a hand against the wall to keep from falling. Your body still wasn't fully recovered, but you couldn't afford any more delays.

"Come back to bed." Naoya took your arms to steady you first.

"No, I can't. I have to go back to the castle." You told him once you were able to stand on your own. Naoya noticed the urgency in your voice.

"I'll get you there." You were about to tell him a carriage would pick you up, but Naoya beat you to it, grabbing your waist and bending down to reach your leg to carry you bridal style.

"Hey, wait!" you called out in surprise.

"Close your eyes, we'll be there in a moment," he gloated.

"Nao... YAAA!" You couldn't even scold him because he had undertaken the journey against your will.

➽──────────────❥

Esou and Kechizu gasped at the sheer magnitude of Sukuna's castle. From a distance, the fortress rose like a mountain carved by divine hands, with towers that touched the clouds and walls so thick they seemed capable of withstanding centuries of war. They had never witnessed such an imposing structure, not even in their memories of Kamo Castle—at least, not the new one, that makeshift bastion erected in their exiled lands. This was different. This was the domain of an all-powerful king who ruled over all.

Sukuna moved forward, paying no attention to their astonishment, carrying the sleeping child in his arms. He had wrapped him in a light cloak, making sure to keep him close to his body heat so he would survive the journey. And thankfully, he did. The child was breathing. Alive, though weak. And soon he would be under the roof of the most feared king in the world.

"Welcome home, Your Majesty. I see you've brought guests." Uraume bowed to him as soon as Sukuna set foot in the castle.

"Where's Y/n? Tell her to come, I have a job for her," Sukuna ordered.

"She hasn't arrived, my king."

"What?!" Sukuna exclaimed. "But it's dinner time. I told her not to come back too late."

"I don't know, her carriage didn't arrive..."

"Welcome home, my king," you said, gasping for air. 

You appeared behind Uraume as if you'd appeared out of nowhere. The servant jumped, perplexed, his gaze fixed on you as if you were an apparition. He was sure—absolutely sure—that no one had announced your arrival to him.

The truth was more complicated. After the most turbulent journey of your life, Naoya had left you at the back of the castle, right in the garden. There, between tall trees and twisted branches, he had shown you a hidden entrance: the same one he had sneaked through the day before. As soon as you heard that Sukuna had returned and that you had both arrived almost at the same time, you ran away. And you appeared right there, behind Uraume like your best magic act.

"When did you arrive, miss?" Uraume asked you, confused.

"Not long ago." You gave a vague answer.

"Are you okay? Why are you all sweaty?" Sukuna asked you worriedly.

"Yes." ("No.") "I worked all day at the commune, I was about to take a shower."

"Speaking of showers." Sukuna took the little one over his shoulder and dropped him in your arms. You almost dropped him, not expecting that. "Give the brat a bath too."

"What? Who is it? Who are they?" You asked Sukuna, holding the child properly as you used to do with your little sisters, an involuntary act from repeating it so many times in your life. The child snuggled into your chest, looking for a source of warmth.

"This is Esou, Kezuchi, and Choso. From now on, they will be your children," Sukuna announced as if it were the most normal thing in the world.

If your mouth weren't glued to your jaw, it'd be sweeping the floor by now.

"Mommy," Kezuchi babbled happily.

➽──────────────❥

Little Choso had arrived in a pitiful state, barely able to open his eyes due to the weakness that consumed him. Although your own body was crying out for a warm bath and some food, you knew you had to tend to him first and foremost. With the help of Mrs. Inoue and her squad of maids, you got to work.

The boy could barely see what was happening around him, his eyes struggling to stay open as his body gave in to fatigue. While you helped him take a quick, lukewarm shower, Mrs. Inoue stood by his side, holding a bowl of water that she offered him in small sips, with the patience of someone who had seen many such moments.

One of the maids had brought a bowl of porridge rice, carefully prepared so that he could digest it easier. Meanwhile, the maids' hands moved quickly, skillfully cutting and sewing a small, makeshift pair of pajamas using leftover fabric to fit his fragile body perfectly. Despite his condition, they were all in awe with his cuteness. It had been a long time since they'd seen a (live) child around. 

"We're almost done," you told him sweetly as you detangled his long hair with a wooden brush, taking advantage of the fact that it was still damp. "You need a haircut."

By this point, Choso was more awake, so he shook his head at your suggestion. He seemed to be a fairly quiet and kind child, since he hadn't complained once about the treatment.

"No? But it's very long," you told him, brushing the ends.

Choso turned his torso to point at your hair, which was tied back in a bun by your headdress.

"Do you want me to put your hair up?" He nodded. "Fine, if that’s what you want."

You gently placed him on the stool, making sure his small back was straight. Choso sat in front of the mirror, still, hands on his knees, waiting wordlessly while you ran the comb through his still-damp hair.

And like a twist of fate, your mind suddenly took you to another time, another place. To those moments when you were combing your twin sisters' hair. Rowdy, elusive, always laughing, always moving as if the world couldn't contain them. But in the end, when everything was in order, when the bows were neatly tied and the hairstyle took shape, they both turned and, without fail, planted a kiss on your cheek. Like a sacred routine. As if that were enough to promise you that everything would be okay. But now, nothing was.

Reality fell like a stone on your chest. Choso wouldn't survive long in this castle. Not with Sukuna. Not with the king who despised children, the weak, anything that couldn't defend itself. You shouldn't get attached. You couldn't afford that. Because the day Sukuna decided that child was a nuisance, there would be nothing nor no one who could stop him.

And then you thought about your future child. The one you would carry in your womb. Would they suffer the same fate? Would they be just another name forgotten by history? Your vision blurred. A lump, harsh and cruel, formed in your throat. A tear slid down your cheek, silent, inevitable. Your heart could barely bear the guilt of not being able to save more children from Sukuna's wrath against the world. You couldn't even save your own sisters; how could you save more children?

But as if the heavens had opened after a storm, a small hand reached up to wipe your face. Choso's tiny hands brushed against your skin gently, as if he understood everything without needing words. That gesture... that simple touch... was what gave you back your breath.

It was just what you needed. A tender touch. Human.

What were you thinking? You wouldn't make the same mistake again. You wouldn't close your eyes again. You wouldn't let anyone else die because of the indifference of a king who only knew how to destroy. You wouldn't let innocence be lost without a fight. You remembered, with pain, but also with fire, the true reason you were doing all this. Why you had endured so much. Not for yourself. For them.

"Thank you, dear," you said before placing a kiss on his nose. "I will protect you. I already know how to," you promised.

➽──────────────❥

After finishing Choso's hair, you asked Mrs. Inoue to take him to Kenjaku for a checkup. You wanted to make sure his body would hold up, that his health wouldn't deteriorate further than it already was. It was the last thing you had to do before allowing yourself a moment to breathe.

You closed your eyes and submerged yourself completely in the bathtub, letting the water cover your face. Not to clean away the sweat and grime, but to hide the tears that wouldn't leave you alone. You stayed underwater for a few seconds, trying to stifle your cries, trying to silence that silent scream that churned inside you. When you surfaced, you took a deep breath... and found yourself facing Sukuna.

He was there, beside the tub, as imposing as ever... but this time, his presence wasn't overwhelming. With one hand, he gently brushed away the wet hair that covered your face, as if that simple action allowed him to see you better. His fingers, so capable of destroying with a caress, were now soft. He looked at you with a tenderness so deep, so intimate, that it made you tremble. Not out of love, but out of rage.

Why? Why could he look at you like that, as if you were his world… and at the same time, erase the existence of so many others without flinching? Why did he reserve that love only for you? Why did he have to be a damn tyrant? The sweetness in his eyes didn't move you like it used to. Now it burned you. Like a constant reminder that within that man lay an impossible contradiction to resolve.

And you… you were caught right in the middle.

"Let me help you." Sukuna took a loofah and moistened it in the soapy water to gently wash your back.

"Are you going to kill them?" you asked tersely.

"If I wanted to kill them, I would have done it already," Sukuna replied.

"You won't do it now because they're of use to you. I mean, when they're no longer useful. What will happen to them?" you asked, looking into his eyes.

"You know me so well." Sukuna smiled before taking your arm to scrub it. "I doubt I’ll kill them. They look like idiots, but they'll be able to give me good information about what's happening in the Impossible Belt and the Kamo Kingdom. Besides, they're special-grade, so they'll be useful to me in the army."

"Are you going to put Choso in the army? He's no more than 8 years old."

"You're taking your role as a mother very seriously, I see," Sukuna scolded.

"It's called empathy, Sukuna," you scolded, your voice shaking. "He's just a child."

"But he's still a disgusting human," Sukuna growled.

Out of anger, you snatched the loofah away from him. You didn't even know why you were offended; it was a truth you'd known for a long time. This time, you took it personally, as you should have from the start.

"Then let me wash myself, since you find me disgusting," you said, your voice trembling with anger.

"But you're different. You're not like other humans. You're wonderful, talented, and loving." Sukuna tried to defend himself.

"But I'm human above all else. I'm imperfect, anxious, and weak." You looked him straight in the eyes. "Tell me, do you love that about me too?"

Sukuna stared at you, dumbfounded. You'd thrown that question at him so out of the blue, but he actually stopped to think about it. He loved this perfect image he'd created of you over time, but he ignored everything that didn't fit that beautiful image, everything that made you flesh and blood. Everything that reminded him that he could make you perish on earth.

"You'll always be the best, and I'll be with all the worst. It's always been that way." You approached the edge of the tub to face him. "I'm afraid that the day you love me completely will be the day I'm no longer here," you whispered, your voice on the verge of breaking.

"Will you ever leave?" Sukuna inquired, annoyed.

"Only when nature decides to claim my body, if you don't eat it first," you told him before placing a kiss on his lips. "I hope I'm not disgusting enough for you to enjoy my taste," you reproached him before getting out of the tub.

This was the first time you'd rebelled against your king, removing yourself from his presence without him asking. Your body trembled with anxiety about the future, but you couldn't afford to waver. You walked away from your future husband determinedly; this had been your way of officially declaring war on Sukuna.

➽──────────────❥

Kenjaku hadn't yet been allowed to leave his confines; strict orders from the king, so Mrs. Inoue took Choso to his room. Kenjaku examined Choso from head to toe, as if every inch of the boy might reveal a forgotten secret. He had him sitting on the edge of the bed, his back straight, though his legs dangled just short of the floor.

"Everything seems to be in order; he's quite a strong boy," he said to Mrs. Inoue, who was overseeing the examination. "He's somewhat malnourished, but once he gets a good diet, he'll be a healthy boy again."

"Oh, that's good. I'll tell Uraume to add more vegetables to his diet so he'll have plenty of vitamins. Thank you, Master Kenjaku," the lady thanked him, pleased with the good news.

As soon as Mrs. Inoue left to take Choso to his siblings, Kenjaku couldn't contain his satisfied smile. A powerful laugh emerged from his throat. Yes, yes, everything had turned 180 degrees in his favor and no one had noticed, not even the king himself. Having Choso in the castle gave him an unexpected advantage.

"Of all places..." Kenjaku whispered to himself. "Here we meet again, my son..."

Next →

Masterlist.

taglist:

Tag list: @bbnbhm @pxnellian @kbirdieee2540 @konigswifeyforlifey @kyo-kyo1 @calico-cheriies @imas1mpp @alone-the-honored-one @vlads-dracula3 @bigraga-sk @neeke-lilac02 @shaazd @airandyeah @energiepie @awkward-walking-potato @delightfully-studying @danniwerner @paradisestarfishh @missroro

(let me know if you want to be tagged in next chapters!)

[dangermousie]

Holy...are there ANY decent parents in costume cdramas? (The answer is no, there are not, unless they get quickly and brutally murdered)

This man has seen Shen Li. Too bad he didn't finish and thus doesn't know that forcing someone feel for nobody because he's so powerful is gonna end up in rearranging geography when all those emotions repressed so hard finally surface.

That's a lot of noble words to convey you are a PET MURDERER. Like dude - your kid found a pet so you killed it and went this is for the good of the world. I hope hyenas eat your liver.

Thank you! Not like the worst father of the cultivation world is gonna give you a good answer. (Side note - it's so interesting that THIS is what he sees in the cage of desire and greed. FL may be right he feels no desire or greed but I think this actually shows that he has a deeply deeply sublimated desire to be allowed to be attached to someone or something and like feel SOMETHING.)

And I cannot freaking wait!!!

Also, did the old man really just say he can't even like objects? Like no favorite hat for you, kid! Once again, someone should make him finish Shen Li and see how well it ended trying to shove those precepts down someone's throat.

Hey kid, prepare to die! Any time you think cdrama dads can't get worse...

She has an excellent point watching this memory:

The fact that the man who's been trained since the cradle to feel absolutely nothing is gonna fall in love is going to be so amazing to watch! (And the fact that there is a high chance she's doing this on orders from the bad guys to get info but will fall for real makes it even better.)

[shunin-gumis]

Temptation Towards Apoptosis - Track 07

L4mps 1st Feature Event

This chapter was translated by me!

Location: Aomori - Oirase Gorge

Nagi: Woah… The waterfall’s frozen.

Chief: This is the Ice Fall of Oirase Gorge! Wow, it’s so stunning…!

Yodaka: The ice isn’t purely white, there’s a blue tint to it that truly gives it a beautiful appearance. 

Toi: Pretty… 

Toi: (It’s almost like time itself is frozen…)

Ryui: Almost like time itself is frozen, huh.

Toi: Huh?

Ryui: Hm? What’s wrong? 

Toi: It’s just that– I was thinking the exact same thing. 

Ryui: ‘That so. Matching as always.

Toi: Ehehe… 

Toi: (I’m so happy. We’re matching. The two of us are still…) 

Daniel: Seein’ a waterfall this huge all frozen sure is a strange sight.

Chief: That’s because this phenomenon occurs when the water trickling down from above comes in contact with the waterfall. The contact causes the amount of surface area exposed to the cold air to increase, consequentially spreading out the ice further.

Chief: The water freezes, then more water flows over it, freezing again… This process keeps repeating over and over, and that is how the icefall is formed! 

Daniel: Got it. As expected of our expert guide.

Chief: Aw, shucks… I mean, Daniel-san, you should do your research too!

Daniel: Trust me, I did. Those, um, serows show up around here, right.

Chief: (Pretty sure he just came across that info while looking up saunas in the area.)

Netaro: Nwoh–! Not a serow, but a stoat has revealed itself instead—!

Toi: Huh. Is that the same one we saw back at the Winter Story Festival…?

Ryui: If it is, that’s one friendly stoat.

Toi: Ani-sama, can I chase after it?

Ryui: Alright, but be careful.

Toi: Yaay! Little stoat, wait for me–!

~~~

Netaro: Toi, over there.

Toi: You’re right. It’s looking over here.

Stoat: …

Toi: (Am I imagining it…? I feel like… our eyes just met.)

Netaro: It’s so tiny. And pure white. And very fluffy…

 

Toi: (There’s something within its eyes—)

*crackle*

Netaro: I want to simply gobble it up!

Toi: !

Netaro: So, can I eat it?

Toi: Geez Netaro-san. Of course you can’t eat it… Huh?

Netaro: Aw stoats~

Toi: It’s gone… 

Netaro: Where did you wander off too~? Over here? Or there? Take this! And this!

*whoosh*

Toi: Netaro-san, you shouldn’t throw snowballs at it! You might hit the poor thing!

Netaro: Then I shall pelt them at you instead! Pew!

*whoosh*

Toi: Bwah!?

Netaro: You're wide open~

Toi: Nooo, the snow’s gone down my shirt…!

*whoosh*

Netaro: Nmgh!?

Toi: There’s a bunch of snowballs heading straight for Netaro-san’s face—!?

Ryui: YOWA YOU PIECE OF SHIT!!! HOW DARE YOU FUCKING CHUCK SNOWBALLS AT TOI—!!!

*whoosh whoosh*

Netaro: Gyah– gphh!! He’s aiming at my face with pinpoint accuracy!! At this rate I’ll become a mashed meat bun–!!

Ryui: *wheezing* Toi, you okay? Are you cold?

Toi: I’m okay. Though the inside of my shirt is a little wet and gross…

Netaro: *sigh* Perhaps it might feel a little gross at first, but it will soon melt, dry, and return back to normal. Don’t blow it out of proportion.

Ryui: I’ll fucking… 

Netaro: Ah, yes. Toi, Ryui.

Netaro: Shall I look up what happened to the previous Oshisha or whatever it’s called?

Ryui: …Huh?

Toi: …You can do that?

Netaro: There is nothing the human mind can think of that I cannot accomplish! Maybe!

Toi: …

Toi: (So he can.)

~~~

Location: Hotel - Room

Chief: …This is Netaro-kun’s invention? 

Netaro: Indeed. I had already finished it the day before, but I did not have the chance to unveil it as you were all wandering around in the corridors.

Daniel: Looks like a typewriter to me.

Ryui: How the hell’s this thing supposed to search for Oshisha?

Netaro: Nyufufu, silence– Sit on your knees and listen!

Nagi: Am I not allowed to sit normally?

Chief: I think you’re good. 

Netaro: I have named this device “Dreamy Memories: Back to the Printer.” Dreamory Printer for short!

Netaro: This is an exceptional tool that can print out your dreams in a novel format as you sleep!

Chief: Printing out… dreams…?

Netaro: And now, time for a quiz~ Can anyone tell me why humans dream?

Yodaka: The widely held belief is that it’s to organize memories… Is that it?

Netaro: Bingo~♪ In other words, the components of a dream are made up of that person’s memories. The brain mixes and mashes them into what we know as dreams.

Netaro: Within this melting pot of chaos, I shall drip in a statement!

Nagi: Statement?

Netaro: A keyword, a theme, anything goes! Such as how ripples form on the surface of a lake when you toss in a pebble, so too will the memories corresponding to this word appear in the dream. 

Daniel: So you stir up a specific memory using this keyword, call it up through a dream, and get it printed out… Did I get that right? 

Netaro: Double bingo! As expected of the ambassador of “Explanations That Even Fellow Fools Could Understand!”

Daniel: Sure, thanks for that. Ain’t happy about it though.

Chief: You’re going to use this on Toi-kun while he’s sleeping?

Netaro: Non! In fact, we will be doing the opposite. 

Nagi: What does that mean? Explain it to me like I’m five.

Netaro: From my observations so far, I hypothesize that this demon of Toi’s is asleep when Toi himself is awake. Hence, we are using this while Toi is awake.

Yodaka: I see. The dream of a demon… So, you expect the memories held by the demon to be printed out.

Daniel: Ain’t that exactly what you’d call “unscientific?” There’s only one hippocampus after all.

Netaro: Daa~♪ I can hardly believe you of all people would present me with such a stimulating question!!

Daniel: Well, I’d sooner believe in your Alter Ego theory, or that he’s got eighth-grader syndrome.

Daniel: There’s no way you’d be able to pick up memories from before Toi was even born.

Toi: …

Nagi: Um, I’d like to file a complaint against Buchi-san who isn’t doing a good job as ambassador of “Explanations Even Idiots Can Understand”… 

Chief: Sorry, I’m not sure if I get it either… I think, because there’s only one brain, Toi-kun’s body shouldn’t be able to have memories that don’t belong to him…?

Netaro: Failure is the mother of success! If it’s unable to pick up the right memories, then it’s most likely that Toi either has multiple personalities, or eighth-grader syndrome~

Ryui: Toi’s got neither of those!

Netaro: If it does successfully retrieve the memories— 

Yodaka: –It would prove the existence of the demon?

Netaro: Nfufu… I will observe even a demon through the lens of science. If we are indeed able to retrieve memories regarding the circumstances surrounding Oshisha from before Toi’s lifespan… It would birth a new theory.

Netaro: It would hint towards the existence of “a science in which a specific persona is capable of crossing the space-time continuum!”

Daniel: … 

Ryui: Blab all you want, but if you’re gonna use this Printer on Toi, then… 

Netaro: Ah~ Yes yes, I know. You just looove to go on about safety.

Netaro: I have already tested this on Yoda, our residential professional sleeper. Here, his dream is on this paper.

Nagi: It’s a single page.

Chief: (That’s some elaborate technology but… why does it print on paper of all things…?)

Netaro: You were wondering why it prints on a sheet of paper, yes? Well, that’s because it adds gravitas of course~!

Nagi: Is it okay if I read this?

Yodaka: I don’t mind.

Nagi: The keyword of Yodaka-san’s dream is… “milkshake” huh… Hm… 

Yodaka: I don’t quite remember what kind of dream I had.

Nagi: Uh huh… 

Nagi: ……

Nagi: …………

Chief: Nagi-kun?

Netaro: Would you like to read it as well, Doudou?

Nagi: No, um, it’s better if the Chief doesn’t read this.

Yodaka: Hahaha.

Chief: (I wonder what was written on it…)

Netaro: Now then, Toi. Sit over there.

Toi: Ah… 

Everyone: …

Toi: (Would this machine reveal everything?)

Toi: (Would it expose my insides that are rotting away, hideously…) Toi:(And Ani-sama will end up finding out… That I’m not a good boy—)

Notes:

The Oirase Gorge Icefall refers to the frozen waterfalls that can be found there.

The serow is any of four species of medium-sized goat-like or antelope-like mammals.

Event Masterpost

Next Track

[hexsichord]

Being the person that am I and being as in love with Drakenier as I am I've had too many thoughts of Yorha Viktor which leads us here

Viktor is part of an experimental early squad (like No.2 my beloved) and is in himself an experiment as his systems have a fault that the bunker can't seem to fix so they send him out as a scanner in this unit, seeing if models need to be "perfect" to get results on the field. He didn't start as a scanner though, he was healer unit originally, going through reformatting to see if that'd "fix" him.

Jayce is Viktor's operator, fascinated with earth and constantly asking Viktor to send any and all info he can and he wishes he could be down there as part of the squad. He loves hearing him talk about anything and everything and Viktor being a scanner model is just as curious so he's fine with learning everything he can to tell Jayce. They've always been a team, even when Viktor was originally a healer unit. They just work together.

Then Viktor just vanishes. He disconnects from the bunker and Jayce just has no idea what's happened. He knows Viktor and that squad had a mission and he knows things weren't going as planned. And then they lost signal and he waited and waited. One by one all the black boxes stopped functioning. Besides Viktor's. But his signal never connected again. And he loses it. He doesn't know if he's alive or dead and he doesn't know how to deal with that fact. Days pass and there's still no signal. Weeks pass and the bunker is expecting him to do his job like nothing happened. And he can't.

So he decides he's gonna get reformatted. He's gonna be a battle unit and that means they'll send him down to the surface and he can do whatever he can to find Viktor cos he refuses to believe he's truly dead like the commander has said. Only in getting reformatted he loses his memories.

He goes through training, gets his weapon and ends up in Cait's squad. They're sent down and told to meet up with the nearby Resistance camp, get info on the machines in the area. They're talking to the camp leader (it'd probably be Vi ngl) and Jayce's just looking around, checking things out, cataloguing things to keep in mind. And he sees Viktor. And he has no memory of him but he know. Just knows this android is super important to him.

He's look an absolute mess, brown shoddily dyed over white hair, the cut all over the place. His chassis is showing on his cheeks, the skin clearly needing repair and his leg is no better, damaged metal and wires held together with a makeshift brace. He's wearing a mix of Yorha uniform and resistance uniform and one of their visors tied to his arm not hidden away under the cloak he's got on to try and project his leg from the elements.

It's Him and Jayce doesn't even know who He is. Their eyes meet and panic crosses Viktor's eyes before he turns back and hastily leaves and Jayce goes to follow but Cait stops him. They've got a mission to do. They stay with the camp and Viktor stays as far away from them as possible. Always keeping them in the corner of his vision. Watching. Waiting.

But one day Viktor's told to go with them on a recon mission, that he knows the most about the machines and how they're changing. And he's stuck with them and stuck with Jayce and everything is going horribly cos he's waiting for one of them to kill him for deserting. And then he hears Jayce's voice and he realises who's in front of him and everything just falls apart for him. Cos he's made a space here and he can help the resistance, he's making them logic virus vaccines so they can have a chance, he thinks they're making progress and he just can't lose everything again.

But he cannot trust the bunker and he knows too much now. Too much about Yorha, too much about the Council, too much about everything going on in this war. And once again these two work so well together and still bounce off each other perfectly, he doesn't wanna lose him either.

Jayce one day asking why Viktor doesn't get his leg fixed and Viktor explaining that the camp doesn't have parts that work for him and so he can't get "fixed" without losing who he is, if he goes back to the bunker that's it, he's going through cleaning and reformatting. He'll no longer be this person, this current Viktor and he refuses to accept that. And Jayce get it, wonders out loud how much of his past self he's lost from being reformatted and he catches the sadness in Viktor's eyes and he reassures him that it's all okay cos it meant he got to meet him.

I'm not saying Cait's an executor sent to kill Viktor but oops Cait's an E type sent to kill Viktor and recover his black box (cos those things are dangerous man and the resistance can't know how they're made) and Jayce finds out and oof oh no everything goes to shit. Viktor probably also gets logic virused somewhere along the road cos he won't stay outta machines' brains

[yoongleboonglepie]

chapter 13😭 thank you, but no thank you too.

Where is everybody? Jin and Hoseok? Her parents?

Jungkookie needs to spit it out, whatever it is. 😭 Can’t have him go into another dump because of killing a demon. Something tells me he’s a key to unlocking whatever is on the other side.

Mr Hearer is back and I’m glad he found a way to make it work. I HATED thinking of him as a villain. I’m still not 100% sold, but if you check the timeline, with it being recent developments of involvement, I can move on.

Yoongi.😭 I knew he felt alone and had a troubled background but never did I think it would lead to this. I hope he’s not the one to die like Bea said.

OC needs to get it together. She CANNOT be walking around and talking to whoever like usual and if a ghost says go home, LEAVE GIRL. 😭 Oma could have lived had OC just left sooner.

I need Jungkook to punch her mother, respectfully BECAUSE WHAT THE HECK?😭

Tae might be a good egg, but I’m still waiting on more info.😭

This chapter made feel sorry for every young person (except Jin and Hoseok) who are caught up in this. It’s scary and it’s just wrong that the adults did nothing to protect them from it.

I always feel so evil after I post a chapter LOLOL.

I won't answer to where the boys are-but I will say that her parents had only just returned from Jimin's graduation on Monday morning, and most of the time they are working (or are they? 👀).

SERIOUSLY he wants MC to communicate more openly but then struggles to himself? PULL YOURSELF TOGETHER DUDE. (He's working on it though, my shayla 😭).

MR. HEARER LMAOOOOOO. I have a feeling will be seeing a lot of him in the next chapter so maybe some loose strings will be answered...and maybe if people send me in their most pressing questions about him I will choose some of them to put in the story for some answers 👀👀👀

Yoongi's character is so special to me, I just love him so much. He is always just doing his best and like he said-that can make someone an easy target.

YES GIRL RUN! LISTEN FOR ONCE IDK

SAME. Every chapter my wife comes to me with her hands crossed like "I need to punch our mother. I need someone to run her over."

SO much more to him-we are only just finally dipping the surface into more about his character. So many layers to everyone because unfortunately for all of you, I am a little scheming goblin by nature.

~Delyn

[rei-does-stuff]

Yet another cream unicorn info dump

OKAY SO

-Thinking abt how excited Cream Unicorn must’ve been when they were first made, they couldn’t wait for cookies to show up, to make them happy and see them play on all the rides, they were probably so so happy at first, everyday was probably amazing for them, even when people slowly stopped showing up they were still happy, even when the park was empty for a while they were still happy, and then that happiness slowly and slowly disappeared as they realized no one was gonna come back, that they were alone and that no one was coming to see them, they couldn’t understand why, they made everyone so happy, what was with the park, what was wrong with them?

-[‘Your job is to make cookies happy, and this park is help you do that! Whenever someone comes in, make them as happy as you can.’ A voice told the unicorn when it was first made. They still remember it clearly in their head, now as they stand alone in this cold park, they wonder, why was I made if my job is over now? What am I still doing here….] <- lil writing abt that

-I see cookieland as smth akin to neverland in a way, and in peter pan, whenever any of the other children gets too old, peter ‘thins’ them out. We don’t know what it exactly what it means, (could be murder, could just be kicking em out, who knows!) Just a thought that crossed my mind, if the kids actually decided to stay with cream, maybe their version of thinning them out is turning them back into kids, making sure they can’t grow up and want any independence maybe??

-A lot of the appeal of Neverland is that you can do whatever you want, no rules, including misbehaving and stuff. Being able to misbehave is part of the appeal of cookieland too I think, even the most pure of heart kids want to disobey, so they don’t really have an issue with it, if kids wanna break rides they don’t have a problem with it, they’ll fix it anyways

-But that no rules part is apart of the reason why you cannot stay there, why kids wanna leave, its only an indulgence, being able to do whatever is fun in the moment but after a while no structure gets boring, you want to do different things, no amount of new rides and treats can fix it, its an amusement park, not a home, thats what cream doesn’t really understand, that no matter how much they want it, you can’t stay in cookieland, no one can, not even them

Its the same thing with childhood in general, cream idolizes it, because they can’t have it, they aren’t a child they never were, they only see the fun of it in the children who visit, but they don’t KNOW what it’s like to be a kid, to follow the rules of your parents and not have the freedoms of an adult, they don’t understand that growing up is a good thing, that its inevitable, but they don’t wanna accept it, because if they do then they have to acknowledge that cookieland is only temporary, that their initial job is only temporary, that temporariness isnt a bad thing it just means they have to grow up and adapt and change but that scares them, they don’t wanna do it

Cream Unicorn is terrified to face the reality that they might need to change, that to escape the loneliness they so desperately hate they need to grow up, but the concept of growing up is the antithesis of who they are, they are the embodiment of childhood wonder even if they themselves have never truly been a child, they only understand the surface level of that experience, they are only the good parts, but in order to grow they must acknowledge the bad parts too, and only then would they have the opportunity to become something more than they are

[alterrune]

Laurence and Lily’s Shadows: Afterword

Writer: Albert

Final Report:

As of today, Laurence and Lily were finally able to overcome not just their Shadow’s, but their worst traits, all with the support of the CSB, Morgana, and Teddie. I will say, it was quite the journey for us all, and I had the honor of being the navigator for everyone.

Still, Operation Emperors Abyss is continues to be in progress, as Terence Suave and the Toppat Radicals remain at large, but right now everyone needs to recuperate after what happened recently.

I do wonder, why I don’t have a Shadow self, is it because I’m an AI, or have I already overcome it thanks to Jameson rewriting me to GEOGRAM’s Side? I cannot know for certain, but whatever happened, has already happened. We’ve overcome the Shadows, just stay with the CSB, and you’ll make it.

However, something continues to weigh on my mind, What the Shadows of Lily and Laurence said. I asked Laurence and Lily themselves about what their Shadows told them… and it was the same thing, “Mom is coming home soon”. Could the Shadows be referring to not just Laurence and Lily’s Mother, but Aaron/Adams Wife? I remember how both Ellie’s Broyher Jacob and Alter’s Father Clarence returned from Heaven as ghosts after the Heaven Incursions defeat… could the Shadow’s be referring to the return of another loved one, just like Clarence and Jacob?

So I went through GEOGRAM’s Archives, and I see the name of the Matriarch of the Schaffer Family:

Her name is Marian Schaffer.

Whatever this could mean, we must await the arrival of anyone coming from the gate leading to Heaven.

All we can do now is wait for what the future holds.

End of Report.

Marian? Oh, she was a blessing! She was always so caring with Laurence and Lily.

I never met her, though. I hadn't surfaced until after she kicked the bucket. And even though I'm usually a condescending bastard, I actually have nothing bad to say about her. Yeah, even I think she's nice. I would've loved to meet her, especially since my bloodlust has signifigantly toned down.

You would've loved her, Adam. She was so caring, so loving, and if any of us ever gave her a rough time, she'd speak out and we'd back off. She was a blessing.

Hey, Albert! I'm pretty sure you're right on you not having a shadow because you're an AI that doesn't even have a human form. But that's not what's important. What is is that I wanted to ask you something. Do you have any files on Aaron's wife?

Sadly, no, Adam. I only know as much as what Aaron has told me and left in the Archives.

(I open the door to my room, wearing a black adult onesie that says "DON'T WAKE ME UNTIL I'VE HAD MY TURF WAR FILL" in the Splatoon 3 textbox font and a nightcap that has the Splatoon 3 logo on it, awoken by all the loud talking.)

Guys, can you tone it down for us? We've had an incredibly rough day, and, well, y'know...I HAVE INSOMNIA FROM ALL THESE MISSIONS THAT I HAVE TO TAKE SLEEP PILLS FOR. I'd HIGHLY appreciate it if you all could be quiet so I can get some actual sleep without the worry of my insomnia getting in the damn way. God, I never get a fucking break around here...

(As I'm ranting, I head back into my room and shut my room door, and thankfully the medicine didn't wear off fully and I conk right back out.)

Well, as I was saying, Adam, I do not have any info aside from what I can access.

Alright, well that's fair.

Adam, we should probably head to bed ourselves.

Good call, Aaron. Good night, Albert.

Good night, Adam. Good night, Aaron.

Good night, Albert.

(Aaron/Adam then heads off to bed, not wanting to disturb the CSB too much.)

[eldritchmochi]

Word prompt for the letters! SWORD TIME

mina pls that is so many letters lmao

S - Show us an example of your personal headcanon (prompts optional but encouraged)

okay, if it is not obvious, i have thought SO MUCH about disability in exandria, so heres a general worldbuilding headcannon vs character based hc but it's shown that disability isn't overly impactful in exandria. basically everything we've seen ranging from pcs like shakaste to big npcs like dancer and also smaller one off pcs like the moorbounder dealer in the city of beasts, whatever the name is, they're fully functional within society despite major physical disabilities and theres functionally not a whole lot of ableism at a surface level when it comes to worldbuilding (thanks matt).

however..... its not hard (for me) to extrapolate how the dynasty in particular would have a not great view on disability (thank u cherry for putting it into words as i was charlie day-ing over coping skills early on). it's not something that i talk about explicitly in coping skills (and may not since it would be really info dumpy and not vibe with the way i write or characterize the wizards lmao) but it's something ive spent a great deal of time thinking thru for the dang fic and my in-head notes are basically a) in a modern setting like coping skills, the healthcare situation moves at a glacial pace partly because elves live forever so what is a several year wait for a non emergent specialist issue and b) major disabilities, things that impact daily living to a significant degree that cannot be "fixed" with magic, are at best really only tolerated until anamnesis or consecution so the body can be reset into a more perfect form

i could wax poetic about the nitty gritty as it relates to coping skills specifically, but that is like, the base premise of 90% of the fic lmao

W - A trope which you are virtually certain to hate in any fandom.

okay so, heres the thing: with the exception of a few squicks, if something is well written with some fukken *heart* i will eat up just about anything. theres some tropes i don't really get myself and haven't found anything with it that's interested me, like hanahaki, but i have fav fics involving things i notoriously avoid, like kid fic and hs aus. like legitimately, my absolute fav fic is a non explicit hs au, which considering i basically dont read non explicit fics OR hs aus is fucking wild

O - Choose a song at random. Which ship or character does it remind you of?

lets see, i did one here for an ashrym fic, and one here for general shadowgast so lets go with a single character, and a delightfully weird song for her

obviously imogen, again, because its funny. do not ask me why spotify recommended this german edm country album to me a bit ago but i listened to the whole thing and it fucking slapped, and this song immediately went on my hells playlist

R - Which friendship/platonic relationship is your favorite in fandom?

I AM ONLY DOING ONE BECAUSE I DONT TRUST YOU MINA (ilu but also damn many letters lmao)

but callowmoore is just chefs kiss. i don't see anything necessarily romantic between them but i love the idea of the two of them bonding over being absolute gremlins. ashton definitely needs a charismatic wingman and fearne definitely needs someone who has (some level of) smarts re Doing Crimes, so the two of them playing off each other is just delightful and i love how soft they are with each other in cannon and in turn all the fanart (especially the forehead kiss???? im still not normal about that)

D - A pairing you wish you liked but just can’t.

hmmmmmmmmmmm okay i guess maybe reylo? the rots kiss was absolute garbage rey deserves better BUT i am in theory into her domming the shit out of him but reylo shippers as a whole soured me on the ship and now i just hhhh no thank you, even from authors i trust to write it in a way i'd enjoy :C

T - Do you have any hard and fast headcanons that you will die defending? 

T answered here! (basically no lmao)

I - Has Tumblr caused you to stop liking any fandoms, if so, which and why?

homestuck :I like part of it was definitely the Fandom Cycle of falling out if interest with something, especially once there stopped being new cannon i could access but a bigger part of it was seeing all my fav artists and writers in the fandoms, particularly the ones 30+, PARTICULARLY Black artist, being absolutely shat on by kids for the crime of... being adults in fandom spaces basically, or otherwise creating fanworks that featured non-white, non-thin depictions of the characters. i live vicariously thru @/roundandtalented when they spam share hs art because i still love those characters but yeesh ye olde tumblr hs fandom got VERY toxic

M - Name a character that you’d like to have for a friend.

answered once here with ashton and here with astarion so i guess i gotta keep the train going with "a" name characters

hmmmmmmmmmm

okay lets say abby from ncis (i have watched Many crime procedurals lmao). i imagine she and i would be GREAT fashion buddies, especially when i'm bubblegum pop kawaii to her scary goth. we could swap tips on breaking in big stompy boots and all the best places for cute clothes, and i think we're fairly close in size too so could even SWAP gasp The Dream

E - Have you added anything cracky/hilarious to your fandom? If so, what?

god i do not know if fandom as a whole has picked up on any of the various things i've built in my fics but tbh i think its absolutely hilarious how i inevitably write a porn/camming au for like every fandom i write multiple fics for. it happens, every single time. EVERY TIME. in fact, mine and cherry's sg camming au started with me lampshading this trend i have, laughing about how FINALLY here was a fandom where i couldn't write camming and make it work, except whoops i thought too hard on it and made it work. this occurred over the course of like..... a single evening. i had the basic outline sketched out within twenty minutes of me being like "theres no way i could write camming into critical role, NO WAY" i am not even exaggerating

so i guess maybe my hilarious contribution to critical role is the contemporary magical setting proof-of-concept???? cherry did say there werent really that many at the time i asked because i lov me some modern aus

there are maybe some letters left idk at this point lmao but here is the meme for those of u who made it thru all that

[predvestnik]

my beloved, i hope this letter finds you in a better headspace from the one you sent yours in. in mondstadt, everything has been going fine- we are preparing for another wine festival... or, perhaps, i should call it poetry festival, but we both know these events are simply an excuse to drink. everyone is buzzing for the occasion.

i, however, have been missing you like a part of me was gone, the phantom nerves of love an omnipresent ache. seeing eachother soon would be a dream- i can't wait to see you again, my love. it would be the greatest gift. i'll wait for you with patience.

is your mission going okay? have you been eating well? is fontaine to your liking? there are so many stories i could tell you that i have read in my spare time; if you need any info about someplace, don't hesitate to ask me. i'll try to respond as best as i can.

now, about your troubles... this is very unusual, and i can feel your worry in every stroke of ink. if we were in person, perhaps i could try to find out where this has stemmed from- but, since we're apart, i beg of you to be careful, my love: if you start feeling the effects of it once again, find a safe place to try and clear your mind first thing, and try to keep yourself calm. take deep breaths and don't give in to panic- it worsens things to no end. fear muddles the mind. once you come back, i will surely have obtained more informations about how to try and help you. i'm going to ask someone if this has happened before, and how it was fended off, or at least contained.

despite the worry and the wanting to be at your side to soothe, i believe in you; i have the utmost faith that you can find a way to tame this problem, too. childe- there's nothing that you cannot achieve, when you put your mind to it. you are unstoppable- remember that. you are destined to achieve greatness, but the path of greatness has many obstacles inbetween the bottom and the top. perhaps this is one of said obstacles- still, i wish you didn't had to deal with it alone.

if, by the time you return, the problem persists, we will find a way to deal with it together. hang on- we will be reunited soon. do not hesitate to let me know if things become too much- i am but a travel away. i will reach you without hesitation, my love. there's no nation big enough to prevent me from seeing you in time of need.

be safe, my love. be sharp, strong and brave, and think of me at your side, holding your hand. i hope my perfume lingers around you, so it may soothe you further.

with all of my love, kaeya ♥

Unsurprising how each stroke of ink can be felt in his heart. Fingerprints feel the letters, trace their curves and edges, like he can feel the quill scratch on the surface and hear Kaeya's breath as he writes it. For a moment, if only he closes his eyes for long enough, it's like he's never parted; for a moment, when he allows himself to be tricked by the ghosts of longing, he can smell the perfurme of calla lilies wafting from a desk not far from where he lies.

He has lost count of how long he's been reading it, how many times he's extracted the love from every word, every endearment, consuming them like a man starved. In his dorm, nothing can really interrupt this moment; in his solitude, anyone trespassing this moment so intimate would soon be shown the way out, back to the corridors of his prison.

When Kaeya wishes him to be sharp, he checks the power of his cut;

When Kaeya wishes him to be strong, he swears he can lift the Fortress out of the water;

When Kaeya wishes him to be brave... then he doesn't need anything else to be just that.

Features soften, but there's clear purpose to their glinting. He sits up, paper folded carefully and tucked into the inner pocket of his vest — it's time to move and to act.

After that, it'll be time to leave.

[abominationvault]

Session 77: Sat May 31 2025

I am away this week, so Skabb takes over note-taking!

We go down to the next level. Medussa has fecked off. We have Drow friends Haribo and her ppl on this level and 1 we saved in a previous level (in the tavern).

There are green crystals in the wall (the tunnels were dug out by an ancient worm). Skabb pries two out, they glow and vibrate with faint leccy - doesn't hurt) gives one to Nards to make something out of and keeps one for lighting up her gob for shits and giggles.

Leader in yldaris is Koala. (cue lengthy chat about koalas, chlamydia etc…)

Its blummin dark. some of us are stuck in walls/cant move/cant see (not intentially)

we are led through tunnel by drow. Guard sat carving mushroom wood. Curious but keeps whittling and acknowledges our guide. Head west to Yldaris. East - where we keep mounts and caravans drop off from "Darklands". The "mounts" are like monitor lizards but huge.

Skabb goes and asks if she can sit on a lizard. The Drow are respectful and allow it. Skabb is overjoyed :)

WE head west, our escort does a fancy knock on a door and we are let in by another guard. This one introduces itself as Catlitter. Jorgarth likes his hat. He opens a door to a room with chairs. Jorgarth recognises someone playing cards at the table - we saved him from being eaten by folk in the pub. He smiles warmly at us and motions at others and tells us their names and welcome us to Yldaris.(had other things happened in previous levels they would've attacked, but they like us…they really like us!). escort leads us to meet the leader.

Nards tells us writing in elvish are aphorisms saying to stay alert and stay alive, the marks underneath represent every time yldaris has been attacked and defended.

Skabb finds a room with Drow shootists working on their crossbows JOrgarth finds a room with folk aiming at targets. He flexes at them. They look curious but are unfazed. Jorgarth finds sleeping quarters and our guide tells us to head southwards through double doors to find their leader.

Koala (Quara) is in the room. Jorgarth starts curling her anvil to try to impress her?! 2 strange looking drow (Cavern Seer) are at the end of the room. Jorgarth licks one of the cavern seer. It is disgusted.

Koala thanks us for saving her cousin from the pot. She says she has never met surface dwellers but we are less ugly than expected.

she wants to know about us. we ask if she knows vecro - she is familiar, not particularly pro Velcro, her predecessors worked for her but not through choice. She has no ill will towards the surface dwellers.

She smiles and says she has a lot to think about. She wants to speak to her advisors and come back rto us. They will put us in an overflow area to wait. Sends us away and we are called back. Can leave things in the room

Says I believe you have been honest with me and I will be honest with you. Yldaris is only here for Velcro. Ochre fulcrum lens which manipulates . I was never meant to lead. Father was leader and went

erdofan leader caught and murdered father and sister perhaps to get the lens. Velcro came to me as a ghost. For good of yldaris I renewed vows. Not bound by words. Will side with us be loyal to us.

Velcro befriended drow, erdofans to the west and the deep gnomes above who have embraced death. Each had a lens.

Seers speak: There is more (they move mouths in unison) The ochre lens lies in a dark and wet place. He died attempting to know more of its purpose. He hid it from the erdofans. The ERdofansThe stones empower the ghost queen and are poewr to defeat. together they gather the attention of the empty death Nimboleth. The answer is in the old treasure vault overlooks the lake (on this level). She cannot withstand its power if they are all together. WHISPERING REEDS BOOK - has more info on these lenses. This should be in AugClem but we arent sure. Not one that we have written down in AC. DM said we can assume that we have it as was in upper floor.

The book is cursed and will turn whoever reads it into a ghost that is then cosumed by Nimboleth Lenses will allow velcro to come back But if you use them against her you can destroy her. Hartvig has Crimson Lens in his inventory. Emerald Lens to the west with the erdofans (transparent, can see their organs, we thought they were vampires - is what jorgy was before he becams e aghol) they feed off of blood and vitality - Ochre lens is the one with the drow to the east -

south, what appears to be a dead end is the entrance the hunters use to come in and out to pass into caverns and then head west to find the lake. erdofan are enemies to the drow cultists to north have been summoning demons There are horrendous fish said to live in the lake - large predatory fish that can haul themselves up on land More chance of reasoning with mushrooms than the erdofans

Tells us that erdofan have negative healing and when they die their flesh quickly rots and turns into a gas that curdles flesh and makes it rot - advises killing them from afar She would like us ti kill the one who killed her father and sister (bring back the sword of Khurfel) and we will get a reward including a lizard steed…!! Way through goes through lizards pasture, don't be alarmed if dead, as sometimes murdered by the local creatures.

Jorgart found a dead drow in a spiders web, moved a lizard out of the way to get to him. Cloak of elvynkind which he passes to Luna (get invisibility when draw up hood, plus 1 to stealth checks, cast ghost sound) and healers gloves (plus 2 bonus to medicine checks, as a 1 action heal can do 4d6 plus 15hp once a day- which he passes to the Cloracle.

Hartvig is surrounded by fog and biting mouths, which seem to be a magical effect bite him (really hard) he critically fails, but then rerolls using a HP and only fails so takes 27 instead of 54 damage.

Skabb dispels the magic and gets a HP. good news biters are gone. Bad news a spiderdemon thing arrives (derghodaemon) and fucks Hartvig up (42 to critically hit and does 76 damage as Hartvig is good). We all roll initiative…

Hartvig is down. Sprocket has a go and I don't know what happens cos my laptop dies Luna critically recalls knowledge - its immune to swarm attacks, confusion and death effects Its weak to good (only paladins do this) Weakest save is fortitude Dot all cluster in one place as it has aoe attacks FIEND/DEMON Big Lunes then enfeebles it and hurts it some (my laptop had died so missed details)

Skabb uses her new elemental breath attack and summons a portal to an elemental plane in her gob and breathes fire all over it for 42 damage. Then runs over to Hartvigs body

Jorgarth uses his javelin of lightning but it makes the save. He moves to goad it into attacking him.

Hartvig "casts imitate corpse". He death saves and is stable. Wounded 1, 0 hit points.

Sprocketses - takes his 12 persistent bug damage. Then Summons a mighty dragon (of level 5 or lower - flame drake or storm snake) chooses storm snake - it is surprisingly ickle on the map. It has 2 actions so it lightning strikes, and deals 7 damage. target is dazzled until end of next turn. Then attacks with its tail but misses. Then augustus clementine moves to flank with jorgarth.

Nards will start the turn order for next week….

[halcyon-digest]

2005

Art Klaudt: Massive storm that destroyed many houses

Anonymous 1: moved house

ava: my sister being born, and maybe my love for the show kim possible

kate: This would've been 6th grade so probably sitting in the computer labs waiting for my mom to get off work (secretary for the science department) and drive me home. This is where I would absorb internet culture. I learned of weebls-stuff via the popularity of badgerbadgerbadger.com and would watch a lot of those videos, I watched the Numa Numa kid for the first time here, the Emo song, the Llama song, and there was this geography game everyone in my social studies class had become obsessed with that also had a chatroom feature. I would go on there and pretend to be a girl from Ireland for some reason. The same usernames would be there often and I would be different people each time and collect information about them for fun. It turned out one person went to a nearby highschool and one day I DM'd her with everything I'd collected and she said "what the hell" to which I responded by telling her I had pretended to be all these people and finished by saying "be careful what you say on the internet" or something and then never logged onto that site again. I felt edgy and hackery at the time but in retrospect it was all really silly superficial info so maybe her response was less one of shock and horror and more like "wtf yeah and? why are you telling me this"

Anonymous 2: getting mad at a kid for shutting me down when i tried to play pretend & going to tell the teacher

Lucas: None

Anonymous 3: I was 14 in 2005. I think this was the year I injured, perhaps broke my coccyx, from hitting it on a tap in the bath, which I think is the worst physical pain I can remember. It was perhaps my first experience of pain in a way that was more like an adult experiences it (with attendant anxiety about not being able to complete future tasks, instead of existing in the moment of the pain).

Anonymous 4: Birth of my sister

superswag: N/a

v0w0v: My older neighbor took me next to her garage and showed me a dead squirrel. I thought she was very cool and mature because she told me she watched "Child's Play" and wasn't even scared. In the kiddie pool underwater looking at bugs struggle against surface tension while the other neighbor kids played.

Anonymous 6: Stealing an angel statue from my local church and being struck for it.

Anonymous 7: false memories of an easter spent down in albany.

binnie: Kirby Air Ride

Anonymous 8: Moving to a new house and a better area for me and my family. Going into first grade.

April M. Mildew: I cannot attach a memory to this year.

[cinnabarmawar]

TMNT MONOCHROME SNIPPET: Interragation scene

Hello, remember my TMNT monochrome that I rambled sometimes. Turns out I had written a snippet for it and finished this one today. Well, it's still rough since I'm still working on the concepts of my iteration. I hope to finish the concepts by next month.

Note: english is not my mother tongue language so sorry for the errors in grammar and spelling.

Trigger warning: Dissection, mild body horror without blood. Decapitation, murder, swearing.

The head that resembles Leo, lies there on the ground. Separated from his body. Rather than blood and flesh, the insides are stones that reflect and refract. Leo lifted the head and carried it, the only contrast was the red stone in his left eye socket, it does not even resemble an eye either.

“His brothers just abandoned him, the moment he’s done. I got a bad feeling about this, I can’t really explain why and how.” Mikey scratched his head.

“You and me both, Mikey, something’s off,” Raph 

“But at least we have one of the culprits of all the mess that happened in the city, we got him, he can still talk with his head only.”  

Leo raises the head with one head at eye level. 

“But first, we’re gonna have to cut his arms, then we can take the torso back to the lair, but the arms and legs, Leatherhead is it, ok, if you take them?”

“It is fine by me, I’d like to examine his limbs with professor Honeycutt once he’s fully charged when I return, I’m sure he would like to tag along as well and he may have info of it.”

“Then let’s do it now, before his head wakes up.”

“What are you going to do with his head?” 

Nur pointed at the head, looking at it with a worried expression.

“At the warehouse above, I just need to ask him a few questions when he wakes up, can’t guarantee if he’s in the mood to answer questions.”

Nur nodded as she pursued her lips and looked away from the head.

“Is something wrong, Hiranur?” 

“Nothing, it’s just, can you at least hold his head with both hands? He's unconscious, for now…”

She paused, guiding Leo’s other hand with hers to hold the head. Her hands stayed on his.

“Yeah, just like that…Well, you go now. I’ll go help the others.”

Nur’s hand brushed his, as she spun around walking to the others to help them with the stone remains of his body. Perhaps it was her old job as a mortuary that she recalled. Leo walked back to the lair, to the warehouse. 

He placed the head on the table and ‘caged’ it with a tempered glass dome. He sat on the chair, waiting for it to wake up. Leo’s mind wandered to when Nur touched his hand, the expression she had when she guided his other hand to hold his clone’s unconscious head with both hands – He cannot tell what is on her mind.  He has never seen her with that expression, he only hopes that she is alright.

Leo watched the head of the blue stone turtle doppelganger waking up weakly in the tempered glass dome he trapped him in without blinking. He struggles to straighten himself from the glass surface he was leaning on. It reminds him of a heavy vase when it was bumped or spun the part where the anticipation of catching it so that it doesn't smash the floor and break but this is a head of a turtle with his DNA he wants it let it fall out of and have a crack on his decapitated stone head. 

Fall and break!!

You disgrace clone of mine!! 

When the head stood still, he growled at Leo, slamming his head to him like a wild dog trying to bite him from a cage. Luckily, his tempered glass cage is heavy and the weights he put on top of it makes difficult for his cage to toppled, it resulted with the feral head lunging itself to the glass effortlessly only budge not less than an inch. He let out a small chuckle as he leaned his head on his right hand.

“WHAT ARE YOU LAUGHING AT! HAVING FUN HUMILIATING ME, I’LL KILL YOU!! I CAN STILL KILL YOU!! YOU PATHETIC ORGANIC ORIGINAL!!

“...Says the head without his body.”

Leo moves the laminated glass cage and weights a top of it closer to him at an arm's length. 

“Stop it, it's obviously pointless. If you are joined together with your whole limb, you might have a high chance to kill me all despite your…wounds. So, who's the pathetic one now?” Leo smirks. 

The head stopped slamming the glass. Glaring dagger from his one eye. 

“Then, kill me right now! you're one step closer to kill me and you only have three backstabbing nuisance left. You already cut me to pieces, now finish the job!” 

“I did enjoy dismembering you, it felt like I was cutting my own limb except, without blood, instead stone pieces. But that was only for precaution if you try to harm any of us. And if you do, I’ll make sure that next time you will rest in pieces.”

He stabbed his dagger on the table in front of the blue stoned turtle head who is still glaring at him with one eye blue the other a deep bright red. 

“But, my human friend, seems disturbed with my method even though it's necessary.I wanted to kill you but then, you saved her. Why risk that?”

“Our aim is to kill all you four! Under our Lord's order, killing them before you losers is forbidden.”

Leo slammed the table.

“Well, guess what, those humans you catch and feed to your crystals, they’re dead. Except for my friend, you killed them all. Isn’t that breaking the rule?” 

“Fucking questions! It's only with his orders and permission. But killing you is our top goal! You originals and then we will truly be alive! A clone and an original being can’t coexist, one has to be eliminated! That is His rule.”

His clone growled. Baring his stone-like fangs to him.

“And what happens if we kill you?” 

Leo looms close to the head, his eyes staring at his different ones, and the clone stares back. Leo's hand grips on the hilt of his dagger.

“We die, like all the organic creatures on this filthy planet. And you, Originals are worthy of living. That’s it.”

From below, Leo heard several footsteps coming in east entrance of the lair, then he heard Raph, Mikey and Nur’s voice. Bickering about where to put the torso. Leo sighs.

“I have more questions to ask you but that will be with my brothers the next time we talk, then, we’ll think about when and how we kill you.”

He placed a box over the clone’s head as he roared at him, calling him a weak coward. The head continue to bang on the glass dome that he is been caged in. Leo left the warehouse, while one hand lay on his neck. A discomfort creeping around his neck.

[jralloywheel]

Diamond Cutting Series: A Clear Understanding Of The Diamond Cut Finish

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One thing to bear in mind…

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JR Alloy Wheel Repair would never jeopardise anyone’s safety by withholding information about the condition of the wheels. Our expert technicians will advise you whether your alloys are still suitable for a Diamond Cut Finish or should the alternative be a one-colour standard finish.

How do we prep the alloys in readiness for a Diamond Cut Finish?

Preparation is essential in achieving a high-quality finish, and our 6-stage procedure guarantees that the wheel surface is in excellent shape before being Diamond Cut.

Tyres are removed with specialist equipment, and each tyre is individually coded to ensure proper reinstallation on the original wheel.

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Important: We cannot use the Diamond Cut Machine if your wheel is not perfectly straight.

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After the painting process has been completed, we will place the wheel into the lathe, where the wheel is digitised and cut.

For more info, take a look at this video:

Delivering the final touches

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[jackobbit]

[Working for E.V.I.L. Written Lore #3]

It’s been a hot minute hasn’t it? Sorry for taking so long! But, at long last, here is it: additional info about everyone’s favorite grump.

Im knocking on wood right now, but hopefully the time between this and the next written lore piece isn’t as long of a wait. School work and personal issues have finally calmed down so that will leave my schedule a bit more clear!

Anyways, that out of the way, here’s Eclipse! :3c

[To be shown next: The Boss]

[Eclipse]

[He/Him]

Oh this fucking wet paper bag of a man.

Eclipse has been working for E.V.I.L. the longest out of everyone else present within the story, save for The Boss. He’s been there for years, and could really use a vacation. He is both the head engineer and head scientist, performing and overseeing many projects and ongoings within E.V.I.L., even outside of the secret project collecting Stars.

He’s a genius, he’s jaded as hell and he constantly flip flops back and forth between wanting to quit his job and trying desperately to keep it. He thinks his boss is an idiot, that his coworkers are idiots and that he’s an idiot for getting roped into doing this job so long ago.

Again, genius, but only in terms of book smarts. He could build a rocket from scratch using a paper clip and some expired sushi but his emotionally constipated ass could not hold a genuine conversation to save his life. He hates being emotionally open and being rude is practically his default way of addressing someone because of that.

Eclipse rarely ever goes out on missions, both as a preference and for reasons out of his control. Instead, he typically gives orders through Bloodmoon and Solar Flares comms, telling them where they can find Stars and information about a specific place they’re traveling to. He can also help out from afar by hacking security cameras, doors, etc.

On very rare occasions, he either tags along on a mission or is pulled into one because of circumstance, but he never actively chooses to go on missions.

STRESSED. This man is 24/7 constant stressing. Bloodmoon and Solar Flare don’t help, his boss doesn’t help, the amount of work he has doesn’t help, and so much more. It’s another reason as to why he’s always so mad and snappy, although so much of that would be resolved if he would just accept help and maybe communicate with others a bit better.

Prideful. That’s another good word to describe this man. His pride can and will be the death of him but he will never admit that.

Dialog examples: “I could be anywhere right now. I could be at the beach, in a nice log cabin in the woods. But no, I’m having to spend my day around you two.” “We’re so dead.” “Just one day of peace and quiet, please, that’s all I ask.” “Would you two stop wasting time and go do your job?!” “Everyday I wake up, and every day it’s another new reason to fake my death and go live in Switzerland.” “Why did I ever agree to this.” “This is NOT fun, this is a war zone-localized in a Target parking lot- and we’re losing!!”

Behavior examples: the most sour facial expressions ever and 24/7 resting bitch face. Posture? SHRIMPED, that man cannot stand up straight to save his life. Uses his hands a lot without realizing, will usually touch at what he sees and is almost always holding something. Taps his fingers on desks, runs his hands along counters and surfaces and whatnot. Talks with his hands to. Tends to fiddle with the Star he wears whenever he’s feeling tired.

Fun facts: Eclipse wears a dying star around his neck. The Star itself was gifted to him by The Boss. The only reason he is able to keep this Star is because its own power is low from years of use prior to it being obtained, thus, it serving no purpose for The Bosses plans. It does, however, serve Eclipse in a few, very important ways. He’s never seen without it, and does everything he can to keep it on his person and safe from grabby hands. He also uses the Star as little as possible, to help conserve what energy it has left.

Hates doctors. Despises doctors and refuses to go. He insists on helping himself if something comes up. But, he’s a scientist. An inventor. Not a doctor. So he usually ends up much worse than he otherwise would have been. His pride really hinders him in that aspect. Whenever he’s asked about it, he simply says something along the lines of “Never again. Stop asking.”

Has a. Very interesting opinion on Lunar, who currently works for the G.O.O.D. Company. Lots of history there that he’ll never tell someone willingly about.

Despite thinking that his boss is an idiot, Eclipse is scared to death of the leader of E.V.I.L., not just because he’s scared of losing his job, but also because he’s personally seen just how powerful the leader is even without a Star to aid them.

Not even the power of every Star out there combined could make that man a better driver. He could crash a car and run someone over on accident while driving in a straight line.

Everyone thinks that Bloodmoon has the biggest sweet tooth, but in reality it’s Eclipse that does. He fucking loves anything sweet, especially cakes.

He doesn’t hate being around Bloodmoon and Solar Flare as much as he tries to convince everyone (include himself) that he does.

Would be the one to pull into the drive through to order a single black coffee and leave, ignoring everyone else who wants something.

Has a ‘world’s best scientist’ mug gifted to him by The Boss, but the word ‘scientist’ is written in sharpie, crossing out the word ‘dad’.

Says that nobody is allowed to touch his computer, ever. Several people have touched the computer.

He has a cousin who occasionally sends him post cards from their travels, he puts them on his wall in his office and stares at them dramatically whenever he is especially desperate for a vacation. A shame that he really doesn’t get vacation days because of how many tasks he’s given himself and has also been given by others. The whole company would crumble apart if he happened to leave for a few days.

[Working for E.V.I.L. Written Lore #1]

The first post of its kind! Introducing, Solar Flare! Below the read more is their personality, backstory, fun facts, dialogue and behavior examples, and other such things!

Hope y’all like them! If you’ve got any questions or comments I’d love to hear it!

[To be shown next: Bloodmoon] [Will be posted in: 2 days]

[Solar Flare]

[They/Them]

While the Working for E.V.I.L. Au has no main character, Solar Flare might be the closest thing there is to one due to the fact that they are introduced to the world in tandem with the audience.

As stated prior, Solar Flare was created within one of E.V.I.L.’s many labs following a zero-turn-out hiring event. Eclipse oversaw the project, but did not help directly. Although Eclipse was the one to introduce Solar Flare to the corporation following their completion.

Solar Flare is very goal oriented, determined, logical, blunt, has a flat voice and tends to take things literally. Very ‘I’m a classic no-personality robot’ type ordeal. They also have a tendency to not know what common objects, expressions or sayings are/mean/do. Their programming really honed in on a focus towards following orders to a T and not doing much if nothing else aside from that.

However, against all odds, Solar Flare begins to develop personality with time. They pick up bits and pieces of information as they go, and slowly apply what they think feels right to themself. It takes time but emotional expression, a unique way of speaking and a personality form within them the longer they exist and work with their team.

Unfortunately, some of the things they learn along the way are either skewed or flat out incorrect because of who they learned those behaviors/sayings from. (Cough, Bloodmoon, cough cough)

Dialog examples: “Greetings. I am: Solar Flare. My goal is to: Obtain Stars.” “What purpose does stopping at: Burger King, serve to our mission?” “Eclipse is correct, I am not sentient. I do not have the capacity to make decisions for myself. Thus, I do not know how to spend this money, Bloodmoon.” “I do not understand, what entertainment do you receive from looking at aquatic animals behind glass?” “Apologies for the intrusion, but we will be taking this, have a nice day.” “I think that I would like to do that.”

Very short, straightforward, blunt and too the point!

Behavior examples: Solar Flare tends to speak most through their eyes. They have little to no body language and tend to stand rigid and still, their eyes give away what trace sparks of life and emotion they have. An example being the way in which they dart around following a state of confusion.

Fun facts: One of the first things Solar Flare picks up behavior wise is how to be polite, quickly adding terms such as ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ to their lexicon despite doing so not serving any additional purpose to missions.

They can fly! They also have a little star design on their back, which hides away two little bars that can be grabbed to help them transport an additional person. Eclipse refuses to fly with Solar Flare, but with time, Bloodmoon is practically hanging off those bars 24/7.

Solar Flare is the second tallest of the cast, but is still much shorter than The Boss, who they haven’t met.

Solar Flare was not initially programmed with either free thinking or emotion in mind, thus, higher ups are certain that they are not sentient. Whether or not Solar Flare is sentient is something that is argued a lot internally within E.V.I.L., with the only two people being on Solar Flares side being Bloodmoon, but only after the two get to know them.

They can release steam and smoke from the air vents in both their mouth and chest, it helps their internal systems cool faster.

They eventually learn that they like music! Although they have no particular favorite genre.