#fulminare ask

[fulminare-within-her-soul]

A small red pumpkin, having been brought to life by some prankster's spell, was finishing up its walk along the perimeter of its pumpkin patch when it noticed an intruder occupying its favourite pumpkin throne: a huge pile of leaves. The best pile in this part of the grounds, just for the record! The gourd barked out in surprise at the audacity. It's Pumpkin's Seat of State!

The brave (and a little dumb) creature proudly marched all the way to the huge Lizardhead, sleeping or not, and started angrily barking right at it, jumping a little on the spot. No intruder will be allowed on the pumpkin territory! Some strongly worded barks ought to show them what's up!

Coiled so that his great head had been tucked away whilst asleep, the Hybridean Black unwound just enough to taste the air. Smoldering violet eyes snapped open to be directed towards whomever had dare interrupt his nap with the unblinking intensity of a thousand suns.

He was fully grown. Quite a bit past fully grown, in fact- the aforementioned leaf pile had been crushed entirely under his weight, enveloped in the fold of his dark wings. Despite being a beast of such exalted reverence, fear and magic, the dragon cocked his head not unlike an intrigued puppy at the tiny maroon gourd.

The crunch of leaves momentarily distracted him from this phenomenon, tongue flickering again as turned to regard a woman weaving through the groundskeeper’s pumpkin patch. She paused a moment to return said wizard’s friendly wave.

“Morn’in, Professor Spindle!”

“Good morning, Professor Hagrid! Buckbeak’s doing well, I presume?”

“Oooh, if she ain’t, nothing a ferret or two can’t fix!”

“Brilliant!”

Resuming her trek, she greeted the Hybridean Black with a warm, affectionate smile. Her vintage fringed Ravenclaw scarf fluttered periodically in the autumn breeze. A chestnut curl that had escaped from her half-do was tucked behind her ear.

“Hello, Eleazar. How was your-“

The…barking pumpkin? Yes, the barking pumpkin, startled her- blinking owlishly. But then her smile returned, now somewhat wistful. She giggled.

“Oh, my word- hi there, you! What on Earth…?”

I haven’t the faintest idea. Astonishingly daft, though, waking a dragon.

“Quite fascinating, rather.” She knelt to the enchanted gourd’s level, eyes crinkling at the corners with mirth as they continued to stand thier ground in a huff despite being no larger than a teacup.

“I…think I actually remember this cantrip from Halloween when I was a girl. Little fellow must be one of the stragglers.”

Smoke wafted from Eleazar’s muzzle. Yes, yes, so very amusing.

“Hm…Aslan.”

What?

“That’s a fine name, don’t you think? He certainly has the bravery of a lion.”

You…intend to keep this obnoxious plant?

At this point, she had managed to scoop the mouse of a pumpkin into her arms and stand back up, cradling them like a babe. “Whyever not? I rescued you when you were small and that seemed to sort itself out rather splendidly.”

Euphemia, you are simply impossible.

“Love you, too, darling.”

[bolinity]

Your stuff keeps popping up in my following feed and I keep drowning in how good it is. Send help. The pacing, the dialogue, the characterization, the world-building. All the OTHER phenomenal writers in your space??? GAH. <333

You’re making me want to embrace another ATLA/TLOK kick and bring my two lady characters for the fandom back.

Also, hi! How you been? Vaguely remember messaging you, like…once, then never again? Gotta get better at that, sorry. I was very new to Tumblr when I did, too. ;^^

(waaaaaaahhhh you're so sweet!! thank you so much! i saw this in my inbox right before i left for work like probably an hour after you sent it and i kept thinking about it all day gkdnfgksdfg esp since i was feeling a little rusty after not writing for a while due to busyness for a trip + work so again thank you so much 😭✨💚

i mean you're definitely welcome aboard — the more the merrier!

also big shoutout to these blogs that have a good chunk of [currently active and mainly focused on] lok characters that i've been able to chat and meme with:

@eleutheriya - currenly has varrick [she has also written mako and korra] on her multimuse blog

@bendingmuses - has a whole slew of lok and atla characters like zuko, iroh ii, mako, firelord izumi, ghazan, pema, a bunch of the beifong boys, and a good handful of OCs on her atla/lok-focused multimuse

@feiiizhu - the lovely opal i currently write with

@inkorrnate & @ninetaels - korra, mako, and asami between these blogs of theirs, the latter is a multimuse blog

@untoldwithin - just started writing with their korra! they also have asami, lin, zaheer, p'li, and tonraq on their multimuse blog

@airteacher - she's currently on hiatus but they've written tenzin since book 1

@didymousrising - they're low activity but have both eska and desna

also stupid bonus self promo of my @kingwu because i have fun writing that doofus prince/king wu but i can't rp with myself lmao

also possibly? i currently don't get too much interaction from non-roleplay blogs as i used to back in the hay-day of the fandom back when this account was run more like a bolin ask blog + rp blog in 2012. plus i took a biiiiig hiatus after book 4 ended then came back in 2020 and haven't left since [besides a few breaks here and there because life] but you're definitely welcome to interact with bo or myself! ✨)

[hells-greatestdad]

—- As Loona, Helluva Boss. Contains…a lot of cussing, but otherwise nothing too wild. Thanks for writing with me!

Today had been slow.

Which…definitely wasn’t a good thing. Because if Immediate Murder Professionals didn’t get enough clientele per week to meet the budget, Blitzø would lose his shit. Then Moxxie would get all wound up because of course he’d take it out on Moxxie, then Millie because her precious pint-sized lover got his precious feelings hurt. Then, ohoho, and then- all three of those fuckers would turn right around and blame her. Because it’s always the damn dog’s fault. Right.

Loona huffed quietly through her nose as if that would expel the festering anxiety, carding a paw through her shag. Crimson eyes narrowed at the list of prospects and people expecting a follow-up. Look at all these whackadoos, acting like they’re not gonna end up in the exact same shithole. Hysterical, really.

Twirling and tapping her pen against the legal pad for a moment out of habit, the hellhound finally reached over with the same paw and absently dialed one of the more impending customers.

Nickelback was thumping in her head, and the usual drone of Hell’s pandemonium breezed through I.M.P’s piss poor insulation, and…she may have pressed three instead of five.

“Yeah, hey, this is Loona from I.M.P.. Was just calling in regards to your appointment for the murder request of-“

A beat of silence to verify this dumbass was actually this dumb.

“…Uh, quote: That crazy bitch who stole my fifth wife. My favorite wife. End quote.”

"Huh... I don't seem to recall having a fifth wife... I'd say my favorite was my first. Also my only wife."

He didn't know what he expected when he opted to answer an unknown number calling his cell, but this is actually kind of entertaining.

"I also don't think anyone stole my wife.... pretty sure I'd remember that."

He'll just... ignore the pang in his heart at the reminder that his wife is absent. She certainly wasn't stolen... he knows where she is. And he will likely never see her again. But she's still his love regardless.

Still. His voice on the phone at least sounds chipper.

"Sounds like that could be a number of people, being that this is Hell. So I'm afraid you've got the wrong number."

[lyriumsings]

4, 14 and 24 from the fifty (more) rooks qs?

4. What does Solas think of Rook?

I leaned very hard into Rook being a lot like Solas. So, he sees a lot of himself when he was younger, but also not? On a surface level they’re very parallel. Both fighting an oppressive system right subjugate them. Both having mixed feelings about it because it’s their home and they love it, but it’s so fractured and wrong. The main difference between the two is Kataleya never plays god. She doesn’t willingly sacrifice people, or entire like platoons. She doesn’t believe in “by any means necessary”, and firmly believes there’s always a choice. I think Solas (initially) sees this as a weakness, and wants to push her to be more like him. Like he can see she’s in the track but she isn’t there and she can’t “be the leader” until she is there, if that makes sense. She’s also very mouthy towards him in the beginning and I think this annoys him, but also he admires it. Like even if he doesn’t see himself as a god he’s stupid powerful and she’s all but giving him the finger so LMAO. But yeah, he has a very unintentional begrudging mentor-ly attitude towards her.

14. Do any romances bloom between the other Veilguard companions? What does Rook think of the pairings?

I have two other ocs so far for Neve and Emmrich. Neve is going to be romanced by Kat’s estranged Crow half-sister, Nymira. and she’s actually very happy about it lol. Neve and Nymira very much start off on the wrong foot. Neve is also Kat’s best friend throughout the course of Veilguard, so she really didn’t like mediating between the two. When they get together she’s like wasn’t on my bingo card but i’ll take it?

Emmrich is romanced by my oc Sienna. She’s a Mournwatch Mage that Kataleya met when she was still training under her father to be his heir. Shes who trained her in necromancy and Kataleya…did not care for it lol. Anyway, Sienna romances Emmrich and tbh Kataleya respects it lol. She respects Sienna for going after what she wants, and she respects Emmrich’s insane game lmao. Tbh i think she’s very protective of them both? She thinks they’re really cute and wants nothing bad to happen to them ever. I think she’s probably one of the first to be 100% supportive of them. She trusts both of their judgement implicitly. Kataleya takes a minute warm up to people, and to trust, but with these two it was like she couldn’t help but make space for them in her heart tbh.

24. What were the thoughts going through Rook’s head, at D’Meta’s Crossing? What did they decide to do with the mayor?

Honestly? She was terrified. I don’t think she’s ever had experience with blight or dark spawn ever in her life so to be faced with this? It chilled her to the bone. I think what really got her is she couldn’t think of a way to fix it. In Tevinter, there’s always a big bad she can get to with a well-timed spell, slaves she can free to hurt their pockets, and Venatori to bleed to hurt their moral. But this was just so far beyond her, like she’s resolved to fix it because she has to but she doesn’t have a clue how in the beginning. And she absolutely leaves his ass to rot, and then kills him later when he turns. The way he used the Dalish as pawns for the promise of gold? Absolutely not. She would die before lifting a finger to help him tbh.

[choccy-milky]

Im here to confess that my brain has a genuine reaction each time I see a drawing of Sebastian with anything black around his wrist. Idk why but I love it when he has a watch or when he’s wearing those black bracelet things

LMAOO SAME ANON...idk why this is, but it just is😩 (i blame rodrick heffley)

@writingsoftarnishedsilver aw THANK YOUU!! im glad you like my art and that you've joined the collective brainrot here on tumblr BAHAH🥰 ik theres been some hubbub lately but the fandom is rly nice and welcoming i promise!!🙏i hope u have a good time here and dont feel intimidated or scared or anything!🥹💖

@kaviary-blog THANK YOU MY SWEETIE DARLING😭💖💖ILL KEEP BEING UR BUDDY AS LONG AS I BREATHE😤u couldnt get rid of me if u wanted to.... but ty again for the positivity and support this was so sweet and i am sending all of that energy back at u!!🫵🫵🫵🫵💖💖💖

@fulminare-within-her-soul aw THANK YOUUU that means so much especially coming from another writer!!🥹💖 AND YES OF COURSE CLORA WOULD LOVE TO AND ID BE HONOURED!!! nobody has to ask permission to draw clora EVER. im fr, yall could seriously draw her doing ANYTHING and id be like... hell yea, thats my girl, look at her😎👍 bahaha THANK YOU AGAIN AND YOU HAVE A WONDERFUL NIGHT/DAY AS WELL💖💖💖

THANK YOU ALL IM GLAD U LIKE MY ART!!🥹😭💖 @dariliondar-blog the program i use is clip studio paint and the brush i use (for lineart) is a clumsy pen from the assets store! ive been using this pen since the very beginning/for all of my lineart, i just love it idk, its easy to control and i like the texture, tho it can be a bit rough/messy. though another lineart pen i started dabbling with recently that i really like is bulky g-pen, i used it for my 9 page comic and really like it!! for colouring though i use different brushes literally EVERY time bc im so inconsistent/indecisive 😭so i cant help you there im sorry BAHAH 🙏

[savingsallow]

Quick Thank You From Val

Shout out to all the MC and OC friends that Val made in 2024!!! 📢✨

When I became active in the fandom around July/August of last year, I didn't expect that my little sassy but sweet kid would make so many friends.

So here's a quick thank you and shout out to all of you from Val ❤️‍🔥

🌟 @ravenwind-75: shout out to the lovely and chaotic jo 💜! you're one of the first mcs that val gets to interact with and she's thankful that you two are now friends and even in the hcu together! 💪🏻

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🌟 @acslytherpuff : shout out to the baddie ✨cassie luna✨ aka val's human moon best friend 🌙 and soul sister 🤍 cassie def has a special place in val's heart and will protect and support her no matter what! 🫂p.s. shout out to alvin and alex as well!!!✨

🌟 @espressoristretto-patronum: shout out to the kind but fierce tori! ☀️ not only that tori and val are both grumpy without coffee in their system 😆☕ but val also looks up to tori for always being so kind, funny, and overall positive and light energy to be around!✨

🌟 @ps-cactus: shout out to nomnombelyn alyn! 🩵 aka val's first adopted introvert here! 😆🫶🏻 val says that she loves alyn very much and is thankful that they became friends! 🥺🫂 now she'll def spoil her with chocolates 🍫 and books 📚!!!

🌟 @diana-bluewolf: shout out to (grumpy but lovable) chris! 🐺💚 another introvert that val adopted 😆 who knew asking someone for snacks could be the start of a friendship 😌🍬 val says thank you to chris for tolerating her and letting her hang out with him 😆🫂 oh! and for offering different points of view and a calming presence✨

🌟 @fulminare-within-her-soul: shout out to euphie! 🐉💙 a total badass and academic weapon✨ euphie and eleazar are always fun to hang out with and there's always something new and intriguing with you guys! 🤩 i guess opposites do attract 🤝

🌟 @syrooo: shout out to renn! 🔥 aka val's long lost sibling or version of her in a different universe 🤔❤️‍🔥 the lore is still in the kitchen and cooking 😁 there's not much interaction yet but i'm already excited for these two!!! 🔥🔥🔥

🌟 @myokk: shout out to the best cousins ever, eloise and leo!!! 💚family gatherings are waaaay better when there's eloise and leo! val is sending many hugs and love to these two 🫂🫂🫂

🌟 @ozunafieldguide: shout out to this enigmatic cutie, lo! 💙 very interesting and deep, a few traits that val admires about lo 🤭 i hope these two get more interaction soon and val would love to braid lo's hair✨

🌟 @leaping-toadstool-caps: shout out to this big babie, jaimsen!! 💛 a big foodie like val and she appreciates his sunshine personality so much!! ☀️ shout out to florence as well!! ngl but he and val could be besties, too! 🤭🩵

🌟 @girl-named-matty: shout out to this beautiful specimen, callan!aka val's s/o in the hcu and her first oc x oc ship!! ❤️‍🔥 val is always in awe of him but she won't admit it 😆🫶🏻 shout out as well to the amazing matty ♥️ cutie theo 💛 and helena (mother) 🥵🔥

🌟 @theladyofshalott1989: shout out to the very patient, damien! 💙 another foodie like jaimsen and val! she admires damien's patience and his fun personality! always a fun guy to be around✨

🌟 @accio-bagel: shout out to the hottest lovable rogue, ellie! 💚✨ aka val's biggest girl crush and fAvOrItE rOoMaTe 🤨 val went from adoring her from afar to now being homies with ellie 🤭 and she's more than grateful to have her around!! ❤️‍🔥

🌟 @freddiestheproblemchild: shout out to roan!! 💚✨ this isn't really from val but from ale 😆 he wants to thank roan for having more adopted siblings and he says he'll continue to be a good brother to them!!! 🫂❤️‍🔥 p.s. shout out to freddie, the croft triplets, and lucinda!✨

—

more shout out to all the mcs that val interacted with last year! 📣

🔥 @alibasnur: to chen from the hogwarts food club! ♥️✨

🔥 @ask-felix-aberg: to this lovely and kind lad, felix, that val respects bc of his kindness and warm presence! 🫂🩵

🔥 @rypnami: to auri, phillip, and elsie! their interaction may be short but val is sending them all some warm hugs!!! 🫂🫂🫂

🔥 @thursdaymoonrise11: to the very fab phoebe!! 🩵✨ val would certainly try to hang out more with phoebe this year cuz she loves her overall vibes!!! 🤌🏻🤌🏻🤌🏻

🔥 @starry-slithers: to the cutie cariad! these two need more interaction but val certainly adores her! ❤️‍🔥

🔥 @theravenchild: to the very lovely hellendil! 🩵✨ he and val don't have any official interaction yet, but she'd love to have a tea party with him sometime! 🍵✨

🔥 @pikadrawsthings: to these bunch of lovable af traumatized children, elijah, lilith, raymond, and weiss!!! 💛💚♥️💙 val is very excited to get to know them more and have more interactions with every one of them! 🤩 (don't worry, i'm cooking their interaction 🫡 just really slow 🫠) sending love to all of these cuties!!! ❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥

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there are more mcs that val adores but has no interaction yet 😅 but dw! she'll make her first move at some point this year! 🫡

so watch out 😏✨

again, thank you to all and sending love and support to each and every one of you! ❤️‍🔥

— val

[acronym-chaos]

Fulminarime

[PT: Fulminarime].

[ID: A flag with 11 zig-zag stripes that fan out from the top middle, the outer stripes getting thicker as they spread out. The colors from the inside out are pale peach, apricot, orange, rusty orange, sanguine brown and red wine. It has a cloudy grey background. End ID].

Fulminarime: A neogender umbrella that relates to the lightning, storms and destruction. This may or may not also include themes and connection to: - destruction, both good and bad - violent weather and high winds - being dynamic, impulsive and energetic - having power over one's surroundings

Terminology connected to Fulminarime:

FLMiN — Fulminarime-in-Nature Fulminarine — Masculine / Feminine Equivalent Fulminarity — Masculinity / Femininity Equivalent Fulm — Masc / Fem Equivalent Fulmen — Fulminarime Individual Fulmi — Fulminarime Minor Fulgor — Fulminarime adult Fulgeic — Juvelic Fulminarime Attraction Fulmice — Fulminarime Partner Fulmugo — Fulminarime Spouse

[ID: A purple thin line divider shaded at the bottom. End ID].

Taglist [ask to be added or removed]: @radiomogai @rwuffles @sympathiez @fangednferal @sevvys

@smilepilled @flutteringwings-coining @boingogender

[radioiaci]

@fulminare-within-her-soul ⧐ Your writing is BEAUTIFUL, oh my goodness. That’s it. That’s the post. OOC ASKS.

OH THANK YOU???? This was a nice message to receive out of the blue!! Thank you so much!

[robots-n-sweet-tea]

A Day as A Human

Honestly? I just wanted to have fun with this one. I don't care if it's a bit rushed. I have had Fulminare brainrot for days, maybe even weeks now. I'm okay, I swear.

Nice, sunny day. That's how this all started. What should've been a day out turned into something…rather interesting, albeit annoying nonetheless. Fulminare had just wanted to get away from the Autobots for a while; that's it. Nothing more, nothing less.

"Miss?" came a voice from behind her. Fulminare, in her holoform, had been sitting on a swing set at a local park when a couple and their kid approached her.

She turned her head to briefly look at them, only mildly irritated, "I'm sorry, do I know either of you?"

"Are you lost? Where are your parents?" the woman continued.

"…Do I look like a kid to you?" Fulminare deadpanned. "I'm 21." The couple looked at each other and then turned back to her. "I'm not lost, I'd just prefer to be alone right now-"

"What's that?" the kid asked, pointing to the tattoo of the Autobot insignia on her upper thigh. It wasn't too visible, considering she had decided that she was wearing booty shorts (along with a crop top) that day.

"Oh, this?" her holoform snickered lightly. "It's the Autobot insignia, actually. They make us all get it so we can identify each other out in-"

Apparently, that was a wrong choice of words in this situation.

"The Autobots? Honey, don't you know they're highly dangerous? [REDACTED], HRP on the line." The husband (Fulminare assumed they were together that way) nodded and pulled out his phone, already starting to punch in the HRP hotline number. Both the kid and Fulminare expressed confusion.

"Woah, lady, I don't know if you know this, but they're doing everything in their power to protect people. Them being 'dangerous' isn't the word you're looking for," she tried to explain, only to be unheard. Fulminare let out a small groan once she realized this.

"-let them know they've already conditioned her into believing their lies, and- oh! The tattoo, mention that as well!"

"Are you even listening to me?! Primus, you're worse than Hot Rod on a bad day!"

The woman turned back to her, "Don't worry, dear, you're going to be in good hands. The HRP will know what to do."

"How old is she?" the man interrupted this time.

"About mid-teens maybe? There's no way to know for sure."

Fulminare groaned again, "Ma'am, with all due respect, I'm not even human. I'm actually a Cybertronian- this is just my holoform." They just refused to listen to her at this point, likely believing that she had been "conditioned" all her life. She knew that just meant brainwashed, but no one really wanted to call it that. Arms folded over her chest, she watched the man hang up after a few minutes of talking. "Y'know what? I'm just going to leave. Being with the Autobots is so much better than whatever this shit is."

"Miss, I'm sorry, but I cannot let you do that. The HRP has asked us to keep an eye on you until they arrive."

"Fuck you too, then."

If she was so upset, then why did she still sit there, waiting to see what would happen? Either way, the HRP showed up in little time at all and took her without much hassle down to the local HRP building. It was an uneventful car ride, with Fulminare refusing to talk or answer any questions they had. She just sat there, arms still crossed with a clearly pissed-off expression on her holoform.

"Oh, hello there!" the receptionist looked up, greeting her warmly. "So, who do we have here?" they then asked the agents.

"We…actually don't know. She refuses to answer any questions," the one to her right explained, "so all we know is from what we were told over the hotline. She seemed pretty talkative when she was found, though."

"Hm…would you like a sucker, miss?" they offered, holding out a small bowl. "We don't get many kids or teens in our facility, but I always have them on hand, just in case." Fulminare eyed the bowl, eventually sighing and picking out a cherry-flavored one.

"Don't call me miss; you remind me too much of some mechs back home," she grumbled, quickly unwrapping the candy. This was the first time she'd been given something as simple as human candy even if she wasn't supposed to consume human things.

"Noted!"

"You're way too hyped up for someone working as a receptionist."

"Someone's gotta keep up the positivity in here, kid," they chuckled, motioning for the agents to leave the room before standing up. "C'mon, let's go get you settled in."

…What?

Fulminare, seeing little to no choice, followed them through one of the doors, moving the sucker around in her mouth to help what anxiety was there. The cherry flavor helped calm her down. The two of them ended up in a room that resembled a therapy office, much to her pleasure. It reminded her of Rung.

"We're going to stay in here for a while, so make yourself comfortable."

"Sure, whatever," she rolled her eyes, taking a seat in the chair lined up against the wall. The receptionist took the seat across from her.

"Name?"

"Fulminare. I gave it to myself when I arrived on Earth."

"Hm. I see…why tell me and not my coworkers?"

"Respect. I dunno." She watched as they looked her up and down in examination. "…What?"

"Your eyes- they're purple contacts?"

"Correction: they're optics, and yes, I quite like them."

"So they've got you using their vocabulary, huh? That must mean you've been with them for a long time. What were your earliest memories like?" they quickly questioned.

"Oh, let's see…" she took the sucker out of her mouth, "I was created on Cybertron, lots of family stuff happened, I snuck on a ship headed to Earth, and now I'm here."

They blinked, giving a weird look. "You were trafficked onto Cybertron then."

"Uh, no? I am Cybertronian, made and raised. Are you fragging dense?"

"Huh…they really messed around with your memories then. Interesting." Fulminare didn't say anything, deciding it was better than arguing further. "And you managed to escape the Autobots? That's-"

"No."

"No?"

"I didn't escape, I just needed some time by myself."

"That sounds like escaping to me."

It was quiet after that for a good 10 minutes; neither of them felt like talking. Then, a knock on the door. A blonde girl opened the door, poking her head in.

"Am I interrupting?"

"No, not at all [REDACTED]."

"Great!" [REDACTED] let herself in, closing the door behind her. "So, while you two were busy chatting, I did some research of my own," she boasted.

"Oh, do tell!"

"I think I found the most perfect family match for- what's her name?"

"Fulminare. No human name that we know of."

"Ok, we'll let the family decide that. Anyways! Here's the plan…" As [REDACTED] rambled on, Fulminare yawned, blocking out their conversation in favor of letting random thoughts flow into her processor. She'd heard of the HRP from various mechs here and there but never of what they did completely. The only thing she knew was that they sucked big time. No one liked them.

"…Hey, kid, are you listening?" the receptionist snapped her fingers in front of Fulminare's face as they spoke.

"Nope."

"Ok, um, rundown time! Your new family has been contacted today, they plan on getting you tomorrow evening, and-"

"The frag you mean 'new family'?"

"Well, it's more like a foster family. They're going to take care of you until they either decide to adopt you completely or until we find your birth family."

"Whatever."

~

The car ride 'home' was honestly awkward silence. Awkward not for her but more for her foster family. The adults kept glancing between the two of them and herself; the two kids kept talking (trying to, anyway) to Fulminare, trying to get her to talk. It was obvious that this was their first rodeo dealing with someone like her.

One adult then cleared their throat, "So, uh, first things first- have you thought about what kind of name you want? If not, we have a list of ideas."

"Ugh, why don't you organics get it? I don't want a new designation. Fulminare is perfectly fine," she growled. Never once did she turn to look at them, instead opting to stare out the window.

"Well, I'm afraid you don't have a choice. At least take a look at the names we thought of," they sighed, pushing a paper into her hands. Fulminare groaned, taking a quick glance over what they had chosen.

"Oh!" the other parent exclaimed this time. "We also have to lay down some ground rules and expectations since you're coming from the HRP."

"Enlighten me. And I suppose the designation Feliz wouldn't hurt me," she deadpanned.

"Firstly, Feliz, there will be absolutely no Cybertronian terms used in our family." She gave them a weirded-out look, a mixture of surprise and disgust. "We want to make sure you're reintroduced to society as a proper young lady. You are human, after all."

"Secondly," the other continued, "we're going to see about rid of that tattoo on your thigh. Until then, you must cover it up."

Well that's going to be so much fun. Too bad they can't get rid of it.

The entire ride 'home' was like this- way too many rules were given. Too much for her liking. At least they gave her some control over her looks. Somewhat. And an organic school, huh? That should be interesting. The lecture only stopped when the vehicle stopped in front of a nice house. Thank Primus. The two of them let the kids out, letting them run inside while they guided Fulminare to her prepared room. It, admittedly, was a bit bare, but thankfully she could decorate it however she pleased.

"We'll let you settle in for the night. We'll be right across the hall from you, one right to the bathroom. We'll wake you up in the morning to go shopping for some new clothes, so be sure to get plenty of sleep."

And that was the last she saw of them for the night.

Climbing into bed, Fulminare stared at the ceiling, thinking about her options. She could just turn off her holoform, sure, or she could stay here for a while. It would be like a mini vacation in a way! No one in the Autobots really liked her that much anyway (aside from, like, three of them at most) so they wouldn't even realize she was gone.

During the couple of weeks that she ended up staying there, Fulminare learned more than she thought she knew about Earth, organics in general, history- a little bit of everything. She even managed to make a friend at the school she (forcibly) attended. The only real downside to her was having mandated therapy sessions. That was the one thing she wouldn't miss. And, if she was being completely honest, this little vacation of hers wasn't all too bad. It was nice to be away from Autobot expectations.

Maybe she could live like this for more than a while.

It was a cool Friday after school, one that matched the balance between seasons. She and her friend had decided to stop at a gas station for snacks and drinks before heading to the park that afternoon.

"So, Feliz, how do you think you did on that math test today? I'm positive I flunked it," her friend Lily sulked, looking at the various options.

"Oh c'mon Lily, it wasn't that bad."

"You only say that because you're actually good at this shit. You have better than good grades. How do you do it?"

She shrugged, "Beats me. Maybe it's super memory or something like that." A laugh escaped her as Lily groaned, punching her arm. As the two conversed amongst themselves, they didn't notice two others entering the gas station, whispering to each other. Actually, they only noticed them when they went up to checkout. One was tall and wearing a typical police uniform, the other short and wearing a lot of red and flashy colors, hands on his hips. Something about them set off alarms in Fulminare's processor as she stared at the pair. They just stared back.

"Feliz?" Lily spoke up curiously just as she finished paying for everything. "You ready to go?"

"Oh…um, yeah, totally-"

"Actually," the short man spoke up, "we need to talk to your friend for a while."

Scrap, so that's why the alarms were there.

Lily seemed more than skeptical. She quickly went and stood in front of Fulminare protectively. "Oh really now? What about? Feliz has done nothing wrong, and she and I have plans."

"Plans can wait. Outside. Now."

"Lily, stand down. I got this," Fulminare smoothly reassured. "It surely can't be any worse than getting detention."

"Hmph, if you say so. I'll wait for you in here then."

And with that, she followed the two men outside and around the corner, away from the windows. Her confidence and smooth attitude were now replaced by irritation. How did they find her?

"Alright, start talking."

"Now, is that any way to treat a lady? I thought you knew better than that, Hot Rod," she snickered. "And why'd you bring Prowl along?"

"Because we know you'll try to run away in this state," the cop answered.

"Psh, whatever."

"Now, you wanna tell us where the actual frag you've been all this time?" Hot Rod growled, grabbing her by the shoulders. "You've been gone for at least a few Earth weeks. No notice, no warning- NOTHING! What on Cybertron were you thinking?!"

"Okay, first of all, I was technically kidnapped in a way-"

"Who?"

"If you'd let me finish, for Primus' sake, I could tell you!" That was the first time in some weeks that she was able to use Cybertronian terms. The two of them remained quiet for a moment, letting her speak for the time being. "Would you believe me if I told you it was the HRP?"

"You can't be serious."

"But wait, there's more! I was taken by the HRP, who thought I was a teen, and decided to "rehabilitate" me and put me with an organic family."

"And you let them? Fulminare-"

"Yeah, I mean, it's not all that bad, honestly. They're nice, feed me organic stuff- which, by the way, cherry flavored shit is the absolute best thing ever- and they even have two kids of their own, who-"

"FULMINARE! You are NOT an organic, get that through your processor! Why didn't you just, I don't know, turn off your holoform?"

"Because I didn't want to."

"Excuse me?"

"Didn't want to and didn't feel like it. Besides, y'all don't need me around that much since all we do is train, fight, and take reports," she deadpanned.

"That's- not the point! You have friends who've been worried about you! We thought you went offline!"

"My god, are you this upset over one single soldier going missing for a while?" The glare she got in response was enough of an answer. "And you just want me to up and leave my new life here amongst the humans? This is the happiest I've been in my lifetime since I was created, and you're willing to take that away from me."

"You unfortunately don't have a choice. You're not one of them, and you never will be."

Okay, ouch.

"Okay, well, I never asked for your opinion, now did I?"

"That's not an opinion, it's a fact."

"Still not coming back."

"…If you won't come back willingly, then we'll just have to use force. Prowl, cuff her."

In a few swift moves, they had gotten her cornered against the wall and easily cuffed. It didn't help that she wasn't as strong as she usually was in this state. Sure, she had gym class, but that's different than actual training. Hot Rod and Prowl noticed that Lily had come outside looking for her friend, but they paid no attention to her.

"You're such a fucking prick!"

"Hey, just what do you think you're doing with my friend?! Let her go!" Lily shouted, running up on the scene.

"Prowl, deactivate her holoform manually, will ya?" Lily watched in horror as the three just…disappeared right in front of her. Even if she were to call the police, would they really believe her?

Fulminare's optics shot open as she gasped, now back in her true form. Hot Rod was the first and only one to locate her (because of course he was). Prowl must've been off to give a report and let the team know that they had found her safe and sound.

"You didn't have to do that manually, y'know. I would've done it if you had asked nicely."

"No, you wouldn't."

"And this is why you'll never be a prime."

"Either way, I don't think you realize how much trouble you're actually in. I'll make sure that you have someone to look after you permanently so you don't decide to make stupid decisions like that again."

"Again, you're a prick."

"And you're not allowed to leave the Ark unless you have someone accompanying you."

"Prick, motherfucker. Do you know how to spell that? P-R-I-C-K."

"Ugh, will you just…?! Stay here, do not even attempt to go anywhere. I'll be back."

Somehow, it felt good to be back.

[fulminare-within-her-soul]

Miss Spindle,

Have you ever been to any witchy sleepovers and would you be interested in attending one? We gather at the top of the Ravenclaw tower every full moon past midnight.

A muffling charm is, of course, used not to alarm any teachers, and in the colder months the whole group engages in the ritual of casting a very strong warming charm on the area (we are still wearing our nightgowns, otherwise what kind of sleep over would it be?)

Activities vary from brewing fun little potions, weaving flowers into each other's hair, and singing songs to dancing on the edge of the roof, practising Divinations in various not-really-sanctioned by the school ways, and summoning the— well. I can't tell you yet, can I?

We will be awaiting for your response through the owl that delivered the invitation.

Ad vitam aeternam — 🌸

Dearest Fellow Mischief-Haver,

Hairbraiding with flora? Dancing ‘round a merry blaze? Restricted, volatile potions? Presumably summoning eldritch horrors beneath the Full Moon? Tea?

Oh, darling, you’ll think I’ve apparated on school grounds. See you there!

Euphemia Spindle

P.S. Although I must warn you- as one of the belief that a witch’s dormant magic resides in her hair…well, I have quite a lot of it. Arm yourself with a good, sturdy brush shall you like to twist any lock to your whims.

[moseslikellamas]

Electric Damnation Chapter 1

Original work. Mystery, Action Adventure, fantasy, Sci-fi.

Summary: Andesine Clayton hosts an annual technology showcase to lead the premier of a new gadget for FulOps. While dreading her time there, a mysterious man shows up causing trouble.

Warnings: unhealthy depictions of alcohol consumption, unhappy thoughts, stress, fear, depictions of undue mistrust, violent tendencies.

Word Count: 2.9k

The party is starting and already I feel weak. My living room shines with lavish gold decorations covering every available surface. People are mingling, things are going well. The technology here shines tonight, a smack in my face, the reason for the party. Fulminare Ops, or as it is better known, FulOp is a technology company I work for. They mostly make technology like the one I am showcasing tonight, a dream reader. A fun harmless tech that can sense intent on the dreamer's part and corollate images to accompany them. The technology cannot actually capture the dreams of wearers, but it gets close to the sentiment. 

The party is just the latest attempt of the company to keep bored rich socialites out of their business and into their technology. The city is crammed full of these people, and I am less inclined to like them than I am my superiors at work. I smile at another guest, motioning the waiter towards them with a drink. These parties give me a headache and I feel fear among these people. At work it is easier to keep a distanced and detached approach to everyone. Those people certainly do not ask any questions and they consider me ever the diligent worker. At these blasted parties however, there is no end to the nauseating questions that flow from drunk mouths. They are persistent to my detriment. 

I sigh as I see another one set their sights on me. I steel myself as I plaster another smile back on my tired face. It is a younger man; he appears around my age, twenties. I barely hold back a gasp when I see the scar covering the left side of his face. It runs from his hairline across his eye down his cheek. It swoops back towards the curve of his neck, disappearing under his suit collar. When he reaches me, he inclines his head towards me. I offer my hand softly saying "Andesine" offering my name. He swiftly rubs his lips across my knuckles before saying, "Parents were Geologist I take it? "He asks, referring to my name. I shake my head. "Just admirers. Like all of you here." I say flourishing my hand out to encompass all the people in the room. He looks out beyond us shaking his head. "But not you." He says pointedly and I feel my heart rate increase. "No one who enjoys parties would choose a playlist of classical cellos, it is utterly depressing. Are you in mourning?" A golden laugh escapes me as all the tension I started to build up melts away. His green eyes meet mine and I reign myself back in. "I'm sorry, really. I have been described as macabre before but not so pointedly forgive me." I say leaning back against the wall. "I don't know what to tell you other than I enjoy it." 

I took a moment to get a good look at him, not overlooking that he had yet to give me his name. He was much taller than I and seemed of decent build. His hair fell is dark waves around his shoulders. His bad eye had a slight discoloration making it almost appear grey in the dim light. He simply stares at me quite unabashedly, but I don't let it bother me. I check my watch, only an hour more and then my presentation will be complete. I could end the party then which I longed to do. I glanced back up noticing my acquaintance had disappeared. Silently I thanked the universe for granting me one man who understood when to exit a conversation. I looked out the expansive window of the back wall, a peak into the twinkling lights of the city. I decided to get another drink.

On my way to the bar, I spoke with and encountered no less than six other people. I started to think I would not make it before my presentation. At last, though I made it through the throngs of people to the open bar. "Two Whiskeys and make them quick." I muttered sitting on a stool. 

This will be over soon. I chanted in my head wondering what was taking the bar tender so long. This will be over and then you will not have to do another for at least six months. I had made that a condition of my contract though they were loath to give it to me. Apparently despite my natural aversion to most any and all people, I was quit dazzling in showcasing. Finally, my drinks arrived, and I wasted no time knocking them both back. My eyes watered as I put down ten dollars on the bar. I was already paying the man but what the heck. 

I checked my watch, only twenty minutes left. I tried going over my notes in my head but that was a hopeless cause right now. My anticipation of doing this was rising with every second. I got up feeling the sway of the music, a chorus of cellos played in tandem. The lights around the room flashed and shimmered to the sound, a beautiful display of silver and gold. I began towards my podium, but I stumbled into someone passing by. My shoulder caught the rib of someone impossibly tall. I began to apologize profusely, looking up to catch the same green eyes from before. "Oh, we meet again, it would appear." After righting me he released his hands from my shoulders, still saying nothing. A chill ran up my spine as he disappeared into the crowd. 

Okay so maybe he is a bit odd. Perhaps he is an eccentric who does not come out very often, that wouldn't be such a surprise. I think shaking my head. Get a grip, it doesn't matter, just do the presentation. I admonish myself forgetting about the strange man with a large scar marring his face. I again begin my way towards my podium checking my watch to see I am just on time. The lights begin to brighten up and I take a deep breath. It is hard to be at ease when playing a part, I think as I have a thousand times before. But playing the part will put you at ease.

As the stage lights hit me, I beam at the expectant crowd. "If I could have your attention," I say motioning to the lit platform in front of me "I think the moment you've been waiting for has arrived." I begin my slow walk down the stairs towards the platform. A sheet, brilliantly white, sits on top of our newest creation. "At FulOp we seen the demand for elevated experiences, and we've hinted at this before." I can feel them salivating centered above me in the dark. I continue, "We've given you all of the simulated experiences known to any creature. You've ran powerful in the safari" I say as a screen flashes behind me, showing the mind link of a roaring lion. "You've ventured beyond the reaches of our solar system with valor six." The screen changes to show a beautiful nebula further than any person could hope to travel in their lifetime. 

I round the platform standing behind the sheet. "You've been both near and far, but what if we ventured somewhere closer. What if we went inside ourselves?" I say pulling the sheet off to gasps. Resting on top of its stand is the dream emulator aptly named Dream Catcher. Yea and it was PR nightmare to get that cleared. I think bitterly. I picked it up, though it looks like any other headset on the back side where it rests against the base of the neck was three fine pronged needles. They inserted into the wearers head. I demonstrate this to the crowd by plugging it in my own head. Quickly one of my own dreams flashed upon the screen behind me. 

I had picked a very dull pretty one among the deluge of horrible nightmares it had rendered. I suppressed a shudder thinking of the images. The public of course wouldn't have that problem, it would simply filter them out in logs. The screen played images of the stars dancing eventually shifting into a sandy beach where tiny colored bears danced before it slowly faded to black. "That," I said taking the emulator off "was one of my own dreams. I've been personally testing the product for months and am more than capable of answering any questions you might have." The flurry hit me instantly as they all hurried to ask their own questions. Mostly, when could they have it. 

I raised my hands in surrender. "Next year." I knew I wouldn't have to say any more they'd all be buzzing with the news for hours. I was giving them forty-five minutes before I kicked them out. As they began to disperse, I made my way back to the bar. I sighed ordering three more whiskeys. I was being petulant, and I knew I was surpassing my limit for parties, but I felt so empty. Slamming them all back my thoughts began to shift. I could see myself, no older than twelve, seated in our den. I was reading a book; a pang of longing rang through me. Behind me the fire crackled, and I could see our dog curled near the mantelpiece. The window showed it was nighttime, but it could have been any night. Someone walked into the room beginning to ask me - Someone bumped into my shoulder drawing me from my thoughts. 

When I turned to look, I felt the room sway with me. Should've went with two! I scolded myself. My neighbor was once again the green-eyed gentleman. A hiccup escaped me as I asked, "Are you following me?" A smirk found its way briefly onto his face before he concealed it. "No, you just appear to be wherever the drinks are." He answered smoothly. I nodded, that was fair. "Why do you ask? Is it commonplace for men to follow you around?" he asked, quirking a brow at me. I grinned despite myself, the alcohol wearing on me. "Sometimes you can never be rid of them." I groaned. "Even when you throw your drink on them and hit them with a glass." I muttered under my breath thinking of the last party I threw and the astonished faces staring at me from around the room. I looked back up at him hoping he had not heard me for I had not meant to say that aloud. His eyes danced with mirth telling me he most certainly did hear. 

I checked my watch almost crying out when I saw it had only been 25 minutes. This will never end. I agonized. My companion had yet to utter any reply again, choosing to just stare at me. I ordered another drink. "Do you have a staring problem?" I blurted out; the drinks were too many. What was that? Six or seven? I couldn't remember but the man did laugh. His deep laugh resounding around the bar seeming to vibrate within my chest. "Would you like another? Perhaps you'll offer to fight me next." I scowled; I was being a bit unfriendly insinuating he was some kind of weirdo. "Okay let's start over then." I said sitting up straighter and adjusting my top. "I believe last time I gave my name, but I would like to know yours." His eyes sparkled as he leaned closer, like it was a secret. 

He did not reveal his name, instead he said something which made my blood run cold. Whispering very closely to me he said, "I didn't take you for a liar Andesine. That's not your real name and we both know it." I leaned back quickly schooling my face. "That is the name I prefer to be called." I hissed. "That is the only name I will be addressed by you may leave." My heart was pounding as I stood, wanting to address the people to end this horrid night. His hand caught mine and my eyes moved to meet his. He stood as if to intimidate me, but I refused to shrink back. "Let go of me." I said very quietly full of silent rage. As if my previous name were any of his business, I thought I had buried it so far away surely no one here could access it. But he never came to these, at least none of the parties I had ever thrown. I narrowed my eyes, what are you up to you shifty bastard? 

His hand tightened around mine as I attempted to pull away. "Would you like a reenactment of the last time a man would not unhand me?" I asked my voice dripping with the threat I was itching to follow through. "And spend another twelve weeks in retraining your public appearance? I don't think you want to cause another scene like that." He said mockingly. If I were angry before now, I was seething. I took a deep breath to compose myself, cursing the whole time that of course the night I have a few drinks something goes down. "Alright who are you? Tell me your angle or I will have security drag you out." I say tapping my foot, his hand still gripping mine. 

"Cancel your plans for the night and I will tell you." He says nearly breathing down my neck. Goosebumps erupt on my skin but not from his proximity. How does he know what I was going to do after this? I've mentioned it to no one. Not a soul on this side of my life could possibly know. Is there a rat somewhere? My mind races as I try to comprehend how he could possibly know these things about me. I am still thinking when I hear a voice ringing out declaring the late hour, delicately asking all to round up and out. I sighed thanking earlier me for instituting a fail-safe. I instructed my head of security to declare the party over if I became indisposed, it did not take but one time for me to understand the importance of having a backup plan. One time a party had gone on until two in the morning, never again. 

The slight relief I felt earlier vanished when my companion did not seem inclined to leave. "I do not presume to know what you're talking about," I said sweetly "but you need to leave. Do not attempt to contact me again. Stay out of my personal information." I said, ripping my hand from his. I quickly took a couple steps back distancing myself from him. His face twisted for a moment into a sneer. He had not expected that. "I will be in contact." He said, stepping closer to me. My heart began to pound again. He brushed past me, bumping into my shoulder once more on his way out. 

As everyone began to filter out, I quickly made my way over to security. Upon spotting Maxim, I quickly waved him over. "Did you happen to spot the gentleman I was talking to? Dark hair, about six two?" He seemed to ponder for a moment. "Oh yeah, huge scar on his face." I add, clearly, his most distinct trait. "No, sorry I don't think I saw him. I was dealing with some pretty drunk people back there." He says shaking his head. I just nod waving him off. It seemed odd that he would miss that guy of all the people here but perhaps I was in my own head. 

After security cleared my apartment, they swiftly filed out, wishing me a happy holiday. I decided to call Prism, the friend with whom I had made my plans. We usually hung out at an underground bar, far out from the cities. There are no twinkling lights there. Prism was into, well let's say a shadier side of the technology sector. Fantastic hacker, she is. She picks up on the fourth ring, "June, where are you at? Party started an hour ago." I sigh moving through my apartment to my bedroom. "There was this weird guy at the party, and you know how those people get. They would stay all night if I let them." She just huffs and then asks, "Who was the weird guy?" I step into the closet, looking for another dress. "I don't know. That's the weird thing, he never said his name but he sure as hell knew a lot of things about me." Things that no one should be concerning themselves over. I think hurriedly selecting a sequined red dress. I didn't always live in the city, as evidenced by my hatred for most of it. I used to live in the beautiful countryside, alone and free of the never-ending lights. I shake my head, realizing I've missed everything she said. "I'm sorry, what?" 

"I said what did he look like? Maybe I can find something out about him. Dig around on the web a little bit." She says this as nonchalantly as she can manage but I just know her hands are rubbing together in a villain like manner. "Alright, don't start foaming at the mouth. He was about six two maybe six three. He had shoulder length dark hair, green eyes, and a massive scar across the left side of his face. " 

"Scar? I can work with that; you can fill me in more when you get here. So, hurry." She said hanging up.

[fulminare-within-her-soul]

Awww, he thinks I’m ✨effervescent.✨

Thanks for answering! Hopefully it’s alright to summon you the next time I bake cookies or something. :3

Lu! <333

I mean, Sire!

This is probably gonna sound a bit strange, but your anatomy is- legitimately fascinating.

Like…how are your wings built in terms of velocity and distance, are you more suited to one over the other? Do you molt? Are receptors connected to your tongue like a snake? What colors do you see? Do you have an urge to hunt?

Can you roar???

I just…you’re very pretty and I’m so curious.

Coming on a little strong there.

But he doesn't mind answering. Just give him a moment.

"Okay. Let's break it down. My wings are what's known as high speed wings. They are designed for speed and agility and quick movements. Or more simply put, yes: they are very well suited for high velocity. Distance too though. Both are important for angels. If you'll compare the two pictures below, you'll see that my wings are shaped quite similarly to that of the tern pictured."

"I do molt. It's an annual thing and takes 2 to 4 weeks. I have a Jacobson's organ like a snake as well. So yes, I can smell the air with my tongue. I see a similar range of colors to humanity... the high angels made humans 'after our own image' meaning that human anatomy is similar in many respects to angel anatomy. Though there are certain things that are quite different, of course."

"I don't hunt, but demonic form tends to feed more into very core and feral states of mind. I can definitely roar, especially in demonic form. I also growl and sometimes it means I'm happy."

He doesn't mind giving out information about himself. No one in their right mind would challenge him and those in Heaven already know his weaknesses anyway. He has nothing to lose and he's confident he can't be taken down. He's been King of Hell for Hell's entire history for a damn reason.

[lyriumsings]

number 40 50 and +1

40. Describe Rook’s bed:

Before Veilguard, it was a really grand thing lol. The bed of your dreams tbh like just this plush, soft, giant expanse that one person could never possibly fill by themselves. It’s always made to perfection the second she wakes up. Think the overall color scheme of her room would be deep reds and purples with like gold accents. It’s giving royalty lol She misses it dearly but would never admit it.

50. Are they a mystery, or an open book?

Both! They’re contradictory. Open book, because she doesn’t mince words. You know how she feels and what’s on her mind because she’ll say it. Mystery because she’s not open with her past. I have my own Shadow Dragons backstory for her, and she’s not forthcoming with it. I headcanon it takes the crew a second to realize they actually don’t know anything about her but she’s learning everything about them. They don’t even know her real name. (Even Mercar is not really her surname it’s her half sister’s and she uses it for plot reasons lol)

+1 What does Rook smell like?

Testing my memory against myself lmao.

Kataleya smells like chocolate and winter air. And actually upon further reflection, I think she also smells a little bit like whatever that person associates with her? Since she’s attached to the fade via blood magic I like to headcanon it affects her a bit. So to Lucanis she smells like ciocolatta calda. To Taash she smells like sea salt. etc But it’s always tinged with the smell of tin (aka powerful magic which bellara says in game).I hope that makes sense? Like their perception of her affects how they experience her bc of her link to the fade? And specifically around core memories they have with her, maybe. Sticking a pin in this headcanon lmao

Ask meme!

[rinisasnaillle]

Chapter 2

Chapter 2 - Fire Catching

Miko

November 16, 5029

11:39 AM

Miko’s horse was slow. Well, she was steering him slowly, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t blame it on Jenn.

She couldn’t believe she’d lost her magic. Well, she hadn’t lost it all yet. It just didn’t work very well. Or at all. It didn’t work at all. 

She paused her horse as a hostile voice began to snap behind her. 

“Who are you?” The voice asked. Miko turned around to observe the lady. She looked to be about Jace’s age. Fiery-colored hair that was extremely curly. There were blue streaks in the roots like the blue fire parts. It was interesting, how this lady’s hair mimicked flames so fiercely, and when the breeze fluttered the curls, they seemed to flicker like firelight. She had pale skin, dotted with lots of freckles, even on her shoulders and hands. Her eyes were glaring, with black… what was the word? Sclera? Black scleras and purple irises. She was wearing a black, tight-fitted, sleeveless turtleneck and pants that looked like Katana’s fighting gear. A seemingly discarded cloak laid on the ground beside a patch of purple flowers.

“Nobody important,” Jace said snarkily, dismounting. He always does that.

“I’m Katana Wander, and that’s Jace,” Katana said, shooting a sharp look at Jace. Miko grinned. At least Katana got it. Don’t anger the people who are already angry. But the conversation was boring Miko. There were flowers behind the girl that Miko thought Kyuni would like.

“My name is Ember Ignis-Chorus-Fulminare, and if you tell anyone I was here,” the girl said, “I will burn your homes to the ground.” Ember was really cool looking, but not as menacing as she probably thought she was.

Miko watched Ember scowl for a moment before deciding the conversation didn’t include her. She dismounted Jenn and went to look at the flowers behind Ember.

In a flash, there was a cold blade at Miko’s throat. Pain shot through her shoulders as Ember set a sickle to Miko’s neck and wrapped an arm around Miko’s midsection. 

“Wait!” Jace shouted. 

Maybe we can still talk our way out of this! I’m too young to die! Miko thought. 

“Help,” She croaked. “I’m sorry.”

“Let her go!” Jace said desperately. 

“We’ll answer your questions if you give her back!” Kyuni said hurriedly. No! Don’t answer her questions! What if she’s evil? Miko thought, fear coursing through her veins.

“Good deal,” Ember hissed. “What are you doing here?”

“We’re just dropping by! We’re from Adani!” Katana replied quickly. 

“Adani,” Ember murmured in Miko’s ear. “Wander. Wander. Your father banned magic,” She said suddenly.

“Only in Adani,” Katana said defensively. 

“Please let me go,” Miko whispered.

“Fine.” Ember dropped the sword. “I just needed to know one thing.”

Miko darted away, rubbing her neck reproachfully.

Ember grinned at Miko in an amused way, no regret in her eyes. 

Annoying b–

Katana

November 16, 5029

11:45 AM

“Sorry about that,” Ember said, “but sometimes Mother sends people in disguise to make sure I’m not ‘running from society’.” Ember made air quotes around the last words. Katana giggled. Jace glared heavily at Ember.

“So, Ember,” Jace spat the name as if it were acid, “What are you doing here?” Ember looked amused at his meanness.

“I needed to get– actually, I don’t owe you anything,” She changed tact at the speed of light, placing her hands on her hips. 

“Sorry about him,” Katana said quickly, shooting a warning look at Jace. He scoffed.

“No, no. It’s totally fine,” Ember replied, smiling sweetly at Jace and clasping her hands in front of her. 

“OW!” Jace shouted suddenly. There was a small flame on the backside of his pants. He hurriedly dropped and rolled around a bit. 

Ember raised an eyebrow, amused. Damn, Katana thought, another one. Jace jumped up again and whirled to face Ember. 

“Listen up, you little–” Jace began angrily.

“Jace!” Katana hissed, elbowing him in the arm. He frowned reproachfully at her. She mirrored the expression as best she could. 

“You’ll think twice before calling me that again,” Ember said, distaste plain on her face. 

Katana giggled nervously. 

“Um, hello? Can Ember help us into the city or not?” Kyuni wailed. 

“Hush, young one,” Ember snapped, picking up her cloak and fastening it over her shoulders. “I’m working on it.”

“I’m not young…” Kyuni mumbled, but Ember didn’t turn.

“Now?” Jace’s tone was skeptical.

“Yes, now.” Ember pointed at the wall. The torches slowly began to flare to life in the distance. Guards were shouting orders. Everyone was gathering at the front gate. 

“Now, hop on those horses of yours and come with me.” Ember grinned wickedly and shot away, down the hill and around the group of guards’ line of sight. Katana did what she was told and urged her horse to a trot, going right behind Ember, who was surprisingly fast. Jace joined her. Are we sure we can trust her? He seemed to be asking with his eyes. Katana thought pointedly, I trust her. He raised an eyebrow at her and she smiled softly at him.

“Pause,” Ember ordered suddenly, holding a hand up. Katana pulled the reins on Hawthorn, and he nickered irritably. Jace also looked annoyed. “What?” He asked, frowning. 

“Shh,” Ember hissed, fiddling with something on the wall. “Found it. They always seem to move it.”

“Dare I ask what it is?” Jace asked, positively sagging with sarcasm. 

“Shut up!” Miko told him.

Ember looked ready to agree wholeheartedly with the younger girl, but Katana stepped in, placing a hand on Ember’s arm. She raised an eyebrow at Katana, which caused Katana to genuinely blush. Not like how she would blush at Jace’s little comments, stiff and usually paired with a grimace.

This was different somehow. 

Katana took her hand away hastily, turning away. 

“Let’s just stop bickering, please? You both know we need to get in there.” She had planted her face in her hands, so her normally softer–sounding voice was muffled. She heard a sizzling sound, and she took her hands away from her face and whirled. 

“Nobody better be cooking Jace, or–” Katana stopped short. A bit of the wall had opened, burned away from the stone, and there was smoke issuing from the sides of the arch. Katana fought back a gasp.

The town was on fire. Not really, of course. The buildings, though, when the sunlight hit them just right, gave the illusion of flames licking the sides of the architecture. She didn’t know what kind of stone it was, but it was beautiful. The buildings were tall, pointed at the top like turrets. There was a huge… not a castle, exactly. More like a capitol. The capitol was made of a material that looked like marble, but it held some type of sheen in the light of torches and sunlight. 

A small banner sporting the Ignis–Chorus family’s sigil was hanging on the wall of the capitol; a bird, spreading its wings, being just barely licked by a moving picture of fire. An also small but newer–looking banner beside it showed a different sigil, one Katana didn’t recognize. It was a lightning bolt magicked to dance and flame like real ones did. It glowed faintly purple. A large banner in between the two smaller ones sported a huge dancing, purple flame that someone seemed to have magicked to mimic the way real flames waved and swirled. Ember led them through the city, glancing back at them to make sure they didn’t get lost. 

Ember swore violently and ducked into an alleyway, momentarily out of sight. Katana rocked back and forth on her heels, gripping Jace’s hand anxiously. Where did I get his hand? She let go with an apologetic look. His face was redder than the flames dancing on the banners. 

Ember reemerged, tucking something under her cloak. She was stiffer and looked more regal, but Katana brushed it off. This was her hometown, after all, and Ember probably just wanted to be more presentable.

“Hey, uh. So… where are we going?” Katana caught up to Ember, gripping the fire elf’s arm. Ember shook her off and frowned.

“To the capitol. To get you out of those ridiculous clothes.”

“What’s wrong with our clothes?” Katana asked, looking down at her tight long sleeve and baggy pants.

“They scream royal.”

“That’s bad?”

“In this town, yes.” Ominous much? Katana thought bitterly.

“We just need water and food, then we’ll leave.”

“Sorry,” Ember said stiffly, “That’s non–negotiable. You’re coming to the capitol with me, for new clothes.”

“I don’t wanna,” Kyuni complained, but cut herself off. 

“Well, too bad!” Ember snapped, stopping abruptly, crossing her arms. “You’re coming with me, whether you like it or not!”

“Why!?” Katana burst out.

“Hush,” Ember hissed, pausing in her walk. “Don’t look back.” Katana narrowed her eyes, turning. Ember was at her side in a heartbeat, hand wrapped around Katana’s wrist and mouth by Katana’s ear.

“Don’t look back,” Ember whispered again and her voice was deeper, alluring. Katana wrenched herself free of the Fire Elf’s grasp and whirled. 

And she swore. 

Miko and Kyuni were being held by Fire Elves in silver uniforms and masks. Miko’s eyes were wide and fearful, darting from Katana to Kyuni. Kyuni’s were alight with anger, and the guard holding her kept having to jerk his legs away from her swinging ones that kept morphing from human to harpy and back again. Jace was nowhere to be seen. After a moment taken to absorb the betrayal, Katana’s hands curled into fists and she lunged for Ember, enforcing her knuckles with sharp shadows.

“YOU–” The fire elf caught her with a punch that rocked Katana’s head back. Sparks of agony burst through her head and Katana fell back. This was nothing like the movies and books. This was awful. Where were the shadows? There was a muffled cry from Kyuni’s direction, followed by a smack. 

“KY–” Katana shouted, but was cut off again with an elbow to her stomach. She coughed violently, and saliva splattered on the ground. 

“Pathetic,” Ember smirked, and Katana’s vision was blurred; where were her glasses? She reached for a glimmer of gold, but Ember kicked them away and Katana could hear a worrying crunch that shot more fear through Katana’s body than anything she had felt before.

“NO!” Katana screamed. Ember laughed harshly. Katana’s eyes were clouding with darkness. 

“Poor Kardata,” Ember crooned, kneeling before Katana. Ember’s blurred form shifted into a taller boy with dark skin and glittering eyes. The boy tapped shining sigils on his knuckles and placed his hands on Katana’s head. 

“Nighty–Night, Wander.”

A blast of agony surged through Katana’s head and she thought no more.

[apricusnights]

Revel In Riches!

"Hello and Happy Holidays Apricus! You're tuned in to Revel In Riches! The Bounty Hunter's favorite show!"

"I'm Aphrodite!"

"And I'm Ares!"

"But enough small talk, lets get right to it!"

"Everyone's favorite masked psycho "The Chimera Killer" is still at large and occupying a bigger bounty than ever. They haven't been seen lately but if there is anything for sure about Chimera, it's that nothing is for sure. They could pop back up at any time with some insidious scheme."

"Anyone recognize THIS song? Well it seems like some folks in Apricus may be doing just that. We're getting reports of people waking up to find themselves missing things that nobody else knew about."

"What's even weirder is a few victims reported strange dreams involving someone or something over and over again. One victim even has a recording of him literally talking in his sleep describing in detail the location of an expensive piece of artwork and how to get to it."

"Is this some strange new awakened ability or are we dealing with something otherworldly. No matter what, this "Nightmare Thief" makes their debut on the bounty board. You're gonna need some detective work to figure this out."

"Next up we have a report from another nation asking for help. Seems that several of the Fulminare Islands are being plagued by something the locals say are creatures right out of folklore. We don't have exact descriptions as the creatures strike fast, and don't seem to leave many if any survivors."

"Be careful taking on this one as it's technically outside of the Bounty Hunter Guild's jurisdiction. There is one heck of a reward offered though."

"Lastly there seems to be something of copycat on the loose. Remember how the Chimera Killer enjoyed leaving riddles? Well now we've got someone leaving rhymes as well as calling cards at the scene of their crimes."

"I think a few people down at the Hunter's Lodge has temporarily nicknamed this one "The Hatter" due to the nature of the rhymes. Sounds a bit silly but I assure you that the victims of the crimes don't think so."

"I swear, we can't ever have normal criminals in this city. It's always weirdos."

"Well that may be why we still have a job!"

"Anyway that is gonna do it for this episode! We wish you the best of luck in bringing home that bank! Good luck, and Happy Holidays!"

[avarkriss]

i just read fulminare and that pillow scene has to be the single hottest thing i have ever read in my entire life

Omg I'm so glad you liked it cause I was very self conscious about writing it 🙈🙈🙈

Thanks for stopping in sunshine, I hope you're having the beautiful day you deserve!