#drabble tag tbd

[acr3ss-the-cosmos]

In his ever persistent quest to cure Feixiao of her Moon Rage, Jiaoqiu has gone down some rather… unconventional avenues. Of course, his herbal remedies and proprietary consumable prescriptions have done wonders to stabilize the general’s health, but they would not bring the healer any closer to ridding her of the affliction in its entirety. No… he had to think outside the box — outside what the field of medicine at large would consider “standard”. And so, Jiaoqiu set his sights on the closest thing he could get to the source of the accursed Moon Rage;

The Abominations of Abundance.

Jiaoqiu would not be able to acquire such specimens himself, as he did not possess the combat prowess necessary to dispatch such creatures. So instead, he asks a favor from Moze and a select few cloud knights to procure a body or two when they return from the battlefield, cut it into several large pieces, pack the sections into a large ice chest provided by the healer, and discreetly deliver it to Jiaoqiu’s kitchen. Then the research would begin — flesh would be neatly sliced away from bone, skin and blood samples would be extracted to be viewed under microscopic observation, and extensive notes would be written down in a worn leather-bound journal. How could he have not thought of this sooner, that the key to curing the general could very well lie within the very creatures birthed by the Plagues Author? How foolish of him…

There was a flick of a soft pink ear as Jiaoqiu was hit with a realization in the midst of his note-taking session, the pen in his hand halting abruptly in midair. He jerked his gaze up towards the long, wooden butcher block situated in the center of the kitchen, where cut sections of a freshly dispatched Golden Hound lay in a neat array atop the table’s surface. A pensive tilt of the head, pale gold eyes narrowing in contemplation. Thinking back on it, he had noticed a surprising amount of marbling mingled throughout the flesh, more than he would have expected from such a beast. In addition, appearance wise, the meat looked no different than that of the native game he typically dressed and prepared. The foxian was not a wasteful man in the slightest, believing that every part of an animal could be used for some kind of beneficial purpose. It would be a crying shame for such perfectly good meat to just be tossed aside as refuse.

…perhaps he should attempt creating a nutritious meal out of it, for curiosity’s sake...

[gerudospiriit]

follow up to this ask

Nabooru paced the length of her desk, twisting a crimson strand of hair around her fingers. With how long she strode the same path waiting for Aveil, she could have carved a a path into the the deepest depths of the desert. She purposefully kept her gaze from roving to her desk, the pile of ash sitting atop it. She could still see it in her periphery. Feel the heat radiating through her body. The flames of the torches rising and roaring around her...

When the door finally opened, her second striding in with the least amount of urgency possible, it took considerable control not to scold her for taking so long. She purposefully neglected to request the guard hurry or inform Aveil of an emergency to keep from alarming the young woman or her second. At least not until she could speak with the latter face to face.

"You called?"

Nabooru paused her pacing, and, judging by the way Aveil's brow wrinkled and she frowned, she didn't hide her frazzled state as well as she hoped. "Yes, we need to talk."

"You're not breaking up with me, are you?" she teased, trying to lighten the mood. Her specialty under more...normal circumstances. "What's eating you Nabs? I haven't seen you this out of sorts since you were dealing with Ganondorf."

"I'd rather be dealing with him," she muttered, resting against the desk. She folded her arms. "That dignitary from Hyrule wrote us back. He basically said there was nothing they could do, and that all of our concerns were unfounded. He dismissed us, as usual. they won't help and the won't investigate further."

She laughed bitterly and added, "Oh, but we're invited to attend the princess's coronation. Said they would be honored to have us."

The Gerudo second in command's visage darkened. "I can't say I'm surprised, but I'm disgusted. We presented evidence for all of it, but they refuse to investigate?" she hissed, hands curled into fists at her sides. "We can't let this stand. They'll keep doing this to our people and pretend they had nothing to do with it. We have to do something."

"I know," Nabooru agreed, the words of the letter tumbling through her consciousness again. Boiling her blood again. She sucked in a breath to calm herself. Her high emotion seemed to trigger...whatever happened to her before. "As much as I respect the princess for trying to ease the the tensions between our peoples, her efforts are in vain, apparently. The damage from the war, from Ganondorf...it's too much for the fools to put behind them and realize we're just trying to live our lives. They won't be content until we're gone, it seems."

Aveil mirrored Nabooru, arms folding over her chest. "We can't just attack them. The fight would be over before it could start once the Goron and Zora come to Hyrule's aid. And we can't just leave either. We've just started building the town, and we weren't exactly making it big enough for everyone to move into."

"We'll have to be smart about it, but I think our only choice is brute force." She inhaled, the scent of burning paper lingering in the room. "Really plan things out and ensure we don't make a single mistake. Do our research and give ourselves any advantage we can. Find allies, maybe..."

"Allies where?" Aveil questioned, eyebrow raised. "The Kokiri aren't exactly fighters, and those bird people from the north, the Rito...if they weren't interested in the squabbles of the rest of Hyrule before, I don't see why they'd be keen on helping us now."

"I don't know. Beyond the desert? We can travel more now. There might be more out there..." In another realm...

Despite her attempt at putting a positive spin on her suggestion, it still sounded unconvincing in her own ears. They needed a solution, and they needed it quick. Traipsing the desert, speaking and making deals with other tribes or kingdoms if they ever found them...would Hyrule's hate for them allow them that kind of time?

She couldn't get desperate. Desperation bred mistakes, missteps they couldn't afford. She couldn't lose herself. Not like he did.

Her mind reeled back to the letter, the pile of ask she left it in. She licked her lips. "There's...something else."

"Please tell me it's good news."

Nabooru circled to the other side of the desk. "That letter...I..." She trailed off and dipped her index and middle fingers into the ash, dragging them along the wood and leaving two sooty lines in their wake. "I burned it."

Aveil stared, unimpressed. "Is that a bad thing? I think I would have done the same."

"No...no I mean I burned it. With...with..." she held up her hands, half expecting them to glow. "With I don't know what. Magic? My sage powers don't deal with fire though, so...I don't know what happened. The torches went crazy, too. I was reading it, getting angry and..."

She trailed off, pulse quickening. Magic. Forced to carry the legacy and power of the Sage of Spirit irked her enough, and now...now something else awakened in her. What did it mean? Where did it come from? If she lost control of it...

Nabooru swallowed, finally glancing up to find her second in command staring at her in disbelief. "Like, fire magic?" she asked. "You've never practiced magic though. Did Ganondorf teach you something?"

"No, I wouldn't let him even if he offered." She wiped her hand on her pants. "I need to figure it out though. I...if I lose control...I don't want to hurt another Gerudo or destroy the fortress."

Aveil tapped her finger against her cheek. "That's a good point...Though if you lost control in Hyrule Castle..."

"Better there than here, sure, but I'd rather not," Nabooru sniffed.

"Just a thought," she defended, the hint of a cheeky grin on her lips. "My only suggestion would be to talk to one of the priestesses. They're the ones that would likely have any knowledge of magic or...weird magic suddenly manifesting in people?"

Sinking into her seat, she rubbed her temples. "Yes...I guess you're right." The thought of speaking to any of them about this already threatened to split her head with a migraine. "I'll go find them in a bit. Keep this to yourself for now. I'll see what's going on with these powers, and maybe we can do some research on lands outside of here. We'll talk to the rest of the Elite in a few days."

Aveil nodded. "Let me know if you need anything. Go take a relaxing bath or something first. Calm yourself down."

Nabooru waved her off and watched her leave, but seriously considered her suggestion. Stress relief would do her some good. Keep people from suspecting the worst in seeing their chief stressed out more than usual. She stood again, chair legs scraping against sandstone, and headed back to her room to take Aveil's advice.

[silksworn]

❛  how can you just go to sleep like nothing happened?  ❜

Iraestra nears slumber — or as near as her kind may come to it — when Wyll's sotto voice reaches her. She stirs, turning so that she may hear him a bit clearer. He whispers the wretched words quietly, almost as if he doesn't quite mean for her to hear. Soft syllables nearly taken by the wind, strangely hollowed of any inflection.

The coolness of the night air soothes her, the concert held by crickets and the murmurs of guest downstairs a lullaby. Long minutes now she has spent quite hypnotized by the dancing curtains, sheer enough to allow pools of moonlight to creep into the room. Everything is beautiful and kinder away from the garish touch of the sun. Even the unsheathed rapier set on Wyll's lap glows softly like a unicorn's horn torn cleanly from the skull. A gruesome treasure of bleached bone, testament of pain and suffering.

Blood still darkens his hands and the hilt. Wyll has not cleaned himself. He still sits where she has left him at the vanity, staring mutely into the mirror's deceptive surface. He looks at her form on the bed, but he also looks beyond her. What demons he must see at the edge of his vision! Ghouls who will not give up their haunting no matter how tightly he shuts his eyes.

She considers pretending she did not hear him. To leave Wyll to his own ruminations; he is not a babe she need coddle. It is possible he will sort himself out by the morning. Maybe he will feel sated after he goes out and kills something else. Perhaps Iraestra will wake up to the kiss of steel against her throat, a spill of blood pouring from the black lips of opened skin. An end to this farce for the both of them.

A caress of her mind against his own. She enters the maelstrom with care, only brushing the surface of them before retreating as gently as she came. Granting him a glimpse at her calmness, her comfort. Iraestra rises to follow the touch with a physical one, hand coming up to tenderly cup the back of his head. She stands behind him, attempting to meet his gaze in the reflection. With her other hand she traces the great spiral of a horn, finger following the wicked ridge down the entire length.

"Rest would never find me if I allowed every horror visited upon us to disturb me," she matches his tone. Soothing the dog with weary, hungry eyes and gaping maw. "How much can you carry upon your shoulders? You take every burden and name it your own, then wonder why you are so weary. Velve," truly, she pities him. Too kind of a heart is a poison. One day he will choke upon all that he swallows down. "Allow yourself this mercy: stow away that which does not serve you. You are no use to the people of the Gate if you are mad with sleeplessness."

He is of little use to her if he allows himself to be guided more by his guilt than by reason. She will steer Wyll right if she must. A velvet lead he only need follow the tug of. "Would you like me to help you forget?" she offers, traipsing the tips of her nails down his ear, to his jaw, his neck. Iraestra names the bones in her head as she touches each. She would know him in every way.

forty random questions / @limpfisted

[drxeamsofstxrs]

Star Light, Star Bright (Drabble)

She remembered the fall. The warmth that had spread as she shot across the sky, the colors that had surrounded her. The song of her brothers and sisters rang clear in her ears, guiding her to places unseen. She remembered the voice of the child, their earnest wish... And then. Falling. As if she had lost the ability to fly. Wetness spread...tears, she realized. She could hear the panic in the chorus, calls of her name, and then... Impact. That was 400 years ago, now. 400 years of being cut off from the chorus. 400 years of acting as a minor god. The only solace she had was that on occasion she could see one of her brothers and sister shooting across the sky. And, she could grant the wishes they carried.

Tonight was the anniversary of that fated day, and so, having purchased a bottle of wine, Iulla made the trek to Starsnatch Cliff and sat in the grass, watching. Waiting. Hoping... All at once, a shooting star whisked across the sky, a sister... And Iulla started to cry. A wail that was simultaneously the quietest and loudest thing. A Gods grief was a powerful thing. Reaching, painfully towards the sky with a hand, knowing full well she couldn't reach them... "I miss you.."

[mushroompollution]

in this house we love and respect familial bonds over making young women fresh out of high school (or college in this tl) fix grown ass manbabies who straight up admit to wanting to abuse her

[lovinggreeniehours]

break from the orvs to cook my rice but i suddenly thought of how tsukasa is somehow. technically. the more shy one of arinkasa in terms of flirting. he's very affectionate by nature and he's very obvious about that but like i feel like he's so easy to fluster if arin gets direct with him. especially with more explicit gestures (because my boyfriend is a wonderful very considerate gentleman who's very careful about crossing boundaries and never wants to make me uncomfortable and i love that for him) but like i can easily see arin just casually kissing his hand in public for the first time and tsukasa's going to go "WHWHWHWHAA..????" w like the most flabbergasted face. im pretty sure tsukasa started screaming after their first kiss

[draconscious]

'...There's a challenger.'

Fran's declaration is met with derisive scoffs and murmurs from her fellow Blackthorn City Gym trainers. A capable seven-badged opponent hadn't passed through their gauntlet's fanged entryway in months, the League becoming a seasonal afterthought as Clair's understudies warded off poachers, rescued Dratini, and hunkered down against the harsh mountain winter.

Even in these summer months, the rest of the Leaders continue to serve as ultra-capable gatekeepers--but every so often, an upstart slips through the Ice Path...and is promptly rewarded with the right to undertake one of Johto's most difficult challenges. The final Gym. A ruthless trial featuring a lava-esque hot spring, gargantuan boulders...and a select group of Blackthorn's finest dragon tamers. All eager for fresh meat. (Even now, at the mere mention of a 'challenger,' a hungry electricity fills the air. Clair's experienced trainers immediately prepare to depart the Den to take up their gauntlet stations. Good luck getting past them.)

And at the apex of her Gym, Clair perches, sharp eyes trained on the entrance. Despite the sweltering heat choking her arena, despite the fact that this new arrival might tap out right away, the heiress has been here for hours. Preparing. Training. Loosening up. (Call her cold, uptight, or stubborn--but, in the end, there's no denying Clair's supreme work ethic.)

Blackthorn's Leader exhales. For this fleeting moment, she doesn't have to worry about her city, or the mountains surrounding it. For this fleeting moment, the familiar rush of battle courses through her veins...and--for once--she only has to focus on one objective: crushing the challenger daring to approach from below. Gods, she's missed this. Finally.

Clair wicks some sweat from her face and clasps that timeless cape tight around her neck. When the Gym's door opens, and Lola can be heard cheerfully explaining the challenge to the incredulous newcomer, a small smile manages to find her lips.

It's good to be back...

[stardustedstories]

They weren't supposed to be here. Raine was supposed to be staying out of trouble, keeping their nose clean until Scooter's retirement and the fact that they were succeeding them as head of the Bard Coven was announced. But the moment they'd heard the broadcast, had heard Eda's name in conjunction with the word "petrification," Raine knew they couldn't just sit idly by.

The bard was normally one for planning everything out, figuring out each possibility and going with the best plan (or the one that would cause the most chaos, depending on the situation), but they didn't have time to think; they just had time to go, to do.

And even as Perry's report continued, they were moving, making their way to the Conformatorium as quickly as possible, hood of their cloak pulled up, hiding their face. They didn't know what they were going to do, but they were going to do something. It didn't matter that they hadn't seen her in more than twenty years, didn't matter that the last time they had seen one another had been when they'd broken up, Eda wasn't going to die today.

Raine knew their way around the Conformatorium; it wasn't the first time they'd been here as part of a rescue operation, and it likely wouldn't be the last. It was the first time they were here without some sort of plan, so it was a good thing they had a knack for improvisation. It also meant they knew right where to go, right where the petrification ceremony would be held.

Maybe it was for the best that their ascension to coven head had been delayed; right now, they were just another nondescript person in the crowd, here to witness the first public petrification in more than thirty years. They weren't sure whether most of the crowd was looking forward to the spectacle or if they were here to watch the same way they would a twenty-witch-pileup. Honestly, right now, that didn't matter. The more spectators, the better; it would be harder to pinpoint exactly where their spells came from.

It would have been better if they could have gotten to Eda, gotten her out before the ceremony itself started, but there were too many cells and not enough time to search all of them. They were just gonna have to make sure to cause a big enough scene, a distraction to pull everyone's focus while they got her out of there.

Their mind was racing; they hadn't ever wanted to see this day. It was part of the reason they were okay with seeing Eda's wanted posters: since they were still up, it meant that she was still okay, was still free. And that was all that mattered.

Raine made their way forward, towards the front of the crowd, with a few rows still left, providing them cover. They needed to be able to see platform, where Eda would be, something that made their heart skip a beat, even after everything. What would she look like now? Would she even recognize them, if she saw them in the crowd?

If they were being honest with themself, it didn't matter. It didn't matter what she looked like, if she remembered them, or even if she hated them. They were going to get her out of here, and that was it. Because even after everything that had happened, even though they hadn't seen one another, had broken up so long ago…., Raine Whispers still loved her.

They heard Perry's announcement, saw the platform rising, and then suddenly, there she was.

"Eda," they whispered, but thankfully, no one seemed to notice. Everyone's attention was trained upwards, fixed on the cursed form of Edalyn Clawthorne. Raine hadn't realized they were holding their breath until they started to get a little light-headed, and they forced themself to inhale, to breathe. They wouldn't be any good to Eda if they passed out; they had to focus, had to figure out a way to get her out of there.

The petrification machine rose up to the platform, and Raine looked over it, wondering if they could stop it from here. They weren't entirely certain how it worked, but if they had two seconds to examine it, they could do something--

Their train of thought is interrupted by the sudden appearance of Lilith in the cage, followed by two children interrupting Perry's broadcast. This was good; they could use this to their advantage.

Raine started moving through the crowd, trying to get a better vantage point, to see what was going on up on the platform.

They were still listening to everything that was happening, so they heard when the kids said that what was happening to Eda wasn't right, that she hadn't done anything worth being petrified, listened as they started to chant to "let Eda go!"

Raine's heart lifted; they weren't the only one who thought that all of this was completely wrong. Eda shouldn't be punished just for wanting to choose her own path, for living her life.

Before they had a chance to do anything, the petrification beam shot from the machine, heading right towards Lilith, only for Eda to jump in the way.

Just as quickly as their heart had lifted, it plummeted, and they let out a strangled cry even as Lilith shouted Eda's name. They had to get to her, had to get up there, get her out! They weren't thinking anymore, they weren't trying to plan or figure out anything beyond keeping her from turning to stone.

But the crowd was in the way. Their brilliant plan of not being at the front was backfiring on them now, and they couldn't push their way through fast enough without using their magic. And they couldn't afford to do that, not when it would get them caught, would keep them from actually helping.

They could see the stone creeping up Eda's form, and they couldn't get to her! If they brought out their violin, they could do something, but that wasn't exactly subtle, and then they'd be arrested for trying to break her out.

With Lilith there, though, maybe there was still a chance. She was the head of the Emperor's Coven, but she was just as in that cage as Eda was.

"Come on, Lilith," Raine whispered, clenching their hands into fists. "I can't get to her; you've gotta do something."

And if she didn't….., well, they were just gonna have to risk being arrested. They were pretty sure they could talk their way out of it, if they really had to. Raine might not do well in front of crowds, and they absolutely got stage fright, but they would come up with some sort of reason why they were aiding a fugitive, and they would have to make it stick.

They'd deal with that if it happened; right now, their eyes are glued to the platform, begging Lilith to do the right thing.

There's someone else on the platform now, someone working to free her, and Raine breathes a sigh of relief, eyes still glued to Eda's form.

"Please be okay," they whispered, not noticing how hard their fists are clenched. They can't summon Fiddlesticks, not with their palisman currently disguised in their violin, but all they want to do is be up there, to see her for themself, to know that she's okay.

The Coven guards start to circle the little group, and when Eda takes off with the rest of them on her back, the crowd starts to cheer. Spears fly in the direction of the retreating wild witch, and Raine lifts a hand to their mouth, letting out a shrill whistle, covered by the noise of the crowd. The golden arc of magic disrupts the path of the spears just enough to keep them from making any sort of contact with Eda, and Raine finally breathes a sigh of relief.

They hadn't been able to do much, hadn't been able to save her….., but she's still alive. And she has other people looking out for her.

Raine will have to content themself with that knowledge. Because even after everything…., she still means the world something to them.

[vartouhix]

new tags.

[ofcrossrcads]

time seemed to have done little to soothe karlach's ire at her, and her own attempts to make peace ? were better left unmentioned. little had changed aside from the backdrop of where they made camp each night. on some level she understood the resentment, of course, who wouldn't ? it didn't lessen her own annoyance, though at not having been afforded the chance to earn that ire herself.

it didn't help that she'd found herself growing rather FOND of the tiefling, despite, or perhaps even because of the creative hostility she showed. she'd made her offers, pled her case, and was soundly rebuffed each time. despite the constant, rather loud, yearning, it seemed any touch BUT hers would do.

and if that rejection had started to sting more, as of late? as her affection grew and her hopes shrank, none would be the wiser.

there was no sense in breaking herself upon an immovable object. if she was to be hated for being a devil, well, then she may as well have made use of her station.

it was in her mortal guise that she approached the tiefling, the skin she was most comfortable wearing, raising her hands, palms out in a sign that she came in peace. “ while i do look forward to hearing what you've come up with for me today -- hear me out first, please. ”

even with permission, she knew better than to belabor the point, and so, she both moved and spoke swiftly. pulling one of karlach's hands to both of hers, the devil pressed a ring to her palm. “ this isn't a bargain, a favor, or a deal of any sort. i give this to you of my own will, seeking nothing in return. ” it was best to head off as many complaints as she could before they were given voice -- once karlach cut in, she knew her chance to speak was as good as gone.

“ a show of goodwill, that's all --- the ring bears within it the fiery aura of avernus. so long as you wear it. . . ” trailing off, she reached up, touching karlach's cheek lightly, prepared to face whatever consequence may come. “ just because you don't want my touch, doesn't mean you should be forced to suffer without. ”

[acr3ss-the-cosmos]

To Catch An Aeon's Gaze

Lan, The Reignbow Arbiter, and Yaoshi, The Plagues Author.

These are the two Aeons that the children of the Xianzhou Alliance are most familiar with, as they are so intrinsically tied to the Alliance's history spanning many millennia. That was not to say that children did not learn about the other Aeons in their schooling. In fact, the history of the Aeons was a required subject: Their names, their titles, the Paths they represented, and their Emanators; mortals who were acknowledged by an Aeon and granted permission to draw power from their given Path. Needless to say, it was a subject that many school children were intrigued with.

However, a young Bai Chenhua held a rather neutral view on the Aeons.

She, being a citizen of the Xianzhou, was a follower of Lan as most of her people were, as it's relentless pursuit of the Plagues Author and it's Abominations was (and still is) a near constant factor of her life. But, she didn't spend much time dwelling on them. They were entities far beyond mortal comprehension, after all, and it wasn't like she could ever catch the gaze of such a being.

Or so she thought...

The sounds of tiny, faint mewling reached Chenhua's sensitive ears as she walked home from school on that fateful day. She looked around trying to pinpoint the noise when she heard it again, and her eyes locked onto a small gray bundle cowering in an alleyway. It was a kitten, shrinking itself away from a group of crows that had ganged up on the poor creature.

As a small Fennekian girl on the cusp of adolescence, Chenhua was not physically strong by any means, but that did not stifle her compassionate and protective spirit. Her friends and loved ones were not the only recipients of her defensive nature -- for she wished to help even the smallest of creatures. This kitten would be no different.

Chenhua did not hesitate to run into the alleyway, shouting at the birds to leave the kitten alone. The crows scattered and fled at the sound of her voice and footfalls, and the little grimalkin slowly blinked it's big blue eyes up at its protector. Smiling softly, she knelt onto the ground and reached out her hand to gently stroke underneath the kitten's chin with a finger.

"You don't have to worry anymore, kitty. You're safe now."

That's when it happened.

A sudden flash of pure white light startled Chenhua, and she squeezed her eyes shut to prevent them from damage. Several long moments passed before she dared to open her eyes again, but to her bewilderment, she was no longer in the alleyway. In it's place, however, was something that was nothing short of shocking and awe-inspiring. She let out a sharp gasp.

Towering over her like a giant stone sentry, was none other than the Firmamend Author -- the Amber Lord.

Qlipoth, the Preservation.

The entity had no real face to speak of, but Chenhua could still somehow sense that they were looking down upon her, and she felt a shiver run down her spine. It was as if a great sun had shone it's intense light upon the child's face, and yet Chenhua's eyes were not blinded. Golden, honey-colored amber glowed throughout Qlipoth's body as it raised a massive rocky arm towards her, and the sun that acted as it's face intensified in brightness until Chenhua's vision turned white. The Firmamend Author was gone as quickly as they appeared, and the girl found herself back in the alleyway, still kneeling on the ground with the tiny gray kitten purring up at her.

Chenhua's heart pounded loudly inside her ribcage as her mind reeled with what had just occurred. Why would Qlipoth turn their gaze upon her? From what she knew from her studies, they cared little about the affairs of mortals. And didn't the Aeons only turn their gazes onto strong people?; those who were powerful enough to fight against enemies or protect the ones they loved? Chenhua was nowhere near powerful.

So... why her? Why had the simple act of rescuing a kitten from a flock of crows drawn Qlipoth's gaze onto her -- a sweet, little Fennekian girl with a heart bigger than her own body could contain?

Chenhua didn't know the answer.

She didn't tell her parents what she saw in that alleyway -- something that was unlike her, as Chenhua always loved to talk about her day to them. Her mother and father were loving and understanding, but still... would they believe her if she told them she caught an Aeon's gaze?

Even now in her adulthood, Chenhua still ponders why she was chosen to tread upon the Path of Preservation. Was there some bigger purpose to it all, or maybe, despite Qlipoth's indifference to humanity, they simply deemed that single, selfless act of kind protectiveness worthy of their acknowledgement?

...Chenhua still doesn't know the answer, and perhaps it is something she'll never know the answer to. Even so, she tries her best to be a protector, a shelter, a steadfast presence to those around her. After all, it's who she is, with or without an Aeon's blessing, and that is something truly beautiful.

[muselexum]

( Tag Dump 1 )

[unmeisenshi]

Noel had gotten a chance to get some air after being cooped up in Avett's hospital. A large scar ran across her eyes, scarring them shut. She was getting re-acclimated to using her aura sight as her vision again, and she barely noticed three figures approaching her.

"Oh hey Audie... Kiske... And..." Her voice trailed off as she looked down. A bipedal Eevee stood between the two. She couldn't see it, but this Eevee's fur was white and red, and the tip of this Eevee's tail resembled a flame. "Wait... Is this..."

Audie smiled. "Noel... This is Kitajoh... Our daughter. She prefers Kita. Say hi to your aunt, Kita."

Noel knelt down, and offered a paw to the Eevee. "Hi hiii!" Kita said energetically. Though her head would tilt. "What happened to your eyes, auntie? Are you okay?"

Noel nodded. "Don't you worry your little head off. I'm fine." She stood back up, resting a paw on her katana. The look on her face spoke a different story to Kiske.

"Audie... Catch up with Noel. I'll take Kita home so you two can talk." Kiske gave a small kiss to Audie's cheek before they picked Kita up and continued home.

Audie looked at Noel's scar. "What happened? Did this happen during a mission?"

The Lucario sighed. "Yeah. There's some kind of virus affecting our Gods. Me, Remi, Uncle Morello and Nobuo went to fight Deoxys - it was in a rage. During that fight Deoxys whipped me across the face. Avett says it's too dangerous to try to open my eyes through surgery, so I'm blind once again."

Audie leaned forward, embracing Noel. "I'm sorry, big sis." The Espeon lightly rubbed her back. "How are you holding up? And how are the others?"

Noel returned the hug. She was taken back by Audie referring to her as big sis. "I'm doing fine. Rem is still in the hospital. She almost bled out during the fight. Morello and Nobuo are fine, and Avett is working on a vaccine."

Audie broke off the hug, and motioned for Noel to follow him home. "Fill me in."

Noel would turn and begin following Audie, before...

"Noel..."

She turned around, looking all around her. "Dad? Where are you?"

"The sword..." Noel looked down to see the handle of her blade glowing. "Allow me to help guide you..."

"Noel? You alright?"

The Lucario snapped back to reality. "Uh... Yeah, coming!" She ran up to Audie and began explaining the situation. All the while, Noel could see clearer with her aura sight than she ever could before. She didn't know what was going on, but she kept it to herself for the time being.

[mushroompollution]

gonna b real w you all I do not understand how Pandora couldn't find that sealing stone

[lovinggreeniehours]

fault

↳ faruzan × arin × sethos (though this is more arin-centric than shippy)

↳ 600+ words

↳ trying to conceptualize arin's character more, and i ended up with this. now there's angst with no resolution🥳 (so far) i might rewrite this for something bigger but i wanted to get the idea out of my head first. im not sure how well people might understand this without context but. i hope there's an inkling at least?

Everything hurt. From the pounding in Arin's head to the soreness of his legs. He expected that, having only woken up several hours ago. But there he sat, late in the night, already dressed to leave. He just had one thing left to check.

Watching Faruzan wake up beside him, he imagined she was feeling somewhat similar.

"Hey, dummy."

Faruzan grimaced, cringing away from even the barest streaks of moonlight from her window. She turned left and right in confusion, hair mussing up around her head.

"Wh-What? Arin?"

Arin simply shook his head. He released a gentle wave of Cryo energy to his fingertips, ghosting his hands over her forehead and scalp to help her relax.

"We're fine, we're fine. I just wanted to see if you'd.." He paused, then shook his head. "Nevermind. Just go back to sleep."

When he was confident she had fallen back asleep, he spoke up once more, now more or less just playing with the uneven strands of hair framing her head. He retracted his hand, reaching to his side to pick up his sheathed sword.

"Sorry, Paruparo. I won't be here when you wake up, I don't think."

He caught a glimpse of the view outside the window. A city perched atop the gargantuan Divine Tree, and the rainforest that surrounded it. None of which was familiar anymore. As far as Arin could tell, everything he knew was inside this room. And he hoped she was sleeping well, despite his intrusion.

"I will return tomorrow. After they've.. told you everything." He secured his sheath to his belt, turning to leave.

—

"Hey." Someone said. Arin was too entrenched in sleep to care who, though they're only could be one person. The bitter remains of a forgotten dream clung to the recesses of his mind, ruining his mood before he could decide what it was even supposed to be. "You're burning up."

"Mmph."

Sethos's light eyeroll was audible in his tone. "Come on.."

Honestly, he was probably right. Arin did feel more exhausted than usual. Maybe warm. He wasn't sure. Wasn't it always warm in Sumeru?

"I think we need to camp out a bit longer."

That got Arin's eyes open. He shook his head as much as he was able (which was, very feebly).

"I'll be fine."

"No, no, no." Sethos held him down him by the shoulders just as he was about to get up. Sunbeams poured down over Sethos's head, resembling a halo with the soft lavender skylight of Vanarana. "No."

Arin had to squint at him to filter out the light. "I'm fine."

"No, you are most definitely not."

"We need to help Rana.." Arin groused.

"We do." Sethos nodded. "But, no offense, you're not going to be much of help to her or anyone trying to travel in your condition."

Arin could only muster a huff. To his own dismay, he already found himself too tired to continue his argument, and all too willing to slip back into slumber.

"We need to help Rana." He repeated, considerably weaker than before; more rueful than anything.

"This is just one obstacle." His companion reassured. "Just rest well. We'll be back on the road in no time."

Sethos's knuckles pressed against Arin's forehead to gauge the temperature. His skin held a soft sort of warmth.

Sethos began to mumble to himself as Arin drifted off. The words were lost on him. Something about Sumeru City being too far. Something about the sky. Something about vision.

"Sorry." Arin murmured in his drowsiness. Notably, Sethos went silent. "I did it again."

"Did what?" Sethos asked.

"Stepped.. I stepped on the pressure plate." Arin mumbled. "I hope we don't stay stuck here too long."

Sethos paused, eyebrows knitting together in thought.

"You know.. it's not your fault. For getting sick."

Arin only hummed, Sethos's voice echoing as he finally fell asleep.

[godzexperiment]

containment given its an bit heavy in some aspects lyrically lmao

i wish i knew you- back when we were both small i wish i knew you- but i have gotten too tall i wish i knew you- when touch was innocent i wish i knew you- before it felt like a sin there's nothing for me, here where the world is small but how you touch me, i'd leave it all

time slips away (pray for me on your knees) before the hillside turns to grey cleanse my soul make it whole dance in the morning glow hold me, we can't go back before it felt like a sin